The Yan Family of Gu Yu Mountain

1,473 words

“I will continue traveling with you all as well,” the Red Lotus Hermit said, quite simply. “Excellent, excellent! Brother Han, I assume you have also made up your mind?” the Taoist asked, looking very pleased. Hearing this, Han Li hesitated. By all logic, as a newcomer, continuing to follow this small group should be the best choice. Yet, for some reason, he couldn’t shake a feeling of unease. It was as if following this course would definitely lead to regret. “I think I’ll decide after the trade meet is over. There’s no rush,” Han Li said with a faint smile, deciding to stall for now. “Eh!” Han Li’s words clearly caught the others off guard. Qing Wen and the rest looked somewhat stunned. “Brother Han, what is there to hesitate about? Only by banding together as rogue cultivators can we avoid being bullied. Besides, I’m very interested in how you saw through my stealing technique. I was hoping we could spar more in the days ahead!” Wu Jiu Zhi said, a bit dissatisfied. Han Li did not take offense at the youth’s words. He just smiled and remained silent. “Hehe, Brother Han didn’t say he definitely wouldn’t travel with us, only that he wanted to think it over. That’s only natural!” the Qing Wen Taoist quickly interjected to smooth things over. “Exactly. Master Qing Wen’s words speak to my heart. I do have some difficult circumstances, which is why I need to be cautious,” Han Li said, appearing deeply grateful to the Taoist, showing an expression of being understood. “If that’s the case, then consider me as having meddled,” the youth said, feeling as if he had put himself in an awkward position, and became quite displeased. Qing Wen Taoist smiled helplessly, giving Han Li a silent look of apology, like an elder brother indulging a mischievous younger brother. Han Li naturally did not take this matter to heart. Since this issue was resolved for now, everyone rose and took their leave. Han Li also found an empty room on the second floor and settled in.

The next day, except for the monk and Han Li, everyone else left their small building to set up their stalls together. At this time, the monk was still reciting sutras in the first-floor hall, while Han Li, in his room, gently stroked a stack of talisman paper, lost in thought. “This so-called low-grade talisman paper... it has a faint spiritual light flickering on it. It’s indeed vastly different from ordinary mortal talisman paper. It seems either its raw materials are special, or it requires some kind of magical treatment,” Han Li mused. He had taken out this talisman paper to practice the “Spirit-Fixing Spell” he had learned earlier. But then it struck him that drawing a Spirit-Fixing Talisman required more than just the paper; it also needed a brush and cinnabar. Both of these items seemed to be available for purchase at the cultivators’ stalls. Could it be that these items, too, couldn’t be mortal products and had to be specially made by cultivators? With this thought, Han Li could no longer sit still in his room. He decided to go find the monk. After all, it was no secret that he was a new cultivator, so he might as well go and ask directly. “Your thoughts are correct, Benefactor. To successfully draw a spirit talisman, you not only need talisman paper refined from special materials, but also cinnabar mixed with the blood of demon beasts, which contains spiritual energy. As for the brush, it depends on the situation,” Ku Sang Monk said calmly after hearing Han Li’s question. “Master Ku Sang, what do you mean by ‘depends on the situation’?” Han Li asked seriously, sitting cross-legged across from the monk, showing no sign of embarrassment. “For us cultivators drawing spirit talismans, the brush we use can be a brush made from the spirit hairs of a demon beast. Or, we can use charcoal pens made from natural treasures to draw the talismans. These can increase the success rate and the power of the talismans. But if conditions are poor, even a common mortal brush will do; it’s just that the success rate would be pitifully low,” the monk said, shaking his head slightly, as if he did not approve of Han Li using the last method. “Thank you for the guidance, Master. I’ll go out and see if I can trade for a talisman brush,” Han Li said, standing up and cupping his fist toward the monk. “Go slowly, Benefactor,” the monk said, closing his eyes again to resume his meditation. It seemed he had to go out today. He remembered that the brush and cinnabar were not cheap, costing around six or seven low-grade spirit stones. Was he really going to have to sell the “Flight Talisman” he had just obtained? Thinking this to himself, Han Li walked out of the small building and headed toward the trading ground.

It was morning, so there were already a few cultivators on the road, making it not too quiet. But from their direction, they all seemed to be heading to the trading ground. It seemed most of them were people like the Taoist, setting up their stalls. “Look! What a huge bird!” a male cultivator suddenly exclaimed. Immediately after, a massive shadow swept over the heads of cultivators, including Han Li, who were on this path. Startled, Han Li quickly looked up. A bizarre, twin-headed bird, about the size of a small calf, was flying overhead. The bird was eagle-like, but not quite, covered in gray feathers. Its wingspan was a full several zhang wide, and beneath it hung a pair of sickle-like, razor-sharp claws. On its two bare, vicious-looking heads, four small eyes glinted with a faint green light. A truly ferocious demon bird! “How ugly!” “So big!” “Catch it! It would make a perfect mount!” ... The cultivators below all stopped in their tracks, buzzing with discussion. Some even looked eager to try. “Do you have a death wish?! This is the ‘Twin-Headed Vulture,’ a spirit beast raised by the Yan family of Gu Yu Mountain, the number one cultivation clan! Someone from the Yan family is definitely on it. Are you trying to get yourself killed?” A few cold words doused the fantasies of some of the dreamers. “The Yan family? You mean the one cultivation clan, outside of the great sects, that still has a Core Formation stage cultivator?” someone blurted out in shock. “If it’s not the Yan family, then who? I arrived a bit earlier than you, so I’ve seen this ‘Twin-Headed Vulture’ before. I also know that this time, the Yan family has sent a brother and sister to participate in the arena matches of the Ascension Assembly!” another cultivator said, showing off his knowledge with smug satisfaction. “No way! The Yan family is also sending people to the Ascension Assembly? They’ve never sent anyone in previous years! This is definitely going to take away two spots!” “Exactly! What if we run into those two from the Yan family in the arena? We’d be in for a world of trouble!” ... The faces of these cultivators all darkened. Some even began to sigh and groan. Han Li, however, stared coldly at the strange bird as it disappeared into the distance, not saying a word. Judging by its appearance, it was clearly the same strange eagle that Xi Tie Niu had seen. And that pair of immortal-like young man and woman must be the Yan siblings. Han Li was lost in thought, but after this brief commotion, the cultivators nearby all went back to their own business. Finally, he smiled faintly and nonchalantly continued on his way. There were already many people in the square now. Although it wasn’t as lively as what he had seen the previous night, it was still quite bustling. Han Li touched the bottles of pills he still had in his bosom and decided to see if he could trade these medicines for something else. So, instead of entering from the original entrance, he went in from the other end of the square, planning to browse from the other side. As he walked, Han Li’s gaze constantly swept from side to side. He was captivated by the various materials and talismans on the stalls, as well as some strange and bizarre magical tools. Suddenly, Han Li stopped in front of a certain stall. He was staring, somewhat lost in thought, at a thin book on the stall. The price tag in front of this book read: “Eternal Spring Art,” a Wood-attribute foundation cultivation technique, priced at two low-grade spirit stones. “I’ll take this book,” Han Li said calmly, slowly lowering his body, flipping through the book once, and then looking up at the stall owner.

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Reading Guide Decoding

Class System, Social Tribulation, and a Terrifying Bird

Cultural / Xianxia Notes

The real meat of this chapter is the massive lore dump on Spiritual Roots. The narrator takes a break to absolutely brutalize the reader with the rules of this dog-eat-dog world. Let’s break down this cruel class system:

The Genetic Lottery (Spiritual Roots): Forget hard work or talent. In the Mortal Stream world, your entire life is determined at birth by a genetic lottery called "Spiritual Roots." This isn't a gentle "affinity"; it's a hardwired class system. Without any root? You're a mortal, period. You can't even sense spiritual qi.
The Hierarchy of Trash (False Spiritual Roots): Our protagonist, Han Li, is born with Four-Attribute False Spiritual Roots. The book explicitly calls these "trash" roots. If you have four or five elemental attributes, you're structurally deficient. You absorb qi so slowly that reaching Foundation Establishment is a near-mythical feat without monstrous luck or resources. You are destined to be a mining drone or cannon fodder in the eyes of the establishment.
The Privileged Elite (True Spiritual Roots): Those born with two or three attributes are the "True Roots." They’re the functional middle class—the stable disciples of minor sects. They can cultivate at a decent pace and have a realistic shot at Foundation Establishment, which grants them a 200-year lifespan. They are the reliable workhorses of the immortal world.
The Heaven's Favorites (Heavenly Spiritual Roots): This is the OP, "chosen one" tier. A Heavenly Spiritual Root means you have a single elemental attribute. Your cultivation speed is terrifyingly fast, and you have zero bottlenecks all the way to Core Formation. You are the golden child, the pride of any sect.
The Mutants (Mutated Spiritual Roots): A wildcard tier! These are rarer than Heaven’s Favorites and often just as powerful. They come from fusing two or more attributes (e.g., Wind from Water & Wood, Lightning from Metal & Water). They often have special combat advantages but might have odd bottlenecks later. This is the "cool but risky" class.
The System: The narration makes it crystal clear: Immortal cultivation is a system of monopolistic resource hoarding. The great sects and families occupy the best spirit veins and hoard the pills. They dangle just enough scraps (the "Ascension Assembly") to keep the bottom feeders fighting for a chance. It’s a brutal, planned economy of life and death.

Social Tribulation

A type of conflict in the Mortal Stream where the protagonist must navigate complex human relationships and political hierarchies with the same cold calculation as a physical battle.

False Spiritual Roots

Multi-attribute roots (4 or 5 elements) that are considered "trash" due to extremely slow cultivation speed and near-impossible bottlenecks.

True Spiritual Roots

Two or three attribute roots, representing the functional middle class of the cultivator world with a standard path to Foundation Establishment.

Heavenly Spiritual Root

A single-attribute root, granting terrifyingly fast cultivation and bottleneck-free advancement to Core Formation. A sign of supreme talent.

Mutated Spiritual Roots

Rare roots formed from the fusion of two or more standard attributes (e.g., Wind from Wood and Water), often granting unique combat advantages.

Chapter Overview

Welcome back, fellow Daoists! This chapter is the classic "Trade Meet Interlude" with a side of heavy worldbuilding seasoning. Our cautious protagonist, Han Li, decides to fly solo from the fledgling "rogue cultivator squad" he met last time, a decision that lets our inner paranoid veteran breathe a sigh of relief. The core of the chapter is a critical lore dump about the structured, Darwinist world of immortal cultivation, delivered through overheard conversations and the appearance of a truly terrifying mount. It’s not an action chapter, but it's a vital one that sets the stage for a major upcoming event. Get ready for some deep lore on spiritual roots and the brutal hierarchy of talent that defines the entire cultivation world!

Key Plot Points

Social Tribulation: When the Red Lotus Hermit and Qing Wen Taoist invite Han Li to join their permanent traveling group, our boy gets a bad feeling. Instead of caving to social pressure (and a pouty Wu Jiu Zhi), he plays it cool, claiming he needs to think it over. This is a masterclass in social survival—never commit before you’ve scoped out all the exits. The group disbands for the day, each to their own business.
Gathering Intel: The next morning, while the monk Ku Sang meditates and the others set up stalls, Han Li consults Ku Sang about the practicalities of talisman drawing. He learns that you can’t just use any old paper and ink—for cultivation, you need spirit-refined talisman paper and cinnabar mixed with demon beast blood. The brush can be anything from a spirit beast hair brush to a lowly mortal stick, but the success rate plummets with inferior tools.
The Arrival of Power: While walking to the trading grounds, Han Li and other cultivators witness a massive, ugly twin-headed vulture fly overhead. A know-it-all warns the crowd that this is a spirit beast from the Yan family of Gu Yu Mountain—the only cultivation clan outside the great sects that still has a living Core Formation stage cultivator. The Yan family is sending a brother-sister pair to compete in the Ascension Assembly arena, which immediately sours everyone’s mood.
A Calculated Purchase: Ignoring the existential dread of the mob, Han Li goes shopping. He finds and immediately buys a copy of the Eternal Spring Art, a wood-attribute foundation cultivation technique, for a mere two low-grade spirit stones. This shows he’s thinking long-term, even on a scouting mission.

Reading Guide

This chapter is a tutorial, but an important one. Pay close attention to the hierarchy of Spiritual Roots. It’s not just flavor text; it’s the fundamental physics of the world’s power structure and social conflict.

Han Li's Strategy: Notice how Han Li handles the social pressure. He uses a polite, deferential tone to avoid a fight, buys himself time, and doesn't burn bridges. This is "Social Tribulation"—navigating politics with the same cold logic as a physical battle. He also immediately seeks out an expert (the monk) to fill his knowledge gaps, showing his methodical nature.
The Foreshadowing: The offhand mention of the Yan family is a major red flag. They have a Core Formation cultivator! That’s like having a living nuclear weapon in a world of swords. Their participation in the Ascension Assembly means they are playing a much higher-stakes game than the other rogue cultivators. The "Twin-Headed Vulture" is a brutal visual of the power gap.
The Key Question: Why does Han Li buy the Eternal Spring Art so quickly? He already knows a version of it. This confirms his long-term goal of systemizing his foundation. He’s not just surviving; he’s planning for a deep, multi-layered cultivation path. The scene ends with him making a small, smart investment, which is exactly how a true mortal stream protagonist operates.