A storm was brewing (please vote to recommend)

On the mountain's rear slopes, Yang Xiao held a black stone and sank into thought.

Wang Huhu had been right. She had dug this stone out of the ground, probably when she went missing that time and helped Old Man Chen hoe his fields.

They had searched for the Carefree Scripture for so long, never imagining that Wang Huhu had already obtained it.

"Brother Xiao." A beauty in a black dress approached along the woodland path, carrying a food box. She stopped beside him and deftly took out one delicious dish after another.

The beauty in black was, of course, the daughter resurrected by the Corpse Lord. After Wang Huhu and Dongfang Mingyue left, she insisted that she had met Yang Xiao before and stubbornly followed him everywhere.

The beauty in black had a high cultivation level: she was a Soul Seed Realm expert. Even if Yang Xiao wanted to shake her off, he could not. After trying twice and failing, he resigned himself to letting her follow him.

"You'er, you don't have to bring me food every day," Yang Xiao said with a wry smile.

Because the beauty in black had been resurrected by Netherworld Divine Grass and lost her memories, Yang Xiao had given her a name—Yang You'er, sharing his surname.

"But you'll get hungry if you don't eat," Yang You'er said, tilting her head.

Yang Xiao opened his mouth, but for a moment, he could find no reply. Her words really did make sense.

Taking the chopsticks Yang You'er offered, Yang Xiao began eating bite by bite. She had cooked all these dishes herself.

She really did have a talent for cooking. After studying under Senior Sister Lei Miaoyan for half a month, her dishes looked, smelled, and tasted wonderful.

While Yang Xiao enjoyed the food, Shen Laodao came rushing over in a fluster. "Yang Xiao, the last disciple has left too."

Yang Xiao's expression darkened. He had no idea what had happened lately, but ever since Wang Huhu and Dongfang Mingyue were taken home, the other disciples' families had arrived one after another to take them away.

A sense of an approaching storm hung over Worry-Free Mountain. Yang Xiao looked at the distant sky. If trouble was coming, Butcher should have come to fetch him too. Since he had not, things could not have grown too serious yet.

"Yang Xiao, this humble monk has thought things over these past two days. It's time I left too."

"A figure like this humble monk belongs among the stars and vast seas. A tiny Worry-Free Mountain cannot hold me."

"Now hurry up and give me the carefree earth master chapter. I need to run... head home right away." Shen Laodao looked anxious, as though something momentous was about to happen.

Yang Xiao tossed him the black stone. Over the past half month, he had more or less memorized its contents.

At the mountain gate, Yang Xiao watched Shen Laodao leave. The mountain lord, Chen Wuyou, acted as though he knew nothing about it and never came out to stop him.

The mountain suddenly became quiet. Well, it had always been quiet, apart from the occasional disciple dressed in black, rummaging around for the Carefree Scripture.

As he passed the Food Hall, Lei Miaoyan was preparing food inside. Dish after dish was set on the tables, but the people who had once enjoyed them were gone.

When he saw her look over, Yang Xiao instinctively turned his head and pretended he was merely passing by. From the corner of his eye, he saw Lei Miaoyan smile and beckon to him. Then Yang You'er jogged inside from behind him.

The two got along wonderfully. Yang You'er had hit it off with Lei Miaoyan from their very first meeting. Inside the hall, Lei Miaoyan held a kitchen knife and taught Yang You'er to cook. The latter stood behind her, watching intently, and every so often, a few heart-stirring laughs rang out.

Without disturbing them, Yang Xiao headed toward his room. Passing Lei Jiuchen's room, he saw him standing outside, frowning at the distant sky as though a tempest were about to descend.

Lei Jiuchen looked at him and gave a slight nod. Yang Xiao nodded back.

He continued onward. Recently, he had nearly exhausted the earth vein crystals in his Storage Ring, and his qi sea had expanded to eight hundred thousand li. He needed to find time to go out and seek more earth vein crystals to replenish his cultivation resources.

As he passed Chen Wuyou's door, it slowly opened, and Chen Wuyou's voice came from within. "Come in."

Yang Xiao paused. This was the first time Chen Wuyou had sought him out on his own initiative.

He stepped inside. The furnishings were simple: a meditation cushion, an incense stand, and a portrait hanging above it. The portrait depicted an old man in black-and-white Daoist robes, strolling through the air with one hand pointing at heaven and the other at the earth.

Suddenly, Yang Xiao felt the image move. A great hand of clouds and mist reached down from the sky, while the mountain ranges on the ground joined together and thrust up a gigantic hand. The two hands met in midair, then dissolved into spiritual energy.

Yang Xiao emerged from the portrait's spell and recalled the techniques in the Carefree Scripture. The great hand of clouds and mist was the Heavenly Master technique from the Carefree Heavenly Master Chapter—Heaven's Left Hand.

The hand of earth veins was the Earth Master technique from the carefree earth master chapter—Earth's Right Hand. Both could only be cultivated in the Soul Seed Realm. Combined, they became Heaven and Earth Unity, a technique only Living Spirit Realm experts could cultivate.

He did not know why Chen Wuyou had hung this painting up at such a time.

Chen Wuyou rested his fly whisk to his right and said with half-open eyes, "So Wang Huhu really did pass the carefree earth master chapter on to you."

Yang Xiao hesitated, feeling as though he had secretly stolen someone else's skills.

Chen Wuyou sighed. "Well, you've learned it now. I'm not the one responsible for passing down the Earth Master Lineage anyway, so it's beyond my authority."

"I called you here because I have something to entrust to you."

Yang Xiao bowed. "Master, please give me your instructions."

Chen Wuyou flicked his whisk, and the door behind Yang Xiao suddenly shut. Returning the whisk to its former position, he said, "A severe drought has struck east of Falling Blossom City. Take your senior brother and Senior Sister Lei there to bring some rain. While you're at it, take them to stay in Falling Blossom City for a while."

Yang Xiao was startled. Chen Wuyou sounded as though he were making his final arrangements. Senior Sister Lei cultivated Earth Master techniques. Why would she be needed to summon rain? He was asking Yang Xiao to take his senior brother and sister away to safety.

"Master, have things really reached that point?"

Chen Wuyou sneered. "If nothing serious had happened, why would those people be in such a hurry to bring their juniors home?"

"But what about you? Has the Sky Marquis said nothing to you?"

"No, perhaps the Sky Marquis still doesn't know. After all, he offended the Young Master last time. The Luo Family enjoys considerable favor with the Grand Ancestor, so it's hardly surprising that the Sky Marquis hasn't received the news. Hurry and flee for your life too."

Yang Xiao's heart gave a violent jolt. No wonder Butcher still had not come to fetch him.

He said, “Aren't there still experts on Ascetic Mountain?”

Chen Wuyou's expression darkened. "As soon as Wang Huhu and Dongfang Mingyue left, I realized something was wrong and sent a letter to Ascetic Mountain. But I still haven't received a reply.

"Thinking about it now, they may have cut off our Carefree Sect's path of retreat.

"But our Carefree Sect isn't a soft persimmon to be squeezed. Anyone who wants to take a bite will have to lose a few teeth."

Yang Xiao followed Chen Wuyou outside. Chen Wuyou swept his whisk and called, “Jiuchen, Miaoyan, come see me at once.”

A yellow light flashed nearby, and Lei Miaoyan bowed. “Master.”

A streak of light flew down from the sky and landed, revealing a handsome young man. He bowed to Chen Wuyou. “Master.”

The Lively Fairy, Yang You'er, came up behind Lei Miaoyan with her little hands clasped behind her back and winked at Yang Xiao.

Chen Wuyou coughed and took a letter from his robes. “Yesterday, the lord of Falling Blossom City wrote to me, saying that a severe drought had struck a hundred li east of the city. He asked me to go there to perform Cloudcalling Rainmaking.”

“But my cultivation has reached a critical juncture these past few days, and I cannot leave. Jiuchen, would you be willing to go in my stead with Yang Xiao?”

Lei Jiuchen frowned and glanced at his younger sister. “I am willing.”

Chen Wuyou continued, “Miaoyan, two days ago, you told me you wanted to go down the mountain to purchase supplies. You can go with them this time, so you can look after one another.”

Lei Miaoyan's red lips parted, but before she could speak, Lei Jiuchen stepped forward. “Thank you, Master.”

Standing behind Chen Wuyou, Yang Xiao studied Lei Jiuchen thoughtfully. His attitude was too strange. He had most likely seen through Chen Wuyou's intentions.

Chen Wuyou nodded slightly, handed the letter to Yang Xiao, and vanished from where he stood.

Yang Xiao put the letter into his Storage Ring and stepped forward. “Senior Brother, Senior Sister, there's no time to lose. Let's set off now.”

Lei Jiuchen turned and headed down the mountain. “Let's go.”

Yang You'er rolled her eyes thoughtfully behind them, then followed.

She was not a member of the Carefree Sect, so Chen Wuyou had no authority over her. Besides, remaining on the mountain at a time like this was no different from courting death.

The four reached the foot of the mountain. The two fairies chuckled and rose into the air as streaks of light. Yang Xiao and Lei Jiuchen both used Void Stroll to follow.

Yang Xiao's cultivation was, at least, lower than that of the other three, so they did not fly quickly, making their way leisurely toward their destination.

It had been noon when they set off. Once night fell, the four descended, intending to rest for the night before continuing.

Yang Xiao raised two Yellow Stone Houses and added three layers of protection: warning, soundproofing, and defense. One was his, and the other was Yang You'er's.

Opposite them stood two Blue Stone Houses, the lodgings Lei Miaoyan had raised for herself and Lei Jiuchen.

—Disciples of the Carefree Sect never worried about lodgings.

Yang Xiao built a campfire. Lei Jiuchen went aside to summon rain, collected a bucketful, carried it back, and poured it into the pot.

Nearby, the Gentle Fairy and the Lively Fairy took out a pile of ingredients and began cooking, their kitchen knives tapping away.

Both fairies were excellent cooks, chiefly because Lei Miaoyan taught so well. Yang Xiao picked up each freshly cooked dish and carried it to the stone table.

Once the piping-hot meal was ready, the four sat down. Yang Xiao had a fairy on either side of him, and Senior Brother Lei, opposite him, did too.

The four began eating. Yang You'er, on his left, occasionally placed a few morsels in his bowl. Whenever he looked her way, her eyes curved into little crescent moons, her smiling face blooming like a flower.

Yang Xiao lowered his head and continued eating. Just then, two pairs of chopsticks landed in her bowl at the same time. He felt a murderous aura coming from across the table and looked up. Lei Jiuchen set down his bowl and chopsticks, turned, and headed into the woods. His voice drifted back through the air, carrying a hint of anger. "Come with me."

Yang Xiao glanced to either side. Although Senior Brother Lei had not named him, who else could he mean?

Yang Xiao rose and followed. Walking behind Senior Brother Lei, he felt his legs grow weaker and weaker.

Suddenly, Lei Jiuchen turned and stared at him. Yang Xiao's hands and feet disobeyed him, and he stepped back, feeling as guilty as a thief.

Lei Jiuchen said, "Let me see the letter."

Yang Xiao instinctively touched his Storage Ring. Chen Wuyou had given him the envelope, and he had not read it, but he could guess that it probably contained Chen Wuyou's final words to his two disciples.

Lei Jiuchen continued, "If you don't give it to me, I'll take Miaoyan back right now."

After one second of fierce internal struggle, Yang Xiao took out the envelope.

Lei Jiuchen opened it, and his expression grew increasingly grim. Finally, he sighed and fixed Yang Xiao with an icy stare. "I'm entrusting Miaoyan to you. If you mistreat her, I, Lei Jiuchen, won't spare you even as a ghost."

Yang Xiao nodded solemnly. Even without Lei Jiuchen saying so, he would take good care of Lei Miaoyan.

"Going back now won't help. If even Master can't deal with the enemy, you'll only be going back to your death."

Though the words were harsh, he said them anyway. He had not had much contact with Lei Jiuchen, but he knew that beneath his cold exterior lay a warm heart.

Lei Jiuchen looked up at the moonlight, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly as he reminisced. "If Master hadn't brought us back to the mountain all those years ago, Miaoyan and I would have starved to death on the streets.

"How can I let Master walk that dark, lonely road of reincarnation alone now? Even if I can't defeat the enemy, I'll tear a chunk of flesh from them and show them that the Carefree Sect isn't so easy to deal with."

The two returned to the table. Lei Jiuchen was calm, eating with a stern face. After what had just happened, neither fairy dared to put food in Yang Xiao's bowl anymore, which actually left him breathing a sigh of relief.