Chapter 9
Chapter 9
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 9
Chapter Title: Three Years
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### **Chapter 9 – Gao Peiyao**
At the Yuelai Inn, in a private room on the second floor facing the street, **Chen Jianghe** sat by the window, holding a cup of tea. He sipped slowly, his gaze fixed on a figure down below — **Yu Daniu**.
It had been a year since they last met. Yu Daniu seemed even taller now — over two meters, towering above the crowd in the marketplace, his presence impossible to miss.
Chen Jianghe watched him for nearly fifteen minutes. Yu Daniu loitered near the entrance of the inn but hesitated to step inside.
He was likely still brooding over the unpleasant quarrel at last year’s gathering, unsure whether to uphold their three-man pact.
That time, **Old Gao** had scolded him harshly, and Yu Daniu, already vexed after being swindled out of Spirit Sand by **Wang Kui**, had let his youthful temper flare. The two ended up shouting at each other.
Chen Jianghe took another calm sip of tea, showing no sign of impatience, simply waiting for Yu Daniu to make up his mind.
Their relationship wasn’t forged by unbreakable bonds; they had merely been drawn together because their territories bordered one another — and because Old Gao, being a **mid-stage Qi Refining** cultivator, could occasionally offer them some cultivation guidance.
If neither Yu Daniu nor Old Gao came today, Chen Jianghe wouldn’t press the matter. Their agreement would simply dissolve.
After another moment of hesitation, Yu Daniu finally seemed to steel himself and walked through the doors of Yuelai Inn, heading for the agreed private room.
“Brother Jianghe.”
“Ah, Daniu, you’re here.”
Chen Jianghe smiled, gesturing for him to sit, poured him a cup of tea, and waited for Old Gao’s arrival.
“Hasn’t Old Gao come yet?”
Yu Daniu’s tone carried a trace of disappointment. His eyes avoided Chen’s, and guilt flickered across his face.
Chen nodded. “Not yet.”
“Brother Jianghe,” Yu Daniu said with a sigh, “I was too reckless that day. I know Old Gao only meant well, but I was blinded by anger after Wang Kui’s trickery and ended up arguing with him. I regretted it ever since.
Do you think he’s still angry and won’t come because of me?”
Hearing this, Chen Jianghe guessed that Old Gao had indeed gone out traveling during the **Fish Slumber Period** without telling Yu Daniu — and even he wasn’t sure whether Old Gao was still upset.
“Don’t worry,” Chen reassured him. “It’ll be fine.”
Although Old Gao had written to Chen before leaving, he hadn’t mentioned his destination.
Two months passed, and when Chen sent him a letter in return, no reply came. He had no idea whether Old Gao had come back.
If Old Gao didn’t show up tonight, there were only two possibilities:
One, he had left and never returned.
Two, he truly meant to end their pact because of Yu Daniu.
Just as guilt clouded Yu Daniu’s heart and Chen Jianghe drifted into thought, the door slid open. Old Gao stepped in.
His face looked far older — eyelids drooping, eyes dim and clouded, his aura faint and unstable. His life, Chen thought, was nearing its end.
“Jianghe, Daniu,” Old Gao greeted softly.
When his gaze fell on Yu Daniu, a kindly smile touched his lips.
“Old Gao,” Chen Jianghe greeted back with a nod and a smile.
Seeing the aged face before him, Yu Daniu stepped forward, voice filled with remorse.
“Old Gao, I was immature back then. I failed to appreciate your good intentions and spoke out of turn. Please forgive me.”
“Haha, think nothing of it,” Old Gao said, patting the young man’s arm. “I was too harsh myself.”
The rift between them, never deep to begin with, vanished in an instant.
Chen Jianghe was pleased to see this; after all, there were benefits to keeping their trio intact.
Then, noticing someone behind Old Gao, Chen’s eyes fell on a young girl.
She wore a faded light-blue dress and hid shyly behind him, peeking out timidly. A few loose strands framed her face, her almond eyes filled with nervousness, and her thin lips toyed with a lock of her hair.
Her complexion was sallow, as though from malnutrition, but her features were delicate — she looked to be around thirteen or fourteen years old.
Yu Daniu, too, turned curious at the sight.
Old Gao took her hand and gently pulled her forward.
“This is my granddaughter, **Gao Peiyao**.
Peiyao, these are the two brothers your grandpa told you about — **Chen Jianghe** and **Yu Daniu**.”
Lowering her head, Gao Peiyao stole a quick glance at the two men.
“H… Hello, Brother Jianghe, Brother Daniu.”
Her voice was barely audible, and she quickly retreated behind Old Gao again.
Old Gao chuckled apologetically.
“Peiyao grew up in the village. She’s timid and shy — please don’t mind her.”
“How could we?” Chen Jianghe said kindly. “She’s a quiet, lovely young lady.”
He invited everyone to sit, then called for the attendant to bring in food.
It was his turn this year to pay for their annual meal — one grain of Spirit Sand for four dishes and a pot of common Immortal Wine.
At first, Gao Peiyao didn’t dare touch the food, but the aroma soon betrayed her hunger. Her stomach growled, and she hesitantly picked up her chopsticks.
Seeing Chen and Daniu laughing and chatting happily with Old Gao, she relaxed a little. Hunger took over, and soon enough, she cleaned out all four dishes by herself.
Amused, Chen Jianghe ordered another round of dishes — four more, costing thirty taels of silver.
“Jianghe, you’ve spent too much on us,” Old Gao said with guilt in his tone.
Chen smiled warmly.
“It’s our first time meeting little sister Peiyao. It’s only proper that I host.”
Though known for his frugality, Chen wasn’t stingy.
From their earlier conversation, he had gathered that the young girl — though still a mortal — was not only Old Gao’s granddaughter but likely his chosen heir.
This frail, undernourished girl possessed a **four-element pseudo spiritual root**, far surpassing both his and Daniu’s talents.
Chen couldn’t help but suspect she wasn’t truly Old Gao’s granddaughter.
The story didn’t add up — Old Gao had said he’d joined the **Mirror Moon Lake Yun Clan** as a **Fishery Farmer** in his mid-teens and hadn’t left for over seventy or eighty years. So where did this granddaughter come from?
Most likely, when Old Gao sensed his end drawing near, he left during the Fish Slumber Period to find a young cultivator with spiritual roots to inherit his legacy.
After decades of work, even a low-ranking Fishery Farmer would have saved a modest fortune.
And for a Qi Refining cultivator over sixty years old, it made sense not to spend any more resources on himself.
So yes — Old Gao probably had savings, perhaps even substantial ones.
But venturing out to find a spiritual heir was risky; people have been robbed and killed for less.
Still, fortune favored him — he returned alive, with a rare four-element pseudo spiritual root disciple in tow. Truly, a stroke of great luck.
Or perhaps it was **Gao Peiyao’s** fate that led Old Gao to her — destiny’s hand guiding her toward the immortal path.
“Brother Jianghe is right,” Yu Daniu said heartily. “Next year, I’ll help take good care of little sister Peiyao too.”
Old Gao bowed his head gratefully on her behalf, asking them both to look after her in the years to come.
And with that, their small annual gathering came to an end.
**(End of Chapter)**