Dongting Immortal Clan

The person who came was not Shen Congyun, but Zhou Yan's disciple?

Chen Changhe frowned, turned to look at Old Zhang beside him, and whispered:

"Father, please keep an eye on things here for me. I'm going back with my elder brother."

"Go."

Old Zhang nodded and gently tapped the ash off his pipe.

Chen Changhe said no more, and used his spiritual sense to summon his elder brother. The two of them immediately used their lightness technique and sped along the mountain path towards Baiyukou.

The hillside wasn't far from the house; in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the gray-tiled courtyard wall was already in sight.

His wife, Zhang Xiulan, was leaning against the door, looking out. Seeing the two figures, she hurried forward a few steps and whispered:

"A mysterious immortal master has arrived; he descended from the heavens."

"He claims to be a disciple of the immortal master Zhou Yan."

Falling from the sky?

Chen Changhe felt a chill run down his spine.

Such methods indicate a cultivation level at least equal to Li Kaihe's, and possibly even a master of the Qi Refining Realm.

At that moment, he remained calm, straightened his robes, took a deep breath, and stepped into the courtyard.

Inside the main room paved with blue bricks, Chen Chuansheng was sitting beside him.

Seated at the head of the table was a young man in his early twenties, with delicate features, wearing a blue robe, and a warm, lustrous blue jade pendant hanging from his waist, on which was engraved a powerful "Guan" character.

The two were speaking in hushed tones when the young man suddenly sensed something, looked up at the door, and a smile appeared on his lips:

"I'm back."

As soon as he finished speaking, the Chen brothers lifted the curtain and went inside.

The two immediately cupped their hands and bowed, saying:

"Chen Changhe (Chen Dajiang) of the Bishui Chen family pays respects to the Immortal Master."

"May I ask how you should address the Immortal Master?"

Chen Changhe asked.

The young man put down his teacup, rose, and calmly returned the greeting, saying with a composed demeanor:

"I dare not accept such praise."

"I am Guan Chengfeng, the second disciple of Master Zhou Yan and an outer sect steward of the Taixu Sect."

"Greetings, fellow Daoists."

His tone was polite, but carried a faint air of aloofness, unlike Shen Congyun's easygoing manner.

"I have come here on my master's orders because I have something to tell you."

As he spoke, Guan Chengfeng turned his gaze to Chen Chuansheng beside him. Although he did not speak, his meaning was clear.

Having lived to such an old age, Chen Chuan was naturally insightful. Seeing this, he quickly stood up, supporting himself on the back of the chair, and said to Chen Dajiang:

"I'm getting old, I can't sit still anymore. You guys talk about serious matters, I'm going to check on Ji'er and Ze'er."

"Dajiang, help me up."

Chen Dajiang responded and stepped forward to support his father's arm.

The old man's health has indeed deteriorated significantly in the past two years; his back is slightly hunched and his steps are somewhat unsteady.

Once the two figures disappeared behind the curtain, only Chen Changhe and Guan Chengfeng remained in the main room, and the air became quieter.

……

"Now that there is no one else around, Fellow Daoist Guan, please speak freely."

Chen Changhe remained respectful, awaiting the next words.

Guan Chengfeng waved his hand and said:

"Fellow Daoist Chen, you're too kind."

"I am merely at the fifth level of the Spirit Realm, and I dare not accept the title of 'Immortal Master.' We can simply be friends as equals."

He paused briefly, his expression turning solemn.

"I have two matters to discuss with you today."

"Fellow Daoist Guan, please speak."

Chen Changhe stepped forward, adopting a posture of attentive listening.

Guan Chengfeng remained silent for a moment, as if considering his words, before slowly saying:

"The first thing..."

"Have you heard of the events in Lingzhou, Jiangbei?"

"Does Fellow Daoist Guan mean that group of heretical cultivators?"

Chen Changhe's mind raced. He had indeed heard some details about this matter from Li Kaihe and knew that it involved a great deal of people, even the true disciples of aristocratic families and sects had taken action.

However, Lingzhou is thousands of miles away from this Dongting Lake region, and is separated by the natural barrier of the Yangtze River. Logically speaking, it has nothing to do with our small, remote clan.

"Exactly."

Guan Chengfeng nodded, his face solemn.

"Nowadays, some heretical cultivators have been roaming south and have been appearing near my Yunmeng County. My junior brother Shen encountered one of them some time ago and unfortunately... was seriously injured."

His voice became deeper.

"Fortunately, I was able to keep my life thanks to the protective talisman bestowed by my master. Therefore, I was asked to convey his apologies on my behalf when I was unable to attend the appointment. This is the first reason."

Although Shen Congyun was not Zhou Yan's disciple, he also cultivated in the city, and the two had a deep friendship. This time, Shen Congyun was seriously injured and on the verge of death, which made him feel bad.

Chen Changhe's heart sank upon hearing this.

Some time ago, he sent a message to the city, hoping to invite Shen Congyun to go with him to Lujiaoshan Market in the direction of Baling.

But when she heard from him again, he was already seriously injured.

He looked at Guan Chengfeng, his face expressionless, waiting for him to continue.

Guan Chengfeng continued:

"Secondly, it is to convey the sect's decree to your family on behalf of my master."

He took out a pale gold jade talisman from his storage bag and gently activated his magic power.

The jade talisman shimmered with light, and a phantom rose from within it.

It was Zhou Yan.

However, the Zhou Yan in the illusory figure was quite different from the amiable weather inspector in Chen Changhe's memory.

At this moment, his brows and eyes held a commanding presence, his gaze sharp as lightning, and his entire being exuded a chilling aura.

"Under the rule of Taixu, the Chen family of Biyue obeys!"

The phantom spoke, its voice not loud, yet each word was clear, like the clash of metal, echoing throughout the hall.

"The evil cultivators are rampant, wreaking havoc on three prefectures. The Jiangling case was a horrific tragedy. The sect has already ordered its disciples to besiege and suppress them, but the evil cultivators are cunning and treacherous. The situation is urgent. Therefore, the Chen family of Biyue is ordered to send clansmen to Wulong Gorge north of the city to meet and await orders to jointly eliminate the evil cultivators!"

"If this succeeds, the sect will reward you handsomely, with elixirs and spirit stones galore, and you will also be recorded as a meritorious official!"

"Disobeying orders and delaying the battle..."

As the illusory gaze swept over him, even though it was just an illusion, Chen Changhe still felt a slight tightness in his spine.

"This is tantamount to treason! Their cultivation will be crippled, they will be expelled from the Void Realm, their entire family will be destroyed, and there will be no leniency!"

"Zhou Yan, Envoy of the Taixu Observatory, hereby issues this order!"

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

As soon as he finished speaking, the illusory image vanished, and the light of the pale golden jade talisman gradually dimmed, slowly falling into Guan Chengfeng's palm.

Guan Chengfeng presented the jade talisman, which Chen Changhe accepted with both hands. He felt the jade talisman was cool to the touch, but his heart sank slowly.

The main room was completely silent.

The only sounds were the faint sound of the wind outside the window and Chen Changhe's increasingly rapid heartbeat.

Even with Shen Congyun's cultivation at the third level of the Spirit Realm, he was still so severely injured.

My own Yuquan (a point on the body) is not yet open, and my elder brother has just emerged from his wooden body. This journey, though called "assistance," is likely to be a perilous one with nine out of ten chances of survival.

Seeing his solemn expression, Guan Chengfeng offered words of comfort:

"Fellow Daoist Chen, there's no need to worry."

"This mobilization is mainly for setting up outposts around Wulong Gorge, relaying messages, and assisting with various miscellaneous tasks such as supplying supplies. There is no need to directly confront the evil cultivators."

"The sect disciples will handle this matter themselves."

Chen Changhe nodded, pondered for a moment, and asked:

"How exactly did Fellow Daoist Shen get injured?"

"Oh, what a coincidence."

Guan Chengfeng shook his head, his tone tinged with emotion.

"A few days ago, that group of evil cultivators attacked a villa belonging to the Shen family in Longxi and looted it. Junior Brother Shen happened to be visiting home that day and ran into them, which is why he suffered this misfortune."

He paused, then continued:

"After succeeding with the Shen family, the evil cultivator fled south, eventually disappearing in the Wulong Gorge area. It seems he intended to escape to Jiangzhou by waterway..."

Chen Changhe lowered his head and stared at the jade talisman in his hand, his fingertips unconsciously stroking his face, remaining silent for a long time.

Guan Chengfeng didn't urge him, but picked up his teacup and slowly drank it, his eyes scanning the four walls of the main room.

Blue bricks and gray tiles, wooden beams and earthen walls.

Hanging in the center is a landscape painting, its brushwork naive and clumsy, like a child's practice piece.

Ancestor tablets were placed on the altar, and three sticks of incense burned in the incense burner, with wisps of smoke rising, resembling the typical residence of a country gentry.

Unless one knows the details, it would be extremely difficult to tell that the Chen family is a family of cultivators.

Chen Changhe nodded slightly and then asked:

"Besides the Chen family, were any other families conscripted?"