Song Changsheng never expected that one day, he would become someone else's shield and in such a passive way, no less.
"This fellow looks unfamiliar. May I ask which elder you study under?" A strikingly handsome man approached with a warm smile.
This man was almost unnaturally beautiful. Dressed in an elegant white robe embroidered with crescent moons, he had a slender figure and delicate, almost ethereal features. There was a noble aura about him.
If not for the flat chest and the Adam's apple, Song Changsheng might have suspected he was a woman in disguise.
Of course, in this world, changing one's appearance or even gender was hardly a challenge. But what convinced Song Changsheng that this man was male was the unmistakable fire in his eyes when he looked at Zhuang Yuechan. That was an unmistakable desire.
Come to think of it, Song Changsheng had never seen Zhuang Yuechan's face beneath her veil. But judging by the reactions of those around her, she must be on par with Xia Wanyun of the auction house, breathtakingly beautiful.
"I only came up the mountain a few days ago. Normally, you haven't seen me before. May I ask what you need?" Though the man had rudely stepped in front of him, Song Changsheng kept his tone polite. He had no intention of picking a fight, but if one came to him, he certainly wouldn't back down.
Seeing that Song Changsheng hadn't introduced himself, the handsome man's eyes flickered with disdain, and his tone grew condescending. "My name is Hai Dongping. And you are?"
"Song Changsheng, so it is you!"
Before Song Changsheng could respond, someone blurted out his name. Turning around, he saw a group of red-robed cultivators approaching aggressively.
He recognized their faces at once.
These were the representatives from the Lieyang Sect here for the birthday celebration. He was familiar with them; three of them had participated in the ambush on Dong Tianxie in the Ten-Thousand Mountains. They were survivors of that encounter, having been tricked by Song Changsheng himself; five had entered, but only three had come out.
However, these three had never actually seen his face. The one who had identified him was someone else: Qi Feiyun, his defeated opponent from the Foundation Establishment ceremony.
"Song Changsheng! Do you still remember me?" Qi Feiyun strode up with an intense expression, eyes flashing with a mix of hatred and anticipation.
He had finally found him. Losing to Song Changsheng had been the greatest humiliation of his life. Ever since that day, he had longed to redeem himself, and now, the opportunity had come!
Why wasn't this guy around during the Dong Tianxie incident? Song Changsheng wondered. If he'd been there, I could've taken him out back then. Would've saved me a headache today.
"What, you too scared to admit it's you?" Qi Feiyun pressed, irritated by the lack of response.
Song Changsheng shook his head lightly and said with a faint smile, "I was just trying to remember who you were. I've beaten so many people that it's hard to keep track."
"You!!"
Qi Feiyun nearly exploded with rage. If not for the setting, he'd have slapped Song Changsheng on the spot.
"What an insufferable brat. How did you even get up the mountain?" said Liu Yunfeng, one of those who had narrowly escaped Dong Tianxie's wrath. His voice was icy.
"Senior Brother Liu, do you even need to ask? A declining family without a single Purple Mansion cultivator, he probably snuck in using some shady backdoor," a disciple from the Earthfire Sect jeered, drawing a round of laughter.
Now that Hai Dongping knew Song Changsheng came from a mere Foundation Establishment clan, his condescension deepened. In his eyes, they were no longer peers.
Song Changsheng silently watched the performance unfold before him. His expression didn't change in the slightest. He knew exactly what they were trying to do to provoke him into making the first move. If he lost his temper and struck, he'd be violating Luoxia City's rules, giving them the perfect excuse to gang up on him.
But he was no greenhorn. These clowns leaping around before him? Not worth the trouble.
"Everyone, Young Lord Song is a personal guest invited by my master. Please mind your words," Zhuang Yuechan finally spoke, stepping in to shut them up.
"Young Lord Song, personally invited by the City Lord?"
Liu Yunfeng and Qi Feiyun looked like they had swallowed flies. In the Daqi cultivation world, the title "City Lord" carried immense weight.
"Zhuang Yuechan hasn't shown her face in days, yet here she is today with this nobody, and he's personally invited by the City Lord? Could it be…" A flicker of sharp light passed through Hai Dongping's eyes. His gaze toward Song Changsheng suddenly grew colder, laced with hostility and caution.
Song Changsheng, with his exceptionally sharp spiritual sense, gave the man a silent, somewhat exasperated glance What's wrong with this guy? He was completely baffling.
"Fellow Daoist Zhuang, there's no need to waste your breath on people like this. Let's just head to the Dao Discussion Hall; otherwise, we might miss it."
There was no chance of a fight breaking out here anyway, and Song Changsheng had no intention of trading barbs with these fools and wasting time.
Zhuang Yuechan nodded. She was simply disgusted by those people's behavior. Since Song Changsheng wasn't bothered, there was no reason for her to keep slapping their faces either.
As the two turned and walked away, Hai Dongping narrowed his eyes. He stepped closer to Qi Feiyun and said, "I'm Hai Dongping, disciple of the wandering cultivator Hanhai Sanren. You all seem to know Song Changsheng well. Care to have a private chat?"
Faced with a disciple of a Purple Mansion cultivator, Hai Dongping shed his earlier arrogance entirely.
Qi Feiyun was a little surprised. He gave Hai Dongping a once-over before clasping his hands and replying, "Ah, so you're the esteemed disciple of Senior Hanhai. I'm Qi Feiyun from Lieyang Sect. So, you're interested in Song Changsheng?"
A flash of disdain appeared on Hai Dongping's face. He scoffed, "Him? Not worth my time. I just want to figure out what kind of trick he used to deceive the City Lord and Yuechan."
Qi Feiyun and Liu Yunfeng exchanged a glance. The brothers-in-arms instantly realized this was a great opportunity. Warm smiles spread across their faces.
"People from the Song Clan are experts at beguiling others. Daoist Hai, let's find a quiet place to talk."
...
"No wonder people looked at me like I had bad intentions when I mentioned your name upon arriving at the mountain. I didn't understand it at first, but now I see why. Honestly, walking beside you is… quite the pressure," Song Changsheng joked as they neared the Dao Discussion Hall.
"Please don't tease me, Daoist Song. I don't know who started that rumor about me being the City Lord's chosen successor, but it's been nothing but trouble. If you hadn't come up the mountain, I'd still be in seclusion."
Zhuang Yuechan's brows furrowed. She was mentally exhausted by all the unwanted attention.
"Well, in that case, I should feel honored," Song Changsheng laughed. "No wonder Hai Dongping looked like he wanted to eat me alive."
"That guy's the disciple of Hanhai Sanren. He seems polite on the surface, but in reality, he's a poisonous snake lurking in the shadows. You must be cautious around him."
As she spoke, Zhuang Yuechan looked a bit guilty. She had originally shown up to avoid seeming rude by not welcoming Song Changsheng in person. She hadn't expected to bring him so much unnecessary trouble.
"Hanhai Sanren, huh?"
Song Changsheng had heard of him as a powerful rogue cultivator active in Rongzhou and Xuzhou in recent years, with a rather unsavory reputation. Some even likened him to a demonic cultivator.
There's a saying: When the beam is crooked, the rafters won't be straight.
With a master like that, Song Changsheng could easily guess what kind of person Hai Dongping was.
No doubt the guy would be back to stir up more trouble.
Still, Song Changsheng wasn't afraid. Hai Dongping's cultivation was similar to his own, and his aura was still unstable, suggesting he had only recently broken through. He wasn't worth worrying about.
However, his master, Hanhai Sanren, was a problem. He was known for being ruthless and petty, sometimes even more despicable than demonic cultivators. Tangling with him would be dangerous.
"Fellow Daoist Zhuang, you worry too much. Even someone like Hanhai Sanren wouldn't dare stir up trouble on Tianyin Mountain," Song Changsheng said reassuringly.
Zhuang Yuechan nodded slightly, visibly relieved.
Indeed, in the Daqi cultivation world, few dared to cause chaos on Tianyin Mountain. Even the Jindan Elders of the two major sects wouldn't act recklessly here.
When the two arrived at the Dao Discussion Hall, most of the floor cushions were already occupied. Unlike last time, their entrance drew everyone's attention the moment they walked in.
But no one was looking at Song Changsheng; they were all focused on Zhuang Yuechan.
Song Changsheng was used to this by now. It had happened several times already on the way here. And frankly, he understood. Beautiful women were everywhere, but a potential heir to the City Lord? That was one-of-a-kind.
Regardless of how true the rumor was, it didn't stop these cultivators from fantasizing.
The two found a relatively inconspicuous spot and sat down. Immediately, all the surrounding empty cushions were filled, and some cultivators even started glaring at one another for the few remaining seats.
"Friend, how about trading places?"
A greasy, rotund man loomed over Song Changsheng, looking down at him.
Song Changsheng glanced up, shook his head, and replied calmly, "Sorry, not interested."
Rejected, the fat man flushed with embarrassment. But not knowing Song Changsheng's background, he didn't dare stir trouble and left in frustration.
"That kind of face, and he's here trying to compete? Some people don't know their place."
Song Changsheng shook his head with a smirk. Though this world respected strength above all, appearances still mattered. That guy had just humiliated himself.
He hadn't expected that the fat man would be the first of many. Quite a few people had their eyes on his seat.
One after another, people approached him, some trying to pressure him, others offering bribes, and still others trying to reason with him.
Two even made quite generous offers.
But Song Changsheng refused them all.
It wasn't because he harbored any special feelings for Zhuang Yuechan; it was a matter of his clan's dignity.
The commotion finally subsided only when another figure made her entrance.
She was a woman as cold and distant as an iceberg. Her eyes, deep and dark like ink, radiated a chill that seemed capable of freezing one's very soul, so intense it made others instinctively avert their gaze.
Her face was flawless, like finely sculpted jade; her skin was as fair as snow, without the slightest blemish. She was tall and graceful, her physique a perfect balance of power and elegance. With every light step she took, she exuded an air of nobility, like a celestial maiden descending to the mortal realm.
Her presence instantly drew every eye in the hall, stealing the spotlight even from Zhuang Yuechan. For a moment, Song Changsheng felt as though the noise in his ears had quieted, and the lighting had somehow grown brighter.
He turned his head for a glance and raised an eyebrow.
"So it's her."
"You know her, Fellow Daoist Song?" Zhuang Yuechan asked curiously, having overheard his murmured comment.
Had it been someone else getting upstaged, they might have been annoyed. But Zhuang Yuechan felt relieved; she couldn't have been more grateful for the distraction. She would've preferred no attention at all.
Song Changsheng nodded with a smile. "I saw her once at an auction. The place was packed with thousands of people, but when she appeared, the entire hall fell silent. No one even dared breathe loudly. But unlike today, no one had the guts to just crowd around her like this."
"These men all come from powerful backgrounds, so of course they're bold," Zhuang Yuechan said with a sigh. She'd grown thoroughly sick of being hounded by them. Now, thankfully, the burden of unwanted attention had shifted elsewhere.
Xia Qingxue looked at the swarm of so-called "promising young cultivators" flocking toward her like flies. Her face openly displayed her disgust, but there was little she could do about them.
Fortunately, she wasn't alone. A burly man appeared beside her and let out a cold snort. His overwhelming aura burst forth, instantly shifting the atmosphere in the hall to one of tense oppression.
With a Purple Mansion cultivator present, the would-be suitors finally fell back into line, returning to their mats and putting on the proper air of humility and decorum, though they couldn't help sneaking glances at Xia Qingxue out of the corners of their eyes.
Then, a sharp-nosed, vulture-faced elder entered the hall, his gaze venomous as he locked onto the burly man.
"Dai Zichen, the Golden Crow Sect sure knows how to throw its weight around."
Dai Zichen pulled back his aura and crossed his arms, replying in a leisurely tone,
"Not nearly as much as your Heavenly Vein Sect. Half of the Great Qi cultivation world is in chaos thanks to you lot."
"Hmph. Once the Golden Crow Sect is wiped out, the cultivation world of Great Qi will finally know peace," the elder spat coldly.
"Right back at you," Dai Zichen snorted and walked directly up to the Dao platform.
The elder sneered and followed suit, taking the opposite seat.
With two elders from rival sects clashing openly, the younger cultivators could only lower their heads and hold their breaths, not daring to make a sound.
The feud between these two sects had lasted for thousands of years. Ever since arriving on Tianyin Mountain, the two had quarreled several times. By now, no one was surprised.
These two elders were, in fact, the featured speakers for today's Dao debate. However, strangely enough, neither had begun speaking yet, as if they were waiting for something.
The crowd was puzzled. But suddenly, Zhuang Yuechan seemed to realize something and quickly sent a voice transmission to Song Changsheng:
"Fellow Daoist Song, we need to leave now."
Song Changsheng was confused. The debate was about to begin. Why leave now?
Seeing her urgency, he asked, "What's going on?"
"Just come with me! We'll run out of time if we don't move now. I'll explain everything later, okay?" Her tone was full of anxiety.
Though puzzled, Song Changsheng knew Zhuang Yuechan wouldn't act like this without reason. Just as he was about to stand, she suddenly said,
"Too late."
"Too late for what?" Song Changsheng was completely bewildered. He hadn't sensed any danger and didn't believe anyone would dare stir up trouble on Tianyin Mountain.
But very quickly, he understood exactly what she had been afraid of.
A towering man wrapped in crackling arcs of lightning stepped into the Dao Discussion Hall…
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