"We'll take our leave now. As for the Tenryou Commission's request, I'll write my report based on what I've seen and experienced here."
With a serious expression, Tian Zhongji bid Gu Sanqiu farewell. What the report would ultimately contain, however, was something only the two of them could guess.
"Safe travels," Gu Sanqiu replied flatly, before turning his gaze to a grinning Arataki Itto, immediately feeling a surge of annoyance.
"I told you to focus on your work, but instead, you all went to listen to that guy spouting nonsense?"
"Heh, boss, we just couldn't help it! We've never heard stuff like that before, so we got curious."
"Fine, it's not that big of a deal. So, what about that thing you ate earlier? Did you notice any special effects?"
"Not really. Just felt warm and cozy," Itto said with a shrug. "Other than that, nothing much."
"Boss!" One of Itto's underlings piped up enthusiastically. "We talked it over and all of us feel like we're stronger than before. That was some seriously good stuff!"
Another lackey chimed in, beaming. "Hey, boss, can we take a little of it home? It's rare to come across such amazing ingredients. We'd love for our families to try it too!"
"Go ahead, but be careful about the portions. For the elderly and kids, only a small amount."
Gu Sanqiu clenched his fist, tapping Itto lightly on the chest.
"Hmm. Your condition hasn't changed much. But I think I know why."
"What's the reason, boss?"
"Your body is in a state of deficit," Gu Sanqiu explained. "It's just that your powerful bloodline force is helping you ignore it for now."
He continued, "Put it another way—your body is capable of wielding even greater strength, but due to malnutrition and insufficient energy intake, you can't reach that potential."
"Oh? So you're saying if I eat properly, I can get even stronger?" Itto's eyes sparkled with excitement.
"Not exactly. There's still an upper limit to how much your body can recover naturally. Once you reach that, you'll need hard training to grow stronger."
Gu Sanqiu shook his head. He had no patience for people with overpowered abilities, especially those whose fighting prowess remained absurdly high even while malnourished.
It was ridiculous.
Wait a second—by that logic, wasn't he also one of those overpowered types?
Hmm. Fair enough. Suddenly, Gu Sanqiu found Itto more agreeable. After all, they both belonged to the ranks of "cheat-code warriors."
"Boss, you mentioned we'd be really busy today, but it's been ages, and we've barely seen anyone show up," Itto said, scratching his head. "Apart from that last group, and only one guy actually went into the maze."
"At least show a bit of respect. Sure, that guy might have been influenced by drink or greed, and he wasn't a match for you in all-out combat. But he managed to walk out of the maze in ten minutes. That's something you couldn't do."
"Wait, really? He cleared that maze in ten minutes?" Itto's jaw dropped. "He must've cheated."
"I left only a faint trail for him to follow. Considering you got lost in there even after walking through it with me, don't you think it's time to respect people who are better than you?"
"Well... you've got a point, boss. Next time I see him, I'll definitely show some respect."
Itto couldn't deny it was embarrassing. He'd known the correct path but still failed to get through. That was enough to bruise anyone's ego.
"Alright. If anyone else shows up, let them navigate the maze themselves. If they don't cooperate, show them that stone as a warning. If they try to cause trouble, throw them out. Got it?"
"Can I fight them?" Itto's eyes lit up. "Haha, boss, leave it to me! This is my kind of job!"
"Only if they attack first. That way, it counts as self-defense, and you'll avoid unnecessary trouble."
With that, Gu Sanqiu returned to the dojo. Having Itto handle the frontlines meant he could continue refining his understanding of the power he had just fused.
"So far, the Fengxiang Scripture doesn't seem to possess any particularly unique abilities. Except for when it's paired with the family's Vision and the inherited weapon. When used together, they create a white flame armor that's incredibly effective against malevolent gods."
However, the energy seemed to violate the principle of conservation. Using the white flame in battle didn't result in even the slightest sense of depletion, as though the power was conjured from nowhere.
"Could this be the result of centuries of accumulated faith and prayers from my family?"
Gu Sanqiu frowned. That didn't seem right. If it were true, there would surely be records of it. While his ancestors had kept many secrets, it was unlikely they'd conceal such an ultimate, life-saving technique.
"Wait a second. When I used that power for the first time in combat, the malevolent god was shouting something about a 'main bloodline.' I think that's what it said..."
Given the peculiarities of the area's geography, Gu Sanqiu had no intention of summoning the power just to investigate. For now, he could only rely on his deductions.
"Alright, let's summarize what we know about these malevolent gods."
"They're remnants left behind after my ancestor destroyed them. Due to the immortality of gods and their lingering grudges, they transformed into malevolent spirits."
"If I take that as a foundational principle, then the words they shouted when I used that power—those words must hold some truth."
Gu Sanqiu furrowed his brow. "But almost every malevolent god I've faced has shouted either 'main bloodline' or 'Gu Sheng.' Do I have an ancestor named Gu Sheng?"
The Gu family didn't have a genealogical record, an absurdity for a clan with a thousand-year history. Yet it was true.
This was a critical issue. His ancestors couldn't have recklessly destroyed such an important record unless they were deliberately hiding something.
"There's no way they'd erase the family tree unless one of our ancestors is still out there, active and in need of cover."
Shaking his head, Gu Sanqiu pushed those thoughts aside, returning to the main issue.
"If we assume the ravings of these malevolent gods hold any credibility, there are two conclusions to draw."
"First, my family had an ancestor named Gu Sheng, who possibly fought in the Archon War or did something significant to these spirits, earning their eternal hatred."
"Second, the Gu family was never a single lineage. While the main branch may have existed, there were likely other sub-branches forming the larger family structure."
"If that's true, then this white flame is some sort of inherited bloodline power?"
Gu Sanqiu frowned. A bloodline ability would manifest like Itto's, with clear physical signs when activated.
But the white flame was more of a "tool" than a "manifestation," and there was still no discernible sensation within his body.
This mysterious, rootless power was truly frustrating.
---
T/N: heyyy was too late to ask someone to do end of chapter notes this week but I already have someone lined up for next week, also new translation! 'You Will Regret This Ichinose!' check it out or something :)