Chapter 33: Returning to the Mountain

The fire at Jade Pavilion burned for an entire night before it was finally extinguished.

It was not that they could not have put it out with the Immortal Rain Art. Rather, once Jade Pavilion’s array was completed, the flames stopped spreading beyond the building. Yonglu Mountain had always been fiercely protective of its own, and after learning that Jade Pavilion’s master had intended to kill disciples of Yonglu Mountain, they had already exercised tremendous restraint by not throwing in a few Blazing Fire Talismans to make the blaze even stronger.

Senior Brother Huang’s expression was livid as he reassured his two junior brothers and Junior Granduncle-Master.

“Don’t worry. I’ll make that demonic cultivator regret ever being born!”

Damn it, what kind of wretched thing dared cause trouble right at the foot of Yonglu Mountain?

It seemed Yonglu Mountain had been far too gentle in its dealings lately. Once he returned, he would have to have a proper chat with his senior brothers and sisters.

A demonic cultivator, was it?

A Jade-Bone Silk Tree, was it?

The year was nearly over. It really was time to settle some accounts.

Wrapped in the cloak his senior brother had given him, Bian Chunzhou quietly edged closer to Wen Xu.

Help. This senior brother’s expression was terrifying!

That demonic cultivator really must have been difficult to deal with.

“You three should head back and recuperate first. I’ll personally investigate both this place and Mist Mountain Village. Junior Granduncle-Master, please rest assured.”

Wen Xu: …

He was gradually becoming immune to that form of address.

The three of them emerged from the scene of the fire looking varying degrees of bedraggled. Chen Zui was in particularly rough shape. After such a fierce battle, even his saber had several fresh chips in its blade, let alone the man himself.

Bian Chunzhou looked worriedly at the big fool.

“Are you really all right? You coughed up so much blood just now!”

Chen Zui looked bursting with vitality. “It was only a little blood. You should worry more about yourself.”

“…You charged over so tragically just now that I thought—”

Even remembering it now, Bian Chunzhou still felt lingering fear. Wen Xu had not appeared yet at the time, and he had truly prepared himself to die before he could accomplish anything as a disciple.

“Wen Xuxu, you arrived just in time! Wait, that’s not right. We didn’t even have time to send you a communication talisman. How did you know we were at Jade Pavilion?”

At the mention of that, Wen Xu felt his chest tighten.

“The mystic physician.”

“Holy crap! That damned mystic physician! He’s a &%&U^*T&%￥!”

Wen Xu and Chen Zui: …

They could not understand him, but it sounded extremely filthy.

“What did he do to you?”

Bian Chunzhou was so angry that the whole story came pouring out of him.

“You have no idea how awful he was! What in the world does he want? Can’t he just speak like a normal person? What kind of bastard treats everything like a game?”

Wen Xu did not know either. But there were people in this world who acted solely according to their moods, without caring about gain, loss, or consequences.

“He is Pei Mingshan, the young master of Golden Cauldron Pavilion.”

Bian Chunzhou had been cursing enthusiastically, but he abruptly fell silent. After a long moment, his eyes widened.

“Him?”

Wen Xu nodded. “That’s right. Him. Gardenia Fragrance Pavilion, diagonally across from Jade Pavilion, belongs to him. According to his account, Jade Pavilion stole Gardenia Fragrance Pavilion’s business, which was why he investigated it. He was also the one who posted the investigation mission for Mist Mountain Village.”

Bian Chunzhou suddenly lowered his head and stared at his hands.

Seeing him go quiet and keep looking at them, Chen Zui asked, “Did you hurt your hand?”

Bian Chunzhou looked miserable. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“…How am I supposed to understand if you don’t tell me?”

“Something even more upsetting than injuring my hand has happened.”

Was his luck really that terrible?

Perhaps he should stop being curious from now on.

There had been so many investigation missions on the board at Kaiyuan Peak. How had he managed to choose the hellishly difficult one at Mist Mountain Village?

“This wasn’t your fault. Pei Mingshan is simply a bad person. He concealed important information when he posted the mission. Yonglu Mountain will demand an accounting for this.”

And if Yonglu Mountain did not take action, Wen Xu would invoke his title as Junior Granduncle-Master.

The man had called him a disciple of the Divine Venerable again and again. If Wen Xu did nothing at all, would that not make him a laughingstock?

“Exactly! So what if he’s the young master of Golden Cauldron Pavilion? I’m not some old slave belonging to his family! What do you think he actually wants? He’s the son of the richest man around, yet he came to the pleasure quarter to open a brothel. Does that make any sense?”

Wen Xu shook his head. “I don’t know. But since he discovered the demonic cultivator and still chose not to use his family’s power, instead posting an ambiguous investigation mission at Yonglu Mountain, then either he wants something else, or he knows the demonic cultivator’s true identity.”

“All right, forget those famous and important people. I need to go back and smooth out the spiritual energy inside me. I used too much power earlier, and now it’s close to falling out of balance.”

Visible exhaustion covered Bian Chunzhou’s face.

“Oh, right. That move earlier was incredibly powerful. Wen Xuxu, are you all right?”

Wen Xu shook his head. “I’m fine. That was a protective talisman my master gave me.”

A protective talisman from the divine dragon?

“Then wasn’t it incredibly precious?”

Heavens, he had actually been protected by the divine dragon!

His life was worth it!

He was full of energy again!

“Not as precious as your lives.”

Wen Xu wanted to say it was no great loss, but an attack from an Integration Realm expert was a priceless treasure no matter where one went. After returning to the mountain, he would still have to ask his master’s forgiveness.

Bian Chunzhou flung himself at him.

“Wen Xuxu, you’re my best, best, best, best friend!”

“What about me?” Chen Zui asked.

“You’re my best, best, best, best senior brother!”

Chen Zui was immediately convinced. “Good. I’ll always be your senior brother.”

…

I’m talking about our feelings, and you’re talking about cultivation?

That was Chen Zui, the king of relentless overachievers, all right.

Both Bian Chunzhou and Chen Zui had suffered injuries of varying severity, so they entered seclusion to cultivate as soon as they returned to the mountain. The important responsibility of submitting their completed missions at Kaiyuan Peak therefore fell to Wen Xu.

The first two were easy to settle. Only the investigation mission for Mist Mountain Village proved troublesome.

The three of them had discussed it on the way back and unanimously decided to abandon the mission. They had put in the work, but they wanted nothing to do with that damned physician’s payment.

They were just that unyielding.

Just that principled.

An investigation mission involving a demonic cultivator, and he had offered so few spirit stones?

Was he trying to dismiss beggars?

As though any of them lacked those few spirit stones.

Yet when Wen Xu went to submit the missions, he discovered that the reward for the investigation mission had changed.

“Junior Granduncle-Master, are you certain you do not wish to claim the mission reward?”

“Not for now. Leave it here temporarily.”

The young disciple at Kaiyuan Peak nodded. “Very well, though it cannot be left unclaimed for too long.”

Bian Chunzhou and Chen Zui had contributed the most to this investigation mission. Now the reward had been changed, and it had been tailored so precisely to their preferences that Pei Mingshan had clearly altered it specifically for them.

Setting that aside, however, the new reward was indeed exceptionally generous. Whether to accept it was therefore not a decision Wen Xu could make alone.

“Understood. Thank you for your trouble.”

After leaving Kaiyuan Peak, Wen Xu returned to Spring-Crossing Peak.

He climbed all the way to the summit. Sure enough, the moment he entered Spring-Crossing Hall, his master was already sitting upright inside.

“This disciple has come to ask Master’s forgiveness.”

Divine Venerable Chengwei regarded his ash-covered young disciple with great interest.

“What mistake have you made? Why are you asking for forgiveness? Did you not enjoy yourself after going down the mountain?”

Wen Xu shook his head. “This disciple did not go down the mountain to play.”

“Isn’t doing missions a form of play?”

After speaking, Divine Venerable Chengwei realized he had misspoken and immediately tried to repair the damage.

“Very well. Then did you not enjoy doing your mission?”

Divine Venerable Chengwei was, after all, an Integration Realm expert. The moment the jade slip he had given away was used, he naturally sensed it.

Moreover, because his disciple had encountered danger, he had deliberately tracked the young man with his divine sense. Only after confirming that Wen Xu was no longer in danger did he withdraw it.

Wen Xu briefly explained how he had used the jade slip.

“This disciple could have…”

“I gave it to you, so how you use it is your business. There’s no need to be so overly cautious. Why imitate that Sect Master martial nephew of yours? Your master does not care for that manner of doing things.”

Divine Venerable Chengwei carried over a jug of wine and sat cross-legged beside his young disciple with complete ease.

“I heard you encountered a demonic cultivator?”

“Yes. It was also this disciple’s first time seeing one.”

“How did it feel?”

“They were… quite hateful.”

Divine Venerable Chengwei laughed. “Is that all? It seems you encountered something that’s troubling you. Tell me about it. Your master is very good at keeping secrets.”

Wen Xu had nothing to conceal. Besides, he truly did not understand Pei Mingshan’s intentions.

As far as he could see, Pei Mingshan had possessed many better ways to resolve the matter, yet had chosen the worst possible method, the one most disadvantageous to himself. Wen Xu found it both unnecessary and deeply aggravating.

Divine Venerable Chengwei, however, focused on an entirely different point.

“What? That Pei fellow from Golden Cauldron Pavilion already has a son? Who did he have the child with? And his son can’t even cultivate?”

Wen Xu: “…”

“Master, do you have some history with the master of Golden Cauldron Pavilion?”

“I suppose so.”

Divine Venerable Chengwei thought about it. He probably still owed the man several hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones.

But he doubted that Pei fellow would dare come to Yonglu Mountain to demand payment.

Wen Xu suddenly had an extremely ominous feeling.

“You suppose?”

“That’s right. Pei Dongxiu. Back then, he…”

Divine Venerable Chengwei paused.

“I’ve forgotten. Your master knew far too many people in his youth. I can’t remember them all.”

He took a drink of wine and gave his disciple’s shoulder a hearty pat.

“Ah Xu, let your master tell you something. In this cultivation world, there are some people whose thoughts you will never be able to guess. But that’s all right. Just wait. As long as you live long enough, you’ll eventually learn what they were trying to do.”

“This disciple will respectfully remember Master’s teaching.”

“Good, good. So, Ah Xu, have you decided how you’re going to retaliate?”

Wen Xu stared at him. “What?”

“Ah Xu, you aren’t planning to simply let this go, are you?”

Divine Venerable Chengwei looked his disciple up and down.

“You are my disciple. By daring to toy with you, he has challenged this venerable one. Are you really going to stand by and watch someone provoke your master?”

“No, this disciple…”

Of course Wen Xu had no intention of letting the matter go, but he had not planned to deal with it openly.

Divine Venerable Chengwei gently rubbed his disciple’s ash-covered head.

“You’ve gotten yourself into such a miserable state, then came straight to see your master. Did you want your master to uphold justice for you? Of course I can. Your master will call over your Sect Master martial nephew right now!”

Wen Xu: He could not stop him!

There was simply no stopping him!

Gu Wufang had actually received the news long ago. Now that he had been summoned by the divine dragon, it was truly…

Not the least bit unexpected.

That said, the young master of Golden Cauldron Pavilion had indeed acted with far too little regard for Yonglu Mountain.

What would happen if everyone began posting missions while concealing critical information?

They had been fortunate this time. The disciples who accepted the mission were inner disciples with masters and direct inheritances, which was the only reason they had escaped the demonic cultivator’s lethal schemes.

But what if ordinary disciples had accepted it?

The disciples of Yonglu Mountain were not blades for others to use in their trial and error.

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