# 509
**Chapter 509: The Sword Saint Departs**
Buzz buzz buzz—!!
A low hum echoed through the air as an armed helicopter circled above the safe house before slowly descending.
Lin Qiye and the other four stood in front of the building, their clothes flapping wildly in the rotor wash. They remained rooted like stone statues, eyes filled with solemnity.
Shen Qingzhu was still at the hospital looking after the Ninth Seat, and Jiang Er had been settled inside the safe house. After all, Commander Ye only wanted to see Zhou Ping and the five of them; Jiang Er’s presence at this moment would be inappropriate.
Once the helicopter touched down, a figure in a dark-red cloak leapt lightly from the cabin and strode toward them.
Great Xia Night Watch Commander-in-Chief—Ye Fan.
“Commander Ye.” Lin Qiye and the others snapped crisp salutes.
Ye Fan’s gaze swept over them. He gave a slight nod. “No time for small talk. Zhou Ping, are your things ready?”
Zhou Ping wore the same black shirt as always, the sword case on his back, hands empty.
“Nothing to prepare,” he answered calmly.
“Commander Ye… what exactly happened up north?” Baili Pangpang couldn’t help asking.
Ye Fan glanced at him and exhaled in frustration. “Fifteen minutes ago the Church of the Ancient Gods activated their second altar in Tianhe City…”
“A second altar?” Cao Yuan’s brows knitted. “Tianhe City—that’s…”
“Where Fengdu is located,” An Qingyu added.
“Exactly.” Ye Fan nodded. “The Church planned for two outcomes from the start. A nether-god altar in the south, overseen by one of the three ancient evil-god proxies, Yiyu, and his Believers; a wind-god altar in the north, run by another proxy, Yue Huai, plus three Church members.
After Osiris died, the second altar activated almost instantly, summoning the Egyptian wind god Shu.”
“Another of the Nine Pillar Gods…” Lin Qiye murmured. “What about the other Great Xia gods? With an Egyptian deity inside our borders, they won’t just sit by, right?”
Ye Fan and Zhou Ping exchanged looks.
Ye Fan hesitated, then said, “Besides the Emperor of Fengdu, every Great Xia god is in seclusion repairing the Heavenly Court’s origin—none can leave for the moment.”
“The Heavenly Court’s origin?”
“The Heavenly Court is the divine kingdom of Great Xia,” Ye Fan explained. “Just as the Japanese gods have Takamagahara, the Norse have Asgard, the Greeks have Olympus…
A divine kingdom is the source of a pantheon’s power.
A century ago, to stop the fog, the Great Xia gods turned themselves into boundary steles and their souls entered reincarnation. The Heavenly Court collapsed. Without that wellspring, not only can the gods already walking the earth use only part of their strength, those still in reincarnation can’t awaken for the time being.
When the Gods of Great Xia revealed themselves a year ago and deterred the other pantheons, they immediately closed themselves away to rebuild the Heavenly Court. But restoring its origin is actually restoring the Great Dao; outside interference is fatal. Until it’s complete, they can’t act.”
Lin Qiye’s group felt their hearts sink.
If the gods couldn’t intervene, whatever happened next would be up to humanity alone…
“How long will the repairs take?” Lin Qiye asked.
“Yuanshi Tianzun estimates at least two years.”
An Qingyu pondered. “It’s been a little over a year since they emerged, so… another six months minimum?”
“Correct.” Ye Fan nodded.
“After they deterred the other pantheons, we believe those foreign gods will grow wary and secretly ally to suppress Great Xia… but balancing all their interests takes time. This window is our best—maybe only—chance to rebuild the Heavenly Court in peace. Miss it, and we may never get another.
Yet someone among the foreign pantheons seems to have sensed our plan and begun probing.”
Baili Pangpang’s eyes widened. “So these two altars are their test?”
“Precisely.” Ye Fan’s voice was grave. “That the Great Xia gods can’t act is the nation’s top secret. Besides the Human Apex and a handful of Night Watch brass, no one knows. If you five weren’t already involved—and candidates for the fifth special squad—I wouldn’t be telling you.
So…”
“Rest assured, we won’t breathe a word,” Lin Qiye said solemnly. The others nodded.
“Is there anything we can do?” Lin Qiye asked.
Ye Fan shook his head. “This involves foreign gods—far beyond your level. I’m taking Zhou Ping. You just continue your training. I can give you a straight answer right now…”
They looked at him, puzzled.
“Beat special squads 007 and 006 in this joint training, and your suspended qualification for the fifth special squad will be restored. Meet the conditions I laid out earlier, and you’ll be formally commissioned.”
Baili Pangpang’s eyes lit up; he practically glowed.
The rest glanced at one another—
“Oh.”
Ye Fan: …
Why is only the chubby kid excited?!
Zhou Ping seemed to remember something. He pulled a plain wooden chopstick from his pocket and pressed it into Lin Qiye’s hand.
“A wisp of my sword intent is inside. If you meet trouble, use it.”
Lin Qiye started, then accepted the chopstick. “Thank you, Sword Saint.”
He tucked it carefully inside his clothes.
“Train hard.” Ye Fan scowled at them, turned, and strode back to the helicopter.
Zhou Ping, sword case on his back, followed.
Two steps later he paused, looked back, and after a long struggle muttered:
“Uh… go for it.”
“Thank you, Sword Saint!!”
All five bowed in perfect unison, shouting.
The sudden roar made Ye Fan jump. He glanced back with a strange expression, muttered something, and kept walking.
Rotor wash rose again; the helicopter lifted into the sky and vanished.
In front of the safe house the five stared after the black dot, sighing.
“From here on, we walk alone…” Lin Qiye gave a wry smile.
“I thought he’d leave without saying goodbye,” Baili Pangpang chuckled. “Turns out the Sword Saint does care.”
“Social anxiety isn’t heartlessness.”
Lin Qiye looked up. “He just… doesn’t like showing it.”