If one were to judge the criteria for being an immortal, it would likely be possessing the power to move mountains and split rivers.
As one of the immortals, Yang Gang could not actually move mountains, though it took some effort. The facts did not change.
The three sect leaders did not dare defy him, and hurriedly nodded.
"You are of course a real immortal, but that other existence should not be wrong either. He hasn't left seclusion for many years, so I'm afraid that disturbing him at this critical juncture would be inappropriate."
In their words, the three sect leaders did not want to offend anyone.
"Then what do you suggest I do?" Yang Gang casually flicked his cyan steel sword, emitting a faint hum, and asked.
The three sect leaders exchanged glances, then quickly bent at the waist towards Yang Gang and respectfully said.
"Why doesn't the senior return first? When that immortal finishes secluding, I will immediately send someone to notify you. At that time, you two can meet face-to-face to discuss things."
Yang Gang's expression completely cooled, and the cyan steel sword hummed as his gaze became sharp. He coldly said,
"Do you think I have a good temper? I already said that time is the most precious thing nowadays."
The three sect leaders quickly shook their heads, cold sweat appearing on their foreheads, and their voices trembling as they replied.
"No...we wouldn't dare. It's just that I'm afraid disturbing that other immortal so rashly would give him a bad impression of you."
"Impression?" Yang Gang's eyes narrowed as he carefully looked over the three. Lowering his gaze, he stroked the cyan steel sword and replied.
"You'd best consider how to continue living past the next few hours."
The cyan steel sword radiated an icy aura.
The three sect leaders hurriedly nodded and said, "Don't be impatient, we'll take you to see that immortal right away to discuss things."
"See him?" Yang Gang coldly raised his eyes, and the cyan steel sword let out a sudden cry as sword energy billowed out.
The left hand of one of the sect leaders shattered, blood spraying as he let out a pained scream.
Yang Gang disdainfully glanced at the sect leader with the severed arm, then continued caressing the cyan steel sword as he spoke to the three.
"Bring him here. I'll wait three hours. If he hasn't arrived after three hours, everyone related to you will have to die."
Casual words, yet cruel actions.
The three sect leaders' bodies trembled, and the one with the shattered arm didn't dare make a sound. They didn't dare be negligent, and hurriedly sent people to find Chen Xia.
At this time, the three sect leaders didn't dare look at Yang Gang, fearing that if he grew impatient, he would draw his sword and kill someone.
Yang Gang sheathed the cyan steel sword at his waist, his brow slightly raised as he asked the three, "Do you feel I'm being too cruel?"
"We wouldn't dare. There's no such thing, it was our rudeness and ignorance." The three sect leaders placated him while admitting their own mistakes.
"No, this doesn't involve you." Yang Gang shook his head, a twisted smile appearing at the corner of his mouth as he admitted,
"I really am this cruel."
The immortal in the mountains cultivated only power, not heart.
With invincible power, he naturally did as he pleased.
———
In town.
The sect elders received the sect leaders' order and rushed towards Chen Xia's seclusion house in a large group.
As they neared, this group became hesitant, standing outside the house overgrown with weeds, uncertain.
In the last ten years, not a single person had dared enter this house, or even approach the yard, fearing angering the immortal.
Even the lowest thieves didn't dare enter.
Yet today they had to disturb the secluded immortal, likely incurring the immortal's wrath and being struck down on the spot.
Who would dare to go first?
If they survived, that was one thing. Completing such an important task, they would certainly be rewarded with fine clothes and food.
But what if the immortal slapped them to death with one palm?
The crowd was somewhat hesitant.
But fortunately there were those unafraid of death.
A thirty-something big bearded man stepped forward, bared his chest and bellowed at the crowd.
"Right now the sect leaders' lives hang by a thread. I am willing to take on this important task. If I anger the immortal and die on the spot, I ask that you all take care of my family!"
"Good, we three sects will never forget your contribution!"
"Right, from now on, your family will be my family. Anyone who dares harm them, I will kill them!"
The righteous folk of the jianghu sects quickly agreed.
The big bearded man did not hesitate further. Clenching his fists, he took a deep breath to psych himself up, then strode into the yard.
He first carefully moved aside the overgrown weeds, taking care not to make too much noise. Slowly he approached the rotten wooden door. Controlling his burly arms, he lightly knocked, then suppressed his voice to respectfully say in a soft tone,
"Immortal, are you there? I have a matter to discuss with you."
No response.
The watching jianghu folk didn't dare make a sound. The scene was deathly silent.
Seeing no one answer, the big bearded man swallowed his saliva, then bravely knocked a bit harder.
With the first knock, the door, rotten from age and disrepair, came crashing down with a boom.
The big bearded man was dumbstruck, standing blankly outside the door, not knowing what to do.
"Who is it?"
A lazy voice suddenly came from within the house, as if just roused from sleep.
The big bearded man quickly knelt and respectfully said, "This lowly one means no offense. I merely have something to ask you!"
Footsteps came from within the house.
The big bearded man didn't dare look up, keeping his head firmly on the ground. He continued pleading,
"This lowly one is here on an important matter. Please forgive me, immortal."
Behind him, the watching jianghu folk didn't dare be negligent either. Led by the elder, they knelt, then the three sects' members knelt in unison.
Three hundred in all, neatly lined up kneeling before the door.
"What is your business?" The lazy figure approached, the footsteps stopping as he stood before the kneeling big bearded man.
The big bearded man's heart was in his throat. Not daring to look up, he could only continue respectfully,
"An immortal from your esteemed gate has descended the river, wishing to see you. He's waiting at the ferry crossing. If you do not go, he says he'll kill the leaders of our three sects."
"So impatient." Chen Xia nodded, looking over the three hundred kneeling people, puzzled as he asked,
"What are you all doing?"
The leading elder quickly said, "We beseech you to appear and save our sect leaders!"
As the elder spoke, he heavily kowtowed, head knocking the ground with a thud.
The other three hundred quickly followed suit, kowtowing in unison, thudding sounds ringing out.
"Oh." Chen Xia nodded, noncommittal. He looked around again, frowning as he asked the crowd,
"Where is this? How many years has it been since I entered seclusion?"
The elder quickly replied, "This is Weixi Town. It has been ten years since you entered seclusion."
Chen Xia gazed at the unending tall buildings around him and shook his head. "You all should give up the sects and work in infrastructure, more suitable for this."
The elder did not know what infrastructure meant, and no one present dared reply.
Chen Xia spoke again to the big bearded man before him, "What is the name of the one who came looking for me?"
The big bearded man quickly replied, "That immortal is called Yang Gang."
"Yang Gang?" Chen Xia quietly repeated it, a trace of confusion in his expression. It seemed vaguely familiar, but the impression was faint.
"Why has he come?"
The big bearded man hurriedly replied, "I've heard he's here to avenge his younger brother, who was killed in Weixi Town thirty-five years ago."
Hearing this, Chen Xia's memories became clear. He nodded in realization and said,
"Right, didn't he have a younger brother called Yang Li?"
The big bearded man was startled, then quickly corrected, "Not Yang Wei, his name was Yang Li."
"That's right," Chen Xia clearly recalled now, "He had a younger brother called Yang Li. I killed him."
Chen Xia directly admitted it.
The three hundred present were all shocked speechless. It really was this lord who killed him.
After a long pause, the elder cautiously said, "Then there's no mistake. Yang Gang has come for you."
"How powerful is he?" For insurance, Chen Xia still asked this.
The elder quickly replied, "He should have entered the immortal path. He crossed the river stepping on lotus flowers, and holds a sword that sliced through the entire ferry crossing in one stroke."
"I see." Hearing this, Chen Xia didn't feel he was too powerful. Moreover, he had come specifically to find him, so he should at least entertain him with a couple fists.
When guests come from afar, first give two punches. If they don't die, banish them to another courtyard.
"You may all rise, no need to kneel." Chen Xia casually spoke.
The three hundred jianghu folk quickly stood, finally able to size up the immortal's bearing.
They saw an extremely youthful appearance, at most twenty-five or twenty-six years old. An exact match to the portraits spread through the jianghu.
He really was an immortal, eternally young!
The crowd was shocked and silent. After a period, the elder respectfully bent at the waist, bravely opening his mouth to say,
"May we ask if you would be willing to take action and save our sect leaders?"
"Let's go." Chen Xia did not refuse. After all, the other had come specifically to find him.
The elder quickly led the way at the front.
He also wanted to hurry, to arrive faster, but didn't dare displease Chen Xia. He could only proceed unhurriedly.
Upon reaching the ferry crossing, the jianghu folk stopped.
Seeing this formation, the three sect leaders' brows furrowed. It seemed the immortal had not come, and they would have to stake their lives against this Yang Gang.
They were quite moved for the moment.
Yang Gang rested his hand on the cyan steel sword at his waist, looking down on everyone. Sneering, he contemptuously said,
"What's this? Are you trying to stake your lives against me? Hahaha!"
He let out a piercing laugh, as if having heard an enormous joke. After a pause, he jeered,
"Then I'll have no choice but to hang all your heads from the eaves, with a bell attached. When the wind blows, the heads will sway and ring the bells. The heads ringing bells together all down the street will make quite a magnificent sight. Hahaha."
Three hundred Jianghu chivalrous people kept silent, giving way to a broad path.
Chen Xia stroked his ear nonchalantly as he sauntered through. He glanced at Yang Gang and asked, "You're Yang Wei, right?"