Accepted as a maid
"Gu Zhenzhuan, the humble house is simple, so don't be surprised!"
In a clean and elegant courtyard, Zhao Chan said apologetically.
"Miss Zhao is joking; this place is already quite nice."
Gu Xuan laughed and looked up.
He could see rockeries and ponds in the courtyard, with many exotic flowers and plants everywhere. The furnishings were also top-notch.
Although it was still a step below the Holy Land of Absolute Beginning, the Zhao family was a small family after all, and it was impressive that they had prepared such a place.
"Gu Zhenchuan is satisfied," Zhao Chan said, pursing her lips and smiling. "I'll be staying in your side room for a while, so if you need anything, just let me know."
"In that case, Miss Zhao, I apologize for the trouble."
"No trouble at all," Zhao Chan replied, shaking her head.
She then looked at Gu Xuan and said, "If Gu Zhenchuan doesn't mind, you can call me Chan'er. Otherwise, it always feels a bit formal."
Upon hearing this, Gu Xuan glanced at Zhao Chan in surprise. He noticed that her eyes were bright, but there was a hint of red on her ears, making her even more attractive at that moment.
"If that's the case, then I won't be formal. You don't have to call me Gu Zhenzhuan. My name is Gu Xuan, so feel free to call me by my name or just 'son'!"
Gu Xuan smiled softly and spoke gently.
"Alright, then Chan'er will be bold and call you 'son' from now on."
Zhao Chan nodded obediently.
After chatting for a while, they saw that Gu Xuan was going to rest, so they exchanged polite farewells and turned to leave.
Watching the back of her as she departed, the smile on Gu Xuan's face lingered. It seemed that winning favor was much easier than he had thought.
"Son!"
At that moment, Elder Shaoguang, who had been silently standing behind Gu Xuan, suddenly spoke up. "You are now the true inheritor of the Holy Land, so you should have some maidservants and followers."
"Although this woman's strength is low, she has good looks and talent. She could be brought back to the Holy Land as your personal maid... If you're interested, I can discuss this with the Zhao family's patriarch."
"It's not urgent," Gu Xuan replied noncommittally. "The most pressing task now is to deal with Master Lingguang."
"Yes," Elder Shaoguang nodded, but he was thinking to himself. He planned to find a moment to privately inform Zhao Chan to prepare herself—after all, Gu Xuan hadn't outright rejected the idea just now.
Not denying it was a tacit acceptance.
As for Master Lingguang, Elder Shaoguang didn't care much. After all, he was just a loose cultivator of the Profound Opening Realm.
On the other side, Zhao Chuan, the head of the Zhao family, was still excited at this time as he summoned Zhao Chan, who had just attended to Gu Xuan.
"Father, did you call for me?" Zhao Chan asked softly, bowing respectfully.
"Chan'er, do you blame me for having you serve others for your father?"
"How could I blame you, Father? You are only thinking of the family," Zhao Chan replied, shaking her head.
"You don't blame me!" Zhao Chuan sighed, feeling helpless. "Chan'er, now that our ancestor has passed away, we're left with only a handful of True Spirit Realm warriors in the clan. Although the Holy Land has sent reinforcements, that support is only temporary."
"If my Zhao family has no backing, when the people from the Holy Land leave, how can we establish a foothold in Tai'an County? How could those families in the county not want to take a piece of us for themselves?"
"I feel powerless as a father! For our current situation, I can only forge a connection with this Gu Zhenzhuan. I don't dare to ask for a Dao companion, but even if it's just a follower or a maid, my Zhao family can secure a stable position and even rise to the next level... That's all. If you do this, it won't be a hardship for you!"
"Father, you don't need to blame yourself. As a member of the family, Chan'er should do her part for the family," Zhao Chan said softly.
Then she recalled Gu Xuan's handsome appearance and detached demeanor, adding, "What's more, Young Master Gu, as the true inheritor of the Holy Land, doesn't carry himself with arrogance. He is gentle and kind, and he possesses an extraordinary presence. Being his maid wouldn't be a hardship for me at all."
"That's good, that's good!" Zhao Chuan breathed a sigh of relief, feeling completely reassured.
For the next period of time, Gu Xuan lived in this courtyard. He didn't take the initiative to seek out Master Lingguang.
According to the original plot, the Zhao family would face difficulties, meaning this person would inevitably return to the Zhao family.
So why should he bother to seek him out? He could simply sit back and wait for him to show up.
Thus, Gu Xuan waited quietly while cultivating.
During this time, Zhao Chan often came to communicate with Gu Xuan. He understood that she wanted to befriend him, and he also had plans to make a good impression on her. Under these circumstances, their relationship naturally grew closer, quickly reaching a point where they could talk freely about anything.
Zhao Chan's favorability toward him had reached 55 points, the same as Su Lianyue.
One day, Zhao Chan came to inform him that her father had invited Gu Xuan to a banquet.
Gu Xuan thought that since he had been spending time with Zhao Chan these past few days, it would be difficult for her father to feel neglected, so he happily agreed to go.
That night, all the core members of the Zhao family attended the banquet, placing Gu Xuan at the head table, while Zhao Chan sat beside him, pouring wine and serving dishes.
After several rounds of drinks and a variety of dishes, the atmosphere gradually became lively.
At that moment, Elder Shaoguang, sitting behind Gu Xuan, suddenly gave Zhao Chuan a knowing look.
Zhao Chuan understood immediately.
He got up and approached Gu Xuan.
First, he bowed his hands in a salute and then said with a smile, "Gu Zhenchuan, my daughter admires you greatly and wishes to follow you. However, my daughter is a bit shy, so as her father, I'm here to ask if you would welcome her as a maid."
Gu Xuan was aware of the subtle movements of Elder Shaoguang and Zhao Chuan. However, he pretended not to notice and focused his attention on Zhao Chan.
Zhao Chan was sitting beside Gu Xuan, her face glowing, her body slightly stiff, and she looked quite nervous.
Seeing this, Gu Xuan smiled gently and said, "I'm glad to be here, but I'm afraid Chan'er might feel wronged."
"No grievances, no grievances!" Zhao Chan replied quickly. "Being able to serve Gu Zhenchuan as your maid is a blessing I must have cultivated over several lifetimes. How could I possibly feel wronged?"
Zhao Chuan was immediately overjoyed. He hurriedly said to Zhao Chan, "Chan'er, thank Gu Zhenchuan right away!"
"Thank you so much, Gu Zhenchuan. I will do my utmost to serve you in the future, and I promise to remain loyal," Zhao Chan said with a beautiful smile on her face.
After confirming her role as a maid, all the Zhao family members were even more delighted. The atmosphere at the banquet instantly reached its peak.
They knew that from this day forward, the Zhao family had a backer again. Moreover, he was a true disciple of the Holy Land of Absolute Beginning!
"Come on, let's raise our glasses and toast to celebrate this wonderful day!" Zhao Chuan exclaimed happily.
Gu Xuan raised his glass and drank, then set it down.
At that moment, a group of Zhao family servants came in to replenish their food and drinks.
Gu Xuan glanced over. At first, he didn't pay much attention, but when he saw the information on one of the handymen, his eyes suddenly narrowed.
[Name]: Xu Lingguang
[Realm]: Fifth Level of the Tongxuan Realm
[Fate]: Unremarkable (White)
[Fate]: Time of death approaching (Black)
[Life Script]: (Supporting role in "Mortal Cultivation Biography")
[Recent Turning Point]: Provoking the Holy Land of Absolute Beginning, disaster is imminent, and the time of death is approaching.
Seeing this, a smile crept onto Gu Xuan's face. Today was truly a double blessing. He had just accepted a maid, and now his target for this outing had appeared!