ninety thousand miles

Chapter 716 Departure
Li Chuan left Yunqiao Township on a misty, drizzly morning.

Instead of going directly to Wochi, he followed his heart and drove his carriage around for half a year, meddlesome some things, visited some old friends, and made many new friends. It wasn't until the autumn winds rose that he began to head towards Wochi.

After traveling for another two months, he finally caught a glimpse of the light of the Heavenly Pillar in the distance. Upon entering the Wochi area, he put away the carriage and continued on foot.

After he repaired the Heavenly Pillar last time, the strange phenomena in the Wochi gradually dissipated, and later the Xuanmen opened up a small path in it.

He hadn't walked more than a few steps when he heard someone calling his name from afar.

"Li Chuan? Brother Chuan?"

Li Chuan looked in the direction the voice came from. "Mu Ling?" He recognized the person.

In a few breaths, Mu Ling walked up to Li Chuan.

"What are you doing here?" Li Chuan asked.

“It’s Lingchuan Sect’s turn,” Mu Ling said.

"Are you alone?" Li Chuan asked.

“And there’s Senior Brother Chu. He was guarding inside, so I came out for a stroll and that’s when I saw you,” Mu Ling replied.

They walked slowly along the path towards Tianzhu.

“Last time at the Four Gods Palace, Uncle Mi and I talked about you,” Mu Ling said.

"What did you say?" Li Chuan asked.

“He said my comprehension is too low, not as good as yours, and I can’t inherit his mantle,” Mu Ling said.

"He probably provoked you, didn't he? What kind of understanding do I have?" Li Chuan said.

"I heard that Gong Wuguang has emerged from seclusion?" Mu Ling asked.

"You're so well-informed here?" Li Chuan asked, somewhat surprised.

“When I heard the news, I was still being trained by Uncle Mi. Besides, this isn’t some isolated place anymore,” Mu Ling said, glancing back at Li Chuan’s expression. “There were rumors that he might not make it, but he came back after a few years. How is he now?”

“How would I know?” Li Chuan said.

"You're an official in the Imperial Observatory, and you didn't know?" Mu Ling asked.

“I haven’t been to Beijing for five or six years,” Li Chuan said.

"You came to Wochi this time?" Mu Ling asked.

"I just came to take a look," Li Chuan replied.

As they spoke, they arrived at the edge of the spring. Mu Ling pointed to a thatched hut by the spring and said, "We usually live there."

Li Chuan looked towards the thatched hut and saw a cultivator in a gray Taoist robe walk out. It was Chu Bing, Mu Ling's senior brother.

Mu Ling immediately called out to Chu Bing, "Senior Brother Chu, look who's here!"

"Li Chuan?" Chu Bing recognized Li Chuan and quickly went to greet him, asking, "Is there any news?"

"What news?" Li Chuan looked at Mu Ling blankly.

“Yan Qingshan is gone,” Mu Ling said.

"When? How did it disappear?" Li Chuan asked.

"So you really didn't know? Come in and sit down, let's talk," Mu Ling said.

“Okay.” Li Chuan followed Mu Ling into the thatched hut. Inside, there was only a low table, a few futons, and some miscellaneous items piled up in the corner.

After closing the door, Chu Bing lit a lamp and placed it on the low table.

“The Xuantai Lingguang Gathering was cancelled the year before last because of the demons,” Mu Ling said to Li Chuan. “At the beginning of this year, the Xuanyue Sect proposed to hold it, but the Four Divine Palaces and the Tianyu Sect disagreed. There are still quite a few demonic things on Yanqing Mountain. Although nothing unusual has happened in recent years, it is still not appropriate, right?”

“It’s not appropriate,” Li Chuan agreed.

"But Sect Leader Chu is very insistent, and many smaller sects also want to open their own," Mu Ling said.

Chu Bing explained, "Over the years, the spiritual veins have been drying up. We also have to fight demons, and many disciples have died, which has consumed a huge amount of resources. For small sects and young disciples, the once-a-decade Xuantai Spiritual Light Meeting is very important."

"So it's still open?" Li Chuan asked.

"It opened, but none of the disciples from the Four Divine Palaces and the Tianyu Sect went. Our Lingchuan Sect, as well as many other sects that are close to the Four Divine Palaces and the Tianyu Sect, didn't go either. But in the end, more than a thousand cultivators still went," Mu Ling said.

“At the end of last year, Uncle Mi killed a great demon, and after that, the alien races quieted down considerably, and indeed, they were quiet for a long time,” Chu Bing added.

"When did it open?" Li Chuan asked.

“Last month,” Chu Bing replied. “How did the demons appear at Yanqing Mountain?” Li Chuan asked.

“Someone received the inheritance of Master Yanxing, and then the secret realm suddenly cracked open, demons poured out, and then the entire Yanqing Mountain disappeared,” Chu Bing replied.

"Who got it?" Li Chuan asked.

"I don't know," Mu Ling shook his head and said, "Only a few cultivators escaped. They weren't disciples attending the meeting; they were patrolling the perimeter, so they had a chance to escape."

"Although the Lingchuan Sect was spared from disaster, many people we know are inside, including Senior Brother Chu's partner."

Chu Bing lowered his eyes, looking at the lamplight reflected on the table, and said, "I told her not to go, and she agreed, but she still went."

"Has anyone gone to rescue us?" Li Chuan asked.

“They went, many people went, even the old palace master went, but it seems there’s nothing they can do,” Mu Ling said.

The three fell silent.

“I’m going to catch a few fish,” Mu Ling said, standing up. “It’s not easy for someone to come over, and there’s nothing here to entertain them. Senior Brother Chu, why don’t you keep Brother Chuan company while I go fishing and fetch some water to make tea.”

“Go ahead,” Chu Bing said.

After Mu Ling left, the room became even quieter.

Li Chuan racked his brains for words, and said, "The old palace master and the others will definitely be able to come up with a solution."

"I hope so." Chu Bing shook his head and asked, "Did you come here intending to climb Tianzhu again?"

"Come and take a look first," Li Chuan said.

“You want to climb Tianzhu again,” Chu Bing said with certainty.

"Yes, I do want to," Li Chuan admitted.

"Why?" Chu Bing asked.

“It’s right here. I tried to climb it once, but failed. But it’s still here. I’ll come back eventually,” Li Chuan replied.

The room fell silent again.

Half an hour later, Mu Ling returned carrying a bucket of water and three or four fish.

After entering the house, he said, "This fish can only be eaten raw. I'll show you my knife skills later. Senior brother, could you boil some water for me?"

Chu Bing started to move.

Li Chuan also stood up and said, "I brought rice. Can you help me start a fire so I can cook some porridge?"

The three of them got busy.

Li Chuan cooked porridge in an iron pot, adding lard, greens, and a little salt. Mu Ling and Chu Bing ate it and praised Li Chuan's cooking skills. Li Chuan, having tasted the long-missed silverfish meat, was also filled with emotion.

When night fell, the three of them went to bed.

Many thoughts welled up in Li Chuan's mind, and he tossed and turned, unable to sleep. So he went outside. Under the light of the Heavenly Pillar, even though it was late at night, the outside was as bright as day. Unconsciously, Li Chuan walked towards the Heavenly Pillar and entered the thick curtain of light.

He was immersed in the light.

"Brother Chuan?"

Hearing Mu Ling's voice, Li Chuan turned around and saw Mu Ling standing outside the light screen. He went out and asked, "What's wrong?"

"Are you planning to start climbing now?" Mu Ling asked.

“No,” Li Chuan denied. “Let’s take a look first, make some preparations, and then try it little by little. Last time, I was too hasty and too eager to get up there.”

"How did it fall down?" Mu Ling asked.

Li Chuan looked up at Tianzhu and said, "I don't know."

"I have a favor to ask..." Mu Ling hesitated.

"You and your senior brother want to go to Yanqing Mountain to rescue people?" Li Chuan immediately guessed Mu Ling's purpose.

"Yes, but..."

“Go ahead,” Li Chuan said.

“I’ll just go take a look, then I’ll come right back,” Mu Ling said, but then he added with some concern, “But you’re all alone here…”

“Go,” Li Chuan repeated, “I can hold it.”

(End of this chapter)