13: I am a man.

A trace of imperceptible joy flashed in Cao Bu's eyes.

"Really fine? Who are you trying to fool?"

He was very clear that although this Underworld King Powder could not kill a Realm Sovereign, it would take at least eight to ten years to completely clear it.

During this period, a significant reduction in cultivation base would be the least of it; it might even leave permanent hidden injuries.

Suddenly, the Ninth Elder grabbed Cao Bu's hands, his face full of pleading: "Brother, please help me."

Cao Bu came back to his senses and frowned: "Help you? How? I am only at the Heavenly Bridge Realm."

"Not that." The Ninth Elder looked into the room, his face full of worry: "You are both young people. See if you can help me persuade First Smoke and stop her from doing anything rash."

Cao Bu looked at the motionless Gu Chuyan on the bed inside the room, and he already had a plan in mind.

The person who tied the knot must untie it.

It seemed he would have to make another effort.

But before that, he had to make Gu Chuyan temporarily abandon her plan to commit suicide.

"Brother Cao, if you don't agree, I will kneel here and not get up."

Seeing that Cao Bu was silent, the Ninth Elder thought Cao Bu did not want to agree and was about to kneel.

Cao Bu came to his senses and hurriedly held him up: "Ninth Elder, I agree."

"Really!" A flash of joy appeared in the Ninth Elder's eyes.

Asking an old fellow like him to persuade a young person would likely have the opposite effect.

If Cao Bu did it, there might be unexpected results.

Cao Bu nodded: "Counting it up, Sister Chuyan should call me Big Brother. Although we aren't related by blood, the relationship is there; I wouldn't really watch her keep seeking death. However, I must clarify beforehand that I cannot guarantee I can make her give up the idea of suicide."

The Ninth Elder shook his head: "It's fine, as long as you try your best. This girl, First Smoke, doesn't have many friends."

"That's not right. First Smoke has a pretty good relationship with Young Miss Ling Shuang; she was here a few days ago."

"You go in and try first. I'll go find Young Miss Ling Shuang right now."

Saying this, he pushed Cao Bu into the room and then walked quickly toward the courtyard.

Cao Bu stared at the Ninth Elder's hunched back, his eyes gradually turning cold.

Pitiful? Indeed, it was pitiful.

But who would pity his parents who died tragically? Who would pity his younger brother and sister who were only seven or eight years old?

When this old thing led people to slaughter the Cao family back then, he didn't show a shred of mercy when he swung his blade!

Cao Bu turned and walked into the inner room, his footsteps sounding exceptionally clear in the silent room.

On the bed, Gu Chuyan remained motionless, her hollow eyes staring straight at the carvings on the bed canopy, her breathing so shallow it was almost imperceptible.

Cao Bu's arrival did not seem to attract her attention. Or perhaps she noticed but simply didn't care.

Cao Bu sat slowly by the side of the bed. He took out a silk handkerchief and gently wiped the cold sweat from Gu Chuyan's forehead, his movements very gentle.

"Your grandfather, in order to save you, drew the poison of the Underworld King Powder into his own body."

Cao Bu's voice was very soft, yet every word was clear: "A Realm Sovereign expert, now trembling when he walks."

Gu Chuyan's eyelashes trembled imperceptibly.

Cao Bu continued: "He said that even if he has to risk this old life of his, he will make you live."

He paused deliberately: "But what about you? Just lying here waiting for death, is that worthy of him?"

Gu Chuyan finally reacted, her chapped lips moving slightly: "Why... why save me?"

"Because you are his only relative."

Cao Bu lowered his voice and continued: "Gu Chuyan, are you willing to die like this? To let the person who ruined you live happily and freely?"

Gu Chuyan suddenly grabbed the quilt tightly, her knuckles turning white.

Her voice trembled: "You... aren't you his Big Brother?"

"Yes, I am his Big Brother."

Cao Bu stood up abruptly, his hands clenched behind his back until his knuckles turned white, his joints emitting "crack, crack" sounds: "But I am a man, after all! He did such a beastly thing..."

He stopped halfway, and only heavy breathing remained in the room.

"Bang!" Cao Bu kicked the stool, shattering it into pieces, wood chips flying everywhere.

"Damn it!"

Gu Chuyan's eyelashes trembled slightly. She tilted her head and looked at him quietly for a moment, a flash of inscrutable light appearing in her eyes.

"You should go." She turned her head, her voice very soft: "We are not the same kind of people, after all."

Cao Bu remained unmoved. He turned and stared intently at Gu Chuyan.

"I remember when I was young, I read a sentence in an ancient book."

His voice was gentle and full of infectious power: "A dormant poisonous snake is the most lethal because it knows how to wait for the best opportunity."

Gu Chuyan's eyelashes trembled imperceptibly.

Cao Bu continued: "I knew a girl who loved raising butterflies."

"But do you know? The most beautiful Phoenix butterfly must lie dormant in its cocoon for an entire winter."

"Sometimes, temporary forbearance is for the sake of flying higher."

Gu Chuyan's breathing suddenly stalled, and her chest heaved violently a few times.

"Speaking of which..." Cao Bu suddenly changed the subject: "A few days ago, I saw a very special dagger at an auction. It is said to be able to break through the defense of a Realm Sovereign."

"It's a pity that no one recognized its value at the time, and it was bought by someone who didn't know what they were doing."

He added, as if unintentionally: "But the shopkeeper said that in three years, there will be another batch of better goods."

Gu Chuyan's originally unfocused gaze suddenly sharpened, and a sharp light flashed in her dark eyes.

Cao Bu placed an ancient book on the table: "This 'Hibernating Dragon Heart Sutra', it is said that when cultivated to a high level, one can conceal their aura so that even a Realm Sovereign cannot detect it."

He said meaningfully: "Sometimes, the deepest wounds must be hidden and allowed to heal slowly."

After saying this, Cao Bu walked away.

Just as he was about to close the door, he heard Gu Chuyan's hoarse voice: "Leave... the book."

【Ding, detected that Gu Chuyan's favorability towards the Host has greatly increased, inheritance level increased by 1%.】

【Congratulations to the Host for obtaining one lucky draw opportunity.】

Cao Bu's expression shook.

Gu Chuyan has no direct relationship with Gu Qingtian, so how can the inheritance level be increased?

Seeming to perceive Cao Bu's confusion, the System proactively popped up a prompt: 【The upper limit of inheritance for each of the Gu Clan's Nine Great Elders is 3%. The Host's actions have influenced the Ninth Elder, thus the inheritance level can be increased.】

Cao Bu understood partially.

"Then, is the total inheritance level for each of Gu Qingtian's wives and daughters 5%?"

【Correct. Obtaining their bodies can only increase the inheritance level by 2%, while obtaining their hearts can increase it by 3%. Obtaining both increases the inheritance level by 5%.】

After taking Su Li, his inheritance level soared by 5%.

This was enough to prove Su Li's loyalty to him.

In the future, he could also see from this when Gu Qingtian's other wives and daughters became loyal to him.

Brother System is reliable.

Reward!

Cao Bu smiled at the door and closed it gently.

The Hibernating Dragon Heart Sutra is a castrated version of the Thousand Illusions Formless Art.

It is a Cultivation Technique he specially left for the Disciples of the Dark Night Hall to Cultivate.

The two have no necessary connection, yet they are inextricably linked.

For example: No matter how high the cultivation base of the person cultivating the Hibernating Dragon Heart Sutra is, he can sense their existence. Conversely, they cannot sense his existence.

One of the reasons he was able to sense the three Vice Hall Masters when he was at the Heavenly Bridge Realm was this Hibernating Dragon Heart Sutra.

Just as Cao Bu turned around, he happened to see the Ninth Elder walking from outside the courtyard with a cold beauty.

Dressed in white, with a slender waist, a section of fair, tender calf was exposed under her skirt, the lines so graceful that one could not take their eyes off them.

Her skin was as white as jade, stunningly beautiful, yet it made people afraid to approach.

Cao Bu walked down the steps.

The two stood still in front of Cao Bu.

"Big Brother." The cold beauty called out softly, her expression neither happy nor sad.

Gu Lingshuang, Gu Qingtian's eldest daughter, Leng Yue's eldest daughter; the two were the same, ice-cold.

Cao Bu nodded and called out softly: "Ling Shuang."

Inside the room.

Hearing the movement outside the door.

Gu Chuyan turned to look at the Hibernating Dragon Heart Sutra on the table and raised her hand to put it into her storage ring.

"Brother, how is First Smoke? Is she any better?" The Ninth Elder's tone was urgent, not even caring that the Underworld King poison had already invaded his heart meridian.

From this, one could see the importance of First Smoke in the Ninth Elder's heart.

Cao Bu nodded gently: "She is fine now."

"That's great!"

The Ninth Elder was so excited that he trembled all over, his gaze toward Cao Bu filled with gratitude: "I... I will go in and see."

After the Ninth Elder entered the room, Cao Bu turned to Gu Lingshuang: "Ling Shuang, I heard you have a good relationship with First Smoke. Spend more time with her these days."

Gu Lingshuang nodded and replied: "Big Brother, rest assured. She is my cousin; I will not leave her alone."

Cao Bu seemed to remember something and suddenly asked: "By the way, I heard you have someone you like. How about it? When will you bring him back for me to see? It would be good for Big Brother to vet him."

Gu Lingshuang blushed, a rare sight, and whispered: "Big Brother, do you know something?"

Cao Bu frowned, looking puzzled: "What do I know?"

Gu Lingshuang said shyly: "A few days ago, I already told Mother that in half a month, he will bring his family to propose marriage."

Cao Bu was stunned upon hearing this, but immediately returned to normal.

He just asked casually, not expecting it to be true.

"Big Brother, I'll go see First Smoke first." Worried about Gu Chuyan's condition, Gu Lingshuang took her leave softly.

Watching Gu Lingshuang's back as she entered the room, a glimmer of darkness flashed in Cao Bu's eyes.

Propose marriage? Dream on! Your entire lives will belong to me, Cao Bu.

Thinking this, he began to ponder; it seemed the plan had to change.

Just at this moment, the System's voice came again.

【Ding, detected that the Ninth Elder's favorability towards the Host has greatly increased, inheritance level increased by 1%.】

【Congratulations to the Host for obtaining one lucky draw opportunity.】

He now had two lucky draw opportunities in total!

With a smile in his eyes, Cao Bu walked away with his hands behind his back.

There were no more leeks to harvest from the Ninth Elder.

Next, it was time to deal with the other Elders. He had to go back and carefully consider how to harvest the inheritance level from them.