Aren't you going to serve the tea?

Liu Kunsheng shook his head. "Ah, what a pity. Third Grandfather has ordered, in accordance with the Jade Emperor's decree, that no spirit immortals may pass beyond Shanhaiguan. Otherwise, I'd really like to meet you in person, boy."

"That sounds great. When winter comes, I'll definitely go to the Northeast to meet you."

"All right, you said it, boy. Spirit immortals value promises above all else. I'll be waiting."

At that, Liu Kunsheng walked over to Wang Zhuo's ear. His previously ordinary eyes suddenly became fox eyes, and he rapidly murmured something to him.

Everyone present was intensely curious. Even Zhuge Qing used his own methods to try to eavesdrop, only to discover that he could hear nothing.

How strange... how strange...

When he finished, he patted Wang Zhuo's shoulder. "Boy, that's all I can say. That little matter need only stay between us."

"I won't tell, and neither will you."

"Understood. Grandfather Hu... Liu, take care."

The match had been a feast for everyone's eyes, and endless applause resounded throughout the arena.

"Well done, Liu Guanyi!"

"You're fucking awesome, Liu Guanyi!"

Hidden Dragon seized the chance to shout, "You dickhead, Liu Guanyi!"

Linglong's fan club joined in the abuse. "You scumbag, Liu Guanyi!"

"Who the fuck insulted our darling?!"

"Bully our darling again, and we'll pound all that fat of yours into mush!"

"Ow, stop hitting me! Stop!"

"Darling, I love you!"

"I want to have your babies!"

"Brother Liu, don't go! Take a picture with me!"

Wang Zhuo waved at the excited crowd, slipped his hands into his pockets, and left the arena.

Lu Linglong hurried after him. "Brother Liu, my grandpa and the others want to see you~"

That evening in the dining hall, Zhang Chulan looked around with his tray in hand, but never found that familiar figure.

"Strange. Where did Liu Guanyi go? He should've been here by now."

"Sister Bao'er, have you seen him?"

Feng Baobao was wolfing down her meal, her cheeks stuffed with food like a hamster with its mouth packed full. She shook her head and kept eating.

"Dunno where he went. Probably went down the mountain for something special to eat."

Meanwhile, Feng Shayan sat on the other side, looking at her phone. On WeChat, a user with a nail-headed Patrick Star avatar had sent her a message.

[In tomorrow's match, show weakness or concede. Once the tournament is over, I'll explain the reason to you in person. Do me, Red-Haired, this favor, pretty lady~ (kissing emoji)]

"Hmph... so now Liu Guanyi remembers me."

Although Feng Shayan did not know the reason, his request was so earnest that there really had to be something going on.

Feng Baobao...

At that moment, three old men sat in grand armchairs in Lu Jin's guest room.

Xiao Yузi carried a tray out of the room, his gaze still lingering on Wang Zhuo, who sat cross-legged on the floor, as he left.

Dressed in spotless white Daoist robes, Wang Zhuo now had something of an immortal's bearing.

This guy... the biggest variable!

He had also been present at that afternoon's match, and his wariness toward this mysterious man had reached its peak.

Liu Kunsheng and Wang Zhuo had both held back during their fight. It was hard to imagine what would happen if those two monsters cut loose.

Seeing all three old men resting with their eyes closed, Wang Zhuo could only speak first. "Grandpas, why did you call me here for a vegetarian meal?"

"You're not planning on reenacting the Three Heroes battling Lü Bu, are you?"

"But Old Celestial Master, what happened to your face...?"

Zhang Zhiwei had clearly been used as Lu Jin's punching bag as he avenged his granddaughter.

"Ahem, ahem."

The corner of Lu Jin's mouth twitched, and he opened his eyes a little. "Aren't you going to serve the tea? What are you waiting for?"

"Right away! Just a moment, Grandpas!" Wang Zhuo moved with astonishing speed, yet his movements were steady, and that steadiness came with attention to detail.

"Your grandson's real name is Wang Zhuo. Allow me to serve the three of you tea."

He respectfully offered the three cups of tea in order: Zhang Zhiwei, Tian Jinzong, then Lu Jin.

Their standing, relationships, and seniority could not be mistaken or jumbled.

"Here, Grandpa, please have some tea."

Zhang Zhiwei took a sip and set it down, smiling. "You rascal. Other people come to Mount Longhu to compete for the Heaven Communicating Talisman Art, but you came straight up and claimed three grandpas. Hahaha!"

"Grandpa Tian, have some tea."

"This old Daoist gets to enjoy some blessings in his old age, too." Wang Zhuo personally held Tian Jinzong's cup to his lips, and he took a sip.

"Sir, please have some tea."

When Lu Jin's turn came, he took the tea with a snort. "You brat, you're even slicker than Zhang Chulan."

"From now on, you're one of the Lu family's grandchildren. If you cause any serious trouble, I'll be the first to show you no mercy."

"Enough, Old Lu. You're practically giving yourself internal injuries holding it in. Laugh if you want to."

"Grandpas, please accept your grandson's bows!"

After the three had drunk their tea, Wang Zhuo respectfully bowed three times.

"Come on, get up." Tian Jinzong chuckled.

"All right. Grandpas, surely this wasn't the only reason you called me here?"

After a moment's thought, Zhang Zhiwei said, "That was one reason. The second is, do you know about Quanxing's Wine, Lust, Wealth, and Wrath?"

"Well, I've heard them mentioned a few times, but I never took it seriously enough to investigate. They're a bunch of evildoers with grave sins, anyway. Just kill them."

Wang Zhuo's voice was exceptionally calm, as though he were discussing some trivial matter.

"If they were really that easy to kill, things would be simple." Lu Jin sighed.

"When you matched arts with that one from Changbai Mountain today, did you pick up on anything he said?"

"Something about Wine, Lust, Wealth, and Wrath offending his eyes?"

"Exactly. Normally, we wouldn't have paid it any mind, but now... it's a little different."

"I thought he meant ordinary people's emotions and desires, that their entanglement in wine, lust, wealth, and wrath offended his eyes."

Seeing this, Wang Zhuo simply continued playing dumb. "Then, Grandpas, you mean they've already come up the mountain?"

"They're planning to stir up trouble right outside the King of Hell's palace."

"You little rascal, calling Mount Longhu the King of Hell's palace!" Lu Jin scolded him with a laugh. He knew what Wang Zhuo meant, so he merely laughed and scolded him a little.

"But you're right. If they really dare cause trouble, we'll slaughter every last one of them!"

Lu Jin was clearly genuinely angry.

Zhang Zhiwei waved a hand, his eyes thoughtful. "I'll call you Liu'er, so I don't expose your identity."

"Liu'er, don't blame your grandpa for being curious. The one who spoke to you at the end wasn't Liu Kunsheng, was he? He seemed to say something. Could you tell this old Daoist?"

The other two elders also looked at him curiously.

At those words, Wang Zhuo fell into thought. What the other party had said had gone directly into his mind, so naturally they could not have heard it.

"Well, Grandpa, please take pity on your grandson. I really can't say. But I can tell you who he was..."

"Hu Family Third Grandfather."

Third Grandfather Hu?!

At those words, all three elders lost their composure.

If it really had been him, that was no less than inviting a deity down to the mortal world.

They admittedly did not understand the rules of the northern Shamanic Spirit Medium tradition, but they had heard the stories. They did not know about the lesser figures, but they had heard about the great ones many times.

He had once cultivated painstakingly for five thousand years.

His eldest and second elder brothers had fallen during the War of the Investiture of the Gods between Shang and Zhou.

Third Grandfather Hu had later received enlightenment from the Heavenly Master of the Way.

The Heavenly Master of the Way had pointed toward Guyuetian in the depths of night.

Only then had the Hu family shed the beast radical from their surname.

From then on, the fox family's surname had changed to Hu.

For this immortal to appear and speak to him alone was enough to show how much karma surrounded the boy before them.

Wang Zhuo had troubles he could not voice.

I can't exactly tell them Third Grandfather Hu divined that I'd make an enormous mess, can I?

It also made him admire the other party inwardly. He had nearly laid bare even Wang Zhuo's underwear.

Luckily, he couldn't divine the full chain of cause and effect, or the system and all my abilities. He could only divine that I carried great karma and would bring considerable trouble to the world...

Third Grandfather Hu: There is one matter of which I can divine only the broad outline. The wills of heaven, earth, and humanity-the three forces are tipping. I cannot stop it or hold it back. The troubles to come will all be inseparable from you. It is enough that you understand this karmic burden yourself.

Wang Zhuo knew exactly what that meant: Spiritual Energy · Revival!

After all the effort to sever the connection between heaven and earth, he had gone and brought about Spiritual Energy · Revival.

Wasn't that forcing these Outsiders to go mad seeking immortality and the Dao?

He did not even need to think to know how enormous that karmic consequence would be.

Seeing Wang Zhuo sink into some sort of emotion, Zhang Zhiwei spoke first. "Since you've accepted us as your grandpas, we can't give you nothing. Here, take these."