Under one person: I, Zhang Zhiwei, the arrogant Zhang.

"Young friend Zhiwei, if you have any free time in the future, you are welcome to visit the Sanyi Sect often." Before leaving, Zuo Ruotong said gently to Zhang Zhiwei. His face was slightly flushed, but his eyes were still clear and bright, and his masterly demeanor remained undiminished.

Zhang Zhiwei cupped his hands and smiled, "Don't worry, Master Zuo, I will definitely bother you. Please take care of yourself as well."

Old Master Lu personally escorted Zhang Zhiwei to the gate of the mansion, held his hand tightly, and rambled on with words of gratitude, his words sincere and his feelings genuine.

As the guests gradually dispersed from the Lu residence, a cool night breeze swept over them, dispelling the noise and lingering smell of alcohol from the banquet. The faint floral fragrance, amplified by Zhang Zhiwei's supernatural powers, still lingered in the air, refreshing and delightful.

Tian Jinzhong has a low alcohol tolerance and was already quite drunk, staggering along, relying entirely on Zhang Huaiyi to support him.

Zhang Huaiyi's own alcohol tolerance wasn't particularly high, but he had his own unique "fish-raising" secret: he knew when to stop, and was still able to stay sober at this moment.

"Senior brother, are we going straight back to the mountain?" Zhang Huaiyi asked, supporting Tian Jinzhong.

"Okay, let's go straight back." Zhang Zhiwei nodded.

"Then... what about Erbi? We came together, are we just going to leave him here?" Tian Jinzhong remembered Lü Ci and quickly asked.

Because of his boasting, Lü Ci drank four cups in one go and was already drunk as a dead dog. He and his brother Lü Ren were lying unconscious in the guest room of the Lu family.

Zhang Zhiwei waved his hand: "Erbi has not been home for a long time. Let him go back and stay for a while. We'll go back to Longhu Mountain first."

He paused, then turned his gaze to Zhang Huaiyi, a hint of teasing in his voice: "And you? After all these years of wandering outside, have you finally decided to come back to the mountains?"

Zhang Huaiyi scratched his head and chuckled, "I've had enough experience, and I feel like I've hit a bottleneck. It's time to go back to the mountain and spend some time reflecting on what I've learned."

"Oh?" Zhang Zhiwei became interested. "You must have encountered quite a few interesting people and things on this trip down the mountain, right?"

“Of course!” Zhang Huaiyi’s face showed a look of reminiscence. “Since it’s a training experience, how can it be smooth sailing? I’ve encountered quite a few interesting people and tricky things.”

"You'll have to tell us all about it when you get back," Zhang Zhiwei said with a smile.

"Absolutely!" Zhang Huaiyi patted his chest. "In the years since I came down the mountain, I've experienced so much. If I were to tell you all about it, I'm afraid I could go on for three days and three nights!"

“It’s alright, as long as it’s your story, no matter how long, everyone will never get tired of hearing it!” Zhang Zhiwei said with a smile.

"Yes, that's right!" The tipsy Tian Jinzhong suddenly interjected, his tongue almost tied in knots, "Huai... Huaiyi, while you were down the mountain, everyone... hiccup... was worried sick about you!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Huaiyi lowered his head slightly, then quickly raised it again. He smiled and patted Tian Jinzhong on the back: "I'm sorry to have worried everyone. Don't worry, I should be staying on the mountain for the next few years."

"That's wonderful!" Tian Jinzhong chuckled, his face flushed. "Senior brother... Senior brother hasn't been coming down the mountain as often lately. Let me tell you, senior brother has even taken on a disciple! We... we're both senior uncles now!"

"Really?" A hint of surprise flashed in Zhang Huaiyi's eyes. "Then it seems that I, as his senior uncle, will have to prepare a decent gift for my junior nephew when I get back!"

"What are you planning to give? Let me give you some suggestions," Tian Jinzhong asked, his eyes still bleary with drunkenness.

"Well, let me think about it..." Zhang Huaiyi fell into deep thought. He really didn't expect that his senior brother would take on a disciple so early.

"Let's think about these trivial things when we get back."

Zhang Zhiwei interrupted their conversation. With a slight movement of his aura, and without any apparent effort, a dazzling bolt of lightning burst forth from his body, instantly tearing through the night and transforming into a massive lightning tunnel that shot straight into the sky.

The lightning bolt enveloped the three of them. The next moment, a thick bolt of lightning shot up from the ground, tearing through the night and disappearing instantly into the clouds.

Those guests who had not yet completely dispersed caught a glimpse of this miraculous scene from afar, and were all deeply shocked. They secretly marveled at the unfathomable cultivation of the young celestial master, and couldn't help but feel that if they could live such a carefree life, they would have no regrets.

Meanwhile, Lü Ci, who was drunk and alone in the guest room, seemed to be startled by the faint rumble of thunder. He smacked his lips, his eyelids twitched a few times as if he wanted to open them, but in the end he couldn't resist the effects of the alcohol, turned over, and continued to sleep soundly.

……

The next moment, on the training ground in front of the Celestial Master's Mansion on Longhu Mountain, a bolt of lightning silently struck vertically down from the night sky. When the lightning dissipated, the figures of Zhang Zhiwei, Zhang Huaiyi, and Tian Jinzhong were revealed.

At this time, many Taoist priests of the Celestial Master's Mansion had already rested, but some of the Scroll Kings were still rolling scrolls in the training ground.

The Qi formation that Zhang Zhiwei arranged on the training ground to absorb the Qi of Heaven and Earth would be activated every night, causing thunder to rumble and lightning to refine the palace. At the same time, it would also bring the primordial Qi of Heaven and Earth into the Qi formation on the training ground and preserve it.

It can be said that every night is when the content of innate Qi in the entire training ground is at its highest.

Many Taoist priests at Longhu Mountain are complaining that this Qi formation is indeed set up by Zhang Zhiwei, which is beneficial to Juan Wang.

Therefore, even late at night, there were still quite a few Taoist priests on the training ground.

Because thunder often accompanies the drill ground late at night, Zhang Zhiwei's return did not attract much attention. Only a few Taoists muttered, "Why did the Thunderfire Refining Hall arrive earlier than usual tonight?"

Until Tian Jinzhong shouted at the top of his lungs, "We're back!"

The Taoist priests on the training ground then realized what was happening and gathered around.

"Senior Brother Zhiwei is back!"

"How much did Senior Brother Jinzhong drink? He smells strongly of alcohol!"

"Senior Brother Zhiwei, was Lu Jin's wedding lively?"

Everyone asked questions at once, but soon their attention was drawn to the "big-eared" man next to Zhang Zhiwei.

"Big ears!!"

"Huaiyi, it's actually Huaiyi who's back!"

"That's great! Senior Brother Huaiyi, you're finally back!"

Upon seeing Zhang Huaiyi, who had been training down the mountain for a long time, the crowd erupted in cheers of surprise. They then surrounded him, some patting his shoulder, others tugging at his arm, their concern evident.

"You finally decided to come back, kid!"

"You didn't suffer any losses out there, did you?!" "You've been gone for so long! Tell me, how was it out there? Did anything interesting happen?!"

Surrounded by his fellow disciples, Zhang Huaiyi felt incredibly warm inside as he looked at their sincere smiles and heartfelt words of concern.

His face beamed with a genuine smile as he responded to each of his fellow disciples' greetings:
"I'm back! I'm back! I've kept you all worried!"

"We didn't suffer any losses, everything's fine!"

"The outside world is vast, but it's still the most comfortable place to stay in Longhu Mountain!"

For a moment, the training ground was filled with the joyful atmosphere of a long-awaited reunion, and the deep bond between teachers and students permeated the night.

Fang Qianhe, Zhang Zhiwei's apprentice, was also on the training ground. He first paid his respects to his master, Zhang Zhiwei, and then respectfully came to Zhang Huaiyi to pay his respects to his uncle, Zhang Huaiyi.

Not only Zhang Zhiwei's apprentices, but also some of his fellow apprentices' newly accepted disciples came to pay their respects to Zhang Huaiyi.

Having been a junior for so many years, Zhang Huaiyi was still getting used to suddenly becoming a senior.

"Hey Huaiyi, when are you going to take on a disciple?"

At the edge of the training ground, Uncle-Master Zhang Yi leaned back in his armchair, propped his legs up on the table in front of him, and said leisurely.

“Uncle-Master Zhang Yi, my current cultivation and virtue are not good enough to accept a disciple. I’ll consider it later, I’ll consider it later,” Zhang Huaiyi said with a smile.

“You’re never telling the truth. Your skills are second to none in Longhu Mountain. How could your cultivation be lacking?” Zhang Yi said calmly.

Zhang Huaiyi smiled but did not reply.

Zhang Zhiwei said, "Uncle-Master, it's so late at night. Why aren't you going back to sleep or cultivating? What are you doing leaning there?"

Zhang Yi opened his eyes, glanced at him, and said, "Your martial uncle has recently felt that his innate Qi is being depleted a bit too quickly, so I came here to replenish it. After all, your martial uncle... wants to live for another two years."

Zhang Zhiwei laughed and said, "Uncle-Master, don't joke. In my opinion, you still have plenty of innate Qi. Living another twenty or thirty years is not a problem."

"Can't we let it rest and recover beforehand?"

……

……

After exchanging pleasantries with everyone, Zhang Zhiwei said to Zhang Huaiyi, "Let's go see our master first."

Zhang Zhiwei was mainly going to give his master Zhang Jingqing a brief report on Lu Jin's wedding, while Zhang Huaiyi had just returned from the mountain and, both in terms of courtesy and reason, should have gone to pay his respects to his mentor as soon as possible.

The two arrived at the Celestial Master's private residence, where the study was indeed still lit, and the air was filled with a faint scent of ink and sandalwood.

Zhang Jingqing, dressed in a loose-fitting plain-colored Taoist robe, stood behind a large desk, suspending her wrist and slowly writing on the Xuan paper.

He was tall and imposing, yet possessed a profound and dignified air, as if he were one with the surrounding world. Wherever his brushstrokes passed, the ink flowed freely, subtly conveying the power of wind and thunder within. Clearly, this was not ordinary calligraphy practice, but rather a way to cultivate one's mind and refine one's artistic conception through brush and ink.

Hearing footsteps, Zhang Jingqing did not immediately look up. Only after finishing a stroke, achieving a perfect flow, did he slowly put down his brush and look at the two disciples who had entered. His face was calm and expressionless, his eyes deep as an ancient well, but upon closer inspection, one could detect a barely perceptible hint of satisfaction deep within them.

"Master." Zhang Zhiwei and Zhang Huaiyi bowed simultaneously.

Zhang Jingqing nodded slightly, her gaze first falling on Zhang Zhiwei: "You're back. How did the Lu family boy's wedding go?"

"Reporting to Master, everything went smoothly and the guests had a great time." Zhang Zhiwei stepped forward and briefly recounted the grand occasion of Lu Jin's wedding, especially some interesting stories about himself as the best man, as well as the situation of Zuo Ruotong, Old Master Lu, and others.

Zhang Jingqing listened quietly, and finally asked, "How is Lord Lu's health lately?" He was referring to Lu Jin's grandfather, Old Master Lu.

Zhang Zhiwei pondered for a moment and then told him the truth: "Old Master Lu is still in good health and is currently free from illness. However... he is getting old, and his innate vital energy is almost exhausted. In my opinion, he will probably pass away peacefully in two more years at most."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Jingqing remained silent for a moment, a barely perceptible hint of emotion flashing in her eyes. She then nodded and said nothing more. The cycle of life and death is the natural order of things, and at their level, they could already accept it with equanimity.

Then, his gaze turned to Zhang Huaiyi, who stood with his hands at his sides. He didn't ask his disciple what supernatural abilities he had gained during his training trip down the mountain, or how much his cultivation had improved. Instead, he asked gently:
"It's good that you're back. You've been training down the mountain for so long, have you experienced anything unforgettable? And what kind of people have you met... that made you realize that the word 'human' is worth savoring?"

Zhang Huaiyi remained silent for a moment, seemingly organizing his thoughts, before slowly beginning to recount his experiences.

“Master, I have indeed experienced a lot since I came down the mountain. One thing in particular has left a deep impression on me. When I was traveling in Hunan, I came across a village that had been attacked by bandits. I stepped in and fought off the bandits, saving the village. However, because the bandits set fire to the village, many houses and grains were burned down. Many villagers could not survive and decided to leave their homes to seek a living in the city.”

"But at that moment, one of the villagers, a strange person who had resisted the bandits' invasion before, stepped forward."

"This extraordinary person is a naturally gifted extraordinary person. He has not cultivated any acquired skills, so his strength is not strong. However, when faced with a large group of bandits, he could have escaped, but he did not. Instead, he resisted stubbornly. Even though he was no match for them, he did not run away."

"It was precisely because of him that we were able to hold out until our disciples arrived. After that, he refused to abandon his hometown and began to lead a few fearless young people to venture into the deep mountains and forests to gather herbs, hunt, and cut down trees..."

"He used the game to supplement the village's food shortage, and then traveled a hundred miles to the county town to exchange medicinal herbs for life-saving food."

"The disciple asked him why he didn't simply leave that place. After all, he was a naturally gifted person; he could have lived a better life anywhere. He just smiled and told me, 'This is my hometown. The people in this village are all connected. What will happen to them if I leave?'"

Zhang Huaiyi said in a deep voice, "Master, at that moment I suddenly felt that for cultivators, pursuing the extraordinary and transcending the mundane, supernatural powers and magic are certainly important, but like this innate extraordinary person, upholding a responsibility in the ordinary, using his meager abilities to protect the local community, this kind of tenacity and responsibility rooted in the soil may also be... a remarkable 'Tao'."

"What happened to this person later?" Zhang Jingqing asked quietly.

"When I left, the village had already recovered. That innate extraordinary person just sat at the entrance of the village every day to cultivate, as if all the disturbances in the outside world had nothing to do with him."

After listening, Zhang Jingqing remained silent for a long time, with only the occasional crackling sound of the lamp wick breaking in the study.

The look of satisfaction in his eyes as he looked at Zhang Huaiyi became even more pronounced. He nodded slightly and uttered only two words:
"good."

This single word already contains praise, recognition, and affirmation of the disciple's gains from this experience. (End of Chapter)