novelapdf Chapter 101 Gu Daoren
Chapter 101 Gu Daoren
Chapter 101 Gu Daoren
On the pitch-black sea, the thick, ghostly fog that seemed to have never dissipated finally began to thin out in the distance.
The dilapidated Black Shark, like a dying old beast, made a sickening "creaking" sound as it struggled to break through the last layer of illusion.
Gu An stood on the cockpit, his clothes, already soaked with seawater and blood, clung tightly to his body. The sea breeze brought a biting chill. But his bloodshot eyes were fixed on the road ahead, his pupils slightly contracted.
"That is—"
Shen Wan, standing behind her, also struggled to her feet, leaning against the broken railing. When her gaze fell upon the scene before her, her breath caught in her throat.
At the edge of the horizon, in the center of what should have been a desolate underground lake, a colossal island city was floating in the air.
The city wasn't built on land, but rather suspended above the water, supported by massive, pillar-like stone pillars. Countless walkways and suspension bridges connected the various areas like a spider web, with densely packed buildings layered upon each other, stretching all the way to the depths of the dome, beyond the reach of sight.
What's most striking is that this city has no night.
Tens of thousands of fluorite lamps, array light screens, and a giant glowing orb floating above the city illuminated the entire city as if it were daytime. The dazzling lights were reflected in the dark lake water, rippling with the waves, as if there were another magnificent dragon palace underwater.
The sounds of clamor, music, and even faint sounds of fighting drifted on the sea breeze, instantly dispelling the suffocating stillness of the Ghost Mist District.
At the heart of the chaotic Star Sea lies the City That Never Sleeps, a den of iniquity and debauchery fueled by sin and desire.
"Finally—I made it out alive."
Gu An let out a long breath, his nerves, which had been tense for days, finally relaxed slightly. But he quickly became alert again, his eyes growing even more unfathomable.
Although this place is a refuge, it is also a den of monsters that devour people without spitting out their bones. In their current state, if they were to simply sail in a Black Shark Gang patrol boat, it would be tantamount to walking into a trap.
"Cannot enter the port directly."
Gu An quickly made a judgment. He manipulated the array plate, causing the Black Shark to deviate from the main course and head towards a dark and secluded waterway leading into the city on the outskirts of the City That Never Sleeps.
It was an abandoned shipyard, filled with rotting ship planks and floating garbage, emitting a nauseating stench, and rarely visited by anyone.
Fifteen minutes later.
The Black Shark silently glided into a hidden natural cave.
Gu An stopped the boat but didn't rush ashore. He first used his divine sense to carefully scan the surroundings, confirming that there was no one else besides a few low-level water rats, before turning to look at Shen Wan.
"This ship cannot be kept."
Gu An's voice was hoarse but calm. "The Black Shark Gang has considerable influence in this area. The array fluctuations and markings on this ship are too obvious. Keeping it around would only be a menace."
Shen Wan nodded. Although she was weak, her mind was clear: "Let it be ruined. As long as you're alive, you can earn everything back."
Gu An stopped wasting words, jumped down into the hold, placed the few remaining Yin Thunderstones on the key nodes of the ship's keel, and then used a few delay talismans to make a simple detonation device.
Then, he carried Shen Wan on his back, took all his belongings, and leaped onto the rocks at the edge of the cave.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
Several muffled explosions rang out underwater.
The keel of the Black Shark was blown off, and the massive hull disintegrated within a few breaths before slowly sinking into the bottomless silt.
As the last plank of the boat disappeared beneath the water, a complex expression flashed in Gu An's eyes. Although the boat had been stolen, it had carried them through the most dangerous part of the journey.
Out with the old, in with the new.
Gu An turned around and took out two sets of clothes that had been prepared in advance from the storage bag.
They were two very ordinary gray Taoist robes, made of rough fabric and even with some patches. He had picked them up casually at the Rotten Reef black market.
"Put it on."
Gu An tossed one of the smaller sets to Shen Wan, while he quickly took off his tattered leather armor.
He did not use any disguise techniques because his face no longer needed to be disguised.
The left side of his face was eroded by the putrid water, presenting a terrifying purplish-red ulceration, with wriggling flesh inside visible; while the right side of his face, though intact, also had a sickly bluish-gray tinge due to years of practicing poisonous arts and being eroded by corpse energy.
With that kind of appearance, walking outside would definitely stop a child from crying at night.
"From now on, my name is Gu Daoren."
As Gu An straightened his clothes, he spoke to Shen Wan, who was changing, in a calm tone as if he were talking about something trivial, "A rogue cultivator who practices the Corpse Path and has a reclusive personality. And you—"
He glanced at Shen Wan's face, which, despite being covered in disguise mud, still couldn't hide her weakness. "You are my concubine, and also my medicine slave. Mute, be obedient, and have no name."
Shen Wan fastened her belt, put on a bamboo hat to cover her face, and nodded silently. She knew that although this identity was lowly, it was the best cover in this chaotic place.
An ugly Taoist priest who practices evil arts, accompanied by a concubine used for testing medicine or for sexual exploitation—this combination is so common in the Chaotic Star Sea that no one would give it a second glance.
"Let's go."
Gu An lowered the brim of his straw hat, obscuring his eyes that gleamed with a ghostly light. He didn't help Shen Wan, but instead walked towards the cave exit with his hands behind his back and a slightly stiff gait.
Shen Wan lowered her head and followed him three steps behind, looking exactly like a servant who feared his master.
After passing through the abandoned shipyard area, the two quickly merged into the flow of people heading towards the main gate of the City That Never Sleeps.
The prosperity here far exceeded Gu An's imagination.
The wide white jade avenue was crowded with all sorts of cultivators. There were sect disciples riding flying swords and magical artifacts, beast tamers riding ferocious beasts, and ragged, murderous rogue cultivators like Gu An.
The sounds of hawking, bargaining, and even shouts of cursing and drawing knives at each other created a cacophony of noise.
-
Gu An mingled in the crowd, seemingly nonchalant, but in reality, his mind was constantly on edge, observing everything around him.
He discovered that although the place was chaotic, it possessed a subtle order.
For example, when law enforcement monks in uniform robes pass by, the surrounding crowd will instinctively make way for them.
For example, even the most vicious rogue cultivators would restrain themselves a bit in front of certain shops that display specific flags.
"It seems the waters of this city that never sleeps are deeper than I imagined."
Gu An thought to himself.
Soon, the two followed the flow of people to the huge city gate.
The inspections here are extremely strict, even harsh.
Two rows of guards, all clad in black iron armor and at the late stage of Qi Refining, stood like iron towers on either side of the city gate, their eyes scanning every person entering the city with the sharpness of eagles.
Above the city gate hangs an ancient bronze mirror, as large as a millstone.
The mirror shimmered, radiating a chilling spiritual pressure. Whenever someone passed under it, a beam of blue light would shoot out from the mirror, illuminating that person from head to toe.
"The Demon-Revealing Mirror—"
Gu An's pupils contracted slightly.
This is a magical artifact specifically designed to break illusions and disguises. Although its grade is not very high, it is practically the nemesis of disguise techniques used by Qi Refining stage cultivators.
"Ah! No! I'm not a demon cultivator! I am—"
Just then, a commotion suddenly broke out ahead.
As a seemingly ordinary middle-aged rogue cultivator passed by the Demon-Revealing Mirror, the mirror suddenly emitted a bright red light. The cultivator's expression changed drastically, and he turned to flee, but was instantly pinned to the ground by two guards.
"Hmph, carrying such a heavy aura of bloodlust and resentment, you still dare to say you're not an evil cultivator?"
A guard sneered, his spear piercing the rogue cultivator's dantian without mercy. "Take him away! Throw him into the Soul Refining Hell!"
The surrounding crowd gasped in surprise, but no one dared to step forward to plead for him; instead, they all wore expressions of schadenfreude.
Gu An watched this scene, his hand, hidden in his sleeve, clenched slightly.
The corpse energy and malevolent aura emanating from him were no less than that of the rogue cultivator. If he were to be exposed by this demon-revealing mirror, he would likely become the target of everyone's wrath immediately.
Moreover, the poison in Shen Wan's body and her special constitution would definitely not withstand scrutiny.
"Next!"
The guard's cold voice came through.
Gu An took a deep breath and did not back down. He knew that if he retreated now, it would only make him seem more guilty.
He stepped forward and led Shen Wan to the city gate.
"stop!"
A guard blocked his way, his gaze lingering for a moment on Gu An's festering face, a hint of disgust flashing in his eyes. "Take off your hat and submit to inspection."
Gu An did not move.
He slowly raised his head, his dead fish-like eyes coldly staring at the guard. Then, his withered, claw-like hand reached into his robes and pulled out something.
It was a token that was entirely black and engraved with a black shark pattern.
Black Shark Gang Deacon Order.
This was what he found on Zhao Li, the man he had strangled.
Gu An didn't say anything, but just waved the token in front of the guard, his actions extremely arrogant, even showing a bit of impatience.
The guard was about to lash out, but his expression changed drastically the moment he saw the token.
"Black Shark Gang—Deacon's Order?"
The guard's pupils contracted slightly, and his originally tough attitude softened a bit.
On the edge of this chaotic starry sea, the Black Shark Gang, while not a top-tier force, is definitely a local tyrant. In particular, the Black Shark Gang members are known for their vengefulness and ruthless methods, making them someone even the city gate guards are reluctant to provoke.
Moreover, those who can possess the deacon's token are at least formidable figures in the late stage of Qi Refining.
The guard looked Gu An up and down again.
Upon seeing this, his heart pounded even harder.
Although the person in front of me had a restrained aura and I couldn't tell his specific cultivation level, the chilling corpse aura emanating from his very bones, and the rotten face that was clearly the result of practicing some kind of evil magic, all indicated that he was definitely not someone to be trifled with.
"So you're a fellow Daoist from the Black Shark Gang."
The guard forced a stiff smile, cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, and said, "Since we're on the same side, then the rules apply—"
He glanced at the demon-revealing mirror above his head, then at the token in Gu An's hand, seemingly weighing the pros and cons.
Gu An snorted coldly and casually tossed out a mid-grade spirit stone.
"Smack."
The spirit stone landed precisely in the guard's arms.
"I have urgent business to report to the gang leader," Gu An's voice was hoarse and grating. "If I'm late, can you afford the consequences?"
This combination of kindness and severity completely shattered the guards' psychological defenses.
A single mid-grade spirit stone is worth half a month's salary for him. Moreover, since the other party dared to so openly display the token, they were clearly confident in their abilities.
"Fellow Daoist, please! Fellow Daoist, please!"
The guard quickly stepped aside to make way, even waving to his companion to deactivate the demon-revealing mirror's protective barrier. "Since it's urgent, we'll handle it specially. Please come in!"
Gu An retrieved the token, didn't even glance at the guard, and strode into the city gate with Shen Wan.
Only after the two figures disappeared at the end of the street did the guard wipe the cold sweat from his forehead, weigh the spirit stones in his hand, and spit out: "Damn it, another madman practicing evil magic—but he's quite generous with his money."
The moment I stepped through the city gate, a dense spiritual energy, so strong it seemed impossible to dissipate, rushed towards me.
-
The concentration of spiritual energy here is several times higher than that of the outer sect of the Green Wood Sect!
Gu An took a deep breath, feeling the long-dormant meridians in his body cheering with joy.
High-rise buildings line both sides of the street, standing side by side.
Shops selling pills, magical artifacts, and talismans lined the streets, their signs gleaming with light, clearly indicating the presence of elaborate formations.
The streets were bustling with traffic. Besides human cultivators, Gu An even saw some demon cultivators who had not yet fully transformed into human form, swaggering down the street with beast heads on their heads, but the people around them seemed unfazed.
This is the city that never sleeps.
Chaotic, yet brimming with vitality.
Gu An, with Shen Wan in tow, did not linger on the bustling main streets, but instead deliberately chose to explore the dark and narrow alleys.
He needed to find a place to stay first, settle Shen Wan down, and then slowly make his plans.
However, just as he turned a street corner, preparing to enter an area that looked like a slum.
"Buzz"
The broken jade pendant that Gu An had kept close to his body and had not been touched since leaving Youying Valley suddenly became scalding hot without any warning!
This jade pendant was a keepsake left to him by Qi Yunmeng, the patriarch of the Qingmu Sect, and it was also the key to unlocking the Nine Dragons Demon-Suppressing Cauldron.
Previously, in the Blood Pool Cave, this jade pendant had shattered once, used to activate the teleportation array. However, when Gu An was cleaning up the mess later, he discovered that the core of the jade pendant had miraculously survived. Although its luster was dim, the material was still hard.
At this moment, the broken jade was like a red-hot branding iron, pressed tightly against Gu An's chest, emitting an extremely strong fluctuation with a certain guiding meaning.
Gu An suddenly stopped in his tracks, his expression changing slightly.
He instinctively pressed his hand to his chest, his consciousness probing into the jade pendant.
The next moment, a vague sense of direction appeared in his mind.
The sensor wasn't pointing to this slum, but rather—
Gu An raised his head, his gaze passing through the layers of buildings, and looked towards the very center of the city that never sleeps.
There stands a towering pagoda, made entirely of white jade, reaching into the clouds.
That was the heart of the entire city that never sleeps, and also the legendary Tower of Babel, the residence of the mysterious city lord.
The direction the jade pendant pointed to was deep underground—the tower!
"Ancestor————"
Gu An muttered to himself, a hint of surprise and uncertainty flashing in his eyes.
Qi Yunmeng's remnant soul had long been asleep, so why did this jade pendant suddenly react at this moment?
Could it be that beneath the surface of this City That Never Sleeps, there lies some secret related to the Green Wood Sect or that ancestor?
Or is there something similar to the Nine Dragon Cauldron here?
Gu An's heart pounded violently a few times.
He instinctively felt that this might be a huge opportunity, but it could also be a trap that could destroy him.
"What's wrong?"
Shen Wan, who was behind him, noticed Gu An's unusual behavior and asked in a low voice.
Gu An took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the pounding in his heart. The scalding hot jade pendant gradually cooled down, as if everything just now was an illusion.
"It's nothing."
Gu An shook his head, looked away, and resumed his cold and wooden expression.
"I just feel that this place is more interesting than I imagined."
He adjusted his straw hat, and with Shen Wan in tow, they disappeared into the dark, damp alley without looking back.
Whatever is hidden beneath that tower, he is not yet qualified to touch it.
The most urgent task is to survive.