Chapter 314: The Green Hills Remain, and There Is Always Firewood

After Zhao Wuyang returned to the sect, he had originally intended to inform Qianyuan Zhenren about the matter of the box, but who would have thought that he wouldn't even get to see his master before being sent back to the City Lord Mansion by Lingxiang.

Lingxiang had said that since he was back and so close by, he should go home to report that he was safe, so as not to let his family worry. Zhao Wuyang felt that what Lingxiang said made sense, so he went down the mountain.

But with this box on his person, Zhao Wuyang felt a sense of unease in his heart; if the great demon inside were accidentally released by him, what would he do then?

Zhao Wuyang carefully placed the box on the table and scrutinized it for a long time, suddenly discovering that the box seemed a bit different from before.

He remembered that when he saw this box earlier, the patterns on it were dark brown, but this time they had turned silver, as if they had been freshly painted.

Hiss!

Zhao Wuyang gasped.

Could it be that the monster inside was about to escape?

That didn't seem right either!

He remembered that he had previously placed this box in the Storage Bag at his chest, but after returning home, he had taken it out from the Storage Bag at his sleeve.

Could it be that someone had opened it?

Zhao Wuyang couldn't help but gasp again, but before long, he calmed down.

Although he was not very proficient in Talisman Arrays, he had read some books, and he could be certain that the patterns on this box were exactly a Talisman Array.

Since the talisman seal had become new, it meant someone had reinforced this Talisman Array or laid down a new Array Formation; but who could have opened it? In a flash, Zhao Wuyang realized it must have been Lingxiang.

Back at Ding'anju, Lingxiang had become very strange and even made him sleep for a long time; he figured it must have been then. Since it had been opened, he imagined there shouldn't be anything dangerous inside, but why would she need to reseal it with a talisman?

Zhao Wuyang couldn't help but become curious: what exactly was inside this box? He picked up the box and weighed it, feeling it had some heft, then shook it gently, but didn't hear the slightest sound.

Could it be an empty box? Why would Ajin leave an empty box for him?

Just as Zhao Wuyang was completely baffled, the area outside the house suddenly became noisy. He hurriedly put the box away and went out to take a look, only to see several servants whispering to each other while looking behind the house.

These were all old servants who had worked in the household for a long time; although the household did not treat them harshly on a daily basis, they would never be so undisciplined.

Out of curiosity, Zhao Wuyang took a few steps back and looked in the direction the servants were pointing. He saw patches of dark clouds gathering together like a tidal wave, rolling and swirling downward in the north, as if a hole had been torn in the edge of the sky, and that direction was precisely...

"It's the sect!"

Zhao Wuyang was extremely shocked, feeling a wave of unease surge into his heart. Just then, he heard the servants beside him whispering:

"Sigh! That group of alchemists on Jiuque Mountain is acting up again..."

"What do you mean by that, 'again'?"

"Sigh, you were still young back then. More than ten years ago, the same thing happened, and the situation then was almost exactly the same as it is now."

"And then?"

"And then, those alchemists closed the mountain gates and never took in any more disciples from that point on."

Hearing this, Zhao Wuyang couldn't help but think of some things circulating within the sect, things that the Sect Leader had strictly forbidden anyone from discussing.

Could it be that the sect was facing another catastrophe?

Zhao Wuyang was greatly alarmed and hurriedly prepared to rush out, but he was called to a halt at the doorway.

"Wuyang! Where are you going!" It was City Lord Zhao.

"Father, the sect is in trouble, I..."

"You are going nowhere." Before Zhao Wuyang could finish, City Lord Zhao stopped him.

Zhao Wuyang did not know why City Lord Zhao was like this; his father was a benevolent and righteous man, so how could he let him watch the sect suffer in trouble? Could it be...

Just as Zhao Wuyang was doubting, he saw the City Lord's wife walk out from the side.

"It's you!"

However, the City Lord's wife shook her head and took a black jade tablet from her bosom; the two characters "Fucang" were clearly visible on the tablet.

It was Lingxiang, but why would Lingxiang not let him return to the sect?

Zhao Wuyang was completely baffled, only hearing the City Lord's wife say softly: "Earlier, the Fairy sent someone to give instructions that you must be kept in the city to ensure your safety, and only when that box of yours is opened can you be allowed to go up the mountain."

Sure enough, Lingxiang had indeed opened this box, but what did this mean?

"There are demonic creatures all outside the city now; even if you went like this, you might not be able to reach Jiuque Mountain," City Lord Zhao added.

Demonic creatures! It was actually demonic creatures!

"If that is the case, then the commoners in the city..."

"Notices were posted in the city long ago forbidding anyone from going out at will, and the commoners outside the city have also been settled within the city."

"But those are demonic creatures! How could a mere city wall hold them back?" Zhao Wuyang was shocked and made a move to go out.

Although he was not well-versed in Array Formations, he had faced demonic creatures before; even if he were alone and weak, it was still better than no one resisting, right?

Just then, he heard an old man's laughter from within the courtyard of the City Lord Mansion, and accompanying the laughter was the sound of a wooden staff thumping against the bluestone floor.

"I haven't left the forest for a long time; to think there are such juniors in this mortal world, this trip was truly not in vain!"

He saw an old man leaning on a cane walking slowly out from behind the City Lord. That cane looked very strange; it was clearly a piece of bamboo, yet it branched out at the top like tree limbs, and a black-gold wine gourd was hanging from it.

The old man looked to be of some age, with white eyebrows and beard, but his eyes were bright and piercing. He was wearing a dark green Daoist Robe and looked very strange, and following behind him was actually...

"Senior Brother Rendong!"

The person who arrived was dressed so strikingly; it was none other than Zhuzhang Laoren.

Zhao Wuyang did not know Zhuzhang Laoren, but he did know Rendong. However, what he did not understand was, as Lingxiang's disciple, had Rendong not seen the ominous mass swirling above Jiuque Mountain? Moreover, since there were demonic creatures everywhere outside the city, as members of the Daoist Sect, shouldn't the two of them step forward?

Zhuzhang Laoren seemed to see what Zhao Wuyang was thinking and just smiled and beckoned: "Rendong, what is the one thing I, your master, often tell you?"

Upon hearing this, Rendong bowed and replied in a serious tone: "A gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall."

Although Rendong was replying to Zhuzhang Laoren, Zhao Wuyang knew that these words were meant for him, but...

"Even if it is a dangerous wall, so what? Does that mean one should watch others die and just stand by?"

City Lord Zhao heard this and was about to reprimand him, but he saw Zhuzhang Laoren wave his hand.

"It is not to let you watch others die, but to act according to your ability. That catastrophe before your eyes—do you think you can resolve it just by going? The green hills will always remain, and there will always be firewood to gather."

That may be so, but are we really just going to ignore those fellow disciples and do nothing?

Zhao Wuyang wanted to say something more, but Rendong pressed his hand down on him.

"Lingxiang has her own plans, otherwise she wouldn't have tricked you into coming home, would she?"

That word "tricked" was truly well-used; only then did Zhao Wuyang realize that he had indeed been "tricked" back by Lingxiang.