True Monarch Xuanyue took a sip of tea and said, "Now that everyone is gathered here, it is a good time for me to tell you about recent major events in the Palace, lest you remain in the dark and lose your footing when responding."
Pausing for a moment, True Monarch Xuanyue continued, "Foremost among them is, naturally, Yanshi's ascension to immortality. From that moment on, he automatically became Vice Palace Master, giving our Palace of Grand Beginning another immortal.
"Yet in truth, Yanshi was not fully prepared. He was merely forced by circumstance. The Palace had to have an Immortal Monarch capable of walking the realm to hold down the fort, or the consequences would have been unimaginable. For us old fellows, it mattered little, but you younger generation venturing abroad would very likely have met with misfortune.
"Thus, without hesitation, he took up this heavy burden."
Wei Yuan had been present at the time. Looking back later on his tea with True Monarch Yanshi, he had discerned many things he had failed to see back then.
True Monarch Xuanyue let out a sigh and said, "Over these past few months, I have turned it over in my mind again and again, and only now have I understood a few things. Even if Yanshi's immortal foundation is flawed now, he is still a potent true immortal. If he had been allowed to complete his cultivation and step onto the heavenly dao to become an immortal in full alignment, I fear many immortals would not have been able to sleep at night.
"Neither foreign races nor the human race wished to see another founding patriarch appear in the Palace of Grand Beginning, nor did the three subsequent immortals. Therefore, this game was actually aimed at Yanshi."
Fenhai looked completely blank, Zhang Sheng seemed deep in thought, while in Wei Yuan's mind—having only recently encountered the chess moves of immortals—everything roared as countless threads snapped into connection.
True Monarch Xuanyue's face suddenly hardened as he barked, "Zhang Sheng! Wei Yuan!"
The two stood up at once, quietly awaiting orders.
Xuanyue said with grave solemnity, "Yanshi's weakness right now is Ji Liuli. From now on, you two must take extra care of her, support one another, and ascend to immortality together! Yanshi made far too great a sacrifice for the Palace of Grand Beginning this time, and this is his only wish. We are all people drinking the water and resting in the shade; we naturally cannot forget our roots!"
Wei Yuan said, "This disciple shall keep it firmly in mind!"
Zhang Sheng, however, rolled his eyes and said, "Us take care of her? She has already mastered both the True Intent of Xuanhuang and the True Intent of Linglong—does she still need our care? If you ask me, she is the one who ought to exercise restraint and stop reaching her paws out to covet other people's things."
True Monarch Xuanyue stared blankly. "What happened? Did she bully you?"
Zhang Sheng replied offhandedly, "I wouldn't call it bullying. My dao path is open now. Once I achieve my Dharma Idol, I will naturally settle scores myself."
True Monarch Xuanyue slammed the table with force, fuming, "Outrageous! No matter how great Yanshi's merits or how formidable his immortal might, he cannot bully my grand-disciple! Once my injuries heal, I will definitely go give him a piece of my mind! If he refuses to admit his fault, then—don't even think this old Taoist will repay his money!"
At this moment, three generations of Sky Azure disciples all wished to ease the patriarch's worries, each in their own way.
Wei Yuan said, "Patriarch, there is no need to worry. However much you owe him, this disciple will repay it! Our Sky Azure Hall has no need to bend our backs for five pecks of rice, nor do we owe him this bit of favor!"
Zhang Sheng countered, "Patriarch speaks the truth. Such ill-gotten gains shouldn't be repaid in the first place! What better use could his immortal silver have than being spent on constructing the Azure Great Hall?"
Perfected Fenhai: "..."
Xuanyue was overjoyed. He stroked his beard with a smile, and in the end, unable to hold it in any longer, burst into booming laughter. "Yanshi, oh Yanshi! This old Taoist merely placed a few casual pieces, and haven't I laughed to the very end? Even if you took a step ahead on the immortal path, so what? Just look at these two fine disciples of mine—see how they out-grind you to the high heavens!"
Wei Yuan chimed in at once, "Patriarch, your use of the word 'grind' is truly inspired!"
True Monarch Xuanyue glared at him. "I have read the things Xu Wenwu wrote as well!"
Wei Yuan's flattery had landed on the wrong foot, but being thick-skinned, he immediately said, "Patriarch plans far and wide; this disciple still has much to learn from you, Elder."
True Monarch Xuanyue let out another snort, his tone stern and majestic, but the corners of his mouth seemed to have a mind of their own.
Fenhai felt he had to say something. After thinking back and forth, he could only offer, "If Ji Liuli encounters danger, this disciple will certainly do my utmost to help."
Xuanyue shot him a sideways glance. "If even she is in danger, what would you go there for? To add to the chaos?"
Fenhai froze, then felt a wave of disbelief. "Could it be—?"
Xuanyue rolled his eyes. "What else?"
A moment later, the three stepped out of Sky Azure Hall. Wei Yuan said to Zhang Sheng, "The tea Patriarch gave us was Patriarch Yanshi's tea, while he drank ordinary mortal tea himself."
Zhang Sheng replied, "Patriarch's daoist robe also has two patches on it, which drastically reduces its efficacy. Although he concealed it with daoist arts so ordinary people cannot tell, it could not escape my Clear Sword Heart."
Wei Yuan said, "Once I get back, I will check the storehouses to see how much immortal silver I can spare, and make a contribution to the hall first."
Zhang Sheng said, "It's good that you have this thought, of course, but Qingming also needs money everywhere right now. I think Qingming's development should take priority. Only once it prospers will there be more immortal silver."
Wei Yuan nodded.
Perfected Fenhai chimed in, "I have a modest amount of savings myself right now. Since you both want to ease Teacher's burdens, why don't I chip in as well?"
Zhang Sheng and Wei Yuan exchanged a glance, and then Zhang Sheng said, "Master, act within your means. What Patriarch owes might be quite a lot."
In front of his disciple and grand-disciple, Fenhai naturally could not lose face. Sweeping his broad sleeve, he said, "How much could it be? Just give me a number!"
Wei Yuan was better at calculating value. He did the math in his head, reconstructing the Azure Great Hall he had seen within Smoke and Fire of the Mortal World, and then said, "He probably owes... forty million taels?"
Fenhai's dao heart was shaken on the spot.
At dusk, Wei Yuan and Zhang Sheng boarded the flying craft and set out on their return journey to Qingming. Flying boats were slow and subject to constant inspections, far less convenient than the craft.
Wei Yuan had modified the craft once more, so the two sat side by side, traveling hand in hand, chasing the twilight afterglow all the way west.
The moment he returned to Qingming, Wei Yuan was slammed in the face with countless official affairs, keeping him busy day and night.
In the blink of an eye, several days slipped by. On this day, while Wei Yuan was still battling his way through a mountain of documents, a sudden premonition struck him. A flying boat had sailed into Qingming. This flying boat gave Wei Yuan an indescribably strange feeling—tinged with anticipation, yet also an odd revulsion.
Wei Yuan put down his documents and walked out of the study. A sudden tremor ran through him: standing in the courtyard was a green-robed Taoist, looking around as he took in the courtyard's layout.
Wei Yuan hurriedly bowed. "Greetings, Immortal Monarch!"
Immortal Monarch Yanshi turned around and gave a faint smile. "This place of yours is a bit cramped."
Wei Yuan replied, "The summit of the main peak is only this big; there is no way to widen it. Besides, this disciple works the same wherever I am—there is no need for anything special."
Yanshi nodded. "I came this time to tell you that Immortal Monarch Tinghai has passed away."
"The Palace Master has passed away? Why didn't you summon us to see him one last time?" Wei Yuan was shocked.
"Tinghai was always untamed and free-spirited; at such a moment, he wouldn't want anyone to see him in a haggard state. So when he departed, only a few of us old acquaintances were by his side.
"However, Tinghai said he had long decided to pass into stillness at the Northern Mountain Gate. That was his lifelong wish, not to be altered.
"Otherwise, had he known earlier, he would have preferred to pass away in Qingming, so he could see with his own eyes what kind of great enterprise you could forge.
"Although Tinghai could not come, he made arrangements. I have brought the item; come with me to take a look."
True Monarch Yanshi flicked a finger. Wei Yuan's vision blurred, and in the next instant, he found himself standing aboard the flying boat. In the center of the boat sat a dog's head ten zhang tall, resembling a small mountain.
"This dog's head was personally severed by Tinghai. I refined it for several months, finally grinding away its ferocious malevolence. It is now equivalent to a good fraction of an immortal. Find a place to plant it in Qingming; in the future, it will make for quite a sight."
Chapter 691