Chapter 5: The Ancestor of the Fire Sect (Part 1)

Eagle Demon stepped forward, about to speak, but was stopped by Guo Shier’s gesture. In this world, professionals were regarded as superior beings in the eyes of ordinary people, who dared not show the slightest disrespect. As a professional from a lower-tier continent, Eagle Demon had never encountered such attitude from ordinary people and felt somewhat annoyed, wanting to argue a bit.
Guo Shier also sensed something was wrong. As the saying goes, abnormality often indicates danger—ordinary people would never dare treat professionals in such a manner. There must be someone powerful on this boat. He said calmly, “Alright, let’s rest at the bow for a while. We’ll be leaving soon.”
The bow was spacious enough for seven or eight people to sit. Guo Shier called out and sat cross-legged there. The boat, blessed with spells, could move slowly, allowing Guo Shier to enjoy the scenery as usual.
Eagle Demon trusted Guo Shier greatly. Seeing him stop himself from speaking, he fell silent and sat down behind him, cross-legged but facing the cabin, back to Guo Shier. Luo Zhan sat on the other side.
That ordinary person turned around and left without saying another word. The whole boat was quiet, as if no one else was there besides Guo Shier and the others.
Guo Shier casually looked at the scenery and laughed, “There’s plenty of game here. Hehe, I can’t help but drool.”
Luo Zhan shook his head, knowing Guo Shier was already thinking about finding food. Sure enough, Guo Shier said, “Uncle Luo, go catch a few ducks and some fish. I’ll prepare a feast of lake delicacies.”
Eagle Demon became excited and asked, “What’s a feast of lake delicacies?”
Guo Shier replied, “It’s a meal made from wild animals and aquatic products from the lake… but we’ll just cook it simply, nothing complicated.”
Professionals could easily catch ordinary game. Luo Zhan not only caught five wild ducks but also two pheasants on a nearby island. Eagle Demon caught several big fish directly from the lake. Guo Shier used magic talismans to form a net, catching several pounds of lake shrimp as thick as fingers.
Taking out woks and copper pots, Guo Shier quickly started cooking. Using fire spells for heating, the food was clean and smoke-free. Half an hour later, he had prepared a bunch of dishes and placed them on the bow. A strong aroma of food filled the air.
An old man came out of the cabin, said nothing, sat down, took out a pair of chopsticks, and began eating by himself. Guo Shier, Eagle Demon, and Luo Zhan were stunned. They had seen this man before—he was the ancestor of the Fire Sect, the one who had killed the giant mutated golden-armored beast.

Guo Shier didn’t expect the Patriarch of the Fire Sect to live on a small boat. None of the three moved, staring as the Patriarch ate slowly and leisurely by himself.
“Eat already; it won’t taste good if it gets cold… Why are you staring at me? Eat!”
Guo Shier inwardly smiled bitterly. This old man used others’ things to feed them without the slightest sense of guilt, acting as if it were perfectly normal. But he didn’t dare say anything—he had witnessed firsthand just how powerful this old man was; he was a supreme expert with a three-layer soul altar.
“Let’s eat together,” Guo Shier said, deciding to act as if he didn’t know him after all.
Eagle Demon and Luo Zhan finally started eating.
Guo Shier poured a cup of fruit wine and said, “This is really delicious. How about the old man tries a sip?”
The Patriarch replied, “Then I’ll give it a try.” He took it, took a sip, and praised, “Mm, not bad. It’s quite tasty!” If one hadn’t seen the Patriarch in action, they wouldn’t have realized he was a professional—just like when Guo Shier first met Li Ran, he hadn’t thought Li Ran was that powerful either.
Guo Shier lifted the lid of a casserole pot, and a rich aroma wafted out. Fire talismans were attached beneath the pot, making it even more efficient than charcoal fire. Bubbles were bubbling up as it contained two pheasants along with some ingredients and fresh mushrooms, producing an extremely tempting chicken soup. The Patriarch sniffed and asked, “Is this chicken soup? Why does it smell so good?”
Guo Shier was also surprised; such a strong aroma hadn’t been smelled even in his past life. He said, “Everyone, give it a try. It should taste good.”
The Patriarch took a sip and praised, “Fresh, fragrant, and smooth. The soup is as clear as water, with a wonderful taste… I haven’t had such delicious talismanic food in ages.”
They spent over an hour eating this talismanic food. The Patriarch enjoyed it greatly and said, “You can stay on the boat for a few days and have fun before leaving!”
Guo Shier naturally agreed. When they entered the cabin, they found it to be incredibly spacious. It was a space created using advanced talismans, similar to a talismanic house in the wild, but even more advanced and luxurious.
There were only a few ordinary people in the cabin, all older adults, both men and women. When they saw the Patriarch enter, they didn’t say anything and continued with their tasks, giving off a strange feeling.
The Patriarch sat down and waved, “Everyone, sit down.” He then turned and said, “Aunt Chen, bring over a few cups of purple Qingshen liquid.”
An old woman replied and went into a small room next door. Moments later, she returned with a not-too-large wooden tray holding four cups.

The ancient ancestor picked up a cup, while the old woman handed one to Guo Shier and the others, then took the empty wooden plates back without saying a word, appearing quite dull.
The ancient ancestor said, “Purple Clear Shrimp Liquid… You’re all professionals. Do you know what this is?”
Guo Shier picked up the cup and examined it carefully. It wasn’t large, similar to the cups used for drinking tea in his past life. Most of it was filled with a fragrant liquid that was purple and transparent, with a faint wisp of mist rising from it. It wasn’t steam but rather cold mist formed when the cold liquid came into contact with air. He sniffed it, and a cool sensation penetrated his soul, making him feel refreshed instantly. In an instant, it seemed as though his thinking speed had increased by countless times.
Guo Shier exclaimed in surprise, “The saliva of ancient shrimp worms? This is extremely rare! Ancient shrimp worms… How could anyone find them? This thing is very uncommon; it’s the first time I’ve seen it.”
The ancient ancestor showed a surprised expression and said, “Huh, not so simple. You actually know about ancient shrimp worms. Most great sage masters wouldn’t even know about them… So do you know what this is used for?”
Guo Shier recalled the ancestral memories and naturally knew the answer. He said, “It’s used to refine the soul. One cup of this purple Clear Shrimp Liquid is enough to refine the soul once, making it purer… Old man, am I wrong?”
The ancient ancestor clapped and said, “Good, very good. This young guy has remarkable insight. It indeed has such an effect.”
Guo Shier took a sip. A cool sensation penetrated his soul, making him feel incredibly wonderful. He narrowed his eyes, indulging in the delightful feeling. After a while, he took a deep breath and sighed, “This feeling… is truly addictive.”
The ancient ancestor said, “Purple Clear Shrimp Liquid also has another important function: repairing a damaged soul.”
Guo Shier laughed and said, “I’ve gotten a huge bargain. Hehe, one meal of talismanic food in exchange for one cup of Clear Shrimp Liquid—no, three cups! Old man, you’ve lost out.”
The ancient ancestor smiled gently and said, “It’s not a loss. The talismanic food you cooked is very special. It’s the first time I’ve tasted such delicious talismanic food. It’s worth it, absolutely worth it!”
Eagle Demon and Luo Zhan didn’t dare speak. Both of them envied Guo Shier for being able to talk to the ancient ancestor so freely. They didn’t know that Guo Shier had lived three lives; few people could make him feel constrained.
After drinking the Clear Shrimp Liquid in the cup, Guo Shier clearly felt his soul growing stronger, with a hint of a breakthrough. He had no doubt that with a little more effort, he could reach the level of a great sage master.

The Ancestor smiled as he looked at Guo Shier. Of course, he could see that this young man had great potential, and he also liked Guo Shier’s carefree attitude. He said, “Kid, you’ve eaten and drunk. Can you tell the old man your name?”
Guo Shier then stood up respectfully and said, “A wandering professional, a senior spellmaster—Guo Shier.”
The Ancestor was taken aback and asked, “A wandering professional? Aren’t you a disciple of the Fire Sect?”
When Guo Shier and the others left the Fire Sect, they returned their temporary identity badges and wore no identification around their waists, so the Ancestor didn’t know they were wandering professionals.
Guo Shier replied, “I’m not a disciple of the Fire Sect, but my master and master’s wife are inner sect elders there.”
The Ancestor said, “I see. Then your master and master’s wife must have joined the Fire Sect later? Hmm, they’ve recently started recruiting more skilled professionals. Did they join recently?” He quickly figured out the whole situation.
Guo Shier nodded and said, “Yes, the old man is right.”
The Ancestor asked, “You must know me, right?”
Guo Shier nodded again and said, “When the Golden Beetle Swarm attacked, we were professionally recruited on short notice. We saw the Ancestor kill the Abnormal Giant Golden Beetle.”
The Ancestor nodded and asked, “Do you want to explore the secret realm on your own and advance through your own strength?”
Guo Shier replied with admiration, “Ancestor, that’s indeed my plan. I also don’t want to stay in one place for long.”
The Ancestor asked, “How old are you? How long have you been studying spells?”
Guo Shier said, “I’m eighteen years old—no, I should be nineteen. I’ve been studying spells for eleven years, starting at the age of eight.”
A hint of surprise flashed in the Ancestor’s eyes. This was extremely rare—reaching the rank of senior spellmaster at nineteen, and still being a wandering professional. After all, wandering professionals had no inheritance, so rapid advancement was no easy feat. He asked, “How did you overcome the issue of inheritance?”
Guo Shier replied, “I received the inheritance from the Ancient Soul Altar.”
The Ancestor nodded and said, “No wonder you don’t want to stand upright.” He waved his hand and said, “Shier, come a little closer. There’s a mark on your forehead that I can’t see clearly.”
Guo Shier moved closer as instructed. The Ancestor narrowed his eyes and examined it carefully, saying, “Don’t move.” His voice was gentle, without any malice. Guo Shier sat still, keeping his back straight.

The Ancestor cast a series of spells, and an illusory symbol appeared in front of Guo Shier’s forehead. Guo Shier immediately felt a slight warmth on his forehead, and a diamond-shaped symbol appeared there—only to vanish after flashing briefly. The Ancestor could hardly hide his astonishment and said with a wry smile, “Amazing! You’ve indeed received an astonishing inheritance. No wonder, no wonder…”