Chapter 498 - 436: Part 2
Chapter 498: Chapter 436: Part 2
As he recounted what Gu Shaojun had experienced at the international military competition abroad, Grandfather Gongsun and his son were utterly shocked and exceptionally excited. Grandfather Gongsun concluded that Gu Shaojun was already a Cultivator, and one with a profound cultivation at that. To have escaped such a perilous situation so cleanly, he must have been carrying an Array Plate or some other powerful Magic Artifact!
However, in modern society, while hidden Cultivators like the Gongsun Family did exist—and with considerable cultivation—forging an Array Plate or Magic Artifact powerful enough to withstand gunfire and artillery was almost impossible. First, it required several extremely special materials—materials that were difficult to acquire even with the full resources of a nation, let alone gathering a complete set!
Therefore, the Array Plate or Magic Artifact Gu Shaojun possessed couldn’t have been made by him. It was most likely a relic left behind by a Cultivator of a previous generation!
But the Gu family’s line of Cultivation had been broken for several generations. How could they possess such a treasure? The answer to that question, they suspected, was to be found with Gu Shaojun’s fiancée, Tang Manman!
The Gongsun father and son were clearly stirred by the thought of "relic Magic Artifacts and Array Plates." They were visibly agitated and took a while to calm down. Grandfather Gongsun sighed and fell silent. Gongsun Changting, however, took a sip of tea, glanced at Bai Junfan, and suddenly launched into an eloquent speech.
He argued that Tang Manman’s abandonment by her birth parents as a child was, without a doubt, a blessing in disguise. She must have encountered some fortuitous opportunity in the remote countryside that granted her great destiny. Such events were not uncommon in the Cultivation World of ancient times.
Judging by Tang Manman’s current situation, she was not only cultivating herself but had also brought the Tang Family and her fiancé into Cultivation with her. How could the Gu family possibly let such an opportunity slip by? They were bound to follow suit. For someone with a Spirit Root, Cultivation wasn’t difficult once they’d grasped a Cultivation Technique. But without substantial material and financial support, it was a complete waste of effort! It was like drinking water. A well-funded cultivator drinks water mixed with honey, lotus root powder, and ginseng slices. Their body is nourished and energized; it goes without saying that their constitution will strengthen, their health improve, and their life will be prolonged. A poor cultivator just drinks a plain glass of water. They break a sweat, take a leak, and it’s all gone. That water did nothing more than momentarily wet their insides to keep them from drying out!
The cost for the Tang and Gu families to cultivate simultaneously would be well into the tens of millions, if not more. Both families had deep pockets and could currently support it. However, our investigation showed that apart from the third young master of the Gu family transporting jade to Beijing, the assets of the Gu and Tang families hadn’t been touched at all! Thus, we can deduce that Tang Manman alone is providing for all these cultivators’ needs!
How could one weak girl have such vast resources? The various elixirs required for Energy Introduction, such as Nourishing Yuan Pills... to produce just ten of them requires refining several truckloads of over a thousand types of herbs, some of which are exceptionally precious and difficult to find. Where did she get all that? This leads to another conclusion: Tang Manman possesses a treasure! It couldn’t be a mere Qiankun Bag; it must be a Storage Ring capable of holding the wealth of an entire kingdom!
That Storage Ring must contain all kinds of Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, Magic Artifacts, and Treasure Talismans left behind by a Cultivator from a bygone era!
In the Cultivation World, the strong have always been revered. Only the strong are worthy of possessing such treasures. Tang Manman is currently at the Qi Refining Seventh Layer, which doesn’t yet qualify her as strong. As for Gu Shaojun... that’s another matter entirely.
After he finished speaking, Gongsun Changting didn’t look at Bai Junfan again. With a placid and detached expression, he picked up the small teapot to pour tea for the others, acting as if he had merely been stating facts, with no ulterior motive.
This speech, however, shook Bai Junfan to his core. He had long known that Manman studied under a famous physician and could produce life-saving medicine. But the idea that she possessed heaven-defying treasures like a Qiankun Bag or a Storage Ring was something he’d never have imagined. Now, he had no choice but to believe it!
Bai Junfan was no dull, unobservant man. On the contrary, he had a meticulous mind and a keen eye for detail. He caught the dark glint that flashed in the depths of Gongsun Changting’s eyes. He’d seen it clearly—it was a look of pity, regret, and even... contempt!
A flicker of annoyance ignited in Bai Junfan’s heart. ’What right does he have to look down on me? Gu Shaojun is just coasting on an engagement arranged by his ancestors. If I’d been born with a marriage contract like that, and if my family had always been prosperous and never suffered through those years of hardship, I’d be ten, a hundred times stronger than Gu Shaojun!’
’So what if Gu Shaojun is a Cultivator now? When we were both Ancient Martial Practitioners, he could never surpass me. That proves our innate talent and aptitude are on the same level. I’m about to achieve Energy Introduction myself. As long as I work hard, I refuse to believe I can’t catch up to him!’
’As for Manman, she’s still so young. It’s not yet decided who she’ll end up with!’
As this thought crossed his mind, Bai Junfan couldn’t help but look up. Coincidentally, Gu Shaojun, who sat opposite him, had just been called away by Tang Qingshan. Bai Junfan took the opportunity to cast his gaze toward the women’s table, his expression filled with anticipation. ’Little Manman must have grown up a bit, right? Two years ago, she was already blossoming into a refined and extraordinary beauty, so captivating it could stir a man’s soul. I fear she must be even more enchanting now.’
’That letter I left her... I wonder how she’ll respond?’
An image of Xiao Man from two years ago surfaced in his mind: as pure and ethereal as a lotus, as nimble and docile as a fawn. Standing close to her, he could catch the faint, elegant fragrance that clung to her—not perfume, but the unique, natural scent of a young woman.
The corners of Bai Junfan’s lips curled up. ’That little girl smelled so nice. She’s beautiful, sweet, and adorable. Even without that treasure, she’s worth cherishing and doting on. I’ve truly taken her to heart. While I was abroad, I missed her constantly.’
Gu Shaojun returned to his seat to find Bai Junfan staring at the small hall where the women’s tables were, a punchable smirk on his face. Gritting his back molars, Gu Shaojun picked up his wine glass and called for a toast from the entire table.
He restrained the urge to release his Suppression and overwhelm Bai Junfan’s spirit. It was unfair for a Cultivator to intimidate a mortal; it wasn’t a righteous or honorable thing to do.