Fallen Star Guard

Gu Jinlai laughed loudly and disappeared into the distance.

On the other side, Su Nanxing, having heard the commotion, hurled all the Molotov cocktails in his hands toward the Seven Treasures Pavilion before vanishing into the night.

Just then, Dong Hanxue received a request for aid from the elders of the sect. While arranging for people to strictly guard the courtyard where Zuo Bu'er was in seclusion and prevent anyone from entering, she hurried to the courtyard.

Looking at the dozen-odd bodies in the courtyard that had been beaten beyond recognition, Dong Hanxue's face turned cold. "Where is he!?"

Several elders exchanged glances. One old man braced himself and said, "He escaped... He got away..."

"There were so many of you, and you still let him escape!?"

Dong Hanxue's eyes widened. "Weren't you saying he was only Core Forming?"

"He should be... Core Forming."

The old man said, "He had... two Quasi-Spirit Artifacts on him."

"Quasi-Spirit Artifacts!?"

Dong Hanxue's pupils contracted.

Quasi-Spirit Artifacts referred to supreme treasures whose spirituality was not yet strong enough to communicate with a cultivator's mind or transform in myriad ways, but whose materials nonetheless possessed extraordinary, wondrous properties.

The value of such treasures was inferior to that of true Spirit Artifacts, yet they still towered far above top-grade treasured artifacts. Usually, only those at the Spirit Transformation realm could equip themselves with one or two.

"Is he actually Spirit Refining, or is he carrying a Quasi-Spirit Artifact?"

Dong Hanxue said harshly, "You fought him for so long, and you still can't determine even that?"

"Reporting to the Grand Elder, the enemy is Gu Jinlai, formerly an elder of the Purgatory Demon Sect. He was originally a Spirit Refining cultivator, but after suffering cultivation deviation during his training, he fell from Spirit Refining and switched to the Heavenly Master path. Therefore, it is highly likely that he possesses two Quasi-Spirit Artifacts."

A disciple of Baiyang answered.

"Gu Jinlai? It was him?"

There were only so many Spirit Refining cultivators in Star Province. In particular, the recent uproar over Gu Jinlai's fall from Spirit Refining meant that Dong Hanxue had naturally heard of it.

"It was him."

That disciple nodded heavily. "Although Gu Jinlai fell from Spirit Refining, he was still someone who once stood at the summit. His swordsmanship, movement techniques, and secret arts were all of the highest caliber. Relying on the advantage of his weapons and armor, he managed to leave us helpless and escape..."

"How did you provoke him?"

Dong Hanxue asked.

The few surviving disciples of Baiyang exchanged glances and quickly explained how Gu Jinlai had made a deal with the Pavilion Master of Baiyang, and how the Pavilion Master had learned the truth before secretly keeping the ten sets of treasured armor for himself.

"Baiyang!"

Dong Hanxue was furious.

But even more than that, she felt murderous rage toward Gu Jinlai—a rat who had fallen from the Spirit Refining realm, yet still dared to run wild in Heavenly Herb Pavilion.

"How outrageous! All we did was withhold ten sets of treasured armor from him, and he actually dared to come to Heavenly Herb Pavilion and kill people. What audacity! Does he think he's still the Spirit Refining elder of the Purgatory Demon Sect, able to act with impunity? What a piece of trash!"

Dong Hanxue flew into a rage. "Search! Find out where he is! The moment the Pavilion Master returns, gather everyone. I want to hack him into a thousand pieces and make him understand the price of offending Heavenly Herb Pavilion!"

At that moment, the direction of the Seven Treasures Pavilion suddenly became brightly lit. Blazing flames rapidly spread through the building.

Along with them came the panicked shouts of the disciples guarding the Seven Treasures Pavilion. "Fire! Fire!"

"The Seven Treasures Pavilion!?"

That place was the very heart of Heavenly Herb Pavilion.

All the pills and treasures were stored in the Seven Treasures Pavilion. If it burned down, the losses would easily reach several million.

"Put out the fire! Put out the fire first!"

Dong Hanxue immediately issued the order.

On the other side, Gu Jinlai strode out of Heavenly Herb Pavilion.

On the way back to the courtyard, Su Nanxing caught up with him.

"Master."

Su Nanxing called out.

Gu Jinlai glanced toward Heavenly Herb Pavilion.

The blazing flames were clearly visible, painting half the sky above Starlight City a fiery red.

"Master, what do we do next..."

"I've already considered it carefully. I'll find a way to make Heavenly Herb Pavilion fear acting rashly."

Gu Jinlai's expression was calm. "Gu Chaoyang and the others should have finished getting ready. Tell them to wait patiently for my next instructions."

"Yes."

Su Nanxing acknowledged him.

Gu Jinlai, meanwhile, headed straight for Central Street.

At the entrance to Central Street, Nian Bu'wang was already waiting there with a horse-drawn carriage.

"Old Ancestor."

"Have you prepared everything?"

"It's all ready."

Nian Bu'wang nodded heavily and pointed at the carriage. "Two sets of treasured armor and six hundred kilograms of gunpowder."

"Good."

Gu Jinlai said, "Let's go to the Fallen Star Guard Headquarters."

The Fallen Star Guard.

Its Star Lord, Xin Tianqi, was hailed as the number-one expert in Star Province.

The Fallen Star Guard under his command was composed entirely of elite cultivators above the Qi Refining realm.

Their original duty was to suppress the cultivation world and prevent it from growing powerful enough to affect the Provincial Governor's Office's rule over Star Province.

But by now, heroes had risen everywhere, and one cultivation sect after another had expanded rapidly. The Ten Great Demon Sects and the Six Immortal Sects in particular had already carved out territories of their own, ruling over millions or even tens of millions of subjects. Although the situation within Star Province was somewhat better, the Fallen Star Guard had also lost its position of dominance over Star Province's cultivation world.

Even so, no one could deny that in terms of the number of experts, the Fallen Star Guard remained the foremost force in Starlight City—and in all of Star Province.

The reason forces such as the Purgatory Sect, Yellow Springs Sect, Cold Moon Sect, and Yellow Heaven Sect had never been able to enter Starlight City was precisely the Fallen Star Guard's powerful suppression.

Although the night was already deep, the Fallen Star Guard Headquarters was still brightly lit.

Because of the fire at Heavenly Herb Pavilion, quite a few people were coming and going as they went to investigate the situation.

When Gu Jinlai, having changed his clothes, arrived at the Fallen Star Guard, people immediately gathered around him.

The leading Gang Condensing expert placed his right hand on the hilt of his blade. "The Fallen Star Guard Headquarters is an important location. No unauthorized persons may enter."

"Heavenly Master Gu Jinlai has come to request an audience with Star Lord Xin of the Fallen Star Guard."

Gu Jinlai cupped his hands.

"Gu Jinlai?"

The Gang Condensing Fallen Star Guard looked somewhat surprised. "Gu Jinlai, the former elder of the Purgatory Demon Sect?"

"I've already left the Purgatory Demon Sect and switched to the Heavenly Master path."

Gu Jinlai said, "I've come this time to present two sets of treasured armor to Star Lord Xin."

"Wait here."

The Gang Condensing cultivator glanced at Gu Jinlai, said this, and quickly entered the courtyard.

Before long, he returned and led two people and the carriage into the courtyard.

However, waiting for Gu Jinlai in the main hall was not the Star Lord who suppressed Star Province's cultivation world, but a black-clad middle-aged man who looked to be in his early forties.

"Elder Gu... Oh, I should call you Heavenly Master Gu now."

The middle-aged man rose. "The Star Lord is occupied with important matters and has no time at present. As for the items Heavenly Master Gu is offering, you can hand them to me, Chen Jiuwen. I'm in charge of allocating the Fallen Star Guard's supplies."

Gu Jinlai felt somewhat disappointed.

But he also knew that even when he had been an elder of the Purgatory Demon Sect, meeting Xin Tianqi had never been easy.

Without wasting time, he went straight to the point. "True Person Chen, take a look. This is the treasured armor I forged recently."

He pointed at the two sets of treasured armor Nian Bu'wang had brought. "This armor weighs..."

"Blacksteel Armor. It is indeed fine treasured armor. It weighs eighty pounds, and its defensive power is enough to rival high-grade treasured armor..."

As Chen Jiuwen spoke, he listed the armor's basic specifications as fluently as if he were reciting from memory.

Clearly, this new type of treasured armor had already entered their field of vision.

At that moment, a member of the Fallen Star Guard came to Chen Jiuwen's side and whispered something into his ear.

After listening, Chen Jiuwen looked at Gu Jinlai again, and his gaze was noticeably different.

After a while, he finally said, "Heavenly Master Gu... You truly kept your abilities hidden. Who would have thought that, without anyone noticing, you would accomplish such a great deed in my Starlight City?"

Gu Jinlai knew what he was referring to.

As a senior official of the Fallen Star Guard, receiving news of what happened at Heavenly Herb Pavilion only now could already be considered rather slow.

Gu Jinlai spoke frankly. "Since True Person Chen knows about these treasured armors of mine, you naturally know why I took such a dangerous course of action. When someone bullies you to your very doorstep, you have no choice but to fight back with your life on the line."

He pointed at the treasured armor. "I am willing to offer the forging method for this armor to the Fallen Star Guard in exchange for an official position."