Chapter 45 His End: A Peaceful Death
"Unnamed Sect?"
"Bu Mingzong!"
"Unnamed Sect..."
The name of the Nameless Sect echoed across the spirit ships at the ferry, the tone varying—some doubtful, some shocked, and some vague. In any case, Ji Xingyang's act of announcing his sect successfully stopped the cultivators who were about to beat him up from their spellcasting.
"The Nameless Sect." Mu Huanhui, a young disciple of the Hongqi Sect, had probably never heard of this sect before. After confirming the sect's name once again, he calmly completed the registration and then led the members of the Nameless Sect away.
"I didn't expect the Nameless Sect to have survived and even sent someone to participate in the competition. I think that kid is also at the peak of Foundation Establishment." When it was the turn of the Prosperous Sect's ship to dock, Guan Wangzhen said with lingering interest, "This spiritual cultivation competition is quite interesting."
As is customary, the sect's name was announced, and the Dingsheng Sect's ship docked beside the raft.
"Please follow me, fellow cultivators who are participating in the competition," said another disciple of the Hongqi Sect. Besides the disciples participating in the competition, there were also spectators who had come to watch. As the highest-level event in the spiritual cultivation world, the spiritual cultivation competition always attracted a large number of onlookers. In the past, there have been instances of cultivators experiencing sudden enlightenment and advancing in their cultivation level while watching the competition. Therefore, lodging at the competition venue is always in short supply. The Hongqi Sect could only arrange food and lodging for the participating cultivators; the other disciples had to make their own arrangements.
After the sect cultivators arrived, they generally split into two groups. The participants stayed together, while the rest went to inns or other places in the city to rest. Ji Mingran, as the leader, stayed at the Hongqi Sect with Shen Qingluo and the others.
The closest mountain to Luoshui Cape is Liaowang Mountain, the site of the Hongqizong sect. The Liaowang Mountain range is continuous and shrouded in clouds and mist all day long, with layers of peaks hidden among them, creating a scene reminiscent of a fairyland painting.
Ji Mingran and the others followed the disciples of Hongqi Sect into the bamboo forest in the mountains. After several twists and turns, the surroundings became increasingly quiet until they reached the deepest part of the bamboo forest, where the outline of a small courtyard with green tiles and white walls could be faintly seen in the mist.
"What kind of ridiculous residence is this? Other sects live in magnificent palaces and pavilions, and you've put my Nameless Sect here. Are you looking down on me? I think you're all xxxxx!"
The incessant stream of curses sounded so familiar that Ji Mingran immediately recognized it as the voice of the young boy from the Nameless Sect.
"We're living with them?" Ji Mingran asked.
Upon hearing the insults, the Hongqi Sect disciple who had brought them here frowned and explained to Ji Mingran and the others, "The sect leader, considering the different cultivation methods of each sect, has tried to arrange for each sect to reside in a separate place. This residence is connected by a narrow path that encircles two courtyards; although separated only by a wall, it is still an independent space." As he spoke, the Hongqi Sect disciple bowed politely and said, "With so many participants in this spiritual cultivation competition, the arrangements could not be perfect and may have been somewhat incomplete. We hope you will understand."
The explanation is reasonable, while complaining seems unreasonable.
Ji Mingran: "It was indeed inconsiderate, but we are broad-minded and will forgive it."
Ji Xingyang's words seemed insolent, but in reality, every word he spoke was true. Along the way, who could not see the jade palaces and celestial gardens nestled in the clouds? Moreover, they clearly saw cultivators from other sects following the disciples of the Hongqi Sect toward that place; only they had come here.
Spiderwebs lay on the roof tiles of the dilapidated courtyard, moss covered the stone steps, and weeds grew rampant along the path. It was truly a shame that the sect leader of the Hongqi Sect had to rack his brains to come up with such an abandoned place.
It's easy to guess why the Nameless Sect abandoned them here. They were once their number one rivals, but now they've fallen so low, with the highest-ranking member only at the Foundation Establishment stage.
"If you look down on someone, just be honest about it," Guan Wangzhen scoffed. "Everyone looks down on others sometimes, why do one thing and say another?"
Zhu Shibai said gently, "Although Hongqi Sect is one of the ten Daoist sects, the affairs of the competition and reception are complicated and it is normal for us to make mistakes due to being overwhelmed. We can handle it ourselves, so there is no need to trouble ourselves. We will just use a few purification spells."
Shen Qinglu sneered: "Or is it that the Hongqi Sect is so incompetent that it doesn't even know such a simple spell as purification?"
"Just Foundation Establishment." Seeing that no one was willing to entrust the Void Serpent to him, the Hongqi Sect disciple stopped trying to appease him. His attitude turned cold, and he looked at Ji Mingran with particular contempt: "So many demands, do you even deserve them?" Too lazy to say anything, he turned and left.
"Who are you looking at!" Jin Yu was furious and rushed forward with Jin Lü to fight, but Ji Mingran grabbed her on either side: "Don't rush."
Zhu Shibai pulled the two behind him and instructed them, "Be patient for now. If any disciple participating in the examination attacks a disciple from another sect without cause, they will be disqualified from the examination. He did this on purpose."
Upon hearing this, Shen Qingluo and Ji Mingran went inside together. Seeing the scene inside, she frowned and said, "This is outrageous."
The stone tables and benches in the courtyard were completely covered by weeds and vines, moss had spread to the walls and large patches of plaster had fallen off, the rooms had holes that were getting bigger and bigger, the wind was howling in, the roof tiles and wooden rafters were broken, and the whole house looked like it was about to collapse at any moment.
Dressed in fine clothes, Jin Yu and Jin Lu seemed out of place here. Standing at the door, they refused to go in. "We might as well go live in a town outside," Jin Yu called out to Zhu Shibai, "and besides," she said, "can't we go live with the Zhu family? You are the heir of the Zhu family. If you go back, they will be overjoyed and welcome us with drums and gongs."
The Zhu family is located in Qingzhou, and they are responsible for receiving sects that fly in.
Zhu Shibai shook his head: "Since I am representing the disciples of Dingsheng Sect in the competition, there is no reason for me to return to the Zhu family to live. However..." He pondered for a moment and then asked Ji Mingran: "After we go to the competition, before Senior Brother Yuanliu arrives, you will be the only one living there. Why don't we gather with the disciples in the county city and live together?"
Yuan Liu was delayed in explaining sect matters and it took him a few days to reunite with Ji Mingran. Ji Mingran flipped through the handbook Yuan Liu had given him, looking up the precautions for the Spiritual Cultivation Competition: "It's just a temporary stay, as long as you can stay. The competition starts tomorrow morning, and going to another place would be a hassle. Let's pack up a bit so you can rest for a while."
After Ji Mingran said that, Jin Yu and Jin Lu had no choice but to reluctantly walk into the courtyard.
Of all the people, only Ji Mingran had a knack for cleaning up dilapidated houses. Everyone gathered in the courtyard, listening to Ji Mingran assign tasks for cleaning up the houses.
The shouting and cursing from the neighboring courtyard subsided, followed by a series of clanging and banging sounds, presumably from someone like them repairing holes in the roof and walls.
"Could it be that Hong Qizong deliberately sent us to repair their house?" Guan Wangzhen and Jin Yu were weeding together.
Zhu Shibai squatted on the roof and gestured the size of the hole, saying, "We are staying at Hongqizong for the time being. We will return it in the same way they gave it to us, with some bamboo boards and cotton wadding to fill it in, so that we can take it with us when we leave."
Jinlu and Shen Qinglu separately used purification spells: "That makes sense, Master Shen. Give me the dust and trash, and I will return it to you in full."
Upon hearing this, Shen Qingluo nodded and wielded two brooms with the grace of a sword, instantly gathering the messy and filthy items in the room together.
Zhu Shibai had already walked around the room from top to bottom: "Repairing it isn't difficult, it just requires some bamboo." After speaking, he looked intently at Ji Mingran.
......
So Ji Mingran came to the outside of the bamboo forest and diligently cut bamboo.
First, cut the bamboo down, then cut it into sections, and then stack them up.
Meng Yingyang watched the gray-clad girl chopping bamboo with an axe for a good quarter of an hour. He made no attempt to conceal his presence; Ji Mingran had already spotted him upon his arrival.
But she only paused slightly with her axe, nodded to him as a greeting, and then focused on the bamboo, carefully chopping, carefully piling, and carefully counting.
The girl's fair fingertips touched the last piece of bamboo, confirming that the quantity was complete. She happily put the bamboo into her storage pouch, bent down to pick up the remaining stack, and turned back.
I didn't care at all about his appearance from beginning to end.
......
"Fellow Daoist Ji." This was the first time in so many years that Meng Yingyang had addressed her formally and proactively.
The gray figure stopped, and the girl turned her head slightly: "You were looking for me?"
But her toes were already raised beneath her robes; she couldn't wait to leave.
Meng Yingyang had no choice but to say frankly, "I know about him, Yu Tianxing."
Ji Mingran lowered his raised toes and focused his gaze on him, beginning to recall carefully. After a moment, he said, "Ah, it's you, Wang Mao's relative."
"How is Wang Mao?"
“A cultivator from the Hongyang Sect in the mortal world told me that he lived to be eighty-nine.”
"Eighty-nine?" Ji Mingran was slightly surprised, thinking he had misheard.
"Don't you know? The flow of time varies in the three thousand worlds, and the time in the spiritual cultivation world is even more different from that in the three thousand worlds. One day in spiritual cultivation may be equivalent to one or two years in the three thousand minor worlds."
That Yu Tianxing.....
Ji Mingran stared silently at the young man in the frost-colored brocade robe opposite him.
"He conquered 68 counties and 34 cities of Yu the Great in just half a year, successfully ascended the throne, and then worked diligently for 30 years before passing away in the 33rd year after the opening of the Heavenly Gate." Meng Yingyang looked at the girl in front of him. She did not show the surprise, disappointment, or disbelief he had expected. On the contrary, she was calm, as if she was just listening to the story of a stranger.
As if by some strange twist of fate, Meng Yingyang revealed the ending he hadn't intended to tell anyone. "Unknown to others, he was secretly buried in a dilapidated house in a remote town, a ritual performed for him by Wang Mao."
Meng Yingyang was filled with mixed emotions. He both hoped that Ji Mingran would show something, and he didn't want her to show anything either.
He doesn't understand himself either.
Ji Mingran's expression remained unchanged. He simply said, "I understand. Thank you for letting me know." Then he continued walking forward, carrying the bamboo.
Even this news only made her pause for a moment. Meng Yingyang was speechless for a moment, and in the end, she could only watch that gray figure disappear into the distance.
......
"What are you doing?" Guan Wangzhen's surprised voice came from above Ji Mingran's head, along with Liu Dao's gaze.
"Jin Yu said that after you brought back the bamboo, you said you had something important to take care of and then disappeared. We haven't seen you for half a day, and here you are..." Shen Qingluo squatted down, the flickering firelight reflected in her eyes. She saw that Ji Mingran had put another stack of paper money into the brazier and asked suspiciously, "Burning paper money?"
Ji Mingran said in a muffled voice, "Burn it for my partner. He died peacefully in the small world."
"Partner?" Zhu Shibai looked at Shen Qingluo with a puzzled expression, silently repeating the two words.
Shen Qinglu shook her head and said in a low voice, "I met her when we were in the Yue Shi era."
"No." Guan Wangzhen also squatted down, picked up the paper money on the ground and sprinkled it into the basin. "Where did you get these things? And what partner do you have? How do you know about the lower realm?"
Ji Mingran used a bamboo stick to separate the stacked paper money so that it could be completely burned. She answered one by one, "I made these myself. I made these in the small world. He was the first person I knew, and the sixth person I knew told Meng Yingyang about it. Meng Yingyang just told me." She said quietly, "I asked Yuan Liu with the jade tablet. It turns out that the flow of time in the small world and the spiritual cultivation world is indeed different."
Shen Qingluo said softly, "The speed of time flow varies in different realms. I have heard my clansmen mention this before."
Zhu Shibai took out a gourd from his storage ring, respectfully poured wine three times onto the ground, and then said, "Meng Yingyang, you are one of the cultivators who recently crossed the boundary and were taken in as a closed-door disciple by Venerable Chongjue, the sect master of Hongqi Sect. It turns out that you come from the same small world as us."
"Meng Yingyang?" After carefully observing Ji's actions of burning paper money, Guan Wangzhen imitated him, separating the paper money and throwing it into the brazier one by one. "Didn't you say you didn't know him?"
"I've met you a couple of times, but I don't remember you much. I just remembered you." Ji Mingran's gaze fell on his left foot.
During their first meeting, she was bitten by the dogs brought by Meng Yingyang and Yu Yuerong from the Hongqi Sect. Yu Tianxing then taught her swordsmanship and took her to seek revenge. The two of them captured Yu Yuerong's soul, which led to Meng Yingyang's second encounter and fight with her.
To get Boss Jiang to protect her, she bought a coffin on credit from him. When Yu Tianxing found out, he offered to buy it, which Ji Mingran took as repayment for his help in capturing Yu Yuerong. The coffin remained in Boss Jiang's shop afterward. Later, when Xiao Huzha came to the shop and took a liking to it, Ji Mingran even asked Boss Jiang to make another coffin of the same wood to replace it.
She left the coffin as a decoration, but Yu Tianxing returned to Fengsheng Town before his death, so it seems he still used that coffin.
Ji Mingran sighed, stood up, pointed to the paper house that was half a person tall, and said to Shen Qingluo, "Help me light a fire."
Shen Qingluo glanced at the paper houses, paper figures, and stacks of paper money piled on the ground, then put her arms around Ji Mingran's shoulders: "Please accept my condolences."
Flames leaped up and burned down from the paper house roof, sending ashes flying everywhere.
With a flick of his wrist, Ji Mingran brushed away the ashes that drifted to his nose, and his tone became relaxed again. "Don't worry, I'm fine. This was his choice, and dying peacefully in his sleep is a good ending, a very good ending. I'll give him everything and then go back. You can go now."
Pushed along by Ji Mingran, Shen Qingluo, Guan Wangzhen, and Zhu Shibai had no choice but to return to the courtyard first.
The courtyard had been tidied up and cleaned by the group. Guan Wangzhen sat on the stone bench, his brows furrowed. "I feel like she's still not happy."
Shen Qinglu stood to the side with her arms crossed, her gaze never leaving the doorway. Upon hearing this, she glanced at him sideways and said, "Nonsense, who would be happy?"
Zhu Shibai sat upright, pondering further: "Meng Yingyang specifically told her about this before the competition, I wonder if he did it on purpose to distract her."
The three were talking and didn't notice the golden sleeves flashing by in the shadows of the bamboo forest.
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