Chapter Fourteen Three Years Later

  Time flies like a white horse passing through a crevice, and three years have passed in the blink of an eye.

  Fifteen-year-old Mu Shan was more robust than the young men in the village and had a small reputation in the village.

  Three years of time, constantly practicing the "Cang Qiong Jue", Mu Shan discovered that he not only cultivated a strong inner power, but also his physical strength grew to be even more terrifying. Even in the quiet of night, he would often ask himself under the moonlight, whether it was because he wasn't human that he possessed such an incredibly powerful and against-the-heavens body.

  Mu Shan returned from outside the village, carrying two large bundles of firewood on his shoulder. As he entered the village, an old man who habitually sold candied hawthorns at the street corner called out: "Guan Bo, give me two strings, wrap them up and take them away."

  The old man saw Mu Shan and a faint smile appeared on his face, joking: "Lucky, why didn't you go hunting today, but instead sold firewood?"

  "Gu Bao, look what you're saying. I'm not a hunter or anything, why do I have to make a living by hunting? Yesterday, the master of Guan Village asked my mother to send some firewood to their village, so I just came up the mountain and randomly cut down a few trees, and was just about to head back and finish the task."

  Guan Bo's expression changed, anxious and with a hint of reprimand: "Shang Shan, you wouldn't have gone to the back mountain, would you?! Jixiang, although your strength is great, but the back mountain really can't be visited, that place is inhabited by man-eating demons!"

  I did go to the back mountain, those enormous and abnormal wild beasts in the mountains no longer pose a threat to me. As for the demons and monsters, they were probably all killed by my uncle. I wandered around for so long but didn't see a single one.

  It's been three years, and the "Heavenly Gate" has a total of seven levels. Now I've cultivated to the second level, which should be around the standard of a Post-Heaven Upper Tier according to Uncle's evaluation. However, the subsequent cultivation feels so long-winded, and I don't know when I can break through the bottleneck and enter the realm of the third level.

  Three years' time, with the guidance of a famous teacher and possessing the world's top-tier Longevity Technique, you should be stronger than me by now.

  Hi, it's been four months since I last sent a message, and I don't know how Changsheng is doing on the other side.

  Mu Shan's mind flashed with various thoughts, his eyes narrowed slightly, and he smiled, saying: "Guan Bo, you're overthinking it. Why would I suddenly run to the back mountain? I haven't lived enough yet. Even if I were to die, I'd have to find a wife first, then have two chubby kids before that."

  "Pfft, crow's mouth. You're lucky your nickname is Lucky, yet you always say unlucky things." Guan Bo took out two ice sugar gourds, wrapped them in a handkerchief and stuffed them into Mu Shan's bosom, smiling slyly: "For Xiuniang again, I suppose? You buy her ice sugar gourds every day, aren't you afraid of spoiling her? Ah, what a pity! Xiuniang is already engaged to the young master of Guan Family Village, Guan Xiang. Otherwise, you two would make a pretty good match."

  "Guang Bo, what are you talking about? I've always treated Xiū Niáng like my own sister. Besides, Jī Lì is my brother, they're together, isn't that perfect?" Mù Shān's expression slightly changed, his eyes becoming complex, and he quickly changed the subject: "Guang Bo, it's getting late, I need to hurry up and deliver the firewood to Guān Jiā Zhuāng, won't chat with you anymore, I'm leaving first."

  Guan Bo gazed deeply into Mu Shan's eyes and said slowly: "Hey, I hope you really think so in your heart!"

  Mu Shan felt as if his innermost thoughts had been seen through by Guan Bo, and he didn't dare to linger any longer. He hastily retreated, looking like a fleeing soldier.

  "Hey you little brat, don't forget to pay me back for the candied hawthorn at the end of the month!"

  "Got it!" Mu Shan replied from afar, a warm smile spreading across his lips.

  "Huh? What's that?" Mu Shan was walking towards Guan Family Village when he suddenly felt a black cloud rapidly passing over his head, leaving behind a faint trail of dark energy that scattered throughout the village.

  "Ga ga......" A low, hoarse voice like a duck's call, carrying an inexplicable sense of anxiety and unease, came faintly from the dark clouds.

  "Did I hear that wrong?" Mu Shan first looked up and gazed at the black cloud flying rapidly towards the back mountain, then looked around suspiciously and said: "This is really strange, could it be that there are flying ducks hiding in the dark clouds calling out."

  "But this smell, it's really unbearable!" Mu Shan wrinkled his nose and sniffed the slightly foul air in the surroundings. His eyebrows furrowed: "It's strange, why can't anyone else around here smell this stench?"

  "Never mind, let's go to Guanjiazhuang first, exchange the firewood for silver coins, and then help my mother finish the miscellaneous chores in her hands, so that we can return home early."

  Mu Shan shook his head and didn't bother to deal with the unknown thing, heading straight for the familiar streets, hurrying away.

  Just as Mu Shan was leaving, a young man in his thirties wearing a black robe walked into Tianyin Village with a gentle smile on his face. His eyes, narrowed to a slit, occasionally flashed with a sharp light, and he looked around the village with a smile, muttering to himself: "It seems that this trip will be quite rewarding, and several hundred more souls will be added. Heh heh, Xuan Hou, no matter how hard you struggle, you can't escape my palm! Your Huangquan Pearl is mine!"

  Mu Shan carried two bundles of firewood and swaggered into a rather large mansion, as soon as he entered the door, he heard a clear voice with a few hints of displeasure, coming from afar: "Ji Xiang, how can you become a porter again? Didn't I tell you not to do this kind of work that only lowly people do?! As a man of seven feet tall, shouldn't you be like Ban Chao, ambitious to drive out the barbarians and defend the country, how can you do these menial tasks with no future!"

  Mu Shan looked ahead at the man wearing luxurious silk clothes, with a clear and elegant appearance, and replied without hesitation: "Hehe, Jili, I'd like to too, but isn't this what your father entrusted you with? Besides, to be like Ban Chao, leaving a name in history, I don't even dare think about it. As for me, I don't have any grand ambitions, just want to guard my two acres of land, find a loving wife, and live a comfortable life."

  "You... Hmph, no great ambition!" The man snorted in anger, and only slightly calmed down after a moment, saying: "Forget it, everyone has their own aspirations, I won't force you. But no matter what, don't do this kind of hard labor again. I'll go talk to Father, arrange a decent job for you, so you can suffer less and have more time to accompany Lady Qin."

  Mu Shan was just about to enjoy the auspicious occasion, feeling carefree and relaxed, when suddenly a loud and boisterous voice came over, interrupting his pleasant moment: "Jili, what are you doing here? Hurry up and go practice your skills!"

  Jili turned around and bowed to the newcomer, saying: "Father, I was just thinking of going out to buy some military books to study. I think that on the battlefield, one's individual ability is limited after all, only by understanding how to command and lead others can one truly stand undefeated. The ancients Sun Wu and Han Xin were no exception! A few days ago, I found some military books with a few friends, now they are available, I want to go get them back, carefully ponder and comprehend, so that in the future I can also strive for some merit."

  "Ah, it's rare for you to have this realization, good. Go ahead, go and come back early!"

  Unlike Jili's delicate features, Guan Zhuangzhu's face was very stern, with thick eyebrows and big eyes, and a mustache on his face. If he hadn't known him since childhood, Mu Shan really wouldn't have dared to associate him with Jili's biological father.

  "It's fine, just put down the firewood and you can go. If nothing else, you should head back early." Guan Zhuangzhu gave Mu Shan a sidelong glance and said: "Also, Xiūniáng is not young anymore, and she has an engagement with Jí Lì, for her reputation's sake, it's best if you see less of her!"

  Mu Shan had some reservations in his heart, but thinking that the other party was Jili's father, he didn't want to make a scene, so he said in a deep voice: "Master Zhuang, you're worrying too much. I've grown up with Xiuniang since childhood, and we're like siblings. We definitely won't do anything that goes against propriety and the law. Please put your mind at ease."

  The host of Guan Zhuang glanced at Mu Shan with disdain, turned his sleeve and walked away: "Rumors are terrible, it's better not to see him, otherwise you'll hear all sorts of rumors and gossip that can drive people crazy!"

  Mu Shan watched as Guan Zhuangzhu left, saying displeased: "You think you're so great, if it weren't for the fact that you're Jili's father, I wouldn't even bother talking to you!"

  Mu Shan drove the light carriage along the familiar road, delivering firewood to the woodshed. He took out two wrapped ice sugar gourds from his bosom and walked briskly towards the inner courtyard of Guan Family Village.