Chapter 9: The Strange Man Luo Tian

  Wushan is located in the jurisdiction of Lingyun City, Water Cloud Country. Lingyun City is to the north of Qingyan City. To get to Wushan, one must head north all the way, passing through Qingyan City along the way.

  Qingyan City is the southernmost major city of the State of Shuǐyún, directly facing the nine tribes of Nányí. It is a fortress that military strategists must contend for. Because the stone materials used in the walls of Qingyan City all come from the solid blue rocks on top of Mount Qingyan where the Ji family resides, it is called Qingyan City.

  It is said that a hundred years ago, the Southern Jiuyi army was strong and powerful, with many powerful Tian Shi appearing out of thin air. They had repeatedly gathered the military strength of nine tribes to attack Qingyan City, attempting to break through the gates of Yunyun State and occupy the fertile land of Zhongtu.

  Sixty years ago, a powerful Tian Shi named Chi Yan emerged from the nine tribes of Nan Yi, known as the "Nine Tribes Shi Wang", and was recognized by all Tian Shi in the nine tribes of Nan Yi as the king. His strength had already reached the Bagua Tian realm where he could wander freely in the sun!

  It was under the impetus of this man that the nine tribes of Nan Yi were united, and they launched several fierce attacks on Qingyan City, breaking open the city gate several times and entering the city to burn, kill and loot.

  Under the tacit consent of "Jiubushi Wang" Chì Hóng, many southern barbarian Tiānshì also took advantage of the situation to enter Zhōngtǔ Shuǐyún Guó, carrying out bloody massacres against various major Tiānshì sects and families in Zhōngtǔ Shuǐyún Guó, plundering yuán shí, líng yào, shén bīng, and yì bǎo. Many Tiānshì sects and families in Shuǐyún Guó were exterminated.

  The evil deeds of the nine tribes of Nan Yi and the Tian Shi in the State of Shui Yun finally enraged the Tiānshān Qiánkūn Zōng, one of the two major Tian Shi sects in Zhong Tu!

  Qian Kun Zong Shi, the master of the ancient and pure teachings, left Tian Shan alone and traveled to the sacred land of the nine tribes of Nan Yi, Tian Lang Shan. Among the many Nan Yi Tian Shi in Tian Lang Shan, he killed the "Nine Tribes Shi Wang" Chi Hong, and also tore off the last three pages of the Nan Yi Tian Shi's cultivation secret book "Jiu Yi Shen She Pu", which had been stored in the sacred land of Tian Lang Shan for a long time, and took it away calmly.

  At the same time, the three great elders of the Qiankun Sect and the five disciples of Gu Dan descended from Tian Shan, leading the remaining masters of the various Tiān Shì schools and families in Water Cloud Country to engage in a bloody battle with the nine departments of Tiān Shì from Nan Yi on Xue Yu Shan, achieving a great victory, causing many Tiān Shì from Nan Yi who had entered Water Cloud Country to die miserably, their corpses forever left on Xue Yu Shan.

  Chi You has died, and the Southern Barbarian's Tian Shi also suffered a crushing defeat at Xue Yu Shan. The Southern Barbarian army was thrown into chaos, and without their leader, they fought separately and were heavily defeated by the Shui Yun Kingdom, forced to flee back to the Southern Barbarians in disarray.

  After losing the last three pages of "Nine Barbarian Divine Archery Spectrum", the nine tribes of Nan Yi have never produced a "Nine Tribal King" since then. The Nan Yi army has been in decline ever since, and the infighting between the nine tribes has not stopped, leaving no strength to unite and attack Shuiyun Country again. Qingyan City has thus enjoyed peace for sixty years.

  After tearing off three pages of the "Nine Yi Divine Archery Spectrum", he put down a sentence, letting the nine departments of Nanyi select one young Tian Shi under the age of 30 to go to Tianshan every ten years. As long as Gu Dan took a look and thought it was possible, he would return the last three pages of the "Nine Yi Divine Archery Spectrum" to the nine departments of Nanyi.

  From then on, every ten years, the nine departments of Nanyi would select a young and talented messenger to gather various rare spiritual medicines, yuan stones, and treasures from Nanyi. They would set out from Nanyi, cross the Yunmeng Great Marsh, pass through Qingyan City, change direction, and head straight for Mount Tian.

  However, over the past sixty years, the nine tribes of Nan Yi have sent a total of five young talents, carrying a large number of precious treasures, spiritual medicines and yuan stones, after going through countless hardships to reach Tian Shan, they met Gu Zhan, the master of Qian Kun Sect, but only got ten words - five "not okay"!

  The nine tribes of Nan Yi would swallow their bitter tears every time they received the two words "not possible", and then send envoys again after another ten years.

  "The Divine Shooting Spectrum of the Nine Barbarians" is a sacred object of the nine tribes of the Southern Barbarians, and it is also the only secret method that the heavenly scholars of the nine departments of the Southern Barbarians can cultivate to reach the realm of the ten directions! Even with endless humiliation and anger, the nine departments of the Southern Barbarians could only acknowledge it. When they sent envoys, they would gather more and more treasures, spiritual medicines, and yuan stones every year, just to get Gu Dan to say a single "yes".

  In the world, there are many greedy people. The nine tribes of the Southern Barbarians gather treasures, spiritual medicines and yuan stones as tribute, which are the most needed treasures for a heavenly master. Especially some top-grade spiritual medicines and special yuan stones that only the Southern Barbarians produce make all the heavenly masters in the world jealous and crazy.

  The nine departments of the Southern Barbarians, although greatly damaged in their original energy, are still not a place where ordinary Tian Shi can go to venture. Therefore, the decade-long mission of the Southern Barbarian envoys to make a trip to the Heavenly Mountains has given many Tian Shi in the world an opportunity!

  A decade-long event, the Southern Barbarian Envoy's journey to Mount Tian, has become a grand gathering for all the heavenly masters in the world. Every time this happens, numerous heavenly masters from Beiman, Xiyu, Donghai, Zhongtu, and other famous mountains and rivers will gather at the small Qingyan City, taking it as their base, starting from Yunmeng Daze, they will compete to snatch the spiritual medicine, yuan stone, and treasures from the Southern Barbarian Envoy's hands.

  This is a bloody feast of crocodiles fighting for food!

  Every time this happens, the Qingyan City will be filled with blood and rain, and the Tian Shi families of various major cities will be in danger. The patriarchs strictly forbid their family members from leaving the family one step. The Tian Shi people who gathered from all over the world, once they are blinded by killing, have no scruples at all, and the imperial power and army are not taken into account.

  At that time, the weak and feeble Tian Shi would only be left with nothing but a pile of bones! On the other hand, the powerful Tian Shi would obtain rich spoils of war in this grand feast, for which they had gone mad!

  What's more, there are powerful Tiān Shì who will take this grand banquet as an opportunity to break through, and come purely for battle!

  It's been three years since the bloody banquet...

  Half a day later, Ji Wanyun brought Ji Changkong to Qingyan City.

  "Changkong, let's go to the City Lord's mansion first. I have something to say to Ruolan that girl. After I finish speaking, we'll immediately head to Wushan!" After entering Qingyuan City, Ji Yuanyun pulled Ji Changkong towards the City Lord's mansion where Nie Yuanshan was located.

  With a slight effort, Ji Ruo Yun tightly grasped her own wrist and struggled free. Under Ji Ruo Yun's bewildered and uncomprehending gaze, Ji Chang Kong could only bitterly smile and say: "Forget it, I won't go to the City Master's estate with you. I'll go wait for you at Luo Tian's place instead."

  "Are you still afraid of Nie Ruolan?" Ji Wanyun was taken aback for a moment, then chuckled softly.

  Shaking his head, Ji Changkong's face looked strange as he distinguished: "It's not that I'm afraid! It's just that looking at her is painful, and I think if she sees me, it will be even more painful for her. It's better if we don't meet."

  "Wasn't it three years ago that you and I were walking by, and we just happened to bump into her taking a bath in the courtyard? You little brat, with so many crooked thoughts, honestly, you didn't do it on purpose, she was just careless."

  Ji Wanyun's mouth curled up in a strange and eerie smile, but the words that came out of her mouth were clearly biased towards Ji Changkong. After thinking for a moment, Ji Wanyun let out a "heh" and said: "Forget it, forget it, if we don't see each other then so be it, to avoid that little girl bullying you. But don't worry, after we return from Mount Wu, once you have your yuan power, you won't need to fear her."

  "A year ago when I saw her, she was already at the Two Instruments Heaven boundary. I think even Ji Changxiao wouldn't be a match for her. For now, I don't want to provoke her." Ji Changkong's face fell, and he shrugged his shoulders in resignation.

  "How can you talk like that? No matter how you say it, Long Xu is your elder brother, how can you call him by his name directly?" Ji Yuanyun glared at Ji Changkong with a glance, and then said softly: "Even if Long Xu and the others are not good to you, even if they look down on you, they are still people of our Ji family!"

  The princess hesitated and pursed her lips, neither confirming nor denying.

  Seeing Ji Changkong's expression, Ji Wenyun sighed in her heart. She knew that Ji Changkong had hatred in his heart, and if he didn't vent it out, this knot would probably never be untied.

  Ji Wanyun waved her hand somewhat wearily, not wanting to continue entangling herself in this matter either. She changed the subject: "Forget it, forget it. If you don't want to see Nie Ruolan, then don't see her. I'll go find you at Luo Tian's place later." After speaking, Ji Wanyun didn't say anything else and went alone to the city lord's manor of Nie Yuanshan.

  Watching Ji Wanyun's figure gradually disappear into the distance, Ji Changkong let out a soft sigh and walked alone towards the slums of Qingyan City.

  ……

  Half an hour later, Ji Changkong saw from afar the nine old but very spacious three-rowed blue-tiled houses of Luo Tian, with each row having three rooms.

  The first row of three tile houses is where Luo Tian sleeps, talks and spends his daily life. The second row of three large tile houses is where Luo Tian brews wine. Under the third row of large tile houses is a cellar used to store wine.

  In Ji Changkong's eyes, Luo Tian was a complete and utter weirdo.

  Luotian brews wine, but he himself never drinks it. He says brewing is for making money, but Jilongkong has never seen anyone come to buy the wine he brewed. Luotian often disappears for a period of time, sometimes three to five days, sometimes ten days or half a month, and the three rows of large tile houses are often in an unmanned state.

  Luo Tian never smiled and spoke little. He was somewhat introverted and would always respond with silence to things he didn't want to say. In his daily life, he rarely interacted with people.

  Apart from himself, Ji Changkong had never seen any other friends of Luo Tian here, nor had he ever seen anyone come to buy his wine.

  But today seems to be an exception.

  In the first row of the open-tiled house in the center, a burly man with disheveled hair and a ruddy complexion like Guan Gong was standing. The man stood with his left side facing Ji Changkong, his age indistinguishable, and was talking to Luo Tian who sat inside with a cold and indifferent expression.

  "Lao Luo, we have a guest?" Ji Changkong walked in and greeted Luo Tian casually.

  I don't know why, but every time I come here, Ji Changkong feels a sense of relaxation all over his body. At Luo Tian's place, Ji Changkong can easily forget his own misfortunes and chat nonsense with Luo Tian regardless of age.

  However, most of the time, it was Ji Changkong who spoke alone, and Luo Tian just sat beside him silently listening, rarely expressing his opinions. Many times, Ji Changkong thought that Luo Tian hadn't listened to what he said, but every time Ji asked him, he could accurately say what Ji had just talked about.

  "Pffft!"

  The red-faced big man in the house suddenly sprayed a mouthful of tea directly onto the wall of Luo Tian's tile-roofed house.

  He was stunned, looking at Luo Tian's unchanged expression, then looked at Ji Changkong who had just walked in, as if he was stimulated by Ji Changkong's title to Luo Tian. His body stiffened and didn't move, his face extremely strange.

  Luotian didn't even glance at the red-faced middle-aged man, but instead looked at Ji Changkong who was walking in, curled up the corner of his mouth and nodded slightly.

  Luo Tian never smiled, and it wasn't until Ji Changkong had known him for ten years that he noticed Luo Tian's mouth twitching at the corners, which seemed to be his way of smiling. This was a conclusion Ji Changkong had come to after observing him repeatedly over several years.

  "Uh... sorry, sorry..." The middle-aged man seemed to suddenly come to his senses, hurriedly searching for something on his body. After a while, he couldn't find anything, and without any hesitation, he actually tore off a corner of the brocade robe he was wearing with a "ripping" sound.

  Then he took the torn piece of brocade and used it as a rag to wipe down the dirty wall that had been splashed with tea water, his expression focused and even a bit cautious.

  "Who is this?" Ji Changkong was taken aback and asked Luo Tian first, then looked at the middle-aged man and saw him busily wiping the wall with his burly body bent over. He found it quite comical and couldn't help but laugh: "This broken wall of his, what's there to wipe? I'm afraid this entire broken-tiled house of his isn't even worth one of your Cloud Silk Pavilion long shirts!"

  The middle-aged man turned his head and glanced at Ji Changkong, a flash of surprise flickering in his eyes, as if he had not expected Ji Changkong to see through the brocade clothes he was wearing, which came from Yunsi Pavilion, the most famous place in Tianyun City, Shuikun State.

  The middle-aged man was taken aback for a moment, then glanced at Luo Tian's apathetic expression and quickly continued his actions, dryly laughing: "Need to wipe, need to wipe!"

  ……

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