Chapter 33 Part 1: Immortal Lord, you are indeed very fragrant.
Yaoguang Valley.
When Qin Zixuan struggled to Tinglin Courtyard, Qin Zhongyou was sitting on a stone chair, carefully wiping a sword.
The blade was long and sharp, with a wave-like pattern near the hilt. Both sides were engraved with beautiful seal script. One side read: A sharp edge to save the world, a vast heart. The other side read: The sword’s cry echoes through the heavens, its spirit pierces the eight wildernesses.
The Du Fang Sword…
Qin Zixuan slowly walked over. Qin Zhongyou was carefully removing the tassel from the sword, then took a new one and carefully replaced it.
“Young Master Yan loved beauty the most.” He sat down at the table opposite him. “Back then, he often changed the sword tassel. If he could see this sword so well-maintained, he would surely be happy.”
Qin Zhongyou grunted in acknowledgement, his hand gently stroking the characters. “This was carved by him with his soul-fire. Now, it is steeped in blessings. In time, it will surely become a world-renowned sword comparable to Tianyi.”
Just then, a flowing golden light once again rolled over the characters. Qin Zixuan was stunned for a moment. “Young Master Yan has been gone for so long. Why is the blessing on this sword still increasing?”
“I imagine it’s because the people he saved back then are flourishing, and among them are those of good character who also share the aspirations of this sword.”
The golden light rolled back and forth for a long time, and the carvings of the characters also deepened. The two of them watched quietly, until Qin Zixuan let out a light laugh. “It seems he has done a deed that has blessed a hundred generations, to have so much blessing surging.”
Qin Zhongyou no longer answered. He took the scabbard and sheathed the sword, yet he was still reluctant to part with it.
“A world-saving sword so steeped in blessings, I’m afraid it would be difficult to produce another one even in ten thousand years… Now, there are rumors everywhere that you are going to bestow this sword upon Young Master Ruan… Is he really suitable?”
Qin Zhongyou shook his head. “It is not I who wishes to gift the sword, but Du Fang who has chosen him. Perhaps… I have been too obsessed these years. He really is the reincarnation of Jingyu…”
Ruan Qixi came running all the way. Seeing the two people in the courtyard, he suddenly flashed back and carefully probed with his divine sense.
Qin Zhongyou sensed his presence but did not look over. He was still focused on gazing at the carvings on the sword, as if he were trying to explore the face of the carver through those characters.
“But Young Master Ruan’s temperament is very different from Young Master Yan’s…”
“Perhaps it was because he was too dazzling back then that he attracted such a disaster. In this life, to be an ordinary person, a little more willful, a little more muddle-headed, is also good.”
“That’s true.” Qin Zixuan relaxed. “Sect Master Zuoqiu and Courtyard Master Ruan dote on him so much. It’s understandable that he would be spoiled into such a character.”
They did not speak anymore.
The Yan Jingyu of the past was also an extremely doted-on child. Other children already had their own independent courtyards when they were seven or eight, but Yan Jingyu often lived with his parents until he was twelve. Later, it was because Yan Tingxuan found him too clingy that he forced him to move to Tinglin Courtyard.
He was fine with anything. When he had his parents, he was so clingy he could die. When he was suddenly separated, he also lived a rich and flavorful life, making the Yan couple not know what he was thinking, and not know whether to be more concerned or more lenient.
In general, he was a person who went with the flow. Wherever he was allowed to go, he would go, which was exceptionally unconventional.
Ruan Qixi quietly clenched his fist, his eyes shining a little. He turned and ran away quickly, all the way back to the Zuoqiu family, and announced with great joy, “Master really agreed to give me the Du Fang Sword!!”
“Really?!” Ruan Qingwan quickly walked up. Zuoqiu Han, who was at the side, also cast his gaze over and smiled. “It seems he has truly entered the false immortal stage and is finally going to let go of Yan Jingyu.”
“Really, really!” Ruan Qixi said impatiently, “Before, he always had to pillow his head on the Du Fang Sword to fall asleep at night. Now, he has already placed it on the sword stand and no longer plays with it often. I really don’t know what happened on this trip to the Demonic Domain to make his mentality change so much.”
“Don’t worry about what happened to him.” Ruan Qingwan curved her lips into a smile. She looked at her child with an almost obsessed gaze, as if she were looking at an incomparably exquisite work of art, and said gently, “As long as my son can get the Du Fang Sword, in the future, you will be the true Immortal Lord Dufang, and no one will dare to look down on you again.”
“But…” Ruan Qixi took out the pearl again, confused. “Why is it that as long as I hold the pearl and get close to the Du Fang Sword, it will have a feeling for me?”
“Because you are the one chosen by fate.” Zuoqiu Han walked over, gently patted his shoulder, and said, “When you get the Du Fang Sword, your parents will work together to merge this pearl for you. My Zuoqiu family will also have a true immortal.”
Ruan Qixi’s eyes widened slightly, a little in disbelief. “I, as long as I get the Du Fang Sword, I can become a true immortal?”
“It’s just a matter of time.” Ruan Qingwan took back the Myriad Phenomena Pearl. “Go back for now. You must cultivate well. Before your coming-of-age ceremony, you must break through to the fourth stage of the Flowing Clouds and Flying Catkins.”
“Remember, when you don’t have this pearl, do not get close to the Du Fang Sword.”
Ruan Qixi nodded, then ran out again with great joy, his heart full of happiness.
If I can really become a true immortal, Master will definitely look at me with high regard… At that time, to ascend to the Forgetfulness Platform together, how carefree and unrestrained that would be!
A figure brushed past him. He tilted his head slightly, abruptly stopped his sword, and bowed respectfully. “Uncle Ling.”
The man’s eyes were wrapped in white gauze. He only nodded slightly, his feet landing lightly in front of the hall door. He paused for a moment. Before he could walk in, he heard a light laugh from inside. “A-Chen is here.”
A-Chen’s steps paused again, his fingers tightening slightly. He walked in. “May I ask what Courtyard Master Ruan has summoned me for?”
“I asked you to come today to thank you.” Ruan Qingwan came over and took his wrist. A-Chen had to follow her inside, his voice low. “Even without you, since the Heavenly Mandate art revealed that he had an opportunity in the Demonic Domain, I would have definitely guided him there.”
“Good brother, how are you and Dan Nan getting along?”
Ruan Qingchen’s face was cold. He abruptly wanted to withdraw his hand, but was held tightly by her. Ruan Qingwan smiled slightly. “Paper cannot wrap fire. Whether you are truly on my side or not, as long as the matter is exposed, you will not be able to escape, because you are my, Ruan Qingwan’s, younger brother. Even if you refuse to admit it, you are one of the main culprits.”
A huge force came. Ruan Qingchen was abruptly thrown out and fell directly onto a nearby couch. His figure knocked over the coffee table, and the broken teacup cut the back of his hand.
Zuoqiu Han smiled slightly. “I have other matters, I’ll go take care of them first.”
“Stop.”
He stopped his steps and turned around helplessly. Ruan Qingwan looked coldly at her blind younger brother at the side. “Cast a hexagram for me. I want to know if the person with Liao Chen is really Yan Jingyu.”
Zuoqiu Han stood to the side, sighing slightly. “Didn’t we cast a hexagram before? Yan Jingyu is long dead… You, you even dug out his lamp wick…”
“Maybe it wasn’t dug out cleanly.” Ruan Qingwan raised her hand, and the fallen coffee table immediately returned to its original state, even the broken teacup and spilled tea were as they were before. Ruan Qingchen pulled down his sleeve, covering the cut on his wrist. “Dan Nan has already asked me to divine. The person with Liao Chen is not Yan Jingyu.”
“Now, divine again.”
Ruan Qingchen frowned. Zuoqiu Han also comforted, “That’s Liao Chen. If it were really Yan Jingyu, could he survive by Liao Chen’s side?!”
“What do you know?” Ruan Qingwan said coldly, “If Yan Jingyu is still alive, he must have become a waste. Liao Chen always longed to fight him fair and square back then. This person is a martial arts fanatic, obsessed with cultivation regardless of the occasion. For the sake of settling the score with Yan Jingyu, this kind of person would do anything. Maybe he’s even thinking of helping him recover his cultivation!”
Ruan Qingchen was silent. Zuoqiu Han, on the other hand, had a confused look on his face. “Liao Chen, helping Yan Jingyu recover his cultivation? Aren’t they arch-nemesis? Doesn’t he hate Yan Jingyu to the bone?”
“I also love him to the bone.” Ruan Qingwan lifted her chin slightly, a faint smile on her lips. “But didn’t I also personally gouge out his eyes?”
Zuoqiu Han could only smile again.
Ruan Qingwan had already turned to Ruan Qingchen. “Divine for me.”
She sat down on the side, her gaze fixed on the divination tool in the other’s hand, watching as the man’s long, slender fingers slowly shook it, and slowly spread it on the table. One of the copper coins was constantly spinning.
Ruan Qingwan’s brow furrowed tightly. “What does that mean?”
“It is Liao Chen’s authority.” Ruan Qingchen said, “I cannot connect to a person in the Demonic Domain.”
“The authority of the Demigod stage… has such power?”
“Didn’t you say last time that you had already divined?”
Ruan Qingchen’s face was unchanged. “Last time, a stranger trespassed into Yaoguang Valley. Liao Chen called that person Yan Qi. Although Dan Nan stopped him, she was still not at ease and specially came to ask me to divine. That day, they were both in Hutian.”
“Could it be that I have to go to the Demonic Domain again?”
Zuoqiu Han immediately said, “Let’s forget it. Even Qin Zhongyou and the others couldn’t escape Liao Chen’s sight. How can you go?”
“What if I use the Myriad Phenomena Pearl?” Ruan Qingwan held up the pearl that was flashing with a faint silver light. “With it, is it enough to avoid Liao Chen’s authority?”
“Even if you go, so what?” Ruan Qingchen said, “You can’t possibly take him out from under Liao Chen’s hand. On the contrary, you might alert the enemy and have him discover the characteristics of the Myriad Phenomena Pearl.”
Zuoqiu Han nodded repeatedly. “Last time, Xiao Xi had already inadvertently used this pearl in front of them. Fortunately, Liao Chen was dull and did not notice anything unusual. If it were really Yan Jingyu, I’m afraid he would have caught up long ago.”
“So be it.” Ruan Qingwan put away the pearl. “Let’s prepare for Xi’er’s coming-of-age ceremony as soon as possible. My son’s birthday must be even grander than Yan Jingyu’s back then!”
Having just experienced the torment of the polar night, the Demonic Domain had clearly not yet recovered. The market outside the Demon Palace was deserted, truly no match for the immortal sects.
Most importantly, most of the vendors here sold things for survival, or some materials that were time-consuming and laborious to gather. It was almost difficult to see the exquisite ornaments that Yan Jingyu wanted to buy. The clothing stores here only had some black-patterned grass products for resisting the cold. There were almost no miscellaneous things.
As far as the eye could see, most of the people were covered in cloaks, not even daring to show their faces. The well-preserved houses were almost non-existent, filled with traces of fighting. It was clear that no one dared to live in this kind of place for long and was always ready to run away.
Liao Chen also seemed not to have expected this. He was silent all the way. In Yan Jingyu’s sight, he unnaturally put his hands behind his back, looked left and right, and said, “I think it’s because there were a few fights during the polar night. Hmm… why don’t we go to Hutian? There are more varieties there. We don’t need those here.”
“I see some houses here.” Yan Jingyu lifted the hem of his clothes and crossed the ruins. He pushed open the door and saw a big hole in the roof. He couldn’t help but laugh. “Cultivators really tend to be careless when they fight. But I see these houses are built side by side, with small buildings of different heights. It’s clear that you also once thought of building a city here. Did something happen later?”
“Nothing.” Liao Chen said, “When Chi Yuan was here, he did think of building a city in the Demonic Domain and even captured many craftsmen to work day and night. Unfortunately, the Demonic Domain is too chaotic. From time to time, someone would fight their way in, and there were also internal conflicts. This city was in business for less than two years before the various clans started to fight over territory, often causing trouble for him. Later, he felt that it was too troublesome to mediate and be fair, so he simply killed all the troublemakers. Over time, this city became empty, and no one came anymore.”
“…As expected of him.” Yan Jingyu nodded. “Then after you took over the Demonic Domain, did you think of restarting this city?”
“No time.” Liao Chen said, “I still have to cultivate.”
“…Also as expected of you.” Yan Jingyu crossed the ruins again. Liao Chen reached out and took his hand, watching as he stepped on the messy bricks and jumped in front of him. “If you don’t want to go to Hutian, shall we go to other cities for a walk?”
“It’s too far.” Yan Jingyu said, “Your body hasn’t fully recovered yet. You should rest well.”
He had come out for nothing and bought nothing, but he had also experienced the different style of the Demonic Domain. Yan Jingyu was not disappointed.
The two of them slowly walked back to the Demon Palace. Liao Chen suddenly pulled his sleeve. “Yan Qi.”
“Hmm?”
“If we were to restart this city, would it be very troublesome?”
