Chapter 107

He had originally expected to be interrogated—neither the Wanli Zhaojian Talisman nor the Golden Light Divine Talisman used for protection and survival could be easily explained away by a mere Qi Condensation cultivator in a few words.

And let alone interrogation.

Even forced demands or torture would not have been surprising.

Thus, when Sima Lingzhen half-invited, half-forced him into the Zi Su Ba Fang Palace, Chen Hang had already prepared himself mentally.

Yet after summoning a group of Dongxuan Lianshi, Sima Lingzhen said nothing more than to deliver a furious, scathing reprimand…

He berated them for failing to guard their territory, betraying their duty to patrol and eradicate evil, allowing an Evil Anger Yin Sheng Demon to roam freely beneath their very eyes for so long, destroying countless lives—truly the height of shamelessness.

The normally haughty Dongxuan Lianshi were left humiliated, utterly stripped of dignity.

Even Xie Tan of the Flower God Mansion and the Lianshi from the Wu Guang Sect merely hung their heads in silence, daring not utter a single word in defense, let alone the Dongxuan Elders from minor sects or the wandering cultivators.

This scolding and questioning lasted for several cups of tea before finally pausing.

Sima Lingzhen then ordered all cultivators to intensify patrols in the near future, vowing to eradicate any remaining Heavenly Demon traces, before impatiently waving them off like swatting flies or shooing mosquitoes.

His demeanor was utterly arrogant and disdainful, treating all cultivators as if they were household servants—summoned when needed, dismissed when unwanted, laughing, cursing, speaking without restraint.

Yet not a single Lianshi dared act presumptuously; all stood with hands folded, listening respectfully.

Even those with fiery tempers, before they could show impatience or retort, were swiftly warned by their companions in secret, forcing them to swallow their anger, lower their heads, their faces flushed dark purple.

Logically, these sects were not subordinate to the Yuanchen Sect, let alone the several unbound wandering Lianshi present here…

No matter how far Sima Lingzhen’s reach extended, he could not control this patch of land in the Southern Region, nor could he treat them as he would his own disciples, humiliating and oppressing them.

But in the Immortal Dao, the accomplished are always honored.

Before a True Person from a prestigious family and a great sect…

Even if his words were outrageous, nearly pointing fingers as he sneered and berated them, all cultivators could only swallow their rage and force smiles in return.

Even the most reckless and defiant among them dared not display bravado before Sima Lingzhen now; they could only silently memorize today’s humiliation.

He treated Dongxuan Lianshi this way—impolite, utterly disrespectful.

Yet after dismissing the cultivators, Sima Lingzhen, when facing Chen Hang, barely restrained a hint of his sneer.

After a few moments of silence, he glanced Chen Hang up and down.

Then he gestured for him to leave the Zi Su Ba Fang Palace…

…

“He didn’t ask me a single thing about the Evil Anger Yin Sheng Demon, nor inquire about the origins of the Wanli Zhaojian Talisman or the Golden Light Divine Talisman—only showed me his power?”

Chen Hang thought to himself:

“Could it be that Sister Yan informed this Sima Lingzhen? That’s why I was spared this trouble?”

He glanced once more at the Zi Su Ba Fang Palace.

At this moment, the flying palace had slowly risen into the clouds, parting the Gangfeng currents, and with a thunderous “boom,” shot toward the Mingxu , its grandeur immense.

Looking up from afar, it resembled a purple star about to merge into the vast expanse of the sky, wrapped in dazzling streams of flying clouds and radiant hues.

The people on Pu Yu all strained their eyes, bursting into waves of astonished exclamations.

“Such a magnificent sight—this is truly the aura of the Xuanmen Immortal families. I wonder when I’ll ever reach such a level…”

Only when the Zi Su Ba Fang Palace vanished into the distant clouds, leaving not a trace of light, did Chen Hang slowly withdraw his gaze and sigh inwardly.

Around him, the clamor still lingered, unceasing; several sharp-eyed onlookers recognized Chen Hang’s face and began pointing and whispering.

Under the Wanli Zhaojian Talisman, whether it was Huaiwu Cave Lord, the Evil Anger Yin Sheng Demon, or Chen Hang himself—all faces had been clearly revealed…

Chen Hang had no intention of entangling himself with these people; in a few swift steps, he slipped into a narrow alley, pulled out a mask, placed it over his face, then launched a pure white escape-light and headed straight for Hongye Island.

Less than half a stick of incense later, he landed on a Pu Yu densely planted with crimson maple trees, descending from the clouds onto the street.

He looked up—just ahead lay the “Immortal Guest Lodge” where he and Wei Lingjiang currently resided. He took a step forward and strode toward it.

Looking up, he saw not far off the “Immortal Guest Lodge” where he and Wei Lingjiang now lived; with a step, he strode toward it.

…

“Though Sister Yan should know the Evil Anger Yin Sheng Demon is gone, given this matter concerns her Dao advancement, it’s better to tell her face-to-face—to ease her mind.”

“Though the Ten Thousand Li Seeing Talisman should have informed Sister that the Evil Anger Yin Sheng Demon is gone, this matter concerns her Dao path’s future—better to tell her face to face, so she may rest easy.”

Though in his eyes, Wei Lingjiang’s test to eliminate the Evil Anger Yin Sheng Demon seemed bizarre, even absurd.

A mere Qi Condensation cultivator wielding two divine talismans, yet in the end, defeating the demon relied entirely on the external power of Sima Lingzhen from the Yuanchen Sect…

Upon closer examination, this was like using a bull’s cauldron to cook a chicken—gross overkill.

Even if the Evil Anger Yin Sheng Demon was a Dao obstacle that must be removed to proceed unimpeded…

Why not simply request a Jin Dan True Person to eliminate it with thunderous force?

If so, why go through such elaborate, painstaking planning?

Yet this thought flashed through his mind and vanished—Wei Lingjiang’s test details ultimately stemmed from the Chiming Sect’s edict.

What hidden depths lay within the actions of such Immortal sect titans?

With his current cultivation, even if he tried to speculate, it would be like a blind man touching an elephant—he could never grasp the truth.

As Chen Hang neared the Immortal Guest Lodge, less than a hundred paces away, a voice suddenly called out from the roadside.

As Chen Hang was nearly at the Immortal Guest Lodge, less than a hundred paces away, a voice from the roadside suddenly called out to stop him.

A single-wheeled flower cart leaned against the curb, its interior filled with hundreds of flower branches submerged in jade vials of pure water, vividly colored, like a beauty’s makeup, exquisitely ornate.

The cart’s owner was a young vendor, barely past his coming-of-age ceremony, with a short, fine beard, dressed in a simple blue cloth robe, wearing a headcloth and black leather boots, his appearance ordinary, nothing remarkable.

Seeing Chen Hang pause briefly, his gaze sweeping over the hundreds of flower branches…

The vendor’s heart leapt with joy; he hurriedly called out, desperate to grab Chen Hang’s sleeve and drag him to his stall.

“Esteemed guest! Esteemed guest! Today is the Ji Festival—why not buy a bouquet of branches here to gift your wife? She’ll surely be delighted!”

“Honored guest! Honored guest! Today is the Feast of Si—why not buy a bouquet of flowers here to gift your beloved? If your lady receives this present, she’ll surely be delighted!”

“Have you heard of the Ji Festival? Actually, it’s an ancient custom passed down from old times; many lands in the Southern Region still observe it. I’ve even heard that the former Yan Xi True Person, before his Dao attainment, once—”

“Have you heard of the Feast of Si? To be honest, it’s an ancient custom passed down from old times; many lands in the Southern Region still observe it. I’ve even heard that the late True Person Yan Xi, before his cultivation breakthrough, once—”

“With such a huge event today, wouldn’t the festival be postponed?”

The vendor froze, then couldn’t help laughing:

“Are you joking? Just a Huaiwu Cave Lord and a Heavenly Demon? Even if heaven were collapsing, life must go on—how could such a thing be?”

He went on to curse Huaiwu Cave Lord bitterly: this man, himself a wandering cultivator, showed no sympathy for his peers; for two hundred years he’d feigned kindness, yet when targeting wandering cultivators, he was merciless—truly a man with a human face and beastly heart!

He prayed the Yuanchen Sect’s True Person wouldn’t let this villain die too easily—he deserved to suffer every torment in the world before his soul could finally dissolve!

After his outburst, the vendor didn’t forget to continue promoting his wares.

Perhaps because the topic had just heated up, he now poured all his energy into it, speaking wildly:

“Esteemed guest, to be honest, I owe my marriage entirely to these flower branches…”

Chen Hang didn’t interrupt this time; he waited until the vendor fell silent, then smiled lightly and asked:

“There are so many passersby—why target me specifically?”

“It seems you truly don’t know the Ji Festival custom…”

The vendor glanced at Chen Hang oddly, then smiled again, explaining:

“On the Ji Festival, only couples out strolling under the lanterns wear masks over their faces. Others—friends, relatives, acquaintances—don’t do this; they treat it as a regular festival and never mask their faces.”

“On the Feast of Si, only couples out strolling and admiring lanterns cover their brows and eyes with masks; all others—friends, relatives, acquaintances—do no such thing, treating it as an ordinary festival without masks.”

“You’ve deliberately masked yourself—clearly, you have someone special in mind, planning to invite her to admire the lanterns. Even if you’re not yet married, you’re clearly close…”

“So who else would I sell these branches to, if not you?”

“If not to you, honored guest, then to whom else should I sell this flower branch?”

Chen Hang’s gaze flickered; he paused.

He had masked his face only to avoid being recognized and unwanted trouble—on ordinary days, he always concealed his features when traveling.

He hadn’t realized the Ji Festival carried this custom; he’d simply forgotten, and the vendor had mistaken him for a suitor.

He hadn’t expected that on the Feast of Si, such a custom still existed—he had forgotten it in an instant, and the vendor mistook him for a customer.

He looked around—

Far off, several fireworks had erupted into the sky, bursting into intricate, dazzling colors.

The buildings and pavilions along the road were already decorated with lanterns and streamers; though still being set up, they radiated an unusual bustle.

“Esteemed guest, it’s still a bit early—if you want to admire the lanterns, you’ll need to wait another half-hour or so…”

“Normally, this would be the time for lantern viewing, but given today’s Huaiwu Old Dog incident, everyone’s a bit uneasy—even Old Zhou and the rest of us working hard had to delay things a bit.”

The vendor sighed regretfully, then resumed his pitch:

“Esteemed guest, look at my flowers—”

“How much for one branch?”

Chen Hang asked.

The vendor froze, then beamed with delight.

“Pluck the flower while it blooms—don’t wait till none’s left to pluck! Esteemed guest, you’ve got excellent taste! Excellent taste!

Look—this is the Jian Su Ke. It blooms once a year, rising higher each day, growing more beautiful each day; whether stirred by wind or still, it sways gracefully. Worn on the body, its frost-like fragrance penetrates thick robes and lingers for three full months!”

“Observe: this branch is the Qian Su Ke. It blooms once a year, rising higher each day, growing more beautiful with each passing day. Whether stirred by wind or still, it sways gracefully. Worn upon the body, its frost-like fragrance pierces through thick robes and lingers for three full months!”

“But Jian Su Ke is extremely hard to cultivate—I have only this one branch. It’s my shop’s treasure.”

“But Qian Su Ke is exceedingly difficult to cultivate—I have only this one branch; it’s the treasure of my shop.”

“Indeed expensive—it costs this much…”

He grinned, spreading both palms open.

He sneered and spread his palms open:

"Ten talisman coins? How about that?"

Seeing Chen Hang’s gaze cool and silent, he made no reply.

The vendor realized the price was likely too high, yet showed no disappointment; he rubbed his face, then proceeded to point and introduce each flower branch in the cart in turn.

……

"Even the cheapest are two talisman coins? Alas, this Daoist has truly empty pockets—today I’ve troubled you enough."

Meeting the vendor’s eager, hopeful gaze.

Chen Hang fell silent for a moment.

A moment later.

He bowed apologetically, lowered his eyes, and walked away.

"……Esteemed guest? Esteemed guest?"

The vendor sighed softly, gave a wry bow, and returned to his flower cart.

Business is hard.

Indeed, exceedingly hard.

He’d been out since morning, yet the flower branches he’d sold could be counted on two hands…

He knew full well the price was too high—ordinary cultivators would rather split a single talisman coin in two; who had such wealth to spare?

To buy such a trifle, utterly useless to cultivation, for their cultivation partner?

Even sect disciples might not afford such extravagance…

But this business wasn’t truly his own; the master behind him stubbornly refused to lower prices, and the vendor could do nothing.

As his thoughts churned, even pulling out a jade carving from his sleeve to idly turn it over,

the next moment, a corner of snow-white robes reappeared before him.

"Eh… Esteemed guest, is there something else? Did you forget something near my stall?"

Seeing Chen Hang return, the vendor hesitated, then forced a faint smile and asked.

"I’m sorry to trouble you."

Chen Hang raised his hand calmly, lifting his wide sleeve; his voice carried a faint, almost imperceptible pause at the end:

"Please pack me that branch of Jian Su Ke…"

"Yes… yes! Of course!"

The vendor, startled and delighted, sprang up at once.

When he took the talisman coins in hand, he accidentally glimpsed the treasure-glow emanating from Chen Hang’s space pouch—his eyes nearly bulged out.

"Empty pockets? This is called empty pockets? An excuse…"

"Wait—didn’t this fellow just hesitate over whether to buy the branch at all, weighing his thoughts several times before finally deciding?"

The vendor secretly chuckled to himself, eager for gossip.

But when he looked up, Chen Hang had already entered Immortal Guest Lodge—he was long gone.

……

……

In the corridor, Qing Zhi pressed her ear tightly against the door crack, eyes narrowed intently, utterly focused.

Though the door was shut, it had been deliberately left slightly ajar; the two inside made no effort to conceal their conversation, so she caught at least the gist.

Jin Dan… Dao Zi… Zhuoguang Palace… Three Calamities… Taiwen Miaocheng Daojun…

Just as Qing Zhi was lost in excitement, a flash of light shot through the air—the door swung open, and she was suddenly flung violently inside, tumbling several times before finally stopping, bruised, against the corner of the room.

"Did you enjoy listening?"

At the tea table, Zhuojing Zhenjun’s gaze was calm and cold as he said softly:

"You’ve come just in time—the matter of the Xuanyuang Heaven, concerning that Crimson Clay Furnace Ten-Thousand Blessings Divine King, now requires your assistance."

"I…"

Qing Zhi had just scrambled to her feet; upon hearing this, she swallowed hard, pointing incredulously at her own head and shrieked:

"Me?!"