MMJWQC Chapter 33

Translator: Moonlit

Editor: kiki

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“Feng Qi, let me tell you, there are outstanding young talents from our metaphysical community at this conference. Your matter can’t be postponed no matter what. You must find a master to help you. Abbot Cihuai from Jingkong Temple, Master Xu Ruofeng from Lingshui Sect, and Xie Zhimin from Yufeng Sect are all highly accomplished masters. I’ve already made arrangements with them. You can’t run away this time.”

Yang Wenxin held onto Feng Qi, who was trying to escape, as they approached the front desk, afraid he would run away.

Some time ago, their son suddenly called and said he seemed to understand their work a bit now and wouldn’t oppose them pursuing this career anymore. However, he still didn’t want them to travel all over the country, considering their age.

Their son’s understanding made them very happy. They celebrated all night and even burned incense for their ancestors in the middle of the night.

Afterward, when they were preparing to attend the metaphysical exchange conference, they used the excuse of wanting to see their son to deceive Feng Qi into coming to the conference venue.

Since their son had accepted the world of metaphysics, he could slowly accept other masters as well.

“Mom, although I understand your concerns about your work, I’m doing fine now, so there’s no need to worry. Why am I even here at your metaphysical conference? If reporters catch sight of me, they might expose your identities, and they tend to write sensational stories.”

“Your dad and I are at this age, what are we afraid of if they write nonsense?”

“You may not care, but Dad does, and he has a bit of hypertension,” Feng Qi tried to convince his mom to let go, “Mom, I really can’t stay here. I have work tomorrow.”

“Who are you fooling? I asked Xiaogao, and you haven’t had any work arrangements these days.” Yang Wenxin knew her son’s schedule inside out. She couldn’t handle her son, but ordinary people like Xiaogao, who still revered the supernatural, she could manipulate.

Feng Qi was filled with regret at this point. He should have known better than to emotionally confess to his parents that he understood their work. Despite being an adult, he was still dragged into the hotel by his mother.

Until a familiar and gentle voice spoke up.

“Feng ge?”

Feng Qi turned to see Chu Ruochun, leaning on his luggage. It had been almost a month since they last met, the last time being in spring, and now it was early summer. Chu Ruochun today was dressed extremely casually, in a T-shirt and jeans, with a baseball cap.

Feng Qi adjusted his shirt, which had been wrinkled by Yang Wenxin’s tugging. “Ruochun? What are you doing here?”

Chu Ruochun replied, “I promised Miss Xu to attend the conference.”

Yang Wenxin glanced at Chu Ruochun, then at Feng Qi, who had managed to free himself from her grip. She had never seen her mature and composed son look so disheveled as if she had been dragging him down.

Feng Qi introduced Yang Wenxin to Chu Ruochun, saying, “This is my mom. She prefers to be called Sister Yang.”

Yang Wenxin, in her fifties but still graceful, did not look her age and was a stylish lady.

Yang Wenxin followed Feng Qi’s lead and said, “Hello, you must be Feng Qi’s friend.”

Chu Ruochun nodded. “Yes, Sister Yang.”

Yang Wenxin was delighted to be addressed that way. “How did you two meet? I haven’t seen you before.”

She was more concerned about Feng Qi and knew almost all his friends.

Chu Ruochun replied, “We’ve only known each other for a short time. We met when we appeared on a TV show together.”

“Did I hear you’re attending the conference?” Yang Wenxin quickly grasped the key point from their conversation.

“Yes,” Chu Ruochun didn’t see any reason to hide it.

“A metaphysical conference?” Yang Wenxin inquired.

“That’s right.”

“Well, what a coincidence! Which sect are you from?” Yang Wenxin’s eyes sparkled with excitement. She couldn’t believe that her son, who had rejected this field for so many years, had made a friend from the metaphysical world. This was the happiest news she had heard all year.

Before his rebirth, Chu Ruochun belonged to a sect, and he held a prominent position in the metaphysical world. However, after his rebirth, he naturally abandoned that identity.

“I am an independent practitioner,” Chu Ruochun explained. “My master isn’t famous.”

“I see.” Yang Wenxin didn’t sense any threat from Chu Ruochun and found him somewhat familiar but couldn’t remember where she might have seen him. It could have been during her missions.

As Chu Ruochun and Feng Qi continued their conversation, Yang Wenxin went to check in at the front desk.

Coincidentally, Feng Qi’s father had just parked his car and entered the hotel lobby. He sighed in relief when he saw Feng Qi still there, then headed straight for Yang Wenxin.

“Who is the young man standing with Feng Qi? I don’t think I’ve seen him before.”

“He’s a friend Feng Qi made recently in the entertainment industry. He’s quite handsome, and he’s also here for the metaphysical conference. Can you see anything from him at this distance?” Yang Wenxin remembered the divination Father Feng had done for their son before, suggesting that someone’s appearance could save his life.

Feng Jiu tried to sense any spiritual energy or aura from Chu Ruochun but admitted, “I can’t see anything.”

“He said he’s an independent practitioner without a master,” Yang Wenxin explained. “Could it be that he’s solely inheriting some Daoist temple or sect without any significant inheritance?”

In the current metaphysical world, there were quite a few young practitioners from prestigious backgrounds. However, they had grown up in comfort and didn’t have a deep understanding of metaphysics. This was a source of disappointment for senior practitioners like Yang Wenxin because many ancient practices were gradually disappearing due to technological advancements.

Now, the younger generation from metaphysical families is often found in the entertainment industry. It was a complex situation, and their own son, Feng Qi, had his unique reasons for not following the family tradition.

“I’m not sure. You can ask Feng Qi later,” Yang Wenxin replied. “I find it strange why I can’t sense any energy from him.”

“But he’s an independent practitioner, as you mentioned.”

“If he had a master, he should have practiced to some extent. Moreover, he’s here to participate in the exchange conference, so your reasoning doesn’t hold,” Feng Jiu disagreed with his wife’s perspective.

“What you say makes sense.”

“However, it’s also possible that our assumptions are incorrect,” Feng Jiu didn’t mention that he could only not sense the energy of masters. They could freely use their own energy, and practitioners with lower levels of cultivation couldn’t perceive it.

Noticing the intense gazes from his parents, Feng Qi felt somewhat helpless. They were paying way too much attention to his friendships.

Chu Ruochun didn’t mind their scrutiny at all and even jokingly said to Feng Qi, “Feng ge, did your parents drag you here?”

Feng Qi and Chu Ruochun sat on the lobby’s sofa, and Feng Qi’s expression showed a hint of helplessness. “You figured it out, huh?”

“It’s quite obvious.”

Their professions weren’t related, so bringing Feng Qi here must have had a specific purpose.

“Yeah, their ideas are still quite unreliable.”

“And there are even more unreliable things you probably don’t know,” Chu Ruochun remembered Bai Yichen, who had been by Feng Qi’s side all along, but he hoped it would be a surprise for Feng Qi. He didn’t plan on telling him. Avoiding the topic of their parents and their professions, Feng Qi felt that he could become good friends with Chu Ruochun.

Feng Qi changed the topic voluntarily. “What about Ruolin? Why hasn’t he come?”

For some reason, the little tagalong didn’t come, and Feng Qi was actually a bit excited.

But Chu Ruochun immediately dampened his excitement, saying, “He’ll come over tomorrow afternoon. The person in charge of the exchange conference agreed that the crew could film here.”

“Working while attending the exchange conference?” Feng Qi found it quite unexpected. Wasn’t the organizing committee usually strict about such things?

“Yeah, if they don’t allow us to film certain scenes, we won’t. It’ll probably focus more on touring the scenic area.” Since Feng Qi cared about him, Chu Ruochun naturally cared in return. “Did you finish shooting your romance drama?”

“We finished just before the flowers fell in that location.” Feng Qi ran his fingers through his hair. “I was just resting when they dragged me here.”

Chu Ruochun chuckled and jokingly said, “How about this, I attend the exchange conference, and you help me film the parenting program?”

He thought that instead of Feng Qi staying uncomfortably at the unfamiliar event, he might as well be in front of the camera.

“Are you inviting me to that?” Feng Qi quickly grasped Chu Ruochun’s meaning. He indeed felt uncomfortable here.

“What do you think?” Chu Ruochun tossed the question back to him.

Before Feng Qi could respond, a group of people arrived at the entrance, and among them, someone they recognized: Xu Mengying.

Her beautiful face wore an icy expression, clearly indicating that someone had annoyed her. She had sharp eyes and immediately spotted Chu Ruochun and Feng Qi among the crowd of disciples from various sects. They stood out quite conspicuously.

Xu Mengying’s eyes lit up, and she quickly walked over to them after saying something to the others.

“Ruochun, Feng ge, it’s been a while!” She seemed a bit excited.

Feng Qi placed his finger against his lips and whispered, “Keep it down, Miss.”

Xu Mengying laughed, “Alright, alright. Why are both of you here?”

Feng Qi replied, “I just received an invitation from someone to film a reality show.” He suddenly felt a bit competitive.

“Someone, isn’t it Ruochun?” Xu Mengying’s excitement grew, and her gaze shifted between the two of them.

“Yeah, I’m planning to ride on Feng Ge’s popularity a bit and make myself even more famous,” Chu Ruochun teased Feng Qi.

When it came to riding on popularity, Feng Qi still felt a bit embarrassed. “Don’t bring that up again. I didn’t know you were doing it for my sake.” In the beginning, they had a lot of misunderstandings, and he had even suspected Chu Ruochun of having ulterior motives. However, they had resolved their misunderstandings later on.

The three of them were getting along well in their conversation. After a while, Feng Jiu and Yang Wenxin called Feng Qi to complete the check-in process, so Feng Qi said he would catch up with them later.

Chu Ruochun had already completed his check-in and decided to go upstairs with Feng Qi. Xu Mengying had come with people from other sects, so her check-in process was naturally slower.

Feng Qi and Chu Ruochun hadn’t left yet when they overheard someone speaking derogatorily to Xu Mengying.

“Xu Mengying, you’re busy filming all the time. Do you even know how to catch ghosts anymore?” A young man looked at her with a hint of disdain.

“It’s none of your business. Mind your own,” Xu Mengying retorted without hesitation.

They were all young participants sent by various sects to attend the exchange conference. Xu Mengying had initially joined them just to hitch a ride, but she didn’t expect to encounter someone like him, who seemed to be from a major sect and was quite unpleasant to deal with.

“I think you might as well spend your time on the exchange conference, or better yet, take on a couple more acting roles,” the man continued to taunt, clearly trying to belittle Xu Mengying.

Xu Mengying had seen all sorts of ups and downs in the entertainment industry and couldn’t be bothered to engage with him. She replied, “Let’s see who catches more ghosts at the exchange conference. Don’t be surprised if you end up scared out of your wits.”

“Who would get so scared that they’d wet their pants?” the man laughed.

Chu Ruochun glanced in their direction briefly, but his gaze didn’t linger. Instead, he was drawn to another group of people who were all wearing matching Daoist robes and carrying luggage.

Following his gaze, Feng Qi observed that this group of people appeared quite young as well, but they exuded a more dignified aura compared to those around Xu Mengying. However, it was only a superficial impression.

Feng Jiu said, “It seems like representatives from several major sects are here for check-in. Let’s head upstairs.”

Chu Ruochun naturally followed the Feng family. He gave a subtle glance at the leader of the group of disciples but didn’t say anything more.

Once they were inside the elevator, Feng Qi asked, “Who were those people just now, from which major sects?”

Feng Jiu replied, “In our world of metaphysics, there are several major sects, including the Jingkong Si, the Juxing Sect, the Qingyue Sect, and the Yufeng Men. These four are relatively well-known. The rest mostly operate as family-based groups. The world of metaphysics is currently quite diverse in terms of development. Some once-prominent major sects have dwindled, like the Lingshui Sect. If it weren’t for their sect leader, Xu Ruofeng, supporting them, the sect might have ceased to exist.”

The Lingshui Sect was the sect to which Xu Mengying belonged.

While Feng Jiu explained to his son, Chu Ruochun listened attentively but didn’t ask further questions.

Feng Jiu continued, “The young man who led them earlier is the chief disciple of the Qingyue Sect and carries on the legacy of his master.”

Chu Ruochun’s floor arrived, and he nodded when Feng Qi told him that he would come down to find him after settling in.

As the elevator doors closed, Yang Wenxin remarked, “Feng Qi, your friend looks incredibly young, and he doesn’t seem to be older than twenty.”

Feng Qi replied, “He’s not even twenty yet.”

Feng Jiu seized upon a detail, saying, “You actually remember your friend’s age.”

Feng Qi retorted, “Dad, why don’t you continue explaining about the world of metaphysics instead of worrying about my friends?”

With no one else around, Feng Jiu resumed his role as a stern father, saying, “If you want to know, ask someone else. I’m your father, not your tour guide.”

Feng Qi rolled his eyes and said, “I’ll ask my mom then.” When in doubt, ask Mom; it was always a safe bet.

Yang Wenxin was starting to feel annoyed by their constant questioning, but she was willing to indulge them. She asked, “Which aspect of these sects would you like to hear about?”

Feng Qi replied, “Just tell me about the things these sects keep hidden from outsiders.”

“You’re quite curious, aren’t you?”

“I just asked casually. Among these sects, which one would be ranked first?”

“If we’re talking about Daoism, it would probably be the Qingyue Sect, and for Buddhism, it would naturally be the Jingkong Si.”

Suddenly, Feng Jiu remembered something. “When you were eight years old, I took you to visit the Qingyue Sect. The metaphysical exchange conference was held there, but at the time, the sect leader of the Qingyue Sect was in seclusion, so we didn’t get to meet anyone. I heard he will be attending this time.”

Feng Qi asked, “Why don’t I remember that?”

Feng Jiu explained, “During that visit, a powerful ghost from the sect possessed you. Your constitution was weak, and you ended up hitting your head. When you woke up, you didn’t remember anything.”

Yang Wenxin nodded in agreement, saying, “That’s right. There was a ghost with only two hundred years of cultivation sealed in the Qingyue Sect, but somehow it managed to escape.”

Feng Jiu sighed, changing his tone. He told Yang Wenxin, “If that child from back then were still around, the Qingyue Sect might have achieved even greater heights.”

Yang Wenxin added, “It’s indeed a pity, but the Qingyue Sect claimed he went missing.”

Feng Jiu: “So many years have passed, and there’s still no news. I guess the person is long gone.”

Their voices grew quieter, and they didn’t bring up the matter again. Every sect has its own hidden secrets.

If it weren’t for this visit, Feng Qi wouldn’t even remember this experience from his past. However, he still couldn’t recall it.

He had a constant feeling that he had forgotten something important.

Meanwhile, in his room, Chu Ruochun folded a paper crane and released it through the window.

Qingyue Sect, I’ve returned.

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