Several hours earlier.
After leaving the banquet, Gu Qing did not immediately return to her residence.
Instead, she quietly disappeared into the night.
The streets of Jade Haven City remained lively despite the late hour. Cultivators, merchants, rogue martial artists, and various travelers still moved through the illuminated roads.
Yet Gu Qing had no interest in any of them.
Her thoughts remained focused on the mission.
Or rather—
Its failure.
The secret realm information had already spread.
That part had succeeded.
But the results had completely exceeded expectations.
Or perhaps failed to meet them.
Either way, the situation had moved beyond her control.
Following several discreet inquiries, she eventually located one of the black markets operating within Jade Haven City.
Naturally, every major city possessed such places.
The difference was whether authorities chose to acknowledge them.
The Lin Family tolerated many things.
As long as those things remained profitable.
Within the black market, information flowed almost as freely as spirit stones.
For the right price, one could purchase news, identities, cultivation methods, maps, and occasionally even secrets.
Gu Qing spent several hours gathering information.
The more she learned, the darker her expression became.
The Lin Family.
Once again, they had turned adversity into opportunity.
Instead of sealing the secret realm entirely.
Instead of exhausting themselves suppressing countless cultivators.
They had chosen another method.
Tickets.
Every entrance to the secret realm had been surrounded by formations.
And every cultivator wishing to enter required a ticket.
Without one—
The formations would reject them.
The tickets themselves had become the hottest commodity throughout Dragon Yuan Province.
Their prices rose almost daily.
Mid-grade spirit stones.
Rare resources.
Cultivation methods.
Even favors and inheritances.
Countless people exchanged valuable treasures simply to obtain a chance at entering the secret realm.
The Lin Family profited enormously.
And more importantly—
They controlled access.
The moment Gu Qing understood the full picture, she nearly crushed the jade cup in her hand.
This wasn't how things were supposed to develop.
The original objective had been simple.
Spread the news.
Create chaos.
Force the Lin Family to deploy manpower throughout the province.
Stretch their forces thin.
Create weaknesses.
Open opportunities.
Allow her master to act more freely.
Instead—
The Lin Family had strengthened their position.
Not weakened it.
They had gained resources.
Influence.
Control.
Even outsiders were now forced to play according to their rules.
The realization left an unpleasant feeling in her chest.
For perhaps the first time since receiving the mission, Gu Qing felt genuine frustration.
By the time she left the black market, the moon had already risen high above the city.
The night wind brushed against her robes.
She exhaled slowly.
No matter what happened, she still needed to report everything to the Zheng Patriarch.
He would naturally pass the information onward.
Yet before she could return—
Something unusual caught her attention.
Two familiar figures.
The Qian Family Patriarch.
And Qian Feng.
The father and son were moving through the estate in a strangely secretive manner.
At first, Gu Qing intended to ignore them.
Then curiosity appeared.
A newly advanced Purple Palace cultivator secretly bringing his heir somewhere late at night?
That wasn't normal.
Without hesitation, she activated a treasure hidden beneath her robes.
A faint ripple passed across her body.
The treasure wasn't particularly powerful.
It couldn't completely erase her presence.
Nor could it conceal her aura if she actively released it.
However—
If she remained cautious.
If she restrained her cultivation.
If she avoided spiritual fluctuations.
It was sufficient.
Thus she followed.
Carefully.
Patiently.
Maintaining distance.
...
The further they traveled, the more surprised Gu Qing became.
Ancestral grounds.
Eventually she recognized the location.
The Qian Family cemetery.
Rows upon rows of tombstones stretched throughout the mountainside.
The atmosphere became increasingly solemn.
Yet the father and son continued deeper.
Past ordinary tombs.
Past elder tombs.
Past ancestral monuments.
Toward the very core.
Gu Qing's curiosity intensified.
Eventually they stopped before a particular tomb.
The tomb of the Qian Family Ancestor.
The founder.
The first Purple Palace cultivator of the family.
Even from her hidden position, Gu Qing immediately sensed something unusual.
The area possessed formation fluctuations.
Very subtle.
Extremely well hidden.
Had she not followed them personally, she likely would've missed it entirely.
Then she heard the Qian Patriarch speak.
His words immediately shocked both Gu Qing and Qian Feng.
"The ancestor isn't buried here."
Qian Feng visibly froze.
"What?"
The Qian Patriarch smiled faintly.
"The records say he died of old age and was buried here."
"That isn't entirely true."
Gu Qing's eyes narrowed.
Interesting.
Very interesting.
The founder's tomb was fake?
No wonder the area possessed hidden formations.
The Qian Patriarch suddenly released his Divine Sense.
An enormous wave swept outward.
Every corner.
Every shadow.
Every fluctuation.
The entire cemetery instantly fell under his inspection.
Gu Qing's heart tightened.
She immediately stopped breathing.
Stopped moving.
Stopped thinking.
Like a stone.
Like a corpse.
The concealment treasure worked to its limit.
Several agonizing moments passed.
Then the Divine Sense withdrew.
The Qian Patriarch relaxed slightly.
Apparently satisfied.
Far away, hidden beneath layers of concealment, Gu Qing silently exhaled.
That had been close.
Very close.
Fortunately, a newly advanced Purple Palace cultivator remained a newly advanced Purple Palace cultivator.
His Divine Sense wasn't yet refined enough.
Otherwise she might have been discovered.
...
The tomb opened.
Not revealing a corpse.
Not revealing bones.
Instead—
A single box.
An ordinary-looking box.
Yet the moment Gu Qing saw it, she immediately understood.
Everything revolved around it.
Qian Feng looked equally confused.
Neither touched the box.
The Qian Patriarch simply turned toward his son.
Then spoke words that immediately startled him.
"You will soon become the next Patriarch."
Qian Feng's expression changed instantly.
Gu Qing noticed it immediately.
Concern.
Worry.
Even fear.
Naturally.
Most reasons for a Patriarch suddenly handing over authority weren't good.
Injuries.
Failed breakthroughs.
Approaching death.
All possibilities.
The Qian Patriarch quickly understood his son's misunderstanding.
A faint laugh escaped him.
"You think too much."
Having recently reached the Purple Palace Realm, his mood was clearly excellent.
"Since I've entered Purple Palace, I'll become an Ancestor."
"The family requires a Patriarch."
"I can't be both."
Only then did Qian Feng visibly relax.
Relief appeared across his face.
Yet it quickly transformed into uncertainty.
Responsibility.
The weight of leadership.
He wasn't sure he was ready.
The Qian Patriarch naturally noticed.
"You'll manage."
His tone remained calm.
Confident.
As though speaking about something obvious.
Then he picked up the box.
His expression gradually became serious.
"This secret is passed down only between Patriarchs."
The atmosphere shifted immediately.
Even Gu Qing unconsciously focused harder.
The box opened.
Several ancient jade slips appeared.
The Qian Patriarch carefully removed one.
"This contains the ancestor's personal records."
"He recorded everything."
"His origin."
"His cultivation."
"His opportunities."
"His regrets."
Qian Feng listened attentively.
The Qian Patriarch continued.
"Our ancestor wasn't born in the Eastern Region."
"He came from the Southern Archipelagos."
The words immediately attracted Gu Qing's attention.
Southern Archipelagos.
One of the four great regions.
Far from the Eastern Region.
Far beyond Dragon Yuan Province.
The older man continued.
"He was born in a mortal fishing village."
"No family background."
"No surname."
"No inheritance."
"He survived by fishing."
Qian Feng frowned slightly.
The image felt difficult to connect with the legendary founder recorded in family history.
Yet the Qian Patriarch's expression remained solemn.
"The ancestor once wrote that he nearly starved to death several times before reaching adulthood."
"He possessed nothing."
"Not even a name worth remembering."
Silence followed.
Then the older man continued.
"Yet he eventually obtained an opportunity."
"A heaven-defying opportunity."
Both Qian Feng and Gu Qing instinctively focused harder.
The Qian Patriarch slowly looked toward the jade slip.
His gaze carried a trace of admiration.
"Using that opportunity, he rapidly advanced."
"Foundation Establishment."
"Purple Palace."
"Family Founder."
"He built everything from nothing."
Qian Feng's breathing became slightly heavier.
The story alone felt incredible.
Yet another thought quickly emerged.
Something didn't make sense.
The ancestor had reached the peak of Purple Palace Realm in less than three hundred years.
Such speed bordered on absurd.
A genius.
An unquestionable genius.
Someone like that should've reached Golden Core.
At least theoretically.
Yet he hadn't.
The Qian Patriarch seemed to understand his thoughts.
"That's where things become strange."
His voice lowered.
"The ancestor possessed every qualification to enter Golden Core."
"He was young."
"He possessed resources."
"He possessed opportunities."
"He possessed talent."
"Yet..."
The older man's expression became complicated.
"He failed."
The atmosphere instantly became heavy.
Even Gu Qing felt a chill.
A genius capable of reaching the peak of Purple Palace in under three hundred years had failed to become a Golden Core cultivator.
Why?
The answer clearly existed somewhere within those jade slips.
And for the first time since arriving in Jade Haven City—
Gu Qing felt genuine excitement.
Because whatever secret allowed a nameless fisherman to rise from nothing to the peak of Purple Palace...
Could shake far more than the Qian Family. And naturally it should belong to her but.....