Chapter 437

Late night, Xiaoxiang Villa.

Inside the three-story building, under the dim yellow light, four shadows were stretched long.

"That consumptive ghost Xu Changshou actually came out of the mountains?"

Chang Jinzhi's expression was solemn; the event happened during the day, and the news was received at night.

Therefore, the four of them gathered again to hold a small meeting behind Zhang Fan and Zhang Wuming's backs.

After all, the initial compromise to join the Fan Sect was just a temporary measure.

These four were all experts at the Zhai Shou Realm; naturally, they would not be completely manipulated like this.

"I said long ago that Zhao Jiexuan was not a creature of the pond; I heard that even the people from Gezao Mountain are respectful in front of him."

"That little brat Shen Mingchan? Usually, in the Xijiang Daoist sects, his eyes are on the top of his head, but this time he changed his nature; I heard he's like a pug."

Xiao Xiaole and Hua Wuhuan received more detailed news.

"I also heard that Zhao Jiexuan let that kid Shen Mingchan pass on a message..." Ling Du said suddenly.

"Pass on a message? To whom? What message?"

"Yu Xuanji; he told Yu Xuanji to wait for death," Ling Du said in a deep voice.

"This little... Zhao Jiexuan has a grudge with Sanqing Mountain? Such a big mouth?" Chang Jinzhi's face twitched, revealing a solemn expression.

"I said long ago that this Zhao Jiexuan has a significant background."

"He actually fought Xu Changshou at the Pure Land Temple."

"What was the result?" Hua Wuhuan asked.

"That group of people has too shallow a vision to see the difference in levels, but I heard Xu Changshou welcomed Zhao Jiexuan into the temple and had a secret talk for two hours."

Ling Du's informants were not ordinary; they were almost close enough to go in and eavesdrop.

"Xu Changshou's Dragon-Slaying Method is a path of its own; that Zhao Jiexuan could make him..." Xiao Xiaole stopped mid-sentence.

Of the seven Zhai Shou Realm experts, except for Pei Buqi who died unexpectedly, the strength of the four of them was about the same, with Ling Du perhaps being slightly higher; apart from that, Xiang Nantian and Xu Changshou were leading by a wide margin.

"Do you think Zhao Jiexuan managed to move that consumptive ghost?" Xiao Xiaole looked at Ling Du and could not help but ask.

"Pity, if I had been there, I would have been able to see the clues."

Beep, beep, beep...

Just at this moment, a notification sound rang out.

The four Zhai Shou experts looked at their phones; a group message popped up in the 【Fan Sect High-Level Group】.

"Zhao Jiexuan" invited "Pure Land Temple Xu Changshou" to join the group chat.

Immediately after, a message popped up; Xu Changshou's profile picture was a big smiley face.

"Good evening, fellow Daoists."

Ling Du, Xiao Xiaole, Chang Jinzhi, and Hua Wuhuan's expressions changed abruptly, and they looked at each other.

At this moment, how could they not know the result of the day.

"Welcome, Brother Xu."

Just at this moment, Xiang Nantian replied first.

"Brother Xu joining is a joy for our Fan Sect."

"Welcome, welcome."

"Our Fan Sect will surely grow stronger day by day."

Ling Du, Xiao Xiaole, and Chang Jinzhi replied to the message one after another, while Hua Wuhuan sent a "Warm Welcome" sticker.

After a simple exchange of pleasantries, the four put down their phones, and their expressions became solemn.

"It seems the ship of the Fan Sect is getting steadier," Chang Jinzhi said with a bitter smile.

"Heroes emerge from the youth..."

"That young man possesses incredible power," Ling Du sighed.

He paused slightly, his gaze sweeping over the other three Temple Masters.

"The mountains and rivers produce talented people in every generation; there are always newcomers standing at the top... Everyone, you should know that the alternation of old and new eras is the reshuffling of the world's landscape, and the towering peaks must also be built from the stones at the very bottom."

"You mean... in the future... in the distant future... that Zhao Jiexuan will be one of the peaks of this human world."

"He will occupy a place in the landscape of the new era?"

Xiao Xiaole, Chang Jinzhi, and Hua Wuhuan's gazes fell on Ling Du.

"In the old era, our path has reached its end; if we can board the big ship of this new era... perhaps..."

Ling Du whispered, a glimmer of light appearing in his eyes.

If joining the Fan Sect before was just a temporary measure, at this moment, upon learning that Xu Changshou had come out of the mountains, he seemed to see a glimmer of light.

This glimmer of light came from the Fan Sect, which had not yet fully grown.

"From today on, I am willing to serve with my life!" Ling Du said in a deep voice.

As these words were spoken, the other three looked at each other, moved.

"Why do you think so highly of that Zhao Jiexuan?" Chang Jinzhi could not help but ask. "Betting your entire fortune on his future?"

"Future? No one can say for sure about the future."

Ling Du shook his head and said, "But for now..."

"The name Zhao Jiexuan must have already spread throughout all the major Daoist sects in Xijiang."

The words fell faintly; in the dim room, there was silence, only the bright moon hanging high outside the window, reflecting the eternal mountains and rivers, not knowing what the thoughts of heaven and earth were.

Two days later, Chixia Temple.

Early morning, the bell tolled melodiously, echoing in the mountain temple, accompanied by the rising curls of incense; many pilgrims had already gathered in front of the 【Lingguan Hall】.

Xiang Nantian had operated here for more than thirty years and had a group of loyal believers; every year, the offerings from those big bosses and wealthy merchants alone reached eight figures.

Since ancient times, whether they had power or money, once they reached a certain stage, they liked to associate with capable and extraordinary people and believe in the theory of fate.

Simply because the more they obtained, the more they feared losing it.

"What are you looking at?"

Zhang Wuming walked over from the cafeteria and saw Zhang Fan sitting on the steps of the side hall, staring into the distance.

"Look at that man; he comes every day, looking like his parents died, kneeling for half a day each time," Zhang Fan whispered.

Where his gaze fell, a young man, looking to be in his early twenties, was kneeling before the incense burner in the main hall, his form withered and his spirit exhausted, looking extremely haggard.

"Him? It's nothing major," Zhang Wuming said casually. "I heard from the little master in the temple that this man is a college student from down the mountain; his girlfriend of two years broke up with him, and he can't let it go, so he comes to the mountain to pray every day, hoping the gods will bless him so his girlfriend will change her mind."

"The barrier of love," Zhang Fan smiled.

Back then, he was also because of the barrier of love that he followed Li Yishan to Zhenwu Mountain to clear his mind, thereby awakening his soul-aspect again and starting the path to escape the tribulation of the Great Night of No Light.

Mortals seeking immortality fall into the red dust; they must pass two barriers to hear the Dao.

In life, once one falls into the barrier of love and the view of life and death, the consciousness is most restless; this is also the best opportunity for cultivation. If one can subdue thoughts and suppress the consciousness, the soul-aspect can awaken, and it will never be the same again.

"Poor child," Zhang Fan looked at the young man and sighed.

"I'll go and save him."

As he spoke, Zhang Fan stood up and walked straight to the young man's ear.

The young man saw someone coming and looked up, but his eyes were lifeless; clearly, this blow had almost hollowed out his spirit and energy.

Zhang Fan didn't waste words; he leaned down and whispered in the young man's ear.

In an instant, the young man suddenly looked up; he looked at Zhang Fan, and a glimmer of light seemed to burst forth in his eyes. Immediately after, he leaped up, actually wailing loudly, and ran out of Chixia Temple without looking back.

"What did you say to him?" Zhang Wuming walked over, looking at the young man's retreating figure, and could not help but ask.

"I just said one sentence to him."

"What sentence? Such a big reaction?" Zhang Wuming was curious.