Chen Changsheng looked at Xian Yue and was silent for a mont.
He turned to the Old City God and asked, “Old City God, after being in that position for many years, if karma is like this, what would happen after entering the Netherworld Tribunal?”
The Old City God hesitated for a mont and said, “With such great karma as that of Miss Xian Yue, I fear she won’t be able to enter reincarnation anymore. If she enters the Netherworld Tribunal, she could face severe punishnt.”
“And, concerning the karma that Miss Xian Yue has accumulated, probably no ordinary cultivator can help her. The City God of Shangjing City might have lost plenty of rit incense.”
War had broken out in the Mortal World, and the karmic retribution from the battlefield would partly fall on Xian Yue too. The more deaths there were, the bigger the karma would beco.
Whoever saved Xian Yue would eventually beco bound to that karma, and under the weight of karmic retribution, cultivators would lose their foundations, mortals would suffer the five deteriorations, and it would be a calamity they couldn’t escape.
Moyuan frowned after hearing this and asked, “So, there’s no way at all?”
The Old City God shook his head and said nothing more.
Seeing their silence, Xian Yue squeezed out a smile and said, “Let’s not talk about this. This is Xian Yue’s fault, whatever cos will be Xian Yue’s to bear.”
Events in the world have causes and effects; the ultimate difficulty must co from the cause. Xian Yue had long prepared herself for this; she couldn’t escape it and had never thought of asking anyone for help.
After that, no one brought it up again. Even if they had wanted to help, there was nothing they could do; they could not touch such karmic retribution.
But the main reason was that it made no sense; they had no ties or reason to save her.
Everyone present had seen countless hardships in life; as for pity, how far could that go?
Chen Changsheng glanced at Xian Yue but didn’t say much. Soon, he chatted and drank with everyone, discussing a few scattered matters.
As night approached, the guests left one by one. Yun Li ant to leave so things behind as an apology for surrounding the Flowing Cloud Temple last ti before he left, but Chen Changsheng didn’t accept them and told him to take them back too.
“Put your thoughts on Chenghuang instead. You do not owe anything.”
In the end, Yun Li couldn’t leave those things behind and boarded the Sky Skiff with his family head to leave.
Yun Ze recalled everything he had seen and heard that day and couldn’t help but say, “We should visit this Senior more often in the future.”
Yun Li paused, knowing the family head said this for him.
Yun Li smacked his lips and said, “Family head… I just want to live carefree, like Mr. Chen.”
Yun Ze said, “First, gain that level of cultivation.”
Yun Li sighed lightly and thought about the talks and drinks at the Flowing Cloud Temple that day. He couldn’t stop missing it; wasn’t this the life he had always wanted?
A Taoist Temple, a jar of fine wine, and two or three good friends were far, far better than being a long-lived cultivator.
But the family head was right; without cultivation, how could one speak of such things?
Truly enviable.
The Old City God had drunk a lot of wine; as a Ghost Deity, he naturally wouldn’t get drunk. This small gathering made him feel more and more that Mr. Chen’s cultivation was unfathomable. Before leaving, he arranged with Mr. Chen to have tea at Autumn Moon Market after Mr. Chen descended the mountain, but no one knew when that might be.
Outside of thanking Mr. Chen for his guidance, Yingyuan brought up another matter.
“After my father beca the Dragon Lord of Tongtian River, he set up the River and Sea Grand Banquet. Held every hundred years, many water demons from the Tongtian River and Desolate Sea would co then. This ti, I was entrusted by my father to invite you, Mr. Chen.”
Chen Changsheng paused upon hearing this and asked, “When is it?”
“In three years.”
Yingyuan said, “Originally, it was mostly in early spring, but father changed it to the start of sumr.”
Chen Changsheng heard this and said, “The Dragon Lord is truly courteous; in that case, I have no reason not to go. I will attend the River and Sea Grand Banquet in three years as agreed.”
Yingyuan felt a weight lifted internally after getting a reply; now he could report back.
After Yingyuan left, only Moyuan, Chenghuang, and Xian Yue remained at the Flowing Cloud Temple, along with a very drunk red fish still sleeping off its wine.
After the party ended, the Flowing Cloud Temple quieted down.
Chen Changsheng breathed out in relief.
He turned to look at Xian Yue in the courtyard and said, “Miss Xian Yue, please co with to the back yard for a while.”
Xian Yue paused briefly and followed Mr. Chen.
Moyuan watched this and rubbed his chin, nudging Chenghuang to say, “Do you think Mr. Chen might save her?”
Chenghuang thought about it and said, “Maybe he will.”
Moyuan laughed and said, “Want to make a bet?”
Chenghuang froze for a mont and shook his head. “No betting.”
“Why are you so wooden?” Moyuan exclaid.
Chenghuang looked at him and said, “I won’t bet with you.”
Moyuan got mad upon hearing this and said, “What do you an, what do you an? Would your big brother trick his little brother?”
Chenghuang didn’t respond but just gave him a strange look.
Moyuan rolled his eyes and said, “After all I’ve done for you, that’s how you think of ?”
Chenghuang heard this and said, “Then… I’ll bet.”
“That’s more like it.”
Moyuan smiled and said, “Let’s bet four hundred years of rit.”
Chenghuang shook his head and said, “Make it fifty years. That four hundred years was given by you; it’s kindness and shouldn’t be gambled.”
Hearing this, Moyuan suddenly stopped smiling.
He clicked his tongue and asked, “Then, if I asked for those four hundred years of rit back, would you return it?”
Chenghuang wondered, “Do you lack rit?”
“I said if.”
“Hmm…”
Chenghuang thought it over and said, “If you want it, I can give you the extra fifty years too.”
Moyuan fell silent for a mont and suddenly said, “How did I get such a foolish little brother?”
“Am I foolish?”
Chenghuang felt confused; wasn’t it supposed to be like this?
Moyuan waved his hand but didn’t explain anything.
Chenghuang blinked and asked, “So, shall we still bet?”
“Yes.”
Moyuan said, “Bet on four hundred and fifty years. But I’ll bet that the Mr. Chen will save her.”
Chenghuang opened his mouth and said, “But…”
“You bet that he won’t save her. How about that?” Moyuan suggested.
Chenghuang smacked his lips and nodded. “Then… alright.”
Moyuan’s gaze went to the hallway connecting the main hall to the back yard.
He sotis felt he was really strange himself.
He didn’t like seeing cleverness, and especially hated seeing such stupidity.
The sun set beyond the western peaks.
A layer of twilight fell on the Flowing Cloud Temple.
Xian Yue ca out from the back yard of the Flowing Cloud Temple.
After Mr. Chen listened to her story about the years gone by, he asked about the knife, then about her plans, as if they were old friends catching up.
She looked back at the back yard once, then walked out and left the temple; her departure seed desolate in those steps.
Mr. Chen erged, and after she had gone down the mountain, he let out a long sigh of relief.
Moyuan asked, “Mr. Chen, are you planning to save her?”
Chen Changsheng shook his head and said, “She has her own plans already.”
After hearing this, Moyuan nodded. He looked at Xian Yue vanishing in the distance on the mountain. He had thought she ca to seek Mr. Chen’s rescue.
But now it seed not.
Thinking carefully, it seed that everyone who t Mr. Chen was unusual; even mortals were never ordinary.
Chenghuang froze slightly and looked at Moyuan.
Moyuan smiled and said, “I owe you four hundred and fifty years of rit.”
Chenghuang found it odd; he couldn’t understand why Moyuan lost. It seed unreasonable.
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