"Master, Mistress..."
Li Zihang and Xu Lingwei stepped forward, bowing to them.
"Hmm, Zhishan, Zihang, you've worked hard," Duan Wuyu said with a smile, nodding at his senior and junior disciples.
Previously, he hadn't held much hope when he sent his senior and junior disciples down the mountain to search for Chang Wude. However, he was overjoyed and relieved that they had actually found and brought Junior Brother Chang back to the sect.
"Yunting, Nuolan, come and greet your Martial Uncle and Martial Aunt," Chang Wude then turned and called to Wan Yunting and Kang Nuolan, who were standing beside him.
The two of them stepped forward, looking at the elders Duan Wuyu and Yang Jingyi, and politely bowed, saying, "Martial Uncle, Martial Aunt..."
"And Martial Uncle Wuwei."
Chang Wude pointed to his junior brother Wu Weizi, and Wan Yunting and Kang Nuolan respectfully greeted him.
"Junior Brother Chang, are these your disciples?"
Duan Wuyu, Yang Jingyi, Wu Weizi, and the other disciples of the Wuliang Daoist temple present were also observing Wan Yunting and Kang Nuolan.
"Yes,"
Chang Wude nodded and smiled, "I brought them back to the sect this time to let them see our Wuliang Daoist temple."
"Good. Both are martial prodigies, especially him,"
Duan Wuyu pointed at Wan Yunting, seeming to see through his martial arts realm, and said with a smile to Chang Wude.
"They're alright," Chang Wude glanced at Wan Yunting and smiled.
"Master, Mistress..."
At this moment, a middle-aged man in a blue Daoist robe entered. Duan Wuyu and Yang Jingyi nodded, while Xu Lingwei and Li Zihang said to him, "Senior Brother..."
This man, named Wei Ping, nodded and smiled at them, "Zihang, Zhishan, you're back."
Duan Wuyu then said to the surrounding disciples, "This is your Uncle-Master Chang."
"Uncle-Master Chang..."
Immediately, Wei Ping and the other junior disciples bowed to Chang Wude.
"Good, good..."
Chang Wude looked at Wei Ping and the other young disciples and said to Duan Wuyu and Wu Weizi, "Senior Brother Duan, Junior Brother Wuwei, it seems you've taken in quite a few disciples for the sect over the past few decades. The incense is flourishing."
Before Duan Wuyu could speak, Wei Ping, standing beside him, smiled and said, "In fact, we have to thank Martial Uncle Sima. If not for him, our Wuliang Daoist temple wouldn't be so prosperous."
This statement caused Chang Wude's expression to falter, and his brows furrowed slightly.
"Junior Brother Chang, you must be tired from your journey and haven't had dinner yet, right? Come, I'll take you to the dining hall to eat, and then we'll arrange your accommodation." Duan Wuyu took Chang Wude's arm and led him out with a smile, followed by Yang Jingyi and Wu Weizi.
"Junior Brother Wan, let's go eat..."
Li Zihang called out to Wan Yunting and Kang Nuolan, and they followed them out of the main hall, heading towards the east corridor...
"Alright, everyone disperse."
Wei Ping looked at his other junior disciples and waved them away, telling them not to crowd around. Then he walked out of the main hall, watching the receding figures of his master and the others. His narrowed eyes flashed with a sharp glint, and a sinister smile played on his lips. He turned and walked towards the mountain gate, pulling out his phone and dialing a number. It was quickly connected, and he said, "Martial Uncle Sima, it's Wei Ping. Yes, Martial Uncle Chang has returned to the sect...!"
Duan Wuyu and Wu Weizi led Chang Wude, Wan Yunting, and Kang Nuolan, while Xu Lingwei and Li Zihang followed their Mistress. The group bypassed the main hall and entered the courtyard of the Daoist temple, then proceeded to the dining hall.
"Come, Junior Brother Chang. Knowing you're returning today, I specifically asked the dining hall to prepare some of your favorite dishes."
Duan Wuyu pulled Chang Wude to sit at the round dining table and pointed at the dishes laid out, smiling, "Try them quickly. Do they taste like they used to?"
Chang Wude looked at the table full of dishes and turned to smile at Duan Wuyu and Wu Weizi, "Senior Brother Duan, Junior Brother Wuwei, you're so thoughtful."
"Senior Brother, my Senior Brother and I have been looking forward to your return,"
Wu Weizi, sitting nearby, said happily, "Now that you're back, of course, we're happy."
"Good."
Chang Wude nodded, picked up his chopsticks, and took a bite of a dish, nodding and smiling, "Indeed, these are still the wild vegetables of Mount Wuliang."
"It's a pity that Martial Uncle Wang passed away twenty years ago,"
Duan Wuyu sighed and said, "Otherwise, this taste would surely be the same as you remember."
"Alas."
Chang Wude let out a sigh and looked at the dining hall, which was no longer the same as before. He smiled wryly, "Things have changed, and people are no longer as they were."
"Yes..."
Duan Wuyu and Wu Weizi also nodded and sighed with emotion.
In the past, there were very few people in the Wuliang Daoist temple, only a few dozen. They and their four martial brothers studied and practiced martial arts under their master. The people they knew well had long since passed away, so the only ones Chang Wude could recognize now were Duan Wuyu and Wu Weizi.
"Let's not talk about that anymore. Come, you all eat quickly,"
Duan Wuyu said to Chang Wude, then also called out to Wan Yunting, Kang Nuolan, and the disciples Xu Lingwei and Li Zihang to eat quickly...
After dinner, Duan Wuyu and Wu Weizi personally escorted Chang Wude back to the small courtyard where he used to live. Pushing open an ancient wooden door, Chang Wude entered the room and saw that it was still familiar. He was deeply touched.
"This room has always been empty. After receiving the news of your return, I had people clean it up," Duan Wuyu said with a smile.
"Senior Brother, thank you..."
Chang Wude turned to thank him.
Duan Wuyu smiled, then looked at Wan Yunting and Kang Nuolan and said, "You two disciples can stay in the two rooms next door."
"Yes, thank you, Martial Uncle..."
Wan Yunting and Kang Nuolan nodded.
"Zihang, take them to settle in."
"Okay, Master."
Li Zihang nodded and said to Wan Yunting and the others with a smile, "Junior Brother Wan, Junior Sister Nuolan, follow me."
So they left, leaving Chang Wude and Wu Weizi sitting in chairs in the room. Wu Weizi asked, "Junior Brother Chang, do you know the whereabouts of Martial Brother Gongsun?"
Chang Wude knew he would ask, and sighed, "Senior Brother Xiuliang is gone!"
"What, Senior Brother Xiuliang is gone?"
Wu Weizi's old eyes widened, and he said excitedly, "How is that possible? When did it happen?"
Duan Wuyu's old face also froze, as if he couldn't believe it.
"It happened just over a month ago, he's gone," Chang Wude sighed.
"This..."
Wu Weizi's old eyes reddened, and he was emotionally overwhelmed, unable to accept this fact...
"Alas..."
Tears rolled down Duan Wuyu's old eyes, and he felt immense sadness, sighing, "I didn't even get to see him one last time..."
"Yes..."
Wu Weizi said mournfully, never expecting that Senior Brother Gongsun Xiuliang was no longer alive.
"Senior Brother, what exactly happened to Senior Brother Xiuliang back then? Why did he disappear so suddenly?" Wu Weizi then asked Chang Wude.
Gongsun Xiuliang's sudden disappearance years ago, without any news, had always troubled Duan Wuyu and Wu Weizi, who didn't know what had happened.
"Does Sima Boyong often come back?"
Chang Wude did not answer Wu Weizi's question but looked up at Duan Wuyu and asked.
"Yes."
Duan Wuyu nodded and said, "In the last ten years, Boyong has returned to the sect frequently every year. Not only has he repaired and expanded the Daoist temple, but he has also invested in our Mount Wuliang, developing it into a tourist area. This has brought a lot of pilgrims to the Wuliang Daoist temple, and the number of disciples coming to seek apprenticeship has also increased."
"Yes, Senior Brother Boyong has indeed helped our sect a lot. He even personally organized this Ancestor Worship Ceremony and invited many sects to participate. He said he wanted to make this year's Ancestor Worship Ceremony grander to promote the reputation of our Wuliang Daoist temple among the sects," Wu Weizi also nodded in agreement.
"Heh, he's really good at ingratiating himself," Chang Wude's old eyes turned cold, and he said with a sneer.
This made Duan Wuyu and Wu Weizi look at each other with confusion. Chang Wude asked, "Is he at the sect now?"
"No, he's returning tomorrow. He's in charge of this year's Ancestor Worship Ceremony," Duan Wuyu said.
Wu Weizi asked, "Senior Brother Chang, why do you still have such strong opinions about Senior Brother Boyong?"
Chang Wude looked up at Duan Wuyu and Wu Weizi and said, "Senior Brother Duan, Wuwei, you've been in the sect all these years, uninvolved in worldly affairs, so you have no idea what Sima Boyong has been doing outside!"
These words made Duan Wuyu and Wu Weizi's old faces even more perplexed.
"Never mind, it's not worth mentioning."
Chang Wude waved his hand, unwilling to talk about Sima Boyong anymore.
After all, he had left the sect for over forty years. People change. Chang Wude did not know what attitude his senior brothers Duan Wuyu and Wu Weizi had towards Sima Boyong, so he did not say much.
Seeing this, Duan Wuyu and Wu Weizi did not press further about Gongsun Xiuliang's matter and instead chatted with Chang Wude about some of his experiences outside over the years...
On the other side, Li Zihang pushed open a door and turned to smile at Wan Yunting and Kang Nuolan who were following him, "Junior Brother Wan, this room has been tidied up. You can stay here, though it's a bit simple, please don't mind."
"What are you talking about."
Wan Yunting rolled his eyes at him and placed his luggage bag on the table in the room. He looked around the small room, which contained only a wooden bed and a chair. A ancient painting and a carved ornament hung on the wall, and a brazier sat on the floor, burning with a warm heat that filled the room. "It's quite nice. With a brazier, it won't be so cold when sleeping."
"Yes, the charcoal is in this small basket. Before you sleep, add two pieces of charcoal, and you can sleep until tomorrow," Li Zihang said, pointing to the charcoal in a small basket next to the brazier.
"Yes, I understand."
Wan Yunting nodded and smiled, "Let's go see Nuolan's room."
"Okay, follow me."
Li Zihang nodded, led them out of the room, then went to a room opposite and pushed the door open...
This room was larger and had a bathroom. Although the furniture was old, it was kept very clean...