Misty Rain of the Old Times

Such a precious legacy as the Concealment Array Diagram is naturally not carried around. Accessing or retrieving it requires a series of procedures. Even if it is the result of discussions between the sect leader and the elders, the process still needs to be followed. After all, it is not anyone's private property. Without rules, there can be no order. The martial arts world is not a place where anyone can have absolute power. Although there are differences in rank, it is more accurate to say that a group of people are sticking together for mutual support.

Unless there are special circumstances, such as when the sect is facing a life-or-death crisis, one should act expediently.

The Tai Xuan Sect arranged a quiet courtyard for Chen Xuan and his group to rest temporarily. Xuan Yang personally escorted them to the door, and a disciple served tea and then tactfully withdrew.

After Xuan Yang and the others went to retrieve the concealment array diagram, everyone dispersed, leaving only Chen Xuan and the other two in the courtyard.

With no one else around, Chen Xuan slumped into a chair, looking utterly exhausted, and said lazily, "So tired."

"Is Master tired? We haven't done anything. Let me give you a massage to help you relax," the young maid quickly stepped forward and said, fulfilling her essential role as a personal maid.

She then came up behind Chen Xuan, gently placed his head on his nascent chest, and let Chen Xuan enjoy the brainwave service. Her small hands massaged his shoulders with just the right amount of pressure. She had learned how to serve people when she was in the Gao family.

"Master, let me massage your legs," Du Juan said, mimicking Chen Xuan's actions. She moved a stool and sat down next to Chen Xuan, gently kneading his feet on his plump, soft thighs.

In comparison, Du Juan's massage service was more professional. As a former assassin, she had received more training in this area from the Shadow Assassin Sect, which often turned these trainings into assassination methods. However, she had never used them before, but she was not rusty at all.

With the two beautiful women, one older and one younger, serving him, Chen Xuan felt incredibly comfortable. He thought to himself, "This is what it means to enjoy life. What are all those people striving for? It's all for enjoyment."

Not wanting to move, he grumbled, "It's not physical exhaustion, nor mental fatigue. Well, you all saw what happened before. It wasn't just acting; you still had to maintain the proper attitude. I'm really not used to it. It's much easier to be joking and laughing all day long."

While massaging him, the young girl recalled the previous scene and said, "Oh, I don't really understand. Everyone has to watch their master's expression. I seemed quite natural, and the master handled it with ease; the atmosphere was quite harmonious."

"So you don't understand, Roujia? Let me ask you, am I that bored when I'm with my father-in-law?" Chen Xuan said with a bored laugh.

Upon hearing this, the little girl wholeheartedly agreed, saying, "That's right, the difference is huge. When Master is with His Majesty, he's very cheerful. But when he interacted with the people from the Tai Xuan Sect, although the atmosphere was harmonious, thinking back now, it always felt a bit more serious, and the atmosphere was even a little oppressive."

“That’s right. We’ve come here to ask for something. To be honest, there’s no need for me to be so serious in this kind of situation,” Chen Xuan said with an expression that said, “You’ve finally grasped the point.”

Du Juan, who was massaging his legs, hesitated for a moment and said, "Master, in the future, if you need anything like this, just let us know. You don't really need to come in person. For example, this time, as long as we bring you a letter, I think the Tai Xuan Sect won't refuse."

Hearing her words, Chen Xuan thought about it and realized she was right. They had agreed to relax and enjoy life, so why were they still making a fuss? Could it be that they hadn't caught up in terms of their demeanor yet? After all, he was born into a lower class and wasn't familiar with certain aspects of life.

Think about it, what can a truly important person do without someone taking care of it just by giving an order? At most, they'll only step in personally if their subordinates can't handle it.

In this matter, Du Juan could have simply gone on her own; there was absolutely no need for her to come in person.

These thoughts flashed through his mind, but Chen Xuan said nonchalantly, "Let's just treat it as a trip to clear our heads. Lying at home all day is pretty boring, and besides, it's such a long way. How long would it take to get there? The journey is quite dangerous."

Du Juan stopped talking and focused on massaging him. A smile unconsciously crept onto her lips. After spending some time together, she had begun to get used to her husband. She was clearly being stubborn, but at the same time, she wondered when she would be able to use all the skills she had learned for serving others. Her husband, for the time being, had no such thoughts.

"Young Master Chen, Gui Yao, the 43rd generation disciple of the Tai Xuan Sect, requests an audience. Is there any time available?" At this moment, the voice of a Tai Xuan Sect disciple came from outside the door.

Gui Yao? Xu Yun's senior sister. She was introduced in the main hall before. Her talent and strength are outstanding among the younger generation. What is she doing here?
The image of Gui Yao flashed through Chen Xuan's mind, and after thinking for a moment, he smiled and said, "Please invite her in."

"Yes"

As he spoke, Chen Xuan gestured to the girls to stop massaging and to put away their lazy posture. He said they should pay more attention to their image in front of outsiders. It was better to be at home, where they didn't need to worry about so much.

Soon, Gui Yao, dressed in a white dress, arrived at the door and bowed, saying, "Greetings, Young Master Chen. I apologize for any intrusion or disturbance."

"Miss Gui, what are you saying? I am the guest. Your words make me seem like I'm overstepping my bounds. Please, have a seat," Chen Xuan said, rising to return the greeting.

As they greeted each other, the little girl conscientiously poured tea.

However, Gui Yao showed no intention of sitting down for pleasantries. Before Chen Xuan could ask her purpose, she shook her head and said, "Thank you, Young Master Chen, but I won't bother you any longer. I came to apologize for my junior brother's impetuous behavior earlier. I am grateful that you were so magnanimous as to not hold it against him, but as his senior sister, I haven't been strict enough in disciplining him, and I must offer something. An apology is certainly not enough, but I have nothing of value to offer except a jar of my treasured wine. I know it may not be of high quality to Young Master Chen, but I have nothing better to offer. This is just a small token of my apology, and I hope Young Master Chen will accept it."

As she spoke, she presented a jar of wine that she had brought.

“Miss Gui, please don’t do this. I absolutely cannot accept this so-called apology. Although I am not a member of the martial arts world, I have practiced martial arts. We were just discussing and exchanging ideas before, which was a refined matter. There is no need for apologies,” Chen Xuan said, shaking his head.

He didn't really care about what Xu Yun asked for advice, but people like Gui Yao didn't think that way. In Chen Xuan's eyes, it was nothing, but he felt uneasy if they didn't show any concern.

Seeing that Chen Xuan didn't intend to accept it, she simply changed her tune, saying, "Since that's the case, then consider this jar of wine as a token of gratitude from Young Master Chen for instructing my junior brother. Please accept it to moisten your throat, and don't refuse."

"Since that's the case, then I'll accept it without hesitation. I also have some basic martial arts skills, and we can exchange ideas sometime," Chen Xuan said, no longer refusing but changing his approach. He felt perfectly justified in accepting the jar of wine.

Does this young master Chen not know his own level of cultivation? He claims to have some rudimentary martial arts skills, but does that mean we're still learning to crawl?
Gui Yao smiled inwardly, thinking to herself that this young master Chen was different from other martial artists. Now that he had accepted it, she felt relieved. With a smile, she handed the wine jar she had brought to Du Juan and said, "I dare not accept such praise. In that case, I will not disturb you any longer. Farewell, and I hope to have the honor of meeting you again in the future."

That's straightforward; I guess that's how all people in the martial world are. Chen Xuan nodded and said, "Then, Miss Gui, take care. Roujia will see her off."

There was no attempt to stop him. After all, it was just the two of them, a man and a woman alone. Du Juan and the others were his own people, and even if they were standing nearby, they would still be alone together. If he tried to persuade them to stay, people who didn't know better might think that Chen Xuan had ulterior motives.

After seeing her to the door, the returning maid exclaimed excitedly, "Master is truly amazing! Someone actually came to our door requesting an audience and bringing gifts!"

"What's this? It's just normal social etiquette," Chen Xuan said, shaking his head.

After Gui Yao left, he wanted to continue lying down and enjoying their massage service, but when he heard the footsteps of Xuan Yang and the others arriving, he had to give up.

Although the concealment array is temporarily useless against the Tai Xuan Sect, it is still a precious legacy passed down for hundreds of years. Now that it has been brought out for Chen Xuan to observe, it naturally needs to be witnessed by several people whose status is not much different from that of the sect leader. This is a matter of etiquette. After all, a sect is not the private property of any one person, especially a large sect with a history of hundreds of years. Don't be fooled by the harmonious atmosphere on the outside; internally, there are definitely many factions.

After exchanging greetings and entering the courtyard, Xuan Yang, holding the array diagram, smiled and said, "Young Master Chen, the original array diagram is here. Please take a look."

Accompanying him were several elders who had previously welcomed Chen Xuan, including Xuan Qing. They also brought a large box that looked quite heavy, presumably containing materials for setting up the array. No wonder it took them almost half an hour to retrieve the array diagram; preparing materials also takes time.

That was the purpose of my visit. Chen Xuan accepted the gift with both hands and said, "Then I won't stand on ceremony."

"Of course, we'll have to rely on Young Master Chen to help us set up the formation in the future," Xuan Yang said with a smile. In fact, he didn't have much hope. After all, no one in his Tai Xuan Sect had been able to figure out the formation diagram in hundreds of years. Could Chen Xuan really handle it?
But considering his young age and high level of cultivation, I still had a good chance, so I held onto a glimmer of hope.

After receiving the array diagram and exchanging a few pleasantries with them, Chen Xuan began to study it carefully.

This is a rather substantial golden book, about a foot in size, with gold pages as thin as paper, totaling more than two hundred pages. The cover bears the three characters "Hidden Array," written in the same script as that of the prosperous dynasty a thousand years ago.

It was preserved in the form of a gold book; ordinary paper would have been eaten by insects long ago.

The way this concealment array is preserved is completely different from the Seven Star Sealing Array, and the content is also much less, after all, they are not on the same level.

Turning the pages, he found tiny characters inscribed on the pages, accompanied by illustrations. Chen Xuan didn't expect to understand it all at once; he only needed to memorize its contents, so he read it very quickly.

With a quick glance, Chen Xuan not only memorized the contents but also gained a fairly comprehensive understanding of the details thanks to his powerful thinking and reaction abilities. The Concealment Array only had the effect of hiding an area as if it didn't exist, and it only involved a dozen or so materials, making it much simpler than the Seven Star Sealing Array.

The so-called simplicity is only relative. In fact, Chen Xuan felt that it was ten or a hundred times more difficult than the Misty Array. It was not easy, even with readily available materials.

I just wanted to build a floating island to occasionally experience life in the clouds, but why is it so complicated? I guess I'll have a lot to do for the next few years. It's like doing all this for a dish of dumplings wrapped in vinegar.

Amused, Chen Xuan found the Concealment Array's content far less than the Seven Star Sealing Array, perhaps only one-thousandth. He quickly read and memorized it, confirming nothing was missed, before returning the golden book, saying, "Thank you. I understand the content now. I will study it carefully later. Once I fully understand it, I will inform your sect, and then we can discuss a time to help you set up the array and complete the transaction." Ultimately, it was just a transaction; this alone wasn't enough to establish a good personal relationship with Young Master Chen. Feeling somewhat regretful, Xuan Yang instructed, "Young Master Chen, the Concealment Array contains a great deal of information, and it's profound and complex. Even a slight mistake won't help, no matter how much you study it. Why not read it a couple more times? It would be best to make a copy."

They also brought a huge pile of gold, enough for all the miscellaneous disciples of the Tai Xuan Sect to receive a month's allowance.

Waving his hand, Chen Xuan pointed to his head and laughed, "It's alright, I'm very confident in my memory."

"I was overthinking it," Xuan Yang nodded, but inwardly he was impressed. This young master Chen was definitely capable of photographic memory; he was a grandmaster, and there were so many things that ordinary people couldn't do.

Having returned the items, concluded the matter, and achieved the goal, Chen Xuan said, glancing at the sky, "Master, please take these back and keep them safe. It's getting late, and I've troubled you greatly. It's time for me to take my leave."

"Young Master Chen is leaving already?" Xuan Qing asked in surprise. He had wanted to sit down and have a drink with Chen Xuan to reminisce about the past.

Xuan Yang quickly said, "Young Master Chen, there's no need to rush off. Since you've come all this way, why not stay a few more days to tour my Tai Xuan Sect? Or perhaps my Tai Xuan Sect has done something to offend you by neglecting our hospitality?"

Meanwhile, others were also trying their best to persuade him to stay. This wasn't just polite talk; they were genuinely interested. Even the Tai Xuan Sect would be eager to have the opportunity to build a good relationship with a Grandmaster.

In response to their warm invitation to stay, Chen Xuan apologized, saying, "Please don't misunderstand. Your sect boasts beautiful scenery, outstanding people, and hospitable nature. I also lingered there, but I have other matters to attend to and must take my leave. We have an agreement that I won't disturb you any longer, so I hope you won't find it troublesome."

"Young Master Chen, what are you saying? It's more than a pleasure to have you here. But there's no rush. Why don't you have a simple meal before you leave?" Xuan Yang didn't try to persuade him to stay any longer. He had already said he had something to do, so it couldn't be a small matter. He knew his place, but he couldn't neglect the proper etiquette.

Chen Xuan was genuinely uncomfortable with everyone sitting so formally and exchanging pleasantries, so he could only apologize again, saying, "I'm so sorry, there are still people waiting for me. It would be quite impolite if I were late."

Although it's an excuse, it's also true. If you calculate the time, you can just go to Xiao Gao's place for a free meal. Even if you haven't asked, just say whether he's hoping Chen Xuan will come or not.

Just then, Guiyao delivered a jar of wine; the two brothers will have a good drink later.

Since he had said so, Xuan Yang and the others naturally couldn't insist on keeping him, so they could only say, "In that case, we won't delay Young Master Chen's business any longer. We'll see you off. By the way, we've brought the materials needed for the concealment array, Young Master Chen, please take good care of them."

"Thank you very much, then I will accept your offer without hesitation."

After some negotiation, Chen Xuan decided not to stay any longer, so the Tai Xuan Sect escorted him to the mountain gate along the way, making a great fuss as when he came.

The trip to Tai Xuan Sect was short, without any unexpected incidents, and the goal was achieved satisfactorily, leaving both parties satisfied.

At the mountain gate, Chen Xuan stopped and bowed, saying, "Please wait a moment, everyone. I will take my leave now."

"Please make yourself at home, Young Master Chen. I wish you a smooth journey and hope you'll visit me often."

Xuan Yang and the others exchanged greetings. Their brief time together had left a deep impression on them. However, since it was their first meeting, there was no question of them being reluctant to part.

"Farewell," Chen Xuan smiled, then, with Su Roujia, Du Juan, a large box of materials, and wine jars, he soared into the sky and quickly disappeared into the horizon under the watchful eyes of everyone.

Those who witnessed this scene, including Xuan Yang and Chen Xuan, could no longer maintain their composure. Their faces were filled with emotion and amazement. Was this a technique of a Grandmaster? Soaring through the air, roaming freely in the vast world!

But why have we never seen our own Grand Elder use such a method?
Little did they know that each had their own strengths. Chen Xuan was most skilled in lightness skills, having worked hard to escape in order to save his life. The Tai Xuan Sect member, on the other hand, was naturally no less skilled than a master, but his lightness skills were not elegant or dignified enough, so he was too embarrassed to show off in front of his juniors.

Watching Chen Xuan and the others depart, Xuan Yang, as the sect leader, quickly regained his composure and turned back to say, "Everyone, you can all disperse now, especially you little ones. Stop looking. Instead of envying others, you should cultivate diligently so that you too can have such abilities when you reach the Grandmaster realm in the future."

This is just empty talk. Is it so easy to become a grandmaster? Does becoming a grandmaster automatically grant you that status? Do you think we're three-year-olds?

Throughout the entire process, the grandmaster-level expert from the Tai Xuan Sect never appeared, but Chen Xuan had essentially sent him a greeting from afar; however, the two did not end up sitting down for a proper discussion...

'I've got the concealment array, and I also got the materials for setting it up, saving me the trouble of searching for them myself. I just don't know if I can master the array before I run out of materials, otherwise I'll have to collect them myself. It's not a big problem, the Tai Xuan Sect can get them, so it shouldn't be too difficult. Next, I'll go to Wanku Mountain to collect geomagnetic essence, and then I can start building my own floating island. Having something to do makes me less bored, but why do I just lack motivation? Lying down is just too comfortable.'

While Chen Xuan was pondering these things, Du Juan, who had experienced this several times before and quickly adapted to the rapid flight at high altitude, asked, "Master, where are we going? It doesn't seem to be the way home. Could it be that someone really has arranged to meet us?"

Chen Xuan laughed and said, "We're going to find Xiao Gao for a meal. We're already here, and it's not far, so we should at least say hello. It's no secret that we're going to Tai Xuan Sect. If he knew we were so close and we didn't even say hello, he'd probably complain later. Sister Juan, you haven't met Xiao Gao yet, have you? Let's get to know him later. Um, we'll call him Young Master in person, it's a habit we've had for years. Here we are."

In the short time it took, Chen Xuan had already led them away from Tai Xuan Sect and arrived in Zhoushan County. As soon as he finished speaking, the county city was already beneath his feet. With his powerful senses, Chen Xuan locked onto his target and led them to the street outside the county governor's mansion.

Originally, given his relationship with Xiao Gao, he could have appeared directly beside Gao Jingming. However, since Xiao Gao is now a prefectural official, responsible for the people's livelihood, his sudden appearance could easily cause unnecessary chaos, so it's better to be careful.

Zhoushan County, as its name suggests, is mountainous and watery. It is not a barren and desolate place, but the high mountains and long rivers inevitably breed bandits and unruly people.

The saying goes, "Those who live near mountains live off the mountains, and those who live near water live off the water." Although Chen Xuan was unfamiliar with Zhoushan County, he had heard that the local delicacies from the mountains and the water were quite famous and were the main source of income. Grain production, on the other hand, was not high. In particular, the water system was well-developed, and if there was a flood, the fields would fail to yield a good harvest, and grain would have to be transferred from other places for disaster relief.

This place is neither here nor there. To achieve political success, one needs exceptional abilities. Those with poor abilities would struggle to even maintain the status quo. If they encounter officials who act impulsively and recklessly, things could easily go wrong.

Chen Xuan had little interest in either officialdom or the martial world. However, the chief official of Zhoushan County was Xiao Gao. Given their relationship, Chen Xuan couldn't help but think to himself, "That guy, why didn't he tell me? He should have gone to a better place or the worst one. In short, it's hard to get ahead in this mediocre place."

Once her feet were firmly planted on solid ground, the young girl, who had been suffering from motion sickness and had kept her eyes closed, finally opened them, patted her chest, and said, "Sister Juan, Young Master Gao is a very nice person. You'll see soon enough."

Du Juan nodded, also somewhat curious about the legendary top scholar. Her own master had served as his page for over ten years, so she wondered what kind of person he was.

Du Juan found it hard to believe. Her master and young master Gao were close in age and grew up together. Gao Jingming achieved the highest academic achievement, while her master could be said to have reached the pinnacle of martial arts. They were both so young, one a scholar and the other a martial artist. How tragic it was for people of the same generation to live in the same world as them.

Chen Xuan and his group appeared almost out of thin air, but under the influence of Grandmaster Chen Xuan's will, the people around them did not feel that it was abrupt, as if they were supposed to be there all along.

The guards at the entrance of the prefectural governor's mansion quickly spotted them. Judging from their clothes and appearance, they were no ordinary people, but due to their duty, they still stepped forward and said politely, "This is a restricted area of ​​the prefectural governor's mansion. Unauthorized personnel should leave as soon as possible."

Xiao Gao is quite formidable now. The gatekeepers are all highly skilled, with their meridians almost fully opened. Moreover, there's more than one gatekeeper. However, the gatekeepers here are all government officials, receiving government pay and holding official positions. They are Xiao Gao's subordinates, not servants from the Gao family.

Chen Xuan was secretly pleased. Little Gao had become successful, and it was time to take advantage of him. He didn't care about the guards' attempts to drive him away and stepped forward with a smile, saying, "Please inform Lord Gao that someone from our hometown has come to visit. We would appreciate your help."

As he spoke, Chen Xuan subtly handed over a piece of silver. This kind of thing was an unspoken rule; otherwise, what would someone with such considerable cultivation be doing guarding the gate if not making it easier to skim off some profits?

It's funny, Chen Xuan was surprised to find that Xiao Gao actually wanted to pay an entry fee.

The guard who stepped forward to negotiate gripped the silver, thinking to himself that this man was shrewd, but after a moment's hesitation, he said, "Young master, please return. The prefect is not here. We will report this truthfully later."

It wasn't that the guards took the money and didn't do their job; rather, Xiao Gao had personally instructed them not to see any so-called relatives or friends who came to visit. There was no other way; he had only been in office for a short time, and too many people were trying to find various excuses to build relationships with him, which annoyed him so much that he simply refused them all.

Upon hearing this, Chen Xuan almost rolled his eyes, thinking to himself, "You're talking nonsense. Xiao Gao is clearly inside, okay?"

What kind of situation is this? No matter how good the relationship is, can status really create distance?
Fortunately, it wasn't a big problem, and Chen Xuan wouldn't make things difficult for the gatekeeper. He also didn't intend to show off or embarrass himself here. He simply said, "Judging by the time, he'll be leaving office soon. Please inform the Prefect when he comes out that his relatives from his hometown are visiting him at... that teahouse. Thank you."

As he spoke, Chen Xuan pointed to a teahouse not far away.

The Prefectural Governor's Office is a government office, not Gao Jingming's private residence. Gao Jingming should still be at work at this time, so it's best not to disturb him. Chen Xuan simply waited outside, since he wouldn't be off work for long anyway.

"Well... I'll inform him when the time comes, but whether the magistrate will see you or not is beyond my control."

"Thank you for your trouble, farewell..." (End of this chapter)