Chapter 446 – A Promise of the Pas (2/2)

Li Qingshan made his way through the archway and tossed out a few silver taels, entering the newly-constructed theatre. He was met with a wave of heat. All the seats were filled, amounting to around a thousand people. An old man currently stood on the stage, telling a story loudly. The story he told happened to be about the Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre. The inscriptions on the ground amplified his voice such that it reached all corners clearly.

In a private box at the back, Sun Fubai and Liu Chuanfeng sat before one another.

Sun Fubai grumbled, “Junior brother, since you saw Qingshan, why didn’t you discuss the upcoming plans with him?”

Liu Chuanfeng said, “How am I supposed to discuss it with him? It’s so chaotic out there. We can’t go forward with any of our plans. It’s just within the Clear River prefecture. We can simply go without it. If we mention these difficulties, we’re going to be lectured again.”

“Who’s being lectured? Fubai, long time no see. Your cultivation has advanced yet again.” He saw Sun Fubai seated in a round-backed armchair. He was dressed in a set of thin, grey robes, and his hair was all white, but he seemed even more energetic than before. True qi surged through his body, filling all his meridians. He was approaching the peak of the tenth layer.

Sun Fubai suddenly stood up and beamed. “Qingshan, you’re finally here!” He studied him up and down and was filled with delight. “I heard you established a foundation. Just as expected, just as expected! It’s fantastic, fantastic I say!”

Li Qingshan sat down and learned the situation that the Cloudwisp association faced with development from Sun Fubai. Sure enough, just as Liu Chuanfeng had said, they had made very good progress within the prefectural city, but the situation elsewhere was horrendous. Bandits rose up in swarms as daemons ran amok. Everyone’s lives were under constant threat, so who would still be in the mood to listen to their stories?

Liu Chuanfeng said, “Especially now, some moon demon or whatever has emerged and made the Daemon Suppression alliance pull out all together like cowards. Perhaps the Clear River prefecture will become a world of daemons before long.”

Sun Fubai frowned. “Junior brother, how can you say something so pessimistic?”

“The situation will get better. War won’t continue forever. We need to make preparations right now and win over everyone. I paid a visit to the school of Painting a while back…” Li Qingshan told them what Chu Shidao had proposed.

Sun Fubai’s eyes lit up. “That’s a good idea. Qingshan, if you’re too busy, then you can go to the school of Painting and take a look instead, junior brother.”

Li Qingshan said, “It’s best if you don’t go and find him right now. Master Chu… isn’t too well.”

Sun Fubai nodded, expressing that he understood. He smiled. “Qingshan, the moment you return, it’s like our school of Novels has grown a backbone. The various schools are all undergoing a transition from the old to the new, so you can step down, junior brother.”

Liu Chuanfeng grew nervous. He was afraid of seeing Li Qingshan exactly because he was afraid this would be mentioned. Just when he began having some fun as the school leader, having gained a few disciples now too, he was supposed to step down. He found this very difficult to accept. Fortunately, Li Qingshan declined the offer, which made Liu Chuanfeng ease up. He poured him a cup of tea in a hurry.

Sun Fubai suddenly asked, “Qingshan, you practise the Arts of the Boundless Ocean, right?”

“I do!” Li Qingshan thought of something. This was not exactly a secret in the academy, so there was nothing strange with Sun Fubai knowing about it.

Sun Fubai began to recall the past. “I had this cultivation method back then in my bookstore, but it was only the first half. I ended up giving it away to a strangely-large, dark-skinned fellow.”

Liu Chuanfeng said, “It’s still a cultivation method. How can you just give it to him?”

Sun Fubai said in exasperation, “It’s all because your book embarrassed me. The large fellow was quite a straightforward person. He even said he would show me the cultivation method if he somehow managed to assemble it. I never thought you’d be practising the cultivation method now.”