Longevity Martial Arts: Grinding Experience in the Chaotic World Chapter 1239 643: Time to Set Out (Part 2)

"If I don't make a bold move, how can I live up to the expectations of those watching me?"

A streak of verdant light tore through the sky, so swift it left sonic booms in its wake.

It was a young man clad in jade robes, standing atop a resplendent emerald treasure sword, its blade crackling with intense lightning.

"Qinghe Holy Land's Gale," Ling Xiao narrowed his eyes. "An exceptional Core Disciple. They say his 'Green Thunder Sword Technique' has reached the Seventh Level."

Gu Sheng remained silent, his gaze fixed on the approaching flash of light. He could feel the potent Sword Intent radiating from the newcomer, sharp and unrestrained.

"He's not the only one," Gu Sheng suddenly remarked.

Indeed, a crimson cloud appeared on the eastern horizon, resolving upon closer inspection into a woman in red, walking on air. The long whip in her hand coiled, leaving scorching trails in the atmosphere with each swing.

"Flame Princess of Heaven-Burning Valley," Ling Xiao breathed. "Her 'Red Refining Whip Technique' is rumored to melt even metal and stone."

A tiger's roar echoed from the west, causing mountains to tremble and rocks to tumble. An elder with snow-white hair rode a colossal, equally white tiger, each of its steps making the very Void quake.

"The ancestor of the Bai Family from the Northern Territory, appearing in person!" Ling Xiao's voice now held a distinct weight.

Gu Sheng's gaze flickered. "It appears this sword's allure is even greater than we initially estimated."

A sudden golden radiance bloomed in the south, revealing dozens of cultivators in matching attire, soaring towards them, each clutching a mystical artifact.

"The elite forces of the Luotian Sect are mobilized," Ling Xiao stated with a sneer. "Hypocrites, the lot of them."

The last to arrive was a solitary figure: a hulking man with an enormous battle axe strapped to his back. He strode through the Void intentionally, eschewing any Sword Control or magical treasures, his immense physical strength propelling him through the sky.

"Lin Batian," Gu Sheng's voice was deep. "He has indeed come."

Ling Xiao glanced at Gu Sheng. "You know him?"

"I've heard of him," Gu Sheng replied casually. "A lone wolf, a madman. They say he once ventured into the deepest parts of the Demon Abyss, battling demons single-handedly for three years to hone his combat prowess."

Ling Xiao showed a hint of surprise. "Then his purpose here..."

"Is to challenge me," Gu Sheng stated calmly. "Individuals like him are only drawn to the truly powerful."

As Ling Xiao was about to respond, she suddenly frowned. "Your disguise..."

Gu Sheng remembered, retrieving a silver mask from his Storage Ring and placing it over his face. The moment the mask concealed him, his entire aura transformed, shifting from sharp and commanding to cold and unsettling, his very form appearing to blur slightly.

"Now, no one should be able to recognize me," Gu Sheng's voice, muffled and altered by the mask, became hoarse and indistinct.

Ling Xiao let out a sudden laugh. "To me, you are still the same Gu Sheng."

Gu Sheng's body tensed, and he quickly turned to face her. "You can recognize me?"

"Of course," Ling Xiao blinked. "Did you truly believe a mere mask could deceive my eyes?"

Gu Sheng seized her wrist, his voice unusually urgent. "This is no laughing matter, Ling Xiao. If even you can see through it instantly, what purpose does this disguise serve?"

Ling Xiao was taken aback by his sudden grip. "Calm down, great expert. Not everyone possesses my particular insight."

"Then how did you do it?" Gu Sheng gazed intently into her eyes. "This is a matter of life and death for me."

Noticing Gu Sheng's troubled expression, Ling Xiao chuckled softly. "What, are you afraid?"

Gu Sheng's fingers gently traced the edge of the mask, his voice low. "Can this mask truly fool the elders of the Holy Land?"

"Unless the Holy Master himself appears, no one can see through it," Ling Xiao assured him.

The two continued their journey, the malevolent Qi surrounding the Ten Thousand Ghost Ridge growing progressively thicker, the air heavy with the stench of decay and fresh blood.

Suddenly, a volley of sharp whistling sounds echoed from a distance, followed by countless streaks of light descending and impacting the earth below.

"It seems the news spread faster than anticipated," Gu Sheng observed, his eyes narrowing. "All these individuals are here for that sword."

Ling Xiao sneered. "A pack of fools rushing to their own demise."

An overwhelming aura suddenly descended, causing the surrounding air to become momentarily heavy and stagnant. Gu Sheng and Ling Xiao looked up in unison, witnessing a white-clad figure treading through the air, mounted upon a colossal snow-white tiger. The beast's eyes burned crimson, its fangs bared menacingly, and with each measured step, the Void itself seemed to tremble.

"A white tiger?" Gu Sheng's pupils contracted. "Could it be the legendary White Tiger Divine Beast?"

Ling Xiao shook his head.

"Impossible! The White Tiger Divine Beast has long been extinct. This white tiger, fierce as it is, can at most be an alien species with a trace of divine beast bloodline."

The elder, mounted upon the white tiger, saw no one obstructing his path and rode straight into the depths.

His spiritual power surged outward, recklessly probing the restrictions of Ten Thousand Ghost Ridge, yet he encountered no resistance whatsoever.

"It appears the Killing Array of Ten Thousand Ghost Ridge has indeed been rendered useless," Ling Xiao murmured.

However, Gu Sheng's brow furrowed deeply.

"Something feels wrong..."

Before his words could fully dissipate, a drastic alteration occurred!

"Boom——"

An unseen force suddenly descended, as if the very sky was caving in, instantly paralyzing the elder and the white tiger suspended in mid-air!

The elder's expression contorted in shock as he frantically channeled his spiritual power, only to discover he couldn't even budge a single finger!

"What is happening?!"

He bellowed, his voice laced with utter panic.

In the ensuing moment——

"Whoosh!"

A spectral arrow streaked through the air with such blinding speed that it left no visible trace, piercing directly through the elder's chest!

"Puff!"

Blood erupted, the elder's body ruptured, and a torrent of blood and bodily fluids rained down, dyeing the desolate ruins a sickening red.

The white tiger let out a heart-wrenching roar, but a second arrow swiftly followed, striking true and piercing its skull!

"Bang!"

Both man and beast met their end instantaneously!

On the fringes of Ten Thousand Ghost Ridge, Gale and the woman clad in red bore witness to this grim spectacle, their faces draining of all color.

"This..."

Gale's hand, tightly gripping his sword, began to tremble almost imperceptibly.

"Even the ancestor of the Bai Family from the Northern Territory was dispatched in an instant?"

The woman in red—Lv Feng—wore a look of clear apprehension.

"Hmph, just some old fool daring to be the first? He deserved to die!"

She let out a cold snort and, taking the initiative, strode directly into Ten Thousand Ghost Ridge!

"Lv Feng!" Gale called out sharply.

"Are you insane?"

Lv Feng didn't turn back, a sneer gracing her lips.

"What, as a Core Disciple of the Qinghe Holy Land, do you lack even this sliver of courage?"

Gale's expression turned somber, but goaded by her words, he clenched his teeth and followed suit.

The other disciples from Qinghe Holy Land exchanged glances before cautiously venturing into Ten Thousand Ghost Ridge.

Observing the unharmed entry of those from Qinghe Holy Land, the formidable figures from other factions and the solitary Loose Cultivators could restrain themselves no longer and entered one after another.

Gu Sheng stood atop the elevated ruins, his gaze sweeping across the myriad silhouettes of cultivators making their way past, and spoke in a low tone.

"That Lv Feng, she is no ordinary individual."

Ling Xiao let out a soft chuckle.

"To witness the Northern Territory's ancestor perish instantly yet still dare to lead the charge, she's either utterly reckless or genuinely self-assured."

"I suspect the latter."

Gu Sheng narrowed his eyes.

"However, the chaotic Qi of Ten Thousand Ghost Ridge and the disordered spiritual energy present a distinct advantage for us—our adversaries will find it significantly harder to pinpoint our location."

Just as he was articulating this, violent explosions reverberated from a distant location, soon followed by desperate screams.

A particular area spontaneously ignited with towering infernos, and several cultivators, deprived of any chance to react, were instantly reduced to ash, their very existence obliterated.

"Hiss——" Gu Sheng inhaled sharply, a cold sound escaping his lips.

"The Killing Array of Ten Thousand Ghost Ridge is, without a doubt, still active!"

Ling Xiao's demeanor grew grave.

"It seems obtaining this sword will prove to be a more arduous task than anticipated."

An increasing number of cultivators met tragic and unforeseen ends; some were constricted by invisible forces, others plummeted into abyssal pits that suddenly opened in the earth, while yet others were consumed by spectral flames that materialized from thin air.

The once imposing crowd began to succumb to panic; a few fainthearted individuals turned and attempted to flee, but they had barely retreated a short distance before being incinerated by a bolt of dark lightning descending from the heavens.

"Escape? Once you enter, do not entertain the notion of leaving easily."

Ling Xiao scoffed.

Gu Sheng observed that the disciples of the Luotian Sect were consolidating their numbers, advancing in cohesive formations, evidently possessing greater confidence in navigating the dangers compared to the scattered Loose Cultivators.

"While those who hunt me might not require overwhelming force, the allure of this sword even captivates the Holy Master; thus, the dispatched individuals are likely far from ordinary disciples."

"Let us depart as well; it is time for us to move."