The sun gradually slanted, and the autumn breeze brought a refreshing coolness.
The sparring matches in front of the main hall of Qingyuan Sect had mostly concluded. The true sect masters, the powerful experts and great heroes—those who had received invitations from the start—were all ushered into the main hall.
Some who had visited Qingyuan Sect before stood before the hall, gazing at the revitalized and renewed atmosphere of the sect, and couldn't help but feel a wave of emotion.
"In its heyday, Qingyuan Sect was at its peak, already exhibiting the bearing of a major sect that could anchor a province. Yet later, it voluntarily petitioned the Emperor, wishing only to guard the imperial tombs in Ziyang Prefecture."
"Now, however, it seems to have regained some of the grandeur described in the records."
The Penglai Sect, which had long resided overseas, had surprisingly also sent a representative this time.
Penglai had a long history, its ancestors traceable to before the Great Shang Dynasty. While profoundly deep in heritage, its origins were mysterious. It had always remained isolated overseas, rarely interfering in the affairs of the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths.
The one who had just spoken was a woman in blue robes, dressed as a Daoist nun. Her eyes were a gentle blue, and her voice was particularly pleasant.
This person was Bai Jing, the sword attendant of Sect Master Fairy Tantai. Though seated in a place of honor, none from the other sects found it inappropriate.
"Miss Bai speaks truly. The changes are indeed rapid. The last time this old man visited Qingyuan Sect was already over ten years ago."
Elder Xu of Hengyun Sword City appeared relaxed, holding his longsword. His eyes held a trace of vicissitude and nostalgia.
"Nonsense! You were here just last month. Fairy Bai, don't listen to his nonsense. He's just putting on an act, trying to get a few more words in with you."
A elder from the Sword Manor snorted coldly.
It was well known that Sword City and Sword Manor were at odds.
Firstly, due to disputes over the title of the sacred land of sword dao. Secondly, because swordsmen all liked to show off in front of others, and obviously, one spotlight couldn't be shared by two people.
"Hold your tongue!" Elder Xu set his teacup down heavily. "You have the nerve to talk about me? I wonder who, in his youth, declared that if he defeated Miss Bai, she would have to accompany him on a tour of the Eastern Sea."
"What happened then?"
Li Mo, who had just entered, asked curiously.
"His sword was broken, and he came back crying."
Elder Xu snorted coldly.
That Sword Manor elder, Elder Lian, glared. "I didn't win, but where did you fare any better? You even wrote love poems for Miss Bai. Should I recite one for you now?"
"What's the point of dredging up old scores? If you have the guts, let's settle it outside, one-on-one."
"Settle it? Do you think I'm afraid of you?"
The two were at loggerheads, looking as if they were about to come to blows.
Bai Jing, gentle and steady by nature, couldn't help but show a hint of helplessness. Clearly, this was not the first time such a thing had happened.
The longstanding grudge between Elder Xu and Sword Manor's Elder Lian wasn't really because of their respective sects.
Although Fairy Tantai was the sect master, she had always remained stationed at Penglai, focusing on secluded cultivation. Matters involving travel throughout the Nine Heavens and Ten Earths were left to her sword attendant, Bai Jing.
Back then, Elder Xu and Elder Lian had agreed to a sword duel. Just as they were locked in a stalemate, neither able to pull back their strikes, Bai Jing's zither music resolved the situation for them.
Later, both men thought they had won, and both believed that Miss Bai admired them. Thus, they both pursued her.
But as is well known.
One spotlight cannot accommodate two people...
"Elders, please don't be angry. If the elders wish to exchange pointers, my master will preside over it later."
Li Mo bowed respectfully to the two.
"And who is your master again?" The Sword Manor elder's anger was hard to quell.
Elder Xu pondered for a moment. "Shang Wu. I heard she recently broke through to a new realm."
"......" Elder Lian fell silent for a moment. "Ahem... what were we just talking about? Ah, yes. Qingyuan Sect truly possesses a unique and impressive atmosphere."
The middle-aged man, who had been full of fire just moments ago, suddenly became very subdued.
Elder Xu sat back down. Thinking that Shang Wu might come later, he hesitated for a moment and decided not to pick up his teacup again.
"Right, right. It wasn't like this when I came last month. How has it become so impressive all of a sudden?"
"There were rumors in earlier years that there was a Great Shang legacy hidden beneath Qingyuan Sect. Could it be true?"
Bai Jing spoke, though it was unclear if she was changing the subject or genuinely curious about the matter.
"Great Shang legacy?" Li Mo cast an inquiring glance at Shangguan Wencang.
Shangguan Wencang gave a light cough, seeming to hesitate.
Bai Jing smiled. "It's only natural to keep sect secrets confidential."
"That's not it." Shangguan Wencang waved his hand and sighed.
"What Great Shang legacy? It's completely unfounded. When a dynasty is about to fall and its fate is sealed, how could the state treasury not be empty? If you insist something was left behind..."
Shangguan Wencang looked to the side.
Following his gaze, representatives from friendly sects saw Tang Xiaobao sitting there, sucking on a lollipop. Drool trickled from the corner of his mouth as he mumbled, pondering a question:
"Humans are born from human mothers, demons are born from demon mothers... so what about pills?"
"......"
Some did recognize Tang Xiaobao's origins, but given their level of insight, a nascent divine pill wasn't enough to cause great astonishment.
"The one next to him is also one."
Shangguan Wencang continued.
Shang Li came skipping in from outside the hall and patted Tang Xiaobao on the shoulder.
"Brother Xiaobao, let's go catch frogs."
"Alright!"
"......"
Everyone suddenly felt that Sect Master Shangguan had a point.
If a dynasty had fallen thousands of years ago, and if there really was some treasure, would Qingyuan Sect be as it was today?
Even if there was something, it was probably beyond ordinary reach and had likely already manifested its destiny upon Li Mo and Ying Bing.
So, as they conversed, the topic returned to young Li Mo.
Observing Li Mo's composed demeanor, devoid of any arrogance befitting the top ranker on the Hidden Dragon List, Bai Jing nodded.
"His talent is astonishing, and most commendably, his character is upright, possessing the bearing of a gentleman. I've heard many tales of your deeds on my journey here. If you have time, you may bring Fairy Han to visit Penglai Island."
Penglai Island wasn't a place you could just visit if you wanted to.
Their invitations had little to do with martial prowess; the most important factor was one's character and conduct.
Hearing this, Li Mo was just about to bow and accept the invitation.
Suddenly, the token within his dimensional storage trembled.
"Deputy Sect Master of the Summoning Deity Sect, Yuwen Cuojin, and Situ Ding, request an audience with the Young Master to discuss important matters!"
Li Mo remembered why he had come.
He had come to discuss the significant matter concerning the Demonic Sect with the elders.
lities. One day, Qi Yuan was buying groceries when he unfortunately came face-to-face with a monster. Just when he thought he was going to die on the spot, he suddenly heard the monster's thoughts... "This aura, he's definitely not an ordinary master!" "So terrifying, so terrifying." "A fight with my back against the wall, I can't take it anymore." Qi Yuan: Ah, no one told me that my awakened ability isn't telepathy, but rather the stronger my enemies imagine me to be, the stronger I truly become. PS: Zhou Hai in the first chapter is not the protagonist.
grated, and just when he finally managed to get into an elite academy, he discovered that he actually had a system, and the way to earn rewards was extremely ridiculous. So for the sake of rewards, he had no choice but to start acting ridiculous as well. Su Cheng: "It's nothing but system quests after all." But later, what confused Su Cheng was that while he was already quite ridiculous, he never expected those serious characters to gradually become ridiculous too. And the way they looked at him became increasingly strange... (This synopsis doesn't do it justice, please read the full story)
e bizarre and supernatural had descended. The previous emperor was a thoroughgoing tyrant; no longer satisfied with human women, he had set his sights on a stunningly beautiful supernatural entity. He met his end in his bedchamber, drained of all his vital essence. As the legitimate eldest son and crown prince, Wang Hao was thus hastily enthroned, becoming the young emperor of the Great Zhou Dynasty. No sooner had he awakened the "Imperial Sign-In Intelligence System" than he was assassinated by a Son of Destiny—a classic villain's opening. The Great Zhou, ravaged by the former emperor's excesses, was in national decline. The great families within its borders harbored their own treacherous schemes, martial sects began to defy the imperial court's decrees, and border armies, their pay and provisions in arrears, grumbled incessantly against the central government. Fortunately, the central capital was still held secure by the half-million Imperial Guards and fifty thousand Imperial Forest Army who obeyed the court's orders, along with the royal family's hidden reserves of power, barely managing to suppress the realm. As the Great Zhou's finances worsened and supernatural activities grew ever more frequent, the court sat atop a volcano. Ambitious plotters everywhere dreamed of overthrowing the dynasty, and even some reclusive ancient powers emerged, attempting to sway the tides of the world. At the first grand court assembly, the civil and military officials nearly came to blows, fighting tooth and nail over the allocation of fifty million taels of silver from the summer tax revenues. The spectacle opened Wang Hao's eyes—the Great Zhou's bureaucracy was not only corrupt but also martially proficient, a cabinet of all-rounders. Some officials even had the audacity to suggest the emperor release funds from the imperial privy purse to address the emergency. Wang Hao suddenly felt weary. Let it all burn.
ing gift was a patch of barren land, and disciples were all picked up along the way. He spent fifty years diligently building three "ramshackle little sects," thinking he could finally live a carefree life relying on his disciples. But right at the fifty-year mark, he was suddenly swept away by a spatial rift and exiled to the Chaos Desolation, the Disorderly Ruins. There was no spiritual energy there, only slaughter. Relying on the cultivation feedback from his disciples, Gu Changyuan hacked his way through a sea of blood for eleven hundred years. When the system finally fished him back out, he discovered the ramshackle little sects he'd built back then had developed a rather... unusual style. Hold on... I vanished for a thousand years, so how did my ramshackle little sects become holy lands?!
