Parting After Parting

"A decree is issued to all 194 households in Ping and Jin counties who are registered Daoist practitioners, instructing them to immediately hang a portrait of the Lord Shan in their ancestral hall, and to pay homage morning and evening to ensure the continuation of this tradition."

"Order the incumbent officials of Ping and Jin counties to establish ancestral halls for local worthies. When the county temples select promising young talents, the children must first pay homage to the statue of the Lord Shan."

"Investigate all households under the jurisdiction of the Chongming Sect and distribute five dou of rice and flour, one cheng of meat, and five he of oil. At the same time, announce that everyone must observe mourning from this day forward."

The decree stipulated that for twenty-seven days, officials must remove their hat tassels, wear mourning clothes, and refrain from sacrifices; marriages were forbidden for the month; slaughtering was prohibited for forty-nine days; and patronizing prostitutes and holding banquets were forbidden for one hundred days. Each village and community was to be assigned specific personnel to oversee these activities; anyone who violated these rules would be punished with imprisonment and could not redeem themselves with money.

"Please have the courier stations in various places send messages to inform all parts of Cloud Horn Prefecture that the remains of Lord Shan will be kept at the Chongming Sect for ten days for those who wish to pay their respects."

After busying himself with arrangements, Sect Leader Kang Da finally had a moment to approach the Daoist Black Shoes standing in front of the Zilingmu coffin and asked:

"Uncle-Master, I've made all the arrangements. Is there anything else you need?"

The Daoist Black Shoes spoke in a low voice, saying calmly, "Why arrange things in such a wasteful and extravagant way? Lord Shan used to hate this kind of superficial stuff the most. He would always jump up and down cursing during national mourning periods."

"As the younger generation, we should do something," Kang Dabao said, seeing that the Daoist Black Shoes's expression hadn't improved. "Those people in the past weren't worthy, but Lord Shan is."

The Daoist Black Shoes nodded and said nothing more.

Sect Leader Kang Da didn't know what to say at this moment, so he just stood beside the Daoist Black Shoes for a while before turning back to attend to other matters.

The sudden death of Lord Shan at the Chongming Sect nearly threw the sect into chaos during the Chongming Sect.

The disciples who had achieved good results dared not show the slightest joy, nor did they dare to ask about the promised rewards for the competition. They were afraid of being caught and severely punished by their elders, whose faces were ashen.

Under the hurried urging of Kang Dabao and others, Lord Shan's mourning hall was quickly set up in the main hall of the Chongming Sect.

This time, the usually pragmatic and down-to-earth Sect Leader Kang Da was not stingy and personally wrote up the inventory list. The Spirit Stone he had painstakingly saved in the sect's treasury were spent like water, helping his disciples purchase many Chongming Sect rarely used.

In this way, the mourning hall for Lord Yin Shan was decorated in Gu Su and grand style, which was completely different from the simple style he had during his lifetime.

Qin Sufu arrived quickly, his eyes red-rimmed, followed by his wife Lady Yue, whose face showed a rare expression of grief.

This is understandable. Lord Yin Shan was only a Qi Refinement cultivator throughout his life, and the so-called teachings and blessings he bestowed were merely those of low-level cultivators. It is only natural that local tyrants like the Yue Household in the border states were not particularly fond of him, and there is no reason for them to be critical.

However, the woman's appearance seemed to create an unexpected barrier between Qin Sufu and the Chongming Sect members.

However, no one showed it. They changed into Hemp Robe with Qin Sufu and his wife, and then stood in front of the hall to welcome the mourners and worshippers.

Contrary to the overwhelming response that Sect Leader Kang Da had anticipated, quite a few people came to offer their condolences over the past ten days. However, the majority of them were low-level Rogue Cultivator who were not even familiar with the name of Lord Shan, yet they had traveled great distances just to enjoy a vegetarian feast. As for the remaining minority, their identities need to be examined individually.

One of them was a shrewd and cunning flatterer who wanted to curry favor with Qin Sufu, a high-ranking official in the state and the son-in-law of his Yue Household's family.

Among them, most of the families were from Ping and Jin counties who made a living. They admired the Daoist Black Shoes and Sect Leader Kang Da and took this opportunity to save face and make a good connection.

Only those remaining in the third group truly admired the deeds of Lord Shan, and thus went to great lengths to come and pay their respects.

The sight of this scene chilled everyone in the hall to the bone.

Kang Dabao had assumed that the Daoist Black Shoes was also quite angry, but after observing him for several days, his nominal uncle remained as calm as ever, never uttering a word and seemingly indifferent.

Fearing something amiss, Sect Leader Kang Da approached the Daoist Black Shoes, about to offer words of comfort, but the latter spoke first, "It's nothing. It would be strange if people like Lord Shan and my elder brother, who are so good at doing good deeds, were to have their doors bustling with visitors like those immoral high-ranking cultivators."

These words left Sect Leader Kang Da speechless, and he remained sullen and displeased until the end of the funeral.

Ten days passed quickly, and before long, Sect Leader Kang Da had even finished dismantling the mourning hall, which was completely different from what he had imagined.

He originally intended to bury Lord Shan next to his master's grave, so that not only could the bond between the two master and disciple be fulfilled, but Chongming Sect could also have someone specifically look after him. However, Qin Sufu rejected Kang Dabao's idea and took Lord Shan back to Fish Mountain Island.

That place holds many memories for the master and disciple; it was a spot Qin Sufu had chosen long ago.

If the leader of the Fellow Cultivators Association and the only Foundation Establishment cultivator Li Mingyuan, were sensible, they would not dare to neglect their duties, considering Qin Sufu's position as the military commander of the prefecture and Sect Leader Kang Da's concurrent command of two counties.

Kang Dabao was not qualified to argue with Qin Sufu, his legitimate disciple. He simply accompanied the latter back to the Fish Mountain Fellow Cultivators Association, gave a warning to several leaders in the association, and then parted ways with Qin Sufu.

Upon entering the Chongming Sect's archway, Sect Leader Kang Da immediately saw a handsome young boy with delicate features.

"Chang'er?" Kang Dabao's tone held a hint of surprise as he asked, "Why are you here all alone?"

Upon He Chang Sect Leader Kang Da return to the sect, He Chang's eyes lit up, and he excitedly said, "Uncle, Mother and Uncle Hei saw that Chang'er was waiting for you here, and they want to take you back to the courtyard after you return."

"Oh?" Kang Dabao's heart sank upon hearing this, but he didn't show it. He just smiled at the little guy, picked him up and carried him toward He Wanying's courtyard.

He had broad shoulders, He Chang felt even more comfortable sitting on him than when he usually sat on a cross stool.

Now, the grandson of Old Sect Leader He is seven years old. He was only found to have Spirit Root this autumn and is currently cultivating in the Nurturing Qilin Hall Chongming Sect. He has just been able to Drawing Spirit into the Body and has become a disciple at the First Layer of Qi Refining of Qi Refining.

To the great relief of Sect Leader Kang Da, although He Chang's aptitude was not particularly good, he at least did not inherit his father Feng Wan's Five Spirit Roots.

Although he possesses Four Spirit Roots, he is considered to be at the bottom among his peers at the Nurturing Qilin Hall. However, with the help of elders like Kang Dabao, his cultivation should not be too difficult compared to his more talented fellow disciples.

He Wanying's courtyard was not far from the sect's archway. The uncle and niece chatted and laughed all the way, and soon they stepped into the courtyard one after the other.

He Wanying was tanning talisman paper in the inner courtyard, saw the arrival of Sect Leader Kang Da and hurriedly put down her work. Without saying a word, she entered the Seclusion Chamber and invited the Daoist Black Shoes out.

Kang Dabao hurried forward, bowing deeply and saying, "The Spiritual Qi here is thin; why must you cultivate here, Uncle-Master? If you have anything to say, simply summon my brother and me with a token, and I will bring Wanying to the Jade Toad cave abode."

"Forget these formalities. This is my last day in Little Ring Mountain, and there's no one else around. Tear off this stale, fuzzy paper wrapping and relax."

Although the sorrow in the eyes of the Daoist Black Shoes was still hard to conceal, it was much better than when Sect Leader Kang Da left.

Even when he spoke, there was a rare hint of sarcasm in his tone, a rarity usually seen only when he was in a good mood.

"Master is leaving?!" The brother and sister asked in unison, their voices filled with doubt. He Wanying, completely unaware of the gravity of the situation, added after asking, "How long will Master be gone this time? When will he return? Wanying will need to prepare some food."

"Junior Sister is right. I will summon Shilun then and he will properly serve my Martial Uncle." Kang Dabao was about to continue He Wanying's words when he saw the Daoist Black Shoes wave his hand slightly, and the conversation was stopped.

"Wanying doesn't know, what are you pretending for now?" The Daoist Black Shoes glanced at Sect Leader Kang Da, then whispered to He Wanying, "Who knows when he'll return."

"Ah, Martial Aunt, this senior brother of yours..." Upon hearing this news, He Wanying's beautiful eyes were instantly filled with astonishment.

His suspicions were spot on. Kang Dabao, who was usually quite talkative, fell silent and lowered his head, waiting for the Daoist Black Shoes to continue.

As soon as the Daoist Black Shoes finished speaking, He Wanying knew that she had no say in this matter.

Once she was away from the man, her mind was still relatively clear. She immediately hid her disappointment and changed the subject, asking, "Uncle-Master, would you like something else to eat?"

At this moment, the Daoist Black Shoes temporarily concealed the sorrow in his eyes and said with a faint smile, "In my memory, the locust flower dumplings that my sister-in-law made were the most delicious. It's been quite a few years since I've tasted them. I just don't know if my dear niece can make them."

"Wanying will definitely do her best." He Wanying was surprised to hear this. After agreeing, she nervously prepared to leave, but was stopped by Kang Dabao, who was looking down, who said, "Are you out of your mind? Don't you even know what time it is? It's winter, where would you find locust flowers?"

"This..." He Wanying was taken aback at first after hearing what Sect Leader Kang Da He Wanying, then she realized, "That's right, Senior Brother is right. Martial Aunt, there are no locust flowers yet, let's wait until the beginning of summer when the first flowers bloom before we have this meal."

The Daoist Black Shoes's smile widened. He glanced at Kang Dabao, who was cowering in the shadows, before speaking to He Wanying again, "What nonsense is my niece spouting? We are no ordinary people. Go find Yixiu; he has his own way of handling things."

He Wanying stopped trying to persuade him and nodded hastily. Just as she was about to pull He Chang along to find Zhou Yixiu, she saw the Daoist Black Shoes reach out and hug her, then casually wave his hand, urging her to leave.

He Wanying glanced one last time at the Sect Leader Kang Da, who was still keeping his head down. Seeing that he had no further reaction, she nervously stepped out of the courtyard.

"Uncle Hei, now that you're gone, when will you be able to come back to see Chang'er?"

"Haha, Uncle doesn't know either, it might be a long time, right? Perhaps by then, my Chang'er will already be Uncle."

"Ah, it takes this long?!" He Chang exclaimed in surprise, his eyes widening like saucers. Kang Dabao also raised his head slightly, but as soon as his gaze met that of the Daoist Black Shoes, he quickly pulled his head back down.

"Where is Uncle going?"

"To the open sea."

What are you going to do on the open sea?

"Go cultivate, form your Core Formation, and then Upper-Grade Golden Core. After Core Formation, you'll reach the Nascent Soul stage. After that, you'll have to wait until your cultivation is complete before you can return to see Chang'er."

After chatting for a while, He Wanying and Zhou Yixiu returned to the courtyard with a basket of fresh locust blossoms.

It's impossible that only the two of them returned this time. The Daoist Black Shoes had no intention of suppressing the news. Once the Chongming Sect's figures of sufficient status heard the news, which one wouldn't come?

After He Wanying returned, she took He Chang from the arms of the Daoist Black Shoes and led the group to the outer courtyard to busy themselves, leaving the inner courtyard to the Daoist Black Shoes and Kang Dabao alone again.

"When does Master Uncle plan to depart?" Sect Leader Kang Da finally broke his silence and asked.

The Daoist Black Shoes smiled again, moved over and gently patted Kang Dabao's shoulder before saying slowly, "We can't wait a few more days. Since I'm asking for Upper-Grade Golden Core, Shannan Circuit is too small. After all, I don't want to be a lackey of the Great Wei Immortal Dynasty, so I'll have to continue searching in the outer seas."

"Upper-Grade Golden Core."

Although Kang Dabao had already heard this news from the conversation between the Daoist Black Shoes and He Chang, he was still slightly surprised to hear the Daoist Black Shoes mention it again.

The Daoist Black Shoes's smile faded, and he continued decisively, "Haha, it's just a chance to seek fortuitous opportunity. There's no guarantee of success, and one might even die. There's nothing that can be done about it. Most of the Golden Core cultivators in Shannan Circuit are of low grade, and even middle grade is extremely rare."

Both are Golden Core, but in the eyes of Upper-Grade Golden Core, these two are like pigs and dogs. I must search elsewhere, or perhaps even far beyond the outer seas. Even if it's far, even if I leave the Great Wei Immortal Dynasty and go to other forces at the foot of Bitter Spirit Mountain, my martial uncle will still have to search for them."

"My uncle-master has such ambition." Kang Dabao breathed a sigh of relief, because in his mind, forming Upper-Grade Golden Core was something that only aristocratic families like Kuang Liuting, who had produced such talent over several generations, could even dream of.

Kang Dabao had no intention of trying to dissuade him further, but simply added, "I imagine there must be many dangers involved."

"It is indeed dangerous; it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it's a nine-out-of-ten chance of death. But cultivators are meant to fight against fate; if you fall behind even a little, you'll fall behind every step of the way. I, your uncle, cannot afford to wait any longer." The Daoist Black Shoes's expression was calm, and even those who came closer to examine him could not detect any fear.

"Uncle-Master," Kang Dabao gritted his teeth. He dared not reveal such a huge secret as the Black Bone and the Primordial Gourd to anyone else, but

With a flick of his wrist, Sect Leader Kang Da produced an item. "This is something I found in an ancient tomb. Please take it with you, Uncle, for protection."

"Ha, it's rare to see someone so filial," the Daoist Black Shoes initially looked pleased, then casually reached out and took it. However, as soon as he held it in his hand, without even examining it for a moment, the Daoist Black Shoes's smile gradually faded.

"Third-Tier Middle-Grade flying sword, where did you get that from?!"

"The boy found it in the cave abode."

"Impossible. This flying sword is full of sharpness, yet it is unsealed and stained with blood. It is clearly Higher Vehicle work forged by everyone in recent years. How could it be sealed for many years? How could it be possible?" The Daoist Black Shoes stopped halfway through his sentence.

He reached out and pushed the flying sword back, saying only, "Keep it safe, keep it for Brother Qing. When Brother Qing reaches the Foundation Establishment Peak, he might be able to use this sword to strike False Core Formation cultivator. However, once this sword appears in the world, there will definitely be quite a stir, so you need to keep it."

"Since the ninth day of the first month of the 424th year of Qianfeng's reign, this flying sword has been prepared for my uncle. I only hope that this sword can help my uncle make his journey through hardship a little smoother, and that will fulfill my filial duty."

"Ha," the Daoist Black Shoes said, calculating with his fingers for a moment, a hint of surprise appearing in his eyes.

His newly grown beard was slightly messy, and it was being lifted by a mountain breeze. At the same time, the image of Kang Dabao in his eyes vaguely overlapped with the towering, Like a Mountain in his memory.

The Daoist Black Shoes stared blankly at Kang Dabao for a long while before suddenly laughing, "You really do resemble your master."

After saying that, he no longer refused, and ignoring the slight confusion on the Sect Leader Kang Da after hearing his words, he laughed loudly and formed a sword seal. A sharp aura lifted the flying sword and sent it into the hands of the Daoist Black Shoes.

It was a moment of tender affection, yet the two of them were at a loss for words. The sadness of parting grew ever stronger in the courtyard, making it difficult for either of them to speak.

Fortunately, seeing He Wanying the commotion inside the inner courtyard was not too great, He Wanying mustered her courage and called out to break the silence, "Uncle-Master, the dumplings are ready."

"Let's go," the Daoist Black Shoes put away his flying sword, but felt that this rare Third Tier Law Treasure was not as likable as the lazy boy in front of him.

The latter took a deep breath, his previous dejected look vanished instantly, replaced by a smile as he walked out of the inner courtyard with the Daoist Black Shoes.

Five days later, Little Ring Mountain

"Don't bother seeing me off; we'll have to part ways eventually."

After bidding farewell to the younger generation who came to see him off, the Daoist Black Shoes chuckled and spoke to Kang Dabao, who remained at the back.

The latter let out a long sigh, bowed one last time, and said, "The path to immortality is fraught with peril; I hope you will take care, Martial Uncle!"

The Daoist Black Shoes nodded, then added, "I know for sure that you don't need to worry about me at home. After I leave, the state court's attitude towards you may change, so you need to be prepared. The Kuang Household is the most heartless and ungrateful, and I think An Kuang Liuting is no exception. Be careful, lest he betray you."

"I understand, sir."

"And then there's your Yue Household. The Ying Prefecture Fei Household has placed a heavy bet on Kuang Liuting. If they win, all will be well; if not, it's hard to say. Rumor has it that if the Kuang Household doesn't cover up Fei Ye Shui's death, their family might face ruin."

"I understand, sir."

After nodding, the Daoist Black Shoes turned halfway around, then turned back again. He looked at Kang Dabao one last time before speaking:

"This journey may take hundreds of years, or you may never return. But no matter what, you must cultivate diligently. Otherwise, when I return with my Golden Core complete, you will be old and frail, yet you will still have to call me Uncle-Master. What kind of behavior would that be?"

"Xiao Zixiao"

"When I return, I will tell you what happened back then. I just hope you won't blame me then."

Kang Dabao's eyes snapped open, and before he could even ask a question, the Daoist Black Shoes had already turned away decisively. As the latter stepped onto the Solemn Autumn Sword and vanished into the clouds, he shouted, "I'm leaving! Brother Bao, cultivate diligently, and wait for my return!"

Sect Leader Kang Da remained silent, watching the figure of the Daoist Black Shoes gradually disappear. His feelings at this moment were exactly the same as when he had just gotten up from Old Sect Leader He's sickbed and received the Master's Stone Ring.

"After that, there was no more shade from the big tree overhead," he sighed wistfully, then a faint smile appeared on his face. "It's nothing. My uncle had wanted to leave for a long time, but he couldn't bear to leave, so we dragged him down with him."

Unable to bear watching the Daoist Black Shoes's departing figure any longer, Sect Leader Kang Da turned around, stroking the stone thumb ring on his hand, and continued to think, "I've done well; I won't disappoint Master and Uncle again. You must know, forty-four years ago, I was merely a weak cultivator at the Qi Refining Second Layer."

The setting sun generously cast its last rays upon Kang Dabao's broad, sturdy back, warming him and making him straighten his spine, dispelling all his dejection.

"I, Kang Dabao, will surely ensure that the lineage of this Chongming Sect flourishes and continues uninterrupted!"