Chapter 547 - 299: Moving the Entire Family to the Imperial City

Gu Gaoxu looked at the Spirit Capturing Device in his hand. He couldn't recognize its grade, but he thought it looked very nice.

Gu Gaoxu said with a smile, "Brother Lu, what's this Spirit Capturing Device for? Have you forgotten that I seized an Upper Grade Spirit Capturing Device during the battle on Elephant Island?"

"I remember. But does that Upper Grade Spirit Capturing Device of yours have a Xingzi inside?" Lu Yuan asked.

"Well, no, it doesn't. I don't have the ability to capture a wild Xingzi!" Gu Gaoxu said, embarrassed.

In Gu Gaoxu's possession, a Spirit Capturing Device without a captive Xingzi was little more than a decoration. It was completely useless.

From Lu Yuan's tone, Gu Gaoxu inferred that the device he'd just been handed had something inside it.

Gu Gaoxu shook the Spirit Capturing Device violently up, down, and side to side. "Brother Lu," he asked, "there isn't some Da Xingzi in here, is there?"

Inside the Top Grade Spirit Capturing Device, Gongyue Monarch felt like he was on a pirate ship ride, shaken so badly he felt nauseous.

Lu Yuan said, "Yes, there's a great treasure inside."

Lu Yuan explained to Gu Gaoxu how to use the Top Grade Spirit Capturing Device.

Gu Gaoxu muttered an incantation and stroked the Top Grade Spirit Capturing Device. It flashed once, then went still.

Gu Gaoxu pouted. "Brother Lu, it's not working!"

Lu Yuan smiled and waved his right hand. Gu Gaoxu felt his vision blur, as if obscured by a layer of shimmering particles.

A figure with an ashen face floated before Gu Gaoxu, glaring at him with wide, furious eyes.

Gu Gaoxu looked like he had seen a ghost. He stumbled back several steps and yelled, "Holy crap!"

Hearing Gu Gaoxu's shout, several soldiers in the Lu Mansion courtyard drew their swords with a SHING, ready to charge into the main hall.

The captain of the Mansion Guard, Fifth Brother Liu, followed suit, drawing his Heavy Sword and planting it firmly on the ground. The Mansion Guards behind him also gripped their weapons tightly.

"Without the Master's order, no one barges in!" Fifth Brother Liu was unintimidated, even when facing the Empire's elite soldiers.

The two sides faced off, tension crackling in the air.

From inside the hall, Gu Gaoxu's voice rang out. "Everyone, stand down! We are guests in this mansion, so behave yourselves."

The soldiers bowed toward the hall, sheathed their weapons, and moved to the side.

Inside the hall.

Gongyue Monarch looked at Gu Gaoxu with displeasure. "Why were you shaking it? You made me sick."

Gu Gaoxu quickly put on an apologetic smile. "Senior, my deepest apologies for the offense. Please forgive me!"

Gongyue Monarch floated around Gu Gaoxu, circling him several times.

Gu Gaoxu stood frozen in place, terrified of offending the senior before him.

Gongyue Monarch stroked his ethereal beard. "Master," he asked, "is this the one you want me to protect?"

Lu Yuan nodded.

Gongyue Monarch performed a Technique, causing Gu Gaoxu's arms to rise. "This little fellow," he said, "has an excellent constitution. He's quite the prodigy for the Martial path."

Hearing Gongyue Monarch's praise, Gu Gaoxu felt himself puff up with pride.

Gu Gaoxu deliberately rolled up his sleeves to show off his biceps.

Gongyue Monarch ignored Gu Gaoxu's little display and said coolly,

"Little one, don't expect me to help you with every little thing. I will not intervene unless it is a true life-or-death crisis."

Even so, Gu Gaoxu's heart was filled with gratitude. He clasped his hands in a salute and said, "Thank you, Senior!"

Gongyue Monarch bowed to Lu Yuan, then zipped back into the Top Grade Spirit Capturing Device.

Gu Gaoxu looked at the Top Grade Spirit Capturing Device in his hand, tucked it carefully into his robes, and grinned foolishly at Lu Yuan. "Thanks for the treasure, Brother Lu!"

Lu Yuan immediately corrected him. "Hey, I'm only lending it to you. It's not a gift."

Gu Gaoxu clutched his chest, afraid Lu Yuan would change his mind and take back the Top Grade Spirit Capturing Device.

Gu Gaoxu chuckled. "Brother Lu, I can't delay the army's march. I should be going now."

Lu Yuan could easily see through Gu Gaoxu's little scheme but didn't call him out on it. Instead, he smiled and said, "May you earn your battle honors soon."

"Farewell, Brother Lu."

Gu Gaoxu had already run out of the hall, his voice echoing back.

Gu Gaoxu vaulted onto his horse, pulled a whip from under his saddle, and cracked it against the horse's flank. "HYAH!" he yelled.

The small squad of Imperial Cavalry behind him mounted up and followed closely in his wake.

Gu Gaoxu led the squad of cavalry out of Taiping City, heading for the Yanshan Right Guard marching not far to the north.

Lu Yuan never imagined that after this parting, several years would pass before he and Gu Gaoxu would meet again.

If Lu Yuan had known he wouldn't see Gu Gaoxu again for several years, would he still have entrusted the Top Grade Spirit Capturing Device to him?

After all, Gongyue Monarch, who was inside the Top Grade Spirit Capturing Device, was the biological father of Yunyun from Changliu Village.

Gongyue Monarch and Yunyun had been separated for a millennium and only reunited for a few months before being forced to part for several more years.

It was, undeniably, a cruel fate for them both.

In the years that followed, Gu Gaoxu would face mortal danger several times in battle. It was only thanks to Gongyue Monarch's timely interventions that he was saved; otherwise, Gu Gaoxu would have had little hope of returning to the Divine Ling Empire alive.

But of course, that is a story for another time...

「Not long after Lu Yuan saw Gu Gaoxu off.」

Another group of soldiers arrived at the Mansion Gate. Their leader asked, "Is this the residence of Commander Lu?"

The guards at the Lu Mansion gate were a bit bewildered. 'What is with today?' they thought.

This was already the second group of soldiers to visit the Master today.

"Commander? I'm not sure about that, but our Master is indeed named Lu," the guard replied honestly.

Even Lu Yuan's own guards were unaware of his promotion to Commander of the Left and Right Guards of the Mansion Army.

The leading soldier clasped his hands and said very politely, "Please announce that Li Shun, Assistant General of the Mansion Army Left Guard, requests an audience with the Commander."