Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Min Lan could see that Zhang Lisheng was having covetous thoughts so she lowered her voice as they walked out of the courtyard. “The Gu Nest Spell that allows Junior Uncle Chen to hide his wizard gu in his nostril is indeed a witchcraft method. Even though this witchcraft method is not unique to him, it could be said as a very precious method. Stop thinking about it. You’re only a low level wizard and your mind is already wandering around. You’re biting off more than you can chew.”
“Sister, I’m not biting off more than I can chew. Instead, I feel that what you said is right. I’m a Gate of Death’s wizard but it’s ridiculous that I didn’t even bring any wizard gu with me!” Following behind Min Lan, Zhang Lisheng walked on the streets of the mountain city and let out a string of words. “But I’m used to going anywhere empty-handed. It’s really awkward for me to bring the wizard gu with me all the time so this is why I’m interested in the method that allows Junior Uncle Chen to hide the wizard gu on his body.”
Just recently, because of the young man’s lack of understanding on the state of affairs, Min Lan felt a little fed up with him and this was why she did not come see him for more than a month.
However, Zhang Lisheng had just entered the Gate not long ago but he was already brave enough to take on responsibilities and was willing to exert an effort for the Gate. This changed the girl’s opinions on him so when she heard the young man’s reason that sounded comical but was still fair enough, her tone changed to become encouraging. “Just one sentence and you manage to link me into this matter? Oh, you’re taking out the profiteer’s temperament like how you acted on Shrimp Island last time huh? But honestly, Lisheng, the fact that you dare hide the wizard gu into your body shows that you have quite the bold vision of being a wizard. Render your service to the Gate with your utmost in the future and perhaps, you might just be able to obtain the Gu Nest Spell one day.”
“Hopefully!” Zhang Lisheng asked in ponderation. “That’s right, Sister, is Junior Uncle Zheng Heyun going to the Oasis World too this time?”
Upon hearing the young man’s words, Min Lan’s expression turned grave right away. “Junior Uncle Zheng, Senior Uncle Ouyang, and that Junior Uncle Yang from the Gate of Sacrifice have killed the few monitoring interpreters in Shrimp World so it’s no longer suitable for them to go out in public. They can only go to the town outside at most for the rest of their lives and I’m afraid they’d have to just grow old and die in this Mountain Gate.”
“But it was only a few interpreters, wasn’t it? And they just imprisoned a few Grand Wizards in the Gate of Witchcraft just like that? Don’t tell me that there’s no room for them to overthrow the decision?” Zhang Lisheng was stunned.
“If it wasn’t for the fact that there’s room to overthrow the decision, I’d also have to stay in the Mountain Gate and grow old here for the rest of my life.” Min Lan sighed. “The more powerful the wizard is, the more difficult it is for their sin to be forgiven. Actually, the rules of the Dao community or Syncretism against those offenders are even stricter than this. It is said that they would carry out the death penalty. This is the iron rule set by the previous Central Committee and nobody can do anything about it.”
Zhang Lisheng had mingled in the US upper class for a long time so he had a deep understanding of the power of a modern state apparatus.
In particular, he recently learnt in the Gate of Witchcraft that the Chinese government even had its own self-proclaimed orthodox Gate of Dao, Buddhism and Syncretism. The Three Gates of Witchcraft only had a small share in it. For this reason, he did not make any remarks about why they did not go against the government but instead, he curled his lips and said, “Looks like as long as we’re on Earth, no matter how powerful witchcraft is, it still can’t compete with the GDP.”
“What did you say?”
“I said, no matter how powerful witchcraft is, it still can’t compete with the GDP!” Zhang Lisheng shrugged and repeated it.
Even though this remark sounded strange, when Min Lan heard this, she looked as though she did not know the young man as she turned her head to carefully study him. “Lisheng, I didn’t expect you to see the problem so thoroughly. Old God Liao has also said the same thing before. For this reason, our Gate of Witchcraft must seize the opportunity of this one-in-a-million encounter so that we can get a good share in this Oasis World.”
When Min Lan was speaking, the pedestrians wearing solid-colored long robes walking hurriedly in the mountain city became even more hasty. Those pedestrians wearing parti-colored clothes, those who had no idea what was going on so they were merely wandering around, on the other hand, whispered to each other and began to show an angry expression as time went by.
It was apparent that the Gate of Witchcraft’s disciples who were chosen to go to the foreign world had already started to mobilize. Those outer sect wizards who were locked in the Mountain Gate had gradually understood why they were temporarily under house arrest. It was because they were regarded as possible spies and for this reason, they felt extremely indignant.
Zhang Lisheng listened to Min Lan’s words while watching the commotion of the surroundings. When they turned into the mountain road leading to the exit of the Gate of Witchcraft, he whispered in confusion, “Sister, I can understand that the Gate of Witchcraft wants to seize the chance but wouldn’t the losses outweigh the gains by locking the Mountain Gate and regarding the outer sect wizards as spies? What’s more, what is there to hide anyway about this matter? How can it possibly stay hidden anyway?
“Lisheng, why are you so talkative? As a disciple, these are not our concerns at all!” Min Lan became annoyed but she did not have any answer. Frowning, she said, “We’re arriving at the exit of the Mountain Gate soon. You better not talk much when everyone is gathered later. In public, an E-ranked disciple should have the manner of an E-ranked disciple, understood?”
“Yes, Senior Sister Min!” Zhang Lisheng smiled noncommittally. After that, he no longer said anything and just followed beside the girl, all the way until they went down from the mountain city and came to the cave at the foot of the mountain where the Gate of Witchcraft’s exit lied.
Hundreds of Gate of Witchcraft’s disciples wearing either gold or silver had already gathered around the cave. Among them, there were also some green-clad disciples but there was none who was wearing black, making Zhang Lisheng stand out like a sore thumb.
At this moment, none of the Grand Wizards and Deacons had arrived yet. Under the relaxed atmosphere, it was inevitable that the Gate of Witchcraft’s disciple who held grudges against Min Lan would launch an open attack on her. A square-faced gold-clad disciple with a huge nose who was about two meters tall and was about a head taller than everyone else ridiculed, “Junior Sister Min, why did you bring a skinny black monkey here? Could it be that there’s some secret agenda behind?”
Upon hearing his words, the gold-clad disciples around him could not help but burst out laughing in low chuckle. The silver-clad and green-clad disciples, on the other hand, lowered their heads and looked down, as though they were either deaf or blind.
However, this laughter was soon counter-blown by Min Lan till they crumbled. “This is a new disciple, Zhang Lisheng. He once risked his life to help Senior Uncle Ouyang and Junior Uncle Zheng to snatch Gold Cores from the demons on the US Shrimp Island before. Due to his experience in the jungle of the foreign world, Big Boss Su personally insisted to bring him along to the Oasis World. Why now? Could it be that you feel that the judgement made by Senior Uncle Ouyang, Junior Uncle Zheng, and even Big Boss Su are not as good as yours, Kuang Haoyun?”
It was originally a joke but now that Min Lan had made him the scapegoat with just one sentence, it might be a trouble for him — be it big or small — if this was really pinned on him, despite the fact that it would not bring too great of a pain for him.
That square-faced gold-clad disciple with a huge nose quickly replied, “Oh Junior Sister Min, don’t randomly say so. How can my, Kuang Haoyun’s judgement be compared to Big Boss Su, Senior Uncle Ouyang and Junior Uncle Zheng? Please excuse my bad judgment this time, for not being able to tell the extraordinariness of this black, black, erm, Junior Brother Zhang. I was the one who was short-sighted! I was the short-sighted one instead…”
Upon seeing Kuang Haoyun’s self-deprecating and wretched manner, the gold-clad disciples in front of the cave burst out into low chuckles once more. Only Min Lan remained expressionless as she looked around and led Zhang Lisheng to the team she belonged to.
In this team that was led by Su Deli, other than Min Lan and Zhang Lisheng, there were another one gold-clad woman, two gold-clad men, more than ten silver-robed disciples and four to five green-clad disciples, coming to a total of more than 20 people. This team was bigger in size compared to the other surrounding teams.
The female disciple wearing a long golden robe with the same color ribbon on her waist who showed a different kind of demeanor in the team was none other than the gorgeous woman Ruo Zhen whom Zhang Lisheng had seen before in Guawo Village.
One of the gold-clad male disciples was tall and fat with a big round face that was always chuckling softly while the other one was neither short nor tall. He had a moderate physique and was very handsome looking but his face was slightly gloomy and he had been silent all along.
Min Lan took Zhang Lisheng back to the team and Ruo Zhen said with a flirtatious smile, “Junior Sister Min Lan, I was wondering why you haven’t shown up yet but it turns out that you were carrying out Big Boss Su’s order and have gone to fetch Disciple Zhang. Disciple Zhang, we didn’t see each other for several months since we parted ways last time. How are you?”
Zhang Lisheng replied with a smile, “Thank you for your concern, Senior Sister. I’ve been very good at the Gate.”
Cupping his hands together, he took a step back and no longer continued to talk.
When Min Lan saw how the young man listened to her and no longer let out a string of words like how she told him just now, a smile inadvertently crept upon her face. Bored, she asked casually, “Senior Sister Ruo, I can see that many people are already here so I wonder how’s the car preparations outside?”
The tall and fat gold-clad disciple by the side interrupted amiably, “Junior Sister Min Lan, I’m afraid Junior Sister Ruo would know nothing as well even if you ask her. I was the first person to reach here and two hours before, I personally witnessed the three Outer Sect Deacons, Deacon Feng, Deacon Yang and Deacon Song leave hastily. They must have already finished preparing all of the trivialities now.”
“Oh I see!” Min Lan smiled at the tall and fat disciple. “Senior Brother Qiu, you’re always a step in front…”
“Well, this is also why he listens a lot, sees a lot, does a lot and is also the person who is regarded as the most important by the Gate!” Ruo Zhen smiled.
“Junior Sister Ruo, I’m not worthy of such compliments. If you really…” The fat and tall gold-clad disciple quickly waved his hands. As he was shaking his head, he inadvertently caught sight of more than ten elders dressed in colorful clothes on the mountain road walking towards the foot of the mountain in groups of either three or four from the corner of his eye. Hurriedly, he pulled his chest up and made a silent gesture. “Senior Uncles and Junior Uncles are all here now.”
As he was speaking, the other Gate of Witchcraft’s disciples had also noticed the arrival of the Grand Wizards. One by one, they became quiet and soon, the cave became silent.
When the Grand Wizards arrived, those Gate of Witchcraft’s Deacons who might rise to a high position in the future but would still have to keep a humble attitude now also arrived one after another.
Their ages ranged from young to old and there were not more than ten of them. After reaching the exit of the giant mountain and greeting the Grand Wizards they were familiar with for a while, they cupped their hands and bowed to each other before queueing up orderly and humbly. Then, they proceeded to lead their men to walk into the cave leading to the outside world.
The entrance to the cave could accommodate 16 to 17 people to walk side by side at once. However, it was very simple inside. One could see the cave wall after about 20 to 30 steps. The way to cross the Gate of Witchcraft’s barrier was very easy. One would only have to stimulate the wizard power in one’s body and just crash oneself into the wall on the end of the cave.
After waiting for a while, it was finally the turn of Su Deli’s team to enter the cave. Zhang Lisheng followed behind Min Lan and used his wizard power as the key to briskly walk through the mountain wall. When his vision brightened again, he had already arrived in an empty but huge basement.
