"Whoa! Chief Lu, who had the guts to cripple one of your hands? Tell me, and I'll teach them a lesson!"
Several of the top ten elders, who were organizing and overseeing this Raten Taishō event, had gathered together.
Lu Ci's hand hadn't healed yet, but he still showed up. After witnessing Double Hand and the Mysterious Mechanism Converts All Art, he wanted to see what was so special about the much-talked-about Qi-State Origin-Flow Art.
Seeing Lu Jin's gloating face, Lu Ci felt uneasy. The Old Celestial Master glanced at Lu Ci's injured left shoulder and said, "Enough, Old Lu! He'll be fine in a couple of days. No need to exaggerate."
"That's too... I mean, that's great!"
Lu Jin replied, pretending to be disappointed.
Lu Ci: "..."
Wang Ai had already noticed Lu Ci's shoulder injury. However, knowing Lu Ci's mad dog personality, Wang figured that the one who injured him was already dealt with.
"Now that the rules of Raten Taishō are set, I hope there won't be any more disturbances. You two should help maintain order with your influence," Lu Jin said to Lu Ci and Wang Ai, smiling.
Lu Ci and Wang Ai could read between the lines. The Celestial Master Sect had already made compromises and changed the rules of the event. If anyone wanted to achieve something, they better not push their luck. Otherwise, the Lu family and the Celestial Master Sect would be tough to handle.
"Haha, a government official is coming to inspect, so I'll be off!"
The Old Celestial Master checked a message on his phone, smiled at the group, and walked out.
...
"Man, this place is lively!"
Lin Jiu arrived at Mount Longhu but didn't rush to go up the mountain. The area around the mountain had become a bustling tourist spot, resembling a temple fair. After fighting for half a month, he figured he deserved to enjoy it for a bit.
"How much for this pendant?"
"Ah, you've got good taste! This is an authentic Ming Dynasty jade pendant, only 20,000 yuan!"
"Come on, why so expensive?"
"This is a family heirloom! If you think it's pricey, I feel the same way!"
"Is this pendant authentic?"
"Are you messing with me? Just say if you want it or not!"
"If it's authentic, of course, I want it! How about 20 yuan?"
"You dare to bargain like that!"
"Are you selling or not?"
"Sold!"
Lin Jiu walked away with the pendant, looking at the vendor, who tearfully earned a mere 19 yuan.
"It's not about how much you cut, it's about how fast the seller says yes!"
Zhang Chulan, watching the intense bargaining, seriously doubted if he was in the right place. One of the greatest Outcast factions in the world, with a heritage spanning millennia, felt more like a marketplace!
"Oh hey, isn't that the Sect Leader Red? Long time no see, I missed you!"
Xu Si's voice called out just as Lin Jiu was about to find another vendor to haggle with.
"Really? I'll be sure to visit you more often!"
Lin Jiu chuckled. It seemed his reputation wasn't so bad after all.
Xu Si's face twitched. He was just being polite. In his eyes, wherever this guy went, as long as no one died, it was considered peaceful—he was a walking disaster.
"Haha, Brother Red, so nice to meet you in person! Brother Si speaks so highly of you, calling you a role model for us young folks—strong, and with an official seal of approval for your literary talents, truly a man of both brain and brawn! I'm Zhang Chulan, finally glad to meet you!"
Recognizing Xu Si's address, Zhang Chulan immediately knew who the young man before him was and greeted him warmly.
"Great! I like your attitude," Lin Jiu said, smirking.
"If it were me, I couldn't pull that off—I'm just not good at kneeling."
Zhang Chulan was a talent. If he were in Reincarnation Paradise, he wouldn't be able to match the maniacs and killers there, but he'd certainly outshine most regular contractors.
While Lin Jiu pondered this, he didn't consider where he stood about Zhang Chulan—whether he was better or worse.
"Brother Red, you're here for the Raten Taishō too, right? How about joining us?"
Zhang Chulan, feeling familiar, invited Lin Jiu to team up. If not for Lin Jiu's rather... peculiar aura, he would've already thrown an arm around his shoulder.
"Sure, let's go together."
Lin Jiu glanced at Feng Baobao, who was casually munching on some chips. She probably had more to offer than just being a main storyline character, maybe even a hidden mission.
But Lin Jiu didn't have much interest. With only a month left, unless more time was added, failing to complete it could lead to serious consequences. He'd check out any new info before deciding.
"This place is not what I imagined!"
Zhang Chulan scratched his head, taking in the bustling atmosphere around him.
"I think it's great."
Lin Jiu was enjoying the local snacks, which made Feng Baobao's eyes light up. Soon, the two of them teamed up to raid the street's food stalls.
"Right on!"
Feng Baobao, cheeks puffed with food, agreed with Lin Jiu.
"Alright, once we've finished looking around, we can head up the mountain," Xu Si had no objections to the food stall duo. Since they were letting Feng Baobao participate in Raten Taishō, they wanted her to mingle with other Outcast of her generation.
Otherwise, even if she was brought to Mount Longhu, they wouldn't have her join the event, to avoid attracting attention. They were mainly wary of those old geezers discovering something about Feng Baobao.
"260 yuan each... highway robbery!"
Zhang Chulan looked at his ticket and then turned to Lin Jiu, who seemed unfazed.
"Brother Red, you don't seem surprised! Have you been to Mount Longhu before?"
"Nope, but isn't it normal to buy a ticket for a famous mountain? No matter how powerful the Outcast factions are, they can't just take over the mountain."
"That makes sense!"
Zhang Chulan thought to himself, no wonder this guy was praised in the state news—his mindset was next level!
"Is there any place left untouched by the Tourism Bureau?"
Zhang Chulan still fumed over the 260 yuan ticket.
"Haha, not many! Our Wudang Mountain has it even worse!"
A young man dressed as a Taoist priest appeared next to Zhang Chulan, laughing bitterly.
"Wudang Sect, Wang Ye. What's your name?"
Wang Ye asked with a smile, knowing Zhang Chulan was the one who sparked his trip to Raten Taishō.
"My name is Zhang Chulan."
"Zhang Chulan, huh..."
Wang Ye's eyes held a hidden meaning, though he didn't show it.
Meanwhile, Feng Baobao had become intrigued by a fortune-telling monk nearby.
"From your palm, it's clear you'll be wealthy and live a long life!"
The old monk began with a seasoned line.
Lin Jiu overheard and thought to himself, Live a long life...? Feng Baobao already looks like this since her awakening in 1944—at least 20 years old—and now, 60 years later, she's still the same! Isn't this guy cursing her, saying she only has 20 years left?