The Dragon

Fortune And Status Are Decreed By Fate, Not By Humans

After what felt like an eternity, Zhong Michu finally let go. The group helped her inside the house.

Gu Fuyou got up, walked over to the dressing table, picked up a mirror, and examined the spot where she had been bitten. There was a ring of teeth marks, with a faint red glow emanating from the deepest part, like the light from molten lava.

Finding it strange, Gu Fuyou pressed her shoulder and looked again. The red glow disappeared, leaving only a red and swollen mark where she had been bitten.

Zhong Michu hadn’t held back in the slightest. When Gu Fuyou pressed the area, it still hurt, though the sharp pain from before had subsided.

Annoyed, Gu Fuyou remarked, “Senior Sister Zhong, are you holding a grudge because I bit you back in Xian Luo?”

Dongli had already helped Zhong Michu lie down and told the group, “Thank you for bringing her back. It’s late, you should all head home now.”

Si Miao and Gu Huaiyou nodded and left. Liu Guizhen glanced at her, seemingly wanting to say something but remained silent and followed the others out.

Gu Fuyou was still holding the mirror. She placed it down and moved to the bedside, noticing that Gu Huaiyou and the others had already left.

Dongli smiled at her, “You must be Gu Fuyou.”

Gu Fuyou responded with a smile, “Senior Sister Dongli, you recognize me?”

Dongli replied, “Michu has mentioned you to me.”

Curious, Gu Fuyou inquired, “What did Senior Sister Zhong say about me?”

Dongli said, “She said you’re very good.”

“Really?” Gu Fuyou was skeptical, recalling how Zhong Michu had once accused her of being insincere in front of elder Liuhe. Yet she also felt flattered. Touching the end of her braid hanging in front of her, she shyly laughed, “I’m not that good.”

Gu Fuyou said, “Senior Sister Dongli, if you can’t manage Sister Zhong alone since she’s drunk, I can stay and help.”

As she spoke, she moved closer to the bed, noticing Zhong Michu’s face had a faint pink flush from the alcohol, but oddly, the skin near her temples was stark white, reflecting the light almost blindingly.

Thinking she was seeing things, Gu Fuyou rubbed her eyes to look more closely, just as Dongli covered Zhong Michu with a blanket, tucking her in snugly and only leaving her head exposed.

Dongli then stood up, obstructing Gu Fuyou’s view, and smiled, “Looking at her, she probably won’t cause too much trouble. I can manage alone. You should go back and rest early.”

Gu Fuyou, puzzled, mumbled in agreement, “Alright then. Take care, senior sister.”

After bidding Dongli farewell, Gu Fuyou stepped out. Before she left the courtyard, Liuhe hurriedly approached, “Dongli, the guards reported that Michu might be injured. What happened…?”

Gu Fuyou bumped head-on into Elder Liuhe, who gave her an up-and-down glance, “What are you doing here so late, smelling of alcohol?”

Gu Fuyou: “…”

Oh great, caught red-handed…

As it turns out, good and bad news like to arrive hand in hand.

The next day, Gu Fuyou and the others were summoned to the sect leader’s study for admonishment.

Coincidentally, Gu Wanpeng, having some free days, arrived from Xiaoyao City to visit the Xuan Miao Sect.

He had heard about the contract between Gu Fuyou and Zhong Michu but had been too busy to visit. Ji Zhaoling had assured him there was no need to worry, so he had delayed his visit until now.

On this visit, he wanted to clarify the matter of the contract, as the brief details in the letter weren’t clear enough. Secondly, he wanted to check on his children’s progress in the Xuan Miao Sect.

Gu Fuyou was putting on earrings in front of the mirror and talking to herself, “Why does father choose now of all times to visit? This is not a good thing at all…”

Although she voiced her complaints, she still dressed in a dignified smoky blue Luo dress and tidied up her appearance. She then asked Gu Huaiyou, “Gu Huaiyou, do I look good?”

Gu Huaiyou laughed, “You look great. Father will be pleased.”

Si Miao laughed, “It’s a coincidence that Uncle Gu came when you were making trouble. Are you dressing up to get a scolding?”

Gu Fuyou said, “You won’t escape punishment either!”

Turning back to Gu Huaiyou, she asked, “Is Eldest Brother really not coming?”

Gu Huaiyou replied, “If both Eldest Brother and Father came, who would oversee the city? If you want to see him, we’ll be allowed to return home and visit our family in a month. You can see him then, so there’s no rush.”

The three of them got ready and headed to the sect leader’s study, running into Liu Guizhen on the way.

Expressing regret, Gu Huaiyou said, “Brother Liu, we’ve dragged you into this.”

Liu Guizhen shook his head, “It’s not your fault.”

While conversing, they encountered Yuan Changsui.

Yuan Zhangsui had just come out of the study, having been reprimanded for accidentally injuring Gu Fuyou in Xian Luo.

Yuan Zhangsui’s face was sullen, but when he saw Gu Fuyou, he paused and then sneered, “Well, look at you, Third Gu, walking out unharmed.”

“Thanks to your good fortune,” she responded sarcastically.

Yuan Zhangsui waved his hand, “No, I wouldn’t dare take credit for Senior Sister’s achievement.”

Gu Fuyou questioned, “How do you know I didn’t just walk out on my own?”

Pointing to the study, Yuan Changsui said, “The sect leader intends for senior sister to inherit his position. The last initiation ceremony was her first involvement in sect affairs, and unexpectedly, it got disrupted by you. Then you had her break sect rules by entering Xian Luo, and now you’ve summoned her to a place of ill repute like the Yinxue Pavilion. What bad luck has our senior sister run into to have crossed paths with you?”

For once, Gu Fuyou didn’t retort. Si Miao spat out, “What does it have to do with you?”

“True, true. it’s none of my business.” Yuan Changsui, now in high spirits, walked away briskly.

Gu Fuyou’s expression was dark. Liu Guizhen suddenly said, “Don’t take his words to heart. Those things are nothing to Senior Sister.”

Liu Guizhen, standing with his arms crossed, made this statement with surprising conviction.

Looking at him, Gu Fuyou asked, “Really?”

Liu Guizhen replied, “There is one troublesome matter, though.”

Gu Huaiyou interjected, “Brother Liu, can you just say everything at once without pausing?”

Liu Guizhen explained, “The Grand Elder is in the study. He is strict and competitive, and I fear he may cause trouble.”

The three of them had heard a bit about the Grand Elder.

The Grand Elder, Ji Xiyan, was the sect leader’s younger brother. He liked to compete with his elder brother in everything, from cultivation to reputation, and even compared their disciples.

He was known to be strict with his disciples, and now that Zhong Michu was involved in this incident, he certainly wouldn’t let it slide easily.

When the four of them reached the study, they asked a disciple to announce their arrival and waited outside for a moment until they heard Ji Zhaoling’s voice, “Come in.”

Entering the study, they saw Ji Zhaoling seated at the desk. To his right was the Second Elder, an energetic old man with white hair and a beard, dressed in a black robe, holding a tea cup. Next to him sat the Sixth Elder, Liuhe.

The Grand Elder, Ji Xiyan, was leaning on the desk with one hand behind his back, resembling the sect leader but with a stern, harsh expression.

To the left sat a middle-aged man in a splendid purple and gold robe, with sharp eyebrows and a commanding presence.

The four of them bowed to everyone present. Gu Fuyou looked at Gu Wanpeng and greeted with a smile, “Father.”

Gu Wanpeng glanced at her and grunted coldly, causing Gu Fuyou’s smile to fade.

Ji Zhaoling said, “It’s good you’re here. Some elders mentioned you and Michu went to Yinxue Pavilion last night. Is this true?”

Gu Fuyou and her companions knew they couldn’t deny the truth, so they confessed.

Ji Xiyan tapped his fingers on the desk and said, “Sect Leader, Zhong Michu, as your senior disciple, should set an example. She violated sect rules by entering the Xian Luo and now went to such a disreputable place. Two offenses combined—how can kneeling in the ancestral hall suffice as punishment?”

Ji Zhaoling took a sip of his tea, then said calmly, “Xiyan, the matter with Xian Luo has already been resolved. You know the reason for Michu’s entry, and now even City Lord Gu has personally come to express his gratitude. If we still punish her, it would be disrespectful to City Lord Gu. Let’s consider her merits and faults as balanced. As for Yinxue Pavilion…”

Ji Xiyan exchanged glances with the second elder. The latter put down his cup and said, “Sect leader, we can overlook the Xian Luo matter, but these disciples’ visit to such places of ill repute is absolutely unforgivable!”

This Second elder had a rather gloomy temperament and was especially strict with disciples. His temperament was similar to Ji Xiyan’s, making them an impenetrable duo within the Xuan Miao Sect

Gu Fuyou muttered, “There’s no rule in the sect prohibiting disciples from going to such places, so why punish us?”

Everyone in the room, being cultivators with heightened senses, heard her clear as day.

Ji Zhaoling chuckled, “She has a point. Elders, what do you think?”

The second elder said to Gu Fuyou, “The reason there’s no written rule is that it’s an unwritten one. All the disciples know this and abide by it. Only you, indulging in frivolity and acting irresponsibly, went to that kind of place and even took your senior sister and brother there. Tell me, shouldn’t you be punished?”

Gu Fuyou raised her voice, “All the disciples know? Not necessarily! When we went there, we even ran into many senior brothers. If the elder doesn’t believe me, you can ask Senior Brother Liu.”

Ji Zhaoling asked, “Guizhen?”

Liu Guizhen nodded, “Sister Gu is not lying. There were indeed… other senior disciples there.”

The Second Elder’s face turned dark. Ji Xiyan said coldly, “Then punish all the disciples who went there. Even if there is no rule, you should all know in your hearts that cultivators should have a clear mind and few desires. You should be diligently cultivating, not recklessly having fun and indulging in pleasures?”

Gu Fuyou defended herself, “We didn’t indulge recklessly. After our experiences outside, we wanted to thank Senior Sister Zhong and Brother Liu, so we invited them for a meal.”

The second elder slammed the table, shouting, “Absurd! Ridiculous! You were in the wrong the moment you stepped into that place!”

“Why is it wrong?”

The second elder retorted, “Ignorant child, that place is filthy, teeming with lowly and sordid individuals. Associating with them could corrupt you, even with the slightest impure tendencies. Wouldn’t that be willing self-degradation, betraying the teachings of your masters and elders?”

Gu Fuyou felt a surge of anger. Her face flushed, her blood boiling, “They make an honest living, never doing anything against their conscience. They are no different from you, with two hands, two feet, and a head, standing tall and upright. How are they lowly? Are they less human than you?”

The second elder’s face turned a shade of purple, rage evident in his eyes. His spiritual energy circulated throughout his body, causing his robes to flutter without any wind.

Gu Wanpeng intervened, “Ah Man, mind your manners when speaking to your elders!”

Realizing Gu Wanpeng’s presence, the second elder suppressed his initial urge to reprimand Gu Fuyou. With no outlet for his mounting anger, he shattered the tea table with a slap, exclaiming, “Ignorant girl, how dare you compare an old man to women of pleasure!”

Ji Xiyan remarked, “Those women serve with their bodies, are fickle, and promiscuous. They willingly degrade themselves into the mud, they can’t blame others for despising them.”

Gu Wanpeng signaled Gu Fuyou to refrain from further comments. However, she retorted, “Isn’t it the ways of the world that force them? Isn’t it the Xu Ling Sect forcing them? Not everyone is born without worries for food and clothing. The slaves nurtured by the Xu Ling Sect, do they have a choice?”

“You were just lucky to be born into privilege. If the heavens were fair, giving them status, giving them spiritual roots, who knows, today they might be the ones sitting here, and not you, casting your disdain and hurling insults!”

“I am enraged!”

“Ah Man, enough!”