Han San, like a sycophant, clutched his face and said furiously, "Why did you hit so hard? What if you ruined my good looks?"
Yan Shouyi replied with slight apology, "Sorry, you suddenly appeared before me, and I reacted instinctively."
"People from your folk sects are all violent maniacs!"
Yan Shouyi chuckled, "Did you need something from me?"
Upon hearing the important matter, Han San immediately became serious.
He tidied his clothes and cleared his throat. If not for the panda eyes Yan Shouyi had given him, he would have looked quite earnest.
Han San stated seriously, "Yan Shouyi, there's something I don't know whether I should say."
"...If you don't want to say it, I won't force you."
Han San's demeanor immediately deflated, and he quickly stopped Yan Shouyi, saying, "It's an unchangeable fact that Lin Zitong married you, but I still hope you'll be loyal to her and not mess around with others. If you cheat, you'll make Lin Zitong unhappy, and if Lin Zitong is unhappy, I'll be unhappy. Do you understand?"
Yan Shouyi: "..."
"The consequences of me being unhappy are very serious."
"How serious?"
Yan Shouyi raised his hand, and Han San flinched back three or four steps, even assuming a defensive posture.
As it turned out, Yan Shouyi merely scratched his head.
"Ahem!"
Han San was a bit embarrassed and looked away, "Anyway, it's very serious."
"Alright, I understand. Is there anything else?" Yan Shouyi asked.
Han San gritted his teeth, "Don't look down on me. I was unwilling to make a move on Lin Zitong before. If we were to fight, who knows who would win or lose!"
"Alright, Han San, stop boasting!"
Just then, Yuan Jianxin appeared beside them, carrying his sword box on his back. He deliberately bumped Han San with the sword box, reminding him:
"Yan Shouyi isn't as weak as you think. Just his sword intent of sixty years is something you can't withstand."
Hearing this, Han San refused to admit defeat and was about to say something when Zhao Chengxiang also arrived: "Han San, if you want to challenge Yan Shouyi, you have to get past me first. After all, I'm someone he's already defeated. If you can't even beat me, then there's no point in challenging Yan Shouyi."
Yan Shouyi turned his head and saw that the Xuanmen practitioners he had connected with earlier had come as a group.
Besides Han San, Yuan Jianxin, and Zhao Chengxiang, there were also Yan Guochao, Yan Nanfei, and Chang Shan.
Chang Shan apologized, "My master didn't allow me to come find you before, so..."
Yan Shouyi waved his hand, "Of course, I understand. Don't worry about it." Da Feng Novel Network
Yan Nanfei smiled, "Brother Yan, your brilliant performance at the Luotian Grand Ceremony has really put us traditional sects and families to shame!"
"But we're not narrow-minded people!" Yan Guochao laughed, "So we've specifically come to befriend you and wish you success tomorrow."
Yuan Jianxin asked, "Are you here on the orders of your sect?"
Zhao Chengxiang shook his head, "Yes and no. It's partly due to our sect's orders, but we also genuinely wish to befriend Brother Yan!"
With that, Zhao Chengxiang took a step back and cupped his fists in salute, "Wudang Mountain, Zhao Chengxiang!"
Yuan Jianxin followed suit, cupping his fists, "Laoshan Sword Sect, Yuan Jianxin!"
Yan Guochao and Yan Nanfei: "Kunlun Yan Family, Yan Guochao! (Yan Nanfei)"
Chang Shan: "Hanshan Temple, Chang Shan!"
Han San: "Big brother, hello, I'm Wang Laba, the great father from the Shaolin Temple's office in Wudang Mountain!"
"Speak properly!" Everyone glared at Han San.
Only then did Han San obediently fall into formation, "Maoshan Sect, Han San!"
Perhaps before ascending the mountain, no one would have imagined that the Luotian Grand Ceremony would be so eye-opening.
Yan Shouyi earned everyone's respect, especially his character.
He followed their example, cupped his fists in salute, and shouted with a booming voice, "Folk Sect, Lu Ban's descendant, Yan Shouyi!"
They shook hands one by one, and Yan Shouyi said humbly, "You are all outstanding talents from your respective sects. I only managed a narrow victory this time. If there's another chance to spar in a few years, who knows who will win or lose!"
"Just for that!" Han San slapped his chest and shouted, "I acknowledge you as my brother! Tonight, at my courtyard, I'll treat you to dumplings! As the saying goes, nothing's tastier than dumplings... *cough*!"
Before Han San could finish speaking, he was punched by Zhao Chengxiang and curled up on the ground.
Zhao Chengxiang roared, "Han the sycophant, if you dare to set your sights on my sister-in-law again, don't blame me for being impolite!"
Han San retorted, "You think I'm afraid of you, Zhao Tie Dan!"
"Say that again and see what happens?"
"Zhao Tie Dan!"
"I'll kill you!"
Zhao Chengxiang and Han San immediately got into a scuffle, but neither of them was serious; they were just messing around.
Yan Guochao said, "Brother Yan, our fathers might have had grievances, but I've discussed it with the elders in my clan, and they have no objections to you. Perhaps one day you can visit our Kunlun Yan Family."
"It would be my honor!" Yan Shouyi smiled and nodded.
The group of young people chatted for a while below the Wanfa Zongtan. Finally, Yan Nanfei suggested they all go to the mess hall for a drink. Yan Shouyi, unable to refuse the kind invitation, agreed to accompany them.
Upon arriving at the mess hall, the young men gorged themselves, leaving the Longhushan disciples dumbfounded.
By the time they stumbled out of the mess hall, arms slung over each other's shoulders, the Longhushan disciples were weeping: These fellows ate half a month's worth of our provisions in one meal!
Walking with his friends halfway, Yan Shouyi suddenly found an excuse and took Chang Shan alone to the place where he had encountered Guan Lao San earlier that afternoon.
All the matches for the day had concluded, and now it was time to deal with Zhang Wuma's matter.
As dusk descended, the mountain became pitch black. Yan Shouyi confirmed that no one was following him.
Chang Shan was a bit bewildered, "Brother Yan, where are you taking me?"
"I need your help with something. Don't ask too many questions for now; I'll explain when we get there."
Suddenly, Yan Shouyi stopped, sniffed the air, and said sternly, "Such heavy Yin energy."
Chang Shan also sensed it and felt strange.
Longhushan was a sacred Daoist site, untouched by ghosts and spirits. How could there be such strong Yin energy?
As they drew closer, they saw several wandering spirits lingering in a certain area of the mountain.
These were mindless zombies, generally afraid to come to Longhushan. Their gathering there must mean something was attracting them.
Yan Shouyi's eyes lit up; he guessed that Zhang Wuma must have hidden the coffin-carrying staff there!
Therefore, Yan Shouyi no longer hid and stepped out directly, striding towards the wandering spirits.
The wandering spirits sensed a living person approaching, and their eyes, as large as copper bells, instantly locked onto Yan Shouyi, staring intently.
They brandished their claws and teeth, like wild beasts guarding their territory. In reality, they were guarding the coffin-carrying staff on the ground.
The aura from the coffin-carrying staff had a fatal attraction to wandering spirits. Unwilling to have the staff snatched away, they decided to join forces to drive away Yan Shouyi, the unwelcome guest.
Yan Shouyi, however, paid them no mind.
He walked directly in front of one of the wandering spirits and casually threw a handful of talismans.
The talismans flew everywhere, as if they had eyes, attaching themselves to the wandering spirits. Before the spirits could understand what was happening, they turned into wisps of blue smoke and burrowed into the ground.
For some wandering spirits that couldn't find their way to the underworld, Yan Shouyi did them a favor and sent them on their way.
Having easily dealt with the obstacles, Yan Shouyi turned his gaze to the ground.
With just a few scuffs of his foot, he saw a section of the coffin-carrying staff.
"As I suspected, the coffin-carrying staff was indeed hidden here!" Yan Shouyi smiled knowingly.
Ghosts and spirits were more sensitive to the aura of the coffin-carrying staff. Yan Shouyi couldn't sense it, but they could. It was timely that he encountered these wandering spirits, otherwise, relying on himself alone, he wouldn't know how long it would take to find it.