To comprehend all laws and attain immortality

East of Blackwater City, a simple noodle stall.

Gu Fan sat on the gleaming wooden stool, watching the girl wolf down a bowl of plain noodles.

After a moment, the girl looked up and pleaded shyly, "Young master... could I have another bowl?"

"Don't worry, there's plenty." Gu Fan nodded readily and ordered another bowl from the shopkeeper.

The shopkeeper, with his full head of white hair and thin frame, quickly served another bowl of noodles, and the girl continued to eat them with her head down.

The girl didn't stop eating until she finished her third bowl of noodles.

Gu Fan was slightly surprised, not expecting that she, who was so thin, could eat so much.

The girl put down her chopsticks, wiped her mouth, looked at Gu Fan gratefully, and asked, "Thank you for your kindness, young master. How can I repay you?"

As soon as she finished speaking, the girl clutched the hem of her clothes, her eyes darting around.

'This young master is dressed in fine clothes; perhaps he desires a maid?'

Or are you planning to sell me?

The girl's mind raced with thoughts.

"Cat..." Gu Fan murmured, then asked, "Is that your name?"

The girl nodded slowly: "My parents passed away early, so I only had a nickname for them."

"That's why I came here." Gu Fan asked seriously, "Cat, did your parents die of the plague?"

The cat's eyes were filled with fear, and two lines of clear tears streamed down its bright eyes uncontrollably. It nodded, but then shook its head.

I'm not sure if my parents died of the plague.

"Was there anything unusual before your parents passed away?" Gu Fan frowned.

The cat's eyes widened in terror, and it said in a trembling voice, "My parents contracted the plague and grew thinner every day. After they died, I saw worms!"

Gu Fan was startled and quickly asked, "What kind of insect is it?"

"Black things, glowing green, crawled out of Mom and Dad's bodies!" The cat's voice grew softer as it recalled, "The insects flew very fast. I thought it was what killed Mom and Dad, so I reached out to swat it, but I missed!"

A murderous glint flashed in Gu Fan's eyes.

The symptoms of the cat's parents were exactly the same as those in Lin'an City back then, and the insects further confirmed what Xu Changsheng had said that day.

In other words, the people who spread the plague in Blackwater City must be related to the demonic cultivators of that time!

Gu Fan took a deep breath, suppressing the anger in his chest.

He turned around and saw the cat and the noodle stall owner looking at him in fear, trembling uncontrollably.

Only then did they realize that the cultivator's aura was unconsciously emanating from him in his anger, pressing down on the two of them, so they quickly withdrew their aura.

The two felt as if they had been granted a pardon and began to breathe heavily.

Gu Fan looked at the cat, wanting to give her some money, but the noodle stall owner was still standing there, so he said, "Since you're full, why don't you take me to see where you live?"

Cat did not refuse. She got up and led Gu Fan through several alleys, stopping in front of a dilapidated door.

Pushing open the door, the low-rise house was quite dilapidated, but fortunately the yard was clean and there were no weeds growing.

The dimly lit room was bare, with only a stove, water tank, and other miscellaneous items on the walls.

After looking you over, Gu Fan asked, "How do you usually make a living?"

Cat lowered her head and said, "My neighbor sometimes gives me some laundry work, but it's not a regular thing. When I'm really hungry, I go to the west side of town to beg for food."

"But I don't dare go there often, because sometimes I encounter beggars and they beat me up."

"There were also those who tried to pull me away, but luckily I'm strong and fast."

At this point, the cat raised its head, its face full of longing and pleading, "Young master, can I come with you? I know a lot of jobs!"

"You're so skinny, yet you're so strong?" Gu Fan shook his head and laughed.

The cat immediately panicked and cried out, "I really am strong!"

After saying that, the cat walked to the water tank in a few steps, hugged the water tank with both arms and suddenly exerted force.

Although the veins on his forehead were bulging and his cheeks were flushed red, he actually managed to lift the water tank!

The water vat was very heavy, weighing at least a hundred pounds. Even an adult man would have to exert some effort to lift it, let alone such a thin girl.

Gu Fan watched this scene with a strange look, and suddenly a question came to mind—why were the cats able to survive the plague?

To be honest, Gu Fan still doesn't know why he survived the plague.

Not only that, he later fell victim to the Wang family patriarch's secret technique of buying life money, and also awakened his past life memories and the All-Seeing Eye. This body clearly has secrets that he is unaware of.

That's how he is, but what about the cat?

With a muffled thud, the cat put the water tank on the ground, raised its head, and panted heavily.

"Young master... I really..."

"Okay, okay, I understand." Gu Fan raised his hand to stop him, took two steps forward and placed his hand on the cat's head.

A broad palm landed on its head, and the cat's body stiffened instantly.

I felt a warm current travel through my body and then disappear in an instant.

"No spiritual root?" Gu Fan frowned, stroking his chin.

The cat's appetite and strength were quite unusual, leading him to believe that it possessed spiritual roots, but after investigating, he found nothing.

Just then, Chang Yuan's mocking smile echoed in her mind.

"Kid, your knowledge is too limited!"

"Oh? So you figured it out, senior?" Gu Fan asked humbly.

"Of course! How could your knowledge compare to mine, boy..." Chang Yuan said disdainfully.

"Of course! How could your knowledge compare to mine, boy..." Chang Yuan said disdainfully.

Gu Fan's lips twitched, and he gritted his teeth, praising, "They really say having an elder in the family is like having a treasure. You are truly knowledgeable, worthy of being the Devouring Heaven Demon Lord!"

Chang Yuan seemed quite pleased with Gu Fan's compliment, and said smugly, "This girl clearly has spiritual roots, she just hid them, and you didn't notice!"

"It's hidden..." Gu Fan muttered, then suddenly his eyes flashed: "Could it be a hidden spiritual root?"

"Indeed!" Chang Yuan agreed. "If I am not mistaken, it should be a hidden spiritual root of the wood element, with an innate pure spiritual energy that can expel poisonous insects and make one immune to all poisons."

Gu Fan looked at the cat with delight, never expecting to find such a treasure on this trip!

Hidden spiritual roots are even rarer than mutated spiritual roots in the cultivation world. Because they appear and disappear intermittently, they are extremely difficult to detect. It is said that only the divine sense of a Nascent Soul level cultivator can identify them.

Thinking of this, Gu Fan was startled.

'Could it be that this old thing has recovered to the Nascent Soul level of spiritual consciousness?'

The thought flashed through his mind for a moment, and Gu Fan immediately looked warily at the snake-shaped mark on his arm.

"Don't even think about it, kid. My soul hasn't recovered yet!" Chang Yuan seemed to see through Gu Fan's thoughts and decisively said, "I don't even have a physical body anymore, how could recovery be so simple!"

Gu Fan was skeptical of this statement, but unable to refute it, he simply let it go.

On the other side, the cat waited anxiously for a response, occasionally stealing glances at Gu Fan.

Then Gu Fan suddenly smiled and said softly, "Since you have spiritual roots, things will be much easier."

Having encountered such a talented and beautiful person, it is only natural to bring them back to the sect.

After speaking, Gu Fan explained his identity as a cultivator and his arrangements for the cat.

The cat's eyes lit up instantly, and it exclaimed with delight, "Really? I can become an immortal?"

"Great! If I become an immortal, I'll be able to eat my fill every day!"

It seemed that the word "eat" woke up the sleeping gourd, which rubbed its eyes and emerged from Gu Fan's collar.

"Monster!" the cat exclaimed, pointing at the gourd.

"It's a spirit beast!" Gu Fan corrected her and introduced the gourd to her.

The gourd's eyes darted around, and it seemed a little annoyed that the cat called it a monster. It stuck out its tongue and made a face.

......

In an inn west of Blackwater City.

Gu Fan took the cat away from the east of the city. First, he bought some clothes for her, and then he took her to stay at an inn.

After paying two months' rent and leaving a lot of money for the cat, Gu Fan prepared to leave Blackwater City.

Before leaving, the cat was extremely reluctant to part with Gu Fan, clutching his sleeve tightly and refusing to let go, afraid of being left behind.

Unfortunately, he had a mission to complete, and there was a high probability that he would encounter demonic cultivators on this trip, so he had no time to take care of the cat and had no choice but to settle her here.

Gu Fan pondered for a moment and said, "If I haven't returned in two months... then take this token to the Zixiao Temple in Yunjie Mountain..."

Although the cat was extremely reluctant, it still nodded and loosened its sleeves.

Gu Fan got up and took two steps, then suddenly turned around and said with a smile, "Since we're going to be cultivators, we can't just call ourselves Cat anymore; we need to have a proper name."

"What's your last name?"

"His surname is Song."

"Then... how about calling her Song Lian?"

The cat nodded repeatedly: "Great! I like it very much!"

"That's good." Gu Fan waved with a smile.

After leaving the inn and heading out of the city, they found a secluded spot and rode their airships away.

......

Above the clouds, Gu Fan sat cross-legged, using his divine sense to examine the jade slip given to him by Chen Yunfan.

According to the dying words of the disciple, he was ambushed and seriously injured by two late-stage Qi Refining cultivators while collecting spiritual herbs in Xuan Yin Mountain.

The two used exquisite magical artifacts and their spells were very well coordinated. They were generous with their use of talismans and pills during their battle, a style completely different from that of rogue cultivators.

Due to the scarcity of cultivation resources, the vast majority of independent cultivators are unable to reach the late stage of Qi Refining.

More importantly, the two believed they had the upper hand and mentioned "clan" in their conversation, but did not specify their family name.

The jade slip listed the cultivation families near Xuan Yin Mountain, totaling five, with the surnames Zhu, Shang, Yi, Yuan, and Lu.

These five families are also known as the Five Surnames of Xuan Yin.

The five families were not on good terms; in fact, they often fought each other.

There used to be as many as ten cultivation families in this area, but they all declined and were eventually swallowed up.

Each of the five cultivation families has a Foundation Establishment cultivator in charge, creating a strange balance.

Gu Fan sorted out his thoughts on the Void Shuttle; they were not far from Xuan Yin Mountain Market.

The formless immortal robe transformed again, turning into an ordinary-looking magic robe.

Activating the "True Technique of Pulling the Mechanism" suppresses one's cultivation level to the mid-stage of Qi Refining, preventing one from being taken advantage of or drawing too much attention.

Looking down from the air, there is only a forest on the ground, with no sign of a market town.

But Gu Fan quickly noticed the traces of the formation.

Upon landing, he raised his hand and cast a communication talisman. A portal appeared in the void moments later, and a black-robed cultivator stepped out, bowing and saying, "Greetings, Senior!"

The black-robed cultivator was only at the early stage of Qi Refining, but his aura was quite dense, not far from the middle stage of Qi Refining. After realizing that Gu Fan was pretending to be at the middle stage of Qi Refining, he was respectful but not hasty.

The Xuan Yin Mountain Market is dominated by five cultivation families, and maintaining market order and welcoming visiting cultivators are among their responsibilities.

The black-robed cultivator, backed by the Five Surnames of Xuan Yin, was not intimidated by the cultivator's mid-stage Qi Refining cultivation.

"Is this your first time visiting the Xuan Yin Mountain Market, senior?"

"Not bad!" Gu Fan nodded slightly.

The black-robed cultivator took out a black token from his storage bag and presented it to Gu Fan. Five strange patterns were engraved on it, emitting a faint glow.

"To enter the market, you must pay ten low-grade spirit stones. You can stay in the market for one day, but you must leave before the five patterns on the token fade."

"If you rent a cave dwelling in the market, you can exchange it for a jade token, and you won't need to pay the city entry fee."

Upon hearing this, Gu Fan took out ten spirit stones from his sleeve and handed them to the black-robed cultivator, then reached out and took the token.

Upon probing with his divine sense, he discovered that the token was a very low-level magical artifact.

Gu Fan was very familiar with the material used for forging; it was the spirit iron he had used to earn merit points after entering the outer sect of the Lingxiao Sect.

It is engraved with a restriction, which is connected to five patterns and is used for timekeeping.

As time passes, the five symbols will flash and then turn off in turn, informing the holder that the time is almost up.

With Gu Fan's current mastery of artifact crafting, he could easily break the pattern with a few adjustments if he wanted, ensuring that the five patterns remained bright.

But he didn't care about the spirit stones. He quickly grabbed the token and followed the black-robed cultivator into the market.

Upon entering the market, the scene instantly became lively.

Xuan Yin Shan Market is built against the mountain and has three levels.

From a distance, one can see pavilions, towers, and fragrant waterside pavilions built on the mountaintop.

A wide white jade staircase extends down from the mountaintop, like a celestial river pouring down to the earth, forming a main road at the foot of the mountain.

Scattered along the mountainside are numerous shops, with names such as "Bai Cao Tang," "Bao Guang Ge," and "Zui Ren Lou," whose business scope is readily apparent from their names.

Compared to the first two levels, the foot of the mountain is much more ordinary, divided into many areas by horizontal and vertical grids.

There were many stalls on both sides of the main road, with talismans, pills and other things that Gu Fan could not recognize, a dazzling array of goods.

Not long after Gu Fan entered the market, a dark-faced young man with a lean physique, dressed in a brown robe, stepped forward, bowed with a smile, and said, "I am Zhao Qi, greetings, senior!"

"Senior, is this your first time visiting the Xuan Yin Mountain Market? I know this place very well. I know exactly which shops offer good quality at reasonable prices and which cave dwellings are the best."

Gu Fan raised an eyebrow: "How did you figure out it was my first time here?"

The dark-faced youth chuckled: "I've been making a living here for many years, so I naturally recognized you, senior, since you're a complete stranger."

Upon hearing this, Gu Fan knew he had encountered Hyacinth and couldn't help but look her up and down.

Zhao Qi was only at the second level of Qi Refining, but his eyes were sharp yet unassuming. Standing five feet away, he maintained a perfect distance, holding up two fingers and saying, "Only twenty spirit stones are needed, and I guarantee you'll be satisfied, senior!"

Gu Fan was new to the area and needed someone to gather information, so he nodded in agreement.

Zhao Qi's eyes lit up, and his smile widened. He asked, "May I ask your name, senior? And what brings you here?"

"Tang Yuan." Gu Fan's eyes flashed as he gave a pseudonym.

For some reason, Zhao Qi's smile always reminded him of that round figure in the Heavenly Craft Pavilion.

"Why don't you show me around for a bit first?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Qi stopped asking questions and gestured to Gu Fan, saying, "Senior Tang, please come this way."

After saying that, Gu Fan followed behind Zhao Qi and walked slowly along the main road.

Zhao Qi led half a step ahead, introducing as he walked: "These stall owners are all independent cultivators, and they sell all sorts of things. If you see anything you like, senior, feel free to let me know in advance."

As they walked and talked, Zhao Qi specifically pointed out some stalls, saying that the stall owners were unscrupulous and that Gu Fan should avoid them.

Gu Fan remained silent, neither agreeing nor disagreeing.

After speaking for a while, Zhao Qi pointed to the mountainside and continued, "All the legitimate shops are on the mountainside. Although their goods are of excellent quality, they are also much more expensive."

"And what about the mountaintop?" Gu Fan asked.

Zhao Qi shook his head and smiled, "It's best if you don't think about it, senior. Those are all the villas of the five Xuan Yin clans. The disciples of the five clans usually live there."

"Could you tell me more about the Five Surnames of Xuan Yin?" Gu Fan asked.

"This..." Zhao Qi looked around, his face showing difficulty, clearly not wanting to discuss this issue in public.

Seeing this, Gu Fan suggested, "I'll be staying here for a while, why don't you take me to rent a cave dwelling?"

Zhao Qi's face immediately lit up with joy: "Alright! This way, senior."

After walking for a while, the two arrived at a pavilion made of wood and stone.

The pavilion is only one story high, with a courtyard wall about one person high outside. Upon entering, you will see a stone wall with five patterns carved on it, which are exactly the same as the tokens for entering the market.

Inside the attic, an elderly man with a white beard was reclining in a rocking chair, sipping tea.

Zhao Qi stepped forward and said a few words respectfully. The old man then put down the teapot and glanced at Gu Fan.

"What kind of cave dwelling do you wish to rent? For how long?"

The old man's voice was cold and seemingly devoid of emotion.

Zhao Qi explained on his behalf: "The cave dwellings are divided into three grades. The first grade is built on the mountainside. It is not only luxurious and spacious, but most importantly, it is full of spiritual energy."

"Both the second and third-class caves are located at the foot of the mountain, but the second-class caves are equipped with formations, making them richer in spiritual energy."

"If you are only staying temporarily, a third-class cave dwelling will suffice, costing one hundred low-grade spirit stones per month. However, if you wish to stay permanently, I would recommend a second-class cave dwelling, which will cost two hundred low-grade spirit stones."

During their conversation, Zhao Qi had already estimated Gu Fan's financial resources based on his attire and made a recommendation.

After a moment's thought, Gu Fan said, "Then let's choose the second class and rent it for two months."

Zhao Qi smiled upon hearing this, a smile that made Gu Fan suspect that he had taken a kickback.

The old man took out a cyan jade tablet from his storage bag, and after he channeled his magic power into it, two lines lit up on the jade tablet.

"If the contract is not renewed before the jade tablet goes out, someone will come to take back the cave dwelling."

Gu Fan counted out two hundred spirit stones and accepted the jade token, thus completing the transaction.

The two left the attic, and Zhao Qi led Gu Fan to the front of a courtyard house.

Gu Fan immediately noticed the simple protective array set up outside the house. He tapped the door with a cyan jade plaque, and the door opened automatically.

The residence only had three quiet rooms, which were more spacious than Gu Fan had expected, although the furnishings were a bit old.

Gu Fan didn't mind. He invited Zhao Qi to sit down, paid him the twenty spirit stones first, and then took out ten spirit stones and pushed them onto the table.

"Please tell me about the Five Surnames of Xuan Yin."

Zhao Qi squinted as he put away the spirit stones, and said in a low voice, "The relationships between the five Xuan Yin clans are intricate and complex. Since you want to know, senior, I won't beat around the bush."

"If you ask me, the five clans of Xuanyin treat us rogue cultivators the same way; you can't afford to offend any of them."

"But if we really have to rank them, the Zhu family and the Lu family are the most troublesome."