Chapter 109: Scroll of the Earth Abyss

Two days later.
Fuyu Lake, Jiyan Island.

In a private room of a teahouse, Luo Zhang sat on a simple rattan chair, clutching a cup of clear tea. Despite his seated position, his expression was deeply unsettled. From time to time, he would lower his head to mutter to himself, then heave a soft, involuntary sigh. His brows were knit tightly, and his face was etched with misery. The naturally dark complexion of his face made him look much older, with new wrinkles and fine lines deepening in his skin.

After barely sixty breaths, Luo Zhang could no longer contain himself. He sprang up from the rattan chair, poked his head out from behind the screen to peer into the distance, then, feeling dejected, pulled his neck back in and resumed his sighing.

His pacing and constant lamentations had been observed by the other occupant of the room for some time, until the man finally could not help but offer a word of advice.

"Brother Luo, Brother Luo, do not be so impatient. What time is it now? It is noon—barely just noon!"

Hao Qingyan, dressed as usual in purple robes, stirred his teacup slowly. He took a sip, looked at Luo Zhang, and said with a helpless sigh:

"Since Brother Chen has already given you his word, given his status, why would he break an appointment with you for no reason? If you remain so restless and unable to compose yourself, and Brother Chen happens to see this, would he not look down upon you? Furthermore, it is beneath your usual standing..."

"A sudden disaster has fallen from the heavens; how can one be at ease? Manager Hao, you are outside the storm, so you can remain leisurely and unburdened. But I am truly in the midst of fire and water. One misstep, and I shall be reduced to ash."

Luo Zhang gave a bitter laugh at these words. He forced himself to calm down, shook his head, and replied:

"If not for Brother Chen’s righteous intervention, I would not just lose my family's accumulated wealth—my very life would have been taken away by the lords of the Flower God Mansion. Brother Chen is like a parent who has given me a second life. How can I be at peace without seeing him and expressing my gratitude?"

This was a highly sycophantic remark, pushing the limits of fawning. Even though Hao Qingyan had spent years navigating the business world, pridefully considering himself slick and able to hide his emotions, the corner of his mouth still twitched, revealing a sneer. He hurriedly blocked his face with his white porcelain teacup, bringing it to his lips, and let his large sleeves fall to cover his mocking expression.

*The person you are fawning over isn't even here,* Hao thought to himself. *Who is this performance for?*

He took another sip of the clear tea. The spiritual energy rolled down his throat and into his viscera, then dissipated through his limbs, bringing a sudden sense of peace and comfort to his heart.

"Furthermore..." Luo Zhang sighed again, his spirit low. "Now that... Cave Master Huaiwu has been executed, the brothers who were tainted by the demons were immediately slaughtered by that Golden Core True Person from the Yuchen Sect. The survivors, like myself, are all those with poor aptitude; how can we possibly hold up this vast estate?"

"The lineage of Huaiwu is now reviled by all. I fear that in a few more days..."

Luo Zhang could not help but show a trace of grief in his eyes. He lifted his sleeve to cover his face and said, "It will be scattered like wind-blown clouds..."

"Brother Luo, why be like this! You have managed to survive; you should be looking to rebuild and recover, not letting your spirits collapse."

Luo Zhang’s mournful sigh moved even Hao Qingyan. He set down his teacup and offered a gentle word of comfort, though he, too, was filled with complex thoughts.

As of now, the lineage of Huaiwu was truly finished.

Two days ago, after Sima Lingzhen had summoned the Cave-Mystery Refiners to rebuke them, he had insisted that any remaining traces of the Heavenly Demons be eradicated. The first to suffer were the surviving disciples of Cave Master Huaiwu. Under the direction of the Flower God Mansion and the Five Lights Sect, not one of them was left; all were rounded up and imprisoned. Even those who were not in the Fuyu Lake area at the time of the incident, but were out traveling, could not escape.

According to what Hao Qingyan had heard, the actual Heavenly Demons had long since been wiped out on the spot by Sima Lingzhen himself. This current display was merely a pretense: first, to strictly obey the decree of the Golden Core True Person to root out any potential stragglers; and second, it was simply an excuse for the various sects to eliminate the disciples of the Huaiwu lineage and, with legitimate cause, carve up their wealth and territory.

As for those imprisoned Huaiwu disciples, they were first stripped of all their wealth and then subjected to soul-searching and torture by the various sects. Only when it was confirmed they truly knew nothing were they released. However, even if they were deemed innocent and released after the soul-searching, their wealth was long gone, and their vitality had been severely damaged. If they did not quickly heal their damaged spirits, any future achievements in cultivation would be nothing more than a pipe dream. But pills and Dharma materials capable of repairing the soul were precious, something only those of the Purple Mansion level could afford. Ordinary Foundation Establishment or Qi Refining cultivators were helpless.

Luo Zhang, though of unremarkable aptitude and not highly regarded within the Huaiwu lineage, was, in the end, a disciple who had listened to the teachings of Cave Master Huaiwu. He had originally thought he could not escape this fate and was living in constant fear, but he was unexpectedly never captured. It was only after he gathered the courage to inquire that he discovered Chen Heng had mentioned his name before Xie Tan of the Flower God Mansion, thus granting him an accidental pardon.

Having learned that Chen Heng had visited the Treasure Gathering Pavilion several times and was somewhat acquainted with its manager, Hao Qingyan, Luo Zhang had invited Hao to accompany him today to host Chen Heng in this teahouse and express his gratitude in person.

...

After some comforting words from Hao Qingyan, Luo Zhang finally managed to suppress his sorrow. He bowed and returned to his rattan chair.

"Brother Luo has certainly bled heavily this time. This tea is the rare White Down tea; a single pot costs ten talisman coins! How generous!"

Hao Qingyan took another sip. Feeling the spiritual energy surging toward his acupoints—to the point of a slight, needle-like stinging sensation—he felt a surge of joy and hurriedly circulated his profound arts to begin refining it.

Just as the cup hit the bottom, Hao Qingyan hurriedly refilled it. As he became absorbed, nearly forgetting himself, a hand suddenly reached out and pressed down on the silver-mud teapot.

Hao Qingyan looked up, confused. He saw Luo Zhang, no longer sighing, staring at him with a sheepish smile.

"Manager Hao, drinking too much of this tea fills one with spiritual energy, which might make your stomach uncomfortable. How about we slow down and try something else?"

With that, he signaled for several tea-brewing attendants to replace the pot.

*This kid! How can he be so stingy? How big is my stomach? How much could I possibly drink?!*

The new tea, though fragrant, was clearly much thinner and cloudier in its spiritual essence. Hao Qingyan felt a surge of indignation, but his hands did not stop; a mosquito might be small, but it was still meat. He just nodded with a smile, raised his sleeve, and drank it in one gulp, smacking his lips.

As the two sat chatting, footsteps sounded, and a tall, elegant Daoist, looking as beautiful as fine jade and exceptionally extraordinary, turned in from behind the screen. His eyes were bright, seemingly holding two sharp swords, and a single glance made one's eyes sting. Yet, with his large sleeves fluttering and his robes trailing, he carried an otherworldly, celestial air.

"Brother Chen."

Hao Qingyan and Luo Zhang, who had been chatting, rose hurriedly to welcome him, their demeanor extremely respectful.

"I apologize for the wait. Greetings, fellow Daoists," Chen Heng said with a faint smile, returning the bow.

Under their invitation, the three sat down. Soon, servants brought fruits and tea, along with two jars of fine wine. With the deliberate flattery of Hao Qingyan and Luo Zhang, the atmosphere became lively.

Halfway through the feast, Luo Zhang, already slightly tipsy, raised his cup to Chen Heng and said sincerely:

"If not for Brother Chen speaking up before Refiner Xie Tan of the Flower God Mansion, I would surely not have survived. I toast you, Brother Chen, and I shall finish it first!"

Encouraged by Hao Qingyan, Luo Zhang downed the full cup of jade liquid. After showing the empty bottom of the cup, more praise followed.

"I wonder what kind of friendship Brother Chen has with that Refiner from the Flower God Mansion to have gained his favor. It is truly enviable."

Hao Qingyan, unable to wait, drained his own cup and hurriedly refilled it, not forgetting to fill Chen Heng’s. He wore a fawning smile and probed:

"Could it be that you intend to join the Flower God Mansion to cultivate? If that is true, it would be a heaven-sent blessing! If you rise to prominence in the future, please do not forget your friendship with old Hao from when you were at your humble beginnings. Come! Come! Let me have another, I shall drink first!"

...

It was no wonder that he and Luo Zhang were acting this way. The business of the Fuyu Lake marketplace, after the death of Cave Master Huaiwu, had been divided between the two giants: the Five Lights Sect and the Flower God Mansion. Other sects could only follow behind to eat the scraps. If one could latch onto either of these two, even if it didn't mean soaring to the heavens, one’s future business would undoubtedly be much smoother.

However, things were not quite as Hao Qingyan imagined. Although Chen Heng had received a folding fan as a gift from Xie Tan, there was no formal master-disciple relationship yet. The Refiner did not wish to slight Ai Jian, and all matters would have to wait until he could survive his return from the Earth Abyss.

As for saving Luo Zhang, it was due to the "Myriad-Mile Mirror Talisman." Xie Tan had specifically summoned him over the past two days to inquire about it, and after the matter was concluded, Chen Heng had simply put in a good word.

...

Seeing that Chen Heng only smiled without speaking, not clarifying his connection with Xie Tan, Hao Qingyan was not discouraged despite hitting a soft wall. He continued to urge him to drink, guzzling the wine like an ox, which made Luo Zhang’s eyelids twitch, his heart bleeding at the expense.

After three rounds of wine and five courses of food, seeing that Luo Zhang was already five-parts drunk, Chen Heng finally set down his teacup, bowed slightly, and smiled.

"Brother Luo, may I see the scroll you mentioned earlier?"

Luo Zhang was stunned for a moment, and only after being nudged by Hao Qingyan did he wake up as if from a dream and rise in shame.

"Forgive me, forgive me! I truly cannot handle my liquor; I have made a fool of myself!"

With that, he took out a yellowed scroll from his sleeve and handed it to Chen Heng: "Brother Chen, this is the map drawn by my ancestor after he returned from the Earth Abyss. I hope you will grace it with your appraisal!"

...

Chen Heng reached out, unfolded it, and scanned it with his eyes. His heart stirred slightly.

As time passed and Chen Heng’s expression remained indifferent, Luo Zhang, standing beside him, began to grow restless, almost unable to stop himself from wiping away sweat. He owed his life entirely to that one sentence Chen Heng had spoken before Xie Tan. As soon as he heard the news, he had asked Hao Qingyan to invite him several times, only to be politely refused. It was only when Hao Qingyan mentioned in passing that Luo Zhang’s ancestor had once been wealthy and had returned from the Earth Abyss with a map that Chen Heng was moved, leading to today’s banquet.

But he knew his own situation... This map only depicted some geographical features, interspersed with notes left by his ancestor; it was merely a curiosity. It recorded no treasures, and there were no hidden compartments. It was just an ordinary geographical map, far from a precious treasure.

Therefore, seeing Chen Heng’s flat expression, Luo Zhang was truly panicked, fearing that Chen Heng would be disappointed, become displeased, and take it out on him, leading to his demise.

Just as he was becoming anxious, Chen Heng suddenly tucked the scroll into his sleeve, then bowed his head and smiled.

"Many thanks for this scroll, Brother Luo. I intend to enter the Earth Abyss soon; having this will give me a bit more confidence. It is a slight to take your ancestor’s legacy, but if I am fortunate enough to leave the Earth Abyss, I will certainly return it to you."

"No need! No need!" Luo Zhang, both surprised and delighted, stepped back and waved his hands repeatedly. "This map is just an ordinary object, not a treasure. Many copies were made and sold in the past. Please, Brother Chen, keep it, no need—"

At this point, Hao Qingyan glared fiercely at Luo Zhang.

Luo Zhang realized he had spoken out of turn, but the words were out, so he could only offer a sheepish smile.

"Then I shall accept it without ceremony. As for my words before Refiner Xie Tan, I merely mentioned it in passing to repay the kindness of you providing me a place to stay that day. No need to dwell on it."

Chen Heng said, "The banquet has been enjoyable. I have stayed in Fuyu Lake for too long; it is time for me to return."

After exchanging a few more polite words, he bowed and took his leave.

Hao Qingyan still hoped to build a relationship and tried to persuade him to stay. However, with the time to enter the Earth Abyss drawing near, Chen Heng had long intended to leave, planning to use the remaining time to return to Yang Mountain for cultivation and further his progress. If not for Xie Tan’s summons and the map in Luo Zhang’s hands, he would have long since ridden the clouds away, rather than wasting time here.

...

"It seems this Brother Chen is tight-lipped. I couldn't even find out the exact relationship between him and that Refiner from the Flower God Mansion. A pity, a pity..."

Below the teahouse.

Watching a streak of pure white light vanish into the high sky, leaving no trace, Hao Qingyan sighed, clapped his hands, and turned back toward the teahouse.

"Manager Hao, the feast is over. Why are you going back?" Luo Zhang grabbed him.

"There are still some spirit wines and fruits left that haven't been finished. How can we be so wasteful? I'm going to pack them up." Hao Qingyan stroked his beard and smiled. "They will make a good midnight snack!"

Luo Zhang was speechless and wide-eyed.

...

...

Not far away, under a weeping willow.

A young Daoist also withdrew his gaze from the clouds. Looking at the "Jiansu" flower in his hand, he shook his head, his mood listless.

"How is it? You've been watching this lad for many days. Is he worthy of your eye?"

At this moment, a playful voice suddenly rang in the young Daoist's ear.

"He is acceptable, I suppose."

The young Daoist looked at the Jiansu flower in his hand and said to himself:

"It is only a pity that he lacks the master-disciple fate with me."