Embers of Sword

Chapter 704 Trek
Xie Xuanyi and Jiang Miaoyin became Daoist partners and will soon be married.

The news spread throughout Da Chu in less than half a day.

Upon hearing this news, congratulations came from all directions!

The Great Eagle Sword Palace was almost overflowing with people, as families from the four sacred mountains across the land came to pay their respects with gifts under the pretext of offering congratulations. Even the Great Li Dynasty sent an envoy with congratulations and generous gifts.

Tang Fengshu, the head of the Daoist sect, and several other sect leaders were all present to offer their sincere congratulations.

This "divine journey" is truly too perfect. Perhaps because the Holy Empress did not break free from the seal of Renshou Palace, the Great Master Chongkan not only cultivated "One Qi Transforms into Three Pure Ones", but also had his physical body controlled by benevolence. During the years that Xiaoyaozi was in seclusion, he led the Taoist sect to make steady progress and firmly occupy the position of the number one sect in the world.

The Brahma Temple also sent Yin Chanzi to offer her congratulations.

The three major factions have a harmonious relationship and there is no conflict between them.

Although there were clashes between Li Kingdom and Da Chu, the overall situation was relatively peaceful. The Ninth Prince arrived at the mountain gate with Fanyin Temple.

In this "spiritual journey," while Da Chu is at peace, Li Kingdom is quite turbulent, with the so-called "anti-Buddhist" campaign occurring more than once. The Li Kingdom's ruler remains bedridden, and the power struggle between the Crown Prince and the Ninth Prince is common knowledge… The so-called "anti-Buddhist" campaign is aimed at weakening the Ninth Prince's power. Under the heavy pressure exerted by the Crown Prince and Nalan Xuance, Buddhism no longer maintains its "neutrality." The appearance of Yin Chanzi and the Ninth Prince together at the Da Sui Sword Palace is a statement in itself.

The Buddhist sect and the Ninth Prince became "allies".

With the Ninth Prince's appearance, the Crown Prince naturally wouldn't show his face again... When news of the wedding spread, Nalan Xuance merely sent two insignificant envoys to express Xuanwei Island's congratulations, and then took no further action.

For so many years.

The Great Sword Palace has never been so lively.

The news of the marriage came so suddenly that it caught everyone off guard, even the head of the law firm...

Those familiar with Xie Xuanyi all think that this guy will probably "live a lonely life".

It's only natural that so many people came.

Xie Xuanyi is destined to inherit Zhao Chunyang's mantle. These people sent congratulatory gifts simply to curry favor with the future leader of the Sword Palace and his wife.

This news spread like wildfire.

But the actual scene was quite deserted, even somewhat boring.

With so many distinguished guests present, Xie Xuanyi and Jiang Miaoyin naturally had to make an appearance... The "golden couple" appeared at Lotus Peak, exchanged a few words with old friends, and then rode away together on their swords.

……

……

Outside the Great Jade Palace, in front of a mountain waterfall.

A wisp of sword light slowly descended.

Jiang Miaoyin squatted in front of the waterfall pool, scooped up a handful of water, and looked at the round, fragmented faces reflected in the water.

The past two days have seen so many things happen so fast and so quickly.

This left her somewhat disoriented for a while.

"From this day forward, we shall be Daoist partners?"

Jiang Miaoyin looked at the ripples in her palm, her voice somewhat complicated.

It's no secret that she likes Xie Xuanyi.

Everyone in the world knows it.

Today is supposed to be the day she announces her marriage to the world. She should be at Lotus Peak receiving blessings from her friends and distinguished guests, but she just wants some peace and quiet... For some reason, the feeling of her dream coming true isn't as joyful as she imagined.

"Yes."

Xie Xuanyi stood by the stream, his voice calm.

"..."

Jiang Miaoyin lowered her eyes; she roughly understood the reason.

She likes her senior.

What she wanted... was for her senior brother to like her too.

Whether it's a Daoist partner or a fellow disciple, it's all just a superficial "empty name".

Now, although they have become Daoist partners.

However, Jiang Miaoyin could not sense Xie Xuanyi's "inner thoughts." She only felt that the person standing in front of her was so close, yet so far away.

Some things cannot be faked.

Love is such a thing.

"Senior brother, I feel... something is very strange."

Jiang Miaoyin stood by the stream, her voice blank, and murmured, "It's a feeling I can't quite describe. I'm not happy."

She watched the swaying stream and the shimmering reflections, but a bitter feeling welled up inside her.

"how long have you been here?"

Xie Xuanyi simply asked this question.

"how long?"

Jiang Miaoyin was taken aback.

She thought about it carefully and said slowly, "It's been a long time... about a year, maybe even longer."

"This is my third day here."

Xie Xuanyi said, "I want to see what happens next."

Jiang Miaoyin was stunned again.

She turned to look at Xie Xuanyi, not understanding the meaning of his words.

"I find the idea of ​​'spiritual travel' very incredible."

Xie Xuanyi said, "If a boy in his early teens were to step into the River of Destiny by chance and spend twenty years in it, then which period of time truly represents his life?"

Jiang Miaoyin turned around and stared blankly at the familiar yet unfamiliar senior brother.

This is a good question.

"The Zen master told me that by cutting off the mental obstacles and severing distracting thoughts, I can find the 'anchor point' to return. If the illusion is false and the spiritual journey is real, then everything in this spiritual world is so beautiful... why cling to leaving?"

Xie Xuanyi continued, "I started thinking about this question on the first day I woke up. Unfortunately, I still haven't figured it out."

"Senior brother, I don't understand what you're trying to say..."

Jiang Miaoyin was somewhat dejected. After a long silence, she murmured, "I don't understand any of this and its connection to 'Daoist partners'..."

In the courtyard in Qingzhou, she was overjoyed when she heard Xie Xuanyi reject her marriage proposal to Prince Yanle.

But now, those feelings have become complicated again.

"Forming a Daoist partnership is so that you can 'live'."

Xie Xuanyi stared into Jiang Miaoyin's eyes and said seriously, word by word, "There is a problem with this Divine Travel World."

"has a problem?"

Jiang Miaoyin was startled.

"The problem is that the world is too perfect."

Xie Xuanyi calmly said, "I met with the Zen Master once. The River of Destiny is currently in a state of chaos... Someone is manipulating the River and altering cause and effect. I suspect that this world of divine travel has already been altered."

"You mean... the cause and effect here has been altered by the Paper Doll Path?"

Jiang Miaoyin lowered her voice, incredulous: "Everything we've done is also under their control?"

"..."

Xie Xuanyi was silent for a moment, then said meaningfully, "Yes. I think Lu Yuzhen has already been here. After the battle in the Moon Hidden Realm ended in failure, he disappeared for a while... Since supporting the Holy Empress ended in failure, then let's make sure she can't break free from the Renshou Palace seal from the beginning."

This conjecture is quite unconventional, yet perfectly reasonable.

Do you still remember the 'paper doll technique'?

Xie Xuanyi calmly said, "When Lu Yuzhen appeared in the world as the 'Paper Daoist,' he had already used the 'Paper Man Technique' to control many important figures. These people are lurking in various sacred mountains, aristocratic families, and even Daoist sects, sword palaces, and the Great Chu Imperial City. They are hidden in the shadows and almost undetectable. Once Lu Yuzhen needs them, they will spare no expense to ignite themselves to complete the 'Paper Dao' mission."

The eldest brother, Zhou Zhiren, is one.

Jiang Miaoyin's personal maid, Qingzhu, was also one.

"what?"

Jiang Miaoyin frowned, feeling that the guess was too far-fetched, yet also that the truth seemed very close to it.

"What Lu Yuzhen wants to do is actually very simple. He simply wants to use the 'paper doll technique' to quietly lay a large net, infiltrate various forces, and eventually gain control."

Xie Xuanyi raised an eyebrow and said, "If possible, he would certainly be happy to use the 'Paper Doll Technique' on the Empress and on his master... It's just a pity that his cultivation is not enough. Even with the [Great Dao Brush], he cannot accomplish such a thing. Therefore, he can only choose to start from the most suitable time in the River of Destiny. I suspect that Zhou Zhiren's betrayal was due to him finding such an opportunity."

In this life, the eldest brother lived a very happy life and even married a wife.

In his own world, Zhou Zhiren is not like that at all...

This "spiritual journey" may seem to involve only one major change, the Great Calamity of the North Sea, but Zhou Zhiren's marriage is enough to prove that the real "change" occurred before the Great Calamity of the North Sea, and even earlier!
Did Lu Yuzhen really give up on planting the paper effigy on Zhou Zhiren?

Or perhaps there is another reason?

Jiang Miaoyin asked cautiously, "So you came to Qingzhou..."

"When I woke up from my reverie, my first thought was naturally to find you. After understanding the general situation, I suspected that 'King of Banquet and Music' was a paper doll that Lu Yuzhen had assimilated."

Xie Xuanyi said calmly, "If you accept that marriage certificate, you will probably face the same fate as Zhou Zhiren in the original world."

"..."

Jiang Miaoyin's expression grew increasingly grim.

"Choosing to become Daoist partners is also very simple."

Xie Xuanyi said, "Since this Divine Travel World has been interfered with by Lu Yuzhen, then this guy is most likely hiding somewhere in the shadows. He knows very well what I will do... This marriage announcement is to tell him that I have arrived."

A live fish appeared in a stagnant pool.

Then the owner of this stagnant pool had a very important thing to do.

Xie Xuanyi was telling Lu Yuzhen—

He, the "live fish," has entered the jar.

"You mean, this so-called 'Daoist partner' is just a stopgap measure?"

Jiang Miaoyin looked at Xie Xuanyi and said hoarsely, "You did this for my own good, to protect me, so you came up with this plan... You weren't sincere?"

"This is a talisman I just drew. It can protect your soul. You can wear it to prevent your soul from being lost."

Xie Xuanyi did not answer the question, but instead took out a talisman from his sleeve and tapped his fingers lightly.

The talisman swept up to Jiang Miaoyin.

"..."

Jiang Miaoyin looked very disappointed.

She took the talisman, silently rose, and rode away on her sword.

Xie Xuanyi did not leave with him.

He simply stood before the pool, calmly watching the departing figure.

……

……

time flies.

After Xie Xuanyi and Jiang Miaoyin became Daoist partners, the world enjoyed many years of peace.

Xie Xuanyi did not continue his seclusion in the Sword Palace, but instead went out to travel alone... No one knows where he went.

Many disciples of the Sword Palace were curious.

Why did Xie Xuanyi and Jiang Miaoyin become more "distant" after becoming Daoist partners?

But the elders of the sect disagreed.

For great cultivators, a separation of one or two years is nothing. Great cultivators in the Yangshen realm can live for hundreds of years if they are not involved in karma. Even a brilliant cultivator like Xie Xuanyi can live for three or four hundred years if he encounters an unavoidable era of conflict.

A year or two is but a ripple in the long river of life.

Xie Xuanyi went to visit his good friend.

After defeating Yan Xie, Chen Jingxuan became the Grand Preceptor of the Great Chu. In this "divine journey," he did not develop feelings for Tang Fengshu... Perhaps because of the victory of "Chongkan's benevolent intentions," the Taoist sect did not experience so many dangerous storms, so although the two were friends, there was no "entanglement."

Xie Xuanyi also went to the southern border.

Yinshan still exists and firmly suppresses the other two major evil sects, but the White Ghost, the Crimson Immortal, and the Azure Owl, these seemingly invincible "pseudo-saints," all keep a low profile in this life and dare not show the slightest arrogance.

They dared not provoke the Great Jade Palace.

Without the Empress's permission, these evil cultivators dared not even set foot on the border of Da Chu.

To the monolithic Great Chu Dynasty, these pseudo-saints, even if they were to one day attain the Dao, would be nothing more than slightly larger ants.

Of course, the trip to southern Xinjiang was not for the maggots in the Yinshan Mountains.

Xie Xuanyi wanted to reclaim his own [Yuan Tun Inheritance], but the Southern Border Abyss seemed to have never existed. In this world of divine travel, there was no Bai Ze Secret Tomb.

Thereafter...

Five years have passed.

Xie Xuanyi spent five years traversing almost every corner of Da Chu and Da Li...

He wanted to see what would happen in this world of divine travel, but everything in the Great Chu Dynasty was perfect. There was no fighting or killing, the families of the four sacred mountains lived in harmony, and the court and the country were in a state of "peace and tranquility".

The only thing that could be called a disturbance was the internal strife within the royal family of Li Kingdom.

End of the second year.

The king of Li Kingdom fell seriously ill and went into a coma. The ninth prince took care of him day and night, while the crown prince raised an army to besiege the kingdom, and a conflict broke out between the two sides.

After a fierce battle.

After the king's death, the country of Li was divided into two factions. Both the crown prince and the ninth prince presented their "draft edicts of succession," which led to a protracted struggle. This battle lasted for several years. After Xie Xuanyi entered Dali, he even fought with Chen Chong. He did not interfere in the struggle of the country of Li, but simply watched the rise and fall of this world as a "tourist."

For Xie Xuanyi.

The greatest achievement of the past five years has been the fulfillment of the "Way of Life".

The war in the country lasted for three years.

He traveled to various prefectures, healing the dead and wounded. He did not rely on the "Fountain of Immortality," but rather on the Dao of Life from his previous life's divine sea, continuously healing the injured.

Logically speaking.

In this life, I have already ascended to the Yin God realm through the "Way of Annihilation".

No matter what, it's impossible to condense another "Dao Intent"...

But after five years of tireless efforts and rescues, Xie Xuanyi actually managed to create a "Realm of Life" that was so realistic it was hard to believe.

The six supernatural powers in Buddhism do not require practitioners to reach any particular level of spiritual attainment.

As long as one is sincere, one can cultivate oneself.

This illusory "path to life" is similar to a supernatural power in Buddhism...

If Xie Xuanyi were to return to the real world at this moment, his Dao of Life would probably advance by leaps and bounds, reaching the state of "perfection". However, because he has not yet condensed his Dao, this Dao realm can only exist in the form of supernatural powers.

(End of this chapter)