Cultivating immortality relies on spatial abilities; defying fate to become the protagonist.

Chapter 16 The Gu Family

Shi Han's heart stirred. This body's mother, Liu, was probably not simple. She might really be related to a cultivator. The Moon Bracelet was not something an ordinary family could have. The original owner's mother's surname was Liu, not Gu.

Shi Han thought for a moment and said, "Senior, don't try to claim kinship with people just because you're with them. We're absolutely not related!"

The phantom soul didn't speak. It simply produced a jade plate-like object from somewhere, and with a wave of its hand, Gu Shihan felt a sharp pain in her fingertip as a drop of blood fell onto the jade plate.

"you?"

Gu Shi was shocked. He hadn't expected that even a mere phantom could be so powerful, leaving him no chance to dodge.

The illusory figure sighed, its soul fading further, its voice becoming even more ethereal: "Young friend, I apologize! I'm about to dissipate, so I had no choice but to give it a try. I'm sorry! Alas! You were right, I was indeed being presumptuous!"

Seeing that things had already turned out this way, Gu Shihan stopped being angry. The jade plate didn't react at all, so she smiled helplessly.

Suddenly, light flowed across the jade plate, quickly consuming Gu Shihan's drop of blood. The jade plate emitted a faint red light, flickered briefly, and then stopped responding.

"There's a reaction! You??? You must be a descendant of my elder brother, absolutely! Heaven blesses our branch! Child, I have some insights into formations, shall I pass them on to you?" the illusory figure said excitedly.

"This...maybe it's a coincidence..." Before Shi Han could finish speaking, a beam of white light shot into her brow, startling both her and the beast.

Gu Shihan quickly calmed down. Indeed, she had more information in her mind. Upon inspection, it turned out to be the inheritance and insights of the formation, as well as the cultivation techniques and insights of the illusory figure.

"My child, I am about to disappear. Live well!"

Gu Shihan watched helplessly as the illusory figure turned into specks of light and disappeared into the air.

"Hanhan, are you really a descendant of the Gu family? Could it be that your mother..." Xingbai also found it hard to accept this.

"Xingbai, it's only a possibility! The senior disappeared too quickly and didn't have time to ask about the Moon Bracelet. Perhaps he knew something about it."

Gu Shihan took out the jade box and put away the ashes, intending to find a place to bury them, since she had received his kindness.

"Hanhan, this black bead is a soul bead," Xingbai said, looking at the black bead.

Gu Shihan knew about the Soul Pearl; as the name suggests, it had the function of nourishing the soul.

However, the Soul Bead is not omnipotent for souls; the soul cannot remain within it for long. Generally, with a Soul Nourishing Bead, a soul can remain intact for a thousand years.

This senior had been possessed by the Soul Bead for almost a thousand years, which caused his soul power to dissipate and him to perish from the world, without even the chance to be reincarnated.

If someone had discovered him a hundred years earlier, perhaps he could have possessed another body and been reborn, or perhaps someone could have helped him enter the cycle of reincarnation again...

All the spiritual items in the spatial ring were useless, and the pill bottles were empty, presumably used by the senior for healing.

There are seven array plates. Although the spiritual light is somewhat dim, they can still be used with the nourishment of spiritual energy.

Then there were a few dull-looking jade slips, and nothing else that was usable.

Of course, the storage ring is of a high level, with a capacity of around a hundred cubic meters, and it's usable.

"Hanhan, put away the jade bottle and jade box. These are much more useful than porcelain bottles."

"There are still a few pieces of parchment that haven't completely turned to ash yet. There are quite a few array diagrams on them. Should we try to make rubbings of them?" Xingbai said while checking the items.

"No need! It's all in the inheritance given by our senior. Xingbai, let's rest for a day and then set off for Western Jin. Perhaps we need to start investigating from the Liu family to find out the reason. Sigh! I feel that many things are becoming more and more confusing. It seems that my arrival here was arranged by something, and it makes me feel a little uneasy!" Gu Shihan said, looking at the sky. "Hanhan, there's nothing to worry about. You are the owner of the Moon Bracelet, destined to be extraordinary. The path of cultivation is one you must take. With Xingbai here, you will definitely succeed in cultivating!" The little white fox Xingbai said earnestly.

A month later, Gu Shihan left the Canaan Mountains and entered the territory of the Western Jin Dynasty.

The Western Jin Dynasty was similar to the Eastern Jin Dynasty, with a large gap between the rich and poor. This had little impact on Shi Han, who then infiltrated the Western Jin imperial city.

Gu Shihan rented a house from an elderly woman, simply because Gu Shihan had helped her with a small favor.

Knowing that Gu Shihan wanted to rent a house, the old woman vacated a room for her, telling others that it was her nephew's child.

In the Western Jin Dynasty, the written record was also quite important, especially for staying at inns; this was indispensable.

Gu Shihan had originally planned to secretly make one in Yingtian Prefecture, but now that trouble has been saved.

Gu Shihan rarely goes out, but Xingbai went out to investigate several times and actually found out some things. The Liu family is an old family with a history of thousands of years and has always kept a low profile.

Until the last three hundred years, the Liu family had close ties with the Western Jin imperial family. It could be said that the current rulers have Liu family blood, only from a long time ago.

The most recent marriage alliance was twenty years ago, when Liu Yuwan's aunt, Liu Xiangyi, entered the Eastern Palace and became the Crown Princess.

Two years after Liu Xiangyi entered the Eastern Palace, she gave birth to her eldest son, Nangong Xi. Five years later, Crown Prince Nangong Yunmo ascended the throne as Emperor, who is now the Emperor of Western Jin.

Ten years ago, Emperor Nangong Yunmo of the Western Jin Dynasty suddenly ordered the extermination of the entire Liu family, which consisted of more than 300 people, including Empress Liu Xiangyi and the eldest son, Nangong Xi.

It is said that no one in the entire Liu family survived, but this does not include Liu Yuwan, who went missing a month before the incident.

The Liu family's ancestral home was also thoroughly searched, seemingly in search of something. The abandoned house is still heavily guarded, preventing anyone from getting close.

"Xingbai, what do you think might be in the Liu family's ancestral home? And do you sense any cultivators there?"

"I didn't sense anything, but the Liu family's territory is indeed a bit strange. Let's go investigate it today. Hanhan, once we've investigated, we'll leave immediately, okay?"

"Alright!" Gu Shihan left the old man's house, leaving twenty taels of silver and two hundred copper coins on the table as payment for several days' rent, enough for the old man to live on for several years.

As dawn broke, Gu Shihan and the little fox entered the Liu family's ancestral home. As expected of a thousand-year-old clan, the entire Liu family residence covered no less than a hundred acres.

The pavilions, towers, and houses were all exquisite, and although they are now dilapidated and abandoned, their former glory is still evident at a glance.

"Hanhan, there's something strange about this lotus pond. I feel like it's hollow underneath." Xingbai walked around the lotus pond again and again.

"Let's go down and take a look!" The human and the fox found a secluded spot and went into the water. With the water-repelling pearl, Gu Shihan was as free in the water as she was on land.

After a careful inspection, a tiny switch was found in an inconspicuous crevice in the rock.

"Xingbai, there really is a problem. This is a mechanism switch, isn't it? Shall we try it?"

"Hanhan, you try it. I'll seal this up so that no one outside will sense anything unusual." The little fox quickly swiped its paws a few times, and a thin cover covered the entire lotus pond.

Gu Shihan pressed the switch, and a small door appeared on the wall of the lotus pond, which could only be passed through by one person at a time.

(End of this chapter)