Chapter 133: The Cold Reality of the World

"Hey, take it easy, you guys!" the large white tiger growled, anxious. "Leave some for your buddy!"

Gu Weiyu couldn't help but chuckle at this. So, after all that boasting and showing off, you've ended up reaping what you sowed, haven't you?

The trio had barely filled half of their Universe Gourd when the water pool at the base of the cave dropped significantly. They didn't take everything, of course; they knew that leaving a little behind was a good way to ensure they’d be welcome if they ever returned.

The large white tiger watched them, its fur standing on end in agitation. It only breathed a sigh of relief when it saw that at least half of the jade pith remained. If the jade pith in this cave had vanished on its watch, it would surely have been drowned in the scorn of the other old-timers!

"Alright, let's go." Gu Weiyu reached out, satisfied, and tugged at the little glutton.

"No, I still want more!" The little sprout’s tender leaves swayed frantically in protest.

"Stop eating!" Gu Weiyu pinched one of the sprout's leaves. Look at this little thing—it hadn't been long, yet the stalactites it had been feeding on had already changed color from being drained dry!

The large white tiger was shaking its head and swishing its tail, turning to head out, when a sudden *clack* echoed through the cave. It instinctively looked back and saw that a perfectly fine, hanging stalactite had snapped in the middle for no apparent reason, crumbling into a pile of dust.

The white tiger cast a suspicious gaze at Gu Weiyu and her companions. Those stalactites looked delicate and translucent, but they were actually incredibly sturdy. How could one just shatter like that?

Gu Weiyu tucked the little sprout back into her dantian and put on a bewildered expression, deciding that the best course of action was to feign ignorance and play it cool.

"Huh, what happened to that strange vine demon?" the white tiger muttered to itself.

Gu Weiyu gave a dry laugh. "Old Bai, is something wrong?"

The white tiger was eager to see them off and didn't dwell on the matter.

*Clack—clack—*

Before they had taken more than a few steps, a series of sounds erupted within the cave. Gu Weiyu gnashed her teeth—that damned little sprout was nothing but trouble!

The white tiger spun around abruptly, only to see that several more stalactites had broken, all of them crumbling into piles of rubble just like the last one. The tiger’s face contorted in rage. This was too much to bear! If the stalactites broke, it meant the cave would produce less jade pith in the future—this was absolutely intolerable!

It stared daggers at Gu Weiyu. "Little girl, what exactly did that vine demon of yours just do?"

"Heh—" Gu Weiyu let out a nervous laugh. "Maybe... perhaps it just drank a bit of the stalactites' essence?"

It was truly embarrassing. Not only had they helped themselves to the treasure, but they had also drained the cave's very source. It wasn't exactly a defensible position to take.

The white tiger’s eyes widened, and it was about to flare up, but remembering the terrifying figure waiting outside the cave, it had to swallow its rage.

"Old Bai, thank you for your hospitality today. Let's consider all our past grievances wiped clean from this moment on!" Gu Weiyu hurriedly smoothed things over with a beaming smile. "My great-great-grandfather is waiting outside, so we won't linger any longer!"

The white tiger let out a snort through its nose, acting haughty as it turned its massive body away, presenting its backside to the trio.

"We'll be going then." Gu Weiyu quietly tugged on her fourth sister Gu Weilan's sleeve, and they headed toward the cave exit.

Recalling that Gu Qingzhou was still outside, the white tiger felt it had to maintain appearances. It followed the three of them all the way back to the mountain peak to see them off.

Seeing the three return safe and sound, Gu Qingzhou summoned his flying ship. Once they were all aboard, the ship set off once more toward the county seat. Gu Weiyu planned to head to the Gu family residence in the city first to collect Little Stone before returning to Green Mountain Village.

The flying ship was swift, and within a quarter of an hour, the county seat appeared in the distance. The rising sun was just peeking over the horizon to the east, bathing the earth in golden light. A new day had begun.

People in the city were beginning to stir, and outside the city gates, a long line of people from various mountain villages had already begun to form. The ship glided in from high above and landed directly in front of the Gu estate.

The Gu estate was bustling. The commotion at Taihe Residence the previous night had been far too loud. However, the servants of the Gu house couldn't even protect themselves, let alone intervene in the affairs of their masters. The heads of the household were either bedridden with grave injuries or had been driven away by Chu Xingyun. Those who remained were merely young children who had just begun to channel energy; they had slept soundly through the night and were powerless to help even if they had heard the noise. As for the other residents in the eastern part of the city, they were all too busy looking out for their own skins to meddle in the Gu family's business.

Everyone had managed to stay out of trouble overnight. Once dawn broke and news spread that Chu Xingyun had departed and not returned, the people’s spirits lifted, leading to the bustle of the morning. As soon as Gu Qingzhou appeared, he was ushered into Taihe Residence by the servants.

Gu Weiyu and the others followed him inside. In the main hall, Gu Qun, a man with a full head of white hair and a long beard, broke down like a child the moment he saw Gu Qingzhou. "Big Brother—"

Seeing her third great-grandfather like this, Gu Weiyu felt her eyes grow hot with tears. Gu Qingzhou, whose gaze was usually as calm as a still lake, felt a ripple of emotion. He reached out and gently wiped the tears from his younger brother’s face.

"Third Brother—" Gu Qingzhou patted Gu Qun’s shoulder, offering silent comfort.

After a long while, Gu Qun finally regained his composure. He had been living in terror for the past three years, and now that his eldest brother had returned safe and sound, his heart finally felt at peace.

"That wretch, Chu Xingyun..." Once calm, Gu Qun remembered the events of the previous night and couldn't help but ask.

"Third Great-Grandfather, he is already dead," Gu Weiyu interjected.

Gu Qun’s gaze fell upon the three of them; only then did he realize how many people were in the room. He had been so emotional upon seeing Gu Qingzhou that he hadn't noticed them at all. Recalling his recent "outpouring of emotion," his old face flushed red. However, having served as the head of the family for so many years, he was quite adept at managing his emotions.

He quickly recovered, and upon hearing that Chu Xingyun was dead, he clapped his hands with satisfaction. "Good! He deserved to die!"

He then turned to the topic of Gu Qingshi. "Little Eleven, I’ve already sent people to bring your younger brother to the Emerald Bamboo Courtyard where you used to live."

A smile bloomed on Gu Weiyu's face. "Thank you, Third Great-Grandfather, for your thoughtful arrangements."

"Alright, the Gu clan has finally come through the darkness into the light. You’ve all had a long, exhausting night, so go and get some rest. We shall discuss other matters in due time." Seeing the weariness on the faces of his young descendants, and feeling the toll of a night spent in anxiety himself, Gu Qun spoke with gentle concern.

Gu Weiyu was anxious to see her younger brother, Gu Weilan had no objections, and as for Xu Weizhou, he was never one for many words.

"Great-Great-Grandfather, Third Great-Grandfather, I shall take my leave now," Gu Weiyu said, bowing respectfully.

Gu Weilan followed suit. "I take my leave as well!"