Chapter 237

Liu Liu Xiaolou slipped into the secret cave beneath his family's Qianzhu Ridge and organized the items on his person.

Mostly things stored in the Qiankun Bag.

All items were kept in the Qiankun Bag: the remaining forty-two spirit stones, all Dao texts, the Sect Master's token, various spirit materials, and even the condolence spirit stones given by Elder Tu.

The twenty condolence spirit stones in the satchel amounted to two per deceased, but except for Old Four of Guzhang Mountain, the others had no surviving kin—so most could not be given out. In truth, the so-called condolence spirit stones Elder Tu provided were meant for Liu Liu Xiaolou to buy loyalty; exactly who received them was left entirely to Liu Liu Xiaolou's discretion.

Liu Liu Xiaolou had no interest in distributing condolence payments—it was meaningless. He intended to keep the spirit stones, using them to boost his own cultivation or to aid close companions in times of urgent need—both would be a significant advantage.

Because the Daoists of Wulong Mountain would soon face great hardship, and no one could say how long this difficult period would last.

Yet some things must be done, or the bitterness in his chest would never ease.

This was the secret cave of Master Sanxuan Gate; Liu Liu Xiaolou had come here to seclude himself countless times, and now he treated it as a treasure vault. He took out the shelves he had crafted from the Qiankun Bag and stood them tightly against the rock wall, placing all his possessions upon them.

Gazing at these belongings, he couldn't help but drift into thought: if he perished in the coming operation, how long would Master Sanxuan Gate's legacy wait here before someone unearthed it?

A hundred years? A thousand years? Ten thousand years?

Or perhaps, tens of thousands of years from now, when Wulong Mountain collapsed and the cave emerged from the earth, would future generations finally see it?

Inside his left arm was the Xuanzhen Rope; in the Qiankun Bag were the Master Sanxuan Sword, Mili Incense Tendons, the Array Disc, the Concealing Jade Pendant, two sets of black robes, conical hats, and black face cloths. He tightened the Qiankun Bag around his waist and left the cave, returning to Qianzhu Ridge.

First he climbed to the crevice at the peak to check on Da Bai and Xiao Hei, instructing them to guard Qianzhu Ridge, not to bully the Golden Ring Bees—whether they understood such a complex message, he didn't know; he had said what needed saying, and whether he'd live to return, he could only leave it at that.

When he came down, Fang Buai had already been waiting, reporting: "Everyone is descending the mountain gradually—not just those who received the Heroic Invitation, but many others who survived the Ghost Dream Cliff massacre. After hearing the news, they've lost heart and feel Wulong Mountain is no longer safe."

Liu Liu Xiaolou nodded: "Over the years, too many people have come to this mountain. It's better they leave—if we ever return, it'll be quiet. Let's go too."

Fang Buai picked up the bamboo basket at his feet, slung it over his back, and followed Liu Liu Xiaolou down the mountain.

This time they didn't go to Tian Bo's house; they followed the main path outward, and soon encountered a Zhan Clan outsider from Zhanglong Sect—a man Liu Liu Xiaolou had dealt with before. The Zhan Clerk looked at them and asked: "You're leaving too?"

Liu Liu Xiaolou replied: "Clerk Zhan, greetings… We have to go. What else can we do? Wulong Mountain is no longer safe—we dare not stay."

The Zhan Clerk said: "Didn't all sects agree to restrain their disciples and forbid further violations? You heard it too."

Liu Liu Xiaolou sighed: "If they violate again, the penalty doubles in spirit stones—we heard it. But you punish with spirit stones; we pay with our lives."

Fang Buai added angrily: "Even if they fine spirit stones, it won't fall on us!"

Zhanglong Sect naturally didn't want these mountain hermits to leave—especially the Zhan Clan of Eyang Mountain—but what could they do? The others had legs; could they tie them up? They could only watch them walk away step by step, calling after them: "Where are you relocating to?"

Liu Liu Xiaolou turned back and said: "We're heading to Lingnan to try our luck. Clerk Zhan, thank you for your many years of care—we'll meet again if fate allows."

The Zhan Clerk watched them vanish into the distance and asked his companion mournfully: "Are these the eighth and ninth to leave from our side?"

His companion also sighed: "If this keeps up, Wulong Mountain will be empty."

The Zhan Clerk suddenly kicked a nearby stone away, furious: "In three months, Eyang Mountain's spirit rice will be harvested! Damn Lu Lu Yuanlang! Damn Tianmu Mountain!"

Liu Liu Xiaolou led Fang Buai southward; by nightfall they turned northeast and entered Mount Wuling Mountain before dawn.

Mount Wuling Mountain was full of venomous snakes, ferocious beasts, strange herbs, and demonic trees, yet very few usable spirit materials grew here—so high-level cultivators rarely passed through, and low-level ones refused to.

Seeing Fang Buai tense upon entering the mountain, Liu Liu Xiaolou asked: "Afraid?"

Fang Buai answered: "With you here, I'm not afraid."

Liu Liu Xiaolou said: "Sometimes I feel, compared to the outside world, Mount Wuling Mountain is truly safe."

Liu Liu Xiaolou had crossed Mount Wuling Mountain many times and knew two relatively safe paths; he led Fang Buai along one eastward, traversing the entire range—yet even so, they still encountered danger.

Once, a giant serpent, highly sentient; after killing it, they found only its gallbladder usable, so Liu Liu Xiaolou made Fang Buai swallow it.

Another time, they met a ferocious tiger whose tail whip could snap trees—its appearance felt familiar, reminding Liu Liu Xiaolou of the tiger he'd faced years ago with Zuo Gaofeng when entering the mountains; he couldn't tell if it was the same one.

They resolved it as before: mutual intimidation, ending with the tiger yielding the path.

"One day, I'll kill it!" Fang Buai said, frustrated.

Liu Liu Xiaolou said: "Don't act rashly without knowing your enemy's strength. When you strike, you may find their power far exceeds your imagination."

Fang Buai said: "But might we miss a great opportunity?"

Liu Liu Xiaolou nodded: "You might miss it—but opportunities come many times; life comes but once. It's up to you to choose."

Fang Buai said: "When it's time to fight, you must fight!"

Liu Liu Xiaolou thought for a moment. Fang Buai wasn't wrong—it was truly a choice. Before choosing, you cannot foresee whether the outcome will be good or bad; only after the result appears can you know if it was right or wrong. So he said no more.

"You're not speaking anymore? Did I say something wrong?"

"Everyone has their own way of cultivation. No path is absolutely right or absolutely wrong. Just now, I thought of my master—he said this very thing. He told me he wouldn't reveal too much to me, hoping I wouldn't become another him."

"Master Master Sanxuan?"

"Yes."

"Every time I visit his grave, I wonder what he was like…"

"What do you imagine he was like?"

"Probably like you—handsome… elegant?"

"Maybe when he was young."

"I envy him. My master said I have a square, blunt face, so I'm reckless and stupid. He always feared I'd die too soon, so he protected me… when we bathed, he protected me for the last time…"

"Xiao Fang… do you still have family?"

"I don't remember. I've been with my master since childhood—I have no family. My master had no friends; in the Pai Sect, we were always bullied. I hate the Pai Sect—I hate them!"

"Xiao Fang, if you're willing, I can become your family. You can call me brother."

"Brother!"

Mount Wuling Mountain had many streams, cliffs, and gullies—travel was difficult. When they reached the second eastern mountain pass, it was already the third night; three days remained until the deadline. They found a hidden cave, and Liu Liu Xiaolou urged Fang Buai to cultivate together.

Three days of cultivation passed undisturbed, yet the gloom in his chest refused to lift—scenes of Lu Lu Yuanlang's wanton killings kept flashing before him: bodies falling, heads flying, eyes staring at him—none closed.

Unless he released this bitterness, he could not continue cultivating.

Yet Fang Buai's cultivation progressed smoothly; when he opened his eyes three days later, joy overflowed his face: "Brother, I've unblocked Laogong."

This meant he was now only one point away from breaking through to the fourth level—the Zhongchong point.