Chapter 923: Preparations (I)

His esteemed teacher was actually upset over something like this?

Di Nufeng had always been fearless, afraid of neither heaven nor earth. She bullied the weak without remorse but never flinched before the strong. Even when facing someone a full major realm above her, she would still shout provocations without hesitation.

Chu Liang could not say he felt the same, but he could understand it.

One only had to put themselves in Di Nufeng’s shoes. If the disciple she had raised and protected all this time suddenly surpassed her, it would be impossible not to feel a tangle of emotions.

Falling behind a senior or peer was nothing worth fretting over. But being surpassed by a junior could easily shake one’s confidence. And if that junior happened to be your only disciple, the feeling would be even harder to swallow.

Di Nufeng would never say it out loud, but deep down, she was proud and fiercely competitive. It was only natural for her emotions to be a little unsettled.

Chu Liang could not say much while wearing Daoist Yan’s face. He offered a simple excuse, said a few polite words, and quietly returned to his little cabin.

He thought she would forget about it in a few days.

But to his surprise, during the very next meal at Silver Sword Peak, Di Nufeng took her seat at the head of the table. Below her sat Chu Liang, Little Yu, and Xiaoyu’er, the only members of the peak in human form permitted to dine at the table.

As they ate, Di Nufeng suddenly looked up and said with a wistful air, "Chu Liang, your cultivation level is quite high now, and you have more than enough resources. You could probably leave Silver Sword Peak and start your own path, couldn’t you?"

"

C-Cough...

" Chu Liang nearly choked on his food.

He coughed and quickly replied, "What are you saying? I was born to be a disciple of Silver Sword Peak, and I’ll die as one. I will always stand firm beneath your banner, and that will never change."

𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"Mm." Di Nufeng gave a quiet nod and went back to eating.

Two days later, after wrapping up business on Red Cotton Peak, Chu Liang was accompanying Lin Bei and a few others on a patrol of the shops when they spotted Di Nufeng coming out of a wine shop.

"Esteemed Teacher," Chu Liang greeted her respectfully at once.

"Well now," Di Nufeng smiled. "Red Cotton Peak is getting quite lively under your management."

"It’s just a small venture," Chu Liang replied quickly. "It’s all thanks to your excellent guidance."

Then Di Nufeng sighed again and said, "Red Cotton Peak is thriving, your cultivation is soaring... I suppose the sect leader will soon have you establish your own peak and officially become its master?"

"Absolutely not!" Chu Liang shook his head firmly. "I’m just a young disciple. How could I be worthy of becoming a peak master? Esteemed Teacher, you mustn’t think that way."

The following day, Chu Liang was dining with a few companions at Red Moon Pavilion. The spicy broth of the hotpot bubbled gently in the center of the table.

At the next table, a diner wearing a felt hat and a black veil suddenly leaned back and called out in a loud voice, "That Chu Liang from the Mount Shu Sect may not be the sect leader yet, but he already stands just beneath him in status. Especially on Silver Sword Peak. If you ask me, he should go ahead and push his teacher aside to become the master of the Silver Sword Peak himself. Wouldn’t that be grand?"

"Esteemed Teacher!" Chu Liang shot to his feet and tore off the hat and veil in one swift motion.

Sure enough, beneath the disguise was Di Nufeng’s flustered face.

Chu Liang let out a long sigh. "I’ve said this before. I have no plans to strike out on my own. Can you please stop testing me?"

Now that her cover was blown, Di Nufeng erupted in a burst of flames and shot out the window, fleeing northwest in a streak of light.

Chu Liang could only raise a hand and press it to his forehead.

Now he was certain his teacher carried imperial blood. No one else could possibly reach this level of paranoia. If she ever launched a rebellion and crowned herself emperor, the first thing she would do was strip her generals of their power over a cup of wine. The second would be executing every noble with a drop of imperial blood.

"This can’t go on forever," Chu Liang mumbled to himself.

He rubbed his chin, racking his brain for a way to make his teacher stop obsessing over it.

...

Woooooooooooooo.

A low, muffled note echoed across Mount Shu. Though soft, the melody rode the wind for thousands of miles without fading.

Chu Liang stood atop Red Cotton Peak, blowing into the Wisdom Wind Xun—a gift from the South Melody Conservatory.

It did not take long for several disciples of the South Melody Conservatory to arrive. They soared through the skies in response, and the fastest among them was Yu Xiang’er, who had been shopping nearby on Red Cotton Peak. The moment she heard the xun’s call, she rushed over without hesitation.

The Wisdom Wind Xun was a gift from the master of the South Melody Conservatory. Should Chu Liang ever find himself in need, anyone who heard its call would rush to his aid.

"What’s going on?" Yu Xiang’er asked, a hint of surprise in her voice. She hadn’t expected Chu Liang to sound the xun within his own sect. "I thought you were in danger."

"I am indeed in great danger," Chu Liang replied seriously.

If he didn’t come up with a distraction soon, he feared his teacher would invite him out for drinks the next day. Who knew what she might slip into his cup? He had to act quickly, setting something in motion that would draw her attention elsewhere and help her move on from the matter.

As for what might draw her attention away, there were only four things: wine, beauty, wealth, and wrath.

She already had more wine than she could ever drink. Chu Liang himself was far too stingy to offer up wealth, and no one in their right mind would dare provoke her temper. That left beauty, which was clearly the most suitable choice.

"I’m planning to host a grand evening gala here on Red Cotton Peak," Chu Liang said. "I’ll need a full night of performances. Can the South Melody Conservatory take charge of the music and dance?"

"A gala?" Yu Xiang’er blinked, a little confused.

It was true that the elite families of the Yu Dynasty often held chamber performances, hiring troupes or musicians to entertain their guests during galas. However, what Chu Liang envisioned was entirely different—a grand event featuring skits, physical performances, songs, and dances. She had never encountered anything like it before.

It sounded... quite extravagant.

"It’s doable, but I’ll need to consult with my seniors back at the sect first," Yu Xiang’er replied. "This gala sounds huge. We might need to mobilize most of the South Melody Conservatory. Even during our annual selection galas, we never staged this many performances. Since you have the Wisdom Wind Xun, of course we’ll help, but it’ll take proper planning."

"I understand," Chu Liang said with a nod. "Then let me officially appoint Miss Yu as the person in charge of the music and dance segments. I’ll leave the coordination to you."

"Eh?" Yu Xiang’er blinked, clearly caught off guard by the sudden responsibility.

"This is the head of our language and arts performances," Chu Liang said, patting Lackey A on the shoulder. "As for the action segments, I’ll get in touch with the brothers from the Great Astral Sect."

They didn’t need too many action segments. A hundred or so bare-chested strongmen from the Great Astral Sect flexing their muscles would already make for a spectacular sight.

As for the actual lineup of performances, Chu Liang would personally take charge of quality control.

He sent Lin Bei to contact the various immortal sects. For a gala to happen, performers weren't the only ones needed. Someone had to build the stage too. This was going to be all or nothing. If they were going to do it, then it had to be a show that would shake the entire cultivation world.

Shang Ziliang was assigned to reach out to the merchants of Red Cotton Peak. With the kind of exposure this event promised, any shop hoping to sponsor, endorse, or advertise had better prepare for a fierce bidding war.

As for Lackey B, he hadn’t been seen around Mount Shu in a while. Rumor was that he had gone off to the Divine Ruins to dig up wild vegetables. Whatever kind of plant it was, it must have tasted heavenly if it was worth risking his life over.[1]

In any case, even if he had stayed on Mount Shu, he probably wouldn’t have been much help. His absence wasn’t much of a loss.

...

1. Read Chapter 910. ☜