Chapter 10
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Chapter 10: Meeting at the Mountain Gate
“Two artifacts, one for offense and the other for defense, but unfortunately, I don’t have Brother Zheng’s Rune Wings.”
“Earth Yellow Dust Storm Blade.”
“Green Wood Eight Trigram Shield.”
Li Hui looked at the two large "zongzi" (sticky rice dumplings) and found the talisman paper tightly bundled; even a chop wouldn’t loosen it. Each had its name and remarks stamped on it.
The talisman paper for the Earth Yellow Dust Storm Blade was yellow, while the Green Wood Eight Trigram Shield’s paper was green, occasionally emitting a menacing aura, akin to two slumbering beasts that could awaken with a single command.
Although artifacts could be used repeatedly, each time they did, they would weaken a bit, having a limit on usage. However, in terms of power and practicality, they far surpassed ordinary artifacts of the same tier and had low cultivation requirements. If they weren’t so difficult to make, they would have likely become popular in the cultivation world long ago.
“I’ll try out these two artifacts after leaving the sect.”
Li Hui always worried about being tracked by the sect, especially with Jin Buduan lurking nearby. So, he hurriedly packed his essential items into the six-link chain and made another bundle. He carefully tucked away the Cloud Pattern Talisman, Pine Tree Talisman, and Quick Sand Talisman he obtained from the Artifact Pavilion, hoping to use them effectively.
The entire process took less than half a stick of incense. He stood up and glanced around, feeling a mix of nostalgia and melancholy. With a clenched fist, he stepped out the door.
“Let’s go! For the past few years, I’ve kept my head down, avoided trouble, because I carry the burden of over four hundred widows on my shoulders. But this is not the norm in the cultivation world. If I want to walk the path of cultivation, I must fight—for opportunities, for luck, for my own breath!”
“A stick of incense for the Buddha, a breath for humans. Now that I have the fortune to touch this vast world of cultivators, I, Li Hui, truly do not want to be buried. Having struggled and fought to survive on the battlefield since childhood has taught me one thing: only by getting stronger and continuously growing can I survive in this stormy world.”
From the moment Li Hui stepped out of the small house, his mindset underwent a significant change. As the saying goes, "heavy snow presses on the green pine, yet the green pine stands tall and straight." One must recognize the high purity of the pine tree when the snow melts.
All the experiences from today did not crush him; instead, they allowed him to draw his sword of wisdom and break the chains binding him.
Without the restraints, he was like the green pine as the snow melted, wanting to strive with pride, wanting to tread the world, his tall figure moving forward, exuding an aura of grace.
The handsome young man gracefully walked further down the path, not knowing when the mountain winds would rise, making his green robes flap, but he was undeterred…
As he drew closer to the mountain gate, Li Hui initially thought he was alone when a light giggle reached his ears.
“Giggle, handsome little brother, I was just thinking how lonely I felt on this journey! I never expected to see you, this ungrateful little thing, so soon. Isn’t this fate?”
As the voice rang out, a fragrant breeze wafted by.
Li Hui shivered, wide-eyed as he saw a figure rapidly approaching on the talisman light.
“Uh, Senior Sister Lian.”
As the talisman light faded, the graceful figure turned to face Li Hui, her charming eyes filled with surprise, and she laughed again, “Why has the lovely hair in front of your forehead turned white? Are you trying to attract the attention of some Junior Sister? Tsk tsk, I must say! You’ve worked hard with Lingfeng Silk; even I’ve modeled a few times for you. No one in the sect can match your ability to advertise.”
“Ahem, so it’s Senior Sister Lian.” Li Hui coughed lightly; he had long grown accustomed to Lian Luosha’s teasing.
Initially, he approached her to open up clothing sales among the female disciples. But after they succeeded, this woman held her favors high, teasing him every time they met.
To speak of it, Lian Luosha practiced charm techniques and thus absorbed Yin to supplement Yang, but she did it with perfect discretion, never causing any trouble in the sect, and most male cultivators friendly with her understood—they mutually benefited.
She didn’t care about Li Hui’s cultivation; she just found it amusing to tease a younger boy.
In fact, Lian Luosha never viewed Li Hui as a man; she saw him more as a young boy, deriving a different kind of wicked pleasure from it.
“Junior Brother, your skin is even better than mine! When I first met you, I almost mistook you for a girl disguised as a Junior Sister. Since we are leaving the sect this time, how about you disguise as a girl, and I’ll call you Junior Sister?”
“Senior Sister, please don’t tease me.” Li Hui smiled ruefully. “I’ve only heard of girls dressing as boys when traveling; I’ve never heard of boys dressing as girls.”
“Why can’t you? As long as I’m here, who would dare have bad intentions? I’d immediately chop off the legs under them.” Lian Luosha joyfully pulled out a wide-bladed short knife, pretending to make slashing motions, frightening Li Hui to the point where he felt a shiver down his spine.
“Uh, Senior Sister… you’re leaving as well? I received a decree to go to Linggui City in the White Sea’s Twelve Markets to count the accounts.”
“What a coincidence! It’s on the way. The sect has ordered me to go to Giant Shell City in the White Sea’s Twelve Markets to purchase spiritual water, needing five large casks. It will take two to three years to gather it all. I thought I had offended someone and was being sent to such a distant place. But after asking, I learned many outer disciples received orders to travel to various places in Haofu, north and south. I don’t know what the sect is thinking.”
“Many people received orders?” Li Hui was slightly taken aback, contemplating but unable to understand the reasons behind it. However, with his white hair and the silver snake bracelet, it felt irregular. Given the hints in the accounts, he sensed an overwhelming pressure surrounding him, wanting to keep a distance.
“Uh-huh!” Lian Luosha nodded vigorously, her demeanor extremely cute, giggling as she teased, “You’re so interesting; every few days, there’s a surprise. Quickly tell me, who did your makeup? It makes you look older, adding a certain charm. You appear mature in a way that even makes me’s heart flutter.”
Just when Li Hui was about to say something, a loud voice laughed, “Hahaha, isn’t that Senior Sister Lian? I never expected to encounter you at the mountain gate; what fate!”
With a flicker of green light, the sound of breaking air settled.
The newcomer had two mustaches, an unremarkable appearance, yet in a daze, his eyes shone astonishingly, and an intimidating aura radiated throughout.
“Zhang Tianhua?” Lian Luosha stepped back half a step, on high alert.
Others might not know Zhang Tianhua’s background, but Lian Luosha was quite aware. They had crossed paths many times, testing each other and could guess a few clues with just their fingers.
“Hahaha, I’ve missed you so much, Junior Sister! I can smell your fragrance from afar. Those fools think you’re absorbing Yang to supplement Yin, but with my extensive experience, I can tell you’re practicing unique skills. I thought I would be heading to the White Sea alone, but who knew I would have you, Junior Sister, accompanying me? Thank you, sect, for giving me, Zhang, this opportunity.”
At that exciting moment, more people came along the path to the mountain gate.
With a dark face, bare feet, and rolled-up trousers, the newcomer carried a hoe over his shoulder, with a bundle hanging from the hoe looking like a farmer returning home after a day’s work.
“Gao Yuhu?” Zhang Tianhua felt a chill down his spine.
