Chapter 110: The Seven-Colored Demonic Poison

Ge Qian waved his hand dismissively and said, “Your Earth Spirit Pearl has helped me greatly. I see you as someone who values friendship and is upright. Since we are both disciples of the Heavenly Star Sect, training under the same system, we should look out for each other instead of fighting separately like scattered sands. We ought to unite as one rope. The Heavenly Star Sect once dominated the entire Xuanwu Continent, but now it has declined to a third-rate sect largely because of internal strife. As for dangers, our cultivation path is inherently rebellious against heaven; many calamities are bound to come, and we should see them as trials to temper ourselves.”

Bai Ruyu nodded and said, “Senior Brother Ge, your words are reasonable. The great families within the Heavenly Star Sect are constantly scheming against one another, which only weakens the sect in the end.”

Ying Xue curled her lips and said, “You all have points, but do you really think a few elders like us can change the situation? The only way is to improve our cultivation. Then we’ll see who dares to defy us.”

Ye Feng sighed gloomily, “How difficult it is to walk the path of righteousness. Perhaps I really should listen to my sister and change my heart, start anew in my cultivation?”

Ge Qian pondered for a moment and said, “This journey to the Red Scorch Desert will be fraught with danger. We must not venture too deeply and conduct ourselves cautiously. If we carefully obtain the Warm Heart Grass and leave, it should be feasible. They hate righteous cultivators, right? We can cleverly disguise ourselves as demonic cultivators to avoid much trouble.”

Ying Xue jumped up excitedly, “Exactly! We can confuse our opponents like this. The chances of successfully gathering the Warm Heart Grass will be almost guaranteed.”

“Not entirely,” Bai Ruyu cautioned. “Demonic cultivators aren’t fools. We’ll have to act according to the situation.”

Ge Qian inwardly admired Bai Ruyu’s prudence and meticulousness. “Sister Bai’s words are wise. Let’s prepare thoroughly and gather here in three days to discuss the departure plan.”

The others had no objections and each took their leave to prepare.

Ge Qian thought to himself that despite the enormous dangers of the Red Scorch Desert, this was also an opportunity. The malignant aura there was exactly the material his Asura Path required.

He spent the day reviewing the cultivation techniques he had recently learned, focusing mainly on the “Whirlwind Great Shift,” an excellent life-saving move.

Although Ge Qian could only teleport fifty miles at a time, even cultivators at the Core Formation stage could only envy him.

After a full day of re-familiarizing himself with the techniques, gaining clarity, he sat cross-legged and took out a Confucian classic. He sent his divine sense into it to begin comprehending new cultivation arts.

After several sessions, Ge Qian gradually grasped the pattern: each time he comprehended the technique, he had to wait until his divine sense had far surpassed the previous level before continuing. However, every time he finished, his divine sense diminished slightly. Others might not notice, but Ge Qian’s cultivation of the “Calamity God Formula” gave him an extraordinary sensitivity to the use of divine sense.

Recalling past experiences, he concluded that the Confucian classics were subtly devouring a portion of his divine sense, specifically the primordial divine sense, along with a bit of his soul essence.

This suggested the classics had some hidden purpose or something sealed within them. At his current stage, he was unable to detect it, but one day he would uncover the truth.

Ge Qian thought, “If you want to consume, then I shall give it to you.” He split off a fragment of his soul essence, identical in thought to himself, like a doppelgänger capable of forcibly occupying others—this was the terrifying aspect of the “Calamity God Formula.”

This miniature version of Ge Qian’s soul essence was instantly absorbed deep into the Confucian classic, disappearing without a trace. The link between Ge Qian’s main soul and the fragment was severed as if consumed and refined by some entity.

Ge Qian was unconcerned; even if the fragment was refined, it mattered little. It was like the fragment was undergoing a calamity—if the other side slipped, it could be reborn. This was also why Ge Qian had initially refrained from cultivating the Asura Path’s original soul.

He soon found a cultivation technique describing a besieged nation on the brink of destruction.

The nation’s strategist devised a brilliant plan: openly prepare for a desperate last stand while secretly using tunnels beneath the moat to smuggle the emperor out. Then, rallying all forces for a coordinated inside-outside attack, they won a decisive victory.

This technique consisted of two parts: the first, “Constructing the plank road openly,” and the second, “Secretly crossing Chen Cang.” They could be used together or separately.

In the virtual world, Ge Qian spent a hundred years comprehending this technique. This time he did not rely on the sapling to awaken him, as his divine sense was powerful enough to awaken himself.

He opened his eyes, exhaled a breath of stale air, and the small tree in his dantian appeared. From its tender green leaves dripped a drop of pure vitality essence.

Ge Qian immediately absorbed it, his complexion rosy and the weariness of cultivation vanished. He stood and paced a few steps, feeling very satisfied.

At that moment, a transmission talisman appeared before him. Scanning it with his divine sense, he smiled slightly. Time flies in cultivation—three days had passed. He wondered how the others were preparing.

He lifted the ban on the cave’s entrance and, sure enough, the three of them were waiting outside. Ye Feng stood there, carrying his unconscious sister Ye Yu, visibly agitated.

Ge Qian immediately invited all four inside, seating them according to rank. They laid Ye Yu on a stone bed. Now, Ye Yu was a shadow of her former self, with seven hues of demonic poison swirling and writhing across her face, destroying her vitality and soul.

Her eyes were tightly shut, her body trembling violently—she was clearly enduring inhuman suffering.

Ye Feng anxiously said, “My sister’s poison has deeply invaded her soul; her vitality is about to be severed. We must leave immediately, or even if we reach the Red Scorch Desert, she will be beyond saving.”

Ge Qian rose and circled Ye Yu, probing with his divine sense. Suddenly, a strange change occurred: the seven-colored poison gas followed his divine sense, attempting to poison him.

The others stood quickly. “Be careful! Cut off the connection with your divine sense!”

But Ge Qian remained unmoved. With one hand, he executed “Removing the firewood from under the cauldron,” capturing the spreading seven-colored poison gas in his palm. His divine sense returned to his mind without harm.

The poison was like a parasitic worm clinging to his hands, trying to corrupt him.

The human vortex in Ge Qian’s dantian spun wildly, immediately absorbing and refining the seven-colored poison.

Ying Xue’s expression changed, and she hurried to steady Ge Qian, concerned. “Are you alright? That was reckless! We haven’t even reached the Red Scorch Desert yet, and you’ve already been poisoned while trying to save someone. Who will save you now?”

Bai Ruyu was shocked, thinking it impossible given Ge Qian’s cautious nature. Yet, how else to explain it?

Ye Feng nearly jumped in fright. “Brother Ge, are you okay?”

Ge Qian smiled faintly. “No worries. My cultivation method happens to counter this poison. It cannot harm me.”

Though there were slight signs of poisoning, his spirit was vibrant, his aura strong, his face glowing red.

Ying Xue blushed and relaxed her grip on Ge Qian’s sleeve. “You’re incredible. Such a powerful demonic poison is ineffective against you? How did you manage that?”