Chapter 357 Lord Feng
Mu Qingluan led Xiao Ling and the others through the sky above the Xingyun Pavilion, surrounded by rolling mountains and lush forests. The sun shone through the gaps in the clouds, forming beams of light that made them feel warm.
Xiao Ling and the others followed Mu Qingluan, sometimes flying over mountains, sometimes passing through clouds, feeling the unique charm of this mysterious space of Xingyun Pavilion.
Their eyes were constantly attracted by the scenery below: those exotic flowers, plants, rare birds and animals, which were all wonders rarely seen in the outside world.
As we fly deeper, the buildings of Xingyun Pavilion gradually come into view. Those buildings are built on the mountain, scattered in an orderly manner, with both simple stone buildings and exquisite wooden pavilions. They blend harmoniously with the surrounding natural environment, showing a unique beauty.
Mu Qingluan led the way while flying ahead, telling Xiao Ling and the others about every detail of the Xingyun Pavilion. Her voice was clear and pleasant, like a spring in the mountains, gurgling and refreshing.
Xiao Ling and the others followed her and started chatting casually. Perhaps it was because of Mu Qingluan's lively and cheerful personality, or perhaps it was because she was the disciple of Master Feng, Xiao Ling and the others couldn't help but feel a little fond of her, and their relationship became more and more harmonious without them noticing.
After a while of traveling, they arrived at the residence of Wind Reverend. It was an ancient building located on the top of a mountain, surrounded by clouds and mist, like a fairyland.
Mu Qingluan landed lightly on the platform in front of the residence, and then folded her fighting wings. She turned to face Xiao Ling and his group, smiled and made an inviting gesture: "We are here, Master Xiao Ling, everyone, please follow me."
Xiao Ling and others followed closely and landed on the platform. Their eyes were attracted by this residence, whose architectural style was simple and solemn, revealing a calmness that had been accumulated over the years.
In front of the door of the residence, there are some strange runes carved, which seem to contain some kind of mysterious power.
Seeing that they were interested in the residence, Mu Qingluan smiled and explained, "These runes were carved by my master himself. They can not only protect the residence from external intrusions, but also regulate the surrounding environment, making it spring-like all year round and the climate pleasant."
"It can be seen that Pavilion Master Feng Xian is also quite accomplished in formations." Xiao Ling looked around and said with a smile.
"That's just Master's little hobby, not a big achievement." Mu Qingluan smiled modestly, speaking lightly, but the pride in her eyes was hard to conceal.
Then, Mu Qingluan turned to Xiao Ling and the others and said, "Please wait here for a moment. I will go in and inform Master first, so as not to appear abrupt by visiting him suddenly."
Xiao Ling nodded slightly, expressing his understanding. He had to let Venerable Feng figure out the situation first. If he just came over like this, it would be a bit awkward, right?
Mu Qingluan smiled lightly, turned around and walked into the residence of Feng Zunzun, leaving Xiao Ling and the others outside. The door of the residence slowly closed, isolating the noise from the outside world.
Xiao Ling and his companions found a stone table outside their residence and sat down to chat. The stone table was located next to a verdant bamboo forest. The bamboo leaves swayed gently in the wind, making a rustling sound, giving people a sense of tranquility.
"I don't know what kind of person Master's old friend Feng Zun Zhe is. Master said before that Feng Zun Zhe is already over a hundred years old. Could he be a hunchbacked old man?"
Qinglin tapped her chin lightly with her slender fingers, her eyes full of curiosity.
"Haha, that's not necessarily true. I've heard people say before that Master Feng is very handsome and a famous beautiful man in Zhongzhou." Xiao Ling smiled lightly, with a hint of sarcasm in his tone.
"Haha, that's true." Yao Chen's voice was filled with a hint of laughter, as if he was recalling the glory of the past. "Feng Xian is indeed a handsome man, but compared to me back then, he is still a long way behind."
Yao Chen's words revealed a hint of pride. Back then, he was the prince charming in the hearts of countless women in Zhongzhou. Many proud girls admired him and took the initiative to express their love for him.
If Yao Chen had not devoted all his attention to training Han Feng as his disciple at that time, he might not have remained single.
It was also because of this that Yao Chen cut off contact with Fairy Qing, who had fallen in love with him. Even when Xuan Yi humbled herself to confess her love to him, he rejected her after a moment of hesitation.
"Speaking of which, when we meet Feng Xian later, let's not mention me first. I want to give him an unexpected surprise." Yao Chen chuckled and touched his beard.
"No problem, Yao Lao, I understand what you mean. I will do as you say when the time comes..." Xiao Ling nodded in agreement, with a hint of relaxed smile in his tone.
Time passed unnoticed as they chatted leisurely. About five minutes later, Mu Qingluan appeared at the door of her residence again.
Mu Qingluan smiled faintly and said to Xiao Ling and his group, "Master invites you, Master Xiao Ling, everyone, please follow me."
She then made a gesture of invitation, and then took the lead and walked in front, leading the way for Xiao Ling and the others.
"Thank you, Miss Qingluan..."
Xiao Ling and the others also stopped talking, nodded, stood up, and followed Mu Qingluan's steps.
After passing through the gate, Xiao Ling and his companions followed Mu Qingluan's steps and passed through several winding corridors. On both sides of these corridors, various flowers and plants were carefully planted. They swayed gently in the breeze, and the faint floral fragrance filled the air, making people feel a sense of tranquility and comfort.
At the end of the corridor, an exquisite wooden attic comes into view. The windows of the attic are slightly open, through which you can glimpse the quaint and elegant interior decoration, and each furnishing reveals a beauty that has been accumulated over the years.
Mu Qingluan stopped in front of the attic, turned around and said to Xiao Ling and the others calmly: "Master is inside, let's go in." After that, Mu Qingluan gently pushed open the door, stepped aside to let Xiao Ling and the others go in first, and followed behind Xiao Ling and the others.
Seeing this, Xiao Ling and the others did not hesitate and walked into the attic first.
As they stepped into the wooden attic, a faint scent of vanilla wafted towards them, as if some unknown fragrance was gently swaying in the air.
The interior of the house is simple yet elegant. The wooden furniture exudes the scent of time. There are several quaint calligraphy and paintings hanging on the wall, exuding an air of tranquility and far-reaching peace. People can't help but slow down their pace for fear of disturbing the tranquility.
Looking into the attic, one can see a man sitting leisurely on an antique wooden chair. He is wearing a gorgeous blue robe with intricate patterns embroidered on it, just like the bright stars in the night sky, emitting a mysterious and charming luster.
Her silver hair was as smooth as silk, falling naturally to her shoulders, swaying gently in the breeze, revealing an unruly demeanor.
Although the man looked only about 27 or 28 years old, with clear features, fair skin, and a handsome appearance, one might mistake him for a young nobleman at first glance.
However, his eyes revealed a depth and wisdom that was inconsistent with his appearance, as if they could see through people's hearts, making people immediately realize that his actual age was much more mature than he looked.
When Master Feng saw Xiao Ling and the others step into the attic, he stood up with a gentle smile on his face. His voice was full of charm, like a spring breeze blowing on one's face, making people feel like they were bathed in spring breeze:
"Welcome everyone, my name is Gu Ling, but everyone is more accustomed to calling me Master Feng. If you don't mind, you can just call me Old Feng."
"I've heard before that a young genius of extraordinary talent has recently appeared in Zhongzhou. Not only does he have a high level of cultivation, he has already reached the high-level Dou Zong at a young age, and he can also refine eight-grade four-color elixirs. Seeing him today, I can see that his reputation is indeed well-deserved. Master Xiao Ling is truly talented, and you deserve the title of 'Zhongzhou's No. 1 Prodigy'."
"Master Feng, you are too kind. I am just lucky and have encountered some rare opportunities. Zhongzhou is full of hidden talents. My achievements are far from being the 'number one genius'."
Xiao Ling smiled slightly. His attitude was neither ostentatious nor humble, showing his demeanor just right.
In the gap between the two people's conversation, Feng Zun's eyes inadvertently swept over Xiao Ling and the others. Just as Mu Qingluan had described before, these four were at least Dou Zong-level masters, and the old man in the red robe exuded the aura of a Dou Zong master, even stronger than Feng Zun himself.
What surprised Master Feng even more was that this red-robed Dou Zun powerful man did not seem to be well-known in Zhongzhou. He had never heard of him or seen him before.
Whether it was Xiao Ling, the three Dou Zong masters who looked a little too young, or the Dou Zun master he had never seen before, all of them made Feng Zun nervous. Although he had been prepared, he was still in turmoil when he saw it with his own eyes.
"This strange Dou Zun strongman should be the guard hired by Xiao Ling. The appeal of this eighth-grade alchemist is really extraordinary. I don't know why Xiao Ling came to Xingyun Pavilion this time. But I heard that he had a conflict with the Soul Palace before, so he shouldn't be here to cause trouble."
"Alas, if only that old fellow Yao Chen hadn't gotten into that trouble back then, it would have been much better. If Xingyun Pavilion had had him, an eighth-grade peak alchemist, in charge, I wouldn't have had to be so cautious and tread on thin ice all these years."
Although he thought so in his heart, Venerable Feng had a relaxed and easygoing smile on his face. He laughed and said to Xiao Ling: "Master Xiao Ling, you are too modest. However, I quite like your straightforward personality. Come on, everyone, please stop standing and take a seat."
While smiling, Venerable Feng waved his hand enthusiastically, motioning Xiao Ling and the others to take a seat, and then he sat back in his own wooden chair with a calm demeanor.
Xiao Ling and the others also smiled and nodded, and sat down on the other side of the table with ease, as if they had returned to their own home, without feeling the slightest bit of restraint.
As the casual chat gradually unfolded, Xiao Ling also introduced Xiao Yixian, Qinglin and Tianhuo Zun to Feng Zun. Their topics ranged from comparisons between the younger generation to some strange stories in Zhongzhou. The atmosphere between them became more and more harmonious without them noticing, and the two sides gradually became familiar with each other.
When Master Feng saw that Xiao Ling and the others were easy-going and not at all pretentious, he gradually relaxed and the smile on his face became more sincere.
During the conversation, Master Feng was also thinking secretly in his heart and observing Xiao Ling's behavior. He found that Xiao Ling seemed to have a good impression of Xingyun Pavilion.
He had heard that Xiao Ling had not joined any faction before and even rejected Danta's invitation. If Xiao Ling could be invited to join Xingyun Pavilion, that would be the best thing.
Even if it doesn't work, at least it can allow him to maintain a good relationship with Xingyun Pavilion, which is definitely a good thing for Xingyun Pavilion with no harm.
Mu Qingluan, who was standing next to them, was busy refilling tea and pouring water for them during their conversation, her movements light and graceful.
When she saw that Xiao Ling, a person of the same age, could talk with her master so easily, she couldn't help but look at Xiao Ling with new eyes and secretly admire him.
Although Xiao Ling is young, his strength has far surpassed those so-called young talents, so much so that when people first see him, it is difficult to classify him as a member of the younger generation.
When the atmosphere was just right, Xiao Ling chuckled and broke the relaxed small talk, and got straight to the point: "Speaking of which, I came here this time because I actually have some good news to share with Elder Feng."
Venerable Feng raised his eyebrows slightly, revealing a curious look, with a hint of expectation in his tone: "Oh? Do you have good news to tell me? Then I must listen carefully."
As soon as Feng Zun finished speaking, Xiao Ling on the other side just smiled lightly and did not rush to reply. This made Feng Zun feel a little confused, and he did not understand what Xiao Ling was up to.
However, at this moment, a voice that he felt extremely familiar suddenly reached his ears, causing his pupils to shrink slightly, and his heartbeat seemed to suddenly skip a beat...
"Haha, I haven't seen you for so many years, but you're still the same, you haven't changed at all. It seems like you haven't made any progress after leaving me..." There was a hint of teasing in his voice, but it was also full of emotion.
When Venerable Feng hurriedly turned his gaze towards the direction where the sound came from, he saw the black ring on Venerable Skyfire's finger tremble slightly, and an illusory figure slowly floated out of it.
It was a figure that was both familiar and unfamiliar to him. It was familiar because the face had long been deeply engraved in his memory, and it was unfamiliar because the figure was no longer the handsome and elegant man he used to be, but had turned into a wandering ghost.
Venerable Feng's eyes were fixed on that figure, and he was stunned for a moment. His hands unconsciously exerted force due to excitement, and the delicate teacup instantly turned into powder in his palm, and the hot tea splashed on his palm, but he seemed to be unaware of it.
His lips trembled slightly, and his voice was filled with uncontrollable excitement and trembling. After trying to speak several times, he finally said those two words in an almost choking voice: "Yao...Chen..."
When the name "Yao Chen" came out of Master Feng's mouth, Mu Qingluan, who was listening to Xiao Ling and the others' chat with great interest, was suddenly stunned.
She repeated the name in a weak voice, "Yao Chen, Yao Chen, the leader of Xingyun Pavilion... Yao Chen!"
At this point, there was already a hint of surprise in her voice.
Immediately, Mu Qingluan turned her gaze to Yao Chen's soul body. She suddenly discovered that Yao Chen's appearance was exactly the same as the portrait of the ancestor in the sect.
Her heartbeat accelerated, and she felt excited: "Could this be Yao Chen, the Medicine Master who was famous in the Central Continent back then? It seems that the rise of Xingyun Pavilion is just around the corner."
Although Yao Chen is already a strong man of the older generation, the legendary stories he left behind in Zhongzhou are still talked about with great relish even after he disappeared for many years. Although there are rumors that he has passed away, Yao Chen's name is still loud and recognizable in Zhongzhou.
As a disciple of Master Feng, Yao Chen's best friend, Mu Qingluan had heard about Yao Chen's deeds from Master Feng countless times. She naturally knew about Yao Chen's legend and was extremely excited.
However, what puzzled Mu Qingluan was that the Medicine Master in front of her did not seem to be in a very good condition. Whether he could return to his former peak was still an unknown. She looked at Yao Chen with both expectation and a hint of worry in her heart.
Yao Chen was not affected by Mu Qingluan's surprise. He just smiled faintly at Master Feng, but there was still a hint of barely perceptible emotion in his eyes.
Compared to the complicated expression of Feng Zun, Yao Chen seemed relatively calm. After all, he had already prepared for this reunion. Feng Zun met Yao Chen without any preparation, so his reaction was naturally much more intense.
However, although Yao Chen had prepared himself mentally, facing his best friend whom he hadn't seen for many years, he was speechless for a moment and didn't know what to say.
"Well, that's enough. We are all this age now, so let's not lose our composure in front of young people." Yao Chen sighed, shook his head, and said to Master Feng with a relaxed smile, "As for what you want to ask, let's talk about it in private. I will tell you everything that happened over the years."
Hearing Yao Chen's words, Venerable Feng nodded subconsciously, and the expression on his face gradually changed from shock to relief, and then he showed a faint smile. This smile was different from the politeness when he first faced Xiao Ling, it was a real joy from the heart.
“Haha, old man… you’re right. I lost my composure.” There was a hint of self-mockery in Master Feng’s voice, but more of it was a sense of relief. “No matter what, it’s good that you’re still alive, it’s good that you’re still alive…”
Immediately, Venerable Feng turned around and said to Mu Qingluan, "Qingluan, don't just stand there, come and meet the real Pavilion Master of the Falling Star Pavilion. This is the Venerable Medicine Master, Yao Chen, who was famous throughout the continent back then."
Mu Qingluan was stunned for a moment, then quickly reacted and bowed respectfully: "Qingluan greets Pavilion Master."
Yao Chen looked at Mu Qingluan's respectful appearance, shook his head helplessly, and said with a smile: "You old man, you really want to take revenge on me on purpose. You are deliberately making me embarrassed in front of the younger generation..."
(End of this chapter)