Volume 1 Volume 4 Chapter 52

Volume 4 Chapter 52: Doubts

The entire Ronghua Mountain was filled with celestial music and rainbow-like mists. Occasionally, immortal cranes would soar by, and beneath were ancient trees and strange rocks. At a glance, it felt as if one had stepped into a fairy land, making one feel enchanted.

"The scenery of Ronghua Mountain is even more beautiful than my Jiuhua Mountain by three points. It is indeed a rare sight in the Shenzhou Continent."

As Xu Qingfan followed Elder Deng to the guest quarters, he thought quietly to himself.

"Taoist Friend Xu, what do you think? Does the scenery of our Ronghua Mountain please your discerning eyes?" Elder Deng turned to Xu Qingfan and asked.

Xu Qingfan smiled and nodded, saying, "Such beauty is a first for me to witness. It is truly a rare sight in the world."

Elder Deng explained, "Every plant and tree here was personally planted by our founder, Immortal Qingxu. Every rock and pavilion was also arranged by him."

Xu Qingfan laughed and said, "I didn’t expect Immortal Qingxu to not only have profound abilities but also be so skilled in arranging scenery. He is indeed a person of exceptional talent since he appeared in the cultivation world."

Hearing Xu Qingfan’s words, Elder Deng’s expression became even more joyful as he began to speak at length about Immortal Qingxu’s great achievements. It was clear that Elder Deng deeply admired and revered Immortal Qingxu, the founder of the Qingxu Gate. Xu Qingfan could only smile helplessly as Elder Deng continued to speak of Immortal Qingxu without pause, not giving Xu Qingfan a chance to get a word in. He had hoped to learn something from Elder Deng, but found himself unable to interject at all.

In this way, as Elder Deng talked enthusiastically and Xu Qingfan nodded politely, they finally arrived at the guest house of the "Qingxu Gate." Looking around, it was a separate small courtyard, beautifully decorated with flowers and plants.

After Elder Deng realized he and Xu Qingfan had reached their destination, he sighed with a sense of unfulfilled satisfaction, knowing his task was complete, though he had no further opportunity to tell Xu Qingfan about the grand achievements of Immortal Qingxu.

As the two descended from the clouds, two Qingxu disciples quickly approached and bowed respectfully to Elder Deng.

Elder Deng pointed to Xu Qingfan and said to the two disciples, "This is Xu Fan, Taoist Friend Xu from the Southern Wasteland, a rogue cultivator invited by Martial Brother Xuan Ling to our Qingxu Gate to give a lecture. You must take good care of Senior Xu during his stay."

Upon hearing Elder Deng’s words, the two Qingxu disciples were slightly taken aback. Their gazes at Xu Qingfan changed, knowing that a cultivator invited to lecture at "Qingxu Gate" was usually someone highly skilled from major sects or with a unique and well-known cultivation method. It was rare to invite a rogue cultivator for such a purpose, and they had never heard of anyone named Xu Fan before. Hence, they felt curious and full of respect for Xu Qingfan.

"Since Martial Uncle Xuan Ling invited him, this Senior Xu Fan must be exceptional in some way."

With this thought, the two disciples quickly bowed to Xu Qingfan, showing great respect.

Following arrangements by Elder Deng and the two Qingxu disciples, Xu Qingfan settled into one of the outermost separate courtyards within the compound.

"Taoist Friend Xu, if you need anything, just call upon these two young ones. They are specifically in charge of attending to our distinguished guests."

Once everything was arranged, Elder Deng pointed at the two disciples and said with a smile.

"Alright, thank you, Taoist friend Deng," Xu Qingfan said with a nod and a smile.

After arranging everything for Xu Qingfan, Elder Deng was ready to continue chatting with him, but suddenly his expression changed. He sighed regretfully and said to Xu Qingfan, "Taoist Friend Xu, Brother Xuan Ling has suddenly called a council meeting for the elders. I must go immediately; it is likely to organize your lecture. It seems we won’t be able to talk today. I’ll come find you for a chat after the meeting, okay?"

Hearing Elder Deng’s words, and remembering his non-stop chattering along the way, Xu Qingfan’s expression changed slightly. This talkative and eloquent cultivator was someone Xu Qingfan rarely encountered in his life. He couldn’t understand how someone so talkative could reach the Real Golden Core Stage, but since Elder Deng mentioned it, Xu Qingfan had no choice but to agree. Meanwhile, he secretly decided, as long as Elder Deng sought him out, he would simply meditate in silence.

Meanwhile, the two Qingxu disciples looked at Xu Qingfan with sympathetic eyes, clearly proving that Elder Deng’s chatter was renowned within Qingxu Gate.

After Elder Deng left, both Xu Qingfan and the two disciples let out a long sigh of relief.

Xu Qingfan then suddenly turned to the two Qingxu disciples and said with a smile, "Two Taoist friends, this is my first visit to ‘Qingxu Gate.’ Could you young Taoist friends tell me about the current situation of ‘Qingxu Gate’ to help me prepare for my upcoming lecture?"

…

Meanwhile, after Xuan Ling announced the elder’s council meeting, shortly over forty Qingxu elders gathered at the top of "Ronghua Mountain" in the "Qingxu Hall."

Since there was no sect leader at Qingxu Gate at the time, the central seat in the Qingxu Hall was vacant, with Master Xuan Ling and another tall, thin elder sitting to the left and right beneath the main seat.

The elder sitting to the right of the main seat was tall and thin, with a hawk-like nose and eyes, and graying hair—he was Huanlingzi, who was as famous in Qingxu Gate as Master Xuan Ling.

The other forty-plus elders sat below them, creating a solemn atmosphere.

Once everyone had arrived, Huanlingzi couldn’t hold back any longer and asked Master Xuan Ling, "Master Xuan Ling, why have you gathered us here? What is the matter?"

Hearing the impatience in Huanlingzi’s words, Master Xuan Ling frowned slightly but knew it wasn’t the time for disputes. He simply gave a cold humph and began recounting the situation involving Xu Qingfan to all the elders.

As Master Xuan Ling narrated the story, the elders couldn’t help but furrow their brows.

"What do you mean? Are you suggesting that this Xu Fan had another motive for seeking Master Uncle Zizhen?"

Once Master Xuan Ling finished speaking, Huanlingzi was the first to inquire.

Master Xuan Ling shook his head and replied, "I don’t know. Although Xu Fan spoke flawlessly, his words are unverifiable, and none of us have ever heard of this Xu Fan. It’s rather strange that he suddenly comes to find Master Uncle Zizhen. You should know that recently, when we overthrew Qinglingzi, it stirred much discussion in the cultivation world. Those with interest would surely wonder why Master Uncle Zizhen never appeared. Given that Master Uncle Zizhen had friends everywhere back then, it’s not surprising if someone is sent to Qingxu to spy."

Upon hearing Xuan Ling’s words, the elders furrowed their brows even more, with a look of contemplation in their eyes.

Huanlingzi said, "But since you cannot prove that he has ulterior motives, is it appropriate to invite him to our ‘Ronghua Mountain’?"

Xuan Ling shook his head and said, "Better safe than sorry. At this time, when he seeks out Master Uncle Zizhen, we must exercise extreme caution. We should be aware that if the cultivation world finds out that Master Uncle Zizhen is detained by us, it’s a minor matter to lose a Mahayana Stage expert, but the reputation of our ‘Qingxu Gate’ will be irreparably damaged. Therefore, under the guise of a lecture, I invited Xu Fan to our ‘Ronghua Mountain’ for better control and monitoring."

Huanlingzi frowned as he pondered for a moment, then suddenly turned to a junior elder and asked, "Brother Liu, among us in Qingxu Gate, you are known for your quick thinking and analytical skills. What do you think about this matter?"

The person Huanlingzi addressed was a middle-aged cultivator with a scholarly and calm demeanor, dressed in white and holding a folding fan.

Elder Liu, upon hearing Huanlingzi’s question, remained unhurried. He first shook his folding fan and then said to Xuan Ling, "This time, Brother Xuan Ling, you haven’t thought this through."

Xuan Ling frowned and asked, "What do you mean?"

Elder Liu said, "Brother, you shouldn’t have brought Xu Fan to ‘Ronghua Mountain,’ nor should you have invited Xu Qingfan in the presence of other cultivators."

After a pause, Elder Liu continued, "If you didn’t invite him, then simply sending someone to secretly follow him, observing whether he continues to linger around our ‘Ronghua Mountain,’ would reveal if he has any hidden intentions. Even if you invited him, it shouldn’t have been done in front of others, because if we have suspicions about him, it would be difficult to keep him at ‘Ronghua Mountain’ against his will."

After listening to Elder Liu’s words, Xuan Ling did not get angry; he simply asked, "Is there any way to remedy the situation?"

Elder Liu appeared deep in thought for a moment. He folded his fan, then smiled and said, "First, let me investigate this rogue cultivator named Xu Fan, and then we can decide on a plan of action."