Chapter 18: The Benefactor of the Great Elder
Shangguan Qixue sat in a chair, leaning against the long table, her right arm bent to support her head, and her hair fell down to cover her worried expression. When Tang Qing walked in, she didn't even bother to look up at him, just waving her hand slightly.
Tang Qing wore a worn-out robe, standing there casually, his eyes also gazing at the Great Elder, his sword-like eyebrows slightly furrowed, as if he was also wondering about something. He felt that this old man looked somewhat familiar, as if he had seen him somewhere before, but no matter how hard he thought, he couldn't quite recall, so he didn't pay much attention to it.
"Great Elder?"
The old man's expression was somewhat strange and he stared tightly at Tang Qing, even a bit dazed. Upper Official Qi Xue couldn't help but feel some doubt and called out.
The old man suddenly came to his senses, coughed dryly twice, covering up his own embarrassment, and then also stretched out his arm to start feeling Tang Jing's bones.
"This disciple's bone structure isn't ideal." After feeling Tang Jing's bone structure, the Great Elder's eyebrows were also deeply furrowed, saying, "However, if using Huai Xu Dan as a guide to wash his marrow, there should be some changes."
"This is exactly where I'm puzzled, even with the worst qualifications, after taking Huajiu Dan and building the foundation, there should be some change, but he... Alas!" Xiang Guixue sighed and continued to rub her temples, asking, "I wonder if the Great Elder can find out what's going on?"
The old man thought for a moment, but shook his head, this situation was also his first encounter.
Since even the Great Elder had no solution, Shangguan Qiusuo became even more desperate. She stood up and bid farewell to the Great Elder before quickly leaving.
Back at the manor, Shangguan Qixue felt physically and mentally exhausted. She summoned Biyi and instructed her, "Biayi, I may need to leave for a few days."
"What? Master, where are you going?" Bi Yi was shocked and confused. Ever since that Tang guy came, everything the master did made no sense to her.
Shangguan Qixue sighed and didn't respond. Now, even Huajuxuan Dan and Ximuzi couldn't help Tang Qing change his root bone. She had to go out once, ask her master for a drop of "Sancai Tianquan", although she was too ashamed to face her master again. For Ling'er and Mo'er, for the sake of letting that Tang boy successfully build his foundation, she could only swallow her pride and return once more.
"In the few days I'm away, try your best to urge Tang Qing to cultivate."
……
Today, Qingyu Gate was very lively, especially the outer gate. Many disciples were discussing the events of this morning. As an outer gate disciple, Wang Baozi did not participate in the event this morning, not because he didn't want to, but because he wasn't qualified. This time, the incident was initiated by eight hot candidates participating in the Jinwu Grand Competition, and the disciples who went were all confidants of these eight people. Although Wang Baozi was eloquent, he didn't mix well among the outer gate disciples.
Regarding the morning's events, he was extremely curious, so when those people returned, he squeezed into the crowd to listen for news. At this time, a disciple walked into the crowd, who was precisely Zhang Lao Da. Since they were both gamblers, Wang Bao Zi and Zhang Lao Da had a pretty good relationship. Seeing Zhang Lao Da come out, he hurriedly went forward to try to get close to him, but Zhang Lao Da seemed to be in no mood to pay attention to him, instead shouting towards the crowd.
"Is there anyone among you who knows a man named Tang Jing?"
Tang Qing? Who is he?
Everyone expressed that they didn't know, but Wang Huaizi was stunned. He still clearly remembered that yesterday in the mountain forest, he met a guy who did miscellaneous chores at the inner gate named Tang Qing. Wang Huaizi didn't speak up, and the other disciples asked one after another.
"Boss Zhang, what's this Tang Jing we've never heard of, is there something going on?"
"Zhang Lao Da said, 'The disciple appointed by the master this time is called Tang Qing. You all listen up, now immediately gather all disciples and go find Tang Qing for me. Once you've found him, notify me at once!'"
Just now, all the disciples were still discussing which saint was actually appointed as a direct disciple by the master of the Shangguan family. Now that Zhang Lao Da has mentioned the name, the disciples are all expressing their surprise, because they have never heard of the name Tang Qing before, nor have they ever heard that there is such a person in the Qingyu Gate.
However, Wang Baozi was shocked in his heart. He never thought that the guy he met in the mountain forest would be the personally appointed disciple of the Upper Official Gate Master. My god! Wang Baozi didn't speak and secretly left. On his way back, he found out that not only Li Shao's confidant was looking for Tang Qing, but also the other seven young masters who participated in the Jinwu Grand Competition were searching for Tang Qing's whereabouts.
As night fell, the sky gradually darkened.
Qingyu Gate, the inner gate. In a remote mountain behind, there was a courtyard that still had lights on. The mountain was where the ancestors of Qingyu Gate were buried. Few people entered this mountain, and everyone knew that the only courtyard here was where the Great Elder lived.
A wooden table and chairs with simple decorations, only a few crystals embedded in the wall emitting light to illuminate the room.
The old man stood there, looking up at a painting hanging on the wall opposite him.
The painting depicts a man, about twenty years old, with an ordinary appearance, calm expression, and cold eyes. A hint of arrogance between his eyebrows makes one's heart skip a beat. He wears a blue robe, as if descending from the sky. This portrait seems to capture a moment in time. The person in the painting bears some resemblance to Tang Jing, which is indeed the case. Otherwise, when seeing Tang Jing in the grand hall today, the elder would not have been so flustered.
The great elder could never forget the events of fifty years ago, for that day was a turning point in his fate. Fifty years ago, he was still a young and enviable elder among the upper echelons, full of vigor and ambition. Upon learning that a thousand-year-old demon had emerged on Mount Wangu, he invited several friends to join him in slaying the demon. Little did they know that the old demon's powers were far beyond their own, and they were no match for it. If not for the sudden appearance of a senior elder who killed the demon, he would have likely been devoured by the old demon long ago.
To this day, he clearly remembers that the superior being descended from heaven, without saying a word, and scared the terrifying thousand-year-old demon to death. The old demon wanted to retreat, but the superior being just let out a loud shout, and the old demon was immediately shattered into pieces.
For decades, he had been inquiring about the whereabouts of that senior fellow, but unfortunately, after asking many people, no one knew who the senior was, so much so that even the great elder did not have the opportunity to repay his gratitude. This is also the greatest regret of his life. This painting was also painted by him based on memory, and every day he would knock and worship to repay the kindness of saving his life back then.
"When I saw that young man with the surname Tang on the grand hall today, I really thought heaven had opened its eyes and let me meet a benefactor..."
That young man with the surname Tang may look similar, but it's impossible for him to be the one who could scare the thousand-year-old demon of Mount Wanjun to death and shatter its body with a single roar, in the impression of the Great Elder. The Great Elder cannot imagine what kind of existence that senior was!
How could such a high-ranking person have no cultivation at all? How could he appear in front of Qingyu Gate?
"Alas... If I can meet a benefactor in my lifetime, I, Lei Hong, would die without regret."
