Chapter 131, Grief!

Translator: StarReader

 

Su Chen, Ah Nu, and Woodcutter Wu journeyed toward Immortal City Zhaoge, and it wasn’t long before they arrived at a manor constructed by an immortal cultivation family along the way. A circle of bluestone formed walls several dozen feet high, enclosing several miles of land.

 

Such estates had a small population, approximately a thousand people, mostly of the same clan. Within the manor, there were few immortal cultivation practitioners; the majority were descendants of cultivators, with some mortals residing within the estate.

 

Su Chen and Ah Nu came to understand that around Immortal City Zhaoge, within a radius of hundreds of miles, there were quite a few manors like this, and the mortal population even exceeded the immortal cultivation practitioners within the immortal city.

 

They were mostly descendants of immortal cultivation practitioners, settled in the manors near Immortal City Zhaoge, and rarely left to live in the secular cities of Great Tang.

 

At the entrance to the manor, there was a shop selling wine, meat, and tea, managed by a single mortal shopkeeper.

 

Having walked for nearly half a month in the mountains, Su Chen and the others planned to stop for a rest at the wine shop, eat a few bowls of soup noodles, and then head into the manor to find Master Lu, whom Woodcutter Wu had spoken of.

 

Along the way, Woodcutter Wu spoke of the miraculous abilities of this old senior.

 

“Brother Lu is a renowned old senior in Immortal City Zhaoge. He cultivates an extremely rare Heavenly Machinations Art. It is an ancient divination art. He knows the heavens and the earth, has read tens of thousands of volumes, has been a wandering Daoist, has extensive knowledge, and is capable of everything. By pacing, he can discern a person’s fate; by grasping his hands, he can calculate the mandate of heaven. There is nothing he cannot do regarding the matters of this world.

 

“Compared to Brother Lu, I am merely a crude woodcutter, insignificant.”

 

Woodcutter Wu’s eyebrows danced, and spittle flew as he spoke. Clearly, he held great respect for this extraordinarily capable old Senior, Lu.

 

“So powerful!”

 

Su Chen couldn’t help but be curious and wanted to meet this great person.

 

…

 

The three were enjoying tea.

 

Suddenly, they saw an elderly man with white, disheveled hair, around seventy years old, accompanied by a young attendant, flee the manor carrying his luggage with evident distress.

 

A robust woman in her forties, wielding a broom, pursued the elderly man, unleashing a torrent of curses: “Lu Song, you worthless good-for-nothing! You went to Zhaoge on a business venture and lost five hundred spirit stones. Do you intend to squander the spirit stones in our household?”

 

The elderly man, his head bowed in flight, was incensed by the woman’s insults, and without turning, he roared, “How dare you, woman, insult me?”

 

The robust woman immediately spat in his face, and continued to curse, “You useless bag of rotten bones! You lost money on your business and now blame me for it?”

 

The elderly man, his face flushed, defended himself, “Losing money on a business is simply bad luck. Profits and losses are commonplace. How can you blame me?!”

 

The woman berated, “Your Brother Lu Song assigned you to guard the city gate in Zhaoge City, knowing he might incur a loss. You should earn at least a few dozen spirit stones a month. Why didn’t you do that?”

 

The elderly man was immediately provoked, and his face grew red, “I am Master Lu, a fully grown man! I will not be a dog guarding a city gate! I’d rather wander the world than endure such a thing.”

 

“Get out! Get out of the manor and never return!”

 

The woman lunged at him with the broom.

 

The elderly man dared not retaliate and merely fled in all directions, causing a flurry of chaos within the manor.

 

The many mortals residing in the manor gathered before their doors to watch the spectacle, pointing and gesturing at the elderly man. It was clear that this was not the first time this had happened; it occurred frequently.

 

The elderly man was an immortal cultivation practitioner, but they showed no fear, for these people were the masters of this manor. He, however, was merely an immortal cultivation practitioner who had married into the family and was, moreover, a good-for-nothing who was incapable of accomplishing anything, naturally holding little standing within the manor.

 

“Lu… Brother Lu… what happened to him?!”

 

Woodcutter Wu, seeing this chaotic scene within the manor, was astonished.

 

This decrepit old man was no other than the Senior he deeply respected and admired from Immortal City Zhaoge, Master Lu.

 

Today, he brought Su Chen and Ah Nu to find Senior Lu, hoping that this experienced Senior would guide them and offer some assistance. He never expected to see Master Lu being chased and beaten by a violent woman, witnessing such a miserable scene.

 

“He’s Senior Lu?”

 

Su Chen nearly spat out his tea when he heard that this was Senior Lu.

 

The Senior Lu who was lauded by big brother Wu as wise and valiant, turned out to be like this.

 

He and Ah Nu exchanged glances. They didn’t see a remarkable person; they only saw a white-haired, decrepit old man being chased and leaping about in a pathetic manner.

 

The expression in Ah Nu’s eyes instantly became highly vigilant, and she gave Su Chen a look.

 

[Young Master, could this old man be a martial swindler?]

 

[Big brother Wu had lived in seclusion in the mountain village for many years, serving his mother at home, and had never been to Immortal City Zhaoge. He had also had little contact with external immortal cultivation practitioners, possessed an innocent and cheerful nature, and likely would have difficulty discerning such a martial swindler.]

 

Over the past year or so, she and Su Chen had sought the way of immortality, experiencing many things, and they had developed a silent understanding.

 

A single look could reveal the other’s thoughts.

 

[we’ll have to be careful…]

 

Su Chen nodded in agreement.

 

This decrepit old man looked haggard and miserable, clearly someone who thrived on free meals and deception in the martial world.

 

These types of people in the martial world were best at boasting through their words, claiming that only they were the most powerful in heaven and earth. But in reality, their abilities were profoundly lacking.

 

He especially enjoyed sponging off others, drinking for free, and specifically targeting those naive and trusting common folk. Immortal cultivators like Woodcutter Wu, who secluded themselves in mountain villages and possessed pure hearts, were the easiest to deceive with such martial tricksters.

 

It seemed it wasn’t just the martial world; even within the realm of immortals, there were those who lived off the generosity of others.

 

But Woodcutter Wu deeply revered Master Lu.

 

Su Chen, out of respect for Wu big brother, didn’t want to expose this old man’s secrets directly, to avoid embarrassing Wu Chorer.

 

…

 

That Master Lu darted around the manor, until that shrew left in a sullen mood, and he narrowly escaped disaster.

 

He walked out of the manor, carrying his baggage with that young attendant, preparing to leave the estate.

 

He unexpectedly saw Woodcutter Wu, Su Chen, and Ah Nu drinking tea at the wine shop in front of the estate, and was delighted.

 

“Brother Wu, what brings you here?”

 

Master Lu didn’t show any embarrassment at all and sat at the same table with Woodcutter Wu and the others.

 

“I’m Xiao Zhang, hello to everyone!”

 

His young attendant smiled at the three of them and sat quietly beside them.

 

Su Chen’s brow twitched slightly.

 

He only then noticed that not only was Master Lu an immortal cultivation practitioner, but this insignificant attendant, a boy of fifteen or sixteen, was also one.

 

“Brother Lu… you and sister-in-law, what were you just doing?”

Woodcutter Wu, however, seemed restless.

 

“Sigh, just some bothersome chores. I was merely doing business in Zhaoge, losing only a few hundred spirit stones. This woman just won’t let it go, scolding me and my mother every day! Let’s not talk about it.”

 

Master Lu waved his hands, his expression quite disheartened.

 

Although he was cultivating an immortal art, he had long become an immortal cultivator.

 

Cultivating in Zhaoge City required eating spirit grain, buying spirit pills to enhance cultivation, cultivating spiritual art, buying secret manual, magic item, talisman – every aspect required spirit stones.

 

Otherwise, cultivation increased slowly, and strength couldn’t be improved.

 

He had spent almost his entire life trying to make money through various ventures, but not a single one was successful. In Immortal City Zhaoge, he always lost spirit stones and never made a profit. cultivation left him impoverished and dispirited.

 

“I simply cannot stay in this estate any longer, so I’m leaving. By the way, Brother Wu, what brings you here?”

 

“I’ve recently met a new cultivaor, and I’m hoping you, old brother, can lend a hand.”

 

Woodcutter Wu stopped mentioning the matter, and introduced Su Chen and Ah Nu to Master Lu.

 

“Certainly! If you have any questions about cultivating, just ask!”

 

Master Lu nodded, and called out, “Shopkeeper, bring five bowls of meat soup noodles, with spirit rabbit meat!” Let’s eat and chat slowly, and then go to Zhaoge when we’re full.”

 

The shopkeeper of the wine shop quickly brought five bowls of meat soup noodles for the five of them.

 

Master Lu frowned, and picked at the meat in his bowl with his chopsticks.

 

He found that only his bowl had small and thin spirit rabbit meat.

The meat in his bowl was noticeably less than what was in Su Chen’s, Woodcutter Wu’s, Ah Nu’s, and even in his little attendant’s.

 

“Shopkeeper, what is the meaning of this?”

 

Master Lu slammed his hand on the table, his anger erupting, and shouted at the shopkeeper.

 

“I did not skimp on the meat, it’s simply that your broth has melted it away.”

 

The shopkeeper, a person from the estate, looked down on Master Lu, this feckless son-in-law, and intentionally put less meat in his bowl.

 

“You mortal, dare to insult Lu Master Lu… do you think that because you are a person from the estate, I cannot discipline you?”

 

Master Lu realized that the shopkeeper was intentionally taking advantage of him, and his entire body trembled with rage.

 

He unleashed a torrent of curses, spittle flying. The shopkeeper was no match for Master Lu and silenced him with a barrage of insults.

 

“You… I…”

 

Suddenly, Master Lu, pointing at the shopkeeper, grew increasingly agitated, and then, clutching his bowl of meat noodle soup, he began to wail.

 

Tears flowed freely, old tears streamed down his face.

 

Woodcutter Wu was stunned, and quickly transferred the large chunk of meat from his bowl to Master Lu, saying, ” Brother Lu, it is merely a bowl of meat, you do not need to be so upset. Here, have the meat from my bowl.”

 

Su Chen and Ah Nu were astonished and quickly gave the meat to Master Lu.

 

Master Lu, however, did not even glance at it, only cried with a heart-wrenching anguish.

 

“I am not crying about the meat! I am saddened! I, Master Lu, am seventy years old, spending half a lifetime on immortal cultivation. I fail at everything I attempt, each endeavor resulting in failure. I attempted to make a small profit from trade in the city, and actually lost several hundred spirit stones, a complete disaster, wiping out my entire fortune.

 

“I’m now reduced to, bickering and arguing with a mortal over this paltry bowl of meat!

 

“I am nothing but a failure!

 

“What kind of immortal cultivation am I pursuing? I have barely a few decades left, and it seems my life will end this way! This isn’t the miserable existence I desired!”

 

Suddenly, everyone in the tavern fell into a silence as profound as death, hearing Master Lu’s wailing cry.

 

Master Lu had lived a life of such hardship and despair, an old man crying with such a heart-wrenching sorrow.

 

Grief surged like a river!

 

“ Senior Lu!”

 

Su Chen’s heart jolted, his gaze fixed on Master Lu.

 

A profound silence fell.

 

There was a time when he wandered the streets of Gusu, enduring the same suffering, chased by vicious dogs, mocked by beggars, just to fill his belly with leftover broth, eking out a meager existence.

 

How many people in this world live such a life?

 

How often, in the quiet of night, do they find themselves overcome with sorrow, weeping bitterly, their pain unspoken, swallowed down with clenched teeth, never to be shared.

 

Every day, they toil to the point of exhaustion, yet remain as destitute as ever.

 

Su Chen sighed, a wave of melancholy washing over him.

 

He was still young, unlike Master Lu, an old man in his seventies, living a life of poverty and confusion.

Having reached Master Lu’s advanced age, and yet remaining a cultivator of unremarkable cultivation, accomplishing nothing – that despair and that bleakness of heart were beyond the comprehension of others.

 

Master Lu howled for a long time, weeping until no tears would come, and finally calmed himself, grasping the hands of Woodcutter Wu and Su Chen, and saying, “Dear brothers, forgive this old man for appearing so wretched.

 

“You are still young, but do not believe you have much time. We Qi Refining cultivators have but a hundred years of life. Strive for every moment, seize every opportunity to earn spirit stones and cultivating, and elevate cultivation!

 

“Let alone becoming a Foundation Establishment cultivator and entering the five immortal sects—those distant aspirations. At the very least, one must cultivating to late Qi Refining, and secure a position of some standing within Immortal City Zhaoge.

 

“Do not end up like this old man, growing old and yet still possessing unremarkable mid Qi Refining cultivation, unable to earn spirit stones through trade, and accomplishing nothing, and being looked down upon.

 

“Even if I harbors profound sorrow in his heart, and regret my past, what can be done? I have few years remaining; my old eyes are filled with tears, but they only serve to amuse onlookers. Dear brothers, do not follow my path.”

 

Woodcutter Wu and Su Chen nodded solemnly.

 

Master Lu had led a wretched life for most of his years, and was a pitiable old Senior cultivator. But he had at least genuinely striven, and his life’s disappointments had led to such sorrow and despair.