Chapter 1040: Unbroken Past Nine

“Hey, hey, who are you? How can you just sit down and eat? These noodles aren't yours.”

Sun Yiqiu snapped back to attention and couldn't help but scold the person.

Chewing the noodles in their mouth, the newcomer slightly raised their left hand, gesturing for Sun Yiqiu to wait. They then took out eight coppers from their pocket, placed them on the table, and continued to savor the noodles.

Sun Yiqiu scratched his head, holding back his remaining words. He glanced back at his father, and seeing him nod, Sun Yiqiu took the money, saying a little awkwardly, “Please enjoy your meal, sir.”

Ji Yuan paid no attention to Sun Yiqiu, continuing to eat his noodles. He faintly heard someone at a nearby table sighing softly.

“I wish I had bought that girl’s noodles earlier.”

“Yes, I haven’t tried them anyway.”

Ji Yuan smiled and shook his head. Suddenly, he heard someone mutter in an extremely low voice, “It’s even better if you’ve already eaten it.” This almost made Ji Yuan choke on his noodles, and he couldn’t help but glance sideways at the speaker: a scholar with a slightly dark complexion and well-defined features.

Just then, a chilly wind swept through.

Although the scholars here did not possess high cultivation levels in literary arts, none could hear the words of Hu Yun and She Ji, nor did they have overly sensitive spiritual perceptions. However, the presence of ghosts and deities was still quite noticeable when they drew near.

Some scholars sensed something amiss, and a few even vaguely saw the shadowy figures of underworld emissaries. Among them was the somewhat lively scholar, who spoke up to warn his companions at the table, “Silence, patrolling deities are passing through.”

The chatter and laughter at the stall quickly died down. Two night patrols, accompanied by several underworld emissaries, arrived at the noodle stand and meticulously searched the surroundings.

“Just now, the spiritual energy here was agitated, clearly concealing a trace of demonic aura, but now it’s vanished.”

“It’s possible some formidable demon is hiding within the temple fair.”

As they spoke, the two patrolling deities entered the stall, their gaze sweeping over the tables of scholars. Those who couldn't perceive them continued to chat and laugh, while those who could were visibly restrained. However, the scholar Ji Yuan had noticed remained completely at ease, though he did not actively greet the underworld emissaries.

Then the two patrolling deities’ gaze fell upon Ji Yuan, who was eating noodles alone at a table.

“This is the former residence of the Sage of Literature; if any fiend dares to cause trouble, they will surely meet a terrible end.”

“Don’t bother looking, he’s just a mortal.”

The patrolling deities left with the underworld emissaries. Ji Yuan didn’t spare them a single glance from beginning to end, simply continuing to eat his noodles. When he was almost finished, he looked up and called out towards the Sun family, “Shopkeeper, do you have any sheep offal? Beef offal would be even better.”

It was Sun’s father who answered this time, wiping his hands with a cloth and smiling apologetically, “I’m sorry, sir, it’s all gone.”

“If you have it, just sell it. I used to be a regular at this stall; everyone who knew me called me ‘Mister’.”

Sun’s father carefully sized up the customer speaking, then asked with a frown, “And who might you be, sir?”

“My surname is Ji.”

Ji Yuan licked his chopsticks clean, then placed them horizontally across the empty noodle bowl.

“Oh, so it’s Mr. Ji. It seems you’re familiar with our stall’s ways. It’s truly inconvenient right now. If you wish to have some, I can set it aside for you tomorrow morning…” Sun’s father explained amicably.

“Indeed, it’s not proper to insist.”

Ji Yuan did not press the matter; he stood up directly. After walking a few steps, he suddenly turned back to look at the food cart. “Shopkeeper, if I may be so bold, who are you saving that portion for?”

“Uh, well…”

Sun Yiqiu’s mind worked quickly, and he immediately replied, “This might be a symbolic tradition from our ancestors, much like the saying ‘abundance every year’.”

This explanation made sense, and Sun’s father also nodded slightly. Ji Yuan did not ask further questions.

Who says immortals must be completely unattached, or always possess a detached nature? Why else would they enter and wander through the mortal world? At this moment, Ji Yuan still felt a slight sense of loss, but nothing more.

“The taste is still quite good, but it feels like something is missing!”

Ji Yuan walked away at a slow pace, but the scholar inside the stall stood up.

“Shopkeeper, it’s certainly not right if someone tries to eat for free, but selling one bowl of noodles for the price of two doesn’t seem quite right either, does it?”

This was clearly in reference to what had just happened. The scholar’s voice was neither too loud nor too soft, perfectly audible both inside and outside the stall.

“What the gentleman says is true. If that customer returns, as long as our stall is open, we will make her another bowl of noodles.”

The scholar gazed out beyond the noodle stall for quite some time, then after a long pause, he nodded to Sun’s father and sat down. His companions beside him were still tense from their recent encounter with the underworld emissaries.

“Hey, friend, why do you think the underworld emissaries came just now?” “It couldn’t possibly be because of those two young women, could it?”

“I, on the other hand, think they came more likely for Mr. Ji.”

Even after sitting down, the scholar continued to frequently look in the direction Ji Yuan had left, muttering things like “It shouldn’t be possible.”

“Friend, friend? What’s wrong?”

“Oh, nothing. Let’s finish our noodles. Once midnight arrives, we’ll head to the Confucian Temple.”

Customers came and went at the stall, and the temple fair was bustling with a continuous stream of pedestrians. Ji Yuan walked where the lights were dim, thoughtfully watching the occasional fireworks ascend into the sky.

“To have kept it for so many years, yet not recognize the one they waited for—how laughable, how regrettable.”

A calm voice came from the side. Ji Yuan turned his head to see Lu Shan Jun already standing not far away, bowing deeply and respectfully.

“Disciple Lu Shan Jun, respectfully greets you, Master!”

At this moment, Lu Shan Jun could no longer maintain his composure. His voice carried an irrepressible excitement, and when he raised his head, his eyes were visibly reddened.

“Master, is it truly you? I have missed you so much these past years!”

When speaking of Ji Yuan, Hu Yun and the others had mostly remained calm. Acquaintances would inquire about him when they met, and also when they visited Ju’an Small Pavilion. They maintained a sense of normalcy, refusing to believe that Ji Yuan would truly die of old age or dissipate into the world.

But it wasn’t until this moment, seeing Ji Yuan, that even the usually sharp and resolute Lu Shan Jun couldn’t hold back his emotions.

“I couldn’t resist the sleepiness, so I took a nap in the mountains and only recently awoke. Have you been well these past years?”

“This disciple has been diligently cultivating and all is well. I humbly request your guidance, Master!”

“I can no longer guide you. Come, let us go home.”

Ji Yuan spoke quite calmly at this moment, but his heart was filled with considerable emotion. For him, it had been nothing more than a dreamless sleep, but for those who cared about him, it had been centuries of waiting.

Outside the gate of Ju’an Small Pavilion, Lu Shan Jun stood respectfully to the side. Ji Yuan’s gaze swept over the plaque, then he touched the main door. With a gentle push, the door slowly opened.

Zao Niang, who was reading in the courtyard, sensed something and looked up towards the doorway. For a moment, she froze, utterly speechless, with two streams of clear tears unknowingly flowing from her eyes.

“Mister?”

“Zao Niang, the Grand Master is back!” “Zao Niang!”

“Where’s Hu Yun?” “I want to eat ink!”

“Hahahahaha, we’re back too!”

“We’ve been guarding the Grand Master all this time!”

The noisy chatter of the little characters instantly filled the air, chirping merrily. The Sword Intent Scroll flew out from Ji Yuan’s embrace, and one by one, the small characters, shimmering with spiritual light, also flew out.

Ji Yuan said nothing superfluous. He walked into the courtyard, brushed the snow from his clothes, and sat down at the table under the tree as he always had, saying with a smile, “Zao Niang, please brew me a pot of jujube flower honey tea.”

“Yes!”

Lu Shan Jun also walked into the courtyard and spoke a few words in a low voice. Ji Yuan clapped his hands in approval.

“If we don’t inform them, I fear some old friends might be upset later.”

A moment later, many chirping little characters ascended amidst the commotion, streaks of spiritual light flying out of Ju’an Small Pavilion, streaking across the night sky like meteors and heading into the distance.

Inside the small pavilion’s courtyard, flower buds swelled on all branches of the large jujube tree, then slowly blossomed. In mere moments, the tree was covered in yellow flowers, their fragrance flowing out of Ju’an Small Pavilion and drifting across the entire Ning’an County.

Throughout Ning’an County, wherever the floral scent spread, green leaves broke through the snow, tender shoots sprouted, and a hundred flowers burst into bloom. Everyone stopped in their tracks, and everyone was amazed!