chsdbacks Page 133
Page 133
I am deeply grateful for the introduction by my seniors and the appreciation of Chairman Zhao Fangxu, which has enabled me to achieve what I have today, worthy of being among the Ten Elders. This kindness will never be forgotten!
Zhang Yunyuan put down the wooden carving in his hand, finally looked at him properly, and nodded slightly.
"You deserve all of this."
His tone was calm, yet it possessed a convincing authority.
"Your body has reached the pinnacle of the Chai School's external martial arts. Your vitality is exceptional, a rarity in this world. You are already at the level of a half-step master. Not bad."
"The Ten Elders are the force that maintains order in the world of supernatural beings. You are better than some scoundrels among the Ten Elders."
The word "scoundrel" instantly reminded Ru Hu of Wang Ai, who had publicly broken with Feng Zhenghao earlier that day, and filled him with even greater awe. This senior was truly insightful.
Na Ruhu braced himself, poured himself another cup of the extremely bitter tea, and drank it all in one gulp. He felt an indescribable bitterness rush to the top of his head, which invigorated him.
"How many people from the Ancient Pavilion did you bring to Longhu Mountain this time?" Zhang Yunyuan asked casually.
Na Ruhu quickly put down his teacup and respectfully replied:
"Reporting to Senior, I brought thirty-six skilled men from the Pavilion with me this time. They are all trustworthy brothers and have already settled in the guesthouse arranged by the Celestial Master's Mansion."
Zhang Yunyuan nodded, about to speak.
"Tuk-tuk-tuk."
Suddenly, three knocks, neither too loud nor too soft, sounded outside the wooden door.
Hu was startled. How could someone visit this place so late at night?
Zhang Yunyuan's voice remained calm.
The wooden door was pushed open, and a tall figure walked in.
The newcomer wore gold-rimmed glasses and a well-tailored suit. He was none other than Feng Zhenghao, the president of the World Society, whom he had just met at the Ten Elders Meeting!
As soon as Feng Zhenghao entered the room, his gaze fell on Ru Hu. His signature business smile froze instantly, and his pupils contracted sharply!
Why is he here? !
A storm raged through Feng Zhenghao's mind.
He secretly visited this legendary junior uncle late at night, thinking it was a top secret, but unexpectedly, another of the Ten Elders beat him to it!
Judging from the tiger's respectful attitude towards this senior, he is clearly... one of his men!
At the same time, the shock in Ru Hu's heart was no less than that in Feng Zhenghao's.
For a moment, the two Ten Elders, who could shake the world with a stomp of their feet, saw the same horror and disbelief in each other's eyes.
The two elders were actually under the command of this boy who looked no more than seventeen or eighteen years old!
The energy behind this is terrifying beyond imagination!
However, Zhang Yunyuan, who was at the center of the storm, remained calm as if nothing had happened.
He even picked up the wood carving again and continued to polish the details of the tiger.
Without even looking up, he asked Feng Zhenghao, who had just entered:
"How many people from the World Society did they bring?"
Feng Zhenghao forcibly suppressed the turmoil in his heart and quickly bowed to answer:
"Reporting to Senior, there are more than a hundred members of the World Society who accompanied me up the mountain this time, all of whom are elites."
Zhang Yunyuan finally put down the wood carving. He stood up, his calm eyes sweeping over the two Ten Elders in front of him, each with their own thoughts. His voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable decisiveness.
"Then you, together with Ru Hu, keep an eye on Longhu Mountain."
"Zhang Chulan will be going up the mountain in a few days. Once the Luo Tian Grand Ceremony begins, people from all sects and factions, including the Quanxing, will definitely be there."
His voice suddenly turned cold, carrying a chilling murderous intent that seemed to lower the temperature of the humble little house.
"You must protect Zhang Chulan's safety. No matter who it is, anyone who wants to harm Zhang Chulan..."
A cold glint flashed in Zhang Yunyuan's eyes, his tone was resolute, and his words were like knives.
"—Kill them without mercy!"
"If anyone has a problem with this," he added casually, a playful smile playing on his lips, "let them come find me, Zhang Yunyuan, and we'll talk things over!"
Chapter 155 How shameless! He actually calls himself the King of Wudang?
Longhu Mountain, the ancestral home of Taoism, has once again opened its heavy gates to extraordinary people from all over the world after nearly a century.
At dawn, the foot of the mountain was already bustling with people and a constant stream of vehicles.
People from all corners of the world, whether from prestigious sects or unorthodox sects, each with their own thoughts, followed the winding bluestone mountain path steeped in a thousand years of history, climbing step by step.
The air was filled with the unique, damp scent of pine resin and earth that was characteristic of a mountain forest in the early morning, but it could not suppress the restlessness of an impending mountain rain, which was woven from countless breaths of varying strengths.
Several tall arenas had already been erected in the huge square in front of the Celestial Master's Mansion.
The disciples of Longhu Mountain, dressed in uniform blue Taoist robes, moved about, guiding visitors from all directions. Everything seemed orderly, yet undercurrents were swirling beneath the surface.
Following behind Xu San and Xu Si, Zhang Chulan felt like a rabbit thrown into a wildlife park. Every gaze from around him felt like the watchful eyes of hungry wolves, making him extremely uncomfortable.
He subconsciously shrank his neck, trying to make himself look more ordinary and harmless.
"Hey, Third Brother, Fourth Brother, isn't this a bit too much of a show of force?"
He lowered his voice and muttered to himself, "I feel like an exhibit, just short of having a sign that says 'Qi Source Flow, Welcome to Taste'."
Xu Si, a cigarette dangling from his lips, glanced at him lazily, a playful smile curving his lips:
"Kid, this is nothing. The real show will begin when you meet the Celestial Master."
Don't embarrass the company, and especially don't embarrass your grandfather.
Zhang Chulan's heart tightened, and he unconsciously straightened his back.
At this moment, the square in front of the Celestial Master's Mansion is as bustling as a tourist attraction during a holiday.
Countless strange people surrounded the main gate, making it impossible to pass through, and flashes of light went off one after another.
At the very center of the crowd, an old man dressed in an ordinary blue Taoist robe, with a slightly withered figure and white hair and beard, was surrounded by a group of young, extraordinary people.
With a kind smile on his face, he would occasionally hold up two fingers to make a standard "V" sign, posing for photos with everyone.
If it weren't for the terrifying aura emanating from him, so profound and majestic, seemingly in harmony with heaven and earth, no one could possibly connect this old man, wearing a pair of flashy red sneakers and as approachable as the neighbor's uncle, with the world-renowned, universally acknowledged "Peerless Master"—Old Celestial Master Zhang Zhiwei.
"I...did I read that correctly?"
Zhang Chulan's jaw nearly dropped to the floor. He rubbed his eyes, his face filled with disbelief. "This...this is my grandmaster, the Celestial Master?"
Xu San pushed up his glasses and said in a low voice:
"The Celestial Master has always kept up with the times and kept up with the trends. Don't make a fuss, get ready, it's our turn to go."
Xu San led the two men and finally managed to squeeze a path through the crowd.
Xu San stepped forward and bowed respectfully, "Zhang Chulan has brought this to you."
The old master Zhang Zhiwei slowly shifted his gaze from the strange people in the group photo to Zhang Chulan.
In that instant, Zhang Chulan felt his heart suddenly stop, as if he were being crushed by an invisible mountain, making it difficult to even breathe.
All the noise, all the flashes of light, all the commotion around him vanished at that moment.
In his world, only those seemingly murky eyes remained, yet they seemed to penetrate his skin and see through all the unease and pretense deep within his soul.
Zhang Chulan then seemed to wake from a dream, and hurriedly imitated Xu San, awkwardly bowing down, his voice trembling slightly: "Junior...Junior Zhang Chulan pays respects to the Old Celestial Master."
"He's Huaiyi's grandson..."
The old master sighed softly, a sigh carrying an indescribable complex emotion, "He does look somewhat like him."
He glanced at the crowd of people around him and said to Rong Shan beside him, "Take Chu Lan to the tea room. I have something to say to him."
Zhang Chulan responded and was about to walk with Rong Shan when he caught a glimpse of a figure swaying and squeezing over from not far away.
He was a young man wearing a faded, even somewhat worn-out Taoist robe, with messy hair and cloth shoes, exuding a lazy, sleepy vibe.
He walked along, yawning, with snot still clinging to the corners of his eyes, completely out of place in the solemn and dignified setting.
Zhang Chulan thought to himself, "Where did this weirdo come from? He seems even more carefree than me."
The young man walked up to the old Celestial Master, barely bowing, merely giving a lazy, casual cupped-hand salute, and spoke in a muffled tone as if he were about to fall asleep:
"Wudang King, meet the old Heavenly Master."
Zhang Chulan felt as if a string in his brain snapped with a "DUANG".
He was completely stunned, his eyes wide open, and his mind was in turmoil.
Holy crap! Who is this guy?! Is he that arrogant?!
He comes in here and immediately introduces himself as "Wudang King"? And he even uses "also"? Is this how people show off these days—so direct and awkward?
Shouldn't you be humble first?
He couldn't hold back any longer, and quietly tugged at Xu Si's sleeve, then, in what he thought was a very soft voice, he launched into a tirade:
"Hey, Fourth Brother! This guy's shamelessness is off the charts! He actually calls himself the King of Wudang? Does he own Wudang Mountain?"
He had barely finished speaking, and before he could even appreciate Xu Si's idiotic look, a calm, even slightly lazy, voice drifted lightly from not far beside them.
"How could his ears be damaged like this at such a young age? People say his name is 'Wang Ye'."
Zhang Chulan was stunned by this sudden "education" and turned his head sharply to look.
He saw a young man who looked even younger than himself, wearing an ordinary gray Taoist robe with his hands tucked into his sleeves, looking at him with an expression that said, "How can you be so ignorant, kid?"
The young man's face was excessively handsome, with fair skin and clear eyes. He looked no more than seventeen or eighteen years old, like a young Taoist novice who had just arrived at the mountain.
Zhang Chulan's expression instantly became even more conflicted. He felt that he was having a really bad day and hadn't checked the almanac before going out.
First came this pretentious brat who called himself "King of Wudang," and now here comes this little brat who hasn't even grown his first hair yet but dares to lecture himself!
He lowered his voice again, gritting his teeth as he spoke to Xu Si:
"Damn it! I think he's even more shameless! Is he even an adult? How dare he say I'm so young?!"
Just then, Zhang Zhiwei, the old master who had been watching all this with a smile, finally spoke again slowly.
He first glanced at the lazy Wang Ye, a hint of understanding flashing in his cloudy eyes, and nodded slightly: