Chapter 462 - 402: Gongsun Clan
Chapter 462: Chapter 402: Gongsun Clan
Xiao Man’s intuitive repulsion wasn’t without reason. Gongsun Ruxue was from the very same Cultivation Family Old Master Bai had mentioned—the Gongsun Clan, which had remained hidden from the world for over a hundred years.
Her approach to Xiao Man was indeed driven by ulterior motives. Not only did she want to find out exactly how many resources necessary for Cultivation Xiao Man possessed, but she also planned to seize them all for the Cultivation of the Gongsun Family’s younger generation!
When Old Master Bai approached the Gongsun Clan, he presented them with a packet of herbs prepared by Xiao Man. Sure enough, the Gongsun Family reacted immediately. They rushed people to Beijing and dutifully followed Old Master Bai’s instructions: testing the Bai family for Spirit Roots and providing them with a Cultivation Method in exchange for information on Xiao Man. Then, with the Bai Family pulling strings, Gongsun Ruxue enrolled in the same Medical College as Xiao Man, aiming to win her over with exquisite medical skills.
The original plan was to send a handsome young man to approach Xiao Man. However, after a few days of observation, they realized she was already surrounded by talented and handsome young men, each possessing an extraordinary air and striking presence. The Gongsun Family’s own boys aged fifteen to eighteen were largely immature, while the few older ones were studying abroad. To complicate matters, Old Master Bai interfered, forbidding them from using a handsome face as a honey trap, claiming Xiao Man was already infatuated with the Bai family’s eldest grandson. Thus, the mission ultimately fell to the clever and perceptive Gongsun Ruxue, who was to befriend Xiao Man and become her close confidante. The goal, after all, was just to get close to her, learn her habits and living situation, and uncover the source of those herbs.
Earth had entered the End of Dharma Era, and the scarce Spiritual Energy and lack of resources were hostile to Cultivation. Nevertheless, dozens of members of the Gongsun Clan persisted, hoping to follow the Guiding Path to achieve immortality. Although only a dozen or so had actually succeeded at Energy Introduction, this was already considered an excellent outcome. The clan’s legacy was paramount; as long as a single breath remained, it could not be allowed to perish.
And as long as someone’s cultivation advanced, it would only bring benefits to the entire clan, never harm.
For example, once a cultivator reached Late-stage Qi Refining, they could perform Alchemy and create various elixirs. Even if they were only low-grade elixirs, they could genuinely strengthen the body, enhance intelligence, and prolong life!
It was a case of "a rising tide lifts all boats." As long as the clan could support even one such individual, everyone would benefit. If they could produce several, that would be even better.
The Gongsun Clan did not lack money; what they lacked were Cultivation resources: Spiritual Energy and herbs.
Once a cultivator reached the Qi Refining Second Level or higher, they could use a Spirit Gathering Array to gather and utilize the sparse Spiritual Energy, or they could directly absorb it from jade and other objects. The special materials needed to create an Array and the cost of purchasing jade were both enormous. Even if the resulting Spiritual Energy was sufficient for normal Cultivation, those with slower comprehension still made little progress, wasting both money and precious time. To advance their cultivation smoothly, supplementary elixirs were essential. However, elixirs were hard to obtain. As a result, most of the Gongsun Clan’s Cultivators who had achieved Energy Introduction were now old men with white hair, still stuck at the novice First and Second Layers of Qi Refining.
It wasn’t that they lacked people capable of Alchemy. In fact, the Gongsun Clan currently had one Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator and two at the Late-stage of Qi Refining, all of whom were capable of refining elixirs. But success depended entirely on the quality of the herbs. If the herbs were poor, the elixirs would be inferior. Not only would they be ineffective, but consuming too many would cause Dan Poison to accumulate in the body, leading to endless future problems!
Thus, when the members of the Gongsun Clan saw the packet of herbs from Old Master Bai, they lost their composure on the spot. These herbs weren’t just unusual—they were the fabled Spirit Plants of legend!
If they could possess such Spirit Plants, the Gongsun Clan would thrive! Their path of Immortal Cultivation would become completely unimpeded. Even members who lacked a Spirit Root and were unable to cultivate could live freely and wantonly under the protection of a Cultivation Family. They could swagger across the face of the Earth; they could even become emperor if they wished!
But where did these Spirit Plants come from? Did they exist on Earth? How could the Gongsun Family, a Cultivation Family, not know about them? ’This was unacceptable!’
It wasn’t as if Cultivators didn’t exist on Earth, especially in Huaxia Country. Like the Gongsun Clan, they typically kept a low profile, living as recluses to quietly pursue their Cultivation. They wouldn’t show themselves unless a monumental prize was at stake. When they did emerge, it was always to fight over treasures. For the longest time, the Gongsun Clan had never left such a contest empty-handed. Though the handful of Cultivators rarely met directly, in terms of sheer power, the Gongsun Clan was the undisputed leader of the Cultivator World. ’For Spirit Plants to exist on Earth but not belong to the Gongsun Clan? It’s simply illogical!’
The Gongsun Clan’s highest authority was the ancestor who had reached the Foundation Establishment Stage, an old man Gongsun Ruxue called her great-grandfather. He had recently sensed a loosening of his bottleneck and had not yet emerged from secluded cultivation. After some discussion, the other main members of the clan decided that Gongsun Ruxue’s branch of the family would go to Beijing first to investigate and bide their time.
Gongsun Ruxue’s grandfather and father—one a Late-stage Qi Refining cultivator and the other at Qi Refining Middle Stage—brought three or four younger relatives with them. Posing as merchants, they moved into a siheyuan courtyard house in Beijing. The property was registered under someone else’s name, but it was, in fact, their family’s asset.
They were initially reluctant to deal with the Bai family again, as they had repaid a favor over a decade ago and owed them nothing more. However, in order to get the information as quickly as possible, they agreed to Old Master Bai’s demands. It took a week of wrangling with the Bai Family before they learned the basics about Tang Manman.
The Gongsun Clan was determined to obtain the Spirit Plants no matter who possessed them. But after observing and investigating, the Gongsun Family was dealt a blow and had to abandon their thoughts of taking them by force. This Tang Manman was no ordinary person; her background was far too exceptional—she was a descendant of the Tang family and was also set to marry into the Gu family!
Both the Tang and Gu families were powerful and influential, and neither was to be provoked. This was especially true for the Gu family, which had practiced Ancient Martial Arts for generations. The Gu family’s ancestors had even produced some extremely high-level Cultivators. But what was even more concerning was that Tang Manman herself was already a Qi Refining Middle Stage cultivator!
’It seems taking them by force won’t work,’ they thought. ’We’ll have to be flexible and try another method!’
’Spirit Plants are simply too precious. Now that we’ve found them, how can we just let them go? Don’t you see? Tang Manman is only fifteen or sixteen, and she’s already at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer! It has to be because she has Spirit Plants!’
Gongsun Ruxue’s grandfather watched Xiao Man from a distance, nearly bursting into tears of frustration. He was sixty-five years old and had started his Cultivation at five. It had taken him a full sixty years to reach the Qi Refining Ninth Layer. ’Is that girl trying to spite me?’ he thought. ’She’s already shot up to the Seventh Layer at such a young age!’
’No matter what, I have to get my hands on the Spirit Plants that little girl has! If we can’t rob her openly, then we’ll steal them secretly!’
"Steal" was an ugly word. They preferred to think of it as a type of Spell. Cultivation Families had an endless variety of spells and techniques, and the Gongsun Family had no shortage of marvelous ancestral Spells. For example, the Disappearing Technique could transfer a portion of an item away without anyone knowing. As long as Gongsun Ruxue got close to Tang Manman and found out where she kept her herbs, they could use this trick to move them away without a trace!
The Gongsun Family also possessed a very practical Cultivation Technique that could completely conceal one’s cultivation level. Even a Late-stage Qi Refining expert wouldn’t easily see through it. Gongsun Ruxue was a Third Level of Qi Refining cultivator, but standing before Tang Manman, she showed no flaws in her disguise whatsoever.