Chapter 1063: Got Slightly Delayed on the Way
Lu Yang still retained a shred of conscience. He knew that Meng Jingzhou was punished because of his suggestion to spar and that the destruction of the white sandalwood grove was partly his responsibility. Hence, he voluntarily offered to accompany Meng Jingzhou to the Mountain-Moving Sea-Filling Sect for two months of compulsory labor.
“That’s more like it.”
Before heading to the sect, the two needed to restore the ruins outside Meng Jingzhou’s cave abode to their original state.
From a distance, this section of the Body Refinement Peak looked as if a giant dog had taken a bite out of it. It was bare and unsightly.
Lu Yang didn’t consider using Tang Chuanwu’s time reversal ability. When he previously encountered the murder cases, he had asked Tang Chuanwu to reverse time to save lives and catch the culprit.
But this time was different. Lu Yang couldn’t justify making Tang Chuanwu commit suicide just because he had made a mistake. Even if Tang Chuanwu could be revived, the experience of dying wouldn’t be pleasant.
Lu Yang had long realized that if he made Tang Chuanwu commit suicide every time something came up, he would easily grow indifferent to Tang Chuanwu’s life and start treating him as a tool.
Working together, Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou shaved off several layers of earth, finally removing all the scorched soil and glass. They then dug up some soil from the sect’s grasslands and filled in the large pit.
“What about the white sandalwood grove? Use the Tree-Planting Mantra?”
Lu Yang was also troubled. After mulling over it, he proposed, “Since the grove was cultivated by Third Elder, using the Tree-Planting Mantra to restore it would completely erase all traces of his work. We’d better plant white sandalwood seeds and let the grove grow back naturally.”
“Makes sense.”
The two bought a large sack of white sandalwood seeds from the Great Mission Hall. Lu Yang dug holes with his sword while Meng Jingzhou used his hands. After huffing and puffing for half a day, they finally finished.
They had to admit that this gave them a sense of accomplishment.
~~~
“We’ve finally reached the Mountain-Moving Sea-Filling Sect.” Lu Yang stretched hard. The journey was exhausting, but fortunately, despite a few scares, everything turned out safe.
Initially, he and Meng Jingzhou had thought it would be simple. As almighty Divine Transfiguration cultivators, they didn’t need to take a flying vessel. They would just fly directly to the Mountain-Moving Sea-Filling Sect.
Then, they happened to stumble upon a secret domain that opened once every century and was accessible only to Divine Transfiguration cultivators. Considering that they were already here, they figured they might as well go in. After clearing three trials in a row, they finally met the secret domain’s spirit at the end of the third trial. Dissatisfied with their approach, it fought them for hundreds of rounds before realizing it couldn’t defeat them. It then distracted them by narrating the secret domain’s origins and used its authority to expel them, forbidding them from ever entering again.
After being randomly teleported out, the two found themselves in the forbidden grounds of a reclusive clan. The clan had lived here in seclusion for generations, suppressing an evil being in the forbidden grounds. They sacrificed young men and women every hundred years, using their blood to sustain the seal array, a practice that had continued for over a hundred thousand years.
The evil being was the evil thought of a Transcendent Tribulation cultivator from the past, and the reclusive clan was his descendants. After rescuing the young men and women about to be sacrificed, Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou battled the evil being for hundreds of rounds. Eventually, they chose to report the matter to the local authorities, asking the governor of You Province to send someone to handle it. After the governor dealt with the evil being, he advised the reclusive clan not to bear their burdens alone and commended Lu Yang and Meng Jingzhou.
When the commendation ceremony concluded, Lu Yang sensed that someone nearby had activated the small wooden sword he had gifted them. Following the sword qi, he found Fuling and her sister, who had been born from the Twins River.
Back in Chunjiang City, after taking care of the Void Emptiness Supreme Lord and the Nightmare Supreme Lord, Lu Yang had given the sisters small wooden swords for protection before parting. Now, upon facing harassment from a vile person, they were forced to use the wooden swords to defend themselves and intimidate their attacker. Though the vile person feared Lu Yang’s reputation, he doubted the swords’ origin and boldly continued his assault. At the critical moment, Lu Yang appeared and rescued the sisters in public. He punished the vile person and gave the sisters new small wooden swords.
“Next time we go out, let’s just take a flying vessel. It’s slower, but at least the chances of running into trouble are smaller,” Meng Jingzhou suggested.
“It’s worth a try.” Lu Yang nodded in agreement, recalling that when he had taken flying vessels in the past, even when trouble arose, it didn’t hinder their journey.
“The Mountain-Moving Sea-Filling Sect certainly knows how to pick a location.” Meng Jingzhou breathed a sigh of relief upon reaching their destination. He was in the mood to offer a critique, noting that even the air here felt fresh.
Nestled deep in the mountains, the sect was surrounded by water and beautiful scenery... provided that the mountains didn’t move.
The sect was a special existence. It belonged to the imperial court but had no official grade classification. They were primarily responsible for handling the aftermath of battles between cultivators, restoring the landscape, reorganizing mountain ranges, planting trees, and so on. As such, anyone who wished to join the sect must at least have a spirit root that possessed earth or wood attributes.
The moving mountains that the two had observed from outside the sect were disciples practicing the Mountain-Moving Technique.
“Greetings, fellow Daoist. We are disciples of the Dao-Seeking Sect. Please deliver this letter to your esteemed sect leader. We have matters to discuss.”
When traveling around, they were the face of the Dao-Seeking Sect. As they had hurried over in a travel-worn and disheveled state, they didn’t look presentable. Only after tidying themselves up did they pass Third Elder’s recommendation letter to the disciple guarding the gate.
“Lu Yang? Meng Jingzhou?” The disciple recognized them at once, growing so excited that his face flushed red. “Did you also destroy terrain in a battle and come to us for restoration?”
Everyone who comes to our sect is here for that reason.
Lu Yang said solemnly, “We have heard that your esteemed sect is responsible for handling the aftermath of battles between cultivators, an arduous task that often leaves you shorthanded. Upon learning of this, the two of us decided to offer our modest assistance and help share your burden.”
Meng Jingzhou said nothing, simply nodding with composure.
The disciples’ admiration for them only grew. Just as described in the pingshu stories, they’re full of righteous aura.
“I’ll inform the sect leader at once.”
Before long, the disciple returned and invited them inside to meet the sect leader.
The leader of the Mountain-Moving Sea-Filling Sect was Kong Liansheng, a middle-aged man with a long beard and a refined, scholarly air. He sat in a wooden armchair,[1] and the recommendation letter was placed on the side.
“Greetings, Sect Leader Kong.”
Sect Leader Kong rose and stroked his beard as he looked at the two with a smile full of approval. “Truly young, renowned heroes indeed. Old Three Zhang wrote that he hopes the two of you will stay at our sect for two months and help with the work. This isn’t the first time Old Three Zhang has sent people to me. What did you two do to upset him?”
Meng Jingzhou owned up to his mistake. “The two of us were sparring and accidentally destroyed his white sandalwood grove.”
Sect Leader Kong burst out laughing. “So it’s because you destroyed his white sandalwood grove. No wonder he sent you here. Everyone has had moments of recklessness in their youth. It’s perfectly understandable.”
He seemed to recall something and waved the letter. “Speaking of which, the letter says you were supposed to arrive in the early part of the seventh month. Why did you only come in the middle of the eighth month?”
“We encountered a few minor incidents on the way and got delayed.”
1. The taishiyi or “Imperial Tutor Chair” is a traditional Chinese armchair that looks like this. ☜
