The Huawel Sect's mountains stood in majestic clusters, rugged on the outside yet elegant within, adorned with cascading waterfalls and clear streams and lakes.
Among them, the most enchanting body of water was Yaoguang Lake. Like a polished glass mirror embedded in the lush valleys, its emerald waves stretched for miles.
By the lakeside in spring, six young cultivators strolled leisurely through flowers and willow trees, chatting and laughing.
Their spring robes were light and thin, vividly colorful and extravagant, adorned with lavish and even ostentatious accessories.
The water reflected the mountain's beauty, as well as their smiles.
Though spring blossoms vied for brilliance, their smiles carried a faint weariness.
When one lives in comfort, with all desires fulfilled and no greater ambitions, a habitual sense of ennui often surfaces.
Guests may afford to be languid, but hosts must be fully alert.
Two Huawel Sect deacons followed behind them, eloquently commenting on the scenery with classical references, interspersed with highlights of the sect's glorious history.
The two exerted all their skills, employing storytelling, mimicry, banter, and even song, their words flowing effortlessly.
The group of wealthy young masters, however, showed little enthusiasm.
They had assumed that, given their status, they would be greeted personally by the head disciple Yuan Qingshi. Yet Yuan Qingshi was too busy to be seen, and Chen Hongzhu was also occupied with other guests. The Huawel Sect had merely dispatched two young deacons to attend to them.
But having been lavishly flattered and warmly received along the way, their initial dissatisfaction had mostly dissipated, and they offered a few polite, perfunctory remarks:
"The Huawel Sect truly lives up to its reputation as the dominant force in the Western Sky Continent—a land of outstanding talent and breathtaking scenery."
"The three scenic wonders of Huawel are indeed as famed as they say."
One deacon smiled and said, "The 'Cloud Sea Koi' and 'Mountain Peak Star Platform' can be enjoyed year-round, as you've already seen. But the final wonder, 'Yaoguang Lotus Blooms,' only reveals its full splendor in midsummer..."
Before he could finish, he was interrupted.
"When I visited the Sect Leader with my father in my childhood, I once saw the ten-mile stretch of lotus blooms on Yaoguang Lake, the leaves reaching for the sky—truly a magnificent sight. But Yaoguang Lake is an old attraction. I heard on my way here that there's a 'new attraction' in Huawel Mountain recently?"
The speaker was a youth of sixteen or seventeen, dressed in a stark green brocade robe and wearing a jade-green pearl crown. His words were polite, but his expression was haughty.
Hearing the words "new attraction," the other young cultivators' eyes lit up.
They wore only new clothes, used only new magical artifacts, and sought novelty in their amusements—naturally, they couldn't be content with admiring the same old sights as others. How else could they distinguish themselves?
The two deacons exchanged a glance, and one explained, "It's not actually a scenic spot, but a small courtyard in the Outer Sect dormitories, known as the 'Outer Sect Song Courtyard.' It's home to a notable figure named Song Qianji."
"I've seen plenty of notable figures! But what kind of notable is he, to be considered a new attraction?" asked another youth in a pine-smoke green robe.
The deacon replied, "His residence is always bustling with visitors; people come to see him every day."
"All the world flocks for profit—he must be very wealthy!"
The deacon shook his head. "No, he has no money. And he doesn't take on tasks or engage in productive work; he relies entirely on other Outer Sect disciples to support him."
"Those at the bottom fear the powerful—he must be very fierce!"
The deacon denied this as well. "No, those disciples support him willingly."
The youths clicked their tongues in amazement:
"He is indeed a peculiar fellow. We should visit him when we have time."
The deacon added, "Not only that, but he once met Fairy Miaoyan on the Main Peak's Fleeting Water Bridge. After returning, he uttered that now-famous saying."
Gasps of astonishment and light laughter abruptly ceased.Recently, there was only one famous remark concerning Miaoyan.
"Hah, who do I see? So it's him!" a youth in emerald-green robes asked coldly. "Such an arrogant Outer Sect disciple who doesn't know his place—doesn't your sect discipline him?"
The Deacon smiled wryly. "Though his words and actions are improper, he hasn't violated any sect rules. The Discipline Hall always acts according to regulations—how can we convict him?"
As the atmosphere grew tense, the pale-green-robed youth who had first brought up the topic laughed:
"True enough. No sect's rules state 'one must not speak ill of Fairy Miaoyan.' Since we're guests at the Huawel Sect, we shouldn't be unreasonable." He turned to the two Deacons, politely yet bluntly dismissing them, "We fellow disciples have some casual matters to discuss. You've worked hard today—no need to see us off any further."
The Deacons bowed and took their leave, offering a final seemingly concerned reminder: "You all hold esteemed status—why use fine jade to strike against stubborn stone by contending with that person? If you violate sect rules because of this and disrupt the elegance of the gathering, it would hardly be worth it."
The youths paid no heed and continued their discussion among themselves:
"That fellow has immense audacity. This time we must teach him a lesson, make him understand what words should never be spoken."
"Wait—ignorance is no crime. What if he genuinely can't distinguish beauty from ugliness and didn't intentionally disrespect the Fairy? If we rashly cause trouble for him, we'd lack justification."
"There are blind people in this world, but no sighted person fails to recognize beauty! I think he's just being sensational to catch the Fairy's attention."
"The Huawel Sect is hosting—we're guests. When acting on others' territory, we must have proper justification."
The pale-green-robed youth suddenly said:
"Actually, to test whether someone truly can't distinguish beauty from ugliness, I have a simplest method."
"What method?"
"Invite Junior Sister He."
The moment "Junior Sister He" was mentioned, everyone had a sudden realization and exchanged knowing smiles.
But those smiles were ill-intentioned and quite peculiar.
The pale-green-robed youth said, "Once he sees Junior Sister He and breaks the rules first, we can do whatever we want to him!"
They immediately devised a plan and split into two groups. Three went to find Junior Sister He, while three headed to Song Courtyard as the advance team.
※※※
Dusk was approaching.
There were many paths leading to Song Courtyard, but one stood out the most.
Outer sect disciples had repaved it with bluestone slabs and planted various flowers along its sides.
In spring, the flowers attracted butterflies and bees dancing in the air.
The three walking on this path felt dazed, as if they had already left the Huawel Sect and entered mortal countryside, about to visit a recluse.
The winding path led to seclusion, where a vermilion wooden gate stood closed amidst the deepest thicket of flowers and trees.
The setting sun cast its evening glow.
Golden light shone over two rows of bamboo fences and three clusters of water-pink impatiens.
Inside the fence stood five or six wooden stakes, with green vines climbing up them. Their leaves swayed in the evening breeze, brilliantly and dazzlingly green.
"What kind of spiritual plant is this?" a youth in water-green robes wondered. "Could it be Day-Night Grass?"
"Day-Night Grass has smaller leaves—this looks more like Glaze Grass."
They grew increasingly curious and began to argue.
Suddenly, laughter sounded beside them: "Look at this—someone actually doesn't recognize string beans!"
String beans? What string beans? The string beans mortals eat?
The three instantly flushed red, gripping their Magical Artifacts tightly, ready to vent their anger. But when they turned, they saw a girl with an adorable smile and lively expression.
Unable to release their anger, they felt even more stifled.
"Senior Sister Zhou, stop laughing. Judging by their attire, they're from other sects here for the conference," someone nearby reminded.
Indeed, these three were dressed quite distinctively.The Azure Cliff Academy boasted numerous esteemed scholars, but it also attracted a group of second-generation cultivators who were merely there to build their resumes.
They never wore last year's old clothes, and each year brought different fashionable colors and fabrics.
Though ugly, they were expensive.
This spring happened to favor shades of green.
Water-green, scallion-green, oil-green—varying depths of the hue were particularly dazzling.
Zhou Xiaoyun inexplicably recalled the green onions growing in Song Qianji's vegetable patch.
So these were three green onions. She couldn’t help covering her mouth to laugh again.
The three, having lost face, wore unpleasant expressions.
The scallion-green youth snorted coldly:
"Is there a Fellow Daoist Song living here? Named Song Qianji."
The young woman addressed as Senior Sister Zhou pointed. "There are characters up there."
This time she didn’t laugh, but her expression seemed to ask, "Can’t you read?"
The three moved closer and indeed saw a small wooden plaque hanging beside the gate, neatly carved with the words "Song Courtyard."
Furious, they gathered their energy and shouted, "We request an audience with Fellow Daoist Song!"
"Fellow Daoist Song—"
With a creak, the vermilion gate suddenly opened.
A youth wearing a white apron appeared at the entrance.
"What do you want?" he asked coldly.
The youth had delicate features, but standing straight-armed before the vermilion gate, he exuded a heroic aura of "one man guarding the pass, ten thousand unable to breach it."
The three were stunned.
Was this heroic youth Song Qianji?
Truly arrogant, unaware of his own limitations.
When paths cross, the brave prevail—they must not be overwhelmed by his presence.
The leading scallion-green youth cupped his hands proudly. "Three of the Six Sages of Green Cliff—Zhan Denggao, Zeng Liangjun, and Cao Boxue—have come to pay respects to Fellow Daoist Song."
Anyone visiting Song Courtyard during mealtime would not be welcomed by Meng Heze.
Noodles boiled in the pot, white steam bubbling from the rolling water, prepared greens waited in a copper basin, not yet added to the pot.
At this moment, Meng Heze saw everyone as freeloaders with bland, undeserved meals.
"Green Cliff what? How salty?" He raised an eyebrow. "Never heard of it."
The three had not expected such insolence. Were they not guests in another sect and thus restrained, a low-status, ordinary disciple like him would have been beaten bloody by their attendants long ago.
"You insolent brat!"
Hearing this, Meng Heze’s gaze turned colder. He untied his apron with one hand and stepped forward.
"Xiao Meng."
At the tense standoff, a voice suddenly sounded from within the courtyard.
Low, mild, somewhat indistinct.
The youth blocking the entrance immediately softened his sharp edge upon hearing the call, turning back toward the courtyard. "Senior Brother Song, you’re awake? The noodles are almost ready."
His smile was bright and enthusiastic, as if he had become a different person.
Only after the youth left the doorway did the three see the scene within the courtyard.
What a delightful sight of vibrant reds and lively greens, brimming with the vitality of spring.
Beneath a wisteria trellis stood a lounge chair and a stone table.
The speaker, covered in fine purple petals, rose while brushing off his robes with his sleeve.
Clearly, he had been napping under the trellis.
So this was the real Song Qianji.
He did have a handsome appearance, but compared to the imposing youth from before, he seemed lazy, gentle, and rather unremarkable.
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