Chapter 131: Borrowing and repaying, borrowing again is no trouble—but what if the borrower dies

"Dad, did you just see that?"

Gu Yuan paid no attention to Gu Zhan, who was full of inner drama beside him, and instead looked at his own father.

He was referring to the matter of borrowing power.

He believed his father had surely noticed.

"Hmm."

Gu Lin Tian nodded.

A hint of approval flashed in his deep eyes.

But more than that, it was a feeling of solemnity.

He waved his hand, signaling Gu Zhan to step aside, then said to Gu Yuan:

""Borrowing False Cultivation," using another's strength to lever one's own Great Dao, in battle comprehending higher mysteries of the law. Yuan'er, this great divine ability of yours is not bad."

"Borrowing False Cultivation!"

Gu Yuan's heart stirred; his father had indeed seen through.

"But..."

Gu Lin Tian shifted his tone: "Everything has a price. Do you know what the price of this borrowing is?"

Gu Yuan froze for a moment; he really hadn't considered this question.

Just then, borrowing his father's power felt as natural as water flowing into a channel—smooth and effortless, with no discomfort whatsoever.

"Is it that the consumption is greater?"

Gu Yuan guessed.

"Not just that."

Gu Lin Tian shook his head, offering no further explanation, and instead extended a finger to lightly touch Gu Yuan's brow.

"Feel it yourself."

"Buzz!"

Gu Yuan only felt a familiar yet unfamiliar force surge from his father's fingertip into his limbs and bones.

This force shared the same source as the True Immortal power he had just borrowed, but it carried an irresistible will.

In the next instant, the Myriad Dao Time Lamp in his dantian shuddered violently.

The flame, which had just become incredibly solid from borrowing power, began to dim at a terrifying speed!

An indescribable sense of weakness welled up like a tide.

He felt his connection to the Three Thousand Great Dao being forcibly severed.

The Myriad Dao Chart in his Sea of Consciousness withdrew its light, returning to an illusory outline.

Even the bones forged from Immortal King's bone within his body transmitted waves of emptiness.

"Pfft!"

Gu Yuan staggered, barely able to stay upright, and spat out a mouthful of golden blood.

His aura dropped in an instant, his strength falling to that of an unrefined mortal—a mortal!

Afterward, Gu Lin Tian pointed again.

Vast immortal power surged in.

After a full half hour, the feeling of being completely drained slowly faded.

The Myriad Dao Time Lamp in his dantian reignited a weak flame.

But to recover to its former peak would likely require days of arduous cultivation.

"This..."

Gu Yuan wiped the blood from his mouth, his eyes filled with shock.

He finally understood.

"Dad, you mean the borrowed power needs to be... repaid?"

"Correct."

Gu Lin Tian withdrew his finger, his expression calm: "The Great Dao is impartial; what is borrowed must be repaid. For every bit of power you borrow from another, you must repay threefold with your own Dao. This is the price of Borrowing False Cultivation."

"Just now I was making you repay the power you borrowed from me; your own cultivation is low... If not for me, your father, using my own immortal power to repay for you, you would at least have been sealed by me for ten years of cultivation—that is the price."

Gu Lin Tian looked at his son, carrying admonition and duty, yet a hint of pride flickered deep in his eyes,

"But my Dao shares the same source as yours; if you want to borrow, I will give it to you; if you want to repay, I can make it easy for you, even let you avoid repayment, just as before."

"But what if you borrowed power from an enemy, or from a stranger unrelated to you? What do you think would happen?"

Gu Yuan's back instantly broke out in a cold sweat.

He could almost imagine it.

If in a fierce battle he borrowed the enemy's power, preparing to unleash a thunderous strike, only for the enemy to suddenly demand repayment, forcibly draining his own essence.

The consequences... are unimaginable!

Lightly, his Dao foundation would be damaged; heavily, he would die on the spot!

This divine ability is essentially a double-edged sword!

Used well, it can turn the tide against the wind and create miracles.

Used poorly, it is digging one's own grave!

"I understand, Father." Gu Yuan took a deep breath, bowed respectfully to his father, and said, "Thank you for your teachings, Father."

This time, he was genuinely convinced.

If not for his father's revelation today, he would likely still be lost in the joy of a meteoric rise, unaware of the danger.

If he later uses it recklessly against an enemy, the consequences would be unimaginable.

As long as you understand, that's fine.

Gu Lin Tian nodded, a hint of relieved smile appearing on his face,

Your divine ability has limitless potential, but its use must be exercised with extreme caution; when facing enemies, it must never be employed as a regular means.

However...

He shifted his tone, the corner of his mouth curling into a meaningful arc,

If used to borrow the strength of your own elders, it's perfectly fine. Your grandfather, your mother, and those uncles and aunts of yours would surely be happy to lend you their strength.

Gu Yuan also smiled knowingly upon hearing that.

Yeah, it's a poison that pierces the intestines against enemies, but against one's own people, it's practically the strongest 'shaking people' divine technique in history!

Imagine this: someday, when you're facing an opponent you can't beat, you directly remotely connect with an elder in seclusion and borrow a wisp of Immortal King's power...

Just imagining that scene makes one's whole body tremble with excitement.

By the way, Dad, I have an idea.

Go ahead and say it.

You said that borrowing requires repayment, so borrowing power should also be repaid, right?

Yes.

Then if... after I borrow the power, you, Dad, or Grandfather kill that person, would I, as your child, not need to repay it?

Gu Lin Tian: "!!!"

Talent!

This... might not be impossible; go find your grandfather and have him help you try it out.