"If I haven't returned by tomorrow, Uncle should lead everyone away directly. Someone will escort me to Wu Tan City."
Nalan Su worked with high efficiency, quickly issuing the command that Gu Han could freely come and go from the guard team. Before leaving, Gu Han didn't forget to give advance notice.
"We'll depart tomorrow morning and should reach Black Flame City by evening. If you can't make it back in time, Nephew, go directly to the Nalan family's business in Black Flame City. I'll instruct them to prepare a carriage or fast horses," Nalan Su responded accommodatingly.
"Good."
Gu Han nodded slightly, then turned and executed Serpentine Nine Steps to enter the forest.
Nalan Su watched him depart, inwardly astonished: "So fast, such agile movement! It must be at least Profound Rank!"
Gu Han was indeed highly valued in the Cloud Mist Sect, to be able to cultivate such a rare movement Dou Skill, and at the Profound Rank level at that.
And this Gu Han's talent was truly monstrous - not only was his cultivation level not low at such a young age, but he had also mastered a Profound Rank movement Dou Skill.
"Uncle, isn't he outstanding?" A lively voice came from beside him, bringing Nalan Su back to reality.
"Did I wake you?" Nalan Su looked at Nalan Yanran with gentle eyes. "In terms of talent alone, he surpasses even Yanran. If that Xiao family boy's talent were still intact, perhaps they could be compared."
A flash of envy appeared in Nalan Yanran's eyes. If her own talent hadn't been destroyed, she should have been able to compete with these geniuses.
Unfortunately, she was now someone who had to marry down to an equally worthless ordinary cultivator, just two desperate people clinging together for warmth.
Gu Han was unaware of the conversation between this uncle and niece. At this moment, he spoke up: "Senior Brother."
Whoosh!
Zhang Chuchen arrived sword in hand, leaving a series of afterimages in the forest as he came to stop not far from Gu Han.
"Junior Brother, what are you planning to do?" Zhang Chuchen inquired.
"I'm going to take down a fifth-rank Magical Beast, and I request Senior Brother's assistance," Gu Han truthfully informed him.
Zhang Chuchen's pupils constricted sharply, his voice trembling as he said: "What did you say!?"
A fifth-rank Magical Beast - even his Dou King master wouldn't dare provoke one lightly within the Magical Beast Mountain Range, and he had only just broken through to Dou Spirit.
"That senior from the Central Plains' Icy River Valley came earlier," Gu Han said, taking out the Century Cold Jade pendant, which emitted a trace of soul pressure.
This wisp of soul pressure was something he simulated by combining the power of Essence Crystal Jade Marrow with his own soul force that was approaching the middle stage of the Mortal Realm.
As everyone knew, Yao Lao was at the peak of the Spirit Realm, and even with the Bone Spirit Cold Flame, he could only display strength at the Battle Ancestor level.
Early on, when he had just recovered and was borrowing Xiao Yan's body at the Dou Grand Master level, he could only display peak Dou Emperor strength, enough to spar with the newly advanced Battle Ancestor Yun Shan.
At the Mortal Realm level, the soul itself actually doesn't possess much combat power. But if one masters Soul Secret Skills or can coordinate with their own strength, they can display more combat power.
The method Gu Han was currently using was mastered through the Black Tortoise Shell, simulating an aura similar to that of an ice-attribute Dou Emperor.
"Where is that senior?" Feeling the aura pressure, Zhang Chuchen's expression instantly changed as he looked around. "I should thank him personally. Without him, I wouldn't have been able to resolve the hidden dangers in my body, restore my cultivation talent, and break through to Dou Spirit."
"That senior isn't someone you can meet just because you want to," Gu Han put away the cold jade, seriously fabricating his story. "He said helping you was only done for my sake, so you needn't concern yourself with it."
"Last night while wandering through the Magical Beast Mountain Range, he witnessed an intense battle between two peak fifth-rank Magical Beasts. Now that both are severely injured, it's the perfect opportunity for us to reap the benefits."
"But he needs to deal with a sixth-rank Magical Beast to obtain a rare treasure and can't spare the time, so he asked me to bring you to handle this matter."
"Since it's the senior's command, I naturally must comply. But even injured, a fifth-rank Magical Beast is beyond my capabilities," Zhang Chuchen said with a grave expression.
"What if it were a third-rank Magical Beast?" Gu Han turned to ask.
"Then of course I could handle it!" Zhang Chuchen nodded eagerly.
"Let's go then." Gu Han took the lead.
With the detailed map provided by the Black Tortoise Shell opportunity guiding them, the two avoided dangers and headed straight to a shrubbery at the mountain's base.
The Violet Nether Flame Serpent's hiding cave was concealed behind these shrubs, which had the ability to mask scents, thus evading the Mu Kui Wolf pack's thorough searches.
"Behind these shrubs is a cave containing a peak fifth-rank Violet Nether Flame Serpent. However, it's severely injured by the Mu Kui Wolf King and under the Quewood Seal, only capable of exhibiting late third-rank strength."
"Senior brother, carefully enter and knock it unconscious before handing it over to me."
Upon arrival, Gu Han provided the specific details.
His thorough explanation completely convinced Zhang Chuchen of the "Dou Emperor senior's" existence.
Raising his longsword, Zhang Chuchen unleashed several Wind Blade Sword Qi attacks to clear the shrubs, revealing a cave entrance before them.
"Junior brother, wait here while I go deal with the Violet Nether Flame Serpent."
Zhang Chuchen employed the Cloud Mist Sect's Immaterial Movement Technique, drifting into the cave like a gentle breeze without making a sound.
After standing still for a moment, Gu Han entered the dark cave. Confirming no observers within a hundred-meter radius, he willed himself back to the Black Tortoise Mystic Realm and released his soul perception.
"Boom!"
Approximately fifteen minutes later, the commotion from deep within the cave gradually subsided until complete silence fell.
After ensuring no danger within a dozen meters, Gu Han returned to the outside world to wait.
Not long after, Zhang Chuchen emerged with considerable noise, dragging a Magical Beast by its tail.
The creature was covered in purple scales radiating intense heat, too long to see its full length at a glance—stretched out it would measure over ten zhang, with a body thicker than a large vat, bearing numerous claw wounds across its body.
Additional sword wounds layered over some claw injuries, clearly Zhang Chuchen's handiwork.
"Junior brother, mission accomplished."
Though Zhang Chuchen's breathing was somewhat ragged, his vitality remained intact, and his wind-attribute sword intent had even sharpened considerably.
Directly defeating a fifth-rank Magical Beast—even a severely injured and sealed one—greatly benefited his willpower training.
Even while unconscious, the Violet Nether Flame Serpent radiated such intense, ferocious heat that it disrupted Gu Han's Dou Qi circulation and accelerated his heartbeat.
"Senior brother, rest and recover here. I'll deliver the Violet Nether Flame Serpent to that senior."
Gu Han handed Zhang Chuchen a third-rank Qi Recovery Pill obtained from Ka Long, then placed his hand on the Violet Nether Flame Serpent and willed it into the Black Tortoise Mystic Realm.
Of course, from Zhang Chuchen's perspective, he had simply stored the serpent in a Storage Ring.
On the Dou Qi Continent, many Storage Rings could preserve living creatures, at least temporarily.
Given Gu Han's talent, it was perfectly normal for him to gain Yun Yun's favor and attention, and even receive the approval of a mysterious Dou Emperor Expert, obtaining a Storage Ring like that.
"Junior Brother, how do you plan to find that senior? This mountain range is full of dangers everywhere. Why not let me go instead, or accompany you?" Zhang Chuchen didn't rush to take the Qi Recovery Pill, his eyes filled with concern as he asked.
"I'll go alone."
Gu Han walked to the cave entrance, and a pair of magnificent cyan-blue wings materialized behind his back.
"For now, I don't have the ability to bring you along for flight, Senior Brother!"
Zhang Chuchen: ???
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