It was very quiet at Morning Lake in the dark night.
Only the obscenities and curses kept coming out from the Near-Star Building.
The disciples of the Platanus Sect hid far away, not daring to listen to them, but they were used to it.
After the death of the former sect master, the Grandmaster often cursed people like this in the building.
She always cursed her daughter-in-law.
"This is my home."
Standing by the cliff's edge, Sensei sighed as she listened to the obscenities.
He Zhan looked at her and said, "Everything will be fine."
Sensei turned to him and said, "Thank you for coming."
He Zhan said, "It was too late when I heard the news."
Sensei said with a smile, "It's not too late to come."
He Zhan didn't say anything.
"I can't leave under the current circumstances."
Sensei hugged him and leaned her face against his chest, saying softly, "Go back to White Town. I'll wait for you here."
He Zhan agreed after some thought, and then took out a few pieces of paper from his sleeve and handed them to her.
Thinking of a possibility, Sensei asked with an interesting expression, "I'm a girl … so I can't practice it, can I?"
He Zhan said helplessly, "What are you thinking about? This is the secret recipe for roasting fish. "
Hearing this answer, Sensei's eyes lit up, and she licked her lips reflexively.
He Zhan continued, "I forgot to add two seasonings in the recipe I wrote for Tong Yan last time. This is delicious."
…
…
He Zhan and Sensei thought that Tong Yan was behind closed doors on Cloud-Dream Mountain. Many people thought so as well. Few people knew that Tong Yan had left Cloud-Dream Mountain, and even fewer knew that he was in Aoyama. As for those who knew that he was hiding in the hermit peaks, only three people and a dog knew that.
The night breeze brushed against his face, and the sound of the rustling pines entered his ears. Jing Jiu carried the cat and skimmed northward in the mountains. Soon, he would arrive at the plains in the middle of the continent.
In the end, no one from Zhongzhou School came, indicating that Yunmeng Mountain was indeed closed. It seemed that before the spring rain fell, the world of cultivation would still be as peaceful as it was now.
If not for the fact that the Matriarch could not make it past this year, she would not have chosen to act now.
"Since you said that she was afraid of everything, why did she choose to give up in the end after doing so much?"
This was something that Ah Da could not understand no matter how hard he tried. If he were the Old Lady, since he was going to die anyway, he would make a scene and then leave in style.
Jing Jiu called out the Sword of the Universe and sat on it. The sword flew a few feet above the ground. The field under the starlight was right below him, as if he could reach it with his hands.
"After the death of those elders, she can no longer control the whole situation. If she wants to forcibly suppress it, she will destroy the entire Platanus Sect."
Looking at the green wheat under his feet, Jing Jiu was a little confused as to why the color of the wheat had not changed since it was already midsummer.
When he was young, he had read many poems about rice, flowers, and harvest in the books, but he had no knowledge about the five grains.
Ah Da did not understand what he meant, saying, "If she destroys it, then so be it. Otherwise, why don't she leave it to her most hated daughter-in-law?"
Jing Jiu reached out his hand to pick a wheat straw and looked at it carefully, saying, "She thinks she is a member of the De family, and the Platanus Sect belongs to the De family. How can she not feel distressed if it is destroyed?"
"The Matriarch is worried that Sensei will be like herself after she gets married, so she doesn't want to give the Platanus Sect to her? How stupid she is! "
Lying on the top of Jing Jiu's head, Ah Da reached out his right paw to pluck the wheat straw in Jing Jiu's hand, thinking that everything would belong to the God of Death in the end.
The flowers in summer would turn into autumn leaves, the green seedlings would turn into rotten grass, the mother would get married, and the sky would rain. Why should she worry so much?
But since the Platanus Sect was destined to belong to someone else, why didn't the Matriarch just destroy it?
Jing Jiu said, "She should have realized that it is the best thing for Sensei and He Zhan to become Cultivation partners."
Ah Da did not understand what was so good about it.
Jing Jiu said, "Monks have many illegitimate children."
Ah Da meowed, thinking that there were indeed many of them.
Jing Jiu said, "Have you ever seen a monk's illegitimate child take on his father's surname?"
Ah Da meowed again, thinking that monks didn't even have surnames, how could they take on their father's surname?
"Therefore, the son of Sensei and He Zhan will most probably have the surname De in the future."
Jing Jiu said, "Since she has figured it out, what is the point of fighting for it?"
Ah Da wondered what would happen if the Matriarch Chen remarried and gave birth to dozens of younger brothers for Sensei.
Jing Jiu said, "Sensei knows us, and this time we have proved that Aoyama will guarantee that Sensei will be the sect master. What is there for Jing Shu to worry about?"
The morning light gradually appeared in the distance of the field.
The Sword of the Universe flew up and arrived above the clouds. Its speed was still not fast, looking more like an ordinary person taking a stroll.
Two days later, Jing Jiu came to a town and went to a medical house to confirm the last news about the Platanus Sect.
The Matriarch had reclaimed the power. The Matriarch was resting in the Star-picking Building because she was not feeling well.
It seemed that she would never leave the small building again. Though she was not dead yet, she was dead anyway.
Ah Da looked at Jing Jiu, trying to find some sentimental and nostalgic emotions on his face, but he found nothing. He couldn't help but ask with his spiritual awareness, "Don't you have any thoughts?"
Jing Jiu said, "Death is the worst, and the second worst is getting old."
Thinking of the Matriarch with wrinkles all over her face and stooped body, Ah Da meowed softly after a moment of silence.
That's right, nobody wants to die, nor do they want to get old. But if even I am old, how can these poor human beings escape from me?
Looking at his own face in the water, Ah Da felt a bit sad, thinking that even his beard had turned white.
Jing Jiu said, "Your beard has always been white."
…
…
It was a stretch of field here.
A few rivers were flowing slowly and quietly. Sometimes they met and sometimes they parted, just like what happened in life.
Many houses were scattered in the fields. The village was full of the chirping of cicadas in midsummer, but it was even more tranquil.
Standing under a tree, Jing Jiu suddenly said while looking into the distance, "I don't think he will come."
Hearing this, Ah Da finally felt relieved. He circled around Jing Jiu's legs hundreds of times, bringing along some green leaves with him. He seemed to be very happy.
A few moments later, Ah Da felt a bit tired, lying on the ground with his four legs facing up, exposing his belly.
After some thought, Jing Jiu took out Cold Cicada and tossed it to the side of Ah Da.
As Cold Cicada was looking at the stars, it suddenly found that it had returned to Chaotian. It didn't know what had happened, feeling bewildered. It wasn't until it saw the appearance of the Master White Ghost that it realized what Jing Jiu wanted it to do. It turned over hastily with its six legs facing up, exposing its belly as well.
Jing Jiu looked at the First Child Sword in his bosom.
Liu Shisui had sent him a few letters in the Guocheng Temple a few years ago, and Jing Jiu had written a few letters back. In the letters, Liu Shisui talked about the Buddhist methods and Jing Jiu talked about the reincarnation.
Though those matters seemed to have nothing to do with Cultivation, Jing Jiu believed that Liu Shisui would be able to figure out what Jing Jiu wanted to say based on his talent and wisdom in Cultivation.
Liu Shisui was inspired after reading the letters, so he decided to go to the West Ocean to get the First Child Sword.
It was true that Jing Jiu had already known that his Big Brother was in the Guocheng Temple.
Now that the First Child Sword was in his hands, his Big Brother would come to Jing Jiu if he wanted to be reborn as a sword.
Jing Jiu went to the Platanus Sect because he had promised to kill someone for Sensei, and he also hoped to lure his Big Brother out.
Liu Ci would let his Big Brother go, but Jing Jiu wanted his Big Brother dead.
By the same logic, his Big Brother hated him the most. He would try to kill Jing Jiu as long as he had a chance, not to mention that he had the First Child Sword.
Jing Jiu stayed in the Platanus Sect for a few days, and left for a few more days. Bulao Lin should be able to find him by now, and his Big Brother should be able to find him no matter how far away he was; but … he didn't come.
If he didn't have the First Child Sword, how would he solve his problem?
Jing Jiu put away the First Child Sword, the cat and Cold Cicada, and arrived at a distance of one thousand feet after tapping the ground lightly with the tips of his feet.
After a dozen breaths, he passed through the quiet rivers, scattered villages, unknown trees, and still green wheat fields, and saw the big city in the distance.
There was a small mountain a few miles behind Jing Jiu, with dense woods and irritating hooked weeds.
It was the middle of summer, but it wasn't hot here; on the contrary, it was a bit cold. The dew could be seen on the leaves, and the weeds were covered with a thin layer of frost.
Seeing Jing Jiu enter Zhaoge City, Yuan Qijing turned around and left regretfully after he was certain that his Master wouldn't show up.
The wind and snow fell down.
…
…
… There was an ordinary town in the northwest of Chaotian. It was close to the snowland, but the weather here was like spring even though it was the middle of summer.
A horse-drawn carriage was about to leave the town, but it was stopped by the disciples of the Windy-Broadsword Church.
The Cold Mountain was not far from the town. In the last two years, the Windy-Broadsword Church had cooperated with the Imperial court in wiping out the devil men of the deviant sects; as a result, the inspections had become more rigorous.
The disciples of the Windy-Broadsword Church didn't find anything suspicious. As soon as they lifted up the curtain of the carriage, a smell of medicine came out.
There was a small stove in the carriage, where a black medicinal liquid was boiling; it looked extremely bitter.
A young man was lying on a soft bed. He had a handsome countenance, but his face was pale. He looked a bit feeble, but his smile was still amiable.
A half-bald old man with a red nose was reporting to him. He looked like an old servant of his family.
The disciple of the Windy-Broadsword Church had seen many patients like him who wanted to go to White Town to worship the Buddha. He thought it was a pity. He pulled down the curtain and waved his hand to signal for the carriage to pass.
Along with the coughing, the horse-drawn carriage passed through the city gate and headed toward the barren land.
This was a remote place far away from the prosperous areas of the Central Plains. The Jing Imperial Court was still managing this place effectively. The official road on the barren land outside the city was paved with green slabs, which were still solid after more than one hundred years. It was evident that the road had been built with the help of the Cultivation practitioners.
The wheels of the carriage rolled over the hard green slabs, making cracking sounds. The carriage shook incessantly, and the coughing didn't stop.
Looking at the pale-faced Yin San, the eyes of the Great Grandmaster of the Mysterious Dark Sect were full of worry and other complicated emotions.
He had finally gained some trust from the Immortal, but trust was meaningless for people like him. More importantly, it seemed that the Immortal was dying. If the Immortal didn't tell him the method to evade the Sword Formation of Aoyama before he died, what should he do? As such …
He said sincerely, "Immortal, you must live a long life!"
Upon hearing this, Yin San couldn't help but laugh, and then he started coughing violently.
As he coughed, his body under his clothes bulged from time to time, and then gradually flattened out, looking rather eerie.
It didn't look like a real body, but more like a wooden stake that had been in disrepair for a long time.
Yin San pushed open the window and looked at the barren land outside. "Let's drink some wine," he said while coughing.
The fresh air of the barren land poured into the carriage, dispersing the strong smell of medicine. But there was still a smell that couldn't be dispersed.
It was the smell of decaying trees.
The Great Grandmaster of the Mysterious Dark Sect took down the medicine pot from the stove and replaced it with a wine pot. He put his palm on the pot and warmed the wine to a suitable temperature in a few seconds.
As the Great Grandmaster of the Mysterious Dark Sect, he had to control the delicate work of warming the wine for the Immortal more precisely than the fire in the stove.
The smell of the wine came out from the wine pot; it was a strong smell of anise and anise.
The Great Grandmaster of the Mysterious Dark Sect rubbed his red nose, thinking that the taste of the wine wasn't that great, but it tasted like stewed pig's feet.
The wine was also eerie. It was a deep green color, swaying gently in the cup, rising and falling slowly on the wall of the cup, like oil.
The Great Grandmaster of the Mysterious Dark Sect brought the cup to Yin San with both hands.
Yin San took the cup and brought it to his mouth, drinking it slowly but steadily. He squinted his eyes and said, "Good wine."
Strangely enough, after drinking this cup of wine, his cough was much better.
Looking at the Great Grandmaster of the Mysterious Dark Sect's curious expression, Yin San said with a smile, "You should also try a cup. It's not bad."
The Great Grandmaster of the Mysterious Dark Sect thought for a while and poured himself a cup. He turned his body sideways and drank it, then smacked his lips.
No matter how strong the wine was, it couldn't hurt him; but the stimulation was still there. The wine was like oil, vaporizing so quickly that it looked like a ball of fire turning into water, giving people a warm feeling from the inside out. It was indeed good, and he thought it was no wonder that the Immortal liked it so much.
"This is the strongest wine in the mortal world. It's usually used to be mixed. Nobody dares to drink it directly, because they are afraid of hurting their throat and stomach; but we can drink it easily."
Yin San drank another cup, and said, "It's one of the benefits of being a Cultivation practitioner to enjoy its good taste and not be afraid of its harm."
The Great Grandmaster of the Mysterious Dark Sect also drank a cup, and then put down the cup.
Though this strange green wine was good, the Cultivation practitioners in his Cultivation state had a strong self-control ability, so they could put it down easily.
People like Taiping Zhenren were rare.
"If the First Child Sword is sent to the Royal Palace of Zhaoge City, it will be harder to snatch it."
"Why don't we do it?" asked the Great Grandmaster of the Mysterious Dark Sect.
After drinking the wine, Yin San's face was no longer pale, but two adorable patches of red appeared on his cheeks. "Yuan Qijing is inflexible and not flexible enough," he said, "but he seldom makes mistakes. This is the biggest difference between him and Liu Ci. I don't want to take the risk."
The horse-drawn carriage left the official road paved with green stones and drove diagonally into the barren field.
A few days later, the horse-drawn carriage arrived at the deep part of the Cold Mountain along with a mournful flute sound.
There was a deep crack on the surface of the field. The lava gushing out from the crack had cooled down over the last two years, condensing into various strange shapes.
This was the mark left by Liu Ci's sword in heaven and earth. It was believed that it would become the most famous scenery in Chaotian in a few hundred years.
The Great Grandmaster of the Mysterious Dark Sect thought that he would die for sure if he were the one wielded by the sword.
His line of sight followed the crack to look at the Scorching Sun Gorge, which had been turned into ruins, a hundred miles away. He fell silent for a long time.
Everything was gone, and the Mysterious Dark Sect no longer existed in the world.
Looking at the scene outside the window, Yin San put the bone flute back into his sleeve, saying, "As long as I'm alive, the sect is still here."
It was unclear if he said this to comfort the Great Grandmaster of the Mysterious Dark Sect or to himself.
The Great Grandmaster of the Mysterious Dark Sect thought of Su Ziye, who was gathering the scattered disciples of the Mysterious Dark Sect and the Zhongzhou School, which was sealed off from the mountain, so he didn't say anything. He helped Yin San get off the carriage.
A gust of wind rose in the field.
The Dark Phoenix flew over from nowhere and landed on the roof of the carriage.
The tail feather cut off by Nan Qü had grown out again. It looked a bit short, meaning that it hadn't fully grown out yet; but the wound should have healed.
"You two can talk now. Let's talk it out. If you can't reach an agreement, we'll talk it out."
Yin San said to the Dark Phoenix with a faint smile, "I want two fish scales. He should be able to agree."
(End of this chapter)
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