23: Chapter 23 Four-Star Fighter! Completely Controlled

"Senior Brother, take care. I won't see you out."

"Seven days later, I will wait for you here."

Gu Han drank a few cups of wine with Zhang Chuchen, taking the opportunity to learn more about him openly. After seeing him to the courtyard gate and waiting until he was out of sight, Gu Han returned to his room and entered the secret chamber.

As his Soul Power continued to increase, the Black Tortoise Mystic Realm had grown to a size of six meters in length, width, and height. This meant that after entering the secret realm space, he could have everything within a three-meter radius of his disappearance point at his fingertips.

Not only that, he recently discovered that after entering the Black Tortoise Mystic Realm, he could sense any prying eyes within ten times his perception range. This meant that if someone within a thirty-meter radius was spying on him, he would know.

"My Three-Star Dou Zhe cultivation is completely stabilized; I can continue to advance."

Gu Han formed hand seals to circulate his Profound Ice Strength. After adjusting his state, he swallowed the dou zhe pill he had received from Nalan Yanran.

As everyone knew, in the cultivation realms of the Fighting Qi Continent, each rank was a world of difference, and ordinary people could not fight across ranks.

However, within the same rank, there were many geniuses who could fight across stars. This was because before the Dou Zun rank, the difference between one star and nine stars was more about quantity than quality.

To use a fitting analogy, one star was like a bucket filled to one-ninth, while nine stars was the full bucket. Essentially, it was all water in the bucket; the bucket itself was the realm.

Cultivation methods, Dou Techniques, combat experience, and rare treasures could easily bridge this gap in water volume.

But if a vat were to collide with a bucket of water, even one-ninth of the vat's volume would crush a full bucket.

However, the more one accumulated, the closer they were to the point where quantitative change leads to qualitative change, providing an advantage in the later stages.

Furthermore, the higher the realm, the higher the cultivation in the later stages.

There was almost no need to worry about unstable realms when taking pills, as it was simply accelerating the water-filling process.

Boom!

Unknowingly, several hours passed.

Gu Han felt his Qi cyclone expand once more, and its color became more intense, changing from light blue to pure blue.

Moving from three stars to four stars marked the breakthrough from the early stage to the middle stage of a Dou Zhe, equivalent to a mid-stage Rank 1 Magic Beast.

However, Rank 1 Magic Beasts had low intelligence; before a Dou Zhe who mastered Dou Techniques and cultivation methods, most were at a disadvantage.

"The time has come. Let's look at the opportunities first."

Gu Han continued to consolidate his cultivation while checking the opportunity premonitions.

[Through special channels, Karon learned that you are already a Three-Star Dou Zhe and are highly regarded by Sect Master Yun Yun. He has judged you to be a genius of the Cloud Mist Sect and a great threat to the Golden Goose Sect in the future. He has decided to set out tomorrow at 9:45 PM to the Golden Goose Sect's secret base in Cloud Mist Town at the foot of the mountain to send back information.]

[Nalan Yanran gave you the fourth-grade pill, the dou zhe pill (which can increase one star's cultivation), which she received from her mother. This scene was seen by many people. Mo Qing told Liu Ling about this with added exaggeration, causing him to harbor hostility toward you. He intends to come and find trouble with you today at 9:45 AM.]

Gu Han: "..."

Both pieces of intelligence told him that someone was targeting him. Could this be the legendary treatment of a Child of Fortune?

"Karon, Mo Qing, I cannot let you remain."

Gu Han was not the type of person to sit and wait for death.

While the Mo Family and the Golden Goose Sect were potential threats that would inevitably be opposed in the future and must be eradicated, there was no immediate rush.

However, Mo Qing and Karon were immediate threats. If they were making trouble for him, he had to resolve it at the first opportunity if he had a way.

"I can do this..."

A light flashed in Gu Han's eyes as he thought of a plan.

The night passed in silence, and the time came to the next morning, at 9:45 AM.

Knock, knock, knock...

The gate of the small courtyard where Gu Han lived was knocked upon.

"Who is it?" Gu Han's cool voice came from inside the courtyard.

"I am Liu Ling; we met in front of the Sect Hall," Liu Ling's arrogant voice replied.

However, he did not break in directly, which showed that Gu He's teaching was not bad and that he still had some manners.

"The door is unlocked," Gu Han said.

Squeak.

Liu Ling pushed the door open and entered.

He was followed by someone, but it was not Mo Qing as Gu Han had expected, but rather the traitor Karon.

Liu Ling saw Gu Han sitting at a round table eating millet porridge cooked on a stove, and a look of surprise flashed in his eyes.

He felt as if the other party had known he was coming and was waiting for him in the courtyard.

"Brother Gu."

Liu Ling suppressed the strange feeling in his heart, walked to the stone table, and cupped his fists in greeting to Gu Han.

The change in address showed that he still remembered what Gu Han had said that day and did not address himself as a Misty Cloud Sect disciple.

Gu Han thought a bit more highly of him and decided to use his Plan C to deal with him. He stood up, cupped his fists, and responded, "Brother Liu, what brings you here?"

Seeing that Gu Han was not as sharp-edged as when they first met, Liu Ling's hostility lessened slightly, and he asked straightforwardly, "Brother Gu, I admire Miss Nalan; this is no secret in the Cloud Mist Sect. I heard she came to find you yesterday. May I ask what it was about?"

"If it's inconvenient to say, then never mind!"

Liu Ling already knew that Gu Han's talent was not low and that he was valued by Yun Yun.

Therefore, he would not openly show hostility or be overbearing.

"This matter can be discussed." Gu Han turned to look at Karon.

Liu Ling understood and turned to say to Karon, "Senior Brother Karon, please wait for me outside."

A trace of killing intent flashed in the depths of Karon's eyes, but his expression remained unchanged as he nodded slightly. "Alright, I'll go outside."

As he walked out, he also closed the courtyard gate.

Gu Han motioned for Liu Ling to sit down and said plainly, "Regarding why Senior Sister Nalan came to see me, as her admirer, Brother Liu, you should actually thank me."

Liu Ling: "?"

"Does Brother Liu know that Miss Nalan has had an engagement since childhood?" Gu Han picked up his bowl and briskly drank the millet porridge.

"Of course I know. It was the Third Young Master of the Xiao Family, a Dou Wang clan. His talent was once outstanding, but now the strongest person in the Xiao Family is only a Great Dou Master, and Xiao Yan has become a piece of trash. He is completely unworthy of Yanran... Miss Nalan, and she doesn't like this marriage either." Jealousy and schadenfreude flashed in Liu Ling's eyes.

Gu Han took note of his expression and continued, "But as long as Old Master Nalan does not nod his head, it is very difficult to dissolve this marriage."

Liu Ling: "!"

"I thought of a way to get Old Master Nalan to agree to the annulment." Gu Han put down the empty bowl. "Now, Miss Nalan is free. Don't you think you should thank me?"

"Is that true!?" Liu Ling stood up abruptly, his eyes filled with envy and excitement.

"It is absolutely true. You can go to Miss Nalan to verify this." Gu Han turned to meet Liu Ling's gaze. "She came to see me yesterday to thank me."

"I said there was no need for thanks, but since the Sect Master invited me, a practical thank-you gift is better."

"So she gave me a fourth-grade pill as a token of gratitude."

"Afterward, I followed her to see the Sect Master. The Sect Master has a mission for me, which I cannot disclose."

"No need to say more, no need to say more." Liu Ling immediately waved his hand, his face beaming with joy, unable to control his smile.

With Nalan Yanran's engagement dissolved, there were no more shackles, and he could pursue her openly.

This was a great thing, and he hadn't expected it to be facilitated by Gu Han.

Originally, since Gu Han had facilitated this, with his appearance, temperament, and talent, he would have been a strong new competitor.

But Gu Han had actually asked Nalan Yanran for a thank-you gift. It seemed he had no feelings for her, and she would surely find him petty and look down on him after this.

This wasn't a competitor at all; he was a benefactor!

"Brother Liu, I said you should thank me. Do you agree?" Gu Han suddenly asked.

"I agree, of course I agree." Liu Ling nodded immediately. "From now on, you are my brother from another mother."

Gu Han: "..."

No one told me that Liu Ling was such a dork.

And a simp's money is simply too easy to swindle.

"It's good that Brother Liu agrees. Since you say I'm your brother, my request isn't high."

"Miss Nalan gave me a fourth-grade pill as thanks. You should do the same."

Liu Ling: "???"