Chapter Seventy: I Stay

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On the ground lay three corpses.

Yet, what were once dwarf-like bodies began to slowly stretch out. Their identical aged faces also gradually transformed. Under the stunned gaze of the four, a moment later, the bodies lying on the ground were no longer identical dwarves. Instead, three corpses of differing heights and features lay before them. Their only similarity was their shattered black garments and chests collapsed all the way to their backs.

With a single punch, their breastbones and hearts had been utterly destroyed.

"The gauntlets are gone!" Chi Xiangdong said in a low voice.

Su Yizhao looked at the three men's right fists and was astonished. The silver gauntlets that had once adorned their right hands were actually melding slowly into the flesh. A moment later, the silver light vanished, leaving only a mass of crushed fists behind.

The four stood dumbfounded.

When the wearers died, the divine weapons disappeared! What could this mean?

Su Yizhao suddenly recalled the cultivator who had just transformed his palm into a claw—was he trying to snatch away these three corpses?

He shook his head and asked, "Friend Qin, have you ever heard of such a divine weapon?"

Qin, the big man, shook his massive head. "Never seen or heard of such a thing!"

Chi Xiangdong interjected, "Has the art of forging divine weapons truly reached such a level?"

Su Yizhao drew his flying sword and gently sliced open the right fist of a corpse. The bones were shattered, the flesh a blur of blood. Clearly, his first punch had already crushed their hand bones. Though the silver gauntlets were at the level of divine weapons, aside from their extraordinary toughness, they could not dissipate force; under absolute strength, they had failed to protect the fists.

Disassembling the corpse's right fist with the flying sword, he found not a trace of silver in the flesh. The silver gauntlets had truly melted away!

"These three must have practiced some technique to deliberately turn themselves into dwarves," Chi Xiangdong shifted the topic.

Gou Haitian shot him a look. "Did you really need to say that?"

After Su Yizhao comprehended, his mood, which had been excellent, grew heavy. This was undoubtedly the work of an organization—a secret, shadowy group. He and Chi Xiangdong had inadvertently become entangled, and now, even if they wished to extricate themselves, there was no way out.

Since retreat was impossible, they would have to see this through to the end.

In the cultivation cave, Su Yizhao had not only tempered his body, but his mind as well.

He cupped his hands toward Qin and said, "Brother Qin, thank you!"

The time spent together in the cultivation cave had made them familiar.

Qin replied in his booming voice, "No need to be so polite, Brother Jian! But it seems you profited this time!"

A corner of Su Yizhao’s mouth lifted. "Talking about profit makes us sound like strangers. Let’s go!"

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He had certainly profited!

In every cultivation cave he passed through, he had smashed all the stone men containing the finest mysterious stones. But that was secondary. More importantly, his body cultivation had reached the middle stage of the sixth realm—he could now unseal his power at any time.

The three returned to the Gou family auction house, where Gou Jiancheng regarded Su Yizhao with mild surprise.

"One year, and you’ve reached the middle stage of the sixth realm of body cultivation?"

"What do you think of that speed, senior?" Su Yizhao asked with a smile.

Gou Jiancheng shook his head. "It’s not a matter of speed, but that you actually endured it!"

Su Yizhao smiled bitterly in his heart.

He had barely managed to survive. At first, before adapting to the seal on his mysterious energy, the frustration and physical pain were beyond words. Had he retained his energy, the stone men could never have approached—one sword strike would have sufficed. Yet he had been forced to endure the agony of tempering body and meridians.

Time and again he collapsed to the ground, only to rise with indomitable will.

In the end, the price was worth it.

By the end, he had even forgotten his energy and flying sword. Only thus had he achieved what he now possessed.

It was indeed something to take pride in.

Su Yizhao’s face remained calm. "It’s nothing much."

Gou Jiancheng seemed to see through him and smiled. "Indeed, not much! Interested in meeting a true genius?"

"Who? Where?"

"Hao Han City. The Xuantian Sect!"

Su Yizhao’s eyes instantly gleamed.

The Xuantian Sect in Hao Han City—he would certainly go there.

Gou Haitian immediately shouted, "I want to go too! Didn’t Aunt go to Hao Han City?"

Gou Jiancheng fixed his eyes on Su Yizhao, but answered Gou Haitian, "Her last stop was indeed Hao Han City. Do you want to go?"

Su Yizhao’s heart stirred.

The last stop? Was Gou Yuer about to return to the Upper Realm?

Gou Haitian asked in surprise, "Last stop? Is she not coming back?"

This time, Gou Jiancheng did not reply. Seeing Su Yizhao’s composure, he silently praised the young man. He had sensed much, yet remained unfazed—such poise was already monstrous.

Retracting his gaze, Gou Jiancheng said, "Would you two be willing to escort Haitian to Hao Han City? Rest assured, there will be immense rewards!"

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Chi Xiangdong, of course, would not refuse. Officially, they would be the escorts, but in truth, who knew how many cultivators from the Gou family auction house would secretly guard them?

Kao Shan City lay on the southwestern edge, the furthest small city from Hao Han City. Even with teleportation arrays, they would have to pass through more than a hundred cities, and accidents were inevitable along the way.

Yet in Su Yizhao's mind appeared the image of Gou Yuer—her every smile and glance captivating all.

More importantly, she knew the path to the Upper Realm!

Seeing him deep in thought, Gou Jiancheng assumed he was weighing the promised reward and tempted him further: "The Gou family auction house also has recommendation slots for entry to the Xuantian Sect!"

A recommendation to the Xuantian Sect was a tremendous boon to any cultivator in the world!

Gou Jiancheng was confident that, unless one was truly monstrous, no cultivator could refuse such a recommendation.

Su Yizhao and Chi Xiangdong regarded him calmly, looking every bit the monsters themselves.

Gou Jiancheng was bewildered.

How could monsters look like this?

Su Yizhao truly felt no excitement for this so-called immense reward. With the golden token in hand, he could enter the Xuantian Sect at any time. But what he wanted was not just entry—he wanted a recommendation as an elite disciple.

At the same time, he knew that the Gou family auction house had likely found that dark organization and that open conflict would soon erupt.

Sending them to Hao Han City was a way to send Gou Haitian away in advance.

Remaining silent would only let Gou Jiancheng overthink, so Su Yizhao spoke plainly, "Is there a recommendation as an elite disciple?"

A strange light flickered in Gou Jiancheng’s eyes, but he answered affirmatively, "Yes!"

Su Yizhao’s heart settled.

So there was!

Then why not try for one or two?

"But only for truly monstrous young cultivators who render enormous service to the auction house!" Gou Jiancheng added. He was being forthright—he simply did not believe these two would shamelessly demand it.

Su Yizhao asked, "Does escorting him count?"

Gou Jiancheng shook his head. "That is a private matter."

Of course, personal affairs could not be counted as great service to the auction house. No wonder, when they had previously protected Gou Haitian, Gou Jiancheng had only rewarded them out of his own pocket.

Su Yizhao was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "Then I’ll stay."