Emerald Maple Mountain remained lively for an entire day, and the smile never once faded from Gu Shiwen's face.

Gu Changhuan had also examined the formation Gu Shiwen gave him on the day of his breakthrough. It was a Minor Spirit-Gathering Formation, which slightly increased the concentration of Spiritual Qi.

While it was a fine item, it held little practical use for Gu Changhuan.

Many guests had come to the celebration, bringing plenty of gifts.

Gu Shiwen would receive a third of the gifts; the other two-thirds would go to the clan.

After the Foundation Establishment Celebration, Gu Changhuan began switching to his new cultivation art.

He told no one what he was doing, saying only that he was going into seclusion.

He could not explain where the art came from, so there was no point saying more. Even if Gu Wanhao and the others noticed the change, they would not pry. They might not mention it at all.

By this time, Gu Wanhao had already returned to Nine Perches Market, leaving Gu Changhuan behind on Emerald Maple Mountain.

Seated within his quiet chamber, he began a meticulous study of the Chaos Myriad Spirits Art.

Even though he had already skimmed through its contents once before, Gu Changhuan could not help but marvel at the profound mystery and immense might of this technique!

It was certainly one of the finest Five Elements cultivation techniques.

Consider, for instance, the various secret arts embedded within it.

Primordial Chaos Escape was more than twice as fast as ordinary escape techniques. Perfect for getting away from danger!

This single escape technique alone was precisely to Gu Changhuan's liking.

Another ability in the art astonished him: the Blood-Ignition Transformation.

The name referred to two different uses of the same secret art.

A cultivator could begin practicing this method upon reaching the Foundation Establishment realm. Once minor mastery was achieved, they could refine the essence blood of Demon Beasts and incorporate it for their own use.

When necessary, one could ignite that stored blood to transform into the corresponding Demon Beast. Once the essence blood was completely burned away, the transformation would naturally lift.

Best of all, the transformation consumed none of the cultivator's own Spiritual Power or True Essence.

When a cultivator advanced to the Soul Formation stage, they could continue refining this secret art toward major mastery.

At major mastery, the Blood-Ignition Transformation could produce a blood mist.

The mist itself could neither harm anyone nor cause discomfort, but it concealed a deadly threat.

For all the essence blood previously devoured and refined remained preserved inside that mist.

The cultivator no longer needed to transform. With a thought, they could summon the beasts in their former shapes to fight, until their Spiritual Power and True Essence ran out and they dispersed.

Devour myriad spirits, then take their forms: that was where the art got its name.

The word "Chaos" referred to its True Essence.

Upon reaching Nascent Soul, a cultivator with five Spirit Roots could use this art to convert the Five Elements True Essence in their body into Chaos True Essence.

The introduction did not explain what made Chaos True Essence special, but Gu Changhuan was sure it must be a powerful weapon. Otherwise, why call it the Chaos Myriad Spirits Art?

Having thoroughly grasped the principles of the Chaos Myriad Spirits Art, Gu Changhuan proceeded to study its Qi Condensation Realm portion.

Compared to the Azure Cloud Qi Condensation Art, the Chaos Myriad Spirits Art proved far more abstruse and difficult to comprehend.

Fortunately, Gu Changhuan had a good grasp of cultivation principles.

When he finally emerged from Secluded Cultivation, half a year had already elapsed.

That was much sooner than he had expected.

He had encountered no trouble changing arts. If anything, the transition had felt natural.

Perhaps his Spirit Roots were particularly suited to it?

That was Gu Changhuan's guess.

The Chaos Myriad Spirits Art was a top-class cultivation art. He was still at the seventh layer of Qi Condensation, but now had much more Spiritual Power than he had with the Azure Cloud Qi Condensation Art.

In terms of Spiritual Power alone, he could comfortably overpower a ninth-layer Qi Condensation cultivator. Combat experience was another matter.

Little more than a year remained before the grand competition at Nine Perches Market.

Gu Changhuan felt he could certainly enter, though he still needed to work on his fighting skills.

After all, without seasoned combat experience, high cultivation alone was merely an empty facade-pleasant to behold but utterly useless in a real confrontation.

Gu Huan had practiced martial arts in his previous life, but those mortal techniques were far from enough against cultivators.

Emerald Maple Mountain had a place for clan members to practice fighting: Hundred Battles Valley. The name said it all.

Within the valley stood a platform where numerous sparring matches were held each day.

Consecutive victors had their names recorded on the Hundred Battles Ranking, and the top five cultivators on this roster were awarded a monthly stipend of extra cultivation resources.

On this particular day, a young man appeared outside Hundred Battles Valley.

He possessed refined features and a slender build, dressed in dark Daoist robes as he strolled leisurely into the grounds.

"A newcomer!"

Noticing that Gu Changhuan looked unfamiliar, several cultivators seated near the platform murmured with excitement.

"Who is he? I haven't seen him around much."

"Changhuan. Seventeenth," said a youth in white, sparing with his words.

"Changhuan? I haven't heard much about him. Don't think I've seen him around Emerald Maple Mountain much either," someone said.

Indeed, over recent years, Gu Changhuan had spent the vast majority of his time at Nine Perches Market, dividing his days between cultivation and alchemy. He rarely returned to the clan seat and remained largely unacquainted with most of his peers.

Stepping into Hundred Battles Valley and surveying the surroundings, Gu Changhuan unexpectedly caught sight of familiar faces.

He walked over to the small group.

"Greetings, Uncles, Brothers.

"Ninth Brother, it's been a while. I didn't expect to see you here."

During Gu Shiwen's Foundation Establishment Celebration, Gu Changqing had been away from the clan on an assigned duty.

The youth in white was Gu Changqing. He nodded.

"I come here often."

The others nodded in greeting too.

"You wouldn't know, Changhuan!"

A stocky youth standing beside Gu Changqing spoke up.

"Little Ninth is a top-five expert on the Hundred Battles Ranking! Few peers of the same realm can best him in a fight!"

Gu Changhuan was surprised. The Gu Clan had nearly three hundred cultivators. Even excluding the thirty to fifty who were too young or already retired, and the few stationed at distant clan businesses, more than a hundred would come to Hundred Battles Valley to practice.

For Gu Changqing, who was only a few years his senior and currently sat at the Qi Condensation Seventh Layer, to secure such a prominent position on the ranking indicated exceptional combat prowess.

"I didn't know you were so good, Ninth Brother! And what should I call you, Brother?"

The stocky youth chuckled heartily.

"I am Gu Changming, seventh among the Chang generation."

Gu Changhuan cupped his fists with a smile.

"So it is Seventh Brother."

"No need to be so polite. We're family.

"Here to practice, Seventeenth Brother? Have you arranged a sparring partner?"

Gu Changming inquired cheerfully.

Gu Changhuan paused for a moment.

"It's my first time here. I don't know the rules yet. Do we have to find our own opponents?"

"Not strictly, but those who come here for the first time usually arrange a partner to spar with."

Gu Changming explained.

Was it to avoid being overwhelmed too quickly and losing face in front of others?

Gu Changhuan quietly surmised.

"If you have no prearranged partner, you can simply step onto the platform and wait for a challenger, though that tends to waste time.

"Each bout on the Hundred Battles Platform costs Clan Contribution Points. We need a formation running and a clan elder on hand to supervise."

Gu Changming continued his explanation.

By the time Gu Changming finished explaining, Gu Changhuan had a fair idea of the rules.

Contribution Points were hardly an issue for him; he possessed far more than he could ever reasonably spend.

He did not need a Foundation Establishment Pill to advance, either, so there was no need to worry about saving enough Contribution Points.

Naturally, he had no intention of idling away his time waiting for random opponents.

Why not ask one of these two to spar with him?

But which one?

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