Chapter 1331: Inviting Chi Shang Over Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios The banquet started. In this small hall, there was only Fang Yuan, Wu An, and Chi Shang, three Gu Immortals. Wu An naturally did not play a key role, the only important thing was that Fang Yuan and Chi Shang were interacting. Fang Yuan toasted Chi Shang, speaking politely with a smile, he expressed a lot of admiration and praise towards Chi Shang’s formation path attainment. After smiling and admitting defeat, could Chi Shang bear to give him a hard time? Chi Shang was straightforward and unguarded, unschooled in interacting with others, he drank a lot of wine. He assessed Fang Yuan, looking at him in a different perspective. “This Wu Yi Hai is quite a friendly guy. What happened earlier? Was he trying to purposely anger me? Or does he have a request of me?” Chi Shang thought to himself. “I will not hide it, Chi Shang, talented people like you are the people I admire the most!” Fang Yuan laughed, toasting. Chi Shang raised his cup and drank before Fang Yuan even drank. 𝒇𝒓𝒆𝒆𝙬𝒆𝒃𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝒎 The toasting from earlier had already made Chi Shang used to this subconsciously. But Fang Yuan’s words were nice to hear. Especially when they were love rivals, such praise made Chi Shang feel deep accomplishment. “No.” “I must be alert!” “This Wu Yi Hai might be acting, he is very scheming.” Chi Shang did not let down his guard, but no matter how he looked at it, Fang Yuan’s smile was full of sincerity. Hehe, forget about Fang Yuan’s acting skills, but don’t forget attitude Gu. “Chi Shang, take a look.” Fang Yuan stretched out his arm, handing over an information path mortal Gu to Chi Shang. “What is this?” Chi Shang muttered, he looked into it and his expression changed. As it turned out, this was an information path mortal Gu that Fang Yuan was going to send to Qiao Si Liu. He praised Chi Shang in the letter, his admiration was overwhelming, he admitted his own insufficiencies, using formation path questions to challenge Chi Shang was just him overestimating himself, he was truly ignorant and could not see Mount Tai, Chi Shang was a true Southern Border hero. There was no such thing as ‘Mount Tai’ in this world, but the meaning was the same. After Chi Shang saw this letter, he felt embarrassed. Fang Yuan’s praise was too exaggerated. “Am I really so good?” “Southern Border hero, why have I never thought of that.” “What would Fairy Si Liu think after she sees this?” All sorts of thoughts appeared, Chi Shang could not contain his emotions. When he looked at Fang Yuan again, his gaze transformed. Fang Yuan directly sat beside him, Chi Shang did not feel any dislike towards this closeness. “Chi Shang, throughout the Southern Border Gu Immortal world, only you are talented enough for Fairy Si Liu, I am truly in admiration!” Fang Yuan laughed loudly. “Oh?” Chi Shang did not know what to say, he had joy on his face but also suspicions. Fang Yuan said again: “But I will not give up, all gentlemen may pursue beautiful and clever women, even though I am less talented than you, I will work harder. You won this time, but we will compete fairly again in the future! What do you think?” Hearing this, Chi Shang’s suspicions faded, he raised his cup for the first time and tasted Fang Yuan: “Yes, fair competition! A contest between gentlemen should be fair and square.” Saying this, he treated Fang Yuan as a gentleman. Fang Yuan laughed heartily, patting his shoulders: “To speak the truth, I hate the other competitors, but you are different. You are so talented and upright, I admire you. If you can get Fairy Si Liu’s love, I will bless you two, because I know that I did not lose unfairly! As for the others, they are just clowns.” Chi Shang was embarrassed from being praised, he rubbed his nose, saying: “Actually, some of them are quite strong.” “Friends are often made after a fight, come, drink!” Fang Yuan raised his cup. Chi Shang acted even more openly: “Drink!” He raised his head and gulped, drinking all of the wine in one mouthful. Next, he burped, his face turned red. “Awesome!” Fang Yuan gave a thumbs up, pouring wine for Chi Shang again. He smiled sincerely and enthusiastically, he was very friendly. But the truth was, he was calm in his mind, he thought about Chi Shang’s information. Wu clan’s intelligence was very reliable. Fang Yuan knew long ago: This Chi Shang had been noticed by Chi Qu You when he was young, he saw the talent that Chi Shang had in formation path, thus he nurtured him deeply. Chi Shang was known as the ‘formation devotee’. He was chosen when he was a youth, he was sent into a cave in Myriad Snake Mountain to study. He stayed there for thirty years. When he was forty, he came out and had rank three cultivation level, but he surpassed rank four and five Gu Masters in creating formations, his formation path attainment shocked the entire Chi clan. Next, his clansmen realized that Chi Shang had actually come out of seclusion because he lost his way and accidentally left the mountain. His performance resulted in great fame, fortune and women came to him, but he rejected them all, his only request was to return to the cave and continue his formation path research. This alerted the supreme elders. Chi Qu You permitted Chi Shang’s request, creating a cave solely for him, with attendants and servants to cater to him. Chi Shang continued his research, he was so engrossed in it, it was shocking, as if formation path was the only joy in his life. He was invested in it, regardless of what happened outside, he only stayed in his cave, engrossed in his formation path cultivation without seeing daylight. When his hair turned white and his lifespan was ending, Chi Qu You came to see him and asked: “In this life, did you regret anything? Do you have any requests before dying? Chi Shang cried loudly, saying: “Life is too short, a hundred years passes by too quickly, my formation path research still has many things left to do, how can I rest in peace? This is my biggest regret.” Chi Qu You sighed in admiration, granting him a lifespan Gu. Chi Shang obtained it, regaining his youth and lifespan. Chi Qu You talked to him about formation path, guiding him for three days and three nights before confirming that Chi Shang was the clan’s future hope, his formation path attainment could reach great grandmaster in the future! Chi Qu You did not just say it, he acted on it, nurturing Chi Shang with a lot of resources from the clan. With the clan’s help, Chi Shang’s cultivation level rose rapidly, he became an immortal. In a few decades, he became a rank seven Gu Immortal. Even though he became an immortal, his living habits did not change at all. He was still invested in formation path, he continued to research it endlessly, his closed cultivations lasted from years to over a decade. The only shocking thing was that he pursued Qiao Si Liu with a firm attitude. When news got out, Chi clan was taken aback, to think that other than formation path, Chi Shang actually liked women! After getting Wu clan’s intelligence, Fang Yuan thought that Chi Shang was an interesting person. With this knowledge, he used a special method to deal with Chi Shang instead. He did not meet with Chi Shang earlier, it was part of Fang Yuan’s scheme. He purposely used the formation path problem to challenge him, that was the second step, and this third step was the banquet. Chi Shang’s performance was not out of Fang Yuan’s expectations. Everything progressed according to plan. Not long ago, Qiao Si Liu had sent a letter according to Fang Yuan’s expectations. As the person involved, Qiao Si Liu had to express her attitude clearly. Even though she did not state it, in the letter, she talked about her first encounter with Chi Shang. According to Qiao Si Liu, back then, she visited Chi clan with Qiao clan’s orders, she was attended to by Chi clan first supreme elder’s son, Gu Immortal Chi Bang. But to think that this Chi Bang was hitting on Qiao Si Liu by using the beautiful scenery and some poems. If this were normal times, Qiao Si Liu might not get mad, but now, she was the envoy from Qiao clan, Chi Bang’s actions were disrespectful to Qiao clan, Qiao Si Liu felt resentment towards him. To deal with him, Qiao Si Liu purposely got closer to Chi Shang. Chi Bang was Chi Qu You’s son, the supposed next first supreme elder of Chi clan, he had the second highest authority in the clan, nobody dared to trifle with him except the formation devotee Chi Shang. Chi Shang did not know about the issue, he had no interest in Qiao Si Liu initially, but she purposely talked to him about formation path, and even explained some of Qiao clan’s formation path knowledge. Chi Shang was deeply attracted, he gained a lot of interest. Qiao Si Liu used Chi Shang to deal with Chi Bang, Chi Bang could not do anything, he could only apologize to Qiao Si Liu secretly. Qiao Si Liu completed the clan’s mission and returned in success, also gaining a suitor in Chi Shang. Qiao Si Liu’s letter gave Fang Yuan important information, he gained a clearer understanding of Chi clan’s internal affairs. “Chi clan’s first supreme elder has limited lifespan, he can no longer use lifespan Gu, but his son, Chi Bang, became an immortal due to his protection, he has limited capability.” “Chi Qu You knows about his son’s abilities, but he wants him to become Chi clan’s future first supreme elder, thus, after noticing Chi Shang’s personality and talent, he decided to invest in him and nurture this formation devotee.” “As long as the formation devotee protects him, Chi Bang will have a good chance of staying first supreme elder. And the formation devotee’s admiration and gratitude towards Chi Qu You will make him unable to escape the control of Chi Bang.” “Kinship... hehe.” Qiao Si Liu’s letter showed Chi clan’s internal political conflicts to Fang Yuan. And because of this problem, a genius like Chi Shang emerged. At the same time, some questions that Fang Yuan had was answered. “Come! Wu Yi Hai, let me toast you.” At this time, Chi Shang toasted Fang Yuan for the first time, breaking his train of thought. Chi Shang continued: “You are a very sincere person, when Fairy Si Liu and I get together, you do not need to be too upset. You are very talented, there are lots of women in the world, but few are well learned about formation path!”