One person: He secluded himself for eighty years and cured Tian Jinzhong.

Chapter 80 Campfire Chats About the Past

Deep in the Qinling Mountains, in an unnamed mountain valley.

The night is like ink, full of stars.

The night in the primeval forest is not quiet; the wind whistles through the treetops, and the occasional howl of an unknown wild animal can be heard in the distance.

But in a clearing in the valley, there was a warm and peaceful atmosphere.

A huge bonfire was burning brightly, its orange-red flames reflecting on everyone's faces.

"Zzzzz!!!"

On a huge grill, a whole, processed wild boar is rolling around.

The oil dripped onto the charcoal fire, wafting up an enticing aroma of meat.

Those were just caught by Feng Baobao.

Zhang Chulan kept his promise and actually roasted and ate the wild boar he caught for her.

"It smells so good! Is it cooked yet? Is it cooked yet?"

Tian Jinzhong sat cross-legged by the campfire, holding a tree branch in his hand, staring longingly at the roasted pig.

He was nothing like the arrogant "parkour expert" he was during the day; he was just like a playful old man waiting for his meal.

"Second Master, don't rush, we still need to sprinkle some cumin."

Zhang Chulan skillfully flipped the grill, acting as the head chef.

Su Wuxian leaned against a large rock, holding a pot of Xifeng wine he had brought from downtown Xi'an, and took a small sip.

Hmm... lightly scented... it's a bit choking.

Su Duo leaned against him, yawning sleepily, but still tightly clutching Su Wuxian's clothes.

"Master."

As Zhang Chulan sprinkled the ingredients, he asked seemingly casually:

"Old Master Lu Jin sent me a complete list of the thirty-six thieves before..."

"I know we're going into the mountains this time to find Wu Gengsheng's treasure... but there's one thing I just can't understand: why did my grandfather get involved with Wu Gengsheng back then?"

"One is the leader of Quanxing Sect, a great demon, while my grandfather is, after all, a high-ranking master of Zhengyi Sect, a figure from a prestigious and righteous sect."

"These two... they just don't seem like the same kind of people."

This problem had troubled Zhang Chulan for a long time.

The Jia Shen Rebellion and the sworn brotherhood of the Thirty-Six Thieves is the greatest taboo and the greatest mystery in the world of supernatural beings.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Zhiwei, who was resting with his eyes closed, opened them, glanced at Su Wuxian, and said nothing.

Su Wuxian shook the wine pot, gazing at the flickering flames, his eyes becoming somewhat distant:

"A demon lord? A member of a reputable sect?"

"Zhang Chulan, I ask you, what is good, and what is evil?"

"Is saving lives and punishing evil the only right thing to do?"

"Is it evil to not save lives, or to not punish evil and promote good?"

Zhang Chulan was stunned for a moment.

This is a difficult question to answer.

"Whether Chu Lan is righteous or evil, these labels were all put on by later generations."

"In those days, when they were still young..."

Su Wuxian smiled, a hint of nostalgia in his voice:

"They're just a bunch of energetic, resentful, and arrogant kids."

"A little...little brat?"

Zhang Chulan's hand trembled, and he almost sprinkled too much cumin.

Those were the Thirty-Six Bandits who caused the Jia Shen Rebellion!

He is an unparalleled master who has mastered the Eight Extraordinary Skills!

How come he's been called a little brat in the advisor's eyes?

"What? You don't believe it?"

Su Wuxian pointed at Zhang Zhiwei:

"Ask your grandmaster, your grandfather Zhang Huaiyi, what kind of person he was back in the mountains?"

Zhang Zhiwei pushed up his sunglasses, a "kind" smile playing on his lips:

"Huaiyi... he's a slippery fellow."

"On the surface, he seems unassuming and doesn't fight for anything, but deep down he's fiercely competitive? Even after I beat him up every day, he still won't admit defeat..."

"He's been secretly and diligently cultivating, his Golden Light Mantra is nearing completion, yet no one has noticed. Even his master was almost fooled. I reckon he's still thinking about how things can change in the future, and he'll shock everyone..."

Zhang Chulan perked up.

This was the first time he had heard about his grandfather's youth.

"How so, sir? Could you please explain in detail?"

Zhang Zhiwei waved his hand: "Chu Lan, to sum it up, Huaiyi and I can be described in one sentence."

Zhang Chulan: "What did you say?"

"The junior brother who was hiding his true abilities and the invincible senior brother. What's the use of him hiding so well? I still knocked him down in two moves..."

"Hahahaha..."

Su Wuxian, standing to the side, laughed without any restraint.

He was present throughout the entire martial arts duel between Zhang Huaiyi and Zhang Zhiwei.

As the only person among his peers who could force Zhang Zhiwei to make a second move, Zhang Huaiyi's forbearance and diligence are truly remarkable.

Zhang Chulan hadn't expected his grandfather to have so many stories, and then asked:

"Then...Master Su, how did you compare back then?"

"Oh?"

Su Wuxian's smile remained unchanged, but his gaze was fixed on Zhang Zhiwei.

He also wanted to hear Zhang Zhiwei's evaluation of him.

Zhang Zhiwei was taken aback upon hearing this.

A look of reminiscence immediately crossed his face.

"Wuxian... how should I put it?"

"At first, I didn't agree when my master accepted him as a student."

"This kid is two years younger than me, but his eyes are strange. He's not as reserved as Huaiyi, nor as frank as Jinzhong. The feeling he gave me at the time was...ruthless."

"Heartless?" Zhang Chulan was taken aback and looked at Su Wuxian, who was smiling beside him.

"Yes, that kind of look is how humans look at ants, how gods look at humans who are like ants—cold, indifferent, and heartless. Moreover, I can't see through him, so I really dislike him."

"And then what happened?"

Zhang Zhiwei pouted: "Later? They took him in. I don't have any say in this. Who can interfere with what Master wants to do? But back then, we wanted to change his surname to Zhang Wuxian, but the kid refused."

"Then, on the night Huaiyi revealed his strength, I got itchy fingers and was curious about Wuxian's strength, so I fought him too..."

Crackle, crackle...

Zhang Chulan was so engrossed in listening that he didn't even notice the wild boar in his hand was getting burnt, so he quickly flipped it over.

"And then, sir, don't leave things unsaid..."

Zhang Zhiwei smiled and said, "And then? I beat him up too, and after that his eyes changed; he became like a normal person."

Tian Jinzhong, who was standing nearby, burst into laughter: "Hahaha, I heard that Su Wuxian secretly wiped away tears back then. I remember hearing him pounding a big tree in frustration on the back mountain, saying something like... 'This broken system... I can't even beat it with cheat codes'..."

"I don't know what it means either, but in the end, I, Lao Tian, ​​managed to enlighten him."

"Second Master, you're so capable! How did you persuade Master Su back then?"

"I forced him to drink a pound of Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor), and he vomited all night. After that, he stopped thinking about anything sad..."

"..."