Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension Chapter 1459 - 789: A Chilling Realization

Zhao Sheng descended several steps from the arched bridge and halted by the water's edge, waiting patiently.

The vessel with its dark tiled roof drifted gradually toward the bank, as the scholarly man in his middle years gathered his robe's edge, disembarked from the prow, and positioned himself on the land.

With a quick scan, Zhao Sheng observed the fellow, spotting the sharp clarity in his gaze, suggesting no sign of recognition.

Hmm?

This sight caused a ripple in Zhao Sheng's mind, prompting him to clasp his hands abruptly and inquire, "Brother, may I know your name?"

The scholarly middle-aged man offered no reply, instead gesturing toward a close-by teahouse and suggesting, "Why not take a seat inside? I've got plenty of queries myself."

"Very well." The phrasing struck Zhao Sheng as oddly recognizable, heightening his unease, yet he consented right away.

Moments later, the pair stepped into the establishment and selected a secluded chamber to occupy.

Once the server had brought the tea, Zhao Sheng directed Chen San to depart, leaving just the two of them alone in the space.

At that point, Zhao Sheng had uncovered a key detail: the scholarly middle-aged man retained no recollection of "yesterday."

To put it another way, Zhao Sheng possessed memories from yesterday, while the other lacked them entirely!

This twist deepened the mystery surrounding their circumstances.

As Zhao Sheng mulled over the cause, the middle-aged scholar lifted his teacup and chuckled loudly, "Haha, I am Nangong Wuliang, greetings to this fellow Taoist."

Snapping back to focus, Zhao Sheng lifted his own cup in salute, grinning as he responded, "I am Zhao Gongzhu, greetings to fellow Taoist Nangong Wuliang."

What followed in their exchange closely mirrored the dialogue from yesterday.

As Zhao Sheng proposed stirring up a disturbance to draw in additional fellow Taoists, a spark of insight appeared to ignite in the middle-aged scholar's eyes.

Yet, what unfolded next caught him off guard completely.

Before Zhao Sheng could bring up the fire-starting tactic from yesterday, the middle-aged scholar beat him to it, declaring, "I've just come up with an idea?"

"Do tell, I'm listening." A gleam lit Zhao Sheng's eyes, and he displayed keen curiosity.

…

One hour passed, and right outside the teahouse, the clamor of gongs and drums erupted suddenly, fireworks exploded in the air, while three endearing large-headed lions cavorted and frolicked charmingly across the open space.

At the same instant, a massive banner cascaded down from the teahouse's third level, boldly displaying the four bold characters "The Way of Nature."

The vibrant lion dance spectacle at the teahouse drew crowds of locals rushing to spectate.

Soon enough, an ever-growing throng gathered to behold the uncommon lion dance display.

Meanwhile, from a nearby second-story fabric shop, Zhao Sheng faced the middle-aged scholar across from him, both leaning out the window to eye the gathering at the teahouse.

The middle-aged scholar murmured under his breath, "One, two, three…"

Zhao Sheng also spotted a few "familiar faces," such as the woman from the hidden room, the middle-aged merchant, and the ferry operator.

Curiously, the woodcutter failed to make an appearance.

The young beggar showed up, however, weaving through the masses as if pilfering something.

Upon catching sight of the little beggar's features, Zhao Sheng froze in astonishment, for the crimson stain on the beggar's brow had disappeared entirely.

Noticing the odd shift in his companion's demeanor, the middle-aged scholar whispered, "Taoist Zhao, have you noticed anything unusual? Maybe—"

Without letting him complete the thought, Zhao Sheng cut in sharply, "It's nothing, merely taken aback. I never anticipated so many fellow Taoists revealing themselves so readily."

The middle-aged scholar took the hint and refrained from pressing further, redirecting his attention to the scene below.

Next to him, Zhao Sheng sank into deep thought, musing, "The blood mark on the little beggar's forehead has vanished; this points to two likely explanations. Either he located the exit and broke free successfully. Or he's deceased, probably slain by fellow guests of the Immortal Ruins."

Zhao Sheng weighed the options carefully, leaning toward the latter as more probable, and confirming it would prove straightforward. Simply select a target, eliminate them, and check the "following day" for clarity.

For instance, the woman in the hidden chamber who had retrieved the Vajra. She'd serve as an ideal test subject.

A short time afterward, the middle-aged scholar whipped his head westward, his face altering subtly as he called out, "Wait, check that direction."

Zhao Sheng's reverie broke, and he followed the indicated path with his gaze, spotting thick smoke rising several li distant to the west, resembling a blaze engulfing a building.

The inferno raged fiercely enough for the whole town to witness.

A hunch stirred in Zhao Sheng's chest, linking ideas swiftly, and he stated firmly, "Come on, we must connect with the other fellow Taoists. Delay could mean missing our chance."

The middle-aged scholar's sharp intellect grasped it fast, deducing the fire-setter had to be one of their fellow Taoists.

They needed to snag a handful before the other Immortal Ruins visitors got lured away, or their plan would crumble.

Zhao Sheng and the middle-aged scholar hastened from the fabric shop, encountering the middle-aged merchant, the woodcutter, and the woman from the hidden chamber shortly thereafter.

Next, they proceeded to the teahouse and located the reserved private chamber.

Chen San stood watch outside the door. Spotting Zhao Sheng's arrival, he advanced promptly and bowed, "Young Master, I've carried out all your directives. Any further commands?"

As he spoke, Chen San stole furtive looks at the middle-aged scholar and the rest, displaying clear confusion. He couldn't fathom what ailed the young master today or the identities of these strangers before him.

"Good work; rewards await you back at the estate. Stay below." Zhao Sheng acknowledged him with a nod, devising a pretext to dispatch Chen San to the lower level.

Zhao Sheng, the middle-aged scholar, the woman from the hidden chamber, and five more besides, filed into the private chamber and settled into their places.

The discussions that ensued echoed those from "yesterday" once more.

The woman from the hidden chamber produced the "Vajra" as before, igniting the group's collective wonder.

In the end, the assembly dispersed again, each citing reasons to depart successively.

This round differed in that Zhao Sheng didn't linger; he exited soon after the woman from the hidden chamber.

…

The woman appeared to sense a pursuer on her trail. Mere steps from the teahouse, she veered sharply into a cosmetics store.

Witnessing this, Zhao Sheng realized his scheme had failed.

He harbored no illusions about underestimating others, knowing full well that once beyond view, the lady possessed countless means to slip away from the shop undetected.

"Back to the estate, now!" Zhao Sheng summoned Chen San without pause and pivoted toward home.

Before traversing half a street, he sensed a tail on them. A sidelong peek confirmed two shadowy figures trailing discreetly.

None other than the ruffians from "yesterday"!

Incredibly, these two had set their sights on him.

No,

Rather, that "enigmatic figure" had singled him out.

…

After navigating a few streets, in a narrow lane less than half a li from the Zhao Mansion, the master and servant found themselves cornered in the midst.

Three or four thugs brandishing long blades closed in from the alley's mouth, with one jabbing his weapon at Zhao Sheng, sneering, "Mr. Zhao, we're short on silver. Mind loaning some for a bit of fun?"

Zhao Sheng hadn't opened his mouth when Chen San, driven to shield his lord, lunged ahead of him, bellowing, "You insolent fools! Do you grasp our master's ties to the Black Tiger Hall Master? Blocking the Young Master's way—you're begging for death. Scram, now!"

"Pah! Craving death? Laozi will grant it!" The head thug hawked a glob at Chen San's face, hoisted his long blade high, and swung viciously toward Chen San's torso.

Blade gleam sliced the air, and a shrill cry rent the silence abruptly.