Chapter 472
In recent days, as the number of practice sessions increased, Xie Qingxue's resistance became more pronounced. Although Zheng Fa could still wield the Qingping Sword using the "Jiu Shan Jin Dan Fa," to unleash its extraordinary power, he needed Xie Qingxue's wholehearted cooperation.
But now... it was quite the opposite.
It was easy to guess why Xie Qingxue dared to act this way: although Zheng Fa had a hold over her, he was also wary of pushing her too far. The moment he revealed Xie Qingxue's secret, the "Jiu Shan Jin Dan Fa" would also be exposed.
While she couldn't resist Zheng Fa's influence over the Qingping Sword, it didn't stop her from being uncooperative.
After several attempts, there was no progress at all.
Xie Qingxue remained silent, merely watching Zheng Fa.
Seeing this, Zheng Fa stopped insisting and suggested they try again another day.
To facilitate Xie Qingxue's participation in the research, she had a guest house on Wanxian Island, right next to Yan Wushuang's courtyard. For these days, both of them had been in the Jiu Shan realm.
When Xie Qingxue returned, Yan Wushuang had just come back from Tongming Mountain, wearing an expression that suggested he had some juicy gossip to share.
"Senior Sister!" As soon as he saw Xie Qingxue, he couldn't help but exclaim, his face brimming with excitement. "Guess what I just heard?"
"What?"
Xie Qingxue frowned, seemingly troubled about how to handle her relationship with Zheng Fa. She naturally disliked the feeling of being manipulated, but now... she didn't dare to confront Zheng Fa directly.
"Zheng Fa has turned down the Taishang Dao, Haori Mountain, and the Yaoci family!"
Xie Qingxue was taken aback, processing the information. "He didn't ally with any of them?"
"Exactly!" Yan Wushuang nodded. "The Yaoci and Haori families are manageable, but I heard that the person from Taishang Dao, Cheng Kong, seems extremely frustrated..."
"He rejected them..."
Xie Qingxue lowered her head, her thoughts drifting elsewhere.
"Senior Sister, why do you think Zheng Fa would refuse?" Yan Wushuang continued, his curiosity piqued. He was well aware of the dynamics within the Jiu Shan sect and understood the current situation in the Xuanwei realm, which made him acutely aware of the Jiu Shan realm's predicament.
The Jiu Shan realm was powerful.
However, the treasures they possessed and the secret techniques they had accumulated could attract even more formidable enemies.
"Zheng Fa is just at the Golden Core stage... The Jiu Shan sect doesn't even have a Transformation stage cultivator. Now that there's an opportunity to join the Taishang Dao, how could he refuse...?"
Yan Wushuang's words were laced with confusion.
"Does he think that after defeating the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor once, the Jiu Shan realm is invincible?"
"From what I know of Zheng Fa, he isn't that arrogant!"
"This doesn't make sense..."
As Yan Wushuang muttered, Xie Qingxue gradually lifted her head and softly said, "No, their choice... perhaps it is the right one."
"Huh?"
Xie Qingxue didn't elaborate further, merely gazing at the sky, seemingly lost about the future. She was unwilling to be controlled by Zheng Fa, yet she felt even more hesitant than he did—unsure of which direction to take moving forward.
"Xie Xianzi?"
Zheng Fa's figure suddenly appeared at the courtyard entrance.
Xie Qingxue looked up in surprise, and Zheng Fa pointed outside, saying, "Xie Xianzi, since you are new to Jiu Shan, I haven't had the chance to show you around the Jiu Shan realm. Today, I happen to have some free time... how about it?"
Xie Qingxue pondered for a moment before nodding.
The two of them walked out of Wanxian Island, with Zheng Fa leading her straight toward the mortal realm.
"Xie Xianzi."
"Yes?"
"I now know your deepest secret, and you also know the most critical technique of our Jiu Shan realm..." Zheng Fa's words floated clearly to Xie Qingxue's ears in the wind. "So, I think we don't necessarily have to be enemies, right?"
Xie Qingxue remained silent.
Zheng Fa seemed to have anticipated her reaction and continued, "Xie Xianzi, I've always wanted to ask, why do you want to resurrect the Tianhe Patriarch?"
"For what reason?"
Xie Qingxue was taken aback, as if she had never considered this question, or perhaps she had thought about it but hadn't come to a clear conclusion.
After a moment of contemplation, she replied, "Because I grew up hearing the Patriarch's name... he is the person I respect the most."
"This respect, upon reaching the Transformation stage and learning some truths, has turned into a sense of injustice."
"Then I encountered the Qingping Sword..."
Xie Qingxue, usually quite talkative, now spoke in a flurry of sentences, breaking her earlier silence.
Zheng Fa listened quietly, and when she finished, he asked, "But what if the Tianhe Patriarch were to be resurrected?"
This was the very question he couldn't wrap his head around. The disciples of the Tianhe Patriarch were indeed admirable, but Zheng Fa genuinely didn't understand what Xie Qingxue wanted.
If the disciples had genuine feelings for the Tianhe Patriarch, Zheng Fa believed that.
But would Xie Qingxue be willing to sacrifice her life just for a sense of injustice?
That seemed excessive.
Xie Qingxue caught his drift, opened her mouth, but found herself at a loss for words, unable to answer the question.
"What are you trying to say?"
"I mean, if you, Xie Xianzi, are dissatisfied with the current situation or feel hopeless about the future, then I would like to ask you to take a look at the Jiu Shan realm now."
Zheng Fa looked at Xie Qingxue earnestly.
He had heard a saying: sometimes, nostalgia for the past is merely dissatisfaction with the present.
This was his speculation about Xie Qingxue.
Xie Qingxue's pupils constricted slightly, as if Zheng Fa had touched upon some of her innermost thoughts.
"What? Do you want me to be like Yan Wushuang, officially part of the Tianhe sect but truly loyal to the Jiu Shan sect?"
Xie Qingxue seemed momentarily dazed, then concealed her emotions, curling her lips in a hint of sarcasm.
"Exactly."
Zheng Fa suddenly smiled, a grin so sincere that it caught Xie Qingxue off guard. She studied him for a moment before asking, "What do you want me to see?"
"Has Yan mentioned the Shenxiao Flying Car to you?"
Xie Qingxue nodded, and Zheng Fa pointed to the sky, where dozens of improved Shenxiao Flying Cars were soaring through the air.
Below them was a great river.
The new Banshan City was situated on the left bank of the river, with flying boats departing from it, traveling along the river, passing by village after village, reaching another newly built state city in less than half a day.
Zheng Fa and Xie Qingxue remained unnoticed by the mortals, hidden in the sky.
These improved flying boats were of two types: one for transporting people and the other for cargo.
The passenger boats were more refined and safer, while the cargo boats were more rugged but had a larger capacity, each with its own advantages.
Though Banshan City was newly built, the bustling market was lively, with people from other state cities selling their specialties, villagers bringing vegetables and grains, and some merchants from afar exploring the market.
The vibrancy rivaled that of some major cities in the Xuanwei realm.
Outside the city were neatly arranged farmlands, with various crops thriving exceptionally well.
"What’s that?"
Xie Qingxue couldn't help but point at a Qi-refining cultivator giving a lecture in the fields.
"He's a disciple of our sect, currently working in the Agricultural Department of Banshan City," Zheng Fa recognized him at a glance and introduced him to Xie Qingxue.
At this moment, Xie Qingxue revealed a bit of her true nature, pressing for more information. "What’s the Agricultural Department?"
"It's the department responsible for disseminating agricultural knowledge within our sect."
Xie Qingxue's eyes widened in surprise. "Agricultural knowledge? You used this knowledge to cultivate Qingjing Bamboo and Fusang Wood!"
"Of course, this knowledge isn't easily shared," Zheng Fa admitted candidly. "They won't use it much; it's mostly new planting methods."
Xie Qingxue nodded at his words, but her gaze remained fixed on the Qi-refining disciple, watching him earnestly teach the farmers. She then turned back to Zheng Fa, puzzled. "But why?"
Zheng Fa looked at her, seemingly unsure of what she was asking.
"What’s the use of this?"
She noticed that her reaction to these things was different from Yan Wushuang's and Old Han's...
Ultimately, Yan Wushuang and Old Han had a certain compassion for the world.
But Xie Qingxue did not; she found it hard to understand why Zheng Fa would want cultivators to help mortals.
Zheng Fa pondered for a moment, then landed with her, and they walked through Banshan City like an ordinary young couple, surrounded by the lively chatter of classrooms.
"Because I am also dissatisfied with the current situation."
Zheng Fa suddenly said.
Xie Qingxue was taken aback by his words and turned to look at him.
"I don't know what you, Xie Xianzi, find wrong with the Immortal sect that makes you want to resurrect the Tianhe Patriarch."
"I also believe that the Immortal sect is mistaken today."
Zheng Fa's words added to Xie Qingxue's confusion.
"But I don't place my hopes for changing the Immortal sect on those from the past." Zheng Fa pointed to the children playing in the classroom and said, "I place my hopes in my own hands, and... in theirs."
"Them?" Xie Qingxue's tone was filled with disbelief. "How can they compare to the Patriarch?"
"Didn't we also create the 'Jiu Shan Jin Dan Fa'?"
Zheng Fa countered.
"That's because you have exceptional talent," Xie Qingxue replied matter-of-factly.
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