Chapter 248: Against the Current... (To Go or Not to Go)
With a clang, the sword light by the riverbank suddenly converged, and a flying sword returned to its sheath. Chen Changsheng and Zheshe looked over and saw that the one who had struck was a middle-aged cultivator, dressed in coarse linen, his eyes bright and spirited. Beside him was a young Daoist, presumably his companion.
Of the several hundred cultivators who had entered the Zhou Garden, all had already reached the Penetrating Obscurity realm, mostly the backbone of various academies and sects. Those who could be identified by age at a glance were rare. In Chen Changsheng's estimation, if this man wasn't a rogue cultivator, he likely came from some minor sect.
His guess was correct. This middle-aged cultivator was named Fu Qiansong, a practitioner from a place called Qingxu Temple in the southern lands, even serving as its abbot. His cultivation had reached the middle stage of Penetrating Obscurity. In places like the Li Palace or the Longevity Sect, this might not be remarkable, but among ordinary sects, he was considered a formidable expert. The young man was his senior disciple, who had just entered the Penetrating Obscurity realm.
Seeing Chen Changsheng and Zheshe suddenly appear, the young Daoist from Qingxu Temple immediately tensed up, his right hand trembling slightly, as if ready to summon his flying sword at any moment.
The middle-aged cultivator recognized Chen Changsheng's identity at first glance. He raised his hand to stop his disciple, then clasped his hands in a bow toward Chen Changsheng and said, "Greetings, Dean Chen."
Qingxu Temple, an obscure minor sect, belonged to the system of the National Religion. According to the rules of the Zhou Garden, this middle-aged cultivator had no qualms about attacking disciples of the Holy Maiden Peak. But when facing Chen Changsheng, he became respectful, because he still had to live outside the Zhou Garden and dared not show any discourtesy to Chen Changsheng.
After hearing the middle-aged cultivator's self-introduction, Chen Changsheng understood what had happened. Looking at the broken artifact in the man's hand, he thought to himself, everyone says the treasures and inheritances in the Zhou Garden have mostly been found, so how could these two girls from the Holy Maiden Peak so easily locate something?
"That artifact was found in the Zhou Garden eighty years ago by a senior from my Cijian Temple. But at the time, they left in a hurry and couldn't take it, so they hid it under a tree by the riverbank."
Ye Xiaolian glared angrily at the middle-aged cultivator and said, "This was originally our property, and you sneak-attacked and robbed it. Have you no shame?"
The middle-aged cultivator's expression turned slightly awkward. At over fifty years old and having been in the Penetrating Obscurity realm for many years, using a sneak attack on two girls who had just entered that realm would sound unpleasant if word got out.
As a branch of the National Religion, Qingxu Temple wasn't afraid of retaliation from the southerners afterward, not even from the legendary Holy Maiden Peak, because the rules of the Zhou Garden were set by the sages. Since things had already turned hostile, it was better to force the other side to withdraw from the Zhou Garden as soon as possible. But with Chen Changsheng and Zheshe appearing, he had no choice but to sheathe his sword.
Eighty years ago, a senior Daoist nun from Cijian Temple entered the Zhou Garden to explore secrets and found a broken artifact. For some reason, she didn't take it away but hid it under a tree. After leaving the garden, she told this secret to her later disciples, instructing them to retrieve it upon entering. It could be imagined that behind this long-ago story lay many hidden secrets, some even stirring with emotion.
Chen Changsheng looked at the injured Holy Maiden Peak girl and asked, "Senior Sister Tong, are you alright?"
Similar to the Longevity Sect, the Holy Maiden Peak governed many sects and mountain gates. For instance, Ye Xiaolian was from Cijian Temple. The girl had considerable talent in Daoist cultivation and might enter Nanxi Zhai next year.
Nanxi Zhai didn't have the so-called inner and outer divisions as rumored. Only Xu Yourong, as the designated next Southern Saintess, was somewhat special. By the order of entry, Xu Yourong should call this Tong girl "senior sister." For some reason, Chen Changsheng naturally addressed her as "senior sister" too, from the Heavenly Book Mausoleum all the way to here.
Supported by Ye Xiaolian, Senior Sister Tong stood up, blood seeping between the fingers clutching her left shoulder. Her face was pale, and she shook her head, saying, "It should be fine."
In the Heavenly Book Mausoleum, she had managed to observe the stele and break through to the Penetrating Obscurity realm in just one month, showing remarkable talent in Daoist cultivation. Ye Xiaolian's breakthrough was more due to good luck, but the real reason was still the starlight Chen Changsheng had summoned that night.
The examinees from this year's Grand Examination were well aware of this. So disciples from the Star Plucking Academy, the Li Palace Affiliated Academy, and the Ancestral Temple felt a mix of envy and genuine gratitude toward Chen Changsheng. But for these two female disciples of the Holy Maiden Peak and other southern sect disciples, their feelings toward him were far more complex.
No southerner liked Chen Changsheng, but they had to acknowledge his kindness.
Ye Xiaolian was just a young girl, thinking in a more naive and direct way. Having once humiliated Chen Changsheng on the Divine Path, her attitude had gradually changed. After that night at the Heavenly Book Mausoleum, only awe and gratitude remained. Now, looking at Chen Changsheng's back, she felt much calmer, as if she had found a protector.
She stood behind Chen Changsheng, supporting her senior sister, staring at the master and disciple from Qingxu Temple.
The middle-aged cultivator naturally didn't care about the anger in her eyes; he only cared about Chen Changsheng's attitude. He believed that with his middle-stage Penetrating Obscurity cultivation, no matter how gifted Chen Changsheng was, even if the cold-faced youth beside him might be the legendary wolf cub, they couldn't surpass him. But as a member of the National Religion's branch, how could he not be wary of Chen Changsheng's background in the Li Palace?
Before Chen Changsheng could say anything, he made a decisive move and said, "The Zhou Garden is vast. My master and disciple still have much to search for. Dean Chen, we take our leave."
Senior Sister Tong looked at Chen Changsheng with an apologetic expression and said, "In the Zhou Garden, everyone relies on their own skills to claim treasures. I have no right to ask for your help, but that artifact is a beloved possession of a senior from our temple. Before this trip, she specially sent word asking us to retrieve it for her. Please..." She stopped there, because she also felt this request was somewhat unreasonable.
Chen Changsheng truly didn't know what to do. The master and disciple from Qingxu Temple had sneak-attacked and robbed, which was hardly honorable, but the rules of the Zhou Garden were like this. Moreover, the other party belonged to the National Religion and had shown him no lack of courtesy. On the other hand, although he was betrothed to Xu Yourong, he had no connection with the Holy Maiden Peak. The north and south were fundamentally different paths. Could he really help southerners attack northerners?
This was the first time he had encountered such a troublesome choice. He felt that the sages who had set these rules for the Zhou Garden were truly detestable.
Just then, an extremely solemn sword intent came from the distant forest.
The middle-aged cultivator's expression changed slightly. He bowed to Chen Changsheng and prepared to leave with his disciple.
Senior Sister Tong sighed softly and said nothing more. But Ye Xiaolian stared wide-eyed at Chen Changsheng, as if she didn't understand why he would let them go. She thought, "You're the Holy Maiden Peak's son-in-law," yet it never occurred to her that thinking this way had already replaced Qiu Shanjun's once seemingly irreplaceable position in her heart with Chen Changsheng.
Chen Changsheng watched the master and disciple wading across the river to the opposite bank and finally made a decision.
But at that moment, the leaves rustled slightly, and Zhuang Huanyu appeared on the riverbank.
He looked at Chen Changsheng with a cold expression, saying nothing, but his meaning was clear.
He would watch to see what Chen Changsheng would ultimately do.
(Thank you all. I'm going to drink now. I'll keep it light—my body isn't what it used to be. But still, life must find its joys.)