Chapter 877: The Grand Senior Uncle of Nanxi Zhai?
"Senior Sister, it's them!"
Two young girls glared at Tang Thirty-Six and said hatefully, "We don't know where these wicked bandits came from, but they're so audacious as to dare force their way into the mountain gate!"
Tang Thirty-Six looked closely and saw several familiar faces among these girls, especially the elegant young woman at the front.
"Oh, Ye Xiaolian, it's you."
He hadn't expected to run into an acquaintance so soon and walked forward cheerfully.
The two young girls were startled and instinctively hid behind Ye Xiaolian.
Ye Xiaolian hadn't expected that the reckless intruder her junior sisters spoke of would be Tang Thirty-Six.
Among the disciples of Nanxi Zhai, the one most familiar with the people from the National Teaching Academy was Ye Xiaolian. Not to mention the earliest story, but later, from Cold Mountain to the National Teaching Academy, they had spent a long time together.
Her expression shifted slightly as she asked, "Why is it you?"
Tang Thirty-Six didn't notice the hint of strangeness in her expression and smiled as he recounted what had just happened.
As he spoke, the two young girls grew more confused, wondering why their senior sister wasn't angry at all, and why Senior Sister Shang was also smiling.
Could it be that these senior sisters actually knew this reckless bandit, and were even friends with him?
After hearing Tang Thirty-Six's account and comparing it with what her two junior sisters had said earlier, Ye Xiaolian understood what was going on. She looked at Tang Thirty-Six with exasperation and said, "So you just asked a few questions and scared them like this? Can't you see how young they are?"
Tang Thirty-Six replied seriously, "Don't you know how gentle my temperament is?"
This was, of course, the opposite of the truth. Everyone knew what kind of person he was, and Ye Xiaolian knew it better than anyone. When that incident happened back then, she was about the same age as these two junior sisters now, and this guy had never shown any mercy to the fairer sex. He was truly a shameless scoundrel.
Thinking back to how she had been scolded to tears by this guy on the Divine Path of the Detached Palace back then, she felt a mix of embarrassment and irritation. She glared at Tang Thirty-Six and spat in disdain.
Tang Thirty-Six naturally knew why she was acting this way and said with a smile, "What kind of attitude is that? I'm a guest today, you know."
"I don't recall inviting you," Ye Xiaolian said irritably, too lazy to deal with him further. She turned to Hu Sanshi'er, her smile fading as she said calmly, "Ye Xiaolian, third-generation disciple of Nanxi Zhai."
Hu Sanshi'er said, "Hu Sanshi'er, former bishop of Wenshui."
Tang Thirty-Six added from the side, "This guy is a big shot in the State Religion now. He might enter the Xuanwen Hall in a few days, so don't you dare slight him."
This remark teased both of them at once.
Ye Xiaolian was first annoyed, then startled.
As a disciple of Nanxi Zhai, she knew that the position of Grand Bishop of the Xuanwen Hall had been vacant for three years. If she hadn't misunderstood Tang Thirty-Six's meaning, then this unremarkable-looking man would become a giant of the State Religion in a few days? But how could a big figure in the State Religion have anything to do with Tang Thirty-Six? Why would they come to Holy Maiden Peak together? Could it be...
She thought of that possibility and looked at Tang Thirty-Six.
Tang Thirty-Six nodded.
Ye Xiaolian's eyes grew very bright, showing great joy, but her emotions were complicated.
There was some surprise, some relief after long exhaustion, and also some unease and confusion.
Suddenly, a voice rang out from behind on the mountain path.
"Who are you, daring to trespass on this sacred ground?"
The voice was extremely cold and authoritative, like a high-ranking official in the imperial court or the iron laws of the Flowing Cloud Hall, giving an unshakable feeling.
With this voice, the bamboo sea stirred up another wild surge, and Ye Xiaolian's expression dimmed considerably.
A Daoist nun walked up the mountain path. Her exact age was hard to tell, but from her demeanor, she seemed to be middle-aged.
She wore a black fasting robe, her sleeves fluttering slightly in the mountain breeze, giving an air of detachment from the world. Yet her straight brows and eyes conveyed a sense of great steadiness.
Dozens of female disciples of Nanxi Zhai followed behind her.
Seeing the arrival of this black-robed Daoist nun, the earlier Nanxi Zhai female disciples quickly bowed and said, "Grand Senior Uncle."
Hearing this title, Tang Thirty-Six raised an eyebrow slightly, somewhat surprised.
In his impression, Nanxi Zhai should now be managed by second-generation disciples. He hadn't heard of any elders from the previous generation.
Xu Yourong was a second-generation disciple, and Ye Xiaolian should be considered third-generation.
This black-robed Daoist nun had such a high seniority?
He brushed off bamboo leaves, straightened his clothes, and prepared to step forward to bow and speak.
The black-robed Daoist nun gave him no chance to explain, not even sparing him a glance.
"Ye Xiaolian, why haven't you raised your sword? Are you trying to let outsiders into the mountain?"
The black-robed Daoist nun barked sternly at Ye Xiaolian.
Ye Xiaolian was startled by this, feeling deeply wronged. Her eyes reddened, and she looked up, wanting to defend herself.
The black-robed Daoist nun's expression grew even more severe, her voice harsher as she scolded, "Do you still not see your mistake?"
"That's enough," Tang Thirty-Six said, stepping forward to pull Ye Xiaolian behind him. "Is it something to be proud of, disciplining your own disciples in front of us outsiders?"
When he was displeased, he didn't care if the other party was a highly senior grand senior uncle of Nanxi Zhai.
Seeing the situation turn bad, Hu Sanshi'er quickly stepped in front of the black-robed Daoist nun and said, "We are accompanying His Holiness the Pope. We have no intention of forcing our way into the mountain. Please, senior, understand."
Hearing this, Ye Xiaolian confirmed her earlier guess. She was momentarily stunned, then her eyes grew even redder, but unlike the grievance of a moment ago, this was from excitement.
Those female disciples who had been to Cold Mountain and were familiar with the National Teaching Academy exchanged smiles, looking very pleased as well.
Suddenly, a cough sounded, extremely authoritative. The young girls quickly suppressed their smiles and fell silent.
"You're saying His Holiness the Pope has come to our Nanxi Zhai?"
The black-robed Daoist nun looked at them coldly and said, "Then where is His Holiness the Pope?"
Hu Sanshi'er didn't know how to respond. Could he say that the Pope, worried about internal strife in Nanxi Zhai, hadn't announced his arrival and had secretly sneaked into Holy Maiden Peak?
Tang Thirty-Six was the best person in the world at resolving such awkward situations, because the most essential quality for resolving awkwardness was a thick skin.
"The Pope was extremely anxious and went ahead. He should be on Holy Maiden Peak by now. This... senior, if you're eager to pay your respects to him, you might need to wait a bit."
He pointed to the end of the mountain path. There was a cliff there, and behind it, a beautiful peak shrouded in mist.
The black-robed Daoist nun ignored the teasing tone in his words and stared into his eyes. "Holy Maiden Peak is not so easy to breach."
Tang Thirty-Six felt a powerful pressure and raised an eyebrow slightly. "The State Religion's northern and southern branches share the same origin. Since it's a restriction of Nanxi Zhai, how could it harm His Holiness the Pope? It's been a while with no commotion, so it seems Holy Maiden Peak... welcomes his arrival."
The hidden meaning of these words was clear to everyone.
Tang Thirty-Six just wanted to avoid losing ground in the confrontation, but he didn't realize how close his speculation was to the truth.
The black-robed Daoist nun's expression grew even colder. "Entering without asking is thievery. What host would welcome a thief?"
Tang Thirty-Six raised an eyebrow. "That's extremely disrespectful to His Holiness the Pope. Are you insisting on using force?"
"Since you entered the mountain without notification, you are not fellow Daoists but foreign enemies."
The black-robed Daoist nun stared into his eyes, expressionless. "Seize them."
There were over thirty female disciples of Nanxi Zhai on the mountain path, enough to form a sword formation. Not even Tang Thirty-Six, let alone Xiao Zhang or Liang Wangsun, could break through.
If these Nanxi Zhai female disciples drew their swords against them, Tang Thirty-Six and Hu Sanshi'er would have no choice but to turn and flee down the mountain.
They didn't move, because the Nanxi Zhai disciples didn't move.
The dozen or so girls who had been to the National Teaching Academy exchanged glances, looking anxious and unsure of what to do. Those who hadn't been there instinctively picked up their swords, then remembered the stories their senior and junior sisters had told over the past two years. They looked at Ye Xiaolian, silently asking what to do, hesitating greatly.
The mountain path was silent, without a sound.