Jinmen Prefecture, Linjiang County.
Xu Qing used both coaxing and deception to invite the secluded Master Jingxu to join the Da Luo Sect as the All Heavens Altar Master.
The All Heavens Altar is responsible for venerating the Twenty-Four Heavens and ensuring the sect's messages smoothly reach the heavenly palaces.
Master Jingxu originally belonged to the lineage of the Five Elders, embodying the legacy of the Five Spirits and Five Vital Energies, regarded as the legitimate spiritual ancestor of orthodoxy.
The Five Elders were the origin of the Five Energies, the beginnings of the Five Elements, even the Celestial Emperor must show them some courtesy.
In the current times, with magic flourishing and Dao diminishing, orthodox gods do not reveal themselves, yet given Master Jingxu's aloof nature, it's truly difficult for someone to persuade her to step out into the world.
If it weren't for the Five Elders Temple unknowingly owing a large debt to the Cat Immortal Hall, combined with her own disciple being led away by Xu Qing, Master Jingxu would not have agreed so easily.
"I will temporarily address you as Sect Leader Xu, but there is something I must say upfront."
Master Jingxu glanced at the unusual celestial phenomena and said, "Although I am the true legacy of the Five Elders Temple, I am merely a branch inheriting the Five Emperors' teachings. Should Sect Leader Xu get into trouble someday, relying on my connections to escape would be impossible."
"Even if I myself were to get into trouble, the Five Elders might not intervene to rescue."
Finally, Master Jingxu looked again towards Purple Cloud Mountain, sighing helplessly, "I have lived my whole life in seclusion, avoiding trouble, yet never imagined I would end up walking into a calamity."
"Sect Leader Xu must remember, my agreement to join the Da Luo Sect is entirely out of respect for Yizhen. Should the Sect Leader act like that old fox one day, hehe..."
Upon seeing Master Jingxu relent, Xu Qing immediately expressed his stance.
He firmly indicated he could not be as irresponsible as Hu Baosong!
Anyway, the Elder Temple Master should rest assured, though Mr. Xu has never been a father, he will strive his best to make up for the lack of paternal love for Senior Sister.
Upon hearing this, Master Jingxu's face immediately darkened, was she talking about making Yizhen call Xu Qing father!
Fortunately, often interacting with Xu Qing, the Elder Temple Master knew his nature, understanding the other's deliberate avoidance and joking, thus paid no mind to it.
This matter, thinking it through, seems impossible to happen.
...
Flower and Bird Street, North Gate Alley.
After finishing dealings with the coffin shop, Xu Qing took Ascendant Fuluan to the Feng family residence.
Amidst the fluctuating situations, Xu Qing remained occupied and found it difficult to notice the passing of time in the mortal world.
Ten years, twenty years, seemed to flash by in the blink of an eye.
If Ascendant Fuluan hadn't mentioned the Feng family, Xu Qing would likely still be lingering on the impression of Feng Xiaosheng hoarding foreign goods, trying to earn fortunes for his descendants.
Now, Feng Xiaosheng has been gone for nearly ten years, the burial rites back then were handled by Xu Qing's grand-disciple, a disciple of Li Tiezhu.
That disciple seems to be surnamed Huo, reportedly from Dongguang County in Cangzhou by ancestry, now residing in Jin Sect's Xiaonanhe Village.
Lately, being overwhelmed by the opening of the celestial road, Xu Qing has neglected the care for disciples and grand-disciples.
However, there is no need to worry, Li Tiezhu long since crossed into the martial Celestial Person realm, now formally advancing into the realm of cultivation.
Apart from his realm, Li Tiezhu has the most stable temperament in the Cat Immortal Hall, essentially requiring no concern from Xu Qing.
Outside the main courtyard of Feng Mansion, the elderly Feng Zhennan was lying on a rattan chair taking a nap.
Over these years, as he grew older, Feng Zhennan frequently heard a voice in his mind calling out to him, during midnight dreams, there's always a portal standing in thick black mist, unclear to the eye.
In his subconscious, that voice constantly urged Feng Zhennan to cross that threshold, to pass through that portal.
But whenever he attempted to approach, numerous Yin Soldiers and Ghost Soldiers would crawl from the ground, clutching his ankles, preventing his advance.
Each time, Feng Zhennan felt as if he were sinking in a swamp, with even breathing becoming difficult, and this symptom has worsened lately, he has no doubt that someday he will completely drown in the dream!
Today, Feng Zhennan again saw the portal shrouded in black mist, still eerie and indistinct, with countless little ghosts clinging to his feet.
When the omnipresent swamp engulfed to his chest, Feng Zhennan suddenly had a moment of enlightenment.
Perhaps this is a sign of his nearing end.
Confusion appeared in Feng Zhennan's eyes, but the next moment, his struggle grew even stronger!
Though unclear what the distant ominous portal signifies, he somehow feels that is his true end, not to be buried among ghosts outside the portal in a deserted graveyard!
At a certain moment, a call suddenly resonated from outside the dream.
"Man'er, Zhennan? This child, at this age, how can he still sleep..."
Those sinister little ghosts entangling Feng Zhennan scattered like mice upon seeing a cat, receding like a tide upon hearing the voice.
At the moment of impending awakening, Feng Zhennan turned his head to look back, and this time he finally saw clearly the appearance of that doorway.
On the majestic plaque above the door, the three large red characters read Ghost Gate.
"You are..."
Upon awakening, Feng Zhennan saw Xu Qing and Ascendant Fuluan standing by the cane chair, observing him.
He was all too familiar with their appearances; the young man was clearly his god-grandfather, and the middle-aged scholar-like person was his godfather...
"God-grandfather Xu?"
Xu Qing chuckled at the words.
"My dear god-grandson, I'm glad you still remember your god-grandfather! If it weren't for god-grandfather waking you up, I'd have thought you truly let everything go, ready to reincarnate!"
Feng Zhennan widened his eyes and stammered:
"I must still be dreaming, God-grandfather Xu and Godfather Xu passed away many years ago, how could they still be alive!"
Beside him, Xu Junfang, the Land Immortal, joked, "What are you saying! Your god-grandfather and I are Land Immortals, and no mortal in this world lives longer than your god-grandfather. This time we returned to take you with us."
Although Ascendant Fuluan and Demon Exorcism True Monarch knew each other, their relationship was not good. Rather than friends, they seemed more like past-life grievances that couldn't converse civilly.
After all, Demon Exorcism True Monarch was a loyal and virtuous figure who proved his integrity through death, while the former Ascendant Fuluan...
Was nothing more than a cowardly and reluctant figure.
Their personalities couldn't be more incompatible, and it was already a deep friendship if they didn't fight upon meeting.
Now that Demon Exorcism True Monarch was reincarnated, Ascendant Fuluan simply insisted on acknowledging Feng Zhennan as a godson to regain his past dignity.
Xu Qing, however, regarded it differently; Feng Zhennan's grandfather was an old friend, and the generational gap justified Feng Zhennan calling him god-grandfather this life.
As for whether Demon Exorcism True Monarch would acknowledge this relationship after returning to his position...
That was still up for discussion.
Xu Qing cheerfully explained the circumstances to Feng Zhennan before taking out a Ghost-slaying Treasure Sword, saying:
"This sword was gifted in a past life by Demon Exorcism True Monarch, today returning it to its original owner brings the karmic bond full circle."
Feng Zhennan looked bewildered: "I'm an Immortal?"
Xu Qing nodded: "Yes, you are Demon Exorcism True Monarch, the ghost-catching Celestial Master depicted on the gate painting is you."
Ascendant Fuluan chimed in: "Your original surname was Zhong, Feng is your surname after reincarnation."
"Is there truly such a fantastic occurrence in this world? How did I wake up to become an Immortal from a storyteller's tale, perhaps the dream hasn't ended..."
Seeing Feng Zhennan still in disbelief, Ascendant Fuluan produced a mirror and handed it to him.
"Look into the mirror, besides the notorious Demon Exorcism True Monarch, is there a second Immortal in the world as ugly?"
"Even among the mortals, none are this ugly!"
"..."
Feng Zhennan was at a loss for words.
Meanwhile, Xu Qing asked Ascendant Fuluan to bring the Three Lives Stone dew, saying: "Zhennan, your mundane attachments are over, it's time to return to your rightful position. Drink this drop of stone dew, and you will understand everything in no time."
After hesitating for a moment, Feng Zhennan accepted the stone dew.
Ascendant Fuluan, upon seeing this, instinctively wanted to turn and leave, but was caught by Xu Qing.
"Where is Altar Master Fu Luan headed?"
"I'm returning to my sect to handle affairs for the Sect Leader."
Ascendant Fuluan tried to break free from Xu Qing, anxiously watching Feng Zhennan who had already swallowed the stone dew.
"No rush, Zhennan is about to return to his rightful position, how can his godfather not be present?"
Soon, the true spirit awakened, and the Primordial Spirit of Demon Exorcism True Monarch returned to his place, suddenly opening his eyes.
The True Monarch first bowed to Xu Qing in thanks, then looked coldly at Ascendant Fuluan.
"True Monarch, let's talk this through without resorting to violence!"
Shuozhou, Bayu, Heluo, Cangwu, Beizhao...