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The treasure ship slowly descended, then landed before the eastern gate of Ziluo City.
The middle-aged man was the first to disembark.
When he saw the stone Xiezhi and Bi’an guarding the gates, he exclaimed, “The Cui Family lives up to its reputation as an ancient clan of extraordinary foundations. Both statues have an air of divinity!
The experts following him smiled and agreed. All of them looked reverent.
“Fellow Daoist Ran, this is our first time in Ziluo City. I’ll have to trouble you to lead the way,” the purple-robed middle-aged man said to one of his companions, a man in dark robes carrying a jade flute.
This was none other than the Netherworld Sky Sect’s Ran Tianfeng. The body refiner Emperor Su Yi had once defeated!
“Your Excellency, you needn’t be so polite. That was my duty to begin with,” said Ran Tianfeng solemnly.
He then walked up to the city gates. A group of Cui Family guards was stationed there.
The leader of the guards was a valiant-looking man in heavy armor.
Ran Tianfeng inclined his head and explained their intentions. “Friend, might I trouble you to send a message to your leader? Tell him that Ran Tianfeng of the Netherworld Sky sect has come with a group of distinguished guests of the Abstruse Force Alliance. They hope to speak with him.”
The heavily armored guard was startled, but he dared not be negligent. He clasped his fist and inclined his head. “Please wait while I deliver your message.”
……
The Cui Family estate’s Northview Pavilion.
“Ran Tianfeng of the Netherworld Sky Sect has brought experts of the Wilds’ Abstruse Force Alliance to see me?” After a brief, stunned pause, Cui Chang’an furrowed his brow. “Did they say why?”
The elderly servant delivering the message shook his head. “They did not.”
Cui Chang’an mulled this over, then said, “Wait here.”
With that, he rose, then hurried out of Northview Pavilion.
……
“You should leave tomorrow. I’ll give you a talisman to carry on your person,” said Su Yi. He stood inside the pavilion they were staying in, one hand behind his back. The other hand held scissors, with which he was pruning the lush potted flowers near the windowsills.
“Very well.” The old blind man agreed. He’d planned to leave Ziluo City and head to the Ghost Lantern Sarcophagus Bearers’ ancestral grounds today, but he naturally wouldn’t disregard Su Yi’s words.
“Your Excellency Su, what do you plan to do next?” asked the old blind man.
“Do you still remember that punk Ye Xun? I plan to visit the Ghost Lands and return him to the Ghost Serpents. While I’m at it… I’ll retrieve a certain treasure,” said Su Yi distractedly as he trimmed the plants.
Before he reincarnated, he’d entrusted his favorite sword, the Tiny Heart of the Cosmos, to Little Leaf’s care.
Now that he was back in the Netherworld, he naturally had to retrieve it.
It was then that Cui Chang’an rushed in. When he saw that the old blind man was there too, he couldn’t help but hesitate.
The old blind man considerately stepped aside.
“What is it?” asked Su Yi.
Only then did Cui Chang’an say, “Uncle Su, earlier, I received word that Ran Tianfeng of the Netherworld Sky Sect arrived with a group of experts from the Wilds’ Abstruse Force Alliance. They’re here for an audience.”
The Abstruse Force Alliance!
Su Yi immediately stopped pruning the plants. His brow furrowed.
The so-called “Abstruse Force Alliance” was an organization his first disciple, Pi Mo, had founded, an alliance of the Wilds’ Six Great Daoist Sects. It took its name from his title, “Xuanjun” or “Abstruse Force.”
The Abstruse Force Alliance was founded for the purpose of reclaiming the Grotto of Abstruse Force, which Su Yi’s youngest disciple, Qing Tang, had occupied. They also planned to severely punish Qing Tang for monopolizing all of the Grotto of Abstruse Force’s treasures.
As righteous as this sounded, the way Su Yi saw it, Pi Mo was just gathering up allies to contend with Qing Tang and the Grotto of Abstruse Force.
“What have they come for?” asked Su Yi.
“I’m not sure.” Cui Chang’an shook his head.
“Right,” said Su Yi. “Did you just say it was Ran Tianfeng of the Netherworld Sky Sect who brought them here?”
Cui Chang’an nodded. “None other.”
“In that case, I understand.” Su Yi’s eyes flashed. “They’re almost certainly here for the old blind man.”
He still remembered Ran Tianfeng coming after them on their way to the Cui Family estate. He’d attempted to capture the old blind man, the inheritor of the Ghost Lantern Sarcophagus Bearer lineage.
Only to lose to Su Yi in the end.
At the time, Su Yi guessed that the Netherworld Sky Sect had set their sights on the old blind man at Pi Mo’s behest!
Now, Ran Tianfeng had appeared once more, but this time, he had a group of Abstruse Force Alliance experts with him.
This unquestionably all but confirmed Su Yi’s hypothesis: even after all these years, Pi Mo hadn’t given up on finding the inheritor of the Ghost Lantern Sarcophagus Bearer lineage.
And Pi Mo’s ultimate goal was to discover whether Su Xuanjun was truly alive or dead.
Everyone in the Netherworld knew that in his past life, he and the founder of the Ghost Lantern Sarcophagus Bearers, Old Ghost Coffin-Bearer, were close friends.
And Old Ghost Coffin-Bearer was one of the select few who understood the secrets of reincarnation!
Simply put, while it seemed as if Pi Mo was after the Ghost Lantern Sarcophagus Bearers, in truth, he was trying to determine whether Su Yi was alive or dead.
This was what led to the old blind man’s master, Five Burials, dying at Pi Mo’s hands.
Thus, when Su Yi faced the old blind man, he couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty. There was nothing for it; he was the one who’d implicated the Ghost Lantern Sarcophagus Bearers.
Cui Chang’an realized the problem, then said gravely, “Uncle Su, do you think we should meet with them?”
“Yes,” said Su Yi. “I’ll go with you.”
Cui Chang’an was instantly a bit worried. “But Uncle Su, what if a member of the Abstruse Force Alliance realizes…”
Su Yi waved dismissively. “There’s no need to worry about that.”
Cui Chang’an could only nod.
……
Northview Pavilion.
Cui Chang’an sat in the centermost seat while Su Yi stood at his side.
Before long, Ran Tianfeng arrived, leading the purple-robed middle-aged man and his companions.
“Elder Ran Tianfeng of the Netherworld Sky Sect greets you, Family Head Cui.” Ran Tianfeng was the first to approach, and his expression was respectful.
Given Cui Chang’an’s status, he could sit with the leader of the Netherworld Sky Sect as an equal. Ran Tianfeng naturally dared not be negligent.
However, when he saw Su Yi standing beside Cui Chang’an, he couldn’t help but be stunned, and he instantly looked a bit ill at ease.
How could he forget his defeat at Su Yi’s hands?
Su Yi, however, seemed perfectly composed. He ignored Ran Tianfeng completely.
Cui Chang’an subtly inclined his head. “Fellow Daoist Ran, are these the fellow Daoists of the Wilds’ Abstruse Force Alliance?”
He was dignified and imposing, and he showed no sign of rising to welcome them.
Find the original at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.
“That’s right!” Ran Tianfeng nodded and was just about to introduce them when the middle-aged man in purple let out a hearty laugh.
He inclined his head in greeting. “My name is Tao Qianqiu. Greetings, Family Head Cui.”
He seemed composed, unrestrained, and not the least bit reserved.
Cui Chang’an said flatly, “What is your connection to Pi Mo of the Abstruse Force Alliance?”
Ran Tianfeng said in a low voice, “Family Head Cui, Fellow Daoist Tao is His Excellency Pi Mo’s seventh disciple and one of the Abstruse Force Alliance’s thirty-six deacons. In the Nine Provinces of the Wilds, they call him the Cloudsky Sword Emperor.”
The corners of the purple-robed middle-aged man’s lips rose, and he said calmly, “You exaggerate, Fellow Daoist Ran. I’m but an errand boy working at my master’s side, unworthy of notice.”
Although he said this, his expression was proud and aloof.
“Oh,” said Cui Chang’an. Inwardly, he said, Going by seniority, you’re at most Uncle Su’s grand-disciple, and you wouldn’t necessarily earn his approval. What’s there to be so smug about?
He glanced imperceptibly at Su Yi, only to discover that his expression was calm, as if he were completely ignoring all of this.
There was no doubt about it: Su Yi wasn’t the least bit concerned about Tao Qianqiu.
“And these fellow Daoists?” Cui Chang’an turned his attention toward the purple-robed Tao Qianqiu’s companions.
Ran Tianfeng said hurriedly, “These are fellow Daoists from the Wilds’ Holy Peak Sword Court.”
He was just about to introduce them one by one when Cui Chang’an interrupted. “I know of Holy Peak Sword Court. It’s one of the Wilds’ Six Great Daoist Sects. Everyone, please sit wherever you please.”
This cold, indifferent attitude made the Holy Peak Sword Court experts furrow their brows. They were inwardly a bit displeased.
But in the end, they suppressed it.
This was the Cui Family, a clan that had stood since antiquity!
“There’s no need to sit down. We’ve come here to discuss a certain matter, and once it’s resolved, we’ll be on our way,” laughed Tao Qianqiu.
Cui Chang’an nodded. “What is it?”
Tao Qianqiu smiled faintly. “Not long ago, while wandering the Netherworld, I received word from the Netherworld Sky Sect that the inheritor of the Ghost Lantern Sarcophagus Bearers was staying with the Cui Family. As I’m sure you’re aware, when my master entered the Netherworld, it was to seek out this very lineage.”
He paused before continuing. “Now, after much difficulty, we’ve finally received word of them. I hope you can entrust this person to us and let us bring him to the Wilds to see my master.”
Cui Chang’an’s eyes flashed. Inwardly, he said, Uncle Su was right. They really are here for the old blind man!
Then, without so much as pausing to think, he said, “The person you’re looking for did indeed stay here for a while, but he left a few days ago.”
“He left?” Tao Qianqiu was stunned, and his brow furrowed as he said gravely, “Family Head Cui, to the best of my knowledge, my master’s master, His Excellency the Swordmaster of Abstruse Force, was close to your father. The inheritor of the Ghost Lantern Sarcophagus Bearers has an important role to play for my master. I’d appreciate your cooperation.”
Su Yi’s expression shifted inscrutably. I have no idea when this scoundrel accepted Pi Mo as his master, but he’s actually using my name to put pressure on the Cui Family. He’s actually quite gutsy!
Cui Chang’an almost couldn’t hold back laughter.
But outwardly, he snorted coldly, and an imposing aura emanated from him as he said in a low voice, “Are you accusing me of lying to you?”
The atmosphere in the grand hall was instantly oppressive.
However, Tao Qianqiu didn’t seem the least bit afraid. On the contrary, he smiled with complete confidence, “Family Head Cui, please don’t be angry. I have no intention of offending you. I just hope that, out of consideration for my master’s master, you can guide us to our goal. For instance… might you tell me where the Ghost Lantern Sarcophagus Bearer went?”
Cui Chang’an looked Tao Qianqiu up and down. In the end, he couldn’t help but chortle, then throw back his head and laugh so hard he cried.
One of Pi Mo’s disciples was strutting about and posturing in front of him and his Uncle Su. How was his behavior any different from a bungling clown’s?
The group was dumbstruck. They had no idea why Cui Chang’an was laughing, but it seemed he couldn’t control himself.
Tao Qianqiu’s brow gradually furrowed, and he was inwardly enraged. Cui Chang’an, in your eyes, was what I just said really that funny!?