503 The Enthusiastic Young Heart in an Old Man (1/2)

The following events had often occurred in the human world.

A wicked chancellor brought the royal seal to a king, telling him that he was destined to possess the seal and that he would be punished by heaven otherwise.

A thief told his boss that the young woman across the street was as beautiful as a flower.

An advisor told his benefactor that he had heard that a jade screen in a manor house was exceedingly precious.

Those people were all wicked, and what they did were all evil deeds.

Tong Yan didn't look like a hero with thick eyebrows and big eyes, but he nonetheless was a promising disciple of the Center Sect, a leader of the orthodox sects. Yet, why would he make such a suggestion tonight? More interestingly, Liu Ci, as the sect master of the Green Mountain Sect, a leader of the orthodox sects, didn't reproach Tong Yan, instead actually thinking about it seriously, saying, ”It's probably not convenient to do so right now, because the Cloud Boat, has entered Zhongzhou already, according to my calculations.”

”The boat just entered,” said Jing Jiu.

It was evident that Jing Jiu had done some calculations after hearing what Tong Yan suggested.

Judging from the way the Center Sect left the West Ocean that day, they were very wary of the Green Mountain Sect doing something outrageous, so they tried and go back to Cloud-Dream Mountain as quickly as they could.

Once they were within the territory of the Great Formation of the Cloud Dream, Liu Ci and Jing Jiu wouldn't be able to do anything to them even though their combined forces were unmatched by any power in the world.

”I had dug tunnels under Cloud-Dream Mountain for six years. As such, I know the Great Formation of Cloud-Dream very well, and it's also because I'm good at playing chess. I've written down some methods of dismantling it.”

Tong Yan had said something that shocked the other two.

Liu Ci said to Tong Yan, ”If the Center Sect knew about it, you would meet your death for sure.”

Tong Yan suggested that the Green Mountain Sect go to the Center Sect to snatch the Green Sky Mirror, and he was also willing to offer advice and a plan for the action. No Cultivation sect would tolerate such a crime, even if Tong Yan had just done something extremely beneficial for the Center Sect.

What Tong Yan suggested was not a fake betrayal; it was absolutely genuine.

”I've never thought of it,” Tong Yan said.

His eyebrows appeared even lighter under the starlight, corresponding to his view of life and death at the moment.

Jing Jiu pressed, ”Have you thought that we might want to kill you?”

The Green Mountain Sect had enough reasons to kill Tong Yan, whether to silence him or avenge Liu Ci for his heavenly punishment.

”Yes, I've thought of it,” Tong Yan said evenly, ”but I didn't dwell on it. As I have told you, I'm a chess player; I only have black and white, evil and good, in my eyes. I think the Immortal Taiping deserves death, so I tried my best to kill him. It was your issue that your Green Mountain Sect wanted to save him; so you should take the responsibility of the aftermath. I'm not responsible.”

Jing Jiu remarked, ”I didn't expect you to behave like Shisui.”

”That's why he and I got along so well,” said Tong Yan.

Back when Jing Jiu and Bai Zao were trapped in the snowland after Luo Huainan's sneak attack, Tong Yan, Zhao Layue and Liu Shisui worked together and killed Luo Huainan.

This was the past event he was referring to.

It was indeed a past event because more than twenty years had passed since then.

Jing Jiu shot Liu Ci a glance.

Liu Ci looked at Tong Yan, his eyes full of appreciation, yet Liu Ci didn't accept his request, saying, ”I can't approve it.”

Tong Yan didn't show astonishment or disappointment, but waiting for the ensuing condition quietly.

Liu Ci said, ”Unless both you and the Green Sky Mirror join my Green Mountain.”

Tong Yan said after some thought, ”Okay.”

He accepted the condition in such a straightforward manner; Tong Yan's style of action was indeed unlike the Center Sect.

Jing Jiu thought he should be a disciple of Green Mountain based on his temperament.

…

…

In the dark night, the starlight shone on the deck of the sword boat covered with a layer of frost.

Tong Yan landed on the deck.

Yuan Qü stared at Tong Yan vacuously, thinking that he shouldn't show Tong Yan a welcoming face even though the Immortal Sect Master and Young Senior Master didn't kill Tong Yan.

Tong Yan didn't pay him any mind. He walked to a corner and sat down cross-legged, beginning to recuperate by meditation.

The snow and frost were the same as before, devoid of any footprint.

Nan Wang opened her eyes, and stared at Tong Yan quietly.

She had learned from Zhao Layue what had happened at the West Ocean. She had been remaining silent with her eyes shut ever since, seemingly very tired.

She suddenly said to Tong Yan, ”I may not know why they didn't kill you, but I'll kill you after Liu Ci dies.”

Tong Yan remained silent.

The whole of the Cultivation circle knew that Nan Wang had grown up spoiled by her big brothers; she was self-indulgent and inconsiderate, and had a very high status on Green Mountain.

She could do whatever she wanted to.

Zhao Layue noticed that Nan Wang didn't use the respectful title of the Immortal Sect Master, nor did she use Big Brother to address Liu Ci; instead, she used his name directly.

The night wind couldn't ruffle the starlight; the sword boat had no mast. But the people on the boat had their respective troubling thoughts.

Gu Qing was not around.

Yuan Qü couldn't handle it.

Zhao Layue didn't know how to deal with the situation.

It was then that a surprised, curious and excited voice broke out on the boat.

”Are you Tong Yan? Are you the genius of the Center Sect who is only slightly inferior to my Master in chess playing? What are you doing here?”

Looking at his light eyebrows, Ping Yongjia recalled the person he had seen at the West Ocean during the day. ”Are you going to abandon your own sect and join us?” he asked.

He was in such an excited state that his eyebrows were rising up constantly, as if they would fly away.

Silence more often than not indicated nervousness, though sometimes it indicated embarrassment.

Ping Yongjia realized that what he had just said was somewhat inappropriate, so he began to rub his hands nervously, feeling a bit mortified.

He suddenly thought of something, and picked up a blanket to cover Tong Yan from head to toe, saying, ”We can't let others see him to provide the Center Sect with the excuse. I'll find a cave for you to hide in for a few years when we get back to Green Mountain, then I'll change your appearance and give you a new name. Who would be able recognize you by then?!”

Seeing this, Yuan Qü couldn't stand it anymore; he turned around and faced a different direction.

Nan Wang sneered.

Zhao Layue knew nothing bad would happen, and so she closed her eyes, paying no more attention to the matter.

The white cat changed his sleeping posture after snuggling a few times in her bosom, keeping his eyes shut the entire time. He had no interest in Tong Yan…or anybody else.

The atmosphere on the sword boat became cheerful instantly.

Tong Yan sat under the starlight while being wrapped in the blanket.

It was completely dark in front of his eyes, with Tong Yan thinking that what that disciple of Shenmo Peak said was actually quite sensible even though he didn't know who the speaker was.

…

…

The same starlight had different brightness at different elevations; for instance, it looked like the snow on the deck of sword boat in the sky, but it looked like water on the top of a peak in the human world.

Water is pure and soft; if it accumulates as much as in a lake or a sea, it can absorb and contain almost everything. The Immortal Liu Ci was likened by many people to water and its characteristics.