Chapter 180: Invaluable

Chapter 180 Invaluable

Meng Huizhou sighed softly: "And so, when I went to find my junior brother, I discovered he was already dead. His back was also carved with the three characters 'Longevity Scripture'..."

Speaking of what happened back then, Meng Huizhou felt not only resentment but also lingering fear.

Meng Huizhou propped himself up, placed his hands behind his back, and gazed at the bright moon outside the window. It seemed that something had been weighing on his heart, and he could only reveal it now: "The Longevity Scripture... Someone really did come for the Longevity Scripture."

"The patriarch was right to give the Longevity Scripture back then, because those who covet it will always exist. Even if it remains dormant for decades or centuries, the Longevity Scripture will still be unearthed by someone as suddenly as the Marrow Cleansing Scripture was before."

Therefore, Meng Huizhou still had concerns at that time...

He had burned the fragments of the manual from his sect, but the copy still existed. Perhaps, in the previous generation, or even the generation before that, there were still copies of the fragments of the "Longevity Scripture."

Once the secret of the Water Pavilion is exposed, it will no longer be safe.

No one knows whether the patriarch's friends still have any successors.

Or, if news of the "Longevity Scripture" were to resurface in the martial arts world one day, it would likely lead to the annihilation of Shuiyue Pavilion, just as everyone flocked to the Tingchan Sect before...

Meng Huizhou had to make a decision in his heart.

Meng Huizhou turned to look at Bai Cen and said softly, "You were young at the time, and there were family matters to attend to, so you temporarily returned home. Si Nan and I buried your master together."

"After the burial, I asked Si Nan what his plans were for the future, and he said he didn't know either. I noticed that he looked unwell, which must have been because he had injured his meridians while practicing the Longevity Scripture with his junior brother a while ago."

"I had already read the patriarch's notes at that time and knew that the Longevity Scripture would have an impact on ordinary people and martial arts practitioners, but that was a secret of the sect."

"Although Sinan is my junior apprentice, I always felt that even after we had been together for a long time, there was still a sense of unfamiliarity about him that I couldn't quite understand. So I didn't tell him many things. I only told him to destroy the mental cultivation method that his senior brother taught him later, otherwise it would cause irreversible damage to him."

"I couldn't quite understand his expression at the time. It seemed like surprise, yet also calm. He looked at me indifferently, as if nothing mattered. He said then, 'Let's wait for my junior brother to come back.'"

“I was thinking that he couldn’t learn Shuiyue Pavilion’s techniques, and his junior brother had died, so he should leave. Since we were fellow disciples, it would be a proper ending for him to say goodbye to you.”

"Who knew that after you returned, he left Shuiyue Pavilion without saying goodbye after spending several days with you, and his whereabouts have been unknown ever since. But before he left, he left a note saying that he had poisoned you, and that there was no cure for this poison except for the Ninefold True Qi."

It turns out that the Ninefold True Qi suppressing the poison was something Si Nan, also known as He Huai'an, told her senior uncle.

He Huai'an poisoned him, clearly targeting his senior martial uncle...

Wang Sumo and Bai Cen exchanged a glance, confirming that Fang Rushi's earlier guess was correct. Perhaps their true intentions lay elsewhere, or perhaps it was a two-birds-with-one-stone strategy.

Only two people remain who can control the Silver Dragon Jade Belt and the Ninefold True Qi, namely Yu An Jushi Meng Huizhou and Bai Cen.

He Huai'an eliminated two threats at the same time using this method.

Wang Sumo suddenly thought that perhaps He Huai'an spared Meng Huizhou and Bai Cen's lives out of spite—

I'm showing this to the deceased founder of Shuiyue Pavilion in a fit of pique. Even if you keep your successors, they'll only be manipulated by me, powerless to fight back.

Therefore, immortality is the right path. You should regret not pursuing immortality with me...

This idea seemed both unbelievable and reasonable to Wang Sumo.

Having lived for so long, mingled with various sects, and been blessed by the "Longevity Scripture," He Huai'an's martial arts skills had improved to an unimaginable degree...

Even back then, he was afraid of the Silver Dragon Jade Belt and the Ninefold True Qi.

So she disguised herself as Sinan and went to Shuiyue Pavilion.

But the result was nothing more than seeing that none of the disciples of the Water Pavilion Ancestor were capable of mastering the Silver Dragon Jade Belt and the Ninefold True Qi.

Although the Silver Dragon Jade Belt and the Ninefold True Qi kept "rejecting" and "repelling" him, perhaps in his eyes, the Water Pavilion, which had gone through several generations, was already a mixed bag and no longer a force to be reckoned with...

Wang Sumo didn't even know what He Huai'an was afraid of now.

He is not bound by morality, nor is he bound by emotions and desires, nor is he constrained by time...

She had previously worried that Master Huo might not be a match for He Huai'an.

But right now, what she's more worried about is whether there's still any way to restrain He Huai'an in the martial arts world today—besides Bai Cen, who has lost all his inner strength and can only recover by eating spinach.

But between Bai Cen and He Huai'an, there are countless Bai Cens...

Wang Sumo felt a chill run down her spine.

I wonder how horrified Elder Meng would be if he knew that the friend mentioned in the notes of the Water Pavilion Ancestor was still alive?

Not only Elder Meng, but the entire martial arts world will probably be shocked...

Beside him, Meng Huizhou shook his head heavily: "From the very beginning, when your master discovered him and praised him as a genius with exceptional martial arts talent, to the point that he went through two trials and tribulations without making any breakthroughs, and even after witnessing your master's death, his martial arts were about to be destroyed..."

Meng Huizhou said in a deep voice, "I don't know where he went during the years he left Shuiyue Pavilion, but I have spent years trying to cure the poison he administered. As you grow up, the poison has not been removed, but has instead become more potent."

"This is a poison that I've supposedly studied my entire life in medicine, yet I still can't even fathom its secrets. I don't know where he obtained this poison, but in the end, I still transferred the Ninefold True Qi to you, and sure enough, the Ninefold True Qi perfectly suppressed the poison in your body..."

Meng Huizhou took a deep breath and shook his head: "I know that at his age, he definitely couldn't make such a poison. He must have been controlled by someone and had no choice but to give it to you in the end. He also left me the handwriting as requested by the other party, asking me to use my Ninefold True Qi to save you."

Indeed, in Elder Meng's eyes, Si Nan's age meant she could only have been coerced into doing these things. Therefore, in Elder Meng's later interactions and exchanges with Bai Cen, this point was always glossed over.

Because in his eyes, Sinan was also a victim.

Even more so, he didn't know if Si Nan was still alive, because Si Nan was gone...

Wang Sumo finally understood why, whether in the eyes of Senior Meng or in Bai Cen's mouth, he was still called Senior Brother.

Sure enough, Elder Meng continued, "Shortly after that, I took Bai Cen away from Shuiyue Pavilion, intending to leave all the secrets of the Longevity Scripture in Shuiyue Pavilion."

“I moved all the books from Shuiyue Pavilion and, together with Bai Cen, headed east to the seaside, to Weizhou. It’s far from Shuiyue Pavilion, and the people here are concerned with shipbuilding and voyages. It feels like everything can start anew here.”

"I treated Bai Cen here for several years, but to no avail. You all know what happened after that."

Meng Huizhou has revealed all the details he knows, leaving no room for doubt.

But in Meng Huizhou's heart, those who were with the patriarch back then should have long since passed away and disappeared into the long river of time, leaving no trace.

Those who coerced Sinan, or those who later coveted the "Longevity Scripture," likely found clues in ancient rumors and texts.

Now that the Water Pavilion has been abandoned, no one will be able to find this place in Weizhou anymore.

He and Bai Cen were the only remaining successors of Shuiyue Pavilion.

Wherever they went, that became the Water Pavilion...

"Xiao Bai, Miss Wang, this is the whole story about the Shuiyue Pavilion sect. You mentioned that you've encountered some things recently, which may be related to your senior brother. You can tell me about them now."

Meng Huizhou looked at the two of them.

Wang Sumo and Bai Cen exchanged a glance, and both took a deep breath.

Meng Huizhou was a smart man. From the moment Bai Cen and Wang Sumo formally came to him to ask about Sinan and his sect, he guessed something.

In his eyes, Si Nan was being coerced.

He later disappeared after poisoning Bai Cen.

Meng Huizhou thought, perhaps, Bai Cen has met Si Nan...

But after Wang Sumo and Bai Cen exchanged a glance, Bai Cen looked at him and whispered, "Uncle-Master, what I'm about to say may seem unbelievable to you. But after you hear what I and the Master have to say, you should understand."

Meng Huizhou frowned. Bai Cen rarely spoke in such a serious and formal tone, especially when he was with Wang Sumo.

Meng Huizhou looked at him gently: "Speak, what else would your senior uncle find unbelievable?"

Bai Cen looked at him and said truthfully, "I may know my senior brother's true identity."

With just this one sentence, Meng Huizhou was stunned.

Bai Cen also stood up and slowly walked to Meng Huizhou, sincerely saying, "Uncle-Master, do you still remember that friend in the Ancestral Master's notes who practiced the 'Longevity Scripture'?"

Meng Huizhou: "..."

Meng Huizhou nodded. The name written on the note was Lian Xu.

A person from a hundred years ago.

Bai Cen looked at him and said in a deep voice, "He is still alive, and he has been alive until now."

Meng Huizhou: !!!

Meng Huizhou was astonished, "How could this be!"

But Bai Cen had indeed said something unbelievable. Meng Huizhou, after all, was a man who had seen many storms in the martial world, and asked in a deep voice, "How did you know that?"

Bai Cen calmly said, "Take the clues that connect the old man, Fang Rushi, and many other people."

Bai Cen took a deep breath: "He went back to Shuiyue Pavilion and even met you and Master. He is Senior Brother Sinan. He wants to see if, more than a hundred years later, the Silver Dragon Jade Belt and the Ninefold True Qi still pose a threat to him?"

Meng Huizhou was so surprised that he couldn't speak.

Bai Cen continued, "He doesn't know how many times he has undergone marrow cleansing, but this last time, his identity was He Huai'an, the eldest son of Qingyun Manor!"

Meng Huizhou's eyes were deathly still.

"He poisoned Huo Ling. Fang Ru has seen it. You should also be able to feel it, Uncle-Master. The poison in Huo Ling's body is exactly the same as the one in mine."

Bai Cen's words surprised Meng Huizhou even more, but also made him more convinced.

"Over the years, he has visited many sects, learned countless medical and martial arts techniques from all over the world, and won over many people. He can also control everything with one hand and create a place like the Bewitching Town..."

He Huai'an, or rather Lian Xu, was already unfathomable.

Back then, Master was single-mindedly focused on the "Longevity Scripture," and it was Lian Xu who killed Master. Then, he didn't figure out how to understand his senior brother and him.

In the end, however, Lian Xu chose to remain a detached observer.

My master will definitely save him, but if my master saves him, it means that from now on, there will be no one in the world who can rival Lian Xu.

The long years have also made Lian Xu more knowledgeable about human nature than others...

*

Inside the west room, Lu Wenqu tried to get out of bed by supporting himself with his hands.

But it still seemed a bit difficult to get up; it was only with Wang Sumo's help that she was able to sit up.

He was more seriously injured than he had imagined.

He had been lying in bed for far too long and wanted to get out of bed for some fresh air before trying again.

Lu Wenqu gritted his teeth and tried to push himself up again. This time, it wasn't that he couldn't muster the strength, but rather that his strength was stuck, neither up nor down. So he couldn't get up, nor could he go back up, and he remained in this stalemate. Instantly, his forehead was covered in a fine layer of sweat.

Just when he was feeling frustrated and helpless, someone suddenly grabbed his arm.

He was about to thank her when he was pleasantly surprised to find it was the same girl who had been watching over him earlier.

Lu Wenqu suddenly felt that it wasn't so bad that he couldn't get up just now: "Thank you, young lady."

Jiang Yutang looked at him and said, "Wang Sumo asked me to look after you."

Lu Wenqu laughed and said, "I've been lying down for a long time and I don't want to lie down anymore. I saw that the moon is very beautiful tonight and I want to go out and see the moon. Just one look at it would be nice."

Jiang Yutang: "..."

Perhaps in the Eight Treasures Restaurant, besides the owner, there are only two old men, or Zhao Tong who only likes to look at knives, or Duan Wuheng whose teeth haven't even grown in yet. The only one who is somewhat normal is Bai Cen, but Bai Cen only looks at the owner...

It's rare to find someone who says they want to look at the moon.

Jiang Yutang helped him out.

Lu Wenqu didn't cause any trouble; he simply sat down in the pavilion in the garden. Leaning slightly against a pillar, he looked up at the sky, very quietly.

It would be better to have Huo Ling and Duan Wuheng bickering like that, who would occasionally run here and there as if they were possessed.

The two of them didn't know what they were happy about; they just kept chasing each other like two childish kids.

Midway through, they seemed to suddenly notice someone next to Jiang Yutang. The two of them stopped one after the other and stared at Lu Wenqu with their big eyes.

Duan Wuheng: "That person is awake!"

Huo Ling: "I thought he wouldn't wake up!"

Lu Wenqu: "..."

Is that polite?

Jiang Yutang was exasperated. Huo Ling had always been like this, so she hadn't thought much of it. These two were the real troublemakers, and they started chasing each other around.

It's hard to imagine that not long ago when we met Huo Ling, she was wearing a thick cloak and would cough if she moved. Now she can run around the whole garden with Duan Wuheng.

"Don't mind her, that's just how Huo Ling talks." Jiang Yutang was afraid that Lu Wenqu would overthink things, after all, he was a friend of the master, and the other was the young master of Qingyun Manor.

"Why bother with a child?" Lu Wenqu smiled, then turned to Jiang Yutang and said, "Miss Yutang, could you help me pick that leaf?"

Jiang Yutang looked over and then agreed.

Lu Wenqu picked up a leaf, gently placed it to his lips, and used the leaf to play a beautiful, gentle tune from the Jiangnan region.

It's perfect when the night is deep and quiet, with the moonlight as your companion.

Zhao Tong was on the rooftop, unable to sleep. He heard Ye Zi playing a tune and looked down at the pavilion in the garden. It was Lu Wenqu.

The little tune played on the leaf reminded him of his master chef...

After going around in circles, he finally picked up the cleaver and kitchen utensils again, wondering where the head chef was.

But suddenly you feel that life has something to look forward to.

Perhaps, one day on the way to Bazhenlou, he will meet the master chef again. How wonderful that would be.

Zhao Tong smiled.

I wonder how Deyuan and Master He are doing.

He still habitually called him Deyuan, and missed calling him Old Bald Donkey. He was both angry and helpless, and could only lower his head and chant "Amitabha".

It turns out, he missed them...

In the quiet night, upon hearing this little tune, the old man paused slightly, his thoughts seemingly returning to the days long ago when he and Fu Jin were at the foot of Kunlun Mountain.

That day, there was a heavy rain and landslides on the mountain road. The two of them went down the mountain to buy things, but they couldn't go back up the mountain, so they had to stay at a farmer's house at the foot of the mountain.

There weren't many extra rooms available for them, so he and Fu Jin stayed in the woodshed.

Fu Jin was very nervous, though he didn't know why he was nervous.

Tell him to go to sleep first, and he'll wake up when he sees it.

But Fu Jin insisted that he would keep watch...

Fu Jin had always been acting strangely, and at his wit's end, he had no choice but to fall asleep leaning against the woodpile. It was a cool day, and he vaguely felt someone cover him with a layer of clothing.

When he woke up, Fu Jin was sleeping with her head resting on his shoulder; the garment she was wearing was Fu Jin's cloak.

He had originally thought of it, but Fu Jin was sleeping soundly, and he thought again that she must have gone to bed very late last night.

He suddenly felt guilty, feeling somewhat sorry for letting Fu Jinlai take the night shift.

So we just wait and wait for him to wake up.

The rain had stopped and the sky had cleared. His fellow disciples on the mountain should have already cleared the road, and he and Fu Jin could go back.

Before going back, I'll buy my junior uncle a jar of fake apricot blossom wine.

As he was thinking, Fu Jin woke up. He had clearly fallen asleep leaning against him, but after waking up, he became like a frightened bird.

"You! You...you!" Fu Jin raised his voice three times in a row, but in the end he said nothing.

Passing by a roast chicken shop, he smiled and looked at Fu Jin: "Hey, want some roast chicken?"

Fu Jin smiled shyly at first, then suddenly said, "Oh, the silver is enough to buy half a chicken. Fatty likes to eat chicken legs, so let's give the chicken wings to Senior Brother Jiuyun. He helped us cover for him last time. The chicken carcass is for Song Jin, and you can have the chicken neck!"

Fu Jin suddenly stopped laughing: "I'm not eating chicken necks! You eat the chicken necks yourself!"

Fu Jin is angry again!

He has a big head, but he himself only has a chicken's head and a chicken's butt...

It had been a long time since he had thought about that time, and the old man's lips curled up slightly.

Perhaps it was the gentle melody that changed the tune, and time itself seemed to shift, fleeting like a passing shadow...

Fu Jin was probably one of the smartest people in the world. After leaving Kunlun Mountain, she didn't know where to go or who would believe her.

One day, when Daoist Liaochen was lecturing on Daoist teachings at Lingxu Temple, she heard a familiar name—

My name is He Wenxue.

He Wenxue?

I have to write a letter every month to unfollow He Wenxue, but I don't know where to send it.

The old man lowered his eyes indifferently.

He Wenxue and Fu Jin originally came to Kunlun with the intention of having He Wenxue find him, but instead they found him leaving Kunlun like a walking corpse...

He was in a sorry state at the time, but from that moment on, a long-lasting three-person relationship began.

He Wenxue would never ask about Kunlun again.

Fu Jin would cook delicious food along the way, and he and He Wenxue would tell many jokes.

That was the best period of his memory since he left Kunlun.

He Wenxue would play the flute in the night breeze, and Jinniang would cook many delicious dishes. Gradually, he opened his heart and emerged from the gloom of Kunlun.

It was He Wenxue and Jinniang from that time who brought him some of the best times in his memory...

It is invaluable and will never be forgotten.

[Author's Note]

See you tonight! [Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers][Sprinkling flowers]

You've also accompanied the author through a truly precious time~