Chapter 105

Chapter 105: Taking Advantage of a Crisis

“It’s not easy to kill them,” Ye Wan Wan said, reading Shen Nan Zhou’s worry. “Too many people saw us take them. If they die now, it will bring trouble to our Sect.”

Although cultivators follow the law of the strong, the ancestors and clan elders of the great sects set rules thousands of years ago so new people could grow and compete in the Cultivation World. There are many rules, but the most important is that cultivator grudges must not involve mortals. The second is that a war between sects must have a proper cause. Over the millennia, many causes have been silly or strange, but no matter how absurd, there must be a reason. Otherwise, the strong could casually wipe out whole sects, and new sects would have no place to rise. Newcomers would have nowhere to go.

These rules matter. Ye Wan Wan felt that people bend them as they like, but as long as they didn’t cross her bottom line, she didn’t mind following them. She said: “Let’s go ask Senior Uncle’s opinion first.” Shen Nan Zhou let the idea go.

They pierced the clouds and reached Zhou Town. On the other side of the mist, the spiritual energy was several times richer than in the mortal world. The moment they entered, Ye Wan Wan and the others felt the difference. Li Wan Zhi sighed: “It feels good here.”

“Come on,” someone said. The five, dragging Qin Fu An and his group, headed toward an inn and soon spotted Xun Yin sitting at the door. The old man wore a bamboo hat and plain gray clothes. One pant leg was rolled up and the other hung loose. He had on simple straw sandals. His lazy eyes drifted over the crowd. Because of the hat strap, his messy hair didn’t show much.

With that outfit and his laid back air, the way he sat at the inn door made Li Wan Zhi want to pull out two copper coins and toss them in front of him. He half expected the man to say, “Thank you, kind person.” But Li Wan Zhi didn’t dare try. He was afraid of getting smacked.

Fang He An covered his face, hurried over, and said in pain: “Senior uncle, why didn’t you change clothes? I bought you new ones.” Xun Yin’s eyes lit up: “Ah, there you are, kids.” He stood, patted his clothes, and a cloud of dust fell, which he ignored as he said: “I just came down from the mountain and had no time to change. Besides, I’m old. Who cares? As long as you little ones stay clean and nice to look at.”

Smiling, he glanced at Ye Wan Wan and pulled a bundle of wheat from inside his robe. Though Xun Yin looked dusty, the wheat was neatly wrapped in cloth and very clean. He handed it to Ye Wan Wan: “Girl, take a look.” Ye Wan Wan took it with both hands. The grains were full and round, clearly cared for with patience.

“I grew it,” Xun Yin said, eyes crinkling with joy. “The method you gave me works. I finally grew it. Bai Lass, you won’t have to worry about food anymore.” He planted his hands on his hips and laughed loud and free: “Senior uncle can afford to feed you now!”

His bright laughter drew many looks. “Is that old man crazy?” someone muttered. “If you’re cultivating, who still needs to eat every day?” another said. “Go, go, don’t bother with them,” a third said. Some hurried off, but others watched Xun Yin with respect. They could not sense any spiritual energy from him at all; he seemed like a normal person. Still, those with eyes did not dare treat him as a mortal, or they would suffer for it. For one thing, the Barrier around Zhou Town kept mortals from entering. This was an expert. An expert.

Ye Wan Wan and Bai Jian were moved. “Third Senior Uncle…” Even Li Wan Zhi didn’t know what to say. Xun Yin might act unreliable, but his words hit them hard. For more than ten years, he had stayed in Green Thicket Mountain for one thought alone: make sure the kids could eat. They could already care for themselves, but his care was still precious and heavy enough to almost make their arms shake.

Seeing their reddened eyes, Xun Yin smiled and changed the subject: “So, you went out to play and came back? Were you happy? Do you have enough money? Senior uncle still has some.” Ye Wan Wan cupped her hands and said: “Senior uncle, there’s something we should talk about somewhere else.” Xun Yin had already noticed Qin Fu An and the others. He waved: “Alright, let’s go into the inn.”

In an upper room, Xun Yin sat and took the Jade Slip that Ye Wan Wan handed him. Stroking his beard, he said: “It is a bit strange. I can’t see what’s inside. But this power…” Ye Wan Wan’s face turned serious. Seeing the little ones so tense, Xun Yin casually tossed the Jade Slip onto the table and said: “It’s nothing that valuable. It’s just a bit of the Power of the Immortal.”

Just a bit of the Power of the Immortal? A bit? Fang He An and Li Wan Zhi wondered if they had heard wrong. Li leaned close and whispered by his ear: “Third Senior Uncle, bragging will numb your tongue.” Xun Yin took the chance to rap Li Wan Zhi on the head and glared: “Stinky brat, do I brag? The Power of the Immortal is rare, but I’ve seen it, and so have you all.” The five spoke together: “Where?”

“Why, it was at-” Xun Yin cut himself off, straightened his face, and said sternly: “Don’t try to trick me.” He picked the Jade Slip back up and shifted the topic again: “The runes look like a Formation Rubbing from some ruin. Interesting.”

Fang He An said: “Senior uncle, disciples from the Xuan Tian Sect were chasing this thing.” “Oh?” Xun Yin said. Li Wan Zhi nodded hard: “Yes. They said it’s a treasure. Since we took it, they want to come after us.” Then he added fuel and retold how Qin Fu An’s group fought in a mortal city and nearly hurt Bai Jian and Ye Wan Wan. Xun Yin narrowed his eyes, and his forceful aura rose: “They injured the girls? Then I need to have a word with those old brats from the Xuan Tian Sect.”

He stood and said: “Give them to me.” Shen Nan Zhou stepped out, dragged the four bound men from the next room, and Xun Yin swept his sleeve; the four vanished inside it. “Wait here,” he said. “I’ll be back soon.” He headed out with the Jade Slip and, even as he left, remembered to say: “Don’t wander. If someone comes to cause trouble, just fight. If you break something, senior uncle will pay for it.”

A streak of light shot toward the mountains. The group fell into thought. Li Wan Zhi waved a hand and said: “Relax. Third Senior Uncle won’t suffer. He’s going to take advantage of a crisis.”

[The four were speechless.]