Chapter 10: Free Labor (Part 2)

The handsome old man quickly changed the subject and said, “Not bad. With so many materials, I have plenty to squander!”
Guo Shier’s cold sweat almost flowed down as he said, “Hey, handsome old man, don’t waste them. I’ve saved up these materials over most of my life…”
The handsome old man dismissed him with a wave of his hand, saying, “How old are you anyway? With good fortune, it would take hundreds of years to gather all these materials.”
Guo Shier replied, “I’m already in my twenties.” He suddenly felt his presence was too weak.
The handsome old man exclaimed, “Twenties? Are you trying to fool me?”
Guo Shier said, “Why would I fool you? We’re one now. If I’m fine, you’re fine. If I’m not, will you be fine?”
The handsome old man remained silent for a long time. Guo Shier’s words struck a chord with him. Even though he was an ancient monster from thousands or tens of thousands of years ago, it was hard for him to accept. Being a high-ranking great sage at twenty, possessing the Ancient Ink Lotus at twenty, and gathering so many materials for constructing a soul altar at twenty—he felt he had lived in vain.
The Dark-Winged Scorpion and the Blade Shadow Mantis, two Soul Insects, cooperated to attack three Soul Beasts in a short time. They worked in perfect harmony: first, the Blade Shadow Mantis launched a surprise attack, followed by the Dark-Winged Scorpion piercing the Soul Beasts with its venomous stinger. Once the Soul Beasts’ souls became unstable, the Blade Shadow Mantis would break through their defenses, and the shattered souls were devoured by the two Soul Insects.
The silent attacks and silent devouring were watched with great interest by Xian Ru Dai, who was filled with envy. Although the Dark-Winged Scorpion was a bit ugly and the Blade Shadow Mantis a bit ferocious, it didn’t stop her from admiring and liking them.
Guo Shier raised his head and asked, “Xian Ru Dai, you ran out. Will the elders chase after you?”
Xian Ru Dai immediately pouted and said unhappily, “Who knows? I think they won’t be able to find me. Hmph, I have many ways to escape!”
Guo Shier asked, “Who is Yan Ruo Dai to you? Do you know her?”
Xian Ru Dai, like a frightened deer, jumped aside abruptly and said warily, “How… how do you know my great-aunt? Are you here to take me back?”
Guo Shier replied, “I’m not that boring. Why would I take you back? I just know Senior Yan Ruo Dai.”
Xian Ru Dai stepped back carefully, ready to run at the slightest provocation, and said, “Brother Shier, you’re not lying to me… You can’t lie to me… If you lie, you’ll get struck by lightning!”
Guo Shier wore a wry smile. Eagle Demon said, “Shier isn’t lying to you. We indeed met Senior Yan Ruo Dai not long ago, right after parting.”

Xian Ruidai thought for a moment and said, “Hmm, I trust Uncle Eagle Demon.”
Guo Shieru almost spat blood and said, “You trust Uncle Eagle Demon, why not me? Do I look like a villain?”
Xian Ruidai hesitated for a second before nodding lightly and saying, “Hmm.”
Eagle Demon couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Guo Shieru muttered, “I don’t know what I did to offend this little girl.”
Xian Ruidai said, “It’s because you scared me!”
Guo Shieru said, “I was just asking; I didn’t mean to scare you.”
Xian Ruidai said, “Look, we’ve reached the top…” Zhang Yaojin walked to the top of the altar, sat down cross-legged, and after a while, got up and flew down.
Eagle Demon wondered, “Zhang Yaojin, why are you unhappy?”
Zhang Yaojin looked gloomy. Guo Shieru also became curious and asked, “Did you not receive the inheritance?”
Zhang Yaojin smiled bitterly and said, “I did… It’s precisely because I received it that I feel upset.”
Eagle Demon asked, “What’s wrong?”
Zhang Yaojin glanced at Xian Ruidai and said, “The inheritance of the Gu Dai family… Sigh!”
Guo Shieru was slightly stunned before realizing it, his expression turning strange. After all, the Gu Dai family was a famous female family, and their inheritance must be related to women. He couldn’t understand how Zhang Yaojin could have received it.
Xian Ruidai was shocked upon hearing this and said, “It’s the inheritance of the Gu Dai family? Wow, I have to report this!”
Zhang Yaojin said, “Don’t report it. I won’t join the Gu Dai family.”
Xian Ruidai rolled her eyes at him and said, “I meant to report that there’s an altar of the Gu Dai family here. I’m not asking you to join our family. You’re a man… How can you join our Gu Dai family? Hehe, Sister Dingding would be more suitable.”
Zhang Yaojin was deeply discouraged and said gloomily, “Damn it, what should I do?”
Guo Shieru said, “What’s the problem? Just keep practicing. If it’s a female inheritance, you can use it too, right?” He wasn’t sure either.
Zhang Yaojin snapped, “Use it? Bullshit…” He hugged his head and crouched down, scratching his scalp hard.
Xian Ruidai said, “I don’t understand either how you received the inheritance. Generally, men definitely won’t get the inheritance of our Gu Dai family… Strange, I don’t get it!”
Luo Zhan whispered, “There shouldn’t be any problem. It’s all about inheritance anyway. Could getting the Gu Dai family’s inheritance turn Zhang Yaojin into a hermaphrodite?”
Guo Shieru was shocked and said, “No way, that would be too terrifying.”
Zhang Yaojin punched the ground hard and screamed, “Damn it! Damn it!”

Guo Shier shook his head. He now understood that receiving an inheritance also carried risks—not all inheritances could be accepted. Just like Master Luo Jie and Grandpa Nanshan, who received the inheritance from the Ancient Black Talisman People, they could advance rapidly but also faced countless risks. He didn’t see anything wrong with receiving the inheritance from the Gu Dai family, but judging from Zhang Yaojin’s reaction, he seemed extremely regretful.

Guo Shier comforted him, “Let’s see if there’s a chance to erase it and receive the inheritance again in the future.”

Zhang Yaojin slowly stood up and said, “It’s my fault. I was too hasty. I should have let Dingding receive the inheritance first. Sigh, it’s very difficult to erase. This is a high-level inheritance… Well, if it has to be a female inheritance, then so be it. It’s no big deal!” He was quite resilient, regaining his composure after a brief moment of distress.

Xian Ruidai said, “I need to inform the family. We can’t let our ancestors’ altars end up outside.”

Zhang Yaojin replied indifferently, “It’s useless! Whether we inform them or not doesn’t matter.”

Xian Ruidai asked, “What do you mean?”

Zhang Yaojin said, “To claim such an altar, one must at least be an expert at the third-level altar.”

Xian Ruidai laughed, “I thought there would be some advanced requirements. Our Gu Dai family has many such experts, so there’s no need to worry at all. Hehe.”

Zhang Yaojin shook his head and said, “This place isn’t that remote. Don’t you find it strange that these altars have survived until now? Hmph, if professionals with altars could enter this place, not a single altar would remain!”

Xian Ruidai was stunned and asked, “So professionals with altars can’t enter?”

Zhang Yaojin showed a mocking smile and said, “They can! Professionals with Virtual Form altars can enter, but their strength will be suppressed to the level of a Great Sage. Hehe, those with Physical Form altars are even worse. The spiritual energy here is strong enough to shake their souls, and they might even perish here, becoming a new altar!”

Like Guo Shier and the others, Xian Ruidai knew very little about the Wild Battle Secret Realm and was stunned by what they heard. But Guo Shier was secretly delighted—here, a high-level Great Sage was equivalent to top-tier combat power. Could he not act as he pleased here?

Zhang Yaojin asked, “Do you know why there are so many damaged altars here?”

Xian Ruidai asked, “Were they destroyed by someone?”

Zhang Yaojin nodded. “That’s right, they were destroyed! To prevent chaos in inheritance, once an altar couldn’t be claimed, it had to be destroyed as much as possible. For example, if one corner of this altar is destroyed, it can prevent others from receiving its inheritance.”

Xian Ruidai hesitated for a moment. Destroying a senior’s altar was a highly taboo act, but what Zhang Yaojin said seemed reasonable. She said, “Alright, let’s destroy this altar in a bit.”
Guo Shier looked at Zhang Yaojin with some doubt. He thought this guy was using the altar to vent his anger, not giving good advice. He asked, “Brother Zhang, is it true?”
Zhang Yaojin replied confidently, “Of course it’s true!” He thought to himself, “It was just my guess! Hmph, giving me such a legacy—so annoying!”
Guo Shier didn’t take it too seriously. Even if Xian Ruidai didn’t destroy the altar, he would use the Ancient Ink Lotus to extract the soul from it later.
Two more days passed, and Zhou Xiaoling finally reached the top of the altar. After sitting in meditation for an hour, she flew down, her face filled with excitement. As soon as she landed, she said, “I’ve also become a Great Sage! I’ve reached the rank of Junior Great Sage!” When she received the legacy, she had already advanced to the rank of Junior Great Sage.
Xian Ruidai smiled and said, “Sister Dingding, you should be considered my senior sister. This is the legacy of the Gudai family!”
Zhou Xiaoling replied joyfully, “Yes, it’s the legacy of the Gudai family. Hehe, little junior sister.”
Xian Ruidai said, “Congratulations, Sister Dingding. When you have time, you should visit the Gudai family. By receiving their legacy, you’ll become a disciple of the family.”
Zhou Xiaoling nodded, but she didn’t promise. She said, “I’ll see if there’s a chance. If I can go to the Gudai family, I will.”
Guo Shier eagerly flew to the top of the altar and used the Ancient Ink Lotus to extract the soul from it again. This time, the soul allowed the Old Handsome Man to successfully form his waist and legs. Although they weren’t yet solid, he had remembered many things.
Half of the soul in the altar went to the Old Handsome Man, a part went to the Ancient Ink Lotus, and the rest was absorbed by Guo Shier.
Fortunately, there was no one like the Old Handsome Man in this altar; otherwise, Guo Shier would have had more trouble.
Xian Ruidai said, “I’ll break this altar.”
Guo Shier flew down and said, “Let me do it.”
Xian Ruidai stepped back and said, “Then I’ll leave it to Brother Shier.”
Guo Shier unleashed his Moon Blade and slashed downward. Without the support of the soul’s power, the entire altar collapsed instantly. The altar was already in poor condition, and if the soul’s power had still been there, that single strike might not have been enough to break its defenses.
Xian Ruidai clasped her hands together and silently muttered a few words.
Eagle Demon said, “Shier, it seems someone is coming… Hmm, it feels like they’re heading straight for us!”

Guo Shier turned to look. In the distance, a dozen dark figures were moving low to the ground and approaching quickly. He said, “They’re professionals. Hmm, eleven… twelve people!”
Luo Zhan asked, “What do they want?”
Book 21: Gu Xi Bi