Chapter Nine, Gathering Dragon Mountain

Due to the limitations of his innate talent, the man from Julong Mountain has remained trapped in the Qi Refining stage, and his combat abilities are quite inadequate, easily surpassed by ordinary Qi Refining swordsmen who have practiced for three to five years

There is no refusal, which indicates that he is aware of the message and is waiting for the transaction

Some time ago, there was a cultivator named Jin Wuhuan who entered the Great Marsh, but now his whereabouts are unknown. This individual wields a copper staff and has a green serpent hanging from his waist, which is quite unusual compared to ordinary people. I wonder if the mountain dweller knows his whereabouts or perhaps where he resides. Are there any relatives or friends nearby?

The master of Julong Mountain laughed again: "But does the food and drink not align with the esteemed guest's preferences?"

The river named Yanshui flows rapidly, and with his current abilities, it is difficult to cross. In my memory, there seems to be a ferry downstream called Julongdu, where a boatman provides ferry services.

After waiting for a long time, the man from Julong Mountain returned, personally carrying a food basket and warmly inviting Wu Sheng to dine.

The reason he gained fame is due to his well-informed nature. Anyone seeking information from him must first provide a piece of information in exchange, and then pay a sum of money based on the value of the information they are inquiring about. In the past, Wu Sheng sought information from him once.

The young man laughed and said, "The mountain man just used it this morning"

Wu Sheng felt a surge of determination in his heart, taking out the last remaining twenty coins and placing them on the wooden platform in front of him. The news vendor from Julong Mountain charged fees ranging from ten to a hundred coins. Wu Sheng was merely inquiring about an unnamed cultivator, which was not a matter of great importance or secrecy; twenty coins would suffice.

Looking at the meal before him, Wu Sheng asked: "Does the mountain man not eat?"

Wu Sheng was expelled from the tavern, yet he dared not retaliate and could only leave, biting down on his molars.

Please speak

Wu Sheng had already thought it through and said at that moment: "Assassin Ding Jia has been missing since last year, and many people are searching for him. I know his whereabouts"

It has been several years since we last met, and the bamboo grove has expanded significantly, with the addition of a fish pond and a flower garden. Following the stone path inward, at the end of the winding and secluded way, there is a thatched cottage, where the recluse of Julu Mountain awaits.

Still in that lush forest of bamboo, Wu Sheng knocked on the wooden door. After a young boy inquired about his purpose, he welcomed Wu Sheng inside

In a fit of anger, I almost threw this incense stick away, but in the end, I couldn't bring myself to do it. After much contemplation, with no clear direction, I could only treat a dead horse as if it were alive, clinging to a glimmer of hope, and headed northwest according to the divination.

Save some food, a single ant's nose worth can almost make a full meal, seventy coins is quite a sum, yet it was inexplicably exchanged for incense and clay pills, along with a divination that says to head northwest for three days

Wu Sheng slowly raised the wine cup and asked, "Can the mountain man inform me of Jin Wuhuan's whereabouts?"

Northwest, northwest, where can one go in this direction? Wu Sheng pondered, desperately searching his memory for useful information, and before he knew it, he was obstructed by a great river.

Wu Sheng asked again: "Since there are no guests, who is all this food in the kitchen for?"

Qian put down the money, and the man from Julong Mountain used a thin bamboo stick to push the money towards his knees, then looked at Wu Sheng, waiting for Wu Sheng to exchange information first

Wu Sheng asked: "Is the mountain man preparing to host guests today"

Wu Sheng reached into his bosom, while the recluse of Julong Mountain remained seated and motionless. Suddenly, the seat withdrew several feet backward, and he drew out a long sword from beneath the seat, holding it protectively in front of him

The man of Julong Mountain blinked and said, "Where shall I begin?"

The man from Julong Mountain chuckled and said, "I have already eaten earlier, so I am not hungry." Seeing that Wu Sheng did not pick up his chopsticks, he let out a laugh, took a wine cup for himself, raised it in invitation, and said, "Please!" He drank first.

Wu Sheng held the wine cup at his lips, yet did not drink: "I kindly ask you to inform me, otherwise I cannot swallow my food."

"Esteemed guest, what brings you here?" The recluse of Julong Mountain, clad in wide sleeves, exuded an air of a high-minded hermit. He gestured with his hand, inviting Wu Sheng to sit across from him, and instructed the servant to bring tea.

He inquired with the young boy about the location of the toilet, which turned out to be just behind a cluster of green vines. After turning around to resolve the issue, Wu Sheng returned to the main hall to continue waiting. During the wait, the pot filled with meat stew and the mountain of dried meat piled on the table kept surfacing in his mind, refusing to fade away.

Ding Jia and Wu Sheng were of similar skill, both being outstanding assassins, yet they had little interaction with each other. Last year, Wu Sheng suddenly received a brief letter from Ding Jia, inviting him to join in the assassination of the notorious bandit Wei Fu Chen. However, by the time Wu Sheng arrived at Qunyu Mountain, it was already too late; he only found Ding Jia's corpse. Thus, he buried him on the spot, and the bandit Wei Fu Chen subsequently vanished without a trace

"Thank you for your patience, please enjoy your meal." The host from Julong Mountain scooped a ladle of wine from the urn and poured it into a wine cup: "This is the homemade rice wine from my humble abode, please have a taste."

After he left, Wu Sheng quietly waited in the hall. About half an hour later, he also got up and came out, wandering around, looking for a restroom. When he turned to the bamboo grove, he saw a young boy cooking by the kitchen, with meat stew simmering in a pot and slices of meat being cut on the chopping board, the aroma wafting in the air, and the quantity was quite ample

Wu Sheng nodded, set down the wine cup, and silently stared at the man from Julong Mountain

Upon hearing this, the recluse of Julong Mountain half-closed his eyelids, lost in thought and remained silent

The resident of Julong Mountain was taken aback and asked, "What brings you here, esteemed guest?"

Stepping out of Hongshanji, looking at the three-inch-long incense in my hand and a clay ball the size of a fingertip, I inexplicably felt a sense of emptiness and loss

The face of the man from Julong Mountain was pale, his long sword trembled slightly, and he involuntarily gazed towards the door.

Before losing consciousness, a thought flashed through my mind: Isn't he a master of the Divine Refinement Realm? ... How could he possibly use such a lowly and despicable intoxicating fragrance

Is this a scam

I have a matter to inquire about, and I hope the mountain dweller can inform me

The man of Julong Mountain slowly nodded, stood up, and said: "The information you wish to inquire about still requires further investigation; please dine on the mountain first."

Look at him, he seems to no longer recognize himself. No wonder, it has been five years since we last met.

Thinking of Julongdu, I suddenly recall a person—Julongshan Ren. This individual resides not far away on Julong Mountain, making a living by selling information

Wu Shengdao: "Has the mountain man recognized me? If he has, you should know that you cannot escape from this thatched cottage."

The sleeves of the man from Julong Mountain trembled slightly, and a drop of sweat slid down from his forehead to the tip of his nose

Wu Shengdao: "Does your family member from the mountains have a large appetite?"

The man from Julong Mountain nodded and said: "Jin Wuhuan indeed came to Daze, but his current whereabouts are unknown. However, he has a friend in Tianshan Gorge named Xin Xitang. Esteemed guests may take a trip to Tianshan Gorge, and there will surely be something to gain... Please drink to your fill!"

Wu Sheng suddenly asked: "How many guests has the mountain man invited?"

Wu Shengdao: "At the foot of the rocky peaks of Qunyu Mountain by the banks of the Miluo River"

The man from Julong Mountain immediately replied, "You are the assassin Wu Sheng!" As he responded, his left hand pressed down onto the floor, but by the time he reached the ground, his entire body had become weak and limp, his head spinning and unable to muster even a trace of strength, leading him to collapse to the ground, unconscious.

Wu Sheng did not mention Ding Jia's life or death; in any case, upon arrival, he should be able to locate the grave, which can be considered as unraveling a mystery for the cultivation world, and it seems to hold no adverse implications for himself

The man of Julong Mountain breathed heavily, looking at the burning incense and shouting: "You ask!"

Wu Sheng took out an incense stick from his bosom, then used a flint to light it, and then looked towards the man from Julong Mountain opposite him: "Three questions, when the incense burns out, if your answers do not satisfy me, the mountain man shall die"

A bowl of meat soup, a plate of meat jerky, three pieces of rice cakes, and a jar of wine

Wu Sheng smiled and said, "I have already asked the first question"

The youth replied, "The mountain man has instructed to prepare more, as it will not be enough to eat"

Wu Sheng politely said: "There is no need to do so much, a bowl of soup is sufficient"

"Eating while talking."

The person from Julong Mountain was slightly moved and said, "Please do inform me."