Longevity Martial Arts: Grinding Experience in the Chaotic World Chapter 1328 - 688: Yong’an

Swiftly, he made his way to Ling Xiao's cultivation spot.

Ling Xiao remained seated cross-legged, precisely where he was, with a golden alms bowl hovering above his head, bathing him in a soft, radiant light.

His countenance was serene, indicating he was deeply engrossed in his cultivation.

"Ling Xiao! Awaken!"

Gu Sheng called out gently, his gaze cautiously scanning their surroundings.

"Hurry and wake up!"

Gu Sheng lowered his voice in his plea, yet the young man ensconced within the golden luminescence didn't stir, not even his eyelids trembled.

A subtle golden halo enveloped Ling Xiao, and a venerable golden alms bowl spun slowly overhead, radiating an pressure that made one's heart pound.

Gu Sheng understood this to be Ling Xiao's defensive dharma treasure, operating at its zenith to assist him in absorbing the most potent Sun Essence from the heart of Golden Crow Mountain.

"Damn it, he's entered the profound state of the Golden Sun Body."

Gu Sheng clenched his teeth, his eyes betraying his anxiety.

He glanced around; the cave's intense heat distorted his vision, and faint sounds of fracturing rock echoed from a distance.

Time was becoming critically short.

A resolute expression settled on Gu Sheng's face.

He formed a hand seal with his right hand, a cerulean light gathering at his fingertips, before decisively striking the golden alms bowl above Ling Xiao's head.

"Bang!"

The golden alms bowl shuddered violently, emitting a crisp ringing sound.

The golden halo encasing Ling Xiao instantly became disrupted.

The young man, seated in his meditative posture, suddenly opened his eyes, his pupils ablaze with golden light before shifting to an enraged crimson.

"Who?!"

Ling Xiao roared, his voice reverberating through the cave, dislodging dust from the stone walls.

Gu Sheng hurried forward, speaking in a hushed tone.

"It's me! Don't shout!"

Recognizing his companion, Ling Xiao's fury abated slightly, though his brow remained furrowed.

"Gu Sheng? Have you lost your mind? To interrupt my cultivation? Do you comprehend the cost for me to enter the Golden Sun Body state?"

Though his voice was lower, the anger was far from extinguished.

Gu Sheng could sense the turbulent spiritual power within Ling Xiao, a direct result of his cultivation being abruptly halted.

"The situation is dire; I had no other recourse."

Gu Sheng stated rapidly, his eyes still darting observantly around them.

"We must depart without delay."

Ling Xiao scoffed.

"Merely because you deem it urgent, you would shatter my hard-won cultivation?"

He rose to his feet, the golden alms bowl automatically retracting into his palm.

"Are you aware of how precious an opportunity the Golden Crow Mountain's cultivation is?!"

Veins pulsed on Gu Sheng's forehead as he fought to control his rising impatience.

"I targeted your magical artifact, not directly interfering with your meridian flow, thereby minimizing any damage."

"Ha, so I should be expressing my gratitude, is that it?"

Suspicion clouded Ling Xiao's gaze.

"Could it be that you harbor fears of me surpassing your cultivation and are deliberately obstructing my progress?"

Gu Sheng felt a pang of bitter amusement.

"Is this truly the moment to fret over such matters? If I harbored jealousy, I would never have assisted you in infiltrating Golden Crow Mountain in the first place!"

Ling Xiao narrowed his eyes, clearly unconvinced.

Gu Sheng knew Ling Xiao required a solid justification before taking action.

"Very well."

Gu Sheng sighed, placing a hand on Ling Xiao's shoulder. His lips moved silently – a secret transmission technique employed by high-level cultivators.

Ling Xiao's expression transformed from anger to astonishment, finally settling into a grave solemnity.

In mere sentences, Gu Sheng conveyed the gravity of their predicament.

"Truly?"

Ling Xiao whispered, his voice stripped of its prior indignation, replaced only by profound seriousness.

Gu Sheng nodded.

"Absolutely. We must leave this instant, or it will be far too late."

Ling Xiao uttered no further words. He swiftly gathered the scattered artifacts around him and, with Gu Sheng in tow, sprinted towards the cave's egress.

Their forms became like fleeting phantoms as they traversed the heated cave.

As they navigated a tight passage, Ling Xiao suddenly inquired.

"Are you certain it is secure to carry that item?"

Gu Sheng patted an inconspicuous gray fabric pouch secured at his waist.

"It rests within the Heaven-covering Bag; it should effectively mask most detection."

"You possess considerable audacity."

Ling Xiao shook his head, though a flicker of admiration appeared in his eyes.

"To dare tamper with the very foundations of Golden Crow Mountain; the Qinghe Holy Land will be incensed when they discover this."

Gu Sheng let out a dry chuckle.

"Even if I refrain from this action, they will not absolve me. How long do you believe we can remain undetected after infiltrating Golden Crow Mountain?"

Their discourse persisted as they reached a divergence. Gu Sheng veered instinctively towards the narrower, more concealed path to the left.

Ling Xiao followed closely, continuing his line of questioning.

"Is that Sun Essence Core truly so extraordinary? Worthy of such immense peril?"

"It transcends mere notions of being miraculous or not."

Gu Sheng spoke in a hushed tone.

"That item is the very essence of Golden Crow Mountain, painstakingly nurtured by Qinghe Holy Land over centuries. If we don't seize it, discovery would mean annihilation, leaving not even a trace of our bones."

Ling Xiao halted abruptly, grabbing Gu Sheng's arm.

"Hold on, you mentioned nurturing? So it wasn't a natural formation?"

Gu Sheng also ceased his movement, turning to face Ling Xiao.

"Do you truly believe Golden Crow Mountain materialized from the demise of some ancient golden crow?"

He then shook his head.

"It's an elaborate snare meticulously designed by Qinghe Holy Land. The entirety of this mountain range functions as an immense Spirit Gathering Array, segmented by unique pressure fields that forge an ideal environment for cultivation."

Ling Xiao mulled this over.

"No wonder... I always found the distribution of Spiritual Energy in this area far too uniform."

He paused, then added.

"It's a shame I don't cultivate the Sun Dao, or your Sun Essence Core would be incredibly valuable to me."