"Qingxiao, why are you alone? Where are Dacheng and Qingqing?" When Huang Xiao returned to the inn, Xuanzhenzi, who was already in the room, asked him.
"Master? You're back?" Huang Xiao had not expected his master to return so soon. "Senior Brother Liu and Junior Sister Hu ran into a disciple of the Huaqing Sect, and in the end, they left with-" "Qingxiao, why are you alone? Where are Dacheng and Qingqing?" When Huang Xiao returned to the inn, Xuanzhenzi, who was already in the room, asked him.
"Master? You're back?" Huang Xiao had not expected his master to return so soon. "Senior Brother Liu and Junior Sister Hu ran into a disciple of the Huaqing Sect, and in the end, they left with him."
"A disciple of the Huaqing Sect?" Xuanzhenzi asked.
"From Junior Sister Hu's introduction, he should be the son of Senior Zhang Ming, the Huaqing Sect's eldest disciple. His name is Zhang Long," Huang Xiao replied.
"Oh, him. Your Uncle-Master Hu is on friendly terms with Zhang Ming," Xuanzhenzi said with a smile.
"Master, did you finish your business so quickly?" Huang Xiao asked.
"I only went to deliver a visiting card today, so naturally, there wasn't much to do," Xuanzhenzi replied. After all, he was merely the leader of the Green Ox Gate and amounted to nothing in the Huaqing Sect's eyes, so they would not entertain him.
"Why haven't I seen Uncle-Master Hu?" Huang Xiao asked, somewhat puzzled that he had not seen Hu Guyi since coming back.
"Didn't I just say? Your Uncle-Master Hu is on friendly terms with Zhang Ming. He said he had some business and went to see him. I had nothing else to do, so I returned to the inn first," Xuanzhenzi said.
"May I ask whether Daoist Xuanzhenzi, leader of the Green Ox Gate, is here?" Just then, a voice came from outside the door.
"Please come in!" Huang Xiao answered. The voice sounded somewhat familiar.
"This junior, Zhang Long, disciple of the Huaqing Sect, pays his respects to Daoist Xuanzhenzi." Zhang Long entered the room and bowed to Xuanzhenzi. Behind him were Hu Qingqing and Liu Dacheng, along with three others who were probably also Huaqing Sect disciples.
"So it is Young Hero Zhang. What brings you to see this humble Daoist?" Xuanzhenzi asked.
"I wouldn't dare call myself a young hero before you, Daoist. My father sent me here to invite you to the Huaqing Sect," Zhang Long said respectfully. He was somewhat puzzled. Xuanzhenzi was merely the leader of a completely unranked sect, yet his father had just sent someone to find him and instructed him to visit Xuanzhenzi personally to extend the invitation. Hu Qingqing and Liu Dacheng naturally knew where Xuanzhenzi was staying, so Zhang Long had come straight over without needing to inquire. Although he did not know why his father wanted him to treat Xuanzhenzi with such respect, he still dared not go against his wishes.
"I have only just returned from the Huaqing Sect. May I ask what important business this concerns?" Xuanzhenzi was puzzled. If there really was something, they could have told him while he was there. Why go to this trouble now?
"I don't know either. Father said that the sect master suddenly expressed a wish to meet you, Daoist," Zhang Long replied respectfully.
"Sect Master Bai has summoned me?" Xuanzhenzi was even more puzzled, but since Bai Tianqi wanted to see him, he had to go, whatever the matter might be.
"Very well. I'll go at once," Xuanzhenzi said, rising to his feet.
"Junior Brother Qingxiao, you should come along too. The Huaqing Sect still has plenty of guest rooms," Zhang Long then said to Huang Xiao, who stood nearby.
Huang Xiao looked toward Xuanzhenzi, and just then, Hu Qingqing said, "Martial Uncle, we can stay at the Huaqing Sect this time?"
Xuanzhenzi was greatly surprised. He had never enjoyed such treatment before.
"Then let us all go together," Xuanzhenzi said with a smile. "Sorry for the trouble, Young Hero Zhang."
Several hours later, Huang Xiao and the others arrived at the Huaqing Sect.
Huang Xiao was deeply awed. The stairs leading from the foot of the mountain to the Huaqing Sect at its summit numbered several thousand and were more than three zhang wide. They were packed with people going up and down, almost all of them members of Jianghu who had come to offer birthday wishes.
"Daoist Xuanzhen, my greetings!" Zhang Ming was welcoming the members of Jianghu arriving to offer birthday wishes at the main gate. When he saw Xuanzhenzi, however, he hurried forward several paces, stopped before him, and cupped his fists with a smile.
"Hero Zhang!" Xuanzhenzi hurriedly returned the greeting.
"My sincere apologies. The disciples below me were unreliable in handling things and actually failed to invite you to stay, Daoist. That was truly remiss of us. Allow me to apologize," Zhang Ming said.
"Please, there's no need for that," Xuanzhenzi said, hastily stopping him. "May I ask what important business Sect Master Bai has summoned this humble Daoist for?"
"Look at me, nearly forgetting the business Master entrusted to me. This way, Daoist. Master did not say what it was about, only that we must be sure to invite you here," Zhang Ming said as he led the way.
Xuanzhenzi asked no further questions. After all, he would soon meet Bai Tianqi, and the matter would naturally become clear then.
"Sect Leader Hu of the Iron Sword Sect said he was going to see you, Hero Zhang. Is he still on the mountain?" Xuanzhenzi suddenly recalled that Hu Guyi had said he was going to find Zhang Ming. Finding it somewhat strange that he was nowhere to be seen, he asked.
"He is, of course he is. He's with my master right now. You'll see him shortly, Daoist," Zhang Ming said with a smile.
"Oh!" Xuanzhenzi nodded. He truly had not expected Bai Tianqi to summon not only him but Hu Guyi as well. This was exceedingly rare. At least in the past, the leader of a sect like his could never have caught Bai Tianqi's eye.
Before long, Zhang Ming led Xuanzhenzi and the others to a small, separate courtyard by the rear hall.
"Long, stay outside the courtyard and look after your fellow disciples," Zhang Ming instructed his son.
"Father, don't worry. I'll take good care of my junior brothers and sister," Zhang Long promptly replied. Then he turned to Huang Xiao and the others. "Junior Sister Hu, Junior Brother Liu, Junior Brother Qingxiao, let's sit in that pavilion over there. I'll have someone bring tea in a moment, and we can have a good chat."
Huang Xiao had no objections. After all, there was certainly no way they could enter the courtyard. Bai Tianqi had summoned his master this time; juniors like them naturally could not be granted an audience. It was only normal for Zhang Ming to have Zhang Long entertain the three of them.
"Daoist, please. Master is inside."
When Xuanzhenzi entered the courtyard, hearty laughter rang out from inside the house. "Is that Daoist Xuanzhenzi? You've certainly kept me waiting."
Hearing this, Xuanzhenzi quickened his steps and entered the small house.
"This humble Daoist, Xuanzhenzi, pays his respects to Sect Master Bai." Upon entering, Xuanzhenzi saw Bai Tianqi seated in the place of honor. He had seen Bai Tianqi before, but they had scarcely ever spoken.
Aside from Bai Tianqi, the other person in the room was Hu Guyi.
"Senior Brother Xuanzhen, you're finally here. Sect Master Bai was just speaking of you," Hu Guyi said with a smile.
"Sit, everyone, sit," Bai Tianqi said.
Xuanzhenzi thanked him, then found a chair in a lower position and sat down. Zhang Ming also sat beside him.
"May I ask what important business you have summoned this humble Daoist for, Sect Master?" Xuanzhenzi asked.
"It's nothing particularly important, really. Mainly, I heard Zhang Ming mention that your Green Ox Gate has refined quite a few medicines for our Huaqing Sect over the years, whether healing medicines, Origin-Nourishing Pills, or Origin-Enhancing Pills. Although I seldom manage the sect's affairs, I know these medicines have been an enormous help to our disciples. I invited you here this time specifically to thank you, Daoist."
"Sect Master Bai, this humble Daoist would not dare accept such thanks. This is a token of our Green Ox Gate's sincerity," Xuanzhenzi said, hurriedly rising to his feet.
"Sit, sit, sit. There's no need to stand on such ceremony," Bai Tianqi said, hastily pressing his hand downward toward Xuanzhenzi.
Once Xuanzhenzi was seated, Bai Tianqi continued, "These medicines have indeed improved our disciples' internal power considerably. Naturally, I have seen it for myself."
-left with him."
Before you continue