007. Proactively Revealing Strength Gains Trust; First Encounter with Fang Yuan in Three Stars Cave
"Well..." Qitian hesitated for a moment, then shook his head. "I appreciate Lord Jia Fu's kind offer, but my pursuit is powerful strength. I don't have much interest in business; commerce is merely a means to earn some primeval stones."
"Is that so! But this doesn't conflict with your goals. If you come work for me, I can provide you with cultivation resources. After all, some resources are hard to buy even with primeval stones."
Jia Fu didn't get angry because of Qitian's refusal. It was normal for capable people to have pride. If Qitian had agreed immediately, he would have suspected ulterior motives.
"This... Since Lord Jia Fu puts it that way, wouldn't I seem ungrateful if I refused?" Qitian pondered for a moment before continuing, "I can help Your Lordship, but I have one condition."
"Good, as long as it's not excessive, I can agree." As a shrewd merchant, Jia Fu naturally wouldn't agree or refuse outright but waited for the details.
"Although I will work under Your Lordship, I do not intend to join the Jia family and may leave at any time in the future."
Hearing this condition, Jia Fu was initially stunned, saying, "Joining the Jia family is something others couldn't achieve even if they begged, yet you refuse directly?"
Now was a critical moment in the competition for the family head position. With Qitian's help, his own chances would increase. Forcing Qitian to join the Jia family now would damage his reputation, so he didn't mention it again. However, he inwardly planned to recruit Qitian again after becoming the family head.
"Fine, since your intention doesn't lie here, I certainly won't force you to stay."
"Come work for me starting tomorrow! Take this Relic Gu as advance payment." Saying this, he took out a Red Steel Relic Gu.
Qitian did not accept it. Seeing Jia Fu's confusion, he explained, "Apologies, I concealed my strength earlier. Actually, I am already a Rank 3 Gu Master."
As he spoke, he revealed the aura of a Rank 3 Gu Master.
Jia Fu frowned slightly, then his expression relaxed. Since Qitian proactively revealed his strength, it showed sincerity. Coupled with Qitian reaching Rank 3 at such a young age, such talent made him view Qitian even more favorably.
"The caravan isn't without White Silver Relic Gu, but they aren't easily mobilized at will. However, if you wish to buy one, I can sell it to you in advance."
Thus, Qitian spent forty-six thousand primeval stones to purchase the White Silver Relic Gu, and his cultivation leaped to Rank 3 upper stage.
Because Qitian's cultivation reached Rank 3 upper stage, Jia Fu gave Qitian the position of deputy leader.
The position of deputy leader seemed prestigious, but this caravan was Jia Fu's one-man show. Important business was handled by his confidants, so the deputy leader position held little real power. However, for a newcomer, this was understandable.
Although others were envious, they couldn't help but admire Qitian's business talent. Plus, since Jia Fu had confirmed the matter, no one objected. After Qitian revealed his Rank 3 upper stage strength, no one dared to challenge his position anymore.
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March.
The spring scenery was bright and beautiful; spring's light song arrived with a cheerful rhythm.
Spring brought warmth and blooming flowers; grass grew long, and orioles took flight.
The caravan traveled several thousand li, crossed several large mountains, and arrived in the Qing Mao Mountain region.
On Qing Mao Mountain, as far as the eye could see, there was newborn greenery and seas of colorful, magnificent flowers.
Large flocks of colorful sparrows and parrots appeared, circling mid-air, chirping noisily.
Amidst such scenery, the caravan slowly entered Qing Mao Mountain.
Jia Fu sat cross-legged on the head of the Treasure Toad, leading the way. His eyes crinkled into slits as he smiled, cupping his fists in greeting to the surrounding Gu Yue villagers.
Following the Treasure Toad were the cargo-bearing Fat Armor Beetles, the colorful Ostrich-Chickens pulling carts, the terrain-ignoring Mountain Spiders, and the Winged Snakes that sometimes spread their wings to fly while slithering forward.
Qitian also sat on the back of his Mountain Wolf Spider, positioned near the front of the caravan, observing Qing Mao Mountain.
This was Qitian's first time visiting Qing Mao Mountain. The scenery here was beautiful.
"How unpredictable the world is! Who could have imagined that such a beautiful and peaceful village hides a bloody disaster, destined to turn into a land of ice within two years!" Qitian lamented inwardly. At the same time, his resolve to become stronger became even firmer.
The caravan arrived in the Qing Mao Mountain region in the morning and set up camp inside the Gu Yue village by noon. By evening, a large area of temporary shops had formed around the village outskirts. Tall tents of various colors – red, blue, yellow, green – were erected, with countless small stalls squeezed into every available space between them.
Among them, the most eye-catching was a giant tree that stood out like a crane among chickens. It was eighteen meters tall, with thick roots like entangled dragons and snakes, a small part exposed above ground, the rest deeply rooted beneath. It stood like a tower amidst the tents.
It was precisely the Rank 3 Gu House, Three Stars Cave.
The business Qitian was responsible for was inside a tent. After instructing a few assistants, he had nothing much left to do and planned to go report the business situation to Jia Fu.
Exiting the tent, he saw bustling crowds gathered around the stalls or constantly entering and exiting the tents.
Cries of vendors rose and fell all around.
"Single Qi Golden Light Gu, selling for only fifty primeval stones!"
"Come, come, taste the fine wines from various villages..."
Passing through the crowd, he arrived before the Three Stars Cave.
At the bottom of the brown tree trunk, two wide entrances were specially opened for people to enter.
Inside, three levels of space were opened up, all converted into shop layouts. Counters displayed various kinds of Gu worms.
Entering the Gu House, he saw a crowd gathered around one counter.
"Sigh, let's go. Lady Yao Ji just publicly submitted her bid slip."
"I saw it too. Looks like this Liquor Worm isn't fated to be mine."
...The Gu Masters gathered around this counter left one by one, dejected.
Only one youth with a cold, resolute expression and eyes like dark springs remained standing there.
Seeing this scene, Qitian immediately understood it was the moment Fang Yuan snatched the Liquor Worm from Gu Yue Yao Ji. This youth was precisely Fang Yuan.
After submitting his bid slip, Fang Yuan seemed to sense something and looked towards Qitian. Qitian responded with a smile and gave Fang Yuan a meaningful glance.
"Lord Qitian." The female shop assistant behind the counter noticed Qitian at this moment and immediately greeted him.
"Oh, carry on with your work, don't mind me," Qitian waved her off. This caused the female Gu Master to blush; Qitian was young, already a deputy leader, handsome, and powerful – a Prince Charming in the eyes of many young female Gu Masters in the caravan.
Qitian knew the timing wasn't right, so he didn't approach Fang Yuan to talk, instead heading directly to Jia Fu's study on the third floor.
'Qitian? Looks like he has a high status in the caravan. Could he be that Gu Immortal Qitian from the future?' Fang Yuan pondered secretly.
'In his autobiography, he spent his early years in caravans, traveled the five regions, benefited greatly from that inheritance a hundred years later, then cultivated in seclusion for fifty years to become a Gu Immortal, stunning the world. However, there are multiple versions of his early life experiences recorded, their authenticity unknown.'
'And what did that last look he gave me mean? We haven't had any interaction. What about me is worthy of his attention? He's only a Rank 3 Gu Master; it's impossible for him to discover the secret of the Spring Autumn Cicada on me.'
'If there's any connection, it would be three hundred years later, when I was still a mortal Gu Master and obtained an inheritance he casually left behind.'
'Right! The poetry collection he left in that inheritance suggests he might also be a transmigrator. No wonder I felt a faint sense of familiarity towards him. If he heard the poems I wrote as a child, he would also know my transmigrator identity, as those poems were complete plagiarism.'
'Judging from his behavior just now, he seems only somewhat interested in me, without malicious intent. Perhaps it's just because I calmly placed my bid after Gu Yue Yao Ji made hers, revealing something extraordinary about me.'
'It seems my killing Jia Jin Sheng has caused quite an impact! The caravan arrived early, its scale increased, and it even attracted a figure like Qitian.'
Smart people tend to overthink. Fang Yuan guessed Qitian's transmigrator identity and attributed the sense of familiarity to their shared origin. But he would never imagine that Qitian had read a novel called "Reverend Insanity", knew the plot, and hid in his mind for two hundred years before being reborn alongside him.
Just as others never guessed Fang Yuan possessed the Spring Autumn Cicada, lacking the most crucial clue, no amount of intelligence could lead to the correct answer.
And Qitian intentionally hinting at his transmigrator identity was also to better conceal the secret of his rebirth with Fang Yuan. Constant concealment inevitably leads to flaws; proactively revealing some things was necessary.
Fang Yuan was very important in Qitian's future plans; Qitian couldn't afford not to pay close attention.
The most direct potential flaw was Qitian's will hiding in Fang Yuan's mind for two hundred years in the previous life. Although not exposed, it wasn't impossible for Fang Yuan to feel a trace of familiarity or intuition towards Qitian in this life. Attributing this to being fellow transmigrators who might have had contact before transmigration would serve as a good cover.