“Thank you for your kindness, Miss Jiu Hui.” Zhang He was in low spirits. He nodded politely at Jiu Hui. “This old man has not yet considered the future.”
He wanted to travel around and take a look, perhaps there would be a day when he would reunite with Yin Ji.
“It doesn’t matter, it’s not too late to start thinking about it now.” Jiu Hui didn’t seem to hear Zhang He’s rejection, and said with a smile, “Is an hour enough?”
Zhang He: “…“carpreads.pages.dev
“An hour is not enough, so how about two hours?” Jiu Hui stood up. “You can think about it while you pack your things. Do you have enough people to help you pack? If not, I’ll ask my little junior brother to help you.”
The Elders of the Jiutian Sect glared at Jiu Hui. Did this little girl have any respect for them at all?
Sect Master Huo looked at Jiu Hui with eyes full of respect. Young people like her, who were not afraid of tigers, were really willing to put down their pride.
To be honest, he had also thought about poaching the person, but due to the many years of friendship between the two sects, it was not easy to do.
“Thank you for your kindness, young friend. I have no ties to this place and nothing to pack. However, I would like to collect some things from my disciple Yin Ji’s courtyard and take them with me.” Zhang He looked at the other Elders. “I wonder if you Elders would be so kind as to allow this?”
Who would dare to say no?
Even the Fourth Elder, who was the most supportive of Bu Ting, kept a sullen face and said nothing.
Without waiting for them to speak, Zhang He turned and walked out. Nan Feng took two steps back.
“Nan Feng.” Zhang He stopped in his tracks and looked at Nan Feng with a complicated expression. “Thank you for withstanding the pressure and telling me the truth about what happened.”
Nan Feng lowered his head in shame, not daring to look Zhang He in the eye.
“Senior Zhang.” Jiu Hui chased out of the house and came to Zhang He, whispering, “I suggest you take everything you can with you.”
Zhang He and Nan Feng looked at her together.
“Think about it. When you’re out and about, there are expenses everywhere. In the future, when you reunite with Daoist Master Yin Ji, your expenses will only increase.” Jiu Hui said, “You’ve been an Elder of the Jiutian Sect for all these years. You’ve made contributions and suffered hardships. What belongs to you should belong to you. If you don’t take it with you, won’t it all just end up in someone else’s pocket?”
Nan Feng really wanted to ask Jiu Hui if it was really appropriate to say these things in front of him.
“Nan Feng is here too, so he can go with you to clean up.” Jiu Hui pushed Nan Feng toward Zhang He. “With an extra person, you’ll finish faster.”
“Then… I’ll have to trouble Nan Feng.” Zhang He seemed to have figured something out. With Nan Feng watching, the people of the Jiutian Sect wouldn’t say he had taken something he shouldn’t have after he left the Jiutian Sect.
He couldn’t help but take another glance at Jiu Hui. Was this Miss Jiu trying to help him avoid some trouble?
“Grand Elder, I’ll accompany you.” Nan Feng didn’t refuse.
“Thank you for your help.” Zhang He didn’t expect Nan Feng to listen to Jiu Hui so obediently. He took two steps with Nan Feng, then turned around and said, “I will consider your suggestion carefully.”
“Wangshu Pavilion will always welcome your arrival, senior.” Jiu Hui smiled and looked back at the banquet hall behind her, beckoning to Zhi You.
“Zhi You, let’s go.”
“Go back?” Zhi You obediently walked to her side.
“Let’s not go back, let’s go find Bu Ting.” Jiu Hui rummaged through her storage ring and took out a gift box. “The Immortal Venerable is seriously injured. Since we’ve already arrived at the Jiutian Sect, how can we not go and visit him?”
“Alright.”
“Immortal Venerable.” A young boy hurriedly walked into the courtyard and whispered, “Senior Brother Nan Feng told several Elders about Immortal Yin Ji’s matter. The Grand Elder returned his Elder Token, intending to leave the sect.”
“Let him be.” Bu Ting leaned against the back of the chair, and a few snowflakes fell. He spoke lightly, “With Nan Feng’s personality, he will tell this matter sooner or later.”
The boy hesitated, then finally mustered up the courage to say, “Second Elder hopes you can go and persuade him.”
“His heart is not here, so what’s the use of persuading him to stay?” Bu Ting coughed lightly. “Now that my injuries can’t heal and my reputation is ruined, it’s only natural for the Elders in the sect to leave.”
The boy suddenly understood. The Grand Elder wanted to leave because he thought the Jiutian Sect was no longer as glorious as it used to be.
“You may leave now,” Bu Ting raised his hand. “Do not come in to disturb me unless it is urgent.”
The boy servant retreated. Bu Ting expressionlessly crushed the jade cup in his hand and closed his eyes wearily.
Scenes from Fuguang Mountain kept flashing through his mind. He always felt like there was something very important about Immortal Lord Fuguang that he had overlooked.
What was it?
“No matter who it is, they cannot approach Fuguang without permission, and certainly cannot let him develop feelings for them.”
“When people have feelings, they will develop selfish desires.”
“Fuguang can absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. If he were to develop hatred due to love, he would naturally be able to possess the power to destroy heaven and earth.”
“With his power, he could save the world, or he could destroy it.”
The night the Gan tree fell, Fuguang disappeared from Fuguang Mountain. After he was found, there were more formations and puppets on Fuguang Mountain.
“Love is an abstract concept. Even if Lord Fuguang has truly fallen in love, how can we possibly know?”
Footsteps of a stranger came from outside the courtyard gate. Bu Ting opened his eyes, feeling annoyed.
These so-called visits and expressions of concern were nothing more than polite gestures cloaked in hypocrisy, each party merely going through the motions to appease the other.
“Junior disciples Jiu Hui and Zhi You of Wangshu Pavilion pay their respects to Immortal Venerable Bu.”
A woman’s voice came from outside the door.
It was her?
Bu Ting stood up, fastened his loose robe, and waved his sleeve to open the courtyard door with spiritual power.
A gust of wind blew, and in the hazy snow, he seemed to see Mu Qi’s figure from five hundred years ago.
“Immortal Venerable Bu,” Jiu Hui bowed to Bu Ting from outside the courtyard gate. “Upon hearing that Immortal Venerable’s health has been compromised, everyone in my humble sect has been deeply concerned, and thus they have sent this junior to pay a visit.”
“Many thanks for your sect’s concern.” Bu Ting invited the two inside.
“Fresh snow has just fallen, and two young friends have come to my door. What a stroke of fate.” As Bu Ting turned around, the fragments of the teacup on the ground turned into flying ash and disappeared. He invited the two to sit down and personally poured them two cups of tea.
“Did you two little friends come here just to visit?” Bu Ting pushed the teacup in front of Jiu Hui.
“The main reason is to visit the Immortal Venerable, and by the way, to tell him about us being captured by Sha Luojia and taken to the Demon Clan, and also about our encounter with Yin Ji.” Jiu Hui picked up the teacup and took a sip of tea: “Good tea.”
Bu Ting had lost a lot of weight, and he looked even more like an immortal than before. Even when Jiu Hui mentioned the Demon Realm and Sha Luojia, he didn’t react much.
He reached out and brushed his hand across the table, and a small red clay stove appeared on the table. He placed the teapot on the stove. “Now that the sect’s affairs have been handed over to Nan Feng and the Elders, young friend, I’m afraid you can only drink tea and taste some refreshments here.”
Jiu Hui casually tossed a handful of peanuts, longans, and a few oranges onto the stove grate. “Such a nice red clay stove, it would be a waste not to roast something on it.”
“Young friend, you know how to enjoy life.” Bu Ting glanced at the items on the stove grate. “At such a young age, you have such a frame of mind and cultivation. With geniuses like you in the future of the cultivation world, I can rest assured.”
“Mm.” Zhi You nodded. “Fellow Daoist Nan Feng has a pure heart and a kind nature. The Immortal Venerable should rest assured with him as the next Sect Master.”
Bu Ting picked up the teapot and refilled their cups with hot tea. “Nan Feng is a disciple I personally instructed, so naturally I have great confidence in him. Little friend Jiu Hui, you’re almost nineteen this year, aren’t you?”
“It should be around that time.” Jiu Hui used a wooden stick to flip the food on the grill. “I’m an orphan, so I don’t know the exact date of my birth.”
“Is that so? That’s a pity.” Bu Ting looked at the tea stalks floating in his teacup. “Without the eight characters, it’s hard to make an accurate divination.”
“So what if it’s not accurate? Knowing too much isn’t necessarily a good thing.” Jiu Hui dug out a half-roasted peanut and gently cracked it open. “It’s like this peanut. It doesn’t know if it will be eaten by a human, another animal, or saved as a seed. But none of that affects its growth.”
“Only characters in opera scripts have their destinies written in stone.” Jiu Hui ate the peanut and reached for an orange. “Knowing too much won’t make me any happier. Does the Immortal Venerable prefer to keep everything under control?”
Bu Ting asked in return, “If it can be done, why not?”
Jiu Hui shook her head. “I’m afraid that the moment you reach out, you won’t be grasping destiny, but rather crushing it to death.”
“The Great Dao is myriad, and one must follow their heart.” Seeing Jiu Hui about to peel the scalding orange, Zhi You took the initiative to reach out and take the orange. After peeling it, he stuffed it into her hand. “If you can’t see through it, how can you truly attain the Dao?”
Jiu Hui felt that Zhi You seemed to be speaking sarcastically to Bu Ting.
“Is that so?” Bu Ting remained noncommittal.
“Immortal Venerable Qiu Hua’s cultivation level was able to surpass yours, Immortal Venerable, probably because she saw through the mundane world’s Great Dao.” Jiu Hui said with an innocent expression, “Immortal Venerable, you can discuss the Dao more with Immortal Venerable Qiu.”
Bu Ting looked at the innocent girl in front of him. “What did you say to Qiu Hua before she left on New Year’s Eve?”
“I told Immortal Venerable Qiu that if the Gan tree had harbored resentment, those who ate its fruit would bleed to death from their seven orifices, so she had never resented anyone.” Jiu Hui smiled and said, “Ancient books record that the immortal tree is also called Gan tree, which grows in Yuanqiu. Eating its fruit can grant eternal life. However, the Gan tree is a divine tree. Anyone who provokes its anger will die after eating it.”
Bu Ting’s hand holding the teacup shook. He looked at Jiu Hui in a daze, “Young friend, you’re so young. Where did you learn all this?”
“I read it in a book.” Jiu Hui was puzzled. “It’s written clearly in the ‘Shanhe Word Classic’. Is this some kind of secret that can’t be spoken of?”
“You’re right, the Gan tree was willing to die.” Bu Ting coughed a few times, forcibly suppressing the bloody sweetness in his throat. He stood up unsteadily. “She volunteered.”
Jiu Hui seemed oblivious to his distress, tilting her head as she asked, “Immortal Venerable, can your injuries still be healed?”
“There is only one person in the world who can cure it.” Bu Ting covered his mouth with a handkerchief, wiping away the blood that had accidentally spilled from the corner of his mouth, and turned to look at Jiu Hui: “But none of that matters anymore.”
“Why?” Jiu Hui asked again.
Bu Ting smiled and said, “The Jiutian Sect will soon have a new sect master. Isn’t it great that I’m staying in this peaceful little courtyard?”
“It is very good,” Zhi You added.
“Were you born on a full moon night?” Bu Ting suddenly asked.
Jiu Hui was confused. “Immortal Venerable, you forgot. I just said that I don’t remember the days of my birth.”
“I’m tired.” Bu Ting nodded. “You two may do as you wish.”
“Junior will take her leave.” Jiu Hui put all the food she had placed on the grill into her purse and stood up to bid farewell to Bu Ting.
As the two of them reached the courtyard entrance, Bu Ting suddenly waved his sleeve, sending a surge of spiritual energy towards Jiu Hui’s back.
Jiu Hui’s eyelids flickered slightly, and she held onto Zhi You’s sleeve without letting go. Just as the spiritual light was about to pierce her back, a sword flew over and blocked the attack for her.
“Master?!” Nan Feng pinched a spell to retract his sword and sheathed it. He flashed in front of Jiu Hui and Zhi You, looking at Bu Ting in disbelief. “Why did you do that?”
Bu Ting’s brows furrowed when he saw Nan Feng appear out of nowhere. With his cultivation level, it was impossible for him not to have noticed Nan Feng’s arrival.
Jiu Hui looked at Nan Feng with a blank expression, then turned to look at Bu Ting, seemingly still unaware of what had happened.
“These two people are disrespectful to me, and their words and actions are strange. I suspect that they are both possessed by demons.” Bu Ting spoke lightly, “But it seems that I was mistaken.”
“Immortal Venerable, you attacked me?” Jiu Hui seemed to have just understood. She looked at Nan Feng and glared at Bu Ting, “Immortal Venerable, could it be that you want to kill and silence me because you know that I met Yin Ji in the Demon Realm?”
She covered her mouth in shock, her eyes wide with disbelief. “I understand. You want to avenge Sha Luojia!”
Accompanied by the Second Elder, Sect Master Huo who had just arrived at this place, “…”
What?! What?!
Was this something he could hear?
“Immortal Venerable, my junior brother and I came to visit you because you invited us for tea. How did it become us being disrespectful to you?” Jiu Hui’s face was full of grievance. “If Nan Feng hadn’t shown up, would you have killed us to silence us?!”
“Little friend Jiu Hui, you jest. Could such a wisp of spiritual energy truly harm you?” Bu Ting’s tone was cold. “Regardless of your intentions for coming here today, do not bring up the demon race. Those lowly, filthy creatures have nothing to do with me.”
“Then why did you hurt me behind my back?” Jiu Hui didn’t care about the demons, she only cared about herself. “Even my master has never hit me. If the Immortal Venerable looks down on us disciples of the small sects, just say so. Why pretend to invite us for tea and then humiliate us like this?”
Sect Master Huo stood on tiptoe and glanced into the courtyard. The tea on the small red clay stove was still steaming, so it seemed that Little Friend Jiu Hui had not lied.
Fellow Daoist Jiu Hui did not lie, so it must have been Bu Ting who was at fault.
Sha Luojia bravely killed the Demon King for her father, and Bu Ting was willing to hurt righteous disciples for his daughter. What a touching father-daughter relationship.
“Sect Master Huo, Sect Master Huo…” Seeing Sect Master Huo’s neck stretching longer and longer, the Second Elder called out several times before he could bring him back to his senses.
The smart and sensible ones had already found an excuse to leave, while those who were straightforward and enjoyed watching the show would only stand on tiptoe and crane their necks.
“Second Elder, your Jiutian Sect is going too far.” Sect Master Huo had a very good impression of Jiu Hui, so he walked over to Jiu Hui and Zhi You and met Bu Ting’s indifferent gaze. “Sect Master Bu, these two children, Jiu Hui and Zhi You, have always been well-behaved. What did they do to make you so angry that you attacked them?”
“Sect Master Huo.” Jiu Hui looked at Sect Master Huo timidly, seeming to have been frightened by Bu Ting.
Zhi You stood beside Jiu Hui with his head lowered, not saying a word.
“My apologies, it was Bu-mou’s momentary lapse of reason.” As soon as Bu Ting finished speaking, he coughed up several mouthfuls of blood.
The Second Elder, who had originally been dissatisfied with Bu Ting’s actions, saw him vomit blood again. His emotions were replaced with worry. He couldn’t bear to see Bu Ting lose face in front of outsiders, so he had no choice but to come forward and apologize to Jiu Hui on Bu Ting’s behalf.
“Immortal Venerable Bu has been suffering from a lingering injury for a long time. It’s understandable that he would be resentful towards me, knowing that I was the one who exposed Princess Sha Luojia’s ambition to the old Demon King,” Jiu Hui said, trying to find an excuse for Bu Ting.
“Moreover, when the Immortal Venerable asked me for my birthdate, I, an orphan with no parents, naturally didn’t know it, so I didn’t tell him. Perhaps the Immortal Venerable thought that I was being insincere and deliberately hiding it from him, so it’s understandable that he would have some resentment.”
Sect Master Huo became increasingly upset as he listened. “Bu Ting, you’ve gone too far this time. You’re an Immortal Venerable with profound cultivation. Why would you ask a young girl for her birthdate?”
“My apologies for visiting you so abruptly this evening.” Jiu Hui shook her head slightly at Sect Master Huo and whispered, “Sect Master Huo, you and the Jiutian Sect have been on good terms for many years. Don’t let me be the cause of any unpleasantness between you.”
Sect Master Huo was touched. How could such a sensible child have any evil intentions?
Bu Ting, oh Bu Ting, you are really muddle-headed!
“Please rest well, Immortal Venerable Bu. This junior will take her leave.” Jiu Hui bowed to Bu Ting and turned to leave, not intending to pursue the matter further.
Zhi You looked up at Bu Ting and turned to follow him.
“Jiu Hui, Zhi You!” Nan Feng held his sword, glanced at Jiu Hui and Zhi You who were walking away, then looked at his master whose face was pale. After a moment of hesitation, he cupped his hands towards the Second Elder and said, “Please take good care of Master. I’ll be right back.”
Seeing Nan Feng chase after the two core disciples of Wangshu Pavilion, the Second Elder sighed. He helped Bu Ting into the courtyard, his gaze sweeping over the three cups of tea on the table. “Bu Ting, get some rest.”
Bu Ting had always been indifferent to others. Today, he kept the two Wangshu Pavilion disciples and drank tea in the courtyard. He must have planned this in advance.
The Second Elder didn’t mention to Bu Ting that the Grand Elder was preparing to leave, and Bu Ting didn’t ask.
After the Second Elder left, Bu Ting looked at the empty courtyard and sneered.
“Nan Feng, you go back and take good care of Immortal Venerable Bu.” Jiu Hui patted his shoulder when she saw Nan Feng chasing after her, and said with a bright smile, “So many things have happened this year, I can understand that Immortal Venerable Bu is in a bad mood. Don’t worry, I won’t take this matter to heart.”
“I…” Hearing Jiu Hui say this, Nan Feng felt even more guilty.
“If you really want to make it up to me, then go persuade that senior to come to our Wangshu Pavilion.” Jiu Hui sighed. “You know the situation at our Wangshu Pavilion. We’re short-handed. I originally wanted to wait for the senior to leave with us, but now, with the current situation, it’s not convenient for me and Zhi You to stay any longer. I’ll have to trouble you to give this token to Senior Zhang.”
“This is…”
“With this token, everyone will know that I introduced Senior Zhang.” Jiu Hui smiled and said, “There will be a reward.”
Nan Feng: “…”
No matter what happened, Jiu Hui always seemed to make the atmosphere hilarious.
“Okay, I will definitely pass it on to the Grand Elder.”
“Hey, that’s not your Elder, that’s our future Elder of Wangshu Pavilion.” Jiu Hui wagged her finger. “Watch your words.”
Nan Feng: “…”
The Grand Elder hadn’t left their Jiutian Sect yet.
“Let’s go.” Jiu Hui hopped onto her flying sword and waved at Nan Feng. “Don’t worry, I’ll definitely come to your succession ceremony no matter what.”
After Jiu Hui and Zhi You flew out of the Jiutian Sect’s sphere of influence, Jiu Hui pulled Zhi You down to land outside a city gate.
“When it gets dark, we’ll return to the Jiutian Sect to settle the score.”
Jiu Hui grabbed two substitute dolls from her sleeve and made them look like her and Zhi You. She then manipulated them to swagger into the city.
“He dared to attack you from behind today, and tomorrow he’ll dare to plot against your life.” Zhi You’s eyes were icy. “We can’t let him get away with this!”
“We’ll sneak out tonight and get revenge on him!” Jiu Hui said thoughtfully. “Why do you think he wants to know my birthdate so badly?”
“That doesn’t matter!” Zhi You’s eyes flashed with madness. “He actually wanted to hurt you.”
Slap!
Jiu Hui slapped him on the forehead. “How can it not be important? Hurry up and think about it!”
“Oh.” Zhi You obediently lowered his head.
It was more important to think about Jiu Hui’s question. There was no time to go crazy.
Author’s Note
The considerate little garlic chive and the obedient little Zhi You.
The enthusiastic melon-eating Sect Master Huo and the old fart vomiting blood without stopping.