Foster Father

East City Gate of Luodu, exactly at the Hour of the Dragon.

Morning light scattered like crushed gold, coating the towering city gate tower in a warm glow.

Banners on the city walls fluttered gently in the wind, producing a crisp snapping sound.

Outside the gates, the official road stretched straight into the distance, bordered by green willows swaying gracefully in the breeze.

The patrol team was reassembling.

One hundred Golden Feather Guards, sixty-six cultivators from the Luodu Heavenly Master Mansion, along with other experts of the patrol group, accompanying officials, handymen, and so on.

A mighty procession of nearly three hundred people completely filled a large open space outside the East City Gate.

Every person's face beamed with a look of deep satisfaction.

This satisfaction wasn't faked or perfunctory; it was heartfelt, radiating from their very bones.

Gathering in twos and threes, they conversed in low voices, occasionally letting out suppressed chuckles.

Some patted the coin pouches at their waists, the bulging outlines clearly indicating their heavy weight.

Some took out local Luodu pastries, sharing them with familiar comrades in arms.

Others simply leaned against the carriages, squinting in the sunlight with an air of complete leisure.

These past three days had been the most comfortable days of their entire lives.

A two-hundred-fold reimbursement limit.

No restrictions.

No need to worry about the Censorate.

And plenty of time to eat, drink, and make merry in Luodu.

What did this mean?

It meant they could enter the best restaurants in Luodu, order the most expensive dishes, and drink the finest wines.

They could go to the most famous markets in Luodu, buy the most exquisite local specialties, and pick out the most beautiful gifts.

They could stay in the most comfortable inns in Luodu, sleep in the softest beds, and soak in the hottest baths.

And everything could be reimbursed.

Without having to pay a single copper coin of their own.

Without fearing an audit by the Censorate.

Without any worries whatsoever.

Such a good thing—let alone in this life, even in the next life, or the life after that, they might never encounter it again.

Everyone's gazes, intentionally or otherwise, drifted toward the same direction.

The Heavenly Master Mansion's carriage.

The carriage was massive, its exterior painted with the crest of the Heavenly Master Mansion.

Around the carriage stood several experts from the Heavenly Master Mansion, their expressions solemn as they kept the carriage tightly guarded.

And the person inside the carriage had now become the most exalted existence in everyone's hearts.

Their eyes were filled with heartfelt respect.

Even worship.

Someone muttered softly, "Junior Preceptor Gu is truly..."

Before he could finish, someone next to him chimed in: "Our adoptive father."

"Right! He is our adoptive father!"

"To encounter a superior like Junior Preceptor Gu on this trip, our ancestors must have accumulated some serious good karma."

"Isn't that the truth? When I ran errands elsewhere, those superiors were all incredibly stingy."

"Let alone getting reimbursed for a business trip, you'd be lucky not to have to pay out of your own pocket."

"Exactly. Junior Preceptor Gu's bearing, his broad-mindedness, tsk tsk..."

"From now on, whoever dares to try and kidnap Junior Preceptor Gu is crossing me!"

"Right! Crossing all of us!"

At these words, the people around all nodded in agreement, their eyes flashing with resolute determination.

Before, putting in effort and labor was just doing their job.

Completing the mission was their duty, taking their salary was expected, and if something happened, there would be a pension.

Nothing more than that.

But now it was different.

Now, if anyone dared to try and kidnap Gu Chengyin.

That would be crossing their adoptive father.

Could this be tolerated?

Absolutely not.

Meanwhile, inside the carriage.

Gu Chengyin was leaning against the carriage window, listening to Chen Busha's report.

"Junior Preceptor Gu, the people from the Luodu Heavenly Master Mansion have arrived, sixty-six in total."

Chen Busha's voice was steady and highly organized.

"All of them are at the mid-stage of the Foundation Establishment realm or above. Among them, sixteen are at the late stage, and eight are at the grand completion stage."

"The one leading the team is Elder Qiu's disciple, a grand completion Foundation Establishment cultivator with abundant experience."

Gu Chengyin listened and nodded slightly.

Thirty-two mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.

Sixteen late-stage.

Eight grand completion.

This was the underlying foundation of the Luodu Heavenly Master Mansion.

Although in terms of top-tier combat power, the Luodu Heavenly Master Mansion was inferior to the Shendu Heavenly Master Mansion.

However, Luodu had the advantage of having more money and more people, able to forcibly pile up a batch of Foundation Establishment cultivators using sheer resources.

This was what it meant to be wealthy and imposing.

A trace of contemplation flashed through Gu Chengyin's eyes.

This model was very interesting.

Piling up cultivation with resources might not produce Golden Core cultivators, but it could produce large numbers of Foundation Establishment ones.

These Foundation Establishment cultivators might not be as talented as those who cultivated relying on their own abilities.

But when it came to executing missions and coordinating in combat, they possessed an irreplaceable advantage.

Especially in this kind of small-scale patrol.

Sixty-six Foundation Establishment cultivators from the Heavenly Master Mansion, plus one hundred Golden Feather Guards, along with the other experts.

They could probably even steamroll an entire immortal cultivation sect.

Gu Chengyin withdrew his thoughts and spoke calmly:

"Mm, I know."

"Once preparations are complete, set out immediately."

Chen Busha immediately complied:

"Yes!"

He turned and left to continue handling those trivial coordination matters.

A patrol team of hundreds of people required reforming, assigning positions, and arranging the marching order.

Although these tasks were tedious, for a Golden Feather Guard Vice General like Chen Busha, they were easily managed.

Gu Chengyin watched his back disappear into the crowd and lowered the window curtain.

The light inside the carriage dimmed slightly.

The next second, a soft and warm body pressed against him.

Lin Qingyan hugged him from behind, resting her chin on his shoulder, her entire body practically hanging off of him.

Her face maintained its usual aloofness, even faintly carrying a touch of detachment.

Yet her body honestly pressed close to him.

This was Lin Qingyan's little scheme; since Gu Chengyin wanted to see her clear-headed.

Then she would be clear-headed, and she would face Gu Chengyin with the most aloof expression.

And because Gu Chengyin didn't know about this little scheme of Lin Qingyan's, he didn't refuse her.

As long as Lin Qingyan didn't get carried away, as long as she wasn't completely love-struck, he certainly didn't mind being affectionate; it didn't affect their business anyway.

Gu Chengyin turned around, reached out to wrap an arm around her waist, and pulled her to sit in his lap.

Lin Qingyan took the opportunity to lean against his chest. The aloofness on her face remained, but a faint happiness rippled in her eyes.

"The next stop is the Azure Sword Sect."

Lin Qingyan spoke, a trace of worry in her voice.

"Do you think anything will happen on the way?"

Gu Chengyin looked at her, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes.

"With the Heavenly Master Mansion's Jingzhe here, who would dare to come?"

Lin Qingyan rolled her eyes at him and said coquettishly:

"I'm talking about serious business!"

Gu Chengyin put away his smile, his expression turning serious.

He thought for a moment, then shook his head and said:

"Nothing will happen for the time being."

"After all, it is the Azure Sword Sect's territory."

"Causing trouble in Luodu, as long as innocents aren't involved, the Heavenly Master Mansion can tolerate it for the sake of the bigger picture."

"But if someone were to cause trouble in the Azure Sword Sect's territory..."

"They will truly take action."

"Special Envoy Jiang and Elder Qingzheng have already made this very clear to me."

Listening to this, Lin Qingyan nodded thoughtfully.

She also knew the Azure Sword Sect's attitude.

Causing trouble on their own turf was equivalent to slapping them in the face.

Let alone the Azure Sword Sect, any immortal cultivation sect wouldn't let the matter rest easily.