Chapter 504 - 442: How to Deal With It
Chapter 504: Chapter 442: How to Deal With It
The cultivation technique Gu Shaojun practiced was the Nine Revolutions Primordial Technique. This incredibly powerful and difficult-to-master superior cultivation technique seemed tailor-made for Cultivators with a Thunder Spirit Root. Gu Shaojun handled it with great ease, and his advancement was swift.
However, not all members of the Gu family possessed a Thunder Spirit Root, so it was unsuitable for everyone to use the Mixed Element Technique. After some discussion, Xiao Man and Gu Shaojun offered two other cultivation techniques for everyone to choose from. One of them, renamed the Heart Nourishing Technique, was what Tang Qingshan, Tang Qingyun, and Tang Haocheng were currently practicing. Gu Shaoqin chose the Heart Nourishing Technique without hesitation. After listening to Gu Shaojun’s explanation and considering their own circumstances, the others chose the Heart Nourishing Technique as well.
Grandpa Gu also had a Thunder Spirit Root and had initially planned to use the Nine Revolutions Primordial Technique. At the last moment, however, he changed his mind and selected the Heart Nourishing Technique instead. He chuckled and said to Xiao Man, "I’ll have to go find your grandfather and ask for his opinion. It would be good to have him stand guard for me when I attempt my Energy Introduction."
Xiao Man understood at once. ’Grandpa Gu wants to rope my grandfather into cultivating with him.’
Grandpa Gu’s study had always been a solemn and desolate place where visitors were rarely permitted. But today, he had let in so many of his children and grandchildren at once. He was in high spirits, and in a rare show of hospitality, he had everyone gather around his tea table to drink his finest tea and discuss matters of cultivation.
As they talked, Gu Qifan enviously remarked that Gu Shaojun had already broken through to Mid-stage Foundation Establishment and Gu Shaofeng was at the Qi Refining Fourth Level. The topic suddenly shifted to the issue of repairing the Gu Mansion’s Guardian Array.
The Gu family members were all familiar with the Gu Mansion’s Guardian Array, and Zheng Shaolian and Zheng Shaojin knew about it as well. However, they were unaware that there was a problem with it. This was the first time Gu Shaozheng and Gu Shaoqin were hearing of it, so the brothers all fell silent, becoming quiet listeners.
Xiao Man tentatively said to Grandpa Gu, "Right now, Brother Shaojun is fully capable of repairing the Array. However, two of the Magic Artifacts within it are no longer usable and need to be replaced. I’ve found one, but I’m still missing the other. It will take some time, perhaps two or three months. As for the current situation, I’ve mentioned it twice before: the Guardian Array has transformed into an Evil Formation. It’s extremely detrimental to the Gu Mansion and everyone living in it. A natural disaster or man-made calamity could strike at any time, and we would be unable to guard against it. But it can be avoided. We could use the excuse of renovating the mansion to have everyone temporarily move out and then move back in once everything is fixed. Grandpa, what do you think?"
Grandpa Gu’s expression turned serious. He swept his gaze over his children and grandchildren before speaking. "All of you can move out and find a temporary place to stay. This place is the foundation of our Gu family. The ancestral tablets are in the main house of the left courtyard; we’ve guarded this land for so many years! I was born here, I grew up here, and your grandmother and I have lived in this courtyard our entire lives. To die here would be to have my wish fulfilled... No matter how great the evil, the two of us will bear it. We’re not leaving!"
Gu Shaozheng, Zheng Shaolian, and Zheng Shaojin were still processing his words, sitting in stunned silence.
Gu Qifan leaned forward, opening his mouth to speak. But then he glanced at his older brother, Gu Qiming, who was sitting perfectly upright without so much as a twitch of his eyebrow, his dignified and solemn presence commanding respect. Recalling how his father had always criticized him for not being composed enough since he was a child, Gu Qifan rubbed his nose. ’I’d better wait for my older brother to speak first. After all, I’m only the third son.’
Gu Qiming didn’t say a word, but his stance was already clear: as the eldest son of the Gu family, if his parents were determined to stay and defend their ancestral home without fear of death, he would naturally do the same.
Gu Shaoqin spoke up. His voice was a little quiet, but his tone was firm. "I’m not leaving! This is where I grew up, it’s my home! Why should I have to run and hide? What is this evil thing? How do we fight it? As long as I’m needed, I... I can do it!"
The corner of Gu Qiming’s mouth twitched, and his gaze toward Gu Shaoqin was filled with encouragement and admiration.
Gu Qifan patted his son’s shoulder, his face filled with relief. "Good lad! After raising you for over a decade, you’ve finally shown some spirit. This is how a descendant of the Gu family should be!"
Grandpa Gu burst into hearty laughter. He beckoned Gu Shaoqin to sit beside him, praised him for a while, and finally gave him a reward—he told him to go to the curio shelf against the wall and pick out a small item for himself.
Gu Shaozheng’s eyes widened, while Zheng Shaolian and Zheng Shaojin shared a wry smile. It was just as the saying goes: the squeaky wheel gets the grease. Shaoqin had picked the perfect moment to speak up, netting such a huge benefit with a single sentence. The curio shelf in the old man’s study! Every single trinket on it, big or small, was a hand-picked, peerless treasure. Weren’t they all hundreds, if not thousands, of years old?
Normally, grandchildren like them weren’t even allowed a proper look at that curio shelf. The kid had really lucked out today, getting to go right up and pick something...
Gu Shaoqin picked a lifelike bronze horse. There was no particular reason other than that it wasn’t too large and he could hold it in both hands. He took an immediate liking to it.
He returned and immediately showed off his treasure to Xiao Man. As Xiao Man held the bronze horse, she could feel the Spiritual Energy surging within it. Then, seeing Grandpa Gu’s thick, dark eyebrows nearly knitting themselves into a knot and the constipated look on his face, she smiled. ’The old man is heartbroken and full of regret. This bronze horse is definitely much older than two thousand years. It must be one of his most prized possessions. He never thought Gu Shaoqin would pick it in a moment of carelessness.’
Gu Shaojun took the bronze horse from Xiao Man’s hands, weighed it for a moment, and returned it to Gu Shaoqin. "This is very good. It’s a gift from Grandpa. You must treasure it and protect it well. Don’t give it away to anyone else."
Gu Shaoqin nodded solemnly.
Gu Shaojun then said to everyone, "Our family’s Protective Array didn’t just turn into an Evil Formation overnight. But our family has remained relatively safe and hasn’t been too greatly affected. This shows that nothing is absolute; there’s always something that can break the deadlock of malicious energy. Don’t worry, and there’s no need to tell Grandma and the others. As for moving out, I don’t think it’s a major issue. We’ve made it through so many years; can’t we hold on for another two or three months? Besides, if we were to move, it would undoubtedly alert our hidden enemy, letting them know that we’ve discovered the mutation in the Protective Array. They would then hide even deeper, and it would take us far more effort to find them—with no guarantee of success!"
Gu Qiming nodded in agreement with his eldest son’s words.
Grandpa Gu’s face was grim as he said, "Ten years ago, the Daoist master from Kongtong Mountain, and six years ago, that Alchemist recommended by the Zhang Family—both saw that our Protective Array had been tampered with, that it had mutated and would cause a major disaster! But they didn’t know how to deal with it. At the time, I thought, ’How could something left by our ancestors, something that has protected our descendants for hundreds of years, possibly cause any harm?’ Now the truth is right in front of us: we’ve been suffering its effects for a long time! It’s only because Xiao Man appeared in time, broke the deadlock of malicious energy, and resolved one danger after another that our family has been able to maintain this superficial peace... All of you, listen to me: the person who ruined our family’s Feng Shui and tried to sever the Gu Family’s bloodline—no matter the cost, you must drag him out for me! First, to eliminate future trouble, and second, to settle this grudge! Even the most upright and powerful family can’t afford to be benevolent to all; we’re bound to make a few enemies. I’d like to see just what kind of deep-seated, bloody hatred this person has for my Gu family!"
Gu Qiming and Gu Qifan exchanged a look, then answered in unison with solemn voices, "Yes!"