It was the sixth day after Gu Wanchang returned to Emerald Maple Mountain.

Spiritual Qi surged over the mountain, and purple qi rolled in from the east. An oppressive aura weighed on every cultivator there, leaving them restless and uneasy.

Gu Wanchang sprang from his chair as he felt the pressure. "Activate the Mountain-Protecting Grand Formation! Everyone below Foundation Establishment, return to your cave abodes. No one is to come out without my order!"

Having given his instructions, Gu Wanchang hurried toward the location where Gu Xuanzhan was undergoing secluded cultivation.

Not long after he arrived, Gu Wanhua and Gu Shiwen arrived together.

Gu Shiwen had been at Foundation Establishment for less than a year. Standing outside the cave, he felt his heart flutter with unease.

The three stood outside the stone entrance without speaking a word.

Inside the cave, bathed in descending purple qi, Gu Xuanzhan felt the water and fire True Essence within his body multiply severalfold. He swallowed a Thick Earth Pill and placed his hand upon the Heaven-Fusing Stone, drawing in the spiritual qi it contained.

The earth-attribute Spiritual Qi regulated the water and fire True Essence inside his body, providing him with sufficient True Essence to guide and condense the gathering purple qi.

The purple qi in the air was slowly absorbed into his body, causing Gu Xuanzhan to frown slightly.

Perhaps his foundation was too profound, for the earth-attribute spiritual power within him showed faint signs of falling short. Daring not hesitate, he retrieved the Supreme Grade Spirit Stone given to him by Gu Changhuan and began drawing upon its spiritual qi.

Before long, the purple qi was entirely absorbed.

A human-shaped cloud of white mist emerged from his body and shrank to less than three cun tall. It was his Soul.

His Soul entered the Dantian. Inside was a Purple Core formed from purple qi.

Gu Xuanzhan's Soul sat cross-legged before the Purple Core, eyes almost closed, as though contemplating something.

Some exceptionally talented cultivators, when advancing to the Purple Mansion, could comprehend a divine ability, typically possessing formidable power.

A quarter-hour later, his Soul opened its eyes, rose, and walked toward the Purple Core.

An opening appeared in the Purple Core, and his Soul stepped through.

Within the cave abode, Gu Xuanzhan opened his eyes. Centered upon him, a spiritual qi vortex more than three hundred zhang wide whirled across the sky above.

"Twenty-first Uncle has reached Purple Mansion! The ancestors have blessed us. The Gu Clan is a Purple Mansion clan again!" Tears ran down Gu Wanchang's face.

Gu Wanhua and Gu Shiwen were thrilled too, though neither felt it as deeply as Gu Wanchang. Even so, his words brought them close to tears.

For so many years, ever since the founding ancestor passed away, the Gu Clan had never produced another Purple Mansion expert. Meanwhile, the Fang Clan and Zhang Clan had always retained their Purple Mansion status; though they were allied clans, the Gu Clan had inevitably been forced to make concessions on numerous matters.

No one understood the resulting loss of resources and benefits more clearly than Gu Wanchang.

Yet now, the Gu Clan had its own Purple Mansion expert once more! They were a Purple Mansion family again!

From this day forward, a new era would begin.

Though ordinary Gu clan members on Emerald Maple Mountain did not fully understand what had transpired, several elders of the Shi generation could readily guess.

An old man in a wheelchair wept at the sight of the vortex above the peak. Both his legs were gone, and one arm. What terrible battle had left him like that?

"We have our own Purple Mansion cultivator now... If we'd had one back then, we wouldn't have... Good. Good. It won't happen again..." His murmurs faded, and his breathing stopped. He died smiling.

Two hours later, Gu Xuanzhan opened his eyes, beaming.

"You may all enter!"

Hearing his command, the three stepped cautiously into the cave abode.

"Young Shiwen has also reached Foundation Establishment. Not bad. But where are Wanhao and Changhuan?"

Before Gu Wanchang could offer his congratulations, he heard the twenty-first uncle pose his question.

"They're at the market, Twenty-first Uncle. Should we call them back?"

"Yes, call them back. I've been in seclusion a long time. How long until the Nine Perches Market Competition?" Gu Xuanzhan suddenly asked.

"Less than ten months."

"Then let the Purple Mansion Celebration be held before the competition!" With that, Gu Xuanzhan reached into his Storage Bag and produced several items.

"Take these."

Never expecting to receive celebratory gifts at their advanced age, Gu Wanchang and the others accepted them with a mixture of amusement and gratitude.

They accepted the gifts, exchanged a glance, and offered their congratulations together.

"Congratulations on reaching Purple Mansion!" Gu Wanchang and Gu Wanhua addressed him as Twenty-first Uncle; to Gu Shiwen, he was Twenty-first Granduncle.

Gu Xuanzhan smiled and waved his hand.

"Enough, enough. You've paid your respects, and I'm tired. We can talk tomorrow."

Understanding that secluded cultivation for so long would leave anyone drained, the three took their leave.

Nine Perches Market.

Gu Wanhao abruptly received a Communication Talisman from Gu Wanchang. After reading its contents, he burst into hearty laughter, loud enough for customers inside the Wanbao Pill Pavilion to hear.

The customers wondered what could make a Foundation Establishment cultivator laugh so freely.

Had he refined a new batch of Pills?

They soon learned the truth.

"Today is a day of great celebration! An elder of our Gu Clan has achieved the Purple Mansion realm! To celebrate with all fellow daoists, every pill at the Wanbao Pill Pavilion is twenty percent off today!"

The Gu Clan had produced a Purple Mansion ancestor!

Everything was twenty percent off today!

These two pieces of news struck the patrons like a thunderbolt.

Those who had originally intended to purchase only a single bottle of pills immediately bought three!

"Give me three bottles of Spirit-Concealing Pills!"

"I want five portions of Spirit-Nurturing Powder!"

"Give me ten bottles of Spirit-Nurturing Pills!"

Only a fool would pass up such a bargain!

Some patrons even rushed out to fetch their friends before returning for a second round.

Gu Changde's hands did not rest for a moment as he counted Spirit Stones, and the smile on his face never faded.

The family had produced a Purple Mansion ancestor! From today onward, he was a member of a true Purple Mansion family!

Gu Changde straightened his posture, though the moment a customer stepped into the Wanbao Pill Pavilion, he instinctively bowed again.

"What can I get you, Fellow Daoist? All Pills are twenty percent off today!"

Business was so brisk that even Gu Changhuan and Gu Shiyou, both busy refining pills, had to come out to assist. By nightfall, several types of spirit pills were completely sold out.

Such a public and extravagant celebration by the Gu Clan could hardly be concealed from the other three clans.

Within an hour of the sale beginning, the news had traveled by various routes from Nine Perches Market to the other three clans' mountains.

The Zhang Clan and Fang Clan both possessed their own Purple Mansion ancestors, and consequently reacted with relative calm.

The Yu Clan, however, was a different story entirely.

Upon receiving the report, Yu Daoyan immediately convened a meeting of the elders. When the news was announced, the Yu Clan elders found themselves weighed down by far more worry than joy.

Among the four clans of the Nine Perches Mountains-the Fang, Zhang, Gu, and Yu-there were now three Purple Mansion ancestors. Whichever clan lacked a Purple Mansion expert found itself in an awkward and precarious position.

Inside the Yu Clan's conference hall, three Foundation Establishment elders and seven Qi Condensation Realm elders sat in absolute, oppressive silence, none willing to speak first.

At last, Yu Daoyan, the clan leader, broke the silence.

"Speak if you have an idea. Whatever we decide, someone has to propose it first. The future of more than three hundred clan members is in our hands."