Legend of the Great Sage

the storm blows over? The South sea is boundless.
Once you’re there, you can choose anywhere you like, and it’ll be well beyond the reach of even the King of Southern Yue’s estate.”

Peng Jingni tried to persuade him.
Before he knew it, his attitude towards Li Qingshan had gone from the initial hostility to admiration.
He really did not wish to see him die.

If the king’s estate really took action, then Yu Wufeng would have to perish in the process too, but if Li Qinghshan went to the South sea, he definitely would need the South Sea Sword pavilion’s help, which was an opportunity for them to exchange for Yu Wufeng.

“Thank you for your kind intentions, but I don’t think the provincial lord will react so violently,” Li Qingshan said.

If he truly was afraid of danger, he was better off running back to the Chan Monastery of Deva-Nāga.
Why would he go to the South sea? If he truly was afraid of danger, why had he come to the south in the first place?

Peng Jingni disagreed with him.
How could he leave his life to the hands of others? With his nature, he believed there was a chance for this to happen no matter what, so he wanted to put in a few more words.

“Junior brother Peng, there’s no need to say anything else.
My king has his plans.
Go back and tell master that there’s no need to worry for me.
This is my fate.
In the past, I was in a rush to undergo the third heavenly tribulation, such that my foundation was unstable.
Even if I were to face the third heavenly tribulation, I would probably die.
It’s perfect for me to consolidate my cultivation now.
I’ll serve under the King of Savages for a period of time.
I’m confident there’ll be a day when I can return to the sword pavilion when the time is right,” Yu Wufeng said. 

Since Li Qingshan could even survive the Dragon King of Ink Sea’s pursuit, he obviously had his methods, not to mention the figure of the Great Banyan Tree King probably loomed behind him.

In the beginning, when he was forced to swear the blood oath, he still held hopes that the South Sea Sword pavilion could save him, but during the time he spent declaring war across the south with Li Qingshan, he instead gave up on that thought.
He did not want his master to become involved in this mess because of him.

He also understood Li Qingshan a little better. Even if master’s sword is placed right against his neck, he probably won’t yield, so it’ll still be difficult to remove the blood oath in the end.
Since he said that it’s not impossible for him to release me in the future, then perhaps it was not just a casual statement.
All I can do is wait for this opportunity to appear.

“Yes, senior brother.”

Peng Jingni agreed.
Yu Wufeng’s judgement was his judgement.
He definitely would not advise them to use force against Li Qingshan once he returned to the South Sea Sword pavilion.

In the end, he said to Li Qingshan, “I have one other unreasonable request, which I hope you can agree to!”

“Let’s hear it?”

“I want a jar of alcohol for my master!” Peng Jingni said.
His eyes flickered, and Yu Wufeng nodded.

“No problem.”

 ……

The Myriad Poison cult, the Poison King palace, the Poison Heart hall.

An old man in green robes sat on the altar.
His face was shrivelled, his long hair draped down, but his dark eyes shone brightly.
As he opened and closed his eyes, a green streak of light flowed through them.

Qian Liangmu stood below the altar and reported everything that had happened on Savage mountain.
He did not do what Peng Jingni expected him to do, twisting reality and telling lies.
Instead, he narrated everything that had happened extremely calmly, without a single hint of his own opinion.

The Myriad Poison Ancestor heard the entire story and closed his eyes.

The hall fell silent with that, and Qian Liangmu lowered his head deeply.
A while later, the Myriad Poison Ancestor snapped open his eyes and asked, “He told you to give your father a jar of alcohol?”

“Yes.”

Qian Liangmu was taken aback.
He had always prided himself in his intelligence, but at this moment, he was rather confused by what was going on.
Why did he ask about the jar of alcohol over so many more important matters?

“Just one jar?” The Myriad Poison Ancestor followed up.

“Yes.”

“What an arrogant brat!” the Myriad Poison Ancestor said sternly.

Qian Liangmu was rather puzzled.
Li Qingshan was arrogant in many different aspects, not just with this jar of alcohol.
He had no idea about how to respond, so all he could do was continue agreeing.

“You can report back to the Mist capital!”

 ……

In the King of Yue’s palace, in a quiet courtyard under a flowering tree, a young man leaned against his hand as he fiddled around with a shiny, white chess piece, contemplating the crisscrossed chessboard.

The tree was an apricot tree, and the flowers were apricot flowers.
They were white and bright red, elegant and giving off a faint scent.

The breeze blew over, and the flowers fell like snow.
In just a while, the chessboard became covered in a layer of petals.
A woman with the same beauty as the apricot flowers pouted and blew them away gently.

Only the two of them were in the courtyard, but the woman was not one of the players.
Of course, the man was not posing around and playing against himself either.
On the other side of the chessboard, a bonsai sat on the stone seat.
A delicate, tiny tree coiled around like a dragon, sitting in the pot.
Despite its tiny size, it gave off an aura of age and strength.

“Your highness, prince Liangmu has returned!” An attendant of the palace reported.

“Send him in.”

Qian Liangmu walked in slowly.
He bowed towards the young man first.
“Greetings to father!”

The young man happened to be the provincial lord of the Mist province, the King of Southern Yue.
He continued to stare at the board.

Then Qian Liangmu bowed towards the bonsai.
“Tree king!”

The bonsai happened to be a banyan tree, one of the countless clones of the Great Banyan Tree King.
He waved one of his aerial roots that held a black chess piece as a reply.

Qian Liangmu was about to bow to the woman when she said urgingly, “Spare the formalities.
Say what you have to say.
I want to keep watching the game!”

Qian Liangmu obliged in a hurry.
Just like in the Myriad Poison cult, he explained everything that had happened in Savage mountain, but this time, he included many of his own opinions.
He included his various analyses and evaluations of Li Qingshan and Xiao An, ranging from the various incidents of the south to the situation between the Green province and the Mist province.
He spoke for over ten times longer than last time.

The woman became annoyed, while the King of Southern Yue continued to stare at the board.
Only when Qian Liangmu finished talking did he look over.

“He gave me a jar of alcohol?”