Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

Though Jing Jiu asked him a casual question, a thunderous boom bellowed in Gu Qing’s mind.

Gu Qing’s hand that held the teacup suddenly became rigid, as he said in a low voice, “I haven’t told Zhan Tao yet…I couldn’t do it.”

Zhao Layue shot a glance Jing Jiu’s way, wondering when he started paying attention to the love affairs between men and women.

Jing Jiu didn’t notice her gaze and continued, “Try your best to conceal it then. Conceal it until she is dead or you’re dead.”

Stealing a glance at Jing Jiu, Zhao Layue wondered what kind of nonsense he was talking about, but she restrained herself from making any comment.

Jing Jiu went on, “I want you to come back this time for the preparation of the inaugurating ceremony of the sect master. You’ll go back to Zhaoge City after the ceremony.”

Gu Qing was concerned about the matters related to his Master the most, and he and Yuan Qü had studied thoroughly the inaugurating ceremony of the sect master one hundred years ago, yet there was one bothersome matter he thought they had to deal with ahead of time.

“According to the sect rules, Master, at the ceremony, you have to bring out the Inherited Heaven Sword…”

Noticing no change of expression on Jing Jiu’s face, Gu Qing continued, “In my opinion, the sect rules should be amended in advance.”

For Jing Jiu, the Inherited Heaven Sword was the biggest threat. It was because he didn’t want to present it last time that he was forced out of Green Mountain by Fang Jingtian and the others.

Jing Jiu said, “No matter, the sheath of the Inherited Heaven Sword is in my hands. I don’t think anybody would consider snatching it from me.”

Gu Qing thought his Master was right. He was a figure in the Heavenly Arrival State now, and Fang Jingtian was not even his equal. With the Sword Formation of Green Mountain under his control, no one in this world could take the Inherited Heaven Sword away from him.

Gu Qing decided to get on with the matter as soon as possible. He went to the Daoist Hall to discuss the matter with Yuan Qü after he finished drinking the tea in his hand.

Soon after, Ping Yongjia walked out from the Daoist Hall. Judging from the fact that he kept spinning his head around to look at the Daoist Hall as he walked out, he must have been driven out.

“Master…” he came before the bamboo chair, appearing nervous as he scratched his head. “Do you really want me to go to the Sword Peak?” he finally asked bravely after some hesitation.

Jing Jiu didn’t give a response. Zhao Layue said, “He didn’t go to Tianguang Peak even though he is the peak master there.”

Ping Yongjia understood what she meant, feeling ecstatic. He poured the tea into the cups for Jing Jiu and Zhao Layue as quickly as he could before he said, “But…I don’t know anything; I don’t know how to be a peak master.”

“Neither do I,” said Zhao Layue. “Do you think he knows how to be a sect master?”

Jing Jiu shot her a glance and was aware that her comment because of his conversation with Gu Qing earlier.

Ping Yongjia didn’t know that earlier connection between the two masters, and he said worriedly, “But I don’t know anything about the Old-Bird Sword style, so they won’t…”

Before he could finish the sentence, Jing Jiu took out a booklet from inside of his clothing and tossed it to him. “Anything else?” Jing Jiu asked.

Ping Yongjia took out the Empty Sword and asked indignantly and helplessly, “I’m not using a sword; what should I do with this sword?”

“It’s up to you,” said Jing Jiu.

Ping Yongjia glanced at Zhao Layue and finally understood what his Master meant. He bowed to them hastily and ran back to the Daoist Hall.

In the next moment, the mocking comments like “You’re so ignorant” and “You’re so thick” were heard in the hall.

The atmosphere on Shenmo Peak suddenly became cheerful.

Zhao Layue sat on the other end of the bamboo chair with the teacup in her hand. “Which one should we take care of first regarding the two issues?” she asked Jing Jiu.

Jing Jiu said, “The Center Sect has experienced so many events and should have become smarter for it. I don’t think they will cause any trouble before he and I battle it out. So we have to deal with him first.”

…

…

The scent of wheat being cut could be smelled throughout the quiet small village.

The houses scattered in the village and those red lanterns hanging high above their gates made living in a remote village a bit less appealing. One could feel a hint of rotten wealth and spoiled nobility.

Yin San returned to the farmhouse after taking a bath in the mountain stream. He exchanged some banter with the short and skinny old farmer before going to his own small room.

There was minimal furniture in this small room. There was an oil lamp, the thread of which was cut very short to save on oil and money. The flame was as small as a bean, making the room look exceedingly dim.

The Great Grandmaster of the Mysterious Dark Sect sat on the bed; the gloomy flame in his eyes looked like a bean as well, his expression indignant.

“Immortal…even if you wish to experience the mortal world and perceive the essence of life, you don’t have to live…such a hard life.”

“I’ve listened to the scripts for many years at the Fruit Formation Temple, but I have no interest in matters like experiencing the mortal world. I and my Young Brother are quite alike in this way.”

Yin San put the damp towel on the back of the chair and said with a smile, “I just want to know how he has lived this life of his.”

The Great Grandmaster of the Mysterious Dark Sect ran his fingers over his sparse hair. “The rumor has it that he learned to do everything in nine days. Have you stayed here a bit too long?” remarked the Great Grandmaster of the Mysterious Dark Sect in a mocking tone, which was rather rare.

“Do you mean my ability of comprehending things is not as good as his?” Yin San pushed a bowl of water to the front of the Great Grandmaster of the Mysterious Dark Sect to substitute for the tea that was usually offered to the guests. “I’ve cut wood, put fire in the stove, harvested and stored wheat. It’s just that I was very busy with cultivating and other important matters like saving the world, and I forgot how to do them. Do you really think I want to learn how to do all this?”

The Great Grandmaster of the Mysterious Dark Sect brought the bowl of water to his mouth and took a swig. He smacked his lips because he found it tasteless and asked, “What are you doing here then? Do you think you’ll find out what he is like in this life by doing all this?”

Yin San said while pointing to the center of his brows, “I suddenly understood one thing when I was in the stream earlier.”

The Great Grandmaster of the Mysterious Dark Sect set the bowl of water down on the table and asked gravely while staring at him, “What was that?”

Yin San said, “He grew up in the royal palace. After he was brought to Green Mountain by the Grandmaster, he had done nothing but cultivate. He has never done these sorts of chores before. Why did he do them? In addition to adjusting to his new body, the more important thing is that…he intends to take a different path.”

Thinking of the rumors about Jing Jiu over the last one hundred years, the Great Grandmaster of the Mysterious Dark Sect said while shaking his head, “I can’t tell if he is different from the former Jing Yang.”

“It’s the saying ‘Rebuild it after breaking it down’. Though nothing seems to have changed on the surface, something new has already taken hold on a deeper level; in other words, this is a second river,” said Yin San with a seeming smile.

“What does the Immortal mean?” asked the Great Grandmaster of the Mysterious Dark Sect.

“He is swimming with the current in the second river; I shouldn’t have followed him and forgotten my own river.”

Yin San went on with a smile, “He can do his Cultivation, and I’ll work on the destruction of the world. That’s what we will do from now on.”

The Great Grandmaster of the Mysterious Dark Sect suddenly felt like smelling blood in the room. He crinkled his nose and rubbed it several times before saying, “I’m afraid that there will be some confrontations since your paths are different.”

Why did Jing Yang lead Yuan Qijing and Liu Ci to betray the Immortal Taiping?

No matter how lazy and carefree Jing Yang was, he had no choice but to strike when the matter was the destruction of the world.

“It was more than seven hundred years ago when I first went down to the Underworld.”

Yin San went on, “I’ve prepared for so many years already. I don’t believe that he can predict everything. Even if he could, I don’t think he can overcome it; it’s because this is my river.”

The Great Grandmaster of the Mysterious Dark Sect was fully aware that there were many followers of the Immortal Taiping hidden in Zhaoge City, at the Green Mountain Sect, and the major Cultivation sects, though the three of them seemed to be wandering in the world like homeless dogs. However, could they destroy the entirety of Chaotian even if those followers acted all at once?

A fluttering sound and a few gusts of night wind broke out outside the room.

The Dark Phoenix trotted into the room angrily, and said in a shrieking voice, “This idiot Little Four Fang. He doesn’t know how to restrain himself and wait, and now is locked up in the hermit peaks by him again.”

Yin San got up and strolled to the outside of the room, remaining silent for a long time while gazing at the green peaks in the distance.

The short and skinny old farmer was soundly asleep, snoring happily and ignorantly.

All of a sudden, they heard quarrels somewhere in the village and vague cursing and crying.

Yin San didn’t pay attention to the commotion; he remained silent while looking at the night sky.

The Dark Phoenix leapt to the top of the wall and looked down at the distant Clan Hall. His long tail wiggled a few times after finding out what was happening there.

The elderly masters of the Liu Clan had caught a widower engaged in a clandestine love affair with a hired farmer that night. They were torturing them in the Clan Hall.

It was believed that the couple involved in the clandestine love affair would be drowned to the bottom of the pond later that night.

“I had thought about the saying ‘The righteous are supported by more people and the wicked by less’. As such, am I a righteous person or a wicked one?”

Yin San made a sudden comment that had nothing to do with Fang Jingtian, let alone the Liu Clan Hall.