“Senior Sister, what’s wrong?”

The moment they landed, Jianghe noticed Jian Chou’s gaze and looked in that direction, but he didn’t see anything unusual either.

He tossed the Earth Spirit Fruit in his hand, caught it, and walked over.

Jian Chou turned back and smiled, “Nothing, just seeing this place reminded me of when I first arrived.”

Of course, it was an excuse.

Qu Zhengfeng didn’t quite believe these words, but whatever others were thinking had nothing to do with him anyway.

He said, “Let’s go directly back through the teleportation array, report the situation to Master, and perhaps we’ll need to discuss some other matters.”

The other matters are likely referred to things related to the “Kun.”

Both Jian Chou and Jianghe nodded, and the two followed Qu Zhengfeng’s steps, standing together in the teleportation array once more.

The teleportation arrays of Shijiu Zhou weren’t located in any particularly important or prosperous places.

However, no teleportation array could directly reach Yashan—Jian Chou didn’t know the reasons for this at present.

They could only keep jumping between several designated teleportation arrays, from Deng Tiandao to the western coast of Shijiu Zhou, then from the plaza where the Nine Heavens Tablet stood, teleporting to the cliff where they had originally come from.

The fishy, salty sea breeze suddenly changed into fresh mountain air.

After the heavy rain, the water in the tributaries of Jiutou River carried some muddiness, rolling down from upstream with many fallen leaves and dead branches mixed in the river water, sinking and floating.

When they left, it was pouring rain.

When they returned, the rain had stopped and the sky had cleared.

Birds with colorful wings flapped their wings, shaking off the rainwater that had gotten on them while flying through the rain curtain earlier, creating a misty spray.

They hadn’t been away for very long, but when they returned and breathed in the fresh mountain air, free from the fishy saltiness of the seaside, Jian Chou unexpectedly felt like she had come home.

Little fatty Jianghe even stood directly on the teleportation array and stretched his arms.

“We’re back!”

His loud voice traveled across the entire river surface, echoing among the layered azure shadows of the mountains.

In the mountain forest, there was a startled trembling, as if quite a few birds and beasts had been frightened by his shout.

“Smack.”

Qu Zhengfeng directly delivered a slap, covering Jianghe’s forehead.

Jianghe was stunned, turning back in disbelief and glaring at Qu Zhengfeng indignantly, “Second Senior Brother, what are you doing?”

Qu Zhengfeng frowned slightly and said coolly, “Don’t disturb the residents.”

“Residents?”

Jianghe’s finger shot out, pointing at the opposite riverbank and the mountain forest.

“They also count as residents?!”

“…”

Qu Zhengfeng just looked at him coolly.

Jianghe suddenly noticed Qu Zhengfeng’s loose robes, which had just been casually tied, and immediately recalled that earlier scene—Qu Zhengfeng bare-chested, cutting down the bone dragon with one sword.

In that instant, he felt a chill run down his back and waist.

All the words that had already jumped to his throat, spread on his tongue, and were about to burst from his mouth were very cleverly rolled back by his tongue.

His mouth closed, and when it opened again, it was with a face full of ingratiating, sheepish laughter, looking exactly like a pure and obedient good child.

Jianghe grinned, “Count, count, they are residents, standard natives…”

Coolly withdrawing his gaze, Qu Zhengfeng finally nodded, acknowledging his words, and simply said, “Let’s go.”

Jian Chou walked over and glanced sideways at the little fatty.

He was too afraid of Qu Zhengfeng.

Perhaps sensing Jian Chou’s gaze, little fatty Jianghe read a kind of inexplicable disdain from it, as if saying: How can you be so spineless?

The poor little fatty touched his head aggrievedly and deliberately fell back a few steps to walk beside Jian Chou.

He didn’t dare speak aloud, only transmitting his voice, “Second Senior Brother used to be very terrifying… He’s only cultivated his character and tempered his nature somewhat in recent years. But this time, I can see Second Senior Brother is starting again… Woo woo, too scary. Big Senior Sister, don’t look at how I’m swallowing my anger—this is the hardship of survival!”

Even though it was only a voice transmission, Jian Chou could still feel the intense emotion he contained, truly sorrowful and pitiful.

After hesitating for a moment, Jian Chou still transmitted back, “Is it really that frightening?”

“Yes!”

The little fatty nodded without hesitation!

His expression was extremely certain, and he looked back fearfully at Qu Zhengfeng, who had already walked to the cliff edge, transmitting, “After all, he used to be our Yashan’s Big Senior Brother, and no one could beat him! He was so fierce back then… Woo woo, Big Senior Sister, you must protect me in the future.”

Big Senior Brother, whom no one could beat.

And what about her, this Big Senior Sister?

For a moment, Jian Chou couldn’t say exactly what felt wrong, so she just smiled at the little fatty without responding to his words.

Cultivators with high cultivation could sense spiritual power fluctuations and mental activity behind them, knowing they were transmitting voices. Although Qu Zhengfeng wasn’t particularly heaven-defying and shouldn’t be able to hear the content of their transmissions, still…

It wouldn’t be good to make him overthink.

After saying a couple of sentences, the little fatty obediently followed behind.

The three of them flew from the cliff, and from a distance, they could already see Yashan shrouded in layers of clouds.

The river flowed meandering past Yashan.

The three directly transformed into three streams of light, heading straight upward.

When they were still three hundred zhang away from Yashan, Qu Zhengfeng casually threw out a token, which flew toward the high sky.

Jian Chou looked up and saw that when the token flew forward to a certain place, it seemed to hit something, making a slight “pop” sound.

Accompanying the collision sound was a massive light screen.

Ripples of light spread outward in all directions.

It was a enormous mountain-protecting formation, seemingly reaching to the heavens, with brilliant radiance!

The moment that token with the two characters “Yashan” contacted the mountain-protecting formation, a phantom immediately flew out and merged with the formation.

Thus, a “door” three zhang high appeared on the light screen.

Qu Zhengfeng raised his hand, directly retrieved the token, and flew on his sword. Jianghe and Jian Chou hurriedly followed.

Perhaps knowing that Jian Chou didn’t understand all this, Qu Zhengfeng said, “Since ancient times, Yashan has been difficult to enter but easy to exit, precisely because of this mountain-protecting formation’s existence. When going out, all Yashan disciples must carry tokens. Normally, Big Senior Sister doesn’t know, having come to Yashan not long ago.”

There were quite a few spirits and monsters in the mountains, not to mention those with ill intentions.

Any sect with some reputation had protective measures outside.

However, Yashan’s protection was too extensive…

Three hundred zhang outside Yashan was a forbidden zone.

Jian Chou nodded, keeping all this in mind.

After flying forward for a while longer and ascending higher, Yashan’s Lingzhao Peak gradually revealed its appearance from the clouds and mist.

Cloud qi was blown by the wind, passing close to the surface of Lingzhao Peak.

Beside the Guihe Well in the center, Da Bai’e dominated half the water surface, swimming back and forth; on the other half of the water surface, several elegant and noble red-crowned immortal cranes slowly walked about, grooming their feathers by the water’s edge.

Every time he saw this scene, Jianghe felt heartache, liver pain, stomach pain, back pain…

Damn, his whole body hurt.

He still remembered when he had talked to himself in front of that big white goose, thinking that when the immortal cranes returned, this big white goose would surely feel ashamed and be driven far away by this group of noble immortal cranes, never daring to cause trouble in Guihe Well again…

Who would have thought that this group of immortal cranes raised by the ancestors couldn’t even defeat a single big white goose!

Could it be that this world truly operated on the principle of geese relying on human power?

Seeing Jianghe looking at the scene below with a twitching expression, Jian Chou also looked down and saw the big white goose that now followed Fudao Shanren’s surname.

For a moment, she was also somewhat speechless.

However…

This could still be considered a goose from their own family. After thinking about it, Jian Chou decided to pretend she hadn’t seen anything and directly landed on Lingzhao Peak.

At the four corners of the Sword-Drawing Platform, rainwater from not long ago slowly flowed down, following the slopes at the edge of Lingzhao Peak, converging into a small stream that rushed toward the bottom of the mountain, gathering in the mountain hollow where it would likely become part of the Jiutou River tributaries.

The Affairs Hall was not far in front of the Sword-Drawing Platform. Several disciples stood outside the door, seemingly discussing something.

When Qu Zhengfeng, Jian Chou, and Jianghe walked over, these disciples immediately stopped and bowed in unison: “Greetings to Great Master Uncle, Second Master Uncle, and Eighth Master Uncle.”

“No need for excessive courtesy.” Qu Zhengfeng smiled naturally and then asked, “Is Master Uncle Fudao inside?”

“Still inside.”

Several people replied.

So Jian Chou and the others entered the Affairs Hall.

Before departure, Jian Chou had only stood outside and hadn’t entered.

Now entering, she discovered that the tables and chairs with tea sets were all occupied. Seeing them enter, everyone paid their respects.

Passing the screen in front and entering the back hall, they could see a huge courtyard with a stone platform built in the center. Above the platform floated countless silver lights like ox-hair needles, flying outward every three breaths.

At the same time, around this stone platform, disciples and elders constantly communicated with each other. With a flick of their fingers, silver light would condense and form, and they would extend their fingers to flick it into the stone platform.

This stone platform seemed to be a message-sending location.

Jian Chou observed.

Qu Zhengfeng had already walked directly down into the courtyard.

On the side of that message-sending stone platform, Fudao Shanren sat with his legs crossed in a chair, having already gnawed through who knows how many chicken legs, with chicken bones scattered all over the ground.

As he gnawed, he saw a pair of shoes appear in front of him, followed by a second pair, then a third.

Looking up, Fudao Shanren blinked and wiped his dirty face, as if he hadn’t expected them to return so quickly.

“How long has it been? Finished already?”

Qu Zhengfeng bowed and said, “The matter of Wangjiang Tower and Wuyi Sect’s Tao Zhang has been handled, and the two missing disciples have been found.”

“Oh. That easy?”

Fudao Shanren thought for a moment, stood up with his chicken leg, and suddenly became somewhat indignant.

“You’ve only been gone for a few hours, and anyone can see this matter was incredibly simple. Yet Wangjiang Tower still had the nerve to ask Kunwu to trouble us. Damn… Are we that idle? No way, I must let Kunwu know!”

This behavior was too deplorable!

Thinking this, Fudao Shanren unhesitatingly pinched his fingers in the air, seeming to directly extract a silver light from the void. The moment the silver light appeared, countless tiny electric arcs shot out around it.

Crack, crackle…

The sound of exploding electric light was crystal clear.

“Hehe…”

Looking at this electric light between his fingers, Fudao Shanren smiled craftily.

Jian Chou suddenly felt a bone-chilling sensation.

Why did she feel that this master of hers…

Was somewhat…

Devious?

Fudao Shanren smugly raised his eyebrows, wishing he could make them dance on his brow bone.

He lightly flicked his finger and said, “Go!”

That silver light crackling with electric arcs directly transformed into a lightning bolt, actually shooting directly from this courtyard toward the heights!

“Crack!”

In the clear sky that had just stopped raining, a flash of lightning and thunder immediately rang out!

A pale blue electric light directly tore through the heavens, shooting into the void and disappearing in the blink of an eye.

Far away in Kunwu, at the center of the Shijiu Zhou continent, in the Heavenly Halls floating high in the void.

A group of disciples were scattered across various levels of steps, with Master Hengxu in front holding a fly whisk, his voice calm yet weathered, seemingly preaching to the disciples.

“The way of heaven is to reduce the excessive and supplement the insufficient…”

“Crack!”

A lightning bolt exploded above this majestic and sacred Heavenly Hall!

Behold, this lightning bolt from the clear sky came with tremendous force, imposing and fierce, baring fangs and claws like a giant beast madly pouncing toward Master Hengxu!

In that instant, everyone was greatly alarmed!

Only Master Hengxu frowned and sighed deeply, actually not dodging or avoiding, directly extending his hand to let the electric light explode in his palm!

Countless terrifying electric arcs swirled and circled in his hand.

Master Hengxu slowly extracted a silver light from this lightning bolt.

It turned out…

It was just a thunder message.

The countless disciples below all felt their souls had nearly left their bodies.

Kunwu’s Heavenly Hall wasn’t a place where just anything could enter.

Someone sending Master Hengxu a thunder message was one thing, but to dare be so arrogant, with such grand momentum and frightening display, as if afraid they couldn’t kill Master Hengxu—just who…

Who had such audacity?

Everyone secretly observed Master Hengxu’s expression.

Strangely, Master Hengxu only sighed, as if he already knew who it was, said nothing, and crushed the silver light with one hand.

A light screen spread out, and Fudao Shanren’s vindictive words appeared one by one before Master Hengxu’s eyes.

Wangjiang Tower…

Master Hengxu pondered for a moment, somewhat helplessly.

He was considering how to reply to Fudao Shanren when he suddenly sensed something and looked down.

Master Hengxu, standing on high, could take in the entire scene of the Heavenly Hall with one glance.

At this moment, a somewhat swaying figure appeared at the main entrance.

The backlight made his weak form appear even more ethereal.

When Master Hengxu saw this person clearly, his brows furrowed deeply.

“Third?”

Wu Duan bore injuries on his body. Seeing the countless Kunwu disciples here, he only gritted his teeth, slowly walked up, and bowed before Master Hengxu: “This disciple has fortunately not failed in his mission and has investigated the source of the anomaly…”

Yashan.

“What did you say? Kun?!”

Fudao Shanren nearly exploded, his scalp tingling.

He felt like he hadn’t heard, looking at Qu Zhengfeng with a shocked expression, so frightened that he dropped his chicken leg to the ground.

After Fudao Shanren had sent that thunder message and begun an intriguing, sinister smile, Qu Zhengfeng had told Fudao Shanren about all the anomalies they encountered on the Western Sea.

Upon hearing the word “Kun,” Fudao Shanren felt completely off.

He looked at Qu Zhengfeng with the expression of looking at an idiot: “I say, Second, have you been stimulated by your Big Senior Sister recently and become a bit off? Things like Kun disappeared countless tens of thousands of years ago—how could you possibly see one, and someone standing on the Kun’s back, riding it away? If there was someone that formidable, they wouldn’t even count as human anymore!”

Someone standing on the Kun’s back, breaking through waves?

Are you kidding me!

Fudao Shanren didn’t believe it one bit and directly waved his hand dismissively.

Qu Zhengfeng said nothing more. Behind him, Jian Chou and Jianghe exchanged glances, both somewhat helpless.

They also knew that saying such things seemed somewhat shocking, but…

“Master, this matter wasn’t only witnessed by Senior Brother Qu alone—Junior Brother Wu Duan from Kunwu also saw it.”

Jian Chou spoke up, proving that Qu Zhengfeng wasn’t lying.

This time, Fudao Shanren fell silent.

He looked at Qu Zhengfeng, then at Jian Chou, and finally at little fatty Jianghe.

Pointing his finger, Fudao Shanren immediately said, “Little fatty, you’re honest. Tell me, is it true?”

Jianghe wore an expression of “everything they said is true” and nodded.

“…”

For a moment, Fudao Shanren was somewhat stunned.

Kun?

Kun?!

He took his nine-section bamboo—which Jian Chou had recently returned to him—and heavily tapped his forehead, muttering, “Could it be? Kun? Kun? This would scare people to death! No, I need to ask around… This is going to be big trouble… big trouble…”

As he spoke, he directly turned to look at the message-sending platform.

“Nothing more for now. You go ahead. I need to ask around first. Going to be big trouble… big trouble…”

Qu Zhengfeng thought about it—he couldn’t help with such matters, and if there was any news later, Fudao Shanren would naturally notify them.

So he clasped his hands and bowed to Fudao Shanren: “Then this disciple will withdraw first.”

Fudao Shanren nodded, turning his back to them, but his brows were already tightly furrowed.

Jian Chou and Jianghe also didn’t linger, both bowing before following him out.

Standing outside the Affairs Hall, the three stopped and turned back to look in unison.

Jianghe said, “Speaking of which, will Master’s thunder message cause any trouble?”

“Whatever trouble there is, it’s between him and Master Hengxu. It has nothing to do with us.” Qu Zhengfeng was quite open about it.

Jian Chou said, “About Wu Duan’s matter…”

“It’s not a big deal, so I didn’t tell Master.”

They had mentioned everything except Wu Duan’s matter—Qu Zhengfeng hadn’t said a word about that.

Jian Chou was somewhat worried but didn’t know what to say.

Qu Zhengfeng seemed able to read her thoughts and only said, “Wu Duan is from a prestigious Kunwu family—don’t worry about him. After all, Wangjiang Tower is still there; he won’t die.”

“…”

These words were quite sarcastic.

But Jian Chou thought it over carefully and realized Qu Zhengfeng was right.

When they left, Wangjiang Tower’s Mo Yuanxing hadn’t left yet and would certainly help Wu Duan.

Hearing them discuss these matters, Jianghe felt bored.

Clutching the Earth Spirit Fruit in his arms, he could barely contain his excitement and smiled, “Whatever, Kun or Peng, you two can chat about that. I need to go back and study this fruit first. Haha, this trip to sea was incredibly profitable! Thank you, Second Senior Brother. I’m going back first.”

He bowed to both of them, and Jian Chou and Qu Zhengfeng both nodded slightly.

So Jianghe couldn’t be bothered to stay here any longer and immediately transformed into a swift crimson light, disappearing from the spot.

A breeze blew, and the cloud qi suddenly became dense.

Jian Chou looked in the direction the wind came from and immediately saw the Sword-Drawing Platform.

She said, “I heard from Fourth Junior Brother that Second Junior Brother has always been someone who doesn’t draw his sword, but unexpectedly…”

He had drawn his sword against Wu Duan.

Jian Chou wanted to ask what this was all about, but halfway through her words, she found it difficult to continue.

Qu Zhengfeng also followed her gaze toward the Sword-Drawing Platform.

“When life brings triumph, one must draw the sword.”

“Triumph?”

Jian Chou didn’t understand.

Qu Zhengfeng smiled, “Nascent Soul Peak against mid-stage Nascent Soul, and an injured mid-stage Nascent Soul at that, and on the sea which was advantageous to me—how could I not draw my sword?”

Jian Chou still didn’t understand.

The sword supporting the Sword-Drawing Platform appeared rusty and weathered from years of wind and rain when viewed up close.

Qu Zhengfeng pointed at this sword and said, “The White Bone Dragon Sword is a good sword, but unfortunately, the person wielding it wasn’t good enough. However, compared to others in Kunwu, although Wu Duan can’t be considered top-tier, he’s already a rare person with excellent character whom I regard favorably. It’s just a pity he was born in Kunwu. As for our Yashan, we have far more than just one sword better than the White Bone Dragon Sword. Yashan’s three swords—this sword beneath the Sword-Drawing Platform counts as one…”

This one?

Jian Chou looked carefully, wondering how to pull this sword out.

“Yashan’s three swords? This is one, but what about the others?”

“You want to see?”

Qu Zhengfeng’s gaze became very strange.

Jian Chou couldn’t identify the meaning in those eyes, but after experiencing this trip to sea, her mood was strangely unsettled. This might have been influenced by Qu Zhengfeng…

The layers of mystery shrouding this Second Junior Brother, his strange way of doing things…

And the extraordinary strength he displayed.

All of it made Jian Chou feel…

She seemed like she should do something.

But she had no idea what to think.

Jian Chou said, “I want to see.”

“One at the Sword-Drawing Platform, one in the armory—Senior Sister Jian Chou has already seen that one… There’s another one above.”

Above?

Jian Chou was startled.

Qu Zhengfeng looked up, his gaze following the high cliff wall of Yashan opposite them, continuously climbing upward, past that solitary stone pavilion, all the way to the very top.

“If Senior Sister Jian Chou wishes to see the sword, please follow me.”

As his words fell, Qu Zhengfeng had already transformed into a streak of light flying away, heading straight for the highest point of Yashan.

Jian Chou watched his departing figure, hesitated for a moment, but then smiled freely and finally followed.

Guifei spun as it flew, quickly approaching Qu Zhengfeng, whose speed wasn’t actually that fast.

The two of them went higher and higher…

The Yashan cliff wall they could see became increasingly steep.

Suddenly, after crossing some invisible boundary, Jian Chou’s view suddenly opened up.

Without knowing when, they had actually flown to the absolute peak of Yashan!

Here, clouds could no longer be seen—only a tall mountain peak jutting into the clouds.

Looking down along the cliff wall, the mountain body below was covered in layers of white jade, not a trace visible.

At the mountain top, there was actually a small platform with a stone table carved from the mountain stone and several stone stools, clearly connected to the mountain body and immovable.

Qu Zhengfeng landed on this mountaintop.

Jian Chou followed and landed as well.

This was her first time at such a high, high place.

Standing on this small mountaintop platform, Jian Chou felt that everything she could see were vast white clouds. The cold mountain wind blew up from beneath the clouds, giving her a trembling sensation.

Jian Chou didn’t know if this trembling came from the wind or from standing at the absolute peak.

It turned out that when people reach the highest point, it’s not about seeing all mountains as small beneath them, but rather seeing white clouds all around, with nothing else in sight.

Qu Zhengfeng glanced at Jian Chou and slowly walked to the stone table carved from mountain rock.

He looked toward the area in front of him.

Jian Chou followed his gaze.

About three zhang in front of the stone table, there was actually a sword hilt thrust upside down into the ground.

It was called “a sword hilt” because this hilt was too large—fully four men tall and six chi wide. The sword guard spread outward at ground level. Below the guard, it formed a diamond-shaped stone column thrust straight into the ground, as if it penetrated from this mountaintop all the way into the mountain’s belly, perhaps even directly into the earth’s core.

This…

Was a sword?

In Jian Chou’s eyes, this sword hilt was completely carved from stone, showing no trace of metal.

Qu Zhengfeng walked forward, looking up at this sword hilt, and said, “The absolute peak of Yashan is called Return-to-Sheath Peak. This stone sword is said to be the personal sword of a great cultivator from ten thousand years ago at Yashan, who pierced through the entire mountain with one sword thrust, driving it straight to the bottom of Yashan, never to be drawn again. Because this sword is nearly as old as our Yashan itself, it’s called the ‘Yashan Sword.'”

Yashan Sword?

Jian Chou gazed at this towering sword hilt, imagining the magnificence of that ancient sword piercing through Yashan, feeling her heart and spirit surge.

“The sword is the Yashan Sword, and the sheath is the entire mountain of Yashan. Thus, this peak is named Return-to-Sheath Peak.”

The long sword returning to its sheath,归于 the entire mountain of Yashan.

What an expansive image!

Yashan was as tall as the heavens, and this sword was thrust from heaven to earth—it could truly be called magnificent.

Jian Chou was speechless.

Qu Zhengfeng turned back and saw the expression on Jian Chou’s face.

In that instant, he laughed.

Jian Chou turned to look at him.

Qu Zhengfeng explained, “However… it might be fake. All this was told to me by Master… Master is someone you should understand by now. Not two sentences from his mouth are true—perhaps it’s just something he casually carved from the mountain stone with a wave of his hand.”

“…”

Jian Chou was instantly speechless.

The surging emotions she had felt were suddenly extinguished by Qu Zhengfeng’s words.

Qu Zhengfeng looked at Jian Chou’s indescribable expression and suddenly burst into laughter.

“Junior Brother Qu…”

Jian Chou wanted to remind him not to get too carried away.

This laughter was too exaggerated…

Unexpectedly, when Qu Zhengfeng heard this, his laughter gradually stopped.

This time, it was Jian Chou who felt strange.

She looked at Qu Zhengfeng with puzzlement: “Junior Brother Qu?”

“…Before you came, no one dared call me Junior Brother.” After looking at her for a long time, Qu Zhengfeng suddenly said this.

In that instant, all the words about to leave Jian Chou’s mouth were sealed in her throat.

Qu Zhengfeng’s face showed an extremely indifferent expression.

Jian Chou felt that a feeling in her heart had finally been confirmed…

She couldn’t say what mood or expression she used to speak these words: “Junior Brother Qu indeed doesn’t seem to like me very much…”

“Little Junior Sister, you’re very perceptive.”

Slightly narrowing his eyes as he looked at Jian Chou, Qu Zhengfeng finally showed a smile again.

This was an extremely proper and elegant smile.

However…

He hadn’t called her Senior Sister Jian Chou, but rather—

Little Junior Sister.