Ten thousand miles away from Thousand Canals County, fierce winds and torrential rain poured down upon the Dead Sea. The night sky seemed torn open with fissures, releasing lightning-like silver dragons that raged among the massive waves.
In the storm, a silver island whale sped forward, breaking through the terrifying waves.
Deep in the whale’s belly, consecutive tremors made Song Qian Ji feel like a tiny wheat stalk thrown into one of Carpenter Liu’s cylindrical threshing machines.
Xian Jian Chen handed him a brewed cup of tea: “Clear Mind Jade Dew. Drink it and your whale sickness will disappear.”
The tea was slightly bitter. Song Qian Ji drank it all at once, and the discomfort in his chest immediately vanished: “So you haven’t wasted these years after all. You’ve collected quite a few good things.”
With his mind clear, he began to organize his thoughts:
“According to what you just said, this person fell into demonic cultivation three hundred years ago, but after you destroyed his evil techniques, he began practicing Buddhism again. After a hundred years, he appeared to have become an enlightened high monk with countless followers but was a being of both Buddha and demon. He held a banquet at Hua Wei Sect, claiming to make peace with you, but actually colluded with Hua Wei Sect to attack you, and was eventually sealed by you under the Sky-Supporting Tree…”
Xian Jian Chen: “Correct. After that incident, I killed many people in Hua Wei Sect and left a sword energy that forbade them from mentioning my name. If they speak the three words ‘Xian Jian Chen,’ they would be struck by lightning, hahaha.”
He laughed as he recalled how for the past two hundred years, those people had lived in constant fear of lightning strikes.
Song Qian Ji thought to himself, “You can still laugh,” but said: “Couldn’t you have sealed him elsewhere? Why choose the Sky-Supporting Tree!”
“At that time, I was pursuing him with my sword, and he fled to the edge of the continent. The Sky-Supporting Tree supports the heavens, like the spine of the sky. I sealed him at the base of the tree to press him down with the weight of the entire sky, ensuring he could never rise again. My seal was extremely secure, even if I couldn’t break it. No one in the world could rescue him!”
Song Qian Ji chuckled sarcastically: “His true body couldn’t escape, but his avatars could. The seal that no one could break instead became his fortress. Xian Jian Chen, well done indeed. I really should have taken you as my master!”
Xian Jian Chen knew he was at fault and sighed: “Who could have imagined that as the Sky-Supporting Tree’s power gradually weakened, he would find a loophole? His physical body couldn’t move, but he absorbed the malicious thoughts of humanity through the tree’s root system to strengthen his soul. Then his soul left his body, attached itself to newly grown branches, creating avatars that could walk among people.”
“How do you know all this?” Song Qian Ji asked.
“Since he could create such a brilliant escape plan, of course, he left me a message—first to boast to me, and second because he wanted reconciliation.”
Song Qian Ji: “Reconciliation? You sealed him under the tree, and he doesn’t hold a grudge?”
“He told me the Sky-Supporting Tree is weakening, and a world catastrophe is approaching. He suggested we should set aside old grudges and save the tree first. I believe this part—he’s sealed under the tree, and if it collapses, his true body will certainly die. He’s trying to save himself.” Xian Jian Chen put away the tea set and lowered his eyelids.
The dim light softened the frivolous and arrogant air about him, and his sharp-featured face showed a hint of compassion:
“If he caused no more trouble, what would it matter if I allowed his avatar a chance at life? But his proposed plan was extreme and crazy, so I couldn’t tolerate him anymore. I’ve spent years traveling to the ends of the earth searching for his avatars. However, the Sky-Supporting Tree’s essence is the world’s origin, one with heaven and earth. With him hiding so carefully, it’s been difficult for me to detect him. He operates in the shadows while I’m in the light.”
Song Qian Ji’s thoughts stirred.
Wu Xiang’s previous life plan indirectly caused many tragedies before ultimately failing; in this life, after seeing the Three Lives Stone, he decided to destroy the world and create a new one.
After several confrontations with Wu Xiang, Song Qian Ji found that although his ideas were crazy, his actions were meticulous and calculating, making him perhaps the greatest enemy Song had ever faced.
Song Qian Ji asked: “All these years, you searched alone? Why didn’t you find more helpers?”
“His mind is cunning. He would always make me think someone else was him. I know he wants to force me to mistakenly kill innocent people, to make me suspect everyone. It wasn’t until three years ago that I finally confirmed that ‘Miraculous Healer Monk’ Master Wu Xiang was one of his avatars. I chased him to the Dead Sea, spent another three years searching, fought him once, and the result… well, let’s not discuss that.”
Song Qian Ji couldn’t miss this chance to mock Xian Jian Chen: “The result was that you couldn’t win, was injured instead, and had to come to Thousand Canals to find me!”
“It was a mutual defeat! Can we call it a mutual defeat?!” Xian Jian Chen slapped the table.
Song Qian Ji calculated the timeline and snorted coldly: “Before you chased him to the Dead Sea, you left yourself a backup plan by coming to Hua Wei City to make a master disciple contract with me!”
“That was an accident!” Xian Jian Chen shouted, “Who was it that first claimed to be this Master’s disciple, drawing my attention!”
Regarding this issue, Song Qian Ji didn’t want to argue: “So you’re saying that to kill him now, we first need to break the seal you left?”
Xian Jian Chen reassured him: “Once I retrieve my life-bound sword, with our combined strength, we might have a chance.”
Song Qian Ji pressed urgently: “If Wu Xiang is just an avatar, what was his original identity? Why did you two become enemies three hundred years ago? Why didn’t you kill him then but seal him instead? At the very least, tell me his real name!”
Xian Jian Chen stood up, his expression changing: “We’ve reached the shore. Let’s go!”
Song Qian Ji was speechless, almost suspecting that he was deliberately changing the subject.
The silver island whale opened its massive mouth, spewing waterfall-like streams, and two tiny human figures were ejected with the water.
The whale flicked its tail, creating a huge wave, then turned and disappeared into the ocean.
The storm had stopped, and the morning sun rose above the waves, spreading thousands of golden rays across the sea’s surface.
Song Qian Ji controlled his Shadowless Sword, gliding between sea and sky, surpassing white seabirds.
Xian Jian Chen sat behind him, breathing deeply in the fresh air and spreading his arms to welcome the sun: “Gold rising from the Black Sea—isn’t it beautiful?”
Song Qian Ji looked around and replied irritably: “What use is beauty? Your whale had a terrible sense of direction and stopped at the wrong shore!”
According to their original plan, they needed to cover as much distance as possible before their enemies discovered them.
“It’s not the wrong place. I just want to visit an old friend.” Xian Jian Chen tidied his appearance and pinned a small flower to his lapel. “How does your Master look? Spirited? Dashing and elegant?”
With their fox-tail bracelets, both men’s appearances had become extremely ordinary, so they really didn’t look impressive at all.
“Brother, are you clear about our situation? If our identities are exposed, we’ll be hunted down! Are you still thinking about meeting some beautiful woman, engaging in romantic trysts?” Song Qian Ji shook his Shadowless Sword. “Get off. I’ll go ahead first.”
“Don’t slander me, kid. I’m a married man!” Xian Jian Chen asked, “You really won’t come? This person is also your acquaintance, in a way.”
As they spoke, the Shadowless Sword flew swiftly like light.
Song Qian Ji vaguely saw towering mountains reaching into the clouds and purple mist floating between them. He took a deep breath: “Let’s go.”
The mountains and rivers were so vast, the world so broad—what did it matter to visit an old friend?
…
The farther they got from the Dead Sea, the more flying swords appeared in the sky.
Since the news of the “death” of the Song King spread, the cultivation world had split into two opposing factions, creating a tense atmosphere.
In the past, in relatively safe regions, when strange cultivators met in the sky, they might occasionally stop to greet each other, asking questions like “Where are you from, fellow Daoist?” or “Where are you headed?” or “Fellow Daoist, you’re not wearing sect clothes. Are you also an independent cultivator? Would you like to travel together?”
Now, as Song Qian Ji flew along, all passing cultivators hurried on their way with vigilant gazes.
Hua Wei Sect had sent invitations everywhere, uniting eighteen large and small sects and family clans to form the “Righteous Immortal Alliance,” intending to reclaim Thousand Canals County.
Thousand Canals refused to become Hua Wei Sect territory again. After the Northern Desert King Wei made his temple declaration, cultivators from various regions rushed to Thousand Canals to provide support, opposing Hua Wei Sect’s tyranny. Surprisingly, the Lesser Hua Wei Sect led by Chen Hong Zhu was also among the opposition.
The curtain on the great turmoil in the cultivation world had been fully raised. All the contradictions accumulated over many years, the suppressed hatred, anger, and resentment were ignited at once like a raging fire.
Another faction chose to remain neutral and stay behind closed doors, unwilling to participate in the struggle.
But the world was like muddy water—who could stay uninvolved?
If your friends were drawn into the conflict and died, wouldn’t you avenge them?
If your relatives invited you to help, could you stand by and do nothing?
In these chaotic times, people’s hearts were restless, causing prices in the cultivation world to soar. Even Purple Cloud City, peaceful for many years, was no exception.
“Shopkeeper, I’m not buying ready-made talismans, just these talisman papers and cinnabar.” Song Qian Ji was shocked. “Did you calculate incorrectly?”
“My good sir, where do talismans come from if not written on talisman paper with cinnabar?” The fat shopkeeper focused on his abacus, barely bothering with the two Foundation Establishment cultivators before him, who had foreign accents and unremarkable appearances. “Rice, flour, grain, oil, needles, and coarse cloth haven’t increased in price, but would you use those?”
Xian Jian Chen gloated, leaning against a treasure cabinet and watching the scene, mimicking like a parrot: “Would you use those, would you?”
The fat shopkeeper grabbed a feather duster and walked around the counter, tapping here and there: “Hey, please step aside. This cabinet contains precious magical items. If you accidentally damage any of them, our small shop will have to trouble you for compensation.”
Xian Jian Chen stared in shock, his expression rapidly changing: “This… this Master… this…”
Song Qian Ji secretly kicked him, signaling him to stay calm: “This one family! He means all cultivators are one family. Can’t you give us a discount?”
“Oh my, where have you two gentlemen been meditating in what remote mountain cave that you don’t know the current situation? War is coming! All cultivation supplies have tripled in price. You can’t expect me to lose money, can you? Please hurry up—if you’re not buying, step aside.”
Song Qian Ji gritted his teeth: “I’ll buy!”
He had used up all his talisman paper in Blood River Valley, and after Purple Cloud City, there would be nowhere else to replenish.
This world was so unreasonable—how could cinnabar prices rise just because I died?
With his excellent hearing, Song Qian Ji could still hear the shopkeeper and his assistant snickering even after leaving the shop: “What nonsense about all cultivators being one family. Two country bumpkins—do they think they’re the Thousand Canals King?”
Xian Jian Chen laughed heartily: “Do you think you’re the Thousand Canals King? But the merchants in this Purple Cloud City, backed by Purple Cloud Mountain, truly are bold.”
Song Qian Ji flicked his sleeve: “Keep laughing! Next time, you pay!”
Xian Jian Chen muttered: “Thousand Canals is so prosperous, yet the Thousand Canals King is so stingy.”
…
The space above Purple Cloud Mountain was filled with prohibitions, forbidding all flying magical tools from passing through.
After fully provisioning themselves in Purple Cloud City, the two men entered the mountain on foot.
At dusk, the mountain path was filled with laughter. Ordinary worshippers descended the mountain with their families, passing by the two men.
Due to the thriving incense offerings at the Taoist temple, the mountain was perennially shrouded in a faint mist, looking like a patch of purple cloud from a distance.
Song Qian Ji reached the mountain gate arch and heard the evening bell ring three times, its echo lingering.
Weary crows returned to their nests as travelers dispersed. Amid the mountain’s tranquil emerald hues, the ancient bronze bell tolled through golden sunset after golden sunset.
The sunset was infinitely beautiful.
Song Qian Ji inhaled, and the clear, cool air of grass and trees permeated his lungs, washing away the cold sea breeze and dusty heat.
A young Taoist guardian at the mountain gate bowed: “Fellow Daoists, the bell has rung. We no longer receive worshippers or tell fortunes today.”
Song Qian Ji tilted his head toward Xian Jian Chen, using his eyes to signal that they should retreat first and find a small path and a flaw in the formation to sneak in after nightfall.
Xian Jian Chen removed the red flower from his lapel: “Give this to your temple master, and he will come out to meet me.”
“Who are you?”
“I am his…” Xian Jian Chen thought for a moment, “his master’s friend.”
The purple-robed Taoist child stood in the dense green shade, nodding blankly: “Wait here. If you’re tricking me, I’ll come back to teach you a lesson!”
The young Taoist ran away with wooden clogs making “pak-tak pak-tak” sounds.
Song Qian Ji was somewhat surprised: “You’re being so courteous? Oh, I understand—you also fear Purple Cloud Temple’s formations!”
Xian Jian Chen smiled: “There are two kinds of people in the world.”
“Huh??”
“Those who have disciples, and those who don’t.”
Xian Jian Chen adjusted his collar and cuffs again. “He’s almost dying from entering the Divine realm, yet has no heir to his legacy. As someone with a disciple, of course, I should bring my disciple to show off. Why argue with him about pride? If he ignores me, I can still storm up the mountain and tear down his temple… ahem, do you have a bronze mirror? Let me check if your Master looks dashing and elegant?”