Chapter 206: Going Home, Celebrating the New Year

Due to his identity with the Six Doors, Chen Xiuyuan could only guide Gu Mo and Gu Chudong to the border of Mo North. He then allowed the siblings, Gu Mo and Gu Chudong, to return to Linjiang County on their own. Naturally, his 'living map' ability was limited to Mo North, as he had lived there for decades. Once they entered Yunzhou territory, he was actually less familiar with the area than the Gu siblings.

However, although Gu Mo and Gu Chudong were from Yunzhou, they primarily stayed in Linjiang County and were not familiar with the other prefectures. Therefore, they hired a security escort service to take them back to Linjiang County.

The journey was long and arduous. It wasn't until mid-December that the siblings finally returned to Linjiang City.

Upon returning to their familiar home, Gu Chudong felt a wave of emotion. This trip marked the first time she and Gu Mo had been away for such an extended period—nearly nine months—since Qu Heng brought them to Linjiang County five or six years ago.

From the moment she stepped into Linjiang City, Gu Chudong's mood significantly brightened. She skipped as she walked, finding everything on the street comforting. By the time they reached Old Wild Goose Alley, she had already bought so many items that both horses were fully loaded.

"Finally home!" Gu Chudong pushed open the door and quickly ran to the pond in the courtyard, exclaiming with surprise, "Brother, those two fish really grew! But why is that turtle still so small?"

Gu Mo chuckled softly, "As the saying goes, 'a thousand years for a turtle, ten thousand for a tortoise.' If you want the turtle to grow, you'll have to wait a very long time!"

"Oh, I see," Gu Chudong mumbled, not really caring if the turtle grew as long as it was still there. She then ran across the covered walkway to the main house, took a key from a book-box, and unlocked the door.

Gu Mo followed, surprised that there was no smell of mold or dust when the door opened. This was highly unusual, as Linjiang County didn't lack rain, and a house left unoccupied for so long should have developed an odor. The pond in the courtyard was equally strange; after nine months without cleaning, it should have been filled with rotting leaves and reeked.

"Xiaoxiao is so good!" Gu Chudong exclaimed, "Brother, the house and courtyard are so clean, no smell at all! Xiaoxiao must have been looking after them often. Before we left, I gave her a spare key and asked her to check on the house when she had time. Hehe, she clearly did more than just 'check on it'; we can use everything directly now that we're back!"

Gu Mo's doubts were resolved. He nodded slightly and said, "Sister Xiaoxiao certainly went to a lot of trouble."

Gu Chudong said, "Brother, let's go visit Uncle Qu's house later!"

"All right."

Immediately, Gu Chudong began to busy herself.

Although the house was clean thanks to Qu Xiao, after being away for so long, there were still many things that needed organizing before they could comfortably live there. After tying up the horses, Gu Chudong first cleaned the pots, pans, and dishes. Then, she went to the market to buy firewood, rice, oil, salt, horse feed, and other necessities.

By the time dinner was finally ready, it was almost dark.

After a quick meal, the siblings went out, bought a few gifts, and headed straight for Qu Heng's house.

Upon arriving at the Qu family's door, Gu Chudong eagerly knocked, shouting, "Xiaoxiao, Xiaoxiao, open the door quickly! It's me, Chudong, I'm back!"

Footsteps quickly approached from inside the small courtyard. It was Mrs. Qu Li who opened the door. Seeing Gu Mo and Gu Chudong, she became very excited, immediately pulling them inside. Noticing Gu Mo carrying gifts, she began to prattle on, constantly complaining that he was being too polite and formal.

If anyone else had said that, Gu Mo would have considered it mere courtesy. However, coming from Qu Heng and Mrs. Qu Li, it genuinely meant they disapproved of him bringing gifts, seeing it as a sign of treating them as outsiders.

Listening to Mrs. Qu Li's rambling, Gu Mo simply smiled without speaking.

Gu Chudong, however, looked around and asked, "Auntie, where are Uncle Qu and Xiaoxiao? Are they not home?"

Mrs. Qu Li replied, "The escort service is holding its annual year-end celebration today, so your uncle and Xiaoxiao both went. They should be back soon, though."

Gu Mo had previously spent time at an escort service. He knew that the so-called "year-end celebration" was an annual summary where the proprietor distributed year-end bonuses to the staff, followed by a large celebratory meal. After that, everyone would return home and wouldn't resume work until after the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, unless there was a special circumstance requiring earlier notification.

"What is Xiaoxiao doing there?" Gu Chudong asked, puzzled.

Mrs. Qu Li led them into the house and quickly went to fetch some fruits and snacks. Hearing Gu Chudong's question, she said with a chuckle, "Xiaoxiao is working at the escort service now, as an accountant."

"Wow!" Gu Chudong's eyes lit up. "Xiaoxiao finally got what she wanted! Back when we were practicing martial arts, she was so reluctant. She loved learning arithmetic and said her dream was to be an accountant, counting money all day. Now that she really is an accountant, she must be very happy, right?"

"Happy? Nonsense!" Mrs. Qu Li laughed. "That mischievous girl just took it for granted, thinking being a female accountant was easy. Now that she's actually doing it, besides the first few days of novelty, she has to calculate every single day. How could she still like it? She's been frowning every single day!"

"Ah, how can that be? Wasn't this what she always loved?" Gu Chudong asked, confused.

Gu Mo chuckled softly, "Things in this world are never just about liking something. Most of what we 'like' is actually a self-imposed beautification from a distance, a wishful fantasy. Once you truly experience it, you'll find the reality vastly different from what you imagined."

"Is that so... I guess you're right," Gu Chudong said. "It's like the pugilistic world. Many people think it's all about gallantry, living freely, and achieving fame. But in reality, it's a brutal, blood-soaked place, and most people are just stepping stones for others to rise to prominence."

Gu Mo chuckled, "The distant pugilistic world is full of allure, but the one at your feet is nothing but trouble."

Gu Chudong mumbled, "So, isn't Xiaoxiao suffering now?"

Mrs. Qu Li smiled and said, "Tang Buyi accommodates her, allowing her to often accompany your Uncle Qu on escorts as a bodyguard. So, it's not too much of a hardship. In the past six months, with your Uncle Qu's supervision, she has also become much more sensible, diligently practicing martial arts. Your Uncle Qu says her martial arts have improved significantly."

As they were chatting, the small courtyard door was pushed open, and Qu Heng and his daughter, Qu Xiao, entered from outside.

Qu Xiao saw Gu Chudong and Gu Mo inside the house. She paused for a moment, then ran into the room with a joyful expression, embracing Gu Chudong and excitedly asking, "Chudong, when did you get back?"

"Just this afternoon!" The two girls then began to chatter animatedly.

At this moment, Qu Heng also entered. Gu Mo stood up, cupped his hands, and greeted, "Uncle Qu."

Qu Heng stepped forward, patted Gu Mo's shoulder, and said, "Good lad, you went out and caused quite a stir again! One of the Ten Grandmasters of Qian, tsk tsk tsk. I've never even met a Grandmaster in my life. I wouldn't have dared to dream that one day a junior of mine would achieve such greatness!"

Gu Mo smiled slightly and replied, "Just good fortune."

"What good fortune?" Qu Heng pulled Gu Mo to sit down and said to Mrs. Qu Li, "Go get that bottle of wine I've treasured in my room. I'll have a drink with A'Mo."

Mrs. Qu Li immediately went into the room to fetch the wine.

Qu Heng looked at Gu Mo and asked, "I heard some people in the pugilistic world saying you found the Medicine Sage Qi Miaoxuan in Qingzhou to treat your eyes. How did that go?"

Qu Xiao also turned her head and asked, "That's right, Brother A'Mo, how are your eyes?"

Gu Mo nodded slightly and said, "I did seek treatment from Qi Miaoxuan, but it still requires time to recover. I'm still applying medicine long-term, and as you can see, I'm wearing a veil to protect them from strong light."

"As long as they can heal, as long as they can heal!" Qu Heng breathed a sigh of relief.

Qu Xiao asked, "Brother A'Mo, is Qi Miaoxuan as ethereal and dignified as the legends say?"

"Let me tell you," Gu Chudong said, pulling Qu Xiao closer, "Old Senior Qi Miaoxuan and I are very familiar. He even gave me two thousand-year-old ginseng roots..."

Immediately, Qu Xiao led Gu Chudong into her boudoir. Meanwhile, Gu Mo and Qu Heng drank in the main hall, and Mrs. Qu Li went to the kitchen to cook.

Qu Heng said, "A few months ago, someone from the Canglan Sword Sect delivered a large bundle of silver notes to you. There were at least ten thousand taels, possibly more; I didn't even dare to count them, there were so many, I was afraid of losing them. They didn't tell me what it was for. Is everything alright?"

Gu Mo took a sip of wine and replied, "I killed a major wanted criminal in Qingzhou, the 'Chang Gui' who was formerly the top gangster in Yunzhou. I entrusted the Canglan Sword Sect to help me collect the bounty."

"I see, that puts my mind at ease." Qu Heng clinked his cup with Gu Mo's and asked, "What are your plans now? Are you going to establish your own sect?"

Gu Mo shook his head slightly. "I'll continue to be a Sword-for-Hire."

"You're still going to be a Sword-for-Hire? Haven't you earned enough money?"

"Purely a personal hobby."

"Alright then..." Qu Heng mused. "Oh, by the way, over the past few months, several letters have arrived intermittently from Yan Sanniang, addressed to you and Chudong. Xiaoxiao has kept them organized, and she should give them to Chudong shortly. I haven't read them, so I can't tell you what they say."

Gu Mo nodded.

Qu Heng added, "The renowned martial artist Shen Bai of the Canglan Sword Sect is getting married on the twenty-fifth day of the first lunar month next year. He sent you an invitation too. Tang Buyi is also going, so you can go together then."

"Sounds good."

That night, Gu Mo and Qu Heng talked for a long time, and Gu Mo ended up staying overnight at the Qu family's house. Gu Chudong, meanwhile, shared a room with Qu Xiao.

Both Gu Mo and Gu Chudong slept soundly. This was because they had often stayed at the Qu family's house before and were well-accustomed to the environment.

The next day, after breakfast, Gu Mo and Gu Chudong finally left the Qu family's home.

Gu Chudong now carried an extra satchel containing the silver notes from the Canglan Sword Sect and the letters sent back by Yan Sanniang.

"Sister Yan sent a letter almost every month," Gu Chudong said. "Last night, I read all of them. Sister Yan first went to Jiutai Mountain to see the sea of clouds. There, she met a reclusive nun and stayed with her for several months. Now, she's gone to Luzhou, saying she wants to visit Feitian Mountain."

"That's good," Gu Mo smiled. "She's pursuing the life she's always wanted."

"Sister Yan said she'd miss us!"

Gu Mo chuckled softly and said, "Let's go. Take me to a large pharmacy now."

Gu Chudong asked, puzzled, "What for?"

"To concoct medicine and refine poisons to aid your cultivation of the Bright Jade Skill."

"Huh?"

Gu Mo smiled without offering further explanation.

Originally, he had intended to use his Bright Jade Skill and Ice Qi to forcibly help Gu Chudong refine the Ice Silkworm once he acquired it. However, after obtaining the medical and poison scriptures, he now possessed at least ten methods to fully refine the Ice Silkworm's energy.

Initially, he wasn't very confident in using the Ice Silkworm to help Gu Chudong break through to the eighth level. But, combined with his current mastery of medicine, he was now entirely certain.

After returning to Linjiang City, Gu Mo settled into a peaceful life, experiencing a calm serenity far removed from the constant fighting.

His main tasks each day were assisting Gu Chudong in refining the Ice Silkworm and guiding her breakthrough in the Bright Jade Skill. Besides that, he continuously pondered how to merge the five different forms of true qi within his body.

Tang Buyi visited twice. After their second meeting, where they agreed to attend Shen Bai's wedding at the Canglan Sword Sect together after the New Year, Tang Buyi left Linjiang County to spend the New Year in Zhushan County.

However, Chu Yuan, the Inspector from the Six Doors, would occasionally visit Gu Mo's home to sit, drink some wine, and share a meal.

Overall, Gu Mo's life was relatively calm.

Gu Chudong, however, was cheerful every day. Every few days, she would arrange to go out with Qu Xiao to shop for New Year's goods. Even if they didn't buy anything and just spent half the day browsing, she was still tireless and joyful.

Time passed quickly, and soon it was New Year's Eve.

Coincidentally, on this very day, Gu Chudong successfully refined the Ice Silkworm, and her Bright Jade Skill consequently broke through to the eighth level—the realm of Fiery Jade Rebirth!

As the year drew to a close, Old Wild Goose Alley was bustling with activity. People came and went, and an atmosphere of busy joy permeated every corner. The "crunch, crunch" of footsteps on the snow mingled with happy chatter and laughter.

Street-side shops were adorned with colorful decorations, and vermilion lanterns hung high, swaying gently in the wind, casting a warm glow upon the snow.

Red lanterns hung everywhere in the Gu family's courtyard, creating a festive atmosphere.

However, the Gu family's courtyard was very quiet today. Since it was time for Gu Chudong's breakthrough, Gu Mo had been protecting her during the process. With both siblings inside the house, it was naturally very quiet.

As a Grandmaster of martial arts, and now possessing profound medical knowledge, Gu Mo had devised a specific method for Gu Chudong to fully absorb the Ice Silkworm's energy. After more than ten days of refinement, the Ice Silkworm's icy toxins had completely integrated into Gu Chudong's body.

At this moment, it reached a critical point. Like a great river bursting its banks, energy surged wildly. Gu Chudong seized the opportunity to break through.

For ordinary people, this was a very dangerous process. Whether it was a martial arts breakthrough or energy absorption, this stage was always perilous.

But with Gu Mo protecting her, Gu Chudong didn't need to worry about anything; she only needed to exert all her effort to break through. The process lasted a long time, continuing until darkness fell, before the icy energy within Gu Chudong's body finally calmed down.

Immediately, Gu Chudong pushed through in one go, achieving a breakthrough to the eighth level of the Bright Jade Skill.

The swirling snow gradually ceased, and ice stalactites on the eaves refracted the pale moonlight.

Gu Chudong sat still in the room, seemingly oblivious. A faint azure mist, as serene as the water of a cold pond, emanated from where her palms were clasped in a seal.

Suddenly, the sound of New Year's Eve firecrackers drifted from afar, yet it seemed as if separated by thousands of mountains and rivers.

She slowly opened her eyes. Ice crystals clung to her eyelashes, but her pupils gradually became as clear as glazed glass. The true qi within her body flowed like rivers returning to the sea, forming a closed loop within her meridians. Each circulation drew the chill qi from the heavens and earth into her Dantian, transforming it into clear light that nourished her entire body.

As her internal energy spread like a vortex, the accumulated snow outside suddenly levitated, yet remained condensed, flying wildly through the window into the room, forming swirling snow currents. Gu Chudong seemed to merge with the vast, swirling snow.

Even Gu Mo, standing by, felt a hint of chill.

Gu Chudong's breakthrough was different from a normal eighth-level Bright Jade Skill mastery. Because the Ice Silkworm was an inherently ultimate-cold spiritual treasure and the Bright Jade Skill was also an ultimate-cold technique, their fusion resulted in a qualitative leap.

At this moment, in terms of pure internal energy, Gu Chudong now far surpassed common top-tier martial artists in the pugilistic world. At least, considering when Gu Mo alone confronted six top-tier experts from Yunzhou's six major sects at Fengming Ferry, none of those six, individually, could now match Gu Chudong in terms of internal energy.

Upon reaching the eighth level, the Bright Jade Skill entered the realm of "Perfect Cycle and Clarity." True qi formed a closed loop within the body, continuously increasing rather than diminishing during circulation, creating an endless flow. Additionally, a vortex-like suction force would emerge; when internal energy was unleashed, it would generate a magnetic attraction, capable of pulling opponents into attack range or disrupting their attack rhythm. This characteristic could effectively restrict an opponent's freedom of movement in combat and even neutralize some external attacks.

Moreover, Gu Chudong's Bright Jade True Qi now contained the Ice Silkworm's icy toxins, increasing its strength by several times, and its chilling power was difficult to guard against.

However, relatively speaking, Gu Mo was more concerned with the changes at the eighth level of the Bright Jade Skill. When true qi reached the "Perfect Cycle and Clarity" and "Fiery Jade Rebirth" realms, it would cleanse and strengthen one's root bones. In martial arts, it would achieve a state of egolessness and non-duality, meaning her comprehension would also greatly increase. This state of "egolessness and non-duality" was equivalent to being able to focus completely at any time.

With these two factors combined, Gu Chudong's previously ordinary aptitude would transform into exceptional talent.

"Good, good!" After stabilizing the turbulent true qi from her breakthrough, Gu Chudong's first act was to check the time. Upon realizing it was only the *hai* hour (9-11 PM), she let out a long sigh of relief and exclaimed, "There's still time, plenty of time!"

Then, she hurried into the kitchen.

Gu Mo knew that Gu Chudong wanted to prepare a late-night feast. Although he felt that as long as they were together, a grand meal wasn't essential, he understood her intentions. So, he also went into the kitchen to help.

Gu Chudong had already prepared the ingredients for the big meal well in advance, so it was quick to cook. Additionally, Gu Mo luxuriously used his true qi to fuel the fire, and in just half an hour, the grand meal was ready, filling a large table with dishes.

Given that it was New Year's Eve, Gu Mo, for the first time ever, allowed Gu Chudong to drink alcohol.

After they finished their meal, Gu Chudong pulled Gu Mo to the rooftop to watch the fireworks.

The night was deep, dark as lacquer, with only the sprawling fireworks illuminating the somber sky.

The siblings sat side by side on the snow-covered roof tiles, their forms seemingly enveloped in a layer of clear light.

Ice stalactites hung from the eaves, reflecting fragmented light under the fireworks, appearing like stars falling to the human world.

A thin layer of snow rested on the siblings' shoulders, yet they felt no cold. Gu Chudong gently brushed away the snowflakes from Gu Mo's hair, then slightly leaned her head on his shoulder, her eyes reflecting the brilliant fireworks.

In the city's streets and alleys, crowds surged, and laughter rose and fell. Children frolicked and ran in the snow, clutching unspent firecrackers in their hands, their "pop-pop-bang" sounds weaving into a joyous New Year's song. Street-side shops were brightly lit, and vermilion lanterns swayed in the cold wind, casting warm yellow halos onto the snow.

Fireworks continuously exploded across the sky; some danced like silver serpents, others bloomed like golden chrysanthemums, and some resembled streaks of falling meteors.

"Brother," Gu Chudong whispered softly, a hint of expectation in her voice, "Do you think we'll be able to watch fireworks like this every year from now on?"

Gu Mo nodded slightly, chuckling, "Of course. From now on, year after year, these fireworks will always be with us."

"And you'll always be with me?"

"Yes, I will."

The light of the fireworks illuminated the two of them, casting two intertwined shadows.