"I see."
Ji Yuan nodded. As he did so, he placed a black piece on a corner of the chessboard, his gaze fixed on the board as he considered his next move. The old dragon opposite him held a white piece, deep in thought, seemingly oblivious to their surroundings.
"Mr. Ji, don't you think this 'Great Sage Huang Mi' is incredibly arrogant to simply add 'Great Sage' to his name? Shanjun, have you ever heard of this fellow?"
Hu Yun had pretended to be uninterested in front of the Mountain God of Banana Leaf Mountain, but the first thing he did upon returning was to ask about the individual. Hearing his question, Lu Shanjun, whose gaze was also fixed on the chessboard where Ji Yuan and the old dragon were playing, still replied.
"I know of this Great Sage Huang Mi," Lu Shanjun began. "He is indeed an extraordinary demon, with cultivation and talent far surpassing others of his kind. Six hundred years ago, he was already remarkably formidable when he first emerged. To my knowledge, three hundred years ago, his cultivation had already surpassed that of a typical Heavenly Demon."
Lu Shanjun paused, then continued after a moment's thought.
"It is said that Great Sage Huang Mi is generous and has a wide circle of friends. Not only does he have numerous allies among the demon race, but he also counts friends among the Heavenly Gods, Earth Deities, and various philosophical schools. He even has connections within the immortal and Buddhist paths. This title of 'Great Sage' is even registered in the Heavenly Court. In my opinion, it's a way for the Heavenly Realm to win over the demon race."
The old dragon, having placed a piece, also remarked casually.
"I've also heard a little about this Great Sage Huang Mi. It's currently the time for the Heavenly Mother's Dharma Assembly in the northern Heavenly Realm, so he must be attending the assembly at Luxuan Cloud Sea."
Luxuan Cloud Sea?
Ji Yuan looked up at the northern sky, as if seeing the Heavenly Realm through the clouds and stars. Compared to Great Sage Huang Mi, Ji Yuan was more interested in the vast cloud sea, rumored to be formed from the power of incense offerings and prayers. He imagined it must be a magnificent sight.
"Mr. Ji, what about She Ji's situation?"
"Matters of the heart between a man and a woman are the most troublesome. Let nature take its course."
"What about Great Sage Huang Mi then? With his profound cultivation, there must be a special reason for his conflict with She Ji!"
Ji Yuan smiled.
"If I were to meddle so extensively in worldly affairs, I fear even the Three Realms would find it hard to accommodate me. If you're interested, you can look into it yourself."
Hu Yun fell silent. Ji Yuan ignored him, withdrawing his gaze to the chessboard. As he held a piece and contemplated his move, he asked the old dragon about something else.
"What's happened to Duke Qin?"
"I haven't seen him in a very long time," the old dragon replied. "If it weren't for the divine glow still emanating from the two portraits of the God-Lord at Cloud Mountain Temple, I would even suspect that Duke Qin had met with misfortune. Mr. Ji, it's your turn to move."
The old dragon said this with a chuckle. Ji Yuan, holding a piece in one hand and pulling at his sleeve with the other, gestured over the board with an air of sophistication, but he hesitated, unable to make a move. Eventually, he resigned.
"Hahahahahaha! It seems my chess skills are still superior after all!"
The old dragon stroked his beard and burst into laughter, then swept all the black and white pieces into their respective boxes with a flick of his sleeve.
"Come, come, let's play another game."
"No, no more."
"Oh, just one more game!"
Ji Yuan's eyebrow twitched. His chess skills had certainly improved significantly, but it was clear the old dragon had practiced specifically. He absolutely couldn't give him a chance to dominate.
"No, I'm done. Shanjun, you play a few rounds for me. I'm feeling a bit sleepy and will go back inside to rest."
Ji Yuan was genuinely a little sleepy, or rather, not fully awake yet.
"Yes, Master!"
Ji Yuan quickly stood up. Lu Shanjun, meanwhile, moved to the seat opposite the old dragon. Only after Ji Yuan had entered the house did Lu Shanjun sit down.
"Lord Yinglong, I, Lu, will play a few games on behalf of my master. Please, Lord Yinglong, take the first move."
Lu Shanjun's expression was calm as he gestured for the old dragon to go first. The old dragon looked at Ji Yuan's retreating back, then at the serene face of Lu Shanjun, and after a slight nod, composed himself to play.
By evening, Lu Shanjun, still with a calm expression, had neatly put away the chess pieces. Throughout the afternoon, he had played three games against the old dragon on Ji Yuan's behalf, and had been completely defeated in all of them.
"Lu Shanjun, this is a disgrace to your master's command!" the old dragon teased.
"Master didn't tell me to win," Lu Shanjun retorted, then looked at Hu Yun, who was bored beside them.
"Why are you still here?"
"Huh? What kind of talk is that? Can't I be here?"
With Mr. Ji present, Hu Yun's confidence when facing Lu Shanjun had greatly increased, emboldening him to talk back.
"You should pay more attention to Sun Yiqiu."
"She's not forcefully taking a man, why should I interfere?"
"True, but that She Ji is in the midst of a tribulation."
"Great Sage Huang Mi? Didn't Mr. Ji say he..."
"The Sun family still holds some regard, after all. Master said that since you're interested, you should go manage it."
Hu Yun, whose speech had been interrupted by Lu Shanjun, widened his eyes and pointed to himself.
"Me? Is that what Mr. Ji just meant?"
Lu Shanjun, with a composed expression, slightly narrowed his eyes and said, "If you think that's what he meant, then it is. After all, Master specifically sent you to Banana Leaf Mountain to take a look. If you don't want to get involved, then it's not what he meant."
Hu Yun looked at Lu Shanjun, then at Ji Yuan's main room, whose door was not fully closed. A sudden realization dawned on him: for Mr. Ji, the mundane affairs and various worldly matters of the Three Realms were all just scenery. What could some 'Great Sage' truly mean to Mr. Ji?
'This isn't just about Sun Yiqiu and She Ji; it's about me, Hu Yun, too?'
With this thought in mind, Hu Yun looked at Lu Shanjun's expression again and found it somewhat profound. After a moment's consideration, he stood up.
"Alright, I'll go take a look."
Hu Yun left Ju'an Pavilion. The old dragon watched him open the door and exit, then turned his gaze back to Lu Shanjun.
"Ji Yuan's methods for teaching disciples are truly remarkable!"
The Spring Festival was drawing to a close. In the human realm, myriad lights still shone brightly in every home, but with the passing of the New Year, people had begun to return to their normal lives. Most had finished visiting relatives and friends, and the Sun family was no different.
Those in business finished their Spring Festival celebrations earlier, and the Sun family was no exception. In fact, they had been busy since the temple fair.
It was evening, and the Sun family's noodle stall was preparing to close. Sun's father made the last bowl of noodles and delivered it to a customer's table, while Sun Yiqiu sat on a stool, pulling out the embroidered pouch hanging around his neck from beneath his clothes.
It had been a while since he last dreamt of the slightly immodestly dressed girl. Though it was only a dream, exploring mountains and rivers with her in it had been so enjoyable. Sun Yiqiu found himself feeling a strange mix of longing and apprehension. To constantly dream of the same person, with the dreams even continuing from one to the next—could such a person truly exist in the world?
"Wow, what an exquisite pouch!"
Li Dongdong's voice came from nearby. Sun Yiqiu looked up, his smile a little hesitant, as he faced her.
"Dongdong, you're here? This was just given to me by a customer."
"Is that so?"
Li Dongdong smiled as she walked over and sat beside Sun Yiqiu. She carefully examined the pouch, then paused in surprise.
"Clouds shroud the mountains, observing the clear and turbid of heaven and earth..."
What she had said earlier was just a joke, but now that she looked closely, it truly was an exquisitely crafted item. Every part was perfectly smooth and naturally formed, and the embroidery and calligraphy were remarkably delicate yet solid, radiating a natural beauty throughout. This was no ordinary pouch.
"Surely some skilled and beautiful girl gave this to you?"
Sun Yiqiu shook his head, denying it, then said somewhat sheepishly, "How could I possibly know any beautiful girls?"
Li Dongdong looked at Sun Yiqiu's awkward face, still smiling playfully. "Am I not considered one?"
"No, no, no, of course you are, you are! I meant, besides you, how could I possibly know any other beautiful..."
Before he could finish, Sun Yiqiu noticed that Li Dongdong's gaze wasn't on him, but rather behind him. He instinctively turned around and saw a woman in red standing outside the noodle stall, watching him.
"Miss, you've come too late. We don't have any more noodles..." Sun Yiqiu stood up as he spoke.
"Yiqiu, who is she?" Li Dongdong whispered her question. Her feminine intuition at that moment made her notice that the woman in red had distinctly glanced at Sun Yiqiu's embroidered pouch.
'Could she be the one who gave it to him?'
The woman's attire seemed neutral, yet she was strikingly beautiful and captivating. Her unique aura far surpassed that of ordinary people; she was simply incomparable to a country girl like herself. Li Dongdong instantly felt a pang of inferiority.
"She... she's just a customer, miss. You came too late today; the noodles are all sold out."
"Then I'll have a bowl of offal soup."
Sun's father busy responded from over there. "Alright, coming right up! Yiqiu, come here and help!"
"Coming!"
Hu Yun sat down, contemplating the embroidered pouch he had just seen. Could this young man also be connected to Cloud Mountain Temple? Or had someone from Cloud Mountain Temple foreseen that something significant would happen to him?
Hu Yun had not originally intended to reveal himself, but after seeing the pouch, he decided to ask Sun Yiqiu about it. As he was thinking, he noticed the girl at the opposite table kept looking at him.
Hu Yun smiled inwardly, immediately straightened up, and flashed a smile at Li Dongdong.
'This young lady has good taste. I, Young Master Hu, am indeed extraordinarily handsome!'
Li Dongdong saw the woman in red calmly smiling at her, so she could only return an awkward smile. Then she turned to look at Sun Yiqiu, only to find him secretly glancing between herself and the other woman. She instantly clenched her fists.
"Sun Yiqiu!"
"Huh?" Sun Yiqiu was startled by Li Dongdong's sudden loud outburst.
Li Dongdong had wanted to stand up and question him, but then she remembered that she had no actual relationship with Sun Yiqiu. Coupled with how dazzling the other woman was in comparison to herself, she felt both angry and anxious, yet couldn't utter a word.
"I'm going back!"
Li Dongdong stomped off angrily. Both Hu Yun and Sun Yiqiu were momentarily stunned.
[6 minutes ago] Chapter 2272: The Person Has Left
[6 minutes ago] Chapter 1067: Untouched Past Thirty-Six
[19 minutes ago] Chapter 1066: Never Broken Past Thirty-Five
[32 minutes ago] Chapter 1065: The Unbroken Past Thirty-Four
[45 minutes ago] Chapter 1064: Unbroken Past Thirty-Three
18569 · 0 · 45
16096 · 0 · 31