"It's time to collect the monthly salary again..."
After Gu Changge had made himself a simple meal and eaten, he didn't delay and stood up to walk toward the inner court of the Gu Family.
As the leading family in Qingzhou, the main residence alone occupied several thousand acres of land—so much so that the Gu Family even surpassed many of the sects in Qingzhou in terms of strength!
Though he, as a direct descendant of the Gu Family, should have lived in the inner court, he chose to dwell in this small courtyard in the back mountain.
The reason...
As a transmigrator, aside from having both parents deceased, he possessed absolutely no talent for cultivation!
Though the Gu Family was very good to him—even keeping his parents' inner court residence for him to live in—Gu Changge, knowing the dangers of the world, would rather stay invisible and avoid appearing in the inner court except when collecting his monthly salary.
It took about two hours to go from the back mountain to the inner court, and as he approached, temple-like structures appeared one after another—the Gu Family, being the top family in Qingzhou, was in no way inferior to the sects with its Alchemy Room, Seclusion Room, Artifact Refining Room, and even a Council Hall for the younger generation to undergo trials.
During the walk, Gu Changge didn't stay much, and when encountering servants, they all respectfully greeted him as Master Changge. If he encountered family members, he would also exchange greetings.
As he passed the Martial Arts Arena, watching those of his age from his clan, those with a bit of cultivation talent were already at the First Grade of the Qi Condensation Realm, and there were even a few who had broken through to the Second Grade of the Sky-controlling Realm and could temporarily tread the air, setting them apart from ordinary people!
He couldn't deny feeling a bit of envy, but having not been able to condense even a bit of Spiritual Energy in eighteen years, he could only withdraw his gaze and quicken his pace toward the hall where the monthly salaries were distributed.
"Uncle, I've come to collect this month's..."
Before Gu Changge could finish, he saw that Uncle, who was responsible for distributing the monthly salary, seemed to have a strange expression.
"Umm... Uncle, I'll skip the salary for now; I have something urgent to take care of."
Having barely stepped forward with his left foot, he immediately pulled it back and turned to leave!
"Stop right there! Am I the plague? You run as soon as you see me?"
Gu Sanfeng slapped the table, sounding muffled and slightly irked.
"Uncle, I really don't have any Spirit Stones to lend you..."
Seeing his uncle get up and approach, Gu Changge could only helplessly spread his hands.
"Bullshit! Am I only to borrow money from you, you little rascal?"
"And besides, why do you think I borrow money? Isn't it to find a way for you to start cultivating?"
Seeing his reaction, Gu Sanfeng was so irritated that he raised his foot as if to kick, but ultimately stopped midway and simply patted his own leg.
"Oh, it's not about borrowing money? Then what's with that look?"
Gu Changge cautiously asked in a low voice.
"See for yourself!"
Gu Sanfeng snorted coldly, glancing at the letter on the table and indicating that the young man should pick it up and read it himself.
Hearing this, Gu Changge walked to the table with curiosity, picked up the letter, and raised an eyebrow as he read.
"The marriage arranged between our Gu Family and the Liu Family years ago should come to a conclusion. I will visit the Gu Family in seven days."
It was a simple sentence, followed by the signature: Liu Qingqing.
"Done reading?" Gu Sanfeng approached his nephew, still with a stern face.
Gu Changge scratched his head, slightly dazed as he nodded and replied, "Ah, read it, it's just one sentence. I must say, the handwriting is quite beautiful, and seeing the handwriting is like seeing the person. Miss Liu must be not bad-looking."
Hearing this, Gu Sanfeng's face turned green—was this kid doing it on purpose?
"Are you playing dumb with me?"
"The person is specifically looking for you! It was you and that girl from the Liu Family who were betrothed!"
He said while snatching the letter back and pointing fiercely at the name Liu Qingqing.
"Ah?"
"I don't believe it!"
"I've never heard about the arranged marriage before!"
This time, it was Gu Changge's turn to be dumbfounded. He had been living for eighteen years since he transgressed into this world, completely unaware that he had a fiancée out there!
Who was this Liu Qingqing?
"Oh... It seems that the arrangement was made before you were born."
"You didn't know..." Gu Sanfeng touched his nose, finally realizing, his tone considerably weakened.
Over the years, his nephew had been dwelling deep in the Back Mountain, expressing absolutely no interest in the family affairs. It seemed indeed that no one had ever discussed this matter with him...
"So... Uncle, are you jealous that I'll be getting married soon and you're still single?"
"That can't be, Uncle. Even though our relationship isn't the most harmonious, we're like spitting images of each other in a fight, you can't be so petty."
After understanding the situation, Gu Changge still appeared nonchalant.
"Are you talking in your dreams!? You, a cultivation failure, and the Liu family girl has even been admitted into the sect and is about to compete for the position of Saintess. Do you think she'd fancy you? It's clear she's come to break off the engagement!"
"Break off the engagement! Understand!?"
Gu Sanfeng, exasperated to the point of slapping his thigh, couldn't forge iron out of mud.
However, as soon as he spoke those words, he slightly regretted it. He hadn't meant to discourage the lad, had he?
"Oh... well, technically, it should indeed be broken off."
Gu Changge was merely stunned for a moment before quickly nodding his head calmly.
It was just a broken engagement, after all, he was too familiar with it. It's just a pity that he had neither a grandfather nor any cultivation talent to boldy declare "Thirty years east of the river, thirty years west..."
His calm reaction, on the contrary, confounded Gu Sanfeng.
Weren't you supposed to feel humiliated and angry?
How come this rascal seemed to think, oh, a broken engagement? No big deal, I'm all too familiar with it?
"Looks like I don't even need to console you, lad."
"Count the days, by tomorrow the Heavenly Cold Sect will have arrived. If you don't want to face them, the family will handle it for you."
"As for attending the Council Hall, that's up to you."
Gu Sanfeng, having said this, tossed over the letter and the Spirit Stones meant for this month. His Spirit Stones were obviously much more than those given to other direct disciples, yet there were no Elixirs – after years of fruitless cultivation attempts, he had informed the family to exchange the Elixirs for Spirit Stones.
Even as Gu Changge walked away, Gu Sanfeng could not help but lean out and murmur with concern, "This kid, he can't be pretending, can he? He's too calm..."
...
At this very moment, the flying boat of the Heavenly Cold Sect had crossed the Qingzhou border.
For this trip to the Gu family, they had brought two Elders, six Deacons, and several disciples.
On the flying boat, the voices of the disciples discussing were heard from time to time.
"That guy from the Gu family, a cultivation failure, how could he match up to Senior Sister Liu? In my opinion, this matter should have been settled with just a letter; there was no need for Senior Sister to personally make the trip!"
"Yes, exactly! Not to mention the countless admirers within the sect, even in the entire Northern Domain, there are hardly any women comparable to Senior Sister!"
Inside the cultivation room on the flying boat, an Elder of the Heavenly Cold Sect spoke to Liu Qingqing without changing his expression, "Qingqing, just do as you wish; the sect has your back."
"Though the Gu family's influence in Qingzhou is unmatched, they are still inferior to our Heavenly Cold Sect. It's not likely they'd turn against us over a cultivation failure."
Hearing these words, Liu Qingqing slightly furrowed her brows, her expression cold as she nodded lightly.
Regardless of what the sect said, she intended to handle the situation according to her own ideas; otherwise, she wouldn't have made the trip in person.