Longevity Martial Arts: Grinding Experience in the Chaotic World Chapter 1727 - 876: Five Poison Divine Sect (Part 2)

"...How did you see through it?"

His voice carried a trace of dryness, no longer filled with the casualness and teasing from before.

Gu Sheng’s expression remained unchanged, speaking calmly.

"I guessed it. When Senior conversed with me earlier, despite the scheming, it felt more like arranging affairs after death, seeking a reliable place of trust for the Five Poison Divine Sect and Qidiao Yaoyao.

This mindset is not typical of someone in their prime years."

Qidiao Wu fell silent again, the wrinkles on his face seeming deeper than before.

He slowly sat back on the vine chair, as if unloading a thousand-pound burden, his spirit drained, only after a long while did he sigh deeply and admit.

"...That’s correct.

Old man... my time is running short."

This time, it was Gu Sheng who seemed surprised. He furrowed his brows slightly.

"With Senior’s cultivation at the Eighth Transformation Venerable Realm, your lifespan should be quite extended.

Even if there has been some depletion, isn’t it possible to find a method to extend life amid the many wonders of the Southern Border?"

"Extend life?"

Qidiao Wu gave a bitter smile, shaking his head, his smile tinged with a hint of bitterness and helplessness.

"Boy, do you know what the Ninth Transformation of a Venerable means?"

He gazed out the window, as if reminiscing, speaking slowly.

"The Ninth Transformation of a Venerable means nine times of rebirth, a leap to a higher realm of life.

Each transformation is seizing life from the heavens, extremely perilous.

And each successful transformation refines the martial artist’s physical body and Divine Soul like heavenly laws refining treasure medicine — becoming purer and... more difficult to nourish and sustain by mundane things."

He looked at Gu Sheng, his tone peaceful with the wisdom of one who had seen the vicissitudes of life.

"Ordinary Life-extending Elixirs may be effective for Low-level Martial Artists, but for a Venerable who has transformed multiple times, they are negligible, or even useless. Heaven and Earth Rules are such that the stronger one’s life, the harder it is to prolong its existence.

I have tried almost every method I could find... ultimately, it comes to an end."

Listening to Qidiao Wu’s sentiments of helplessness and acceptance, Gu Sheng’s eyes flashed with understanding, then he spoke calmly, breaking the heavy atmosphere.

"Ordinary Life-extending Elixirs may be useless, but what if... a real Alchemy Master crafted a Divine Pill by hand?"

"Alchemy Master?!"

Qidiao Wu suddenly looked up, his eyes bursting with terrifying brilliance, like a drowning man grasping a final straw, urgently questioning.

"Do you know an Alchemy Master? Or do you have a way to invite them to help?"

Gu Sheng simply gave a faint smile, not answering directly, his mysterious demeanor made Qidiao Wu anxious but helpless.

"Sigh..."

Qidiao Wu seemed drained of energy, slumping back again, speaking bitterly.

"Talk of ease. An Alchemy Master, what kind of person is that? In the entire Southern Border, only that old fellow in Medicine King Valley has barely touched the threshold of becoming a Ninth Grade Alchemist, far from the Master realm.

In the Central Province, there might be true Alchemy Masters, even legendary Saints with Dan and Martial Dual Cultivation... But such beings, how could the Five Poison Divine Sect possibly invite them? Even if we exhaust all resources, we couldn’t bear the cost. Moreover, I certainly wouldn’t sell my ancestral foundation to others just for extending my life."

He shook his head, with a trace of final stubbornness and tranquility.

"Perhaps... I can still hold on for another ten years, at most thirteen or fifteen years."

The Quiet Room fell into silence once more.

After a while, Gu Sheng raised his gaze, looking sharply at Qidiao Wu, his tone full of unquestionable certainty.

"Senior, since you seem to have reached an impasse, would you dare gamble with me?"

"Gamble? Gamble on what?"

Qidiao Wu asked subconsciously.

"Gamble that I, Gu Sheng, will become an Alchemy Master within ten years!"

Gu Sheng’s voice wasn’t loud, yet it struck Qidiao Wu like a thunderbolt.

"By then, I will personally concoct a Divine Pill for you, to extend your lifespan! In return for— I want you, Qidiao Wu, and the whole Five Poison Divine Sect, to sincerely submit, follow my command, and help me achieve this within the next ten years!"

"Ten years... an Alchemy Master?!"

Qidiao Wu’s expression changed dramatically, his pupils constricting, almost thinking he misheard! An Alchemy Master? That’s a realm countless Alchemists spend their lives never reaching! This lad is still so young, with Sect Realm cultivation, yet dares to claim he’ll become an Alchemy Master in ten years?! This isn’t just arrogance; it’s madness!

However, looking into Gu Sheng’s eyes, calm and serene but seemingly containing the stars and seas, infinite confidence, the absurd feeling in Qidiao Wu’s heart slowly turned into an unbelievable thought — perhaps... perhaps this lad could really do it?

He stared at Gu Sheng, as if trying to penetrate his soul. After a long while, Qidiao Wu suddenly slapped his thigh, letting out a hearty laugh tinged with resolute determination.

"Hahaha! Good! Good lad! I’ve lived this long, and it’s the first time I’ve encountered someone daring to bet on becoming an Alchemy Master! Bold, with daring! Very well! I’ll stake this gamble with you! A gamble I accept!"

His laughter receded, and he called out to the Quiet Room’s exterior.

"Someone come! Retrieve that ancient ’Oath Book’ from my secret chamber!"

Before long, an elder from the Five Poison Divine Sect respectfully entered holding a dark yellow parchment roll, aged and exuding an ancient aura.

Qidiao Wu accepted the parchment, speaking to Gu Sheng.

"This item was obtained by me over a thousand years ago, by chance in Ancient Ruins, and it’s a Holy Artifact used by Ancient ancestors for blood oath alliances. Swear upon this, and if violated, it will invoke heavenly retribution, unavoidable by anyone below the Saint."

He wrote with his fingers like a blade, inscribing across the parchment in the air, the pale golden light tracing clear text, delineating the three agreed terms.

The Five Poison Divine Sect will devote allegiance to Gu Sheng for ten years; Gu Sheng will resolve Qidiao Yaoyao’s Holy Gu Spirit Body issue; Gu Sheng, if becoming an Alchemy Master within ten years, will extend Qidiao Wu’s life.

Having written, he tossed the parchment to Gu Sheng.

"Boy, take a look, if there are no objections, then drip your blood onto it!"

Gu Sheng received the parchment, his Divine Sense swept over it, verifying the content was correct, the terms clear, free of any textual traps.

Without hesitation, he unleashed True Qi from his fingertip, slicing open his finger, allowing a drop of gold-red blood infused with his essence to drip onto the parchment.

"Straightforward!"

Qidiao Wu praised, and similarly cut his finger, dripping his own blood into it.

At that moment, the elder who handed the parchment seemed a bit hesitant, approached Qidiao Wu’s ear and whispered a few words, glancing at Gu Sheng with a trace of worry, appearing to remind the ancestor the risk was too high.

Qidiao Wu’s expression subtly shifted, a flash of peculiarity, but ultimately he resolutely shook his head, signaling the elder not to speak further.

Having chosen to bet, he would not be sentimental!

As their blood soaked into the parchment -

"Buzz!"

An ancient, vast, immense, seemingly originating from the Source of Heaven and Earth, will suddenly rose from the ordinary-looking parchment, although it only flashed momentarily and swiftly dissipated, everyone present clearly felt an invisible, intangible yet extremely firm contract force, linking Gu Sheng and Qidiao Wu tightly together! Violating the oath will surely invoke heavenly retribution!

The oath, sealed!

Qidiao Wu exhaled deeply, seeming to complete a crucial task.

He stood up, adjusted his robe, and, unexpectedly, formally clasped his fists in salute towards Gu Sheng, speaking solemnly.

"From today, within these ten years, my Qidiao Clan, and the entire Five Poison Divine Sect, are willing to serve Mr. Gu as master, answering commands, with no second thought!"

This salute represented the promise of a Venerable, the allegiance of a powerful force.

Gu Sheng smiled faintly, stepping forward, extending his hand slightly to support.

"No need for formalities, patriarch. From now on, we will join efforts in grand endeavors."

He turned his hand, taking out a blank Jade Talisman, his powerful spiritual power concentrated into an invisible engraving knife, swiftly inscribing into it.

He recorded within it all the Gu Technique inheritance concerning Lan Liyue in his mind, except for the core Secret Technique involving Saint Realm.