Chapter 756: Sword Immortals Like Clouds

Chapter 756: Sword Immortals Like Clouds

Upon seeing that line of visitors, the Jinhuang Manor Lord walked down the steps and strode forward quickly, cupping his fists in a deep salute and laughing loudly. "Zheng Su pays respects to his benefactor."

Although his appearance had changed drastically—from a white-robed youth with a sword and wine flask to the current adult man in a blue long gown—Zheng Su still recognized the other party's identity at a glance.

It was none other than that young sword immortal he had encountered on the road back then, the one who had brushed off his sleeves after the deed was done, leaving no name behind, most gallant.

Moreover, the man before him still had that deep red wine flask hanging at his waist, which Zheng Su found extremely familiar, just as it had been back then.

Chen Ping'an returned the salute with cupped fists and smiled. "I apologize for disturbing the manor lord."

Zheng Su immediately sidestepped, and Chen Ping'an extended his hand. In the end, the two walked side by side toward the gate of Jinhuang Manor. Zheng Su spoke in a low, apologetic voice. "Just now, when I learned that my benefactor had graced my humble home, I immediately sent a message to Pine Needle Lake. I didn't expect that my wife had something to attend to and couldn't return to the manor in time."

In truth, Zheng Su felt rather strange. While he had been waiting earlier, the Jinhuang Manor had actually received a flying sword message from the Pine Needle Lake Water God Temple. It was from a secret Daquan Court court-attendant immortal master, who had replied to Jinhuang Manor on behalf of the water god. It wasn't even his wife Liu Yourong's handwriting. This was highly irregular. His wife would never casually leave the water mansion. Under normal circumstances, Zheng Su would have already set off for Pine Needle Lake. Although his wife held a prestigious position, now honored as the second-rank righteous river god of the Daquan Dynasty and the orthodox lake lord of the entire Pine Needle Lake, her golden body and cultivation were merely equivalent to the Cave Abode realm. She wasn't skilled in dueling with spells either. The so-called cultivation she had been gritting her teeth to pursue in recent years made Zheng Su, who had always excelled in combat, both amused and distressed. In the end, he told her not to force it. Fighting and killing weren't for her. They hadn't been before, they weren't now, and they wouldn't be in the future.

Chen Ping'an spoke mentally, "Junior Cao Mo, a native of Baoping Continent. This is my second journey to Tongye Continent."

This was a prepared story from the road.

If it hadn't been for a series of details confirming that Jinhuang Manor had become a place of trouble, Chen Ping'an wouldn't have minded being honest and telling Jinhuang Manor his real name.

What need did a mountain god manor lord capable of establishing a residence have for the court to build an official road as an incense path, and even set up a boundary marker at the bridgehead to indicate this was Beijin territory? Moreover, the one who erected the marker wasn't a local prefect or county magistrate. The inscription on the boundary stone was from the Rites and Mountains Department of the Beijin Kingdom. As for the earlier strangeness at the rest pavilion, it merely confirmed Chen Ping'an's speculation. The Daquan Liu clan—now it should be the Daquan Yao clan emperor—was clearly using the final determination of the ownership of Jinhuang Manor and Pine Needle Lake as an opportunity to engage in strategic planning with Beijin.

Zheng Su laughed heartily. "The orchid wine brew of our Jinhuang Manor is famous throughout central Tongye Continent as excellent liquor. When passing through Jinhuang Manor, one can skip meeting that no-good Manor Lord Zheng, but one absolutely cannot miss this orchid brew."

After they took their seats, Chen Ping'an felt a bit awkward. Besides the master and disciple, there were five children, all noisy, looking like a group that had come to Jinhuang Manor to freeload.

The precocious Bai Xuan, the restless Nalan Yudie whose eyes kept darting around, the very shy Yao Xiaoyan, the unusually tall for her age He Gu, and the slightly cross-eyed, straightforward Yu Xiehui.

A group of seven people: one Martial Artist at the Stopping Realm, one Martial Artist at the Peak of Mountains Realm.

Six and a half sword cultivators. Among them, Bai Xuan and Nalan Yudie were both Cave Abode realm sword cultivators. According to the rules of the mountains, children who became mid-five realm sword cultivators at such a young age could already be called Little Sword Immortals.

Simply put, if that old god at the Observing Realm level in the rest pavilion, holding his horsetail whisk, were to fight for his life, Bai Xuan and Nalan Yudie only needed to join forces, and it might take just one flying sword each.

Zheng Su smiled. "I've already ordered the manor to prepare a meal, some mountain game and Pine Needle Lake fresh catches. At most two-quarters of an hour, and I can drink the orchid brew with Immortal Master Cao."

This manor lord, no matter how hard he racked his brains, could never have imagined that this group of passing guests would make Jinhuang Manor worthy of being called "sword immortals like clouds."

Chen Ping'an suddenly stood up. "Would the manor lord be so kind as to show me around?"

Zheng Su was a little surprised, but still followed the guest's wishes and nodded with a smile. "My pleasure."

Pei Qian rose from her chair and said, "Master, I'll watch over them."

Chen Ping'an reminded her through mental voice, "Remember to use your real name in Jinhuang Manor. Don't use 'Zheng Qian'."

Pei Qian nodded.

After Master Cao and the golden-robed manor lord left the main hall, Nalan Yudie jumped up, turned around, and touched the auspicious cloud patterns on the chair back. "Sister Pei, what kind of wood is this chair made of? It looks so noble and expensive."

Pei Qian sat back down and smiled. "I don't know, but it's definitely valuable. Remember, don't touch any of the jars and bottles casually. They're all antiques hundreds of years old, even more valuable."

Nalan Yudie grinned. "If I accidentally break one, we can just leave Xiaoyan here as a maidservant to pay for it."

Yao Xiaoyan always sat properly on her chair, looking pitiful. "Sister Yudie, don't scare me."

He Gu, the tallest among the nine sword immortal embryos, sat with her legs crossed, swinging one foot. "So this is a mountain god manor? It's not that impressive. It's not as good as Cloud Book Peak or Yellow Crane Rock."

Yu Xiehui, who was slightly cross-eyed, slid down and slumped against his chair, letting out a long breath. "Comfortable. When I grow up, I'm going to make chairs like this."

Bai Xuan was about to take off his boots and sit cross-legged on his chair.

Pei Qian said, "Sit properly."

Bai Xuan rolled his eyes, but still gave up the idea. Sister Pei's martial arts aptitude might be mediocre, but as Master Cao's senior disciple, he had to give her face.

Pei Qian explained patiently, "There are many taboos when traveling in the mortal world. When you're out, you have to remember to follow local customs. We're guests, so we can't just do whatever we want."

Bai Xuan turned sideways and lay on the armrest of the chair, sighing. "So many rules. So annoying."

Pei Qian placed her walking staff horizontally on her lap, ignoring Bai Xuan's complaints, and began to close her eyes and rest.

In truth, Pei Qian genuinely didn't think Bai Xuan was that annoying. Every time she recalled her own first journey, she felt that Bai Xuan was actually quite well-behaved and didn't talk much.

But even if he wasn't annoying, that was no reason for him to be omitted from a certain merit book. As things stood, it was estimated that before they returned to Fallen Mountain, she would have to prepare a new ledger for Young Master Bai.

At the moment, however, Pei Qian was curious about one thing: why did her master and Little Senior Brother deliberately let Bai Xuan continue to misunderstand one thing without pointing it out?

Bai Xuan seemed to have long since resigned himself. Although he currently had the highest realm among them, having already broken into the mid-five realms of Cave Abode, he appeared convinced that he would be the one with the lowest future achievements in the sword path. The child practiced swordsmanship, endured hardship, but lacked high aspirations.

But based on her master and the big white goose's general explanation of the nine children's natal flying swords, combined with Bai Xuan's own temperament and talent, Pei Qian couldn't see it that way. She didn't dare say the child would definitely achieve the highest, but he certainly wouldn't be the lowest. In fact, among the nine children, Bai Xuan was already subtly emerging as a leader. This intangible quality was, in Pei Qian's view, crucial on the cultivation path—a path full of both constant opportunities and unexpected twists. It was like... back when her master had taken sister Baoping, Li Huai, and the others to study at the Sui Academy, her master had naturally become the one who protected everyone, and others considered it only natural and right.

If her master, herself, and Little Senior Brother weren't around, Bai Xuan would immediately stand out and undoubtedly be the one to settle things in a chaotic situation.

Pei Qian hesitated for a moment, then used concentrated sound to speak only to Bai Xuan. "Bai Xuan, when you become accomplished in swordsmanship in the future, what do you most want to do?"

Bai Xuan quickly glanced from the corner of his eye and realized Sister Pei was talking to him alone. He continued lying lazily and replied mentally, "Don't want to do anything. My only hope right now is to meet that kid from White Dragon Cave in the future. When he's walking alone at night, I'll stab him half to death and run away. Little master here will teach him a lesson. Come without a trace, leave without a shadow, do good deeds without leaving a name."

Pei Qian lost all interest in continuing the conversation. So hard to talk to.

Was this how her master felt when he first took her along, not talking much?

Pei Qian turned her head and glanced at the five children.

He Gu and Yu Xiehui had the most in common. They were whispering to each other, saying that the female ghost in the pomegranate skirt by the stream was quite pretty and not scary at all, definitely better looking than Sister Pei.

Nalan Yudie was staring blankly at a few precious paintings in the Jinhuang Manor hall. Yao Xiaoyan was diligently warming her flying swords. Having three flying swords, unlike ordinary people, always left Yao Xiaoyan a bit flustered and troubled. The key was that Yao Xiaoyan felt she was too stupid, too timid, and had too many useless flying swords. So the little girl worried that as she walked the path of cultivation, she would become the most useless and annoying burden.

Pei Qian spoke quietly to Yao Xiaoyan. "Xiaoyan, when you're resting, you don't have to practice so hard. Otherwise, you'll be tired all your life. Listen to Sister Pei. In the future, when it's time to focus, focus on practicing. You can never be too focused. When it's time to relax, relax and enjoy yourself. Don't let others talk you into feeling like you're being lazy. Because for cultivators, life is very long. We don't have to rush for results right now."

Upon hearing this, Yao Xiaoyan immediately calmed her mind, blushed slightly, and quickly nodded gently at Sister Pei.

After speaking, Pei Qian chuckled to herself, somewhat self-deprecating. Was it because she had taken on Ah Man as an unregistered disciple that she had started lecturing others? She wondered if that mute-like Ah Man would get along with these children in the future. Thinking about this, Pei Qian felt a bit worried. After all, Ah Man's identity was plain: born from a mountain spirit. And these sword immortal embryos came from the Sword Qi Great Wall. It would probably be difficult for them to get along harmoniously, right? Forget it. She wouldn't think too much. In any case, her master was there.

Bai Xuan's natal flying sword was "Wandering Cloud." Once unleashed, the flying sword was extremely fast and followed a reckless path of exchanging injuries or even lives. Asking the sword was like a game of chess: Bai Xuan was extremely... irregular in his moves, yet at the same time, a divine player.

Nalan Yudie was the only one among the nine children with two flying swords: "Apricot Blossom Sky" and "Festival Lantern," adept at both offense and defense.

Yao Xiaoyan was the only one with... three flying swords as a lower-five realm sword cultivator: "Spring Robe," "Spider Web," and "Rainbow Garment." The natal divine abilities of these three flying swords were extremely similar—not focused on attack, but specialized in defense. It could be seen as the little girl wearing three magic robes of Dharma treasure rank at all times, which naturally nourished her physical body and benefited the soul of a sword cultivator. Logically, Yao Xiaoyan was exceptionally gifted in terms of innate talent and should have been the fastest to break through realms. However, due to her soft temperament, her acquired state of mind held her back on the path of cultivation.

He Gu's flying sword was "Flying Peak."

Yu Xiehui's flying sword was "Word Breaking Order."

Especially Bai Xuan's natal flying sword—it was inherently most suitable for one-on-one combat. One could even say it was a first-rate natal flying sword for duels between sword cultivators.

This was why Bai Xuan had those catchphrases like "Please don't be alone" and "If you've got the guts, one on one."

But from the time he entered the jade hairpin to practice swordsmanship until now, being in Jinhuang Manor on Tongye Continent, Bai Xuan's flying sword had still been rated as "Grade C Lower" in the Summer Palace archives. He had always mistakenly believed that his sword path aptitude was the worst among the nine, likely the one with the lowest future achievements.

It wasn't that the Summer Palace, overseen by the Hidden Official for years, deliberately targeted Bai Xuan, a child who never even had a chance to go to the battlefield. Rather, the Sword Qi Great Wall was a battlefield. Once a sword cultivator was placed on a battlefield surrounded by enemies on all sides, even if Bai Xuan achieved a single sword strike, he would likely need to retreat immediately. On the Sword Qi Great Wall, battles were brutal, and the disparity between the number of sword cultivators and the attacking demons of the Wild Continent was too great. Bai Xuan's natal flying sword destined him to be extremely unsuitable for fighting off the city wall. One could even say Bai Xuan was naturally unsuited for the Sword Qi Great Wall, the Sword Qi Great Wall of old.

So in the child's homeland, Bai Xuan's flying sword rank only earned a "Grade C Lower" according to the Merit-Based Evaluation rules of the Summer Palace back then. Moreover, on the Sword Qi Great Wall, with such a flying sword, could this child ultimately reach the Golden Core or even the Nascent Soul realm? Perhaps after one big battle, or at most a few, his flying sword would already be destroyed, and he wouldn't even be a sword cultivator anymore.

In fact, all the children brought back to the Haoran World by foreign sword immortals back then were sword immortal embryos of excellent aptitude. For example, the two sword immortal embryos taken by the Aiai Continent sword immortal Xie Songhua—Ju Xing and Zhao Mu. Ju Xing's "Thunder Pool" was rated as Grade B Middle by the Summer Palace that year, while the little girl Zhao Mu's two flying swords, "Torrential Rain" and "Rainbow Halo," were rated as "Grade B Lower" and "Grade C Upper."

Aside from the rare first-grade flying swords like Sword Immortal Wu Chengpei's "Sweet Dew," the total six grades of B and C flying swords were actually considered very good ranks on the Sword Qi Great Wall.

Not only Ju Xing and Zhao Mu, who followed Xie Songhua, but also Chen Li and Gao Youqing, taken by Li Cai—all the sword immortal embryos who left their homeland earlier than Bai Xuan and the others also had flying swords of Grades B and C.

So when Bai Xuan came from the Sword Qi Great Wall to the Haoran World, as long as he could endure step by step to the Golden Core realm on Fallen Mountain and steadily improve his flying sword rank, Bai Xuan would become a sword cultivator with great potential and immense killing power.

Pei Qian was quite looking forward to these children's cultivation on Fallen Mountain.

Zheng Su led Chen Ping'an on a leisurely tour of Jinhuang Manor, passing an ancient thatched pavilion surrounded by lush green bamboos and dense, gnarled pine trees.

After chatting all the way to this spot, Chen Ping'an got straight to the point. "Manor Lord, our visit today seems to be at an inopportune time."

Zheng Su was candid and didn't hide anything. "Immortal Master Cao, to be honest, my Jinhuang Manor is really not a suitable place to entertain guests right now. You probably noticed something when you passed the pavilion earlier. Let's have our drink first, and then I'll have someone take you to tour Pine Needle Lake by boat. Due to my duties, it's not convenient for me to disclose the inside details. I was originally planning to have a drink first before mentioning these unpleasant matters."

Chen Ping'an nodded and smiled. "That's fine. Not being able to help is better than causing trouble."

Zheng Su breathed a sigh of relief.

Best this way. Jinhuang Manor had no reason to involve this benefactor in the murky currents of two nations' affairs.

Meeting again amidst mountains and rivers, drinking was enough. A good gathering and a good parting. He believed there would be another chance to drink and reminisce in the future.

Chen Ping'an and Zheng Su entered the thatched pavilion and sat down.

Chen Ping'an asked, "How is General Yao's health?"

Zheng Su sighed. This matter was no secret at all. Everyone knew about it, from the court to the common folk. There were no taboos. "Before I left Mirage City back then, I specifically visited the old general. At that time, he was already bedridden and couldn't get up. Over the years, he has surely been holding on by sheer willpower."

Chen Ping'an continued, "If I'm not mistaken, the Grass and Wood Hermitage is the number one immortal sect in Daquan. That Immortal Master Xu, besides being skilled in thunder magic, is also a medical expert proficient in alchemy. The pills he refines seem to be able to prolong life."

In fact, the Grass and Wood Hermitage Immortal Master Xu Tong had long died under Sui Youbian's infatuated sword.

But given Daquan Dynasty's current status on Tongye Continent and the Yao family's identity, no matter which female emperor of Daquan sought medicine from whom, she wouldn't be refused.

Not to mention that the location of the Peach Leaf Alliance was Peach Leaf Crossing, just a stone's throw from Mirage City.

Zheng Su shook his head. "Immortal Master Cao, you may not know. The Grass and Wood Hermitage is already old history for Daquan. This immortal mansion was passed down from father to son for generations. Early on, the previous owner Xu Tong suddenly went into seclusion and ceded his position to his legitimate son. Later, when that disaster struck, 'The sturdy grass withstands high winds'—the Grass and Wood Hermitage secretly colluded with those demon beasts and almost opened the city's protective formation for them. So the Grass and Wood Hermitage's pill formulas have been lost for a long time. It's better not to mention it. Over the years, for General Yao's sake, Her Majesty the Emperor has searched everywhere for medicine. Not only did she go to Gold Summit Temple, but she even sent people to Divine Talisman Peak of the Jade Gui Sect to beg for a rare pill from Sect Master Wei. It's said that she even sent people on a special cross-continent journey to find that Old Immortal Lu of the Green Tiger Palace on Baoping Continent."

Seeing that Cao Mo looked calm, likely having heard of the Yao family's border cavalry when passing through Daquan on his previous journey to Tongye Continent, and since Zheng Su owed the Yao family the most gratitude for Jinhuang Manor's resurgence, he couldn't help but say a few more words. He sighed sincerely, "Immortal Master Cao should understand. Whether for ordinary mortals or pure martial artists, so-called immortal pills and miracles have limited effects and can easily cause conflict. For ordinary times, nourishing medicated diets are fine. But when it comes to curing diseases and saving lives, one wrong move can lead to treating the symptoms while damaging the root. So, to put it bluntly, General Yao's health is like the general trend has passed and his time is near. But considering the old general has lived to this age, nearly a hundred years, and the Daquan Dynasty's national power is now rising and will surely become one of the most powerful dynasties on Tongye Continent, he can be considered to have died a natural death. I doubt he has too many regrets."

In fact, for a mountain and river god who had opened a mansion and witnessed countless human births and deaths over the long years, if it weren't for his deep gratitude toward the Daquan Yao clan, Zheng Su wouldn't have been so melancholy.

Chen Ping'an clenched his fists on his knees, then slowly relaxed them. He nodded and asked, "Judging by the Beijin Kingdom's actions—first setting up a marker, then blocking the road—are they determined to force the manor lord to move north? What does your Daquan Emperor intend? Will it make things too difficult for the manor lord?"

If Jinhuang Manor moved north, Zheng Su wouldn't have a hard time. The one who would truly face difficulty would be if the Daquan court decided to keep Jinhuang Manor rooted in place.

Zheng Su sighed inwardly and spoke vaguely, "Eat the lord's grain and be loyal to the lord's affairs. No matter how Her Majesty the Emperor decides, it is the duty of us humble mountain and river gods to simply obey."

Chen Ping'an said, "Daquan and Beijin splitting Pine Needle Lake in half is a reasonable arrangement."

Zheng Su's expression was helpless.

If only the two sides could negotiate like that. Beijin's national power was weak, yet they were unwilling to make such concessions. They insisted on the entire Jinhuang Manor moving north of Daquan's old border. As for the more powerful Daquan Dynasty, they were even less accommodating. From the Duke of Shen's mansion in the capital to the Daquan border army generals, from the court to the common folk, everyone was extremely resolute on this matter. Especially the dedicated Court Attendant Shao, who felt that moving Jinhuang Manor north while still leaving it on a mountain at the southern end of Pine Needle Lake was already a significant concession and a great face given to Beijin.

Several times, when Zheng Su privately went to Pine Needle Lake for border meetings, he gathered from Court Attendant Shao's meaning that if Beijin was greedy and dared to push their advantage, not only would there be no concession of part of Pine Needle Lake, but Jinhuang Manor wouldn't even need to move.

Or if they did move, they would move south!

Beijin had always been weaker than Daquan; otherwise, they wouldn't have been suppressed by the Yao family's border cavalry back then. Now Beijin was even more feeble, a hollow shell patched together. Even the central ministries of the kingdom were either old—each very advanced in years, dim-sighted, and unsteady on their feet—or too young, promoted too quickly out of necessity. If the capital court was like this, how much worse were the various armies and local governments, filled with chaotic elements and officials who were merely making up the numbers.

Initially, when his wife was promoted to Water God of Pine Needle Lake, had a golden body enshrined, a temple built, and was entered into the mountain and river registry, assuming the position of a lake lord in the form of a spirit, Zheng Su of Jinhuang Manor was overjoyed. But now it filled him with endless worry. He had indeed underestimated Her Majesty the Emperor's methods of controlling people.

However, these insides matters were not suitable for discussion. They violated court protocol and also had the suspicion of being ungrateful despite receiving favors. Daquan had treated Jinhuang Manor so generously. No matter what decision Her Majesty the Emperor ultimately made, Zheng Su had absolutely no reason to refuse.

So Zheng Su shook his head with a smile. "I won't discuss these matters with my benefactor any further."

This manor lord was still worried about implicating Cao Mo. If it were merely a mountain and river grudge—a struggle for the Great Way with the false water god of Pine Needle Lake's licentious shrine—that didn't involve the courts and border situations of the two countries, Zheng Su felt that his temperament matched well with this foreign Sword Immortal Cao, and he wouldn't mind the other party lending a hand to Jinhuang Manor. If they won, they'd celebrate with a drink. Mountains and rivers turn; Zheng Su believed there would always be a time for Jinhuang Manor to repay the favor. Even if they lost, it wouldn't cause a young sword immortal to get stuck in the mud.

After all, the young man was one of the most troublesome beings in the mountains—a sword cultivator. When they sought revenge, they rarely let grudges linger past the night. "One sword breaks all spells" was not just a boast among sword cultivators. Even if one sword couldn't kill someone, after two or three strikes, they'd immediately fly away on their sword and come back every few days to do it again. How could one guard against a thief for a thousand days? Would an immortal sect then seal off its mountain and never let disciples descend for journeys?

And for cultivators to seek revenge on a sword cultivator was a troublesome affair. Sword cultivators were rarely wandering wild cultivators; each had deep backgrounds and formidable patron saints from their mountain peaks. And those were even more "sword immortal" types of masters?

Chen Ping'an apologized. "I haven't had many experiences traveling away from home, and I only understand a bit about mountain and river rules. I'm completely ignorant of court rules. I shouldn't have asked."

Zheng Su stood up and smiled. "Don't think too much. Let's go drink. There's nothing in the world that a pot of orchid brew can't solve. Drink as many pots as you can, Immortal Master Cao. If you can't finish three pots, take a few with you on the road. But I don't think you look like someone who can't hold his liquor. Three pots should be no problem."

When it came to urging people to drink, the Jinhuang Manor Lord had yet to realize he was dealing with a true senior.

But Chen Ping'an suddenly spoke. "Manor Lord, the wine might have to wait. I have some urgent business that requires a distant journey. It will take about two or three days—I can't say exactly how long. I'll try to return to Jinhuang Manor as soon as possible."

Zheng Su was stunned for a moment. He didn't think too much about it, but he wasn't sure whether the children Cao Mo had brought should remain in the manor or proceed to Pine Needle Lake. The latter would be safer and more proper, but then it would seem like he was rushing the guests out.

Chen Ping'an smiled. "My disciple Pei Qian and the other children will stay at the manor. I'll try to go and come back quickly."

Zheng Su nodded in agreement. Although the border between Daquan and Beijin was currently fraught with undercurrents, Jinhuang Mountain Manor and the Pine Needle Water Manor were connected by mountains and rivers. With two secret Daquan Court Attendants present, even if something happened, they should be able to protect a group of foreign children. After all, regardless of the disparity in national power between Daquan and Beijin now, both sides had to firmly occupy the principle of righteousness in their actions. Otherwise, they would lose the argument at Dafu Academy, and without the academy's support, everything would be lost.

Chen Ping'an walked out of the thatched pavilion, cupped his fists to bid farewell to Zheng Su, and with a tap of his toe, his figure rose into the air, vanishing in an instant without a sound.

Zheng Su was deeply shaken. As a local mountain god manor lord, not only did he sense no spiritual energy ripples nearby, but even the flow of mountain and river fortune within a hundred miles was completely under his control. Cao Mo's departure was not some earth immortal using the ability to shrink the earth. If not for a bit of dust stirring on the ground outside the pavilion, Zheng Su would have mistaken it for the concealment technique of an upper-five realm grand cultivator.

Chen Ping'an first went to the ferry boat. Cui Dongshan shook his head. The answer was simple: no.

Although he knew this would be the answer, Chen Ping'an still felt some sadness. Ascending the mountain on the path of cultivation was indeed about fearing the "one in ten thousand" while also hoping for that "one in ten thousand."

He told Cui Dongshan to keep a closer eye on Jinhuang Manor, then kicked off the ground again, instantly leaving the ferry boat. He traveled alone through the wind to Daquan's Mirage City, moving like lightning, yet still concealing the astonishing aura that should have surged forward.

Since the master had given orders, Cui Dongshan obediently sat on the railing, staring wide-eyed at Jinhuang Manor, along with the eight-hundred-mile Pine Needle Lake, all within his immortal's field of vision.

Cui Dongshan took out a folding fan and looked down at the earth, casually employing his aura-watching ability. Within his field of vision, although it was daytime, the mortal world below seemed to receive a decree. Lamps of various sizes and brightness flickered simultaneously. Some were unsteady, extremely blurry, small as mustard seeds, as if a mountain breeze would extinguish them. Some were condensed, as large as fists. For example, the young Beijin general at the rest pavilion was actually a general's descendant with martial fortune—he had considerable ties with the Beijin emperor and the kingdom's fate. As long as he didn't encounter a sudden disaster or major accident, he was destined to be a minister who helped the emperor. The so-called "accident" would be like a flood dragon entering a pond—it would stir up monstrous waves but instead of dodging, it would charge head-on, making death inevitable.

But judging by the young man's behavior when he encountered his master and senior disciple earlier, he didn't seem like someone who would die young, because he cherished his blessings. As for the Observing Realm old god in the rest pavilion, he was more likely to be someone who walked too arrogantly and was tired of living.

As for the Jinhuang Manor Lord, golden lamp shining brightly in Cui Dongshan's eyes—it was due to his golden body divine position. This mountain god had also moved his mountain and river registry to Daquan's Mirage City, so he was connected to Daquan's fate by a thin line. Cui Dongshan's eyes lit up. He jumped up, swayed as he stood on the railing, and slowly paced toward the bow, squinting as he followed the thread, from Jinhuang Manor to Pine Needle Lake, then to the border between the two countries, finally landing on a spot. Oh, such dense dragon aura. No wonder he had felt something was off earlier. There was even a Jade Purity realm cultivator helping to conceal it? On Tongye Continent these days, upper-five realm cultivators were rare. Most were just minor earth immortals making waves. Could it be that the Daquan female emperor was inspecting the border?

He should have guessed: the flying sword communication between Jinhuang Manor and Pine Needle Lake was unreasonable. It shouldn't have been that a Golden Core talisman cultivator replied on behalf of the water god. So it was that the Water God Lady had left her jurisdiction on imperial orders to secretly meet with Her Majesty the Emperor.

As for intercepting flying swords or reading secret letters—nothing of the sort.

Cui Dongshan withdrew his gaze and moved it south. A grand procession of carriages was approaching from afar, guarded by a Golden Core sword cultivator. In a nearby carriage was an official with literary fortune. He was undoubtedly from the Beijin Ministry of Rites. If he wasn't a talented scholar with outstanding personal literary aura, he would be at least a Vice Minister of Rites. If the official rank was too high, it would show Beijin's emperor as outwardly tough but inwardly weak; too low, and it would be a direct slap to the Daquan court. So a Left Vice Minister of Rites, who managed the kingdom's mountain and river registry, coming to negotiate the relocation of Jinhuang and Pine Needle Manors, was just right.

But Beijin must not have expected Daquan to be so determined, with the emperor herself personally arriving at the border. So losing out was inevitable.

Cui Dongshan gently shook his fan, a playful expression on his face. It seemed that his master and senior disciple had met that Daquan female emperor back then, and the relationship seemed quite good? Moreover, from chatting with Little Rice, Cui Dongshan had learned that in Pei Qian's eyes, "Sister Yao was very generous to me." But this statement from Pei Qian should be taken with a grain of salt. After all, it was something Pei Qian had mentioned "casually" during her childhood when she was visiting with a fairy sister from Beiju Continent named Sui Jingcheng. Without exception, after receiving Sui Jingcheng's gifts, Pei Qian would add something like, "That girl Yao was generous and really pretty, but she wasn't as pretty as Sister Sui. Heaven is my witness."

It wasn't hard to guess. The truth was probably close to that.

So the senior disciple who hadn't grown up was full of cleverness.

It was like—swoosh—with a single jump, she landed and grew up.

At Jinhuang Manor, the banquet continued. Pei Qian didn't say anything about her master's sudden departure. She just led the children to eat and drink freely, trying her best to ensure Bai Xuan and He Gu had decent table manners.

Zheng Su asked the young woman named Pei Qian if she could drink.

Pei Qian looked as if she was facing a great enemy and quickly said she couldn't, that she had never drunk alcohol.

Zheng Su couldn't very well force a young woman to drink, so he drank alone, sipping a few cups of the orchid brew.

Pei Qian suddenly frowned as she reached for a nearby dish.

Zheng Su also had a displeased expression.

It wasn't because the children were being rowdy at the table—they were actually very quiet. Instead, Zheng Su sensed a group of unwelcome guests outside Jinhuang Manor. It was unexpected; he knew they would come, but not so quickly. Crucially, among them was a Beijin earth immortal. Although he hadn't shown his face from the carriage, his sword aura surged vigorously, clearly displaying an attitude that he would ask the sword of Jinhuang Manor at the slightest disagreement.

Because he was distracted by the commotion outside, Zheng Su didn't notice that at the dinner table, the two children named Bai Xuan and Nalan Yudie first exchanged glances, and then all the children paused their chopsticks.

Pei Qian used concentrated sound to speak to all the children. "Eat."

The five sword immortal embryos then resumed eating.

Bai Xuan asked via mental voice, "Sister Pei, someone's here to cause trouble. We can't just eat the manor lord's meal for free, can we?"

Pei Qian smiled. "That's a Golden Core sword cultivator. Even if all of you fought together, you wouldn't be a match."

Bai Xuan was stunned. "Is a Golden Core sword cultivator that impressive here? Who are they trying to scare? Back in Master Cao's tavern, not only Golden Core and Nascent Soul, but even upper-five realm sword cultivators—if they came late, they'd have no seats. They'd be squatting by the roadside drinking. If they wanted an extra dish of pickled vegetables, they'd have to beg the shop assistant for a long time and still might not get it."

Pei Qian was speechless.

She couldn't very well say that on some continents in the Haoran World, a Golden Core sword cultivator could already be considered a sword immortal, right?

And in the children's homeland, it seemed that except for Flying Ascension and Immortal realms, even Jade Purity realm sword cultivators would feel insulted if called "sword immortal" on the road.

Pei Qian looked at these children with gentle eyes. She used concentrated sound to repeat to them: "Eat."

You children eat in peace. Don't worry about anything.

Master isn't here, but his disciple is.

I can take care of you children who have traveled far from home just as well.