Chapter 123: Her Master Wouldn’t Do That – Chaos in Great Qian, the Demon Suppression King’s Rebellion
Negative emotions from Shen Tian +13 +17 +19……
Shen Yanzhou had never stepped into the Pure Pavilion. He merely stood at the foot of the steps, gazing toward the mountaintop in the distance. His eyes then shifted toward the nearby bamboo hut, and the corner of his lips curved faintly.
It had indeed been a long time. As expected, it still had to be Shen Tian—just a single encounter with him brought forth such a surge of negative emotions.
His opportunity to break through the Second Rank would be placed upon Shen Tian.
Very soon, Shen Yanzhou withdrew his gaze, no longer paying attention to that figure whose eyes brimmed with hatred. Instead, he continued walking toward the summit.
Sect Master You Hanyin followed behind him. After a brief hesitation, he too stepped forward.
“Elder Tantai Yuxian has already given orders to seal the mountain, allowing no one to enter. Commander Shen, perhaps you should wait for a moment—”
You Hanyin spoke cautiously.
Although Tantai Yuxian’s title was merely that of an elder, her position was equal to that of a Grand Elder. Within several hundred li of the Pure Pavilion, no elder or disciple was permitted to approach.
Even he, the Sect Master, had to send word in advance before visiting.
“Hehe, such a mountain-sealing restriction may block others, but it cannot block me.”
“Today, I must see Tantai Yuxian face to face.”
Shen Yanzhou smiled indifferently. With a sweep of his sleeve, his figure rose like a startled swan, stepping directly into the air. Beneath his feet, a divine rainbow arched forth, carrying him straight toward the summit.
Upon seeing this, You Hanyin’s expression changed slightly, worried that Tantai Yuxian might act rashly and offend Shen Yanzhou.
Yet in the next instant, an unbelievable scene unfolded.
The densely arranged sword-light restrictions before the Pure Pavilion suddenly vanished. The thunderous pool of sword light that had hung over the summit like a heavenly canopy dissipated as Shen Yanzhou advanced.
Not only that, but a slender, graceful figure appeared abruptly above the Pure Pavilion.
Her dark hair flowed freely, her aura ethereal and transcendent, her bearing as pure as a celestial being. Yet her gaze was cold—aloof, distant, as though she had descended from the ninth heaven, untouched by the mortal world. She was none other than Tantai Yuxian herself.
“Master…”
Upon seeing her, Shen Tian’s breath grew quick. Concerned for Tantai Yuxian’s safety, he had hurried back to the Pure Pavilion, yet the restriction had barred him from ascending.
Now, with Shen Yanzhou’s arrival, Tantai Yuxian had personally dispelled that barrier…
Even though his heart was no longer as fragile as before, at that moment he still clenched his fists tightly, his chest swelling with unwillingness.
“You truly dare to come.”
Tantai Yuxian’s voice was cold and detached, filled with chilling intent as she looked at Shen Yanzhou walking calmly through the air.
“Why would I not dare?”
Shen Yanzhou smiled faintly.
It was his first time facing Tantai Yuxian’s true self directly. Though their souls—both human and divine—had already experienced the most intimate of connections, meeting her real form was an entirely different feeling, one that no mere “spiritual union” could compare to.
“You really think I won’t kill you?” Tantai Yuxian’s tone was frosty, her words bone-chilling.
“You won’t.”
“If you dared, I wouldn’t have been able to come here.” Shen Yanzhou still wore that calm smile.
Tantai Yuxian gave a cold snort, sweeping her wide sleeve. Her figure turned into a sword-like rainbow of light, descending upon the Pure Pavilion.
Shen Yanzhou followed leisurely, his robe fluttering as he walked unhurriedly after her.
You Hanyin listened to their exchange, unable to comprehend much of it, but seeing that the matter had not escalated, he quietly breathed a sigh of relief before leaving to pacify the elders and disciples of the Ten-Thousand-Mile Sword Court.
On the other side, seeing the restriction dissipate, Shen Tian’s unease did not fade. After a moment’s hesitation, he told his wet nurse and together they made their way toward the summit.
However, before they reached it, Tantai Yuxian’s cold, distant voice echoed through the clouds: “Rui Niang, prepare a banquet.”
“Shen Tian, you stay at the foot of the mountain. Without my permission, you are not to set foot upon the summit.”
As her words fell, a vast yet gentle force swept forth, enveloping Shen Tian and pushing him back toward the mountain’s base.
“Why?”
Shen Tian froze, doubting his own ears. Why was he forbidden from going up?
What secret existed between his master and Shen Yanzhou that required such concealment?
In order to save his life, his master had once been forced to bow before Shen Yanzhou.
Could it be that during this time, something else had happened that he did not know of?
“Yes, Master.”
Shen Tian’s wet nurse, named Rui Niang, was Tantai Yuxian’s sword attendant.
Though confused, she glanced at Shen Tian helplessly before hurrying away to prepare.
She, too, could not understand. Shen Yanzhou had come with ill intent—why did her mistress still wish to host a banquet for him?
Shen Tian clenched his fists, fury rising within him, finally slamming his hand into the bluestone steps beside him in helpless rage.
Negative emotions from Shen Tian +23 +25 +27……
Inside the Pure Pavilion, silk curtains hung like clouds. Embroidered screens shielded the interior from view. Shen Yanzhou and Tantai Yuxian sat cross-legged opposite each other, as if engaged in a discussion of the Dao—though that illusion could not conceal the sharp, murderous tension between them.
“As agreed, I now return this wisp of Human Dao Soul to you.”
Shen Yanzhou smiled faintly, raising his hand. A wisp of soul-light belonging to Tantai Yuxian floated forth.
This was part of the exchange they had reached during their recent “spiritual communion.”
The true self and the soul fragment shared no distinction; thus, she naturally knew all that had transpired during those days.
Tantai Yuxian’s eyes were cold, her killing intent tightly suppressed. From her brow bloomed a strand of divine radiance, within which faintly stood a majestic Sword Palace.
That wisp of soul-light was drawn into the glow and instantly returned to her brow.
Her cultivation, originally at the peak of Second Rank, rose subtly, nearing the bottleneck of First Rank.
She even felt that the barrier that had hindered her for decades was now as thin as paper—ready to be pierced at any moment.
Taking a slow breath, Tantai Yuxian finally restrained her murderous intent.
The Human Dao Soul’s thoughts were one with hers, and she understood clearly the benefits that this communion had brought to her soul.
“How is it?”
Seeing her expression, Shen Yanzhou knew she had already realized the fortune she had gained from this “creation.”
“You are truly despicable,” Tantai Yuxian said coldly.
Though she had indeed profited from it, what she had endured over those days was unbearable. She wished she could cut those memories away from her mind.
“Despicable?”
“Heh, what a stubborn woman.” Shen Yanzhou smiled again, too lazy to expose her thoughts.
Tantai Yuxian’s eyes flickered. That faint smile of his made her feel strangely uneasy.
“In seven days, I will leave the Ten-Thousand-Mile Sword Court and return to the Imperial Capital.”
“As agreed, during these seven days, you will assist me in cultivation. Of course, these seven days are also your own chance at fortune. If by then you still cannot break through to First Rank—”
“Then, if you wish my help again afterward, you’ll have to ask me for it yourself.” Shen Yanzhou’s tone was calm.
Tantai Yuxian’s entire body tensed at his words. Though it had been an agreement between her Human Dao Soul and herself, hearing it aloud made it sound no different from the practices of demonic sects or the Dual Cultivation cults of lust and illusion.
If this ever spread, even if she broke through, her pure and unblemished Sword Immortal image would be utterly ruined.
“After seven days, you’ll get as far away as possible. If I see you again, I will kill you.” Tantai Yuxian’s voice trembled with hatred. She did not conceal her loathing in the slightest.
“Hehe, as you wish.”
“Time is short. I should make good use of these seven days to cultivate.”
Shen Yanzhou rose and stepped toward her.
Seeing his movement, Tantai Yuxian instantly knew what he intended. After these days, she was all too familiar with him.
“Not now…”
She instinctively tried to resist. Her delicate body tensed as faint sword qi swirled around her. Had it been anyone else, they would have been shredded into a mist of blood in an instant.
“If not now, then when? Don’t waste my time.” Shen Yanzhou’s tone grew cold, leaving her no room to refuse.
“I said no—at least wait until night.”
Shen Yanzhou raised his hand, and the invisible Threads of Karma that once bound her Human Dao Soul instantly appeared over Tantai Yuxian’s body.
As they had now merged into one, the karmic bond naturally extended to her true self.
“I’m not asking for your opinion.”
With a flick of his wrist, Tantai Yuxian let out a muffled groan as her body was thrown backward, crashing onto the soft couch behind her, the hanging curtains swaying wildly.
“Spiritual communion may be a soul-level cultivation, but it can never compare to the true Great Dao of Yin and Yang.”
“Oh, I forgot—you’ve guarded the Pure Pavilion for so many years, yet remain untouched and pure.”
“When Yin and Yang merge, perhaps you’ll shatter your First Rank bottleneck.”
Shen Yanzhou walked toward her.
……
There were few disciples in the Pure Pavilion. Usually, only Rui Niang tended to the place. When night finally fell, the banquet was ready.
Rui Niang had thought that the other elders of the Ten-Thousand-Mile Sword Court would attend, but the area outside the pavilion was silent.
Sect Master You Hanyin had brought Shen Yanzhou here earlier but had since departed and not returned.
After some inquiry, Rui Niang learned that Tantai Yuxian had become entangled in a case involving the Imperial Capital.
To avoid suspicion, the higher-ups of the Sword Court had decided not to intervene.
Sighing softly, Rui Niang decided to go up the mountain to inform her mistress. She was also deeply curious—what matter could make her proud and lofty master keep Shen Yanzhou on the mountain, forbidding all others from approaching, even her most favored disciple, Shen Tian?
Before long, Rui Niang reached the summit, where the grand pavilion stood amid the clouds. The night wind blew, causing the lanterns at the eaves to sway gently. The long curtains rippled softly like silk threads, as if dancing maidens were swaying gracefully in the moonlight.
“What…?”
Suddenly, strange sounds drifted through the night breeze. Rui Niang froze, her eyes widening in disbelief.
Had she misheard? Or was it just a wildcat nearby?
She took a few more steps—and then stopped completely.
She had heard clearly. As a woman who had borne a child, she knew all too well what those sounds meant…
“M–Master…”
Rui Niang stood there, utterly stunned. Her expression shifted rapidly before she turned and hurried away in panic.
She could not quite understand, yet in a way, it made sense—her mistress had remained without a Dao companion for all these years, guarding the Pure Pavilion alone, her might suppressing the entire Northern Desert Prefecture.
Shen Yanzhou was young and handsome, refined in bearing, and extraordinarily gifted. Aside from his irreconcilable hatred with Shen Tian, there seemed to be nothing else to fault him for.
“Wet nurse, what’s wrong?”
“Where is Master?”
At the foot of the Pure Pavilion’s mountain, Shen Tian had not left. He still waited outside the bamboo hut. Seeing Rui Niang return with an abnormal expression, he immediately stepped forward to ask.
Rui Niang glanced at Shen Tian with an uneasy look, hesitating to speak, but the words at her lips were swallowed back down.
She shook her head, tugging at Shen Tian’s sleeve, pulling him away from the place.
“Master… is at a critical point in her cultivation. She must not be disturbed.”
Only when they had left Clear Mountain far behind did Rui Niang lower her voice to explain, for she truly did not know how else to describe it.
“Cultivation?” Shen Tian froze.
Why would his master cultivate together with Shen Yanzhou? What kind of cultivation required two people—and demanded that everyone else be dismissed?
He was already an adult—how could he not understand?
In an instant, several possibilities flashed through Shen Tian’s mind. His face turned scarlet; his fists clenched tightly. He almost wanted to rush to the summit and demand an explanation from his master.
Tantai Yuxian was both his adoptive mother and master, a Sword Immortal of this era, graceful and peerless. Even Shen Tian himself was unwilling to admit that, deep down, he harbored some faint, hazy feelings toward her.
And yet Shen Yanzhou—that mere impostor who had once stolen his identity—how dare he get so close to his master, perhaps even… share such intimacy?
Seeing the turmoil on Shen Tian’s face, Rui Niang immediately understood his thoughts and hurried to explain: “Don’t let your imagination run wild. Master truly is cultivating. She’s at a crucial moment now, striving to break through to First Rank.”
Shen Tian thought for a moment, forcing himself to calm down. He still trusted his master. She was as pure as the bright moon in the heavens—how could she possibly allow Shen Yanzhou to take advantage of her?
But that vile man, Shen Yanzhou, must be using the opportunity to do exactly that.
“Shen Yanzhou—if I don’t kill you, I’ll never rest!” Shen Tian’s rage toward him reached its peak, and he swore silently in his heart.
……
In the southern borderlands, within the vast commandery known as Hantian Commandery—
The Demon Suppression King, Shen Jingxiao, stood upon the city wall, his face dark as still water.
The bitter cold wind blew fragments of snow across the massive azure walls that stretched far into the distance.
Beyond, the snowy mountains rose high and steep, the ridgelines like coiled dragons sleeping beneath the heavens. The white snow reflected against the blue sky and clouds, vast and magnificent.
Beiming City had been built within a high-altitude basin, surrounded on three sides by mountains. The air here was thin and frigid, and travelers all wore thick cotton coats.
The wealthy draped themselves in fox-fur cloaks, soft and snow-white, the fur glittering faintly with snowflakes.
A thin layer of ice had already formed over the moat outside the city walls.
At the city gates, a long queue of caravans waited to enter, their wagons stopped for inspection.
As Shen Jingxiao’s stronghold for many years, the city had grown as prosperous as any within the empire—perhaps even more so than many regions of the heartland.
Yao Pass lay to the south of the southern mountain range, backed by towering peaks—an ideal natural fortress against the demon clans.
Shen Jingxiao commanded this crucial gateway. Should he wish, he could withdraw his forces at any time, open the pass, and let the southern demon tides flood freely into the Great Qian realm.
“General, whether this accusation is justified or not, the arrow has already been nocked—it must be loosed.”
“The weather’s grown cold. It’s time to add another layer of clothing.”
Beside Shen Jingxiao stood his strategist, Ge Qixing, feather fan in hand, wearing scholarly robes. He accepted a yellow robe from a subordinate and draped it over Shen Jingxiao’s shoulders.
Shen Jingxiao sighed. “I served His Majesty with loyalty, yet he suspects me like this, even going so far as to weave such a trap. After so many years of ruler and subject… to have it end like this—it’s hard not to feel sorrow.”
He already knew what had happened in the Imperial Capital.
The Duke’s Residence had barely fallen into turmoil when the Demon Suppression Prince’s Mansion was implicated soon after. The testimony of Young Duke Liu Fu was absurd in his eyes.
It was nothing but slander—a frame-up. What was worse, the evidence pointing toward the southern border had also been prepared.
Was this not forcing him to rebel?
Originally, Shen Jingxiao had planned to wait until the Empress’s birthday before acting, to strike with surprise.
But now, he had no choice. His son Shen Tian, his consort Yu Chenyu, and the many relatives of the Demon Suppression Prince’s Mansion had all been thrown into the Heavenly Prison.
Heh… ironically, that unfilial son Shen Yanzhou was fortunate—having gone to Fanzhou earlier, and now appearing at the Ten-Thousand-Mile Sword Court.
If Shen Yanzhou had been in the capital, Shen Jingxiao would have suspected all this had something to do with him.
“So long as Ran Yi remains in my hands, bound by my death curse, I hold the power over him.” Shen Jingxiao’s eyes gleamed darkly.
“Are nobles and kings born of some different blood?”
“This throne—perhaps it’s time I take a turn upon it.”
“Xia De, before your ascension, you once swore to change the world—to denounce the aristocratic clans, to uplift the poor, to allow all citizens of Great Qian to study, to train, to cultivate if they possessed the root of spirit, to build the nation together. Yet of all that you promised, you achieved none of it.”
“In the end, you became nothing more than a puppet of the Cui Clan of Hejian.”
“Hehe, since you couldn’t accomplish it, then watch carefully—see how I do it instead.”
Standing atop the city wall, Shen Jingxiao swept his cloak outward, the wind howling, his aura surging like thunder through the heavens.
Beacon fires rose.
Outside Yao Pass, the gates swung wide open.
At the border between Great Qian and the Foreign Demon Kingdom, the desolate battlefield roared to life. Demonic miasma surged, and legions of demonkind advanced with banners waving and war drums pounding.
Before long, Great Qian’s scouts in the southern territories spotted the advancing demon tide rolling forth from Yao Pass—sweeping everything before it in blood and chaos.
The demonic aura blotted out the sun; the wings of great demons glimmered faintly in the skies before vanishing into the clouds.
The demon invasion sent shockwaves throughout Great Qian. The major noble families neighboring Hantian Commandery fell into panic, hastily mobilizing their armies to resist.
During this time, the Demon Suppression King rallied his troops in Hantian Commandery, raising his banner high.
Claiming that the great families were unjust—oppressing the royal house, usurping imperial power, and manipulating the throne through the Cui Clan—he marched north “to cleanse the court of traitors.”
The Demon Suppression King had rebelled completely.
……
“Shen Jingxiao’s response is even fiercer than I anticipated. It seems he truly intends to seize the throne.”
“With the demon tide invading and the Demon Suppression Army offering no resistance, they’ll sweep through Great Qian like wildfire. The lands of the noble clans will be the first to fall.”
“This moment… truly is the perfect time for a rise.”
Shen Yanzhou exhaled softly. Even though he was far away at the Ten-Thousand-Mile Sword Court, he was still watching every development in Great Qian closely.
The rebellion of the Demon Suppression King, Shen Jingxiao, was entirely within his calculations.
Once the three hundred thousand soldiers of the southern army marched north—and with the demon clans striking in advance—the great families could never withstand them.
In the original course of events, Shen Jingxiao had indeed relied on this very method, cutting his way to the Imperial Capital, his forces pressing to its very gates.
“Shen Tian’s negative emotions have dwindled these past days. It seems I’ll need to provoke him further—to shatter his mental state completely…”
Shen Yanzhou glanced at his current panel.
【Technique: The True Explanation of Primordial Unity (Incomplete, Second Realm 9/16)】
【Name: Shen Yanzhou】
【Secret Arts: Selfless Sword Heart (Fragmented, Minor Accomplishment 1/4), Grand Ascension of Five Emperors, Immovable as the Mountain Art, Dragon-Seizing Force…】
【Dao Arts: Void Escape Art (can be perfected), Concealment in the Void (can be perfected), Five Elements Fundamental Method (can be perfected), Minor Art of Reversing Yin and Yang (3/4 can be perfected)…】
【Realm: Martial Path, Early Third Rank; Daoist Path, Early Third Rank.】
【Available Basic Points: 0 (332.24/100)】
In his three days at the Ten-Thousand-Mile Sword Court, he had extracted three points of basic energy from Shen Tian.
Though not much, it was sufficient for his current Third-Rank cultivation.
Still, he was not satisfied.
When he returned to the Imperial Capital, he would face unprecedented trials. If possible, he wished to raise both his Martial and Daoist realms to the dual First Rank.
Only then would he possess the confidence to sweep through all opposition.
“Four days remain.”
Shen Yanzhou looked toward Tantai Yuxian—breathless, drained, her mind still blank—and lightly patted her rear.
“Mm… ahh…”
Soon, within the Pure Pavilion, the bed began to shake once more. The lofty halls seemed to tremble from the impact, the hanging curtains fluttering apart like drifting clouds of mist.