Chapter 433: Climbing Up the Ladder

Du Changsheng was actually slightly surprised that this person knew about Mr. Ji, or more likely, had mistaken him for some martial arts expert. After all, though uncommon, the surname Ji wasn't unheard of.

Regardless, Du Changsheng showed no superfluous expression on his face, merely nodding slightly with a smile.

"I, the Heavenly Master, reside in a quiet lane in Chunhui Prefecture. Entering my courtyard is trespassing. Considering your ignorance and the fact that you are merely a mortal, you may now withdraw."

Du Changsheng spoke gracefully but was prepared for anything, secretly clutching a talisman in his sleeve. His spiritual energy was now much more abundant than in previous years, and his body was considerably stronger, but his magical power was still too weak.

After all, forging an 'intention-realm elixir furnace' and building an 'inner-world golden bridge' was far from simple. Even though he had received the correct method from Mr. Ji years ago, Du Changsheng wasn't fully confident he could achieve it before his natural lifespan ended.

Therefore, let alone one Du Changsheng, even ten of him fighting together would likely be no match for a martial arts expert skilled in combat, especially one whose Qinggong was so advanced they could appear silently before him.

With Du Changsheng's current abilities, although he possessed some divine arts and spells, they were barely adequate as means for combat. Fortunately, he was quite skilled with talismans, which could serve as an aid. Moreover, martial arts experts generally had shallow knowledge of mystical arts, so there was a high probability of winning if a true fight broke out.

Underestimating the opponent strategically but respecting them tactically—Du Changsheng was indeed well-versed in this philosophy.

However, after his initial surprise, the martial artist before him did not immediately withdraw. Instead, he scrutinized Du Changsheng with a peculiar gaze, a look that actually caused a slight unease in Du Changsheng, who had seen his share of the world.

Bai Qi narrowed his eyes slightly, sizing up Du Changsheng. His aura indicated vigorous vitality, suggesting he wasn't just an ordinary frail old man. His internal spiritual energy was also quite abundant, but his magical power was shallow and his divine light dim, so his cultivation could not be very high.

'This kind of person, can he be Mr. Ji's disciple? Hu Yun seems more reliable than him; at least he doesn't have such a strong aura of decline.'

Du Changsheng suppressed his unease, calmly walked to the small table, and sat on the meditation cushion. He unhurriedly picked up his teacup, took a sip, and then narrowed his eyes at Bai Qi.

"What, you're not leaving? Indeed, arriving silently like this, you must have a purpose. Considering your timing and false claim of being the Chunmu River God, it seems you're connected to Li Jinlai. Care to explain?"

Avoiding conflict whenever possible was Du Changsheng's philosophy for self-preservation. Since the newcomer wasn't leaving, he wanted to understand their purpose. If it was about money or some matter, it could be discussed; fighting was a last resort.

"Heh heh, you certainly talk the part, but the more I look, the more I see that you couldn't possibly be Mr. Ji's disciple."

Bai Qi spoke with a faint smile, not retreating but instead stepping into the room. He neither leaped nor walked slowly, but rather drifted smoothly indoors as if unaffected by gravity, landing as silently as he had arrived.

Then Bai Qi extended a hand, and Du Changsheng felt a numbness in his left hand, which was tucked into his sleeve. The talisman he held flew out on its own, landing in Bai Qi's hand.

'Telekinesis of a Xiantian expert? No! It's an object-controlling divine ability!'

"Gulp..."

Du Changsheng swallowed a mouthful of tea, his body stiffening considerably. His gaze fixed on the teacup, not daring to look at Bai Qi.

"The talisman looks exquisitely drawn, but unfortunately, it's not very powerful. And your cultivation is still so shallow..."

At this point, Bai Qi suddenly changed the subject, speaking with a smile.

"Ji Yuan, the Immortal Venerable from Beyond the World? You're quite imaginative to come up with such a title. Mr. Ji wouldn't be so high-profile. Still, the fact that you can mention his name suggests you've met him."

"You, who exactly are you?"

Du Changsheng could no longer maintain his composure. He felt a tremor of panic, realizing, even if foolishly, that this person was no mere martial artist but someone of profound cultivation, though he couldn't discern their true power.

"Who am I? I already told you when I arrived. I, Bai, am the true God of Chunmu River."

Du Changsheng trembled slightly, quickly put down his teacup, stood up from the cushion, and respectfully bowed with cupped hands.

"Your humble servant, Du Changsheng, greets the River God!"

Whether he was truly the River God or not, his cultivation was immeasurable to Du Changsheng, who no longer dared to be presumptuous.

Just then, the boy who had escorted Li Jinlai out returned and saw Du Changsheng respectfully bowing to a stranger who had somehow entered the house.

"Master... what is this?"

"Disciple, this is the God of Chunmu River! Hurry and pay your respects to the River God!"

At Du Changsheng's reprimand, the boy quickly cupped his hands and bowed.

"Wang Xiao greets the River God!"

Bai Qi clearly wasn't very concerned about their bows. He merely glanced at the boy, then waved his hand, and a layer of mist enveloped the entire courtyard.

Immediately, a feeling of weightlessness rose in Du Changsheng and Wang Xiao. Their bodies twisted, and they almost fell, but once steady, they realized they had risen from the ground.

Du Changsheng's expression changed slightly, and he felt inner panic, but he maintained a semblance of calm on the surface. The boy, Wang Xiao, however, was visibly and internally alarmed.

"Master!"

"Calm yourself!"

Du Changsheng reassured his disciple, which was also a way of calming himself. Then, carefully trying to steady his form, he spoke to Bai Qi, who had risen into the air with the mist after a flick of his sleeve.

"I implore the River God to be magnanimous! I, Du Changsheng, have done nothing to harm heaven or reason. The talisman given to Li Jinlai was from me, but it absolutely would not harm the aquatic creatures in the river. River God, please discern! By the way, does the River God know Mr. Ji? I also know Mr. Ji! The fundamental cultivation method I learned was taught by him!"

A thin wisp of mist, like a hazy breeze, enveloped the three, instantly lifting them a hundred zhang into the sky. Even though the mist obscured their view, this only intensified Du Changsheng and Wang Xiao's fear; falling from this height would mean certain death.

"Don't be afraid. I'm taking you to see your master, aren't I?"

Du Changsheng paused in surprise. "My master?"

Wang Xiao also asked in a daze, "Grand-master?"

Du Changsheng immediately reacted, connecting it with Bai Qi's previous responses. An answer was readily apparent.

'Mr. Ji is here?'

This mist-borne wind floated for a distance over Chunhui Prefecture, then gently flew at a moderate pace to the Chunmu River. It then veered into a winding section of the river, nestled against the mountains, far from Chunhui city, before finally beginning its slow descent.

During the descent, the mist gradually dissipated, rapidly improving visibility for Du Changsheng and Wang Xiao—around them, and especially beneath their feet. What was once a stable flight at high altitude suddenly became a rapid plummet.

"Ah..."

"Master!"

Their instinctive fear of heights made both of them cry out.

With two thuds, "thump" and "thump," they landed one after another on a small pleasure boat on the river.

Ji Yuan was sitting at the bow. The two who had dropped onto the boat were sprawled out, gripping the gunwale tightly. Although their faces were down, Ji Yuan could easily guess that they might still be squeezing their eyes shut.

"River God Bai, what is this?"

Ji Yuan asked Bai Qi with a hint of confusion. The latter had just floated gently down and was standing at the bow of the small boat.

Bai Qi first bowed to Ji Yuan, then pointed at Du Changsheng and chuckled.

"Sir, this is the person who gave the talisman to Li Jinlai. He didn't use it for anything bad, but that's not the main point. The main point is that he claims to be your disciple."

"Hmm?"

Ji Yuan expressed surprise.

"My disciple?"

If everything were to be counted, only Lu Shan Jun could be considered a complete disciple of Ji Yuan. The old turtle could barely be called half a nominal disciple, and the white deer maiden Bai Ruo was even more of a stretch than the old turtle. Hu Yun certainly didn't count. As for the Yunshan Temple lineage, it was a legitimate inheritance, but definitely not this person standing before him.

"Oh, this person does look a bit familiar to me..."

Ji Yuan examined Du Changsheng more closely. With his spiritual vision, his aura and appearance became clear; indeed, he looked somewhat familiar.

Du Changsheng, who felt as if he was about to be dashed to death, suddenly jolted at Ji Yuan's words and lifted his head to look in the direction of the voice.

He saw a small table with pastries and clear tea at the bow of the small boat, in front of where Bai Qi stood. At the very tip of the bow, opposite the table, a man in a long robe, with a jade hairpin securing his topknot, was calmly looking his way. His pale eyes were like an ancient well reflecting the bright moon.

Du Changsheng, as if performing an acrobat trick, turned to kneel and immediately prostrated himself.

"Sir! Mr. Ji! Master!"

"Thump, thump, thump..."

His head knocked against the boat deck, making a series of significant thudding sounds.

"My word, what are you doing!?"

Even Ji Yuan was momentarily stunned by Du Changsheng's shameless behavior and immediately spoke, issuing a command to him.

"Freeze!"

Instantly, Du Changsheng's face, creased with a mix of surprise and a wide smile, froze in place. After all, Du Changsheng did possess some spiritual energy and magical power, and it was only then that Ji Yuan's eyes truly recognized who this person was.

"This is... Heavenly Master Du, enfeoffed by Emperor Yuande?"

Hu Yun jumped over from the bow, marveling at Du Changsheng's face, which was scrunched up but utterly still. He extended a paw and pressed on Du Changsheng's face with his pad, finding it didn't feel like human flesh at all, but rather like stacked layers of old oxhide, firm and unyielding.

"Mr. Ji, how did you do that? Why isn't he moving?"

Nearby, Bai Qi was equally astonished. Like Hu Yun, it was his first time witnessing a freezing spell.