Visitors from Dragon Head Peak

Da Zhu Peak, before Shou Jing Hall.

"Seventh Brother, go to the back mountain and look for Eighth Brother and Ling Er too. It's already dark, yet there's still no sign of them. This is driving me mad with worry." Tian Buyi paced back and forth before Shou Jing Hall, his brows tightly furrowed and his face full of anxiety. Seeing Jiang Ming approach from afar, he immediately instructed him to search for the still-missing Zhang Xiao Fan and Tian Ling'er.

At this, Jiang Ming immediately recalled how Zhang Xiao Fan's forehead had been bruised black and blue the previous night. After Tian Ling'er questioned him and learned that he had been bullied by a monkey at the back mountain, her senior-sister instincts flared up, and she promised to help Zhang Xiao Fan teach that monkey a lesson another day. Yet while going to the back mountain to punish Xiao Hui, they had been led by the monkey into the deep valley beneath the cliff, allowing Zhang Xiao Fan to merge Soul Seizing with the Bloodthirsty Bead. The extraordinary Firewood Stick had thus appeared in the world.

Remembering what had happened, Jiang Ming immediately set aside his worries and reassured Tian Buyi, "Master, there's no need to worry. Nothing could happen in the back mountain of Da Zhu Peak. Xiao Fan and Ling Er must have been so caught up playing that they lost track of time."

Hearing this, the anxiety on Tian Buyi's face gradually eased. He then said to Jiang Ming, "That may be true, but your mistress and senior brothers have been gone for so long without returning. It's truly worrying."

The moment he finished speaking, the sound of something cutting through the air came from above. Jiang Ming and Tian Buyi looked up and saw that Su Ru had returned with Zhang Xiao Fan and Tian Ling'er. Jiang Ming said to Tian Buyi, "Master, aren't they back now? Ling Er and Xiao Fan don't seem to be hurt either. They've just brought back a monkey. They must have forgotten the time because of it. Once they come over, just scold them a little."

"Father! We're back!" Tian Ling'er skipped over to Tian Buyi. Ever clever, she naturally noticed that something was wrong. Speaking in a coquettish tone, she wrapped both arms around Tian Buyi.

Tian Buyi could only snort coldly. Jiang Ming immediately stepped in to smooth things over for the two of them. "Junior Sister Ling Er, you and Xiao Fan stayed out so late that Mistress had to go looking for you. That was truly improper. Hurry and apologize to Master and Mistress."

Tian Ling'er rolled her eyes and said, "Father, it won't happen again. Besides, Xiao Fan was bullied by a monkey. Wasn't I just helping him vent his anger? Right, Xiao Fan?"

Zhang Xiao Fan hurriedly nodded in agreement.

"Enough, enough. It's getting late, and you must be hungry. Eat, then get some rest early." Seeing Tian Buyi with such a stern face, Su Ru already understood everything. To her husband, who had always been so competitive, having his disciple bullied by a monkey was simply a complete loss of face for him as a master. She then pulled Tian Ling'er and Tian Buyi toward the dining hall.

Seeing this, Jiang Ming said to Xiao Fan, "Xiao Fan, Master and Mistress have already left. After eating, get some rest early. Cultivate diligently and prove yourself to Master."

"Thank you, Seventh Brother. I understand." Zhang Xiao Fan raised his head and nodded at Jiang Ming.

Autumn passed and winter came. In the blink of an eye, more than half a year went by. More than half a year had passed since Zhang Xiao Fan returned from the back mountain. After Du Bishu went down the mountain, Zhang Xiao Fan officially took over his duties. With his astonishing talent for cooking, Zhang Xiao Fan finally possessed a gift far surpassing that of ordinary people, and everyone on Da Zhu Peak no longer had to eat Du Bishu's cooking.

Jiang Ming was freed as well. To be honest, though he was not particularly picky about food, Du Bishu's cooking really was terrible, nowhere near Zhang Xiao Fan's. After tasting Zhang Xiao Fan's cooking, Jiang Ming once again resolved to have Zhang Xiao Fan prepare any spirit beasts he caught.

During Zhang Xiao Fan's daily cooking, the Firewood Stick he used to tend the fire came into Jiang Ming's sight. Jiang Ming took it and examined it. Sure enough, it was an extraordinary item—one that only a protagonist could use.

This made Jiang Ming feel quite regretful, especially over the Soul Seizing Staff, which had absolute restraining power over ghosts and yin spirits. Jiang Ming had gone ahead of time to search the deep valley in the back mountain, but found no trace of it. His plan had been to test whether Soul Seizing could restrain Carl's Phantom Body from the world of Super God Academy. After all, the original work from his previous life had never explained what kind of existence Carl's Phantom Body truly was. Jiang Ming guessed it was something akin to a spiritual or soul body, and Soul Seizing should have worked against it. What a pity. Now, no one but Zhang Xiao Fan could use it.

If Soul Seizing were forged into a treasure sword and used to unleash Sword Twenty-Three, its effect against soul bodies would surely be even greater. Thinking of this, Jiang Ming could not help feeling regretful. Unless Zhang Xiao Fan died, otherwise...

After years of study in this world of Zhu Xian, Jiang Ming had gained a deeper understanding of using Daoist arts to activate martial arts. After all, the principles were interconnected. Though the myriad methods took different paths, they all belonged to the Dao. Jiang Ming had always wanted to integrate the Martial Dao Techniques he had learned, forging them into one while retaining every technique's original traits. Yet he had never found a direction until he obtained Volume One of the Heavenly Book not long ago. After all, the Heavenly Book could merge the Taiji Xuanqing Dao and Great Brahma Wisdom into one. Though this was partly because they shared the same origin, it was also possible that the Heavenly Book contained the ultimate principles of heaven and earth.

For in any world, the Dao remained unchanged. No matter how things changed, their essence remained the same. Using the five volumes of the Heavenly Book to fuse all the Martial Dao Techniques Jiang Ming had practiced in the past, without diminishing their power or losing their characteristics—perhaps that was the reason the system had sent him to this world of Zhu Xian.

Just as Jiang Ming was deep in thought, a series of knocks sounded outside his door. "Knock, knock, knock. Seventh Brother, are you there?"

"Senior Brother, what do you need?" Jiang Ming opened the door and saw Song Daren standing outside, his face filled with anxiety.

"Junior Brother, Qi Hao from Dragon Head Peak has brought his fellow disciples to Da Zhu Peak. They don't seem to have come with good intentions. Master sent me to call you over. After all, among all us brothers, your cultivation is the highest. You know that Master cares most about his dignity, and Qi Hao is one of Qingyun Sect's finest. If anything happens this time, we'll be relying on you." Song Daren's brows were tightly drawn, and he looked somewhat embarrassed. They had always caused Master to lose face, while Qi Hao's cultivation was far above theirs. Master could not make a move himself, lest he earn the reputation of bullying juniors. If anything happened, only Jiang Ming could preserve Da Zhu Peak's dignity.

"I understand. I'll go with you to the front hall and see what this is about. If anything happens, I definitely won't let Master lose face." Jiang Ming understood both Song Daren's words and their unspoken meaning. He then followed Song Daren toward the front hall.