Chapter 147 - Arc 11: The Sect"s Grand Compet.i.tion | Chapter 147: Return

Translator: Lynn

The voice that broke the argument was both clear and melodious, causing the two disputing parties to fall into momentary silence.

Wan Chengke immediately recognized that it was the senior he had been waiting for inside and couldn’t help but feel fl.u.s.tered. His earlier attempt to a.s.sert himself during the dispute now seemed ill-advised, and he regretted not conceding earlier. He knew he had to win the favor of this senior to avoid potential repercussions. Panicking inwardly, Wan Chengke quickly composed himself, sporting a broad smile, and said, “Senior, why have you come? I was just about to retrieve the ‘Fuwen Tongfa,’ but I was a tad too late. Please don’t hold it against me, senior.”

Xu Ziqing nodded in acknowledgment and then turned his attention to the other individual.

Before him stood a slightly plump young man with round cheeks and narrow, squinting eyes—a rather commonplace appearance. Upon seeing Xu Ziqing, he immediately deduced his seniority. Although he was still unwilling to let go of the ‘Fuwen Tongfa,’ he could only mutter quietly, “Junior Ying Peng pays respects to the senior.”

Ying Peng was clearly concerned about this matter. He had only just learned that others were interested in the ‘Fuwen Tongfa,’ but he himself couldn’t bear to part with it.

It was worth noting that the way of talismans encompa.s.sed a wide range of knowledge and was often too vast to be recorded using spiritual consciousness alone; it had to be written down. If a talisman master wasn’t well-versed in runes, they couldn’t comprehensively transcribe the contents. Hence, the author of the ‘Fuwen Tongfa’ must have been a master well-acquainted with these runes. The cultivation level of this master was a mystery, but the remaining runes were undoubtedly their handiwork—a treasure in itself. Furthermore, since it was written by hand, it inevitably bore traces of the talisman master’s understanding of the way of talismans. Possessing this comprehensive method would greatly expedite one’s mastery of the art. This explained why it commanded such a high price in merit points.

Xu Ziqing didn’t say much and turned his attention back to Wan Chengke. He inquired, “Can you secure this comprehensive method?”

Wan Chengke responded with a smile, “Senior, rest a.s.sured, I’ve reached an agreement with the manager. As long as you follow me to the manager’s office and have your ident.i.ty verified, the steward will present the Fuwen ‘Tongfa’ to you personally.” Concerned that Xu Ziqing might misunderstand, he added, “The ‘Fuwen Tongfa’ is incredibly valuable, and as a junior, I can’t simply hand it over without proper procedures. I hope you understand, senior.”

Xu Ziqing inwardly sighed, realizing that this was reasonable. Wan Chengke, as a mere servant working in the Tiangong Pavilion, couldn’t casually hand over such a precious common method. He nodded and said, “Very well, lead the way to the steward then.”

With Wan Chengke leading the way, Xu Ziqing left contentedly. Meanwhile, Ying Peng, with a resentful gaze directed at Wan Chengke, departed disappointedly, realizing that he had missed out on this opportunity.

The subsequent transactions proceeded smoothly. Xu Ziqing promptly set aside 500,000 credit points and exchanged them for the “Fuwen Tongfa,” which he carefully stored in his storage ring to avoid any mishaps. In addition, he acquired two hundred low-grade talismans, fifty middle-grade talismans, and ten high-grade talismans to study the basic spirit patterns. This cost him tens of thousands of credit points but proved essential for his studies.

Wan Chengke was reluctant to see Xu Ziqing leave and hoped for his return multiple times to bolster his earnings.

Once Xu Ziqing left the Tiangong Pavilion, he headed straight back to Xiaolu Peak. The mountain was not protected by a formidable barrier; the only checkpoint was Yun Lie’s sword intent.

Remarkably, Xu Ziqing was not met with any resistance from the sword intent as he entered the peak.

As he ascended the mountain, he felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity. The lower half of Xiaolu Peak remained barren, but from the mountainside upwards, it was adorned with vibrant greenery. Each plant was personally planted, and every inch of fertile soil was meticulously nurtured by Xu Ziqing.

Upon reaching the mountaintop, he encountered an unrelenting frigid killing intent enveloping the entire peak, manifesting as patches of murderous frost and cl.u.s.ters of ice flowers. It was both captivating and chilling.

Finally, Xu Ziqing arrived at the base of the mountain, standing before the cave.

This cave had been Yun Lie’s own creation but had since become Xu Ziqing’s dwelling.

Just as he approached, a sudden gust of wind swept toward him.

The world seemed to whirl as sand and rocks filled the air, signifying a significant battle was taking place.

Caught off guard, Xu Ziqing did not evade the approaching tempest due to the strangely familiar aura carried by the wind.

As a result, he was struck down right onto the ground, tumbling backward instantly.

At that moment, Xu Ziqing found himself lying on a bed of plush green gra.s.s with an unusual weight pressing down on him. An eagle’s head repeatedly nuzzled against his cheek, and he realized it was Chonghua, whom he hadn’t seen in several months.

Under the gentle but weighty presence of the eagle, Xu Ziqing struggled for breath, feeling a tickling sensation from its affectionate rubbing. A warm smile played on his lips as he patted the back of Chonghua’s head and teased, “Chonghua, have you grown heavier again?”

Chonghua responded with a few eagle cries, then spread its wings and hopped to the side, peering at him.

Xu Ziqing bent his arms, twisting his body to get a better look at Chonghua. It had certainly grown significantly during their time apart. Now, it was about half a foot long with an additional foot in the wingspan when extended. Its appearance had grown more majestic compared to before.

Its feathers were sleek and glossy. The black ones were as deep as ink, while the golden ones gleamed like shards of gold, making it a striking and luxurious sight.

Not having seen Chonghua for so long, Xu Ziqing felt a sense of longing. Not only had Chonghua grown in size, but its monster power had also become remarkably strong. With joy in his heart, he stood up and approached, grasping Chonghua’s head and neck affectionately.

Chonghua’s eagle eyes reflected its own delight. If it were capable of refining human-like expressions, it might be chatting and laughing now. Unfortunately, refining a human form was an exceedingly difficult task, so it could only express its joy through wing flaps and low cries as it welcomed its master back.

In this tender moment between man and eagle, a figure descended from the mountain’s summit.

This man, dressed in a simple gray shirt, was not tall in stature. Yet, he carried himself with a straight-backed, almost spear-like posture and exuded an air of aloofness.

After descending a few steps and noticing Xu Ziqing playing with Chonghua, he hesitated briefly before hastening over to greet him with a bow. “I greet Senior Xu.”

Xu Ziqing offered a warm smile in return. “Yan Shuang, it’s been a while. You’ve been taking good care of Chonghua.” He affectionately ruffled Chonghua’s head and continued in a gentle tone, “Chonghua, did you bully Yan Shuang?”

Though Chonghua couldn’t articulate human words, it understood human language. In response to Xu Ziqing’s question, it vigorously shook its head and let out a low, rea.s.suring cry.

Yan Shuang replied humbly, “This is my duty, Senor, and I don’t dare to accept your praise.”

Observing Yan Shuang closely, Xu Ziqing couldn’t help but notice the rare glimmer of genuine happiness in his eyes. He couldn’t contain his curiosity and inquired, “Yan Shuang, has something good happened to you?” A thought crossed his mind: given that Yan Shuang had descended from the mountaintop, perhaps he had received some favor from his senior brother that allowed him to display such positive emotions.

Although Yan Shuang had always been reserved, he was still quite young among spirit birds, having recently transitioned into his youthful stage. This youthful vigor was evident as he spoke, “Master allows this servant to observe swordsmanship on the peak every day, so this servant is incredibly delighted.”

Understanding the significance of this opportunity, Xu Ziqing offered his congratulations, “In that case, congratulations. Keep up the good work.”

Yan Shuang responded earnestly, “This servant understands!”

As a spirit bird, Yan Shuang recognized that the chance to closely observe such powerful swordsmanship was a rare gift, something one couldn’t simply stumble upon. Slavery didn’t matter when weighed against such an extraordinary opportunity.

Xu Ziqing deeply admired Yan Shuang’s dedication and took a moment to glance at Chonghua before waving at him.

This time, Chonghua didn’t perch on his shoulders or soar into the sky. Instead, he gracefully turned over and lay down on the ground.

Xu Ziqing paused for a moment, then smiled and inquired, “Can Chonghua carry me?”

Chonghua responded with enthusiastic nods, his eagle eyes gleaming with joy.

With soft eyes, Xu Ziqing followed his instincts and leaped onto Chonghua’s back. Although Chonghua’s size was smaller compared to fully mature birds, his back was sufficiently broad to comfortably accommodate Xu Ziqing’s modest frame.

As Xu Ziqing settled cross-legged on Chonghua’s back, the eagle spread its wings and soared into the sky, quickly becoming a small black dot on the horizon.

This wasn’t Xu Ziqing’s first time riding a bird, but the experience felt distinctly different from previous occasions. As he pressed his legs against Chonghua’s warm back, it almost felt as though he could sense the blood coursing beneath the feathers. Their connection as a master and his beast was profound, and soaring through the skies together made Xu Ziqing feel as if their souls were intertwined.

He could intuitively communicate his desires, and Chonghua would respond without fail, ensuring flawless cooperation regardless of the destination or circ.u.mstances.

Chonghua soared through the air with breathtaking speed, displaying a hint of playfulness as if melding seamlessly with the wind. The nuances of the wind caressing his feathers were discernible even to Xu Ziqing.

At this moment, Xu Ziqing felt as though he had melded into Chonghua’s being. Chonghua’s senses became his, and each of the eagle’s muscular movements felt as if they were his own, resulting in a liberating sensation. The pair flew together, almost exuberantly, dancing through the sky for an extended and joyous stretch.

Eventually, Chonghua began to tire from their exhilarating flight, and Xu Ziqing returned to his senses.

With a simple thought, Chonghua possessed him, guiding them toward their intended destination—the peak.

They reached the summit of Xiaolu Peak.

The atmosphere here was shrouded in an aura of relentless determination, a palpable manifestation of ruthless intent. Numerous murderous thoughts crystallized into frosty blossoms, adorning the bare mountain walls, creating an otherworldly icy landscape.

The mountain was etched with several deep sword marks, not randomly placed, but rather imbued with profound wisdom.

They emanated a relentless, indomitable, and overpowering aura.

Amidst these countless sword marks sat a stern man dressed in unadorned clothing. His eyes gleamed with a divine light.

Deep within his eyes, a dark longsword loomed, exuding an irresistible sense of peril.

He was in the process of refining his sword intent, tirelessly honing his sword heart.

Suddenly, a piercing sound from the sky shattered his meditative focus.

The man lifted his head and observed a majestic eagle approaching rapidly. Its wings spanned the heavens, casting a shadow over the landscape. On the eagle’s back, a young man in a blue brocade robe descended gracefully, a warm smile adorning his face.

“Yun Shixiong, I’ve returned!” the young man exclaimed.

Yun Lie raised his head and nodded in acknowledgment.

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