Taking action

The boat was scarlet from end to end, its red as vivid as blood. As the Cloud-Piercing Flying Boat hung in midair, it resembled a great crimson cloud fallen from the sky, casting a faint red glow over the mountaintop.

This boy certainly knows how to show off! If the real Mount Yang Daoist and Wang Duanbao were here, this spectacle would probably leave Wang Duanbao too worked up to sleep for days after he went home!

Tu Shan Ge silently grumbled to himself, then said:

"You're only at the Embryonic Breathing stage, yet you dare drive a Talisman Artifact like this. Just how much embryonic breath do you have to squander? Have you given up on reaching Qi Refining, or are you already certain you can attain it?"

Just then, the boy saw someone come out to welcome him.

He stopped showing off, lowered the Cloud-Piercing Flying Boat, and descended.

Not only did he have Deng Zhongzhi beside him, but twenty fierce soldiers in imposing armor also followed as servants. It was quite an entourage.

"Haha! Seventh Uncle, long time no see!"

The boy had been rather disdainful and resentful a moment earlier, but the instant he saw Tu Shan Ge, who had used an illusion to assume the Mount Yang Daoist's appearance, his face broke into a delighted smile.

"I missed you terribly during these months I was confined at home! Look, as soon as Father let me out, I came straight here to find you and Duan Bao! Well? Wouldn't you say your nephew is filial?"

At those words,

even under these circumstances,

Tu Shan Ge could barely keep himself from laughing.

The boy's name was Tong Yi. He was the second son of Tong Gaolu, the Rong Kingdom's current Pillar of the State Great General, and the most promising of the Tong Household's children.

Not only had he been skilled in archery and horsemanship since childhood, but at such a young age, he had already attained embryonic breathing qi sensation, becoming a Martial Grandmaster-a realm countless martial artists dreamed of reaching.

For that reason, everyone in the Tong Household spoiled him excessively. It was said that Tong Gaolu even intended to have him enter the Five Radiances Sect to cultivate the Dao, regardless of whether it exhausted the household's fortune.

But it was precisely the Tong Household's indulgence that had given Tong Yi a temperament that feared neither heaven nor earth.

Several years earlier, when Tong Yi accompanied his father to Blazing Mountain, he had taken a fancy to Zhou Chuyu at first sight, lust blazing across his face.

The Mount Yang Daoist understood at once. That very night, he dressed her in finery and sent her to Tong Yi's room.

Ever since, Tong Yi had become so enamored with Blazing Mountain that he could hardly bear to leave, wishing he could stay there every day.

You old dog of Blazing Mountain, you may have stolen my holdings, but you lived so abjectly. What did you really gain?

Tu Shan Ge nearly burst out laughing, but maintained an unperturbed expression as he asked:

"What happened, worthy nephew, for that elder brother of mine to harden his heart and confine you?"

"Nothing much. Censor Sun at court had taken a new concubine, so I went to his house to have a little fun. But Censor Sun couldn't stand the excitement. When he saw me doing the deed, he spat blood and died of anger. A pity, such a pity."

Tong Yi shook his head regretfully.

"To think Censor Sun was a scholar, yet he had no generosity of spirit at all. It wasn't as though he couldn't replace his woman. How petty! His death wouldn't have mattered, but getting me confined over it was utterly unforgivable."

Tu Shan Ge was sufficiently shrewd to let no change show on his face.

Beside him, however, Tu Shan Zhuang, disguised as Wang Duanbao, was dumbstruck, his great mouth hanging open.

Afterward, Tong Yi brought Deng Zhongzhi forward to pay his respects to Tu Shan Ge. Before long, Tu Shan Ge led them toward the main hall where guests were received.

While Tu Shan Ge was talking with Deng Zhongzhi, Tong Yi's eyes darted about. He deliberately hung back a few paces, waiting for Tu Shan Zhuang to catch up.

"Duan Bao, are you happy to see me?"

Tong Yi asked with a grin.

"..."

Tu Shan Zhuang, disguised as Wang Duanbao, looked utterly bewildered.

"I came to ask you a favor."

"...Go ahead."

"My good brother, lend me Xiao Yu for a while. I'll give her back when I've had my fill. To tell you the truth, I couldn't stop thinking about her during those months I was confined. None of the ladies or young misses in the capital have quite her flavor. Consider this your little brother begging you!"

Tong Yi spoke with a grin.

"..."

Tu Shan Zhuang felt his face stiffening.

For a moment, he had no idea what expression to make, let alone how to answer.

Tong Yi took his silence as a refusal. Furious, he gave him a sharp shove.

"What good does being unwilling do you? I'll speak to Uncle myself and leave you watching in envy!"

Tu Shan Ge, walking ahead of them, faltered and nearly fell.

Once they entered the main hall and took their places as host and guests, Tong Yi's questions had Tu Shan Ge sweating profusely before tea could even be served.

"Uncle, where are all those concubines you used to keep here? Why don't I see a single one?"

"I, I... need to devote myself to arduous cultivation for a while. Having them before my eyes was a distraction, so... I sent them all down the mountain."

Tu Shan Ge feigned composure.

"Really?"

Tong Yi looked suspicious.

He frowned for a moment, then turned to survey the hall. "This hall of yours doesn't look particularly well kept either, Uncle. It seems no one has given it a proper cleaning for some time. Why is that?"

"Well..."

Tu Shan Ge inwardly groaned.

Since the Mount Yang Daoist's death, these buildings had all been abandoned. Only the hidden cave residence within the mountain was still being used by Chen Heng.

Admittedly, out of a certain pleasure at having avenged his great grievance, Tu Shan Ge had given these halls a cursory cleaning after entering into a Spirit Contract with Chen Heng, and had stayed in them for a few days.

But after just three days, the novelty wore off, and he moved back to his own dwelling.

After all, the outside world was frozen and bitterly cold. How could it compare to the Divine Domain, where all four seasons were like spring?

"Lately, I've been cultivating diligently in the meditation chamber of my cave residence. I rarely come out, rarely come out..."

Tu Shan Ge stammered.

By then, Deng Zhongzhi had quietly placed a hand on his saber's hilt, his gaze flickering.

Tong Yi, however, remained oblivious. He merely felt thoroughly disappointed and asked again:

"Then where is Xiao Yu? Don't you know she's my favorite, Uncle? Why haven't you had her come see me?"

"...Xiao Yu." This time, Tu Shan Ge was truly dumbfounded.

Among these white foxes, only he and Tu Shan Zhuang could use illusions to transform their appearances. As for foolish foxes like Tu Shan Ningning, never mind transforming-they had not even refined away the transverse bone in their throats and could only go "ying, ying, ying."

Where was he supposed to find a Xiao Yu for Tong Yi now?

"Xiao Yu... Xiao Yu..."

As Tu Shan Ge grew frantic enough to sweat all over his brow, a soft chuckle suddenly rang out, and a figure stepped into view.

Tong Yi looked toward the sound and saw a young Daoist walking toward him with a faint smile.

His bearing was radiant and serene, lofty as rising rosy clouds, luminous without dazzling.

Even the finest master painter at court would have struggled to capture a fraction of his immortal grace...

What a beautiful man!

Tong Yi's eyes lit up. Instantly casting Xiao Yu beyond the ninth heaven, he hurried forward, brimming with delight.

"May I ask-"

"Greetings, young sir." Chen Heng did not answer his question.

He briefly cupped his hands, and a bolt of lightning suddenly shot from his sleeve!

"Ah!"

Tong Yi screamed and hastily took out a Talisman Artifact to protect himself, but the lightning still sheared off one of his arms. In agony, he toppled backward.