## The Palace of Year’s End

Upon the shore stood the Crane Tower, mirrored by the Resting Dragon Stone submerged in the river’s embrace. Wu Shuangjiang, Lord of the Palace of Year’s End, greeted her guests with uncommon hospitality, stepping beyond the gates to welcome the trio that had arrived with such quiet purpose.

A sword cultivator of the Ascended Realm, the spectral beauty Bao Lin, one marked as a potential champion of the Azure Sky.

As they walked along the riverbank, Wu Shuangjiang wove a veil of magic, severing the connection to the heavens and the earth, a ward against prying ears. A necessary precaution, for one side of the wall was the Palace of Year’s End, the other, the Jade Capital itself.

Bao Lin, her expression serene, spoke, “Lord Wu, these are my newly acquired disciples, Lu Yi and Qiu Yuyi. In all these years, they are but the second and third I have taken, and I now entrust them to the Palace of Year’s End.”

The two young sword cultivators gazed upon the famed Lord of the Palace of Year’s End, their eyes wide with curiosity, yet devoid of fear. They were, after all, disciples of Bao Lin.

Their mistress dared to challenge the Unvanquished One, blade to blade, time and again. Could they, her pupils, shrink from the sight of a Grand Adept of the Fourteenth Stage?

Wu Shuangjiang nodded, smiling. “I shall personally guide them in the Way. When they have gained sufficient strength to defend themselves, they may establish their own sects, cleaving two peaks and forging two paths – one of the sword, and one of runes and arrays. I am, in truth, merely competent in the arts of talismans and formations. I pale in comparison to those mountain-dwelling Dao officials who subsist on these arts, but I can claim to be among the foremost in the world. Qiu Yuyi, I believe, is more suited to mastering both disciplines, while Lu Yi may focus solely on the blade.”

Bao Lin retrieved a time-worn grimoire from her sleeve, its pages filled with arcane knowledge. “Ensure that Qiu Yuyi learns all that is contained within.”

Wu Shuangjiang accepted the tome, a playful glint in her eye. “Let me be frank. I can, of course, teach him, and I wager my instruction will be no less potent than the master’s own. However, given Qiu Yuyi’s natural gifts, he may struggle to grasp all that is contained within, even if he devotes his mind and years to it. He may only master seven or eight parts of it. Yet, when the time comes for him to found his own sect, he may find a successor to carry on the lineage of runes and arrays, a worthy disciple to inherit what he could not.”

In the days when the Jade Capital was but three cities and six towers, there were four sworn friends who roamed the Azure Sky together: Yu Dou, Liu Changzhou, the “Filthy Daoist” skilled in runes, Xing Lou, the array master known as “Sky Terrace”, and the swordswoman Bao Lin.

Yu Dou went on to become the second disciple of the Dao Ancestor, and now serves as the Second Instructor within the Jade Capital. Liu Changzhou became the Lord Jiang Zhao of the Violet Aura Tower.

Thus, the secret manual that Bao Lin gifted to Wu Shuangjiang was none other than the lifelong work of the array master, Xing Lou.

Bao Lin’s thoughts echoed in Wu Shuangjiang’s mind. “You once said that to shake the Jade Capital’s foundations, you would need at least three Fourteenth Stage cultivators with sufficient killing power, willing to venture forth and never return. Tell me truly now, beside yourself and Sun Huaizhong of the Xuan Capital Temple, who is the third? Gao Gu of the Flowery Sun Palace? Is he like you, capable of reaching the Fourteenth Stage when needed?”

Wu Shuangjiang shook her head. “Lord Sun is not among the three.”

The implication was clear: Gao Gu, known by the Daoist name “Great Peak”, was the third.

Bao Lin sighed, her voice heavy with resignation. “I have a personal vendetta against him, as do you. Lord Sun and Gao Gu… it seems the same is true for them.”

Wu Shuangjiang disagreed. “Only you and I harbor such pure hatred. The Daoist Sun and Lord Gao do not share that same fire.”

Bao Lin did not press further. Her mind was made up, and she would not concern herself with these details.

Though Gao Gu had many disciples, he had never taken a consort nor fathered children. He held the greatest hope for his youngest disciple, born of the Yang family of Hongnong in You Province, whom he regarded as his own son.

As for the Xuan Capital Temple, the relationship between Lord Sun’s junior apprentice brother and nephew, particularly between his elder sister Wangsun and her junior apprentice brother, was known even to Bao Lin, who cared little for news from the mountain peaks.

Though the heavens were severed, the river breeze still swept across them, gently ruffling the swordswoman’s hair. Her long eyes shone with unyielding determination.

Even as a spirit, the sword cultivator, a pinnacle of the Ascended Realm, remained devoted to her lost love, her heart unwavering through the ages.

Wu Shuangjiang turned to gaze upon the flowing river.

Armies were like water, adapting to the terrain. Water flows from high to low, armies strike at the weak points of the enemy.

When the world was no longer ruled by a single man, the question was, who would be the next ruler.

The Dao Ancestor’s dispersal of Dao, the Grand Instructor Kou Ming’s absence, Yu Dou’s century-long stewardship of the Jade Capital, Lu Chen’s still slumbering dream, and Green Mountain’s inability to command respect in so short a time…

All were necessary.

Wu Shuangjiang chuckled. “If Yu Dou were not truly invincible, would I waste so much time and effort, plotting against him for so long, yet never daring to face him in battle? I would be no better than a clown.”

The world spoke of the “Unvanquished One” because it was the only thing they could use to criticize Yu Dou.

Besides, the title “Unvanquished One” was not something Yu Dou had bestowed upon himself, but rather a title given to him by the outside world.

Sensing a strange disturbance in the heavens, Bao Lin asked, her expression complex, “I know that Zheng Juzhong of White Emperor City is powerful, but is he truly that formidable?”

“The truth of Zheng Juzhong’s power can only be known by those who stand as his rivals on the Path.”

Wu Shuangjiang, without looking up, responded with a smile. “He excels in both Dao Heart and Dao Technique, in martial spirit and martial power.”

Bao Lin said nothing.

Wu Shuangjiang continued, “Since we are allies, Bao Lin, let me take you to a place within the Palace of Year’s End. Over the years, aside from Little White, no one else seems to have ever gone there. The threshold is higher than that of the Ancestral Hall or the Crane Tower.”

Bao Lin nodded. “It would be good to broaden my horizons.”

Wu Shuangjiang stepped forward, and Bao Lin followed. Through the swirling mists, they arrived at a secluded mountain realm devoid of all spiritual energy.

The two young sword cultivators, like a pair of jade figurines, were left behind.

A small mountain, not high, shrouded in clouds, had a small shop at its foot. An old man with a radiant face but dull eyes sat at a table, basking in the sun, puffing on a pipe.

Wu Shuangjiang smiled, explaining to Bao Lin, “This mountain is called Matchmaker, and the shop is called the Betrothal Store. It is the first of its kind in the mortal realm and has stood for many years.”

Inside the house was a beautifully crafted bed, its design intricate. Wu Shuangjiang personally crafted a small piece of it each year, meticulously carving it, never rushing.

It was part of the dowry she was preparing for her daughter.

Wu Shuangjiang greeted him with a smile, “Master Cai, this honored guest is the swordswoman Bao Lin.”

The old man, Cai, glanced at Bao Lin and sighed softly, his eyes filled with pity. “A woman so deeply rooted in love is rare indeed.”

Bao Lin knew not how to respond.

She was not one who boasted of great learning, having dedicated her life to the sword. The Matchmaker Mountain, the Betrothal Store, the old man surnamed Cai… she knew little of them.

Wu Shuangjiang retrieved a satin pouch, shimmering with a faint glow, from her sleeve and gently placed it on the table. “The Jade Capital has been watching closely these past few years, so the harvest is meager.”

The old man glanced at the pouch and nodded. “It matters not. As long as there is hair from a woman of the Five Colored Sky, all is well. Silken hair, it is not the quantity that matters.”

He lifted his gaze to Bao Lin’s hair, his dull eyes suddenly ablaze, as if he had found a treasure.

Wu Shuangjiang smiled. “Would you be willing to offer a lock of your hair to Master Cai, friend Bao Lin?”

Bao Lin did not question Wu Shuangjiang’s motives, nor did she ask why he desired her hair. With a gesture of her fingers, she severed a strand and placed it on the table.

For a cultivator, their soul, blood, even their hair and nails, could be used against them if they fell into the hands of an enemy.

Wu Shuangjiang and Bao Lin sat at the table, while the old man gathered the pouch filled with silken hair and Bao Lin’s offering.

Wu Shuangjiang smiled gently. “Master Cai was once an ancient deity who oversaw the registers of human marriages. His position was not high, but his task – to connect those fated by the red thread – was of great importance to the men and women of the mortal realm. A woman’s hair is her affection, a key ingredient that Master Cai uses to forge the red thread in his Betrothal Store on Matchmaker Mountain. The deeper her affection, the higher the quality of her hair, and the stronger the red thread that is created.”

Wu Shuangjiang did not tell the full story. Hair from both infatuated men and resentful women could be used to forge the red thread, though men’s hair was not as potent.

Moreover, “affection” had a shelf-life; the longer a person had loved and remembered, the better the hair.

However, there was a paradox. A mortal lifespan was rarely over a hundred years. And how could a person be sure that love would never fade over the years? Furthermore, cultivators of the mountain sects were often serene and detached. Couples on the mountain, it was not because they were immortals that their love was deeper, and they might not even compare to common couples. Therefore, rare was the love of Bao Lin, or Cheng Quan who was currently practicing the sword at Resting Dragon Stone.

Master Cai hesitated.

Wu Shuangjiang nodded and smiled. “Had you been able to give Master Cai your hair sooner, perhaps he could have secretly drawn the red thread back then, and succeeded by luck.”

Bao Lin asked in confusion, “Did you and Master Cai want to connect two Grand Adepts?”

Wu Shuangjiang replied with a smile, speaking into Bao Lin’s mind, “The Daoist Priestess with the name ‘Taiyin’ Wu Zhou, and the Daoist with the name ‘Chunyang’ Lu Yan.”

One, a Fourteenth Stage cultivator known for her killing power throughout the Azure Sky. The other, a wandering Daoist from a foreign land who had retired from the Fourteenth Stage.

Master Cai glanced at Bao Lin’s hair and twitched his lips, wanting to say something but holding back.

Wu Shuangjiang could not help but laugh. “If we were to proceed with such a dangerous plan, I fear you would have to remain hidden for at least a decade.”

Bao Lin did not think much of it, merely asking out of curiosity, “Why did you not tell me outright back then?”

Wu Shuangjiang replied, “Firstly, the plan was fraught with peril. I said we would succeed by ‘luck,’ and a misstep could make enemies, leading to disastrous consequences. Wu Zhou and Lu Yan, it would be difficult to provoke either of them, let alone both. Secondly, you and I were not allies back then, and I did not want to owe you a great debt. Besides, you are a sword cultivator, simple in your mind, and your ability to conceal the secrets of the heavens is lacking. I and the Palace of Year’s End could easily suffer great losses.”

Bao Lin laughed. “You are simply saying I am foolish.”

Wu Shuangjiang nodded. “Sword cultivators need not be too clever. Too much cleverness would prevent one from becoming a pure sword cultivator.”

Bao Lin sighed. “You truly dare to dream.”

She had heard rumors, of course, about the Daoist Chunyang Lu Yan. But Wu Zhou, that harpy, how would she be persuaded? Was Wu Shuangjiang not afraid that the Palace of Year’s End would be crushed by a rain of magic treasures?

Wu Shuangjiang smiled. “In the cultivation world, it has always been that the bold are sated while the timid starve. There are exceptions, of course, but one must not become the exception.”

Even if the deed were done and Lu Yan only later knew the truth, his Dao Heart was strong and he might be able to sever the red thread with a single stroke of his sword, refusing to become Wu Zhou’s Daoist partner.

But Wu Zhou might be unwilling to sever the connection, and might even be forced to grudgingly thank Wu Shuangjiang for her efforts as a matchmaker.

Bao Lin said helplessly, “Such words are best left to you.”

Wu Shuangjiang replied, “Yu Dou is simply too skilled, and would not deign to engage in petty intrigues.”

Bao Lin felt a slight discomfort.

Wu Shuangjiang smiled. “It is said that one who is sick for long becomes a doctor. Likewise, those who are enemies for long come to understand each other.”

Most cultivators might scoff at the news of Zheng Juzhong’s challenge to Yu Dou, saying that the invincible one who wore feathers and carried a sword had lost his prestige, stopping at the Upside Down Mountain’s Capture-Release Pavilion, daring not to face Chen Qingdu at Sword Qi Great Wall, yet even a junior, three thousand years his younger, dared to challenge him.

But Wu Shuangjiang, who was destined to clash with Yu Dou, was far more cautious, plotting for many years.

Wu Shuangjiang chuckled. “When I have spare time from my cultivation, I like to play a little game of addition and subtraction.”

Bao Lin said, “I am all ears.”

Wu Shuangjiang did not keep her in suspense.

In the Wild Lands, the most esteemed being was, of course, Bai Ze.

But in second place was something more interesting. It was not any of the ancient demon kings, nor the co-ruler Fei Ran, but the sword cultivator Shou Chen.

However, while many revered Bai Ze, many also hated him, so the gap between them was small.

As for the Vast Lands, the cultivator who garnered the most “support” was also quite interesting.

It was not even the Sage of Rituals, but Zheng Juzhong of White Emperor City!

How many unregistered cultivators regarded White Emperor City as their only holy ground?

Few hated Zheng Juzhong, and even among the registered cultivators, few disliked White Emperor City or Zheng Juzhong.

But the Sage of Rituals, though not hated, was disliked by those who despised red tape, and so all their resentment was attributed to the Sage, and the gap between him and Zheng Juzhong was vast.

In the Azure Sky, after the disappearance of Grand Instructor Kou Ming, no Dao official had ever been as revered as Zheng Juzhong or Bai Ze.

Lu Chen could be ranked first, but the gap between him and the next nine was small, and he only equalled roughly one Lu Zhangjiao.

Bao Lin asked, “What is the point of these calculations?”

Wu Shuangjiang smiled. “It is merely a little game to pass the time.”

Cai Daoheng appeared impassive, but his heart was in turmoil.

A game?

The fate of his hometown of Glazed Pearl Paradise was decided by a similar game, which determined who would be the One.

It was what determined who would be the last one standing on the betting table laid out by the Azure Child Heavenly Lord.

But back then, the old man who ran the wedding shop in town dared not leak this secret to his grandson Hu Feng, and he could only rely on his own luck and fortune.

For every child born in town, the dragon kilns would fire a porcelain object.

First came the drawing of lots.

This already determined who had a good or bad fate.

But this did not determine the final result.

One also had to have a strong fate.

Before the descent of Glazed Pearl Paradise, there was a small test.

After the descent, when it was connected to the world, it was a grand exam.

Cultivators could manifest countless techniques and wonders, influencing the world and the hearts of men to varying degrees.

Could the hearts of men not be able to retroactively “merge into one” again?

If it were truly impossible, then what was the meaning of the hard work of Yuefeng, the “Women’s Sundial” of the Wild Lands, or the ferryman in the Vast Lands who disagreed with the Saint?

Bao Lin asked, “What is it like after merging with the Dao and reaching the Fourteenth Stage?”

Wu Shuangjiang smiled. “It is not something for outsiders to know.”

Bao Lin asked again, “Is there only one path to merging with the Dao?”

Wu Shuangjiang pointed towards the heavens, asking in return, “The existing example is there for all to see, what do you think?”

Bao Lin asked once more, “True body, Yin soul, Yang soul, are these the three paths?”

Wu Shuangjiang shook her head. “That only means there are three ‘selves’ at the Fourteenth Stage. If two paths are connected, they can also merge with the Dao. It can be described as the confluence of two rivers. I have long suspected that this is the original meaning of ‘merging with the Dao’. So the path to merging with the Dao is certainly as numerous as possible. For example, the path of the Azure Sky Cave Master cannot be defined as a single path. Merging with terrestrial fortune is seen as the worst kind of merging, because it is not only the most limited, but it is also nearly impossible to merge with celestial timing or the will of men.”

“The opposite is not true.”

“However, the number of paths a Fourteenth Stage cultivator can take has no absolute relationship with their combat prowess after merging with the Dao.”

“There are new and old paths to merging with the Dao.”

Of the ten heroes of the ancient world, there was the female cultivator Lan Qi, the founder of the art of forging. Hence the saying, “The armory is Lan Qi’s.”

Lan Qi was a female cultivator, as was Wu Zhou. This Daoist Priestess eventually refined herself into a natal object, “human in appearance but heavenly in emptiness,” a form between a deity and a perfected one.

Among the ten heroes, there was also the first cultivator of the ghostly path, the first of the Yin spirits.

And Xu Juan was a ghost, his fortune blessed by the heavens.

As if a position awaited the cultivators.

Just like Zhou Mi, in the end, gave way to Li Gou.

Bao Lin asked, “Master Cai, if I may be so bold, how did you view the world back then?”

Though Bao Lin was a sword cultivator on the list of those who might rule the world, today she resembled a child meeting two old scholars, eager to ask and receive answers.

“There is nothing bold about it.”

The old man mocked himself. “Unfortunately, asking me is no different than asking the blind.”

Bao Lin was even more confused.

The old man was forced to explain. “My position was too low back then, and I could not see the ‘infinite.'”

Bao Lin found it strange and could not help but ask, “Can ‘infinity’ be seen in its entirety?”

Wu Shuangjiang laughed. “We should be grateful that this world is not some precious book.”

The old man hesitated and then said, “It can only be said that the higher one’s position, the closer one’s thoughts, visions, and understanding of the world are to the infinite. However…”

Wu Shuangjiang reminded him, “Master Cai, no more ‘however’. Given our situation today, speaking more will not help.”

The old man nodded.

Above Treasure Bottle Continent, there was a Temple of Autumn Winds that was still masterless.

*Enter my Temple of Autumn Winds, enter my Door of Longing.*

The master of the Temple of Autumn Winds was sure to be a pair of souls united by a true love.

And this Temple of Autumn Winds was something Wu Shuangjiang, Liu Qi, and the deity of marriage Cai Daoheng worked together to repair and build.

Bao Lin asked, “Would you like me to shave my head? It is a meaningless act to me.”

Touching her hair, finding the idea amusing, Bao Lin laughed to herself.

She had forgotten how many years it had been since she had laughed so freely.

Wu Shuangjiang shook her head with a smile. “A strand of hair is a complete expression of love, and the quantity is irrelevant.”

Cai Daoheng suddenly looked at her.

Wu Shuangjiang narrowed her eyes and smiled, interlacing her fingers.

Wu Shuangjiang of the Palace of Year’s End, who had once personally slain his partner, now merged with the Dao with the sentiment, “May all lovers in the world be united.”

***

The land of Tong.

There was a realm that had had visitors recently.

There was only one hill with a stone tablet that had “Earth” above and “Sky” below.

The text was vertical archaic script. *May they never be freed!*

There was a copper coin on the stone tablet.

The stele and the sword suppressed the force in the land.

A large man in linen clothes climbed the land.

The golden light scattered from the stele, and the sword at the top hopped up and down, held down by the man.

At the top, there was a woman with a bamboo basket.

She remembered nothing. As she went back, she considered how the text was not damaged, but the idea behind the text decreased. She wanted to take the sword, but she could not.

Touching the sword would set the land “on fire,” a flame that flowed and covered the world.

A “scholar” had helped clean up the mess. The scholar said she would be able to leave in months to a year.

The man stared at the woman, and the woman stared at the man.

It was a reunion after ten thousand years.

The man spoke as softly as he could. “I have thought of you.”

The woman shook her head, frowning, looking at him. “I do not remember you.”

The man laughed. “It is fine, I remember you.”

She asked, “Why didn’t you find me earlier?”

The man said softly, “I thought you were gone.”

The man clenched his heart and spoke in a hoarse voice. “I thought you were only in here.”

The woman stepped forward and cupped his face.

The man clasped her hand, warming her. “It is fine, it is fine. It is you I am bound to.”

Ten thousand years ago, his skill had not been enough, and he had suffered the consequences.

As a proper man, a little suffering was nothing.

Being slain was the worst outcome.

Being unconscious, his soul destroyed, his body scattered – these were nothing.

He had promised the three teachers to keep her out of it, and they had agreed.

Then he learned that she had lost control of her body and was now a ghost, and that she had destroyed the realm. Then she had killed herself. He did not doubt the scheme, and the three mountains had said there had been no scheme. So he had asked her whereabouts. Both the scholars had been unable to answer.

He was clear that the higher one’s realm, the less they would be able to turn back after death.

He looked at her. “But I am sad you have been suffering.”

She smiled. “There must have been a reason.”

Seeing him was because of the land.

Without this place, there would be no place for her in the realm.

The man spoke. “I don’t care about the reasons.”

The woman held out the basket and smiled. “I don’t know why, but there is always a drop of water in the basket, unmoving.”

The man touched it, then placed the water on her brow.

It spread like a lotus.

She was lifted up.

The man rose and turned West, clasped his hands, and whispered, “Thank you, Buddha. For your mercy, help, and salvation.”

***

The land of Qing, province of You.

At the Mountain of Earth, in the Flowery Sun Palace, a young-looking man cultivated, writing books, under a tree that he had planted as a child.

He called to his three disciples, who were 3,000 years old, and 100 years old, respectively.

They were Yin Xian, Nan Qiang, and Gao Fu.

Yin Xian was an Immortal, lord of the Emerald Tower.

Nan Qiang was a swordwoman, stuck in the jade realm.

Gao Fu was the youngest, having been stuck in the nascent soul stage, holding no official position.

But when Gao Fu had made his gold, he had been led to the mountain to plant a tree that had been as tall as him.

There was also an outsider.

There was a tall Daoist who came out of the library.

There was a myriad of texts within the mountain.

At the top, there was an entrance to the 6th Cave, and the stranger served as a gatekeeper.

It was clear that Lord Gao thought of him as an insider.

They sat under a tree.

Yin Xian had never seen the man before.

He dared not ask.

Lord Gao said, “Old Daoist, named Mao Zhui, with the title ‘White Bone.'”

The disciples were shocked.

There were many candidates for ruler of the land, but none had been seen as lightweights.

Many had been on the list, unable to join due to different reasons.

This list had not only those with titles but rather the ones that had power.

On the list, there was a name with a Daoist title and no name – the White Bone person.

What was stranger was that it was known that the White Bone man was one of the five dreams of Lord Lu of the Jade.

Gao Gu asked, “Mao Zhui, who do you think is fit to be the next mountain ruler?”

Mao Zhui said, “Ruler? Not of Flowery Sun Palace?”

Gao Gu said, “Of the mountain.”

“If it is just of the land, Nan Qiang.”

Mao Zhui then spoke bluntly. “Gao Fu is talented, but his Dao Heart is weak. A touch from the Lus will shatter his will. The Wu from The Palace of Year’s End will not be able to take him.”

Yin Xian looked over at his lord. Did he mind the man saying such things about his brother?

Nan Qiang thought that maybe the man was trying to woo her, but he was suggesting that a mere Jade be the lord? Absurd.

“Yin Xian is too old and weak. To me, he has nothing.”

Yin Xian breathed a sigh of relief, he was fine with hearing whatever Mao Zhui said.

The outsider then began to criticize his brother.

“If Gao Fu is so bad, it is your fault for being a bad master. You should have been harder on him. He hears so much hype that he is ignorant. After a hundred years of easy practice, he thinks too highly of himself. In truth, he is rotten. If the Lu of the Jade finds out, or if he meets the Chen of the Great Wall, he would not know death. If he can make it back, I will give him a kowtow. I will pave the road for him, even if it dirties his boots.”

“In this time of peace, he can stay in the mountain. But when war breaks out, it will be the end of the land.”

“Gao Gu, what were you thinking, always comparing him to one who is dead?”

Mao Zhui laughed. “I am done. May I read again?”

Gao Fu did not get angry, but he felt aggrieved and faced outside the mountain.

He was not stupid. He knew that his master compared him to a brother that had died, since his first day.

So he had erred on purpose, wanting his master to speak to him.

Mao Zhui was about to stand.

Gao Gu said, “Let Gao Fu be the ruler.”

Mao Zhui laughed. “You had your mind made up? Why waste my words?”

Gao Gu laughed. “Hearing from an outsider is nothing more than that.”

Mao Zhui rose and gave a thumbs up. “If you ever want anything from me again, call me stupid.”

Gao Gu smiled. “The ruler is chosen. Are you not staying, Lord Mao?”

Mao Zhui settled down, softly asking, “Why?”

Gao Gu rose. “Continue to talk. I have things to do. Yin Xian, come down with me.”

Yin Xian spoke, “Yes, Lord.”

They went down together.

Yin Xian spoke. “It is my fault for being slow, unable to rise to be an Immortal.”

Gao Gu said, “Talk of skill is meaningless. You have been managing the land. You have been more than a master could ask for.”

Yin Xian wished he could not hear these words, even if it was decades from now.

Gao Gu patted the man. “You are kind, you are all kind to me. If you are kind to others, all will be well.”

Yin Xian was moved to tears.

Gao Gu sat on the stairs. “Yin Xian, let’s look at the view.”

Gao Gu patted his knee, looking up with a smile. “It is hard to get a human form. A sword cannot be kept in a box. The field of view is too much.”

“Yin Xian, do not let the land become something for people to avoid. A martial heart, a good spirit – these are good, but you also need the spirit to roll in the mud. Protect those who are, and let the palace rise to the next level.”

The Mountain of Earth was a blessing, with a lesser paradise within.

Outside, there were clouds of spiritual energy, moving to the land.

The mountain was home to many, and a listener to Gao Gu was sure to be a spirit, demon, ghost, or monster.

In the false land, were thousands of Daoists, and they heard it.

With those with the right skill.

At that moment, Gao Gu was on top of the building and also with White Bone in the mountain.

As one who was at the stage, Gao Gu never took both his souls out.

Gao Gu said, “The saint spoke. So the swordsman A Liang was able to make the art.”

The saint had traveled the land of Qing.

White Bone nodded. “The saint is skilled. I don’t know how A Liang did it.”

White Bone asked, “You’re not relying on pills, are you?”

Gao Gu said, “Yes, and no.”

White Bone tapped his foot. “You didn’t refine this thing?”

Gao Gu was known as “Giant Peak.”

In Qing, mountains were worth more than water.

Using the land as a mountain to be refined.

Gao Gu laughed. “The Jade would not allow me to cause such movement.”

White Bone let it be.

Fourteenth stage cultivators were not to let too many people know their ways.

Gao Gu asked, “If you want to cut off the way for Lu Chen to reach the fifteenth stage, what would you do?”

White Bone reached for the railing and was silent. “Do what the old sword did for the wild. Arrive at the stage at Yue Feng. From there…”

Gao Gu said, “Separate the land.”

The Blue Sky master had spoken about it with Lu Chen.

How hard was it to kill Lu Chen?

To divide one’s force into dreams and hearts was impressive.

Chen Ping had pierced Lu Chen’s weakness with his words.

For three thousand years, Lu Chen had stood alone.

It had been easy for Lu Chen to turn the page as the world stood still.

However, once Lu Chen was in a state of action, it would lead to chaos.

Like the world of Qing, a formerly beautiful woman would become ugly.

Those on the board who wanted to wrest power from the Jade, men like Xin Ku, Jiang Xian, Qing, Mian, and Hao, would be enemies to Lu Chen. All would be a wall that Lu Chen must destroy to move forward.

“Nearly all are unable to manifest what is within their hearts.”

“We are good at talking.”

“Those who are able to achieve their aims have been few. Men like Zhou of the Wilds, with careful thought. Those who are able to go above are few. Men like Zheng, who are able to do things that haven’t been done for a long time. Cui can perform great things.”

White Bone said, “What about Chen, with so much renown? Do you see anything in him?”

Gao Gu shook his head with a laugh. “He is kind. Still, it is good. He is young, so we may have to wait.”

“The Jade will rise and fall with Yu Dou.”

“It is correct and wrong.”

“A true hero.”

“Before 10,000 years, and after 10,000 years – the Ancestor, Yu Dou, and another. These three.”

White Bone sighed. “Yu Dou is strong, but he is nothing like Lu Chen.

Gao Gu spoke. “You are going all the way.”

The Mao Zhui and the Gao spoke at the same time, “Why?”

Gao Gu offered no answer, but he spoke words for the future.

“Mao Zhui, I have selected the next one for you. His name is Mao. Wait for him.”

White Bone nodded. “When you leave, the realm will be empty.”

Gao Gu laughed. “Be like me, always. Unless it is a happy thing.”

White Bone said, “I cannot. I am a pessimist.”

Gao Gu said, “You are not a man. Just a frame of bones.”

White Bone said, “That is not funny.”

Gao Gu nodded. “Indeed.”

White Bone glanced down. “Not even a short one.”

White Bone was swatted, flying away, nearly shattering to pieces.

This time, Gao was speaking about how Daoists could become men.

Three sections about souls.

A section about building a human world.

A section about swords and equality.

This would be useful for all the realms.

As Gao Gu sat, he would burn incense.

The monks would take a seat in the land, to listen.

“Ordinary men have three souls and seven wisps. Think too hard, and you can lose them. Stare too long, and you damage the mind.”

“The mind has gods, the livers have souls, the lungs have wisps. To train is to go against nature, to become a person, to make pills and infants, and to rise above the world.”

This was just the start.

In the fake land, the people listened intently, hoping to make it somewhere.

In the real land, Gao Gu said it out loud, “Five hundred years too early, one thousand years too late.”