Not every reunion was a happy one.
A fur coated slightly chubby man held a deer and a string of dried peppers as he walked along the streets.
He was Zhen Kuai[1], someone who used to be one of Wenren Cangyue’s greatest spy leaders. However, during these past few years, everyone among the neighbors knew him as Song Cheng. He himself also gradually forgot his past as Zhen Kuai. For the sake of his wife and newborn son’s livelihoods, he brought his wife down the mountain and settled in this ordinary small town near Central Continent City where no one would recognize him.
Their lives in the small town were simple and comfortable, his wife was healthy and safe. That was why he felt extremely content with this lifestyle, changing from a slim person to a round faced fatty.
It was approaching year end. His eyes were narrowed as he gazed towards the red rising sun, only thinking that he needed to turn this deer into preserved dried meat. That way, at the end of the year, they would have a pot of fiery and fragrant deer meat hot pot to eat.
If he really was able to just spend the rest of his days like this, this was already truly not bad for him.
But when he had just turned around, deciding he was going to pay the tailor shop a visit to see if his new fur coat was finished, his legs became slightly rigid, his heart filled with the urge to move backwards, to run away.
He saw a middle-aged merchant dressed in embroidered robes.
This merchant didn’t seem any different from the Yunqin merchants who usually passed by this small town, but Zhen Kuai instead knew that this merchant came from Great Mang, moreover from Great Mang’s southernmost Purgatory Mountain. During the past Jadefall City chaos, it was precisely because of his cooperation with this middle-aged merchant that Wenren Cangyue reached Great Mang peacefully, moreover cooperated with Purgatory Mountain Patriarch to kill Li Ku.
As if by instinct, Zhen Kuai forcefully shifted away his gaze, and then with a gait that wasn’t any different from before, walked to the end of this tree.
From the corners of his eyes, he was certain that because he was already the fat Song Cheng and not the past Zhen Kuai, this past Great Mang leader didn’t notice his existence in the slightest. However, after his initial horror, his mind entered a state of greater chaos.
Even though he already truly broke away from the world of cultivators a long time ago, what he heard and saw were completely the same as the ordinary people of this small town, through the same sources of information, he could keenly guess at what kind of changes had already taken place in the world of cultivators.
Lin Xi and Green Luan Academy seized an absolute victory in Thousand Leaf Pass.
Yunqin Emperor who was in the same boat as Purgatory Mountain Patriarch was currently waiting his trial in Central Continent City.
Great Mang was currently carrying out a strict and confidential transfer of power. Zhantai Qiantang would ultimately complete Great Mang late emperor’s final wishes, becoming Great Mang’s new emperor.
Lin Xi and Green Luan Academy’s enemies still existed in this world. However, under this type of great shift of momentum, what other enemies still dared make a move, dared scheme against Lin Xi and Green Luan Academy?
Even so, the appearance of this middle-aged merchant was definitely no coincidence. Could it be that he was already serving under Zhantai Qiantang, already no longer Lin Xi and Green Luan Academy’s enemy?
Zhen Kuai hoped that this was the case.
Only, he just couldn’t convince himself with this possibility, because years and years of life as a spy leader allowed him to keenly sense that under this middle-aged merchant’s calm exterior, was deep vigilance. This middle-aged merchant was definitely carrying out some type of extremely secret mission.
Meanwhile, in Zhen Kuai’s opinion, even if Lin Xi and Zhantai Qiantang wanted to do something big now, there would be no need for them to do it in such a secret manner.
The street where that middle-aged merchant was had been gradually left further and further behind, while his own house got closer and closer. However, his own steps only grew increasingly heavy.
…
Some reunions would leave one in fear.
Central Continent City, three days away from year end. A clear day.
A green robed youngster appeared on the official road outside Central Continent City’s main southern gate. He raised his head slightly, looking at this world’s most majestic city. His eyes were completely filled with a mysterious feeling of sorrow.
However, as he approached, the city gate surroundings instead became deathly silent.
All of the pedestrians and caravans near the entrance moved aside. On the city walls, countless crossbows aimed at this green robed youngsters, yet the hands of every single one of these soldiers who were holding the crossbows were shaking continuously.
Lin Xi arrived.
During last year’s first snow, Lin Xi took up residence in Central Continent City for a period of time, which was why most of the city gate guards instantly recognized him. Only, the current Lin Xi was already a great enemy ordered for arrest by Central Continent Imperial City, a criminal who previously publicly unleashed a great slaughter in Central Continent City. When the leaders of these city gate guards saw Lin Xi’s appearance, they were completely at a loss as to how they should even face him.
Lin was deeply moved because of this city’s grandeur, all the brilliant stories that have happened within this city and because of the many cultivators who came from this place. However, he could understand the emotions of these Yunqin soldiers as well. That was why he stopped when he was still quite far from the city gate pass, speaking with a gentle and clear voice, “Relax, I didn’t come to kill. I only wish for the emperor to see me… I reckon that he knows of my arrival as well.”
If an ordinary person demanded for Yunqin’s Emperor to meet him, this would be far too egotistical and disgraceful. However, when these soldiers heard these words, there was almost no one who produced any anger, instead relaxing a bit, loosening their grips on their crossbows.
Lin Xi stopped outside the city, only waiting.
The city gate pass remained silent. A carriage rushed out from Central Continent City’s direction, stopping under the city gate pass.
Under the cold and condensed air, a young Yunqin official walked out from this Imperial Study carriage. He walked out of the city gate pass alone, and then, under everyone’s eyes, walked to a point not far from Lin Xi, showing Lin Xi a deep bow of respect.
“Sir Lin.” This young Yunqin official who came from East Port Town spoke quietly with difficulty, “His Majesty has passed on to me that if you have any words you wish to say to him, you can say them to him in the Imperial City.”
Lin Xi looked at Wang Buping[2], at this old friend. He shook his head and gently said, “There is no need. Since he ordered for you to meet me, then you can tell him in my place… I want him to abdicate the throne to the imperial princess. As long as he issues the decree to give up the throne, I can permit him to live out the rest of his years in riches and honor.”
Wang Buping’s expression became incomparably pale, but his lips instead began to become a bit bluish-black. “Sir Lin…”
“There is no need for you to try further persuasion.” Lin Xi shook his head, directly cutting off Wang Buping’s next words. “Letting him abdicate on his own is only out of honor for Changsun Wujiang.”
Wang Buping looked at Lin Xi, but he still spoke said with a trembling voice, “His Majesty has already showed signs of repentance…”
“If he has felt sincere repentance, then there would be no way he doesn’t dare come out to meet me.” Lin Xi looked at Wang Buping, saying indifferently, “Abdicating is precisely the final opportunity I am giving him.”
Wang Buping’s chest felt as if there was a huge boulder weighing down on it, finding it hard to breathe. He looked at Lin Xi in pain. “What if his majesty still refuses to abdicate?”
Lin Xi gave him a look. He didn’t say anything else, only turning around to leave.
However, Wang Buping instead already received his answer from Lin Xi’s silence. He didn’t have the strength to stand up anymore, directly sitting down on the wet and slippery ground.
…
Some reunions also brought hatred.
Xu Zhenyan looked at that black figure seated within the hanging curtains, shocked to the point where he was speechless for a long time.
“I never expected it would be you.”
He shook his head, and then he couldn’t help but raise it to look at this silent figure, saying with a deeply moved voice, “Turns out those absurd and preposterous rumors from Great Mang were actually true… The new Purgatory Mountain Patriarch was actually truly a Green Luan Academy student, moreover a student from the same year as myself.”
Zhang Ping raised his head slowly, his expression full of loathing hatred as he looked at Xu Zhenyan. “That is why even if it is someone like you, you never attached any importance to me, felt like even if there was a Green Luan Academy student who became Purgatory Mountain’s Patriarch, that there was absolutely no chance it would be me?”
Zhang Ping was the new Purgatory Mountain Patriarch, moreover the true Purgatory Mountain Patriarch. When he looked at Xu Zhenyan with disgust, the most imposing and cold aura of death immediately devoured Xu Zhenyan.
However, Xu Zhenyan was not frightened, instead only laughing calmly, “Turns out people like you and me who are looked down upon by others instead often have a higher chance of making it to the very end.”
Zhang Ping laughed, his laugh a bit emotionless and full of mockery. “Even someone like you can be compared to me?”
Xu Zhenyan also laughed, not revealing a hint of anger. “I can help you, perhaps return some things you want to you”
Zhang Ping suddenly looked at him, coldly saying, “What exactly do you wish to say by appearing before me?”
“Lin Xi has come to Central Continent City, you have also come.”
Xu Zhenyan looked at the cold and intimidating Zhang Ping, saying with a humble smile, “Lin Xi wishes to get rid of Yunqin Emperor… In this entire world, there is no one else who can reach above him. However, have you ever thought to yourself that as long as you kill him, no one else would be above you in this world? In the future, you will precisely be this world’s ruler, no one will be able to threaten your existence any further. Everything he has done before will only be paving the way for you.”
“Once he is eliminated, you will precisely be this world’s true ruler… In the past records of cultivators, there has never been anyone who could truly achieve this. However, you can. Moreover, you have the strength to accomplish this.”
“In the past, all of those who tried to defy the heavens had to get rid of countless opponents in order to have a chance of doing this. However, think about it… as long as you get rid of him, there would already be no one who is a match for you in this world.”
Xu Zhenyan’s voice was extremely calm, but his words themselves were full of enticement, as if he was portraying the most beautiful and realistic dream.
Zhang Ping’s eyes slowly closed, he laughed coldly in loathing. “You should not forget that Lin Xi is my friend. You actually dare speak these words before me?”
“I have always been waiting for an opportunity. When you arrived in Central Continent City, I believed that this opportunity has finally arrived.” Xu Zhenyan still humbly said, “However, when I saw you, only then did I understand that being in your presence was something you granted me to begin with… It is because you are the true Purgatory Mountain Patriarch. If you didn’t wish to meet me, there would be no way of knowing your whereabouts, no way of appearing before you alive.”
“Perhaps I only wished to see if there were any others left who wished to conspire against Lin Xi? If it wasn’t out of consideration that we used to be fellow students, I would have killed you right now.” Zhang Ping coldly said, “Moreover, do not forget Lin Xi’s identity as a Divine General. Do not forget that the previous Purgatory Mountain Patriarch was similarly incomparably close to becoming the ruler of this world, to the extent where he was already the sole ruler of this world, yet he was still defeated under Lin Xi’s hands. In this world, there is no way anyone can kill Lin Xi, kill the Divine General.”
“You are wrong.” Xu Zhenyan shook his head. He looked at Zhang Ping and calmly said, “The Divine General can still be killed… This is the true reason why I dared to meet with you.”
Zhang Ping gave Xu Zhenyan a look, coldly and calmly saying, “If you still want to keep living, then disappear from my sight immediately!”
1. Zhen – really , Kuai – fast, really fast. Lin Xi and Zhantai Qiantang previously let him leave B10C57
2. Umbrella craftsman who studied under Imperial Censor Jiang
