Journey to the West: The Mountain Shaker

Seven days later, at Sushanfang.

The news finally arrived—the Chen family had obtained the help of a Nascent Soul cultivator from the Star Moon Sect.

The price was: Chen Xuanbiao joining the Aolai Academy's top-tier class, priority in trade for Chen Family Village, and a shop in Sushanfang.

To enter the Heavenly Class, one must sign a blood pact of loyalty to Xingyue. Once Chen Xuanbiao enters the Great Wilderness, he will automatically become a disciple of Xingyue.

Given Chen Xuanbiao's qualifications, he should have no problem breaking into the "Group B" of the Illusionary Realm. In short, Chen Xuanbiao is practically a member of the Star Moon Sect.

As for the trade preference and the transfer of a shop, it represents the overall allegiance of Chenjiazhai.

To put it simply, a traitor has emerged in Ayuyama Ward, a major traitor who accounts for one-tenth of the entire ward's population, and he has directly brought the wolf into the house!

After the news spread, the entire Baizijian area fell silent.

Regardless of their usual relationship with the Chen family, they had all fought together when facing the Star Moon Sect. In order to resist the Star Moon Sect's southward advance, over the past ten years, more than ten Chen family cultivators and over a thousand ordinary people have died or been injured, making them the absolute vanguard of resistance.

After generations of blood feuds and countless lives lost, the Chen family finally chose to kneel and surrender in order to protect their next leader, Chen Xuanbiao.

Anger, sorrow, and doubt.

A few people find it hard to understand—Chen Jinglong has been in charge of the stronghold for many years and is a model cultivator commended by Sushanfang. He is usually flexible and adaptable, and is by no means a reckless person. Why would they arrange for Chen Xuanbiao to be unsealed at this time, to show his face while the demon-slaying warriors are still around? Such impatience makes people feel uneasy.

Most people sympathized with the Chen family, feeling that it was understandable for them to take the risk for the sake of the Fearless Beast.

But no one can forgive him.

……

In the silence, Chen Jinglong quietly returned with Chen Xuanbiao.

Three days later, the Chen family booked Tianfeng Tower, the largest restaurant in the market, and hosted a banquet for all the forces in Sushan Ward.

The invitation contained a poem—

There is an owl on the northern mountain, whose wings are unclean. When hungry, it clings to trees; when full, it lies prostrate in the mud.

They are gluttonous and greedy, feeding on rotten and putrid things. Their bellies are full, their desires are boundless.

You phoenixes, you are from a different land than I. From this moment on, we part forever, each striving on our own.

This is a self-comparison to an owl, indicating that one is aware of one's own impurity and the difficulty of reuniting with old friends, thus declaring a complete break in ties.

Besides Chen Jinglong, the signature also included an extremely glaring name—Xu Xiaolin, one of the Star Moon Sect's representatives stationed in Aolai, known as the "Dog-Headed Strategist."

On this cold and rainy day, Chen Jinglong and Chen Xuanbiao stood outside Tianfeng Tower early in the morning. Standing beside them was a fair-skinned young cultivator holding an umbrella—the same one Cai Fei had encountered on the outskirts of Wujialing.

The two members of the Chen family had furrowed brows and looked exhausted, but they still stood ramrod straight.

The two of them neither used umbrellas nor practiced their internal energy; they simply stood upright in the wind and rain, and in a short while, they were soaked through.

People quickly gathered around, but no one approached; they simply watched from the surrounding shops.

People either hid under the eaves, stood in the second-floor corridor, or squatted on the roof tiles.

Amidst the chilling wind and cold rain, all was silent. It wasn't until around 11 a.m., nearing noon, that someone took their first step toward Tianfeng Tower.

"Jinghu?" Chen Jinglong cupped his hands in greeting to the newcomer, but hesitated after recognizing who it was.

"Seventh Uncle?" Chen Xuanbiao called out as well.

The newcomer was Chen Jinghu, the seventh in the Chen family this generation, and also the cultivator with the highest cultivation level.

"I'm sorry, Chieftain. From now on, there will be no more Chen Jinghu in this world, nor any more Uncle Seven." Chen Jinghu stopped at the door and said indifferently, "Call me Zeng Fuhu, Zeng as in the past. I won't go inside. I'll just have a drink with you here as a farewell."

Chen Jinglong remained silent, while Chen Xuanbiao opened his mouth as if to say something, but couldn't utter a single word.

"Seventh Brother, why did you do this!" The Chen family elder who had been guarding the door ran out and hugged Chen Jinghu, tears streaming down his face.

Chen Jinghu also closed his eyes and wept, but he quickly wiped his face clean, pushed away the elder who was holding him, and shouted into the room, "Bring me wine!"

A waiter from Tianfeng Tower brought out a jar of wine, and a man beside him offered a large bowl.

Chen Jinghu poured himself a drink, tilted his head back, and downed it in one gulp. With a "bang," he slammed the bowl down at Chen Jinglong's feet, then bowed and said, "Zeng Fuhu takes his leave."

Zeng Fuhu, who had changed his name, turned and left, leaving the three Chen family members speechless and Xu Xiaolin with a cold smile on his face.

With that starting point, someone immediately continued the story.

First came several mountain strongholds that had kinship ties with the Chen family, then several forces in the market with which they had frequent interactions, and finally some independent cultivators who were on friendly terms with them.

No one came in, and hardly anyone even drank the wine.

A more friendly approach would involve bowing respectfully, pouring wine, smashing a bowl, and saying, "I must have been blind to marry you off."

To be more direct, one person spat in Chen Jinglong's face and yelled, "Pah!"

Even more rude, one person came up and slapped the other person twice, then shook his hands, saying, "Your hands are dirty."

Chen Jinglong remained expressionless throughout, letting the spit dry on his face, and remained silent while being beaten.

Chen Xuanbiao was trembling all over. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth to suppress the urge to strike.

However, only about twenty people actually came online; at least half of those who received the post didn't show up.

After a moment of silence, seeing that no one else was coming and it was already noon, Chen Jinglong sighed, finally casting a cleansing spell on himself, and turned to Chen Xuanbiao, saying, "Did you remember who they were?"

"I'll remember that. One day, I'll pay you back!" Chen Xuanbiao said through gritted teeth.

"You're mistaken. Guests are guests." Xu Xiaolin sneered from the side. "Those who came today are all considerate of you. Those who didn't come are the ones who hate you to the bone and are determined to never let you go."

"Huh?" Chen Xuanbiao was a little confused.

"Those who share a common hatred for an enemy hate betrayal from behind the most," Xu Xiaolin said calmly. "If taking a few slaps could earn everyone's forgiveness, your chieftain would be willing to be beaten to death here today!"

Chen Jinglong glanced at Xu Xiaolin, but remained silent, which was taken as tacit agreement.

"Xuanbiao, the chieftain wants you to remember them. This is to tell you that you can still get along with these people and these families if you encounter them again in the future, but you should be wary of the rest when you meet them again," an elder chimed in.

"Yes." Chen Xuanbiao nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

"Let's invite everyone to eat. We have to drink this meal, even if others don't," Chen Jinglong instructed, then turned and walked into the building.

Just as the four were about to enter the building, a paper kite suddenly landed behind them. Before they could even jump off the kite, the man shouted, "Chief Chen, my family has come to ask for a cup of wine."

The three turned around and saw a slender boy jump off the kite, take two steps, and stop about ten feet away from them. He was soaked to the bone, just like them, but he had a smile on his face.

"I am Cai Fei from my village, and I greet Chief Chen," Cai Fei said, bowing.

In the misty drizzle, a young man in a blue Taoist robe stood smiling, and the sky seemed to brighten up instantly.

Unexpectedly, amidst the jeers and curses of the crowd, it was this boy, abandoned by his family, who came to drink a bowl of wine with him in the end.

Chen Jinglong was overwhelmed with emotion. He wanted to invite the other man into the building, but seeing that he was also unwilling to go in, he waved for the servant to bring out the wine.

Cai Fei had returned to collect money for treatment of his puppet maladaptation disorder, and happened to be there, so he came to have a drink with the Chen family.

To be honest, he had some doubts about the Chen family's surrender, but whether their surrender was voluntary or involuntary, the result was the same—

"Our past ties are severed; we'll be enemies if we meet again."

Cai Fei picked up the wine bowl with one hand, clinked bowls with the three Chen family members opposite him, and then tilted his head back and gulped it all down.

"Interesting. Would this young man like to have a bowl with me?" Xu Xiaolin said with a smile.

"You don't need to." Cai Fei didn't want to give Xingyue any face.

With a loud bang, the large bowl shattered at Xu Xiaolin's feet. As the fragments scattered, Cai Fei had already disappeared around the street corner.