Hou Niao hurried back at full speed. He was not sure whether he could return before the gathering began.
This had originally been a perfectly planned trip, but cultivators from Northern Heaven Gate had disrupted it, costing him more than another half year here. Time was rather tight, but there was nothing he could do.
Before leaving on this trip, he had mentioned to Li Chuping that, if everything went smoothly, he would return to Jade Capital before the gathering. Li Chuping had agreed.
Shanmen's gathering was held once every ten years. In theory, disciples who held no important duties could voluntarily return to attend. Thus, if he were still the Commandant of Pingliang Prefecture, he would need a Minister of Justice Prefecture transfer order to return. Now he did not, because he held an idle post.
Flying through the air, his mind was exceptionally clear, and he suddenly realized something. Li Chuping had explicitly told him that he would not return for this gathering, on the grounds that Pingliang Prefecture was unstable and required a Golden Core Upper Cultivator to preside over it. But now, it seemed there was a deeper meaning hidden within.
Li Chuping was not coming back, yet he had stripped him of his Commandant post, giving him an opportunity... This would allow them to avoid each other perfectly at Shanmen's gathering, sparing them much embarrassment.
This elder, both mentor and friend, had shown such inner struggle throughout Hou Niao's progress toward attaining the Dao. It was hard to sum up in a few words.
But he appreciated the kindness. He knew that Li Chuping had too many entanglements behind him and could not abandon everything to support him. It had already been far from easy to go this far. A person had to know contentment.