Sword Sect Outer Sect

Chapter 207 Why did Grandpa lie to me?

Seeing Xiao Ju's serious expression, a strange thought flashed through Song Yan's mind.

Xiao Ju's cultivation speed is slow, partly because her spiritual root aptitude is too poor, and partly because she is poor and does not have enough cultivation resources.

However, there was nothing wrong with her temperament and character.

Perhaps I'm too kind, but character can be tempered.

He gently stroked his chin, pondering a certain possibility.

"Should we let Xiao Ju try the sword-planting technique?"

The Sword Sect has declined, and I only have a superficial understanding of its legacy.

It shouldn't matter much whether one more or one less person knows this skill, right?
"hold on……"

After much deliberation, Song Yan decided to wait until he had established his foundation before making any moves.

I was just trying anything at the time, and who knows if there was any luck involved in my success.

Once I successfully establish my foundation, I can then act as a protector.

To avoid ruining others' spiritual path, getting entangled in karma, and causing problems with one's own state of mind.

Zuo You Xiao Ju is currently only at the third level of Qi Refining, and has not yet reached the level of being able to sever the Spirit Seed Sword.

He thought he would make a plan after Xiao Ju reached the fourth level of Qi Refining.

He had never thought about rebuilding the Sword Sect. The Dongyuan Sect had treated him well in general, so there was no need for him to establish his own sect.

The main problem is that they don't have the capability.

The two remained silent, each lost in their own thoughts.

Since Xiao He swallowed the tiger demon's inner core, she has been sleeping for much longer these past few days.

He was only energetic for a few days while on the boat, and now he's fast asleep again.

……

As the sun sets and the evening glow reflects on the river, a vermilion cargo boat with cloud patterns is moored.

Yunxi City, City Lord's Mansion.

Zhao Huaizhen stood outside the mansion, surrounded by a group of servants. He looked slightly tired, but still forced himself to be energetic.

I don't know what's been going on these past few days.

First, the immortal masters of Dongyuan Sect came to inspect the area and discovered that the Xuanyuan Sect's worshipper was colluding with a tiger demon, causing a calamity.

That's alright, those are matters for the immortal masters, at least they have little to do with his city governance.

Unexpectedly, after sending away Zhe Xingsun, another Sun Wukong appeared.

No sooner had they seen off the immortal than a servant brought an urgent report that the Second Prince, for some unknown reason, had arrived in Yunxi City along with the Chu capital's grain transport ships.

Previously, a servant had sent word that the Second Prince did not come to the City Lord's Mansion immediately after disembarking from the ship. Instead, he went sightseeing first, accompanied by a fairy-like woman.

"They're all tough to deal with..."

I sighed in my heart.

Admittedly, Zhao Huaizhen desired power and wealth. Many people longed to associate with these celestial beings and high-ranking officials, but none had the opportunity.

But with these successive events happening one after another, it's hard to breathe.

Fortunately, it was the Second Prince who came. If it had been other high-ranking officials or nobles, this hasty preparation would probably have caused displeasure.

Just as he was feeling unsettled, people arrived at the city lord's mansion.

The person walking at the very front was the young man in the python robe that Song Yan and the others had met at the dock.

Zhao Huaizhen hurriedly greeted him at the gate, bowing respectfully: "Your Highness's personal presence is an honor to receive you!"

The Second Prince did not make a big fuss about his arrival, only bringing two personal guards and... a pretty young girl, traveling light.

The second prince waved his hand, looking languid: "Lord Zhao, there's no need for such formalities. I'm only here to relax; there's no need for a grand gesture."

The group walked and talked until they entered the reception room and sat down one by one.

Zhao Huaizhen glanced at the Second Prince's expression and tentatively said, "Your Highness must be tired from your journey. Why don't you move to the flower hall to rest? A simple banquet has been prepared in the manor..."

Zhao Huaizhen originally wanted to mention that there were beautiful dancers in the flower hall, but seeing the pretty young girl beside him, he dared not say so.

“Lord Zhao, we were acquaintances in the capital, there’s no need to be so formal.”

Zhao Huaizhen finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"...There's no need for a banquet." The Second Prince casually stretched, his gaze sweeping over the scenery of the mansion, and suddenly asked, "You must be tired today, so get some rest."

"I've heard that Yunxi has the scenery of 'Spring River in Mist and Rain,' so I'd like to go out for a stroll there again tomorrow."

His gaze fell on the silent girl, and he said with a grin, "Hey! Fairy Xie, would you do me the honor of traveling with me tomorrow?"

The girl was dressed in white, sitting quietly with her jet-black hair simply tied up.

She was calm, with an ethereal quality about her.

Her fair face still showed signs of childhood, and she wore no makeup; her skin was as smooth as jade. Upon hearing the Second Prince's question, she did not reply, but simply nodded.

"Your Highness, I was blind and did not know who this person is..."

The Second Prince smiled and said, "Lord Zhao, don't underestimate her just because she's young. This is Master Xie Chan, the Immortal Master of the Suspended Sword Mountain Immortal Sect."

"what!"

Zhao Huaizhen was startled and quickly bowed respectfully. He was about to apologize when Xie Chan stopped him.

She shook her head: "Lord Zhao, there's no need for that."

The second prince leaned back lazily in his seat, eating the fruit served by a servant: "Lord Zhao, the capital is in a state of chaos right now. My brothers are all fighting fiercely over the matter of choosing an heir."

"It just so happens that the canal boats are coming to Yunxi City, and I remembered you again. So, I'll stay here for half a year to avoid the storm."

He pointed to Xie Chan: "Sister Xie, you happened to be traveling down the mountain and escorted me all the way here."

Xie Chan nodded: "The Xie family has received Your Highness's favor in the past, so escorting you is nothing to worry about."

"I see."

Zhao Huaizhen wiped the sweat from his brow. Both of them were easy to talk to, which immediately put him at ease.

He had long known about the second prince, who despised political maneuvering and had no interest in the so-called struggle for power.

It seems he just came here to relax.

"I will prepare accommodations for you two immediately."

"It's quite unfortunate, really. A Celestial Master from Dongyuan Sect who came here to inspect the offerings just left, and Zhaixing Villa hasn't been properly cleaned up yet. Celestial Master Xie, please stay in another villa for the time being."

"It's out of the way."

Xie Chan was able to endure hardship from a young age, and after entering Xuanjian Mountain, he was even more devoted to the Dao, and he didn't care about whether it was a separate courtyard or not.

However, Zhao Huaizhen's words did catch her attention.

A celestial master of the Dongyuan Sect?

"Does Lord Zhao know which immortal master visited here a few days ago?"

"Oh, it's Master Song Yan of the Dongyuan Sect," Zhao Huaizhen replied truthfully.

A Song banquet?!
Xie Chan's eyes, which had been calm as still water, suddenly lit up. She raised her head and looked at City Lord Zhao: "Is this true?"

Zhao Huaizhen was somewhat bewildered. How could a mere mortal city lord dare to lie to an immortal?
Before she could answer, the Second Prince glanced at her, a slight smile playing on his lips: "Miss Xie, do you know this Master Song?"

Xie Chan pursed her lips, nodded, and then continued to ask, "Lord Zhao, do you know exactly where Immortal Master Song has gone?"

"I only know that he is heading north by boat to Linzhou, but as for his specific destination..." Zhao Huaizhen was at a loss, and said with a forced smile, "It is the work of immortals, and I dare not ask any further questions."

"Linzhou..."

Xie Chan muttered to himself.

Back then, she went to Xuanjian Mountain with Grandpa Xie Xing to select immortal talents, and she and her brother Xie Chuan both entered the sect.

Ever since joining the sect, he has been inquiring about the person who saved his family back then.

Song Dynasty banquet.

At first, they couldn't get any information. It wasn't until after the Changping incident that the name Song Yan spread among the major sects.

For many people, the discussion about the Song banquet was just a passing topic of conversation.

However, for Xie Chan, it was completely different. The Second Prince ate the fruit, his movements slowing considerably, a sense of unease rising within him.

Throughout his journey, he had never seen such an expression on this fairy maiden's face.

This Song Dynasty banquet...

What kind of person is he?

Sure enough, after a moment of silence, Xie Chan suddenly stood up: "Your Highness, we have now arrived at Yunxi City, so there should be no major problems. I shall take my leave first."

The Second Prince raised an eyebrow: "Oh? Is the Immortal going to pursue that Immortal Master Song?"

Xie Chan nodded.

She didn't know what she wanted to do, but she always wanted to see him, to see the person who saved her life back then.

Even if we miss out, even if there's only a sliver of hope.

The second prince was silent for a moment, a hint of loneliness flashing in his eyes, but he still smiled and said, "Miss Xie is originally a member of the immortal sect, while I am just a mortal. How dare I burden an immortal?"

He waved his hand, feigning nonchalance: "Go ahead, don't delay."

Xie Chan had no intention of lingering any longer. He left with the words "Take care, Your Highness" and walked away.

The second prince rose to see her off, but the girl in the twilight never turned back even once.

Watching Xie Chan's receding figure, her magnificent robes fluttered slightly in the wind, and her lazy smile remained on her face, yet she couldn't hide the loneliness in her eyes.

call……

The young man chuckled self-deprecatingly: "The paths of immortals and mortals are different... I was just indulging in wishful thinking."

"only……"

"Is it really impossible to cultivate immortality without spiritual roots?"

……

Nothing happened that night at Guiyun Inn.

Early the next morning, Song Yan planned to leave the city for Changfeng Village.

Unexpectedly, as soon as he went downstairs, he saw Wu Dou waiting at the entrance of the building, with a carriage parked next to him.

"Good morning, young master. Have you had your morning tea yet?"

Seeing Song Yan leave, he hurried over, respectfully carrying some pastries in his hand.

It seems to be a well-known local specialty snack.

Seeing that Song Yan's gaze was fixed on the carriage, Wu Dou quickly rubbed his hands and explained, "Young master gave me more money than I needed, and since Changfeng Village is a long way away, I took the liberty of hiring a carriage."

If he received so much money, he wouldn't feel comfortable taking it if all he did was give directions and make introductions.

"This driver is someone I know well. He knows the roads well and his horse is strong. He'll be fast and reliable."

Song Yan nodded slightly upon hearing this.

The few taels of silver I casually gave yesterday were indeed too generous for the guide, but I never expected Wu Dou to be so efficient.

"Alright, thank you very much, sir."

"Where?"

Song Yan nodded to Xiao Ju, and the two of them got into the carriage together.

Wu Dou sat next to the driver, and the two chatted in the local dialect.

It must be said that Song Yan's image as a martial arts master can save him a lot of unnecessary trouble.

Even if someone saw his lavish spending and wanted to kill him for money, they would have to think twice about whether they had the ability to do so.

The carriage started moving.

Wu Dou, who was ahead, asked, "Young master, please forgive my intrusion, but it seems you are not here because of the rumors about General Xiao."

Song Yan hummed in agreement and casually explained, "My ancestors came from Changfeng Village, so I've come here to visit our ancestral home."

"I see."

Wu Dou responded and didn't ask any more questions.

Although Song Yan seemed easy to talk to, he didn't want to annoy his wealthy patron for no reason.

Sometimes, Xiao Ju would stare blankly out the carriage window, gazing at the sliver of scenery peeking through the curtains, and ponder the landscape outside.

"What kind of person was Senior Song's grandfather?"

After a bumpy ride on the rugged mountain road for most of the day, we finally stopped in front of a village nestled in a mountain valley.

Changfeng Village is smaller than I imagined, with dozens of households scattered on the hillside, their gray-tiled, earthen-walled houses arranged in a pleasing, staggered pattern.

At the village entrance, an old locust tree stood with its branches askew. Several old men sat under the tree smoking pipes. When the carriage stopped, they all cast puzzled glances at it.

In the distance, several farm women were bending over to plant rice seedlings on the terraced fields, and the occasional bark of a dog added to the quietness of the village.

The arrival of Song Yan and his group seemed rather "noisy".

After getting off the carriage, Song Yan slowly walked forward and bowed to the old men under the locust tree: "Gentlemen, have you ever heard of a man named 'Song Ying'?"

"He was also a villager, and lived here about twenty years ago, but then left. Where did he used to live?"

Unexpectedly, the old man smoking shook his head and clicked his tongue: "In our Changfeng Village, there are people surnamed Shu and Zheng, but this one surnamed Song..."

He turned his gaze to the person beside him: "Hey, how come I've never heard of this before?"

The person next to him who was asked gave the same answer: "Song Ying? Never heard of him."

The old men looked at each other, then shook their heads and clicked their tongues.

Song Yan was taken aback; why did this scene seem so familiar?

I had already anticipated this.

Undeterred, he went door to door along the village paths, asking from one end of the village to the other, and even knocked on the door of the village schoolteacher, but the answers he received were all the same.

"There is no such person."

Xiao Ju, holding the sword, followed quietly by his side.

Wu Dou asked, "Young master, could it be that your elder has misremembered?"

"It shouldn't be."

Song Yan shook his head.

It wasn't until the group passed by the village ancestral hall that they encountered the old village chief, who was using a cane.

The old man squinted and thought for a while, then suddenly said "Oh." Before he could speak, Song Yan's face lit up with joy.

"You mean that itinerant doctor with his medicine chest? I remember him, I remember him."

"But he's not from the village either..."

Not from the village?
“He did come more than 20 years ago. He built a thatched hut in Wuzhiping and lived there for half a year, treating many patients in the village.”

"That man was very strange. He often talked to himself while facing the cliff, and then one day he suddenly disappeared... What, was he a relative of yours?"

Song Yan took a deep breath.

Upon receiving such a strange reply, he found it difficult to calm down.

Why would Grandpa lie to himself?

It's strange. Even if you want to deceive yourself, you should tell yourself that "the ancestral home is Changfeng Village" instead of "Wuzhiping".

What exactly is on Wuzhiping?
He hesitated for a moment, then turned to Wu Dou and said, "Thank you for your hard work, brother. You can go back now. I'd like to stay here for the night."

Wu Dou was somewhat puzzled, but he still nodded.

They boarded the carriage and left.

With nothing else to do, the old village chief led them toward Wuzhiping, where the "thatched hut" was located.

Although the old man is quite old, he is a farmer by trade and walks quite fast.

Song Yan inquired about the village's situation, and the old village chief answered all her questions without reservation.

This question, however, led to a strange outcome.

Changfeng Village was actually formed by merging two villages that were originally located on the mountain.

(End of this chapter)