Chapter 389: Mountain Spirit Deceives Me! (Requesting Monthly Tickets)

Chapter 389: The Mountain Spirit Deceives Me! (Requesting Monthly Tickets)

Pei Yonglin was no stranger to the House of Wind and Rain.

Or rather, few within the martial world remained ignorant of its name.

The names of its four masters—Qin Shuangchi, Qu Jichan, Tang Huansha, and Shui Hetong—resounded across the land.

Furthermore, behind them stood the "First Man of the Martial World," Immortal Bai.

It was through this prestige that they earned the reverence of the realm, extending their commerce across the nine provinces and three prefectures.

By contrast, the Jizhou Trading Company, which flourished just as ubiquitously, was favored exclusively by the great aristocrats and prominent clans.

One dominated the present age through martial might, while the other bound various factions together through authority and coin.

Though both operated within the borders of the Great Wei, they existed in two entirely different worlds.

Between them, there was not only a lack of cooperation but frequent friction.

For one, the great clans inherited a legacy of poetry and literature, mostly pursuing the path of the imperial examinations, and thus looked down upon those rootless vagabond knights.

Even if they did take notice, they would only employ fame and wealth to drive the people of the martial world to serve their ends.

The likes of Song Jinjian were prime examples.

Secondly, the great clans, especially those occupying high positions, were mostly wary of forces they could not control.

And Immortal Bai, as one of the strongest martial artists of the contemporary era, was precisely the existence they dreaded most.

Musing upon this, a look of sudden realization dawned on Pei Yonglin’s face. "The Xiao family’s confidence stems from the House of Wind and Rain..."

"It seems the Xiao family has long since formed a secret alliance with them."

"It must have been by leveraging the strength of the House of Wind and Rain that the Xiao family managed to break Liu Hong."

"In that case, Chen Yu of the Baicao Hall must be a man of the House of Wind and Rain... that would make sense..."

Pei Yonglin naturally did not believe that Chen Yu and Shui Hetong were the same person.

Particularly regarding his own Pingzheng Hall, in addition to supervising the shopkeepers of various provinces and prefectures, it also shouldered the duty of investigating the movements of martial sects and great clans.

According to the intelligence he had previously obtained, Shui Hetong was still at the House of Wind and Rain last month, and had only recently journeyed south alongside Immortal Bai.

From this, it was not difficult to deduce that Chen Yu of the Baicao Hall was someone else entirely.

Thinking to this point, Pei Yonglin cast his gaze toward the northwest and opened his palm, revealing a palm-sized poisonous insect.

The Ghost-Faced Butterfly.

As if having just awakened, the Ghost-Faced Butterfly slowly unfurled its wings, revealing that bizarre human face on its back, facing away from Pei Yonglin.

"Tell Liu Zhaoxue that the Xiao family has joined forces with the House of Wind and Rain."

"Tell her to warn Song Jinjian that Immortal Bai is currently within the borders of Shuzhou, and he must not act rashly."

"Everything... must wait until after Immortal Bai exchanges pointers with the Snow Sword Lord to find another opportunity."

Pei Yonglin murmured a few words in a low voice, then flicked his wrist to release the Ghost-Faced Butterfly, watching it transform into a dark shadow and vanish into the rainy night before he sat quietly beside the campfire.

Staring into the blaze, three figures surfaced in his mind.

One was his wife, Qi Lingyin, who was now also a Breeze Emissary of the Jizhou Trading Company's Pingzheng Hall.

The others were Pei Qian and Pei Guanli.

Thinking of Pei Guanli, whom he had chanced upon in the prefectural city days ago, a smile crept onto Pei Yonglin’s face.

"The little girl has grown into a young woman."

"Very good, very good..."

...

Pat, pat...

The sound of footsteps in the rainy night was crisp, interspersed with the splashing of accumulated water that crashed back to the ground.

Chen Yi watched the approaching figure, his pace unyielding as he led Shui Hetong, Liu Lang, and Zhang Dabao straight toward him.

Under his Qi-Gazing Technique, the aura of the coming person appeared somewhat peculiar to his eyes.

The flesh, bones, and meridians across the man's entire body were entwined by streaks of dark red aura.

Moreover, as the man walked, those bizarre auras underwent faint shifts.

They did not flow like true essence, but were congealed and stagnant, as if manipulating that physical form.

Sorcery?

Chen Yi thought to himself, could this be Pei Yonglin’s handiwork?

Whether it was or not, he raised his hand and signaled, "Wait a moment."

Shui Hetong also caught sight of the newcomer. "It seems to be 'One Finger'."

Behind them, Zhang Dabao, who was slung over Liu Lang’s shoulder, clearly discerned the man’s features and nearly failed to hold back the word 'Master'.

Chen Yi glanced at him, then fixed his gaze upon One Finger, his brow furrowing slightly.

"He has been afflicted by the shamanic poison of the Mountain Clan."

Just at that moment, One Finger arrived before them, his rain-drenched hair clinging to his somewhat weathered face.

He looked anxiously at Chen Yi, who stood at the head, his lips parting slightly, yet no sound came forth.

Just as he was trying to find a way to warn Chen Yi and the others, a flash of dark red flared within his eyes.

He then spoke, his voice raspy and his tone sinister: "Li Sanyuan, an exchange."

Chen Yi cast a glance at him, then looked behind him.

There, a thread-like object loomed, faintly visible.

Presumably, the other end of that thread connected to the target of his journey—Pei Yonglin.

Seeing him remain silent, Shui Hetong shook his fist and asked, "A bit troublesome?"

Chen Yi nodded, then shook his head: "Shamanic poison, bizarre indeed, but not entirely without a remedy."

The moment his voice fell, a crystalline gleam flashed within his eyes, and the aura upon his body erupted suddenly.

In the next instant, the mountain forest where they stood began to transform abruptly.

The rainy night vanished, replaced by a quiet, elegant study.

A desk, bookshelves, brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone were all present and accounted for.

Shui Hetong felt his vision blur, and upon discerning his surroundings, a look of astonishment inevitably surfaced on his handsome face.

"You, this is... the Domain of Chess?"

Chen Yi offered an affirmative sound and looked toward One Finger, preparing to speak.

Yet upon clearly perceiving what was upon the man's body, a trace of wonder flashed in Chen Yi’s eyes, and he said in surprise: "The Mountain?"

Before his words could fully settle.

A dark red light flared intensely from One Finger's body.

Not waiting for Chen Yi or the others to make a move, the scarlet light surged forth in an instant.

Though not dazzling, it completely covered the entire study.

Not only that, after the crimson radiance stained the study and its furnishings, the shelves and tables began to melt away like they were being corroded.

Chen Yi blinked, then faintly exhaled a single character: “Open.”

In the blink of an eye, the study vanished entirely.

Around them, the world dissolved into a swirl of clouds and mist.

And without the confines of the study, the scarlet glow emanating from “One Finger” grew even more powerful.

Reflected in the swirling mist, it shone a vibrant red, like the afterglow of a setting sun across the sky.

Subtly, the mist formed the outline of an endless range of mountains.

Towering from earth to heaven.

Imposing and majestic.

Shu He, unperturbed by the revelation that Chen Yi could master such martial arts, peered into the scarlet mist and murmured, “That… is the Wumong Mountain?”

Chen Yi nodded, gazing at the mountain’s ethereal form, “All things in the world possess spirit; sages do not deceive me.”

“The shamanic sorcery of the mountain clans must stem from the spirit of Wumong Mountain.”

Shu He slightly bowed his head, “Before, I’d only heard the elder speak of the mountain clans’ sorcery’s origin, never thought it true.”

“Wumong Mountain blessings span ten thousand li; flowers, trees, rocks, and streams all harbor spirit… no wonder the gentle master resides in its depths.”

He glanced at the mountain range and smiled, asking, “Can your martial arts contend with the mountain’s spirit?”

Chen Yi, hearing this, wore a slight smile, “Shamanic sorcery is but a child’s game.”

As he spoke, his aura shifted once more.

The might of the heavens descended upon the mist, an invisible wind scattering the clouds.

A vast chessboard slowly materialized.

But even a corner of it dwarfed the Wumong Mountain’s misty silhouette by several times over.

Precisely, the mountain’s misty form could only occupy four squares on the chessboard.

Seeing this, Shu He’s smile froze instantly, “You… his mother—how could he have the Complete Realm martial arts?!”

He rarely showed such lapses.

Yet this sight defied all explanation.

Truly, truly… it was beyond belief.

Martial arts, the Complete Realm…

Setting aside Chen Yi’s other achievements, even his chess technique alone was enough to leave others speechless.

Though scholars might surpass doctors in numbers, those who’ve achieved or perfected martial arts stand on par with the greatest medical masters.

An ordinary person could hardly grasp the path by merely playing the game.

But Chen Yi not only mastered martial arts, he’d reached the Complete Realm.

Even Shu He, with his vast knowledge, had never seen… no, before today, he’d never even imagined such a creature as Chen Yi existed.

Liu Lang similarly grimaced, scanning the scene, muttering, “Boss, you must’ve descended from heaven, an immortal.”

Only Zhang Da Bao remained tense, staring at “One Finger,” “Master… lord, what happened to him?”

Chen Yi replied calmly, raising his hand to wave at the scarlet mist, the chessboard behind him trembling.

Four white stones shot from the board, landing in the four corners of the mist.

“Stabilize!”

As Chen Yi spoke the word, white mist rose from the stones, tearing through and consuming the crimson haze.

Shu He watched this, shaking his head, “Martial arts prioritize ‘divine’ principles; meeting someone like Pei Yonglin… truly… what a misfortune.”

He now fully trusted Chen Yi’s words—shamanic sorcery was indeed a child’s game.

With Complete Realm martial arts, the mountain clans’ famed sorcery was beneath his notice.

Just then, “One Finger” cleared, smiling at Chen Yi and the others.

“Hahaha, Pei family—you little brat, you’re doomed now.”

Though controlled by Pei Yonglin’s paper talisman, he knew nothing of what transpired around him.

Now, with his “mountain spirit” dissipating, he felt a sudden ease.

Before Chen Yi could speak, Zhang Da Bao leaped from Liu Lang, rushing forward:

“Master, you—you’re safe?”

“One Finger” glanced at him, his gaze settling on his temple, his smile fading as he hummed:

“You’re not exactly subtle, breaking the door-opening rule on purpose?”

Zhang Da Bao, realizing he’d escaped, scratched his head with a sheepish grin, “When disguising myself, I left a flaw on purpose… some…”

“Some what?”

“Some… stupid.”

“Your wings are hard, breaking the sect’s rules too. Who gave you the nerve?”

“Besides, this rule has been passed down for ages, there’s reason to it.”

“Without a flaw, who’d recognize you in the daytime on the lotus boat?”

“Can’t recognize…”

Chen Yi watched the master-disciple banter, uninterested.

After a moment, “One Finger” finished teasing Zhang Da Bao, then turned to him, approaching directly.

He glanced at Shu He and Liu Lang, then bowed to Chen Yi, “I am Liu Chengwu, alias ‘One Finger.’ Thank you for the rescue, young brother.”

He added, “Also, thank you for looking after Da Bao.”

Chen Yi smiled faintly, “My pleasure, sir.”

This matter was not “One Finger’s” fault; he wouldn’t hold a grudge.

“One Finger” nodded, “The young brother’s bearing is remarkable, no wonder Da Bao follows him.”

After a pause, he continued, “Pei Yonglin has set a dream-invading trap beside him, along with countless parasitic insects.”

“If you insist on going forward, be careful.”

Chen Yi nodded, “Thank you for the warning.”

Then he waved away the illusionary surroundings, turning to Shu He, “I’ll leave this to you to watch over for a while; I’ll be right back.”

Shu He smiled and agreed.

Chen Yi said no more, and with a step his figure flickered, blinking out of sight before they could even register it.

A finger pointed toward where he had gone, then he let out a sudden sigh: "The world of heroes always has talented people emerge—generation after generation, new talent replacing the old."

Shui He listened, nodding in agreement: "Indeed. With him here, the Wei dynasty won't see anyone daring to challenge his right for decades to come."

"I'm no match for him, the elder brother isn't either, and neither is the family master..."

Shui He thought of the immortal Bai, and a smile touched his lips: "I can hardly wait for the day he goes to Fengyu Lou to challenge the family master."

Liu Rong, upon hearing the two toady him for Chen Yi, leaned back against a tree.

"This man, the boss, he simply hates trouble—getting him to leave Shu Zhou will be difficult, won't it?"

Zhang Da Bao chuckled and nodded: "A grown man's temperament truly doesn't match that of the martial world."

Yi struck him on the shoulder: "If you've gone south or north, daring to speak of the martial world like that?"

"With a man of his caliber, wherever he is, that place becomes the martial world."

"Also... I suppose."

Chen Yi, hearing muffled voices behind him, paid them little mind.

The rain hung heavy, the wind whistled cold.

Like riding the wind, he ascended straight upward, reaching the wooden hut where Pei Yonglin dwelt in but three breaths.

He scanned the area.

All the insects hidden around him were invisible to the eye.

Yet the sheer number of them made his scalp tingle with unease.

Surrounding the hut, from sky to earth, from forest to mountain, from the waterlogged ground, crawled every sort of bug—snakes, worms, mice, ants, moths, butterflies, all manner present.

Some creatures were so bizarre he could not name them; only by divining their qi could he see the deep crimson upon their bodies.

Chen Yi took a deep breath, casually tossed aside a porcelain bottle, and a sharp, pungent scent spread outward.

Then he turned his gaze to Pei Yonglin inside the hut.

Pei sat by the campfire; the flames cast shadows across his temples, now streaked with white, and flushed his somewhat dark, sallow face red.

He, too, examined Chen Yi.

After a moment, his eyes fell upon the spreading pungent aroma. He spoke in a cold, indifferent tone:

"An excellent use of poison against poison."

Not because Pei's eyes were particularly sharp, but because his insects told him that drawing near Chen Yi now would mean death.

Chen Yi remained unmoved, and with a flick of his wrist, a five-section spear materialized in his hand. He faced Pei's gaze, his expression calm:

"You really shouldn't have returned to Shu Zhou."

Pei blinked, clearly unprepared for such words.

"Huh? Why?"

"If you hadn't come back, at least someone would still remember you fondly."

Those half-formed words left Pei puzzled: "Speak plainly."

Chen Yi shook his head: "If you're still alive, you'll understand."

Then he took a step forward, his five-section spear tip dragging along the ground.

*Scritch-scratch.*

Pei let out a cold sneer: "Just your chess skills, then?"

"You underestimate the magic and poison arts of the mountain clans!"

Before his words settled, a black shadow rose beneath the hut, and an ear-piercing hum erupted in the air.

"Spirit Guardian!"