Catching Up on Nutrition

So, what exactly am I doing here...?

Gu Ling sat in the chair, covering her face, her voice filled with deep weariness.

Wasn't I here looking for clues about my old friend?

How did they suddenly become involved in the destruction of a top-tier power in Central Plains?

Ice River Valley was destroyed, undeniably destroyed.

There are no stronger ancestors or elders in Ice River Valley to maintain stability. Valley Master Bing He, Five-Star Dou Zun, is already the strongest person in Ice River Valley.

The Bing He is dead now.

He was killed by him and this man Sun Buxiao working together.

Moreover, before Bing He died, another Dou Zun from Ice River Valley had already been killed by Sun Buxiao.

One of the top powers in Central Plains, one of the Three Valleys, disintegrated overnight and disappeared completely from the continent.

"Wow, there's so much stuff... Luckily, I had the foresight to prepare a lot of high-level Storage Rings beforehand, otherwise I probably wouldn't have been able to fit it all."

Sun Buxiao was splitting with laughter.

He made a fortune from that battle.

The corpses of two Dou Zun and five Dou Zong— originally there were four, but the two Dou Zong who escaped could not be found, so only four Dou Zong were left in the sky; however, when Sun Buxiao arrived in the Ice River Valley, he found Bing Xuan, who had escaped from the Fallen God Ravine, lying on his deathbed, and Sun Buxiao delivered a final punch.

Adding to the previous two, there are a total of seven bottles of pure Death Solution. Two of them have already been broken down, while the one condensed by the Dou Zun is a pure white solution that looks somewhat disgusting.

Sun Buxiao hasn't tested what this thing is used for yet, but judging from the immense Soul Power it possesses, it's definitely a good thing.

He himself also achieved a breakthrough in this battle - Sun Buxiao has now reached the level of Nine-Star Dou Zong, and it is estimated that he will be able to break through to the level of Dou Zun in a short period of time.

Moreover, Sun Buxiao's breakthrough will definitely be accompanied by a breakthrough in his Soul Power.

That is to say, the true Heaven-Realm Soul.

What changes will occur then, and what new skills will Sun Buxiao's "ability" produce... let's leave that aside for now.

The Ice River Valley collection is truly extensive.

After all, it was an old and Major Forces that had been operating in Central Plains for hundreds of years. Perhaps their ancestors had some Dou Sheng level experts. But when it came to Bing He's generation, it was directly brought down by Sun Dog, a Dou Zong.

Almost everything went to Sun Buxiao.

"Let's put the assessment of the spoils on hold for now. After all, Ice River Valley is gone, and you can't even claim that territory anymore."

People will rebel against you... What I want to know most right now is news of Yao Chen.

"You told me, didn't you? He's still alive."

Rubbing his Temples, Venerable Feng interrupted Sun Buxiao's actions and asked with a sigh.

Sun Buxiao blinked, tossed the Storage Ring in his hand to Xiao Yi Xian, and nodded to Gu Ling.

"Yes, it's time to say it."

"Yao Lao is currently in the Northwest."

"Northwest?"

Gu Ling paused for a moment, then frowned.

"How did he end up in the Northwest? Wait, I remember Han Feng, isn't he...?"

Han Feng was Yao Chen's most prized disciple. However, long ago, when Yao Chen was still alive, Gu Ling felt that something was off about Han Feng. After Yao Chen's sudden death, Gu Ling's first suspicion fell on Han Feng, who was then the young master of the Starfall Pavilion, but she couldn't find anything out...

Later, Han Feng made up some excuse and left Starfall Pavilion, I think he went to the Northwest?

What's that place called... Black-Corner Region?

"The fact that Yao Lao is in the Northwest has nothing to do with Han Feng, even though Han Feng is indeed in the Northwest."

"But now, Han Feng is dead."

Sun Buxiao also sat down and earnestly explained to Venerable Feng.

"Dead?"

"How... did he die?"

Venerable Feng frowned.

Although he was very suspicious of Han Feng, without evidence, Han Feng was indeed Yao Chen's most precious disciple.

"I killed him together with Yao Lao and his second disciple."

"Your guess back then was correct; Yao Lao's death was orchestrated by Han Feng —along with Mu Gu."

"Don't say anything yet, let me sort this out."

Gu Ling covered her head and gestured to Sun Buxiao to hold back and let him sort out what had happened.

Sun Buxiao didn't continue speaking, giving Gu Ling that time.

About five minutes later, Gu Ling finally raised her head again.

"So you mean, Han Feng and Yao Chen's senior brother, Mu Gu, colluded to kill Yao Chen?"

He knew who Mu Gu was; he was Yao Chen's senior brother when Yao Chen was still in the Pill Tower, and they had never gotten along well... If he wanted to kill Yao Chen, his motive was indeed plausible.

"Well, after that, Han Feng was afraid that you would find out something, so he took some of Yao Lao's private inheritance and hid in the Northwest Black-Corner Region, which was his hometown."

Sun Buxiao nodded.

"After Yao Lao died, a wisp of his soul hid in a Storage Ring. Han Feng casually discarded that Storage Ring, and later, through a series of coincidences, it ended up in the Northwest, eventually falling into the hands of his current second disciple, a young man named Xiao Yan."

"I have a good relationship with Xiao Yan, and my soul perception is very strong, so I sensed Yao Lao's presence, and that's how I got to know him."

"Later, when he learned that I was coming to Central Plains, he asked me to convey this message to Venerable Feng."

As he spoke, he raised one hand and activated the last bit of Soul Power that the Yao Lao had left in his hand.

Before long, the phantom of the Yao Lao appeared, seemingly gazing at the Gu Ling in front of him from across space, with a smile on his face that was both familiar and distant to the Gu Ling.

"Yao Chen..."

Gu Ling covered her mouth and murmured, reaching out as if to touch the phantom of Yao Chen.

[My old friend is well, don't worry.]

After the Yao Lao apothecary uttered these words, the phantom slowly dissipated.

Gu Ling sat there blankly for a long time.

During this time, Sun Buxiao didn't say anything, but out of boredom, he took out the two tubes of white Dou Zun essence and studied them.

If I had known it would turn out like this, I should have killed that little bastard Han Feng with my own hands!

Gu Ling's voice was filled with deep hatred.

After taking a deep breath, he stood up and cupped his hands in a Sun Buxiao.

"Thank you very much! I will repay you Gu Ling in the future!"

After saying that, he turned and walked away.

"Hey--wait a minute, where are you planning to go?"

Sun Buxiao quickly stopped Gu Ling.

"I'm heading to the Northwest now, I think it's called the Black-Corner Region. Is Yao Chen there right now?"

Gu Ling said as she walked.

"You don't need to go. He'll probably come over on his own in less than a year."

Sun Buxiao shrugged.

"Huh? What does that mean?"

Gu Ling paused for a moment, then frowned.

"His second disciple, Xiao Yan, will be coming to Central Plains to meet me soon. Yao Lao will definitely be coming with him. Instead of you going, you might as well just wait."

"It's a good opportunity to help manage your Starfall Pavilion... I heard from one of the Elders that you only go back once a year?"

Sun Buxiao's expression was somewhat speechless.

Uh, this...

Gu Ling's expression turned slightly awkward, and she subconsciously scratched her face.

"I've been looking for Yao Chen all these years... So are you sure he'll come back?"

He gripped Sun Buxiao's shoulder and asked seriously.

He had been searching for Yao Chen for decades without success, and now that he was being told that Yao Chen was really coming back, he felt a sense of unreality. He always felt uneasy until he actually saw Yao Chen.

"Yes, I'm sure. What's there to be unsure about?"

Is that so?

Gu Ling took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, finally revealing a slightly relieved smile on her face.

"It's good that you're coming."

"That's about it. I'm going to go inventory the spoils now. By the way, do you know if there are any small worlds in Ice River Valley?"

Generally speaking, Major Forces like Central Plains will have some kind of secret realm or small world. For example, Starfall Pavilion, where Yao Lao sealed a considerable amount of resources in the small world of the Starfall Pavilion. Even though he has been dead for decades, Starfall Pavilion can still live quite comfortably with the help of Venerable Feng and these resources.

The history and status of Ice River Valley in Central Plains are higher than those of the Starfall Pavilion; the idea that it doesn't have a small world is pure nonsense.

"It should be there. If you use your spatial awareness to sense it, you can find it easily... It seems to be deep in the valley."

The Ice River Valley's base is located in an enormous valley filled with a natural chill. It is said that this is because there is a rare and precious Ice Attribute Heavenly Treasures called Ice Marrow underground in the Ice River Valley, which creates such an environment.

"Deep in the valley... Alright, I'll take Zi Yan to take a look later. Do you want to take some things with you? There are quite a few good things like cultivation techniques."

As Sun Buxiao walked inside, he asked Gu Ling a question.

Venerable Feng's intervention was timely. If Gu Ling hadn't arrived in time, Sun Dog might have been in real danger facing the Bing He was burning its life force with Secret Art.

Soul Power cannot be immediately converted into substantial combat power. Moreover, Sun Dog had already used his Innate Soul Lock once to kill Tian Shuangzi. In the short term, he really couldn't do anything to Bing He using normal methods.

Sun Dog has never minded sharing his spoils with his friends.

Moreover, it's someone like Venerable Feng, who is considered "one of our own."

"I won't... uh, maybe I should take some?"

Gu Ling initially wanted to refuse, but then she thought of...

In short, the legacy of Ice River Valley is something that can be eaten by one person or two. It would be dangerous and difficult for Sun Buxiao to digest such a huge legacy by himself.

Since I did put in the effort, I might as well eat!

"Let's go shopping together!"

Sun Buxiao smiled and invited Gu Ling to enter the Ice River Valley's storage area with him.

News of the destruction of Ice River Valley did not immediately spread throughout the Central Plains, but its impact had already begun to manifest in the areas under Ice River Valley's control.

First, there's the Ice River Valley itself.

With the arrival of Sun Buxiao and Gu Ling, some of the disciples in Ice River Valley showed a strong will to resist, while others simply abandoned their Sect and chose to flee.

These tough guys have a lot of dignity, so Sun Buxiao gave them a dignified end, letting them die along with Ice River Valley.

Sun Buxiao has never been a soft-hearted person. Ever since Ice River Valley provoked him, he had no intention of keeping this force alive. Since he had no intention of keeping them alive, why should he let Ice River Valley's loyal followers live?

Kill (King Da Xi's face).

Sun Buxiao simply ignored the rest of the escapees.

He welcomes anyone who wants revenge.

He managed to kill Bing He, so what else is there to fear?

Secondly, there are some affiliated forces of the Ice River Valley.

These forces were gripped by fear. Some were already planning to find a new patron, while others simply shut down their forces and chose to protect themselves. Still others made other choices.

But they did not choose to avenge Ice River Valley.

Come to think of it, in the Dou Qi Continent, strength reigns supreme. They've already killed a Valley Master at the Five-Star Dou Zun level; what would we do up there? Just deliver ourselves as easy prey?

They're all just trying to make a living; their families and businesses are still intact, and survival is more important than anything else... Some factions are even observing Sun Buxiao's attitude. If Sun Buxiao wants to build up his power, they might just choose to surrender.

"Don't laugh, I have an unexpected surprise!"

In the deserted Ice River Valley, Xiao Yi Xian excitedly found Sun Buxiao.

What could make you this happy?

Sun Buxiao looked at Xiao Yi Xian with a strange expression.

Xiao Yi Xian is an introverted person and generally does not experience significant emotional fluctuations.

"Look, this is what I found in Bing He's Storage Ring!"

Xiao Yi Xian smiled and placed a scroll in Sun Buxiao's hand.

This is a... cultivation manual?

The name is "Nether-Weaving Poison Scripture," and its level is... Earth Tier High Grade!?

"Holy crap, I have to thank you, Bing He!"

Sun Buxiao first gave Xiao Yi Xian a big kiss, then looked at the cultivation manual with shining eyes.

After arriving in Central Plains, he actually began to think about whether he should look around Central Plains for any higher- Advanced Poison Attribute techniques and Dou Technique. However, because he spent most of his time running around, first going to the Hall of Souls, then to the Starfall Pavilion, and then to the Fallen God Ravine to find the Heavenly Poison Scorpion Dragon Beast, he didn't have a moment to spare, so he didn't have time to look for it in detail.

I never expected this thing to come knocking on my door!

This must be the cultivation technique that Bing He prepared for himself after he became the Complete Version of the Woeful Poison Body, but he probably won't need it anymore.

Then I'll use it!

Sun Buxiao has practiced three different cultivation techniques. The first one was a Profound Tier Middle Grade technique called "Black Vein Poison Tome" that he found in the corpses of the Magical Beast Mountain Range. Later, he exchanged it for the Earth Tier Low Grade technique "Dragon Chi Poison Canon" from Yao Lao. And now, he has obtained the Earth Tier High Grade technique "Nether-Weaving Poison Scripture".

Although there is no qualitative change, becoming stronger is always a good thing.

The collection at Ice River Valley far exceeded Sun Buxiao's expectations.

First, there are the cultivation techniques, including the Nether-Weaving Poison Scripture, which consists of three Earth Tier High Grade techniques. One is of the Poison Attribute, one is of the Ice Attribute, and the other is of the metal attribute, but I don't know what it is.

There are four Earth Tier Middle Grade cultivation techniques and eleven Earth Tier Low Grade cultivation techniques, covering all common attributes.

Then there are five Earth Tier High Grade Dou Technique Dou Technique! Although four of them are Ice Attribute, which Sun Buxiao use at all, there are also nearly twenty Earth Tier Middle Grade and Earth Tier Low Grade Dou Technique in total.

Any one of these books could serve as the foundation of a Sect in the Northwest, yet here in the Central Plains they're being valued at double digits. It's truly astonishing.

Besides Cultivation Methods and Combat Skills, other sources of income are equally enormous.

Most importantly— Sun Buxiao discovered an Eighth-Tier Pill!

Also from Bing He's private collection, this is a Mixed Lightning Scarlet Pill. Its effect is to inject the Pills's own Pill Lightning into the user's body, greatly strengthening the user's physique in this way. For Sun Buxiao, this was perfect timing.

In addition, there were several Seventh Grade and Sixth-Grade Pills Pills, and even more Fifth-grade Pills. As for those below the fourth grade, a large portion of them were taken away when the Ice River Valley disciples fled, since the fourth-grade and lower-grade Pills were all kept in the open. However, many of them were still left in Ice River Valley.

Besides the Pills, there were also a large number of Heavenly Treasures, so many that Sun Buxiao's Storage Ring couldn't hold them all. He had to temporarily take them out of the corpse's storage Storage Ring to finish organizing them.

Finally, there are the Magic Cores: Three Seventh-Rank Magic Cores, eighteen Sixth-tier Magic Cores, and countless Fifth Rank and lower -Fifth Rank Magic Cores.

We didn't find Eighth Rank Magic Core, but it was still amazing enough.

"A massive windfall, this is what you call a massive windfall!"

"Holy crap, how long would it take me, buddy, to build a business of this caliber on my own?"

Since transmigrating to the Dou Qi Continent, Sun Buxiao has never seen such a massive amount of resources.

This represents all the resources of a top-tier Sect! However, because all the high-ranking members of Ice River Valley were wiped out, it all benefited Sun Buxiao. He had two Dou Zun, nine Dou Zong, and more than twenty Dou Emperor. Logically speaking, this should have been a behemoth, but Sun Buxiao almost wiped them all out, with only two Dou Zong escaping.

"I'll take this High-grade Earth-tier Cultivation Method with the metal attribute, and these other techniques... should be fine, right?"

The Venerable Feng was very careful and very quick when selecting his spoils.

The sudden collapse of the Ice River Valley will undoubtedly attract numerous covetous eyes. He and Sun Buxiao must devour all the relics of the Ice River Valley as soon as possible and then leave.

This is why Sun Buxiao had to dig into the dead man's Storage Ring to store his belongings.

"No problem, we've basically scavenged everything in the small world—so what do we say now, where do we go?"

Sun Buxiao originally wanted to set off immediately to find the Scorpion Dragon Tribe, but now it seems he will have to delay for a while.

After all, with such a large amount of stolen goods, it would be foolish not to properly digest them and replenish one's energy.

Most importantly, if Sun Buxiao were stronger, he would be more confident facing the Eighth Rank elder of the Scorpion Dragon Tribe!

"Hmm... why don't we go back to my Starfall Pavilion first?"

After careful consideration, Venerable Feng offered a rather constructive suggestion.