Chapter 962: Master and Disciple Meet Again as Strangers

“Please enter, dear guest.” The green bird’s voice rang out.

The gray-haired young man standing outside the door smiled and nodded.

He stepped into the courtyard and looked around. When he saw Su Yi reclining in a wicker chair beneath the ancient tree, he couldn’t help but feel a bit dazed.

It’s that young man again!

The gray-haired young man recalled that earlier today, the Thunderflame Demon Sovereign entered the City of Eternal Night behind a young man in blue.

He also remembered that when he first saw the young man in the distance, he felt an indescribable sense of familiarity. It was quite strange.

He’d already guessed that there was something fishy about this young man’s origins!

However, he still wouldn’t have guessed that he’d encounter the young man in blue here in the Timekeeper’s courtyard.

Especially since the young man in blue seemed so relaxed. He sprawled out languidly in a wicker chair, holding a fat orange cat and sipping wine. He didn’t so much as look over even when the gray-haired young man entered the courtyard.

Indeed, this young man is no ordinary person, but… why does he seem so strangely familiar?

The gray-haired young man’s brow furrowed slightly.

As he pondered, he was already headed toward the nearby main hall.

Immediately after he disappeared, Su Yi said, “Remove the restriction. I want to hear what he’s come here for.”

“Got it.” The orange cat hurriedly agreed.

……

Inside the hall, the only source of light was a single lamp.

The Timekeeper sat in the shadows, dressed in black cotton robes. A green bird perched on his shoulder.

“Greetings, Senior.” The gray-haired young man approached, but he merely inclined his head in greeting.

The old man smiled and thought nothing of it. “And what have you come here for?”

After a moment’s thought, the gray-haired young man said, “Two things.”

“Let’s start with the first, then.”

The gray-haired young man nodded. “I came to the Netherworld to ask about when the Swordmaster of Abstruse Force explored the Sea of Bitterness. Which places did he visit?”

The old man’s turbid eyes shone with a hint of strange light, and he sighed. “Child, are you no longer willing to call the Swordmaster of Abstruse Force ‘master’?”

The gray-haired young man’s pupils constricted, and a moment later, he sighed. “Everyone says that the City of Eternal Night’s Ringe ro the Bell knows everything that happens in the Sea of Bitterness. It seems you live up to your reputation.”

The old man waved this thought away. “No need for useless pleasantries. Several hundred years ago, your eldest senior apprentice brother visited the Netherworld and asked me that very question. I didn’t tell him anything, and I won’t tell you anything either.”

The gray-haired young man was stunned. “Why is that?”

The old man sighed. “If you abuse your master and betray your ancestors, people will inevitably look down on you.”

The gray-haired young man’s brow furrowed, and his whirlpool-like eyes were terrifying to behold. “Senior, I’m afraid you know nothing of the Grotto of Abstruse Force’s affairs…”

He was just about to say something when the old man waved and cut him off. “Tell me the second thing you want to discuss.”

There was already an obvious sullen anger about the young man’s expression.

After a moment’s silence, he suppressed his displeasure and said, “I wanted to ask just who went to the Dark Market and bought up their entire supply of the Three Stones of Rebirth.”

The old man looked up and stared intently at the gray-haired young man before saying, “The Dark Market has its rules, and I naturally won’t break them.”

The gray-haired young man took a deep breath and smiled, but it didn’t contain even the slightest trace of emotion. “Senior, don’t tell me you have something against me?”

The old man said calmly, “It has never been true that I grant every request presented to me, no matter who makes it.”

The gray-haired young man shook his head. “I no longer have any requests. I’d just like to say that earlier, I called Master ‘the Swordmaster of Abstruse Force, but that was simply because I didn’t wish to reveal my identity.

“Also, I never once betrayed the sect prior to Master’s passing, yet you’ve gone and accused me of abusing my master and spurning my ancestors. Don’t you think that’s a bit over the line?”

He was obviously angry.

The old man laughed. “That so? I must have misunderstood.”

The gray-haired young man thought for a moment. “Senior, might you answer at least some of my questions out of consideration for my master?”

The green bird’s gaze turned a bit strange. The same went for the orange cat listening from the courtyard.

Su Yi remained silent in his wicker chair.

The old man said softly, “Tell me why you’ve come to the Sea of Bitterness, and I wouldn’t mind answering your first question. Remember, I want the truth.”

The gray-haired young man said after a moment’s silence, “I heard rumors that my master didn’t really pass away, and that he instead underwent reincarnation. Thus, I came to the Netherworld to investigate on my eldest senior apprentice brother’s orders.”

The old man’s eyes flashed. “So, you’ve already made contact with Pi Mo’s four disciples?”

The gray-haired young man nodded. “That’s right. They’re the ones who told me that a long time ago, my master entered the Burial Ground of the Dao, and that they suspect it’s there that he uncovered secrets connected to reincarnation.”

The old man asked again, “And if you discover that your master has indeed reincarnated, what will you do?”

The gray-haired young man was instantly silent.

A moment later, he frowned. “Senior, it seems none of that has much to do with you?”

The old man said, “Forget it. If you’re not willing to tell me, I won’t push.”

He then took a jade slip from his sleeves, thought for a moment, and inscribed it with his divine sense.

A moment later, he passed it to the gray-haired young man. “This contains a list of places your master visited during his time in the Sea of Bitterness.”

The gray-haired young man’s expression mellowed considerably. “Many thanks, Senior.”

The Timekeeper said, “Before you leave, would you like an old man’s unsolicited advice?”

The gray-haired young man’s gaze turned a bit strange. “Go ahead.”

The old man was solemn and inscrutable. “The Sea of Bitterness is without bounds. You must turn your head to see the shore.”

The gray-haired young man froze, and he seemed to realize what the old man was getting at. He couldn’t help but furrow his head. “How many in this world truly understand what happened back then in the Grotto of Abstruse Force?”

With that, he turned and left.

The old man shrouded in shadow watched him leave, then sighed.

……

After leaving the main hall, the gray-haired young man originally planned to just leave. However, when he saw the young man in blue reclining beneath the ancient tree, he stopped in his tracks.

He thought for a moment, then walked up and gazed intently at Su Yi’s face.

“Friend,” he said with a smile, “It’s strange, don’t you think? From the moment I first laid eyes on you, I felt as if I’d seen you somewhere before.”

Su Yi looked up and evaluated the gray-haired young man. “It’s not strange at all. This is what they call destiny.”

“Destiny?” The gray-haired young man laughed. “Interesting. Might you tell me your honorable name and surname, friend?”

Su Yi raised his hand and gently caressed the orange cat in his arms as he said distractedly, “You’ll find out later.”

“That so? Well, I’ll be looking forward to that day,” laughed the young man. “Right, forgive me for talking too much, but the Far Shore has already set their sights on the Thunderflame Demon Sovereign. You’d best be careful not to let him implicate you. If you do, it’s hard to say what’ll become of you.”

With that, he turned and left.

A teenager, that’s all. His bone age was eighteen at most, and his cultivation was merely in the Spiritual Revolution Realm. His origins were a bit mysterious, that was all.?He wasn’t worthy of the gray-haired young man’s attention.

However, as the gray-haired young man reached the courtyard doors, Su Yi’s voice suddenly resounded from behind him.

“Watch yourself.”

It was just two words, but the implications made the gray-haired young man frown. “What do you mean, friend?”

Su Yi ignored him. He simply looked down and continued petting the cat.

The gray-haired young man suddenly burst into laughter, turned, and left.

It was only after he’d left that his smile gradually faded, and the depths of his gaze shone with imposing divine luster.

He muttered to himself,

A little guy like you, acting mysterious with me? Whatever you do, don’t let me catch you.

What he really couldn’t wrap his head around was the Timekeeper’s attitude.

Why would someone who’d lived so long view him as a traitor to his master??And why would he use the phrase, “The Sea of Bitterness is without bounds. You must turn your head to see the shore” to warn him?

The Timekeeper undoubtedly knows a lot about Master. Alas, his strength is deep and unfathomable, and the City of Eternal Night is his territory. There’s no way I can force him to spit out the truth.

The gray-haired young man sighed to himself, shook his head, and gave the matter no further thought.

He planned to investigate further and see just who had bought all the Three Stones of Rebirth. He wouldn’t rest easy until he’d accomplished this.

…

Meanwhile, within the courtyard.

Su Yi’s calm, handsome face flickered beneath the mottled lamplight.

The orange cat felt inexplicably uneasy. For some reason, His Excellency Su suddenly seemed dangerous!

“Fellow Daoist, had you spoken up earlier, I would have kept him here for you.” The Timekeeper’s voice emanated from within the main hall. “But it didn’t seem like you had any such intentions.”

Su Yi said softly, “I won’t do that until I’ve figured out exactly what happened then. If I do, I’m afraid I’ll alert them.”

“Them?” asked the Timekeeper. “Do you mean Pi Mo?”

Su Yi said casually, “And Qing Tang.”

So many unexpected developments occurred after his reincarnation. Thinking back on it now, a lot of it seemed fishy. He didn’t want to let his disciples know he’d reincarnated and returned any earlier than necessary.

After a moment’s silence, the Timekeeper said, “If you ask me, the young man I just met with didn’t seem like the type to spurn and betray his master.”

Su Yi smiled. “I hope that’s the case.”

The gray-haired young man he’d met earlier was called Ye Luo. He was Su Yi’s sixth legacy disciple!

In the Wilds, Ye Luo’s reputation was not as impressive as Pi Mo’s, and his talent was also not as heaven-defying as Qing Tang’s, but he was still a rare talent for the Dao of the Sword.?Despite his outward cynicism, his heart was as firm as iron, and he killed decisively.

Back in the day, Su Yi gave the Three Stones of Rebirth he’d gathered to Ye Luo. They proved wondrously useful as Ye Luo broke into the Profound Serenity Realm.

It was just that Su Yi would never have guessed that he’d encounter this disciple of his here today, in the Timekeeper’s territory. Furthermore, Ye Luo was also here in part to gather the Three Stones of Rebirth.

𝗳𝐫𝚎𝗲𝚠𝚎𝗯𝕟𝐨𝘃𝚎𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝗺

Xuan Ning was right. Ye Luo really has joined the Abstruse Force Alliance, and he stands in the same camp as Pi Mo,

Su Yi muttered to himself.

Back in the Azure Continent, his seventh disciple, Xuan Ning, told him that his third, fourth, and sixth disciples—Huo Yao, Jin Kui, and Ye Luo—had joined Pi Mo’s Abstruse Force Alliance!