Chapter 255

Chapter 255: Unexpected Turn

The next day, Zhou Luo found Little White snoring loudly on the stone table.

After consuming numerous low-level Gu insects, this little fellow carried a trace of another aura.

That aura felt chillingly eerie, linked to the Gu insects.

Having devoured those Gu insects, it seemed to have gained some of their abilities as well.

Zhou Luo sat opposite Little White: "Wake up, help me test this technique."

Meow—

Little White opened its eyes, a hint of confusion within them.

Zhou Luo paid no attention, silently activating his heart method. His lips moved faintly as he recited the heart decision.

In the next instant, faint blue spiritual light suffused his entire body, enveloping him like rippling water.

Within Zhou Luo, thick azure radiance wrapped around him, particularly at his consciousness sea, which felt as if it had manifested within a Vast Ocean.

Zhou Luo felt only clarity in his heart of the path; everything before him became extraordinarily vivid.

Meow—

At this moment, Little White too began to release power.

It first lounged lazily in place, gem-like eyes fixed on him, continuously emitting Illusionary Power.

Yet, upon contact with the blue, watery spiritual light, this Illusionary Power dissolved without a sound.

Little White blinked, then stood up, its fur suddenly bristling.

In the next heartbeat, a far more formidable wave of Illusionary Power surged forth. This tangible, solidified power crashed against the spiritual light like rolling tidal waves, causing even the air to ripple.

Snap—

Soon after, the spiritual light dissipated. The Illusionary Power breached Zhou Luo’s consciousness sea directly.

Simultaneously, the true effect of the heart decision began to manifest.

Countless streams of pale blue spiritual energy converged upon his consciousness sea, metamorphosing into a Vast Ocean that shielded its deepest core.

The invading Illusionary Power plunged into this "Vast Ocean," its strength attenuated layer by layer. Still, it ultimately struck the consciousness sea.

What seemed a lengthy process had transpired in mere moments.

Zhou Luo’s previously lucid mind suddenly swam with dizziness. The sights before him began to twist and distort.

He was being eroded by Illusionary Power.

Despite this, Zhou Luo persisted in driving the heart decision, striving to resist and dampen the invading power.

Yet Little White was, after all, a Second Level mid-stage Spirit Beast. Within moments, Zhou Luo lost the ability to resist completely, plunging into the illusion.

Meow—

Accompanied by Little White’s sound, all Illusionary Power vanished. It lay on the stone table, appearing considerably drained.

Free of the illusion, Zhou Luo gained a clearer understanding of this heart decision.

Based on this, he still lacked the strength to withstand cultivators at the mid-level Foundation Establishment. Little White hadn’t even used its full power.

However, for cultivators at the early stage of Foundation Establishment or those who had just entered the Foundation Establishment realm, this heart decision could exert considerable power.

Zhou Luo was quite pleased. Afterward, while setting up a formation, he wanted to test in the backyard what the Five Elements Sword Technique might achieve when bolstered by the heart decision.

For safety’s sake, he deliberately arranged two formations: one for isolation and another for defense.

Then, as he invoked the heart decision and unleashed "Water Curtain Sky Blossom,"

a surge of spiritual energy erupted like a roaring mountain and raging sea, staining what was once an ordinary curtain of water in deep blue hues. Moreover, the terrifying aura didn’t weaken at all compared to that of a half-step Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Although it still fell short of the Foundation Establishment realm, it was practically unbeatable within the Qi Refinement realm.

For this, Zhou Luo needlessly sacrificed one of his defensive formations.

The test results left Zhou Luo deeply exhilarated.

After waiting so long for the lottery draw, the reward certainly did not disappoint.

Over the next few days, Zhou Luo continuously experimented with this heart decision.

He discovered, to his astonishment, that it not only enhanced his techniques but also proved highly effective in tasks like alchemy or rune-making that taxed his mental strength.

Originally, he could only refine one batch of top-quality potions per day, but now his output had doubled dramatically, greatly boosting his efficiency.

Time flowed slowly onward.

In the blink of an eye, more than half a year passed. One day, upon returning from an outing, Wang Lang rushed over, highly agitated.

"Brother Zhou, something terrible has happened! Yao Wu’s master is dying," said Wang Lang with a serious expression.

He had just returned that day when he saw the gates of Yao Wu’s courtyard wide open. Thinking about this acquaintanceship from years past, he entered intending to greet them.

But unexpectedly, he found Zhu Quancheng lying pale-faced on a bed, gravely wounded and hanging onto life by a thread.

"What happened?"

Zhou Luo recalled that Zhu Quancheng had ventured out seeking Gu insects. Could they have encountered some mishap?

Wang Lang gave a very concise account of how events unfolded.

Zhu Quancheng had led Yao Wu and successfully found the needed Gu insects. However, on their return journey, they were unexpectedly ambushed by the Hehuan Sect.

What’s more, this ambush was clearly premeditated.

Not only had the enemy prepared formations for concealment, but they’d also deployed multiple cultivators at the later stage of Qi Refinement.

Had Zhu Quancheng not summoned his life-bound Gu in desperation, both might well have perished there.

Even so, he suffered life-threatening injuries and also lost the hard-won Gu insects.

They then fled back to the Immortal City.

"The Hehuan Sect again?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Luo couldn’t help but feel puzzled.

When he had previously saved Yao Wu, it was also due to an attack by the Hehuan Sect.

And this time, the sect had clearly stalked their targets.

Did they possess something unique that drew the sect’s attention?

Zhou Luo had no time for further contemplation. Following Wang Lang, he hurried toward the courtyard.

Upon arriving, he immediately saw Yao Wu, her eyes bloodshot and her expression weary.

"Brother Zhou!"

The moment she saw Zhou Luo, the emotions suppressed within Yao Wu for days overflowed. She ran toward him with small steps, embraced him right then and there, and choked with sobs.

Zhou Luo let her hold him without speaking.

After such a tragedy, she needed not comfort but someone to lean on.

Spotting this from the side, Wang Lang silently closed the courtyard gate and withdrew.

A long while later, as Yao Wu finally calmed down, Zhou Luo softened his tone. "I have learned everything."

Stepping back, Yao Wu gazed at him through teary eyes. "Brother Zhou, please… save my master."

Ever since leaving the Immortal City, Zhou Luo’s figure had occasionally surfaced in Yao Wu’s thoughts.

During the ambush, she’d even imagined Zhou Luo descending from the heavens as he once did, slaughtering all enemies and rescuing her.

Alas, reality fell short this time.

Over a year had passed since their last meeting. Facing him once more, Yao Wu’s heart overflowed with tangled feelings.

"I will examine him." Zhou Luo stepped inside the house.

Soon, he saw Zhu Quancheng—deathly pale, utterly bloodless.

The man lay unconscious on the bed, breathing faintly, his life force nearly exhausted.

Zhou Luo hurried closer, placing a healing potion in the other’s mouth.

It was an upper-level pill.

With lives at stake, saving a life outweighed all cost considerations.

The potion took effect instantly after entering Zhu Quancheng’s body.

Gradually, his vitality began to recover.

But the situation remained dire.

His vital functions had suffered severe damage. Not a trace of spiritual energy lingered at his Qi sea, leaving internal wounds beyond repair—even his meridians were fractured.

This surpassed even the injuries Lin Zhi Shou had endured.

"Cough, cough."

After swallowing the pill, Zhu Quancheng gradually stirred awake.