Chapter 45

The forest was dark and gloomy.

Zhao Yun and Niu Hong walked one after the other, making their way through.

At night, the miasma was quite thick.

Zhao Yun noticed this, appearing calm on the surface, but secretly making a hand seal in his sleeve.

Suddenly, a strong wind howled.

The thick miasma was blown away in patches, and starlight fell from the sky.

This was the Wind Escape technique, the simplest form of it.

By "simplest," it means that no incantation is needed; one only needs to gather qi and make the hand seal. At his current level, it's basic, but if he reaches his peak in the future, this simple Wind Escape might even be able to move mountains. Ultimately, it depends on one's own foundation.

For now, it's good enough to blow away the miasma.

Niu Hong turned back and said, "You have a fondness for these left-hand techniques!"

"It's not bad to use them for a bit of fun when there's nothing to do."

Zhao Yun smiled, changed the hand seal, and formed a fireball in mid-air to provide light.

Needless to say, this was the Fire Escape technique.

Like the Wind Escape, this is the most basic form, more like a magic trick. It's not practical for combat, as it's slow and lacks offensive power.

But Zhao Yun wasn't in a hurry.

According to the Moon Deity, once one's foundation reaches a certain level, even a basic Fire Escape can burn a mighty river. In the end, it all comes down to one's own strength.

As they spoke, they arrived at the foot of Gold Mountain.

This mountain was several hundred feet tall. Up close, it didn't look as dazzling, but at night, with the darkness and the starlight and moonlight, it stood out, possibly due to the reflection of light making it appear golden.

"It's a good place for cultivation."

Zhao Yun looked up and could vaguely see the peak, where the essence of the sun and moon shimmered.

"Do you sense anything wrong?" Niu Hong asked.

Zhao Yun shook his head; apart from the golden glow, it was no different from an ordinary mountain.

"Is there a gold mine below?"

Niu Hong chuckled and rubbed his black hands.

"You mean I should go down and check?"

Zhao Yun was still looking around, occasionally extending his finger to tap the rock wall.

"If there's a gold mine, we'll be rich."

Niu Hong's small eyes sparkled, and his hands were almost rubbing together with sparks. When he laughed, you could barely see his face, just two rows of not-so-white teeth.

"Heaven and earth, escape."

Zhao Yun performed the Earth Escape technique, using a non-incantation incantation.

"Good secret technique."

Niu Hong squatted down; the Earth Escape technique was mysterious, and once underground, one couldn't be seen.

Below, Zhao Yun continued to descend.

As he went deeper, he couldn't move further. It wasn't that the Earth Escape technique failed, but the earth was too hard. If he insisted on escaping, it would be like hitting a wall.

After coming out, he shrugged helplessly.

There was no gold mine; if there were, the light wouldn't reflect on the mountain.

"Well, a good laugh."

Niu Hong's head drooped instantly; he had thought they would get rich!

"Let's cultivate here. Do as you please."

Zhao Yun rolled up his sleeves and climbed up the mountain.

"It's the middle of the night, and you're bored."

Niu Hong glanced at him, put his hands in his sleeves, and walked away, yawning all the way.

Zhao Yun's skills were exceptional, and he soon reached the peak.

As he said, it was a good place for cultivation. Perhaps because it was too high, there was mist and a dense aura of spiritual energy, mixed with starlight and moonlight, creating a beautiful scene.

"Tomorrow is Liu Cangkong's birthday."

Before sitting down and closing his eyes, Zhao Yun muttered.

His father-in-law! How could a son-in-law not prepare a birthday gift? A large iron chamber pot.

His calculations were correct; it was indeed the birthday.

In the early morning, as the sky just began to brighten, the Liu family was bustling, making the celebration grand. Red silk was hung, and red carpets were laid. If not for the imposing "Longevity" character, anyone would think they were getting married.

Many people came to celebrate.

To put it this way, anyone with status in the Forgotten Ancient City had come, and even people from nearby ancient cities had come. It was both for Liu Cangkong's face and for the Heavenly Sect's face. His daughter, Liu Ruyue, was a disciple of the Heavenly Sect and would soon leave for cultivation there.

That place was far superior to the small Forgotten Ancient City.

"Both are daughters of the Liu family. Look at Liu Ruyue, and then at Liu Ruxin."

"A blind man and a waste, a perfect match."

"Show some respect! What has Zhao Yun done to you?"

There were many comments. Upon seeing Liu Ruyue, people couldn't help but mention Zhao Yun and the blind Liu Ruxin, filled with pity and ridicule.

"Is anyone from the Zhao family coming?"

Many people looked at the entrance, wondering if the Zhao family would send someone.

They never came.

It made sense; though they were in-laws, they were also enemies. The wedding that was a sham had made the Zhao family and Zhao Yun the biggest laughingstock in the Forgotten Ancient City.

If they came, it wouldn't be to celebrate but to cause trouble.

Not to mention, even if the Zhao family had such intentions, they were suppressed. They weren't afraid of the Liu family but of the Heavenly Sect, a massive force that couldn't be provoked.

"Thank you all for coming."

Today, Liu Cangkong was in high spirits, wearing a purple-gold robe, his face radiant. In his prime, his energy was abundant, and his back was straight, proud of his daughter.

Liu Ruyue was there.

After becoming a disciple of the Heavenly Sect, her aura had changed, becoming more like her master, exuding elegance and a touch of coldness and pride.

"Heavenly... Sect has arrived."

A servant outside shouted, perhaps too excited to speak clearly.

"Heavenly Sect?"

All the guests were surprised and stood up collectively.

The Heavenly Sect's presence was a huge honor!

Liu Cangkong looked almost ready to ascend on the spot, so proud.

This birthday celebration was a great honor.

Compared to this, the theft of a money house or the closure of an armory were trivial matters.

"Please, come in."

Under the watchful eyes of the crowd, a young man in white walked in, his clothes spotless, his bearing noble, holding a paper fan and swinging it rhythmically, enjoying the awe of the crowd, his presence growing more impressive with each step.

To say the Heavenly Sect had come was not entirely accurate.

He was merely a disciple, representing the Heavenly Sect.

Even so, it was enough to bring glory to the Liu family.

Since ancient times, those who could enter the Heavenly Sect were at least from prominent families.

"He... is a man?"

"I thought he was a woman. Why is he wearing makeup?"

"Never seen him before."

"His name is Hua Yang, a third-generation disciple of the Heavenly Sect, a fellow disciple of Liu Ruyue."

Whispers continued, mostly in hushed tones.

"Master Hua." Liu Ruyue greeted him with a radiant smile.

This smile was quite fitting.

Liu Cangkong was also pleased; compared to the useless Zhao Yun, Hua Yang was much more pleasing to the eye. Having a son-in-law from the Heavenly Sect would bring great face wherever they went.

"Wishing you longevity, like the sea."

Hua Yang smiled, polite and well-mannered, mainly to maintain his image. If not for Liu Ruyue, he usually wouldn't bother with small families.

After speaking, he presented the gift.

It was a sealed treasure box, and the scent of medicine wafted out. It was clearly a genuine pill, and its quality was not low. The guests present all looked at it with bright eyes. The talent from the Heavenly Sect was indeed generous!

"Zhao family has arrived."

Another servant outside shouted, loudly.

"They really came!" The guests' attention was drawn away.

In came Wu Er.

He ran in, carrying a jade box. The young master had instructed him to deliver it during the birthday celebration, as it might be needed later.

"Clearly, he's representing Zhao Yun."

Many old men stroked their beards; this was better to avoid awkwardness.

"May the old master of the Liu family live as long as the mountains."

Wu Er, with a tiger-like appearance, presented the jade box.

"Hmm."

Liu Cangkong barely glanced at it, responding with a light "hmm," still upset about the armory incident, unconsciously blaming his useless son-in-law.

A Liu family steward stepped forward and reached out casually.

Perhaps underestimating the weight of the jade box, he dropped it.

Crack! Clang!

The two sounds came almost simultaneously. The jade box cracked, and the treasure inside fell out, making a loud "duang duang" sound.

"This...?"

Seeing the object, the guests' eyes widened, and even Hua Yang couldn't help but twitch his lips. This thing was too eye-catching.

"That... is a chamber pot!"

"Yes, commonly known as a urinal, made of pure iron."

"This son-in-law is really thoughtful."

After the silence, the old men in the garden all became fortune-tellers, stroking their beards, their expressions grave and meaningful.

Today, there were many good shows.

Not to brag, but Zhao Yun's chamber pot was more eye-catching than Hua Yang's pill. Even though he didn't come, the pure iron chamber pot brought glory to the host, not only stealing the thunder from the pill but also surprising many.

Among all the gifts, this one looked the most impressive.

Liu Cangkong's face was no longer a face but a grimace, wanting to curse but restrained by his dignity, feeling a stomachache from holding back, unsure whether to spit out or swallow the blood he was brewing.

Liu Ruyue's face was already icy.

If not for the birthday celebration, she would have already taken her sword to find Zhao Yun and settle the score.

Boom!

This thunderclap came at the right moment, overshadowing the festive atmosphere as dark clouds gathered in the sky.

"Good timing."

At the peak of Gold Mountain, Zhao Yun saw the thunder and tore off his shirt.

Achoo!

After that, he sneezed, possibly because someone was cursing him.

Boom! Boom!

Lightning followed, striking the sky in rapid succession.

Clang! Clang!

The sound of the sword was sharp as Zhao Yun practiced the Primordial Heavenly Thunder Technique while dancing with his sword.

The rain came and went quickly.

After the thunder subsided, Zhao Yun's cultivation broke through to the ninth level.

Indeed, a thunderstorm brought a great opportunity.

In the past, he didn't like rainy days, but after learning the Heavenly Thunder Technique, he felt closer to it than to his own father. A few more thunderstorms, and his realm would soar.

Roar! Roar!

Suddenly, a dragon's roar echoed, making Zhao Yun's eyes dart back and forth.

It was indeed a dragon's roar, faint but clear.

After listening for a while, Zhao Yun instinctively looked down.

The dragon's roar came from below.

Or rather, from the Gold Mountain, which seemed to be trembling.

As he looked, hot steam was rising from the ground.

He lay down, pressing his ear to the ground, where the dragon's roar became even more resonant, making him think a dragon was trapped in the mountain, yawning.