Chapter 188
Unbeknownst to him, at this very moment, Chen Huai'an was facing a choice of in-game purchases.
【Main Quest: The Zhongzhou Secret Realm has been opened. Please escort Li Qingran to the Zhongzhou Secret Realm.】
【Current survival rate of Li Qingran: 99.999%】
【Heavenly Insight Tip 1: Once Li Qingran enters the instance, players cannot intervene.】
【Heavenly Insight Tip 2: The Zhongzhou Secret Realm will feature demon cultivators and a small number of devil cultivators.】
【Heavenly Insight Tip 3: A great upheaval will occur when the Zhongzhou Secret Realm closes.】
【Please choose your mode of transportation!】
＜1＞ Recharge ¥1888 to gain access to a large flying boat, capable of carrying all disciples of the Sword Pavilion.
＜2＞ Recharge ¥9999 to gain access to the Lingxiao Sword Array, a floating sword array that can carry all disciples of the Sword Pavilion.
＜3＞ Recharge ¥188888 to obtain the Jiulong Emperor Sacred Chariot, which can carry all disciples of the Sword Pavilion.
＜4＞ Don’t spend a dime and take your shabby flying sword to escort Li Qingran to the Zhongzhou Secret Realm.
“Hey! My temper!”
Chen Huai'an's face darkened at the sight of option 4.
Though he disliked spending money for the sake of appearances, the game had just insulted him outright.
Could he tolerate that? He immediately charged for option ＜3＞!
Today, he had to uphold the prestige of the Sword Pavilion’s ancestors and show those sects the depth of their heritage!
“Qingran, get ready to set off!”
Chen Huai'an chose to claim the Jiulong Emperor Sacred Chariot.
“Roar—!”
Nine dragon roars echoed from the sky.
Layers of clouds parted, and a beam of sunlight poured down.
Faintly, a winding dragon shadow danced in the light—at the end of the golden-edged clouds dyed by the morning sun, nine black serpentine dragons pulled a massive sacred chariot, breaking through the Sword Pavilion's barrier and spiraling toward them. Even before it arrived, the fierce winds from the soaring dragons had already bent the grass and trees atop the Falling Sunset Peak.
“Master!” A girl in the small house responded.
Chen Huai'an turned around, his eyes filled with awe.
As the morning light spilled over the windowsill, Li Qingran leaned against the doorframe, peeking out. The morning breeze lifted the hem of her pure white dress, one foot already half in her shoe, her fingers hooked around the heel, while the other foot, wrapped in white silk, lightly tapped the blue bricks. The golden bell tied around her ankle brushed against the careless smudge of rouge on her skin.
“I’ll be right there!” Feeling her master’s gaze, the girl stuck out her tongue and bounced over.
Chen Huai'an momentarily lost his focus, his folding fan slipping from his hand and falling to the ground.
In that instant, he was torn between picking up the fan or the fluttering strings of his heart.
…
…
------------
Chapter 203: The Zhongzhou Secret Realm
“Little Junior Sister looks even more beautiful today than in the past few days!”
“Don’t say that! You’re right! She was already beautiful before, but today it’s just…”
“I get it! It’s those special stockings; how should I put it…”
Just as the two were racking their brains for the right words to describe her, a third voice drifted over, three parts tipsy, seven parts poetic:
“White clouds wrap around her knees, lotus steps sway in the mist. Jade-like beauty outshines frost and snow, spring breezes bring the painting to life.”
Everyone turned to see the newcomer, a wine gourd hanging from his waist, already exuding a tipsy air before he even lifted a leg.
Within seven steps, he recited again: “White silk wraps around jade steps, moonlight condenses frost at her feet. Don’t say there are no stunning beauties in the world; cloud threads half conceal an immortal’s face… Hahaha! Marvelous, marvelous~”
“Oh! It’s Senior Brother Xu An~ No wonder, no wonder~”
“Senior Brother Xu An is reciting poetry again; someone shut him up!”
“Junior Brother Xu An, how can you speak so recklessly about Little Junior Sister here?” The cold voice of Duan Feng, the top disciple of the Heartless Cliff, rang out.
“Not at all, not at all~” Xu An shook his head, holding the wine gourd, and laughed heartily: “Beauty blooms for her own delight; with thousands of rivers and countless sails passing by, we are merely spectators. And as spectators, what’s wrong with appreciating?”
“Tsk, you don’t get it.” Duan Feng felt a throbbing in his temples and stepped back a couple of paces, distancing himself from Xu An.
He was just a rough man who wielded a sword; killing was fine, but admiring poetry and beauties? He’d rather have a sword in his arms.
“Since Junior Brother Xu An knows that women adorn themselves for their own admirers—”
The voice came from a figure clad in a dark blue robe, a sword hanging at his waist, fingers lightly resting on the dragon-patterned hilt. His appearance was ordinary, but his kind face was overshadowed by sharp, eagle-like eyes that made one wary, “Brother, you’re quite dull; I must ask, who has captured Little Junior Sister’s heart?”
Xu An knew the other was trying to set a trap for him but didn’t fall for it. Instead, he retorted with a teasing tone: “Brother Zhen He, who is your hidden sword pill meant for? Whoever it is, it’s obvious.”
Laughter erupted among the crowd.
Everyone turned their gaze to the front of the Jiulong Emperor Sacred Chariot.
There stood a figure clad in dark attire, his tall frame wrapped in sword energy that sliced through the flowing clouds. His silver hair billowed like a waterfall, and with his hands clasped behind his back, he exuded a chilling sword intent that pierced the heavens.
The ancestor of the Sword Pavilion—Chen Huai'an.
The disciples of the Sword Pavilion were already quite familiar with him.
It wasn’t that no disciples had ever harbored thoughts about the beautiful Little Junior Sister.
But just by looking at the way Li Qingran gazed at the ancestor, one could tell that the falling flowers had intentions, while the flowing water was indifferent; moreover, this water was rushing toward the sea.
Silently wishing her well was enough.
Better to practice swordsmanship honestly.
“What are you all chattering about? We’re almost at the Secret Realm; straighten up!” Su Qinian approached with a dark expression, kicking each of the core disciples from various peaks.
The disciples of the Sword Pavilion immediately fell silent, finding their places and standing straight.
Only Yue Qianchi, the senior sister, was unafraid of Su Qinian and disregarded the rules, using her close relationship with Li Qingran to assert her influence, still discussing outfit choices with Li Qingran in a small compartment in front of the Sacred Chariot.
She had her eye on the white silk too.
But she preferred black.
…
In the Zhongzhou Secret Realm, surrounded by the vast mountains, two bronze gates loomed in the sky.
On the surrounding floating peaks were the Daoist platforms built by various sects throughout the ages.
At noon, the sea of clouds suddenly surged like boiling water, and the twelve floating peaks trembled simultaneously, the surface of the mountains shedding azure gold stones that turned into a shower of golden flakes.
The two bronze gates emitted a ghostly light, and within, a swirling mist began to form, the ancient runes on the doors floating like fish.
At the threshold of the Secret Realm, a nine-headed black serpent was carved in relief, its scales cracked, seeping spiritual energy that gathered in the clouds to form a tidal whirlpool stretching for miles.
“The gates of the Secret Realm are about to open!”
“This time, the Zhongzhou Secret Realm is opening in conjunction with the smaller secret realms once every ten years; the scale is indeed grand!”
“Of course! There are 18 sects alone, not to mention so many rogue cultivators, and among them are quite a few strong ones… the competition is getting fiercer.”
A group of rogue cultivators watched as the flying boats of the major sects positioned themselves on the floating peaks.
The flying boat of the Qingyun Sect was the largest, said to be forged from a segment of cloud captured by the ancestor of Qingyun, and from a distance, it truly resembled a cloud descending from the sky.
The Hundred Flowers Spirit Boat of Lingxi Valley was surrounded by colorful birds and butterflies, exuding fragrance wherever it passed, making it highly recognizable.
The Dan Sect still used an ancient medicinal cauldron as their boat, an old-fashioned design that was even covered in moss!
This year, the Spirit Beast Sect was riding a giant white-scaled python—each year was different; last year, they had a flame giant pig with lava mane that shook the ground with every step.
“Isn’t that the Daoist platform of the Sword Pavilion? How did the people from the Shaoyang Sect get up there?”
A cultivator pointed at the smallest floating peak, astonished.
“The Shaoyang Sect has been quite impressive in the past two years, producing a genius who entered the Golden Core stage before thirty, and their sect leader, Zhang Tinghai, has also reached the peak of the Transformation Stage… perhaps this time in the Zhongzhou Secret Realm, they might find an opportunity to break through to the Integration Stage?”
“Speaking of which, in previous years, the Sword Pavilion was usually the first to arrive, after all, their flying swords are fast, and they need to secure a position. Why is there no sign of them this year?”
“Tsk, they must be down on their luck~”
“Down on their luck? But I heard that not long ago, the Sword Pavilion was the first to discover that there were disciples practicing demonic arts within their sect and called for a self-inspection among the major sects. They even teamed up with several sect leaders to slay a major demon…”
“Isn’t that just hearsay? Have you seen it with your own eyes?”
On the Daoist platform of the Qingyun Sect.
Lu Changtian looked toward the adjacent floating peak, where the Sword Pavilion had been in previous years, but today it was occupied by the Shaoyang Sect.
It was clear that the Sword Pavilion’s strength had truly diminished.
“Li Qingran, oh Li Qingran, do you see? This is your choice.”
“I told you, leaving the Qingyun Sect to join the Sword Pavilion, you would regret it sooner or later.”
Thinking of the pitiful appearance of the Sword Pavilion disciples, he could almost envision how Li Qingran must look now, fallen from grace.
But he was different.
Table of Contents
