“…”
“…”
“…”
Silence.
Eternal silence.
Only Fudao Shanren’s exaggerated, heart-wrenching wailing echoed throughout the mountain path entrance.
Jian Chou looked at the black handprint on her freshly changed clothes, her mouth twitching as she finally gritted her teeth and spoke: “Master, you have a private treasury, yet we disciples never knew…”
Hehe.
Always dressed in tattered clothes, the magical artifacts he produced weren’t worth a second glance—where was the dignity of a dignified Yashan elder? And one with particularly high seniority at that!
Yet now, when making bets, staking his private treasury, he started crying and wailing?
Why were you so stingy before?
“Uh…”
Hearing this, Fudao Shanren stopped his wailing and stared at Jian Chou for a long time.
“…Well…” Fudao Shanren immediately evaded the topic: “Ah, private treasuries—everyone has them, right…”
“Is that so?”
Jian Chou still smiled slightly.
Fudao Shanren’s mouth twitched. Seeing Jian Chou’s cool expression of “Master, you having a private treasury is so impressive,” he finally couldn’t bear it and decided—
To act shamelessly!
“This old man doesn’t care! Tell me, you young people, do you understand how to preserve an old man’s dignity? Someone challenged me in front of so many people—could I refuse? You wouldn’t agree? Can you afford to lose that face? Your face, my face, Yashan’s face! Right?”
A big hat came down, and Jian Chou was immediately speechless.
Zheng Yao, beside them, chuckled: “Suffering for saving face.”
Saving face only to suffer alive!
This describes exactly Fudao Shanren’s type of unreliability!
Fudao Shanren brooded for a while, stamping his feet and sighing, patting Jian Chou’s shoulder with heartfelt words: “Jian Chou, as your master’s disciple, you must take responsibility—”
“Help Master clean up messes, patch things up, and wipe his bottom?”
Zheng Yao tucked his hands into his sleeves, lifted his eyelids, and delivered a cutting blow.
Fudao Shanren immediately jumped: “Who asked for your damn commentary!”
“…”
Zheng Yao immediately shut up.
Jian Chou remained silent.
The wager had somehow been made, though she didn’t particularly resist it.
Zhou Chenjiang’s cultivation methods seemed quite intriguing, truly making Jian Chou curious. Talented individuals in Shijiu Zhou were countless. Zhou Chenjiang reaching late-stage Foundation Establishment in three years and being listed on the second tablet could be considered remarkable…
But how long would defeating him take?
Calculating on her fingers, Jian Chou had been on the cultivation path for nearly three months.
“Forget it…” Jian Chou suddenly became magnanimous, looking at her master with an innocent expression: “It’s just one fight anyway. If I lose, it’s not my private treasury.”
“Hey hey hey, you can’t say that!”
Fudao Shanren quickly grabbed Jian Chou’s sleeve, eyes gleaming.
“Jian Chou girl, you’re still my disciple—how can you be so lacking in ambition? Think about it—Master staked his private treasury, but didn’t that stinking old Pang Dian also bet Longmen’s Underwater Lake?”
“Oh?”
Jian Chou raised an eyebrow.
Fudao Shanren quickly smiled: “Let me tell you, there’s a dragon skeleton in Underwater Lake, and supposedly many dragon pearls, even Mystical Treasure-level artifacts! For this battle, you must cultivate desperately and absolutely cannot lose! Once you win, Master will share some good things with you! This isn’t just about your dignity, but also Master’s private treasury and precious treasures! Whenever there are treasures, we must go all out!”
“…”
Zheng Yao couldn’t watch anymore and cast sympathetic glances at Jian Chou.
That was an entire lake’s worth of private treasury, and she’d only get a small share after winning—how stingy could he be?
Jian Chou had felt full of energy after her sudden clash with Zhou Chenjiang, but being pulled at by Fudao Shanren like this, she had the urge to collapse on the ground and kneel before him.
Perhaps this was Master’s miraculous cultivation technique?
Making you unconsciously want to kneel before me!
Jian Chou thought that if given the chance, she must learn such heaven-defying miraculous techniques.
For now, she silently glanced at Fudao Shanren and finally interrupted his words.
“Master, there are still two years. After only three months of cultivation, I can barely match Zhou Chenjiang. In another two years, even if he has countless fortuitous encounters, how could he surpass me?”
“That’s also true…”
But Longmen’s cultivation techniques had some secrets.
Fudao Shanren wasn’t entirely at ease. He muttered: “What you say is right, but isn’t Master just concerned about you? Don’t worry—Master will supervise you and help you cultivate properly, definitely finding you several suitable Dao Seals.”
“Grand Senior Sister Jian Chou has exceptional talent and is Yashan’s foremost in recent years.” Zheng Yao finally found a chance to interject. Thinking he wouldn’t have to listen to Fudao Shanren’s wailing anymore filled him with mysterious emotion: “Not seeing you for many days, Grand Senior Sister’s demeanor remains as impressive as ever.”
“Jian Chou pays respects to the Sect Leader.”
Finally returning to normal topics, Jian Chou also breathed a sigh of relief.
She had come today specifically to pay respects to Zheng Yao.
Zheng Yao simply said, “It’s inconvenient outside. Let’s go inside.”
With that, he waved his hand, leading Jian Chou and Fudao Shanren back to Lanyue Hall.
The massive bronze furnace burned with endless flames as usual.
Jian Chou had been here several times but never studied it carefully. Only now, standing still, did she realize these were rootless fires, burning out of nowhere in the bronze furnace, reminding her of the jade-colored fire lamp in her room.
Lanyue Hall had several chairs arranged. Zheng Yao casually sat down.
“Speaking of which, not seeing Grand Senior Sister for over ten days worried people.”
Fudao Shanren pulled up a chair and sat down, producing a chicken leg: “This girl disappeared because she went to the Bloodred Small Realm and had some adventures. Nothing happened.”
Hearing “Bloodred Small Realm,” Zheng Yao was quite surprised, smiling: “Then congratulations to Grand Senior Sister Jian Chou.”
Just congratulations—he didn’t ask what Jian Chou had gained in the Bloodred Small Realm. Not necessarily uninterested, but definitely without covetousness. This “congratulations” came sincerely.
Jian Chou naturally sensed this and smiled: “Entering the Bloodred Small Realm was indeed fortunate, but that day was supposed to be Yashan’s new disciple recruitment. My unexplained disappearance must have caused the Sect Leader much trouble searching.”
“That’s nothing major—there were others to handle it anyway.”
Zheng Yao waved his fleshy hand dismissively.
Hearing this, Jian Chou understood—someone else had taken the blame.
“In the future, I’ll delegate all mundane affairs within Yashan’s mountain gate. Grand Senior Sister needn’t participate, just focus on cultivation. After all, with Zhou Chenjiang ahead and the Left Three Thousand Minor Assembly following, Grand Senior Sister will truly be busy then.”
The time agreed upon with Longmen’s Zhou Chenjiang wasn’t the Left Three Thousand Minor Assembly, but before it.
Calculating, Zheng Yao realized it wasn’t far off.
By normal cultivator advancement speeds, two or three years might not even climb one small realm, let alone a major realm. But Jian Chou couldn’t be judged by common standards.
“At that time, she won’t be the only busy one—this old man will be busier…”
Not knowing what he thought of, Fudao Shanren suddenly interrupted with an aggrieved tone.
Jian Chou wondered: “What’s wrong, Master?”
“Sigh…”
Fudao Shanren let out a long sigh, waving impatiently: “All troublesome matters, all troublesome matters!”
Jian Chou looked at Zheng Yao.
Zheng Yao was also helpless, but wasn’t as impatient as Fudao Shanren. He explained: “Today, Elder Pang from Longmen didn’t come from Longmen sect but returned from travels. He had passed through Jianzhu Sect and learned some news, so he specially came through Yashan to sit briefly and inform us of this matter.”
One sentence set the stage, and Jian Chou caught the key point.
Jianzhu Sect.
“Recently, there have been many conflicts between our Yashan and Jianzhu Sect. They’ve been arrogant and presumptuous, actually uniting with several surrounding sects to jointly petition Kunwu’s Master Hengxu, demanding the replacement of Master Uncle as Left Three Thousand Enforcement Elder.”
Zheng Yao looked at Fudao Shanren.
Fudao Shanren’s chicken leg lost its flavor as he ate. He frowned and looked up: “Why are you looking at me? Continue!”
Zheng Yao sighed helplessly and continued looking at Jian Chou.
Jian Chou listened attentively, vaguely sensing something.
“Master’s Enforcement Elder position—I’ve heard of it. They say it requires people of high virtue and reputation, but it’s thankless drudgery. Why would Jianzhu Sect compete for it?”
“This is exactly what puzzles us.”
Zheng Yao’s gaze became shrewd.
He stood up, slowly walking down, pacing twice in the hall while gazing at the clear blue sky outside.
“The Enforcement Elder position involves nothing more than handling troublesome matters that the major sects within Left Three Thousand cannot resolve. Occasionally, there are opportunities, but more often, it depletes manpower and resources. For the past thousand years, this position has rotated between the two transcendent sects, Kunwu and Yashan, only because both have deep foundations and can withstand such consumption. For ordinary small sects to maintain Left Three Thousand’s various affairs would be pure fantasy.”
Hearing this, Jian Chou said: “Jianzhu Sect is merely mid-level among Central Domain sects, only ranking in the middle fifty-six. Where do they get such confidence? Even the top five sects aren’t competing—how is it their turn?”
Central Domain’s Left Three Thousand had Kunwu and Yashan in transcendent positions, followed by three tiers: “Top Five,” “Middle Fifty-Six,” and “Small Three Thousand.”
The Top Five sects were Wuyi Sect, Fengmo Sword Sect, Longmen, Tongling Pavilion, and Baiyue Valley.
The Middle Fifty-Six included many sects, with the Jianzhu Sect being merely a stronger member among mid-level sects. Not to mention comparing with Kunwu and Yashan, they were far from even the Top Five.
Now they dared to compete for the “Enforcement Elder” position—truly strange.
Zheng Yao stroked his chin and chuckled, his eyes revealing a strange meaning.
“The heart is separated from the belly—who knows what people think?”
Hearing this, Jian Chou glanced at Zheng Yao.
But Zheng Yao didn’t explain further, only glancing at Fudao Shanren: “Our Yashan suffered a great battle six hundred years ago with severe losses. Supporting the Enforcement Elder position is also quite difficult, so learning that Master Uncle Fudao left the mountain gate, I was happy.”
Fudao Shanren chuckled: “Exactly right—this old man was thinking of the sect.”
Zheng Yao shook his head, not believing Fudao Shanren’s words at all.
But he didn’t refute, just turned to look at Jian Chou: “Previously, Grand Senior Sister submitted a message from a Fengmo Sword Sect disciple, suspecting that Jianzhu Sect’s Xu Lan’er obtained something in Qingfeng Nunnery’s hidden realm, causing Jianzhu Sect’s recent series of actions.”
Jian Chou recalled: “There was such a matter.”
It was what Zhang Sui had mentioned during their chance encounter on Dengtian Island.
Zheng Yao said, “I thought it over and sent Qu Zhengfeng to investigate, but there were no leads. However, their obvious intent to obtain the Enforcement Elder position is too apparent. What Grand Senior Sister doesn’t know is that besides reputation, the Enforcement Elder also safeguards an artifact called the Imperial Heaven Mirror. This mirror is said to have been born alongside Shijiu Zhou, possessing heaven-penetrating, earth-reaching power.”
So powerful?
Jian Chou couldn’t help looking at Fudao Shanren.
Fudao Shanren rolled his eyes: “You’re listening to his boasting!”
Hearing this, Zheng Yao smiled and patted his belly: “Though my words may be exaggerated, this item is indeed a Sacred Ancient Artifact above Mystical Treasures. Even if Master Uncle cannot unleash his full power, using this artifact to destroy cultivators below the Worldly realm would be effortless.”
Destroying those below the Worldly realm effortlessly!
Fudao Shanren’s current cultivation was only Soul Separation stage!
Cross-level destruction with no difficulty!
She felt a chill: “This thing…”
As if seeing her thoughts, Zheng Yao continued: “The Imperial Heaven Mirror is a Central Domain supreme treasure. If someone used this treasure for evil or violence, it would be extremely troublesome, so it has always circulated between Kunwu and Yashan. Though we don’t know Jianzhu Sect’s ultimate purpose, we’re eighty percent certain it’s for the Imperial Heaven Mirror.”
Her brow immediately furrowed as Jian Chou pondered.
“What do Master and the Sect Leader plan to do now?”
Kunwu, Zhutian Hall.
Splash splash…
Vast mercury light flowed across the dozens-of-zhang Celestial Star Disc, spreading into irregular traces like water carelessly spilled by a child on the ground, impossible to find any pattern.
Behind were layer upon layer of steps, with floating clouds drifting below them.
Master Hengxu stood on the highest circular platform, gazing at the chaotic mercury traces.
On the step behind him stood a man with long eyebrows extending to his temples, wearing dark gray robes with silver patterns. His expression was calm like a deep, distant river. His right ear bore silver-black patterns like river waves, dot by dot.
Everyone in Kunwu knew that such dresses and patterns belonged to Fudao Shanren’s second disciple, Yue He.
Yue He looked back at the main gate of Zhutian Hall—
Xie Buchen had left here not long ago.
“Why did Master send Junior Brother Xie to explore Qingfeng Nunnery’s hidden realm?”
A previously hidden question finally emerged.
Yue He’s voice also flowed like a river, very pleasant to hear.
Master Hengxu didn’t turn around. Yue He couldn’t see his expression, only hearing his consistently calm voice: “Jianzhu Sect has developed evil intentions, coveting the Imperial Heaven Mirror. They likely discovered something in Qingfeng Nunnery’s hidden realm. Buchen has exceptional talent—cultivation is important, but experience cannot be lacking. Qingfeng Nunnery’s hidden realm is perfectly suitable.”
Exceptional talent?
Indeed exceptional talent.
Yue He thought of Junior Brother Wu Duan’s recent injuries, of what Master Hengxu taught Xie Buchen, and slightly lowered his gaze, seemingly suppressing certain emotions. When he looked up again, he asked: “River Sword Intent was originally my special technique, yet Master had Junior Brother Xie comprehend it—isn’t it too early?”
Yue He’s signature technique was “River Sword Intent”—merging with rivers, condensing river flow intent on his sword with unpredictable variations.
Recently, he’d heard that Xie Buchen hadn’t returned to the mountain for long, only cultivating and comprehending on Jiutou River, with Master Hengxu occasionally checking on him…
Yue He was no saint.
Master Hengxu finally turned to look at him: “Kunwu will face great tribulation. Among my thirteen direct disciples, only two know this—you are one. A hundred years from now, he will replace me. How can I not teach him with utmost care?”
“But Master, don’t you think he’s cultivating too fast?”
Yue He frowned. Though his expression remained calm, the slowly flowing river patterns behind his right ear revealed his true thoughts.
“Too fast?”
Too fast…
Master Hengxu slowly looked back at the chaotic Celestial Star Disc that calculated nothing, lowering his eyelids.
“I have cultivated for over thirteen hundred years. When Fudao and I rose together, he achieved Foundation Establishment in a hundred days, once called the foremost in Shijiu Zhou. What about now? Whether slow or fast, Heaven’s Way has its destiny.”
Fudao Shanren’s hundred-day Foundation Establishment was called the first among Yashan disciples of that era, a being who dominated all of Shijiu Zhou. Now his cultivation level…
Better left unsaid.
Yue He felt his master’s words contained too much, making it difficult to predict.
Master Hengxu slowly smiled and sighed: “You’ve only been out of seclusion for a few months. Don’t seclude yourself again—why not travel through Shijiu Zhou’s lands and wander about? When you return, tell me any rumors you hear.”
Travel?
Yue He was startled, but dared not disobey his master’s command, still bowing: “Yes.”
Yashan, Lanyue Hall.
Jian Chou’s question made Fudao Shanren and Zheng Yao exchange glances.
After a while, Fudao Shanren said: “The Enforcement Elder competition is customarily held after the Left Three Thousand Minor Assembly, so there’s no immediate urgency. I can’t leave for now, so I’m thinking of sending your Junior Brother Qu to explore Qingfeng Nunnery’s hidden realm. If he can find any clues, that would be ideal.”
“The Imperial Heaven Mirror matter is small; Jianzhu Sect harboring evil intentions is the big issue.”
Zheng Yao smacked his lips, then suddenly thought of something amusing.
“By the way, Grand Senior Sister, have you heard? Xu Lan’er, who once fought you over the Western Sea, has emerged from seclusion.”
“Oh?”
Jian Chou immediately became interested. Seeing Zheng Yao’s schadenfreude expression, she knew there must be news that would make her happy.
Sure enough…
Zheng Yao blinked at her: “She’s emerged from seclusion and supposedly made considerable progress. Jianzhu Sect is saying this woman is heaven-sent talent, Jianzhu Sect’s hope, with the strength to compete for the Solitary Platform!”
The Solitary Platform?
The platform where only the sole victor of the Left Three Thousand Minor Assembly could stand?
Jian Chou looked at him without speaking, waiting for more.
Zheng Yao’s smile became somewhat lecherous as he finally revealed what Jian Chou most cared about: “Early-stage Foundation Establishment before seclusion, mid-stage Foundation Establishment after emerging.”
Mid-stage Foundation Establishment…
“Oh.”
Raising an eyebrow, Jian Chou nodded blandly: “Then congratulations indeed.”
“Hahahaha…”
Zheng Yao couldn’t help but burst into laughter.
Listen to Grand Senior Sister’s indifferent tone! So wicked, so wicked!
“I can’t stop laughing. Seeing Grand Senior Sister like this, I’m not worried about the Jianzhu Sect at all. Even if they have some conspiracy against our Yashan, it won’t be until after the Left Three Thousand Minor Assembly. Hahaha, no need to wait that long—at the assembly, as long as they dare show their faces, watch our Yashan not beat them senseless!”
The last few words carried Zheng Yao’s gritted teeth tone.
Truly thinking Yashan was a sick cat when the tiger didn’t show its might.
Fudao Shanren added from the side: “They’re so happy about their core disciple reaching mid-stage Foundation Establishment. Well… our Yashan is also a first-class sect in the Central Domain. Zheng Yao, send them congratulatory gifts.”
“…”
Zheng Yao stared at Fudao Shanren, almost dumbfounded: “Master Uncle, you’re… so beastly!”
Our Yashan has Grand Senior Sister Jian Chou!
Sending congratulatory gifts for a mere breakthrough to mid-stage Foundation Establishment…
Picking a fight!
Master Uncle is so bad, so bad!
But…
He liked it!
Zheng Yao immediately said: “It’s decided—I’ll send someone right away!”
“…”
Jian Chou had thought her heart was black enough, but unexpectedly, Fudao Shanren had quietly devised such a vicious move.
Congratulatory gifts from Yashan…
Could the Jianzhu Sect handle them?