Upon hearing the instruction, Rongshan stopped dwelling on the matter and immediately exited the reception pavilion. After all, these were affairs of the older generation—knowing more wouldn't do him any good.
Moreover, the sudden appearance of a martial uncle he'd never met before likely carried hidden circumstances he wasn't meant to pry into.
Once Rongshan left, the atmosphere grew heavy again. The pavilion fell into complete silence, as if the air itself had frozen solid.
No one seemed to know what to say.
Breaking the oppressive quiet, Lu Jin couldn't hold back any longer. "Zhang Huaiyi, weren't you dead? What's going on here?"
Staring at the vibrant, energetic Zhang Huaiyi before him, Lu Jin found it utterly unbelievable. This was clearly a living, breathing person.
Had he not died back then? But that couldn't be possible.
After news of Zhang Huaiyi's death had spread across the jianghu, many had verified it—some even using specialized divination techniques to confirm his demise before finally giving up their pursuit.
But if Zhang Huaiyi had truly died, then who was standing before him now?
Lu Jin's mind reeled. What was happening here? Unless... unless Zhang Huaiyi had died and somehow come back to life?
The moment this possibility occurred to him, Lu Jin's composure cracked. Instantly, his thoughts turned to someone he could never forget, and a sliver of desperate hope took root in his heart.
His hands trembling slightly, Lu Jin fixed an intense gaze on Zhang Huaiyi, awaiting his explanation.
Seeing Lu Jin's expression, the Heavenly Master understood his old friend's thoughts and sighed quietly.
Given the circumstances, asking Lu Jin to leave was out of the question. Everyone from their generation knew about Lu Jin's feelings for that person. Now that even a glimmer of hope had appeared, Lu Jin would never let it go.
Zhang Huaiyi, too, recognized the look in Lu Jin's eyes and sighed. After all, that incident from back then had been inextricably tied to his fourth brother, Wugensheng.
"Old Lu, I know what you want to ask. I can tell you plainly—I am indeed alive now."
Zhang Huaiyi saw no reason to hide the truth. He had come to Dragon Tiger Mountain specifically to explain the situation to Zhang Zhiwei and seek the Heavenly Master's support.
He simply hadn't anticipated running into Lu Jin here. It seemed even the best plans couldn't account for everything.
But perhaps this was for the best. Zhang Huaiyi trusted Lu Jin's character, and an alliance with the Lu family might prove valuable. The Heavenly Master's support alone might not be enough to meet Zhang Chulan's needs.
"You... you really came back to life?"
Lu Jin's voice trembled with shock. He hadn't dared hope too much—resurrection was the stuff of dreams, an impossibility.
When he'd asked the question, he'd already braced for disappointment.
Yet the answer had defied all expectations.
"Enough, Old Lu. We'll discuss this later. There are more pressing matters now."
The Heavenly Master cut off further questions before turning to Wu Tong. "Isn't that right, young friend Wu Tong?"
Having lived so long and with the secrets contained within the Heavenly Master's inheritance, Zhang Zhiwei knew many things.
This world held no methods of resurrection. Therefore, only one possibility remained—Zhang Huaiyi's return must be Wu Tong's doing.
And if Wu Tong had brought Zhang Huaiyi to Dragon Tiger Mountain, he surely had other purposes.
Had Wu Tong known the Heavenly Master's thoughts, he might have applauded the reasoning—the logic was sound, but the premise entirely wrong.
It hadn't been Wu Tong who resurrected Zhang Huaiyi, but Zhang Chulan. Their visit did have purpose, and one that would benefit the Heavenly Master's residence.
But Wu Tong remained unaware that he'd been mistaken for the resurrection's architect.
Though he possessed mind-reading abilities through his Heart's Eye technique, it proved useless against someone like the Heavenly Master—a man whose mental defenses and cultivation far surpassed his own.
"Wu Tong, an unaffiliated practitioner, greets the Heavenly Master."
Ignorant of the Heavenly Master's assumptions, Wu Tong offered a respectful salute.
"We've come with purpose. Our visit to Dragon Tiger Mountain is to treat Elder Tian Jinzhong's condition—this was Senior Zhang and Chulan's request."
Wu Tong stated their business plainly. "Additionally, if possible, I hope to study some of Dragon Tiger Mountain's Daoist scriptures."
As he made this request, Wu Tong's heart pounded. He feared refusal—after all, a sect's techniques were its lifeblood.
Since arriving in this world, Wu Tong had used the All-Encompassing Wisdom of the Sage King to gather knowledge, storing everything in his database.
Three days had been enough to collect most of this world's common knowledge, but certain information remained locked behind restrictions—typically the advanced techniques of various sects.
Without means to bypass these barriers, Wu Tong had been unable to acquire these secrets.
Still, he'd gathered enough basic techniques to make this journey worthwhile.
Yet Wu Tong wanted more. Seizing the opportunity, he made his request.
If granted access to the archives, he could analyze their protective restrictions up close.
Understanding their structure would allow him to derive a universal decryption method.
Master one, master all—once he comprehended restriction frameworks, he could breach any sect's defenses.
Through the All-Encompassing Wisdom, he could then harvest every hidden technique.
The Heavenly Master didn't answer immediately. His fathomless eyes studied Wu Tong as if weighing something. Finally, he spoke.
"Very well. If you successfully treat Junior Brother Jinzhong, I'll permit you three days in our archives."
"Whatever you can memorize in that time, you may take with you. One condition—you may not teach our techniques without my permission."
Initially inclined to refuse, the Heavenly Master reconsidered. Wu Tong had not only (apparently) resurrected Zhang Huaiyi but come specifically to heal Tian Jinzhong. How could he deny such a request?
This compromise—limited access with strict conditions—seemed fair.
Approved.
Wu Tong exhaled in relief. His primary objective at Dragon Tiger Mountain was achieved.
As for sharing techniques? Hardly necessary. Wu Tong sought these scriptures only to expand his database and refine his own methods.
While this world's qi cultivation system showed remarkable potential, it wasn't enough to make Wu Tong abandon his current path.
If he couldn't share the originals, he could always disseminate new techniques derived from them.
"Understood. Thank you for your generosity, Heavenly Master. I swear not to share them without permission."
Wu Tong bowed deeply, sealing the promise.