Long Jian, though the youngest, drank the most, frequently peppering Long Feng with questions about the world below the mountain while they drank.
His curiosity was intense; finding the details Long Cheng provided insufficient, he pressed Long Feng for more, especially regarding Long Feng's time down in the mortal realm.
His reasoning was sound: gathering more intelligence would aid him when he eventually descended the mountain, allowing him to navigate things correctly and avoid costly mistakes.
Long Feng, showing clear indulgence toward his younger brother, shared everything he was permitted to reveal.
When Long Feng recounted fighting the Golden-Crowned Python alongside Zhang Yang, Long Jian’s jaw dropped. Though certain Zhang Yang and the others would be fine, he still found himself clutching his chest in worry.
Learning that the old hag had intended to capture them to extort their family made Long Jian curse the woman aloud in fury.
He immediately declared his intent to take up his sword and head to Nanjiang to slay that old hag.
It was Long Feng who finally managed to calm him down, assuring him that the old hag was long dead, leaving nothing for him to kill should he go.
During dinner, Zhang Yang listened more than he spoke, observing the strong bond between the brothers with a touch of envy.
In both his past and current life, Zhang Yang had been an only child, lacking siblings.
After the evening meal, Zhang Yang retired to rest.
Watching the two little ones fast asleep, Zhang Yang couldn't help but shake his head; neither had a high tolerance for alcohol but both had a tendency to overindulge—a behavior that certainly needed correction with proper guidance later on.
Chasing Wind, however, had a decent capacity for drink, its large frame easily handling several bowls without issue.
The first night at the Long family estate was exceptionally comfortable for Zhang Yang. After days of constant travel, sleeping in tents or substandard inns, this level of ease had been long denied to them.
The comfort of the Long family guest quarters, save for the lack of modern home appliances, rivaled that of any five-star hotel.
Before dawn broke the next day, Zhang Yang was up early, carrying the still-groggy Lightning and Shadow, mounting Chasing Wind, and taking them out for a lengthy circuit.
The small plain was indeed considerable, perhaps matching the size of a small town in the interior, but under Chasing Wind’s gallop, the distance was negligible.
After circling once, Zhang Yang gained a much deeper understanding of the area.
This small plain was encircled by mountains, and it was these surrounding peaks that gifted the place with an eternal spring, maintaining the same temperate climate year-round.
As Zhang Yang perceived it, it was as if the mountains had been carved open in the middle to reveal this level expanse.
As for why this place remained invisible from the sky, Zhang Yang had no immediate explanation.
This was a mystery the Long family had studied for over eight hundred years without resolution; it was hardly something Zhang Yang could unravel upon arrival.
After touring the Long family plain, avoiding only a few restricted areas, Zhang Yang returned to the detached residence to dedicate himself to cultivation.
The environment here for cultivation was superior to the outside world; truly worthy of its designation as a Feng Shui treasure spot, making cultivation significantly more time-efficient.
Long Feng, who had just returned, immediately plunged into his own busy schedule, though Long Cheng was even more occupied.
Long Cheng was an outer disciple, ranking below those like Long Feng, meaning the majority of people he could associate with were other servants or menial staff of the Long family.
Even with these limited connections, Long Cheng was immensely content.
Furthermore, thanks to Long Feng’s assistance, Long Cheng was able to practice one of the Long family’s martial arts, and a high-level one at that.
Aside from secret techniques and unique methods like the Dragon Transformation Art, many martial arts of the Long family were accessible to others—though this "other" was strictly limited to those within the clan.
They remained busy for two days; only during meal times did Zhang Yang see them.
However, this suited Zhang Yang perfectly, providing the ideal window to focus on his own training, consolidating his recent advancements. He strongly felt the epiphany gained before the Great Buddha statue had aided him immensely, yet he couldn't pinpoint the exact nature of that benefit.
It felt akin to having discovered a treasure vault but lacking the key to unlock it.
Three days passed quickly, marked by profound quietude. Aside from Long Feng visiting daily, only Long Yao arrived once, spending half a day in deep discussion with Zhang Yang.
Long Yao expressed immense admiration for Zhang Yang’s vast medical knowledge.
In return, Zhang Yang gleaned essential insights from Long Yao regarding the refined essence of the Long family’s inherited medical arts. A thousand-year lineage held profound secrets; though not solely dedicated to medicine like the Zhang family, they possessed unique perspectives in specific areas, offering Zhang Yang substantial gains.
Both men left their exchange deeply satisfied; had time not been pressing and Long Yao not had other commitments, he would likely have stayed with Zhang Yang indefinitely.
“Zhang Yang, look who’s arrived!”
On the afternoon of the fourth day, before Zhang Yang could begin his cultivation, Long Feng’s voice rang out from just outside the door. His tone suggested he had just reached the entrance.
His voice carried a distinct excitement. Zhang Yang slowly rose; Lightning and Shadow had already dashed out and were now standing in the courtyard looking toward the gate.
Chasing Wind ambled out lazily; the guest quarters were spacious enough that the horse faced no difficulty entering or exiting.
The door had remained open, and as Zhang Yang stepped out, Long Feng was already ushering someone inside, the newcomer carrying two large ceramic jars. He carried two, and Long Feng carried two.
“Brother Li, why have you come as well?”
Seeing the visitor, Zhang Yang displayed a brief moment of surprise before a smile touched his lips.
Accompanying Long Feng was Li Changfeng, with whom he had spent several pleasant days on the cruise ship. Li Changfeng was from the Li family of Mount Shu, and Zhang Yang had certainly not expected to see him here.
“Brother Zhang, this is the Long family domain. Are only you permitted to visit, and we forbidden to be guests?”
Li Changfeng laughed heartily, walking right up to Zhang Yang.
Reaching out, Li Changfeng handed the two jars of wine he was carrying over to Zhang Yang, then said with a visible wince, “Two jars of Monkey Wine. Our wager is settled. I’ve paid quite dearly this time!”
As he spoke, Li Changfeng rubbed his hands together, adopting an expression of frustration.
“Haha, losing just two jars isn’t much. Brother Li, whenever you feel brave, we can have another contest, and perhaps you can win those two jars back!” Long Feng laughed loudly. Li Changfeng immediately shook his head, retorting stubbornly, “Even if we raced again, I wouldn’t compete against two freaks like you in speed. Having been burned once, you expect me to risk a second loss?!”
Zhang Yang chuckled, “Stop standing around; come inside!”
Long Feng and Li Changfeng both went in. Before entering, Li Changfeng cast another curious look at White Horse Chasing Wind, his eyes holding a hint of amazement.
When they last met, he distinctly remembered Zhang Yang not having a horse, making this sudden appearance of such a beautiful purebred white steed a surprise upon their reunion.
Long Feng followed Li Changfeng in a step behind, and watching Li Changfeng’s retreating back, a flicker of concern crossed his eyes.
His remark about racing again was not merely jesting with Li Changfeng; there was a subtle test embedded in his words.
The joint arrival of the three major families for the Long family’s Grand Competition was unsettling. The Long family’s primary worry was that they might propose challenges during the event.
Long Feng’s casual question was intended to gauge the Li family’s reaction.
Li Changfeng only stated he wouldn't race in terms of speed but did not rule out competing in other areas. This implicitly signaled to Long Feng that their fears were likely to materialize: members of the three great families might issue challenges during or after the matches to undermine the Long family’s prestige.
If the Long family members proved inferior to those from the other clans, their title as the foremost aristocratic family would inevitably be lost.
These were the power struggles between the great houses, something Zhang Yang remained unaware of, and even if he knew, he would not involve himself.
The Zhang family was also an ancient lineage, but their inherent weakness in terms of population size guaranteed they held no interest in the title of 'First Family.' Let those who wished to fight for it do so; it held no bearing on him.
Li Changfeng’s arrival genuinely delighted Zhang Yang, especially since he brought two jars of Monkey Wine.
These two jars were won by Zhang Yang, and he had no intention of drinking them immediately; at most, he might consume one. He planned to take the remaining jar back, sharing some with his uncle, Zhang Yun’an, and leaving a portion for Zhang Keqin.
For ordinary people, this wine possessed marvelous properties that enhanced physical fitness, far surpassing the efficacy of medicinal liquors available commercially.
That evening, the three shared another drinking session, with Li Changfeng continuing to lament his predicament.
He only had two jars of Monkey Wine, and to secure two more, he had made numerous promises, resulting in significant 'exploitation' by his family members.
He didn't elaborate on the specific promises he made, nor did Zhang Yang or Long Feng press him for details.
Furthermore, Li Changfeng had not come alone this time; the Li family contingent numbered ten: one Elder, three senior members, and six heirs from the younger generation.
With ten individuals arriving from just the Li family, Long Haotian and the rest of the Long clan felt a rising sense of foreboding.
On the morning of the fifth day, the Hu-Yan family arrived, comprising nine people. They had taken an entirely different route, cutting directly through the mountains.
They had traversed the wilderness for a full seven days, and upon learning this, the faces of the Long family members changed drastically.
Mount Kunlun was their territory; the Long family considered everything within it their own asset. For such a large group from the Hu-Yan family to spend so long within the mountains meant they had surely harvested an untold amount of natural medicinal herbs or other valuable resources.
This amounted to having their own resources pilfered.
Regrettably, the Long family could not openly raise objections. The Hu-Yan family claimed their journey was for training their juniors, allowing them to witness the majestic splendor of the Kunlun Mountain Range via a direct passage.
If they argued the point, the Hu-Yan family would simply accuse the Long family of being petty, given that the Hu-Yan family was merely passing through once.
Despite their dissatisfaction with the Hu-Yan family, the Long family treated them cordially, arranging residences for them in a separate courtyard.
At noon, the last aristocratic house, the Hua family from Changbai Mountain, arrived. The Hua family contingent was the smallest, totaling only six people: one second-generation heir leading five young disciples, without a single Elder present.
The Hua family was, in fact, the weakest of the four major houses; they held no genuine interest in vying for the title of 'First,' nor did they possess the strength for it.
Their presence this time was purely because they had been implicitly pulled along by the Li and Hu-Yan families together. They were merely going through the motions, sending such a modest team specifically to avoid deeply offending the Long family.
In the hearts of the Hua family, there was certainly an element of wanting to watch the spectacle unfold. The Hua family had relocated from Taihang to Changbai Mountain over two centuries ago, forced to move following a catastrophic event that befell their clan.
They had only just managed to restore their vitality over the last two centuries, and in their current state, they had no inclination to contend with others. (To be continued) RQ