Chapter 4: Heroic Invitation

They say men don't cry easily, only when they haven't reached the point of heartbreak. Wei Hongqing cried loudly in front of his brother, showing just how heartbroken he was.

Liu Xiaolou wanted to stay and accompany him, but was eventually driven away. Returning to Gan Zhu Ling, his heart felt heavy and uncomfortable. He was both indignant at his good brother's encounter and felt lost about his own cultivation future. He couldn't sleep at all.

As a rogue cultivator in Wulong Mountain, where was the way out?

In the long night, he suddenly thought of that spirit ginseng. Since Wei Hongqing's dual cultivation event had fallen through, should he take it back? Although a small half had been eaten, there was still the majority left...

The next day, before dawn, he hurried to Ghost Dream Cliff again.

Life-and-death brothers, encountering such emotional injury, he couldn't just sit by and watch. He still had to go and take care of him a little.

In addition, when asking for the spirit ginseng, he should be careful, cautious, and thorough. He must avoid talking nonsense. The other party was already heartbroken enough; he couldn't sprinkle salt on the wound.

Of course, this move wasn't because he was stingy. Wei Hongqing and he were the same, known as the "Two Beauties of Wulong Mountain," with average aptitude but excellent appearance. He wouldn't worry about not finding a good dual cultivation partner. Taking the spirit ginseng back and storing it well, adding a little decoration, it could still be used as a congratulatory gift when Wei Hongqing held a dual cultivation ceremony next time.

Returning to Ghost Dream Cliff, the red silk remained, but Wei Hongqing was gone. Instead, Wei Hongqing's good friend, Zuo Gaofeng of Banmu Valley, was waiting here.

Meeting and cupping hands, Zuo Gaofeng spoke first: "Xiaolou is here... Have you seen Hongqing?"

Liu Xiaolou replied: "I just saw him last night. I couldn't rest easy, so I came to see him again. Why isn't he here?"

"He isn't. I also couldn't rest easy..."

The two talked about Wei Hongqing being rejected, both sighing repeatedly.

While they were talking, Xishan Jushi, Lingling Ke, and others arrived, all good friends who couldn't rest easy about Wei Hongqing.

Even Tan Bazhang, a disciple of the Tan family far outside Wulong Mountain, came. He was full of concern: "I said Brother Hongqing's wedding time was wrong. Who sets it early in the morning? It's unlucky! I advised him to change the time, but he wouldn't listen. Didn't something happen?"

Seeing the others not speaking, just staring blankly at him, he asked again: "What's wrong? Did I say something wrong?"

Zuo Gaofeng asked: "Wait, you said early in the morning? What time?"

Tan Bazhang said: "Si time (9-11 AM), and yesterday wasn't an auspicious day either..."

Xishan Jushi interjected: "That's not right, it was clearly Wu time (11 AM-1 PM)."

Lingling Ke said: "Shen time (3-5 PM), he told me Shen time."

Liu Xiaolou asked suspiciously: "Why was mine You time (5-7 PM)?"

Zuo Gaofeng blinked: "Mine was 7-9 PM..."

As everyone looked at each other, Liu Xiaolou finally asked weakly: "Seniors, what gifts did you send?"

As soon as the words fell, Zuo Gaofeng took the lead and rushed into the stone cave. The five people searched like headless flies, only finding a piece of yellow paper. Wei Hongqing left a note on the yellow paper: "Informing all brothers, I am hurt by love, determined to wander the world, and from now on, forget each other in the world of martial arts."

Looking at the note, Zuo Gaofeng couldn't help but feel heartbroken: "My Leopard Tooth Sword... it was a mid-grade one..."

Tan Bazhang, Xishan Jushi, and others were also sad, regretting the precious gifts they had sent, cursing incessantly. For rogue cultivators, every spirit item was incomparably rare. Losing it like this, who wouldn't feel bad?

Only Lingling Ke didn't suffer a loss. He looked empathetic on the surface and cursed along with them, but felt very comfortable in his heart. He had sent a magic talisman at the time. Fortunately, he was thick-skinned and had a good memory. Before going down the mountain, he summoned the courage to ask for the magic talisman back, not letting Wei Hongqing succeed.

Zuo Gaofeng even grumbled at Lingling Ke, blaming him for not giving a warning. But as soon as the words left his mouth, he couldn't continue. Wei Hongqing had separated the wedding ceremony times, and they couldn't meet each other. How could he give a warning?

Someone else asked Xishan Jushi, aren't you good at divination? How could you not calculate this? This made Xishan Jushi very embarrassed, constantly defending: "This is human heart, not heaven's time. How can one calculate it?"

Liu Xiaolou was even more heartbroken. That spirit ginseng was three hundred years old, three hundred years old! It was gone forever. It was truly unfilial! Even if he wanted to find someone, the world was so big, where should he look?

Wei Hongqing, you are truly a grandson. If you wanted the treasure, just say it. If you wanted that spirit ginseng, tell me. We are life-and-death sworn brothers. Could I... well... I wouldn't be short of your congratulatory gift. After so many years of friendship, for a spirit ginseng, was it worth it?

Tossing and turning for a day, Liu Xiaolou returned to Gan Zhu Ling dejectedly. Now there was no other way, he could only be angry by himself. After several days like this, he finally managed to try his best to forget this loss.

For several days in a row, he lay on the three-foot terrace in front of the thatched cottage, fanning himself with a banana leaf, slowly thinking about his next cultivation path.

In today's world, major sects have occupied the blessed lands. Rogue cultivators without proper backgrounds can only fight for resources scattered by major sects, and every step forward is extremely difficult. The cultivation path is long, and there are ten barriers to cross in Qi Refinement alone. He had just taken the second step, and the road ahead was truly bumpy!

But everything is for longevity. Even if it's bumpy, he has to bite the bullet and keep going.

It's midsummer now, and it's still a few months before the harvest of the spirit fields on Eyang Mountain. He can't count on that pay for the time being. Besides, the Zang family only recruits twenty independent cultivators to help out when harvesting spirit fields in previous years, and he might not necessarily be able to grab the opportunity.

Go to the gambling house in Bayi Village to pick up a leak? Last time he was beaten up, but didn't get anything. It's truly a bad strategy.

Also, the Heroic Invitation hasn't been issued for more than half a year. I don't know when the next one will be?

Just as he was letting his imagination run wild, the wind chime on the eaves swayed, ding-dong, ding-dong...

Liu Xiaolou looked toward the mountain path, a figure suddenly appeared from the forest, standing before the firewood gate.

Liu Xiaolou froze: "Dai Sanren..."

The visitor was dressed in crimson, exactly his senior, his teacher's close friend, named Dai Shenggao, known as Dai Sanren.

Dai Shenggao stared at Liu Xiaolou silently for a moment and said: "Go see the Master's grave."

Liu Xiaolou opened the firewood gate, leading the way. Deep in the bamboo forest, a simple grave stood under a few clusters of green bamboo. A tombstone stood before the grave, inscribed with "Grave of the Honored Master Three Mystical."

Dai Shenggao took out a bamboo tube, opened the bamboo stopper, and the bamboo tube was filled with turbid yellow wine.

He sat cross-legged before the tombstone, sprinkling a sip, drinking a sip, drinking with the tombstone for a long time until the wine was finished.

After a long while, he asked Liu Xiaolou, who was standing solemnly to the side, in a soft voice: "How has your cultivation been these past six months?"

Liu Xiaolou answered truthfully: "Hard to make any progress."

Dai Shenggao sighed: "In the past, you relied on your teacher; from now on, you can only rely on yourself."

Liu Xiaolou looked at the tombstone and nodded gently: "Senior is right."

Dai Shenggao took out a wooden plaque, flipping it in his palm, and said: "Boss Wang is issuing the Heroic Invitation again, intending to break into the Zhang family manor on Jinping Mountain in Xiangnan."

Liu Xiaolou was instantly energized and asked: "The manor of Zhang Xianbai, the First Arrow of Xiangnan?"