Chapter 1275: Guiding Zheng Nan

Many cultivators dressed in red Confucian robes strolled the streets. When they met friends and old acquaintances, they all bowed to each other.

Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan stood at a crossroads, observing many cultivators in red Confucian robes passing by.

Before they had even walked a hundred paces, they saw two scholars bowing to each other. Shopkeepers and customers also exchanged bows upon meeting. Such harmonious interactions were unique to the Central Plains Immortal Cultivation World; it was rare to see such peacefulness elsewhere.

Etiquette was deeply ingrained in the bones of Central Plains cultivators. In their eyes, observing proper conduct was upholding one's own Dao Heart.

"Oh, it's Fellow Daoist Fang." Wang Ruyan exclaimed softly. Wang Changsheng followed her gaze and saw Fang Mu strolling down the street, carrying a coffin on his back.

Fang Mu made no attempt to conceal his aura. Everywhere he went, pedestrians quickly made way for him, afraid of displeasing him.

"Fellow Daoist Fang is quite an interesting character," Wang Changsheng said with a smile. "Perhaps only Huang Fugui can be compared to him." Fang Mu's obsession with corpses was unmatched, while Huang Fugui was famously afraid of death.

"It seems he's being followed. Should we warn him?" Wang Ruyan asked with a smile. Two cultivators trailed behind Fang Mu, keeping a significant distance. They didn't seem to notice the surrounding shops; when Fang Mu stopped, they stopped too.

Fang Mu, of course, couldn't have failed to notice. In fact, he seemed to be doing it intentionally. The cultivators following him were only of the Core Formation stage, meaning they must have been directed by Nascent Soul cultivators.

"Let's tell him. Whether he appreciates it is up to him." Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan quickened their pace. As they passed by Fang Mu, Wang Changsheng sent him a voice transmission: "Fellow Daoist Fang, you're being watched. Be careful."

Fang Mu appeared not to have heard, glancing at Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan as they passed without replying.

Wang Changsheng had already warned Fang Mu; whether he heeded the warning was Fang Mu's business. It seemed Wang Ruyan was right: Fang Mu intended to lure and kill the rogue cultivators who were targeting him.

While others might not know Fang Mu's background, they were well aware of it.

Half an hour later, they arrived at a large bluestone plaza. All the vendors there were cultivators, and some were even discussing poetry and songs, which was rather amusing.

Suddenly, Wang Changsheng quickened his steps as Cheng Zhenyu and Zheng Nan approached him.

"Fellow Daoist Cheng, Fellow Daoist Zheng, what a coincidence!" Wang Changsheng greeted them with a smile. Cheng Zhenyu and Zheng Nan were likely descendants of the Zhenhai Sect and were individuals Wang Changsheng wanted to win over, which explained his politeness towards them.

Cheng Zhenyu was already at the sixth layer of Core Formation, while Zheng Nan was at the fourth.

"Senior Wang, you humble me. I dare not accept such a title," Cheng Zhenyu said, surprised to see Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan. He wouldn't presume to be on equal footing. After all, the Azure Lotus Immortal Couple was now renowned throughout the South Sea, far surpassing ordinary Nascent Soul cultivators.

"Meeting like this is destiny, and it's rare for us to cross paths. Why don't we find a place to have a good chat?" Wang Ruyan suggested warmly. Winning over Cheng Zhenyu and his wife would not be easy and would require extensive observation.

Since a Nascent Soul cultivator had personally extended an invitation, Cheng Zhenyu and Zheng Nan naturally dared not refuse. For them, drawing closer to the Azure Lotus Immortal Couple was beneficial; if they ever encountered insurmountable trouble in the future, they could seek help from the couple.

Soon after, the four of them were seated in a private room on the third floor of a teahouse, enjoying tea and conversation.

Cheng Zhenyu inquired about the situation in the South Sea, subtly probing about the Sun Moon Palace. Wang Changsheng knew what Cheng Zhenyu was concerned about and skillfully replied, "The Sun Moon Palace is incredibly powerful. Anyone who dares oppose them meets a bad end, and all cultivators they've issued bounties for have been apprehended."

Decades ago, when foreign races caused chaos, the ten major sects of the South Sea united to encourage cultivators to participate in the war. They issued a proclamation, canceling most outstanding arrest warrants, and offering generous rewards to any cultivator who fought against the foreign races.

Hearing this, Cheng Zhenyu and Zheng Nan breathed a sigh of relief. Even so, they still did not dare return to the South Sea.

"Madam Cheng, I hear you are also a sound cultivator. How about we exchange some cultivation insights?" Wang Ruyan said with a smile.

Zheng Nan gave a wry smile and replied, "I have no insights to speak of. Compared to Senior Wang, I am far behind."

"As the saying goes, 'Among three people walking, there must be one who can be my teacher.' It's just a simple exchange; there's no harm in it."

Wang Ruyan and Zheng Nan discussed matters of musical cultivation, while Wang Changsheng and Cheng Zhenyu, having nothing to add, remained silent.

What was called an exchange was more akin to guidance. Wang Ruyan gave Zheng Nan many pointers. Zheng Nan was initially reserved, but soon, she experienced a sudden enlightenment, immediately overjoyed. She no longer held back and engaged eagerly in conversation with Wang Ruyan.

Seeing the change in Zheng Nan's expression, a flicker of surprise passed through Cheng Zhenyu's eyes. Even he would have realized that Wang Ruyan was intentionally guiding Zheng Nan. The life of a rogue cultivator was difficult, most notably due to the lack of guidance from sect elders, forcing them to grope their way forward. This made rogue cultivators the most susceptible to cultivation deviation.

Wang Ruyan spoke for over an hour, holding nothing back. Providing help in times of need was better than adding to what was already abundant. If Zheng Nan were fortunate enough to advance to the Nascent Soul stage in the future, this would be a significant favor owed.

"Thank you, Senior Wang, for dispelling my confusion. I will never forget your great kindness," Zheng Nan said earnestly, bowing deeply to Wang Ruyan. After listening to Wang Ruyan's words, her bottleneck had loosened considerably, and she wished she could immediately enter secluded cultivation.

"It was merely a small effort, Madam Cheng. You are too polite," Wang Ruyan humbly replied.

"Senior Wang, you are being modest. While it may be a small effort to you, to us, it is a great kindness," Cheng Zhenyu said, a grateful expression on his face. Receiving guidance from a Nascent Soul cultivator was more precious than elixirs. The experience of predecessors was invaluable, allowing later generations to avoid many detours.

"If you ever return to the South Sea, you're welcome to visit Azure Lotus Island if you have time. Qing Shan has spoken of Fellow Daoist Cheng to me, and he praised you highly," Wang Changsheng said.

Cheng Zhenyu naturally wouldn't presume. He hadn't met Wang Qingshan often and understood that Wang Changsheng's words were merely polite. What puzzled him was the unusual politeness Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan displayed towards them during this meeting.

A low beastly growl emanated from Wang Changsheng's embrace. He took out a palm-sized golden magic plate, its surface adorned with a lifelike lion's head motif.

He chanted a spell, and Murong Bo's voice suddenly rang out: "Fellow Daoist Wang, this is Murong Bo. A fellow daoist wishes to meet you. We are at the Jade Fragrance Pavilion. Are you available? If so, please come over."

"Alright, we'll head over once we've finished what we're doing," Wang Changsheng agreed, putting away the golden magic plate.

"Young Fellow Daoist Cheng, Madam Cheng, we have other matters to attend to, so we'll take our leave," Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan said as they stood up to depart. Cheng Zhenyu and Zheng Nan rose to see them off.

"Wife, don't you think Senior Wang and Senior Wang are a bit strange?" Cheng Zhenyu said, frowning. "Their attitude towards us is very good; even his nephew wasn't this enthusiastic with us." He mused that unsolicited hospitality often indicated ulterior motives, yet they had nothing the Azure Lotus Immortal Couple would covet. Still, Wang Changsheng and Wang Ruyan's excessive warmth made Cheng Zhenyu a little apprehensive.