Chapter 341: The Golden Summit of Taifu |
The steward’s words might’ve sounded harsh, but to Liu Xiaolou they carried a bittersweet weight.
It's still got that exact same feel from ten years ago!
“Thanks to you, Steward Six, I’m still alive. Haha.” Liu Xiaolou felt a sudden warmth, which quickly gave way to sadness. “But a lot of people didn’t make it.”
Steward Six waved his hand. "I know, I know. Back then, you bunch from Wulong Mountain actually had the balls to go head-to-head with Tianmu Mountain. The outcome was no surprise, sure, but every one of us secretly gave you a thumbs-up. You guys had real guts! Now, though, it's all water under the bridge. Word is Tianmu Mountain never even put you on their wanted list to begin with. It wasn't thanks to me; it was the Su family's influence. You're welcome back anytime. Just settle down and live a good life."
“Thank you, Steward Six...”
After a bit of small talk, the steward got straight to the point: "Been a long time since you came up the mountain, huh? What's the reason this time? I remember the last time you showed up, you'd done us a solid, tipped us off about that spy." Then he spotted Lin Twin Fish standing behind Liu Xiaolou and immediately broke into a big grin. "Hah, not bad, Xiaolou! You've switched again. The woman who came with you last time was already pretty fine, and this one's just as a nice."
Liu Xiaolou broke out in a cold sweat. “Steward Six, you’ve got it wrong. This is…”
Lin Twin Fish cut in. “I’m a guest cultivator of the Sanxuan Sect. My surname is Lin.”
Steward Six blinked. “The Sanxuan Sect?”
Steward Six let out a drawn-out “Oh,” then it clicked. “Right, right. You and your master were both Sanxuan. Wasn’t your line passed down one-on-one? How did you end up hiring a guest cultivator?” He laughed and pointed at Liu Xiaolou. “Ah, I get it now. Expanding the sect, huh? Not bad, not bad. And this guest cultivator is impressive. And pretty.”
Lin Twin Fish said nothing more. She lifted her hand, and a sword flew out from behind her. It traced a clean, elegant arc above Steward Six’s head. The blade shuddered in midair, letting out a sharp, ringing sword cry.
If the fancy sword flourish earlier was something a cultivator at the peak of Qi Refinement might barely pull off, that sword hum was undoubtedly Foundation Establishment territory.
The moment she showed her hand, Steward Six froze. Then his face darkened. “So you’ve reached Foundation Establishment. Big deal. You come to my Zhanglong Mountain just to show off? Liu Xiaolou, let me be clear with you. This isn’t your Wulong Mountain.”
“I’ve traveled all over the world,” Lin Twin Fish said coldly. “And I’ve never seen a reputable, orthodox sect treat its guests like this. You joke and sneer, speaking without the slightest respect. Is that really how you receive visitors?”
Steward Six snapped back, “Don’t try to bury me under that high-and-mighty crap! I’m talking to Xiaolou. What’s it got to do with you? This is how we’ve always talked. You’re the newcomer here. What would you know about the rules of Zhanglong Mountain? What a joke. Who do you think you’re standing up for? This is the gate of Zhanglong Mountain. If you don't like what you hear, get your ass down the mountain yourself!”
Lin Twin Fish’s expression turned icy. She had no intention of continuing a shouting match with Steward Six. Given her status, getting into a public argument with a gate steward of the Zhanglong Sect would only embarrass her if word got out. Still, giving him a light lesson was perfectly acceptable. At worst, she could apologize to Sect Master Qu later.
She was a sword cultivator through and through, someone who preferred to let her sword do the talking. The short blade hovering above Steward Six’s head dipped, poised to strike. Of course, she was not going to cut him down. What was coming down was the hilt. She intended to knock the steward out first and talk later.
Liu Xiaolou jumped in alarm. He knew Steward Six all too well. This was a man who spoke one way to one kind of person and another way to another, rough around the edges but flexible. Back in the day, this was exactly how he talked with Liu Xiaolou and the others from Wulong Mountain. If he did not speak like that, they would never have gotten close in the first place. Seeing Liu Xiaolou again, he had simply fallen back into old habits. At worst, there was a hint of condescension, but there was no real malice behind it. When he saw Lin Twin Fish about to strike, Liu Xiaolou rushed to intervene.
“Senior Sister Lin, don’t!”
A streak of sword light flew out from behind him. It intercepted Lin Twin Fish’s short blade just in time, stopping it from coming down.
“Easy, Senior Sister Lin, don't take offense. Steward Six has always talked like this. He didn’t mean anything by it, really, he didn’t. Steward Six? Steward Six?”
He was hoping Steward Six would back down and say something to smooth things over, but the guy just stood there gaping up at the two flying swords hovering in the air, mouth hanging open like he'd forgotten how to close it. Only after both swords zipped back into their sheaths and Liu Xiaolou stepped forward to grab his arm did the steward finally snap out of it, eyes wide as hell.
“Xiaolou, tell me I'm not seeing things! You've broken through to Foundation Establishment?”
Liu Xiaolou laughed loudly. “Thanks to your blessing, Steward Six. I’ve just barely made it to Foundation Establishment. Haha!”
Steward Six stood there for a moment, stunned. He could not even tell what he was feeling. The small spat he had just had with Lin Twin Fish was already gone from his mind, tossed far into the back of his head. Liu Xiaolou had to say “I have business with Elder Bai” three times before Steward Six finally snapped out of it and, in a daze, led the two of them inside.
At the top of Taifu Golden Summit stood five grand halls and seven clusters of courtyards. They were a reminder of Zhanglong Mountain’s most glorious era, the age of the “Five Gates and Seven Branches.” Back then, the Zhanglong Sect was at its absolute peak, boasting five Nascent Soul cultivators and dominating the entire Jing-Xiang region. It was several times stronger than today’s Qingyu Sect and capable of standing toe to toe with the Danxia Sect.
Of course, it would not be fair to say that Zhanglong Mountain has truly declined. It is just no longer as dazzling as it once was. At the very least, two of the seven major courtyards have already been repurposed and are no longer home to the branches that once resided there.
Taifu Golden Summit itself is broad and gentle, not a sheer or dangerous cliff like you'd expect. The five golden halls and seven courtyard complexes form what feels like a bustling street running along the ridgeline. It was always lively up there.
As they walked, Liu Xiaolou spotted several familiar faces, all former inner-sect stewards of Zhanglong Mountain. When they noticed Liu Xiaolou following behind Steward Six, some of them turned cold and acted as if they had not seen him at all. Others offered a quick smile and nod before hurrying on their way.
Steward Six led Liu Xiaolou and Lin Twin Fish to a courtyard and reported their arrival to another steward standing by the gate. That steward then invited the two of them inside, seating them in a side room and serving them tea.
When two Foundation Establishment cultivators come calling, even the Zhanglong Sect shows proper courtesy and offers tea.
After escorting them into Elder Bai’s residence, Steward Six did not leave. He stood there staring at the courtyard gate, his face distant and confused.
It was not until someone beside him gave him a pat that he snapped out of it.
“I’m talking to you. What’s wrong, Brother Song? You look completely out of it.”
“Huh. Fourth Brother, what was it?”
“I was saying, Brother Ming just got back from the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains and brought back a wild pheasant from there. Nothing spiritual, just a local specialty you do not see very often. We’re stewing it tonight. Want to come over to my place for a drink?”
“Oh. Got it. Thanks, Fourth Brother. I’ll definitely come. Wait, tonight? Tonight won’t work, it won’t work. I’ve got something to take care of. Please apologize to Brother Ming for me.”
“What is going on with you? What happened?”
“It’s Liu Xiaolou.”
“Liu Xiaolou?”
“That Liu Xiaolou from Wulong Mountain. You know, the one whose master you’re fairly close to. The guy named Sanxuan.”
“Oh. Right, I remember now. Zheng Sanxuan’s disciple. What about him?”
“He’s reached Foundation Establishment.”
“You’re kidding, right?”
“It’s true. He came to pay a formal visit to the sect, here to see Elder Bai. He even brought along a guest cultivator, also Foundation Establishment. They’re in this courtyard right now.”
“No way.”
“I’m serious.”
“Someone from Wulong Mountain? Foundation Establishment?”
“You heard me right. Foundation Establishment.”
“The first one in decades, isn’t he?”
“Thirty years.”
And so, outside Elder Bai’s courtyard, there was now one more steward with a head full of mixed emotions.
Inside, Liu Xiaolou, the first person in thirty years to reach Foundation Establishment, was seated in Elder Bai’s reception hall, holding a teacup and slowly savoring its fragrance.
There was nothing especially remarkable about the tea itself. The last time he had come here, he had been stuck outside the reception hall, waiting for instructions. He had not been qualified to step inside. After delivering his message and receiving his reward, he had been told to “get lost.” This time, though, he had been invited all the way in, seated properly, calmly enjoying tea. And not just any tea. This was tea served by Elder Bai, the Golden Core elder who oversaw Zhanglong Mountain’s secular affairs. Of course it deserved to be savored.
The tea really was fragrant.