The four-to-five-zhang-long Double-Headed Fire Spirit Snake was released from the space within Qing Lin's pupils. Its enormous crimson body radiated scorching heat as it curled around her protectively. Its two fearsome heads rose, and four huge, diamond-shaped snake eyes glared fiercely at the peddler, brimming with bloodlust and savagery as it hissed at him.
"A magical beast has broken into Wutan City! Run!"
"Where are the Xiao Clan guards?! Hurry and kill that magical beast!"
"Help! Where are the City Lord's soldiers? Where are the Xiao Clan people?!"
The passersby and peddlers nearby were so terrified of the Double-Headed Fire Spirit Snake that they screamed for help and fled in every direction. Even the two Xiao Clan disciples who had come to help were stunned.
As for the peddler who had tried to swindle Qing Lin, he was so frightened that he wet himself. His hands and feet went limp, and he dropped to his knees like a dog, trembling all over, his eyes filled with terror and fear.
Qing Lin clutched her sleeve, anger showing on her little face. Her jade-green eyes fixed on the kneeling peddler as three tiny green flowers spun rapidly within them, their ghostly light shining brightly, mesmerizing and mysterious.
Just then, a golden sword-light suddenly descended beside Qing Lin. His golden robes fluttered as his large hands came to rest on the little snake beauty's shoulders. A familiar voice sounded by her ear.
"Don't be afraid, Qing Lin. I'm here."
Gu Shenge's appearance gave Qing Lin someone to rely on at once. The tension in her heart eased, and the eerie light in her eyes faded. A moment later, she was overcome with grievance. She turned and wrapped her arms tightly around Gu Shenge's waist, burying her face in his robes as she let out a faint sob. She had clearly been terrified just moments ago.
Seeing the little snake beauty crying, Gu Shenge raised a hand and gently stroked her head, soothing her softly. "Don't cry, don't cry. With your young master here, I won't let anyone hurt you. There, there—our Qing Lin is the bravest girl. Don't be scared."
Hearing her young master's comfort, Qing Lin gradually stopped crying, though she still clung to him.
Gu Shenge's gaze shifted to the peddler kneeling and begging for mercy. His gentle eyes turned ice-cold, as bitterly frigid as ice that had endured for ten thousand years. His killing intent surged like an endless tide. The air temperature plummeted, and a layer of frost spread across the ground. Even the Double-Headed Fire Spirit Snake felt uncomfortable; its own scorching heat could not withstand the cold Gu Shenge unleashed.
The peddler bore the brunt of it. He felt as if he had fallen into an icy abyss, cold from head to toe. A thick layer of frost encased his body, and in an instant, he became an ice statue.
But that wasn't enough. Gu Shenge raised a hand, and boundless dawn light burst forth. Countless Rising Sun Sword Qi appeared in the sky, forming a surging river of sword energy that plunged down like a golden river cascading from the heavens. It pierced the peddler, subjecting him to the agony of ten thousand swords piercing his heart and a thousand blades carving him apart!
The unscrupulous peddler was wiped out by the sword energy, leaving not even a trace.
Only then did the killing intent in Gu Shenge's eyes slowly fade.
Xiao Yan arrived just in time to witness the scene. Though he had no idea what had happened, Brother Juan had clearly been furious, so the matter must have been serious.
Seeing that two Xiao Clan disciples were still there, he hurried over to ask whether they had seen what happened.
After hearing the whole story, Xiao Yan felt a lingering fear. Brother Juan had arrived in time. If those people had bullied Qing Lin, the consequences would have been unthinkable.
"Little Yanzi, that little girl has the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils, and the Double-Headed Fire Spirit Snake protecting her is a Fourth-Order Magical Beast, equivalent to a human Dou Ling. No one in Wutan City could stand against her."
Yao Lao's voice sounded in Xiao Yan's ear, leaving him stunned. That enormous Double-Headed Snake was a Fourth-Order Magical Beast! All right, he had worried too much.
Gu Shenge sent the Double-Headed Fire Spirit Snake back into the space within Qing Lin's pupils. He slipped one arm around the little snake beauty's slender waist, narrow enough to fit in his hand, and lifted her legs with the other, carrying her bridal-style. Golden Dou Qi Wings formed behind him, and he flew toward the Xiao Clan compound.
Xiao Yan hurried after him. However, he knew he had to report this to his father first. An incident like this in the marketplace would damage the Xiao Clan's reputation, regardless of whether the person who had been swindled was Brother Juan's maid. The marketplace had to be put in order to prevent anything like this from happening again.
By the time the City Lord's soldiers and the Xiao Clan guards arrived, they found the street in disarray, with only two Xiao Clan disciples still there.
The Xiao Clan's other courtyard.
Gu Shenge gently laid the sleeping Qing Lin on the bed. Her pretty little face was slightly furrowed, traces of panic and fear visible between her brows. A look of tenderness and affection appeared in his eyes. He gently stroked Qing Lin's fair cheek, then leaned down and whispered softly in her ear.
"Don't be afraid. I'm right here~"
At his words, Qing Lin's furrowed brows gradually relaxed, and a faint smile appeared on her little face.
Gu Shenge gazed at Qing Lin tenderly, his eyes full of affection.
Once the little snake beauty was fast asleep, he rose and sat in a chair nearby. He communicated with the system and used the three Mystic-Grade Lottery draws he had earned.
[Ding~ Lottery complete. Congratulations, Host. You obtained: 100,000 Origin Points.] [Ding~ Lottery complete. Congratulations, Host. You obtained: Blazing Flame Cauldron.] [Ding~ Lottery complete. Congratulations, Host. You obtained: Nirvana Heart.]
With the 100,000 Origin Points, plus the 50,000 he had received as a reward for taking Ya Fei as a concubine, Gu Shenge now had more than 3.76 million Origin Points.
Why did he have so many? Because the System Store could recycle Magic Cores and convert them into Origin Points.
He had nearly emptied the Snake-People Tribe's century-old stockpile of Magic Cores. Some had been recycled and converted into Origin Points, while others had been used up refining pills.
The Blazing Flame Cauldron was the twelfth-ranked medicinal cauldron on the Heavenly Cauldron Ranking. A refiner needed not only a good refining flame, but also an excellent cauldron.
As for the Nirvana Heart, its name made its origin easy to guess. There was a very good chance it was the very one that had trapped Ling Qingzhu in Wu Dong Qian Kun.
Thinking of Ling Qingzhu reminded Gu Shenge of the Tai Shang Induction Technique. A flash of plain-colored light appeared in his hand, and a jade slip inscribed with densely packed scriptures materialized. It contained the Tai Shang Induction Technique.
The Tai Shang Induction Technique was an extremely unusual cultivation method. Anyone who practiced it had to remain pure in both body and mind. If that purity was lost, the technique would destroy itself.
In the original story, Ling Qingzhu lost her chastity because of Lin Dong, which caused her years of cultivation in the Tai Shang Induction Technique to go to waste.
However, apart from inheriting the technique at birth, one could also cultivate it through dual cultivation—and that method was much faster.
The Tai Shang Induction Technique cultivated Tai Shang Power. Put more plainly, it was the power of the Heavenly Dao, or the power of a plane.
In the original Wu Dong story, the source of Tai Shang Power was the Plane Embryo. Whoever controlled the Plane Embryo could become the Plane Master and wield the power of the entire plane.
In the Great Thousand World, an Earthly Sovereign at the Great Perfection level could break through to become a Heavenly Sovereign by refining a Plane Embryo.
If Gu Shenge cultivated the Tai Shang Induction Technique, he would be able to sense the Plane Embryo of the Dou Qi Continent, control it, and become its Plane Master.
But Gu Shenge realized there was a serious problem. With the Tai Shang Induction Technique and the Nirvana Heart, was he going to become "Ling Qingzhu"?
~
PS: As for how the realms compare, I still believe the Ancestor Realm is stronger than Dou Di. Beyond the support of the Plane Embryo, the difference comes down to their realms, their showings, and the enemies they faced.
Ancestor Realm + Plane Embryo ≈ Pseudo-Heavenly Sovereign.
Dou Di = Sovereign.
You can't seriously say Hun Tiandi and the Alien Demon Emperor were on the same level.
Before you continue