Gu Jianlin rapidly reviewed every detail of the matter in his mind.
Suddenly, he recalled a crucial passage.
"Back then, I was anxiously waiting on the shore. As soon as the signal came back, I hurriedly had them report in."
"Number one, all clear. Number two, all clear. Number three, all clear..."
"I listened to their reports until I heard... Number seventeen, all clear!"
This was Joker's own account, the fear buried deep in his soul.
If both Joker and the mentor were telling the truth, then the problem most likely lay here.
Something strange really had infiltrated the expedition to the Kirin Immortal Palace.
And it had taken someone's place.
The person who'd been replaced had entered the Kirin Immortal Palace for one reason or another.
A perfect switch.
In the supernatural world, even Ancient Gods existed. Disguises like this weren't far-fetched at all.
At this very moment, even evidence that had once seemed incontrovertible deserved to be reconsidered.
Gu Jianlin clenched his hand. He had a strong premonition that the man really had been framed.
"I stake my life on this. Every word I've said is true."
Afraid that the Ancient God before him might be displeased, the mentor hurriedly said, "Gu Ci'an really is dead. The Ether Association has called off the hunt for him. I heard they're still monitoring and investigating his son. Oh, right, Butcher! Show him the wound on your shoulder! And that dagger!"
He suddenly remembered something and spoke sternly.
Butcher knelt on the ground, ripped open his clothes, and revealed his muscular left arm.
There was a scar about three centimeters long on his shoulder. It wasn't especially conspicuous.
"Your Exalted One, please look."
The burly man's voice was rough and resonant. Patting his shoulder, he said, "Look, Gu Ci'an stabbed me here. A sixth-tier Celestial Master's Void Leap—what a despicable move!"
He pulled a black dagger from his pocket and respectfully offered it with both hands.
The moment Gu Jianlin saw the dagger, he stopped doubting their story.
He'd seen it before. It was the one his father had used.
There were still marks where cigarette butts had burned the handle.
It was exactly the same as he remembered.
These people didn't know who he was, so they had no reason to defend his father or cover up for him.
"Your Exalted One, we truly have no way to investigate a dead man."
The mentor asked earnestly, "Why are you so interested in Gu Ci'an?"
Gu Jianlin fell silent for a moment, then said indifferently, "He took something from the Kirin Immortal Palace."
If his deduction was right, then after accidentally entering the Immortal Palace, his father had pursued the traitor through the underwater depths. Later, for some unknown reason, he had abandoned the pursuit and chosen to leave.
Most likely, Old Gu hadn't left directly. He had gone deeper, all the way to the highest level of the Immortal Palace.
Otherwise, there would be no way to explain where the Kirin Mask had come from.
"So that's it! Gu Ci'an really did bring something out of the Immortal Palace. No wonder even the Ether Association has been searching so desperately for it. You want to take that thing back, don't you?"
The mentor was a clever man. He immediately saw a new glimmer of hope.
Just then, Sea Siren raised her head, a strange glint flashing in her limpid eyes. "If that's the case, some information I recently obtained from the Ether Association might be useful!"
"Don't say anything reckless!" Book Elder hurriedly warned her.
Butcher and Moon Maiden also turned to look at her.
"Of course I won't."
Sea Siren placed a hand over her chest and said respectfully, "Your Exalted One, there's a newcomer in the Ether Association who recently acquired two pieces of Mythic Armament from the Kirin Immortal Palace. And that person happens to be Gu Ci'an's son! Isn't that too much of a coincidence? Could those two pieces of Mythic Armament be the things you're looking for?"
The mentor was astonished and overjoyed by how convenient it was.
Gu Jianlin frowned. After all that circling around, somehow it had come back to him.
As the son of a Fallen, he had embarrassed the Association's higher-ups and almost completed the mission on his own.
But the Ether Association was a global organization. There was no reason for the news to spread so quickly.
Sea Siren was a member of the Ether Association, and she was very likely in Feng City!
That made him curious about her identity.
"No."
Gu Jianlin's indifferent answer instantly extinguished their hopes.
"But your information is useful. It proves your worth."
He made up his mind and raised the index finger of his right hand. "You may have this drop of Ancient God Blood."
With a flick of his finger, the golden droplet traced a beautiful arc through the darkness.
With a plop, the mentor hurriedly lunged forward and caught the precious drop of Ancient God Blood in his hands. Like a drowning man clutching at a lifeline, he felt a shiver of hope after escaping certain death!
"Thank you, Your Exalted One! Thank you for your grace!"
The old man trembled all over. Devout tears even rolled down his cheeks, and his voice shook.
"Thank you for your grace."
His students also fell to their knees.
Some trembled uncontrollably, some bowed in fearful reverence, and others wept with gratitude.
After enduring the Kirin Immortal Palace's endless dangers, they had finally found a chance to survive.
It was only one drop of Ancient God Blood, but it was undoubtedly a lifesaving remedy.
"However, it won't be so easy to get more Ancient God Blood from me. Know your limits when it comes to how much spirituality you can handle. As for the thing I lost, there's no need to rush to find it yet."
Gu Jianlin said coldly, "But since you say Gu Ci'an is dead, then what about the Gu Ci'an the Ether Association claims lost control of his mind? I want you to find out the truth. Can you do that?"
Caught up in the joy of surviving, the mentor immediately agreed. "We'll do anything, even if it costs us our lives! But if we investigate Gu Ci'an, we may end up in conflict with the Ether Association. We aren't strong enough. Dying for you would be our supreme honor, but if we end up interfering with your plans, then..."
Gu Jianlin ignored the flattery and said coldly:
"If I'm sending you to do something, I'll naturally give you the strength you need."
He paused. "When the time comes, I'll use Ancient God Blood to help you achieve... true evolution."
Behind the Black Kirin mask, fire burned in his eyes.
They were like endless whirlpools, devouring the darkness.
"I understand. I understand perfectly."
The mentor drew a deep breath, suppressing his roiling emotions, and asked, "You don't mind if we come into conflict with the Ether Association, do you?"
"Ancient God Blood will make you evolve. You'll no longer be weak. You'll wield power."
Gu Jianlin spoke one word at a time.
"When jackals block a lion's path, what happens to them?"
The mentor and his students exchanged glances, fear in their eyes.
They died, of course!
·
·
Boom!
Amid the roar of the world collapsing, crimson light faded away within the rift in space and time.
Gu Jianlin lay in his hospital bed and abruptly opened his eyes, breathing rapidly.
This was his second return from the Kirin Immortal Palace to reality. He grabbed his phone, used it to check his reflection, and saw that every trace of the Ancient God had vanished from his body. He had returned to his human form.
He woke the screen. It was midnight.
Outside, the night was as still as water. Now and then, a lone bird called, or a vehicle roared past.
In the silence, Gu Jianlin took stock of his body.
The pain still felt as if it were tearing him apart, but it was much better than before.
More importantly, spirituality surged through him like a tide, so abundant that it felt ready to burst out of him at any moment!
But the thing that excited him most wasn't the abundance of spirituality.
For four months, Gu Jianlin had been rushing from place to place, even venturing into the supernatural world. At last, he had found a clue.
Gu Jianlin had been right.
He had been right all along.
The man who had let his wife go free to lift the curse and save his family, who had even kept his distance from his son and shouldered everything alone, wasn't a Fallen, let alone a murderer.
"I'll find out the truth," Gu Jianlin said softly. "No matter what it takes. Even if I have to punch it out of someone, I don't care."
For now, the investigation into Old Gu's case would have to wait.
A tremendous threat was hanging over him.
The Grave Diggers, the organization Joker belonged to, had to be eliminated. Otherwise, he could be targeted in the real world at any moment.
More importantly, there was likely a mastermind behind the organization.
And that monster, in all likelihood, was an Ancient God.
"I can't just sit around and wait. I have to find a way forward."
Gu Jianlin said quietly, "At this point, joining the Ether Association seems like the right choice. I can use its resources to deal with the Grave Diggers and the thing inside the Kirin Immortal Palace. I can't let it come looking for me."
Next was his own strength.
His rank was still too low.
Far too low to matter.
But now that he had two pieces of Mythic Armament, he was much better equipped to protect himself.
Most importantly, he had learned how to transform into an Ancient God!
The life force of Fallen was the energy he needed to undergo Ancient God Transformation!
Ancient God Blood!
"I already gave that drop of Ancient God Blood away. I'll consider it an investment."
Gu Jianlin murmured to himself, "Now I need to make more Ancient God Blood, just in case."
All right, the plan was set.
First, use the Ether Association's strength to deal with the Grave Diggers.
Second, gather as much Ancient God Blood as possible to keep as a trump card.
Ancient God Blood was a wonderful thing.
Gu Jianlin wanted it.
The five people in the ancient tomb were desperate for it, too.
Gu Jianlin's spirituality was now saturated. He could try advancing.
According to the information on the Deep Sky website, even a first-tier Divine Priest would gain more powerful combat abilities!
Gu Jianlin closed his eyes, and his consciousness soared into the void of the spiritual world.
At that moment, his restless spirituality broke through with force.
Before you continue