This is not how immortals cultivate

Chapter 354 Why are you here?
My escape technique was broken by a single tea leaf? x3
The three hidden masters were horrified, and the thought that they were no match for them exploded in their minds at the same time.

Xiang Yuan frowned as he looked at the three uninvited guests. They were dressed as assassins from the Star Palace in black clothes and hats, and he wondered which prestigious sect they were disguised as.

Did Tianjian Pavilion stage a fake victim act, or was someone really framing Tianjian Pavilion...?

There are many possibilities, but thinking about them is meaningless; what's right is to interrogate the living person thoroughly.

As soon as Xiang Yuan made his move, the three grandmasters knew they had bitten off more than they could chew. After a brief exchange of voices, the leader of the men in black opened his mouth and spat out a small, pitch-black cauldron.

The small cauldron flew out from the mouth of the man in black. It had four legs and two handles and was a square cauldron. It swelled in the wind and transformed into a huge object more than ten feet tall in the blink of an eye.

The cauldron is ancient and heavy, with four legs like pillars supporting the earth, and two handles like coiled black snakes. The cauldron wall is engraved with tortoise and snake patterns that move erratically in the dim light, accompanied by a trembling sound, and has the hidden power of the Black Tortoise's long roar.

The giant cauldron suspended in mid-air caused the entire courtyard to sink, the space to freeze, and a barrier seal that allowed entry but not exit.

The cauldron spewed forth a torrent of black water, as dark as ink, each drop weighing a ton. It rose up like a curtain, compressing and locking the space, making it impossible for anyone beneath the cauldron to move, leaving them no choice but to await their execution.

Where did this tortoise, snake, and black tortoise come from? Is this a perfect match for their profession?

Xiang Yuan's expression was strange, not because the opponent's attack was related to the True Martial Inheritance, or because it seemed that the unfilial descendants of the Southern Jin Qingyun Sect wanted to harm their patriarch, but because the cauldron had not brought him the pressure he should have.

When Master Ziyang used the True Martial Palm Seal without harming him, he had already thought that his title of True Martial Emperor was only valid in the Heavenly God Realm and the lower realms ruled by the Heavenly God Realm. In the Qianyuan Realm, he was nothing. Things related to the True Martial Emperor should not be treated differently from him.

Unfortunately, it happened once, and it happened twice!

Xiang Yuan frowned slightly, becoming even more determined to capture the prisoner alive. He released his aura, enveloping Jiang Yingjun who was sitting beside him, relieving her of the pressure brought by the cauldron.

Jiang Yingjun's pale complexion improved somewhat. Just as she was about to take out two protective magic items, she saw out of the corner of her eye that Xiang Yuan was calm and collected. So she simply gave up the idea of ​​relying on herself and waited for Xiang Yuan to protect her.

The three grandmasters were unaware that Xiang Yuan had some connection with the True Martial Emperor, and that he was one of the most influential among those with connections. Seeing him sitting silently, they assumed that he was intimidated by the large cauldron.

"This cauldron is unruly and difficult to control. I can't hold on for long. I'd better take that Jiang guy with me."

The leader of the men in black spoke rapidly, and before he could finish speaking, his two companions had already darted out like ghosts.

The man on the left drew his longsword, its blade gleaming coldly, aiming straight for Yuan Yuan's severed head. The sword strike was incredibly fast, so fast that it even sliced ​​through the air, leaving a trail of dark light. Before the tip of the sword even arrived, the chilling sword energy had already sent Yuan Yuan's hair flying.

The other person clenched their claws into sharp points, manifesting a phantom of a blue claw in mid-air, which enveloped Jiang Yingjun and disappeared.

In a flash, a strange, blood-red light suddenly appeared in Xiang Yuan's eyes. The swordsman met his gaze, his primordial spirit fell silent, and drowsiness overwhelmed him. He felt as if he had fallen into an endless hell and was dragged into a world of blood.

The sky and earth were crimson, with surging waves of blood beneath our feet and a dark red sky above.

Boundless killing intent surged like a tide, and the swordsman's primordial spirit rose and fell with the sea of ​​blood, his life and death extinguished, drifting aimlessly. His grandmaster's heart was killed until it turned ashen, and he suddenly swung his sword at his own people like a puppet on a string.

"Are you crazy?"

With a single, unexpected move, his companion hastily dodged to the side, the blade grazing his robe and spraying blood.

As he spoke, he noticed that the swordsman's eyes were unfocused, and a strange smile was on his lips. He looked dazed and confused, as if he were under an illusion. He immediately felt a chill run down his spine.

He faintly heard whispers in his ear, like lovers' murmurs or mortal enemies' curses; one of them surely reflected his feelings. Following the sound, he subconsciously exchanged glances with Xiang Yuan.

Oh no, I shouldn't have looked at him!
In a single instant, a surging sea of ​​blood engulfed him.

Boom! !

Blood gushed forth, the killing intent was like a knife, each wave was a purgatory, each slash severing his primordial spirit, a thousand cuts and ten thousand slices that plunged him into a sea of ​​blood, and in the blink of an eye, his eyes also turned to ashes.

The two men in black stopped simultaneously, turned around mechanically, and stared blankly at their leader with their empty eye sockets.

The horrifying scene sent chills down the spine of the man in black who was controlling the cauldron.

What kind of evil is this?
The Path of Illusion, the Path of Bliss, or the Demon King's Palace?
The man in black's pupils constricted, his hair stood on end, and he heard a tempting whisper in his ear, instinctively about to repeat his past mistakes. But seeing his companion's tragic fate before him, he awoke at the last second, letting out a loud shout to break free from the ever-present whisper.

"open!"

His eyes flashed with white light as he regained his composure. He was filled with lingering fear and looked at Xiang Yuan in horror: "I never imagined that the Liu family already has a Grandmaster who has stepped into the Upper Three Realms."

Although the man in black had not yet figured out Xiang Yuan's methods, he could control a Tongyou stage master with just a glance, manipulating him at will. His primordial spirit was incredibly powerful, and he could only be a master of the upper three realms.

"So what if you have the cultivation of the Upper Three Realms? With this treasure on your body, it's as if Zhenwu himself is here. A mortal is still just a mortal!" The man in black shouted to bolster his courage, and then raised the cauldron and smashed it fiercely towards Xiang Yuan.

The myriad black waters converged, returning to the mouth of the cauldron, and a black meteor plummeted down, crashing fiercely towards Xiang Yuan's location.

Judging from their stance, they not only intend to crush Xiang Yuan and his two companions into dust, but also abandon their primary target, Jiang Yingjun.

The Black Tortoise's might suppressed all directions, causing evil spirits to flee and demons to retreat. In addition, a black emperor's phantom slowly gazed upon the scene.

The winds and clouds churned around it, and no one in the nine heavens dared to challenge its might.

Xiang Yuan raised his hand with a strange expression. If it were any other magic weapon, he would have stood up to fight today. But since it was his specialty, he dared to stand up, but this great cauldron might not be able to withstand it.

With a wave of his hand, Xiang Yuan gathered the black light that filled the sky, returning it to the black cauldron, and the illusory image of the Great Emperor also dissipated.

The meteor's momentum transformed into a swallow nestling in his arms, and the cauldron slowly shrank, landing steadily in Xiang Yuan's palm the instant it was touched.

Man in black: ∑(O_O;)
The man in black was so shocked that he lost his mind and had no fighting spirit left. He knew that the experts of the Upper Three Realms were unfathomable. Even the initial stage of the Upper Three Realms, the Integration Stage, was called Grandmaster. But if one did not become an immortal, one was still a mortal. How could one possibly withstand the item used by the True Martial Emperor?

It actually blocked it!
The man in black acted decisively, disregarding any mission, and attempted to escape by teleporting.

In a flash, he appeared three meters away.

In his great alarm, he pointed his fingers into a sword and swept it forward. The purple light shone brightly, turning the insurmountable barrier into a thoroughfare. His body followed a streak of purple light and vanished into the void, disappearing without a trace.

"what?!"

Xiang Yuan stood up in surprise. The black-clad man's escape technique severed space without leaving any ripples. Even with his powerful primordial spirit, he could not detect any trace of him.

Great!
I should have stood up and fought!

Xiang Yuan frowned. This invisible sword energy only had a wisp of purple light that cut through the air, and it seemed to have the power of heaven and the righteous path. He felt like he had seen it somewhere before.

It's right here in the Qianyuan Realm.

Xiang Yuan racked his brains, and the image of Ana Hei Yan, wealthy and generous, appeared in his mind.

The key issue isn't Ana's dark complexion, but rather her nominal husband, the leader of the Five Poisons Sect.

If I remember correctly, that guy had a technique for teleporting through the air, and when he slashed with his sword, there was a great purple light, which was similar to the sword finger technique of the man in black.

"What was that guy's name again?"

Xiang Yuan frowned in thought. He only remembered Ana's dark face and had limited impression of her expressionless husband. He used to think of him as a victim who had just passed by and then moved on, which led to him not even being able to remember his name now.

Fortunately, the problem wasn't serious. There were still two prisoners, and after some interrogation, their origins were revealed.

Xiang Yuan weighed the black cauldron in his hand. Like the Zhenwu Imperial Seal of the past, it neither harmed him nor could he control it. It was aloof and arrogant.

Xiang Yuan had experience with this kind of person. Once they arrived in the Heavenly God Realm, he injected the divine power of the True Martial Emperor into them, and they did whatever he was told, and he couldn't be driven away no matter what.

Yanfu Gate pointed to a world corresponding to a Grandmaster of the Tongyou stage. Before completing the task of obtaining the Reincarnation Relic, Xiang Yuan could not go to the Celestial Realm. He was not in a hurry. He tried throwing the black cauldron into the jade wall space. Seeing that it did not resist, he nodded slightly.

He's honest enough!

Boom! x2
Two resounding booms echoed simultaneously, and the two black-clad grandmasters held captive by Xiang Yuan trembled violently, as if some kind of restriction within their bodies had exploded. Dark ghost flames ignited from within, spewing out from their mouths, noses, ears, and eyes, rapidly burning their physical bodies and primordial spirits to ashes.

A gentle breeze swept through, and ashes were scattered everywhere.

"This is a Grandmaster of the Profound Realm! Who has such a wealth of talent reserves..."

Xiang Yuan murmured to himself. He was all too familiar with the methods of the Yellow Springs Path. As the Left Envoy of the Yellow Springs, he could say with certainty that the Yellow Springs Path was not so extravagant.

Currently, the Yellow Springs Path only has four Grandmaster-level figures: the Dao Lord of the Upper Three Realms, Chan'er who is hovering between breaking through and not yet breaking through, the Left Envoy Xiang Wentian, and the Right Envoy Zuo Lengxie.

Apart from Zuo Lengxie, they are all ruthless characters who can take on ten people.

Xiang Yuan slowly sat down. It was not surprising that the methods of the Yellow Springs Path had been scattered outside; the Other Shore Sect also knew them. He said regretfully, "If I had said it would spontaneously combust, I would have planted two Other Shore Flowers earlier..."

Wait a minute, the gate to the other shore, the flower of the other shore!

Xiang Yuan had a flash of inspiration, accurately capturing the keyword and directing his attention towards the Other Shore Gate.

To be precise, they are the masterminds behind the Other Shore Gate.

The mastermind behind the scenes is plotting to seize the Golden Dragon of the Three Kingdoms' destiny, intending to overthrow the world. Using Jiang Yingjun's identity to manipulate things might not lead to a war between Western Chu and Northern Qi, but putting the blame on Tianjian Pavilion will inevitably exacerbate the chaos within Western Chu.

The Xiao family of Shendu had long been displeased with the three families of Tianzong, and the three families of Tianzong were also unwilling to be governed by Shendu. With just a spark, the entire territory would immediately erupt into chaos.

Jiang Yingjun snapped out of her daze at the grand gesture of the two grandmasters spontaneously combusting. Taking advantage of Xiang Yuan's inattention, she secretly took two breaths of cold air, which would have affected her temperament and image. She asked with some doubt, "Sir, although I am not in Western Chu, I have heard of the Huangquan Dao's abilities. You said before that Zuo Lengxie has committed many evils. Are the attackers from the Huangquan Dao?"

Girl, what are you thinking? Speaking ill of the Right Envoy of the Underworld in front of the Left Envoy of the Underworld!

Go ahead and keep cursing if you dare!
Xiang Yuan shook his head slightly: "There aren't that many grandmasters in the Yellow Springs Path. I've never seen these two in the Yellow Springs Path before, so it can't be them."

"Sir, have you ever dealt with the Underworld?"

"Yes, I've had dealings with the Holy Maiden of the Underworld!"

Xiang Yuan regretted her words as soon as they came out. She had been cultivating a devoted and loving persona all along, but her quick tongue ruined it.

Seeing that Jiang Yingjun didn't understand, he was pleased but also quite bored. He felt no joy at the blushing and shyness that comes with teasing a girl. He coughed lightly and said, "I forgot to mention before that I've always referred to myself as 'this one.' Aren't you surprised?"

It's not surprising; they're all masters now, so they have to maintain a certain status, and they often use self-proclaimed titles as their catchphrases.

"I am the Left Envoy of the Yellow Springs Path, Xiang Wentian!"

"..."

Jiang Yingjun gasped silently, raising her hand to cover her open mouth, her beautiful eyes filled with horror. She had never imagined that Xiang Yuan came from a heretical and evil background.

"Your intelligence in Northern Qi is outdated. Go out and ask around. Whether it's Western Chu or Southern Jin, who doesn't know the great reputation of the Yellow Springs Path, a prestigious and righteous sect?" "But last time, Master said that Zuo Lengxie of the Yellow Springs Path enjoys massacring cities and often uses female cultivators from his sect as cultivation vessels."

"As I said last time, this is how all reputable sects are."

"impossible!"

“How is it impossible? There’s a guy in Northern Qi named Benxin Dao who detained Miaoqiong, the leader of the Ziguang Sect, as a family heirloom. Don’t tell me you didn’t know that!” Xiang Yuan retorted confidently, his face showing disgust and his eyes looking contemptuous, as if he had seen something dirty.

Jiang Yingjun was powerless to refute. Miao Qiong was Empress Jiang Wang's teacher, and as Jiang Wang's younger sister, how could she not know Miao Qiong's current situation?

The news has spread throughout the Jiang family that Headmaster Miaoqiong is becoming more and more radiant each year, and there's no going back.

When it comes to the core principles of Northern Qi, Xiang Yuan, being from Chu, can stand on moral high ground and point fingers, but Jiang Yingjun, being from Qi, cannot. She has no way to defend herself and is left speechless and unable to hold her head up.

Stop talking, it's so embarrassing!

Seeing Xiang Yuan babbling on and on, Jiang Yingjun quickly used her attention-diversion technique: "Sir, there is another Grandmaster who is attacking. He is currently fighting against the Xiao Clan Grandmaster. If you go over now, you will definitely be able to capture him alive."

"That won't work. Two grandmasters have already burned themselves out. How could that person stay? He must have gotten wind of it and run away," Xiang Yuan said, shaking his head.

"If that person has escaped, shouldn't the Xiao family's grandmaster return by now?"

Every word you say is logically sound and makes a lot of sense, but... you've only scratched the surface of this world.

Jiang Yingjun is very smart, but unfortunately, due to the lack of information, she often appears to be very easy to deceive.

Xiang Yuan could only say that Jiang Yingjun didn't understand Grandmasters, let alone Xiao Feng. If he wasn't mistaken, Xiao Feng was seeing the enemy fleeing and was worried that his elder brother would blame him, so he was currently harming himself and pretending to have fought a fierce battle of three hundred rounds.

This is the correct way to understand Xiao Feng!

"Big brother..."

The space blurred, and Xiao Feng returned with blood on his clothes. Seeing two handfuls of ashes on the ground, his heart trembled slightly. He respected Xiang Yuan's methods even more. Dragging his badly injured body, he fell to the ground and wailed, "The villain's methods are ruthless. I fought him for five hundred rounds, but I failed my brother's expectations. I was tricked by him and escaped with a move that killed us both."

Xiangyuan: (一`一)
Five hundred rounds indeed! I underestimated your shamelessness, kid.

Xiang Yuan cursed his bad luck inwardly, but said nothing more. Pointing to the ashes on the ground, he said, "You've fallen for a diversionary tactic. There were four Grandmasters here..."

"The mastermind has reappeared, this time to disrupt the situation in Western Chu. You will bring the news back to the capital..."

"Listen to me, there's no such thing as being a thief for a thousand days but not being able to guard against thieves for a thousand days. If one plan fails, the other will come up with another. How many times can the Xiao family defend against them? Anyway, you guys are shameless, so what's wrong with going to sit down and have a chat with the Northern Qi and Southern Jin families?"

Xiao Feng listened with a frown the whole time, wiped the blood from his face, and said in a deep voice, "This matter is of great importance. I will go to the capital first, and I will report back to my elder brother as to how it goes."

Although Xiao Feng cannot fully represent the Xiao family, as a grandmaster, he certainly has a voice. Hearing him say this, Xiang Yuan's expression softened considerably.

Her complexion didn't look good for very long.

The next morning, Xiang Yuan met with Xiao Feng again and asked about the result, only to receive a stammering reply.

"It's being worked on, it's being processed, and we'll have news soon."

"..."

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.

Guanshan Road, Zhen Dian Prefecture.

The majestic city walls coiled like a giant dragon, and the main road in front of the city gate was bustling with crowds and noise.

Most of them were scholars, dressed in blue robes and turbans, their brows exuding aloofness. There were also a large number of martial arts practitioners, some carrying swords, others with knives, their qualities and backgrounds varied greatly.

The literary event in Wuyou Valley was suddenly changed and an additional event was held in Zhen Dian Prefecture. After the news spread, it attracted a large number of literati from the surrounding areas. Some wanted to make a name for themselves in the event, while others simply came to follow their idols.

The territory of Northern Qi was vast, and the territory of Western Chu was not small either. Without the cultivation of the Nascent Soul stage to teleport and travel, the capital was far beyond the reach of the general public, let alone Northern Qi, which was outside the borders of the country.

If they couldn't catch the grand event in the capital, the grand event in Zhen Dian Prefecture would do. Therefore, not only the surrounding major cities, but also the counties that were closer to Zhen Dian Prefecture, also attracted a large number of busybodies.

Since I'm just idling around anyway, what if Master Jiang admires my literary talent and insists on making me his son-in-law? xN
Jiang Yingjun is no ordinary princess. Not only is she the apple of the eye of the Jiang family of Bozhou, but her sister is also the Empress of Northern Qi. If she were to become the prince consort, wealth and honor would be within her grasp. She might as well leave this rotten and cowardly Western Chu.

Two figures went unnoticed in the crowd.

These are two women, one dressed in a Taoist robe and the other in a white palace dress, both with exquisitely beautiful faces and figures.

Logically speaking, with their looks, they should attract attention wherever they go and boost the market economy.

However, everyone around them subconsciously ignored the two women, not only failing to stop looking at them, but also subconsciously going around to avoid an open space.

Master Ziping.

Qin Zhaorong.

"Senior sister, you have amazing skills. Ever since you stabilized your Grandmaster realm in the Tongyou stage, your abilities have become more and more powerful."

Qin Zhaorong was extremely envious and lowered her voice, saying, "Tell me the truth, junior sister, what does it taste like? How many times did you eat it to have such great fortune?"

"..."

"Stop pretending to be dead, there are no outsiders here."

Qin Zhaorong said with dissatisfaction, "Junior sister only brought you out to catch your breath because she saw that you were being ostracized by the senior sister at the mountain gate. If you continue like this, I won't be a good person next time."

"You have ulterior motives, I can't be bothered to argue with you!" Zi Ping said with a stern face.

"Oh yes, yes, you have a good heart, you are a good woman, then explain yourself clearly, where did you get your Grandmaster cultivation from, and where did all your injuries go?" Qin Zhaorong's eyes turned red with anger.

As I said before, when Da Yao first entered Jianxinzhai, she was the first to notice something amiss and the first to prepare to make a move.

As it turned out, the eldest sister got to taste it, Ziping got to taste it, but she got nothing.

Is she even being reasonable? She was here first!
"The convoy is here!!"

Loud shouts came from the direction of the city gate.

A troop of black-armored cavalry galloped in, their iron hooves striking the ground, startling the crowd into hastily making way.

Qin Zhaorong peeked out and, holding Ziping's arm, said, "That largest carriage is the carriage of the Northern Qi princess. I heard that she has been a great force on the border of our Western Chu, defeating three grandmasters in a row. She is one of the most talented women in the world."

"So what?" Zi Ping asked, showing little interest.

"My senior sister led me to sneak into the inn and steal her poetry collection. On the day of the grand event, I'll disguise myself as a man and use her poems to invite her to a game. That will be very interesting," Qin Zhaorong said with a smile.

You definitely have something wrong with yourself!
Zi Ping rolled her eyes and said irritably, "Don't overthink it. The Northern Qi princess has a Liu family master by her side, and the capital has also sent a master to accompany her. I don't have the ability to sneak you into the post station."

"Why not give it a try? What if it works?"

"Nothing unexpected."

"Senior sister, you're so boring! You just got your pants pulled up and then tossed aside by that guy. I'll teach you a trick to make him fall head over heels for you. It's very simple. First, you hide me in the closet, then blindfold him, and when you're halfway through..."

Qin Zhaorong muttered to herself, and then she received a punch on the head.

As for Xiang Yuan, upon arriving in Zhen Dian Prefecture, he was noticeably more restrained. Unlike those from Northern Qi who scaled the walls to enter, he obediently walked in through the main gate and was led to a small courtyard for temporary lodging by a maid from the post station.

Xiang Yuan could tell at a glance that there was something wrong with this maid.

It's not a flat plain, and you can't tell the front from the back. Just look at the curve of his waist and hips, and he has a pretty good figure. The key is his cultivation level. He is trying his best to hide his innate aura, so he is very likely an assassin.

That's interesting. I'll play along!
Xiao Feng alighted from his carriage in front of the Zhen Dian Prefecture and said that an old friend was hiding there, and it was inconvenient to meet him in person. He would go and make contact with him first, and then introduce him to Xiang Yuan.

Birds of a feather flock together. Xiang Yuan wasn't very interested in what good things Xiao Feng could possibly know, and didn't take it to heart.

Xiang Yuan entered the small courtyard where he was temporarily staying. He saw the maid in front of him suddenly stop, narrow her eyes, and was about to play a cat-and-mouse game.

"You silly child, when did you become a member of the Liu clan?"

The maid turned around and spoke, and her words stunned Xiang Yuan. The voice was familiar, exactly like that of his mother-in-law, Cheng Yuling.

The maid removed the disguise from her face, revealing her true appearance. She was indeed Cheng Yuling, Xiao Lingyue's mother and senior sister.

"Mother, what brings you here?"

Xiang Yuan was slightly taken aback. He remembered that Xiao Lingyue had said that Cheng Yuling was in the Bagua Palace, oops, the Wushuang Palace. Why did she suddenly run back to Zhen Dian Prefecture?

Disguise again, concealing one's aura again...

understood!

The father-in-law has become involved with some widow and has yet another new lover. The mother-in-law has come to assassinate the adulterous couple.

"Mother, I'll help you!"

Xiang Yuan's spirits lifted, and he pounded his chest loudly. How could such a good thing as cracking down on lecherous thieves be left out of him, Fengxian Hubaoyi and Dezhou Shijiyu?

"Help me what? As long as you're not out there having affairs with other women, your mother will be satisfied," Cheng Yuling said softly.

She came to catch them cheating, but not Xiao Yan—she was tired of him. Instead, she was there to help Xiao Lingyue catch Xiang Yuan.

"???"

What love between two people? Mother, what are you talking about? Did Lingyue tell you about Chan'er?

Xiang Yuan gasped. "Ling Yue is so foolish! We three can just live our lives peacefully behind closed doors. How could she tell her parents the truth like that!"
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)