Chapter 66: The Matter is Settled

Chu Danqing did not know whether the Human Dao Master was dead or alive, and others had already handled the aftermath—he had no need to worry about it.

“Thank you, Master Chu, for taking care of my younger brother,” said Guo Yin, Guo Ming’s elder brother, as he pulled out a bamboo slip: “I came in haste and have nothing to offer in return; please accept this.”

“No, no, no—I can’t possibly accept this,” Chu Danqing refused outright.

“It’s not anything valuable,” Guo Yin shoved it into Chu Danqing’s hand: “It’s perfectly suited for you.”

Guo Ming leaned over to look, then said at once: “It’s truly not valuable at all—Brother, you’re being too stingy.”

“All you give is the Five Elements Spirit Beasts Scripture? Why not the Five Directions Auspicious Diagram?” Guo Ming muttered, slightly dissatisfied.

This made Guo Yin’s eye twitch—he knew his younger brother spent lavishly, truly treating his father’s wealth as if it were his own to squander.

“You’ll have to ask Father about that—I can’t get you the Five Directions Auspicious Diagram,” Guo Yin added defensively.

“Fine, I’ll tell Father when I get back,” Guo Ming had originally intended to give Chu Danqing the Five Directions Auspicious Diagram.

Though inferior to the Grand Peace Scripture of the Grand Peace Dao Master, it was the most suitable for Chu Danqing’s path of beast taming and spirit calling.

The Five Elements Spirit Beasts Scripture was merely a simplified version derived from the Five Directions Auspicious Diagram, vastly inferior in quality.

Still, it wasn’t without merit—it would serve as a solid foundation for someone like Chu Danqing, a self-taught cultivator, and pave the way for him to later inherit the Five Directions Auspicious Diagram.

“You,” Guo Yin sighed helplessly, turning to Chu Danqing: “You two chat first—I’ll catch up with the Prefect. I’ll find you afterward.”

Chu Danqing glanced at the bamboo slip’s data, then stored it in his storage space without immediately studying it.

【Skill Book: Five Elements Spirit Beasts Scripture】

【Type: Inherited Skill】

【Quality: Excellent】

【Effect: Upon use, gain the Five Elements Spirit Beasts Scripture inheritance; Energy Value replaced with Law Power Value】

It was only Excellent quality, and its effect lacked one feature—he had seen the Heavenly Fire Scorched Earth Scripture, which granted Law Power fire affinity.

This one had no such effect.

“Master Chu, don’t you feel you’ve missed a tremendous opportunity?” Lu Yin teased on the way back.

Chu Danqing shook his head: “Shallow waters can’t produce dragons; similarly, small fish and shrimp entering deep seas only court death.”

Beyond Yangxian Commandery, it was no place for him to stay.

Lu Yin was slightly surprised by Chu Danqing’s self-awareness, though he showed it only faintly.

Guo Ming disagreed: “Master Chu is a true dragon among men—don’t undervalue yourself.”

Chu Danqing had Da Bao push Lu Yin’s plain carriage back; along the way, he couldn’t help asking: “So who’s behind all this?”

“What do you think?” Lu Yin countered.

“I don’t know—that’s why I’m asking.” Chu Danqing had his suspicions: either the Emperor or the Grand Peace Dao Master.

“It’s His Majesty,” Guo Ming, seeing Chu Danqing’s tone, dropped the pretense and spoke plainly: “The Grand Peace Sect is too powerful.”

“If this continues, the people will know only the Grand Peace Sect and forget the Emperor.”

Lu Yin added another detail: “But the Grand Peace Dao Master may have intervened as well.”

“Bai Yao easily subdued the Son of Heaven’s Child and turned him to his use—that’s no ordinary trick.”

“Only the Three Dao Masters and the Grand Peace Dao Master possess such power.”

“And only the Grand Peace Dao Master could act so silently and challenge the current Emperor directly.”

“Why are you so open about this? Earlier, Guo Ming and Cheng Wei hid everything—they gave me half-truths and half-lies.” Chu Danqing found it strange: “As if speaking would bring divine retribution.”

“Words bring disaster,” Lu Yin replied, hugging his small brazier and exhaling a puff of steam: “Their status differs from yours—what’s said after the matter is settled differs from what’s said during it. But you, Master Chu, are one of us—speaking to you is harmless.”

At this point, Lu Yin’s tone shifted: “I recall Master Chu is unmarried, correct?”

“Yes, what of it?” Chu Danqing felt a bad premonition—he suspected Lu Yin was about to ask something offensive.

“My sister—” Lu Yin cut straight to the point.

Chu Danqing immediately interrupted: “Not suitable.”

“She’s got water in her brain—once it dries up, she’ll be fine,” Chu Danqing replied without hesitation.

“What a pity—I thought we might become in-laws,” Lu Yin said with regret.

He truly regretted it.

Chu Danqing’s connections were purely advantageous to the Lu family.

Not to mention distant matters—so long as Chu Danqing lived, the Lu family and the newly risen Ji family would forever be allies.

Not to mention the longstanding ties with the Guo family, whose ancestors had held the Three Excellencies for four generations.

Chu Danqing’s refusal was within Lu Yin’s expectations.

At this refusal, Guo Ming and Cheng Wei both smiled—they saw Chu Danqing, though now merely a commoner, already showing his true potential.

Who would cling to whom in the future was uncertain; if he had accepted, his prospects might have been ruined.

The Lu family would never consider marrying off a daughter—they would only take him as a son-in-law.

Chu Danqing might achieve greatness someday, but what did that matter now? The Lu family lacked the boldness to invest in him.

On the contrary, they feared he might grow strong enough to usurp their place.

“I never expected you were the most hidden one—you play the fool with skill,” Chu Danqing swiftly changed the subject.

“You simply never asked,” Lu Yin, aiming to ease the tension, followed suit: “My master dwells in the countryside and dislikes being disturbed.”

“So I’ve honored his nature.”

As they chatted back and forth, they soon returned to the Lu residence.

Lu Yin’s maid, Xiao Cui, had been waiting at the gate for some time and promptly took the plain carriage away.

Chu Danqing thus returned to his own room, while Guo Ming and Cheng Wei were assigned a far more luxurious chamber.

Their status and origins differed—they could no longer share a room with Chu Danqing.

Previously, unaware of their identities, no preparation had been possible; now that they knew, to still house them thus would be an insult.

Guo Ming’s elder brother, Guo Yin, was still in Yangxian Commandery—compared to the Guo family, the Lu family was like a frog in a well.

The Lu family dared not slight these two.

“Finally, time to open the chests,” Chu Danqing sat down and pulled out two treasure chests.

One was the chest dropped by the Fallen Heavenly Child—sure to yield nothing valuable—and the other was the one dropped by the Human Demon.

After killing the Human Demon, he had rushed straight to Chongyang Tower, leaving no time to open the chests.

That’s why he’d only just now opened them.

(End of Chapter)