Gu Sheng did not conceal his presence this time upon entering.
Because most people had already arrived more than ten days ago, his sudden entrance immediately drew significant attention.
Gu Sheng intentionally did not hide his Golden Bone Realm aura; on the contrary, he deliberately let it emanate.
Some who were unfamiliar with Gu Sheng lost interest upon sensing his aura as someone newly entered into the Golden Bone Realm.
At this moment, there were over a hundred individuals with deep Golden Bone Realm cultivation within the ruins of the Demon Suppression Sect, making Gu Shengâs recent breakthrough seem unremarkable.
Of course, this was only the reaction of those who didnât know Gu Sheng.
However, when individuals from the two sects, the three sects, and the Governor Mansionâthose of distinguished statusâlaid eyes on Gu Sheng and sensed his Golden Bone Realm aura, they were shaken to their cores as if struck by an earthquake of magnitude eight.
Even figures as prominent as Lu Shu and Lin Tianhao couldnât help but display hints of awe.
Lin Tianhao, staring at Gu Shengâs youthful face, couldnât resist exclaiming, "This man truly has extraordinary talent; his speed of cultivation is utterly astonishing. With such a figure in the Holy Pill Sect, the sect is destined for greatness in the future!"
Lin Qingyu, upon hearing her brotherâs high praise for someone only newly ascended into the Golden Bone Realm, immediately felt dissatisfied, pouting as she said, "Heâs about my age and only recently broke into the Golden Bone Realmâwhy havenât I heard you praise me this much before, brother?"
Due to her exceptional talent and Lin Tianhaoâs reputation, Lin Qingyu had been taken in as a disciple by the elders of the Haoyang Sect early on. With the sectâs abundant resources fully supporting her, her talent had been maximized, and her cultivation speed had shattered records within the Haoyang Sect. But even then, Lin Tianhao had merely given her a thumbs-up, without ever offering the kind of praise he was now bestowing upon Gu Sheng.
Lin Qingyu, harboring a natural sense of pride, was full of indignation at this moment.
Lin Tianhao, understanding his sisterâs temperament, shook his head wryly and said with a smile, "Qingyu, your talent is indeed exceptional, even better than mine by far. But your rapid cultivation advancement owes much to the sectâs dedicated support and resources."
Lin Qingyu refused to concede, retorting, "Isnât he a disciple of War God Peakâs Peak Master? The resources heâs received are surely greater than mine!"
Lin Tianhao shook his head again. "Do you know that heâs actually been part of the Holy Pill Sect for less than a year? In fact, itâs only been six months since Peak Master Wen accepted him as a disciple. Before joining the sect, he was practicing in a remote village fortress. In such conditions, even basic pills required at the Blood Refining Realm were exceptionally rare. If you had cultivated in such harsh circumstances, how confident are you that youâd have reached your current realm?"
Lin Qingyu froze upon hearing this, her face blushing bright red. "Impossible! Without sufficient resources, how could someone reach this level at such a young age? I donât believe it!"
Refining Skin, Blood Refining, and Bone Refining all required medicinal pills to assist in cultivation; otherwise, the process would be excruciatingly slow and unbearably painful.
Lin Qingyu couldnât believe that someone could reach the Golden Bone Realm at the age of eighteen under such harsh and grueling conditions. Such talent was virtually beyond imagination.
Her gaze turned serious as she pouted angrily at Gu Sheng. Though outwardly defiant, inwardly she was already shaken by Gu Shengâs extraordinary talent and secretly resolved to surpass him.
"Hmph! I wonât accept that your talent is so much stronger than mine! When this Red Cloud Secret Domain expedition is over, Iâll train hardâIâll make sure my brother sees that Iâm no weaker than you!"
Lu Shu, upon sensing Gu Shengâs aura, let a trace of curiosity flash across her usually cold expression.
She had seen Gu Sheng once before at the Mu Clan auction in Red Cloud Prefecture City. Due to Wen Mingyanâs presence, she had observed Gu Sheng carefully. At the time, while briefly impressed by his Martial Arts talent, she hadnât thought much of him, given the significant disparity in their strengths. No matter how talented Gu Sheng was, he hadnât yet matured enough to concern her.
But now, Gu Sheng had advanced to the Golden Bone Realm. Though Lu Shu still believed there was a substantial gap between them, Gu Sheng had at least reached a level demanding her acknowledgment.
"Junior Brother Gu, youâve finally arrived!"
Upon seeing Gu Sheng, Yun Tianyi breathed a sigh of relief.
Though Gu Sheng and Yun Tianyi were not particularly acquainted, Gu Sheng had heard Lu Junyi instruct Yun Tianyi to protect him upon entering the Red Cloud Secret Domain. He could sense Yun Tianyiâs genuine concern for his safety.
Gu Sheng offered an apologetic smile to Yun Tianyi. "Brother Yun, Iâm sorry to have worried you. I should have arrived days ago, but a breakthrough opportunity arose, and I had to find a place to advance first, which delayed me."
Though Yun Tianyi was not Lu Junyiâs disciple, his steadfast character and reliability had earned Lu Junyiâs favor. Before entering the Red Cloud Secret Domain, Lu Junyi had informed Yun Tianyi that Gu Sheng had already comprehended sword罥 and possessed abilities to fight across realms.
As a disciple of War God Peak, Yun Tianyi had received plenty of guidance from Wen Mingyan and was himself a sword cultivator. He knew all too well the immense power of the weakened form of Sword Intent, sword罥.
Yun Tianyi understood that, in terms of combat prowess alone, he might no longer be a match for Gu Sheng.
Displaying no airs, Yun Tianyi gave a warm smile and said, "Junior Brother Gu, since youâve already ascended to the Golden Bone Realm, the position of leading disciple for our Holy Pill Sect rightfully belongs to you now."
Yun Tianyi, thinking Gu Sheng had only just arrived, gestured to a golden bell within the barrier. "Junior Brother, that bell is no ordinary object. Itâs definitely of a grade surpassing Mystical-level Treasure, incredibly valuable. If obtained, it might significantly bolster our sectâs strength. However, the Thousand Poison Sect has already allied itself with the Governor Mansion, and the Giant Sword Sect has entered into a serious alliance with another. At our current strength, itâll be difficult to compete with them. Yet withdrawing now might harm our sectâs reputation. As our leading disciple, the decision to stay or leave is yours to make."