Chen Xia was not joking.
He really wanted the other immortal to be trapped and die in the pass, living out his natural lifespan peacefully. That would be a pretty good way to go, wouldn’t it?
Besides, someone who could teach the likes of Yang Wei must not be a good person either. Who knows if he would come back to take revenge on Chen Xia in the future?
The other three sect leaders didn’t dare to respond, only giving stiff smiles.
Chen Xia slowly walked back to his own hut.
The jianghu people on the road quickly made way, leaving the large street completely empty. No one dared to walk on it, only standing respectfully on both sides waiting for Chen Xia to pass by.
Chen Xia stretched lazily, glancing back at the three sect leaders following far behind, and casually crooked a finger.
The three sect leaders immediately ran over, bowing and scraping, “Do you have any orders, sir?”
Chen Xia asked doubtfully, “Where are the original inhabitants of Weixi Town? How come there are only jianghu people here now?”
The three sect leaders quickly responded, “The original residents of Weixi Town already sold their houses at high prices and moved to the nearest city. Most of the people in Weixi Town now are jianghu people.”
“Oh,” Chen Xia nodded without paying much attention.
The changes in the world were just so impermanent, especially for ordinary people with lifespans of less than a hundred years.
He ducked back into his own small hut overgrown with weeds.
The three sect leaders respectfully waited outside the door, not daring to step forward. One of them plucked up his courage and asked inside,
“Do you need us to repair your house, sir?”
“No need,” came Chen Xia’s indifferent reply from within, followed by, “I like Weixi Town.”
Only by staying in this dilapidated little hut could he feel like he was living in Weixi Town thirty-five years ago.
If time was like flowing water that could not be stopped, then Chen Xia was a rock sunk in the water, unmoving despite the flow.
When the water had flowed for a long time and he looked back,
The old people and old events would be gone.
But he had to keep some old things, right?
Word of the Weixi Town immortal emerging and killing people by snapping his fingers to destroy rivers and mountains spread even faster than the cold winds of December.
In just half a month, almost the entire Great Song territory was discussing this news.
What was most terrifying was that the immortal did not kill ordinary people with a snap of his fingers, but another immortal!
It perfectly demonstrated what was meant by there still being differences between immortals.
In taverns, storytellers had already crafted tales.
“Last time I talked about how Yang Gang learned immortal arts, stepped on lotus flowers, and crossed the river straight into the jianghu, violent in nature and addicted to killing. Without saying a word, he first beheaded a sect leader, then threatened the Chen-surnamed immortal...”
Chen Xia’s reputation spread throughout the Great Song region in a very short time, so much that jianghu people were discussing whether to remove the ‘semi’ from his title of ‘semi-invincible in the mortal realm’.
“But there’s still another immortal in the Great Song realm who hasn’t emerged. Those two haven’t truly competed yet, so it seems too early to remove the ‘semi’ now.”
Many jianghu people agreed with these words.
If Chen Xia really wanted to be unmatched in the mortal realm, then the other immortal was an obstacle he would have to face.
Until the two immortals determined a winner, they could only be considered semi-invincible.
After news of Chen Xia emerging from seclusion spread,
The first to come looking for him were elites from the Patrol Bureau, including the very person who had pleaded ten years ago for Chen Xia to come out of the mountains. Now somewhat old, he knelt outside the door and respectfully said to Chen Xia,
“Immortal One, please emerge to save my Great Song from fire and water.”
Chen Xia slowly walked out from the hut, glancing at the Patrol Bureau expert and smiling as he asked,
“If I remember correctly, you were the one who came last time too. It’s been ten years now, is the battle still not over?”
The Patrol Bureau expert gritted his teeth, an expression of grief and indignation on his face. “The barbarians are overbearingly strong, but His Majesty had found a way to deal with it initially and the situation had stabilized.”
“But five years later, His Majesty passed away and the Crown Prince succeeded to the throne while still young and ignorant of military affairs. He was pushed back by the barbarians by a hundred li until the battle-readied Princess was able to barely stabilize the situation by going out to fight after studying military books.”
Chen Xia was a little curious and asked, “Does your Great Song not have its own generals that you need the Princess to go fight?”
The Patrol Bureau expert gritted his teeth. “The previous emperor had weakened the military and cultivated civil officials.”
“Oh,” Chen Xia nodded and then smiled. “So this is self-inflicted, what does it have to do with me?”
“But...” The Patrol Bureau expert looked up anxiously, wanting to explain further.
Chen Xia abruptly blew out a breath.
A wild gust of wind howled, swirling around the Patrol Bureau expert and blowing his body back thousands of kilometers to safely land on the road.
The Patrol Bureau expert blankly sat on the ground, surrounded by spectators watching from afar.
After a good while, he angrily punched the ground and gritted his teeth in self-reproach, “I’m useless, utterly useless!”
Chen Xia lay in the dilapidated rocking chair in his house, gazing up at the ceiling.
It wasn’t that he was unwilling to help.
He was just simply lazy.
Or perhaps it was the effect of practicing the Great Turtle Dormancy Skill, but he now liked tranquility over activity.
Chen Xia hurriedly shook his head and slapped his forehead.
No no, if this kept up he really would turn into a turtle. He had to get moving.
Chen Xia took a deep breath to psych himself up, feeling a surge of energy. His heart stirred excitedly, needing to get it out.
So in the dilapidated rocking chair he flipped over onto his other side.
There.
Exercise finished.
On the city wall at the border.
The Patrol Bureau expert who had rushed back knelt on one knee, facing the woman commander full of heroic spirit. Dejected, he cupped his fists and said, “Princess, your subordinate is incompetent and was unable to invite the immortal to come.”
The woman pinched her nose and let out a sigh, shaking her head. “It’s fine, it’s not your fault. The immortal is unwilling to come, no one can force him.”
The Patrol Bureau expert gritted his teeth silently, unspeakable grief in his heart.
The woman rested her hand on the longsword at her waist. In addition to her heroic spirit, her elegant brows also held a trace of distress. They lowered as she asked, “What about the newly recruited jianghu chivalrous heroes? Any news?”
The Patrol Bureau expert quickly responded, “The jianghu chivalrous heroes did come for various reasons, but the numbers are thirty percent less than previous years.”
The woman nodded, sighing helplessly. “Those willing to come have already come. Those unwilling won’t come in this lifetime.”
The Patrol Bureau expert nodded and added, “But this time, Left Feiyang ranked first in the realm and the third-ranked old monk are both willing to come, along with some other long-famous experts.”
The woman nodded. “Good.”
She raised her lowered brows again, gazing ahead where the barbarian troops were stationed. With a million cavalry, their charges shook the earth. They advanced unhindered.
And among the barbarians were also many experts.
The woman sighed again, her brows full of worry as she shook her head. “Is it really enough? What if we can’t defend?”
The Patrol Bureau expert quickly gritted his teeth and cupped his fists. “Please be at ease Princess, I swear to defend the city with my life!”
The woman gave a light laugh, then shook her head, slightly helplessly saying, “How many times have I told you, Father Emperor has passed, and my younger brother succeeded to the throne. I came to guard the border, yet you still call me Princess. Just call me General.”
“Yes, General!” The Patrol Bureau expert quickly corrected himself.
The woman stared ahead, a brilliance flashing through her eyes as if she had thought of something. She hurriedly walked to the back.
Three days later, word spread that the Princess had gone south straight into the jianghu.
“Why did the Princess go?” someone asked.
“To seek the immortal to emerge into the world.”
What was the immortal doing?
Lying dead at home.
In summary, he just didn’t want to move and was lazy. The three sect leaders also didn’t dare disturb him, and Chen Xia was even more happy to pass the time idly.
Out of a day's 24 hours, he could sleep for 23. For the remaining one hour he would sit blankly spacing out.
With the ability to level up just from sitting, who would want to move? Right?
But this leisurely time didn’t last long.
Very soon, someone else came to visit.
An imposing procession surrounded the area, and even the three sect leaders didn’t dare approach.
“See that, it’s the Patrol Bureau, the government’s clothes.
“I recognize them, it seems to mostly be elites from the Patrol Bureau. And it looks like there’s also an imperial decree, so she must have come.”
The jianghu people didn’t say it outright, but everyone knew who had arrived.
The Great Song Princess!
In the dilapidated small hut, the woman in yellow robes sat gracefully, her pretty features solemn and serious. Her bright eyes gazed at the sloppily reclining Chen Xia as she requested,
“I represent Great Song in asking you to emerge and save Great Song from danger. I am willing to grant you the position of Imperial Tutor and satisfy all your requests.”
Chen Xia flipped over on the dilapidated rocking chair to look at the woman upside-down and responded,
“I have to make something clear to you. Although I am a good person, you don’t really have any rewards that can attract me.”
The woman nodded, conceding Chen Xia’s words. She placed her hands on her knees, tightly clutching her robes as she pleaded again,
“But you’ve lived in my Great Song’s rivers and mountains for so many years, you must have some feelings for it. And the barbarians are obstinate and cruel. After entering Great Song, they will surely massacre the common people. Your emergence would not just be to save Great Song, but more to save the common people.”
“You’re right,” Chen Xia nodded, but went on, “However, I don’t eat emotional appeals. Your moral coercion has no effect on me.”
“But...but...” The woman gave a few consecutive ‘buts’ yet still did not speak, only shaking her head with a sigh as she stood up and deeply bowed to Chen Xia.
“Sorry for disturbing you.”
“It’s good you understand,” Chen Xia replied. His head retracted back onto the dilapidated rocking chair, preparing to lie flat again.
[Luck Aura activated. Your interaction with the imperial family increased Dragon Qi by 1/100]
This works too?
Chen Xia immediately sat up from the rocking chair and called out to the woman about to leave,
“You can go back first. I’ll come in three days.”
Why three days later?
Because he still wanted to lie around for another three days.
The woman happily turned back, emotionally thanking Chen Xia, “Thank you for your willingness to help, it is truly too wonderful. Great Song has no way to repay your grace. I will notify my brother to appoint you as Imperial Tutor.”
[Luck Aura activated. You obtained imperial goodwill, Dragon Qi +5/100]
At this rate, when it reached 100, the Dragon Qi should advance to the next level.
【Identity Update: Grand Minister of the Great Song Dynasty, endowed with 20% of the dynasty's fortune, able to increase cultivation base by 20%.】
Another prompt emerged in Chen Xia's mind, showing that he had become the Grand Minister of the Great Song Dynasty. He could make use of the dynasty's fortune to increase his power, improving his cultivation base.
But how come no such prompt had emerged when he was a patrol officer or mayor?
Chen Xia thought for a moment and figured that his previous positions had been too lowly to provide any benefits, so no prompt was given.
This meant that the higher Chen Xia's position, the greater benefits he could obtain.
Chen Xia nodded, a bold spirit surging out from his chest, making him eager to accomplish something.
So he flipped over again.
Comfortable.