Black Scroll

Supreme Elder sighed. With an apologetic look, he said, "Luo Xiulan. I believe that child bears a pure intention of looking for you."

"Don't worry, elder. I also believe it that way. Many beauties crawled and tried to please him when he conquered the empire, but he firmly refused. This accident is incomparable with the glory moment at that time," said Luo Xiulan.

"Do you have any complaint to him?" asked the Supreme Elder.

"No," Luo Xiulan shook her head. "I asked my servants to look for you because I'm worried this accident offended the important guest."

"That's good, that's good." The Supreme Elder heaved a sigh of relief.

It turned out Luo Xiulan did not have any remorse toward Tang Chen. It meant she believed in Tang Chen more and cared about his well-being.

"Do you know the purpose of the guest's visit?" asked the Supreme Elder.

"At first, there was a selection. It involves monstrous sects, even the ancient and seclusive sects sent to their representatives. According to the second elder, our sect has struck a fortune only by being the host of his resting place."

"His visit is only to rest at your sect?" the Supreme Elder asked with mouth agape.

"That is true. We are no more than a resting place." Luo Xiulan sighed. "I don't know what kind of fortune is this. But this person must be an exceptional figure—capable of causing some ancient sects frustrated because they're not the resting place."

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Within a pagoda belonged to the Misty Flowery Palace.

Mao Nianzu lay down on a big, soft bed. Two violet curtains hung from the roof of this bed, tied onto a different pillar.

He subtly stared at the roof, which had exquisite decorations. At this moment, he tasted the most expensive lodging he had ever had in his life. It was surreal...

Tossing his vision to the side, a transparent window let the sunlight sneak into the room, illuminating the entire corner and giving a slight warmth.

"Young Master, your breakfast is ready."

Just now, a female servant spoke outside of his door. Yes, he had personal servants arranged by Tian Shen, serving him with his daily life and anything he wanted.

The door opened. Two servants lowered their heads, bringing his clothes.

Mao Nianzu got up and stretched his hands to the side. The servants began to do their work. Soon, he wore a white robe with a hint of black around his sleeves, and then the servants hurriedly left him with a face as red as a tomato.

Afterward, he had a splendid breakfast. What a great morning!

However, he felt something was empty. It was just wrong. His feeling struck his senses, and he couldn't enjoy this great moment to the fullest.

Tian Shen had not shown up until this time. Last night, he said he had something to take care of.. seemed like he was hectic.

'I'll be dead in boredom with this.'

Mao Nianzu currently sat on the balcony upstairs with a set of grand buffet and delicacies. One white chair and a circular one-legged table.

He forbade anyone from coming to the balcony, so this area was empty beside him.

Speaking of yesterday's banquet, it was great. This was another new level of his life, even witnessing the statue in the plaza, but the real one. Yes, he caught the emperor of Zhaoze Long Empire!

However, he didn't have a particular feeling now. When he looked up at the statue, he revered it and expressed his gratitude for the hard work the emperor had done.

Witnessing the unsightly appearance at the banquet yesterday, he immediately dropped the rating subconsciously. Furthermore, it significantly decreased after the emperor stated his purpose of visiting the sect.

To look for his fiancée, the Misty Flowery Palace's number one genius. He did it with a powerful servant squad as though something significant had occurred. Added by the fact he wore the emperor's robe.

In short, an obsessive simp was fetching his girlfriend.

Because of the statement, Mao Nianzu caught a glimpse of the said fiancée. A girl in a thin veil stood upfront, staying the closest to him and three elders.

This girl had an exemplary manner. Even when her fiancée standout to cause an accident, she reached him without care, albeit with a cold attitude.

It was evident that she had a deep feeling for the emperor.

'Heh, why do I think about this? It's just a lovey-dovey couple.' Mao Nianzu sneered to himself. Then he took out the black scroll.

Glowing characters flew out of it, forming an invisible dome that encapsulated the balcony, and all noises were devoid in an instant. Then it hovered around him, circling horizontally.

Visual phenomena were laid out in the landscape that supposedly showed the scenery of some peaks, revealing a rock pile entwined with thick ropes and talismans.

A black mist faintly leaked out upward in the air from the cracks in the rock pile. But as time passed by, the rock pile slowly converged, forming a boulder or cave-like. He was not sure.

The characters rotated clockwise in front of him, then some flew to the dome, imprinted as it created a slight ripple every time one character was engraved within the dome.

[Don't you feel empty?]

This was the first sentence. Then, all characters on the dome loosened up, joining the rotating clockwise characters, and flew again, forming a new sentence.

[What you need is a sense of accomplishment.]

Mao Nianzu read the sentence and was fascinated by the magical show of these characters.

[Save yourself and achieve something here.]

Soon, the characters flew back and rotated in front of him before turning dim. It launched and covered the dome as it slowly melted, and the natural noises slipped through it.

After that, the dome crumbled. The characters entered the black scroll.

Mao Nianzu's mouth was agape. He wasted time in a daze, still captivated by the beautiful show it presented just now.

"What a strange way to explain. Can't he say what is the something means?"

He then opened the black scroll again. But this time, one area was filled, and the rest was blank. Turning the scroll down and up, horizontal and vertical. He frowned.

This filled area contained what Mao Nianzu had to do: not expose anything about the bestowment to anyone. Not even to Tian Shen.

He ate one bead of grape, then fell into thought.

But as soon as he organized the event just now and this information, someone knocked on the door connected to the balcony.

"I apologize for disturbing your time. The sect master wishes to meet you, young master," a feminine voice rang behind the door.

"I'll wait here."

"I understand," said the voice, then footsteps sound rang farther every time the step sounded.

Soon after, quiet footsteps approached the balcony. The door opened, revealing Mao Nianzu, looking at the scenery over his shoulder.

An older woman in a violet robe lowered her head. A smile full of wrinkles adorned her gentle visage, saying, "Young master."

"Sit down." Mao Nianzu retracted his gaze, then smiled at the woman.

Sitting down, the woman appeared to be full of vitality. Despite the wrinkles, she had a graceful move and didn't seem to have a rigid body.

"My name is Su Shun. I apologize for not welcoming you yesterday," said the woman.

"Did you have a satisfactory result?" Mao Nianzu smiled. He naturally was aware of the sect master's absence – having seclusive cultivation.

"One must never satisfy cultivating and always strive forward," Su Shun answered. "What's your opinion about this place, young master?"

'Ah, there we go. She wants to test me, huh?' Mao Nianzu thought.

He had no rush to answer the question, so he smiled and offered a plate full of sweet and fresh fruits. Then he stared at some peaks nearby.

"What's new in here? Everywhere, there will be trees and flowers. Mountain and ocean. The only thing new is the people and the mind."

Mao Nianzu sipped the wine and paused for a moment. He radiated a sincere smile and appreciated the significant elevation in his life as his mind traveled for a moment.

He had seen trees and flowers, even the far ocean from the empire because he had to make a living back then. Nothing in his sight became new except people and the mind, including the man-made works such as buildings.

When he pondered what was new in his life, he would conclude that he had done almost everything by generalizing it. The difference was the current circumstance, which would lead him to a different conclusion.

A roasted chicken smell. If he were hungry, it would make him droll. If he was not, it was just the smell of roasted chicken.

"And I am fond of people like you. Testing and luring me into an interesting question." Mao Nianzu smiled and genuinely appreciated the efforts. After all, he had academic parents who also tested him like this.

Hearing the statement, the corners of Su Shun's mouth twitched.