THNWO 124

Chapter 124 

The residence of the eldest senior disciple was not far away, and Fang Chaozhou arrived shortly. Standing outside the residence, he noticed that the barrier surrounding the place had been lifted even before he could call out.

The eldest senior disciple had sensed his arrival.

Seeing this, Fang Chaozhou went inside.

Upon entering, Fang Chaozhou noticed that things were different from before. Previously, one could see a lake full of red lotus leaves as soon as they entered. Although the eldest senior disciple was rough, he particularly liked flowers and plants, maintaining a year-round bloom of red lotus with his spiritual power.

Not only that, but there were also osmanthus and peach trees planted in the residence. Fang Chaozhou had received peaches sent by the eldest senior disciple before, but now, whether it was the red lotus in the lake or the trees on both sides, they had all withered.

Fang Chaozhou was both surprised and puzzled as he made his way to the senior disciple’s bedroom. When he reached the door, he raised his hand to knock, “Senior Brother.”

Inside, it was quiet as if no one was there.

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Meeting Fang Chaozhou’s gaze, although there was a hint of joy in the senior disciple’s eyes, there was also guilt, causing him to lower his head. Five years ago, he chose to abandon Fang Chaozhou and leave with Xue Danrong and the sixth junior disciple. This matter had been weighing heavily on his mind.

Fang Chaozhou was almost like a child raised by him single-handedly, almost like his own younger brother. If one were to consider it, he was just like his real younger brother. Over the past five years, he couldn’t help but think of Fang Chaozhou, even dreaming of him questioning why he had abandoned him.

As the eldest senior disciple of the Yizhi Peak, he had to consider the bigger picture, but when he learned that Fang Chaozhou had persisted underground for ten days before his token was broken in half, he couldn’t help but wonder if he had not abandoned Fang Chaozhou back then, could he have saved him? If he had believed Xue Danrong’s words and returned to the underground demon realm on the way back, could he have brought Fang Chaozhou out?

These thoughts weighed on him like a sin, pressing down on his heart, making it hard for him to breathe. Although no one blamed him, he couldn’t get past it himself. He always remembered Fang Chaozhou when he was very young, following him every day, calling him “Senior Brother” in his childish voice.

No matter what, he always liked to sleep on his lap.

“Senior Brother.” A call brought the eldest senior disciple out of his reverie.

Fang Chaozhou smiled brightly, “I’m back.”

Upon hearing this, the senior disciple’s eyes welled up with tears. He turned his head, without saying a word, and was immediately hugged. Fang Chaozhou hugged the senior disciple as if he were his own brother. Initially, when they first escaped from the underground demon realm, he did feel resentment, but upon careful consideration, he understood the senior brother’s difficulties. If they had all stayed to save him and ended up perishing inside, it would have been worse. It was better to make a clean break.

After hugging for a while, Fang Chaozhou let go and looked at the senior brother’s gray temples, “White isn’t a good look. Senior Brother, go ask the Fifth Junior Brother for some beauty pills or something like that.”

The senior disciple’s eyes reddened, nodding silently. He looked at his recovered junior disciple, unable to help but hug him again. Fang Chaozhou blinked, thinking thankfully that Xue Danrong wasn’t there, or else he would have felt a chill.

Before leaving his senior brother’s place, Fang Chaozhou received a new storage ring, filled with a pile of spirit stones, all gifted by his senior brother.

“You can buy whatever you want to eat or read,” the senior disciple said generously, “Just come to me when you’ve used them up.”

“Thank you, Senior Brother.” Fang Chaozhou’s eyes curved with a smile. He had just glanced at it roughly, but there were at least two hundred thousand spirit stones inside, enough to buy many things.

And Fang Chaozhou found that this was just the beginning. On his first day back at the Tian Shui Sect, he received a bunch of gifts. His junior and senior martial siblings had given him a lot of things. Among them, Du Yunxi gave him a lot of elixirs, with fifty bottles of beauty pills alone.

“Second Martial Brother, this is the Fragrant Skin Pill. After finishing one bottle, your skin will emit a fragrance. Not only your skin, but even your breath and sweat will be fragrant.” Du Yunxi specifically took out a bottle, and when he said the latter part, his voice lowered, “If you take two bottles, everything will be fragrant.”

Fang Chaozhou felt like he understood, “Everything?”

Du Yunxi glanced at Fang Chaozhou’s lower body and nodded, “Yes, everything.” After that, he took out another bottle, “This one is also powerful. After finishing one bottle, your sweat will taste sweet. After three bottles, everything will be sweet.”

Fang Chaozhou: “…”

Fang Chaozhou’s voice was stiff, “I don’t need it.”

Du Yunxi was stunned for a moment, “I didn’t say Senior Brother should take it himself. I mean, you can sell it outside, it will definitely sell well.”

“Why don’t you sell it yourself?” Fang Chaozhou realized his misunderstanding and felt a bit embarrassed.

Du Yunxi also showed an embarrassed smile, “I feel embarrassed to sell it myself.”

Fang Chaozhou said, “Get lost.”

He was really willing to sell it himself?

No, he seemed really willing.

Since that day he returned to the Yizhi Peak, Fang Chaozhou hadn’t seen Xue Danrong. On the third day, when he saw the eldest senior disciple, he learned that Xue Danrong had followed Master Cheng Hongyi to the Cloud Cavern in the back mountains to treat his illness, where the demonic energy could be suppressed.

Xue Danrong wouldn’t be able to leave the Cloud Cavern for a while. Fang Chaozhou knew that Master was taking care of him, so he felt relieved. On the tenth day, he went to the Cloud Cavern with the eldest senior disciple.

Although named Cloud Cavern, it was actually underground. It was only after passing through a narrow stone cave that one could see its true appearance. Although located underground, clouds surrounded the top, with a central array and columns all around, towering into the clouds.

Xue Danrong was dressed in white, sitting cross-legged in the center of the array with his eyes closed. His hands were bound by chains on the pillars, and there was a crackling sound of electricity.

Seeing them coming, Cheng Hongyi said, “Just stand outside and watch. Don’t enter the array; he can’t hear anything now.”

Fang Chaozhou stood in front of the array, watching the person inside. He noticed that Xue Danrong’s black aura between his eyebrows had diminished a lot, and he breathed a sigh of relief, “Master, how long will it take for him like this?”

“At least a hundred days, maybe several years. It depends on his own will.” Cheng Hongyi said.

At least a hundred days…

Fang Chaozhou lay in his bed at his residence, Dayu Pond, at night, feeling somehow unable to fall asleep. Habit was really frightening; he had already gotten used to sleeping with Xue Danrong. Now, sleeping alone, he always felt like something was missing from the bed.

Fang Chaozhou sighed and turned over, only to meet the round eyes of the brown chicken.

Fang Chaozhou had already released the brown chicken from his demon bag. During this time, the brown chicken had almost become a mascot of the Yizhi Peak Peak, while it spent most of its time sticking with those junior and senior martial sisters, only returning to Dayu Pond to sleep.

“Da Hei, why aren’t you sleeping? What are you doing?” Fang Chaozhou was startled by the brown chicken.

The brown chicken stared at Fang Chaozhou and asked back, “Why aren’t you sleeping?”

“I can’t sleep.” Fang Chaozhou said honestly, “I’m thinking about Little Junior Brother. If you’re not sleeping, are you thinking about the Golden Winged Bird?”

The brown chicken’s feathers immediately fluffed up, “Who’s thinking about that stupid bird? I’m about to chase after Miss Yue Yue. Don’t mention that stupid bird to me.”

Miss Yue Yue?

Wasn’t she his junior sister who liked to collect feathers and nails of rare beasts?

Fang Chaozhou thought about it, carefully examining the brown chicken. How come he felt like its feathers were a bit sparse? It seemed like there were fewer feathers than before.

“Da Hei, what about your feathers…” Fang Chaozhou hadn’t finished speaking when the brown chicken jumped off the bed, seeming not to want to hear Fang Chaozhou speak anymore. Fang Chaozhou, seeing this, was stunned for a moment. This was the first time the brown chicken didn’t listen to him and left before he finished speaking.

What was wrong with the brown chicken?

The next day.

Fang Chaozhou saw a very unexpected person—

His grandnephew, Hu Xiang.

Early this morning, someone came to inform Fang Chaozhou that his family had arrived. At that time, Fang Chaozhou only thought of Hu Xiang, but he felt it was impossible. This place was far from the capital, and it would take quite some time to get here. Hu Xiang was now the ruler of a country, so why would he come to the Tian Shui Sect?

But unexpectedly, the person who came was indeed Hu Xiang.

Now that it was already winter, Hu Xiang wore even more layers, covering most of his face, with only a pair of eyes exposed. He also held a hot water bottle in his hand, but even so, he was still shivering slightly.

Seeing that Hu Xiang was still so sensitive to the cold, Fang Chaozhou couldn’t help but ask, “Didn’t you take the pills I gave you?”

When he left the palace back then, Fang Chaozhou had left a lot of pills for Hu Xiang.

Hu Xiang nodded, then shook his head, and said softly, “Hu Xiang’s body is like this. After taking the pills from Ninth Uncle, the supplements are unbearable. So, Hu Xiang is too lazy to bother. Let this life last as long as it can.” As he said this, he turned to look at the followers behind him, “You all can leave. I want to have a private conversation with my Ninth Uncle.”

After the attendants left, Hu Xiang looked at the brown chicken nesting on the table next to Fang Chaozhou. Fang Chaozhou noticed his gaze, “It’s okay, it won’t repeat what we say.”

The brown chicken’s head turned, “Who said I won’t.”

Fang Chaozhou said, “…Then you should leave.”

The brown chicken was chased out.

With only Fang Chaozhou and Hu Xiang left in the room, Hu Xiang spoke again, “Five years ago, when I heard about Ninth Uncle’s accident, I wanted to come, but because the court was in turmoil at that time, I couldn’t leave. A few days ago, a man said he saw Ninth Uncle. Although I suspected he was deceiving me to clear my father’s name, I still hoped what he said was true. So, I hurried here to the Tian Shui Sect and didn’t expect Ninth Uncle to really be alive.”

After hearing his words, Fang Chaozhou thought for a moment before saying, “The man you mentioned, does he have freckles on his face?”

He calculated the time and thought about the people he had met who were related to the capital. After some thought, he could only think of the little sparrow who had been tied up by Xue Danrong before.

Hu Xiang nodded and slowly got up. He sat down on the chair next to Fang Chaozhou. Seeing him coming over, Fang Chaozhou thought he wanted tea and was about to pour him some. The Spirit Tea wasn’t only for cultivators; even ordinary people could drink it for health benefits.

However, just as he grasped the handle of the teapot, another hand covered his.

“Ninth Uncle.” Hu Xiang’s voice was still soft, “Come back with Hu Xiang to the capital. Hu Xiang sees no good in staying here. When Ninth Uncle had the accident, Hu Xiang sent countless letters, but the replies couldn’t even say where Uncle’s body was, making Hu Xiang build a tomb for him in the imperial tomb. If Uncle and Hu Xiang return together, it’s better to be a wealthy prince than to lose your life here and not even find your body.”

Fang Chaozhou swiftly withdrew his hand, “The incident five years ago was completely accidental. Now that I’m back, you can see that I’m perfectly fine. I’ve even advanced two more levels in cultivation. Everything is fine.” He smiled and changed the subject, “By the way, your visit this time is good. I have a junior martial brother who is very skilled in medical arts. I’ll call him over to help you.”

Hu Xiang looked at Fang Chaozhou, and after a moment, he grasped the teapot handle and poured two cups of tea. He picked up one of them, took a sip slowly, and smiled, “Okay.” He took another sip of tea and suddenly asked, “Is that youth still by Ninth Uncle’s side?”

Fang Chaozhou picked up the other cup of tea, took a big sip, nodded, and asked, “How did you know?”

The smile on Hu Xiang’s lips didn’t diminish, but the smile in his eyes was very faint, “Although Hu Xiang is foolish, he’s an outsider, and outsiders always see things more clearly. The way Ninth Uncle looked at that youth back then was different from how he looked at others.”

Fang Chaozhou was a bit stunned at his words. Did he really look at Xue Danrong differently?

Hu Xiang stayed temporarily at the Yizhi Peak and lived in Fang Chaozhou’s Dayu Pond. There were plenty of empty rooms in Dayu Pond, so it wasn’t a problem to allocate a few rooms for Hu Xiang and his entourage. The only problem was the brown chicken.

The brown chicken seemed to dislike Hu Xiang very much. There was even a time when it deliberately walked in front of Hu Xiang and left a pile of bird droppings.

Fang Chaozhou: “…”

Hu Xiang didn’t mind, just smiled lightly and stepped back.

That night, Fang Chaozhou severely criticized the brown chicken, but the brown chicken didn’t admit its mistake. Instead, it turned its head away and didn’t want to listen to Fang Chaozhou lecturing it. Fang Chaozhou sighed helplessly and changed the subject, “I’m planning to go to Huali Mountain tomorrow. Are you coming?”

The brown chicken immediately turned its head back, “Why are you going to Huali Mountain?”

“To deliver fish.” Fang Chaozhou said, “When I left Huali Mountain last time, I promised to bring fish back. Yesterday, the shopkeeper told me that the Ling fish I ordered would arrive tomorrow morning, so I’ll get the fish early tomorrow and go to Huali Mountain. Do you want to come with me?”

The brown chicken didn’t speak, just looked at Fang Chaozhou.

Fang Chaozhou propped his chin with one hand, tilted his head to look at the brown chicken, “But to go to Huali Mountain, we need to call the Golden Winged Bird over. Can you call it over?”