It took a total of three days to clean the entire inn. Ji Yuan and Jin Xiu both had the ability to cast spells to easily clean the inn in a short period of time, but they did not do so. This was also to allow A Long and the others to become more familiar with the inn and to allow everyone to spend more time together.
However, all good things must come to an end, and everyone must part eventually. Given Aze's condition, even if Ji Yuan deliberately allowed him to stay here, Jiufeng Mountain would not allow it.
On the third night, everyone sat together and had a sumptuous dinner. On the fourth day, everyone got up early, including Ji Yuan, who had stayed in bed late every day for the past three days.
The hired ritual and music team from the city also arrived at the door of the inn early, set up the musical instruments, and more people came to watch.
The brothers A'long and A'gu are now one or two years away from reaching adulthood, but because they are strong and look not much different from guys in their twenties, at least they don't give people the feeling that they are kids running an inn.
As the ritual music master began to play and sing, more and more people gathered around. In the past few days, people nearby also knew that the inn must have changed its owner and would reopen. After all, everyone knew how lazy the previous owner was. In the past few days, the inn had been cleaned up inside and out to look brand new, which was essentially a different style.
“Bang… Snap…” “Bang… Snap…”
“Pah-pah-pah-pah-pah…”
Firecrackers and erodes came to mind, and the excitement was all there. After the sound of the salute was over, the music also stopped briefly. Aaron stood at the front, looking at the crowd nervously, and mustered up the courage to speak loudly.
"Dear fellow villagers, dear officials and gentry, our Shannan Inn is open today. Like other inns, we provide food and accommodation. I hope you will spread the word!"
As he said this, Da Gu and Xiao Gu tore off the two pieces of red cloth at the door of the inn, revealing a new plaque and a row of large lanterns.
The plaque reads "Shannan Inn". There is no gold stamping or framing, just an ordinary wide wooden board. However, the words were written by Ji Yuan, so onlookers did not feel that the plaque was losing face at all. The same is true on several lanterns. Each one has a word written on the outside, which together mean Shannan Railway Station.
Aaron and the others stood together, smiling and bowing to the crowd, and the people around them congratulated them politely. After all, having more formal-looking inns was a good thing for people's convenience.
Ji Yuan took Aze and Jin Xiu and said goodbye and left. Everyone was smiling when they parted, and there was no sign of sadness at all.
More than a quarter of an hour later outside the city, Aze couldn't help but shed tears. Ji Yuan didn't say anything and took the two of them directly into the air and flew towards Jiufeng Mountain.
In the open, there was the breeze of the sky, in the distance, there were green mountains and clear waters. Through the heavy clouds and mist, Aze once again saw the Nine Peaks of the Sky. The three of them didn't say anything along the way. Now Aze looked at Ji Yuan beside him and couldn't help himself.
"Mr. Ji, will the immortals of Jiufeng Mountain teach me immortal skills?"
Ji Yuan looked at him and nodded.
"I guess so, but for now I will definitely teach you the method instead of the technique, and focus on self-cultivation."
Jin Xiu beside her opened her mouth but didn't say anything. She was different now than when she was on Jiufeng Mountain. She had understood some things about Aze, but she didn't know what to say for fear of discouraging Aze.
Aze clenched his fists, mustered up his courage and asked Ji Yuan another question.
"Mr. Ji, can't you accept me as your apprentice?"
Ji Yuan smiled.
"There are many people who want to be Ji's apprentice, but not many who can be his apprentice. Sometimes Ji refuses people and says he doesn't accept apprentices. In fact, he is quite picky about his apprentices. Although you and I have a predestined relationship, it is not that of a master and apprentice."
Ji Yuan wanted to turn towards the nine giant peaks in the distance.
"In fact, Jiufeng Mountain's ability to teach people to become immortals is better than mine. Whether it's an ordinary person or someone with excellent aptitude and talent, it's definitely more appropriate to start from scratch in Jiufeng Mountain. There are more Taoist scriptures to check, and more teachers and elders to ask."
Aze lowered his head and didn't say anything. Ji Yuan restrained his smile and asked him a question.
"Let me ask you, why do you want to take Ji as your master?"
Aze looked up and answered.
"Because Mr. Ji treats me well, is gentle and polite, and behaves like an immortal."
"oh?"
Ji Yuan smiled again and looked at Jin Xiu beside him.
"Your sister Jin treats you badly? She is not gentle and polite? She doesn't behave like an immortal? Why don't you want to take her as your master?"
Aze was stunned. He looked at Jin Xiu, who was also a little surprised, and didn't know how to answer Ji Yuan. He had never thought about this, but after hearing what Mr. Ji said, he couldn't find any reason to refute.
It took Aze a long time to utter a word.
"But, how can I repay the gentleman's kindness?"
Ji Yuan, who was standing on the cloud, turned around and looked at Aze with a calm but serious expression.
"If one day you really have a strong evil nature, think about how I will look at you. This will be your way of repaying me."
Ji Yuan’s words “Think about how I will look at you” seemed to echo in Aze’s mind, and Ji Yuan’s moon-like eyes were imprinted in his heart.
Aze suddenly seemed to have some kind of enlightenment. He stretched out his arms and bowed to Ji Yuan.
"Zhuang Ze remembers the master's teachings!"
Ji Yuan reached out and patted his shoulder.
"Just remember it."
…
In the following period of time, the statues of gods in many city god temples in the Jiufeng Cave Heaven were cracked and damaged, which frightened many people who went to burn incense. It also caused a huge storm in the Jiufeng Cave Heaven Shinto world. It was not until another month and a half later that all this in the cave world gradually subsided.
Such a thing happened in Jiufeng Cave Heaven, and the whole Jiufeng Mountain felt ashamed. Although only Ji Yuan, an outsider, knew about it, Ji Yuan's weight was equal to that of tens of millions of immortals. In this case, after Ji Yuan understood the result, he did not stay any longer and said goodbye to the immortals of Jiufeng Mountain.
The rules of heaven and earth in Jiufeng Cave Heaven were changed after all. Although some cultivators in Jiufeng Mountain thought that they could remain unchanged as long as the mountain gate was patrolled more often after a period of time, this was rejected because it went against the harmony of heaven.
But Jiufeng Mountain could not be completely given up. After discussing for quite some time, the final changes in the cave were that it was roughly the same as the outside world. It took the initiative to intervene to restore the Shinto order, but the flow of time in the cave was still faster, twice that of the outside world.
After knowing the result, Ji Yuan did not comment, but he believed that this was the best result after Jiufeng Mountain had considered the circumstances. As an outsider, it was impossible for him to forcibly intervene and force Jiufeng Mountain to do a certain thing.
Before leaving, in addition to saying goodbye to the head of Jiufeng Mountain, he also went to the cliff house where Aze was. This time, the head of Jiufeng Mountain accompanied Ji Yuan.
The two saw Aze meditating on the cliff from afar. He had just casually sat on the edge of the cliff at the beginning, and now he was meditating close to the edge of the cliff, with the top of his knees and the cliff on a vertical plane.
Ji Yuan and Zhao Yu landed on the edge of the cliff. Hearing the sound of them walking, Aze immediately turned his head to look at them. It was obvious that he had not really entered the state of practice before. Seeing that it was Ji Yuan and Zhao Yu, Aze immediately stood up and greeted them politely.
"Zhuang Ze has met Mr. Ji and the headmaster!"
After all, Zhao Yu is a real master with a very broad mind. He has no objection to his own disciple greeting Ji Yuan first at the top of his own peak. It is already good that Zhuang Ze has such a correct attitude.
Ji Yuan looked at Zhuang Zedao.
"Still so close to the cliff?"
"Well, this way you can see the abyss as soon as you open your eyes."
Zhao Yu nodded slightly after hearing Zhuang Ze's answer. Ji Yuan didn't say much, but handed a piece of paper to Zhuang Ze. The latter took it with both hands, unfolded it and saw the words "Concentrate and clear your mind" written on it.
"It's not something extraordinary, just an ordinary decree. Keep it as a souvenir."
This is indeed not a magical spell, but a decree. If the devil comes from outside, there are methods and tools to protect the heart. If you want to balance the devil in your heart, external forces can only influence you, and ultimately you have to rely on yourself.
"Thank you, Mr. Ji!"
Zhuang Ze smiled happily, then looked at Ji Yuan reluctantly.
"Are you leaving, sir?"
"I'm not a cultivator from Mount Jiufeng. I have my own things to do. I can't stay here forever, right? Don't be sad. We cultivators are cultivating and seeking enlightenment. Although we are in different places, we will meet again one day."
Aze looked in the direction of the mountain trail.
"Sister Jin hasn't come yet today, would you like to wait, sir?"
"Oh, no need. Just tell me for me. I'll leave now. Master Zhao will take me there."
Zhao Yu smiled and nodded.
"Practice well and don't let Mr. Ji down."
Ji Yuan added with a smile on his face.
"Don't let Jiufeng Mountain down."
After saying that, Ji Yuan and Zhao Yu smiled at each other, then stepped on the cloud and left. Aze stood on the edge of the cliff and looked into the distance until the cloud could no longer be seen.
Ji Yuan was considered to be very honored as he was qualified to have the head of Jiufeng Mountain personally see him off. Zhao Yu did not just send Ji Yuan out of Jiufeng Cave Heaven and leave, but instead sent him all the way to Ruanshan Ferry and sent Ji Yuan on a flying boat ferry on Jiufeng Mountain.
This ship was not supposed to be here originally, but in order to carry Ji Yuan, it changed its itinerary and rushed back to Ruanshan Ferry three days ago to wait. Of course, except for the two governors of Jiufeng Mountain on the ship, the other passengers and people living and working on the ship did not know the actual situation of the itinerary change.
After the flying boat set sail, looking at the Ruanshan Ferry that was getting farther and farther away, and the Jiufeng Mountain that looked like a mirage in the sky, Ji Yuan's thoughts seemed to float into a cave, and his right hand was holding a newly added chess piece in his sleeve.
This chess piece was not there now, but appeared when he was taking Aze back to Jiufeng Mountain from the cave heaven. It appeared after he said "Think about how I will look at you" and Zhuang Ze saluted solemnly.
Ji Yuan had a premonition that this chess piece would appear, but he didn't want this virtual piece to become real.
"Devils all have something they hold on to..."
With a sigh, Ji Yuan left the deck, walked into the cabin and returned to his own room.