"Senior Brother, take care on your way."
"I'll be waiting for you here in seven days."
After sharing a few drinks with Zhang Chuchen and openly learning more about this senior brother's circumstances, Gu Han saw him off outside the courtyard gate. Only when the figure had disappeared from view did he return to his room and enter the secret chamber.
With his soul power continuously improving, the Black Tortoise Mystic Realm had grown to six meters in length, width, and height. This meant that after entering the mystic realm space, he could be fully aware of everything within three meters of his disappearance point.
Not only that, he recently discovered that after entering the Black Tortoise Mystic Realm, he could sense prying gazes within ten times his perception range. This indicated that if anyone was spying on him within a thirty-meter radius, he would know.
"Three-Star Dou Fighter cultivation is completely stable now, I can continue to improve."
Gu Han formed hand seals with both hands and circulated the Mystic Ice Force. After adjusting his condition, he consumed the Dou Fighter Pill obtained from Nalan Yanran.
As everyone knew, on the Dou Qi Continent, each major cultivation realm represented a world of difference—like heaven and earth—making it generally impossible to fight across realms.
However, within the same realm, there were quite a few geniuses capable of fighting across stars. This was because before reaching Dou Venerable, the difference between one star and nine stars was more quantitative than qualitative.
To use an appropriate analogy: one star was like filling one-ninth of a bucket with water, while nine stars meant filling the entire bucket. Essentially, both were water in the bucket, with the bucket representing the realm.
Cultivation techniques, Dou Skills, combat experience, rare treasures, and the like could easily narrow this gap in water volume.
But if a vat were to collide with a bucket, even one-ninth of the vat's water would overwhelm a full bucket.
However, the more one accumulated, the closer one got to quantitative change triggering qualitative change, hence the advantage in later stages.
Moreover, the higher the realm, the greater the cultivation in later phases.
Taking pills hardly risked destabilizing one's realm because it merely accelerated the water-filling process.
"Boom!"
Unconsciously, several hours passed.
Gu Han felt his Qi Cyclone expand slightly again, its color deepening from light blue to pure blue.
The breakthrough from three stars to four stars marked the transition from early to mid-stage Dou Fighter, equivalent to a mid-tier first-grade Magical Beast.
However, first-grade Magical Beasts had low intelligence and were mostly at a disadvantage against Dou Fighters who mastered Dou Skills and cultivation techniques.
"Time's up, let's check the opportunities first."
Gu Han continued to consolidate his cultivation while checking the opportunity predictions.
[Ka Long learned through special channels that you have reached Three-Star Dou Fighter and gained Sect Leader Yun Yun's favor. Judging you to be a Cloud Mist Sect prodigy and a future major threat to the Golden Goose Sect, he decided to depart tomorrow at Haishi third watch (9:45 PM) to deliver a message to the Golden Goose Sect's secret stronghold in Cloud Mist Town at the mountain's base.]
[Nalan Yanran gave you the fourth-grade Dou Fighter Pill (can increase one star of cultivation) inherited from her mother. This scene was witnessed by many. Mo Qing exaggerated the incident when reporting to Liu Ling, causing him to develop hostility toward you. He will come to cause trouble for you today at Sishi third watch (9:45 AM).]
Gu Han: "..."
Both pieces of information indicated someone targeting him. Was this the legendary treatment of a Child of Destiny?
"Ka Long, Mo Qing—I can't let you two live."
Gu Han wasn't the type to wait passively for death.
While the Mo Family and Golden Goose Sect were potential threats destined for future confrontation that needed eradication, there was no immediate rush.
But Mo Qing and Ka Long posed immediate threats. Since they were scheming against him, they needed to be dealt with at the first opportunity whenever possible.
"I can do it like this..."
A glint flashed in Gu Han's eyes as he thought of a method.
The night passed without incident, and time flowed to the next morning, the third quarter of the si hour.
Thump, thump, thump…
The gate to Gu Han's small courtyard was knocked upon.
"Who is it?" Gu Han's cool voice came from within the courtyard.
"It's Liu Ling. We met in front of the sect hall." Liu Ling's voice carried a hint of arrogance.
However, he didn't barge in directly, indicating that Gu He's teachings had been effective, and he still maintained some decorum.
"The gate isn't locked," Gu Han stated.
Creak.
Liu Ling pushed the door open and entered.
Following behind him was someone, but it wasn't Mo Qing as Gu Han had expected; it was the traitor, Ka Long.
Seeing Gu Han sitting at the round table, drinking millet porridge cooked on a stove, Liu Ling's eyes flickered with surprise.
He had the feeling that the other party had known he was coming and had been waiting for him in the courtyard.
"Brother Gu."
Suppressing the strangeness in his heart, Liu Ling walked to the stone table and cupped his hands in salute to Gu Han.
The change in address showed that he remembered what Gu Han had said that day and did not presume to act as a disciple of the Cloud Mist Sect.
Gu Han thought more highly of him and decided to use his Plan C to deal with him. He stood up and returned the salute. "Brother Liu, what brings you to me?"
Seeing that Gu Han wasn't as sharp-edged as during their first meeting, Liu Ling's hostility lessened slightly. He got straight to the point: "Brother Gu, I admire Miss Nalan. This is no secret in the Cloud Mist Sect. I heard she came to see you yesterday. May I ask what it was about?"
"If it's inconvenient to say, then forget it!"
Liu Ling already knew that Gu Han's talent was not low and that he was valued by Yun Yun.
Thus, he wouldn't openly show hostility or act overbearing.
"This matter can be discussed," Gu Han said, turning his gaze to Ka Long.
Understanding the hint, Liu Ling turned to Ka Long and said, "Senior Brother Ka Long, please wait for me outside."
A flicker of killing intent passed through Ka Long's eyes, but his expression remained unchanged as he nodded slightly. "Alright, I'll wait outside."
As he walked out, he even closed the courtyard gate behind him.
Gu Han gestured for Liu Ling to sit down and said calmly, "As for what Senior Sister Nalan came to me for, since you admire her, Brother Liu, you should actually thank me."
Liu Ling: ?
"Brother Liu, did you know that Miss Nalan has been betrothed since childhood?" Gu Han picked up his bowl and deftly drank the millet porridge.
"Of course I know. It was to the third young master of the Xiao Family, once a Dou King clan. His cultivation talent was outstanding, but now the strongest in the Xiao Family is only a Dou Grand Master, and Xiao Yan has become a waste. He's utterly unworthy of Yanran... Miss Nalan, and she doesn't like this marriage either." A mix of jealousy and schadenfreude flashed in Liu Ling's eyes.
Gu Han observed his expression and continued, "But as long as Elder Nalan doesn't agree, it's very difficult to annul this engagement."
Liu Ling: !
"I thought of a way to get Elder Nalan to agree to break off the engagement," Gu Han set down his empty bowl. "Now, Miss Nalan is free. Don't you think you should thank me?"
"Really!?" Liu Ling stood up abruptly, his eyes filled with envy.
"Absolutely true. You can verify this with Miss Nalan herself," Gu Han met Liu Ling's gaze. "She came to me yesterday to thank me."
"I said it wasn't necessary to thank me, as it was the sect leader's invitation, and a tangible gift would be more practical."
"So she gave me a Grade Four Pill as thanks."
"After that, I followed her to see the sect leader. The sect leader has a task for me, but I can't disclose it."
"No need, no need," Liu Ling immediately waved his hand, his joy evident and his smile uncontrollable.
With the marriage contract dissolved, Nalan Yanran was free from all shackles and could openly pursue her own path.
This was a great blessing, and unexpectedly, it was Gu Han who had facilitated it.
Initially, given that he had orchestrated this, combined with his looks, temperament, and talent, he would have been a formidable new competitor.
But he actually asked Nalan Yanran for a reward—it seemed he had no interest in her, and she, after this incident, would surely view Gu Han as petty and look down on him.
How could this be a competitor? He was simply a benefactor!
"Brother Liu, I say you should thank me. Do you agree?" Gu Han suddenly inquired.
"Agreed, of course I agree." Liu Ling immediately nodded. "From now on, you're my sworn brother, closer than blood."
Gu Han: "..."
No one ever told me Liu Ling was such a joker
.
And the money from a simp is just too easy to swindle.
"Since Brother Liu agrees, and you say I'm your brother, my request is modest."
"Miss Nalan gifted me a Grade Four Pill as thanks. You should do the same."
Liu Ling: ???