Embers of Sword

Chapter 654: Zhai Xin Ji

"Little guy, come here quickly, let me take a look."

Tianyuan Mountain Top

The child in the Taoist robe squatted on the big rock, striking a pose of mature wisdom, and waved to Jiang Huang with a smile.

"brat?"

Jiang Huang pouted, somewhat unconvinced.

Although she was small, the person in front of her wearing a Taoist robe was even smaller than herself.

However... although the guy opposite him looked very small, he exuded a mysterious aura that was hard to fathom. Sister Baiyi seemed to have a good relationship with him. Thinking of this, Jiang Huang reluctantly walked over. Master Junshan reached out and patted Jiang Huang's shoulder.

Although Junshan is currently only at the Yin God Realm, he has retained most of his Yang God memories, and he can use many of his supernatural abilities with consummate skill.

This is called "bone-pinching soul-testing," which is considered a kind of unorthodox magic.

The child in the Taoist robe squinted, still smiling, and asked, "How old are you?"

"Two years old."

Jiang Huang raised her head, self-righteously rounding up by adding half a year to her age.

It has been almost two years since I awoke in Yuzhu Town.

Actually, if we use the traditional Chinese age reckoning (by counting age in the traditional Chinese way), she is already three years old.

"Two years old..."

Master Junshan was ashamed.

In the distance, Xie Xuanyi and Deng Baiyi returned from the forest. He silently released his grip on the little guy's hands, then beckoned to Xie Xuanyi to come over.

"Is this little phoenix the one you brought back to the capital back then?"

Master Junshan led Xie Xuanyi to a secluded corner.

"Yes."

Xie Xuanyi gave a bitter smile.

Jiang Huang's demon bloodline, even with concealment, could only fool Yin Shen realm cultivators at best. Previously, at the Martial Fortune Dragon Vein in the northern suburbs, Ye Zu saw through the little guy's identity at a glance… Junshan Zhenren, being a reincarnated Yang Shen, understood everything after just one squeeze.

"No wonder."

Master Junshan muttered to himself, "I sensed something was off earlier... You should know what 'Yuanhuang' is all about, right?"

Exactly the same words.

Xie Xuanyi had already heard it once from Ye Zu.

"Senior...I know everything..."

Xie Xuanyi was about to explain.

"There's no need to explain to me. I'm not like that old guy Ye Zu. I don't care about being human or demon at all. Since you saved her, you must have your own plans."

Master Junshan flicked his sleeves and spoke calmly.

"How did you know that I had met with Ye Zu?"

Xie Xuanyi was somewhat surprised.

After killing Yuan Jimo, he traveled almost nonstop between the two places without informing anyone. Although there was a Ruyi Token connecting the Book Pavilion and Junshan, Chen Jingxuan would not have bothered to report such a trivial matter as meeting Ye Zu in such detail.

"It wasn't Chen Jingxuan who told me."

Master Junshan extended two fingers, pointed to his brow, and his expression became serious.

"This story begins with the battle in the southern borderlands... As you should know, I didn't participate in that battle..."

In the great war in the southern borderlands, almost all the cultivators of the Great Chu were caught in this calamity.

Only one person remained detached from worldly affairs.

Xie Xuanyi's expression also turned serious. He had noticed that one figure was missing when he entered the secret tomb earlier.

The True Man of Junshan is not involved in this calamity.

"To be honest, I have comprehended the third Dao realm."

Master Junshan sighed and said, "In fact, most reincarnations of Yang Gods are for the purpose of cultivating again and completing the unfinished path of the previous life... You have comprehended the dual realm of birth and death, and this time you enter the Dao again, you will be even more powerful than in the previous life."

"The third Dao Realm?"

Even Xie Xuanyi, who was usually calm and collected, was slightly shocked at this moment.

Comprehending two Dao realms is already an extremely difficult task.

In order to cultivate the dual Dao realms of birth and death, Xie Xuanyi endured a great deal of suffering...

"Logically speaking, this is a good thing."

There was no joy on Master Junshan's face. He stood with his hands behind his back, the wind blowing his Daoist robes, and a faint sadness on his childlike face: "My third Dao realm is called 'Future'. It is somewhat similar to the techniques of Chen Jing, Xuan Yan, and Xin, who are the celestial observers, but it is also quite different."

"……future?"

Xie Xuanyi looked somewhat confused.

"Although I have mastered this Dao realm, triggering it requires some luck."

Master Junshan lowered his eyes and spoke in a hoarse voice: "On the eve of the great battle in the Southern Frontier, I suddenly entered the Dao and saw some omens and warnings about 'assassination'. So I followed the clues revealed by the Dao realm and prepared to ambush the Seven Sages..."

He slowly recounted the events of the battle at the White Paper Barrier in Southern Xinjiang.

Xie Xuanyi held his breath and concentrated.

Following the clue of the "future Dao Realm," Master Junshan intended to lure out the Seven Sages and capture them all in one fell swoop. It was originally a good thing, but due to unforeseen circumstances, it led to the death of Wu Zhexian and the serious injury of Ye Zu.

Speaking of which.

The boy in the Taoist robe looked somber once again.

He is now truly "all alone"... His best senior brother, the sect leader, has not returned from his spiritual journey; the great master Chongkan, with whom he grew up, went astray and brought about his own destruction; and Wu Zhexian, with whom he had an intimate brotherly relationship, also died in battle not long ago within the White Paper Barrier in the Southern Frontier.

Junshan said hoarsely, "Lu Yuzhen had the opportunity to kill me, but he didn't... He spared my life. That's when I learned about the 'Fountain of Immortality'."

"I know that the calamity in the southern border region has already occurred, and the best way is to return to Da Chu."

Junshan sighed, "So... during that great calamity, I chose to escape."

"You should already know what happened next."

The great calamity in the southern borderlands and the undercurrents in the imperial city occurred almost simultaneously.

Leaving Junshan in southern Xinjiang was not a true "escape"; it was merely leaving one chaotic situation only to immediately plunge into another.

“During this time, I have been trying to summon the 'Future' Dao Realm again.”

Master Junshan paused, then cast a cryptic glance into the distance and said, "But this Dao Realm didn't react... until I saw that little fellow."

After seeing Jiang Huang.

The future Dao realm between his brows underwent another unusual change.

"What do you see?"

Xie Xuanyi said in a deep voice.

"I saw a very heavy snowfall."

Master Junshan narrowed his eyes: "This heavy snow is sweeping in like a tsunami... and scorching phoenix fire is burning on the horizon."

"Phoenix Fire?"

Xie Xuanyi's heart skipped a beat. "Yes."

Master Junshan said solemnly, "I don't know if this scene is good or bad, but it must be related to this little guy. I heard that before the Demon Queen died, she sent all her cultivation to the Demon Kingdom?"

“That’s true…”

Xie Xuanyi responded, then frowned and asked, "Senior means... that the Heavenly Phoenix Palace will come to take them away?"

"Most likely."

Master Junshan said seriously, "This little guy's bloodline is extraordinary. It should be very difficult to find such a pure-blooded phoenix in the Demon Kingdom... After the defeat in the Battle of Drinking Poison, the Heavenly Phoenix Palace lost its once-in-a-millennium top leader, 'Great Venerable Mo Zhen,' leaving only the old palace master to shoulder the burden. Now is the time when we urgently need to cultivate a new palace master. Once the Demon Queen sends Jiang Huang's information to the Northern Prefecture, those guys will probably try every means to take Jiang Huang back to the Demon Kingdom."

"..."

Upon hearing this, Xie Xuanyi fell into deep thought.

"However... this may not necessarily be a disaster."

Master Junshan said seriously, "The revelation of the future Dao Realm is not 100% certain. Who can say for sure about destiny? Even if the Heavenly Phoenix Palace really wants to take action, having foreseen it in advance is enough to set up an ambush."

"Thank you, senior."

Xie Xuanyi pondered for a long time before letting out a deep sigh of frustration.

……

……

In the capital city of Dachu, an autumn rain washed and cleaned the streets and alleys, leaving the bluestone pavement clear and clean.

The filth, blood, and chaos were all washed away.

Two young people sat in a private room of a teahouse. The window beside them was half open, a large flag was waving, and fine rain fell, making a crisp, pattering sound. It sounded pleasant and gentle, making one feel drowsy. Such an afternoon was perfect for sleeping and drinking tea.

The woman was not wearing a Taoist robe, but only a simple white silk shirt, and her hair was still tied up with a wooden hairpin.

She took a small sip from her white porcelain teacup, and the sharpness on her face vanished completely. No one would believe that this was the master of Tianxiazhai, who was known for her "swift and decisive" and "ruthless" approach to life.

"Today is a good day."

Tang Fengshu looked down and said softly, "I like rain, and I also like peace and quiet."

There were very few pedestrians on the street.

From this height, you can't see the faces of these pedestrians; you can only see one oil-paper umbrella after another, blooming like flowers and swaying slowly.

"Today is indeed a good day."

Chen Jingxuan smiled and said, "After this autumn rain... the imperial city should be much cleaner."

He wasn't looking down at the long street, but rather towards the direction of the palace.

The magnificent palace, near its center, was missing a piece… The secret array inscribed with the Emperor's blood was destroyed, and the Renshou Palace descended upon the Da Sui Sword Palace, shattering along with the Empress's defeat. The Renshou Palace was shattered by Zhao Chunyang's sword source river, completely reduced to rubble, thus leaving the palace without a major "heart."

For people.

Without a "heart", one will die.

But for Da Chu... only by removing this festering, rotten "heart" can he be reborn.

With Renshou Palace destroyed and Yanxie Yuan Jimu dead and gone, the subsequent investigation was only slightly more complicated, but not too difficult.

So much has happened these past few days.

Tang Fengshu followed Chen Jingxuan's gaze and couldn't help but sigh, "A few days felt like several years..."

In the southern borderlands and the imperial city, two chaotic upheavals collided, creating countless turbulent currents.

"But fortunately, these stories have good endings."

Chen Jingxuan smiled.

Although he was drinking tea in a teahouse, enjoying a peaceful moment, there was still a thick stack of case files in front of him.

The files swayed gently in the wind, making a rustling sound that blended with the sound of rain and sounded quite pleasant.

The first page contains a petition regarding the current emperor of the Great Chu, "Chu Yin," requesting permission to travel to distant lands, which has already been approved.

This poor girl, forced to sit on the emperor's throne, wanted to break free from her cage from the very beginning.

Logically speaking.

She was destined to be trapped in the imperial city for the rest of her life.

But... Chen Jingxuan is not Yuan Huang. Years ago, he stood on Chu Yin's side without hesitation, not only for justice, but also out of "pity" for this child. Chu Yin hated the imperial city and wanted to leave to go to places he had never been before. There happened to be a child who had returned from leaving the country and wanted to stand in this position, want to do his part, and want to do everything he could to uphold justice in the world.

Chu Guo took over this heavy responsibility in place of Chu Yin.

Crash.

The case file was turned over again, and the second page was the bookstore's case report about the Imperial Preceptor Yan Xin.

Perhaps due to insufficient cultivation, or perhaps because when the Holy Empress was imprisoned in the capital, only Yan Xin pleaded for her life… During the battle that buryed Qin Zu alive, Yuan Huang did not harm the old Grand Preceptor, but merely knocked him unconscious and imprisoned him in the deep palace, awaiting the end of the war before taking further action. After the collapse of Renshou Palace, Yan Xin was rescued and has been recuperating in the Carp Pavilion. Sang Zheng is personally responsible for serving the old Grand Preceptor and compiling his medical records, which are then sent to Chen Jingxuan.

The pages are turned again.

The head of the Qin family has been chosen...

Qin Baihuang had been tricked. Because of Qin Qianlian's high-profile entry into the city and his provocation, he was determined to settle things with the "Southern Frontier Demon Extermination." Little did he expect that his "good-for-nothing" Daoist-obsessed younger brother was only interested in cultivation. These tactics were all pre-planned "provocative tactics." If Qin Baihuang had opened the letter Qin Qianlian had sent in public before the demon extermination, he would have discovered the truth.

In the letter, Qin Qianlian voluntarily relinquished the position of "family head" and harshly mocked her good-for-nothing, foolish older brother.

After the great battle ended, Qin Baihuang, unable to resist his curiosity, opened the envelope. After reading it, he was so angry that he was furious. He rushed to the Daoist sect, but unfortunately, due to serious injuries, Master Xuanzhi had sealed off Qingnang Mountain and refused to see any guests. He did not get to see Qin Qianlian at all... Now, he had no way to refuse the so-called "position of family head".

The two dramatic changes in the southern border and the capital had a profound impact on the Qin family.

With Qin Zu's death in the Moon Hidden Cave, the so-called position of the first family of the Great Chu was no longer secure.

This is a heavy burden.

Qin Baihuang had no choice but to accept the answer, whether he wanted to or not.

During this period, Qin Baihuang had no time to study magical artifacts and talismans, and the secret door to the cellar of the Refining Department had accumulated a lot of dust.

but.

Although Qin Baihuang is busy taking over the Qin family affairs every day...

Despite his busy schedule, he still managed to squeeze out time to do something very important.

"Extra!"

"Extra!"

Suddenly, a clear, childlike voice rang out from the bluestone street.

A ragged boy in straw sandals, without an umbrella, ran through the streets and alleys wearing a raincoat. His arms were bulging, and he didn't care that he was getting wet, but he used the raincoat to protect the books in his pockets.

The boy in straw sandals shouted loudly: "The latest edition of 'Zhaixin Ji' from Fangyuanfang is here!"

"Zhaixin Ji?"

Tang Fengshu paused for a moment, vaguely feeling that the book title sounded familiar.

Chen Jingxuan's expression became strange and subtle.

"Wait, wait—"

Beside the bluestone street, a tourist seeking shelter from the rain couldn't help but reach out and call out to the boy, "Didn't Zhaixinji end? The story of those two... didn't it end tragically a while ago? I remember it was completely over..."

"Hi."

The young man winked and smiled, "As the saying goes, 'When things take a turn for the better, they turn around for a brighter future.' Nothing in this world is absolute... Sir, would you like to buy the last issue? It just arrived, it's fresh and hot right now. I haven't even had time to read it myself. On the way here, I heard them say that those two overcame countless difficulties and not only achieved their goal, but also had several children!"

(End of this chapter)