This is not how immortals cultivate

Chapter 334 The Qingyun Sect Has Gone Mad

On the great river, all was silent, with only the river flowing endlessly, unaffected by the atmosphere.

"I never imagined you possessed such a treasure, enabling you to fight my wife and me without being at a disadvantage despite your Nascent Soul stage cultivation," Qu Kuan said with a gloomy expression.

"You flatter me. I never expected that a Grandmaster of the Tongyou stage would be so mediocre. The Hundred Rivers Alliance is nothing special. My master didn't even need to lift a finger. I can crush them all by myself." Xiang Yuan panted heavily as he struggled to fasten his belt.

Seeing that he had tried to tie his belt several times but failed, Qu Kuan was extremely annoyed. He felt that Xiang Yuan was doing it on purpose, leading the onlookers to speculate wildly in public and fabricating a story to frame him.

Out of consideration for the senior's mercy in letting him and his wife go, Qu Kuan swallowed his anger!

Qu Kuan snorted coldly: "Junior, don't be too smug. You barely managed to stop my wife and me. Your skills are not much better. With your body so badly injured today, how many more times can you control that magic weapon? Once my wife and I have recovered, we will take back the Zhenshui Iron Sword and take your dog's life!"

The line "I'll take your dog's life" is redundant; it's not in the script!

Xiang Yuan, with his sharp mind, saw that Qu Kuan was forcibly changing the script, so he followed suit and changed his lines as well: "How dare you speak so arrogantly! If I hadn't been held back by my sister-in-law and fought three hundred rounds to the point of exhaustion, I would have taken your dog's life just now. How could I allow you to bark so wildly now?"

Qu Kuan was furious upon hearing this and immediately wanted to seek justice for his wife.

Stop wasting your breath on him, what's the point of talking about this!

Shui Xianghui complained via telepathy, urging Qu Kuan to end the scene quickly, otherwise the baseless accusation would become a huge scandal.

She didn't care; if Qu Kuan were to be pointed at and gossiped about in the future, she would be the only one to suffer.

Besides, we should thank the senior for letting them go!

I would really thank him if he hadn't been so fixated on that belt!

Qu Kuan suppressed his anger and, following the script, uttered harsh words: "You just wait, junior. I have already figured out your strengths and weaknesses. Once my wife and I have recovered from our injuries, we will find a master friend to come and help us. We will definitely break your magic weapon!"

"Stop trying to make yourself look good; it was clearly your wife who found it!"

"You're sharp-tongued; I'll teach you a lesson next time we meet..."

Enraged, Qu Kuan grabbed Shui Xianghui, his figure fading away as he teleported away from the spot.

Instead of boarding the ship or returning to the Hundred Rivers Alliance headquarters, they went to a secluded hideout known only to the couple to recuperate.

After refusing three times, Xiang Yuan accepted the money to save his life and agreed to let the couple go, but on one condition: Qu Kuan and Shui Xianghui had to act out a play for him.

This play reveals an important piece of information: Xiang Yuan possesses a powerful treasure that allows him to fight against three Grandmasters at the Tongyou stage. If the number of Grandmasters is less than three, then don't come here to invite humiliation.

If you have three or more Grandmasters, congratulations! You'll not only receive the Water-Suppressing Iron Sword, but also another precious treasure. From now on, you can walk sideways in the circle of Tongyou Grandmasters.

The reason Qu Kuan and Shui Xianghui did not return to the Baichuan Alliance headquarters was to avoid being found by other grandmasters, lest their former friends suddenly become seniors, and they, severely injured and unable to defeat them, helplessly reveal the truth.

Of course, there is another reason.

There's a reason why the Hundred Rivers Alliance has such a bad reputation. If he really dares to go back to headquarters to recuperate, it's hard to say how his subordinates will deal with Qu Kuan. Shui Xianghui will definitely become the new alliance leader's wife.

This cowardly Baichuan Alliance is better off gone!

Qu Kuan and Shui Xianghui knew that they could never retrieve the Zhenshui Iron Sword. Various forces in Southern Jin were waiting to reap the benefits, and the Baichuan Alliance's removal from the ranks of the top-tier alliances was inevitable. They planned to recover from their injuries and, before their value plummeted, abscond with the money and leave, severing all ties with the Baichuan Alliance.

Setting up his own sect would be a foolish move, and finding a backer in Southern Jin would not be appropriate either. Qu Kuan had already made up his mind: head east to the land of independent cultivators in the East China Sea.

Years ago, the Yuyang Sect had extended an invitation to him. At that time, the Baichuan Alliance had four Tongyou stage masters and the Zhenshui Iron Sword made money every year, so they had no shortage of cultivation resources. Qu Kuan, a loyal and devoted man, and his wife Shui Xianghui, who had vowed to protect the Baichuan Alliance to the death, refused outright, saying that it was absolutely impossible.

Things are different now; it's time to cross the sea and seek an elder position at the Yuyang Sect.

With Qu Kuan and Shui Xianghui gone, the Hundred Rivers Alliance was left with only a rabble, and they dared not block their way.

Three large ships politely gave way, stood at attention, and escorted the cruise ship northward, continuing its journey towards Shangyuan Mansion on Longtai Road.

When they arrived at the small cave heaven in the Qilin Mountains, the elite of the Hundred Rivers Alliance had been dispatched, but they lost most of their Nascent Soul stage cultivators. On the three ships, there were still a few Nascent Soul stage cultivators left. Seeing that Xiang Yuan was weak and exhausted and had been tormented by Shui Xianghui, they couldn't help but have some thoughts.

This brat is already a candle in the wind, he'd die at the slightest touch. If I defeat him, not only will my fame spread throughout Southern Jin, but I'll also obtain a powerful magic weapon that only three grandmasters can break, as well as the sect's treasure, the Water-Suppressing Iron Sword.
At that time, I will be the leader of the alliance, and my sister-in-law will be my virtuous wife. Love and career will both reach their peak—how wonderful! xN
The Nascent Soul stage cultivators thought this way, waiting for their good brother to take the lead, even if it was just a shout, before they would swarm forward.

Because the brothers all shared the same idea, after the cruise ship sailed away, not one of them stood out and made a fuss.

Everyone was filled with grief and regret that their brother had been too cowardly, causing them to lose their position as leader of the alliance and also causing their sister-in-law to continue to suffer in their brother's arms.

……

On the cruise ship, Xiang Yuan was pale and coughing repeatedly, looking like a novice just entering the martial arts world. He said to Li Jingwu, "The Grandmaster realm is indeed powerful. They are only one major realm higher than me. The two of them joined forces and forced me to this point. I had to use a secret treasure to defeat them."

"..." x3
Seeing no one reply, Xiang Yuan continued, "I have fought two grandmasters and am now at my limit. I can no longer use my secret treasures. For the rest of our journey, we will take a side road. We must not let any more news get out and attract the attention of three grandmasters."

"..." x3
Not interesting!
Xiang Yuan grunted twice, staggered with every step, and went to the quiet room to recuperate.

After he left, Li Ziqing said, "What did I tell you? He is not a fool. He must have something to rely on to enter the formation. Master, senior brother, I have won this round."

"Pfft!" x2
Li Jingwu and Li Zisu grinned, the master and disciple speaking in unison, as if they had just discussed it telepathically.

Li Jingwu gave a look, and Li Zisu stepped forward to mock Li Ziqing's intelligence: "Junior sister, I still maintain that this situation is like a tiger carrying bamboo. You only saw the surface and did not think deeper."

"What's the harm in thinking about it more deeply? The facts are there, and senior brother can't just ignore them!"

"That's right, we should ignore the facts in this round. If you don't believe me, ask Master and see what he has to say."

“Zisu’s words make sense.”

"You see, Master thinks so too."

The master and apprentice regained their intellectual high ground, taking turns analyzing the situation and summarizing the pros and cons with rigorous logic and eloquence, which made Li Ziqing lose confidence once again.

Li Ziqing's carefully sorted-out thoughts were completely thrown into disarray.

In her dazed state, she asked, "Master, senior brother, has the man surnamed Xiang reconciled with the Hundred Rivers Alliance and joined forces to swindle our Shangyuan Li Clan?"

"Junior sister, I don't think you understand anything at all!"

Before Li Jingwu could even give him a look, Li Zisu directly denied it: "There is only one water-suppressing iron sword in the world. The conflict between Qingyun Sect and Baichuan Alliance is irreconcilable. Baichuan Alliance retreated because they had figured out the extent of the treasure in Xiang Zuoshi's hands. They knew that if they confronted them head-on, others would take advantage of them. That's why Senior Qu and his wife pretended to be seriously injured. This move is called retreating to advance, turning the light into darkness. Only when Baichuan Alliance went behind the scenes could they rearrange their plans."

It makes sense.

Li Ziqing nodded blankly, then said, "If that's the case, will there still be anyone fearless enough to step forward on this journey north?"

“One family might not be able to manage it, as the risk is too great. But if we gather three families, with each family contributing a grandmaster, we can spread the risk evenly,” Li Zisu analyzed.

“Disciple, don’t forget that there are still Qingyun Sect Grandmasters lying in ambush all around.”

"That's absolutely right. It's safer if a family produces two grandmasters."

"..."

Li Ziqing frowned. Although, what good would it do for Qingyun Sect to make such a big fuss? It would be much better to just keep the Zhenshui Iron Sword and do business honestly.

The more Li Ziqing thought about it, the more confused she became. Her head was buzzing, and in the end she chose to give up and listen to her master and senior brother.

That was close! I almost got refuted by her! x2
The master and apprentice, still shaken, ignored the not-so-bright Li Ziqing and began to communicate privately via telepathy.

“Master, the man surnamed Xiang doesn’t seem to be acting. I suspect he’s seriously injured. With your cultivation level, how confident are you that you can hold off the Qingyun Sect masters around you?” Li Zisu asked with a solemn expression.

"That depends on how many grandmasters Qingyun Sect brings."

“Master, just hold them off for a moment. I’m confident I can snatch the Zhenshui Iron Sword from that Xiang guy. Then we can hide in Shangyuan Prefecture. What chance does Qingyun Sect have of chasing us?” Li Zisu suggested.

"How could I not want that, but if the Zhenshui Iron Sword falls into the hands of my Li family, the powerful families of Southern Jin will certainly not agree."

Li Jingwu shook his head slightly: "It's good to keep the Zhenshui Iron Sword in Qingyun Sect. Using Qingyun Sect to deal with the six great families, no matter the outcome, my Li family will benefit."

"Will any grandmasters intervene on the way to Shangyuan Prefecture?"

"It will definitely happen!"

Li Jingwu chuckled and said, "No one knows that the Left Envoy comes from the Qingyun Sect, and no one knows that the Zhenshui Iron Sword has been seized by the Qingyun Sect. Just you wait, it'll be quite lively along the way!"

"Master, I have a question."

"Speak." "Why doesn't the Qingyun Sect spread the news of seizing the Zhenshui Iron Sword and make enemies of the entire Southern Jin aristocratic family? What benefit would that bring them?"

"..."

I haven't figured this out either.

Li Jingwu remained silent for a moment before saying, "Regardless of what the Qingyun Sect's schemes may be, the current situation is favorable to my Shangyuan Li Clan. This knife is too handy; it would be a waste of this heaven-sent opportunity not to use it to make a few cuts."

"Master, won't we be used as pawns by the Qingyun Sect?" Li Zisu still had doubts.

While you're scheming against others, they're scheming against you. Such a huge pie seems to harbor malicious intent.

"Now is not the time to talk about these things. Let's take it one step at a time and make sure we get the benefits first," Li Jingwu said slowly.

In this round, Qingyun Sect may have other plans, but the Shangyuan Li Clan has an intelligence advantage and is ahead of the six major families. If they don't make good use of it, they will surely regret it when the news spreads.

In short, let's seize the immediate benefits first. If the Qingyun Sect tries to take advantage of the Shangyuan Li family, we'll accuse them of rebellion, spread the word throughout the world, and label them as evil and heretical.

The master and apprentice were thinking of taking advantage of each other, but were also worried about being taken advantage of. They thought about it over and over and felt that something was not right. So they sat down at the chess table, one playing the role of Li Shi and the other playing the role of Qingyun Sect, and they analyzed the gains and losses.

The conclusion is that the Qingyun Sect has gone mad.

"Master, has the Qingyun Sect really gone mad?"

"How would I know about the Taoist priest's affairs? Just remember to keep an eye on Ziqing and don't let her get too close to that guy surnamed Xiang," Li Jingwu instructed.

He took Li Ziqing out to broaden her horizons, not to broaden Li Ziqing's horizons.

"I understand, my disciple."

Li Zisu nodded. After winning nine games in a row against Li Jingwu, he was too exhausted to continue. He got up and went to find his junior sister to explain some of the treacherous aspects of human nature.

As I said before, there are no wrong nicknames. Just because someone surnamed Xiang has a pretty face doesn't mean he's a good person.

This is called hypocritical and deceitful. Junior sister, just keep it to yourself and don't get too close to observe.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

That night.

Fog rises from the river, obscuring the distant sky, dimming the full moon, and concealing the stars.

The cruise ship weaved through the thick fog and gradually lost its way.

Li Jingwu frowned slightly, then summoned his two apprentices. He played chess with Li Zisu, while Li Ziqing watched from the sidelines. He also took the opportunity to warn some gentlemen who watched chess silently and true men who never regretted their moves.

“Master, such thick fog is rare. Has a grandmaster come to visit?” Li Ziqing asked excitedly.

"Don't say anything more, watch your master and your senior brother play chess."

"Master, I have only one question. What should we do if the man surnamed Xiang escapes unharmed again tonight?" Li Ziqing switched to telepathy.

"That's even better. I'd also like to see how many Grandmasters have come from Qingyun Sect this time."

Li Jingwu made a move, driving away the wolves and tigers, watching from the sidelines, everything was under his control; this is how chess should be played.

In the quiet room, Xiang Yuan sat cross-legged, his body three feet off the ground, suspended in mid-air.

His eyes were slightly closed, and with each breath, black and white energies circulated back and forth, like two dragons flowing around his body. The white energy was as clear and bright as the moon, and the black energy was as deep and dark as the night. The two intertwined and entwined, yet remained distinct, forming a perfect balance of opposites.

A moment later, a profound and evocative yin-yang painting of swimming fish slowly unfolded.

In the picture, two fish, one yin and one yang, are connected head to tail. The white fish has black eyes, and the black fish has white eyes. They chase each other and depend on each other, following the way of yin and yang and demonstrating the principles of heaven and earth.

As Xiang Yuan sat in meditation, he seemed to sense something and slowly opened his eyes. His left eye was pure white, and his right eye was pitch black, corresponding to the two different colors in the eyes of the yin-yang fish.

As the black and white colors in his eyes dissipated, the black and white energies subsided, the yin-yang symbol closed, and his aura instantly plummeted, making him extremely weak.

Seriously injured, but treasured; those destined to find him, come quickly!

Xiang Yuan sat cross-legged in mid-air to heal his injuries. After waiting for a long time without seeing any movement from his surroundings, he thought to himself that the person who came was steady and patient, more so than Qu Kuan and his wife. He figured that the person who came was probably from the 140s circle.

He possessed a powerful treasure and was severely injured, so he firmly maintained the initiative and was not afraid that his opponent could hold back. He focused on healing his wounds and pretended to be of low cultivation level, unaware that he was about to die.

After an incense stick had burned, a beam of red light struck from afar, entering Xiang Yuan's brow and easily controlling his primordial spirit.

Calm: "..."

The familiar red light, emanating from the Path of Illusion, reminded Xiang Yuan of the past, bringing to mind his two angel investors, Wu Wan and Zhao Haoran.

There are many good people in the Illusionist Path; they're probably here to invest this time too.

With composure and a sense of control, he leaped into the air, followed the sounds around him, left the cruise ship, waded across the foggy river, and reached the shore.

Xiang Yuan's feet touched the ground, and he saw a red moon hanging high in the sky, phosphorescence everywhere, and ghostly shadows floating around, a scene of the underworld. He subconsciously thought of the pyramid ruins beneath the capital city.

The illusion is not to be taken seriously; it's probably just a coincidence.

Xiang Yuan walked forward blankly for half an hour before stopping at a mass grave filled with tombstones.

A withered old locust tree stood alone in the center of the mass grave. Its branches were dry and bark cracked and peeling, devoid of any green. Under the red moon, its branches twisted and tangled, like countless desperate arms, outstretched withered palms, trying to grasp the distant red moon but unable to.

The owls hooted, the wind howled, and the branches whispered, as if weeping and lamenting.

The entire locust tree was bathed in a hazy red light, exuding a chilling and eerie atmosphere, yet also carrying a touch of poignant and dark poetry.

In this indescribable and enigmatic atmosphere, a woman in red stands quietly on a branch, bathed in a hazy red light, just like the withered locust tree beneath her feet, as still as a phantom.

The woman had a graceful figure and an ethereal aura. A red veil covered half of her face, and she was facing away from the red moon, so her true appearance could not be seen. Only her empty eyes shone brightly.

A cold wind swept in again, and moonlight pierced through the woman's thin clothes, outlining her graceful silhouette. The red veil fluttered, revealing a patch of pale skin on her neck, which gleamed with a cold, jade-like light.

Instead of sleeping at night, are you doing performance art here?

Also, since you've made an appointment with a man, just say what you want to say directly; there's no point in pretending to be dead.

Oh, the zombie is really dead.

Xiang Yuan remained expressionless, looking as if his soul had been bewitched. He stepped into the shadow of the large locust tree and saw that the shadow beneath his feet was distorted, as if countless ghostly hands were attacking. However, he could not see the shadow of the female zombie. He sighed at how many kinds of zombies there were.

Xiang Yuan had seen many zombies before, including the common ones, the skeleton soldiers that Xiao He pulled out from who-knows-where, the high-quality zombie seniors, and the corpse demons that were the same as the Dao Lord.

I came across a new branch today, and I'm curious to take it apart and study it carefully.

Also, last time we were outmatched by the Corpse Demon in terms of stats, so with the update, we're going to get our revenge on the Female Zombie.

Click!

The female zombie's branches snapped at her feet, and her body slowly fell, bringing a faint fragrance as she approached Xiang Yuan. Her voice was hoarse as she asked, "You possess something that even a Nascent Soul cultivator cannot break, and only three Grandmasters can do so. Is this true?"

Ah, you didn't come for the water-suppressing iron sword?

Xiang Yuan was taken aback by what he heard. Thinking about it, it was true. Compared to the single-function water-suppressing iron sword, the magical artifact he had made up seemed more attractive.

Oh no, the plot has gone off track.

Seeing that Xiang Yuan remained silent, the female zombie formed a sword with her fingers and slowly pointed it at his brow.

Her fingertips were like bamboo shoots, and her wrists like white lotuses. If it weren't for her dark color and the hint of deathly aura, it wouldn't be a problem to be touched by her.

Xiang Yuan raised his hand and clenched his fist, pinching the sword-like finger that reached between his eyebrows, and snapped it at a ninety-degree angle.

To the female zombie's astonishment, the red light in Xiang Yuan's eyes dissipated, he grinned maliciously, raised the Jinglan Blade high with one hand, and suddenly slashed down.

Let me take you apart and see what you really are!
Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

10,000 words, please vote with monthly tickets!

(End of this chapter)