Chapter 115: Madness
Returning to the Ethereal Sect, Gu Xiaopang greeted many elders and then visited Mu Wan’er once more before asking Old Mu Huo for a pill refining room to enter complete seclusion.
Bai Ling’er quietly settled in a temporary room behind Gu Xiaopang’s quarters atop the Fifth Peak, silently cultivating.
...
“Everyone, our leader has just sent the first mission for our Heavenly Mansion.”
“Oh? Finally, it’s here.”
“Tian Ge, tell us—what exactly is the task?”
“We have a list—9,506 names, ranging from Qi Refining stage to the peak of the Golden Core stage.”
“Our mission for the coming year is to cultivate and advance our own cultivation while relentlessly hunting down everyone on this list.”
“So many? Who are these people?”
“Yeah, what did they do to anger the boss?”
Though Gu Xiaopang did not reveal the specific reasons, he emphasized two points:
First, all on the list are members of the Southern Division of the Puppet Sect, each responsible for countless deaths. They must be eliminated—no restrictions on methods.
Second, those at Nascent Soul stage and above would be handled by him personally, so none of the Heavenly Mansion members would have to confront high-level enemies.
He also informed everyone that arrangements would be made to supply them with various medicinal pills as aid. They could also expand their own forces, but if the mission failed, he would abandon the Heavenly Mansion entirely, severing all ties.
“We swear to complete the mission at all costs!”
...
As the rankings on the Earth List rapidly rose, all members of the Heavenly Mansion gathered. Deputy Mansion Master Sun Tian gave the orders, and everyone dispersed after receiving them.
From then on, over the next year, Heavenly Mansion members appeared across the Southern Domain, recruiting trustworthy followers while systematically eliminating those on the list.
“A gift arranged by the young master for you all!”
One month later, a mysterious man in black robes, a middle-aged Nascent Soul cultivator, appeared at the Heavenly Mansion’s council hall, dropped a storage pouch, and vanished.
Deputy Mansion Master Sun Tian opened the pouch before everyone, revealing over five thousand exquisite second- and third-grade spirit pills—all top quality.
Everyone was shocked that their mansion lord had servants at the Nascent Soul stage, and deeply impressed by the leader’s astonishing generosity.
Already among the elite, the Heavenly Mansion cultivators’ progress accelerated rapidly. With this rare and unlimited supply of supreme pills, and being constantly thrust into life-or-death battles, their foundations grew exceedingly strong.
In less than a year—in fact, by the third month—the original core team, mostly in mid to late Foundation Establishment stage, had all advanced to the Golden Core stage. The highest-ranked, Deputy Mansion Master Sun Tian, directly ascended to the peak of mid-Golden Core.
All elders of the Heavenly Mansion now possessed the ability to combat opponents one or two tiers above themselves.
The Heavenly Mansion had grown from eighty to over three hundred members after multiple rigorous assessments, each outstanding in talent—whether lone cultivators or disheartened scions of influential families.
Within a few months, the Southern Division of the Puppet Sect was utterly shocked and destabilized.
All lower disciples below late Golden Core stage were mysteriously hunted down and eliminated.
Even the high-level members trembled in fear, for no matter where they traveled alone, unknown assassins relentlessly pursued them.
Thus, apart from two high-level Transformation God cultivators and a Tribulation Initiate who led the division, all others hid away, no longer daring to venture out alone.
...
Of course, this was all later.
At this moment, Gu Xiaopang, who had stayed up month after month refining pills without rest, emerged from the pill room looking light as a feather, having lost much weight. His eye sockets were sunken, and dark circles deeply etched.
Amidst the shock of many elders and countless disciples, Gu Xiaopang returned to the rear courtyard atop the Fifth Peak. Upon seeing Bai Ling’er, his eyes rolled back and he fainted.
Alarmed, Bai Ling’er quickly supported him and used her spiritual power to examine him. She found only extreme depletion of his mental and spiritual energy, nothing else wrong. Tenderly, she carried him inside.
No sooner had Gu Xiaopang lain down than faint snoring began.
In the pill refining chamber, the Supreme Elder Nangong Hongbo, Sect Leader Nangong Kang, the deeply worried Old Mu Huo who had appeared out of nowhere, and tearful Mu Wan’er gathered.
“How is he?”
“One month, nearly a thousand furnace openings, over five thousand pills refined—all supreme quality.”
“Though I knew his pill refining skill was high, this is... excessive.”
“The key question is why he’s pushing himself so hard. What could have happened?”
“Let’s observe quietly... Besides, I’ve decided to emerge and personally protect his path.”
The four in the pill room were filled with pain and concern, each lost in thought.
“Father, what about Changqing?”
“He... is unharmed. Let’s not disturb him. Let Bai Ling’er accompany him quietly.”
In the main hall atop the Fifth Peak, Gu Chenyi anxiously spoke with Gu Laowu.
Inside and outside the sect, many disciples whispered in speculation.
...
After a deep sleep lasting three full days and nights, Gu Xiaopang revived fully. With a sudden leap to his feet, vitality restored, he startled Bai Ling’er, who was guarding nearby.
“How do you feel now?”
“Don’t worry, Sister Ling’er, I’m in great shape.”
After over a month of continuous pill refining, his spiritual and soul power had improved significantly.
A new layer of spiritual power crystallization had formed within him; he now had only the last trace of residual spiritual energy.
Once all his spiritual energy crystallizes, it means his cultivation cannot be further suppressed—he must achieve the Golden Core stage.
Soon, the two slipped past the sect’s protective formation without any resistance.
“Young master!”
From the shadows, a black-clad figure who had been waiting over half a month appeared before Gu Xiaopang, knelt on one knee, and respectfully saluted.
“Rise. Take this pouch to Deputy Mansion Master Sun Tian at these coordinates. Nothing else needs to be said.”
“Also, compile location, personnel, and cultivation level data of all branches of the Absolute Kill Tower into a jade slip and send it to me.”
“Yes.”
After receiving the orders, the black-clad assassin Fu Yi vanished into the darkness, heading north through the Southern Domain.
Holding the jade slip containing Absolute Kill Tower information, Gu Xiaopang thought to himself: Since you want to put a contract on me, don’t blame me for taking over your affairs—starting with the Southern Branch.
...
“Boy, it’s about time for you to leave. While you continue your journey, start gathering the Five Elements spirit cores.”
“All right.”
Following Old Qin’s guidance, Gu Xiaopang went to his father and grandfather to request leave.
“You brat, stay a few more days.”
“Why? Staying here in the sect is incredibly dull. Better to go out early and continue my unfinished training.”
“Stay put. If you keep talking back, your father and grandfather will gang up on you.”
“Fine! I’ll listen to you—stay a few more days.”
Unable to get a leave of absence, Gu Xiaopang found it puzzling why the two elders insisted on keeping him longer.
Well, he decided not to dwell on it. Instead, he took Sister Ling’er to tour the various peaks within the sect.
...
At the Sixth Peak, the Body Refining Pavilion.
As Gu Xiaopang and Bai Ling’er slowly approached, countless disciples enthusiastically greeted him but shyly avoided looking at Bai Ling’er directly.
“Brother Gu is going to challenge the Earth Ladder?”
“The Earth Ladder? Might as well go see.”
“Quick, inform everyone! Brother Gu is going to climb the Earth Ladder!”
Upon hearing this, one disciple shouted loudly into the distance, and numerous others sprinted or flew toward the site.
Gu Xiaopang was left somewhat dumbfounded, while Bai Ling’er covered her mouth, smiling enchantingly.
When they reached the plaza at the base of the Earth Ladder, it was packed with people. Several elders of the pavilion, including Pavilion Master Chen Shiming, appeared on a high platform.
Everyone eagerly awaited the resonance of the human ladder beneath Gu Xiaopang, hoping the Earth Ladder itself would resonate.
Gu Xiaopang took a deep breath and began ascending from the first step.
In the blink of an eye, he reached the ninetieth step without a change in expression.
“Only a few months, and Brother Gu climbs the Earth Ladder so effortlessly?”
“Tell me about it.”
“Some of us haven’t even succeeded in the human ladder after months.”
“Right—the body refining is just too difficult.”
As the crowd murmured, Gu Xiaopang continued upward: ninety-one, ninety-two...
By the ninety-ninth step, he showed signs of slight struggle but pushed through, sprinting to the hundredth step.
“Look! Brother Gu made it to the top!”
“One breath, two breaths...”
As they counted, a single incense stick’s worth of time passed in an instant.
“Dong, dong.”
Two deep, resonant ancient bell tones echoed throughout the Ethereal Sect—the Earth Ladder had resonated, shocking the entire sect.
Countless disciples who witnessed it cheered wildly, their excitement exceeding even the joy of personal cultivation breakthroughs many times over.
As the pavilion master and elders nodded repeatedly, Gu Xiaopang took a deep breath and headed toward the Heaven Ladder.
One step, two steps...
After a slow and grueling climb, Gu Xiaopang reached the eightieth step but was suddenly blasted off several hundred meters by the ladder’s force upon stepping on the eighty-first.
The disciples gasped, panting in shock. What had they just witnessed?
The Heaven Ladder—eighty steps in total!
Even the pavilion elders were thoroughly astonished.
After all, these elders could barely reach such heights themselves. At present, only Pavilion Master Chen Shiming had truly resonated with all three ladders of Heaven, Earth, and Man.
...
Afterward, Gu Xiaopang and Bai Ling’er entered the Body Refining Pavilion’s main hall to pay respects to Pavilion Master Chen Shiming, engaging in conversation over tea for some time.
When they departed, disciples along the way stared at Gu Xiaopang as if he were an idol. Many female disciples wanted to cast flirtatious glances his way but were overwhelmingly overshadowed by Bai Ling’er’s composed and expressionless presence.
Gu Xiaopang greeted his fellow disciples without airs and then, with Bai Ling’er, headed toward the Third Peak’s Refining Instruments Pavilion.
His right-arm bracer had been destroyed in the previous battle Bai Ling’er had protected him in, and he had yet to repair it.
Since that fight, Gu Xiaopang felt that Bai Ling’er too was missing a protective artifact that could shield her entire body.
...