Chapter 38: The Old Thing Was Just Conservative

The Wen family totem was the cicada. Their courtyard was always planted full of trees, all personally planted by Wen’s mother. Wen’s father named his son Tingshu, placing love and hope into that name.

When Wen Tingshu no longer had any relatives left in the world, the cicada totem was sealed away in his memories.

The jade cicada appeared in the world again, and yet it had fallen from his son.

Five hundred years had passed. No one was curious anymore about the Immortal Venerable’s origins. The only ones who recognized the “cicada” were old acquaintances from back then.

After learning that Meng Baixu was the Fuguang Sect Leader, Wen Tingshu had once investigated his background. The accounts within the sect were all consistent: twenty years ago, the little Sect Leader had been sent back by Meng Fuguang’s life-saving artifact, the “Silver Kite.”

When Meng Baixu told Li Hengnian that he was an orphan with no father or mother, it did not exactly count as a lie.

Wowo said the jade cicada had been given to Meng Baixu by Meng Fuguang.

Leaving aside the fact that Meng Fuguang had never had any connection with the Wen family and did not recognize the “jade cicada,” based on his personality, he would absolutely never stuff a token of trust into his son’s swaddling clothes.

It had to be someone else.

Once he worked backward from the assumption that Meng Baixu had two fathers, it became simple.

That person had been by Meng Fuguang’s side when he gave birth, and only then would he have had the chance to act.

He might be Meng Baixu’s other father.

Could he be Xie Tongchen?

Only after Wen Tingshu had children did he learn that men of the Fuguang Sect Leader’s bloodline could become pregnant, and the higher the cultivation of both fathers, the higher the child’s cultivation.

Wowo and Nangnang had been born at late Golden Core, while Meng Baixu had been born at early Golden Core. This meant that the combined cultivation of Meng Baixu’s two parents was only slightly lower than that of Wowo and Nangnang’s two parents.

Not much lower.

There were no more than five people in the world who fit that condition, and Xie Tongchen was one of them.

Why would Xie Tongchen place the Wen family’s jade cicada into the swaddling clothes instead of directly embroidering the Xie family’s flame pattern on them?

If he had done that, the Xie family and Fuguang Sect would not have fought to the death without end.

Wen Tingshu rubbed the jade cicada. Could it be that his original assumption was wrong?

Meng Fuguang might not necessarily have liked Brother Xie, right?

Meng Nangnang said this replica jade cicada was his. Based on Wen Tingshu’s understanding of Meng Baixu’s parenting style over these days, Meng Wowo definitely had an identical jade cicada on him too.

Wowo was more reliable than Nangnang. Could the one he wore be the original carved by the Wen family workshop back then?

Wen Tingshu asked Wowo, “Wowo, where is your jade cicada?”

Meng Wowo finally remembered his jade cicada that had vanished without a trace. Because Nangnang’s was also missing, there had been no comparison, so no accounting had been done.

His plump little hand touched his pocket, then his neck. He reached out to touch his qiankun pouch, but he did not find the jade pendant. He only touched the mountain of cornmeal buns he had packed over these past few days. Guiltily, he lifted his head.

“It’s gone.”

Meng Nangnang said, “They’re both gone!”

Wen Tingshu said gently, “It’s all right. Daddy probably put them away for safekeeping.”

He picked up a bowl of lotus seed soup. Lotus seeds were slightly bitter. Wowo and Nangnang both disliked eating them, but they liked drinking the soup. He fed them spoonful by spoonful, one bite each. The amount and speed of every spoonful were perfectly controlled.

Jia Liance watched in amazement. Wen Tingshu truly had the heart of a loving father. Then again, who could have these two little cubs and not soften?

“Good thing you sent those disciples who had objections out for training. Otherwise, if my two virtuous nephews met them and were called little demons, that would truly be unjust.”

Meng Baixu, eavesdropping: Virtuous nephews???

Who are your virtuous nephews? Who allowed you to describe Wowo and Nangnang as virtuous nephews? They are little demons to begin with. They are not afraid of being called that.

Jia Liance said, “Old Wen, does this count as a saint having private feelings?”

Wen Tingshu calmly said, “The highest good is like water; it embraces and contains all things.”

Jia Liance immediately understood. “The sea accepts all rivers; tolerance makes greatness. Indeed, they are not broad-minded enough toward others and still need training.”

Jia Liance thought he had worried blindly. With Wen Tingshu, the great Confucian, personally debating the classics, everything had a reason.

Seeing the two of them talking back and forth, even beginning to discuss philosophy, Meng Baixu thought Wen Tingshu was truly petty. He had revealed this sect leader’s identity so early. Since Jia Liance clearly would no longer continue speaking ill of the demon sect, there was no point in hiding.

Meng Baixu swaggered out from the room.

Wen Tingshu silently put away the jade cicada on the table.

Meng Baixu crossed his arms. “You’re Wen Tingshu’s good friend?”

Jia Liance quickly stood up and cupped his hands. “I have long heard of Sister-in-law’s great name.”

Meng Baixu said, “Call me Sect Leader.”

Wowo and Nangnang said, “Hello, Sect Leader Daddy!”

“I have long heard of the Sect Leader’s great name.”

Jia Liance lifted his eyes and examined Meng Baixu. Although he had already prepared himself mentally, he was still startled by how young Sister-in-law was. Though one could not tell age difference from appearance, still—

Jia Liance sighed faintly. “The spirit of youth truly is something that cannot be renewed.”

Jia Liance had thought Meng Baixu’s temperament would lean more toward Meng Fuguang’s, beautiful with a hint of evil. Unexpectedly, he actually had such a pure, upright, innocent, high-spirited appearance. His mother was probably a virtuous woman of the righteous path.

Perhaps he had even met Meng Baixu’s mother before.

Meng Baixu said, “Why do you talk like an old man? Are you tired of living?”

Jia Liance: “…”

One truly could not judge by appearances.

When Meng Wowo and Meng Nangnang heard the familiar idiom, they repeated with intonation, “Talking like an old man!”

Being teased by one-and-a-half-year-old virtuous nephews, Jia Liance’s old face reddened.

Wen Tingshu held his tea and said nothing. He had no obligation to help his old friend out of trouble.

Meng Baixu said, “Strong in old age, better to keep a white-haired heart unshaken. Do I still need to teach you? Have you never read books?”

Meng Wowo and Meng Nangnang said, “Strong in old age, oh!”

Jia Liance: “…”

Meng Baixu said, “Since you’ll be staying in Hengxue Sect for a while anyway, those Peak Masters and Daoists hold many classes. Go attend when you have nothing to do. You’re only mid-Golden Core, worse than even my sons. How did you stop progressing?”

Jia Liance: “…”

Demons really did speak directly.

Meng Baixu recalled the way Wen Tingshu and Jia Liance had been chatting so happily earlier. It was rare to see Shizun speak so much to an outsider in one breath, with every sentence receiving a response.

Sure enough, old aunties in the mortal world only loved chatting with old aunties, and five-hundred-year-old things in the cultivation world also liked chatting with people their own age.

If this were before, Meng Baixu would have been jealous that Jia Liance had so much to say to Wen Tingshu. But now, after learning that Wen Tingshu was trapped on Hengxue Mountain for life and could never descend the mountain, he felt that the more people like Jia Liance there were, the better. When there was nothing else, they could accompany Shizun and relieve his boredom. After all, this sect leader would always have a few days each year when he was not around.

Thinking of this, Meng Baixu squeezed out a friendly smile at Jia Liance. “Wen Tingshu likes chatting with you. Stay a while longer.”

Having received the approval of Sister-in-law, who was also a demon, Jia Liance revived from his self-isolation. “Then I shall trouble you.”

Wen Tingshu: “…”

I do not like it.

Meng Baixu said, “Come often in the future too. Once a year. When I call you, you come.”

Jia Liance faintly smelled the scent of labor and tactfully declined. “I live west of Yongzhou. To come to Hengxue Mountain, I have to pass through Yongzhou City. The trip shortens my lifespan. With these old bones, I fear I cannot come every year.”

Meng Baixu said simply, “Not a big problem. This sect leader will give you a lifetime pass for the cultivation corridor. Just come.”

Jia Liance revealed an ignorant gaze. “What cultivation corridor?”

Meng Baixu said, “Oh, it’s a major project of our Fuguang Sect. It only opened recently. Simply put, we used secret realms to open up the airspace above Yongzhou City so that spiritual energy flows inside. In the future, cultivators can directly cross Yongzhou City through the secret realm and no longer need to ride carriages.”

Now, not only did Jia Liance widen his eyes in surprise, even Wen Tingshu was very surprised.

Lanshe actually had such a genius idea, and he had even accomplished it.

Hengxue Mountain and Guiye City were no longer separated by a heavenly chasm.

He would not have to worry that his wife and children had to travel such a long mortal road just to come see him once.

Lanshe would come back often, right?

Jia Liance said, “I knew the righteous path misunderstood Fuguang Sect! Sect Leader’s action benefits the cultivation world. Its merit lies in the present age, and its benefits will last for generations!”

In the future, wouldn’t he be able to come whenever he wanted and return whenever he wanted? As long as he could ride a sword the whole way, it was nothing.

Meng Baixu said, “What benefit? I’m going to charge. Five thousand spirit stones per crossing.”

The cultivation corridor had used several large secret realms. In order to make it unobstructed, their sect members had worked hard to clear away the original obstacles inside the secret realms. A complete, undeveloped secret realm could originally be sold for a lot of money.

Jia Liance became even more moved. Only he was free. He had benefited from his brother’s connection. Sister-in-law was generous to his own people.

Wen Tingshu said, “Tomorrow is the cultivation conference’s final meeting. Lanshe, if you announce its opening publicly, many people should be willing to pay to use the corridor on their return trip.”

Announcing it through the cultivation conference, with Hengxue Sect backing it, most cultivators from the major sects who could afford the spirit stones would be willing to try.

Meng Baixu said, “That was exactly my intention.”

The ones he wanted to slaughter were these wealthy righteous sect masters.

Because of the cultivation conference, nowhere in Hengxue Sect was peaceful except Hengxue Mountain.

Wen Tingshu had Jia Liance stay on Hengxue Mountain to avoid adding more trouble for Zhongli Yun.

“Brother Jia, go rest in the West Hall first. We will dine together at noon.”

Jia Liance said, “Good, good, good. In this life, having you and Brother Xie as brothers was truly worth it.”

Before Wen Tingshu established Hengxue Sect and stabilized the order of the cultivation world, the cultivation world had been quite chaotic, with tyrants running rampant. If he had not had friends with overwhelming fighting power, he did not know how many beatings he would have taken whenever he went out.

“Right, isn’t Brother Xie’s nephew, Xie Jing, also cultivating in your Hengxue Sect?”

He did not know what his talent was like. As Xie Tongchen’s biological nephew, Xie Jing was also his closest bloodline. Jia Liance wanted to see this virtuous nephew.

Wen Tingshu’s sons’ talent made him look forward to Xie Jing too.

When people grew old, they liked seeing outstanding juniors.

Wen Tingshu said, “He returned to the Xie family.”

Because Meng Baixu had kidnapped Xie Jing, the elders of the Xie family flew into a rage and made Xie Jing return home to cultivate. The Xie family also did not lack resources.

Wen Tingshu had made corresponding compensation. Before Xie Jing left, he taught him part of Xie Tongchen’s Qingshuang Sword technique.

Xie Jing himself did not care much, but since the family demanded it, he went back.

Without Meng Baixu opposing him, class had become a little less interesting.

Jia Liance asked, “Oh? Then how is his aptitude?”

Meng Baixu said, “Same as yours.”

Jia Liance: “…”

Sister-in-law’s words were choking. He should go rest first.

Wowo and Nangnang said, “Goodbye, Uncle Jia.”

Jia Liance’s heart softened.

Wen Tingshu let Wowo and Nangnang play in the courtyard, then said to Meng Baixu, “Come inside. I have something to ask you.”

Meng Baixu was suspicious. Why did the old thing look so serious? Did he want to lecture him?

Could it be because he had spoken rudely to Jia Liance just now? Who told Jia Liance to keep implying that Shizun was older? He did not like hearing it.

If he dared lecture this sect leader because of that, Meng Baixu would scold him too.

Meng Baixu reluctantly followed Wen Tingshu inside. “What?”

Wen Tingshu opened his palm. “Brother Jia found this. It is the jade pendant Nangnang dropped.”

“Oh.” Meng Baixu grabbed it and stuffed it into his qiankun pouch.

Wen Tingshu said, “Where is Wowo’s? Let me see it.”

Meng Baixu reached into the qiankun pouch. The wheat foods had all been eaten by him and were no longer stocked up, so he easily found the jade cicada Meng Fuguang had left him.

It was crystal clear and smooth, glowing with treasured brilliance.

Wen Tingshu’s gaze paused. His spine, which had stood upright for five hundred years, finally bent.

This was precisely the jade cicada his mother had given Brother Xie back then, intending to accept him as her adopted son. The next day, when she went out, she met a fortune-teller who said it was unsuitable. Mother Wen knew that both her son and the Xie family’s young master were people who would cultivate immortality, their fates decided by heaven, so she gave up.

Could that fortune-teller have calculated that five hundred years later, Wen Tingshu would fall in love with Xie Tongchen’s son?

Brother Xie’s action meant he trusted Wen Tingshu more than he trusted the Xie family, and wanted to entrust his young child to him.

Or perhaps Brother Xie knew Meng Baixu would become the next Sect Leader and oppose Hengxue Sect. In the future, when Meng Baixu ended up in Wen Tingshu’s hands, Wen Tingshu would show mercy upon seeing the jade cicada on him.

Both were possible.

The cultivation world was not that large. As the Demon Sect Leader, Meng Baixu would sooner or later face Wen Tingshu.

If Wen Tingshu had not discovered him and taught him when Meng Baixu was young, then he would meet him after Meng Baixu grew up and indulge him.

Xie Tongchen had considered everything thoroughly. The jade cicada was the protective charm he had given the child.

Wen Tingshu closed his eyes. He had betrayed Brother Xie’s trust.

His morals had collapsed. He had fallen for his disciple and stolen what he was supposed to guard.

The boat had already sailed. Since he had already told Meng Baixu that he wanted to become Dao companions, he would not take it back.

No one was a sage. Who could be without fault?

Going back on his word would only be adding wrong to wrong.

“What are you thinking about?” Meng Baixu tugged his white hair. “Using your brain too much will make you grow white hair.”

Facing Lanshe’s ignorant and innocent gaze, Wen Tingshu somewhat guiltily moved his eyes away. “Thinking about some things from the past.”

Meng Baixu said, “After tomorrow’s cultivation conference, the higher-ups of my Demon Sect will arrive. We’ll leave Wowo and Nangnang here, then go to Xiling Mountain.”

The old thing was just conservative and insisted on the command of parents. Then they should hurry up and rescue his father first.

Wen Tingshu said, “No rush!”

Meng Baixu stated, “You’re anxious.”

Wen Tingshu said, “Wowo and Nangnang still… have not completed their training. They cannot properly shoulder the heavenly pillar’s responsibility yet.”

Meng Baixu only half-understood the heavenly pillar matter. Whatever Wen Tingshu said was what it was. True, they could not rush. Wowo and Nangnang were still too young, and they did not know when they would return. Only after settling them properly would the journey be secure.

Wen Tingshu said, “Lanshe, have you ever thought about who your two parents are?”

Meng Baixu frowned. No way. The command of parents—did they really have to find both parents?

“You think my father alone can’t make the decision?”

Wen Tingshu said, “I do not look down on Sect Leader Meng.”

Meng Baixu said, “If you want to know who they are, won’t you know once my father comes out?”

Wen Tingshu said, “That’s true.”

What if—what if all his guesses were wrong? If he told Lanshe in advance that Xie Tongchen might also be his father, it would only make Lanshe unhappy for no reason.

Lanshe did not like Brother Xie to begin with.

He did not say it, but not because he wanted to use the opportunity to tie Lanshe down.