105: Chapter 105 Taking a stroll outside, I found Queen Medusa.

"Ah."

Qing Lin was stroking the head of the Purple Wing Cloud Crane when she suddenly noticed a huge figure encased in crystal out of the corner of her eye.

After several months of diligent visualization, Gu Han's soul realm had steadily risen to the late stage of the Mortal Realm, which was one of his true trump cards.

As his soul realm achieved a minor breakthrough, the Black Tortoise Mystic Realm expanded once again. It was now a small world with a diameter of a hundred zhang and a height of thirty zhang, capable of storing many things.

Not only that, the concentration of world energy within the Black Tortoise Mystic Realm had increased to about ten times that of the outside world, allowing cultivators to accelerate their training and achieve twice the result with half the effort.

He planted the Rank 2 to Rank 4 natural treasures obtained through opportunity intel according to designated areas.

Even so, the Purple Nether Flame Snake, which was dozens of zhang long, remained extremely conspicuous.

“This is a peak Rank 5 Purple Nether Flame Snake,” Gu Han explained to the puzzled Qing Lin with his hands behind his back. “It is currently evolving into a Seven-Colored Sky Swallowing Python. Once successful, it will break through to Rank 6 and undergo a tribulation to take human form.”

“However, the soul of this Purple Nether Flame Snake has already been killed by me. Whether it can complete the transformation and survive the lightning tribulation is hard to say; in fact, it's very unlikely.”

“You will live here from now on. While looking after Xiao Zi, keep an eye on the evolution of this Purple Nether Flame Snake.”

“The world energy here is denser than outside. I spend a lot of time every day cultivating here.”

“Cultivating here will also allow you to achieve twice the result with half the effort.”

Hearing this, Qing Lin immediately signaled her understanding and expressed her gratitude repeatedly.

Even though she wasn't an official cultivator yet, her time in the mercenary group had taught her the preciousness of cultivation resources.

Mercenary groups fought over territory, the development rights of desert regions, and internal missions to earn more rewards.

Wealth, companions, techniques, and environment—every single one was vital and indispensable.

What Gu Han had casually given her was enough to make many people outside fight to the death.

“The Young Master treats me so well; Qing Lin has no way to repay him except to dedicate my everything.” Touched to the core, Qing Lin's eyes were filled only with Gu Han.

“Stay here. I'll let Xiao Ding and the others know, then I'm heading out,” Gu Han nodded to Qing Lin and left the Black Tortoise Mystic Realm.

He then immediately utilized a Flying Dou Technique, leaving Stone Desert City undetected to find the storage ring left by that Dou Ling Expert.

“There really is quite a lot of stuff.”

Upon inspection, Gu Han found several hundred thousand gold coins, one Xuan-rank Mid-tier Cultivation Method, and two Xuan-rank Low-tier Dou Techniques. However, they were all Wood-attributed; it seemed that Dou Ling had been a Wood-attribute Dou Qi cultivator in life.

Rogue cultivators would try their best to exchange all their resources for things suitable for their own use, so it was perfectly understandable that there were no other attributes.

As for the Huang-rank methods and techniques, he could just trade them for resources when the opportunity arose; they weren't worth mentioning.

There were, however, many natural treasures obtained from the desert region, the most precious being a Poison Swamp Scorpion Tail.

A Rank 4 poisonous item, it could be given to Xiao Yi Xian in the future; she could use it even after breaking through to Dou Ling.

If Hai Bodong were here, he would be very happy, as there were several stalks of Sand Mandrake here.

“Wood-attribute cultivation methods and techniques, huh.”

Wings appeared on Gu Han's back once more as he returned to Stone Desert City to find Xiao Ding and Xiao Li.

After some pleasantries, he bid them farewell, stating he was going deep into the Tagor Desert for training.

“Qing Lin is very good, I like her a lot. Thank you, Big Brother Xiao Ding, for letting her be my personal maid,” Gu Han thanked him solemnly.

This was someone who, as long as she didn't perish prematurely, would surely become a Peak Dou Zun 9-turn expert in the future.

A peerless genius who could break through to Dou Sheng with a few opportunities.

Since the two Xiao brothers had gifted her to him so warmly, he naturally had to thank them properly.

“Brother Gu Han, why so formal with us? Your kindness to Little Yan is something we brothers keep in our hearts,” Xiao Li laughed heartily, while Xiao Ding nodded with a smile.

“Since Big Brother Xiao Ding and Second Brother Xiao Li put it that way, given my relationship with Brother Xiao Yan, I can't just accept this freely.” With a flick of his wrist, Gu Han took out a scroll he had just recorded and tossed it to Xiao Ding.

“Gentlemen, until we meet again.”

Without waiting for their polite refusals, blue-white illusory wings condensed on Gu Han's back, and he soared into the sky amidst the gasps of many onlookers.

“Big brother, what did Gu Han give us?” Xiao Li asked curiously.

Xiao Ding gave him a playful look and opened the scroll.

On it was written the Xuan-rank Mid-tier Cultivation Method: 'Thunder Wood Art'.

'Thunder Wood Art': Created by a Dou Wang Expert who observed lightning striking a thousand-year-old tree and witnessed the birth of Thousand-Year Lightning Wood.

As the saying goes, the Five Elements generate and overcome each other. Thunder does not belong to the traditional Five Elements, yet it originates from the power of Wood. Wood belongs to the East, governing growth and expansion; in the Bagua, Thunder corresponds to the Zhen hexagram, which belongs to the Wood element.

All things emerge from Zhen, and Zhen is the East. When the Wood attribute and the Thunder attribute combine, they form a complementary effect...

When they saw the introduction and content of this technique, both Xiao Ding and Xiao Li were greatly shocked.

This was actually a Xuan-rank Mid-tier Cultivation Method that both brothers could practice.

“Second brother, if we both master this technique, the coordination of Thunder and Wood attributes could likely produce an even more powerful effect. It's no different from practicing a combined attack technique.” Xiao Ding, who was usually shrewd and steady, now showed a look of shock.

“This is a massive gift. How can Qing Lin be equated to such a precious technique?” Xiao Li's eyes burned with determination. “From now on, Brother Gu Han is our own brother. Tonight, I'll write a letter and have it sent back to our younger brother and father.”

“With our younger brother in the Xiao Family and a good relationship with Brother Gu Han, we will surely restore the glory from our grandfather's time, or even surpass it!”

Gu Han learned of the two brothers' decision through his opportunity intel past midnight.

“Qing Lin is worth far more than a single cultivation method,” Gu Han chuckled, looking at the targeted opportunity he had exchanged for three random ones.

[Tomorrow at the third quarter of the Hour of the Rat (11:45 PM), at a location twenty-three li south-east of Stone Desert City, at the entrance of an underground passage to the desert, Medusa will be unconscious for fifteen minutes while carrying the Green Lotus Core Flame.]

Time, location, person, and event—everything was crystal clear.

“In other words, I only have fifteen minutes.”

“In these fifteen minutes, I must use the Snake Seal on Medusa.”

Facing a Peak Dou Huang expert who had been famous for a long time, known for her cruelty and being the queen of a race, Gu Han had no thoughts of being tender-hearted or indecisive.

What he valued now was Queen Medusa's strength and her status as the ruler of the Snake-People Clan.

If the Snake Seal succeeded, she would be at his disposal!

“Cultivate!”

In the blink of an eye, nearly twelve double-hours passed.

Gu Han had already arrived at the location where Medusa would fall unconscious and entered the Black Tortoise Mystic Realm to wait.

Before long, a beautiful and sultry figure, forcibly controlling a certain type of flame, appeared in his perception.

The flame was green and highly spiritual. As it churned slightly, it occasionally condensed into the shape of a lotus, yet the aura it emitted was terrifying.

Just as she neared the passage entrance, the owner of the seductive figure seemed unable to hold on. She spat out a mouthful of blood and immediately formed hand seals.

“Seal!”

The next moment, a sealing barrier—utilizing the spatial power barely touched upon by a Peak Dou Huang—appeared, imprisoning the space within a one-li radius around Medusa.

Following that, the blood Medusa spat out turned into a barrier, enveloping the Green Lotus Core Flame.

A surge of blood-colored energy sealed this Heavenly Flame, which had been removed from its lotus pedestal.

Having done all this, Medusa took out a bottle of liquid, swallowed it, and collapsed, unable to support herself further.

Gu Han: Excellent!