Fifteen days ago, by Zhu Xin Xia Ren
Chapter 9: Haunted House
"What if he doesn't learn it?" Yu Hua pondered for a moment, showing a hint of hesitation, and said, "Then I will go to another more ordinary sect tomorrow."
"Miss, by visiting again like this, aren't you causing trouble for others?" Mao Donkey was speechless.
Even the Sanqing Dao Sect couldn't help but have affections, why were the disciples of the Luochen Sect so pure?
Having been the mountain guardian beast of the Sanqing Sect for thousands of years, Mao Donkey had seen countless young talents come and go, but Yu Hua was the first of her kind.
However, considering the karmic ties between the Yuqing Sect and the Gu family, and Yu Hua's stubbornness resembling her master, it wasn't surprising.
The rigid Yuqing Sect could only allow a change of protectors as a huge concession.
"You can ignore the Zhao family boy, and even the Daoist Emperor wouldn't dare touch you, but the descendants of the Gu family are nothing but servants. This morning, they couldn't wait to stay away from you. Leaving that aside, this boy is very clever."
Yu Hua humbly asked, "Senior, how do you think I should approach the Gu family descendant without causing trouble for him?"
Hehe, needing help from someone and using honorifics?
Mao Donkey looked at her sincere demeanor and couldn't help but feel mischievous.
Pointing with its hoof outside the wall, it said, "You must act discreetly. Sneak over the wall at night, enter his mansion under the cover of darkness, and pass on the cultivation technique to him."
"You know, I know, he knows. This way, you won't cause trouble for him."
Yu Hua pondered.
Indeed, this was the most secure and effortless method.
If she used someone else to deliver it, the Zhao family would inevitably find out.
While she could hear others' thoughts, she couldn't stop their malicious intentions.
With this in mind, she thanked the senior, "Thank you for your guidance. I will go now and return shortly."
After speaking, Yu Hua lightly leaped up and in a flash, flew over the high wall, blending into the night.
"A fairy meeting a mortal man in the dead of night, how intriguing," Mao Donkey couldn't help but burst into laughter, attracting the guards' attention.
Soon after, another person was kicked out of the courtyard, stuck to the wall and unable to come down.
In the early hours of the morning in Bianjing, faint sounds came from the tiled roofs as a figure swiftly leaped over.
Soon, Yu Hua arrived at the Gu Wen Mansion.
Standing on the roof, most people in the mansion had already entered dreamland, except for the guards patrolling with lanterns.
"Where does Gu Wen reside?"
Yu Hua encountered her first challenge.
As a nascent immortal, without the use of magical treasures, many methods were difficult to employ.
Any Dao technique required an object to carry it.
Apart from listening to people's thoughts, discerning all the cause and effect in the world was possible with a significant cost.
However, in this place, it wasn't worth it, and the descendant of the Gu family seemed like just a "decent person" to her.
It wasn't worth using her ability to find him.
So, Yu Hua searched room by room, occasionally encountering people getting up at night and patrolling guards.
However, she skillfully evaded them all without exception.
Her clothes were a treasure that allowed her to move silently and lightly like a swallow.
Until the early hours of the morning, with the sky dimly lit, she still hadn't found Gu Wen.
Reluctantly, she left the Gu Mansion and returned to her small courtyard in the Wang Mansion.
Seeing Yu Hua climbing over the wall, Mao Donkey asked, "How did it go?"
"I didn't find him. I'll try again tonight."
Yu Hua shook her head and replied, then went inside to rest, feeling quite exhausted.
Her persistence made Mao Donkey want to transform into a human form and laugh heartily, but the laws of the nascent immortal realm were chaotic and not enough to support the transformation of demonic beings.
A thousand years ago, her master was also like this when she was still a young girl.
"Zhao Feng requests an audience with Fairy Yu Hua."
Outside the door, a gentle voice was heard again.
Zhao Feng stood with a breakfast box, dressed in embroidered white clothes and high blue cloud boots, looking more like a wandering scholar than his usual wealthy appearance.
Clearly, there was guidance behind him, but it wasn't used.
Mao Donkey yawned, lowered its head, and continued eating grass, not letting anyone enter.
Although they had received favors from the Zhao family, it was just a few kind words at most.
If anyone dared to harm Yu Hua, even the Daoist Emperor of the Zhao family would be annihilated, without a chance for reincarnation.
Yu Hua bore the destiny of resurrecting an immortal, who might become the only true immortal walking between heaven and earth.
In the gray morning sky, a chill lingered.
Gu Wen and his guards rode through the city.
Although they traveled on the designated city road, where horse riding was allowed, the royal guards in iron armor with long knives were very conspicuous, making it hard to keep a low profile.
Jiang Fugui sat in the back of the carriage, waving and shouting, "Master Wen, it's too dangerous. Come up to the carriage."
Riding a horse was very physically demanding and extremely dangerous.
Falling off could lead to minor injuries, but being kicked or trampled by a horse was a different story.
In preparation for a possible escape to the south in the future, Gu Wen had learned horsemanship, but due to his physical condition, he rarely rode.
Jiang Fugui had pinned his hopes on Gu Wen's prosperity for the latter half of his life.
He would rather see his own son die than let his master suffer any loss.
After all, he could have more sons, but there was only one master who provided him with meat to eat.
After testing the effects of his cultivation technique, Gu Wen wasn't sure how to judge the level of 'qi' in his body, but the physical abilities were always the clearest and most useful.
Unlike before, where he would start panting after running for a few minutes, he now felt no fatigue and even felt more energetic after mobilizing the 'qi' in his body.
The cultivation had brought a significant leap in physical strength, enhancing his equestrian skills to a higher level.
Gu Wen even felt that he could ride for hours without any issues.
This was crucial for survival.
Riding to his own doorstep, dismounting, his guards were already panting, worrying about the quality of the Great Gan troops.
Gu Wen remained composed, but symbolically took a few breaths along with them.
The young leader of the guards admired, "Master Wen, although you are a merchant, you are also a bold man."
"Not as good as a general. In the future, the safety of the mansion will depend on all of you."
Gu Wen remained humble as always, displaying his ability to speak appropriately to different people.
Just addressing him as a general made this young guard captain feel proud.
In less than a day, these guards were extremely polite to Gu Wen.
After all, this master was indeed generous, not sparing any silver for them.
"But shouldn't the specific security arrangements in Gu's house be decided by Gu himself?"
The smile on the head guard's face faded as he said, "The Ninth Prince has specifically instructed us to protect you personally."
"Does Gu need personal protection even when bathing?"
"Of course not, but we need someone to guard the door."
"..."
Gu Wen looked at the head guard quietly, a hint of killing intent rising in his heart.
But he suppressed it, realizing that harboring murderous thoughts was dangerous.
Whenever he was confident in killing the other party, dangerous thoughts would unconsciously arise.
The head guard felt a bit uneasy under Gu Wen's gaze, feeling as if he was facing a fierce general.
He forced a strained smile and said, "Master Wen, please don't make it difficult for me. We can compromise by not standing at the door. As long as we can see the house, is that acceptable to you?"
He understood the resistance, as who would like someone eavesdropping all the time, especially when entertaining women.
Gu Wen suddenly turned from calm to smiling, patting the guard's shoulder, "In the future, Gu's mansion will rely on the general, but I can't let everyone work in vain. Each of you will receive a monthly salary of twenty taels of silver from me."
"Thank you, Master Wen. If you have any private matters, you can ask the brothers to temporarily avoid them."
Seeing Gu Wen giving face, the head guard breathed a sigh of relief and didn't push further.
Everyone was out to make a living, you give me face, I give you convenience.
Moreover, according to the Ninth Prince's words, Gu Wen might be ennobled next year, so he didn't dare offend him even more.
"What if I offer forty taels of silver?"
"The matter of guarding the door depends on whether the Wang Mansion sends someone."
Very reasonable.
Gu Wen praised the flexibility and adaptability of the Great Gan soldiers once again, even the prince's doorkeeping orders could be adjusted.
He heard that the Great Gan often had bandits paying to enter the city, carrying baskets full of silver hanging on the city walls.
Then the guards would open the gates to let them in to rob the wealthy officials' warehouses.
Whether a robbery could make a profit depended on their skills.
Entering the mansion, Gu Wen found that the servants and maids were all anxious.
Upon inquiring, he learned that the house was haunted!
Many people had seen a white figure floating in the mansion last night, causing fear and anxiety among everyone.
Seeing it alone might be an illusion, two people might indicate thieves, but a group of people seeing it meant there might really be a ghost.
After all, in a world where even transcendent sects existed, it was normal to have ghosts.
One problem after another.
Gu Wen rubbed his temples, feeling a headache.
In the past, he would have paid little attention, at most, he would have a few guards stay up at night, but now he had to take it seriously.
"Fugui, go to the temple and invite a few masters over."
"Yes."
Many books are hard to find now, so cherish what you have.