Chapter 15

In the midst of the mountains, where the water is clear and the scenery is beautiful, it is a place where spiritual energy naturally gathers. Tai Xuan Mountain, as the location of the Tai Xuan Sect, is one of the few blessed lands in the world. With the addition of the mountain-sealing array, it also has the function of gathering the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. Therefore, the spiritual energy on Tai Xuan Mountain is even more concentrated and dense.

Even outside the mountain, the concentration of the spiritual energy of heaven and earth is not comparable to that of ordinary famous mountains and rivers.

The disciples of prestigious sects are stronger than those of second- and third-rate sects, and there is a reason for this. Prestigious sects occupy the best cultivation resources in the world and have the best cultivation conditions. If the disciples who come from prestigious sects are still weaker than those from second- and third-rate sects, then it would truly be a waste of cultivation techniques.

At this time, it was the darkest part of the night before dawn. Outside the mountain, all was silent, with only the occasional sound of a gentle breeze rustling through the grass.

Outside the gate of Tai Xuan Sect, in a pavilion, a faint sound suddenly came from within. The sound was very slight, and if one was not careful, it would not be heard.

This sound was very peculiar, like popcorn being popped in a hot pot. But if one listened carefully, it sounded like the cracking of bones being compressed.

The source of the sound was even more peculiar. If someone were to pass by the gate of Tai Xuan Sect at this moment, they would be shocked, because this strange sound was coming from a person, more precisely, from within this person.

This person was Gu Fei. He was practicing the ancient body-cultivation technique, circulating the five elements' energy within his body, causing his muscles and bones to vibrate slightly. As the frequency of the vibrations increased, the primordial energy of the five elements within his body surged towards his tendons and bones, nourishing them and cleansing the impurities within.

The regular vibrations of the muscles and tendons produced a sound like muffled thunder or popping beans. In fact, this sound has a very loud name: Heavenly Drum Thunder Sound!

Gu Fei's current cultivation level had reached the stage of tendon transformation and bone forging. However, most of the meridians in the human body are within the flesh. The primordial energy of the five elements produced by refining the flesh into energy is difficult to reach the tendons and bones.

To make the energy of the five elements enter the tendons and bones, there is a method: using the Heavenly Drum Thunder Sound. This method can vibrate the tendons and bones while also allowing the energy of the five elements to penetrate directly from the flesh surrounding the tendons and bones into the tendons and bones.

In fact, using the Heavenly Drum Thunder Sound method not only exercises the tendons and bones. As the sound spreads and vibrates, the energy of the five elements within the flesh can also penetrate into the five organs and six腑, strengthening the internal organs.

The Heavenly Drum Thunder Sound has an unimaginable effect on body cultivation. When cultivated to a high level, it can produce real thunder sounds within the body. At that level, the practitioner's body is transparent and integrated, and the body is so strong that even the magical treasures of cultivators cannot harm it.

Of course, with Gu Fei's current cultivation level, he cannot even produce the Heavenly Drum Thunder Sound. The sound he produces is not pure or loud. The sound from his body is just barely audible.

The ancient body-cultivation technique is "martial arts," and "martial arts" require movement. Even when meditating, it appears calm, but in reality, Gu Fei's body is "moving," his tendons, bones, and flesh are "moving," and they never stop.

There are three thousand great paths to becoming a sage, and the path of cultivating the body is much more difficult than the path of cultivation. However, once one achieves success, they will lead the pack and be invincible among peers of the same level.

Time passed quickly during cultivation. Unconsciously, the sky in the east had already turned white, and the darkness that enveloped the world began to fade.

Although there were no evil spirits or external sects that dared to cause trouble at Tai Xuan Sect, Gu Fei still did not dare to enter deep meditation. He remained in a semi-dream, semi-awake state, paying attention to the surroundings.

When he felt that dawn was approaching, he slowly stopped his cultivation. The sound produced by the vibrations of his flesh, tendons, and bones gradually weakened and then completely disappeared.

Gu Fei stood up in the pavilion, patted the hem of his robe, and then walked out of the pavilion to the mountain gate. Looking through the gate, he could see the faint figures of people moving on the mountain.

"Hmm! The mountain protection array is about to be removed." Gu Fei looked up at the sky and said to himself.

Sure enough, in the air outside the mountain gate, transparent ripples began to spread. Then, the entire space suddenly became blurry and quickly became clear again.

Gu Fei smiled and walked towards the mountain gate. He knew that the mountain protection array had been removed. However, thinking about his disappearance for a few days, he couldn't help but frown.

"The mission jade token was lost in the battle with the Black Water Mystic Snake, and I didn't capture the Green Phosphorus Carp to obtain its inner core. It seems I will be punished again. Hmm! I should first return to my residence, change into a clean set of clothes, and then go to Master Mo at Hu Lin Pavilion to receive the punishment."

After making up his mind, Gu Fei's pace clearly quickened. Tai Xuan Sect disciples who cannot complete their assigned tasks on time will be punished, and Gu Fei was very clear about this.

It was not uncommon for disciples to be punished for forgetting their assigned tasks due to cultivation. Even Gu Fei himself had several previous experiences.

Cultivation has no concept of time, and some disciples would find a place on the mountain to cultivate, sometimes immersing themselves in cultivation for days without being seen.

Therefore, during the few days Gu Fei was missing, the sect did not send anyone to look for him. Only Wang Yuanzhi and a few others were worried, fearing that something might happen to Gu Fei, which would also bring them bad luck.

Gu Fei walked on the mountain path, and the scenery on both sides quickly passed by. Soon, he saw the courtyard where his residence was hidden among the trees.

On Tai Xuan Mountain, there were several such courtyards for young disciples to live in. Tai Xuan Sect is divided into nine branches, with the branch led by the sect leader having the most people. The branch where Gu Fei was located had the fewest people, only two: Gu Fei and his master, Wan Xiancheng.

Among the nine branches, excluding the branch where Gu Fei was located, the other eight branches had a considerable number of people. Combined, the young generation of disciples numbered over a hundred.

These courtyards were the residences of the young disciples.

Although cultivators are considered to be outside the ordinary world, they still need a place to live. Therefore, Tai Xuan Sect built many pavilions and buildings on the mountain. At the summit of Tai Xuan Mountain is the Tai Xuan Hall, the most important place in the sect.

The leader of Tai Xuan Sect, Xuan Tian Daoist, a supreme expert at the ninth level of the Void Realm, who is just one step away from the realm of a demigod, resides in the Tai Xuan Hall.

Gu Fei walked into the courtyard and immediately encountered Wang Yuanzhi and the two young men who followed him.

When Wang Yuanzhi and the others saw Gu Fei, they were stunned for a moment, then looked at him with strange expressions and quickly walked past him.

Seeing the strange expressions of Wang Yuanzhi and the others, Gu Fei felt a bit puzzled, but his cultivation level was already higher than Wang Yuanzhi's, so he no longer took Wang Yuanzhi seriously.

"Hmph! He wouldn't dare to provoke me again." Gu Fei ignored them and walked briskly towards his room.

He pushed open the door, opened the wardrobe, and changed into a clean white robe. He then put the inner core of the Black Water Mystic Snake and the talisman he had taken from Wang Yuanzhi on his person and left the room, heading towards Hu Lin Pavilion.

On the way, he encountered several white-robed disciples coming out of Hu Lin Pavilion. The looks they gave him were strange, which made Gu Fei feel a bit uneasy.

The atmosphere today seemed different from usual. Could something have happened in the sect? Gu Fei was a bit surprised and quickened his pace towards Hu Lin Pavilion.

When Gu Fei stepped into Hu Lin Pavilion, the eyes of a middle-aged Daoist in a blue robe, who was leaning on a table by the opposite wall, immediately brightened.