Farewell Once More: Envoys from the Celestial Strategy Pavilion

After all this fuss, it turns out the Qingyun Sect was trying to wage war against their own people?

And not just any of their own—but the true master of the Qingyun Sect itself?

Talk about family turning against family!

None of the Qingyun Sect members had expected the martial gathering to spiral into such a bizarre situation.

The rewards were gone. The wedding was canceled.

Lu Yun was still in a daze, utterly unable to comprehend how things had taken such a wild turn.

"Ancestor, just… what exactly is your relationship with this person?"

The Fang family disciples never imagined that the one who had accompanied them held such an astonishing identity.

Hearing his descendant's question, Fang Yunxi couldn't help but beam with pride. What relationship?

Friends!

Fang Yunxi had never felt so glorified. He could even see the drastic shift in the way his juniors looked at him now.

Before, it was mere reverence. Now? Pure, unshakable admiration.

Their ancestor was actually friends with a Great Emperor-level powerhouse? This was an honor beyond measure.

Lu Qingyun handed over the remaining affairs to Lu Mengran to handle before leading Chen Chang'an and the others to his residence.

"Senior, given my current achievements… do I… do I qualify to become your servant?"

Hearing this, Chen Chang'an frowned slightly. "You're already a Half-Step Great Emperor and the ancestor of the Qingyun Sect. With such status, you don’t need to serve anyone. Isn’t it better to just be yourself?"

Chen Chang'an hadn’t anticipated Lu Qingyun’s obsession would run so deep. Back then, he had proposed the idea merely to give Lu Qingyun a goal to strive for.

Once Lu Qingyun achieved greatness, he assumed the man would naturally abandon the idea of servitude.

But clearly, Chen Chang'an had underestimated him.

"Senior, is it that I’m still unworthy?" Lu Qingyun fell into deep self-doubt. Was he truly so lacking?

"You are worthy."

"But I won’t take you as my servant."

"Being friends is better, don’t you think?" Chen Chang'an said with a faint smile.

"This… I wouldn’t dare! How could this junior presume to be friends with you?"

Despite being a Half-Step Great Emperor, Lu Qingyun still acted like a nervous child in Chen Chang'an’s presence.

"There’s no need for such restraint."

"Human connections are built on sincerity, not strength or status."

"If I wish, I’d befriend even a beggar. If I don’t, even a peak Great Emperor wouldn’t earn my regard."

"When I set that condition for you back then, it was because I saw potential in your talent and character."

"You’d be wasted as a servant. It was never about you needing to accomplish those things to earn the right."

Chen Chang'an left one thing unsaid—back then, his time outside was always limited.

At most, he’d stay for five to seven years; the shortest, just a year or so.

Moreover, Chen Chang'an’s advantage lay in his ageless, indestructible body—not in cultivation or power.

So in those years, he only made friends, fooled around, and never kept anyone by his side.

"Senior, I…"

"Fine, call me whatever you like. As long as it makes you happy."

"But the matter of servitude ends here. Understood?" Chen Chang'an asked.

"Understood. I’ll follow your command."

"Good. Truthfully, I only came here because I happened to pass by and heard of the Qingyun Sect. I wanted to see how you were doing."

These words struck Lu Qingyun like a thunderclap. The senior still remembered him? Even came to check on him?

It was worth it. All his years of effort hadn’t been in vain—at the very least, he still occupied a place in the senior’s heart.

"Senior, what are your plans now? Will you stay for a while?"

"No, I’ll likely leave soon."

So soon?

Lu Qingyun felt a pang of reluctance. They had only just reunited, and now they had to part again?

"Lu Qingyun, remember this: You are no lesser than anyone."

"Our meeting was fate, but that doesn’t mean you must follow me."

"You have your own path. Do you understand?"

"Thank you for your guidance, Senior. I’ll remember it."

"Good. Then I’ll take my leave. If fate wills it, we’ll meet again."

Chen Chang'an departed, and Lu Qingyun dared not delay him. He could only bow deeply, watching as Chen Chang'an and the others vanished into the distance.

"Now that his obsession is gone, the breakthrough to Great Emperor might not be far off."

One of Chen Chang'an’s goals in coming here had been to sever Lu Qingyun’s mental shackles. Otherwise, further progress would have been nearly impossible.

"Speaking of obsessions, you’ve left quite a few people haunted over the years."

"I won’t even mention Changsun Xixue—her fixation is practically carved into her bones."

"But let’s talk about someone more recent. That guy from over two thousand years ago… what was his name again?"

"Ah, right! Kuang Zhongtang! Remember that kid?"

Kuang Zhongtang?

The name conjured an image of a scowling, indignant face in Chen Chang'an’s mind.

That kid had left a deep impression—mostly because of his sheer stubbornness.

"That time, you stayed out for three years, and he spent every single day challenging you."

"No matter how much his cultivation improved or how strong he became, he couldn’t even make you budge."

"Then you vanished without warning. I bet he lost his mind!"

Kuang Zhongtang was indeed the type to fixate relentlessly.

Back then, his sole obsession was defeating Chen Chang'an—or at least making him struggle.

Chen Chang'an faintly recalled their final encounter:

Kuang Zhongtang, brimming with confidence, unleashed his full power.

Chen Chang'an stood motionless, looking utterly unimpressed.

"Chen Chang'an! Next time, I’ll win! Wait for me—you must wait for me!"

Those were Kuang Zhongtang’s last words to him. Now, over two millennia had passed.

"I wonder how that kid is doing now. His stubbornness was quite amusing," Chen Chang'an mused with a smile.

"Should we go see him?"

"See him? Do you even know where he’s from? Or his background?"

Chen Chang'an’s words made Da Huang grin awkwardly. They knew Kuang Zhongtang’s name but had never bothered to learn his origins.

Listening to his master and Da Huang’s banter, Ye Zhiqiu couldn’t help but marvel. His master’s life was truly extraordinary.

"Master, I… I’d like to go out and train on my own. May I?"

After some thought, Ye Zhiqiu made his decision. Chen Chang'an’s words to Lu Qingyun resonated with him—everyone had their own path to walk.

Ye Zhiqiu also had his own!

"Very well."

"A master leads the way, but the disciple must walk it themselves. It’s good that you have the heart to venture out on your own."

"Here is a Celestial Spirit Fruit—consider it a parting gift from your master."

"Go now, and pursue your own path," Chen Chang'an said with a faint smile.

"Thank you, Master, for your great kindness. This disciple will not disappoint you."

"If I wish to find you again, Master, how might I do so?" Ye Zhiqiu asked.

"There’s no need to seek me out. If fate wills it, we shall meet again."

"As you say, Master."

Ye Zhiqiu kowtowed three times before Chen Chang'an, then turned and left.

Watching Ye Zhiqiu’s retreating figure, Chen Chang'an smiled softly. The coming and going of people—that was the true essence of life.

Everyone who appears is meant to accompany another for a stretch of the journey.

Partings exist so that reunions may be sweeter. So there’s no need for sorrow, no need for sadness.

Look forward to the next meeting, to the next reunion!

"Hey, how many of those Celestial Spirit Fruits do you have left?"

"Did you even save any for your master?" Da Huang suddenly chimed in.

"I did, but whether Master would take it, I don’t know. With his strength, he probably wouldn’t even care for something like this."

Come to think of it, Chen Chang'an had already used quite a few Celestial Spirit Fruits—Lie Zhankuang, Da Huang, Gu Xian'er, Chen Yunxuan, Murong Qingrou and her sister, Wu Mingdao, Ye Zhiqiu, and even himself.

"Only six Celestial Spirit Fruits remain. I thought there were plenty, but now it seems there aren’t enough."

"Well, let’s just—"

"Hm? Someone from Tianji Pavilion?"