Gu Family's back courtyard.
Meng Peng came in from the outside, respectfully performed a bow, and then said, "Reporting to the Family Head, an hour ago, Supreme Elder Yun Changkong from the Heavenly Cloud Sect arrived in White Stone City and personally went to the Qin Family to hold them accountable."
Upon hearing this news,
Gu Qingfeng appeared slightly surprised, "Yun Changkong... if I recall correctly, hasn't he always been in seclusion?"
Supreme Elder Yun Changkong of the Heavenly Cloud Sect, a late-stage expert in the Blood Refining Realm.
He was considered a stabilizing force of the Heavenly Cloud Sect, usually in seclusion trying to reach Blood Refining Perfection. This information was no secret, so Gu Qingfeng was naturally familiar with him.
Even though he had never met Yun Changkong, he had heard of his reputation and deeds.
"This person coming out of seclusion to White Stone City, could it be that he has successfully made a breakthrough?"
Gu Qingfeng seemed to have thought of something.
Meng Peng nodded solemnly, "What the Sect Master said is true, Yun Changkong indeed has broken through to Blood Refining Perfection. This time, his arrival was formidable, even disturbing that old ancestor of the Qin Family.
The details of their negotiation at the Qin Family are unknown to me.
But shortly after Yun Changkong entered the Qin Family, a fierce battle erupted, and then Yun Changkong was seen leaving angrily, which shows that their conversation did not end on good terms."
Upon hearing this, Gu Qingfeng nodded.
Yun Changkong's purpose in visiting the Qin Family was obvious without saying, undoubtedly related to the Fiery Sun Divine Palm.
The Qin Family ambushed members of the Heavenly Cloud Sect outside White Stone City. Had Yun Changkong not made a breakthrough, given the Qin Family's powerful influence, they would have had to accept the situation begrudgingly.
But now that Yun Changkong had successfully made the breakthrough, the situation was different.
Both being in the Blood Refining Perfection, it was hard to say who was stronger.
Yun Changkong came with great momentum, but clearly, the Qin Family did not provide a satisfactory response and now, with the departure of this Supreme Elder of the Heavenly Cloud Sect, it's likely that there would be a feud between them.
"Yun Changkong didn't go straight back to the Heavenly Cloud Sect after leaving the Qin Family, did he?"
Gu Qingfeng asked again.
Meng Peng nodded, "What the Family Head said is correct. After leaving the Qin Family, Yun Changkong went directly to the Iron Bone Gang, but this time there was no conflict; instead, the Iron Bone Gang courteously welcomed Yun Changkong inside."
"Interesting..."
Gu Qingfeng smiled slightly and then said to Meng Peng.
"Continue to keep an eye on the moves of the Iron Bone Gang and the Qin Family, and ignore the rest; the turmoil of White Stone Dao is White Stone Dao's affair.
With me here, the Gu Family will not be in chaos."
"The Family Head's cultivation has reached the transformation stage, with you presiding here, there indeed won't be any problems for the Gu Family!"
Meng Peng said with a face full of admiration and awe.
Gu Qingfeng's strength and his astonishing feats were clear in his mind.
In Meng Peng's view, Gu Qingfeng's strength could at least rank among the top three in White Stone Dao.
Even compared to the old ancestor of the Qin Family and the Iron Bone Gang Leader, he would not necessarily be weaker.
With such a powerhouse at the helm of the Gu Family, even if White Stone Dao was stirred up severely, there would be no problem.
—
After sending Meng Peng away, Gu Qingfeng continued to cultivate the Fiery Sun Divine Palm.
For him,
Nothing was more important than a breakthrough in his own cultivation.
The next day.
Meng Peng brought news again.
Reporting that Yun Changkong and the Iron Bone Gang got along very well, with the Iron Bone Gang Leader, Luo Yu, personally escorting him out of White Stone City.
Regarding this,
Gu Qingfeng was not surprised.
From the moment the Iron Bone Gang courteously treated Yun Changkong, he had already guessed the intention of the Iron Bone Gang.
Previously, White Stone Dao had been stable because, openly, there were only two masters at Blood Refining Perfection.
One man was in the Iron Bone Gang.
One man was in the Qin Family.
The two Blood Refining Realm masters maintained a delicate balance over the situation, causing the entire White Stone Dao to be stuck in this subtle equilibrium. Although this balance couldn't make White Stone Dao entirely peaceful, it also prevented any major upheavals.
But now, with the emergence of a third Blood Refining Realm master, the original balance of White Stone Dao shifted in subtle ways once again.
This change
could potentially set off a storm of blood and violence throughout White Stone Dao.
However,
Gu Qingfeng paid little attention to these developments.
He had Meng Peng keep an eye on Yun Changkong and the movements of the Iron Bone Gang, merely to have some control over the situation, but that didn't mean he intended to intervene himself.
For Gu Qingfeng, even if White Stone Dao were turned upside down and inside out, as long as it didn't affect him personally, he couldn't be bothered to care.
...
A month later,
Gu Qingfeng successfully reached the Beginner stage of the first level of the Fiery Sun Divine Palm.
The difficulty of cultivating this mid-grade martial art was even higher than he had anticipated.
Even with Gu Qingfeng's Blood Refining Realm cultivation, it took him a whole month to bring the first level of the Fiery Sun Divine Palm to the Beginner stage.
"If it had been me from the beginning, without ten or eight years, I wouldn't have dreamed of reaching the Beginner stage of the first level of the Fiery Sun Divine Palm!"
Gu Qingfeng shook his head inwardly.
His talent for martial arts could only be described as mediocre.
The more profound the martial arts, the greater the difficulty in cultivating them.
Not to mention,
cultivating the Fiery Sun Divine Palm required specific medicine baths, each costing a hundred pieces of silver, only feasible because Gu Qingfeng's household was now well-off to bear such expenses.
For the average person, even if they acquired the Fiery Sun Divine Palm, it would likely be very difficult to cultivate it successfully.
Nevertheless,
after reaching the Beginner stage of the first level of the Fiery Sun Divine Palm, Gu Qingfeng felt as if his body's qi and blood subtly underwent some shifts, tinged with a slight heat.
Although this heat was very faint, faint to the point of being nearly imperceptible,
that change was indeed real.
Regarding this,
Gu Qingfeng was also shocked by the profoundness of the top mid-grade martial arts.
Just reaching the Beginner stage of the first level brought effects comparable to the Small Success, and even the Great Success, of other low-grade martial arts.
Having realized the benefits of the Fiery Sun Divine Palm, Gu Qingfeng's cultivation became even more fervent.
Three months' time.
Gu Qingfeng brought the first level of the Fiery Sun Divine Palm to Perfection.
Afterward,
he began cultivating the second level of the Fiery Sun Divine Palm.
While Gu Qingfeng's strength steadily increased, White Stone Dao also underwent significant changes within these months.
First of all,
the Iron Bone Gang took the initiative to disrupt the long-standing peace of White Stone Dao, targeting the other dominant power, the Qin Family.
Over several months, no fewer than dozens of conflicts erupted, each resulting in significant consequences, with both the Iron Bone Gang and the Qin Family suffering casualties.
As the two major powers tore at each other, other forces reliant on them were also inevitably dragged into this war.
Consequently,
the entire White Stone Dao plunged into chaos.
The only ones who could remain neutral were a handful of forces like the Gu Family, with Blood Refining Realm martial artists in command.