In the Biyou Palace, the emperor and his ministers were confronting each other.
Nanzhu looked at Jun Muzhi in front of her coldly: "What do you mean?"
Jun Muzhi knelt on one knee, but his back was straight, his expression calm: "The underwater passage has always been a secret of Penglai, the young master cannot bring outsiders in."
"Brother Gu is not an outsider," Nanzhu said in a deep voice, "He is my lifesaver! Without him, I would not be who I am today. Don't say that he won't have bad intentions. Even if he does, I owe him my life."
Jun Muzhi said: "Young Master owes him, Penglai does not. To be disrespectful, if he asks for Penglai Island, does Young Master really have to give the whole Penglai as repayment?"
"Penglai was originally mine!"
"Not at this moment."
"You!" Nanzhu smashed the table next to her with one punch.
Jun Muzhi was not afraid at all: "Young Master, have you ever thought about the old island owner when you revealed the secrets of Penglai? Have you ever thought about the loyal Penglai ministers who followed you? Have you ever thought about us who followed you? Young Master, if you don't care about Penglai Island, why did you come back in the first place? Why did you fight with Guo Feng?"
"Are you accusing me?"
"I dare not. I am just speaking the truth."
If he told Lord Pingcang, this matter would be completely ruined. Nanzhu gritted her teeth and softened her tone: "I can take you into the passage because I don't treat you as an outsider. Brother Gu is my benefactor. I have already said something, how can I go back on my word? You should also understand me."
"I have made the young master angry. You can punish me without giving in." Seeing Nanzhu's ugly face, Jun Muzhi sneered, "Muzhi and my grandfather have received the kindness of the old island master. We dare not go beyond it, let alone force the young master. Everything we do is for Penglai Island. The young master has great ambitions and still needs support. You may as well record my crime of disobedience today. If the young master takes charge of Penglai Island in the future and spares my life, I am willing to leave Penglai from now on."
Nanzhu's face turned pale: "Am I this kind of person in your eyes?"
Jun admired him but said nothing.
Nanzhu walked up to him and suddenly calmed down: "After so many years of friendship, you actually look down on me in your heart, right? You serve me as your master only because of Lord Pingcang's order."
Jun Muzhi said: "I dare not."
Looking at the young friend who had become unfamiliar in front of him, perhaps he had never approached him before, Nanzhu was silent for a long time and said, "Although you have flaws, your wisdom is ten times better than mine." He seemed to mock himself, "I am indeed impulsive and speak harshly, but I have always treated you as a brother! Muzhi, even if you look down on me, don't you think we don't have any friendship after playing and practicing together for so many years?"
Jun Muzhi looked at him with a slightly dimmed gaze.
He acts impulsively, but can win people's hearts with his words. How tolerant can an ambitious person be? The lurking dragon in front of him is the East China Sea, and he is no longer the boy who just arrived on the island.
Identity determines that friendship will continue to be eroded in this kind of fear and conflict. How much will be left in the end
"I spoke out of turn," Jun Muzhi lowered his eyes, "Don't worry, young master, I will handle this matter properly and will never embarrass you."
Nanzhu hesitated to speak: "Forget it, it's up to you."
Jun Muzhi stood up to leave, and the guard outside the palace gate suddenly announced loudly: "Master Duan Liu and Monk Gu are back."
The king and his minister were both stunned, and then quickly calmed down. Nanzhu waved her sleeves to sweep the wooden table debris to the corner, and then sat down on the middle chair.
Jun Muzhi turned around, unfolded the fishbone fan in his hand, and smiled at the two people who came in: "You two are back so soon, did your trip go smoothly?"
Gu Pinglin said nothing. Duan Qingming smiled and thanked him, "Thank you for your concern. I just met my father. Thank you, Envoy Jun Ling, for sending someone to escort me along the way."
Jun Muzhi was not embarrassed at all when he was caught spying on them. He said "You're welcome" generously and asked the two to sit down. "Why do you look unhappy, Brother Gu?"
Nanzhu hurriedly looked at Pinglin: "But the climate and soil on the island are not suitable?"
Gu Pinglin shook his head: "It's okay, I just can't practice well."
The problem of cultivation can only be solved by one's own understanding. Nanzhu tactfully stopped asking and only reminded him not to rush for success.
After the tea was served, Jun Muzhi said, "I have a difficult matter to report to the young master. You two have come at the right time. I am afraid I need to discuss this matter with you two."
"Oh?" Duan Qingming put down his teacup, "Brother Jun, you are too polite. Please continue."
Jun Muzhi frowned and said, "Brother Duan, do you know the four treasures of Penglai Island?"
"Who doesn't know about the Four Treasures of Penglai?" Duan Qingming said, "Unfortunately, apart from Binglun and Young Master Nan's Divine Will Flute, I have never seen the coral wood and dragon fish roe."
Jun Muzhi smiled and said, "Brother Duan, have you heard of dragon fish roe?"
"I've heard a little bit about it," Duan Qingming said, "It is said that the dragon fish is a fierce beast born from a dragon and a fish. There was one in the East China Sea in the past. It was subdued by the 146th island master of Penglai and became the guardian beast of the Biyou Palace."
Jun Muzhi clapped his hands and praised, "Brother Duan is indeed knowledgeable." He sighed again, "To be honest, Long Yuzi not only guards the Biyou Palace, but also guards an underwater secret passage."
Duan Qingming asked, "Could it be the secret passage that Young Master Nan mentioned?"
Jun Muzhi said, "That's right. That secret passage is a shortcut to the sea, guarded by Long Yuzi. Long Yuzi has a ferocious temperament and can only be controlled by Penglai Shenyi Xiao, which is controlled by the island master. However, the young master's Shenyi Xiao is not yet fully developed. Originally, Long Yuzi is sleepy in this season, so the young master planned to take you on a shortcut. Who knew that when I sent someone to investigate, I found that Long Yuzi was awake."
Both of them were stunned when they heard this. Gu Pinglin looked at Nanzhu, but Nanzhu said nothing.
Jun Muzhi said apologetically, "The Turbulent Flow Area is now occupied by Night Crying Monsters and Eye-Eating Gulls. The young master wanted to use the secret passage to lead you all away, but who knew... Alas!"
Duan Qingming also sighed: "What a coincidence, it seems that the secret passage cannot be used."
Jun Muzhi nodded: "Now we can only take the old road of Chaos River. The Night Crying Monster and the Eye-Eating Gull are both vicious beasts. I wonder if you two have a good way to deal with them?"
Gu Pinglin said: "Of course, we will defeat them one by one."
"I think so too," Jun Muzhi smiled, "These two beasts have some origins. Even a master of inner alchemy would have a headache if they were together. Therefore, it is best for us to split up into two groups. Your sect has three brothers in the outer alchemy realm, and with the help of Master Qi Shisan and Brother Yao, I think they can handle it on their own."
Fierce beasts are ferocious beasts. The hook snake was so powerful back then. If it weren't for the Flame Bird, the two of them would have been unable to defeat it. The Night Crying Monster and the Eye-Eating Gull have occupied the Chaotic Flow Area for many years. Even the Inner Alchemy Masters can't kill them. It's enough for everyone to drive them away for a while.
Duan Qingming praised: "This is a brilliant plan. Envoy Jun Ling is resourceful and thoughtful." At this point, he looked embarrassed, "However, the Night Crying Monster is a high-level beast, and we are too few in number after all..."
Jun Muzhi said straightforwardly: "Leave the Night Crying Monster to us in Penglai, how about you deal with the Eye-Eating Gull?"
He took the initiative to take on the big problem of the Night Crying Monster. Duan Qingming smiled and said "OK" and asked with a side face: "Junior Brother Gu, what do you think?"
Gu Pinglin glanced at Nanzhu and had no objection.
Jun Muzhi suddenly said, "Lord Liuyu and Master Minglan are on the island, Grandfather and Lord Shunshi cannot leave, and the young master is not strong enough for this trip, so I would like to ask Brother Gu to join us."
Nanzhu was surprised and looked at him.
"Young Master also wants to catch up with Brother Gu," Jun Mu smiled, "The Eye-Eating Gull is a mid-level fierce beast. It's not difficult for you to deal with it. Brother Duan won't mind if we lose one person, right?"
Seeing that Gu Pinglin didn't say anything, Duan Qingming retracted his gaze and said slowly: "Of course not."
"That's all." Gu Pinglin stood up.
After the discussion, Jun Muzhi personally saw the two off, then he put away his folding fan, went back to the palace and said to Nanzhu, "There are backflow reefs between the Eye-Eating Gull and the Night Crying Monster. When the time comes, we will send someone on an ice wheel to lure the Night Crying Monster away from the right, and then return to Penglai to take the secret passage. If Brother Gu asks about it, just push it to me, I can handle it."
Nanzhu said: "You..."
"Since the young master trusts him, it would be a favor to take him alone." Jun Muzhi interrupted him, bowed, turned around and walked out.
The king and his ministers made arrangements, and the two of them returned to their guest rooms. Gu Pinglin was silent all the way, and Duan Qingming was also silent. The two walked side by side on the veranda, with the familiar bench and coral flowers in front of them. In this scene, Gu Pinglin remembered that he had pretended to be drunk to tease him before, and his heart trembled again.
In his previous life, he never took me seriously, and what he did in this life was even worse. Along the way, had I, his "opponent", also become an object of his entertainment
Gu Pinglin couldn't help but stop: "Duan Qingming."
Duan Qingming stopped.
Gu Pinglin tried to remain calm: "There's no need to continue the gambling game."
Duan Qingming said, "You are no match for me. Let's end the game here."
Not his match? Gu Pinglin clenched his trembling hands in his sleeves and sneered: "You don't have to provoke me, let alone test anything."
"You think too much," Duan Qingming said with a smile, "I'm usually not interested in testing someone who has already admitted defeat."
Gu Pinglin suddenly looked at him from the side: "I admit defeat?"
"You think I'm letting you," Duan Qingming also turned sideways to face him, "As an opponent, if you have this thought, aren't you admitting that you are not as good as me?"
Gu Pinglin mocked: "You didn't let me?"
"Not really. Our current strength is evenly matched. I just don't want both of us to get hurt."
"Are you afraid of getting hurt?"
Duan Qingming asked back: "Why not?"
Gu Pinglin said: "If someone can really hurt you, shouldn't you be happy?"
A lifelong enemy, who can understand him better than himself? This person dared to test his sword with the vicious beast Hook Snake at the mere Qi Refining Realm, which shows how bold and crazy he is. Whether he gets hurt or how many people die is not within his consideration at all.
"You know me very well," Duan Qingming said slowly, "but now we are friendly brothers and sisters, we should care about each other's safety. Don't you want this?"
Gu Pinglin sneered, "I accept this statement from my heart, but it is too hypocritical for you, Duan Qingming, to say this."
"Hypocritical," Duan Qingming nodded with a smile, "It seems that this is the me you know, or rather, the Duan Qingming you knew before?"
"Is there a difference?" Gu Pinglin asked, "Now, do you care about the friendship between fellow disciples or the sect and family? The Dao is ruthless, what have you ever cared about? In your eyes, I am just..." Realizing that he was too excited, Gu Pinglin stopped to calm down for a moment, and then said calmly, "If one day I am gone, it will only be the beginning of your search for the next opponent. You will still pursue the Dao of the Sword and break through the realm to ascend, right?"
Silence.
The sea outside the corridor was calm, and his black eyes were as deep as the sea. Duan Qingming looked at him without refutation.
Gu Pinglin didn't know what he cared about. He just thought about how he had tried his best in his previous life but was toyed with, and the so-called nemesis was just a joke. He lived a new life, trapped by his obsession, while that person had already ascended to heaven. He felt a little sad.
The two stood opposite each other, neither of them spoke.
Silence.
After an unknown amount of time, Gu Pinglin withdrew his gaze, turned around and walked another way.
"The bet continues," Duan Qingming suddenly said, "It doesn't matter whether I care or not, you are still the one I have chosen."
The tone was exactly the same as I remembered, and I still couldn't tell whether it was sincere or just a joke.
Gu Pinglin paused slightly, but still walked away without looking back.