Chapter (17): The Gu Manor
Five months vanished like a fleeting breath.
During this time, no one on the ship dared to disturb Yan Tangtang. Through Mu Yanchan's display of power, the passengers had intuited that this group of youths were no ordinary mortals. No matter which cabin the group chose to occupy, no one would have dared to object; yet, they remained in their original small, cramped room. They simply did not wish to sully their hearts over matters so trivial they weren't even worth mentioning.
On most days, the four practitioners spent nearly every waking moment cultivating. Only Yan Tangtang was seen wandering the decks. When she ate with the group, she would intentionally devour octopuses and other sea creatures—which Chen Zhao found utterly revolting—right before his eyes, relishing every bite. This would inevitably earn her a scolding from Chen Zhao that seemed to curse seven generations of her ancestors. Mu Yanxing and the other two, however, had grown fond of Yan Tangtang's modern culinary flair; they often spoke up to defend her, only to find themselves caught in the crossfire of Chen Zhao's tirades.
Eventually, the squabbles would settle into an easy peace as the four returned to their cultivation, only for the cycle to restart at the next meal over some new point of contention. In this manner, the five-month voyage passed without a single dull moment.
When they finally reached the port on the far shore, Yan Tangtang sighed at having to abandon the cooking gear she had used for five months. Seeing this, Chen Zhao let out a cackle that sounded remarkably like a classic villain.
The other three could only shake their heads in silence. It seemed as though Chen Zhao and Yan Tangtang must have been bitter enemies in a past life; Chen Zhao never showed a shred of mercy in his tongue-lashings, while Yan Tangtang—who appeared outwardly as a submissive, well-behaved "good boy"—was actually a master at poking Chen Zhao's temper. The trouble truly became endless once Yan Tangtang discovered that Chen Zhao was repulsed by almost all sea creatures except for shrimp and fish.
Now that the sea journey was over, the three companions felt a profound sense of relief.
This port city was even vaster and more bustling than the one they had left behind. Upon inquiry, they learned that Jiuye was a major capital city, located over a month's journey further inland from this port.
Procrastination was not in this group's nature. Though they were young, they understood the need to use their youth effectively. The path of cultivation was long; the earlier one started, the better.
After stocking up on essentials at the port, they headed straight for Jiuye. Chen Zhao did not forget to purchase a detailed map of this new region.
Thanks to their swift pace, they arrived in Jiuye in less than a month. Immediately, they began investigating the merchant family mentioned in the travelogue. Although the author had used a pseudonym in the book, both he and his story were quite famous in this city, making their search relatively simple.
The author's true family name was Gu, and he was a talented man named Gu Lin. While everyone, including Yan Tangtang, had traveled here based on the book's contents, a seed of doubt had lingered in their hearts. Now, hearing from the locals that the Gu family was indeed a prominent merchant clan, and that Gu Lin's disappearance on a trade route and his miraculous return years later were historical facts, they finally let out a sigh of relief.
The book hadn't gained fame in Ran City likely because it was from across the sea; while the physical book might have traveled, the news surrounding it had not. Consequently, no one realized the contents were factual, and ordinary people weren't exactly looking for information regarding such distant, alien lands.
Even though night had fallen, the group could not bring themselves to rest and went straight to the Gu Manor. The gatekeepers had never seen this group of youths arriving at such an ungodly hour, but since the manor belonged to a merchant family, they were used to many unfamiliar visitors. Furthermore, seeing that these youths were well-dressed and carried themselves with poise, the guards dared not delay and went to inform the masters of the house.
A moment later, a man who appeared to be the head butler emerged and inquired politely:
"May I ask who these young masters and young mistress are?"
Chen Zhao had already dismounted. He stepped forward as the spokesperson.
"We have come from across the sea; our homeland is too distant to easily name. The reason for our visit is to meet with Master Gu Lin, the author of the travelogue 'Search for the Path Home.'"
Chen Zhao paused, then added for weight, fearing they might be dismissed otherwise, "We have a few questions for Master Gu Lin regarding the borders of the Cultivation Realm."
The butler, being in service to such a family, was no fool. These youths were young, but their bearing was refined, and they did not look like pranksters. Recalling something, the butler said:
"Then, young masters, please wait a moment. I shall inform the Old Master."
Chen Zhao had no objections. They were strangers from a place as distant as the "other side of the sea"; it would have been stranger if they were ushered in immediately.
After a brief wait, a guard invited them into the Gu Manor. By now, the moon and stars shone brightly in the heavens.
The Gu Manor was a testament to opulence. Even under the dim moonlight, the expensive decorations and treasures within the estate gleamed with such brilliance it seemed the owners didn't have the slightest fear of thieves.
The servant led them to the main hall, where a venerable elderly couple sat in the primary seats, flanked by several middle-aged couples. Chen Zhao offered a formal apology first.
"Please accept my sincere apologies for disturbing you at such an hour. We only just reached the city and were too eager to wait. I hope the honored masters will not take offense."
Old Master Gu, seated at the head, smiled at Chen Zhao's words and waved a hand dismissively.
"Young man, since you are already here, please, take a seat first."
Following his gesture, they sat in the vacant chairs to one side.
However, as soon as they were settled, Old Master Gu spoke:
"The butler mentioned you came to see Gu Lin. Unfortunately, Gu Lin just led a merchant caravan out on a journey a week ago."
The group's suppressed excitement died instantly. They wanted to meet Gu Lin to gain more specific details about the city near the cultivation border and other intelligence. Now that he was gone, why had they been invited in? Couldn't the butler have told them he wasn't here at the gate?
However, Chen Zhao sensed something more. These people likely knew they were here because of the cultivation borders mentioned to the butler. If they were invited in despite Gu Lin's absence, it meant the family either knew something about the borders themselves or had another matter to discuss.
Thus, he remained silent and waited for them to speak first. Old Master Gu didn't get straight to the point but asked for their names instead. Chen Zhao introduced them:
"My name is Chen Zhao. This is Su Min, next to him is Miss Mu Yanxing and her younger brother Mu Yanchan. And the one behind us is..."
Chen Zhao cut himself off abruptly. He had almost said "Little Black Bun." Since he never called Yan Tangtang by name and only used "Little Black Bun," he had to say with some hesitation:
"Yan... Yan Tangtang."
Old Master Gu nodded. Up to this point, only he and Chen Zhao had spoken; the others remained silent as if by prior agreement. After all, were these two not the representatives of their respective sides?
Old Master Gu asked further, "Is it true that Young Master Chen and his group intend to go to the border of the Cultivation Realm? May I ask why?"
Chen Zhao saw no reason to hide their intentions now. He explained truthfully that they were practitioners themselves and intended to travel to the border to pursue the path of cultivation.
Old Master Gu's expression flickered with a hint of surprise, but it wasn't overwhelming, suggesting he had already suspected as much. With a genuine smile, he said:
"In truth, I had a suspicion. Young Master Chen wants to know about the border, but Gu Lin said he wrote every piece of information he knew into that book. Therefore, we only know as much as the book tells. The reason I invited you into the manor is, in fact... for a certain matter."
Chen Zhao, having expected this, listened intently.
Old Master Gu continued, "Since Young Master Chen has been honest with me, I will not hide anything. I shall explain in detail. After Gu Lin returned home, he brought back several items related to cultivators. He said he met a boastful young practitioner in that city. Gu Lin has had a talent for trade since he was young, and as a merchant, he is quite silver-tongued and clever. He managed to get into that young master's good graces and was even tested to see if he possessed the talent for cultivation. Unfortunately, neither Gu Lin nor his followers possessed the root. Since Gu Lin is someone who finds joy only in being a merchant, that young practitioner gave him some currency used by cultivators to help him return home safely."
That explained how Gu Lin had made it back so smoothly. Otherwise, how much mundane wealth could a group that had been essentially "cast out" have carried? Furthermore, arriving at that city after three years, one could imagine how depleted their funds were. Without that cultivator's help, they wouldn't have even survived.
Old Master Gu continued, "That is why he bought some items useful for the family from cultivators. Not many, mind you. He brought back a few mid-grade Storage Bags and some low-grade Spirit Testing Stones."
Yan Tangtang, being a reader of novels, knew exactly what a Spirit Testing Stone was. It was a tool used to test whether a person had the potential to cultivate. However, low-grade stones were often single-use and their results could be unreliable.