Raising Gu

You Su opened his eyes groggily. Heaven Awakening Island was located in the South China Sea, and the sunlight was somewhat dazzling.

He quickly got up, squinted and rubbed his eyes, subconsciously using his Divine Sense to explore his surroundings, but felt that there was something strange about the island. It seemed that due to the limitations of the Formation Technique, the range that his Divine Sense could explore was extremely limited.

His Divine Sense was far stronger than others in the same realm. Logically, even the slightest movement within a range of about twenty meters should be impossible to escape his focused observation, yet it was cut in half at this moment.

"Si Han? Senior Sister Zi Xun?"

You Su called out softly, but there was no response.

He felt even more awe. He had already made an appointment with his two senior sisters, who were at the peak of the Water Condensation Realm, to travel together on the island so that they could look after each other.

Before entering the island, the Third Elder had openly and subtly hoped that he could take care of his two senior sisters. Although they were exceptionally talented, they were ultimately flowers in a greenhouse and had never truly witnessed the cruelty of the cultivation world.

You Su readily agreed. In fact, after the three of them entered the island, they joined the main force of cultivators from the Xuanxiao Sect before entering the island together. This was also an instruction given by the Second Elder of the Xuanxiao Sect during the mobilization ceremony.

In fact, there are quite a few forces like the Xuanxiao Sect that are united as one. Although only one person can ultimately obtain the inheritance, no force would not want that person to be in their camp.

You Su called out several more times, but still no one answered.

Since no one was around, You Su did not hesitate and immediately opened his dark eyes to survey his surroundings.

The vegetation on Heaven Awakening Island is exceptionally lush, with Rare Flowers and Exotic Herbs vying for attention, and even birdsong and butterflies fluttering about, creating a vibrant scene.

But this beautiful scenery only made You Su feel more solemn, because he recalled that he had only taken a few steps onto the shore before he lost consciousness. How could he not see the sea at a glance?

He has now clearly transcended the boundaries of the outer islands!

"It's that Magic Array..."

You Su suddenly recalled the bright light before he lost consciousness. Everyone thought it was a Formation Technique to block the outside world's view, but they did not expect it to be a teleportation formation.

Judging from the current situation where everyone has become separated, it is clear that this teleportation array randomly teleported everyone who entered the island to some location on the island.

You Su became more vigilant while deep in thought.

He recalled the First Elder's message before he arrived on the island, and felt a belated sense of unease.

Even when he was facing evil spirits, the First Elder would not give him such solemn instructions, because unlike First Elder Third Elder who was worried about him, the First Elder had complete confidence in him, as if he completely believed that he could complete the mission every time.

Does the First Elder believe that this island is even more dangerous than evil spirits?

That's right... The letter that the First Elder sent him separately did not mention the existence of the random teleportation array, which means that True Immortal Zhengyang was intentionally hiding it!

He deliberately broke up the pre-war alliance between these forces to isolate and help everyone as much as possible!

Furthermore, Divine Sense is the most important ability for cultivators to prevent danger, yet he specifically casts Formation Technique to block Divine Sense... There might even be more unknown restrictions or traps on the island. Is he deliberately creating an atmosphere of fear and insecurity?

You Su frowned, feeling that all these actions were invisibly increasing the danger of this inheritance battle. They were like Gu worms chosen by the True Immortal Zhengyang from all over the Five Continents and then thrown into a Gu.

Therefore, to obtain the final inheritance, luck, strength, shrewdness, and wisdom are all indispensable.

Of course, only such exceptional individuals are qualified to become the sole successor of the Heaven Awakening Realm.

Thinking of this, You Su also felt a surge of pride.

He never liked to compete with others, but he was determined to inherit this legacy.

But what exactly is this inherited item? And where can we find it?

For now, we can only proceed cautiously and wait and see, and hopefully we can find our two senior sisters to join us.

You Su placed his hand on the hilt of the Ink Pine Sword, concealing the darkness in his eyes, and still used his Divine Sense to clear the way.

He couldn't maintain his Ink Eyes all the time, but just in case he could open them at any time, he put on the sunglasses that Little Dog Qianhua had given him.

You Su walked as he pleased, but unpredictable dangers might be lurking in the shadows, so he walked very slowly.

He walked for a long time, and suddenly, his nose twitched as he caught a peculiar fragrance.

He quickly followed the scent, quietly activating his Ink Eyes. There, amidst the haystacks, clusters of luminous, multicolored herbs stood out prominently.

You Su was intimately familiar with the Earth Scroll describing heavenly materials and earthly treasures in the Joyous Union Technique, and having frequently visited Bihua Peak, he was inevitably exposed to it. He recognized it at a glance as an extremely rare Floating Light Grass.

This Floating Light Grass cannot be eaten directly, but it can be combined with three other common medicinal herbs to make Floating Light Pill. Although the process of making these Floating Light Pill is simple, their effects are extraordinary. It is said that they can directly increase a person's affinity for Technique Method.

Because of its miraculous effects, the already rare Floating Light Grass was over-harvested and has become extinct in the Five Continents. The Third Elder had always wanted to revive this kind of immortal herb, but he could not find its roots anywhere. He never expected that Floating Light Grass would still exist on this overseas immortal island.

You Su immediately had the idea of picking it and giving it to the Third Elder. These clusters of Floating Light Grass were growing lushly, and taking only one would not be considered damaging.

You Su moved very carefully, scooping it up root and all, and put it into his Universe Bag. A look of satisfaction appeared in his eyes, and he murmured to himself:

"It seems that what the First Elder said in his letter was indeed true; there are truly fortuitous opportunity everywhere on Heaven Awakening Island."

As the place where True Immortal Zhengyang broke through to new realms, Heaven Awakening Island is indeed a truly bountiful immortal island overseas.

He gathered the 360 selected cultivators here, and of course, he couldn't leave the 359 people other than the inheritor without giving them any reward.

The island is home to all sorts of rare and precious treasures that have disappeared or never appeared in the Five Continents. Every visitor to the island can take or request these treasures at will; this is the gift that the True Immortal Zhengyang bestows upon those who enter the island.

Suddenly, You Su sensed something was amiss and immediately drew a small section of his sword, ready for battle.

The sound of footsteps crunching on grass filled the air. You Su frowned slightly. The footsteps weren't loud, but they were made without any attempt to conceal themselves, indicating that the person who came was open and didn't seem to harbor any hostility.

"Brother, is that... Floating Light Grass next to you?"

The newcomer had an ordinary appearance, was slightly dark-skinned, and not particularly tall. He was dressed in an earthy yellow Daoist robe and looked quite unremarkable.

He deliberately stopped five meters away from You Su in order to maintain a relatively safe distance.

You Su knew that the other person's steps were powerful and steady, clearly indicating a solid foundation. You Su guessed that the other person was at least at the upper level of the Water Condensing Upper Realm.

"Good."

You Su's answer was brief and forceful; as the first person he met after arriving on the island, he didn't want to appear too distant.

"It really is!"

The man was excited and made a move to take a step, You Su warily drew his sword from its sheath.

The man caught a glimpse of the dark light on the sword and quickly stopped again, saying obediently, "Brother, there's no need to be nervous. I am Huang Xi, a disciple of the Yellow Sand Sect in the Western Wilderness Continent. We are a legitimate and righteous sect and have no ill intentions towards you."

As he spoke, he took out a bright yellow token from his pocket, on which were written the words 'Yellow Sand'.

Before arriving You Su had, under the tutelage of the Third Elder, crammed on the forces from all over the Five Continents, and knew that the Yellow Sand Sect was a second-rate sect at the bottom of the Western Wilderness Continent. However, he only knew some noteworthy names; he had never heard of Huang Xi.

"You want to collect grass?" You Su asked.

Huang Xi nodded repeatedly, his eyes full of eagerness. "This Floating Light Grass is extremely useful to my third junior brother. If you're interested, could you spare me a sprig? I can exchange it for other treasures; I will never let you suffer a loss."

As he spoke, he made a gesture as if to open the large sack he was carrying on his back.

"No need, I've already gotten what I needed. Take what you want."

Seeing the other party's simple appearance—lacking even a storage Law Treasure and carrying a sack to venture into the secret realm— You Su didn't want to take advantage of the poor. So, he took a few steps back, giving up the patch of Floating Light Grass.

Huang Xi thanked him repeatedly, bowed and came over to pick two Floating Light Grass as well, his posture very respectful.

You Su was curious, "I told you this is unclaimed. Since it's useful to you, why didn't you dig it all up?"

"One plant is enough for my third junior brother; any more would be a waste."

Huang Xi looked up at You Su's luxurious yet understated attire, and at the strange magical Law Artifact blocking his view, its purpose unknown, and humbly said:

"Judging from your bearing and attire, you must be from the Central Yuan Continent, right? My Western Wilderness Continent has the word 'wilderness' in its name, and it can't compare to the vastness and abundance of the Central Yuan Continent. Therefore, we people of the Western Wilderness cherish our resources very much. If there are three fruits on a tree, we will only pick two; we will never pick all three."

You Su thought to herself that this person was so simple and honest that it was touching, and then asked:

"If one plant is enough, why did you dig up two?"

"To be honest, I also have some selfish motives. I'm taking this one for my third junior brother to use for alchemy, and the other one is actually for selling to make some money to supplement the sect's income."

Floating Light Grass is a rare treasure that is priceless in the outside world, and of course it can fetch a high price.

You Su neither confirmed nor denied this, but asked curiously, "Does your Yellow Sand Sect need a disciple to subsidize it?"

"My sect is located in the western part of the Western Wilderness Continent, the most desolate area, barely able to support itself. I don't know how I was chosen by True Immortal Zhengyang. My sect went to great lengths to get me to Heaven Awakening Island on time. I am grateful to my sect and should seize this opportunity to do something for them." Huang Xi his head, his tone full of guilt.

You Su pursed his lips, secretly feeling that cultivators in the world truly all have their own hardships, so he pushed the half-drawn sword back:

"If this island can grow Floating Light Grass, then it's definitely not just this one clump. Pick them all; it's not like you're eradicating the weeds completely."

"I appreciate your kindness, brother, but two are enough. Leave the rest for others." Huang Xi opened the half-full burlap sack, carefully wrapped the two Floating Light Grass inside, and then said somewhat embarrassedly, "Actually, I also took quite a few other treasures, enough for my sect to live a prosperous life."

"Your sect will be proud of you," You Su said calmly.

Huang Xi was the first cultivator from another continent that You Su came into contact with besides his junior sister Xue Ruo. Although Huang Xi's cultivation level was much higher than his, he spoke to him politely and acted with a kind of simple honesty that was different from the cultivators of the Central Yuan Continent. This made You Su quite fond of him, so he sincerely praised him.

Upon hearing this, Huang Xi waved his hands repeatedly in shame, "No, no, I'm afraid I'll disappoint my sect on this trip."

"They went through all that trouble to send you here, of course they hope you can seize the final inheritance."

"Don't laugh at me, brother, I never even considered that unattainable inheritance. What's in this sack is the real fortuitous opportunity." Huang Xi patted the sack on his back with considerable satisfaction.

"Brother Huang is right." You Su affirmed the other party's pragmatic idea and did not want the other party to feel ashamed of it.

Huang Xi scratched his head again, "I still don't know your honorable name, brother? And where your teacher comes from?"

"My surname is You, and I am a cultivator from the Xuanxiao Sect."

"Xuanxiao Sect?!" Huang Xi seemed startled, but after looking You Su over again, he praised, "No wonder Brother You was able to enter the island at the Water Condensing Lower Realm; it's clear at a glance that you come from a prestigious sect."

Besides making connections, You Su also had an ulterior motive in introducing himself. "Judging from Brother Huang's demeanor, you must have been to quite a few places. Have you seen any cultivators from my Xuanxiao Sect?"

Huang Xi thought carefully, then shook his head and said, "I generally keep my distance from people, but I've never seen anyone with the same extraordinary bearing as Brother You. Heaven Awakening Island is so vast, much larger than what we've seen from the outside, it probably won't be so easy to find."

Upon hearing this, You Su frowned. "Bigger than it looks? What makes you say that, Brother Huang?"

"Before entering the island, Brother You, stand on the beach. If you look over into the island, you can see a huge rock with the words 'Zhengyang' carved on it."

You Su obviously didn't see it, but still nodded, "It is indeed there."

"My Western Wilderness Continent is mostly desert, and we often have to rely on stones to find our way. So I am extremely accurate in judging distances by sight. At the time, I only felt that the stone tablet was no more than a hundred meters away from the island beach, but when I woke up by the boulder and walked towards the island beach, I walked nearly three hundred meters. This must be the Divine Ability of the True Immortal Zhengyang." Huang Xi said with heartfelt emotion.

"But what's the point of him deliberately making Heaven Awakening Island look even smaller?" You Su asked.

Huang Xi hadn't considered this question. After stroking his chin thoughtfully, he said, "It's not that it looks smaller, but rather that it was actually compressed by the True Immortal Zhengyang. Once we all entered the island, the compression was naturally released to create more space. I heard that this island was pulled here by eighteen Giant Kun. If the island were this big, I'm afraid it wouldn't have been able to be pulled, would it?"

Upon hearing this, You Su's heart trembled violently, and he gained a completely new understanding of the power of the Heaven Awakening Realm.

"Brother Huang, do you know our location on the island right now?"

"It's probably in the southwest corner, about a mile from the coast," You Su nodded to himself.

"Brother You, if you're willing, you can come with me. I can take you to the place where I retrieved the treasure, so that the trip won't be in vain." Huang Xi also had a good impression of You Su and was very generous.

You Su declined the other party's offer, as the two ultimately had different goals and there was no need to force them to be together.

Huang Xi was slightly disappointed, but he understood. He just felt that the young man's cultivation level was too high and he was probably overestimating himself.

"Then we shall part ways. Brother Huang, you are truly blessed to have encountered so many treasures. But remember to know when to stop, for your wealth is already on your back and cannot be hidden." You Su kindly reminded him as he departed.

His concerns were not unfounded; among the hundreds of people on the island, there was no guarantee that there wouldn't be any vicious criminals who would kill and rob.

"Brother You, rest assured, I'll find another item to help my junior sister break through her cultivation level, then I'll tear up the letter and leave the island. I've already gained quite a lot in just half a day, and I'm more than satisfied. But you've decided to go deeper; you must remain vigilant at all times."

Huang Xi took off his backpack again, rummaged through it, and finally took out a box of food wrapped in oil paper.

"This is a specialty food from the Western Wilderness Continent, Earth-Gray Cake. Although it doesn't taste very good, one cake is enough to keep you full for a day, and it won't spoil for at least half a year. I'm afraid I'll be the first cultivator to leave the island and lose face, so I won't be able to eat this cake anymore. Therefore, I'm giving it to Brother You. I hope Brother You won't find this too humble a gift."

You Su wanted to decline, but Huang Xi was adamant, probably wanting to repay You Su for his generosity in letting him pick the Floating Light Grass. You Su had no choice but to accept this simple but practical gift.

"Then, Brother Huang, we'll meet again. If you really are the first to leave the island, you'll be the top one, and your fame will likely spread far and wide."

"Hahaha, it's probably a cowardly nickname. But a cowardly nickname is still a nickname, and I'd like to taste what it's like to be famous."

Huang Xi laughed heartily, his eyes sparkling with a strange light.

This diligent cultivator, who had always lived in a remote place, naturally harbored ambitions to become famous throughout the world. However, his surroundings forced him to choose the pragmatic and conservative path.

You Su bowed respectfully, waved, and left.

He genuinely hoped Huang Xi could leave the island safely. After all, his sect was waiting for him, and how could they possibly be disappointed in a disciple so full of gratitude?

Knowing that this was the southwest side, You Su continued to venture deeper into the island based on the sun's position.

The First Elder's letter said that the further one goes into the center of the island, the rarer the fortuitous opportunity become.

Following this logic, it's easy to guess that the greatest fortuitous opportunity —the inheritance of the True Immortal Zhengyang —lies in the center of the island.

Therefore, many cultivators will inevitably venture deeper into the center of the island. Whether You Su is seeking treasure or searching for someone, he should also take this path.

However, You Su also knew that this was not a definitive conclusion, and that the greatest fortuitous opportunity could not be found so easily.

According to the rules of random teleportation, there will inevitably be some people with exceptional luck. However, the purpose of the True Immortal Zhengyang is to select the most gifted person. Therefore, You Su guesses that this inheritance may not even surface now, but will wait for an appropriate time to appear.

So he wasn't impatient, but instead proceeded steadily and surely.

But as darkness fell, he never expected that the second person he would encounter would be...

It will be Huang Xi's corpse.