Volume 6: Overseas Chapter 306: Finally Meeting Zhu Da
"It's good that it works."
Upon hearing that the medicine was ready, Wang Lianhua's expression froze for a moment, as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders, as if even his body had become lighter, and as if the dream that had lingered in his heart for many years had finally come true.
He didn't say much, but carefully picked up Zhu Qiqi from Li Muchan's back and flew into the depths of the island with ease.
Li Muchan was the only one lying on the cold beach.
The mysterious man who had only heard the voice in the dark would certainly not abandon him like this. Instead, he chuckled and ordered, "Tie him up and bring him to me."
"yes!"
Soon, two figures appeared from behind the rocks on the island. They quickly carried Li Muchan into the lush jungle.
It was already late autumn, but the sound of cicadas could still be heard on the island.
After about three or two cups of tea, a figure was seen rising and falling, running and moving in the forest, holding a man who was almost wrapped like a dumpling, with only his head exposed.
These people walked lightly and had great skills. They ran around the island and finally came to the foot of a green hill that was neither too high nor too low.
"Master, the person has been brought here."
When they reached the top of the mountain, they saw a small octagonal pavilion sitting in the afterglow of the setting sun.
The pavilion stands facing the sea, leaning against a cliff. Incense to repel mosquitoes is hung in each of the eight corners. There is also a wind lantern hanging in the pavilion. The lamp flickers high and low, bright and dim, changing with the wind.
Outside the courtyard, a bamboo curtain hung in the air, covering everything in the pavilion.
"Hahaha," the people in the pavilion suddenly burst into laughter, "Interesting, very interesting."
Through the gaps in the bamboo curtains, one could vaguely see someone sitting in the pavilion, seemingly dancing, laughing and clapping his hands.
The man in the pavilion laughed and said, "Alas, you are considered an old hand, why do you always like to pretend to be asleep?"
As soon as these words were spoken, the man who was tied up and almost turned into a dumpling woke up immediately and said with a wry smile: "Alas, if I don't pretend to be asleep, wouldn't it be even more embarrassing?"
Li Muchan was held up in the air, with only his head able to move.
He looked towards the pavilion, towards the man, and asked curiously, "We are old acquaintances. You don't want me to stay like this, do you?"
Based on just a few words from the other party, Li Muchan was able to conclude that this person was Zhu Da.
Zhu Da laughed non-stop. "Isn't this great? No need to do anything, and the food and wine will come naturally. That's what you told me back then. You said that since I couldn't become a famous hero, I could just become a landlord, build a business, keep a few beautiful maids, and massage my shoulders and legs every day."
At the end of his speech, the man enthusiastically called out, "Come here, serve this Mr. Li."
As soon as he finished speaking, several beautiful girls in their prime years came from the hillside, holding fine wine, delicacies, candied fruits and fresh fruits in their hands. They surrounded Li Muchan like a few bees smelling nectar.
Li Muchan was about to speak when he heard Zhu Dajie say, "You're in luck! This is the Ghost Prince who dominates the Central Plains and commands the martial arts of the thirteen provinces. He's rich enough to rival a nation and has more power than the emperor. Why don't you serve him well?"
Before Li Muchan could say anything, fine wine and candied fruit were delivered to his mouth.
"Try this, sir."
"Sir, please taste this Hundred Flowers Wine."
“This one is delicious too.”
…
Seeing that Li Muchan was too busy to speak, Zhu Da said slowly, "Alas, it's been quite a few years. Who would have thought that a down-and-out scholar like him back then would have grown to where he is today? I was wrong about him."
Li Muchan asked, "You don't seem to hate me?"
He was eating something but using ventriloquism.
"Why should I hate you?" Zhu Da seemed confused, but soon he smiled in understanding. "Oh, I remember now. It was you who destroyed the Azure Dragon Society. I think that eunuch Tan Wushuang should be dead, right? Bai Yujing should be dead too. Zhu Si died a little too early. As for the other Zhus, without the royal family's support, hehe, they wouldn't be worth mentioning at all."
Li Muchan hesitated and asked, "Aren't you a member of the Zhu family? Whether it's Zhu Si or the current emperor, even if they have many concerns, in the final analysis, they are all committed to protecting the Zhu family's kingdom."
Zhu Da stood up, seemingly holding a wine glass in his hand. He gazed at the setting sun and said with a leisurely smile, "Of course I'm a member of the Zhu family, but I'm a little different from them. Hehehe, what uncle in this world would try to seize his nephew's kingdom? My family has always lived like a lonely ghost. Why do you think I went overseas instead of making a name for myself in the Central Plains?"
At this moment, Li Muchan finally understood the other party's identity.
Zhu Da continued, "They've always been wary of me, fearing I'd become too powerful. Plus, even though I won my battle with my senior brother, I wasn't completely unscathed. If it weren't for the remarkable figure that emerged from the Shen family, those people might have already attacked me. Fortunately, we still have Zhu Si and Bai Yujing."
Li Muchan suddenly discovered that the island had actually reached the edge of the sea of fog, half of it was immersed in the sea of fog, and the other half was visible through the blue sky, where the sun and the moon could be seen.
He had also heard Zhu Da's words and asked tentatively, "Could it be that these people were completely unaware of your presence in Luoyang City back then?"
"Of course," Zhu Da sipped his wine slowly and replied slowly, "If they knew I'd returned to the Central Plains, they wouldn't be able to sit still. The imperial family is the most ruthless. These elders may have been ambitious and heroic in their youth, but once they grow old, they become more imaginative and more restless."
Li Muchan swallowed the food and wine, but a voice came from his stomach, "For example... you."
Zhu Da chuckled indifferently, then said with a hint of meaning, "Since ancient times, all martial artists have pursued invincibility, yearning to be number one in the world and unrivaled in the martial arts world. I was no exception in my time, and before I was thirty, I was already a master of both the East and the West. Not only in the Central Plains martial arts world, but also in Western countries, I was once worshipped as a god."
Li Muchan sighed and said, "With someone like you, what else could you not be satisfied with?"
"Of course there are," Zhu Da's voice rose, his tone becoming more forceful, sonorous and resounding. "There has never been a truly invincible person in this world. Heroes die easily, and beauties fade easily. How many geniuses have won over others but not themselves."
After that, Zhu Da continued calmly, "Before I turned forty, I never had any ambitions. I only wanted to explore the vastness of the universe and its wonders. I was obsessed with martial arts all day long and could not extricate myself. But after I turned forty, my eldest son died of illness, my second son died of natural causes, my third son died young, and even my only wife fell seriously ill and could not get up. Alas, what was the use of learning such a peerless martial art? I defeated countless enemies, traveled far and wide, and was revered as a god, but in the end, I couldn't save the one I loved."
Li Muchan listened in silence, and at the same time felt a little sorry for this old ghost.
Zhu Da, however, remained calm, as if the person he was speaking to was a completely different person, neither sad nor happy, neither tepid nor passionate. "From that moment on, I suddenly felt an unprecedented fear, as if there was no place for me in this vast world. I hid in cow pens, in manure pits, and in coffins... They all said I was crazy, but only I knew. I had realized it, and I finally understood what I had been striving for all my life... I had conquered myself."
Hearing this, Li Muchan suddenly felt a little frightened, because the aura of the person in front of him had become chaotic at some , like a mixture of black and white, becoming unpredictable.
Obsessed?
Or maybe...
As the thought came to his mind, combined with Zhu Da's words, Li Muchan's cheeks trembled slightly. Could this man really be a madman, a madman who has been mad for decades?
at the same time.
On the shore of the island, a boat suddenly appeared in the swirling and changing fog.
There were two people on the boat, a man and a woman. The man looked middle-aged and covered his mouth and nose lightly, coughing softly. The woman was dressed in white and had white hair. She was surrounded by a strong yin energy and looked eerie.
The two looked at each other and saw that there were people on the island. They immediately restrained their breath, hid in the shadows before the sunset, and quietly landed on the island.
