As soon as Qiu Feng left, Yin Qing and Hu Yun relaxed in the courtyard of Ju'an Pavilion.
Ji Yuan was still outside the courtyard gate and hadn't come back yet. Yin Qing turned around and started to lecture Hu Yun in a teacher's tone.
"Look at you, a fox yelling all day long. This only happens here, Mr. Ji. If it were somewhere else, if someone saw a fox running and jumping on its two legs and talking, they would be scared to death first, then they would calm down and find tools like hoes and rakes, and then gather the villagers to beat you to death!"
"You're talking nonsense! And I'm afraid of them? My claws and teeth are very powerful!"
Hu Yun yelled, waving his still sharp claws and arguing with Yin Qing.
"Oh, you're so awesome, then why do you curl up on your back when you see a dog when we run through the streets?"
Yin Qing curled his lips and looked at the red fox with extreme contempt, which made the latter's fur stand up like a cat, grinning to reveal its thin and sharp fangs, as if it was looking for a fight.
“Tsk tsk tsk…”
Yin Qing also rolled up his sleeves, revealing his strong arms.
"Come on, come on, take pictures of whoever wants to take pictures!"
The man and the fox confronted each other for a long time, but neither of them really stepped forward. After a while, they couldn't hold it any longer. Yin Qing looked at Ji Yuan, who had passed by them and sat back in front of the chessboard. It seemed that Mr. Ji had no intention of organizing a battle between man and fox.
"Forget it, forget it. Why would I bother with a stinky fox like you who just learned to talk? I am a scholar!"
Yin Qing groaned and threw his sleeves back into place.
"Forget it, forget it. I'm a bookish fox, older than you. Why would I bother with a brat like you?"
Hu Yun also looked like he was not going to argue with her.
Ji Yuan turned his head to look at the two, shook his head and continued to make his move.
For others, understanding the chess moves of the chess masters of the past is just a way to improve their chess skills, but for Ji Yuan it is also a form of practice.
Just like watching chess in Gyeonggi Province, when the two pieces compete with each other, the changes of yin and yang are also displayed, and the process of black and white fighting each other also evolves into the way of mutual generation.
The more skilled the chess player is, the deeper the feelings he brings to Ji Yuan during the chess game. It would be best to watch the game live, but true chess masters are not necessarily easier to find than gods. It is also a very good practice to experience it across time and space through the chess classics handed down from generation to generation.
Yin Qing and Hu Yun looked at each other, and the man and the fox quietly walked to the table and sat down.
"Mr. Ji, who was that big gentleman just now? Hu Yun didn't even notice him inside. If an ordinary person saw a fox running in speaking human language, he would be scared."
"Uh-huh!"
Hu Yun nodded aside.
Ji Yuan sighed.
"It's good to know, so be more restrained in the future, especially you."
Ji Yuan turned and looked at the red fox.
Facing those lifeless eyes, the red fox froze again.
"Just because I'm fine doesn't mean it's the same outside. There are very few kind-hearted monsters in this world, and even fewer monsters who can prove their kindness. Yin Qing's words are actually true. Before you have enough ability, you should not be too active outside."
Seeing that the fox didn't dare to answer, Ji Yuan didn't say anything more.
"Uh, well, Mr. Ji, we're going to go cook first. When it's ready, we'll bring it over here to eat together. I'll be leaving first!"
Yin Qing felt that Mr. Ji might not be in a good mood today, so he winked at Hu Yun and quickly left the courtyard with the latter.
Ji Yuan dropped the child in his hand, but his eyes were fixed on the backs of the man and the fox as they left. It was unknown what he was thinking about, and after a long time he shook his head.
. . .
About an hour later, Qiu Feng flew back to Yuhuai Mountain. When he came back, he did not bother to see his apprentice. He first called his senior brother Yangming and went to Shuyun Tower with his senior brother to find Uncle Ren.
Shuyun Tower is a special building in Yuhuai Mountain. It has many magic arrays inside that can help cultivators calm their minds. It is also a place for disciples in the mountain to enter into meditation and retreat.
At the same time, every twenty years, two great masters from Yu Huaishan would take turns to be in charge of Shuyun Tower. Looking after the building's formations to prevent the retreating monks from going astray is just a side job. The more important thing is to deal with some of the things that happened in Yu Huaishan during the past twenty years.
In fact, the immortal palaces and sects in this world, although not based on classics, can be roughly divided into two types. One is a sect-style sect, with a head monk in charge of the affairs of the immortal palace; Yuhuai Mountain belongs to the second type, and there is no head monk or similar figure. After reaching a certain level of Taoism, everyone takes turns to look after the Yuhuai Holy Land.
During these twenty years, it was Qiu Feng and Yang Ming's turn to be master and uncle. During this period, they could not stay in seclusion or travel around at will. If anything happened, they would be the first to deal with it, and they would generally not disturb the masters of their generation.
The title of "Great Immortal" does not completely correspond to the strength of one's cultivation level and magical power. Magical power is naturally one of the standards, but it more corresponds to whether one can get the true meaning of the Tao in the practice of cultivation. The word "real" has a profound meaning, and the word "real person" does not simply divide people into strong and weak, but focuses more on the true meaning of cultivation.
Even those masters with very high seniority can only be called "Great Immortal".
Of course, the so-called "Great Immortal" is just what Yu Huaishan called himself. In the orthodox world of cultivating immortals, most people who have achieved success in cultivation are given the title of "Immortal".
The two great masters in this round are not as idle as before. First, there are rumors from the Tianji Pavilion, and it is difficult to tell whether they are true or false. If that has to wait for Master Pei to come back, then what Qiu Feng said after he came back from visiting Ji Yuan today is definitely not a trivial matter.
On the rooftop of Shuyun Tower, Master Ren, dressed in a green shirt, listened to Qiu Feng's brief account of today's events. He was thinking the whole time, his deeply furrowed brows never relaxed. Qiu Feng and Yang Ming sat down below and waited.
"Today's matter is of great importance. We cannot make a decision. We need to discuss it with fellow Taoists and teachers from Yuzhu Peak!"
The man in green shirt stood up.
"You guys come too."
The three of them left Shuyun Tower together and flew to a place surrounded by clouds and light on the east side of Yuhuai Mountain, which was one of the forbidden areas of Yuhuai Mountain.
We flew for a long time in the maze of light and clouds, and there was a place that seemed to be swept by strong winds from outer space. After a while, we finally passed through the light and clouds that looked like the aurora, and in front of us was a huge mountain with a fluorescent white top and a green base, which was the Yuzhu Peak of Yuhuai Mountain.
Qiu Feng and Yang Ming had not been to this place many times. They would only come here when their master and uncle were practicing there, or when there was really something going on.
There are many jade pavilions on Yuzhu Peak, scattered all over the mountain. There is a main hall on the top. Under normal circumstances, no one would be there, but at this moment, Ren Bu Tong brought his two nephews straight to the main hall on the top of the mountain.
The hall, made entirely of white jade, is surrounded by snow-white columns, and at the top is a large golden bell.
Ren Bu Tong made hand gestures and chanted incantations, then waved his sleeves and pointed his sword fingers at the golden bell on the dome, and rays of magic light shot out.
“Ding… Ding… Ding…”
As the bell rang, halos of light like mist and nets spread out, spreading across the entire Yuzhu Peak as the bell rang.
Qiu Feng and Yang Ming looked at each other from behind. Even though they had reached their level of cultivation and were already masters, they could still see some nervousness in each other's eyes.
The bell rang six times in total, indicating that everyone who was not in seclusion had to go to the Jade Dome Hall to participate in the decision of important matters. If the bell rang nine times in a row, it would mean a matter of life and death for the Yuhuai Holy Land.
After waiting for a while, lights flew in from all directions of the hall, and faces of men and women, some old and some young, appeared around. Ren Bu Tong and his two nephews bowed and greeted them one by one.
There were eleven people in total who could come. The most senior one was an old man named "Ju Yuanzi" of the same generation as Ren Bu Tong, who was more than 800 years old. His cultivation was also the best in Yuhuai, and his magic power was unfathomable. On the surface, he was the person in Yuhuai Mountain who had the greatest hope of attaining enlightenment and becoming a true immortal, but how likely he was to do so was only known to him.
There is no one higher than this. Even the so-called "immortals" in the eyes of mortals cannot avoid the end of their lifespan and the cycle of aging, sickness and death.
"Did you encounter any difficult decisions, Fellow Daoist Ren?" "Did you encounter any powerful enemies?"
"Is it just Fellow Daoist Ren? Where is Fellow Daoist Pei?"
As the visitors sat down in the hall, they asked a few questions.
"Several major events have occurred recently, all of which are related to Yu Huaishan. I am sorry to disturb you all..."
Ren Bu Tong told the story slowly, starting from the rumors in Tianji Pavilion, to the appearance of the real demon in Bingzhou, and then to Qiu Feng's trip to Ning'an County today. It also included Ji Yuan's request to see the mountain imperial edict. Many parts were explained by Qiu Feng.
The amount of information was quite large, and by the time everything was finished, everyone in the hall could no longer hold their breath.
"Did Lord Long really forget about what happened back then?" "Who is this Mr. Ji? Is there a true immortal hidden in my Dazhen territory?"
"Last name Ji and given name Yuan, why have I never heard of it before? Is it a pseudonym?" "I don't think so!"
"If this is what the True Immortal said, then perhaps the Dragon Lord will really let it go."
"Is what the Immortal said the truth?" "This..."
"Then what about the matter of Tianji Pavilion? There are actually evil demons attacking my Yuhuai monk!"
"For now, I can't tell whether this is true or not. The key is the mountain talisman. Are we allowed to see it?"
"How can we show the mountain gate's treasure to others so easily?"
"That's right, even the Taoist Immortal can't show it to you easily!"
"That's wrong. Since Mr. Ji said that Fellow Daoist Qiu is proficient in the art of imperial decrees, he might know how to use talismans. If he can teach me this method, Yu Huaishan..."
"What a joke! The Dharma is not easily passed on. Even if he really knows how to do it, what can we give him in return?"
…
The discussion started with everyone talking at once, and there were even arguments. Qiu Feng and Yang Ming just sat quietly beside their uncle, not daring to say anything.
"Fellow Daoist Qiu Feng, in your opinion, what other miraculous things does that True Immortal-level person have besides returning to his original nature?"
Ju Yuanzi, who had been silent all the time, suddenly opened his mouth to ask Qiu Feng. His unique but old voice also paused the discussion in the room.
Qiu Feng was a little hesitant. In fact, he didn't want to talk about seeing Ji Yuan's "sadness". He had just mentioned it briefly before. But now that Ju Yuanzi, a great master, asked him, what he wanted to know must be more than what he had just heard.
"My friend Ju Yuanzi, I personally witnessed something today..."
Qiu Feng gritted his teeth and told about his previous experience of reminiscing about the past through his own account of cultivating immortals. Then he wanted to start a conversation and ask Ji Yuan about his past. When he told Ji Yuan about the changes in the world, he was obviously a little nervous.
"At that time, I only felt that the small courtyard was traveling outside the world and shuttling through the universe. Everything in the world seemed to be close at hand, and the changes in the road were like the vicissitudes of life. What was further away... I didn't dare to look, and..."
As Qiu Feng spoke, sweat was already oozing out of his body, and he looked as if his energy was unstable and his magic power was disordered.
"Buzz...Buzz..."
The golden bell on top of the Jade Dome Hall was actually shaking slightly, emitting a slight golden sound.
"Not good, stop talking, calm your mind!" "Protect your spiritual platform, Fellow Daoist Qiu, calm down quickly!"
Ren Bu Tong and several other cultivators around him all took action to teach their monks, and some even cut off the energy connection between the Jade Dome Palace and the outside world.
For someone of Qiu Feng's level, the sign just now was definitely not good. Others were also terrified. It was hard to imagine what Qiu Feng felt at that time.