Chapter 186: Cannot Speak of the Feelings

As soon as Qiu Feng left, Yin Qing and Hu Yun finally relaxed in the courtyard of Ju'an Pavilion.

Ji Yuan had not yet returned from the gate outside the courtyard. Yin Qing immediately turned his head and began to lecture Hu Yun in a professorial tone.

"Look at you," he admonished. "A fox yelling and screaming all day long. It's only acceptable here with Mr. Ji. Anywhere else, if people saw a fox occasionally running and jumping on two legs and talking, they'd first be scared half to death. Then, after they recovered, they'd grab hoes, rakes, and other tools, and rally the villagers to beat you to death!"

"You're talking nonsense!" Hu Yun retorted. "And would I be afraid of them? My claws and teeth are quite formidable!"

Hu Yun blurted this out, waving his still-sharp claws and arguing with Yin Qing.

"Oh, so formidable, are we?" Yin Qing taunted. "Then why do you curl up in a ball on my back every time we pass through the streets and alleys and see a dog?"

Yin Qing pursed his lips, looking at the red fox with extreme disdain. This made the fox bristle like a cat, baring its thin, sharp fangs as if ready to fight to the death.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk..."

Yin Qing also rolled up his sleeves, revealing his strong arms. "Come on, come on, who's going to hit whom?!"

The man and the fox faced off for a long time, but neither actually made a move. After a while, the tension began to wane. Yin Qing glanced at Ji Yuan, who had already walked past them and returned to his chessboard, seemingly with no intention of orchestrating a man-fox battle.

"Never mind, never mind," Yin Qing muttered. "Why should I argue with a stinky fox who just learned to talk? I am a scholar!" He grunted, flicking his sleeves back into place.

"Never mind, never mind," Hu Yun scoffed. "I am a scholarly fox, and I'm older than you. Why should I argue with a mere young brat like you!" Hu Yun also put on an air of not stooping to his level.

Ji Yuan turned his head, glanced at the two, shook his head, and continued his move on the chessboard.

For others, comprehending the strategies of senior chess masters was simply a way to refine their own skills. For Ji Yuan, however, it was also a form of cultivation. Just as when he observed chess in the capital, the interplay of yin and yang was evident as two pieces contended. The struggle between black and white also revealed the path of mutual creation. The more skilled the master, the deeper the insights Ji Yuan gained during their chess encounters. Observing a game in person was naturally ideal, but true chess masters were not necessarily easier to find than immortals. Experiencing their wisdom through inherited chess classics, transcending time and space, was also an excellent form of cultivation.

Yin Qing and Hu Yun exchanged glances. The man and the fox quietly made their way to the table and sat down.

"Mr. Ji," Yin Qing began, "who was that master just now? Hu Yun didn't even realize he was inside. If an ordinary person saw a fox talking human language and running in, they would have been terrified, wouldn't they?"

"Mmm-hmm!" Hu Yun affirmed, nodding in agreement from beside him.

Ji Yuan sighed. "It's good that you know," Ji Yuan said. "So, be more restrained in the future, especially you." Ji Yuan turned to face the red fox. Facing those dull, ancient eyes, the red fox froze once more.

"It's fine here with me, but that doesn't mean it's the same outside," Ji Yuan continued. "In this world, genuinely kind demons are rare, and demon races who can prove their kindness are even rarer. What Yin Qing said was actually correct; before you have significant power, it's best not to be too unrestrained in public." Seeing the fox dared not respond, Ji Yuan said no more.

"Uh, haha, Mr. Ji," Yin Qing stammered, "we're going to start cooking now. We'll bring the food here to eat together once it's ready. We're off!" Sensing that Mr. Ji might not be in a good mood today, Yin Qing winked at Hu Yun, and together, they quickly left the small courtyard.

Ji Yuan placed the chess piece, his gaze lingering on the retreating figures of the man and the fox. He seemed to be deep in thought, and after a long moment, he shook his head.

About an hour later, Qiu Feng returned to Yuhuaishan by controlling the wind. Upon his return, he didn't even stop to check on his disciple. Instead, he immediately called for his senior brother Yang Ming, and together they went to Shuyun Tower to find Uncle Ren.

Shuyun Tower is a unique building within Yuhuaishan, equipped with numerous magical arrays designed to calm the minds and spirits of cultivators. It serves as a place for the mountain's disciples to meditate and undergo seclusion. Furthermore, every twenty years, two Grand Daoist Masters from Yuhuaishan are rotated to be stationed at Shuyun Tower. While ensuring the building's arrays prevent cultivators in deep meditation from suffering a qi deviation is a secondary task, their more crucial role is managing various affairs of Yuhuaishan during their twenty-year tenure.

In reality, excluding their foundational texts, the immortal abodes and sects in this world can be broadly categorized into two types. One is a hierarchical sect, where a leader oversees the affairs of the immortal abode. Yuhuaishan belongs to the second type; it has no single leader. Instead, once disciples reach a certain level of cultivation, they take turns overseeing the Yuhuai Sacred Realm. For this twenty-year period, it was Qiu Feng and Yang Ming's master and uncle's turn. During this time, they could not enter deep seclusion or travel freely. Any issues that arose were their primary responsibility to handle, and they generally avoided disturbing the elder generation of masters.

The title "Grand Daoist Master" does not solely reflect one's cultivation level or magical power. While magical power is certainly a criterion, it more importantly signifies whether one has attained true insight into the profound mysteries of the Dao during their cultivation. The character "True" (真) carries deep meaning; the term "Daoist Master" is not simply a measure of strength but emphasizes the true essence of cultivation. Even highly senior and esteemed masters are mostly granted no more than the title of "Grand Daoist Master." Of course, the term "Grand Daoist Master" is merely a designation used internally by Yuhuaishan. In the orthodox cultivation world, most successful cultivators are simply referred to as "Daoist Master."

The two Grand Daoist Masters for this current rotation were far from as idle as usual. First, there were hard-to-verify rumors from the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets; if that matter could await Daoist Master Pei's return, then the affairs Qiu Feng recounted after his visit to Ji Yuan today were absolutely not trivial.

On the top floor of Shuyun Tower, Uncle Ren, clad in a green robe, listened to Qiu Feng's brief account of the day's events. He remained deep in thought, his brows heavily furrowed, never relaxing. Qiu Feng and Yang Ming sat below, patiently waiting.

"Today's matter is no small thing," the green-robed man finally declared. "We cannot decide it ourselves; we must consult with the fellow Daoists and elders of Yuzhu Peak!" The green-robed man stood up. "You two come along as well."

The three left Shuyun Tower together, flying towards a place on the eastern side of Yuhuaishan, enveloped in clouds and shimmering light. It was one of Yuhuaishan's forbidden areas. They flew for a long time through the dazzling, hazy light, encountering areas where it felt as though celestial gales from beyond the heavens swept through. After a significant period, they finally passed through the aurora-like shimmer, and before them lay a massive mountain peak, its summit glowing white and its base verdant green. This was Yuzhu Peak of Yuhuaishan.

Qiu Feng and Yang Ming hadn't visited this place many times either; they only came if there was a truly urgent matter while their master and uncle were cultivating there. Yuzhu Peak was dotted with jade pavilions, and at its very summit stood a main hall. Normally, it would be empty, but at this moment, Ren Butong led his two nephews directly towards it. The main hall, constructed entirely of white jade, was surrounded by snow-white columns, and at its apex hung a large golden bell.

Ren Butong made hand seals and chanted incantations, then swept his sleeve to form a sword-finger gesture, repeatedly pointing it at the golden bell hanging from the dome. Beams of magical light shot forth.

"Dong... Dong... Dong..."

The bell's chime resonated, and misty, web-like halos spread outwards, carried by the sound throughout Yuzhu Peak. Qiu Feng and Yang Ming exchanged a look. Even though they had reached a high level of cultivation and were masters themselves, they could still detect a hint of nervousness in each other's eyes.

The bell chimed a total of six times, signifying that all cultivators not in irreversible seclusion must proceed to the Jade Dome Hall to participate in important decisions. If it chimed nine times consecutively, it denoted a matter of life or death for the Yuhuaishan Holy Realm itself.

After a brief wait, streaks of light flew in from all directions of the great hall. Figures, both male and female, with faces ranging from ancient to youthful, materialized around them. Ren Butong, accompanied by his two nephews, bowed and greeted each of them in turn. A total of eleven individuals arrived. The most senior among them was an elder from Ren Butong's grandmaster's generation, known as "Juyuanzi." Over eight hundred years old, his cultivation and Daoist attainment were the highest in Yuhuaishan, and his magical power was unfathomable. Ostensibly, he was the most promising person in Yuhuaishan to achieve the Dao and become a True Immortal, though only he himself knew the true extent of that possibility. There were no masters of higher standing than these. Even these individuals, referred to as "immortals" by mortals, could not escape the depletion of their lifespans, aging, sickness, and death.

"Daoist Ren, have you encountered a matter difficult to decide?" "Have you encountered a formidable enemy?" "Is Daoist Ren the only one? Where is Daoist Pei?" As the newcomers took their seats in the hall, they also asked several questions.

"Several major events have recently occurred, all related to our Yuhuaishan, and I had no choice but to disturb you all..." Ren Butong began slowly, detailing everything: from the rumors circulating from the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets, to the appearance of a true demon in Bingzhou, and then to Qiu Feng's visit to Ning'an County today, including Ji Yuan's request to examine the Mountain Sealing Edict Talisman. Many details were left for Qiu Feng to elaborate on.

The sheer amount of information was significant. By the time all matters had been recounted, everyone in the hall could no longer contain themselves.

"Did that Dragon Lord truly let bygones be bygones?" "Who is this Mr. Ji? Is there really a True Immortal hidden within our Great Zhen territory?"

"Ji Yuan by name, why have we never heard of him? Is it an alias?" "I don't think so!"

"If a True Immortal spoke the words, then the Dragon Lord might truly have found peace."

"Are a True Immortal's words always the truth?" "Well..."

"And what about the Pavilion of Heavenly Secrets matter? There were even evil demons attacking our Yuhuaishan cultivators!"

"The truth of that matter remains unclear for now. The key is the Mountain Sealing Edict Talisman – should we allow him to view it or not?"

"A paramount treasure of our sect, how can it be easily displayed to outsiders!"

"Precisely, not even a Daoist Immortal of profound mystery should be shown it easily!"

"That's not quite right. Since Mr. Ji told Daoist Qiu that he is proficient in the Dao of Edicts, he might very well understand how to use the talisman. If he could teach our Yuhuaishan this method..."

"Ridiculous! Daoist methods are not easily transmitted. Even if he truly possesses such knowledge, what would we offer him in return?"

The discussion became a flurry of remarks, with no shortage of arguments. Qiu Feng and Yang Ming remained quietly cross-legged beside their uncle, not daring to utter a word.

"Daoist Qiu Feng," Juyuanzi, who had been silent, suddenly spoke, "in your opinion, besides his profound simplicity, what other extraordinary attributes does that True Immortal-level individual possess?" His unique yet ancient voice caused the discussions in the hall to cease.

Qiu Feng hesitated. He hadn't wanted to discuss the "melancholy" he felt when meeting Ji Yuan, and had only briefly mentioned it before. However, now that Juyuanzi, a master of his great-grandmaster's generation, had asked, what he wished to know was clearly more than just the surface details.

"To answer Daoist Juyuanzi," Qiu Feng began, "this humble one did indeed experience something personally today..." Qiu Feng gritted his teeth and recounted how he had previously shared his own cultivation experiences to evoke thoughts about the passage of time, intending to subtly inquire about Ji Yuan's background. As he described Ji Yuan's melancholy over the world's transformations, he was visibly nervous.

"At that moment," Qiu Feng recounted, "I felt as if the small courtyard was traveling beyond the heavens and earth, traversing the universe. All things seemed within reach, and the changes of the Great Dao were like seas turning into mulberry fields. Further than that... I dared not look, and even..."

As Qiu Feng spoke, sweat began to seep from his body, and there were clear signs of unstable vital energy and chaotic magical power.

"Buzz... Buzz..." The golden bell at the apex of the Jade Dome Hall actually began to tremble faintly, emitting subtle golden vibrations.

"No good, stop talking, stabilize your Dao heart!" "Guard your spiritual platform, Daoist Qiu, quickly enter meditation!" Ren Butong and several other cultivators around him immediately intervened, lending their spiritual power. Some even severed the vital energy connection between the Jade Dome Hall and the outside world. For someone of Qiu Feng's cultivation level, those recent signs were absolutely ominous. The others were deeply alarmed, finding it difficult to imagine what Qiu Feng had experienced in that moment.