Xu Lai narrowed his eyes.
Interesting.
He had thought it was just a rumor, but he hadn’t expected to hear sothing so remarkable.
The young scion who had been questioning him sneered. "Co on, then. Show everyone this so-called divination of yours. I, Chen Beiming, would like to see for myself what kind of divination can predict The Supre Emperor."
"Chen Beiming?"
"Could that be the prodigy from the Liuyun Sect, Chen Beiming?"
Soone recognized the young man, causing a ripple of gasps. The Liuyun Sect was the foremost sect in Qiuyue City. Chen Beiming was an outstanding inner disciple, rumored to have already reached the peak of Foundation Establishnt at his young age.
Most importantly, Chen Beiming had another identity—the son of the City Lord!
Everyone in the teahouse imdiately adopted respectful and excited expressions, chiming in with endless flattery. Even the teahouse owner was honored. Beaming, he served a pot of fine tea, all the while contemplating whether he should ask the City Lord’s son to leave his signature on the wall. It would be a living advertisent!
"Chen Beiming..." The Foundation Establishnt elder who had spoken earlier looked crestfallen. He gritted his teeth and said, "The divination appears and vanishes in an instant; it can’t be preserved. If you don’t believe , then forget it."
"Nonsense!"
"Master Chen, I know this man. He’s a Loose Cultivator from the countryside nad Ye izi—a rather feminine na. He’s always wanted to join the Liuyun Sect."
"That’s right. He probably recognized you. Knowing your admiration for Emperor Qingfeng, Master Chen, he deliberately made that grandiose claim to attract your attention."
"This Loose Cultivator is so crafty!"
"..."
Many of the Cultivators in the teahouse voiced their disdain for the seventy-year-old Foundation Establishnt Loose Cultivator.
Chen Beiming chuckled. "Of course. Anyone who wishes to defile Emperor Qingfeng will not escape my discerning eye!"
"Owner, the check please," Xu Lai called out.
"That’ll be one hundred wen, sir."
The owner didn’t co. Instead, the shop assistant replied dismissively, his eyes fixed with longing on Chen Beiming, who was the center of attention. This was clearly a young man who yearned to beco a Cultivator.
Taotie tossed down one hundred wen, and they both rose to leave the teahouse.
As they passed the Foundation Establishnt elder nad Ye izi, Xu Lai stopped. "That’s a nice na. Do you like wine?"
"My father favored plum wine, so he gave this na," Ye izi said, glaring. "If you wish to mock , fellow Daoist, I don’t mind a fight to the death!"
Xu Lai chuckled lightly. "It really is a good na. My Master also likes plum wine. To et is fate. I’ll gift you a jar."
Xu Lai gestured with his hand.
A white wine jar appeared on the tea table. A faint, intoxicating fragrance wafted from it, causing the patrons to subconsciously gasp in the aroma, their eyes betraying their blissful intoxication.
This was especially true for Chen Beiming, whose eyes reflected an endless greed.
He had been stuck at the Foundation Establishnt bottleneck for years, but upon slling the wine’s fragrance, he actually felt signs of a breakthrough. And that wine jar... It was definitely not an ordinary item! He had seen an identical one in the treasure vault of his sect’s Supre Elder, rumored to be a special jar used exclusively by the Heavenly Court’s soldiers. It was an existence comparable to a Spiritual Artifact! The Supre Elder, who had once been a Heavenly Soldier and was now in long-term seclusion, treasured it dearly.
The greed in Chen Beiming’s eyes intensified. If I could give this jar of wine to the Supre Elder, I might win his favor. Then, I would most likely beco a Direct Disciple of the sect! I might even have a chance to join the Heavenly Court and beco a Heavenly Soldier... or perhaps even one of the hundred revered Divine Generals!
***
「On the other side.」
Ye izi was taken aback. He had assud this young master also intended to trample on him to curry favor with Chen Beiming. He hastily stood up and said gratefully, "This gift is far too generous. I am truly unworthy of it."
"My master does not take back things he has given. Please accept it, Elder," Taotie said.
Although Taotie spoke calmly, his words still filled Ye izi with a heart-pounding terror. The old man stamred, "Y-yes, yes. I will accept it."
Xu Lai felt a bit helpless. Why do I feel like a bully forcing soone to sell their daughter?
Taotie spoke in a deep voice, "May I ask, Elder, where did you find that divination? Since I was young, I’ve admired the virtuous, noble, magnanimous, handso, and elegant Emperor Qingfeng, so I would like to see the place for myself."
... Xu Lai was speechless. Taotie’s flattery was as stiff as ever.
"On a mountain three hundred li outside the city," Ye izi said with a wry smile. "I stumbled upon it by chance two years ago. I found the sign in so ruins. The entire mountain is covered with plum trees, so it’s very easy to recognize."
Xu Lai frowned. "Would it trouble you to lead the way?"
Xu Lai suspected that this mountain was the old site of his sect. But when he had visited five years ago, the place was still a desolate mountain. How was it now covered in plum trees?
"Alright." Ye izi was quite enthusiastic. After settling his bill, he began to lead Xu Lai and Taotie.
The three of them flew toward the distant horizon.
Watching them depart, Chen Beiming gave a man behind him a aningful look.
"Yes, Young Master." The man bowed his head and flew toward the City Lord’s Mansion.
Chen Beiming, however, followed Xu Lai’s group alone.
An hour later, they had flown three hundred li. The Spiritual Energy of the Foundation Establishnt Stage didn’t support extended flight, so Ye izi had to fly for a while and then rest. Xu Lai was in no hurry.
When they finally reached their destination, Xu Lai was stunned. The forr site of his sect, a barren mountain when he’d last co five years ago, was now truly covered in plum trees.
Could it be that Master and the others are still alive?
He was filled with such hopeful fantasies that he dared not release his Divine Sense to scan the modest mountain range. He feared the disappointnt that might follow. Instead, with a mix of anticipation and anxiety, he ascended the mountain step by step, heading for the back mountain, where he, his Master, and his three martial siblings had once lived.
Ye izi started to say sothing, but Taotie stopped him. The First Divine General had never seen The Supre Emperor so cautious. All he could do was give him space. Taotie’s gaze turned ice-cold as he looked back a dozen li behind them. So flies were still foolishly chasing after them.
Do they really not know how the word ’death’ is written?
***
The back mountain wasn’t large. No matter how slowly Xu Lai walked, he covered it in less than three hours.
His expression was desolate. He hadn’t seen the familiar faces he had so longed for. Unwilling to give up, Xu Lai released his Divine Sense and swept it across the area, only to finally let out a heavy sigh.
It seed these plum trees had been planted by a mortal who had mistakenly thought the mountain was ownerless, treating them as fruit trees to make money. At the foot of the mountain, Xu Lai saw a thatched cottage. Inside, a sturdy, middle-aged man held his young daughter, smiling as he calculated how much money the plum trees would sell for next year.
"The Supre Emperor..." Taotie began, wanting to offer so comfort.
Xu Lai just gave a self-mocking smile. "I should never have gotten my hopes up."
Taotie fell silent.
Guided by mory, Xu Lai dug into a patch of barren earth where no trees grew. Inside, he found five ordinary jars of Plum Wine, sealed. He was once again reminded of the ti his Master had taught him to brew wine, and his eyes grew moist.
Xu Lai took out one of the jars and said softly, "Master, I’ve co for the wine. This one jar... is not enough for the five of us to share."
Plums cover the mountain, but are my old friends here today?
This old land is filled with new sorrows.
I wish to pick plums and brew wine together, but alas, it is nothing like the days of our youth.
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