Dongting Immortal Clan

"Um."

Guan Chengfeng responded and turned to the Chen brothers, saying:

"Please come in and rest for a while, my fellow Daoists. I'll be right back."

The old servant led the Chen brothers into the courtyard, which was simple yet tidy.

The ground is paved with blue bricks, and a few clumps of green bamboo are planted in the corner, making a rustling sound when the wind blows through them.

The main hall was open and bright, furnished with tables and chairs, and a pot of freshly brewed tea was placed in front of it.

The old servant called over a maid to pour tea for the two of them.

Chen Changhe sat down and took a small sip of tea.

The tea is refreshing and has a long-lasting sweet aftertaste, quite different from the coarse tea commonly drunk in the village.

Chen Dajiang did not sit down, but stood by the door, his gaze slowly sweeping over the layout of the courtyard, silently memorizing it.

After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, both of them sensed footsteps coming from the backyard.

Guan Chengfeng returned, followed by another person.

The man looked a few years younger than Guan Chengfeng, slightly shorter, with a round face, habitually squinting eyes, and a naturally upturned mouth. He had a smile on his face even before he spoke, which made people trust and like him more.

He was dressed in a worn gray cloth robe, with a boxwood plaque hanging from his waist, on which was carved a round "福" (fortune) character.

"This is my third son, Guan Chengfu."

Guan Chengfeng introduced:

"He frequented the market in Lujiaoshan all year round and knew all the connections."

Guan Chengfu smiled and cupped his hands in greeting:

"I have long admired the Chen family of Bishui. I would like to greet you two fellow Daoists."

Chen Changhe stood up and returned the greeting:

"I dare not accept such praise. I will have to trouble Fellow Daoist Chengfu with this trip to Deer Horn Mountain."

"He's a naturally smiling person; he's like that to everyone."

Guan Chengfeng patted his cousin on the shoulder and said to Chen Changhe:

"But rest assured, fellow Daoist, we are never ambiguous when it comes to serious matters."

"If you need to find cultivation techniques, exchange for spiritual materials, or gather information, you can't go wrong by going to him."

Having said that, he turned to Chen Dajiang, his expression slightly serious, and said:

"Fellow Daoist Dajiang, it's getting late, we should set off now."

"We can't afford to delay at Wulong Gorge."

Chen Dajiang nodded, walked up to Chen Changhe, and simply stretched out his broad palm to press heavily on his shoulder.

Chen Changhe looked up at his elder brother, his throat bobbing slightly, a thousand words churning in his chest, but in the end, they condensed into only two words.

"Take care of yourself."

"Um."

Chen Dajiang withdrew his hand, turned around and left, his steps steady.

As he reached the courtyard gate, he suddenly stopped, turned around, and grinned, revealing a set of white teeth:

"The Long River!"

"How about we have a contest and see who can break through Yuquan Pass first?"

Chen Changhe was taken aback, then laughed and said loudly:

"good!"

Chen Dajiang said no more and strode away, disappearing into the alleyway outside the door along with Guan Chengfeng's figure.

Chen Changhe stood alone in his courtyard, gazing at the empty alleyway, motionless for a long time.

The laughter and chatter between the brothers that morning still seemed to echo in my ears, but now, the eldest brother was about to head alone to that unknown and dangerous place to hunt down those vicious and evil cultivators.

I hope everyone stays safe...

Guan Chengfu stood quietly behind him, still smiling, without making a sound to disturb him.

After a long while, Chen Changhe slowly turned around, his expression calm:

"Fellow Daoist Chengfu, when shall we depart?"

"No rush."

Guan Chengfu waved his hand with a smile.

"The Cloud Ferry can seat nine people, but only five have arrived in the courtyard so far. Let's wait a little longer."

"Fellow Daoist Chen, why don't you rest your feet and have a meal first, and I'll slowly tell you about Yunmeng County and Lujiao Mountain."

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.

The two sat down in the main hall, and Guan Chengfu had an old servant bring up a few small dishes and a bowl of rice.

As soon as he sat down at the table, Guan Chengfeng couldn't wait to start talking.

"Yunmeng County is under the jurisdiction of the Immortal Sect, so naturally the Taixu Sect is the most respected."

"Secondly, there is the Lingguan Temple set up in the city."

"The Celestial Officials have the authority to supervise all cultivators in the world, including disciples of sects and aristocratic families."

"We have the support of the Immortal Sect. Even if we commit some wrongdoing, as long as we don't indiscriminately kill innocent people or practice evil sacrificial rituals, the spirit officials in the hall will not hold it against us."

Chen Changhe held his teacup and nodded silently.

Guan Chengfu continued:

"Among the seven families in Yunmeng County, the strongest is the Zhao family of Qingshiya."

"The Zhao family is skilled in crafting artifacts and has a reputation in the Yunmeng area. Many of the magical artifacts used by rogue cultivators are made from their artifacts... The Zhao family has three Qi Refiners who guard two spirit mines and have made a fortune over the years."

"The Sun family of Baima Lake, which ranks second, is skilled in taming spirit beasts. The cranes raised by the Sun family can deliver messages, and the fish they raise can be used as medicine. They are a family that specially releases spirit beasts into Baima Lake for the immortal sects."

"The Zheng family of Mufu Mountain, ranked third, is a family of alchemists. Most of its members are alchemists, and one of them, like your third brother, is cultivating at Zilu Mountain..."

Upon hearing this, Chen Changhe was surprised, not expecting Guan Chengfu to be so familiar with his family's affairs.

However, upon further reflection, it's not surprising that Guan Chengfu, a disciple of Zhou Yan, and Chen Xiaohu, a member of the Taixu Sect introduced by Zhou Yan, would know about this matter.

……

"These three families are considered to be top-tier families, each with one or more Qi Refiners in charge."

Guan Chengfu paused, then changed his tone.

"Next, we go to the mid-tier families."

"The Shen family of Longxi ranks fourth."

"The Shen family has a history of producing cultivators at the Qi Refining Realm, so their foundation is not bad, but they have declined somewhat in recent years."

"Several hundred acres of spiritual fields, more than ten cultivators at the Spirit Realm, and two Qi Refining Seeds..."

Guan Chengfu smiled and continued:

"Our Guan family of Heming Peak ranks fifth."

When he spoke of his own home, his tone became even more subdued:

"My family's rise to prominence is related to the immortal sects. My ancestor was the sect's external affairs manager, responsible for overseeing the sect's stores. Hence, my family's tradition is to be adept at social maneuvering."

"The Ning family of Shensang Mountain ranks sixth. They make a living by raising silkworms and reeling silk. The Ning family is small, but the members are all quite talented. In recent years, several disciples have been chosen by the sect."

He glanced at Chen Changhe:

"Your Chen family of Biyue is ranked seventh... but you're actually last."

Chen Changhe held his teacup, his expression unchanged.

"Last is last."

He didn't care much about the ranking.

Guan Chengfu shook his head. "The number of families under the rule of the Immortal Sect is limited, at most nine."

"In previous years, when Senior Zhou first took office, he immediately eliminated four families. The Shen family and the Guan family were promoted later."

"These seven families are not the only ones going to Wulong Gorge this time."

Upon hearing this, Chen Changhe's eyes narrowed, and he said calmly:

"Fellow Daoist, do you mean... that this campaign to suppress the evil cultivators at Wulong Gorge will inevitably lead to conflicts with other families?"

Guan Chengfu nodded slightly, but did not say much about Yunmeng County. Instead, he talked about Lujiaoshan Market.

"Lujiaoshan Market is located southwest of Baling, more than 400 li from Yunmeng County."

"By traveling by water and going downstream, it will only take a day and a night to reach our destination."

"The market is the largest trading place for independent cultivators in Baling, and it is mainly backed by three forces."

"The Taixu Sect, the Zhang family of Baling, and an alliance of rogue cultivators called the 'Divine Cauldron Gang'."

His smile faded slightly, and his tone became more serious:

"There are three rules for the market."

"First, fighting is prohibited in the market."

"No matter how great the grudge, once you enter the market, you must put it away. Anyone who violates this rule will have their cultivation abolished and be expelled from the market, regardless of whether they live or die."

"Secondly, transactions are voluntary; once the purchase is made, the transaction is final and the transaction is over. We are not responsible for any losses once the transaction leaves the market."

"Third, do not pry into the seller's identity or background. Do not ask what you should not ask, and do not look at what you should not look at."

Chen Changhe noted them down one by one and nodded.

"clear."

Guan Chengfu laughed again and stood up.

"Let's go then, it's time to get to the ferry."