The next morning Gu Shang woke up to the sound of a maid calling him to join the family for breakfast.
Gu Shang got up and freshened up, before heading to the dining hall.
At the dining hall Liu Feiefei had also returned from her night patrol and was already at the table, just like the night before not all the members of the Liu Clan were happy to see him.
But Liu Feiefei's mother was a lot warmer and even gave Gu Shang a serving with a smile.
She had accepted the fact that whether she liked it or not, Gu Shang was her son-in-law and looking at him closely, she felt she wasn't bad at all, and was rather pleasing to the eyes.
Gu Shang was handsome and tall, he had deep green pupils which made him enchanting.
There was also that gentle elegance about him.
Though Gu Shang was surprised, he smiled and thanked her with a gentle voice. He had to impress this beautiful mother-in-law of his.
Liu Jun couldn't help but shake his head, his wife was too kind and easily drawn to attractive people.
Liu Feiefei greeted Gu Shang with a smile, captivating all those on the table.
A hearty laughter was heard as the clan leader appeared and joined the family on the table.
"There's no need to stand on ceremony, everybody should dig in''
"Grandfather, you look to be in a good mood. Did something good happen?" Liu Feiefei asked as she saw her grandfather in high spirits.
"I've taken large strides in my cultivation, at this rate, I feel like I might break into the foundation establishment realm at any time!" He said excitedly.
The Liu family was stunned, before their faces became filled with joy, their crises could be averted as long as the clan head crossed the threshold and became a foundation establishment realm expert.
"But how, just a few days ago you said it would take you at least three years, so how come it's now different?"
Liu Fan couldn't help but ask.
One of the reasons why they had been so desperate to seek the second prince's support was because they knew it would take the clan head at least three years to break into the foundation establishment realm which they didn't have the luxury to wait for.
"Well I myself don't know whether it's real or an illusion, when I was cultivating last night I felt the spiritual qi in the surrounding multiply at least a hundred fold.
With that much spiritual energy wouldn't it be weird if I didn't progress that quickly in my cultivation?" Old Liu asked.
All those on the table were surprised because they didn't feel anything last night.
"Well last night, I did feel the edge to cultivate but my intuition told me I'll die if I attempted so I listened" Liu Ren suddenly added.
"Well it's a good thing you didn't or you might have really died, even I could only absorb a small portion of the spiritual Qi or I might have exploded. As a cultivator it's good to always listen to your instincts.
"Gu Shang, who was the cause of this, couldn't help but sigh in relief. He was too careless last night, he absolutely forgot that though people could not see the phenomenon, they could still feel it.
If any of them had stubbornly cultivated last night, then they would have probably exploded, with the exception of the clan head.
With the joyous news of the clan head's imminent progress, breakfast became more wonderful, this was a big relief to them.
In the Immortal empire, the strongest powerhouses were at the Orifice Refinement Realm and cultivators I'm that realm could be counted on one hand.
These cultivators rarely showed up and so the foundation establishment realm cultivators were the ones that ran the empire.
Having a foundation establishment realm expert would help one solidify themselves in the empire, since even the imperial clan had to give them some face.
If it wasn't for the death of their ancestor, they wouldn't have fallen down so badly.
"Feiefei, today the Qing clan are hosting a tea party for the youngsters, I heard that disciples from the Sects would be visiting.
Take Gu Shang with you to open his eyes a bit, and since he's back it's about time he connects with the other youngsters.
"But grandfather, all those attending this tea party are the youngsters from prominent clans, Gu Shang is you know..." Liu Yi briefly paused.
Sending him will just be a humiliation to us!" Liu Yi continued.
"What's there to be ashamed of?" Humph
Gu Shang is now the young master of my Liu clan so how can his status be low? I'll smash anyone who dares to disrespect him or our family,
Turning towards Gu Shang, "Tell me, do you think lowly of yourself? And would you allow others to bully and humiliate you?" The old man asked with a piercing gaze as he stared at Gu Shang.
Gu Shang felt a warmth in his heart, this was a feeling he'd never gotten from the Gu Clan.
"Old clan head, those youngsters better be praying that I don't bully them, so how can they bully I, the son-in-law of the Liu Clan" Gu Shang responded.
"Hahaha, very good kid! I like that confidence, if anyone stronger than you bullies you, just let Feiefei handle them.
Most of the people couldn't help but roll their eyes, Gu Shang just didn't know how to be humble, he better not return crying.
Though they had their dissatisfaction, they didn't dare to say it.
Gu Shang on the other hand had no intention of attending and was about to politely decline, he just wanted to spend some time with his wife.
But after all the old man had said, how could he not go?
After breakfast, Gu Shang and Liu Feiefei left the manor in a carriage and headed towards the Qing clan manor.
For convenience they took a carriage drawn by regular horses.
The interior of the carriage was very neat and tidy, Gu Shang and Liu Feiefei held hands as they happily conversed.
Their relationship kept improving, they had
progressed so far that it didn't seem like they had been separated from each other at all.
Liu Feiefei wore a long green dress making her look refreshingly beautiful, her hair was tied into a bun.
She indeed looked like a dedicated married woman.
While in the carriage, Gu Shang heard a street hawker loudly advertising hair ornaments.
"Stop the carriage!" Gu Shang ordered and while smiling, gently pulled the confused Liu Feiefei out of the carriage.
"Why did we stop?'' Liu Feiefei asked in confusion.
Gu Shang didn't reply but simply pulled her towards the stall selling the ornaments.
The crowd couldn't help but gaze at the couple enviously as they gave them way to pass.
The young man was tall and handsome, while the young lady beside him was as beautiful as a fairy, such a combination could only be matched by the heavens.
Gu Shang and Liu Feiefei arrived at the stall, the owner eagerly invited the couple over as he praised them for being a perfect couple.
"Young master, I can tell your alliance is heavenly made, you two really deserve each other.
"Feiefei, seven years ago I couldn't give you the life you wanted and I wasn't there for you, but now I've returned, allow me to make it up to you" Gu Shang said lovingly as he gazed into Liu Feiefei's eyes.
A smile could help but blossom on the face of Liu Feiefei as she nodded with a hum.
She turned her attention to the row or ornaments and her eyes couldn't help but land on a delicate bloom, carved from a luminous jade, its petal polished to a soft sheen with intricate flower patterns.
"I'll take that one!" Gu Shang said as he pointed at the flower jade hair clip.
"Indeed the young master's eyesight is really sharp, this hair clip is the priced jewel of my shop, and goes for 50 gold coins.
"That expensive?" Liu Feiefei frowned.
One gold coin was the equivalent of a thousand silver coins.
An average household could live comfortably for more than a year with just one gold coin.
50 gold coins and generation of their bloodline would be considered rich.
Liu Feiefei felt this man was trying to scam them so she tried pulling Gu Shang away to which he simply replied with a smile,
"We'll take it!"
The owner was overjoyed to hear this.
"I knew this young master was extraordinary when I saw you. This hair clip isn't just any regular one, it was found in a sacred realm by a friend of mine a year ago, so it's definitely not ordinary.
Sacred realms were inheritance that got destroyed in a war thousands of years ago and were lost in the void. These sacred realms once used to be great empires and sects who were the strongest at their peak, but even with all their strength they all fell and were left floating in the void.
Sacred realms only opened up for a short period, granting cultivators the chance to search for resources and inheritance, a lot of things found in this realm couldn't be underestimated, after all they once belonged to empires and sects that ruled the realm some eons back.
Gu Shang shook his head and took out the 50 gold coins, Liu Feiefei was stunned but didn't ask where he got his money from, everyone had their secrets.
The owner handed the flower jade hair clip to Gu Shang as he gave him a wink.
Gu Shang, understanding the hint, received the jade pin and asked softly, "May I?"
Liu Feiefei simply lowered her head.
Gu Shang was a head taller than Liu Feiefei so it was easy for him to put the hair clip on Liu Feiefei's head.
After he was done, Liu Feiefei raised her head to see Gu Shang smiling at her gently.
"You look beautiful, my lady"
Liu Feiefei at this point looked like a blooming spring flower.
"Young man, you are truly lucky to have such a beautiful woman by your side'' the owner of the stall couldn't help but comment enviously.
"I know!'' Gu Shang simply replied with a smile before leaving and heading back into the carriage.
The carriage swiftly left for the Qing clan manor.
The Qing clan were the most powerful clan second to only the Imperial clan. Their power and influence were not that much lesser than the Imperial clan and commanded a lot of respect.
There were only four orifice tempering realm experts in the empire, and one of them was the ancestor of the Qing clan.
Arriving in front of a large and grand manor, Gu Shang couldn't help but marvel at the grandeur of the manor, almost like a mini palace.
Their gate was even made of gold and had large golden lion statues on both sides of the gates.
There were eleven guards wearing golden armor standing guard outside and they were all at the seventh stage of the body refinement realm, with the leader at the ninth stage. Such a luxurious lineup for only the guards at the gate, it was only the Qing clan who could afford this apart from the imperial clan.
"So this is the Qing clan manor? Interesting" Gu Shang said with a playful smile as they got down from the carriage.