Chapter 63

After exchanging glances, the two brothers lowered their heads and began to recall every move of the former leader, Zhao. But after a while, they almost said in unison: "No, he usually doesn't like going out, unless there's a big deal that requires him to go down the mountain. Otherwise, Leader Zhao stays in his inner cave, just like the young man who came with you, rarely coming down the mountain."

After listening, Gui Gui's eyes rolled a few times, and he said, "Let's go and take a look at Leader Zhao's inner cave. Maybe we can find some treasures."

After hearing this, the two brothers shifted their gaze from their master. After exchanging glances, Gui Lai said, "It might be a bit inconvenient to go now..."

Gui Gui glared, "What's inconvenient?" Before he could finish, he immediately understood what Gui Lai meant: "Wu Mian has returned?"

Gui Lai forced a smile and said to his master, "He came back this morning. According to the brothers who patrol the mountains, Wu Xiaoge is not much different from the previous times, but this time he came back with some injuries. I had someone send him some wound medicine, but it seems he didn't accept it and returned it. By the way, he didn't go out for long this time and even brought back the leftover food. It seems he won't go out easily until he recovers properly..."

Gui Gui blinked a few times, suddenly seeming to understand something. He stared at Gui Lai and said, "Wait a minute, are you trying to tell me that Wu Mian is now occupying the inner cave where your former leader Zhao used to live?" The old man's tone was tinged with annoyance.

The two brothers had long noticed that their master was somewhat intimidated by the young man surnamed Wu. Gui Lai chuckled, easing the slightly awkward atmosphere, and said, "There are better inner caves than this. I don't know why Wu Xiaoge chose this one. But based on previous experiences, after he recovers, he will leave again for a few days. You just need to bear with it for a few more days."

Before Gui Lai finished speaking, his brother Gui Qu took over, saying to Gui Gui, "Actually, Wu Xiaoge is more or less one of us. If we really find something in that inner cave, he could be a great help. Think about it, relying on just the two of us, we probably can't even handle the Concealment Array, let alone the forty-eight nails, the first three nails, and the Exit Nail techniques."

After hearing Gui Qu's words, Gui Gui snorted, "You know nothing!" After cursing, he paused, took a deep breath, and then spoke more calmly. Looking at his two disciples, Gui Gui said, "Do you know who Yan Aihou is?"

If it weren't for the years Gui Lai and Gui Qu spent in the Yan State, they wouldn't have heard of Yan Aihou. Gui Lai blinked and thought for a moment, then said, "He sounds like one of the rulers of the Yan State, right?"

Gui Gui nodded and slowly said, "He was indeed a ruler of the Yan State, but he was also the first person to be called a Great Alchemist." This statement shocked the two brothers, who wanted to ask but didn't dare to interrupt their master.

The old man ignored his two disciples and continued, "Before Yan Aihou, there were alchemists. But at that time, alchemists were more like shamans and doctors kept by the feudal lords. They were fed by these lords, and when the lords fell ill, the alchemists had to perform rituals to bless and avert disasters. But if the lords' illnesses didn't improve or they died, the alchemists who performed the rituals were often beaten to death as charlatans. In times of war, they would also perform divinations and rituals to appease the gods and spirits before the army set out. If the war went badly, the alchemists would be punished, often by dismemberment."

After saying this, the old man paused, took a deep breath, and continued, "This situation only changed with the emergence of Yan Aihou. Yan Aihou was a rare alchemical genius. When he was the crown prince of the Yan State, he read all the alchemical texts that others couldn't finish in a lifetime in just five years due to a stroke of luck. After he ascended the throne, he gathered all the alchemists in the Yan State, treating the most powerful ones with the highest respect and inviting them to the palace, where they were directly managed by him, the ruler. This was the雏形 of the Great Alchemists. Later, alchemists from all over the world began to gather in the capital of the Yan State, and the alchemical school finally gained prominence, with Yan Aihou being recognized as the first Great Alchemist. If it weren't for Xu Fu, who later gained even greater fame, Yan Aihou and the other Great Alchemists would have been overshadowed. Now, even among the alchemists, few people know that Yan Aihou was the first Great Alchemist."

The two brothers were stunned, never imagining that such a capable person existed in the small Yan State. But it didn't end there. After a moment, Gui Gui continued, "It was always rumored that Yan Aihou had already ascended to immortality. A while ago, I saw the skin of an ascended immortal in Liaoxi County, and I thought it might be Yan Aihou's holy body. I never expected to have such an encounter here."

At this point, Gui Gui took a deep breath and his gaze shifted between the two brothers. He just looked without speaking, making the two brothers uneasy, and they both lowered their heads, avoiding eye contact with Gui Gui. After a moment, the old man said, "You two are my disciples. I won't hide anything from you. If there really is Yan Aihou's tomb, my sins of over a hundred years might be absolved there. This matter concerns my life, and I trust no one but you two."

As he said this, Gui Gui's eyes blinked rapidly, but he intentionally or unintentionally lowered his head, giving the impression of a serious matter. This made the two brothers look determined, and Gui Lai said, "Master, your matter is our matter. Rest assured, no matter what, we will dig up Yan Aihou's tomb and let you explore it to your heart's content!"

"Exploring isn't necessary," Gui Gui was satisfied with his grand-disciples' response. He smiled and continued, "There might be something inside. If we can find this item, my thoughts of over a hundred years will be resolved..." After saying this, he instructed the two brothers to fetch ink, brush, and bamboo slips. He wrote down the names of a dozen items on the slips. After the ink dried, he handed the slips back to the two brothers and said, "We have time. Regardless of whether we find Yan Aihou's tomb, gather these items first to avoid being unprepared. The rest will have to wait until Wu Mian leaves."

To be honest, the old man was also hesitant about whether to inform Wu Mian. Even if there was really Yan Aihou's tomb nearby, the situation was unclear, and having Wu Mian around would be a safety measure. But then he thought, if they really found something in the tomb that could break his seal, with Wu Mian's straightforward personality, he might keep it for himself and not let it go until he was satisfied. Besides, even if the tomb contained early alchemical techniques and arrays, with his knowledge, as long as they were careful, even his grand-disciples could enter.

The two brothers took Gui Gui's words to heart and immediately arranged for their subordinates to gather the dozen items he listed in the nearby county.

The items the old man listed were very obscure, and it took nearly two months to gather them. Fortunately, Wu Mian's seclusion lasted a long time. On the morning after the items were gathered, just as the sky was still dark, the two brothers' subordinates reported that the white-haired young man had finally come out of the inner cave.

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