bookbashuk Chapter 57 First Encounter with Zhang Nanshan
Chapter 57 First Encounter with Zhang Nanshan
Wei Qingyi and Feng Xiaolu helped Chen Anran lead the way, while Lin Xiaoman, holding Xiaoling'er's hand, followed quietly by.
Little Bell'er curiously observed these unfamiliar older brothers and sisters with her big eyes, especially the female Taoist priest from Longhu Mountain who held a jade ruyi and the bald heads of the people from Jingang Temple.
The guest rooms are located in the expanded east wing. Although not luxurious, they are clean and tidy, with brand-new bedding and utensils. The windows offer views of lush green mountains, creating a tranquil atmosphere.
Chen Anran and his group divided the work and quickly made proper arrangements for the dozens of disciples.
After settling in, Chen Anran asked Lin Xiaoman to take Xiaoling'er to the backyard to rest, as they were not needed here for the time being.
After Lin Xiaoman and Xiao Ling'er left, Feng Xiaolu breathed a sigh of relief and clapped her hands: "Luckily, my junior brother and I insisted on expanding the sect back then, otherwise I really wouldn't know what to do now."
Chen Anran smiled and said, "Our senior sister is used to being frugal. If we hadn't insisted, she definitely wouldn't have been willing to spend this money. Now it seems that the money was well spent."
Feng Xiaolu nodded repeatedly, then lowered her voice and furtively looked around: "Junior Brother, what do you think that old monk Shi Haisheng is up to? The way he was smiling just now gave me the creeps."
Wei Qingyi said coldly, "Little Lu, be careful what you say. There are too many people around now. If outsiders overhear, how will our Yunyin Sect deal with it?"
Chen Anran nodded, "Second Senior Sister is right. After all, Vajra Temple is a righteous sect. Without conclusive evidence to prove that they are heretical cultivators, any wrong word we say could bring annihilation to the sect."
Feng Xiaolu stuck out her tongue, said "Okay," and then changed the subject. "So, next we..."
"Go back and listen?" Chen Anran pointed towards the main hall.
When Chen Anran and the other two returned to the main hall, they found that the atmosphere was not as serious and formal as they had imagined.
Inside the main hall, the air was filled with the fragrance of sandalwood.
As the hostess, Su Wan was skillfully pouring tea for everyone, her movements elegant and composed.
Master Zhang stroked his long beard and smiled as he recounted an amusing incident that had recently occurred at Longhu Mountain. It was about a monkey that had stolen and eaten discarded pills from the alchemy room and, due to its spiritual energy, had unexpectedly gained intelligence. Now, it had become their guardian spirit beast, often teasing the disciples and eliciting smiles from everyone.
Master Shi Haisheng listened with a smile, holding a cup of tea, occasionally chiming in with a few words. He mentioned that the koi in the pond behind the Vajra Temple, having been influenced by Buddhism for a long time, had even begun to show signs of spiritual radiance.
The representatives from the other factions, including the gloomy middle-aged Taoist from Qingya Cave, also toned down their arrogance, exchanging pleasantries and chatting about rumors and anecdotes from the cultivation world, such as the appearance of some strange spiritual herbs in a certain place or the emergence of a talented junior from a certain family. The entire hall was more like a gathering of old friends under the guise of the Righteous Path Conference, a scene of harmony.
Chen Anran exchanged a glance with Wei Qingyi and Feng Xiaolu, then silently walked behind Su Wan and stood in attendance.
Feng Xiaolu couldn't help but mutter in a very low voice, "Wasn't this supposed to be a conference to discuss the righteous path? Why are we just chatting about everyday things..."
Wei Qingyi gently nudged her, signaling her to be quiet.
Su Wan seemed to sense their return, turned back and gave them a reassuring look, then turned to the group and said gently, "The spirit ape that Master Zhang spoke of does indeed possess considerable wisdom. In the back mountains of my Yunyin Sect, there are also occasional signs of birds and beasts possessing spiritual abilities, which shows the wonders of the creation of heaven and earth."
Master Zhang nodded and smiled, "Indeed. The spiritual energy has been restored, and all things have a spirit. This is a sign of a prosperous age, and it is also the responsibility of us cultivators to protect all living beings."
Master Shi Haisheng put down his teacup, his gaze sweeping gently over Chen Anran, and said with a smile, "Sect Leader Su and these gentlemen are all exceptionally talented individuals. Especially this young friend Chen, so young yet so composed. I was quite impressed by him after our last meeting in Guangzhou."
Being suddenly called out, Chen Anran felt a slight alarm bell ring in his heart, but he remained calm on the surface. He stepped forward half a step and bowed, saying, "Master, you flatter me. This junior is dull-witted and does not deserve such praise."
"Oh, young friend, you are too modest." Shi Haisheng's smile remained unchanged. "This old monk observes that your aura is more solid than it was a few months ago, which means you must not have slacked off in your cultivation recently. The Yunyin Sect's tradition is indeed unique."
Su Wan then took over the conversation, speaking calmly: "Master Shi, you flatter me. An Ran is merely making up for his shortcomings with diligence. He cannot compare to the eminent disciples of Jingang Temple, each of whom has a profound foundation."
She skillfully steered the conversation away from the topic while subtly complimenting the other person.
The conversation then continued to revolve around trivial matters.
As the sun sets and dusk falls, the sky darkens.
Seeing that it was getting late, Su Wan instructed Chen Anran and Feng Xiaolu to prepare the dinner.
The banquet was held in the newly built square, with several square tables put together and covered with simple tablecloths. The dishes were mainly local specialties of Yunyin Mountain, including wild vegetables, mountain mushrooms, and fish from clear springs. Although no spiritual rice or vegetables were used, they were still very fragrant and had a unique flavor thanks to Chen Anran's cooking.
After the banquet, Su Wan arranged for everyone to return to their rooms to rest, stating that the Zhengdao Conference would be formally discussed in the main hall at 1 p.m. the next day.
After everyone dispersed, Chen Anran, Wei Qingyi, and Feng Xiaolu cleaned up the square, went to the kitchen to wash the dishes, and then Wei Qingyi and Feng Xiaolu went back to their room to rest.
Unable to sleep, Chen Anran wandered aimlessly throughout the sect. He walked across the quiet square, around the old locust tree with its lush foliage, and, as if possessed, headed towards a secluded small platform on the back mountain.
The area offers a wide view overlooking part of the mountain scenery and is a place where the female students occasionally take walks and meditate.
Upon arriving at this place, he caught a faint scent of tobacco. Chen Anran paused, and by the moonlight, he saw a figure standing beside the stone railing at the edge of the platform.
The man was wearing a gold-threaded bathrobe and flip-flops. His white hair was casually draped over his shoulders, and he held a slender cigarette between his fingers, the crimson flame flickering in the night.
He noticed Chen Anran behind him, turned around and chuckled, "Young friend Chen, want one?"
Chen Anran was slightly taken aback when she saw Zhang Nanshan's appearance before walking over.
Zhang Nanshan took out his cigarette case, pulled out a cigarette and handed it to Chen Anran. Chen Anran took it, and the next second Zhang Nanshan handed her a lighter.
The lighter's flame flickered slightly. Chen Anran paused for a second before covering the flame with his hand and lighting the cigarette in his mouth.
The nicotine passed through his lungs, causing Chen Anran to cough incessantly.
Smoking was something that happened in her previous life; in this life, this is the first time Chen Anran has ever smoked.
Seeing Chen Anran choke, Zhang Nanshan laughed heartily, casually placed his cigarette case and lighter on the stone railing, took a drag himself, slowly exhaled the smoke, and gazed at the hazy night below the mountain.