[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-ascending-to-the-jade-palace":3,"chapter-ascending-to-the-jade-palace-ascending-to-the-jade-palace-chapter-40":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","Ascending to the Jade Palace",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2320502,4538,"Chapter 40: Gu Shen Zong Attacks!","ascending-to-the-jade-palace-chapter-40",40,"\u003Cp>“It’s precisely because things are about to get chaotic that there are more people around—and when both sides start fighting, our business thrives!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>From the perspective of the marketplace owner, Wang Rong’s answer was quite intriguing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Besides, Gu Shen Zong is a member of the Immortal Alliance; they won’t loot the shops or scattered cultivators in Wo Long Fang—they want control over Jin Bi Cliff and Wo Long Fang.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou fell silent. It made sense, but it seemed dangerously reckless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Does that mean we’re in serious danger staying here?” Xiang An looked frightened.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pacing anxiously, Wang Rong turned to the two young men and cursed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“That’s why I say that fat bastard Hong Mei is a scoundrel!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He pulled out several talismans from his robe and handed them to Yulou and Xiang An.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Since you’re Hong Mei’s disciples, I won’t scold him further.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Here, this is your uncle’s gift to you—two Golden Light Surge Talismans each.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Yulou took the talismans from his uncle, he listened as his uncle gave instructions.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Head to the Golden Light Pavilion in the center of the marketplace—it’s backed by a Foundation Establishment elder of the Immortal Alliance. Even if Gu Shen Zong truly attacks, they won’t dare trespass!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Rong’s arrangement was undeniably cautious.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master told us to wait here for him, Uncle—what now?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou asked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just hide for half a day—it might not even happen today. Maybe you’ll get lucky?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Maybe?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou noticed his uncle’s wording was oddly vague.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Wang Rong clenched his teeth, remembering that Yulou and Xiang An were direct heirs of the Wang clan, and whispered to them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You don’t know—I just sold a batch of talismans to Gu Shen Zong’s people. When I delivered goods across the river, their base had far more people than usual.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“The Wang clan’s emergency purchase of talismans likely covers up their previous embezzlement—this fight will likely break out in the next two days!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou was stunned. The Wang clan truly lived up to its name—this was their kind of scheme.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao Feng Mountain was about to fight Gu Shen Zong, and the Wang clan was profiting from the war—so wild, utterly wild!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Uncle, we’re heading to the Golden Light Pavilion now. If nothing happens, we’ll return this afternoon.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Yulou’s words, Wang Rong, the local power broker, gave a strange smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm. Hong Mei might already be at the Golden Light Pavilion—go ahead, don’t worry.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I don’t know him well, but every time he shows up, the pavilion gets a new batch of magic treasures.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Wang clan sold talismans to Gu Shen Zong; Hong Mei traded magic treasures in the marketplace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou confirmed it: if you wanted to survive on the Wu Nan stage, you had to be alive to be here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone skirted the edges of the Immortal Alliance’s rules just to secure cultivation resources.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Golden Light Pavilion took its name from the golden light of Wo Long, and was backed by someone from the Immortal Alliance—naturally, it was grand and imposing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the cramped Wo Long Fang, it occupied the best central location, specializing in magic treasures and various cultivation techniques.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Worried about being caught in the coming conflict, Yulou entered the pavilion without delay and immediately sought out the senior clerk, wanting to confirm whether his master was truly there.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You’re Hong Mei’s disciples? I never heard he took on any students.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The senior clerk scrutinized Yulou with deep skepticism, then finally went to report.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn’t believe two Qi Refining cultivators would dare falsely claim kinship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hong Mei came to the Golden Light Pavilion only once every few months—only those with keen eyes knew this. Whether or not these two boys were truly Hong Mei’s disciples, they had to treat them seriously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Why are you here?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing his two disciples, Hong Mei was surprised.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou relayed Wang Rong’s assessment to his master. Hong Mei frowned at his signature bushy eyebrows and said:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I’m taking you out of here right now!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the shopkeeper of the Golden Light Pavilion blocked them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hong Mei, don’t rush. Gu Shen Zong won’t send a Foundation Establishment cultivator—they can’t break through Wo Long Fang’s grand formation.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miao Feng Mountain has held Wo Long Fang for over a hundred years; this formation has withstood four previous sieges.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Besides, you know the Foundation Establishment elder behind the Golden Light Pavilion—if Gu Shen Zong breaks in, they won’t dare trouble us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Just stay and finish forging the two remaining high-grade magic treasures for us.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The shopkeeper smiled broadly, offering a reasonable excuse—but his tone made it clear he had no intention of letting Hong Mei leave.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even as the situation hung by a thread, he showed Hong Mei no respect, even threatening to withhold payment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After prolonged negotiation, Hong Mei could only scowl and return with his two disciples to the pavilion’s forging furnace.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“How dare this brat treat me like this!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He cursed the shopkeeper’s ancestors up and down, then apologized:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Senior Xianmao warned me not to bring you into danger, but I never expected Gu Shen Zong would attack Wo Long Fang again—I’ve dragged you into this.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou efficiently burned peachwood spirit charcoal, not looking up as he replied:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Master, though your cultivation is profound, few Qi Refining cultivators can challenge you.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But you’re about to enter Foundation Establishment—you must prioritize stability now.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Our only course is to finish forging the remaining two magic treasures as quickly as possible, then leave this place of chaos.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was useless to blame Hong Mei—he didn’t know when Gu Shen Zong would strike, and bringing Yulou and Xiang An here to teach them the Art of Forging was meant well.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Just finish the work quickly, settle the account without offending the Golden Light Pavilion, and leave peacefully.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou was remarkably sensible. Hong Mei chuckled bitterly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine. The magic treasure we’re forging now has thirty-two sealing arrays—it’s custom-made for a single Fire Spirit Root cultivator. You two should study its special features carefully.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thirty-two sealing arrays?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou and Xiang An understood exactly what that meant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Mirror-Silver Gold Thread Shield had fewer than thirty sealing arrays, yet required four base materials—including one eighth-rank material.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thirty-two sealing arrays meant at least five base materials—the more base materials, the higher the chance of explosion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Who commissioned this? Few can afford such a high-grade magic treasure.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he tossed the base materials into the furnace, Hong Mei explained to his disciples:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Probably a bandit cultivator. Only they avoid formal marketplaces like Qing Xi Fang, fearing being cheated—so they come to Wo Long Fang and the Golden Light Pavilion.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Golden Light Pavilion was backed by a giant of the Immortal Alliance—even the Ten Sects couldn’t touch it!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“But Qing Xi Fang welcomes bandit cultivators too, doesn’t it?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou knew exactly what that old devil did—his beast medicine shop’s full name was “Qing Xi Fang’s Number One Bandit Cultivator Welcome Center for Hundreds of Li Around.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph. Qing Xi Fang welcomes them—but Gao Jian and that Mu man welcome them even more. Bandit cultivators fear the big clans and powerful houses in formal marketplaces.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ah, now Yulou understood—thinking of his new master, Mu Chunze.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mu Chunze was the kind of man who could dilute water with water!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bandit cultivators despised people like him!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Boom!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A massive sonic boom echoed outside, making Hong Mei nearly detonate the base materials in the furnace—then came a furious roar.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Jiu Qu! Come out and face death!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yulou and Xiang An realized what was happening—but their fat master merely smiled calmly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Damn world—what you fear comes true!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Once I reach Foundation Establishment, I’ll settle this debt with the Golden Light Pavilion properly!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Many years later, Xiang An would always remember the mocking smile on Hong Mei’s face that noon in the Golden Light Pavilion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The cruelest truth of fate is that it never lets you escape just because you want to.\u003C\u002Fp>",1315,"2026-06-20T15:48:26.995Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","64c4a29c822f6e96a279f5b304126ce0687745b9119919fb9dc1649ca32a8756","ascending-to-the-jade-palace-chapter-41","ascending-to-the-jade-palace-chapter-39",243,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fascending-to-the-jade-palace-cover.jpg"]