Chapter 247: A Breakthrough That Burns Everything
The bounty on Gu Mo's avatar shocked everyone, and it stirred the thoughts of some mid-Nascent Soul cultivators as well. After all, included in the reward for slaying Gu Mo's avatar were high-grade pills that could help mid-Nascent Soul cultivators break through to late Nascent Soul.
Such pills that could aid a small-realm breakthrough were exceedingly precious. To kill a Golden Core cultivator and gain such treasures—naturally, that was tempting.
Even if this Golden Core cultivator had a record of slaying Nascent Soul True Lords, those were only at the early stage. If faced with mid-Nascent Soul cultivators, the outcome could be entirely different.
Yet only a few days later, Gu Mo's avatar's bounty was raised again. This time, it wasn't just mid-Nascent Soul cultivators who were stirred—even those at the late stage were growing restless.
This alone showed how much blood the demonic sects were willing to spill to eliminate Gu Mo's avatar.
Because the Great Yan Sword Sect was on righteous-path territory, the demonic sects had no better way. They could only use lavish rewards to lure Nascent Soul wanderers or even righteous Nascent Soul True Lords to act.
When it came to matters that touched on their own path, most cultivators would set aside faction interests. This was the way of cultivators—power belonged to oneself, and one's strength must reign above all else.
Sacrificing one genius in exchange for advancing one's own realm—this could even increase a faction's fighting power in the short term.
"These demonic sects are really willing to bleed," Gu Mo's true body sighed when he learned the size of the bounty. At that moment, he even felt tempted to coordinate with his avatar and scam the reward himself.
Of course, that was just a passing thought. If he truly did that, the next one wanted would likely be his true body.
That the avatar was being hunted did not worry Gu Mo much. Even if the avatar perished, it wouldn't affect the true body. However, the avatar carried many ties now, and Gu Mo didn't want it to fall so easily.
"Xiaohua!"
Gu Mo summoned Xiaohua. Since his avatar would likely face many assassination attempts soon, quickly raising its cultivation was what mattered most.
He placed a year's worth of Sun essence reserves into a jade box and had Xiaohua deliver it to the avatar.
With his current output, a year's reserves were nothing like before. If nothing else, Gu Mo now possessed thirty 4th-rank Sunflowers. This was thanks to the supreme spirit-stone cushion that had raised the cave-heaven's spiritual energy, letting it sustain more 4th-rank Sunflowers.
And those thirty were not the limit. At least twenty more could still be added, bringing the total to fifty.
But Gu Mo did not intend to keep increasing the number. He meant to leave some room to upgrade their quality instead. At present, all thirty were lower-grade 4th-rank Sunflowers. Gu Mo wanted to raise them to mid-grade, high-grade, even supreme quality. A single high-grade Sunflower was far more useful than several lower-grade ones.
Only after securing a number of supreme 4th-rank Sunflowers could he begin cultivating 5th-rank Sunflowers, paving the way for his own advance to the Soul Transformation realm.
Though only a Golden Core cultivator now, Gu Mo had long since begun preparing for that stage.
Still, upgrading Sunflowers was not his top priority. His most urgent task was to raise his own cultivation to Nascent Soul.
Only after stepping into Nascent Soul could he seriously plan for Soul Transformation. Yet, with the avatar's plan to remain low-key now ruined, Gu Mo had to shift his focus—prioritizing the avatar's advancement before his true body's.
He could not yet know how far that year's reserves would take the avatar. The twelve sword cores within the sword cultivator avatar gave it immense combat strength and foundation, but they also made its realm advancement abnormally difficult.
If relying only on its own cultivation, the avatar might be stuck at early Golden Core forever. But with Sun Essence to fuel it, as long as the amount was sufficient, it could indeed be pushed all the way to peak Golden Core.
The only uncertainty was whether the demonic sects would allow him so much time. Judging from the posted bounty, they were clearly eager to see the avatar dead.
"Senior Brother!"
While Gu Mo was pondering how to counter the demonic sects' next moves, a voice came from outside. He lifted the restriction, and Lu Lingmei stepped in with light steps.
Unlike before, when she had wrapped herself up completely, now Lu Lingmei wore a fitted long dress that perfectly accentuated her figure.
Her face still bore some girlish innocence, but her body was already that of a fully grown woman.
"What is it? Do you have doubts about your cultivation?" Gu Mo let his gaze sweep over her lightly before withdrawing it, asking.
At the recent disciple-accepting ceremony, he had taken in many with fine spiritual roots. The other branches knew that the Myriad Arts line still had no disciples and, out of respect for Gu Mo as a true disciple, had let him pick first.
But though he had taken them, Gu Mo was busy cultivating and had little time to guide them. So he left the task to Lu Lingmei.
As a Foundation Establishment cultivator, she was more than qualified to instruct those youths in things like drawing spiritual energy into their bodies.
Of course, her own cultivation still required Gu Mo's guidance.
"Senior Brother, I heard you're well acquainted with Senior Sister Ding, the one skilled in nurturing Sword-Heart Bamboo. Could you introduce me?" Lu Lingmei asked as she naturally linked her arm with his, pressing close, her voice full of admiration.
"When there's time, I'll introduce you. But focus on your cultivation. Don't play these little tricks." Gu Mo tapped her forehead. This girl always clung to him the moment she saw him—her intentions were obvious.
"You and my mother weren't any different…"
At that, Lu Lingmei pouted in grievance. In her view, if she wanted Gu Mo's protection, she had to offer something in return—just as her mother had. Even when younger, she had already understood much. Now she was fully aware that many would give anything for such a chance.
"Hm?"
One glance from Gu Mo, and Lu Lingmei shrank back, quickly running off.
Watching her disappear, Gu Mo shook his head. With Fang Jiaoyan, it had been a mutual exchange. But Lu Lingmei—he could not treat her that way.
For his true body, with Shennong Valley's great tree to shelter him, everything was calm and secure. But for his sword cultivator avatar, though all seemed quiet on the surface, everyone knew it was only the calm before the storm.
"Disciple, come with me!"
Xuan Tianhen seized Gu Mo and strode off without explanation.
"Master, where are we going?" Gu Mo halted and asked.
"The Yin-Yang Sword Sect!"
Xuan Tianhen drew a deep breath. "Your master cannot protect you. The Great Yan Sword Sect cannot protect you. So—you must go to the Yin-Yang Sword Sect."
"Master, what's the price?" Gu Mo sighed softly.
"To join the Yin-Yang Sword Sect and become one of their disciples." Xuan Tianhen was silent for a long time before he finally spoke. If the Grand Yan Sword Sect could not protect its own disciple, then it meant the sect was unworthy of such a disciple. And so, Xuan Tianhen went to the Yin-Yang Sword Sect.
He hoped they could shelter Gu Mo's incarnation. Naturally, the Yin-Yang Sword Sect would not refuse. Though top sects normally never accepted disciples from other sects, Gu Mo's incarnation was clearly an exception.
Someone who had already mastered the Great Sun Sword Intent and, while only at the Golden Core realm, had slain a Nascent Soul devil lord—such a peerless genius was something even a sect like the Yin-Yang Sword Sect craved.
But when such a genius was already discovered as part of the Grand Yan Sword Sect, stealing him would normally be unwise. Not only would it damage their reputation, but the loyalty of a disciple taken by force would always be in question.
This time, however, things were different. It was Xuan Tianhen himself who brought him over. There was no damage to reputation—only the gain of a top-tier prodigy.
"What about the Grand Yan Sword Sect?" Lin Wu asked again.
"Don't worry, I'll take care of the sect."
Xuan Tianhen patted his shoulder. "Without you there, the sect will actually be safer."
"Come. Let's go."
Before Gu Mo's incarnation could say more, Xuan Tianhen swept him up in a sword-light, carrying him toward the Yin-Yang Sword Sect.
"So… is this crisis really resolved just like that?" Standing before the Yin-Yang Sword Sect's mountain gate, Gu Mo's incarnation gazed at the giant character Yang. The Great Sun Sword Intent within him resonated with the Extreme Yang Sword Intent sealed within the word, setting off a majestic display that stunned the entire sect.
Unlike his main body, which kept a low profile, Gu Mo's incarnation had no need to hide. The Great Sun Sword Intent shone out in full, intertwining with the sect's own Extreme Yang Sword Intent. The spectacle shook every disciple who witnessed it.
Gu Mo's incarnation fixed his gaze on the glowing character, carefully comprehending the sword intent within. Though the Extreme Yang Sword Intent ranked slightly lower than the Great Sun Sword Intent, it still offered profound insight. After all, it was left behind by the Yin-Yang Sword Sect's founding ancestor.
Sword intent aside, there were also traces of lofty perception within it—insights that could not be experienced until one reached such heights. Borrowing the resonance of the Great Sun Sword Intent, Gu Mo's incarnation was able to touch those insights.
These realizations would benefit him on the road to the Nascent Soul stage and even toward Soul Transformation. At once, Gu Mo sat cross-legged, sinking his mind into this rare enlightenment.
The news that Lin Wu of the Grand Yan Sword Sect had joined the Yin-Yang Sword Sect quickly spread. Upon hearing it, many rejoiced. With a prodigy of this level under protection, the devil sects were surely in for disaster.
Yet some voiced different views. "I think the first to suffer will be the Grand Yan Sword Sect." If they couldn't find Lin Wu, the devil sects might strike at his sect directly to force him out.
"Rumble!"
A deafening roar split the sky as the Grand Yan Sword Sect's protective array shattered. Screams rang out in the next instant—the cries of countless disciples.
Just as many had predicted, unable to find Lin Wu, the devil sects attacked the Grand Yan Sword Sect outright.
At the border between righteous and demonic territories, vast devil armies pressed forward. Even Soul Transformation experts revealed themselves, preventing the righteous side from intervening.
If the righteous dared send reinforcements to aid the Grand Yan Sword Sect, the devil sects would invade their territory without hesitation.
To force out Gu Mo's incarnation, the devil sects had thrown all caution aside. The price they were willing to pay was staggering. If this provoked a full-scale war, the losses would be immeasurable.
But the devil sects knew the righteous path had no wish for war now. As long as they applied enough pressure, the righteous would yield.
"Alas…"
News of the assault reached Shennong Valley immediately. Gu Mo's true body knew at once. Yet with so many of the valley's powerhouses deployed to the frontlines, there was no way to send aid.
Even Qing Sovereign himself had left. The valley was in full defensive posture. To divert forces to the Grand Yan Sword Sect now would invite a deadly risk. If the devil sects launched a sudden strike on the valley, it could spell catastrophe.
Breaking Shennong Valley's defenses was no easy task, but without Qing Sovereign present, even if they couldn't breach the great array, a Soul Transformation expert could still inflict serious damage.
What Gu Mo's true body knew, his incarnation—meditating before the Yin-Yang Sect's gate—also knew. In truth, he had already foreseen this.
But knowing was not the same as preventing. After all, what he faced was the malice of the entire devil sect alliance.
Now Gu Mo's incarnation had two choices. One was to ignore the Grand Yan Sword Sect. As long as he stayed within the Yin-Yang Sect, the devil sects could not touch him.
The other was to rush to aid his sect. But that choice could mean death.
Once he showed himself, the devil sects would never give him another chance. To force him out, they had paid a colossal price—of course they had prepared for a one-strike kill.
"Whoosh!"
While Gu Mo's incarnation weighed his decision, a sword-light shot toward him—only to be blocked by the sect's barrier.
It was a broken sword. Its master: Xuan Tianhen.
"So be it. So be it."
Gu Mo's incarnation drew a deep breath. If he shrank back today, his sword heart would be tainted. Yet he was still too weak. He had to grow stronger.
"Then let's gamble. At worst, I lose this incarnation."
He looked within. In his dantian floated a great golden core gifted by his true body, surrounded by twelve sword-cores. This was the foundation of his incarnation.
Suddenly, one of the sword-cores burst into blazing flame. This was the third stage of the Demonic Disintegration Secret Art.
Back during the Heavenly Chosen Battle, he had burned sword-cores to slay enemies. This time, he burned them to break through. With twelve sword-cores as fuel, the great golden core would shatter and give birth to a Nascent Soul!
It was a reckless gamble. But in this situation, Gu Mo had no other choice.
At worst, he would lose an incarnation. If he couldn't even risk that, then what was the point of walking the path of cultivation?
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