In terms of parallelism, rhythm, and rhyme, these three poems are all at the level of amateur doggerel.
The three poets were not scholars of Green Cliff, lacking profound poetic skill. The only one who had studied at Green Cliff, He Qingqing, had worn a veil and hidden in the corner back then, her mind wholly devoted to practicing the qin, with no involvement in the academy's popular poetry societies.
The Hero Summons excels in its vigorous brushwork, with elegant, free-flowing, and varied calligraphy that fully displays its artistic mastery. Ordinary cultivators, gazing at it for just a moment, feel a majestic aura rushing toward them, stirring their hearts and minds.
Meanwhile, the poems by Chen Hongzhu and He Qingqing also contain the dazzling sword aura of "Hundred Flowers Killer," the resplendent qin resonance of "Nine Heavens Jade Pendant," and the extraordinary ambition of the poets.
With these three gems set before them, who among later visitors would dare leave their own writings here?
As soon as Yuan Qingshi spoke up to stop them, those around chimed in agreement:
"Sect Leader, both poems have their merits, but we prefer the one that says, 'Dare to make heaven and earth change colors.'"
"In my view, Sect Leader He's poem, depicting immortal mountains and seas of clouds, with its vast imagery spanning heaven and earth, is no less impressive than the neighboring Hero Summons! The one about 'wind, flowers, snow, and moon' dares only to hide in the corner of the stone table—if you don't look closely, you'd never notice it."
"Moreover, the words 'flowers' and 'moon' are repeated twice, making the imagery monotonous. How can it compare to Sect Leader He's poem?"
He Qingqing said, "Zhuxin, since you discovered this poem, what do you think?"
"Me?" The named girl started in surprise, then said blankly, "I don't understand poetry. I just feel that while the Sect Leader's poem is powerful, it's too intense and strenuous. This one, though, is both heroic and effortlessly graceful. So I still prefer the one about wind, flowers, snow, and moon... Ah!" Poked in the back by a fellow disciple behind her and glared at by those around, she fell silent.
He Qingqing sighed softly. "Enough. The merits and faults of the ages will be judged by posterity. Erasing it now would only make me seem like a sore loser. Let's go."
With that, she lightly flicked her sleeve, turned, and left.
The others hurried to follow, crowding around her as they headed toward Cosmos Palace.
Yuan Qingshi suddenly glanced back, taking one last look at the writing on the stone table. An inexplicable sense of foreboding stirred in his heart:
Dare to make heaven and earth change colors.
Wasn't his master, Xu Yun, now the "heaven" of the righteous immortal alliance? What "colors" did Fairy He wish to change?
Distractedly bringing up the rear of the group, his master's earlier admonition echoed in his ears: "That He Qingqing comes from a lowly background and has mediocre talent. She defied fate with her 'Wind and Snow Array Entry Tune' and has climbed to where she is today—truly, she has some luck. She is ambitious, and you alone may not be able to contend with her. To control a woman, it's best to marry her. Once wed, you rise and fall together. No matter how much power she holds, she will be your wife and will always be slightly beneath you."
Yuan Qingshi thought to himself, My master has a point. I must find a way to restrain her, lest she later do something to harm the Huawel Sect.
"I'll announce your arrival!" He quickened his pace, rushing ahead into the hall.
Before He Qingqing even stepped into Cosmos Palace, she heard Xu Yun's robust voice ring out: "Sect Leader He, my apologies for not greeting you properly. You've been troubled lately with the immortal alliance's trivial matters. Please, come in and let us talk."
The Huawel Sect members felt both relief and concern, unsure whether their sect leader's condition had improved or if he was merely putting on a brave front.
With a heavy thud, the hall doors swung open like the gaping maw of a giant beast.
He Qingqing strode across the threshold. "It's my duty, Sect Leader Xu Yun. There's no need for such courtesy—"
The doors slammed shut behind her.The hall stood empty, devoid of attendants for daily needs, with only countless sharp swords floating mid-air.
Yuan Qingshi stood awkwardly before the curtain. "Ahem, Sect Leader He, the Main Peak's formation requires regular maintenance. These are for testing the formation."
He Qingqing smiled faintly. "It's fine."
Xu Yun was extremely wary of her, yet had no choice but to seek her help. Besides her, this righteous sect leader dared not let anyone else know about his physical condition.
Xu Yun ordered Yuan Qingshi to remain outside the curtain, summoning only He Qingqing inside.
He sat cross-legged, his face deathly pale, cheeks deeply sunken, eyes bloodshot and bulging—a terrifying specter bearing no resemblance to his usual transcendent demeanor.
"My time is limited, so I'll be direct. Save me today, and I'll save you tomorrow. But if you scheme or play tricks... heh, this is the Huawel Sect. With the formation's power, you'll never leave Cosmos Palace! See these swords? You're young with a bright future—surely you don't wish to perish here with me."
Guided by the formation, the floating swords trembled and hummed, instantly turning to point their tips at He Qingqing's back.
Xu Yun first disarmed He Qingqing's vigilance with hospitality, waiting until she relaxed inside Cosmos Palace before threatening her with the deadliest means.
Blocked by the curtain, Yuan Qingshi couldn't hear their conversation but saw the sword hilts turn and panicked. "Fairy He, do not defy Master."
He Qingqing stepped back as if frightened. "And then?"
Xu Yun's tone softened. "No need to tense up. Once my injuries heal, I'll ensure you're well rewarded. After all, when I ascend, the Huawel Sect will be left to you all."
Having been sect leader for two centuries, he expertly alternated threats with incentives.
"Us?" He Qingqing asked.
"I'll hold a grand engagement ceremony for you and Qing Shi," Xu Yun said. "The Huawel Sect and Celestial Sound Sect will henceforth share breath and branch, close as family."
He Qingqing understood. "Oh—so that's what you think."
Xu Yun said, "Sect Leader He, you're intelligent. You know this is the best path."
He Qingqing complied and approached. "First take the Ascension Pill, Sect Leader Xu Yun, then I'll assist your energy circulation."
Since entering the hall, she had maintained proper decorum, raising no objections to Xu Yun's threats or arrangements.
Xu Yun was very satisfied.
He greedily swallowed the Ascension Pill, feeling abundant vitality rise from his Purple Palace, flowing through every Meridian.
He Qingqing stood behind him, channeling Spirit Qi with both hands.
Xu Yun's complexion quickly regained its rosy fullness, his eyes shining with divine light. Feeling the shadow of death vanish, he laughed heartily. "Truly a miraculous pill!"
At that moment, He Qingqing suddenly exclaimed, "Sect Leader Xu Yun, you've already suffered Qi Deviation. The Ascension Pill is useless to you."
"What did you say?" Xu Yun was stunned.
How could she, his kindred, say such a thing suddenly?
As he spoke, excruciating pain shot through his Meridians, his Purple Palace ruptured, and blood gushed from all seven orifices!
The dense Spirit Qi of the Huawel Sect continuously poured into Cosmos Palace through the formation. Originally clear and colorless, it now transformed into a crimson mist upon touching him.
The turbid blood-red Spirit Qi sank. He seemed to sit in a blood pool shrouded by red haze, a horrifying and dreadful sight.
And He Qingqing cried out in alarm, "Sect Leader Xu Yun, what's wrong? Someone, quickly, someone come!""You're seeking death!" The moment Xu Yun was wounded, he attempted to activate the formation to kill He Qingqing, only to find himself completely immobilized. Spirit Qi surged backward through his meridians, forcibly drawn out and rushing toward the dark red prayer beads on He Qingqing's wrist.
"No! How can this be?" Xu Yun's cultivation realm plummeted rapidly—within a single breath, he had fallen from the Transformation Stage to the Golden Core stage. Furious beyond measure, he spat out, "If you kill me here, do you think you can escape the Huawel Sect?"
The panic on He Qingqing's face vanished, replaced by a faint smile. "Everyone will know you died from Qi Deviation. What does it have to do with me?"
"You're carrying a Shadow Retaining Jade?!"
"It only recorded up to when I called for help. After that, you lost your mind and attacked indiscriminately. I barely managed to escape... If you hadn't practiced this cultivation method or taken those elixirs, you wouldn't have met this fate." He Qingqing twirled the crimson beads on her wrist, now glowing with intensified bloody light, and murmured softly, "Stop glaring. Your cultivation was always meant for me. Even if you hadn't invited me this time, I would have found a way to claim it. Your injury came at the perfect moment, saving me time. When I need something, it arrives at my doorstep—proof that destiny favors me."
Xu Yun seethed with hatred, his eyes nearly bursting from their sockets. "Witch! You treacherous and vile creature—you'll die a wretched death!"
He Qingqing threw her head back and laughed. "I only care about living joyfully to the fullest. Who wants a 'good death'?"
Xu Yun tried to speak again, but only short, piercing syllables of hatred escaped his throat.
His body withered and collapsed continuously, as if the flesh and blood within his skin were being forcibly drained. With his final ounce of strength, he barely managed to open his mouth and utter three words: "Xian Jianchen..."
As the words fell, his life force extinguished like a lamp running out of oil, leaving behind a desiccated corpse.
In his last moments, he had to rely on the name he hated most in his life to confront the enemy before him.
He Qingqing didn't catch it clearly. "What?"
"Boom!" A thunderbolt struck!
The palace roof shattered. He Qingqing leaped aside, hurling her blood-red prayer beads to block the attack, but half her sleeve was still scorched by the lightning flames.
"Old bastard!" She scanned her surroundings, heart still racing.
It was an unspoken secret among the Huawel Sect's higher-ups that uttering Xian Jianchen's name in the Cosmos Palace would draw a thunderbolt.
Xu Yun could no longer hear any curses.
He Qingqing circled his remains once, admiring the frozen rage and resentment on his face. She extended a finger and gave a gentle push: "In all my life, I've hated being looked down upon the most."
"Crash."
The desiccated corpse toppled forward, shattering into a pile of dust.
Thus, a righteous sect leader of his generation returned to dust.
The mountain mist had dispersed, replaced by a clear, sunny sky.
Beneath the Fleeting Water Bridge, the five-colored carp swayed their heads and tails, their scales reflecting the sunlight in bright, shimmering flashes.
Outside the Cosmos Palace, a crowd had gathered. Whispering among themselves, they stared at the tightly shut palace doors with a mix of anticipation and worry:
"Leader He isn't a healing cultivator, and she's so young. Can she handle this?"
"Whether she can or not, it has to be her. It's truly strange that the sect leader refused to let anyone else examine him after his injury."
Suddenly, the great hall trembled, a thunderbolt descended, and then they heard Yuan Qingshi's despairing roar: "Master—"
Shocked, the crowd unanimously summoned their magical artifacts and rushed inside.
The hall was in disarray, with numerous masterless longswords scattered across the floor. Tattered curtains hung askew, and candleholders lay overturned.
A large hole gaped in the roof where the thunderbolt had struck. A brilliant beam of light poured through the opening into the deep, shadowy hall.
He Qingqing stood quietly in the radiant beam, her face slightly pale and her sleeves tattered:
"Sect Leader Xu Yun succumbed to Qi Deviation and has passed away."
The crowd erupted in uproar.Countless furious gazes shot toward He Qingqing:
"Impossible! The sect leader's cultivation runs deep—how could he suffer Qi Deviation!"
"What did you do? Why did you trigger the trap left by 'that person'?"
He Qingqing gently smoothed her cloud-like hair: "This jade hairpin happens to be a recording magical artifact. See for yourselves."
Moments later, the Cosmos Palace fell into deathly silence. The younger disciples sighed repeatedly, while several elders wept openly.
"Why does the recording cut off? Why did Sect Leader He record this in advance?" an elder questioned. "Disciple Yuan, you were in the hall the entire time—what did you witness?"
All eyes shifted to Yuan Qingshi.
Dazed and unwilling to believe the reality before him, he initially intended to claim he saw nothing. Yet he sensed something amiss in this affair.
Then He Qingqing's voice transmission reached him: "Your master has passed. The dead cannot return. That 'legitimate heir' Chen Hongzhu waits to claim the sect leadership. Look around this Cosmos Palace—who doesn't covet the position? The Huawel Sect faces internal strife and external threats. Will you consider the bigger picture? Do you want my help? Will you be sect leader or a stray dog?"
Yuan Qingshi's gaze swept across each suspicious or shocked face. In his daze, he saw Chen Hongzhu approaching the sect leader's throne, casting him a mocking smile.
The illusion vanished when he blinked. He expected to feel torn, anguished, and indecisive, but instead met He Qingqing's profound, resolute eyes.
Perhaps they were kindred spirits?
Yuan Qingshi took a deep breath, hearing his own hoarse voice declare: "Master... Master truly died from Qi Deviation and reversed Spirit Qi flow."
"You witnessed this yourself?" another asked.
"I... I saw it with my own eyes." Yuan Qingshi moved to stand behind He Qingqing.
He Qingqing announced: "Before his ascension, Sect Leader Xuyun entrusted the Righteous Immortal Alliance to me. I could not bear to let him depart with regrets, so I accepted."
An elder murmured dissent: "How could the sect leader entrust the Immortal Alliance to an outsider?"
Yuan Qingshi declared loudly: "Sect Leader He previously served as 'Acting Alliance Leader'—her contributions to the alliance are evident to all. How can she be considered an outsider?"
Having made his choice, he could only go all in: "I am Master's sole disciple. Before his passing, he bequeathed the sect leadership to me and entrusted the Immortal Alliance to Sect Leader He. Who disputes this? Step forward."
The events unfolded too suddenly. Most present were too stunned to think clearly.
A few sighed inwardly, recognizing He Qingqing as a formidable player. With the situation irreversible, the Huawel Sect was destined to exist in name only—henceforth, the alliance would dominate.
The wise adapt to circumstances. Following He Qingqing promised Ascension Pills and official positions. Now was the perfect time to pledge allegiance.
Someone immediately proclaimed: "The alliance cannot lack leadership. We implore Sect Leader He to inherit True Person Xuyun's legacy."
"Sect Leader He's promotion from 'Acting' to 'Alliance Leader' is rightful and proper!"
"Disciples of the Celestial Sound Sect, step forth!" He Qingqing commanded.
The sect's members flooded the hall, bowing in unison: "We greet the Alliance Leader!"
...
On an auspicious day, bells and drums resounded as colored silks filled the sky.
He Qingqing formally assumed the role of Immortal Alliance Leader in Hongfu County, scattering Ascension Pills with a sweep of her sleeve.
Elixirs fell like rain—the ceremony's grandeur surpassed all predecessors.
Standing atop Thousand Canals' city walls, one could hear the roaring cheers from the opposite mountains:
"Long live Alliance Leader He!"
"May Alliance Leader He reign for millennia!"Ji Chen propped his head in his hand, gazing at the dark mass of Cloud Ships over Hongfu Prefecture: "I'd say they've all gone mad. They started shouting last night, kept it up all night long, even shouted the sun out. Our organized singing couldn't drown them out."
Wei Zhenyu leaned against the wall, a blade of grass between his teeth: "That elixir is truly strange. Tell everyone to stop singing and prepare for the final battle."
At this moment, he neither resembled the Commander of Thousand-Ditch Prefecture's guards nor the Wei Wang of Northern Desert, but rather Wei Ping before he came to Thousand Canals.
As if he regarded his own life lightly, casually drifting between life and death.
A cluster of purple flames burned in his right palm, suddenly flaring higher.
Meng Heze leaned beside him, saw this and shifted away while holding his sword: "Be careful practicing 'Inexhaustible Fire,' don't burn my scabbard. This is the precious sword Senior Brother Song forged for me. That He Qingqing—I've had enough of her long ago. Had I known it would come to this, by the Three Lives Stone I should have..."
Before he could finish, Ji Chen interrupted: "No! Senior Brother Song was at the Three Lives Stone. If we go further back, that night, if the three of us had joined forces..."
"Can't you have any ambition?!" Wei Zhenyu spat out the grass root. "We're not afraid of her now either. Win this final battle, and we'll go to the snow plains to bring Senior Brother Song home!"
This battle had been truly arduous.
Thousand-Ditch Prefecture was mostly populated by mortals. During the war, the cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death for millions still continued on this land.
If the people of Thousand Canals hadn't possessed unwavering conviction, rumors would have spread through streets and villages long ago, and order would have collapsed from within.
But a bowstring stretched too long will eventually snap.
At last night's meeting of the three ministries, Tie Sanniu, Minister of Works, said: "We can't afford to drag this out. The gunpowder and medicines in the warehouses are nearly depleted. The workshops are working day and night—prolonged operation increases the risk of explosions."
Liu the Carpenter, Minister of Agriculture, added: "We've already missed the summer harvest; we can't miss the autumn harvest too."
Minister of Education Zhu Ping sighed: "The children haven't attended school for too long; even their games involve dividing into teams to fight. They've learned hatred far too early."
Wei Zhenyu stood atop the city wall, raising his long sword high, delivering his final speech to the people:
"The battle has reached its final moment! Thousand Canals stands at the brink of life and death! Victory will surely be ours! Win this battle, and we'll go home to harvest wheat!"
His words were simple and plain, yet they stirred the heart.
The people of Thousand Canals shouted in unison: "Harvest wheat! Harvest wheat!"
Hongfu shouted "Long live Sect Leader He," while Thousand Canals shouted "Go home to harvest wheat."
Hearing each other's cries, both sides thought the other had gone mad first.
The cultivators of the Immortal Alliance recklessly expended Spirit Qi using various supernatural abilities, vying for battle merits, determined to conquer Thousand Canals.
The Thousand-Ditch Protective Array controlled by Ji Chen could no longer block all attacks. Meng Heze led the charge into battle, while Wei Zhenyu deployed all artillery units, musket teams, and iron puppets to cover them.
The most intense, most frenzied great battle erupted completely.
From day to night, explosions roared like summer thunder, streaks of firelight surged like purple dragons emerging from the sea, and billowing smoke and dust shrouded the sky for a hundred miles.
"Did they take drugs? Damn it, they've gotten so strong!" Ji Chen clutched the Array Disk, breathing heavily as he cursed from the city wall.
Wei Zhenyu wasn't faring much better. The "Inexhaustible Fire" wasn't fully tamed yet; he didn't dare release it completely for fear of burning Thousand Canals behind him. Controlling just one-tenth against the enemy still drained his spirit immensely.
Outside the city, the battlefield was fraught with peril. Meng Heze fought drenched in blood, while the disciples of Song Courtyard showed no intention of retreating.Behind them lay Thousand Canals—where else could they retreat?
Yuan Qingshi stood on the deck of the Cloud Ship, directing the battle: "Success or failure hinges on this moment! If we win this battle, everyone will share in the Spirit Stone mines and treasures of Thousand Canals! If we lose, we can only wait for Xian Jianchen to reclaim his Lifebound Sword and become ghosts beneath his blade! Comrades, fight with everything you've got!"
Amid earth-shaking drumbeats, the cultivators of the Immortal Alliance surged with battle fervor, launching a full-scale assault.
Suddenly, Yuan Qingshi felt a chill in his heart and leaped from the Cloud Sword with his sword.
"Boom!"
Where he had just been standing, wood splinters flew everywhere as flames erupted.
Though the Cloud Ships had protective arrays, they were not as sturdy as Thousand Canals' Protective Array. Various explosive Talismans fell like meteors from the sky, scattering the fleet and forcing the drumbeats to cease.
The Immortal Alliance cultivators at the front didn't know what was happening. Seeing flames behind them, they thought they had been surrounded by Thousand Canals' forces. Some continued attacking, while others turned back to reinforce the rear, instantly throwing their formation into chaos.
"What's going on? Did Thousand Canals attack us from behind?" Yuan Qingshi roared.
How could Thousand Canals possibly have the strength to flank them from the rear?
"It's not Thousand Canals' people!" reported a scout-specialized cultivator.
"Then who else could it be?! At this critical juncture, who would come?"
All reinforcements outside Thousand Canals had already joined the fray, and there were no other major forces in the Cultivation World capable of influencing the war's outcome.
"It seems to be Green Cliff's people—they're all wearing green robes!"
"Didn't Green Cliff seal its academy? Why would they suddenly appear here?"
The Immortal Alliance members looked back and saw Green Cliff's fleet emerging from the night clouds. A young cultivator at the prow of a ship attached an Amplifying Talisman and shouted:
"Friends of Thousand Canals! Green Cliff has arrived late!"
Green Cliff had many Talisman practitioners skilled in long-range attacks.
Those at Golden Core level and above drew Talismans mid-battle, while those below continuously launched prepared Talismans.
Suddenly, an intensely bright blade light cut through the night sky like lightning splitting the darkness!
The largest Cloud Ship of the Immortal Alliance shattered into pieces and plummeted from the sky.
"Damn, it's Ziye Wenshu's Snow Blade! Retreat quickly!"
"The esteemed Green Cliff Courtyard Overseer Ziye Wenshu actually ambushed us at such a time!"
To call it an ambush wasn't entirely accurate—it was more that they happened to catch the Immortal Alliance fully focused on their assault, leaving no attention for elsewhere.
Both Thousand Canals and the Righteous Path Immortal Alliance had viewed each other as sole enemies, never expecting a third party to join the battle at this moment.
Thousand Canals and its allies felt their spirits soar and pressed the advantage: "Friends from Green Cliff, we see you!"
Thousand Canals had once again repelled the enemy and gained powerful reinforcements!
The Immortal Alliance suffered heavy losses and had no choice but to withdraw from above Hongfu, taking refuge in the Poison Miasma Forest. They used the dense foliage to evade Green Cliff's Talisman attacks.
Amid their fury, they even felt a trace of absurdity.
After fighting so hard, had it all been for nothing?
Where did Ziye Wenshu even come from?
Both sides sounded retreat, and the battle once again reached a stalemate.
"Ziye Wenshu arrived at just the right time," Wei Zhenyu said.
Ji Chen remarked, "But we still don't know what was inside the case our senior brother gave him."
Meng Heze added, "Whatever it was, he came. But don't you find it strange? Why is He Qingqing nowhere to be seen?"
Wei Zhenyu pondered briefly. "If I were her, unable to win yet needing to consolidate authority, with death awaiting either way... the only choice would be negotiation.""You mean she'll go talk to Ziye Wenshu?" Meng Heze said. "That makes sense. He Qingqing comes from Green Cliff and seems to have some past connection with Ziye Wenshu."
Ji Chen asked, "Will Fellow Daoist Ziye reach an agreement with her?"
The three of them exchanged glances and fell into momentary silence.
※※※
The cultivators from the Immortal Alliance still held an inexplicable confidence in their new alliance leader. They erected protective barriers in the poisonous miasma forest, waiting for He Qingqing to come up with a solution, but only received news of her entering seclusion instead.
Yuan Qingshi distributed Ascension Pills to calm the crowd: "Everyone, please remain calm! The Sect Leader already has a plan!"
But what exactly the plan was, he didn't know either.
Moonlight couldn't penetrate the dense forest; looking up, one could only see interwoven branches and leaves.
Most disciples of the Celestial Sound Sect gathered around the Jet-Black Gold Carriage, guarding the person inside with a tight formation.
"Hey, Zhu Xin, the Sect Leader is calling for you."
The girl tuning her qin hurriedly put away her instrument: "Senior Sister, you said the Sect Leader is calling for me? Just me alone?"
"Only you!" The guiding disciple sounded somewhat envious. "Hurry up."
Zhu Xin felt momentarily anxious and cautiously entered the luxurious Jet-Black Gold Carriage.
She saw He Qingqing reclining on a soft couch, her wide sleeves draped down, feigning sleep with closed eyes. Her extraordinarily beautiful face showed slight fatigue.
"Greetings, Sect Leader," Zhu Xin said softly.
He Qingqing didn't open her eyes: "I haven't given you Ascension Pills. Do you resent me in your hearts, think I'm not good enough?"
Zhu Xin quickly shook her head: "No, we were all brought into the Celestial Sound Sect by Senior Sister. Without Senior Sister, a minor disciple like me from a mortal background would probably need ten years to establish myself, fifteen years to have my own Lifebound magical artifact. It was Senior Sister who changed the Celestial Sound Sect's system. Senior Sister has always been very good to us disciples. It's just..."
She felt she had spoken wrongly again and quickly closed her mouth: "I've never been good with words, please don't blame me, Sect Leader!"
"What is it? Speak," He Qingqing said.
"It's just that I don't like fighting," Zhu Xin said.
"This Sovereign doesn't want to fight Thousand Canals either, but had no choice but to take over this mess from Xu Yun. This is the first major event since I assumed position. If I let so many people return empty-handed, where would the Alliance Leader's prestige be? Where would the Immortal Alliance's standing be? At the beginning of the Immortal Alliance's establishment, we need shared fear, hatred, and goals."
Zhu Xin couldn't answer, tentatively asking: "Then we can only continue fighting?"
He Qingqing: "The enemy has strong reinforcements arriving. Continuing to fight would only result in mutual destruction, with neither side gaining advantage."
Zhu Xin: "Will the Alliance Leader go see Ziye Wenshu, negotiate terms with him, make him withdraw Green Cliff from this battle?"
He Qingqing said indifferently: "Useless. This Sovereign won't go see him either."
Zhu Xin made a bitter face: "Then what should we do? I really can't think of anything."
He Qingqing was amused: "Calling you here to see me wasn't to make you come up with ideas!"
She lightly waved her sleeve and summoned a qin from her Storage Bag.
The qin surface shimmered with radiant green light, like a spring pond under moonlight.
Zhu Xin gasped softly, exclaiming joyfully: "Green Ripple Platform? What a beautiful qin!"
"It was my first qin," He Qingqing said.
Zhu Xin looked at He Qingqing with slight surprise. Since Jiangyun's death, no one had seen such a soft expression on Senior Sister's face.
"If, after seven days, I haven't returned, take this qin and go join your brothers. You can go to any of them." He Qingqing looked down at the qin. "Take good care of it for me."
Zhu Xin received the qin with both hands, knelt and bowed, flustered: "The Celestial Sound Sect cannot do without its Sect Leader. And I'm not clever enough, my talent isn't the best either... several junior sisters are better than me... I'm not worthy of this qin."
"What worthiness or not! This Sovereign said 'if'." He Qingqing raised her eyes, transforming back into the authoritative Alliance Leader: "Go now. Don't speak of this matter to anyone."
Zhu Xin put away the qin, her heart heavy.
Where was the Sect Leader going? What was she planning to do? Why was she going alone, without bringing any helpers?"Why not let anyone know? Is it extremely dangerous?"
"Can this matter resolve our current predicament?"
...
The vast snowfield was a forest of ice sculptures, a sea of flowing blood.
Countless icicles fell from the sky like a torrential downpour.
In this battle where neither sky nor earth, sun nor moon could be seen, Song Qianji almost lost all sense of time's passage.
The Shadowless Sword darted back and forth, swift as the wind.
The Truth-Breaking Sword chopped through all obstacles before it like an axe.
Song Qianji felt even the moon had grown tired of watching, too lazy to rise again.
Only when all the cult followers lay dead did this extremely sinister formation finally cease operation.
This was nothing less than hell on earth.
Only pale white skeletons remained scattered across the snowfield - some standing, some sitting, some fallen, with tattered organs and flesh fragments still clinging to some bones.
Utterly exhausted, Song Qianji couldn't be bothered with Sword Kinesis Flight. Instead, he leaned on Xian Jianchen's shoulder as if using a walking stick.
The two made their way through the forest of bones.
The strong wind couldn't disperse the thick scent of blood.
Bits of flesh occasionally dropped from the skeletons onto the crimson snow with soft pattering sounds, like fruit falling in a mountain forest.
The eerie atmosphere felt oppressive. Suddenly, Song Qianji said, "Hey, talk with me."
Xian Jianchen: "...Do you think this environment is suitable for conversation?"
"Tell me about your youth. With that foul temper of yours, has no one ever beaten you up?"
Xian Jianchen said, "How could that be? I was once married."
"What does that have to do with anything?"
Xian Jianchen sighed: "You wouldn't understand. A married man always gets beaten by his wife."
"Ah?" Song Qianji thought, that doesn't sound right - you're just particularly beatable. "May I ask what cultivation level your wife had?"
"Ahem, your martial aunt was an ordinary mortal, and she was actually quite gentle most of the time," Xian Jianchen defended. "Beating is affection, scolding is love - you wouldn't understand!"
Song Qianji grew interested: "What happened after you married?"
"After wedding her, I developed thoughts of retirement. I no longer wanted to fight and kill, just wanted to build a small courtyard, dig a little pond, and live with her in the mortal world. Best to have two children too - one boy, one girl."
"And then what?" Song Qianji pressed.
They had already passed through most of the bone forest, and the deep crimson beneath their feet was fading.
"Then my wife died," Xian Jianchen said calmly. "I killed everyone responsible for her death. After that incident, I could never lay down my sword again."
Song Qianji froze.
The two looked at each other wordlessly, then continued walking in silence. The sound of bones scattering in the wind mixed with the crunch of their footsteps in the snow.
For some reason, Song Qianji felt somewhat distressed - for fate's workings, and for Xian Jianchen himself.
Sometimes he found Xian Jianchen utterly unreliable, wildly arrogant, dictatorial and detestable - seemingly without any redeeming qualities. But Xian Jianchen had taught him the eight swords. Only after obtaining the Truth-Breaking Sword did he realize that Xian Jianchen had left some consciousness within these blades. Otherwise, eight divine weapons, each with their own temperament, couldn't have been subdued by him so quickly.
Other times, Song Qianji felt Xian Jianchen was somewhat pitiable - without friends or family, only his swords. But Xian Jianchen went his own way, needing no one's pity.
He had always assumed Xian Jianchen must have been an arrogantly powerful figure in his youth, an indestructible giant. It turned out he too had once thought about setting down his sword and speaking gently, he too had wanted to say "forget it" and let laughter dissolve enmity.Yet in the end, he still took up his sword and fought endlessly. With every step forward, an iron gate crashed down behind him.
There was no turning back after that.
Seeing Song Qianji fall silent, Xian Jianchen actually laughed again: "It's fine. It happened many years ago. I can barely remember what she looked like now, only that her cooking was delicious... If I really had a son, he'd probably be just like you."
The words of comfort that rose to Song Qianji's throat were forcibly swallowed back down: "Are you even human? Still trying to claim seniority at a time like this?!"
After an excruciatingly long and bitter battle, they supported each other as they walked out of the Forest of White Bones, watching the red sun rise on the horizon.
The snowfield glittered with silver light under the sunrise, like an ocean of crushed diamonds stretching from their feet all the way to the edge of the sky.
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