Chapter 354: Attitude is What Matters |
After they came down from Spotted Bamboo Pavilion Mountain, Liu Xiaolou cupped his hands and said goodbye to Su Zhenjiu and Han Wuwang. Then he and Han Gao wandered on along a narrow stream. There were several more pavilion mountains over that way, and the scenery was gorgeous.
There was the Dragon Palace Pavilion Mountain, hollowed out like a massive rock at the bottom of a lake. it was the stronghold of the Jinyang Sect, which operated under the Dongyang Sect.
There was Coral Pavilion Mountain, covered in maple trees so red they looked like coral. That was where the Zhou and Gao families of the Qingyu Sect lived together. Yes, the same Zhou family as Seventh Lady Zhou, who had gone to Bashu with Lord Xingde.
There was also Snail Pavilion Mountain, shaped like a giant field snail. That was the home of Red Conch Mountain Manor, the Zheng family. It was the very same Zheng household where Liu Xiaolou, thanks to a string of misunderstandings, had once been led by Granny Zheng to take part in a marriage selection.
Then there was the Li family of Great Wood Mountain, another old clan Liu Xiaolou had encountered during those matchmaking events, with roots even deeper than Red Conch Mountain Manor.
If Shenwu Manor got involved in this too, this casual stroll would pretty much turn into a full replay of that long-ago marriage selection route.
Just as the thought of Shenwu Manor popped into his head, Han Gao piped up beside him. “What do you think Su Zhenjiu was getting at? He starts talking, then stops halfway and never finishes. It’s seriously annoying.”
Liu Xiaolou thought it over carefully. “The Dongyang Sect probably still needs something from Shenwu Manor. Maybe they want me to act as a go-between?”
Han Gao was skeptical. “I doubt it’s that simple. You’ve said before that the Dongyang Sect and Shenwu Manor have a long history together. They can talk to each other directly. Why would they need you, a former live-in son-in-law who’s already been divorced, to smooth things over? Whatever this is, it’s aimed at you specifically.”
Han Gao shook his head. “No idea. But since they won’t come right out and say it, it can’t be anything urgent. We can deal with it after we’re done here.”
Liu Xiaolou let out a breath. “All right. We’ll wait until things here are settled.”
Maybe it was that old feeling of nerves when you get close to home again. After so many years, the thought of returning to Shenwu Mountain still made him uneasy.
He had no idea how he was supposed to face his former wife.
Given how much stronger her cultivation was than his, she would... probably look down on him if they met again, right?
The two of them walked on a bit farther. Up ahead, a pavilion mountain crowned with ancient, twisting pines came into view. Liu Xiaolou stopped in his tracks, squinting. “Where are we now?”
Han Gao had earlier been sent to scout out the area, so he answered at once. “Cangwu Pavilion Mountain. It’s the Lu family’s temporary residence, the Lu clan from Tianmu Mountain.”
So it really was the Lu family. Just moments ago, Liu Xiaolou had seen someone coming down from that mountain. It was a Lu alchemist he had met years before when he went to Dragon Pool on Tianmu Mountain to retrieve pills. Liu Xiaolou changed direction.
“Let’s head back,” he said. “Brother Han, looking at it this way, our Zhanglong Sect has brought the fewest people. Every other family has taken up two or three pavilion mountains. We’re the only ones squeezed into a single one.”
Han Gao turned with him. “That’s right. I heard Zang Qianli say that Sect Master Qu was trying to be considerate. He didn’t want to make a big show of force and hoped each sect would conserve its strength. After all, only a handful of people can enter the cave abode, and those slots were decided long ago. No matter how many people you bring, they still won’t get in.”
Liu Xiaolou nodded. “I think there’s more to it than that. Part of it is keeping an eye on Gengsang Cave. All the major families from Jing-Xiang are here. If that’s the case, who’s guarding the west against Gengsang Cave? That’s an enemy they can’t afford to ignore...”
Just as they were talking, a steward from the Qingyu Sect hurried past them. He was striding toward the exit while calling out to others along the way.
“They’re here from Gengsang Cave. Hurry up and get the boats ready.”
“Will two small boats be enough?”
“No. Send out a tower ship to meet them. There are more than thirty people.”
“All right.”
Liu Xiaolou glanced at Han Gao. “So they really did come.”
Han Gao still looked a little stunned. “Didn’t the sect leader say the two sides had a blood feud?”
Liu Xiaolou slapped his forehead. “The world changes too fast...”
And so they made their way back to Langyin Pavilion Mountain. When they reached its base, a blinding flash suddenly exploded from inside the mountain, illuminating the surrounding wilderness. Though it lasted only a second, the radiance didn't just engulf Langyin Pavilion Mountain... it washed over several neighboring mountain as well. At once, many people shot out into the open, all staring toward Langyin Pavilion Mountain.
Liu Xiaolou’s heart jumped. He and Han Gao quickened their pace and leapt upward. The place where the light had erupted was the courtyard where their own Sanxuan Sect was staying.
When they got back, the courtyard looked perfectly normal. Song Axia was still stitching up his red robe, and Wu Changeng was polishing his sword, though no one knew what more there was left to polish on it. Lin Twin Fish, as usual, was in Su Jing’s room, hovering over him and pushing him to cultivate.
Liu Xiaolou blinked. “Was I seeing things just now?” he asked carefully. “There was a flash of light. It looked like sword light.”
Wu Changeng kept grinding the blade as he looked up to answer. “You didn’t imagine it, Sect Leader. A few guys from the Lingqiu Sect came over, said a bunch of nonsense. Axia gave them a slash. The one in front seemed to get hurt.”
Liu Xiaolou opened his mouth, then just let out a flat: “All right, then.”
Wu Changeng asked, “Do you have any concerns, Sect Leader?”
Liu Xiaolou shook his head. “No, that’s fine. Oh, right. You’re all okay, right? Axia’s fine too?”
Wu Changeng leaned toward Song Axia’s room. “Axia, the Sect Leader’s asking if you’re hurt.”
Song Axia stuck his head out, tilting it to one side. “Hurt? Hurt how?”
Wu Changeng waved a hand. “Nothing. We’re good.”
Song Axia’s head pulled back inside.
Liu Xiaolou beat a retreat and went to Han Gao for advice. “Are people from the Southern Sea Sword Sect always like this? Always this... intense? When we dealt with them before, it didn’t seem like this at all. How are we supposed to get along with them going forward?”
Han Gao said, “They’re not hard to deal with in everyday matters. Just don’t get into a dispute with them. Once a fight starts, reason goes out the window and only the sword matters. Even down in Lingnan, the various Luofu sects don’t easily provoke them. My guess is the people from the Lingqiu Sect said something out of line just now. When that Sect Leader Ba stopped you earlier, his tone was already kind of arrogant, like he didn’t know his place. If you run into the Southern Sea Sword Sect like that, a fight is basically guaranteed.”
Liu Xiaolou was slowly nodding when Zang Qianli hurried over. “Sect Leader Liu, are you here?”
Liu Xiaolou cupped his hands in greeting. “Brother Zang.”
“What’s going on, Sect Leader Liu?” Zang Qianli asked, sounding pretty pissed off. “How did our own people end up fighting each other first?”
Liu Xiaolou tried to smooth things over. “Ah, I wouldn’t really call it a fight. It was more like the Lingqiu Sect came over out of nowhere and said some strange things. My guest elder... well, he kind of lost it for a second, and, uh, accidentally swung his sword. Somehow that ended up injuring them. It’s fine, it’s fine. Just a misunderstanding.”
Zang Qianli snapped, “What kind of misunderstanding leaves someone hurt like that? That was the Lingqiu Sect’s administrative elder, Sect Leader Ba’s junior brother. The Heart-Foundation Immortal Blood Pills we got from Tianmu Mountain were limited to begin with, and now... and now one of them is going to be burned on him. Seriously…”
Liu Xiaolou looked toward Song Axia’s room. “Elder Song?”
Song Axia poked his head out again, looking puzzled. “I actually only used half a strike.”
Wu Changeng leaned out from the other room. “Fellow Daoist Zang, you should really take a close look at that administrative elder from the Lingqiu Sect. See if he’s faking the injury to swindle you out of a Heart-Foundation Immortal Blood Pill. Did he take the pill right there in front of you, or did their sect take it back to ‘hold onto’ it?”
“What swindling? The pill hasn’t even been given yet,” Zang Qianli said. He had traveled east with them and knew exactly what sort of people these two were. And he also knew how much weight Sect Leader Liu’s words carried. He didn’t bother arguing with them and went to find Lin Twin Fish. “Twin Fish Sword! Ah, sorry. Brother Su, your injuries still haven’t fully healed?”
Lin Twin Fish said, “Yes. He’s in the middle of healing right now. So that whatever ‘Administrative Elder’ barged in yelling and screaming his head off. Axia just stuck him with one sword. Didn’t mean to really hurt him, just wanted him to shut up and lower his voice. The guy realized he’d screwed up, so he backed off and left quietly. As for the spiritual pill, I’d suggest Elder Bai not make a big deal out of it. This is exactly the time to win people over.”
Zang Qianli let out a sigh. “Elder Bai’s thinking is that someone’s already been hurt, so we really can’t afford to stir up more infighting among ourselves. How about having Sanxuan Sect send someone over with this Heart-Foundation Immortal Blood Pill as a peace offering between the two sides?” He took out a small box and held it up in his palm.
Lin Twin Fish shook her head helplessly. “Fine then. Sect Master. Sect Master?”
Liu Xiaolou came over. “What it it?”
Lin Twin Fish said, “Can the sect master please make the trip.”
Liu Xiaolou nodded and accepted the box. Turning to Han Gao, he said, “Guest Elder Han, want to come along?”
Han Gao smiled. “After you, Sect Master. After you, Daoist Zang.”
As they headed toward the Lingqiu Sect’s residence, Liu Xiaolou asked quietly, “Brother Zang, do you think we could swap it for a different pill? Honestly, I feel like a Heart-Nourishing Pill would be more than enough. What really matters is the gesture, right?”