Big Data Cultivation

Chapter 247: Chapter 247: Gu Family’s Innate Expert

The member of the Gu Family hesitated for a long time but eventually explained how he had entered the Wonderful Hand Pavilion.

It turned out he followed one of the Gu Family disciples who had absconded with a Half-step Innate.

When the nearly Innate-level expert left the Gu Family, he took two disciples and two servants; this man was one of them.

Later in jianghu, they encountered the head of the Wonderful Hand Pavilion’s branch, who ushered them into service at the Pavilion.

Upon entering the Wonderful Hand Pavilion, the Half-step Innate held a Guest Elder status, akin to a senior manager, coming and going as he pleased, with neither side having much in the way of obligations or duties.

However, soon thereafter, with the Pavilion’s assistance, the Half-step Innate progressed to full Innate status—a position beyond what a Guest Elder was entitled to.

The newly advanced Innate declared, “I can serve as a patron for the Wonderful Hand Pavilion, and that shouldn’t be a problem, right?”

Being a patron wasn’t just about doing a job; it was more like being a partner or shareholder, requiring no effort in normal times and just enjoying the dividends. However, should the company face trouble, they must provide the necessary assistance, contributing money or exertion as needed.

But the Pavilion’s people didn’t agree; choose to be a protector or an Elder, they said.

An Elder was akin to being part of the company’s senior management and board members, unable to escape responsibility if the company faced trouble.

The role of a protector was even more resolute, involving not just the Gu Family’s Innate Expert himself but akin to a strategic partner; if the company had issues, the entire Gu Family would face the consequences—at least his branch of it would.

In the end, the Gu Family’s Innate chose to become an Elder, agreeing to serve for twelve years with terms to be renegotiated upon expiration.

However, during a battle three years ago, the Innate from the Gu Family perished.

And this disciple who had followed him, who had only recently risen to the Intermediate Level as a martial master, had received special consideration and advanced to High-Rank last year—a testament to how significant the Yangshan Gu Family’s influence was, as even the Wonderful Hand Pavilion didn’t want to offend them too much.

His being dispatched this time was because the matter involved Thirteenth Young Master and also because the Pavilion hoped that, in case of trouble at Qingning Prefecture, he could help mediate with the Gu Family.

In short, the higher-ups of the Gu Family were fully aware that there was someone from their family in the Wonderful Hand Pavilion willing to communicate privately with them.

In fact, such situations are not uncommon in major clans.

Being a major clan, they must learn to hedge their bets, not putting all their eggs in one basket for the sake of the family’s continuity.

The Wonderful Hand Pavilion’s reputation is quite poor, considered a rat crossing the street by many, but their methods compared to those of the Hundred Flowers Tower are relatively mild, not inciting rage or hatred from heaven and men.

The Gu Family member had initially chosen to serve the Wonderful Hand Pavilion for the chance to advance to Innate status, a perfectly understandable motive—nothing is more important for a cultivator than improving their realm, especially when it involves breaking through to the Innate realm.

Therefore, even if the news of his service to the Wonderful Hand Pavilion were to leak, others would not be justified in blaming the entire Gu Family—after all, this person had already left the Gu Family; it was his own choice.

Certainly, for the Gu Family, such news was better kept under wraps; that went without saying.

Therefore, the Yangshan Gu Family would not publicize this matter. Indeed, following the demise of the Innate, the clan was inclined to deny any association with this High-Rank martial master.

This man was also prepared to never return to the Gu Family in his lifetime, hence he stubbornly refused to acknowledge his Gu surname.

But when Feng Jun revealed he intended to act against the Gu Family without requiring evidence, the man couldn’t keep his composure—his chance to return home was lost, and if he dragged the family into this as well, his life would be a total failure.

Faced with such pressure, he cleanly admitted his identity, only asking for a swift death.

As for the damage to the Wonderful Hand Pavilion’s interests? Heh, what did that have to do with him? If it weren’t for the branch’s initial recruitment, the Gu Family might still be maintaining the foundation of two Innate Experts.

In a society where the concept of family is deeply ingrained, many people hold this perspective.

After hearing his story, Feng Jun asked two more questions before nodding slightly, “All right, since you’re being straightforward, I won’t hide it from you either… What is the name of the current Innate in your Gu Family? Where does he live? I want all his information.”

Upon hearing this, the Gu Family Warrior’s face immediately changed, “Why do you ask that?”

“Aren’t you full of honest words?” Feng Jun glanced at him, his tone turning slightly displeased, “I’m asking this, of course, because I plan to deal with him.”

“You’re not keeping your word!” The Gu Family Warrior spat out a mouthful of blood in anger, “You said you wouldn’t lay a hand on the Gu Family!”

“I merely promised not to target the old and young of the Gu Family,” Feng Jun pointed out the flaw in the other’s logic, speaking calmly, “but the way your Gu Family acts, I always find a bit disagreeable. Don’t believe me? Ask Yu Zhengqing how egregious your attitude was just now.”

Upon hearing this, a hint of a smile appeared on Yu Zhengqing’s stern face, “Right, I was so frightened that I almost knelt and begged for mercy, hoping that some people would spare my Yu Family’s bloodline.”

“There are no good hands in a fight, no kind words in an argument,” the Gu Family Warrior’s chest heaved rapidly as he suppressed his anger, attempting to persuade the other party to change their mind, “If I hadn’t made threats, wouldn’t I become a sinner to my clan?”

Yu Zhengqing couldn’t help but laugh mockingly upon hearing this, “So in your eyes, my Yu Family is just an object to be threatened?”

“Speaking like this, there’s no way to have a proper discussion,” said the Gu Family Warrior, not wanting to get trapped in such a dispute and so he emphasized again, “I’ve made it very clear that my actions have nothing to do with the Gu Family… I’ve even revealed the secrets of the Wonderful Hand Pavilion, and this is how you act?”

Yu Zhengqing snorted coldly and glanced at Feng Jun, no longer speaking—not that he had nothing to say, but as a supporting role, he couldn’t overshadow the leading figure. The mistakes made by the second young master of the Yu Family were not ones he would commit.

Feng Jun nodded slightly, “It is precisely because you spoke honestly that I decided to spare the Gu Family from trouble and only pursue one person’s responsibility… I highly appreciate your cooperation.”

“But this has nothing to do with his lordship,” the Gu Family Warrior became even more anxious upon seeing Feng Jun’s attitude, which was far more important to him than Yu Zhengqing’s, “Right now, the Gu Family only has that one Innate Expert.”

Feng Jun looked at him expressionlessly, “I believe that with an Innate Expert in power, the Gu Family’s youngsters will sooner or later prey on the locals, ultimately causing a disaster… A Gu Family without an Innate Expert is a good Gu Family.”

Tian Yangni kept nodding, “The Divine Doctor is right, the actions of the Gu Family have indeed been problematic, and we have long suffered because of them.”

With a “puh,” the Gu Family Warrior spat out a mouthful of blood, “You, you…”

Before he could finish, he fainted from fury.

It was only then that Yu Zhengqing spoke again, “The Innate Expert of the Gu Family is called Gu Maoyuan, I do have some general information on him…”

After listening to Yu Zhengqing’s detailed account, Feng Jun barely smiled and said, “Let’s release the news first, saying we’ve caught a Gu Family scion who might be in cahoots with the Wonderful Hand Pavilion. Additionally, hang the heads of these three out… Who really is this Innate Expert?”

Yu Zhengqing’s eyebrows rose slightly, “This is the infamous Soul Capture Spike, the tattoo on his left hand between thumb and forefinger is his signature… Yang Ni, I am not wrong, am I?”

“It should be Soul Capture Spike,” Tian Yangni answered gravely, pausing for a moment before continuing, “The Divine Doctor doesn’t know much about Innate High-Rank Martial Masters… To speak honestly, these people do not even deserve to be remembered by the Divine Doctor.”

He and Yu Zhengqing were not the same; to him, there was no surprise that the Divine Doctor did not recognize Soul Capture Spike. What were Innate High-Rank Martial Masters in the eyes of a Cultivator?

Indeed, Soul Capture Spike was quite infamous among Innate High-Rank Martial Masters; unpredictable and ruthless, there had been speculation that he was an enforcer for the Official Government, others thought he was a scion from a major family who had been stripped of his inheritance.

Of course, some believed he might be a member of the Wonderful Hand Pavilion, and now, the third theory had been confirmed.

Besides being ruthless, this man had another characteristic—he was rather effeminate and liked to strike from the shadows.

However, Yu Zhengqing pointed out that if we were to speak of effeminacy, Gu Maoyuan was a step above Soul Capture Spike—the Gu Family’s Innate Expert was taciturn and secretive; ordinary people rarely knew what he was thinking, and even if he planned to scheme against someone, it would be after he made his move that others would realize it.

Tian Yangni affirmed this statement; because Gu Maoyuan’s emotions were not apparent and he always wore a deadpan expression, the Tian Family was highly cautious of his actions.

In Tian Yangni’s words: “You’re already an Innate Expert, why keep such a stern face all the time?”

If you show your emotions, who could do anything to you anyway?

An hour passed by the end of the interrogation, and in the end, Feng Jun did not kill the Gu Family Warrior.

He was waiting to lure Gu Maoyuan to come over; indeed, this time he truly intended to eliminate the Gu Family’s Innate Expert.

The Gu Family had already caused him trouble twice, with the first being an unprovoked disaster and the second even resulting in Lang Zhen getting injured.

If you deceive me once or twice, the fault lies with you; deceive me thrice, and the fault lies with me!

However, Tian Yangni cautiously requested: could this man be turned into an imbecile? Our conversation was overheard by him quite a bit.

This was still a lack of confidence, fearing that if the Gu Family rescued this man, it would spell disaster for the Tian Family.

Feng Jun was rather averse to such action because he thought the man was a rogue and should be given a quick death.

Moreover, tampering so overtly was akin to admitting fear of the Gu Family.

But in the end, he agreed to Tian Yangni’s request—living in this world, one cannot always be so headstrong. Although the Tian Family was seeking his help, they were still in a partnership for now, and he had to consider their feelings.

But he firmly stated that he would not take action himself, “Whether you make him dumb or not, that’s the Tian Family’s affair. I still maintain what I said, just don’t kill him… He will surely die, but not now.”

Yu Zhengqing, however, had taken in the entire scene and mused to himself: The Divine Doctor’s confidence is truly immeasurable.

Consequently, he also made up his mind about a few things.

The next morning, outside Feng Jun’s courtyard, three heads were hung up: the spy, the Dark Hall assassin, and Soul Capture Spike.

The first two were one thing, but the third, despite having his skullcap ripped off, was the widely-known Soul Capture Spike, who had been causing havoc in the surrounding counties for nearly twenty years. Indeed, there were many who recognized this head.

The following afternoon, a group of people arrived at Mount Zhige, seeking an audience with Feng Jun.