The back hills of Hua Wei had no paved stone steps, only a few winding narrow paths, overgrown with deep grass and dense trees due to their infrequent use.
Even during the brightest hours of the morning, once one entered the back hills, they were enveloped by towering ancient trees, as if walking through a pitch-black abyss.
True Person Xuyun and Qingwei, the master of Purple Cloud Temple, were walking side by side along this sunless path.
At this moment, they carried none of the pomp of sect leaders or regional powerhouses, with only two young cultivators following behind them.
The two youths carried themselves with solemn dignity, their steps steady, yet their eyes held a hidden anticipation, gleaming brightly.
One wore a flower-blue Magic Robe with intricate and elaborate patterns, clearly dressed with care; the other was clad in a mountain-purple Daoist robe, simple and elegant, giving an impression of youthful maturity.
Anyone who had seen students heading for life’s major exams would understand the complex expressions on their faces.
At the end of the mountain path, a small building with peeling vermilion lacquer lay quietly hidden among lush ancient cypress trees.
The four of them halted together.
Qingwei turned to the two young cultivators behind him and said mildly, “Whether there is fate or not is predetermined by destiny. Do not force it.”
Xuyun added with a touch of sternness, “If this matter succeeds, all will be joyful. If it fails, you must not harbor delusions or cling to unwillingness. Do you both remember?”
The two lowered their heads and eyes, respectfully assenting.
Qingwei gazed at the small building, took a deep breath, and said, “Very well, I shall go first to pay respects…”
“Senior Brother Temple Master!” A woman’s voice interrupted him, abrupt and impolite, yet clear as an oriole emerging from a valley.
A young woman in a goose-yellow gown came bouncing out of the small building, smiling brightly: “Are you here to see Master?”
The girl had round eyes and a round face, with willow-like arched eyebrows. Though her features could not be called exquisitely beautiful, she possessed a unique Spirit Qi.
When she glanced around, she resembled a young sparrow curiously peeking out of its nest. The serene, solemn atmosphere of the remote mountain building instantly brightened.
The two young cultivators had initially frowned inwardly, wondering how such an ill-mannered girl could be serving before Chess Devil, making such a racket in such an inappropriate manner.
Yet when the girl ran up to them and they met her gaze, not only did they feel no dislike, they even couldn’t help but smile, thinking that if they had such a lively, spirited, simple, and adorable junior sister to serve tea and hold chess pieces in the future, the arduous paths of immortality and chess would surely become much more joyful and lighthearted.
Qingwei laughed and said, “Junior Sister Li, Fellow Sect Leader Xuyun and I have been thinking of our martial uncle and came to visit. But we old folks are clumsy with words, dull and uninteresting, and fear displeasing our martial uncle…”
Hearing his introduction, the girl seemed to notice Xuyun and the two young cultivators for the first time and greeted them.
Qingwei continued, “These two young ones know a bit of formations and also understand some chess. Why not let them go in and play a couple of games with our martial uncle to help pass the time? I’ve already used my qi observation art on them—both are destined for greatness. Zhao Lin, Yao An, come and greet your Senior Sister Li.”
The phrase “know a bit” was, of course, an understatement. Only one-in-a-million geniuses would dare be brought before Chess Devil.
Just as Zhao Lin in the flower-blue robe and Yao An in the purple Daoist robe were about to step forward, the girl laughed and said, “You’re too kind. How can I be considered Master’s disciple? I’m merely a little maid serving by Master’s side in his old age—pouring tea, handing chess pieces, delivering medicine, and keeping him company with chatter. I haven’t learned even a fraction of Master’s true skills and truly dare not accept the title of ‘senior sister.’”
Hearing her words, though they dared not show any frivolity, the two young men began to feel a sense of contempt.The young woman abruptly changed her tone: "But you've come at an unfortunate time, fellow cultivators. My master remains ill and has just taken his elixir. He instructed not to receive guests for now - my apologies!"
A clean, straightforward dismissal.
Hua Wei and Xu Yun maintained unchanged expressions, showing no disappointment, but the two young cultivators flushed red.
They feared they hadn't performed well enough today, never expecting they wouldn't even get through the door.
Everyone in the Cultivation World knew the Chess Devil had been ill for many years. When a chronically ill person uses sickness as an excuse for refusal, it means he truly can't be bothered to find another reason.
Listening to the girl's lively voice, Xu Yun suddenly felt a pang of envy.
Not envy for the Chess Devil's prolonged illness, but envy for his courage to be so blunt. Because he remained powerful, he didn't fear others knowing how many times a day he took medicine.
Thus, "nothing cannot be spoken of openly."
Recalling how he had dared not announce his failed breakthrough, only sending trusted followers to secretly search for Dead Sea lotus flowers - yet Xian Jianchen had learned of it and sent an Outer Sect disciple to deliver a message, slapping him in the face.
For people like himself, "endless reservations" were the norm among cultivators - not daring to fall ill, not daring to get injured, fearing powerful enemies would come knocking, fearing their position would become unstable.
Master Hua Wei said: "We've troubled you. We'll take our leave now."
Yao An stood rigid, wanting to speak but hesitating.
Zhao Lin put on his most charming smile for female cultivators: "Fair maiden, we..."
Hua Wei suddenly snapped sharply: "What did I say earlier?"
Shaken by his imposing pressure, the two young men paled in alarm, hastily bowed and retreated.
Xu Yun bid farewell to the girl with paternal kindness, casting one last glance at the small building hidden among flowers and trees.
Whenever he thought he had climbed high enough, looking down upon the four seas from his position in Hua Wei, the shadows of these seniors would descend upon him again, pressing down overhead.
He's been ill for so long - when will he finally die?
Where is Xian Jianchen now, and when will he be willing to die?
The two had arrived with heads held high, but departed with heads bowed.
Hua Wei coldly comforted them: "Don't lose heart. Prepare well for the chess examination at the Grand Assembly of Distinguished Appraisals. With your natural talent and luck, even without this opportunity, your immortal path will still proceed smoothly."
Yao An only smiled bitterly. Though the words sounded reasonable, compared to inheriting that person's legacy, all other opportunities became second-rate paths.
Zhao Lin sighed: "I wonder what kind of disciple the venerable master actually wants to take."
The girl in goose-yellow robes, carrying a large bundle of wildflowers, skipped lightly into the small building:
"Master, I sent them away!"
A black-robed old man at the desk turned and smiled at the sound: "Well done."
The Calligrapher Sage always appeared dignified and graceful, wearing spotless, immaculate white robes. This man was the complete opposite - seemingly perpetually drowsy, with a gaunt frame and sickly pallor.
The girl asked curiously: "I thought those two weren't bad. Do you really not want to see them?"
"What's not bad about them?"
Without hesitation, the girl replied: "They're quite good-looking! But as for playing chess - forget it, they probably can't beat me."
The old man laughed heartily. The girl placed her armful of wildflowers on the desk, and the two sat facing each other weaving flower crowns, their atmosphere less like master and disciple than grandfather and granddaughter.
"It rained last night, and all the mountain flowers bloomed this morning!" The girl brushed dew from petals, delighted.
The old man suddenly said: "It shouldn't have rained last night."
"What?"
The old man explained: "It rained because someone was waiting."
The girl looked puzzled: "If one's intent can make Heaven and Earth aware, that person's cultivation must be extremely high?""Not necessarily." The old man shook his head and was about to say something when he suddenly broke into violent coughing, as if trying to expel his internal organs.
The young girl adeptly patted his back to ease his breathing and offered him medicinal tea:
"Master, I heard Fairy Miaoyan is in the bamboo forest at the back mountain. Should we invite her to play a tune to help regulate your Spirit Qi?"
The old man waved his hand: "No! I won't die, I won't die!"
The young girl still wore a worried expression.
When the old man finally caught his breath, he smiled and said: "Xiao Li, the ancients said 'When Heaven is about to place great responsibility upon a man, it first tests his resolve, exhausts his body'. All these years of enduring numerous illnesses and pains are accumulating blessings for my future!"
"You're still joking. What kind of blessings could be worth such suffering, Master?"
Chess Devil gazed out the window.
Behind the layered clouds, the golden bracket arms of Flying Cloud Tower were faintly visible.
"Of course it's to outlive all the 'old immortals' in this world, take on the most brilliant disciple, and bring him to play chess at 'Passionate One's' grave!"
※※※
At dusk, the Outer sect disciples finished their work.
The entrance to Song Courtyard became bustling with activity, and soon a long line formed along the flower-lined path.
This was the daily fixed question-and-answer period. Any earlier, and Senior Brother Song would still be working in the fields, not looking up. Any later, Senior Brother Meng would start cooking noodles and fiercely shoo guests away.
One bag of seeds, one question. After asking, bow respectfully and immediately leave. Nobody failed to cherish this brief time, and nobody dared to waste others' time.
No noise, no cutting in line. Though these rules weren't officially posted, the disciples tacitly treated them as ironclad principles.
Only today was an exception.
A shabby, poorly dressed unfamiliar cultivator had mixed into the line. Because he appeared suspicious, people suspected he meant harm to Senior Brother Song and nearly beat him up.
The man hurriedly proved his identity: "Fellow Daoists, don't strike yet! I'm a cultivator from Kongwu Sect of Three Mountain Island overseas. I'm also here for the Grand Assembly of Distinguished Appraisals. Here's my invitation, please look!"
He kept pulling things from his Storage Bag - island maps, ship tickets, sect identification tokens, and other miscellaneous items.
Zhou Xiaoyun only took the invitation and flipped through it, confirming it was genuine before ordering everyone to stop. She asked puzzled: "Fellow Daoist, guest quarters are all in the Inner Sect mountains. This is the Outer Sect. Why have you come here?"
Still covering his head, the man timidly said: "I heard that here, if you hand over a bag of seeds to a Senior Brother Song, you can get treasures appraised and questions answered?"
"Senior Brother Song's Q&A time is limited. Whatever your matter is, you should return to your own sect and ask your elders!" Someone tried to send him away, urging impatiently.
Other disciples laughed, wondering what minor sect this poor cultivator came from, worse off than even Outer sect disciples.
Unexpectedly, the man suddenly beat his chest and stamped his feet, wailing: "I can't ask them! I'm the only one from my entire sect who came!"
"Ah? Where are the others?"
Everyone was bewildered, not understanding why he was so agitated.
"We encountered a sea beast tide, they all died at sea!" The man covered his face with his sleeve, actually beginning to sob. "Our entire sect, including the alchemy Daoist pages, only had ten people total!"He spoke halfway through, unconsciously slipping into his native accent: "Master said he didn't expect us to bring honor to our ancestors, only hoped we'd see the grand world once and return safely to our nest! Had I known it'd come to this, we shouldn't have sailed across the seas. My fate is bitter, Wang Tugen's life is so bitter! The Dao Ancestor is unkind..."
The young Outer Sect disciples stood by helplessly. The weeping seemed to carry a strange infectious quality, somehow evoking a shared sense of bitter sympathy in everyone's hearts.
Zhou Xiaoyun handed him a handkerchief: "Fellow cultivator, please stop crying first and catch your breath. What do you need from Senior Brother Song right now?"
Wang Tugen wiped his face haphazardly, eyes brimming with hope: "Our sect has a treasure passed down from our founding ancestor. Even Master doesn't know what exactly it is. I just want to ask Senior Brother Song to appraise it. As long as I can gather enough for the return journey expenses, I'll sell it!"
"There are pawnshops in Hua Wei City," one disciple suggested.
Someone quickly refuted: "He's an honest man from overseas, how would he dare enter a major pawnshop? Wouldn't that be delivering himself to be cheated?"
Wang Tugen nodded repeatedly: "Since arriving here, I've heard about Senior Brother Song's good reputation every day. I trust him."
Zhou Xiaoyun pulled him to the end of the line: "Wait here first. If Senior Brother Song finishes answering questions and hasn't started eating noodles yet, I'll bring you in."
"Good immortal! You're a living Bodhisattva!"
"Stop bowing to me. Junior Brother Li, go borrow a copy of 'Overseas Cultivators' Shore Landing Anti-Scam Manual' from the library for Fellow Cultivator Wang."
Wang Tugen profusely expressed thanks, running to bow before each person.
Who could have imagined he was quietly observing the Outer Sect environment, watching every disciple's reaction.
Every blade of grass and tree at the entrance to Song Courtyard had already been thoroughly noted in his eyes and committed to memory.
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