Sword Sect Outer Sect

Chapter 332 Return home
At the entrance of the Painting Saint Courtyard, Song Yan and Zhong Ali met.

Zhong Ali had been studying the painting in the courtyard, originally because she felt it would be impolite not to leave with Dao Zi Mo Ling.

He learned from Song Yan that the senior had already left, and only then did he decide to leave.

Although the two did not know each other, the atmosphere was quite friendly under such special circumstances, and they chatted as they left the courtyard.

As soon as I stepped out of the gate, I saw several Wu family disciples waiting respectfully to the side.

Upon seeing the two appear, he stepped forward to greet them.

All of them were very young, and their cultivation levels were at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage.

"Fellow Daoists, please wait a moment."

One of them, with a gentle smile, stepped forward and cupped his hands, saying, "Fairy Zhong, Fellow Daoist Xu, it is truly a great event in the art of painting that you two have been favored by our ancestors and have been granted calligraphy and paintings in the garden. It is also an honor for our Wu clan."

His tone was full of sincerity: "My Wu clan has set up an art academy, which is used for the exchange of painting skills, lectures and research, and the copying of ancient sites."

"We have been instructed by our clan elders to cordially invite you two to the Wu clan to study the wonderful art of painting with us."

"The clan elders wish to have a chat with the two of you."

Wu Yuqian, who was standing to the side, chuckled. Since he knew Zhong Ali, he didn't speak as formally as the other person.

"Miss Ali... and this Fellow Daoist Xu, you can rest assured. The Wu family has a thousand-year history and would never do anything to harm you two."

"The elder invited you two to the Wu family as guests. There are no formalities involved. Just consider it a relaxing visit."

Zhong Ali has a rather aloof appearance and temperament, but she is not the kind of person who keeps people at arm's length.

Faced with the warm invitation from the Wu family disciples, she simply nodded slightly, without exchanging many pleasantries, and said calmly, "Okay."

She put the painting away, but the painting master's brush holder was a special magic item that couldn't be stored in her Qiankun bag.

So he simply carried the pen holder on his back.

Upon Zhong Ali's agreement, a clever member of the Wu family immediately stepped forward and respectfully presented a token carved with clouds and mountains, its texture as smooth and warm as jade.

"This token is a symbol of status for distinguished guests of the Wu family. With this token, one can freely enter and exit the Wu family's painting garden at any time and enjoy the courtesy of the elders of the clan."

Zhong Ali nodded her thanks, accepted the token, and put it away without examining it closely.

Immediately afterwards, the eyes of many Wu disciples turned to Song Yan.

The passion remains, but upon closer inspection, an undeniable curiosity and desire for exploration have emerged.

This Xu Youhe has a very feminine name, but he is a male cultivator.

Moreover, despite being relatively unknown, he was exceptionally invited to enter the Painting Sage's Courtyard with Daozi of Luofu Sect.

To most people, this person's identity was somewhat mysterious.

Perhaps he is a disciple of some reclusive sect or a great immortal clan.

"I wonder if Fellow Daoist Xu would be willing to come to my clan for a chat with Fairy Zhong?"

Several pairs of eyes focused on Song Yan, their gazes carrying a sincere intention to win him over.

After a moment's thought, Song Yan respectfully returned the greeting, his expression calm, and said in a clear voice, "Thank you for your kind invitation, Senior Wu and all the fellow Daoists."

Then, with a somewhat helpless smile, he frankly explained, "It's just that I was able to enter the Painting Saint's Courtyard this time not because of my painting skills, but because of other factors, and I did not obtain any of Senior Dao Xuan's treasures."

"I am truly humbled and dare not covet any fame. Let's just let this matter go. I hope you will all understand."

Song Yan just wants to get home and farm as soon as possible to grow bamboo.

Moreover, I have absolutely no idea about the overall situation in the Central Region and the various forces involved, so it's best not to cause trouble for myself.

Upon hearing this, several Wu disciples had a sudden realization in their eyes. This explained why someone of Yi Shang's skill level could enter the Painting Saint's Courtyard.

However, they did not look down on the person because of what he said. On the contrary, Xu Youhe's frank attitude made Wu Yuqian and the others feel good about him.

He was neither arrogant nor humble, and did not covet empty fame; he possessed the demeanor of a great Daoist master.

This further confirmed my suspicions.

"Haha, I see! Fellow Daoist Xu's frankness and sincerity are truly rare!"

Wu Yuqian laughed heartily, all his doubts vanishing.

He still handed over a jade talisman: "Since you treat me with such sincerity, my Wu family will also reciprocate with sincerity."

"In the future, fellow Daoist, if you carry this talisman, you will receive care and convenience at any of my Wu family's properties or branches."

"This small token is a memento of our meeting today, and also a token of our Wu clan's goodwill towards Fellow Daoist Xu. Please do not refuse it."

This time, Song Yan did not refuse.

Now that things have been said to this extent, it would seem pretentious to refuse again.

He laughed heartily and solemnly accepted the jade talisman: "Thank you for your generous gift, fellow Daoist! I will remember it in my heart, and if I have the opportunity in the future, I will definitely pay you a visit."

After exchanging a few more pleasantries, Zhong Ali left the place with Wu Xingzhi and the others.

This former residence of Daozi was naturally taken over by the Wu family.

The painting refining process had ended, and the cultivators who remained were all eager to see what treasures the two who entered the Painting Saint's Courtyard had obtained.

They figured they wouldn't be able to see it, so most of them dispersed.

Song Yan did not linger; he and Lin Qing left the secluded valley together.

Sun Zhenglun glanced at the departing figures of Song Yan and the others from afar, pondered for a moment, and then looked at Shen Yu, who had left with Lou Zhengze.

He said to his Golden Core Realm friend beside him, "Never mind, it should be fine."

"No need to worry. These two Foundation Establishment cultivators from your sect have traveled thousands of miles to get here, so they must have some kind of teleportation array..."

The Golden Core cultivator friend said, looking at the two with great interest.

"Even an old man like me who rarely leaves his home has heard of the name Song Yan. I see that your Dongyuan Sect has been flourishing in recent years, and every disciple you have taken in is a dragon among men."

"Hehe, what? Regretting it?"

Although Sun Zhenglun was at the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment Realm, he and his Golden Core Realm friend were close friends despite their age difference, and they treated each other as equals.

"It's alright. With my introduction, you can still come to my Dongyuan Sect as a guest elder."

"Never mind, I'm used to a carefree life."

“I didn’t even let you live in the clan, yet you’re so stubborn. No wonder you only got a minor rank.”

Sun Zhenglun mocked his Golden Core Realm friend in a serious tone, which made him so angry that he glared and puffed out his beard.

"This...this...how can these be the same?"

……

On the way out of this place, several cultivators who should have participated in the painting process recognized Song Yan's face and occasionally came up to befriend him.

After dealing with each matter, Song Yan quickly returned to Maoling Market.

Unbeknownst to him, someone had already visited his Qiankun bag and taken something away.

At this moment, Wu Mengliu had already hidden in a secluded place, examining her "spoils of war".

A painting scroll.

The last time I stole that black and white sword box, it not only triggered the karmic sound, causing fluctuations in my cultivation, but I was also captured by the Daitian Mansion.

This time, the attack on Song Yan was merely to draw upon a small amount of karma and make a mark.

This person must have some background, so she naturally dared not act rashly again and attack those things with spiritual power.

So, as a second choice, they opted for something that seemed insignificant and worthless.

It was just an ordinary painting.

It is likely that this person participated in the painting process and created this work, which has some commemorative significance, but it should not have much karmic impact.

Therefore, in her view, stealing it would minimize the risks while still achieving the purpose of marking the mark.

After all, who would go to great lengths for an ordinary painting?
She played with it for a while, then casually opened it.

The painting depicts a young man with exceptionally handsome features, an ethereal appearance, and striking eyebrows and bright eyes.

Even a painting with crude technique amazed Wu Mengliu.

"What a handsome man."

However, she remembered that the person didn't look like that. And self-portraits are relatively rare, so naturally, she guessed that he was either a friend or a mentor of this person.

But this painting...

Wu Mengliu carefully examined the painting, her expression somewhat strange.

As a woman, she could sense that the painting, from its angles to its details, reflected the artist's admiration, even to the point of adoration, for the man in the painting.

"Uh... this person might be gay."

Wu Mengliu clenched her hands, seemingly at a loss as she considered this possibility.

……

They traveled in silence until they returned to Maolingfang Market to rest.

The two were initially worried that some desperate criminals might follow them and commit murder and robbery, but it seems they were overthinking it.

The journey was smooth and uneventful, without any unexpected incidents.

In fact, Song Yan and the others came from the border regions, and many of their ideas were not applicable to the cultivation ecosystem of the Central Region.

It's not that just because there's a government office in the Central Region, there's no murder or robbery.

Rather, those guys need to weigh the pros and cons and be more cautious when they make a move.

On the one hand, in the eyes of other cultivators, Song Yan's origins and identity are unknown. If he is a disciple of some major sect, he could easily attract the pursuit of those powerful figures behind him.

Secondly, few people are interested in things like Daozi's calligraphy.

No one wants to risk everything to kill and rob, only to get a few paintings in return...

That would just lead to loneliness.

After returning to the market and taking a short break, Song Yan naturally wanted to return to the Chu Kingdom as soon as possible.

Lin Qing had been preparing for the painting refining and hadn't really explored Maoling Market properly.

I was planning to relax for a few days and then attend an auction at a market before going back.

However, when Song Yan mentioned it, he sensed Song's desire to return home, so he dropped the matter.

Come to think of it, being in an unfamiliar place in the Central Region is indeed somewhat dangerous.

So he immediately set off, changed his appearance again, and left Maoling Market.

Lin Qing summoned his flying artifact, and the three of them boarded the boat and took off.

A month later, they returned to the location of the teleportation array from the Chu Kingdom.

After checking and confirming that the teleportation array was safe, Lin Qing then activated it in the same way.

A flash of light appeared in the cave, and the figure vanished, leaving the cave empty once more.

……

Upon returning to the State of Chu, Song Yan informed Lin Qing that he was going to visit an old friend and bring him some souvenirs he had bought from the Central Region.

So the two parted ways at Hujiang.

Song Yan first went to Lanxi Cave and bought a lot of medicinal soil from Liang Feng.

Spiritual plants aren't effective no matter where they're planted. Xu Xiang already knew the basics of these spiritual plants, and Song Yan naturally knew them as well.

There are actually many kinds of spiritual plant soil, but since he didn't know what kind of living environment the Cloud Abyss Sword Bamboo was suitable for, he bought this most versatile soil, which is the Hundred Herbs Soil.

In fact, the soil in the sect's own cave dwellings can also grow spiritual plants, but the quality is not very good.

There's no need to be stingy with these spirit stones.

He bought quite a lot, then politely declined Liang Feng and his wife's offer to stay, and returned to the sect without stopping, to his cave dwelling in the Earthly Branch 21.

He didn't even go inside the cave dwelling, but went straight to the bamboo forest in the courtyard. He activated his spiritual power and created a small area as a spiritual field, carefully filling it with the soil for the medicinal herbs.

As Song Yan worked, he found it somewhat amusing.

In my mortal days, I followed my grandfather, tinkering with herbs in the medicinal garden. Even after cultivating immortality, I'm still doing farm work here.

Yes, labor is the most glorious thing.

Bamboo is actually a special spiritual plant. It only needs one seed, which is called bamboo rice, to grow many.

New buds will grow from its underground stem, develop into bamboo shoots, and emerge from the ground to grow into bamboo.

Other buds do not grow above ground but grow horizontally, developing into new underground stems.

so repeatedly.

Therefore, Song Yan only planted one bamboo rice.

He carefully dripped a drop of sweet dew onto it, and even activated his sword energy to condense sword shadows, setting up a simple spirit-gathering sword array around it.

After doing all this, Song Yan returned to his cave.

Back in the cave, he let out a long sigh of relief.

The tension that had gripped me during my trip to the Central Region was only now beginning to ease.

Let me take a bath first.

This impulsive trip to the Central Region with Lin Qing has been incredibly fruitful. Song Yan plans to rest for a day before starting to refine the sect leader's flying sword, Jin Guiren.

Leaning against the warm pool, the cool moonlight streamed in through the cave window.

It was late at night, a time when the moonlight filled the sky and the stars shone brightly.

As Song Yan admired the beautiful scenery, he wondered if his cave dwelling would also have the strange phenomenon of cloud formations once the Cloud Abyss Sword Bamboo in the courtyard grew tall.

Perhaps it was because of his trip to the Central Region and his visit to the Painting Sage's Courtyard that Xiao Song began to become more refined.

"Leaving aside the other effects of sword bamboo, its unique appearance alone can make our cave dwelling feel like a fairyland."

"By the way, this mansion is completely empty. Hanging the portrait that Xiaohe and Senior Daoxuan completed together here should give it a cultured feel."

As he spoke, he opened his Qiankun bag, wanting to take out Xiaohe's masterpiece and examine it again.

"..."

Strangely enough, he clearly remembered that the painting had been put into his Qiankun bag.

However, no matter how hard he looked, he couldn't find it.

Gradually, the expression on his face changed from doubt to gloom.

It's really gone...

"Stealing the Heavenly Gate?"

Bypassing the spiritual energy restriction of the Qiankun Bag, he directly took the items inside. Up to now, Song Yan had only ever heard of the Stealing Heaven Sect.

when?
He must have been one of the people who came up to him when he left Michiko's hometown; he couldn't think of any other possibility.

But the Qiankun bag has everything: spirit stones, pills, flying swords. Of all things to steal, why would the other party choose to steal a painting?!
That was a drawing of himself by Xiao He, and he originally intended to keep it carefully.

Unexpectedly, it was stolen right away.

"call--"

Song Yan exhaled a deep breath, trying to suppress the raging anger in his heart.

Unable to contain himself, he burst into laughter for the first time in his life in a fit of rage.

"Hehe, good, good, good..."

He actually reached into his Qiankun bag...

Song Yan was not grateful that the other party had only stolen one painting. If someone else wanted his things, he might give them to them.

But if he disagrees, then no one can reach out and take it, especially since it was drawn by Xiaohe.

If this happened to an ordinary cultivator, they would probably be thankful that they hadn't lost any precious spiritual items.

This time, however, without the influence of inner demons, Song Yan's killing intent was completely pure.

"Stealing...the...Heavenly...Gate..."

(End of this chapter)