Chapter 154: The Son of Chaos

Wherever the eyes look, the river surface has calmed down, except for the slight ripples caused by the breeze.

On this river surface, a figure slowly came from the river surface, approaching gradually… From this distance, I could only vaguely see that the person was wearing what looked like a gray robe, walking very gracefully, with his sleeves fluttering, and although he didn’t seem to be moving fast, every step felt like he was getting closer to us.

The person is a master, and a Taoist master!

The first time I saw this figure, I made this judgment. Without even looking at the way he walked, the natural grace of his posture matched the energy of heaven and earth. The chanting of the sutra that I had just heard also made me bow to his realm.

Moreover, this is different from Wu Tian’s technique, which is in harmony with the energy of the universe. The person who came was very natural, and it felt like the whole person had already merged with the Tao.

I have only seen this aura in one person before, and that is my master.

What I don’t understand is how he can walk on the river. Even a Taoist master couldn’t do that. After all, flying through the air, escaping underground, going into the river and the sea… only exist in legends. Maybe martial arts masters can use their strength to cross water, but Taoist masters…

It seemed that the person was getting closer, but this question still left me baffled. It was my master who let out a “huh” beside me.

I asked, “Master, did you find something?”

My master frowned slightly and said in a tone that was not too sure, “The person who came here is actually not walking, but is also on the river surface. Walking is just a gesture, because I think his footsteps are slightly floating, and he is basically floating on the river surface. But this body is strange, strange…”

I didn’t quite understand what the master was saying, so I couldn’t help but say, “Master, could you be a bit more direct?” But as soon as I said that, I thought of a possibility, and so another sentence came out of my mouth: “Master, are you saying that the person who came is not a human being at all? A ghost? But how could a ghost have such a form?

Yes, this form is as solid as a rock. When we Taoist priests looked at it from a distance, we didn’t see any flaws. What a strange thing!

Facing my question, the master did not answer, but just stared at the visitor. When he was only about 100 meters away, the master said in a tone that even he felt moved, “I’m afraid so. The visitor is a ghost, and a ghost with a very high realm.”

Ghost cultivator? I of course know of such a being, just as Wu Laogui’s enemy can also be considered a ghost cultivator, but this is different… After all, it only exists using secret methods, not being able to elevate its own realm.

But this person, no, this should be a ghost, has an inexplicable aura of righteousness that belongs to the Daoist school.

However, in this world, anything is possible, and this is another world. Besides, my master told me since I was little that the way of heaven is actually fair. Under the way of heaven, everything can be cultivated, including a stubborn stone! Although humans are the most intelligent of all creatures, it is only after many lifetimes of good fortune that they can become human.

Even a stubborn rock can be reformed, so why not a ghost?

While I was thinking about all these things, the man had already reached our boat, moving so fast that it was hard to believe. He didn’t stop, but instead walked to the middle of our two boats, where he stood silently.

At this moment, I suddenly realized that there was a faint shadow behind his figure. It was only after he stopped that the shadow slowly emerged and his form stabilized.

After I took a closer look, my heart suddenly began to beat faster, and I couldn’t help but blurt out, “Ji Qing!”

Yes, the figure behind the stranger was Ji Qing… Compared to the stranger, he was clearly in a spirit state. He… I was both happy and relieved, but also slightly anxious. Ji Qing was standing behind the stranger with a blank expression on his face.

I thought of the inexplicable entanglement between the two of us and him, and suddenly my heart felt like it had been poured a basin of cold water.

It was because I could still remember that he was unwilling to owe me that stubbornness. What kind of mood would he be in now that he saw my master?

My words did not elicit any reaction from Ji Qing, but they did elicit a reaction from two people. One was my master, who suddenly sighed. The other was the mysterious visitor, who frowned slightly and turned to ask Ji Qing lightly, “Disciple, do you recognize him?”

The person who called him “he” was naturally me, and he called Ji Qing his disciple… This can only mean that Ji Qing and he must have been very close. After all, a master is a father for life… In Taoism, anyone who values the Taoist tradition cannot easily recognize a master-disciple relationship, nor can they joke about it.

Facing the inquirer, Ji Qing was respectful, then bowed, and silently faced the inquirer. After all, as spiritual beings, they didn’t necessarily have to use words to express what they wanted to say.

My heart beat inexplicably faster, and my master’s face also became slightly heavy. What was he thinking with his hands behind his back?

However, I still couldn’t help but subconsciously observe the person who had come. It turned out that when I got closer, I could still see some differences between him and ordinary people. However, only Taoist people could see that his face was too pale, and there was a thin layer of black gas that belonged to ghosts surrounding his face.

I don’t think even my master could see this layer of blackness. I only noticed it because of my powerful spiritual perception.

Other than that, he is perfect. I mean, in terms of physical appearance, he is already close to perfection for a mortal.

Ji Qing and the visitor exchanged ideas quickly. At least when I finished quietly observing the visitor, Ji Qing had already straightened up and stood behind the visitor. Ji Qing’s expression was always very cold, and I couldn’t see any changes. Compared to Ji Qing, the visitor’s expression was even more relaxed.

His gaze wandered from me to my master, and after a moment of silence, he lightly held a Taoist ritual and suddenly said, “I am Xuan Zi.”

He was standing in the middle of the two boats, so it was not clear to whom he was bowing. But which of the people present was simple? It was easy to see the absolute power of the person who came, and in the face of his bow, which one dared to be rude? They all hurriedly returned the bow and then introduced themselves.

However, this ghost cultivator named Xuan Dunzi was extremely graceful. In the face of such a chaotic and noisy scene, he was surprisingly calm and composed. After everyone had returned the greeting, he gave another one.

In my understanding, the addition of the character “zi” to the Taoist name indicates that the practitioner has achieved a certain level of accomplishment. This character is not given lightly by a true and authentic school. Since Xuan Zi dares to call himself a “zi,” he is definitely not blindly arrogant.

I believe he is powerful, but his calm demeanor and unchanging expression are even more worrying.

After such an inexplicable opening, everyone was inexplicably silent. After all, no one could guess what the visitor wanted. I even remembered what my master told me: There is a powerful being here, but no one knows what it is. Because everyone who has seen it is dead, could it be that it refers to Xuan Zi?

I don’t think it looks like it, but appearances can be deceiving, especially when it comes to a person with a complicated mind (the same goes for ghosts).

In this silence, Xuan Zi was unusually calm.

“It really is my disciple’s obsession. Were you the first to recognize my identity just now? Jiang Lichun?” He actually said this.

Was he really asking a question or expressing his dissatisfaction? I couldn’t tell from the calm expression on his face, but I was worried about my master and couldn’t help but take a step forward and walk up to Ji Qing and say, “Ji Qing, I…”

Yes, I thought that there was at least a little bit of affection between me and Ji Qing, and that was based on life and death. Even if he returned me a fruit in the end, he should still remember this little bit of affection?

I dare only think it is trivial, after all, Ji Qing’s obsession has almost accompanied him throughout his life.

I wanted to ask Ji Qing to intercede for me… But before I could finish my sentence, my master had already pulled me behind him and scolded me, “Chen Chengyi, have I taught you to be so rude since you were a child? An elder is asking me a question, and you, a junior, are interrupting. Is this not a breach of etiquette in the Li family?”

I didn’t have time to argue, but I looked at my master anxiously. I saw him shake his robe, walk a few steps to the bow of the boat, and then bow down…