Chapter 421
Yan Wushuang's hand trembled, nearly dropping the Tongjian on the ground. He looked up in confusion, only to find his senior sister, Xie Qingxue, standing beside him with a smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes, her sharp gaze fixed on the Tongjian in his hands.
“Senior Sister?”
“What are you grinning about? What is that?”
“…” Yan Wushuang hesitated, trying to put the Tongjian away while feigning nonchalance. “Zheng Fa gave it to me, said it was just for me to play with.”
Xie Qingxue extended her hand.
“Let me see.”
“Senior Sister…”
Yan Wushuang attempted to resist.
“Either that thing is in my hands, or my hand is on your head.”
At her words, Yan Wushuang instinctively touched the back of his head, feeling a phantom pain.
“Senior Sister, can you just take a look?”
“Don’t worry!”
After a moment’s thought, Yan Wushuang figured that without any secret texts or spells, his senior sister wouldn’t be able to uncover any secrets of the Jiushan Sect. Reluctantly, he placed the Tongjian into Xie Qingxue’s hands.
…
“Senior Sister, can you return it to me now?”
“In a few days, I promise I’ll give it back.”
“Senior Sister, the Tongjian…”
“What are you in such a hurry for? I never said I wouldn’t return it.”
“Senior Sister…”
“For just a Tongjian, have you forgotten the kindness I showed you back then?”
Seeing the wounded expression on his senior sister’s face, Yan Wushuang… could only endure.
A few days later.
Yan Wushuang walked into Xie Qingxue’s courtyard and found her holding the Tongjian, grinning foolishly.
“Senior Sister?”
In an instant, Xie Qingxue tucked the Tongjian away, her expression turning wary.
“…Senior Sister, Cheng Kong Shangren sent word that the Mingde Shouzuo from the Taishang Daoxuan Duguan has arrived.”
“Mingde Shangren?”
Xie Qingxue’s playful demeanor vanished as she stood up and walked toward the main hall, her brow furrowed.
“When you get to the hall, be perceptive and don’t speak out of turn.”
Yan Wushuang looked puzzled.
“This Mingde Shangren is not easy to get along with.”
…
Mingde Shangren was a pure regional elitist!
In the main hall of Tongming Mountain, Zheng Fa sat quietly in his seat, observing a middle-aged Daoist sitting at the head of the table.
The man appeared youthful, looking around forty, but his hair and beard were completely white, giving him an odd appearance.
Even odder was his demeanor.
Today, Cheng Kong Shangren was hosting a banquet to welcome his sect’s head.
Since it was a banquet, there had to be food, and the tables in front of everyone were laden with spirit wine and spirit meat.
Yet, the guest of honor, Mingde, had nothing in front of him; his table was completely empty.
It wasn’t that Cheng Kong Shangren was neglecting him, but rather… this man simply didn’t eat.
Not only did he not eat, but he didn’t even look or smell the food.
This was already awkward enough.
Then came his conversation with Cheng Kong Shangren.
“Shouzuo, let me introduce you to this…”
Cheng Kong Shangren pointed at Zheng Fa, seemingly about to make an introduction.
“No need.”
Mingde Shangren directly interrupted Cheng Kong Shangren.
“And this person…”
“No need.”
The crowd exchanged glances, hesitant to speak but sharing knowing looks. This Mingde Shangren—he neither ate the spirit meat of the Xuanwei realm nor drank its spirit wine, nor did he wish to know the cultivators of the Xuanwei realm.
Upon entering, he only greeted the five sects, never casting a glance at the cultivators of the Xuanwei realm.
It seemed that everything from the Xuanwei realm—be it wine, meat, or people—was beneath him…
Could it be described as merely having a superiority complex?
Some cultivators in attendance couldn’t help but feel indignant.
Zheng Fa, however, felt at ease—truth be told, after being targeted by the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor, having a high-ranking cultivator who didn’t regard him as important gave him an inexplicable sense of security.
The five sects of Xuanwei were precisely what he wished to keep at arm’s length.
Being a small, unnoticed presence was just fine.
Unlike the others’ indignation, Zheng Fa leisurely picked up his chopsticks, focusing on the spirit meat before him.
At a banquet, one should respect the food.
The Jiushan realm could use more of this.
If only it were easier to take home; otherwise, he would…
“Where’s the Qingjing Bamboo?”
Suddenly, a cold voice from the head of the table interrupted Zheng Fa’s thoughts.
Zheng Fa found that the meat in his mouth had lost its flavor.
“…”
“My disciple is nurturing it.”
Cheng Kong Shangren replied in a low voice.
He didn’t even dare to look in Zheng Fa’s direction.
“The spiritual roots of heaven and earth are precious; they must not be mishandled…” Mingde Shangren continued, “And don’t let others treat it. Only those of the Taishang Dao are allowed to intervene.”
“…Understood!”
Seeing the discontent on Cheng Kong Shangren’s face, Mingde Shangren slowly added, “Think about how the Qingjing Bamboo was harmed… Regardless of the character of outsiders, if the spiritual roots of heaven and earth can’t be saved by the Taishang Dao, how could those small sects possibly save it?”
“…”
Cheng Kong Shangren had no words to counter this.
“Be cautious; as for everything else, don’t waste your efforts.”
…
Before Cheng Kong Shangren could seek out Zheng Fa, Zheng Fa took the initiative to bring the Qingjing Bamboo to his courtyard.
“This…”
Zheng Fa handed the Qingjing Bamboo to Cheng Kong Shangren, saying, “I’ve made it difficult for you.”
“Actually, it’s my fault. I said I’d lend it to you for three months, and now it’s only been twenty days, and Mingde Shouzuo has already arrived.” Cheng Kong Shangren sighed, then added, “You’ve seen his character; he’s quite suspicious, especially towards those from the Xuanwei realm. He holds a grudge.”
“Why?”
“You should know that Youming Xian is his disciple.”
Zheng Fa had indeed heard this rumor.
“What you don’t know is that Youming Xian was originally from the Xuanwei realm. Mingde Shouzuo took him as his only disciple, pouring all his effort into cultivating him.”
Zheng Fa’s expression turned thoughtful.
“The result was that Youming Xian, for some reason, insisted on betraying the sect, and from then on, the Shouzuo’s temperament changed…”
Understanding dawned on him; once bitten, twice shy.
Zheng Fa smiled and said to Cheng Kong Shangren, “Please accept the Qingjing Bamboo.”
Cheng Kong Shangren took the Qingjing Bamboo, examined it, and let out a soft sigh.
The changes in the Qingjing Bamboo were minimal. Zheng Fa and the others had only needed a few thin slices for their experiments, and they had been very careful—at least Cheng Kong Shangren couldn’t see any significant difference.
Zheng Fa returned the Qingjing Bamboo, partly because their experiments had been preliminarily successful, and having the Qingjing Bamboo was no longer as useful; it was also easy to attract trouble.
After all, the spiritual roots of heaven and earth were of great importance. If it were to die in the Jiushan realm, there would be no way to explain it.
On the other hand, it was also because of Mingde Shouzuo.
This man was clearly difficult to deal with, and Zheng Fa didn’t want to draw attention, so he simply returned the Qingjing Bamboo to avoid complications.
Seemingly sensing his thoughts, Cheng Kong Shangren explained, “The Shouzuo’s arrival isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Youming Xian is currently on the run. Although I tell others I’m not worried, it’s just to stabilize their minds.”
“Does Mingde Shouzuo have a way to deal with Youming Xian?”
“After all, they are master and disciple.” Cheng Kong Shangren shook his head. “The Shouzuo has his own methods to track Youming Xian. Previously, he couldn’t act recklessly because Youming Xian was hiding in the Great Freedom Heaven, but now that Youming Xian is still in the Xuanwei realm, the Shouzuo will be able to find him.”
“At the very least, he can ensure that Youming Xian has nowhere to hide and can’t engage in any schemes.”
Hearing this, Zheng Fa felt relieved—he was quite worried about Youming Xian being alive, especially since he was hiding.
Who knew when Youming Xian might resurrect the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor?
Since Mingde Shouzuo had a way to track him, that was all the better.
Cheng Kong Shangren continued, “The Shouzuo came so quickly because he was afraid of unexpected events.”
“There’s no need to say more, since Mingde Shangren arrived early, I’m just glad to have him here,” Zheng Fa replied.
Seeing the sincerity in his expression, a smile appeared on Cheng Kong Shangren’s face as he turned his wrist, revealing a jade pill bottle in his palm.
“What’s this?”
“This is the Taishang Zhenling Dan of our Taishang Dao.”
“Taishang Zhenling Dan?”
Cheng Kong Shangren pressed the pill bottle into Zheng Fa’s hands and said:
“Our Taishang Dao is renowned for its alchemy, and the Taishang Zhenling Dan is a unique pill within our sect.”
“This pill is only useful for disciples below the Yuanying stage, most suitable for the growth of the soul, and is one of the most valuable pills for those in the Jindan stage.”
“The materials required for this pill are rare, and it’s not easy for disciples of our Taishang Dao to obtain it—unless one is a person of great importance within the sect, it’s very difficult to have the opportunity to consume the Taishang Zhenling Dan.”
As Zheng Fa listened to Cheng Kong Shangren’s words, he felt astonished.
The Taishang Zhenling Dan seemed to be a pill suitable for Jindan stage cultivators.
But for Cheng Kong Shangren, a Huashen Zhenren, to praise this pill so highly seemed a bit petty.
It seemed that even he found it difficult to obtain this pill, which only added to its value.
Table of Contents
