Chapter 149 Wanting Everyone to Relax

"Is Immortal Wen not coming again?"

Many sects had gathered on Qinghe Mountain, and everyone was exchanging pleasantries. Shan Hongxing seemed to be the last to arrive from the Xuanzun Sect, with the ceremony only two days away.

On the Daoist sect leaderboard, Wen Jinge held the title of "Number One Sword in the World."

She had always been combative, entering secluded cultivation just over fifty years ago and remaining entirely detached from worldly affairs.

Back then, the demon race was far less rampant than it was now; only a few demonic cultivators caused minor disturbances, which could easily be handled by sending out a few disciples. It was nothing like the present, where they had emerged in full force.

Although Wen Jinge had a reclusive nature and a difficult temper, she possessed genuine skills. Not a single person here dared to offend her, and indeed, this upcoming war against the demons would inevitably require her assistance.

Logically speaking, given Wen Jinge's personality, she should have arrived earlier than Shan Hongxing. Yet now, even this influential figure was absent, which inevitably caused murmurs of doubt among many.

"She is unlikely to come."

Without offering further explanation, Shan Hongxing left first, leading his group of disciples.

Fan Zifan was still discussing pharmacology with someone when he raised his gaze and sensed a wave of baleful energy drifting from afar. Upon closer inspection, he noticed that the disciples following behind carried heavy and dejected spirits, and had even changed back into their old style of attire.

"Wang Xi!" Fan Zifan called out to the last person in line.

Yet Wang Xi walked like a walking corpse, completely failing to hear his voice, and merely marched forward mechanically.

"I heard that Immortal Wen and Immortal Shan have always had a bad relationship. Is it true?"

"Didn't you see? I just casually asked about it, and look at how long his face was pulled!"

"Does anyone else feel that those disciples' attire is somewhat strange? I remember the Xuanzun Sect had changed their uniforms—embroidered flying fish robes in various colors. Yet these few disciples are still wearing their old garments..."

"Could it be... that something happened to the Xuanzun Sect first?"

"Shut your crow's mouth! If something happened to the Xuanzun Sect, how are the upcoming disciple trials supposed to proceed?"

"My mouth is foul, my mouth is foul." The man smiled and slapped his own face. As soon as the slap landed, the smile on his face froze abruptly because someone was watching him.

"What did my junior brother... just say? I would appreciate it if the Palace Master of the Hundred Flower Palace could make it clearer. I was standing too far away just now and didn't hear very well."

"It's just..." Wei Qian said awkwardly, "It's just that your honored Shijie, Immortal Wen, won't be coming."

"She won't be coming." Fan Zifan nodded thoughtfully, cupped his hands in salute to him, and then walked away. "Thank you. Please, I ask the Hundred Flower Palace and the Sun-Moon Alliance not to spread word of this."

"Oh, alright, alright."

After Fan Zifan left, both Hongli and Wei Qian were utterly confused. "What did he mean just now when he said not to spread it?"

Wei Qian shrugged, though his mind was elsewhere. "How would I know? Don't we both know the exact same thing?"

"Third, you were reckless." Upon entering the room, Fan Zifan's very first words were precisely these. "No matter how deep your grievances are, you shouldn't cause the other party to lose face in public..."

"Uncle-Master!" The moment Wang Xi caught sight of him, she immediately lunged forward, the young girl's tears flowing endlessly. "Uncle-Master, I've missed you so much."

"There, there, there. Uncle-Master missed you too!"

Fan Zifan patted her back. Counting them all, across the entire Seven Peaks, only he and Ai Fengling truly cared about Wen Xiaowu, and he was the one who visited Myriad Fathom Peak the most, given that Ai Fengling's legs were inconvenient.

It made sense for this child to be so attached to him.

Yet, why was the atmosphere in the room still so strange?

"Xiaoyi," Wang Xi beckoned to Ling Yi.

Ever since parting ways with Wen Jinge, he had constantly clung to Yang Wennan. Summoned by his Senior Sister now, he felt somewhat unaccustomed to it. Reluctantly stepping forward, he called out, "Uncle-Master."

There were simply too many Uncle-Masters, and his Shizun was gone. He had no desire to acknowledge them, and moreover, they carried an aura that he instinctively repelled.

"This is..." Fan Zifan paused in surprise.

"This is the new Junior Brother found by Shizun." Wang Xi wiped away her tears, looking at him very earnestly. "Junior Brother lost his Shizun the moment he entered the sect. Shouldn't Uncle-Master step in to take care of him?"

"Well... I suppose so, but I can't teach him swordsmanship, can I?" Fan Zifan crouched down, quite fond of the child—or rather, he liked any child who hadn't been artificially aged backward like Yuan Qingling. "How about you study pharmacology with me?"

"No, useless."

"Child, what is your surname?"

"My name is Ling Yi." Although reluctant, Ling Yi remembered his Senior Sister's instructions and perfunctorily extended his hand, though he was bluntly honest. "Uncle-Master, one question costs a hundred spiritual stones. Senior Sister said this is the welcome gift Uncle-Master ought to give me."

Fan Zifan: ......

"Ha, ha, ha, ha. I was just thinking—hoping everyone could lighten up a bit." Wang Xi squeezed out a forced smile.

"Oh, so you're happy enough to extort me, your Uncle-Master, is that it?"

"Then..." Wang Xi pursed her lips and took Ling Yi's hand to hide behind Shan Hongxing.

Ever since he became convinced that Wen Jinge was dead, Shan Hongxing had seemed like a completely different person. The aloof and cold person he used to be was now completely down-to-earth. On the journey back from Mogan City, he had practically pampered his disciples, as Shan Hongxing took personal charge of every single matter.

He showed exceptional kindness especially to these disciples of Wen Jinge, to the extent that whenever trouble arose now, Wang Xi subconsciously hid behind Shan Hongxing.

"How bizarre!" Fan Zifan clicked his tongue repeatedly.

This was truly a rare sight.

"Uncle-Master, have you discovered something?"

"How come it's just the few of you?" Fan Zifan looked at Qiao Yu, who had spoken. "Where is your Eldest Senior Brother? And... well, Yang Wennan, why are your eyes blind?"

His gaze drifted to the crutch leaning beside Yang Wennan. Fan Zifan was seated in a chair, and earlier only Ling Yi had been standing nearby. He asked in astonishment, "Is your leg crippled too? Goodness gracious! Just how much suffering did you endure on this trip down the mountain?"

"Uncle-Master." Hesitating for a moment, Yang Wennan produced an image-projection stone from his robes.

This was the stone he had placed by the well when he first left. Later on, it had presumably been discovered and covered over with debris.

After leaving Mogan City, they had returned to their previous location.

Whether the gods had ever come, or whether the heavenly ladder had descended, they did not know.

The only thing they knew was that the place which had vanished from sight after they left now reappeared right where Liang Si had marked it. However, they could neither find Liang Si nor locate Wen Jinge's remains; even the towering ancient tree had been scorched into a lump of charcoal by fire.

Looking at it this way, that place truly existed. The heavenly ladder leading to the divine realm perhaps differed from the bridging ladders they had imagined.

That place was left in utter ruins and littered with remains—it looked nothing like a place from which anyone could escape with their life.

Besides, when Wen Jinge had died back then, they had seen it with absolute clarity. Her head had fallen, making the possibility of survival zero.

"Shizun is dead."

"This image-projection stone was found later. I dug it out from the soil. I didn't see much—only that they were holding some sort of ceremony..."