“It’s like this, Brother Chen,” Su Yuan explained to Cen Yuchi. “You’re quite young—perhaps you’ve never heard of Cen Yuchi’s Ten-Zhang Manor?”
Cen Yuchi’s heart jolted, and he nodded with a complicated expression. “I’ve heard a little about it.”
Ten-Zhang Manor, Cen Yuchi silently repeated in his mind.
The whole world knew that the Jade Chariot was the most powerful magical artifact Cen Yuchi had ever created in his lifetime. It was also because of the special nature of the materials used to make the Jade Chariot that Cen Yuchi gained the ability to control the Undying Fire, allowing him with only a fourth-stage cultivation to stand above the entire Shangyang Continent.
While Cen Yuchi was alive, countless people coveted that Jade Chariot, yet none dared touch it. The reason was that the chariot was of the utmost ferocity and heat; without Cen Yuchi to suppress it, anyone who touched it in its full state would be reduced to ashes in an instant. After his death, his Divine Sense, driven by instinct, lodged itself within the chariot, but it was too weak—the slightest tremor would have scattered it. To protect its master’s Divine Sense, the Jade Chariot voluntarily sealed itself and fell into a dormant state. To outsiders, the chariot appeared to be nothing more than a piece of superior-quality blood jade. Cen Yuchi sank into eternal slumber along with the chariot, until someone used some method to activate it, allowing Cen Yuchi’s Divine Sense—which had already been mostly repaired within the chariot to see the light of day once more.
Such an immortal artifact, capable of saving lives at critical moments, transformed endlessly in Cen Yuchi’s hands. Sometimes it became a jade pendant hanging at his waist, tapped to hear its chime; sometimes a small stool placed beside the stove for him to sit on while fanning the fire. Convenient and practical, he delighted in it.
But perhaps it was precisely because the Jade Chariot attracted so much attention, drawing everyone’s focus entirely, that no one ever realized that Cen Yuchi’s true masterpiece, the work he was most satisfied with, and the one that should have inspired the most awe was not the Jade Chariot, but his Ten-Zhang Manor.
The Ten-Zhang Manor was, in fact, a magical artifact built around a giant mulberry tree. From the outside, one could only see a massive mulberry tree growing in water, its roots spreading in all directions, clearly visible within ten zhang hence the name Ten-Zhang Manor. But entering it by a special method was like stepping into a fantastical, resplendent world. Mountains and waters reflected one another, jade towers and pavilions rose in splendor, it was like a fairyland. That mulberry tree stood in the golden waters at the center of the Ten-Zhang Manor, supplying, with its Life Force, the energy that sustained the manor’s existence.
Cen Yuchi had first come across this special kind of magical artifact in a ledger his father had left behind, the Spirit Score, a record of the magic treasures and spirit tools he had crafted. It seemed to have remained only at the conceptual stage, never actually refined. Cen Yuchi had painstakingly researched and built the Ten-Zhang Manor, but he had never told anyone that it was a magical artifact. To outsiders, the Ten-Zhang Manor should have appeared as nothing more than a Barrier with a misdirection spell. So how could that inverted space in the mountain god temple be connected to the Ten-Zhang Manor? And what connection could the Cen Tower that Gong Zhizhi mentioned possibly have with him?
Seeing the strange look on Cen Yuchi’s face, Su Yuan assumed he was puzzled and continued explaining: “A few years ago, Zhizhi, Xiao Yuan, and I were hunting a demonic beast. When we reached Fengyao Town, the beast vanished without a trace. We followed its trail all the way to a tree. It was within that tree that we discovered a hidden space. Though that space was much smaller than the one we encountered this time, it had already taken form. Because its power wasn’t very strong, we destroyed it together with ease.”
“That’s right,” Gong Zhizhi said. “This space in Fengyao Town is practically identical to Ten-Zhang Manor, it’s hard not to make the connection. When we got back, we reported it to the Peak Master immediately, and only then did we learn that in recent years, disciples from other sects have encountered similar things as well. Everyone assumed these things were left behind by Cen Yuchi, so they came to be called Cen Tower. The space we encountered this time resembles the previous ones to a considerable degree, and it’s far more powerful. My reasonable guess is that all of these were the work of a single person.”
Su Yuan nodded. “Zhizhi knows quite a lot about Cen Tower, and Immortal Feather Peak has been keeping a close watch on incidents of this kind. This time we have Brother Chen to thank for bringing us one step closer to the mastermind behind it all. And now people have already been harmed, if we don’t track down whoever is behind this and stop them soon, the consequences will be unthinkable.”
Gong Zhizhi continued, “What’s more, just a few days ago, someone spotted traces of the Jade Chariot in this sky. That’s the very reason we came rushing here, who knows what connection there might be.”
Cen Yuchi nodded. Moreover, this temple had been built exactly ten years ago, and the inverted space contained within it had spent ten years gestating before finally activating just recently to begin absorbing energy. The mastermind had clearly calculated the timing to lure that young man into the trap, providing the space with nourishment so it could fully develop. A ten-year scheme could it really be broken so easily? Why had that person created such a space? What was this space for? None of these questions had answers. And the timing was intriguing as well, he had never breathed a word to anyone about the mysteries of Ten-Zhang Manor, yet this so-called “Cen Tower” had appeared precisely ten years ago. It was as if someone had known the secret all along, hiding it carefully for fear he would discover it. And the moment he died, the mastermind had eagerly begun a whole series of moves. Ten years, it was hard for Cen Yuchi not to connect all of this with his own death.
At this point, Gong Zhizhi pouted and turned to Cen Yuchi. “Hey! You’re coming with us to see the Peak Master!”
“Huh?” Cen Yuchi, suddenly called out, was quite taken aback.
“Zhizhi is right. You were the one who first discovered the temple’s hidden mechanism and went deep inside, and you even took such serious injuries to save someone. It’s only fitting that you be the one to meet the Peak Master.”
Cen Yuchi thought to himself that this was bad. He hadn’t yet gotten a clear picture of his situation, so it was better not to have too much contact with old acquaintances for the time being. Besides, the scene he had caused at Immortal Feather Peak before had given Mu Linchuan plenty of trouble and brought shame on the peak. Having just come back, to stick himself right back on again, he really didn’t have the face for it, and he didn’t know how he would face Mu Linchuan. What’s more, Cen Yuchi figured Mu Linchuan probably didn’t want to see him again.
Cen Yuchi said, “I’d better sit this one out. On the mountain, I only acted on instinct to save someone, and stumbled into the right direction by pure luck, I really don’t have any information to offer you. And this injury is nothing serious. With Sister Zhizhi, a healer rivaling Hua Tuo reborn, I’m already mostly healed!”
“Spare me! If we say you’re going, you’re going!” Gong Zhizhi said.
Cen Yuchi had long since figured out this woman’s temperament, she responded to softness, not force so he immediately put on a pitiful look and said, “You’ve already done me a great favor by letting me travel with you and see the world at the Immortal Feather Gathering. I’m just a wanderer of the jianghu. The master of Immortal Feather Peak holds such an exalted position, how could I dare seek an audience with someone like that?”
“Hmph.” Yin Xiaoyang, who had been leaning off to the side without a word, suddenly spoke up. “You dared to shove a stick that thick into your body is there anything you don’t dare to do?”
My little ancestor, why do you have to come out and stir up trouble now? Cen Yuchi grumbled inwardly.
Seeing that Cen Yuchi truly seemed unwilling to meet Mu Linchuan, Su Yuan had no heart to press him, and said, “Then let Chen decide for himself. But no matter what, we’re friends now. Leave everything to me during your days on Immortal Feather Peak!”
“Thank you, Brother Su!” Cen Yuchi said sweetly, quick to seize the advantage.
Gong Zhizhi shot him a look and said, “Suit yourself! Oh, right, that burn on your hand, I applied spirit herbs to it. It should be healed by now. Take a look yourself.”
A burn from the Undying Fire was not something spirit herbs could cure. At her words, Cen Yuchi tucked his hand behind his back and said with a smile, “Thank you, Sister Zhizhi!” and had the honor of receiving another eye-roll from Gong Zhizhi.
Su Yuan smiled too, then asked, “By the way, Brother Chen, since you’ve come to Immortal Feather Peak, are there any sects you’d like to connect with, or anyone you’d like to meet? Would you like us to make introductions?”
Cen Yuchi hadn’t originally planned to go to Immortal Feather Peak at all, he’d only followed Yin Xiaoyang because he had no other choice. But on reflection, the Immortal Feather Gathering would bring together countless sects, making it the perfect opportunity to gather information and understand the current situation. It would be a waste not to go that was why he’d insisted on coming. Now that Su Yuan asked which sects he wanted to befriend, he could hardly say he wanted to look into Ten-Zhang Manor, so he just shook his head and said, “No, I’m just going for the fun of it!”
Su Yuan nodded. “Then you’ve come at just the right time. This year’s Immortal Feather Gathering will be held on Cloud-Emerging Peak. It was abandoned for over twenty years, and the Crane-Gazing Orchids on Cloud-Emerging Peak have finally budded. They’ll be in full bloom when the opening ceremony is held.”
Gong Zhizhi said, “That’s right. They say many important figures will come to observe the ceremony even the Venerable One will make an appearance!”
Su Yuan said, “The Venerable One has been in seclusion for years. To see him at this ceremony would truly be a great fortune.”
Cen Yuchi lowered his head.
Yes, even he himself hadn’t seen his master in a very long time.
The Venerable One of Immortal Feather Peak, Mu Lian.
The last time Cen Yuchi saw Mu Lian was the year he turned sixteen, when he left Immortal Feather Peak and looked back at the Parting Cliff that figure blurred by mist and clouds.
Before the age of three, Cen Yuchi was the young master of the Cen family; after three, he was Mu Lian’s little disciple. He had been unable to speak from birth, which was why his mother named him Yuchi, “late of speech”, hoping he would one day open his mouth and call her “Mother.” But the first words Cen Yuchi ever spoke, the first person he ever called, was neither his mother nor his father.
It was his master.
Cen Yuchi had been carried out of the thorn bushes by Mu Lian and brought up to Immortal Feather Peak. Afterward, he fell gravely ill, and it was after that illness that he became able to speak. As a child, Cen Yuchi had little memory of his father, since his father largely ignored him in daily life and they rarely met. So for a time, when facing Mu Lian, he even mistook him for his own father.
Cen Yuchi’s entire childhood was spent begging for Mu Lian’s attention. He cultivated diligently, even catching up to Mu Linchuan, his senior brother who was two years older, yet he never received a single word of praise. Later, Cen Yuchi realized that no matter how hard he tried, it was all in vain. He began skipping lessons, causing trouble, bullying his fellow disciples, and talking back to his elders, he did every bad thing there was to do. But slowly, Cen Yuchi came to understand that Mu Lian truly was just like his birth father: no matter how he fawned or how he sought attention, Mu Lian would never spare him a single glance.
They were the same neither of them had ever liked him.