Four-star Dou Practitioner! Wrapped Around My Finger

"Senior Brother, take care. I won't see you out."

"Seven days from now, I'll be waiting for you here."

After Gu Han and Zhang Chuchen had a few drinks and openly learned some details about this senior brother, he saw him off at the courtyard gate. Only after the man was out of sight did he return to his room and enter the secret chamber.

As his Soul Power continuously improved, the Xuanwu Secret Realm had grown to six meters in length, width, and height. This meant that after entering the secret realm space, he could clearly perceive everything within three meters of where he disappeared.

Not only that, he had recently discovered that after entering the Xuanwu Secret Realm, he could sense prying gazes within ten times that range. In other words, if anyone watched him within thirty meters, he would know.

"My Three-Star Dou Zhe cultivation has been fully stabilized. I can continue improving."

Gu Han formed hand seals with both hands and circulated the Mysterious Ice Force. After adjusting his condition, he swallowed the Dou Practitioner Pill he had received from Nalan Yanran.

As everyone knew, on the Dou Qi Continent, each tier of cultivation was a world apart. The gap between them was like heaven and earth, and ordinary people could not fight across tiers.

However, there were many geniuses capable of fighting above their level within the same realm. This was because before reaching the Dou Venerate realm, the difference between One Star and Nine-Star was more one of quantity than quality.

To use an apt analogy, One Star was a bucket filled to one-ninth capacity, while Nine-Star was a bucket filled to the brim. At their core, both were water in a bucket, and the bucket was the realm.

Cultivation methods, Dou Techniques, combat experience, rare treasures, and other factors could easily narrow this difference in water volume.

But if a vat collided with a bucket of water, even one-ninth of the vat's water would crush a full bucket.

Still, the greater one's accumulation, the closer one was to qualitative change brought about by quantitative change, so the later stages held an advantage.

And the higher the realm, the greater the difference in later-stage cultivation.

Taking pills hardly posed any risk of unstable foundations, because it merely accelerated the process of filling the bucket.

Boom!

Before he knew it, several hours had passed.

Gu Han felt his Qi Vortex expand once more, while its color became deeper, changing from pale blue to pure blue.

Going from Three-Star to Four Star counted as breaking through from the Dou Practitioner Early Stage to the Dou Practitioner Middle Stage, equivalent to a First Tier Magical Beast at the middle stage.

However, First Tier Magical Beasts possessed low intelligence and were usually at a disadvantage against Dou Zhes who had mastered cultivation methods and Dou Techniques.

"Time's up. I'll check the opportunities first."

Gu Han continued consolidating his cultivation while reviewing the opportunity predictions.

[Kalon learned through special channels that you are already a Three-Star Dou Zhe and have gained the favor of Sect Leader Yun Yun. He has determined that you are a prodigy of the Misty Cloud Sect and will pose a major threat to the Golden Goose Sect in the future. He has decided to depart tomorrow at the third quarter of the Hai Hour for the Golden Goose Sect's secret outpost in Misty Cloud Town at the foot of the mountain to relay the information.]

[Nalan Yanran gave you the Fourth-Order pill, the Dou Practitioner Pill, which she received from her mother and can raise cultivation by one star. Many people witnessed this. Mo Qing exaggerated the matter while telling Liu Ling, causing him to become hostile toward you. He plans to come trouble you today at the third quarter of the Si Hour.]

Gu Han: "..."

Both pieces of information told him that someone was targeting him. Was this the legendary treatment reserved for a Child of Fortune?

"Kalon, Mo Qing, I can't let either of you stay."

Gu Han was not the sort to sit around and wait for death.

The Mo Family and Golden Goose Sect were potential threats. They would inevitably become enemies in the future, so they had to be eliminated, though there was no need to rush.

But Mo Qing and Kalon were immediate threats. Since they were already making trouble and targeting him, he had to deal with them as soon as possible if he had the means.

"This could work..."

A glint flashed through Gu Han's eyes as he came up with an idea.

The night passed without incident, and morning came. It was the third quarter of the Si Hour.

Knock, knock, knock...

Someone knocked on the gate of Gu Han's small courtyard.

"Who is it?" Gu Han's cool voice came from inside the courtyard.

"I'm Liu Ling. We met in front of the Sect Main Hall." Liu Ling's proud voice answered.

However, he did not force his way through the gate, which showed that Gu He had taught him well enough. He still had some manners.

"The gate isn't locked," Gu Han said.

Creak.

Liu Ling pushed the gate open and entered.

Someone followed behind him, but it was not Mo Qing, as Gu Han had expected. It was the traitor Kalon.

When Liu Ling saw Gu Han sitting at the round stone table, drinking millet porridge cooked over a brazier, surprise flashed through his eyes.

He had the strange feeling that Gu Han had known he was coming and had specifically waited for him in the courtyard.

"Brother Gu."

Suppressing the unease in his heart, Liu Ling walked to the stone table and cupped his fists toward Gu Han in greeting.

The change in how he addressed him showed that he remembered what Gu Han had said that day and no longer regarded himself as a disciple of the Misty Cloud Sect.

Gu Han thought more highly of him and decided to use Plan C to handle him. He rose and returned the gesture. "Brother Liu, what brings you here?"

Seeing that Gu Han was no longer as sharp-edged as during their first meeting, Liu Ling's hostility lessened somewhat. He got straight to the point. "Brother Gu, I admire Miss Nalan. This is no secret in the Misty Cloud Sect. I heard she came to see you yesterday. May I ask what it was about?"

"If it's inconvenient to say, then forget it!"

Liu Ling already knew that Gu Han possessed considerable talent and was valued by Yun Yun.

Therefore, he would not openly display hostility or act overbearing.

"This can be discussed." Gu Han turned to look at Kalon.

Liu Ling understood and turned to Kalon. "Senior Brother Kalon, please wait outside for me."

A trace of killing intent flashed in Kalon's eyes, but his expression did not change. He gave a slight nod. "All right. I'll wait outside."

As he went out, he also closed the courtyard gate behind him.

Gu Han gestured for Liu Ling to sit and said calmly, "As for why Senior Sister Nalan came looking for me, since you admire her, Brother Liu, you should thank me."

Liu Ling: ?

"Brother Liu, do you know that Miss Nalan has been betrothed since childhood?" Gu Han picked up his bowl and swiftly drank the millet porridge.

"Of course I know. She was once engaged to the Third Young Master of the Xiao Family, a Dou King Family. His cultivation talent was once outstanding, but the Xiao Family's strongest member is now only a Da Dou Shi, and Xiao Yan has become a waste. He is completely unworthy of Yan Ran... Miss Nalan. She doesn't like that marriage either." Jealousy and schadenfreude flashed through Liu Ling's eyes.

Gu Han took in his expression and continued, "But as long as Elder Nalan refuses to agree, the engagement will be difficult to cancel."

Liu Ling: !

"I came up with a way to make Elder Nalan agree to the engagement cancellation." Gu Han set down his empty bowl. "Now Miss Nalan is free. Don't you think you should thank me?"

"Really!?" Liu Ling abruptly rose to his feet, his eyes filled with delight.

"Absolutely. You can ask Miss Nalan to confirm it." Gu Han met Liu Ling's gaze. "She came to see me yesterday because she wanted to thank me."

"I told her there was no need to thank me. Since it was the Sect Leader who invited me, a tangible gift would be better."

"So she gave me a Fourth-Grade Pill as thanks."

"Afterward, I went with her to see the Sect Leader. The Sect Leader assigned me a task, but I can't tell you about that."

"No need, no need." Liu Ling immediately waved his hands, his face brimming with joy. He simply could not suppress his smile.

Now that Nalan Yanran's engagement had been called off, she no longer had any shackles. He could openly pursue her.

This was wonderful news, and he had never expected Gu Han to be the one who made it happen.

Originally, given Gu Han's looks, temperament, and talent, he would have become a powerful new rival after facilitating this matter.

But Gu Han had actually asked Nalan Yanran for a reward. He probably had no feelings for Nalan Yanran, and after this incident, she would surely think Gu Han petty and look down on him.

What rival was this? He was practically a benefactor!

"Brother Liu, I said you should thank me. Do you agree?" Gu Han suddenly asked.

"I agree, of course I agree." Liu Ling immediately nodded. "From now on, you're my brother from another father and mother."

Gu Han: "..."

No one had told me Liu Ling was such a clown.

And a simp's money was far too easy to swindle.

"It's good that you agree. Since you say I'm your brother, then my request isn't excessive."

"Miss Nalan gave me a Fourth-Grade Pill as thanks. You should do the same."

Liu Ling: ???