Fifty Years Later

Recently, Azure Rosy Cloud Mountain, located in Linyuan County Three Ting Prefectures, Mountain North Circuit, has been bustling with activity. Even the towns and villages adjacent to Azure Rosy Cloud Mountain have been filled with cultivators from other counties.

The sudden arrival of so many unfamiliar faces meant another large sum of Spirit Stone was coming in, which made all the city magistrates, big and small, beam with joy. However, this strange scene naturally surprised many people.

The cultivators who make a living here, even those who carry firewood and dung, are not stupid; their ability to spy and seize opportunities is innate.

So, within just a few days, a piece of news began to circulate in the market:

"Hehuan Sect Xuepu, the Lord Lian -Peach-Burning Envoy the Hehuan Sect, approaches his 250th birthday, cultivators from all over Three Ting Prefectures who possess even a little bit of knowledge have come to offer their congratulations."

Since the passing of the True Person Moon Hidden of Five Old Mothers Mountain, the cultivators of Five Old Mothers Mountain have all become extremely honest, focusing solely on locking up most of the prefectures and counties under their jurisdiction, exploiting the local areas in peace so they can focus on their cultivation.

In this way, they had already occupied a portion of the Hehuan Sect on that immortal mountain in Yuan Prefecture, and naturally became the dominant force in the Mountain North Circuit.

Even the most ignorant cultivators in the market knew that the person who could become the Peach Burning Envoy of the Joyful Union Sect was a great figure, someone even a Pseudo-Core Pill Master or a Golden Core cultivator would treat with respect. Such a person was not someone they, as insignificant cultivators, could possibly curry favor with.

However, although this news could only be a topic of conversation for these Qi Refinement cultivators who spent their days mingling in the market, it did not dampen their interest in the slightest.

At this moment, the Huiyuan Teahouse, the oldest teahouse in Linyuan County, was abuzz with discussion.

Bo Guming and Nong Daokui, who can wear mid-grade magic robes, are only one step away from the Foundation Establishment realm. They are qualified to drink tea and discuss the Dao with the villagers. They can be considered outstanding figures among the Rogue Cultivator of Linyuan.

So as soon as the two entered the teahouse, the ever-so-sensible tea server led them to a quiet tea table on the inner side. There were bamboo curtains and a sound-silencing array set up there; unless someone of high enough importance came, the tea owner would rather leave the table empty than serve them.

As soon as Bo Guming and Nong Daokui sat down, the tea drinkers around them immediately showed some delight.

They effortlessly put on smiling faces, greeted the visitors, and received their tips before happily leaving their tea seats amidst the envious gazes of the onlookers.

The regret on the faces of the Rogue Cultivator was genuine; after all, wealthy individuals like Bo and Nong rarely had the opportunity to come to this teahouse to chat.

"Lian Xuepu, the Peach- Peach-Burning Envoy the Hehuan Sect? Brother Nongdao, isn't that... isn't that one side?"

"Shut up!! If you want to be beaten to death and thrown out by those motherless patrolmen in the market, you'd better not get too close to me!"

Bo Guming, whose cultivation was slightly less, received a reprimand, but he wasn't angry. Instead, after realizing his mistake, he bowed solemnly to Nong Daokui, and then softened his tone a bit:

"It was my mistake, please forgive me, brother."

"I spoke too harshly earlier, my dear brother, please don't take offense," Nong Daokui's expression softened slightly, then he adopted a cryptic look and read in a low voice:

"Market Warden Qiu has already gathered several heads of poor families in the county and pooled together some funds to go to Azure Rosy Cloud Mountain to celebrate the birthday."

Bo Guming's tone was somewhat surprised. "That's strange, this stingy person is actually willing to give away such a generous gift?"

"How could we not want to?! Every family in the surrounding area with even a modicum of standing would want to show their face on Azure Rosy Cloud Mountain. That Qiu fellow climbed up to a Pill Master by selling his body and became his godfather, but not Pill Master are the same, look at that."

Nong Daokui stopped mid-sentence. Then, he abruptly slapped Bo Guming beside him and exclaimed, "Brother, look! The important person I told you about is here!!"

"A big shot?" The young Bo Guming looked in the direction Nong Daokui pointed, but the latter had already shot out like a black gold crossbow bolt.

The newcomer was a young man who looked to be in his early twenties. He wore a moon-white brocade robe with silver thread cloud patterns, and the collar and cuffs were adorned with tiny sandalwood beads. The beads jingled softly as he walked, making his figure appear even more upright.

He had a handsome face, slightly raised eyebrows, and a nonchalant air of nobility in the corners of his eyes. In his hand, he toyed with a lustrous white Ruyi. The handle of the Ruyi indicating that it belonged to a distinguished family.

Two servants in blue robes followed behind, each carrying a gold-lacquered box on either side of a carrying pole. The boxes faintly emitted fluctuations of spiritual energy, indicating that there were precious items hidden inside.

The moment this wealthy young man stepped into the teahouse, he didn't utter a single word, yet the once bustling teahouse instantly became so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

It's no wonder the Rogue Cultivator in the teahouse reacted this way. Even Bo Guming, a prominent figure here, was taken aback when he saw the string of Buddhist incense beads on the newcomer.

"Just one of them would probably be enough to take my life!"

The tea shop owner was right at the door, and he rushed ahead of Nong Daokui to greet him and bow.

The wealthy young man who arrived merely nodded indifferently, his gaze sweeping across the teahouse before finally settling on Nong Daokui. A faint smile played on his lips as he slowly said, "Are you Nong Daokui, Fellow Daoist Nong?!"

"I dare not tarnish your humble name, young Nong Da. You may simply call me Nong Da." Nong Daokui was overjoyed to see that the visitor remembered his name.

He dared not look directly into the wealthy young man's clear eyes, but instead pulled Bo Guming aside and introduced him in a strained voice:

"This is my sworn brother, Bo Guming. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to carry out the young master's orders properly, so I brought him along. My sworn brother has many connections and influence in Linyuan County; he can surely help make things right."

"That's thoughtful of you," the wealthy young man nodded and smiled, seemingly satisfied.

As soon as he stepped into the teahouse, the two men in blue robes behind him scattered a handful of Spirit Stone, urging the Rogue Cultivator inside to leave politely.

No one wants to be interrupted when they're having a great conversation, unless, of course, they've won Spirit Stone.

After the profusely grateful Rogue Cultivator left with a string of flattering words, the green-robed attendant slipped a bag of Spirit Stone into the tea shop owner's arms.

After the wealthy young master and Nong and Bo took their seats, two more array plates were placed in the teahouse to isolate the inside from the outside.

The tea shop owner, having been kicked out of his shop, dared not show the slightest resentment on his face. Having seen a bit of the world, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly:

"Even if the county magistrate came here, he probably wouldn't have such an air of grandeur. Just who is this young master? And what merits do Nong Daokui and Bo Guming have to be associated with such a person?"

Not to mention the tea shop owner, who was standing on the sidelines, had no idea who this person was, even Bo Guming, who was facing the wealthy young master, was full of questions.

This young nobleman's spiritual essence is not profound, indicating that he has not been cultivating for long and is still far from establishing Dao Foundation. However, the two green-robed attendants beside him are both True Cultivator Foundation Establishment, which further highlights his noble status.

This young nobleman clearly didn't have time to waste with the two Qi Refining Powder cultivators, so he simply said in a low voice:

Three years ago, my half-brother came to Linyuan. It was only thanks to Nong Daoyou's help that he was able to complete his mission successfully and avoid being punished by his family.

My Jade Moon Shan Household is not an ignorant family, but there are still some rare treasures missing from the gift list. It is difficult to procure them all at once. The elders in the family have decided to take a break first and purchase them from nearby.

Since you brothers are respected local figures, you should check what items are available that can help alleviate my family's urgent needs."

"Thank you, young master!"

Upon hearing this flattering remark, Nong Daokui quickly pulled Bo Guming aside and bowed respectfully.

He was very careful in his actions, and when he bowed, he was so short that he almost bent over.

Afterwards, she held the silk scroll in the young master's hand high above her head with both hands, took several steps back, and then dared to look at it with a fawning smile, hunching over and pulling Bo Guming along.

Although these two were of low cultivation level, they were still considered local strongmen in Linyuan County. After glancing through the gift list, Nong Daokui whispered something to Bo Guming, and then had a general idea of what was going on. He then replied in a low voice:

"Reporting to young master, apart from the two spiritual materials, orchid leaf bamboo and epimedium, which we two have no way of obtaining, we can gather all the other items."

"Oh, my dear brothers, you mustn't speak falsehoods. It's a matter of great importance; if things go wrong, even I can't bear the consequences."

"Such an important matter, we dare not utter a single word of boasting. If anything goes wrong, Young Master Ren, you may take your own head."

When Nong Daokui swore an oath, he changed his cautious demeanor and adopted a resolute tone.

"Very well then, let's await good news." The young nobleman chuckled softly, offering no further words of comfort or encouragement. He merely exchanged a glance with his two attendants in blue robes, and they immediately dispelled the magic array and returned the teahouse to its original state.

Bo Guming was completely unprepared and had his life taken by his own Daoist brother, looked utterly innocent. Although he harbored resentment, he and Nong Daokui had been friends for many years, and he couldn't very well resort to violence immediately. He could only ask in a muffled voice:

"Who exactly is this member of the Jade Moon Shan Household?!"

Nong Daokui could hear the dissatisfaction in his sworn brother's words, but he only chuckled and said, "This is the only legitimate son of the Shan Household head Shan Shijie, and the one who will inherit the family business in the future."

"The son of False Core?" Bo Guming suddenly realized and exclaimed in surprise.

"That's no ordinary son of False Core, he's the legitimate son of False Core cultivator!" Seeing his sworn brother's expression change drastically, Nong Daokui emphasized again, then couldn't help but feel a little smug:

"His birth mother is even more extraordinary; she is a daughter of the Zhang Household Double Brightness, a descendant of the founding patriarch of the Chongming Sect; she was also a junior disciple taught by the concubine of the Sect Leader Kang Da, and the direct disciple of the late Elder Zhou!"

"Is their background really that powerful?" Upon hearing this, Bo Guming no longer cared about his own life and was so shocked that he could hardly speak.

"Of course," the tea shop owner and the others hesitated to enter, but Nong Daokui dared to elaborate further:

"If it weren't for this relationship, why would the head of the Shan Household go to great lengths to seek medicine and ensure his wife could give birth to a legitimate son after she was over a hundred years old? Do you think his wife isn't afraid of being laughed at by outsiders for being pregnant with a child at an old age?!"

Without this connection, how could the Jade Moon Shan Household have obtained the resources for False Core from the Chongming Sect? And how could they have secured a small share in the Double Brightness Caravan, this treasure trove?!

Nong Daokui's words stunned Bo Guming, leaving the latter speechless for a long time.

This was because Bo Guming, a rogue Rogue Cultivator, had some knowledge and knew that Chongming Sect had become far more powerful than ordinary Golden Core sects in recent years.

His family's head of the clan was personally granted a noble title by the Emperor of Wei, and he was also the eldest son-in-law of the Fei Household and a favorite of the Duke.

Despite the fact that Chongming Sect himself only has three Golden Core cultivators, he has genuinely pacified Huangpi, intervened in Mountain South, and looked towards Guxuan.

Even if you were to list all the high-ranking officials in the Office of the Duke of Qin, you would probably find few who wield more power than this man.

Therefore, apart from the fact that Mountain North Circuit is the territory of the Hehuan Sect, the Double Brightness Caravan, which Nong Daokui just mentioned, also gained many advantages in the other three roads under the jurisdiction of the Office of the Duke of Qin. How could they not make a fortune?!

With the Jade Moon Shan Household receiving such support, it's a pleasant surprise that Nong and Bo can at least get a slight connection with their eldest son.

After thinking it over for a long time, Bo Guming finally uttered half a sentence under Nong Daokui's teasing gaze:

"This Shan Household head has quite a good appetite."

"Get out of here! Doing this job well can lead to great success, but doing it poorly can cost you your head!"

Nong Daokui laughed and cursed, ignoring his sworn brother's absurd words, and immediately pulled Bo Guming to get started.

In the following days, the two men pawned their possessions and borrowed from all their relatives and friends, and then shut themselves away from visitors, finally managing to gather the gifts they had promised on the previous gift list.

Then, on the appointed day, they lit incense and sent talismans to persuade the Shan Household to come.

This time, they couldn't bear to see the eldest son of the Shan Household. Nong and Bo only presented the precious item to one of the servants in blue robes they had met before. Only then did the servant nod and say, "Not bad."

Upon hearing these words, Nong and Bo were overjoyed, expressing their deepest gratitude, and the burden on their hearts was suddenly lifted.

The attendant made no other gesture, only handing Nong Daokui a talisman. "Just come and wait here tomorrow."

Nong and Bo spent the night in fear and trepidation. The next morning, they met the procession from the Jade Moon Shan Household of Fei Yue who had come to offer their birthday greetings at the agreed-upon location.

Everyone in the Feiyue Shan family was obviously very serious about this trip to celebrate their birthday. The wealthy young man they saw stood behind all the Shan family's fake elixirs and real cultivators, and could not see the slightest bit of dandyism.

Those who accompanied the Shan Household family to offer birthday greetings were not limited to Nong and Bo; most of them were prominent figures from the surrounding counties. Apart from them, the one with the lowest cultivation level was also a newly promoted True Cultivator whom the two knew.

The surrounding spiritual atmosphere was so strong that it seemed as if Nong and Bo were soaking in a spiritual spring. They appeared out of place among the two Qi Refinement cultivators, making people mistakenly think that they had a great background.

Seeing the endless convoy laden with precious items, the two realized that the small gift they had put together for the Shan Household was truly a drop in the ocean.

That Shan Household master Shan really did take time out of his busy schedule to repay the small favor that Nong Daokui had inadvertently accumulated.

The cloud path at the foot of Azure Rosy Cloud Mountain was already completely blocked by the birthday celebration procession. This cloud path was originally set up by Elder Wei Gu of the Chongming Sect's Formation Hall.

Normally, the space is wide enough to accommodate ten Second Tier flying boats side by side when guests come to visit, with enough space between them for people to pass through. But now, there is hardly any room to put one's feet down.

The spiritual light on the lampposts on both sides of the cloud path, originally meant to guide the way, was now flickering due to the crowds pushing and shoving, and even the wind seemed to be squeezed so tightly that it could only swirl close to the ground.

Because of the legendary story of a certain sect leader, Nong Daokui had spent a lot of money in his early years to master the Eye Technique, which now came in handy.

He could see clearly that the first one was Third Tier flying boat from Huangpi Circuit Red Cloud Mountain.

The spirit boat gleamed with a warm red glow in the sunlight, and thirty-six incense lamps hung on both sides of the hull, each containing a soul-gathering incense stick. The fragrance wafted far and wide, overpowering the incense from other groups around it.

The scarlet brocade banner hanging at the bow of the boat, which read "Congratulations on the Thousand Autumns of the Peach-Burning Envoy," was woven from the tail feathers of the Demon Beast "Fire Phoenix." When the wind blew, it spread out to a width of more than ten feet, obscuring most of the flying boats of the houses behind it.

The disciples of Red Cloud Mountain deliberately stood at the bow of the boat, swallowed pills, concentrated their spiritual power in their throats, and shouted, "Red Cloud Mountain congratulates Peach-Burning Envoy Tao on his birthday! We wish you good health and a long and prosperous path to immortality!"

The voice, imbued with spiritual power, drowned out all the surrounding noise, clearly aiming to steal the spotlight.

With Red Cloud Mountain so ostentatious, how could the other sects of the Huangpi Circuit Golden Core Elixir School possibly lag behind?

Next to the Red Cloud Mountain flying boat was the Jade Billows Sect. Although they did not have Third Tier flying boat, their disciples controlled twenty or thirty azure lotus leaves. On each lotus leaf sat a Foundation Establishment True Cultivator, holding a jade box containing congratulatory gifts.

The jade box lid wasn't fully closed, revealing the shimmering white luster of "Azure Dew" inside. As the lotus leaves took flight, spiritual energy stirred the clouds, weaving a small water curtain in mid-air. The words "Happy Birthday" were reflected on the water curtain, attracting the attention of the cultivators nearby.

The sect leader of the Jade Water Sect stood on the lotus leaf at the very front, his eyes sweeping over the flying boat from Red Cloud Mountain, and then he gave his disciple a wink.

Immediately, two disciples activated their spiritual power, causing the lotus leaf cluster to move forward half a foot, just touching the stern of the Red Cloud Mountain flying boat. Although it was only half a foot, it showed their unwillingness to admit defeat.

There were more than just these two Golden Core Elixir sects in the arena; twelve Golden Core Elixir sects and seventy-six False Core sects from Huangpi Circuit had all come.

Besides these guests who had traveled a long way from Huangpi Circuit, behind them were the Aristocratic Clan and families from the surrounding Linyuan County, as well as the officials of the prefecture and county, all crammed together.

Flying boats and beast-drawn carriages, laden with rare treasures, rushed towards the mountain peak. The mountain path was packed with people, and even the wind seemed to carry the warmth of birthday celebrations, making the mountain road completely impassable.

It was truly a scene of neighing men and howling horses—utter chaos.

These highly skilled cultivators, rarely seen in ordinary times, were now hardly showing any dignity, practically wearing the words "a battle of egos" on their faces.

Nong Daokui was astonished. He had been cultivating for decades and had seen a lot of the world, but this was the first time he had ever seen such a scene of gift-giving, which turned into a chaotic mess of eight immortals crossing the sea and a hundred boats racing.

Bo Guming exclaimed in astonishment, "Is this Peach Burning Envoy on the mountain really just a fake Pill Master?! Even when the leader of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect of the Northern Mountain Road was celebrating his birthday, he didn't have such an imposing presence!"

Fortunately, because of their connection to the Chongming Sect, the Jade Moon Shan Household didn't have to give way to others as often as those from smaller families when traveling. Even so, by the time Nong and Bo landed outside the archway carrying the precious treasures, they were already drenched in sweat and looked quite disheveled.

Fortunately, once we arrived here, a host provided us with food, water, and shelter to rest in.

At this time, if each family that came to offer congratulations had an invitation in hand, the guest master of Azure Rosy Cloud Mountain could distinguish between different classes and make arrangements accordingly. However, even within the False Core family, only some important figures were allowed to come up the mountain in person to offer their congratulations to Lian Xuepu.

It is obvious that even if Bo and Nong had sold off all their possessions from the first half of their lives, they still wouldn't be able to create a key figure.

The two of them simply stood under a newly planted pine tree and asked a yellow sparrow for a large red congratulatory card.

After much deliberation, they carefully and meticulously wrote down their birthday wishes. Finally, they carefully and respectfully added their names, stroke by stroke.

After doing all this, the two of them were led by the host and the other guests to a small grotto.

This grotto-heaven seemed to possess no extraordinary features, and all its treasures had been looted. However, its abundant spiritual energy made it suitable for entertaining guests.

Bo and Nong politely chose a place to sit down. As soon as the table was full, a monk who liked to play drinking games came out to speak.

These kinds of people are adept at social maneuvering; without even realizing it, they've already figured out who at the table is the leader of a minor Foundation Establishment sect, who's an illegitimate child from a respectable family, and who's the mistress of the fake Core Formation Master.

Even though Nong Daokui and Bo Guming came here with the intention of making friends, they never expected to be surrounded by such important people.

The two men explained their origins, but no one believed them. However, after being questioned repeatedly, neither of them changed their story, which made even these seemingly important figures seem unfathomable.

Therefore, during the exchange of toasts, they not only showed no disdain but also held the two in high regard.

In the short time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the two of them received more Foundation Establishment teachings and learned more about the secrets of the surroundings than they had in the past half of their lives. After returning, their cultivation will likely improve even more.

Just as they were secretly praising how worthwhile it was, the host came to offer another toast.

After downing a large bowl of fine wine, the two were completely intoxicated. As they sat down, they noticed another gift bag placed beside them.

The Law Artifact and elixirs inside might have been something the people at the table Huiyi off, but for Bo and Nong, they were priceless. They were so valuable that they could buy back the life they had sold.

At that moment, the two of them saw Market Warden Qiu, who was usually unapproachable, being led by an old man in a tall hat, toasting everyone.

That's perfectly normal; after all, a smart person wouldn't miss such a great opportunity to get to know someone of the same level.

When the Market Warden Qiu approached Bo and Nong's table, he toasted them one by one. When it was their turn, Bo and Nong looked quite familiar. Nong Daokui, however, mustered his courage and stepped forward. He was quite fond of gambling and said respectfully:

"Does the City Commandant still remember that empty shop in the center of the market? I, Nong, once..."

Just as Nong Daokui and his companion effortlessly accomplished a great feat that would bring blessings to their descendants, the real excitement of the birthday banquet began.

---- Azure Rosy Cloud Mountain

"The Ban Zhang of Red Cloud Mountain, Ban Zhang, brings gifts to congratulate us, presenting a pair of warm jade dragons and phoenixes, and a ten-foot-long root of Lord Lian (a type of medicinal herb), wishing Lian Gong's peaches of immortality ripen for a thousand years and his immortal bones enjoy eternal spring."

"The sect leader of the Jade Water Sect Ling Cangming, has come to offer his congratulations, presenting one hundred bushels of Azure Water Dew and three feet of Mysterious Ice Jade Marrow, wishing Lord Lian good health and a smooth path to immortality."

"Lord Quan of Three Ting Prefectures Prefecture brings gifts to offer congratulations, presenting a set of red-gold wine vessels and a pair of rhinoceros horns, Lord Lian, a long and prosperous life."

"Yang Wuwei, the patriarch of the Ye Prefecture Yang Household, has come to offer his congratulations with gifts."

"The Chief Administrator of Shannan Circuit Earl of Fengen Lord Kuai, has dispatched an envoy with gifts to offer congratulations."

"The Ying Prefecture Fei Household."

The cultivators who were calling out the names didn't stop for even a moment, taking almost a quarter of an hour to finish calling out the names of these impatient guests. As for the remaining pseudo-Dan masters who came to offer their birthday wishes, since it was already time for the banquet to begin, all they could do was apologize for the lack of proper service.

Lian Xuepu watched this scene with great satisfaction, and then bowed to each of the guests who came to offer their congratulations.

He knew that his current prestige was due to the support of the Chongming Sect cultivators behind him. If he were merely a subordinate of a Nascent Soul True Person cultivator, he could not possibly have earned this much face.

"These people are quite sensible. The sect had repeatedly warned them beforehand that if they didn't come, they would be in for trouble later." Yuan Jin chuckled to Jiang Qing, who sighed, "Senior Brother has been in seclusion for nearly half a century. I wonder if his cultivation has improved?"

Just as the two were discussing this, Sect Leader Kang Da, who had just broken through to the Late-Stage Golden Core, also arrived.

But this imposing man, without waiting for anyone to announce his name, stepped onto the jade steps and loudly proclaimed. "Chongming Sect Kang Dabao of Chongming Sect brings his respects to pay homage, congratulating Martial Uncle Lian on his enlightenment and ascension to the realm of wonders, and on his increased age and blessings as he joins the ranks of immortals."

The resounding bow echoed into the hall, and all the guests fell silent for a moment.

Although Kang Dabao has rarely appeared in public in recent years, Jiang Qing's flying sword alone is enough to suppress many Golden Core in the vicinity of Xian Prefecture, leaving them speechless.

The former, having been born nearly half a century later, chose to be on Azure Rosy Cloud Mountain, a place where wise men gather, but it is unknown whether some storms will be stirred up again.