Chapter 854 - 406: Third Li of the Coffin Lifting Association! Farewell, Yu Xuanji_2

Chapter 854: Chapter 406: Third Li of the Coffin Lifting Association! Farewell, Yu Xuanji_2

"Even if it is destiny, there’s always an element of change."

Everyone sighed in their hearts; how could such a grand opportunity as becoming a closed-door disciple of Pure Yang Zhenren come so easily?

The Daoist teachings are not passed on lightly, and techniques are not sold cheaply; this has been the rule since ancient times.

"The Sect Leader’s words are as good as gold. I have nothing to say, and I wish the Sect Leader success in accepting a favored disciple."

As he spoke, Zhao Wuji cast a fleeting glance at Li Miaoyin and then walked out of the Zhenwu Hall.

"Senior brother..."

At this moment, Xi Dongyang stepped forward, hesitating to speak.

"You all may leave. Miaoyin, you first go to the Purple Sky Palace to burn incense and bathe," Chu Chaoran waved his hand.

The formal disciple ceremony is extremely complex and needs preparation starting from the third watch of the night.

"Yes." Li Miaoyin bowed with clasped hands and then exited the hall.

Seeing this, everyone else also left.

"Nanxu, you should leave too."

Liu Nanxu said no more. He knew that the two senior brothers, Chu Chaoran and Xi Dongyang, had matters to discuss behind closed doors, most likely regarding Zhao Wuji.

Although he was also at the Celestial Master Level, his junior status prevented him from overhearing these conversations.

In a blink, the vast Zhenwu Hall was left with only Chu Chaoran and Xi Dongyang.

"Senior brother, don’t mind him, Zhao Wuji is just like that, always rigid since childhood." Xi Dongyang began to speak.

Zhao Wuji’s personality is about strict adherence to rules and traditions; he lived for a hundred years without breaking a single sect rule, not even the smallest regulation.

In comparison, before the age of eighteen, Chu Chaoran had already violated the sect rules of Zhenwu Mountain from beginning to end, setting a precedent that might be hard for future generations to break.

"Why would I mind?" Chu Chaoran laughed, "If I truly minded, I would have knocked him dead when we were young."

"Actually, Zhao Wuji’s concern is because..." Xi Dongyang looked at Chu Chaoran and paused.

"That girl carries the surname Li..."

"Senior brother, is her Li the same as that Li?" Xi Dongyang’s eyes narrowed, waiting for Chu Chaoran’s answer.

"Yes."

A simple word, yet it caused a shiver in the brow of the Elder Celestial Master of Zhenwu Mountain.

"The Li surname... is even more troublesome than the Zhang surname. I thought the pure-blooded Li family had died out." Xi Dongyang said solemnly.

The Li surname is more peculiar than the Zhang surname. This lineage does not appear in the world in the form of clan bloodlines.

"That young one from the White Crane Temple, as well," Chu Chaoran suddenly said.

"That little one called Li Changgeng?" Xi Dongyang said, "Jiang Wansui is truly formidable, to have found one."

"Senior brother, you truly counter old Jiang Wansui. He found one, and you also found one." Xi Dongyang grinned.

"Our Zhenwu Mountain is destined to overshadow the White Crane Temple."

"Junior brother, you think this is child’s play?" Chu Chaoran gave a sidelong glance and said calmly.

"If someday, I am gone, or even if Zhenwu Mountain no longer exists..."

Chu Chaoran suddenly changed the topic, startling Xi Dongyang.

"Senior brother, what nonsense are you saying? You are now in the Pure Yang Wuji Realm; how could you not be here, and how could Zhenwu Mountain not exist?"

"I said if..."

"At that time, find a way for this child to have a future."

"Senior brother, you place such importance on this girl?" Xi Dongyang frowned.

What Chu Chaoran said today seemed to carry profound meaning, leaving him somewhat uneasy.

"As you said, there are few pure-blood Li surnames left." Chu Chaoran said solemnly.

"Back then... when the South Zhang was destroyed, Li Jiugong came once."

"Third Li!?" Xi Dongyang’s brow jumped, and he couldn’t help saying, "Among their Coffin Lifting Association, Third Li is the most mysterious. Jiang Wansui searched for him for many years to confirm whether he was alive or dead."

Li Jiugong was one of the nine original members of the Coffin Lifting Association, ranking third, below Jiang Wansui and Zhang Tian Sheng.

"Senior brother, why did he come to see you?" Xi Dongyang couldn’t help but ask, "As far as I know, by then, he had already withdrawn from the Coffin Lifting Association, and Jiang Wansui was searching the world for him."

"His child had some problems, and he asked for my help to take a look." Chu Chaoran sighed, "Parents’ hearts are truly compassionate in this world."

"This is a great favor." Xi Dongyang gave Chu Chaoran a deep look.

"Senior brother, you should not have helped him. That kid of Third Li later became a notable figure, even seating himself as the Lord of the Profound Palace." Xi Dongyang said.

"I know, what was that kid’s name again..."

"Right, he was called Li Cunsi. At the time, he seemed promising, but a bit sickly, like someone taking in more than giving out." Chu Chaoran’s eyes showed a hint of reminiscence.

"Senior brother, that Li from Li Jiugong..."

"At the time, he talked to me a bit. Although he bore the Li surname, it wasn’t pure-blooded, and neither was his child..."

"That’s right; they don’t pass on the Li surname through bloodline inheritance." Xi Dongyang nodded.

"He said that all these years, he had seen only one pure-blooded Li."

"Who?" Xi Dongyang couldn’t help but ask.

"That child later married into the Zhang family!"

Xi Dongyang’s brow twitched, and he remained silent.

"Later, he came again, but that was over twenty years ago. At that time, he was injured, saying he finally found another pure-blooded Li, but unfortunately, Jiang Wansui took them away." Chu Chaoran said slowly.

His voice was so calm and gentle, as if a spectator of time recounting a past that had nothing to do with him.

"Li Changgeng!?" Xi Dongyang blurted out.

"That was the last time I saw him." Chu Chaoran sighed.

For more than twenty years afterward, Li Jiugong vanished without a trace, those who remembered him saying he had died. Now, there are few who know his name.

"Junior brother, you should understand how special this child is by now."

"I understand, senior brother."

"Let’s go, prepare; tomorrow is to be a grand day for Zhenwu Mountain, and many old friends to meet."

Chu Chaoran looked at the enveloping twilight outside the door, his gaze narrowing, murmuring softly.

...

At this moment, in the Purple Sky Palace.

In front of the Worship Hall, the firelight within the bronze furnace flickered, dispelling the darkness of the long night and bringing a glimmer of light.

The Daoist temple in the mountain is always extraordinarily quiet, making one’s Primordial Spirit calm and thoughts dormant.

"It’s truly quiet."

Zhang Fan touched the stone railing, looking into the distance, only to see the mountain scenery shrouded, like a colossal beast hidden in the fog.

The vast Zhenwu Mountain hides who knows how many mysteries, burying countless stories.

"The last time I came, I stayed on the Golden Summit."

"Now, those who can reside on the Golden Summit are almost all at the Celestial Master Level." Ge Shuangxiu said with a smile.

"Indeed, Celestial Masters should be on high."

As it stands, he now resides halfway up Zhenwu Mountain, similar to his position in cultivation.

"With so many Celestial Masters gathered, if someone managed to capture them all, the Daoist Sect’s power..." Ge Shuangxiu suddenly remarked.

Before he could finish his sentence, the sky resounded with a rumbling noise, like thunder rising instantaneously from who knows where.

"Are you crazy, speaking nonsense here?" Zhang Fan glared at him hard; it was indeed the wayward thinking of the Wuwei Sect.

"I was just making a bold assumption." Ge Shuangxiu laughed awkwardly, unconsciously glancing at the sky and no longer spouting nonsense.

"From now on, make your bold assumptions far away from me."

"Tomorrow is the disciple ceremony; let’s go to bed early. The festivities will surely be lively." Ge Shuangxiu changed the topic.

This time, they could finally witness the excitement as bystanders, and most importantly, they could see what the true appearance of the mysterious closed-door disciple was.

"Let’s go." Zhang Fan nodded, turning around to leave.

Thud... thud... thud...

At this moment, a series of slow footsteps could be heard from behind. Zhang Fan instinctively stopped and looked back, seeing under the moonlight, a man and a woman walking over, the man unmistakably the one he met during the day, Gu Yinxia.

As for the woman, she had a familiar face. Just a glance made Zhang Fan’s brow jump, and his Primordial Spirit restless.

"Zhang Fan, it’s been a long time since we parted in the Hundred Thousand Mountains; have you been well?"

In the misty night, Yu Xuanji walked gracefully with a smile, her words brimming with joy.