Lao Tzu is Ji Gong

Wen Mou nodded without speaking. Standing at the door, he pondered for a moment before suddenly stopping, turning back, and pushing open the Third Elder's door. Although his third uncle had ordered that anyone wishing to see him must be informed, it was clear that within the Wen family, unless the Third Elder personally dispelled the barrier he had set, it would be difficult for anyone to break through. After all, the Third Elder had devoted his entire life to medicine and such matters.

Wen Mou pushed open the Third Elder's door on a whim, knowing that the Third Elder wouldn't set any traps in the barrier. After all, this was the Wen family, and apart from servants, no one else would frequently enter the Third Elder's room.

But to Wenmou's utter surprise, he actually pushed open the door to the room where the Third Elder had set up a barrier. Clearly not expecting this, Wenmou froze on the spot. He couldn't help but wonder, did his Third Uncle know he was there and thus dispel the barrier? But if that were the case, why didn't his Third Uncle say anything?

Filled with doubt, Wenmou quickly rushed into the Third Elder's room after regaining his senses. The servant standing next to Wenmou also quickly followed him inside.

"Third Uncle, Third Uncle? Third Uncle!" Wenmou called out as he searched through the various rooms in the Third Elder's house. Sure enough, as Wenmou had expected, the Third Elder was gone, or at least, he was no longer in the house.

Thinking of this, Wenmou couldn't help but look at the servant who had just returned from searching and was standing behind him. The servant felt Wenmou's gaze and was also taken aback. The Third Elder had indeed not left the house, but then where had the Third Elder gone? The servant looked into Wenmou's eyes and blinked.

Upon seeing the servant's expression, Wenmou instantly understood that the servant truly knew nothing, and became even more confused. Where on earth had the Third Elder gone? Just then, Wenmou sensed several forces flying towards the Third Elder's room. Wenmou slowly walked to the door, where all the elders had gathered, their faces filled with anxiety, their brows tightly furrowed. Clearly, they had also realized the Third Elder's unusual behavior over the past two days.

The elders were initially taken aback when they saw Wenmou, but they quickly regained their composure. The Second Elder also looked at Wenmou and asked,

"How is it? Is the third brother here?"

Wenmou didn't speak, but just shook his head. Seeing Wenmou's expression, the elders frowned even more deeply.

"So, as expected, the third brother still left." The second elder muttered to himself.

After speaking, the Second Elder glanced at Wenmou before him without saying anything more, and walked into the Third Elder's room. Standing in the center of the hall, he looked around before heading straight for the room where the Third Elder often stayed. The other elders and Wenmou followed behind him into that room.

The Second Elder flipped through the papers on the table, then looked up and sighed deeply. He turned to the servant not far away and said,

"Move all these medicines and supplements into the kitchen, and give this prescription to the kitchen staff so they can prepare the medicines and food according to the instructions on it every day," the Second Elder said, pointing to a large stack of medicines and supplements piled in the corner.

Upon receiving the order, the servant stepped forward, took the prescription from the Second Elder's hand, and immediately began to work. The Second Elder turned to look at Wenmou and softly uttered a sentence.

"Master, give the order."

Upon hearing the Second Elder's words, Wenmou frowned and nodded.

"Tomorrow, issue a public order stating that the Third Elder of the Wen family is traveling. Also, immediately seal off this house and dispatch a team under the guise of traveling to see if they can find any trace of the Third Elder in the martial arts world. Furthermore, order all the Wen family's subordinate strongholds to be on high alert and prepared at any time."

Wenmou slowly issued his first Jianghu decree since becoming the head of the family, word by word. After he finished speaking, the Second Elder and the other elders bowed and clasped their hands in greeting.

"Yes, Master. This old servant obeys."

While the Wen family elders and Wen Mou were in the Third Elder's room, Old Huang slowly stood up, walked to the window, opened it, and quietly gazed into the distance, letting the night wind blow against him. The maid who had been sound asleep, sitting in the center of the room nodding incessantly, was jolted awake by the night wind. When she saw Old Huang standing at the window, thinly dressed, the maid's nerves were instantly jolted awake.

Old Huang wasn't fully recovered yet; what if he caught a chill from the night breeze? Thinking of this, the maid quickly stood up, took a slightly worn coat from the nearby rack, and ran to Old Huang's side, gently draping it over his shoulders. Feeling the maid's movement, Old Huang couldn't help but turn and glance at her.

"Brother Huang, stop looking. The night wind is chilly; you'll catch a cold if you keep looking like that," the maid said softly when she saw Old Huang turn his head back.

"It's alright, I just couldn't sleep. I got up to look outside and will fall asleep soon. You go to sleep first, don't stay with me, it's tiring." Old Huang smiled gently at the maid and comforted her.

"I'm fine, Brother Huang. I came here to serve you anyway." The maid smiled at Old Huang.

"Go to sleep first, I'm fine." Old Huang wanted the maid to go to sleep early. Although there was only a faint moonlight, Old Huang could still see the dark circles under the maid's eyes and sense her fatigue.

"It's alright, Brother Huang, I'll stay with you." The maid shook her head, refusing Old Huang's offer.

"Then go and pour me a glass of water." Old Huang could not refuse the maid, so he had no choice but to nod.

Upon hearing Old Huang's request, the maid nodded gently in agreement, slowly releasing her grip on his hand and turning to pour him water. Old Huang watched the maid walk away, a smile creeping onto his face. Then, he turned his head back, his gaze returning to the window.

"Third brother, good luck." Looking at the night outside the window, Old Huang couldn't help but raise his head and look at the full moon in the distance. Then he softly said these words.

"Brother Huang, the water's here, please have a sip." The maid brought a teacup to Old Huang, her face beaming with a smile that gave one a warm, spring-like feeling.

"Third brother, I have something to tell you, but I hope you won't tell anyone. Because I'm not entirely sure myself."

"Okay, you say."

"When I went to kill that person, I saw a barrier before I left. I want to ask you, how exactly did he create it?"

Chapter 1234 Untitled

"Quick, quick, let's go! Get out of here right now and head to Tianwu City!" Wenxiang was shocked when he heard Li Xiuchen's confirmation. It took him a while to recover, and he shouted for Wenchong and Li Xiuchen to leave the dark forest immediately.

Wen Chong and Li Xiuchen didn't say much after hearing Wen Xiang's words. They weren't idiots; knowing the inside story, they understood the perilous nature of the situation. So, without another word, the three of them quickly turned and ran towards Tianwu City.

Before long, Wenxiang, Wenchong, and Li Xiuchen arrived outside Tianwu City. As they approached the city, the three of them stopped in their tracks.

“Now, we need to disguise ourselves. Wen Chong and I have already betrayed the Wen family, so our targets will be much bigger. Xiu Chen, do you need to disguise yourself? Have you caused any trouble in Tianwu City?” Wen Xiang turned around and looked at Wen Chong and Li Xiu Chen beside him seriously.

"I...I should be fine. I only dealt with a few young masters in Tianwu City before," Li Xiuchen said to Wenxiang after thinking carefully for a moment, his brows furrowed.

"Do you know the background of those young masters? Are they a big problem?" Wenxiang pondered for a moment after hearing Li Xiuchen's answer.

“I don’t know anything about their background, but I don’t think it’s a big problem. After all, Tianwu City isn’t small. We shouldn’t be so unlucky as to run into those people.” Li Xiuchen shrugged, indicating that he didn’t know anything about those people’s background.

“In that case, Xiu Chen, you’ll have no choice but to come with us in disguise. We’re pressed for time and have a heavy mission, so we can’t afford any other mistakes.” Wen Xiang nodded after hearing Li Xiu Chen’s reply.

"No problem, you guys decide, I'll listen to you." Li Xiuchen nodded, indicating his agreement with Wenxiang's suggestion. Indeed, he still didn't know the background of those young masters he had injured back then. Under these circumstances, disguising himself to reduce unnecessary trouble was of course the best option.

Furthermore, he was currently with Wenxiang and Wenchong. Given their current situation, staying by their side certainly carried some risks. Although disguise couldn't change a cultivator's original aura and techniques, it was, to a certain extent, the most suitable solution for him. This was because Li Xiuchen himself was still in a rather uncertain stage, and his cultivation technique, after being damaged by the mountain man, hadn't yet fully formed.

After seeing Li Xiuchen nod in agreement, Wenxiang turned to look at Wenchong beside him. Wenchong met Wenxiang's gaze and hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded. Wenchong took out his security ring and took out several human skin masks, distributing them to Wenxiang and Li Xiuchen.

Although Li Xiuchen had seen countless TV dramas, movies, and novels in his previous world that mentioned disguises like human skin masks, he was still a little excited but also a little bewildered when he actually held one in his hands. After all, he wasn't from this world and had never actually seen this kind of human skin mask before, let alone how to use it.

Thinking of this, Li Xiuchen couldn't help but look up at Wenxiang and Wenchong beside him, who had already taken their masks and were preparing. He saw Wenxiang and Wenchong tidy their hair, revealing their entire faces, and then directly stick the masks onto their faces. In the next instant, without Li Xiuchen even seeing how Wenxiang and Wenchong did it, the human skin masks were smoothly on.

Moreover, after some subtle adjustments, Wenxiang and Wenchong in front of Li Xiuchen looked completely different, as if they had been given new faces. Li Xiuchen was a little confused. He looked at the mask in his hand, then at Wenxiang and Wenchong in front of him, unsure of what to do next.

Wenxiang, who had adjusted himself first, saw Li Xiuchen's expression but said nothing or offered any opinion. He simply stepped forward and took the human skin mask from Li Xiuchen's hand.

"Xiuchen, put all your hair behind your face and close your eyes," Wenxiang instructed Li Xiuchen. Li Xiuchen, remembering how Wenxiang and Wenchong had looked when they wore masks, imitated them, pulling his hair behind his face and closing his eyes.

Wenxiang cradled Li Xiuchen's face in one hand and held the soft mask in the other, gently placing the human skin mask onto Li Xiuchen's face. Once the mask was completely against his face, Wenxiang spoke to Li Xiuchen again...

"Now, use your battle qi to gather it on your face. It will begin the moment I release you. I'll count to three. Do you understand?"

Li Xiuchen closed his eyes and nodded to show that he had heard and remembered Wenxiang's words. Then he slowly raised the fighting spirit in his body to the area around his face, waiting for Wenxiang's command.

“Okay, now, one,” Wenxiang glanced at Li Xiuchen. Sensing that Li Xiuchen was ready, he began to remind him, “two, three.”

After saying that, Wenxiang released his hand from Li Xiuchen's chin, and Li Xiuchen obediently gathered his fighting spirit on his face. After a while, Li Xiuchen felt a strange and inexplicable sensation, and the human skin mask was completely stuck to Li Xiuchen's face.

"Alright, you can open your eyes now." Wenxiang looked around and nodded, reminding Li Xiuchen.

Hearing Wenxiang's words, Li Xiuchen slowly opened his eyes. He wondered if he would feel any discomfort. To his surprise, he felt no discomfort at all; in fact, it felt just like his own face, without any difference or abnormality.

"I know you have many questions about this human skin mask. But let's go into the city first, and once everything is settled, we will give you a reasonable explanation."

Li Xiuchen slowly opened his eyes. He wondered if he would feel any discomfort. To his surprise, he felt no discomfort at all; in fact, it felt just like his own face, without any difference or abnormality.

Li Xiuchen couldn't help but raise his hand and rub it against his new face. There was no change; it adhered perfectly to his face. Li Xiuchen couldn't help but exclaim inwardly in amazement. Of course, Li Xiuchen didn't show it on his face. Although it was his first time seeing something like this, Wenxiang and Wenchong understood his feelings. However, even so, he didn't want to be treated like a fool by Wenxiang and Wenchong.

But to Li Xiuchen's surprise, Wenxiang and Wenchong seemed to have read his mind. Li Xiuchen noticed that Wenxiang and Wenchong, who had been standing opposite him with serious expressions, had started glancing down at the ground beneath their feet from time to time.

Although Li Xiuchen was momentarily stunned, he quickly recovered. He then scratched his head sheepishly, coughed lightly, and looked away, hoping to use this as an excuse to ease his embarrassment.

Although he was very curious about the human skin mask, Li Xiuchen was probably only thinking about whether his face was red or not, and he couldn't make any wild guesses like whether the human skin mask could even tell if his face was red or not.

Wenxiang, being a man of experience, quickly suppressed his other emotions and adopted a serious expression, indicating that he was about to begin the formalities. Standing beside Wenxiang, Wenchong also quickly suppressed the urge to laugh. After all, someone as eccentric as Li Xiuchen was truly a rare find.

“Next, we’re going to enter Tianwu City, so I need to explain a few things. For example, our relationship. If there are no objections, we can address each other as father and son. Of course, it mainly depends on your opinion, Xiu Chen.” Wen Xiang coughed lightly, drawing the attention of Wen Chong and Li Xiu Chen to himself, before beginning to explain the next steps to the three of them.

"I can do it, it's all up to you." Li Xiuchen shrugged, responding casually. In Li Xiuchen's view, there really wasn't much to say. Wenxiang was old enough to be his father, and besides, Wenxiang was in charge this time, so he should do his best to cooperate with him. That reason was enough for Li Xiuchen.

"Okay, then let's continue." Wenxiang nodded upon hearing Li Xiuchen's answer; he did indeed somewhat agree with Li Xiuchen's judgment.

"After we enter the city, we'll first go to the Tonglai Inn and find rooms to stay in. Then, I'll go find some people and spread the word about the strange bird. After you two are settled, Wen Chong, you'll lead the way to gather some useful information. You can decide what's useful. After that, we'll go to Tianwu Academy..." Wen Xiang began to arrange things step by step, trying his best to ensure everything went smoothly.

"Tianwu Academy!" Li Xiuchen, who had been speaking earnestly to Wenxiang, exclaimed in surprise upon hearing the name Tianwu Academy. Wenxiang stopped speaking and looked at the shocked Li Xiuchen, while Wenchong also glanced at Li Xiuchen beside him. Neither of them knew what was wrong with Li Xiuchen; why was he reacting so strongly to the name Tianwu Academy? Did he have some connection to the academy?

Feeling that Wenxiang and Wenchong had both turned to look at him, Li Xiuchen finally snapped out of his daze. He smiled awkwardly and waved his hand, indicating that Wenxiang didn't need to pay attention to him and could continue. Wenxiang nodded, and just as he was about to continue, he turned back to Li Xiuchen, a little worried, and asked,

"Xiu Chen, do you have any connection with Tianwu Academy?"

"Me? Tianwu Academy? No, I've never been to Tianwu Academy." Li Xiuchen was a little confused for a moment when he heard Wenxiang's question, but he still answered Wenxiang's question honestly.

"and you.."

"Then why did you look so shocked?" Before Wenxiang could finish speaking, Wenchong chimed in, asking the question that both of them shared.

"Huh? Did I? Was it really that obvious? No way." Li Xiuchen was a little puzzled. Did he really act that strangely? "Maybe...maybe it's because I've heard a lot about Tianwu Academy before, that it's said to be a paradise for cultivators. Of course, for those who are currently studying cultivation."

Wenxiang and Wenchong nodded slowly after hearing Li Xiuchen's words. Although they were still a little puzzled by Li Xiuchen's state and his behavior just now, it seemed that what Li Xiuchen said wasn't entirely unreasonable. After all, he didn't even know how to use a human skin mask very well, at least not as a cultivator, unlike someone who seemed to know a lot about cultivation.

Seeing Wenxiang and Wenchong's expressions, Li Xiuchen scratched his head and gave them an embarrassed smile. Once they turned away and stopped looking at him, Li Xiuchen breathed a sigh of relief, secretly sweating for his earlier recklessness. Luckily, they both trusted him now; otherwise, things would have been very complicated.

Suddenly, Li Xiuchen felt a pang of gratitude for his earlier display of idiocy regarding the human skin mask. Perhaps it was precisely that act that had garnered Wenxiang and Wenchong a slight increase in their acceptance and concern for him. But regardless of the truth, Wenchong was overjoyed that he hadn't revealed Weiwei's identity. He was willing to endure hardship, fatigue, and even danger. As long as Weiwei was safe and sound, nothing else mattered.

“Alright, let’s continue. After you enter Tianwu Academy, go find Wang Lin. I’ll tell you the details when we get to Tonglai. Now, we’re going into the city. Remember, my name is Li Wei, your name is Li Long, and your name is Li Xiu.”

Chapter 1235 Untitled

Suddenly, Li Xiuchen felt a pang of gratitude for his earlier display of idiocy regarding the human skin mask. Perhaps it was precisely that act that had garnered Wenxiang and Wenchong a slight increase in their acceptance and concern for him. But regardless of the truth, Wenchong was overjoyed that he hadn't revealed Weiwei's identity. He was willing to endure hardship, fatigue, and even danger. As long as Weiwei was safe and sound, nothing else mattered.

“Alright, let’s continue. After you enter Tianwu Academy, go find Wang Lin. I’ll tell you the details when we get to Tonglai. Now, we’re going into the city. Remember, my name is Li Wei, your name is Li Long, and your name is Li Xiu.”

Wen Chong and Li Xiuchen nodded in agreement with Wen Xiang. Although there was still some unresolved tension between Wen Chong and Wen Xiang, Wen Chong wouldn't be foolish enough to harm his father, after all, his father was the one who gave him life and raised him. Patience and any problems could be resolved through communication over time, rather than delivering a devastating blow to his father at a critical moment.

After giving some instructions, the three tidied their clothes, checked their equipment and the human skin masks on their faces, looked at each other, nodded to each other to indicate that everything was alright, and then began to head into Tianwu City.

When the three arrived at the gate of Tianwu City, the guards, as usual, went to search them and check their travel documents. These steps could normally be skipped, but for some reason, their superiors had recently issued a notice that they needed to find someone, so the guards had no choice but to follow the procedure. Of course, those they knew well weren't checked, like Wenxiang, who was now disguised as Li Wei.

When Li Wei approached the gatekeeper, the gatekeeper intended to search Li Wei and check his travel documents. However, before the gatekeeper could even reach Li Wei and begin the search, a city gate official who had been sitting at the back jumped up from his chair, pushed aside the gatekeeper beside him, walked to Li Wei's side, and bowed respectfully.

"Brother Li Wei, how have you been lately?"

"It's alright, it's alright. I just brought my two sons out for a stroll and let them see the world." Li Wei smiled broadly when he saw the city guard.

"Oh, I've seen this young master before, and that young master is..." The city guard smiled and nodded at Li Wei, then looked past Li Wei to see behind him. When he saw Li Long, he smiled at him, and Li Long returned the smile. But when the city guard saw Li Xiu, his eyes narrowed, for he had never seen this person before.