Immortal Spirit Stone

"Yeah!" Shi Xiaotian smacked his forehead and ran out without another word. He searched the mansion, and the servants said the eldest young master had gone to his post. Not wanting to wait any longer, he immediately had someone prepare a horse and sped off to the yamen where his elder brother was working. He anxiously found his brother.

When the latter heard Yue Qianchou was looking for him, he ran out without even asking for leave. As for the sedan chair he usually took to work, he wouldn't ride such a thing now. He casually untied a horse tethered at the yamen entrance, mounted it without regard for the decorum of a civil official, and galloped towards the Chao Family estate. His mounting the horse was so smooth, it was truly worthy of being the son of a Pillar State General; his upbringing was good.

"Brother, wait up! That's my horse!" Shi Xiaotian stomped his feet and shouted at the yamen entrance. But his brother couldn't hear him. Even if he could, he probably wouldn't have turned back. With no other choice, he had to be carried back by his brother's sedan chair bearers, who swayed along.

The servants at the General's Mansion were surprised to see Shi Youtian return on horseback and said with a smile, "Eldest Young Master is back!"

Shi Youtian jumped off the horse and threw the reins, not having the leisure to bother with him. He rushed to the courtyard in the back garden. Just as he was about to enter, he seemed to remember something, stopped while holding onto the door frame, and shouted excitedly, "Immortal Master, Shi Youtian is here." Fearing he hadn't been heard inside, he shouted twice more.

Didn't he say he was going to his post? How did he get back so quickly? Yue Qianchou, who was inside, was slightly taken aback, then said kindly, "Youtian is here! Come in quickly!" His tone was just like an elder speaking to a junior.

Shi Youtian didn't care about such things; it was as if it were all naturally expected. He happily accepted the permission and walked in. Having received the Immortal Master's consent, he indeed didn't encounter the situation from last time, and a hint of apprehension in his heart turned into joy.

On the steps under the eaves, the Immortal Master was smiling at him. Shi Youtian was so excited he couldn't speak. He immediately knelt down and just kept kowtowing.

What is this? I'm asking you a question, why are you so agitated? It seems I'm not even older than you, this is going to shorten my lifespan! Yue Qianchou was a bit dumbfounded. He didn't know Shi Youtian had rushed over before his younger brother could even finish explaining. He quickly walked down the steps and personally helped Shi Youtian up. The latter's body trembled slightly with excitement.

"Did your brother tell you everything? I have something I need your help with." Yue Qianchou said with a smile.

Shi Youtian nodded and then shook his head. Yue Qianchou frowned, unsure what he meant. He quickly replied, "Immortal Master, please just give your orders. As long as it's something I can help with, it's not a problem, not one, but a hundred or a thousand things."

"That's good!" Yue Qianchou nodded with satisfaction and said with a smile, "Last time, you mentioned wanting to find an Immortal to be your master. I wonder where that Immortal lives. Could you take me to meet him?"

Shi Youtian gasped and hurriedly knelt down again, saying, "Immortal Master, please don't misunderstand. I definitely won't seek him out again. From now on, I will wholeheartedly follow you." After saying that, he kowtowed again.

This unlucky kid! His ability to connect the dots is truly extraordinary, worthy of someone seasoned in the political arena. He answers questions without answering and always likes to kowtow. Yue Qianchou was a bit annoyed and shouted, "Alright! Stand up!"

Shi Youtian was so startled that he obediently stood up, looking at him fearfully. Yue Qianchou said gravely, "I'm not asking you with any other intention. I want you to take me to find him; I have something to do. Do you understand?"

He understood. So that was the matter. A smile appeared on his face as he said, "That Immortal lives at the Spirit Stone Temple, thirty li outside the city. His name is Immortal Spirit Stone. I'll take you there right now."

Damn it! This guy is like a mule; you can't show him any kindness when speaking. Yue Qianchou grunted and thought to himself, Immortal Spirit Stone? He must have a lot of Spirit Stones. I wonder if he has more Spirit Stones than I do.

When the two reached the entrance of the General's Mansion, Shi Youtian had just instructed the servants to prepare horses when Shi Xiaotian arrived in his swaying sedan chair. After getting out of the sedan, he gave his elder brother a glare, then asked for another horse. The three mounted their horses, and Shi Youtian led the way, taking them towards the outskirts of the city.

Outside the city, the three headed north. After running along the main road for a while, Shi Youtian led them onto a small path on the side. Not long after, on a small hill ahead, a semi-new, semi-old Taoist temple appeared. When they reached the foot of the hill, Shi Youtian suddenly reined in his horse and pointed upwards, saying nervously, "The Immortal lives there; he is the abbot of that temple. He has a rule: those who ascend the mountain are not allowed to ride in sedan chairs or on horseback, otherwise, they will not be received."

The two looked at the small hill, which was barely any height at all. With a horse and a burst of speed, they could reach the top. To have such a rule, they exchanged glances, and finally, Yue Qianchou smiled and said, "Quite impressive. It seems he's someone with real skill. Forget it, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. We'll walk up!"

The three dismounted, tied their horses to a tree nearby, and walked to the front of the Taoist temple. The main gate was tightly shut. Yue Qianchou gave Shi Youtian a look, signaling him to knock. The latter nodded with a wry smile and walked over to grab the door knocker, knocking loudly.

After a moment, they heard footsteps from inside. The main gate creaked open a crack, and a small head of a Daoist boy peeked out from the gap. Shi Youtian smiled and said, "Little master, please inform him that…"

Before he could finish speaking, the Daoist boy angrily exclaimed, "Why is it you again? My master already said he won't see you again." With that, the door slammed shut again.

"Uh…" Shi Youtian was met with a closed door. He turned to the two with an awkward smile. Yue Qianchou was stunned.

"Let me!" Shi Xiaotian knew about his brother's dealings with the temple and understood that he had annoyed the people inside. He walked over to knock. After knocking several times, he heard the Daoist boy inside shout, "My master said he isn't seeing any guests today."

Shi Xiaotian turned around and spread his palms innocently, indicating he couldn't do anything either. Then he pointed at the surrounding wall, his expression seeming to ask if they should climb over it.

"Do I look like someone who does things like stealing chickens and dogs?" Yue Qianchou said with a cold smile, narrowing his eyes as he surveyed the surroundings. The Taoist temple wasn't large, occupying this small hilltop. Looking around, there was nothing special. He hadn't expected such a presumptuous cultivator to live here.

"Let me try!" Yue Qianchou glanced at the three large characters 'Spirit Stone Temple' on the temple, then walked with his hands behind his back to a millstone-sized bluestone placed opposite the gate. The two brothers exchanged glances, not knowing how he intended to knock.

"Damn it! Ungrateful bastard," Yue Qianchou muttered, extending one hand. The several-hundred-pound stone was lifted by him. Before the two brothers could react, they heard him roar, "Get out here, damn you!" The stone in his hand flew out with a swish, directly into the courtyard over the wall.

Bang! A loud noise erupted from the courtyard, and dust billowed up. Even from outside, they could feel the ground shake. A furious roar came from within: "Who dares cause trouble at my Spirit Stone Temple?"

"Your Grandpa!" Yue Qianchou shouted back loudly, then strode to the temple gate and kicked it hard. With another bang, the two door panels flew inside.

"You're seeking death!" Along with a furious roar, a figure leaped over the wall from the courtyard. The person landed and immediately saw Shi Youtian, pointing a finger at him and scolding, "So it's you again, you scoundrel! You dare bring people to attack my temple? Are you seeking death?" After speaking, he scanned the other two.

Shi Youtian had already been stunned by Yue Qianchou's actions. Hearing the other person's words, he quickly knelt down and repeatedly kowtowed, "Immortal Master, forgive me! Immortal Master, forgive me!" Seeing his brother's actions, his younger brother frowned, grabbed him, and shouted, "Brother, you're disgracing the General's Mansion too much!"

"Putting on such airs, I thought you were some kind of powerful Immortal, but you're just a Level Ten Qi Refining old geezer," Yue Qianchou chuckled, seeing at a glance that this person's cultivation was also Level Ten Qi Refining. The person indeed had an immortal-like demeanor. He didn't look very old, around forty years old, with a three-strand beard and a ruddy complexion. If he had a Qinglong Yanyuedao (Green Dragon Crescent Blade) in his hand, he would be exactly like Guan Yu from television in his past life.

The person was none other than the abbot of the temple, Immortal Spirit Stone. He was also surprised to see the other two. Shi Xiaotian was, needless to say, also Level Ten Qi Refining, but Yue Qianchou was harder to fathom. He couldn't see his cultivation, but more importantly, the person could see his cultivation at a glance, which meant his cultivation was no lower than his own. Moreover, both of them looked young. To have such cultivation at such a young age, they must be disciples of some major sect. Although one couldn't judge age by appearance in the Cultivation World, they were definitely not people he could afford to offend.

Thinking of this, the matter of being hit by a stone was no longer important. Immortal Spirit Stone's expression changed, and he quickly bowed to Yue Qianchou, "I didn't know a senior was visiting. Spirit Stone has been disrespectful. I beg for your forgiveness, senior."

Shi Youtian was stunned by Immortal Spirit Stone's respectful attitude. If even an Immortal was respected by this person, then who could he be? He looked at Yue Qianchou with even more fervent eyes.

Being called a senior by someone so much older was a bit hard to accept. Yue Qianchou thought about it and then felt at ease. The Cultivation World was inherently a place where the strong preyed on the weak; whoever was stronger was the boss. It was not unreasonable for him to be called senior if he couldn't see through his cultivation. He smiled wryly and said, "No need for so much ceremony. I have something I need to ask you."

Immortal Spirit Stone nodded in agreement and respectfully said, "Please come inside, senior!" Yue Qianchou glanced at Shi Youtian, whose eyes were shining, and said to Shi Xiaotian with a smile, "I'll be right back. You two wait here!" The two brothers acknowledged him. The young Daoist boy inside saw his master's respectful demeanor and quickly ran back to prepare tea.

The two bored brothers waited outside the gate for not long before they suddenly heard sounds of fighting from inside. Greatly alarmed, Shi Xiaotian flashed into the courtyard.

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