Chapter 648: A Miao Miao

“Shall we take a detour through the Gu Immortal Secret Realm?” Bai Hongtu, thinking since we’ve come this far, suggested eagerly, visibly excited.

Jiang Li hesitated for a moment, then warned kindly, “The final reward of the Gu Immortal Secret Realm is pairing the successful challenger with the Gu Clan’s best candidate as a dao companion, like Commander Mu and the Gu Clan Leader now.”

“With talent like yours, the Gu Clan Leader probably isn’t a match for you. If you clear it, you might be rewarded by being paired with a Gu Immortal.”

Immortal Elder Changcun held an illustrated album showing faces of certain immortals, among them a Gu Immortal.

Bai Hongtu remembered the Gu Immortal’s squinty eyes and sour, sharp-tongued old-lady expression and shook his head hard.

My best youthful years are meant to be spent in the Joyous Sect, they can’t be shackled by a Gu Immortal.

The three of them arrived at the Gu Clan territory a day early.

Approaching the Gu Clan, mosquitoes became more numerous, but they had all been trained by the Gu Clan and did not bite people.

These days the Gu Clan uses its control over insects to keep specific regions free from mosquito troubles. Ever since establishing long-term cooperation with Great Zhou and seeing excellent results, other nations have also wanted to cooperate with the Gu Clan.

Compared to the past, the change is unbelievable; calling it daily profit would not be an exaggeration.

“Mosquitoes biting us? No problem, I have several coils of mosquito incense. Even Core Formation stage mosquitoes would steer clear,” Jiang Li boasted, showing off the mosquito coils in his hand.

Although there were no Core Formation stage mosquitoes, there were mosquito coils designed to drive away Core Formation stage mosquitoes. Jiang Li found it novel and bought a few, though he never had the chance to test them.

“…What mosquitoes could bite the three of us?” Yu Yin was speechless, seeing Jiang Li trying to act like he hadn’t been fooled. The more he acted that way, the more obvious it looked that he had been duped.

“Human Sovereign Jiang? Human Sovereign Jiang is here!” There was no need to disguise for the wedding; Jiang Li and his companions showed their true faces.

When news spread that Jiang Li had arrived, the Gu Clan people set aside their tasks to come and see the living Human Sovereign.

Especially the children. They listened to The Biography of Human Sovereign Jiang before bed and idolized Jiang Li to no end.

“Human Sovereign Jiang, my mother said you only get so strong because you eat celery every day, so she told me to eat celery. Is that true?”

Jiang Li laughed and patted the child’s head, “Children shouldn’t be picky eaters, okay?”

“Okay!” The child nodded vigorously.

Bai Hongtu snorted softly, “You can be picky when you grow up, huh?”

Who didn’t know Jiang Li hated celery the most?

Yu Yin glanced at Bai Hongtu and thought, the man who refuses mushrooms has no right to mock someone who refuses celery.

“Human Sovereign Jiang, The Biography of Human Sovereign Jiang says you are proficient in the Hundred Cultivation Arts, and that you know all sorts of obscure cultivation techniques, including Gu techniques?” The child looked at Jiang Li with innocent, muddled curiosity. Jiang Li didn’t know how to answer.

“Alright, everyone disperse, don’t crowd Human Sovereign Jiang.” A stern voice rang out, driving the children away; the adults returned to their places upon hearing it.

“You’re…” Jiang Li widened his eyes slightly and recognized the newcomer.

The woman was tall, with a tied ponytail, wearing a practical cyan outfit characteristic of the Gu Clan.

“My name is A Miao Miao. I was the previous Gu Clan Leader. Judging from Human Sovereign Jiang’s expression, it seems we have met?” A Miao Miao said composedly with a smile.

Bai Hongtu and Yu Yin were surprised; the atmosphere between Jiang Li and A Miao Miao felt subtly charged.

They had never seen Jiang Li wear that expression before.

Jiang Li had indeed met A Miao Miao—once at the Gu Clan, and once beside the Idle One.

When Commander Mu cleared the Gu Immortal Secret Realm, he was struck by an affection gu and was to be paired with that generation’s Gu Clan Leader. Jiang Li had come to the Gu Clan to save Commander Mu.

At the same time, the system issued a task requiring the clearing of the Gu Clan’s secret realm.

From Jiang Li’s estimation, on the system’s timeline he would clear the Gu Secret Realm and be paired with the Gu Clan’s best woman—A Miao Miao.

Unfortunately, it was too late. He had no interaction with A Miao Miao: five hundred years later he became Human Sovereign while A Miao Miao cultivated to Nascent Soul stage and remained with the Gu Clan, growing old.

Jiang Li had secretly met the aged A Miao Miao once and left a few Longevity Pills, instructing the Gu Clan’s high priest to deliver them to her.

The A Miao Miao beside the Idle One confirmed Jiang Li’s suspicion: in the system timeline, A Miao Miao would be one of his harem.

“I saw you once at the window eleven years ago. At that time you were still at Nascent Soul stage.”

“It was thanks to the Human Sovereign Jiang’s Longevity Pills that I had the will to live on,” A Miao Miao said with admiration upon learning Jiang Li had left her Longevity Pills. She saw it as his encouragement.

“Now the Gu Clan’s market has expanded, and we’re better off. Unlike the tight days of the past, I now have access to more resources.”

“Taking advantage of this, I transformed my nascent soul and reached Spirit Transformation stage.” A Miao Miao laughed, her mindset entirely different from before, and her appearance changed back to how she had been five hundred years ago—beautiful and charming.

Jiang Li felt wistful, thinking fate is a twisted thing.

“No, your rise to Spirit Transformation had nothing to do with me. That’s all the result of your own efforts,” Jiang Li said; he didn’t feel he had played any role in it.

“I still have to teach the children Gu techniques, so I won’t chat longer.” A Miao Miao bid Jiang Li farewell.

After A Miao Miao left, Yu Yin quietly asked, “Do you know this Gu Clan girl?”

Jiang Li shook his head. “The one I knew is not this version of her, but the her from another world. It’s complicated to explain.”

Seeing Jiang Li’s tangled expression, Yu Yin lost interest in digging into it.

The Gu Clan’s territory had grown much larger. Gu Clan members practiced Gu techniques everywhere. Since Jiang Li and his party rarely dealt with Gu techniques, they walked around and broadened their horizons.

Gu insects rested on the shoulders and arms of Gu Clan members.

“Gu techniques do have merits, but relying on them alone won’t reach the Primordial Chaos and Limitless Immortal state, nor can they stand against the Heavenly Dao,” Jiang Li offered an indeterminate evaluation.

“Jiang Li? You’re here too?” Holy Maiden Jingxin greeted Jiang Li with delight.

Jiang Li smiled, “Well, Commander Mu is my subordinate. When a subordinate marries, of course I should attend. Did Commander Liu invite you too?”

“Commander Liu invited us from the Red Dust Pure Land, so I came.” Holy Maiden Jingxin smiled sweetly. She had come to attend Commander Mu’s wedding partly to see Jiang Li.

Besides Holy Maiden Jingxin, Confucian Sect Master Dong Zhongren, Penglai Isle Master Mo Ruoyu and others were present.

Don’t be fooled by Commander Mu’s unserious manner. He often pretended to be weak in public but acted saintly; when facing the Outer Realm Demons he is dependable.

Before Jiang Li became Human Sovereign, Commander Mu already served in the Human Sovereign Hall. When the Old Human Sovereign resisted the Outer Realm Demons, Commander Mu participated, even doing so at the cost of his life if necessary. He is a person worthy of respect.

Therefore, many came to Commander Mu’s wedding not because of his rank, but because of who he is.