A man stands before the heavens, his sword emerges from the Emei Mountains.

After eating at a restaurant, Chen Yu and his companions entrusted their horses to someone else and then climbed the stone steps up the mountain. Along the way, they saw lush forests and vibrant flowers, and in the distance, towering cliffs and majestic peaks, a truly spectacular sight.

Su Mengqing recounted the sights along the way with great familiarity, and Ji Xiaofu listened intently, but Yang Anchang was somewhat distracted.

As dusk approached, the four arrived at Shangqing Palace. One by one, the lamps lit up among the rows of ancient buildings, forming a hazy, flowing light.

The young Taoist priest received Su Mengqing and explained her purpose.

Before embarking on long-distance escort missions, the Su family, who ran a security escort agency, would usually visit Shangqing Palace to burn incense and pray for blessings. During festivals, the Su family patriarch, Su Baichuan, would also go up the mountain to donate incense money.

Upon hearing that they were from the Su family, the young Taoist priest eagerly led the four of them into a quiet courtyard.

Ancient trees towered in the courtyard, and under the lush old trees were stone tables and benches, where an old man and a burly man around forty years old were drinking tea.

"Father, it's Chief Escort Meng." Su Mengqing saw the old man drinking tea in the courtyard and flew over.

"Qing'er." Su Baichuan stood up in surprise.

Su Mengqing landed lightly and looked around.

"How is Father?"

"It's just some superficial injuries, I'm fine now," Su Baichuan said with a smile, looking at Chen Yu, Yang An, and Chen Yu. "Thank you for your help, Master."

"Master is very worried." Su Mengqing said sweetly, praising Abbess Miejue. "Let me introduce you to Father. This is Senior Sister Ji, Junior Brother Yang, and Junior Brother Chen."

All three were good-looking; Ji Xiaofu was bright and dignified, Yang An was composed, and Chen Yu, though young, was handsome and spirited. As the saying goes, one's appearance is detached and unapproachable. Su Baichuan, running a security escort agency, was adept at judging character.

He clasped his hands in greeting and said, "I am very sorry to trouble you, Lady Ji and Hero Yang. I am troubled by family matters."

Ji Xiaofu and Yang An returned the greeting in unison, "You're too kind, Master Su."

Su Baichuan returned the greeting, then turned to Chen Yu and said, "A handsome and elegant young man, what a fine young man."

"Master Su, you flatter me."

Su Mengqing smiled and said, "Master is very fond of Junior Brother Chen. His martial arts skills are even inferior to mine."

"Heroes have always emerged from among the young." Su Baichuan praised again, but he didn't take Su Mengqing's words seriously. Since she had gained the favor of Abbess Miejue, she must have talent in martial arts. But to say that she surpassed his daughter would be an exaggeration. Martial arts requires perseverance. How old was the young man? He looked immature, around fourteen years old. However, his future prospects were limitless, so he should be treated well.

"Where did Young Master Chen's ancestors come from?"

Hengyang.

"A land rich in natural resources and talented people."

"Does Master Su often visit Hengyang?"

"Hmm." Su Baichuan, not minding the rambling, smiled and said, "Running a security escort agency involves traveling all over the country, and every year you have to go to places like Hengyang and Yueyang several times. However, Hengyang is not close to Mount Emei, and Mount Qingcheng is also a place of outstanding natural beauty. Guanzhou has picturesque scenery. When you have some free time, young hero, why not come and stay for a while?"

"Thank you for your kind invitation, Mr. Su."

"You're too kind." Su Baichuan changed the subject and said, "Miss Ji, Hero Yang, and Young Hero Chen, please come inside to talk."

"Please, Mr. Su," Ji Xiaofu said.

Once inside, Chief Escort Meng of the Su family recounted the entire story in detail. It turned out that the escort agency was transporting medicinal herbs, Shu brocade, furs, and other goods to Chang'an. After traveling more than two hundred li past Qingcheng Mountain, they were robbed by a band of mountain bandits from Ziyun Village. There were about three hundred bandits on the mountain, and their leader was named Luo Kui, nicknamed "Flying Gorilla," who was skilled in monkey fist. Chief Escort Meng was the one escorting the goods at the time, but he was no match for them and the goods were stolen.

Su Baichuan then went to the mountain to pay his respects, but was driven down by his opponent and suffered minor injuries in the ensuing fight. Left with no other option, he sought help from the Emei Sect.

Although Meng, the镖头 (bodyguard), was not as skilled in martial arts as his opponent, he had excellent eyesight and judged that Luo Kui's cultivation was roughly superior to Su Mengqing's.

Su Mengqing was not angry at the other party's comparison. Instead, she was completely relieved. Senior Sister Ji and Yang An were both better than her in martial arts. Judging from Junior Brother Chen's performance during the examination, he was no worse than her now. She would try to be polite first and then use force. Getting the goods back would not be a big problem.

"Father, rest assured, Senior Sister Ji and Junior Brother Yang are far more skilled than me."

"Excellent, excellent." Su Baichuan's face lit up with joy.

"Father, did you go to Shangqing Palace to pay your respects to the Immortal?"

"I just want peace of mind," Su Baichuan said with a smile.

"Does the Master have some free time? I'll bring my senior sister and junior brother to pay him a visit."

Later that evening, a group of pilgrims arrived. I noticed they were of extraordinary status and I was afraid I wouldn't be able to attend to them.

What was said in jest was taken seriously by Chen Yu. Could it be that the Prince of Ruyang and his entourage were involved?

Su Mengqing smiled and said, "My daughter wanted to take her senior sister and junior brother to see a fortune teller for divination, but since that's the case, we'll have to do it another time."

"After we get the goods back, my daughter will go to Shangqing Palace."

"Alright then." Su Mengqing smiled gently.

"We'll stay overnight on the mountain, then descend tomorrow, and once we reach the escort agency, we'll take some men to Ziyun Village."

"Okay." Su Mengqing nodded.

Meng, the镖头 (bodyguard), asked the Taoist boy to prepare two guest rooms. Su Mengqing had not returned to her hometown for a long time, and she and Su Baichuan had endless topics to talk about. Ji Xiaofu, Chen Yu, and Yang An rested first.

……

A gentle evening breeze, like a tender tide, lapped against the square-within-a-round oil-paper windows.

Chen Yu lit the lamp, poured tea, and began, "I noticed you seemed somewhat distracted when you went up the mountain, Senior Brother?"

Yang An picked up his teacup, took a small sip, and asked, "Junior Brother, did you see that impressive cavalry caravan down the mountain?"

"Many people with unusual appearances have attracted attention."

"To be honest, junior brother, the long sword hanging at the waist of that old man is the Heaven-Reliant Sword passed down by our sect's patriarch?"

If that were indeed the case, Chen Yu thought to himself, feigning surprise: "How come the Heaven-Slaying Sword is on the old man? Could I be mistaken?"

"There's no mistake. When I was young, my senior brother, the sect leader, once took his sword down the mountain. Later, due to a sudden accident, the Heaven-Slaying Sword was lost and its whereabouts became unknown. Over the years, the families of my junior brothers and sisters in the outer sect have been involved in escorting goods, and they have been searching all over the country, but they have never been able to find any information. I never expected to be seen in Qingcheng Mountain."

Chen Yu wondered if, in the world of Yitian Sword, it was Ruyang Wang who, while visiting Qingcheng Mountain, inadvertently leaked the news of the Yitian Sword, which led Abbess Miejue to go to the Dadu Prince's Mansion to retrieve the sword.

"Now that you've confirmed it's the Heaven-Slaying Sword, why don't you ask Master Su to inquire about the origins of these people from the Shangqing Palace Master tomorrow, and then make a decision?"

"Birds look around three times before flying, and people think three times before acting. Junior brother, you are meticulous. Although this group of people has an unknown origin, they include many extraordinary individuals of all ages. We must not be careless, lest we lose more than we gain."

"Um."

"Since you have some free time, Senior Brother, why don't you tell me about the various factions in the Sichuan and Chongqing martial arts world?"

This is Director Yang An. He smiled and said, "Whether it's far away or right in front of you, the Qingcheng Sect is right here in Qingcheng Mountain."

"Let's start with the Qingcheng Sect."

"it is good."

Yang An drank tea and began to talk to Chen Yu about the Qingcheng School of Qingcheng Mountain.

……

Half past the hour of Xu (7-9 PM), a bright moon hung over the eaves of Shangqing Palace.

After the vegetarian meal, the distinguished-looking young man and woman, with their profound and dignified bearing, followed a Taoist priest with white beard and eyebrows and a kind expression into the guest room.

The three sat down, and the man said, "Please forgive us for disturbing your peaceful cultivation."

"Your Highness is too kind."

"Master, my father has something to ask you," the young man said politely.

"That's true," said the man addressed as Prince.

"Your Highness, please speak freely."

"The Taoist priest is a disciple of Master Shao, also known as Baiyuan. It is said that the master 'can observe the workings of heaven and earth, the waxing and waning of yin and yang, and know the changes of the world from ancient times to the present.'"

"What is said or heard is not to be trusted."

"‘A dream of lakes and mountains, all is changed; once more, the dragon flies north. Three hundred years have passed, and one day, the vast sky and blue waters sigh in despair.’ The previous dynasty lasted just over three hundred years, just as Master Baiyuan predicted in his poem.” The man gave an example, then stood up and bowed, saying, “‘Heaven and earth multiply to form a single origin; suddenly, the Jiazi year arrives, and a new era begins. At the age of twenty-eight, the world changes; having seen all the withered flowers, I remain silent.’ I beg the True Man to enlighten me on the fate of my Great Yuan Dynasty. What is the specific meaning of this poem?”

"What I have learned is far less than the tip of my grandmaster's hand. Your Highness, please do not make things difficult for me."

"I wish to petition His Majesty to bestow honors and titles upon the True Man."

"Who is it?"

"what……"

A death scream suddenly rang out from the palace courtyard, accompanied by urgent shouts for the protection of the prince. Indistinctly, several night travelers and outer guards were engaged in combat. A man in black, rushing out from the darkness, appeared before the burly man guarding the courtyard with a simple step. With an extremely simple palm strike, he aimed at the man's face. This palm strike made no sound of wind breaking; it was as if the air had been gathered into his palm.

The burly man's soft sleeves instantly hardened like iron plates as he swung them out with a thunderous boom, sending him flying like a whirlwind carrying autumn leaves.

Another figure in black silently swept in from the night, swooping down like a large bird towards the house where the prince, the immortal, and the boy were. The brown-haired monk emerged from the other side of the roof ridge, pushing forward with both palms. The black-clad figure, still in mid-air, brought his hands down as if they were hanging from mountains.

With a boom, a ripple of air erupted from the palms of the two men, causing the green tiles beneath the monk's feet to tremble and the roof beams to creak. Then the roof collapsed, and the monk and the man in black fell into the room, one above the other.