Chapter 1802: Youth

South Domain, Feng Family City, Huayue Tower.

Six months ago, Huayue Tower was just an insignificant pleasure house in the lawless lands of the South Domain.

However, ever since Feng Zhongzui rose to fame, transforming into the strongest Dao preacher of his era and donning the mantle of "Emperor Zhongzui," things changed.

"A drink in front of Huayue Tower, test the three-foot sword in your heart!" This phrase, widely known across the Five Domains, was originally spoken by Feng Zhongzui.

Who it was initially addressed to, or what content it referred to, no longer mattered.

The phrase gained considerable popularity, and after some subsequent promotion, Huayue Tower surged to become the most renowned brothel in the South Domain.

Some even coined a slogan: "The First Tower in Heaven, Huayue Tower on Earth; two towers standing side-by-side, seeking the Dao and finding pleasure."

Huayue Tower was so intimidated its knees buckled, repeatedly exclaiming that they dared not claim such a status.

This slogan was actually proposed by Feng Zhongzui to Huayue Tower, which then hired people to popularize it across the Five Domains.

In a way, Feng Zhongzui and Huayue Tower completed each other.

After that period of preaching, countless people from the Five Domains came to Huayue Tower to invite Feng Zhongzui for drinks, and he readily accepted their friendship.

He was now considered a co-owner of Huayue Tower.

On regular days, his preaching would either take place at the Feng family estate, where he would recount tales of the South Domain Feng family or boast about their past glory.

Some were envious, others dismissive.

Therefore, more often than not, he settled at Huayue Tower, specifically on the "Sword-Testing Platform" at the top of the tall building, where his famous saying was displayed.

"Young Master Feng, something big has happened!""Excuse me, I need to find Young Master Feng, thank you!"

At that moment, the area around the Sword-Testing Platform was packed with people.

Feng Zhongzui had invited two ancient sword cultivators to duel on the platform.

He, meanwhile, was cracking melon seeds, sitting with one leg crossed over the other, occasionally offering pointers and criticisms to those on stage.

In front, someone held two "Golden Apricots" (presumably viewing devices): one focused on the sword-testing platform for the preaching and combat visuals, and the other on Feng Zhongzui, capturing his commentary.

It's worth noting...

Feng Zhongzui had become rounder.

Not only had his cheeks gained a lot of flesh, but his entire body had changed.

He sat relaxed in a grand armchair, his belly slightly protruding as if six months pregnant, his chin stacked in five layers, and his eyes narrowed, squeezed by the flesh.

Compared to six months ago, Feng Zhongzui no longer possessed his youthful vigor; instead, he exuded an air of plump prosperity—one could gain weight even before middle age.

In his preaching feed, only a few comments were directed at the two combatants on stage; most were teasing Feng Zhongzui:

"Stop drinking! That's your sixteenth jar today! You really can hold your liquor!"

"And less roast chicken, my Emperor Zhongzui! Look how big your belly is! Don't you really care about this? I do! My eyes need a wash!"

"I give up. Seriously, Feng Zhongzui, go practice your spirit or lose some weight! How can an ancient sword cultivator be this lazy? Do you even need someone to feed you a chicken drumstick now?"

"Give me back the youthful Feng Zhongzui! Who are you? Get off Emperor Zhongzui right now!"

"Still eating? You're losing viewers! Everyone's gone to see Hong Niang!"

"Hong Niang? Hehe... White Madam, Big Madam! Feng Zhongzui loves them the most!"

And indeed, he was losing viewers.

At first, Feng Zhongzui didn't care.

His daily routine now consisted of waking up, sobering up, bathing and changing, then taking a palanquin to Huayue Tower.

He just needed to activate the Golden Apricot broadcast, select a few people to duel on stage, and this Sword-Testing Platform alone could sustain him for the rest of his life, even the entire Feng family.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he was the money tree of the South Domain Feng family!

The number of viewers for the Golden Apricot broadcast was unstable: on good days, it exceeded seven or eight million; on bad days, it still reached five or six million.

Who was he? Emperor Zhongzui!

Even at its worst, could the number of viewers drop to merely five or six?

Yet now, while it wasn't as low as five or six people, he had only looked away for a moment. He remembered there were over seven million viewers; how did it suddenly drop to three million?

"Where are they?" Feng Zhongzui glanced at the numbers and tried to jump up in shock... but couldn't.

He shifted into a more comfortable position and whispered to the scantily clad beauty beside him, "Where are all the people? Where did they go? Check the situation for me."

Feng Zhongzui disdained reading comments while commentating.

He didn't have this habit when he was carrying the Dao-preaching mirror back then.

Now, with seven million people, each leaving a comment, he couldn't read them all, and they were mostly insults about his weight gain, which wouldn't make him happy to read.

Little did they know, this was a concept within ancient sword arts: the Art of Nurturing the Sword!

However, he couldn't ignore the comments entirely, so Feng Zhongzui ordered people to occasionally filter out a few lines for a lottery, while he answered questions.

A sudden drop of several million viewers surely meant something was wrong...

"It couldn't be me, could it?"

He had maintained this style for six months, taking it to its extreme.

Feng Zhongzui had only gained weight, not stupidity. If he truly wanted to slim down, he felt he had the willpower; he simply didn't want to.

Dao preachers stood numerous, a hundred schools contended.

Although he was the first to "eat the crab," without a distinct identity, he would quickly be swallowed by the great waves.

Feng Zhongzui's name carried "drunk," but he was very sober!

The scantily clad maid beside him quickly leaned forward, her chest pressing against him, and softly said, "It seems everyone has gone to Hong Niang's side. I heard something big happened."

Hong Niang?

Feng Zhongzui knew this woman.

If he claimed to be the number one in the preaching world, Hong Niang was a latecomer who threatened to overshadow him.

Of course, this was assuming he was still slim. Now, she had no chance of winning!

Unless the sky fell. Or she allied herself with Master Shou.

"How could that be? Haha..."

Feng Zhongzui laughed aloud at the thought. For six months, even he hadn't been able to contact Master Shou. If Master Shou truly wanted to make a comeback, he would surely be the first choice.

With someone else? They'd have to build rapport; how tiring!

"What happened?" Feng Zhongzui asked.

The maid beside him leaned in again, feeding him a cherry, and said, "I heard Hong Niang found Master Shou in the Ghost Buddha Realm, and they're fighting Hua Changdeng."

The world isolated him...

The world suddenly turned gray and white, not a single color visible. After Feng Zhongzui's head spun, the cherry pit shot straight out of his nostril:

"What! Did! You! Say!"

Master Shou? Hua Changdeng?

How could a human utter those two names in such a calm tone?

The Golden Apricot viewers couldn't hear the maid's words; they only saw Feng Zhongzui suddenly jolt up, and comments immediately flooded in:

"What the hell was that? You scared me to death!"

"Fat man ejecting, cherry from nostril!"

"Please, lose some weight! Suddenly appearing so close, your pig-like face scared my baby to tears..."

Behind the Sword-Testing Platform, the Feng family messenger, who had been trying to squeeze through for ages, finally jumped high and waved his hand, shouting:

"Young Master Feng, stop cracking melon seeds!"

"Master Shou is fighting Sword Immortal Hua in the Ghost Buddha Realm! Our people have confirmed it; it's true!"

The world turned gray and white a second time.

Feng Zhongzui's face turned ashen. With a thud, he sank back into his extra-wide, oversized grand armchair, nearly smashing it.

"Stop!"

He directly cut off the Golden Apricot broadcast, his expression fluctuating between dark and light, and spoke to those around him:

"Go to the Apricot Realm and contact Lord Li! I want exclusive broadcasting rights for this battle and all future battles. Whatever they ask, I have the spirit gaps!"

The messenger had anticipated this and replied, "Lord Li is not available..."

"Then contact Lord Zhu!"

"Lord Zhu doesn't bother with these matters. He's never thought highly of Young Master Feng... er, us."

"We've treated so many people to drinks at Muzili. You can't reach a single person with influence?"

"Everyone is busy..."

"What about Half-Saint Zangren? I have a drinking friendship with him!"

"Senior Zangren is also in seclusion..."

Feng Zhongzui, who had been feeling dizzy, was sobered up by the shock. He suddenly felt like he could no longer grasp the flowing sand between his fingers and panicked:

"Old Family Head..."

"Young Master Feng, have you forgotten? The Old Family Head advised you to practice your sword earlier, and you said you'd do it later, so he hasn't seen you since."

"Take my command token! Go invite Elder Yang!"

"Elder Yang went to the Apricot Realm three months ago with Master Siren to teach and has not returned since..."

"Then ask him to return!"

"Young Master Feng, you've invited him over a dozen times before, have you forgotten? You wanted Elder Yang to come to the Sword-Testing Platform, but he never paid any attention..."

His heart sank.

Feng Zhongzui collapsed in the grand armchair, his heart pounding, his face ashen like paper, feeling as though the entire world had abandoned him.

Just moments before, he had everything!

He had seven million viewers, and even their comments about weight loss and practicing sword were just teasing... right?

"Young Master Feng, you're sweating a lot. This servant will wipe it for you."

The maid beside him leaned in again with her chest, and Feng Zhongzui suddenly erupted, swatting the woman away, and roaring furiously:

"Useless!""You don't know Master Shou, you don't recognize Sword Immortal Hua, you're blind to true talent... What's the point of me keeping you? Useless! All of you are useless!"

The entire hall fell into dead silence, everyone gripped by fear.

Feng Zhongzui felt like he was drowning, unable to find anything to support his current weight.

Until a flash of inspiration hit him, his small eyes widening, and he grasped onto the last straw:

"Xiao Wanfeng!"

"Yes! Xiao Wanfeng! Go quickly to the Apricot Realm and find Xiao Wanfeng!"

"I owe him a favor... No, I have a profound friendship with him! We're bosom friends! He'll help me, he'll definitely help me!"

The messenger remained unmoved.

Feng Zhongzui shouted hoarsely, "Go! What are you standing there for?"

The messenger opened his mouth, glanced to the side, and could only let out a soft sigh, remaining silent.

The Sword-Testing Platform was deserted.

At the corner of the staircase, some had left, others dispersed, until only a solitary figure remained, standing tall and straight, like a sharp sword:

"Feng Zhongzui, I've been here all along."

At the gentle call, Feng Zhongzui suddenly awoke.

He looked up to see the young man of his age at the staircase entrance, grand and vigorous, with a massive sword scabbard on his back. His brows were drawn over his eyes, which held a contained light, piercing and formidable, capable of uprooting mountains.

"Xiao Wanfeng..."

Feng Zhongzui jolted up from the grand armchair once more.

He suddenly remembered that Xiao Wanfeng didn't live in the Apricot Realm like him; that fellow had only gone there once and returned.

A fellow who didn't know how to enjoy himself...

But he had been at Huayue Tower all this time...

That's right, he had previously arranged to go to the Ghost Buddha Realm for training together. Was he waiting?

No, for the past six months, once the Golden Apricot broadcast started, he had no time. It wasn't intentional procrastination, but he genuinely had completely forgotten about Xiao Wanfeng until now...

"Brother Xiao!"

Feng Zhongzui blinked hard, wiping away tears, and reached out to greet him:

"Brother Xiao, save me! Brother Xiao, save me!"

"I was wrong, I truly was wrong... Brother Xiao, you're all I have left."

Xiao Wanfeng was not like the thousands of guests who had flocked to Huayue Tower over the past six months, eagerly rushing towards him. He remained standing still, calmly speaking:

"I cannot save you. The only one who can save you is always yourself."

Feng Zhongzui opened his mouth, wanting to step forward, but moving closer proactively would seem cheap. He lowered his hand and said:

"How can I save myself?"

Xiao Wanfeng's eyes narrowed. "Come with me to the Ghost Buddha Realm."

"Good!"

Feng Zhongzui shouted, determined to rouse himself.

He pushed away the grand armchair and scurried forward, running towards Xiao Wanfeng, but after only a few steps, he was panting and stopped, head down.

He leaned on his knees, then as if suddenly realizing something, he looked up at the young man at the staircase entrance.

The young man, carrying a sword, exuded a resolute chivalrous aura.

He, however, had become a fat ball, his sword cultivation withered, his spirit faded. Now, he could barely walk, and even flying scared him of falling.

Both at Huayue Tower, same age, started at the same time.

One was at rock bottom, the other at the pinnacle.

Feng Zhongzui didn't think he was the one at rock bottom; he was already superior to others. He straightened himself and said:

"Go! Let's go now!"

Xiao Wanfeng shook his head slightly, saying disappointedly, "Huayue Tower is not just 108,000 li away from the Ghost Buddha Realm, as Master Shou said; it might be 108,000 realms away. Can you even run that far?"

Feng Zhongzui waved a hand. "Get a palanquin!"

"Saint-level ghosts are already appearing in the Ghost Buddha Realm. If Master Shou carried your palanquin, you might be safe."

"Brother Xiao, what kind of joke are you making? That's Master Shou! I'd love to, ah haha..."

"Feng Zhongzui, you made the first joke, didn't you?" Xiao Wanfeng's gaze was cold. "Taking a palanquin to the Ghost Buddha Realm? Do you think the Ghost Buddha Realm is also run by Huayue Tower?"

Feng Zhongzui fell silent.

He turned his head and looked North.

He had once fought alongside Master Shou in the Central Domain, encountering Half-Saints, facing Saint Emperors, battling Ancestor Gods. They were high-spirited, slaughtering their way through!

"Mere Saint-level ghosts..."

"Tai Xu under Hong Niang, Uncle Jin, Elder Fu, didn't even get to see the white-faced ghost before being cut down by a single sword strike."

"But there's still Master Shou..."

"In the past six months, have you seen Master Shou?"

Feng Zhongzui was speechless for a moment.

Master Shou is very busy. How important am I?

He's cultivating, so how could he possibly see me?

"Brother Xiao, the way you say that, it's as if Master Shou sees you..."

"I have."

"What?"

"I often go to the Apricot Realm to seek out Elder Yang, to seek out Master Siren. I often go to the Central Origin Realm to seek out Master Shou, to seek out Ba Zun'an..."

Before Xiao Wanfeng could finish, Feng Zhongzui burst into laughter, tears streaming from his eyes this time, interrupting him:

"Hahaha, Xiao Wanfeng, are you joking? At a time like this, still talking about the Eighth Sword Immortal..."

"It's not that the Eighth Sword Immortal can't be met; it's whether you want to meet them, whether you practice sword. They are all very approachable."

"Bullshit! I couldn't even get Elder Yang to come to the Sword-Testing Platform..."

"If you can't invite him, why don't you go yourself?"

Feng Zhongzui's mind jolted; he realized something.

He looked around, pointing at the floor, pointing at Huayue Tower, pointing at the two apricot pearls held by his expressionless, puppet-like subordinates:

"What would I go for?"

"If I go, what about here? I have seven million Apricot viewers, waiting for me on time every day..."

Xiao Wanfeng extended two fingers, a faint silver glow attached to them.

With a Ten-Stage Sword Finger, he made a slashing motion through the air towards Huayue Tower's Sword-Testing Platform. With a "crack," the platform split into two halves.

Feng Zhongzui stared blankly, murmuring silently:

"Sword Intent..."

That one sword strike cut through half a year of decadent living, shattering the illusion of reality like a reflection in water. Feng Zhongzui suddenly realized...

He didn't want to wake up.

He felt like he was going crazy.

He had been decadent for half a year, and had actually become disconnected from the entire world—even Xiao Wanfeng could cultivate Sword Intent now?

"This is impossible. It's only been six months! How could a person change so much? Just six months!"

Illusionary Sword Art! This must be the Illusionary Sword Art!

Great Illusion has no void, Great Thought is as usual... Master Shou was right. Could this Xiao Wanfeng fellow be jealous of my popularity and have used the Illusionary Sword Art on himself?

"Brother Xiao!"

Feng Zhongzui suddenly came back to his senses, not daring to stray from this last lifeline, and wailed, "Save me..."

Xiao Wanfeng still hadn't given up.

When he was in trouble, Feng Zhongzui had offered help. A favor of a single meal should be repaid with all one's might.

But he had waited for six months and could wait no longer. He said in a deep voice, "Feng Zhongzui, come with me to the Ghost Buddha Realm now, and I will save you."

Tai Xu was instantly cut down. Am I going to my death?

Feng Zhongzui propped himself on his knees, his energy sea devoid of spirit essence, his limbs powerless. He couldn't take a single step.

He looked at Xiao Wanfeng. Xiao Wanfeng stared straight back at him.

He quickly averted his gaze, moved to the side, and lowered his head...

Just like the broken Sword-Testing Platform.

In just half a year, Feng Zhongzui felt that an insurmountable chasm had opened between himself and Xiao Wanfeng.

"Young Master Feng!""Feng Zhongzui!"

Xiao Wanfeng called out twice, but Feng Zhongzui didn't look up.

He understood, nodded, turned, and walked down the stairs, leaving only an echo:

"Feng Zhongzui, I'm going to the Ghost Buddha Realm."

"This is my ninety-sixth invitation to you, and my last."

"If you can keep up, then come. If not, Huayue Tower supporting you for the rest of your life isn't bad either."

Ninety-six times...

Feng Zhongzui looked up in a daze. Wasn't it only the second time?

From his elevated position, he watched the young man descend the stairs, his figure gradually receding. He felt as though he had lost something again.

He scurried over, clinging to the staircase railing, peering down, wanting to shout.

Clang—

A sword's hum resonated.

The sword scabbard on Xiao Wanfeng's back split open, and dazzling sword light glinted.

Feng Zhongzui was nearly blinded, tears streaming down his face from the intense light. He wiped them away, but the staircase was empty.

"Xiao Wanfeng!"

He rushed to the high platform at the peak of Huayue Tower...

He suddenly saw the words he had personally inscribed six months ago, elegant and unrestrained, like dragons dancing and phoenixes soaring:

"A drink in front of Huayue Tower, test the three-foot sword in your heart."

Feng Zhongzui froze.

Coming back to his senses, he leaned on the railing and looked down.

The young man's figure below had already moved far away, his steps firm, never stopping. The massive sword on his back vibrated, its momentum soaring.

"Wait, this sword?"

Feng Zhongzui rubbed his eyes again, finally seeing clearly.

The sword Xiao Wanfeng had always carried, the one that had been uncovered at some unknown point, was actually...

The Profound Azure Divine Sword?!