A Mage Has Been Invited

Tu Han hobbled closer, reaching out to pat the bundle on his horse's back. He spoke in a low voice, "Don't eat the rations the sect gave you; they might not be clean! Also, remember this: once we're out of here, find an opportunity to leave the County Princess's entourage immediately and find your own way. Don't come back. The further you go, the better. Until you can protect yourself, it's best if the Shangqing Sect people can never find you. Remember this clearly: never mention your marital relationship with the Sect Master to anyone, or it will bring you death. Do you understand? You're a smart person, I don't need to say more."

Niu Youdao heard the deeper meaning in his words and chuckled, "I don't have the strength to even truss a chicken. If you send me away alone, where can I go?"

Tu Han flew into a rage, grabbing his collar. His already ferocious face contorted even further, and even his beard seemed to tremble. "Bah! Don't try that with me. You took advantage of my drunkenness to pry a lot of information out of me, including questions about cultivation. 'Don't have the strength to truss a chicken'? Do you think I don't know you've been secretly cultivating? I don't care about your background. Since Uncle-Master Dongguo took you as a disciple, I don't want to know too much about anything else."

"So you were pretending to be drunk all along!" Niu Youdao laughed.

"Do as I say if you don't want to die." Tu Han snorted coldly and turned to leave.

Niu Youdao called out, "If the Shangqing Sect people keep targeting me, how should I protect myself?"

Tu Han's steps faltered. He turned back, glanced around, and said in a low voice, "If that situation truly arises, find a way to go to Demon Ridge and look for someone named Zhao Xiongge. He is your master's junior brother, considered a disgrace by the Shangqing Sect, and was expelled years ago. However, his strength is extraordinary. Once you find him, the protective talisman you have will naturally prove your identity. By his side, the Shangqing Sect won't dare to touch you."

"Demon Ridge... Zhao Xiongge..." Niu Youdao murmured the names a few times, committing them to memory. Then, he asked curiously, "I'm not surprised that the Shangqing Sect wants to harm me. But what do you mean by telling me to leave the County Princess's group? Is the County Princess trying to harm me by inviting me out of seclusion?"

Tu Han sneered, "Do you really think that County Princess has such a high status that you can follow her and enjoy wealth and prosperity?"

Niu Youdao had already harbored doubts about this, but he feigned ignorance, spreading his hands. "Isn't that the case? Prince Ning, Shang Jianbo, is the Grand Marshal of the current court, ranking among the Three Dukes, a top noble in the Yan Kingdom. Following them, how could one lack wealth and prosperity?"

Tu Han snorted. "Dream on. Prince Ning died five years ago, around the same time as Uncle-Master Dongguo and the previous Sect Master. The sect suspects a connection between their deaths, but they dare not make it public. Besides this daughter, Prince Ning has a son named Shang Chaozong, whom you should already know. What you don't know is that Shang Jianbo held rather extreme views when he was alive, infringing upon the interests of cultivators across the land, and it's said that this also displeased the Emperor. Although Shang Chaozong inherited the princely title, he reportedly committed some offense, and the Emperor used it as an opportunity to strip him of his official post and expel him from the Capital City. This trip to Canglu County is him being sent back to his fiefdom. Let me put it this way: because of Shang Jianbo, his son Shang Chaozong has also been affected. It's likely that someone doesn't want him to have a way out."

"Oh!" Niu Youdao understood. "You mean I'll be implicated if I follow him, right?"

"It's good that you know."

"The Shangqing Sect wants me to walk into my death, don't they?"

"Do you think I would speak ill of my own sect?" Tu Han said with disdain and turned to leave.

"Is that all? Don't go, I'm still unclear about many things. Let's talk more."

"Look out for yourself."

Niu Youdao sighed and smiled, "I know you're doing this out of respect for my master's face. In any case, Old Tu, thank you for turning a blind eye to me all these years."

Tu Han subconsciously touched his blind eye, turned his head, and spat, "Bah, I'm leaving!"

He darted into the woods, pushed off a tree trunk, and disappeared without a trace after a few leaps.

Mulling over Tu Han's words, Niu Youdao looked back the way he came, mounted his horse, and galloped away.

After leaving the mountain forest, he met up with Shang Shuqing and the others who were waiting outside, and they rode off into the distance together...

Waterfalls cascaded down the front of the mountain, forming rivers. Where the currents were swift, they diverted into the deep mountains, and where they were calm, they flowed slowly towards the plains.

On the distant official road, hundreds of horses thundered, galloping forward. Upon reaching a shallow riverbed, they all stopped and waited by the roadside.

The one at the forefront, looking up in anticipation, was Shang Chaozong and Lan Ruoting.

After treatment and recuperation along the way, despite the hardship of the journey, Shang Chaozong's complexion had improved considerably. At least his attire was presentable and no longer tattered. He now appeared resolute and handsome, full of spirit and masculine charm.

Behind the two were nearly five hundred knights in fitted armor, each carrying weapons such as swords and bows. Among them were over a hundred fine horses, some empty for changing mounts, others laden with supplies.

Once the group stopped, the five hundred knights, exuding a chilling aura, quickly spread out to secure the surroundings, with several riders galloping to higher ground to scout, their coordination seamless and practiced.

After waiting for nearly half an hour and still seeing no one, Shang Chaozong said with concern, "We agreed to meet at dawn. Won't something happen to Qing'er?"

Lan Ruoting replied, "That's unlikely. No matter what, the Shangqing Sect still bears the name of a righteous sect. They wouldn't openly act against the County Princess."

Shang Chaozong gazed in the direction of the Shangqing Sect and sighed, "With Mr. Dongguo's passing, the Shangqing Sect will likely drift further away from my royal family."

Lan Ruoting stroked his beard and remained silent for a moment. It was not convenient for him to say that the royal family had first wronged the Shangqing Sect. Of course, the royal family couldn't be entirely blamed either; they were forced by the pressure of the cultivation world's factions. He pondered, "To some extent, the Shangqing Sect was indeed implicated by the late King, which led to suppression by various sects in the cultivation world, thus accelerating their decline and bringing them to such a state. When the late King was alive and held military power, he could barely resist the forces of the cultivation world to protect them. Now that the late King is deceased, the Shangqing Sect has lost its last strong barrier, and its situation is quite difficult. It's understandable that they are unwilling to send people to assist the Prince, and we cannot blame them."

Shang Chaozong nodded. "I'm not so narrow-minded as to resent them for not helping me. If I were, wouldn't that make me a petty person!" As if suddenly remembering something, he turned to Lan Ruoting. "Sir, there's something I don't understand. You knew the Shangqing Sect wouldn't send a pháp sư to be my escort, so why did you agree to let Qing'er make this trip?"

Lan Ruoting smiled faintly. "Does Your Highness truly believe that the young County Princess is going to request an escort?"

Shang Chaozong was surprised. "Isn't that the case?"

Lan Ruoting sighed softly, stroking his chin beard and shaking his head. "There's something Your Highness doesn't know. Many years ago, when the County Princess was just born, she had no birthmark on her face, but she cried incessantly, and no skilled physician could help. Coincidentally, Mr. Dongguo came to visit, so the late King asked Mr. Dongguo to examine the County Princess for any hidden ailments. After examining the County Princess, Mr. Dongguo said there were no hidden ailments, only that she was fated to have a difficult life, which was why she cried."

Shang Chaozong looked puzzled. "Born into a royal family, a precious jewel, living in luxury and comfort, with loving parents, how could she be fated to have a difficult life?"

Lan Ruoting shook his head. "I didn't understand it at the time either, but Mr. Dongguo had a deep understanding of metaphysics and destiny. He said that based on the County Princess's bone structure, she was a natural femme fatale. As she grew older, she would undoubtedly be stunningly beautiful, and in these chaotic times, captivating others with her beauty would surely lead to suffering. The late King immediately pleaded for a solution. Mr. Dongguo said that since the County Princess was born into a royal family, even if she suffered, it would be sweet first and then bitter. To break this, her fate must be changed. The late King asked how. Mr. Dongguo said that the 'sweet first, then bitter' could be changed to 'bitter first, then sweet.' The late King asked him to perform the ritual, so Mr. Dongguo cast a spell and placed an ugly birthmark on the County Princess's face. Strangely, after the birthmark was placed, the County Princess stopped crying and even giggled. The late King was overjoyed and naturally believed Mr. Dongguo's words implicitly, but it was a hardship for the County Princess all these years. At that time, Mr. Dongguo had stated in advance that when the opportunity was right, the County Princess could come to the Shangqing Sect to find him, and he would restore her true appearance. However, perhaps Mr. Dongguo himself did not expect that he would pass away before that time."

Hearing this, Shang Chaozong suddenly understood and laughed, "I get it. Sir means that Qing'er wants to use her sword to find someone at the Shangqing Sect to restore her true appearance."

Lan Ruoting nodded. "The techniques are from the same lineage. Since Mr. Dongguo possessed such skills, the Shangqing Sect should be similar. If the Shangqing Sect is unwilling to send cultivators to assist, they likely won't refuse to remove the blemish on the County Princess's face. It's a perfect opportunity for them to accept the sword in return for a favor, and the County Princess will get her wish."

"Hiss..." A guard's whistle sounded from the high ground ahead. Everyone looked, and the guard made a gesture towards the Shangqing Sect.

Soon, faint hoofbeats could be heard. Shang Chaozong looked into the distance and secretly breathed a sigh of relief. They were back.

Six riders galloped towards them. The one in the lead wore the familiar veiled hat, but the addition of an extra rider made Shang Chaozong and Lan Ruoting exchange glances. Could their guess be wrong? Did the Shangqing Sect dare to send an escort?

The six riders splashed through the water and crossed the shallow riverbed onto the slope, stopping to meet them.

Shang Shuqing reined in her horse, her voice clear. "Brother, Mr. Lan, I have fulfilled my mission. The pháp sư has been invited."

Shang Chaozong looked at Niu Youdao with suspicion, while Lan Ruoting frowned slightly. Both were scrutinizing Niu Youdao, finding him too young to possess any magical cultivation. Having this young man as an escort seemed like a joke; it was unclear who would be protecting whom.

Their first instinct was that the Shangqing Sect was being perfunctory, casually sending someone to make up the numbers and dismiss them.

Niu Youdao was also observing them silently, maintaining a harmless smile on his face.

"This is my third brother, Shang Chaozong. This is my advisor, Lan Ruoting." Shang Shuqing introduced the two to Niu Youdao first.

Niu Youdao cupped his fists and smiled, "Greetings, Your Highness, greetings, Mr. Lan."

Shang Shuqing, in turn, introduced Niu Youdao to them. "This is Mr. Dongguo's final disciple, Niu Youdao!"