Zhao Layue stood in the twilight.
The setting sun was behind her.
Her countenance couldn't be seen clearly, but her black and white eyes were still as bright as before, extremely eye-catching in the dim world.
Standing by the side, Gu Qing prayed in silence that his Master would wake up after seeing her eyes.
"Should we … eat something first?" Jing Shang asked uneasily while standing at the periphery.
Hearing this, Gu Qing and Ping Yong-Ka looked at Zhao Layue. Apiao didn't know what to do.
She was the Master of the Shenmo Peak and the Senior Master.
They were well aware of the importance of Jing Jiu in her heart. Though she liked eating hotpot, how could she eat it now?
Zhao Layue suddenly turned around and walked toward the dining room.
The Jing family had prepared many dishes that day, and the bowls and plates were spread all over the round table. Jing Shang's wife stood by the table nervously, and Jing Li's wife stood further away, feeling wronged.
Zhao Layue didn't stand on ceremony. She sat down in the head seat and said, "Sit."
All of them sat down.
"Let's eat," said Zhao Layue.
Thus, everyone began to eat. Throughout the meal, no one spoke a word.
After the meal, Zhao Layue asked Jing Li's wife to comb her hair and braid her hair.
Everybody pretended not to notice it. Apiao picked up the large bowl that was bigger than her face and pretended to be eating.
Jing Li's face was pale, thinking that it was fortunate that there was no mirror in the dining room.
Zhao Layue left the dining room and walked back to the front of the study room. She sat down cross-legged at the spot where the begonia tree had been, closing her eyes.
The Thoughtless Sword came out soundlessly.
The beautiful twilight shone on her black braid, looking a bit hideous.
Seeing this, Ping Yong-Ka felt uneasy, asking Gu Qing, "Big Brother, what should we do next?"
Gu Qing was well aware of the temperament of the Senior Master and that she wouldn't leave as long as his Master didn't wake up. "Keep watch," he said.
As the disciples, they of course had to stand guard here, but they couldn't just sit there all the time like Zhao Layue did, doing nothing.
No one knew when Jing Jiu would wake up. What if he needed more than ten years?
Fortunately, the Jing Residence had been expanded twice in the past few years, so there were enough rooms for them to stay in.
The twilight deepened, and night came.
"Master, when will you go back to the palace?" Jing Li asked Gu Qing.
In his opinion, since his master was the regent, he could not stay outside the palace forever.
Gu Qing waved his hand, thinking that this kind of thing was not as important as his master.
When Jing Li woke up the next morning, he went to the sleeping Jing Jiu, Zhao Layue, Gu Qing, Ping Yong-Ka and Apiao one by one. After that, he told his wife not to try to curry favor with the elders by bringing them tea and food. After that, he was ready to go to the Royal Palace.
As he walked out of the alley and arrived on the street, he suddenly halted his steps. Seeing the scene in front of him, he couldn't help but rub his eyes a few times, wondering if his eyes were deceiving him.
This street was usually very busy and prosperous. There were many mansions and shops on the opposite side of the street, but those shops and mansions had all been demolished overnight, turning into a patch of flat land.
What was going on? Jing Li walked to the opposite side of the street and looked around in bewilderment.
An official of the Construction Bureau of the Ministry of Works recognized his identity and came over hastily to explain, "This is the decree issued by the palace last night. Many officials of the Pure Heaven Bureau came to help. I don't know why."
Jing Li went to the Royal Palace with a puzzled expression. The young emperor asked concernedly before Jing Li could ask, "How is my granduncle doing?"
Jing Li said, "The grandmaster hasn't woken up yet … Your Majesty, how come that street has been demolished?"
"You'll know when you go back tonight," said the Emperor.
…
…
In the evening, Jing Li came back from the Royal Palace. He suddenly found a temple on the other side of the street.
Even with the help of the officials of the Pure Heaven Bureau, it was impossible to build a temple out of nowhere in one day. It was evident that a powerful figure had moved a temple here.
The temple was a bit old, and Jing Li felt it looked familiar. As he approached it and took a closer look, he found that it was the last three halls of the Net-Perception Temple.
What was going on here?
Jing Li walked back to the alley in bewilderment. All of a sudden, he heard the door of the mansion open with a squeaking sound, and a young monk walked out from inside.
Gu Qing saw him off by the side, showing an exceedingly respectful expression.
Regardless of whether he was the Governor of the state or the principal disciple of the Sect Master of Aoyama, he had a very honorable status. How many monks in the world were qualified to earn such respect from Gu Qing?
"Greetings, Zen Master." Jing Li bowed to the ground hastily and saw a pair of bare feet as white as lotus flowers.
Zen Master didn't pay any attention to him, nor did he try to avoid him. He continued telling Gu Qing, "His Cultivation state was not high enough, and he employed the Sword Formation of Aoyama by force. He deserved to die that day. It's just that he has somehow obtained the fairy energy from Bai Ren that he can hold on until now. I've never seen such a situation before, and I don't know when he will wake up or if he can wake up. However, Shui Yue Nunnery might have some experience with this. You can ask her."
Having said that, Zen Master walked toward the other side of the street. He was led by the monks of the Net-Perception Temple into the newly moved temple.
The bell rang out in the twilight.
Gu Qing bowed to the other side of the street earnestly.
Jing Li followed suit and bowed hastily.
…
…
The next day, a small green curtain sedan landed on the street.
Shui Yue Nunnery turned around and left after shooting a glance at Zhao Layue after saying something to Gu Qing.
Since Zen Master was in charge of this place, it was unnecessary for her to stay here. Moreover, the Heavenly Well by the East Ocean needed someone to look after it.
Lian Sanyue had slept for many years after being infused with the fairy energy by Jing Jiu back then. However, Shui Yue Nunnery only knew the changes of the Exterior, but he didn't know how she had tempered the fairy energy, nor could he provide an answer.
After the Chief Nun of the Water-Moon Nunnery left, Zhen Tao and a few of her fellow disciples stayed and lived in Taichang Temple.
Soon after, the people of the Platanus Sect, the Mirror Sect, and the Ōzawa Sect had also arrived. They chose their own residences not far from the Jing House.
The former belonged to Jing Jiu, and the latter had the backing of Yimaozhai. The former belonged to Jing Jiu, and the latter had the backing of Yimaozhai.
In other words, the Jing House was completely surrounded, becoming a forbidden place that was isolated from the outside world.
It was evident that the Jing House was guarding against the revenge of the Zhongzhou School. Moreover, Yuan Qijing was in the Royal Palace, so the sleeping Jing Jiu should be safe.
Thinking of all this, Jing Li returned home. He sensed that something had changed in his house, and then he remembered that the begonia was gone; he couldn't help but sigh.
Zhao Layue sat in front of the study room with her eyes closed. She didn't pay any attention to Zen Master or Shui Yue Nunnery when they came to her.
Yet, Gu Qing insisted on reporting all these things to her regardless of whether she paid any attention to them or not.
Zhao Layue opened her eyes and stood up. She reached out her hand to call back the Thoughtless Sword.
Gu Qing was taken aback, wondering what she was going to do with it.
Zhao Layue held the braid with her left hand and the Thoughtless Sword with her right hand. She cut the braid slightly and then tossed it to Gu Qing.
The Thoughtless Sword moved, turning into a blood-red line heading toward Aoyama.
Holding the braid in his hand, Gu Qing looked at the sword light disappearing into the horizon, feeling bewildered.
Back when Jing Jiu was lost in the snowland, Zhao Layue had waited for him in front of the temple in White Town for a year. It had only been one day since he left.
All of a sudden, he felt that the braid in his hand was quite heavy and hot. He knew that it was not something he could touch. He entered the study room hastily and placed it by Jing Jiu, adjusting its position carefully.
… …
… …
The blood-red sword light illuminated the top of Shenmo Peak.
Yuan Qu came out from the grand hall and asked, "Master! How is the Immortal Sect Master? "
Zhao Layue didn't heed him, waving her sleeve a few times.
Liu Ada rolled out from her sleeve like a snowball.
Yuan Qu shut up immediately.
Zhao Layue walked into the manor cave expressionlessly.
The stone wall closed slowly.
Liu Ada pulled back his gaze, strolled to the edge of the cliff and crouched down, looking at the seemingly burning ocean of clouds.
… …
… …
One hundred years had passed in the blink of an eye.
However, for mortals, it was a line that was difficult to cross, straddling the line between life and death.
Those residents of Zhaoge City who had witnessed Lian Sanyue's fight against the Fairy Lady were all dead. As a result, everything had become a legend.
Even for cultivators, this was a very long time.
It was a peaceful period of one hundred years in Chaotian.
The devil men of the deviant sects were mostly killed by Liu Ci.
The Zhongzhou School was as quiet as a sealed mountain.
The Aoyama Sect was the only exception.
Guangyuan Zhenren had reached the Heavenly Arrival State seventy years ago.
Fang Jingtian had broken through the middle state of the Heavenly Arrival State.
To everyone's surprise, the Sword Justice of Aoyama, Yuan Qijing, was still alive and sitting in the Royal Palace of Zhaoge City, though few people could see him.
The Aoyama Sect seemed to have returned to its heyday, but everybody knew what the Aoyama Sect was worried about.
Taiping Zhenren was free and unfettered in the world.
The Immortal Jingyang was in a deep sleep.
If Yuan Qijing weren't still alive, Fang Jingtian would have suppressed Shenmo Peak and brought his Master back a long time ago.
On an ordinary autumn day, the door of the manor cave on the top of Shenmo Peak was opened slowly. Zhao Layue walked out amidst the drifting dust.
She was covered in dust, her short hair messy, and her appearance slovenly. She looked like the first time she met Jing Jiu on the Sword Peak over one hundred years ago; but her eyes were more distinct, like the ink characters on a piece of paper. Heaven and earth could see her will and thoughts clearly.
She walked to the edge of the cliff in the blood-red twilight, looking at the ocean of clouds that seemed to be ablaze.
Innumerable vague sword wills drifted out from her clothes.
The ocean of clouds suddenly broke apart, turning into tens of thousands of strands, looking like countless dancing flames.
Yuan Qu walked out from the Daoist Hall. He was so shocked that he forgot to bow to his Master, his eyes full of disbelief.
What Cultivation state had his Master demonstrated just now?
A meow of a cat suddenly burst out on the distant Bihu Peak.
It was a yearning sound.
It was more of admiration.
She had finally surpassed Jingyang and became the youngest person in the upper state of the Broken Sea.
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