Chapter 441: Chapter 244 Six-character Great Bright Mantra_2 At first came the Six-character Great Bright Mantra, faintly discernible, followed by ethereal celestial sounds, chanting voices that seemed to echo through millions of years, traversing countless cycles of light and darkness. "Om Ma Ni Pad Me Hum..." As the Great Prajna Sutra continued to operate, six golden characters emerged, pressing down toward Zhao Honglie. "Ah?" Zhao Honglie activated the Holy Demon Body Cultivation Technique, striking out with a palm aimed at the character "Hum." A scream of agony rang out as Zhao Honglie’s right hand was unexpectedly severed, dripping with black blood, as if it had been violently smashed by a blunt weapon. Turning into a streak of black light, he fled, abandoning even the Shadow Black Hawk. Gu Sheng did not pursue him; in fact, at this moment, he couldn’t stop himself at all. Even when Wen Mingyan and others hurried to the scene, Gu Sheng was still operating the Great Prajna Sutra. "Gu Sheng, are you alright?" Wen Mingyan shouted loudly, and other elders voiced their concern as well. At this moment, Gu Sheng had already become the hope of the Holy Pill Sect. Anyone with a shred of conscience was worried about his condition. "I’m fine..." Gu Sheng said awkwardly, "I just can’t stop!" Lu Junyi and the other elders carefully studied the characters appearing from the Vajra Demon Suppression Bell. Although they recognized the writing, they couldn’t decipher the Dao patterns and array formations contained within. Why did these characters possess such terrifying energy? It wasn’t until all the Spirit Stones on his body were depleted that the flowing characters of the Vajra Demon Suppression Bell finally dissipated, just as dawn broke. "This matter must not be publicized. If word gets out, it will attract attention from ill-intentioned individuals, which would be detrimental to our Holy Pill Sect!" Lu Junyi sternly warned, and the Holy Pill Sect elders and teachers nodded in agreement. "Gu Sheng, how are you feeling now?" Qin Xue asked with concern. "Exhausted..." Gu Sheng was just a step away from collapsing and sleeping. He was incredibly tired, both hungry and exhausted. Fortunately, there was some leftover bird meat from earlier. It was refined but hadn’t yet been cooked. In times like these, he couldn’t afford to be picky. He stuffed the glistening bird meat into his mouth and asked the elders if they wanted any. Initially, everyone declined, but upon hearing it was Marrow Refining Realm Lightning Bird meat, the elders didn’t hold back. They began feasting without hesitation, completely ignoring the raw meat’s bloody smell. The elders escorted Gu Sheng back to the Holy Pill Sect, where Wen Mingyan once again warned him, "The two Treasure artifacts on your body that surpass the Dark Level are too conspicuous. Until you fully control the bell, it’s best not to leave the sect and focus on comprehending it." "You need to be like your teacher—devoting himself to hard cultivation day and night, never going anywhere. Can you manage that?" Wen Mingyan advised earnestly, with a hint of self-praise. "Master’s words are wise!" Though he said this, Gu Sheng wasn’t entirely sure he could keep the promise. Staying within the sect would mean closing himself off and cultivating. Retreating for cultivation was manageable, but finding someone for sparring presented challenges—there were few in the Holy Pill Sect who could match his skill. Sparring partners had to be stronger than him for significant progress, and only his master and the elders met these criteria. In a tranquil sword arena within the Holy Pill Sect, sunlight filtered through the tree canopy, casting dappled shadows on two figures standing face-to-face. Wen Mingyan and Gu Sheng were preparing for a sparring match. Gu Sheng, although only at the fifth level of the Golden Bone Realm, had a Martial Arts interface and mysterious Treasure artifacts—the Vajra Demon Suppression Bell, which surpassed the Dark Level. The Gale Nine Swords he had mastered exuded a resolute Sword Intent amidst the sword aura. Master-wife Qin Xue and numerous sect disciples surrounded them, their discussions unceasing. "This time, Gu Sheng will likely struggle against Master’s assault." "Not necessarily. Gu Sheng’s Gale Nine Swords is rumored to be nearing Great Success. He might create a miracle." "No matter how you look at it, there’s a difference of an entire realm. How could he possibly win?" Lin Miaomiao, though optimistic about Gu Sheng, refrained from making bold statements. Huang Miaoyin and others nodded in agreement. As the sparring began, Wen Mingyan didn’t attack immediately but instead stood quietly, like a mountain peak facing the wind, seemingly waiting for Gu Sheng to make the first move. Gu Sheng took a deep breath and charged forward like the wind. With the Gale Nine Swords executed to perfection, sword aura roared as it rushed at Wen Mingyan. A glimmer of admiration flickered in Wen Mingyan’s eyes. He shifted slightly, evading Gu Sheng’s attack. He didn’t counterattack right away but kept observing Gu Sheng’s swordsmanship, occasionally nodding or furrowing his brow. Seeing his master not retaliating, Gu Sheng intensified his offense. Suddenly, Wen Mingyan moved. With a flash, he appeared behind Gu Sheng, lightly wielding his long sword, releasing a slice of Sword Qi that tore through the air toward Gu Sheng’s back. Gu Sheng was startled, hurriedly turning around, but it was too late. The Sword Qi struck his left shoulder, leaving a noticeable hole. The spectators gasped, and Master-wife Qin Xue couldn’t help covering her mouth in shock. At this moment, Wen Mingyan abruptly withdrew his Sword Qi, and Gu Sheng’s body trembled, almost losing his footing. "Master..." Gu Sheng stood up straight with difficulty, secretly acknowledging that his master was indeed far more skilled. Apparently, the years his master spent honing his swordsmanship were not in vain. The Sword Intent he comprehended was evident in every move. Wen Mingyan smiled faintly, stepped forward, and patted Gu Sheng’s shoulder, saying, "You did very well. The Gale Nine Swords has indeed reached a state of perfection. Sword techniques are rigid, but the wielder is adaptable. When facing different opponents, flexibility and innovation are critical; don’t confine yourself to fixed moves." Gu Sheng nodded as if enlightened. During their sparring, his master didn’t infuse spiritual power into his strikes; the focus was purely on their techniques. Although his master had the advantage of faster reactions due to higher cultivation, Gu Sheng had deployed the Great Moon Pupil Skill, making their reflexes almost equal. Yet, Gu Sheng still lost. This demonstrated that his combat instincts and awareness were lacking. He needed more practice, especially in real battles, as actual fights were indeed the best way to enhance combat instincts and awareness. Master-wife Qin Xue and the disciples also congratulated Gu Sheng. Although he couldn’t defeat his master, his swordsmanship gained new insights under his master’s guidance. The sparring was not merely a test of swordsmanship but also a profound mental cleansing. Amidst the applause, Wen Mingyan and Gu Sheng stood side by side. The two had become the pride of the entire Holy Pill Sect. In a bamboo forest within the Holy Pill Sect... Lin Miaomiao and Huang Miaoyin sought out Gu Sheng. "Junior Brother Gu, do you think Zhao Honglie has set up a Heavenly Eye around the Holy Pill Sect’s perimeter? Otherwise, how could he locate you the moment you step outside?" Huang Miaoyin, known for her whimsical ideas, inherited some of her grandfather Huang Chengyun’s inventive spirit—many of the Spirit Pill Peak’s arrays and Treasures were his creations. Innovative minds often have flexible, unpredictable thoughts, and Huang Miaoyin shared this trait to some extent. "A Heavenly Eye seems unlikely, but a mole is more plausible..." Gu Sheng mused, recalling the events and encounters of that day. "Are you suggesting someone in the Holy Pill Sect has been bribed?" Lin Miaomiao was shocked. "Do you remember Kang Tai? His strength soared suddenly, and even Lin Tianhao and I could barely contend with him... His aura bears a striking resemblance to Zhao Honglie’s," Gu Sheng contemplated, trying to establish a connection between the two. "Are you implying Kang Tai and Zhao Honglie might be in cahoots!" Lin Miaomiao seemed to realize something, her eyes shining brightly. "What does this have to do with the Holy Pill Sect? Are you two letting your imaginations run wild?" Huang Miaoyin teased with a playful gleam in her eyes. "It’s simple—Kang Tai is almost certainly Zhao Honglie’s mole planted in the Thousand Poison Sect, which means it’s highly possible we have similar moles within the Holy Pill Sect." As the answer became clearer, Gu Sheng’s eyes lit up, and he reminded them, "Pay attention to any peculiar people in the Holy Pill Sect, especially those with similar aura... And remember, don’t alert them prematurely." The two women nodded. After they left, Gu Sheng began employing the Great Moon Pupil Skill. Given his current cultivation, the Great Moon Pupil Skill could cover the entire Holy Pill Sect, though the sect’s restrictions meant certain areas couldn’t be investigated. However, the common disciples’ quarters were within his scope of exploration. After Zhao Honglie’s attack, Dyson didn’t receive the complete antidote but only a limited version. "Every half month, you must take the antidote, or you’ll succumb to the poison and die." Even more maddening, after giving him one dose, Zhao Honglie handed all remaining antidotes to Shi Jianyi. "Provide intelligence to Shi Jianyi!" Through Zhao Honglie’s maneuvering, Dyson became Shi Jianyi’s mole. Whenever necessary, he would report directly to Shi Jianyi. "Your current assignment is to continue monitoring Gu Sheng. Report any unusual movements to me immediately."