399: Chapter 11 A Step to the Heavens 399: Chapter 11 A Step to the Heavens Xie Xuanyi returned to Chen Mansion; it was already the time of Zi (around midnight).
In the deep of the night, a lantern hung in the courtyard of the mansion, and a young boy in plain clothes, hugging a heavy sword, dozed off under a tree, his head nodding like a pecking chicken.
Startled by the sound of the door opening, he suddenly looked up.
Xie Xuanyi just stood there at the threshold, locking eyes with the frustrated-looking young man.
“I’m back,” said Xie Xuanyi.
“…”
Duan Zhao didn’t speak, obviously sulking.
The details about this northern hunting expedition had spread throughout the streets and alleys of the Imperial City.
As a disciple of Lotus Peak.
He had not received a single message from Xie Zhen.
“It was urgent in the Imperial City,” Xie Xuanyi sighed helplessly, softly explaining, “After dealing with various matters, by the time I returned to the mansion, it had become this late.”
The little guy still said nothing, his expression full of resentment.
Xie Xuanyi noticed that among the things held together with the heavy sword in his arms was the Lotus Token.
“This is my fault.”
He rubbed his forehead, smiling bitterly, “Next time I will definitely send a message.”
“Don’t always say next time.”
Behind Xie Xuanyi, a ghostly voice sounded.
Huang Su, dressed in black, stepped into the courtyard.
She put away her sweeping cloud hairpin and casually sat down in the middle of the courtyard, brewing herself a pot of tea, “This manner of yours is just like my senior brother, always saying next time, next time…
Life is full of regrets, always saying that you will make up for them next time, but not everything will have a next time.”
“…”
Her words struck Xie Xuanyi, leaving him frozen in place.
Some habits are indeed very hard to change.
He did always do that; in his past life, he had traversed the Four Realms, sought challenges far and wide, and upon returning to Da Sui Sword Palace, the lights of Lotus Peak were always on, a pot of tea always waiting.
There was always one person, tirelessly waiting for him to come home.
Upon reflection, since entering worldly society,
He had never taken Jiang Miaoyin down the mountain to see the bustling and lively worldly society.
In his eyes, there were only swords and sabers, victory and defeat, life and death.
The younger sister who had accompanied him through mountains and rivers in his youth, to buy candied hawthorns and listen to operas, asked him more than once when they would go down the mountain together again, to see the fireworks of the human world.
Xie Xuanyi always said, next time, next time.
But when exactly would this next time be?
If there had not been the Undying Spring, would there have been a second chance in his life?
“Uncle Master Huang Su is right!”
Duan Zhao, who had been silent until then, finally spoke up, indignantly saying, “Little Pavilion Master, you’re truly unfair.
It was one thing not to take me on the northern hunt, but you didn’t even say a word when you returned to the Imperial City.
You said before that you would teach me swordsmanship, take me on the path of cultivation, but you didn’t keep your word.”
The little fellow was harboring a grudge, taking advantage of having Uncle Master Huang Su’s support, he vented it all in one breath.
But he didn’t expect that Xie Zhen’s response would be unusually gentle.
“You’re right,”
After a long silence, Xie Xuanyi spoke calmly, “I was wrong this time, there won’t be a next time.”
Huang Su raised an eyebrow, slightly surprised.
In the past, she always felt that this young man was nearly cut from the same cloth as her senior brother.
But now she sensed something different.
Would senior brother have said such a thing?
“Rest well tonight, and I’ll take you to the Martial Sect tomorrow.”
Xie Xuanyi patted Duan Zhao’s head, speaking softly, “Whether it’s a martial artist or a sword cultivator, one needs to fight.
The fiercer the fight, the quicker the advancement.”
The little guy’s eyes widened.
“Really?”
These past days had been quite frustrating for Duan Zhao.
Although Xie Xuanyi had asked Sang Zheng to take care of Duan Zhao, the Book Tower was, after all, a “place of refinement,” and this boy had no interest in reading or studying, couldn’t calm his mind, always thinking about finding someone to spar with.
In the beginning, Sang Zheng had the time to spar with Duan Zhao a few times, but after all, as one of the Black Scale Guards, he was busy with many things, so Duan Zhao couldn’t always bother him.
As the northern hunt began, the Chen Mansion’s courtyard also became desolate…
The families of Northern County invited these challengers to disturb Xie Zhenqing’s peaceful cultivation.
Xie Zhenqing had gone on the northern hunt.
The purpose of these challenges had become meaningless.
Thus, Duan Zhao could only silently practice his sword, silently train his fists.
Fighting and waiting, until today.
“Truly,”
Xie Xuanyi nodded seriously, giving his promise.
…
…
After returning to his room, Xie Xuanyi did not rest right away.
He sat cross-legged, silently organizing his thoughts, reviewing the events he had experienced during this time.
Although he did not obtain the Divine Fruit on this northern hunt, the enlightenment he attained of the Principle of Life was a far more valuable gain than the fruit itself.
Two strands of Taoist power manifested in the palm of his hand.
One black and one white, one strong and one weak.
The Rule of Destruction was evidently stronger than the Principle of Life.
If Xie Xuanyi wished, with a single thought, the Rule of Destruction could be fully solidified, the Cave Heaven Realm would be breached, the dust would settle on the Sword Qi Cave Heaven, and the Tao Rules would pave the way.
The Yin God Realm spans twenty stages.
One to five are called the Initial Realm, five to ten are the Middle Realm, and from ten to fifteen, the Late Stage.
After the fifteenth stage, one can inquire within themselves and seek the Tao, which is the final and hardest “Perfect Realm.”
Cultivators who grasped the power of the Tao Rules had this ability affect their strength after ascending to the Yin God Realm.
For those Yin God Venerables who advanced their ranks by consuming elixirs, no matter how hard they tried, they could never overcome the natural chasm.
Throughout their lives, they could only reach the Fifteenth Realm of the Yin God, at most, what is commonly known as the Late Stage.
Ask heart, seek the Dao, and even perfection…
had nothing to do with these people.
Some geniuses, due to the extremely powerful power of the Tao Rules they comprehended in the Cave Heaven Realm,
ascended beyond the Initial Realm as soon as they became Yin Gods.
When Xie Xuanyi comprehended the “Path of Destruction” and completed his ascension to the Cave Heaven Realm, he directly joined the ranks of the Middle Realm of Yin Gods, able to directly condensate a dharma image, fighting life and death battles with cultivators in the seventh and eighth realms of the Yin God!
Huang Su dared to challenge the Tai Shang House Master immediately upon becoming a Yin God for the same reason.
His own Dao was powerful enough to contend with cultivators in the Middle Realm of the Yin God.
Moreover, he had the top-grade sword set “Flitting Clouds.”
Even facing Late Stage Yin God cultivators, he could hold his own.
After the Yin God Realm is where the true path of cultivation lies.
“Dao…
The Dao…”
Xie Xuanyi looked at the two intertwining Tao Rules in the palm of his hand and fell into deep thought.
He originally planned to use the Divine Fruit to form the Divine Embryo and cultivate the Dao, but now the appearance of the Principle of Life has made his Cave Heaven Realm even more complicated.
The Divine Embryo needed cultivation, as did the Principle of Life!
Others began cultivating the Dao only after reaching the Yin God Realm…
But he had already started this step while still in the Cave Heaven Realm.
“Buzz!”
Right at that moment, the Lotus Token suddenly vibrated.
Xie Xuanyi’s thoughts returned to reality.
Only a few people could contact him via this token.
“Hey, Xie Xuanyi, are you alright?”
An irreverent female voice rang out.
“…”
Xie Xuanyi’s consciousness immersed into the Lotus Token, and as the mist shrouded the Purple Mansion, he arrived at the illusory scene of the Heart Lake.
Across the lake, sat a fluttering figure in red robes.
Ao Ying rested one palm on her knee, holding the Lotus Token in her other hand, her expression full of impatience.
She scrutinized the token over and over, frowning, “How do I use this thing?
Can you hear me?
You’re not dead, are you?”
The next moment.
A figure in black robe suddenly appeared before Ao Ying.
Startled, she jumped, but her brows showed signs of pleasant surprise: “Ho, you’re still alive.”
“It won’t be that easy to kill me.”
Xie Xuanyi calmly said, “Have you found a place to stay?”
“Of course.”
Ao Ying raised an eyebrow: “If I didn’t have a place to retreat and cultivate, I wouldn’t be using this token to contact you…
Are you really unharmed?
Not a scratch?
Have you returned to Great Chu yet?”
Xie Xuanyi was somewhat puzzled, not quite understanding why Ao Ying reacted this way.
“The Peacock Venerable battled with a Yang God of the Human Race on Li Lan Mountain, and the news has already spread back to the Demon Country; the entire Demon Country is in an uproar.”
Ao Ying spoke gravely: “The Dayue Secret Realm has surfaced, and the forces of Great Chu and the Demon Country have already started waging war on Snow Mountain…
Both sides are performing Soul Search on each other.
I heard that Great Chu believes you killed both the Tai Shang House heir and Prince Jiangning.
My advice to you is not to return to Great Chu; those guys are not simple.”
Xie Xuanyi immediately understood.
No wonder Ao Ying spoke in such a tone…
It seems this Dragon Girl has some tricks up her sleeve to have gotten wind of the Soul Search news from Snow Mountain.
“Your news is too late.
I’m already in Great Chu Imperial City,” Xie Xuanyi said.
Ao Ying paused.
“The troubles you’re worried about, I’ve already settled.”
Xie Xuanyi paused, then added: “Right now, the person the Taoist are most angry with is not me, it’s you.”
“???”
Ao Ying looked astonished.
She had a bad premonition that this guy might let her take the blame for everything.
“It’s about what you’re thinking.”
Xie Xuanyi could almost guess what the Dragon Girl was thinking at that moment.
He smiled and said: “You being in the Demon Country, taking some disasters on my behalf, it’s nothing much.
If you make enemies in the Demon Country, you can also use my name; I don’t mind.”
After all, the Demon Country Venerable couldn’t kill his way into the Great Chu dynasty.
“You…”
Angered beyond words, Ao Ying bit her lip, then said earnestly: “Was it true what you said before, that the Taoists have ears and eyes everywhere?”
Xie Xuanyi had the backing of the Da Sui Sword Palace and wasn’t afraid of the Venerable’s revenge.
But she was different.
She truly feared True Master Chong Kan and went to the northern reaches without regard to the cost, traveling thousands of miles to retrieve the Red Dragon Fortune.
“It’s true.”
Xie Xuanyi’s smile faded, speaking earnestly: “If Chong Kan is determined to head north, I’ll let you know.
If he wants to snatch chestnuts out of the fire, it could also be an opportunity for us.”
“Alright, with your word, I feel relieved.”
Ao Ying breathed a sigh of relief, her expression turning serious: “After this transmission, I will be in seclusion for a long period.
I can feel the True Dragon Blood of the Great Yue Kingdom merging with my bloodline; the ‘Feng Mou’ of Chiling City also seems to be merging into my body…
After this period of seclusion, I should be able to smoothly achieve the Venerable rank.”
The blood of a True Dragon transformed her lineage and elevated her bloodline level.
This fortune was immense!
Would Ao Ying’s ascension to Demon Venerable break through to which realm?
Given the current situation, at the very least, it would be the Middle Realm post the Four Realms, and even…
with the blessings of the True Dragon Blood and the Red Dragon Fortune, she might touch the bottleneck of the Tenth Realm directly!
What does it mean to ascend to heaven in a single step?
This was it.
…
…
(Happy National Day to everyone.
This update is sent out early; I must pack up and go for a meal, the next update will be around the same time as yesterday~)