This time, he unleashed a full-strength strike, his fist shadow smashing toward Zhao Honglie like a towering mountain.
"Bang!"
With a thunderous crash, Zhao Honglieâs body was struck by the golden fist shadow. This time, he was utterly unable to withstand it.
His body flew backward like a kite with a broken string, landing heavily on the ground.
"This...!" Zhao Honglieâs face was filled with terror. He could not believe that he had been defeated by Gu Sheng.
Gu Sheng stood in place, gazing coldly at Zhao Honglie.
He activated his golden hand and summoned the Demon Suppression Golden Scroll. The scroll, like a chunk of golden iron, quickly expanded, pressing down upon Zhao Honglie with immense force.
"No! I donât want to die!" Zhao Honglie screamed in horror, attempting to struggle and escape, but it was already too late.
"Boom!"
The Demon Suppression Golden Scroll slammed down heavily on Zhao Honglie, and the massive crushing force caused his body to shatter inch by inch.
A plume of black mist soared into the air, rushing away at great speed.
Disciples from various sects, secretly observing the battle, turned pale with shock upon witnessing this scene. None of them had expected Gu Sheng to be able to defeat a powerhouse like Zhao Honglie.
"Gu Sheng is truly incredible! Not only can he evade Zhao Honglieâs attacks, but he can also deliver a fatal blow in one strike! Itâs truly astonishing!"
"Indeed, his talent and strength are remarkable! In the future, heâs bound to dominate one corner of the world!"
"Looks like Zhao Honglie met his match this time. Letâs see if he dares to act so arrogantly again!"
"Whatâs the deal with Zhao Honglie anyway?"
Gu Sheng sensed that Zhao Honglie had an eerie quality about himâthe ability to transform into black mist and escape every time.
He had investigated the nature of this cultivation technique before, but the conclusion he arrived at was quite simple:
The Holy Demon Body originates from beyond the realmsâit is a natural enemy of the Human Clan.
And that was the extent of the information available.
Gu Sheng had a faint premonition that Zhao Honglie might evolve into a calamity for humanity in the future.
At the summit of the Holy Pill Sect, Gu Sheng sat quietly with his eyes closed, surrounded by spiraling spiritual energy, as if resonating with the heavens and earth.
With a thought, the Martial Arts panel silently appeared before him, displaying his cultivation, Gale Swordsmanship, Invisibility Technique, and Treasureâall shining brightly.
Gu Sheng took a deep breath, and with another thought, the sesame-sized dot of divine thought began to slowly move, like an agile fish swimming through his meridians.
He experimented with spreading his divine thought throughout his entire body, gradually sensing subtle changes in every cell and every meridian.
"So this is the power of divine thought?" Gu Sheng marveled inwardly, as if a new world was opening up before him.
At that moment, a figure drifted over from afarâa white-haired elder with a wise light in his eyes. He looked at Gu Sheng and smiled faintly. "Young man, youâve cultivated your divine thought well; youâre already grasping its profound mysteries."
Gu Sheng opened his eyes and bowed respectfully. "Your praise is too generous, senior. Iâve only managed to gain a small understanding."
Gu Sheng, seemingly caught in a dream-like state, didnât even wonder who the elder was or why he appeared.
The elder shook his head and said, "The path of cultivation requires perseverance. You possess great talent, but you must work harder to reach the pinnacle of Martial Arts."
Gu Sheng nodded and agreed, secretly anticipating the ultimate scene of perfected divine thought. What could it be like?
The elder seemed to read his thoughts and smiled:
"When divine thought reaches perfection, it can see through all things and uncover the mysteries of heaven and earth.
At that point, you will not only have a clear view of the operation of your own meridians but also perceive the flow of natureâs spiritual energy, enabling you to absorb and refine it with greater precision."
Upon hearing this, Gu Shengâs eyes glimmered with a fiery ambition. He imagined the sense of mastering the world and being omnipotent, filling him with expectancy.
The elder continued, "Moreover, with divine thought externally released, you can search thousands of miles away. Whether itâs finding spiritual medicine, tracking enemies, or exploring secret realmsâit will all become much easier."
Gu Sheng listened intently, as if already envisioning his glorious future with mastered divine thought. He took a deep breath, bowed to the elder, and said:
"Thank you, senior, for enlightening me. I will strive to cultivate diligently and live up to your expectations."
The elder nodded slightly, his figure gradually fading away, leaving behind only one sentence echoing in Gu Shengâs ears:
"The path of Martial Arts is fraught with obstacles; only through perseverance can one ascend to the peak."
Gu Sheng stared at the direction in which the elder had disappeared, his heart brimming with determination and faith.
As he returned to his thoughts, he began to ponder the elderâs origins.
"I was merely exploring divine thoughtâhow did an elder appear out of nowhere, offering guidance? Could he be the guide for the growth of my divine thought?"
After giving it careful thought, Gu Sheng suddenly remembered something.
"That elder is likely the divine monk..."
The elderâs appearance bore a striking resemblance to the divine monk in the bellâexcept this elder was white-haired, whereas the monk within the Vajra Demon Suppression Bell was bald.
Regardless of whether they were the same person, Gu Sheng felt that the past few days had been immensely fruitful.
Though his cultivation hadnât improved, forging a new path wasnât bad either.
Gu Sheng immersed himself in cultivation, as if merging with the heavens and earth in silence. Lin Miaomiao gazed at him with admiration flashing in her eyes. Once he finished cultivating, she walked lightly to his side.
"Junior Brother Gu, youâre truly a genius in cultivation, so focused and admirable," Lin Miaomiao praised.
Gu Sheng opened his eyes and revealed a slight smile, saying, "Senior Sister, you flatter me. Iâm merely diligent in my practice."
Huang Miaoyin, Mo Buwen, and others also gathered around, playfully teasing, "Junior Brother Gu, youâre so immersed in cultivation. Have you already touched upon the mysteries of heaven and earth?"
Gu Sheng shook his head and chuckled, "Itâs far from being that easy. The path of cultivation is akin to rowing against the currentâif you donât advance, youâll retreat."