The Northern Song Dynasty returned south, seeking the truth of the Dao.

Wang Huanzhen looked in the direction of the sound and saw the middle-aged man from that night walking confidently down the mountain with a smile on his face. Behind him were more than a dozen subordinates carrying large and small bags. He arrived at the mountain hollow and bowed to Xuan Yangzi.

"Master Liu, I never expected that we would meet again here."

Xuan Yangzi remained seated cross-legged on the ground, not rising. He merely raised his head and calmly replied, "What instruction does Master Yin have?"

"I, Yin, have long admired the True Man, but have never had the chance to meet him. Today, I am truly fortunate to have met him. I have heard that the Taiqing Sect has appointed a new sect leader, and I am indignant about it."

"Therefore, I have come to meet you, Master. If there is anything you need from me, please do not hesitate to ask. I will do my utmost to help you return to the Taiqing Sect!" Yin Xinghai said with a wave of his hand, his voice filled with boundless pride.

"I appreciate Master Yin's kindness. This is an internal matter of my Taiqing Sect, so there's no need for you to worry about it." Xuan Yangzi's tone was devoid of any emotion, remaining as calm as still water.

"What are you all standing there for? It's freezing cold, why aren't you setting up the tents? Can't you see this little Taoist priest is shivering from the cold?" Yin Xinghai didn't respond to Xuan Yangzi, but instead scolded his subordinates.

The men who had followed hurried forward. In less than fifteen minutes, a dozen or so men had erected a large tent. Inside, a fire was lit, and a small table was set up, laden with steaming food.

"Come, come, the conditions here are simple, so please make do for now. This food is from the best restaurant in town, freshly cooked and still steaming hot. Please enjoy!" Yin Xinghai said, pointing to the food on the table.

Wang Zhen was worried; this Yin Laoguai had come with ill intentions. He was outwardly polite, but everything today was orchestrated by him. It was less a gesture of goodwill and more a show of force.

In just half a day, they not only thoroughly investigated Xuan Yangzi's sect and identity, but also learned about their route south. They even prepared a feast beforehand.

There were now more than a dozen people outside, completely surrounding the tent. If a fight broke out, the consequences would be unimaginable. Wang Zhenhuan was worried, and even the steaming food in front of him couldn't muster any interest.

Keep in mind that this was in the middle of nowhere, and just half an hour ago, he was shivering from the cold. Now, not only was there a tent to shelter him from the wind, but also hot food and drinks. This stark contrast made him feel like it was all a dream.

All of this was thanks to the middle-aged man opposite him. Yin Xinghai, upon hearing Master Xuan Yangzi utter such dismissive words, didn't let his smile fade; instead, it widened. He picked up the wine pot from the table.

He first filled Master Xuanyangzi's cup, then poured himself a cup and said, "I understand that you are a true immortal. The conditions here are simple, and I came here in a hurry and was not well prepared. Please forgive me, Master."

"How about this, Master, you come with me to that mountain villa for a few days? That way, I, Yin, can fulfill my duty as host."

"Master Yin, let's not beat around the bush. What is the purpose of this trip? Please speak plainly!" Daoist Xuan Yangzi raised his hand in a gesture of respect.

"Sure! Since you've asked me, I won't beat around the bush. I heard that a few days ago, when the tomb was discovered in Jeju, a young Taoist priest was having a magical duel with the eminent monk Faming."

"May I ask if that young Taoist priest is a true master?" Yin Xinghai finished his drink in one gulp and asked Xuan Yangzi.

"That's right, it is indeed this humble Taoist priest," Master Xuanyangzi replied calmly.

After hearing his answer, Yin Xinghai's eyes flashed with a sharp light, and he immediately asked, "May I ask, Master, have you obtained the true scripture? To be honest, I have been struggling with the True Abyss for a long time and have not been able to break through."

"If that true scripture is in the hands of a master, may I borrow it for a look? I, Yin, swear that after reading it, I will return it immediately, without any ulterior motives," Yin Xinghai said solemnly.

Although he didn't actually want the scriptures, he only wanted to borrow them for a look. However, based on Master Xuan Yangzi's previous views on martial artists, Wang Zhen really felt that his request might be a bit far-fetched.

As expected, after hearing his words, Daoist Xuan Yangzi shook his head and said, "The Venerable Master Faming is a master of the True Abyss. How could I, a mere cultivator, possibly contend with him? The true scripture is naturally not in my hands."

"Is what you say true, Daoist? But I've heard that you used a powerful spell that day to level the entire tomb." Yin Xinghai's smile finally disappeared when he heard Xuan Yangzi's words, and he asked with a frown.

"Indeed, but Heaven's way is impartial; the more powerful a spell, the more limitations it naturally has. Master Yin, do you think I look like someone who has obtained the true scripture, with my hair turned white overnight and my eyesight completely gone?" Xuan Yangzi countered.

Upon hearing Xuan Yangzi's words, Wang Zhenhuan finally realized what was happening. It turned out that the young Taoist who had fought Faming that day was Xuan Yangzi. His current state was a consequence of his defying the laws of nature; no wonder he had looked like he had recently gone blind.

Thinking of this, Wang Zhenhuan felt a deep sorrow. Xuan Yangzi had paid such a heavy price to obtain this true scripture, and he had overheard Yin Xinghai's conversation with him.

It's not hard to guess that he wasn't very old, since many people witnessed the magical duel. The young Taoist's account also came from the surrounding people, making it highly credible.

"Is that really so?" Although Yin Xinghai's tone remained unchanged, his expression kept shifting. He knew that Xuan Yangzi was blind and couldn't see his expression, so he stopped pretending.

But Wang Zhenhuan saw all of this. Master Xuanyangzi's tone remained emotionless, his voice flat as he replied, "Of course."

"Instead of wasting time here with this half-crippled man, Master Yin, you should return and seek clarification from the eminent monk Faming."

Yin Xinghai sat on the stool, pondered for a moment, then smiled again and cupped his hands to Xuan Yangzi, saying, "Since that's the case, I've troubled you tonight. It's getting late, so I won't disturb your rest any longer. Farewell."

Having said that, he took out a gold ingot the size of a thumb from his pocket and threw it to Wang Zhenhuan, saying, "Your Excellency was originally a celestial being, but now you have fallen to such a state because of the battle. It is truly lamentable."

"Keep this money safe, young man. Go to town tomorrow morning and buy a carriage. Take good care of your master, so he won't have to endure the hardships of traveling."

Wang Zhenhuan held the gleaming gold ingot, feeling as if it were a hot potato. He wanted to refuse, but seeing that Xuan Yangzi hadn't spoken, he opened his mouth but didn't utter a sound.

After Yin Xinghai finished speaking, he didn't linger. He turned and left the tent, disappearing into the dark night before Wang Zhenhuan could even process it. Wang Zhenhuan looked up at Xuan Yangzi and said...

"Sir, he's gone."

"Well, since he brought it all, let's not waste it. Eat quickly and get some rest. We have to travel tomorrow morning," Xuan Yangzi nodded in agreement. Wang Zhenhuan lowered his head and didn't say anything more, silently eating the food on the table.

After eating for a while, Wang Zhenhuan couldn't help but ask, "Sir, what should we do? Should we set off tonight?"

"It's no use. Yin Xinghai is cunning and has definitely left spies here to keep an eye on us. He should already be on his way back to Jizhou. Nothing will happen tonight, we can leave tomorrow morning," Xuan Yangzi said, shaking his head.

"It's all my fault. I shouldn't have accepted that man's beef. I shouldn't have gone to talk to them." Wang Zhen was very remorseful. No matter what, his identity was exposed, and it was all his fault.

"This was an accident, there's no need to blame yourself. It was fate. Even if you hadn't had any contact with them, we would have met them on our journey south," Xuan Yangzi said, shaking his head.

Wang Huanzhen looked up at Xuan Yangzi's full head of white hair and sunken eyes, and felt a pang of sorrow in his heart. He stood up, went to Xuan Yangzi's side, took his hand, and asked:

"Sir, who exactly are you?"