Chapter 689 A Call of 'Lord

Beneath a locust tree in the garden, Wang Ping was gazing blankly at the old, transplanted tree.

His disciples and grand-disciples had long since departed. They all had their own duties now and no longer needed to flock around their master, Wang Ping.

Liu Shuang was now the Former Hall Master of the Inner Courtyard, managing the vast Qianmu Temple. Hu Qianqian was preparing for her Core Formation ceremony and would soon enter seclusion, and Xia Wen Yi and Shen Xiaozhu were doing the same.

With the exception of Hu Lin, his grand-disciples were all preparing to venture out into the world for training.

Besides, they all had their own apprentices and friends. Their master, Wang Ping, was now a Lord, a distant and unreachable figure—not the elder they could once playfully dote on.

“Everyone has their own destiny. You don’t need to trouble yourself over such things.”

Yu Lian’s voice drifted down from the branches of the locust tree. After she spoke, she turned her head and took a bite of the locust flowers, which were nearly out of season.

Wang Ping shook his head. “I was just marveling at how quickly time passes.”

As he spoke, he picked up a transparent, jade-green, five-colored stone and held it up to the sunlight. The stone was carved with a depiction of Zhonghui City, with the mountains of Qianmu Temple faintly visible in the background. In the sunlight, the scene was so lifelike it seemed like a miniature world.

It was a congratulatory gift from the Imperial Family, which Liu Shuang had delivered to him. They had specially commissioned a master carver to create it according to Wang Ping’s tastes. A five-colored stone of such quality was extremely valuable in the Mortal World; to the right buyer, it could fetch over a hundred thousand taels of silver.

Over a hundred thousand taels of silver was a massive fortune in the Mortal World, but to the current Wang Ping, the silver he might casually use to set up a single Array was worth more than that.

Most of the silver and gold on the market currently came from the Eastern Alliance’s Moon God Sect and Vajra Temple. Rumor had it that the Vajra Temple and the Moon God Sect controlled inexhaustible gold and silver mines, but in Wang Ping’s view, it was more likely some kind of ability possessed by the Moon God and a corresponding Gold Spirit.

Therefore, the common rumor that Zhongshan Country, the location of Vajra Temple, was a bitterly cold and impoverished land was complete nonsense. They were probably the wealthiest people in the world, bar none.

As his thoughts wandered, one of the Guiding Disciples from the outer courtyards appeared ten zhang away. He cupped his fist and said, “Reporting to the Grandmaster, Daoist Yuan Zheng and Daoist Ruan Chunzi are at the foot of the mountain, requesting an audience.”

“Tell them to fly directly up.”

Wang Ping reined in his more personal emotions, walked over to the tea table under the locust tree, and sat down. He reached out to stroke the Calico Cat’s head. The cat cracked open one eye to glance at him, then covered it with a front paw and went back to sleep.

“Heh…”

Wang Ping let out a soft chuckle. At that moment, Yu Lian used Tengyun to descend from the branches. Her tail was curled around a handful of locust flowers, which she placed on the tea table. She performed a bit of Magic, instantly evaporating the moisture from the blossoms, and a clean scent of dried grass immediately wafted into the air.

“Care to try some?”

Yu Lian offered.

Wang Ping nodded. He placed the dried locust flowers into the teapot, then picked up a kettle of already-boiled mountain spring water and poured it in. A unique floral fragrance immediately filled the air.

Just then, Ruan Chunzi and Yuan Zheng walked up the stone path leading from the garden’s main entrance. They stopped ten zhang away, visibly taken aback for a moment by Wang Ping’s casual posture. Then, they offered a very solemn, cupped-fist salute and said, “We greet you, Lord!”

That one word, “Lord,” coupled with their reverent attitude, perfectly explained why Wang Ping’s own disciples had become so deferential toward him.

As the two of them bowed, a cool autumn breeze swept through, lifting flurries of locust petals and making the two men seem as small and fragile as candles flickering in the wind.

Wang Ping lifted the teapot and gave it a gentle swirl. As the sound of tea sloshing within echoed softly, he looked at the two men and beckoned them over. “Come, sit and talk. With all the visitors coming and going lately, we haven’t had a proper chance to gather.”

“Yes!”

Ruan Chunzi replied cautiously.

Yuan Zheng remained silent.

The two men walked over and sat down primly. As Wang Ping set out two cups and began to pour tea for them, they both instinctively cupped their fists and murmured, “Thank you, thank you.”

“My successful ascension to the Fourth Realm was thanks in no small part to the wholehearted assistance of you two seniors. For that, I thank you now.”

After pouring the tea, Wang Ping raised his own cup in a gesture of respect toward them.

Ruan Chunzi immediately cupped his fist. “We dare not take credit. The Lord’s successful ascension was entirely due to your own strength. We merely ran a few errands.”

Yuan Zheng merely nodded.

“There’s no need to be so modest. There’s no one else here,”

Wang Ping said with a chuckle. He then gestured to the two of them, “Drink up!”

He took a sip. The faint, nectar-like sweetness was delightful. Wang Ping took another sip before setting his cup down. Yu Lian, on the other hand, drained hers in a single gulp and, still not satisfied, poured herself another.

“If you have any requests, feel free to make them. I’ve never been stingy when it comes to my friends. I can even put up with that madman from ‘First Day,’ so long as he’s a friend.”

Wang Ping said with a casual smile. Even though he could now gather a great many Third Realm Cultivators to his side with a single word, the two men before him were seniors, and they were also his friends.

During the time since his ascension, the various powers had already received their dues according to the promises he’d made. For example, Chongyuan Mansion had established its observation outpost, and the Demon Race from the Demon Realm had begun to enter the Southern Cultivation Realm. Some members of the Demon Race had even become one of the seven high-ranking members in the Daoist Palace. The Jimin Association had also re-entered the Daoist Palace, occupying several third-tier positions.

“I want to go to the front lines to fight the Outer Realm Demons!”

Ruan Chunzi stated his request.

Wang Ping was slightly taken aback. It was hardly a rational decision. Beside him, Yuan Zheng looked completely baffled, having no idea what Ruan Chunzi was getting at.