Chapter 69: Anecdote

With untied black hair cascading like a waterfall to his waist, moon-white wide sleeves fluttering in the wind, and a luminous jade pendant radiating spiritual light at his waist, what a dashing and spirited youth he was!

Sensing that the other party was not ordinary, equipped with a breath-concealing artifact to suppress his aura, Chen Beiwu clasped his fists and slightly bowed. “Fellow Daoist, why have you stopped me?”

“Meeting by chance is fate. I am Shi Botao.” The newcomer gave a hearty laugh, speaking familiarly. “Fellow Daoist must be heading to Yinxia Market as well, presumably to attend the Gu Clan's Second Young Miss’s son-in-law selection assembly.”

Hearing this, Chen Beiwu’s heart jolted, though his expression showed no hint of it.

What son-in-law selection assembly?

All he knew was that the cultivation clan controlling Yinxia Market was the renowned Chiyuan Gu Clan of the Cangwu Mountains, rivals of the Yunhai Shen Clan.

The Chiyuan Gu Clan was guarded by two Foundation Establishment experts, with the clan patriarch being a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, incredibly powerful and only two steps away from the Golden Core stage. Their backing came from none other than the Mirror Moon Palace, one of the Five Great Sects in the Earth Proliferation Territory.

To compete for resources from the major sects, the Chiyuan Gu Clan and the Yunhai Shen Clan had intense conflict, often engaging in spell duels.

“Fellow Daoist misunderstood.” Chen Beiwu shook his head and denied. “I am Chen Xiu, heading to Yinxia Market merely to purchase cultivation necessities.”

Upon hearing that, Shi Botao felt relieved.

Thankfully, he had never seen such a handsome and uniquely tempered Qi Refining cultivator!

If Chen Xiu was also attending the son-in-law selection assembly, he truly wouldn't have the confidence to win the Gu Clan’s Second Young Miss’s favor.

“I see, then it was presumptuous of me.” Shi Botao offered a friendly smile and invited Chen Beiwu to go to Yinxia Market together.

Chen Beiwu politely declined.

The other party's background was unclear, and his aura was obscure. He had no intention of traveling with a stranger.

Watching the rainbow light as Shi Botao departed aboard his flying shuttle, Chen Beiwu grew curious.

Just what kind of extraordinary person was this Gu Clan’s Second Young Miss to inspire a cultivator of unknown depth to pursue marriage?

Snuffing out the distracting thoughts in his heart, Chen Beiwu checked the time, found a secluded cave, and set up a Small Earth Mound Formation, Small Illusion Barrier Formation, and a Micro Spirit-Converging Formation, then anchored a marker and teleported back to the Immortal Alliance Cultivation Room.

‘Good, the payment finally settled.’

Seeing over 3,100 Spirit Yuan credited to his phone account, Chen Beiwu opened the Immortal Alliance Official Website and immediately purchased the Tidespring Silk Armor and the Concealing Jade Pendant he had placed in his cart. The cost evaporated 2,500 Spirit Yuan from his account.

After completing the early meditation of Tai Xuan Guarding the One, Chen Beiwu rose, went downstairs to have breakfast with his mother, then set out toward Yuankong County's Talisman Master Association.

An hour later, Chen Beiwu stepped out from the gates of the Talisman Master Association.

First-Tier Talisman Master certification was relatively simple. Successfully drawing any three First-Tier Low-Grade talismans on the spot would suffice. With his spiritual perception and comprehension, it was an easy task.

Now all he had to do was wait for the Immortal Alliance Official Website to update his information, and he would be officially registered as a First-Tier Talisman Master.

Without slowing his pace, Chen Beiwu used Wind Control to head toward the Array Master Association in Yuankong County.

Unlike the bustling Talisman Master Association, the Array Master Association had few people. Only a handful of staff sat at their desks chatting, discussing which Spirit Beast was better suited for purchasing a contract, and barely any figures were in sight.

When she saw Chen Beiwu arrive, the female receptionist's eyes lit up and she stepped forward to receive him. “Sir, do you have any array questions to consult?”

“I’m here to take the Array Master certification exam,” Chen Beiwu corrected.

The beautiful female cultivator was visibly surprised, her demeanor becoming noticeably more respectful. “This way, please.”

At that moment, a tattered-robed cultivator suddenly entered the Array Association's entrance.

A male staff member immediately got up with a lunchbox in hand and led the cultivator out of the association.

“The Array Association provides meals for outsiders now?” Chen Beiwu asked in surprise.

“No.” The female cultivator’s voice grew quiet. “That boy is quite pitiful. The one who just took him out is his array teacher.”

“He had issues with cultivation?” Chen Beiwu asked thoughtfully.

With just a sweep of his divine sense, he sensed the boy’s mental state seemed off.

“Yes, sir,” the female cultivator explained as she guided him. “Xu Xin used to be an array genius from Shouhe No. 4 High School. He reached the Seventh Level of Qi Refining at nineteen and was certified as a First-Tier Array Master by the Association.”

Chen Beiwu found it odd. “But his aura is only at the Fifth Level of Qi Refining.”

The female cultivator glanced cautiously around, then lowered her voice. “That’s because of a backlash from his Companion Beast. In mid-September, he contracted a Spirit Beast in Fallen Dragon Manor called the Scarlet Fiend Boar.”

Chen Beiwu stopped in his tracks and turned in shock.

The Scarlet Fiend Boar was a mutated descendant of the Metal-Eating Boar, altered by devouring fire marrow from the earth veins. It had a ferocious appearance, with three-zhang-long scarlet bristles flowing like lava on its neck and black lava-textured scales covering its body, but was considered one of the more docile Fire-Element Spirit Beasts.

Even if such beasts turned rebellious and bit back at their masters, a cultivator could easily suppress them using a Companion Seal. How did this lead to a regression in cultivation, severe spiritual damage, and a mentally unstable outcome?

“While Xu Xin was studying array techniques, his mother was feeding the Companion Beast. The Scarlet Fiend Boar suddenly became violent, knocked her over, and fatally bit her. By the time Xu Xin noticed something was wrong, his mother had already lost her breath.”

At this, the female receptionist's eyes revealed a trace of pity. “Xu Xin was enraged and forcibly killed the Scarlet Fiend Boar using the Companion Seal, causing the seal to collapse. His cultivation fell to the Fifth Level of Qi Refining, and his mind became unwell.”

“I see.” Chen Beiwu nodded, suspicion arising in his heart. He asked, “Did the Immortal Alliance Law Enforcement Bureau get involved?”

A Companion Beast contract did not guarantee absolute safety. Every year, the Immortal Alliance had a few cases where Companion Beasts turned on their contracted cultivators.

But the Scarlet Fiend Boar, though menacing in appearance, was known to be gentle in temperament. Unless driven to desperation, it would almost never attack its master.

There must be something more behind Xu Xin’s incident.

“They did. The case is currently under investigation.” The receptionist stopped walking and pointed her left palm toward a nearby office.

“Array Master Li handles professional certifications. Just push the door open and go in.”

With that, she winked, slipped a name card into Chen Beiwu’s palm, then turned and left, leaving a parting remark.

“If there’s anything you don’t understand about arrays, feel free to ask me. We can study together.”

Watching the graceful figure of the female receptionist disappear, Chen Beiwu’s expression remained calm.

Nowadays, whether male or female, as long as a cultivator was good-looking and had pleasing temperament, someone of the opposite sex would inevitably flock over like a moth to a flame.

This receptionist’s approach was considered relatively mild, one he could accept—unlike the underclassmen at Shouhe No. 2 High School, who were wildly aggressive.

Back when Chen Beiwu was in the junior high division of Shouhe No. 2 High School, over ten underclassman girls had gotten into a massive brawl for his sake.

It wasn’t until the clueless him was summoned to the office by a teacher that he realized how intense things could get when girls fought over affection.

In a way, the presence of Xu Ziqing and Xu Lingling helped Chen Beiwu escape the never-ending schoolyard chaos of romantic entanglements.

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