News of Qin Yun killing the three demon monarchs of Evil Dragon Mountain made the humans, demons, and the Four Seas’ Water race peoples of the world notice the existence of a powerful Azure-token Inspector Heavenly Ambassador! But it only made them prick their brows up at him. After all, no matter how powerful Flood Dragon King seemed, he was only a Connate True Core fiendish demon! The slaying of a fiendish demon at that level was not a big deal when placed against the backdrop of the entire world.
However, it was quite a rare feat to make everyone in the world aware of his existence! Before he slew the three demon monarchs of Evil Dragon Mountain, Qin Yun had little fame. Many demons and the Four Seas’ Water race were unaware of him before.
When Qin Yun became a Connate Golden Core cultivator or killed a Connate Golden Core realm great demon, that would be the day his name became famous throughout the world! He would join the ranks of the Purple-token Inspector Heavenly Ambassadors!
…
After that battle, it was the new year.
The new year was a festive season. Many places in Grand Dominance City had performances and it was one of the rare occasions where the commoners changed into beautiful clothes as they visited their relatives and elders.
As for the Baili family of the Jiang Prefecture’s East Gong County, it was a time of bleak silence.
“Patriarch, not a single clue could be found.” A middle-aged man knelt in the middle of a hall.
“Your father and all his men vanished without a trace?” The Baili family’s patriarch, Baili Qin, was sitting on a chair, eyes filled with anger.
“There was nothing,” said the middle-aged man with a helpless murmur.
“Continue investigating the matter. Use every means possible.” Baili Qin waved his hand.
“Yes, Patriarch.” The middle-aged man immediately departed.
In the empty hall, Baili Qin muttered, “Who is targeting our Baili family? Chong’er and the rest are mostly cultivators. Chong’er has even entered the Connate False Core realm. Did he vanish without even sending me a transmission call for help? Who? Who could do that?”
“Who did my Baili family offend? Why are they so ruthless?”
“I will definitely investigate the matter. Regardless of who it is, I’ll make you pay the price.” Baili Qin’s eyes were filled with bloodlust.
Suddenly.
“Ah!”
Baili Qin suddenly held his head as he growled in pain.
“Patriarch, Patriarch, what’s the problem?” The guard outside the hall rushed in when he noticed the disturbance. But just as he entered, the patriarch collapsed to the ground silently. He was no longer breathing.
“A hex!”
Baili Qin curled onto the ground in pain as he clenched his head.
His soul was rather strong, so he attempted to withstand the pain with all his might. However, he failed for the rift between him and the perpetrator was too huge.
“Which Heaven Magus could it be? How would I, Baili Qin, offend a Heaven Magus senior? Please tell me. I, Baili Qin, will definitely make recompense. Senior Heaven Magus, spare me! Spare me, please!” Baili Qin begged. Such a powerful magus art meant that it was done by a Heaven Magus from the magus lineage. The rank was equivalent to the Connate Golden Core realm.
“No, no…” Baili Qin felt his soul dissipating as he pleaded. “Spare me, spare me…”
“Your Baili family had once connived with demons to rob commoners, implicating the family of a disciple of my Magistress Mountain. My destruction of you is the result of that karma.” A cold woman’s voice rang in Baili Qin’s ears.
“Magistress Mountain?” Baili Qin found it unbelievable. Top cultivation sects were afraid of offending the Magistress Mountain the most. Everyone knew that, as the only cultivation sect of the magus lineage, Magistress Mountain would seek revenge in a ruthless manner if it was provoked.
“Connived with demons to rob commoners?” In Baili Qin’s stupor, his soul was finally dispersed.
Baili Qin, dead!
Hexes targeted only the soul!
If the soul could withstand it, survival! Otherwise, death!
After Baili Qin’s death, even his body was destroyed secretly by the Magistress Mountain’s expert. Not a single trace was left behind since powerful cultivators could guess at hexes during postmortem examination.
…
With the Baili family’s Baili Qin and Baili Chong—two Connate realm cultivators—vanishing, as well as the disappearance of the powerful Elders in the clan, leaving no corpses behind, rats left a sinking ship as they do. Naturally, some distinguished mercenaries departed immediately, causing the Baili family to collapse suddenly. And as the Baili family usually engaged in ruthless acts, it had quite a number of enemies. It naturally received backlash! Even some of the demons they controlled turned on them…
The Baili family that once flourished disbanded from then on.
******
Chen Shuang and a red-dressed woman stood above a cloud as they overlooked the distant Grand Dominance City.
“Grand Dominance,” whispered Chen Shuang. “This is my hometown. I have never left Grand Dominance since I was young.”
“When you become the incumbent Magus Maiden, you can return at any time,” said the red-dressed woman with a smile. “When that time comes, you will also be a cultivator. Flying in the sky and burrowing in the ground will be trivial.”
“Return?” Chen Shuang looked down with a conflicted gaze. “I don’t even know if I can come out of the Magus Matriarch Cave alive. Perhaps I might perish there.”
“What are you talking about? The Magus Matriarch Gu likes you quite a bit. You will definitely survive,” said the red-dressed woman.
Chen Shuang looked down.
“Brother Yun.” Chen Shuang thought to herself, “I wonder when I will be able to meet you again. If I were to die in the Magus Matriarch Cave, I hope you will not forget me.”
“Let’s go,” said Chen Shuang.
“Alright.” The red-dressed woman nodded.
Phew.
Immediately, they departed on a cloud and headed for Magistress Mountain.
…
Qin Manor.
Qin Yun held the letter in his hand and saw what was written:
“…Brother Yun, I wish to venture out into the world, taking in the scenes from everywhere. If I do not come back, please don’t forget me.”
Qin Yun looked up at Auntie Xue, who was standing in front of him. He asked immediately, “Auntie Xue, when did Xiao Shuang leave?”
“I do not know either. I found the letter when I entered her room,” said Auntie Xue. “Also…there’s another matter but I’m not sure I should inform you of it.”
“Speak,” said Qin Yun eagerly.
“Years ago, Xiao Shuang’s brother, Xie Lei, had led the escort company on a job. They encountered demons and hundreds of men, including Xiao Shuang’s brother, died. Only a few managed to flee and survive,” said Auntie Xue. “Back then, Xie Lei and company had discovered that the East Gong County’s Baili family had connived with demons to plunder their company’s haul. An elderly survivor of the escort company passed the information to us.”
“East Gong County’s Baili family?” Qin Yun was astonished. “The death of Madman and his brothers at the escort company was masterminded by the Baili family?”
“Yes.”
Auntie Xue continued, “Xiao Shuang barred me from telling you, afraid that she would trouble you. I’m informing you now that the Baili family has been eradicated, Young Master Qin. Also, I believe that…Xiao Shuang had known they would be destroyed before it happened. Just a few days after they were eradicated, Xiao Shuang left.”
“Why didn’t you tell me this earlier?” Qin Yun felt a little anxious.
“Young Master Qin, don’t worry. Xiao Shuang left the letter in her own handwriting. Clearly, she wants to go out into the world by herself. With the grudge settled, Xiao Shuang probably wants to lead a life of her own,” said Auntie Xue. “The pressure of holding onto the grudge for the past few years has made Xiao Shuang suffer.”
Qin Yun fell silent.
“The Baili family was eradicated silently. Their experts vanished without even leaving corpses,” Qin Yun whispered. “If it has something to do with Xiao Shuang, she must have gotten to know a powerful cultivator. It’s even possible that it’s a Connate Golden Core cultivator.”
Even if he was the one taking action, there was no way he could do it so cleanly without leaving a trace.
“Xiao Shuang…”
Although Qin Yun was consoling himself, he was still somewhat worried. However, the world was vast, so there was no way of knowing where she had gone.
******
February.
The vegetation returned. Even old trees began sprouting.
“Qin Yun, look at you. It’s as though I’ll be gone for years. It’s only three months.” Yi Xiao and Qin Yun held hands while standing by the little mirror lake. Yi Xiao said with a smile, “I’ll return after three months.”
“Alright.” Qin Yun was somewhat reluctant to part as he said, “I heard that there is some danger when entering the Lightning Pool. You have to be careful.”
“The Lightning Pool attracts the natural lightning of the world, so there’s definitely some danger. However, with the accumulated experience of my Divine Firmament Chapter’s seniors, as well as the establishment of so many array formations, problems seldom happen. Even when there’s a problem, it’s not fatal.” Yi Xiao smiled. “Entering the Lightning Pool for cultivation is a dream of all Lightning Dharma cultivators. It’s a rare opportunity.”
“I’m leaving.” Yi Xiao looked at the sky. “If I don’t leave now, it will be dark by the time I get to the Divine Firmament Chapter.”
“Alright, take care. Message me if there’s anything you need,” said Qin Yun.
“Alright.” Yi Xiao nodded. “See you in three months.”
“See you in three months.” Qin Yun smiled.
Yi Xiao went forward and kissed him before retreating with a smile. Then, she departed on a cloud.
Qin Yun watched as Yi Xiao left before murmuring, “See you again in three months.”
…
A day not long after Yi Xiao’s departure.
Far away from Grand Dominance City, a fat monk was chortling in the sky. He waved his hand and sent out a stream of light that flew for more than fifty kilometers before it landed in Grand Dominance County’s Qin Manor.
“Oh?”
Qin Yun was sitting cross-legged by the lake and cultivating his flying sword arts. Suddenly, he sensed the stream of light flying at him at high speeds. He immediately beckoned with his hand.
Shoo!
A sword beam flew out and wrapped around the stream of light, bringing it towards him.
“This is?” Qin Yun looked at the dazzling crystal in front of him. “An Immortal Crystal? One Immortal Crystal?”
Qin Yun was alarmed. An Immortal Crystal was extremely precious. Even the combined treasures that Gongye Bing had left behind were worth slightly less than an Immortal Crystal.
“Who is giving me an Immortal Crystal for no reason?” Qin Yun was puzzled. When he sensed it, he remarked, “There’s a mark on the Immortal Crystal?”
Qin Yun took out his Inspect Heavenly Token.
He conjured the mark into the Inspect Heavenly Token and immediately contacted the other party.
Hum—
In a floating projection in front of him was the interior of a water palace. There was water flowing around as a flood dragon covered in dark red scales coiled there. His dragon whiskers were flailing and he had an unfathomable aura. His dragon eyes were looking at Qin Yun as though they were smiling. “I’m Myriad Temple’s ambassador. That Immortal Crystal is just a tiny gift my Myriad Temple is giving to you, Sword Immortal Qin Yun.”
“Myriad Temple?” Qin Yun was baffled as he said with a smile. “Sorry for my scant knowledge. This is the first time I’m hearing of Myriad Temple. However, to give an Immortal Crystal on our first meeting as a gift, your Myriad Temple sure is generous.”
The flood dragon smiled and said, “My Myriad Temple encompasses all myriad phenomena. Dharma treasures, cultivation techniques, spirit fruits, strange artifacts… even beauties from every race, high positions, and riches, or anyone you want to kill or be a disciple of, any immortal pill you want. As long as you can pay the price, my Myriad Temple can help you achieve it.”
(End of Volume)