You Cannot Leave

Now Bi Shouzhi was truly in a dilemma. It wasn't that he didn't want to agree, but he simply didn't know what his ancestor's attitude towards him would be. However, he couldn't resist Yu Ji's incessant kowtowing, which seemed to indicate that she wouldn't stop until he agreed. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, Bi Shouzhi gritted his teeth and said, "I agree, Madam, please get up!"

"Send three out at once?" Yue Qianchou raised an eyebrow but said nothing; it wasn't his business anyway. Yu Ji First Company three more times before standing up, her face full of surprise, and said, "Thank you, Mr. Xie."

"Madam, please don't thank me! To be honest, although I promised you, I have no confidence that my ancestor will agree. I can only beg and try, but I really can't guarantee whether I can succeed," Bi Shouzhi said helplessly.

"Understood, I understand. As long as you are willing to speak up, whether it works out or not, I, the general, and Ao Li will be eternally grateful," Yu Ji said without any concern.

Having said that, Bi Shouzhi had nothing more to say, and he and Wu Sihai looked at Yue Qianchou with a knowing glance. Yue Qianchou smiled at them. That old man Bi Changchun was too terrifying. It was best not to express any opinion before meeting him and understanding him. Usually, old guys like that had lived too long and were more monstrous than monsters. Who knew what strange personality traits they might have? And since he didn't have any connection with him like Bi Shouzhi and the others, it was best to stay out of it. He was determined to listen and observe more, but try to remain silent to avoid getting into trouble.

Yue Qianchou raised his wine cup to the four of them and said with a smile, "Let's drink, let's drink."

"Yes, gentlemen, please drink as much as you like. I will pour the wine." In high spirits, Yu Ji smiled radiantly and repeatedly urged them to drink. After a while, Meng Yan and Ao Li came together and bowed to Bi Shouzhi, saying, "Sir, everything is ready, and we can depart at any time."

"General, I have some incredibly good news for you." Yu Ji raised a wine cup and leaned close to the two kings, recounting what Bi Shouzhi had promised her. Meng Yan and Ao Li exchanged a glance, looking overjoyed. Then, the two kings bowed to Bi Shouzhi together, and Meng Yan said with delight, "Whether this matter succeeds or not, the three of us will never forget your great kindness."

The two sides exchanged pleasantries, while Yue Qianchou drank his own wine. He felt that this matter wouldn't be easy to succeed, and there might even be danger involved. Whatever, he figured he could just leave first.

"Yue Qianchou, do you think we can set off now?" Bi Shouzhi asked. In his opinion, Yue Qianchou was more familiar with this place than they were, and he also had a mysterious background. It wouldn't hurt to ask for his opinion.

"Haha, whatever," Yue Qianchou said, raising his glass. "Anyway, I'm just joining in the fun. Just don't leave me behind."

Wu Sihai, who knew him better, frowned. In his experience, this kid always caused trouble wherever he went; when had he ever been so well-behaved? Bi Shouzhi turned to Meng Yan and tentatively asked, "General, shall we set off now?"

"Good!" Meng Yan clapped his hands and laughed, "As you wish, sir, let's set off now." Everyone stood up, Yue Qianchou quickly drank a couple more cups, then swept several unopened jars of fine wine into his Storage Bag, intending to let Guan Yu and the others also taste the Ghost Brewed Wine. He then followed the others out of the Ghost King's Palace.

Meng Yan brought four ghost kings, while Ao Li brought his four sedan chair bearers. The two kings would personally escort them to the central area of Demon Ghost Domain. Yu Ji did not come along. Considering the difference in cultivation levels between Yue Qianchou and the others, he would definitely not be able to keep up with everyone by flying. In other words, to take care of him, the entire group of fifteen boarded Jing Feihong's flying Law Artifact.

Afterwards, the flying shuttle sped towards the center of the Demon Ghost Domain, with Ghost General Meng Yan and Demon King Ao Li standing side by side at its bow. With the two of them in front, all the demons and ghosts along the way kept their distance, and no one dared to cause trouble. Everyone was excited to see Bi Changchun, except for Yue Qianchou, who sat quietly in the back corner, sleeping. Wu Sihai occasionally turned around to look at him.

Unsure how long he had slept, Yue Qianchou was suddenly awakened by the sound of fighting. He got up and asked what was wrong. It turned out that they had already entered the territory of other Demon King and ghost kings. The demons and ghosts here would not give Meng Yan and Ao Li any face, but the people brought by the two kings were all experts, and they were not people that could be stopped by ordinary people. Without the two kings taking action, the four ghosts and four demons could easily deal with them all the way.

Yue Qianchou glanced at the sky above the Demon Ghost Domain, which was already turning white, estimating that it was daytime outside. He then looked at Meng Yan and the four ghost generals, who were completely unaffected, and couldn't help but marvel. Ghost cultivators were supposed to be forbidden from appearing during the day; how were these five unharmed? Little did he know that within the Demon Ghost Domain, due to the perpetual shroud of gloomy clouds and mist, direct sunlight was forbidden. Ghost cultivators at the Ghost King level could walk normally, but those below that level were not so fortunate. Furthermore, even Ghost Saints were unable to withstand direct sunlight; this was the power of the Principle of heaven and Principle— under which nothing was exempt.

Having slept enough, they couldn't fall back asleep, so they leaned against the ship's deck to admire the scenery of the Demon Ghost Domain. Their flight was increasingly noisy and chaotic, but Meng Yan and Ao Li remained confident and unafraid, finally attracting the attention of the Demon King and Ghost King who ruled the area. Perhaps it was pre-arranged by Meng Yan and Bi Shouzhi, but as soon as the Demon King and Ghost King arrived, Bi Shouzhi unfurled Bi Changchun's scroll, and with Meng Yan explaining the situation, the Demon King and Ghost King dared not obstruct their path. Not only did they not block their way, but they also personally escorted the flying shuttle out of their territory.

The journey continued in the same manner. Yue Qianchou observed coldly, saying nothing. He slept at night and enjoyed the scenery during the day, since he didn't need to get involved in fights anyway. It wasn't until he woke up on the third night that Meng Yan suddenly summoned everyone, excitedly saying, "Ahead lies a vast lake covering a thousand miles. In the center of the lake is an island called 'Shuntian Island,' where the Immortal Master resides."

Upon hearing this, everyone became excited, but even more so, they felt uneasy. Yue Qianchou was no exception, craning his neck to watch. About half an hour later, a large patch of azure sky appeared on the distant, gloomy horizon, bathed in bright sunlight that shone down, forming a golden pillar. A little over half an hour later, everyone could see a large mirror under the sunlight, which should be the Thousand Mile Flat Lake that Meng Yan had mentioned.

Looking from afar, everyone noticed something strange: unlike the rest of the Demon Ghost Domain where the sky above the lake was shrouded in gloom and mist, it was completely cloudless. The azure sky perfectly mirrored the deep blue lake, appearing to be roughly the same size. The lake's surface shimmered, making it stand out remarkably in this Demon Ghost Domain.

Not long after, the flying shuttle stopped not far from the lake. Meng Yan turned around and apologized to everyone, saying, "I am a ghost cultivator and dare not expose myself to the sunlight. I can only take you all this far." He then pointed to the distant lake and said to Bi Shouzhi, "Fly straight to the center of the lake, and you will see an island. That is the residence of your ancestor. We entrust our affairs to you, sir."

"Thank you, General and Prince Ao!" Bi Shouzhi cupped his hands and said, "I will do my best to fulfill my promise."

Meng Yan and Ao Li exchanged a glance, their faces beaming with joy. They bowed and said, "We await your good news, sir." The two kings then led their men off the flying shuttle and waved goodbye by the lake.

The flying shuttle vanished in a streak of light. After some time, a black dot appeared in the sight of the people on board, and gradually, an island in the lake became clearer and clearer. Upon reaching the island, the five people nervously surveyed its entirety.

It was an island of modest size, probably only a kilometer in circumference, with steep cliffs jutting into the water on all sides. Vines hung from the cliffs, reaching all the way to the surface, making the island resemble a mound. The island was lush and green, with a few ancient buildings scattered around its center, but nothing particularly special about them. The only peculiar thing was that the entire island was shrouded in a thin layer of mist, almost invisible in the sunlight. The group exchanged anxious glances. Was this the residence of the infamous 'Punishment Envoy' of the Demon Ghost Domain?

"Since you're here, get off!"

Just as everyone was hesitating about whether to go down directly, an old voice suddenly rang in their ears. They couldn't tell where it came from, only that it was coming from the island. Without further hesitation, they landed immediately, then put away their flying shuttle, but then they didn't know where to go next.

Just then, a young man suddenly emerged from the nearby woods. He was tall and thin, with handsome features, his sleeves and trousers rolled up, and he was even carrying a hoe on his shoulder – the perfect attire for farm work. Amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd, the young man walked over, glanced at them a few times, and said, "Come with me!"

The words were simple, but the group couldn't refuse and obediently followed him. The young man carrying the hoe led them to the ancient yet elegant buildings, found a spot to put down his hoe, and led them into the largest building, saying, "Wait a moment, the master will be here soon." Then he left.

The group exchanged bewildered glances. Could this person be Bi Changchun's disciple? Looking at the furnishings inside, it was as simple as it could be. The floor was covered with straw mats, but there wasn't even a chair to sit on, let alone a table. In short, it was completely empty.

Just as the group was somewhat stunned, an elderly man dressed as a farmer entered. The old man had a hale and hearty face, black hair and beard, and was full of energy, looking even younger than Bi Shouzhi and the others. The group immediately recognized that this man was identical to Bi Changchun in the portrait, but the aloof and arrogant expression in the portrait had been replaced by a calm and peaceful demeanor, giving him the appearance of a kind old grandfather.

The four, who were somewhat stunned, immediately knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "Greetings, Old Ancestor!" Yue Qianchou felt that it was a bit dangerous or inappropriate for him to stand alone, so he quickly knelt down as well.

"Are you the current heads of the Four Great Families of Bi, Tan, Jing, and Wu?" the old man asked after looking the five of them over. It was unclear where he had gotten that information.

Bi Shouzhi, who was kneeling, straightened up and said with some excitement, "Old Ancestor, you are wise. Bi Shouzhi to Old Ancestor." He then kowtowed again.

"Tan Ruchang, descendant of the Tan family; Jing Feihong, descendant of the Jing family; Wu Sihai, descendant of the Wu family, pay their respects to the Old Ancestor." The other three also kowtowed again. Yue Qianchou felt it was unseemly for him to kneel upright alone, so he weakly followed suit, saying, "Yue Qianchou, descendant of the Yue Family, pays his respects to the Old Ancestor." He thought to himself, "It's not a loss to kowtow to an old man who's over two thousand years old. It's only a loss if I offend him by not showing proper etiquette."

Although his voice was rather weak, it couldn't escape Bi Changchun's ears. Bi Changchun was slightly taken aback, frowned, and murmured, "The Yue Family? Which family is the Yue Family?"

Upon hearing this, the expressions Bi Shouzhi the four men's lowered faces twitched. Why was this kid getting involved?

Bi Changchun thought for a while but couldn't remember, so he stopped thinking about it and raised his hand, saying, "Get up!" After the five people stood up respectfully with their hands clasped, he asked again, "Why have you come all this way to find me?"

Bi Shouzhi immediately and respectfully explained the current predicament faced by the Four Great Families and respectfully requested the Old Ancestor to return and take charge of stabilizing the situation.

After listening, Bi Changchun nodded without saying anything. Then, the young man who had just left returned carrying four swords, placed them in front of Bi Changchun, and then left again. Bi Changchun raised his index finger, and the air in the hall suddenly fluctuated. Bi Shouzhi and the other three immediately felt their bodies immobilized, and with a tremendous pressure, they all coughed up blood.

Yue Qianchou was taken aback and immediately wanted to flash back to Utopia, but ultimately restrained himself, deciding to observe first. He saw the blood spurting from the four men form a clump, drifting towards Bi Changchun, neatly rising on his raised index finger to gradually form the four large characters: Bi, Tan, Jing, and Wu. Bi Changchun expressionlessly flicked his finger, and the four blood characters landed precisely at the junction of the hilts and blades of the four swords in front of him. He then swiftly cast a spell on each of the four blood characters, before raising his palm and unleashing four beams of light towards the four swords.

After the First Company of spells were completed, the hall returned to calm. Bi Shouzhi and the Bi Shouzhi three looked pale and suspicious as they stared at their Old Ancestor. Yue Qianchou, on the other hand, had witnessed the entire event clearly. His eyes were shining as he stared at the four swords, his heart pounding with excitement. Made by the old man, they must be treasures, truly precious treasures!

Bi Changchun waved his hand, and four swords floated to the four people. After they hesitated for a moment before taking the swords in their hands, he slowly said, "These four swords were casually made by a friend of mine while he was traveling here. Although they are not considered great treasures, they are not an exaggeration to call them low-grade spiritual treasures. They should be enough for you. I have planted blood curses on all four swords, so only your direct blood relatives can unleash their power."

These four swords are spirit treasures? They're actually legendary spirit treasures? The four were utterly shocked, staring incredulously at the swords in their hands. How many years had it been since a spirit treasure had appeared in the Cultivation World? The four immediately knelt down again, excitedly saying, "Thank you Old Ancestor, for bestowing these swords!" Yue Qianchou greedily gazed at the treasures clutched tightly in the four's hands, but unfortunately, they were afflicted with some kind of damned blood curse. Even if he could get his hands on them, he couldn't use them!

"You must use these four swords with caution after you take them back, stay true to your duties, and not flaunt them. Do not use them casually unless in a critical moment. Otherwise, you will surely bring disaster upon yourselves," Bi Changchun warned.

"We will follow the teachings of our Old Ancestor!" The four excited men kowtowed again.

"Alas!" Bi Changchun sighed as he looked at the four people. "There is no Lineage that lasts forever in this world. This is all I can do. You should take heed of this! Alright! Go back! No matter what happens in the future, you are not allowed to come looking for me again, or I will not let you off easily."

"Old Ancestor!" the four exclaimed in disbelief. Bi Changchun frowned, waved his hand, and shouted, "Go! Don't make me say any more."

The four hesitated for a while. They had only just arrived, and now they had to leave? They were all somewhat reluctant. Then, Bi Changchun shouted at them again, and they finally realized that the situation was irreversible. They all kowtowed with tears in their eyes and said, "Farewell, Old Ancestor. Take care, Old Ancestor."

Having said that, he rose and slowly retreated towards the exit of the hall, looking dejected. Yue Qianchou followed behind the four, muttering to himself, "Damn it! You four old bastards, don't be so ungrateful! You each get a magical treasure after this trip, so what are you afraid of if something happens later? I'm the one who's unlucky! I've called out to my Old Ancestor, knelt down, and kowtowed, and in the end, I've wasted my time running around like this, without even getting a penny of reward. Sigh! Who told me I didn't have any good ancestors!"

Just as the group reached the door, Bi Shouzhi suddenly remembered his promise to Meng Yan. He immediately turned around, took a few steps forward, knelt down and kowtowed to Bi Changchun, saying, "Old Ancestor, there is something I have not yet reported to Old Ancestor." The group at the door also stopped and turned to look at him.

Bi Changchun frowned and said, "Speak quickly if there is anything else, and then go back immediately."

Bi Shouzhi knelt there with the expression of a child, and said awkwardly, "I was able to see the Old Ancestor safely this time thanks to the help of Ghost General Meng Yan and his wife from the Demon Ghost Domain, and the Demon King Ao Li. Before coming here, I promised the three of them to plead with the Old Ancestor on my behalf..."

"Did those three ask you to beg me to let them leave the Demon Ghost Domain?" Bi Changchun interrupted coldly.

"Exactly!" Bi Shouzhi lowered his head and said softly.

Bi Changchun said expressionlessly, "Meng Yan and Ao Li deserted their posts and have been executed by me. You don't need to worry about them. You can leave now."

"Ah..." Several people couldn't help but cry out in shock. Meng Yan and Ao Li were actually dead. How long had it been? Everyone could still recall the scene of the two waving goodbye by the lake. Yue Qianchou shuddered. The old man looked kind, but he was a ruthless person.

Bi Shouzhi didn't dare to say anything more and retreated meekly. Just as the group walked out the door, they suddenly heard Bi Changchun say, "You can't leave, stay!"

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