Please call me Huanxian

Chapter 281: One Step Away, a Vast Difference
The north wind is rustling and the grass and trees are withered.

After more than a month, Xu Yuanchang returned to the Monster Catching Mountain. The expression, smile and demeanor on his face had not changed, and he was no different from usual. He nodded in response to the monster-catching monks he met along the way and walked into a side hall called "Mirror Hall" halfway up the mountain.

The monks on duty outside had already received instructions from Deputy Mountain Master Wu and would not hinder them at all.

"Eh... uh, you're really good, you broke through and advanced quietly."

Wu Zhe looked up at his junior brother who was smiling mysteriously, and almost dropped a drop of ink on the tip of his brush onto the table. He frowned, put down his brush, stood up, and said, "No, no, even if you encounter a rare opportunity, you can't stabilize your newly broken cultivation so well without revealing it."

He was an experienced person and knew that if a person who had just reached the fourth level wanted to stabilize his aura, he would need at least one or two years of meditation.

Xu Yuanchang smiled and held out his hand for his senior brother to sit down first. He sat down opposite the coffee table and explained: "By chance, I went to the ghost market. I had some money left. I used the Youluo Ghost Stack Secret Realm to practice for ten years. I came to find you before I came out."

Wu Zhe said enviously, "I really admire your ability and luck in making money. The Ghost Stack Secret Realm costs a lot of money. Without three to five million, you can't even think about practicing in seclusion for ten years. It takes courage to spend so much. You made a fortune this time."

An old practitioner like him who has practiced for hundreds of years would not spend millions to go into seclusion in the Ghost Stack Secret Realm.

Because a mere ten years is not enough for him, what he needs is the enlightenment and touch of the realm.

Wouldn’t it be nice to have millions to buy all the specialties from the ghost market and bring them back to the human world?
Xu Yuanchang explained, "It just so happened that Qiuyan was not far away and had some free time, so I sent a message to her to go into the ghost market with me so that we could look after each other. The two of us could spend some luxury together. Qiuyan was lucky, she had already broken through, and she was in a hurry to return to the sect to retreat and break through."

He discussed with Bian Qiuyan what should be said and what should not be said, and they had a unified tone of speech.

He didn't want to waste time explaining where the huge amount of money came from.

He would only think of doing good for Bian Qiuyan if he trusted him. If he was a person with unstable temperament and outspoken, he would not do him any favors.

"Okay, okay, we will watch two new fourth-floor masters being added. Fortunately."

Wu Zhe was very pleased with Junior Brother Xu's way of taking care of the sect's disciples. He would not be angry because Junior Brother Xu did not inform him about the opening of the Ghost Market. Fate is a matter of one's heart, and it would not be a good thing for Junior Brother Xu to publicize it.

Besides, whoever discovers the ghost market will want to go in as soon as possible.

I’m worried that if I delay too long, the ghost market will end and I’ll end up getting nothing.

Xu Yuanchang talked about what he saw at the Ghost Market, took out several bags, and said with a smile: "I bought some items from the Ghost Market, thinking that they might be useful in the Monster Catching Mountain. Brother, you can pick them out first, and I'll take the ones that are not needed to Tianzhen Mountain and Wangjian Mountain."

Wu Zhe took the bag with a smile and checked it one by one. Most of the materials inside were third- and fourth-level materials and medicinal herbs from the ghost world, with a value of about three million. They were all rare and cold items, more than enough for the Monster Catcher in the Mountain.

"There is no place for them. Let's go to the main hall of Tongming. Wu Sheng, the mountain master, specifically mentioned last time that he wanted to see you. It just so happens that you have been promoted to the fourth floor this time. You need to pass the assessment of the mountain master and get the elder identity card again."

Wu Zhe handed a few bags back to his junior brother, stood up and walked out, asking, "Qiu Yan brought the ghost market specialties back to the sect, right?"

"Don't worry, Senior Brother. She has specially selected a lot of good things to bring back to the sect."

As the two talked, they walked along the corridor to the Tongming Hall in the south.

Xu Yuanchang seldom stayed in Monster Catching Mountain for a long time in recent years, and this was the first time he met the Mountain Master Wu who was very busy with official duties.

Mountain Master Wu put aside the matters at hand and told the monks on duty outside not to be disturbed for the time being, unless it was extremely urgent. After a brief exchange of greetings, he sighed, "Young and promising, full of vigor and vitality, this is the talent like Brother Xu. Old Wu, Brother Xu is qualified to be the deputy mountain master of the Monster Catching Mountain. I will send someone to the Gulei Forbidden Land to submit a petition to the old mountain master for his decision."

Wu Zhe glanced at his junior brother and saw that Junior Brother Xu shook his head slightly. He smiled and declined: "The mountain master appreciates your kindness, but Junior Brother Xu is young and inexperienced, and his achievements are not enough to convince the public. He is also not interested in trivial matters and cannot stand being restricted. It is better for him to be an idle elder."

Xu Yuanchang also said a few polite words to refuse.

He has a heavy responsibility to do his job and he would not take on too many burdens. He would be busy like a donkey in the Monster Catching Mountain.

When Tianzhen Mountain offered him the position of deputy master, he also refused.

When it comes to cultivation strength, it is much better than just empty reputation.

Furthermore, it was obviously against the rules for the same sect to have two people serve as deputy masters in the Monster-Catching Mountain.

After trying to persuade Xu Yuanchang for a while, Master Wu Shan saw that Xu Yuanchang refused to accept it, so he awarded Xu Yuanchang an elder card on the spot. In extraordinary times, all ceremonies should be kept simple, and he asked Elder Xu to take on at least one elder-level task within three years, just running errands or just doing the pretense.

After finishing his business, Xu Yuanchang handed over the materials for several storage bags to Master Wu Shan.

Master Wu Shan called in two monks on duty in the third floor building, who counted and made a list in person, calculated the price, and then the three parties signed.

Being able to purchase so many rare items from the ghost market will be recorded in Xu Yuanchang’s merit book.

As it was inconvenient to disturb Master Wu for too long, Xu Yuanchang took his leave and went out. Accompanied by Senior Brother Wu, he came to the warehouse, presented the warrant issued by Master Wu, and received 320 crystal stones.

Xu Yuanchang asked: "Brother, do we have a stock of third-level Yang Fire in our Monster Hunting Mountain? I want to exchange the elder robe reward for Yang Fire."

Every fourth-floor monk who passes the assessment and becomes an elder of Monster Catching Mountain will receive a set of fourth-grade magical robes. If they want one tailor-made, they have to pay extra fees.

If he used the third-level flame to replace the fourth-level robe, he would suffer a loss in price.

He did not ask for it to be a phantom fire, because phantom fire was too rare and could only be encountered by chance.

Wu Zhe asked the storehouse manager and learned that there was a third-tier Earth Rock Fire in the current treasury, so he decided to exchange the Earth Rock Fire with Junior Brother Xu. The fire was in high demand in the shops in the market, and the final selling price was even higher than that of an ordinary fourth-tier robe.

Returning to the side hall of Jingtang, Wu Zhe sat down with his junior fellow apprentice to discuss the paradox between "Taoist tranquility" and "worldly practice".

Xu Yuanchang was already qualified to discuss Taoism with his senior brother. After a long debate, he put forward a point of view: "Whether it is 'tranquility' or 'purity' of mind, it must follow the law of spiraling upward or spiraling downward. All sudden enlightenment is nothing more than a breakthrough accumulated at a certain stage. Taoist monks occasionally roll in the mud and experience the 'world-renouncing' of being unstained by the mud. Ultimately, it is for 'tranquility'."

He stretched out his finger and moved it in the air, leaving behind a spiral upward trajectory as the magic power passed through.

Wu Zhe was stunned for a moment, but after thinking about it carefully, he realized that it was indeed the case.

No wonder Uncle Meng told him to spend more time with Junior Brother Xu.

Fantastic ideas, thought-provoking.

"Oh, by the way, Sword Master Yu came out of seclusion a few days ago and announced that he had broken through and advanced to the fifth floor. You can go and take a look."

Wu Zhe came to his senses after a brief daze, and remembered something and told his junior brother. There was a reason why Mountain Master Wu was so enthusiastic about fighting for the position of deputy mountain master for his junior brother.

Xu Yuanchang walked out without staying to disturb his brother's thoughts.

However, when he arrived at Wangjian Mountain, he met Yu Fengwu's new disciple Meng Yiyi. He learned that Yu Fengwu had taught Meng Yiyi swordsmanship for five days, and then went into the Wangjian Cave to meditate and consolidate his cultivation.

He came at the wrong time and was a few days late.

Tang Yijian, who heard the news, rushed over from his residence to accompany him. When he saw Xu Yuanchang drinking tea, he rubbed his eyes and asked in confusion: "Brother Xu, am I feeling wrong? The slight aura emanating from you... looks like you have broken through." Xu Yuanchang laughed, extended his hand to invite Tang Yijian to sit down, and said: "Brother Tang is only one step away from promotion. Your feeling is right."

Meng Yiyi, who was serving tea, was very surprised and quickly put down the teapot and bowed to congratulate him.

The master even joked that he suspected Taoist Xu had sneaked into the ghost market again.

It seems to be true, otherwise how could it be possible to break through so quickly in such a short time?
Tang Yijian was envious, and after congratulating him, he said, "One step away, a world of difference. A few days ago, Sword Master Yu came out of retreat and announced his advancement to the fifth floor, and even his sword realm had a breakthrough. This inspired Brother Taishu to retreat in Lonely Moon Mountain that day. I can't hang around any longer, I have to go back and make a desperate move."

Xu Yuanchang smiled and said, "It's easy for me to talk, but I still have to say one more thing. Brother Tang, are you ready? If not, wait a little longer. You have waited for decades. There is no need to rush for three or two months."

Tang Yijian nodded: "That's right, let's talk about it before the New Year."

He himself felt that he was still a little short of it, so he had been walking around these days to adjust his mood.

Xu Yuanchang raised the cup to offer tea, then asked Tang Yijian how to improve his flying knife skills. Flying knives and swords have something in common. Yu Fengwu had taught him some basic knife techniques in the past, which were all derived from sword techniques.

He originally wanted to seek advice from Yu Fengwu in person, but it would be difficult to meet within a year or two, so he could only settle for the next best thing.

Because time waits for no one, he needs a powerful attack method that can cooperate with illusion.

Tang Yijian had seen Xu Yuanchang's flying knife skills. He was a man of generous character, and said, "Brother Xu, since you think so highly of me, I can't hide my incompetence. The old sword master taught me a stupid way to practice swordsmanship, 'repeatedly practice simple movements, and focus on practicing the sword that you feel, and you will definitely be able to show off your skills.'

"The skill of your sword strike comes from 'momentum'. I suggest you strengthen the overlap, speed and changes of 'momentum'. If you accumulate enough, you will definitely make progress. I dare not give you any other advice."

Xu Yuanchang nodded thoughtfully.

He decided to continue practicing sword moves every day after he returned.

He then went on to ask Tang Yijian about the difference between "overlap, speed and change", as he needed a direction to learn from.

Tang Yijian is a man of temperament. He uses a flying sword instead of a knife to demonstrate his understanding of "momentum".

Meng Yiyi followed to watch the fun. She had learned swordsmanship from Tang Yijian for a period of time, so she was not an outsider.

After staying in Xiyuan for two days, Xu Yuanchang said goodbye to his senior brother and returned to the capital of Daning leisurely.

……

Thousands of mountains and hills.

Ever since the cold air erupted from the Chaos God Tomb two months ago, causing a huge commotion, monks have been coming in droves to search for treasure.

There are often cultivators who pick up fragments, materials and spiritual fruits and spread the stories in a very convincing way, so it is not known whether they are true or not.

Gu Yunzhu, wearing a long green cloth dress and with her face covered, walked out from the mountains. She had taken the resources she needed from the underground palace set up by the Wind God Xun Er, and left the rest for those who were destined to get them.

On the hills near the Chaos Gods' Tomb, there were monks stationed in groups of three or four.

Seeing a lone woman in a green dress coming over, whose cultivation level didn't seem to be very high, a cultivator whistled at her frivolously.

Someone invited him out loud: "Fellow Daoist, if you want to go down to the Chaos Pit to search for treasure, it's best to form a team. Be careful if you're alone. We are still short of a companion. You can consider joining us. We can discuss it together."

"Fairy, join our team, your safety is guaranteed."

Gu Yunzhu stood on the edge of the cliff, the cold wind blowing her skirt, making her look like a fairy.

She looked down, ignoring the various invitations and the noisy voices, both obscene and vegetarian. She stepped forward and flew down into the air. All the sounds stopped abruptly and everyone's eyes widened.

The guy who was whistling, saying dirty words and flirting with her was scared out of his wits.

The one who can fly above the Tomb of Chaos Gods must be a master of at least the fifth level.

It is said that even monks from the fourth floor have to walk properly when they come.

Trouble comes from the mouth. If the mysterious masked woman wants to make a fuss about something as small as moving her fingers, she will have nowhere to escape.

Gu Yunzhu disappeared into the darkness at the bottom of the pit after a few steps. With her state of mind, she would not get angry because of the rudeness of a few small characters. In the past few days since she returned to the human world, she has naturally broken through to the fourth level of the realm.

"What a big deal! They built a mausoleum of this size, with many interlocking rings and strict guards. It's a pity that those old guys had bad intentions and made it so that the gods could not rest in peace even after death."

Gu Yunzhu walked around the bottom of the Chaos God Tomb with a sneer on his face.

She heard from Taoist Master Xu about the last time he fought with the spiritual intelligence born from the Yin God swallowed inside the Xuanbing Pearl, and he even used Yang fire to detonate the Xuanbing Pearl, creating a grand scene of being chased by the Xuan Qi.

She sincerely admired Master Xu's audacity, for he dared to fight against a rock with an egg and still won.

The Mysterious Ice Pearl erupted once and is currently at its weakest. She happened to be able to see that this ancient tomb-suppressing formation had almost come to a standstill, except for the forbidden magic function of the fancy structure, all other formations had almost come to a standstill.

The ancient cloud bead fell into the entrance of a dark passage deep in the ground.

The figure turned into a streak of starlight and easily escaped into the entrance blocked by the black ice and walked into the center area of ​​the black ice bead formation.

A grape-sized blue star sand appeared in her hand, with a circular space twinkling with starlight.

Looking at the dark blue ice ball spinning in the air, it was less than 30% of its prime. She sighed inwardly and called out to the black ice bead that had sensed her arrival and was ready to move:
"Qianzu, it's me, Xinzi."

The brilliant starlight turned into a thin galaxy, circling around the black ice bead.

The black ice bead vibrated violently, a strong cold air gushed out, and the whole space was filled with a howling wind.

After a moment, the cold wind subsided, and the black ice bead hung in the air motionlessly, condensing and shrinking as the starlight gathered in circles. Although the thousand-legged black ice worm had lost its soul, it still had a spiritual existence and recognized the magic of its old friend.

It didn't take Gu Yunzhu much time to control and release the core of the Xuanbing Pearl.

She wanted to take the beads with her, but before leaving, she wanted to sink the entire divine tomb covering hundreds of miles into the ground.

Ashes return to ashes, and the remains of fallen gods return to heaven and earth.

He shouldn't be insulted like this.

……

(End of this chapter)