Chapter 23

Gu Changqing was convinced.

He understood that monsters were indeed transformed by the influence of eerie energy, which only ever appeared in places of extreme Yin. Given the current circumstances, he could think of no other explanation beyond a profound upheaval of heaven and earth.

"Troubled times are upon us," he lamented, an inexplicable sense of urgency rising within him.

After a brief chat with Zhang Yuan, Gu Changqing departed with the thirty newly hired spiritual planters. The area near North Spirit City was relatively safe, and they encountered no monster ambushes along the way. However, as they ventured into more remote regions, the new recruits grew increasingly anxious. It was only when the protective grand array of Sunset Mist Mountain came into view that they finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, they were not joining some minor, insignificant family. They had been terrified by recent monster raids, and the protective array provided a much-needed sense of security.

Once he had settled them in and infused their spiritual plants with a touch of Azure Wood energy, Gu Changqing did not linger, quickly making his way back to North Spirit City. He was still somewhat influenced by Ji Yan. That parting advice had unconsciously given him a sense of belonging—a feeling that once his business was done, he should return home.

Well, that seemed right enough. Gu Changqing did not even notice the shift in his own perspective; Sunset Mist Mountain was his home, so why should it matter whether he returned to North Spirit City? For someone who had always walked alone, he had finally acquired a tether.

...

The following days remained as peaceful as ever. No matter how the monsters wreaked havoc outside, North Spirit City remained as prosperous and bustling as before. Aside from a few new faces, the city had not changed at all.

In the East City, promotion for the arrival of Lady Lian Yue continued. Her fame had spread far and wide even before her arrival.

In the West City, business at the shops had improved. Though hunting monsters yielded little profit, the contribution points of the Spirit Void Sect could be exchanged for the resources cultivators lacked most—cultivation techniques, spells, the hundred arts of immortality, and so on. Most importantly, they could be exchanged for Foundation Establishment Pills.

For this reason, both rogue cultivators and members of smaller families were willing to head out and hunt monsters to earn those points, Gu Changling included. He was now at the ninth level of Qi Refining, needing only a single Foundation Establishment Pill.

At Gu’s Sundries, everyone had been eating well lately. Gu Xinglan’s culinary skills were impressive, and she prepared monster meat in a dazzling variety of ways. The delicious feasts left everyone stuffed, and even Gu Changqing, unable to resist the temptation, had eaten his fair share.

In truth, if one set aside the grotesque appearance of the monsters, the meat tasted quite excellent. It was tender and succulent, each type possessing unique properties. For instance, consuming the Three-Eyed Owl Hawk enhanced one’s vision, allowing for clearer sight at night. Consuming Phantom Fox meat improved one’s complexion, making it a favorite among female cultivators—though it could not match the immediate effects of a Beauty Pill, it was far cheaper to purify monster meat.

There were others, too. In short, each had its benefits. Everyone clearly felt the changes in themselves; Gu Xingdao, who was already on the verge of a breakthrough, had advanced to the seventh level of Qi Refining after eating monster meat for a month.

Gu Changqing noticed, somewhat inexplicably, that Ji Yan was looking at him with a hint of disdain.

Fine, his cultivation was indeed a bit low. But he had to remain steady. He was not one to be competitive, but he couldn't let his elders lose face either.

"Xingdao, come with me," Gu Changqing said that day, his expression calm and his aura ethereal, perfectly embodying the demeanor of a master.

"Thirteenth Uncle?" Gu Xingdao felt uneasy. Why was his uncle calling for him? He worried that his own breakthrough had caused his uncle to lose face, especially since Senior Uncle Ji’s disdain had been so obvious. It must be difficult for a man to be looked down upon by his partner.

"Sit," Gu Changqing said, gesturing toward a meditation cushion.

"Understood." Gu Xingdao sat down respectfully, thinking that he would agree to whatever his uncle said. Though they hadn't met before, their bond had been forged over meals; he knew that if not for his uncle finding ways to procure meat, he wouldn't have advanced so quickly.

"Xingdao, you've been in North Spirit City for nearly two months now, haven't you?"

"Yes!" Gu Xingdao sat bolt upright, waiting for what followed.

"You are a prodigy of the Gu clan. You must understand the importance of avoiding arrogance and impatience. Never let yourself be complacent. You must realize that only a prodigy who survives is truly a prodigy. Furthermore, our Gu clan is nothing of note in the entire Cang Prefecture; your talent is merely upper-middle tier in the eyes of the Spirit Void Sect. You must remember to keep a low profile and never be reckless."

"Yes!" Gu Xingdao felt a heavy weight in his heart. His uncle had indeed been hurt by the situation.

Gu Changqing nodded in satisfaction. His nephew was quite obedient, though he had no idea that they were not even on the same wavelength. Still, Xingdao and Xinglan were indeed the clan’s prodigies, which was why the family had secretly arranged a way out for them. Besides them, dozens of other disciples were scattered elsewhere, though Gu Changqing was unaware of this.

"Xingdao, I haven't given you anything since you arrived. Today, I shall pass on a secret technique to you."

"Thirteenth Uncle," Gu Xingdao said with a solemn expression, bowing respectfully. "Please do not belittle yourself. You have already been good enough to me. I am unworthy of such gifts, I..."

Gu Changqing blinked. What was he talking about? Belittling himself? He never did that. Still, his nephew was conscientious and knew that he was being looked after, which pleased him.

"Receive it." Gu Changqing tapped his finger, sending a stream of information into the youth's consciousness.

In an instant, an obscure and profound technique flooded Gu Xingdao's mind. A few hundred characters radiated an unfathomably mysterious aura. It was so esoteric and deep that it felt like a celestial script, completely beyond reach. The more profound a technique, the harder it was to cultivate. It was so complex that even text or jade slips could not record it; it had to be passed down through a direct transmission of insight. Only when one had mastered it themselves could they teach it to others—such was the limitation of immortal-grade techniques.

Gu Xingdao closed his eyes tightly, absorbing the mysteries of the technique. A while later, he opened his eyes with a complex look. "This is..."

"The Void Concealment Art." Since it was a technique synthesized by the Void Treasure Mirror, Gu Changqing had named it himself. Though it was an immortal-grade secret technique, its entry threshold was low. However, it was extremely difficult to master; without guidance, one couldn't even reach the threshold. As it happened, Gu Changqing had the guidance of the Void Treasure Mirror, and Gu Xingdao had his.

Two hours later, Gu Xingdao’s cultivation, which had just advanced, retracted back to the sixth level of Qi Refining. He had barely mastered the first layer of the Void Concealment Art, which allowed him to evade detection by cultivators two major realms higher than himself.

Gu Changqing nodded in satisfaction. The boy had good aptitude. He spoke earnestly, "Xingdao, you must know that the nail that sticks out gets hammered. We must be low-key, always keeping a hidden card and a concealed strike in reserve. Only then can you catch others by surprise and live longer."

Gu Xingdao’s mouth twitched, leaving him speechless. Looking at his unreliable Thirteenth Uncle, his emotions were particularly complex. He had worried about hurting his uncle's feelings, only to find... he shed a silent tear for himself. He was clearly still too young and not as cunning as his uncle. He couldn't help but ask, "Thirteenth Uncle, what exactly is your cultivation?"

"Ha!" Gu Changqing raised an eyebrow, smiling. "Guess!"

Gu Xingdao: "..."

"Uncle will teach you another lesson today," Gu Changqing said, feeling quite smug as he patted Gu Xingdao’s shoulder. "A trump card is only a trump card if no one knows about it except yourself. Understand? Haha."

Gu Changqing was in high spirits; he had finally regained his face. Gu Xingdao remained silent once more.

"Let’s go. It seems the Third Great-Uncle has returned." Hearing a commotion outside, Gu Changqing stopped paying attention to his stunned nephew and walked to the main hall in the back courtyard.

"Sigh!" The Third Great-Uncle was frowning, another day having passed with no gains.

"Third Great-Uncle, if you ask me, you should stop worrying. The auction is in a few days, and I hear there really will be longevity-extending spiritual herbs and Foundation Establishment Pills."

"What do you know?" The Third Great-Uncle glared at him. The fact that the ancestor’s lifespan was running low was a secret; how could they dare to auction off longevity medicine with such fanfare? Besides, that wasn't what he was worried about.

Just as he was about to speak, he saw Gu Xingdao following behind and immediately clamped his mouth shut, swallowing his words. Such troublesome matters were not for the younger generation to hear. Suddenly, the Third Great-Uncle’s gaze sharpened. "Xingdao, your cultivation..." He remembered Xingdao had advanced, but no matter how he looked, he only saw the sixth level of Qi Refining.

Gu Xingdao smiled modestly. "Thirteenth Uncle told me to keep a low profile."

"Right, that is as it should be." The Third Great-Uncle laughed excitedly. "Listen to your Thirteenth Uncle. What is this concealment art? It could even fool me!" He was, after all, at the peak of Foundation Establishment.

"It is a secret technique taught to me by Thirteenth Uncle."

"Good." The Third Great-Uncle nodded with satisfaction, his gaze toward Gu Changqing filled with warmth. "You rascal, you hide your depth well. I suspect even your current cultivation is not the real one. Still, it is good that you look out for the younger ones. I am relieved to leave Xingdao and the others in your hands. Sigh!"

The Third Great-Uncle let out a heavy sigh. Gu Changqing was speechless; he had already tried to reassure him many times, but the old man wouldn't listen.

"Third Great-Uncle, you really don't need to worry so much. I'll find a way."

Once the monster meat was fully analyzed in a few days, he could use the first volume of *The Monster Consumption Guide* to negotiate with the Spirit Void Sect; obtaining a Foundation Establishment Pill would be no problem. Furthermore, he had used the Azure Wood Longevity Technique to revise a rudimentary method that could extend life by thirty years. Even if it were only thirty years, once he had the Void Treasure Mirror evaluate it again, the quality would improve. All problems would be solved.

As long as the ancestor lived, the Gu family would face no issues. With the Gu family as his backing, he could comfortably remain in North Spirit City and quietly improve his cultivation.

Gu Changqing patted himself on the back. Perfect!

Gu Xingdao felt a sudden tension. "Third Great-Uncle, has something happened?"

"Nothing at all." The Third Great-Uncle waved his hand dismissively and then glared at Gu Changqing. This kid had a loose tongue and always liked to brag; what possible solution could he have?

Gu Changqing rolled his eyes. It wasn't his fault the Third Great-Uncle’s expressions were so obvious; even Ji Yan could see it, and Xingdao and the others weren't fools. Besides, he wasn't bragging. It was just that the *Monster Consumption Guide* wasn't finished, and the longevity technique was still in its infancy, so he couldn't reveal them yet.

He would wait. After the auction ended, his techniques and ancient texts would be ready.