Lao Tzu is Ji Gong

"Hey! The one standing over there!" Wen Chong was the first to jump out from his hiding place.

Li Xiuchen's foot, which had just taken a step, trembled violently at the sound of the shout, and he almost lost his balance and fell flat on his face. He looked at Wen Chong in surprise, thinking, "Wow, there really is someone. So what the Holy Buddha said was true." Although Li Xiuchen was startled not by the words, but by the sudden appearance of Wen Chong, he couldn't help but mutter to himself as he carefully examined the person in front of him.

“I also wanted to say something. Hey you standing over there, come over here. I have something to ask you.” Wenxiang also stepped out from behind Wenchong and stood beside him, quietly watching Li Xiuchen not far away.

When Li Xiuchen saw Wenxiang emerge, he couldn't help but exclaim in surprise. There really were two people; the Holy Buddha hadn't been lying to him after all. Suppressing his astonishment, Li Xiuchen pondered for a moment, then immediately adopted a humble expression and attitude. After taking two steps forward, he stopped a short distance from Wenxiang and Wenchong, bowing respectfully to them in a particularly humble voice.

"You two... uh..." Li Xiuchen was about to greet them when his mind suddenly went blank. He didn't know how to address them properly. He subtly raised his head slightly, casually glanced at the two people opposite him, and then lowered his head to speak.

"Greetings, seniors. I am Li Xiuchen. I was unaware that you were here. Please forgive my ignorance." After saying these words humbly, Li Xiuchen couldn't help but praise himself in his heart. He was a genius, even his speech was so polite.

"No need, kid, raise your head." Wenxiang nodded slightly. Although it was necessary to observe certain etiquette towards elders, Wenxiang didn't have a fondness for such tedious formalities. What truly impressed Wenxiang was Li Xiuchen's attitude. Because if it were any other junior, facing a senior who suddenly appeared, more capable than themselves and whose intentions were unknown, they probably wouldn't know what to do. This wasn't the first time such a thing had happened, which was why Wenxiang was quite familiar with it.

Upon hearing Wenxiang's words, Li Xiuchen raised his head, looking directly at Wenxiang and Wenchong without flinching or looking away, silently calculating his next move. Just then, Wenxiang and Wenchong exchanged a glance, and Wenxiang took two steps forward, composing himself to prepare to question Li Xiuchen.

"I don't know how to address you, senior. If you don't mind, could you please tell me your names, Li Xiuchen?" Li Xiuchen pondered for a long time before finally figuring out how to break the awkward situation and take the initiative. Before Wenxiang could speak, Li Xiuchen seized the opportunity, lowered his head, and clasped his hands in a gesture of respect to ask Wenxiang and Wenchong their names.

After Li Xiuchen finished speaking, he let out a long sigh of relief. He thought that even though the two powerful individuals in front of him, whose origins he didn't know, had suddenly turned hostile towards him, and he now knew their names, if they were truly skilled, then this trip wouldn't have been in vain. Moreover, if the Holy Buddha still had even a shred of conscience, perhaps one day he would avenge him.

"My name is Wenxiang, and this is my son, Wenchong." When Wenxiang heard Li Xiuchen ask him, he didn't react for a moment and stared blankly at Li Xiuchen. After regaining his senses, Wenxiang nodded and told Li Xiuchen his name, and then turned around and pointed to Wenchong and told Li Xiuchen his name as well.

"Greetings, Senior Wenxiang and Senior Wenchong. May I ask what brings you two here?" Li Xiuchen greeted them after receiving their answers, and then casually raised his own question.

“Young man, your name is Li…” Wenxiang paused here.

"Li Xiuchen, senior, if you don't mind, you can call me Xiuchen directly." Although Li Xiuchen's expression remained very humble and polite, he couldn't help but mutter to himself to himself, "This old man, what's wrong with his memory? Even though he's quite old, he forgot my name the moment he said it. Does he have to be so casual?"

"Xiuchen, which side did you come from?" Wenxiang nodded and asked Li Xiuchen his question.

"Why don't you ask me where I'm going instead of where I come from?" Li Xiuchen muttered to himself, but still answered Wenxiang's question with composure. "Senior, I came from the Dark Forest. I was hoping to encounter some large demonic beasts in this forest so that I could obtain their demonic crystals to help me consolidate and improve my cultivation."

"Ah~ I see." Wenxiang nodded, feigning understanding after hearing Li Xiuchen's answer, but then narrowed his eyes and asked,

"Did you see any people in this forest, or... or see anything strange?"

Hearing Wenxiang's question, Li Xiuchen was momentarily at a loss. He hadn't seen the man, but he had certainly witnessed the incident. But could he really just tell them? Was it really alright? If he told them, and they had come specifically for this matter, wouldn't he be in trouble? But if they hadn't come for this, wouldn't telling them just mean another person would find out? The Holy Buddha hadn't given any instructions on this matter. Li Xiuchen was caught in a state of confusion.

"Senior, I have seen many wild beasts, but I have never encountered any people or strange things. May I ask who you are referring to and what you are talking about? Would you be so kind as to tell me? If not, please forgive my rudeness."

After a fierce internal struggle, Li Xiuchen finally decided to play dumb for now. He'd deal with everything later; if all else failed, he'd try anything as a last resort. He couldn't worry about the consequences for the time being.

"Have you ever met a man named Shanren?" Wen Chong asked from behind before Wenxiang could reply.

Upon hearing Wen Chong's question, Li Xiuchen's heart skipped a beat. Could these people really be related to what happened to him in the illusion? For a moment, Li Xiuchen didn't know how to answer Wen Chong's question. Although he still wore a smile on his face, his heart was already in turmoil.

"A hermit? This junior doesn't know if this senior is referring to... a rustic villager active in this dark forest, or someone else." After quickly calculating in his mind, Li Xiuchen decided to play dumb and refuse to admit anything.

I can't possibly admit now that I've seen the hermit, then what about what I told Wenxiang before? I just said I didn't meet anyone or encounter anything. Admitting now that I've seen the hermit would only make things difficult for me, especially since I haven't even figured out what he's up to. What if I end up in an awkward and difficult situation?

Furthermore, the Holy Buddha had just told him to remain calm before disappearing, so he absolutely couldn't let their words throw him off balance. Losing face was a minor matter; putting himself and the Holy Buddha in a dangerous situation would truly be a loss for him.

"I'm not talking about some country bumpkin in this dark forest, I'm talking about a cultivator, a man called Shanren. You really haven't seen him before?" Wen Chong ignored Li Xiuchen's teasing and instead adopted a more aggressive stance, deliberately revealing a hint of his powerful aura as he spoke, creating a sense of urgency and pressure for Li Xiuchen standing opposite him.

Standing beside Wen Chong, Wen Xiang didn't stop him. Instead, he stared intently at Li Xiuchen, afraid of missing any information. To be honest, Wen Xiang himself wasn't entirely confident. The young man before him looked to be only in his early twenties, and although his cultivation level currently appeared to be just an ordinary Dou Wang, what if...?

To survive in this cruel world, one must proceed with extreme caution. Even if various reasons prevent one from doing so, one must at least avoid putting oneself in a passive position. Wenxiang had never seen this young man named Li Xiuchen before on this continent, but that didn't mean Li Xiuchen was just a weakling.

Because there are simply too many young powerhouses in this world whom we are unaware of. Even though all sects, families, and other forces will put their strongest young experts on the table, apart from their own family members, who can say for sure that they don't have one or two exceptionally talented young cultivators hidden in their own backyard?

Besides these individuals, let's not forget that there are many other reclusive top cultivators on this continent, each with one or two prized disciples. Most importantly, these disciples have never appeared in the martial world, so no one can guarantee that some seemingly weak young people don't possess a powerful sect behind them. Furthermore, these individuals often conceal their true strength when roaming the world, and most of them appear extremely polite, frequently visiting places that ordinary cultivators wouldn't normally frequent.

Secondly, Wenxiang has already defected from the Wen family with Wenchong. The old patriarch of the Wen family might send someone to capture him and Wenchong, and there's a very high chance that the person sent won't be from the main Wen family. This is partly because there are very few experts within the main Wen family with higher cultivation levels than him, and they are also preoccupied with controlling various vital points of the Wen family. On the other hand, if the person sent to capture him is from the Wen family, they might very well let him go. This is because the old patriarch can't say for sure who else in the Wen family, besides those in Wenxiang's own courtyard, has a close relationship with Wenxiang.

Therefore, in conclusion, if the former patriarch of the Wen family were to send someone to capture him, he could only do so by hiring martial arts masters or personally seeking out powerful figures. While this worry might seem unnecessary, given Wen Xiang's original status and ranking within the Wen family, it was nonetheless essential. After all, no patriarch would allow a high-ranking member of their family, someone who held many of their secrets, to leave and pose any undeniable danger to their rule.

Wenxiang carefully observed Li Xiuchen, who was being suppressed by Wen Chong's strength. Time seemed to stand still. Li Xiuchen gritted his teeth and tried his best to maintain a smile, but the slight twitching of his lips and the involuntary trembling of his legs betrayed his condition; he couldn't hold on much longer. However, Li Xiuchen dared not move or speak rashly. He was afraid that if he made any move that would be misunderstood, he would be in deep trouble. Even if he was lucky enough to escape death, as the saying goes, even if you don't die, you'll still suffer a lot.

"Alright, Wen Chong, don't be too rude to the younger generation. They've been very polite to us, after all." Wen Xiang noticed the slight twitching of Li Xiuchen's lips and the occasional trembling of his legs. After concluding that the other party posed no threat to him, Wen Xiang quietly greeted Wen Chong, who was standing beside him.

Upon hearing Wenxiang's instructions, Wenchong glanced at Li Xiuchen, whose expression showed a slight hint of pain, withdrew the power he had unleashed, and took a step back, standing quietly behind Wenxiang with his hands behind his back. Family matters are family matters; they should be considered privately. Therefore, Wenchong maintained his usual respect and obedience towards Wenxiang in front of Li Xiuchen.

Feeling the pressure around him suddenly lessen, Li Xiuchen couldn't help but relax his arms and legs slightly, occasionally smiling at Wen Xiang and Wen Chong in front of him.

"Xiu Chen, tell them that you have met the Mountain Man."

Chapter 1225 Honesty

Upon hearing Wenxiang's instructions, Wenchong glanced at Li Xiuchen, whose expression showed a slight hint of pain, withdrew the power he had unleashed, and took a step back, standing quietly behind Wenxiang with his hands behind his back. Family matters are family matters; they should be considered privately. Therefore, Wenchong maintained his usual respect and obedience towards Wenxiang in front of Li Xiuchen.

Feeling the pressure around him suddenly lessen, Li Xiuchen couldn't help but relax his arms and legs slightly, occasionally smiling at Wen Xiang and Wen Chong in front of him.

"Xiu Chen, tell them that you have met the Mountain Man."

The Holy Buddha's words somehow reached Li Xiuchen's mind. Upon hearing them, Li Xiuchen didn't have time to ponder how the Holy Buddha had conveyed this message; he only felt that the Holy Buddha's words now sounded extremely harsh. Didn't he know what had just happened between him and Wenxiang and Wenchong? If he did know, why would he have asked him to do this? Wasn't this putting himself and the Holy Buddha in a dangerous situation?

"Holy Buddha, are you sure you want to tell those two things, this Wenxiang and Wenchong? I just told them that when I came here, I didn't see anyone or anything in this forest." Li Xiuchen was still gently moving his body, with a kind smile on his face, but his eyes were full of doubt. Li Xiuchen silently said to himself, hoping that the Holy Buddha could hear him.

"I know you just told them you didn't encounter anyone or anything. But do you know that the younger of the two people in front of you appeared when you first came to the Dark Forest? The first one who appeared behind you was the Mountain Man, and the second one is him." The Holy Buddha had indeed heard what Li Xiuchen was silently saying in his heart, and answered Li Xiuchen's question in a calm voice.

Upon hearing the Buddha's words, Li Xiuchen was taken aback and unconsciously lowered his head, his eyes revealing a hint of coldness and a sharp expression.

"Holy Buddha, are you really sure? This is no laughing matter." Li Xiuchen hurriedly asked the Holy Buddha in his heart, his voice urgent and brooking no delay.

"I'm certain, and those two young men, Wen Chong and Wen Xiang, are inextricably linked to the hermit who appeared behind you. Tell him to trust me, it's true." The Holy Buddha's voice sounded much calmer. Hearing the Holy Buddha's tone, Li Xiuchen knew how serious the Holy Buddha was about this matter. He gritted his teeth and quickly considered what he should say next.

"Senior Wen Chong, I have a question to ask you." Li Xiuchen quickly made up his mind. He decided to strike first. Since he had been followed by Wen Chong before, no matter if it was for the sake of Shanren or someone else, he would definitely remember his presence.

"What is it? Ask away." Wen Chong looked up and met Li Xiuchen's gaze when he heard Li Xiuchen's question. Suddenly, he didn't know why, but he felt a strange, inexplicable feeling towards Li Xiuchen.

"This junior would like to ask, a few days ago, did you appear by my side, senior? Although we did not meet, I think I remember your aura correctly." Li Xiuchen met Wen Chong's gaze directly, without flinching, and asked his question.

Upon hearing Li Xiuchen's words, Wen Chong suddenly seemed to understand something and recall something. Although his expression froze for a moment, he quickly recovered. He remembered the incident when he first entered the Dark Forest, and he realized who Li Xiuchen was. His gaze sharpened as he stared intently into Li Xiuchen's eyes. Meanwhile, Wen Xiang, standing beside Wen Chong, was stunned by Li Xiuchen's words and the change in Wen Chong's expression.

"Wenchong, what exactly happened?" Wenxiang glanced at Li Xiuchen in front of him, then turned to look at Wenchong beside him.

“When I first entered the Dark Forest, I encountered the Mountain Man, right? He was following behind this Li Xiuchen, so I hid somewhere to observe the situation. Later, I understood why the Mountain Man was following him—because he had the aura of a coiled dragon on him,” Wen Chong explained, looking at Li Xiuchen.

Li Xiuchen still smiled at Wen Chong, meeting his gaze without speaking, simply listening quietly to his words. Li Xiuchen knew in his heart that he had made the right gamble this time. Little did he know that the person behind him back then was him. He had only happened to sense the aura of a powerful figure behind him, but he had no idea who it was or where it was.

What slightly shocked Li Xiuchen was that Wen Chong in front of him also knew about the Panlong within him. He couldn't help but wonder how many other people knew about this, and how many could sense his presence. If the Panlong was too obvious, it wouldn't be a weapon for him, but rather his greatest weakness, because with his current strength, he simply didn't have the ability to protect it or use it.

Wait! Li Xiuchen suddenly remembered something. In his dream, the hermit had appeared, not only crippling his martial arts skills but also saying he would use him as nourishment for a dragon. As Li Xiuchen thought of this, his pupils involuntarily contracted rapidly. Although he quickly returned to normal, Li Xiuchen's subtle change did not escape Wen Chong's watchful eye.

"Go ahead and tell us. You're still hiding something from us. I know it's abrupt and impolite to ask you to do this on our first meeting, but if you really have news to share, I hope you can share it generously." Wen Chong was certain that Li Xiuchen was still keeping something from him.

"But what can you do to me if I don't tell you?" Li Xiuchen thought for a moment and asked softly.

“Of course, I didn’t mean to offend you. After all, people in the martial world are often not in control of their own destiny, and you should understand this better than I do. Whether I speak up or not, you’ll still kill me to silence me. In essence, what’s the difference?” Li Xiuchen didn’t completely dismiss Wen Chong. Before Wen Chong could speak, Li Xiuchen voiced his concerns.

“That’s right, that makes sense. But what if I told you that the two of us have already betrayed the Wen family?” Wen Xiang picked up where Li Xiuchen left off, and said these words with a smile.

When Li Xiuchen heard Wenxiang speak, he looked at Wenxiang. However, when he heard what Wenxiang said, Li Xiuchen was clearly stunned for a moment. He did not understand what Wenxiang meant.

"What I mean is that the two of us can now be considered traitors to the Wen family." Wen Xiang saw the confusion on Li Xiuchen's face and directly stated his meaning.

“Now that I’ve told you the truth about our situation, and I’ve been honest with you, shouldn’t you be a little more honest with us too?” Wenxiang looked at Li Xiuchen with a smile.

"You yourself said you're traitors to the Wen family, so why would you expect me to be so honest with you?" Li Xiuchen didn't rush to answer Wen Xiang, instead proceeding to ask him a series of questions. Whether Li Xiuchen had gained the upper hand or was now on the defensive, he couldn't care less. But if he were to reveal his secrets based solely on Wen Xiang's unconvincing statement, even a fool would know there was something fishy going on.

“Because I, Wenxiang, have been wandering the martial world for many years, although I have already betrayed the Wen family, there will always be a place for me in this vast martial world. Besides, I guess you definitely don’t belong to any sect, any family, or any old monster in this martial world, and judging from your appearance, you shouldn’t be royalty either. So I’m certain that you need a force to rely on right now, not for any other reason than the Panlong within you, which is why you made this decision.” Wenxiang clearly had no worries.

"The last point, and the most important one, is our absolute guarantee. We won't lay a hand on you, and we certainly won't harm Panlong. I think you understand what I mean by that reason, that explanation." Wenxiang's words were indeed hard for Li Xiuchen to ignore.

"Then I can understand that you're betting on whether I'll be attracted by your offer." After Wenxiang finished speaking, Li Xiuchen quietly looked at Wenxiang for a while and chuckled.

“That’s right, I, Wenxiang, am betting on whether you have the guts.” Wenxiang looked at Li Xiuchen squarely.

"Hahaha, hahahaha. That's great!" Li Xiuchen looked at Li Xiuchen in front of him, then at Wen Chong, and couldn't help but laugh out loud twice.

“Alright, since we’ve come this far, I won’t say anything more. I’ll participate in this bet.” Li Xiuchen smiled and nodded in agreement with Wenxiang’s words.

"So, can you be honest with us now?" Wen Chong, who had been silent for a long time, continued Li Xiuchen's words.

"All I can say is that after I broke away from you and that mountain man last time, I hid in a cave. After that, I encountered some things." Li Xiuchen straightened his expression and began to seriously tell Wenxiang and Wenchong what had happened to him.

“I am in a dream world, and some of the things in it are related to me personally, so I won’t tell you about them. I will tell you directly about the part about the mountain man.”

"In that illusion, I was in a very empty and vast environment, a boundless expanse of white between heaven and earth. That's when the mountain man you mentioned appeared. He directly trapped me with his battle qi and began his manipulation. He crippled my martial arts and threw me a book. Furthermore, he said that I would be the nourishment pot for Panlong." Li Xiuchen succinctly summarized these words for Wenxiang and Wenchong in front of him.

"He crippled your martial arts! He even said you would be the nutrient pot for Panlong!" Wenxiang was shocked to hear this and stared at Li Xiuchen in front of him with a look of astonishment.

“Yes, that’s right, those were his exact words.” Li Xiuchen looked at Wenxiang’s surprised expression and was somewhat confused, but he suppressed his doubts for the time being.

"Shanren, you're really going too far." After hearing Li Xiuchen's affirmative answer, Wenxiang clenched his fists and muttered to himself with gritted teeth and a face full of resentment.

"Quick! Try to see if you can still use your original martial arts!" Wenxiang seemed to have thought of something and hurriedly raised his head to say to Li Xiuchen.

Upon hearing Wenxiang's request, Li Xiuchen was taken aback, but quickly recovered and began to try to circulate the Eighteen Subduing Dragon Palms he had previously learned. Indeed, after escaping the illusion's predicament, he hadn't yet tested whether his martial arts were truly crippled, as the hermit in the illusion had said.

But after Li Xiuchen circulated the technique once, twice, and three times, he suddenly froze. It seemed that his martial arts had truly been crippled by the mountain man. Whenever he reached a certain step, Li Xiuchen would suddenly find that he could no longer continue the next movement.

Seeing Li Xiuchen's expression, Wenxiang was clearly stunned as well. His mouth kept opening and closing as if he wanted to say something, but the words seemed to come out of his mouth. Moreover, Wen Chong's expression also changed noticeably. Wen Chong's expression was no longer calm, and his wide eyes betrayed his current inner turmoil.

"Shanren, do you really have to go this far?" Time passed second by second, and Wenxiang finally recovered a little and murmured these words.

Chapter 1226 Trading

Seeing Li Xiuchen's expression, Wenxiang was clearly stunned as well. His mouth kept opening and closing as if he wanted to say something, but the words seemed to come out of his mouth. Moreover, Wen Chong's expression also changed noticeably. Wen Chong's expression was no longer calm, and his wide eyes betrayed his current inner turmoil.

"Shanren, do you really have to go this far?" Time passed second by second, and Wenxiang finally recovered a little and murmured these words.

"Are you two seniors very familiar with that hermit?" Seeing the changes in Wenxiang and Wenchong's expressions when they heard him say these words, Li Xiuchen couldn't help but feel a little worried for himself. But when he heard Wenxiang's mutterings, Li Xiuchen secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but at the same time, many questions arose in his mind.

Upon hearing Li Xiuchen's question, Wen Chong subconsciously turned to look at Wen Xiang beside him, his gaze seeming to ask for Wen Xiang's opinion. Wen Xiang remained silent for a long while, and an awkward atmosphere descended upon the three of them. Time passed slowly, and after a short while, Wen Xiang finally raised his head, his eyes fixed on Li Xiuchen in front of him.

"I... was once a member of the Wen family," Wen Xiang said slowly, answering Li Xiuchen's question.

Upon hearing Wenxiang's answer, Li Xiuchen's pupils contracted rapidly. He immediately took two steps back, put one hand behind his back and exerted his strength, his eyes becoming sharper than before. He stopped speaking and just stared at the two people in front of him.