Chapter Ninety-Three: Deception

When Chen Jin saw the acquaintance before him, he went straight to him without the least hesitation.

Truth be told, he had already suspected that the man had been sent by Wu Liangkun; now he was certain of it.

After all, he made his living as a driver for a ride-hailing service. How could he possibly have lingered here all this time without moving? It was not as if his father had come to buy him oranges.

"Chuxuan?" Chen Jin called out.

"Hm?" Chuxuan looked at him in surprise.

"You came down from the mountain already? That fast?" Chuxuan asked, astonished.

"I went to the White Cloud Temple first, then wandered around the mountain for a bit. It felt like every mountain in the world was much the same, so I came back down," Chen Jin answered.

"Is that so? Did you see the strange omen on Mount Laoshan?" Chuxuan asked.

"An omen? What omen? I was circling around in that grove before, and I didn't see anything," Chen Jin said, gesturing toward a patch of verdant forest on Mount Laoshan.

That grove was still quite far from the White Cloud Temple.

"Oh, then you really missed quite a spectacle," Chuxuan said with obvious regret, as though sorry on Chen Jin's behalf.

"What kind of spectacle?" Chen Jin asked.

"It happened not long ago. Look, I even recorded it," Chuxuan said, taking out his phone.

He unlocked it, opened a video, and a scene appeared before Chen Jin's eyes.

At first the footage showed a brief distant view: purple mist boiling up from the mountain, along with a chorus of startled cries. Then the camera zoomed in, revealing that the place shrouded in purple vapor was the White Cloud Temple. After that came the sound of police sirens, and the video ended there.

By now there was no purple mist left on the mountain, but Chen Jin remembered that people up there still seemed to be fighting over something.

"Well? Didn't you miss a good show?" Chuxuan said.

"Well... when I passed the White Cloud Temple just now, I did indeed see a group of people snatching something from one another," Chen Jin said with a faint, distant look.

"What? They still hadn't finished grabbing it?" Chuxuan asked in shock.

"Yes. The mountain was in complete chaos. Even when the police arrived, it was useless," Chen Jin said.

"Then I'd better go take a look. Maybe I can pick up something," Chuxuan said, already starting toward the mountain.

Chen Jin smiled and did not follow.

In this age of information, such news was surely already spreading to everyone who could hear it.

A moment later, the roar of helicopter rotors slicing through the air reached them.

Looking up, Chen Jin saw three helicopters flying this way, heading toward the White Cloud Temple.

He watched as the helicopters hovered over the temple, then nine people leaped down from them, three from each craft.

The nine black silhouettes dropped into the White Cloud Temple, and Chen Jin knew the farce on the mountain was drawing to a close. He did not linger either, turning to leave.

But just as he turned, he heard Chuxuan calling after him. The man had come back as well. That ingenious fellow, seeing the helicopters, also knew he had no chance to fish in troubled waters, and so he retraced his steps.

"Why are you back again?" Chen Jin asked, though he knew the answer full well.

"No chance of getting anything. No chance at all. Who knows whether someone might die up there? Better to keep my life," Chuxuan said.

"Heh..." Chen Jin chuckled.

Then he got into Chuxuan's car and headed for the airport.

...

This time, Chen Jin did not book his ticket in advance. He simply went to the airport and bought one there.

When he bought the ticket, the ticket seller glanced at him several times before finally selling him a ticket for a two o'clock flight.

That meant Chen Jin still had time to eat lunch in Jiaozhou.

Unfortunately, his lunch was sponsored by the Cultivator Association.

Life in this information age was truly not easy.

The news that he was about to board a plane was quickly relayed to the immigration office, then passed on to the Cultivator Association.

And so his lunch was arranged by them.

They ate at the airport.

The group did not dare slight Chen Jin; after all, they had listened to him explain cultivation experience the night before, so he could be considered their benefactor.

Wu Liangkun arrived soon after, accompanied by Daoist Qingfeng.

With so many people making an appearance, Chen Jin understood that it was probably still because of that purple mist.

However, that purple mist was not some spiritual treasure or magical artifact. It was merely a legacy, with no physical form, so no amount of testing would uncover it.

Besides, Chen Jin no longer feared so many of them coming at once. He was, after all, now something of a sword immortal. Once the flying sword was unleashed, every neck in that crowd would be severed, and then Chen Jin could simply wipe the blood from the blade with a slow, casual breath.

Wu Liangkun smiled at Chen Jin. "Fellow Daoist, why leave in such haste?"

"There are still many matters at home that need handling, so I have no choice but to return first. Another time, I shall trouble the association president again in Shandong," Chen Jin replied, smiling as well.

"Oh? Then I wonder whether Fellow Daoist gained anything from your trip to Mount Laoshan?" Wu Liangkun asked.

"Did I gain anything? Discussing the Dao with Daoist Qingfeng was most interesting. I gained much from it," Chen Jin said with a smile, nodding toward Daoist Qingfeng.

"Oh? Aside from that, did Fellow Daoist bring back any local specialties?" Wu Liangkun went on.

"Everything of Mount Laoshan's scenery has already been taken away by me, and it's all here," Chen Jin said, tapping his own head.

"Did Fellow Daoist only take Mount Laoshan's scenery?" Wu Liangkun asked again.

He kept smiling with every word, but anyone could hear the hidden barbs beneath it.

"Yes, I only took those things. If the president thinks I carried off that strange sight from the White Cloud Temple as well, then I am truly wronged. I only learned of the purple clouds spreading east after I had reached the foot of the mountain. If you doubt me, you can check the surveillance records from Mount Laoshan," Chen Jin said with a helpless shrug.

"Since Fellow Daoist also knows what it is we have come for, I will not waste more words. As long as Fellow Daoist returns the item lost from the White Cloud Temple to the White Cloud Temple, I will not trouble you any further," Wu Liangkun said. His smile still had not faded, but now it carried a hint of gloom.

"I don't have it," Chen Jin said, shaking his head.

"Really?" Wu Liangkun said, making his disbelief plain.

"Really. If you don't believe me, you can inspect my backpack," Chen Jin said, setting the bag down in front of Wu Liangkun.

Wu Liangkun took the backpack, did not open it, and looked at Chen Jin. Then his smile returned, warm and sincere. "Ha-ha, I still trust Fellow Daoist. It seems the item did not end up in your hands after all. My words just now were somewhat harsh; I hope you will forgive me."

He handed the backpack back to Chen Jin.

"Heh, the president was only acting on official business. Of course I understand," Chen Jin said, smiling as well.

Both men were smiling, yet everyone could tell it was all an act.

After that, Wu Liangkun issued Chen Jin the boarding clearance proving he could get on the plane.

Then the group left.

...

Outside the airport.

"Was there really nothing inside?" Daoist Qingfeng asked with a furrowed brow.

"Nothing. Only his toiletries and a change of clothes," Wu Liangkun answered.

"Really?" Daoist Qingfeng asked again.

"Do you think my psychic ability is fake? Or do you think I would lie to you?" Wu Liangkun glanced at him.

"At first we didn't know whether there was anything left. I only tried to bluff him. Since he said there was nothing under those circumstances, then there is nothing. Even if there were, what could you and I do to him?" Wu Liangkun said.

"... "