Supreme Sword Exalt

Gu Han’s disgusted expression ticked Zuo Yang off. “What’s that look for?! This is the treasure I keep tucked away at the bottom of my chest. Countless people have begged and cried for a bite, yet I refused. If you don’t want it, then I have nothing else!”

Gu Han’s face grew even greener. “What?! You can eat this?”

Zuo Yang glared at him. “Of course! This is a peerless great demon’s meat!”

He had accidentally entered a forbidden zone and stumbled upon an unnamed great demon that had died long ago. However, he had arrived too late. Except for a palm-sized piece near the heart, the rest had lost its spiritual nature. Through a special method, Zuo Yang had preserved the meat until it became what Gu Han saw.

Recalling that, Zuo Yang appeared regretful. “What a pity! If I had arrived a bit earlier back then, I could have brought back more!”

Meanwhile, Gu Han was still somewhat skeptical. “Can it really work?”

“Forget it if you don’t want it!“

Gritting his teeth, Gu Han snatched the demon beast meat and placed it into his storage ring. “Ugh, fine!”

Whether it worked or not, he would try it first. Better than exposing the secret of his constitution, at least. Then, Gu Han asked Zuo Yang for the location of Yue Mountain City and left Ah Sha with a few instructions. He set out immediately afterward.

After seeing Gu Han off, Yu Miao asked, “Senior Brother, don’t you think it’s strange?”

Still feeling heartache over his treasure, Zuo Yang was somewhat distracted. “About what?”

“About Junior Brother! He actually cultivated the Supreme Stage! The radiance of such a prodigy is destined to be hard to conceal. Those families aren’t fools. How could they let you fool him over here so easily?”

Zuo Yang was a bit embarrassed. “Junior Sister, that’s not fooling, that’s a well-intentioned lie!”

“Isn’t it the same?”

Zuo Yang wisely chose not to argue with her. “Actually, I also think it’s strange. He comes from Great Qi Martial Academy. Forget Yuqing Sect, even the Qingyun Pavilion definitely wouldn’t let go of such talent? So how could...”

Their gazes instantly fell upon Ah Sha.

“W-what’s wrong?” Ah Sha asked, seemingly utterly clueless.

Zuo Yang wore a kindly expression, casually taking out a piece of jerky. “Ah Sha, does it smell good?”

Ah Sha’s drool was almost flowing out. “It does!”

Zuo Yang’s face had a scheming smile as he pointed a finger, igniting another pile of spirit fire. “Then, shall we eat and chat?”

***

Although Fengwu Court was remote, it was just a few hundred li away from Yue Mountain City. With Gu Han’s cultivation, he spotted the colossal city within just two hours. It was several times more imposing and grand than Great Qi’s imperial capital.

The people he encountered also began to increase. Judging by their attire, there were rogue cultivators and also those from various families and sects. Ignoring the wary looks in everyone’s eyes, he increased his speed again, reaching Yue Mountain City in just a moment. Instantly, an aura of prosperity rushed over him.

A greenstone avenue several zhang wide stretched as far as the eye could see. On both sides were shops of all sizes and colors, too numerous to count. There were pills, dao artifacts, spirit food and many more. It seemed anything a cultivator could use was for sale.

He even saw many rogue cultivators squatting right there on the ground, with piles of strange, unnameable things laid out in front of them. Their eyes swept back and forth, afraid of missing a single sucker.

Right at that moment, a person with a pale face brushed past Gu Han. Several unfriendly-looking people closely tailed him, murderous intent swirling in their eyes. However, the people coming and going didn’t even glance at them. It seemed within Yue Mountain City, such things were completely normal.

Suddenly, someone with a voice full of emotion said from behind, “Hehe, in the world of cultivation, the weak are prey to the strong. There’s no evil or good person. Weakness is the original sin! Young man, if you can’t understand this principle, you shouldn’t have come here rashly.”

Gu Han rolled his eyes. Who is this! They’re so annoying! Also, what’s with this familiar tone?

Turning to look, he saw a slightly plump middle-aged man with a smiling face staring at him.

Gu Han looked suspicious. “Hmm? Are you talking to me?”

“If you think so, then I am.”

Gu Han really wanted to hit him. “You remind me a lot of someone I know.”

The man waved his hand. “Hehe. The mortal world rolls on, we are all just passersby. To meet is our fate, so why dwell on the past?”

After saying this, he swaggered away with an expression of profound mystery. The corner of Gu Han’s mouth twitched. If I couldn’t see through this person’s strength, I’d definitely give him a good beating today!

Seeing that Gu Han was new in town, a rogue cultivator quickly pointed at the few tattered, spiritless dao artifacts on the ground. “Young brother, come take a look! I risked my life to obtain these dao artifacts from an ancient relic site! Pick anything you like! If you fancy one, eight hundred—no, six hundred essence crystals and it’s yours!”

His saliva flew as he spoke.

Gu Han turned and walked away. Ancient relic site? You’re a Meridian Opening cultivator, why not say you got it from a forbidden zone?

While lamenting inwardly about the mix of fish and dragons here, he didn’t slow down in the slightest. About a quarter of an hour later, he had already found Ruyi Tower.

His breath was stolen at a glance. Grand and magnificent, the tower overshadowed all the surrounding buildings, consisting of nine floors.

The Murong Family’s inn lacked Ruyi Tower’s grandeur, while Tian Heng’s Treasure Pavilion lacked its solemnity. They simply couldn’t compare at all.

A crowd was surrounding the tower, sobbing faintly and spewing curses.

Gu Han didn’t have to exert much effort to squeeze to the front and saw what exactly was happening inside. “Excuse me.”

A boy of seven or eight stood behind an old man with graying hair and a hunched back.

Opposite the boy was a rather pretty round-faced girl, her eyes red as she kept explaining, “I-I really came to buy pills...”

The boy with rosy lips and pearl white teeth seemed adorable and pitiable, yet his words were extremely vicious. “Buy? Can you even afford it? What kind of place do you think the Ruyi Tower is? Is it some place a lowly person like you can come?”

“I-I have money.” The girl seemed to stumble upon her words. As if afraid the boy wouldn’t believe her, she quickly took out over ten spirit sources from her storage ring. “My older brother gave them all to me!”

The boy was unconvinced, cursing loudly, “Spirit sources?! You even have a storage ring! Where did your brother get all these goods? Did he steal it from the family?”

After hearing the boy insult her brother, the girl instantly became anxious. “No! These were all earned by my brother! He desperately killed demonic beasts and completed missions. It has nothing to do with the family! Don’t wrongfully accuse people!”

The old man smiled. “Young Master, there’s a simple solution for this. Take them back to the family for verification!”

The boy’s eyes lit up, staring viciously at the girl. “You’re right! Yang Lan, whether it’s stolen or not, you don’t get to decide. Hand over the things now, or you’ll regret it!”

Yang Lan quickly withdrew her hand. “No! My brother gave these to me! You can’t take them!”

Malice oozed from the boy’s face. “I see you’re feeling guilty! Sure enough, things born from that whore are also bastards! Yang Fu, arrest her! Take her back to be dealt with according to clan rules!”

Yang Lan hurriedly stepped back. “I’m now a disciple of the Yuqing Sect!”

Behind the boy, Yang Fu said leisurely, “Yang Lan, Yuqing Sect’s reputation might count for something elsewhere, but in front of the Yang family? Hehe!”

Yang Lan felt deeply wronged, her tears falling endlessly. “My brother and I have already left the Yang family. Why won’t you let us go?”

The boy only grew bolder and fearless. “Let go? I just can’t stand that whore, and I can’t stand you two bastards either! Fine! Die and I’ll let you go!”

Outside Ruyi Tower, the crowd discussed animatedly.

“Haa... Who is this? How can they bully people like this?”

“Shh! Keep your voice down! That’s the Yang family’s young master. We can’t afford to offend him!”

“Which Yang family?”

“Nonsense, which else could it be? The Yang family of the Three Great Families!”

That person sucked in a cold breath. “Who is this girl? Is she also from the Yang family?”

“Haa... Yes she is, but I heard her mother was a maid of the Yang family. Back then... ahem, you get it.”

Gu Han had heard the crowd’s conversation. “So that’s what happened...”

Though he somewhat sympathized with Yang Lan’s plight, he wasn’t thinking of meddling. Naturally, he was aware that his status as the Fengwu Court’s chief disciple probably wouldn’t be of much use. He also wanted to avoid complications, as obtaining the pill quickly was his top priority.

Shaking his head inwardly, he stepped into the main hall. Sweeping his gaze around, he came across someone who seemed to be the steward.

That steward greeted him with a smile, “Guest, how may I assist you?”

“I came to—”

The girl’s pleading voice outside abruptly interrupted him. “Young Master, I can give you the spirit sources and the storage ring. Can you let me buy some pills first? Brother Jiang’s injuries aren’t healed yet. He’s still waiting for me to return—”

Before she finished, another cry of surprise escaped her.

The boy’s dissatisfied voice followed. “What right do you have to bargain in front of me! Steward Li, arrest her!”

Upon hearing this, Gu Han suddenly fell silent.

That steward smiled. “Guest, is there anything you require?”

Gu Han left instantly. “I’ll come back later!”

Outside, he saw the old man dragging the tearful girl forward by the arm. Meanwhile, the boy had his hands clasped behind his back, strutting arrogantly, putting on quite the act.

Gu Han suddenly intervened. “Wait! I have a few questions to ask her.”

The boy frowned, looking at Gu Han. “Hmm? Are you talking to me?”

Ignoring him, Gu Han asked Yang Lan, “I’m asking you. The Brother Jiang you mentioned, is his name Jiang Feng?”

“Yes. How did you know?”

Gu Han didn’t answer, asking another question, “What’s your relationship with him?”

A faint blush flashed across the girl’s face. “Brother Jiang and I...”

She suddenly couldn’t continue.

Upon seeing this, how could Gu Han not understand? He was speechless. Who would have thought that the seemingly honest and simple Brother Jiang actually also... It’s only been a few days, though?

The boy caught Yang Lan’s expression, his face full of venom. “Yang Lan, you’ve only been a disciple for a few days, and you’ve already hooked up with someone else? Tsk tsk, Brother Jiang? Sounds quite affectionate. You’re just like your mother, who seduced my father. Looks like the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree!”

Yang Lan froze for a moment, tears of anger welling in her eyes. “You’re talking nonsense! My mother wasn’t... She wasn’t...”

“Let her go,” said Gu Han.

Since this matter involved Jiang Feng, he couldn’t just stand by.

The boy stared incredulously at him, as if he had heard the funniest joke. “What? Come again?”

Gu Han expressionlessly repeated, “I said let her go.”ℯℯ𝘭.