At this moment, Long Xuan revealed a thoughtful expression. He wasnât entirely sure whether this personâs scheme was targeting Blackstone City, or if Blackstone City was merely being used as a distraction.
If it was a conspiracy aimed at Blackstone City, then they couldnât stay there any longerâthey had to return at the fastest possible speed.
Thus, he needed to quickly figure out this person's identity and their motives.
After thinking for a while, he finally said, "My clone accidentally caught a glimpse of this person's face just now."
Even though the person had worn a mask the entire time, with only a pair of eyes visible, their appearance couldnât escape Long Xuanâs Eye Of Heavenly Secret.
Long Xuan could only hope that his Clan could deduce the person's true identity based on his description. Once they knew who he was, guessing his purpose would be much easier.
Hearing this, the two people who were speaking froze in place and stopped their conversation, turning to look at him. Long Yuanshan asked anxiously, "Quick, tell us! What does he look like?"
At this moment, his thoughts were aligned with Long Xuan's: as long as they could identify this person, it wouldn't be difficult to guess the purpose behind auctioning the Living Wood. This information was crucial.
"This person is very handsome, with a strong and burly build. The only distinctive feature is a faint scar on his right cheek."
"Oh, and one more thingâthis person is at the peak of Gu King stage," Long Xuan added.
The mention of a Gu King peak stage practitioner greatly narrowed the range of suspects. There werenât many Gu masters who had reached this level.
"A scar on his right cheek... and at the peak of Gu King?" Long Yuanshanâs eyes suddenly widened, his expression filled with shock.
"Could it be him?"
Long Qianâs face grew serious, and he said in a heavy tone, "It should be him. Thereâs no mistake."
Hearing this, Long Xuan grew impatient. Why did they keep saying "him, him, him"? How was he supposed to know who "he" was? Couldnât they just say the personâs name? It was driving him mad with suspense.
Thankfully, Long Dan was just as curious and voiced the question that was on his mind: "Who is he?"
Many of the younger Long Clan Gu practitioners perked up their ears, while the older Gu practitioners exchanged knowing glances, clearly aware of who this person was.
Long Qian cleared his throat and said, "Let me explain. Based on Long Xuanâs description, this person should be none other than the Great Heaven Ancestor, Shi Haojun."
"Shi Haojun was the number one genius of the Shi Clan, one of the Ten Great Clans of the Western Lands. Fifty years ago, he was also the top genius of the Western Lands and the strongest in Blackstone City."
"In the Gu cultivation world, he was practically a monstrous talent. It took him less than a century to reach the peak of Gu King, a talent so rare that it could be said to appear once in a thousand years. He was unmatched in his era."
"The reason for his immense strength is partly due to his unique constitutionâhe was born with a Seven Apertures Exquisite Heart. This is an incredibly rare organ, on the same level as natural dual pupils or sword bones."
"The most terrifying thing about the Seven Apertures Exquisite Heart is that it allows the person to hear the thoughts of those around them. This ability is absolutely terrifying."
"Think about itâif you were facing someone like him, he could directly hear your thoughts, know your next move, and prepare a counter to it in advance."
"How could you possibly win against an opponent like that? All your strategies, all your trump cards would be known to him. Winning would be impossible."
"With this unbeatable ability, he defeated all challengers in the Western Lands and quickly became the number one powerhouse, earning the title of Great Heaven Ancestor. Because of him, the Shi Clanâs influence skyrocketed, and their fame reached its peak."
As Long Qian recalled the events of fifty years ago, his tone was filled with nostalgia. The younger Long Clan Gu practitioners were intrigued, eager to hear the rest of the story, while Long Xuan couldnât help but feel astonished.
To hear the thoughts of oneâs opponent, to know every move and every trump card, and even how to counter them... that was just too much! He had never seen such an overpowered ability before. How could anyone stand a chance against that? It was practically cheating!
Faced with a Gu Cultivator who possessed such a shameless ability, Long Xuan couldnât help but feel a deep sense of caution. He silently vowed to keep his distance from this person at all costs, lest his own thoughts be overheard.
"What happened next? If heâs still alive, why did he disappear? Why hasnât he returned to Blackstone City?" Long Ruoxue, equally curious, asked impatiently.
"I think Iâve already figured out his reason for auctioning the Living Wood," Long Yuanshan sighed heavily and continued, "This story goes back fifty years."
"At that time, a catastrophic plague broke out in Blackmoon City, the likes of which had never been seen before. Even Gu Kings could be infected by this terrifying plague. Many people in Blackmoon City died, and the bodies piled up like mountains. If a cure wasnât found soon, Blackmoon City would be nothing but ruins."
"Blackmoon City was a massive city with a population of over five million, and many Gu Kings resided there. They had the ability to break through the quarantine, so if no help arrived and those infected Gu Kings started roaming around, the consequences would be unimaginable."
"Blackstone City had no choice but to exhaust all its resources to provide aid."
"However, this plague was far too sinister. It appeared without any warning, as if it had come out of nowhere, and even its origin couldnât be traced. The toxicity was ridiculously strong, and not a single doctor or alchemist in the city could find a cure."
"In the end, they discovered that only the blood of Shi Rui, Shi Haojunâs newly-wedded wife, could neutralize the plague. Shi Rui had a Body Immune to All Poisons, capable of nullifying any toxin. She was also a peerless genius in her own right."
"Shi Rui was kind-hearted and went to Blackmoon City every day to treat the infected using her blood. But kind-hearted people often donât get rewarded for their goodness."
"How could one personâs blood save an entire city of five million people?"
"I still remember the last time she returned to the city. Her face was deathly pale, and she barely had any blood left in her body."
At this point, everyone listening felt a pang in their hearts, deeply moved by the kindness of this woman and filled with sorrow for her suffering.
"And what happened in the end? What happened to her?" Long Ruoxue asked, her voice trembling with emotion.
"Sigh," Long Yuanshan let out a heavy sigh and said, "She knew that her blood was running low, but every day, the people of Black Moon City whom she had cured would come to ask her to return and save their loved ones."
"She couldn't resist the constant pressure, and unable to bear the moral burden, she forced herself to ignore her discomfort and followed those people back once more."n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om
"That time, she never returned."
Hearing this, everyone was shocked. The thought that her blood had been completely drained arose in everyoneâs mind.
"Was her blood drained? But even if all her blood was drained, it wouldn't have been enough to save everyone. However, since Black Moon City still exists today, it must mean she saved everyone," Long Dan couldn't help but ask.
"You're right, her blood alone wasn't enough to save everyone. Itâs said that after returning to Blackstone City, she saved dozens more people before fainting from severe blood loss."
"But those people didnât stop. While she was unconscious, they forcibly drained all of her blood."
At this point, a trace of terror flickered in Long Yuanshanâs eyes as he coldly said, "Even after draining all her blood, it wasn't enough to save many people. In the end, they cut her into countless pieces, and only then did they manage to save the entire city."
At that moment, everyone felt a chill down their spine, their skin prickling with goosebumps.
Long Ruoxue displayed a horrified expression, her stomach churning with nausea, and she felt an overwhelming urge to vomit.
"In the face of death, what choice would you make?"
"Black Moon City had both good and bad people, but even the monks within the city, when faced with the test of life and death, chose survival," Long Yuanshan sighed softly.
"And in the end? Did the Shi family avenge Shi Rui?" Long Ruoxue asked anxiously, her fists clenched.
"Heh, with the involvement of all five million people in the city, how could the Shi family seek revenge? Could they wipe out an entire city?"
"Moreover, the Shi family didnât have the strength to fight a city. So, after accepting compensation from Black Moon City, the matter was left unresolved."
"Shi Haojun couldn't accept it and severed ties with his family, seeking vengeance for his wife on his own."
"But no matter how much of a genius he was, how could he fight an entire city by himself? In the end, the Gu Kings of Black Moon City joined forces to seriously injure him, and he fled."
"After that, he disappeared without a trace. No one has heard of him since. I never expected that, fifty years later, he would appear in Blackstone City again."
Long Yuanshan gave a bitter smile. "You probably donât need me to tell you what his intention is this time."
"If Iâm not mistaken, his plan is to lure most of the Gu Kings of Black Moon City to Blackstone City through the auction of the Living Wood, which they wonât be able to resist."
"At that time, Black Moon City will be left unguarded by Gu Kings, and he likely plans to massacre the city."
Everyone was once again shockedâthis was an earth-shattering revelation. Black Moon City, a massive city with a population of five millionâhow many would perish in such a massacre?
"Should we warn Black Moon City and let them prepare in advance?"
Immediately, one of the Long familyâs Gu cultivators suggested from the crowd.
Long Yuanshan glanced at him and said sternly, "Havenât you learned from Shi Ruiâs fate? Some good deeds shouldnât be done, and itâs better not to meddle in this."
"Do you realize how much disaster youâd bring upon the clan by doing this?"
"If our family were to ruin his plan, he would surely hold a grudge against us. He can hear peopleâs thoughtsâhow hard would it be for him to find out who spoiled his plan?"
"Shi Haojun is a terrifying individual. If he seeks revenge, itâs something our Long clan cannot withstand."
"So, do nothing extra. Act as if none of this ever happened. From now on, keep this to yourselves and tell no one. Understand?" Long Yuanshan looked sternly at the group of geniuses.
Hearing this, the Gu cultivator who had suggested warning Black Moon City broke into a cold sweat.
He hadnât realized that his well-intentioned warning could bring such disaster to the family. He felt a wave of fear wash over him for his earlier misjudgment.
Todayâs events had taught him a valuable lessonâone that he would remember for a long time. He would never dare to recklessly do a "good deed" again.
"Relay my orders: From now on, no Long family Gu cultivator is to go to Black Moon City. Those who are currently conducting business in Black Moon City must quietly withdraw within three months."
"Donât tell them why, just have them leave discreetly and in batches. Make sure theyâre all out within three months."
After saying this, Long Yuanshan finally led the group of Gu cultivators out.
By now, the central plaza was empty, and all the Gu cultivators from other clans had long left, leaving only the Long family cultivators chatting among themselves.
At this point, leaving wasnât urgent.
The group of geniuses exchanged glances and quickly followed. However, none of them dared to discuss the matter further on their way out, keeping their mouths tightly shut for fear of accidentally leaking the information and bringing disaster to the family.
Long Xuan was also mixed in with the group. Since Shi Haojunâs target was Black Moon City and not Blackstone City, he felt relieved.
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