The Sacred Leaves Family's Wishes for Peace

"Who would have thought that the esteemed leader of the Gu God Cult would willingly hide away in a small village, teaching children and guiding their studies like an ordinary schoolteacher?"

Just as Yun Yunrui had left Mr. Yu's study, a graceful yet ghostly figure appeared silently in the room.

The figure was a young girl, around fifteen years old, dressed in a flowing blue skirt adorned with silver ornaments. Her delicate features were as flawless as a porcelain doll.

What stood out most were her mesmerizing crimson eyes, gleaming like a pair of exquisite rubies.

"What are you doing here?" Mr. Yu asked calmly, his voice steady as he continued reviewing the scripture essays written by children like Yun Yandong.@@novelbin@@

"The elders sent me to bring you back to take charge," the girl in the blue skirt said with a playful smile, taking a seat in front of him.

"I am no longer the leader of the Gu God Cult. Go back," Mr. Yu replied, his tone indifferent.

"That won't do. If I fail to bring you back, the elders will punish me," the girl said, her tone turning more serious.

"The royal family of Yue Country, along with the major cultivating families, are all moving against our Gu God Cult.

"Our situation is dire. We need you to return and lead us."

The girl took a candied fruit from her waist pouch, popped it into her mouth, and chewed thoughtfully as she stared at Mr. Yu, her expression now firm.

"And what if I refuse?" he asked, his tone unchanged.

"Then I'll have no choice but to act against you."

Her crimson eyes locked onto Mr. Yu, her delicate face adorned with a playful smile. But beneath that smile was a chilling sharpness.

"And do you think you're capable of defeating me?" he asked, his voice as calm as still water.

"How would I know unless I try? The elders say my gu-cultivation skills are quite advanced," the girl replied, a faint chuckle escaping her lips.

Whoosh!

A sudden gust of wind slammed open the study's windows.

Shadowy figures silently slipped into the room—ghastly corpse puppets with greenish faces, sharp fangs, and a foul stench of rot that was nauseating.

These creatures growled lowly, their eyes brimming with malice as they glared at Mr. Yu, ready to tear him apart at a moment's notice.

But before they could act, something unexpected happened.

One by one, the corpse puppets fell to their knees, heads bowed, their mouths opening wide.

Golden gu worms, glistening and writhing, crawled out from their mouths and swarmed toward Mr. Yu. Without hesitation, the worms scurried into his sleeves and disappeared from sight.

The sight stunned the girl in the blue skirt. Her crimson eyes widened in disbelief.

"It seems the elders haven't told you who invented these corpse gu," Mr. Yu said, finishing the last of the essays on his desk. He methodically organized them and placed them on a nearby bookshelf before turning back to the girl.

She continued to stare at him, her stunning features now tinged with a coldness that matched her icy demeanor.

She had heard stories about the former leader's immense power, but this was the first time she had witnessed it. She had thought to test his abilities, but his effortless command over the corpse gu had far exceeded her expectations.

"Go back and tell the elders that I, Yu Chunqiu, have severed all ties with the Gu God Cult.

"I want no part in anything concerning the cult.

"All I seek is a quiet life here, teaching and sharing knowledge."

Mr. Yu turned to face her, his expression calm yet resolute.

"And that's your reason for refusing to return?" she asked, her voice laced with icy sarcasm. "If that's the case, I'll simply kill everyone in this village right now."

"I'd advise against that," Mr. Yu replied.

"Oh? What's this? The great former leader of the Gu God Cult, developing feelings for the people in this village?" she taunted, her crimson eyes gleaming with mockery.

"No. It's just a friendly warning: don't court death."

"And why not?"

"There's an old Daoist outside the village with an unfathomable cultivation level. If you act recklessly here, he'll end your life in an instant," Mr. Yu said casually.

"Of course, if you dare to cause trouble within this village, you won't even need to worry about him. I'll kill you myself."

The weight of his words hung in the air, each syllable calm yet carrying a terrifying authority.

The girl's confidence wavered as she recalled the uneasy feeling she'd had when approaching the village. There had been a faint yet oppressive presence outside the village, chilling her to the core.

Now, hearing Mr. Yu's warning, she finally understood the source of her unease.

"I never expected you to go to such lengths for this village," she said softly, her crimson eyes narrowing as she studied him intently.

"There are many of my students here, as well as friends," Mr. Yu replied calmly, retrieving a copy of the Jade Zhai Heart Sutra from the bookshelf. He returned to his desk and began flipping through the pages by candlelight.

"To think our Gu God Cult once had such a useless leader. It's a disgrace!"

Frustrated by her inability to compel him, the girl in the blue skirt rose abruptly, her expression indignant. She turned to leave but halted mid-step. Spinning back, she glared at Mr. Yu.

"Give me back those corpse gu!" she demanded coldly.

"I'm afraid that won't be possible," he replied without looking up.

"You…"

"Fine. I'll remember this. One day, I'll settle this score with you personally," she snapped, her voice trembling with anger. Your adventure continues at My Virtual Library Empire

Defeated, the girl stormed out of the study in a flash, her frustration plain.

As for the corpse puppets that had been kneeling in the study, they dissolved into gray ash with a wave of Yu Chunqiu's sleeve. The ash floated out through the open windows, disappearing into the night.

The Next Day.

Yun Yanshuang and Yun Yantian set out for Yunzhang County on their mission to join forces with the Lanlin Sun family and capture the Gu God Cult followers lurking in the Chuyun Mountains.

At the gates of the Yunzhang County office, Lu Zizai stood waiting with County Captain Chang Yuan and a group of officials. Spotting the approaching siblings, Lu Zizai quickly stepped forward with his entourage to greet them.

"Honored young masters, I am Lu Zizai. It's an honor to meet you!"

"Lord Lu," Yun Yantian replied, clasping his hands in greeting.

"We are counting on the two of you to lead the effort in capturing the Gu God Cult followers in the Chuyun Mountains," Lu Zizai said with a fawning smile.

He was well aware of their capabilities. Just last year, they had dealt with a troublesome ghost fox that had been wreaking havoc in the county, resolving a significant issue for Yunzhang County.

Now, with the Gu God Cult stirring trouble, he was confident that these two would succeed in their mission.

"By the order of our family, we will do our utmost," Yun Yantian assured him.

"That's most reassuring."

"Additionally, this is Chang Yuan, the county captain. He will lead a thousand soldiers to escort you to the Chuyun Mountains, where you'll join forces with the Lanlin County troops.

"From there, the two of you may direct the operations as you see fit," Lu Zizai explained, introducing Chang Yuan.

"Chang Yuan greets the honored young masters," the captain said, bowing respectfully.

"You're too kind, Captain," Yun Yantian replied courteously.

"Honored young masters, shall we depart immediately?" Chang Yuan asked, gauging their readiness.

"Let's set out now," Yun Yantian said. "The sooner we complete this task, the sooner we can report back to our family."

"Please, step inside the carriage," Chang Yuan said, gesturing toward the waiting vehicle.

With that, Yun Yanshuang and Yun Yantian boarded the carriage, while Chang Yuan mounted his horse and took the lead. The thousand-strong force departed Yunzhang County in an impressive procession, heading toward the Chuyun Mountains.

At the foot of the Chuyun Mountains, an encampment had already been set up, housing a thousand soldiers from Lanlin County. The soldiers patrolled the camp diligently, maintaining a constant state of alertness.

Inside one of the tents, Sun Fenglin and his brother sat with another youth. The third figure was slightly burly, his muscular frame complemented by thick eyebrows and tanned skin.

This was Sun Fengli, another spiritual-root cultivator from the Lanlin Sun family. His cultivation had reached the peak of the first stage of the Embryonic Breath Realm, just a step away from breaking through to the second stage.

However, due to the family's limited resources, he had been unable to make the breakthrough, forcing him to quietly build up spiritual energy as he waited for the right opportunity.

"I heard two spiritual-root cultivators from Yun Cang Yun family are coming?" Sun Fengli asked.

"Yes," Sun Fenglin confirmed.

"Fenglin-ge, you've met them before, haven't you? What are they like? Are they strong?" Sun Fengli asked with a grin, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.

"Their cultivation is far beyond mine," Sun Fenglin replied solemnly.

"Really? That powerful?" Sun Fengli gasped, drawing in a sharp breath.

Sun Fenglin was the strongest cultivator in their family, having reached the peak of the second stage of the Embryonic Breath Realm and nearing a breakthrough to the third stage.

That the Yun family—barely established for a year—had two cultivators stronger than Sun Fenglin was almost beyond belief.

"Yes. This is the gap between our family and the Yun family. We must work harder to grow stronger.

"Also, curb your attitude. When you meet the Yun family's cultivators, do not offend them in any way," Sun Fenglin warned sternly.