Chapter 181: Immortal Forest Assembly

How should I tell Senior Sister Ouyang?

Should I say Fifth Senior Brother has a necessary reason to break up with her? Should I say Fifth Senior Brother has an unavoidable predicament forcing a breakup?

I can believe these words, but Senior Sister Ouyang might not believe them!

Feeling clueless and anxious, Zhang Xingyu returned to the inn.

Just as he stepped into the inn, the attendant called out to Zhang Xingyu.

"Immortal sir, this is what the Meng-surnamed immortal maiden asked me to give you."

The attendant handed Zhang Xingyu a jade slip.

In the jade slip, Meng Ruyan wrote in elegant, clear script: "Junior Brother Zhang, Senior Sister Ouyang's emotions are unstable; to prevent any mishap befalling her, I and Kai Xin have accompanied her to Nanhua Cheng first. When you return, please come directly to the Nanhua Immortal Academy to meet with us. Meng Ruyan."

Zhang Xingyu let out a long sigh.

That's good! Let Senior Sister Ouyang calm down first.

After years of feelings, to say break is to break.

After years as lovers, to say break up is to break up.

Faced with this, Senior Sister Ouyang would surely be heartbroken to the point of not wanting to live.

If I also tell her the result of my confronting her in anger, I fear it would only add insult to injury to her pain.

Someone once said, time is the best medicine.

Let time heal Senior Sister Ouyang's inner wounds.

Zhang Xingyu ordered a pot of Drunken Eight Immortals wine and gulped it down by the window.

After a few sips, he furrowed his brow.

Today this wine tastes nowhere near as sweet and crisp as usual.

Zhang Xingyu shook the wine jug and loudly complained to the attendant: "Attendant, today's wine is bland and tasteless—did you water it down?"

The attendant hastily waved his hands: "Immortal sir, how would I dare to water the wine? This is authentic Drunken Eight Immortals, just opened; if you don't believe me, smell it—your jug's wine and the wine in the barrel are exactly the same."

Zhang Xingyu smelled it, then shook his head.

Strange, it's the same wine.

How does today's wine taste so bland in my mouth?

He raised the wine jug and poured another big gulp into his mouth.

Because he drank too quickly, the wine fumes rushed into his lungs, making him choke and cough nonstop.

Just then, a young man carrying a sword walked in through the inn's doorway.

He had white-streaked hair, a staggering gait, and a despondent expression.

He entered the inn and went straight to the counter.

"Boss, please reserve twelve rooms for me." He softly said to the boss behind the counter.

He had a blank expression, his voice low and deep, like a stagnant pool of dead water.

Zhang Xingyu stopped coughing.

He turned his head, raised the wine jug in his hand: "Attendant! Another jug......"

As he raised his hand, his words trailed off.

Fang Senior Brother?

Could it be Fang Senior Brother?

If it's him, why is his hair white?

If it's not him, how could he look exactly like him?

Zhang Xingyu stood up and shouted loudly at the white-haired youth before the counter: "Fang Senior Brother!"

The white-haired youth turned his head, and his zombie-like face gradually changed.

"Junior Brother Zhang?" the white-haired youth asked softly.

"It's me. Fang Senior Brother, I'm Zhang Xingyu." Zhang Xingyu walked over.

They held hands, looked at each other with tearful eyes, and were unable to speak.

There were no tearful eyes, but the inability to speak was real.

Gazing at Fang Shengwen's white-streaked sideburns, Zhang Xingyu could not find words for a moment.

Fang Shengwen looked at the lively Zhang Xingyu and, for a moment, could not regain his composure.

After a long while, he finally said softly: "Just being alive is good! Just coming back is good!"

Fang Shengwen came to Dan Tai Immortal City to advance ahead.

His duty was to reserve inns and handle registration procedures for the proud disciples of Nanhua Immortal Academy who came to participate in the Immortal Forest Assembly.

Seeing the once vigorous senior brother now fallen to this state, a bitterness welled up in Zhang Xingyu's heart.

But he knew that the bitterness in Fang Shengwen's heart was far deeper than his own, many times over.

Fang Shengwen had booked the inn, then went alone to the City Lord's Mansion to handle the registration procedures.

Zhang Xingyu wanted to go with him, but Fang Shengwen shook his head and refused.

"Junior Brother, don't go! This isn't something you should do."

Fang Shengwen staggered out of the inn's doorway.

Gazing at his slightly hunched figure, Zhang Xingyu muttered to himself.

"Senior Brother, how could this be something you should do?"

In the evening, Fang Shengwen returned to the inn.

Returning with him were Xu Yun Lao Dao and ten other junior fellow disciples.

Perhaps having already received news of Zhang Xingyu, when they met again Xu Yun Lao Dao showed no surprise.

He merely nodded at Zhang Xingyu and lightly said: "Just come back! After returning, remember to repay the institute's student loan."

Zhang Xingyu nodded, his heart very calm.

This feeling is strange.

It feels as if I have graduated long ago; everything is so mundane.

Xu Yun Lao Dao paid no attention to me, Fang Shiwen wrapped himself in a cocoon, and the other junior and senior disciples also had little interaction with me.

Zhang Xingyu awkwardly greeted them, then returned alone to his guest room.

I've figured it out; I'll go back to Nanhua Cheng tomorrow.

I originally wanted to stay and be a cheerleader, but looking at this situation, I probably won't need to.

Early the next morning, Zhang Xingyu shouldered the fire dragon and came to the door of Xu Yun Lao Dao's guest room.

"Knock knock knock!"

After knocking three times, there was no answer from inside the room.

Zhang Xingyu thought for a moment, then went to the door of Fang Shiwen's guest room.

"Knock knock knock!"

After knocking three times, there was likewise no answer from inside the room.

Strange!

Did they leave this early?

They said they would come to say goodbye to me! Looks like it's unnecessary.

Arriving at the hall, about to leave, the inn attendant stopped Zhang Xingyu.

"Immortal, please stay. Here is a message jade slip for you."

Zhang Xingyu nodded, casually took the jade slip, and used his spiritual power to illuminate the characters on it.

"Junior Brother Zhang, we are first going to the Pearl Sea west of the city to attend the Immortal Seed Assembly. You come on your own after waking up. Fang Shiwen."

What does that mean?

Do I have to go as a cheerleader? And go by myself?

Zhang Xingyu muttered to himself for a long time, finally deciding to go take a look at the Pearl Sea west of the city.

The Immortal Seed Assembly is held once every ten years.

Participants in the Immortal Seed Assembly are outstanding disciples from various immortal sects, immortal clans, and immortal academies in the southern Zhan Continent.

As a legendary figure of the Nanhua Immortal Academy, how could I miss such a grand gathering of the immortal forest?

West of DanTai City, on the Pearl Sea, crowds surged.

Although the Pearl Sea's name contains "sea," it is actually a highland lake.

The lake water is clear and transparent, the mountain scenery reflected on its shores, the scenery is very beautiful.

In the center of the lake, nine small islands are evenly distributed, resembling a string of beautiful pearls.

At this moment, a cloud platform has been built on each small island.

Around the cloud platforms sit a large crowd of cultivators, some whispering to each other, some closing their eyes to nurture their spirits.

When Zhang Xingyu arrived at the Pearl Sea, the competition had already begun on the cloud platforms.

He lowered his flying sword, came to the lakeside, and boarded a pig‑trough boat.

This kind of ferry is big‑bellied and round‑headed, shaped like a pig trough, yet it travels extremely fast.