Lingyuan Immortal

Chapter 917 Zhu Xiafeng

The rain fell like silver swords piercing the sky, and the wind swept across the ground like cold blades.

The vast mountains rise and fall in the ink-wash landscape, the grass and trees bow their heads, the rustling sounds blend with the thunder, and the gray sky is torn open with cracks by lightning.

The ancestral home of the Liang family is now wide open. Ever since Chen Mu instructed Yu Xin to deliver the visiting cards to the Liang family, Liang Tian has been working tirelessly for three days to arrange for the gathering of guests from all walks of life.

The copper bells on the eaves jingled wildly in the sudden rain, but could not drown out the hurried footsteps in the front courtyard.

Those elderly clansmen leaning against the corridor watching the ceremony, their hands covered with age spots, unconsciously clenched their bamboo canes as they gazed at the endless stream of carriages and horses.

In the past century, when has the Liang family ever experienced such a scene?
Despite their bewilderment, smiles radiated from their deeply lined old faces, and tears welled in their cloudy eyes, as if they were seeing again the glorious years hundreds of years ago when Liang Chong, full of vigor, led his people to carve out the first mound of earth on Lingzhu Mountain...

As the sole host of this grand event, Chen Mu only raised his glass briefly at the beginning of the banquet before getting up and leaving his seat. He walked along the rain-soaked eaves towards Tingyu Pavilion.

Even so, everyone was satisfied. They had come to make friends with Chen Mu, but they didn't really want to have a serious talk with him.

Chen Mu has already made his stance clear, so why should they care about such trivial details?
Moreover, they found that compared to the aloof Chen Mu, the worldly-wise and smooth-talking Liang Tian was more compatible with them.

With Chen Mu gone, everyone felt more at ease.

Amidst the clinking of glasses and lively conversation, the once solemn ancestral home took on a touch of everyday life, and even the raging wind and thunder outside the window transformed into a festive drumbeat...

The mountain pavilion was secluded and quiet, with raindrops hanging down in strings from the eaves.

Chen Mu sat alone at his desk, a jade paperweight pressing down on a yellowed scroll, engrossed in reading it.

This is a record of the spirit beasts scattered throughout the Ruins of Guixu, which contains detailed descriptions of the various transformations of these spirit beasts.

If the Blue Duck's egg truly fails, and the Abyss Crocodile has no other choice, then he will have to devise another plan...

At three-quarters past dusk, Liang Tianhe's voice came from outside the door: "True Lord Chen, Li Zhong of the Li family has come to pay his respects, saying that he has important matters to discuss with you in person."

Chen Mu's heart stirred, and he pressed his palm lightly, causing the Taoist book to close silently. After settling down behind the desk, he said in a clear voice, "Let him come in."

The arrival of someone from the Li family at this time suggests that the matter of the bet has changed...

After a short while, the mountain gate opened, and Li Zhong slowly stepped in. He followed Liang Tianhe for a short distance before noticing the unusually lively scene at the Liang family's residence. A thought quietly stirred in his heart, but he did not show it on his face.

"Please, Master Li."

Liang Tianhe stopped in front of the moon gate and gestured.

Li Zhong nodded and went inside. Upon seeing Chen Mu, he immediately bowed and said, "Junior Li Zhong greets True Lord Chen."

Chen Mu had met him during the Haixincheng auction, but Li Zhongke back then was not as respectful as he is now.

"Master Li, what brings you here, Clan Chief Li?"

Li Zhong looked up and met Chen Mu's ambiguous smile. His heart tightened, and he braced himself to present the gilded letter with both hands, replying, "My father is hosting a banquet at Zhuxia Peak tomorrow, so he sent me here to pay my respects."

It was said that Li Dan was hosting a banquet, but upon seeing the large character "Su" on the letter, Chen Mu chuckled and reached out to take it and read it.

A moment later, his eyes flashed, and he said, "I have received this letter. After you return, please give my regards to Fellow Daoist Su."

Having achieved his goal, Li Zhong did not wish to linger, so he immediately agreed, bowed, and turned to leave.

After the figure completely disappeared into the rain, Chen Mu stood thoughtfully with his hands behind his back, and then gently tapped the jade chime towards the door.

When Liang Tianhe entered, he saw the white-robed True Man tapping a letter on the table with his knuckles: "Please invite your grandfather here."

Upon hearing this, Liang Tianhe was slightly taken aback, but dared not delay, and immediately accepted the order and left.

When they arrived at the main hall of the clan, Liang Tian was just getting up to see the guests off, so they waited for a while until all the guests had left before stepping forward and saying, "Grandfather, Chen Zhenjun invites you to come over."

Liang Tian had anticipated this; he knew Li Zhongbai was visiting the mountain, but at the time he and Liang Chengxuan were entertaining guests, so he sent Liang Tianhe to greet him.

What is the purpose of Li Zhong's trip?

"Your grandson is dull-witted, but judging from the True Lord's expression, it seems there is another hidden reason." Liang Tianhe shook his head.

Liang Tian frowned slightly, quickened his pace, and hurried away.

When he arrived at the mountain pavilion, Chen Mu had already stood up, his hands behind his back, gazing out at the rain curtain at the window. Noticing the movement, he turned around and handed over the letter in his hand, saying, "Brother Dao, please come and take a look."

Liang Tian quickly took it, and his expression changed immediately after reading its contents.

Chen Mu pondered for a moment and asked, "Just how powerful is this Su family?"

Liang Tian's throat tightened, and he replied in a deep voice, "The Su family is different from us. They are one of the twelve famous families. The clan leader, Su Taiheng, has been cultivating for nearly four thousand years. He has been at the Dao Realm for a thousand years. His strength is terrifying. He is considered one of the top people in Lingzhu Mountain and even the entire Guixu."

"Besides him, the Su clan has more than ten True Lords, eight mountains and twenty-six peaks under its command, more than a hundred vassal clans, and its members number more than one hundred thousand..."

“Su Han…”

Chen Mu stroked the ink on the letter and suddenly chuckled: "The noble Su family actually invited us to a banquet at Zhuxia Peak?"

Liang Tian's face darkened further, and his voice boomed like thunder: "While the duel for the peak is a rule in the mountains, Su Han's actions suggest that the Wu and Li families are trying to use this opportunity to cause trouble again..."

Chen Mu remained noncommittal, instead asking with a smile, "If it truly was at the behest of the Su family, in your opinion, how should we conduct ourselves?"

The flickering candlelight inside the pavilion cast a long shadow of Liang Tian.

He sat there for a long time, and finally sighed, "Brother Chen, the Su family is very powerful. If that's really the case, then in my opinion... we should take a step back."

Chen Mu stood up for the Liang family and seized two Dao Peaks. Logically, he should have been extremely determined, but the Su family was simply too powerful for them to handle.

To prevent Chen Mu from suffering a loss, he had to be the first to bow his head...

Seeing his dejected expression, Chen Mu shook his head and smiled.
"I've heard about Senior Brother Liang's deeds countless times. Back then, he also fought for the peak through a gambling contest, and his methods were several times more intense than mine. Yet, no prestigious sect seemed to be able to do anything to him. So why is Senior Brother Liang so worried now?"

Upon hearing Chen Mu's tone, which seemed to suggest a power struggle, Liang Tian was immediately alarmed and said, "Brother Chen, don't act rashly. Even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake. You've already done enough for the Liang family; I absolutely cannot let you take any more risks!"

Chen Mu smiled, waved to stop Liang Tian's excitement, and said in a clear voice, "I understand your intention, brother. You should go back first, and allow me to think about it."

Liang Tian wanted to persuade him further, but since Chen Mu had already sent him away, he couldn't say anything more and had no choice but to take his leave...

When he returned to the main hall with heavy steps, Liang Chengxuan and the others waiting in the hall noticed his strange expression and hurriedly stepped forward to ask, "Father, has something happened?"

Liang Tian shook his head and sighed, then told him about the letter without hiding anything, and then whispered, "I never expected that Li Dan and the others would be able to invite someone from the Su family..."

Liang Chengxuan's expression tightened. As a cultivator from Lingzhu Mountain, he was well aware of the power of renowned sects. After pondering for a moment, he said:

“The battle for the peak is an ironclad rule of Lingzhu Mountain. Even if the Su family intervenes to mediate, at most they can only take back the Dao Peak. Now that our clan’s crisis has been resolved, we might as well go with the flow and accept this mediation…” “You’re thinking too simply.”

Liang Tian shook his head: "The reason why the Liang family was able to get out of danger was because of Chen Zhenjun's strength and the reputation he established during the bet. But if Li Dan and the others can easily get rid of the bet, just imagine what kind of reputation Chen Zhenjun will have in Lingzhu Mountain then?"

At this point, he cast his gaze towards the distant rain-shrouded mountains: "Even the many prominent families who came to make connections today will likely never have any further dealings with us again..."

"In that case..."

Liang Chengye suddenly spoke up, his face flushed, clearly furious: "Why doesn't Father stand with the True Lord? I refuse to believe that no matter how powerful the Su family is, they can overturn the ten-thousand-year-old rules of Lingzhu Mountain."

Liang Tian was also furious upon hearing this, and complained, "True Lord Chen came from another state and is ignorant of the matter of my Guixu Spirit Pillar Mountain. How could you act so recklessly? Rules..."

He sneered: "Rules have always been meant to bind us, but have you ever seen a prestigious family be attacked because of them?"

"Moreover, Chen Zhenjun is ultimately not a member of our Liang family. If he suffers as a result, it would be a huge karmic consequence for Brother Chong. How can we drag Brother Chong down with us!"

Liang Chengye gritted his teeth and said, "This won't work, that won't work, are we just supposed to obediently hand over our assets and get out of Lingzhu Mountain?"

"The Su family is so bullying. Let them come if they want. What do I, Liang Chengye, have to fear? If they have the guts, then take my head. As long as my spirit lives on, I will seek revenge on them when I am reincarnated!"

After saying this, he bowed deeply to his father, then turned and left.

Liang Chengxuan sighed inwardly, fearing his father would be angry, and quickly explained, "Father, my second brother is just like that by nature, he didn't mean to talk back..."

Before he could finish speaking, Liang Tian raised his hand to interrupt him: "How could I not understand my own son?"

He sighed deeply, but had no intention of talking to anyone else. He waved his hand, signaling everyone to leave.

Dusk loomed over the city outside, while candlelight cast a dim, yellow glow inside the palace.

After everyone left, he paced in front of the hall, looked up at the gloomy sky, pondered for a long time, then opened his hand and looked at a gold-patterned jade talisman.

"Brother Chong, if it were you... how would you handle it?"

……

The next day, the gloom dissipated, and the sky cleared.

Su Han and Su Nan rode the wind ahead, followed by the Wu and Sun families, whose True Lords shone with divine light. Amidst the surging clouds, a crimson peak soared into the sky, like a Vermilion Bird carrying fire as it descended to the mortal world.

"Crimson clouds embrace, crimson flames soar into the sky..."

Su Han's eyes gleamed with a strange light, and his robe sleeves fluttered even without wind: "How can such a blessed spiritual peak be given away to cultivators from the outer realms?"

The group vanished like stars falling, and in a short while they arrived at the mountain gate.

Li Dan and his clansmen had been waiting respectfully, and upon seeing everyone land, they hurried forward.

Su Han gently stroked the jade pendant at his waist and said casually, "Clan Chief Li is very thoughtful. I wonder if the banquet is ready?"

Li Dan stepped aside to lead the way, saying, "I was just about to take you all there."

Upon reaching the palace, Su Han gazed at the ornately decorated, vermilion-painted palace and smiled slightly: "It does have some grandeur."

After speaking, she suddenly turned around, the tassels on her jade crown swaying slightly: "Where is the person who delivered the invitation yesterday? Did that Taoist Chen say anything?"

Upon hearing this, Li Dan led out the young man in black behind him: "It is indeed my son. I heard that Daoist Chen did not say much, but only asked Zhong'er to convey my greetings to you, fellow Daoist..."

"Hahaha... Brilliant, brilliant!"

Su Han laughed loudly, sat down on the gilded cloud-patterned main seat, and said loudly, "If I had known he understood destiny, I wouldn't have had to worry about it."

As he spoke, his gaze swept over the eight-treasure glass cup and the blue phoenix-shaped lamp in the hall, and he suddenly frowned and said, "The table is full of delicacies, but why is there no music? This is how the Li clan leader treats his guests..."

Li Dan was taken aback, understanding his meaning. He looked up at the sky and hesitated, saying, "The sun is not yet high in the sky, and Daoist Chen has not yet arrived for the appointment. If we start the banquet now, wouldn't that be..."

"The Li clan leader is far too cautious and timid."

Su Han sipped her fine wine, her words muffled, "If Daoist Chen truly keeps the appointment, it shows he intends to humble himself; but if he avoids me—"

"clang!"

He seemed oblivious as his wine cup clattered on the silver table: "If I don't arrive by noon, it will only solidify my reputation for cowardice. When Zhuxia Peak falls into my hands, won't that be the will of Heaven?"

Upon hearing this, the Sun clan leader's eyes lit up, and he stood up to agree, saying, "Absolutely right, absolutely right. With Brother Su here to oversee things, even if Daoist Chen harbors resentment, how could he dare to act rashly?"

His original intention was to flatter Su Han, but he never expected that the other party would completely ignore him. Instead, his gaze lingered on the green-clad maid holding a pot by the corridor pillar.

He chuckled awkwardly and was about to sit down when he suddenly heard Su Nan's cold, jade-like voice: "Clan Chief Li, it's only the turn of the hour of Chen and Si. Do you expect us to wait until the sun sets?"

"Exactly!"

The head of the Sun clan, feeling as if he had been granted a pardon, hurriedly replied, "Brother Li, how can we let our honored guest enjoy such a sumptuous feast in vain? We must not be negligent..."

Li Dan nodded, no longer hesitating. With a slight flick of his sleeves, he clapped his hands three times, the sound piercing through the clouds and tearing through the silk.

In an instant, colorful silk ribbons fluttered, and twelve dancers, draped in moonlight-like shawls, filed in, while the sounds of phoenix flutes and pipes flowed out from behind the glass screen.

At the same time, the maid in green received a hint. Her eyes sparkled, and with a slight smile, her slender fingers had already climbed up Su Han's cloud-patterned wide sleeves...

Wu Songfu sat to the side, a hint of disdain deep in his eyes.

Such a dissolute person, if not for the Su family's millennia-old heritage, would have been dealt with swiftly and thoroughly by anyone, not just Chen Daoren...

"Brother Wu, are you still feeling unwell?"

Su Nan noticed that his expression was off and asked with concern.

Wu Songfu quickly suppressed the chaotic thoughts in his mind, and smiled gently like spring water, saying, "It's nothing. After taking the elixir you gave me yesterday, my minor injuries have already healed."

Su Nan finally breathed a sigh of relief, chuckled, and gently moved closer, her delicate hand lightly caressing the golden goblet. Her crimson lips breathed softly, "It's good that you're fully recovered, Brother Wu. Let me offer you a toast..."

A short distance away, the Wu clan leader nodded repeatedly, stroking his beard and smiling, his eyes filled with undisguised joy.

Seeing how much Su Nan liked his younger brother, he even temporarily forgot about Chen Mu's worries...

……

(End of this chapter)