Gu Minglang looked at the youth before him and spoke patiently, “Though the Zhenjun Yanhuo has ascended to the Upper Realm, I’ve heard his successor resides here. I wish to request his assistance in repairing my Bonded Sword. I kindly ask you to convey this message.”

Hearing this, Liu Baijian’s cheek twitched slightly as he replied, “Since you’ve come seeking medical treatment, do you understand the rules?”

Gu Minglang had prepared himself. Without hesitation, he responded, “I’ve brought a piece of Dragon Blood Stone as payment for the consultation. If it’s insufficient, please feel free to request more.”

This “senior” naturally wasn’t addressed to Liu Baijian, but rather to the rumored disciple of the Zhenjun Yanhuo.

Hearing this title, Liu Baijian instantly rolled his eyes inwardly, thinking: You’ve just made him sound hundreds of years older with that ‘senior’ title. He was not worthy, not worthy.

“Bring it out for me to see,” Liu Baijian said bluntly.

Gu Minglang, hearing this, didn’t hesitate. He pulled out the Dragon Blood Stone he’d painstakingly sought. The so-called Dragon Blood Stone wasn’t a naturally occurring mineral, but rather, as the name implied, a stone splattered with dragon’s blood. And this particular stone was such a dragon’s blood stone. Moreover, it wasn’t just any dragon’s blood—it had to be the dragon’s essence blood. Dragons possessed formidable physiques and rarely suffered injuries; even when wounded, they seldom bled, and even when they did bleed, essence blood was exceedingly rare. Only when a dragon sustained severe injuries would its essence blood be shed, and the number of beings capable of inflicting such wounds upon a dragon could be counted on one hand.

Thus, dragon blood stone is exceedingly rare and precious, an exceptional material for refining and forging artifacts. Even within Liu Yanzhen’s collection, only a handful of dragon blood stones existed, all stored within his “inheritance.” Liu Baijian would have to reach the Nascent Soul Realm before he could open and inherit this legacy.

The dragon blood stone Gu Minglang produced was the size of a watermelon. Seeing it, Liu Baijian was startled. “Where did you find such a massive dragon blood stone?”

A dragon blood stone the size of a watermelon!

He wanted to know what had happened to that dragon. Was it still alive?

Gu Minglang’s expression turned troubled and reluctant upon hearing this, but he finally said, “I’ll only tell you this. You must never reveal it to anyone else.”

Hearing this, Liu Baijian’s expression immediately turned serious. “Am I the sort of person who gossips and can’t keep a secret?”

Hearing this, Gu Minglang finally exhaled in relief. Trusting him completely, he revealed the shameful secret (dark history) that the dragon had desperately tried to conceal: “A close friend of mine hails from the Eastern Sea Dragon Clan. Once, while drunk, he charged headfirst into this very stone, cracking his skull open and bleeding profusely.” 

“…?” Liu Baijian.

He was utterly stunned. How could this be possible?!

What kind of moronic dragon clan is this? Getting so drunk that they crack their own skulls? Wait a minute!

“This stone…” Liu Baijian spotted the flaw. His gaze fell on the dragon bloodstone in Gu Minglang’s hand. What kind of divine stone was this, capable of cracking a dragon’s skull? Everyone knew dragon skulls were incredibly hard. Even if a dragon charged into a mountain to commit suicide, it would only collapse the mountain itself, leaving its own skull perfectly intact, not even a scratch on the skin.

Facing Liu Baijian’s gaze, Gu Minglang nodded solemnly. “This is precisely a Black Gold Stone.”

“…” Liu Baijian.

He gaped, utterly speechless.

Black Gold Stone!

One of the ten hardest ores in the cultivation world!

“Enough, you don’t need to say more.” Liu Baijian immediately twitched, addressing Gu Minglang, whose expression was equally hard to describe. “I understand.”

When he saw the dragon blood stone in Liu Baijian’s hand, his gaze instantly filled with solemn respect. Dragon blood stones were already rare and precious, let alone dragon blood black gold stone!

Dragon blood itself was an immensely powerful, almost unnatural material. It could be used for forging artifacts, refining elixirs, creating talismans, and building arrays. Its formidable power and wide range of applications made it highly coveted and sought after by cultivators everywhere. The only problem was that dragons were incredibly difficult to defeat. If they weren’t invincible, would you believe dragons would have to bleed every single day?

Black Gold Stone, meanwhile, ranked among the ten hardest ores in the cultivation world. Beyond its extreme hardness, it possessed exceptional sharpness, boasting formidable armor-piercing capabilities and excellent fusion properties. Consequently, it was frequently used in forging armor and weapons, enhancing defensive capabilities and boosting offensive penetration.

When dragon blood and black gold stone merge as one, even Liu Baijian cannot fathom the power this Dragon Blood Black Gold Stone possesses! As an Artifact Dao master—though Liu Baijian holds little interest in Artifact Dao—he too finds himself utterly intrigued by this unprecedented, perhaps unparalleled in history (after all, a dragon foolish enough to smash its head bloody on a Black Gold Stone was likely a once-in-five-thousand-years occurrence). Seeing the prize, no Artifact Dao Master could resist its allure!

Liu Baijian stared intently at the black gold stone in Gu Minglang’s hand, scrutinizing it closely. The stone, uniformly jet-black with a smooth, luminous surface, was crisscrossed with golden-red filaments—traces of dragon blood. The dragon’s blood had transformed this black gold stone, imbuing it with partial dragon-like properties.

Exactly which trait it possessed required Liu Baijian’s in-depth research; it couldn’t be discerned by sight alone. Each dragon blood stone held unique abilities, special powers derived directly from the dragon clan itself. This very uniqueness was what made dragon blood stones so precious.

Liu Baijian’s eyes sparkled with excitement, his cheeks flushed, his expression aglow with fervor. He forced himself to tear his gaze away from the dragon bloodstone, his face still lingering with reluctance. Lifting his eyes to face Gu Minglang before him, he said, “Let’s go. Inside.”

Hearing this, Gu Minglang glanced at him and said, “Thank you.”

Then, without further ado, he followed closely behind Liu Baijian into the valley.

━━ 🐈‍⬛ ━━

Less than half an hour after closing the house door and stepping outside, Liu Baijian turned back. He led Gu Minglang to the entrance, pushed open the door, and beckoned to the man behind him, “Come in.”

Gu Minglang followed silently through the gate. Beyond it lay a large courtyard filled with flowers and plants. Glancing casually around, he saw the plants were thriving and neatly trimmed, clearly tended to with care.

Once inside the house, Liu Baijian addressed Gu Minglang, “Take out your sword for me to see.”

Hearing this, Gu Minglang instantly lifted his gaze, his brows furrowing. He stood there, motionless.

Seeing this, Liu Baijian immediately smiled. His tone was teasing as he addressed Gu Minglang before him, “Didn’t you come seeking treatment for your sword? How can the doctor diagnose the patient without seeing the patient?”

“…” Gu Minglang.

His pupils contracted sharply. A look of startled uncertainty washed over his face as he stared at Liu Baijian. As if suddenly realizing something, he scrutinized the youth before him—a youth he had initially dismissed.

The youth before him was not old, appearing to be around fourteen or fifteen. He wore a plain, deep blue, wide-sleeved, fitted-waist robe that accentuated his slender, tall frame, standing as straight and proud as a green bamboo. His features were delicate, a handsome face, with eyes as dark and bright as starlight. When he looked at someone, his gaze was clear and luminous, and the corners of his lips always carried a smile, making anyone who met him feel an immediate warmth.

“You…” Gu Minglang stared at him, his voice hesitant. Finally, he voiced the astonishing guess, “You’re the true heir of Zhenjun Yanhuo?”

“That’s right!” Liu Baijian admitted openly.

“…” Gu Minglang.

Gu Minglang fell silent upon hearing this.

Standing before him, Liu Baijian could read his expression and guess his thoughts: Could someone so young truly be the Zhenjun Yanhuo’s successor? Even if so, was his youth a liability? Could his abilities repair the sword… questions like these.

In short, the crux was his youth.

Liu Baijian understood his thoughts. After all, he truly was young, and doubting his abilities was only natural. Kindly, he reminded Gu Minglang, “My grandfather—the Zhenjun Yanhuo you speak of—currently has only me as his disciple. Actually, there was one before me.”

Hearing this, Gu Minglang’s eyes immediately fixed on him.

Under his earnest gaze, Liu Baijian continued slowly, “That was my father. But he died over a decade ago. Not even his remains were found. You shouldn’t count on him.”

“…”

The light in Gu Minglang’s eyes dimmed instantly. He pressed his lips together and said nothing.

“So…” Liu Baijian looked at him and said, “If you seek the successor to the Zhenjun Yanhuo, you must place your trust in me. Alternatively, you could seek out other Artifact Dao masters—perhaps they hold a solution.“ Gu Minglang shook his head. ”Before coming here, I sought aid from Zhenjun Qingshui. He said he was powerless to help.“

Upon hearing this, Liu Baijian’s expression shifted to one of understanding. ”If even Zhenjun Qingshui cannot repair it, then indeed, only my grandfather can.”

Zhenjun Qingshui was a master of the Artifact Dao, renowned alongside Liu Yan Zhenjun. If even he couldn’t repair Gu Minglang’s sword, then the only ones in all the world who could were the Liu family.

“Was it also he who told you about this place and sent you here to find the heir of Zhenjun Yanhuo?” Liu Baijian asked, looking at him.

Though phrased as a question, his heart was already certain. Zhenjun Qingshui and Liu Yanzhen shared a deep friendship. If he had indeed instructed Gu Minglang to come to the valley, it would explain the earlier puzzle.

Hearing this, Gu Minglang lifted his gaze to meet Liu Baijian’s eyes and nodded in acknowledgment. “Precisely.”

Liu Baijian smiled upon hearing this. “If that’s the case, why didn’t you choose to trust him?”

“…”

Gu Minglang froze at the question. Seeing the smile on the youth’s face, he suddenly realized: Zhenjun Qingshui couldn’t possibly be unaware of who Zhenjun Yanhuo’s successor was. So, after Zhenjun Yanhuo ascended, knowing full well that his successor… was this very youth before him, he still advised him to come seeking medical treatment. That left only one possibility: this youth possessed the ability to repair his Bonded Sword.

“…” Gu Minglang.

His gaze filled with doubt and uncertainty, he scrutinized Liu Baijian from head to toe. Did this youth truly possess that ability? Could he accomplish what even Zhenjun Qingshui couldn’t?

For a moment, Gu Minglang hesitated. He stood there speechless, unable to make a decision.

He was famously called the Fengsu Swordmaster—his strikes were swift as the wind, fierce and decisive, never hesitating. Yet now, he couldn’t make a choice. This indecisive, dithering manner was hardly manly.

Observing his expression, Liu Baijian smiled and said, “If you have no other options, if you’re truly at the end of your rope, then perhaps you should choose to trust me. Give it a try. It’s worth a shot. What if it works?”

“…” Gu Minglang.

Hearing these words, Gu Minglang shot Liu Baijian his first hostile look, clearly displeased with the analogy.

Ignoring Gu Minglang’s displeased glare, Liu Baijian pressed on, “It’s just a matter of saying yes or no. Make up your mind quickly. Don’t waste time—I’m in a hurry!”

If he wanted to abandon the treatment, he should have said so earlier. Liu Baijian saw that there was still time left, enough for him to reach the town.

Gu Minglang stood there silently for a long while, not uttering a word. He merely fixed his gaze on Liu Baijian before him, staring with an almost intimidating intensity.

This made Liu Baijian feel as if he were some potential, utterly depraved villain undergoing an infrared scan by the police.

After a considerable pause.

Gu Minglang finally spoke. “Alright.”

“…What?” Liu Baijian looked up at him.

“I believe you,” Gu Minglang said. He then removed the sword from his back and placed it on the table before him. With a pleading tone, he looked at Liu Baijian and said, “Please heal him.”

“…?” Liu Baijian.

Liu Baijian looked at him and smiled. “Of course!”

He curved his lips confidently, his tone leaving no room for doubt. “I’ll make you see that choosing to trust me is the best decision you’ve ever made in your life!”

Hearing this, Gu Minglang fixed his gaze on him.

Then he slowly curved his lips. “Is that so?”

“Then I’ll wait and see,” he replied.

As if infected by the youth before him, influenced by his unparalleled, unquestionable confidence and pride, Gu Minglang’s heart—which had been perpetually tense and unsettled—suddenly relaxed. Perhaps he truly was capable; perhaps he was worthy of trust.

Gu Minglang stared at him for a long moment before finally smiling.

With a rare ease, he teased, “If your skills were half as good as your gift of gab, I’d say you’re unbeatable.”

Liu Bai, who had been intently examining Gu Minglang’s Bonded Sword, looked up in confusion. “What?”

What did you just say?

Gu Minglang watched the youth before him, his eyes filled with bewilderment and childlike innocence, and his smile deepened. “Nothing. Never mind.”

His mood strangely lifted.

Perhaps what Zhenjun Qingshui had said was right.

“The Liu family possesses a mysterious power. When you’re desperate and at your wits’ end, try trusting them.” Zhenjun Qingshui had pointed Gu Minglang, who had come seeking help, toward a clear path and spoken these words to him.