Chapter 93: The Entrance to the Spirit Mountain Formation

As for whether Yun Ting wanted something from him, Luo Changning was not particularly worried. He simply could not imagine what he might possess that would be worth Yun Ting’s scheming.

After all, one was a master of the Heaven-Ascending Realm, while the other was merely a postnatal martial artist. One was the current patriarch of the Yun family, the oldest hidden clan in existence, with ten thousand years of history; Luo Changning, by comparison, was no more than the young master of a family of physicians and gu practitioners.

Besides, even if Yun Ting did have some ulterior motive toward him, what could he do about it? He was no match for Yun Ting in the first place. The difference between them was as vast as heaven and earth. If Yun Ting wanted something from him, there would be no need for such roundabout schemes or painstaking effort. He could simply seize it by force. Even ten thousand men like Luo Changning would not be his match.

After analyzing the matter from every angle, Luo Changning felt much more at ease. He would take things one step at a time; when a boat reached the bridge, the way forward would naturally reveal itself. He could hardly let such a splendid opportunity pass him by for no reason.

What Luo Changning had not expected, however, was that Yun Ting truly did have designs upon him.

It was not for any worldly possession, but for a faith—a faith passed down through the generations since ten thousand years ago.

The oath made by their ancestors ten thousand years earlier had never been forgotten by the successive patriarchs of the Yun family. Nor had any of them dared to forget it.

They had merely been waiting for that blade to appear, waiting for the one destined to wield it.

Having achieved the purpose of his visit, Yun Ting contentedly stroked his black beard. His smile appeared genial on the surface, while inwardly tears of emotion were already streaming down his face.

At last, he had encountered the person whom every Yun family patriarch across the generations had awaited—the legendary one.

From this day forward, the Yun family would become another blade in the young man’s hand, a blade that would cut through every thorn in his path and help him return to the summit…

Luo Changning had no idea of the surging emotions in Yun Ting’s heart. He was more concerned with another matter.

He asked Yun Ting, “Senior Yun, you won’t mind if I bring my family along, will you?”

Yun Ting had been imagining what violent changes this young man would bring to the world when Luo Changning’s question abruptly interrupted his thoughts.

It took him a long while to understand what Luo Changning meant. He hurriedly nodded and said, “Of course not. Little fellow, anyone you care about may accompany you to Spirit Mountain.”

Before coming to see Luo Changning, Yun Ting had already gathered information about him. He knew that Luo Changning would certainly be unwilling to leave behind his maternal aunt, the woman named Su Meng.

After all, Su Meng had never practiced martial arts and possessed not the slightest ability to protect herself. It was only natural that Luo Changning would be concerned about her.

For a martial artist, nothing was more taboo than having worries and concerns in one’s heart. Without complete concentration, one would accomplish half as much with twice the effort, wasting time for nothing.

Once everything had been settled, Luo Changning took Yun Ting and Yun Ruoyi to Su Meng’s courtyard to find her.

Su Meng had always been indifferent to affairs in the martial world, but she knew very well how powerful the hidden clans were.

Now that she knew the Yun family’s patriarch intended to teach Luo Changning martial arts, she was delighted. Yun Ting was a martial artist of the Heaven-Ascending Realm, after all—more than capable of contending with Dugu Bancheng.

Although Su Meng had tacitly accepted Luo Changning’s desire to seek revenge against Dugu Bancheng, that did not mean she was free from worry.

In truth, she was terribly worried. Even someone as powerful as Luo Feng had ultimately been reduced to a state in which not a trace of his bones remained. No matter how carefully Luo Changning proceeded, countless dangers still awaited him on the road ahead.

Now, if he could obtain the Yun family’s protection—or even their assistance—that would naturally be ideal. Even if Luo Changning ultimately failed to take his revenge, he would still have a way out and would not have to lose his life.

Su Meng was gentle, but that did not mean she was selfless. For the sake of the person she wished to protect, she would not hesitate to make use of another’s goodwill.

So long as Luo Changning remained safe, she would not regret today’s decision, even if it meant dragging the Yun family into the mire.

However, when Su Meng learned that Luo Changning had rejected Yun Ting’s proposal to take him as a disciple merely because he already had a master, her expression immediately darkened.

It became even worse when she learned that he had once sworn that, for even one day as his teacher, that person would be his father for life.

Yet Su Meng also knew that certain matters could not be revealed to Luo Changning just yet, so she said nothing more.

Thus, less than ten days after Luo Changning and the others had returned to the Su family estate from Southpeace Circuit, they once again packed their belongings and followed Yun Ting to the Yun family’s hidden Spirit Mountain.

This time, however, they did not dismiss their servants. Luo Changning would eventually have to leave the mountain to undergo training, and it would be better for him to have someone at the Su family estate to look after things when that day came.

Su Meng waited until they were almost at the formation beneath Spirit Mountain before using a voice-transmitting gu to inform that collateral-branch elder that the four of them—master and servants—had already departed. Naturally, she did not reveal that they were heading to the Yun family’s Spirit Mountain. She merely said that they had matters to attend to and would be gone for a long time.

Therefore, when Luo Qingshi arrived at the Su family estate once again with reddened eyes, all she found was Mo Garden, now devoid of Luo Changning.

She was so furious that she gnashed her teeth, pounded her chest, and stamped her feet.

Although this cousin of his possessed only ordinary features, her figure had developed remarkably well. As she moved, her full breasts rose and fell and swayed from side to side, presenting a rather alluring sight.

Among the collateral-branch clansmen who had hurried to the Su family estate after hearing the news, there were naturally some harboring ulterior motives. Their expressions were equally unpleasant, as though they had been made fools of.

In truth, Luo Changning and Su Meng were worthy of being close blood relatives. Both of them always thought first of the other.

The reason Luo Changning had agreed to enter the Yun family’s hidden Spirit Mountain was not only that he wished to grow stronger, but also that he wanted Su Meng to have a safe place to stay.

That way, even if his identity were exposed one day, Dugu Bancheng would be unable to harm Su Meng.

Moreover, if he intended to seek revenge, he naturally could not keep Su Meng by his side at all times.

Su Meng was entirely defenseless. If she encountered an evildoer, she would have no ability to resist. What had happened at Heavenly Gate Mountain had already taught Luo Changning a lesson, and he did not want such a thing to happen again.

After all, Su Meng’s beauty was simply too remarkable, too dazzling. Combined with her gentle temperament, as soft as water, she was bound to attract attention.

Before entering Spirit Mountain, Luo Changning could not help reflecting that the person in yesterday’s teahouse truly had not been exaggerating.

These hidden clans were unfathomably deep. No one could have imagined that the entrance to the formation leading into the Yun family’s hidden domain would actually be a field of cherry blossoms.

As everyone knew, a single cherry tree had at least tens of thousands of petals. Finding the entrance among so many petals was clearly no easy task. To say nothing of the fact that no one would ever think to look in such a place.

Who could have imagined that such a wondrous mechanism was concealed among countless cherry blossoms?