Chen Yulou Arrives

After meditating for the night, Lu Yan rose early the next day, gathered his toiletries, and headed out of the courtyard.

Looking up, the sun had just begun to crest the horizon in the east, where Simu and Jiale sat cross-legged, facing the dawn to perform their morning devotions.

Lu Yan did not disturb them; he found a place to wash up and then stood outside the courtyard, watching the morning sun rise in silence.

"Practice over, time to pack up."

Once the sun had fully risen, Simu opened his eyes and stood up from the ground.

"Fellow Daoist Lu, good morning."

Seeing Lu Yan standing not far away, Simu walked over to greet him.

Lu Yan nodded and was just about to reply when he saw three men and a woman approaching from the distance.

The leader wore a green gown and carried himself with a dignified air, though his face was streaked with dust, making him appear somewhat disheveled.

The two men following him included one of average appearance who looked sharp and capable, and another who was a veritable giant, towering toward the sky.

The final member, a woman in a red shirt with two braided pigtails, had several throwing knives tucked at her waist and looked full of spirit.

These four were none other than Chen Yulou and his party, who had been traveling arduously through the night.

"Daoist, look."

Lu Yan gestured toward the direction of Chen Yulou and the others, signaling for him to look.

As a practitioner of the Dao, Simu possessed keen eyes and ears. Upon seeing Chen Yulou and his group in the distance, his expression shifted, and he sighed:

"It's him. I knew that box of gold bars wouldn't be so easy to keep."

Observing Simu's reaction, Lu Yan felt a surge of curiosity and asked, "Daoist Simu, who are they?"

Simu wore a dejected expression as he replied, "They are from Xieling. The one in front is the leader of Xieling—a bunch of grave robbers."

Lu Yan nodded without further inquiry, though he felt a spark of joy inside; he hadn't expected it to be him.

The Xieling lineage boasted tens of thousands of disciples and was one of the largest factions in Western Hunan. If he could leverage Xieling to achieve his goals, it would save him a great deal of trouble.

As these thoughts raced through Lu Yan's mind, Chen Yulou and his group arrived before them.

"Daoist Simu, it has been a long time. Last time you left in such a hurry that I, Chen Yulou, never had the chance to thank you for saving my life."

Chen Yulou had been traveling for the better part of the night, and his eyes were heavy with fatigue. Seeing the Daoist he sought right before him, his spirits lifted, and he bowed in greeting.

"One does not visit a temple without a cause. Since the Chief of Xieling has come here, may I ask what brings you?"

Simu's expression was stern, adopting the air of a high-ranking Daoist master as he asked coolly.

"Daoist, you may not know, but with warlords clashing across the land, droughts in the north and floods in the south, many provinces have seen no harvest at all. The refugees number in the thousands upon thousands."

"My Xieling lineage rose from the Red Eyebrows; though we often engage in the business of excavating tombs, we are not blind to the suffering of the common people. How could we remain indifferent?"

"Though I, Chen Yulou, am untalented, I have been opening my granaries to provide relief to the disaster victims."

"However, the refugees keep coming in an endless stream. I have persisted for months, but I am truly at the end of my rope."

Chen Yulou was a man of unparalleled adaptability and a silver tongue. He had long since prepared his speech, and his words flowed like a blooming lotus.

"Hmm."

Simu nodded, his expression softening considerably.

Chen Yulou, ever observant, was delighted to see this and continued, "I have heard that there are many Yuan Dynasty tombs in Bottle Mountain. I thought to myself, the Yuan people were always brutal, enslaving our Han people. Now that the people are suffering, why not take the gold and silver from those tombs to provide for the masses?"

"But ancient Yuan tombs are always buried deep and hidden, with no mounds or trees to mark them. Bottle Mountain is also rife with legends of evil, and I fear a rash attempt might lead to disaster. I have come specifically to request the Daoist's assistance in retrieving the treasures from the tomb to save the refugees across the four regions."

"This..."

Simu looked hesitant, unable to make up his mind.

Under normal circumstances, if Chen Yulou had come to ask him to rob a grave, Simu would have been absolutely furious and chased him away.

But in these times, with refugees numbering in the thousands, he had heard of Chen Yulou's relief efforts, and he found himself torn on whether or not to make this journey.

Seeing the look on Simu's face, Chen Yulou was overjoyed and was about to push harder to persuade him when he was suddenly interrupted by Lu Yan.

"Daoist Simu, why don't I go in your stead?"

Lu Yan had been watching the spectacle from the side, and seeing the timing was right, he interjected.

"Grave robbing damages one's karmic merit. Why would you want to wade into these muddy waters, Fellow Daoist Lu?"

Simu frowned at Lu Yan, attempting to dissuade him.

"When I was abroad, I often saw the arrogance of foreigners and the suffering of my compatriots. Upon returning to my country, I intended to serve the nation and save the people from fire and water. Hearing of such a cause to aid the refugees, it is naturally my duty to act."

Lu Yan spoke with a solemn and righteous expression.

Chen Yulou, listening from the side, was utterly confused and turned to ask Daoist Simu, "Daoist Simu, who is this gentleman?"

Seeing Lu Yan's firm expression, Simu sighed and introduced him to Chen Yulou:

"This is Lu Yan. He has just returned from studying abroad; he is a man of profound learning and exceptional cultivation."

Chen Yulou scrutinized Lu Yan carefully, feeling a touch of suspicion, and bowed. "I am Chen Yulou, Chief of Xieling. It is a pleasure to meet you, Brother Lu."

Lu Yan returned the bow and smiled, "Does Brother Chen feel that I am too young and lack the necessary skills?"

"You are too kind. I see that Brother Lu possesses an extraordinary bearing; you are certainly no ordinary man."

Chen Yulou was seasoned in his ways and handled social interactions with a grace that made others feel at ease. Even if he thought otherwise, he would never let such words slip past his lips.

Lu Yan smiled, making no attempt to prove anything. Actions spoke louder than words; Chen Yulou would see his capabilities soon enough.

With guests having arrived, Simu could hardly leave them standing outside, so he led them into the living room.

After some conversation, Lu Yan and the others grew much more familiar with one another.

Lu Yan discovered that Chen Yulou was indeed a man of vast learning and wide experience. After chatting with him, the thin, two-dimensional image from the films in his memory immediately became vivid and full.

Chen Yulou was equally impressed by Lu Yan's insight and eloquence. In particular, Lu Yan's analysis of the domestic and international situation left Chen Yulou wide-eyed and utterly enthralled.

Meanwhile, Hua Maguai walked over to Red Maiden and whispered, "Red Maiden, do you think that kid has any real talent?"

Red Maiden glanced at Lu Yan and shook her head. "His knowledge is certainly extraordinary, but he is so young. Even if he has some skill, I doubt it amounts to much."

Just as they were talking, Jiale ran in from outside and shouted, "Master, Uncle-Master Qianhe is here!"

Simu stood up from his chair and walked toward the door. Lu Yan, Chen Yulou, and the others, hearing the commotion outside, followed behind Daoist Simu, curious to see what was happening.

"Senior Brother, it has been a long time."

Qianhe was dressed in a brand-new Daoist robe. With a square face and a long, drooping mustache, he bowed to Simu as he stepped out.

"Junior Brother, is this..."

Simu looked at the large group of people behind him and the golden coffin wrapped in ink-stained nets, narrowing his eyes as he asked.

"Indeed. Inside is the Border Imperial Clan, who has already transformed into a jiangshi."

"I have been ordered to escort this to the capital, and I have come specifically to borrow some sticky rice from you, just in case."

Qianhe had always been a serious man. Escorting a golden coffin to the capital placed immense pressure on him, and he had come to Simu to borrow the rice as a precaution against any accidents.

"Jiale, go get your Uncle-Master some sticky rice."

Simu nodded without further comment. His junior brother's natural talent was not exceptional, but after aligning himself with the remnants of the Manchu nobility, he had access to abundant resources, and his cultivation speed was not much slower than his own. At this point, he had reached the sixth level of Qi Refining, so there was no need to worry.