Chapter 16: Journey to Canglang

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The "bean sprouts" the white fox mentioned was none other than Huai Sheng.

He had long found it strange—this bean sprout looked so ordinary, yet Li Ciying kept circling around her, willing to risk even his life to protect her.

Ciying ignored the fox and, with a shift of his mind, forcibly retracted the white fox back into his spiritual platform.

Indeed, there was a trace of an aura on Xiao Ruoshui that he was very familiar with. Whether it belonged to the Divine Clan, Ciying did not know, but he was certain that only the person he long sought would possess such an aura. He could not have mistaken the person, which meant—

Xiao Ruoshui possessed something that rightfully belonged to Nan Huaisheng.

Ciying’s eyes grew cold. After a moment’s consideration, he slowly turned his gaze back to Huai Sheng. Without even greeting Ye Heguang, he strode past him toward Huai Sheng, frowning as he said, "What’s wrong with your face?"

Huai Sheng: "…?"

The familiar tone and expression instantly brought Huai Sheng back to the days when she only had nine baby teeth. Was he… recognizing her?

She touched her cheek where there were a few small scratches—wounds she had gotten during a fight with the Grey-Clad Steward in Huaiyuan City.

Her complexion was no longer the eerie deathly white it once was. Though some yin energy still lingered inside her, making her face a bit pale compared to ordinary people, the fine scars on her face stood out starkly.

Huai Sheng casually passed by a person and said, "I wasn’t paying attention a few days ago and got grazed by a blade."

Ciying showed no intention of sparing her any face: "Why are you still so clumsy?"

Huai Sheng: "…" Yes, he really did recognize her.

After his scolding, the young man was about to step toward the inner hall of the Solitary Deer Hall but saw Huai Sheng standing still. His long eyebrows furrowed again.

"Aren’t you going in to register at the inner hall?"

Suddenly, his pale eyelids flicked open as he glanced at Ye Heguang and Xiao Ruoshui. "What? Afraid they’ll object? Afraid what? Isn’t it just that they’re bullying you because the Nan family can’t contend with the Xiao family, and now they have the Heavenly Sword Mountain’s True Lord backing them? They picked the worst time—when your parents aren’t around and you haven’t yet had the chance to apprentice under your master—forbidding you from joining the sect. Quite the sense of timing."

Fingertips lightly tapped the long sword at his waist, Ciying sneered, "No matter what objections you have, you’ll have to get past my sword first! At Wanyan Peak, we also have a True Lord!"

With those words, the Wanyan Sword descended from the sky, embedding itself into the stone ground outside the Solitary Deer Hall with a sharp "cha" sound. The characters "Wanyan" gleamed brightly in the gloomy sky.

Though True Lord Yun Miao, the sword master of Wanyan Peak, had been unseen for hundreds of years, as the foremost sword cultivator of Canglang, no one did not recognize her Wanyan Sword.

The lingering might of her one strike that had slain three level-fifteen demonic beasts was still palpable, even the True Lords of the Yuan Sword Sect dared not confront her head-on.

When the Wanyan Sword appeared, not only Xiao Ruoshui but even Ye Heguang’s complexion changed slightly.

What was this kid’s intention?

Could it be that he wanted to bring Nan Huai Sheng into Wanyan Peak as an inner disciple?

After Ciying’s reckless outburst, an eerie silence fell over both inside and outside the Solitary Deer Hall.

In this strange quiet, Huai Sheng suddenly said, "I’m not afraid of their objections. No matter how much they object, they can’t stop me from joining the sect. Um—"

She looked toward Zhou Pi, who had been guarding her side all along. "Master Zhou, could someone else escort me into the inner hall?"

It was Zhou Pi who had brought her in and was fiercely protecting her. If she wanted to change escorts, wouldn’t she have to tell him?

All eyes fell on Zhou Pi.

Zhou Pi: "…You’re quite polite."

He nodded with a smile, "Then I’ll trouble Senior Brother Ciying."

Watching Huai Sheng and Ciying enter the inner hall, Zhu Cong could no longer contain his anger. He raised his sword, ready to act, but Xiao Ruoshui spoke first.

"If Heavenly Sword Mountain insists on sheltering those who kill their own disciples, then the Xiao family will not join such a sect."

She gave Huai Sheng a deep look and turned away. Zhu Cong glared at Huai Sheng, then at Ciying, before turning and following Xiao Ruoshui.

Zhang Yu, on the other hand, did not leave immediately but sighed deeply and said to Ye Heguang, "True Lord Heguang, my young lady originally wanted to be your disciple, but today, Heavenly Sword Mountain’s conduct is truly disappointing! Though she is young and fatherless, she has never given up seeking justice for the young clan leader. If Heavenly Sword Mountain insists on shielding… well, if I say the name, I’ll probably be accused of ‘smearing the integrity and honor of the upright.’ I cannot fight True Lord Yun Miao, so I won’t say more."

With that, she bowed to Ye Heguang and left gracefully.

Ye Heguang’s gaze was complex as he looked at the Wanyan Sword embedded in the ground for a moment before saying nothing further. His figure flickered and disappeared into the Solitary Deer Hall.

The first conflict between the younger members of the Xiao and Nan families thus ended. The crowd quieted and resumed bustling toward Sword Intent Path.

By the time Song Mu descended from the sect leader’s chamber, the outer courtyard outside the Solitary Deer Hall was empty, with only Chu Su standing there.

Seeing Chu Su’s unsmiling face, he stepped forward gently, "Why the long face? Where’s Huai Sheng?"

"Huai Sheng went inside to find Elder Lu," Chu Su replied lightly, not wanting to mention the sour mood of the Xiao family.

"Have you seen the sect leader’s senior uncle? What did he say?"

Song Mu said, "Master sent a sword letter to Senior Uncle Yun Miao."

Chu Su was a little surprised, "Senior Uncle Yun Miao?"

Song Mu nodded, "Yes, from what master said, all matters related to Huai Sheng and Uncle Nan are to be decided by Senior Uncle Yun Miao."

Chu Su frowned.

The name True Lord Yun Miao was thunderous throughout Heavenly Sword Mountain, but neither he nor Song Mu had ever met her. When their master, True Lord Mu Jin, mentioned Senior Uncle Yun Miao, it was always with an air of secrecy.

After their aunt and uncle fell, their master repeatedly warned them not to reveal the news of their death.

Could the missing Senior Uncle Yun Miao, lost for over two hundred years, have been investigating those cloaked figures? Was the Grey-Clad Steward who ambushed Huai Sheng sent by those cloaked people?

Thinking of those cloaked figures, Chu Su’s face grew cold. "What else did the sect leader’s senior uncle say?"

She was extraordinarily beautiful, with eyes darker than usual. When her expression turned cold, her gaze became chillingly sharp.

Song Mu’s voice softened further, as if soothing a startled cat, "Master told us not to interfere in this matter, and asked me to tell Senior Brother Li to come to the sect leader’s chamber."

He glanced at the Wanyan Sword still standing guard by the stone steps and added, "Did Senior Brother Li and Huai Sheng enter the inner hall together?"

Song Mu cultivated both Buddhism and Daoism, his emotions growing calmer year by year. Yet, he was curious about this senior brother. Though he had been unconscious for over a decade, his presence in Heavenly Sword Mountain was no less significant than Song Mu’s or Chu Su’s.

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One of the most frequent scoldings from Senior Uncle Yu in the Sword Hall was—

"Can’t endure even a little hardship, no wonder your cultivation is weaker than someone in a coma!"

Thanks to Senior Uncle Yu’s long-standing strictness, none of their current disciples were unfamiliar with Li Ciying’s name, including the aloof Chu Su and Song Mu.

Chu Su nodded, "He and Huai Sheng are both with Elder Lu."

She had been alert to the Xiao family’s presence just moments ago and now found herself puzzled.

"I was with Huai Sheng at Wanyan Peak an hour ago. At that time, he was still unconscious. How did he suddenly wake up?"

---

Huai Sheng was equally curious about Ciying’s sudden awakening.

She had a whole bunch of questions she wanted to ask him—how was the injury to his spiritual platform? Should he see Master Ying first to examine his condition before catching up with her? Had he seen the little gifts she had prepared? And most importantly—

Did he resent her?

But since entering the Solitary Deer Hall with Ciying, he had been silent all along. Facing his now-awake face, Huai Sheng found herself at a loss for words and silently followed him.

Walking side by side, Huai Sheng belatedly mused: This guy was really tall—at least nine feet. Among female cultivators, her height was considered above average, yet she could only reach his shoulder.

So it seemed sleeping was crucial for growing tall.

Lost in such aimless thoughts, Huai Sheng arrived at the inner hall.

Elder Lu Pingyong, who oversaw the Solitary Deer Hall, was a man who enjoyed quiet. Inside the inner hall, he was alone—no steward disciples.

Though his cultivation was capped at the Great Perfection of the Pill Realm, his seniority was high. Even Master Ying called him "Senior Uncle."

He had witnessed everything that happened outside. As soon as Huai Sheng entered, he produced a jade slip. A flicker of white light carved her name onto it.

"This is your probationary disciple nameplate. After you officially join the sect, it will automatically convert into a formal disciple nameplate."

He handed the jade slip to Huai Sheng, then abruptly changed the subject, "Do you want to challenge Broken Sword Cliff?"

Huai Sheng accepted the jade slip respectfully.

"Yes, thank you, Elder Lu, for helping me just now."

Choosing to challenge Broken Sword Cliff meant giving up the spot that Nan Xinjiu and Xu Qingru had fought hard to secure for her. Probationary disciples brought in through patronage could only enter the outer sect, but if she succeeded at Broken Sword Cliff, she would have the chance to enter the inner sect.

Lu Pingyong said nothing further, just nodded faintly, then looked at Ciying.

"Senior Brother Ying, do you know you’ve woken up?"

After waking, Ciying had no time to think or act; he simply came to the Solitary Deer Hall to find someone. Only now did he recall Master Ying, his foster father.

He shook his head, "No, I haven’t sent him a sword letter yet."

Lu Pingyong did not say more. He took out a scroll and slowly unrolled it, revealing a dense bamboo forest with neatly arranged houses within. Most houses had white dots shining; only a few had red dots.

"Before the Sword Selection Ceremony, probationary disciples must live with outer sect disciples in the Bamboo Grove of Wushuang Peak. Houses with white dots are occupied; you may choose any with red dots."

Huai Sheng focused on the scroll, about to pick a house, when Ciying suddenly spoke:

"You should come to Wanyan Peak."

Wanyan Peak housed the Sword Tomb and the Sword Washing Spring, the richest in spiritual energy in Heavenly Sword Mountain. True Lord Yun Miao had only accepted Ciying, leaving all the peak’s caves for inner disciples vacant.

Huai Sheng declined Ciying’s offer with a shake of her head and tapped one of the houses on the scroll.

"I choose this one."

Lu Pingyong rolled up the scroll, businesslike.

"With your probationary disciple nameplate, you may go to Sword Intent Path, which is open for three days. As for Broken Sword Cliff, you don’t need a nameplate to challenge it after four days. Any questions?"

Huai Sheng shook her head.

Lu Pingyong hummed softly, "If you fail the Broken Sword Cliff challenge, come see me to enter the outer sect. Since your parents have earned you patronage, no one can stop you from joining Heavenly Sword Mountain."

Before Huai Sheng could reply, he waved his hand, signaling everyone out.

Outside the inner hall, to avoid another silent walk, Huai Sheng decided to start a conversation.

"When did you wake up? How did you know I was at Solitary Deer Hall?"

"You told me at the cave dwelling that you wanted to join the sect," Ciying answered calmly, "I woke up right after you left."

Huai Sheng was stunned.

So… he woke up and rushed straight to Solitary Deer Hall?

No wonder his hair was still unbound…

Ciying stopped walking and called out, "Nan Huai Sheng."

Huai Sheng looked up, "Hmm?"

The young man lowered his voice, "Do you think I’m someone who avoids trouble?"

He was talking about her reluctance to live at Wanyan Peak.

He was fearless of anything and everything, and ironically, he feared trouble more than trouble feared him. But Huai Sheng didn’t want to trouble him. Likewise, she wouldn’t live at Moyang Peak or Tangxi Peak either.

She smiled lightly, "I’m only a probationary disciple. Living in a cave meant for inner disciples wouldn’t be fair to others."

Ciying glanced sideways at her.

If everyone in this world cared about fairness, no one would have dared to block her entry into the sect just now. But… why weren’t her parents with her today?

He was still in a state of confused disorientation after waking. That dream had scrambled his memories so much that the moment he woke, he couldn’t even tell who he was. Only now had he slowly regained his sense of reality—and sensed something was wrong.

Nan Xinjiu and Xu Qingru doted on their daughter. How could they have not come today and let others bully her?

Ciying’s eyes darkened, "Uncle Nan and Aunt Xu, why didn’t they come with you?"

Huai Sheng was slightly stunned.

Her parents’ death was a secret known to very few.

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Huai Sheng vaguely understood why Heavenly Sword Mountain kept this secret and knew this was not the time or place to discuss old matters with Ciying.

She thought for a moment and said briskly, "They couldn’t come."

She raised her foot and continued toward the main gate. "Let’s go. Chu Su is still waiting outside. Oh, do you remember Chu Su and Song Mu? They’ve both done well—one is the direct disciple of the Moyang Peak Sword Master, the other is the last disciple of Sect Leader He. They’re the most talented disciples in Heavenly Sword Mountain in tens of thousands of years."

Seeing Huai Sheng change the subject, Ciying didn’t press further, only furrowing his brows slightly as he listened to her talk about Chu Su and Song Mu.

Back at Yunyun Residence, he hadn’t paid much attention to Chu Su and Song Mu. His main impression was what the white fox had said earlier: one was born with a spiritual body, the other had a heart of Buddhism and Daoism.

He had just seen the born spiritual body outside the Solitary Deer Hall, and the other one did not keep him waiting long.

As soon as they left the inner hall, a tall, gentle young man approached Ciying with a smile.

"Congratulations on waking up, Senior Brother Li. Master is waiting for you in the cave dwelling. Please come with me."

The youth was strikingly handsome, with ink-dark eyebrows and eyes like lacquer dots, his aura like spring sunlight reflecting on water, naturally inspiring goodwill.

Ciying’s gaze lingered on Song Mu’s beautiful face, then noticing his own long messy hair, he broke off a pine branch, using half of his hair to neatly tie a topknot, revealing a face no less handsome than Song Mu’s.

"I’ll go meet the sect leader’s senior uncle myself," he said, then looked at Huai Sheng, "You go to Sword Intent Path first; I’ll come find you later."

With that, the Wanyan Sword, which had stood guard like a door god outside, flew to his feet, carrying its master happily toward the sect leader’s cave dwelling.

As soon as he left, Chu Su glanced at the sky.

"I’ll go with you to Sword Intent Path, along with Mu Tou."

"I’ll go alone," Huai Sheng touched the wound on her face, "I need you to watch someone. When I come out of Sword Intent Path, I have to meet him first."

---

Tangxi Peak, Sect Leader’s Cave Dwelling.

He Bu Gui brewed a pot of Yunyang Spirit Tea for himself and generously ordered two plates of premium spiritual fruit from Buguang Peak.

As the figurehead disciple of Tangxi Peak, Wang Juan had never seen his master so generous and asked, "Master, is something good happening today?"

He Bu Gui replied, "Sort of. Your junior brother Li Ciying has woken up."

Wang Juan suddenly understood—the junior brother who “grew even more powerful while asleep” had awakened.

When Li Ciying was selecting a foster father, Wang Juan was also a candidate. Known for his good nature, temper, looks, and pleasant speech, sometimes when Senior Brother Ying was busy, the child was left with him.

So Wang Juan was quite familiar with this junior brother.

He couldn’t understand why the master was so happy about Ciying waking up, even abandoning his usual stinginess to prepare two plates of premium spiritual fruit.

Their sect leader’s line had endured many injuries and comas, but no one had ever received premium spiritual fruit upon waking—at most, a single pill.

Wang Juan felt a bit resentful of his master’s favoritism but then thought of Li Ciying’s decade of suffering and felt six pieces of premium fruit was not too much.

It was at this moment that the long-suffering Ciying arrived. Wang Juan patted his shoulder and lowered his voice, "Good to see you awake. Eat all six premium spiritual fruits on the table. Our master is rarely so generous; once this opportunity is gone, it’s gone for good!"

"…"

Ciying had some impression of this seemingly carefree yet somewhat superstitious senior brother and responded faintly, "Mm."

Just as he was about to continue inside, he noticed Wang Juan’s hand still firmly on his shoulder.

He glanced sideways and heard Wang Juan’s subtle tone, "Junior brother, you’ve slept for over ten years; why do you just keep getting more handsome?"

Wang Juan was no stranger to injury or unconsciousness. But every time he woke, he looked utterly drained, like he’d been ravished by a fairy from the Hehuan Sect—never more handsome, just lucky to look human.

Ciying was momentarily speechless.

Almost forgotten—this senior brother was not only superstitious but also particularly vain, more so than a peacock.

He Bu Gui, who was brewing tea, smiled and took over the conversation.

"Indeed, you’re gaining more of my style every day," he said, stroking his thinning beard.

In the past thirteen years, Sect Leader He had lost more hair and grown thinner, resembling a slender bamboo stalk, hardly a picture of "handsome."

Wang Juan could not bring himself to flatter the sect leader; he quickly made his exit, but not before telling Ciying, "Junior brother, I’ll seek your teachings in a few days. You know, as the face of Heavenly Sword Mountain, my looks are very important."

Ciying: "…" He didn’t need to know that.

He Bu Gui looked at Ciying with an appreciative gaze and said, "Come have some tea. This Yunyang Spirit Tea I personally cultivated costs a whole high-grade spirit stone per tael. Today, since you woke, you can drink as much as you like. Also, your senior brother Guo brought you six green spirit fruits he painstakingly grew. These green spirit fruits are milder than pills and can nourish the spiritual platform, helping your injuries."

The True Lords of Heavenly Sword Mountain had all benefited from True Lord Yun Miao and took good care of her only disciple, Ciying.

Ciying thanked them and sipped the spirit tea that "cost a whole high-grade spirit stone per tael," but his expression changed immediately. He silently set down the cup, forcing the bitter tea down.

He Bu Gui asked, "Ten years ago, your spiritual platform’s injury had stabilized. You should have woken then. How are you feeling now?"

Ciying did not feel well.

Not because of the bitter tea, but because of his spiritual platform.

Though the injury seemed stable, it had actually worsened. Sharp, needle-like headaches clung to him like a lingering evil spirit. His spiritual platform throbbed painfully in waves.

When he first woke, the white fox howled that he hadn’t slept well for thirteen years and insisted on returning him to his spiritual platform. Inside, the platform had changed drastically—more shattered and inexplicably filled with some evil energy.

He had no choice but to take out a treasured soul pearl to refine and dispel the malevolence.

Not wanting He Bu Gui to know about the abnormality, Ciying thought for a while and said, "So-so. Except for being weak, I have no other discomfort."

As for why he hadn’t woken for so long…

Ciying lowered his eyes, recalling the dream he had while unconscious.

Though comatose for thirteen years, he was not entirely unaware. Occasionally, he could sense the outside world. He hadn’t woken because he had been trapped in the dream.

He had often dreamt before, always the same scene.

But this time, the dream was no longer of two warm dawns.

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