Kao Dao Ji's expression was turbulent.
He was frowning deeply.
And his surroundings replied in kind.
The surrounding clouds trembled, and there was intense rumbling and violent waves in the seas.
Anxious Thoughts Gu and Fear Gu were created in masse in his aperture.
Such cases were actually well known amongst Immortals; extreme mental reactions brought certain changes in their aperture from which even Gu could be born.
Red Lotus himself was one of the most extreme cases of it in recorded history.
Of course, Kao Dao Ji's mental turmoil and strength were nowhere near his, but as a Land Spirit, his connection to the aperture was infinitely deeper, and so countless Rank 1 and Rank 2 Gu Worms slowly took shape.
"Hah…At least I am getting something out of it now. Unlike back on earth, where I only got migraines and a stomach ache every time I grew so anxious." He chuckled.
But then his expression changed.
"But I wonder. Can I make use of this? Is there a way to use this method to refine Gu's? My attainment may be crappy, but if I grasp this idea, can I not refine Gu as Ren Zu did in his legends?"
He took a deep breath.
"In any case. Where the hell is Kao Yu Hun? I swear that if I really die in this Tribulation, I will really detonate my Gu!" he muttered under his breath.
But then.
"I am here, I am here!" A parakeet suddenly spoke monotonously and mechanically.
Kao Dao Ji turned his gaze towards the left.
"He has finally arrived…"He turned his gaze and flew towards the edge of his aperture.
Then, with a flicker of his hands, he opened the entrance.
From outside, the two figures that were there were absorbed by his aperture, but as this happened, the expression of Kao Dao Ji grew unsightly.
"What the hell is she doing here?" He shouted.
In front of him, there was Kao Yu Hun, who was staring awkwardly at him, and behind him, there was one woman.
Bai Lin Hua.
Who merely replied awkwardly.
"I am working as an intern."
"??????" Kao Dao Ji's expression was quite the sight.
Kao Yu Hun coughed awkwardly.
"Well, you see…" He rubbed the back of his head.
"The Supreme Clan Leader realised how valuable it would be to have a Soul Path Immortal Gu Master in our Clan, and seeing how eager she was to regain her freedom, he decided to give her an opportunity."
Kao Dao Ji frowned upon hearing those words.
"Is he stupid? Even if he wants to gain a Soul Path Immortal, he should know that she cannot be relied on. The first chance she gets, she's going to flee to the other side of the world." He thought to himself.
But then his expression changed as he realised that there was a clear black mark on her forehead.
Kao Yu Hun smiled, as if hearing his thoughts, he replied.
"There's no need to worry. If she tries to slip up, the seal will automatically activate, and she will die a painful death."
But Kao Dao Ji was not convinced.
He communicated telepathically.
"Even then, the seal can still be broken. Wouldn't it have been much easier to y'know remove her free will?"
Yet, just as he uttered those words.
Bai Lin Hua snorted coldly.
"They can't. Their Soul Foundation is not strong enough."
Kao Dao Ji froze in the spot.
His telepathic communication had been interfered with.
He took a small pause, observing Bai Lin Hua one more time.
"Calm down, Kao Dao Ji. You cannot lose your cool like this, even if I hate her. I cannot antagonise her right now."
But then his expression changed into one of confusion.
"Wait a minute. Something's off…
While I do hate her, no matter how you slice it, her hatred should be just, if not stronger than my own.
I captured her and brought her on a silver platter to the Clan. I also made her brain-dead, and if she had not been rescued by Kao Yun Yun, she would possibly never wake up.
Finally, I also forced her to detonate her Immortal Gu.
No matter how I look at this.
Isn't it a horrible idea to bring her to me?"
But then he squinted his eyes.
"Unless…"
Realisation appeared on his face.
"They are testing how impulsive she is.
While it is obvious that if she attempts anything, her fate will be grim.
Who knows how bitter she is?
Perhaps she's the kind of person who would rather die and drag her enemies alongside her than submit to others.
Perhaps her previous submission was but a deception to gain an opening to attack later.
If she's that kind of person, chances are, she will sooner or later wreak havoc.
Instead of waiting for that day to come, they are instead creating the ideal circumstances for her to act.
Using me and the Tribulation as the bait." Immediately, his expression grew ugly, while he knew that the danger was not really all that high that did not make him feel better.
He sighed internally before shaking his head.
He stared at Bai Lin Hua with the kindest and warmest expression he could manage.
So much so that his smile was twitching.
"Hahahah! Our first meeting may have been…Eventful, but as the saying goes:
'The wounds in the heart can only be treated by forgiving the one who hurt us.'
Today, I have decided to let my heart rest free.
And I welcome you warmly to my home.
Let this day be the beginning of a great friendship."
He stretched his palm towards her.
Bai Lin Hua's eyelids trembled.
Forgive? Forgive my ass!
He lost nothing out of this; on the contrary, he profited, whereas she lost everything.
Yet, despite her internal rage, she smiled.
"Thank you. Thank you so much. For. Your. Forgiveness." She spoke with gritted teeth, and the two had a handshake.
…
Kao Yu Hun observed the scene with narrowed eyes.
"That kid really is suspicious." He thought.
In reality, there was another layer that Kao Dao Ji had not accounted for.
The Clan Leader was already suspecting of his nature as a Land Spirit and used this opportunity to test his reaction.
Commonly, Land Spirits were as stubborn as mules, impulsive as children and as gullible as a senile geezer.
Yet, Kao Dao Ji exhibited no such qualities.
"Oh well, I already recorded the video. I will leave the judgment up to him." He shrugged inwardly.
…
Suddenly.
The expression of Kao Dao Ji changed.
"It's beginning."
Kao Yu Hun laid back expression immediately hardened.
"Where?"
Kao Dao Ji pointed at the skies above.
At the highest layer of clouds.
There was a sudden reaction.
Thousands upon thousands of clouds slowly took shape and grew in size.
Their bodies twisted, becoming like the mouths of massive dragons and tigers.
The steam and air around them were warped it began to fly around their mouth emitting a sound similar to boiling water inside a kettle.
As this happened, the avatars grew in size, becoming larger and larger still.
Kao Yu Hun snorted coldly.
His body flickered.
[Thunderous Flow] Lightning covered his body like armour.
And the wind was pushed away, air resistance and friction vanished.
And he took flight.
His speed was unbelievable. In less than two seconds, he appeared before a cloud before unleashing an uppercut.
His hand looked enflamed; the sound of electricity could be heard in his body.
He punched through the cloud.
And the lighting spread like a web; the cloud exploded into countless pieces.
His gaze moved towards another, and with a simple kick, he pierced through another cloud.
With a series of punches and kicks, he rapidly moved through the battlefield like a mad demon.
Kao Dao Ji too moved rapidly, he and Bai Lin Hua reached almost at the speed of their targets.
[Cloud Dissolving Acid Rain] He stretched his palm, unleashing a tide of rain, whereas Bai Lin Hua gritted her teeth.
He shot an endless amount of ice spikes towards the target that were rapidly absorbed.
Before pressing her palms together.
The cloud dissipated as the water within turned solid.
Then she shot that massive iceberg towards another cloud, piercing through it entirely.
Neither of the three knew how to cooperate, but there was no need to.
Everyone moved towards their own location to deal with their own targets.
And so, they did.
However, while all of this happened.
Kao Dao Ji frowned.
"This is way too easy." He thought to himself.
"I mean is logical considering that I am being aided by another Rank 6 and a Rank 7 Gu Master, but still. This is way too easy!
Those dragon-head clouds seem to be focusing only on absorbing the surrounding air; they do not attack, do not defend.
The only way this Tribulation could become dangerous is if I let those dragon heads roam my aperture for a few days, letting them absorb the humidity in the air freely.
Yet even then, there would only be a drought, nothing I cannot solve." The suspicion in his heart grew greater and greater with every passing second.
Kao Yu Hu,n who had experienced dozens of Tribulations in his life, also realised the same; he frowned.
What is the real aim behind this?
Suddenly.
There was a sound akin to a bell, emitted from the mouth of those dragons.
Kao Dao Ji's pupils shrank.
Countless of fairyflies that were inside his aperture were suddenly pulled at a shocking speed towards the surviving clouds.
Their bodies exploded.
Revealing from within hundreds of thousands of Clouded Thoughts Gu!
Kao Dao Ji, Bai Lin Hua and Kao Yu Hun stood in the middle, surrounded by an endless amount of Clouded Thoughts Gu.
Bai Lin Hua's expression was the ugliest; unlike the two others, she did not possess a single method to protect herself.
Whereas Kao Dao Ji also had a hideous expression.
He felt an intense burning pain as he saw his money being burned before his eyes.
Still.
He pressed.
His body was covered in a cocoon.
With his body covered, he surged like a falling meteor trying to escape from the trap he had unknowingly walked into.
All while bombarding his brain with Sunny Thoughts to barely survive and using green rain to heal himself.
Still.
His efforts were as pitiful as an ant trying to contend against a storm; his body flew and was pushed away.
While he could barely muster the energy to defend himself, his mind was continuously being affected.
Kao Yu Hun body flickered.
Ignoring everything else, he charged towards Kao Dao Ji.
He grabbed him by his collar.
"Quick! Give me those Sunny Thoughts!"
Kao Dao Ji obliged the Gu's were rapidly summoned towards him.
Kao Yu Hun's body flickered.
[Wind and Lighting Current]
He stretched his palm widely, with his full strength, and he pierced through the layer of clouded thoughts that were reinforced by perilous wind tides.
Creating a gap for the two to pass through.
After successfully escaping, he threw Kao Dao Ji away before moving to rescue Bai Lin Hua.
Bai Lin Hua's expression was unsightly.
"To think I would be defeated by this thing again…"
She gritted her teeth as her brain was overwhelmed by a million of clouded thoughts. Gu.
But before she could lose her consciousness.
A hand pressed itself towards her forehead.
A burning sensation spread in her brain.
Her brain was forcefully awakened, and she opened her eyes widely.
With bleeding eyes, she observed Kao Yu Hun, who forcefully moved her away.
…
Kao Dao Ji observed the Tribulation.
He was pondering.
"The three of us were caught with our pants down. However. The situation is not hopeless!
While I do not know much about Wisdom Path, I know the weaknesses of Clouded Thoughts Gu.
Clouded Thoughts cannot move on their own; they need to be carried away and stored to not dissipate into the air.
We just need to keep our distance and evade those slow attacks, whilst steadily striking those dragon-mouth things.
As long as we deal with the root source, those Clouded Thoughts stored in the air should dissipate on their own."
But then.
His expression changed.
Upon reaching the dragon mouths, those clouded thoughts had a strange reaction.
They flew towards the roof of their mouths, and slowly reshaped the head-cloud.
A massive sphere appendage stood above the head of those dragons, like a tumour.
Growing bigger through every passing second.
Kao Dao Ji, of course, would not sit still while this happened.
[Big Cloud Surprise.]
Several clouds mixed in the air; Kao Dao Ji was trying to use the ability of those mouths to absorb them.
By placing several of his clouds as a Trojan horse.
However.
Those dragon-like faces revealed a human-like smile.
They huffed, and Kao Dao Ji's attack was reflected towards him.
He gritted his teeth.
[Cloud Field barrier]
The two forces collided; Kao Dao Ji was tossed away.
As the powerful lighting exploded in all directions.
Whereas Kao Yu Hun and Bai Lin Hua were navigating in the increasingly more perilous tides of steam.
"Kao Yu Hun! Be careful, those things are no longer mindless. They seem to have used Clouded Thoughts to gain consciousness." Kao Dao Ji warned from the side.
Kao Yu Hun turned his gaze towards the myriad of dragons, who had a mocking expression.
From the mouths of every single one of them, countless of other Gu collided.
[Sunny Thoughts]
A laser-focused attack was suddenly unleashed towards Kao Yu Hun and Bai Lin Hua.
Kao Yu Hun unleashed his attack in response.
The two forces collided, and his rapidly overwhelmed the dragon, yet a subtl,e invisible heat was still pushed towards him.
He let out a groan as an intense heat wave reached his brain.
Bai Lin Hua too felt the same thing.
Her brain was rapidly cooked, and a soft breeze spread in her brain, treating her.
But while the two were affected by the backlash, one dragon, who finally took full shape, charged towards the two from the side.
The situation seemed critical, but before it could hit them.
Her eyes shone vibrantly as she stared defiantly at the dragon.
Its body froze momentarily.
Kao Yu Hun used that gap to evade it.
Still, he looked slightly confused.
"Why did the dragon stop out of nowhere?" He asked.
"Heh-Heh. Those dragons, they may have gained a 'Will' on their own, but that is a proto soul.
While not quite as effective as hitting a full soul, I can still give it a shake or two." Bai Lin Hua replied.
After saying those words, she then shouted.
"Kao Dao Ji!"
Kao Dao Ji turned his gaze to meet hers.
"Cannot you see? The reason why we are in such dire straits is that none of us cultivates Wisdom Path. However.
Soul and Wisdom Path are two sides of the same coin. I am certain that if I am given the slightest clue, I can figure out a solution to this predicament!"
While she spoke righteously, Kao Dao Ji's expression could not help but twist.
"That woman. She's trying to extort me!"