Chapter 4

The middle-aged man in Tang attire is named Li Chuanhe. He is also a notable figure in Shangjiang City. Gu Fenglin has had a few dealings with Li Chuanhe, and to be honest, he is indeed somewhat wary of him.

In fact, Gu Fenglin has only been back in Shangjiang City for two years and has always deliberately avoided Li Chuanhe. Li Chuanhe has been in Shangjiang City for many years, with deep connections and high popularity. However, he is rather arrogant and not everyone can summon him. The jobs Gu Fenglin takes on are often those Li Chuanhe looks down upon, so there hasn't been much direct conflict between them.

But this time, it's clear that Li Chuanhe was deliberately brought in by the fourth son of the Jiang family to embarrass Jiang Shihao, and Gu Fenglin has also been dragged into the mess.

The Jiang family wields immense power in Shangjiang City, with assets spread across various regions and significant influence. However, the four brothers are not very harmonious and have been openly and secretly competing for the family's vast assets. Of course, this is a common occurrence in large families and is not unusual. Gu Fenglin has always tried to stay out of such matters, but this time, he can't escape it.

If it were before, Gu Fenglin would be angry but would also have to carefully consider his actions. However, with Ning Yuan standing beside him, he cannot back down. If he loses face in front of his junior master, it would not only weaken his own dignity but also tarnish the reputation of their sect. It's not just his own face that would be lost.

Therefore, as soon as Li Chuanhe finished speaking, Gu Fenglin stepped forward and coldly snorted, "Master Li, as a respected senior, you should understand the rules. The branch of Jiang Group is currently under my responsibility. Your sudden intervention is somewhat inappropriate, isn't it?"

Li Chuanhe didn't even bother to look at Gu Fenglin and snorted, "Gu, you've managed to stand your ground in Shangjiang City only because I've turned a blind eye. This time, I'm here to repay a favor to the fourth master. Do you even deserve to have your territory challenged?"

"You..." Gu Fenglin was so angry that his lips trembled, his face turning ashen. He raised his hand to point at Li Chuanhe, about to shout, but a hand from the side pressed down on his arm. Ning Yuan stepped forward with a faint smile and said, "Master Li is also a practitioner of the mystic arts. I wonder which school you belong to. Perhaps our two sects have some connection. Why be so confrontational?"

Li Chuanhe glanced at Ning Yuan with the corner of his eye and saw a young man in his early twenties, snorting with disdain, "At your young age, you dare to ask about my lineage? How ridiculous."

Li Chuanhe's snort further enraged Gu Fenglin. Ning Yuan is now the leader of their sect, and Li Chuanhe's disdain was not just an insult to him but also to their lineage.

Seeing Gu Fenglin's anger, Ning Yuan stopped him again, not showing any anger, and smiled faintly, "Very well, if you're unwilling to reveal your lineage, why should we care?"

Ning Yuan's words were clearly a provocation, but Li Chuanhe fell for it, snorting coldly, "Listen carefully, boy. I am a disciple of the Shanluan School, having studied for decades. I'm not interested in arguing with your generation."

"Shanluan School!" Ning Yuan looked Li Chuanhe up and down and said with disdain, "The Shanluan School follows the lineage of the Lantu School, which belongs to the Xingshi School. The founder is Guo Pu. Is the current leader He Xinen?"

Hearing Ning Yuan reveal the origins of their lineage, Li Chuanhe was stunned. His originally arrogant expression turned serious as he looked at Ning Yuan.

Speaking of the mystic arts of feng shui, they have a long history. They originated in the pre-Qin period, developed during the Qin and Han dynasties, spread during the Sui and Tang dynasties, flourished in the Song dynasty, and reached their peak in the Qing dynasty. However, they began to decline in modern times.

The mystic arts of feng shui are broadly divided into two schools. One is the Xingshi School, whose founder is Guo Pu from the Jin dynasty. The Xingshi School emphasizes form, method, and landscape, and includes the Lantu School, the Xiangxing School, and the Xingfa School. Over time, the names of these schools have changed, but they can all be traced back. The mystic arts of feng shui emphasize lineage, and all branches of the Xingshi School revere Guo Pu as their founder, forming a single lineage with multiple branches.

The other school is the Liqi School, whose founder is Wang Ji from the Song dynasty. The Liqi School emphasizes the eight trigrams, the twelve celestial stems, and the five elements, and includes the Bagua School, the Bazhai School, the Mingli School, and the Sanhe School. Similarly, the names of these schools have changed over time.

In fact, the mystic arts of feng shui are a combination of the Xingshi and Liqi schools, with each school influencing the other. However, the two schools often attack each other and refuse to acknowledge each other's authority. The Liqi School reveres Wang Ji as their founder.

These secrets are not widely known. Ning Yuan, a young man in his early twenties, revealed them so easily, which naturally surprised Li Chuanhe. More importantly, Ning Yuan not only revealed the origins of the Shanluan School but also called out the name of their leader, addressing him by his name, which made Li Chuanhe think deeply.

"May I ask, young friend, what is your name?" Li Chuanhe's expression changed. Since Ning Yuan knew so much, he might be a disciple of a major sect. With the scarcity of sects in the current world, it's inevitable to have interactions. If he remained arrogant, it would not be good for his reputation.

Before Ning Yuan could answer, Gu Fenglin snorted disdainfully, "Even He Xinen would respectfully call my junior master a senior. Do you think you have the right to ask him?"

Ning Yuan's question made Gu Fenglin realize that he was also a disciple of a major sect. Although he was only a nominal disciple, his background was no less than Li Chuanhe's. In terms of seniority, he was on the same level as He Xinen, the leader of the Shanluan School. No matter how powerful Li Chuanhe was, he couldn't be He Xinen's senior, could he?

Hearing Gu Fenglin's snort, Li Chuanhe's expression changed again, not out of shock but anger. He thought Ning Yuan and Gu Fenglin were mocking him.

Li Chuanhe's status in the Shanluan School was not high, although he was on the same level as He Xinen, he was only a nominal disciple. However, he recently entered the Lingshi realm, advancing to the secret arts, making him far more powerful than before.

The Shanluan School has many members, but only a few have entered the realm of secret arts. When He Xinen saw him, he would at least greet him as a junior brother.

Now, Gu Fenglin was saying that He Xinen was Ning Yuan's junior. Wasn't this a mockery? In the world of sects, seniority is important. He Xinen, as the leader, has a high seniority. There are only a few people who could be his senior, and none of them could be a young man in his early twenties.

Just as Li Chuanhe was about to lash out at Ning Yuan and Gu Fenglin, he suddenly remembered something. He looked at Ning Yuan intently and said after a long pause, "Are you a disciple of Qingping Daoist?"

Previously, Li Chuanhe didn't know much about Qingping Daoist or the details of the mystic arts. He only lived in a corner of Shangjiang City. However, after entering the realm of secret arts, he gained the right to know more. He remembered that recently, when he returned to the sect, He Xinen and others discussed the passing of Qingping Daoist of the Jiuxuan Sect, who passed on his lineage to a young man in his early twenties.

This news spread widely within the sect, but the Jiuxuan Sect is both sacred and reclusive. So, when Qingping Daoist passed away, few people came to pay their respects.

Mentioning Qingping Daoist, he was highly respected by all sects, whether in the mystic arts or in the martial world. It is said that he was born in the late Qing dynasty and had connections with the Hongmen and Qingbang. He had a high seniority and lived to be 108 years old.

The Jiuxuan Sect itself is mysterious, not belonging to the Xingshi or Liqi schools. It is said to be passed down by the Feng Shui Saintess Jiutian Xuannü, who received the Heavenly Book, containing the five methods of mountains, medicine, destiny, physiognomy, and divination. Later, it split into the Tianji Dao, the Renjian Dao, and the Dimate Dao. The lineage of the Jiuxuan Sect is the Renjian Dao and the Dimate Dao, which are the earthly legacies of Jiutian Xuannü, making them the true ancestors of the mystic arts of feng shui.

The Jiuxuan Sect has few members, but it always produces capable individuals. Qingping Daoist, for example, had a legendary life, personally mediating conflicts between the Xingshi and Liqi schools.

Because of this, although Qingping Daoist's passing was not widely announced, many people knew about it, especially the fact that he passed on his lineage to a young man in his early twenties, which was quite puzzling.

Seeing Ning Yuan's age and combining it with Gu Fenglin's words, Li Chuanhe subconsciously thought of this. That's why he asked.

However, after asking, Li Chuanhe laughed to himself. How could this be possible? The Jiuxuan Sect is mysterious, and the new leader, although young, couldn't be this young. It's said that Qingping Daoist had four disciples, with the eldest missing for years and the second still serving him, who is very capable.

Li Chuanhe was still smiling bitterly when Ning Yuan nodded faintly, "I didn't expect you to know my master. Very well, for He Xinen's sake, I won't hold it against you. The arrogance of mystic arts practitioners is not a good thing."

"Wha... What? Are you... really a disciple of Qingping Daoist?" Li Chuanhe's mouth dropped open, his face turning a dark red. After a long pause, he managed to speak.

"How dare you think we would dare to impersonate the Jiuxuan Sect?" Gu Fenglin snorted disdainfully. "Now that you know my junior master's identity, you should know how to greet him, right?"

Ning Yuan still had a faint smile on his face, while Gu Fenglin was cold and mocking.

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