Chapter 450 - 445: The 12 Magnates and the Fortune Cat

While the family was fully engrossed in preparations for Du Youqian’s Nascent Soul Ceremony, a Flying Boat marked with the insignia of the Qingxu Commerce Association landed in the city.

Du Youqian had seen Sui Zhi’s friend, the one with the Daoist title "Silent Master," before, but they had never been formally introduced.

At the time, for some unknown reason, Sui Zhi had gone out of his way to bring the Silent Master to see him. But they hadn’t exchanged a word; they simply looked and left.

’Sui Zhi was probably just showing off to his friend,’ Du Youqian mused, ’bragging that the family had produced a talented junior.’

Now, shortly after the Flying Boat landed, Sui Zhi brought that same Silent Master to visit Du Youqian.

Du Youqian was sitting under the large tree in his courtyard, playing a game against a Tier Three Puppet he had crafted himself.

’If a day comes when a Puppet of my own creation can defeat me in a game... my Puppetry Art will naturally ascend to Tier Four.’

When his Divine Sense detected Sui Zhi and the Silent Master approaching, Du Youqian rose to greet them.

The moment their eyes met, Du Youqian was slightly taken aback.

The Silent Master was wearing a Tier Four Dharma Robe of white with gold thread, which was nothing out of the ordinary.

’But what the hell is with that Fortune-Beckoning Cat on his Dharma Robe?’

"Fellow Daoist Xiao, it’s a pleasure to finally meet you. I’ve heard so much! I’ve long heard from Fellow Daoist Sui Zhi that the Sui Family had produced a prodigious son, but I never had the fortune to meet him. Who would have thought that upon seeing you today, you would already be the Sui Family’s Heaven-Supporting White Jade Pillar!"

The Silent Master’s greeting was effusive from the moment he arrived. Between his beaming smile and his concealed aura, you’d be forgiven for thinking he was a mortal merchant rather than a Cultivator.

Du Youqian offered a polite salute. "You flatter me, Fellow Daoist Silent. We did not meet last time, though you did see me. I imagine I wasn’t impressive enough then for you to deem me worthy of your time."

The man known as Silent Master seemed immune to embarrassment. He just laughed. "I like your attitude! Call me Brother Yiming from now on. No need for formalities. By the way, Junior Brother Xiao, you keep staring at my chest. Do you think I’m a woman in disguise? You’d be wrong. I may be prettier than most women, but I’m a man through and through, the genuine article."

Du Youqian wasn’t quite used to his quirky manner of speaking. He paused for a moment, then smiled. "Brother Yiming, with your heroic bearing, I would never make such a mistake. I was just intrigued by the Fortune-Beckoning Cat on your Dharma Robe. I’ve met people from the Qingxu Commerce Association before, but I’ve never seen anyone with that embroidered on their clothes."

Qin Yiming’s smiling facade didn’t waver, but inwardly, a storm was raging.

’This kid! How does he know it’s called the Fortune-Beckoning Cat!’

This Fortune-Beckoning Cat pattern was bestowed by Shami True Monarch. Only the twelve people in the Qingxu Commerce Association with the greatest business acumen and who had made the largest contributions to the association were qualified to embroider this pattern on their Dharma Robes. They were known as the "Twelve Magnates of Qingxu."

Outsiders had no idea of its name, referring to it only as the "Wealth-Gathering Spirit Cat."

Besides Shami True Monarch and the Twelve Magnates of Qingxu, absolutely no one knew that the cat’s true name was the "Fortune-Beckoning Cat"!

’Could this child truly be the one from Shami True Monarch’s prophecy? The one I am supposed to help vie for a Divinity Transformation Spiritual Object a hundred years from now?’

But Qin Yiming was an old fox. He kept his expression perfectly calm, not even allowing his thoughts to ripple. He chuckled and said, "Not everyone in the association is qualified to embroider this pattern. Speaking of which, I heard that when you promoted to Nascent Soul, Junior Brother Xiao, you immediately grasped the Heaven and Earth Divine Abilities and manifested a Dharma Aspect no one had ever seen before—a figure with a human head, a snake’s body, and vertical eyes. I’m curious, what exactly is this Dharma Aspect?"

Du Youqian smiled. "I don’t know myself. I guess it represents the wisdom of a man combined with the agility of a Snake Demon."

This was clearly an evasive answer, but Qin Yiming wouldn’t press the issue. That would be making an enemy, not a friend.

He simply smiled. "Meeting you today has fulfilled a long-held wish, Junior Brother Xiao. I’m quite content. I’m just passing through this time, as I have urgent business to attend to. I’ll come again for a proper visit next time. I hope you won’t think me a nuisance."

Du Youqian smiled. "Brother Yiming, you are my most honored guest anytime you choose to visit."

"Hah, forget ’honored’! ’Closest’ is what I’m aiming for. Next time I’ll bring a fine vintage, and we won’t stop until we’re both under the table!"

With that, Qin Yiming took his leave.

Sui Zhi was actually rather dumbfounded. He was the one who had invited Qin Yiming, and the man had originally planned to stay for a few days. Yet after meeting Du Youqian, Qin Yiming had abruptly changed his mind and was now in a rush to leave. Sui Zhi found it utterly baffling.

Qin Yiming wasn’t just saying it; he immediately took his troupe of Musicians and Dancers back to the Flying Boat and departed swiftly.

Filled with confusion, Sui Zhi saw Qin Yiming off before returning to Du Youqian’s side.

Du Youqian invited him to sit and had a Puppet brew some fragrant tea. "Elder Zhi, you seem to have something on your mind."

Sui Zhi had already grown numb to Du Youqian periodically revealing things the family had never seen before, like this Tier Three Puppet.

’I suppose that’s just how it is for someone with the wisdom of past lives.’

What was troubling him now, yet also giving him a sliver of hope, was another matter entirely.

"I’m already at the Golden Core Late Stage. It won’t be long before I reach Golden Core Perfection."

After drinking cup after cup of Spirit Tea, Sui Zhi finally spoke.

"I know. Congratulations, Elder Zhi."

Du Youqian wasn’t being sarcastic. In his opinion, for someone with Sui Zhi’s aptitude to reach the Golden Core Late Stage at his age was truly a cause for celebration.

Sui Zhi kept smiling, but his lips pursed and the corners of his eyes tightened. There was a bitterness to his smile, as if the Spirit Tea was so harsh he wanted to cry. "If you really knew, you wouldn’t see this as something to celebrate."

Du Youqian paused. "Elder Zhi, please speak your mind."

"Xiao’Er, have you ever heard of the Ghost Infant Gu?"

Du Youqian thought for a moment and shook his head.

"Not many people have, I expect. It’s a very rare Secret Technique, one based on the Gu Technique from the Sixteen Cultivation Techniques, but cast using a special method. The caster must have at least a Nascent Soul Late Stage Cultivation, though some have a Divinity Transformation Cultivation. It also requires at least Tier Five mastery in the Gu Technique," Sui Zhi explained.

Du Youqian asked with an open mind, "So, what exactly does this Ghost Infant Gu do?"

Sui Zhi gave a bitter smile. "For a person implanted with the Ghost Infant Gu, it will automatically absorb the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi in their body, helping the victim rapidly increase their Cultivation. It ignores bottlenecks and requires no resources for Breaking Realm or Promoting. For instance, one can achieve Core Formation with one hundred percent certainty without a Core Formation Spiritual Object, and achieve Nascent Soul Formation with one hundred percent certainty without a Nascent Soul Pill."

Du Youqian was stunned. "Something that good exists? Why isn’t it more widespread?"

Sui Zhi said dejectedly, "The cost of a Ghost Infant Gu is extremely high, how could it be widespread? Besides, Xiao’Er, do you really think this is a good thing? What do you think happens to the person with the Gu in the end?"

"Don’t tell me it has a bad ending?" Seeing the look on his face, Du Youqian already knew the answer: he was afflicted with a Ghost Infant Gu.

"A bad ending? Sigh. It’s far worse than just a bad ending. The instant the victim achieves Nascent Soul Formation, they transform into a Ghost Infant and are drawn directly to the caster, becoming fodder for the caster’s own advancement."

Du Youqian felt a chill run down his spine. "To think such a vicious Gu exists in this world. Elder Zhi, don’t tell me you’ve been unfortunate enough to be afflicted by it?"

"Precisely," Sui Zhi said, lifting his head to stare intently at Du Youqian. "Actually, the reason I helped you back then was because Brother Yiming told me that among the infants born in the family during those years, there was one who might be able to resolve my crisis. Xiao’Er, you don’t blame me for using you, do you?"

Du Youqian shrugged nonchalantly. "Elder Zhi, you helped me so much, protecting me when I was young and defenseless. I’m more grateful than I can say. What’s being used a little compared to that? The only question is, how can I help you?"

Hope ignited in Sui Zhi’s eyes. "To resolve my crisis, before I undergo Nascent Soul Formation, a Divinity Transformation True Monarch who has mastered at least Tier Three Gu Technique must intervene and help me expel the Gu Insect. Casting the Gu requires Tier Five Gu Technique, but removing it only requires Tier Three."

Du Youqian asked, "How long until your Nascent Soul Formation, Elder Zhi?"

Sui Zhi said, "I’ve calculated it. I should reach Golden Core Perfection in another thirty to forty years. From Golden Core Perfection to Nascent Soul Formation takes about another one hundred forty to one hundred fifty years. In other words, my Nascent Soul Formation will happen one hundred seventy to one hundred ninety years from now."

Now it was Du Youqian’s turn to smile bitterly. "So, you’re saying if I want to help you, Elder Zhi, I need to promote to Divinity Transformation within one hundred and seventy years, and also master Tier Three Gu Technique or higher? Elder Zhi, do you think that’s even possible?"

"For anyone else, it would be impossible. But with you, Xiao’Er... I think there’s a twenty percent chance of success."

"Only twenty percent."

"It’s better than certain death."

"That’s true," Du Youqian said, pondering for a moment. "There should be Divinity Transformation True Monarchs in the Alliance. Why haven’t you gone to ask them for help, Elder Zhi?"

Sui Zhi’s smile grew even more bitter. "What makes you think I haven’t asked?"

"What happened?"

"Result? I’m just a lowly Golden Core Cultivator. What could I possibly offer to convince a Divinity Transformation True Monarch to help me? They wouldn’t even grant me an audience. What’s more, expelling the Gu Insect for me would mean offending a Divinity Transformation True Monarch from the Demon Sect. That’s a mess nobody wants to get dragged into."

Du Youqian asked him, "What were their terms? What would it take for them to act?"

Sui Zhi shook his head, unwilling to say.

After Du Youqian pressed him a few times, Sui Zhi finally spoke reluctantly. "There is a Hui Ming True Monarch, who is the Divinity Transformation Ancestor behind the Seven Cities Alliance. He is searching for a Tier Six Jade. If I could find and present a Tier Six Jade to him, he would probably agree to help me. But..."

Sui Zhi’s face contorted as if he’d just swallowed a mouthful of coffee brewed with bitterroot, with a ruptured fish bladder thrown in for good measure. "If the family really had a Tier Six Jade, it could be used to raise up ten Core Formation Masters. Why would we waste it on me?"