67: Perfect blame, rising to fame

"Ah!"

Lin Gou let out a short gasp, his entire body seeming to trip over the loose stones beneath his feet, stumbling forward in a panic.

His posture was disheveled, his movements exaggerated.

Yet, one hand, without deviation, pressed with uncanny precision onto Zhao Wuji's charred and tattered corpse.

More accurately, it pressed onto the finger that still wore a pitch-black Storage Ring.

"Be careful."

Li Hanyue's clear, cold voice came, her delicate brows slightly furrowed, her gaze seemingly sweeping over him inadvertently.

Lin Gou's heart seemed to skip a beat, but his face still held that look of panic.

"Yes, yes..."

He scrambled to his feet, his face covered in dust, appearing even more pathetic.

He clumsily patted the dirt off his clothes, giving Li Hanyue an embarrassed and fearful smile, as if what had just happened was truly just an accident.

No one noticed.

Just as his palm touched the corpse and then frantically lifted away, in that flash of lightning.

The Storage Ring on Zhao Wuji's finger, symbolizing his status as a Xuan Yin Sect Elder, had silently disappeared.

Lin Gou's sleeve merely twitched imperceptibly before returning to complete stillness.

The entire process was extremely fast, like an instinct.

His heartbeat hadn't accelerated in the slightest.

"Ding! Detected that the Host has obtained important spoils of war, reward settlement speed increased by 10%!"

The System's notification sound rang clearly in his mind, and Lin Gou's heart was already burning with fervor.

Yet, his face still wore that harmless, even somewhat dull and cowardly expression.

Li Hanyue said nothing more.

She turned and transformed into a clear, cold sword light, seemingly preparing to leave.

Lin Gou quickly followed, step by step, perfectly playing the role of a small follower who had narrowly escaped death.

Just as they were about to leave this Stone Forest of Death, several streaks of light tore through the sky in the distance, flying rapidly towards them.

They were other Prodigies from various Sects, attracted by the earth-shattering energy fluctuations earlier.

Leading them was a Core Disciple from the Ten Thousand Beast Villa, whose aura was powerful, followed by several other elite Disciples from different Sects.

When they hovered above the sinkhole and saw the bottomless giant pit, as well as the two corpses at the bottom radiating terrifying residual power, everyone couldn't help but gasp in cold air.

"Hiss! This is... the residual aura of a Golden Core powerhouse!"

"That lion... is the overlord of Thunder Light Peak, the Thunder Light Lion! A genuine Golden Core Great Yao!"

"Heavens! A Golden Core Elder and a Golden Core Yao Beast actually... perished together!"

Exclamations rose one after another, and everyone's faces were filled with shock.

Everyone's gaze ultimately fixated on the only two living people present, Li Hanyue and Lin Gou.

"Fairy Li, this... what exactly happened?"

The Disciple from Ten Thousand Beast Villa recognized Li Hanyue's identity, his tone filled with unconcealed awe and inquiry.

Li Hanyue's clear, cold gaze swept over the crowd, then glanced at Lin Gou, who was shrinking his neck like a quail beside her.

After a brief moment of contemplation, she briefly recounted the facts she had "deduced."

Of course, she instinctively omitted the details of Lin Gou being hunted, only stating that for some unknown reason, this Xuan Yin Sect Elder and the Thunder Light Lion had engaged in a death battle here, ultimately accidentally triggering the Ancient Sword Formation in this place, leading to the tragic outcome of both perishing together.

Upon hearing this, the crowd immediately erupted in an uproar.

Their gazes frantically darted back and forth between Li Hanyue and Lin Gou.

Fairy Li was a top Prodigy of the Heavenly Heart Sword Sect, immensely powerful, so her ability to protect herself amidst such aftershocks was reasonable.

But this... everyone's gaze settled on Lin Gou's unremarkable face.

This Qingyun Sect Disciple, who seemed to have ordinary cultivation and a weak aura... how did he manage to survive?

"Fellow Daoist, may I ask your name?"

Finally, someone couldn't help but ask, their tone filled with scrutiny.

Lin Gou quickly stepped forward, cupping his hands towards the crowd, looking overwhelmed by the honor: "I am Lin Gou of the Qingyun Sect. I... I really just got lucky. I was far away and happened to hide behind a large rock, that's why... that's why I fortunately survived."

His voice was not loud, even carrying a hint of unconcealed timidity.

Lucky?

The crowd exchanged glances, their expressions instantly becoming incredibly strange.

In the center of a battlefield where Golden Core-level power clashed and even space was shattered, could it simply be explained by "luck"?

How good must this luck be?

This might as well be the Heavenly Dao's illegitimate child!

"Lin Gou..."

In the crowd, someone muttered the name softly, then, as if remembering something, their eyes widened suddenly.

"I remember now! It's said that before, in the Lava Cavern, it was he who snatched the Earth Fire Demonic Lotus from Ye Jun of the Xuan Yin Sect, and the explanation at the time also seemed to be... luck?"

"I heard that too! Later, the people of the Xuan Yin Sect kept looking for trouble with him, but he was completely fine. Instead, Ye Jun's elite Disciples all died in the Illusory Heart Forest, not a single one returned!"

"Now, even the Golden Core Elder from the Xuan Yin Sect who came to hunt him down has fallen here... and he, once again, 'luckily' survived..."

"Hiss——!"

The sound of gasping in cold air rose and fell.

For a moment, everyone's gaze towards Lin Gou completely changed.

No longer was it disdain, nor was it suspicion.

Instead, it was a mix of awe, trepidation, and a hint of indescribable fervent envy.

It's not terrifying for a person's strength to be formidable.

What's terrifying is when a person's luck is so good it defies all reason!

Such a person simply cannot be judged by common sense.

You meticulously scheme, he casually picks up a leak.

You exhaust all your trump cards, he receives a heavenly auspicious sign that directly obliterates your trump cards and you along with them.

Oppose him?

This is practically Heaven-Defying!

Lin Gou's titles of "Son of Fortune" and "Heavenly Dao's Beloved Son" were, at this moment, completely cemented in the hearts of these top Prodigies.

And, with their departure, this story, imbued with rich legend and Xuanhuan color, was bound to spread throughout the Hidden Dragon Secret Realm at an astonishing speed.

Lin Gou still kept his head down, feeling the extremely complex gazes around him, his heart completely calm, even wanting to laugh a little.

Acting, indeed, was the most interesting sport in the world.

Especially when all the audience members were scrambling to fill in the plot for you, making it flawless.

After parting ways with the crowd, Lin Gou found an excuse to temporarily bid farewell to Li Hanyue.

Li Hanyue looked at him deeply.

Her gaze was complex beyond description, with confusion, inquiry, and doubt about her own Sword Heart philosophy, but in the end, she said nothing, transforming into a sword light and departing with a mind full of worries.

She needed to find a quiet place to properly sort out her Dao Heart, which had been thrown into disarray.

As for Lin Gou, he immediately ducked into a secluded cave, eagerly setting up a simple warning Formation.

Then, his mind completely sank into the System space.

"Ding! You have successfully been annihilated by the Ancient Sword Formation!"

"Death Method Rating: SSS-rank · Symphony of Doom!"

"Commentary: A magnificent performance personally directed by you, integrating borrowed knives for murder, diverting disaster, desperate counterattack, and perfect scapegoating! You used yourself as bait, the world as a chessboard, and Golden Core powerhouses as chess pieces, ultimately playing this stirring death movement! This is the art of courting death, the pinnacle of scheming!"

"Reward settlement..."

"Congratulations to the Host! Obtained unique Divine Ability: 《One Sword Across Worlds》 Fragmentary Insight! A memory fragment containing supreme Sword Dao true meaning, like the creation of heaven and earth, deeply imprinted in the deepest part of your Divine Soul!"

"Congratulations to the Host! Obtained special attribute: Sword Heart Clarity (Pseudo)! Your understanding and affinity for the Sword Dao have received an epic boost! From now on, in your eyes, all things can be swords!"

"Congratulations to the Host! Obtained super high-quality Soul Energy +300!"

"Congratulations to the Host! Due to your continuous completion of high-quality deaths in a short period and causing a huge sensation, triggering the hidden achievement 'Death Artist', your cultivation will receive a leapfrog improvement!"

Boom—!

A surge of pure spiritual energy, millions of times more majestic than any previous one, like the Nine Heavens Milky Way pouring down, appeared out of thin air throughout his limbs and bones!

His Dantian Qi Sea was instantly filled, then let out a roaring sound of being overwhelmed, beginning to expand wildly!

The Foundation Establishment Early Stage Bottleneck, in the face of this incomparably overbearing power, was as fragile as a thin piece of paper, not even causing the slightest obstruction before being violently breached!

Foundation Establishment Middle Stage!

But it wasn't over yet!

This power continued to climb, sweeping through like a broken bamboo, directly reaching the Peak of Foundation Establishment Middle Stage, only a step away from the Late Stage, before slowly stopping.

Lin Gou abruptly opened his eyes.

An invisible, sharp Sword Intent flashed through his eyes, actually cutting a terrifying, bottomless scratch into the hard rock wall in front of him!

He could clearly feel that his control over spiritual energy and his perception of the Laws between heaven and earth had improved by more than one level!

Especially the Divine Ability insight named 《One Sword Across Worlds》 in his mind.

Although it was only a fragment, it was still extremely profound, as if he could sever the past and future, divide the Yin and Yang worlds, containing a terrifying power that words could not describe, if he wished.

"Awesome!"

Lin Gou couldn't help but let out a low cry, clenching his fists tightly.

This feeling of strength rapidly surging was truly captivating.

His mind then focused on the Storage Ring he had just acquired, belonging to Zhao Wuji.

His Divine Sense probed in without any obstruction.

The next second, Lin Gou's breathing became rapid.

As expected of a Golden Core Elder's entire fortune!

Piles of High-Grade Spirit Stones shimmered with dazzling treasure light.

Various rare Artifact Refining Materials, priceless in the outside world, were casually stacked in a corner.

Dozens of bottles of Medicinal Pills, clearly extraordinary, each exuding a rich medicinal fragrance.

And several Magic Treasures radiating powerful spiritual energy fluctuations, quietly suspended.

Most importantly, among a pile of Cultivation Technique Jade Slips, he found the complete version of the Xuan Yin Sect's core Legacy—《Xuan Yin Strategy》!

Now, the core insights of 《Xuan Yin Strategy》 he had previously obtained from the System finally had a matching Cultivation Technique.

This wave, he profited immensely!

After tallying his gains, Lin Gou's mood was excellent.

Just then, a distant and grand bell chime resonated throughout the entire Secret Realm space.

Dong—!

This was the signal that the Hidden Dragon Secret Realm was about to close.

All surviving Disciples had to rush to the teleportation platform in the center of the Secret Realm within twelve hours, otherwise they would be torn apart by spatial turbulence and remain here forever.

Lin Gou walked out of the cave and looked up in the direction of the Secret Realm's center.

He could feel countless auras converging from all directions towards that direction.

It was time to leave.

However... a dangerous and fervent curve slowly appeared at the corner of Lin Gou's mouth.

Leaving so uneventfully always felt a bit imperfect.

His Secret Realm journey, logically and necessarily, had to end with an even grander, more magnificent "firework."

His gaze seemed to pierce through the distant space, landing beside the towering teleportation platform in the center of the Secret Realm.

There, stood a stone tablet even older and more majestic than the teleportation platform.

The Prodigy Tablet!

Legend has it that this tablet has existed since ancient times, erected by a certain Immortal Dao Great Power to test the talents of junior Prodigies.

All who could leave their names on the tablet had the potential to challenge higher Realms in the future.

Throughout the ages, countless Prodigies stood before this tablet, either making a name for themselves or leaving in disappointment.

To leave one's name, one had to use their Divine Soul to resist the supreme will and pressure from the tablet.

The stronger the will and the higher the talent, the deeper the name left and the higher its position.

But if one couldn't bear it, at best their Divine Soul would be severely damaged, turning them into an idiot; at worst, their Soul Flying Away and Spirit Scattering on the spot, their life and Dao extinguished.

In the eyes of all Prodigies, this was a symbol of glory, the ultimate trial ground.

But in Lin Gou's eyes...

This thing... was simply a perfect, high-quality, tailor-made Holy Land for courting death!

To be crushed to death by the will and pressure left by an Ancient Great Power... how generous would the rewards be?

A minimum of SSS+ rank, wouldn't be too much, would it?

In Lin Gou's eyes, an unprecedented flame, named "desire," ignited.

Go!

Must go!

To draw the most brilliant, most tragic, and most fruitful conclusion to his Secret Realm journey!