Chapter 755: Chapter 753: Revisiting the Old Place ×2
After leaving Baisha River, one man and one deer arrived at Qingzhou’s Fanshu City.
The city was as bustling as ever, with streams of people moving to and fro.
Upon entering the city, Ning Daoran headed straight for the sword-casting shop.
A manager received them.
“May I ask, Senior, who you are looking for?” The manager, portly and clearly not a cultivator, noticed Ning Daoran’s extraordinary deanor and the sacred aura of the spiritual deer, understanding instantly that they were no ordinary individuals.
“I’m wondering, does the owner of this sword-casting shop still bear the surna Sang?”
“Oh no, not for ages~~~”
The manager whispered, “To tell you the truth, Senior, the current owner of this sword-casting shop has the surna Chen. I’ve been the manager here for twenty years and have never t anyone with the surna Sang. However, the old shopkeeper once ntioned that, about a century and a half ago, the owner of the shop was indeed surnad Sang.”
“Oh?”
Ning Daoran smiled and asked, “And why was the owner replaced?”
“Cough, cough…”
The manager chuckled and said, “Rumor has it the last Sang family shopkeeper was a gambling addict, utterly fascinated with brothel girls in the city. In just a few decades, he squandered his family’s legacy clean. Eventually, he sold the sword-casting shop outright. Business here has always been excellent, and generations of artisans have worked here, so selling it was an easy matter. Over the years, it changed hands multiple tis, and the current owner’s surna is Chen.”
“I see.”
Ning Daoran sighed, “It seems the saying ‘wealth does not last beyond three generations’ holds so truth…”
He couldn’t help but reflect, astonished that Sang Ping’an’s descendants had fallen so far. Even a sliver of their ancestor’s ambition would have sufficed to prevent the complete downfall of the sword-casting shop.
“Senior.”
The manager asked, “The Sang family shopkeepers were centuries ago. Could it be that Senior knew them?”
“Indeed.”
Ning Daoran nodded, “I spent so years in this sword-casting shop myself back then, but I hadn’t expected it to change so much over ti! Manager, I’m sorry to have disturbed you. I’ll take my leave now!”
“You honor , Senior!”
After leaving the sword-casting shop, one man and one deer strolled along the river.
They weren’t overly distressed—for the rise and fall of a family is not sothing that can be controlled by human effort. A cultivator like Ning Daoran, who pursues the natural Taoist path, doesn’t force what cannot be. Still, the precipitous decline of the Sang family evoked a pang of lancholy.
At this mont, peach blossoms were in full bloom within the city, and spring perated the air.
Soon after, Ning Daoran and Big Stupid Deer arrived at a gravesite.
The burial site was dilapidated, the tombstone weathered to the point where the inscriptions were barely legible.
Lying within the grave was none other than Elder Ou Yeping, the ntor who once taught Big Stupid Deer.
One man and one deer took out their tools and began removing the overgrown weeds, fully refurbishing the grave. Ning Daoran even went outside the city to procure a sturdy granite slab to replace the decrepit tombstone, engraving it anew. He also laid a stone-paved path around the site.
After finishing, they set up sacrificial offerings and lit incense and joss paper for the departed.
“Elder, Ning Daoran is here to bid you farewell one final ti.”
He gently bowed with clasped hands and said, “In a few days, I will ascend to leave this realm. May your spirit in the heavens find peace.”
“Howww~~~!”
Big Stupid Deer also cried out and knelt to bow twice.
…
Afterward, one man and one deer continued eastward along the main avenue, arriving at the Floating Duckweed Workshop where they once had mories.
The Floating Duckweed Workshop remained the sa, and business seed to be thriving. However, the current owner was no longer from Chen Ping’er’s lineage.
Ning Daoran stepped into the workshop, whereupon a female cultivator imdiately greeted him.
She wore an immortal dress, her cultivation at the late Foundation Establishnt stage. She was stunningly beautiful, her brows carrying a natural charm that was hard to resist.
“This… this Senior…”
The woman stared at Ning Daoran, utterly unable to determine his cultivation level. Yet, in a fleeting mont, the aura he exuded belonged to soone above the Nascent Soul stage. Her heart chilled at once, and she hastily adjusted her posture to salute him with a smile: “I humbly greet Senior. I am Lan Yue, the owner of the Floating Duckweed Workshop.”
“Hmm.”
Ning Daoran smiled and nodded, “Fairy Lan Yue, my surna is Ning. This ti, I’ve co to the Floating Duckweed Workshop not to purchase anything, but because I have an old acquaintance buried in the woods behind the workshop. Might I ask whether it is permissible to pay my respects?”
“Of… of course…”
Fairy Lan Yue was secretly amazed.
She naturally knew that Chen Ping’er, the previous owner of the Floating Duckweed Workshop, had her grave in the woods behind the shop. She also knew of a certain acquaintance nad Ning Daoran, who was now fad across the Eastern Wasteland cultivation world as the foremost Divinity Transformation cultivator!
When Ning Daoran successfully overca his tribulation in the Liangyi Sect, his na spread across the Eastern Wasteland. Even in small, remote towns like Fanshu City, cultivators spoke of him with awe.
Yet Fairy Lan Yue dared not ask questions.
Her palms were sweating profusely. This Ning Daoran, rumored to have once gone by the alias of “Independent Practitioner Jianjia,” was infamous for his ruthlessness, said to kill without blinking. Any slight to him could bring annihilation upon the Floating Duckweed Workshop with a re wave of his hand.
“Senior Ning…”
Fairy Lan Yue quickened her steps. “Might I lead the way?”
“That would be most kind. Many thanks, Fairy!”
“You’re too gracious, Senior!”
And so, Fairy Lan Yue led the way. Along the path, several managers and stewards attempted to speak with Ning Daoran but were halted by Fairy Lan Yue via transmitted ssages. Even the personnel in the backyard had been cleared in advance to avoid offending this Divinity Transformation cultivator.
Noticing this, Ning Daoran paid it no mind.
Shortly after, they arrived at the woods behind the workshop.
A tomb stood silently, with a green stone tablet inscribed with “Chen Ping’er, Master of Floating Duckweed Workshop.”
The grave had been ticulously maintained, the stone tablet spotless. Ning Daoran deduced that it must be the work of Ji Ning, clearly a diligent and respectful disciple of Chen Ping’er.
“Fairy, you may attend to your own matters. I will conduct my visit alone.”
“Understood. Then I shall take my leave.”
Fairy Lan Yue departed gracefully.
Only then did Ning Daoran bring out an assortnt of offerings, setting up a table as he and Big Stupid Deer began the solemn worship.
“Fellow Daoist Chen.”
Ning Daoran bowed lightly and said, “It has been many years since we last t. I have now successfully reached the Divinity Transformation stage and am about to ascend to the Upper Realm. Before doing so, I wished to see you one more ti.”
He sighed, “Looking back to our encounter at Yellow Dragon Square, it feels as though it was only yesterday. Yet now, it has been centuries since, and we are separated by the gulf of life and death. I can only wonder how you have fared over these centuries—whether you have entered the cycle of reincarnation…”
Raising a cup of Fire God Wine, he poured it before the grave.
Afterward, Ning Daoran sat for a while, reminiscing about old tis with Chen Ping’er. Only after organizing his emotions did he clean up and leave with Big Stupid Deer, igniting a streak of fiery tunneling light as they departed Fanshu City.
anwhile, within the Floating Duckweed Workshop, many cultivators craned their necks to look skyward.
“Is… is that the aura of a Divinity Transformation cultivator?”
An elderly Golden Core cultivator was visibly alard.
“Indeed.”
Fairy Lan Yue replied, “Venerable Zhenlu, you may not know, but just now the foremost Divinity Transformation cultivator of the Eastern Wasteland, Senior Ning, visited the Floating Duckweed Workshop to pay his respects to his late friend, the previous owner, Senior Chen Ping’er.”
“I see…”
The Golden Core cultivator was left in stunned amazent.
…
Several days later, in Immortal White Dragon City.
By this ti, Ning Daoran no longer had any acquaintances here. Those he once knew were either dead or gone. Yet, having spent an unforgettable period here, often accompanied by Lin Man, he decided to make a stop to resolve a small sense of longing within his heart.
The streets were still bustling, with cultivators of the Foundation Establishnt and Golden Core stages soaring through the skies on streaks of tunneling light.
Ning Daoran stood before a cave mansion, a small garden flourishing outside. Evidently, the current owner had an appreciation for elegance. Centuries ago, this cave mansion had been ho to Lin Man.
With Big Stupid Deer, he brought out a small table and two stools, sitting under the green vines not far from the cave to enjoy a cup of spiritual tea.
Before long, the sound of rushing air interrupted them as two Golden Core early-stage cultivators descended from the sky. One of them was missing an arm, the charred wound testant to severe trauma.
“Fairy Qin…”
The other cultivator furrowed his brow in urgency. “My senior brother was gravely injured while subjugating a demon beast. His heart ridian has been affected. Please, Fairy Qin, grant us an elixir pill to save his life!”
The protective array of the cave mansion rippled, and monts later, a woman erged.
It was a Golden Core mid-stage female cultivator clad in a pristine white immortal dress. Her beauty was extraordinary, and her eyes brimd with spiritual vitality. Ning Daoran, who had traveled extensively, seldom encountered such captivating eyes.
Fairy Qin frowned, “That fiend dare act so brazenly… does it think no one in the Eastern Wasteland cultivation world can stop it? Besides your senior brother, were there any other injuries among the exorcism party?”
“Injured? The death toll among Golden Core cultivators alone is well beyond count.”
The young Golden Core early-stage cultivator replied, “The City Lord has declared that if we fail again to eliminate the fiend, we will have no choice but to request aid from Liangyi Sect’s Sect Master or travel to the Returning Ruins Immortal Land to seek the intervention of City Lord Ning. Without the power of a Divinity Transformation cultivator, defeating this demon is impossible.”
“I see…”
Fairy Qin imdiately retrieved an elixir pill and handed it to the wounded cultivator for consumption.
At this mont, Ning Daoran leisurely rose from his seat and approached, accompanied by Big Stupid Deer.
“Fellow cultivators.”
He observed them with a slight frown. “I happen to be passing through White Dragon Immortal City. May I know the details of this so-called Great Demon you ntioned, which necessitates the intervention of a Divinity Transformation cultivator?”
“This Fellow Daoist…”
Fairy Qin’s gaze fell upon Ning Daoran. His aura was so elusive that she couldn’t discern his cultivation level. Believing he might excel in so Concealing Breath Technique, she spoke bluntly, “To be honest, Fellow Daoist, a Great Demon has plagued White Dragon Immortal City recently. Even the combined forces of the city’s power and several sects across neighboring states have failed to subdue it.”
“Fellow Daoist.”
The younger cultivator added, “Since you’re rely passing through, I suggest you steer clear of this conflict. That Great Demon is at the late Nascent Soul stage. Even for a Divinity Transformation cultivator, killing it wouldn’t be an easy feat.”
“Late Nascent Soul stage?”
Ning Daoran furrowed his brows, “To my knowledge, all the late Nascent Soul Great Demons across the neighboring states have long since been annihilated. How could another have suddenly appeared?”
“Fellow Daoist, you may not be aware.”
Fairy Qin explained, “The Nascent Soul Great Demon didn’t appear out of nowhere. Centuries ago, it devastated White Dragon Immortal City once before. It is a Seven-Colored Peacock. Back then, with the combined efforts of the Xu Family’s Nascent Soul Ancestor and several other experts, its physical body was destroyed, but its Nascent Soul escaped. Now, having cultivated back to the late Nascent Soul stage, it has returned to establish its own demonic sect deep within the mountains.”
“How serendipitous,” Ning Daoran remarked with a faint smile. “I, too, am revisiting an old haunt…”
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