Farewell

Though the sect defense battle had concluded, the members of the Dao Sword Sect still found no respite.

One pressing task was the thorough cleanup of the battlefield—a necessity, as this was still their home. The corpses of enemies had to be disposed of, whether by abandoning them in the wilderness, burying them in pits, or other means. Meanwhile, the fallen comrades required solemn burial in auspicious locations. According to the sect leader, a memorial ceremony would later be held to honor those who sacrificed their lives in the war.

The devastated areas needed clearing and reconstruction. To exaggerate slightly, from a mortal’s perspective, this had been a legendary battle of gods and demons. Thus, likening it to a divine battlefield would give a rough idea of the Dao Sword Sect’s current state. Broken immortal swords, shattered magical artifacts, lingering sword qi, ominous remnants of spells, bloodstained stones, and hazardous toxic mists—such hazards were scattered everywhere, making cleanup perilous. Injuries among disciples were frequent, and reconstruction proved equally daunting, as many areas were so thoroughly destroyed that their original forms were unrecognizable.

Another concern was guarding against potential enemy attacks.

Among the other four major forces, Zhican Valley had already been wiped out. Qin Ran believed his rebellious clone wouldn’t seize the opportunity to strike the Dao Sword Sect, but the same couldn’t be said for the Boundless Sword Sect and the "Fate" organization. Beyond these major powers, there might also be smaller sects—the type that "starves the timid and feasts the bold"—looking to take advantage of the Dao Sword Sect’s weakened state.

Thus, until the wounded recovered and the Guardian Mountain Formation was restored, the Dao Sword Sect had to remain on a war footing.

Beyond these two major tasks, there were smaller matters to attend to: treating the injured, preparing for the next battle, and rebuilding the Guardian Mountain Formation. Coincidentally, all these tasks were closely tied to Qin Ran, while matters unrelated to him were gradually dwindling within the sect.

A few additional words must be said about resurrection.

Any disciple listed on the Geniuses Ranking would, upon death, have their soul automatically return to the ranking (unless, like Qin Ran, they encountered someone capable of soul destruction—then they were simply unlucky). Their souls would then merge with the heroic spirits within the ranking, reviving in a spectral form.

This raised a question: throughout the Dao Sword Sect’s long history, each generation had someone overseeing the Geniuses Ranking. Where did the fallen geniuses of the past go?

In this battle, the deceased geniuses Liu Baixuan and Ye Qingxuan—where would they go next?

The answer lay in the Dao Sword Sect’s Fifth Peak.

The Dao Sword Sect had five mountain peaks but only four major divisions: Dan Peak, Qi Peak, Sword Peak, and Master Peak.

What lay within the fifth peak?

It housed the souls of all past fallen geniuses. Liu Baixuan and Ye Qingxuan would soon join them.

The Fifth Peak was another hidden trump card of the Dao Sword Sect.

Beyond resurrection via the Geniuses Ranking, there was another being—or rather, dragon—whose existence was tied to the sect’s Guardian Mountain Formation.

Ao Yi was not a fully formed flood dragon but a unique type of formation spirit.

What made it unique was that while formation spirits typically emerged from the formation itself, Ao Yi was originally the soul of a flood dragon that had been revived within the formation.

It was neither a true flood dragon nor a conventional formation spirit. Its true essence might lie in its dragon pearl or perhaps the Dao Sword Sect’s Guardian Mountain Formation itself.

For Ao Yi, as long as the Guardian Mountain Formation was reconstructed using its dragon pearl, it would be reborn directly from the formation.

However, the question facing the Dao Sword Sect was: Who could rebuild the Guardian Mountain Formation?

Qin Ran?

His understanding of formations was sufficient, but his cultivation was far too weak. Ao Yi, as a formation spirit, possessed strength at the Nascent Soul stage, while Qin Ran was merely at the Golden Core stage. It was like a child who knew how to drive but lacked the physical ability to handle a massive vehicle.

The formation masters of Qi Peak?

They were even worse than Qin Ran—not only lacking in cultivation but also in comprehension of formations.

"So," Qin Ran asked Gu Yueming, "who originally set up the Dao Sword Sect’s Guardian Mountain Formation?"

"Of course, we hired someone to do it," Gu Yueming replied absentmindedly, his gaze drifting toward a group of people beneath the ancient locust tree, where farewells were being said for Liu Baixuan and Ye Qingxuan.

"Not far from the Land of Immortal Legacy, there’s a major sect called the Heavenly Secrets Sect. They specialize in formations and boast many formidable formation masters. Most of the major sects in the Land of Immortal Legacy hire them to set up their Guardian Mountain Formations."

"Oh..." Qin Ran nodded, then couldn’t help but project his own suspicions: "Aren’t you worried they might tamper with the formations? No one else’s formation skills surpass theirs, so any tricks would go unnoticed."

Giving Qin Ran a sidelong glance, Gu Yueming chuckled, thinking, Typical of you.

"First, our formation masters may lack skill, but their discernment is sharp enough to spot tampering. Second, the Heavenly Secrets Sect relies on formation services as their primary income. If their formations were unreliable, who would hire them?

"For centuries, their formations have never had issues."

Qin Ran had studied the moral standards of the cultivation world somewhat, and he was well aware of the Dao Sword Sect’s formation masters’ capabilities. Shaking his head at Gu Yueming’s words, he found it far too naive to rely on the Heavenly Secrets Sect’s integrity or the Dao Sword Sect’s formation masters’ expertise.

"How about we delay rebuilding the Guardian Mountain Formation?" he suggested. "Wait until I can handle it."

"You’re capable of setting up a formation of that level?"

"Not yet."

"Then how long must we wait?"

"Once I reach the Nascent Soul stage, I can reconstruct it using the blueprints."

Guffawing, Gu Yueming retorted, "Wait for you to reach Nascent Soul? That’ll take an eternity. You’re only at the early Golden Core stage now. Advancing to Nascent Soul would take centuries. Are you suggesting the Dao Sword Sect go without a Guardian Mountain Formation for hundreds of years?"

"Ahem... Sect Leader, don’t underestimate me like a child!" Qin Ran coughed, then abruptly changed tack. "Even if you eventually hire the Heavenly Secrets Sect, at least delay for a while."

"Delay for what?"

"For the fish to bite..."

Though Dong Zhongyuan hadn’t directly participated in the battle, his injuries were far more severe than those of ordinary disciples.

From the outset, he had been forced to absorb the world’s spiritual energy at an overwhelming rate, converting it into magic power as quickly as possible before channeling it into the Geniuses Ranking to activate it and assist the sect’s geniuses in battle.

This process subjected his meridians to extreme strain from the excessive flow of energy. Moreover, the impurities in the hastily absorbed spiritual energy lingered in his body, damaging his cultivation, innate talent, and potential.

Therefore, he needed to stay at Dan Peak with Lu Junxing so that Qin Ran could personally treat them.

This was the reason he had released Liu Baixuan and Ye Qingxuan at Dan Peak.

Liu Baixuan and Ye Qingxuan were heading to the Fifth Peak. Unless something even more perilous than the current sect war occurred, they would most likely be separated by life and death. Setting aside Ye Qingxuan for now, Liu Baixuan, as the eldest senior brother of Sword Peak, had taught sword techniques to most of the disciples there. He was deeply beloved, and the crowd seeing him off had gathered beneath the ancient spirit locust tree.

Watching the fellow disciples who had come to bid them farewell, Ye Qingxuan felt a pang of shame. She was the first of the elite disciples to fall, and she had contributed nothing to the sect’s defensive battle.

Yet so many had come to see them off. Unable to bear it, she averted her gaze, turned her back, and nearly fled.

Noticing her demeanor, Li Shiyin approached her with a light laugh:

"Why is Senior Sister acting so timid? You fought on the frontlines and fell only because the enemy laid an elaborate trap. Someone like you is a hero—a war hero—deserving of the highest honors! You should hold your head high with pride!"

Hearing this, Ye Qingxuan turned to Li Shiyin, stunned by the bright gleam in her almond-shaped eyes. She never expected the first person to comfort her would be Li Shiyin, who clearly harbored hostility toward Qi Peak and had a long-standing feud with them.

"Junior Sister Li…" Overcome with emotion, she reached out and grasped Li Shiyin’s hand, choking on her words.

Li Shiyin embraced her, gently patting her back. "We’ve always been fellow disciples, and after enduring this battle together, we’re now comrades-in-arms—brothers and sisters. We should be as close as family.

"Besides, every disciple of Qi Peak is extraordinary. Not one of them retreated even when outnumbered. I deeply admire that."

"Junior Sister…" Were she not in her spirit form, Ye Qingxuan would have shed tears uncontrollably.

"Ha, your little disciple is quite well-trained, isn’t she?" Liu Boxian remarked to Qin Ran, gesturing at Li Shiyin and Ye Qingxuan. "A few words were all it took to win Ye Qingxuan over."

"That has nothing to do with me," Qin Ran shook his head. "Shiyin is naturally open-hearted and holds no grudges. Plus, coming from a family of generals, she knows a thing or two about tactics… Comforting soldiers comes effortlessly to her."

"I’ve seen it now. With such magnanimity, she’s destined for greatness," Liu Boxian chuckled. "Pity she ended up with a master like you… The two of you are complete opposites. How did you even end up together?"

He shook his head repeatedly.

"You old folks wouldn’t understand," Qin Ran retorted, not the least bit ashamed but rather smug as he raised an eyebrow. "We complement each other. The charm of it isn’t something outsiders can grasp."

Then, pointing at Liu Baixuan, he asked Liu Boxian, "What will you do now? You’ve lost such a fine son. What’s next—find another wife and have another?"

"Wife?" Liu Boxian gave Qin Ran a strange look, not quite understanding the younger generation’s playful terms. He shook his head. "From the moment he set foot on the path of cultivation, he should have been prepared to die at any time. And he chose the way of the sword. Death is death—what more is there to say? Should I, the white-haired, weep for the black-haired?"

Qin Ran studied Liu Boxian and suddenly sensed the detachment of a true cultivator.

If this was how he treated his own son, one could only imagine his attitude toward others. Moreover, Liu Boxian was a Nascent Soul cultivator who had lived for thousands of years. Over such a long lifespan, he must have gone through countless wives and lost countless sons.

His heart should remain utterly unmoved.

After thanking each of the junior disciples who had come to see him off, Liu Baixuan finally approached Lu Junxing. Seeing him seated in a wheelchair, he laughed. "Hey! What’s with this look? Quite unique."

"Something my junior uncle came up with—a temporary solution until my injuries heal," Lu Junxing replied.

He looked up at Liu Baixuan and praised, "That last sword technique of yours was impressive!"

Liu Baixuan grinned, pointing at Lu Junxing. "I’ve finally stepped out of your shadow. Who’s stronger now? That’s no longer certain."

Such bold words matched his current state of mind—truly different from before. Lu Junxing clasped his fists solemnly. "You’re always welcome to challenge me. The Fifth Peak isn’t the end. We’re not truly dead yet. Don’t worry—the game isn’t over!"

"That’s the spirit." Liu Baixuan laughed heartily, then sighed. "Too bad I can’t drink anymore. Otherwise, I’d battle you with three hundred cups."

"What a coincidence…" Lu Junxing gestured at his own condition and smirked. "I’ve been strictly forbidden from drinking too."

The two sized each other up, and for some reason, found the situation hilariously amusing. Their laughter—"Hahaha!"—echoed unceasingly over Dan Peak.

After bidding farewell to everyone, Liu Baixuan finally turned toward Liu Boxian and walked over.

Standing before his father, he hesitated for a long moment before finally calling out, "Dad!"

No longer did he address him as "Elder."

Liu Boxian’s face remained stern as he stared at Liu Baixuan, giving an almost imperceptible nod.

Qin Ran, watching from the side, noted how Liu Boxian had earlier appeared indifferent to his son’s fate, yet now his expression had turned grave…

This could only mean Liu Boxian wasn’t as detached as he claimed.

"Dad, I’m leaving now," Liu Baixuan said.

"Mm." Liu Boxian motioned toward the lakeside with his eyes. "Before you go to the Fifth Peak, there are some matters I need to discuss with you."

"Understood!" Liu Baixuan agreed and followed Liu Boxian toward the lake.

Just then, Chasing the Wind darted over from beneath the ancient spirit locust tree, nudging Qin Ran with his head. "Dad, everyone else has been revived. When will Big Brother Ao Yi come back?"

"Once the Guardian Mountain Formation is restored, Ao Yi will naturally return," Qin Ran reassured him with a smile.

"Really?" Chasing the Wind’s eyes lit up as he sought confirmation.

"Would Dad lie to you?" Qin Ran replied.

"Hehe… hehe…" Chasing the Wind giggled foolishly before asking, "Then when will the formation be set up?"

"I’ve already started preparing," Qin Ran said.

"Woo-hoo!" Chasing the Wind let out an excited cry before vanishing with a "whoosh."

Watching the figure disappear, Qin Ran sighed.

The sigh wasn’t because he had deceived the simple-minded child—it was because he feared that when Ao Yi was reborn from the formation, he might no longer be the same as before.

After the reluctant farewells, Ye Qingxuan and Liu Baixuan were led away by Gu Yueming to the Fifth Peak of Dao Sword Sect, where they would begin an entirely new chapter of their lives.