Chapter Forty-Six: Brother Good Samaritan

Wangdu Peak, inside the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

Gu Tiangang sat upright at the head seat, holding a whisk in one hand, its tassels draped over his other arm. On the low table beside him rested ten ceramic bottles.

His long gray-white hair was neatly tied into a bun, each strand orderly. Thick eyebrows arched sharply above his half-open eyes, exuding an ethereal and otherworldly aura as he spoke:

“Old mutts, this humble Daoist has just returned to the sect. Tell me, what changes have taken place in the sect these past few years?”

“Old Sun, you first.”

Sun Daofu, seated beside him, cast a glance at the Qi-nourishing pills on the table and smiled wryly. “Senior Brother, the sect has undergone great changes. Where should I begin?”

He was, after all, the leading alchemist of the Taixu Dao Sect, head of the Medicine Peak, and a grand cultivator of the third-grade Heavenly Harmony realm.

Yet just moments ago, Gu Tiangang had thoroughly humbled him, treating him like a mere grandson.

Many disciples witnessed it, and the news spread, bringing great shame to his reputation.

Hmm, once he returns, he’ll have Feng Ming collect the rumors. Whoever dares speak ill of him again shall never receive a single pill from the Medicine Peak!

The black-faced elder with short hair next to him, noticing Sun Daofu’s expression, felt the muscles beneath his robust frame twitch slightly.

He had recalled all the bitter hardships of his life, yet still couldn’t suppress a smile.

He had long suspected that with Gu Tiangang’s return, someone was bound to suffer misfortune.

As to who, he wouldn’t say—ha ha ha.

“Get to the point,” Gu Tiangang shot him a sidelong glance. “Do I really need to teach you that?”

Sun Daofu sighed inwardly, knowing no good would come from this old mutt’s return, and reluctantly began: “Then I’ll start from after you left, Senior Brother.”

“Since you went to the Capital Prefecture, the sect has been much quieter and more peaceful. A few of us also…”

“Stop. Skip that part!”

Gu Tiangang’s eyelids twitched, and the hand clutching the whisk itched again.

That mutt—it seems his previous kick had been too light!

After a brief tease, Sun Daofu quickly composed himself and continued: “Then I’ll begin from two years ago.”

“At that time, the Sect Leader returned from the Taizhou Mountain battlefield and entered seclusion for cultivation, not emerging since.”

“Shortly after, a direct disciple from Tianya Valley arrived, reaching the third-grade realm at only twenty-five years old.”

“He defeated several opponents in succession, even Senior Brother Pang…”

“Sun Daofu!”

The black-faced elder, Pang Kuan, head of the Body Vein peak, lost his smile and urgently interrupted, “Skip that part too!”

“Why skip? I must hear of your glory days,” Gu Tiangang signaled to continue.

Sun Daofu glanced at the black-faced strongman and secretly snorted. Let that old mutt witness this humble Daoist’s joke.

Then he launched into a fluent narration.

“That battle was earth-shattering and astonishing. Senior Brother Pang’s single punch could shake mountains and seas…”

Seeing these words, Pang Kuan’s expression gradually softened.

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Good old Sun knows how to spin a tale.

Yet suddenly, Sun Daofu shifted tone:

“Unfortunately, Senior Pang only held out for less than the time it takes an incense stick to burn before being struck ten miles away by a single sword.”

At these words, the old Daoist burst into laughter.

He gleefully watched Pang Kuan angrily strike at Sun Daofu.

After a while, Sun Daofu adjusted his Dao robe and continued, “In the end, Junior Brother Li stepped in to resolve the Tianya Valley disciple.”

“Also, Sister Fang…”

Gu Tiangang’s smile faltered slightly, and he waved his hand. “Let’s not mention her.”

“Why not? You don’t want to hear, but I insist on telling it.”

“Sister Fang still holds true feelings for you, and regarding that matter, she does not blame you, and has always…”

“The noble scions should be arriving. I’ll go welcome them.”

Before Sun Daofu finished, Gu Tiangang stood abruptly and vanished in a blink, flying out of the Hall of Supreme Harmony.

On his way out, he didn’t forget to pocket one of the pill bottles on the table.

After a moment, Sun Daofu and Pang Kuan exchanged a glance, both reading the other’s helplessness.

“The matter between Senior Brother Gu and Sister Fang requires careful consideration.”

“Indeed, it’s clear they only have some misunderstandings, yet it escalated to one going to the Capital Prefecture and the other retreating to a quiet tea house.”

“Now that Senior Brother Gu has returned, it may be a good opportunity.”

Pang Kuan shook his head. “We’ll discuss it later. For now, the urgent matter is recruiting disciples.”

Sun Daofu inquired suspiciously, “I heard that Wuliang Mountain accepted some promising talents this year, one even taken as a direct disciple by Yan Hai?”

“I’ve heard the same. The reappearance of the Absolute Sword heir is no good news.”

“Who cares? It’s not my Taixu Dao Sect that’s in trouble. Let Wuliang Mountain worry about it.”

...

The carriage journeyed to the foot of Wangdu Peak, where Chen Yi and the others disembarked, surveying their surroundings.

A gathering of children had already formed at the mountain’s base, mostly around five years old.

Their diverse clothing revealed origins from various regions of the Wei Dynasty.

Many bore distinctive features uncommon among ordinary people.

For instance, a southern barbarian child resembling Gongye Shou stood tall and muscular, nearly two meters high.

It was hard to believe such a “strongman” was only five years old.

Though he smiled innocently, many other children paled visibly at the sight of him, clearly frightened.

After scanning the crowd, Chen Yi asked, “Mr. Ning, must we wait for everyone to arrive?”

Ning Xue nodded and briefly explained some of the Taixu Dao Sect’s rules.

First, the mountain’s protective array requires the bearer of a corresponding token; entering without one would trap intruders within the formation.

Second, new disciples seeking to join must first receive a temporary token to enter.

Third, only up to one hundred temporary tokens are distributed daily, on a first-come, first-served basis.

Finally, the sect only accepts the top one hundred candidates after evaluation, assigning them to various peaks based on their aptitude.

“Look at those ahead—they mostly arrived late the day before.”

Checking the time, Ning Xue continued, “It should be almost time.”

Before long, two young disciples clad in Taixu Dao robes descended the mountain gracefully, their postures upright.

Before the children could get excited, the two immediately spotted Ning Xue in the crowd and came forward to salute.

Ning Xue waved them off. “Follow the rules.”

She did not want Chen Yi and the others to receive special treatment, especially insignificant privileges like this.

“Yes, Senior Sister.”

The two male disciples promptly began distributing the temporary tokens in order, and soon it was Chen Yi’s group’s turn.

“Is this the token?” Wang Yongnian fumbled with it, remarking, “Feels like a pass for the imperial palace.”

“Foolish, it’s exactly the same.”

Du Yan pointed to a pattern on the token. “Look here—it resembles the ‘gate’ of the concealment array that Mr. Ning taught us.”

“Really the same?”

Young scion Du Yanqing widened his eyes and compared it with the imperial city’s pass he carried.

He looked confused at Du Yan and asked again, unwilling to give up, “Is it really the same?”

“You’re foolish too!” Du Yan snorted.

“Mr. Ning?” Wei Letian, unable to see the similarity, looked toward Ning Xue.

“The princess is correct. The palace’s array and our Taixu Dao Sect’s mountain-protection array are indeed the same.”

Before Du Yan could show her proud expression, Ning Xue continued, “But there are differences that the naked eye cannot perceive.”

Though she said this, she knew Du Yan possessed exceptional talent in the art of arrays.

She could later recommend her to several senior members of the Array Vein.

Chen Yi and Lin Xueru were equally confused, treating the explanation as if it were some arcane scripture.

Like Du Yanqing and the others, they could not discern any similarity between the two tokens’ inscriptions.

At that moment, a voice from behind called out with a hint of surprise:

“Good brother! Good brother…”