Chapters One to Three: A Midnight Visit to the Gu Residence

Gu Weiyu turned around and closed the door of the stone house, then skillfully set up a soundproof formation inside. Only then did she walk over to the two of them and call out, “Father, Mother, I’m back!”

“Ah Yu... my child’s father, it really is Ah Yu!” Qin Shi was the first to come to her senses. She reached out trembling hands toward Gu Weiyu, tears welling up in her eyes. “My Ah Yu has grown so much!”

Gu Weiyu crouched down, tilting her head up, grasping Qin Shi’s hand tightly and pressing it against her face. “Mother—”

Qin Shi was overwhelmed with emotion, unable to contain herself. She gently stroked Gu Weiyu’s head and face with both hands, finally pulling her tightly into an embrace.

Gu Yun sat nearby, his expression warm as he watched the mother and daughter cling to each other.

“Mother’s Ah Yu has grown... grown up!” Qin Shi murmured repeatedly, tears streaming down her face.

Unable to hold back, Gu Weiyu burst into tears in Qin Shi’s arms.

The tears flowed freely, as if trying to wash away all the grievances of the past three years.

After a long while, their emotions gradually settled.

“Ah Yu, where have you been these past three years?” Gu Yun, who had remained silent until now, finally asked.

Gu Weiyu looked up at Gu Yun. “Father, it’s a long story. But where is Little Stone? I haven’t seen him at all.”

The room fell into sudden silence at her words, both Gu Yun and Qin Shi’s expressions changed drastically.

Gu Weiyu immediately understood—something must have happened to Little Stone.

“Father, Mother, has something happened to Little Stone?” she asked anxiously again.

“Three years ago, Little Stone was taken away from the mountain stronghold by people sent by the main Gu family. Since then, there has been no news,” Qin Shi said with a dark expression. Coupled with Gu Weiyu’s disappearance, these past three years had been unbearable for the couple.

They had tried to find out news about their children but didn’t know where to start.

“Taken away by the main Gu family?” Gu Weiyu’s heart skipped a beat, instinctively knowing it was not good news.

“Ah Yu, has something really gone wrong with our Gu family?” Gu Yun asked worriedly.

For three years, the atmosphere in Qin County had been tense.

The Gu family seemed unchanged, still one of the four great clans of Qin County.

But every time the clan leader returned from the county seat, especially after the Spring Festival’s spiritual root tests, he would always sigh deeply.

Although he remained in Qingshan Stronghold, he had heard rumors from those who went to the county seat.

Along with Gu Weiyu’s disappearance and Gu Qingshi’s departure, everything was highly unusual.

Gu Weiyu was silent for a moment. “Father, I will investigate Little Stone’s whereabouts. Don’t worry about anything else for now.”

Gu Yun and Qin Shi exchanged a glance and silently nodded.

The joy of reunion was quickly overshadowed by worries about Little Stone, and the room grew heavy again.

“Father, Mother, I’m leaving now. Also, please don’t tell anyone I’ve returned,” Gu Weiyu stood up and reminded them.

She had stayed in the stone house for almost an hour; it was time to leave.

Qin Shi and Gu Yun were reluctant but could only watch helplessly as Gu Weiyu left.

Gu Weiyu dismantled the soundproof formation, then walked slowly out of the stone house.

She glanced back silently and waved her hand.

Qin Shi and Gu Yun stood there, watching their daughter’s figure disappear into the night until it was gone from sight, both feeling somewhat lost.

Alone, Gu Weiyu walked through the mountain stronghold.

Having successfully established her foundation, her vision far surpassed that of ordinary people; walking at night was no different from daytime.

Her gaze wandered over the stone houses ahead, her heart heavy.

She never expected Chu Xingyun to be so vile and shameless—Little Stone was still so young, yet he spared him not!

After a while, Gu Weiyu left Qingshan Stronghold without anyone noticing and found a quiet place to rest.

————

The next morning, Gu Weiyu disguised herself as a naive young boy and mingled with the crowd entering the city.

Qin County was a remote place, with only a handful of foundation-established cultivators, so she suppressed her cultivation to the eighth level of Qi Refinement.

She conducted herself discreetly, encountering no trouble entering Qin County city.

Feigning casual wandering, she roamed the markets near the Gu residence, trying to gather information. After a day, she had found nothing useful.

To ordinary people unaware of the situation, Qin County appeared unchanged.

What did matters of cultivator families have to do with them?

But Gu Weiyu dared not rashly inquire among the cultivators within the city.

She visited several shops under the Gu family’s name, only to find new faces running them—there was no way to begin.

Feeling dejected, she settled in a small inn in the city, planning to continue her investigation the next day.

————

After three or four days, Gu Weiyu still found nothing.

Apart from a few shops sold off, no useful information about the Gu family’s affairs could be uncovered.

The Gu residence seemed normal, unchanged, still the leading family among the four great clans of Qin County.

“This won’t do. Tonight, I must explore the Gu residence!” Gu Weiyu decided firmly upon returning to the inn. Even if the Gu residence was a den of danger, she had to see for herself.

At midnight, under the high moon, moonlight and starlight poured down, the streets of Qin County city were deserted and silent.

To move stealthily, she changed into black night attire, perfectly blending into the darkness.

Like a nimble cat, Gu Weiyu silently slipped out of the inn through a window and landed lightly on the ground.

She knew the way to the Gu residence well and soon arrived at its high walls.

Standing outside the walls, she cautiously extended her divine sense to probe.

She quickly discovered only two men at the gate, at the second or third level of Qi Refinement.

Taking advantage of one man leaving for a moment, Gu Weiyu drifted in like a falling leaf.

Approaching one of the men, she immediately launched a divine sense attack—Dream Confusion.

Though not powerful, this attack was subtle and unexpected, easy to succeed.

Gu Weiyu had learned it inspired by a nightmare beast.

Her gaze was complex as she looked at the man before her—he was likely a clansman, so she had no intention to harm him.

The effect was immediate; soon the man’s eyes grew vacant and dazed, standing as if soulless.

Gu Weiyu stepped forward and transmitted her voice through divine sense, “Where is the clan leader now?”

The man’s lips moved mechanically, replying, “Taihe Residence.”

Her great-grandfather still lived at Taihe Residence? Gu Weiyu was both surprised and pleased.

A hopeful expression crossed her face as she asked again, “And the Grand Elder?”

Purple Pen Literature