Chapter 131: Mu Chunfeng's Trouble

"Brother Hong, that Xiao Zhangqing hasn't come to Liyang Immortal City all these years; he wouldn't have been recruited by Lu Dao Ming into the Luoxia Sect, would he?"

Jiang Canghai suddenly thought of a possibility.

Hong Jiantao thought for a while, then shook his head: "No. Xiao Zhangqing is a smart person; I gave him some advice before I left, he wouldn't risk going to the Luoxia Sect. Moreover, even if Xiao Zhangqing really went to the Luoxia Sect, given Lu Dao Ming's suspicious nature, knowing his relationship with me, he surely wouldn't promote him."

Jiang Canghai said with some worry, "He won't promote him, but he can keep him under control. Your disciple Lu Qiu has been stuck in the Luoxia Sect all these years, hasn't he?"

Hong Jiantao's mood soured upon hearing that.

Back when Lu Qiu went to the Luoxia Sect, Jiang Canghai had not yet returned, and Hong Jiantao, though somewhat doubtful of Lu Dao Ming, did not know his true nature.

Later, when everything came to light and the truth was clear, his chance to take Lu Qiu away had already passed.

Jiang Canghai patted Hong Jiantao's shoulder reassuringly: "I'm returning to the Southwest Region this time; if I have time I'll visit Nanshan Fang. If Xiao Zhangqing hasn't left and is still in Nanshan Fang, I'll tell him to come to Liyang Immortal City to find you, Brother Hong."

Hong Jiantao nodded.

Although he never expected any reward from Xiao Zhangqing.

At first he only thought that Xiao Zhangqing was diligent, hardworking, and of good character, so he casually gave him a tip and handed over his own Talisman Master's Handbook from back then; later, after Xiao Zhangqing displayed talent on the Talisman Path, he repeatedly looked after him and gifted him a brush, simply out of love for talent.

Nevertheless, Xiao Zhangqing being able to come to Liyang Immortal City, even without joining the Jiang family, is a good thing.

First, the Southwest Region now faces a massive invasion by Demon Sect Evil Cultivators; even the Luoxia Sect and Baihua Valley, two major Golden Core sects, are no longer safe, let alone Nanshan Fang, which lies near the border and is practically the first to fall, easily succumbing to the Demon Sect Evil Cultivators' assault.

Second, Liyang Immortal City is more prosperous with greater resources; after arriving, Xiao Zhangqing will have a chance to advance farther on the Talisman Path and in cultivation.

……

……

The Jiang family patriarch Jiang Canghai's secret scheme with Hong Jiantao is unknown to the lower ranks of the Jiang family.

Even Jiang Jiyue is unaware of what scheme her father has as he prepares to return to the Southwest Region.

In the few years since arriving at Liyang Immortal City, she has been quite happy.

The flourishing Dao of Immortals in Liyang Immortal City satisfies her fantasies about the world beyond the Cultivation World, making her much happier than back in Nanshan Fang.

Especially with her father present, she has abundant cultivation resources; not only did her cultivation quickly reach the Great Completion of Lianqi, but three years ago she also succeeded in the Foundation Establishment, becoming a Foundation Establishment cultivator! Compared to that, in terms of cultivation talent, Mu Chunfeng surpasses Jiang Jiyue, having reached the Great Completion of Lianqi early. Even though she brought the remaining members of the Mu family, endured countless hardships to reach Liyang Immortal City, eventually almost exhausted the family fortune, obtained a Foundation Establishment pill, yet still failed to establish the foundation.

The Dao of Immortals is impermanent and ever‑changing.

Even with higher talent, one may not go farther.

Luck, opportunities, background, and support all have influence.

Unless your talent is overwhelmingly strong, riding alone like a comet, even reaching a cheat‑level, that's another story.

When talent is strong enough, one can disregard the vague notion of destiny.

On this day.

Mu Chunfeng and Jiang Jiyue were having a meal together at a restaurant.

"Chunfeng, Song Ping'er shouldn't be bothering you anymore, right?" Jiang Jiyue asked while eating.

Over more than ten years, their statuses have changed dramatically compared to when they were in Nanshan Fang.

In Nanshan Fang, Mu Chunfeng was regarded by many cultivators as the "Number One Young Miss," the most talented and beautiful female cultivator among the younger generation of the four major Foundation Establishment families; by contrast, Jiang Jiyue, though Hong Jiantao's "niece," was still a notch below.

Yet today, Mu Chunfeng is virtually unknown in Liyang Immortal City, while Jiang Jiyue has become the young lady of one of the Ten Great Families and has herself succeeded in the Foundation Establishment; to outsiders, their statuses now differ like clouds and mud.

However.

Jiang Jiyue's mindset hasn't changed much since Nanshan Fang; she hasn't become arrogant nor disdainful.

She still treats Mu Chunfeng as her best friend and often arranges to meet her.

However, Mu Chunfeng does not rely on her relationship with Jiang Jiyue to seek refuge with the Jiang family.

Because she is not alone; accompanying her to Liyang Immortal City are over thirty remaining members of the Mu clan.

She can't change the surnames of all the Mu clan members.

She chooses to rely on distant Mu relatives in Liyang Immortal City, or rather another branch of the Mu family.

The Mu branch in Liyang Immortal City also has a Foundation Establishment Realm holder stationed there, whose strength is comparable to that of the Mu family in Nanshan Fang.

But the Mu family back in Nanshan Fang could almost command the wind and rain; the Mu branch in Liyang Immortal City, though not at the bottom, can only cling to the tail and survive.

After all, there are more than a hundred Foundation Establishment families in Liyang Immortal City.

Each family has a novice Foundation Establishment cultivator; one can only say they barely live respectably.

Previously Mu Chunfeng ran into trouble that the Mu family in Liyang Immortal City could not afford to provoke; if mishandled, the Mu family could very likely be expelled from Liyang Immortal City.

"They've stopped bothering me," Mu Chunfeng said with a wry smile, then thanked: "I have to thank you, Jiang Jiyue; otherwise not only would I be plagued with trouble, the Mu family would likely suffer as well."

"We shouldn't be saying thank you. Song Ping'er was unreasonable from the start; her fiancé flirts everywhere, wreaking havoc on Liyang Immortal City and abandoning the female cultivators he harmed. She shouldn't have come looking for you; it's absurd, she's clueless!" Jiang Jiyue shouted angrily.

The incident began when Mu Chunfeng was incidentally noticed by a Foundation Establishment cultivator.

This cultivator, named He Yuan, has an impressive background: he is a disciple of one of the few Golden Core realm "Blood Crow True Persons" in Liyang Immortal City, and he also has a fiancée.

His fiancée also comes from a prominent background; she is Song Ping'er, the young lady of the Song family, one of the Ten Great Families.

He Yuan is a great womanizer; even with a fiancée, he frequently frequents pleasure houses and likes to flirt with virtuous female cultivators, making him somewhat notorious in Liyang Immortal City.

When he happened to see Mu Chunfeng, he fell "love at first sight" and began to relentlessly pursue her.

Upon learning his identity, Mu Chunfeng naturally refused firmly; He Yuan, in this regard, retained a hint of gentlemanly conduct, and after being rejected, he did not resort to low tactics nor force her.

Unexpectedly, his fiancée Song Ping'er, upon hearing the news, became indignant, feeling that Mu Chunfeng had embarrassed her, and decided to cause trouble for Mu Chunfeng.

As the young lady of the Song family, one of the Ten Great Families, whose lineage has produced a Golden Core True Person and now hosts a Fake Core True Person, the Song family is far beyond the Mu family's reach. Song Ping'er's intent to cause trouble spells a catastrophic disaster for Mu Chunfeng and the Mu family.

With no other options, even though she was reluctant, Mu Chunfeng still turned to her best friend Jiang Jiyue for help.

Upon hearing, Jiang Jiyue wasted no words and went to ask her father Jiang Canghai for assistance.

Jiang Canghai originally did not want to get involved, nor to become enemies with the Song family, one of the Ten Great Families.

The Song family itself has a Fake Core True Person and also maintains close ties with the Blood Crow True Person, constituting an "allied relationship"; among the Ten Great Families, they rank near the top three, surpassing the shallow‑rooted Jiang family by far.

Yet recalling that he disappeared for over a decade, stopped caring shortly after Jiang Jiyue was born, and that Jiang Jiyue's mother died because of him, he feels guilt toward Jiang Jiyue.

When his daughter finally mustered the courage to ask him once, he still agreed.

So.

Under Jiang Canghai's personal intervention, the Song family still showed great courtesy, restraining Song Ping'er and not letting her trouble Mu Chunfeng and the Mu family any further.

Three rounds of wine passed, and five flavors of dishes were served.

The two had almost finished eating.

Mu Chunfeng, whose taste was not very refined, suddenly said, "Jiang Jiyue, I might leave Liyang Immortal City after a while."

Jiang Jiyue, who was sampling a pastry, was startled for a moment and then hurriedly asked, "Why?"

The real reason is that although the Song family publicly ceased harassing the Mu family and did not threaten Mu Chunfeng, they were still taking some actions behind the scenes.

Even if those actions were minor, barely discernible as the Song family's targeting, they were enough to make the small Mu family extremely uncomfortable.

In this situation, Mu Chunfeng could not turn to her confidante Jiang Jiyue for help.

First, asking for help requires a favor in return; with her current strength and status, she cannot repay Jiang Jiyue or the Jiang family, so how could she keep bothering them? Second, the Song family has already shown great courtesy to the Jiang family; at least they have stopped publicly, and even if Jiang Jiyue begged her father to intervene again, the Song family might not extend courtesy again.

Moreover, if it escalated to a dispute between the Jiang and Song families, she could not bear that responsibility.

In this case, only Mu Chunfeng leaving Liyang Immortal City far away might calm the extremely jealous Song Ping'er, causing her to cease her anger and stop troubling the Mu family.

"I failed to establish the Foundation, so the immortal path is completely severed. From now on, the days are just wasted time. Liyang Immortal City is wonderful, the immortal Dao flourishes, its splendor is extreme, but it no longer suits me. Since the immortal path is hopeless, I have no reason to stay in a place that isn't mine; I might as well travel around, see more, farther places," Mu Chunfeng said half‑truthfully.

Her looks remained beautiful, her slightly chubby, egg‑shaped face still exuding cuteness, but her spirit no longer held the ambition of her youth.

"What are you saying? Even if you failed to establish the Foundation, staying in Liyang Immortal City is still the best choice. In the entire Da Yu Cultivation World, aside from the two major Nascent Soul forces, what place can broaden one's insight more than Liyang Immortal City? I've been here almost ten years, yet there are still many places I haven't explored and many things I haven't seen; this bustling immortal city still occasionally amazes me with fresh sights. You've been here less time than I have, have seen fewer things—how can you leave so quickly?" Jiang Jiyue urged.

She truly didn't want Mu Chunfeng to leave.

In Liyang Immortal City, her status was lofty and her position high; many flattered her and sought her favor, yet she could not find another confidante like Mu Chunfeng who could joke freely and share inner thoughts.

But regardless of Jiang Jiyue's persuasion, Mu Chunfeng's mind was made up; she was determined to leave Liyang Immortal City and travel the world.

Although Jiang Jiyue was rather simple‑minded, she was not foolish; she could vaguely sense something amiss in Mu Chunfeng's demeanor, as if the other side harbored an unspeakable secret.

Moreover, the reason Mu Chunfeng gave was truly unconvincing to her.

Thus, Jiang Jiyue kept a watchful eye and did not directly ask Mu Chunfeng the reason on the spot.

Since Mu Chunfeng did not speak, she definitely did not intend to tell her, wanting to hide it from her.

Then she would investigate it herself later.

If Mu Chunfeng encountered any trouble again, it would surely be discoverable.

"Fine. Since you feel that way, Chunfeng, I can't stop you. However, you must wait another month before leaving," Jiang Jiyue said.

Mu Chunfeng asked puzzled, "Why wait another month?"

Jiang Jiyue reminded, "You forgot, a month from now is the once‑every‑ten‑years auction in Liyang Immortal City! I even secured a ticket for you. You've always been saying you want to see this grand event, to broaden your horizons. It's been years of waiting—how can you leave just before it begins?"

The former Mu Chunfeng was certainly interested in this grand auction, even if only as a spectator; even if she couldn't afford any auction item, just witnessing it would be worthwhile.

But now, having failed to establish the Foundation and being plagued by troubles, she actually no longer really wants to go.

Nevertheless, Jiang Jiyue pressed strongly; she could not find a better reason to refuse, so she had to agree.

After attending the auction next month, she would then leave Liyang Immortal City.

……

A few days later.

Jiang family.

Jiang Jiyue listened to information gathered by a Foundation Establishment Realm Guest Minister of the Jiang family and discovered that although the Song family publicly ceased troubling Mu Chunfeng and the Mu family, they still subtly set traps behind the scenes.

In the past two months, the Mu family's income has sharply declined, and its members have faced obstacles everywhere, enduring many hardships.

"Chunfeng, why didn't you tell me!"

Jiang Jiyue stamped her foot in anger.

She said, Mu Chunfeng traveled thousands of miles from Nanshan Fang to Liyang Immortal City—how could she want to leave for no reason?

There must be hidden reasons! Yet, on second thought, she could roughly guess her confidante's mind—surely she's afraid of troubling her again, making her difficult, so she chose not to tell and simply left silently.

Without any hesitation, Jiang Jiyue immediately prepared to ask her father Jiang Canghai to intervene again and make the Song family stop.

"Miss, I think you shouldn't go to the family head about this any more; we can no longer intervene," the Guest Minister said, unable to hold back a reminder.

Jiang Jiyue frowned, puzzled, "Why?"

In her view, it was clearly the Song family breaking their word; they had promised to stop, yet secretly employed such despicable underhanded tactics.

(End of chapter)