Chapter 154: Mist Sprout of Netherlight
Though the "Invincible Dao" sounded like a joke, it could still disguise the aura of a Heavenly Venerate for a quarter of an hour—enough to bluff most people. Chen Chang'an thought for a moment and decided to go into seclusion for a while, to fully comprehend the Rule experience brought by this strand of Hongmeng Qi.
Just as he was about to seal his cave dwelling, footsteps came from outside.
"Master."
Xiao Chen, dressed in black and carrying a longsword on his back, stood respectfully at the entrance. Beside him was Yao Lao, who nodded slightly toward Chen Chang'an.
"Are you leaving?" Chen Chang'an raised his eyes.
"Yes." Xiao Chen nodded firmly. "The ten-year agreement has come. This disciple is ready to depart."
Chen Chang'an observed him carefully. Feeling the restrained yet sharp sword intent within Xiao Chen's body, he nodded in satisfaction. "Go, and don't bring shame to your master."
A faint smile touched Xiao Chen's lips, but he quickly grew solemn again. "Master, before you go into seclusion, do you have any other instructions?"
Chen Chang'an thought for a moment, then suddenly remembered something. "Oh right—tell Jiang Che that the tea he brought back last time was quite good. If convenient, have him bring some more next time."
Xiao Chen noted it carefully and cupped his hands. "Disciple will deliver the message."
After watching Xiao Chen and Yao Lao depart, Chen Chang'an turned to seal the cave's barrier. Suddenly, he froze, slapped his forehead, and muttered—
"Wait!"
The tea he'd been drinking lately… wasn't that brought back by that kid Han Yu from Immortal Spirit City? As for Jiang Che—yes, he had brought some once, but that batch was extremely precious! Chen had even sealed it away for safekeeping, too reluctant to use it for daily drinking.
"Tch, my head's been full of seclusion plans—I mixed it up…" Chen Chang'an rubbed his temples helplessly.
Then again, he thought, Jiang Che was clever enough. Even if Xiao Chen delivered the message, the boy would probably double-check before doing anything rash.
"Forget it, not a big deal."
He shook his head and let it go. Forming several hand seals, he closed the heavy wooden doors. The array patterns lit up, completely isolating the inside from the outside world.
His first true seclusion had officially begun.
…
Immortal Spirit City, inside Ping'an Market.
Night had fallen. Lanterns lit up along the street, their glow spilling across Ji Hongli's small stall.
She leaned lazily in her rattan chair, fiddling with half a jade piece, though her gaze kept drifting toward the empty fortune-telling stall beside her. The faded cloth sign swayed in the breeze, revealing the crooked character for "Divination."
"Miss Li, is Mister Chen not setting up his stall today?" an old man selling candied hawthorn called out.
That made the eighth person to ask her today.
"Probably died outside!" Ji Hongli slammed the jade fragment onto the table with a sharp crack, making the old man flinch back in fright.
At first, she could still answer politely—but being asked the same thing eight times in one day would drive anyone mad.
And why did everyone assume she knew where he went?
It was as if they all believed she and that fake scholar had some hidden relationship.
Even the tofu-seller lady across the street came by in tears to ask about him. That man, with his plain face and his nonsense about "peach blossom luck" and "disaster warding," had somehow bewitched the entire street.
Ji Hongli never thought that she, a being who had lived over a hundred thousand years, would find herself so irritated by a man who had merely been gone for one day.
With a sharp snap, she crushed the jade piece in her hand, its fragments scattering across her lap.
…
Elsewhere, in the city lord's residence.
Rarely did the four senior and junior disciples gather together.
Jiang Che's hand trembled slightly as he held the teacup; in the jade-green brew floated a sliver of golden-edged silver needle—precisely the "Dongming Wuyá" he had obtained three years ago beneath the cliff of Lingzhou.
That day a torrential storm raged. He had just finished dealing with a sudden calamity that involved the major sect Xuanwu Sect of Lingzhou.
Later, within the secret realm, a dying elder of Xuanwu Sect shoved the tea pouch into his arms.
Blood had soaked the brocade bundle, yet the tea inside remained intact—proof of its preciousness.
Sure enough, he later learned that the Dongming Wuyá tea tree was a treasured relic of Xuanwu Sect, and that Dongming Wuyá was their once-in-a-century harvest.
When he presented the bloodstained tea to his master, the elder simply smiled, brewed a pot, and called the disciples to share a cup.
He had nearly forgotten the matter, so it surprised him when Senior Brother Xiao Chen brought it up now.
He had no intention of causing trouble—his master had shown him great kindness, and the harmony among the brothers and sisters in recent years made him cherish the sect more than the coldness of his former upper-world clan.
Thus, upon learning their master favored that tea, he felt genuine joy at the chance to do something for him.
Yet since Xuanwu Sect counted among Lingzhou's top sects and the tea was a sect treasure, the matter carried complications.
Han Yu noticed Jiang Che's hesitation and asked, "Is that tea a problem?"
Jiang Che did not hide anything from his fellow disciple: "It is troublesome."
"Then why not give it up? Master did not insist."
Jiang Che shook his head. "Master rarely takes such pleasure; he even asked Senior Brother to remind me."
"Isn't it just harvesting a few branches?" Han Yu grinned. "Let me help. If we cut a few sprouts, we can cultivate them ourselves so Master can drink Dongming Wuyá anytime."
Jiang Che brightened with sudden realization and delight. "I forgot Senior Brother had the artifact that hastens spirit-plants!"
Han Yu had never hidden the matter, so the Tianhu gourd was no secret among the disciples. Remarkably, none of them had shown greed toward his artifact and had kept it secret for him.
Ji Lingxiu could not contain herself and said with a teasing tone, "Han Senior Brother so eager to help—are you trying to dodge the year-end tax ledgers?"
In Immortal Spirit City, Ji Lingxiu and Han Yu jointly managed the trade of spirit herbs. Han Yu primarily reconciled the accounts, but because of the heavy flow he often found excuses to slip away, returning calmly after Ji Lingxiu finished.
He always managed to produce a rare gift to placate his sister before she lost her temper.
Once he had brought blood of the Azure Dragon from the Four Symbols Sword Formation.
Just as Han Yu began to protest, Ji Lingxiu pressed his shoulder.
"But since this concerns Master's tea, I'll let you off this time."
"You are merciful, Third Sister!" Han Yu rejoiced.
Then everyone's attention turned to Xiao Chen.
"Ten-year agreement—Senior Brother, are you confident?"
"Brothers and sisters, simply prepare the celebratory wine," Xiao Chen replied proudly.
He would not fix his gaze on that former fiancée; their Tianyun Sect behind them barely qualified as opponents.
"If I lose to those Tianyun riffraff, I'll stuff all the soul-devouring herbs in the medicine field under your pillow."
"!"
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