Immortal Spirit Stone

"Yeah!" Shi Xiaotian slapped his forehead and ran out without another word. He searched the entire mansion, only to learn from the servants that Young Master had gone to work. Unwilling to wait any longer, he immediately had someone prepare a horse and raced like smoke to the government office where his elder brother worked, finding him in a state of burning urgency.

The moment the latter heard that Yue Qianchou wanted to see him, he ran out without even asking for leave. As for the sedan chair he had taken to work, how could he possibly still sit in that thing now? He casually untied the horse tethered outside the office, disregarded a civil official's refinement, swung into the saddle, and sped toward home in a cloud of dust. The ease of his mounting was truly worthy of a Pillar State General's son. His family upbringing was not bad at all.

"Big Brother, wait! That's my horse!" Shi Xiaotian stomped his feet and shouted at the office entrance. But how could his elder brother still hear him? Even if he had, he probably would not have come back. With no other choice, Shi Xiaotian let his brother's sedan bearers carry him back at a leisurely sway.

When the General's Mansion servants saw Shi Youtian actually return on horseback, they froze for a moment before smiling. "Young Master is back!"

Shi Youtian leaped down, tossed aside the reins, and had no time to bother with him. He ran all the way to the courtyard in the rear garden. Just as he was about to enter, he seemed to remember something. Bracing himself against the gate wall, he stopped and cried excitedly, "Immortal Master, Shi Youtian has arrived." Afraid that those inside had not heard him, he shouted it twice.

Hadn't he gone to work? Why was he here so quickly? Inside, Yue Qianchou was slightly startled, then said amiably, "Youtian is here? Come in quickly!" His tone was exactly like that of an elder speaking to a junior.

Shi Youtian did not care about that at all, as though it were only natural. Delighted, he entered. Having received the Immortal Master's permission, he indeed did not encounter what had happened last time, and the trace of unease in his heart turned to joy.

On the steps beneath the eaves, the Immortal Master was smiling at him. Shi Youtian was so excited that he could not speak. He immediately knelt before him and could only keep kowtowing.

What was this? I just wanted to ask you something. Why are you this excited? It seemed I was not even older than him. Wouldn't this shorten my life? Yue Qianchou was a little dumbfounded. He did not know that Shi Youtian had run over before his younger brother could explain everything clearly. He hurried down the steps and personally helped Shi Youtian up. The latter's body trembled slightly with excitement.

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

Shi Youtian nodded, then shook his head. Yue Qianchou furrowed his brows slightly, not knowing what he meant. Shi Youtian hurriedly answered, "Immortal Master, please give whatever orders you wish. So long as it is something I can help with, not to mention one matter—even a hundred or a thousand would be no problem."

"Good!" Yue Qianchou nodded in satisfaction and said with a smile, "Last time, I heard you mention wanting to take an immortal as your master. Where does that immortal live? Could you take me to meet him?"

Shi Youtian let out an "Ah," then hurriedly knelt again. "Immortal Master, please do not misunderstand. I definitely will not seek him out again. From now on, I will absolutely follow you with all my heart." Having said that, he began kowtowing again.

This unlucky kid! His powers of association were truly extraordinary. Worthy of someone tempered in officialdom—always answering beside the point and loving to kowtow. Yue Qianchou was a little annoyed and barked, "Enough! Stand up."

Shi Youtian was so frightened that he obediently stood at once, looking at him in alarm. Yue Qianchou said heavily, "I did not mean anything else by asking. I want you to take me to find him. I have business with him. Do you understand?"

He understood now. So that was it. Squeezing out a few traces of a smile, he said, "That immortal lives at Spirit Stone Temple, thirty li outside the city. He is called Immortal Spirit Stone. I will take you there right now."

Damn it! This guy was like a donkey—you could not speak to him nicely. Yue Qianchou gave an "Mm" and thought to himself, Immortal Spirit Stone? He must have lots of spirit stones. I wonder if he has more spirit stones than I do.

The two reached the entrance of the General's Mansion. Just as Shi Youtian instructed the servants to prepare horses, Shi Xiaotian arrived in the swaying sedan chair. After getting out, he rolled his eyes at his elder brother, then asked for another horse. The three mounted up, with Shi Youtian leading them toward the city outskirts...

After leaving the city, the three headed north all the way. They galloped along the official road for a while before Shi Youtian led them onto a small side path. Before long, a somewhat shabby Daoist temple appeared atop a small hill ahead. Reaching the foot of the hill, Shi Youtian suddenly reined in his horse and pointed upward uneasily. "The immortal lives there. He is the temple master of that Daoist temple. He has a rule: those going up the mountain may not ride in sedan chairs or on horses, or he will refuse to meet them."

The two looked at the tiny hill. With a burst of speed, a horse could have gone straight up it, yet there was such a rule. They exchanged glances. Finally, Yue Qianchou smiled. "Pretty damn impressive. Looks like he really has some skill. Fine, when in another's home, follow the host's ways. We'll walk up."

The three dismounted, tied their horses to a nearby tree, and walked to the Daoist temple. Its main gates were tightly shut. Yue Qianchou gave Shi Youtian a look, meaning for him to knock. The latter nodded with a bitter smile, stepped forward, grasped the door knocker, and knocked loudly.

After a while, they heard footsteps inside. With a creak, the gate opened a crack, and a daoist boy's little head poked through the gap. Shi Youtian smiled. "Little Master, please trouble yourself to announce us. Just say..."

Before he could finish, the Taoist acolyte said angrily, "Why is it you again? My master said long ago that he would not see you anymore." With that, the gate slammed shut again.

"Uh..." Shi Youtian had been turned away at the door. He turned and gave the other two an embarrassed smile. Yue Qianchou was stunned.

"I'll do it!" Shi Xiaotian knew about his brother and the Daoist temple. He knew his brother had pestered the people inside beyond endurance, so he went to knock. After knocking several times, he only heard the daoist boy shout from within, "My master said he will see no guests today."

Shi Xiaotian turned around and spread his hands innocently, indicating that there was nothing he could do either. He then pointed at the wall, seeming to ask whether they should climb over it.

"Do I look like the sort of person who does such chicken-stealing, dog-sneaking things?" Yue Qianchou sneered. Narrowing his eyes, he surveyed the surroundings. The Daoist temple was small, barely occupying the hilltop. There was nothing special around it. He had not expected such a pretentious cultivator to live here.

"I'll give it a try!" Yue Qianchou glanced at the three words "Spirit Stone Temple" above the gate, then walked with his hands behind his back toward a bluish stone the size of a millstone placed opposite the entrance. The two brothers exchanged glances, having no idea how he intended to knock.

"Damn it, something that won't take the face it's given." Yue Qianchou muttered a curse and stretched out one hand. He lifted the several-hundred-pound boulder in a single motion. Before the two brothers could react, they heard him roar, "Get the hell out here!" The boulder in his hand whistled through the air and flew directly over the wall.

Bang! A huge crash sounded from inside the courtyard, and dust rose everywhere. Even standing outside, they could feel the ground tremble. The two brothers stood dumbstruck. An angry shout came from within. "Who dares make trouble at my Spirit Stone Temple?"

"Your grandpa!" Yue Qianchou shouted back. He strode swiftly to the temple gate and fiercely kicked it. With another bang, both door panels flew inside.

"Courting death!" Following an angry roar, a figure leaped over the courtyard wall from within. The moment he landed, he saw Shi Youtian and pointed at him as he cursed, "So it's you again! You even dared bring people to attack my door. Are you tired of living?" After speaking, he swept his gaze over the other two.

Shi Youtian had long been frightened senseless by Yue Qianchou's actions. Hearing the man's words, he hurriedly knelt and repeatedly kowtowed. "Immortal Master, forgive me! Immortal Master, forgive me!" Seeing his elder brother act this way, Shi Xiaotian frowned deeply, yanked him up, and snapped, "Big Brother, you're really bringing glory to the General's Mansion!"

"Putting on such airs—I thought you were some bullshit immortal with profound cultivation. Turns out you're just an old fellow at Level Ten Qi Refining." Yue Qianchou chuckled. At a glance, he saw that this man was also at Level Ten Qi Refining. The man did have the appearance of an immortal, with a Daoist's dignified bearing. He looked no older than forty, with three long strands of beard and a ruddy complexion. If he had a Green Dragon Crescent Blade in hand, he would have looked exactly like Guan Yu from the television of Yue Qianchou's previous life...

The newcomer was none other than Immortal Spirit Stone, the temple master. He was also startled upon seeing the other two. There was no need to mention Shi Xiaotian, who was likewise at Level Ten Qi Refining, but he could not quite see through Yue Qianchou. Not being able to see his cultivation was one thing; the deadly part was that the other party could see his cultivation at a glance. This meant the other party's cultivation was only higher, never lower, than his own. Moreover, both of them appeared quite young. To have such cultivation at such an age, they must be disciples of some great sect. Although one could not judge age by appearance in the Cultivation World, they were truly not people he could afford to provoke.

With that thought, having someone throw a stone at him became a minor matter. Immortal Spirit Stone's expression changed, and he hurriedly bowed to Yue Qianchou. "I did not know Senior had arrived. Spirit Stone has offended you greatly. I beg Senior's forgiveness."

Immortal Spirit Stone's respectful attitude left Shi Youtian stunned. If even an immortal respected this man, then how extraordinary must he be? The way he looked at Yue Qianchou grew ever more fervent.

Being called Senior by someone so much older was truly a little hard to accept. But after thinking it over, Yue Qianchou was relieved. The Cultivation World was a place where the weak were meat and the strong ate it. Whoever was strong was the one who called the shots. Since the man could not see through his cultivation, calling him Senior was not excessive. With a faint smile, he said, "No need for such ceremony. I have something to ask you."

Spirit Stone nodded and replied respectfully, "Senior, please come inside!" Yue Qianchou glanced at Shi Youtian, whose eyes were shining, then smiled at Xiaotian. "I'll be right back. Wait here!" The two brothers agreed. Seeing his master's respectful manner, the boy inside hurried back to prepare tea.

The bored brothers had not waited outside long when they suddenly heard sounds of fighting from within. Greatly alarmed, Shi Xiaotian flashed into the courtyard.