Longzang

Chapter 406 One-year appointment

When crossing the abyss, the monk and Zhao Fusheng made a strange but efficient and wise choice.

The monk summoned the peacock form again, this time displaying its full plumage. He then carried all the spray nozzles, while Zhao Fusheng embraced the monk from behind, using his body to block the sea woman's attack. All the sea creatures' attacks slammed into Zhao Fusheng, causing him to cough up blood, but this only increased their speed.

The monk activated the spray nozzle, and the two flew across the abyss like meteors. The giant mouth reappeared, but was momentarily frozen by the peacock spreading its tail feathers. In the end, the two narrowly reached the other side.

Wei Yuan felt that something was off about the two people's posture, so out of caution, he recorded the video.

Wei Yuan landed in a shallow cave, which was a dead end. According to the map, Wei Yuan estimated that if he opened a passage 500 zhang forward, he could reach the natural cave, which was the human realm.

He immediately used the Golden Light Water Blade Technique to begin digging, while signaling the monk and Zhao Fusheng to follow.

The monk maintained a calm and serene expression. Zhao Fusheng, however, looked conflicted. After a long sigh, he silently followed.

In the blink of an eye, they had dug forward more than ten feet. Wei Yuan's water blade never stopped, and both the monk and Zhao Fusheng were slightly moved. Zhao Fusheng suddenly said, "Does anyone have any clothes? Could you give me a piece? I would be very grateful."

The monk silently took out a spare monk's robe from his storage magic item. Wei Yuan had quite a few storage magic items on him, not only his own, but also seven or eight others'. He was busy searching when someone suddenly offered a suggestion.

So Wei Yuan took off his robe and threw it to Zhao Fusheng.

Zhao Fusheng accepted it in astonishment, suddenly at a loss for words. The monk, seeing this, also chanted a Buddhist prayer and then put away his robe.

The three moved forward silently, with Wei Yuan occasionally taking a few pills to replenish his spiritual energy. The monk handed them a bottle of Qi-replenishing pills, the effects of which were about ten times stronger than those Wei Yuan had taken. Although the monk and Zhao Fusheng possessed more magical power than Wei Yuan, they lacked a powerful earth-digging tool like the Water Blade Technique, and therefore could not offer any assistance at this moment.

After a short while, Wei Yuan finally broke through the rock strata and returned to the human realm. Suddenly, the Shadowless Flying Sable appeared and landed on Wei Yuan's shoulder.

The monk and Zhao Fusheng looked back at the long passage, their expressions somewhat solemn.

Wei Yuan patted the Shadowless Flying Sable and said calmly, "Once we get out of here, everything that happened here will be considered in the past, and all grudges will be wiped clean. If anyone wants to fight over something, we can start over again."

After the monk chanted a Buddhist prayer, Zhao Fusheng replied, "I am not an ungrateful person..."

Wei Yuan interrupted him, saying, "I saved you only because I didn't want two of my human race's future high-level cultivators to perish at the hands of alien races too early. As I said before, once we get out of here, this matter will be settled, and we'll each rely on our own abilities."

Amidst the vast landscape, a group of brilliant minds silently tore up their drafts and began to reconsider their proper stance.

The three acted swiftly and arrived at the entrance to the secret realm in a short while, where the Bao family's guides were already waiting.

A moment later, Wei Yuan was led to an elegant side hall, where Bao Manshan and an old man he had never seen before stood opposite him. Judging from his demeanor alone, it was clear that Wei Yuan's cultivation was superior to Bao Manshan's.

The Dharma Aspect cultivator who led the way was completely unpretentious in front of Wei Yuan. He even prepared a chair for Wei Yuan in the hall, and Wei Yuan sat opposite Bao Manshan and the old man.

The old man looked Wei Yuan up and down, stroking his beard and saying, "I never expected that old thief from the Spring and Autumn Period... Oh, sorry, I do have some grudges with that old thief, so calling him an old thief isn't an insult to him. I never expected that old thief to be so lucky, to have such an excellent disciple under his tutelage."

"Thank you for the compliment, senior."

The old man said, "Based on your performance this time, you could have made two requests. But I find you pleasing to the eye, unlike that old scoundrel from the Spring and Autumn Period who is so eager to be beaten, so I will grant you an extra request. What do you think, Manshan?"

The last sentence was said to Bao Manshan.

Bao Manshan laughed and said, "This is a good thing."

Wei Yuan said, "First, I need a year. During this year, let Bao Yun live according to her own wishes."

"The path to immortality is measured in millennia; a year is truly insignificant. Child, you underestimate the promise of my Bao family," the old man cautioned.

Wei Yuan said, "It will take a year."

The old man immediately nodded: "Alright, I agree."

Wei Yuan patted the flying sable in his arms: "Can I have it?"

"This creature is wild and doesn't really belong to my family. You may take it if you wish. However, I must remind you that I have only one last request: it would be best if you asked for something of value."

Bao Manshan coughed and said, "Second Elder, that's too much! You shouldn't have reminded me like that."

The old man glared at Bao Manshan and said, "At worst, I'll pay out of my own pocket. Do you have a problem with that?"

"I have no objection. I just think that the old thief from the Spring and Autumn Period might be laughing very happily."

The old man's face instantly showed a conflicted expression.

Wei Yuan tried hard to suppress a laugh and said, "My third request is that I want to see Bao Yun."

The old man was taken aback and said, "I never joke with the younger generation. You can ask for something else."

Wei Yuan said, "This matter is the most valuable thing to me right now. As for other material possessions, I will have them sooner or later, so I won't waste my time on them."

Bao Manshan immediately replied, "Alright! I agree."

The old man glared at him: "I won't agree!"

With a wave of his hand, the old man silenced Wei Yuan, who then witnessed the two elders of the Bao family arguing fiercely. Bao Manshan reluctantly yielded. Wei Yuan regained his hearing, and the old man said, "You want to meet Yun'er? I've agreed. Consider it a gift. Now, make another request! My Bao family's promises are not to be taken lightly."

Wei Yuan replied, "Being able to meet her is priceless; there's no need for anything else."

"Have you thought this through? After this, there will never be another chance like this!"

"I have everything I need, it's just a matter of time. So I only ask that you grant my request this time."

The old man gave Wei Yuan a deep look and said, "Very well, this is the first time I've been looked down upon by a junior. So be it!"

Bao Manshan snorted, looking as if he had known this all along.

In another side hall, Zhao Fusheng faced the three elders and said, "Qiongshan can add some more sincerity and let the Bao family choose two first."

The three elders pondered for a long time but did not answer.

Zhao Fusheng smiled wryly and said, "Actually, even my ancestor might not agree to this condition. I can only say that I'm 70% confident I can persuade him. As you all know, the completion of the Floating World Dragon Diagram is more about paving the way for the second generation. If you offer 60% and I offer 30%, then Qiongshan will be swallowed up by you sooner or later. It's better to join the Bao family now. If it weren't for the high requirements for cultivating the Floating World Dragon Diagram, and the fact that we couldn't find any other suitable candidates at the moment, we wouldn't have agreed to the original conditions."

In another side hall, the Peacock Monk said, "If Miss Bao is unwilling to accept this opportunity, there are other options. We can use Benefactor Wei Yuan instead. Benefactor Wei has an affinity with Buddhism. In my Pure Land, the Great Sun Tathagata has not yet been found. If Benefactor Wei does not like constraints, then there is also the Great Joy King Buddha."

……

A Dharma Aspect cultivator led Wei Yuan to a secluded courtyard and then withdrew.

Wei Yuan knocked gently on the door, and when it opened, there was a smiling face as beautiful as spring flowers blooming and as radiant as sunshine after rain.

Wei Yuan looked at her arm, which was very weak and out of place with the rest of her body.

Bao Yun raised her newborn arm, spreading her five fingers like blooming flowers in front of Wei Yuan, and said, "Look, it's usable now. Brother, don't worry about me. It's just my bad luck. Whatever suffering I have, I'll bear it myself..."

Wei Yuan's face hardened: "Speak properly!"

Bao Yun stuck out her tongue and let Wei Yuan in. The two sat down in the study.

"Why are you here?" Bao Yun asked.

"I suddenly felt like waiting a few days ago and decided to come see how you were doing, so here I am."

"The elders allowed you to see me?"

"This is what I got in exchange for one request." Wei Yuan briefly recounted his previous experience and then stated his three requests. At this moment, the flying sable flew in from the courtyard wall and landed on Wei Yuan's shoulder, its round little eyes looking at Bao Yun curiously.

"The Shadowless Flying Sable? You tamed it?" Bao Yun was somewhat surprised.

"No, it's just a temporary cooperation out of necessity."

It was easy for that bead to enter the vast land, but to retrieve it again was an impossible task. How could Wei Yuan possibly move something weighing tens of millions of kilograms? This left both the man and the sable dumbfounded.

The sable knew it couldn't take the bead with it, but it couldn't bear to part with its scent, so it had no choice but to stay by Wei Yuan's side, with Wei Yuan feeding it a little of its scent every day.

The two sides initially couldn't communicate verbally, but the process became much smoother after the Beast Taming Immortal Heart took the lead, and an agreement was quickly reached, bringing joy to all. Meanwhile, the mortals in the vast land began a new project: studying the language of spirit beasts.

After hearing the three conditions, Bao Yun said, "Brother is indeed the smartest..."

Wei Yuan felt extremely awkward listening to this and had to say again, "Speak properly!"

Bao Yun stuck out her tongue, finally speaking normally this time: "If you make too many demands, the elders might use other excuses and refuse to give you time to adjust. These demands, on the other hand, make it difficult for them to refuse, so they have to agree, giving them a year to adjust. Hmm, Qiongshan Immortal Island will probably raise their price, but it should be limited, since the current conditions are already very sincere."

What conditions did they offer?

Bao Yun then explained the conditions of Qiongshan Immortal Island, and said, "From the Bao family's perspective, exchanging Bao Yun, whose Dao foundation is damaged, for five children with equal or even greater talent is the best deal imaginable. If I were the head of the family, I would agree as well."

"I won't agree!" Wei Yuan said without hesitation.

Bao Yun looked at him with a half-smile and asked, "On what grounds and in what capacity do you refuse?"

Wei Yuan was stunned.

Bao Yun smiled slightly, walked up to Wei Yuan, and tapped his chest, saying, "No rush, there's still a year. Take your time to think it over, and come back when you've made up your mind."

Wei Yuan was about to say something when Bao Yun covered his mouth, hugged him tightly, and pushed him out of the courtyard gate.

……

As he boarded the flying boat, Wei Yuan looked back at the Bao family's ancestral land shrouded in mist. The time was not yet ripe; he still had a year to plan and prepare.

With the bustling and busy landscape of our vast land, there are many things that can be accomplished throughout the year.

(End of this chapter)