"Take this!"
As soon as Li Chejing uttered those two words, a radiant white light emanated from the longsword at his waist.
With a swift motion of his left hand, the turbulent winds around Yi Mountain City immediately mellowed down and subsided, leaving a serene calmness.
Deng Qiuzhi pressed down on the sword at his waist, feeling his heart stir as he rested his hand on his sword. Despite his modest cultivation, he understood the elegance and power of Li Chejing's sword technique.
"The Celestial Moon Sword Intent! Chejing has always been modest, concealing his true prowess... but now, faced with dire circumstances, he finally reveals his full strength!" Deng Qiuzhi remarked to himself, rather impressed.
The ethereal white light, reminiscent of moonlight, surged forward and collided with Chi Zhiyun's crimson barrier, penetrating it like a piece of paper.
Despite Chi Zhiyun's desperate attempts to defend himself with layers of golden talisman shields, all of it shattered easily under the force of Li Chejing's attack. In desperation, Chi Zhiyun cried out for help.
"Help, Old Ancestor!"
Li Chejing's Celestial Moon Sword Intent brushed past Chi Zhiyun's face without harming his flesh. Chi Zhiyun stood frozen in disbelief, mumbling to himself in shock.
"Sword intent?"
Ignoring Chi Zhiyun's astonishment, Li Chejing simply cupped his fist and said, "That was a good spar, Senior Brother Chi."
Chi Zhiyun's face was still pale as he exclaimed, "Amazing! What kind of sword intent was that?!"
"Celestial Moon Sword Intent," Li Chejing replied matter-of-factly but did not expect Chi Zhiyun to wear a conflicted look on his face as he continued mumbling to himself.
"What a pity!"
The clatter of a fallen sword broke the silence, prompting whispers among the onlookers. While they dared not openly discuss Chi Zhiyun's plight, their shocked expressions spoke volumes.
When Li Chejing returned to the mountain, Xiao Yuansi looked at him in bewilderment.
"Did you just nearly kill Chi Zhiyun?" he asked in disbelief, his eyes wide.
"I wouldn't dare."
Li Chejing returned his sword to its sheath, shaking his head as he met Xiao Yuansi's dumbfounded gaze.
"If I had killed him, the Chi Family would surely retaliate against my family... even though they wouldn't dare to do anything to me because of that Daoist Master of Purple Mansion Realm. I was merely teaching him a lesson!"
"Are you not afraid he'll hold a grudge and plot against your family...?" Xiao Yuansi asked, his curiosity and disbelief evident in his tone.
"Chi Zhiyun is talented and arrogant; he wouldn't stoop to such tactics. After all these years of interaction... we understand each other well," Li Chejing replied confidently, then stretched his body.
It was at this moment that someone emerged from the cave dwelling.
"Senior, someone from the sect has arrived. It's time for you to depart."
Xiao Yuansi was taken aback for a moment before rare anger crept onto his face.
"Are they this eager?!" he spat, fuming.
The messenger hung his head in fear. Realizing that he had lost his temper, Xiao Yuansi calmed himself and apologized hastily to the man.
Li Chejing simply nodded.
"Take me there."
"Jing'er!" Xiao Yuansi called out as Li Chejing handed him his sword. "Take care of yourself, Senior Brother," he said with a stoic expression, his voice solemn.
With that, Li Chejing departed for the mountain peak, leaving Xiao Yuansi holding the jade slips alone with a conflicted expression. As he gazed at the sky, he steeled his resolve.
"Master... Forgive me for leaving the sect..."
———
Upon entering the grand hall situated at the peak, Li Chejing found a man dressed in green attire seated at the center of it, with Chi Zhiyun standing by his side respectfully.
Deng Qiuzhi kneeled before them, his thoughts obscured by his bowed head.
"Greetings, Daoist Master," Li Chejing greeted.
Observing the demeanor of the man, he could already guess that he was a cultivator of the Purple Mansion Realm, hence he kneeled before him. He lifted his head and attempted to discern the face that was veiled behind a layer of mist.
"How dare you!" Chi Zhiyun was alarmed by Li Chejing's boldness, but the figure in green waved it off.
"It's all right," he said with a dismissive tone.
The figure in green observed Li Chejing for a moment, the small jade pendant hanging from his waist swaying slightly.
"That Celestial Moon Sword Intent of yours... since when did you master it?" he suddenly asked quietly.
"Over five years ago," Li Chejing replied.
The figure mumbled to himself for a moment, then stepped forward to ensure that Li Chejing did not bear the mark of a crescent moon on his forehead.
"I have never supported Senior Brother Chi Wei's practice of sacrificing the talents in the sect to further his own agenda. Unfortunately... The old ancestor from back then favored his methods. Now that he's the sect master with powerful cultivation, I can only follow orders," he said.
Chi Zhiyun, who was standing nearby, hastily closed his eyes. He chose to pretend that he did not hear that last remark.
Ignoring Chi Zhiyun's discomfort, the Purple Mansion cultivator continued.
"Rise."
Li Chejing complied right away, and the Purple Mansion cultivator gracefully ascended, effortlessly bringing Li Chejing and Deng Qiuzhi with him into the sky above the sea of clouds in the blink of an eye.
The brilliant sunrise painted the sky a brilliant hue as the Purple Mansion cultivator led Li Chejing further south, traversing the flat expanse of wilderness beyond Yi Mountain City and venturing into the vast southern border.
Li Chejing marveled at their speed, the scenery flashing by in a blur as they zipped past forests and mountains. He could not help but remark, "Purple Mansion cultivators truly travel with remarkable efficiency!"
The Purple Mansion cultivator cast a surprised glance at him. He used a spell to maintain Li Chejing and Deng Qiuzhi's speed, then nodded in agreement.
"Efficiency is key, especially considering the challenges we face. Sometimes, it's a relief not to be mere pawns in the game."
The Purple Mansion cultivator looked at Li Chejing again, then chuckled. "You're quite to my liking. At another time, I might have gladly taken you as a disciple. But alas... circumstances dictate otherwise. Even if that great flood dragon fails to refine the pill, I will stay and watch until you turn into ashes."
Li Chejing was not sure if he should laugh or cry about that statement. His thoughts drifted to his father, Li Mutian. Counting the number of years that had passed, he surmised that his father had likely passed. He was isolated in the Yi Mountain City and could only wonder what was happening at home right now.
Meanwhile, Deng Qiuzhi gazed blankly at the sunrise. Although the coldness of the bitter northern wind was biting into his cheeks, he could barely feel it as he was lost in his own thoughts.
Before long, they arrived at a forest with a turquoise pool at its center, devoid of any ripples.
A teenage boy, dressed in a long black robe that was sleek like scales, was slumped against a tree and was clearly taking a nap.
The Purple Mansion cultivator cupped his fist respectfully.
"Senior, I've brought them here."
The boy's eyes snapped open almost instantly, revealing striking turquoise-green vertical pupils, resembling those of a serpent.
He cast a glance at the figure in green and an expression of annoyance crossed his face.
"Why are you here? Where's Chi Wei?!"
"The Sect Master has entered seclusion to preserve his life... he awaits the promised elixir," the Purple Mansion cultivator replied humbly.
The boy scoffed, then said, "I'm willing to bet that old fart is scared of me and sent you to the southern border instead of personally coming here!"
Meanwhile, Li Chejing was too overwhelmed by both of their presence to speak. He looked at the teenage boy with turquoise eyes and thought, This must be the great flood dragon that the Purple Mansion cultivator spoke of!
The great flood dragon grabbed Li Chejing, who could not move due to their overwhelming presence, and then carefully scrutinized him.
"Hmm, this one has the Lake Moon Autumn as his Dao foundation... he meets the requirements! Wait here."
It grabbed Deng Qiuzhi with its other hand and scrutinized him as well before nodding in approval. "A Qi Cultivator who has mastered a secret technique and is less than thirty years old. That's a good age as an ingredient!"
The great flood dragon then seized Li Chejing and Deng Qiuzhi, dropping them into the pool. Li Chejing's vision darkened as he fell into a cave dwelling filled with jasper furnishings—table, chairs, platform, frames. It was truly a lavish abode.
At the very center stood a golden furnace that was wide enough for five men to encircle it with their arms stretched wide. It was sitting atop black and red flames.
The great flood dragon patted Li Chejing's head, eyeing its captives hungrily as it began performing a hand seal.
With a playful grin, it remarked, "You two are quite appetizing... if not for my promise to Chi Wei, that old fart, I'd have devoured you by now!"
Without further ado, it tossed Li Chejing into the furnace and then turned its attention to Deng Qiuzhi.
Gripping him tightly, it scratched his chest with great might, drawing blood. As Deng Qiuzhi groaned and lost consciousness, he was unceremoniously thrown into the furnace.
Unable to move or speak, Li Chejing watched helplessly as Deng Qiuzhi suffered, his blood beginning to fill the furnace.
As various spirit items rained down upon him, he reflected on his life.
I couldn't even see Father again before he passed and now... I'm left to die on this desolate southern border. I bet Big Brother will be nagging me when I meet him in hell! With my mentor being imprisoned and Senior Brother here on the southern border, Senior Sister is left alone in the sect. I wonder if she'll be able to uphold the legacy of Qingsui Peak's teachings...
As flames licked his skin, Li Chejing prayed silently.
I can only hope that Second Brother and Third Brother will look after the younger ones in the family and realize the truth behind the Azure Pond Sect soon!