FIMA Ch77: External Aid

The twilight deepened, and the cold wind howled.

Gu Siyuan’s thin clothes fluttered gently as he stood with his hands behind his back, his posture tall and straight. He looked up at the thick, dark clouds in the sky, sensing that there might be a storm later.

In the audience below, quite a few people softly cheered for his ethereal demeanor.

However, these faint cheers were quickly drowned out.

Han Mingye stepped onto the stage, his steps agile, his brows cold, his attire low-key yet luxurious, embodying the image of the aloof noble son that people adored.

Moreover, he came from the Han family, the foremost of the four major families, known for his extraordinary talent and long-standing fame in the metaphysical community.

The cheers of his fans nearly pierced the sky.

He looked at Gu Siyuan with disdain and said, “I didn’t expect my final opponent to be someone like you; how disappointing.”

Gu Siyuan’s expression was indifferent as he glanced at him, “Disappointed? Because you know you’re going to lose?”

“Arrogant!” Han Mingye’s eyebrows shot up, clearly furious.

“Whether it’s arrogance or truth, let’s see on the battlefield.” Gu Siyuan said nonchalantly.

After speaking, he took a step forward with his hands behind his back.

This step seemed to stomp on the hearts of everyone present.

Han Mingye squinted his eyes, the hilt of the blade in his hand moved slightly, and with a light “swish,” the silver-white blade was unsheathed, bright as water, and incredibly sharp.

This was the Han family’s ancestral weapon, also the best artifact of the Han family, symbolizing the status of the current head. However, before the start of this grand competition, it was handed over to Han Mingye, showing how much the Han family expected to win.

Although he was a renowned swordsman, in the previous rounds, due to the limited abilities of his opponents, this blade had not been unsheathed. But at this moment, facing Gu Siyuan, Han Mingye, to be safe, immediately brought it out without hesitation.

Gu Siyuan glanced at the blade without expression.

He had once spent several days with Gu Beilin’s demon blade. Now, no weapon could stir his emotions even a bit.

In the next moment, several talismans appeared in his broad palm. Instantly, they scattered in the air like funeral paper money, pressing down toward Han Mingye.

Even though the people present had become accustomed to Gu Siyuan’s extravagance, they couldn’t help but be moved at this moment. Suppressed exclamations continuously echoed throughout the venue!

Before, although Gu Siyuan had used over a hundred talismans in a few matches, they were thrown in several waves. But now, at a glance, there were more than a hundred. Not to mention the waste, could his divine sense really control so many without causing damage and potential brain death?

However, all this doubt and astonishment was instantly drowned out by an extremely massive and terrifying explosion.

“Boom!”

All the talismans were ignited at once.

The power was so immense that it seemed to shake the entire space.

Han Mingye had just executed half of his sword move and didn’t react in time. His whole body was enveloped by the talisman cage.

In desperation, he instantly activated all the defensive artifacts on his body but was still blown far backward by the powerful explosion.

Knowing Gu Siyuan’s past tactics, he had already activated a defensive treasure before going on stage, which was enough to block ordinary talisman attacks.

Who knew that Gu Siyuan would go crazy and use over a hundred talismans at once, rendering his well-thought-out strategy useless.

Han Mingye supported himself with his sword, barely standing, spitting out a mouthful of blood, glaring viciously at Gu Siyuan, “I don’t believe you can do that kind of attack again. Next, I will kill you!”

His tone was full of hatred, as if he wanted to drink his blood and eat his flesh.

However, the next moment, Han Mingye found his vision filled with a faint yellow light.

This was…

Talisman paper once again filled the sky, like a funeral sky at dusk over a desolate wilderness.

The autumn wind howled, and the rustling of talisman paper in the air made the mournful atmosphere even more intense.

Han Mingye was bewildered and puzzled.

How was this possible?

A typical cultivator could only activate a few talismans at a time. How could Gu Siyuan activate hundreds of talismans at once and then do it again?

What was wrong with his divine sense?

But… most importantly, he no longer had any defensive artifacts around him.

“Stop!” Han Mingye roared.

Of course, Gu Siyuan wouldn’t stop.

Thus, Han Mingye had to act. If he didn’t want to suffer irreversible injuries or lose limbs, he had to jump off the stage quickly.

As soon as he landed safely.

Nearly a hundred talismans exploded.

“Boom…”

The entire venue was filled with the smell of fireworks.

Gu Siyuan retracted his spiritual power slightly, coldly looking at Han Mingye on the ground, calmly saying, “You lost.”

Han Mingye stared wide-eyed, still in disbelief.

How was this possible?

He hadn’t even drawn his sword, he hadn’t made a move, all his prepared strategies hadn’t been used…

He still…

The entire audience was also in a peculiar silence, as if someone had pressed the pause button.

Who could have expected that the most anticipated final match would be over so quickly, decided in just two moves?

Gu Siyuan turned to the judge, indifferently saying, “You should announce the result now.”

“Ah…” The judge responded, still in a daze.

“Announce the result!” Gu Siyuan repeated.

The judge then came to his senses, slowly walked to the edge of the platform, cleared his throat, and was about to announce the result loudly.

At this moment, a crisp applause sounded.

“Not bad, not bad, congratulations, young friend.”

A snow-white figure walked out from the Han family’s box.

Gu Siyuan glanced at the newcomer, expressionless, “Indeed, I am very good. There’s no need for you to come specifically to repeat that.”

The Han family patriarch didn’t react much to his rudeness and continued, “I highly admire you, young friend. There is a matter of cooperation I’d like to discuss with you.”

Gu Siyuan looked at him and casually said, “Even if we discuss cooperation, there’s no need to interrupt the announcement of my championship victory. It shows a lack of sincerity.”

The Han family patriarch’s expression stiffened slightly, “It can’t wait; it must be now.”

“Must? Now?” Gu Siyuan sneered, “Are you planning to have the judge declare your Han family member as the champion?”

The Han family patriarch’s expression remained unchanged, but he nodded calmly and said, “Indeed, you’re a clever person. Why not?”

Gu Siyuan raised an eyebrow slightly, then nodded, “With a face as ugly as yours, you have quite the imagination.”

The Han family patriarch’s expression changed for the first time.

At this moment, Gu Siyuan already looked at the five representatives of the Metaphysics Alliance sitting on the viewing platform, saying calmly, “Elders, the grand competition is the biggest event of the Alliance every year. Are you just going to watch as the Han family patriarch causes trouble?”

“Of course not.” The Alliance elders exchanged glances, then all turned to the Han family patriarch with gentle smiles and said, “Friend Han, you must accept your loss.”

This is unexpectedly fair and just, not at all like the rumors describing the Metaphysics Alliance as being controlled by the four major families, banding together to exclude the Special Management Bureau and loose cultivators.

The crowd was also quite surprised and started to discuss among themselves.

“The Metaphysics Alliance has been hosting the grand competition for so many years, and they are quite measured in their actions!”

At this moment, the five elders, along with the heads of the four major families, suddenly stood up together and seriously addressed the Han family patriarch: “Since your grandson failed to win the first place in the grand competition, the conditions we discussed earlier need to be adjusted. The second clause should apply now!”

The Han family patriarch sneered at them and said, “This suits your plans well.”

“Hahaha, it’s fate, Daoist Han. At your age, why bother with these details now? Focus on the bigger picture!” The Chen family patriarch among them said loudly.

Gu Siyuan squinted his eyes. Truly colluding with each other.

The rest of the people outside the four major families were completely confused.

“What conditions? What do they mean?”

“What are they talking about?”

“Did they bet on who would win the championship? What are they up to?”

“And what big event, what could be bigger than the grand competition in the Metaphysics world?”

Hearing everyone’s murmurs and whispers, one of the family heads glanced at the now fully darkened sky and said to the Han family patriarch with a smile, “Daoist Han, the time is almost right. Since everyone here is very concerned about the big event, why don’t we just speak directly?”

Upon hearing this, Gu Siyuan frowned and opposed, “So, what about my championship? Are you going to announce it or not?”

“Hahahaha…”

“Hahahaha, still concerned about that little championship?”

Suddenly, this group of people from the four major families burst into loud laughter.

The Han family patriarch also gave Gu Siyuan a cold glance, then directly ignored him and addressed the crowd, “Everyone here is from our Metaphysics circle, and this big event concerns the future of each of us.”

Gu Siyuan: “…”

Fine, they made him angry. Let them talk, but they better not regret it.

He secretly signaled Xie Xuanxing to come to his side.

The Han family patriarch said loudly, “Everyone knows that after the founding of the nation, it was decreed: no spirits were allowed to form. And due to the influence of the national fortune, the spiritual energy on our land became thin to nothing overnight, entering a complete end-of-law era. Forget about cultivating to ascend as in ancient records, even breaking through to the Foundation Establishment stage to extend life became a total fantasy. Sigh… cough cough…”

At this point, the Han family patriarch began to cough loudly, clearly a victim of being unable to establish a foundation.

Seeing this, the other cultivators present, especially the older ones, couldn’t help but feel a sense of shared sorrow.

Suddenly, the Han family patriarch’s expression changed dramatically, and he shouted angrily, “But why should it be this way? We cultivators are one in ten thousand, born with spiritual roots, and should be favored by heaven. How can we be confined to the same birth, aging, illness, and death as ordinary mortals!”

“This is completely unreasonable! Unfair! Unjust!”

As soon as these words were spoken, the crowd was in an uproar, and many people immediately nodded repeatedly.

“That’s reasonable.”

“Yes, now we have been cultivating hard for half a lifetime, but our cultivation progress is almost invisible.”

“But, with the spiritual energy now as it is, what can we do?”

The Han family patriarch said coldly, “Yes, for so many years, we could do nothing but watch countless talented Daoist friends miss the Great Dao due to limited lifespan and die in mediocrity.”

“But, fortunately, heaven never seals off all exits. A few years ago, I accidentally discovered a secret that can restore the spiritual energy to the world.”

The Han family patriarch’s voice grew increasingly excited, “As everyone can see, entering the end-of-law era, our Metaphysics cultivators’ cultivation fell drastically, but at the same time, all the ghosts and monsters in this world disappeared without a trace.”

“The law of this world emphasizes the balance of all things. It doesn’t increase or decrease without reason. So, as everyone should have realized, the spiritual energy in our realm hasn’t disappeared but has been drawn away by the Heavenly Dao to form a barrier that completely suppresses those ghosts in the ghost realm, hence separating the two realms.”

“After years of investigation, our Han family has confirmed that this barrier formed by spiritual energy is right here in Fengdu. As long as the barrier is broken and the spiritual energy is returned to the world, we cultivators can return to the glorious and prosperous world of cultivation!”

“Everyone, whether from a major family or a loose cultivator, we are all cultivators. At this time, we should stand together and strive for the revival of spiritual energy!”

At this final sentence, the Han family patriarch’s voice rose several notches, almost announcing it to the whole world.

He looked at everyone in the crowd, and at Gu Siyuan, disdainfully saying, “Young friend, how can your little grand competition championship compare to the great event of restoring the cultivation world and reviving spiritual energy?”

The Han family patriarch thought his impassioned speech and moral high ground would make Gu Siyuan unable to lift his head.

But Gu Siyuan merely glanced at him and said indifferently, “I don’t think so.”

“…” The Han family patriarch’s white eyebrows shot up, stunned for a while, then laughed angrily, “Hmph, young people are indeed ignorant.”

Gu Siyuan slightly raised his chin and sneered, “If I remember correctly, before you started talking about this so-called great event, you tried to coerce me into giving the grand competition first place to your good grandson, Han Mingye. If the championship is so unimportant and insignificant, as you say, why did you mention it? Are you senile and confused?”

The Han family patriarch’s expression changed dramatically, his eyes clouded with anger like a gathering storm.

Immediately, Gu Siyuan spoke again, his tone even colder, “Since the one in charge is a senile old fool, this so-called great event is probably also a baseless nonsense that can’t be taken seriously. So, when I say it’s not as important as the grand competition championship, what’s the problem?”

“You!” The Han family patriarch raised his hand, pointing at him, trembling with anger, his face dark and ruthless.

Gu Siyuan stepped away from the direction the finger was pointing and continued, “So, the judge should quickly announce my championship, and then…”

He glanced at the little follower who had just come to his side.

Xie Xuanxing, understanding the signal, immediately sneered and said, “Fellow Daoists, you should hurry home to your families and not listen to this old man who is half in the grave and here blatantly running a pyramid scheme scam.”

Han family patriarch: “…”

Damn!

In his fury, he immediately raised his spiritual energy and his figure flashed, attacking Gu Siyuan and Xie Xuanxing.

Having listened to his nonsense for so long, Gu Siyuan’s damaged spiritual energy and divine sense from his earlier battle with Han Mingye had already recovered.

He instantly waved his hand, and dozens of yellow talismans rose into the air, directly attacking the Han family patriarch and exploding simultaneously in the next moment.

The Han family patriarch’s face changed dramatically, and he quickly retreated in embarrassment.

Although his cultivation was much higher than Han Mingye’s, in this era, the most one could achieve was the peak of the Qi Refining stage. Regardless, everyone was at the same level, and the quantity of talismans turned into quality, causing significant damage to him.

He didn’t expect that in such a short time, this kid could launch such a large-scale talisman attack repeatedly.

The Han family patriarch steadied himself, glanced at Gu Siyuan a few times, and then turned to the heads of the four major families and the loose cultivators present, saying, “Fellow Daoists, with the revival of spiritual energy, we will all benefit. Watching idly is inappropriate. This person is a lackey of the government and the Special Management Bureau, a major threat to our success!”

“A major threat?” Gu Siyuan sneered coldly, his face chilling.

Xie Xuanxing immediately understood his intention, raised his head, and asked the Han family patriarch with apparent confusion, “Old man, you just said that all cultivators should unite for the revival of spiritual energy. Why is our Boss Gu now a major threat? He is also a cultivator and will also benefit from the revival of spiritual energy. Why is he a major threat? Could it be that your families want to monopolize all the resources and plan to eliminate all loose cultivators and small families in advance?”

Upon hearing this, the loose cultivators present immediately became agitated.

They were not fools; they came to take advantage, not to die.

The Han family patriarch’s face changed, and he immediately denied, “Of course not.”

Though they didn’t care about the loose cultivators, they understood that too many ants could bite an elephant to death. If these loose cultivators teamed up with the Special Management Bureau against them, it would be a big problem.

Moreover, they would need these people as sacrifices when breaking the space barrier and welcoming the Ghost Emperor…

Gu Siyuan nodded, his gaze sharp, “Since that’s not the case, our Special Management Bureau, as representatives of the loose cultivators, has a few questions. First, the space barrier is incredibly strong, and forcibly breaking it will require a sacrifice. So, do you need a blood sacrifice of cultivators? How many? Will the people come from the loose cultivators or from your families?”

“Second, after breaking the space barrier, the two worlds will be connected, and the accumulated yin energy and countless fierce ghosts will certainly flood into this world. Since we are cultivators, and heaven has a virtue of cherishing life, how do you plan to deal with the tens of billions of defenseless ordinary people?”

“Third, if we cultivators form an alliance, how will power be distributed afterward? Earlier, you insisted on Han Mingye winning the grand competition. Have your families secretly agreed that the family whose junior wins the championship will become the leader? If so, where does that leave us loose cultivators? Such cooperation is insincere, don’t you think?”

Gu Siyuan was usually a man of few words, but this was one of the rare times he spoke so much at once.

And his words were extremely effective.

Especially the Han family patriarch, who was utterly shocked. These three points all touched on critical issues.

Precisely because they were so unspeakable, they could only secretly plan and prepare, using this grand competition as an excuse to gather many loose cultivators.

But how did Gu Siyuan know all this?

He had spent decades gathering this information.

For this, he had buried several ghost cauldrons in various blessed places over the years, finally refining a Ghost King to find the space barrier in Fengdu.

Seeing the scene fall into silence.

Gu Siyuan raised an eyebrow, seeming impatient, and urged, “So, no one can answer? Did everyone really come together excitedly just to listen to this old man’s empty words?”

Upon hearing this, the Han family patriarch immediately snorted, “At this point, there’s no need to hide anything. First, a blood sacrifice is indeed needed, but not of cultivators, just a lot of ordinary people will do. About seventy or eighty thousand from a county should be enough.”

“Second, the lives and deaths of those ordinary people have nothing to do with us. We are working hard to revive spiritual energy to cultivate and achieve the Dao, not to be babysitters for these mortals.”

“Third, you are quite perceptive, but since you disrupted our plans, none of our families could win the grand competition. We’ll have to form a council of elders and make decisions through voting for future alliance affairs after the revival of spiritual energy.”

“I see, that’s fine.” Gu Siyuan nodded calmly.

The Han family patriarch frowned, seemingly a bit surprised.

Others also began to whisper among themselves in confusion.

In the next moment, Gu Siyuan’s lips moved slightly, and he suddenly said lightly, “Then I disagree with your plan for reviving spiritual energy. The spicy rabbit head next to the hotel is delicious; I can’t go without it.”

Xie Xuanxing glanced at his boss, his eyes filled with admiration.

“Wow…”

The crowd erupted in a buzz of discussion.

But it was as if they had expected it.

The Han family patriarch sneered, “As expected, a lackey of the government and the Special Management Bureau. But the revival of spiritual energy is a matter of utmost importance and cannot be changed because of the opinion of a yellow-haired kid.”

He then looked at the four major families and the loose cultivators behind him, “Since that’s the case, we need not hold back. Let’s work together to eliminate these lackeys of the Special Management Bureau first.”

Those from the prominent families glanced at Gu Siyuan and, after a quick assessment, nodded immediately, “We shall assist our fellow Daoist.”

However, the loose cultivators were still hesitant. Once they took this step, there would be no turning back.

Gu Siyuan narrowed his eyes at them and said expressionlessly, “This is not the arena. If you wish to kill me, a member of the Special Management Bureau, and given your previous statements, can I assume that you prominent families are attempting to break the law through violence and are gathering here to engage in terrorist activities? This is one of the most serious crimes under the criminal law.”

“Hmph, so what if we are?” one person scoffed disdainfully.

They were on the verge of entering a great world of cultivation, and the so-called laws of the mundane world would soon be mere empty words.

“Very well,” Gu Siyuan nodded.

He immediately raised his eyes and looked at He Pan, who had been watching from not far away, “Group Leader He, you should have heard. The Special Management Bureau deals specifically with matters in the Xuanmen. Now, some are breaking the law and violating bans. What should be done?”

“Of course, those who should be caught will be caught, and those who should be killed will be killed,” He Pan laughed lightly, dropping the half-smoked cigarette from his fingers, stamping it out with his foot, and then said loudly, “Alright, comrades who wish to rebel, raise your hands and surrender, and you won’t be killed.”

“Hahahaha…”

“Hahaha…”

Upon hearing this, several people laughed in unison.

After a long while, a young cultivator dressed in luxurious attire began to speak on behalf of the families, “In the past, it was only out of respect for the government that we gave you some face. Do you, the Special Management Bureau, really think you’re something important?”

“When the ghost realm barrier is broken, yin energy will fill the human world, and century-old fierce ghosts will run rampant. The mortal officials in the government will be too busy saving themselves. Do you, government dogs, think you still have the right to be arrogant in front of us?”

“Haha, if it weren’t for the initial fear of your government’s heavy weapons, do you think you few untrained loose cultivators in the Special Management Bureau could challenge us prominent families?”

Upon saying this, several voices from the families echoed in agreement.

They had been holding back for too long.

Their families had long legacies and their clan records recounted the era of abundant spiritual energy, where they were so free and noble that even mortal emperors had to obey them. How could it be like now…

“Oh, the wild cultivators of the Special Management Bureau, are you referring to me?”

A voice as cold as iron suddenly sounded.

Along with it, an even colder blade light, accompanied by a piercing whistle as it cut through the air, slashed straight toward the young cultivator who had just been boasting.

“Gu Beilin!” The youth screamed in anger and unwillingness, almost without thinking, he stomped heavily on the ground, using the recoil to rapidly retreat with all his spiritual energy.

Due to his rapid retreat, there was even a slight sonic boom. However, from start to finish, he never considered drawing his sword to block.

Because he knew very well that when facing Gu Beilin’s blade, his only option was to escape. Any hesitation would result in his immediate death under this blade.

In the grand competition final three years ago, he had faced this blade head-on, and since then, he had dreamed of it countless times.

The previously bustling venue fell silent under this blade, deathly silent.

Everyone looked up at Gu Beilin, at this rumored Northern Dao Sky Wolf.

Just now, the youth’s words were so arrogant and overbearing, almost trampling the Special Management Bureau into the ground, but at this moment, in just the blink of an eye, he had retreated so miserably, humiliated, and weak.

All this change was due to this one man and his casual slash.

Han Mingye looked at Gu Beilin and remembered his uncle’s comfort on Feng Shui Street, saying that with the Han family’s backing and complete heritage, his blade would one day surpass Gu Beilin’s.

But in this instant, he suddenly felt that his uncle might have been placating him.

His blade was inferior to Gu Beilin’s, not now, and after the revival of spiritual energy, Gu Beilin’s progress would be even greater, making him even more inferior.

Unless, Gu Beilin died now.

No, not just Gu Beilin, but both Gu brothers had to die.

On the arena just now, Gu Siyuan had humiliated him greatly. He deserved to die more than Gu Beilin.

Han Mingye stood up, took a step forward, and righteously said to the families, “Fellow Daoists, for the future revival of spiritual energy, we must unite as one to resist the government and the Special Management Bureau’s dogs. We don’t need to adhere to any one-on-one Daoist rules. Everyone, attack together!”

“Yes, there’s no need for chivalry when dealing with these dogs. Let’s all attack together!”

Gu Siyuan and his companions exchanged glances.

Tsk, this was perfect.

They didn’t want to fight one-on-one either.

“Deng deng… deng deng… deng deng…”

Just as the family cultivators were about to charge, they suddenly noticed that the dimly lit edges of the venue lit up with bright lights.

When the families looked up, they saw that the surroundings of the venue were already filled with uniformed special police, each holding a peculiar-looking gun aimed at them.

“Drop your weapons and surrender, and you won’t be killed!”

The Han family patriarch was stunned for a moment at the sight, then sneered disdainfully, “Do you think these mortal weapons can hit us?”

The other family heads immediately said, “Everyone, use the defensive formation to raise a protective shield. We will immediately perform the blood sacrifice, break the space barrier, and once the yin energy floods the world and fierce ghosts run rampant, these government dogs will have no energy to deal with us.”

They had tested it before; ordinary guns and artillery couldn’t penetrate their spiritual defenses, especially since they had brought their ancestral defensive formations this time.

If the government insisted on using heavy weapons, the whole town’s people would be in danger.

Besides, heavy weapons weren’t easy to mobilize, and they only needed to hold out for a while.

“Quick, quick, everyone get to work…”

One by one, transparent shields rose around the members of the noble families.

At the same time, bullets rained down from above. When they hit the shields, ripples appeared, but the bullets couldn’t penetrate through.

However, the special forces didn’t give up and soon launched another wave of gunfire.

Immediately, the noble family members mocked, “Overestimating their abilities.”

“How laughable!”

“Hahaha, mere mortals trying to fight us?”

“Exactly, how…” One of them stopped mid-sentence, suddenly stunned. He touched his shoulder and found it wet.

He turned to look at his fellow family members and saw a sea of red before his eyes.

At some point, their protective formation shield had shattered with a “pop” and disappeared.

They stared blankly at the incoming bullets, noticing that they seemed different from usual, carrying a faint yellow light. It was this light that enabled the bullets to penetrate their spiritual shields after several hits.

Immediately, screams and sounds of resistance filled the air.

Gu Siyuan watched the noble family cultivators frantically dodging and said expressionlessly, “New type of spiritual energy weapon, specifically designed to break so-called spiritual shields. Thanks to the Han family for the inspiration and motivation from the Red Altar Villa.”

“…”

The noble families were speechless.

They had agreed to a metaphysical duel, but how could he secretly use such a cheat?