area51novel Page 128
Page 128
Hmph, since Wugensheng disappeared, Quanxing has become increasingly depraved and despicable, and now it's no different from bandits.
"That means if you were caught by the entire gang, and if you fell into my hands..."
His tone suddenly turned cold, "...even for them, dying is a luxury."
The temperature in the office seemed to drop several degrees instantly.
Xu Xiang paused for a moment, knowing that this Taoist priest was absolutely true to his word and had the ability to do so.
Xu Xiang changed the subject and cautiously asked:
"Then...when do you plan to meet with Chu Lan in person? There are some things that, perhaps, would be more effective if you, as his junior advisor, told him personally."
Zhang Yunyuan pondered for a moment, then shook his head:
"No rush. Let him experience things with the baby first, and see his character and choices. I'll make arrangements later."
His gaze was far-reaching. "If he ultimately decides to embark on this path, there will be no turning back. Let him... think it over carefully."
Chapter 148 The Grand Ritual of Luo Tian!
The inner chambers of the Celestial Master's Mansion on Longhu Mountain are always exceptionally quiet.
Outside the window, there was a flowing sea of clouds and the faint sound of pine trees rustling in the wind. Inside, there was only the soft crackling of sandalwood incense burning and the gentle sound of tea being poured into a cup.
Zhang Zhiwei put down the teapot and filled the teacup in front of him. The rising steam blurred his calm and expressionless face.
He didn't look up, as if he were talking to thin air.
"What's the matter? Why are you in such a hurry to go up the mountain?"
Zhang Yunyuan sat opposite him, without looking at the steaming cup of tea.
His posture was upright, and his eyes were clear, which seemed slightly out of place with his youthful appearance.
He got straight to the point, without any pleasantries.
"Of course, it's for Zhang Chulan, and also for what Senior Brother Huaiyi risked his life to protect."
Zhang Zhiwei finally lifted his eyelids, his gaze falling on Zhang Yunyuan's face through the misty steam.
He picked up his teacup, blew on it gently, took a sip, and then slowly spoke.
“That child… is in some trouble right now, but if she’s willing to completely live a life of anonymity and peace, it might not be a bad thing. Do you really want to drag her into this mess?”
His tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable scrutiny.
"It's not that I wanted to drag him into this."
Zhang Yunyuan's tone remained unwavering, calm yet icy: "The Quanxing people have already come knocking! He had no choice."
After hiding for ten years, where else can he hide?
Brother Huaiyi risked his life to save him, not to let him live the rest of his life as a shadowy rat.
"Hmph, that's putting it lightly."
Zhang Zhiwei put down his teacup, the bottom of which gently tapped against the saucer, making a crisp sound.
His voice deepened, carrying a hint of weight.
"Putting him into the open is like putting him on a hot fire!"
Longhu Mountain has been peaceful for so many years, and now you're bringing up all the old grievances from decades ago!
Then, trouble will come like a tidal wave, and there will be no peace!
Zhang Yunyuan's eyes suddenly sharpened, like the edge of a drawn sword.
"Brother Huaiyi died under mysterious circumstances, and his grandson has been on the run for ten years, living in constant fear. That's not the real problem."
Can you hide forever? Senior brother, wasn't the lesson learned back then painful enough?
"If Senior Brother Huaiyi had been willing to come up the mountain back then, he wouldn't have ended up like that."
He leaned forward slightly, his gaze fixed intently on Zhang Zhiwei.
"The Eight Extraordinary Skills are right there!"
Whether they are good or bad, right or wrong, depends on who gets them and how they are used!
That was something that Brother Huaiyi risked his life for, so why should it be hidden away forever, never to see the light of day?
Chu Lan has the right to know the truth, and he has the right to choose his own path in life!
Zhang Zhiwei fell silent.
His worldly-wise old eyes narrowed slightly, and his fingers unconsciously tapped lightly on the smooth mahogany tabletop, producing a rhythmic tapping sound.
For a moment, only the soft tapping sounds and the faint crackling of sandalwood burning in the incense burner filled the room. The air seemed to freeze, heavy enough to crush one's nerves.
After a long while, the knocking stopped.
Zhang Zhiwei exhaled a long, slow breath, as if releasing all the weighing and concerns in his heart.
When he looked up again, his gaze was different, regaining the unfathomable composure and decisiveness that a Celestial Master should possess, a determination that left no room for doubt once a decision was made.
"Alright. Your stubbornness hasn't changed at all in decades, just like your master back then."
He paused, his voice clear and powerful, each word carrying immense force.
“Since I’m going to get involved, I can’t just do it on a small scale. I’ll hold a grand ‘Luo Tian Grand Ritual’ in the name of the Celestial Master.”
Zhang Yunyuan's eyebrows twitched almost imperceptibly.
"The Grand Ritual of Luo Tian?"
Martial arts demonstration at Longhu Mountain.
It hasn't been held for decades.
In the last time the event was held, Zhang Huaiyi narrowly lost to Zhang Zhiwei, which led to his inner demon of going down the mountain for training.
Zhang Zhiwei nodded and explained clearly:
"First, let everyone know clearly that Zhang Chulan is a legitimate disciple of Longhu Mountain, and is officially registered as a disciple."
Anyone who touches him again is openly slapping Longhu Mountain in the face and making an enemy of our Zheng Yi sect.”
He extended his second finger.
"Second, give him a legitimate reason and stage to return to the mountains and acknowledge his ancestors."
If his name is not proper, his words will lack authority. With this identity, whatever he wants to investigate in the future, Longhu Mountain will have his backing.
He paused slightly, a subtle yet profound glint flashing in his eyes, and slowly extended his third finger.
"Thirdly... we can also take this opportunity to see what kind of people the younger generation is like in this world today."
Since trouble is inevitable, let it come more clearly.
"You'll know whether it's a mule or a horse once you take it out for a spin."
Zhang Yunyuan listened quietly, and his tense shoulder line finally relaxed almost imperceptibly.
He stood up, straightened his perfectly wrinkle-free Taoist robe, and solemnly performed a Taoist salute to his senior brother who was sitting in front of him.
"Thank you, senior brother."
Zhang Zhiwei waved his hand, indicating that he didn't need to be so polite. He picked up the cup of tea, which was getting colder, and his tone returned to its usual calmness. But beneath that calmness was a weight and strength that seemed to be able to bear everything.
The path you chose is yours, and the people you are determined to protect are yours.
If anything goes wrong or causes trouble in the future, you'll have to take responsibility for it yourself.
He took a sip of cold tea, his gaze fixed on the ever-churning sea of clouds outside the window, his voice lowering, carrying a barely perceptible sigh.
"I only hope that the child... won't let your efforts today go to waste."
Zhang Yunyuan also turned around and looked out the window alongside him.
Beneath the sea of clouds lies the bustling world, and there is a young figure about to be swept into the center of the vortex.
His gaze pierced through the clouds, exceptionally resolute.
"I believe him."
Chapter 149 Choices and Special Training
As night deepened, Zhang Chulan curled up on his dormitory bed, his eyes wide open, staring intently at the ceiling.
Cold sweat soaked his vest, and his fingertips were still trembling slightly uncontrollably.
The terrifying scene of that night at the abandoned construction site kept replaying in his mind like a nightmare.
Lu Liang's eerie blue aura, Xia He's captivating yet chilling gaze, and Feng Baobao's earth-shattering, murderous strike.
All of this was wildly impacting the worldview he had built up over the past eighteen years.
What terrified him even more were Xu Xiang's words.
My grandfather's name wasn't Zhang Xilin, it was Zhang Huaiyi.
He left behind a treasure that drove all the extraordinary people in the world crazy.
And thus, he himself became the target of countless people's covetousness.
"Live an ordinary, happy life..."
My grandfather's dying words still echo in my ears, but now, this simple wish seems like an unattainable luxury.
Escape? Like in the past decade, change your name and flee to another unfamiliar city?
But then what? If the people of Quanxing can find him once, they can find him a second time.
Will Bao'er be able to arrive in time next time?
A tremendous sense of powerlessness and fear enveloped him, almost suffocating him.
The knocking sounded softly, unhurried, yet carrying an undeniable calmness.
Zhang Chulan shuddered and sat up abruptly like a startled bird, staring nervously at the door.
"Chu Lan, it's me, Xu Xiang."