On their journey to the Central Plains, Qi Tingji led the sword cultivators, while among the martial artists, Chen Ping’an only brought Zheng Dafeng, the first gatekeeper of Fallen Leaf Mountain.
They would use the Three Mountains Talismans for intercontinental travel, with three chosen locations: Restful Dragon Stone in the Southern Sea, the Mountain Sea Sect located on the Central Plains coast, and the Central Peak of the Great Cassia Dynasty, with its capital built at the foot of the mountain.
As Zhusu needed to enter seclusion immediately at the thatched hut beside the Returning Sword Lake, Ning Yao was responsible for protecting her during her retreat.
During their flight, mountains stretched below them. They resembled divine maidens in frescoes, soaring through the void together. Zhusu thanked Ning Yao, who told her not to be a stranger. In truth, both were being very polite.
Perhaps, as the young girl Sun Chunwang had said, even if people from the same hometown were born in the same place, they might not necessarily feel an immediate affinity for each other when in a foreign land.
This matter could not be delayed. If Zhusu’s Dao heart regressed and her spiritual connection vanished, given that she had already been forced out of seclusion twice, what was originally a sure bet for breaking through to the Immortal realm would become uncertain. Therefore, Zhusu had to strike while the iron was hot and seize the opportunity to break through and ascend to the Immortal realm.
Xiao Mi Li and the others were setting out on their travels tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow was Liu Xianyang and She Yue’s wedding day. Zhu Lian would remain on the mountain. After making breakfast, he would immediately rush to Longquan Sword Sect to meet up with Old Daoist Jia.
Xiao Mo had long ago taken a fancy to a spot in Grey Mist Mountain, a place called Golden Lotus Pond, where he would build his Daoist sanctuary in the future.
He had wanted to accompany his Young Master to the Great Cassia, but Chen Ping’an found him too low in cultivation now, saying it was unclear who would end up sacrificing themselves for whom, and directly sent Xiao Mo to Grey Mist Mountain.
Xie Gou asked if the Mountain Master would cause havoc in the Great Cassia imperial palace. The answer was that it depended on the situation. Since a Deputy Head of the Confucian Temple had arrived there first, it probably wouldn’t be too chaotic.
Hearing that someone from the Confucian Temple was present, Xie Gou changed her mind and accompanied Xiao Mo to Golden Lotus Pond, letting the newly promoted Second Ranked Offering, Old Deafy, take her place as the Mountain Master’s bodyguard. Old Deafy knew the importance of the matter and agreed, though missing tonight’s scheduled Daoist lecture was like having a piece of his flesh torn away, leaving him extremely vexed and thinking about how to make up for it.
Grey Mist Mountain, to the north, was only a few steps away from Fallen Leaf Mountain. There was a small pond in the mountain’s flank. Xiao Mo landed gracefully, taking out a crystal-clear “snail shell” from his sleeve. Xie Gou, recognizing its value, exclaimed it was a good item. Xiao Mo smiled and explained that it was a parting gift from Daoist friend Bi Xiao when they drank at the Guan Dao Temple last time.
Xiao Mo casually tossed the snail shell onto the muddy ground beside the Golden Lotus Pond. Reciting a Daoist incantation silently, a snail shell sanctuary emerged in the thick clouds in the blink of an eye. Stepping inside, passing through corridors and walkways, Xie Gou suddenly became enraged. Inside the sanctuary were countless colorful “jade figures” sculpted from emerald water essence, with bright eyes and white teeth, their delicate hair ornaments swaying. They bustled endlessly through the halls and corridors, emanating a strong scent of perfume. Xiao Mo simply ignored them and walked directly to a tall building with a dozen or so plaques hanging at various heights, intending to recover there.
Fortunately, he had once possessed four 본명飛劍 (benming feijian, life-bound flying swords). One was given away and one was destroyed, leaving him with two.
One was “True Trace,” capable of replicating the divine abilities of others. The other was “Drunkard’s Home,” which could imprison souls. His Young Master had named both flying swords.
Whether he could return to the Fourteenth Realm was highly uncertain; he could only do his best and leave the rest to fate.
Those jade figures chirped and danced together, but Xie Gou was no longer angry. This was because she had a change of heart, thinking that this place would also be a good wedding chamber.
What was wrong with having more maids in a prominent household? Moreover, this was a celestial palace, her and Xiao Mo’s mandarin duck sanctuary. It needed some ornate patterns as embellishments.
Xiao Mo raised his palm, and a slender thread of sword intent meandered along the lines on his palm, like a lotus root fiber extending up his finger and swirling around it. A muddy yellow spherical bead, resembling a mud pellet, spun in the center of his palm. Xiao Mo explained, “Zhao Tianlai from Longhu Mountain previously saved me from certain death. The Heavenly Master Dao’s power is truly immense; they were able to spare the effort to help me gather some residual flying sword ‘Lotus Fiber’ and the remaining Grand Dao from that extraterrestrial star. Patching and reconstructing my life-bound flying sword ‘Lotus Fiber’ in the near future is a luxury, but it is not difficult to use the life-bound divine ability of ‘True Trace’ to replicate a lesser imitation of ‘Lotus Fiber,’ a secondary ‘True Trace.’ Young Master said that when you and I can both again prove our Dao and ascend, we can travel to the extraterrestrial realms. If we are lucky, we may find an extraterrestrial star that aligns with my fate and have the opportunity to start anew.”
Xie Gou nodded and said, “Achieving this is incredibly difficult, but at least it preserves a glimmer of hope. Heavenly Master Zhao is truly noble. We must visit Longhu Mountain together in the future and thank him in person.”
Xiao Mo nodded, deeply in agreement.
Since the world had become clear and the human mountains and rivers were enchanting and varied, the grudges on the path should also be settled.
Arriving at Restful Dragon Terrace, which formerly belonged to Lushui Pit and was now under the jurisdiction of the Southern Sea Water Mansion, they respectfully offered incense according to custom to the Venerable Sir of the Three Mountains and Nine Marquis.
As soon as Zheng Dafeng heard that the Northern Mountain Monarch of the Great Cassia Dynasty was a female ancestor of the Yin clan, and that she was a beauty among those of the mountain realm, like Song Pin and Nie Cuie, he immediately dragged Cui Dongshan and Vice Mountain Master Jiang to the Mountain Sea Sect after offering incense at Restful Dragon Terrace. Upon reaching this famous coastal sect, they paid no mind to the scenic beauty, seemingly finding beauties more appealing.
Qi Tingji and the other sword cultivators, including Lu Zhi, stayed at the Mountain Sea Sect for nearly an incense stick’s worth of time. They met the founder of the sect, Na Lan Xianxiu.
Na Lan Xianxiu was skilled in fire arts and had once left the mountain to battle with Yang Zhi from the Barbarian Desolation at sea. She had suffered heavy losses and had been in seclusion for recent years. This time, she emerged out of politeness.
Had she not intercepted Yang Zhi first, preventing this king-ranked great demon from escaping into the Guixu, perhaps Liu Qi would not have arrived at the battlefield in time, and thus would not have been able to completely defeat Yang Zhi’s water divine abilities with his three hundred and sixty spells.
Na Lan Xianxiu, upon hearing their purpose to cause trouble at the Great Cassia Dynasty, couldn’t help but smile. With a twist of her wrist, she picked up a purple bamboo pipe with a jadeite mouthpiece, pinched out some tobacco, and began to puff out clouds of smoke.
Zheng Dafeng and the others arrived at the highest peak of the Great Cassia’s Central Peak first. The sprawling capital city lay at the foot of the mountain. Their sudden appearance drew accusations from a group of divine maidens from the Great Peak Inspection Division, who felt that these few outsiders who had trespassed on the Central Peak, despite their humanlike appearance, were not benevolent individuals.
Had these uninvited guests, whose identities were temporarily unknown, not bypassed the heavily restricted mountain-protecting formations with some secret technique, they would have been apprehended and interrogated first.
Cui Dongshan stepped forward to deal with them, striking a Golden Rooster Stands on One Leg pose and engaging in a self-dialogue in operatic tones… The divine maidens, who had already unleashed various magical treasures, exchanged glances, unsure for a moment whether they should arrest them.
On the cliffside of the Mountain Sea Sect, the sea wind was mighty, and the sound of the tides at night was particularly clear. The Mountain Master’s silhouette in his green robe was nowhere to be seen.
Na Lan Xianxiu was silent for a moment and said, “Tell your Mountain Master to be extra careful in the near future. It’s best not to wander around carelessly.”
Qi Tingji asked in confusion, “Why?”
The area of the Mountain Sea Sect was the site of an ancient battlefield where fire and water clashed. Since Na Lan Xianxiu had established her sect here, it made sense for her to know some “heavenly secrets” that were not to be revealed.
Na Lan Xianxiu was even more surprised and asked in return, “Has Chen Ping’an not confided the truth to you?”
Lu Zhi frowned and said, “We humbly request Senior Na Lan to enlighten us.”
Na Lan Xianxiu said, “Zhou Mi attempted to encompass heaven and earth with the divine path, allowing him to act on behalf of heaven, or rather, Zhou Mi himself would become the ‘Dao’.”
“Chen Ping’an went against this and ruined Zhou Mi’s plan to achieve unity.”
“Then let me ask you, if you were the ‘divine path,’ how would you view Chen Ping’an?”
Qi Tingji was shaken by these words, but during the use of the Three Mountains Talisman, returning to Restful Dragon Terrace was impossible. Moreover, there were no other islands nearby for contemplation, so he was immediately filled with worry.
Lu Zhi tentatively asked, “Would he be seen as an ungrateful white-eyed wolf?”
Na Lan Xianxiu was momentarily speechless. She blew out wisps of smoke, suppressing a smile, and slowly said, “I was originally going to call him a ‘house thief,’ but what Mr. Lu said is more accurate.”
Mi Yu pressed on, “If that happens, what will be the consequences?”
Na Lan Xianiu spoke frankly, her words shocking and leaving no room for misunderstanding, “What consequences could there be? Either suffer prolonged heavenly displeasure, or endure a heavenly tribulation in the short term.”
Qi Tingji understood. Chen Ping’an’s cultivation realm, having dropped to zero, was not only a helpless and involuntary act but also a response to the situation… a form of escape?
At Restful Dragon Terrace, Chen Ping’an stood by the shore, scooping up water to wash his face.
Beside him was Liu Xiang, a manifestation of the Grand Dao of the Vast Ocean.
Liu Xiang said, “The best strategy is to hide in the Confucian Temple and await the arrival of this heavenly tribulation, allowing the entire Vast Ocean to share the burden. The middle strategy is to quickly construct two cross-continental long bridges and remain within the Fallen Leaf Mountain sanctuary, allowing the three eastern continents, including the Great Li Dynasty, to bear this calamity together. The worst strategy is, since you have been close to the Grand Dao of water since you were young, why not give it a try. Chen Ping’an, have you truly thought this through?”
Chen Ping’an raised his head, shook his hands, and smiled, “No need to think.”
The group of people left the capital overnight on horseback, the sound of hoofbeats echoing, heading to the nearest immortal ferry crossing to board a ferry that regularly traveled between Changchun Palace and Old Dragon City.
Leading the cavalry was Liu Jian, the leader of the Fish Dragon Gang, renowned as the Handsome Strategist. He brought seven or eight elite gang members with him, heading south to personally establish two branch headquarters in the two neighboring countries south of the Great River. The Great Li Dynasty had such a vast territory that if one were to rely solely on horseback travel, with Liu Jian’s talent and knowledge, he could probably write a travelogue.
Before leaving the capital, Liu Jian made a trip to his gang’s headquarters in the outer city. He personally executed the few gang elders who had tampered with the “tea money,” cleaning up the mess in less than fifteen minutes. Firstly, Liu Jian was a Golden Body realm martial artist, making him a true minor master in the martial world. Secondly, who could have imagined that Liu Jian, a gang leader who was extremely considerate of his subordinates, would suddenly erupt in violence and kill people without warning?
Besides the Fish Dragon Gang entourage, there were two “attendants” whom Liu Jian believed he couldn’t afford to lose even half a life for with his ten lives: the noble young master Cao Lue and the handsome young man Lu Jun.
Liu Jian was not yet aware of their precise true identities, but just based on the fact that they could chat with the State Preceptor Chen outside the Alpha-ranked courtyard at Old Oriole Lake, Liu Jian had a general idea.
To be honest, if given the choice and able to refuse, Liu Jian would absolutely not be willing to venture into any jianghu with these two “young chivalrous heroes” whose statuses were as high as the heavens.
In today’s jianghu, what was there to venture into? It was all knives of human relationships and fists of scheming and backstabbing. The competition wasn’t about virtue or martial arts prowess, but about backing from officials and influential people behind the scenes.
Just take Liu Jian himself, wasn’t he relying on that Sixth Master?
The cavalry chose a fork in the road leading to the ferry crossing. The distance was longer, but the main road was extremely congested with traffic. Taking the small path was faster and quieter, avoiding any unexpected complications.
The young master named Cao Lue was riding alongside Liu Jian at this time, clearly skilled in horsemanship. His clothes fluttered in the wind, looking very dashing.
Cao Lue’s face was full of anticipation. He smiled and asked, “Strategist, I heard that back in Luoyang, you and Helian Baozhu, that is, the female hero of the Invincible Divine Fist Gang, Helian, had a period of joint investigations to slay demons and evil spirits, fought your way into devil’s den-like sanctuaries to kill fierce creatures, and lived a jianghu life like immortal couples, without any outside help?”
Liu Jian was immediately flustered by the storytelling style of these words, reminiscent of a bridge-side novelette. However, due to the other party’s special status, Liu Jian had to patiently explain, “Those are just exaggerations from the outside world. They’re overstating things. The so-called evil spirits were just a rogue ‘flower picker’ at the观海境 (Guanhai Realm, Sea Watching Realm). As for that evil entity occupying the wild marsh’s cave dwelling, secretly establishing idolatrous shrines and favoring the consumption of boys and girls, it was just a Longmen Realm practitioner not skilled in combat.”
Lu Jun was startled and impressed, “Sea Watching Realm and Dragon Gate Realm, are they just ‘nothing more’ and ‘just’ to the Strategist? Strategist, you are truly amazing. Working together with Heroine Helian, you turned those villains and fierce creatures into ashes with just a laugh. We are filled with admiration, filled with admiration!”
Gao Shi, who was trailing at the rear of this cavalry team, had the ancestral treasured saber “Green Waist” hanging from his waist. This martial artist, stuck at the peak of the mountain realm bottleneck, was almost falling asleep listening to them.
Liu Jian was going south for some minor activities, and Cao Ao and Lu Jun were just full of energy with nothing to do. Only he, Gao Shi, had the most miserable fate, being sent on a confidential mission by his superior to “accompany the princes in their studies.”
He had originally intended to enlist in the Great Li frontier army with full enthusiasm, but he was persuaded by the young Hidden Official with reason and emotion, so he transferred to the City Patrol Division as a low-level clerk. As a result, the first assignment he received after starting work under Hong Ji was to “secretly” protect those two heavenly born nobles of the same surname as the country. Commander Hong, haven’t you read a book? Is this how you phrase things? What kind of secret operation is this?
Ahead on the small road, several riders blocked the center, their forms indistinct. Liu Jian raised his arm, and the cavalry suddenly stopped. Liu Jian, riding ahead, said nothing unnecessary, just rode forward slowly alone.
As he got closer, he saw clearly and Liu Jian breathed a sigh of relief. The other party was two men and two women. Liu Jian was filled with doubt. Why did the Sixth Master also come?! Didn’t they say that family control was strict, so how could he go out? To see them off? Liu Jian didn’t think he had such status. Could it be that the Sixth Master’s family had a long-standing relationship with Cao Lue and Lu Jun?
Liu Jian also recognized the two women beside the Sixth Master. Yu Rong from the State Preceptor’s Manor! She was an absolutely formidable person. Previously in that “official hall,” Yu Rong could speak freely.
There was also a young female cultivator who had appeared on the wall of Old Oriole Lake, one of the “Earth Branches” according to State Preceptor Chen. As for her name and lineage, Liu Jian was just a jianghu wanderer, so of course, he didn’t have such well-informed news from the mountains. To put it bluntly, Liu Jian felt that he wasn’t some jianghu hero, but rather that the jianghu was wandering him. This was because after leaving Old Oriole Lake, Liu Jian had a more intuitive personal feeling: the real jianghu was actually called the imperial court.
Yu Rong was dressed in brocade, with a graceful demeanor. She said, “Liu Jian, the Sixth Master wants to travel south with you. Mr. Yan was worried, so he brought me here to have a look.”
Liu Jian nodded, not daring to raise any objections.
“Huang Lian,” who was nicknamed Sixth Master, had a strange expression.
Yu Rong said, “Young Master Cao, Young Master Lu, Mr. Yan has something to discuss. Let’s move over and talk.”
Cao Ao and Lu Jun rode closer. The “Mr. Yan” was the first to turn his horse and move forward. After they caught up, he said with a smile via telepathy, “My name is Yan Jiaoran, from the Purple Illumination Yan clan. This time, I am accompanying Miss Yu Rong out of the capital. Besides escorting the Sixth Master to meet you, there is also something that the State Preceptor’s Manor wants to ask. Miss Yu Rong, I won’t ask on your behalf, will I?”
Liu Jian and the others all stopped their horses in place.
Speaking of the Purple Illumination Yan clan, one of the surnames of the Great Li Dynasty’s highest-ranking officials, most people in the court and public knew only of Yan Yongfeng, the Minister of the Court of State Ceremonials, but they didn’t know who the unofficial Yan Jiaoran was.
However, Yan Jiaoran was an undisputed confidant of the Embroidered Tiger because he was the one who selected and arranged all the army cultivators in the entire Great Li Dynasty, and he could decide their promotions, demotions, and even life and death without consulting State Preceptor Cui Chan.
Truly top-tier aristocratic families and powerful clans were either capable of excelling in a certain “line,” such as the Guan family and the Ministry of Personnel, or the Cao family and the border army. Or they were like the Yan family, with individuals relied upon by the emperor in both the foreground and background, and assistants to the State Preceptor.
Yu Rong smiled and nodded, transmitting her voice secretly, “Cao Ao, during this trip to Bottle Gourd Continent, are you truly not being secretly followed by any attendants from the Great End Dynasty?”
Cao Ao nodded and said, “No.”
Yu Rong asked with a smile, “Truly not?”
Cao Ao nodded forcefully and said, “Truly not, absolutely true!”
Yu Rong didn’t ask further and turned to question Lu Jun, “Lu Jun, is True Person Yang also at ease with you traveling alone?”
Lu Jun smiled and said, “What’s there to worry about? Within the borders of the Great Li, ordinary thieves and bandits can’t stop us, and even the great bandits and villains in the mountains wouldn’t dare to be impudent when they encounter us.”
Yu Rong nodded, “Caution makes the longest voyage. Mr. Yan has arranged for Han Zhoujin, one of the Earth Branch cultivators, to travel with you. We hope the two young masters won’t find us troublesome.”
Cao Ao quickly said, “It’s no inconvenience, how could it be?”
Yu Rong smiled slightly, “Han Zhoujin already has a man she likes.”
Cao Ao and Lu Jun exchanged glances. The two princes, in unison, sighed heavily.
Finally, Yu Rong looked at the Sixth Master and said, “Sixth Master, when you are outside, remember to speak and act cautiously.”
Song Lian laughed and said, “Sister Yu Rong, I know, I know. I will treat Sister Yu Rong’s words as imperial decrees.”
Yu Rong frowned slightly and stared, “Don’t just let it go in one ear and out the other.”
Song Lian narrowed her eyes with a smile and cupped her hands, “Certainly, certainly.”
Song Lian and Yu Rong were not strangers. In the past, when she went to the State Preceptor’s Manor, she didn’t have much to say to Fu Qing, but she had a very good relationship with Sister Yu Rong.
This was also one of the reasons why Yan Jiaoran had Han Zhoujin accompany them. After all, Song Lian was a princess of the Great Li Song clan, and she was a woman.
Song Lian carefully transmitted her voice to Yu Rong, asking, “Why is my father willing to let me leave the capital?”
Yu Rong replied indifferently, “Since the Sixth Master dares not ask His Majesty, I naturally dare not ask the State Preceptor.”
Song Lian had no choice but to continue guessing the reason.
Regardless, this was her first time truly immersing herself in the jianghu, haha! She was determined to make a name for herself as “unmatched from north to south.” Just like… just like a certain person.
Afterwards, Liu Jian rode past slowly, not forgetting to cup his hands to that “Miss Yu Rong.” His subordinates, who didn’t understand the situation, simply followed their leader’s example. Yu Rong cupped her hands in return to them.
After that cavalry team sped up their horses to reach the ferry crossing, Yu Rong whispered, “Gong Yan, thank you for secretly protecting them.”
A beautiful woman in palace attire appeared out of thin air on the road, smiling enchantingly, “How could I disobey the King of Luo’s command?”
The second prince, Song Xu, stood by the roadside, watching his sister ride away on horseback.
In his youth, he had ambitions in all directions. Having read ten thousand volumes of books, he would resolutely leave home, carry his satchel to seek knowledge, travel across the country, walk ten thousand miles, traverse the great mountains and rivers on foot, and visit the territories of a hundred prefectures. Upon returning home, he would then lament, like the ancient sages, “The Dao is here.”
In the waters of the Vast Ocean’s Southern Sea, a green figure leaped high from Restful Dragon Terrace and plunged into the seabed.
Earlier, Liu Xiang had issued a decree, dismissing all sentient water creatures within ten thousand li.
In the heart of the Barbarian Desolation, Chen Qingliu, who had been confronting Bai Ze, finally retracted his life-bound flying sword. The mountains and rivers within a radius of ten thousand li, which had appeared static and unchanged, instantly shattered like cracking ice when he sheathed his sword. This was an supreme divine ability that had frozen the river of time itself.
Bai Ze’s expression was calm. He flicked his sleeve, dispersing the lingering sword qi around him. Fei Ran felt deeply shocked. Putting himself in that position, he knew he could never achieve such effortless ease as Lord Bai Ze.
Zheng Juzhong’s Yin Spirit and Yang Spirit, both Fourteenth Realm cultivators, proceeded separately, one in the south and one in the north. Xiao Xuan went south. She intended to rally a force there and establish a sect in the divided territory of the Barbarian Desolation.
In the southeastern part of the Barbarian Desolation, Zheng Juzhong’s true body was still traveling slowly through the mountains and rivers with a few of Zhou Mi’s direct disciples from yesteryear, not in a hurry to meet up with Xiao Xuan.
In Qizhou of the Azure Firmament, in the Xuandu Temple, Bai Ye, wearing a tiger-head hat, closed his door again for cultivation. The new abbot, Wang Sun, quietly went out and found Wu Zhou.
In Ruzhou, at the obscure Lingjing Temple, Chang Bo and the young boy Chen Cong were nowhere to be found, leaving behind only a letter. It said they had gone to visit relatives. At the end of the letter, some words were quite inspiring, saying that if they were lucky and recognized their relatives, they could bring back a large sum of incense money for the temple.
For the Grand Dao, for the common people, for wealth, for livelihood, for today for tomorrow, people are always so busy in this world.