Chapter 123: The Grasslands
The former Xilinguole Grassland stretched endlessly before them.
The wind swept across the land, bending the tall grass like a waist.
As far as the eye could see, an unbroken expanse of verdant green.
Treading softly upon the grass, Ye Yan, Zhao Fangxu, and the group of ten elders gradually ventured deeper into the prairie.
Today, Ye Yan wore work attire and a black baseball cap. His long, uneven hair was tied into a short ponytail at the back of his head, swaying gently as he walked, giving him an unusually light and brisk air.
“Chairman Zhao, the location where the Old Celestial Master has challenged all the experts—is it really here?”
Ye Yan had a general understanding of the Old Celestial Master's challenge against the All-Elemental experts, but he never imagined the venue would be the Xilinguole Grassland.
Starting from Dragon Tiger Mountain, the Old Celestial Master had advanced northward, battling all the way from south to north.
Such a bold and formidable approach was beyond imagination.
“Indeed,” Zhao Fangxu panted, catching his breath after a long pause before speaking. “The Old Celestial Master chose Xilinguole for the duel with the All-Elemental experts. The exact date should be noon tomorrow. We came early to set up and assess the situation...”
Wiping sweat from his brow, Zhao Fangxu briefly explained the situation to Ye Yan. Since the Old Celestial Master's descent from the mountain, their company had been closely monitoring his movements.
All sorts of information were obtained promptly, much faster than the outside world.
“Ugh, I can’t go any further. Everyone, let’s rest here for a moment. Let me catch my breath...”
With that, Zhao Fangxu stopped moving, his legs giving way. He collapsed onto the grass, sprawling on his back, completely disregarding his status as chairman.
Seeing Zhao Fangxu lie down, the others naturally halted, waiting patiently.
Leading the group was Lu Jin, who suddenly turned around, stroking his beard and laughing heartily,
“Fangxu, you’re young and yet can’t even walk a few steps? You don’t even compare to this old man who’s over a hundred years old.”
Perhaps due to their good relationship, Lu Jin teased Zhao Fangxu without restraint, like an elder playfully chiding a junior.
Hearing this, Zhao Fangxu rolled his eyes. “Old man, don’t think just because you’re over a hundred that my scrawny body can compare... Stop mocking me.”
He gave a bitter smile. “If I’d known, I wouldn’t have tried to act tough. Why didn’t we just bring a car? Why did I have to walk on a whim?”
“Hey...”
Initially, the company planned to send vehicles to transport them onto the grassland.
But perhaps having been cooped up in the city for so long, seeing such magnificent scenery stirred Zhao Fangxu’s impulse to trek on foot. Hence the current situation.
Still, he had overestimated his physical condition.
Among the group, Zhao Fangxu was neither the oldest nor the youngest—technically in his prime—yet he was the least fit.
After two hours on the road, the others showed no signs of fatigue, not even pausing for water, while he was utterly exhausted.
“Youngster, you still need training,” Lu Jin chuckled heartily at Zhao Fangxu’s collapsed state, continuing his teasing.
“Chairman Zhao isn’t a supernatural being, so walking this far is already impressive. If you really can’t hold on, just call a car.”
Lu Jin’s unique personality among the ten elders allowed him to treat Zhao Fangxu this way; not everyone dared to do so.
As a newcomer among the ten elders, Feng Zhenghao tactfully offered Zhao Fangxu a way out.
“I think that’s a good idea.” The taciturn Mu Youxian also chimed in.
“In my opinion, if we call a car, we’ll just waste more time waiting here. I can draw a spiritual talisman later to carry Fangxu along.”
“No big deal.”
“That works!”
The group settled down, taking Zhao Fangxu as the focal point. They exchanged words, discussing the matter.
Ye Yan remained silent, observing the older men many times his age.
Aside from a few familiar faces, Ye Yan had little contact with the others.
After a short rest on the ground and much persuasion from the group, Zhao Fangxu finally consented to the popular opinion, choosing not to continue punishing himself.
He contacted his secretary, sent out their location, and called for a vehicle before resuming the wait.
During the lull, the now-recovered Zhao Fangxu casually briefed Ye Yan on the participants.
“Little friend Ye, these are the senior ten elders involved in the mission. I won’t introduce those you’ve met already.”
“Let me introduce those unfamiliar to you. You’ll likely need to cooperate with them later, so take some time to get acquainted.”
“This is Mu Youxian, one of the top intelligence experts in the supernatural circle. That’s Chen Jinkui, the head of the Shuzi Sect... and the Shaman Guan Shihua, an ex-ten elder from the Outer Pass...”
Zhao Fangxu gave Ye Yan a concise introduction of those present. He skipped over Lu Jin, Lü Ci, and Feng Zhenghao, whom Ye Yan already knew.
As Zhao Fangxu spoke, Ye Yan quietly counted the number of elders present.
Excluding Wang Ai, who had been dismissed,
Only eight of the ten elders were present.
“Not all ten elders are here?” Ye Yan voiced the question that had been on his mind.
“No...” Zhao Fangxu shook his head. “Ru Hu from the Xigu Pavilion couldn’t make it due to personal matters.”
“And Master Xie Kong is also absent for private reasons.”
“So... there are eight for now.”
“Alright then.”
Ye Yan had expected the full assembly of ten elders for this mission but was surprised to find only eight had arrived.
Eight top figures in the supernatural circle still formed a formidable force. Against ordinary supernatural beings—even someone like Ding Dao’an—they could easily dominate.
But against the Old Celestial Master, this number was insufficient...
A huge gap remained.
Even though Ye Yan had ascended to the Overseer level and considered himself capable of matching the Old Celestial Master, the odds would likely be about eighty to twenty:
Old Celestial Master eighty, Ye Yan twenty.
Mainly because Ye Yan’s development as an Overseer was still weak—a solid thirty-second man.
If he couldn’t defeat the Old Celestial Master within thirty seconds, Ye Yan reckoned he’d be at the mercy of the Master’s relentless assault, helpless to resist.
Ultimately, it was all too sudden.
Though Ye Yan could foresee the likely outcome of their attempt to block the Old Celestial Master, he kept silent.
After all, despite agreeing to join this mission with Zhao Fangxu, he saw himself as a mere filler—just going through the motions.
Nothing more.
...
...
At the border of the Zhelimu League grasslands, inside a nomad’s yurt,
The Old Celestial Master, clad in Taoist robes, sat with his fourth disciple, Zhao Huanjin, around a small round wooden table, quietly sipping thin porridge and eating pickled vegetables.
Suddenly, a cell phone on the table vibrated and lit up, followed by a new message notification.
Seeing this, Zhao Huanjin quickly set down his chopsticks, picked up the phone, and read the message.
“Master, Ye Yan sent you a message.”
“Speak.”
The Old Celestial Master held his porridge bowl, his expression calm.
Perhaps due to recent bloodshed, this usually gentle Master’s face was now cold and forbidding, giving off an aura that warned strangers to stay away.
“Ye Yan says Chairman Zhao has brought some of the ten elders to the Xilinguole Grassland, intending to prevent the conflict between you and the All-Elemental experts tomorrow, so as to avoid stirring greater unrest in the supernatural community...”
“Understood.”
The Master gathered the remaining grains of rice in his bowl and ate them carefully before setting down the bowl, still composed as ever.
“He also said he’s with the group and, if needed, can play along to return a favor.”
“...”
If Zhao Huanjin’s first sentence elicited no reaction,
This last remark finally brought a faint smile to the Master’s stern face. “That kid does have some conscience. Not in vain that I once spared him at Dragon Tiger Mountain.”
The Master shook his head, easing the tense atmosphere within the small yurt.
“Master, how should I reply to him?”
“No need to reply.”
The Old Celestial Master rose and walked to the yurt’s entrance, gently lifting the flap to gaze out over the vast grassland, watching the magnificent sunset on the horizon.
Listening to the Master’s words, Zhao Huanjin put down the phone, hesitating as he looked at the Master’s distant silhouette, then softly asked,
“Master, if the company insists on intervening, are you confident for tomorrow?”
“Confidence?”
The Master remained still. “No one can ever be fully confident in such matters. After all, the world is vast, filled with countless extraordinary beings.”
The Old Celestial Master offered no definite answer, and his ambiguous words only deepened Zhao Huanjin’s concern.
“Master...”
Zhao Huanjin was about to speak when the Master interrupted sternly, “Huanjin, have you forgotten what you promised me when you left?”
“No, Master...”
Zhao Huanjin quickly replied.
“If not, just follow closely and don’t ask too many questions.”
“...Yes.”
Zhao Huanjin looked at his master with a hint of regret but said nothing further.
Just as he was about to rise and clear the table, the Master’s voice sounded again, softer this time:
“Huanjin, don’t worry too much. You know my abilities well. Neither the All-Elemental people nor the company concern me much.”
“Besides, Ye Yan has already said he won’t interfere.”
“As long as he stays out of it, the threat from others is negligible. Keep your mind at ease.”
“...”
The Master’s words were a reassurance, dispersing Zhao Huanjin’s worries completely.
“Just a simple cleanup, then get some rest. We have to rise early tomorrow.”
“Understood, Master.”
...
...
The grassland sunrise bestowed a vast and lofty beauty,
A sense of insignificance and grandeur impossible to experience in the city.
To catch the first rays of morning light without sacrificing sleep,
The night before, Ye Yan had Ma Laowu hold a camera to watch the prairie overnight.
He succeeded in capturing the breathtaking, dreamlike first light that tore through the dawn.
After waking and washing up,
Ye Yan, Zhao Fangxu, and the others shared a simple breakfast of local specialties before boarding an off-road vehicle to delve further into the plains.
Compared to the previous day’s quietness, today’s Xilinguole was bustling with more people.
Along the way, they saw numerous tents pitched nearby and caravans, as well as many supernatural beings, likely all drawn by the upcoming duel between the Old Celestial Master and the All-Elemental experts.
After all, good news attracts attention, big or small.
However, Zhao Fangxu and company paid little heed. Besides stopping the Master and the All-Elemental faction, their other goal was to prevent ordinary people from getting caught up in the conflict.
After about half an hour of the vehicle moving in fits and starts, they finally stopped at their destination.
Upon arrival, many people had already gathered. Ye Yan scanned the crowd but recognized no familiar faces, though he did spot Mu Youxian and members of the Yao Xing Society—truly diligent.
Zhao Fangxu and the company maintained order, intending to disperse the curious supernatural onlookers to prevent them from lingering.
Those remaining, including Ye Yan, dispersed to mingle with acquaintances and chat.
Ye Yan joined Feng Zhenghao in a corner to smoke.
Feng Zhenghao surveyed the crowd and casually asked Ye Yan, “Ye, how many do you think the All-Elemental side will bring?”
Ye Yan pondered, shaking his head. “Hard to say. The All-Elemental faction has taken heavy hits lately. But I doubt Ding Dao’an would miss such an event; he didn’t participate in the Dragon Tiger Mountain incident and is in good shape now.”
The Old Celestial Master had declared he would challenge all experts alone. Yet neither the Master nor the All-Elemental faction had appeared as expected, leaving the situation unclear.
“Hmm...”
As they spoke, two men—one stout, one slender—both dressed in Taoist robes, slowly approached from the far end.
“They’ve arrived...”
Though distant, these top-tier supernatural beings were not limited by mere sight; they immediately sensed that the Old Celestial Master had come.