Nightfall

The autumn breeze entered the city. Chang’an knew naught of any worry.

The autumn harvest from each county was sent into the city. The harvest was bountiful this year, and the wrinkled faces of the farmers in the countryside relaxed. Those from the city smiled more too. Leaves from the Ginkgo trees fell, carpeting the floor, bringing a refreshing look to the city.

Like in other seasons, together with the grains came many tourists from other counties and countries. One of them was a man in a white shirt.

There was some dust on the man’s shirt. He had a long sword on his back and looked calm and gentle. Few could notice the carefully hidden pride and coldness in his eyes.

He walked amongst the crowd on the streets of Chang’an. Even though all he could see were the heads of other people, all he thought of was the old towers of Chang’an that had existed for millennia.

This was the bustling world-class city of Chang’an. This man in plain clothes seemed not to sense the bustle. To be more exact, his body was in the bustling mortal world, but his mind was not.

Over the years, he had only existed physically in and outside of the mortal world. His heart had always been in the supermundane world. That was why he did not see the bustle or the people.

A few children waving popsicles and fruit sticks ran past the man. There was a crying girl, who almost wiped her tears on him. He frowned and looked at the girl’s retreating back and shook his head slowly.

He had looked at the streets without seeing the people in it while feeling the aura of the millennia-old city. However, he had lost all interest in it after being disturbed by the children.

He stood before a stall and looked at the short owner who was threading fruit on sticks in a practiced move, and then put the sticks into a pot of syrup and turned them. He suddenly lost interest and turned to walk to the north of the city.

…

…

At the top of Wanyan Tower.

Li Qingshan touched the white chess piece that had broken into two. He looked at the clean, shiny break with a heavy expression. There was a sense of loss and emotion in his surprise as he asked, “You’ve come to Chang’an? It seems like the situation is about to become even more troublesome.”

Huang Yang furrowed his brows and asked, “Is it really the Sage of Sword, Liu Bai?”

Li Qingshan shook his head and sighed, “It’s not Liu Bai, but someone even more troublesome.”

Huang Yang said in mild shock, “Is there someone whom you think is more troublesome than Liu Bai?”

Li Qingshan said, “Indeed.”

Then, he turned to look at Huang Yang with a grave expression, “I have to go and welcome that person. If that person doesn’t leave Chang’an in the next few days, you have to stay in the palace.”

Huang Yang listened to him and did not say anything. He prepared to enter the palace immediately.

He understood what Li Qingshan’s intentions. The powerhouse who had come to Chang’an had the ability to threaten His Majesty. They needed to work together to keep His Majesty safe. That was why Huang Yang had to stay in the palace when Li Qingshan went to greet the powerhouse.

How many people were there who could threaten the emperor within Chang’an?

There were a few.

…

…

The Haotian Southern Gate Temple was located at the north of the city and was very close to the palace.

Li Qingshan stood at the entrance of the temple. He looked at the red palace walls silently. No one could tell that he was extremely anxious.

As the autumn breeze blew and the leaves fell, the man in a white shirt walked from the entrance of the street. His dressing was ordinary and only his bun indicated where he was from.

Li Qingshan looked at him and bowed calmly. “Greetings, Mr. Ye Su.”

The man was the World Wayfarer of Haotian Taoism, Ye Su.

Ye Su returned the greeting serenely, “Greetings, Immortal Li.”

His way of addressing Li Qingshan was very interesting. He did not call him the Nation Master or the Great Divine Priest, but Immortal instead. It was a way of addressing that was used by Haotian Taoism.

Historically, the abbey dean of South School of Haotian Taoism usually served as the Tang Nation Master. It was a highly respected position that could be compared to the three Great Divine Priests on the Peach Mountain of the West-Hill Divine Palace.

While Ye Su didn’t have a position in the Divine Hall, his position was special in the Haotian Taoism sect since he was a World Wayfarer. He was equal to the three Great Divine Priests of West-Hill.

Li Qingshan had visited the Zhishou Abbey for the first and only time in the year when he was named a Great Divine Priest. He knew that the simple and somewhat rundown Taoist temple was where the true spirit of Haotian Taoism lay. That was why he couldn’t help but be vigilant when facing this person from the Zhishou Abbey.

The man with a simple bun and a sword on his back before him was no ordinary person. He was the legendary Ye Su, the true powerhouse of the younger generation in the Haotian Taoism sect. His abilities rivaled that of the three Great Divine Priests of Divine Hall. There were rumors that his true state was equal to that of Liu Bai.

As the Tang Nation Master, Li Qingshan was already at the highest peak of the secular world in Haotian Taoism. Ye Su’s identity and abilities did not surprise him. However, what truly worried him was that the rumors had said that Ye Su would not step foot into the mortal world. So why had he come to Chang’an and appeared before the eyes of everyone?

It was fortunate that Ye Su had gone to the Southern Gate Temple right after he entered Chang’an. Li Qingshan understood his intentions and relaxed slightly.

“I heard that the Tang Empire manages cultivators strictly. Foreign cultivators have to register themselves at the Imperial Center Administration when they enter Chang’an. I do not wish to interact with the mortals, so I hope that Immortal, you, can help me with it.”

Ye Su calmly said.

Li Qingshan was slightly startled when he heard that.

The laws of the Tang Empire did indeed have such a regulation. Foreign cultivators had to register at the Imperial Center Administration when they entered Chang’an, or they would be viewed as enemies of the imperial court. However, even the strictest rules could be enforced only on the right people. They could only restrict those who could be restricted. How would it be possible to affect a person like Ye Su?

However, Ye Su did not seem to understand that. He had come to the South Gates for help in registering and it was his first thing after he entered Chang’an. It sounded rather interesting, but there were slight undertones hidden beneath the request.

Li Qingshan understood what Ye Su wanted. He smiled and said, “I would not dare to refuse.”

A Taoist from the Southern Gate Temple would settle the simple issue of registering at the Imperial Center Administration. Li Qingshan invited Ye Su into the temple for tea and tried to find out why he had come.

Ye Su said, “I only came to travel and do not wish to startle too many people or cause any misunderstandings. I will just walk about over the next few days.”

After the words, he turned and left the Southern Gate Temple and walked towards the Vermilion Bird Avenue.

On the streets, Ye Su’s figure grew fainter and fainter as if he was immersed into the fallen leaves and autumn. Li Qingshan looked with furrowed brows, thinking about something.

That man was from an Unknown Place.

That man was the World Wayfarer of Haotian Taoism.

Even though he had said that he did not wish to startle many, such a terrifying person walking about Chang’an was bound to startle too many people.

It would be hard to find peace in Chang’an from today on.

…

…

Ye Su followed the rolling leaves into a road leading south after leaving the Southern Gate Temple and walking on the Vermilion Bird Avenue. It didn’t take him long to reach the famous Vermilion Bird stone painting.

He looked at the lifelike painting and felt the hidden aura from within. He did not speak for a long time. Even with his high state, he could not help but feel in awe of those who had built Chang’an and turned it into a God-stunning big tactical array.

Then, he continued walking aimlessly, just like what he told Li Qingshan. He crossed through streets accompanied by the yelling of vendors. He looked at kites and fetched some water from a well when he got thirsty. He did not stop walking.

In a quiet street, he saw a simple Taoist temple. There was a priest preaching on West-Hill classics at the entrance. There were a handful of people sitting on stools who listened to him intently. Occasionally, there would be someone who would raise their hand to ask a question.

Ye Su stood in the crowd and listened to the preaching silently. He felt that the teachings were vastly different from the ones he had heard in other places. He was especially unused to the questions and doubts raised by those listeners and even felt annoyance and hatred.

A middle-aged man noticed him standing behind. He saw that Ye Su looked foreign and thought that he must be a tourist from other counties. He stood up and invited Ye Su to sit enthusiastically.

Ye Su was unused to the enthusiasm that seemed to be inborn in those from Chang’an. After pausing for a moment, he shook his head to refuse the offer. He looked at the taoist priest standing on the stone steps who stuttered slightly. His expression grew ugly as he watched the taoist priest stammer as he tried to answer the benign questions the masses had.

Haotian Taoism was Ye Su’s home and country. Even though the Southern Gate Temple was independent of the West-Hill Divine Palace, it was still a place where he belonged to. That was why he went to meet Li Qingshan first thing after he entered Chang’an. That was why he would often visit Taoist temples under covered when he traveled.

In Taoist temples in other countries, some priests might be greedy or stupid, but at least they enjoyed utmost respect and glory. He had never seen believers who would dare question the preaching Taoist priest. And he could never imagine that believers would dare to doubt what was recorded in the classics.

Believers of Haotian should obey the classics and not doubt it. No matter whether they had reasons to doubt it or not, it was blasphemy the moment they began to doubt.

This was Ye Su’s way of looking at things.

Someone beside him spoke.

“What do you think?”

The person who spoke was a scholar in old robes. He looked extremely clean-cut, and there was a water ladle tied to his waist. He did not hold that old book in his hands today.

Ye Su looked at the scholar. After a long silence, he said, “This is Chang’an, so my views are not as important as yours.”

The scholar was Eldest Brother of the Academy.

Eldest Brother smiled, “If I remember correctly, this is your first visit to Chang’an. Since you’re here, stay for a couple days more. You might think differently after you’ve seen more.”

Ye Su said, “I hope so.”