Chapter 118: The Living Puppet Captures a 1000-Year Black Python (10,000-word update, subscribe!!)

In the fourteenth year of Xingping, on January the thirteenth.

A world of flying snow stretched ten thousand miles, and the cold wind cut like a knife, leaving the land desolate.

Jiangnan Dao was graced with its second heavy snowfall.

Yu State City was cloaked in silver, transformed into a white oceanic expanse.

At the city gates, the flow of people coming and going was incessant, cries of hawkers filled the air, and ox carts and horses treaded slowly on their way.

At this moment, Li Fuzhou and Zhou Xianming were mounted upon two tall steeds, their hooves crunching in the snow, while the horses snorted continuously.

Today was the day designated for their departure.

Han Wenxin, clad in black constable uniform, shouted with authority, “Old Zhou, consider these two fine horses my contribution to your journey. Should you return with honors, don’t forget my kindness. Haven’t you scholars always said, ‘A drop of water in need shall be returned with a spring in deed.'”

An Jing and Zhao Qingmei stood to the side, laughing upon hearing Han Wenxin’s words.

These two horses were procured by Han Wenxin from the Equerry, and as one of the two chief constables in Yu State City, his status was neither high nor low, but he was a leader of sorts. Combined with his popular favor on ordinary days, and with some silver expended to smooth over relationships, getting two good horses was not a particularly difficult feat.

Zhou Xianming deftly tugged at the reins and couldn’t help but retort, “You’re banking on hoped-for recompense, you’ve got no conscience.”

“You dare say I have no conscience?”

Han Wenxin’s eyebrows shot up, and he jumped up in indignation, “Then dismount this instant! These came at the expense of my own hard-earned money, do you realize how scarce silver is to me?”

Han Wenxin’s complaint was not without merit; only when collecting his monthly salary could he pull out some silver, and at other times, he did not even have a few copper coins to his name. For him to lead two good horses today really cost him a fair sum.

Zhou Xianming’s mouth gaped, and finally he replied sheepishly, “I understand. What, you just want me to treat you to a visit to the courtesans’ district to listen to music, right?”

Pleased with the response, Han Wenxin nodded satisfactorily, “While you’re away, don’t worry; I shall pay frequent visits to that oiran and look after her a little on your behalf.”

“You dare!”

Upon hearing this, Zhou Xianming seemed unable to contain himself any longer, his eyes bulging.

“See, just mention that brothel girl and look how agitated you become,” Han Wenxin said irritably. “They say scholars harbor grand aspirations, how come you’re showing such petty bourgeois spirit?”

Off to the side, Li Fuzhou gave a fist salute to Zhao Qingmei, “Miss, master-in-law, it’s bitterly cold outside, please return home early.”

“It’s no trouble,” she said, with a gentle smile.

An Jing chuckled, “Third Master, we’ll celebrate with a drink upon your return.”

“Very well, when this old fellow returns, we shall drink heartily with you once more,” Zhou Xianming replied with a laugh.

Li Fuzhou affirmed, “I too am ready to set off.”

After pondering for a moment, Han Wenxin advised, “Judging by the timing, by the time you reach Yujing City a month shall have passed. It will be bitterly cold; you must not only take care of your food and clothing but also be vigilant against thieves and bandits, particularly martial folks from Jianghu. When abroad, do pay extra caution.”

With a smile, Zhou Xianming assured him, “Rest easy, after traversing ten thousand miles and reading ten thousand volumes, these matters are trivial to someone like me.”

“I appreciate the constable’s good advice,” Li Fuzhou also expressed his thanks with a bow.

Standing by, An Jing silently concurred that Han Wenxin’s words of caution were true and indeed well-intentioned. Yet, he mused that if bandits dared to ambush Li Fuzhou, they would surely be courting death.

With a smile, Zhao Qingmei wished them, “Third Master, Mr. Zhou, may your journey be smooth sailing.”

“Yes, may your journey be smooth sailing,” echoed Han Wenxin with a shout.

An Jing laughed heartily and said, “Third Master, smooth sailing seems rather dull, I wish you a journey of braving the winds and waves!”

Inspired by those words, Li Fuzhou’s eyes sparkled and he couldn’t help but respond, “Master-in-law is right; smooth sailing is indeed dull. This old man is set on braving the winds and waves.”

“Drive!”

With that, Li Fuzhou pulled on the reins and headed off into the distance.

“Drive!”

Zhou Xianming swiftly followed suit.

The two fast horses disappeared into the howling blizzard in an instant, becoming mere specks in the distance.

As An Jing watched those specks fade away, his heart was filled with complex emotions, uncertain when he would see Li Fuzhou again, under what circumstances they would meet, and what his status or feelings would be at that time.

“Brother An, sister-in-law, I should get on with my rounds,” Han Wenxin said, saluting An Jing with a fist before departing with his saber in tow.

Recently, because of the fame of Lin Yiyang of the Yu Heng Sword Sect’s inquiry into Buddhism spreading through Jianghu, Yu State City had become a gathering place for martial experts, a jumbled mix of people. The constables, in order to maintain public order, had become exceedingly busy.

“My lady, it’s cold outside, let’s return as well,” An Jing said with a gentle laugh.

“Hmm.”

Zhao Qingmei nodded her head.

Afterward, the two set off toward their home.

Snowflakes fluttered heavily, with countless snowflakes landing on their bodies and in their hair.

The two of them walked slowly.

At that moment, An Jing reached out his hand to gently brush the snow from her hair.

Zhao Qingmei reveled in the silent moment, almost greedily.

This warmth had already been imprinted in her life, flowing in her blood, making it difficult for her to forget.

“Madam, what is it?”

Looking into Zhao Qingmei’s gentle eyes.

“It’s nothing, let’s go.”

Zhao Qingmei smiled, “I’m thinking about what to cook later.”

“The weather is somewhat cold, Madam can make whatever she pleases,”

“You do it, husband.”

“I just remembered, I haven’t cleaned out the storeroom yet.”

“Then let Tan Yun do it.”

The two leisurely walked in the snow, their figures gradually obscured by the snowflakes.

Together they journeyed through the days and years, walking towards the daylight.

……

In Yu State City, outside the walls, on the official road.

Two galloping steeds were racing ahead.

It was Zhou Xianming and Li Fuzhou, both adept at riding, and in no time, they had left the territory of Yu State City.

“Hmm!?”

Suddenly, Li Fuzhou’s brows furrowed, and then he pulled on the reins, “Whoa!”

“Mr. Li, what’s wrong?”

Zhou Xianming also reined in his horse and asked.

“Someone is waiting for you ahead, you go ahead,” Li Fuzhou said indifferently.

“Someone is waiting for me?”

Hearing this, Zhou Xianming felt a tinge of confusion but still instinctively urged his horse towards the distance.

Snowflakes whirled in the air ahead, obscuring the view until after about half an hour, a figure in red slowly emerged.

“Miss Li Yue!”

Zhou Xianming couldn’t help but call out when he saw the person.

The figure standing tall amidst the great snow was indeed Li Yue.

“Mr. Zhou, it’s been a long time,” Li Yue said with a trace of a smile on her lips.

“I… I didn’t expect you to be here waiting for me….”

Zhou Xianming dismounted from his horse, speaking somewhat hesitantly.

He was surprised, not expecting Li Yue to come to see him off.

Li Yue gave a graceful curtsy, “Mr. Zhou is heading to the capital to sit the examinations, and I do not know when we will meet again. I wanted to thank Mr. Zhou for your constant care and for the poetry and music you sent recently, hence I came to see you off.”

Zhou Xianming smiled knowingly, “Gold and silver are easy to find, but a true confidant is not. I’m glad Miss Li Yue likes it.”

“Mr. Zhou is highly talented, and your poetry is excellent. I truly like it,” Li Yue said earnestly.

“That’s good, that’s good,”

Zhou Xianming grew serious and said, “The weather is icy, be careful not to catch a cold. Miss Li Yue had better head back quickly, and when I return, I’ll come to visit you again.”

Li Yue nodded slightly, “Alright, I will wait for Mr. Zhou to achieve high honors. Don’t forget what you said today.”

After a few casual exchanges, Zhou Xianming mounted his horse again, taking hold of the reins and prepared to depart.

Watching his receding silhouette, Li Yue couldn’t help but ask, “Do you know when you might return, Mr. Zhou?”

“When spring blossoms, I will surely return!”

Zhou Xianming called out, and with his mind made up, he rode his swift horse along the official road and left.

“Miss, Mr. Zhou has already left.”

It wasn’t long before the little maid came out, and seeing Li Yue still gazing into the distance at the snowstorm, she couldn’t help but speak up.

“Keeping a thought is also good. Actually, Mr. Zhou is quite a nice person.”

Li Yue let out a soft chuckle.

In the dark crevices, a ray of light shone through, even though the darkness would eventually swallow that ray.

But there was also that moment of brightness.

The little maid, looking at the lady in front of her, always felt a boundless sorrow in her mistress’s eyes, a deep sadness that seemed impenetrable.

“Go back and tell Mother Zhao to close the flower boat,” Li Yue said before turning and walking toward the distant snowstorm.

“Miss, have you decided?”

The little maid, hearing this, quickly followed.

From then on, Yu State City had one less scholar visiting the brothels and one less oiran known for her unmatched skills in music and painting on the Yu State River.

…….

Jishi Hall.

Tan Yun lay listlessly in front of the counter, feeling somewhat lost.

For some reason, Li Fuzhou didn’t have her send him off when he left but asked her to watch the clinic conscientiously.

“Master will probably be gone for at least half a year before I see him again.”

Tan Yun muttered to herself.

Usually, when she saw Li Fuzhou she felt a bit intimidated, but now that they were apart, she felt that she hadn’t done well enough in the past, not having properly shown her respect to Li Fuzhou.

“No, that’s not right, I have shown respect to my master.”

Tan Yun mumbled, and then she began to smile.

At that moment, she suddenly noticed that the medical kit was just sitting on the counter.

Usually, the son-in-law would carefully put it away and would never leave it casually on the counter.

“There might be some silver hidden inside. I should open it and take a look while the son-in-law is away.”

After some hesitation, Tan Yun mustered up the courage and headed towards the medical kit.

Just as she was about to reach out a hand, a small black shadow excitedly ran into the hall from the backyard.

The little black dog was happily carrying an embroidered shoe in its mouth, its four little legs sprinting with effort as if it were a wild pony that had broken free from its reins.

“Little Blackie!”

Tan Yun saw her shoe in Little Blackie’s mouth and immediately shouted in anger before quickly chasing after it.

“Bang!”

Little Blackie, running swiftly, suddenly felt darkness loom before it, and unable to stop in time, it somersaulted and landed upside down.

“What happened?”

An Jing picked up the embroidered shoe from the ground.

“It’s all this Little Blackie’s doing.”

Tan Yun quickly approached, took her shoe from An Jing’s hand, and huffed, “I’m going to stew you tonight.”

An Jing chuckled, “That’s perfect, I haven’t decided on a dish to accompany my drink tonight.”

“Husband, you must have had your mind on that dog meat for a while now.”

Zhao Qingmei patted the snow off An Jing’s body and laughed.

An Jing said, “Madam, don’t you want to eat it too? Dog meat goes well with drinks, the more you drink, the better it tastes.”

“I do want to eat it.”

Zhao Qingmei glanced at Little Blackie, who was rolling on the ground and said with a smile.

Little Blackie, as if it caught Zhao Qingmei’s gaze, quickly got up and cautiously hid behind Tan Yun, occasionally peeping out its little head, looking on guard.

It was strange, whenever An Jing glared at Little Blackie, it would bark furiously at him, but whenever it saw Zhao Qingmei, it would act as if it had seen a fierce tiger…

“Miss… Miss, do you really want to eat it?”

Tan Yun’s mouth hung open.

If Zhao Qingmei said she wanted to eat it, Little Blackie really wouldn’t survive the night… With that thought, Tan Yun turned pale.

“Let’s keep it, to ward off evil spirits.”

Zhao Qingmei smiled faintly, “I’ll go cook now, come help me chop vegetables in a bit.”

With that, Zhao Qingmei walked towards the kitchen.

“It’s truly a pity,”

An Jing shook his head, feeling somewhat regretful, and then he made his way toward the back hall.

“Whew.”

Hearing this, Tan Yun couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief, then she harshly picked up the little black pup hiding behind her and said viciously, “You may have escaped death today, but you won’t escape your punishment.”

…….

An Jing entered the miscellaneous room and carefully moved aside a chest.

Recently, his progress in the Ghost Valley Heart Method had been quite swift, and he was not far from the Second Profound Realm, but it was after all just a means to preserve his life.

Improving his own strength was also a top priority.

Having just reached Earth Flower, if he wanted to reach Heavenly Flower Realm, aside from Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures, he would also need some time to settle and polish, which couldn’t be rushed for the time being.

In terms of martial arts, he possessed the unpredictable Unity Sword Technique and the Heavenly Martial-level Nine Yang Divine Finger, as well as Hundred-step Flying Sword and others; unless he cultivated the Hundred-step Flying Sword or the Nine Yang Divine Finger to perfection, which would be even more difficult than reaching Heavenly Flower Realm.

The only things that could allow him to rapidly enhance his strength were two points: external objects and cultivating his Golden Bone to perfection.

To cultivate Golden Bone, one must reach the Grandmaster Realm and also practice a Heavenly Martial-level mental method, which is also one of the standards for judging Heavenly Martial capability.

An Jing, with the help of the vermilion fruit merged into the Bodhi Bead, hadn’t completely refined the perfect Golden Bone, but it was evident that his strength had increased. If he could refine the Golden Bone to perfection, his strength would undoubtedly take another leap forward.

“The Bodhi Bead is actually just a relic, formed after being influenced by a hundred years of Buddhist Law, which means if there is another relic, I might be able to refine the perfect Golden Bone, but now Fa Zhi monk’s relic is in the hands of Universal Benefit Bodhisattva, which is somewhat troublesome…”

Relics are generally bone relics, only produced after the passing of high monks at the Bodhisattva Realm, but not all high monks leave relics behind when they pass away.

So, even within Buddhism, relics are considered extremely rare treasures.

“To snatch a relic from Universal Benefit Bodhisattva’s hands would be a fool’s dream; however, to borrow it from him…there might be some chance…”

An Jing’s thoughts raced rapidly, then he moved the chest aside and took out the bamboo slips he had stored inside last time.

Mo Family Puppetry Technique.

In that cave, he had obtained two blue opportunities: one was rescuing the enigmatic and profoundly skilled Xu Prince, and the other was acquiring this Mo Family Puppetry Technique.

“If I had known, I wouldn’t have let the Xu Prince go. It would have been better to keep him for myself,”

An Jing muttered to himself, then he picked up the bamboo slips.

This Mo Family Puppetry Technique comprised six volumes, detailing all the mechanisms of the Mo Family and the mysterious puppetry skills.

A treasure that could be described as a blue opportunity was certainly not ordinary.

However, the production of these puppet techniques required a large amount of resources. An Jing, with only the identity of a doctor, found it unrealistic to attempt refining any of these puppets.

But he remembered having briefly skimmed over it once and saw at the end of the puppetry manuals, there was a technique called Living Puppet that did not require resources for refining.

A Living Puppet, as the name implies, means turning a living creature into a puppet.

At first glance, An Jing found the idea astonishing and mysterious.

The bamboo slips described the Living Puppet Technique, initially applied to wild beasts and poultry by extracting their souls, which is one of the three flowers, the Shen. Once the Shen within a creature is gone, it can be controlled like a puppet mechanism.

Later, this Living Puppet Technique was further researched by the Mo Family and could even be applied to living humans, gradually becoming widely used. The slips recorded that a great figure of the Mo Family once turned three Grandmaster-level experts into living puppets, keeping them under tight control.

However, the Mo Family later feared that this technique was too cruel and sinister, and were concerned it might fall into the hands of those with ulterior motives, so it was seldom used afterward, with some even suggesting that they burn the knowledge of the Living Puppet Technique.

“Living Puppet…”

An Jing’s eyes narrowed slightly.

He too thought the Living Puppet was extremely malicious, as it involved completely draining the soul, that is, the Shen, from living beings.

Of course, he couldn’t possibly subdue a Grandmaster-level expert himself and have him willingly become a living puppet for his use.

But, at the moment, he happened to have a perfect candidate for creating a Living Puppet.

Thousand-year-old Black Boa!

Firstly, the Black Boa carried sha qi (malicious energy), definitely not a benevolent entity; it’s known that Lengping had buried hundreds of thousands of soldiers’ souls to accumulate the enduring sha qi, suggesting that the Boa must have caused much slaughter to possess such energy.

If it were to awaken, it would surely bring disaster to the region.

Secondly, the Black Boa was an extraordinary species with the potential to evolve into a dragon, possessing a formidable body, making it very useful for refining a Living Puppet, truly an invaluable asset.

Lastly, the Black Boa was currently in hibernation, the easiest time for him to extract its Shen; if it were to awaken, the chances of refining it into a Living Puppet would be slim to none.

Thinking this, An Jing took a deep breath and continued reading the section on the Living Puppet Technique.

“Hmm? Ghost Transformation?”

He saw that beneath the Living Puppet Technique, several lines of dense text were recorded—a secret technique.

With its essence blood and extracted soul as fuel, employing a specific flaring technique, one reaches a state of half-human, half-ghost, greatly advancing one’s cultivation; however, frequent use strengthens the soul but also brings greater harm, caution is advised.

“This secret technique and the Living Puppet are a perfect match.”

“That means I can burn the Thousand-year-old Black Boa’s soul together with my own essence blood to reach a state of half-human, half-ghost, enhancing my strength for a short period…”

Upon reading this, An Jing’s heart began to thump wildly, but he quickly calmed himself down.

In the secret technique, there was also a description that the more it was used, the stronger the soul would become, but the greater the damage to oneself. It should not be used unless absolutely necessary.

“Huh!”

An Jing carefully memorized the entire Living Puppet Technique and Ghost Transformation in his mind before slowly closing the bamboo slip.

……

The kitchen.

Tan Yun cautiously conveyed through a whisper, “Miss, Luo Zixiang from the Earth Sect has arrived,”

“He has come?”

Zhao Qingmei’s movements in stir-frying did not pause in the slightest.

With a worried face, Tan Yun said, “He has come to Yu State City by the order of the Heavenly Sect Sect Leader with important intelligence to report. It’s said that there has been unusual activity from the Golden Eagle Banner of Houjin; they’re very active. Moreover, masters from the Great Snow Mountain have also been descending frequently, apparently planning to advance troops toward Dongluo Pass….”

Even though she wasn’t very focused on studying the world’s current affairs, she had gained a considerable understanding of the current state of Houjin through constant exposure.

The Houjin Dynasty, occupying the vast and boundless grasslands and countless snowy mountains, was originally home to numerous nomadic tribes warring and conquering each other without unity.

Until forty years ago, a dominant ruler emerged, who unified the current grasslands within twenty years and established the first Steppe Dynasty—the Houjin Dynasty—and has now been developing peacefully for another twenty years.

That ruler’s ambition was well-known to everyone.

If such a colossal force were to collapse onto them, the Demon Sect’s attempts to survive would be extremely difficult.

“Houjin?”

Zhao Qingmei said indifferently, “This is most likely a feint, or a deceptive strategy of making noise in the east and striking in the west. Just let Duanmu Xinghua inform Great Yan’s Marquis Wang Xiasi about the news.”

Dongluo Pass was just a defensive point, occupied by masters of the Demon Sect. While its geographical position was very special, seeming extremely important, it also posed constraints.

If the Houjin Dynasty were to capture this place, they would face the pressure of Zhao Country, Great Yan, and the Buddhist Western Pure Land from all sides. Moreover, it certainly couldn’t annihilate the entire Demon Sect.

If the Demon Sect’s Dongluo Pass were to be broken, and if they failed to completely eradicate the Demon Sect, the sect’s masters would surely assassinate high-ranking military officers within the Houjin Army, leading to great suffering. It would be a situation of being attacked from both sides, and it was not a wise move.

Unless the Houjin Dynasty had the formidable strength to face the Demon Sect, the Great Yan Dynasty, and Buddhism all at once.

Besides Dongluo Pass, Houjin’s closest neighbor was Great Yan.

With the Great Yan Temple’s factions standing in great numbers, with the Human Emperor of Taiping failing to break through his shackles and his life or death in seclusion uncertain, and with the Crown Prince and several princes openly and covertly in contention, it was the best time to swallow up Great Yan.

With such a splendid opportunity at hand, they still wanted to invade Dongluo Pass; something was definitely fishy about this.

It was very likely a deceptive strategy from Houjin.

Zhao Qingmei had her own views and strategies regarding the world situation.

The world was now in chaos, but it hadn’t yet reached a point of imminent explosion.

Everyone was testing the waters, or rather, watching and waiting.

Whether the Human Emperor of Taiping truly failed in his breakthrough or succeeded, or if it was all a ruse, nobody knew. And then there was Xiao Qianqiu, the most promising candidate for reaching the Great Grandmaster level, who hadn’t descended from the mountain for nearly a decade.

The waters of Great Yan were this deep, not to mention Zhao Country and Buddhism.

Zhao Qingmei had previously contemplated in her mind—if she really wanted to fight for supremacy, her first small goal was to become a Great Grandmaster.

Only by reaching the Grandmaster Realm could one have the chance to vie for the heavens and earth and unfold grand plans.

After all, the foundation of the Demon Sect was far from comparable to that of the Temple.

And she was doing just that, waiting for the right opportunity.

Just as Li Fuzhou had said, she had not changed; she had always been true to herself.

Jiang Renyi was carrying on his father’s ambition to have his world encompass the Jianghu.

Zhao Qingmei, on the other hand, simply wanted to make the world dance in her hands, to grasp it with a mere stretch of her arm.

This was her innermost desire.

Tan Yun continued, “Luo Zixiang also brought the command of the Heavenly Sect Sect Leader, hoping that the Sect Leader would return to the headquarters, as this matter is of great importance and cannot be taken lightly.”

“Go back?”

Zhao Qingmei’s eyebrows rose, and she felt particularly surprised inside.

She knew Duanmu Xinghua’s personality very well; it was impossible for her not to see through Houjin’s ruse. Why would she be in such a hurry to have her return? Could it be that something major had occurred?

“Tell Luo Zixiang that I will leave for there in a month,” Zhao Qingmei decided after some thought.

“Yes, I understand,” Tan Yun replied, nodding her head.

……

Two days later, Yu State City, Huanglong Tower.

In the west of Yu State River, a Huanglong Tower was erected.

The six-tiered Huanglong Tower with flying eaves and its spire topped with golden glazed tiles is one of the landmarks of Yu State City with a plaque from a Confucian Saint of the Great Zhou Dynasty, boasting verandas, pavilions, and towers.

From atop the tower, one can gaze upon the winding Yu State River and the bustling scene of hundreds of boats vying on the water, taking in the panoramic view of Yu State’s landscape.

This is due to tomorrow’s sermon by Universal Benefit Bodhisattva and the battle of questioning the Buddha by Lin Yiyang.

Nowadays, the streets of Yu State City are exceptionally lively, frequented by sword-carrying members of the jianghu, including renowned young talents, gallant heroes, and even retired veterans of the martial world.

It can be said that in current Yu State City, with its mix of all sorts, even lifting a brick might accidentally hit a hidden martial expert not commonly seen on ordinary days.

At this moment on the tower’s summit stood an old man clad in a black cloak, expressionless as he silently watched the scenery of Yu State below.

From his features, it could be seen that he bore a resemblance to Xi Jikui.

This was none other than the current Deputy Governor of the Xuanyi Guard and the man known in jianghu as one of the “Twin Excepcional of Dragon and Phoenix,” Xi Yuanjun.

“Brother Xi, it has been many years; I never expected to encounter you here in Yu State.”

An aged voice arose behind him at that moment.

Following the voice, one saw an elderly man in plain clothes walking slowly towards him. The old man had kind eyes and a smile at the corner of his lips, and assisted by his side was a seventeen or eighteen-year-old girl whose beauty was accentuated by an aura of vivacity.

“It’s indeed been many years.”

After glancing at the girl, Xi Yuanjun gestured down to his knee and said, “When we first met, she was about this tall, wasn’t she?”

The old man nodded and addressed the girl, “Meixian, this is Deputy Governor Xi Yuanjun of the Xuanyi Guard. When he first saw you, you were only four years old. Call him Grandfather Xi.”

Upon hearing this, the young woman performed a respectful gesture and said, “Meixian greets Grandfather Xi.”

“No need to be formal.”

Xi Yuanjun waved his hand dismissively, and then let out a deep sigh.

Jia Meixian, the granddaughter of Jia Shiwu, the Sect Leader of the Four Symbols Sect; the old man in plain clothes was none other than Jia Shiwu himself.

“I’ve heard that Li Fuzhou has already left Yu State City; I’m afraid your visit this time is in vain, Brother Xi.”

Jia Shiwu lamented.

“I already know.”

Xi Yuanjun’s deep-set eyes carried a hint of iciness, “I must have a life-and-death battle with Li Fuzhou.”

Sending off the young before the old is one of life’s most sorrowful affairs.

After some thought, Jia Shiwu still said, “Li Fuzhou’s recovery from his injury may have further strengthened his power. Brother Xi should be careful.”

Li Fuzhou, a remarkable prodigy, is well-known in Great Yan martial world for his abilities. Now that he has recovered from a serious injury, his strength inevitably surged forward.

Xi Yuanjun coolly said, “Since Li Fuzhou has left Yu State City, I won’t think about it any longer. Brother Jia, have you also come to witness the battle between Lin Yiyang and Universal Benefit Bodhisattva?”

“Indeed.”

Jia Shiwu nodded gravely, “Lin Yiyang has reached Perfection in the Three Flower Realm, one step away from Grandmaster. Yet, he has been forcibly suppressing his cultivation, always hoping to achieve perfection in his swordsmanship and breakthrough his limitations simultaneously. Now he has descended the mountain to question the Buddha, partly to resolve the enmity between Yu Heng Sword Sect and Buddhism and partly to test his sword against the Universal Benefit Bodhisattva.”

“I’m curious about Lin Yiyang’s strength and even more so about the abilities of Grandmaster Universal Benefit Bodhisattva.”

A Half-step Master challenging a Grandmaster, just this spectacle alone is enough to attract numerous experts.

“Lin Yiyang’s swordsmanship is extremely advanced, having reached the peak of the Fifth Realm, and with the Phoenix Sword in hand, he is not someone I could contend with,”

Xi Yuanjun shook his head and then added, “But he is definitely no match for Universal Benefit Bodhisattva.”

Xi Yuanjun’s tone held a firm certainty.

A look of anticipation also surfaced in Jia Meixian’s eyes. Such a remarkable duel is a rare sight in the jianghu, which explains why Jia Shiwu would bring her all the way from Lingnan Dao to watch the battle.

Jia Shiwu slowly said, “Let’s wait and see, with Lin Yiyang daring to challenge a Grandmaster while only a Half-step Master, surely he must not be without confidence.”

“Looking at Yu State City now, many experts have already arrived; Brother Xi, you might be quite busy these next two days.”

The jianghu has always been rife with grudges and disputes, especially when martial experts gather, it tends to result in chaos and killings.

Xi Yuanjun nodded slightly, his voice hauntingly low, “With the confluence of many forces and the undercurrents stirring, all eyes are on tomorrow’s battle.”

Although he learned of Li Fuzhou leaving and did not depart immediately, one reason was to stay and maintain order in the now tumultuous Yu State City and the other to observe tomorrow’s confrontation, hoping it would offer a chance for his own breakthrough.

Even though Xi Yuanjun was aware of the faint prospects of his own breakthrough.

Still, the path has no end.

……

In the Jishi Hall, within a bedroom where lamplight flickers dimly.

An Jing leaned back in a chair, sipping tea with one hand and holding a picture book in the other.

He appeared to be reading, but his mind was actually pondering and studying the Living Puppet Technique.

After two days of research and learning, he had memorized both the Living Puppet Technique and the Ghost Transformation, rehearsing them dozens of times in his mind. The sermon by Universal Benefit Bodhisattva and the challenge from the Sect Leader of the Yu Heng Sword Sect would provide the perfect opportunity.

At that time, whether ordinary citizens or jianghu experts, everyone’s attention would be drawn to the event, creating the optimal moment for him to infiltrate Qinghe Pier and capture the soul of the Thousand-year-old Black Boa.

“Hu…”

Gently exhaling, An Jing took a sip of tea and looked towards Zhao Qingmei, who was holding her pen in contemplation, feeling somewhat curious.

“Madam, what are you writing? I see you haven’t started writing yet.”

Zhao Qingmei sat by the table with a pen in hand, seemingly lost in thought.

Upon hearing An Jing’s words, the corners of Zhao Qingmei’s mouth lifted slightly, “I am wondering if the sun will shine brightly tomorrow so the clothes can dry properly.”

With that, she picked up a hawthorn from the side and placed it in her mouth.

“Madam, there’s no need to think about this.”

An Jing approached, laughing, “By the way, didn’t you say you were going to listen to the sermon by a high-ranking Buddhist monk tomorrow?”

“Yes, what about it?”

Zhao Qingmei nodded her head.

She was curious about both the Buddhist Bodhisattvas and the five great swordsmen of the current era.

An Jing pinched Zhao Qingmei’s shoulder, saying, “I won’t be going. I need to purchase some herbs tomorrow, and I might not return until very late. Let Tan Yun accompany you.”

With a trace of curiosity in her beautiful eyes, Zhao Qingmei asked, “Husband, don’t you want to see the contest between the martial artists of Jianghu? I heard one of them is a sword immortal from the seven major sects, the Sect Leader of the Yu Heng Sword Sect.”

An Jing was genuinely baffled; he had practiced martial arts himself, yet he showed no interest in such high-level combat.

He was also absent at the last Demon Extermination Assembly at Fa Xi Temple.

An Jing waved his hand and said, “Forget it, I don’t think there’s anything interesting to watch. Jianghu disputes, deceit, what’s there to see? It’s nothing more than a sword thrust, an additional hole, and one less person alive.”

“Alright then.”

Zhao Qingmei, hearing this, nodded her head.

Perhaps he simply disliked the strife of Jianghu, and even with rare martial arts techniques at his disposal, he hardly practiced them.

“Madam, how does the hawthorn taste?”

“Not bad.”

As Zhao Qingmei spoke, she extended a delicate finger to pick up a hawthorn and brought it to An Jing’s mouth, “Sour and sweet, quite delicious.”

“It’s pretty…”

An Jing licked the slender jade finger, just about to speak when he heard someone approaching rapidly across the eaves not far away.

It seemed as if there were truly many masters in Yu State City recently.

Zhao Qingmei’s brows also furrowed slightly, her mind sinking.

Soon, the sound of swift movement faded from near to far, and An Jing’s expression remained unchanged, “The taste of this hawthorn is indeed quite good.”

“Maybe the next one’s even tastier,”

Zhao Qingmei picked up another hawthorn and popped it into her own mouth, saying seductively.

……..

At this moment, under the sparse starry sky, Yu State City lay in complete silence.

Above the flowing rooftops, two figures darted past.

“Mo Yan, why are you hurrying so? Could it be that you’re brewing some sinister plot again, fearing others will find out?” the silver-haired elder in blue roared from behind, leaping forward and scattering something from his hand.

“Huala! Huala!”

It was as if numerous cold lights burst forth, flying towards the figure in front.

“Ding ding ding ding!”

The man ahead, roughly in his forties and wearing a ghastly mask, seemed to sense the strong wind behind him, pulled the long knife from his waist, and deflected all the hidden weapons launched at him.

Mo Yan, somewhat annoyed, said, “Zhao Liangdong, my Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion holds no grudge against you; don’t push your luck, or you’ll regret it!”

Ever since he left Qiyun Prefecture, Zhao Liangdong of the Blue River Sect had been closely following him, which was truly infuriating.

Zhao Liangdong, a Peak Master of one of Blue River Sect’s three peaks, was average amongst the six Peak Masters of the sect.

“Hmph!”

Zhao Liangdong replied emotionlessly, “No grudge? What a thing to say. My master’s death lies on your Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion’s hands, how can there be no grudge between us?”

Mo Yan coldly responded, “He brought it upon himself, what does that have to do with me? Zhao Liangdong, don’t think just because you’re from Blue River Sect that my Heavenly Mechanism Pavilion won’t dare to deal with you.”

Zhao Liangdong said calmly, “Just tell the truth, what really happened…”

“Tell the truth my ass, I wasn’t even involved in that matter. If you’ve got the guts, go find the master of Wind and Rain Tower.”

Mo Yan, frustrated and angry, interrupted Zhao Liangdong.

Zhao Liangdong spoke calmly, “I can’t find the master of Wind and Rain Tower, and I’m no match for him either.”

Who was the master of Wind and Rain Tower? A formidable figure in Jianghu, no one had ever seen him act, only knowing of his existence.

Mo Yan’s heart grew even angrier, clearly seeing Zhao Liangdong as someone who considered him an easy target. He couldn’t help but say, “Zhao Liangdong, I see you as a man who values loyalty and righteousness. I advise you it’s best not to meddle in this matter. The sealing at Three Temple Mountain has cost Buddhism a Bodhisattva, while your Blue River Sect has only lost a master of the Heavenly Flower Realm. What’s that worth?”

Zhao Liangdong pondered for a long time, then said, “What Tianji Pavilion is best at is speculation and taking advantage of both sides. Today, you tell me everything about your visit to Yu State City, and I won’t bother with you anymore.”

Tianji Pavilion had a loud reputation in Jianghu, with intricate connections to many forces, and its level of mystery was second only to the currently prominent Wind and Rain Tower. In Jianghu, it engaged in trading information and dealing with forbidden matters.

It was said that the Blood Spirit Sword’s Blood Spirit Technique was acquired by the Wind and Rain Tower from a duplicate copy purchased from Tianji Pavilion. As for the authenticity, not many people knew the truth.

“Damn it, if you want to follow, then follow,” he said.

Mo Yan glanced at Zhao Liangdong, who was as persistent as a plaster, and with a leap, his toes touched upon the roof tiles, sweeping away into the distance like a gentle breeze.

“Then I’ll follow you for sure today.”

Without any further words, Zhao Liangdong quickly followed suit.

……

Yu State City, Fulin Inn.

Lin Yiyang sat crossed-legged on the bed with an ancient longsword placed before him, its blade smooth, reflecting the soft candlelight.

This was indeed the Phoenix Sword, the Sect Leader Sword of the Yu Heng Sword Sect.

Since he began practicing swordsmanship, Lin Yiyang would enter half an hour of meditation every night, emptying everything, not thinking about anything.

He only slowly opened his eyes after an indeterminate amount of time had passed.

“Come in.”

As Lin Yiyang’s voice fell, the door slowly opened, and a young man walked in as if he had been waiting outside for a long time.

The young man had an ordinary appearance and was inconspicuous in a crowd.

“The junior, Qi Yun, pays respect to Senior Lin,” said the young man, greeting Lin Yiyang with a fist-palm salute.

“Hmm, what brings you here this time?” Lin Yiyang asked with a gaze as calm as the depths.

Qi Yun bowed and said, “This junior is here to send regards on behalf of my master.”

“A greeting from Sect Leader Xiao? Interesting,” Lin Yiyang remarked with a smile.

If the Demon Sect and the Buddhist had not entered Great Yan, then the biggest sect in the world would be the Zhenyi Sect, standing alone at the top. Ranked second would be the Yu Heng Sword Sect. The two sects seemingly had no ties or debts to each other, but there were some overt and covert struggles between them.

However, since Xiao Qianqiu settled into the position of the top figure in the Great Yan Martial World, no one dared to challenge Zhenyi Sect any longer, not even the Yu Heng Sword Sect which avoided its edge.

“Did Sect Leader Xiao send any messages?” Lin Yiyang asked.

“No, my master only sent his regards,” Qi Yun paused and said, “This junior has always admired your grace, Senior, and seeing you today is truly extraordinary.”

Lin Yiyang, indifferent to Qi Yun’s flattery, said lightly, “There’s no need to admire others’ grace. The best way to admire is with the sword.”

Hearing Lin Yiyang’s words, Qi Yun chuckled awkwardly and said, “Senior is joking. With my mediocre talent and limited strength, how could I possibly be a match for you?”

Lin Yiyang replied, “Indeed, your talent seems to be rather dull. Go back and cultivate for fifty years, wait until the older generation is gone, and by then, who knows, Jianghu might become yours.”

Lin Yiyang’s words were casually spoken, as if mentioning a very ordinary matter.

Even though Qi Yun was very restrained, he still showed an embarrassed expression after hearing Lin Yiyang’s remarks.

Lin Yiyang, seeing Qi Yun’s silence, waved his hand and said, “If there’s nothing else, you should leave. I need to rest.”

“Then this junior will not disturb you any longer,” Qi Yun said, giving Lin Yiyang a bow.

Just then, Qiu Wanxia walked in slowly.

“Senior Qiu, this junior takes his leave,” Qi Yun said, greeting her and then slowly departing.

Qiu Wanxia watched Qi Yun’s retreating figure, unable to suppress a smile, and said, “Senior Brother, it seems that the junior was lectured by you, wasn’t he?”

“Lecturing him?” Lin Yiyang shook his head, “It was just a waste of my time. No matter what I say, he doesn’t understand.”

Xiao Qianqiu’s disciple, the number one figure among the younger generation in the Great Yan Dynasty, seemed insignificant in Lin Yiyang’s eyes.

Qiu Wanxia knew Lin Yiyang’s temperament well and said, “Senior Brother, it’s time to wash up and rest.”

“I know.”

Lin Yiyang handed the Phoenix Sword in his hand to Qiu Wanxia.

……