537: Chapter 536: Past Events Are Like Smoke 537: Chapter 536: Past Events Are Like Smoke In a room behind the courtyard, Hou Niao t two elderly n who were in conversation.
One was facing him, the other had his back to him.
The elder facing him had a clear, distinguished appearance.
He did not possess the detached air of a contemporary master who regarded people as insignificant, but instead, he looked towards him imdiately, smiling.
It seed that he was Tan Xiao’s master, Master Yuan.
Although he had not spoken, Hou Niao could understand the ssage he conveyed; it was an encouragent to speak freely.
“Junior Hou Niao of the Shan Sect, I was invited by Brother Tan to visit the Chu Sect years ago.
It took until today, please forgive my tardiness, senior.”
The elder was startled, as if he recalled sothing, then shook his head, sighing:
“…In this world, wherever one stays becos ho.
Dwelling in the barracks of swallows, roaming on sands marked by cranes.
The traveling robes drenched with dew from the wild, the old hiding spot laughing with creek flowers.
Still better than the command of Yangshan, where the bamboo hedges off the sea’s edge.
Decades have passed, and the people who have gone are as nurous as the sands of the Ganges, which weighs on the heart; if you hadn’t co, I would have forgotten, but now that you are here, let us speak of it….”
Hou Niao was moved, and he probably understood the purpose of this visit; just as he had guessed, there were no unforgettable events, no so-called opportunities, separated by thousands of miles, strangers to one another, and not to ntion any responsibility due to causality.
It probably stemd from a remark made by an old friend who had gone west; though he was an elder adept at Nascent Transformation, and could casually reflect on life, his disciples below could not deal with things superficially, thus this eting was delayed for decades.
Just as that youth had said, as long as Tan Xiao rembered, Master Yuan would rember; if Tan Xiao forgot, he would forget.
It wasn’t like a novel where coincidences abound.
But since he had co, he was not disappointed, so he narrated everything he had seen and heard on Bamboo Island, omitting his own affairs, and concealed nothing else.
After listening, Master Yuan remained silent for a long ti, “I assu you might have guessed, the Golden Core that helped her was ?
It’s unfortunate, quite unfortunate, a person especially fond of nature, what do you think?”
Hou Niao thought for a mont, “Always loving the bamboo forest as it naturally is, always staying among those who uphold their integrity, the spirit herbs of the Upper Continent are countless, plums, orchids, bamboos, chrysanthemums, all are immortal…
Lady Bamboo, she has beco sowhat obsessed with objects.”
Master Yuan nodded, laughing heartily, “That being said, I have nothing more to teach you.”
Lady Bamboo’s ultimate reverence was not for nature, but for the Heart Demon!
This was the normal interaction among cultivators.
Hou Niao did not feel entitled to anything; he was not the Spirit Stone, beloved by all; Master Yuan also did not feel it necessary to reward him with anything, as he was not a benevolent child.
In fact, these past events should be forgotten; only an extra disciple flattering the old master was involved.
Was this trip worthwhile?
Worthwhile, yet not worthwhile.
But one thing he was very clear about—in his heart—if he had taken up Tan Xiao’s invitation imdiately and had gone to et him at that ti, the outco would have been different.
Now, decades later, he did not care, why should the old master care?
It was just a matter of catching the eye.
After bowing deeply, he was about to exit when the elder who had been facing away from him finally spoke,
“Wait, I have sothing to say.”
Master Xiao Zhen looked at his old friend in surprise, smiled slightly, and knowing his friend’s temperant, did not ask further, and floated out; leaving only the two of them in the room, which sowhat baffled Hou Niao.
He just felt it was absurd, he, a re cultivator at the Tongtian Realm, barely knew any Golden Core cultivators, not to ntion any of the Nascent Transformation old ancestors from the Shan Sect Quanzhen, and here outside, such high-level old ancestors were asking him to stay.
Although he knew there was no danger, a bad feeling still surfaced in his mind, yet, he couldn’t run.
“Senior, you…”
The elder didn’t turn around, seemingly hesitating about sothing, sowhat caught between speaking and stopping, but finally, he spoke.
But with the first sentence, Hou Niao was startled into breaking out in a cold sweat, “Hou Niao, Anhe lying low, infiltrating Shan Sect with malicious intent, I haven’t wronged you, have I?”
Subconsciously, Hou Niao moved his hand closer to the mouth of the Treasure Gourd, his voice still calm, “You can try, see if you can still draw your sword now?”
Hou Niao imdiately cald down, at such a close distance, drawing a sword was more convenient and certain than using a flying sword or a body sword, but considering the vast difference in realms between them, he feared that whatever sword he chose, he wouldn’t stand a chance.
Without knowing who the other party was or what their purpose was, it wasn’t suitable to make any move.
“I don’t understand what you an, but perhaps, junior rely wishes to brew a pot of tea for you?”
The elder slowly turned around, and when Hou Niao saw clearly who it was, he imdiately understood everything, “Master Xiao Zhen…”
Master Xiao Zhen, the Anhe Nascent Transformation old ancestor, the Master who had presided over his invocation ceremony at Anhe; if it was him, the likelihood of him knowing these secrets was quite high.
This Master had old ties with the Chu Sect’s Master Xiao Zhen, and just happened to be visiting here…
He really was dood by Tan Xiao’s sches.
Master Xiao Zhen looked at him with interest, “You don’t need to dwell so much on it, Chong Ling has kept sealed lips about your matter, and that Golden Core cultivator has long since passed away, but you don’t think that, as a Nascent Transformation old ancestor, I would be completely unaware of the past situation, do you?”
Hou Niao remained silent, to be honest, if the person across from him was a third stage Tongtian Realm figure, he would have slaughtered him without hesitation!
Even if it was a Golden Core cultivator he would have dared to attempt it, but the cultivator before him was simply not soone he could afford to offend, which was frustrating.
Just when he thought he could stay low and unnoticed, he was picked up again…
Master Xiao Zhen seed amused, well aware of his ntal state, and couldn’t scare him too much,
“You don’t need to worry about anything, I recognize Chong Ling’s promise to you; firstly, the Anhe Daoist Sect does not have a tradition of breaking promises, and secondly, I don’t believe you could really do anything significant; can a minor cultivator at Tongtian Realm like you turn the tide for Anhe Daoist Sect?
Would Anhe Daoist Sect rise just because Shan Sect falls?”
Waving his hand, “So I’ve never thought about contacting you, if you hadn’t appeared before , I might have even forgotten about you.
Fundantally speaking, Anhe planting a pawn within Shan Sect, under the current circumstances, has already lost its significance.
The dilemma faced by the Anhe Daoist Sect is not a conflict with Shan Sect but with Wu Sect, so your undercover identity has essentially been nullified a long ti ago.”
He sighed, “A skilled bird chooses the tree it will nest in, this principle isn’t hard to understand, Anhe Daoist Sect also has no capital to demand any sacrifice from you, so I, as an elder of Anhe Daoist Sect, am making a decision due to never having been in contact based on Daoist alignnt, I decree this bond null and void!”
Hou Niao suddenly looked up, he hadn’t expected the old ancestor to do this.
Master Xiao Zhen gave a wry smile, “If you were in my position, you would surely understand my actions, circumstances compel us, there’s nothing we can do…
But you will always be of Anhe, and have deep connections with the Anhe Daoist Sect, so, when the situation arises, and without harming the interests of the Shan Sect, lending a hand to the Anhe Daoist Sect, that demand isn’t too excessive, is it?”
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