Chapter 10 - 9: Gao Peiyao

Chapter 10: Chapter 9: Gao Peiyao

In a private room on the second floor of Yuelai Inn, overlooking the street, Chen Jianghe sat by the window. He held a cup of tea, savoring it slowly, his gaze fixed on a figure in the street below—it was Yu Daniu.

He hadn’t seen him in a year, and he’d grown taller again. He had to be a little over two meters tall now. Towering a full head above everyone else on the market street, he was quite conspicuous.

Chen Jianghe watched Yu Daniu for about a quarter of an hour. He saw him loitering around Yuelai Inn but hesitating to enter.

’He’s probably hesitating about whether to keep our three-person pact because of how unpleasant last year’s gathering was.’

That time, Old Gao had chewed him out fiercely. Yu Daniu, already fuming about being cheated out of his Spiritual Sand by Wang Kui and being young and hot-headed, naturally ended up in a shouting match with Old Gao.

Chen Jianghe sipped his tea, his face showing no sign of impatience, waiting for Yu Daniu to make his decision.

Their three-way relationship wasn’t unbreakable. They had only gathered because their fishing territories were adjacent, and with Old Gao being a Mid-Stage Qi Refining Cultivator, he could offer them some minor guidance in their Cultivation.

If neither Yu Daniu nor Old Gao showed up, Chen Jianghe wouldn’t force the issue. Their three-person agreement would simply be void.

After another quarter of an hour or so, Yu Daniu seemed to have made up his mind. He stepped through the doors of Yuelai Inn and came up to their designated private room.

"Brother Jianghe."

"Daniu, you’re here."

Chen Jianghe smiled, gesturing for Yu Daniu to sit, and poured him a cup of tea. Then, he waited for Old Gao to arrive.

"Old Gao isn’t here yet?"

Yu Daniu’s tone was dejected. He averted his gaze, a guilty look on his face.

"Mm," Chen Jianghe nodded.

"Brother Jianghe, I was too reckless last time. I know Old Gao was just looking out for me. I was just so furious with Wang Kui that I lost my head and started arguing with him. I regretted it right after."

The two-meter-tall Yu Daniu hung his head like a child who’d done something wrong, asking cautiously, "Do you think Old Gao is so mad at me he won’t come?"

Hearing this, Chen Jianghe guessed that Old Gao hadn’t written to Yu Daniu to inform him he was traveling during the Fish Sleep Stage. For a moment, he wasn’t sure if Old Gao was still angry with Yu Daniu either.

"Don’t worry, it’ll be fine."

That was all Chen Jianghe could say to console him.

Although Old Gao had written Chen Jianghe a letter before he left, he hadn’t told him why he was leaving Jingyue Lake.

Two months of the Fish Sleep Stage passed. Chen Jianghe wrote to Old Gao but received no reply. He had no idea if Old Gao had even returned.

If Old Gao still hadn’t arrived by evening, there were two possibilities.

One, Old Gao had left and never come back.

Two, he really had decided to end their three-person pact because of Yu Daniu.

Just as Yu Daniu was stewing in his guilt and Chen Jianghe was lost in thought, the door to the private room opened. It was Old Gao.

Old Gao looked much older. His eyelids drooped, his eyes were turbid and dull, and his aura was faint and unstable. His end was likely within the next year or two.

"Jianghe, Daniu."

The moment Old Gao saw Yu Daniu, a kind smile spread across his face.

"Old Gao." Chen Jianghe nodded with a smile.

Yu Daniu looked at Old Gao’s increasingly ancient face, stepped forward, and apologized. "Old Gao, I was young and foolish last time. I repaid your kindness with rudeness. Please forgive me."

"Haha, it’s nothing. I was too harsh that time as well."

Old Gao clapped Yu Daniu on the arm, resolving the rift between them, which hadn’t been a big deal to begin with.

Chen Jianghe was happy to see this. There were still benefits to their little trio not disbanding.

"Old Gao, who is this?"

Chen Jianghe looked behind Old Gao. A girl in a faded, light-blue cotton dress was peeking out from behind him. Loose strands of hair fell at her temples, her almond-shaped eyes held a timid gaze, and her thin lips were lightly biting on a wisp of hair.

Her skin had a sallow, yellowish tint, as if she were malnourished, but her features were still delicate. She looked to be about thirteen or fourteen years old.

Yu Daniu now also noticed the girl behind Old Gao, a curious look on his face.

"This is my granddaughter, Gao Peiyao."

Old Gao took the girl’s hand and led her forward. "Xiaoyao, these are the two big brothers I told you about, Chen Jianghe and Yu Daniu."

Gao Peiyao kept her head down, sneaking a glance at Chen Jianghe and Yu Daniu.

"Brother Jianghe, Brother Daniu."

Her voice was barely audible. As soon as she spoke, she hid behind Old Gao again.

"Xiaoyao grew up in a village. She’s shy and timid, so please don’t mind her," Old Gao said, stroking Gao Peiyao’s head to reassure her.

"Little Sister Peiyao is quiet and cute. Why would we mind?"

Chen Jianghe said with a smile. He then invited everyone to sit down and called for a waiter to bring the food.

This year, it was his turn to pay for the drinks.

The budget was still one grain of Spiritual Sand: four dishes and a pot of ordinary Immortal Spirit Wine.

When the food and wine were first served, Gao Peiyao didn’t dare to touch her chopsticks. Only when the enticing aroma made her stomach growl did she cautiously pick up some food.

Perhaps seeing Chen Jianghe and Yu Daniu talking and laughing happily with Old Gao, Gao Peiyao grew a little bolder.

That, combined with her hunger and the fact that she had never eaten such fine dishes before, meant it didn’t take long for her to sweep the four plates clean.

Chen Jianghe spent another thirty taels of silver to order four more dishes.

"Jianghe, you shouldn’t have spent so much."

Old Gao knew Chen Jianghe was always frugal and said apologetically.

"It’s the first time I’m meeting Little Sister Peiyao. It’s only right that I treat her," Chen Jianghe said with a chuckle.

He was thrifty, but it wasn’t as if he couldn’t afford thirty taels of silver.

’From his conversation with Old Gao just now, he’d learned that this girl, Gao Peiyao, who was still a mortal, was not only Old Gao’s granddaughter but also very likely his chosen successor.’

’This frail-looking, somewhat malnourished little girl actually possessed a Four-Element Pseudo Spirit Root.’

’Her Talent was better than both his and Daniu’s.’

Chen Jianghe suspected that Gao Peiyao wasn’t Old Gao’s granddaughter at all, because the story didn’t line up with what Old Gao had said before.

’He came to the Yun Family to work as a Fisherman and Farmer at fifteen or sixteen and hasn’t left Jingyue Lake in seventy or eighty years. Where would a granddaughter pop up from?’

’It seemed Old Gao left during the Fish Sleep Stage because he sensed his end was near, so he went out in search of an Immortal Seedling with a Spirit Root to inherit his legacy.’

Having been a Fisherman and Farmer for the Yun Family for seventy or eighty years, even as a Basic-Level Fisherman and Farmer, he must have saved up a fair bit.

Qi Refining Cultivators who were over sixty and whose Cultivation was still at the Early-Stage Qi Refining generally wouldn’t waste any more resources on themselves.

’Therefore, Old Gao has savings, and probably a considerable amount.’

’But for Old Gao to go out looking for an Immortal Seedling to be his successor like this was truly reckless. It would be all too easy for someone to target him, kill him, and steal his wealth.’

’He was incredibly lucky to have made it back alive, and with a Four-Element Pseudo Spirit Root Immortal Seedling no less. He truly hit the jackpot.’

’Of course, it was also possible that Gao Peiyao’s own fortuitous destiny was profound, which was why Old Gao discovered her and set her on the Immortal Path.’

"Brother Jianghe is right! Next year, I’ll be sure to treat Little Sister Peiyao well too," Daniu chimed in loudly.

Old Gao thanked them on Gao Peiyao’s behalf.

He said a few more words, asking Chen Jianghe and Yu Daniu to look after Gao Peiyao in the future, and with that, the year-end gathering came to a close.