Longevity Martial Arts: Grinding Experience in the Chaotic World Chapter 1323 - 685: Continuing Deeper (Part 2)

However, retreating was not an option; his pride demanded he stand his ground.

Witnessing this, Mi Yingzong erupted in thunderous laughter.

"Hong Tu, is that the extent of your power? Behold my technique!"

With his declaration, he also descended, meeting Hong Yun at an equivalent level.

The moment he stabilized himself, Mi Yingzong's expression flickered, though he swiftly regained his composure.

Unbeknownst to Hong Yun, Mi Yingzong, under the pretense of adjusting his robes, stealthily ingested an elixir pill.

"How fares it?"

Mi Yingzong maintained a facade of calm, his voice projecting outwards.

"Unlike some individuals, I do not rely on empty pretense!"

Hong Yun scoffed coldly, offering no further words as he concentrated on quelling the turbulence within his Qi-Blood.

The pair sat cross-legged in a more secluded area, projecting an image of profound cultivation, yet inwardly, they endured immense suffering.

"Brother Hong and Brother Mi are truly formidable!"

"This is the mark of a genuine Body Refinement expert!"

"What is that brat even worth? To dare humiliate himself here with a mere magical treasure!"

The surrounding cultivators offered their commentary, many deliberately amplifying their voices, seemingly ensuring Gu Sheng could overhear.

Gu Sheng, though he heard their words, remained unfazed, immersed in a state of profound introspection.

As his spiritual power coursed under extreme duress, he was astonished to find the latent flaws from his earlier rapid breakthrough surfacing – subtle blockages in his meridians, disharmonies within his Dantian's spiritual power flow, and barely perceptible weaknesses between his muscle and bone structures...

"So that's how it is."

Gu Sheng had an epiphany. It was no wonder his master often imparted the wisdom that cultivation was akin to constructing a tower; without a solid foundation, all subsequent levels would tremble precariously.

Indeed, his preceding advancement had been excessively swift, and beneath its seemingly stable surface, imperfections lay hidden.

With this realization, Gu Sheng's resolve to temper himself in this crucible only intensified.

He abandoned any pursuit of rapid gains, instead adopting the meticulous approach of a craftsman polishing jade, painstakingly rectifying those minute deficiencies.

With each successive breath, his spiritual power completed an additional circuit within his body; with each heartbeat, his flesh and bones grew more robust.

Above them, the circumstances for Hong Yun and Mi Yingzong grew increasingly dire.

Hong Yun's countenance shifted from ruddy to ashen, then from pale to a sickly blue.

The spiritual power coursing through him was being consumed at an alarming rate, while the ambient pressure showed no sign of abatement.

"Blast it... if this persists..."

Hong Yun harbored deep anxiety but could not yield publicly.

He cast a furtive glance at Mi Yingzong, observing that his old adversary was not faring any better – though he appeared to be holding firm, the prominent veins on his temples betrayed his struggle.

Their gazes locked, each recognizing the identical thought reflected in the other's eyes.

Whoever yields first will suffer the greatest loss of face!

"Brother Hong's reputation is truly well-deserved!"

"Brother Mi is equally astounding!"

"With both brothers cultivating here, we are truly enlightened!"

The accolades rained down, yet they only served to deepen the bitterness within Hong Yun and Mi Yingzong.

At this juncture, such praise felt akin to a death knell.

Just as the two found themselves in a precarious predicament, Gu Sheng below initiated a new action. He slowly rose and, to their utter astonishment... descended another ten meters!

"What?!"

Hong Yun's eyes bulged with disbelief.

Mi Yingzong let out a sudden gasp, his throat constricted by the searing lava fumes, triggering a fit of coughing.

Gu Sheng's new position placed him a full twenty meters deeper than Hong Yun and Mi Yingzong! Though the distance seemed small, within the infernal depths of Heaven-Burning Valley, each additional meter represented a vastly amplified level of pressure.

What truly shocked the two elders was Gu Sheng's complete abandonment of his spiritual power defenses; he was now enduring the environment solely through his physical form! Faint golden patterns began to manifest on his skin, shimmering against the dark crimson lava like a celestial being.

A profound silence descended upon the entire area. All traces of mockery vanished, and the cultivators who had been singing praises found themselves speechless, like ducklings with their necks grasped, mouths agape but uttering no sound.

Gu Sheng bore the searing lava fumes that burned his lungs, yet his mind grew progressively sharper.

The ephemeral golden patterns adorning his skin flickered intermittently, transmuting the volatile surrounding energy into sustenance for his physical body.

Had he not journeyed to Golden Crow Mountain for cultivation, he might never have uncovered the concealed perils left by his rapid breakthrough.

The subtle stagnations within his meridians and the minor disharmonies within his Dantian's spiritual power were, in essence, time bombs threatening his future cultivation journey.

Recalling Daoist Yong'an, a wave of contrition washed over Gu Sheng.

That elder, who appeared stern yet possessed a genuinely benevolent heart, had meticulously charted the most secure cultivation trajectory for him, but he... had faltered.

"Ten years, Dao Palace Realm..."

Gu Sheng clenched his jaw tightly.

This promise felt like a sword perpetually suspended above him, compelling him toward perilous actions and shortcuts.

Yet, he had discovered a method to achieve both objectives simultaneously—harnessing the intense environment of Golden Crow Mountain to bolster his foundation and expedite his cultivation progress.

With a tranquil mind, Gu Sheng reassessed his internal condition.

Under the guidance of the "Nine Revolutions Profound Yang Technique," those minor imperfections were systematically mended, piece by piece.

Each inhalation brought subtle transformations to his physique, akin to resilient steel subjected to repeated forging, where impurities were purged, leaving only the pure essence.

"Not strong enough yet..."

Gu Sheng's eyes fluttered open, his gaze drawn to the profound, shadowed depths below.

The lava there gleamed a dark gold, resembling molten metal, its mere sight emanating a suffocating aura.

Amidst the collective astonishment of all observers, Gu Sheng slowly rose and resolutely moved further downward once more.

"He's descending *again*?!"

"This is madness! Even Senior Brother Hong wouldn't venture down so recklessly!"

"Look closely, he's even disabled his spiritual power defenses!"

Murmurs erupted from the crowd, yet Gu Sheng remained undisturbed by their chatter.

Every step felt as though he carried the weight of a mountain, his bones groaning under the immense pressure, but his gaze never wavered, and his footing remained firm.

Ten meters... twenty meters... thirty meters...

By the time Gu Sheng reached the same stratum as Hong Yun and Mi Yingzong, the entire chasm of Heaven-Burning Valley fell into an absolute hush.

Every person present held their breath, fixated on this young man who was defying all expectations and crafting a legend.

Hong Yun's face turned ashen, the veins on his forehead beginning to throb. Mi Yingzong narrowed his eyes, deep in contemplation.

Without pausing, Gu Sheng pressed onward and downward. Fifty meters... sixty meters...

"Damn it all!"

Hong Yun let out a sudden, furious roar, abruptly pushing himself to his feet.

"Such arrogance!"

Under the stunned scrutiny of the onlookers, Hong Yun unleashed his spiritual power, forcefully propelling himself an additional twenty meters deeper.

The moment he ceased his descent, his complexion grew pallid, a trickle of fresh blood appearing at the corner of his mouth, yet he obstinately refused to yield.

Witnessing this, Mi Yingzong gritted his teeth and followed suit.

However, his condition was worse than Hong Yun's; he emitted a pained groan after descending a mere ten meters, hastily retrieving and consuming an elixir pill.

"These two brothers truly possess formidable strength!"

"This is what genuine power looks like!"

"What is that brat compared to them? Just a vulgar show-off!"

Acclamatory remarks arrived precisely on cue, yet Hong Yun and Mi Yingzong wore even more somber expressions.

This was because they clearly observed that Gu Sheng had not only refrained from stopping but had descended a further ten meters!

At this critical juncture, Gu Sheng had already reached a depth previously unheard of.

The pressure here surpassed tenfold that of the upper levels, and the intense Qi within the lava was almost palpable, akin to countless needles of solidified steel relentlessly piercing his entire being.

"Ugh..."

Gu Sheng let out a muffled groan, beads of blood emerging from his skin, only to be instantly vaporized by the intense heat.

The subtle golden markings on his body grew more pronounced, gradually coalescing into what appeared to be an ancient totem design.

Within the fourth defensive layer of Golden Crow Mountain, crimson energy surged ferociously, bathing the entire cultivation zone in a light akin to the interior of a colossal furnace.

This was a perilous area accessible only to the elite core disciples of the Qinghe Holy Land, where every wisp of Qi exerted a terrifying pressure capable of tearing apart the physical bodies of ordinary cultivators.

"There he goes again! That fellow is venturing even deeper!"

Near the boundary of this formidable barrier, several core disciples had congregated, their gazes intently fixed upon the indistinct figure visible within the swirling red energy.

With every inch the figure advanced, the surrounding Qi intensified, boiling as if in a cauldron and emitting a heart-stopping, resonant hum.

"It's already the seventh day today, and he's still managing to descend further..."

One disciple's voice quivered, his hand nearly fumbling the jade scroll he held.

A profound silence fell upon them all, their faces etched with sheer disbelief.

As disciples meticulously chosen by the Qinghe Holy Land, who among them did not typically carry an air of pride?

Yet, here and now, their collective self-assurance was being severely tested by the young man known as Gu Sheng.

Deep within the intense crimson energy, Gu Sheng's eyes remained firmly shut, his muscles taut and unyielding like tempered steel.