When Zhang Tao stood up, Guo Weicheng was already at his side. He regarded Zhang Tao with a complicated look and asked, "Aren't you going to push straight through to Rank 7?"
Zhang Tao smiled and shook his head. Cultivation wasn't something that could be accomplished all at once; he still needed to temper himself properly. Entering Rank 7 now might not be a good thing.
Besides, his essence and blood had only just united, and he still hadn't adapted to the strength of Rank 6. Though his mental power was vast, he hadn't manifested it yet. Zhang Tao wanted to refine himself a little more.
Guo Weicheng nodded. "If you have your own plans, then follow them. But you broke through in the middle of the street this time, and even sealed the gate in a single day. I'd guess you'll have plenty of trouble ahead. Those people may come looking for trouble, too. Be careful!"
Zhang Tao gave a quiet acknowledgment. There was nothing he could do about it. He had no idea why the Kongtong Seal had suddenly flared up, but he already had a theory.
Perhaps the Kongtong Seal had absorbed some of humanity's fortune, which was why it had suddenly erupted and given him a reward. He had just won a battle and brought back resources, earning the Forbidden City martial artists' recognition. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been showering him with praise when the Kongtong Seal inside him suddenly trembled.
As for the Evil Cultists, heh. As long as they didn't send out experts above Grandmaster, he should be fine. Besides, he was in Kyoto. The Evil Cultists weren't so brazen as to think Kyoto's Grandmasters were all dead, were they?
Still, he couldn't let his guard down. Zhang Tao glanced at Li Zhen, who was still meditating with his eyes closed. Brother, I'm counting on you from now on.
That was right. Zhang Tao planned to stick close to Li Zhen. Li Zhen was the son of a powerful martial artist from Zhenxing City, and the Heaven Suppressing King was watching over him. Who the hell would dare cause trouble?
Of course, Zhang Tao would have to think of a solution, too. Li Zhen couldn't stay by his side forever, so he needed to come up with a plan.
Suddenly, the image of a cat appeared in Zhang Tao's mind. Could he trick that cat into coming over?
As Zhang Tao pondered this, a huge cat's head rose from the lake in Kuocang Mountain. It looked over the barren mountain and sighed. Its belly was so empty, and Gong Juanzi was so poor.
"Is someone talking about this cat again? I can't sense who it is. But why do I want to go out?" Grey Cat murmured in confusion.
Just then, a hazy figure appeared beside Grey Cat. Looking at the cat, he asked, "What's wrong with you? Why did you suddenly wake up? The Great Era is still decades away!"
"Gong Juanzi, this cat is hungry!" Grey Cat said, tilting its head. It glanced at Gong Juanzi's true body in the lake and drooled uncontrollably.
Gong Juanzi was speechless. "What now? Hungry again? Look what you've done to Kuocang Mountain. And now you've set your sights on my body? Go back to sleep. You can have anything you want in your dreams. It won't be much longer, Grey Cat." Gong Juanzi figured he ought to talk some sense into it and calm it down.
Grey Cat rolled its eyes. "I want to go out!"
Gong Juanzi's fur practically stood on end. "No! It's not time yet. If you go out, you'll be targeted!"
"Then find me something to eat!" Grey Cat said, tilting its head.
Gong Juanzi rolled his eyes. "Look at Kuocang Mountain. There isn't even a single blade of grass left. Where am I supposed to find food for you?"
"Then I'll go out and find something myself! This cat has a feeling someone's going to bring me food!" Grey Cat huffed. It really did have that feeling.
Gong Juanzi frowned at once. Grey Cat was acting strangely. It had woken up before, but never once had it been this determined to leave. Usually, the cat was extremely cautious. Even if you chased it away, it wouldn't go.
"Grey Cat, tell me what's going on," Gong Juanzi asked urgently. There was no helping it—Grey Cat had an uncanny ability to sense fortune and avoid danger. If it didn't want to stay with him anymore, did that mean danger was coming his way? Otherwise, why would the cat run off?
He'd known Grey Cat for so long; he wasn't a fool. He couldn't help wondering if someone was plotting against him. Otherwise, the cat wouldn't leave.
"People from the Northern Sect? Or someone else? This is strange!" Gong Juanzi murmured. Just who was trying to harm him?
Grey Cat chuckled and looked at Gong Juanzi. Why are you making such a big deal out of this? "Open the gate. I'm going out!" Grey Cat said flatly.
Gong Juanzi's brows knitted together. For a moment, he truly couldn't figure out what Grey Cat was thinking. But since the cat was so determined to leave, he had no choice but to open the barrier. "Brother Cat, be careful. Call for me if anything happens!"
Grey Cat didn't even look back. It shrank down and darted out from beneath the Forbidden Sea.
Watching Grey Cat leave so casually, Gong Juanzi's mouth twitched. Damn it, you ungrateful cat.
I carried you in my pocket, and you kicked me into a ditch. I'm about to have bad luck, and you can't even be bothered to look back?
Leaving Gong Juanzi to stew in resentment, Zhang Tao had no idea that merely thinking about the cat had somehow made it come out and leave Kuocang Mountain.
Zhang Tao knew what Grey Cat could do, so he hadn't even thought of its name. Besides, Zhang Tao hadn't entered the Origin Dao yet, which was why Grey Cat couldn't sense him.
At that moment, Li Zhen was thrilled. Damn, so this was what it felt like! With the energy Zhang Tao had given him, he'd just successfully sealed the Gate of Life, the Gate of Blood and Qi, and the Gate of Spirit. He'd made astonishing progress in a single day.
"All right, stop celebrating. Let's go," Zhang Tao said.
Li Zhen was confused for a moment, then asked, "Go where? I still have things to do. I need to—"
But before he could finish, Zhang Tao grabbed him and headed outside the Catacombs. As if! Zhang Tao wasn't about to let Li Zhen leave now. If the Evil Martial Artists played dirty and sent out Rank 7 or Rank 8 experts, and Kyoto's Grandmasters didn't notice, he'd need Li Zhen to take the hit for him.
Li Zhen was completely baffled. He had no idea why Zhang Tao insisted on dragging him along. But Zhang Tao had helped him, and one reason he'd made such rapid progress was that help, so he followed him out.
After seeing Zhang Tao exchange the resources he'd acquired for money and sort it all out, Li Zhen understood what he was up to. He just didn't understand why Zhang Tao had dragged him along. Was he embarrassed to face the families of Wang Feng and the others?
Zhang Tao spent the entire afternoon rushing from place to place, handing out all the money. Li Zhen followed silently. When Zhang Tao was done, he said, "All right, that takes care of everything. I need to head back to Zhenxing City."
Zhang Tao curled his lip. "Don't rush back yet. Come with me to Magic City. I still have something to take care of!"
Li Zhen stared at him, utterly perplexed. What were they going to Magic City for? More importantly, what did it have to do with him?
Before you continue