Lying Low in the Martial World to Become a Saint

Gu Yunzhou passed through the deep, quiet corridors, his steps light as he entered the rear courtyard of the Gu Family estate.

The scenery in the courtyard was vastly different from elsewhere. There were no splendid blossoms to be seen, only a few ancient pines with gnarled, intertwining branches. The ground was paved with polished black jade slabs that reflected a cold light.

In the center of the courtyard, within a small stone pavilion, an old man sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, his eyes closed.

This man was the Gu Family’s Ancestor, Gu Yunzhou’s Third Grand-Uncle.

Strangely, the old man’s exposed skin—his face, neck, and the backs of his hands—was covered in a layer of fine, soft, pure white fur, giving him a bizarre appearance.

There were no incense burners around the stone pavilion, yet faint, tranquil wisps of a sandalwood-like fragrance materialized from thin air, rising like smoke and mist to wreath around the old man.

Daring not to be disrespectful, Gu Yunzhou stopped three paces from the pavilion and cupped his fist in a polite salute. "Third Grand-Uncle."

The old man in the pavilion slowly opened his eyes.

Gu Yunzhou reported, "As you instructed, I have passed the information that Black Profound Island may be hiding an important Demon Sect stronghold to Chen Qing, the new True Disciple from the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect."

The Ancestor asked, "How did he react?"

Gu Yunzhou considered for a moment before recounting his entire conversation with Chen Qing.

After listening to Gu Yunzhou’s account, the Ancestor’s white-furred face remained impassive. He merely said flatly, "None of the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect’s True Disciples are simple characters."

He paused before continuing. "To stand out from the rest Within the Sect and earn the rank of a True Disciple, one must endure the courting of Noble Families, vicious factional struggles, and countless open and hidden attacks—a process far more intense than outsiders can imagine. Relying on talent alone? Unless one possesses the kind of monstrous talent that shakes the world, anyone without sufficient cunning and shrewdness would have been crushed long ago. That is to say, any True Disciple who has secured their position lacks neither the mental fortitude nor the means to do so."

He spoke as if he knew the inner workings of the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect like the back of his hand.

Gu Yunzhou couldn’t help but ask, "Third Grand-Uncle, do you think... after the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect receives this information, will they really send people to Black Profound Island?"

Black Profound Island is located out at sea, beyond the direct sphere of influence of the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect. Venturing there rashly would be no small risk.

"That will depend on the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect’s determination to crush the Demon Sect, and... whether they are willing to accept the associated risks."

The Ancestor’s tone was placid. "In any case, by giving this information to the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect, we accomplish two things. First, it shows that in this matter, the Gu Family still stands with the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect. And second..."

"...it also makes a bit of trouble for Yanzi Dock. In recent years, they’ve been using their connections with certain overseas powers to repeatedly compete with our Gu Family for shipping routes and several in-demand resources, deepening the conflict between us. If the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect truly moves against Black Profound Island, Yanzi Dock will inevitably be affected, regardless of the outcome. If we can use this to weaken their strength or divert their attention, it will naturally be a good thing for the Gu Family."

"All we need to do now is wait and see how things unfold."

Gu Yunzhou nodded, completely convinced. "I understand."

He hesitated for a moment before voicing his own thoughts. "It’s just that, from what I observed of Chen Qing, he’s simply too young. His main goal in coming to Dongji City is likely to play it safe and build his reputation. Given that mentality, he probably won’t risk a rash expedition to Black Profound Island himself. I suspect it won’t be long before the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect sends someone more seasoned and prudent—or simply more powerful—to take his place."

The Ancestor was noncommittal, and he closed his eyes once more.

"Youth is not always the best measure of a person. We shall see who stands at the crest of the tide when the storm arrives."

.....

After returning to the Sect’s outpost, Chen Qing and Deng Ziheng immediately summoned Steward Huang Mei.

Inside the main hall, Chen Qing relayed the information about Black Profound Island he had received from Gu Yunzhou.

"Black Profound Island?"

Upon hearing the name, Huang Mei’s brow furrowed slightly. She clearly knew something about the place.

Chen Qing watched her expression and asked, "The Gu Family brought this intelligence right to our doorstep. Steward Huang, do you think there’s some hidden motive behind it?"

"As a matter of fact, yes."

Huang Mei deliberated for a moment before speaking slowly. "Black Profound Island is indeed within Yanzi Dock’s sphere of influence. Yanzi Dock is one of the three great powers in the Thousand Reefs Sea Region; they’ve been entrenched there for many years and possess formidable strength. The Gu Family... has a long-standing feud with Yanzi Dock, with constant friction over overseas trade, shipping, and even competition for certain specific resources. In fact, for the past several years, the Gu Family has been consistently suppressed by Yanzi Dock in these competitive areas and seems to be struggling."

"The Gu Family is being outmatched by Yanzi Dock?" Chen Qing couldn’t help but ask. "Does that mean Yanzi Dock’s power surpasses even the Gu Family’s?"

"That’s right," Huang Mei affirmed. "Although the Gu Family is one of the five great thousand-year Noble Families and has a renowned name, they’ve been facing a talent gap in recent years. No top-tier individuals capable of shouldering the family’s burdens have emerged from the younger generation. They’re relying entirely on their reclusive Late-stage True Essence Realm Ancestor, Gu Xing, to keep up appearances and maintain the dignity of a thousand-year Noble Family."

"In the Thousand Reefs Sea Region, where strength reigns supreme, the Gu Family’s poor performance has left them constrained on all sides, their prestige a shadow of its former self. I believe the Gu Family gave us this information as part of a scheme to use the Celestial Treasure Upper Sect’s hand to cause trouble for Yanzi Dock."

Chen Qing nodded slightly, a flash of understanding in his eyes. ’Just as I thought. The Gu Family’s words can’t be fully trusted, but we can’t completely ignore this lead either.’ "Steward Huang, please start by compiling a detailed intelligence report on Yanzi Dock and Black Profound Island for me. Also, dispatch additional manpower to focus reconnaissance efforts toward Black Profound Island. We must verify the truth of the Gu Family’s claims."