"Ah, Senior Brother Chang, please stay!"
After Qu Guangrong and the others left, Wu Weizi and Chang Wude sat down and sighed at him, "Our Eldest Senior Brother is gone, and the abbot's position is vacant. You must stay with us to get through this difficult time."
Chang Wude frowned at this, and Wan Yunting also looked at him.
Finally, Chang Wude waved his hand and said, "Junior Brother, I have been away from the sect for too long. Even if you ask me to stay, I can't do much."
Wu Weizi looked at him, somewhat agitated, "Senior Brother, if you don't stay, who will be our new abbot?"
"I, Wu Weizi, am a mediocre person and entirely unsuitable for managing the entire sect's affairs. As for Senior Sister-in-law, she has been assisting Eldest Senior Brother for the past decade, and she truly understands how to manage our Daoist temple. However, she is a woman, and not suitable to be the abbot of our Wuliang Daoist Temple. Therefore, you are the best candidate, Senior Brother Chang."
But Chang Wude still waved his hand, shaking his head and sighing, "Junior Brother, I am by nature unrestrained and prefer to live a carefree life. Moreover, I have been away from the sect for too long and am accustomed to life in the outside world. Even if I agree to stay, my wife will not."
Hearing him say this, Wu Weizi didn't know what to say for a moment. Finally, with a face full of dejection, he said pessimistically, "Could it be that our Wuliang Daoist Temple truly has no suitable successor for the abbot's position?"
Chang Wude said, "Junior Brother, there is no need to be so pessimistic. If we are not suitable, we can have the younger generation of disciples take on the role."
Wu Weizi listened and chuckled wryly, "Among Eldest Senior Brother's disciples, Wei Ping is actually quite good. Eldest Senior Brother also wanted to train him as the abbot's successor. Unfortunately, Eldest Senior Brother misjudged him and raised a white-eyed wolf for so many years."
"Now, we have Zhi Shan and Zi Hang, along with Qi Wu and a few other disciples. Zhi Shan has a peculiar personality and is obsessed with martial arts, making her unsuitable to be the abbot. Zi Hang is a clever child, but he is still too young and immature, so he is also unsuitable. As for Qi Wu, he is a brute and even more unsuitable."
Wu Weizi said with a sigh, "As for me, over the years, I have only taken Xinghe as my personal disciple. However, that child is also a mediocre person like me and truly cannot bear this heavy responsibility."
Suddenly, Chang Wude said, "Who says there are no suitable young people!"
Wu Weizi's old face stiffened, and Wan Yunting, who was sitting beside him, also looked surprised. He looked at Chang Wude, wanting to hear who he thought was suitable to be the new abbot of the Wuliang Daoist Temple…
As a result, Chang Wude turned his old eyes towards him. Wan Yunting's heart skipped a beat. Seeing the meaning in the old man's eyes, he clearly meant himself.
"Hmm, how did I not think of that!"
Wu Weizi's old eyes also fixed on Wan Yunting, as if a ray of bright sun had torn through the clouds in a gloomy sky, bringing him a sudden burst of clarity. "Little Wan, you are the best candidate!"
"Indeed." Chang Wude also said, "He is not only my disciple but also Senior Brother Xiu Liang's only personal disciple. At the same time, he has inherited Uncle Ren's Thirteen Needles of Ghost Gate. Therefore, he is the most suitable person to be the new abbot of our Wuliang Daoist Temple."
"No, no, no…"
Wan Yunting, finally regaining his senses, immediately became restless. He quickly stood up and shook his head at the two old men, saying, "Uncle Chang, Uncle Wu Wei, I am really not suitable to be the abbot. My family and friends are all outside, and I have not yet fulfilled my master's dying wish. How can I come here to be the abbot?"
"Hmm, I almost forgot about that."
Chang Wude remembered that Wan Yunting still had to fulfill Senior Brother Xiu Liang's dying wish. Wu Weizi then said, "Little Wan, you can become our new abbot, but you don't have to stay in the sect. After you fulfill Senior Brother Xiu Liang's dying wish, you can return to the sect, can't you?"
"This is possible," Chang Wude said with a smile, pointing at Wan Yunting.
"No, no…"
Wan Yunting shook his head and waved his hands, quickly saying, "Uncle Wu Wei, I am accustomed to living outside. I truly cannot get used to the quiet cultivation life within the sect. Moreover, my family and friends are all outside. I am really not suitable."
"Family can be brought over. Besides, our sect is not entirely secluded. We receive tourists who come to visit the mountain regularly, so you can go out to play," Wu Weizi said.
It was clear that he and Chang Wude were determined to have him inherit the position of the new abbot of the Wuliang Daoist Temple.
"I…"
"That's enough from you."
Chang Wude said with a stern old face, "Currently, among the younger generation disciples in the entire Daoist temple, you are the most suitable to be the abbot. Your Uncle Wu Wei and I recommend you. After three days, we will discuss it with Uncle Zong, and then we will let you take over."
"It's settled then."
Wu Weizi nodded in agreement. With the next abbot decided, he finally felt relieved.
But Wan Yunting was speechless at their unilateral decision. Knowing that they wouldn't listen to anything he said now, he felt very helpless…
Soon, it was time for dinner. Wan Yunting and Kang Nuolan followed Chang Wude and Wu Weizi to the refectory. Other disciples were already eating inside. The usual boisterous chatter and laughter were absent; the atmosphere was very low and somber.
"Uncle Chang, Uncle Wu Wei…"
Li Zihang, Qi Wu, Xue Xinghe, and a disciple named Feng Yuxiu greeted Chang Wude, Wan Yunting, and Wu Weizi with nods…
"Hmm, where is your师娘 (shī niáng – master's wife) and the others? Aren't they coming for dinner?" Wu Weizi asked.
Li Zihang shook his head and said, "师娘 and the senior sisters are in their residences, but I have already brought them food."
Chang Wude and Wu Weizi nodded and said nothing more, letting everyone eat…
At this moment, Zhou Ruoxi and Jiang Tingxia arrived. Wan Yunting beckoned them over to sit and eat together. Wu Weizi looked at the two senior sisters and said, "You have worked hard during this period."
"Uncle Wu Wei, this is what we should do," Jiang Tingxia replied politely and sensibly.
Wu Weizi nodded and said, "With what has happened in our Daoist temple, we haven't been able to entertain you properly…"
"Uncle Wu Wei, please don't say that," Zhou Ruoxi said, shaking her head slightly.
"How about this."
Wu Weizi said to Li Zihang, "Zi Hang, for the next couple of days, please take them to stroll around Wuliang Mountain."
"Yes, Uncle," Li Zihang nodded. However, Zhou Ruoxi shook her head and said, "No need, Uncle Wu Wei. My junior sister and I have already discussed it, and we will be returning in two days."
Hearing this, Wan Yunting looked up, and Zhou Ruoxi's autumn eyes also looked at him slightly. Their eyes met…
"It's alright, you should stay for a few more days before returning," Wu Weizi said, waving his hand.
Zhou Ruoxi and Jiang Tingxia nodded and said nothing more.
The group ate dinner silently and then returned to their respective quarters. However, Wan Yunting left with Zhou Ruoxi and Jiang Tingxia. The three of them intentionally lagged behind to avoid Chang Wude and the others. Then, Wan Yunting led the two senior sisters towards the back mountain and asked Jiang Tingxia to leave, "Senior Sister Jiang, Senior Sister Zhou and I want to talk privately. Could you please…"
"Oh, I understand."
How could Jiang Tingxia not know that the two of them had a secret?
Ever since Wan Yunting and Zhou Ruoxi returned, seeing the Gentleman Sword and Lady Sword in their hands, Jiang Tingxia had already guessed most of it.
After testing Zhou Ruoxi again last night, Jiang Tingxia was already sure that her senior sister and Wan Yunting were together.
Seeing that they wanted to talk privately now, Jiang Tingxia very tactfully waved goodbye to them and said with a smile, "Then you two enjoy yourselves, I'm going back."
"Thank you."
Wan Yunting nodded and smiled at her, watching Jiang Tingxia leave. He then turned to Zhou Ruoxi and took her jade hand, "Let's go sit by the cliff at the back mountain."
"Mmm…"
Zhou Ruoxi's delicate face flushed slightly. Although there was no one around, being held by the man still made her feel a little nervous and happy.
The two of them ambled to the cliff at the back mountain of the Daoist temple. Night had fallen, and the temperature tonight was very cold. The two of them, wearing thick cotton clothes and a cotton cloak, sat down on the leisure chairs at the cliff. Looking at the hazy night, with light snow falling, the two of them sitting together truly had a different kind of artistic conception.
"When… when are you going back?"
Suddenly, Zhou Ruoxi turned her head and looked at Wan Yunting with affectionate autumn eyes, her voice soft and pleasant.
Wan Yunting also turned to look at her, shaking his head slightly and sighing, "I don't know yet. With what has happened in the Daoist temple, I might have to stay for a while longer!"
When Wan Yunting first returned with Chang Wude, he had planned to return to Huadu City directly after the ancestral worship ceremony.
However, the incident of Duan Wuyu being poisoned and Sima Boyong's premeditated attempt to seize the abbot's position, followed by the search for medicine in the Kunlun Mountain range, caused him to delay for seven or eight days.
It was now November 23rd. Wan Yunting had originally planned to return early so that he could attend the Calligraphy Lanting Award competition in Shaoxing City, Zhejiang, on the 6th of next month.
But now, with Duan Wuyu's passing and the changes in the Wuliang Daoist Temple, Chang Wude might not return so soon, probably not until the end of this month.
"Ruoxi, why don't you and Senior Sister Jiang stay for a few more days before returning?"
Wan Yunting held Zhou Ruoxi's jade hand and hid it in his sleeve. Their eyes met, and they spoke with lingering affection.
"Okay…"
Zhou Ruoxi nodded slightly in agreement because she also felt reluctant to leave…
Wan Yunting smiled gently and then pulled her into his embrace. The two of them sat quietly, holding each other, looking towards the cliff. Their eyes gazed at the hazy night, watching the light snow slowly drift onto their palms, giving them an indescribable feeling…
Unexpectedly, not far away, two young disciples happened to pass by and saw them sitting in an embrace from a distance…