Chapter 002: The Profound View

The young girl, noticing her anxiety, comforted her thoughtfully, saying, "The person sent by the Ke residence said that sister is already showing signs of improvement, and grandmother will be able to see her soon, so there is no need to worry too much."

The Real Man Chongyi was taken aback, and after a long while, he finally spoke, "You have even mastered the Flying Goblet Finger, good lad. Given time, you will surely achieve great things. However, at such a young age, being overly exceptional may not necessarily be a blessing. The martial world is vast and deep, with countless masters; you must exercise greater caution."

In an instant, a youth covered in dust appeared behind the crowd, surveying the scene in the city.

The layout of the backyard is square, with a flowerbed that has dried up completely. The long leaves of the locust and willow trees droop limply, suffering from severe drought. Beneath the eaves, there is a long wooden corridor, where a young man sits in meditation with his palms facing upward, fingers forming a gesture of the zodiac sign, his eyes seven parts closed and three parts open, concentrating intently.

Chong Yi was too lazy to say much; with a flick of his hand, a soft feather fan sliced through the air, unleashing several sharp gusts of wind that rushed directly towards Su Xuan. Any hesitation would result in injury

On the surface of Chongyi, there was an added caution, each word fell heavily, "Elder of the Vast Sky."

Su Xuan was momentarily taken aback, "The Five Ghosts are indeed unrepentant in their evil deeds, but our sect has..."

The sound of the air being cut through was sharp. "The sect has decreed that indiscriminate killing is forbidden, and that applies to humans. What are a few beasts worth? If we must kill, then let it be. Our sect does not fear him."

Causing trouble deserves scolding, and even if the matter isn't resolved, scolding is still warranted. Su Xuan found it both amusing and exasperating, yet she felt a sense of relief. "Uncle Master is right; at the very least, the Five Ghosts should no longer commit evil. As for that second gate master in the city, I will keep my distance, and I should not be discovered."

The blazing sun scorched the stones by the pond, causing the moss to dry and shrink, resembling a series of reluctant handprints. Su Xuan was momentarily lost in thought, yet she did not argue, saying, "What my master uncle said is true, but I have seen it for myself."

Su Xuan fell silent for a moment and asked, "Have you ever heard of the Five Ghosts, Master Uncle?"

Even though the situation is alarming, it is still not enough to warrant concern. To illustrate, take Jingzhou as an example. Before the city was locked down, many people had already poured in, including a number of wandering heroes. While some from the righteous path are manageable, there are others who are troublesome and best left alone. It is even more unwise to engage in any conflict within the city. If trouble arises and the authorities come to lock down the entire city, it would lead to significant complications.

The brutal beastly acts made the Real Man Chongyi's hair stand on end, and he was filled with rage. He slammed his palm onto the long board of the wooden corridor, causing it to crack and splinter. "What use is martial arts if you don't kill them all!"

Su Xuan clung to the underside of the carriage, like a delicate cicada, with the sound of the wheels rolling over the stone slabs in her ears, and the mixed footsteps of soldiers beside the carriage, completely unaware that a person was hidden beneath.

The city walls of Jingzhou are tall and sturdy, with shops lining both sides of the wide, flat road in a dense arrangement, their signs brightly colored. The streets are bustling with crowds, and around the convoy, large groups of common people gather, discussing the two prominent families, the Ke and the Ruan. There are also passersby complaining about the sharp rise in rice prices, and the queue at the porridge stall at the corner of the street has grown even longer

The esteemed Master Chongyi has always had high standards and rarely encounters such a situation. Su Xuan was taken aback, "Even Uncle Master is wary; who could it be?"

The Real Man Chongyi, having passed his forties, sports a long beard that is neatly trimmed, and his appearance is meticulously maintained. In truth, he is quite intolerant of socializing. Once he finishes receiving guests and returns to the backyard, he immediately discards his dust brush, removes his cloud crown, and sheds his outer robe. He refreshes himself by splashing his face several times with the cool well water, finally feeling at ease, and takes the cloth towel offered by the young acolyte to wipe his face

The young girl was somewhat surprised, "How could someone as wise as my sister have troubles?"

Su Xuan can also understand that as the drought persists, grain prices rise day by day, and anyone is bound to resort to desperate measures in a time of crisis

A soft and sweet voice of a young girl echoed from the cabin above, "Grandmother, have some tea"

Su Xuan felt a bit embarrassed under the glare, and confessed, "These few people were committing evil acts, and I couldn't stand by, so I stepped forward to stop them. As a result, they were furious and wanted to kill me as well. It took quite a bit of effort for me to escape."

Chong Yi Zhenren wiped the tea from his beard and said irritably, "It has been delivered now, but it will return again soon."

As the observer, Chong Yi particularly detests rituals such as the sacrificial ceremonies, and just the thought of them gives him a headache. "I have already prayed last time, and it was of no use whatsoever. Moreover, I have been observing the celestial phenomena at night, and for nearly ten days, there has been no sign of rain. Why should we go through this unnecessary act? They insist on coming to plead time and again, but it is of no avail."

In such sweltering weather, the temple should ideally be tranquil and devoid of visitors; however, the temple master, Master Chongyi, is compelled to receive guests in a formal attire.

Su Xuan took the extinguished copper stove and added the mugwort incense, asking, "Master Uncle, are you going to perform the ritual on the altar?"

Chong Yi was even more displeased, "Do you think a child who can only eat flatbread can survive? It is merely a matter of delaying for a couple of days. A cup of water cannot save a fish stranded in a dry rut. All things are ephemeral, born in the morning and dying by evening; how can you possibly save them?"

Su Xuan leaned back slightly and said, "We have also exchanged blows."

The young girl, having likely been born into privilege, had never encountered a single villain. She let out a gasp and was left speechless for a long while

The veins on Chongyi's forehead throbbed, suppressing the anger in his chest, "How long has it been since you came down the mountain? Why don't you avoid them? Why provoke these rascals and unnecessarily create enemies for yourself!"

The Master of the Chongyi Sect did not disturb him, and he quietly drank a few cups of tea. After the young man finished his cultivation, he adjusted his posture and raised his gaze with a smile. "Has the Master Uncle seen the guests off?"

The young girl, with an innocent and puzzled expression, inquired, "With the locusts causing disaster and the starving people in such a pitiable state, we happen to have food. Why should we not help others?"

It is rare for Master Chongyi to be so serious, and Su Xuan naturally complied

Su Xuan scratched her head apologetically, "Forty days ago, I encountered the Five Ghosts"

The old woman said with compassion, "This is still a time of peace and prosperity; in a time of chaos, lives are as fragile as lamp wicks. No wonder your father is worried about us going out. However, your sister was raised by me, and now she is marrying far away alone. How can she not have her family visit her after suffering from a serious illness post childbirth"

The old woman has indeed experienced much in life and thinks more deeply. "You are too young and do not understand the malice of human nature. If it were not for the guards surrounding the convoy, those starving refugees would likely have already turned into vicious marauders."

The bricks and stones of Xuanyue Temple are scorching hot, waves of heat surge, the cicadas' cries are deafening, and even sitting quietly indoors makes it difficult to avoid soaking one's clothes with sweat, leaving one feeling restless and irritable

The Real Person Chongyi solemnly said, "The Heavenly Star Gate has five ghosts, and under the Longkong Ancestor, there are two attendants. This time in Jingzhou City, it is Huajian Tao."

The eyes of the Immortal Chongyi widened, "Is it merely a chance encounter?"

The girl pondered what it might be, her mood sinking. "There is everything at home, I never imagined the outside world could be so different. The cries by the roadside are so tragic. The book says that rain devours the land for a thousand miles, leaving no green shoots, only barren earth. Natural disasters are indeed so terrifying."

"There are still porridge stalls within the city, but outside the city, it is simply unimaginable." The Master Chongyi could not help but reproach, "You are also being foolish. With your own martial skills, you allowed the refugees to steal your donkey, and in the end, you even gave away the last piece of flatbread to others. It seems you were starving to such an extent."

Su Xuan heard the gentle sound of the lid, followed by the loving voice of an elderly woman, "It is indeed inappropriate to give up the rice, but since you are soft-hearted, let it be. Consider it a way to accumulate some blessings for you."

Similarly affected by the drought, the people of Jingzhou appear untroubled by hunger and deprivation; although they experience some hardships, they can still lead a stable life. In contrast to the yellow dust and red earth outside the city, where the dead bodies of the starving are scattered everywhere, the city feels like another world.

This title is too shocking, even Su Xuan could not help but take a breath.

The old woman's tone softened a bit as she recalled the past, "Although you sisters are several years apart in age, your bond is exceptionally strong. When your sister got married, you cried several times, holding onto her skirt and not letting her leave..."

Su Xuan fell silent for a moment and said softly, "I acted impulsively, but the actions of the Five Ghosts are truly excessive. What wrong have a pair of newborn twins committed? Just because their mother was once coveted by one of the Five Ghosts, she unwillingly married in secret to avoid humiliation. Less than a hundred days after giving birth, the Five Ghosts came to her door. She knelt and wept, willing to take her own life in exchange, yet what she received in return was the wickedness of those who threw the children onto the tips of their spears for amusement"

The girl was astonished and could not believe, "Does grandmother think they will ambush the convoy?"

Chong Yi Zhenren always felt it was inappropriate, "Master, at your age, how can you act so recklessly, sending you down at this time? Ye Ting only left the mountain at nineteen; at the very least, you should have let him take you out to explore for a while."

The young Taoist priest quietly moved the tea tray a little further away, to avoid suffering the same fate as the floorboards from the pond fish.

"The Thundercloud of the Pile Hall, the Falling Goose Guest of the Gongshui, and the Little Dye of the Tianxing Gate—" As Chongyi was saying this, he noticed Su Xuan's strange expression and couldn't help but pause, "What is it?"

The footsteps on both sides of the convoy grew increasingly numerous, and a large group of people gathered in front of the street to pay their respects and greet the old matriarch of the Ruan family. The sounds of voices, carriages, and horses created a cacophony. Seeing that the moment was right, Su Xuan took the opportunity to slip through the chaos between the hooves of the horses and the gaps of the carriages.

What is there to fear? Even if Chi Xiaoran were to learn that you are from Zhengyang Palace, she would still think twice. Chong Yi was filled with anger, disregarding the earlier teachings of restraint, and spoke with pride, "Master instructed the disciples not to provoke trouble lightly, to avoid becoming too deeply entangled in the martial world and causing concern in the court. However, this does not mean that the disciples should be unable to distinguish right from wrong, nor should they be timid and inactive in the face of evil deeds. You should rest in the temple; if she comes looking for you, I will handle it myself."

Su Xuan was not particularly concerned. "I know that once I enter the city, I will definitely be able to find my master uncle, and there will be no issues."

Su Xuan has truly set her mind at ease this time, and it is not easy for Chong Yi to calm his anger. She waved her feather fan and recalled something, "However, there is still one person in the city. Although this person is wicked, his master is ten times more difficult to deal with than those from the Tianxing Sect. You must be cautious if you encounter him; if you provoke the people behind him, even I would not be able to contend with them."

After a moment of silence, Su Xuan observed the situation was not good and cautiously said, "I didn't leave my name, so he should not have guessed my sect."

Su Xuan stood for a while, inquiring the passersby about the location of the Taoist temple in the city, and then turned to head in that direction

The feeling of conflict is becoming increasingly ominous, "Is it merely a confrontation?"

The Real Man Chongyi picked up his feather fan and waved it to drive away a fly, then sat down by the corridor. "Indeed, the local officials of Jingzhou City have come in person, precisely for the matter of praying for rain."

Su Xuan nodded and casually asked, "Which people did the master uncle meet?"

The old woman comforted affectionately, "In this world, good and evil are intertwined, making it difficult to distinguish between them. You are naturally pure and gentle, and thus cannot fathom the various impurities. When you grow older, you will understand, and by then, there will be many troubles, just like your sister. She has married far away, and she must have her share of worries."

The old woman patted her granddaughter's hand and said, "What you usually see are those who live in abundance and comfort; how can you know the cruelty of those who are starving and poorly clothed? Throughout this journey, you were not allowed to lift the curtain of the carriage, partly because the scenes along the way were too tragic, and partly to avoid any unforeseen incidents. When traveling far, one must be cautious everywhere, even when doing good deeds, one should not act recklessly"

Suddenly attacked, Su Xuan remained calm and unflustered. He flicked his fingers a few times as if an invisible hand had brushed against the fan's surface, causing the sharp wind to lose its force and only a few locust leaves to flutter down.

The five hall masters of the Tianxing Sect have always engaged in wrongdoing and possess extremely poor character. However, in recent years, the Tianxing Sect has gained considerable influence, and its leader, Wei Feng, is not to be trifled with due to his formidable skills in unorthodox martial arts, which most would prefer to avoid confronting. After Chong Yi finished speaking, he noticed the expression on his face was not right, and asked, "Have you encountered anyone from the Tianxing Sect?"

Su Xuan looked at him with sympathy, "Is your visit at this time to pray for rain?"

Su Xuan was very calm about this, "Since Senior Brother is going, I can too"

The head of the Immortal Chongyi has grown larger, just as he was about to speak, he heard Su Xuan say, "I killed two ghosts and incapacitated the martial arts of three others. That second gate master chased me for several hundred miles, and I thought I had shaken him off, but unexpectedly, he also entered Jingzhou."

The old woman felt something in her heart and sighed, "Silly girl, even the smartest person, the one with the most prosperous fate, or the one with the greatest strength, cannot be free from worries and troubles in this world. It is already a great fortune to have fewer hardships."

The scorching sun beats down on the earth, and it has been over half a month since entering the city, yet the bright and glaring sky still shows no sign of rain