Chapter 297: Solution to Gu Yuan

Outside the abandoned underground ventilation shaft.

A Qi climbed up step by step along the rusted iron ladder.

Seventh Realm, Nascent Soul Peak.

Such a cultivation level, placed in today's Heaven's Pivot No. 11 City, would be enough to walk unchallenged.

Each time he ascended a rung, the blood‑colored true essence in his body surged a notch.

That was the surging mighty power bestowed by the Flaming Blood Transforming Infant Secret.

He had already outlined countless images in his mind: kicking open the alloy door of the air‑raid shelter with a foot, one‑handedly clutching Tie Tu's neck, questioning the lofty white‑clad man, and retrieving every ounce of the humiliation heaven had dealt, both principal and profit.

I am the Son of Destiny. A Qi chewed over this sentence repeatedly in his heart.

However.

When he lifted the steel plate overhead that weighed a thousand jins, and his feet touched the black market street in that instant, all his arrogance and ambition were crushed to powder by a wave of air that slammed into him.

There was no earth‑shaking explosion.

Only the utmost pure pressure of law.

The sky above was no longer the perpetually dull gray; a seven‑colored pillar of light piercing heaven and earth shredded the poisonous clouds to fragments.

In the compacted soil beneath his feet, vibrant spirit herbs were sprouting at a visibly rapid pace.

The spiritual Qi flowing in the air was so dense it seemed about to condense into droplets.

A Qi's breath stalled.

His prideful Nascent Soul Peak cultivation, before this vast sea‑like Dao of Immortals, was not even a speck of dust.

"What… what is this…"

A Qi's legs trembled, making even standing extremely difficult.

Deep within the Sea of Perception, Tian Yuan Laozu's divine thought also surged violently.

"Prime spiritual vein."

The Elder Ancestor's voice carried a hint of astonishment, "The boundless spiritual Qi even reaches this place?"

"If you were to absorb all this spiritual Qi, you might still ascend several great realms!"

A Qi swallowed, his eyes showing both greed and shock.

The greed stemmed from the Immortal Venerable's words: if an immortal gave him all this, he had no idea what level he could reach.

The shocking point was that he suddenly realized an extremely fatal issue: he had just intended to challenge an immortal who could casually create a prime spiritual vein.

That was not revenge; it was a death sentence.

"Immortal Venerable, what should I do?"

"Endure."

Tian Yuan Laozu quickly steadied himself, his tone returning to a cold chill,

"This person's foundation is unfathomably deep; forcing a clash guarantees death. Your current cultivation, in his eyes, is merely a slightly larger ant. Return, act as if nothing happened, and continue as Sect Leader. I need time to parse the structural law of this vein, and you need time to solidify your cultivation completely."

A Qi nodded.

He had endured for so many years; naturally, he could still bear this bit of time.

…

…

The secret chamber at the deepest part of the air‑raid shelter.

Gu Yuan sat on a rosewood chair, holding a cup of hot tea.

Steam rose gently from the tea's surface, blurring his features.

The alloy door opened.

A Qi entered with his head lowered.

He did not uphold the bearing of a Sect Leader as usual; instead, he knelt on both knees, his forehead pressed against the cold floor, with utmost decisiveness.

"I, A Qi, humbly request an audience with the Immortal Venerable."

Gu Yuan said nothing, not even lifting his head to look at him.

In the secret chamber, only the metallic clatter from Gu Xuan Ce dismantling the mechanical array could be heard.

Time passed second by second.

Fine beads of sweat seeped from A Qi's forehead.

He did not know whether the other party had seen through his true condition. His Nascent Soul Peak cultivation was tightly suppressed deep in his dantian, outwardly revealing only the spirit power fluctuations of the Fourth Realm.

"Where have you been?"

Gu Yuan finally spoke, his tone even.

"To answer the Immortal Venerable, I roamed the edge of the black market last night, happened upon this spiritual Qi phenomenon, felt something, sought a secluded spot to breathe, and by luck broke through a realm."

A Qi's reply was airtight; it was the excuse he had repeatedly refined with Tian Yuan Laozu on the road.

"Occasional insight," Gu Yuan softly repeated those four words.

He set down the tea cup, his gaze falling on A Qi.

The Flaming Blood Transforming Infant Secret's overdrawn source left hidden wounds, the blood‑colored true essence lingering in the meridians, and A Qi's murderous intent that he thought he had concealed perfectly—none of these escaped Gu Yuan's eyes.

Even the faint divine thought of Tian Yuan Laozu, which was trying to mask and shield his probing of subtle fluctuations, was seen by Gu Yuan with crystal clarity.

Gu Yuan withdrew his gaze.

"Since you have broken through, solidify your realm properly. The Ancient Immortal Gate's business is now spread wide; Tie Tu alone can't handle it all, so you should share the burden."

Gu Yuan casually tossed a jade bottle in front of A Qi,

"Inside are several Peiyuan Pills; take them and eat."

A Qi cupped the jade bottle with both hands, his voice trembling, "Thank you, Immortal Venerable, for the gift! I shall give my liver and brain to the ground, and not die until after that!"

Retreat.

A Qi, as if granted a pardon, kowtowed repeatedly and retreated backward out of the secret chamber.

The heavy door was sealed shut again.

Gu Xuan Ce stopped the carving knife in his hand, turned his head, and looked at Gu Yuan.

"Young Master, this kid's acting skills are really too clumsy. With his mixed and impure blood energy, he can't even conceal it properly; the technique taught by that old turtle is truly trash to the core." Gu Xuan Ce mercilessly commented.

"There are advantages to being trash." Gu Yuan picked up his tea cup again, "If we don't give him some sweetener, how would he think he's capable? If he doesn't think he's capable, how can we lure out more of that old thing's divine sense? His divine sense is too small now, so I can only have some confidence in tracing his true form by following it."

Gu Xuan Ce thought for a moment, then probed, "How about we find the Old Ancestor?"

Gu Yuan shook his head: "Grandfather indeed has the cultivation of an Immortal King… but Grandfather, he's not skilled in the way of cause and effect."

His grandfather is just a brute, understanding nothing of cause and effect.

Gu Xuan Ce shrugged his shoulders.

The Young Master saying that is fine; he said he'd just wait to get beaten.

……

……

On the other side, A Qi returned to his own exclusive chamber.

He closed the door, activated all the shielding formations, then let out a long breath of foul air; the clothes on his back were already completely soaked.

"Immortal Venerable, did he see through it?" A Qi asked in his sea of consciousness.

"No." The tone of the Old Ancestor Tianyuan was extremely certain,

"This venerable one employed the ancient heavens‑covering secret art, perfectly sealing the peak aura of your Nascent Soul. He is merely a newly ascended immortal with some fortunate encounters; he will certainly not be able to see through this venerable one's methods."

The Old Ancestor's confidence was not without basis.

In his view, he himself was a True Immortal three thousand years ago; although now only a thread of divine sense remains, his realm and vision remain as they are.

Even if that white‑clothed person were stronger, at most he would be a junior who has merely touched the threshold of a True Immortal.

"However, this person is generous in his actions; the medicinal pills he casually bestows are not ordinary."

The Old Ancestor's divine sense swept over the jade bottle in A Qi's hand,

"Take the medicinal pill. He wants you to consolidate your realm, which exactly suits our intention. For the time being, just act normally, so that he will completely let down his guard toward you."

A Qi gripped the jade bottle tightly, a flash of malice crossing his eyes.

"I understand. Once I have fully mastered the Immortal Venerable's technique, I will settle this score with him personally."

Lying low.

This is the only thing A Qi can do at present.

He needs time, and the Old Ancestor Tianyuan needs even more time.

He has already figured out how to deal with this immortal!