Chapter 112: The Qilian Dream

Everything in this world is in a state of constant flux. In the next moment, you will surely never find two things that are exactly alike; the changes may be great or small, with perhaps only a slight variance between them. Take the foothills of the Qilian Mountains, for instance. Far from looking at it from a distance, even those who have lived there for years might not notice any significant difference from three years ago. Yet, it has indeed changed. Over these three years, the Qilian Sect has doubled in size. Even if it still falls short compared to the Mingyue Villa, it now possesses the stature expected of a prominent martial arts sect. In this regard, Xiao Jinghao has undoubtedly played a pivotal role; the resources and wealth of the imperial court are something no mere martial artist could ever easily command.

Of course, Dao Tianfeng does not care for such things. Although he has ascended to the position of Martial Arts Alliance Leader, his sixteen years of reclusive life have long since rendered him indifferent to material comforts—he even finds them somewhat distasteful. However, this is not a reason to refuse it all. After all, as one of the four great sects of the jianghu, if Qilian were merely to remain transcendent and detached, its original state would have been fine. But if it intends to integrate into the world, such outward displays are indispensable. As for the Qilian disciples, one hardly knows how to describe them. If a person has lived a life of austerity, it is one thing; the danger lies in when wealth and prosperity arrive suddenly. Whether out of curiosity or human nature, once one has tasted such ostentatious comfort, refusing it becomes an excruciatingly painful task. Take, for instance, Brother Lao; if you were to take away the grand, fully-equipped kitchen and force him to cook over small, primitive stoves again, would he be willing?

"Master, someone from the Prince of Qi’s residence is here!"

Dao Tianfeng understood this point naturally, though what he was truly thinking, no one could fathom. One thing, however, was certain: compared to the past, the old man had grown significantly more inscrutable. His face seemed to have forgotten even the expression of a smile, carrying with it a sense of profound aging. For some reason, whenever Xia Wuya looked at him, he felt an unease, a nameless fear. Perhaps this was an influence left by Han Tanyi. In his eyes, the relationship between his former senior brother and their master was essentially that of father and son. If even a father and son could reach such a point of estrangement, what chance did he, a mere disciple, have? Thus, the art of "treading carefully" had been practiced to the extreme over the past three years; he did not want a moment of negligence or an unexpected mishap to cost him his life. His voice was not loud, and his movements were naturally very slow.

Slowly opening his eyes, Dao Tianfeng’s expression remained as slightly eerie as ever. Fortunately, Xia Wuya was already accustomed to this state, preventing himself from losing his composure too much. Of course, to a master like the Heavenly Mystery Daoist, such a level of concealment was no different from having none at all; it was transparent at a glance. The old man felt a sense of helplessness. Although the scenes of laughter and conversation remained clear in his memory, they were destined never to return. Once a decision is made, a price must be paid—though one wonders if the price itself is truly worth it.

Sighing softly, Dao Tianfeng slowly rose from the wooden chair. His frame wavered slightly; even for a martial artist, at his age, maintaining absolute balance without deliberate effort is difficult. At this moment, his gaze fixed upon the roof, where a large sheet of crystal was set. The light from outside filtered through the clean, crystalline layer, casting a beam directly upon him, providing a touch of warmth. Only then did he speak: "Go, let him in."

With these words, Dao Tianfeng waved his hand, his movement appearing languid. This was exactly what Xia Wuya longed to see; as if granted an amnesty, he backed out of the room. Even as he let out a sigh of relief, his cautious demeanor remained unchanged. Watching this, Dao Tianfeng could not help but recall the past. If it had been Han Tanyi or Qiu Wan'er, they would have simply walked away; they would never have adopted such a subservient posture when addressing the "old man." If forced to choose between the two, Dao Tianfeng felt the latter was more to his liking. Though it might seem self-deprecating, are not all people like this?

"Du Huiming, Lieutenant under the command of His Highness the Prince of Qi, pays his respects to the Elder. I bring greetings from the Prince to you, sir!"

Not long after Xia Wuya departed, a middle-aged man dressed as a scholar walked in briskly. Though he wore a grey long-sleeved robe and held a folding fan—the very image of a literatus—this was merely a ruse to deceive others. As for his true identity, even without his words, Dao Tianfeng could tell at a glance. His posture was rigid, the distance of each step he took was almost identical, and most notably, his gaze remained fixed straight ahead until he stopped within five meters of Dao Tianfeng. As he knelt abruptly, his expression remained haughty, every bit the soldier.

"Lieutenant Du, please stand. I am but a man of the jianghu; I cannot bear such honors."

Although he spoke these words, Dao Tianfeng only raised his hand slightly without descending the steps. Yet, even so, Du Huiming felt a faint, intangible force gently lifting him upward. He did not intentionally resist this force and allowed himself to be pulled to his feet. He was surprised, but not puzzled—Dao Tianfeng was a luminary of the martial arts world, so such ability was only to be expected. Perhaps this was the reason for a question lingering in his mind: "Alliance Leader Dao, why do you say that? The Prince instructed me repeatedly that if I were to see you, I must be as respectful as if I were in the presence of the Prince himself. As a subject, I must obey; I hope you will not take offense."

Since the matter had been put this way, Dao Tianfeng found it difficult to refuse further. Soldiers, after all, regard obedience to orders as their sacred duty; for them, this is perhaps more important than their lives. Although it felt somewhat uncomfortable, it was merely a matter of etiquette, so he quickly suppressed his inner awkwardness. He slowly descended the steps and stood beside Du Huiming, asking in a low voice: "Since the Prince of Qi sent you, are there any orders for me? Speak freely; these tedious formalities can be dispensed with. There is no need for such excessive display."

"Thank you, Alliance Leader!" Now that they were closer, whether it was the overwhelming aura emanating from the Heavenly Mystery Daoist or his own internal suggestion, Du Huiming clearly felt the pressure intensifying, causing his straight frame to tremble slightly. "The Prince specifically sent me to deliver this letter to you, Alliance Leader. Additionally, there is a message the Prince wished me to relay."

"What message?" Dao Tianfeng’s gaze locked onto Du Huiming, his tone laced with urgency. Clearly, the letter was likely just a formality, while this oral message was the true essence of his mission. His gaze was so profound that even someone with a military background like Du Huiming dared not meet it directly, instinctively averting his eyes before speaking: "At the double-ten age, the treasure reappears; dark clouds obscure the moon, and the lotus begins to bloom."

The words sounded like nothing more than a cryptic verse or a local proverb. Naturally, Du Huiming had no idea what they meant, but to Dao Tianfeng, they could not have been simpler. Perhaps because he understood, his expression grew even more solemn. He appeared lost in thought for a long moment before responding: "Tell the Prince for me that I shall attend to this immediately! However, regarding the 'Old Monster' Shen of Mingyue Villa—without his assistance, I fear the Blue Lotus Sect..."

"You may rest assured on that point, Alliance Leader. The Prince has stated that he has his own men to deal with Shen Wansan. As for the assault on the Blue Lotus Sect, others will be found to complete the four cardinal positions. The most pressing matter is to locate the Blue Lotus Sect itself!" Faced with this question, Du Huiming answered directly. These words were clearly dictated by Xiao Jinghao; otherwise, given his status, he would never have been so explicit. Dao Tianfeng chose not to ask further. He walked back up the steps, his entire demeanor heavy with gravity. Du Huiming watched him; the old man's frail figure seemed unfathomable. Silence descended, becoming the sole theme of the room. The distance was not great, yet it felt as if an eternity had passed. Only when Dao Tianfeng sat down did the old man sigh and mutter to himself with a sense of melancholy: "It seems the time has come to bid farewell to old friends. For the last twenty years, the four of us were known as the pillars of the jianghu. Who would have thought that today, we would reach such a juncture? Perhaps this is a cruel irony. I do not even know how I shall face them a hundred years from now."