Chapter 101: The Complete Version of the Breath Concealment Technique
Picking up the jade slip, Gu Mo infused it with his divine sense. In the next moment, an overwhelming amount of information surged into his mind. The sensation of knowledge being directly imprinted into his brain was incredibly convenient.
Of course, if one's soul was not strong enough, the influx of information could cause harm instead. This was likely why using a jade slip required condensed divine sense—only those with a soul powerful enough to condense divine sense could freely absorb the vast amount of knowledge within.
"Huh? This is..."
After reading through the contents of the jade slip, Gu Mo couldn't help but show a look of surprise. The jade slip contained a secret technique—one he was quite familiar with: the Breath Concealment Technique.
And not just any version—it was the complete version, capable of being cultivated to perfection.
With his current mastery of the technique, he could already evade detection from Foundation Establishment cultivators. If he could cultivate it to the Great Accomplishment stage, wouldn't that mean he could evade detection even from Core Formation cultivators?
And if he pushed further and achieved Perfection, what kind of scenario would that be?
Beyond the surprise, Gu Mo also began to speculate—could the hidden demonic cultivator within Qinglu Sect be connected to this group of assassins?
Otherwise, why would both parties possess the same secret technique, especially when this assassin even carried the full version? The reasoning was simple—since they intended to ambush Qinglu Sect's true disciples, they first needed to conceal themselves. If they were discovered before their plan even began, it would be meaningless.
Thus, many disciples from overseas sects who had never cultivated the Breath Concealment Technique were now desperately trying to master it, using their time in hiding to study the technique. The better they could suppress their own presence, the greater their chances of success when striking.
After pondering for a moment, Gu Mo dismissed the thought of further investigating the connection between the two. It no longer mattered—regardless of their relation, this unknown faction had now made an enemy of Qinglu Sect by attacking its true disciple candidates. Whether they were connected or not, as soon as they were discovered, they would undoubtedly face the sect's wrath.
Besides, such matters weren't for a mere Qi Refinement cultivator like him to worry about. His priority was simply to hold out until the sect's reinforcements arrived.
Storing the jade slip and the storage pouch in his black mist space, Gu Mo then used the Lesser Flame Wave technique to incinerate the Foundation Establishment cultivator's corpse, reducing it to fertilizer for the spiritual fields.
Compared to him, Yuan Niya's corpse disposal methods seemed much more amateurish.
After finishing up, he erased the traces of battle, filling in the craters from the potato mines and covering any damage. Soon, everything appeared as if nothing had ever happened.
---
"These Are the Spoils of War!"
Returning to the Nut Formation, Yuan Niya presented several magical artifacts along with a pile of spirit stones and pills—items she had looted from the fallen enemies. When a cultivator perished, the items stored in their sleeve dimension would spill out.
"We'll divide the spoils once we return," Gu Mo said, waving his hand dismissively. He had already sensed a cultivator approaching from the distance.
He wasn't sure if it was reinforcements from the sect or backup for the assassins.
"Alright!"
Yuan Niya stowed the loot in her storage pouch and began meditating to recover, preparing for the next battle.
At the same time, Chu Feifei finished repairing the Nut Formation. She had initially wanted to restore the villa's protective array as well, but unfortunately, it was too severely damaged to be salvaged.
---
Incoming!
It didn't take long before a sharp whistling sound cut through the air. A figure descended outside the spiritual fields where Gu Mo and his companions stood. Gu Mo glanced at the newcomer and sighed inwardly—Qinglu Sect's reinforcements were slower than he had hoped. If it had been anyone else in his place, they might have already ended up as a corpse.
However, the one who had arrived was merely a Foundation Establishment cultivator. This wasn't a big problem—as long as they stayed within the Nut Formation, they would be fine.
---
"Huh? What's Going On?"
Jia Liu scanned his surroundings. He had rushed over after receiving a message from Jia Qi, yet now that he was here, there was no sign of him. Was this some kind of joke?
His gaze landed on Gu Mo's group. They didn't seem to be lying—after all, their target was right here.
But if the mission wasn't complete, why would Jia Qi disappear? Jia Qi wasn't the type to abandon an assassination mission halfway.
With no other choice, Jia Liu pulled out a communication talisman and attempted to contact Jia Qi. Something about this situation felt off. With a quick sweep of his divine sense, he confirmed the trio's cultivation levels—two mid-stage Qi Refinement cultivators and one early-stage Qi Refinement cultivator. Given that, why had Jia Qi requested backup?
"...No response?"
Jia Liu frowned as the talisman remained silent, heightening his unease. Finally, he contacted the commander of the operation—a Core Formation cultivator—to inquire about the situation.
"What?! Jia Qi's soul lamp has gone out?!"
The shocking news sent chills down Jia Liu's spine. A cultivator's soul lamp only extinguished upon their death, which meant Jia Qi had perished here.
But no matter how he looked around, he couldn't find anything capable of killing a Foundation Establishment cultivator. The more he searched without answers, the more his anxiety grew.
After a moment of silence, Jia Liu turned his gaze toward Gu Mo and his group. These three must know something. Yet, when he met Gu Mo's calm, unbothered expression, an inexplicable sense of dread gripped his heart.
How could a mere Qi Refinement second-layer cultivator remain so composed before a Foundation Establishment expert?
Could he be concealing his true strength?
If that were the case, everything made sense—Jia Qi had encountered a hidden powerhouse and requested backup, only to be killed before Jia Liu arrived.
With that thought, Jia Liu hesitated, halting his advance. He and Jia Qi were evenly matched in strength. If Jia Qi had died here, it meant he could die here too.
Gu Mo, noticing Jia Liu's growing paranoia, found the situation amusing. But this was fine—the longer they stalled, the better for them.
He could already sense another cultivator approaching. However, this one's pace was oddly slow. If it was a reinforcer from the sect, shouldn't they be rushing over at full speed? Why were they taking their time? Could this be another assassin instead?
---
"It Should Be Over By Now."
Qian Qiyi gazed at the distant villa, his expression indifferent.
As one of the spies embedded within Qinglu Sect, he could have participated in the true disciple trials as a protector, eliminating his charge from within.
But he hadn't. He and He Shaogang were the only two spies who had successfully infiltrated the sect, and their mission was far more significant than killing a few trial participants.
However, after receiving Yuan Niya's distress signal, Qian Qiyi changed his mind and accepted the assignment to reinforce her. But rather than rushing over, he deliberately slowed his pace, hoping that by the time he arrived, Yuan Niya would already be dead.
At worst, he would receive a minor punishment for his "failure" to provide timely aid. Given the chaos caused by the assassins, it was entirely reasonable for him to claim he had been delayed by enemy interference.
A small price to pay in exchange for eliminating Yuan Niya, a highly promising true disciple candidate—it was more than worth it.
Yet, upon arriving at the villa and seeing Gu Mo's group completely unscathed, he was stunned.
"...What's going on? How are they all fine?"
Just as Qian Qiyi was processing his confusion, a sudden attack came from behind—launched by Jia Liu, who had been waiting in ambush.
"Damn it!"
Realizing he had been mistaken for an enemy, Qian Qiyi nearly laughed in frustration. Of course, his true identity was only known to the higher-ups—ordinary disciples and even Foundation Establishment cultivators had no idea he was a spy.
That meant Jia Liu's strike was lethal.
With no choice, Qian Qiyi swiftly summoned a throwing knife to counter the attack.
With a deafening clash, the battle between the two Foundation Establishment cultivators erupted.
---
"Gu Mo, should we help?" Yuan Niya and Chu Feifei asked, gathering beside him.
"Their fight is beyond us," Gu Mo shook his head. But he remained wary—why had this so-called reinforcer been so slow to arrive? It was suspicious.
Fortunately, another presence was approaching swiftly. Unlike the previous arrival, this one truly seemed to be rushing to help.
But was it a friend or another foe?
sensed someone approaching, and naturally, the two genuine Foundation Establishment cultivators locked in combat—Jia Liu and Qian Qiyi—also noticed. However, since they couldn't yet determine which side the newcomer belonged to, both chose to wait and observe, leading to a slight decrease in the intensity of their battle.
Qian Qiyi was the first to recognize the newcomer. When he saw it was someone from Qinglu Sect—one of their own—his heart sank. This meant that the plan to eliminate Yuan Niya had completely failed.
Suddenly, Qian Qiyi's gaze swept over to Gu Mo, and an idea sprang into his mind. Without hesitation, he sent a voice transmission to Gu Mo.
"Hm?"
Gu Mo, who had been watching the battle like a spectator, was momentarily stunned upon hearing the voice transmission. But the next instant, his heart pounded in alarm. The Qinglu Sect deacon who had arrived as reinforcements was actually one of the hidden demonic cultivators within the sect!
At this moment, the other party was trying to persuade him to launch a sneak attack on Yuan Niya, offering him many enticing benefits. However, Gu Mo pretended he hadn't heard anything at all.
"What's going on?"
Seeing no response from Gu Mo, Qian Qiyi was taken aback, unsure of what had gone wrong. Before he could think further, Jia Liu also realized that the reinforcements belonged to Qinglu Sect. Without hesitation, Jia Liu unleashed a brief surge of power, forcing Qian Qiyi back before quickly retreating into the distance.
The battle had been evenly matched one-on-one, but with another opponent arriving, staying any longer could have meant being trapped.
Watching Jia Liu flee, Qian Qiyi did not pursue him. He couldn't very well detain his own ally. Unfortunately, this meant the plan to eliminate Yuan Niya had completely fallen through.
"It seems we're safe now."
Seeing the enemy retreat, Gu Mo knew that the newcomer was likely from their sect. A few breaths later, a streak of light descended, revealing the figure of Rong Guangsheng.
"Phew…"
Rong Guangsheng swept his gaze over Gu Mo and the other two, letting out a long sigh of relief. It was fortunate that they were unharmed—otherwise, as their protector, he would have been gravely negligent.
"Deacon Qian, thank you for your efforts this time." Rong Guangsheng turned his gaze to Qian Qiyi. He had sensed Foundation Establishment cultivators battling earlier, and in his mind, Gu Mo and the others had survived thanks to Qian Qiyi's timely intervention.
"Since you've arrived, I'll leave things here to you. I have other assignments to tend to." Qian Qiyi nodded before transforming into a streak of light and departing.
However, after flying just over ten miles, Qian Qiyi suddenly stopped. His expression was dark and stormy.
On the way, he had been replaying everything in his mind. His voice transmission had indeed reached Gu Mo's ears, yet the latter had not responded in any way. That alone spoke volumes.
So, Gu Mo had latched onto Yuan Niya as a powerful backer and now wanted to sever ties with them? How laughable.
If a chess piece refused to obey, then there was no point in keeping it. With that thought, Qian Qiyi took out a transmission talisman and reported Gu Mo's situation to He Shaogang. The jade token containing a wisp of Gu Mo's soul was in He Shaogang's hands, meaning only he had the authority to decide Gu Mo's fate.
"This actually happened?"
After reading Qian Qiyi's message, He Shaogang's brows furrowed deeply. He had considered Gu Mo a highly promising chess piece, yet now, the man was becoming disobedient.
"Well, if he refuses to comply, then no matter how valuable he is, he must be discarded."
He Shaogang was not one to hesitate. Their mission of infiltrating Qinglu Sect and destabilizing it was already incredibly risky—there was no room for error. Since Gu Mo wanted to break free from them, He Shaogang had only one option.
Immediately, He Shaogang took out a jade token inscribed with Gu Mo's name and crushed it. The wisp of Gu Mo's soul within it was instantly obliterated.
"Phew…"
He Shaogang flicked away the shattered remains of the jade token and let out a long breath. It was a pity to lose such a useful chess piece, but no matter how talented, a disobedient pawn was ultimately worthless.
What was truly regrettable was that they had failed to eliminate Yuan Niya this time. However, overall, the mission was still a success—they had successfully killed several top-ranking true disciple candidates.
The other disciples participating in the true disciple selection had also suffered heavy casualties. This operation had dealt a significant blow to Qinglu Sect's younger generation.
Of course, He Shaogang's sect had paid a steep price as well. In fact, they had lost even more people than Qinglu Sect.
However, while Qinglu Sect had lost elite inner disciples—including promising true disciple candidates—his sect had lost relatively ordinary disciples. These were still elite members, but they were not the most gifted and promising ones.
The loss was painful, but compared to the results they had achieved, it was acceptable. Once they seized Qinglu Sect's mountain stronghold and secured a Tier 4 Daoist domain, these losses would soon be replenished.
Thinking of this, He Shaogang's mood improved significantly. Since he had been the mastermind behind this operation, its success was a mark of his achievement.
Compared to that, a single defiant pawn like Gu Mo was utterly insignificant.
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