The Unscrupulous Old Swindler
On a vast grassland, two individuals dressed as Taoist priests were leisurely walking. The elder of the two, an old Taoist, was holding a whisk, while the younger, a novice, carried a long sword on his back.
"Master, is this really okay?" the young novice asked with a hint of concern.
"What's wrong with it?" replied the old Taoist, shaking his whisk. He opened a gourd and took a satisfying sip of wine. Suddenly, remembering something, he turned around and glared fiercely at the novice, threatening, "You better not tell the sect leader about this, or I'll take back the sword on your back!"
The novice glanced at the sword behind him and muttered disdainfully, "Just a lousy sword, and you dare call it a treasure!"
It turned out the novice had reached the initial stage of Condensed Spirit and was supposed to receive a better sword, but due to limited resources, he ended up with a mediocre one.
The old Taoist, choked on his drink upon hearing the novice's remark. Turning back, he chuckled and said, "Don't be like that, boy. I'll talk to the sect leader and get you a better one. Just don't spill the beans about today!"
"Master, you are at the peak of the Cloud Heaven realm, and here you are, playing tricks and stealing others' wine. Aren't you afraid of retribution?" The novice revealed the pair's identity: they were cultivators from a small sect called the "Tai Fu Gate" on the Shenwu Continent, home to only a few hundred members. The old Taoist was the brother of the sect leader, and they had descended from the mountains for training.
Passing a tavern, the old Taoist, lured by the aroma of the wine, sneaked in using a shadow technique and filled a gourd with top-quality Daughter's Red. But his gourd was no ordinary container, befitting his status as a Cloud Heaven peak cultivator.
The tavern was thrown into chaos, with barrels of Daughter's Red disappearing, causing the owner to cry out in despair, as the wine was equivalent to a year's income for the tavern. Meanwhile, the culprits had already vanished without a trace.
Hearing the novice's comment, the old Taoist laughed heartily, "Retribution? Haha, look at this vast plain. I can see everything within a hundred zhang. What retribution could there be? You think a meteor will fall from the sky and hit me? Haha..."
Just as he finished speaking, an unidentified object swooped down from the sky, knocking him to the ground.
"Huh? Why is it so soft?" thought Tian Fan, who had landed on the old Taoist. In front of him was the open plain. Looking down, he realized he had landed on someone.
At that moment, Tian Fan had entered a spatial channel with the dragon egg concealed within him. Surrounded by darkness, he dared not move, knowing the dangers of the channel. After what felt like an eternity, he was finally ejected back into daylight.
"God, am I seeing things? Actual divine punishment!?" The novice was stunned to see Tian Fan fall from the sky and knock the old Taoist down. He began to mutter prayers, "Not my fault, not my fault, Om Amitabha..."
"Your mother! We're Taoists, not monks!" shouted the old Taoist, lying face-down on the ground. Hearing his disciple's chant, he couldn't contain his anger.
"Oh, right... Omnipotent Heavenly Lord, not my fault..." The novice corrected himself, continuing his earnest prayer.
The old Taoist was almost beside himself with rage: "Omnipotent my ass! Come and help me up!"
As Tian Fan jumped up upon hearing the commotion, the novice rushed over and helped the old Taoist to his feet.
"Senior, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to," Tian Fan apologized, trying to suppress his laughter after understanding the situation.
"You think it's funny to land on me?" The old Taoist was sharp enough to guess Tian Fan's thoughts. He glared at Tian Fan while his disciple looked on in bewilderment, wondering how Tian Fan fell from the sky.
"No, not at all," Tian Fan quickly responded.
"Speak! How did you fall from the sky?" The old Taoist was irked by the incident.
"Oh, a senior opened a spatial channel and sent me out," Tian Fan explained, his expression turning sad.
The old Taoist and the novice burst into laughter, seeing right through Tian Fan's story.
"My naive apprentice, never thought someone could be more amusing than you! Haha, you've killed me!" The old Taoist laughed uncontrollably, even the novice joined in despite having been scared earlier.
"So, you're telling me a god sent you here?" The old Taoist questioned, his laughter subsiding.
Seeing their reactions, Tian Fan knew they wouldn't believe him if he mentioned encountering a divine dragon and being sent from the magical forest. So, he concocted a story: "Haha, senior, you're too smart. I couldn't fool you. Actually, a strong gust of wind carried me up high, and I ended up falling here. I'm really sorry for landing on you."
"Ah, that makes sense. The winds on the plains can be fierce. With your low cultivation, it's not strange to be swept up. And don't worry, you couldn't have hurt me," the old Taoist said, quickly regaining his composure with a hearty laugh.
Tian Fan, trying hard not to laugh, thanked the old Taoist.
The old Taoist, sizing up Tian Fan, asked, "Where are you from, young man? Where is your home?"
The novice nodded, curious about Tian Fan's origins.
Tian Fan looked southward, where the Longteng Dynasty lay. Though he could return and be revered as a cultivator with a dragon egg, he had no desire to go back. He felt free and happy where he was.
"Young man? Lad? Fellow Daoist?... Damn kid, snap out of it!" The old Taoist called out repeatedly, finally shouting to get Tian Fan's attention.
"Ah, oh! I'm just a wanderer, a drifter without a permanent home," Tian Fan replied, brought back to reality by the old Taoist's shout.
"A wanderer, is it? Heh, would you like to visit our Tai Fu Gate? I'd be happy to host you," the old Taoist offered, seeing Tian Fan as a wandering cultivator.
Hearing this, the novice pursed his lips, thinking of how he'd been tricked by the old swindler.
Tian Fan, observing the old Taoist's cunning yet not entirely bad nature, asked, "What is the Tai Fu Gate?"
Before the novice could answer, the old Taoist interjected, "Tai Fu Gate is a cultivating residence on the Shenwu Continent, near the Longteng Dynasty. Ever heard of it?"
The old Taoist spoke gravely, Tian Fan feigned surprise, "Of course! It's one of the dominant forces on Shenwu Continent. Very powerful. Are you related to the Longteng Dynasty, senior?"
"Hmm..." Satisfied with Tian Fan's reaction, the old Taoist chuckled and said, "Indeed, the current emperor of the Longteng Dynasty is my younger brother. I have no interest in politics, so I often wander outside. During my travels, I met someone and together we established the Tai Fu Gate. We recruit talented young cultivators, and once they're strong enough, we send them to serve in the Longteng Dynasty, often as royal disciples. In a way, our Tai Fu Gate is the cradle of the Longteng Dynasty."
He stroked his chin thoughtfully as he spoke.
Tian Fan couldn't help but laugh internally at the old Taoist's claim. Knowing the Longteng Dynasty better than anyone else, he played along, expressing awe, "To think that senior possesses such a prestigious identity! I was truly ignorant."
Pleased with Tian Fan's response, the old Taoist warned, "Our meeting today is fateful, and I've shared these things with you in confidence. Remember, you must not disclose this to anyone. Knowledge of this could bring a lot of trouble."
"Understood, I won't mention it to anyone. Don't worry, senior," Tian Fan replied, barely containing his laughter.
"Good. Then come with me to the Tai Fu Gate," the old Taoist said, leading the way forward with his whisk.
The novice shook his head at Tian Fan in a 'sympathetic' manner, thinking to himself, "Another poor soul tricked by this old swindler."
Tian Fan followed them, curious about their destination. As they walked, Tian Fan pondered his own path. He had no specific direction in mind and was open to exploring new places. Thus, the trio set off toward the Tai Fu Gate, as described by the old Taoist.