Volcanic Age

Nangong Weiwu and Zhou Xuchuan's conversation ended uneventfully.

After confronting the young hero with his sword and testing his character, Nangong Weiwu questioned Zhou Xuchuan about his alternative plan for the Shaolin Temple.

Once Zhou Xuchuan revealed everything, Nangong Weiwu understood why he couldn't say anything.

"The Prajna Divine Art?"

Zhuge Zhonghu's voice rose in surprise before he quickly shut his mouth with a gasp.

He glanced around and only relaxed when he realized they were in a secret location hidden within a Natural Formation, inaccessible to all but a select few.

"Now I understand everything."

Zhuge Zhonghu looked at Zhou Xuchuan and sighed deeply. His gaze was much gentler than it had been the day before.

A peerless divine art of the Shaolin Temple that was said to have been lost for hundreds of years!

Its ripple effect was incomparable to that of Blood Muscle and Tendon Classic. The Blood Muscle and Tendon Classic was a demonic art. One could easily fall into cultivation deviation while practicing it or even lose their sanity after being infected by its demonic aura.

However, the Prajna Divine Art was different.

Yes, it was nearly impossible to learn. But, even though it was difficult, one could still maintain their sanity while cultivating it.

Moreover, it didn't even matter if one wasn't able to cultivate it. While the Prajna Divine Art couldn't be converted into money, one would become a lifelong benefactor of the Shaolin Temple if they were to hand it over.

If this news leaked, putting aside the Three Factions, even wanderers, hermits, and random people might come out of the woodwork to go after him.

A peerless divine art that could instantly destroy society.

That was the Prajna Divine Art of the Shaolin Temple.

"Where the hell did you find it?"

Zhuge Zhonghu focused on where it had come from first.

While his anger had melted away like snow, questions close to suspicion arose.

"I found it in the Poisonblood Valley while I was wandering around the gangho."

"Poisonblood Valley? On Mount Ailao?"

"Yes. While I was wandering around there, I…"

Zhou Xuchuan shamelessly lied with a resolute expression on his face.

His voice was unwavering, his expression steady, and his eyes bright and honest, just like a skilled conman.

He had visited the Poisonblood Valley before, so it wasn't like this was a complete lie. After all, the best lies always contain a hint of truth.

Since it was an unexplored area, it was easy to explain why no one had ever discovered it before. Moreover, there were witnesses to his entering the valley—one of the Seven Young Masters of Diancang, Duan Hecheng.

Zhou Xuchuan made a mental note to check how Duan Hecheng was doing when he had the time.

He even had four Lesser Circulation Pills with him as leverage, but he didn't say anything about it. After all, they might ask him how many he had consumed.

He wanted to consume all four of them, but since his master had told him to return them, he…

"You must have leveraged your Thousand Poisons Immunity."

"Oh, you already know about that?"

"Though rumors about you haven't spread yet, there were more than a few witnesses. Everything came out once we investigated a little," Zhuge Zhonghu replied casually.

"Hm, I thought you were just a brainless fool, but it turns out it was the opposite. Ahem, I'll take back what I said about wanting to kill you."

"No, I completely understand your reaction. However, I implore you not to let your anger rise so much. I'm worried about your health."

"Are you telling me to go get angry and die? Hmph!"

While Zhuge Zhonghu had a date with heaven, Zhou Xuchuan hoped he would live long enough to train Zhuge Xiang and Zhuge Xiuluan.

He would welcome any others who could help their preparations against the Dark Heavens Association, too.

"Good, leave the elders to me. I'll handle them, whatever it takes."

"Understood."

"Oh, and…"

"And?"

"Ahem! Ahem, ahem!"

Zhuge Zhonghu deliberately coughed and paused. While he hinted at something, Zhou Xuchuan completely ignored him.

"What a rude little fellow."

Zhuge Zhonghu stamped his feet and finally got straight to the point.

"Shengji, that stupid grandson of mine, how is he doing?"

"He's doing well," Zhou Xuchuan answered immediately.

"Please tell him to come to his senses and study the art of formations."

Zhuge Zhonghu was busy raising the Martial Alliance's Strategist and his successor. He didn't have the time to pay attention to Zhuge Shengji even if he wanted to. More importantly, he had given up on trying to convince Zhuge Shengji when faced with the boy's stubbornness, which was stronger than the tendons of an ox.

"Do you have anything else you'd like me to convey?"

"No!"

Zhuge Zhonghu turned his back as if he had finished what he had set out to do.

"Xuchuanie," Nangong Weiwu called out after their conversation ended.

"May I ask who you're calling Xuchuanie?"

"Aha. Well, it's said that you become close friends when you cross swords, ahem."

Nangong Weiwu laughed mischievously.

"Oh, and I have something else to ask you."

Is it about the Twenty-four Sword Forms of the Plum Blossom?

While there were other things that Nangong Weiwu could ask about, the likelihood of it being anything else was low.

"Do you really have no desire to join our family as a live-in son-in-law? You'd have to join at this age so I can still help mold your swordsmanship."

Nangong Weiwu was clearly interested in Zhou Xuchuan.

The title Plum Blossom Order Sword meant nothing. While people throughout the murim said that the rumors were exaggerated, it was quite the opposite.

Not only were his skills impressive, but he was also very clever with an excellent personality.

He was indeed the greatest, first-class husband material!

The moment they had crossed swords, Nangong Weiwu had even thought about which of his granddaughters he should send to seduce him and bring him back into the family.

Fortunately, I'm the only one who recognizes his true worth. I should hurry up and snatch him before anyone else does.

He had even kept Zhou Xuchuan's cultivation a secret from his old friend, fearing Zhuge Zhonghu might try to steal him with his own granddaughters behind his back or use other tricks.

"Venerable, I'm a Daoist."

"Can't Daoists become orabeonis and, eventually, Geges, too?"[1]

"No," Zhou Xuchuan said, becoming serious.

"It's really fortunate you haven't joined the Plum Blossom Swordsmen yet. It's not too late. Let's get you married quickly before you get unlucky and forced into a high position. It doesn't matter if it's only an engagement."

Unlike monks, Daoists had the freedom to marry. However, that was only for the lower-ranked Daoists. The moment one entered a high position or was chosen as a successor, it became forbidden.

"You know that the Infinite Steps is an incredible accompaniment for Transformation-based sword techniques, right? If you accept my offer now, I'll even teach you the entire Boundless Heavenly Dome Sword Technique. What do you think? Honestly, aren't you a little tempted by my offer?"

The Boundless Heavenly Dome Sword Technique, which was only allowed to be taught to the main branch, was about to be sold as leverage.

"Oh, is it that you're into older women? Well, there are a few older ladies in the family who aren't too much older than you, so what do…"

"Please, enough!"

***

It was decided that Nangong Weiwu and Zhuge Zhonghu would persuade the other elders. Since they couldn't lie about everything, they mixed in a few truths.

Of course, they were careful not to let even that tiny amount of truth leak out.

While the Alliance Leader and Strategist were persuading the other elders, Zhou Xuchuan waited within the Martial Alliance. There, he received two letters, both from Mount Hua.

"End your cultivation journey and return to…"

One of the letters was from the sect, praising him for elevating the name of the Mount Hua Sect while also requesting a report on the current situation.

The other letter was from his master, asking about his well-being and reassuring him that he didn't need to worry, he wasn't in trouble, and could return without concern.

Sniff, sniff.

His master's consideration and concern touched Zhou Xuchuan.

"It's about time I split up with that crazy woman."

Then, he went to the Tang Family's rooms to meet with Tang Hui.

"The Miss is not here," Yuan Dashi answered awkwardly.

"Hmph, if this were before, you would have persistently questioned me on my motives. But now that you know about my cultivation, your attitude has changed. Don't you feel ashamed about your petty little attitude?"

"You-you little brat!"

Mindful that they were in the Martial Alliance, Yuan Dashi lowered his voice when he got angry this time.

"Well, if you make a fuss for no reason, the Miss will probably poison your food or something."

Yuan Dashi immediately went silent.

"Wait, really?"

Although Zhou Xuchuan had said it as a joke, it turned out there might have been some truth to it after all…

"N-no! The Miss is not that sort of person!"

"I can hear the tremble in your voice. Besides, ever since you started arguing with me, you've been going to the bathroom quite a bit…"

Zhou Xuchuan had learned a truth he didn't want to know.

All of Tang Hui's guards had an unusually high level of mastery of poison arts. Zhou Xuchuan began to wonder if it was because the Poison Phoenix regularly poisoned them.

"Anyway, where did she go if she's not here?"

"Ahem."

Yuan Dashi fell silent. The other bodyguards had similar reactions.

'What is it?'

Come to think of it, Tang Hui had been strangely quiet since they arrived at the Martial Alliance. Suddenly, Zhou Xuchuan grew curious.

"I'll end up finding out if I ask other people anyway."

"... hmph. She went to see the Little Patriarch."

"If you mean the Little Patriarch…"

Zhou Xuchuan's eyes widened at the unexpected reveal.

"The Poison Dragon is in the Martial Alliance?"

The Sichuan Tang Family had produced both a Dragon and a Phoenix in one generation.

While it wasn't common, it wasn't completely unheard of, either.

The Poison Dragon…

Zhou Xuchuan didn't know much about the Little Patriarch of the Tang Family, the Poison Dragon.

According to his memories of his previous life, he had just been an unremarkable person who succeeded as Patriarch after the Poison King died.

The Poison Dragon hadn't gotten much attention in his previous life because he hadn't really done much. All Zhou Xuchuan had known about him was that his poison skills was strong.

"It would be better not to go see him now," Yuan Dashi warned, his face completely serious.

Hmm.

While he didn't want to approach the Little Patriarch without a good reason and risk putting him in a bad mood, Zhou Xuchuan's curiosity was still piqued.

Should I just go take a quick peek?

Although there hadn't been any special anecdotes about the Tang Family siblings in his original timeline, the guards' reactions alone were enough to make him concerned.

"Thanks for answering me."

The moment he left the Tang Family quarters, he went outside and reached out to the maid assigned to Tang Hui.

"Did you happen to see where Young Lady Tang might have gone?"

"Y-yes!" the maid answered with a slight blush.

The other maids gathered around her after Zhou Xuchuan thanked her and left, chattering about how envious they were.

"Wasn't that Young Master Zhou, the Great Hero Plum Blossom Order Sword?"

"It was! You're so lucky!"

The Zhou Xuchuan, who had once been looked down on as the Phoenix Slayer, was gone.

In his place, there was the Plum Blossom Order Sword Zhou Xuchuan, who had ended the Seven Swords War and burned the Blood Muscle and Tendon Classic for the safety of the murim.

Not only did he come from a prestigious background, but his appearance had also become quite handsome after his Bodily Reformation. So, of course, he was famous.

Regardless, he followed the eyewitness accounts of those around him and headed to where Tang Hui was.

Since she was so famous, there were plenty of eyewitnesses to guide him.

As he went further, the people around him began to disappear, and the presence of humans gradually faded. After walking for a while, all he could see was a gloomy, windowless manor in the distance.

"This must be the Poison Institute."

After reading the sign, he understood why there were no people around.

The Poison Institute researched poisons and made antidotes. They also performed autopsies on corpses who had died from poisons.

Because of this, most people couldn't approach it without caution, fearing that any poison might leak out.

Zhou Xuchuan stopped right as he was about to continue forward.

What is she doing?

He saw Tang Hui standing in front of a gate, staring at the main entrance.

She could easily go in if she had something to do, but strangely, she was just standing in front of the gate, motionless like a stone statue.

"Hmm."

Zhou Xuchuan considered approaching her to ask what she was doing but hesitated. Even from a distance, her mood looked unpleasant.

What was she thinking? Why was she standing there alone, silently, like that?

Questions kept coming to his mind, but he couldn't think of a clear answer.

No, let's go back.

He decided to go back and find her later. If he pushed her too far, it might mess up their relationship.

Thanks to Nangong Weiwu and Zhuge Zhonghu's efforts, they were able to persuade the elders.

While they weren't able to fully persuade them of Zhou Xuchuan's plans, and everyone was left displeased, they still decided to let it go.

It was unclear why Zhuge Zhonghu, who had been the most opposed, suddenly took Zhou Xuchuan's side, but they decided to ask about it later.

Nangong Weiwu kept trying to convince Zhou Xuchuan to switch sides by tying them together in an engagement. He was sincere in his efforts, doing everything possible to arrange meetings between Zhou Xuchuan and his granddaughters.

That was why he licked his lips and felt regretful when Zhou Xuchuan handed him a letter from Mount Hua Sect and told him that he had to return.

"Then I'll go back, too."

Tang Hui also decided to return to Sichuan. It seemed that the Tang Family was also curious about the situation of the Seven Swords War.

"Don't forget about that."

Zhou Xuchuan pointed at Tang Hui's finger.

The Mind Qi Separator sparkled in the sunlight.

"Yeah."

1. You might have seen this in TUS, but Gege (Chinese for Oppa) is used in historical/murim fiction to denote the difference between blood-related older brothers (oppa/orabeoni) and husbands/lovers (gege). Now, we just use oppa for all contexts in Korea. ☜