Chapter 117: Ah, the Relationship Falls Apart

Chapter 117: Ah, the Relationship Falls Apart

"Is there anything else we're missing?" The more I feel like I can let my guard down a bit, the more I can't relax.

Li Changshou stood by the lake, pondering incessantly.

It had been seven days since Kuai Si had left the mountain, and things had quieted down on Little Qiong Peak once again.

Qin Xuanya was still in seclusion, and she hadn't come over today. She had stayed on Little Qiong Peak for quite a while and had witnessed Li Changshou and her master not leaving the mountain for several days. That should be enough.

Li Changshou had to keep this trick up his sleeve. As a mediocre immortal seed within the sect, if a true immortal encountered trouble, suspicion naturally wouldn't fall on him.

But in the future, once his true cultivation was exposed, with the background of his master, it was likely that the situation at Fenlin Peak would be linked to Kuai Si's disappearance...

Qin Xuanya was a righteous Qi Refiner. There was a high probability that she would take the initiative to clarify the matter. By then, with truth and falsehood mixed together, Li Changshou would have more room to maneuver.

Over at Fenlin Peak, some people couldn't contact Kuai Si and suspected that something had happened to him. Several of Kuai Si's peers had already teamed up to search for him.

If they couldn't find the clues Li Changshou had left behind, it would be fine. If they did, they would only be led to the vast Northern Lu Continent, and Li Changshou wouldn't know what would happen next.

The paper Daoist disguised as Kuai Si had already found a crevice in a ravine and ignited himself with Samadhi True Flame, returning to nothingness.

Up to now, apart from crossing the tribulation and the minor incidents in daily life, Li Changshou had only actively planned two major events.

The first time was to help his master cross the tribulation. He had gone to the Northern Continent to find herbs, which he had prepared for more than a dozen years.

The second time was this time, also prepared for more than a dozen years.

The matter with the Sea God Sect didn't count. It was purely a matter of circumstances, being forced, compelled to fight back, and shifting blame to gain merit...

If you didn't want to stir up karma, it was best to stay still in the mountains. However, just like the Great Xuan Turtle from back then, if you did nothing and the blame fell from the sky, you would be chopped into four legs to support the heavens and the earth by the sage.

—Li Changshou dared not include this story in the "Stability Sutra."

Therefore, when practicing quietly in the mountains, it was necessary to protect oneself, make oneself look inconspicuous, prepare for escape, and be ready for anything.

Li Changshou quietly observed the reactions of Fenlin Peak, unwilling to lose this support after the situation in the sect had finally stabilized.

When he was searching Kuai Si's soul, Li Changshou also saw who the elder behind Kuai Si, who had insulted his master and senior brother, was.

Kuai Si's master was a Tianxian elder at the initial stage of Fenlin Peak.

It was this person who manipulated things behind the scenes, allowing Kuai Si, who had attacked his master, to escape punishment according to the sect's rules and completely isolating Little Qiong Peak at that time.

Li Changshou remembered this account. If he had the opportunity to throw stones at this Tianxian elder in the future, he would definitely go up quietly and throw a Little Qiong Peak...

The bamboo slips about Kuai Si that had been recorded previously had now disappeared into the alchemy furnace.

Half a month later, there was turmoil on Fenlin Peak.

Originally, it was common for a true immortal to go out and not return for dozens or even hundreds of days.

But when Kuai Si left, he said he was going to make some magic treasures for his disciples to prepare for the sect's grand competition. However, after so long, there was no movement, and the communication jade talisman couldn't be reached...

When an elder tried to divine the situation, the tortoise shell directly shattered...

Fenlin Peak almost confirmed that Kuai Si had died, and the cause of death was attributed to a magical battle outside the town.

Such things were common in the primordial chaos.

Although the sect's elders jointly calculated, they could only deduce the day Kuai Si died, with no other information.

This matter could only be left unresolved.

If there were clear enemies, the sect would naturally stand up and demand justice for its disciples.

But with no traces of the enemy and no useful clues left behind, the sect could only offer some comfort to Kuai Si's disciples and find another true immortal to help them.

Well, this mainly depended on personal willingness.

As for the three disciples on Little Qiong Peak, they had been completely absent from this matter.

Li Changshou quietly observed for a year and temporarily set aside this matter.

As for the evil deeds Kuai Si had done besides plotting against his own master, Li Changshou couldn't be bothered to mention them.

He wasn't like Sister Poisonous, with such a strong sense of justice.

As long as he could pass his conscience, that was enough.

All the peaks of the sect had become lively at this time, with the younger generation of disciples holding an early sect-wide competition, and all disciples had to participate.

The older generation of disciples also came out of seclusion one after another, teaching the younger generation how to fight against others.

Those who were not too strong were deeply inspired by the battle between the mediocre immortal seeds from Little Qiong Peak and the disciples of the Jie Sect and the Second Prince of the Dragon Palace in front of the Temple of Transcendence years ago. They began to strengthen their escape techniques.

But most of them had a question...

Why were their earth escape techniques so stiff?

Entering and exiting the ground was troublesome, far from the smooth and natural movements of Senior Brother Li when he held up his Wolf's Fang Club...

This was probably a matter of talent and temperament.

...

The date of the sect-wide competition was approaching.

Li Changshou had been refining pills for several months. By using the paper Daoist to go out and accumulate wealth twice, he finally replenished his storage of poison pills.

On this day, he and Lan Ling'e discussed and then started to busy themselves together.

They slaughtered two fake phoenixes with colorful feathers, killed two eels, made a pot of jade frogs, fried some spiritual vegetables, and paired them with two pots of fine wine. In Li Changshou's hut, they set up a banquet...

Although Ling'e didn't know why Senior Brother suddenly wanted to do this, after all, there was nothing to celebrate in the mountains.

But in order to get Master out of seclusion as soon as possible and boost his spirits, she naturally spared no effort to help.

After being busy for half a day, the senior brother and sister stood in front of their master's cottage.

Li Changshou exclaimed loudly, "Master, there's still a year until the sect's grand competition. Do you want to give us some guidance on how to compete?"

There was no response from inside the cottage.

So, Blue Ling'e cleared her throat and shouted, pretending to hold her throat, "Ah—Brother, don't be like this! We haven't received Master's permission; we can't do this!"

"Hey! Stop being rebellious! Your actions will only invite ridicule. You must first go to the Bai Fan Hall and record your actions!"

With a bang, the cottage door was kicked open, and Daoist Qi Yuan, holding a dust whisk and with a slight residual sense of Dao rhyme, came out directly.

Seeing the two disciples in front of him, the old Daoist sighed and scolded, "Is this something to joke about? Have you no shame?"

"Hehe," Ling'e made a funny face, "Master! Come and taste this. Brother and I made a table of delicious food together, not... I mean, we both worked together and made a table of delicious food!"

Li Changshou also smiled, "And some good wine that the disciple recently brewed."

Qi Yuan sighed softly, with a weary expression, his gaze staring into the distance, his gray-white long hair gently swaying.

"As a master, my heart is already dead, accompanying the Dao for the rest of my life. Enjoy the food and wine, you young people... Alas, Changshou, I've recently come to understand a truth."

"Master, please tell me," Li Changshou listened earnestly.

Qi Yuan said, "Cherish those in front of you, don't worry about future matters. The winds and clouds are unpredictable, who can predict fortune and calamity?"

Ling'e blinked lightly, blushing slightly.

She was also someone who admired heroes.

Li Changshou smiled, "Master, I'll remember. Don't worry, I will take good care of my sister in the future."

"That's good," Qi Yuan waved his hand, "You have more ability than me. As for matters concerning the sect's grand competition, you and Ling'e can decide for yourselves. Continue your closed-door cultivation, strive to comprehend the realm of true immortality as soon as possible, and accomplish what you said before. For the rest of my life, I hope you two will be well."

With that, Qi Yuan turned and returned to the cottage, his back somewhat desolate, as if there were wisps of a song drifting around...

Creak, the wooden door of the cottage closed, and the array was activated again.

Li Changshou and Ling'e glanced at each other, both with worried expressions.

Ling'e asked softly, "Brother, what should we do about this?"

While shaking his head, Li Changshou felt a sense of relief deep down.

For Master, dealing with Senior Uncle wasn't just about emotional entanglements, but also about unresolved issues and obsessions. Fortunately, he chose not to tell Master the truth back then, or Master's current state might be "like a lonely bird on a solitary branch"...

"Tsk, it's tricky," Li Changshou pondered inwardly, but for now, he didn't have a good plan.

Ling'e sighed, "Love is indeed a troublesome thing."

"No," Li Changshou shook his head calmly, "What you see now is not all there is to see. The most troublesome thing isn't the word 'love', it's the... ah, forget it, I shouldn't say too much. When your cultivation is higher in the future and you come into contact with the 'Way of Non-Interference', you'll understand."

Ling'e blinked, not quite understanding.

Li Changshou waved his hand, "We can't waste the food we've made. Make a few more dishes, and I'll go to Peak Breaking Sky to invite Senior Uncle and Auntie Jiū Wū to help move the food to the pill room."

"Okay!" Ling'e obediently agreed.

"Also, fry a few more fish and prepare a food box. I'll visit Elder Wan Lin later."

"Understood, at your command, Chef Ling'e!"

"Still calling yourself a chef when you don't even know what an apron is."

Li Changshou reached out and rubbed Ling'e's head, then flew towards Peak Breaking Sky at his exclusive altitude.

Ling'e continued to ponder how to help Master get out of his current mood and returned to the stove by the lakeside...

How could she help Master?

Ling'e recalled her memories in the mountains, where her brother's shadow was dominant, and she didn't have much reference value in this matter.

Then she remembered the situation in her secular family, faintly recalling a discussion between her mother and her stepmother.

That time, one of her uncles, a general, became a widower and was deeply grieved...

Then her mother and stepmother introduced him to a beautiful girl, and within two months... that uncle held a wedding banquet again.

Although the educational significance of this incident was to teach that "men are fickle and must be watched closely," this method could also be used for reference.

Ling'e blinked and began to think carefully, preparing to propose a plan to her brother later.

She didn't dare to make arrangements herself, lest she be punished with copying "The Way of Stability" thousands of times.

...

Breaking Sky Peak;

Li Changshou flew all the way to Jiǔ Xiān's residence, but before landing from the clouds, he witnessed a scene.

Not only him, but several miscellaneous disciples, Jiǔ Xiān's junior disciple, and several other Jiǔ Xīn immortals who had appeared during the battle of the Du Xian Gate were also scattered around, secretly observing Jiǔ Wū's small building...

He heard...

"If you have someone else in your heart, just say it! I, Jiǔ Shī, won't pester you anymore!"

Then he saw Jiǔ Shī flying out of the attic, covering his mouth and nose in a hurry, and flying away.

Li Changshou was first surprised, then he smiled bitterly.

Hmm, because he heard about Senior Uncle Jiǔ Yu's incident with Wan Jiang Yu, and was busy keeping an eye on the Immortal Ridge, he didn't send the Poison Dragon Wine to Senior Uncle Jiǔ Wū as planned; he thought that since the formula for Poison Dragon Wine had been given to Jiǔ Wū and Jiǔ Shī, there would be no problem...

Li Changshou directly landed in front of Jiǔ Wū's small building and said, "Disciple Changshou has a matter to discuss with Senior Uncle Jiǔ Wū."

"Cháng Shòu, what's the matter?" came a sigh from inside.

Li Changshou walked in and saw the mess on the ground and the array activated around Jiǔ Wū's small building.

"What's going on?" Li Changshou asked softly.

"Ah, a relationship has ended," Jiǔ Wū said, sitting on the side, his hand on his forehead, exhaling slowly...