The Attack of the Wastrel

If Gu Lingzhi said anything else, it might have been okay. But, now that she had mentioned Xiao Tao, Cui Lian had no choice but to take her seriously.

Xiao Tao had long been bought out by her mistress and she knew the extent her mistress would go to achieve her goals. Why then, would she help Gu Lingzhi? Was it as Gu Lingzhi had said, and the antidote is impossible to create without her help?

 

Seeing Cui Lian falter, Gu Lingzhi spoke, "It is not that I want you to go against your mistress, I just want you to give her the answer she expects every time she asks about me. Regarding this, Xiao Tao used to be very good at it."

Cui Lian's eyes flashed in response to that. "But…Mistress has always been very nice to me."

Gu Lingzhi could not help but laugh out loud. "That is because you still have some worth to her."

Knowing Cui Lian had been convinced, Gu Lingzhi gracefully sat back down on her chair.

"If Xiao Tao had done what Mistress Lin had asked her to do yesterday, what do you think would have happened to her? She failed to detect a man had intruded into her mistress' room. Even the most lenient punishment would have been her getting beaten and thrown out of the residence. Mistress Lin has also started suspecting me, so she sent you to monitor me. Does she not care about your safety?"

As these two questions filed through Cui Lian's mind, it made her even more insecure.

At last, Cui Lian caved under the intense pressure of Gu Lingzhi’s gaze. 

Seeing Cui Lian lower her head, Gu Lingzhi internally sighed in relief.

Contrary to her confident appearance, she was not that confident. It could be said that the situation with Xiao Tao was timely and had helped Gu Lingzhi to scare Cui Lian. In reality, the medicinal pill that she forced Cui Lian to take was considered a poison to someone with Spiritual Roots. But towards an ordinary person, it would make them weak for two days at most.

That was because that medicine was the product of the poisons in Gu Lingzhi’s body after she expelled them. The medicine that she received in the Inheritance space the night before was surprisingly effective in removing the poisons accumulated in her over the years of drinking the “medicine.” This had resulted in her recovering the clear state of her Spiritual Roots. She was then able to practice the ways of the previous generation and condense Spiritual power in her palm.

Initially, she wanted to slowly analyze this particular medicine to see whether she would be able to remake the same medicine to give to Madam Lin. She didn’t expect to use it so quickly. It was a pity.

"First Mistress, then the poison in me…”

"It won't be a hassle. As long as you take the antidote I give you once every month, it will not harm your body. I have things to do now, you may leave."

Cui Lian was still slightly bitter about what happened, but she could only nod and leave.

Once Cui Lian had left, Gu Lingzhi reentered the Inheritance space. Once again, her attention was drawn to the book shelf containing the Heaven-level techniques. She then proceeded to retrieve a book that was suitable for her current standard and started to study the book.

With Cui Lian appeasing Lin Yue-er, Gu Lingzhi's days were exceptionally smooth.

As usual, the medicine was delivered daily. However, before giving it to Gu Lingzhi, Cui Lian would pour it out.

On the fifth of August, after the clan's main bell was rung nine times, Gu Lingzhi left her house.

While she was on her way, most of her clan members treated her coldly and brushed past her. Even if anyone stopped, the look they gave her was also nothing short of distasteful.

It was no secret that Gu Lingzhi's birth mother had committed suicide after sleeping with another man. There were even rumors speculating that the reason why Gu Lingzhi had no Spiritual Roots was because she was the daughter of her mother's affair. Otherwise, how could someone with two outstanding parents in magical abilities be such a complete wastrel?

In reality, even when both parents are experts, it is possible for the child to not have Spiritual Roots. The rumors spread by those with ill intent grew quite distasteful.

In the past, Gu Lingzhi might have even suspected her own mother because of the rumours. But now that she understood what was going on, she no longer thought that way.

"Eh, isn't this Lingzhi? Why would she be here for the clan ceremony?" A clear voice belonging to a woman could be heard. It was her second uncle's daughter, Gu Lingyue. At 19 years of age, she was already a Level 7 Martial Student. 

In Tianyuan Continent, those that possess Spiritual Roots would be called Martial Artists. From the lowest to the highest cultivation, they would then be titled as Martial Student, Martial Practitioner, Martial Teacher, Martial Lord, Martial Sage, Demi-god, and finally, True God. The higher the cultivation, the harder it was to breakthrough. Within each level, they are further divided into beginner, mid and high levels. For Martial Students just starting out, the division was even more specific, splitting into 9 different levels.

Martial Artists like Gu Lingyue, who had achieved Level 7 Martial Student before 20 years of age, are considered to have high aptitude among the entire group of Martial Artists in Tianyuan Continent.

"The clan ceremony is an event involving the entire clan. I am a member of the clan, so why can't I participate?" Gu Lingzhi responded in a calm tone, neither subservient nor overbearing. This momentarily stunned Gu Lingyue. In the past, whenever the topic on aptitude was brought up, Gu Lingzhi would always look downcast. No one had ever seen the calm and determined look that she now had on.

"What sister said is correct, the clan ceremony is a big thing for the whole clan. How can anyone not participate?" Gu Linglong's voice floated in from behind. Standing with Gu Lingyue, she held Gu Lingyue's arms affectionately as she turned her head and smiled, "But with regards to you, big sister, is there any difference in whether you come or not? I mean, no matter how many times you test, you would still be a wastrel."

Gu Lingyue pursed her lips together as she laughed lightly. "Linglong, how can you say that? After all, she is still your sister. You should leave her some face."

"What face does she even have left now?" Gu Linglong laughed. "Sister Lingyue, didn’t you hear? Sometime ago, something huge happened, she failed in stealing a man and ended up having to give up her personal maidservant. She still dares to put on a face of a victim after all this. The whole situation bothered my mother for a period of time."

Gu Lingzhi wanted to push her way past them and her hands tightened into fists. However, she closed her eyes and pushed that thought away, turning around calmly to face Gu Linglong.

"That night, I was at the Ancestral Hall praying for Father, the people taking care of the temple can be my witness. Instead, it was odd you suddenly decided to come find me that night. Could it be that you knew something about it, sister?"

From that day onwards, aside from coming to console her on the second day and testing her, Lin Yue-er and Gu Linglong had never stepped into her garden to cause anymore trouble. She never thought Gu Linglong would bring up this matter on her own accord.

Gu Linglong never expected her older sister, who was like a punching bag, to suddenly talk back to her. Adding on the guilty conscience she had, Gu Linglong was actually lost for words under Gu Lingzhi's forthright gaze. "H-how would I know what you were doing? As your younger sister, do I need to set a date to find you?"

"You don't need to set a date." Gu Lingzhi nodded. "It is just that the timing in which you came to find me was just too coincidental. Anyway, I want to thank you. If not for you, there would be no one to witness the injustice Xiao Tao faced. Wouldn’t that be a pity?"