Zhang Yan smiled faintly, his expression calm and composed, and said, "I have not been idle these past days on Bamboo Island. I went out for a brief journey and met with this person."
With a finger dipped in tea from his cup, he drew the branch of an osmanthus flower on the table.
Light flashed in Zhou Chongju’s eyes. He extended his sleeve to discreetly wipe away the water mark, and asked, "What did this person say?"
Zhang Yan chuckled and said, "Senior Brother, please lean closer."
Zhou Chongju leaned forward slightly. Zhang Yan’s lips moved as though he were whispering something.
After listening, Zhou Chongju’s eyes widened. He then sat back in thought. After a long while, he exhaled deeply and said, "If it is truly as you described, then this is indeed worth doing. Moreover, the Sect Leader is an old acquaintance of this person. It is said that this person once assisted the Sect Leader out of peril, so he should not be deceiving you."
Zhang Yan cupped his hands and replied, "While that may be so, your support in this matter is still necessary, Senior Brother."
Zhou Chongju appeared more relaxed. He laughed lightly and said, "Rest assured. Sitting in the Sect Leader’s position, how could he concern himself over such trifles? If you truly manage to help the Sect Leader with this major endeavor, not only will the strength of the master-disciple lineage remain undamaged, but it may well suppress the noble families entirely. Should your cultivation advance another level, there will surely be a place for you in the sect’s future."
Zhang Yan nodded in agreement. Regardless of any calculated schemes, in the face of such significant interests, they would all be reduced to dust.
Having considered the details thoroughly several times in his mind, Zhou Chongju stood up and said, "There is no time to lose; I will go and discuss this with the Sect Leader right away."
He reached out to pat Zhang Yan’s shoulder and added, "Junior Brother, you’ve been away for more than a month. It’s time you paid a visit to Yanyi. She’s currently cultivating on Jiushan Mountain. While I’ve taken care of many matters for you on her behalf, she is, after all, your disciple."
Zhang Yan nodded and acknowledged the advice.
Zhou Chongju smiled, waved his robes lightly, and turned to leave the room. When Zhang Yan stepped out, only the bamboo curtains were gently swaying in his wake. As he walked out, he looked upward to see clouds lazily drifting in the sky, tranquil and free, and thought to himself, "Only by standing above the Nine Heavens can one attain such carefree ease; otherwise, one remains but a pawn on the chessboard."
After gazing for a moment, he retracted his thoughts and summoned his tunneling light, heading toward Jiushan Mountain.
Jiushan Mountain lies directly east of the area by Fish Boat. The terrain of this mountain is gentle, with lush flowers and grasses adorning the slopes in vibrant splendor. As one approaches, an exotic fragrance fills the air, intoxicating with its richness. On the hillsides, spirit birds preen their feathers, and auspicious beasts lounge in serenity—a stark contrast to the desolation Zhang Yan once experienced at Cangwu Mountain.
From this, one can see that in the cultivation world, having a good master enables one to take their first step on the path to the Great Dao.
Liu Yanyi’s cave mansion for cultivation was located at the summit of the mountain within a small lodge. The spiritual energy here was abundant, with an open area in the front and flower gardens encircling it. When Zhang Yan descended near the lodge, several girl servants were sweeping the courtyard.
These were nimble and clever young girls Zhou Chongju had selected from the nine cities of the Mystic Turtle Land, specially sent here to care for Liu Yanyi.
Seeing Zhang Yan descend from the clouds, the girl servants all widened their curious eyes to gaze at him.
Before leaving their homes, they had often heard their parents say that if one day they caught the eye of an immortal, their entire families would rise with them. However, being just over ten years of age and having grown up in Jiuyi City, which was frequented mostly by mortals, they had seen few cultivators from the Mingcang Sect, let alone any true immortals. They only vaguely understood that there were people who lived in the same expanse of marshlands but were fundamentally different from them.
When Zhou Chongju brought them here, he had performed a Dharma technique to prevent complications. As a result, when they awoke from their slumber, they only felt as though they had casually arrived here, without any sense of the extraordinary.
They were not permitted to leave the mountain peak, and their role was to attend to a girl close to their own age. Initially, there was a sense of awe, but as time passed, they found nothing exceptional about her and gradually grew bolder. Yet, these were shrewd girls with keen minds; while they were not deeply fearful, they maintained a surface of respect and diligence, leaving no room for criticism.
Now, having witnessed someone who could truly fly and traverse the heavens, it stirred an immense shock within their hearts. One young servant timidly approached and bowed respectfully, saying, "Immortal Master, may we ask where you hail from? This is the place where Miss Liu cultivates, and Dean Zhou has explicitly instructed us not to let anyone else in."
Zhang Yan smiled slightly and was about to speak when the door of the lodge creaked open, and Liu Yanyi’s delicate face appeared. Seeing him, she exclaimed in delight, "Master!" She hurriedly stepped forward and knelt to the ground, saying, "Disciple greets the revered teacher."
Zhang Yan was somewhat surprised. He had only spent a few hours with her when he took her in as his disciple. With so much time apart, he had expected the ten-year-old girl to be shy and unfamiliar with him, and had even been pondering how best to engage her in conversation. Yet the pure joy in Liu Yanyi’s expression was clearly genuine, without the slightest hint of pretense.
His heart was moved, and he thought to himself, "It seems Senior Brother Zhou’s guidance truly excels. I’ll likely need to seek his assistance often in the future."
Little did Zhang Yan know, Liu Yanyi had lived a miserable childhood, orphaned and neglected. Her maternal aunt raised her until her death, after which her uncle planned to sell her off. Fortunately, Liu Tao returned in time to save her from disaster.
However, Liu Tao had his own cultivation to attend to and lacked the time to care for her. His status on the island was low, subjecting her to frequent disdain. Despite her young age, she had endured a life of hardship and humiliation.
When she was later brought here by Zhang Yan to cultivate, her cleverness and spiritual wisdom revealed to her that everything she had now was owed to her master. In her heart, she resolved to repay her master with success in cultivation. Thus, despite being apart for a month, she felt sheer joy at reuniting, akin to seeing a long-lost family member.
...(To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian.com to vote with recommendation tickets and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation.)