Chapter 182: Gathering Again at Juxian Tower
“Senior, here is the Jade Ice Spirit Wine you requested.”
With a fawning smile, the waiter entered and respectfully placed down the spirit wine.
However, just as he was about to leave, Lin Chang’an revealed a smile and called out to him.
“You little waiter, we have just come out of seclusion today. Has anything new happened in Immortal City lately?”
For Foundation Establishment cultivators, seclusion often lasted for months, sometimes even years.
Thus, upon coming out, it was natural for them to inquire about the outside world first.
Qin Feng, disguised as a restaurant waiter, secretly let out a breath of relief when he heard this.
“Senior, the biggest news in Tianxuan City recently is that the Han Fortress has once again spent a fortune to buy a Core Formation Spirit Item. It seems they are still unwilling to give up…
Also, in Yue Country, the flames of war have quieted, and both sides are living in peace. At least we small cultivators can finally breathe a little easier…”
With his fawning smile, Qin Feng’s disguise was vividly lifelike, brimming with realism.
Especially when Lin Chang’an and the others were listening, the moment the Jade Ice Spirit Wine was poured, its rich spiritual fragrance wafted out, making the waiter’s eyes reveal a trace of yearning.
Seeing this, Lin Chang’an admired him even more—this Qin Feng truly brought the role of a small character to life.
Unfortunately for him, the advanced tracking mark from the Palace of Blazing Fire must not have encountered their high-level cultivators.
With his late Foundation Establishment divine sense imprint, unless it was discovered by a cultivator at Foundation Establishment Great Perfection or above, it would remain undetected.
And besides, at this distance, he was already too familiar with Qin Feng’s mana fluctuations.
“Not bad, you deserve a reward.”
Lin Chang’an nodded with satisfaction, carrying the bearing of a high-ranking cultivator. With a wave of his hand, a cup of Jade Ice Spirit Wine floated to the table’s edge.
“Se… Senior!”
Staring at the exquisite wine before him, the disguised Qin Feng flushed with excitement, disbelief written all over his face, as if he were questioning whether this was all just a dream.
For a Qi Refining waiter like him, the Jade Ice Spirit Wine was of immense benefit in improving cultivation.
Lin Chang’an, with the air of a lofty cultivator, smiled faintly and said:
“This time you’re lucky. Our seclusion has borne great progress in cultivation. This is your reward.”
“Thank you, seniors!”
The disguised Qin Feng, trembling with excitement, repeatedly rubbed his palms against his clothes before carefully lifting the cup.
He bowed low, unable to conceal his joy, and downed it in a single gulp.
Watching this, Old Hu grew suspicious.
Was Old Lin really going through so much effort just for a restaurant waiter?
Something was not right!
Yet he still could not see anything wrong with this man.
Yun Yao, however, remained calm. Though she did not fully understand, she trusted that Brother Lin must have a deeper purpose.
“Thank you for the reward, Senior.”
After draining the cup, the waiter’s grateful and flattering expression made Lin Chang’an smile in satisfaction.
“No need to thank me. This cup was also meant to see you off. After all, Fellow Daoist Qin’s bounty is no small matter.”
At those words, the waiter trembled inwardly, though his face showed only confusion.
Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly felt his mana vanish like a stone sinking into the sea. This time, he truly panicked.
“Fellow Daoist Qin, how does the Jade Ice Spirit Wine taste?”
Lin Chang’an’s smiling face showed that he had already sensed Qin Feng’s mana being sealed.
The disguised waiter’s body stiffened. He stumbled forward, falling to the ground with a thud, and cried out in horror:
“Lin Chang’an! You three actually poisoned me!?”
Qin Feng was dumbfounded, glaring wide-eyed, filled with unwillingness.
He had never seen people so shameless.
Three Foundation Establishment cultivators, one of them even at late Foundation Establishment—
And yet, to deal with him, merely a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator, they even resorted to poisoning, such a despicable trick.
Qin Feng had suspected many things, but never once did he suspect that they would stoop to poisoning when they already held the upper hand.
“Fellow Daoist Qin, save your efforts. You were already poisoned the moment you entered the room. That cup of wine merely sped things up—whether you drank it or not made no difference.”
Lin Chang’an’s calm smile met Qin Feng’s incredulous gaze with sheer disdain.
So what if it was poison? He had lived for over a hundred years.
At this moment, Old Hu, filled with curiosity, stepped forward and tore off the waiter’s disguise, revealing the face beneath the mask.
“Haha! So it really is that Qin fellow!”
Old Hu laughed loudly in excitement, thrilled that they had managed to capture him today.
No wonder Old Lin, who usually stayed in Juxian Tower, had suddenly chosen a different place today.
Qin Feng—the one who had plotted in the Western District Black Market, later defecting to the Palace of Blazing Fire, and who had colluded with Gu Congjian a year ago but narrowly escaped with his life.
His identity had been exposed, though most of the Qin Family’s elites managed to escape, unlike the Gu Family, who were devastated by the fallout.
“Old Hu, how is this wine?”
“Refreshing! Old Lin, you’re truly brilliant.”
Old Hu laughed heartily, his expression gleeful, while his hand moved mercilessly, injecting vicious mana into Qin Feng’s dantian.
At once, Qin Feng’s face turned pale, blood spilling from his lips, his eyes glaring at the three in fury.
“Lin, you shameless bastard! Three Foundation Establishment cultivators, against me, a mere mid-Foundation Establishment—yet you still use such vile tricks… ugh…”
Before he could finish, Old Hu struck him across the face with both hands, delivering a Foundation Establishment cultivator’s punishment with loud slaps.
At the same time, he rummaged through Qin Feng’s belongings, stripping off his Storage Pouch and tossing it before Lin Chang’an.
“Well, well! Quite a stash of Spirit Stones and artifacts here. Looks like you’ve gone back to your old trade—lurking in restaurants, spying on people, and secretly passing on intelligence, eh?”
Lin Chang’an smirked in mockery, though he noted that the mask artifact was of good quality. While inferior to Yun Yao’s, it was still high-grade.
“Many thanks, Fellow Daoist Qin, for bringing us such fine resources from afar.”
At Lin Chang’an’s mocking tone, Old Hu chuckled and added fuel:
“Indeed! Old Qin, you’re truly generous, even delivering yourself along with the gift. Such a great present! Let’s leave it all for Old Lin to enjoy.
As for me, I’ll just watch you squirm.”
Lin Chang’an shook his head with a smile. Without further delay, he instructed the restaurant staff to summon the patrol squad, who promptly escorted Qin Feng—already long listed on Tianxuan City’s bounty board—away.
The rest was no longer his concern. The bounty would naturally be delivered.
Though a third-rank pill was unlikely, the capture of a Foundation Establishment cultivator was still quite valuable.
…
The next day, Tianxuan City delivered a generous bounty.
Lin Chang’an looked at the Spirit Stones and nodded in satisfaction.
“With this, the travel expenses to the Sea Abyss of Beasts are covered.”
The journey to the Sea Abyss of Beasts was long and fraught with danger, with sea beasts lurking across the boundless waters.
For a Core Formation cultivator, flying with escape light was relatively safe.
But for a Foundation Establishment cultivator like him, even traveling in groups carried risks.
“According to the intelligence I gathered, the Seven Kingdoms all have regular flying vessels heading to and from the Sea Abyss of Beasts. These are merchant ships, well-protected and relatively safe.”
Naturally, boarding such a vessel required paying the corresponding Spirit Stones.
“In the cultivation world, countless cultivators unwilling to give up have spent enormous sums to board these ships heading toward the Sea Abyss of Beasts. These merchants would not jeopardize their long-term business for a bit of immediate profit.
But still, it would be best to first investigate the situation with Xuanyin Pavilion, as Yun Yao suggested.”
Lin Chang’an’s eyes flickered in thought. After all, he was venturing into an unfamiliar, perilous land.
If Xuanyin Pavilion had established a foothold there, it would at least provide him with acquaintances.
Moreover, such a large sect would naturally choose relatively stable locations, given their influence and resources.
“Relying on my own judgment is too shallow. Xuanyin Pavilion would never risk their entire sect recklessly.”
Lin Chang’an smiled faintly at the thought. Not only he, but even Old Hu, upon hearing the news, was willing to wait longer.
At the very least, until Xuanyin Pavilion’s plans became clear.
…
Half a year later, word finally spread that Xuanyin Pavilion was preparing to withdraw from Yue Country.
Although rumors had floated around earlier, most cultivators did not believe them.
But this time, the news came directly from Xuanyin Pavilion themselves.
For a time, some powerful Core Formation families and mid-sized forces within the Seven Kingdoms saw an opportunity.
The Seven Kingdoms had only so many resources, all firmly monopolized.
Now that Xuanyin Pavilion had withdrawn, a vast amount of resources would be freed up, giving many Core Formation families and mid-sized forces hope.
A chance to enter Yue Country, to join forces with Tianxuan City, and establish a foothold for development.
Though they lacked the deep foundations of Xuanyin Pavilion, several forces could unite and occupy Yue Country’s spiritual veins together.
For a while, many envoys from mid-sized clans of the Seven Kingdoms rushed to Xuanyin Pavilion.
However, such struggles among great powers had no impact on Lin Chang’an.
At this moment, he was reuniting with his old friends in Juxian Tower.
Inside a private room at Juxian Tower.
“Congratulations, Brother Lin, on your advancement in mana.”
“Brother Lin, we wish you everlasting immortality.”
Gathered once more, Lin Chang’an sat at the head seat. Li Erniu, Shen Lie, Wei Buyi, and Lu Qingqing were all present.
“Cheers!”
Facing their raised cups, Lin Chang’an looked at their aged faces. For a moment, it felt as if time had turned back, and he saw once again the youthful faces of his friends.
“Come, Brother Lin, this is spirit wine I specially brought from Qingzhu Mountain Marketplace. Back when Elder Lu led us into the sect, we had it once.”
The Bamboo Mountain Spirit Wine, though incomparable to the wine they now drank, still brought complex expressions to their faces.
But Shen Lie, as always, was straightforward, laughing heartily:
“Come, come, we should celebrate for Brother Lin. Among us back then, Brother Lin has walked the farthest.”
Suppressing his complicated emotions, Lin Chang’an smiled broadly and raised his cup in return.
“Come, everyone, drink.”
As cups clinked and wine flowed, under the wine’s influence, their eyes grew hazy, as though they were reliving the past.
Back in their youth, each had bright hopes for the future, unwilling to fall behind one another.
Yet in the blink of an eye, they were now nearly ninety, a gathering of old men.
This time, they did not speak of cultivation insights, nor of their present paths, but reminisced freely about their past.
Scenes from yesterday seemed vivid still, yet today they were gone forever.
They had grown old.
With only the lifespan of late Qi Refining cultivators, burdened by hidden injuries from their youth, to live one hundred and twenty or thirty years was considered longevity.
How many years more could they expect?
This parting might be their final farewell.
In the end, they all drank themselves into a stupor.
With a soft sigh, Lin Chang’an used a Voice-recording Talisman to send word to Li Yifan and Shen Fan, asking them to escort their parents home.
At last, on the top floor of Juxian Tower, only Lin Chang’an remained, sitting alone by the window, his figure lonely.
“Yun Yao, since you are here, come and have a drink. This is spirit wine from Bamboo Mountain, rarely seen.”
A breeze swept past, and Yun Yao’s figure appeared by the table.
She now wore plain combat attire, her mask removed, revealing a face cold yet filled with heroic spirit.
“I don’t like drinking.”
Though her cool voice lingered, she still lifted the cup and took a light sip. At once, her brows furrowed, and she shook her head:
“Today, this wine tastes bitter.”
Lin Chang’an let out a soft sigh. The wine was not bitter—what was bitter was seeing his old companions aging, leaving an unspeakable feeling in his heart.
It was this that made the wine taste different today.
“When we set foot on this path, loneliness was already our destiny. The higher our cultivation, the lonelier the road.”
“And yet, we are also fortunate.”
The two raised their cups in mutual respect and shared a smile.
After setting down the cups, Yun Yao brushed aside her thoughts.
To have reached this stage, their mental state was unshakable. Though filled with melancholy, they would never allow it to cloud their judgment.
“Brother Lin, Xuanyin Pavilion is already preparing to negotiate with many forces. But clearly, the Palace of Blazing Fire and Shensword Sect are offering the highest prices. These mid-sized forces may not…”
Hearing Yun Yao’s latest intelligence, Lin Chang’an pondered deeply.
In truth, this might be for the best. If the four great powers kept fighting, endless wars would bring the greatest suffering to grassroots cultivators like them.
“But Xuanyin Pavilion has been rooted here for centuries. Leaving won’t be so easy. Even after negotiations, it may take a year or two.”
“After all these years, what is a year or two more?”
Lin Chang’an chuckled, and Yun Yao also smiled with a nod.
“Xuanyin Pavilion has suffered great losses. In this retreat to the Sea Abyss of Beasts, they have also issued recruitment orders, seeking cultivators skilled in various arts as guest elders…”
To put it nicely, Xuanyin Pavilion was retreating. In truth, they were fleeing.
Recruiting cultivators with various skills as guest elders was understandable.
After all, venturing across the sea to start anew required countless resources.
Similarly, not just in Yue Country but across the Seven Kingdoms, many cultivators, whether fleeing the war or determined to pursue the immortal path, wished to catch Xuanyin Pavilion’s departing ship.
“Yun Yao, and you?”
“Brother Lin, I cannot leave for now. But if I wish to form a Core one day, I must go eventually.”
The roots of the Mystic Yin Sect lay in the Sea Abyss of Beasts. Yun Yao would have to go sooner or later.
The two exchanged a glance and smiled.
Perhaps the perilous Sea Abyss of Beasts would not be as lonely as it seemed.
Yun Yao, Old Hu, and two cherished friends would be there.