Chapter 61: Echoes of the Past

In the heart of the ancient forest, rays of light filtered through the dense foliage, casting a gentle glow upon Tian Yiyi and his apprentice, Zhang Xiaofan. Standing before his master, Zhang Xiaofan felt utterly ashamed, his voice barely above a whisper as he called out, “Master…”

Tian Yiyi gazed at him, noticing that the young apprentice’s pale face now showed a faint hint of color. He let out a grunt and turned away.

Zhang Xiaofan was lost in confusion, unsure of what to say. The secret he had kept hidden deep within his heart had been revealed by the person he most revered, and the shock still lingered.

Tian Yiyi stood with his hands clasped behind his back, silent for a long moment. Zhang Xiaofan, head bowed, stood behind him, not daring to breathe too loudly.

After a while, Tian Yiyi spoke slowly, “So, it was Linger who secretly taught you the Taiji Xuanqing Dao method, wasn’t it?”

Zhang Xiaofan’s heart skipped a beat, but when it came to Tian Linger, his mind cleared, and he hastened to explain, “Master, it’s not Sister’s fault. I asked her to teach me… I begged her.”

Tian Yiyi turned and fixed his gaze on Zhang Xiaofan, who immediately lowered his voice, knowing that no matter what he said, he could not hide anything from his master.

A heavy silence fell between them. Zhang Xiaofan, head still bowed, was overwhelmed with confusion. Just then, he heard Tian Yiyi’s voice:

“Seventh Disciple.”

Zhang Xiaofan’s heart thumped, and he looked up, responding, “Master.”

Tian Yiyi regarded him, “You’ve been under my tutelage for nearly five years, haven’t you?”

Zhang Xiaofan answered softly, “Yes, Master.”

Tian Yiyi said in a calm tone, “When I first took you in, I didn’t think much of your potential. Your current achievements are far beyond what I expected.”

Zhang Xiaofan shifted slightly, a small but warm joy spreading through his heart.

Tian Yiyi continued, “As for your feelings for Linger…”

Zhang Xiaofan interjected, anxious, “Master, it’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have…”

Tian Yiyi glared at him, “Did I say it was your fault?”

Zhang Xiaofan’s mouth dropped open, truly taken aback by his master’s words.

Tian Yiyi snorted, “You are a young man, not one of those monks from Tianshun Temple. Growing up with Linger, it’s only natural that you might have feelings for her. Do you think I’ve lived so long without understanding such things?”

Zhang Xiaofan lowered his head, tears welling up in his eyes. All the kind words in the world couldn’t compare to these harsh yet comforting words from his master.

Tian Yiyi paused, then continued, “But things are different now. I can see that Linger truly cares for Qi Hao. As for you, she probably only sees you as a younger brother. Do you understand?”

Zhang Xiaofan nodded, his eyes fixed on the ground, “Yes, Master.”

Tian Yiyi spoke slowly, “I opposed Linger’s relationship with Qi Hao not because of Qi Hao himself, but because…” He trailed off, his brow furrowed, then changed the subject, “To be honest, though you’ve advanced in Dao more quickly than I expected, you still fall short compared to Qi Hao.”

He gazed deeply at Zhang Xiaofan, “Do you understand my meaning?”

Zhang Xiaofan bit his lip, then finally said, “Yes, I understand, Master.”

Tian Yiyi nodded, exhaling a long breath, and walked over to pat Zhang Xiaofan on the shoulder, “Let’s put the past behind us.”

Feeling the warmth and strength of his master’s hand, Zhang Xiaofan’s heart filled with gratitude, and he nodded vigorously.

Tian Yiyi watched him for a moment, “Let’s go back.”

With that, he turned and walked away. Zhang Xiaofan lifted his head, taking a deep breath, and unclenched his fists.

Yet, a lingering sense of confusion and uncertainty tugged at his heart.

Forcing a bitter smile, he composed himself and followed.

※※※

As they returned to the row of caves on the mountain, members of various sects were already stirring, many having risen early. Tian Linger and others were standing at the cave entrance, their faces showing clear worry as they scanned the area, clearly concerned.

Zhang Xiaofan saw them from a distance and felt a pang in his heart, lowering his head.

Seeing Tian Yiyi and Zhang Xiaofan return, Tian Linger rushed over, giving Zhang Xiaofan a thorough once-over to ensure he hadn’t been mistreated by her father. Then, she softly asked, “Xiaofan, where did you and Father go so early this morning?”

Zhang Xiaofan, seeing her concern, felt another pang in his heart, but he forced a smile, “It’s nothing, Master took me for a walk and gave me some guidance. He’s forgiven me now.”

Tian Yiyi, walking ahead, seemed to hear his apprentice’s words and grunted, but said nothing further. He glanced at his wife, Su Ru, who was standing at the cave entrance, smiling gently at him. His expression stiffened, and he glared at her before walking inside.

With that, the small incident seemed to pass.

※※※

In the days that followed, Zhang Xiaofan spent his time with his long-separated brothers. He had grown up under their watchful eyes, and their company was a comfort. Song Daren, with his broad-minded nature, did not hold Zhang Xiaofan’s earlier rudeness against him. Additionally, Su Ru had privately mentioned a few things, and he understood, becoming even more protective of his little brother.

The righteous sects gathered on Liubo Mountain were led by the three major sects: Qingyun Sect, Tianshun Temple, and Fenniang Valley. However, there were also many smaller righteous sects, each committed to eradicating the remnants of the Demon Sect. Among the three major sects, only Qingyun Sect had sent senior figures like Cangsong and Tian Yiyi, making Qingyun the de facto leader.

Over the next three days, Zhang Xiaofan unexpectedly met several acquaintances. Li Xun and Yan Hong from Fenniang Valley arrived the following day, and later, he saw Shi Tou and a withered old man beside him among the Tianshun Temple monks.

Zhang Xiaofan happily greeted them. Shi Tou, seeing him, was visibly excited. After a brief conversation, he introduced his master, “Power Venerable,” to Zhang Xiaofan, saying, “Master, this is Brother Zhang from Qingyun Sect I’ve told you about.”

The old man turned to look at Zhang Xiaofan, who was momentarily taken aback. He had imagined the Power Venerable as a formidable giant, given the name “Diamond Sect.” Instead, he found a thin, frail old man.

Shi Tou, oblivious to this, chuckled, “Brother Zhang, why don’t you greet my master?”

Zhang Xiaofan snapped out of his surprise and hurriedly bowed, “Esteemed Elder, I am Zhang Xiaofan, a disciple of Qingyun Sect. I have long heard of your great reputation.”

The old man grunted, “Enough.” He then turned back to Fa Xiang, “So, your master, Pu Hong, is still in seclusion, has he not emerged yet?”

Fa Xiang smiled, “That is correct. Although my master is the head of our temple, I have been assisting Elder Pu Kong in managing daily affairs. With the resurgence of the Demon Sect, Elder Pu Kong intended to come, but the temple’s duties prevented him. I came instead, to contribute my humble efforts.”

Power Venerable nodded, “Your presence is sufficient. However, I thought that although Masters Pu Hong and Pu Kong would not come, your fourth uncle, Pu Fang, who despises the Demon Sect, would certainly attend. Why is he not here?”

Fa Xiang sighed, “Senior, you may not know. Five years ago, our Third Uncle, Master Pu Zhi, suddenly passed away…”

Zhang Xiaofan’s heart skipped a beat.

At that moment, Fa Xiang’s gaze briefly flickered towards Zhang Xiaofan before continuing, “Pu Fang and Pu Zhi were very close. Since then, he has remained in the temple, devoting himself to studying the scriptures and not leaving.”

Power Venerable sighed, “Ah, indeed, a great loss.”

Fa Xiang smiled, “But it’s not entirely a bad thing.”

Power Venerable laughed, “Indeed, indeed. The great masters must focus on their spiritual cultivation, unlike me, an old man with no connection to Buddhism, running around all the time.”

Fa Xiang smiled, “Senior, you are too modest. You have a connection with our Tianshun Temple, as both my master and Elder Pu Kong instructed me to tell you. Please, come in.”

After a few words of courtesy, Power Venerable and Fa Xiang went inside.

Zhang Xiaofan watched them leave. Shi Tou pulled him aside, whispering, “Have you noticed? This young Fa Xiang seems to be the leader among the Tianshun Temple monks.”

Zhang Xiaofan nodded. Over the past few days, he had observed the Tianshun Temple monks and realized that despite his youth, Fa Xiang was exceptionally charismatic and often the one to speak for the group, while the older monks were less active. It was clear that he was a rising star in the temple.

However, Zhang Xiaofan’s mind was still on Fa Xiang’s brief glance when mentioning Pu Zhi. He didn’t hear Shi Tou muttering, “I don’t think he’s that impressive, and he made a mistake in his words…”

Zhang Xiaofan, startled, asked, “What did you say?”

Shi Tou looked around, then whispered, “I remember hearing that in Buddhism, when a monk achieves enlightenment and passes away, it’s called ‘Nirvana.’ He just said ‘passed away,’ which sounds wrong. Hey, Brother Zhang, why do you look so pale?”

Zhang Xiaofan, heart in turmoil, forced a smile and nodded, then walked back to the Qingyun Sect, leaving Shi Tou puzzled.

※※※

Half a month had passed since Zhang Xiaofan arrived on Liubo Mountain. During this time, the righteous forces and the Demon Sect remained at a standoff. They often encountered each other during the day, resulting in frequent battles. However, the righteous forces were puzzled by the Demon Sect’s reluctance to engage in prolonged combat, often retreating after a few rounds.

Initially, it was believed that the Demon Sect was gathering to plot some sinister scheme. The righteous forces had come to eliminate them. But now, it seemed different. If they were truly against the righteous forces, they should have engaged in a decisive battle. If they were intimidated by the presence of two Qingyun leaders, they should have retreated altogether.

Instead, the Demon Sect neither fought nor fully retreated, making it difficult to find their base. This led to speculation about their true intentions.

Zhang Xiaofan, while searching for the Demon Sect with his master and brothers, was also worried about encountering Bi Yao.

Oddly, Bi Yao, who had come to Liubo Mountain, had not appeared since that stormy night. Other Demon Sect members, including Nian Laoda and Ye Gou, were frequently seen, seemingly searching for something.

Cangsong and Tian Yiyi, both with centuries of experience, found this situation challenging. One evening, they called for representatives from Tianshun Temple and Fenniang Valley to discuss the matter.

Representing Tianshun Temple was Fa Xiang, and from Fenniang Valley, Li Xun. Both were young but highly respected. In the presence of Cangsong and Tian Yiyi, they were deeply respectful.

After exchanging greetings, Cangsong said, “We thank you for your assistance in this mission. We need your insights.”

Fa Xiang and Li Xun bowed, “We are at your service, please instruct us.”

Tian Yiyi waved for them to sit, “We’ve been on this island for half a month. The Demon Sect’s movements are mysterious. Do you have any thoughts?”

Fa Xiang and Li Xun exchanged glances, shaking their heads.

Cangsong turned to Li Xun, “Li, your sect first brought this news. Do you know the Demon Sect’s objective?”

Li Xun, facing the renowned Cangsong, responded, “We stumbled upon this information. The Demon Sect has sent many to Liubo Mountain, but their purpose is unknown.”

Cangsong and Tian Yiyi exchanged a look.

Fa Xiang said, “From what I’ve observed, the Demon Sect seems to be searching for something important.”

Cangsong pondered, “Indeed, we share this view. But what are they searching for?”

Tian Yiyi, frowning, said, “Since we can’t guess, we must remain vigilant. We will intensify our search and eliminate the Demon Sect when we find their base.”

Fa Xiang and Li Xun agreed, “Yes, Master.”

After further discussion, they left. Cangsong said, “These two are quite talented, aren’t they?”

Tian Yiyi nodded.

Cangsong continued, “Especially Fa Xiang. His eyes show deep insight, possibly indicating great mastery of the ‘Dafan Banruo’ technique.”

Tian Yiyi smirked, “Don’t underestimate Li Xun. My incompetent apprentice mentioned his skills in Ku Sang Mountain and Fire Dragon Cave. He may not be far behind Fa Xiang.”

Cangsong snorted, “Tianshun Temple and Fenniang Valley have always aimed to replace us as the leading righteous force. Sending these talented disciples is likely a show of power.”

Tian Yiyi looked at him, “No worries, with your outstanding disciples, we are safe.”

Cangsong’s expression hardened, “What do you mean, Tian?”

Tian Yiyi stood, “Nothing. My clumsy apprentice, by chance, won a few matches and accompanied your disciples. Yet, he was abandoned in the Dead Spirit Abyss after a battle. If not for his luck, I might never have seen him again.”

Cangsong’s face darkened, “Explain yourself, Tian. Who abandoned him?”

Tian Yiyi, undeterred, said, “If it were your disciple, you’d be furious! They abandoned mine, and you call it a necessary retreat?”

Their raised voices drew the attention of the disciples. Realizing the situation, they calmed down, and Tian Yiyi left.

Moments later, Qi Hao and Lin Jingyu, Cangsong’s favored disciples, entered. Qi Hao asked, “Master, why were you arguing with Uncle Tian?”

Lin Jingyu, indignant, said, “He’s so petty, lacking in dignity…”

Cangsong interrupted, “Silence!”

Lin Jingyu lowered his head, “Yes, Master.”

Cangsong glanced at him, then addressed Qi Hao, “He resents you for abandoning Zhang Xiaofan.”

Qi Hao was stunned.

Cangsong continued, “Though he doesn’t show it, he is fiercely protective. Zhang Xiaofan’s success in the competition pleased him. And Zhang’s return benefits you, as it eases Tian’s concerns about his daughter, Linger.”

Qi Hao, understanding, thanked his master, “Thank you, Master, for your help.”

Cangsong waved his hand, stepping to the cave entrance, looking at Tian Yiyi’s cave, his expression unreadable, deep in thought.