Chapter 53#

Destined Dao Companion#

“Not laughing is naturally because I haven’t encountered anything funny.” Xiao Man’s pitch-black eyes fixed on Yan Wushu, his speaking pace neither fast nor slow. By the end of his sentence, he even carried a bit of confusion, “Or is it that Lord Lingguang considers himself very laughable and hopes I would laugh?”

Yan Wushu was choked by his words for a moment, then lost his laugh: “…Sharp-tongued Little Phoenix.”

Xiao Man took a sip of the lemon water in his cup and stopped speaking.

Compared to Gushan, the climate in Guangling City was warmer. The dense, continuous Qingming rain in early April had passed, the earth was warming up, and the pedestrians on the street wore light clothing.

Xiao Man’s position happened to allow him to see the street; anyone passing by the eatery entrance was clear at a glance.

A Daoist holding a horsetail whisk entered the place, his realm at least in the Middle Taixuan Realm. He swept his gaze across the shop, saw a certain spot, and suddenly broke into a smile.

“Isn’t this Lord Lingguang?” He walked to the table of Xiao Man and Yan Wushu. “Meeting here at this time, does it mean the Gushan team participating in the Guangling Trial this time is led by you?”

Yan Wushu raised his hand in a “please sit” gesture, also speaking with a smile: “It seems Lord Liuyue received the same mission.”

The Daoist nodded, sat down at the table, looked at Xiao Man, and asked: “I wonder who this fellow Daoist is…”

“He is Xiao Man,” Yan Wushu said. Introducing him this way meant the Daoist likely had some knowledge of the events from back then.

As expected, the Daoist cupped his hands in a salute, “So it is His Highness.”

Yan Wushu said to Xiao Man: “This is Jin Tiannan of the Beidou Sect, known in the pugilistic world as Lord Liuyue.”

Xiao Man nodded slightly as a return salute.

Jin Tiannan poured himself a cup of lemon water and reminisced with Yan Wushu, “Lord Lingguang coming to this eatery suggests your preferences haven’t changed.”

“Aren’t you the same?” Yan Wushu retorted.

“Not necessarily, not necessarily. I’m tired of their fried beef; lately, I’ve fallen in love with their fish soup.” Jin Tiannan shook his head, then turned to Xiao Man and asked: “I’ve heard some things about Gushan. His Highness will be participating in the Guangling Trial, right?”

“Mhm,” Xiao Man replied flatly.

Jin Tiannan said with a smile: “Our two sects are rivals, so I won’t wish His Highness success in battle.”

Xiao Man didn’t speak.

At this time, the shopkeeper brought a dish. The colors were bright, with red and green, looking like shredded red and green peppers, with spots of white meat in between. Xiao Man’s sense of smell was keen, and he smelled a slight fishy scent.

Yan Wushu pulled out a pair of bamboo chopsticks and handed them to Xiao Man, saying: “Try this.”

Xiao Man didn’t move and asked, “What is this?”

The shopkeeper was noting down the dish Jin Tiannan added and introduced eagerly upon hearing the question: “Guest, this dish is called Spicy Fresh Clams, a specialty of our shop! Made with our own raised flower clams, guaranteed to be clean and fresh. Shelled, sand removed, stir-fried once and then tossed; the taste is incredibly fresh and tender!”

Yan Wushu worried that Xiao Man would be repelled by the word “Spicy” and added: “Guangling is not like Jingchu or Bashu; the peppers here are not spicy but instead have a hint of sweetness. You can try it.”

Xiao Man still didn’t move his chopsticks after hearing this.

Jin Tiannan watched the two with interest, when suddenly Xiao Man shifted his gaze toward the street.

A group of people passed in front of the eatery, all wearing light green Daoist robes. Leading them was a man holding a zither, tall and handsome, with brows slightly furrowed, revealing a bit of coldness and a hint of compassion. His eyes were covered with white silk, but it didn’t diminish his temperament at all; instead, it added a touch of mystery that made people yearn for it.

“Those are people from Medicine Valley.” Jin Tiannan turned and glanced, explaining to Xiao Man, “The one with white silk covering his eyes should be Bie Beilou, who studied under ‘Holy Hand’ Jiang Qingting and is known as the ‘Little Holy Hand’.”

Xiao Man wasn’t curious about which sect those people belonged to; they just happened to pass by and be seen by him. He still gave an “Mhm” to show understanding, then put down his bamboo chopsticks and stood up: “I’m going to Bailu Island.”

His words were just a notification, not a consultation. After speaking, he turned, crossed the threshold of the eatery, and stepped onto the street.

“Little Phoenix?” Yan Wushu was startled and hurriedly chased after him.

The square table that had three people was now left with only Jin Tiannan. Witnessing the scene just now, he picked up a clam and put it in his mouth. After tasting it, he sighed: “I didn’t expect Lord Lingguang to have a day of chasing after someone. Rare, truly rare.”

Immediately after, he sensed something wrong, “Wait, in that case, won’t I have to pay for the dishes they ordered?”

Xiao Man didn’t know which direction Bailu Island was, only that there was such a place in Guangling City, which was the accommodation arranged by the organizers of the Guangling Trial for the major sects.

However, he didn’t hesitate. Since he didn’t know, he simply chose a direction at random.

The sunlight in Guangling City was very light but extremely warm on the body. The streets were crowded with people, and the noise was incessant. Occasionally, the crying of children could be heard, likely having lost their parents.

These sounds didn’t enter Xiao Man’s heart. Walking through here, he only felt the crowd was very far from him.

He walked forward when suddenly a black object fell from the sky, aiming straight for the top of his head. He immediately moved to avoid it, and in a flash, a hand was faster than him, reaching out from the side and pulling him to the roadside.

At this moment, the black shadow landed on the ground with a thud.

It was a person, looking extremely wretched as if they had been beaten, curled up on the ground and moaning incessantly.

The pedestrians on the street weren’t surprised. In the tea shop next to Xiao Man, a person cracking melon seeds said: “Is this the twenty-eighth one flying out of the street today?”

The person opposite said: “If you ask me, the sixteenth one’s flying posture was the most graceful, pity they fell on their face when landing.”

“Which sect’s youth is that after all? So capable at fighting!” the person cracking melon seeds said again. “I think they can directly take the top spot in this Guangling Trial!”

“Every time there’s a Guangling Trial, a group of cultivators who ‘spar’ on the streets appears in Guangling City. Mostly people from small sects or rogue cultivators, hoping to show off their skills through such actions and be noticed by big sects.” The one who pulled Xiao Man out of the road was Yan Wushu. Seeing Xiao Man looking at the person on the ground, he explained in a low voice.

Xiao Man gave an “Oh” and continued forward.

Soon he saw the youth the people were talking about, standing in the street. His clothes were slightly worn, a broadsword shouldered, and his free hand wiped away sweat as he laughed toward the crowd: “Who’s next?”

Someone immediately rushed up and loudly announced their name.

Xiao Man’s attention was on the youth’s blade. The connection between the blade and the hilt was somewhat subtle, likely using some special craftsmanship that allowed him to exert ten-tenths of power with eight-tenths of effort.

“The inside of this blade is hollow.” Xiao Man watched for a while and pointed out the clue.

His voice was very light, and the youth focused on his opponent shouldn’t have heard it, yet as he slashed, he lifted his eyes and cast a glance at the speaker.

But Xiao Man had already turned away, no longer watching him and his battle, and continued on his way.

Xiao Man initially walked very fast, reaching the street corner in a blink. When choosing a path again, he remembered the reason Shen Juan let him come to the human world.

To see all of the mortal world, then forget it; to have emotions first before being able to forget them. Xiao Man wasn’t an emotionless person before; he had emotions for heaven and earth, for flowers and birds, and for the people beside him. Therefore, the latter didn’t need to be learned again; what he had to do now was only to see the mortal world.

At this moment, as he was already in the mortal world, he gradually slowed his pace to listen and to feel.

He passed a peddler hawking rouge and jewelry along the street, passed stalls filled with miscellaneous books and small curios, brushed past barefoot children shouting and playing. His mood didn’t fluctuate at all, and he didn’t gain any insight.

After walking for an unknown amount of time, suddenly, a familiar voice reached his ears.

The voice was shouting:

“Walking by or passing through, don’t miss out! High-quality weapons produced by Gushan, buy three get one free!”

“Buy three get one free, buy three get one free! Two taels of silver for one, buy three get one free! For two taels of silver, you won’t be cheated, you won’t be fooled!”

Xiao Man identified who it was, raised an eyebrow slightly, and stopped.

It was Qu Hanxing hawking, his sales pitch changing with every breath. He was by the green wall diagonally opposite, with a stall set up in front of him, displaying various blades, swords, spears, and bows. Mo Juntian stood in front of the stall, one hand shaking a bamboo pole with a banner hanging on top that read three words: “Selling Weapons”.

The two were working so hard, yet not a single person came forward to buy.

Yan Wushu, who had been following Xiao Man all along, couldn’t help but laugh and pulled him over.

Qu Hanxing had one foot on a bamboo stool, his hand cupped like a megaphone. He was halfway through “Produced by Gushan, must be high quality” when he saw Yan Wushu. He instantly turned into a chicken with its neck pinched, the second half of his sentence strangled in his throat.

“Master!” Qu Hanxing was frozen on the spot for an extremely short time before immediately correcting his posture and cupping his hands in a salute.

Mo Juntian put away the bamboo pole and also saluted: “Peak Master Yan.”

Yan Wushu walked leisurely to their stall, swept his eyes over the weapons on the stall, and asked with a smile: “Selling weapons, are we?”

“Earning a bit of extra pocket money.” Qu Hanxing rubbed his hands embarrassedly, his face full of eager fawning. “Master, just let it slide this once. I won’t do it again, okay?”

As he spoke, he winked at Xiao Man, which caused Yan Wushu to give a snort: “Did I say it wasn’t allowed? Are there any sect rules in Gushan that say you can’t set up a stall outside?”

Qu Hanxing understood his meaning, and his smile became sincere. He cupped his hands a few more times, “Thank you, Master!”

But he didn’t rush back to the stool to shout at the pedestrians. Instead, he took something from his Qiankun Ring, held it in both hands, and presented it to Yan Wushu:

“Master, this is an egg roll I just bought on the east street. It’s very sweet and crispy. Please have some, old man.”

While this fellow was currying favor with his master, Mo Juntian called out to Xiao Man, pulled him behind the stall, and asked: “Can you stand here?”

“Hmm?” Xiao Man didn’t understand why.

“A lot of people are looking at you. If you’re here, our business will be much better.” Mo Juntian stuffed one of the bamboo poles with a banner into Xiao Man’s hand and looked into his eyes seriously, “I’ll give you ten percent of the money earned.”

Xiao Man looked at the weapons on the stall. The quality was actually not bad, but not very refined either, likely made by Mo Juntian himself during these years. Knowing Mo Juntian wasn’t wealthy, he nodded.

Xiao Man stood behind the stall like a stake, and the business really did get better. Before long, the small stall was crowded to the point where Qu Hanxing and Mo Juntian couldn’t handle it at all.

Yan Wushu leaned against that green wall, looking at Xiao Man’s bamboo-like back, and reached out to make a grasping motion in the void.

The sun slowly climbed to the middle of the sky, and half the goods on the stall were sold out. Song Ci came to this street and from a distance saw Xiao Man holding the banner behind the stall, while Qu Hanxing and Mo Juntian were busy selling weapons. He couldn’t help but say angrily: “Junior Brother Qu! Senior Uncle Mo! How can you let Little Grand-Senior Uncle do such a thing! You have bad intentions!”

—Yan Wushu had concealed his aura, so he didn’t notice him.

Song Ci rushed over like the wind, grabbed the bamboo pole from Xiao Man’s hand, then grabbed the bamboo stool from Qu Hanxing, wiped it repeatedly, and placed it behind Xiao Man, smiling amiably: “Little Grand-Senior Uncle, let me do it, let me do it. Please sit down.”

He performed a small spell to let the bamboo pole stand on its own behind the stall, then returned to Xiao Man and took out a paper package like a treasure: “Little Grand-Senior Uncle, this is hawthorn cake I bought from West Street. Didn’t you have a poor appetite earlier? This is an appetizer.”

Xiao Man looked at the paper package, thought of ‘Seeing the Mortal World’, and reached out to accept it: “Thank you.”

Song Ci chuckled, looking a bit shy, but before he could say anything more, he was pulled away by Qu Hanxing: “Senior Brother Song, come help out! I’ll treat you to dinner tonight!”

He was extremely reluctant and looked back at Xiao Man, who waved him off.

So Song Ci joined the weapon-selling team. The three together sold weapons enthusiastically.

Xiao Man sat on the bamboo stool, opened the paper package, picked up a piece of cake, and took a small bite.

It was sweet and sour, with a delicate texture, truly a high-quality cake.

However, he only ate one piece; the rest he held in his hand and didn’t touch again.

“Little Grand-Senior Uncle, is the hawthorn cake good?” Yan Wushu left the green wall he had leaned against for a long time like a shadow emerging from the wall, came to Xiao Man’s side, and asked faintly.

Xiao Man replied: “It’s acceptable.”

Yan Wushu leaned toward him: “Do you want to eat anything else then?”

“No need.” Xiao Man refused decisively and moved away even more swiftly.

“Little Grand-Senior Uncle, my heart is very cold.” Yan Wushu retreated to the wall, covered his heart with his hand, his tone sounding very hurt.

Xiao Man tilted his head to look at him: “Are you very free?”

These were the words Yan Wushu had asked Qu Hanxing that day. Yan Wushu stopped pretending, dropped his hand, and replied: “I guess I am.”

Upon receiving this answer, Xiao Man made a sword-finger gesture and pushed the other bamboo pole that no one was holding, leaning against the wall, into Yan Wushu’s hand.

What he wanted him to do was self-explanatory.

Xiao Man left Qu Hanxing and Mo Juntian’s weapon stall and continued walking through Guangling City. Yan Wushu naturally wouldn’t stay there anymore.

He had been following by Xiao Man’s side, but midway he received a transmission saying that the organizers of the Guangling Trial were about to draw lots to arrange tomorrow’s matches. To ensure fairness and justice, teachers from all sects were invited to observe.

Yan Wushu told Xiao Man and informed him how to get to Bailu Island before leaving.

Xiao Man walked for another while, standing in the crowd, looking up at the vast sea of people. His gaze rose, following a bird across the long sky.

The sunlight was very bright, the clouds pure white. In the wind was the fragrance of vegetation and flowers, and the smells of various foods. The streets and alleys were crowded with tourists, their speech converging into a sea.

But he could only feel them as they were—these things didn’t enter his heart, and he couldn’t form any thoughts.

In a very famous trading house in the east of Guangling City.

A worker sat at the counter calculating accounts on an abacus. Hearing the sound of a wind chime, someone came in through the curtain. He hurriedly looked up, ready to say a word of welcome, but seeing the person’s appearance, it changed to something else:

“Young Master, you’ve finally arrived.”

The worker came out from behind the counter and respectfully saluted the person.

The newcomer was surprisingly Wei Chuyun. He had received news from his family on the Cloud Boat and arrived here as soon as he reached Guangling City. Hearing this, he nodded to the worker: “Hard work.”

“It’s my duty.” The worker took out several thick volumes from his Qiankun Ring and handed them to Wei Chuyun: “These were ordered by the Master for me to organize for your inspection. Some past affairs of the clan in recent years, as well as tasks you need to learn to handle.”

“I will finish reading them as soon as possible.”

Wei Chuyun was about to leave with the books when the worker stopped him: “The Master requires you to finish reading and handling them today.” Saying this, an apologetic look appeared on his face: “The time is a bit harsh, but the Master also hopes you can grow up quickly and take over our Wei family.”

“I understand.” Wei Chuyun glanced down at the items in his hand, his words steady.

The worker led him to the back, pushed open the study door, and invited him in: “This subordinate won’t disturb you. This subordinate will take his leave.” After speaking, he was about to return to the front hall.

“Wait.” Wei Chuyun called him back: “Help me check the relationship between Yan Wushu, the Peak Master of Xueyi Peak of Gushan, and Xiao Man of Tingyun Peak.”

“Xiao Man? Is that your friend?” The worker had heard about Wei Chuyun’s friendships in the sect.

“Yes,” Wei Chuyun nodded.

The worker bowed to him: “Affairs regarding the Peak Master of Xueyi Peak have always been hard to check. Please give this subordinate some time.”

Wei Chuyun gave a time limit: “Half a day.”

“Thank you, Young Master.”

The worker withdrew from the study, and Wei Chuyun sat behind the desk and began to read the things handed to him.

Clear and bright sunlight fell into the room from the propped-up window, flowing between the ink marks on the paper. Wei Chuyun focused intently, flipping page after page, occasionally picking up a pen to make notes, reading extremely fast.

What he wanted to check didn’t make him wait for long. After about a cup of tea’s time, there was a knock on the door: “Young Master, there’s news.”

Wei Chuyun gave an “Enter.”

The worker said: “This subordinate has a friend who belongs to the Star-Plucking Travelers. He happened to know some inside information and just asked about it.”

“Speak.”

“Thirteen years ago, Yan Wushu, the Peak Master of Xueyi Peak, brought back a person from Dazhao Temple. That person is surnamed Xiao, named Man, loves wearing white, and often has a string of Bodhi beads hanging on his wrist. The reason he was brought back to Gushan was…” The worker looked up at Wei Chuyun, his voice softening, “He is Peak Master Yan’s.”

Wei Chuyun frowned: “?”

The worker then said: “Back then, Fog Island in the far east sent a decree to Dazhao Temple. A decree descended from heaven, ordering the two of them to bind their souls.”

“Truly?” Wei Chuyun didn’t believe it. When did the Heavenly Dao start acting as a matchmaker?

“The high levels of Gushan all know of this,” the worker said.

Inside the study, it was quiet for a long time. Wei Chuyun put down the book. Thinking of the past, he whispered a sentence: “So that’s how it is.”

“Why does the Young Master inquire about this?” The worker felt a bit curious.

Wei Chuyun didn’t answer, tilting his head to glance at the sky outside the window.

Naturally, he intended to help Yan Wushu change his fate.