Chapter 529: The Cheng Family's Commission

Everyone has a different style of dealing with things.

If it were Li Yan, even if the other party helped resolve the siege, he certainly wouldn't give them a pleasant look, because he would know they had no good intentions.

But Sha Lifei was completely different.

"Oh, so it's you... Hahaha."

Hearing the other party's identity, Sha Lifei laughed a few times and hurriedly stood up. "Please, sit, please sit. I've long admired your great name."

As he spoke the polite phrases, he poured tea and water.

He was all smiles, as if he had met an old acquaintance.

"Easy, easy."

"Young Master Wuxiang" was also an expert at climbing the pole; he sat down without standing on ceremony and smiled. "In this freezing weather, the road must have been hard. I've long wanted to meet you brothers, but unfortunately, we only have the fate to meet today..."

The two exchanged pleasantries, appearing very familiar.

And Sha Lifei was shrewd; he talked about the scenery of Guanxian, the weather on the road, and rambled on about everything, but simply didn't mention the matter just now.

Sometimes, in a verbal confrontation, it depends on who loses their composure first.

Sha Lifei wasn't in a hurry at all.

After all, since the other party had taken the initiative to come, they must have something to ask for.

Sure enough, "Young Master Wuxiang" shook his fan and smiled. "We are all fellow travelers in the martial world; there's no need to hide some things."

"Gentlemen, do you know why the yamen wanted to make things difficult for you?"

Sha Lifei raised an eyebrow. "I ask for your guidance."

"Young Master Wuxiang" took a sip of tea and said indifferently, "It's very simple. People from the Shu Prince's Mansion came to Guanxian, happened to see you, and fearing you would ruin their plans, they had the yamen come to cause trouble."

"If you don't resist, you'll be dragged into the yamen, slapped with a charge of escaping prison, and executed immediately."

"If you do resist, you'll have no choice but to flee Guanxian."

"So that's it..."

After hearing this, Sha Lifei's confusion was immediately resolved.

The Shu Prince's Mansion should have known their capabilities; with just a few yamen runners, even adding the soldiers outside, they couldn't catch them, so why go to such lengths?

It turned out they wanted to drive them away.

It seemed something was definitely happening in Guanxian...

Sha Lifei's eyes rolled, and he took a sip of tea calmly before asking, "And you, why have you come?"

"Naturally, for cooperation!"

"Young Master Wuxiang" shook his fan and said righteously, "The Shu Prince is acting perversely, and naturally, we cannot let him get what he wants. Why don't our two sides cooperate?"

"Oh?"

Sha Lifei's expression didn't change. "That's fine, but let's get the ugly words out first: how should the spoils be divided?"

He naturally didn't know; he was completely bluffing the other party.

However, "Young Master Wuxiang" was stunned for a moment after hearing this, then shook his head and laughed dumbly. "So you don't know."

"Forget it, it's better if you don't get involved in this matter..."

With that, he stood up directly, cupped his hands, and turned to leave.

"Sigh~ don't go!"

Sha Lifei was anxious and hurriedly tried to stop him.

However, this "Young Master Wuxiang's" martial arts were truly astonishing; he appeared to be pacing, but Sha Lifei couldn't even grab the corner of his clothes.

As soon as he stepped out the door, the other party had vanished.

The people in the room looked at each other in dismay.

"Guest, the wine and food are here."

The waiter happened to bring a helper and entered the room with the wine and food.

The group didn't speak, and after the waiter left, Sha Lifei shut the door and frowned at Wang Tianzuo. "Brother Wang, I'm afraid there's a major event in Guanxian. Have you received any news?"

Wang Tianzuo shook his head. "No."

"I often travel to various places, and I have some standing in Guanxian, but I haven't heard of any major events recently."

"If there is one, this matter must be very secret."

As he spoke, his expression was somewhat hesitant, and he advised, "'Young Master Wuxiang' is the leader of the Chengdu underworld. To be able to make him so concerned that he came personally, and even attracted the Shu Prince's Mansion, is definitely no small matter."

"Gentlemen, it's better not to get involved in this."

He had originally thought the Twelve Yuan Chen were famous and would disdain his words, but unexpectedly, Sha Lifei nodded in agreement. "Brother Wang is right. We have other business and can't be bothered to deal with them."

Wang Tianzuo breathed a sigh of relief and asked again, "That said, what important business do you have in Guanxian this time?"

"If it's convenient, let me know, and see if I can help."

Sha Lifei's heart stirred, and he said with a cheeky smile, "We really do need Brother's help with this; we're looking for someone."

"Looking for someone?"

Wang Tianzuo secretly breathed a sigh of relief. "Who are you looking for?"

"A big man, with a bushy beard, many identities, name unknown, loves to wear brocade clothes, likes mutton the most..."

Sha Lifei recounted the characteristics Li Yan had told him.

"Good!"

Wang Tianzuo nodded. "I'll entrust friends to search for him. What grudge do you have with him?"

"No grudge."

Sha Lifei laughed it off and spouted nonsense, "He just owes us some money..."

…………

Deep in the night, the temple was pitch black.

Li Yan lay on the bed, eyes wide open, finding it hard to sleep.

The news he had received this time was truly astonishing.

That blind old Daoist,

was actually the Cheng Jianxian!

This had truly made his jaw drop.

In legends, he was one of the Ten Great Masters, suppressing the Shu region for decades, an existence like an exiled immortal...

Could it be because he failed in his ascension?

But why hide his identity and teach a disciple of a different surname?

That Gou Sheng's identity was likely not simple...

All sorts of doubts surged in Li Yan's heart.

This trip to the Shu region was just like the weather in this place, shrouded in clouds and mist, with many things still unclear to this day.

He carefully recalled Ming Shanzi's words from before.

After the Cheng Jianxian failed his ascension, he didn't do anything else, but locked himself in his room, reading all kinds of historical texts.

Could it be that this Cheng Jianxian had also discovered something...

He didn't sleep all night.

Knock, knock, knock!

The next day, before dawn, the temple bell rang.

Not long after, the sound of Daoists performing their morning lessons came.

"The armored general crosses the pass at night, the court officials wait for the dawn in the cold of the fifth watch. The mountain temple's sun is high, but the monks have not risen; when calculated, fame and profit are not as good as leisure."

This poem is both right and wrong.

The world only sees emperors and generals enjoying glory, but those who pursue fame and profit are never at leisure, and few can sleep soundly.

But practitioners are not that relaxed either.

Just like the Daoists on this mountain, with daily morning and evening lessons, meditation and martial arts practice, studying Daoist classics, daily labor, and holding various rituals...

Those who are truly like idle clouds and wild cranes are few and far between.

Swish, swish, swish!

The sound of Daoists sweeping snow also rose outside the courtyard.

Under these circumstances, how could Li Yan sleep? He immediately got up, met Wang Daoxuan who was just coming out, and went to the dining hall to have some breakfast. "Two lay practitioners, please wait."

Just as they were preparing to return to their room, a young Daoist hurried over, saluted, and said, "Uncle-Master Ming Shanzi asks you not to leave yet. He has some matters to discuss with you after he finishes his morning lessons."

Li Yan and his companion looked at each other and nodded in agreement.

They had already found out the location of the Shuiyue Nunnery and had originally wanted to set off early to pay a visit before heading up Mount Qingcheng.

They had already talked about the Cheng family last night.

Today, it was likely related to Mount Qingcheng.

After waiting for a while, Ming Shanzi finished his morning lessons, hurried to the room, and upon meeting them, cupped his hands. "Sorry to have kept you waiting."

He didn't waste words either; after sitting down, he said directly, "Yesterday, I heard news of the ancestor and felt uneasy. There is one thing I forgot to mention."

"I suppose you two know that my Cheng family has operated in the Shu region for many years and can be considered to have some foundation, and our various relationships are complex."

"I have also heard of the conflict between you and the Shu Prince's Mansion. I wonder if you have any intention of easing this matter?"

(In one look...)

"Oh..."

Li Yan narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean, senior?"

He hadn't expected Ming Shanzi to be talking about this.

If possible, he naturally didn't want to harbor a grudge with the Shu Prince's Mansion, but things had reached this point, and it was impossible to hand over the "Wish-Fulfilling Yang Baozhu."

This matter wasn't just about saving face.

If he wasn't mistaken, the Shu Prince and those people like Zhao Changsheng already had connections, and in the future, it might be a life-or-death struggle.

The "Wish-Fulfilling Yang Baozhu" was also very likely the key to the other party's conspiracy.

At a time like this, how could they ease the relationship?

Ming Shanzi naturally didn't know about this and shook his head slightly. "To be honest, although the Mystic Sect doesn't want to get involved in the Shu Prince's affair, my Cheng family has a woman who married the Fifth Commandery Prince."

"The situation in the Shu Prince's Mansion is somewhat complex now. In recent years, the Shu Prince's temper has grown increasingly strange, and being advanced in age, he is often bedridden, yet he has delayed naming an heir."

As he spoke, he whispered, "The Fifth Commandery Prince is naturally honest and has a reputation for virtue. Because of his relationship with my Cheng family, he has always been squeezed out by other Commandery Princes."

"News has come from the Shu Prince's Mansion that because of the death of the Third Commandery Prince, the Shu Prince was furious, and after venting his evil fire, he returned to the mansion and became bedridden again. Whether he can survive this year is a question."

"By now, even if one doesn't want to fight, one must."

"The Fifth Commandery Prince's teacher is the great Confucian Yang Duo of the Shu region, who has established connections with the imperial court. According to news from the capital, once the Shu Prince passes, the Imperial Clan Court will grant the heir position to the Fifth Commandery Prince."

"The condition is that the Shu Prince will henceforth become the Chengdu Prince..."

Hearing this, Li Yan immediately understood.

These Commandery Princes were indeed not simple characters.

Just like this Fifth Commandery Prince, who appeared not to fight or snatch on the surface, but was actually building a plank road in the open while crossing the Chencang in secret, having essentially defected to the imperial court.

He also saw things clearly.

Once the Shu Prince died, his lineage's relationship with the Emperor would immediately fade, and a demotion in rank was certain.

If they did something, the entire Shu Prince lineage would suffer, so it was better to negotiate conditions while they had the chance.

To put it bluntly, they had already betrayed the Shu Prince's Mansion.

"If you have something to say, senior, please speak plainly."

Thinking of this, Li Yan said directly.

Ming Shanzi nodded. "The internal fighting in the Shu Prince's Mansion is fierce now. The Fifth Commandery Prince stays behind closed doors, waiting for the opportunity, but he fears that other Commandery Princes will take risks and send men to create accidents."

"My Cheng family cannot come forward in this matter, otherwise it would be a taboo, and not only would it cause a backlash from the Shu Prince's Mansion, but the imperial court would also be suspicious."

"Therefore, I would like to ask the Twelve Yuan Chen to protect him in secret. Once the Shu Prince passes and this matter is completely settled, you will have no more trouble."

"At that time, the Fifth Commandery Prince will have a generous gift, and my Cheng family will also bring out something that will satisfy you."

Li Yan asked casually, "What kind of thing?"

In reality, he already had the heart to refuse.

This kind of matter involving imperial power struggles was the most troublesome.

It was just that he wanted to find an excuse to decline.

Mingshanzi was also a man of deep schemes and foresight; naturally, he could see through it. He stroked his beard, smiled, and looked at Wang Daoxuan, "Daoist Wang, you are from the West Xuan lineage, right?"

Li Yan and his companion were not surprised to hear this.

Their reputation had risen rapidly, and some information had certainly leaked out long ago.

Seeing the expressions on their faces, Mingshanzi continued, "The West Xuan lineage, come to think of it, has deep foundations and is in no way inferior to any orthodox Mystic Sect."

"Do you know, Daoist, why it has declined to this point?"

Wang Daoxuan's expression grew solemn. He hesitated for a moment before saying, "My lineage's Chen Tianjun was a disciple of Pei Xuanren of the Western Han Dynasty. Tracing it further back, he was 'Chi Jiang Zi Yu,' one of the Eight Immortals of Tang Yao."

"Later... later, problems arose. It seems someone deliberately erased the records of Chen Tianjun, which might be related to the Shangqing Sect."

Upon hearing this, Mingshanzi was clearly quite surprised. He nodded and said, "I didn't expect you to have discovered this as well, Daoist."

Li Yan said in a deep voice, "Senior, do you know what happened?"

Mingshanzi shook his head slightly, "This matter is extremely secretive, and since it happened so long ago, few people know about it. I estimate that even the Shangqing Maoshan Sect is unaware."

"In my Cheng family's records, there is only a vague mention that it was due to violating the 'Heavenly Law,' and from then on, the West Xuan lineage's fortune was severed."

"Violated the 'Heavenly Law'?"

Li Yan and Wang Daoxuan looked at each other in dismay.

They would never have guessed that this was the reason.

Wang Daoxuan frowned even more deeply, "That's not right. When I set up the altar for worship, although Chen Tianjun never responded, I could still borrow his power to perform arts. If I had violated the 'Heavenly Law,' how could that be?"

Mingshanzi laughed dryly, "Those are matters of the heavens; how could we, mere mortals, possibly know?"

"Although I am not clear about what happened, my Cheng family has one thing that you, Daoist, certainly would not want to miss."

"Among the Eight Immortals of Tang Yao, the root of my Qingcheng method is Ning Fengzi, so perhaps there is some connection. We have also secretly preserved a copy of 'Chi Jiang Zi Yu's' 'Five-Headed Divine Art'."

"This art is an ancient Qi-refining technique and is also the foundation of the West Xuan lineage. It is useless to my Cheng family. If you all agree to this matter, I will gift this art to you, Daoist; perhaps it will be of some help."

"Deal!"

Li Yan did not hesitate and agreed immediately.

As a team of wandering immortals, helping companions find their heritage was their primary mission. Unfortunately, along this journey, the only clue they had found was related to the Maoshan Shangqing Sect.

Since it happened so long ago, it is likely that the current Maoshan Sect is also unaware.

To be honest, they had already given up.

They did not expect to find a glimmer of hope, so naturally, they could not let it pass.

"Hahaha, good!"

Mingshanzi took a token from his bosom. It was forged from brass, exquisitely crafted, surrounded by cloud patterns, with a Taiji diagram and a precious sword carved on the back, and a relief of the character "Cheng" on the front.

"This is my Cheng family's command token."

Mingshanzi said sternly, "Take this token to Chengdu, go to the Wu Family Gold and Silver Shop in the east of the city, and someone will naturally make arrangements!"

…………

"This matter... carries no small risk."

After leaving Jianfu Palace for several miles, Wang Daoxuan spoke in a deep voice.

He said with some worry, "The Cheng family is a Mystic Sect family in Shu. Since they have already given up on the Qingcheng Sect Leader, why are they getting involved in the affairs of the Imperial family? I fear there is something fishy going on."

"I actually know a little bit."

Li Yan glanced in the direction of Jianfu Palace and sneered, "I'm afraid they are just like us, knowing that the transformation of humanity has arrived and they cannot stay too far from the Imperial court."

"However, we chose Qiankun Academy, while they want to borrow the power of the future Prince of Chengdu."

"Regardless, that 'Five-Headed Divine Art' must be obtained. Moreover, to complete the Dragon Lady's mission, I fear we will also need the help of this Fifth Commandery Prince."

Wang Daoxuan sighed, "I wonder what exactly this transformation of humanity is?"

Li Yan looked into the distance, seeing the vast mountains and swirling clouds. In his mind, he inexplicably recalled the prototype of the steam engine they had found in the Mohist mechanism tomb at Lake Liangzi.

"Perhaps, it is a brand-new era..."

(End of chapter)