Chapter 816: A New Fellow Traveler
Chen Changsheng suddenly asked, "Is it possible that the Longevity Sect has colluded with the demon race?"
Zhesi said, "The southern ancestral temple of the Daoist sect, a renowned and orthodox school—it doesn't make sense."
His "doesn't make sense" wasn't based on moral judgment, but on a consideration of interests.
So-called betrayal always seeks benefits. The Longevity Sect's foundation lies with the human race and the Daoist sect. What benefit could they gain from colluding with the demon race?
Chen Changsheng said, "But have you considered this: if they hadn't colluded with Snow Old City, how could the Longevity Sect have captured Qijian's mother back then?"
This was indeed a problem.
Back then, the movements of that demon princess must have been extremely secretive. Logically, she shouldn't have been so easily captured by the Longevity Sect.
"After hearing what you said about the Snow Ridge, I've been thinking about this too," Zhesi said. "The Longevity Sect was too severely crippled by Su Li. Even if they still have some potential in the south, there's no way they could pull the wool over the eyes of the Pine Mountain Military Prefecture."
Chen Changsheng looked into his eyes and said, "What if they had other helpers?"
Zhesi understood his meaning. A flicker of coldness in his eyes appeared and then vanished.
Their trip to Wenshui was to pick up a friend. Now it seemed they would inevitably have to ask a few more questions.
Night enveloped the Gobi Desert. In the distance, faint low growls could be heard—likely wild beasts gnawing on the corpses.
The earlier conversation had mentioned Qijian's parents many times, so the topic naturally continued along that thread.
Chen Changsheng asked, "How long has it been since you last saw her?"
Zhesi thought for a moment and said, "Five years?"
Time passed neither quickly nor slowly, easily numbing people and making them forget many things.
Chen Changsheng asked, "Do you still remember her?"
Zhesi thought of the frantic running in the Zhou Garden, the life-and-death struggles on the Never-Setting Sun Grassland—him carrying her on his back, her guiding his way. The lines of his face gradually softened.
He didn't answer Chen Changsheng's question, because there was no need to answer, just as there was no need to recall, because he had never forgotten.
"Don't worry. After your illness is cured, we'll accompany you to Li Mountain to propose marriage. Of course, that's if she hasn't forgotten you either."
"How could a renowned southern sect like that look favorably on a wandering ghost like me? Besides, in the eyes of the world, I've always been a monster."
"You're not a wandering ghost. You're the Vice Superintendent of the National Academy. Besides... Li Mountain is different after all."
"What about you? How is Xu Yourong now? The human world hasn't heard news of her for a long time."
Hearing Zhesi's words, Chen Changsheng fell silent. His brows and eyes were filled with longing and worry.
Letters from Wenshui City had stopped for half a year, and letters from the Holy Maiden Peak hadn't arrived for nearly two years. It had been three years since he last saw her.
"She's in seclusion," Chen Changsheng said.
After a moment of silence, he continued, "A death seclusion."
Cultivators only entered death seclusion at the most critical moments, because it was a very dangerous cultivation method. No one knew when they would break through—it could be months, years, or even decades. It was even possible to simply sit and pass away in their cave dwelling.
Xu Yourong's talent was astonishing. Her death seclusion was bound to be extraordinary, and the risks were likely even greater.
But Zhesi could understand why Xu Yourong had chosen death seclusion.
The Holy Maiden Peak needed a true Holy Maiden. The Li Palace needed a true ally.
So she needed to cross that threshold and enter the sacred domain in the shortest possible time.
Zhesi didn't know what to say, so he simply reached out and patted Chen Changsheng's shoulder in comfort.
Three years without seeing each other, and they talked much more than they used to. But in the end, neither was good with words—unlike that guy from Wenshui City.
Just then, a figure suddenly appeared on the distant mountain ridge, accompanied by a harsh and indifferent voice.
"Whoever you are, don't even think about running."
For an instant, Chen Changsheng and Zhesi had the illusion that that guy had actually appeared.
The figure descended from the mountain ridge and finally stood before them.
It wasn't that guy. But this guy was indeed very similar to that guy in some ways, which was why they had clashed from the very first meeting, nearly drawing swords on each other.
The man was a swordsman, covered in dust, but it couldn't hide his striking aura.
Chen Changsheng and Zhesi had just been talking about Li Mountain for a long time, and now someone from Li Mountain had actually arrived.
Guan Feibai, fourth of the Seven Laws of the Divine Kingdom, a sword genius of Li Mountain. In terms of talent, he was second only to Qiushan Jun.
Seeing Chen Changsheng, who had disappeared for three years, suddenly appear in the desolate northern stone mountains, Guan Feibai was naturally stunned. His mouth hung open, unsure what to say.
Then he remembered that Chen Changsheng was no longer an ordinary student of the National Academy—he was now His Holiness the Pope.
They were acquaintances, but this generation of Li Mountain Sword Sect disciples was very different from their Grandmaster Uncle. They didn't have the idea of disregarding formalities.
He bowed to Chen Changsheng and said, "Greetings, Your Holiness the Pope."
Chen Changsheng had already risen and returned the bow with sincerity.
Guan Feibai had many questions he wanted to ask, but he hesitated.
Chen Changsheng asked, "Why are you here?"
Guan Feibai said, "I was ordered to go beyond Yonglan Pass to scout enemy movements. I happened to notice unusual activity among the Bearman tribe and followed the clues here."
Zhesi glanced at him, looking somewhat surprised. "You're working as a scout?"
Guan Feibai raised an eyebrow and said, "Are you the only one allowed to do it?"
Compared to the Grand Examination back then and the time at the Heavenly Book Mausoleum, there didn't seem to be much change.
Back when Chen Changsheng was among the inner disciples of Li Mountain Sword Sect's current generation, Guan Feibai was the only one he had some resistance to.
The reason was simple: his temperament was too hard, his temper too bad, too violent, and he never held back his words. In some ways, he was a bit like Tang Thirty-Six.
Aside from friends in the same camp, no one liked this kind of person. Just like in the eyes of the world, the most hated person at the National Academy was always surnamed Tang.
Later, Chen Changsheng's impression of Guan Feibai changed greatly. Not because of their interactions at the Heavenly Book Mausoleum or the Boiling Stone Assembly, but because later, when the National Academy was being suppressed by the imperial court and no one dared to speak up... Guan Feibai came.
He exchanged a few bland words with Chen Changsheng, then asked Chen Changsheng to personally see him out of the academy gate.
This was a stance, and he didn't mind letting the entire capital see that stance.
Chen Changsheng was grateful and said thank you.
Guan Feibai told him not to mention it.
For these young people who had witnessed Xun Mei charging the Divine Path and Wang Po's farewell, those two words carried a very important meaning.
From now on, we are friends.
"Did you kill all of them?"
Guan Feibai pointed to the mountain ridge behind him.
Chen Changsheng looked at Zhesi.
Zhesi didn't speak, because he didn't like talking.
Chen Changsheng had no choice but to explain it himself.
"In the past few years, the Bearman tribe has been secretly colluding with the demon race. It was only last year, seeing our side's momentum, that they realigned. Their foundation was never clean, easily manipulated by others." Guan Feibai looked at him and asked, "The question is, who exactly wants to kill you?"
Chen Changsheng said, "We're going to Wenshui."
It was a very simple sentence, but Guan Feibai understood. After a moment of silence, he asked, "Is that guy okay?"
...
...
(I know Zhesi's line about not needing to recall because he never forgot is too cheesy, too much like song lyrics, but I thought it over several times and still didn't delete it... hehe)