Seeing him speak so highly of it, Xiang Zhen also scooped a small spoonful. Upon entering his mouth he felt sweetness and fragrance. After swallowing he felt a refreshing coolness penetrating straight to his pores. It truly did quickly suppress the discomfort in his abdomen.
It was indeed sweet and delicious, fragrant and refreshing. He immediately enjoyed it spoonful after spoonful with great pleasure. After tasting such a delicacy, his previously depressed mood seemed to improve considerably.
After finishing the nectar, the flower-clothed man invited him to drink wine again. After three bowls of wine went down, the flower-clothed man asked how he had come in.
Xiang Zhen explained roughly. Once the conversation opened up, the flower-clothed man asked about some matters from the outside world.
After some contact, Xiang Zhen felt this person did not seem bad, so he asked, “Do you really intend to hunt and kill everyone who intrudes into the immortal mansion?”
The flower-clothed man took a sip of wine and shook his head. “Since you can sit and drink with me, you may be excluded.”
Xiang Zhen asked again, “Must all others be killed?”
The flower-clothed man said, “Little brother, thousands of years. I have stayed here for thousands of years. In the beginning, there was only me here. You do not know how lonely I am. Do you know why I stay here alone?”
Xiang Zhen said, “I would like to ask.”
The flower-clothed man drained the wine in his bowl in one gulp. “How to put it… anyway, suddenly one day, a large amount of evil energy flooded into the immortal mansion, causing it to no longer be habitable. Those who could leave almost all left, leaving me behind.”
“Before the immortal maiden departed, she instructed that similar problems had appeared in all immortal mansions, and they were all trying to find ways to purify them.”
“Within Jinghua Garden, because my clan does not fear evil energy, and can refine evil energy bit by bit, the immortal maiden assigned similar duties to my clan.”
“At that time the evil energy was abundant and chaotic. Many living creatures in the immortal mansion that could move were infected by evil energy. Some died, some became evil demons. So I began hunting and killing. Later I finally killed them all, at least no surviving ones were found.”
“You ask why I hunt and kill those who intrude into the immortal mansion. If I do not kill them, what should I keep them for? To cause trouble in this immortal mansion, or to release them to cause trouble in the outside world? It is better to kill them to use as flower fertiliser.”
Xiang Zhen was silent for a while. “Can I not get out?”
The flower-clothed man said, “It is not that I do not want to let you out. At least I have no way to open the seal. So you must find that little mustached man you mentioned, figure out how he opened the immortal mansion’s great door, then you might have a chance to get out. If you truly cannot get out, it does not matter. Stay and keep me company.”
Speaking to this point, he also chuckled.
So Xiang Zhen drank quite a bit more wine. With more wine, his words also grew more numerous.
The flower-clothed man asked much as well. He learned about the Chaoyang Assembly held once every twenty years outside, and learned about the framework of the mortal world and the cultivation world outside.
Xiang Zhen, reeking of alcohol, told him about the dazzling outside world. The flower-clothed man listened with a face full of longing. When he heard that the half-immortal realm was revered, he could not help laughing heartily.
The horizon gradually showed fish-belly white. It could be considered dawn. Xiang Lanxuan and Huan Yushan were still struggling at the exit beneath the jade stone archway.
One person struck, two people struck together. They used all methods but could not shake the seal in the slightest. Under powerful attacks there was not even much sound. It felt like no matter how great the attacking force, it could be absorbed by the seal.
In the end the two could only stop. Their expressions were not good. If they truly could not get out, that would be no joking matter.
Xiang Lanxuan looked around and said in a deep voice, “It seems we must find that Tanhua Scholar.”
Huan Yushan agreed, “Right. Since he dared to come in, he must understand the situation.”
Xiang Lanxuan glanced at him. “That is not necessarily so. Back then at Xiao Yunjian, he actually did not understand the situation inside. Relying on boldness and a hard head, he just barged right in.”
Huan Yushan was greatly shocked to hear this. “Could it be? The world’s number one talent is that reckless? He dared barge in without knowing the situation at all? Then were we not tricked by him into following?”
Xiang Lanxuan said, “Logically speaking, this time it should not be so. Last time at Xiao Yunjian he was deceived by evil spirits, tricked into entering. Anyway, finding that fellow is the most urgent matter now. Let us go, search everywhere.”
Huan Yushan hurriedly dissuaded her, “Grand Walker, currently there is no one guarding this place. We had best wait here, to prevent that Tanhua Scholar from slipping out here. Also, we do not know if this entrance will occasionally open by itself. The matter of searching can be left to my Kunling Mountain disciples. If they find the person they will come here. If they cannot find him they will also come here to contact us.”
He actually just wanted to stall Xiang Lanxuan, wanting to buy more time for his sect’s disciples to deal with the Daye Bureau’s people.
As for finding Yu Qing, he was not anxious at all. In his view, Yu Qing was already under their control.
Xiang Lanxuan thought for a moment, said nothing, but flew up. She landed lightly on the jade stone archway, shook her skirt, and sat cross-legged upon it to wait.
Huan Yushan, seeing this, relaxed slightly. He did not wait here either. His gaze noticed the high point of a nearby ridge. With a flash he flew there, flying to the ridge to observe the surroundings from a height.
As feared, he noticed someone was furtively and stealthily approaching the entrance. Looking closely, he discovered it was not just one or two people, but a group using flowers, plants, and terrain for cover to sneak forward.
If the sky had not already begun to brighten considerably, and if he had not been more careful standing at a high place, it would have been difficult to discover them.
Upon closer inspection after discovering them, he could tell something was wrong just from their clothing. They were not Kunling Mountain disciple clothing. Where did this group of sneaking people come from? No need to think further.
Were these people not being watched by his sect’s disciples? How could they appear here collectively? He immediately realised something was wrong. His expression changed slightly. With a flash he flew down the mountain, directly flying toward the entrance.
His clothing was too conspicuous, all white. The Daye Bureau personnel in stealth immediately discovered him, and recognised who he was from his clothing.
They realised he had just been above them in the dark and should have already discovered them. Upon seeing Xiang Lanxuan sitting on the archway, Gan Li realised something was wrong and shouted loudly, “Grand Walker, be careful!”
Whether there was a problem or not, shouting like this first would never be wrong. If it was truly a misunderstanding it could be explained clearly.
Huan Yushan, who had landed beneath the archway, suddenly said in a deep voice to Xiang Lanxuan above, “Grand Walker, this seal has an anomaly.”
Xiang Lanxuan was startled. She immediately flipped down, wanting to see what was happening. Fortunately Gan Li’s warning voice came at this moment, making her heart skip a beat.
Huan Yushan, hearing the sound, immediately revealed his true colours and was no longer polite. He directly struck out with a palm.
The prepared Xiang Lanxuan was not too hasty. Before landing, she met palm against palm in mid-air, forcefully receiving the blow.
Boom! Dust beneath Huan Yushan’s feet surged in all directions like a shockwave. Xiang Lanxuan was also shaken and sent flying into the air.
She stabilised her figure in mid-air, staring down with uncertainty. Huan Yushan had already transformed into a white shadow. With a flash he arrived, attacking again.
The two immediately fought into a ball in mid-air, fast as ghostly shadows shuttling back and forth, weaving together, the distance from the ground growing higher as they fought.
The hastily arriving Daye Bureau personnel were shocked. They had not expected Huan Yushan to possess such strength, to actually be able to fight face to face with the Grand Walker.
Bang! A thunderous sound rang in the air. A figure crashed toward the ground like a meteor. From the fluttering skirt one could tell it was Xiang Lanxuan.
The hearts of Le Shu and the others immediately leaped to their throats.
Fortunately at the moment before landing, Xiang Lanxuan stabilised her descent speed. After landing she retreated five or six steps before Gan Li, who flashed over, supported her. The corner of her mouth already showed a trace of blood.
Immediately after, Huan Yushan’s figure descended from the sky, landing opposite her. He stroked his beard and laughed, “More inferior than I imagined. It seems the injuries the Empress left on the Grand Walker last time have not healed.”
Xiang Lanxuan stared at him coldly and said coldly, “It seems you broke through to the High Mysterious realm long ago. Having pretended before the Daye Bureau for so many years, it truly has been an injustice to you.”
Huan Yushan said, “There is no other way. In outsiders’ eyes Kunling Mountain is a large piece of fat meat. One cannot avoid encountering people who push their luck. A thousand-year great sect must have some self-protection strength.”
Xiang Lanxuan turned to look at Gan Li beside her. “How did you get in?”
Gan Li said through gritted teeth, “Kunling Mountain falsely transmitted the Grand Walker’s decree and tricked us into entering. We were foolish, not thinking carefully before rashly entering.”
“Scoundrels deliberately schemed. It is not your fault.” Xiang Lanxuan waved her hand to push her aside, signalling her to retreat, without any intention of blaming.
Had she not also underestimated Kunling Mountain’s courage? Previously she had also asked Kunling Mountain to help transmit orders.
Huan Yushan did not want to hear their nonsense anymore. He stared at the group and said in a deep voice, “Where is A Shiheng in your hands?”
Xiang Lanxuan was surprised. She also turned her head and asked, “The Tanhua Scholar is in your hands?”
Gan Li behind her said awkwardly, “He was, but that fellow was too cunning and let him slip away.”
“Enough!” Huan Yushan’s face darkened. “No need to put on a play before this old man. You had him in your grasp and still let him escape. Do you take this old man for a fool? Hand him over. Except for her, I can spare your lives!”
Gan Li was speechless. The problem was what could they hand over? They wanted to hand him over but could not.
Xiang Lanxuan could not help laughing. She naturally knew she was not putting on a play with her subordinates. Actually she also wanted to ask, how could he slip away when they had already caught him?
Not getting the desired answer, Huan Yushan said in a deep voice, “Do you really refuse the toast only to drink the forfeit?”
“Try to punish us and see!”
Le Shu’s voice suddenly rang out from behind.
Xiang Lanxuan shifted her steps and turned, guarding against Huan Yushan on one side while looking toward Le Shu. She saw Le Shu push out a wretched-looking person, with a sword held at that person’s neck. It was the bound Yan Yao.
Seeing this situation, Huan Yushan’s face darkened. Seeing the Daye Bureau people, he knew something had gone wrong, but had not expected it to be like this.
Le Shu said, “Old scoundrel, this is your direct disciple, is it not? If I remember correctly, after an incident back then, this is your only remaining direct disciple with sufficient qualifications. If he dies, those young disciples of yours like vegetable sprouts probably cannot carry on your legacy.”
“Ha ha.” Xiang Lanxuan laughed heartily, feeling it was somewhat interesting. She had not expected her subordinate to actually seize the opponent’s weakness against the tide.
Huan Yushan could no longer care about others’ ridicule. He stared at his disciple and angrily scolded, “Everything was prepared properly for you. Even a fool could guard this person. What have you been doing?”
Yan Yao was unbearably ashamed. He shook his head and said, “Master, do not worry about me. Act as you will!” Le Shu immediately tightened his hand, drawing a blood mark on his neck. “Huan Yushan, if you dare act rashly, I will first use your disciple as a shield!”
Yan Yao shouted again, “Master, the sect is paramount. Do not worry about me!” Huan Yushan’s face was taut, the accumulated killing intent on his face difficult to dispel.
Le Shu suddenly said, “Grand Walker, you go first. We will handle matters here.”