Longevity: Comprehending the Heart Method-Chapter 36: Zhuang Yuechan

After Song Changsheng returned to the Treasure Hunting Pavilion to explain the situation to Song Luyuan, he went to meet Zhu Yiqun at the agreed-upon time the next day.

"You’re here. Change into this black robe first," Zhu Yiqun said, handing a black robe to Song Changsheng as soon as he arrived.

"What’s this?" Song Changsheng asked, confused.

"Heh, you’re practically a celebrity in this Marketplace," Zhu Yiqun whispered, leaning in close and glancing at a distant bamboo building from the corner of his eye. "If we don’t conceal you, our movements will be exposed. This is a Concealment Robe. It lets you blend into your surroundings and hides your tracks."

Song Changsheng immediately understood what Zhu Yiqun meant. He wasn’t a fool; for some time now, he had often felt someone watching him from the shadows. ’It seems Zhu Yiqun has noticed, too.’

He and Zhu Yiqun walked into a secluded corner together. The spy in the shadows immediately crept over, but to his surprise, the corner was completely empty when he got there.

’Damn it, I lost them.’ The spy instantly realized he’d lost his targets and hurried back to the Hundred Treasures Pavilion.

After he left, the shadows in the corner began to stir, and a moment later, two figures in black robes emerged.

Zhu Yiqun smiled. "It’s a little trick called ’hiding in plain sight.’ Now that we’ve shaken off any prying eyes, Changsheng, let’s go meet our fellow Daoists."

Song Changsheng gave a slight nod, but the shroud of mystery around Zhu Yiqun only thickened in his mind. ’He’s standing right there, but I can’t seem to see him clearly at all.’

The two traveled quickly, eventually arriving at an inn.

They went up to the third floor and pushed open a door. Inside, a dozen or so assorted individuals came into view.

"You’re finally back! Are we leaving or not?" a burly man demanded impatiently, just as the door closed.

Zhu Yiqun pulled back his hood and smiled placatingly. "Don’t be so anxious, Fellow Daoist Lih. I was just fetching our Array Master. We’ll be leaving shortly."

With that, he turned his gaze to Song Changsheng. "Fellow Daoists, allow me to introduce you. This is Song Changsheng, Fellow Daoist Song. He’s a Tier One top-grade Array Master and will be joining us."

Song Changsheng also removed his hood and clasped his fist in greeting. "A pleasure to meet you all, Fellow Daoists."

"No wonder Fellow Daoist Zhu said he was adding someone at the last minute! So it’s you, Fellow Daoist Song," a gray-robed Cultivator with a long sword on his back said cheerfully. "With your expertise in arrays, our chances of success on this trip have just gone up."

The others also looked at Song Changsheng with friendly expressions. After all, he was rather well-known in Liuyun Marketplace.

"Changsheng, let me make the introductions. This is Fellow Daoist Lih Hu, a Qi Refining Ninth Layer Cultivator and a rare Body Cultivator.

The one who just spoke is Fellow Daoist Xu Yunhe, a Qi Refining Great Perfection Cultivator, and a Sword Cultivator.

...

And last is Fellow Daoist Xuu Yun, a Qi Refining Seventh Layer Cultivator, and also a Tier One Top-Grade Array Master."

Zhu Yiqun introduced everyone to Song Changsheng one by one, and with that, they were all loosely acquainted. There were thirteen people in total, all Late-stage Qi Refining Cultivators—a truly formidable lineup.

Only after the introductions did Song Changsheng realize that, aside from himself, the team already had a Tier One Top-Grade Array Master.

Combining this with what Xu Yunhe had just said, it wasn’t hard to guess that Zhu Yiqun must have insisted on adding him to the group. A flicker of warmth bloomed in his chest at the thought.

"Hmm? Has Fellow Daoist Zhuang not arrived yet?" Zhu Yiqun asked, looking around the room before his gaze settled on Xu Yunhe.

Xu Yunhe shrugged. "Fellow Daoist Zhuang has always kept to herself. None of us know her movements, but since she said she would come, I doubt she’ll break her word."

"Let’s wait one more ancient hour. If Fellow Daoist Zhuang doesn’t show up by then, we’ll leave without her," Zhu Yiqun said with a nod.

The room fell silent once more. Everyone, whether sitting or standing, closed their eyes to rest and conserve their energy.

CREAK.

The closed door was pushed open.

The eyes of Song Changsheng and the others converged on the doorway. The newcomer was a tall woman, dressed in a long, pale blue gown that cinched at her waist. Her skin was as fair as jade, and her figure was exquisite and curvaceous.

Her face was covered by a white veil, through which the faint outline of her features could be seen, leaving only a pair of bright, expressive eyes visible.

"My apologies, Fellow Daoists, for being late," the newcomer said to the group, her voice tinged with regret.

"Not late at all, Fellow Daoist Zhuang. This is the Fellow Daoist Song I told you about," Zhu Yiqun said, standing up with a cheerful smile.

"Song Clan." A flicker of emotion crossed Zhuang Yuechan’s eyes, and she showed no intention of greeting Song Changsheng.

Song Changsheng frowned slightly. Although she hadn’t shown it overtly, he was sharp enough to perceive the shift in her emotions.

Her attitude seemed to turn cold the moment she learned his name.

’Do we have some kind of history?’ Song Changsheng racked his brain but came up with absolutely nothing. The whole situation was baffling.

Zhu Yiqun noticed the subtle shift in atmosphere between the two and quickly interjected, "Since everyone is here now, let’s get ready to depart.

Same rules as always: to avoid attracting unwanted attention, we’ll leave the Marketplace in batches. Remember to conceal your presence. We’ll regroup in the forest outside the Marketplace."

Everyone voiced their agreement, then began to head downstairs in batches, leaving the Marketplace from different directions...

「Inside the Hundred Treasures Pavilion」

The spy knelt before Elder Cheng, his face a mask of terror. "Elder..." he reported in a trembling voice, "I... I lost them."

"Hmm? You lost them?" Cheng Yufei’s eyes blazed with fury. His aura erupted like an enraged lion, pressing down on the spy until he could barely breathe.

"Spare my life, Elder!" The spy immediately fell prostrate, his body trembling uncontrollably.

"Useless trash! What does the sect even keep you around for?!" Cheng Yufei roared, slamming his hand on the table. "Go find him! I don’t care if he’s crawled into a hole in the ground, you will drag him out for me!"

"As... as you command." The spy scrambled to his feet and fled the room.

Soon, all of the Earth Fire Sect’s operatives in Liuyun Marketplace, both in plain sight and in the shadows, were mobilized to search for any trace of Song Changsheng...

What they didn’t know was that Song Changsheng and Zhu Yiqun, clad in special black robes that concealed their presence, had already left the Marketplace from the eastern gate.

Along the road, Zhu Yiqun kept glancing at Song Changsheng, looking like he was bursting to say something but holding himself back.

Song Changsheng shook his head, exasperated. "If you have something to ask, just ask. Spit it out before you hurt yourself."

"Hehe, so what’s the deal between you and Fellow Daoist Zhuang? You didn’t do something to her, did you?" Zhu Yiqun asked with a teasing grin.

Song Changsheng stopped in his tracks and looked at him helplessly. "Hold on. I’ve never even met her before, let alone done anything to her."

A cunning glint appeared in Zhu Yiqun’s small eyes. He wagged a finger. "Nope. I’ve known Fellow Daoist Zhuang for almost two years. She might not be the most sociable person, but she’s always impeccably polite and well-mannered. There’s no way she would give you the cold shoulder like that for no reason.

Something definitely happened between you two. Don’t tell me... you loved her and left her?"

Song Changsheng’s face instantly turned as black as the bottom of a wok.

...