Gifts of Robe, Calling Card, and Treasure Gu (Seeking Monthly Votes!)

After leaving the medicine hall, Fang Shu asked around in the dojo's front courtyard. Once he learned where Senior Sister Yu'er was, he headed straight for her.

He had now completed Blood Refinement and become an official disciple of the Solitary Gu Hall. Though he was desperate to save his uncle, he still had to notify the hall.

Besides, the Solitary Gu Hall might well offer him certain conveniences. Fang Shu would not foolishly refuse help he could obtain from the Solitary Gu Hall.

"You wish to leave the hall for a time, and go outside the town? You do not even know exactly how long you will be gone?"

Upon hearing Fang Shu's words, Senior Sister Yu'er's delicate brows immediately knit together. She asked, "Must you go? Is it truly so urgent? You have only just completed Blood Exchange, and you have not cultivated any powerful spells."

Fang Shu answered gravely, "I must go. It cannot be delayed."

Although Senior Sister Yu'er still did not know what exactly had happened to Fang Shu, she did not pry further. Instead, she helplessly set down her work and called Fang Shu over.

"Come with me. Since you are leaving, you should at least inform your master."

This suggestion was exactly what Fang Shu wanted. He immediately followed happily behind her toward the inner courtyard.

Before long.

Fang Shu waited in the council hall. Yu'er had already departed, while he had explained his request to the Hall Master.

Holding a cup of tea, the other party sat leisurely in a grand chair and took a sip.

"Speak. What exactly is so urgent that you have barely entered the sect, have not even begun formally studying the arts, and already wish to leave town?"

The Hall Master was now his master, so Fang Shu concealed nothing. He explained in full how his second uncle was currently at a mine, having signed a long-term contract for one year. Half a year had already passed, and he had to go redeem his uncle.

The Hall Master, who had shown little expression before, relaxed her brows somewhat after hearing his story. The way she looked at Fang Shu also seemed faintly more approving.

"So that is the matter. Your second uncle sold himself to the mines in order to support your pursuit of the Dao. Now that you have become one of the immortal household, you indeed ought to rescue him without delay."

The Hall Master did not stop Fang Shu. She said mildly, "Since that is the case, this old woman will not keep you. As for your first lesson after becoming my disciple, we shall begin it after you return."

Fang Shu immediately said, "Yes. Thank you, Master, for granting this."

"Come with this old woman."

When Fang Shu raised his head, the Hall Master had somehow already risen. The teacup in her hand had been placed neatly on the table, her movements ghostly beyond compare.

As she called Fang Shu over, she clasped her hands behind her back and walked alone toward the rear of the council hall.

The two arrived at a quiet room, where the Hall Master told Fang Shu to wait.

Meanwhile, she hunched over and rummaged through chests and cabinets in the room, saying, "You are in such a hurry to leave. Originally, I should have summoned a tailor from town to make you a custom Daoist robe for this hall. But now, I can only dig out an old garment for you."

Not long afterward, the Hall Master brought out a gray-black training robe.

The character "Solitary" was embroidered on its chest, while "Gu" was embroidered on its back. Its design was simple and it looked quite light. It could be worn beneath one's clothes as a sleeping robe, or draped directly over the outside.

The Hall Master casually tossed over the upper and lower pieces of the training robe.

"Catch. This was worn by a disciple this old woman accepted years ago. Do not turn up your nose at it."

Fang Shu touched it and discovered that the robe was remarkably light. It was silk, with excellent resilience. Though its size was not especially well-fitted, he could make do with it.

Though it was old clothing, it carried not the slightest musty smell. Instead, it smelled quite fresh. Clearly, not only was its material exceptional, but it had also been properly kept.

Thus, he accepted the robe without ceremony, untied the garment he was wearing, and draped it over himself.

The Hall Master looked him up and down, narrowing her eyes as she instructed him, "This was woven from silk newly spun by Fire-Washing Silkworms after they devoured fire-washing cloth. Though it does not count as a magical artifact, it has a few useful properties. The fabric is rather dry and can ward off some mundane blades and weapons. When it becomes dirty or stained, burn it with fire, and it will be clean as new.

"As for its style and size, you may also burn it with fire. The more it burns, the more it shrinks. If you want to make it larger again, simply pull it hard."

Fang Shu understood and immediately clasped his hands in thanks. "Yes, thank you, Master, for gifting this disciple such precious clothing."

The Hall Master withdrew her gaze from him, then took out a calling card from the quiet room. Using her finger as a brush, she asked Fang Shu about his second uncle without even looking up—what mine he was at and his exact surname and name.

Fang Shu answered each question. By the time his voice fell, the calling card had been flicked before him.

The Hall Master said blandly, "Take this card. So long as it is not some major matter, they should give it some face. Just go redeem him directly."

Fang Shu held the calling card and glanced over it. Joy immediately appeared on his face, and a great stone in his heart finally settled halfway down.

"Yes, Master!"

With this letter, the Hall Master herself stood as guarantor. Combined with Fang Shu now being a First Tribulation immortal, redeeming his second uncle should present no great difficulty.

Having received the dojo robe and the hall master's calling card, Fang Shu immediately prepared to take his leave and stop disturbing her.

Yet when the Hall Master saw his movement, she called out again, "Why are you in such a hurry? We are not finished yet."

Under Fang Shu's bewildered gaze, the Hall Master tapped her own left ear and tilted her head slightly. Suddenly, tiny red dots flew from her ear, shifting unpredictably in midair.

These tiny red dots looked familiar to Fang Shu. Looking closely, he found that they greatly resembled the Ant Masters that had transmitted the cultivation art last time.

Only, last time the Ant Masters had flown from the Hall Master's mouth. This time, they crawled out from her ear, and their bodies were somewhat larger.

The Hall Master whispered a few words to the tiny red dots. Pointing at Fang Shu, she ghostly plucked a strand of his hair and handed its root to them.

The next moment, the tiny red dots dragged Fang Shu's hair away and gnawed it up with a rustling sound, then suddenly pounced toward Fang Shu.

This startled Fang Shu. Fortunately, those red insects did not leap at his face, but at his hair, silently burrowing into it and vanishing.

Only then did the Hall Master slowly introduce them. "These are the blood fleas under this old woman's command. You may call them Flea Masters. With them accompanying you, so long as your luck is not too terrible and you do not encounter a Qi Refinement demon, you should return in one piece."

After saying this, the Hall Master waved Fang Shu away, signaling that he could finally leave.

Fang Shu covered his hair. Though the very mention of Flea Masters made him feel itchy, a sense of security immediately arose in his heart.

Cheerfully, he bowed to the Hall Master once more. "Thank you, Master."

The Hall Master did not spare him another glance. Only two words came from her mouth.

"Get your ass moving."

Fang Shu did not linger any longer, taking his leave respectfully.

Once he stepped out of the quiet room, his expression returned to calm, but the delight in his heart remained genuine.

As he walked toward the outer hall, he thought to himself, With someone to lean on behind you, it truly is nice to ride in the shade.

Not long afterward.

Fang Shu went to Snake Master and collected some personal items before hurrying toward the dojo gates.

But just as he was about to leave, he turned around and found Yu'er in the dojo medicine hall. After briefly greeting her, he finally departed at a brisk pace.

What he did not notice was that when he appeared wearing the old Daoist robe, the look in Yu'er's eyes was somewhat different from usual.

As Fang Shu left with his back to her, Yu'er stared at his retreating figure, looking somewhat dazed.

Then a woman emerged from the medicine hall, her voice interrupting Yu'er's reverie.

"This boy is utterly ordinary. Though he did make something of a splash during his tribulation, why would Senior Sister stare at him like that?"

The woman frowned, gazing indifferently at Fang Shu's back. Clearly, while she had been in the adjacent room, she had heard Fang Shu's voice and recognized him.

If Fang Shu were still here, he too would recognize this woman. She was Qin Min—Qin Bao'er.

Yu'er withdrew her gaze, shook her head, and casually said, "I merely recalled some old matters from the hall."

"What medicine are you applying externally today, Junior Sister? I will dissolve it for you." Yu'er smiled.

Qin Min stared intently at Yu'er's face. Seeing that her expression did not seem false and that she truly only appeared to have drifted off for a moment, she set aside the stray thoughts in her heart.

The woman handed over the medicinal paste, her face faintly red as she turned away. "I will trouble Senior Sister again today."

Yet when she lay on the bamboo bed and waited for the massage and medicine application, Qin Min's thoughts still could not help returning to Fang Shu's retreating back.

But she only thought of it briefly. She did not take Fang Shu to heart at all.

"Entering the Dao in half a year is not bad, but he is still merely a mortal body and common stock."

Qin Min dismissed this with disdain.

She closed her eyes and quietly enjoyed the nourishment of the hall's secret medicine and the personal attendance of the hall's young mistress, helping her swiftly complete her Essence Refinement cultivation.