Chapter Thirty: Encounter on the Road with Hong Jun

  Zhuang Xiong, since being interrupted by Hong Yun during his epiphany while running, had a shadow over him when people spoke to him on the road. Now seeing Kuafu chasing up, opening his mouth and shouting loudly, his voice was like thunder, instantly chilling his face. He didn't put Kuafu's words in his heart at all, and shouted: "You big fool, why are you chasing me? I don't care if you're Kuafu or Kuafu's son, who are you trying to scare with your huge body? Hurry up and change back to normal and stay on the side!"

  Kua Fu was also a dim-witted person, and upon hearing this, he said in a daze: "I'm just called Kua Fu, I don't know what 'Kua Erzi' is. I love running the most, seeing you're also running, I thought we were kindred spirits. If you don't like it, I can change direction and run somewhere else. Besides, my body was originally this big, exercising is good for me, I least like to become that small."

  Zhuang Xiong was taken aback, and only then did he come to his senses. Boastful Father? The Boastful Father who chased the sun every day? He had been so distracted that he hadn't even realized this, truly careless. It turned out that this wilderness was indeed full of famous people everywhere, running a few steps could even meet a celebrity. This Boastful Father now liked to run, no wonder he could chase the sun later on.

  Zhuang Xiong thought to himself, but couldn't help glancing at Kuafu with his divine sense, and still felt very weak, inevitably feeling disappointed. He then smiled again, thinking that although the descendants of this witch tribe were famous, they had also grown up step by step, and it was normal for them to be weak now. As he thought about it, he shook his head and smiled, ignoring Kuafu and using his Road Walking Technique again, disappearing in a flash. Only Kuafu was left with a shocked expression, but suddenly came back to himself, his face set in determination, running even more desperately.

  Zhuang Xiong felt his mood lift after leaving Kuafu behind. He didn't know if it was because his cultivation level was higher or if he had found a sense of superiority in intelligence, but his mood was genuinely good. Why bother thinking about the reason? The happy Zhuang Xiong suddenly discovered that the sky seemed higher, the earth wider, and even the clouds whiter. It's said that the air quality during the Primordial Era was indeed excellent. With a cheerful heart, Zhuang Xiong couldn't help but hum a tune from later generations.

  Waist sword three feet justice, chest soft feelings thousands of millions;

  Carefree coming and going among mountains and waters, two emotions entwined across a thousand miles.

  Heroes emerge in their youth, with a majestic appearance and a sweep of wolf smoke.

  Majestic and free as the clouds in the sky, even if the world's ways are treacherous.

  Grudges and grievances turn into flying smoke, laughter and conversation in the midst of distant rivers and lakes.

  The clouds break and the sky opens, continuing the predestined relationship, dwelling in the mountains together with the beautiful moon.

  This song, "Clouds Breaking the Sky", was originally the theme song of the 86 version of "Golden Sword and Jade Feather". It's a very old song, and Zhuang Xiong wasn't even sure about it himself. Thanks to Da Luo's incredible memory search ability, he finally found it. However, at this moment, Zhuang Xiong felt that this song was surprisingly in line with his current mood. Singing such an upbeat song while traveling and having fun, he couldn't help but feel a bit of the carefree spirit of his youth, and his worries were swept away. But perhaps Zhuang Xiong had forgotten to check the almanac before leaving home - although he didn't understand or believe in it himself, he could have asked Lao Zi about it. Just as Zhuang Xiong was getting into the mood, a voice suddenly came from beside him: "Young man, you're running pretty fast! What's that song? It sounds pretty good."

  Zhuang Xiong's eyebrows furrowed involuntarily as he cast a cold glance to the side, only to see a young and handsome Daoist walking shoulder-to-shoulder with him, just one step away. The Daoist's smiling face radiated an aura of wisdom, yet Zhuang Xiong couldn't quite describe his features, causing his eyebrows to furrow even more tightly. He thought to himself that he had been so caught up in his own emotions and hadn't been on guard, but it was still unacceptable for someone to get so close without him noticing. This Daoist's cultivation level must be far superior to his own. With this thought, Zhuang Xiong immediately became vigilant, eyeing the Daoist with a wary gaze. As the saying goes, "Don't have a mind that harms others, but don't lack a mind that guards against them." Many heroes and warriors had fallen precisely because they neglected this principle.

  That Taoist priest saw that Zhuang Rong's eyes were not very pleasing, and he shouted: "I say, young man, what kind of eyes are those? Old Taoist is in a good mood and thinks you look pleasant, so I'll talk to you. Do you know how many people line up every day asking me for things and I don't even bother to respond?"

  Zhuang Xiong was also a man who wouldn't eat a loss, coldly smiling and saying: "Well, thanks for the compliment, thinking I'm worthy of your attention. However, don't call me 'young master' in such a familiar tone, how old are you to dare address me like that? Has your hair even grown long enough?"

  The young Taoist priest rolled his eyes and said in a bad temper, "Alright, I won't call you 'youngster', but calling you 'little brother' should be fine, shouldn't it?" Seeing Zhuang Xiong's puzzled expression, he impatiently said, "Don't waste words with me. I know you're not young either, but I'm absolutely older than you. Calling you 'little brother' will only benefit you and won't put you at a disadvantage."

  Zhuang Xiong rolled his eyes, this was the problem with the Hong Huang, you couldn't tell a person's age from their face. Just like the Three Clears were three brothers but had different appearances, like grandfather, father and son. This Taoist said he was older than himself, who knew if it was true or false? His cultivation was higher than his own, but he couldn't see it for himself, so he could only acknowledge it for now. Moreover, in the Hong Huang, most people were judged by their cultivation and seniority, so calling him "little brother" wasn't unreasonable. However, Zhuang Xiong still felt unhappy in his heart, and coldly said: "Whatever you say, I don't know why you stopped me, old brother. If there's nothing important, I still want to travel around the Hong Huang, I don't have time to play with you."

  Zhuang Xiong's words seemed polite, but he actually put emphasis on the word "old" and "play", and with his expression of "don't disturb me", it made the young Daoist speechless for a long time. After a while, he reacted and jumped up, scolding: "I say, you little brat, if you don't speak in such an infuriating way, will you die?" The young Daoist couldn't help but cover his forehead in pain and said helplessly: "Forget it, old Daoist, I'm too lazy to argue with a junior like you. Let me ask you, on this journey so far, what do you think of this vast and chaotic world?"

  Zhuang Xiong's face turned pale as if he had seen a ghost, and he asked in a strange voice: "You stopped me halfway just to ask me this question?"

  The young Taoist pretended not to see and impatiently said: "Then don't interfere, first answer my question."

  Zhuang Xiong also wanted to see what this Taoist priest was up to, so he smiled and said: "Very good! The sky is high and the earth is vast, majestic and beautiful, with clear mountains and sparkling water, as beautiful as a painting. It's quiet and peaceful, with a strong sense of vitality."

  The young Taoist priest smiled and said: "Then what's your idea?"

  Zhuang Xiong thought for a moment, then said seriously: "Want to hear my idea? I really do have one. It's just that I especially want to dig a hole right now and bury you in it. After packing the dirt down tightly, I'll plant a tree on top or maybe even build a big mountain over you."

  The young Taoist angrily said: "Old Taoist, I'm speaking to you nicely, how can you be so venomous? Can't you just say a few nice words?"

  Zhuang Xiong also shouted, "I don't care where you're from or what your idea is! Don't you know that I, Old Bear, hate it the most when someone strikes up a conversation with me halfway? If not for seeing that your cultivation is higher than mine, I would have slapped you to death!"

  The young Daoist couldn't help but smile awkwardly and said, "Old Daoist, I've been following you from Mount Kunlun, seeing that your divine speed is quite good, and your heart is still decent. I thought you were a promising talent, so I couldn't resist coming up to chat with you for a bit. Honestly, I didn't expect you to be so wary of others talking to you while you're in a hurry. I thought fellow travelers would have more common topics to discuss."

  "Even if you want to talk to me, can't you wait until I stop?"

  The young Daoist was also a proud figure, and he couldn't help but shout loudly: "You little brat's divine speed is so fast, who knows when you'll stop? I'm an old Daoist, how can I have so much time to follow you all the time? Besides, you little brat has so many tricks up your sleeve and loves to think wildly, even if I talk to you when you're stopped, won't you be on guard?"

  Zhuang Xiong suddenly had a flash of inspiration in his mind, as if he had forgotten something important. He furrowed his brow and pondered. The young Taoist's eyes flashed with a hint of surprise, thinking: "This kid can't have figured it out so quickly, can he?"

  But then Zhuang Xiong suddenly let out a loud cry, full of endless regret and remorse, saying: "Damn it, I forgot the important thing, should have stayed in Kunlun and not left."

  The young Taoist couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, only to realize that he hadn't guessed anything, but had simply spaced out. "You little scamp, you even space out in a terrifying way," the strange Taoist asked with a hint of curiosity, "Why do you want to linger on Kunlun?"

  Zhuang Xiong snorted disdainfully and said, "Why should I tell you? Do you think I'd also say that someone will go to open a small stove for San Qing, and I'll eavesdrop there too? But who knows why that person hasn't appeared in millions of years. Is it because they thought the handsome guys back then were too many, and they didn't have the face to see people, so they went to find a place to get plastic surgery? I don't know if it's too late for them to go back now. It was really wrong to leave back then."

  The young Taoist couldn't help but wipe a cold sweat, and said with a guilty conscience: "Maybe that person saw that the Three Purities already knew what they needed to know, so there was no need to open up the small cauldron you mentioned, which is why he didn't appear?"

  Zhuang Xiong looked at the young Taoist with an unusual gaze, hesitating: "I'd say your cultivation isn't bad either? It seems to be quite a bit higher than mine?"

  The young Daoist was stared at by Zhuang Xiong, who was sweating profusely, and didn't know what kind of evil idea he had come up with. He dryly laughed: "Not bad, not bad, actually your cultivation is already quite good, in the Hongyuan you can be considered a top-notch existence."

  Zhuang Xiong smiled and said, "It's good that your cultivation is higher than mine. To be honest, I've never had a master since I was born, and I've always wanted to find someone to guide me. I don't even have a Daoist name yet, and I've been called 'Huang Daoren' all along. Since we missed the opportunity in Kunlun Mountain, why not take advantage of it now? As for my cultivation, it's not bad either. With the protection of great virtues, it's more than enough to be your disciple. And as a bonus, I'll give you the chance to help me choose a Daoist name. What do you say? Want to consider it?"

  The young Daoist didn't sweat at the Niagara Falls, speechless for a long time, but suddenly had an epiphany and jumped up shouting: "I knew you were a sly little brat who wouldn't easily find a master! You've been holding back your Dao number for tens of thousands of years without taking it, how could I get it so cheaply? You must be doing this on purpose, you've already guessed who I am, right?"

  "Impossible! When we first met, how would I have known who you were? This wasn't the original plan to wait for the opportunity at Kunlun Mountain. Since it's already been missed, even if I went back, I wouldn't know if there'd be another chance, and there's no reason to go back anyway. You're more powerful than me, your cultivation time is longer than mine, guiding me would be enough, and you seem like a decent person too. Why not just acknowledge you as my master? Besides, it's really inconvenient without a title or name to call you. I still don't know what to call you, Master?"

  The young Taoist looked at him with a puzzled expression, then shouted: "I'd believe you if I were crazy! And don't call me Master, I haven't agreed to it yet."

  Zhuang Xiong was puzzled and asked: "Why don't you believe me? I'm such a good seedling, but you won't accept me. What kind of person do you want?"

  The young Taoist's eyebrows were tightly locked, still looking at him with a puzzled expression, and said: "You little rascal has a lot of small thoughts in your mind, and you also have a bit of arrogance, you are definitely not someone who can suffer losses, absolutely untrustworthy."

  "Where's the loss? With Master guiding me, I can avoid taking detours in my cultivation, right? And let's not forget that Master has already given me a few pre-heavenly treasures and top-grade pre-heavenly spiritual artifacts for protection. How could I possibly be at a disadvantage? I didn't expect us to have known each other for only a short while, yet Master already understands me so well. It's clear that I am the best disciple heaven has sent to your doorstep. If heaven offers it and you don't take it, you'll regret it. So, Master, just accept me as your disciple with a clear conscience!"

  The young Taoist couldn't help but burst out laughing and said, "You little scamp may not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but you're certainly complex and suspicious by nature. You love to indulge in wild fancies, and it's no easy feat that you've managed to weasel your way into my home like a dead skin clinging to a bear. Alright, alright, this attitude of yours only serves to prove that you knew who I was all along! Stop pretending otherwise and tell me, how did you guess my identity? If you could figure out who I am without even meeting me, then surely you must know more about me. So why aren't you afraid of me?"

  Zhuang Xiong saw that he couldn't shift the blame, so he didn't bother to waste his emotions. He straightened up and said disdainfully: "How hard can it be? If I didn't know you existed, it would be a bit harder to guess. But since I know there's someone like you, it's simple. How many people in this vast world have cultivation higher than mine? Who can approach me without my knowledge or awareness? I can count them on my fingers. And you said you came from Kunlun Mountain, so the one who was spying on me at Kunlun Mountain back then was you, right? You even helped to find excuses for not going to help Sanqing open a small furnace, and if I couldn't guess it was you, I'd be a fool."

  I think all of you readers are much smarter than Zhuang Xiong and have already guessed it, right? That's correct, this young Taoist is indeed the third generation of transmission, my master Daozu Hongjun.

  Hong Jun was taken aback by Zhuang Xiong's words and thought to himself, "I knew this kid had a lot of thoughts, and indeed he's not used to hiding. His experience is too little. I should have made a shocking entrance, maybe that would have scared him off."

  Zhuang Xiong saw that Hong Jun seemed to be somewhat uneasy, and couldn't help but comfort him: "Actually, your hiding skills are not bad either. It's just that I happened to know about your existence ahead of time, and when I saw that your cultivation was higher than mine, the first thing I thought of was you. Then it would be easy to find flaws. Others wouldn't know so much, naturally they wouldn't guess who you are."

  Hong Jun didn't care about this little problem, and having a bit of fun was just a small pleasure that wouldn't leave any marks on his heart. He changed the subject and laughed: "You little brat still hasn't answered my question. As someone who defies the natural order, aren't you afraid I'll wipe you out? And yet you dare to speak to me in this tone?"

  Zhuang Xiong smiled and said, "Afraid? How can I not be afraid? But aren't you still going to kill me? Actually, I'm also very curious. I think you should have known of my existence 30,000 years ago. Why did you tolerate me living until now?"