I'm merely a Toad in a well
"Kuang Luo To... it seems the new generation has produced an impressive junior," said an old man with the appearance of a wise Eastern philosopher as he took a sip of his tea. "It really makes me feel outdated... I guess our era has truly passed, right Xi Jiu?"
"Well said, Xi Zhen, indeed... a newly ascended demonic immortal on the information path managing to escape so easily from six Rank 6 sent to capture him," Xi Jiu, who has the appearance of a young man with green hair, speaks with a calm and magnanimous tone.
Despite his calm tone, he stares threateningly at a Gu Immortal kneeling before the two of them, saying, "...he's truly a talent out of this world, right Xi Ping?"
"Honored First Supreme Elder, this junior is entirely at fault, please give me a severe punishment accordingly!" Xi Ping quickly speaks, his voice filled with nervousness and fear, while his body is completely tense.
At this moment, despite his legendary status in the eyes of mortals, being a Supreme Elder of the Xi clan and a peak Rank 6 Immortal, he doesn't even lift his head to look at Xi Jiu in fear.
"You are not entirely at fault... who could have expected this Kuang Luo To to obtain an Immortal Gu during his ascension... furthermore, he's an information path immortal, which is quite new and esoteric, making him hard to deal with," Xi Zhen speaks with a calm and gentle voice, like that of a compassionate grandfather. "As it was an unexpected situation and that demonic Gu Master had already succeeded in his immortal ascension when you arrived..."
"...but still, you bear the majority of the blame, as you were the leader of this joint mission of the super clans, thus bringing dishonor and shame to our clan with your failure," Xi Zhen continues speaking with a gentle tone, but carrying great judgment and dissatisfaction.
"Well, I declare that you relinquish the resource point of the Furious Qi Mountain in your immortal aperture as the main punishment, as well as publicly acknowledge your mistake to all other immortals of the clan," Xi Jiu speaks while looking at him with eyes as empty and dark as an abyss, carrying deep cruelty. "...and from now on, you are on a compulsory mission to deal with this Kuang Luo To and bring me his head so we can restore the clan's honor."
"Yes, wise first supreme elder!" Xi Ping speaks, prostrating himself with his face on the ground while agreeing immediately, knowing he has no choice and it's better to cooperate wholeheartedly at this moment to avoid further wrath from the first supreme elder against him.
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*Months later*
"Kekeke, immortal cultivation is full of difficulties and tribulations... but so rewarding!!" Kuang Luo To speaks while inspecting his immortal aperture, which is damaged after a tribulation, but nothing severe.
"I can clearly feel the increase in power with three hundred more Dao marks after the tribulation..." Kuang Luo To speaks while using an immortal killer move to see his Dao marks gains after successfully passing his first Earthly Calamity.
"Of course, my ease in passing this tribulation is thanks to my Immortal Gu and the Grandmaster level mastery I obtained during my immortal ascension..." Kuang Luo To speaks, remembering his immortal ascension.
For right after ascending as an immortal, he found himself surrounded by six immortal Gu Masters who, after discovering a demonic Gu Master having an immortal ascension, came to ambush and eliminate him, but fortunately, they arrived after he had successfully become a Rank 6 immortal.
He barely managed to escape the ambush of the Immortal Gu Masters of the super clans, of course, this was after he desperately fled after being beaten to a pathetic state and left on the brink of death, but the important thing is he kept his life, no matter how he did it.
And throughout this escape process, these two great factors were, of course, the Immortal Gu he refined using the excess Qi of the immortal ascension he accumulated throughout his life and his mastery in the information path, which after natural inspiration rose from the master level to the Grandmaster level.
But of course, he knows this situation as a whole won't be resolved now just because he managed to escape once, as Xi Ping, after publicly declaring his guilt in Kuang Luo To's escape, swore not to rest until he brought the latter's head on a silver platter and displayed it before the righteous super forces.
"But I can't fear or falter, even with these difficulties, I must reach Rank 7 as soon as possible and with as much power as I can to start implementing the main body's plan!!" Putting these thoughts aside, he declares with conviction and a gleam in his eyes.
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*A few years later*
"How could he have reached the Central Continent without us seeing any sign of him crossing regional borders?!!" Xi Ping speaks with a shocked expression that quickly turns to anger before changing again, now to despair.
"That I unfortunately do not know... but as he kidnapped and sold Man Xing's wife, a Rank 6 Gu Immortal, to a demonic Gu Immortal in the Central Continent, I would imagine he's..." Xi Lan is cut off mid-explanation by Xi Ping slamming the table in a fit of rage.
"Why do you think I care about a random mortal woman and some Rank 6 loser?! When you should have discovered his arrival in the Central Continent the moment he crossed regional borders!" Xi Ping speaks while looking at Xi Lan angrily, his mind and reasoning completely obscured by his emotions.
*Deep sigh* Xi Ping takes a deep breath trying to calm his nerves to not worsen this situation. "How did you find out he kidnapped and sold this Man Xing's wife?"
Of course, this outburst wasn't just an act of stupidity or hotheadedness, but simply the result of the great pressure and demands he's been receiving from both his clan and the other super clans of the Western Desert.
Which is to be expected, as nearly five years have passed and he still hasn't fulfilled his promise to kill Kuang Luo To, and not only that, but with each encounter and fight they have, Kuang Luo To is stronger and has advanced further in his cultivation.
Even Xi Jiu began praising Kuang Luo To's great talent, which allowed him in a few years to go from being on the brink of death in each fight to now fighting on equal footing with Xi Ping, although for the latter, this praise wasn't heard in a good tone, especially with the disdain and anger in Xi Jiu's voice.
Honestly, if he had known how great this difficulty would be, he would never have accepted the position of leader in the mission to kill some random demonic Gu Master attempting immortal ascension.
"Ahh, well... the demonic immortal posted several videos of what he did with the woman on the Treasure Yellow Heaven," Xi Lan speaks with a complicated expression, as even though he doesn't care about the fate of a mortal, he still feels a bit of pity after seeing those videos.
"And Kuang Luo To quickly confirmed that it was he who kidnapped her... as well as advertised encouraging everyone to seek him out if they needed similar services." With each word, the disgust and anger on his face increase further, thinking about the despicable acts of Kuang Luo To, who seems to discard the honor of an immortal for material gains.
"Ahh, that's just that bastard's style... if I knew he would become such a huge problem, I would have killed him when he was just a mortal nearly being killed by some weak mortal clans..." Xi Ping speaks with a hint of regret on his face, but there's nothing he can do, as he didn't even know of Kuang Luo To's existence at that time.
"I guess it's finally time for his first Heavenly Tribulation, so he needs a massive amount of resources to pass it successfully..." Xi Ping speaks with a great understanding of Kuang Luo To's actions, developed after fighting numerous times with him.
"Do you plan to go to the Central Continent?" Xi Lan asks, already guessing his next actions.
"Yes! Inform the First Supreme Elder that I am leaving immediately, as I do not wish to lose a single second!!" Xi Ping speaks with resolution while trying to hide the nervousness in his heart.
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*At the same time*
"Kekeke, business is starting to boom!!" Kuang Luo To speaks with a broad confident smile on his face. "I truly am a master of advertising, kekekeke!!"
His eyes gleam as he looks at the numerous messages from immortals arriving through his Will left in the Treasure Yellow Heaven to do business with anyone willing to pay for his services.
"Ahh, now my path to obtaining enough resources to create my initial Immortal Gu arsenal is set, kekeke," he speaks while analyzing the proposals, trying to find the best ones for his current capabilities and needs.
"And with the spatial passages left by the main body to move between the five regions, I can easily cover the entire world in my business," he speaks while choosing a mission that would require him to go to the Southern Border, which isn't even a problem for him, despite being a major inconvenience for the average Immortal Gu Master.
In the end, this is just one of the many great advantages left by his main body, which is a Supreme Grandmaster in the space path, and can be used vigorously to help him in his cultivation path in the Gu world.
"Kekeke, after I obtain enough resources, I have to visit that damn Hairy Man; he will be of great help in refining Gu, and the main body has already made an agreement with him..." Kuang Luo To speaks while starting to negotiate using his Will in the Treasure Yellow Heaven with the immortal who requested his work in the Southern Border.
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*A little over a decade later*
"Kekeke, finally my first set of Immortal Gu is complete..." Kuang Luo To speaks with satisfaction, looking at a Gu in his hand.
"This Mindbreaker Immortal Gu you created is truly impressive... I would say it was a great privilege for me to refine it," Lang Ya, an old man with long white hair, speaks in a polite and refined manner.
"Kekekeke, and also counting the Informational Deduction Gu and the Information Dao Gu, you have already refined the three Rank 6 Immortal Gu you promised, right?" Although knowing the answer, Kuang Luo To still asks respectfully to the legendary Rank 8 Immortal Gu Master.
"Exactly, my promise to you, Thieving Heaven's heir, to refine three Rank 6 Gu if given the recipe and materials for the refinement is fulfilled..." Lang Ya speaks while stroking his long white beard like an oriental sage.
"Of course, this doesn't mean our business needs to end here... but the cost of refining Immortal Gu from now on will be much higher than just the resources needed for the refinement..." Lang Ya looks directly at Kuang Luo To to see his opinion on the matter.
"Of course, the price will not be extortionate, just a profit margin for me, as the life of a refiner is full of costs and expenses," he speaks, pretending to look sad, as if feeling bad for having to charge money from a friend.
But despite this pretense, he is not lying when he indicates that the price will be fair, as he intends to form a lasting friendship with Kuang Luo To after seeing great talent in this junior from the demonic path.
And the reason why he, a Rank 8 from the righteous path, would like to try to gain Kuang Luo To's friendship is simple: he has nothing to lose or major risks with it, as the refinement is under total secrecy and Kuang Luo To himself has a great interest in not letting it leak.
And the benefits is he might gain a future Rank 8 Immortal Gu Master with great combat strength who will have a great interest in protecting Lang Ya's life and safety, as he is his refiner, and although this might seem dishonorable in the eyes of many human immortals, for him, an Hairy Man Immortal who has already worked with Thieving Heaven, this is not a concern.
"Kekekeke, I am interested in accepting this proposal... but we will have to discuss it later, as I don't have much time now," Kuang Luo To speaks so politely that those who know him would wonder if this is the greatest demon on the rise in recent years.
"Of course... good luck with your final Heavenly Tribulation. I am sure most of the world is now trembling thinking about your arrival at Rank 7, hahaha," Lang Ya speaks to deepen his relationship with Kuang Luo To, who simply nods his head upon hearing his words.
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*Three decades later*
"Kuang Luo To... responsible for the destruction of a super tribe on the Northern Frontier, also for leading the war until the downfall of two super clans from the Western Desert, and causing the fall of a rising super clan in the Central Continent..." said Guo Mi, a beautiful Gu Immortal woman, articulately and eloquently.
"And if we count how many immortals have already died by his hand, the number reaches a dozen Rank 6 and one Rank 7... not to mention the numerous clans and sects he infiltrated and the countless secrets of immortals he obtained to sell." Each word she uttered was filled with disdain, visibly expressing how much she hated the person she was talking about.
"Just as he destroyed the honor and reputation of many Gu Immortals like me..." Guo Mi said these last words with melancholy and anger, watching for the listener's reaction.
"...I finally emerged from my closed cultivation to reach Rank 8, but in the meantime, such a demon has risen and ravaged the entire world," Guang Hui said with a pensive expression after hearing the words of his old friend's wife, who sought refuge with him after being expelled from her sect.
"Ah, times have changed, and now people say we even have a future Rank 8 demonic immortal on the rise," Guang Hui spoke like a senior recalling his youth from a distant past.
"Now that you've emerged from your closed cultivation, do you plan to take any action?" Guo Mi asked with hope, believing that if a Rank 8 Gu Immortal, even newly ascended, decided to deal with him, Kuang Luo To wouldn't remain alive for long.
"Of course... I will now abandon my life as a lonely immortal and create the White Celestial Light sect!" Guang Hui declared as if announcing the beginning of a new era.
"...." Guo Mi looked at him without saying anything.
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*One century later*
"Kekeke, fate really doesn't want to let me live, and the same goes for Heaven's Will," Kuang Luo To said with his gaze focused on a small green toad on a research table.
"But to kill an immortal at the peak of Rank 7 using lifespan... it's truly sly," he said with an emptiness in his eyes that he had developed over the years. "But expecting a genius like me to succumb to such a simple strategy is a great mistake, kekeke!"
"Ah, the Scholar Toad naturally has a lifespan of ten thousand years, as well as many natural Information Dao marks that give it great talent for cultivating in this path..." Kuang Luo To said, caressing the small toad's body in a strange way that would make anyone wonder what kind of pervert he was. "...it's simply perfect for me!"
"Kekeke, I'm sure the Heavenly Court will cough blood when they find out their efforts to prevent me from obtaining a good lifespan extension method failed!" Kuang Luo To thought with great satisfaction, knowing how many resources and efforts he managed to waste from the Heavenly Court, which always brought him happiness.
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*Three years later*
"Sir, we have bad news... the worst has happened!" Xi Riu, an new Information Path Rank 6 immortal, spoke with urgency. "Kuang Luo To obtained a lifespan extension method... and not only that, he has reached Rank 8!"
"How is this possible? We detected no abnormalities indicating a Grand Tribulation... Are you sure the Heavenly Cou-" Xi Wa didn't finish his words, stopping the moment he felt Xi Jiu glaring at him with disdain.
"And why would they lie? What would they gain from it? How would it benefit us to deny the truth? Do you doubt the capabilities of the greatest rising genius of this era to reverse his entire situation?" Xi Jiu fired off incisive questions one after another, not giving Xi Wa any time to respond.
"We lost talented Gu Immortals like Xi Ping to Kuang Luo To, and the same can be said of many other clans and sects in the Gu world when he was still a Rank 7..." Xi Jiu spoke with a serious expression, shifting the focus away from Xi Wa. "...and we and all the clans of the world suppressed him with all our might. Now that he has reached Rank 8, we will face even more difficult times than in the past... be prepared."
"Would he dare to attack us directly? Our clan is allied with the Ai Clan, which has a Rank 8 immortal..." An immortal spoke with a bit of hope.
"Ai Wu won't act to defend us as he won't want to start a direct conflict with a Rank 8 Kuang Luo To," Xi Jiu understood Ai Wu well. "...besides, he fears provoking a future Venerable."
"Future Venerable... isn't it an exaggeration to place Kuang Luo To at that level, even with his undeniable talent?" A female Gu Immortal asked doubtfully.
"I say it is not. In fact, we should all unite to try to kill him before he can become a Venerable!" A heroic-looking Gu Immortal roared loudly.
"And end up like the Fire Judgment sect that tried to deal with Thieving Heaven before he became a Venerable?" Xi Zhen asked in a tone of an old man scolding his reckless grandson. "Are you willing to bet on the complete destruction of the clan?"
*Deep sigh* Xi Jiu, hearing the growing discussion, looked at the distant horizon, lost in deep thought.
For him and the entire Gu world and righteous forces, seeing Kuang Luo To become a Rank 8 Gu Immortal was a great lament. If he reached the level of a Venerable, even the Heavens would scream in despair.
Not only that, but he felt a deep sense of incompetence and melancholy, as he, an immortal for over two thousand years, had spent double the time Kuang Luo To had been alive just as a Rank 7.
Yet, that hardly mattered now that Kuang Luo To was a Rank 8 Gu Immortal while he remained centuries stuck in his cultivation, fearing he could not survive his third and final Grand Tribulation.
"We can only pray that the Heavenly Court manages to eliminate this threat to the righteous forces of the Gu world before he reaches the level of a Venerable..." Xi Jiu murmured quietly, looking at the distant sky with a deep gaze.
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*Five centuries later*
*Cough* *Cough* "Ahh, we did it...." Guang Hui spoke, looking at a battlefield completely devastated by a lightning strike stretching thousands of kilometers. More surprisingly, the bodies of numerous Rank 6 and 7 Gu Immortals, as well as the rare but many Rank 8 Gu Immortals, lay dead.
This is the result of a surprise attack by Kuang Luo To on the forces of the Heavenly Court, who were caught completely off guard and had to rely on the assistance of all the sects of the Central Continent to win the battle.
In fact, if he closed his eyes, he could see the image of the small green toad with a mad smile on its face while massacring the Gu Immortals of the Central Continent, which instilled great fear even in him, a legendary Rank 8.
"We managed to kill Kuang Luo To...." he said with a satisfied look, almost with tears streaming down his face after realizing that all the sacrifice was worth it.
*Cough* *Cough* "That is not the case because his fate connection still exists...." Cai Lian Mu spoke, coughing up mouthfuls of blood in his deplorable state.
"...we couldn't run from his attack as he sought to capture the ancestors of the future immortal Venerable.... but we failed and let him succeed. We have sinned against humanity!!" Cai Lian Mu spoke with great regret and pain in his voice.
"Lord Heaven Overseeing Tower, you..." Guang Hui began, but in the end, didn't know how to comfort the old man, for even he felt these emotions now that he knew so many had died and sacrificed themselves, and still, they failed.
"Forget it... he will be in a weakened state now, so your priority will be to track and kill him and rescue the Immortal King seed!" Cai Lian Mu roared with conviction in his words. "By any means necessary... but I, unfortunately, will not survive to see this..."
"So, I appoint Zhi Ming as the new Heaven Overseeing Tower Lord from now on..." he spoke increasingly weakly until all life was extinguished from his body.
"The entire Central Continent has been devastated by this battle... millions died because of you.... Kuang Luo To, I swear I will take your life with my own hands!!" Guang Hui declared.
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*Less than twenty years later/present time*
"Kekekeke, so finally comes the end of this foolish toad...." Kuang Luo To said as a poem reverberated throughout the world like a celestial poem reaching everyone's heart.
"A new era dawns upon the world,
You all shall witness the bloodbath's begin.
I, Kuang Luo To, feared by all,
Once compared, and rumored as a Future Venerable—
A folly greater than my own.
For no matter my current greatness,
In this future era, I am but a minor role,
A foolish dancer to another's man tune.
So it is for all, from the lowliest mortal
To the mightiest Rank 8,
In the presence of the great Venerables,
We are insignificant.
Yet we find joy, for the meaning of our lives
Is ours alone to seek.
Determine your own greatness with all your heart.
Thus, I humbly accept my status,
For from birth to death,
I have always been
A foolish toad in a well, unable to see Heaven's full expanse."