The Cicada Slough

"Old Brother Cang, do you find it strange that I introduced you to a widow whose Dao Companion died?"

Gu Jiu asked.

Gu Jiu did not avoid the question. He answered plainly.

"Not at all. Since Brother Gu was willing to introduce me to a noble lady of your Lineage, I wouldn't dare be picky."

Zhou Er replied hastily.

"Old Brother Cang, don't worry. Let me explain." Gu Jiu smiled. "Gu Fan's parents were pillars of the Lineage. Though they died during a mission, the Lineage never forgot their contributions. It preserved their property and belongings and handed them over to Gu Fan."

"Though Gu Fan is now getting on in years, she owns a Small Island and has many magical artifacts. I'd estimate that everything she owns is worth more than ten thousand Spirit Stones."

After hearing Gu Jiu's explanation, Zhou Er understood. So she was a rich woman!

Marry a woman three years older, and gain a fortune to hold.

By that measure, Gu Fan was actually the better choice.

After all, Zhou Er was joining the Gu Family for the Foundation Establishment Pill. His first consideration was weighing the benefits.

Choosing Gu Fan would save him years of struggle.

"Sister Gu Fan is dignified and virtuous."

Zhou Er praised her discreetly.

"So, Old Brother Cang, have you taken a liking to Gu Fan?"

Gu Jiu had not expected Zhou Er to make up his mind so quickly and was a little surprised.

After all, Zhou Er was only eighteen or nineteen.

"I'll trouble you to introduce me to her, Brother Gu."

Zhou Er said calmly.

He was no naive boy. Compared to the Great Dao, the humiliation of marrying into a family was nothing.

Besides, once he succeeded in Foundation Establishment, he might not have to be a live-in son-in-law anymore.

With the strength and standing of a Foundation Establishment Cultivator, no one would dare look down on him.

Without strength, even if he clung to his pride and dignity, any passing Foundation Establishment Expert could kick him to death.

Now that he had the Equipment Slot, all he needed to do was turn its potential into real strength as quickly as possible.

Gu Fan had Spirit Stones. She could help him far more than the other two young girls.

"Then I'll ask someone to discuss it with her. If it doesn't work out, I hope you'll understand, Old Brother Cang."

Gu Jiu nodded and put away the portraits.

He had let Zhou Er choose first. Now that Zhou Er had made his choice, it would be easier to make the introduction.

On an ordinary Small Island in Wangyue Lake, a woman in a plain skirt studied the portrait in her hands, unable to make up her mind.

An elder of her Lineage had introduced this new suitor and asked her to consider him.

The young man in the portrait had sharp brows and bright eyes, and was handsome and graceful. He certainly seemed like a fine young man.

But he was not yet twenty—far too young.

After thinking it over, the woman in the plain skirt went outside her Cave Mansion.

A spirited female cultivator was practicing swordsmanship in the open ground of the Peach Garden. Her sword winds sent peach blossoms fluttering through the air.

"Sister Bai!"

When the woman saw that the cultivator had finished her practice, she went over and called out.

"Miss Fan."

Seeing Gu Fan, the cultivator immediately sheathed her sword and cupped her hands.

Her name was Bai Zhuozhuo. She had been a disciple of Gu Fan's father. Ever since Gu Fan's parents died, she had stayed on the island to guard both it and Gu Fan.

"Sister Bai, the elders of the Lineage have introduced me to another suitor. Could you take a look and tell me whether I should meet him?"

Gu Fan took out Zhou Er's portrait and asked.

"If you don't want to, Miss Fan, I can turn him down for you."

Bai Zhuozhuo replied without even looking at the portrait.

"This time is different. Take a look first."

Gu Fan said.

Bai Zhuozhuo took the portrait and opened it. She saw that the person depicted was very young.

"He does look handsome,"

Bai Zhuozhuo murmured.

"I heard he's only eighteen, yet already at Late-stage Qi Refining. He comes from a small country's market and can make talismans too. He has great potential."

Gu Fan recalled the details the matchmaker had told her.

"Miss Fan, do you like him?"

Bai Zhuozhuo looked at Gu Fan.

"He's certainly much better than the previous bunch of fools."

Gu Fan said.

She held a great deal of resources. Neither she nor the Gu Family would ever allow her to marry out.

They would only let her find a live-in son-in-law. But those willing to marry into a family were, for the most part, far from impressive.

If they had good prospects, who would become a live-in son-in-law?

"Miss Fan, this young man is so outstanding. Why would he be willing to marry into a family? I'm afraid he'll turn out like the last one."

Bai Zhuozhuo said warily. Gu Fan had already been through one terrible marriage.

That man had also been a live-in son-in-law, and he had caused them no end of trouble.

Fortunately, the matter had been resolved in the end.

"Sister Bai, some elders of the Lineage have already set their sights on our Fanhua Island. If I don't find a Dao Companion soon, I'm afraid they'll try every possible means to come after me."

Gu Fan said helplessly.

She was no longer a little girl. She knew what kind of resources she held.

This Small Island alone could support a Foundation Establishment Cultivator's cultivation, and its resources brought in more than a thousand Spirit Stones each year. It was a prize everyone wanted.

Her parents' legacy had allowed her to manage the island, but that legacy would not last forever.

"Then should you meet him?"

Bai Zhuozhuo understood what Gu Fan meant.

"I want to hear what you think, Sister Bai."

Gu Fan looked at Bai Zhuozhuo, though she had more or less already made up her mind.

"In my opinion, Miss Fan, if you don't like him, you can simply refuse. Besides, I can keep you safe. With me here, no one can hurt you."

Bai Zhuozhuo said earnestly.

She was five years older than Gu Fan. Gu Fan's parents had adopted her when she was young, and she had long since come to regard Gu Fan as her own younger sister.

"Sister Bai, you're already at the Twelfth Level of Qi Refining, but you still haven't achieved Foundation Establishment. If you could get a Foundation Establishment Pill, I could finally rest easy. But I have no descendants with spiritual roots, so the elders would never give me a Foundation Establishment Pill. When that time comes, I won't even be able to protect the island my parents left me."

Gu Fan said helplessly.

"Miss Fan, I've reached Qi Refining Perfection. After some more preparation, I can attempt Foundation Establishment even without a Foundation Establishment Pill."

Bai Zhuozhuo said earnestly.

Gu Fan shook her head.

"That's too dangerous. Without a Foundation Establishment Pill to protect you, at best your cultivation could regress; at worst, your meridians could be thrown into chaos and you could die."

Ancient Qi Refiners could cultivate and break through without a Foundation Establishment Pill to protect them, but their chances of survival were vanishingly small.

The most important purpose of a Foundation Establishment Pill was not to increase the odds of success. It was to protect the cultivator's meridians, ensuring that even a failed attempt would not leave their body damaged.

"Miss Fan, you don't have to compromise for my sake. I can find another way to obtain a Foundation Establishment Pill."

Bai Zhuozhuo said earnestly.

"Enough, Sister Bai. I've decided to meet him. When the time comes, I'll count on you to help me judge him."

Gu Fan had made up her mind. She could not go on living under Bai Zhuozhuo's protection forever.

Bai Zhuozhuo was exceptionally talented. Even in a great sect, she would have been accepted as a core disciple. If she had not stayed on the island to protect Gu Fan, she would not have remained here all this time.

Gu Fan could not keep holding Bai Zhuozhuo back.

Ten days after Zhou Er had spoken with Gu Jiu about finding a Dao Companion, he received an answer.

"Old Brother Cang, my niece Gu Fan would like to meet you. How about going to Fanhua Island, where she lives?"

Gu Jiu asked.

"I have no objection."

Zhou Er had no concerns.

Seeing this, Gu Jiu personally piloted a small boat and took Zhou Er to Gu Fan's island.

After all, he had brought them together. One was a junior of his Lineage, the other a friend, and he ought to take some responsibility.

The Magic Boat skimmed swiftly across the water. As Zhou Er watched the ripples spread, a question suddenly crossed his mind.

He and Gu Jiu were already friends, so there was nothing he could not ask. He spoke up.

"Brother Gu, Miss Gu Fan's previous Dao Companion died three years ago. How did he die?"

Since he was about to become a man who took over another's place, he ought to learn about the previous one.

Instinct told Zhou Er that there was something suspicious about Gu Fan's former Dao Companion's death.

"That man had a tragic end. On Miss Gu Fan's wedding night, her Dao Companion got drunk. When he woke the next morning, he had disappeared. Someone found the clothes he'd left behind in the fishery. They figured the Spirit Fish there had eaten him. No one knows for sure, but they never found his body."

Gu Jiu said.

Hearing this, Zhou Er furrowed his brow. Something about it just did not sit right.

Gu Jiu noticed and slowed the boat. He turned and said,

"Don't worry, Old Brother Cang. Since then, they've added another formation around Fanhua Island's fishery. It activates at night to stop anyone from falling into the lake."

"It's been three years. I'm sure the facilities on Fanhua Island are much better now, so there's no need to worry. But are those Spirit Fish really that fierce?"

Zhou Er smiled.

Though he wore a smile, deep down he realized things could not be that simple.

The previous man had probably done something and been silenced, his body dumped in the water.

"Spirit Fish are almost as fierce as Demonic Beasts, after all."

Gu Jiu did not care whether Zhou Er believed him. Three years had passed. No one had investigated it at the time, and no one would investigate it now.

Still, Zhou Er weighed the danger of marrying into the family.

If things seemed too dangerous when he met her, he could still back out.

Soon, the boat pulled alongside Fanhua Island. Farmers were working nearby.

Gu Jiu glanced at them, then took Zhou Er toward the Cave Mansion at the island's center.

Two hundred meters from the Cave Mansion, they were stopped by the formation surrounding it. There was no way to enter without permission.

They had come to meet a potential match, so they naturally could not force their way through the formation. They stopped where they were.

"Ninth Uncle, could you please come out and meet us?"

Gu Jiu gathered spiritual energy in his chest and called out.

This amplified his voice.

"Uncle Jiu!"

Before long, Gu Fan came out, with Bai Zhuozhuo beside her.

Zhou Er could feel the powerful presence Bai Zhuozhuo gave off. She was no ordinary Late-stage Qi Refining Cultivator.

Gu Fan looked just like she did in the portrait. Since he had no photograph of himself, Zhou Er cupped his hands and greeted her.

"Miss Fan!"

"Fellow Daoist Cang, please come in."

Gu Fan invited him.

The four of them entered the Cave Mansion and sat for a while. Then Gu Jiu left the two alone to talk.

Gu Fan took Zhou Er to the Peach Forest on the island and explained,

"My mother loved growing flowers most of all before she passed away. That's why the island is full of different kinds of flowers, blooming all year round. Right now, the peach and pear blossoms are in full bloom."

Zhou Er caught a peach blossom in his hand. Looking at its soft pink and white petals, he said,

"I like this Sea of Flowers very much too."

Having lived two lives, Zhou Er knew what people were supposed to do on a matchmaking meeting: introduce themselves and let each other decide whether they were a good fit.

He had already made up a story about his background. He had started on the Cultivation Path with help from a friend of his ancestors, then gone to Jiaolu Market.

However, he deliberately left out his time cultivating at the Xiayun Sect and stretched out the timeline, pretending he had begun cultivating at the age of six or seven.

Nine parts truth and one part lie; there were no holes to pick.

As for Gu Fan's circumstances, Zhou Er did not ask much. He simply listened as she spoke.

Gu Fan found Zhou Er rather satisfactory. Though young, he was composed and lacked the restlessness of most boys his age.

It was just that she was older than him, which left her feeling a little self-conscious.

"Fellow Daoist Cang, I'm five years older than you. Does my age bother you?"

Gu Fan asked carefully.

"Miss Fan, five years are gone in the blink of an eye. It's nothing."

Zhou Er said with a smile.

"I'm relieved you don't mind, Fellow Daoist Cang."

Gu Fan nodded.

After walking through the Peach Forest, Gu Fan took Zhou Er to the portraits of her parents and lit two sticks of incense.

Zhou Er had suggested the visit, wanting to pay his respects.

Seeing this, Gu Fan was deeply moved. She felt even more that Zhou Er was someone she could trust.

After lighting the incense, Zhou Er noticed an enormous, strange object beneath the portraits.

It looked like a cicada shell the size of a head.

[Golden Cicada Slough: The slough shed by a Second-tier Golden Cicada before advancing.]

[Equipped Attributes: Cicada Concealment (Green)]

[Cicada Concealment (Green): Like a golden cicada hidden underground, cultivators at Golden Core and below cannot use Spiritual Sense to detect any information about you.]

[Solidification Condition: Spend three thousand hours in an environment without light.]

[Equip?]

Seeing a green attribute for the first time, Zhou Er was deeply shaken, though his expression didn't change in the slightest.

Then, he pretended to ask casually:

"Miss Fan, could this be a cicada shell? What kind of cicada could grow this large?"

"That's right! My father once saw a Second-tier Golden Cicada shed this shell himself. He waited for the cicada to fly away, then immediately went to retrieve it and kept it as a memento."

Gu Fan explained.

Of course, the cicada shell also counted as a Treasure Medicine. But it had been one of her father's favorite possessions when he was alive, and Gu Fan couldn't bear to use it, so she had kept it all this time.

Seeing this, Zhou Er had still been somewhat hesitant.

Now that he had seen something so precious, he made up his mind.

There wasn't a single Foundation Establishment Cultivator on all of Fanhua Island. Even if Gu Fan and the others wanted to kill him, he had the Turtle Shell Shield to protect him, and he could withstand their attacks.

How could you catch tiger cubs without entering the tiger's lair?

If all else failed, he would steal the cicada shell.

So, before leaving, Zhou Er quietly memorized the location. If they couldn't reach an agreement later, he'd come back and play the burglar, stealing the cicada shell first.

He could always return it later.

The only trouble was that the formation didn't look easy to break.

The effect of Cicada Concealment was simply too useful. At the very least, it would keep others from probing him until he reached Golden Core.

Riding in Gu Jiu's little boat, Zhou Er kept thinking over his options.

"Old Brother Cang, are you satisfied with my niece, Gu Fan?"

Gu Jiu's question interrupted Zhou Er's thoughts.

"Miss Fan is gentler than I imagined. I certainly have no objections."

A double negative was an affirmation.

"That's good. I can tell my niece Gu Fan is quite satisfied with you, too. There's a very good chance this will work out."

Gu Jiu said with a smile.

"Once it's done, I'll be sure to reward you handsomely, Brother Gu!"

Zhou Er promised.

To get his hands on the cicada shell, Zhou Er naturally hoped the matter would work out.

The little boat glided back toward Bashui Immortal City, leaving only a trail of rippling waves behind.