Ch. 681Hitching a Ride
Chapter Summary: “Hitching a Ride”
Key Plot Points and Events
- Feng Jun explains why he cannot bring Tang Wenji, the Little Celestial Master, into Luohua Manor. He fears Green Mountain would use her presence to demand access to Luohua’s cultivation resources.
- Tang Wenji asks whether he believes she can abandon Green Mountain’s Daoist lineage. Feng Jun acknowledges that she cannot, revealing the conflict between personal cultivation and responsibility to one’s sect.
- Tang requests permission to cultivate inside the Black Colt Tower for several days. Feng Jun refuses, explaining that its spiritual energy is too violent for her Martial Master-level cultivation. He also avoids revealing his own cultivation level or the tower’s owner.
- Feng Jun and Tang dismantle their cultivation setup, leave the mountain, and head toward civilization. An old Daoist later arrives to investigate why the mountain-protecting formation had become unstable but fails to find their hidden cave.
- After resting at an inn, Feng Jun retrieves his SUV and drives through the snowy roads with Tang. Their journey leads to several encounters with stranded travelers.
- They first pick up a young woman at Tang’s insistence. The woman repeatedly flirts with Feng Jun and proposes spending the night with him, provoking Tang’s anger. Feng Jun dismisses her advances harshly, saying he would only consider it for one billion yuan.
- Later, they encounter two men with a broken SUV. The men ask Feng Jun to tow them for two thousand yuan. The rescued woman claims they had previously charged her excessively and abandoned her in the wilderness.
- The men defend themselves by saying they merely ended their agreement and left her beside the road. Tang recognizes that their conduct was dangerous and exploitative.
- At Tang’s suggestion, Feng Jun agrees to tow the SUV for seven thousand yuan, while Tang pointedly echoes the men’s own claim that “goodwill should remain.”
Character Developments
- Feng Jun: Becomes more open about the practical limits of Luohua Manor and his concerns about sect politics. He remains cautious about revealing secrets concerning his cultivation and the Black Colt Tower. His cultivation has reached Qi Refining Level Nine Peak, giving him enough strength to fly while carrying Tang and travel easily.
- Tang Wenji: Shows loyalty to Green Mountain despite her unconventional personality. She is direct, perceptive, protective, and strongly affected by injustice. Her initial sympathy for the stranded woman leads her to insist on giving her a ride, while her later outrage reveals her strong sense of fairness.
- The young woman: Appears opportunistic and shameless, using flirtation and exaggerated claims to obtain help. Although her behavior is irritating, her account of being abandoned in dangerous weather raises legitimate concerns.
- The two stranded men: Present themselves as businessmen following ordinary roadside customs, but their willingness to leave a woman in freezing wilderness makes them appear callous and morally questionable.
Significant Themes
- Sect loyalty versus individual advancement: Tang’s inability to abandon Green Mountain illustrates the importance of lineage and collective Daoist revival, even when personal opportunities lie elsewhere.
- Limits of cultivation and resources: Feng Jun’s refusal to let Tang enter the Black Colt Tower emphasizes that power and spiritual energy must match one’s cultivation level.
- Practical morality and reciprocity: The chapter contrasts genuine assistance with transactional behavior, especially through the roadside disputes over fares and towing fees.
- Trust and suspicion: Feng Jun is wary of strangers, while Tang is more compassionate. Their contrasting instincts shape how they respond to travelers.
- Justice through irony: Tang uses the men’s own words about “goodwill” against them, requiring them to pay a higher but still reasonable fee for help.
Character Interactions
- Feng Jun and Tang argue indirectly over whether she can join Luohua Manor, revealing mutual respect but differing priorities.
- Tang presses Feng Jun about his cultivation and the Black Colt Tower, while Feng Jun maintains secrecy without openly offending her.
- Tang repeatedly acts as a moral counterbalance to Feng Jun’s suspicion and bluntness, especially when she persuades him to help travelers.
- The flirtatious passenger’s attempts to attract Feng Jun create comic tension and provoke Tang’s jealousy and anger.
- Tang and Feng Jun cooperate in dealing with the stranded men, with Tang negotiating the seven-thousand-yuan towing fee and Feng Jun agreeing to follow her decision.