Deep within the Money Falling Pavilion stood an exquisite secluded courtyard.
Granny Jin moved her hand away from Little Frog's belly and let out a long breath. The beautiful middle-aged woman who had been standing beside Granny Jin asked worriedly, "Granny, how is Little Ancestor?"
Granny Jin rose from the bed. "It's nothing serious. The Demonic Power in that Demonic Star fragment has been completely exhausted. The little beast's soul took a bit of a shock, but a few days of recuperation will set it right."
The middle-aged woman sighed in relief, then asked in confusion, "That Demonic Star fragment took you great effort and expense to obtain, Granny. Its Demonic Power could rival that of a Daoist True Man or a Confucian Master. Little Ancestor is only in the Pure Blood Realm and shouldn't yet have the ability to extract its Demonic Power, should he?"
A trace of vexation appeared on Granny Jin's otherwise immovable, ancient face. "That little beast fused souls with a human..."
The middle-aged woman froze, then killing intent surged from her entire body. "Who had the audacity to do that? This servant will go make him tear his own soul apart..."
At that moment, a young maid's voice came from outside the door. "Granny, Aunt Bing, that Earl of Wan'an has regained consciousness..."
Chen Luo lay on a soft bed. Since crossing over, he had already lost count of how many times he had opened his eyes to find himself in an unfamiliar place.
His whole body was coated in yellow ointment, and threads of coolness seeped into his skin. He could no longer feel any pain in his limbs, so clearly someone had rescued him. When the young maid saw him wake, she hurried out, presumably to inform the host. But as she turned, Chen Luo still caught sight of the fox tail behind her.
"A demon!"
Chen Luo was stunned for a moment, then relaxed. The Great Xuan Dynasty was all-embracing, with humans and demons living together. As long as a being had gained intelligence within Great Xuan's borders, and the person responsible for granting that intelligence could be traced back to someone who was not a Great Xuan criminal, they could be counted as citizens of Great Xuan and were called Xuan Demons. Newly awakened Xuan Demons were just like ordinary citizens: some worked, some traded, some studied, all striving to survive. Naturally, there were also those who sold themselves into slavery, making them no different from humans.
"I wonder how long I was unconscious. Chen Xuan must be frantic at home..." Chen Luo thought to himself. "I'll ask the host here to send a letter back and report that I'm safe."
"Also, I can't let up on Zhong Kui and Mount Dai. Zhong Kui should be fine. Judging by what Wei Yan meant, he probably intends to spread it throughout the world. But as for how to handle The Smiling, Proud Wanderer, I still need to think it through carefully."
"I've already made a mortal enemy of Lian Ai. From here on, either she kills me, or I kill her. I need to become stronger..."
At that thought, Chen Luo suddenly remembered the Little Frog that had merged with him earlier. He was startled to discover that Little Frog was not beside him. Just as he was about to call someone over and ask, a knock sounded from outside the door.
"Your Lordship, would it be convenient for this old woman to come in?"
"Your Lordship?" Chen Luo was bewildered. Is she calling me? He looked around the room again and confirmed that he was the only one inside.
"Come in!" Chen Luo called. He then saw an old woman with an aged face and a cane being helped inside by a beautiful middle-aged woman.
"This old woman is Jin Sanshun of the Daoist Sect. Greetings, Earl of Wan'an!"
"Earl of Wan'an?" Chen Luo asked in confusion. "Old Madam, are you talking about me?"
Granny Jin seemed to recall something and sat down in a chair. "Look at this old woman's memory. The edict granting you your title was only delivered after you were abducted, so naturally, Your Lordship didn't know."
Chen Luo nodded. "I would be grateful if Old Madam could enlighten me!"
Granny Jin glanced at the beautiful woman beside her. The woman wore a cold, expressionless face as she said, "The Great Xuan Emperor has issued an edict. Chen Luo of Wan'an County has rendered meritorious service to the imperial court by seeking the Literary Heart and presenting a treasured text, and is hereby enfeoffed as Earl of Wan'an."
Granny Jin smiled. "Since His Majesty ascended the throne, Your Lordship is only the third person to receive a hereditary title for meritorious service. You are young and promising indeed... I have already sent your whereabouts to the Town Profound Division. I believe they will arrive soon."
Chen Luo thought it over. When Wei Yan had said the court would reward him, this must have been the title he meant. Judging by the title, had Wan'an County been made his fief?
Not bad. This emperor knows how to treat people!
"Old Madam, were you the one who saved me? I wonder how many days I was unconscious. Also, there should have been a little frog demon with me, about this big..." Chen Luo gestured with his hands. "That was my brother. I wonder if Old Madam has seen him?"
Granny Jin and the middle-aged woman exchanged a glance. Granny Jin said indifferently, "A passerby rescued you. He only saved you and didn't see any frog demon."
Chen Luo's expression changed. He got out of bed and put on his shoes as he said, "Is that passerby still here? I need to ask him. If necessary, I'll have to return to where I fell unconscious and search again... I don't know whether the little fellow was hurt."
Seeing that Chen Luo's concern and anxiety were genuine, Granny Jin gave an almost imperceptible nod. The chill between the beautiful woman's brows also faded somewhat. Granny Jin hurriedly waved her hand, and a gentle force pushed Chen Luo back down onto the edge of the bed.
"Your Lordship, don't be anxious. This old woman was only joking with you. That little frog demon is my direct grandson, and he is currently recuperating in his own room..."
"What?" Chen Luo was startled. He quickly rose again and bowed deeply to Granny Jin. "So it was you, Granny! Frog Brother saved my life. Chen Luo will remember this kindness forever."
Granny Jin nodded with a smile. "Since you say my grandson is your brother, this old woman will presume upon your kindness and accept your call of 'Granny.' I won't call you Your Lordship anymore."
"That is only right." Chen Luo hurriedly replied, "I'd like to go see him now. Would that be convenient?"
"That little beast was seriously injured this time and has yet to regain consciousness." Granny Jin shook her head slightly. "What exactly did you encounter, and what happened? Can you tell Granny about it in detail?"
Chen Luo nodded. "It all began with the ceremony to choose a master for the Literary Heart in Wan'an County..."
"The Gu Sect? Gu Masters?" After hearing Chen Luo's account, Granny Jin knitted her brows and murmured, "So it was them!"
"Granny Jin, what kind of force is that?" Chen Luo hurriedly asked. Lian Ai's fate was unknown, and the mysterious woman who appeared afterward had also seen his face. To be safe, he naturally had to learn more. Only by knowing himself and his enemy could he find a way to deal with them.
Granny Jin pondered for a moment at Chen Luo's question before speaking. "It is said that when Heaven and Earth first opened, the first living creature was born."
"That creature absorbed the Primordial Chaos Qi from the Opening Heaven and Earth and grew rapidly in strength, nearly becoming capable of contending with the Heavenly Dao."
"It wanted to devour the Heavenly Dao and turn Heaven and Earth into nourishment for itself, but was ultimately defeated by the spirit of the Heavenly Dao. Its laws collapsed, and its divine body was shattered into three thousand six hundred pieces. Those three thousand six hundred remnants became gu! That creature was also called the Gu God."
"The Gu Sect is a sect that takes gu as the foundation of its cultivation and seeks to become a new Gu God."
"The Gu Sect does not divide its practitioners by realms, but by grades. Above-grade is the Gu God, followed by First Rank down to Ninth Rank. To rise in rank, each grade requires a sacrifice."
"To grow stronger, the Gu Sect slaughtered countless innocent living beings and aroused public fury six hundred years ago. The founding emperor of the Great Xuan Dynasty joined forces with the Daoist Sect, the Buddhist Sect, the Barbarians, and the Demon Race—five powers in all—to completely exterminate the Gu Sect."
"However, over the past hundred years, there have often been rumors of signs that the Gu Sect was reviving. I never expected you to run into them."
After hearing this, Chen Luo's heart sank. He had thought that since the Gu Sect did not belong to the five great paths of Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism, the Demons, or the Barbarians, it was merely an unorthodox path. He had never expected its ancestors to have once been so formidable that they drew the united assault of five powers! And despite that, they still hadn't been wiped out completely!
This boss is a little beyond the syllabus! Chen Luo grumbled inwardly.
Just then, the beautiful middle-aged woman suddenly stepped forward. "Your Lordship, this humble woman has a favor to ask."
"Hmm? Madam, please speak."
"My young master is young and ignorant, driven by a reckless courage. He used the Soul Merging technique, lending his own foundation to Your Lordship so you could repel a powerful enemy. Now that Your Lordship is safe, could you undo the Soul Merging technique and return my young master's soul to independence?"
"What? There was such a thing? No problem. But how is this Soul Merging technique undone?"
"It's simple. As long as Your Lordship does not resist, I will split out and extract the part of my young master's soul that fused with you..."
Spring willows lined the banks of the Yangtze River, and beneath a willow tree stood someone asking for votes.
I didn't write a doggerel verse in the previous chapter, and sure enough, there were far fewer votes...
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