This battle, Wang Que ultimately agreed to.

However, in the entire Nineteen Continents, aside from the two of them, no third person could witness this battle firsthand. So much so that in the endless years that followed, many cultivators who had long admired the great names of Great Master Jian Chou and the Hermit Sword regretted this immensely.

Everyone only knew that on this seemingly ordinary deep autumn day, two major events occurred.

The first was naturally that the new Sword Emperor Qu Zhengfeng of Mingri Xinghai stepped into Void Refining in one stride, officially becoming one of the few dozen Great Masters in the entire Nineteen Continents;

The second was the name that reappeared atop the Fourth Heavenly Tablet on the Western Sea plaza after sixty years—

Jian Chou.

For an entire day, cultivators throughout the Nineteen Continents were almost all immersed in the shock brought by Qu Zhengfeng’s advancement to Void Refining and promotion to Great Master, unable to extricate themselves.

After all, it had been a very, very long time since the Nineteen Continents had produced a Great Master.

The last Great Master to step into Void Refining was over six hundred years ago, when True Master Hengxu achieved breakthrough in one morning…

Everyone knew that in cultivation realms, the further one progressed, the more difficult breakthroughs became.

The lifespans of Great Master cultivators could mostly be counted in thousands of years. Sometimes, if one’s qualifications were insufficient and opportunities hadn’t arrived, even if one’s lifespan was exhausted unto death, comprehension would not come.

Considering that Qu Zhengfeng had cultivated for just over seven hundred but less than eight hundred years, he was already a genius of rare quality.

Combined with his current title of Sword Emperor and his recent annihilation of the entire Night Sailing Ship, who could not pay attention to him?

Cultivators of lesser talent, when mentioning him, often couldn’t help but shake their heads and sigh.

But by evening, when the setting sun was about to fall, this self-deprecating sighing was replaced by a completely new sense of horror!

On the vast and boundless Western Sea, thirteen islands formed a line, one end connecting to the Human Isolated Island, the other end connecting to the land of the Nineteen Continents.

The Wendao Tablet that had suddenly gained the character “朝” sixty years ago still stood in the seawater.

Tides rose and fell, waves lapped against it, leaving traces of seawater erosion on its edges.

On the plaza, cultivators still came and went as usual.

But compared to ordinary times, there were noticeably more cultivators passing through these past few days. From their clothing and accessories, one could see they came from different sects and had vastly different appearances, yet their destinations were mostly the same.

Central Region, Left Three Thousand, Kunwu.

Because in just a few days, the new session of the Left Three Thousand Minor Assembly would begin.

As the pillars of strength, Yashan and Kunwu naturally had many eye-catching new talents emerging. The Upper Five Sects like Dragon Gate and Baiyue Valley had also taken in several quite remarkable disciples in recent years.

Although no matter how one calculated, it seemed difficult to compare with that assembly from sixty years ago, those coming to join the excitement still streamed endlessly.

As a professional excitement-seeker who had struggled to escape from home, Xiao Jin had not traveled together with Bai Yin and Zuoliu. He had parted ways with them halfway and instead came first to see the most prosperous Western Sea coast.

Sometimes looking around in Wangjiang Tower’s territory, sometimes strolling through Wanghai Tower’s domain.

It could be said he had mixed into all the excitement everywhere.

Calculating the time, the Minor Assembly wasn’t far off.

After much deliberation, Xiao Jin finally hugged his half-eaten large watermelon and walked out from the streets of that prosperous coastal town, wandering back to the plaza.

A large expanse of teleportation arrays flickered on and off in the afterglow, sometimes brilliant, sometimes dim, with a moving radiance.

Those Nine Heavenly Tablets, each higher than the last, stood on the plaza as they always had. Above the three characters “Qu Zhengfeng” on the Sixth Heavenly Tablet, the two characters “Zheng Yao” had already appeared.

As the sect master of Yashan, Zheng Yao’s cultivation had always been considerable.

It was just that because there was always a Fudao Shanren who made the entire cultivation world speechless with anger, few people paid attention to his cultivation level.

Xiao Jin noticed this change at a glance and wasn’t very surprised. He just muttered, “A pervert is indeed a pervert. No wonder even our ancestors say this person shouldn’t be provoked. Cultivating like this, wouldn’t he be able to ascend in another hundred or two hundred years?”

Just thinking about it was terrifying.

Fortunately, those unreliable old fellows at home had praised his cultivation talent as extremely strong. But only when he came to the Left Three Thousand Minor Assembly did he realize that so-called “extremely strong talent” was just that—not strong enough to be unmatched under heaven.

However, at least it was somewhat better than ordinary people, which could provide some consolation.

While Xiao Jin calculated bit by bit in his mind, his feet didn’t stop as he walked toward one of the teleportation arrays leading to Kunwu’s Nine-Head River Bay.

But before he could reach it, an exclamation from not far ahead captured all his attention!

“The Heavenly Tablet has changed, look quickly!”

The Heavenly Tablet changed?

In that instant, the first thought that flashed through Xiao Jin’s mind was neither which Heavenly Tablet had changed nor who had ascended to the tablet, but rather—

When did inscribing names on the Heavenly Tablet become so worthless that it changed again?!

But when he focused his attention and looked toward the Heavenly Tablet that drew everyone’s gaze…

“Crack!”

The half melon he had been tightly hugging suddenly wasn’t held steady and fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.

Xiao Jin’s still tender face was filled with the emotion of “you must be kidding me,” his two eyes wide as saucers, his gaping mouth large enough to stuff a basket of eggs!

“Senior Sister Jian Chou, do you have to be so fierce…”

He almost wanted to kneel down before this Nine Heavenly Tablets!

Looking at the changes on that Fourth Heavenly Tablet, then thinking of his own years of cultivation and the evaluations of his family elders, Xiao Jin suddenly felt a sense of life being meaningless—

The path of cultivation really wasn’t suitable for him!

It was still more relaxing to just squat and quietly eat melons.

As a youth with outstanding talent from a southwestern family, if even Xiao Jin felt this way, the feelings of other ordinary cultivators seeing the changes on the Heavenly Tablet were even more indescribable.

First there was Qu Zhengfeng, and everyone could still console themselves that after all, Qu Zhengfeng had been trapped in the Nascent Soul stage for a full four hundred years.

Now cultivating to Void Refining seemed fast, but was actually due to four hundred years of hard cultivation.

But now…

On the Fourth Heavenly Tablet, the two characters “Wang Que” originally inscribed upon it flashed once, then quietly dimmed and soon disappeared.

Another name that had once appeared on this tablet covered over it in the setting sun’s afterglow.

Fourth Heavenly Tablet First Place: Jian Chou!

Sixty years ago, when she had just broken through to Nascent Soul, her name had already appeared on the Heavenly Tablet. But it had flickered and vanished like a flash in the pan.

From then on, it left the entire Nineteen Continents with an unsolvable mystery.

Sixty years later, she mysteriously returned, rescued Zuoliu at Silver Tower, fiercely battled the evil monk Shanxing, and beheaded Night Sailing Ship’s Libationer Liang Tingyu, her reputation unparalleled for a time.

At this moment, she had once again ascended to first place on the Fourth Heavenly Tablet!

Across sixty years, twice reaching the summit of the Heavenly Tablet.

In the entire Left Three Thousand, the entire Central Region, even the entire Nineteen Continents, who could surpass her?!

Wang Que had cultivated for over five hundred years—how long had Jian Chou been cultivating?

A mere sixty-odd years!

At this moment, countless people stood in the brilliant sunset shadows spread across the Western Sea plaza, looking up at this simple name, their hearts filled with yearning…

At Mingri Xinghai, before Jiexing Mountain Manor, Grand Marshal Shen Yao of Tongguan Station who had come to visit the Sword Emperor grasped the message spirit pearl in his hand, a smile on his lips but gravity in his eyes;

Within Jiexing Mountain Manor, Hong Die leaning by the window showed bewilderment on her face;

In the deep valley behind Baiyue Valley in the Left Three Thousand, the medicine woman Lu Xiangleng who was testing medicines paused slightly. After a long while, she finally slowly lowered her head with a smile, warmth rarely flooding her eyes and brows;

Atop the thousand-zhang terrace of the Wuyi Sect, flowers bloomed luxuriantly. Young Master Ruhua looked at the latest changes regarding the Nine Heavenly Tablets in “Zhilin Sou Daily News” and finally couldn’t help but mutter disappointedly, “She actually didn’t die,” then listlessly threw the freshly picked green peony to the ground;

In Yashan’s Embracing Moon Hall, the slightly plump sect master Zheng Yao suddenly burst into uncontainable joy, clapping his hands and laughing heartily. That laughter was very loud, spreading from within the hall throughout all of Lingzhao Peak…

Above Kunwu’s mountain peaks, however, the atmosphere seemed heavy.

Over these decades, with the help of various heavenly treasures and the favor of sect elders, Gu Qingmei had finally broken through to Nascent Soul some time ago.

It could be said that among female cultivators of her age with her level of cultivation, one could hardly find a few in the entire Central Region.

During this period, she had almost felt a sense of superiority over everyone else.

But at this moment, those two characters “Jian Chou” appearing so clearly on the Fourth Heavenly Tablet were so glaring, so piercing!

“Didn’t they say nine deaths out of ten, didn’t they say it was impossible for her to appear again? How could this be, how could this be…”

What intense unwillingness was this?

Sixty years ago, she had considered herself the pride of Kunwu’s new generation. Even if she couldn’t match Senior Brother Xie, she wouldn’t be inferior to others.

But in the Crimson Minor Realm, at the Left Three Thousand Minor Assembly…

That Yashan female cultivator named Jian Chou had so easily defeated her, and in the end even triumphed over all heroes, seizing the Solitary Platform that should have belonged to Senior Brother Xie!

Qu Zhengfeng’s malicious schemes came first, Jian Chou’s seizing of the Solitary Platform came after—it was utterly sinister and despicable!

After the Hidden Realm battle at Qingfeng Nunnery, she had learned through Gu Pingsheng’s connections that Jian Chou had activated the Solitary Platform at a critical moment and most likely fallen into the Extreme Domain.

Such a perilous place, and she was already nearly exhausted—surely she would die without doubt!

Thus, among the new generation of female cultivators, who else besides her, Gu Qingmei, could compete for first place?

But who would have thought, who would have thought!

Not only had she not died, she had actually returned, and moreover had reached the summit of the Fourth Heavenly Tablet—the original first among Nascent Soul cultivators was Senior Brother Wang Que!

Because Wang Que had a withdrawn nature and devoted himself to mountains and waters, Gu Qingmei had no opportunity to interact with him. But according to sect teachers and several senior brothers, Senior Brother Wang Que’s talent was at the very top level even within Kunwu, even surpassing Senior Brother Yuehe.

It could be said that before Xie Buchen entered the sect, he was the undisputed first genius of Kunwu!

But such a Senior Brother Wang Que…

Had actually been pushed off the Heavenly Tablet by Jian Chou?!

A breath of indignation rolled in her chest, oppressive and burning, making Gu Qingmei feel suffocated.

She bit her teeth and raised her hand to push open the door.

“Bang!”

The two wooden doors slammed against the wall with a loud crash.

She didn’t care at all, directly stepping out and following the blue stone mountain path straight toward the back mountain.

Late autumn approached, the entire mountain desolate.

Last night’s mountain rain added several degrees of coolness. A layer of withered yellow fallen leaves, blown down by last night’s wind and rain, had all dropped to the ground in a scattered carpet. On the stark branches, only a few leaves still hung sporadically.

The waterfall hanging down from the cliff had also diminished considerably.

Black mountain rocks jutted out raggedly from the mountain wall.

The waterfall rushing down remained swift due to the steep mountain terrain, its splashing droplets white as pearls and jade, sparkling with cold radiance in this slowly encroaching night.

Opposite this waterfall was that wooden house.

Over sixty years had passed. Aside from the addition of many weathered traces left by wind and rain, the eaves, wall corners, doors and windows were all much the same as when first built.

When Gu Qingmei arrived, the door wasn’t closed, just slightly ajar.

That small brass lock that had developed some patina hung from the left side of the door.

Senior Brother Xie had just emerged from seclusion these few days. She’d heard that yesterday he was summoned by Master Uncle the sect master to One Crane Hall for a conversation, not emerging until dawn the next day.

Gu Qingmei naturally didn’t know what Master Uncle the sect master wanted to discuss, but it wasn’t her concern anyway.

Originally her heart was full of rage, but standing before this door, her face took on the bashfulness and nervousness of a young woman.

After standing still for nearly a quarter hour, she finally took a deep breath, stepped up the stairs with small steps, and gently pushed open the door.

“Creak.”

“Senior Brother Xie, are you there?”

So late, yet there wasn’t a single lamp lit inside.

Only one side window was half open, cool breeze blowing in from outside, scattering the few books spread on the desk, drying the remaining ink in the inkstone, and bringing in several withered leaves hanging from forest branches.

Some fell on the desk and in the inkstone, some fell on that person’s hair and shoulders.

The deep blue long robe had become a deep ink green in the darkness.

He remained as tranquil as always. Even after experiencing the changes in the Hidden Realm, he seemed no different from before. At this moment he stood facing the wall, upon which hung an ordinary sword.

The dim light from outside the window fell only on the side of his face, making those refined features even clearer; the other side hidden in shadow couldn’t be seen clearly.

“That sword again…”

Not hearing Xie Buchen acknowledge her, Gu Qingmei felt somewhat annoyed. She bit her lip but still moved over, glancing at the sword on the wall with some dissatisfaction.

“Isn’t it just an ordinary sword? It’s just a bit sharp, what’s so interesting about it?”

Xie Buchen’s eyelids drooped slightly, but he didn’t turn around, only saying indifferently, “What brings Junior Sister Gu here?”

“Oh, this.”

Gu Qingmei suddenly remembered why she’d come. Her hands hanging at her sides immediately clenched tight, her eyes revealing venomous dissatisfaction and resentment.

“Doesn’t Senior Brother Xie know yet? That damned female cultivator from Yashan not only didn’t die and broke through to Nascent Soul, she’s now even surpassed Senior Brother Wang Que, ranking first on the Fourth Heavenly Tablet! Senior Brother Xie, you—”

“I know.”

A voice calm without the slightest ripple, as if he had long known and wasn’t surprised in the least, or as if he simply didn’t take this matter to heart.

His voice had been soaked in cold rain, slightly cool, generating chill.

Just these simple four words.

I know.

In that instant, Gu Qingmei suddenly felt extremely uncomfortable.

What her feelings were, almost everyone in Kunwu with eyes could see. But the person standing before her seemed heartless, never making any indication.

Xie Buchen never refused.

But his silent indifference and coldness pushed people away even more, making her feel that invisible barrier between them.

As if this was a heartless person who simply couldn’t be approached, an iron heart that couldn’t be opened.

She had clearly come urgently to tell him news about that Yashan woman for his sake, yet his reaction was so cold.

Thinking this, Gu Qingmei snorted coldly.

But even so, Xie Buchen still didn’t turn to look, his gaze still falling on that dust-covered long sword.

Looking at swords, looking at swords, looking at swords—all day long he only knew how to look at swords!

She was after all the dignified daughter of a Kunwu elder. Could she really not compare to a broken sword?!

For a moment, myriad grievances surged to her heart. In her indignation, Gu Qingmei’s eyes even reddened with anger, and in her emotional turmoil, she actually stormed out!

“I never want to come see you again!”

The sound of footsteps quickly faded into silence.

Xie Buchen didn’t even move an eyebrow, like the most exquisite, most ingeniously crafted statue, standing in place, letting the cool breeze from outside the window chill half his body.

But that heart…

Cold fingertips slowly rose, pressing against his chest as if unconsciously, clearly feeling the heart within still beating.

Warm blood flowed from there throughout his body.

He lowered his hand again, spreading it before his eyes. On his right middle finger, a deep purple-gold mark extended from the fingertip downward, gradually fading only when it reached his palm.

Fingertip blood was heart’s blood.

This deep mark was left by Jian Chou’s strike that destroyed billions of stars in their battle atop Buddha’s Crown at Qingfeng Nunnery. Even with his three souls reunited and flesh reborn, it could not be erased.

Both beloved and mortal enemy.

Xie Buchen’s other hand traced along the starting point of this purple-gold scar, inch by inch, fraction by fraction, slowly traveling to his palm.

Seemingly tender, seemingly lingering.

But in his pair of clear eyes was a calm and indifference approaching extinction.

The long night had quietly arrived.

A frost moon hung by the cliff, slowly rising higher with the passage of time. The clear, cold moonlight fell upon the vast mountains at the edge of Mingri Xinghai, bringing a wordless tranquility.

On a smooth cliff face, Wang Que sat cross-legged on a boulder ahead, holding a small wine jar in his hand, gazing at that moon, finally letting out a long sigh.

“Before you fought me, the Fourth Heavenly Tablet didn’t record your name, proving your cultivation was indeed inferior to mine. What a pity…”

“It is a pity.”

Jian Chou stood behind him, her face still somewhat pale but her cheeks tinged with slight red. Shaking the wine jar in her hand, from the sound one could tell only a small half remained.

“However, I’ve always believed that wisdom and strategy, even in this cultivation world, are also a form of strength.”

This wasn’t false.

But recalling this bitter battle that had lasted almost an entire day, Wang Que still felt somewhat unwilling. He tilted his head back for a drink, choking and coughing.

“You did win this battle, gaining both fame and profit. But I not only lost this battle, I also damaged my state of mind.”

Hermit Sword, Hermit Sword.

Without a detached temperament one couldn’t cultivate it. Once there was a competitive heart, where was any true “hermit”? In that battle that had ended half an hour ago, Jian Chou had ignited his full fighting spirit.

Though extremely unwilling in his heart, Wang Que had to admit—

He really didn’t want to lose this battle.

If his heart had originally been a placid lake, now it was a sea surface where storms were rising, with rolling waves and intersecting lightning, having nothing to do with “calm and detached.”

Jian Chou naturally knew this, but after all, the one with the damaged state of mind wasn’t herself.

She only walked to Wang Que’s side, feeling the fierce cold wind blowing from the cliff face, tilted her head back for a drink, and with that alcoholic spirit, laughed heartily.

“Without breaking there’s no establishing; breaking comes before establishing. Having your state of mind damaged by this one battle only proves Fellow Daoist Wang Que’s cultivation isn’t deep enough. Or… among the cultivators of this world, are there truly so-called ‘hermits’?”

“…”

Strong liquor entered his throat, fragrant and scalding.

The taste of alcohol was still strong between Wang Que’s lips and tongue, but hearing Jian Chou’s words, his eyes suddenly became clear. He turned to look at Jian Chou.

But Jian Chou shrugged: “Cultivators under heaven, entering cultivation, either seek the power to move mountains and fill seas, or seek the destiny of immortality. Hermits are detached, seeking neither power nor longevity, acting according to nature—what dao do they cultivate, what sword do they learn?”

Wang Que didn’t answer.

He too was one of the most intelligent people under heaven. Some things didn’t even need Jian Chou to explain clearly for him to understand. Even at the moment of defeat today, many things had quietly surfaced in his mind.

Hermit Sword was both his title and his dao.

But…

As Jian Chou asked, in these Nineteen Continents filled with cultivators, were there truly genuine “hermits”?

“I had originally yearned greatly for such days—picking chrysanthemums by the eastern fence, leisurely seeing the southern mountain; mountain air beautiful at evening time, flying birds returning together…”

Wang Que recited, then shook his head with a sigh and took a large gulp of wine.

“This battle really shouldn’t have been fought, shouldn’t have…”

“Hahaha…”

Hearing his half-true, half-false regretful sentiments, Jian Chou couldn’t help but laugh aloud.

“Regret comes too late. I’ve already won this battle. Fellow Daoist Wang Que should tell me about that junior brother Xie of yours whose life tablet allegedly shattered—how is he now?”

She was indeed quite “concerned” about Junior Brother Xie.

Wang Que thought this and was willing to honor the wager, directly answering: “Though Junior Brother Xie’s life tablet shattered, he obtained an opportunity in the Hidden Realm and had Master’s full protection. Not to mention severe injury near death—even if his divine soul had left his body, as long as it hadn’t dissipated, it could be reunited. Only his cultivation would be completely lost. Master used the Great Yan Divine Technique, spending over thirty years, and has already rescued him. In these few days, Junior Brother Xie should achieve Core Formation again.”

“He didn’t die…”

And he has to achieve Core Formation again?

It seemed Xie Buchen had his cultivation cleared and was starting over.

This answer was entirely unsurprising.

After all, if Xie Buchen had died, how could the Nineteen Continents have generated so many elusive and chaotic rumors?

Jian Chou laughed mockingly: “True Master Hengxu is a Great Master with a realm, yet for this one true disciple, he didn’t hesitate to exhaust his spirit and spend over thirty years. Is Kunwu actually such a place with human sentiment?”

“…Junior Brother Xie is different from others.”

Wang Que shook his head. He said nothing about Jian Chou’s comment about “human sentiment,” but his words also carried several indescribable feelings.

Jian Chou felt this phrase was familiar, vaguely remembering that when she first met Wu Duan, she had heard Wu Duan say similar things.

This made her curious.

“Different?”

“Such peerless geniuses, though rare, appear once in a while in the vast Nineteen Continents. Moreover, not all geniuses can successfully achieve the dao—quite a few perish midway. The reason Junior Brother Xie is different has little to do with his unreachable talent.”

Wang Que ranked fourth under True Master Hengxu and was definitely notable in Kunwu. There were some things he was qualified to know.

For instance, this matter concerning Kunwu and Xie Buchen.

“Over sixty years ago, my master borrowed the Zhou Tian Star Formation to glimpse heavenly secrets.”

“The heavenly secrets showed that Kunwu would face a great calamity after a hundred years, possibly facing extinction. Under all heaven, only Junior Brother Xie could stop this calamity, save the collapsing situation, and rescue Kunwu from peril.”

“So he traveled far to the Human Isolated Island to take Junior Brother Xie as disciple and carefully nurture him. Compared to Kunwu’s great calamity, what are mere thirty years?”

These matters were all Kunwu’s greatest, deepest, most unspeakable secrets.

But Wang Que had made a wager with Jian Chou and couldn’t conceal matters concerning Xie Buchen, so every sentence was spoken with complete honesty.

But hearing this, Jian Chou only felt it incredible.

As a top sect of the Central Region, Kunwu would actually face calamity after a hundred years?

And True Master Hengxu taking Xie Buchen as disciple was actually because of heavenly secrets…

Sixty-odd years ago—wasn’t that precisely when everything began?

Jian Chou slowly lowered her eyes, but within them was icy coldness. She slowly curved her lips in a smile: “Calculating this way, your Kunwu’s so-called great calamity should be about thirty-some years away?”

“A hundred years should be a rough number, but if the heavenly secrets are true, it shouldn’t differ by much.”

Wang Que spoke while draining the last mouthful of strong liquor from the jar, then stood up, facing Jian Chou with a smile.

“Words finished, wine drained. I should return to Kunwu. I wonder where Fellow Daoist Jian Chou will go?”

“Me? Also returning to Yashan. It’s conveniently on the way with Fellow Daoist Wang Que. If you don’t mind, we can drink and discuss dao along the journey.”

Jian Chou held the wine jar, standing on this high cliff, gazing toward the continuous mountains of the Central Region’s Left Three Thousand in the distance.

“Moreover…”

“After all, in the Hidden Realm we once lived and died together, sharing tribulations. Now that he will escape death and achieve Core Formation again, how could I not express a small sentiment and send him a ‘surprise’?”