The Oldest Disciple: Farming Intimacy to Become Immortal

Chapter 245: Qushan Town and Great Qu Mountain

State of Zhao

North of Qushan Town rose a solitary peak—Great Qu Mountain.

As the largest mountain within a hundred-mile radius, it commanded the landscape. At its summit stood a Mountain God Temple, strategically located at the intersection of two major trade routes, ensuring it enjoyed flourishing incense offerings year-round.

Just after nightfall, a light drizzle began to fall over the mountain. The rain intensified rapidly, darkening the heavens and earth into a suffocating gray.

To the south, Qushan Town lay silent in the rainy night. Lanterns extinguished one by one, leaving only the relentless tap-tap-tap of raindrops hitting the cobblestones.

Suddenly, a fiery dragon appeared on the northern road.

Torches flickered violently in the storm as the dragon advanced toward the town. Not long after, the thunderous sound of hooves shattered the peace.

A cavalry troop charged into Qushan Town.

Nearly a hundred riders galloped through the main street, a blur of steel and leather. They tore from south to north, disappearing into the darkness as quickly as they had arrived.

The commotion drew the residents from their slumber. Windows cracked open; fearful whispers exchanged in the dark.

“Are you trying to get killed? Get back inside!”

Men pulled their curious wives and children away from the windows. A cavalry troop moving at night? Unless the sky was falling, soldiers didn’t ride like that.

The rain poured down in sheets, the crashing noise masking the sound of a hundred exhausted horses.

“Your Highness, the rain is too heavy. Should we rest in Qushan Town?” a guard shouted over the storm.

The speed of the cavalry slowed. In the center of the formation, one man stood out like a crane among chickens.

He wore luxurious brocade robes, now soaked and clinging to his frame. He looked completely out of place among the armored warriors.

“No,” Prince Qi said, his voice trembling but firm. “We must return to the Northern Border immediately. There can be no delay.”

“But Your Highness! If you fall ill, it will delay us even more!”

Prince Qi wiped rainwater from his face. He was freezing. The bone-chilling cold gnawed at his resolve, making him yearn for a warm fire.

“Go to the Mountain God Temple on Great Qu Mountain,” he ordered through chattering teeth. “The terrain there is treacherous—easy to defend, hard to attack. We rest there.”

They couldn’t stay in the exposed town, but they couldn’t continue in this storm either. If he collapsed, everything was lost.

“Yes!”

“Full speed ahead! To the mountain!”

“Hyah!”

The thunderous hooves resumed, and the troop vanished into the rain like ghosts.

Northwest of Qushan Town, The Forest Road

Deep in the forest, silence reigned, broken only by the drumming rain.

Then, the earth began to tremble. Puddles on the road rippled in concentric circles.

From the depths of the darkness, a massive force surged forward. A cavalry troop, far larger than the first, galloped along the official road. They formed a long, steel dragon whose tail was lost in the night.

Suddenly, a sword light flashed above the treeline. It plunged down, streaking directly toward the rider at the front of the formation.

The leader was a short man with a face like a sharp-featured monkey. He wore a brown robe that remained inexplicably dry amidst the deluge. Raindrops slid off him inches from his skin, repelled by an invisible barrier.

As the sword light descended, he reached out and snatched it from the air with two fingers.

It was a Message Flying Sword.

Yu Li’s expression shifted. He turned to the armored general riding beside him.

“That person has gone up the mountain.”

The general frowned. “Great Qu Mountain?”

“Correct.”

The general’s stern face darkened. “Great Qu Mountain is easy to defend and hard to attack. I must ask the Immortal Master to lend a hand.”

Yu Li chuckled, narrowing his eyes as he stroked his short beard. “Easy to say. Easy to say.”

They were just mortals. Terrain meant nothing to a cultivator. Tonight, he would leave Prince Qi’s corpse on that mountain and complete his duty to Prince Yan.

The general raised his hand. “Full speed! Target: Great Qu Mountain!”

But as the words left his mouth, his expression changed. He yanked the reins hard.

“HALT!”

His deep voice roared over the storm.

The elite cavalry responded instantly. In less than twenty breaths, the galloping army came to a dead stop, the forest falling silent except for the heavy breathing of horses and the rain.

Nearly a thousand riders sat motionless.

The general stared ahead.

Blocking the official road stood a single figure.

His appearance was sudden, as if he had materialized from the rain itself. He wore a pristine white Daoist robe that seemed to glow in the dark. He had white hair and a youthful face—a sage-like appearance that commanded respect.

Rain fell around him but did not touch him.

The general glanced at Yu Li. A mountain-dweller?

Yu Li’s expression shifted rapidly. He narrowed his eyes, sizing up the uninvited guest standing twenty zhang away.

He urged his horse forward and cupped his hands.

“I am Yu Li, a mere Rogue Cultivator. I ask Fellow Daoist to step aside and let us pass!”

Although the stranger only showed the aura of early Foundation Establishment, Yu Li didn’t want trouble. The mission was priority one.

Li Meng ignored him entirely.

His gaze bypassed the rogue cultivator and locked onto the general protected by the heavy guard.

“Mundane affairs should not be interfered with by us mountain-dwellers,” Li Meng said, his voice cutting through the rain without effort. “However, since Prince Yan has already broken the rules, he must bear the karma.”

He took a step forward.

“General, turn back immediately. Tell Prince Yan that the State of Zhao’s national fortune lies with Prince Qi. If he acts against the Heavens… this poor Daoist will have no choice but to act on Heaven’s behalf.”

The general frowned. Who is this person? Daring to threaten Prince Yan?

He rode forward to stand beside Yu Li.

“If Immortal Master Yu does not take action, is the Immortal Master satisfied?”

If the cultivator’s interference was the problem, then removing the cultivator from the equation should solve it. Even without Yu Li, his thousand elite cavalry could flatten a mountain temple.

Yu Li’s face turned cold. He glared at Li Meng, a flash of killing intent passing through his eyes.