Green Bud

Then Liu Qingyuan enthusiastically led Gulanxiu into a spacious hall.

In the center of the hall was a table over a hundred meters wide, covered with an array of dazzling foods.

Various rare fruits and exotic delicacies were casually placed on the table in platters, and at the center sat a roasted lamb over ten meters long. From the residual aura, this lamb had been a second-tier desolate beast in life!

Liu Qingyuan said to Gulanxiu, "Brother Jia! I only got word after you entered the city, and with time so tight, I could only prepare this much. Please forgive any neglect!"

Gulanxiu quickly replied with a smile, "Brother Liu, you're too kind. This is already excellent. I've been in bitter cultivation for years and haven't had such a meal in a long time!"

As they spoke, they took their seats according to host and guest. Only five people sat at the hundred-meter table.

They were Gulanxiu, Liu Qingyuan, Liu Jiang, Liu Qingyuan's wife Shui Rou, and Liu Qingyuan's daughter—Liu Jiang's sister—Liu Li.

A pair of beautiful twin maidservants were arranged beside Gulanxiu to pour wine and serve food. The meal passed with both host and guest enjoying themselves.

Afterward, under the guidance of the twin maidservants, Gulanxiu arrived at a spacious courtyard. He was fairly satisfied with this temporary lodging. After declining the twins' offer to serve him for the night, the entire courtyard was left with only Gulanxiu alone.

To be honest, Gulanxiu couldn't completely see through the matters of men and women. Those two little maids were indeed tempting, but he couldn't have any relationship with them. The Swallowing Starry Sky world was a world of the strong. What Gulanxiu wanted was a genius who could grow alongside him. He had no interest in a burden without cultivation talent.

And even setting that aside, Gulanxiu wouldn't find a woman on the Bloodfall Continent. He didn't want his descendants to remain mere natives of the Bloodfall Continent!

At that moment, in the rear courtyard of the Liu estate, the four members of the Liu family gathered together, discussing something.

Liu Qingyuan said seriously to Liu Jiang, "Jiang'er! Tell us again about your encounter with Jia Ming in detail! Your mother and sister, analyze it and see if there's any problem."

Liu Jiang nodded and gave Liu Qingyuan a thorough account of how he had met Gulanxiu.

After a moment, Liu Qingyuan's wife Shui Rou said, "Based on Jiang'er's account, there shouldn't be a problem! His guards are all trustworthy, and Jiang'er's trip to the Blood Spirit Grassland was a spur-of-the-moment decision. It couldn't have been prearranged!"

Liu Li thought for a moment and added, "Mother is right. Besides, that Jia Ming really does seem like an ascetic cultivator. People like that pursue only their own strength! They don't have so many twisted schemes!"

After hearing their words, Liu Qingyuan stroked his chin and said, "If that's the case, then Jia Ming is indeed a good candidate. Let's focus our observation on him! Li'er, you should interact with him more during this time."

Liu Li wasn't surprised by Liu Qingyuan's words. She had long known of her father's intentions and wasn't planning to refuse. Still, she asked doubtfully, "Father! Is that Jia Ming really that strong? Worth such high regard from you?"

Liu Qingyuan nodded and said, "That's right! I've seen the Silver Moon Sky Wolf on the Blood Spirit Grassland once. It's already among the strongest of the Cloud Soaring Level. For Jia Ming to easily defeat that Silver Moon Sky Wolf means his domain has reached a very deep level! With his talent and my guidance, he'll surely break into the Domain Level within a hundred years! Then he'll be able to protect you and your brother."

Hearing this, Liu Jiang quickly asked, "Father! Can your body really not hold out any longer?"

Liu Qingyuan nodded and said, "Yes. In that battle a thousand years ago, that desolate beast's attack left a crack in my Core Nucleus! Over all these years, it hasn't recovered in the slightest—it's only gotten worse! As things stand now, if I don't fight anyone, I can still live another thousand years. But if I do, my Core Nucleus might burst and I'll die on the spot!

So I thought I'd find you a backer while I'm still alive! After I die, you'll inherit a massive fortune. With your highest cultivation at Cloud Soaring Seventh Order, you won't be able to protect that wealth, let alone your own safety!"

At this point, Liu Qingyuan let out a long sigh. "Ah! If only Hai'er were still here. With his talent, if he were alive now, his cultivation probably wouldn't be inferior to mine!"

Liu Jiang quickly said, "Father! It's all my fault for being incompetent, unable to share your burden!"

Liu Qingyuan shook his head. "You've done well enough. But with your talent, it's hard to reach the Domain Level within a thousand years. It's my fault for leaving you too little time! Right now, we urgently need a strong combatant. Jia Ming may still fall a bit short, but he's the best we can find at this stage!"

At this moment, Gulanxiu naturally had no idea that Liu Qingyuan had set his sights on him. All he thought about was cultivation.

He cut a wound on his arm and quickly pressed a Bloodfall Crystal into it.

The moment the Bloodfall Crystal touched blood, it instantly dissolved, turning into energy that fused into Gulanxiu's body.

Remember us at 101 Novels

At that moment, the Green Seed in Gulanxiu's sea of consciousness rapidly emitted a green light, absorbing all the energy from the Bloodfall Crystal in his body.

"One!" "Two!" "Three!" As time passed, the Green Seed in his sea of consciousness absorbed Bloodfall Crystals faster and faster. In just over a day, it had absorbed ninety-seven Bloodfall Crystals.

By now, the shell of the Green Seed was covered in dense cracks, and a fragrant aura seeped out from the fissures. Gulanxiu had a feeling that the Green Seed was about to reach saturation—just one more crystal would trigger its transformation.

"Let me see just how much of a boost you can give me," Gulanxiu murmured to himself. He cut his arm again and pressed another Bloodfall Crystal into it.

A thunderclap rang out in Gulanxiu's sea of consciousness. With a "boom!" his entire sea of consciousness was enveloped in green energy.

The shell of the Green Seed shattered instantly, and a green bud rapidly grew within his sea of consciousness.

It didn't stop growing until the bud occupied half the space of his sea of consciousness.

Waves of green energy once again wrapped around Gulanxiu's entire body.

Gulanxiu felt as though every cell in his body was frantically absorbing this energy.

The cells inside him split wildly, and the newly divided cells began devouring the green energy, continuously elevating their life essence upward.

Fortunately, all of this happened inside Gulanxiu's body. Every bit of green energy was absorbed by his body without any waste, so there was no reaction from the outside world.

At that moment, Gulanxiu felt completely at ease, his body fully relaxed. Without realizing it, he actually fell asleep.