Chapter 395: Chapter 295: Breaking Through the Shackles to Become a Great Grandmaster

On Jiangnan Dao, outside of Yu State City.

On the official road leading to Mao Mountain, a woman dressed in black rode swiftly on a white steed. She wore a treasure sword at her waist, its scabbard antique and elegant, with a black and red gem embedded on the hilt, indicating she was a person from the martial world of Jianghu.

While most martial arts masters had flocked to Yujing City, this woman did the opposite, riding instead towards the south.

Examining her face, she appeared to be in her early twenties, with an oval face and strikingly beautiful features.

Perched above her horse was a small black dog, Little Black.

This was none other than Tan Yun, who had slipped away from the Lv Sect.

“Father-in-law, Sect Hierarch…”

Upon learning of An Jing’s death and Zhao Qingmei’s disappearance, she was utterly devastated, her mind a blank, longing only to return to that most cherished place in her memories.

As she rode, tears streamed endlessly down her cheeks, her grief flooding out uncontrollably like a breached dam.

That heart-wrenching, breath-stealing pain kept assaulting her until her tears had dried, leaving her mind numb.

The feeling was similar to when her mother had passed away, and now she was experiencing it once again.

“Hngh!”

Suddenly, Tan Yun pulled hard on the reins and looked ahead. It was a nunnery, Jizhao Nunnery, which did not practice burning incense but instead was filled with flowers and plants used to worship Buddha.

The temple gate was small, the pathway narrow, allowing a full view of the courtyard in one glance.

Seeing Jizhao Nunnery, Tan Yun was submerged in memories. An Jing had once told her that if she continued to overeat and avoid chores, he would send her to Jizhao Nunnery, boasting that the vegetarian meals here were delicious.

An Jing had also mentioned that Jizhao Nunnery was a secluded nunnery, not well-known outside, mostly just to the people from nearby Yu State City.

This temple, perfectly blending Zen and beauty, derived its name from “Sense and then communicate, serene reflection mirrors all.”

The temple was originally constructed during the Zhou Dynasty, destroyed in the war that annihilated Buddhism across the Nine Kingdoms, and was later rebuilt under the stewardship of Zhao Ji, the Prince of Great Yan, who also inscribed the name Jizhao Nunnery on the temple gate.

In front of the temple, there were many flower beds but due to the arrival of autumn and winter, the flowers had not bloomed, featuring only dried leaves.

Among the many ways of offering to Buddha in Buddhism, offering flowers ranks first among the six kinds of offerings.

“Why are you so beautiful in this life? Because of flowers offered before the Buddha in a past life.”

To offer flowers is like offering one’s heart, maintaining purity amidst chaos, living in the mundane world, nourishing one’s nature and heart as pure and fragrant as flowers, untouched.

Tan Yun dismounted, and Little Black also jumped down with a grumble, then shook its body.

While the nunnery was usually quiet, it was now crowded with people, all with sad expressions, mostly there to pray for safety in these tumultuous times.

Surrounded by shady pines, the temple atmosphere was tranquil, imbued with a fresh and elegant air. Tan Yun stepped over the threshold, with various flowers and plants on both sides, devoid of the usual incense smell of temples.

Tan Yun’s steps slowed ever more.

Leaving behind all physical appearances is “Chan (Zen)”; maintaining inner peace and concentration is “Ding (Samadhi).”

And here, the quiet, simplicity, and peace gradually soaked into her mind and body.

“Benefactor, have you also come here to burn incense and pray?”

Just then, a melodious and gentle voice sounded beside Tan Yun’s ear.

Tan Yun turned and looked, seeing a plainly dressed nun. Her features were delicate, her eyes seemingly capable of speaking.

The person looked very familiar, and Tan Yun felt as if she had seen her somewhere before. Suddenly, she exclaimed, “Are you Miss Cao!?”

Cao Ling’er, the lady before her, was indeed the daughter of the head of the Cao Family, one of the four major families of Jiangnan Dao.

The beautiful nun bowed her head slightly and said, “Benefactor, there is no Miss Cao here, only Qing Shuang.”

“Truly, the ways of the world are unpredictable.”

Tan Yun paused and then sighed deeply.

She remembered that Cao Ling’er had been married to Mu Jie of the Mu Family, yet now she had become a nun here.

She also remembered that Cao Ling’er had seemed to have a fondness for her father-in-law.

Qing Shuang brought her palms together in front of her chest and said, “Benefactor, it seems you have troubles in your heart.”

Tan Yun said mournfully, “Father-in-law is dead.”

“Amitabha Buddha.”

Upon hearing this, Qing Shuang’s eyes closed tightly, her heart trembling momentarily, “All conditioned phenomena are subject to cause and effect; they arise when conditions are met, and wane when they dissipate. Nothing more than this.”

Tan Yun said, “I can’t let go.”

Qing Shuang replied, “There is nothing to hold on to or let go of.”

Tan Yun asked, “Have you let go? I want to know how you let go.”

Qing Shuang thought for a moment and said, “Just stop thinking and asking.”

Tan Yun said, “You are avoiding it, how can one not think?”

Qing Shuang was silent for a while, then said, “I just came to understand it in an instant, was relieved, and in the next moment, I could not understand it again, caught in this endless cycle every day.”

Neither of them spoke anymore, for when emotions reach such depth, how can one speak of letting go?

Are emotions pure?

What is always pure is not emotions but the person.

And what is always faithful is not love but the person.

So it is the person who doesn’t let go, not the love.

“Ah!”

Tan Yun let out a long sigh, now feeling the sensation of troublesome worries, “How do you find staying here?”

Qing Shuang slowly said, “Accompanied by flowers and plants, facing the turmoil of the world, I can still smile lightly. My heart is at ease, so my body is at ease.”

Tan Yun shook her head and said, “I don’t understand.”

The words of Qing Shuang left her feeling as if she were in clouds and mist, as if she understood yet at the same time, did not.

A breeze passed, making the tree branches sway with the wind.

If others heard these words, apart from sighing in admiration, they couldn’t help but gain some sudden enlightenment.

However, Tan Yun just felt hungry and couldn’t help but touch her stomach.

It turned out that besides drinking water, she had not eaten anything for two days and a night.

Qing Shuang glanced at her, placed one hand over her chest and smiled, “Benefactor, would you like to eat some vegetarian food? Our vegetarian meals here are delicious.”

“Woof woof! Very good!”

Little Black wagged his tail excitedly upon hearing this.

Tan Yun took a deep breath and said, “Then please lead the way, Master. Today, I want to eat three large bowls.”

“Please!”

Qing Shuang gestured invitingly with her hand, and the two of them walked towards the nunnery along the mountain road.

As they walked and talked, unlike the usual lively Tan Yun, today she mostly listened quietly while Qing Shuang talked incessantly, seemingly trying to console Tan Yun, yet it also seemed like she was speaking to herself.

“Woof woof! Woof woof!”

Just then, Little Black wagged his tail and started barking fiercely at the people ahead.

Tan Yun curiously looked over and saw a figure in white quickly flitting by in the distance.

The person turned around, leaving only a silhouette, but that silhouette was so familiar, as if engraved deep in her soul.

“Husband!?”

Upon seeing this, Tan Yun’s eyes suddenly widened, her entire being shocked and delighted, and she quickly chased after.

“Benefactor!”

Seeing Tan Yun suddenly so excited, Qing Shuang immediately shouted, but Tan Yun had already hurriedly followed.

Tan Yun rushed forward, but the figure in white suddenly disappeared as if it had never been there, all just her imagination.

Qing Shuang also came over, puzzled, and asked, “Benefactor, why are you so excited?”

Tan Yun grabbed Qing Shuang’s arm and said, “Master, did you see? Husband! My husband was just here!”

Qing Shuang looked at the woman in front of her, seeing herself in her early days, and could not help but say, “Benefactor, have some vegetarian food. You are starving and hallucinating.”

Tan Yun kept looking around, anxiously saying, “Really, I really saw my husband!”

That silhouette, she would never forget.

“Benefactor, your obsession is too deep.”

Qing Shuang patted Tan Yun’s arm and said, “I hope, benefactor, that no matter what you face in the future, you can always remain calm and gentle, peaceful and benevolent, smiling one smile like the touch of Buddha… In this life, the real ferryman is yourself.”

……

Beneath the towering peaks shrouded in thin mist, the bleak autumn wind rustled the leaves, and the warm sunlight shone down, piercing through the dense canopy above, densely interleaved, casting mottled tree shadows on the ground.

At this time, a figure in white emerged from the shaded path, his expression serene, his bright eyes like stars in the sky.

If anyone from Jianghu saw him, they would definitely be shocked.

Because the person was none other than An Jing.

Seated on an odd stone in the forest, covered with layers of fallen leaves, was a woman in her twenties, dressed in flowing white robes, with a bright red silk flower hanging from her left shoulder. Her features were delicate, resembling a fairy descended from the heavens.

And this exceptionally beautiful woman, naturally, was Zhao Qingmei.

An Jing brought out two portions of vegetarian meals and said, “Lady, I have returned.”

Zhao Qingmei carefully opened the packed meal and asked, “Is there any news?”

An Jing spoke softly, “The air of evil spirits has completely saturated the heaven and earth. More and more people are absorbing this demonic qi, and their temperaments are greatly altered. The situation is very chaotic everywhere. In my opinion, it won’t be long before even those in the First Grade realm and Grandmasters will be affected by this evil air, and then the world will be completely doomed.”

“Now, due to the Earth Vein Spirit, masters from all directions have already gathered in Yujing City, leading to unimaginable turmoil.”

Zhao Qingmei handed An Jing some chopsticks, saying, “The air is so dense with evil spirits, all because of the Earth Vein Spirit. It seems Yujing City really is the confluence of turbulent forces now.”

“Exactly.”

An Jing nodded and said, “All the masters of the world will go, including that eternal being from Qian Qiu.”

An Jing and the eternal being from Qian Qiu had their most dangerous battle at the peak in Beihuang Dao.

Although he had exerted his cultivation to the extreme, in the end, he was unable to defeat the eternal being from Qian Qiu, who had completely separated from heaven and earth.

In terms of skill, An Jing had the advantage, but in the way of the Dao, he was slightly inferior.

In the end, he had even been severely injured by the immense force qi of the eternal being from Qian Qiu. The eternal being had sensed correctly; An Jing’s internal organs had been catastrophically hit, and under such circumstances, the Paperman Substitute Death Skill would not have been able to revive him.

But this ancient monster, who had schemed for a thousand years, had miscalculated one thing. The Nameless Heart Scripture practiced by An Jing originated from and is superior to the Ghost Valley Heart Method, and his Paperman Substitute Death Skill had been optimized to perfection.

Moreover, the Nameless Heart Scripture itself was the number one mental method in the world, able to staunchly protect vital points, and the Great Celestial Star Refining Body Technique could use the light of celestial stars to recover quickly.

What corresponds to the light of celestial stars are the sun, moon, and stars themselves.

Thus, after An Jing was saved, due to the Nameless Heart Scripture and the Great Celestial Star Refining Body Technique, and with the addition of the Snow Lotus in Zhao Qingmei’s possession, his injuries had almost rapidly recovered.

Latter, he further absorbed the heaven and earth spirit essence from Zongzheng Huachun, making significant progress in his cultivation, having reached the peak of the Five Qi Grandmaster.

Zhao Qingmei earnestly said, “Husband, are you going to Yujing City?”

An Jing took the chopsticks and asked with a smile, “Do you want me to go?”

Though An Jing’s cultivation had improved somewhat, he had not progressed from a Five Qi Grandmaster to a Great Grandmaster. If he were to face the eternal being from Qian Qiu again, there was a chance of victory, but he did not have absolute confidence in his heart.

Zhao Qingmei earnestly said, “I know you want to go, and I want you to go too. Only by killing him and obtaining the Earth Vein Spirit can we peacefully leave this Jianghu.”

At that moment, Zhao Qingmei, after experiencing a series of emotional ups and downs, also yearned to leave Jianghu and return to a peaceful and stable life.

To have that peaceful life, they must address the Earth Vein Spirit and the eternal being from Qian Qiu.

An Jing nodded upon hearing this.

The two seemed to finally understand the melancholy of the older generations like Jun Qinglin and Lou Xiangzhen.

Jianghu is a quagmire; easy to enter, but extremely difficult to exit, always requiring some form of sacrifice upon departure.

An Jing said gravely, “This person is very powerful, not only possessing the cultivation of a Great Grandmaster but also skills unlike ordinary martial arts. Most crucially, he can completely separate from heaven and earth, essentially achieving unity with the heavens.”

The capabilities of the eternal being from Qian Qiu were truly unmatched in history. To thoroughly defeat him, An Jing needed to reach the realm of Great Grandmaster or achieve unity with the heavens.

Either of these would cause a fundamental transformation in his strength.

But reaching the level of Great Grandmaster is extremely difficult, not to mention the elusive concept of unity with the heavens.

Lv Guoyong had shattered the Literary Palace and had only achieved unity with the heavens for a mere quarter of an hour.

Zhao Qingmei’s lips curved upward as she said, “Husband, have you forgotten? I can help you reach the realm of Great Grandmaster.”

“Hmm!?”

An Jing’s eyes revealed a hint of confusion.

Zhao Qingmei said, “Dao Heart Demon Planting!”

“Dao Heart Demon Planting!?”

An Jing looked at Zhao Qingmei, “In doing so, all your cultivation will be annihilated, and you will have to start cultivating all over again.”

Nangong Weiping used the Demon Seed to transmit all her cultivation to Zhao Qingmei. Afterwards, Nangong Weiping’s cultivation was dispersed, and Zhao Qingmei rapidly advanced from a Second Qi Grandmaster to a Five Qi Grandmaster. This was under the condition of Nangong Weiping being greatly weakened; if it had been during her prime, perhaps she could have helped Zhao Qingmei reach the peak of Five Qi Grandmaster.

Dao Heart Demon Planting, compared to the Wedding Gown Skill, is vastly different. Dao Heart Demon Planting requires both parties to cultivate the Nine Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture. An Jing’s Nameless Heart Scripture already integrated the Nine Nether Purgatory Demon Scripture, so this was not an issue. Secondly, when Dao Heart Demon Planting transfers demonic qi, there will be some leakage, making it impossible for one’s entire cultivation to be transferred.

Simply put, the Demon Seed in Dao Heart Demon Planting serves as a bridge, requiring both parties to have certain qualifications for cultivation, while the Wedding Gown Skill is much simpler — directly infusing one’s entire cultivation into another person’s body. It has a lower entry barrier but a higher limit. However, cultivators of the Wedding Gown Skill typically have extremely poor talent, with a high entry barrier but low upper limit.

However, An Jing already being at the peak of Five Qi and just a step away from Great Grandmaster, coupled with the looser constraints nowadays and receiving Qi transmission from Zhao Qingmei’s Demon Seed, it was very likely he could reach the realm of Great Grandmaster.

But by doing this, Zhao Qingmei had lost her cultivation.

Zhao Qingmei was a woman whose character An Jing knew very well. Was she truly willing to let her cultivated skills dissipate into nothingness?

Grasping An Jing’s hand, Zhao Qingmei spoke softly, “If my cultivation is gone, then it’s gone. Don’t I still have you? Besides, didn’t you say you would teach me your ‘Nameless Heart Scripture’?”

“Wherever you go in the future, I will follow. What does strength matter when I’m with you to the ends of the earth?”

At this moment, she had completely let go of her inner struggles.

Fame, power–these were but fleeting clouds. In the grand, splendid journey of life, they were merely decorations found everywhere along the way.

An Jing, feeling the warmth in his palm, nodded earnestly and said, “Ok.”

Zhao Qingmei said, “Eat. Once we finish the vegetarian meal, I will begin imprinting the Demon Seed into your Qi Sea.”

An Jing nodded, and after the two finished their packed vegetarian meals, they tidied up briefly and moved to a secluded cave in the distance.

With a tap of his finger, An Jing triggered a massive surge of Qi Mechanism, forming an invisible thick fog.

The two sat cross-legged, facing each other.

Zhao Qingmei placed her palm above An Jing’s Dantian, then channeled a surge of True Qi from her body into An Jing’s Qi Sea, where it was instantly suppressed by a purple True Qi.

Such domineering True Qi!

Seeing this, Zhao Qingmei frowned slightly.

The True Qi derived from the “Nameless Heart Scripture” was exceptionally domineering and mighty, with a faint dragon’s might emanating from it, which was truly chilling.

Zhao Qingmei could only do her utmost, with endless streams of True Qi rushing towards An Jing’s Qi Sea, forcibly carving out a space which soon became a minor vortex where black Demonic Qi began to gather.

Thanks to her previous experience with Nangong Weiping’s Demon Seed, Zhao Qingmei’s speed in forming the Demon Seed was also extremely fast.

Several hours later, the black vortex had almost become invisible, reduced to a mere black dot.

The Demon Seed was born!

An Jing could clearly feel the emergence of the Demon Seed within him, but he experienced no discomfort.

Zhao Qingmei said, “Husband, my Demonic Qi will now flow continuously into you. We must break through your limits and reach the Great Grandmaster Realm in one go. This is our only chance.”

Breaking through to the Great Grandmaster was extremely difficult. With all of Zhao Qingmei’s Qi Mechanism converging and leveraging the burst of qi, there was a great chance to break through the shackles.

“I understand,” said An Jing, taking a deep breath and his expression growing incredibly solemn.

Zhao Qingmei’s cultivation, fed back through the Demon Seed, was indeed a tremendous opportunity. If it failed, all previous efforts would be wasted.

Then An Jing closed his eyes and began to wholly circulate the “Nameless Heart Scripture.” Immediately, the Heaven and Earth True Qi emitted a harsh Qingming sound and began to boil as if water had been set aflame.

Suddenly, centering on An Jing’s body, a water-like True Qi vortex formed, swirling around. The surrounding True Qi, like a surging river, rushed towards the vortex formed by An Jing.

The True Qi circulated through each meridian, constantly flowing into An Jing’s bones and blood, seemingly refining his body. This was the terrifying aspect of the “Nameless Heart Scripture.” Given enough time, even without Zhao Qingmei’s nourishment, he could reach the Great Grandmaster Realm.

“Boom!”

Seeing this, Zhao Qingmei, without any hesitation, directed the Qi Mechanism from her body along the Demon Seed into An Jing’s body. The Demon Seed suddenly surged out a vast sea of black Demonic Qi, then furiously rushed along his meridians.

An Jing felt his entire body swelling, his skin burning hot as if he was about to explode, but he knew he had to endure.

Meanwhile, with the influx of Demonic Qi, the bottleneck that was already slightly loose could no longer be contained.

Pain–that was the only sensation spreading throughout every part of An Jing’s body, a sharp, defined agony. But in facing this, he had no choice but to endure through the hardship.

The process of forcibly infusing cultivation through the Demon Seed meant enduring the pain caused by the powerful aura in that instant.

However, despite the torment, what slightly consoled An Jing was that he could clearly feel that, with the spread of the searing pain inside him, waves of powerful True Qi were dispersing from the areas of intense heat; his marrow, bones, meridians, almost every part of his body gradually underwent transformative changes.

This wave of hot True Qi continuously flowed within An Jing, circulating through his system seven times in just the duration of one incense stick.

This agony shot straight to his head, making his spirit dazed momentarily; he was solely surviving on tenacity during such a painful breakthrough.

Zhao Qingmei, seeing her face grow somewhat pale, whispered, “Husband, you must hold on.”

“Just hold on…”

In this agony, An Jing completely fell into a trance-like state between waking and sleeping, almost losing the concept of time; the only thing he could feel were his bones and meridians becoming even more resilient and refined under the tide of hot True Qi.

Boom!

The revolving True Qi streams around suddenly erupted into several pillars of True Qi, demonstrating tremendous force.

Zhao Qingmei, watching this scene, felt extremely tense; she knew that at this moment, An Jing was charging towards the vital pass, a crucial moment.

Now, An Jing’s mind and soul were united, all the Qi Mechanism within his body methodically locking up in the longevity lock, then heading towards the Spiritual Lamp above his head.

As long as the spiritual lamp was lit, one’s cultivation could reach the Great Grandmaster realm.

However, lighting the spiritual lamp was the hardest step.

The mind was the most vulnerable part of the human body, susceptible to severe damage from even a slight mishap.

Therefore, An Jing continuously compressed all his breath, again and again, until it turned into a purple thread, which circled around the spiritual lamp toward the wick.

The higher the purple thread moved, the harder it became, as if faced with enormous resistance that made it difficult to progress even an inch.

But as long as he neared that wick, he would be able to ignite the heavenly lamp in his mind and ascend to the Great Grandmaster realm.

With Zhao Qingmei’s entire cultivation supporting him, which compensated for An Jing’s shallower foundation, it wasn’t long before the purple Qi Mechanism spread to the center of the spiritual lamp.

At that moment, as the breaths crowded, a stabbing pain surged instantly, almost causing An Jing to faint; fortunately, he steadied his mind in time and continued to control the Qi Mechanism upwards.

As time flowed, the pain intensified, feeling as if countless needles were pricking his brain.

The speed of the Qi Mechanism’s ascent slowed down more and more until it almost stopped entirely.

In the cave, An Jing’s breathing grew more and more rapid and his forehead was covered with dense cold sweat; beside him, Zhao Qingmei clenched her fists tightly, her heart filled with nervousness.

Even though she knew breaking through the Great Grandmaster’s shackles was this difficult, watching An Jing’s condition, she realized she had underestimated the challenge.

Suddenly, the True Qi that was still rushing towards An Jing dispersed abruptly.

His momentum also plummeted in an instant, and the breathing from his body seemed to disappear all at once.

“Could it be that he failed?”

Seeing this, Zhao Qingmei couldn’t help but show a trace of a bitter smile, saying, “It seems that breaking through the shackles of a Great Grandmaster is indeed too difficult.”

A Great Grandmaster could obtain a lifespan of three hundred years, truly a land immortal of the current age, and historically, Great Grandmasters have been few and far between, each one a prominent figure, and yet there had not been a master who reached the rank of land immortal before the age of fifty.

All these geniuses steadily progressed step by step, having great determination and fortune to break through to this realm.

Moreover, An Jing was under thirty at this moment.

If it wasn’t for the anomaly with the Earth Vein Spirit, perhaps he wouldn’t have risked trying at all.

Within An Jing’s body, the purple breath still struggled to ascend; but, due to tremendous resistance, it was always just a bit short of progressing any further.

The “Nameless Heart Scripture” gradually ceased to operate, and the abundant breath started to show signs of weakening.

Zhao Qingmei’s lifelong cultivation, transformed by a Demon Seed, was not the entire cultivation of a Five Qi Grandmaster, naturally not directly assisting An Jing in an unhindered breakthrough of the Great Grandmaster’s shackles.

An Jing’s heart sank, and he completely succumbed to it, and in this daze, a speck of light surged from the depths of his Divine Soul.

Earth Book!

An Jing suddenly discovered it was the radiance of the Earth Book!

As the radiance of the Earth Book was unleashed, the breaths explosively increased in an instant, like floodwaters through a breached dam, surging upwards, turning the insurmountable climb into an effortless ascent.

Then, effortlessly, it reached the wick in front of him, lighting it up at a touch, and releasing a searing purple radiance.

The True Qi inside his body began to thicken, becoming sticky, until it turned into drops of liquid falling onto the Qi Sea.

True Yuan!

This was one of the hallmarks of a Great Grandmaster!

Boom-!

Inside the cave, An Jing’s body suddenly erupted with streaks of purple radiance; the dense breath surged out of the cave mouth and then soared into the sky.

As the purple radiance arrived mightily, it covered three hundred miles.

With Zhao Qingmei standing beneath this purple radiance, enveloped in the vast oppressive breath, she further realized the extraordinary nature of this Qi, involuntarily parting her lips in awe.

A heavenly phenomenon!

This was the second heavenly phenomenon to appear on An Jing’s person!

The first occurrence was when he completed the “Nameless Heart Scripture,” and the second was today.

However, this heavenly phenomenon had just appeared when An Jing retracted it quickly, preventing others from seeing it.

“Could it be that the husband truly broke through to a Great Grandmaster?”

Seeing this phenomenon, a hint of unexpected joy sparkled in Zhao Qingmei’s eyes.

The magnificent purple Qi surged forth, streaking directly to the nine heavens, dispersing the clouds above the sky.

An Jing’s breath soared for a moment and then absorbed back completely, concealing everything as if nothing had happened.

“Whew-!”

An Jing opened his eyes and slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air.

Zhao Qingmei asked, “Husband, have you made a breakthrough?”

An Jing smiled and replied, “I have.”

Although Zhao Qingmei had already guessed it, hearing An Jing personally confirm it still relieved a tension in her heart.

An Jing looked at his palms and said, “I feel not only has my cultivation improved, but my body has undergone a transformation once again.”

Having reached the Grandmaster and cultivated a mental method beyond the Heavenly Martial Level, it is said that one’s bones transform into jade. An Jing had long been in the Jade Bone Realm; this breakthrough as a Grandmaster not only revolutionized his cultivation but also tempered his bones.

It could be said that the breakthrough to Grandmaster increased An Jing’s strength many times over.

Zhao Qingmei looked at An Jing’s face and couldn’t help but reach out and pinch it, saying, “Not only has your cultivation greatly advanced, but you also look much younger.”

An Jing touched Zhao Qingmei’s hand and asked, “Really?”

Zhao Qingmei replied, “Yes, it’s truly enviable.”

An Jing held Zhao Qingmei’s hand tightly, his heart filled with immense tenderness.

This strong-willed woman, carrying a hint of dominance, had poured all that she had for him, her entire cultivation dissipating into nothingness.

An Jing said, “Let’s go. We’ll head to Yujing City now and settle all scores.”

Zhao Qingmei took a deep breath and said, “Alright, let’s go.”

……

Outside Yujing City, deep in the forest of Wangjing Mountain.

Tall, robust trees shielded all sunlight.

Cold breezes emanated from the shadowy, dark woods.

A figure stood atop a tree, gazing at the distant Yujing City.

The person was very emaciated, his face also extremely aged, and the tree beneath his feet seemed to lose all vitality, its branches and buds starting to wither.

If previously this person was relatively unknown in Jianghu, now his name was known across the world.

This person was none other than the Heavenly Slaughter Divine Palace’s Wutu.

It was he who had divulged the news about the Earth Vein Spirit to the world, causing a stir and shock across the lands, thus drawing all the masters towards Yujing City to seek the Earth Vein Spirit.

At that moment, a figure clad in black swiftly flew from the distance, landing on an adjacent branch, and greeted Wutu with a fist salute, “Palace Master, now that masters from all over have gathered, it seems they might strip a layer off Yujing City’s Dragon Locking Well. It seems there will be quite a spectacle.”

This person was Pang Ban, a master of the Heavenly Slaughter Divine Palace, whose proficiency in poison skills had reached the pinnacle. Though his power was slightly inferior to the leader of the Heavenly Blade Alliance, his notoriety far surpassed that of the alliance leader, causing even the experts of Guishuang to shudder.

“A spectacle?”

Wutu, in his raspy voice, spat out sharply, “I only like to join the excitement. The Earth Vein Spirit has been corrupted by evil spirits and has mutated. The breach of its boundaries is imminent. When that happens, these lurking Grandmasters will reveal themselves, and they are the only ones fitting to be my adversaries…”

Pang Ban pondered for a moment, then suggested, “With so many masters, sitting on the sidelines and watching the tigers fight seems most appropriate, especially Xi Hafu, that Sage from the Ten Directions, and the mysterious Grandmaster that appeared from Ba Mountain; the strength of these three should not be underestimated.”

Wutu nodded, his brows furrowed, “Especially that Sage from the Ten Directions, he is terrifying. Even the Ghost Swordsman was slain by him. Could it be that the Ghost Swordsman was critically injured, giving him an opportunity?”

Seeing the Ghost Swordsman slay Zongzheng Huachun on Ba Mountain clearly, he well understood the Ghost Swordsman’s strength, so he was especially shocked to learn that the Sage from the Ten Directions had killed the Ghost Swordsman.

Pang Ban said, “This Sage from the Ten Directions is no ordinary person. I haven’t been able to unearth his origins, but he’s indeed the master of Qi Xuan Dao, Qiu Fengsheng, Qin Shan, Zongzheng Huachun, among others–definitely not a simple character.”

Wutu sneered, “No matter how big the fish and how deep it hides, it will soon surface. I want to see who this Ten Directions Sage really is.”

As his words fell, the sky above darkened with dense clouds, and black malevolent energy surged like a tide, seemingly ready to suppress the heavens and the earth.

From those clouds emerged a mournful, piercing sound, and then an ancient grand hall appeared, slowly descending in front of Wutu.

Wutu walked towards the grand hall, his aura somber and stern, suddenly shifting as if he were an emperor overlooking all, imperious and unrivaled.

Pang Ban had seen countless exotic treasures, including the Life and Death Hall.

But still, seeing the Life and Death Hall right before his eyes, he couldn’t help but shiver.

……

Zhao Country, Cloud Tower.

On this day, the sky was clear until it suddenly darkened, the clouds rolling in like the tide and bringing with them a fierce wind, causing sand and soil to fly chaotically within moments.

Qian Qiu, the Deathless, sat cross-legged on a stone platform, his face extraordinarily pale, his lips devoid of any color, his body trembling continuously.

Qi Xuan Dao stood not far away, having been a disciple of Qian Qiu for over seventy years. Qian Qiu had always been as indifferent as water, controlling heaven and earth in his palm. Who had ever seen him in such a disheveled state?

The reason this peerless expert, who had commanded ages, appeared so disheveled was due to the battle with the Ghost Swordsman days before.

In all the history of grandmasters, never had anyone brought Qian Qiu so close to defeat, so severely wounded, nearly falling at a critical moment.

From that day’s departure in panic, one could glimpse clues as to why the Ghost Swordsman was so terrifying.

“Has Chenghuang been brought along?” asked the Undying Qianqiu in a trembling voice.

Qi Xuan Dao brought forth the Chenghuang from behind him, “Right here.”

Looking at the Chenghuang, the Undying Qianqiu pondered for a moment. Then, glancing at Qi Xuan Dao, he said, “Drain its blood and pour it into the blood tank.”

“Yes.”

Qi Xuan Dao took a deep breath, vaguely understanding something.

His teacher was guarding against him. Was it because he himself did not have the strength to even cut the flesh of the Chenghuang?

Could the Ghost Swordsman have truly inflicted such severe injuries on him?

Without daring to think further, Qi Xuan Dao then slashed with the Minghong Blade in his hand directly cutting the Chenghuang’s calf. Blood immediately began rushing out, pouring into the blood tank below.

The blood of the Chenghuang, this exotic beast, carried a faint fragrance as it floated in the air.

“Sever its artery,” commanded the Undying Qianqiu.

Qi Xuan Dao looked up and said, “Teacher, if I sever the artery, I fear the Chenghuang will die.”

The injuries of the undying Qianqiu were very severe; he needed the continuous treatment from the Chenghuang’s blood. In Qi Xuan Dao’s view, killing the Chenghuang now was undoubtedly a desperate remedy.

The Undying Qianqiu stated succinctly, “Sever it!”

“Yes!”

Qi Xuan Dao dared not disobey, and with another slash of the Minghong Blade, bright red blood sprayed out, spattering into the blood tank and slowly trickling deeper inside.

The blood tank continuously filled, then released massive amounts of radiant light.

The Undying Qianqiu shivered, then directly lifted his own shirt.

As Qi Xuan Dao finally saw the injuries, his scalp went numb, for the sword wound on the chest had split open the flesh and severed the bone. One could even see traces of internal organs.

How could such a person not be dead!?

The sight profoundly shocked Qi Xuan Dao!

After opening his chest, the chest quickly began absorbing the radiant light. Minor injuries around it actually started healing at a visible rate, while the blood in the tank was continuously vanishing.

As the Chenghuang continuously bled, the blood was simultaneously fading away.

The injuries of the Undying Qianqiu were continuously healing, but the sword wound remained unchanged.

This was the Sword Qi of an Immortal Sword. To kill An Jing, the Undying Qianqiu had forcefully taken this blade of Sword Qi, which turned out to be much sharper than he had anticipated.

If it were not for his unique abilities, he might have also died under this sword.

“Teacher, the blood of the Chenghuang is gone,” said Qi Xuan Dao, looking at the Chenghuang in his hands.

“Give me the Chenghuang!”

After absorbing a great deal of the Chenghuang’s fresh blood, the Undying Qianqiu looked much rosier. He then extended his palm and directly drew the Chenghuang to his hand.

By then, the blood in the Chenghuang had drained completely; it was dead beyond doubt.

Without any hesitation, the Undying Qianqiu reached out his hand directly into the heart of the Chenghuang and pulled out the bright red heart, taking a bite, then swallowing it down with a move of his throat.

He actually swallowed the Chenghuang’s heart alive!?

Even as experienced and steadfast as Qi Xuan Dao was, he couldn’t help but be shaken by this sight.

A heart the size of a fist was devoured by the Undying Qianqiu in no time at all.

After consuming the Chenghuang’s heart, the complexion of the Undying Qianqiu visibly changed, and his chest began to heal at a rate visible to the naked eye. In just a few breaths, his chest had returned to its original appearance, seemingly without a single scar.

Moreover, the wrinkles on the Undying Qianqiu’s face were also dissipating, and his features gradually looked younger.

The fierce wind blew, dispersing the clouds surrounding him, and the blazing sun shone down, as if thousands of arrows were shooting towards him.

As the Undying Qianqiu stood under the brilliant sun, with heaven above and earth below, he spanned all directions with an overwhelming presence that even the grand heavenly majesty could not cover. The spectacle left Qi Xuan Dao utterly astonished.

Unable to resist, Qi Xuan Dao asked, “Teacher, are your injuries completely healed?”

No one was more aware than him of the severity of the injuries the Undying Qianqiu had received, inflicted by several great grandmasters together. If a regular great grandmaster had them, they likely would have perished.

“No, just temporarily suppressed. It’s only for seven days, but now I also have the cultivation of my prime years, and there is not a grandmaster in the world who is my match,” replied the Undying Qianqiu calmly.

“For this Earth Vein Spirit, I’ve waited a thousand years, and I wish for no mishaps to occur,” the Undying Qianqiu stated flatly, yet his words echoed like thunder in Qi Xuan Dao’s ears.

Peak cultivation period?!

The peak cultivation of Qian Qiu, the undying, a supreme master of all ages, would be terrifying!

You see, previously when he fought with other great grandmasters, his body was severely damaged. He seldom exerted his full strength, except when facing some tough masters, where he used all his might in just a move or two.

And now that Qian Qiu the undying can use his full strength without any reservations, who else could possibly be his opponent?

Qi Xuan Dao couldn’t help feeling a surge of excitement, exclaiming, “Who in this world could still stand against the teacher?”

……

East Lin Road, a mountain pathway.

This winding path was rough and rugged, and though it was the closest route between Yun Hua Road and East Lin Road, few people chose it.

It was evening now, and the orange sunlight shone down, making the earth appear golden and warm.

On the mountain path within the forest, two somewhat shifty bald men were sprinting at great speed.

One bald man, dressed in black, was carrying a big red bundle on his back and holding a long blade in his hand; the other bald man, rugged and wild-looking, followed closely behind.

These two were Han Wenxin and Jie Lu, who had just escaped from the Demon Sect’s base in Yujing City.

At this moment, characters dressed in odd garments were pursuing them, and a closer look revealed they were Jianghu folks tainted by evil spirits, none of whom were particularly strong.

Han Wenxin fought as they retreated, his long blade ferociously powerful, bursting with sword Qi, and soon he and Jie Lu had slain all the Jianghu folks tainted by the evil spirits.

They did not linger but plunged into the dense forest, desperately heading south.

Jie Lu shouted, “Senior brother, wait for me, wait for me; my inner strength is almost depleted.”

“Inner… Inner strength this weak, and you call yourself a Pirate?”

After hearing this, Han Wenxin gasped for breath and paused under a large tree.

Jie Lu panted heavily, “Senior brother, we’ve been running for a day and a night, even a thousand-mile horse couldn’t take it anymore.”

Han Wenxin gave Jie Lu a stern look, “Not run? Do you want to die?”

Jie Lu said cluelessly, “Die!? Didn’t all those people we encountered along the way die?”

Han Wenxin then took down the bundle from his back, opened it to check, and found his silver and valuables still intact, relieved, he said, “What do you know? Yujing City is in chaos now, with Jianghu masters gathering. Are we a match for them with our meager skills? Plus, my brother has gone. As the saying goes, when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter; if we don’t leave now, staying on in the Demon Sect will only bring big trouble.”

As he said this, Han Wenxin’s expression grew somber.

Without An Jing and Zhao Qingmei, he was nothing in the vast Demon Sect; he might even get killed by others, so it was better to flee to show respect.

Jie Lu scratched his head, whispering, “That’s true. We are also traitors to Buddhism; staying in Yujing City is indeed dangerous.”

Han Wenxin remained silent, as identities of being Jishi Hall’s Doctor and Demon Sect’s Ghost Swordsman flashed through his mind.

He wanted to avenge An Jing, but he knew he could never avenge him in this lifetime.

The person capable of killing An Jing, what kind of person would that be?

It was unthinkable for him to not only kill him but even encountering such a person could be improbable.

After a while, Han Wenxin gathered his spirits, “Let’s go, let’s hit the road. The silver I looted from the Demon Sect should keep us happy for a long while. When we get back, I’ll buy a figurine house and stick pins into that undying Qian Qiu.”

Jie Lu said earnestly, “Alright, I’ll also contribute some of my money for buying two houses.”

Han Wenxin raised an eyebrow, “You? Where do you have silver?”

Jie Lu pointed to Han Wenxin’s bundle, rubbing his hands, “Don’t I get a share of that silver?”

Upon hearing this, Han Wenxin immediately turned red with rage, “This is what I painstakingly embezzled; you think you’re entitled to a kickback?”

The rugged-looking Jie Lu looked aggrieved, “Fine, keep it then.”

Han Wenxin glanced around and urged, “Let’s move fast, who knows if we’ll encounter other Jianghu masters tainted by evil spirits on this road.”

Just as Jie Lu was about to speak, suddenly a red shadow appeared in the sky, moving incredibly fast and almost instantly passing by.

Jie Lu murmured, “Senior brother, I think I just saw the Exotic Beast Honghu from our sect, flying towards Yujing City.”

Ever since An Jing died in Northern Wilderness Road and Zhao Qingmei disappeared, Honghu had also vanished from Jianghu alongside them.

Han Wenxin said irritably, “How could that be? You must be seeing things, let’s hurry up.”

Saying so, Han Wenxin hurriedly ran off towards the distance.

Jie Lu touched his head and quickly followed.

“…..”