12: Chapter 12 Three-Star Warrior, Fourth-Order Opportunity

Swish!

The sound of breaking wind rang out.

Gu Han struck with speed, ruthlessness, and precision.

To strike a snake, one must hit the 'seven-inch' mark. This 'seven-inch' doesn't refer to a distance of seven inches from the head, but rather a proportion.

Like ordinary snakes, the Wind Nether Snake's vital heart is located at the seven-inch mark. Calculated by proportion, the snake's heart zone lies between sixty to ninety centimeters from the head; it is a fatal weakness.

While inside the Black Tortoise Mystic Realm, Gu Han had already locked onto the Wind Nether Snake's seven-inch mark. The moment it bit into the meat, he struck from behind.

The Wind Nether Snake had no time to react at all before its heart was pierced by a hard finger carrying a chilling aura.

Puchi.

With its heart pierced, the Wind Nether Snake instantly lost its strength, and its body went limp.

Gu Han did not let down his guard. With a wave of his hand, he stored both the Wind Nether Snake and the Earth Savage Bear into his storage ring.

After finishing all this, he took a deep breath and continued rushing toward the top of the third peak.

Meanwhile, directly above the area on the fourth peak where the moon shadow grass had been growing, the cry of a sculpture echoed.

Immediately after, a huge figure descended from the sky, landing where the moon shadow grass used to grow.

It was over one zhang long, with a wingspan exceeding two zhang, and its entire body was covered in cyan feathers.

This was a Magic Beast unique to Yun Lan Mountain, a type of flying Magic Beast not specialized in combat called the Yunlan Eagle.

Due to difficulties in breeding, their numbers were not very high, and the species had a very good relationship with the Cloud Mist Sect.

Only direct descendants of the Cloud Mist Sect could potentially raise a Yunlan Eagle from a young age to serve as a flying Magic Beast mount.

Even someone like the Young Sect Leader, Nalan Yanran, had not been qualified to raise a Yunlan Eagle before.

Awoo!

Finding the place where the moon shadow grass originally grew to be empty, the Yunlan Eagle let out an angry cry that resonated through the entire mountain range.

After a good while, the Yunlan Eagle moved to the nearby hollow, its sharp gaze scanning over the signs of battle and the blood.

The fur of the Earth Savage Bear and the Howling Moon Wolf was keenly discovered by it and committed to memory.

In the future, if it encountered these two types of Magic Beasts, it would kill them on sight.

The irritable Yunlan Eagle soared into the air and, before long, landed at the summit of Yun Lan Mountain.

A night-watch disciple heard the commotion and came over yawning, his gaze falling upon a message tube attached to the Yunlan Eagle's leg.

Hmm!?

Taking out the special bamboo message slip from the tube and discovering it was engraved with the Sect Leader's exclusive patterns, the night-watch disciple's mind instantly cleared.

Holding the message slip with both hands, he went to one side of the great hall and placed it into a pool of special clear spring water.

The next moment, a line of words appeared on a wooden tablet beside the spring: Nalan Yanran.

This indicated that this jade slip was sent by Yun Yun via the Yunlan Eagle for Nalan Yanran.

"The Young Sect Leader returned to the Nalan Family ten days ago; someone must be arranged to deliver it."

The night-watch disciple picked up the message slip and found the Inner Sect Deacon currently on duty at the Transmission Hall, Yun Chang, to report the matter.

"A letter from the Sect Leader to the Young Sect Leader?" Yun Chang took the message slip, his tone slightly solemn. "Go, call Karon here."

"This disciple obeys."

Before long, a man wearing the Cloud Mist Sect Inner Sect attire walked into the Transmission Hall and bowed to Yun Chang. "Greetings, Deacon."

"Mhm. Go to the Nalan Family personally and hand this item to the Young Sect Leader." Yun Chang handed over the message slip.

"Yes." Karon took the message slip. "Does the Deacon have any other instructions?"

"No, be as quick as possible." Yun Chang waved his hand.

Karon bowed and withdrew, but he did not rush to the Nalan Family. Instead, he went to the core area for core disciples.

"Inner Sect Disciple Karon requests an audience with Senior Brother Liu Ling." Karon arrived before an elegantly landscaped small courtyard.

"What is it?" Liu Ling's voice came from inside the courtyard.

"I have orders from the sect to deliver the Sect Leader's message slip to the Young Sect Leader," Karon replied.

The door to the house in the courtyard was pushed open, and Liu Ling stepped out, his eyes frighteningly bright. "Is this true?"

Meanwhile, Gu Han had already returned to the summit of the third peak and immediately entered the Black Tortoise Mystic Realm.

The energy of the world outside was biased toward Yin-Cold because of the Yin Wind, and it was being swallowed and stored by the secret realm.

"Let the heart be clear as ice, the six senses profoundly settled, forgetting the self to maintain oneness..."

Gu Han skillfully circulated the Profound Ice Strength.

The Dou Practitioner cyclone rotated rapidly, driving the Dou Qi to travel through the meridians along a special route, increasing the body's sensitivity to the Ice-attribute energy of the world, quickly swallowing and refining it.

This time, Gu Han was more focused than ever before, feeling as though the cyclone was at some kind of bottleneck.

Once, twice, three times... as he continuously circulated the Profound Ice Strength.

Finally, after swallowing a certain amount of Dou Qi, the cyclone suddenly expanded by a fraction.

"Three-Star Dou Zhe, it's done."

Gu Han exhaled a breath of pure air, which carried a natural chill.

He had originally calculated that it would take another five days to take this step, and that was even with the environmental benefits brought by the Yin Wind.

Once the specific season passed, that speed could no longer be maintained, and he would need other opportunities.

He hadn't expected that encountering the Wind Nether Snake's sneak attack and experiencing a life-and-death crisis would allow him to complete the breakthrough ahead of schedule.

"A blessing in disguise."

Gu Han stopped his cultivation and prepared to visualize the black tortoise shell.

Visualizing the black tortoise shell was a meditation method he had figured out on his own. Its effect on restoring spirit was superior to direct sleep, and it could also increase Soul Power.

Piling up earth makes a mountain; gathering sand makes a pagoda. As long as he persisted, even without the soul secret techniques of ancient cultivators, his soul realm might not be unable to reach the Spirit Realm, Heaven Realm, or even Emperor Realm.

"Midnight has passed."

Gu Han intended to obtain his opportunity at the first possible moment today.

Yesterday he had made a small fortune; perhaps today he could continue that luck.

[The Yunlan Eagle has returned with a letter written by Yun Yun to Nalan Yanran. The letter says: 'Your teacher will return from the front-line battlefield in seven days. At that time, I will examine your mastery of Dou Techniques. If I am satisfied, there will be a reward.']

(This reward is the Tier Four natural treasure, the ice toad snow pearl. Wearing the ice toad snow pearl directly can keep one's mind calm and peaceful during cultivation. Swallowing it directly grants immunity to all toxins below Tier Four and resistance to toxins of Tier Four and above. If an Ice-attribute cultivator swallows it, toad poison can be added to their Ice Dou Qi, and cultivators below the Great Dou Master realm can increase their cultivation level to some extent.)

[Cloud Mist Sect Inner Sect Disciple Karon is a spy planted years ago by the Golden Goose Sect. Relying on his disguise, he successfully joined the Transmission Hall and periodically sends intelligence gathered at the Cloud Mist Sect back to the Golden Goose Sect. This time, he is responsible for delivering Yun Yun's message slip to Nalan Yanran. Knowing that Liu Ling is Nalan Yanran's 'simp', he goes to curry favor with him using this matter.]

Having not received information related to Cloud Mist Sect personnel for a long time, Gu Han read the two pieces of intelligence very carefully.

When he saw the information about the ice toad snow pearl, a surge of desire rose in his heart.

If this thing were given to him, its effects could be maximized.

Unfortunately, it was a gift from Yun Yun to her beloved disciple.

However, the second opportunity gave him a glimmer of hope to obtain the ice toad snow pearl.

"A spy, and he even joined the Transmission Hall, a place where one can frequently access information."

"This time, he wants to use the delivery opportunity to befriend Liu Ling, that disciple of the Pill King. He might even get close to Nalan Yanran."

"If I tell this information directly to Yun Yun..."

Gu Han felt that if he performed such a great service for the Cloud Mist Sect, asking for an ice toad snow pearl would definitely not be over the top.

But as a mere Outer Sect Disciple, seeing Yun Yun would be quite difficult.

However, geniuses always have privileges; it might not be that hard.

But if he saw Yun Yun, he couldn't explain how he discovered Karon had a problem.

"It seems I need to return to the sect to keep an eye on Karon, gather intelligence, and expose him in a reasonable way."