Xu Qi’an ignored the Heavenly Venerable’s questioning and descended from the high sky, landing lightly beside Lady Flying Swallow.
He first checked Li Miaozhen’s condition. The injuries to her body weren’t too serious. Even for the Daoist sects, whose physical bodies were frail, they were only light wounds that would heal after ten days or half a month of recuperation.
What was truly bad was the condition of Li Miaozhen’s primordial spirit. To put it vividly, it was like an ordinary person being stabbed and not having the bleeding stanched, their life draining away with the blood.
Li Miaozhen’s primordial spirit was in just that state, so weak it was like the last candle in the wind, as if it could go out at any moment.
That’s only two lashes. If you’d taken five consecutive lightning lashes, even immortals wouldn’t have been able to save you… Xu Qi’an muttered.
The reason he could still make jokes was that Li Miaozhen wouldn’t be in danger.
There was a powerful medicinal force contained within her body, nourishing her weakened primordial spirit, like a trickle of clear spring water welling up from parched, cracked earth.
“What are you looking at!”
Li Miaozhen no longer even had the strength to sit up. She gave him a distracted glance, turned her head aside, and muttered:
“This is utterly humiliating.”
Too proud… Xu Qi’an smiled and teased:
“It isn’t the first or second time you’ve embarrassed yourself in front of me. Look, even al-Asura’s laughing.”
He was referring to the collective social death incident of Two, Four, and Seven.
Al-Asura wasn’t laughing, but Li Miaozhen was so annoyed she laughed instead. She wanted to clench her fist and punch that man surnamed Xu, but she was too weak, so weak it felt as though she might die at any moment.
“What are you planning to do?”
Li Miaozhen’s beautiful eyes were half-open, half-closed as she spoke weakly.
She was afraid Xu Qi’an would lose his head and go on a killing spree in the Heaven Sect, or wreak destruction everywhere. Neither was something she wanted to see.
Xu Qi’an took off his outer robe and draped it over her, then rose and walked towards the Heavenly Venerable Hall.
“Do you remember what I told you in Jianzhou?”
His voice drifted over from afar.
What words? Li Miaozhen lay on the high platform, the blue sky above her, the daylight somewhat dazzling. She seemed to think of something, and her long eyelashes trembled lightly.
Li Miaozhen forced her eyes open and twisted her neck, watching that figure enter the Heavenly Venerable Hall.
What echoed in her ears was a sentence he had spoken back in Jianzhou:
If you’re afraid of gossip, afraid of what your fellow disciples and students think, then I can take you away.
A joking remark.
A prophecy fulfilled.
…
The disciples of the Heaven Sect, as well as Luo Yuheng, Daoist Jinlian, and al-Asura, the three beyond-mortal experts, all watched Xu Qi’an enter the Heavenly Venerable Hall. Silence reigned all around, and no one spoke.
Several elders, along with Bingyi Yuanjun and Daoist Xuancheng, maintained their unchanging cold indifference, but the hearts of the ordinary disciples had risen into their throats.
At this moment, what they were thinking wasn’t “the Heavenly Venerable had better teach these rude people a lesson”, or “Anyone who dares run wild in our Heaven Sect must pay the price”, but rather “What if they start fighting?” and “Run, quickly, that’s a first rank martial artist.”
Including the elders, no one in the Heaven Sect had expected Xu Qi’an to make such a huge commotion for Li Miaozhen, nor that Daoist Venerable Jinlian of the Earth Sect would actually dare come to their door and force the issue.
The Holy Maiden had gone down the mountain to travel for three years, and as a fourth rank, she had built such deep connections?
The Heaven Sect had long known that the Holy Son and Holy Maiden had ties with Jinlian of the Earth Sect, and ties with Silver Gong Xu Qi’an, but their willingness to interfere in the Heaven Sect’s internal affairs for Li Miaozhen’s sake, and offend the Heaven Sect over it, was a completely different matter.
Stepping into the grand and magnificent hall, Xu Qi’an casually swept his gaze around before turning it to the figure seated cross-legged on a lotus dais upon the lofty throne.
His hair and beard were white. His head drooped, and he looked like a drowsy old man. Behind his head, a four-coloured halo revolved.
In Xu Qi’an’s eyes, the the Heavenly Venerable on the lotus dais looked like a projection, a projection from another world.
Beyond reincarnation, outside the Five Elements… This thought rose naturally in Xu Qi’an’s heart. “It seems you’re already close to merging with the Heavenly Dao.”
“The conflict of heaven and man can help me stabilise my humanity.”
The Heavenly Venerable’s vast voice echoed through the hall, as if coming from all directions, impossible to trace to a single source.
He did not ask why Xu Qi’an knew the Heaven Sect’s secret. Whether he had long expected it, or had perfectly mastered his emotions, was unclear.
Curiosity was also one of the emotions of living beings.
“Why can the conflict of heaven and man help you recover your humanity, and help the Daoist Venerable of the Human Sect survive the heavenly tribulation?” Xu Qi’an asked the question that had been buried in his heart for a long time.
“Why should I tell you?”
The Heavenly Venerable asked.
There was no personal emotion in his counter-question. He wasn’t being difficult, he was simply asking.
“As a trade, you can ask me one question as well,” Xu Qi’an replied.
“Fair!”
The Heavenly Venerable lowered his head and his voice echoed out: “The cultivation methods of the Human Sect and Heaven Sect are completely different, and can complement one another. The conflict of heaven and man is each other’s salvation.”
The Heavenly Venerable’s answer was like a procedural response, without any detailed explanation, plain and direct.
The Human Sect’s cultivation method wrapped one in karmic fire, and the seven emotions and six desires wore away at one’s Dao foundation, while the Heaven Sect’s cultivation method was precisely Supreme Detachment from Emotion, the unity of heaven and man. So that was it… Xu Qi’an suddenly understood.
That made it easy to understand. The Human Sect’s karmic fire was perhaps a remedy to the Heaven Sect, able to help the Heavenly Venerable recover part of his humanity, using poison to fight poison. By the same logic, the Heaven Sect’s Supreme Detachment from Emotion could also soothe the Human Sect’s karmic fire.
“They complement each other in the form of a fight to the death?” Xu Qi’an asked.
“By plundering each other’s source spirit energy,” the Heavenly Venerable answered.
Xu Qi’an had originally wanted to ask why the Daoist Venerable of the Human Sect and Heaven Sect throughout the generations had not complemented each other through dual cultivation instead, but on second thought, the previous Daoist Venerable of the Human Sect had been a man.
The Heaven Sect of past generations might not necessarily have been male and female in opposition. It could also have been male and male, or female and female.
Besides, the ancient Daoist dual cultivation art had long since been lost. Back then, Luo Yuheng had agreed to cultivate with him not only because he bore fortune, but also because he had mastered this secret art.
In the end, during his dual cultivation with Luo Yuheng, although both of them had improved in spells and qi, what had extinguished the karmic fire had been fortune. It was a process of giving without any return. The complementarity between Heaven and Human might not be suitable for dual cultivation.
“So they often both end up badly hurt, or one dies and one is injured?”
“When both sides are badly hurt, it’s usually because they are evenly matched, and each gains something. That counts as a relatively good ending,” the Heavenly Venerable replied.
Xu Qi’an nodded and asked:
“Why doesn’t the Earth Sect need to take part? Is the Earth Sect’s merit useless to the Heaven and Human Sects?”
“Merit would make me ascend directly and merge into the Great Dao. Merit would burden the Human Sect with karma, with the risk of falling into demonic corruption. It’s a dead end,” the Heavenly Venerable replied emotionlessly.
The Earth Sect really is unloved by everyone… Xu Qi’an muttered inwardly, then said:
“Your turn.”
“I have no questions!” the Heavenly Venerable’s voice was vast and cold.
So when you said “fair”, you really only thought it was fair, and not because you had something to ask me? Xu Qi’an slowly let out a breath. Just as he was about to speak, he heard the Heavenly Venerable add:
“It can be put on the account first!”
Do I need draw up an IOU… Xu Qi’an nodded.
“Alright!
“I’ve one more question. What do you think of the Daoist Venerable?”
The Heavenly Venerable fell silent for a moment before the grand voice sounded again:
“A pitiful man. The three methods He tried in His later years all failed.”
“What was He trying to do?” Xu Qi’an asked at once.
“I don’t know,” the Heavenly Venerable answered.
For a time, neither spoke. After a moment, Xu Qi’an suddenly thought of something and said:
“The Heaven Sect incarnation of the Daoist Venerable merged into the Great Dao, and the Earth Sect incarnation refined himself into the Earth Book. The leaders of the Heaven Sect and Earth Sect both know these secrets. Then why doesn’t the Human Sect’s Daoist Venerable know what happened to that Human Sect incarnation of the Daoist Venerable?”
He had once asked Luo Yuheng whether the Human Sect’s ancient texts contained any records about the Daoist Venerable.
Luo Yuheng’s answer had been no.
At the time, Xu Qi’an’s cultivation had still been shallow, and he had only assumed the Daoist Venerable was too mysterious for later generations to understand clearly.
Only today, as his cultivation rose and he learned more and more secrets, did he realise that the Heaven and Earth Sects both knew the outcome of the Daoist Venerable’s incarnations, while the Human Sect alone did not.
“The Daoist Venerable’s Human Sect incarnation is still alive.”
The Heavenly Venerable stated this earth-shattering secret briefly and without emotion.
As expected… Xu Qi’an was neither surprised nor shocked. Instead, he felt relieved, with the satisfaction of finally seeing the raised boot come down.
He continued:
“I want to take the Holy Maiden away. Please grant it, Heavenly Venerable.”
The Heavenly Venerable asked bluntly:
“And if I do not?”
Xu Qi’an was equally direct:
“Then today’s conflict of heaven and man starts ahead of time. The four of us against you alone!”
After weighing the pros and cons, the Heavenly Venerable gave an answer with absolute reason and calm:
“From this day forth, Li Miaozhen has no further ties with the Heaven Sect.”
After a pause, the Heavenly Venerable said:
“After the conflict of heaven and man, the Heaven Sect will seal the mountain. You are not to come and disturb us again.”
Xu Qi’an nodded in agreement, then smoothly put forward another condition:
“When the conflict of heaven and man takes place, the battlefield must be within the Central Plains. I won’t interfere in the battle between you and Luo Yuheng, but I will preserve her life. On that basis, however much source spirit power you seize from her, or however much she seizes from you, I won’t interfere.”
He could use force to pressure them, but he could not go too far. The Heaven Sect was not weak. Aside from the Heavenly Venerable, Bingyi Yuanjun and Daoist Xuancheng were both third rank Yang Spirit.
The Heavenly Venerable said nothing, tacitly accepting his proposal.
…
Outside the hall, a group of people closely watched the situation inside the Heavenly Venerable Hall. The doors stood open, so they could see the figures of Xu Qi’an and the Heavenly Venerable, but they could not hear a single word.
Still, the relatively calm attitude on both sides let the tense hearts of the Heaven Sect disciples settle.
At least they did not need to worry that a great battle would break out and drag them into it.
Luo Yuheng and Daoist Jinlian looked relaxed. As fellow Daoists, they knew the Heaven Sect was the calmest and most rational of all.
When dealing with matters, they always weighed gains and losses first. They would not recklessly risk their lives in a fit of temper.
Beside Daoist Xuancheng, Li Lingsu was also very much at ease, knowing that he was about to escape disaster.
To be honest, back in Yongzhou, when he had faced his master’s and Bingyi Yuanjun’s “manhunt”, he had been scared witless.
After that incident, Li Lingsu had been worrying all along about his sect’s attitude. He would certainly be punished when he went back, yet he could think of no solution, and could only hope to put it off one more day at a time.
At the time, the Heaven Sect had been far too powerful. There really had been no one who could help them.
Not until, during his days of confinement in the sect, he heard that Xu Qi’an had advanced to first rank. Li Lingsu had felt sour with jealousy, yet at the same time shouted inwardly:
Well done, you damned bastard!
He knew then that he and his junior sister were saved.
At that moment, everyone saw Xu Qi’an in the hall turn and walk out.
Pairs of eyes focused on him.
Was there a result?
Was the Heaven Sect still going to punish the Holy Maiden?
As all sorts of thoughts flashed through the Heaven Sect disciples’ minds, the Heavenly Venerable’s majestic voice rang by their ears:
“From this day forth, Li Miaozhen has no further ties with the Heaven Sect.”
The crowd erupted.
The disciples were angry, stifled, and yet relieved, their feelings tangled and complicated.
It was obvious that the Heavenly Venerable had compromised.
Miaozhen has left the sect, then… then what about me? Li Lingsu stood rooted to the spot.
He immediately drew a deep breath and thought, Forget it, none of that matters. First leave the Heaven Sect, then talk.
Leave the sect… Li Miaozhen had already had a premonition. She was not surprised, but she could not hide her sorrow. Struggling to her feet, she bowed low to Bingyi Yuanjun and choked out:
“This disciple has failed you, Master.”
Daoist Xuancheng glanced at Bingyi Yuanjun. Her face was expressionless, revealing nothing. She took out an Earth Book fragment from her sleeve, tossed it to the edge of the high platform, and said flatly:
“Go. We need not meet again in this life!”
Li Miaozhen broke into uncontrollable sobs.
Xu Qi’an walked up onto the high platform, picked up Li Miaozhen’s Earth Book fragment, then swept her up in his arms. He gave Jinlian and the others a slight nod and said:
“Let’s go!”
Several beyond-mortal experts at once turned into streams of light and fled, vanishing from the sight of the Heaven Sect.
It’s finally over… Li Lingsu let out a sigh of relief, then at once felt that something was wrong.
Hm? What about me?!
You still haven’t taken me with you, oi, come back… The Holy Son’s mouth slowly fell open, and his expression stiffened bit by bit.
He suddenly felt that the world was so cold, without the slightest trace of warmth.
Just as he was sinking into utter despair, Daoist Xuancheng’s chilly voice came to his ear:
“Why aren’t you gone?”
Li Lingsu’s eyes reddened and his nose stung. Stammering, he said, “I, I never wanted to leave the sect. I’ll come back…”
He had wanted to kowtow, but feared the Heaven Sect might suddenly change its mind. Gritting his teeth, he rose on his sword and chased after the direction in which Xu Qi’an and the others had disappeared.
No one stopped him.
“Bingyi, enter the hall!”
The Heavenly Venerable’s voice rang out.
Bingyi Yuanjun withdrew her gaze, turned, and entered the Heavenly Venerable Hall.
The Heavenly Venerable sat cross-legged upon the lotus dais, still keeping his head bowed. His voice echoed through the hall:
“The bond of master and disciple between you and the Holy Maiden has ended. Your mortal heart is resolved. Prepare to advance to second rank.”
Bingyi Yuanjun bowed.
“Yes!
“Thank you, Heavenly Venerable, for granting this!”
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