The dread he felt stemmed from the realization that the mysterious figure was utterly indistinct, yet seemed to merge seamlessly with the very fabric of heaven and earth, making him appear as an inseparable part of the cosmos itself. To what heights must one cultivate the Dao of Nature to achieve such a state?

Gongsun Lai-tou could discern not even the slightest wisp of aura emanating from the strange visitor, much like the lifeless demeanor of the puppet attendants flanking him. Yet, the old man Gongsun, having lived nearly a century, possessed a wealth of experience. Instinct screamed that this newcomer was extraordinary; beneath that seemingly ordinary back, a colossal power lay coiled, a power capable, he suspected, of tearing him to shreds without effort.

Gongsun had encountered many early-stage Golden Core cultivators, but even those who exuded potent auras never possessed the terrifying, restrained potential radiating from this mysterious guest. Thus, in that first moment, he had almost certainly confirmed the visitor's immense strength—at least a peak Golden Core expert, perhaps even one in the middle stage.

Faced with a vastly superior cultivator suddenly appearing in his own home, very few could maintain composure. Generally, this spelled grave danger; if this were an enemy, annihilation of his entire clan might follow today. Though his lineage was small, it still numbered over a hundred souls. Old Man Gongsun’s mind raced frantically, yet he could recall no instance of ever offending such a senior master.

He drew a deep, deliberate breath, forcing himself into stillness, constantly reminding himself: this was a Golden Core level master. If he truly wished to kill him, it would be as easy as crushing an ant. His life was now utterly dependent on the stranger’s whim. Compliance, total and absolute, might offer a sliver of hope. With a cough, Old Man Gongsun spoke, his voice aged and trembling: “May I dare ask, Senior, what brings you to the Myriad Flower Valley of the Gongsun clan? Simply give the word, and this junior would brave mountains of blades or seas of fire without the slightest hesitation.” This was the tragedy of the weak: when confronted by the mighty, they were mere meat upon the chopping block, helpless to resist.

Lei Dong remained silent, hands clasped behind his back, observing the lotus blossoms with a detached, leisurely air.

But Old Man Gongsun dared not utter another syllable. Instead, he stood behind Lei Dong, bowing deferentially like an old steward, not daring to draw a full breath. He knew that the stronger the cultivator, the more capricious their temperament often became; a moment's pique could lead to wholesale slaughter. In the eyes of the powerful, the weak were often nothing more than lowly insects, not worth a second thought. Just as Old Man Gongsun viewed the common masses with a condescending gaze when facing mortals. His only recourse now was submission, and more submission. The longer he stood, pondering the mysterious visitor’s purpose, the more hollow his heart felt, and sweat beaded, then streamed down his brow.

After a long silence, just as the old man was nearly swaying on his feet under the invisible pressure, Lei Dong finally turned his head, his deep, sea-like eyes sweeping over him casually.

Yet, in Old Man Gongsun’s perception, that glance felt like an immediate, thorough inspection from head to toe. In that fleeting glimpse, he sensed eyes so vast and unfathomable, a bearing as steady as a mountain.

What astonished Old Man Gongsun further was the visitor’s youth. Based on appearance alone, the man looked little older than his youngest granddaughter. But he wasn't foolish enough to believe this was merely a young man in his twenties. The worldly Old Man Gongsun knew that many immensely powerful ancient monsters, centuries old, still presented a youthful facade. This mysterious guest could very well be one of those ageless horrors.

As he was silently judging Lei Dong’s appearance, Lei Dong moved. With a slight flick of his finger, a thread of True Essence shot out, moving both swiftly and deliberately. Before Old Man Gongsun could react, the strand struck his lower abdomen, right at his Dantian.

A chill instantly flooded Old Man Gongsun’s body. It’s over, it’s over, he thought. If the Dantian is destroyed, I’m finished with the Golden Core stage for life. While his aptitude, age, and current state already made achieving the Golden Core stage a near-impossible dream, even that slim chance was now gone. If the core chamber where the Golden Core was meant to gestate was ruined, not only was advancement impossible, but all his cultivated power would dissipate, leaving him little more than an elderly mortal, albeit one with slightly better physical conditioning.

Just as the chill in Old Man Gongsun’s heart reached its nadir and despair clouded his eyes, the cold energy that had invaded his Dantian began to circulate the True Qi already within him. Like a commanding general, it forcefully swept up his Qi, driving it into the Governing and Conception Vessels, and then dispersing it through the major meridians and collateral channels.

In a mere dozen breaths, the True Qi plowed through his body with swift, domineering force, like a plough turning fertile soil. Old Man Gongsun discovered, with a mixture of shock and elation, that the sluggishness and stagnation within his old meridians had been completely scoured clean by this forceful washing. Especially the lingering effects of an old meridian injury from his youth—decades of stagnation in that pathway—were now flowing freely and unobstructed.

An indescribably refreshing sensation washed over Old Man Gongsun’s entire being. Vaguely, he sensed he had broken through some kind of bottleneck, ascending to a new level. His body began to tremble violently once more. But this time it wasn't fear, but ecstatic joy. On his face, youthful despite his white hair, an expression of a child—laughing and crying simultaneously—broke through, mixed with disbelief that he had actually broken through. This bottleneck had plagued him for a full twenty years.

No matter how he mobilized his True Essence to check, he found that he had indeed shattered the shackles, entering another realm. A portion of the True Qi within him had become markedly purer and stronger. Foundation Establishment High Stage—he had finally broken the twenty-year stagnation and entered the ranks of High Stage Foundation Establishment cultivators. Now, with a little consolidation, he could transform all the True Qi in his body into even purer essence through continued cultivation.

“S-Senior.” Thump. Old Man Gongsun immediately dropped to his knees, tears streaming down his face. “The Senior’s boundless grace is a debt this junior can never repay. I shall serve as your ox or horse, whatever you command.” Those who have not experienced it cannot imagine the pain of having one's cultivation stall indefinitely.

“It is nothing. I merely helped clear some of your meridians,” Lei Dong said calmly, not claiming undue credit. “Your cultivation was already on the very cusp of breaking through; otherwise, I would have been powerless to help.”

“Yet in this world, only the Senior would deign to lend this junior a hand,” Old Man Gongsun continued, sincerely grateful. “I have lived foolishly for over a century and know there is no such thing as a free lunch. Whatever the Senior commands, this junior dares not disobey.” One should not underestimate the value of Lei Dong’s small gesture; it had elevated Old Man Gongsun’s cultivation by an entire level, which in turn would increase his lifespan by twenty or thirty years. But its greatest value was the significant boost it gave to his chances of reaching the Golden Core stage—even if still faint, there was a vast difference between one faint chance and another.

“By your response, you are clearly no fool,” Lei Dong nodded with satisfaction. “Since that is the case, this Venerable One will dispense with pleasantries. This Venerable One wishes to become a disciple of your clan to participate in the Myriad Puppet Gate competition three years hence.”

This Venerable One? The utterance of those two characters nearly blasted Old Man Gongsun’s soul out of his body. Generally, only Nascent Soul cultivators dared, or were qualified, to refer to themselves this way. If a Golden Core cultivator, even one at the peak, used such a title, it would not only invite ridicule but also disaster.

Old Man Gongsun had estimated the mysterious man’s power upward, believing it highly likely he was a high-level Golden Core master. But he had underestimated him, wildly so. A Nascent Soul cultivator—this was almost unimaginable to the old man. In his hundred-plus years of life, he had never even seen a Nascent Soul master. The gap between the two was too vast; they were not on the same plane of existence.

“S-Senior.” The matter was too grave to ignore, so Old Man Gongsun gathered his courage. “Does, does my lineage have a chance of being preserved?” He wasn't worried about what the mysterious Senior planned to achieve within the Myriad Puppet Gate; he only wanted to know if, once finished, the visitor would clean up his tracks and spare his clan. His greatest fear was that the man would obtain what he sought in the Gate, then simply dust off his hands and leave.

“You need not worry about that. This Venerable One has always maintained a bottom line in how I conduct myself,” Lei Dong stated earnestly. “If everything proceeds as planned, our connection will naturally remain hidden. If the actions are ever exposed, this Venerable One swears to protect the lives of your clan’s core members, ensuring you do not suffer total annihilation.”

Old Man Gongsun let out a great sigh of relief. Although Lei Dong’s guarantee sounded like no guarantee at all, it at least provided comfort and hope. More importantly, refusing meant immediate annihilation. Agreeing meant potential annihilation later. Having grasped this, he nodded slowly. “Everything rests on the Senior’s command. This junior dares not disobey.”

Lei Dong was satisfied with his compliance and nodded. “Regardless of success or failure in this endeavor, this Venerable One will provide you with a reward that will absolutely satisfy you. However, since I have demonstrated my sincerity, consume this Nine Nether Soul Devouring Worm now, as a token of your own commitment.”