Chapter 6: Lying Low for a While First

"Looks like a good thing," Gu Zhao said with a smile.

"As long as you can use it, that's good. Let me help you put on your shoes!" The embroiderer's smile was brilliant; being able to help Gu Zhao made her very happy. She bent down, intending to wipe Gu Zhao's feet with her robe hem.

Gu Zhao was startled and quickly stopped the embroiderer. "I can do it myself."

Gu Zhao came from a wealthy family. In fact, he knew several children of similar background who were already extremely seasoned at visiting nightclubs and singing in commercial KTVs. Not to say they partied every night, but having someone wait on them to wash their feet and put on their shoes was merely the most trivial of trifles.

But Gu Zhao, under his grandfather's guidance since childhood, had spent all his time cultivating the Dao and practicing martial arts. He had never been exposed to these things. Although he had seen and heard about them, felt envious in his heart, and boasted about them with his mouth, he had indeed never actually done them, and he was not very accustomed to it.

Rubbing his feet against his trouser legs to roughly wipe off some dirt, Gu Zhao put on his leather boots. To be honest, they fit quite well; the embroiderer had indeed put her heart into it.

Seeing Gu Zhao put on his shoes himself, the embroiderer pressed her lips together, and a trace of small grievance flashed in her eyes.

He Laozhang looked at the embroiderer, then at Gu Zhao, who was gentle and polite. A strange look flashed in his eyes as he tentatively asked, "I wonder, my lord, how you plan to arrange things afterwards?"

How to arrange things?

He Laozhang had stumped Gu Zhao.

At this moment, he indeed felt a thousand threads of thought, with numerous affairs, and truly did not know how to arrange things afterwards.

Returning home for a routine cultivation session on an ordinary afternoon had transported him across time and space.

Immediately after crossing over, he had encountered bandits robbing him and even met a female ghost who was not human. If not for his golden finger being powerful, he might already be dead by now.

Speaking of the golden finger...

Gu Zhao now knew that the Five Thunder Talisman could transport him across time and space, activate his innate Qi to grant him magic power, and also kill monsters to level up and assist his own cultivation.

As for other functions, such as what purpose the thunder seed orbiting the Five Thunder Talisman served, that still needed further exploration.

However, Gu Zhao thought for a moment; his survival was not solely due to the Five Thunder Talisman. It was mainly because he had cultivated since childhood, putting in a full ten years of hard work, remained wise and calm at critical moments, and had thoroughly mastered various methods for subduing demons and vanquishing evil!

Gu Zhao placed his hands on his hips. "Indeed, becoming the protagonist is entirely due to my own efforts!"

The Five Thunder Talisman: "..."

So now, besides continuing to explore other possible functions of the Five Thunder Talisman, he also needed to experiment with which spells in his Daoist scriptures were actually usable.

That was the capital he would rely on to settle down and make a living in this world in the future!

Not to mention other things, the fact that the woman claimed to be a Divine Maiden of the Golden Wind Sect indicated she had an organization. Who knew if the Golden Wind Sect could find their way to him? He must quickly improve his strength.

Compared to that point, exploring this world was not urgent. Not to mention he was still absorbing the heavenly and earthly primordial energy around him, and the magic power in his body had not yet reached saturation.

Gu Zhao thought for a moment; rather than going to that so-called Xiuyue County, it would be better to stay in Cuishan Village for a while longer.

This place, while not completely cut off from the world, had little contact with the outside, which was perfectly suitable for his idea of lying low for the time being. Having saved the lives of their entire village, he believed they would not object to him borrowing a place to stay for a period.

As for finding some excuse...

Gu Zhao looked at He Laozhang; wasn't the excuse right there?

"To not hide it from you, elder, I experienced a mishap previously. At this time, it is not easy to make large movements. I wish to borrow a place to stay in the village for a while. I wonder if that would be convenient?" Gu Zhao asked.

"Convenient, convenient, naturally convenient!" He Laozhang hurriedly agreed. "There is still an empty room in the courtyard, originally where the embroiderer's parents used to live. If my lord the Daoist Master does not disdain it, this old man will have the embroiderer go clean it up."

"In that case, many thanks to you, elder." Gu Zhao nodded in gratitude and took out a silver ingot to hand to He Laozhang. "This shall count as my payment for lodging."

Just now, when the bandits robbed them, many bottles and jars in He Laozhang's home had been smashed, but just then he had handed that entire bundle to the farmer who had entered, keeping nothing for himself.

Gu Zhao could see that although He Laozhang held high prestige in the village, the village as a whole was very poor. He had lost his children and was living only with his granddaughter. Although food and drink might be provided by others, life was still very difficult.

He Laozhang had told him many pieces of information, and He Xiuniang had helped him obtain a piece of loot. Gu Zhao instinctively wanted to reciprocate.

"How can this old man accept your money?" He Laozhang hurriedly pushed it back, resolutely refusing to take it.

Upon hearing that Gu Zhao intended to stay in his home, the embroiderer's eyes lit up. She disregarded the matter of silver entirely, turned around, and ran. "I will go clean the room for my lord the Daoist Master!"

"I am going to stay in your home, eating and drinking, so I must pay."

"You should not be addressed as my lord the Daoist Master. You saved the lives of our entire village. Even if you stayed for a hundred years, food and drink would be fully provided!"

"The home was disturbed by bandits for half a day; many things need to be replenished."

"They are just worthless bottles and jars. Next time, let Boqing go to the county to exchange for some more."

"Then let's buy two bolts of cloth for Xiuniang to make a set of clothes."

"..."

He Laozhang accepted the silver. Gu Zhao saw that Xiuniang had finished cleaning the room next door and returned, just in time to overhear their conversation. Her cheeks turned red, and she felt somewhat embarrassed.

"My lord the Daoist Master..."

"Don't call me my lord the Daoist Master." Gu Zhao finally realized he had not introduced himself. "My surname is Gu."

"Then I shall address you as Young Master Gu!" He Laozhang immediately said.

"Good!" Gu Zhao nodded and followed Xiuniang to the room next door.

Although this room looked like it hadn't been inhabited for a long time, it had not lacked cleaning in the meantime. Xiuniang simply made the bed, placed pillows and a thin blanket, and set an oil lamp on the table by the window, considering the cleaning complete.

This oil lamp was one Xiuniang had brought over from He Laozhang's room.

Gu Zhao looked at the patched clothes worn by He Laozhang and Xiuniang, then looked at the thin blanket on the bed which still looked somewhat new. His brows furrowed slightly.

He Laozhang's expression tightened. Thinking Gu Zhao was superstitious, he hurriedly explained, "Xiuniang's parents met with an accident in the mountains."

Xiuniang also looked at Gu Zhao with some nervousness.

"You misunderstood." Gu Zhao comforted them. "What I mean is, since these are Xiuniang's parents' heirlooms, and you have taken such good care of them, it is not appropriate for me to use them."

"Appropriate, appropriate." He Laozhang said repeatedly. "You are our savior. Even if Xiuniang's parents were still alive, they would have to let you use these things. How could it be inappropriate?"

Xiuniang also looked at Gu Zhao expectantly.

So Gu Zhao no longer refused, but simply said, "When I cultivate, I am not certain, and I may not necessarily sleep here."

Gu Zhao explained his arrangements. He would go into the mountains to cultivate from time to time, with meals and sleep not at fixed times. He might only return to the village during the day or walk out of the village, so He Laozhang need not specially prepare for him.

After giving these instructions, Gu Zhao looked at the sky, sensed the Five Thunder Talisman in his mind, and then, under the gaze of He Laozhang and Xiuniang, left the mountain village and entered the forest behind the mountain.

A moment later, Gu Zhao found a secluded corner.

"Cross over!"

"Whoosh!"

……

In a certain luxurious underground palace.

A handsome man, bare-chested, was entwined and writhing with seven or eight seductive women, all naked; with every breath, a black-red, chilling aura filled the hall.

Suddenly, the handsome man seemed to sense something and turned his head to look in a certain direction.

"Where is my incense statue?"