Hero's Invitation

Everyone says a man doesn't shed tears easily, but only when he reaches the depths of sorrow. Wei Hongqing cried openly in front of his brothers, showing just how heartbroken he was.

Liu Xiaolou wanted to stay and keep him company, but Wei Hongqing insisted he leave. Returning to Qianzhu Ridge, Liu Xiaolou felt a heavy, unpleasant weight in his heart. He was indignant about his good brother's misfortune and felt lost about his own cultivation path, unable to sleep at all.

As a rogue cultivator of Wulong Mountain, where was his way forward?

During the long, sleepless night, he suddenly thought of that Spirit Ginseng. Since Wei Hongqing's dual cultivation plans had fallen through, perhaps it was time to retrieve it? Even though less than half of it was eaten, there was still more than half remaining...

Before dawn the next day, he hurried back to Ghost Dream Cliff.

His sworn brother was suffering from such emotional pain; he couldn't just stand by and do nothing. He had to go and take care of him.

Furthermore, when asking for the Spirit Ginseng back, he needed to be cautious and meticulous, careful not to say the wrong thing. Wei Hongqing was already heartbroken enough; he couldn't rub salt in the wound.

Of course, this wasn't about him being stingy. Wei Hongqing, like himself, was known as one of the Twin Beauties of Wulong Mountain. Their aptitude was mediocre, but their looks were exceptional. They wouldn't have trouble finding good Dao companions. If he retrieved the Spirit Ginseng and kept it safe, after a little tidying up, it could serve as a congratulatory gift the next time Wei Hongqing held his dual cultivation ceremony.

He climbed Ghost Dream Cliff again. The red silk streamers were still there, but Wei Hongqing was gone. Instead, Wei Hongqing's friend, Zuo Gaofeng of Half-Acre Gorge, was waiting.

After exchanging greetings, Zuo Gaofeng spoke first, "Xiaolou is here... Have you seen Hongqing?"

Liu Xiaolou replied, "I saw him last night. I was worried about him, so I came to check again. Why isn't he here?"

"He's not here. I'm worried too..."

The two spoke of Wei Hongqing's broken engagement, sighing in unison.

As they talked, Western Mountain Hermit, Lingling Guest, and others arrived. They were all friends who were worried about Wei Hongqing.

Even Tan Bazhang, a disciple of the Tan Family from outside Wulong Mountain, had arrived. His face was full of concern as he said, "I told Brother Hongqing that the wedding date was wrong! Who sets a wedding for early in the morning? It's inauspicious! I advised him to change the time, but he wouldn't listen. And look what happened?"

Seeing that no one was speaking and they were just staring at him blankly, he asked, "What's wrong? Am I saying something incorrect?"

Zuo Gaofeng asked, "Wait, you said early morning? What time?"

Tan Bazhang said, "Si Shi. And yesterday wasn't an auspicious day either..."

Western Mountain Hermit interjected, "That's not right. It was clearly Wu Shi."

Lingling Guest said, "Shen Shi. That's what he told me."

Liu Xiaolou asked in confusion, "Why was it You Shi for me?"

Zuo Gaofeng blinked his eyes, "Mine was Xu Shi..."

As they looked at each other, Liu Xiaolou finally asked weakly, "Esteemed seniors, what gifts did you bring?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Zuo Gaofeng led the charge into the stone cave. The five of them searched frantically like headless flies, only finding a piece of yellow paper. Wei Hongqing had left a message on the paper: "To my brothers, I am heartbroken by love and have decided to wander the world, forgetting each other in the rivers and lakes from now on."

Looking at the message, Zuo Gaofeng couldn't help but cry out in pain, "My Leopard Tooth Sword... a mid-grade one..."

Tan Bazhang, Western Mountain Hermit, and the others also mourned, lamenting the precious congratulatory gifts they had given and cursing incessantly. For rogue cultivators, every spiritual item was incredibly rare. Losing them like this, who wouldn't be upset?

Only Lingling Guest had escaped disaster. He feigned empathy, joining the curses, but felt secretly pleased. He had given a magic talisman, and luckily, he had a thick skin and a good memory. Before descending the mountain, he had mustered the courage to retrieve the talisman, preventing Wei Hongqing from succeeding.

Zuo Gaofeng grumbled at Lingling Guest a few times, blaming him for not giving a heads-up. But as soon as the words left his mouth, he couldn't continue. Wei Hongqing had staggered the wedding times, ensuring they wouldn't meet. How could he have warned him?

Someone else asked Western Mountain Hermit, "Didn't you have divination skills? How could you not foresee this?" This put Western Mountain Hermit in an awkward position, and he kept explaining, "This is human emotion, not the will of heaven. How can I calculate that?"

Liu Xiaolou was even more heartbroken. That Spirit Ginseng was three hundred years old! Three hundred years! Gone just like that, what a scoundrel! Even if he wanted to find someone, the world was so vast, where would he even begin to search?

Wei Hongqing, you really are a piece of work. If you wanted a treasure, you could have just said so! If you wanted that Spirit Ginseng, you should have told me. We are sworn brothers, bound by loyalty. Would I have... hmm... surely I wouldn't have been stingy with your congratulatory gift? After so many years of friendship, was it worth it for a single Spirit Ginseng?

After a day of turmoil, Liu Xiaolou returned to Qianzhu Ridge in frustration. There was nothing he could do now but stew in his own anger. Several days passed before he could force himself to forget the loss.

For several days, he lay on the three-foot-wide cool platform in front of his thatched hut, fanning himself with a banana leaf, slowly contemplating his next step in cultivation.

In the current world, the major sects had already occupied all the blessed lands. Rogue cultivators without proper origins could only scramble for resources inadvertently released by the major sects. Every step forward was incredibly difficult. The path of cultivation was long; Qi Refining alone had ten checkpoints to pass. He had only just reached the second step, and the road ahead was truly arduous!

But all for the sake of eternal life. No matter how difficult, he had to press on.

It was now high summer, and the harvest at Goose-Goat Mountain's spirit fields was still months away. He couldn't count on that remuneration for now. Besides, the Zang family only recruited twenty rogue cultivators to help during the spirit field harvest in previous years, and he might not even get the opportunity.

What about trying his luck at the gambling dens in Bayi Manor? He had been beaten soundly last time and gained nothing. It was truly a last resort.

Also, it had been over half a year since the last Hero's Invitation was issued. He wondered when the next one would be.

As he was lost in thought, the wind chimes on the eaves swayed, ding-dong, ding-dong...

Liu Xiaolou looked towards the mountain path. A figure suddenly appeared from the woods and stood before the wooden gate.

Liu Xiaolou stared blankly, "Hermit Dai..."

The visitor was dressed in crimson. It was his senior, his master's close friend, named Dai Shenggao, styled as Hermit Dai.

Dai Shenggao silently observed Liu Xiaolou for a moment and said, "Go and see the master's grave."

Liu Xiaolou opened the wooden gate and led the way into the depths of the bamboo forest. A simple grave stood beneath a cluster of green bamboos. A tombstone stood in front of the grave, inscribed with "Grave of Esteemed Master Sanxuan."

Dai Shenggao took out a section of bamboo tube, opened the stopper, and poured the turbid yellow wine from inside.

He sat cross-legged before the tombstone, sprinkled some wine, and took a sip, drinking with the tombstone for a long time until the wine was finished.

After a while, he softly asked Liu Xiaolou, who stood respectfully beside him, "How has your cultivation been these past six months?"

Liu Xiaolou replied truthfully, "There has been little progress."

Dai Shenggao sighed, "Before, you relied on your master. From now on, you can only rely on yourself."

Liu Xiaolou looked at the tombstone and nodded gently, "What the senior says is true."

Dai Shenggao took out a wooden plaque and fiddled with it in his palm. "Old Boss Wang is issuing another Hero's Invitation, intending to attack the Zhang family manor on Jinping Mountain in Xiangnan."

Liu Xiaolou's spirits immediately lifted, and he asked, "The manor of Xiangnan's number one archer, Zhang Xianbai?"