My Wife Is The Leader Of A Demonic Cult - Chapter 114

Chapter 114: Chapter 114 Qingmei Brews Tea for the First Time (10,000-word update, subscribe please!)

“The clothes should just be made bigger,”

Tan Yun muttered to himself, then, as usual, he put on his light purple cotton robe, pulled on his boots, and prepared to get up to wash and dress.

“Ao!”

The little black pup lay on the ground, and upon seeing Tan Yun getting up, he wagged his tail and scurried over.

“Creak!”

Tan Yun pushed open the door and was momentarily stunned by what he saw before him, then, his eyes widened with a bit of surprise.

The snowflakes were fluttering down, and the entire courtyard had already become a vast, white world.

“It’s snowing!”

The Demon Sect’s main hall was in the Dongluo Desert, where vegetation is sparse and water is extremely scarce. Even when the weather is bitterly cold, it’s rare to see snow, and the snow that had fallen over the years could be counted on one’s fingers.

Tan Yun stretched out his palm and watched as the crystal-clear snowflakes fell, landing on his warm palm, and then melted into water.

“Ao! Ao!”

The little black pup at the doorway kept calling out, bouncing back and forth, and then curiously stretched out a little paw to touch the snow on the ground.

“Such heavy snow!”

At this moment, An Jing also pushed open his door and exclaimed in surprise.

Just overnight, Yu State City was covered in a layer of white snow, dressed in silver, with wax plums blossoming.

“Son-in-law, it’s snowing! It’s really snowing!”

Tan Yun, excited like a child of seven or eight, then hopped and jumped onto the snowy ground, making a ‘crunch, crunch’ noise.

‘Bang!’

Just then, a snowball smashed fiercely towards him, hitting Tan Yun squarely on the forehead.

“Hahaha, did that hit the spot?”

An Jing crouched on the ground, grabbed another handful of snow, and then shouted, “Come on, let’s have a snowball fight, and don’t forget, we’ve got medical insurance, haha.”

“Son-in-law, just don’t cry,”

Hearing An Jing’s taunting, Tan Yun couldn’t hold back, and after wiping the snow from his head, he crouched down and began to roll snowballs.

“Bang! Bang!” “Bang! Bang!”

In the moment Tan Yun crouched down, An Jing had already thrown two snowballs at her.

“Let’s see who cries first.”

After shouting, An Jing quickly ran towards the outer hall.

“Where are you running to?”

Tan Yun had just shaped a snowball and saw An Jing running outside, so she followed in hot pursuit, huffing angrily.

“It’s time for breakfast.”

Just then, Zhao Qingmei also walked out from the kitchen and immediately spotted the two in pursuit.

“Madam, come and join the snowball fight.”

“Sure.”

Zhao Qingmei saw this and smiled.

“The two of you combined are no match for me,”

An Jing laughed loudly, quickly making a snowball and throwing it towards Zhao Qingmei.

“Bang!”

Thinking it would hit its target precisely, but Zhao Qingmei dodged it with a quick bend of her waist.

“Oh no, run fast!”

Seeing Tan Yun charging at him, An Jing quickly ran outside.

“Your snowballs are too small; the bigger the snowball, the more it hurts when it hits.”

Zhao Qingmei rolled snowballs while imparting her wisdom to Tan Yun.

The three of them had a snowball fight from the back yard to the front hall, and then outside the hall.

An Jing, facing two opponents, did not fall behind.

It was still early, and with the cold wind howling, there weren’t many people on the streets.

Zhao Qingmei’s laughter, like bells, and Tan Yun’s exasperated voice could be heard clearly.

“Huff….”

An Jing hid under a tree, holding two snowballs, and when he noticed that there had been no movement behind him for a long time, he couldn’t help but feel a bit strange.

“What’s going on?!”

An Jing wondered in his heart before turning around and cautiously making his way over.

At the entrance of Jishi Hall, Zhao Qingmei was squatting on the ground, seemingly engrossed in shaping snowballs with great effort.

“Hehe~!”

An Jing slowly walked over, planning to shove the snowball in his hand down Zhao Qingmei’s neck, which would surely elicit a scream from her.

Yet when An Jing got behind Zhao Qingmei, he suddenly noticed that in one hand she held a snowball, and in the other she was inserting silver needles into it, and the snowball was already bristling with a dense array of silver needles.

Seeing this, An Jing suddenly felt the weather turn chillier.

“Thump!”

An Jing immediately threw the snowball to the ground, “Madam, let’s not play any longer. I find snowball fights rather dull. It’s time for breakfast.”

As he spoke, An Jing quickly headed into the hall.

Zhao Qingmei watched An Jing’s retreating figure, a sly gleam appeared in her eyes, “Husband, it’s fine if we don’t have a snowball fight, but you’ve mentioned going out to enjoy the spring and haven’t done so yet. Now that it has snowed, how about going out to enjoy the lake together?”

An Jing agreed without a moment’s hesitation, “Sure, enjoying the lake does sound nice…”

As long as they could avoid another snowball fight, he was game for anything.

“Alright then, let’s eat first.”

Zhao Qingmei, with a slight smile on her lips, then threw her silver-needled snowball into a pile of snow.

The two brushed the snow off each other and entered the dining hall.

“Husband, wait here for a moment; I’ll go serve the medicinal porridge,” said Zhao Qingmei as she headed toward the kitchen.

Meanwhile, An Jing settled at the table and poured himself a cup of hot tea, “It’s been several days, and nothing has happened…”

Ever since elder Jiang’s last visit, the Earth Book had indicated that he had gained a mysterious black opportunity, which afterward had completely disappeared.

An Jing had been deeply suspicious and vigilant, staying on guard every day.

Yet, ten days had passed and life seemed as usual, with no changes whatsoever.

According to the opportunities on the Earth Book, they were either visible or invisible ones, like the Bodhi Bead and the Nine Yang Divine Finger, which were visible opportunities; however, there were also invisible ones, like when he saved Duke Xu from the cave.

That opportunity equated to making an acquaintance with a master of high capability, and also meant the master owed him a favor.

Being cautious by nature, An Jing had never encountered this black opportunity before, so he was unclear about what it actually implied.

This black opportunity, he supposed, must be similar to other opportunities, split into visible and invisible.

If it hadn’t manifested visibly, it might mean he had offended some powerful expert…

“Husband, the porridge is ready,” Zhao Qingmei called as she came with three bowls of fragrant medicinal porridge while An Jing was deep in thought.

“It smells wonderful; I really am hungry after that little snowball fight,” An Jing said as he accepted the porridge and began guzzling it down eagerly.

Worried that An Jing would scald himself, Zhao Qingmei quickly cautioned, “Take it easy, it’s still hot.”

“Wow… delicious,” An Jing commented while continuing to eat.

“Even eating, there’s no decorum,” Zhao Qingmei said with a hint of amusement in her eyes, then asked somewhat puzzled, “Eh!? Where’s Tan Yun?”

An Jing paused mid-motion upon hearing this, feeling somewhat surprised himself; usually, she was the most eager to eat.

“I’ll go have a look,” he said.

Putting down his chopsticks and bowl, An Jing stepped outside the hall.

Shortly after, he encountered a familiar figure under a tree.

Usually, Tan Yun was slender; even if she had eaten a bit more lately, she would at most look full and rounded, which An Jing could instantly recognize.

At the moment, she was crouching under a tree, seemingly cradling something in her arms, looking around as if in search of something.

An Jing tiptoed toward her, full of curiosity.

“Where has that stinky son-in-law gone, hiding somewhere?” Tan Yun wrinkled her nose and couldn’t help muttering to herself, “I haven’t even had a chance to show him my might.”

All of a sudden, An Jing spoke out, “What are you doing, not even eating breakfast?”

“Ah!?”

Startled by the sound of the familiar voice, Tan Yun quickly turned around, and the oversized snowball she was holding nearly dropped from her arms.

An Jing, looking at the extra-large snowball in Tan Yun’s arms, fell silent for a moment.

……

The snow, like goose feathers, slowly descended.

Ice flowers, resplendent, fell into the water and then disappeared, as sky, cloud, mountain, and water merged into one vast, misty expanse.

On the Yu State River, the number of covered boats had dwindled, leaving only a few scattered individuals.

In the midst of the river, An Jing rowed, admiring the snowy scenery along the banks of the Yu State River.

It was a novelty at first, but with time, it began to lose its charm.

“If old man Li were here, he could keep me company with some chat.”

An Jing muttered to himself.

After all, he knew Li Fuzhou’s identity, but Li Fuzhou didn’t know his, and this thought secretly delighted him.

Due to the deaths of Huo Zhongyun and the Ghost-faced Buddha, and the severe injuries suffered by Gu Renwo, Li Fuzhou suddenly became very busy, busy to the point of being unseen from morning to night.

“Is he preparing to leave in the next few days, so he’s stopped carrying people around?”

Unable to see Li Fuzhou, An Jing felt somewhat uneasy. If Li Fuzhou remained safely at home, perhaps An Jing could send him off at the end of the year and continue to live his life. But if Li Fuzhou accidentally revealed something, An Jing and his family would be in big trouble.

In the boat, Zhao Qingmei sat on a spread-out felt mat, in front of her was a stove on which tea was being brewed.

This was no ordinary tea; it was specially made by Zhao Qingmei using snow-soaked plum blossoms collected early in the morning. The boiling water seemed to carry a subtle fragrance.

Tan Yun pouted with annoyance, still upset about the snowball from earlier… it had taken so long to make, causing her to miss out on a bowl of porridge.

“My dear, the tea is almost ready.”

Zhao Qingmei turned down the stove slightly, then proceeded to wash and steep the tea.

“Alrighty, we’ve already left Yu State City. Have a look at the scenery on both sides, isn’t it quite nice?”

An Jing said with a smile, propping the small boat.

“We’ve already left Yu State City?” Tan Yun got up and looked around, having been too preoccupied with her anger, she had nearly forgotten to enjoy the view.

The vast expanse before her blended into heaven and earth, and she couldn’t help but feel a sense of admiration.

“Yes, we’ve been rowing for three quarters of an hour already.”

An Jing rubbed his arms. “My arms are starting to feel sore.”

Jishi Hall was located near the southern port, just a short row along the Yu State River from the city.

Zhao Qingmei chuckled, “If you’re tired, take a rest and have some tea.”

Hearing this, An Jing put down the oar and slowly sat down.

Zhao Qingmei blew gently on the hot tea to disperse the steam before handing it over.

Seeing this, An Jing inwardly admired his wife, who, befitting her upbringing from a distinguished family, was extremely skilled in the arts of washing, steeping, and tasting tea.

“Have a drink.”

An Jing took the tea and sipped lightly, feeling a refreshing warm flow sweep down his throat and into his belly.

“How is it?”

Zhao Qingmei asked eagerly.

“Good.”

An Jing couldn’t help but exclaim.

Zhao Qingmei’s eyes lit up. “What’s good about it?”

An Jing paused, then said, “Madam, you have excellent control over the water temperature, it’s not the least bit scalding.”

“Flatterer!”

Upon hearing that, Zhao Qingmei snatched the tea cup from An Jing’s hand, chastising him, “I’m not giving you any more to drink.”

She had gone through the trouble of gathering snow early in the morning to brew the tea, and all he noted was the temperature.

“Madam, I was just joking.”

An Jing hurriedly said with a smile, “The tea has a refreshing fragrance, and there’s a subtle scent of plum blossoms too. Not only is the tea excellent, but your skill is also impeccable—I can’t find any faults.”

Zhao Qingmei, appeased, slowly filled the tea cup again and handed it back, “That’s more like it.”

Just then, several merchant ships appeared in the distance, loaded with goods and sailing smoothly, forcing the water on both sides to part.

“I didn’t expect to see merchant ships on a winter’s day.”

An Jing remarked upon seeing this.

During the cold winter weather, the river was prone to icing, which typically stopped merchant ships from operating.

While the Yu State River remained passable now, once the heavy snow melted, it would likely freeze over, making navigation difficult.

Two merchant ships approached, passing right by their small boat.

On the ships flew a military flag, with soldiers clad in iron armor on both sides, which piqued An Jing’s curiosity even further.

Court’s merchant ships?

“Doctor An!”

At that moment, a voice came from the cargo ship.

An Jing looked in the direction of the voice and saw He Ping, dressed in a coarse hemp shirt on the deck, waving at him.

He Ping had primarily worked as a laborer for the Su family’s ships. After the Su family fell from power and their business was taken over by the Cao family, laborers like He Ping continued to make a living on the docks. For them, it didn’t matter who they worked for; as long as they were paid, it was all the same.

Compared to the Su family, the Cao family even paid a bit more in silver coins.

“Are you still going to work today?”

An Jing smiled and asked.

The smile on He Ping’s face could no longer be contained, “There’s still some timber and rocks from Lingnan that need to be transported to Fa Xi Temple, the last trip before the end of the year. Next year, there will be even more.”

For dockworkers like them, they weren’t afraid of having too much cargo or of hardship and fatigue, they were just afraid of not having the opportunity to endure these hardships and fatigue.

An Jing looked up and asked, “All for Fa Xi Temple?”

The renovation of Fa Xi Temple, especially since it was funded by the court, held significant meaning.

He remembered historic records stating that, after Zhenyi Sect became the national religion, the Great Yan Dynasty began to build Taoist temples everywhere and invited disciples of Zhenyi Sect to leave the mountains and spread the doctrine to the world from these Taoist temples.

As Zhenyi Sect enjoyed the worship of the masses, it flourished. It not only became eminent in Jianghu but also became an object of worship among the common people, revered as a belief.

Now, with the court starting the restoration of temples like Fa Xi Temple, it seemed to be a sign of something more.

The Buddhist Pure Land was truly coming to the east.

A realization dawned on An Jing.

Meanwhile, Zhao Qingmei was as calm as still water. She knew about the eastward journey of Buddhism long before An Jing; she had received news from Yujing City three days ago.

Besides Fa Xi Temple, all other ancient temples in Great Yan were to be renovated, and in some places, new temples would be built.

The Universal Benefit Bodhisattva from the Western Pure Land personally came to reside in Great Yan, chanting scriptures and spreading the teachings.

The Bodhisattva Fruit Position – that was the level of a Grandmaster. A Grandmaster coming personally showed the significance Buddhism placed on this, and the renovations of the old temples by the Great Yan Dynasty were also sincere gestures.

It seemed the Great Yan Dynasty was firmly intent on winning over the Western Pure Land.

“Yes, they say Fa Xi Temple needs to be renovated. Doctor An, I will take my leave now.”

As boats crossed paths, He Ping could only wave at An Jing.

“Alright.”

An Jing nodded.

Suddenly, he furrowed his brows slightly, sensing a trace of malevolent energy coming from the bottom of the river.

“Splash! Splash!”

The previously calm surface of the water suddenly became turbulently wavy.

The small boat began to rock violently, and on the cargo ship, the soldiers in armored vests and the dockworkers stumbled about.

“What’s going on?”

Zhao Qingmei, seeing this, showed a hint of panic on her face before walking towards An Jing.

“Boom!” “Boom!”

Just then, the iron kettle on the stove for preparing tea also fell down, rolling towards Zhao Qingmei.

The boiling water, if it spilled on a person, would certainly strip away a layer of skin.

Tan Yun saw this and almost instinctively prepared to intervene.

“Be careful!”

Seeing this, An Jing reacted quickly and extended the oar he held in his hand, then with a twist of his wrist, there was a ‘bang’ as the iron kettle was flung into the water.

The disturbance on the water subsided as quickly as it had begun.

“That was quite a skillful move.”

Tan Yun was slightly surprised by what he saw.

Although the speed of An Jing’s intervention wasn’t very fast, it was certainly beyond what an average Jianghu practiitioner of the eighth or ninth grade could manage.

Indeed!

Zhao Qingmei was even more perceptive than Tan Yun. Although An Jing’s use of inner strength was as thin as silk and not profound, she still detected it.

He must have practiced martial arts, and that was normal. If one’s family possessed profound martial arts and one did not cultivate them, that would be truly questionable.

But why had he never mentioned this to me, nor revealed such information, and further still, why would he carelessly store away those precious martial arts manuals?

Thinking this, Zhao Qingmei grew increasingly puzzled.

“Madam, are you alright?”

Seeing the waters calm down, An Jing quickly approached to check on her, “Were you hurt?”

“I’m fine.”

Zhao Qingmei looked visibly shaken as she said, “Husband, thank goodness for you, otherwise…”

As she spoke, Zhao Qingmei’s complexion seemed to turn ghostly pale.

“Miss, it’s good that you’re all right, it’s good that you’re all right. I was almost scared to death just now.”

Seeing this, Tan Yun’s heart skipped a beat and she quickly stepped forward.

“It’s good that you’re okay, it’s good that you’re okay.”

An Jing also let out a slight sigh of relief.

Just now, the situation had been critical, and he had been left with no choice but to step in. Fortunately, his wife was unharmed.

Even though a trace of his inner breath had been exposed, under the Concealing Qi Technique even experts would not be able to see through his cultivation; naturally, Zhao Qingmei and Tan Yun, two ordinary commoners, couldn’t detect anything amiss either.

However, the recent surge of malevolent energy—could it be that the thousand-year-old Black Python was about to awaken!?

On the surface, both An Jing and Zhao Qingmei seemed normal, but deep down they both had their concerns.

“Husband, let’s go back.”

“Very well.”

After this incident, the three of them were no longer in the mood to enjoy the snow and thus headed back the way they came.

……

In the afternoon, at Jishi Hall, in the backyard.

“Madam, I’ll go to see the patients now.”

An Jing called out and quickly left with the medicine box in hand.

“Alright, come back soon,” Zhao Qingmei nodded and then also made her way to the backyard.

After seeing An Jing walk away, Tan Yun hurried into the room and said, “Miss, miss, the young master seems to have some cultivation. He said he only learned a bit of fist and foot techniques from Han Wenxin and some martial arts instructors, but it seems not so simple.”

Today, An Jing’s single oar stroke sent the iron kettle flying, which was definitely not the work of a Jianghu nobody of Eighth or Ninth Grade.

With just a few years of fist and foot training, one could reach the Eighth or Ninth Grade, but starting from the Seventh Grade is extraordinary, requiring the cultivation of Inner Breath, which is commonly known as Inner Strength.

Although An Jing never told the two that he possessed Inner Strength, nor did he say he did not, he mentioned he had practiced some superficial techniques with the martial arts instructors and with Han Wenxin.

To ordinary people, this would imply that he had never cultivated Inner Strength.

After all, Han Wenxin himself was only at the peak of the Seventh Grade; his elders who had practiced for decades could barely reach the Eighth or Seventh Grade without a heart method, so how skilled could An Jing be, tutored by them?

“There was a faint trace of qi mechanism,”

Zhao Qingmei nodded slightly, “He has definitely cultivated the martial arts heart methods from the storeroom.”

If the qi mechanism isn’t strong, there are only two possibilities: either it is extremely weak, or it is hidden masterfully.

“That’s what I’m saying, the young master isn’t a fool, to not cultivate a fine heart method.”

Tan Yun pouted, then worriedly said, “It looks like the young master’s talent isn’t great, though. With such top-notch heart methods, he is only slightly better than the likes of Han Wenxin.”

The heart method Han Wenxin cultivated surely wasn’t as profound as those in the storeroom, but he was at the peak of the Seventh Grade and close to the Sixth Grade. The young master didn’t seem to differ much from him, which implied a gap in talent.

The two of them did not believe that An Jing could hide his abilities so well under their watch, especially Zhao Qingmei.

She practiced the Heavenly Demon Myriad Forms, and even some grandmasters could detect the qi mechanism on her, let alone average experts. Tan Yun, who came from the Demon Sect, was also proficient in concealment techniques and could pass as an ordinary person when she suppressed her Inner Breath, unless she acted.

Could An Jing really conceal his qi mechanism from them?

They didn’t quite believe it.

Lost in thought, Tan Yun mused, “If the young master is not that powerful, then how did he come by so many martial arts techniques?”

Zhao Qingmei also felt there was something odd, but today’s trip had resolved one of her lingering doubts.

Guarding such precious martial arts heart methods but not practicing them would indeed be very strange.

The only thing she couldn’t figure out now was where these martial arts heart methods came from.

……

Outside Yu State City, at Qinghe Pier.

An Jing had dealt with Shui Zhongyue, who had been obstinately trailing him, using the Ghost Valley Enchantment and then, donning a dark blue cloak, he arrived at Qinghe Pier.

At this time. Qinghe Pier was in chaos. The riverbank was littered with traces of overflowing water, and two fishermen were sighing as they collected their fishing baskets.

“Such bad luck, the big black fish I just caught are all gone.”

“You’re talking about bad luck? I spent an afternoon fishing, and had about twenty pounds of fish. When the waves swept in, didn’t it all disappear too?”

“What’s going on? Why have there been so many waves at the dock recently?”

“Could it be that too much fishing lately has angered the river god?”

“What river god? Don’t talk nonsense.”

“Let’s go, let’s go, we can’t fish today.”

…..

Listening to the conversation of two fishermen, An Jing glanced at Qinghe Pier and then turned his thoughts back to the Earth Book.

Cultivation: First Grade

Life Fate: Favorable Star Shining (rising)

Root Bone: Once in a hundred years

Martial Arts: Sword Drawing Skill, Hidden Sword Skill, Sword Control Technique, Nine-character Sword Technique, Soaring Nine Heavens Body Technique, Daluo Heart Method, Concealing Qi Technique, Hundred-step Flying Sword (Eighth Layer), Nine Yang Divine Finger (Third Layer).

Prompt One: The host’s life fate has not yet taken root (eight months remaining). When performing martial arts, the host’s identity must not be revealed; otherwise, a dark opportunity will arise.

Prompt Two: Beneath Qinghe Pier lies a Thousand-year-old Black Boa. This exotic beast is exceedingly rare. Killing it will yield a blue opportunity (it contains a pill).

Prompt Three: Beneath Qinghe Pier lies a Thousand-year-old Black Boa. This exotic beast is exceedingly rare. Subduing it will yield a blue opportunity (capable of Jiao Transformation).

Prompt Four: As the host approaches the exotic Thousand-year-old Black Boa, the beast gradually awakens. If it fully awakens, the host will receive a dark opportunity.

……

An Jing’s brows furrowed as he read the description in the Earth Book.

He remembered that the first time he came here, the Earth Book described the Thousand-year-old Black Boa as still sleeping and that waking it would reveal an unprecedented dark opportunity.

Now “still sleeping” had changed to “clearly awakening,” and the “unprecedented dark opportunity” had become just a “dark opportunity.”

An Jing pondered for a moment and analyzed, “This Thousand-year-old Black Boa is really about to awaken, but dealing with it with my current strength seems extremely forced…”

“However, its inner core is indeed a treasure. If I had the assistance of a master, maybe there would be a slight chance.”

An Jing couldn’t help but lament that he couldn’t reveal his identity; otherwise, if he made connections with some martial arts masters in Jianghu, perhaps he could have slain the Thousand-year-old Black Boa.

The most skilled person he knew now was that Li Fuzhou, the old man. Asking him to work with him to kill the Thousand-year-old Black Boa was something An Jing would never consider.

Old man Li’s black belly was infamous, and he was a follower of the Demon Sect, with a dreadful reputation throughout the Great Yan Martial World… Who knew if this old trickster would stab him in the back.

“When I reach the Fifth Realm and increase my cultivation further, maybe I’ll have a chance.”

An Jing took a deep breath, his body leaped, and he headed towards Chaotic Tomb Mound to the north of Yu State City.

Today, he would find an opportunity to comprehend the Sword Intent contained in the Evil Suppressing Sword; perhaps it contained some secrets and chances.

Stepping on the dry branches, before long, he arrived at the Chaotic Tomb Mound to the north of the city.

An Jing walked leisurely to the tree where he had originally buried the Evil Suppressing Sword, cautiously scraping away the snow and soil on top of it.

This place was already sparsely populated, and most people would rather detour than cross this area. No one wanted to see the eerie mounds of graves, lest they attract unclean things, so An Jing wasn’t worried about being discovered by others.

The ancient and weathered Evil Suppressing Sword lay quietly in the soil.

“Hum hum!”

It seemed to sense An Jing’s presence and emitted a crisp Zen sound.

An Jing carefully took out the Evil Suppressing Sword and held it in his hands.

The blade of the Evil Suppressing Sword still had fresh blood on it, with strange patterns in the center of the dark body, and the edge was incomparably sharp, exuding a sense of coldness.

An Jing extended three fingers and gently caressed the blade.

Because of the battle at Three Temple Mountain and a lack of time, he hadn’t had a chance to closely observe the Evil Suppressing Sword in his hands.

The moment his fingers touched the blade, a rush of coolness surged through him, followed by a humming noise in his brain.

“Roar!”

That roaring sound echoed in his mind once again.

In that moment, he once again felt the presence of death.

The sword had broken, and the person had perished.

Amidst the roar of the beast, everything seemed to turn to smoke, without the slightest ability to resist.

He saw it: the behemoth rampaged, devouring humans, wildly brutal, and even had a hint of taunting and mocking in its eyes.

An Jing looked at the behemoth before him, filled with shock, a shock that was difficult to express in words.

In front of that ferocious creature, he felt completely powerless, only to be devoured by the beast.

“Whew!”

Not knowing how much time had passed, An Jing slowly opened his eyes, his clothes and hair already soaked with sweat, and he began gasping for air.

He truly felt as if he had died just then.

For all these years, it was the first time he faced death so directly.

Before, he had never encountered such a situation.

Observant eyes realize that life in adversity, when faced with death. Looking straight at the moment of one’s death, is when one can find the true meaning of life.

Death is another facet of life, eliminating the limitations between life and death, thus allowing life to flourish with vitality.

Composure, thorough serenity, decisiveness, and solitude.

I was utterly certain about myself, even knew my own weaknesses, as if treating myself like an enemy, equally harsh and cruel, yet also magnanimously forgiving.

The joys of human nature and life lay within—dangerous situations.

Only then can one ‘slay the Buddha when encountering the Buddha, slay the ancestor when meeting the ancestor’.

The flower blooming alone in the deep mountains does not blossom for others but for the furious flowering of its own life.

An Jing pondered for a long time before gently saying, “I understand.”

In the next moment, it seemed as if a sword had appeared in his heart.

……

East Forest Road, Qifeng Mountain Range.

Strange peaks stood tall, mountains stretched on, verdant and precipitous, with clouds enshrouding and fog curling around them.

There stood a mountain gate, appearing like a fairyland in the mortal world.

This mountain gate was precisely the entrance to the Yu Heng Sword Sect, one of the current Seven Sects under heaven.

In the martial world, if one were to rank the Seven Great Sects, then the Zhenyi Sect would undoubtedly be the most preeminent, topping the list without dispute, with the second place indisputably belonging to the Yu Heng Sword Sect.

After all, the sect leader of the Yu Heng Sword Sect from two generations ago was the most formidable swordsman under heaven, acclaimed as the ‘Sword God’.

And the current sect leader of the Yu Heng Sword Sect, Lin Yiyang, was one of the top five ‘Sword Immortals’ under heaven and the swordsman with the best chance to inherit the legacy of the ‘Sword God’.

To add on, within the Sword Sect were five Sword Masters, each renowned within the martial world, skilled experts capable of holding their own, plus the mysterious and unfathomable Ancestor Hall, hiding who knows how many reclusive experts of the Yu Heng Sword Sect. The Sword Immortal of yesteryear had entered this place and eventually transcended the mortal coil. These factors solidified the position of the Yu Heng Sword Sect as the second among the Seven Great Sects.

Atop a towering mountain, vast seas of clouds churned.

At this moment, on a level patch of land halfway up the mountain, dozens of disciples from the Yu Heng Sword Sect were practicing their swordsmanship.

“Who do you think is the most formidable swordsman under heaven?”

“The Heavenly Sword has presided over the Sword Tomb for thirty years without reappearing, but he has taught thousands of swordsmen, which makes him the most powerful expert in the Sword Dao.”

“I think the strength of the Ghost Valley Sword Immortal is also not to be underestimated.”

“Liu Tong, you’re talking nonsense, the greatest swordsman under heaven is right here on the mountain peak of our Yu Heng Sword Sect.”

“That’s right, who can compare to the sect leader’s swordsmanship?”

“The five great Sword Immortals have never competed against each other, so it’s difficult to say who is stronger or weaker.”

“But, the person who reaches the Sixth Realm first under heaven will be truly worthy of the title of the world’s top swordsman.”

…….

These disciples of the Yu Heng Sword Sect chatted and laughed about various topics, and though the matter of who was the number one swordsman under heaven was a tired old subject, it never failed to captivate them no matter how many times it was discussed.

A woman dressed in white, plain in appearance but somewhat pleasant to look at, held a longsword, walking slowly along the mountain path through the large cow ridge in the middle of the mountain.

“Shh… Elder Qiu is coming!” “Greetings to Elder Qiu!”

Seeing the woman approaching, the disciples present hurriedly bowed with the utmost respect.

“Practice your swordsmanship well, perhaps the future top swordsman under heaven will emerge from among you.”

The woman too heard the discussion of the disciples and couldn’t help but smile and say.

A bold disciple laughed and said, “Elder Qiu is jesting. We all possess mediocre talent; if we can reach the Fourth Realm, our ancestors would be smoking from their graves, let alone reaching the legendary Sixth Realm.”

Everyone knew that Elder Qiu Wanxia standing in front of them was the most amiable elder of the entire Yu Heng Sword Sect.

Another disciple sighed and said, “Indeed, when will we ever reach even the Third Realm?”

For ordinary sword practitioners, the Third Realm was where they were trapped, let alone the Fourth Realm, the Fifth Realm, or even the rumored Sixth Realm?

“With diligent cultivation, there will be a day when you’ll stand out.”

Qiu Wanxia smiled faintly and then, holding her sword, proceeded toward the mountain peak.

“Elder Qiu is really nice.”

“Yes, she is the most amiable elder in our Yu Heng Sword Sect.”

“I heard she volunteered to serve as the sword servant for our sect leader, is that true?”

……

Watching the departing figure of Qiu Wanxia, the disciples present all showed genuine admiration.

Ascending the stone stairs, it didn’t take long for Qiu Wanxia to reach the summit.

At the summit was a vast Four Directions Platform, with mist rising all around, deep gorges hanging low as if unreachable from the mortal world.

In the center of the platform sat a man in his early thirties with chiseled features, his eyes closed, his white garments fluttering in the breeze, making a rustling sound.

This man was none other than the current sect leader of the Yu Heng Sword Sect and one of the great five Sword Immortals under heaven, Lin Yiyang.

“Senior Brother, I have arrived.”

Qiu Wanxia said as she approached Lin Yiyang.

“`

Lin Yiyang slowly opened his eyes and said, “Hmm.”

The moment those eyes opened and closed, it was like a streak of light had appeared in the gloom.

Qiu Wanxia smiled and asked, “Senior brother, for what reason did you call for me?”

“It’s time to come down the mountain.”

Lin Yiyang said.

“Come down the mountain!?”

Qiu Wanxia asked, “Senior brother, didn’t you say you would descend the mountain only after reaching the Sixth Realm?”

Lin Yiyang once said that he would only descend the mountain after an epiphany that brought him to the Sixth Realm, because only at the Sixth Realm would he have a chance to defeat Xiao Qianqiu; otherwise, even if his cultivation reached the Grandmaster Realm, he wouldn’t be Xiao Qianqiu’s match.

Lin Yiyang slowly rose to his feet and moved beside Yun Hai, looking out over the vast expanse, “I feel that this descent from the mountain will enable me to reach the Sixth Realm. My Sword Intent is nearing Perfection; it’s time to sharpen my sword.”

After a moment of thought, Qiu Wanxia asked again, “Who does Senior brother intend to sharpen your sword against?”

Lin Yiyang’s lips parted, and he said deliberately, “Universal Benefit Bodhisattva.”

Qiu Wanxia wasn’t at all surprised by the name and slowly said, “He’s a Grandmaster-level expert.”

Buddhism’s eastward journey stirred up hidden undercurrents, a fact that had spread throughout Jianghu. Although the Court supported Buddhism’s return, there were many different opinions within Jianghu.

Hundreds of years ago, when the world was torn by the wars of the Nine Kingdoms, Yuhengluyunzong had formed a deep-seated vendetta with the Buddhists, which nearly led to the sect’s destruction at Buddhist hands.

Afterwards, the Buddhists were exiled to the Pure Land, and Yuhengluyunzong played a significant role in that.

Today, as Buddhism returns from the east, it seems like the biggest threat is to the Zhenyi Sect, but the ones who least want to see this happen are from Yuhengluyunzong.

The depth of this enmity is something that the people of Yuhengluyunzong find difficult to forget even now.

Despite their sentiments, the matter had been settled, and now with the support and endorsement from the Court, anyone who dared to cause trouble would be committing treason and defiance!

The Xuanyi Guard, the blade hanging over Jianghu, executed those in Jianghu who were treacherous or defiant. Additionally, with the Imperial Wumartials Marquis and his half a million iron armored soldiers standing by, and no current wars, which sect could withstand an army of half a million iron armors!?

Although many felt dissatisfied, they could only remain silent.

The leader of this eastward journey of Buddhism happened to be Universal Benefit Bodhisattva, a grandmaster of great renown. With him presiding, the voices of opposition within Jianghu decreased significantly.

“Isn’t a Grandmaster a good whetstone?”

Lin Yiyang’s eyes were profound as he said, “I’ve heard his disciple Fa Zhi died at Fa Xi Temple on Jiangnan Dao, and he will go there after the new year to preach and propagate Buddhist teachings.”

“After the new year, I shall go to Yu State City to question Buddha.”

Qiu Wanxia understood her senior brother very well, and she liked the pride inherent in him, so she didn’t say much more, but nodded and replied, “Alright.”

A half-step master challenging a Grandmaster is a rare sight in Jianghu.

Because anyone who has reached that level understands the distinction between a Grandmaster and a half-step master.

“Thank you for your trouble,” Lin Yiyang said, glancing at his junior sister.

“A trip down the mountain would be nice; it has been a while since I descended with senior brother.”

Qiu Wanxia shook her head, then as if recalling something, she said, “When I was coming here, I heard from disciples who have been traveling that there seems to be an incredible swordsman in Yu State City.”

Lin Yiyang replied calmly, “Nothing but common fowl and three-legged cats with their paltry skills.”

He had heard about the swordsman in Yu State City who had been praised to the skies, and it was typical of Jianghu to build someone up only to tear them down later; he knew of countless young heroes who had died for such empty fame.

Someone who had merely killed a few experts was hailed as an unparalleled swordsman – such ‘experts’ surface every year in Jianghu, only to quickly fade into obscurity.

Qiu Wanxia chuckled and said, “What about that eunuch in the Imperial Palace, the one who controls the sword? He is considered a Sword Immortal, on par with you.”

“His swordsmanship was extremely poor twenty years ago, and even after many years of hard practice, it can only be considered mediocre at best.”

The eunuch in charge of the sword was the foremost swordsman in the Imperial Guard of the Imperial Palace, an exceptional expert, but Lin Yiyang found him merely mediocre.

“And what about the Heavenly Sword of the tomb mound? He is considered the most prestigious swordsman in the world today.”

“Stuck in his ways, and that’s all there is to it.”

“What about the Ghost Valley Sword Immortal then? The old sword immortal who spanned two eras.”

“Mediocre through and through, having spent his life as a second-place stepping stone for others.”

Qiu Wanxia covered her mouth with a smile and asked, “Then what about you?”

Lin Yiyang raised an eyebrow and said unsparingly, “After more than forty years of devotedly following the Sword Dao, I am still only in the Fifth Realm; I’m nothing more than a mediocre swordsman.”

In just a few sentences, Lin Yiyang had dismissed all the top swordsmen in the world as nothing special.

In his eyes, he disdained everyone, including himself.

“Then how would you rate my swordsmanship?”

Qiu Wanxia touched the sword inside her robes, her eyes showing a hint of teasing.

Lin Yiyang suddenly paused, taking a long while before speaking.

“Hmm… Junior sister’s swordsmanship… is quite good.”

“`