Guardian Deity Appears

Guardian Deity Appears

In an alley at the corner of the street, Master Wutong—being searched for everywhere by the furious brocade-clad young master and several others who had been duped into buying Great Strength Pills—flipped over his gray monk's robe, revealing its reverse side as a Daoist robe that he draped over himself.

He put on a hood and stuck on a little mustache.

In an instant, the eminent monk radiating Buddha Light became an old Daoist with the bearing of an immortal.

"Limitless Daoist Venerable!" Even his chant had changed from "Amitabha Buddha."

Master Wutong dusted himself off, flicked his sleeves, and swaggered out of the alley.

"Find that swindler! We absolutely can't let him get away!"

"That's right, we can't let the swindler escape!"

"I refuse to believe that in a place as big as Yunbi County, he can fly into the sky!"

On the main street, the brocade-clad young master, accompanied by several servants and half the passersby, was searching everywhere for the fraudulent monk. Master Wutong brushed past him without being recognized.

"What rotten luck. I finally ran into a fat sheep, and just when it was already in my grasp, it flew away." Master Wutong held himself straight, maintaining his immortal-like guise, but the moment he reached the street corner, his feet flew as he hurried away, clearly afraid of being caught red-handed.

Even a mighty dragon could not suppress a local snake. And these locals were not people one could easily afford to offend.

"Where did that Daoist come from? He knows nothing of the rules of the martial world. Cutting off a man's livelihood is like murdering his parents."

"He must be here for Cloud Lord Pond too. If he falls into my hands next time, I'll make you regret it."

Master Wutong fumed indignantly before finally entering a rented house. Sitting at the table, he wiped down the silver he had just swindled and arranged each piece neatly on the tabletop.

Meanwhile, Kongchenzi rode his donkey around Yunbi County's short streets once before finally stopping beneath the banner of an inn.

"This should be the best inn in Yunbi County." The donkey curled its lips with remarkable humanlike disdain. Having traveled through River Prefecture, it truly looked down on the inns of this dilapidated county town.

Even with such a grand name as Cloud Pavilion Inn written on its banner, it could not change the fact that this was merely an ordinary inn in a lower county.

"Welcome, honored guest!" The waiter rushed out at once, as if afraid the customer might run away. He hurried over to tie up the donkey and warmly usher the Daoist inside.

But the donkey widened its eyes, and the waiter's face instantly went pale. He backed away several steps in terror, nearly falling to the ground.

Only after the Daoist tied up the donkey did he dare come forward to speak, though his legs still felt somewhat shaky.

"Daoist Master, this donkey of yours..."

The Daoist seemed deeply understanding. "It's usually rather disobedient. One more whipping will set it straight."

The waiter nodded. "Please come inside, honored guest. Are you stopping for a meal or staying the night?"

The Daoist sat down in the main hall. "Both. And prepare hot water for this humble Daoist."

"Oh, and have some dry rations ready by dawn tomorrow. This humble Daoist will need them for the road."

"Make it all the best."

He fumbled from his left sleeve to his right, from Silver Notes to gold ingots, then silver ingots, and finally loose silver, carefully picking through them.

At long last, the Daoist found the smallest piece of silver and placed it in the waiter's hand.

A bitter look appeared on the Daoist's face. Such were the troubles of the wealthy!

The waiter, meanwhile, was overjoyed. He had not expected this Daoist to be so generous. Taking the silver, he said, "Rest assured, honored guest. I'll make sure everything is arranged perfectly."

After sitting for a while, before the dishes had even arrived, two more people suddenly entered the inn.

One carried a long-handled bundle on his back. Lean and capable, his waist in particular seemed as though a dragon lay coiled within his spine, brimming with power.

The other had exceptionally long fingers covered in calluses. A whip hung at his waist, and his strides carried the fierce sharpness of flying sand and rolling stones.

The two stopped at the entrance, their gazes fixed intently on each other.

For a long while.

Just as they had drawn plenty of attention, and the Daoist and the inn's guests all thought they were about to fight, the two cupped their fists in greeting.

"Overlord of the Silver Spear Beyond the Frontier, Guan Shan."

"Flying Sand Whip He Beidou."

"I have long admired you!"

"The pleasure is mine!"

Then the two looked at each other and burst into laughter before stepping inside.

At that moment, the waiter came over carrying the dishes. The Daoist asked, "What was that about?"

The waiter looked up, apparently finding the scene nothing unusual. "Oh, them? People of the martial world announce their names and sects to avoid clashing with one another."

The Daoist was astonished. "I never expected the chivalrous spirit of the northern lands to run so deep. Even in a tiny county town, there are so many martial heroes?"

The waiter shook his head. "Daoist Master, you don't know. Our Yunbi County is most famous for its Cloud Wall. Yet the Cloud Wall cannot normally be seen—it only appears at a specific time."

"Every spring, the waters of Cloud Lord Pond recede, revealing the Cloud Wall. At the same time, thick fog rises over the pond and does not disperse for several days."

"Within the fog, one can even see immortals emerging from Jade Mountain, and hear immortal music."

"A few years ago, a swordsman attained enlightenment at Cloud Lord Pond. It is said he comprehended the Cloud-Haze Immortal Intent from the Cloud Wall and created a world-shaking sword art. Calling himself Cloud-Haze Sword, he leapt to second place on the Sword Ranking of the Heavenly Secrets Ranking. Over the past few years, people have come one after another, even fighting bitterly over positions close to the Cloud Wall at Cloud Lord Pond."

"Besides, these days, great heroes aren't worth as much as they used to be."

"Back then, with three parts loyalty and five parts fame, one could call oneself a great hero."

"Now? Anyone and everyone calls themselves a great hero!"

The waiter seemed rather hostile toward these wandering martial artists who came to Yunbi County, as though something had happened among them. His words carried no small measure of disdain.

"Would you like some, sir? Our Cloud Pavilion Inn's Hero's Drunkenness—once you're drunk, everyone is a great hero. One drink washes away a thousand sorrows."

"Then let me have a taste!"

After taking the small wine jar, the Daoist asked casually, "Why does the waiter know so much about the martial world?"

The waiter revealed an old edition of the Heavenly Secrets Ranking, yellowed and worn from being tucked into his waistband.

"With a martial world Heavenly Secrets Ranking in hand, one can know all the affairs of heroes under heaven!"

"That's what an old drunk at a roadside bookstall said."

The Daoist could not help but laugh. It seemed this waiter was also a martial world fanatic. Though he spoke with contempt for these so-called great heroes of today, he still dreamed of becoming one himself.

At night, outside the city, at Cloud Lord Pond.

This was a pool as clear as a mirror, situated beneath a thousand-ren cliff face. As moonlight emerged and spread across the water, the waters of Cloud Lord Pond began to recede and grow shallower.

At last, a mural carved beneath the water's surface was revealed.

The Cloud Wall, which appeared only once a year, had finally emerged tonight.

At the same time, mist billowed forth, spreading around the entirety of Cloud Lord Pond and shrouding the pool in clouds and fog, like an immortal realm.

At that moment, within Cloud Pavilion Inn in the city.

After swallowing a medicinal pill, the Daoist was using his improved spirit-sacrifice method to refine its power when the Daoist mark between his brows suddenly lit up.

He opened his eyes, surprise and delight flashing in his gaze. "There is actually a new Guardian Deity in this place?"