CHAPTER 449: CHAPTER 248: THE ABYSS OF RED CLOUDS_2

Gu Sheng held the key and effortlessly opened the treasury’s grand doors.

The sight before him dazzled his eyes—natural treasures, gold and silver, and delicate valuables piled high throughout the warehouse.

"I’m rich!"

A wave of excitement surged through his heart, but he quickly regained his composure.

Without hesitation, he looted all the treasures in the treasury and silently left Giant Sword Sect.

Upon returning to Holy Pill Sect, Gu Sheng’s heart was still filled with excitement and exhilaration.

He knew that this daring venture had not only brought him a wealth of treasures but had also deepened his understanding of Linghu Qingwan.

Gu Sheng couldn’t wait any longer. He opened his storage ring and took out all the gold, silver, natural treasures, and rare items.

"Oh my goodness..."

There were over ten million taels of gold, paired with an array of unknown medicines, dazzling to behold.

Gu Sheng’s greatest concern was the Bone Refining Pills. From the entire warehouse, he had only found ten.

"This should last a long time!"

Gu Sheng wasn’t sure how many more Bone Refining Pills he would need to ascend to the ninth layer of the Golden Bone Realm.

Among the spoils, he also found a Low Grade Mystical Level sword.

"Dugu Nine Swords?"

Examining the gleaming blade of blue light, he felt a hint of fantasy. "Isn’t this the legendary Dugu Nine Swords from the wuxia novels of my previous life? How did I end up obtaining it so effortlessly?"

Gu Sheng tried channeling a thread of spiritual energy into the sword and attempted to activate Dugu Nine Swords. As the blue light circulated, a surge of information suddenly entered his mind.

"Dugu Nine Swords..."

The information contained instructions on the cultivation method and various techniques of Dugu Nine Swords.

"Is this thing powerful?"

Gu Sheng tried to execute some moves. As a Low Grade Mystical Level technique, it was on par with Gale Nine Swords.

It seemed a bit mediocre.

But combining techniques should unlock decent power.

After practicing Dugu Nine Swords for half a day—including techniques like Breaking Spear Style, Breaking Sword Style, and Breaking Qi Style—he refined them all.

When he opened his Martial Arts panel, he did not find Dugu Nine Swords listed but noticed that Gale Nine Swords had leveled up.

Gu Sheng, now at the sixth realm of the Golden Bone Realm, was a martial artist proficient in fundamental techniques such as Chopping Wood and archery—along with notable achievements in Mixed Element Body Refining Skill and Shapeshifting.

His advanced skills included Snake Breath Skill, Fury Blood Three Styles, Helian Weapon Casting Skill, and Blood Activation Skill, all of which displayed impressive cultivation progress, with Fury Blood Three Styles nearing mastery.

Meanwhile, he was refining techniques like Shadow Concealment Skill, Sword Aura, and Gale Nine Swords, while delving into the mysteries of the Great Prajna Sutra—though these skills remained novice-level or at Small Success.

Gale Nine Swords evolved from entry-level at 80% to Small Success at 1%. It seemed Dugu Nine Swords wasn’t completely useless after all.

It might even fetch a good price in the future.

Giant Sword Sect.

Upon discovering the treasury had been robbed, Dugu Xuancong was furious and wanted to execute all the guards. After investigating, however, he abstained.

"What kind of person could sneak into my Giant Sword Sect completely unnoticed?"

Dugu Xuancong’s face was dark and uncertain. "This person must know invisibility and possess a technique to conceal their presence; otherwise, it’s impossible to fool the sect’s numerous elites."

Linghu Qingwan, standing to the side, hesitated to speak. She knew the man drinking with her three days ago had not been Song Qingxian.

Someone capable of impersonating others, blending truth and lies, turning invisible, and dispersing secret drugs—how could anyone defend against such a person?

Should she inform her grandfather?

After much deliberation, she decided against it. This information wouldn’t offer any practical help.

She could only remind him to enhance the sect’s security measures.

Over the next half-month, Gu Sheng refined all the Bone Refining Pills, yet his cultivation only advanced slightly—from the sixth layer to the eighth layer of the Golden Bone Realm.

"Looks like I need more Bone Refining Pills!"

Gu Sheng resolved to repeat his plundering strategy and target the Mad Saber Sect.

Through observation using the Great Moon Pupil Skill, he learned that Zhu Meng had traveled far away, making it the perfect opportunity to impersonate Zhu Meng and carry out his scheme.

In the dead of night, Gu Sheng transformed into the Mad Saber Sect Leader Zhu Meng and brazenly strode into the sect. His target was clear: the Mad Saber Sect’s treasury.

"Husband, you’ve returned?"

A soft, charming voice called out as Zhu Meng’s beloved wife Xue Ji gazed at him with surprise.

"Hmm, Ji’er, you’re still awake so late?"

Gu Sheng imitated Zhu Meng’s voice and demeanor as best as he could, responding gently.

Xue Ji smiled faintly and leaned against Gu Sheng’s chest. "I couldn’t sleep without you at home,"

She hadn’t expected Zhu Meng to return so early. "Did you have any fruitful encounters today?"

Gu Sheng replied smoothly, "Today, I heard the treasury of Giant Sword Sect was looted by a mysterious figure. I rushed back immediately and planned to inspect ours."

Xue Ji’s eyes lit up at his words. "Husband, your diligence is truly admirable. With this level of vigilance, those petty thieves won’t be able to steal a thing."

Gu Sheng nodded in agreement, though inwardly he sneered.

As he sweetly conversed with Xue Ji, he attentively assessed the treasury’s location and its security measures.

Xue Ji appeared entirely oblivious to Gu Sheng’s covert observations and remained lost in their affectionate interaction.

Seizing the moment, Gu Sheng feigned exhaustion and coaxed Xue Ji to rest.

Xue Ji, unsuspecting, obediently went to bed.

Gu Sheng, still under the guise of Zhu Meng, proceeded unimpeded toward the treasury as he schemed.

Just as success seemed within reach, a sharp voice abruptly cut through the silence:

"How dare you! Impersonating me to raid my treasury!"

Gu Sheng’s heart sank as his gaze darted in the direction of the voice. The real Zhu Meng stood nearby, his eyes blazing with fury and hatred. The Overlord Saber had already appeared, radiating a searing saber aura that slashed toward Gu Sheng.

"Boom!"

Realizing his plan had been exposed, Gu Sheng immediately summoned the Demon Suppression Golden Scroll. Zhu Meng was a formidable Marrow Refining Realm expert.

One slip, and he would be reduced to ashes.

The Golden Scroll shielded Gu Sheng against Zhu Meng’s brutal saber aura, but it also revealed his true identity.

Swiftly, Gu Sheng activated Shadow Concealment Skill and Snake Breath Skill, vanishing into the darkness.

"You think you can escape?"

Zhu Meng’s Divine Thought had already locked onto Gu Sheng, and a second saber aura slashed forth with devastating force.

"Bang!"

Gu Sheng had no choice but to summon the Golden Scroll again. Under extreme duress, the Vajra Demon Suppression Bell activated passively, creating a force field that momentarily restrained Zhu Meng and allowed Gu Sheng to flee.

The Golden Scroll emitted dazzling gold light, trapping Zhu Meng within.

Struggling mightily, Zhu Meng swung his saber relentlessly, advancing toward Gu Sheng.

Gu Sheng brandished the Dugu Nine Swords, instantly launching the Breaking Saber Style. Nine fierce strands of Sword Qi targeted Zhu Meng’s vulnerabilities.

Despite being ensnared by the golden light, Zhu Meng’s strength was not to be underestimated.

With his Overlord Saber, he unleashed waves of saber aura that clashed violently with Gu Sheng’s Sword Qi.

The battle erupted explosively, enveloping the entire treasury with their overwhelming force.

"Boom~"

The collision of Sword Qi and saber aura painted a dazzling spectacle, each encounter releasing world-shaking power.

Relying on the Demon Suppression Golden Scroll and the Breaking Saber Style of Dugu Nine Swords, Gu Sheng momentarily subdued Zhu Meng.

He understood the fight was far from over and had to escape quickly.

Zhu Meng was unfathomably strong, and if he broke free from the golden light, Gu Sheng’s fate would be grim.

Thus, Gu Sheng resolved to use his ultimate skill—Invisibility Technique fused with Shadow Concealment.

With a flicker of movement, he vanished.

Zhu Meng, startled, searched frantically for Gu Sheng, but to no avail.

Taking advantage of Zhu Meng’s distraction, Gu Sheng suddenly appeared behind him, thrusting Dugu Nine Swords’ Breaking Saber Style toward his body.

"Clang!"

The sound echoed like iron clashing with iron. Facing an opponent an entire realm higher, Gu Sheng’s strength paled in comparison to Zhu Meng’s ninth layer of the Marrow Refining Realm.

He simultaneously employed Shadow Concealment Skill and Snake Breath Skill to sever Zhu Meng’s Divine Thought lock and escape rapidly.

"Tie Xuan! Activate the defensive barrier!"

The booming roar resounded across Mad Saber Sect.

At that moment, the steward Tie Xuan was passionately entwined with a graceful woman. Startled, he hastily responded and dressed himself.

By the time the defensive barriers lit up layer by layer, Gu Sheng had long vanished into the night.

With the help of the Shadow Black Hawk, he quickly flew away from Mad Saber Sect.

Two consecutive heists at Giant Sword Sect and Mad Saber Sect propelled various factions to bolster their treasury defenses.

Arrays were set up, and spirit hounds stationed.

Gu Sheng had no choice but to abandon further plundering plans.

When one door closes, another opens.

Deep within the vast Red Cloud Continent lies a mysterious realm known as Red Cloud Abyss.

Every hundred years, when the stars align in a specific pattern, the abyss’s seals weaken, allowing outsiders to explore within.

The Mad Saber Sect, Thousand Poison Sect, Giant Sword Sect, Haoyang Sect, Holy Pill Sect, Governor Mansion, the Mu family, the Qian family, the Wu family, and the Zhou family—all these factions eagerly anticipated this day.