Song Qianji dozed off while waiting for his meal.
It wasn't his fault for succumbing to spring lethargy—blame the overly gentle spring breeze, the hazy twilight, and the intoxicating floral fragrance.
The reclining chair gifted by Zhao Jiheng was too comfortable, its cushions too soft, like a warm nest for small creatures padded with fluffy dried grass.
In his previous life, he had replaced sleep with meditation and breathing exercises. Even when exhausted to the extreme, he always kept a sword within reach, ready to draw it at any moment.
Later, even after moving into the celestial palace atop the mountain, where his bedchamber was equipped with the most intricate and powerful formations, he still considered sleep a waste of time and unsafe.
His dream was filled with the scent of wisteria, featuring a barren mountain devoid of grass and a desert eroded by water and soil loss.
Day after day, he toiled diligently, undeterred by cold or heat. As springs passed and autumns arrived, the vast wasteland finally transformed into an oasis.
Song Qianji, lost in his farming dream, was reluctant to wake. Faintly hearing some commotion, he opened his eyes to see Meng Heze untying his apron with one hand, poised for a fight.
His pleasant dream shattered, and he instinctively frowned. He first called out, "Xiao Meng," then took a closer look at the three uninvited guests by the door and couldn't help but laugh:
"Please, come in."
So, this year, the circle of cultivation heirs at Azure Cliff Academy was trending various shades of green. Fortunately, they only fancied waving fans and not wearing hats.
The three stepped across the threshold, initially intending to criticize Song Qianji for his lack of hospitality, but were met with his smiling face.
It wasn't the obsequious or ingratiating smile they often encountered, nor was it a cold or sinister smile brimming with hostility.
His smile left the three utterly bewildered.
Daring to volunteer as the vanguard, they had prepared themselves for either arrogant provocation or fawning pleas from the other party.
Whichever they encountered, they had countermeasures ready.
But they had never anticipated this—Song Qianji seemed to find something utterly ridiculous, genuinely amused, and thus laughed without restraint.
He even dismissed the tense young man surnamed Meng: "It's fine."
The three finally snapped back to reality—this person simply didn't take them seriously!
The one in watery green robes was about to erupt in anger when the one in scallion-green brocade shook his head to stop him.
Song Qianji had just been asleep and hadn't heard their identities. They might as well give him another chance, so they reintroduced themselves:
"Three of the Six Sages of Green Cliff pay respects to Fellow Daoist Song. These two are Zeng Liangjun of the Zeng Clan from Yanshui County and Cao Boxue of the Cao Clan from Fuyang County. I am Zhan Denggao, of humble talent, from the Zhan Clan of Chongwen County, grandson of the Three Truths Patriarch and son of the Iron Brush Dao Lord."
Meng Hezo, by the stove, thought to himself, That's quite the lengthy introduction. What a waste not learning to recite a menu.
Song Qianji still wore that same smile: "Oh, hello. Have you eaten?"
The three were taken aback.
Only ordinary mortals asked about meals—cultivators rarely greeted each other this way.
Could this be a sarcastic remark?! Mocking their inadequate cultivation?
Zeng Liangjun, in watery green robes, was the youngest and most impatient. He retorted sharply, "I've long since abstained from grains. What's it to you?!"
No sooner had he spoken than Meng Heze carried a bowl of noodles and placed it steadily on the stone table:
"Senior Brother Song, be careful, it's hot."
A celadon bowl containing plain noodles, drizzled with a few drops of stone-milled sesame oil.
Garnished with pinkish radish cubes, vibrant green scallions, and tender leafy greens.
So, the other party had genuinely been asking if they'd eaten. The three flushed red with embarrassment.
Then, their eyes filled with disdain—how dare he serve such crude fare to guests?
We, who seek refinement in every bite, how could we possibly consume such rustic, vulgar food?
Yet a natural, delicate fragrance wafted from the bowl, lingering in their nostrils, refusing to dissipate.
"None of my business," Song Qianji said as he picked up his chopsticks. "I haven't eaten yet."He ate unhurriedly, chewing with focused attention and not uttering a single word.
Thus, the situation grew even more awkward.
Song Qianji sat while they stood.
Song Qianji ate while they watched.
The three of them stared intently at the bowl of noodles, seething with resentment inside.
It’s just a bowl of plain noodles—do you really need to take it this seriously?
We said we wouldn’t eat, but couldn’t you at least offer politely?
This man truly is a formidable character—deeply cunning, hiding a dagger behind his smile, and concealing needles in soft cotton—yet there’s nothing one can do about him!
"Senior Brother Liu, when are you coming? Hurry up!"
Perhaps the heavens heard their silent prayers and could no longer bear to prolong their torment.
Finally, Song Qianji finished eating. Meng Heze brought over a cup of freshly brewed clear tea.
Just then, three elegantly dressed young men walked up the flower-lined path leading to Song Courtyard.
"Is this Song Courtyard?" the pale-green-clad youth asked with a smile.
Zhou Xiaoyun sized up the visitors. Pale green, pea green, and pine-soot green.
She thought to herself, When did the scallions in Senior Brother Song’s vegetable patch grow this well?
Outwardly, she smiled and said, "Indeed. And which scallions might you be?"
Only when she saw their displeased expressions did she realize her slip. Covering her mouth, she corrected herself, "I meant to ask the esteemed names of you three fellow cultivators and what brings you to see Senior Brother Song."
The pale-green-clad youth declared clearly, "We are three of the Six Sages of Green Cliff: Liu Tianhan, Wei Hong, and Kang Jiaxu. We request that Fellow Daoist Song come out to meet us."
The three "scallions" inside the courtyard immediately brightened, scurrying out eagerly to stand beside the other three. They lined up in a row, chests puffed out and heads held high.
They’ve come at the right time and spoken the right words—Song Qianji should come out. Why should they be the ones to go in?
Before the visitors outside could say another word, Song Qianji had already emerged with Meng Heze.
The courtyard was narrow and packed full of plants.
If three more people squeezed in, what if they knocked over or trampled my flowers and vegetable sprouts?
The three newcomers, however, mistakenly believed their reputation was so great that it shook the heavens, and they couldn’t help but smirk with pride.
"What exactly do you want?" Meng Heze asked coldly.
Liu Tianhan smiled. "We’ve heard that Fellow Daoist Song has noble aspirations and refined tastes, detached from worldly concerns. In his eyes, fresh flowers and dung, or beauties and skeletons, are all the same."
Song Qianji thought, What nonsense are you spouting? Aloud, he said, "I dare not claim such praise."
The moment the phrase "beauties and skeletons" was uttered, everyone knew they had come to cause trouble on behalf of Fairy Miaoyan.
In no time, the scene grew chaotic—chickens squawking and dogs barking, dust flying—as a large group of Huawel Sect outer sect disciples rushed to the gate of Song Courtyard.
With numbers on their side, they glared menacingly at the visitors.
The Six Sages of Green Cliff had long heard of Song Qianji’s extraordinary status in the outer sect, so they were not offended by this display.
"Don’t be alarmed, everyone. We mean no harm," Wei Hong said with a smile. "It’s just that we, as scholars, find it hard to believe that anyone could truly be blind to beauty and ugliness. At Azure Cliff Academy, we pursue knowledge by getting to the root of matters. Whenever we encounter doubts or difficulties, we must get to the bottom of them!"
"Exactly! Our academy values reason in all things. We don’t make unreasonable demands or falsely accuse others!" Zhan Denggao declared triumphantly. "Nor would we ever distort the truth—knowing something is beautiful in our hearts but refusing to admit it, instead making outrageous remarks just to attract attention."
"We merely wish to ask Fellow Daoist Song to meet one person," Zeng Liangjun said excitedly. "If Fellow Daoist Song can repeat those words in this person’s presence, we will leave immediately without another word!"
"Meet whom?" Song Qianji was somewhat intrigued.
Liu Tianhan and the other two newcomers suddenly stepped aside, clearing the path.With that step aside, she revealed the person she had been shielding.
That person had a slender figure, dressed in a simple white dress without any adornments.
She wore a veil hat, its gauze obscuring her face, making her features indistinguishable.
When she stepped forward, people couldn't help but stare.
Judging by her silhouette, she was a young girl. Though her face was hidden, her figure was graceful and elegant, delicate yet full of charm, moving with the gentle sway of a willow in the breeze.
Zhou Xiaoyun marveled inwardly, thinking, "Could this be what they mean by 'even coarse clothes cannot conceal true beauty'?" From a female cultivator's perspective, she genuinely envied the other.
The girl in white was entirely covered by her dress and veil, with only her hands exposed.
Her fingers were long and slender, well-proportioned with balanced flesh and bone.
Her nails were neatly trimmed, her knuckles strong, and the pads of her fingers bore thin calluses. These details did not detract from the beauty of her hands but instead added a sense of resilience.
—These were hands that played the qin, undoubtedly honed through diligent, daily practice.
The fading glow of the sunset cast a faint red hue on her glossy nails.
Many couldn't help but wonder: even if it were Fairy Miaoyan, the foremost beauty renowned for her mastery of the qin, if only her hands were visible, could they surpass the beauty of the hands before them?
Only Meng Heze sneered coldly.
With Senior Brother Song's composure, even if you brought not just one beauty but ten naked beauties dancing before him, he wouldn't so much as bat an eye.
Zhou Xiaoyun asked softly, "Fellow Daoist, what is your name?"
The girl did not lift her veil, replying in a low voice with just three words: "He Qingqing."
Her voice trembled slightly, tinged with timidity, like a frightened white rabbit, evoking even more pity.
"'Orchids bloom in spring and summer, lush and verdant—He Qingqing.' A fine name!" someone among the outer sect disciples praised, followed by a chorus of admiration:
"Her name suits her, just like orchids and fragrant herbs."
"To think Azure Cliff Academy has such a beauty!"
The girl's figure trembled uncontrollably, as if she were shy.
The Six Sages of Green Cliff smiled, their expressions oddly peculiar.
Zhou Xiaoyun found this plainly dressed girl far more pleasing to the eye than those gaudy, extravagantly adorned young masters and said with a smile:
"Fellow Daoist He, greetings."
But the girl stepped back, nearly stumbling, trembling even more violently: "Y-you too... you're very kind..."
Zhou Xiaoyun finally sensed something amiss. This girl wasn't merely shy or timid—she was terrified, like a startled bird.
Had no one ever greeted her before?
To the point that she didn't know how to respond?
"Fellow Daoist Song is a renowned figure in the Huawel Sect, and this junior sister of mine is quite famous in Azure Cliff Academy as well," Liu Tianhan said with a laugh. "Today, I specially brought her here, and I hope Fellow Daoist Song will do us the honor of taking a look!"
As he uttered the last four words, his tone suddenly turned sharp, and he yanked off the white-clad girl's veil!
The girl gasped as if struck hard, immediately lowering her head to hide.
But it was too late—her face was exposed to the public gaze.
A face without features!
As if scorched by fierce flames or hacked by swords, red and swollen scars crisscrossed it, completely obscuring her facial features.
Beneath the scars, a jet-black hue pulsed like some living creature writhing, ready to burst through the skin.
The lingering sunset glow, reflected off this face, instantly turned cold and sinister, shrouded in an eerie, ghostly aura.
Human or ghost?
A human body with a ghostly face.
"It's a monster!" someone screamed.
Screams erupted one after another as the crowd scattered in panic, trampling on feet and bumping into shoulders in their frantic rush to flee the "monster."
Had they encountered such a sight under normal circumstances, they might not have reacted so violently, but the stark contrast before and after today was too great.Seeing others scream and flee, she couldn't help but follow the crowd.
In front of Song Courtyard, chaos reigned as people stumbled and fell.
The Six Sages of Green Cliff had anticipated this and remained unmoved.
They laughed delightedly.
"You brought this upon yourself! How dare you disrespect the beautiful Miaoyan? Now face the ugliest monster!"
Amid the turmoil, Liu Tianhan suddenly reached out and gave He Qingqing a hard shove from behind!
The "monster" stumbled violently toward Song Qianji.
Meng Heze gripped his sword: "Senior Brother, be careful!"
The Six Sages of Green Cliff smiled even more broadly.
As expected, anyone would instinctively attack when a monster lunged at them.
This was a completely normal reaction for any cultivator experiencing extreme fright, disgust, and revulsion.
Once Song Qianji was provoked into attacking, it would be perfectly reasonable for them to retaliate in defense of their fellow disciple.
Aren't you supposed to be blind to beauty and ugliness? Then why would you be frightened enough to strike when you see Junior Sister He?
He Qingqing stumbled forward, tightly closing her eyes.
She had grown accustomed to enduring pain, so her expression remained blank, without shedding a single tear.
"Are you alright?"
Unexpectedly, she wasn't struck, nor did she fall to the ground. Instead, a pair of hands helped her up.
She caught the scent of wisteria blossoms and heard a voice above her—cold, yet gentle.
He Qingqing opened her eyes to see a handsome, tall young man supporting her.
His eyes held only surprise, no other emotion.
Even the surprise faded in an instant.
Meng Heze thought, "That was close—this person isn't here to harm Senior Brother Song."
Song Qianji also thought, "That was close—if I hadn't acted quickly, this person would have knocked over my bean sprout trellis."
How delicate those bean sprouts are—they couldn't withstand a collision.
Song Qianji supported the person and took three steps forward.
Only after ensuring they were far from the vegetable patch did he release his hold, looking up in confusion as he asked the others, "So what exactly did you want to show me?"
His bewilderment was genuine.
There were heretical demonic cultivators who refined gu poison inside living humans. Over time, even if the gu was removed, the victim's face would be damaged beyond repair without cutting away flesh and bone. He had seen many such cases and was long past being surprised.
In his past life, compared to others, the Lord of the heretical path's Joyful Zen wasn't even the most sinister or vicious cultivation method.
He instinctively glanced at Meng Heze.
Meng Heze paused briefly, then lowered his head in shame. It was just a low-level female cultivator with an unusual appearance. My panicked reaction must have disappointed Senior Brother Song.
What kind of noodles should I cook tomorrow?
The terror of the Six Sages of Green Cliff was equally genuine.
They watched in disbelief as Song Qianji helped He Qingqing up, completely ignoring her ghostly face, and even calmly took three steps.
As Song Qianji advanced, the six retreated, breaking out in cold sweat, their faces pale.
They thought in unison, "Is this person still blind to beauty and ugliness?"
This is being blind to the difference between human and ghost!
That Meng youth isn't normal either.
The Outer Sect's Song Courtyard is truly terrifying.
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