Chapter 65: Several Autumns and Winters

Peng Fei found his teammate's jeering shouts grating to the ears. Realizing that if he failed to turn the tide, his defeat was only a matter of time, the thought arose and could no longer be suppressed.

Feinting with a thrust of his spear, Peng Fei initiated a tactical retreat!

"Hold your ground, Elder Peng!"
"Indeed, Elder Peng, a spearmen must never shrink back!"
"Ignorant fool! This technique is known as drawing the yang back into the abdomen! Learn a thing or two!"
"It is over. It turns out Elder Peng's spearwork is no good either..."

Qiu Zhiqing nearly burst out laughing like a pig. He found that onlookers through the ages never changed; they always loved to watch the world burn. Peng Fei's face darkened with frustration as he cursed these fellows who were more a hindrance than a help.

If not for the Daoist opponent standing right before him, he would have given them a few lessons right now to open their eyes and see whether his spear was any good or not!

Seeing Wang Zhitan pursuing him somewhat eagerly, Peng Fei smiled triumphantly to himself. No matter how cunning you are, you will still end up drinking your grandfather's foot-washing water! Judging that the distance was about right, he executed a turning counter-thrust, charging straight at the closely pursuing Wang Zhitan...

A flash of cold light arrived first, followed by the spear sweeping out like a dragon. The turning thrust came first, and his body spun along with the spear. Yet, to his surprise, the smile that had just bloomed froze instantly on his face!

It turned out that Wang Zhitan, seeing Peng Fei flee, had kept his guard up. He had witnessed the underhanded nature of these people firsthand—taking advantage of others in peril, throwing dust in eyes, and launching sneak attacks by any means possible, completely devoid of martial honor.

Sure enough, before long, this fellow actually executed a turning spear thrust. Did he really think he was ignorant of this move?

Employing the technique of a clear moon splitting its radiance with both hands simultaneously, his left hand used the scabbard to deflect the incoming spear, while his right-hand sword poked sharply from top to bottom, directly striking Peng Fei's Quchi acupoint on his right arm. The spear slipped from his grip and fell. Without pausing, Wang Zhitan thrust his sword forward, piercing straight into Peng Fei's right shoulder.

A piercing wave of pain struck. Before Peng Fei could recover from losing his spear, his right shoulder was impaled by another sword strike!

He opened his mouth to cry out his surrender, but to his surprise, the sound that came out was a miserable shriek of "Ah~~!" It turned out that Wang Zhitan had exerted force once again, punching right through his right shoulder. Well, at least they say piercing wounds heal quickly...

At this moment, Qiu Zhiqing calmly tossed a spiced fennel bean into his mouth, savoring it slowly as he sat back with keen interest to watch how the events would unfold. To his surprise, the subsequent developments proved to be full of drama.

Just as Wang Zhitan was about to inflict a few more blows, Qi Songchun, the sect master of the Pine Waves Sect, hurriedly shouted at the top of his lungs, "Hold your hands! We surrender!"

Seeing Wang Zhitan stop, Qi Songchun, terrified that the man might still deal out a few ruthless strokes, hurriedly added, "We admit defeat! The third match need not be fought either. As a token of our sincerity, this humble one is willing to have my unworthy son enter your esteemed sect as a disciple! I only ask that you spare Elder Peng!"

Goodness gracious, he was taking the opportunity to surrender! In truth, Qi Songchun had never been overly keen on fighting to begin with. After all, taking advantage of the enemy master being away on an expedition to raid their nest was not an entirely honorable deed. Now, not only could he show goodwill, but he could also make Elder Peng owe him a favor.

Furthermore, he knew his own limits all too well; he was definitely no match for this so-called Senior Brother Wang. Since reinforcements had arrived, it meant there were undoubtedly other experts behind them. Since they could not beat them, why not join them?

To his utter astonishment, upon hearing Qi Songchun's words, not a single person within the so-called alliance stepped forward to condemn him. Instead, a large group of people stepped up to ask Zhang Zhixian and his companions whether they were still accepting outer disciples...

Witnessing this scene, the master of the Kapok Manor quietly signaled his two disguised manservants to hoist the injured Elder Peng from the ground and hurriedly fled...

The "Righteous Foundation Alliance," which had taken over a month to prepare, funded by multiple manors, and composed of more than ten martial arts schools and sects, had been largely dismantled in less than an hour by Wang Zhitan and Zhang Zhixian. Most of them had defected to the enemy, with only a tiny handful fleeing tail-between-their-legs.

Sending off these members of the so-called "Righteous Foundation Alliance," who had come to cause trouble just moments before and now desperately wished to join them, proved to be an overwhelming task. They were far too enthusiastic, shouting one and all to join, and if they themselves were not suited, recommending their own sons and nephews.

The sheer intensity of their enthusiasm left Zhang Zhixian and Zhang Zhicun, facing such a situation for the very first time, utterly unequipped to cope!

Seeing that everyone else had departed, a single Daoist figure holding a sword stood unmoving with his back turned, wearing Daoist robes of a style they found intimately familiar. Weren't those simply the Daoist robes of Quanzhen?

"May I ask which senior brother is present?" Wang Zhitan, temporarily acting as the core of the trio, stepped forward and asked.

Yet as the newcomer turned around, in the blink of an eye, a hand was already resting upon his shoulder. Startled for a moment, Wang Zhitan looked up only to beam with joy: "So it is senior brother First Seat! How is it that senior brother has found the time to come to Mount Tai?"

"Greetings to senior brother First Seat!" Zhang Zhixian and Zhang Zhicun also stepped forward to pay their respects. Once finished, Zhang Zhixian continued, "We must thank senior brother for saving our lives today. Had it not been for senior brother, this junior brother would likely have gone to pay his filial respects before our founding master!"

Noticing the inquiring gazes of Wang Zhitan and Zhang Zhicun, Zhang Zhixian had no choice but to share the secret of how he had almost been hacked to death by a blade, only to suddenly reverse his defeat and win. Although he had not been entirely certain who was responsible at first, the moment he laid eyes on Qiu Zhiqing, everything became crystal clear.

"Not bad at all! The mischievous youth of yesteryear is now a genuine Daoist practitioner!"

Having not seen each other for many years, the fellow apprentices naturally had endless topics to discuss. Qiu Zhiqing stayed on Mount Tai for half a month, during which he debated martial arts and discoursed on the Dao with his fellow apprentices, watched the sunrise, admired the sea of clouds, gathered purple qi, tasted fine tea, and watched the evening glow—a truly joyous time.

Half a month later, Qiu Zhiqing bade farewell to Sun Bu'er, who had received the news and returned, while Wang Zhitan had already departed slightly ahead of them back to Mount Kunyu in Dengzhou. Qiu Zhiqing intended to visit his Third Uncle-Master Liu Chuxuan at the Upper Qing Palace on Mount Lao.

"Master Uncle Sun, junior brothers, please stay your steps. I have greatly benefited from Master Uncle's guidance this time. Please take good care of your health, Master Uncle, and I shall come to pay my respects again another day!"

Qiu Zhiqing bowed respectfully to Sun Bu'er, asking her not to walk him any further. However, Sun Bu'er stepped forward to take his hand, her tone filled with maternal warmth and her eyes brimming with gratification.

"Good, good, good! Little Qing has also grown up. I still remember when you were first brought back to Chongyang Palace... In the blink of an eye, more than twenty years have slipped away. With this parting, Master Uncle has no idea when we shall meet again."

At this, she let out a long sigh and said, "It is simply that our cultivation was inadequate and held you back. If your founding master were still alive, who knows how much greater your achievements would be than they are now."

Qiu Zhiqing blinked a couple of times. There was no help for it; the wind always seemed determined to blow foreign objects into one's eyes at the most inopportune moments.

"What is Master Uncle saying? If not for Master and my uncle-masters, this disciple might be toiling away as a beast of burden in some unknown world right now—how could I possibly enjoy such carefree, immortal days as these?"

With that, he pulled Sun Bu'er into an embrace, taking the opportunity to wipe his eyes so he wouldn't misstep and tumble down the mountain a moment later...

"Master Uncle, this disciple must go. Do not worry!" Having said that, he took three steps back, performed three solemn bows with nine prostrations, and descended the mountain without once looking back. Sun Bu'er watched as Qiu Zhiqing's figure vanished amidst the mountains.

"Let us head back as well!" Sun Bu'er turned to leave, but after taking only a few steps, she glanced back once more down the mountain path. In the blink of an eye, the baby who had once been so impossibly obedient in her arms was now able to brave the vast world entirely on his own. Time truly was a commodity both precious and cheap...

A figure flashed by. Watching the departing group and then gazing at the lingering morning glow, Qiu Zhiqing wore a look of utter peace, strode forward, and leaped gracefully down the mountainside...

The Upper Qing Palace on Mount Lao had been built by the True Man of the Auspices in the early Song Dynasty, only to be reduced to ashes by the fires of war during the Jin invasion. It was now being rebuilt under the leadership of Liu Chuxuan and his disciples. To call it a reconstruction was perhaps an overstatement; in truth, it mainly consisted of clearing up the Hall of Three Pure Ones and erecting a few modest dwellings for themselves.

As for the other halls, they could only undergo basic maintenance for now, leaving major repairs for when they possessed sufficient strength.

When Qiu Zhiqing reached the mountain gates of Mount Lao, he spotted a Daoist holding a sword waiting by the entrance from afar, prompting a brief wave of curiosity. As he drew closer, he recognized the figure as none other than his uncle-master Liu Chuxuan's second disciple—Chang Zhiyi!

Chang Zhiyi stepped forward and paid his respects, saying, "Greetings, senior brother First Seat. After all these years apart, senior brother's demeanor has grown ever more natural and pristine!"

"Junior brother, flattering me and heaping high praise right off the bat—tell me, do you have a favor to ask? Or have you committed another transgression and wish for your senior brother to put in a good word for you? You aren't nearly as quietly sullen and adorable as you used to be." Qiu Zhiqing stepped forward to return the bow, speaking with a teasing smile.

In the past, this junior brother had not been considered particularly outstanding back at Chongyang Palace. To think that upon stepping out to shoulder the legacy of the Suishan Sect, whether in social grace or cultivation temperament, he had surpassed his former self by more than a few steps.

Chatting and laughing, the two ascended the mountain and arrived at the Upper Qing Palace. According to Chang Zhiyi, the palace had once been governed by the Sect of Immortal Traces. Sadly, when the Jin dynasty invaded, those Daoist priests descended the mountain to aid the common folk and never returned.

Years ago, Liu Chuxuan had traveled through these parts and, seeing the overgrowth of weeds and the statues of the Three Pure Ones hanging their heads, could not help but feel a deep sense of sorrow. It was then that he led his fellow disciples here, simultaneously restoring the Daoist architecture and accepting disciples to impart the Dao at the Taiqing Palace.

At the same time, he harbored the hope that if descendants of the Immortal Traces ever returned, they would at least find a place to rest their feet...

"Master usually spends his mornings at the Taiqing Palace teaching and dispelling doubts, while in the afternoon he returns here to the Upper Qing Palace to quietly repair the grounds by himself. In truth, junior brother is usually stationed at the Taiqing Palace, but upon hearing that senior brother was coming, I eagerly waited by the mountain gate just to receive your guidance, senior brother!"

"Guidance is hardly the word—let us call it mutual exchange and verification instead!"

Upon entering the Upper Qing Palace, their eyes immediately fell upon Liu Chuxuan, whose hair was streaked with white as he knelt atop the roof of a side hall, busy laying roof tiles.

Qiu Zhiqing could not help but sigh inwardly: The cold departs without keeping count of the years, and autumn follows autumn in parting...