Chapter 50: Huiyun City and the Gu Residence

At this moment, Lin Yi asked,

“Master, the quota contest for the Upper Realm you mentioned—how exactly is it going to be conducted?”

“Yeah, Elder, is it going to be like the Autumn Exam?”

Zhu Yang took a sip of tea and explained.

“This contest is very simple—kill!”

“There are only two ways to be eliminated: one is to voluntarily forfeit, and the other is to die!”

“The exact location for the contest will be announced later.”

The two exchanged a glance and nodded.

After that, the three of them chatted idly for a while before Zhu Yang asked,

“Now that everything’s settled here, I’ll set off back to the sect tomorrow. Will you two come with me, or are you going your own way?”

Gu Fan hesitated for a moment.

In fact, he still had a lingering obsession he wished to resolve on this trip.

It was said that a cultivator must sever all worldly ties!

Now that Gu Fan had officially stepped onto the path of cultivation, he should cut off all matters of the mundane world.

“Elder, I still have some matters to attend to.”

“In that case… I’ll go with Brother Gu,” Lin Yi added.

Zhu Yang didn’t insist and nodded with a smile.

“In that case, just be mindful of your whereabouts. I won’t worry about it anymore.”

Suddenly, Lin Yi asked a question out of curiosity.

“Master, what’s your relationship with Zhou Rong’s mother? She actually got you to personally leave the mountain?”

As soon as the words left his mouth, Zhu Yang’s expression turned a little unnatural. He coughed lightly a few times.

“That’s all ancient history, best left unspoken. You two should rest early. Don’t forget to leave by morning. I’ll stay in the capital for three more days to keep an eye on that Daoist Yuqing, just in case he tries anything shady.”

With that, he got up and left.

Leaving Gu Fan and Lin Yi staring at the steaming cup of tea he left behind, lost in thought.

Could it be that the ruler of the Great Qian Empire was wearing a bit of a green hat*?

(*T/N: “Wearing a green hat” is a Chinese euphemism for being cuckolded.)

Midday the next day.

After bidding farewell to Zhou Rong.

Gu Fan and Lin Yi departed from the capital region of the Great Qian Empire.

They then traveled southwest.

A few days later, they arrived at the first city encountered after leaving the capital.

Huiyun City of the Great Qian Empire.

As the empire’s second-largest city, this place was teeming with powerful clans and prominent families who had long taken root here.

This also made the city vast in scale, not much smaller than the capital itself.

“Brother Gu, what exactly are we doing here in Huiyun City? You haven’t said a word the entire way—so secretive.”

Looking at the somewhat familiar scenery of the city, Gu Fan felt a wave of emotion.

“Lin Yi, let me ask you this—before you joined the sect, where were you from?”

“Me? I was an orphan, had no family. Later, when the sect was recruiting disciples, I figured as long as I could get enough to eat, it was worth a try. Didn’t expect to get chosen. After that, I started cultivating and was eventually accepted as a disciple by Master.”

Gu Fan glanced sideways at Lin Yi’s still somewhat youthful face.

He thought to himself—this kid wasn’t some main character template, was he? Why did this whole “no parents at the start” trope feel so familiar?

But he still answered the question.

“I came here to sever my worldly ties. When I first joined the Heavenly Evil Sect, everyone in my family was ashamed of it. Even my parents were looked down upon because of me. Now that I’ve gained some strength, I naturally want to come back and settle things for them. Only then can I fully focus on my cultivation!”

Lin Yi thought that made sense.

He quickly asked,

“So, are we heading to your house now? Should we change into something nicer? You know, so you can return home in glory?”

Gu Fan smiled.

Return home in glory?

To be honest, that did sound about right.

Ever since he awakened his memories and realized he was a transmigrator…

And perhaps also because he hadn’t spent much time with his parents, he always felt a sense of distance deep down.

But regardless, the grace of raising a child was greater than the heavens. He must properly settle his parents before he could pursue higher realms with peace of mind.

Otherwise, guilt in his heart might one day become his inner demon at a critical moment.

Back then, with a heart set on the Dao, he had participated in the disciple recruitments of all nearby immortal sects.

However, the righteous sects valued talent above all.

Lacking exceptional talent, he had been rejected time and again.

With no other option left, he had resolutely joined the Heavenly Evil Sect.

That farewell had lasted more than half a year.

Ever since stepping onto the path of cultivation, he had completely lost contact with his family.

At this moment, his thoughts ran deeper—how had his parents been living during this time?

They were originally from a collateral branch and had not been well regarded in the family to begin with. Were they now suffering even more oppression?

He had to get a clear understanding of everything.

Only then could he completely eliminate any threats and ensure that his parents could enjoy a peaceful old age after his departure.

The best way to understand the current situation was, of course, to investigate from the shadows.

With that thought, Gu Fan’s mind gradually cleared.

He shook his head and looked toward a certain direction within the city.

“There’s still plenty of time. No need to rush home just yet. I want to first observe from the shadows how my parents are doing.”

“Alright, I’ll just follow wherever you go.”

***

Outside the Gu Family Residence in Huiyun City.

Gu Fan and Lin Yi had just satisfied their hunger at a restaurant across the street.

Gu Fan stared at the front gates, which hadn’t changed at all, and fell into a brief daze.

Although his two sets of memories had fused, when he recalled his previous life, he still felt a sense of detachment.

“Looks like your Gu Family holds quite a bit of power in Huiyun City. This residence is rather impressive.”

“Heh, the Gu Family is one of the five major clans in Huiyun City, a local powerhouse. The family’s patriarch has been at the Primordial Yang Realm for years.”

“There’s someone at the Primordial Yang Realm?”

“A dying man who’s been clinging to life with the family’s resources—that’s all.”

While they spoke, the main gate opened.

A gorgeously dressed woman walked out, accompanied by attendants. Her bearing made it clear she held a high status within the Gu Family.

Gu Fan’s brows furrowed. He naturally recognized this woman.

But he was a bit curious why she was coming out from there—it didn’t quite match the memories he had.

“Let’s go.”

With that, Gu Fan stood up and left. Lin Yi quickly shoveled a few more bites of food into his mouth and casually tossed down some silver coins.

Huiyun City, Fuhuá Cloth Pavilion.

This was the most luxurious silk and brocade shop in the city.

It was also one of the favorite places for wealthy ladies and noblewomen to visit.

“Young Miss, you’re about to get married. Madam said you should avoid going out recently and stay home to learn the duties of a proper wife.”

“Yes, Miss, I think we should hurry back. If Madam finds out you sneaked out again, you’ll be grounded for sure.”

Being pestered like this, Gu Ling’s expression remained calm, as if she was already used to the chatter of her servants.

“I know what I’m doing. If you two keep talking and ruin my mood, I’ll send you straight to the Disciplinary Hall when we return.”

At those words, the two maids behind her stopped speaking. They merely followed with anxious and helpless faces.

After browsing the cloth pavilion for a while, Gu Ling headed toward some pastry shops.

However, she only bought the cheapest steamed buns and some pickled vegetables.

Then, she led the group to a nearby pharmacy, where she purchased and packaged some medicine.

After taking care of these errands, Gu Ling instructed them to bring her to a secluded and messy alley.

She then told everyone to wait outside the alley, while she carried the items into it herself.

Unbeknownst to her, Gu Fan and Lin Yi were trailing behind at a distance, not too close and not too far.

With the strength the two of them possessed, as long as they didn’t show themselves, the Gu Family’s servants would never notice.

“Brother Gu, your sister’s acting all secretive. Feels like something’s up.”

“I’m not sure either, but now’s the perfect time. There’s no one else around. I should speak with her.”

With that, the two of them vanished on the spot.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep