Chapter 159: The Straw-Hatted Elder

Although temporarily lacking the opportunity to visit the Heavenly Ladder once more for verification, chubby Gu was now firmly convinced that resonating with the Heavenly Ladder was a complete breeze for him.

As his physical body slowly reabsorbed the golden glow, chubby Gu spread his five fingers and clenched them into a fist once again. An explosive, mountain-shattering and earth-splitting power filled his entire body, making his entire physique feel immensely fluid and several pounds lighter.

"Roar! Moo! Screech! Awoo..."

Under the astonished gazes of all the mystic beast cubs and the two young women, chubby Gu morphed from time to time: at one moment transforming into a Great Earth Demonic Bear raising his head to pound his chest; at another, into a Golden-Winged Roc spreading its wings to soar into the sky; then into a Mottled Panther bounding nimbly about; next into a Spirit-Devouring Rat gnawing away at the eight wastes; and finally into a towering giant tree shaking off countless green leaves.

Everyone who witnessed this scene was left utterly dumbfounded. Not only within the misty training grounds, but even outside the mist, countless high-ranking mystic beast overlords who had been paying attention to the commotion here dropped their jaws and remained speechless for a long time.

The little cubs stupidly could not tell the difference between the mystic beasts chubby Gu transformed into and themselves. Glancing at them, both their appearances and their aura were an exact match. Even the final transformation into a giant tree and spiritual grass was identical to the surrounding spiritual flora, making it completely impossible to distinguish the real from the fake.

All the higher-ups of the fifth rank and above who were watching could still discern the true essence of all chubby Gu's transformed forms, yet they were still deeply amazed by his successive transformation feats, their hearts burning with fervor.

However, this fervor was entirely driven by the fact that this technique could infinitely benefit the low- and mid-tier mystic beast masses throughout the entire mystic beast world.

As for themselves? They had all long since been able to assume human form, rendering this technique largely dispensable to them.

Therefore, this scene and this news spread instantly across all the higher echelons of the Mystic Beast Forest. A massive number of overlords who had not previously paid special attention rapidly sped toward the training ground upon receiving the news.

After a long while, as if having vented all his excitement, chubby Gu transformed back into his original human form, his eyes still brimming with vibrant brilliance.

"L-Little Fatty, what were you just doing?"

"Rest assured, Linger Sister, your little brother is a pure-blooded member of the human race."

"Then how did you manage that just now?"

"This? It's all thanks to a set of transformation techniques within the Earth Monument."

"Little Fatty, can you teach me?"

At this moment, even Lu Xinrou could no longer remain calm and blurted out the bold question on the spot.

"Rest easy, Xinrou Sister, I will not only teach you, but I will also teach all the little cubs."

"Roar, roar, roar, roar..."

Upon hearing this, the nearly ten thousand mystic beast cubs completely erupted, raising their heads to roar endlessly in excitement, their copper-bell-sized eyes filled with starry sparks of pure adoration.

"However, you big guys will need to give this boss just a little more time."

"The techniques of the Earth Monument cannot be casually imparted to outsiders, and I believe you all understand this. Therefore, your boss is currently conducting reverse-engineering research and has already touched the threshold, lacking just a tiny fraction."

"The day this great task is accomplished, I will surely impart it to everyone right away. This can be considered our third special training mission."

"Since it is your mission, it is equally your boss's mission!"

"Let us encourage each other!"

"Roar!..."

"Little ones, during this period, you have all broken through two consecutive ranks. Take one full day to familiarize yourselves with your brand-new strength."

"Tomorrow at this time, we will proceed to the next step!"

"Roar! Boss!"

...

Leaving the nearly ten thousand wildly excited cubs to go smash mountains, pound the earth, or engage in chaotic group battles, chubby Gu led the two women straight back to his wooden hut, where the one man and two women sat cross-legged facing one another.

"Two older sisters, please help your little brother with the reverse-engineering."

"This technique should have been created exclusively for the human race, so your little brother spent all of last night reverse-engineering it, wanting to turn things upside down to see how mystic beasts could also use this method to assume human form in advance..."

When chubby Gu detailed the entire process of his reverse-engineering to the two women, they likewise fell into deep contemplation. The entire wooden hut became as silent as a falling needle, exceptionally quiet.

Each of them rapidly analyzed all possible paths in their hearts, unlocking what the catalyst and the master key of this technique's transformation truly were.

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, evening arrived once again.

Exhausting their minds with still no results, chubby Gu and the two women all felt heavy-headed, as if they had fallen into some demonic trance.

Unbeknownst to them, an elderly man in a worn white robe, wearing a grey-silk straw hat, with a forehead wrinkled like a stream, white whiskers hanging from his chin, and eyes as deep as the endless starry sky, quietly materialized beside them.

"Why not try using the essential blood of your heart!"

"The essential blood of my heart? Tried it, that's not it."

"What about fusing a wisp of soul power into it?"

"Essential blood and soul power fused? Ah, that actually sounds feasible, let me try..."

"Ah! Who are you?! When did you get in?!"

Chubby Gu, who had been unconsciously conversing with the old man just moments before, snapped back to reality. In a flash of rapid movement, he reached out his large hand to pull the two women behind him, assuming a defensive and offensive stance full of vigilance as he stared fiercely at the old man before him.

"Grandfather? Why have you come?"

"Grandfather?... Junior Gu Changqing pays his respects to Senior."

"Junior Bai Linger pays respects to Senior."

Hearing the curious question from Lu Xinrou behind him, chubby Gu froze, and instantly lowered his guard completely.

Immediately, chubby Gu cupped his fists in a respectful bow, and Bai Linger did the same, performing the etiquette of a junior.

"Hehe, little friend, did I frighten you?"

Seeing that chubby Gu's very first instinct in a moment of crisis had been to shield the two women behind him, the worn-white-robed elder wore a kindly expression on his face while inwardly nodding repeatedly in approval.

One had to remember that Lu Xinrou was a member of the mystic beasts and the elder's own granddaughter. Since chubby Gu was human, not only did he protect Bai Linger who was of the same race, but he also protected the mystic beast Lu Xinrou equally. With just this single subconscious action, chubby Gu had completely won the elder's approval.

Of course, chubby Gu did not pay too much attention to or guess at the psychological changes of the old man.

"Senior, have you ever studied this All-Beings Transformation Technique?"

"Never."

"Then just now..."

"Hehe, little friend, this old man understands your confusion."

"Let's put it this way: when you reach a certain realm, you will truly come to understand what is meant by 'mastering one principle is mastering all principles'!"

"Although this old man cannot truly claim to have reached that level yet, I am still capable of summarizing and analyzing based on the foundation you have already mostly dissected."

"Senior is amazing! This junior will try it right now."

With that, chubby Gu sat cross-legged once again, controlling a wisp of soul power to merge into a tiny bit of his heart's essential blood. Instantly, the heavy door that had stubbornly refused to open before was successfully pushed open.

Simultaneously, the hand seals of the All-Beings Transformation Technique in chubby Gu's hands began to shift in reverse continuously, and the excitement on his face grew increasingly pronounced.

"Senior! It really worked! This method is viable!"

"This junior offers heartfelt thanks for Senior's guidance!"

"Alright, Little Fatty, there's no need to be so polite with my grandfather."

"Hahahaha, Rou'er lass is right. Little friend, no need for such formalities. If you don't mind, the two of you can address this old man as grandfather just like Rou'er does, how about that?"

"Thanks to Senior's kindness, junior Gu Changqing pays respects to Grandpa Green."

"Junior Bai Linger also pays respects to Grandpa Green."

"Good, that's more like it."

Though the elder seemingly possessed not the slightest trace of a cultivator's aura, looking truly like an ordinary mortal old man, both chubby Gu and Bai Linger knew in their hearts that his cultivation must be unfathomably deep and far from ordinary.

Beneath his kind and amiable exterior lay an imposing momentum that even Tribulation-stage or even Great Ascension-stage ancestors could not match.

Chubby Gu, who had once personally experienced Old Man Qin suppressing and refining a wicked entity of the Returning Truth stage, immediately made his judgment. He suspected that this elder was far beyond the Great Ascension stage and very likely already in the Returning Truth realm.

In fact, his guess was spot on; this white-robed elder was none other than the Lord of the Mystic Beast Forest, a supreme overlord who had already attained the mid-stage of the Returning Truth realm.

There was once a rumor among the human race that the Supreme Hall's Hall Master Ba, who was at the Great Ascension perfection stage and on the verge of entering the Returning Truth realm, had once fought the Lord of the Mystic Beast Forest to a standstill. Seen now, that rumor must have been false, unless Hall Master Ba, who presented himself at the Great Ascension perfection stage, had also deliberately concealed his cultivation and had actually advanced to the Returning Truth realm long ago.

"Little friend, you seem to have something on your mind? Is there any hesitation?"

"Grandpa Green has discerning eyes; there is indeed a matter, though this junior does not know whether I should speak of it or not."

"Speak freely without worry."

"Then... very well."

Thereupon, chubby Gu gave a general account of how he had broken through at the bottom of the Thunder Pool and had his sea of consciousness invaded by an evil entity of the Returning Truth perfection stage.

Lu Xinrou listened as if it were a story, clicking her tongue in continuous astonishment.

Meanwhile, the white-robed elder, who had been completely carefree moments ago, now wore an expression of utmost gravity, as if recalling something or perhaps premonitioning something.

Seeing this, chubby Gu and Bai Linger did not dare to interrupt, quietly waiting.

Lu Xinrou, finally realizing something was amiss, looked back and forth between her grandfather, whose face was filled with solemnity, and the silent chubby Gu and his companion. She suddenly realized that this might not be a story chubby Gu was making up. Could it actually be true?! How could this be possible?! Did such an evil entity really exist within the outer boundary seas of the Wind God Continent?

"Little friend, do you have any guesses?"

After a moment, the elder finally spoke, looking at chubby Gu with deep meaning, waiting for him to continue, as if hoping to corroborate his own thoughts through what chubby Gu would say next.

Consequently, chubby Gu recounted the speculations he and Old Man Qin had made afterwards. Every single word fell like layer upon layer of towering mountains into the elder's ears and heart, causing the elder to drift into deep thought once more.

Beside them, Lu Xinrou was also pale with shock, her expression extremely unnatural.

Inside the wooden hut, silence descended once again, lasting for a very long time.

Old Man Qin had once solemnly instructed chubby Gu that apart from a limited few in the higher echelons of the Misty Sect, he should under no circumstances leak this news to the outside world, otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable.

Yet at this moment, chubby Gu believed that bringing this matter to light in the presence of Lu Xinrou's grandfather—who had already attained the Returning Truth stage—might not necessarily be a bad thing. If even such a supreme expert refused to believe his words or had no solution for it, then whether this speculation was true or false would ultimately not matter at all. After all, he was still young and weak; as long as he could look after his own Misty Sect, that would be enough.