Great Red Immortal Sect

Chapter 698: Marquisship
Inside the Immortal Purple Palace.

A purple aura filled the air, and celestial light rippled, bestowing blessings of cleansing karma and elevating spirits, and granting immortal essence, thus dispelling the scenes of frost-covered plum blossoms and blood-stained mountain gates.

All the demons and monsters, big and small, were sealed by the purple aura, received divine decrees, and ceased their mischief.

Wei Shuang's head gradually returned to calm, sealed within the central array atop the palace roof, her eyes tightly closed, a faint gray medicinal vapor escaping from her mouth, sealing her life.

Golden and white sparks drifted down from between her brows, lifted by purple energy, and returned to Xu Xuan's hand. It was Guan Quan who had sent it back; Wei Shuang had now taken the Elixir of Immortality, her injuries had stabilized, and she no longer needed this spiritual essence.

"Eastern Cang, Taiyin"

Guan Quan pondered Xu Xuan's earlier words, gently stroking his long beard, a glint of light in his eyes. After a moment of contemplation, he finally asked:

"Where did Sword Immortal Xu obtain this information?"

"It was revealed to my disciple by Qingyuan Zhenren of Shangxiao Immortal Sect. It's not exactly a secret now that it's reached me. Dongcang Immortal Sect has already made this information public."

Xu Xuan had already decided who should take the blame, and Tian Tuo was naturally the most suitable.

As for the whereabouts of the White Moon Palace Master, she did not hide them. She had made many moves at Gray Cliff, and many demon kings and true immortals had heard of her.

"White Moon Palace"

Guan Quan's expression changed, as if he had heard something extraordinary, but he suppressed his shock and asked:
"This palace master also has the surname Wei? Perhaps she and Wei Shuang are from the same clan?"

"I wonder who this Wei woman is—"

Xu Xuan's heart stirred, and he also thought of the character Wei. Han Yin and Tai Yin are very close, so there might actually be some connection between them.

"Among the most prestigious surnames in the world, Wang, Xie, Zhang, Li, Jiang, Yang, Wei, and Tao are the most renowned. The Wei surname is among them, which shows how illustrious it once was."

When Guan Quan mentioned these surnames, his tone was quite respectful, and he also showed a touch of emotion.

"I wonder what kind of immortal clans they are? Even Xiao Li's imperial clan is inferior to them?"

Xu Xuan's heart stirred. It would be a good opportunity to ask Guan Quan about these things that only the great lineages knew. Perhaps it would be helpful for his future actions and to help him distinguish the origins of things.

Guan Quan was slightly taken aback. He had thought that these families should be well-known, but he immediately realized that Xu Jianxian's lineage had been broken, so he probably really didn't know.

"The imperial families of the two countries are naturally no match for these families. Take the Northern Liao as an example. The so-called imperial family, the Xiao family, was once under the Yelü clan. It was only after the emergence of Zhenjun that they rose to become the ruler. The Song family also had no great ancestors. They were merely descendants of the Southern Li."

Tie Sui's head suddenly jerked, prompting Hei Lu to suppress it, but the Liao king still gritted his teeth and shouted:

"My family, Yelü, is the true royal family; the Xiao family is merely the empress's family. My family is the true master—"

“Your Yelü clan has no true ruler among your ancestors, how can you compare with the Xiao clan? Now your family is the empress, and the Xiao clan is the emperor.”

Guan Quan shook his head slightly, his tone indifferent, but this only made Tie Sui's face more ferocious. Black flames spewed from his mouth and nose, creating a foul stench.

Xu Xuan didn't say much. With a surge of lightning in his hand, he struck Tie Sui, who screamed in agony and fell completely silent.

"Senior Guan Quan, please continue."

"The prominent families I've mentioned to you all have members who have held high positions and have even made a name for themselves in the past."

Guan Quan paused for a moment, then continued:

“For example, the Zhang family is descended from the Heavenly Emperor Xuanhao. If we count carefully, there are still two of them in power today. The Wang family is a direct descendant of Donghua Shaoyang, a descendant of immortals, and is even more remarkable.”

"As for Wei, he was a former member of the Taiyin Immortal lineage. In ancient times, there was a Taiyin Baiyue Chenyin Immortal, also known as Baixian Xuanjun, who was the longest-surviving immortal in the Xiuye ​​Dao lineage."

"Immortal."

Xu Xuan's heart stirred. He had thought that the Wei family was illustrious, but he did not expect that they had actually produced an immortal. And this person's other title caught his attention.

Xuanjun?

This wasn't the first time he'd heard this title; the [Qingxian Xuanjun Sword Manual] that Tian Tuo had retrieved also bore this name, suggesting it carried a special meaning.

"If we were to talk about the Wei family today, the Wei family of Longyang in Shu should be the most prominent, directly inheriting from Zhenyuan, and should be the direct descendants of the reigning Zhenjun."

'Zhen Yuan?'

Xu Xuan's heart stirred. He had dealt with this lineage many times before, and he had long heard of the power of this lineage. It was said that a Gen Earth Immortal had been produced here.

'Sichuan.'

He seemed to have sensed something was wrong. Now his sect was also setting up forces in Shu, occupying Jindu, and remotely controlling Jianguan. Both of these places were not far from Longyang!

Xu Xuan had heard Wen Si'an talk about this matter before, and thought that this family was just a newly emerged True Person with shallow foundation, so he did not take it. But now, after hearing Guan Quan say it, he realized that something was wrong.

"The Wei clan of Shuangmei, if traced back to their bloodline, can be traced back to the Baiyue Wei clan. However, most of the Wei clans in the world are scattered and have not united as one."

"I see, I've learned a lesson."

Xu Xuan's heart stirred, and he continued to ask:

"I wonder what Senior Guan Quan plans to do?"

"Let me first write a letter and send someone to visit. Our Louguan has had contact with Tianye before and has also sought the Dharma in Donghua. So we have a connection with Dongcang now."

Guan Quan spoke calmly, but Xu Xuan's eyebrows twitched.

'This is the foundation of the ancient immortal path; our sect truly cannot compare.'

Compared to Louguan, Dachi seems to have a shallow foundation and cannot compare to this ancient Taoist tradition with its long history.

'One day I'll put the plaque bearing Feng Xuan's name on the mountain gate.'

He spoke with Guan Quan about the battlefield, then left the secret realm with him and returned to the front of the Xuanlou.
Purple energy surged, the gates closed, and the interior of the mysterious building was revealed once again.

"For now, let Wei Shuang's life be sealed within the Immortal Purple Secret Realm. We'll just have to see if that Palace Master Wei in Dongcang is any good."

Guan Quan was also somewhat worried. Although they were both related to Wei, their bloodlines were probably far off, and it was uncertain whether the other party even understood the Taiyin Refining Form.

Even if one understands it, this is a celestial technique of the Taiyin sect, involving fundamental inheritance, and it is probably not something that can be easily leaked out.

"Senior Guan Quan truly treats Wei Shuang as his own daughter. Xu Xuan admires him greatly."

Looking at the troubled expression on the face of the Louguan Daoist Master, Xu Xuan felt a pang of emotion. The most righteous person he had ever met was this Master Guan Quan.

You should know that the value of that little bit of immortality elixir alone was probably already astronomical. Although it had side effects, the ability to prolong life was something that many Purple Mansions could not possibly obtain!

Xu Xuan estimated that the small amount he had ingested had already added ten years to his lifespan, but that was the limit. If he took more, his life would probably become stagnant.

His feet are still made of wood and entangled with roots, which require magical power to wear down little by little. However, his injuries have indeed healed, and he only needs to rest.

"The Frost Plum Sect and my Louguan Sect have long been on friendly terms, and Master Yan Shuang is an old friend; this is what I should do."

Guan Quan's gaze shifted to the head shrouded in purple mist that Xu Xuan was holding, and he simply said:
"May I have Xu Jianxian's head?"

Xu Xuan naturally had no reason to refuse, and handed the head over to the other party, only saying with remorse:
"I have failed to complete the two tasks that Master Guan Quan asked me to do. I am ashamed to accept the great formation." "That is enough. There will be opportunities in the future."

Guan Quan took the head, which was shrouded in purple mist, and stared at the handsome face that had been cut in half, lost in thought for a moment.

Suddenly, the void in the sky burst open, incense descended, and a decree, carried by thunder, landed before Xu Xuan. He opened it and saw that it was the decree of the Heavenly Fiend, summoning him to the capital.

"I need to go to Nandu first. Senior Guan Quan, if you need my help with Fellow Daoist Wei's matter, I will definitely lend a hand."

Xu Xuan's heart stirred. It had taken him a whole day to travel from Baihe to Yongzhou. Now that the battle was over, he wondered what the next plan would be.

"Thank you for your help, Sword Immortal."

Guan Quan only saw a flash of silver light before his eyes, and the sword immortal had already stepped into the void and disappeared in an instant.

The Louguan Daoist master held up the half-head in his hands and carefully examined the face. He could vaguely see the appearance of that year. Suddenly, demonic light arose and purple energy surged. Then, the head turned into ashes and scattered.

Why seek refuge with the devil, and instead pay homage to the pure?

He felt he had done nothing wrong to this disciple, treating him as his own son, and even intended to support Jingxing as the next master of Louguan, returning the lineage to the Yin family. But why?
Southern Capital.

The primordial radiance hung high, and the brilliance of the celestial light shone brightly. On the cloud path beside the vermilion imperial palace, banners fluttered and precious fans were raised high, illuminating the entire sky with a vermilion divine light that was like smoke and mist.

Imperial palace, throne.

Clad in a crimson imperial robe and crown, the emperor gently set down the intelligence report in his hand. A hint of surprise flickered in his bright, piercing eyes. He looked at the prince who had come to report and said leisurely:

"Now that Baihe has been leveled, can we send someone to guard it?"

"Your Majesty, it is now the Xie family's [ritual] elders who are clearing the battlefield, for only 'purifying qi' can neutralize this extremely fiery evil."

Arashiyama spoke respectfully. Although he had mixed feelings about this Tenchi, now that he had actually entered the Imperial Palace, he still respected him as Emperor, since it was the order given by the Lord.

He shifted his gaze slightly, looking towards the side of the main hall.

A scholarly-looking man in white stood there, his refined demeanor revealing him to be none other than Xie Kuo, the "Master of Literature," who was also the Grand Master of Ceremonies in the imperial court.

"I heard that Minglan's child was injured and her physical body was damaged?"

Tian Chi spoke calmly, only saying:
"Someone, fetch a branch of the [Chongming Tianxing] tree and send it to Prince Zhu Ju to repair his physical body."

Upon hearing this, Arashiyama's expression shifted slightly, and he simply said:

"Thank you, Your Majesty, for such a precious spiritual object."

“Minglan is a pillar of our dynasty, and his offspring are also loyal to the emperor. He deserves this reward. However, you still need to make arrangements for the matters on Baihe’s side.”

"Yes."

Arashiyama immediately agreed, his tone respectful, but his heart was filled with coldness.

He and Tian Chi had acted out this harmonious relationship between ruler and subject more than once, but he knew in his heart that this was hardly a benevolent ruler. If you ate a little bit of his food, he would make you vomit it all back!
He left the imperial palace and stepped onto the cloud path, only to see a ray of silver light approaching from ahead, which turned out to be none other than the Sword Immortal Xu.

With the battle just concluded and both men's vital energy depleted, Lanshan glanced at the other and smiled:
"Did Sword Immortal Xu also receive the Emperor's decree? Sword Immortal made great contributions in the Battle of Baihe!"

His gaze remained fixed on the Liao man's head in the other's hand. Seeing Tie Sui's extremely miserable situation, he felt extremely pleased and activated his supernatural powers to awaken the Liao man.

"Yelü Tieyuan, you've fought with me for so many years, and you've still become a pawn."

Tie Sui barely managed to raise his head and look ahead. His braid was still being held by Xu Xuan, and a black law was pressing down on him, cutting off any possibility of him taking his own life.

"Kill me if you want, why humiliate me? Song Minglan, you're too petty, you're not even as good as a woman!"

The King of Lanshan sneered, and a beam of fiery light descended, about to strike Tie Sui's face and punish this barbarian.

But a flash of lightning struck, instantly knocking Li Guang down, only to see a pair of extremely cold silver eyes looking over.

"Your Majesty has said enough. This person still needs to be dealt with by His Majesty. I'm afraid we cannot act rashly."

For some reason, Arashiyama felt a pang of fear upon seeing those pupils reflecting the silver lightning, but he said nothing, only nodding slightly and smiling:
“Of course. Killing the Demonic One and capturing the King of Liao are both great achievements. Immortal Xu can certainly ask His Majesty for more rewards.”

He spoke with concern, gently patted Xu Xuan's shoulder, and then turned and left.

But after turning around, his expression turned cold, and his mind raced. He thought to himself:
'This man is arrogant and has already shown his talent; he'll likely be difficult to command in the future!'

Xu Xuan ignored the thoughts of the King of Lanshan. He looked at the imperial palace ahead and regretted taking the immortality elixir so early. Otherwise, he could have pretended to be even more miserable.

Although the Song family is known for its harshness and ingratitude, and Tian Chi is even more so, Xu Xuan is now indispensable in the Northern Expedition.

Whether dealing with Buddhist or demonic cultivators, She Lei is a top-notch lineage, let alone a great sword immortal.

Since the other party wanted to use him, he naturally had to negotiate the price properly. As for whether His Majesty Tianchi's things were easy to obtain, he didn't care.

If he were to ascend the throne, no matter how much the Song family possessed, they would not dare to complain. However, if he were to die in the process of seeking the Dao, given the family's nature, even the most loyal ministers would probably not care.

Upon entering the palace, one sees the blazing light of the fire rising and surging forth, with maids in apricot-red robes waiting on either side, and on the main seat is none other than Tian Chi.

"See Your Majesty."

Xu Xuan bowed slightly, his tone indifferent.

"Xu Qing has performed a great service, killing Zhi Xi and capturing Tie Sui. In the past hundred years, no one has achieved such outstanding feats as you. Bring up Tie Sui's head."

Then a maidservant came out from the side, carrying a golden plate. She walked to Xu Xuan's side, greeted him first, and then took the head, carefully placed it on the plate, and presented it to the emperor.

Tie Sui opened his eyes with great difficulty. Only then could he see the person in front of him clearly. He felt the overwhelming pressure of the fire energy descending upon him, making it impossible for him to make any move to resist.

"You are...Tenchi!"

He recognized the person in front of him, and spoke haltingly, sounding extremely weak.

The fiery energy condensed into a net, swiftly descending and sealing the head, completely severing its connection with the outside world. Then, it was sent into the void by streams of fiery energy, disappearing without a trace.

Tian Chi turned his gaze to Xu Xuan and smiled:
"Proclaim the imperial decree."

Xie Kuo stepped forward at the opportune moment, holding a golden edict, and announced loudly:
"Xu Xuan of Da Chi has rendered meritorious service in the conquest of Liao, eradicated the demonic manifestation, and captured the supernatural beings. From this day forward, he shall be granted the title of Marquis of Tianshe, with a rank equal to that of all kings. All of Tianzhou shall be under his jurisdiction, and all the righteous paths shall obey him."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

Xu Xuan accepted the order, but he didn't really believe it.

There were no real benefits to being granted a title of nobility. After all, the Song Dynasty was not a well-governed and prosperous dynasty. Most of its kings and officials did not have any real power, unlike the Xia Dynasty and the Feng Dynasty.

"I have a daughter named Qingci. I've heard that you, Mr. Xu, had a son a few years ago who is exceptionally talented. Wouldn't it be better to arrange a marriage between us?"

Tian Chi's sudden mention of this matter startled Xu Xuan.

'As expected. His Majesty knew all this.'

(End of this chapter)