Misty Rain of the Old Times

The location of Tai Xuan Sect is named after the sect, called Tai Xuan Mountain, also known as Tai Xiu Mountain, which means "gathering the essence of heaven and earth".

Here, there are five mountains, nine springs, and seventeen peaks, some majestic, some beautiful, some precipitous, and some solitary. Flowing springs and waterfalls are surrounded by mist and clouds, making the scenery rare in the world.

In fact, the history of the Tai Xuan Sect is much longer than that of the Jing Kingdom, dating back seven or eight hundred years. It was established after the collapse of the once-powerful dynasty that ruled the territories of surrounding countries a thousand years ago. Throughout the ages, it has produced many experts and has never lost a line of grandmasters and powerful figures, continuing to this day.

Over the centuries, ancient temples can be found everywhere in the mountains. Strolling through those ancient buildings is like flipping through a history book.

At its peak, the Tai Xuan Sect was known for having three Grandmaster-level experts coexisting, and Innate Masters emerged like mushrooms after rain. With tens of thousands of disciples, it dominated the martial arts world for over a hundred years. During that period, not only the martial arts world of Jing Kingdom, but also the martial arts sects of surrounding countries had to defer to the Tai Xuan Sect.

Even dynasties that remain prosperous forever do not exist in the world, let alone martial arts sects. The Tai Xuan Sect has long passed its most glorious period, but it still possesses profound foundations and remains one of the leading forces in the martial arts world of Jing Kingdom. It is not to be underestimated by the surrounding countries.

However, no matter how long the history of a martial arts sect is, it is ultimately just a group of martial artists. Even if it survives the change of dynasties, it can only live in a remote corner and still has to bow down to the laws of the court.

As the saying goes, all land under heaven belongs to the king. Even though the Tai Xuan Sect has occupied this mountain range for hundreds of years, they only have the right to use and operate it, but not the right to buy, sell, or own it. If it were really the case, the imperial court could issue an order requiring them to give up this area, and they would have to move. However, that kind of situation is almost impossible to happen. Otherwise, with thousands of troops pressing in and blocking all sides, what would they have to resist?
Fortunately, the Tai Xuan Sect is the leading Taoist sect in the Jing Kingdom. The imperial court grants them exemption from taxes, and even civil Taoist priests must pass the imperial examination to be granted the corresponding titles; otherwise, they are not qualified to open altars and perform rituals.

Protected by the Tai Xuan Sect, the surrounding area was rarely affected by war. Over the years, a historic town has been built at the foot of the mountain with a permanent population of about 20,000 to 30,000. Most of the people living here are engaged in industries related to the martial arts world, and half of them actually serve the Tai Xuan Sect.

If an official from the imperial court were to take up a post in this small town, it would be an incredibly easy matter. Petty thieves and scoundrels wouldn't dare to cause trouble here; the Tai Xuan Sect would handle any wrongdoing themselves.

The imperial court would reason with people using laws and logic, but the Tai Xuan Sect wouldn't; they only use fists.

Given the status and influence of the Tai Xuan Sect in the martial arts world, people come to visit and exchange ideas every day. If you have friends in the Tai Xuan Sect, that's fine, but if you come to pay your respects privately, you have to present a visiting card to let them know. Whether you will receive a response or a reception is another matter. It depends on your personal strength and reputation to receive the corresponding level of courtesy. A nobody like you doesn't even have the right to enter their mountain gate.

Du Juan took Chen Xuan's visiting card and left the town, heading straight for the Tai Xuan Sect's mountain gate. Back when she was still an assassin, she would never have approached the area within a hundred miles of the Tai Xuan Sect unless it was absolutely necessary, let alone visit any of the Tai Xuan Sect members.

Things are different now. She herself is a master of innate cultivation, so she can be treated as an honored guest wherever she goes. Strength is her confidence. Moreover, she has changed her appearance and now represents Chen Xuan, a grandmaster. She has even met the emperor. Therefore, the Tai Xuan Sect, which she used to avoid, did not bring her any pressure.

At the foot of the mountain, the gate of Tai Xuan Sect does not appear particularly tall or magnificent. It is just a two-zhang-high gate with four stone pillars and three doors, which is not quite commensurate with the status of Tai Xuan Sect in the martial arts world, but no one dares to belittle it.

The gate is old and mottled, revealing the vicissitudes of history and witnessing countless comings and goings.

Four swordsmen in blue robes stood guard at the gate, heads held high, their brows furrowed with confidence, displaying the bearing of disciples from a major martial arts sect.

There is a special reception area outside the main gate, with houses, pavilions and corridors, benches and chairs, so that people who come to pay homage can wait and rest. There are servants and disciples to serve tea, melons, fruits and snacks. Whether Tai Xuan Sect receives people or not is another matter. At least the initial etiquette is impeccable.

When Du Juan arrived, there were already dozens of people waiting in line outside the reception area. Most of them were martial arts practitioners, but there were also many scholars and literati. Of course, they did not stand in line like they were getting food, but sat down and waited for the Tai Xuan Sect to respond.

Besides those who came to pay their respects, there were also some idlers lingering around, who could appreciate the charm of the Tai Xuan Sect even if they couldn't climb the mountain.

Du Juan's arrival here naturally attracted a lot of attention, not because of her cultivation level, but because of her appearance, figure and temperament. She could rank in the top ten among the women Chen Xuan knew, which shows how outstanding she was.

No matter when, you can't escape judging people by their looks; good appearance always attracts more attention.

Du Juan felt somewhat uncomfortable with the attention she received. In the past, she was an assassin, living in the shadows, and being noticed meant danger. She suppressed her discomfort and reminded herself that she was now a normal person living in the sunlight.

Her gaze swept across the room, and she headed straight for the reception desk. The master's business was urgent; how long would it take to get there? The master was polite, but that didn't mean others had the right to make him wait. Even the Tai Xuan Sect wouldn't allow it.

However, her actions displeased the people who were already waiting in line. Most of them just frowned and remained silent, knowing that the Tai Xuan Sect would intervene if they broke the rules.

But some people still reached out to stop her, saying unhappily, "Young lady, you're too polite. We're all here to pay our respects at the mountain. Cutting in line isn't appropriate. Please wait in line at the back."

Beautiful women receive preferential treatment wherever they go, but there are always exceptions. For example, the man who spoke didn't seem to care about Du Juan's appearance. Of course, he might have wanted to make an impression on Du Juan. Who knows? After all, talking to a beautiful woman can make a lowly guy happy for a long time.

Upon hearing this, Du Juan paused in her steps. Even though she was displeased, she reminded herself that she was no longer a lone assassin. When she went out, her words and actions represented her master. She couldn't cause trouble or embarrass him, but that didn't mean she had to be subservient. Her master was a man of great stature; he didn't care about such things, nor did he need to deliberately keep a low profile.

So she calmly looked at the person who had tried to stop her and said indifferently, "Is this your home?"

Having been an assassin, she used to only distinguish between the dead and the living. Even now, with her perfectly normal calm expression, her cold, emotionless eyes still sent chills down one's spine.

The person who spoke felt a chill run down their spine, instinctively took a step back, opened their mouth and stammered out "Please, miss," before slinking away, feeling as if they had just narrowly escaped death.

This scene was naturally noticed by the Tai Xuan Sect disciples guarding the gate, but they did not come forward to inquire about it. Even if there was trouble, the reception office and servants would handle it, and only if they could not handle it would it be their turn.

Nodding slightly, Du Juan walked through the crowd to the entrance of the reception area, where a well-to-do middle-aged man was meeting with the reception manager. She did not disturb him unreasonably and waited quietly.

There was another person waiting in front of her. After hesitating for a moment, she took a step back and gestured for her to go first.

After quickly completing the initial contact, the well-to-do middle-aged man glanced at Du Juan, nodded, took a pass, and went straight up the mountain. He had come seeking medical treatment and needed to go to a special clinic, but there was no one to guide him.

"May I ask what brings you here, young lady?" the manager at the reception desk asked with a smile, not giving Du Juan a hard time for cutting in line. The Tai Xuan Sect also had to maintain its composure; it would be petty to make a big fuss over such trivial matters.

When facing Chen Xuan, Du Juan still showed some emotional fluctuations, but when facing outsiders, she maintained a cold and unapproachable demeanor.

She handed over the visiting card and said succinctly, "My master, Chen Xuan from Yang County, has come to pay his respects at the mountain. This is the visiting card; please inform him of this."

Actually, she was a little unsure how to start the conversation, since her master didn't have much of a reputation in the martial arts world, so she simply gave him her origin and name.

Upon hearing this, the receptionist quickly searched his mind for the name Chen Xuan, but he had no recollection of it at all. As the receptionist, he knew a little about anyone with a reputation in the martial arts world, but he had never heard of Chen Xuan from Yang County.

He was too low-level to access much taboo information; the things Chen Xuan did were taboo at a certain level.

Yang County has its share of famous people, such as the top scholar Gao Jingming and the once-genius girl Gao Jingyu, who are siblings. But who is Chen Xuan?
He then dismissed the matter, but still politely accepted the invitation with a smile, saying, "The invitation has been received. Please return, young lady. We will inform our superiors and make time to entertain you later."

That's just a polite remark. I had no intention of hosting them at all. They've already been very kind of them. Anyone with sense would know when to back down to avoid making things awkward for everyone.

Du Juan wasn't very adept at social etiquette. The invitation had already been delivered, and in her opinion, it was time for the Tai Xuan Sect to give their response. She nodded and said, "My master is resting in town right now. I hope your sect will hurry and not keep him waiting."

She left right after she finished speaking, simply stating a fact.

Watching Dujuan leave, the steward tossed the visiting card aside, thinking to himself, "Don't keep your master waiting. Who does he think he is? What does he think my Tai Xuan Sect is?"

Tsk, he must be a nouveau riche from that small place in Yang County. He's never seen much of the world, and he's used to showing off in his small town, so he really thinks he's someone important.

He didn't take it seriously and continued to serve the next person. He served so many people every day that he didn't have time to care about such a small matter. However, he was extremely envious. He wondered who this nouveau riche named Chen Xuan was, that he would be willing to let such a beautiful maid run errands.

The invitation letter had been delivered, and now it was up to the Tai Xuan Sect. Du Juan left immediately, intending to return to where Chen Xuan was.

Not far from the Tai Xuan Sect's mountain gate, she saw an old Taoist priest leading several Tai Xuan Sect disciples toward her. As someone with innate cultivation, she instinctively sensed that the other party was a master, whose cultivation was definitely above her own.

Having spent many years as an assassin, Du Juan had always lived in the shadows, rarely interacting with others, let alone facing such a master. So she instinctively became vigilant, her gaze sweeping over the opponent's vital points.

Assassins are like that; they aim for a single, fatal blow. Their instinctive reaction is to treat their opponent as a potential enemy, a habit that Du Juan won't be able to break in a short time.

Master Xuanqing, who had been away for several months, looked somewhat travel-worn. His trip was to deal with the incident involving the evil swords that had appeared in the martial arts world. Three such swords had appeared in the Jing Kingdom's martial arts world. Their Taixuan Sect was responsible for handling one case, while the other three major sects, excluding Wuxiang Temple, handled the other two cases. Now, the matter has come to an end.

The reason for excluding Wuxiang Temple is that those bald monks have been secluded in the mountains for almost a year, and they don't care about anything at all.

This matter was originally extremely difficult to handle. The evil blade was very strange; killing someone with it would increase one's power, and anyone who got it could become a master in a short time. However, just before the New Year, the evil blade that Xuanqing was in charge of shattered on its own at a critical moment, which was truly unexpected.

When the evil blade shattered, the wielder suddenly went berserk, his strength increasing exponentially. He was injured as a result, though not fatally. Recalling the news circulating in the martial arts world of Yuhua Kingdom, he understood that something must have happened to the mother blade, causing the child blade to self-destruct.

He later inquired about the situation in the other two places, and found that it was almost the same, happening on the same day. In short, the matter was considered closed. As for who was behind it, what happened to the mother sword, and where the evil sword came from, it is unknown whether the truth will be found out. It will most likely become a mystery in the martial arts world.

Because of this, Xuanqing Dao has not been able to spend many years at the sect.

He was about to return to the mountain gate, thinking he could finally get some rest. But before he even got home, he felt a sudden tightness in his chest as he sensed a dangerous gaze sweeping over his groin, though the other person didn't seem to have any ill intentions.

Instinctively looking towards the source of the dangerous gaze, Xuan Qing immediately saw Du Juan. He wondered who this was. When had such a beautiful innate-level woman appeared in the martial arts world of Jing Kingdom? How could he not know? If she meant no harm, that was another matter. What was she doing here? Such an innate-level expert leaving without anyone seeing her off—did his sect not even understand basic etiquette? He'd have to ask later; even with a large and powerful sect, offending such a guest wouldn't be a good thing. With these thoughts flashing through his mind, Xuan Qing stopped, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Greetings, young lady. I am Xuan Qing, a venerable old Daoist. Please forgive any neglect if I have been disrespectful to you, young lady, for your presence in our sect."

It turns out he was Xuan Qing, an elder of the Tai Xuan Sect's External Affairs Hall. He had been at the Innate Realm for over thirty years and was one of the pillars of the Tai Xuan Sect. Seven years ago, he went to the desert to witness the grand martial arts competition between Guo Jinglong and Liu Zhenwei. It was rumored that a major incident occurred during the competition that year, and both Liu Zhenwei and Guo Jinglong died. At that time, my cultivation was too low to even come into contact with that level. If Liu Zhenwei had succeeded in advancing further back then, the Shadow Killing Sect would probably have been swallowed up by the Chongyan Sect.

With this thought flashing through her mind, Du Juan, who was somewhat socially awkward and not good at socializing, nodded and said, "Greetings, Daoist Xuanqing. This junior is very polite. My master still needs me to attend to him. Farewell."

After saying that, she turned and left without mentioning Chen Xuan's visit to the sect. In her opinion, visiting a sect involved following proper procedures from the bottom up, with a designated person in charge. Besides, she wasn't familiar with Xuan Qing, so there was no need to say more.

Watching Du Juan leave, Xuan Qing frowned, not because of her cold attitude, but because she was a person of such cultivation level, with a face and figure that were rare in the world, and yet she was still a servant.

Who is this "master" she speaks of? To have a master of innate cultivation willingly serve as his servant is a privilege rarely afforded even to royalty.

Moreover, it seems that such a person is near the Tai Xuan Sect, yet the sect hasn't reacted at all? If they are negligent, the matter could be serious or minor.

After hesitating for a moment, he felt it was necessary to inquire further. Regardless of who the "master" the woman was talking about was, her cultivation level alone was worth taking seriously.

So he went straight to the mountain gate and asked the disciple guarding the gate, "What business did that woman have at our Tai Xuan Sect? Which elder received her?"

The innate master is known as the White-Clad Arrogant King. Even the Tai Xuan Sect, which holds the reins of the martial arts world in Jing Kingdom, must take him seriously. It's not a matter of fear, but rather that there's no need to offend him for no reason. The martial arts world isn't just about fighting and killing; it's about human relationships and social interactions.

Before they could even bow, the gatekeeper paused for a moment upon hearing this, then quickly bowed and replied, "Reporting to the elder, that young lady didn't enter the mountain. She just arrived and only went to the reception area. We don't know the specifics either; this disciple will go and inquire."

"No need, I'll go by myself," Xuan Qing waved his hand and walked towards the reception desk.

The receptionist, who had been indifferent to Du Juan, made a complete 180-degree turn in attitude towards Xuan Qing. He quickly left the visitors who were still negotiating and got up to greet him, saying, "Greetings, Elder. What are your instructions?"

"It's nothing. I'm just asking what purpose that woman came here for," Xuan Qing said gently, without putting on any airs of an elder.

In the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the manager at the reception desk instantly understood who Xuan Qing was asking about. Even the elder had personally inquired; who was this person? He immediately replied nervously, "Reporting to the elder, she's here to deliver a visiting card. She says her master wishes to pay a visit and that we should make arrangements quickly so as not to keep him waiting."

The person in charge wasn't exaggerating or trying to embellish the story; rather, Xuan Qing had personally intervened and he had no choice but to tell the truth.

"Her master is coming to visit? Who is he? Never mind, just show me the visiting card," Xuan Qing said, frowning. He was displeased with the reception desk's response. Not to mention the so-called master behind that woman, her innate cultivation level alone was enough to make the Tai Xuan Sect open its doors to welcome her. Yet, they didn't even react.
The steward felt a chill run down his spine, realizing he had probably failed in his duty. However, he felt utterly wronged. Apart from being pretty, he couldn't see anything special about the woman. He had never heard of the man he was talking about, Chen Xuan from Yang County.

Not daring to delay, he quickly went into the house to retrieve the visiting card and presented it with both hands.

Xuan Qing quickly glanced at the visiting card, and when he saw the words "Chen Xuan of Yang County," his expression changed drastically, and a huge wave of emotions surged within him.

Who is Chen Xuan? At the very least, he is the brother of the top scholar in the imperial examination. With such a status alone, not to mention martial arts sects, even wealthy and powerful families would have to open their doors to welcome him. In addition, he is also the fiancé of Princess Fuyao and the son-in-law of the emperor!
These are all secondary. The key point is that he is a Grandmaster-level expert, a Grandmaster-level expert who achieved this at the young age of eighteen. He has even killed a Grandmaster-level expert. He is a rare figure in the world!

With grandmaster-level experts presiding over the Tai Xuan Sect, they have access to a lot of high-level information that is difficult for ordinary people to obtain. As an elder of the Tai Xuan Sect, Xuan Qing is naturally familiar with that important information.

Now that the person is coming to pay their respects, and has already arrived, there hasn't even been a proper response from here. If this displeases the other party...

Taking a deep breath, Xuan Qing, his face grim, said to the reception manager in a stern voice, "You actually failed to report this matter immediately. If this brings disaster to our sect, you'd better pray for good fortune. Given your serious dereliction of duty, go to the Enforcement Hall to receive your punishment, which will be the next level of punishment for treason!"

After leaving those words behind, Xuan Qing didn't care about being travel-worn from his trip, nor did he even have time to greet the disciples who had gone out with him. He immediately used all his lightness skill to flash up the mountain and leave.

Soon after, a welcoming bell rang from the depths of the Tai Xuan Sect. This bell was only rung when important guests arrived, and more importantly, it didn't just ring once, but a full eighteen times. This was the highest honor the Tai Xuan Sect had ever bestowed, and there had never been many times in the entire history of the Tai Xuan Sect that the bell had rung eighteen times in a row.

Anyone around the Tai Xuan Sect who heard the eighteen chimes instinctively looked up in that direction, utterly astonished. What kind of important figure had arrived that made the Tai Xuan Sect take it so seriously?

As soon as the bell rang, the entire Tai Xuan Sect became tense. Almost all the disciples put down what they were doing and rushed towards the main hall. Then the sect leader came forward and instructed everyone to quickly change their clothes and dress presentably to welcome important guests. Anyone who made a mistake and displeased the distinguished guests would have their cultivation abolished and be expelled from the sect.

Such an order terrified all the disciples, who quickly sprang into action, their hearts burning with anticipation—if they performed well, they might catch the eye of such an important figure…

After giving urgent instructions, the sect leader rushed to the back mountain and returned quickly. He then personally led a group of elders and disciples down the mountain to welcome the guests!
At the same time, Tai Xuan Sect disciples dressed in uniform rushed to stand guard on both sides of the mountain road, with one person standing every ten feet on each side of the road, all the way from the sect's main hall to the foot of the mountain. The rest stood in the square outside the main hall to welcome them.

Furthermore, disciples went around admonishing the guests who had arrived before them to stay inside the house, and warned that if they ran around and bumped into the distinguished guests, the Tai Xuan Sect would not be so polite.

At the mountain gate, Tai Xuan Sect disciples announced that they would not be receiving any outside guests today, and asked everyone to return home. Although the matter was urgent, their attitude was still quite polite.

Inside the teahouse, Chen Xuan sipped his tea while admiring the scenery of Tai Xuan Mountain and chatting with the little girl. The Tai Xuan Sect had indeed occupied a prime location. If they sold tickets to allow visitors to enter, they would surely make a fortune. However, the Tai Xuan Sect probably wouldn't care about such petty profits and wouldn't do anything that would be beneath them.

"Master, the scenery of Mount Taixuan is so beautiful. Famous mountains and ancient temples, even just looking at them from afar is enough to make one feel refreshed and happy," the little maid said excitedly. She had lived for more than ten years and had never traveled far from home. It was only after following Chen Xuan that she had the opportunity to see the wonders of the world.

Nodding, Chen Xuan smiled and said, "If all goes well, we should be able to explore it more thoroughly. In the future, I'll take you to see more places. Life would be too boring if you just wander around in one place your whole life."

"Thank you, sir. I am very content with my life now. By the way, sir, I heard that the Tai Xuan Sect also has Grandmaster-level experts, is that right?"

"Of course, I sensed that person, and he sensed me too. Although we haven't met, we've exchanged greetings. He was very kind and approachable. I guess Taoist hermits are generally very friendly."

The little girl only knew that grandmaster-level experts were very powerful, and even though she had witnessed some of Chen Xuan's abilities, she didn't have a concrete understanding of them. After hesitating for a moment, she asked curiously, "Then, Master, who is more powerful, you or him?"

Hearing this, Chen Xuan chuckled and said, "That's hard to say. We'll only know after we've had a competition. But we're here to pay a visit, not to cause trouble, so let's not think about such things. Besides, everyone has their strengths and weaknesses. He's much older than me, so I certainly have many shortcomings compared to him."

That's not what I meant...

Amidst the laughter and chatter, Dujuan returned and reported, "Master, the visiting card has been delivered."

"Well, thank you for your trouble, Sister Juan. We'll see when the Tai Xuan Sect has time to entertain us. If we're left out, we might have to be impolite and come to their door directly. They have something I need. I won't force them, but I'll still try to get it. By the way, Sister Juan, has no one been giving you any trouble?" Chen Xuan said with a smile.

She shook her head and said, "No, sir, I delivered the visiting card and came right back."

"Is that so? I have no reputation in the martial world. Even the name 'Sang Biao' isn't enough to impress me. I'm afraid I'll be turned away by the Tai Xuan Sect," Chen Xuan said with a smile. Reputation is the most important thing in the martial world. The Tai Xuan Sect is a large and powerful organization. Who would want to see an unknown nobody like you? It would be too much trouble to entertain everyone who came. Chen Xuan was well aware of this.

If the normal procedures don't work, we might have to contact someone directly at the back of the Tai Xuan Sect, but that would be somewhat impolite.

"Probably not. The fact that Master came is a sign of respect for the Tai Xuan Sect," Du Juan said thoughtfully, not wanting her master to belittle her too much.

Just as he was about to say something, noticing the actions of everyone in the Tai Xuan Sect, Chen Xuan stammered, "Such a grand mobilization makes me feel a little embarrassed."

"I counted, there were eighteen bell tolls in total. Is this to welcome the master's arrival?" the little maid asked, blinking.

Nodding, Chen Xuan said, "Probably. We didn't intend for this to cause such a commotion; it's a bit of a case of the guest overshadowing the host."

“Master, there’s no need for that. It’s an honor for them that you’re going to Tai Xuan Sect,” Du Juan said after a moment’s hesitation. She felt that her master was being too modest and should have come directly to their door. They would have been more honored to receive him there. There was no need for them to go through the formalities of sending a visiting card.

Before long, a group of people arrived outside the teahouse. The leader of the Tai Xuan Sect arrived with five other innate masters. It was as if they had come out in full force, which showed how much they valued Chen Xuan.

Each of them would be a major figure in the martial arts world, capable of causing an earthquake with a stomp of their foot, and their arrival together attracted countless onlookers.

"Xuan Yang of the Tai Xuan Sect, along with his disciples, respectfully welcomes Young Master Chen. We hope you will come in and have a chat, so that our Tai Xuan Sect can fulfill its duty as hosts," the sect leader Xuan Yang announced loudly from outside, bowing.

Chen Xuan stood up and replied, "I am ashamed of the hospitality shown by your esteemed sect. Please forgive me if I have caused any trouble."

"Young Master Chen, you are too kind. Your presence is an honor to our Tai Xuan Sect," Xuan Yang said with a smile, feeling relieved. He thought to himself that this Chen Xuan was not so difficult to get along with.

Although their Tai Xuan Sect has a Grandmaster-level expert in charge, receiving another one is another matter. Moreover, Chen Xuan has killed a Grandmaster, and his purpose for coming is unclear, which puts a lot of pressure on the Tai Xuan Sect.

"Sect Leader, you flatter me. I apologize for disturbing you."

As he spoke, Chen Xuan beckoned Su Roujia and Du Juan downstairs, saying, "Let's go, we're going to visit the Tai Xuan Sect. I hope this trip will be worthwhile..." (End of Chapter)