Infinite Puzzle City

Chapter 886 Calling the Mountain Gate

Unlike Xiao Ran and the others in Mengchi, in reality, their families did not play a respectable role in this incident back then.

The Five Immortals Hall suffered heavy casualties in Luoshi, with many dead or crippled. The elite troops suffered heavy losses and the cost was enormous. If it weren't for the ironclad rule that the Five Immortals Hall could not leave Shanhaiguan, Xiao Ran's elders would have been completely in the wrong.

It was this ironclad rule that ultimately prevented the Five Immortals Hall from seeking revenge.

But deep-seated hatred cannot be forgotten with just a few words.

Xiao Ran nodded: "It's an old story. Although my family hasn't mentioned it, we've heard about it to some extent. If the Five Immortals Hall has any means, please use them. I'll take responsibility for the consequences."

"Hahahahaha."

The old man from the Hu family had tears in his eyes, and although he was smiling, it was a grotesque laugh: "So be it, so be it."

The old man from the Huang family, his face dark, bowed to Xiao Ran and said, "The one who respects you is Plum Blossom Taoist, the originator of the Taoist arts, but we have a deep-seated hatred. My Five Immortals Hall will handle this matter ourselves. Please!"

Having said all that, what else could Xiao Ran say? She cupped her hands in a respectful gesture, turned, and left.

As soon as Xiao Ran left, the elderly people from the Hu and Huang families burst into tears.

"Great Might!"

The old man from the Hu family called Chang Dawei over: "Go, have someone keep an eye on him, and make sure he doesn't leave no matter what."

"Don't worry, Master Hu, once he enters the city, he won't be able to leave. But... does this person have such a deep grudge against our family?"

Chang Dawei was, after all, a junior, and he was unaware of what had happened back then. No one in the Five Immortals Hall was willing to reopen that wound. If it weren't for Xiao Ran's appearance, the older generation, including Master Hu, would probably rather die with this matter in their hearts than pass on this hatred.

Upon hearing Chang Dawei's question, Master Huang grabbed Chang Dawei's arm and said, "I'll explain this to you slowly. The situation is urgent. We need to inform the Dou family and the Bai family as soon as possible, and then notify the Five Immortals Hall."

After saying that, the two old men, Hu and Huang, stopped explaining to Chang Dawei and simply said, "If you really want to know, go ask Master Liu."

After the two left, Chang Dawei had no choice but to see off the other guests and then went into his own incense hall.

This incense hall is quite large, occupying 500 square meters on this floor, just like a temple.

One hundred and eight sesame oil lamps burned quietly in the dim light, their golden flames flickering and dancing, bathing the entire space in a golden halo.

Above the main hall, there is a huge altar, on which is not an ordinary memorial tablet, but a golden python statue nearly three meters high.

The golden python coiled with its head held high, its scales meticulously covered with gold leaf, shimmering with a cold yet sacred luster under the glow of a hundred oil lamps.

A pair of snake eyes, inlaid with some kind of dark red gemstone, looked down over the entire hall like a living creature, exuding an aura of majesty.

Let alone a mere guardian deity, even the most renowned household guardian deities would likely not enjoy such a luxurious golden statue offering.

Chang Dawei lit some incense sticks and placed them in the incense burner. Looking at the golden statue of Master Liu in front of him, he asked softly, "Grandpa Liu, what exactly happened? Does our family have a grudge against that person?"

The doors and windows of the incense hall were tightly locked, but a gentle breeze was blowing through them.

The sound of the wind carried a sigh: "This is a long story, let me tell you slowly."

……

"So, you have a deep-seated hatred for the Five Immortals Hall."

Inside the guesthouse, Jin Chanzi and Wu Man listened as Xiao Ran recounted what had happened back then.

The two of them ate sunflower seeds and listened with great interest.

Xiao Ran nodded: "Actually, the elders in our family didn't do a very good job back then."

In fact, when the Five Immortals Hall came to Luoshi, the families treated each other with courtesy and formed an alliance.

However, due to the instigation of Sun Miao's grandfather and the fact that Li Jingqi possessed a valuable treasure, the families eventually turned against each other, and it was the old men on their side who dealt a heavy blow to the Five Immortals Hall.

In the end, Li Jingqi escaped, the Five Immortals Hall suffered heavy casualties, and the Zhao, Yang, Li and the other seven families were also severely weakened.

Who is right and who is wrong in this situation? It's hard to say.

From a moral standpoint, Xiao Ran's elders certainly lacked morality.

However, it can be said that Wuxiantang itself broke the rule that immortals should not leave Shanhaiguan.

"You've just asked for trouble. Now look what's happened. Wu Xian Tang won't help you; they'd probably rather skin you alive."

Wu Man found Xiao Ran's actions somewhat difficult to understand.

I don't understand why Xiao Ran is being so honest at this moment, actually introducing herself.

"What is meant to be will be, and what is meant to be will be. This is the cause and effect I must bear, and there is no way to escape it."

Xiao Ran was well aware of the nature of this matter.

However, if one keeps hiding, one may be able to evade the problem for a while, but not for long, and may even cause more trouble at a crucial moment.

Therefore, Xiao Ran's decision not to hide was precisely the right one.

"What do you do next? You're not going to just kill your way through, are you?" Wu Man pressed.

“Not at all.” Jin Chanzi waved his hand and said, “I don’t think they have the ability. I reckon the Five Immortals Hall wouldn’t dare to fight you head-on at this time.”

The situation in the Kanto region has changed too much.

A large number of evil spirits reside here.

The reason why Wuxiantang can suppress these evil spirits is entirely due to its own foundation and its thousand-year history of management.

But if we choose to fight Xiao Ran head-on at this time...

Ultimately, regardless of whether they win or lose, the Five Immortals Hall is destined to suffer a significant loss of strength, and it is even possible that the Five Immortals Hall will completely collapse.

Given their deep-seated hatred, the Five Immortals Hall probably wouldn't want to see this outcome.

Moreover, in the end, it was a grudge between the older generation. Since Xiao Ran has taken the initiative to step forward, if there are any smart people in the Five Immortals Hall, they should know how to settle this score.

Therefore, Jin Chanzi felt that Xiao Ran's move was very clever.

The pressure is now likely on the shoulders of the Five Immortals Hall.

"Can the Five Immortals Hall handle this?" Wu Man was not optimistic. "What if there are a few hotheads in the Five Immortals Hall who insist on revenge?"

"You don't need to worry about that. There are many clueless people in the Five Immortals Hall, but there are definitely some who are clear-headed. Let's just wait and see."

Jin Chanzi signaled to Wu Man to put her mind at ease.

For the next two days, Xiao Ran and the other two stayed at the guesthouse, occasionally going out for a stroll, as if nothing had happened.

However, countless eyes, both openly and secretly, were watching Xiao Ran and the other two.

But as long as they don't do anything outrageous, Xiao Ran and the others won't pay any attention to them.

at the same time.

The news of Wuxiantang spread rapidly throughout the streets and alleys of Jilin.

It's unclear where the news came from, but it spread the story of the feud between Wuxiantang and Xiao Ran.

This is more interesting.

Spreading the news at this time would clearly put Wu Xian Tang in a very dangerous situation.

If the Five Immortals Hall fails to demonstrate its true abilities, those lurking in the shadows might just spring up and tear it down.

After all, no one likes to be controlled by others, especially these wicked creatures who devour people without spitting out their bones.

On the third night, Xiao Ran frowned and came out of the room.

Just then, Wangcai flew in from outside, pounced at Xiao Ran's feet, and handed her a letter.

"Master, the people from the Five Immortals Hall have sent you an invitation. They wish to see you."

Xiao Ran took the post from Wang Cai's hand, and after opening it, she saw five paw prints on it, which looked quite unique.

However, Xiao Ran knew that this was a divine invitation from the Five Immortals Hall. If he accepted it and did not respond, the Five Immortals Hall might fight him to the death.

"Alright, go reply to this. I've accepted this post."

Xiao Ran casually tucked the blood-red book into his pocket, his fingertips tracing the rough cover, a hint of coldness flashing in his eyes.

He also wanted to see how many tricks the Five Immortals Hall still had up its sleeve after all these years.

"Yes!" Wangcai nodded hurriedly, his body hunched over, and backed out of the courtyard gate. Before the wooden door creaked shut, you could still catch a glimpse of his scrambling figure as he quickly left.

The flame of the oil lamp inside the room was violently shaken by the cold wind blowing in through the crack in the door, which twisted and deformed the three figures on the wall.

Jin Chanzi sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), picked up the copper kettle that was warming on the stove, and slowly poured half a bowl of tea into a rough porcelain bowl. The steam from the hot tea blurred half of his face: "Did you accept it?"

"I've accepted it." Xiao Ran leaned back against the hard earthen wall and closed her eyes to rest.

"Alas, a storm is brewing. We're afraid things won't be easy from now on."

Jin Chanzi sighed, saying this, but his eyes showed an unusual anticipation for the upcoming show.

The night sky was gradually pierced by the sunlight.

A convoy of black cars quickly drove from the street onto the main road and stopped in front of the guesthouse.

Once the car had come to a complete stop, a thin old man got out of it.

The old man was quite old, looking about the same age as Xiao Ran's grandfather and the others. Although he had arrived by car, he was wearing a worn-out woolen coat and thick cotton trousers. Standing by the car, he seemed out of place with everything around him.

After getting out of the car, the old man looked around and snorted coldly, "What, if you like watching a show, then come out and watch openly. What's the point of hiding like a bunch of cowards?" As the old man finished speaking, several dark figures emerged from the rooftops in the distance. They didn't greet the old man but simply watched quietly.

"Ha, so it's not a turtle, it's a dog. It comes out as soon as you call it, damn obedient." The old man cursed, then stepped into the courtyard of the guesthouse.

As soon as they entered the courtyard, the old man called out, "That... what-so-so Taoist, come out."

"Buzz!"

The door opened, but no one came out. Instead, they heard Jin Chanzi's teasing voice from inside: "Old man, I'm not a dog. Why don't you come in and have a chat?"

The old man was taken aback by these words, then waved his hand and said, "What are you talking about? I invited you out, and I called them out. How can they be the same?"

After saying that, he urged, "Hurry up and get in the car. We'll talk slowly when we get there."

It's clear that this old man is an impatient person.

However, after Xiao Ran and the other two came out of the house, the old man's eyes widened: "Hiss!!" He reached up and touched his head, then looked at Jin Chanzi and Wu Man suspiciously before asking Jin Chanzi, "Are they also from the Xiao family??"

Jin Chanzi was taken aback, and immediately realized that the old man had mistaken him for someone else.

Smiling, she stood to the side with Wu Man and pointed at Xiao Ran: "It's not the two of us, it's him who's the real deal."

Upon hearing this, the old man glanced at Xiao Ran, then asked, "And who are you two...?"

"My travel companions, but neither of us will get involved in this matter."

Upon hearing Jin Chanzi's words, the old man breathed a sigh of relief. Just now, when he saw Xiao Ran and the other two come out, he thought that Jin Chanzi and Wu Man were the children of the other six families, including Zhao, Zhou, and Li.

This one is enough to make them uncomfortable; if a few more come, they won't be able to handle it.

"Let's go, there are too many people around here, let's get in the car first."

The old man didn't want to say much here, after all, there were evil spirits watching from all sides.

"it is good."

Xiao Ran nodded and walked out with the old man, sitting together in the same car.

Wu Man and Jin Chanzi rode in the car behind, while Xiao Ran told Wangcai to stay at the guesthouse to take care of the tiger demon and the red-blooded horse.

This made Wangcai secretly breathe a sigh of relief. He was fine being Plum Blossom Taoist's dog, but as for biting people, he should forget it. He didn't have the teeth to bite, so he shouldn't get involved in that kind of fun.

Once everyone was on the vehicle, it immediately sped off towards the outskirts of the city.

The old man on the road looked relaxed, as if he didn't have any deep-seated hatred for Xiao Ran.

"How should we address the elderly person?"

"My surname is Bai, and my name is Bai Jing," the old man said.

The old man then said to Xiao Ran, "Young man, relax. Family feud is family feud, but we have no feud between us."

The elderly Bai family member was very talkative, and his expression became even more relaxed after getting into the car.

The more tactful the old man was, the more Xiao Ran could sense the unintentional hostility emanating from him.

Seeing that Xiao Ran remained silent, Bai Jing's eyes darted around as he continued, "Young man, all these years have passed. Actually, this feud is all from the previous generation. No, for you, it's three generations back. What feud are you talking about? It's been three generations, and you're still holding onto it."

"What the family thinks is the same as mine. If it were your grandfather's generation, the family would definitely fight them to the death. But with your generation, the elders in the family discussed it and decided that when we arrived, we would just go through the motions and that would be the end of it. What do you think?"

Bai Jing looked at Xiao Ran.

Anyone would admire such magnanimity.

Xiao Ran simply smiled calmly: "May I ask, Old Master Bai, how does this process work?"

"Ha, don't worry, we'll follow the rules of our sect. Three passes and six generals, eight immortals crossing the sea, that's how we call it the sect!"

Xiao Ran is not a clueless idiot, nor is he an old man who doesn't know the rules of the underworld.

What is meant by "mountain gate"?
In the past, when you ventured into the world, once you arrived in someone's territory, no matter what you wanted to do—whether it was doing business, performing on the street, being a thief, a robber, or even a prostitute—you had to pay respects to the local lords and establish connections before you could operate in that area.

You have to present gifts to the local leader, pay your respects properly, and obtain his permission before you can proceed.

But in the world of martial arts, there are local bullies, and there are also those who rise to power and those who descend from the mountains.

Where there is Zhen Guanxi, there are naturally heroes like Wu Song and Lin Chong.

So not everyone will buy into your approach, hence the term "mountain gate".

The rules are simple: the local bully sets up a battle plan, and you have to overcome all obstacles.

As long as you have enough strength to break down the mountain gate, the rules of this place will no longer apply to you, and the local bullies will no longer be able to cause you trouble.

But the mountain gate is one's own facade. If the mountain gate is smashed, it's like a restaurant having its signboard smashed. It's not as easy as this old man makes it sound.

Xiao Ran didn't expose it, a faint smile playing on her lips.

This made Bai Jing unsure of what to do.

He came to pick up Xiao Ran and the others partly to lull Xiao Ran into a false sense of security, and partly to test the young man's cunning.

However, Xiao Ran, despite her youth, was not someone who could be easily fooled.

Especially at this moment, Xiao Ran's seemingly relaxed yet silent demeanor made Bai Jing feel like he was punching cotton, completely unable to figure out what she was thinking.

Damn, this kid doesn't look that big, but he's even more cunning than a weasel!

Bai Jing cursed under his breath. The car had already left the city and was heading towards Changbai Mountain along the road.

The snow outside was falling heavier and heavier, but the road surface was unusually clean. There was no snow accumulation, and there were no ice or puddles.

Xiao Ran spread his mental energy, like invisible ripples sweeping across the area around the convoy. He could clearly see that every now and then, one or even several pairs of weasels would swiftly pass by on the snow-covered woodland by the roadside, leaving behind footprints of varying depths.

They were not playing or hunting; their movements revealed a strange pattern.

Its loose tail swished back and forth, seemingly creating a resonance of some kind of power in the air, silently cleaning the road spotless.

These little creatures are practically sentient!
It's said that the weasel and the fox are the smartest of the Five Immortals, and now it seems that's true.

At this moment, Xiao Ran noticed several streams of malevolent energy hanging far behind the convoy.

That was not natural wind, but a "force" formed by the convergence of various forms of evil spirits.

They either hide in the shadows by the roadside, or drift on the treetops, or even transform into invisible yin energy that swirls around.

These followers were numerous, their auras mixed, including a thick, foggy resentment, a bone-chilling cold, and a greedy, voyeuristic intent.

They dare not get too close, yet they are like maggots clinging to one's bones, following one like a shadow.

"Looks like quite a few people have come to watch the excitement," Xiao Ran said to Bai Jing with a smile.

Bai Jing frowned. He knew perfectly well what those evil spirits that followed were up to.

Since the arrival of the Lost City, the Five Immortals Hall has been suppressing these foreign evil spirits.

Each family relies on its own abilities to protect its territory.

For example, Liu Laoqi, who put the lives of ordinary people in his own hands, may seem extreme, but he also prevented evil spirits from harming the people.

However, this also puts Wu Xian Tang in the eye of the storm, with too many eyes watching it. One wrong move and it could lose everything.

Now they are all hoping that Xiao Ran will ruin the reputation of Wu Xian Tang, force out Wu Xian Tang's true nature, and let everyone see it clearly.

However, Bai Jing couldn't say these things in front of Xiao Ran.

Instead, he pretended not to care and said, "If someone is performing, someone will watch. If no one watches, the performance will be boring."

Hit the swollen face to fill up the fat man!

Xiao Ran felt a surge of contempt.

Just then, as the convoy reached an intersection, the convoy following behind suddenly turned onto another side road.

Before Xiao Ran could speak, Bai Jing explained to her, "Don't worry, that road also leads to Changbai Mountain. Since they're not getting involved, we'll part ways here. Rest assured, the Five Immortals Hall will treat you as an honored guest and will not cause you any trouble."

Difficult?

Xiao Ran wasn't worried about this issue.

If you anger Wu Man, even I might not be able to save you.

Xiao Ran nodded, and then sensed a strange fluctuation in the vast white snow ahead. This aura was neither like curses, nor like feng shui, nor like the strange rules of evil spirits, but rather mixed with the scent of incense.

"Young man, the road ahead is not easy, you'll stumble at every step. If you can't hold on any longer, just call for help, the louder the better, and someone will come to your rescue."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Ran suddenly realized that this was where they were waiting for her.

All they had to do was shout for help at those evil spirits, and the Five Immortals Hall would save face and preserve its substance.

Thinking of this, Xiao Ran nodded happily: "I have long heard that the Five Immortals Hall's formations are exquisite, and I will take this opportunity to learn from them."

Seeing Xiao Ran's indifferent expression, Bai Jing smiled coldly: "Then... let's begin!"

As soon as the words were spoken, the car suddenly accelerated, and the figures of the driver and Bai Jing twisted and turned in front of Xiao Ran before disappearing into the air as dust.

As the two disappeared, the car began to rapidly lose control, as if gripped by an invisible hand. The next second, the front of the car crashed straight into the rock in front of it.

(End of this chapter)