Gu Wen stood silently on the side, not joining in the conversation.
When he first encountered Long Bridge, he behaved similarly.
Before fully understanding the actual situation, he should listen to the professionals.
In terms of cultivation, Ao Tang and Yu Hua knew more than he did, so he naturally left it to them.
He wondered how Jiang Fugui was doing.
Before sending him away, Gu Wen had instructed him to live incognito.
The farmland in Nanshui was registered under Mai Zi’s name and managed by some relatives.
Gu Wen had considered fleeing for a long time and therefore did not flaunt his name when purchasing farmland.
Over the past few years, as taxes and levies in Bianjing increased, Jiang Fugui's numerous relatives couldn't survive in Bianjing and moved to Nanshui.
According to letters, they had formed a small clan there.
The village, primarily composed of the Jiang family, including tenant farmers, numbered over a hundred people.
Secrecy wasn’t a concern.
Royal authority didn’t extend to the countryside.
If the imperial court could trace his distant relatives in a remote village in Nanshui, Da Qian wouldn’t be in its current state.
Never overestimate the mobilization capability of ancient dynasties; even modern states often struggle with grassroots governance.
Once a clan forms, the elders' words carry more weight than the emperor's.
This was Gu Wen’s envisioned foundation for rebellion.
If united, even a makeshift group could rise.
Often, circumstances create heroes.
But plans can’t keep up with changes, and Gu Wen no longer desired to be an emperor.
The conversation continued.
The old tree shared two pieces of news: Folded Sword Mountain had sealed the Sword Washing Pool and activated a sword formation, preventing outsiders from approaching.
Additionally, Da Qian had gathered fifty thousand elite troops in Luoshui, drawing regular soldiers from nearby counties.
Ao Tang naturally questioned why the old tree spirit provided them with this information and how they could be sure it wasn’t a trap.
“The old one seeks to make good connections, hoping for fewer enemies when achieving Dao.”
The ancient divine thought accompanied falling leaves.
The withered tree seemed ready to shrivel at any moment, with several pieces of bark already falling off.
Ao Tang's expression changed suddenly, then he spoke humbly, "Senior, your righteousness is commendable."
There have always been sacred places for achieving immortality, existing for unknown ages, harboring many hidden old monsters.
The old tree before them was recorded in some Three Purity Daoist texts.
No one knew its name, but every time the sacred place opened, it bestowed spiritual fruits upon the prodigies.
Currently, the two prominent figures in the Three Purity Dao Sect, True Lord Huayang and True Name Yunmiao, had both benefited from this old tree.
Achieving Dao, also called attaining immortality, meant transcending heaven and earth, not being within the Five Elements, and sharing the lifespan of heaven and earth.
The tree’s motivation, as it said, was to minimize conflict when achieving Dao.
It was challenging for plants to cultivate, even more so to develop spirituality.
Those who could achieve Dao were exceedingly rare, likely only this tree before them.
The tree itself was a supreme treasure; its essence could be refined into elixirs rivaling the Immortal Herb.
This senior had hidden for countless ages and was finally about to achieve Dao?
Yu Hua also sensed something amiss and her gaze turned serious.
Gu Wen, sensing the change in atmosphere, subtly activated his energy, ready to flee at a moment's notice.
An opponent that could make Yu Hua serious was beyond his current ability to handle.
A good teammate's basic principle is not to drag others down.
Thud!
Suddenly, a fruit fell and hit Gu Wen on the head.
He caught it instinctively.
The fruit looked like an apple, amber in color, brimming with spiritual energy.
An ancient divine thought came through.
“You need not worry. I have never taken a life, nor harmed any living being. Young friend, this fruit can aid in your cultivation. It ripens once a month. Do you need it?”
Gu Wen glanced at the others.
Ao Tang, in the form of a large water buffalo, nodded eagerly and spoke before Gu Wen could respond, "Second Ancestor, you cannot refuse a gift from an elder. Quickly, thank the senior."
Was it dangerous to refuse, or was this a great benefit?
Gu Wen looked at Yu Hua, who also nodded.
He then cupped his hands and bowed, saying, “Junior thanks the senior for the gift.”
The old tree replied, “I’m glad you like it. From now on, every month, you will find a spiritual fruit under any tree within the land of immortality.”
What, like a monthly sign-in bonus for spiritual fruits?
Gu Wen couldn't help but smile.
Having received the gift, he naturally needed to show proper gratitude.
He cupped his hands and bowed again, saying, “Thank you, senior. I will surely remember this kindness.”
“Then make it two fruits. Every month, two fruits. This favor only requires that you spare me from calamity,” said the old tree as another fruit fell.
Gu Wen beamed and said, “May the senior enjoy endless longevity and eventually attain the Great Dao.”
There was no additional fruit this time, but the thought of receiving two spiritual fruits every month without any effort made him grin widely.
Even if each fruit contained only one year’s worth of heavenly essence, that would still amount to twenty-four years annually, two hundred forty in ten years, and two thousand four hundred in a century!
He didn’t expect to achieve immortality from it, but using them to enhance his strength and obtain more spiritual treasures was a significant gain.
And it was almost free—the only condition was not to harm the old tree.
Wait, could it deliver the fruits anywhere within Da Qian?
Gu Wen began to realize the old tree's power, likely surpassing that of the Dao Sovereign Emperor, possibly on par with Yu Hua.
“Lady Celestial, do you need any?” the old tree asked Yu Hua with increased respect.
Yu Hua initially didn’t want any, but seeing Gu Wen tugging at her sleeve, she nodded and said, “I’ll take one.”
Afterward, the three had a meal in the village.
Yu Hua and Ao Tang ate fasting pills, but Gu Wen still preferred regular food.
This was why he often sought lodging; with his physique, he could survive on raw meat, but that wasn’t how a person should live.
In this chaotic world, perhaps due to the old tree's protection, the mountain villagers were relatively well-fed and clothed.
They could afford to offer chicken and duck to their guests.
In prosperous times, life in the mountains was harsh because all land belonged to the king, and the court always sought to register mountain villagers for tax collection.
This was crucial for officials’ performance, known as civilizing the uncivilized and eliminating hidden households.
The court frequently raided mountain villagers.
Though the gains were small, emperors liked seeing their power extend over everyone.
In chaotic times, life was hard for those in the valleys because the court lacked the resources to manage mountain villagers.
Without heavy taxes, they could prosper.
After eating, the three descended the mountain.
The path was fraught with wolves and tigers, with unknown beasts appearing from time to time.
Gu Wen took out the fruit and asked, “Senior, can this be refined into a pill?”
Ao Tang shook his head, “Refining pills is to enhance the medicinal effect and reduce toxicity. This fruit is perfect as it is; no need to gild the lily.”
Upon hearing this, Gu Wen directly bit into the spiritual fruit.
Soon, both fruits were consumed, and his heavenly essence surged.
【Heavenly Essence: 10 years】
【Heavenly Marrow: 21 years】
A single fruit contains ten years’ worth of heavenly essence.
In just ninety years, I could become immortal! Gu Wen introspected and felt the thick medicinal power settling inside him, without any discomfort.
If consuming the medicinal fruits from Linchuan was like drinking herbal medicine, then eating this spiritual fruit was like drinking nectar.
He didn’t need to actively refine the medicinal power; it would slowly settle on its own.
Nearby, Ao Tang was full of envy and said, "Back then, both Huayang and Yunying each only got one fruit. And now, Second Ancestor, you got two."
Gu Wen remained humble among his companions and said, "I was fortunate to gain the elder’s favor."
“There is no such thing as mere luck. That elder has existed since the recorded history of the Land of Immortality. The concept of avoiding calamity might indicate that the elder believes you have greater potential," Ao Tang praised generously, and his words were sincere.
Everyone who received a spiritual fruit invariably became a significant figure, starting at least at the True Lord level.
The monthly supply of superior spiritual fruits played a role, but more importantly, these individuals already possessed extraordinary talent.
For Gu Wen to receive two fruits suggested an unimaginable future potential.
Perhaps he might truly become the next celestial leader of the Three Pure Dao Sect, or even rule over the entire Daoist world.
This Second Ancestor had really found a remarkable successor!
The rapid change in Gu Wen's status made Ao Tang somewhat bewildered.
It was hard to imagine that just half a year ago, Gu Wen was bowing and scraping before Zhao Feng, and now he seemed to outshine even the two headmasters of the Three Pure Mountain.
Life was unpredictable.
If the Dao Sovereign Emperor knew about this, could he still sleep soundly tonight?
Gu Wen wiped his mouth and looked at Yu Hua.
She handed him the spiritual fruit she held. "Thank you, Daoist."
Gu Wen quickly ate the second fruit, bringing his heavenly essence tally to thirty-one years in less than a day.
With Yu Hua around, he could count on a steady supply of heavenly essence daily, plus occasional finds of uninhabited treasure lands.
If not being hunted, he couldn't imagine how smooth this path to immortality would be—traveling, enjoying the scenery, with a celestial maiden by his side.
He asked, "How do we enter Tianquan Mountain to find the Sword Washing Pool?"
“By force.”
“Let me see if I can find some connections.”
They answered almost simultaneously—Yu Hua with the former and Ao Tang with the latter.
They exchanged disdainful or puzzled glances.
Ao Tang sighed and said, "Little Ancestor, the people from Jianjian Mountain are not simple this time, and as the foremost military family, they must have their means. Even if you can fight them, it would be a loss if we can't find the Immortal Medicine inside."
“The Qingcang Dao Foundation will shorten my lifespan, and overuse will incur divine retribution.”
Yu Hua retorted, “Do you know anyone who can support us in entering the Sword Washing Pool now?”
“...”
Ao Tang was speechless for a while.
“So, there’s no other way?”
Indeed, there was none.
It wasn’t that he was incompetent; it was just that building relationships typically depended on mutual background and face-saving.
Deep friendships were rare, even among the same sect, let alone with the distant Jianjian Mountain.
Gu Wen asked, and after receiving a definite answer, he sighed and relinquished the idea of taking it easy and following others.
A celestial maiden and a dragon—it was hard to expect them to have any extraordinary strategies.
Everyday dealings might not be their strong suit.
Gu Wen took command and said, "Let’s first gather information in Luoshui City. Previously, Tianquan Mountain water was seen as a tribute in the capital, indicating contact with the outside world. With connections, we can gather intelligence." The group continued on their way.
Thud, thud, thud!
The ground shook slightly as a dozen armored cavalrymen rode in, surrounding them.
Seeing the two humans and the beast in strange attire, and the woman seemingly a Daoist, the leader waved to signal his men to sheath their weapons and cupped his hands in greeting, “May I ask your names? Are you here for Tianquan Mountain?”
“What if we are? What if we aren't?”
Gu Wen’s aura suddenly became steady, his eyes as deep as a pool, and the restrained killing intent made the air around them cold.
Mortals could hardly notice the subtle changes, but the cavalry leader, staring at Gu Wen’s face, suddenly sensed something wrong.
He drew his weapon again and sternly said, “You look familiar...”
He drew his weapon again, his voice becoming severe. “You resemble a wanted criminal of the court. Come with us.”
Mortals couldn’t understand the strength of cultivators, and Da Qian would never publicize how the Crown Prince was killed on the street.
But everyone knew about the ten thousand taels bounty—providing information could earn dozens or hundreds of taels.
Pfft!
A blood hole appeared between the cavalry leader’s eyebrows.
Gu Wen pointed his finger, and a condensed spear aura flew out, felling another.
The techniques of the Tian’gang Spear didn’t necessarily need a spear; though a spear could showcase its true power, it was enough to pierce flesh.
Killing a person was simple, such as a strike to the temple or throat.
Of course, hitting armor would be ineffective.
With his current spear aura’s level, it wasn’t enough to break armor from a distance.
After killing three men, the rest turned in terror and fled on horseback.
Ao Tang wanted to chase and eliminate them, but Gu Wen stopped him.
Ao Tang said, “If we don’t kill them all, it will be troublesome when the news spreads.”
“If they didn’t know we were coming, why gather troops at Luoshui?” Gu Wen countered, then explained, “Mortal armies don’t threaten us, but like mosquitoes biting people, you can’t ignore them.”
“It’s better to let the news spread, so at least mortals know. Fewer will come to die, saving us trouble.”
Mortals are weak but not foolish.
They know how to avoid harm.
Ten days later.
Gu Wen and his party reached Luoshui City, a vast city, different from but no less impressive than the capital.
The roadways were crowded with ox carts and horse-drawn carriages, transporting all kinds of goods in and out.
The Luoshui River connected Linchuan’s mountains and the southern Nanshui region, with boats drifting like autumn leaves, heading towards the mountains or Nanshui.
Luo City, where a thousand rivers converge, was a commercial giant.
At this point, Gu Wen and Yu Hua had already disguised themselves.
It wasn’t a disguise technique but a small magical tool they had recently collected and made, capable of altering their appearances.
After presenting the official pass prepared earlier in the capital, the court soldiers at the city gate immediately allowed them to pass.
Ao Tang asked, "Where should we go to gather information?"
Gu Wen replied, "In the lower markets, ask the vendors; in middle-class inns and teahouses; and in the best brothels. We should go to the best brothel in town and request the top courtesans. Those ladies hear a lot of things." Sensing the cold stare from beside him, he quickly changed his tone:
"Actually, eavesdropping in alleyways would work too."