Mountain and River Festival

Chapter 526 Hometown
The South is a very relative and broad concept.

According to Lu Xingzhou's present world, whether the Qinling Mountains and Huai River divide the north and south, or the Yangtze River divides them, the vast southern region has countless different geography and customs, and it does not refer to just one place.

You could say that everything north of Guangdong is considered the North.

Miaoyin Mountain is roughly located in what corresponds to the Lingnan region of the present world; further south lies the border of the Great Qian Kingdom. It's clear how far Yuan Muyu and her child fled to escape Ye Tinglan.

However, the geography of the two worlds is ultimately different. Beyond the southernmost point of the Great Qian Dynasty lies not the South China Sea, but a vast desolate land.

There is no spiritual energy, and the land is extremely barren, like the Gobi Desert, full of useless rocks and broken stones, but without any yellow sand.

According to local legend, the area's spiritual energy was drained by ancient battles, so no respectable people live there. Instead, it has become a haven for vicious demons and wanted criminals.

Moreover, staying inside for too long often leads to problems. People either become somewhat insane or seem to be possessed by something unclean, resulting in a string of bad luck after leaving.

Thus it was called the cursed land.

Some people suspected that there might be a fire source or strange water buried below, causing the fire source to evaporate the spiritual energy or the strange water to be poisonous, but after years of exploration, nothing was found, and the land was generally recognized as an abandoned place.

When Lu Xingzhou, Yuan Muyu, and the others moved to Miaoyin Mountain, they attempted to explore it because it was relatively close to the Cursed Land. Of course, they ultimately gained nothing, and they stopped paying attention to it in recent years.

With his current knowledge and cultivation level significantly improved, Lu Xingzhou was somewhat inclined to explore further. However, fearing a waste of time, this place wasn't his first choice; he considered it a backup plan, something he could look at if he had some free time.

He wanted to go to the southeast, which corresponds to the Jiangnan region in the modern world.

There was no other reason than that Chen Yu's Spring Mountain Pavilion was there.

Most of the forces that had colluded with Prince Jin had already submitted to Lu Xingzhou's command, with only a few exceptions, including Chunshan Pavilion.

It was one thing for Chen Yu to be tricked to death by Lu Xingzhou, but his master, Elder Gu Xuyang, went to the Tianxing Sword Sect to cause trouble for Shen Tang and was also tricked and killed by Lu Xingzhou on his way back. This created a deep grudge. However, it is clear that even though Chunshan Pavilion is a first-class strong sect, it is far from enough to go up against Lu Xingzhou. There is a very high probability that they will defect to Gu Yiheng.

There is even a possibility that they were Gu Yiheng's people from beginning to end.

The so-called inspection of demons and monsters throughout the land is overseen by Sheng Qingfeng's Demon Suppression Division. Lu Xingzhou, carrying the imperial warrant, how could he not cause trouble for Gu Yiheng's scheme and fulfill his imperial mission?
The key is to figure out what Gu Yiheng is doing.

"Are you really only taking this little white-haired creature to the southeast?" The airship stopped outside Miaoyin Mountain, and Yuan Muyu asked calmly, "Once I start meditating and breaking through, it will be difficult for me to help anymore."

Lu Xingzhou said, "It's alright. If I can't handle it, I'll ask Lao Ji for help."

Ji Wenchuan also wanted to say that their influence throughout the south was enormous, and that Lao Lu could find many people to help them, so there was no need for him. But he knew he dared not say it, for saying it would truly mean his death.

Yuan Muyu said, "Ji Wenchuan has something to attend to."

Ji Wenchuan hurriedly replied, "Indeed, I have a lot of internal matters to handle right now. I'll be going now, we'll talk again when I have time."

After saying that, he disappeared into the mountains in a flash.

Lu Xingzhou said helplessly, "As you said, should I also leave a mark on the Yama Palace formation? That way it will be easier to find Lao Ji and the others."

Yuan Muyu said, "The great formation is broken."

Now you can contact me through the Tianyao Grand Array. Once you have the Yama Palace Grand Array, what use are Ji Wenchuan, Situ Yue, and Dong Chengbi?

Lu Xingzhou sighed: "Your breakthrough is more important than anything else. These things are really not difficult."

Yuan Muyu pursed her lips.

She certainly didn't think that the mere Chunshan Pavilion could pose any difficulty to Lu Xingzhou; she just wanted to find more reasons to contact him.

But I also know that if I continue talking, it will just become pestering, and I don't want to ruin the normal relationship we've finally managed to have.

Forget it.

Yuan Muyu barely managed to maintain her composure: "Fine, you can go in and leave your mark."

As the words were spoken, the stone gate in the mountain opened with a rumble, and Yuan Muyu went inside first.

Lu Xingzhou stood outside for a while before taking Dugu Qingli's hand and saying, "Come, let me show you my and Anuo's old house."

The stone gate closed, and Jiang Yuanzi slipped outside, but couldn't get back in. Frustrated, she kicked it angrily.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh!" The mechanism was triggered, and thousands of sword beams shot over. Jiang Yuan flashed and fled with his head in his hands.

Lu Xingzhou and Dugu Qingli were unaware that she had secretly followed them. Yuan Muyu knew but didn't care. The three of them silently entered the Yama Palace.

Dugu Qingli turned to look at Lu Xingzhou's expression. He seemed calm, but you could tell he was somewhat dazed.

Lu Xingzhou probably never imagined he would return here two and a half years later when he left, a perfect example of a Kun year (a Chinese astrological concept). He left amidst a snowstorm, and returned in the midst of spring.

When Lu Xingzhou left, he never thought he would ever come back to gloat or show off; he just wanted to have nothing to do with each other. But objectively speaking, Yuan Muyu is now willing to do anything. As for the so-called power in the underworld, if he wanted it, it would only take a word.

This realization evokes complex emotions. Am I pleased? Not at all; on the contrary, I feel somewhat detached from reality.

Even the Yama's Palace disciples he met, who had once ostracized and mocked him, now bowed respectfully, not daring to even breathe. Tragically, people now didn't know how to address Lu Xingzhou when they bowed to him.

Can I still call him Judge? I don't know.

The atmosphere in the entire Yama Palace was oppressive and eerie.

Lu Xingzhou silently arrived at his former residence and gently pushed open the door.

Inside, everything was just as it had always been. Even the book on the table was still on the same page it had been turned over. There was a mischievous smiley face that Ah Nuo had scribbled on the table, which was still there and looked very much like Ah Nuo.

It's like two and a half years were forcibly taken away, and it's like going to the toilet and coming back—nothing has changed.

Yuan Muyu sat silently behind him, her body trembling slightly. She suddenly regretted letting Lu Xingzhou come back. Faced with this scene, she wondered what kind of emotions she would feel, and whether all the time they had spent together would have been wasted.

But then Lu Xingzhou suddenly spoke up: "Actually, there's no need to keep the house. I won't be coming back to live here anyway, so it's just a waste of space."

Yuan Muyu sniffed: "No one else is qualified to live in your room."

That voice… Lu Xingzhou turned his head and glanced at it; Yuan Muyu's eyes were filled with tears.

Lu Xingzhou was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice, "Let's go to the communication array."

After saying that, he went straight to the communication array and left his mark: "If there's nothing else, I'll take my leave now?"

Yuan Muyu pursed her lips and after a long while, she finally hummed in agreement.

Lu Xingzhou cupped his hands in greeting: "Then take care, sister, and I wish you a speedy recovery."

There was nothing special said from beginning to end; nothing to say.

Yuan Muyu was speechless, her heart heavy with grief. It wasn't until Lu Xingzhou pulled Dugu Qingli away that several of her subordinates who were maintaining the formation were shocked to see the cold and ruthless Yama King in their hearts suddenly burst into tears.

Oh no, we're not going to die, are we?

Ji Wenchuan appeared on the side and gestured to the group. They were all relieved and ran away.

Yuan Muyu sobbed as she asked, "Wen Chuan... this time it feels so obvious. The distance between us is like a physical thing, suffocating me. I don't even know how to start a conversation or how to ask him to stay for a couple more days."

Ji Wenchuan said, "Actually, it's not that complicated... When I go back to my hometown now, I see my ancestral home from my early years, and my childhood friends and such. At first, I feel a little sentimental, thinking about how time flies and how my childhood playmates have all become old men. I feel a little complicated, but after feeling sentimental, I still have nothing to say and just turn around and leave."

Yuan Muyu's eyes were brimming with tears: "Is...is that all?"

"That's how it is when feelings fade, but friendships can be rebuilt. If I want to get back on track with those old men, I just need to play a game of chess with them, and we can have drinks together that same day. You've started talking to Lao Lu again, so just keep it up."

Yuan Muyu: "..."

Everything becomes so simple when this guy talks about it, and it all sounds incredibly reasonable... But is that reasoning really useful?

It's really strange. What's the point of talking to this perpetually single guy about this? Won't he just be led astray?
Yuan Muyu preferred to ask the straight man Ji Wenchuan rather than her best friend Situ Yue. She didn't suspect Situ Yue of having any problems, but because of Lu Xingzhou's matter, a rift eventually appeared between the two best friends.

However, Yuan Muyu was not the kind of boss who would easily shift the blame to others. He admitted that the main problem in Lu Xingzhou's incident lay with him, and did not blame Situ Yue.

"Alright, you're right. Now that we have something to talk about, let's continue." Yuan Muyu wiped away her tears and took a deep breath: "First, I need to break through to the Qian Yuan realm. In the upcoming battlefield, Huiyang will probably be nothing but trash."

Ji Wenchuan touched the Bright Sun Breakthrough Pill in his pocket, and only two words came to his mind: "Your mother."

Lu Xingzhou and Dugu Qingli left the Underworld. Dugu Qingli carefully observed Lu Xingzhou's expression: "I'm sorry..."

"Huh?" Lu Xingzhou snapped out of his daze and asked in surprise, "Why are you apologizing to me?"

Dugu Qingli was a little embarrassed: "I was the one who said I wanted to see the place you and Anuo used to live, but after seeing it, I realized it was meaningless and only made you feel bad."

"No, I'm not in a bad mood, just a bit complicated, I don't know how to explain it..." Lu Xingzhou smiled and said, "But after leaving, seeing this bright spring sunshine and the vast sky and sea, I feel much more cheerful. Speaking of which, the Yama Palace is nestled in the mountains and never sees the sun, which may have some influence on people's temperament. I will suggest that they move to the mountains in the future."

Once Dugu Qingli confirmed that Lu Xingzhou was not in a bad mood, she breathed a sigh of relief and continued, "If we move to the mountains and live directly in front of the world, then the Yama Palace will no longer be a demonic path."

“Isn’t your master always waiting for that day?” Lu Xingzhou held the girl’s hand and strode down the mountain: “Perhaps one day, her wish will come true.”

(End of this chapter)