Chapter 630: The Ghost King Visits

The next day.

Because he had matters to attend to, Shitou bid farewell early and left.

In the inn's backyard, after finishing his breakfast, Zhou Yixian began to pack up his fortune-telling stall again.

Although he had managed to get two hundred taels of silver from Yu Liancheng, enough for him to eat and drink for a long time, one could not just sit and eat away their savings.

Xiaohuan was sitting on a stool nearby, her little feet swinging back and forth, eating a candied hawthorn. She did not go over to help, which made Zhou Yixian roll his eyes and grumble inwardly: "Eating candied hawthorns all day long; when you ruin your teeth later, you'll see how much you'll suffer."

Time passed gradually. After Zhou Yixian found a new bamboo pole and canvas, wrote "One Divination One Thousand Gold" on the canvas, and tied it to the pole, he wiped the sweat from his forehead; he was finally finished.

By this time it was almost noon, time for lunch. Suddenly, a shadow enveloped him, and a pair of feet appeared before his eyes.

Zhou Yixian was startled and thought to himself: "Could it be that monk from yesterday, thinking two hundred taels of silver was too expensive, and has come to snatch it back? I have walked the world for over a hundred years; am I really going to fall into the hands of a little bald donkey today?"

"Are you still telling fortunes for people?"

While he was lost in wild thoughts, he heard a gentle and calm voice, which sounded vaguely familiar.

Zhou Yixian stood up and looked up, only to see a middle-aged man before him, with fine eyebrows and a square face, his features scholarly and elegant, his eyes bright and piercing, his forehead full. He had his hands behind his back, his appearance both refined and carrying an imposing manner that commanded respect without anger. He wore a scholar's robe, and tucked at his waist was a pale purple jade pendant, crystal clear and faintly exuding an aura of auspiciousness.

Zhou Yixian's expression suddenly became very strange; he stared fixedly at this person, as if nailed to the spot. Within his astonished expression, there was also a hint of excitement, a hint of gratification, and a hint of world-weariness.

Xiaohuan blinked her large eyes as she looked at her grandfather; her grandfather, who was always greedy for money, actually had such a strange look on his face. Just as she was about to say something, Zhou Yixian fished a few coins from his bosom and handed them to Xiaohuan: "Xiaohuan, go buy some candied hawthorns; Grandpa will call you to eat in a while."

Xiaohuan was taken aback, vaguely sensing that something was wrong. But she was a child after all and did not think too much about it; she immediately answered, took the copper coins, and trotted off—candied hawthorns were more important after all.

Zhou Yixian and the middle-aged man stood facing each other, looking at one another.

After a long while, the middle-aged man finally said slowly: "How many years has it been since we last met?"

Zhou Yixian looked into the distance, his expression complex: "It must be several decades, hasn't it? How time flies like an arrow."

The middle-aged man chuckled: "You are now like a carefree cloud or a wild crane, wandering the world; it is truly the life of an immortal, not in vain that your name contains the character for 'immortal'."

Zhou Yixian looked at the middle-aged man, and a mocking smile suddenly appeared at the corners of his mouth: "If you wanted to live a life like mine, what would be difficult about it?"

The man smiled, looked up at the high, vast firmament, and slowly spat out a few words: "I am different from you."

The mockery at the corners of Zhou Yixian's mouth grew heavier: "You are naturally different from me. From the time you were a youth, your heart for power was extremely heavy, and now, I imagine it is even harder to let go."

The man frowned, a trace of anger seemingly flashing across his face. As one of the few people with the greatest power and the highest cultivation in the world, few dared to speak to him like this anymore. He snorted coldly: "I cannot let go, but have you ever let go?"

Zhou Yixian was silent for a long time before saying calmly: "Why have you come here?"

The scholarly man glanced at him: "Are you not always self-confident? What do you think?"

Zhou Yixian snorted coldly: "If I am not mistaken, you came for that monk in the inn. With that monk's bearing and demeanor, he must be the White-robed Divine Monk Puzhen, who has the greatest reputation in recent years. Beside Puzhen is a little girl; judging by her age and appearance, she should also be your junior. I just don't know how a Divine Monk of Tianyin Temple has ended up mixing with your Ghost King Sect."

Correct.

The man before him was none other than the contemporary Ghost King, Sect Leader of the Ghost King Sect, and father of Bi Yao. Even Jin Ping'er and the others could track Yu Liancheng's whereabouts, let alone the Ghost King.

Upon learning of the whereabouts of Yu Liancheng and Bi Yao, the Ghost King, worried about his daughter, rushed over with all his might, barely resting along the way, his face weathered by the journey. He had not expected that as soon as he entered the inn, he would encounter an old friend he had not seen in decades.

"Dad, why are you here?!"

Just then, Bi Yao walked into the courtyard and said in surprise.

"Isn't it because I was worried about you." The Ghost King chuckled, and seeing his daughter, who looked refreshed and satisfied, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Then he saw Jin Ping'er in a goose-yellow dress beside Bi Yao; both women were of peerless beauty, and standing there hand-in-hand, they were truly a sight to behold. It was just that her eyes were somewhat dull and listless.

The Ghost King could not help but ask in confusion: "Who is this young lady?"

"This is my sister, Jin Ping'er." Bi Yao grabbed Jin Ping'er's hand: "Sister, this is my father; you can just call him Uncle Ghost King."

"Yes, Sister." Jin Ping'er nodded woodenly, then bowed to the Ghost King: "Junior Jin Ping'er greets Uncle Ghost King."

The Ghost King frowned: "Jin Ping'er of the Hehuan Sect? Bi Yao, what have you done to Jin Ping'er? How did you two end up together?"

"Hee hee, we'll talk about that later. It's already noon, Dad, let's go eat first. Although this inn is small, the wine is quite good; consider it a welcome feast for you, Dad." Bi Yao pulled the Ghost King's arm and walked smilingly toward the main hall.

The Ghost King did not move, but looked at Zhou Yixian and smiled: "Old friend, if you don't mind, shall we go together?"

Zhou Yixian hesitated for a moment, then laughed: "Of course, if there is a chance for a free meal, I certainly won't miss it."

In the end, the Ghost King, Zhou Yixian, and Xiaohuan, who had just returned with her candied hawthorns, followed Bi Yao and Jin Ping'er into a private room in the inn. In the spacious private room, several sets of bowls and chopsticks and several jars of wine were set out.

The Ghost King scanned the table and smiled: "To have wine without dishes is somewhat lacking."

Zhou Yixian also sighed: "It is more than just lacking; for a glutton like me, it is practically elder abuse."

Bi Yao smiled: "Originally there were some side dishes to go with the wine, but they were just ordinary chicken, duck, fish, and meat. It was just that Divine Monk Puzhen had them cleared away earlier, saying that using such coarse food to entertain Father would be falling into a lower standard."

"

Zhou Yixian shook his head: "If I don't eat chicken, duck, fish, or meat, am I supposed to drink the northwest wind? You are all practitioners of the Dao, so being hungry doesn't matter, but it's a pity for an old man like me."

Bi Yao glared at Zhou Yixian.

This old thing, no one invited him, yet he followed along with a thick skin, and still has so much to say.

Just then, someone smiled: "The mortal world is full of suffering; eating chicken, duck, fish, and meat all day long is bound to become tiresome and cloud one's spirituality. Wouldn't you all like to change your palate?"

The person who arrived was dressed in fluttering white, spotless and pure; who else could it be but the White-robed Divine Monk Puzhi?

The Ghost King first bowed and smiled: "Change my palate? Could it be that the White-robed Divine Monk is willing to cook himself? It is just a pity that we have not bathed or used incense, so it is hard to have such good fortune."

Everyone in the world knew that to taste the Vegetarian Feast of the White-robed Divine Monk, one not only had to meet the Divine Monk's favor and mood, but also had to bathe and use incense, making oneself spotless as well.

Yu Liancheng smiled: "Old Master Zhou is playing in the mortal world, and the Ghost King holds immense power; for the sake of mere worldly etiquette, how could I turn such guests away?"

The Vegetarian Feast was served: Vegetarian Ham, Braised Chestnuts, Pot-sticker Tofu, Gold and Jade Fill the Hall...

These seemingly simple vegetarian dishes were prepared with a unique flavor, so much so that even the Ghost King, who had little interest in fine food, could not help but taste them again and again. Not to mention Zhou Yixian, Bi Yao, and the others, who did not stop for a single moment.

Yu Liancheng just watched them with a smile; for a chef, plate after plate scraped clean was the best encouragement.

"Master Puzhen, do you mind if I drink wine?" The Ghost King raised his wine cup and said.

Yu Liancheng smiled: "Someone once told me that wine is the purest of qualities, purer even than water, and even when offering sacrifices to ancestors and heaven and earth, wine is used as the offering. Please."

"Haha, worthy of being the White-robed Divine Monk." The Ghost King laughed, raised his wine cup, and drank it in one gulp.

Yu Liancheng suddenly asked: "I wonder how the Ghost King views the righteous and evil paths?"