Chapter 535: A Delightful Rumor?

Midnight.

Outside Liangshui Town, on a wide avenue.

Daozhang Xuanqing carried a golden crow lamp, a magical artifact that does little damage; besides illumination, its main purpose is to dispel evil spirits.

With this lamp, they traveled without suffering any evil spirit attacks, even when passing through the chaotic burial mound.

Later.

Daozhang Xuanqing turned his head to glance at the Wang family on the white lion's back; despite the midnight hour, none of them showed a hint of sleepiness, only worry, and said:

"Brother Wang, we're almost there!"

"Daozhang, where have we arrived?"

Wang Lin asked.

He wasn't worried that Daozhang Xuanqing would endanger his family's lives.

Not to mention he had known Daozhang Xuanqing for several decades; Xuanqing had lived on Hutou Mountain for an unknown number of years, and his character was renowned by all.

It was said that Xuanqing, to safeguard their family's peace, traveled thousands of miles to the Capital City, forcibly entered the Prime Minister's Residence, and lost twenty years of his yang lifespan.

Under all circumstances, Xuanqing would never endanger their family's lives.

Daozhang Xuanqing seemed to recall something, his expression complicated as he said, "Liangshui Town is where I grew up!"

"So you, Daozhang, are a native of Liangshui Town!"

Wang Lin thought for a moment, realizing that Liangshui Town lies within Fengyin Commandery, but not in Qingyang County; it's in Xiang Xian, a medium-sized county where spirit elephants appear.

Daozhang Xuanqing muttered, "Indeed, if I hadn't suddenly recalled it this time, I would have almost forgotten—I am from Liangshui Town!"

Wang Lin sensed Xuanqing's tone was off, evidently hinting at some sorrow he didn't wish to mention, and changed the subject, saying:

"Daozhang, you sent Lord Luo to the commandery city to summon Lv Qianhu, yet you stealthily brought our family here—aren't you afraid Lord Luo and Lv Qianhu will think you're playing tricks on them?"

"Brother Wang, you needn't worry. Before I left, I left a letter in your home, detailing the situation. Apart from saying I would bring your family to Liangshui Town, I said nothing else. I think both Lord Luo and Lv Qianhu will understand!"

Daozhang Xuanqing replied.

Liu Dongzhu interjected, "Daozhang, you brought us to your birthplace—aren't you afraid others will follow the trail and find this place?"

She knew Xuanqing was not reckless; he would bring their family to his hometown for a reason. Yet she recalled something Xuanqing had said not long ago.

He had said that with the Prime Minister's Daughter's influence, there were virtually no secrets in the entire Daxia realm that could be hidden from her.

When their family suddenly vanished from Hutou Gou, that poisonous woman could not fail to investigate; if she couldn't locate them directly, she could trace them through their social connections.

She could not possibly be unaware of Xuanqing's relationship with their family.

Naturally.

She would immediately seek out Xuanqing's hometown!

"Dongzhu, you needn't worry. Apart from my master and senior sister, no one else knows my hometown!"

Daozhang Xuanqing smiled and said, "Unless the Prime Minister himself sets out, a mere Prime Minister's Daughter could never locate my hometown!"

He didn't know whether to feel happy or disappointed. When he learned he would study at the renowned Ziyang Palace, he was overjoyed and proud.

He considered himself a favored son of Heaven, a figure of destiny! Yet soon after arriving at Ziyang Palace, he learned a harsh truth.

He was neither a heavenly prodigy nor a legendary figure; he was just an ordinary cultivator.

It was only because his first adoptive master had once been a Ziyang Gong Disciple that he could recommend him for cultivation at Ziyang Palace.

During his years training at Ziyang Palace, he had few friends.

Not because he was introverted or unwilling to interact, but because the Ziyang Gong disciples were all proud and haughty.

Disdainful of him, they naturally didn't care where he came from.

During those years at Ziyang Palace, he almost never disclosed that he was from Liangshui Town—not because he thought Liangshui was a remote backwater and ashamed to mention it, but because when he tried to tell others, they refused to listen.

He did leave records at Ziyang Palace, but such files have been sealed since his entry; unless the head of Ziyang Palace intervenes, no one is authorized to open them.

Among Daoists, countless martial grudges exist; a slight disagreement often erupts into a brawl.

Accidentally revealing one's origin can easily cause a disaster of epic proportions!

Whether Ziyang Palace or other sects, they naturally refuse to let their disciples' information become known to outsiders.

This novel, you have reached

the gate of Liangshui Town.

At this moment, night has fallen in complete silence; every household is asleep, and even the taverns, guest houses, and shops lining the streets are all closed, utterly still with not a single ghostly figure in sight.

Wang Lin glanced at the little white lion beneath them and worried, "Daozhang, aren't we drawing too much attention by bringing a white lion?"

"No problem. My home is on the outskirts of Liangshui Town; it's either mountains or lakes nearby, with hardly any households!"

Daozhang Xuanqing said.

Soon after.

Under Xuanqing's guidance, the Wang family passed through bustling Liangshui Town and arrived at a Daoist temple; by moonlight they could faintly discern its condition.

Daozhang Xuanqing exclaimed in disbelief, "How could this happen?"

"Daozhang, what's wrong?"

Wang Lin asked.

Wang Ping'an also instantly noticed his master's oddity; following his master's gaze, he likewise sensed something amiss about the temple.

It wasn't that the temple harbored evil spirits, but rather it was unusually clean, clearly being swept regularly.

According to his master, he hadn't returned for many years; even if the temple wasn't dilapidated, no one expected it to be so spotless.

Daozhang Xuanqing, full of doubts, opened the gate and immediately saw, in the courtyard's center, a several-decade-old peach blossom tree thriving, though not yet in bloom, standing oddly against the temple.

"No way—could there be a delightful story inside?"

Wang Ping'an was the first to notice his master's oddity, so during this time his attention remained fixed on him; he also observed the master's unusual reaction upon seeing the peach tree after opening the temple gate, and he saw a glimmer of tears in his master's eyes.

"Could it be that the childhood sweethearts planted this peach tree together, only for a delightful—cough, cough—unwelcome turn of events to occur?"

(End of chapter)