Chapter 31

Chapter 31: Wuhou’s Disciple Liu Bowen Meets the Realized Being! Thirty Thousand Volumes of Books in the Cave!

…

“Gift you a fortune? What kind of fortune?” Zhu Xuanji asked curiously.

A promise had made this white fox guard here for one hundred and twenty-eight years. It must be said, sometimes animals were more faithful than humans!

So, Zhu Xuanji wanted to know. Apart from the temptation of returning home. What kind of promise did Realized Being Ziwei give to Tu Shan Rong’er, that made Tu Shan Rong’er guard for so many years, and still keep guarding for him.

Tu Shan Rong’er said: “It’s not a great fortune! More than a thousand years ago, my Tu Shan clan lost a divine book! Realized Being Ziwei promised me that if I kept my word. He would help the Tu Shan clan retrieve this divine book and return it to me!”

Zhu Xuanji raised an eyebrow.

“The divine book has been lost for over a thousand years. How can he find it? Isn’t this just an empty promise?”

Tu Shan Rong’er said: “Realized Being Ziwei indeed knows some clues about that divine book! So, I chose to believe him! After all, he was once a top figure in the Immortal Dao of Zhonghua a hundred years ago! He wouldn’t deceive a little fox like me!”

Zhu Xuanji smiled and said: “Alright! In that case, I won’t force you! However, may I see the thirty thousand volumes of books that Realized Being Ziwei left in the cave?”

Tu Shan Rong’er thought for a moment.

“You may!”

…

Moments later.

Tu Shan Rong’er led Zhu Xuanji to the place where the books were kept in the cave. The cave was essentially a limestone cave! Inside it was another world!

Walking inside, there were not only stone tables but also stone benches and jade beds! At the innermost part of the cave. There were several rows of bookshelves. On the bookshelves were volumes upon volumes of books.

Zhu Xuanji roughly estimated, those rows of bookshelves, with several layers up and down, indeed contained tens of thousands of volumes.

It was clear, this cave was likely the residence of Realized Being Ziwei in the past, or a place where he rested and read. The walls were lined with glowing stones. Providing sufficient light inside the cave.

After browsing through the books left by Realized Being Ziwei for a while, Zhu Xuanji understood. These books were all collected by Realized Being Ziwei. They looked like some aged volumes. The types of books were incredibly diverse!

It was evident, Realized Being Ziwei was a well-read person, and quite inclusive. Not someone who sought fame.

After all, casually picking up any volume, and flipping through a few pages one could see the annotations left by Realized Being Ziwei!

It was clear, these books had been personally read by Realized Being Ziwei!

After flipping through for a while, Zhu Xuanji put the books down and said to Tu Shan Rong’er beside him: “Rong’er! You don’t mind if I call you that, do you?”

Tu Shan Rong’er immediately said: “Of course, I don’t mind! For the Realized Being to call me Rong’er is my good fortune! If the Realized Being has any more questions. Just ask.”

Zhu Xuanji said: “The books left by Realized Being Ziwei are indeed very rich in variety! In the future, I might come here often to borrow them.”

Tu Shan Rong’er said: “That’s no problem! Whatever books the Realized Being wants to read, just take them. If the Realized Being has time! Please come to the cave more often! I see the Realized Being’s enlightening skills are far superior to Realized Being Ziwei! In the future, if the Realized Being could tell us more about the principles and stories of the human world, that would be great.”

Hearing this, a trace of surprise appeared on Zhu Xuanji’s face.

“Oh? You?”

Tu Shan Rong’er said: “That’s right.”

“We! There are more than just me, a fox, in the mountain! The other clan members usually gather in this cave under my leadership, taking care of each other. I’ve guarded these thirty thousand volumes for one hundred and twenty-eight years. Due to my limited knowledge, I can’t fully understand the meanings within these books. Usually, I can only teach my clan some basic principles. Although we foxes are covered in fur! We also yearn for human principles and wisdom.”

Hearing this, Zhu Xuanji laughed: “That’s really interesting. Alright, I promise you. Don’t worry. In the future, there might be more people teaching you how to read than just me!

“Da Huang, Xiao Liuzi! We should go back!”

Da Huang, who was studying the glowing stones in the cave, heard Zhu Xuanji’s voice.

He replied immediately: “Got it, Master!”

With that, Zhu Xuanji left the cave with Da Huang and Xiao Liuzi.

The white fox Tu Shan Rong’er watched Zhu Xuanji leave from the entrance of the cave.

…

When Zhu Xuanji and Da Huang, Xiao Liuzi returned to the halfway point of Beigaofeng.

Da Huang suddenly spoke.

“Master! It seems someone is coming up the mountain!”

Zhu Xuanji steadied himself. He also sensed the presence of outsiders. Nowadays, Zhu Xuanji’s Dao had improved considerably. His perception ability had also greatly increased.

Zhu Xuanji, along with Da Huang, moved towards the direction of the visitors. Soon, on the mountain path, they saw two people.

When Zhu Xuanji saw the elderly man in plain clothes among the two, he was taken aback. In his mind, the scene from six years ago appeared.

Old Zhu had brought his father Zhu Biao and another old man up the mountain. That day, the person who followed Old Zhu up the mountain was this elderly man in plain clothes.

“It’s him? Liu Bowen! Why has he come up the mountain?”

A brief encounter six years ago, Zhu Xuanji knew Liu Bowen was not a simple person.

So, Liu Bowen appearing on Zhongshan again surprised Zhu Xuanji.

Liu Bowen on the mountain path stopped, wiping the sweat from his forehead! After wiping his sweat, Liu Bowen looked around at the surrounding mountains and rivers. He was about to say something to his disciple Shan Tianxie beside him.

But, Liu Bowen’s gaze suddenly fixed on the hill not far ahead.

The next moment, Liu Bowen put away his handkerchief and said to Shan Tianxie beside him: “Tianxie! Hurry! Follow me!”

A few breaths later, Liu Bowen and his disciple Shan Tianxie arrived three zhang in front of Zhu Xuanji under a large Chinese scholar tree.

Bowing to Zhu Xuanji under the large Chinese scholar tree, he said: “Wuhou’s* disciple Liu Bowen, pays respects to the Realized Being!”

[*Zhuge Liang].