Early morning, the sky had not yet brightened.
Gu An returned to his residence, and the moment he arrived, he began to prepare breakfast.
This time there were buns, since he had brought some back yesterday evening.
They could be heated and eaten today.
As he drank his congee, Gu An's hand suddenly paused.
Then he returned to normal.
Just now, for a split second, he felt as if worms were crawling inside his body.
Although it passed in an instant, he knew the poison had started to act up.
The first thing he did was check his status panel.
[Name: Gu An]
[Cultivation: Qi Refining Fourth Layer]
[Status: Poisoned, poison is flaring up]
[Magic: 15/50]
[Hard Cultivation: 100/100]
[Ring of Destiny]
*A wave of bleakness washed over Gu An.*
*There's no path left to survive.*
*At most a month—if the contact still didn't arrive, I'd definitely die.*
*No matter how much I improved in this month, I probably wouldn't be able to purge the toxin.*
Simple detoxification elixir pills and detoxification talismans were all useless.
Because, over the past twenty years, he had saved up and tried them all.
"Haven't you finished eating yet?" Chu Meng asked.
Gu An normally finished his buns and said, "I'm done."
With that, he left.
Because if he didn't leave, Chu Meng couldn't eat.
After all, it wasn't a pretty sight when she ate.
When he arrived at the Spirit Tree Garden, Gu An noticed that this time Yang Shi and the others had actually arrived early.
Even earlier than the lumberjacks.
*Are they here to cause me trouble?*
As he drew near, he was a bit surprised.
Third Level of Qi Refining, and concealing it carefully.
*So quick,* Gu An thought, *Yang Shi was just over twenty but already at the Third Level of Qi Refining, and he also had talent for talisman making.*
*Someone like this would surely accomplish great things in the future.*
*Unlike me, in my forties and still stuck at the third layer of Qi Refining.*
"Leader Yang." Gu An approached politely.
"Manager Chen is coming in a moment," Yang Shi said coolly,
This time his tone had changed, as if laced with newfound confidence.
Gu An nodded.
Sure enough, as the time drew near, he saw Manager Chen walk over.
"Two matters." Manager Chen looked at them and said,
"First, your new leader's absence still needs to be reported to the Sect. The Sect may send someone to investigate later—just cooperate truthfully."
The others looked a bit puzzled but didn't dare to ask, only nodding in agreement.
*Gu An inwardly sighed—what must come will come sooner or later. But now his cultivation was about to break through to the Fifth Layer of Qi Refining.*
*Maybe I could dodge this disaster yet.*
*If not, I'd have to stall for time, push up to the Sixth Layer of Qi Refining.*
*Going deeper into the Vajra Wood could at least help me break through once more.*
*The seventh layer would be tough.*
*Manager Chen was also at the sixth layer; at the same level, there's no telling if I could hold my own.*
*But it was just hearsay that he was at the sixth layer. What if he'd already advanced to seventh?*
*Offending him would be disastrous.*
"What's the second matter?" Yang Shi asked.
"The second?" Manager Chen smiled and said,
"The second is about the temporary leader position. I have two candidates here.
Gu An's been doing it for years and knows the ropes. Yang Shi just took over recently and is doing quite well too.
So how about you have a contest?
Winner takes the temporary leader spot."
At this, Qiu Hua and the others were surprised.
"How are they supposed to fight?" Zhao Ying asked curiously, "Leader Gu is at the third layer of Qi Refining and Leader Yang is only at the second. That's not fair, is it?"
Manager Chen looked at Yang Shi.
"It'll be fair." Yang Shi looked at Manager Chen, then let his Qi surge out.
For a moment, the aura of a Third Level of Qi Refining spread wide.
Qiu Hua and the others were all taken aback.
Gu An feigned surprise as well.
"Both at Third Level of Qi Refining—then it's fair to compare," Manager Chen said with a smile.
From their conversation, Gu An could tell this had been planned long ago.
After a pause, he said softly, "I've been at the third layer for quite some time. Wouldn't Leader Yang be at a disadvantage?"
"No worries." Yang Shi replied with a grin.
The word "confident" almost written on his face, "I'm still young. I broke through with a surge of Spiritual Energy. Even if you've been at Third Level of Qi Refining for over ten years, it doesn't make you stronger."
Gu An looked at him, knowing Yang Shi had been waiting for this day for a while.
So he didn't say much more, "Then we'll do as Leader Yang wishes."
"No need to hold back, Leader Gu. Even though this is supposed to be a friendly match, it's also a life-and-death struggle. I want to use this to improve myself," Yang Shi said seriously.
Gu An knew the other had prepared thoroughly for this.
If he said any more, it'd only make him look weak.
*At first, he hadn't planned to clash with Yang Shi so soon, but things had come to this—he had no choice but to fight.*
*Fine.*
*Sooner or later, it had to be faced.*
Zhao Ying found it hard to believe—she hadn't expected Yang Shi to have already reached the Third Level of Qi Refining.
She nudged Shen Shanhe beside her and whispered, "Who do you think will win?"
"Hard to say. Leader Gu's been at third layer for a long time, but he lacks talent. Otherwise, he wouldn't be stuck at this realm so long.
Leader Yang just advanced, but he clearly has talent. Otherwise, he wouldn't have reached third layer so young." Shen Shanhe thought for a moment and said, "Maybe the younger Leader Yang has a better chance."
Qiu Hua frowned.
*Shen Shanhe was right; if that happened, wouldn't boss be utterly humiliated?*
*Judging by Yang Shi's attitude before, he wouldn't let boss off easily.*
*She wasn't stupid—she'd seen the darkness in Yang Shi's eyes several times.*
*He was targeting boss.*
*But both sides had agreed, so she couldn't speak up to stop it.*
*Who was she, anyway?*
*Did she even have the right?*
This was when Manager Chen stepped aside and said, "Get ready."
At his words, Gu An stood to one side. Yang Shi approached him.
The crowd stepped back a good distance.
"Leader Gu, I'm going to make my move," Yang Shi said with a grin.
Gu An nodded, "Leader Yang, go ahead."
The instant the words fell, Yang Shi dashed forward, swift as wind, closing in on Gu An, sweeping a high kick at him.
The speed made the onlookers gasp with shock.
Gu An felt little—he stepped back to avoid it, then stepped in, channeling the Mountain Opening Fist.
The moment he closed in, he slammed a punch into Yang Shi's waist.
Bang!
Gu An felt heavy resistance, then quickly retreated.
Defensive Treasure.
No wonder he was so cocky.
At that moment, Yang Shi burst out laughing and lunged at Gu An, wind blades whistling around him.
Gu An failed to dodge, and a wind blade slashed his cheek.
Talisman.
Gu An didn't dare to be careless—Yang Shi was truly not who he used to be.
*I can't drag this out, or I might not win.*
*The other's talismans and Magic Treasures were all out of my league.*
*So I could only rely on what I knew.*
Seeing the other charge, Gu An advanced instead of retreating.
Blood Qi gathered in his hand, power erupting from his fist.
He punched at the man before him.
Yang Shi's leg had already arrived, sharp as a blade.
Bam!
Gu An's fist collided with Yang Shi's foot.
Power exploded forth.
Both retreated under the force.
But Yang Shi, unlike him, was sent flying.
Before Yang Shi landed, Gu An forcibly stopped himself and closed in again.
This time, he punched Yang Shi's waist; with a bang, Yang Shi was sent hurtling away.
Crack!
Yang Shi felt his bones break, but he still wanted to keep fighting.
But Gu An didn't give him a chance—he rushed over and swept a leg out.
Bam!
Yang Shi was kicked and sent flying.
Blood spurted from Yang Shi's mouth; the pain left him helpless with fear.
This time, Gu An showed no mercy. Mountain Opening Fist gathered. He strode up and slammed his fist down on Yang Shi.
Yang Shi, still hoping for a comeback, was stunned. That punch felt heavier than a mountain. If it landed, the result would be disastrous.
The Defensive Treasure could only block once—it had a cooldown before it could be used again.
"No, I concede, stop!"
He shouted, but Gu An ignored him, slamming his fist down with full force anyway.
Bam!
A deafening sound rang out.
The fist landed solidly right on Yang Shi's chest.
Crack!
Plop!
The punch went even deeper, smashing into his body.
His flat chest instantly caved in.
Plop!
The excruciating pain drove Yang Shi mad; a wretched cry came from his mouth.
————
*Beginning of the month, asking for your monthly votes!*
*A new book needs your support. Please, dear readers, lend your hand of fate!*