Just as the old patriarch forced me to my death, I achieved the unity of Dao and fruition.

The ancestral hall was quiet for a while.

The four Nascent Soul Grandmasters looked at each other.

Finally, they all tacitly looked down at their noses and focused on their hearts.

Gu Changjin wasn't in a hurry.

He sat on the prayer mat, clutching the broken memorial tablet, tears still clinging to the corners of his eyes.

He looked as if he had lost his entire clan, was heartbroken, and demanded an explanation from the sect.

The elderly man in the green robe who was in the lead coughed twice.

This person's name is Zhou Xuanyue, and he is in the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm.

He is also one of the most influential elders in the Xuan Yang Sect family faction.

As for Qin Wenyue, who previously stood up for Sect Master Yun, he came from the master-disciple faction and is currently guarding a key location outside the sect, not at the Xuan Yang Sect's mountain gate.

Therefore, those standing in front of Gu Changjin at this moment are basically old-timers from family factions.

This is precisely where their distress and inner conflict lie.

Who is Gu Changjin?

The patriarch of the Gu family was born into a Golden Core clan.

Now that one has broken through to the Nascent Soul stage, one will naturally be categorized into a family faction.

Even if the Gu family is all dead except for their memorial tablets.

But Gu Changjin is still alive.

He alone is more important than ten Gu Jias.

Zhou Xuanyue stroked his beard and sighed, "Fellow Daoist Changjin, I am also heartbroken by the great calamity that befell the Gu family."

"But the sect hasn't had it easy these past few years either."

"The Crimson Cloud Sect is being aggressive, and there have been disputes over the spirit mines on the border for years. Although the sect's treasury seems rich, the disciples on each peak have to spend resources on cultivation, formation maintenance, and border defense."

"Moreover, you are now a Nascent Soul cultivator, so ordinary compensation is probably not even worth considering."

That's a very eloquent statement.

First, express your heartache; then, complain about being poor; finally, throw the problem back at you.

The meaning is quite simple.

You can have things you want, but don't ask for an exorbitant amount.

Gu Changjin didn't speak.

She simply held the memorial tablet and quietly looked at him.

The calmness made Zhou Xuan Yue's heart clench.

You should say something.

If you don't respond, how am I supposed to lower the price?

Another white-haired elder also spoke up: "Fellow Daoist Changjin has just broken through to the next realm. The most important thing is to stabilize his cultivation. In my opinion, the sect can allocate a batch of top-grade spirit stones and obtain a few spiritual herbs to nourish the Nascent Soul, so as to help you stabilize your cultivation in seclusion."

Gu Changjin remained silent.

He looked down at the ancestral tablets in his arms.

The meaning is quite obvious.

My Gu family is full of loyal martyrs, are they only worth a few spirit stones and a few spirit herbs?

The red-robed emperor's eyelids twitched.

He has a fiery temper, but that doesn't mean he's stupid.

He was the one who questioned Gu Changjin's demonic arts just now. If he continues to stand his ground now and really pushes this newly promoted Nascent Soul cultivator to the opposite side, then he'll be considered to have lost his mind.

There are indeed some differences between family factions and master-disciple factions in the Xuan Yang Sect.

The subordinates were fighting over resources, quotas, and lineage, causing a huge commotion.

But at their level, it's really not that big of a deal.

Which family doesn't have a few apprentices? Which family doesn't have several clans under its wing?

Let the people below fight if they want; as long as it doesn't damage the sect's foundation, they won't bother with it.

Gu Changjin has now advanced to the Nascent Soul stage, and he is still a descendant of the family's patriarch.

I must remain true to myself and not break his heart.

Zhou Xuanyue remained silent for a moment, then finally gritted his teeth.

"That's enough."

He looked at Gu Changjin, his tone becoming more serious.

"Since the Gu family members sacrificed themselves for the sect's Nascent Soul stage, the sect naturally cannot treat them poorly."

"I can make the decision."

"The Great Luo Secret Treasury, open it once."

Upon hearing this, the expressions of the three elders beside him changed slightly.

Gu Changjin finally raised his head.

"The Great Luo Secret Treasury?"

Zhou Xuanyue cursed inwardly.

Installed.

Keep pretending.

Among the Golden Core elders of the Xuan Yang Sect, who doesn't know about the Great Luo Secret Treasury?

But he still wore a solemn expression.

"good."

"The Great Luo Secret Treasury is the true foundation of my Xuan Yang Sect."

"The founder of the sect, Master Xuanyang, came westward from the Central Plains' Great Luo Heaven Domain with the pioneering team, opened up the mountain gate in the Western Wilderness, and established the Xuanyang Sect's lineage."

"Back then, the Western Wilderness was not the cultivation land it is today. Monsters roamed freely, and spiritual veins were not yet stable. Most of the sect founders came from the Central Plains, pioneering and establishing their own residences along the way."

"Before the Patriarch passed away, he sealed several precious treasures he brought from Zhongzhou, as well as the treasures he acquired later, into a secret treasure."

"This shall not be opened unless the sect is in peril or a Nascent Soul Grandmaster has given his permission."

At this point, Zhou Xuanyue looked at Gu Changjin.

You may take only one item at a time.

"Fellow Daoist Changjin, what do you think?"

The grief on Gu Changjin's face immediately eased by a third.

He gently placed the broken memorial tablet back on the altar, his tone softening.

"Fellow Daoist Zhou is a man of great virtue and understanding."

"The sect's generous treatment of the Gu family's loyal martyrs has finally brought me some comfort."

The four Nascent Soul Grandmasters' lips twitched simultaneously.

Good guy.

I was just feeling so heartbroken I couldn't breathe.

You can breathe now, right?

Zhou Xuanyue also put on a smiling face.

"Fellow Daoist Changjin, you're too kind."

"Your attainment of the Nascent Soul stage is a great fortune for our Xuan Yang Sect. The sect will proclaim the loyalty and bravery of the Gu family members to all members and will never let them sacrifice in vain."

Gu Changjin nodded.

"That's excellent."

They looked at each other and smiled.

One felt that the matter had finally been suppressed.

One thought that getting the secret treasure first was the priority.

They are all good people.

Gu Changjin turned around and looked at the Gu family ancestral hall, which had become ruins.

And those members of the Gu clan who have already turned to ashes.

The smile on his face gradually faded.

It's not that I feel sorry for them.

Instead, he suddenly realized a very serious problem.

broken.

Gu Jingshan, that beast, went too far.

The Gu family members with cultivation aptitude, Foundation Establishment elders, core direct descendants, and genius juniors were basically all refined.

The rest are mostly mortal collateral relatives who cannot cultivate.

No.

What will happen when the ancestor makes his next sacrifice?

What if we obtain some secret technique next time that requires our loving family members to contribute?

We can't just use ordinary people to make up the numbers.

Not only was the effect poor, but it was also not respectable enough.

Gu Changjin's brows furrowed slightly.

This Gu family needs to be taken care of again.

Several Nascent Soul Grandmasters misunderstood his expression.

In their eyes, Gu Changjin was staring at the ruins with a heavy expression, clearly having finally come to his senses from the state of extorting the sect and recalling the painful reality that almost all of the family's cultivators had died.

As for those mortal offspring who lack cultivation aptitude?

In the eyes of a Nascent Soul cultivator, it is indeed considered a bloodline.

However, it is difficult to regard it as the true foundation of a cultivation family.

What is most important in a cultivation family?

Of course, they are cultivators!

If there are no cultivators and only mortals, then it can no longer be called a cultivation family.

Zhou Xuanyue's tone softened somewhat, which was unusual for him.

"My condolences to Fellow Daoist Changjin."

"Although the Gu family has suffered this calamity, you have already reached the Nascent Soul stage. As long as you are here, the Gu family is not truly destroyed."

Another white-haired elder also said, "That's right. The mortal branches still exist, and after a hundred years, it's not impossible for them to produce descendants with spiritual roots."

"With the lifespan of a Nascent Soul cultivator, rebuilding a clan is not difficult."

Gu Changjin sighed inwardly upon hearing this.

century?

too slow.

This old ancestor doesn't have that much time to wait for the leeks to grow slowly.

Just then, the red-robed Supreme Elder suddenly seemed to remember something.

"Speaking of which, didn't the Gu family expel a teenager back then?"

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xuanyue frowned and pondered.

"You mean... Gu Qingxiao?"

"Yes, that's the person."

The red-robed emperor nodded.

"This incident caused quite a stir in the sect back then. The Gu family originally seemed to call him a young genius, but later, while he was training outside, he was defeated by a true disciple of the Tianhe Sword Sect."

"Spiritual root damaged, sword bone shattered, Dao foundation half-destroyed."

"After returning to the Hui ethnic group, he was expelled from the Gu family by Gu Jingshan for arguing with the elders of the clan."

I also have some impression of the white-haired elder.

"Just a wasted genius."

"I heard he's been wandering around all these years, and I don't know if he's alive or dead."

The Heavenly River Sword Sect is another powerful sect in the Western Wilderness.

In terms of strength, it is not much weaker than the Xuan Yang Sect.

Gu Changjin's eyes lit up slightly.

"Oh?"

"My Gu family actually has such an outstanding descendant?"

Several Nascent Soul Grandmasters glanced at him simultaneously.

excellent?

They were talking about a wasted genius.

Is there something wrong with how you listen for the key points?

Gu Changjin smiled.

Expelled from his family, he was once a genius, but his sword bones were shattered, his Dao foundation was half destroyed, and he wandered outside.

Isn't this the right flavor?

By any measure, he seems to fit the mold of a protagonist destined for greatness in a novel.

Bad news: the core bloodline of the Gu family has been wiped out.

Good news, it seems there's still one that's particularly durable for cutting left.

Gu Changjin's gaze softened further.

"Gu Qingxiao..."

"good."

"This old ancestor will remember this."