Translator: Fate Proofreader: Silavin Half a month went by in the blink of an eye. Ever since Yan Ji returned to the Gu Family, Gu Changge had more or less heard about what happened to Gu Xianer, and it wasn’t so different from what he had expected. As a transmigrator, he was more familiar with such ploys than anyone else, especially when it involved the mysterious Peach Village and a cryptic old peach tree. He was sure now that Gu Xianer had the support of an anonymous master. Furthermore, if Yan Ji’s words were anything to go by, the mysterious Peach Village was shrouded in a strange mist with an even stranger aura. This could only mean that the village was more than just a community landmarked by a tree that became its namesake; it wouldn’t be entirely impossible that it was the dwelling place of even more masters. Gu Changge went on to expand his thoughts on this. Now that he thought about it, in the Beyond, the Land of Abandoned Celestials would be semantically synonymous with the Abandoned Land. [A mysterious village in the Abandoned Land]. Gu Xianer probably had a couple of masters whose techniques were not yet as refined, but there was nothing Gu Changge could or say about this. That said, Gu Changge could stand to be more worried. Gu Xianer was but a little girl to him, and he could crush her in various ways if he wanted to. Having found out where Gu Xianer had gone, he decided that it was time for him to return to Skyward Schloss. He was now the young master of the Gu Family, and his father was at the peak of his success. In truth, there was not much for him to attend to in the family, so he might as well go back to Skyward Schloss to strategize. … In the Beyond, the Inner Domain known as Infinite Skies was the bustling hub that was closest to the centralized area. It was thriving with Domains and Destinies, and it became the birthplace for iconic figures as well as talent. More importantly, the area was always bustling with a diverse crowd made up of various races and Taoist sects, and this had been the case since ancient times. The Ancient Immortal Race, the Cult of Immortality, and the Supreme Taoist Sect were but some of the few that frequented this inner domain. Skyward Schloss, in particular, was the dominant force in Infinite Skies. It was the oldest domain with the most mysterious past, and it remained standing, seemingly untouched by time. There were cultivators who claimed that Skyward Schloss had books and texts left behind by True Immortals, and that it contained the key to attaining Immortal Ascension. Rumors like these were prevalent here, and it turned Skyward Schloss into a place of pilgrimage for disciples from every race and clan. The constitution of Skyward Schloss was particularly complex as well, given that every major Taoist force in the Beyond had been influenced by it in some way or other. This was because the disciples from Skyward Schloss were spread throughout all these major sects. Presently, the disciples were gathered outside the gates of Skyward Schloss. Creatures from various races were here as well, with some bearing wings, others horns and silvery-red eyes. There was no denying the overwhelming pressure here. There were also plenty of these creatures who were used to ferry disciples here to Skyward Schloss. Below them was a large marketplace where the folks were hawking their goods aloud. “Any takers for the top ten beauties of Skyward Schloss? These are the most beautiful women here! Come on, now, think about the bargain! Each of them are gorgeous, and they are just dying to meet you!” “The long-lost incredible technique of an old immortal race! Guaranteed to make you the strongest in all the realms. Watch your enemies tremble before you as you wield this technique! Hurry, it’s the only one left! A chance like this is once in a lifetime!” “The technique bestowed by the Sun Vermilion Bird! Goes to the highest bidder! Yes, it’s a little worn, but it will bring you to the peak of success! Once you get a grasp of it, you will understand the principles and forge your own destiny!” “The herb of the saints! It has been around for over eighty thousand years, and it has the sacred light around it that will eventually turn it into a saintly herb! Come on, everyone, this is a rare herb!” “Come one, come all. We have everything you need; just take a look!” Just then, a young lady dressed in green with a large red bird perched on her shoulder stopped and examined the goods sold at these stalls. She was none other than Gu Xianer. She had gone through many teleportation circles and crossed many hurdles just to get to the Inner Domain from the Outer Domain. It was here that she finally saw for herself what a bustling domain looked like, and how alive everything seemed here. She had never seen so many races gathered in one place like this, and she finally understood what thriving truly meant. Along the way, she had met plenty of young men who claimed themselves to be talented, only to be defeated by her within seconds. She did not even have to wield her full force to reduce them into pathetic, howling heaps. “Are these things genuine? I don’t think they would be hawking forged items right under Skyward Schloss, would they?” With all these vendors calling out to attract customers, Gu Xianer couldn’t help feeling that she was missing once-in-a-lifetime opportunity every time she turned a corner, and she was admittedly tempted to stop in front of a stall and buy a few things just to satisfy the slightly greedy side of her. The big red bird on her shoulder rolled its eyes when it heard her remark. She was rather clever most times, but when it came to treasures that guaranteed certain talent, it was as if all common sense escaped her. By the time Gu Xianer had moved past the marketplace, her brows were so tightly-drawn together that it looked like her features were permanently scrunched up. The hawking and pawning that went on in the market did not stop, and her head spun from all these noises. She wanted to buy some of these so-called treasures, but she had no money to her name. In fact, she was dirt poor. All the masters from the Peach Village had given her plenty of gifts, but money was not one of them. Gu Xianer had had to fight a handful of the jesters who called themselves talented cultivators before she had gotten enough money to pass through these parts, and now that she was looking at all these precious market goods, her greed bubbled up in her. There are other talented cultivators such as herself who walked with an entourage, but she had only an old servant in her company, and she highly doubted if he had much money, either. At the thought of this, the hatred she had for her brother intensified, and the disparity in their wealth only aggravated her urge to seek vengeance against him. Nearby the market was an ancient and large city known as the Ancient City of Skyward. It was a city that was made up of little towns, but there were no walls that segregated them. It looked as if these towns were joined together, so much so that the surface area taken up by the city was of massive proportions, and it was intimidating just to look at it. Seeing as there were no walls in the city, any cultivator could pass through as they liked. It was a city filled with life. Perhaps the Cult of Immortality was the reason why the city did not have to be fortified with walls, because no one in their right mind would dare stir up trouble here unless they were morons with a death wish. “Lady Xianer, perhaps we should look for the Great Elder at Skyward Schloss,” the old servant spoke up next to Gu Xianer, not wanting to see her walk around staring greedily at the goods in the market. He could only blame himself for not having saved up enough riches to please his own mistress. “You’re right, Fu Bo. Let’s go and see that Great Elder, then.” She quickly put on a straight face when she saw the worried look on her servant’s face. He was more like family to her after he had taken care of her all these years, and she didn’t want to be inconsiderate toward him. Just then, a ruckus broke through the crowd as cultivators and creatures alike grew anxious and hurried to make way. A few haughty-looking men began to saunter down the street, followed by a good-looking man who looked indifferent as he held a fan in hand. The man was dressed in a robe of gold, and there were strange-looking horns on his head that shimmered as though made of Immortal Gold. There was no mistaking the Taoist aura that radiated from him. He was staring at Gu Xianer, and his eyes flashed with interest. “The refinement, the innate ability! She may be young, but I can already tell she’s going to grow up to be stunning. Who would’ve thought that a young lady like her existed?” Clearly, he had picked Gu Xianer out of the crowd, and he fixed his smoldering gaze on her as he took in her bewildering, unworldly beauty. As such, he started to walk forward, his long robes nearly brushing the ground as he tried to close the distance between them. He was even more shocked after that, for he had talented vision that allowed him to see things that others did not. That was how he had noticed Gu Xianer right away, and he was stunned by the rare talent and quality that he saw in her. He had also been watching her for a while. Judging by her and her servant’s simple attire as well as the way she eyed the goods sold in the market hungrily, he wagered that she did not have much money, otherwise she would have bought something from the stalls by now. As such, he deduced that the young lady was not someone with a particularly formidable background, and it was unlikely that she was a cultivator from the Inner Domain. In fact, she looked like she had come here in a hurry. At once, the man in the golden robe smiled at Gu Xianer after a moment of thought and said, “My name is Jin Yu. How should I address you, young lady? I have seen you eyeing some goods back there, and I thought you could do with a gift.” Upon hearing this, Gu Xianer gaped at him with her mouth slightly open. Then, a grim look passed over her face as she said curtly, “No, thank you. I didn’t see anything I liked, and I wouldn’t want to bother you.” She had thought that he might be someone important, but really, he was just like the others who wanted her for her body. [Remember, if they’re offering you something out of unwarranted kindness, then it is your body that they’re after.] The words of her Third Master echoed in her mind. Meanwhile, the man in the golden robe was embarrassed by her rejection, and he was rather angry as well as he glowered at the girl in disbelief. He was being courteous and chivalrous to her, and yet, he was brutally rebuffed in front of everyone. “Do you know who I am, young lady?” Jin Yu no longer bothered with niceties as he shed his jovial demeanor, and there was a haughty look in his smoldering eyes as he asked this. The cultivators in the vicinity had been somewhat intimidated when they saw JinYu earlier. Those who could gather here in Skyward Schloss were mostly talented, not to mention boasted formidable backgrounds. This was no place for ordinary cultivators, after all. If everyone here was powerful enough in their own right, then it wouldn’t make sense for these cultivators to be afraid of someone. Besides, with enforcement watching everyone under Skyward Schloss, only fools would think about causing trouble here. However, this man called Jin Yu had shown up and made everyone cower, because his brother was the disciple of Skyward Schloss, and he had the support of a powerful elder who would readily speak up for him. More to the point, he came from a superior background, namely the Golden Horn Race, which was part of an Ancient Immortal Race. He was well-known among cultivators, and he commanded a certain level of respect and fear from them. “I don’t care who you are. Now, if there’s nothing else I can help you with, get out of my way,” Gu Xianer retorted with a frown, looking unhappy. She was not afraid of this man in the golden robe in the slightest; she just didn’t want to stir up any trouble, particularly while she was traversing under Skyward Schloss. When she was on her way here, she had told herself to keep a low profile at all times, because she did not want to alert Gu Changge of her arrival. Right now, Jin Yu chuckled darkly. “I have offered you kindness, and you refused it only to ask for trouble. You are biting off more than you can chew, but I suppose that’s because you’re only so young…” He assessed the young lady grimly, and he put his hand up to order his servants to take her down. Gu Xianer was not worried in the slightest, and her expression was stormy as well as a terrifying golden rune began to coalesce on the palms of her hands. Just then, a thunderous dragon’s roar boomed across the realm, shaking the earth. In the distance, nine large, azure dragons soared through the sky, blocking out the sun as their bodies curved and slithered gracefully forward. They were pulling a white chariot at incredible speed, and the man in the chariot was an elder dressed in black. He moved with an easy grace, as if nothing in the world could shake him. There was the word ‘Gu’ engraved on the side of the chariot. The cultivators gathered by the gates of Skyward Schloss couldn’t help drawing in sharp breaths as they exclaimed, “Has the young master returned?”