Sending the Divine - Chapter 165: Epilogue – Part 1

Qu Linfeng entered the town cautiously, as if bracing himself for a fight.

Over a decade had passed since the ‘Shirou Rebellion’, and there were no longer signs of warfare everywhere. The wooden blockades were gone, and there were now many more elderly residents who had lived long lives. Any disasters within the borders were handled by the imperial court. The martial world was becoming more stable; among the evil sects, the Chigou Sect dominated, while in the righteous sects, the Kushan Sect was rising and the Taiheng Sect was gradually regaining its former glory.

Kushan and Taiheng had very different styles. Taiheng, with its solid foundation, still favored recruiting wealthy children and nurturing them from a young age. Kushan was much more lenient, accepting even older children from poor families as long as they were capable.

Naturally, the children of the poor were eager to take a chance. Even if they couldn’t match the skills of the Taiheng disciples in the future, joining the Kushan Sect was still a viable path.

This time, Qu Linfeng was visiting the Kushan sect.

He had just turned twelve and was traveling away from his adoptive father for the first time, accompanying a familiar farmer family to the city. The town was bustling with people. The lively market stalls caught his attention immediately. Living in a remote place, Qu Linfeng had only been to a few markets. He was instantly enamored by the paper windmills and sugar figurines.

“Lao Li, since we’re here, let’s buy some candy,” the farmer’s wife urged her husband. They had made a decent profit this time, so they could afford a small treat.

The farmer understood and bought a sugar treat. The woman tasted a bit and gave the rest to Qu Linfeng.

With a serious face, Qu Linfeng thanked them and stealthily slipped a coin into the woman’s purse. She didn’t notice.

“You’re a sensible boy, not causing any fuss. I’m surprised your father let you go,” the woman said, seeing him carefully savor the candy.

They knew about Qu Linfeng’s background.

In their village, there lived a disheveled cripple. This cripple had lost one leg, making it impossible for him to do heavy work, and he wasn’t fond of socializing with others. He chose to reside in a remote, abandoned house, avoiding even basic greetings with the villagers. Despite his high pride, he still needed food and water. Leveraging his unique skill of reading and writing for others, he managed to get by.

The Li family frequently left the village to sell goods and were quite astute. They once suggested to the cripple that he should teach the village children, perhaps becoming a sort of part-time teacher. However, the cripple reacted as if he had been deeply insulted, immediately refusing without giving it a thought. A few years earlier, a matchmaker, noting his decent appearance and literacy, had tried to find a wife for him but was nearly chased out of his yard.

Over time, despite the villagers’ goodwill, they gradually began to ignore him.

The only activity the cripple engaged in was visiting the fields, watching the farmers work, and chatting with them. He often had a complicated expression in his eyes, making it difficult for anyone to understand his thoughts—a complete enigma of a man.

That changed when he took in Qu Linfeng.

The child was abandoned by someone from outside the village. When first discovered, Qu Linfeng’s legs were paralyzed, and the local doctor in the village claimed there was no cure. Everyone looked at each other with hesitation—no family in the village was well-off, and who would want to take in and care for a child doomed to be a burden due to his disability? In the past, merely being considered “cursed by heaven” would have been enough to get rid of such a child.

Unexpectedly, after a long silence, the cripple decided to take the child in. A few months later, it seemed as though the cripple had used some form of “inner force healing technique”, and the child’s legs astonishingly began to move again. The child was then given the peculiar name “Qu Linfeng*”, which stood out in the village.

*Linfeng (临风) means to face the wind.

The cripple remained very reticent, not even allowing Qu Linfeng to call him “father”. From a young age, Qu Linfeng was sensible, knowing he needed to run errands for his “foster father”. He was good-looking and got along well with the villagers, which in turn made the cripple less unpopular among them.

“My foster father said that since I can read, I should venture out,” Qu Linfeng explained.

Farmer’s Wife: “He can actually communicate! But why doesn’t he teach you properly?”

“My foster father once told me that one must see things for oneself. His eyes are his, and mine are mine.” Qu Linfeng shook his head. “I chose the Kushan Sect on my own. I heard that as long as one is willing to put in the effort, the Kushan Sect would fund their studies.”

When he first brought up the matter to his crippled foster father, the latter had a peculiar expression on his face but ultimately said nothing.

The small donkey cart rumbled towards the Kushan Sect’s station. The Kushan Sect was recruiting disciples, and the town was abuzz with excitement. Carrying a small bundle, Qu Linfeng bid a serious farewell to the Li family before boarding the Kushan Sect’s cart.

Most on the cart were young individuals. One particular young man with tied-up hair stood out, wearing silk robes and seemingly wealthier than the others. He was gazing at the cart’s ceiling, evidently not bothered by the others around him. Fortunately, the journey to Kushan was short—only two days—preventing any disputes among the youngsters.

The place was filled with young people aspiring to join the Kushan Sect. The atmosphere was lively: on one side, they were performing a play about the nation’s history; on the other, people discussed books related to the Hanging Tree. Large crowds had gathered everywhere.

“I know this! It was the first-generation leader of the Kushan Sect who did this! He spent a lot of money collecting all the fragmented books from the founding era. He even researched the histories of Luojiu and the Western Ridge, ensuring that the events from that time were clearly pieced together.”

The young man in the silk robe said it loudly, his tone brimming with a hint of boastfulness.

“He Cheng’an was a demon raised by the Hanging Tree. He first nurtured and exploited the nameless General Yin, then personally caused his downfall! One of the twin national heroes that appeared later was the reincarnation of that General Yin. They are immortals from the same star constellation and even retained the same name.”

Qu Linfeng tilted his head, puzzled. This account seemed to differ from what he had heard. According to his foster father, one of the twin national heroes was General Yin himself. However, upon reflection, they hailed from a humble place, and his foster father probably received incorrect information. After all, who could live that long?

“…The other of the ‘Twin Heroes of Salvation’, was the first sect leader of the Kushan Sect, also an immortal transformed from a star constellation. He especially spent a fortune and effort to redress the injustice done to General Yin, all because of their bond in the heavens!” The boy in the silk robe continued.

Many young men and women gathered around admiringly. Qu Linfeng, however, was more interested in other matters. From his vantage point, he could faintly see the silhouette of the Kushan Sect, looking very imposing.

The Kushan Sect’s method of choosing disciples changed every year and was unpredictable. He wasn’t sure if he’d be chosen. It was said that one year, due to time constraints, they even sent a goose demon to select candidates. Thousands wished to enter the main branch of the sect, but after several rounds of selection, only a little over a hundred would be selected. Qu Linfeng had already made up his mind; if not chosen, he would go to a stable to work. He would do additional jobs if needed, but he was adamant about continuing his studies.

That night, the young boys and girls were settled in an inn.

In the inn, there was only one person in charge: a man with his eyes wrapped in cloth, seemingly blind. But despite his apparent blindness, he was surprisingly agile. Having done many chores himself, Qu Linfeng felt a sense of familiarity.

He cautiously approached the man, emulating his actions by carrying a bucket of water, hoping to strike up a conversation. But before he could say anything, a scream echoed—

“It’s over—!!!”

A man rushed in as if running for his life. Skidding to a stop, he wrapped his arms around the attendant.

With a face full of despair, he said, “San Zi, I accidentally led the thief here. You can’t leave me to die!”

San Zi, the attendant: “…”

Attendant: “Stand up first. There are children here.”

Qu Linfeng watched as the man suddenly burst into the room, feeling his hair stand on end. The man, looking to be in his thirties, exuded an eerie aura despite his distressed expression.

Ignoring the attendant’s words, the man continued, “You must explain to him that the thief targeted his treasury. This Greatne… ahem, I was used. It’s not my fault.”

The attendant sighed. “Why didn’t you catch the thief?”

“The thief’s qinggong was extraordinary. I didn’t even notice him tailing me. Kushan is so vast, I couldn’t catch him.”

“If you hadn’t dashed around recklessly, the thief wouldn’t have broken through the mountain’s protective barrier,” the attendant replied wistfully.

The man paused, mumbling complaints about not wanting to socialize with unworthy people and other incomprehensible things.

Spotting Qu Linfeng, he asked, “Who’s this? A young aspirant for the sect?”

“Yes.”

“Since you all have to go through a selection process anyway, why not use this situation as a test?” The man’s eyes shimmered with tears. “I’ve activated the barrier to seal off the mountain. The thief can’t escape. If you all handle this, perhaps that fox… that person won’t be too upset with me.”

The attendant, deeply exasperated, took a deep breath. “What did the thief steal to scare you this much?”

“A flag that says ‘Medicine Cures Illness’.”

“…A’Si, has the Young Patriarch of Chigou been selected yet?”

“Don’t say such horrifying things!”

Qu Linfeng, lost, managed to pick up on some keywords. “If everyone searches the mountain together, we will surely find the thief.”

The attendant smiled wryly. “We don’t know how dangerous the thief is. It’s a task for the adults.”

Shaking off “A’Si” who was clinging to him, he looked even more helpless.

“But assisting in minor tasks can reveal a person’s character. I will… report this. Perhaps it might work. You are called Qu Linfeng? This might be fate; join us in the search.”

The next morning, everyone was awakened at dawn. Over a hundred were divided into five groups, each led by two disciples of the Kushan Sect, and began searching the mountain. The boy in the silk robe and Qu Linfeng ended up in the same group, both looking displeased.

While Kushan wasn’t vast, it was dense with forests, thick grass, and numerous caves. The roars of beasts echoed constantly, enough to make anyone’s legs go weak. Autumn was in full swing, and fiery maple leaves covered the ground. The scenery was stunning, but it wasn’t the time for appreciation.

“Why are we searching for things?” The boy in silk complained. “This doesn’t feel like a martial arts adventure at all.”

A’Si retorted, “What’s wrong with searching? Had there been no thief, you would be searching for rare herbs across the mountain.”

“Searching for herbs is more fun than being someone’s errand boy!”

A’Si smirked, glancing at the boy in the silk robe, who now appeared more defiant, shouting. “By your looks, you aren’t from Kushan. Why are you ordering us around?!”

“How come only those who join the Kushan Sect are considered people of Kushan?” A’Si lost his aggressive demeanor, and he took hold of the attendant, making exaggerated facial expressions on the spot. “After all, I am—”

However, before he could finish his sentence, his head was pressed down by the attendant named San Zi. “What are you telling the kid?”

A’Si clicked his tongue and changed his approach. “Brat, what’s your name?”

Silk-robed boy: “This Little Master never changes my name or my seat. My surname is He, and my name is Jiu!”

He proudly raised his head, not hiding the rich aura about him.

“Fine, I’ll remember you,” A’Si said with malicious intent.

Qu Linfeng remained silent. A man in his thirties seriously quarreling with a fourteen- or fifteen-year-old kid made quite a ridiculous scene. He glanced weakly at San Zi, seeing a very similar look of fatigue on the latter’s face.

The children weren’t allowed to scout ahead, and they didn’t encounter any dangers. As time passed, the group almost began to treat this as a leisurely outing. Some even picked up maple leaves, chatting more lightly and happily. At this moment, Qu Linfeng suddenly sensed a strange presence.

Someone was spying on them with a gaze full of hostility.

He immediately pulled He Jiu, who was still in a huff. The expressions of San Zi and A’Si turned serious at once. He Jiu quickly regained his senses, drawing a small knife from his side.

“Who’s there?!”