Chapter 1196: The Envoy Visits the Mountain

Once certain things took root in a person's heart, they could never be eradicated.

As the passage of time showed its toll, as white hair grew and ailments flared across his body, Yan Nantian's thoughts of Changsheng surfaced once again.

He knew that if outsiders discovered these thoughts, he would face endless wagging tongues. Thus, he could only proceed slowly, acting in secret.

A dark undercurrent began to ripple across the world.

...

As a prosperous center for the Daoist Gate, Qingshan City once boasted many Daoist cultivators and priests with profound Dao Cultivation. After it lost its orthodox lineage, however, its influence fell far behind that of Quanshan.

The current Qingxian Temple was already a far cry from its past.

In just over ten years, disciples had descended the mountain and the sect had withered. Including Sect Master True Man, the temple now held barely a dozen disciples—a shadow of its former glory.

"Eldest Senior Sister! Eldest Senior Sister!"

"Xuanxiu, why are you rushing about so recklessly?"

"Eldest Senior Sister, someone from the Imperial Court has arrived."

Tongjing froze, turning to look at her junior brother.

"The Imperial Court?"

Unsure of the Imperial Court's intentions, Tongjing went straight to the Sect Master's Grand Hall to notify the True Man.

True Man Xuanzhen was also taken aback when he heard the Imperial Court had sent someone.

He likewise did not understand their purpose for coming.

After all, the Imperial Court had paid absolutely no attention to Qingxian Temple for over a decade.

Though Qingxian Temple was a shadow of its former self, True Man Xuanzhen rose and went outside, personally inviting the envoy inside.

The True Man and the envoy entered a side hall. He dismissed the disciples outside; even Tongjing was forbidden from approaching.

This only made the disciples all the more curious about the envoy's purpose.

"Senior Sister, what do you think the Imperial Court is doing here?"

"We will know soon enough."

"Could they be planning to restore Qingxian Temple's orthodox legacy?"

Tongjing shook her head, feeling that her junior brother's idea was highly unlikely.

Qingxian Temple likely had no chance anymore. As long as Quanshan hadn't fallen, there would be no opportunity for them. After all, they had stood against His Majesty back in the day; there was no reason the emperor would use them again.

The disciples were still speculating.

A sudden, angry shout rang out from the hall.

"Do not refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit!"

"Your Qingxian Temple is now like a stray dog without a home. His Majesty is kind enough to give you this opportunity, yet you remain stubbornly obtuse! Priest Xuanzhen, you certainly have a lot of nerve!"

With a hand slamming against a table, the envoy stormed out. He threw open the main doors and headed down the mountain without a single backward glance.

Tongjing's heart trembled, and she hurried into the hall.

"Master, Master..."

Tongjing hurried over to True Man Xuanzhen and asked, "Master, that envoy..."

True Man Xuanzhen lowered his head, letting out a long sigh.

He waved his hand in silence. He did not explain what they had just discussed, nor did he offer a single word as to why the envoy had stormed out.

"This poor Daoist is a bit tired. Tongjing, you may take your leave."

Tongjing stared blankly for a moment. She opened her mouth to ask something, but seeing that her master had already turned away, she merely voiced her compliance and quietly withdrew.

Her junior brother walked over and asked, "Senior Sister, what happened?"

Tongjing shook her head. "Master is tired and went to rest. He didn't say..."

The junior brother opened his mouth, rather confused.

He said anxiously, "From what the envoy said, it sounds like His Majesty intends to revitalize our Qingxian Temple?"

Tongjing raised an eyebrow. "Stop talking nonsense. There is no truth to that."

The young priest shut his mouth.

Tongjing said, "Go do what you need to do, and don't disturb Master."

They thought the matter was over.

But two days later, the envoy ascended the mountain once again.

This time, however, the True Man refused to see him.

The envoy never even saw True Man Xuanzhen's face and could only leave in resentful defeat.

At the same time, True Man Xuanzhen issued an order.

He strictly forbade the disciples from meeting the envoy, let alone exchanging a single word with him.

For the past two days, the atmosphere on the mountain had been strange.

The disciples did not understand why their master was acting like this.

"Senior Brother, why do you think Master is doing this? Qingxian Temple can't afford to offend the Imperial Court right now. If the emperor gets angry over this, I'm afraid we..."

"What nonsense are you spouting? Nothing of the sort will happen!"

"Master must have his reasons for doing this!"

The disciples were spreading wild rumors, but given the circumstances, one couldn't help but think in that direction.

After all, Qingxian Temple was truly no longer what it used to be. By slighting the envoy like this, they would inevitably face disaster once word reached his majesty's ears.

As the eldest senior sister, Tongjing had also been distressed these past two days. She scolded several junior brothers and told them to stop gossiping, but few seemed to listen.

Furthermore, a few disciples even developed thoughts of leaving the mountain. They couldn't understand their master's approach; in their eyes, his decision to offend the Imperial Court was simply too irrational.

As the saying went, when the city gate catches fire, the fish in the moat suffer. Life was already hard enough; they had no desire to be those suffering fish.

Perhaps under such pressure, some disciples had lost hope.

When the envoy came for the third time, True Man Xuanzhen kicked him out once again.

The moment the envoy departed down the mountain, Xuanyin, the second Senior Brother, stormed into the Sect Master's Grand Hall.

"Master, please forgive your disciple's insolence. I just want to ask, what exactly are you thinking? What kind of matter could make you disregard the safety of the sect's disciples and reject the envoy three times? Please give me an answer!"

Faced with his disciple's questioning, Daoist Xuanzhen opened his mouth to defend himself. But when the words reached his lips, they morphed into a heavy sigh and a helpless reply: "If you fear the Imperial Court's blame, you should all leave the mountain early."

This single sentence shut Xuanyin down completely.

Thoroughly disappointed, Xuanyin walked out the temple gates, took off his Dharma Cap, threw it on the ground, and descended the mountain.

It wasn't that he was clinging to life or afraid of death; he was simply too disappointed. Disappointed that his master refused to explain anything, disappointed that his master was keeping secrets from everyone. He couldn't see a future for Qingxian Temple. Rather than stay for this, it was better to leave.

He left just like that, without another word.

Unaware of the details, the disciples couldn't help but draw their own conclusions upon seeing the second Senior Brother leave.

Tongjing's heart was tormented. Seeing the disciples acting this way, she entered the Sect Master's Grand Hall.

"Master..."

"Second Junior Brother has gone down the mountain."

Daoist Xuanzhen opened his eyes and sighed.

Tongjing sat down beside him. She pursed her lips and asked, "Master, what exactly did the envoy come for? Why must you go to such lengths?"

Daoist Xuanzhen looked at Tongjing before him. He sighed again, merely shaking his head.

"Disciple, do not blame your Master."

Master didn't want to explain.

In the end, he left Tongjing with just one sentence: "You should go down the mountain too; don't suffer here."

Tongjing felt a wave of melancholy. She shook her head as she left the Main Hall.

She knew Master had made up his mind.

She didn't understand why he was doing this. Even when the temple fell into decline and lost its orthodoxy, he had never given up on Qingxian Temple. Yet now he spoke so lightly, telling them to leave.

Tongjing couldn't bear to leave this place—the Daoist temple that had saved her life and raised her to this day.

She knew she had to do something.

She hurried down the mountain right after the second Senior Brother; she had to understand exactly what had happened.

After asking around Qingshan City and visiting the county deputy magistrate, she finally learned the truth. The envoy, having been turned away three times, had already left the city and was likely nearing Changguan Pass by now.

Not caring about anything else, Tongjing borrowed a Swift Horse from the deputy magistrate and gave chase.

Not daring to rest, she finally caught up to the envoy two hours later, just as he was heading back to the Capital.

The horse whinnied sharply.

It reared up, blocking the horse carriage.

"Who goes there!"

The guards escorting the horse carriage drew their sabers and swords.

Tongjing immediately dismounted and said, "I have a question, and I'd like the envoy to answer it."

The curtain of the horse carriage was pulled open, and the envoy appeared.

The envoy glanced at Tongjing and said, "I remember you. You are the eldest senior sister of Qingxian Temple."

"I am. I want to know exactly what it is Your Excellency wants. I want a clear answer."

The envoy's expression soured. "Your Master didn't tell you?" he asked coldly.

Tongjing cupped her hands. "Please, Your Excellency, enlighten me."

The envoy fell silent for a moment before saying dismissively, "When asking others for guidance, one should bow their head."

Tongjing's heart sank, realizing the envoy held a grudge.

She took a step forward, leaned over slightly, bowed her head, and cupped her hands. "Please, Your Excellency, enlighten me!"

Seeing this, the envoy's mood improved somewhat. Having been turned away three times by that old ox-nose, he wasn't magnanimous enough to just let it go.

He couldn't help but ponder to himself.

Actually, since things hadn't worked out with the old ox-nose, maybe they would work with his disciple?

The old thing was blind to the times, but these younger people understood much more.

Furthermore, when His Majesty handed down the order, his meaning had been clear. If the envoy returned empty-handed, he would likely be held accountable. He might as well try again. If he couldn't bring back the old ox-nose, taking his most prized disciple didn't seem impossible either.

Thinking of this, the envoy stepped down from the horse carriage and said to her, "Lean in and listen closely."

Tongjing hesitated for a moment before stepping forward.

The envoy whispered a few sentences into her ear.

The envoy lifted his head, patted her on the shoulder, and said, "I think highly of you. I hope you aren't as blind to the times as your Master."

Tongjing's eyes widened, unable to hide her horror.

The envoy turned to return to the horse carriage, saying as he walked, "You can think it over. I'll give you fifteen minutes..."

"I'll go!"

Without waiting for him to finish, Tongjing agreed.

Her expression was resolute as she said, "As long as Your Excellency is willing to spare Qingxian Temple..."

The envoy was taken aback, but then burst into loud laughter.

"Good, good!"

"I knew it! You are much more aware of the times than that old thing!"

Tongjing lowered her head and said, "Please wait a moment, Your Excellency. I will return to the mountain to say a few words, and then immediately follow you."

The envoy nodded. He was in a great mood now, and he said, "Don't make me wait too long."

Tongjing mounted her horse, turned around, and hurried back to Qingxian Temple.

She galloped the whole way.

She raced straight up the mountain.

Seeing their eldest senior sister rush back so soon after leaving, the disciples were stunned.

"Eldest Sister, why are you back? Didn't you go down the mountain?"

"I only went down the mountain; it's not like I wasn't coming back!"

Tongjing left them with that sentence and immediately entered the Sect Master's Grand Hall.

She gasped for breath and looked at Daoist Xuanzhen.

Daoist Xuanzhen was sitting cross-legged in meditation. Seeing Tongjing before him, his heart suddenly skipped a beat, and a guess formed in his mind.

Tongjing opened her mouth, but the words caught in her throat.

"Master..."

She only called out once, then reached up and removed the Dharma Cap from her head.

She unfastened the Dharma Sword at her waist as well.

Then she knelt down, presenting the Wooden Sword and Dharma Cap before him.

Tears welled up in Tongjing's eyes as she said, "Master, your disciple has come to say goodbye. The Imperial Court will not lay blame upon us. Please be at ease. I will bear all the karma and consequences alone."

Daoist Xuanzhen's heart trembled. He slowly stood up, pulled his kneeling disciple to her feet, and said, "Tongjing, you are foolish. You are so foolish..."

Tongjing wiped her tears and kowtowed.

She paid no mind to his words.

She said, "From today on, I am no longer Tongjing. I return to the secular world and reclaim my given name. I, Wang Yingying, am no longer your disciple. Mountains are mountains, and water is water."

"I am leaving. Please do not worry about me!"

Wang Yingying broke free from Daoist Xuanzhen's grasp and headed out of the temple without looking back. Her coiled Strand of Hair fell loose. The cascade of black hair meant that she was no longer a person of the world beyond the secular.

"Come back! Come back!"

Daoist Xuanzhen shouted and chased after her.

But by the time he stepped out the door, Wang Yingying had already reached The Pass, and with a turn, she vanished from sight.

Daoist Xuanzhen's arms slumped blankly as he collapsed at the door of the hall.

"Master!"

"Master!"

The disciples gathered around him.

Tears streamed down Daoist Xuanzhen's aged face. Slumped on the ground, he wailed aloud and beat his chest in anguish.

"Oh, Heavens..."

With tears streaming from his eyes, he suddenly felt a deep hatred for himself.

Mostly, he hated his own incompetence, which had forced his disciple onto such a divergent path in her helplessness.

Perhaps even until the day he died, he would never get over this hurdle.

...

The envoy waited until Tongjing arrived.

Seeing her, he couldn't help but be taken aback. The loose, flowing black hair seemed to drag this otherworldly Daoist cultivator back into the mortal realm. Her eyes were slightly red, brimming with tears, and her features were so striking they left him in a daze.

The envoy couldn't help but say, "Priest Tongjing truly is an otherworldly figure."

Wang Yingying said, "Your Excellency, I am no longer Tongjing. My name is Wang Yingying, a resident of Qingshan City."

A smile hooked the corner of the envoy's lips as he said, "I never imagined that the person beneath that Dharma Cap would be such a stunning beauty."

The envoy's words sounded somewhat vulgar. Wang Yingying lowered her head, let out a soft sigh, and whispered, "Let's go."

Seeing this, the envoy said nothing more, only adding, "Forgive me, Miss Wang. What I said was merely a compliment, with no other intentions. I am a man of the inner palace; I have long since severed such worldly desires."

Wang Yingying was taken aback upon hearing this, and then it suddenly dawned on her.

This envoy... was actually a eunuch?

She pursed her lips and said, "Thank you... for the compliment, Your Excellency."

The envoy smiled and said, "You are too polite, Miss Wang. In the future, if you gain His Majesty's favor, just do not forget about me."