Chapter 156: Pastoral Scenery

Chen Chen and Li Zijian whispered to each other for a moment. I spoke up, "Actually, it is fine if you do not wish to stay here; everything is negotiable."

No sooner had I finished speaking than the two of them reached a consensus, hitting it off immediately. "It is settled then, we shall stay here for a few days. It is just as well—I don't believe I have ever spent the night on a mountain before."

I nodded with a smile and turned to head to the kitchen to find my great-uncle. After I explained the situation to him, he called Nangong Xi over, asking her to thoroughly clean the guest rooms and add a few more quilts.

"In that case, I shall stir-fry a few extra dishes, and we shall have a proper feast." My great-uncle was in high spirits today, insisting on preparing ten dishes, as if it were the Lunar New Year. "The rooms are all prepared for you; stay as long as you like."

I returned to sit on the stone bench while Chen Chen and Li Zijian wandered about, admiring the mountain scenery. Just then, a paper crane drifted slowly toward us from the southeast. As I wondered what it was, it landed steadily beside me. My great-uncle had once demonstrated the power of these paper cranes to me, though this one seemed to lack the ability to traverse space and time, merely flapping its wings slowly as it arrived.

Chen Chen and Li Zijian noticed me and walked over. Chen Chen was the first to speak. "What is this?"

Seeing that Chen Chen did not recognize the item's function, I took the opportunity to explain. "This is a method of communication within the cultivation world. Great masters can even imbue these paper cranes with the power to cross space and time." Both Chen Chen and Li Zijian came from families of cultivators, so they surely understood this better than I did.

I picked up the paper crane and unfolded it; there were a few lines written inside: "Today, Mount Tianyang is vulnerable from within. Malicious parties intend to seize the opportunity to invade. We implore our guest elder to arrive at Mount Tianyang by the day after tomorrow to assist. Gratitude."

This was undoubtedly a message sent by one of the few remaining elders of Mount Tianyang. Even if they had not notified me, I would have done everything in my power to go. I read the contents aloud in a low voice. After listening, Li Zijian teased, "Oh, look at that—'Guest Elder'!"

I ignored him and tucked the paper crane into my ring. It was not that I was being stubborn, but I could not tell my great-uncle about this. He was of an advanced age, and I could not risk his safety. Besides, it was not certain that I would be outmatched.

"Alright, enough of that. Go on and do whatever you were doing."

I waved them off, dismissing Chen Chen and Li Zijian so I could sit on the stone bench and devise a strategy. I had witnessed the combat prowess of the Xia family; they were not exceptionally strong, but they were certainly not weak either. Furthermore, the most powerful members of the Xia family had not yet appeared, so I could not afford to be careless. Therefore, this time, I must not take unnecessary risks; I would simply try to hold the line until the elders of Mount Tianyang returned.

The sun was directly overhead, indicating it was noon. My great-uncle had finished preparing the meal. Since there were not enough chairs in the courtyard, he had brought out wooden stools from the house. Beside the food sat a jug of fine wine that Nangong Xi had just retrieved—I heard it was from my great-uncle’s private collection.

Once all the dishes were laid out, I picked up my chopsticks, placed a slice of cured meat into my mouth, and took a sip of the clear wine. "This is truly excellent..."

Before I could say anything, Li Zijian gave my great-uncle a thumbs-up. Chen Chen did not speak, but he nodded repeatedly, indicating the food was delicious. I had bought a large amount of groceries last time, but after so long, they were nearly depleted. It seemed I would need to stock up again after I returned from Mount Tianyang.

"Great-uncle, the environment here is so wonderful; I really wish to stay for a while," Li Zijian said, skilled at making the elderly happy. My great-uncle laughed heartily at his words. "Stay! Stay as long as you like."

Li Zijian’s capacity for alcohol was impressive; he drank four or five cups in a row without his face turning red or his pulse quickening. Chen Chen was not as fortunate; after half a cup, he began to get a bit fuzzy-headed. However, for us cultivators, this was a minor matter; we could simply force the alcohol out using our spiritual energy. Chen Chen was the first to leave the table, claiming he needed to go to his room for a nap. Nangong Xi finished her meal and departed as well, stating she needed to practice diligently to reach the Spirit Lotus Realm as soon as possible.

Only Li Zijian and my great-uncle remained at the table, trading drinks and enjoying themselves. After waiting a while and seeing that they were far from finished, I returned to my own room to rest. I had also consumed some wine, so I first channeled my spiritual energy throughout my body to slowly purge the alcohol. In that moment, a cloud of steam rose from my body.

Once I felt refreshed, I began my practice. I had spent the past month just lying around; if I continued, I feared I might even forget the *Tan Zi Record*. Thus, I needed to review it immediately. I relaxed my body completely and began to slowly circulate the *Tan Zi Record*. At first, it was difficult to enter a meditative state, but gradually, I felt wisps of spiritual energy entering my body. It was a bit sluggish at first, not flowing smoothly, but as time passed, I began to pick up speed.

This sensation was incredibly comfortable, as if I were soaking in a hot spring, leaving my entire body feeling warm. I had neglected to mention earlier that my great-uncle had also recently broken through to the second level of the Spirit Lotus Realm, his strength having climbed to a new height.

...

After an afternoon of practice, I returned to my usual state of alertness, feeling completely refreshed when I opened my eyes. It was past six in the evening, and the sun was about to set. I looked out into the courtyard and saw that the table had been cleared; I assumed my great-uncle and Li Zijian had gone to their rooms to sleep.

Just then, Chen Chen emerged from another room, and our eyes met. "Ugh, the wine at your great-uncle's place is too strong. I slept the entire afternoon." Chen Chen rubbed his temples as he walked toward me, looking miserable. He was the worst drinker among us; even Nangong Xi could out-drink him.

"Shall we go out for a walk?"
"Let's go."

Since I had nothing else to do, I decided to head down the mountain with Chen Chen. We descended quickly and began strolling along a country path. I had lived here for quite some time, but I had never walked down the mountain at this hour. The golden rays of the setting sun bathed the fields, making the various flowers and sunflowers shimmer with golden edges; it was truly beautiful.

"If it weren't for the Ghost King and all these trivial matters, I would be content to stay here forever," Chen Chen sighed. But that was merely a fantasy. We continued walking, only to notice something unusual.

This path was usually deserted, but suddenly, the sound of a violent collision echoed from ahead. Chen Chen and I exchanged a glance and quickened our pace toward the source of the noise—perhaps this was the keen intuition of cultivators. The spot where the sound originated was not far; we arrived in about five minutes. From a distance, I saw a plume of thick smoke rising into the sky. My first thought was that there must have been a car accident.