Gu Fengchen Wins People Over with Virtue

Although Gu Fengchen was also very eager for the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame, this was not something that could be rushed.

Originally, Gu Fengchen had wanted to exploit a bug and see whether he could directly absorb this fragment with the Taotie Seal. After all, it contained the Residual Soul of the Purifying Demonic Saint. However, it turned out that he could not do so.

Perhaps because the Residual Soul was incomplete, the Taotie Seal was unable to absorb it.

Of course, another possible reason was that Gu Fengchen was simply too weak right now. Back when the Purifying Demonic Lotus Flame had emerged, one needed to be a Six Star Dou Saint to absorb it. If Gu Fengchen tried to absorb it now, even if it was only a Residual Soul, he might still explode and die.

So, the Taotie Seal was likely preventing its host from absorbing it in order to protect him.

Gu Fengchen gathered his thoughts and slowly unrolled the scroll. It was a piece of parchment made from some unknown material, with a blurry, lotus-like object in one corner.

That lotus was demonic and mysterious, black in color. A thin layer of black flame seemed to cling to its surface. Simply staring at it gave one an eerie feeling.

After putting away the scroll, Gu Fengchen took the three keys and walked toward the three stone boxes on the table.

Since he knew what was inside those three stone boxes, Gu Fengchen remained perfectly calm.

Following Xiao Yan's example, he opened the boxes one by one in front of Xiao Yi Xian.

In the Original Work, Xiao Yan had snatched Xiao Yi Xian's Ice Spirit Flame Grass, so she had always thought he was the sort of guy who took more than his share.

But here, Gu Fengchen's generosity won him the beauty's favor. Xiao Yi Xian had no intention of fighting over the opportunity at all. She said, "It's fine. I've already taken so many Medicinal Herbs. If there are any treasures inside, they can all be yours."

Gu Fengchen did not stand on ceremony and nodded.

He opened the stone boxes in order. After inserting the key and opening the first box, he found an ancient-looking multicolored scroll inside.

It was the Seven-Colored Poison Classic, which recorded methods for concocting poisons and was perfectly suited to Xiao Yi Xian.

It was useless to Gu Fengchen. Although the Taotie Seal was interested in it, Gu Fengchen felt that the benefits gained by letting the Taotie Seal devour it could never compare to the benefits of having Xiao Yi Xian's strength soar, then cultivating together with her.

Gu Fengchen understood the principle of draining the pond to catch the fish. One had to know how to develop sustainably.

Gu Fengchen understood how to win people over with "virtue," so he generously gave the Seven-Colored Poison Classic to Xiao Yi Xian.

With the Ice Spirit Flame Grass and the Seven-Colored Poison Classic, could he not buy—ptui, win over—Xiao Yi Xian?

The second stone box contained a black scroll. Inside was a high-grade Xuan-class Flying Dou Skill: Wings of the Eagle.

This Dou Skill could be said to be Xiao Yan's trump card for survival and showing off during his early days.

In the Original Work, only experts at the Dou Ling level or above could briefly fly off the ground. Once one reached the Dou Wang or Dou Emperor realm, one could condense energy wings behind one's back from released Dou Qi, forming Dou Qi Wings.

Those below the Dou Ling realm could only rely on Flying Dou Skills.

The principle behind these Flying Dou Skills was to extend two tiny subsidiary meridians from the practitioner's back. These two meridians formed wings, allowing one to fly through the air.

The sky was a place that every powerhouse yearned for. This was also why only upon advancing to the Dou Wang realm could one be considered to have truly entered the ranks of the continent's strong.

However, what surprised Gu Fengchen was that the Taotie Seal on his left hand began to grow slightly hot when it touched that Flying Dou Skill scroll, as though it wanted to devour it.

That was rather strange.

Without changing his expression, Gu Fengchen opened the third stone box. Inside was the scroll that had been taken by the Wolf Head Mercenary Group.

This scroll contained the high-grade Xuan-class Dou Skill, Roar of the Mad Lion.

Yet when he touched this scroll, the Taotie Seal did not react at all.

This was getting a little mystical.

They were both high-grade Xuan-class Dou Skills, and it was being picky?

Naturally, Gu Fengchen had his own guess. It was highly likely because Flying Dou Skills were rare enough.

Just like many delicacies could not be measured solely by price, rarity often made something valuable.

After thinking for a moment, Gu Fengchen suddenly recalled that, in the Original Work, Mu Li of the Wolf Head Mercenary Group would come to block the entrance and seize the opportunity around this time. Could he really run into him again today by such a coincidence?

He remembered how miserable Xiao Yan had been that time. The Wolf Head Mercenary Group had simply had too many people. Xiao Yan had only barely fought his way out by relying on his powerful Dou Skills—the Protagonist's halo—and terrifying Combat Power. In the end, he had only managed to escape with Xiao Yi Xian's Flying Magical Beast.

So that guy Xiao Yan really would have died countless times without women.

Gu Fengchen curled his lip and decided to keep the Flying Dou Skill for now and absorb it after returning.

He did not feed it to the Taotie Seal. I'll give you something good next time.

This time, Xiao Yi Xian and Gu Fengchen had truly returned with a full haul. Both had gotten what they wanted, and all was well.

The two followed the path they had taken and returned to the top of the cliff. Gu Fengchen had thought this would be an ordinary affair of stealing Xiao Yan's opportunity, but just then, another unexpected change arose.

Gu Fengchen suddenly sensed that something was wrong.

His ears twitched slightly, catching faint but discernible footsteps.

Gu Fengchen felt that the footsteps were coming from every direction. To eliminate distractions, he simply closed his eyes.

When only one sense received information from the outside world, that sense became slightly sharper.

Several sounds reached him, along with faint panting.

Besides the panting, he could also hear the rustling of clothing as people moved.

Someone was coming!

It was the sound that could only be made by clothes scraping against tree trunks. There was no mistaking it.

But who would it be at such a late hour?

A group of people closed in, bringing a faint killing intent to the air.

When Xiao Yi Xian saw Gu Fengchen's gloomy expression, she knew something was wrong.

There were many of them, and they seemed to have already surrounded them!

Run first!

Gu Fengchen did not bother to see who it was. The other side had already pinpointed their location and clearly surrounded them. The best option now was to ignore everything and flee immediately!

Gu Fengchen wanted to curse. He had not expected to be discovered even though he had come out so late at night.

As for who had come, Gu Fengchen had already guessed.

Who else could gather so many experts in such a short time and come block him in the middle of the night if not Mu Li?

Young masters like that were definitely the vindictive type.

Gu Fengchen had only thought that Mu Li was still young, still a minor by the standards of his previous life, so his mind should not yet be so malicious. But Gu Fengchen had ultimately been a little too kind.

"This time, you came right to me. Don't blame me for what happens next!"

Gu Fengchen was now a One Star Dou Shi. More importantly, he had mastered the Forest Strolling Technique, a Movement Dou Skill particularly suited for weaving through the woods.

After thinking for a moment, he crouched down. "Get on!"

Xiao Yi Xian froze for a moment. Gu Fengchen had no desire to waste time on such matters. He directly swept her up around the waist and began sprinting.

He needed to get Xiao Yi Xian somewhere safe first, then come back and settle the score with those little bastards.