Like an innocent child, Gu Santong was all smiles as he skipped into the house in excitement.
One moment he was on a beam, the other in the pond, looking up every nook and cranny for that previous stuff.
Zhuo Fan let out a chuckle, âYoung Sanzi, that man only said it to bait us into buying the house. Thereâs no freebie. If there was any, they have long found it and left us with nothing.â
âMaybe not, dad!â
Skipping still, it did not put a damper on Gu Santongâs excitement, âMaybe those idiots couldnât find it while we can. With dadâs smarts and my nose, weâll sniff out any secrets.â
Zhuo Fan shook his head, âYoung Sanzi, and what if you find it? A puny Soul Harmony Stageâs toy is junk to us. Thereâs dozens of stuff in my ring, and any one of them is superior by far. Why waste your energy? â
Gu Santong shook and looked back, though his searching never missed a beat.
Zhuo Fan found it odd, then he exclaimed.
[Young Sanzi is a child at heart. Itâs not about finding something, but the journey.]
[Young Sanzi used to search for herbs not just to fill his belly but also to play.]
Then Zhuo Fan and Kunpeng gave him more herbs than he could swallow, but took away the fun.
His belly was stuffed, but had nothing this child could do for fun.
Zhuo Fan looked at young Sanzi ashamed. He failed as a father, feeling guilty for not having understood his heart.
âYoung Sanzi, go search. If you find it, tell me. I want to see it as well.â Zhuo Fan shouted at the child darting around.
Gu Santong looked back with a wide smile, âIâll be sure to find itâŠâ
Gu Santong was gone.
Looking at the flash of red, Zhuo Fan shook his head, smiling inside.
âDad, I found it! Thereâs a treasure here!â Gu Santongâs cheerful cry came, âI bet this is something dad hasnât gotten yet.â
Zhuo Fan was stunned, âThereâs actually something here? That was quick. Maybe that thief was right about being a freebie here.â
Zhuo Fan followed young Sanziâs voice, arriving before a run down building. Zhuo Fan sized it up.
[Isnât it just a shed?]
[The lord mustâve been a weirdo to set up his cultivation room here. Or is it out of paranoia? Yeah, that has to be it. Those Ethereal and Radiant Stage experts wouldnât think twice about looking here.]
Zhuo Fan not once thought about the stuff that might be hiding here, since hardly anything could impress him now. He only came to cater to his sonâs excitement.
[Itâs what a father must doâŠ]
âYoung Sanzi, what did you find? Let me, uhâŠâ
Zhuo Fan cheerfully entered the shed, only to freeze in shock.
In the middle of the shed lay a girl, with an egg-shaped face, sharp eyes, rosy skin and thin waist.
By the looks of it, heavily wounded, if the pale face and red line from the mouth were to be trusted. Young Sanzi squatted next to her and pointed in excitement, âDad, treasure, woman, he-he-heâŠâ
Zhuo Fanâs face twitched, revealing a vile smile at young Sanzi and bopping his head, âHow old are you? How is a woman a treasure?â
âIâm only three and a half centuries old!â
Gu Santong was annoyed, âIâm no child. I know plenty of stuff!â
Ugh!
Zhuo Fan was speechless.
[I stand corrected, he isnât a child at heart, but a shifty old man using his appearance to his advantage. He doesnât need compassion, but a heavy hand!]
Zhuo Fan eyed Gu Santong, âYoung Sanzi, what will you do with your âfindâ? Since youâre three centuries old, it doesnât look like you can use it as you are.â
Blushing hard, Gu Santong knew exactly where Zhuo Fan was going. He glared in shame and anger, âDad, youâre nasty!â
âIâm nasty? When you called a woman a treasure, what else could you have been meaning other than something nasty, oh wise guy?â Zhuo Fan stared back.
Pouting, Gu Santong huffed, âI found her like this, unconscious and weak. The way I see it, she must be the cauldron the lord used to cultivate. If so, I only saw her as a cultivating treasure. Whatâs wrong with that?â
âDamn brat, are you splitting hairs with me?â
Zhuo Fan didnât shirk and touched the girlâs icy wrist. He laughed, âHa-ha-ha, you got it all wrong. Howâs a maiden supposed to be a cauldronâŠâ
Gu Santong turned to the girl with a puzzled gaze.
[Was I wrong? Then what is she doing in this place? Was she left behind?]
Zhuo Fan mocked, âKid, what are you thinking? This girl ainât from this house. Think about it. With her looks, even as a cauldron, theyâd take her for sure. Also, judging by her wounds, a month at leastâŠâ
Zhuo Fan faced his son, showing off his wisdom. but then he squinted.
âBut that meansâŠâ
Zhuo Fanâs eyes shone and walked behind the house, âYoung Sanzi, get a room ready. Iâm going to heal her.â
Gu Santong was taken off-guard by his actions.
[Never knew dad as a caring guy, going as far as healing a stranger. Especially a girlâŠ]
Gu Santong had a coy smile, âSure, dad, youâre going to use healing as an excuse to dual cultivate. Wait till I tell mom.â
Zhuo Fan jerked, then glared back, âWhy you little miscreant, since when have I dual cultivated? Did you forget what happened a month ago in Flying Cloud City?â
âFlying Cloud manor had a break in.â
Gu Santong bobbed his head then pointed at her, âDad, thenâŠâ
Zhuo Fanâs eyes shone, nodding, âMore likely than not, this girl is involved. By saving her, weâll get some valuable info out of her. So donât just stand there, get a room ready!â
âOhâŠâ
Gu Santong bobbed his head and darted for the house, setting up a room in a jiffy. Zhuo Fan came in with the girl, and set her on the bed. He used his energy while touching her forehead, âReturning Dragonâs Roar!â
Roar!
A green glow started entering the girlâs body, healing her under their very eyes. When the glow vanished, the girl didnât wake. Her breathing faint, still in danger of vanishing.
âDad, it didnât work? When we beat that old Huangpu, he gave us a hard time with this skill.â Gu Santong was puzzled.
Zhuo Fan smiled, âWe were just in the Radiant Stage. But once in the Ethereal Stage, the real wound isnât on the body, but the soul. The lass is in the 8th layer Ethereal Stage. Her wounded soul comes first, then her body. It wonât matter if her body is healed but not her soul. I only gave her some first aid, letting her hang on a little longer. Now comes the hard part, healing her soul.â
Gu Santong nodded.
âYoung Sanzi, look after her. Iâll be cultivating for three days to make an 11th grade pill to heal her soul. Donât disturb me.â Zhuo Fan walked out.
Gu Santong said, âArenât the pills we have enough?â
âItâs not just her soul wounded, but her odd state, likeâŠâ
Zhuo Fan frowned in thought. He lifted the Qilin arm, looking at the scar Vaulting Sword left, âA wound made by a sacred weapon. The strange energy is still there. Since itâs a heavy wound, it needs special pillsâŠâ
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