Chapter 208: The Favor Borrowed Carries Another Price, It Must Be Repaid

The entire Primeval Immortal Realm's spiritual energy boiled, flowers rained down, golden lotuses surged from the earth, and all the myriad races couldn't help but bow and worship toward the Gu Family Divine Island.

Divine Lord Yuan Chu slumped on the ground, crying and laughing like a madman.

"It's done… truly done…"

Gu Yuan descended from mid‑air, brushed the dust off his hands, and walked up to Divine Lord Yuan Chu.

"Senior Yuan Chu, I have not disgraced my duty."

Gu Yuan smiled warmly, reached out, and pulled Divine Lord Yuan Chu to his feet, "I've rescued the person, and the Thunder Tribulation was also overcome for him. Our previous deal is settled."

Divine Lord Yuan Chu nodded repeatedly, his waist bent so low it nearly touched the ground: "Thank you, Young Master, for saving my life! Your divine might is unparalleled; the entire Pantheon will never forget!"

Old Ancestor Kumu hurried forward, deeply bowed to Gu Yuan: "I, the old, owe this day entirely to your intervention. For such a rebirth favor, I am willing to serve as a dog and horse!"

Gu Yuan waved his hand, about to exchange a few polite words.

Suddenly.

His eyelids twitched, and his gaze fell on Old Ancestor Kumu's crown.

In Gu Yuan's sight, a massive, purple‑red glowing karmic thread extended from Kumu's celestial crown, its other end tightly connected to the Ten Thousand Path Time Lamp within his own dantian.

This karmic thread was thicker and more solid than any Gu Yuan had ever seen.

Gu Yuan's mind shifted slightly, tentatively tugging at that karmic thread.

Old Ancestor Kumu's whole body shivered, his face turned deathly pale, and he felt his True Immortal Dao Fruit violently shaken, as if it might be ripped away at any moment.

He looked up in horror, glanced around, yet could not comprehend what had happened.

Gu Yuan released his grip, and only then did Kumu's complexion return to normal.

An extremely bold, even maddening thought sprouted in Gu Yuan's mind like wild grass.

……

……

Although those three newly ascended True Immortals wished to stay on the Gu Family Divine Island,

Gu Yuan, citing some business, sent them away first.

Rear Hall of the Council Hall.

Three generations of the Gu family—father, son, and grandson—sat around a round table.

Several plates of spirit fruits and a pot of hot tea lay on the table.

Though the three new True Immortals claimed to leave, they had not moved; they were currently receiving congratulations from all sides, and the Gu Family Divine Island was bustling as if holding a temple fair.

"Yuan'er, what brings you to summon me and Father?" Gu Lin Tian poured his son a cup of tea, "Today you've truly stolen the spotlight. Resisting the Purple Thunder in the Ninth Realm—once that spreads, the Heaven‑proud of the Primeval Immortal Realm will all go into collective retreat."

Gu Cangsheng leaned back in his chair, two walnuts twirling in his hand, a half‑smile on his face as he looked at Gu Yuan: "This kid, who knows what foul water is bubbling in his belly now. Speak—just now outside, you fiddled with that old tree's karmic thread; what did you discover?"

The perception of the Jue Dian Immortal King was so keen that Gu Yuan's tiny move could not escape Gu Cangsheng's eyes.

Gu Yuan snapped back, set down his tea cup, and grinned broadly.

"Grandfather, Father. I've found a brand‑new path to wealth and everlasting fame."

Gu Lin Tian raised an eyebrow: "More profitable than selling immortal slots?"

"Selling slots is just a hammer trade," Gu Yuan lowered his voice, leaning forward like a swindler hawking a shady psychological finance product, "Father, you know my Ten Thousand Path Time Lamp—besides borrowing lifespan, does it have any hidden function?"

Gu Lin Tian shook his head.

"Karma," Gu Yuan spat out the two words.

He extended a finger and drew a circle on the tabletop.

"Earlier I shielded Old Ancestor Kumu from the Thunder Tribulation using the Borrow‑Life technique, so I took on part of his karmic debt; that's why a portion of the tribulation struck me."

"In the cultivation world, karma is paramount. I saved his life; half of his True Immortal cultivation is now shouldered by me. This karmic debt is boundless."

Gu Yuan's finger pressed heavily at the center of the circle.

"That debt has become a tangible karmic shackle, linking his True Immortal Dao Fruit and my Ten Thousand Path Time Lamp. As soon as my mind moves…"

Gu Yuan made an extracting motion.

"Although a direct death and Dao dissolution is impossible, and his True Immortal Dao Fruit cannot simply vanish… but, at a critical moment, a little push like this…"

In the rear hall, a pin could be heard falling.

Gu Lin Tian inhaled a sharp breath of cold air; his hand holding the tea cup froze mid‑air, the tea spilling onto the table unnoticed.

Gu Cangsheng's walnut‑twirling stopped as well.

The two elders exchanged a glance, shock reflected in each other's eyes.

Could this mean—

That Yuan'er can use this method to control a True Immortal for his own purposes under certain conditions?

"Yuan'er, you mean…" Gu Lin Tian swallowed, his voice a little hoarse.

"Father, didn't you worry before that the many True Immortals of the Primeval Immortal Realm would threaten Gu Family's rule?" Gu Yuan grinned like a fox that stole a chicken.

"Now there's no need to worry."

"We'll upgrade the Celestial Hall plan. From now on, anyone who buys a slot to cross the tribulation, when danger arises, we'll provide a Thunder‑Tribulation guarantee service."

"If they agree, I'll step in and bear the thunder for them."

Gu Yuan counted on his fingers.

"They pour all their wealth into buying slots, hand all resources to the Gu Family. Then I help them cross the tribulation; they incur massive karmic debt and become my exclusive laborers."

"After they break through to True Immortal, they cannot rebel against the Gu Family; they must sell their lives to us. Anyone who dares a second thought will have their Dao Fruit directly extracted, crushing their cultivation."

"Money, effort, life. That's the perfect closed loop!"

After speaking, Gu Yuan lifted his tea cup and drained it in one gulp, a look of contentment on his face.

【9】 Gu Yuan waved his hand, about to exchange a few polite words.

【10】 Suddenly.

【11】 His eyelids twitched, and his gaze fell on Old Ancestor Kumu's crown.

【12】 In Gu Yuan's sight, a massive, purple‑red glowing karmic thread extended from Kumu's celestial crown, its other end tightly connected to the Ten Thousand Path Time Lamp within his own dantian.

【13】 This karmic thread was thicker and more solid than any Gu Yuan had ever seen.

【14】 Gu Yuan's mind shifted slightly, tentatively tugging at that karmic thread.

【15】 Old Ancestor Kumu's whole body shivered, his face turned deathly pale, and he felt his True Immortal Dao Fruit violently shaken, as if it might be ripped away at any moment.

【16】 He looked up in horror, glanced around, yet could not comprehend what had happened.

【17】 Gu Yuan released his grip, and only then did Kumu's complexion return to normal.

【18】 An extremely bold, even maddening thought sprouted in Gu Yuan's mind like wild grass.

【19】 ……

【20】 ……

【21】 Although those three newly ascended True Immortals wished to stay on the Gu Family Divine Island,

【22】 Gu Yuan, citing some business, sent them away first.

【23】 Rear Hall of the Council Hall.

【24】 Three generations of the Gu family—father, son, and grandson—sat around a round table.

【25】 Several plates of spirit fruits and a pot of hot tea lay on the table.

【26】 Though the three new True Immortals claimed to leave, they had not moved; they were currently receiving congratulations from all sides, and the Gu Family Divine Island was bustling as if holding a temple fair.

【27】 "Yuan'er, what brings you to summon me and Father?" Gu Lin Tian poured his son a cup of tea, "Today you've truly stolen the spotlight. Resisting the Purple Thunder in the Ninth Realm—once that spreads, the Heaven‑proud of the Primeval Immortal Realm will all go into collective retreat."

【28】 Gu Cangsheng leaned back in his chair, two walnuts twirling in his hand, a half‑smile on his face as he looked at Gu Yuan: "This kid, who knows what foul water is bubbling in his belly now. Speak—just now outside, you fiddled with that old tree's karmic thread; what did you discover?"

【29】 The perception of the Jue Dian Immortal King was so keen that Gu Yuan's tiny move could not escape Gu Cangsheng's eyes.

【30】 Gu Yuan snapped back, set down his tea cup, and grinned broadly.

【31】 "Grandfather, Father. I've found a brand‑new path to wealth and everlasting fame."

【32】 Gu Lin Tian raised an eyebrow: "More profitable than selling immortal slots?"

【33】 "Selling slots is just a hammer trade," Gu Yuan lowered his voice, leaning forward like a swindler hawking a shady psychological finance product, "Father, you know my Ten Thousand Path Time Lamp—besides borrowing lifespan, does it have any hidden function?"

【34】 Gu Lin Tian shook his head.

【35】 "Karma," Gu Yuan spat out the two words.

【36】 He extended a finger and drew a circle on the tabletop.

【37】 "Earlier I shielded Old Ancestor Kumu from the Thunder Tribulation using the Borrow‑Life technique, so I took on part of his karmic debt; that's why a portion of the tribulation struck me."

【38】 "In the cultivation world, karma is paramount. I saved his life; half of his True Immortal cultivation is now shouldered by me. This karmic debt is boundless."

【39】 Gu Yuan's finger pressed heavily at the center of the circle.

【40】 "That debt has become a tangible karmic shackle, linking his True Immortal Dao Fruit and my Ten Thousand Path Time Lamp. As soon as my mind moves…"

【41】 Gu Yuan made an extracting motion.

【42】 "Although a direct death and Dao dissolution is impossible, and his True Immortal Dao Fruit cannot simply vanish… but, at a critical moment, a little push like this…"

【43】 In the rear hall, a pin could be heard falling.

【44】 Gu Lin Tian inhaled a sharp breath of cold air; his hand holding the tea cup froze mid‑air, the tea spilling onto the table unnoticed.

【45】 Gu Cangsheng's walnut‑twirling stopped as well.

【46】 The two elders exchanged a glance, shock reflected in each other's eyes.

【47】 Could this mean—

【48】 That Yuan'er can use this method to control a True Immortal for his own purposes under certain conditions?

【49】 "Yuan'er, you mean…" Gu Lin Tian swallowed, his voice a little hoarse.

【50】 "Father, didn't you worry before that the many True Immortals of the Primeval Immortal Realm would threaten Gu Family's rule?" Gu Yuan grinned like a fox that stole a chicken.

【51】 "Now there's no need to worry."

【52】 "We'll upgrade the Celestial Hall plan. From now on, anyone who buys a slot to cross the tribulation, when danger arises, we'll provide a Thunder‑Tribulation guarantee service."

【53】 "If they agree, I'll step in and bear the thunder for them."

【54】 Gu Yuan counted on his fingers.

【55】 "They pour all their wealth into buying slots, hand all resources to the Gu Family. Then I help them cross the tribulation; they incur massive karmic debt and become my exclusive laborers."

【56】 "After they break through to True Immortal, they cannot rebel against the Gu Family; they must sell their lives to us. Anyone who dares a second thought will have their Dao Fruit directly extracted, crushing their cultivation."

【57】 "Money, effort, life. That's the perfect closed loop!"

【58】 After speaking, Gu Yuan lifted his tea cup and drained it in one gulp, a look of contentment on his face.

Gu Lin Tian stared blankly for a moment, then slapped his thigh hard:

"Insider! Too insider! Yuan'er, how on earth did your brain grow? This isn't raising a tiger to be a pest; it's basically free labor for our house!"

Gu Cangsheng watched the excited father and son, and his mouth twitched twice.

He has lived this long, hasn't been short of murders and arson, and considers himself a ruthless person.

But compared with his own grandson, he feels he is as pure as a white lotus.

This kid not only wants to empty people's family fortunes, but also to clutch their lives and futures in his hand, and make them gratefully work for him for free.

Dark.

Too dark.

"Ahem."

Gu Cangsheng cleared his throat and interrupted the father and son's wild fantasies,

"Yuan'er, this method is good, but there's a problem. How many karma shackles can you bind? You're only at the Ninth Realm; the karmic entanglements are too many, beware of backfiring on yourself."

Gu Yuan waved his hand, with a relaxed face:

"Grandpa, don't worry. I've thought about the karmic threads. I plan to bind them to the World Tree; after all, its branches are abundant, and a few extra true immortal karmic threads won't matter."

Gu Lin Tian thought for a moment, then, a bit puzzled, said: "Yuan'er, I have something I don't understand. They paid money to walk the path of becoming immortal; in this case, how much effect can the karmic threads still have?"

Yet Gu Yuan looked at him with a gaze like looking at a fool father, and said lightly:

"Father, the ones receiving the benefits are the family; what does that have to do with me, Gu someone?"

Gu Lin Tian was startled, then laughed and scolded: "You stinky kid, you're burning the bridge after crossing the river!"

Hearing that, Gu Yuan calmly shook his head: "As long as they don't have a second mind toward the Gu Family, I naturally won't do anything to them; if they do have a second mind, then they're enemies. Since they're enemies, why should I hold back? Grandpa, Father, does that make sense to you?"