Chapter 128: with translation of chapter title

Zhou Shuo looked at the white-clad young man who had blurted out, feeling a little dazed. Outcloud Madman—is that my epithet? It seems so, but is it a bit low? And who spread it, and how did it get called out? Can't I change it to something more imposing?

"So it's the Outcloud Madman who's come here." The young masters listening to their companion's words had their doubts dispelled all at once, gazing at Zhou Shuo with an "I see" look.

"Can those few leave?" Zhou Shuo glanced at the young masters' expressions, his eyes slightly askew.

"Leave? Brother Zhou, you spouted big words at the Outcloud Royal Palace, belittling the elite of our Great Qian Heavenly Province, and now you've come to Yujing City and dare to tell us to leave?" The white-clad young man held a jade flute, his tone carrying a leisurely, pedantic air.

"Not bad, today…" The green-clad young man slapped his palm with his folding fan, but before he could finish speaking, Zhou Shuo cut him off.

"Since it looks like you're not planning to leave, never mind." Zhou Shuo, seeing the young masters' expressions, felt a bit bored, lightly waved his hand; before the few young men across could speak, they were seized by an invisible big hand and lifted into the air, before their faces could even change, they were wrapped in several gusts of wind rising from the ground, hurled straight into the sky, and thrown out onto the street outside Scatter Flowers Pavilion amid their screams.

"Why go to such lengths, Master Zhou? Those young masters are merely guests invited by Su Mu." A voice like a warm current spread from inside the hall, blowing away the young masters' screams.

"Holy Maiden, you've said it— they're merely invited guests." Zhou Shuo glanced at the servants remaining in the room; those young masters' attendants instantly understood, all filing out of Scatter Flowers Pavilion, leaving only the madam of Scatter Flowers Pavilion sitting firmly there; this old procuress was also frightened quite a bit.

"Madam Chen, you may go!" The voice from inside came; the procuress, who had been frightened into sitting limp on the floor, hearing this, let out a breath of relief, looked at Zhou Shuo with fearful eyes, then hurried away; Zhou Shuo watched the old woman leave, then stepped into the hall.

The hall was burning with pure incense, tables set up here and there, bearing porcelain cups of tea, fruit, and pastries; at the central seat sat a woman dressed in a light gauze, wearing no makeup, yet a natural immortal aura drifted from her like an invisible radiance, drawing everyone's gaze—the Supreme Dao Holy Maiden, Su Mu.

"Holy Maiden, where is my beloved elder sister?" Zhou Shuo looked at the woman seated in the place of honor, glanced at the tables in the room, and thought: if it weren't for this uninvited guest of mine, those young masters just now would probably be vying to court this Supreme Holy Maiden.

"Little He has already returned to the Western Regions; you've come rather late this time." Su Mu, seeing the fellow who entered and immediately looked around, spoke slowly while lifting the tea cup in her hand.

"Has my elder sister not gone with those Wusheng and Zhenkong fellows?" Zhou Shuo looked at Su Mu answering calmly, feeling a slight surprise—He Wusheng had already returned to the Western Regions; is she no longer the Holy Maiden of the Wusheng Dao?

"A few days ago, the Wusheng Holy Mother was seized in Qingzhou, Little He's identity was exposed, so I told her to leave the capital and go to Aunt Xie in the Western Regions." Su Mu set down her tea cup, glancing at Zhou Shuo's smiling face with the corner of her eye.

"That's really a pity, knowing I came back from overseas this time especially to get close to my elder sister." Zhou Shuo watched the woman casually drop the news and gauge his reaction, and couldn't help curling his lips; if he were someone who knew nothing, he'd truly be bluffed by this woman.

"You do indeed have some fate, but it's a shame." Su Mu shifted her gaze to the flower view outside the courtyard gate, resembling a lady leisurely idling in a pavilion, lost in admiring the blossoms.

"Holy Maiden, don't you have anything else to tell me?" Zhou Shuo placed his hands behind his back, stepped slightly to the side, blocking Su Mu's gaze like smoke and clouds, a smile on his face.

"Talking too much is useless; your dao arts and cultivation methods must have been practiced well—why not try them against me?" Su Mu withdrew her gaze, looked at Zhou Shuo's half-smile, straightened her posture, displaying the inviolable noble aura of the Supreme Dao Holy Maiden.

"Holy Maiden, saying that, Zhou Shuo is no wicked man; I merely keep in mind my elder sister's teachings from back then, and today I cannot reunite with her, which is somewhat regrettable…" Zhou Shuo looked at the woman's domineering attitude, and couldn't help twitching the corner of his mouth; this woman appears strong on the outside, yet that very demeanor shows a lack of confidence—the Supreme Dao Holy Maiden, after all, must also partake in mortal affairs, her tyranny in playing with imperial power rests entirely on strength; when strength cannot solve problems, her tyranny vanishes.

"I also understand your thoughts, but back then Little He…" Su Mu looked at the fellow with a curled lip, looking down on her from above, feeling a faint stifling in her heart, she began to explain without changing her expression, but before she could finish speaking, she was interrupted.

"Well, Holy Maiden, may I ask you, do you know how to get to Green Willow Manor?" Zhou Shuo looked at this immortal who also partook of mortal affairs, no longer interested in bullying, but for now in Yujing City he had nowhere to stay.

"Green Willow Manor? Are you looking for Hong Yi?" Su Mu easily connected some things.

"Indeed, in Yujing City I have no lodging, so I can only stay temporarily with my little brother; well, Holy Maiden, you should have met my little brother before!" Zhou Shuo saw Su Mu making the connection, and couldn't help showing a hint of a smile—Su Mu had already met Hong Yi and even crossed blows with him.

"He captured the Wusheng Old Mother in Qingzhou, Little He reported the matter to me, but he didn't want to expose her own identity." Su Mu looked at Zhou Shuo's appearance, also knowing the matter couldn't be concealed, and related the whole story: He Wusheng was originally an elder of the Supreme Dao, undercover in the Wusheng Dao; because he informed her, his identity was exposed to Crown Prince Yang Yuan, forcing him to flee to the Western Regions.

"It seems the Holy Maiden also wants to bestow wealth and honor upon my little brother, but he's just like me." Zhou Shuo couldn't help laughing; He Wusheng had once tried to grant him wealth and honor too—that's the style of the Supreme Dao.

"I really had intended, for the sake of my senior sister Bingyun, to grant him wealth and honor, but…" Su Mu looked at the fellow beaming with satisfaction, feeling inexplicably a bit gloomy.

"Holy Maiden, the signboard of our Supreme Dao is about to be smashed in your and the sect leader's hands!" Zhou Shuo caught the woman's hidden gloom, his heart growing even merrier; the Supreme Dao, famed for overseeing imperial power across the world, has lost its might—its arrogance and tyranny rooted in strength, how does it differ from mere clouds and mist?

"Prestige is but smoke and mist in the eyes; the sect leader now has a plan, and the lives of Father and Son Yang Pan are numbered." Su Mu lowered her gaze, ignoring Zhou Shuo's mockery, merely stating the matter lightly.

"Then I'll wait to see the sect leader's plan; I, however, am off to Green Willow Manor." Zhou Shuo looked at the woman as calm as an ancient well, withdrew his gaze; though this woman's strength isn't great, she still has some fight in her, but here in Yujing City it's not wise to act recklessly.

"Seventy li west of Yujing City." Su Mu watched Zhou Shuo turn and leave, then spoke the location.

"Thanks, Holy Maiden!" Zhou Shuo waved his back to Su Mu, and also let the somewhat dazed Hua Nongying follow from behind.

"Young Master." Hua Nongying glanced at the woman seated calmly in the hall, hurriedly caught up with Zhou Shuo, her heart pounding a little; as a mere listener, she had heard too many secrets she shouldn't have— the Supreme Dao, a holy land whose prestige still outweighs that of the Great Chan Temple by a notch.

Zhou Shuo strode out of Scatter Flowers Pavilion; at this moment the flower street was no longer the bustling throng it had been, those young masters who had been thrown out had already vanished with their servants and attendants, but fortunately, his and Hua Nongying's horses remained outside the pavilion, guarded by that young attendant in blue just moments before.

"You're still fine, return my horse!" Zhou Shuo looked at the blue-clad attendant, couldn't help smiling as he stepped forward to demand the horse.

"Young Master, the Holy Maiden is waiting for you." The blue-clad attendant smiled fully, respectfully handed the reins to Zhou Shuo, and added a sentence.

"Huh? Is that Aunt Yun?" Zhou Shuo took the reins, hearing that odd remark, he was momentarily stunned, then instantly realized: he seemed to have some affinity with the Holy Maiden—just now he'd seen one, and now another appears; the Holy Maidens he knows, aside from his beloved teacher-sister, plus Su Mu inside, are only this Yun Xiangxiang.

"Yes, the Holy Maiden is in the Heavenly Pond Residence on the Heavenly Bridge; Miss Yue Ting and Sect Leader Yao are also there." The blue-clad attendant spoke with utmost respect, bearing no resemblance to the person who had accompanied Zhou Shuo earlier.

"That's good, I don't need to go to Green Willow Manor to cause trouble." Zhou Shuo didn't bother with the attendant's deferential manner; the fellow had been enchanted by Yun Xiangxiang's dao arts, belonging to the Fragrance Sect, which is far older than the Wusheng and Zhenkong Dao; years ago it could rival the Supreme Dao, nearly seizing control of the world, though now it's merely a fading flower, still better than me—I do need to go to Green Willow Manor.

Zhou Shuo pondered, swung onto his horse, and led Hua Nongying straight for the Heavenly Bridge; he knew the way to the bridge, for when he first arrived in Yujing City he had gone to the bridge and the Confucian Temple seeking secret manuals, only to run into the heretical hands of the Wusheng and Zhenkong Dao; he didn't know whether those two, Ye Xuan and Wu Kong, were still alive.

Beneath the signboard of the Heavenly Pond Residence, Zhou Shuo dismounted, the attendant who came forward led his horse away, then he and Hua Nongying stepped together through the main gate; the Heavenly Pond Residence is actually a high-class inn, its service naturally far more attentive than that of the flower street locale, horses are led away by the attendant, inside there are dedicated staff waiting, who directly guide him to the rear courtyard to find people, everyone's expression being a perfectly standard smile.

"Young Master, please enter." The servant pushed open the door of the quiet chamber, gesturing with a bow toward Zhou Shuo; Zhou Shuo looked at the servant maintaining a perfect smile, felt a slight unease about the Fragrance Sect's legendary Heavenly Fragrance Three Volumes, but still stepped into the quiet chamber.