Retirement begins with summoning Yuan Tiangang

early morning!

Lin Feng was awakened by Master Yu Yuan's morning broadcast.

"Boy! Get up! The early bird catches the worm, are you still sleeping in? Back in my day, when I was refining elixirs, I'd get up before dawn to collect dew..."

The sound buzzed in my head, like a fly had made its home in my ear canal.

Lin Feng winced in pain, grabbed a pillow and covered his head, but the sound was directly in his mind, and the pillow couldn't block it out at all.

He sat up, his hair a mess, his eyes not fully open, and gritted his teeth at the air: "Could you... possibly... be... quiet... for... a... while?"

"Oh, you're awake?"

Master Yu Yuan's voice was tinged with smugness.

"I'm doing this for your own good, aren't I? Young people should listen to the advice of their elders and eat less..."

I won't listen.

Raymond Lam jumped out of bed, walked to the table, grabbed the small cloth bag containing the rings, and pretended to throw it out the window.

"If you keep making noise, I'll throw this thing in the latrine."

"No, no, no!"

Master Yu Yuan immediately shut his mouth, and after a while, his voice weakly sounded again.

"Kid, you can't do this... This ring is a treasure, after all..."

I don't think so.

Lin Feng stuffed the cloth bag back into his bundle and began to put on his clothes.

When I came downstairs dressed, Qinglong was already sitting in his usual spot, at the table by the window, with a cup of cold tea.

He was dressed in a dark brown cloth robe today, still as clean and neat as ever, but Lin Feng noticed that he had a small cloth bag around his waist, bulging and full, and he didn't know what it contained.

Good morning, Uncle Qinglong.

Raymond Lam greeted him.

Qinglong nodded and pointed to the table: "Have breakfast, then get ready to leave."

Breakfast was still porridge and pickled vegetables, but with two more boiled eggs.

As Lin Feng was peeling eggs, a familiar voice came from outside the door.

"Raymond Lam! Raymond Lam, are you there?"

It's the sound of opening.

Lin Feng quickly put down the eggs and ran out, only to see Uncle Mo Wen standing at the entrance of the post station with Zhang Kai, Li Qianqian, Zhao Mingxuan, and Chen Jing'an.

They were all carrying bundles, clearly ready to set off.

"Uncle Mo! Open up! Qianqian!" Lin Feng greeted her happily.

"You're living quite comfortably, kid."

Zhang Kai patted him on the shoulder and grinned.

He changed into a clean set of coarse cloth clothes today. Although they were old, they were washed until they were faded, and he looked very energetic.

Li Qianqian also greeted Lin Feng with a smile. She was wearing a light yellow dress today, her hair was neatly combed, and she had a new silk flower pinned to her hair. She seemed to be in a good mood.

Zhao Mingxuan stood at the very back, still wearing a brocade robe. Although he had been traveling for two days and his clothes were a little wrinkled, he was clearly trying his best to maintain a presentable appearance.

He saw Lin Feng and simply nodded slightly as a greeting.

Chen Jing'an remained quiet, carrying a small bundle on her back, standing beside Mo Wen, staring blankly at the pedestrians on the street.

"Is everything ready?" Mo Wen asked gently.

"Ready."

Lin Feng nodded.

"By the way, Uncle Mo, Uncle Qinglong is coming with us."

Mo Wen raised an eyebrow.

Just as Lin Feng was about to explain, Qinglong walked out of the post station.

The two exchanged a glance.

That glance was brief, but Lin Feng felt as if they had exchanged some information—even though neither of them spoke.

He then introduced Qinglong: "These are Zhang Kai, Li Qianqian, Zhao Mingxuan, and Chen Jingan."

Qinglong nodded, which was considered a greeting.

His expression remained unchanged, but Lin Feng noticed that his gaze lingered on Chen Jing'an for an extra second—a very brief second, so brief that it would be unnoticed unless one was deliberately observing.

"Mr. Mo."

The Azure Dragon spoke, its voice deep and resonant.

"I'm sorry to have bothered you along the way."

"Mr. Qinglong, you're too kind." Mo Wen smiled slightly. "Having one more person means one more person to look after you."

Both of them spoke very politely.

Zhao Mingxuan stared at the Azure Dragon for a few moments, his brows furrowing slightly.

He was clearly sizing up Qinglong. This man's clothes were too ordinary; he looked like an ordinary martial arts practitioner. But his inexplicable aura made him seem unlike an ordinary person.

"Uncle Qinglong..."

Zhao Mingxuan tentatively asked, "What do you do for a living?"

Qinglong glanced at him and said indifferently, "A wandering swordsman."

"Wandering the martial arts world?" Zhao Mingxuan clearly didn't believe it.

"Why bother with traveling the martial arts world?"

"I'll run away from everything," Qinglong answered crisply, but that was as good as saying nothing at all.

Zhao Mingxuan wanted to ask more, but Mo Wen spoke up: "Alright, it's getting late, we should set off."

After getting ready, the group set off.

Mo Wen walked at the front, the hem of his gray robe swaying gently with each step.

Next, the five children walked side by side: Lin Feng and Zhang Kai, Li Qianqian followed behind them, Zhao Mingxuan walked alone to the side, and Chen Jing walked quietly at the back.

Qinglong walked at the very back of the group, wearing a straw hat and with his hands behind his head, a posture that made him look much more casual. He also had a piece of weed he had picked from somewhere in his mouth, which he swayed slowly.

After leaving Yuanyang County, we set off again on the dirt road.

The scenery on both sides of the road was similar to before: wild grass, field ridges, and distant mountains.

But Lin Feng felt that his mood was different when he saw these views today.

It's probably because there are more people.

It could also be because... someone has become a chatterbox in my head.

"Kid, your uncle's got some skills."

Master Yu Yuan's voice rang out again, this time with a hint of appreciation.

"Walks with a confident stride, has a stable stance, and sharp eyes. Excellent!"

Lin Feng ignored him.

"That little old man is passable too."

Master Yu Yuan continued his commentary, clearly referring to Mo Wen.

"His aura is restrained, with a hint of Confucian righteousness. Although he is not yet proficient, his foundation is good."

Lin Feng remained silent, simply walking on in silence.

"Your friends are also very talented."

Master Yu Yuan got excited and commented on each one, "That big guy has strong bones and is suitable for body cultivation; that little girl is clever and might have a talent for alchemy; that second to last kid..."

He paused, a hint of doubt in his voice: "That's interesting. Something's a little strange."

Lin Feng's heart skipped a beat, but he remained outwardly calm.

"As for the one who's dressed a bit too well..."

Master Yu Yuan was clearly referring to Zhao Mingxuan, saying, "His aptitude is somewhat lacking, and his temperament is impetuous; he will never amount to anything."

After finishing his critique, he began to boast: "Back in the day, I was a seventh-grade alchemist! Seventh-grade! Do you know what seventh-grade is? In the entire Central Court, there were no more than five seventh-grade alchemists! The people who wanted me to refine their pills stretched from the imperial palace of the Great Yan Dynasty to the border of the Great Yuan Dynasty—countless! I also had an incredibly powerful cultivation technique called the 'Nine Revolutions Elixir Essence Technique.' When cultivated to its peak, it allowed one to attain enlightenment through elixirs and ascend to immortality in broad daylight..."

He bragged wildly, but Raymond Lam didn't say a word from beginning to end.

It's not that I don't want to reply, it's that I don't know how.

The old man was serious one moment and crazy the next, and what he said was a mix of truth and falsehood. Lin Feng couldn't tell which words he could believe and which were just bragging.

Moreover, only he can hear this voice; if he suddenly speaks, others will definitely think he's crazy.

So he could only remain silent, walk silently, and listen to Master Yu Yuan's personal lecture in his mind.

Zhao Mingxuan, who was walking in front, suddenly turned around and glanced at Lin Feng.

"Raymond Lam,"

He spoke, his voice tinged with inquiry.

"Is your Uncle Qinglong really a friend of your father?"

Raymond Lam nodded: "Mm."

"How did your father come to know these kinds of江湖人 (jianghu people)?"

Zhao Mingxuan's tone carried an undisguised sense of superiority.

"Our Zhao family knows quite a few martial arts figures, but they all have names and surnames. You, Uncle Qinglong... we've never heard of you."

These words were quite impolite. Zhang Kai frowned, and Li Qianqian also glanced at Zhao Mingxuan with some displeasure.

But Raymond Lam wasn't angry. He simply said calmly, "I don't know all the people my dad knows."

Zhao Mingxuan was taken aback and was about to say something when Qinglong, who was walking at the back, suddenly spoke up.

The sound wasn't loud, but it reached everyone's ears clearly.

"The world of martial arts is vast."

Qinglong said, still with the weed in his mouth, his voice a little muffled, but every word was clear.

"Those who have names and surnames are not necessarily truly capable. Those who are truly capable are not necessarily named or surnamed."

After he finished speaking, he shut his mouth and continued walking slowly.

Zhao Mingxuan's expression changed, but he didn't say anything more.

Lin Feng breathed a sigh of relief, and his impression of Qinglong improved even more. Those words were truly satisfying.

Master Yu Yuan laughed heartily in his mind: "Well said! Kid, your uncle is a wise man!"

Lin Feng still ignored him.

The procession continued forward.