Chapter 1484 - 3-in-1)

It seems as though one has withdrawn from the Jianghu, vanishing without a trace.

But would someone who practices the Murder Sword really retire?

Chen Yi did not know nor understand. Coming to Chang'an this time, he had intended to meet with the Broken Swordsman, though it was secondary to the assassination of the Crown Prince.

Chen Yi took a sip of clear tea, his gaze swept across the sea of people, not seeing any sign of the White Lotus Sect. He then returned his eyes to Master Yunzhou.

He spoke slowly, "The True Man's technique is exquisite, may I know where this tea set is from?"

"From thousands of miles away on the sacred palanquin, the tea was brewed by the Empress herself."

The old Daoist answered casually, yet Chen Yi was startled. Though he knew this was relying on Divine Realm Communication for genuine acquisition from afar, he did not expect it to be directly from thousands of miles away.

"Is Divine Realm Communication capable of such feat..."

Master Yunzhou lifted his hand forward, saying, "Drink, it's precious."

"The Empress's delicate hand, indeed precious," Chen Yi blew lightly and was about to take a large sip. Seeing the tea soup clear and fragrant, this Western Jin's tea art was different from Great Yu's, specialized in its own way, perhaps even better than the tea infused by Yin Weiyin.

"Young friend is overthinking, the Empress is probably over fifty this year."

"..." Chen Yi fell silent for a moment, concealed it by sipping lightly. The tea soup moistened the throat, unable to taste its flavor, the Western Jin Empress's delicate... but didn't brew the Zishi, Mao, Yin, Chou out of it.

It's expected too. A mere mortal, how could it compare to his long secluded Great Yin, whether in the taste of tea or the elegance of tea ceremony, no one in Great Yin could match.

After Chen Yi finished drinking, without uttering a word, Master Yunzhou took the lead to speak,

"I thought you'd be bold enough to marvel."

"For one about to ascend, anything they wish to do is not surprising. Many leave never to return."

Master Yunzhou stood before him, exhibiting leisurely grace, lacking the tension of imminent ascension. Chen Yi thought perhaps for those destined to ascend, it is no different from a death row inmate knowing their end.

As the execution date approaches, naturally one wishes to act freely.

Yet shackled by confinement, hands bound in chains, leaving one to be pressed onto the execution ground, only to become a hero in the next life.

Chen Yi looked along the Three Pure Ones Hall's eaves, watching the bustling crowd, incense burning in continuity. This historically lacking Liuyun Palace in the Buddhist-promoting and Taoist-demoting Western Jin achieves today's standing solely due to the fame gained from Master Yunzhou's imminent ascension.

"Is this Liuyun Palace your prison?" Chen Yi asked abruptly.

"Oh? How come?"

"If not a prison, you would have ascended long ago. Why hold a ceremony? You must have an attachment."

Master Yunzhou paused, not surprised by Chen Yi's words, but by the fact that his eyes showed no golden light, not opening the Heavenly Eye. After pondering, he laughed heartily, "Old man's heart, not even I can explain clearly. How could you be certain, young friend?"

"Just a random guess. It's not me ascending anyway."

"Listening to your tone, young friend doesn't like the idea of ascending?"

"Can't say I like or dislike it, but someone keeps urging by my side, which is irritating."

"Is it a senior from your sect?"

"No, it's the woman beside me."

Chen Yi casually responded while occasionally glancing at Liuyun Palace from above, its every inch almost within view. Passing by shadows, still not seeing traces of the White Lotus Sect, but instead discovering a few plainclothes supervisors from the Inspection Department.

To avoid detection of distraction, he slowly returned his eyes and saw Master Yunzhou's eyes also slowly sweeping over, also surveying Liuyun Palace...

Their gazes intersected in a glance.

Chen Yi smirked and said, "The True Man is also watching this Liuyun Palace?"

"Ahem... young friend is too," Master Yunzhou coughed twice, casually saying, "You've seen plenty of spies from the Inspection Department."

"Indeed, they are waiting for the White Lotus Sect."

"I am also waiting," Master Yunzhou squinted his aged eyes slightly, "If they don't come, I can be assured to ascend."

In the chance meeting, Chen Yi didn't inquire about the implications. As cultivation grows, it's better to not always take hold, but to observe more with folded arms.

"Let's not talk about that, let's discuss something else interesting," Master Yunzhou signaled to refill Chen Yi's tea, then gossiped, "You mentioned that the woman by your side urges you to become an immortal, is she your Daoist companion?"

"Yes."

"Oh dear, what is her appearance like, her name, old man's a True Man, can help divine a fortune, assess fate."

Old people who indulge in gossip generally have no restraints, and Master Yunzhou about to ascend was even more so. Chen Yi didn't mind, just replied evasively, "No need, the fortune and fate have already been calculated, all is well."

Thinking this old man would persist in asking until one feels irritated, yet Master Yunzhou's hand paused while refilling tea, stabilized with no shaking,

"That makes sense, you have Heavenly Vision, no need to worry."

After refilling tea, Master Yunzhou set the teapot aside, asking,

"Have you read the scriptures?"

"Taoist Collection?"

Master Yunzhou shook his head, saying, "Zhuangzi's Grandmaster."

Chen Yi pondered slightly, recalling many scriptures mentioned by Yin Weiyin, none fitting initially. Just about to shake his head, he suddenly remembered scriptures read at Yin Sword Mountain, foggy through a lifetime, yet growing familiar...

"Is it the one... mutual dependence rather than oblivion in Jianghu?"

"Exactly.

…When the spring dries up, the fish lay in the land, moisten each other by spitting, better to forget each other in the Jianghu."

Master Yunzhou gently savored tea, approaching ascension, seemingly unworried, saying,

"Do you know young lady, once I lived with a White Lotus Sect woman like fish in the spring?"