White Pool, Heavenly Pool, the Earth Drake's Cast-Off Shell

As Fang Shu steadied his cultivation, he pondered inwardly.

He rather wanted to go ask—or rather, test—the immortal Long Gu. But not long after the thought arose, he suppressed it.

"Better not startle the snake in the grass. My most urgent task is to break through to the sixth tribulation as soon as possible and refine gang qi into my body!"

He thought to himself, Once my cultivation rises, my value to Master Long will grow. Only then will I have more room to maneuver.

With that thought settled,

Fang Shu calmed his mind and immersed himself in honing his cultivation.

Although the amount of his true qi, bolstered by the Dragon Whale Art, had already reached sixty-five toads, and his body was powerful enough that breaking through to the sixth tribulation posed no difficulty at all, tribulation crossing still required caution. He could not afford to capsize in a gutter.

Over the following days,

besides honing his cultivation, he also took time to leave his cave dwelling and meet Fang Lu, the surviving disciples in the Gu Pit, and the servants.

As for his other friends in the temple, he had only seen Lu Renjia and Bao Fengtao so far.

The two had already become Dao companions within the temple, supporting each other and thus surviving several years of great war.

Even so, Lu Renjia had lost an arm. Of the remaining arm's five fingers, three had been severed as well. It was obvious that he had suffered humiliation.

When Fang Shu learned this, his face filled with sorrow.

Lu Renjia, however, looked perfectly normal and even chuckled. "At least I still have my life. And I have two fingers left—enough to wield a talisman brush."

As he spoke, he looked gently at Bao Fengtao beside him and said