Chapter 164: The Land of Quanshan, the Apprentice Falls Aside

It is said that Quanshan in Quanzhou is a famous scenic spot in the Liang Kingdom. It belongs to the main peak of the Quanling Mountains in the northwest of the Liang Kingdom, rising over a thousand zhang, precipitous and strange, with high mountains and beautiful waters, and a magnificent atmosphere. It bears the beautiful name of "Nine Peaks and Eighteen Streams," and even more, the Nine Springs Temple, a branch of Longhu Mountain, is situated upon it, enjoying the blessings of this unique scenic realm.

The Quanling Mountains are long and vast, starting in the northwest and extending all the way to the southeast, dividing Quanzhou into the East and West Prefectures. The Liuyun River also rushes through the mountains; one mountain and one river divide Quanzhou into a "cross" shape. Xishan Prefecture is mountainous, which is also due to the Quanling Mountains, but the essence of Quanshan is mostly occupied by the Nine Springs Temple, so what can be divided to Xishan Prefecture is not considered a good place.

By the way, Changping County, where Chen Ci is located, is roughly at the far left and lower position of Quanzhou. It is truly a case of the heavens being high and the emperor being far away, with many mountains and poor cultivators.

Sixty-some li southeast outside the Dongshan County City, on the official road.

Chen Ci was riding an old yellow-haired horse, traveling leisurely along the official road. He had changed out of his Daoist robe and was dressed in the brocade clothing common among the laity. Apart from being quite tall and having an extraordinary appearance, he did not look too conspicuous mixed in the crowd.

"This Dongshan Prefecture is far more prosperous than Xishan Prefecture. Traveling all the way here, not only are the common people along the way mostly neatly dressed and healthy, but even the secular martial artists, or some wandering practitioners and sorcerers of the rivers and lakes, are much more numerous than in Xishan Prefecture."

Chen Ci stuffed a small storybook he used to pass the time into the saddlebag on the horse's back, feeling a little envious.

Unlike Xishan Prefecture, which has many mountains and few fields, most of Dongshan Prefecture is fertile land along the river. The remaining small portion of the Quanling Mountains is also mostly a spiritual and beautiful place like Quanshan. Not to mention anything else, cultivating the Dao requires eating the food of the human world, especially for Qi-refining cultivators. Leaving production to cultivate cannot be separated from money, rice, and resources. If the place where one is located is wealthy, it is always more comfortable to cultivate.

Just like in Changping County, Master Chen was almost fleecing the neighbors, but in the end, relying solely on the land, he only made about ten thousand taels of silver a year. Converted into Spirit Pearls, that was only a little over ten. Even so, he still had to offer most of it to the Red Dragon Temple. Thinking that his hard-earned money was taken by someone like that cheap fellow disciple surnamed Yan to soak with the Dragon Lady, Chen Ci felt that the knife he used that day was still too dull.

"Ma Huai, formerly known as Ma Liang, Ma Shen, Ma Feng, evil cultivator from Miaojiang, skilled in raising small ghosts and nightmare sorcery, fond of harvesting primordial yin and yang, True Qi cultivation is around forty apertures. Those who capture him, dead or alive, will be rewarded with ten thousand taels of silver."

Sigh.

Chen Ci somewhat suspected whether every time the Golden Scale Wonderful Method opened an aperture, the duration of this Five Ghosts Wonderful Method would increase by half a breath. Of course, it was estimated that it also had something to do with the proficiency of the Five Ghosts Possession Method.

How much?

Five Ghosts Possession Method: Entry/9/100 (Ghost power enters the body, physical body doubles, current duration is three breaths, every ten breaths, one can advance)

"Eh?"

Chen Ci touched the envelope in his bosom, his eyes narrowed slightly, as if he were taking a nap on the horse's back, but his mind was on his own Gold Finger.

After traveling for about half an hour, Chen Ci arrived at the gate of the county city. Above the zhang-high city gate were written the two characters "Anhua." Two rows of people were flowing in and out, and a team of armored soldiers was maintaining order. Beside the city gate stood a huge notice board with some warning words on it, the gist of which was to warn people of the rivers and lakes, wandering practitioners, and sorcerers to abide by the law. Below that were more than a dozen drawn portraits. Although they were ink paintings, they already had a bit of a three-dimensional feel, possessing both form and spirit, and were eighty percent similar to ordinary people.

Hmm.

Anyway, there were many points to complain about, and Chen Ci did not know where to start, so he simply swallowed his thoughts. Since the names had already been called out, it was enough to find the right person; the rest had nothing to do with Master Chen.

Chen Ci squeezed the old horse under his crotch and slightly increased his speed. If the Soul Fixing Talisman could not ultimately fix the Yin Demon state during this Five Ghosts Possession, his fate would likely not be much better than those He Mountain fellow disciples who practiced the Five Ghosts Possession Great Method before him.

Chen Ci glanced at it twice, suddenly stopped, jumped off the horse, and stood in front of it to look for a few moments.

Mocking Deep Blue, understanding Deep Blue, longing for Deep Blue, Chen Ci grinned, and the urgency to return to Xishan Prefecture increased a bit more.

"I really didn't expect that my path of the Dao would ultimately fall on this talisman technique, the Soul Fixing Talisman."

Called Ma what again?

There seems to be an acquaintance in here.

According to the letter, that descendant of Geng Laodao lives in the Li Family of Tonghua Ward in Dongshan Prefecture County City, called Li Yuanqing, fourteen years old by nominal age, with a thumb-sized birthmark on his left shoulder. His mother's surname is Xu, given name He, and his father's surname is Li, given name Li Xuedao. The Li Family also has some assets in the local area, so it shouldn't be difficult to find them if one asks around a little.

It's a pity that the crazy, destructive, flammable, and explosive emotional state during Five Ghosts Possession is becoming more and more intense. In three breaths, two and a half breaths are "What are you looking at?", which is much more intense than the desire to devour when practicing the Golden Scale Wonderful Method in the river. Not to mention calming down to eat Qi and practice the method, if a dog passed by, it would have to take two slaps from Master Chen.

"The Xishan Prefecture County City is just okay, it can still be considered prosperous. I guess other townships and counties, the Outer Sect Disciples of the Nine Springs Temple are not willing to be stationed there often. And because of the Earth Sha of Quanshan, they need manpower to open up wasteland and guard it, which is why Jiao Zhenren can set up the Fuhu Altar, which can be considered the result of a compromise among many parties."

"It's only seventeen thousand four hundred Soul Fixing Talismans. With my supreme talent, with my supreme aptitude, with my supreme gift, Deep Blue can't add a single point, just draw them."

Soul Fixing Talisman: Proficient/13/100 (Talisman paper and cinnabar ink, one must succeed, calm the Qi and pray for blessings, five out of ten can succeed, every hundred talismans completed can advance one)

Brother Ma, Brother Ma, you died so miserably!

Chen Ci felt a bit of heartache for no reason.

Three seconds is actually quite manly.

No wonder his own Changping County was a poor and remote place. How could a Side Door Cultivator with decent cultivation pass by inexplicably? It is estimated that he was avoiding disaster from Dongshan Prefecture and ran to Xishan Prefecture, or was preparing to make a profit before fleeing back to Miaojiang, but ended up bumping into the He Mountain Light, Master Chen, and contributed his precious first blood.

But no matter how you look at it, Brother Ma's head doesn't look like it's worth ten thousand taels.

Too hasty.

Although cultivators also have simple means to change their appearance, in front of discerning people, the effect will not be great. Once on this notice board, at least the larger cities and markets in Dongshan Prefecture probably cannot be visited again. It has some deterrent effect on the Side Door Cultivators who hang around the rivers and lakes.

But a head is not easy to preserve, and with Master Chen's status, it is not easy to claim the reward. The He Mountain Sect is considered a major Side Door sect after all, doing such a thing... wouldn't it be cutting oneself off from the Side Door?

Chen Ci came back to his senses and hurriedly scanned all the portraits on it.

Good news, Master Chen is not on it, but Master Chen has always been kind and charitable, and he should not be on it anyway.

Bad news, there are He Mountain fellow disciples on it, and more than one. Although he doesn't know them, isn't Master Chen's reputation ruined like this?

"It seems... I still have to be low-key."

Chen Ci suppressed the anxiety in his heart, stuffed the Five Yin Evil Qi Bag into his trouser pocket, and tried his best not to reveal anything.

After paying a small fee, Chen Ci led the old horse and walked honestly into the city. The Dongshan County City was full of buildings and extended in all directions, which was very prosperous. He casually found a tea stall, threw a silver bean, and before long, a servant led him to Tonghua Ward and found the Li Family residence.

This Li Fu cannot be called a wealthy family, but it is still okay. The three-entry and three-exit courtyard looks quite elegant, at least not a dilapidated household.

Thinking about it, there shouldn't be any trouble.

Chen Ci didn't think much and went straight up to knock on the door.

Not long after, an old gatekeeper came to open the door. Seeing Chen Ci, he looked him up and down before respectfully asking, "This master, is there anything?"

"Is this the home of Brother Li Xuedao?"

Chen Ci asked politely, "I am a person from Xishan Prefecture. I had the friendship of studying together with Brother Li back then. Today, passing through Dongshan Prefecture, I specifically came to visit. I hope the old gentleman can report it."

The old servant heard this, his face showed a trace of surprise, and he said in surprise, "This is indeed the Li Fu, but the Second Master has been doing business outside and hasn't returned for more than ten years."

Chen Ci: "."

His identity was not made up, it was according to the letter, but what was going on with this?

However, this so-called Brother Li is not important. As long as he finds the right person, it's a big deal to pack him up and take him away. But it would be better if he could not cause other complications.

"This master, please wait a moment. Now the Eldest Master is in charge of the mansion, and the old servant needs to go and report it."

Perhaps seeing that Chen Ci was dignified and dressed in a noble manner, not like a villain, the old servant greeted him and went back to report. After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the old servant hurried out again and said respectfully, "The Eldest Master said that guests from afar are guests, so please come into the house for a chat. The Eldest Master also wants to ask about the Second Master."

"Fine."

Chen Ci wants to take people back to Xishan Prefecture, so naturally, he has to talk to their elders. Otherwise, taking people away directly would be a bit unreasonable.

Handing the horse to the old servant, there were servants to lead it to the backyard to take care of it. Chen Ci followed the old servant to the main hall. The layout of this Li Fu was quite secluded, and the servants were also quite polite. It seems that the family style is not bad.

Although he, Chen, is only temporarily helping Ahu train his apprentices, if he really takes a stupid and bad one by his side, it is also disgusting.

Entering the living room, a middle-aged man in his early forties came up to greet him. His eyes were bright and his movements agile; he clearly possessed some martial arts skill. Upon seeing Chen Ci, this man looked him up and down carefully, then asked with a hesitant bow: "May I ask... are you an immortal master?"

"Hmm?"

Chen Ci had slightly concealed his cultivation. It might have been useless if he had encountered a high-level cultivator, but to be seen through by a mortal was rather strange.

Perhaps noticing Chen Ci's confusion, this Master Li understood something in his heart. His expression became even more respectful, and he replied cautiously: "I hope this immortal master knows that my younger brother, Geng Laodao, has been studying the Dao away from home for over ten years. My Li Family told the outside world he was doing business, but the family knew he had gone to seek immortality and study the Dao. He once left a letter saying he had obtained an immortal fate, and even if he didn't return in the future, his fellow sect members would come to ferry the children of the Li Family. Over these years, you, Immortal Master, are the only visitor to come here specifically naming my younger brother."

Chen Ci was somewhat speechless; he could not understand the relationship between Geng Laodao and the Li Family.

Never mind. Since the Li Family had an explanation, Chen Ci could not be bothered to dawdle further. He revealed his True Qi cultivation and spoke directly: "Since Brother Geng left a letter, I will not conceal it either. Call out his son, Li Yuanqing. I have been entrusted by Brother Geng to take him back to the sect to cultivate."

"Immortal Master, my Li Family still has several bright younger generation members. I wonder if you might take a look at them? We are all one family; surely studying the Dao would not matter."

The expression on this Master Li's face was both expectant and hesitant. He said in a low voice: "That... the child Yuanqing also obtained an immortal fate a few days ago. He was taken in by the Han Family of Four Directions Mountain as a Registered Disciple, and he is no longer at home."

After a pause, this Master Li looked somewhat pleased and explained: "I hope the immortal master knows that according to the Daoist priest who took Yuanqing away, their Han Family ancestors once sought the Dao at Quanshan. The Han Family Manor of Four Directions Mountain is also a top-tier clan in this area. I also asked a friend in the prefectural government to inquire, and it is indeed true. That Daoist was not a fraud, so I agreed."

Chen Ci was stunned. What was this? Had Lin Laohu's potential apprentice been poached by someone else?

Could this person named Li Yuanqing actually be an immortal seedling?

But it was neither too early nor too late; just a few days before he arrived, this kid had obtained an immortal fate and been taken in by some Han Family as a Registered Disciple. Chen Ci really couldn't be sure if there was something fishy about this.

"Immortal Master, may I summon the children of the clan for you to see?"

Master Li's attitude was very respectful. Chen Ci swept a glance at him; his gaze was direct and not shifty, and his expression was joyful rather than panicked. It did not look like he had done anything wrong, but rather like the joy of his family's children repeatedly encountering immortal fates.

But the problem was, Geng Laodao had not just said to take any Li Family child; he had specifically named one person. Chen Ci was not sure about the relationship, nor did he know if this Li Family had any blood relation to Geng Laodao. Naturally, he could not just take someone away to fulfill the task.

This matter was a bit troublesome.

He did not know the background of the so-called Han Family of Four Directions Mountain, nor was it easy to say whether they were higher or lower than Nine Springs Temple and Fuhu Altar. However, Lin Laohu had an Upper Grade Dao Foundation and was expected to form a Golden Core, and he had even promised Geng Laodao a future for his Dao Foundation. No matter how one looked at it, it was more promising to join He Mountain.

Should he write a letter to ask Ahu?

As a minor disciple of He Mountain, he could not exactly forcibly abduct a disciple who had some connection to Longhu Mountain on the territory of Dongshan Prefecture.

After pondering for a moment, Chen Ci rubbed his fingertips lightly and asked in a low voice: "Master Li, is Brother Geng's wife, Madam Xu, at the manor? Could you please ask her to come out for a moment?"

"This..."

To rashly ask to see the women of the inner residence—if anyone else had said such a thing, Master Li would have already had them beaten out. But because it was an immortal master speaking, he dared not refuse, yet his hesitant demeanor was quite suspicious.

"Hmm, why, is it inappropriate?"

Chen Ci's expression turned slightly cold as he asked.

"No, it's just... Immortal Master, my sister-in-law fell ill with a serious sickness some days ago. She has only just recovered a little; she cannot stand the wind and cannot get out of bed."

Master Li gave a bitter smile and simply spoke plainly: "This illness is very strange. It was only after that Daoist Han administered a Spirit Pill that she began to improve. I was also afraid that the sick woman might offend the immortal master, which is why I dared not agree."

(End of chapter)