’This dilapidated little shack of mine has too weak a foundation. Relying on just my Destiny Star and Life Artifact, I can’t compare to those with their extravagant Life Mansions.’
’With this Small Country Jade Seal, the power of my Life Mansion is greatly enhanced.’
"Please thank Master Gai Fengyou for me. I will never forget today’s kindness. If there is ever anything this junior can do in the future, I would gladly lay down my life!" Li Qingxian said, making a grand, empty promise.
Seeing his mixture of sincerity and bluster, Tong Ling covered her red lips with her hand and chuckled. "You should tell my master that yourself. Is your Talisman Disc full?"
"It’s full. What a shame..."
"My master feared as much, so he had me present a third Treasure."
As she spoke, Tong Ling took out an unused Communication Talisman Disc and Gai Fengyou’s Talisman Disc calling card, handing them to Li Qingxian.
Li Qingxian accepted them, and they felt searingly hot to the touch.
’What is this Gai Fengyou’s goal, anyway? These gifts are too extravagant. It’s unsettling.’
’Could it be that my Fate Grid has undergone some unknown change, turning me into someone like Ye Han, with people giving me treasures and Benefactors helping me at every turn? But that doesn’t seem right. After all, I’ve never even met Gai Fengyou.’
Li Qingxian’s heart was filled with a mix of joy and apprehension.
Tong Ling said, "My master says that if you encounter any problems related to Fate Skills, you may consult him directly. The congratulatory gifts have been delivered, so I shall take my leave."
Before Li Qingxian could respond in kind, Tong Ling gave a graceful bow, turned, and strode away, leaving a sweet fragrance in her wake.
In the darkness of the night, her fair arms seemed to glow like jade.
Li Qingxian watched Tong Ling’s departing figure, completely baffled.
’Why would Gai Fengyou send such valuable Treasures?’
’Whatever. I’ll take the sugar-coated pill and throw back the cannonball. I’m heading to Jiangnan soon anyway, and that’s the traditional sphere of influence for Literature Cultivation. With my father’s reputation, I can’t say I’ll be able to command the wind and rain, but securing a carefree life for myself should be a breeze. Once I lay low for a few years and steadily build up my power, it’s unlikely Gai Fengyou will be able to plot against me.’
When Li Qingxian walked back, he found that, to his surprise, the others weren’t pestering him with nosy questions. Instead, they had all risen to their feet and were looking at one man.
The man was speaking with Wang Buku.
Li Qingxian looked toward the man. He was dressed in a common cyan robe, his temples streaked with white. At first glance, he appeared to be over fifty, but a closer look revealed a complexion as smooth as a boy’s and a reserved, steady gaze. He seemed more like a young man with a premature touch of gray.
This man’s aura was exceptionally unique. Li Qingxian had a faint feeling that this person’s strength was no less than that of Zhou Henn or Zhou Chunfeng, and in some respects, perhaps even greater.
The man was saying, "I was in seclusion for cultivation a while ago and arrived a step too late, otherwise you wouldn’t have had to suffer in prison. Your father entrusted you to me all those years ago, but I became preoccupied with my own Cultivation and have rather neglected you. I just so happened to acquire an Upper-Grade Lightweight Skill. Train it diligently. Once you’ve mastered it, while I can’t say you’ll be invincible among your peers, it will be more than enough to protect yourself."
"Thank you, Uncle Changsheng." Wang Buku respectfully accepted the Lightweight Skill manual.
Li Qingxian searched his memories. He had heard of people named Changsheng before, but none of them matched this man.
"Uncle Changsheng, have you broken through to the Upper Grade?" Wang Buku asked, his eyes full of anticipation.
The man gave a wry smile. "My aptitude is average; I still haven’t managed to break through to the Third Grade. But I haven’t given up. Every time the Myriad Phenomena Cyan Cloud Examination is held, it kicks up a storm of chaos. I’m afraid I can’t stay in the Imperial Prison Department for much longer. I plan to return to the mountains to continue my Cultivation. Take good care of yourself. For the foreseeable future, I’m afraid I won’t be able to look out for you."
"Uncle Changsheng, I’m grown up now. Thank you for all your help over the years," Wang Buku said.
"I haven’t helped you much, just done what little I could. I’ll be going now. If there’s an emergency, you know what to do: go to my small courtyard and hang up a red lantern."
"Yes. I will see you off, Uncle Changsheng." Wang Buku bowed respectfully as the man departed.
"Qingxian’s back! So, what’s the situation? Did she come to propose because she’s pregnant with your kid?" Songg Baige shattered the previously peaceful atmosphere with a single sentence.
Li Qingxian rolled his eyes at Songg Baige. "It was just business with a Fate Master, settled after a brief chat. Buku, who was that Uncle Changsheng?"
"You don’t know?" Qiu Ye and the others looked at Li Qingxian, astonished.
"I really don’t," Li Qingxian said.
Wang Buku said, "You’re still young, so it’s understandable. That senior’s full name is Gui Changsheng. Decades ago, he was fairly well-known in the circles of the Divine Capital, but he’s spent recent years in constant seclusion for his Cultivation, so he’s not as famous anymore."
"I’ve never heard of him at all." Li Qingxian thought for another moment.
Songg Baige said, "My father mentioned him. A very peculiar man. Apparently, his aptitude was abysmal—so bad, in fact, that it was said he couldn’t even Enter Grade. Then, who knows what fortuitous encounter he had, but he finally Entered Grade after reaching middle age. After that, he worked at the Ministry of Justice Celestial Prison, not seeking promotion, only to practice his Cultivation. Later, disgusted by the Demon Sect’s takeover of the Ministry of Justice, he transferred to the Imperial Prison Department. He must have left the Imperial Prison Department for his secluded Cultivation right around the time you joined the Night Guard."
Qiu Ye chimed in, "Don’t let his Fourth-Grade rank fool you; there are tons of rumors about him. Some say that while he looks to be in his fifties, he’s actually over a hundred years old. Others say that while his realm isn’t high, the sheer volume of his True Essence is a hundred times that of others at his grade. My father told me that back when Gui Changsheng was just a Fifth Grade, he was humiliated by a Third-Grade Expert. The two exchanged a palm strike—and guess what happened?"
Everyone shook their heads.
"Gui Changsheng only retreated three steps and coughed up a mouthful of blood, while the Third-Grade Expert was sent flying backward. A few days later, that same Third-Grade Expert was ambushed and found dead, his heart meridians completely severed. Some say Gui Changsheng is actually an Upper-Grade Expert just amusing himself in the Human World, while others claim he has a major power backing him. In short, the man is an unfathomable mystery. It’s best to treat him as an Upper-Grade Expert, or even a Great Cultivator. Those were my father’s exact words," said Qiu Ye.
"Buku, is he really that powerful?" Li Qingxian asked.
Wang Buku hesitated for a moment before saying, "I probably shouldn’t say this, but some of it isn’t really a secret anyway. My father says Gui Changsheng is a friend from his own generation, but he’s admitted in private that he’s from my grandfather’s generation as well. You all know of Prince Fu, right? Well, even Prince Fu addresses Uncle Changsheng as a peer and is exceptionally polite to him."
Everyone was stunned for a moment. Wang Buku’s father was of the same generation as Emperor Taining, which meant his grandfather was of the same generation as Emperor Tiankang.
Emperor Tiankang’s father was Emperor Tongshun, and Prince Fu had been Emperor Tongshun’s personal Guard since childhood. The two grew up together, and the prince is a renowned Longevity Star, still alive and well today at no less than one hundred and fifty years of age.
"Perhaps it’s a matter of seniority, or maybe he’s the disciple of some Super Grade master," Songg Baige suggested.
Just then, a group of people walked over. One of them saw Li Qingxian and grinned. "I’ve been looking all over for you, Li Aoshou."
Li Qingxian turned to see his acquaintance from the Ministry of Revenue, Luo Jing, approaching with his attendant Duan Heng and other men.
The "Jing" in Luo Jing’s name reminded Li Qingxian of the Eunuch Jingg Guan, and he wondered how the man was faring after leaving the Divine Capital.
"Don’t tell me you’re planning to take the Seventh-Grade Cyan Cloud Examination?" Li Qingxian asked, glancing at the Senior Eighth-Grade Official Uniform Luo Jing was wearing.
Luo Jing smiled. "The reason I haven’t been in touch is that I broke through to the Seventh Grade and have been busy consolidating my Cultivation. Now that my Cultivation is stable, I naturally have to take a shot at the Myriad Phenomena Cyan Cloud Examination, an event that happens once a decade at most."
Li Qingxian smiled. "Come, let me make an introduction. This is an acquaintance from the Ministry of Revenue, Lord Luo Jing. He hails from the South Star Sect, and on Ministry of Revenue Street not long ago, he practically saved my life..."
As everyone began to chat, they completely forgot about the beautiful woman.
Tong Ling melted into the night and slipped into the forest.
"Reporting, honored Master. Your disciple has delivered the Treasures to him as you commanded."
Gai Fengyou, his hair and beard completely white, his bearing like that of a celestial immortal, nodded. "You may change back into your usual clothes."