Transmigration: The Peerless Immortal Husband

Speaking of the Mad Snake Gang, Tian Feirong chuckled smugly. Back then, the gang members were so arrogant. Even after being subdued by Chi Changye, they weren’t entirely honest. But now, they were voluntarily coming to beg for forgiveness. Even Tian Feirong and the chubby kid each received their own gifts of apology, with the gang groveling in humility.

“Alright, don’t look so smug,” the chubby kid said irritably. “The Mad Snake Gang is just afraid that others might target them to curry favor with Gu Yao, so they rushed over to make amends. Besides, didn’t you already accept their gifts?”

“Hey, hey, what’s with your snide attitude these days?” Tian Feirong poked the chubby kid with his finger. Now that Gu Yao and Chi Changye were back, the chubby kid was still sulking.

“Enough, you two, stop arguing,” Gu Yao said helplessly, looking at the pair. He understood the chubby kid’s mood—after all, with Master Hu leaving again, the chubby kid was probably tangled up in his feelings. “Let’s just keep working hard moving forward.”

Tian Feirong wholeheartedly agreed with this sentiment. If it weren’t for Gu Yao and Chi Changye proving their worth with real skills, there was no way they’d be enjoying their current prestige. Even Pei Yuchun and Hou Qiang, who used to act high and mighty when they first entered the academy, had sent over gifts. The envy in their eyes was unmistakable.

Gu Yao learned that the pills he had entrusted to Tian Feirong hadn’t even made it to the shop before being snatched up entirely. With no choice, he quickly began refining a new batch so the shop could reopen. Not just the pills—Chi Changye’s talismans were also in high demand. However, not many people knew the talismans were his work; otherwise, they would have been even more sought after.

To handle the situation, Tian Feirong and the chubby kid came up with a plan to limit sales. Prices were raised only slightly—they didn’t push them too high. After all, the spirit stones they were earning were more than sufficient for their current needs.

Meanwhile, Master Hu, along with his disciples, boarded a flying artifact and began the journey back to their sect, leaving Tianfu Academy behind. Sang Shuo and Wan Siqing finally breathed a sigh of relief. Watching Gu Yao and their master spend days and nights discussing alchemy had been overwhelming for them. Although they looked down on the disciples of The Pill Peak, they couldn’t deny the immense threat Gu Yao posed. His position and image in their master’s eyes were unshakable.

The accompanying disciples from Cuiyan Valley were whispering among themselves. Who would have thought that Tianfu Academy had produced such a talented alchemist as Gu Yao? He completely overshadowed the so-called geniuses of Cuiyan Valley, making them look far less impressive in comparison.

They felt conflicted—on one hand, Gu Yao choosing Tianfu Academy over Cuiyan Valley was a blow to their sect’s reputation. On the other hand, they were relieved he didn’t join Cuiyan Valley. If he had, would they have had any chance to stand out? Facing Gu Yao head-on, they would have been utterly outclassed and humiliated.

Master Hu stood at the front of the flying artifact, seemingly admiring the scenery. In reality, Gu Yao’s parting words echoed repeatedly in his mind. Initially, he had planned to reflect on the insights gained from his visit during the journey back and announce a retreat into seclusion for further study upon his return to Cuiyan Valley. However, for the first time, his grandson’s matters took precedence over his passion for alchemy.

Was Weicai’s character truly as irredeemable as rumors suggested? Thinking back carefully, his grandson had never caused the death of any Cuiyan Valley disciples nor committed many acts of outright bullying. How much of the gossip that had reached his ears was true?

Was Weicai’s poor reputation merely a result of his notoriety, or had someone been deliberately working behind the scenes to tarnish his name? Was it an attack aimed at himself, or was Weicai the target?

“Master, don’t you want to rest for a while? Will you be entering seclusion as soon as we return to the valley?” Wan Siqing approached Master Hu, her voice soft with concern. Knowing her master’s nature, she expected him to retreat into seclusion soon after arriving.

Master Hu glanced at his disciple and asked, “Is there still no news about Weicai? Is it because the people in the valley are incompetent, or what? After all this time, they haven’t uncovered a single clue?”

Wan Siqing was caught off guard by her master’s sudden mention of her junior brother. Her surprise was evident, but she quickly recovered, her expression turning worried. “Master, it’s our fault—mine and Senior Brother’s—for not handling this matter well. Once we’re back, we will personally oversee the efforts to investigate within the valley. Please punish us as you see fit. It’s all our fault. You entrusted Junior Brother to us, and yet we disciples have…”

Wan Siqing was on the verge of tears. Master Hu looked at her for a long while before lowering his gaze and turning back to the cabin. “Forget it, you continue investigating. I can only blame Weicai for being so good at hiding.”

Thus, the matter he had entrusted to the people of the valley—had they truly put their hearts into it? Just from her expression, Master Hu began to doubt everything around him. Why had Wan Siqing reacted with surprise when he asked about Weicai’s whereabouts? Shouldn’t they have been keeping the search in their hearts all along?

At that moment, Master Hu deeply doubted himself and the people around him.

As Cuiyan Valley’s group left, Gu Yao’s reputation began to spread throughout Tianlin Continent. In particular, those who had participated in the Ascension Conference were almost certain that the creator of the top-grade Bi Hua Pill they had been searching for at the time was none other than Gu Yao himself.

This also explained why the Bi Hua Pill, like a fleeting flower, had disappeared so quickly. Gu Yao had been at the Ascension Conference during that time, and after the conference ended, he left with Tianfu Academy. Since then, no trace of the owner of the top-grade Bi Hua Pill had been seen in Shifang City.

As a result, various forces began to investigate Gu Yao’s background. According to information from Cuiyan Valley, Tianfu Academy, and Qianxue Sect, Gu Yao had developed the antidote to the Illusory Demon Liquid—Red Xuan Pill. Not only had it saved those poisoned, but it had also been personally appraised and verified by Master Hu. While the degree of belief varied, it was clear that Gu Yao’s alchemical talent was truly remarkable, making him a valuable figure to be courted.

At Beixing Sect.

Lu Minzhu had just emerged from seclusion when she was informed that her master wanted to see her. On the way, someone asked if she knew Gu Yao, the one who had participated in the Ascension Conference and later joined Tianfu Academy.

Having just reached the sixth level of Qi Refining, Lu Minzhu’s cultivation speed was considered impressive among the disciples of Beixing Sect.

Though she had been in a good mood, hearing about Gu Yao as soon as she left seclusion left her feeling uneasy. She asked, “How do you know about Gu Yao? Has he done something?”

Since returning to the sect after the Ascension Conference, Lu Minzhu had focused entirely on her cultivation, completely ignoring everything happening outside. Therefore, she had no idea about Gu Yao’s current situation. She had thought that, from now on, she and Gu Yan would be from two different worlds, and she would no longer have any interactions with Gu Yao. She never expected to hear his name so soon.

“So, it seems you really know Gu Yao, Junior Sister? This guy is incredible. He actually made Master Hu of Cuiyan Valley stay an extra half month at Tianfu Academy because of him. During those two weeks, they stayed in the same room and discussed alchemy, not leaving for even a step. Not only was he the owner of the top-grade Bi Hua Pill that everyone was searching for in Shifang City, but he also developed the antidote for the Illusory Demon Liquid—the Red Xuan Pill. He solved a problem that even Master Hu had no confidence in. You might not know about the Illusory Demon Liquid, but let me tell you…”

The disciple leading Lu Minzhu continued to chatter on, explaining everything. Lu Minzhu felt dizzy. Was the person he was talking about really the Gu Yao she knew? Could they possibly be the same person? How could this be?

The disciple, not expecting that Lu Minzhu actually knew Gu Yao and had a close relationship with him, simply satisfied his desire for gossip and continued talking. After he had escorted her to the place, he turned and left. Before Lu Minzhu could say anything, a voice from inside called her to enter. It was her master, Elder Wu of Beixing Sect, and because of this, she immediately became an inner disciple with a relatively high status.

“Master, Senior Brother is also here.” As Lu Minzhu entered, she bowed, only to find that Senior Brother Yan Yang was also present. This made her heart skip a beat. Could it be related to Gu Yao?

“Minzhu, you’re here,” her master, Elder Wu of Beixing Sect, said, as if thinking of something just at that moment. He then asked, “Minzhu, do you know Gu Yao? He seems to come from the same place as you, right?”

As expected, Lu Minzhu could only smile bitterly. She didn’t dare hide anything and truthfully told them what she knew. However, she omitted the uncomfortable matter of her engagement and the subsequent annulment. After all, from a moral standpoint, she had done something wrong. Furthermore, she and her cousin Gu Yan had never ended up together, and it was hard to talk about those past events.

Yan Yang noticed the complex expression that flashed across Lu Minzhu’s face and guessed that she might have more to say. However, the information she had already revealed about Gu Yao was enough to leave anyone shocked.

“Gu Yao is a Four Spiritual Root!”

“Gu Yao is the true holder of the Changxian Sect’s token, which he later used to exchange for his freedom from his family!”

“After leaving his family, Gu Yao’s cultivation and alchemy skills soared. By then, he was already an intermediate alchemist!”

“Gu Yao has an uncle of unknown origin, and the Changxian Sect’s token was given to him by this uncle. However, this uncle disappeared afterward, and it’s suspected that Gu Yao’s alchemy skills may have come from him!”

Elder Wu and Yan Yang exchanged a glance. They hadn’t expected that a seemingly inconspicuous little cultivator from the Ascension Conference would have such a complex background. Both of them suspected that Gu Yao’s mysterious uncle was probably not a cultivator from Tianlin Continent, but someone from outside, and more likely from the place where the Changxian Sect was located.

“Why didn’t you mention these matters to the sect earlier?” Elder Wu reproached his disciple. “Such important matters were kept hidden. If we had known earlier, even if Gu Yao is a Four Spiritual Root, we could have taken him in and observed him for a while.”

“Master…” Lu Minzhu hesitated, unsure how to explain.

“Elder Wu, this isn’t entirely Junior Sister’s fault. She couldn’t have anticipated so much, and she certainly didn’t expect Gu Yao to keep such a low profile. At that time, Master Hu even publicly declared that he wanted to accept him as his personal disciple, yet Gu Yao restrained himself and didn’t step forward. Instead, he went to Tianfu Academy. Gu Yao’s intentions are truly hard to understand. By the way, Junior Sister, what you don’t know is that Gu Yao’s companion, the cultivator Chi Changye, has already reached the Foundation Establishment stage,” Yan Yang said with a smile.

“What?!” Lu Minzhu’s heart skipped several beats, and the shock on her face was impossible to hide. It seemed that this revelation was even more surprising than Gu Yao becoming a senior alchemist.