Sword Sect Outer Sect

Chapter 364 Uninvited Guest

March 7th.

A spirit boat came from the direction of Dongyuan Sect and sped towards Lingyang River.

Five people were seated inside the spirit boat.

Song Yan and his apprentice Xiao Ju were playing chess on a jade chessboard, while Qin Yue lay on the viewing platform of the spirit boat, looking down at the scenery and occasionally exclaiming in surprise.

Perhaps because he was attending a wedding banquet, Li Yi had changed out of his usual tight-fitting clothes and armor and put on a brand new brocade robe, looking quite respectable, which made Song Yan feel a little uncomfortable for a while.

He sat down next to Qin Yue and pointed out the direction to the child.

“Look there, that’s Yan’ou, my hometown.”

"Wow, Senior Brother Li Yi, where is that?"

That's Yunxi City.

Qin Xijun, on the other hand, was bored out of her mind. She lay on her side by the chessboard watching Song Yan and Xiao Ju play chess, occasionally offering her opinions.

"Why didn't you go down here? If you had gone down here, Xiao Ju would have died."

"Tsk."

Song Yan rolled her eyes at her: "Master, a true gentleman observes chess without speaking, so please don't say anything."

“I’m not a gentleman, I’ll just say it.”

"...Then you come and talk to Xiao Ju."

"I won't."

"..."

Watching her master and grandmaster, both Foundation Establishment cultivators, bickering like three-year-olds, Xiao Ju couldn't help but smile.

The scene before me felt like a return to the time when I traveled with my master.

After a while of commotion, Song Yan and Xiao Ju continued their chess game.

The master and apprentice chatted while playing chess.

Xiao Ju has now reached the ninth level of Qi Refining and has been searching for precious herbs to prepare for Foundation Establishment.

When the matter was mentioned, Xiao Ju was still a little uneasy.

There was no other way; if the Foundation Establishment failed, at best the foundation would be damaged, and at worst the path to enlightenment would be severed, so she couldn't help but be nervous.

"You have a solid foundation, so just follow the steps and there's no need to worry too much."

As Song Yan spoke, he placed a chess piece.

He actually had one mid-grade Sword Dao Foundation Building Pill left over from the previous refinement, which he had saved for Xiao Ju, but he planned to give it to her when she had prepared everything herself.

Listening to their conversation, Qin Xijun's gaze fell on Xiao Ju's face, and she couldn't help but sigh, "Time really flies, year after year. In the blink of an eye, even my grand-disciple is about to reach the Foundation Establishment stage."

"Time really flies!"

Qin Xijun's tone was full of wistful reflection on the passage of time: "Now Xiao Ye is even getting married...tsk tsk..."

Just then, Li Yi led Qin Yue back from the viewing platform.

Li Yi was different from the others; the invitation he received was sent by Nangong Wang.

I wanted to refuse, but when I heard that Song Yan was also going, I decided to go with her.

"Hahaha, I heard that Senior Brother Lu is personally handling everything for this wedding banquet, as if he is about to leave Dongyuan Sect and marry into the Nangong family."

A complex look flashed in Qin Xijun's eyes, which then turned into a relieved smile: "Even if it really is a marriage into the family, that's not bad."

"Ziye, this child, finally has a decent home and family members who truly care about him."

"Don't let his carefree and playful demeanor fool you; he actually has a rather tragic past."

"He lost his parents at a young age and survived by begging in Yunxi City. He almost froze to death on the street in the dead of winter. I picked him up when I was passing by."

This was the first time Song Yan had heard about Senior Brother Lu's background, and he was quite surprised.

Since entering the inner sect, I haven't had much interaction with Senior Brother Lu.

He had always thought that his senior brother was a cynical and worldly young master.

"It is his blessing and his own good fortune to have such a good girl like Ling'er by his side to get to where he is today."

The boat fell silent for a moment.

Song Yan listened in silence. He himself was also an orphan, but compared to Senior Brother Lu, he seemed to be extremely lucky.

A day later, a fortified city shrouded in mist appeared on the distant horizon.

Looking at the city in the clouds, Qin Yue couldn't help but exclaim in amazement, "Wow..."

This was her first time visiting Jiangxian Pass.

Outside Jiangxian Pass, the cluster of mansions along the Lingyang River gradually comes into view, with pavilions and towers scattered among the mountains and rivers in a well-organized manner.

……

Today, the Nangong family is different from the past. Everywhere is decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations. Bright red silk extends from the gate tower all the way to the depths of the inner courtyard. Lanterns with shimmering lights are hung up early, radiating a festive glow even in the daytime.

The air was filled with the faint fragrance of spiritual flowers and herbs, and the lively voices of people; the festive atmosphere could be felt from afar.

If a passing cultivator were to witness this, they would likely assume it was a young lady from the Nangong family getting married.

When asked, the servants of the Nangong family only said that a female cultivator from the clan was going to marry a male cultivator from the Dongyuan Sect.

The female cultivator was named Nangong Ling. She was unknown and came from a branch family. Her parents died when she was young, and she had no close relatives.

She had only one old servant who had raised her since she was a child.

How strange! Why is the wedding banquet so extravagant?

Who is the man?

Oh, there's a cultivator from the Dongyuan Sect named Lu Ziye. He's not very famous, and most people wouldn't even recognize him.

If you really want to dig deeper, you'll find that he and the now-famous Song Yan are from the same school.

Looking at it this way, it seems reasonable that the scale of the event was larger.

but……

With the clan elders and patriarchs stepping in to coordinate and arrange things, and two young ladies from the Nangong family also coming to help, isn't that a bit too much?

The spirit boat slowly descended at the mooring platform specially prepared for the guests by the Nangong family.

As soon as Song Yan and his group landed, several figures warmly greeted them.

The couple at the head of the procession were none other than the groom, Lu Ziye, and the bride, Nangong Ling.

Lu Ziye was wearing a well-tailored bright red wedding dress, which made him look tall and straight. His face was beaming with an undisguised smile, and he looked less lazy than usual and more spirited.

The woman beside him, Nangong Ling, was dressed in a phoenix coronet and embroidered robe, with exquisite makeup, beautiful features, and a gentle temperament.

Today is the eighth day of the lunar month, and the formal wedding banquet will begin tomorrow.

However, as the only elder on Lu Ziye's side, Qin Xijun did need to arrive earlier, as there were some traditional rituals that required her participation.

Beside Nangong Ling were two elegant women, whom Song Yan recognized as the two eldest daughters of the Nangong family.

Nangong Wang's gaze swept over everyone, finally landing on Li Yi, his eyes noticeably brightening.

"Hahaha, Master! Junior Brother Song! You've finally arrived!"

Lu Ziye laughed loudly, strode forward, greeted his master and junior brother, and then warmly invited Li Yi and the others: "You must be tired from your journey, please come in!"

Nangong Wang said, "Brother Li, it's been a long time. How have you been?"

Li Yi felt a little uncomfortable under her gaze, so he coughed lightly and returned the greeting with a cupped hand: "Miss Nangong, it's been a long time, you are even more charming than before."

The group chatted and laughed as they made their way to their lodgings arranged by the clan.

"Are you Fellow Daoist Ju?"

Xiao Ju was following behind Song Yan when she suddenly heard someone call her name. She turned around and saw that it was Nangong Shu, the second young lady of the Nangong family.

"My name is Ju Luyi."

Before the banquet at Jiangtian, Xiao Ju had met the eldest young lady, Nangong Wang, at Jiangxian Pass, but had never met the second young lady. Today was the first time they had met.

She was about the same height as me and looked rather thin.

Compared to the well-mannered and knowledgeable eldest daughter, Nangong Wang, this second young lady, although also very proper in her manners, lacked a certain air of nobility. This was not meant to be derogatory; on the contrary, it naturally gave Xiao Ju a sense of closeness.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. We have arranged separate accommodations for each of you. Please follow me, Fellow Daoist Ju."

"Oh, no need." Xiao Ju quickly waved her hand: "I am traveling with my master this time, so please arrange for me to stay at his residence."

These large families arrange separate courtyards for their distinguished guests, sometimes even with separate outer and inner courtyards.

In Xiao Ju's opinion, as a mere Qi Refining cultivator, a quiet room would suffice; there was no need for such a grand display.

This was the case when I traveled with my master in the past.

"This……"

Upon hearing this, the members of the Nangong family looked to Song Yan for his opinion.

"Okay, sure." Song Yan nodded.

This situation seems normal to outsiders, since they are here to attend a banquet, not to stay for an extended period.

After obtaining the guest's consent, the servants of the Nangong family naturally stopped meddling in the matter, so that they could arrange for another fellow Daoist to come and offer their congratulations.

As they walked, Nangong Shu chatted amiably with Xiao Ju.

Upon reaching the central courtyard of the clan's territory, many servants came from all directions to guide everyone to their respective residences.

Qin Xijun first needs to meet with Nangong Ling's grandfather, also known as "Old Servant Zhang Cheng".

Song Yan had also considered whether or not to go and meet Senior Zhang Cheng.

But after thinking about it, I realized there was no need for that.

Senior Zhang Cheng has yet to tell Nangong Ling that he is a Golden Core cultivator, it seems he simply wants to attend his granddaughter's wedding banquet as an ordinary old man.

These respected elders and experts all prefer this kind of quiet, unassuming life in the city.

The two young ladies were to assist the head of the Nangong family in receiving other guests.

The group then parted ways here for the time being.

The person leading Song Yan and Xiao Ju was a handsome young man.

"Esteemed seniors, please follow me."

Throughout the Nangong clan's territory, many servants hurried about, making the scene somewhat chaotic.

Perhaps feeling the chaos, the young man explained, "Please forgive us, seniors, but we've had many guests these past few days, some... some of them came uninvited."

"The place is a mixed bag, so some formations and restrictions in the clan's territory have been activated. There are several locations where communication talismans cannot be used, which is why it looks like this."

"It wasn't this chaotic originally."

Song Yan nodded slightly.

The uninvited guests he mentioned weren't necessarily there out of hostility to disrupt the wedding banquet.

Wedding banquets of large families like this usually include a parting of money, just for good luck.

Therefore, many impoverished rogue cultivators would come here, just to get some spirit stones, pills and other resources.

However, these matters will be handled by the cultivators of the Nangong family.

The detached courtyard arranged for Song Yan nestled against a natural mountainside with a small waterfall, its waters flowing gently. Several gnarled ancient pines leaned out, shading the elegant courtyard.

A gray-white stone tablet stands quietly in front of the porch, inscribed with four powerful ancient characters: "Black Crane Arrives."

"This is the accommodation arranged for the two of you."

The young servant bowed and said in a gentle voice, "Xuanhe Courtyard is quiet and secluded, with little disturbance. It has a quiet room, an alchemy room, and a small garden. If you have any requests, you can use this communication jade talisman at any time, and a servant will come to you."

Song Yan scanned it with his divine sense and found it to be just an ordinary communication talisman, nothing unusual. He nodded and said, "Thank you for your trouble."

"You're too kind, senior. I'll take my leave now."

The young servant bowed again, then turned and disappeared through the courtyard gate.

Although the spiritual energy here is not as strong as that of a sect's cave dwelling, with the spirit-gathering array in operation, it's not much different.

Besides, it was only a short stay of one or two days, and the two of them didn't ask for much.

He didn't care about any grand or extravagant displays; this quiet place suited him perfectly.

The master and apprentice each chose two quiet rooms, but there wasn't much to settle them in.

Xiao Ju apologized and went back to her room to meditate and cultivate, making the most of every second in preparation for the upcoming Foundation Establishment stage.

The story of Master Lu's background told by Grandmaster Qin Xijun during the day strengthened her resolve. The path of cultivation is long, and to be able to meet a good teacher and find a place to settle down is already a great blessing.

She calmed her mind and quickly immersed herself in cultivation.

The sun sets in the west, the moon hangs low, and crows cry.

The night deepened.

Song Yan sat in the quiet room, carefully reading through the contents of Guanshan Hai.

Countless mountains, numerous demon races.

What kind of people would Xiaohe's predecessors be?
In Song Yan's view, Xiao He was exceptionally gifted. Even before reaching the second level of cultivation, she could transform into human form as soon as she gained sentience.

Her ancestors must have been some kind of powerful demon.

Is it this long snake?

"Two hundred and eighty li to the north is Mount Daxian, barren of vegetation, but rich in jade at its foot. There is a snake called the Long Snake, whose fur is like a boar's hair, and whose sound is like a drum."

It is said that there is a demon called the Long Serpent, who dwells in Mount Daxian.

But Song Yan thought it probably wasn't true. Xiao He was a very beautiful snake, and in her demonic form, she didn't have that much hair.

This long snake is of average appearance.

From this perspective, the "sounding snake" is more likely...

Just then, a leisurely flute melody suddenly entered his ears.

Song Yan frowned.

You should know that Xuanhe Courtyard has a soundproof array. Xiao Ju had already activated the array at night, so even the sound of the waterfall on the mountainside next door couldn't get in.

He stood up and walked outside.

The flute music was sometimes melodious and graceful, and sometimes mournful and desolate.

At first listen, it seems far away, but upon closer listening, it feels as if it's right next to you.

"Xiao Ju..."

However, apart from the sound of the flute, the courtyard was completely silent, with no response.

His divine sense suddenly expanded, and a ray of golden light surged into his eyes.

He walked to the center of the courtyard, and there, under the clear moonlight, at the intersection of the pebble paths, sat a person sitting leisurely.

This person was dressed in the most ordinary servant's clothes of the Nangong family, and his posture was relaxed, as if he was just taking a nap under the moon.

He held a ceramic flute in both hands, and the sound of the flute flowed out continuously, filling the entire Xuanhe Courtyard.

Under the moonlight, her delicate face was revealed.

It was the same boy who had led them here during the day.

Perhaps sensing Song Yan's presence, he opened his eyes and slowly put down the ocarina.

He tilted his head slightly and said, "How was the piece I played just now?"

His voice carried a faint hint of laughter, and when he spoke, it was as if he were exchanging pleasantries with an old friend.

Song Yan, however, was not puzzled.

A false face and disguise are rendered meaningless before these eyes.

“Shi Yunhao,” Song Yan said.

"I'm glad you still remember me."

The young servant swept his hair back, his disguise vanished, and the ends of his hair turned slightly red.

"How have you been?" Shi Yunhao said.