Gu Changhuan returned to his room at the inn, activated the internal defensive formation, and paused. Feeling uneasy, he took out an entirely separate set of defensive formations from his Storage Bag, setting them up as well until he finally felt secure.

He studied the ring's ancient, stately design. His Divine Sense was repelled when he tried to probe it, so he fed Spiritual Qi into it instead.

The ring remained completely unresponsive.

How could this be? Why would a storage ring refuse to be probed and show no reaction at all?

Gu Changhuan felt the frustration of standing before a mountain of treasures without knowing how to enter.

There was no telling how many rare treasures the ninth-tier Storage Ring held. Having it in his hands and being unable to open it was maddening!

With the ring on his hand, a thought struck him.

Could the storage artifact need to be bound to a master?

And because he was not yet its master, he could not command it?

The more he considered it, the more plausible it seemed. The most common method of binding a Dharma Artifact was through blood recognition. He drew his flying sword and sliced a clean cut across his palm.

Fresh blood welled up. Gu Changhuan dripped it onto the ring. The moment the blood touched the surface, the ring flashed with a sudden, brilliant light, drinking in every single drop without a trace.

That simple act stirred up a hornet's nest.

Gu Changhuan tried to shake the ring off, but it seemed to take root in his flesh, clinging stubbornly to the wound. He directed his Spiritual Qi toward his palm to force the injury closed, but his efforts were entirely futile.

After half a quarter-hour, just as his vision began to darken, the ring finally released him.

Gu Wanchang returned to the inn in excellent spirits. Before Gu Wanhao could ask why he looked so pleased, Gu Wanchang smiled and nodded.

"That is wonderful indeed!" Gu Wanhao could not help clapping his hands in approval.

"Senior Zhang has also agreed to take us back to the Nine Perches Mountains along the way, so we will not need to worry about our safety during the journey."

Gu Wanchang smiled as he delivered the second piece of good news.

"Then we truly owe a massive debt of gratitude to Senior Zhang. Without the protection of a Purple Mansion cultivator, I fear we would have perished on the road back to the Nine Perches Mountains."

Gu Wanhao's words were no exaggeration. To a Purple Mansion cultivator, Foundation Establishment cultivators were little more than sturdier ants. Carrying such treasures, they would have faced certain annihilation if anyone set their sights on them.

After an hour resting on his bed, Gu Changhuan finally recovered some strength and Spiritual Qi.

He picked up the ring from where it had fallen. This time, his Divine Sense slipped effortlessly into the interior.

The moment his awareness crossed the threshold, he was utterly stunned by the mountains of gleaming spirit stones piled high within.

He took out a Spirit Stone and felt his cultivation strengthen a little.

The hand holding the stone trembled slightly.

He had seen middle grade Spirit Stones before. None had come close to this one.

Simply holding it, he felt surrounded by abundant Spiritual Qi. Even the qi within his body seemed fuller.

This had to be a High Grade Spirit Stone!

He tried to steady himself, but could not hold back a burst of loud laughter.

Setting everything else aside, this small mountain of spirit stones alone was enough to elevate both himself and the Gu Clan immeasurably!

What he did not know was that these were supreme grade Spirit Stones. They had been stored for so long and lost so much Spiritual Qi that they now resembled high grade stones.

Before he could finish laughing, the restrictions on his door were triggered.

Gu Changhuan opened the barrier to find Gu Changze standing outside.

"Seventeenth Brother, we are returning to the Nine Perches Mountains with the Zhang Clan ancestor the day after tomorrow. The Great Elder asked me to let you know."

It seemed the third session had concluded. He wondered if the Clan Leader had managed to secure the appropriate Third-Tier High Grade earth-attribute spiritual material.

"Sixth Brother, has the Clan Leader returned?" Gu Changhuan asked.

Gu Changze's eyes lit up as he nodded.

"He is back, and he looks quite pleased."

Gu Changze did not know that the patriarch had attended the third session that day. He simply assumed that such a good mood must mean good news.

While Gu Changze remained unaware of the specifics, Gu Changhuan knew the exact stakes.

Hearing that the Clan Leader was in high spirits and preparing to travel back with the Zhang Clan ancestor meant he had almost certainly secured the earth-attribute spiritual material!

Gu Changhuan was overjoyed. Great-grandfather finally had a genuine chance at reaching the Purple Mansion realm.

Two days later, the Gu Clan party returned safely to Emerald Maple Mountain.

Upon arrival, Gu Wanchang went straight to the Scripture Pavilion.

Gu Xuanzhan was unaware that Gu Wanchang had secured the Third-Tier High Grade Heaven-Fusing Stone for him. Seeing him arrive in such haste, he asked, "What brings you here in such a hurry?"

Gu Wanchang took the Heaven-Fusing Stone and the Thick Earth Pills from his Storage Bag.

Gu Xuanzhan swept them with his Divine Sense, instantly grasping their purpose.

"You... ah, you truly went to great lengths." He was deeply moved, yet troubled.

"How is the family's financial state? Can we still manage this?" He remained anxious over the clan's reserves.

"Do not worry, Twenty-First Uncle. The clan can manage. We used some of what our ancestor left us, and Changhuan had a remarkable stroke of luck: he found a third-tier spirit object at a rogue cultivator's stall. He generously gave it to the clan, and I sold it at auction for a good sum. There are still Spirit Stones in the treasury."

"That child Changhuan is truly a blessing!" Gu Xuanzhan accepted the materials and clapped Gu Wanchang on the shoulder.

Advancing to the Purple Mansion was vital, but the sincerity of the younger generation warmed him even more.

With descendants like this, the Gu family was bound to prosper!

"Then I shall enter seclusion tomorrow, and I swear I will not come out before reaching Purple Mansion!" Gu Xuanzhan declared, filled with renewed resolve.

Gu Wanchang bowed deeply.

"We look forward to good news, Twenty-First Uncle!"

That night, Gu Xuanzhan received a late-night visitor at his cave abode.

"Changhuan? Come in." Before Gu Changhuan could alert him through the Formation, it opened.

"My respects, Great-Grandfather." Gu Changhuan bowed properly.

Gu Xuanzhan used a gentle current of Spiritual Qi to raise him.

"Rise. Wanchang told me everything about what happened at Cloudheaven Market. You are a good child, and your heart is in the right place."

Gu Changhuan did not dare accept the praise.

"I only did what I felt was right. The clan did the real work; my part was just a small addition."

"Following one's heart... such sincerity is far too rare in the cultivation world. You must realize that for the sake of longevity and profit, husband and wife turn against each other and father and son kill one another with startling frequency."

Gu Xuanzhan sighed softly.

"What others do is their affair. If I cannot stay true to myself, I doubt I will go far in cultivation." He continued, "I heard that you plan to remain in seclusion until you break through, Great-Grandfather. I have brought something that might help."

He retrieved a brocade box from his Storage Bag and offered it forward. Inside lay a Supreme Grade Spirit Stone of the earth attribute.

Gu Xuanzhan made a slight grasping motion in the air, and the box flew directly into his hand.

The moment he opened the box, the earth-attribute Spiritual Qi in the cave grew noticeably richer.

Gu Xuanzhan's expression flickered with sudden joy before turning grim. With a sweep of his sleeve, every single defensive formation in the cave activated at once.

"Changhuan, answer me honestly: does anyone else know you possess a spirit stone of this grade?"

Looking for more free chapters? Visit www.skynovelvault.com to read over 5,000 free chapters and continue exploring more stories from SkyNovelVault.