Chapter 98

The elder that the Daoist spoke of is the previous patriarch of the Yunqing Sect, who is 620 years old. He is the highest-ranking, most prestigious, and oldest person in the Yunqing Sect. Few people remember his secular name; everyone respectfully calls him the Yunqing Elder.

Wow, this old man must be ninety, or even a hundred, right? Lin Fan glanced sideways at the old Daoist who was plowing a vegetable field. His face was full of wrinkles, his trouser legs rolled up, and his sleeves pulled up. If not for the Daoist robe, he would look no different from an ordinary old farmer. The old Daoist looked over, and Lin Fan quickly adjusted his gaze. Inside the Hidden Immortal Sect, they are all old monsters.

"Little brother, come over here." The old Daoist called out.

"Me?" Lin Fan pointed to himself, looked around, and walked over, bowing: "Senior, greetings."

The old Daoist said, "Help me fetch some mountain spring water from the Sun Piercing Peak. The higher up, the sweeter the water."

Lin Fan looked up at the peak that soared into the clouds. Bloody hell, the Hidden Immortal Sect is a forbidden area; one cannot fly around recklessly. Climbing up on foot seems a bit too high. Lin Fan pointed to the nearby stream and said, "Senior, this water comes down from the Sun Piercing Peak. Why let the seedlings wait in thirst?"

"Hehe, you're too lazy to go up, so you find a good excuse." The old Daoist said, "You're not a seedling, how do you know it's thirsty?"

"Senior isn't a seedling either, how do you know it's not thirsty?" Lin Fan asked.

"You're not me, how do you know I don't know if it's thirsty?"

Bloody hell, this is a trick... It has a bit of the sect master's flavor. Lin Fan said, "You're going to say: Since you don't know if I know it's thirsty, and you don't know if it's thirsty, you should go fetch the water... Alright, I'll go."

The old Daoist laughed, and Lin Fan helplessly picked up two wooden buckets and started walking south, beginning his climb from the base of the peak. It took him a good half an hour to reach halfway up, where he filled the two buckets with spring water and returned to the vegetable field.

The old Daoist scooped water to irrigate and asked, "Since you've come up, did you go to the peak?"

Lin Fan shook his head, "No."

"Why didn't you go?"

Lin Fan countered, "Why should I go?"

The old Daoist said, "The Sun Piercing Peak is the highest peak in the Eastern Continent. Not everyone has the资格 to go up. Since you have this opportunity, why not go and see?"

Lin Fan replied, "Because... I forgot."

"Hehe, you forget because you don't care. I bet you didn't think about going to the peak the whole way up." The old Daoist said, "If you regret it, I'll allow you to fly up as a favor for fetching the water."

"Senior, did you arrange a thank-you gift for me up there?" Lin Fan looked up at the Sun Piercing Peak. "If so, I'll go up."

The old Daoist laughed, "No."

Lin Fan asked, "If I persist a bit more, will there be one?"

"..." The old Daoist was embarrassed, pondering this question for a long time.

Lin Fan politely bowed, "Senior, I'll take my leave."

Lin Fan left, and the old Daoist smiled, finding it interesting. They were discussing the same topic. The old Daoist believed that one should continue moving forward, as there is always something better ahead. Perhaps just a bit more persistence will lead to something better. Lin Fan believed that there is no best, only better. If one always pursues better, when will it end? Maybe there is no better ahead, just like the old Daoist had no thank-you gift. No matter how much one persists, there is nothing.

This has no right or wrong; the standard of right and wrong lies in success and failure. Lin Fan's giving up is a virtue, and the old Daoist's persistence is also a virtue. However, the old Daoist knew that this kid was just too lazy to go up. The old Daoist transmitted a message, "Old Three, send a feast to that young man."

...

The Illusory Cloud Array was on a flat area, with array flags planted on all four sides. In the center was a stone platform, and an old Daoist with a white beard was sitting in meditation. Lin Fan bowed, "Senior, greetings. I have come to challenge the Illusory Cloud Array."

The Daoist did not speak, closed his eyes, and made a gesture inviting him in.

Lin Fan entered the array and sat on a stone platform. The surroundings fluctuated and quickly stabilized. The Daoist was still the same, but the Hidden Immortal Sect had turned into a vast field. The Daoist said, "Giving and taking, follow this field ridge and pick the most beautiful flower for me."

Lin Fan asked, "Am I not allowed to turn back and can only pick one?"

The Daoist was taken aback and replied, "Yes."

Lin Fan bowed and left the stone platform, walking along the field ridge. After about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, Lin Fan flew back and presented a flower, "Senior, I have picked it."

The Daoist opened his eyes and shook his head in disappointment, "It's very ordinary. You may leave."

Lin Fan replied, "Though ordinary, it is the best."

The Daoist shook his head, "This is the worst, it grew right nearby." In my illusion, I know.

Lin Fan replied, "If Senior can pick a more beautiful flower, I will leave."

The Daoist looked at Lin Fan in confusion, then closed his eyes for a moment and opened them, "Which sect are you from?"

Lin Fan replied, "The Orthodox Sect."

The Daoist asked calmly, "Isn't this method a bit too despicable?"

Lin Fan replied, "No."

"Didn't you trample all the other flowers? Isn't that despicable?"

Lin Fan thought for a moment and asked, "If I admit I'm despicable, will Senior let me pass?"

"..." How to answer? The Daoist thought for a moment, "Second level."

"Are you kidding? They said there's only one level." Lin Fan objected.

The Daoist laughed, "Did I say there's only one level?"

Lin Fan asked, "Is this method too despicable?"

The Daoist countered, "If I admit it's despicable, will you give up passing?"

Lin Fan replied, "It's just the two of us here. Whether Senior admits it or not, whether it's despicable or not, we both know. Please ask, how many more levels are there?"

"Undetermined, second level." The Daoist closed his eyes.

The scene appeared, and the Yunqing Sect was forty miles ahead. They were in a village, and the scene moved forward. A few miles out of the village, there was a mother and son. The mother was about twenty, and the child was about four. Both had triangular marks on their legs. The Daoist said, "The Yunqing Sect is under attack. You must rush to the Yunqing Sect because you are the only one who can activate the mountain protection array. On your way, you find the mother and son bitten by venomous snakes. In areas where venomous snakes appear, there must be an antidote within ten steps. You can stay to find the antidote and save the mother and son, or you can abandon them and head to the Yunqing Sect. You have half an incense stick's time."

The Daoist lit an incense stick, "I remind you, half an incense stick is only enough to fly to the Yunqing Sect and activate the array. If you stay to save them, you won't make it to the Yunqing Sect."

Lin Fan sighed, "No matter what I choose, it's wrong."

The Daoist did not deny it, "How will you choose?"

Lin Fan asked, "I'm the only one who can activate the array? So I'm the patriarch?"

"Let's say... yes." Are you taking advantage of this?

"If I were the patriarch, I would definitely have instructed everyone to run if they can't fight... So I don't think it's urgent to return to the Yunqing Sect because everyone has already run away."

PS: Last week, if you have recommendation tickets, use them now. This is when recommendation tickets are most useful.

i1153

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