Chapter Fifty-Nine: Seeing Zhou Ling’er Again

Chapter Fifty-Nine: Reunion with Zhou Ling’er

The young man listened to the old man's words and flipped through a few other manuals. Wu Hong observed from the side, but none of the books showed any unusual glow; each one seemed utterly ordinary in his hands.

The old man appeared somewhat disappointed, but upon seeing Wu Hong, his expression became excited once more.

Wu Hong was as astonished as the old man. As the power in his mind gathered, the Great Sun Tathagata’s True Explanation appeared in his hand, radiating brilliant light in his eyes.

Yet the old man seemed oblivious, saying, “Young man, why are you dazing off? You may choose any book here—today, I’ll give you one for free.”

He spoke in a somewhat anxious tone to Wu Hong.

Wu Hong found this strange—the old man clearly couldn’t see the Great Sun Tathagata’s True Explanation in his hand.

That meant he wasn’t the same old man from the ruined temple who had sold him the mysterious books. But why were the manuals he sold undetectable to others?

These manuals all recorded methods for cultivating the Innate Realm!

“Grandpa, you’re here! I’ve been looking for you for so long!” As Wu Hong was lost in thought, a clear, youthful voice sounded in his ear. Wu Hong was startled, then delighted. His hand shook, and the Great Sun Tathagata’s True Explanation fell to the ground.

“Is it her voice?” Sure enough, Wu Hong turned to see a familiar figure—the ethereal beauty Zhou Ling’er, approaching the old man with a smile.

Zhou Ling’er’s beauty was beyond mortal comprehension; her voice and movement seemed like a celestial maiden descending from the heavens. Her appearance on the street instantly caused hundreds of people to freeze in place.

After some time, a martial wanderer said, “Hey brother, how come I’ve never heard that the Judge Scholar, Old Master Wen, has such a granddaughter?” This fellow had his mouth open so long that drool soaked his lapel, and he stammered as he spoke.

But no one laughed at him, for everyone who saw Zhou Ling’er was in much the same state—petrified on the spot.

After a moment, a tall, bearded man next to him finally responded, “How should I know? Probably tricked her here, that shameless old rogue!”

All the martial wanderers and townsfolk, upon seeing Zhou Ling’er’s otherworldly beauty, were dumbstruck—even the women stared in awe.

“Grandpa, how’s business today? Did anyone recognize any characters?” Zhou Ling’er’s voice filled everyone’s ears. Though tinged with sarcasm, not a single person rebuked her.

Her slender figure passed by the dazed Wu Hong, stepping lightly over the Great Sun Tathagata’s True Explanation on the ground. Wu Hong saw clearly—her foot seemed to pass through the air above the manual, as if it were intangible, landing on the earth.

“Ling’er, your grandpa finally made a sale today! This young man recognized the characters in one book, and he’s read dozens here—he understands them all!”

Zhou Ling’er was startled, turning to Wu Hong. “Is that you?”

Only now did Zhou Ling’er notice Wu Hong beside her, and she was so surprised she could barely speak.

“You two know each other?” The old man, noticing Zhou Ling’er’s odd expression, asked casually.

“Oh! Yes, we met in the Heavenly Book Cave Mansion.” Zhou Ling’er looked at Wu Hong strangely, then after a pause, asked, “How did you get out of the Heavenly Book Cave Mansion?”

Wu Hong blushed, recalling what he’d said to her when he jumped down the gorge.

He was about to reply when the old man selling books made a subtle gesture with his finger, unseen by Wu Hong.

But the surrounding space changed subtly because of that gesture—Wu Hong was unaware. The people on the street only saw them chatting casually, nothing more.

No one knew Wu Hong was recounting his experience after jumping into the gorge in the Heavenly Book Cave Mansion—how he discovered the passage behind the Mirror of Avalokiteshvara and emerged into the outside world.

Zhou Ling’er and the old man exchanging books looked at each other in astonishment, their gazes then focusing on Wu Hong, examining him from head to toe, nodding and shaking their heads in turn.

Wu Hong felt uneasy under their scrutiny, but dared not question further.

“Grandpa, can he really understand all the books you sell?”

“Heh, though your grandpa’s eyesight is failing, I still know who can comprehend my books.”

Zhou Ling’er and the old man’s expressions shifted, inspecting Wu Hong thoroughly, as if pondering some deep mystery.

Wu Hong’s mind was anything but calm—today’s events were too bizarre. Why did none of these martial wanderers notice the collection of Innate manuals scattered about? Why could only he see the true content of each book?

What was the connection between Zhou Ling’er and the old man, and the elderly vendor from the ruined temple who’d sold him a book?

If they were connected, why couldn’t they see the Great Sun Tathagata’s True Explanation in his hand? If not, why did they openly sell such astonishing manuals?

All these questions gave Wu Hong a headache. Why were Zhou Ling’er and the old man so shocked when they heard he’d emerged directly from the cave behind the Mirror of Avalokiteshvara? It was all a mystery.

No one explained anything to him. Zhou Ling’er and the old man found it equally incomprehensible.

Around them, the martial wanderers continued discussing Zhou Ling’er’s beauty, while she and the old man focused entirely on Wu Hong.

“Old man, are you still selling this Golden Bell Shield manual?” The youth beside them asked again. Normally, the old man would praise such a talented youth effusively, even if he couldn’t pay, insisting on gifting the manual.

But with the unusual Wu Hong present, Zhou Ling’er and the old man’s minds were momentarily overwhelmed, and the youth’s repeated questions went unanswered.

Only now did they finally hear him.

The old man put on a smile and said, “Young man, you have excellent roots—a martial prodigy. Your future is limitless. I’ll give you this book as a gift.”

The youth was poor, penniless, and happened upon the book stall by chance. Seeing the manual contained cultivation methods, he cherished the fantasy of acquiring martial arts. Hearing the old man offer it for free, he was deeply grateful.

He suddenly knelt and kowtowed several times, saying, “Thank you, old man! If I, Yi Wei, thrive by virtue of this book, I will not forget your great kindness!”

“Look at that old swindler. Cheating martial wanderers is one thing, but now he’s tricking ordinary youths—shameful! That beauty must have been tricked here too.”

The youth’s actions sparked discussion among the crowd, with pointing and whispering all around.

The youth sprang up, face flushed, and shouted angrily, “He’s not a swindler! He just gave me this book!”

Seeing his agitation, no one argued with him—some just shook their heads, as if the old man were a notorious fraud and the youth foolishly counting his losses.

The youth stomped in frustration, clutching the manual as he disappeared down an alley.

The old man muttered to himself, “Another remarkable figure will emerge in the future.”

Wu Hong heard this clearly and was moved. If someone could comprehend these books as he and the youth did, they would surely shine brilliantly in days to come.

But Wu Hong had no desire to buy any manuals for himself; he possessed the miraculous Great Sun Tathagata’s True Explanation. Even the old man and Zhou Ling’er couldn’t see it—how much more mysterious could it be? Why bother cultivating other Innate manuals?

“Heh, Ling’er, your friend is truly extraordinary!” The old man laughed heartily.

Zhou Ling’er glanced at Wu Hong, recalling his words when he leapt into the gorge: “I like you!” Simple words, but they echoed in her ears as if spoken yesterday.

Wu Hong saw Zhou Ling’er’s rosy cheeks and was transfixed.

Zhou Ling’er noticed Wu Hong’s gaze, no longer cold as before, and gently remarked, “Grandpa, there are countless geniuses in the world, but to reach the pinnacle, one needs temperament, opportunity, and destiny—all equally important.”

The old man smiled indifferently, shaking his head. “Young friend, choose any book you like—I won’t charge you. Consider it a gift.”

Wu Hong finally looked closely at the scattered books on the ground, feeling a sense of unreality—these were coveted Innate manuals, yet no one recognized their value, treating them as mere rubbish.

He grew increasingly curious about Zhou Ling’er and the old man’s identities. It felt as though an insurmountable gulf separated him from Zhou Ling’er, leaving him unsettled and anxious.

Without even looking at the titles, Wu Hong randomly selected a few books and stored them in his universe ring.

The crowd watched as the books in Wu Hong’s hand suddenly vanished, causing another stir—some ill-intentioned folk plotted to attack him as he left.

But several martial wanderers recognized Wu Hong, their faces changing dramatically. His formidable presence in the Minor World remained vivid in their memories.