"Something's wrong. Something's very wrong."
Ling Ying's figure, hidden beneath black robes, appeared atop the cliff, his eyes flickering with unusual light.
Gu Han's departure from the Cloud Mist Sect this time seemed purposeful as he headed directly to Green Mountain Town, with the incident at Green River Town merely being an interlude.
Yet after arriving in Green Mountain Town, Gu Han had been secluded in cultivation within his room at the Miteer Merchant Guild's post station.
Apart from eating three meals a day, he hardly ever went out, and whenever he did venture out, he would inevitably gain some benefits.
But this time, after leaving Green Mountain Town, Gu Han flew straight to this mountain and discovered a cave on the cliff face.
If Gu Han had known about this place earlier, the condition before the cave entrance didn't suggest so, and he could have come seven days ago.
"It feels like Young Friend Gu is like a transformed treasure-seeking rat," Ling Ying secretly marveled.
Was it good luck, some special talent, or perhaps mastery of some secret technique?
Ling Ying felt he needed to protect Gu Han with even greater seriousness, as this young man's performance kept getting more impressive.
As for whether Gu Han truly possessed talent or secret techniques, Ling Ying had no intention of investigating.
After all, this was someone both the young lady and her younger sister had placed their bets on - he would simply follow blindly.
Meanwhile, Gu Han had already entered the cave.
Using his movement technique, he reached the stone gate emitting a faint yellow glow in just a few dozen breaths.
With his Mortal Realm Middle Stage soul power, he easily found the mechanism of the large gate - a small protruding point beneath the stone gate. He pressed down with his hand.
"Boom!"
The large gate began slowly rising upward.
After it fully opened, Gu Han stepped inside.
Compared to the pitch-black passage outside, the environment beyond the stone gate was much more spacious and quite bright.
This was an artificially crafted stone chamber that appeared somewhat simple and empty, with moonstones embedded in the surrounding walls for illumination.
In the center of the stone chamber stood a chair, upon which sat a dried skeleton, the skull having fallen onto the pale thigh bones, creating an eerie atmosphere throughout the environment.
Before the chair was a wide, long blue stone platform, neatly arranged with three locked stone boxes.
Additionally, in three corners of the stone chamber were piled small hillocks of gold coins and other gold, silver, and jewelry. When all converted and calculated together, it amounted to several hundred thousand.
However, the current Gu Han no longer paid much attention to such yellow and white metals. After circling around, he collected everything into his Storage Ring, not even placing them in the Black Tortoise Mystic Realm.
It was the final corner that contained a small medicinal garden built with special soil, growing various exotic flowers and rare herbs.
"Purple Blue Leaf, White Spirit Ginseng Fruit, Snow Lotus Seed..."
"Ice Flame Spirit Grass!"
Mine, all mine.
Gu Han drew his long sword and began excavating around the medicinal garden.
He needed to separate the entire plot of land before collecting it all into the Black Tortoise Mystic Realm.
After completing this task, he came before the dried skeleton. With a sweep of his soul perception, he located the position of the Pure Lotus Demonic Fire remnant map hidden in the skeleton's arm bone, retrieved the remnant map, and stored it safely.
Then he picked up the three black keys from the skeleton's palm and opened the three stone boxes one by one.
"Flying Dou Skill: Eagle Wings," "Seven-Colored Poison Scripture," and a Profound Rank high-grade Wind Attribute Dou Skill "Roar of the Mad Lion."
"Including the Pure Lotus Demonic Fire remnant map, I have no use for any of these."
"Either I should exchange them with Yun Yun for some good items."
"Or I should go find Xiao Yan, or rather Yao Lao, for an exchange."
After storing all three items within the Black Tortoise Mystic Realm, Gu Han found a nearby spot to sit down. His true self returned to the mystic realm and approached the small spirit herb garden, his gaze settling upon the Ice Flame Spirit Grass.
The Ice Flame Spirit Grass possessed alternating white and red leaves. Its white stem was covered with crystalline ice-like particles, while its fiery red crown resembled a dancing flame.
These two contrasting colors and attributes grew miraculously upon a single plant. A faint mist surrounded the medicinal herb, creating an ethereal, dreamlike atmosphere.
This precious spirit herb could be used in many third to fifth-tier elixirs, but its greatest value to Gu Han was its ability to stimulate rapid breakthrough completion.
"The Dou Master realm shall be broken through today!"
Gu Han directly swallowed the Ice Flame Spirit Grass and began circulating the Ice Soul Mystic Classic.
The icy attribute energy from the herb instantly surged into his extremely dense Qi Cyclone, where the Ice Soul resided.
Meanwhile, the flame energy began spreading throughout his limbs and bones, naturally conflicting with the Dou Qi attributes within his body.
However, under the suppression of the Ice Soul Mystic Classic and his soul power, these forces eventually all converged into his Dantian.
The opposing forces of ice and flame began to struggle against each other, causing the Qi Cyclone to bubble like boiling water before transforming into steam.
The condensation of Dou Qi into liquid was accomplished under tremendous supplementation and extreme pressure.
When reaching a certain threshold, the Qi Cyclone's rotation speed dramatically increased. Countless formed liquid droplets, empowered by his cultivation technique, spread throughout every part of Gu Han's body.
"Hah!"
After completely absorbing the liquid, Gu Han felt every bone and piece of flesh in his body undergoing transformation.
An aura emanated from within him, gradually forming into a layer of blue-white gauze around his body.
This was the genuine Dou Qi Gauze - the hallmark of a Dou Master.
Catalyzing Dou Qi into this protective energy gauze not only enhanced one's defense, speed, and attack capabilities, but also enabled better energy absorption from the surrounding world for cultivation technique conversion, thereby replenishing Dou Qi consumption.
The amplification provided by this Dou Qi Gauze alone could place a Dou Master far above ordinary Dou Fighters, which was why transcending realms remained the exclusive domain of geniuses and those possessing high-level Dou Skills and cultivation techniques.
"From today onward, I am a true Dou Master!"
Gu Han took a deep breath.
Fifteen years old, One-Star Dou Master.
This counted as the best birthday gift he could give himself.
"I wonder what surprises the Black Tortoise Shell will bring me."
Gu Han calmed his mind and began contemplating the Black Tortoise Shell to obtain information.
When he first obtained the Black Tortoise Shell, it had informed him that with each major realm advancement, he would gain one additional daily opportunity to obtain intelligence about fortunes.
Furthermore, as his strength and realm continued to improve, the Black Tortoise Shell would restore more divine abilities and capabilities.
When he broke through to the Dou Fighter realm, he had obtained the Black Tortoise Mystic Realm - a small world that grew alongside his soul power.
Now that he had broken through to Dou Master, shouldn't there be another restoration?
"Nothing?"
Gu Han received clear feedback from the Black Tortoise Shell.
According to the Black Tortoise Shell's own calculations, it would restore one special ability each when he broke through to the Dou Grand Master realm and when he advanced to the Dou King realm.
Breaking through to Dou Master and Dou Spirit would only increase the daily quantity of fortune intelligence he could obtain.
Wait, that wasn't entirely accurate - there was actually an additional deduction ability.
Under normal circumstances, he passively received intelligence about fortunes, which the Black Tortoise Shell provided based on assessments of his capabilities and current environment.
But if he used the three opportunities information, he could perform targeted deductions.
The success rate of the deduction depends on the complexity of the target or event being deduced.
For example, if he wanted to know which days of the month were Little Fairy Doctor's menstrual cycle to play the considerate man, it would be effortless.
But if he tried to deduce information related to Hundiantian, the Black Tortoise Shell wouldn't even react.
"That means I can randomly obtain three pieces of opportunity information in the future."
"Or turn it into targeted opportunity information based on my needs."
"But both must be within my capabilities."
A peculiar light appeared in Gu Han's eyes.
"This is just too interesting!"
At the same time.
On South Mountain Ridge.
Little Fairy Doctor, who was gathering herbs, pricked up her ears and looked curiously toward the nearby cliff.
After a moment's hesitation, she approached the cliff edge and looked down.
When she clearly saw what was below, her beautiful eyes sparkled, and her small mouth slightly opened.
"Is this the kind of fortuitous encounter described in those storybooks!?"