Brocade Robe Unparalleled

Chapter 142 Gu Insect Sensation
Lin Xuan looked at Qingluan's serious expression, which didn't seem like a joke, and felt a moment of disorientation.

She has really changed a lot during this time.

In the past, although she was willing to accept A Luo, she was absolutely unwilling to relinquish her status as the main wife.

Even when the three of them are together, A'Luo is the one who is kept outside.

And now, she is actually willing to suffer such injustice.

He pulled Qingluan into a tight embrace and whispered, "Don't talk nonsense. No one can ever take your place. Even if you were to secretly raise someone else, it would be someone else..."

Tian Qingluan leaned against his chest and let out a soft sigh of relief.

His words are enough.

Only after experiencing loss did she truly understand what she wanted.

She wanted him as a person, not just a title.

As long as he can stay by her side, there is nothing she cannot give up.

What's more, that person is Sister Youmeng.

……

Xuanwu Department.

The backyard of the cottage.

Lin Xuan was busy preparing the meal when Aya sat in front of the stove tending the fire, asking expectantly, "Big brother, when are we leaving? I'm all ready!"

Including the two days of cultivation, Lin Xuan has been in the Xuanwu Department for seven days.

It was a rare opportunity to rest for a while, and he wouldn't feel bored even if he stayed for another seven days. But seeing that Aya seemed a little impatient, and Qingluan was also concerned about the Tian family's business, Lin Xuan thought for a moment and said, "Tomorrow morning."

"Ok!"

Aya nodded happily, and her fanning motion became even more vigorous.

She thought of something and asked, "Big brother, is Sister Qingluan your wife?"

Lin Xuan smiled and said, "Not now, but it will be in the future."

"Oh……"

Aya paused slightly in her fanning motion; she could tell that the Holy Maiden also liked the older brother.

She often stood outside the tribe, gazing for a long time in the direction her older brother had returned.

The elder brother already has a wife, so what should the Holy Maiden Sister do?

……

Inside the Saintess Palace, Tian Qingluan opened Youmeng's jewelry box and exclaimed in surprise, "Sister Youmeng, you have so many beautiful pieces of jewelry! These all seem to be new styles from Jin Yu Zhai from the last two months. Did you go to Bozhou recently?"

These pieces of jewelry all bear the logo of Jin Yu Zhai.

Jin Yu Zhai was originally owned by the Yang family, but now it belongs to the Tian family. She had inspected it not long ago and was familiar with these styles.

Youmeng's eyes flickered slightly, and then she said in a natural tone, "These are gifts from others. I don't like wearing jewelry. You can take whichever ones you like."

She used to wear these pieces of jewelry.

But since they were all gifts from Lin Xuan, wearing them in front of Qing Luan always gave her an indescribable strange feeling.

It was as if something that should have belonged to her had been stolen.

So she put all the jewelry away.

Tian Qingluan picked up an exquisitely crafted jade hairpin and gently placed it in Youmeng's hair, exclaiming, "This hairpin is so beautiful! It perfectly matches Sister Youmeng's temperament. It's as if it was tailor-made for her. The person who chose these pieces of jewelry must have put a lot of thought into it..."

Youmeng paused slightly as she turned the pages of the book, and did not continue the topic.

Tian Qingluan was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "Actually, he has already told me what happened at the Temple of the Witch God that day..."

Youmeng trembled, her face turning slightly pale.

She looked at Tian Qingluan, unsure of what to say.

Qingluan treated her like family, but she had done such a thing to her beloved. For a moment, feelings of shame and helplessness filled her heart.

Tian Qingluan held Youmeng's hand and said apologetically, "Sister Youmeng, I'm sorry..."

Youmeng stared blankly at Tian Qingluan, feeling somewhat lost.

I'm the one who wronged her, so why is she apologizing?
Tian Qingluan lowered her head and continued, "He was influenced by the ancestral spirit's inheritance and tainted your purity... I know that you didn't let the tribe punish him because of me..."

Youmeng looked at her and seemed to understand something.

It turns out he hadn't told her the whole truth.

She was entirely at fault, yet he took all the blame. She knew perfectly well that he did this to avoid embarrassing her.

A warm feeling immediately welled up in her heart.

She breathed a sigh of relief, grasped Tian Qingluan's hand, and said softly, "This wasn't his intention. I don't blame him. Without his help, I wouldn't have been able to obtain the ancestral spirit's inheritance. Let's just pretend none of this ever happened..."

Tian Qingluan hugged her tightly and said gratefully, "Sister Youmeng, thank you!"

The weight lifted from Youmeng's heart. She gently patted her back and said, "Don't worry, I will never let the tribe do anything to harm him..."

Tian Qingluan said worriedly, "But how will you get married in the future..."

Youmeng smiled slightly, seemingly unconcerned, and said, "The High Priest is unmarried, and many of the Holy Maidens throughout history have never married. I never thought about these things in the first place..."

Tian Qingluan sighed, her heart filled with complex emotions.

She knew that these were just words from Sister Youmeng to comfort her.

Her life's happiness was ruined, yet they had to comfort her instead, which made her feel even more that they owed Sister Youmeng far too much...

She took Youmeng's hand and said, "Let's go eat. What would you like to eat? I'll have him cook for you. He's an excellent cook..."

During the meal, Youmeng glanced at Lin Xuan silently and gave him a grateful look.

Although the outcome remained the same, the order of the process determined how she should face Qingluan.

He took all the blame and preserved her dignity to the greatest extent possible.

Tian Qingluan picked up a piece of food for Youmeng and then said, "Sister Youmeng, why don't you come back with us this time..."

Youmeng shook her head slightly and said, "You take Aya away. I need to stay in the tribe to cultivate."

As a saintess, she carried the weight of the entire Xuanwu tribe on her shoulders, and could not be as free as Aya.

Lin Xuan saw the fleeting longing in her eyes and said, "Holy Maiden, after the Yang family was destroyed, many Gu worms were sealed in Dragon Cliff Mountain. Shouldn't we send some experts skilled in Gu techniques to retrieve those Gu worms? There's also a poisonous pool there, which the Yang family has been continuously poisoning for hundreds of years. If we could extract the toxins from it, it would be of some use to the tribe..."

Youmeng's eyebrows twitched slightly, and then she said, "I will discuss it with the High Priest."

Not long after, in the priest's temple.

Sitting cross-legged on the futon, Youlian slowly opened her eyes, nodded and said, "In that case, you should take a few priests and elders out for a trip."

Youmeng's eyebrows twitched slightly: "Should I come too?"

From a young age, the high priest was very strict with her, giving her only one chance to leave the tribe each year.

She paused for a moment, then asked, "What about this year's Mid-Autumn Festival..."

You Lian said, "You have already obtained the ancestral spirit's inheritance. The future of the Xuanwu tribe is in your hands. From now on, do whatever you want, as long as you know what you're doing."

A moment later, Youmeng left the priest's hall, her heart filled with an unprecedented brightness.

Inside the hall, Youlian let out a long sigh.

The appearance of that kid has already unsettled Youmeng's heart.

Continuing to restrict her is pointless and will only backfire.

It's better to let go sooner rather than later, so she won't hold a grudge against you.

Lin Xuan soon received Youmeng's reply. She finally decided to go to Bozhou herself and work with several priests to subdue the Gu worms and extract the poison from the pool.

Besides Aya, there were more than twenty members of the Xuanwu tribe accompanying her.

There were four fourth-rank priests, ten fifth-rank elders, and more than ten sixth-rank clansmen accompanying them.

The reason for such a large-scale operation was twofold: first, to collect the Gu worms, and second, to ensure the safety of the Holy Maiden.

At the same time, Youmeng also wanted to broaden the horizons of the tribe's young geniuses.

The group was large, and apart from Lin Xuan, who possessed fourth-grade spiritual power, none of them could fly. They could only travel through the Hundred Thousand Mountains.

Fortunately, all twenty-odd of them were at least at the sixth rank in cultivation, so the towering mountains posed no obstacle to them. Even so, it took them a full five days to emerge from the vast mountains.

The Xuanwu tribe rarely interacts with the outside world. The elders and priests may have gone out a few times, but there are quite a few tribespeople like Aya who were born and raised in the tribe. Walking on the streets of Bozhou, everything seems new and exciting.

The Tian family is now considered the overlord of Bozhou, so Qingluan was naturally in charge of arranging their food and lodging.

Before arriving in Bozhou, she used a telescope to send a message, instructing someone to book a restaurant in advance.

When the group arrived in Bozhou, food and wine had already been prepared.

The Xuanwu tribe's daily meals were hardly even considered simple fare, so the food at this restaurant was like delicacies from a celestial palace to them. Everyone sat together and ate heartily, even the young girls looked disheveled from eating.

Despite her gluttonous nature, Aya is actually the most elegant.

Faced with this sumptuous meal, she was somewhat disappointed.

She felt that these dishes weren't as good as the ones her older brother cooked. She ate his cooking every day in the tribe and had been looking forward to the legendary meals prepared by chefs from outside...

However, the greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment.

In her heart, her older brother became even more amazing.

After the meal, Tian Qingluan led them to a luxurious mansion.

This is a five-courtyard house that originally belonged to the Yang family, but was bought by the Tian family a few days ago.

The Tian family is now considered a prominent family in the southwest. They can't just meet at the shop to discuss business with others.

The price of the house was far below market value.

They are now imperial merchants, earning money for the national treasury, so it is only right that the Jingbian Division gives them some preferential treatment.

After traveling for several days and resting for one night, Lin Xuan led the elders and priests to Longya Mountain.

This place has been sealed off by the Jingye Division, and no unauthorized personnel are allowed to enter.

"Master Chen!"

"Greetings, Lord Chen!"

The guards at the foot of the mountain recognized Lin Xuan and immediately bowed when they saw him approaching.

Lin Xuan nodded slightly and said, "I brought a Gu Master from the Jiuli Clan to subdue the Gu worms here."

The officer immediately extended his hand and said, "Please, Lord Chen!"

They had long known that countless Gu worms were trapped in a certain pass of Longya Mountain, and they worried almost every day about what would happen if these Gu worms escaped. Now that these monstrous things were finally going to be dealt with, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Lin Xuan led everyone up the steps and first arrived at Thousand Poison Pass.

A large array of spirit patterns covered the poisonous pool, preventing the spread of the poisonous gas within.

Fourteen elders and priests of the Xuanwu tribe sat cross-legged on the edge of the poisonous pool, placing a pottery jar engraved with spiritual patterns in front of them.

A fourth-rank priest turned around and said, "The formation can be deactivated now."

Lin Xuan entered the pass and shut down the spirit pattern array above the poisonous pool.

Without the barrier of the formation, wisps of poisonous smoke escaped from the pool and instantly filled the entire pass.

Youmeng set up a protective shield of true energy, enveloping her and Lin Xuan within it.

The poisonous smoke in the pool could easily corrode the true energy of a fifth-grade martial artist, but it was easily blocked by Youmeng's true energy shield.

She cultivates the top-level martial arts of the Jiuli tribe, making her immune to all poisons, and her true energy has the same effect.

As the spiritual patterns on the pottery jars lit up, the smoke from the poisonous pool seemed to be drawn in by something, quickly surging into these pottery jars.

When it comes to playing with Gu and poison, no one can surpass the Jiuli tribe.

These earthenware jars were like bottomless pits, quickly swallowing up all the smoke drifting through the pass. Although smoke continued to rise from the poisonous pool, its rate of emission slowed down.

In just a quarter of an hour, Lin Xuan noticed that the color of the poisonous pool had become much lighter.

Gradually, the toxic fumes stopped rising from the pool.

However, those specially made earthenware jars were filled with a black liquid.

These liquids are the essence of the poisonous pool.

A single drop is enough to kill a fifth-rank martial artist.

With just a few drops of venom, even a fourth-rank official would perish on the spot.

Once the essence in the poisonous pool is extracted, it will have no further use; it can simply be filled in later.

Lin Xuan then led them to Wan Gu Pass.

Beneath the Wan Gu Pass, tens of thousands of Gu worms are raised. During his absence from Bozhou, he had people feed them with livestock every day to prevent them from killing each other, all in preparation for the arrival of the tribe's Gu master.

The quality of Gu worms is more important than their quantity. By using the Jiuli Gu-raising secret method, which allows them to devour each other, several Gu Kings can be cultivated.

These things, of course, didn't require Youmeng to do herself.

The cultivation of Gu worms takes several days, so Lin Xuan and You Meng went back first.

With Qingluan busy with shop matters, the task of taking them sightseeing naturally fell to Lin Xuan.

The changes in Bozhou today are dramatic compared to just a few months ago.

The southwestern Tusi territory was under the actual control of the imperial court, and the local officials of Bozhou were also appointed by the imperial court.

With a Jingbian Division with a thousand-household garrison and two thousand-man guard posts, they were enough to intimidate all the chieftains except for the An and Song families.

Without the oppression of the Yang family, the entire Bozhou region is showing a trend of flourishing development.

Various shops sprang up like mushrooms after rain. Aya found everything novel and interesting, while Lin Xuan and Youmeng followed behind her. Before long, Lin Xuan's hands were full of bags and packages.

Wearing a veil, Youmeng quietly followed beside Lin Xuan.

The hustle and bustle of the outside world is something that is hard to experience in the tribe.

The tribe is still too isolated. We should let the tribespeople go out and see more of the outside world.

At one point, as if sensing something, she paused and looked ahead.

Two figures appeared in her line of sight.

There were two women dressed in black, wearing veils like her. One of them was tall and slender, about half a head taller than the other woman. The two walked hand in hand down the street.

Following that feeling, Youmeng's gaze lingered on the tall woman. The tall woman seemed to sense something, raised her head, and met Youmeng's eyes.

But soon, she looked away and saw Lin Xuan beside Youmeng, her brows furrowing slightly.

She had already accepted the fact that Qingluan had fallen in love with someone else, but unexpectedly, just a few days later, he found a new lover.

Men are indeed fickle; even with such a woman, he is not satisfied.

Lin Xuan also saw Mandala, but her attire was different from before.

He pretended not to recognize her and walked past her as if nothing had happened.

After the three left, Nettle glanced back and whispered to Datura, "It was that Lord Chen..."

Mandala didn't say anything. It was all Qingluan's own choice, and she would have to bear all the consequences herself.

The two continued walking forward. Youmeng, who was behind, glanced back and looked at Lin Xuan, but did not say anything.

Lin Xuan and Youmeng accompanied the energetic Aya shopping for two whole hours, until they could no longer carry any more of what she had bought, and then the three of them returned to the Tian residence.

Most of these items were bought by Aya; Youmeng only bought a black hooded cloak when she passed by a fabric store.

In Lin Xuan's memory, she rarely wore black clothes.

However, Mandala always appears dressed like this.

But he didn't ask any more questions.

Perhaps she just wanted to change her style.

After returning to the Tian residence, Youmeng went back to her room by herself.

Just now, she sensed the presence of the Heart-Eating Gu Mother Gu.

During this time, the offspring gu had been cultivated to be extremely powerful by her using the Nine Li Secret Technique. After being sealed with spirit patterns, the mother gu could not sense it, but she could still sense the existence of the mother gu.

Was that woman the one who planted the Heart-Eating Gu in him?
Unexpectedly, after obtaining the Gu worm, she encountered him on the street on her first trip outside the tribe.

Thinking of the pain she felt when the Heart-Eating Gu flared up, she let out a soft breath, and for the first time, a hint of fierceness appeared in her usually gentle gaze…

(End of this chapter)