Chapter 62: Concealment

“I met someone in the mountains,” Gu Xianwang said. “She told me the Forbidden Witch is connected to the Witch Clan. Since Forbidden Witches truly exist in this world, perhaps the Forbidden Witch Bone isn’t just some tale spun from rumors.”

“You met someone,” Shang Ruyun said, his face cold. “Do you even know what kind of place you went to?”

Gu Xianwang faltered at the question, her voice dropping a little. “It should have been the Witch Clan Altar guarded by the Yelang Descendants.”

She couldn’t say why, but back in the mountains, when they had discussed these matters among themselves, it hadn’t felt strange at all. Yet now that they were out, back in the city—even facing a seasoned expert like her master—talking about Yelang and the Witch Clan still felt awkward to her, like telling ghost stories in broad daylight.

The hall fell quiet again. Outside the window, rain and wind battered together, while flower pots clinked rhythmically under the eaves.

“How did you learn about that place?” Shang Ruyun took a sip of the now-cooled pear soup and asked again, “What exactly did you encounter?”

Gu Xianwang opened her mouth but didn’t answer right away. If she revealed the Mountain-Seeking Traveler now, she feared she wouldn’t be able to join in on whatever came next. Her master was a man of his word, and from the look on his face, he clearly didn’t dismiss the talk of the Forbidden Witch outright.

So she answered the second question first. “After entering the mountains, I stumbled upon the Gu Witch by accident. Later, to lift the gu poison, I had no choice but to follow the Undying Turtle’s guidance straight into the territory of the Yelang Villagers…”

Shang Ruyun gently swirled the porcelain bowl in his hand, his gaze tracing the goji berries as they arced inside. Gu Xianwang’s voice filled his ears, carefully skirting the important details as she recounted her experiences beneath Camelback Ridge. He had deliberately thrown out those two questions to test the girl’s choices—and now it seemed her trip had been influenced by someone with ulterior motives.

Gu Xianwang spoke of the Golden Silkworm Gu and the Bronze Disc. She glanced up at her master’s expression. After talking for so long, her mouth was parched, but he remained as steady as a mountain. Unable to hold back any longer, she abruptly changed the subject. “Oh, right, Master—my old clothes should still have the gu poison and the Snake Spirit Pearl in them. Have you… have you looked them over?”

After beating around the bush for so long, she was finally getting to the point. Shang Ruyun set down his pear soup and eyed her closely. “I have. They’re stored in the warehouse for you. If you want them, have Nanny Chen fetch them.”

Gu Xianwang wasn’t worried about the items being lost; she wanted to ask about the person, but she hadn’t found a way to bring it up naturally. Her palms grew hot with anxiety, so she seized on the excuse. “That Snake Spirit Pearl came from the underground palace at the bottom of the sinkhole. I hear it’s very beneficial for those with weak constitutions.”

Shang Ruyun let out a huff of laughter. “Beneficial? That’s an understatement. If the one you brought back is genuine—and given its size and luster—it could pull someone back from the gates of hell at three in the morning and keep them breathing until dawn.”

Gu Xianwang’s heart skipped a beat. “What do you mean…?”

“Unfortunately, it’s a fake.”

A fake? Even Long Li hadn’t recognized it?

As if reading her thoughts, Shang Ruyun continued, “The craftsmanship is too crude. Just something passed off as the real thing to fool the eye.”

His words made it clear: someone had deliberately tried to deceive her.

A simple misjudgment would have been fine. Such treasures were like coals in a snowstorm—gratefully accepted no matter what. But if it was intentional deception, that put Gu Xianwang in a tough spot. On one hand, she trusted her master’s judgment without question. On the other, deep down, she didn’t believe Long Li had any reason to trick her on this—especially since all three of them had emerged from the altar safe and sound. Wasn’t that the most direct proof of Long Li’s character?

The only other possibility that made sense for both sides was that someone had swapped the pearl midway. But if her memory was correct, she had seen her master the moment she was rescued at the mountain pass. No one should have had the chance to pull a switch right under his nose.

Caught between contradictions, Gu Xianwang grew restless and decided to be direct. “Maybe we were rushed at the time and overlooked it. Someone gave me that pearl—no matter if it’s real or fake, I’ll remember the favor. That’s one of your teachings, Master. So… I wanted to ask: back at the altar, that person wasn’t far from us. You—”

“Heh.” Shang Ruyun cut her off with a cold laugh and clapped his hands. “A favor? Do you even know what sort of people were in those mountains with you?”

“This…” Gu Xianwang looked away, mumbling vaguely, “Probably some… some…”

She wanted to say thieves, but that would implicate Long Li too. For a moment, she couldn’t find the right words. In the end, she forced out four words: “People from the Thieves’ Sect.”

“The Thieves’ Sect? That’s giving them far too much credit.” Shang Ruyun glanced up with open contempt. “Those thieves were hired by a British ocean salvage company—mostly international outlaws who roam the world without a care. It seems I’ve sheltered you too closely all these years. You carry the name of my ninth disciple, Shang Jiu, yet you know nothing of jianghu affairs. You’ll suffer for it eventually.”

Gu Xianwang was stunned. “A British ocean salvage company? Why would they turn up in Guizhou?”

And how had they learned about the Yelang Altar?

Shang Ruyun replied, “It wouldn’t surprise me where they show up. They’re nothing but a gang of international bandits who’ve held a grudge against our country for over twenty years. Even the jianghu folk spit on their names. For you to walk away from them in one piece was worth all my teachings.”

“You escaped death by a hair this time. Reflect on that yourself. As for those people, just assume they’re dead and done with.”

British company? International bandits? Assume they’re dead?

The words slammed into Gu Xianwang’s mind one after another, leaving her head spinning. Yet she had no way to argue. Every incident along the way lined up perfectly with her master’s account. Even Long Li had admitted Old Dog was a Middle East mercenary. No doubt about it—they were the desperate outlaws her master described.

But… what about Long Li?

Gu Xianwang hesitated. “But… maybe not all of them are that bad. Maybe it was just a business partnership.”

“Partnership?” Shang Ruyun let out a slow breath. “Wang’er, after venturing out into the world like this, how are you still so naive?”

“These are lethal trades. Any slip-up could land you in court. If it were you, would you partner up with just anyone?”

Gu Xianwang fell silent, backed into a corner. Finally, she said, “I just want to find one woman. I—I owe her a debt. She saved my life more than once, so no matter if she’s alive or dead, Master, if you ever see her, could you let me know?”

Since the woman had saved her life, Shang Ruyun’s expression softened. He turned the Qinan beads gently with his thumb, lost in thought.

Seeing his resolve waver, Gu Xianwang pressed on. “That woman—she’s probably from the Long Family.”

The air went deathly still in an instant, thick and suffocating.

Shang Ruyun’s eyes widened as he fixed her with a stare. “You say she’s from the Long Family?”

Lightning cracked outside the window. A blinding flash lit his face for a split second, turning Shang Ruyun into something demonic.

In all these years, Gu Xianwang had never seen that look on him. She regretted the words the moment they left her mouth.

But they were out now, impossible to take back. She steeled herself and explained, “Yes, that’s what others said. The Yelang mountain folk mentioned a Long Family too, but it might not be her. Could just be a coincidence with the surname.”

Shang Ruyun lowered his gaze, his face seemingly calm once more. “What does she look like?”

The question sent the hairs on Gu Xianwang’s arms standing on end. She sensed a sudden wave of killing intent. Her throat tightened. She wanted to lie her way out of it, but try as she might, she couldn’t fathom why the words “Long Family” had struck her master’s deepest nerve. Her utter ignorance left her frustrated and furious.

Gu Xianwang held back for a moment—then couldn’t. “Master, what exactly is the Long Family? Are they some kind of unforgivable monsters?”

Shang Ruyun pressed his lips thin, his eyes flickering with unreadable shadows. In a tone that brooked no argument, he said, “The Long Family… is a taboo. Don’t ask about them. Don’t go near them. Whether that woman truly belongs to the Long Family or not, whether she’s alive or dead—from this day forward, forget her entirely. Never speak of her again.”

That was the last straw for Gu Xianwang. “Why? Even if she is from the Long Family, whatever crimes their ancestors committed are ancient history. Times have changed. The sins of the fathers don’t fall on the children—and besides, she might not even be part of whatever Long Family you’re talking about. Why should I forget her?”

Shang Ruyun truly hadn’t expected this trip to turn his obedient disciple into such a rebel. The girl had always been sharp and respectful from childhood, informing him once and that was that—no need to repeat. Her only flaw was a certain aloof coldness, but otherwise she was flawless. She knew his limits well. How could she err so gravely on a matter like this?

“Do you even realize what you’re saying?”

Gu Xianwang swallowed hard and met his eyes. “I do, Master. But I can’t make sense of it, so I won’t accept it.”

Shang Ruyun felt a surge of dark anger too. “Can’t figure it out? Heh, times have certainly changed. Here I am, your master, having to explain every little thing to you in detail! You’ve grown bold with your own ideas now, and I suppose I can’t rein you in anymore.”

Gu Xianwang truly couldn’t understand why her master always had to pressure her with his authority. Couldn’t he just explain things properly?

She jutted out her neck stubbornly right then. “Once a teacher, forever a father—am I some ungrateful wretch? If you want to whip your disciple, Master, then whip away. Xianwang won’t utter a word of protest!”

The sounds of their argument drifted downstairs, and Nanny Chen came hurrying down with quick footsteps. At the sight of the scene, she grabbed Gu Xianwang and scolded her lightly. “What nonsense are you spouting, girl? Hurry up and apologize to your master!”

Gu Xianwang pressed her lips together, her chest heaving dramatically. She wrenched free of Nanny Chen’s grasp and said nothing.

Shang Ruyun laughed coldly in his fury. He shot to his feet and jabbed a finger at her. “Whip you whenever I want? Fine, excellent! You’ve got real backbone. You’re a girl, so I won’t lay a hand on you—but since you’ve said that, I want to see just how tough this streak of rebellion really is!

“Nanny Chen, have her do brick standing.”

Nanny Chen’s heart sank at the words “brick standing.” She hesitated before pleading, “Master, please calm down first. Wang’er only just woke up—her body’s still—”

“Nanny Chen, go ahead and set it up. My body’s fine. Since Master wants to test me, I’ll practice my stilt walking today.”

Nanny Chen had never dreamed Gu Xianwang would defy him so boldly today. She could only stammer, “The, the hall won’t have room for it…”

Shang Ruyun said coldly, “Set it up in the courtyard.”

Nanny Chen glanced outside at the howling wind and pounding rain, her anxiety mounting. Master and disciple had locked horns today—neither would yield an inch, all for the sake of pride. There was no talking them out of it; she knew pushing further would only stoke Shang Ruyun’s temper higher, making things even harder to resolve. With no choice, she did as he asked, hauling out the square table and training bricks into the courtyard.

Stilt walking was the foundational kung fu for young martial actresses—the harshest of basics. The stilt shoes were wooden, topped with copper hoops. Martial stilts were the smaller kind, less than three inches high. Strapped tightly to the feet, they forced the heels up permanently, mimicking bound feet.

The shoes were brutally heavy; beginners couldn’t even stand in them. It had taken Gu Xianwang a full year of practice just to progress from standing to walking. After that came running, and only now was she at the brick-standing stage: balancing on a table with two bricks stood upright—one foot on each. It built leg strength like nothing else. Master it, and your feet would dance lightly across the stage, your flips and strikes coming with power and precision, looking sharp and graceful.

Her old pair of training stilts was still kept in the house. Gu Xianwang bound them on silently. Once Nanny Chen had the table and bricks in place, she strode into the rain without a backward glance and leaped lightly onto the bricks.

The rain that night was fierce and unrelenting, stinging the eyes. Shang Ruyun stood under the eaves with his hands clasped behind his back, watching her. “I won’t set a time limit. Since you can make your own decisions, go right ahead. Come down whenever you think you should.”

Nanny Chen let out a quiet breath of relief. At least Shang Ruyun had left her an out. He’d head off first, no doubt, and as long as Gu Xianwang held out a little while before coming down on her own, the matter could be considered settled.

But then Gu Xianwang suddenly spoke up again. “Master, can’t you really tell me about the Long Family members?”

Shang Ruyun’s face darkened in an instant. “Bind her with spikes!” With that, he turned on his heel and stormed away.