Translator: Henyee Translations Editor: Henyee Translations
Long Yunhai asked a disciple named Long Wentian to take Lu Li and Qian Huanhan to Patriarch Gu. On their way, this disciple introduced Patriarch Gu, which gave Lu Li a headache.
Long Tianwen did not say what kind of person Patriarch Gu was. However, Lu Li learned from Long Tianwent’s words that Patriarch Gu was an odd person, unsociable and eccentric.
They must pay much attention to hygiene at Patriarch Gu’s place. Anyone that made a mess at Patriarch Gu’s hall would be punished seriously…
Nobody could make a racket or leave without a reason there. They must consult Patriarch Gu for everything. Otherwise, they would be punished as well…
Qian Huanhan was a young man with good looks. He was the kind of person that people would feel friendly. He was not particularly handsome but he had a lingering charm. On the other hand, he seemed to a bit simple-minded.
He stood behind Lu Li and kept looking around. On the way, he said nothing. He could not conceal the excitement in his eyes as if he had no idea where he and Lu Li were going or what was waiting for them. Lu Li was speechless and wondered if this person had a one-track mind.
They took several turns until Long Tianwen took them to a corner place in the valley. There was a castle located in a yard and also two other smaller buildings. This place did have a majestic looking.
“I am Long Tianwen. Greetings, Patriarch Gu!”
Long Tianwen stood outside the gate. He bowed with respect and shouted. But nobody answered. Long Tianwen just waited patiently. Neither Lu Li nor Qian Huanhan dared to talk.
After the time for two incense sticks to burn, finally, there came an old voice, “What is it?”
Long Tianwen bowed again and answered solemnly, “We have some newly registered disciples. We picked two of the best for you, and they will answer to you.”
Long Tianwen said his piece. Everything quieted down in the yard again. After the time for another two incense sticks to burn, Patriarch Gu replied, “Let them stay. Off you go!”
“Sure!”
Long Tianwen bowed one more time. “Patriarch Gu, thank you. I will leave now.”
Long Tianwen threw a glance to Lu Li and Qian Hunhan before he left. Lu Li noticed that Long Tianwen was gloating. Qian Huanhan could tell something was off in that glance as well but he just starched his head because he could not quite put a pin on it.
When Long Tianwen left. Qian Huanhan whispered, “Lu Li, show we go and greet Patriarch Gu?”
“Before Patriarch Gu says so, we will remain here and wait!” Lu Li looked at him and whispered.
Qian Huanhan scratched his head again. Eventually, he said nothing and stood out here with Lu Li in silence. It turned out that… they stood out here for three days and nights. Lu Li and Qian Hunhan were like two idiots, just staying here for three days and nights.
Qian Huanhan tried to talk several times or to push the gate in, but Lu Li stopped him with his looks. Qian Huanhan appeared to be a person with a good temper. He just stayed with Lu Li.
“Come on in~”
On the fourth day, they finally heard a voice coming from the yard. Lu Li was a bit relieved. They must have passed the first test. He bowed and so did Qian Huanhan. Lu Li pushed the door open and went into the yard with Qian Hunahan and arrived at the castle.
Lu Li did not dash in. Instead, he bowed again and said, “I am Lu Li, a registered disciple. Nice to meet you, Patriarch.”
Qian Huanhan came to his senses and bowed in a hurry, “I am Qian Huanhan, a registered disciple. Nice to meet you, Patriarch.”
Silence. After the time for two incense sticks to burn, they finally heard, “Come in!”
Lu Li tidied up his clothes and Qian Huanhan did the same thing. They walked into the castle. However, it was empty. Lu Li did not use psychic power to check, because he was afraid to. He just took a glance and saw three corridors leading to other side halls on the left, right and back.
He paused a moment and then walked toward the side hall in the back. Qian Huanhan didn’t have many ideas of his own because he just followed Lu Li.
They arrived at the yard through the corridor. They saw an old man in a black robe sitting under the grape trellis in the back yard. He was checking a strange prototype, frowning. On the stone table next to him were several books.
“Um~”
Qian Huanhan looked to the other side of the yard, only to see two tombs. One of them was aged and the other one was relatively newly built.
“Swish!”
Qian Huanhan suddenly moved his hand. Then, a hand appeared in the air and it landed on Qian Huanhan’s face. He did not have time to react before he was smashed away. He fell to the ground. A blood mark appeared on his face.
“Do not look at what you should not notice!” Patriarch Gu just said coldly without looking up.
Qian Huanhan was angered but he said nothing. He stood up and composed himself and stepped to behind Lu Li.
Lu Li bowed. “Nice to meet you, Patriarch Gu.”
Qian Huanhan probably was harboring some dissatisfaction without showing them but he didn’t bow to his waist when he said, “I am a registered disciple, Qian Huanhan. Nice to meet you, Patriarch Gu. I have done wrong. Please punish me!”
“I have, already!”
Patriarch Gu did not look up as he continued, “It will not be hard to work for me here as long as my rules are obeyed. I will naturally punish you if you violate the rules. If you are not happy about this, you can apply for a transition. I will not force you to stay here.”
“Transition?”
Lu Li put on a bitter smile. He would be completely crazy to go to the patriarchs and ask to be re-assigned. He would be evicted from Chamber of Relics directly or to send to guard tombs for a thousand years…
Lu Li was okay with those trivial sufferings. As long as he was careful and could understand Patriarch Gu’s personality, he believed he could stay on. He could learn how to forge artifacts while cultivating as he developed a plan for the future.
After a pause, Lu Li said with respect, “Patriarch Gu, you are right. We are honored to work for you. Of course, we will obey your rules.”
“You will live in the attic to the east!”
Patriarch Gu seemed to have lost patience. “Without my permission, apart from staying in the attic, you can go nowhere. I will let you know if I need you. You must be available at my beck and call!”
“Yes!”
Lu Li bowed and Qian Huanhan was about to leave when Patriarch Gu remembered something. “First, go to the left hall with materials and organize them. In three days, you must get to know all the materials. I will start making an artifact in three days. By then, if you cannot get me the materials I need, then you can break your hands 10 times.”
“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh~”
Lu Li and Qian Huanhan were shocked. How could they learn all the materials in three days? Who knew how many materials were stored in that hall? Besides, they did not have any reference books. One mistake and they were supposed to cut off their hands 10 times? They must suffer the pain of having their hands broken 10 times. How freaky was this Patriarch Gu?
“Yes~”
Lu Li said, biting his teeth. Qian Huanhan left as well. They stepped away and went to the hall on the left. When they pushed the door open, they were teleported to a strange space. The two were completely astonished when they cast a glance!
This was not a hall with materials, but a strange small world with a radius of several miles. The entire place was filled with strange materials. There was no end in sight. How were they supposed to finish learning them in three days?
To make things worse—they had no reference. They had no idea where they should start.
