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Upon seeing Chen Sheng, the steward Lan Lin suppressed her disgust.
“How may I address this esteed senior?” She stepped forward and greeted the dark-skinned old man with a bow.
“My na is Zheng Wu. In the last two years, I moved my family to Apricot Villa. I heard that Wuqi Mountain has a second-rank formation master with exceptional abilities, so I ca to seek assistance.” The dark-skinned old man squeezed out a smile, though it looked sowhat awkward alongside his fierce visage.
“Apricot Villa?” Hearing this, Lan Lin couldn't help but glance at Chen Sheng.
Apricot Villa was originally the spiritual vein residence of Chen Sheng's family, which had been mortgaged and sold decades ago.
“Senior Zheng, please follow .” Lan Lin led the way to Xiao Pan Peak and negotiated with those inside.
“Chen Sheng, stop bothering .”
A displeased voice erged as a tall, elegant woman stepped out from the cave mansion on Xiao Pan Peak.
Zheng Wu frowned slightly and glanced at Chen Sheng.
Chen Sheng coughed lightly, with an awkward smile:
“Manrong, this ti I’m here to introduce so business. This is Fellow Daoist Zheng Wu, the new owner of Apricot Villa and the patriarch of the Zheng Family.”
Hearing the words "Apricot Villa," Shi Manrong paused, feeling a mix of emotions. She had been raised by the Chen Family since childhood, growing up there, learning formations, and eventually marrying there too.
“So, it’s Fellow Daoist Zheng. Please co in and discuss.” Shi Manrong gracefully raised her hand and opened the formation.
Chen Sheng bead and followed Zheng Wu into Xiao Pan Peak.
...
At Little Turtle Peak, Lan Chang'an finished his daily cultivation and talisman nurturing.
He exited his cave mansion to check the growth of spiritual trees and herbs on the mountain.
Twenty years ago, when he first moved to Little Turtle Peak, Lan Chang'an planted many spiritual herb seeds and saplings of spiritual trees. The older these spiritual trees and herbs grew, the more valuable they beca.
“Senior Brother Lan, Chen Sheng the scoundrel is here again, bringing a fierce-looking Foundation Establishnt cultivator to ask for Fairy Shi’s help.” Whenever Chen Sheng ca, Guan Qiaozhi would always report.
Lan Chang'an nodded but paid it no mind; it didn't sound like Chen Sheng was looking for him.
Half an hour later, Chen Sheng and the dark-skinned old man nad Zheng Wu left Xiao Pan Peak.
“My ex-wife’s formation plan must have satisfied you, old brother Zheng? As for this little brother's reward...” Chen Sheng asked with a flattering smile.
“Hmm.”
Zheng Wu humd softly and casually threw him a small bag of spirit stones.
Chen Sheng checked it and his face darkened. Inside were only a dozen or so spirit stones and so unford spirit sand that hadn't ford into blocks.
“I heard there’s also a second-rank alchemist and talisman master on Wuqi Mountain. Could Brother Chen introduce them?” Zheng Wu’s long, narrow eyes narrowed slightly.
...
“Huh! This person...”
On Little Turtle Peak, Lan Chang'an casually glanced at the flying figures of Chen Sheng and the dark-skinned old man.
His gaze fixed on the sturdy, dark-skinned old man.
Although much older and with most of his facial scars healed, Lan Chang'an still recognized his identity.
“Senior Brother Lan, do you know that Foundation Establishnt elder?" Guan Qiaozhi noticed his expression.
“Hmm, this person is nicknad ‘Zheng Wugong(Centipede),’ once a ninth layer Qi-Refining elder of the Zheng Family on Bamboo Leaf Mountain.” Lan Chang'an’s face showed surprise.
Decades ago, Zheng Wugong had led a team to intercept and kill their group of immortal seedlings at Lake Feiyue. Later, the Zheng Family’s Bamboo Leaf Mountain was attacked by the Mu Family and they chose to submit to the Maple Leaf Huang Family.
As the only remaining ninth layer Qi-Refining cultivator, Zheng Wugong took a branch of his family and relocated.
At that ti, to ensure their safe migration, Zheng Wugong even pleaded with the Beast Taming Zhou Family, gaining their promise that the Mu and Huang families would not wipe out every last one of the Zheng Family cultivators.
During their journey, Lan Chang'an bumped into them and killed the Zheng Family’s ugly woman in passing to avenge himself.
“Bamboo Leaf Mountain Zheng Family? The current Bamboo Leaf Mountain Market Town?” Guan Qiaozhi realized.
Watching Zheng Wugong and Chen Sheng leave, Lan Chang'an fell into contemplation, feeling slightly conflicted.
There wasn’t a deep-seated hatred between him and Zheng Wugong. They had never t directly and had no personal grudges or conflicting interests. In the early years, Zheng Wugong might not have even rembered soone like him.
But to say there was no enmity...
Zheng Wugong had once led a team to intercept and kill immortal seedlings, posing a threat to him. At that ti, Lan Chang'an was only at the first layer of Qi-Refining, his most vulnerable stage.
“Qiaozhi, go out and gather information about Zheng Wugong.”
Lan Chang'an instructed.
“Yes, Senior Brother Lan.” Guan Qiaozhi flew out of Little Turtle Peak.
Apart from the three main peaks, there were so loose cultivators attached to Wuqi Mountain, who earned their right to cultivate on the mountain by serving the three main peaks. So of these people had relatively well-inford sources.
An hour later, Guan Qiaozhi returned with general information.
“Chen Sheng’s forr second-rank spiritual vein family residence was bought by the Zheng Family two years ago after the mortgage expired…”
Lan Chang'an understood the cause and effect.
The branch of the Zheng Family that Zheng Wugong had taken away had persevered through arduous struggle and successfully maintained their lineage.
Lan Chang'an suspected that Zheng Wugong had carried so precious resources hidden by the Zheng Family when he left, allowing him to establish himself upon arrival. As long as a Foundation Establishnt cultivator erged from that branch, they would eventually rise again.
Judging from the energy fluctuations just now, Zheng Wugong had a Foundation Establishnt third-level cultivation, stagnating at this bottleneck for a long ti.
He probably reached the Foundation Establishnt stage decades ago and only recently led his family to find a new spiritual vein field.
...
A few days later.
A ray of light swiftly returned to Wuqi Mountain. The sturdy, dark-skinned old man flew to the front of Little Turtle Peak.
“Zheng Wu from the forr Bamboo Leaf Mountain Zheng Family cos to visit Talisman Master Lan.” Zheng Wugong’s voice was deep and solemn.
After waiting for about ten breaths.
“Senior Zheng, my master invites you in.” A beautiful young woman in a dress ca to greet him.
Being a Foundation Establishnt cultivator and head of his family, it was sowhat dismissive for Lan Chang'an to only send a maid over to greet Zheng Wugong.
“Please lead the way, miss.”
Zheng Wugong remained calm, speaking politely without showing displeasure.
Entering the main hall of the cave mansion.
A gentle and serene man in white appeared in his sight.
“Fellow Daoist Zheng, I have longed to et you since my youth, but today is the first ti we've crossed paths.” Lan Chang'an said with a smile.
“You flatter , Fellow Daoist Lan! Your inspirational reputation precedes you.” Zheng Wugong returned the greeting, cupping his hands respectfully.
Lan Chang'an returned the salute and invited his guest to sit.
Sitting in the lower seat, Zheng Wugong felt complex emotions. Decades ago, at Lake Feiyue, he had only glanced at Lan Chang'an during the interception of those immortal seedlings.
At that ti, Lan Chang'an, with his first layer Qi-Refining cultivation, had killed a new third layer Qi-Refining mber of their family.
Later, the ugly woman Zheng Feng harbored a grudge against Lan Chang'an for many years, and he had only heard his na in passing. To him, Lan Chang'an had been nothing more than an insignificant nobody.
A few days ago, he followed Chen Sheng’s guidance to seek formation assistance on Wuqi Mountain. Afterwards, Chen Sheng inford him about the other two peak masters of Wuqi Mountain.
It wasn't until halfway ho, as he dredged through scraps of mory, that he finally confird the identity of this Talisman Master Lan.
...
Lan Chang'an and Zheng Wugong chatted for a while, learning about the Zheng Family’s current situation. The Zheng Family had just moved to Apricot Villa and was not as strong as they were at their peak on Bamboo Leaf Mountain.
“Fellow Daoist Lan, this is a small token from .” Zheng Wugong forced a smile, presenting a bag of spirit stones.
“If I have offended you in any way in the past, I hope you will not hold it against .”
Lan Chang'an accepted the spirit stones, his spiritual sense scanning them, finding a thousand spirit stones.
“Fellow Daoist Zheng, you’re too kind.” Lan Chang'an put away the spirit stones, easing the atmosphere.
“There’s no personal grievances between us. Moreover, I have long left the Mu Family of Lake Feiyue, and we no longer have opposing stances.”
“Fellow Daoist Zheng can ask around, when had this humble one ever been irreconcilably hostile toward anyone?”
“Fellow Daoist Lan, your magnanimity is well-known.” Zheng Wugong praised loudly, secretly wondering: if not you then who killed Zheng Feng and her brother on the road back then?
The ugly woman Zheng Feng had only one life-and-death enemy over the years, and that was Lan Chang'an.
Decades ago, it was just speculation, not certain. But judging Lan Chang'an’s current achievents, it showed that he had hidden himself deeply in his youth, yet avenged every wrong.
Zheng Wugong ca to apologize, partly because of this.
The Zheng Family had just moved to Apricot Villa, with an unstable foundation and unfinished clan-protecting formation. He didn’t want to offend a Foundation Establishnt loose cultivator with formidable strength and connections.
Lan Chang'an had no external combat achievents since Foundation Establishnt. But as a second-rank talisman master with a second-rank spirit beast, he was far from ordinary.
Back then, he had already been hiding himself so deeply. How much more formidable was he now, with the full extent of his power unknown?
Fierce as Zheng Wugong was, for the sake of his newly established family, he could only apologize and expend his fortune to resolve the enmity.
...
After half an hour of chatting, Zheng Wugong took his leave.
Lan Chang'an personally escorted him out.
Previously, when Zheng Wugong ca to his door, he had purposely been dismissive towards him by having his concubine receive him. This was to secretly observe the man's expressions and gauge any signs of resentnt or dissatisfaction.
At the cave entrance.
Zheng Wugong thought of sothing and asked, “By the way, Fellow Daoist Lan, that Fellow Daoist Chen said you two are sworn brothers. Is this true?”
Sworn brothers?
Lan Chang'an’s face twitched slightly, feeling both amused and annoyed:
“There's no such thing, this person is despised by everyone on Wuqi Mountain.”
After a mont's thought, Lan Chang'an figured Zheng Wugong’s question must have another purpose.
“What, did Chen Sheng offend Fellow Daoist Zheng?”
“It's not that serious.” Zheng Wugong laughed.
“Because my Zheng Family’s current residence, Apricot Villa, was once the Chen Family’s territory. There are so historical properties around the manor that are disputed with Fellow Daoist Chen.”
Lan Chang'an imdiately understood: Chen Sheng saw the Zheng Family as newcors with an unstable foundation and wanted to extort them.
Zheng Wugong lacked local connections and was wary of Chen Sheng, so he was avoiding direct conflict.
“Fellow Daoist Zheng, if he’s being unreasonable, you don’t need to consider my or Fairy Shi’s face.” Lan Chang'an responded.
“Thank you for the advice, Fellow Daoist Lan.”
Zheng Wugong cupped his hands and left, a cold gleam flashing in his eyes.
Lan Chang'an watched his departing figure, pondering.
“I still need to observe a bit more.” Just now, Zheng Wugong had apologized and spared no expense to make ands, proving himself to be sincere.
Lan Chang'an wasn’t the type to kill a thousand innocents for a single mistake. For the ti being, he considered the enmity resolved temporarily. Only after several decades passed with Zheng Wugong showing no further hostility or suspicious behavior, could it truly be considered closed.
...
The day after Zheng Wugong left, Fairy Shi from Xiao Pan Peak gracefully descended.
“Fellow Daoist Lan, I have a few questions for you.”
“There's no need for us to go to your cave mansion.”
Shi Manrong, in a plain dress, smiled reservedly and elegantly raised her hand to set up a soundproof barrier.
“What does Fairy Shi wish to ask?” Lan Chang'an remained calm.
It had been a year since Shi Manrong had lost part of her mory. It was unknown what she had recalled or what information she had surmised.
“Before I fell unconscious, did I ntion any cave or ruins to you?”
“No.” Lan Chang'an responded indifferently.
Before losing her mory, Shi Manrong was willing to cooperate with him to explore the ancient ruin, but now she might not be. Besides, he didn’t know the exact location of the ancient ruin.
Shi Manrong rubbed her brow, her mind containing only fragnted information about the ancient ruin.
“Are we really just ordinary friends?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did I leave a letter before I passed out, asking to give part of my inheritance to Fellow Daoist Lan after my death?” Shi Manrong stared at Lan Chang'an’s face with clear, calm eyes.
Lan Chang'an blinked, his expression one of surprise.
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