Translator: Transn Editor: Transn

The young man carrying the sword scabbard was seated near the door. In his apathy was a sense of solemnity and uneasiness, as if he was anticipating or fearing something.

Meng Qi had to restrain the urge to go up to the young man and say, “Young man, I see a bleak aura around you and I sense a bad premonition for you.”

He decided against such an idea after considering where he was: in uncertain waters, with no knowledge of who his enemies were.

He turned his head to look at Xie Xuan and commented, “You seem very interested in the flying sword earlier, Scholar.”

He took the opportunity to steer the conversation to this topic in order to get a basic understanding of the situation here.

Jiang Zhiwei smiled as she listened without inserting herself into the conversation. She knew she was far behind Little Meng when it came to networking and currying favors.

Meng Qi was pretty proud of this skill of his. He had, after all, been tricked by many old foxes and schemed against by people like Wang Siyuan and Jiang Hengchuan. His arduous grinding in the Jianghu over several years were not for nothing either. If he did not grow or progress, he would have long been reduced into a skeleton lying by the road!

Just after the word ‘scholar’ was mentioned, countless people inside the compartment turned to look at Xie Xuan as if they were shocked that someone as young as he would be able to become a Scholar.

Under everyone’s intense gaze, a blush crept up to Xie Xuan’s cheeks. Feeling ill at ease, he hemmed and hawed before saying, “Who… who wouldn’t yearn to be a sword immortal that can… can… behead a person from a distance of a hundred miles?”

“Yet how many in this world can be a sword immortal that powerful?” Taoist Ouyang Zheng mumbled. “To break hundreds of thousands of techniques with just one strike of a sword is no more than boastful talk. The techniques of Taoism are numerous and complex, each with their own arcane uses. How can one strike of a sword break all of them?”

Jiang Zhiwei soundlessly relayed her voice to Meng Qi, saying, “He’s carrying plenty of charms, all of them divine charms of Taoism legacy entangled with Vital Qi. It was only after the predestinated fate of World-confounding Demon and the likes of Overlord and Demonic Buddha that their impartation saw a true end. They left only formations and charms as their inheritance, losing the cultivation method of one self. You can try him out from this aspect.”

With this angle in mind, Meng Qi easily dominated the conversation and got partial information out of Ouyang Zhen and Xie Xuan.

Darkness Palace, which was apt at stratagem techniques, and Divine Sect, one of the main Taoism sects, dominated this place with the former reigning supreme. The power of Darkness Palace rivaled even the imperial court, with branches in different prefectures and counties. Divine Sect was more removed from worldly affairs. With their two inheritances of charms and one inheritance of sword immortal, mystical methods and techniques, unyielding flying swords, they were considered the intermediary between humans and immortals. The sect had palaces in each prefecture and county to manage their business, including medicinal hills and mines, and assist Darkness Palace in handling the demons and ghosts as well as unorthodox sects. In the event of droughts, they would also pray for rainfall and a good harvest. Darkness Palace and Taoists would work together and contribute should there be floods.

The fairly talented Xie Xuan had been running around alongside the automaton architect of his village in his childhood. He later joined the branch of Darkness Palace in Firemist County and learned to handle mechanisms. His exceptional performance earned him the title of a scholar and he became an automaton architect in his own right. The branch recommended him to be a participant in the Sage examination this year so he could enter the headquarters of Darkness Palace and learn the even more profound stratagem techniques.

Xie Xuan mentioned that his current stratagem technique could produce a variety of items meant for substitution such as cattle, horses, and prosthetics. His technique carried no combat power, leaving the security of his village in the hands of martial artists. Ouyang Zheng, on the other hand, was dispatched by Divine Sect to oversee Mount Firemist and prevent the appearance of evil spirits.

“Once I become a Sage and start studying in Darkness Palace in Yongzhou, I’ll be able to produce puppet automatons, tiger mechanisms, and a variety of improved prosthetics…” Xie Xuan’s eyes were gleaming with hope.

“This kid is full of dreams…” Meng Qi and Jiang Zhiwei felt as if they were experiencing something new. He laughed along, feeling no urgency as he replied, “You’re content with just being a Sage? Don’t you want to be an Earl?”

The title of Earl was something that he had learned from Xie Xuan and Ouyang Zheng’s conversation.

“Heh, the exam only comes once every three years. How many titles of Earl can Darkness Place bestow?” Ouyang Zheng shook his head, indicating how difficult the task would be.

“So the title of an Earl can only be conferred after an examination.” Meng Qi nodded, looking thoughtful. His gaze was still fixed on Xie Xuan’s face.

Jiang Zhiwei was so eye-catching that Xie Xuan, who sat opposite her, appeared ill at ease even though she was not speaking. “I’d be lying if I tell you that I don’t want to be an Earl. Which automaton architect wouldn’t want to gain a true impartation and create a mechanism that can control fire and water to prevent disasters? But the examination to be an Earl is too challenging. It’s considered impressive if each county can produce five Earls every three years. I… I don’t know if I can make it…” he said, wearing a silly smile on his face as he scratched his head once again.

After hearing about Xie Xian’s goal, Ouyang Zheng reflected on his situation and felt melancholic over what he assumed would be his future. “Like you, I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to produce a True Charm and successfully receive the official permit to be a true Taoist,” he said, sighing quietly.

Meng Qi laughed cheerfully, breaking the somewhat sentimental mood. “Why worry when you’re both still so young? The path to the future is under your feet; you can just walk on it one step at a time. It’s great to be ambitious but you can’t let it hurt your spirits. If you talk about aspirations, I myself dream of becoming a Principal or a Divine Master!”

Ouyang Zheng could not help himself from remarking, “Principal? Divine Master? Brother Su, look at your age. Even Unrecognized Pearl of the yesteryears had been too late in switching cultivations! Ah, the art of mechanism has little to do with the decline of one’s physical body. If you’re talented, it’s not too late for you to become an Earl. However, after becoming an Earl, cultivation will involve the mechanism of the body, Vital Spirit, and the like. It’ll be hard on the body of someone who has already lived half their lifetime.”

“It’s best for martial artists to cultivate in the vein of sword immortals,” Xie Xuan said, interrupting. “But sword cultivation demands such great talent and resolution that there are very few disciples.”

He appeared to be full of regrets. If the vein of sword immortals was open to the public like Darkness Palace was, he really would like to give it a try. Of course, he would not give up on his true interest, stratagem technique, either.

Meng Qi sighed, all seven emotions of life etched on his face. “Could it be that the path of my martial arts would never lead me to the Heaven-connecting realm?”

Countless passengers laughed when they heard him. It was a common truth that martial artists were also mere mortals!

Ouyang Zheng suppressed the urge to laugh and said perfunctorily, “How admirable for Brother Su and Lady Jiang to have such lofty ambitions and remarkable persistence in the face of hardship. However, it has been so long since martial artists can achieve the Heaven-connecting realm. That’s unless they can return to the ancient times…”

“In ancient times, there were martial artists who were able to achieve the Heaven-connecting realm?” The one who asked the question was not Meng Qi but Xie Xuan. Many of the passengers from Darkness Palace also appeared to look doubtful.

“Plenitude Sect, my sect, has the longest heritage of impartation, experienced the ups and downs of many immortals, and saw the Darkness Palace crossing the sea to come here 10,000 years ago. Naturally, we’ll have records of the ancient times,” Ouyang Zheng said, looking rather proud.

“Plenitude Sect?” Meng Qi and Jiang Zhiwei exchanged looks, both thinking of Plenitude Immortal Venerable and the Plenitude Gate.

“Their sect too has records of ancient times?”

If that was true, they must find a chance to ‘visit’ the sect.

“The time when Darkness Palace ‘crossed the sea’ to come here seems to coincide with the time Demonic Buddha had caused chaos in the world,” Jiang Zhiwei suddenly said.

“Did they come through the Plenitude Gate as well? To avoid Demonic Buddha?” Meng Qi asked, making guesses.

“What is this place exactly? The paradise-like Heavenly Sea Source?”

“But it’s evidently more vast and closer to the world!”

Ouyang Zheng eagerly demonstrated his knowledge since it was not a secret. “How could there be so few practitioners and disciples in my sect if not for the changes in the world and thin Vital Qi? Before the times of Heaven Sovereign, those coming in and out of my sect are true Immortals! We were the true Divine Sect that communicates with the Immortals!”

“In ancient times, there were those who nurtured Vital Spirit, refined essences, cultivated their physical bodies, swallowed the power of nature, and trained the five elements of their minds. They shared some similarities with martial artists. Perhaps that’s what the path of Heaven-connecting means.”

Meng Qi’s mouth was twitching as he listened. Beyond the Plenitude Gate, the cultivation of Qi was a sign of demonstrating martial arts and was referred to as such. It was quite different from the Qi Practitioners in Ouyang Zheng’s description.

However, his explanation appeared closer to the original definition of the term.

“Hello, Qi Practitioner of the ancient times.” He chuckled as he relayed his voice to Jiang Zhiwei without a sound.

She suppressed a smile and said earnestly, “Hello, wild beast of the ancient times.”

Once Meng Qi displayed his true strength, his muscles would get knotted and his clothes would burst at the seams as he grew in size. His strength and terrifying momentum would pose a great pressure on his enemies. He really did exude the aura of an ancient wild beast.

“Unfortunately, the inheritance of practicing Qi ended after Demonic Buddha caused chaos in the world.” Pity colored Ouyang Zheng’s expression as he looked at Meng Qi and Jiang Zhiwei. These two eye-catching individuals with their beautiful appearances had made a mistake in entering the field of martial arts.

If they happened to encounter tyrants from Darkness Palace and Divine Sect, their exceptional looks might just get them bullied instead. Perhaps Meng Qi would be robbed while Jiang Zhiwei would be forced into prostitution.

Even though the world was safe and the people were happy, those in the upper echelon possessed all kinds of privileges and would often undermine the lives of ordinary folks.

Several of the passengers dressed like martial artists appeared stunned. The hope that Ouyang Zheng’s words had brought them was extinguished in the same breath, leaving their future as bleak as ever. In the end, all they could do was protect their villages and become ordinary soldiers.

Their martial arts were mostly derived from practicing the vein of sword cultivation.

The carriage from Darkness Palace had been travelling for some time when it suddenly stopped and opened its doors. Several people entered the compartment.

The first was a man dressed in a wide-sleeved loose robe, who appeared to be a member of Darkness Palace. He was pale-faced with a weak beard. Several puppet automatons were following behind him. The second was a woman in her forties dressed in a large ocean-blue robe. Her breath was sharp, as were her eyes that felt like swords were hidden in the depths of her pupils.

The young man carrying the sword scabbard who had been silent ever since Ouyang Zheng mocked the possibility of ‘breaking hundreds of techniques with just one strike of a sword’ sighed, finally relaxing. It was as if the person he had been waiting for had arrived.

“Lord Chang!” someone among the passengers cried in horror, standing up and bowing in greeting.

This prompted many of the passengers to recognize who the young man was. Everyone, including Xie Xuan and Ouyang Zhen, got up one after another to salute him.

Meng Qi and Jiang Zhiwei rose from their seats nonchalantly and saluted the newcomers with ease.

The middle-aged man called Lord Chang swept his eyes across the compartment, including Meng Qi and the rest, before giving a soft nod. He did not appear to be concerned and spoke to the young man carrying the sword scabbard, saying, “What happened?”

In a quiet voice, Ouyang Zheng told Meng Qi and Jiang Zhiwei, “This is the Earl of Yongzhou City, Chang Huan. He’s a local governor with an incredible grasp of the art of mechanism. He could create a Sky-destroying Cannon with his left hand. He’s truly a marvel.”

While Ouyang Zheng was making the introductions, the young man said, “Uncle Lin, Lord Chang, I chanced upon a sword ball in the South Sea. It was so incredibly vicious that I had a hard time securing it. I was worried that something might happen, so I sent word to Yongzhou to invite you two here.”

Linxing Jianxiu nodded with a particularly solemn expression. “Where’s the sword ball?”

The young man carrying a sword scabbard fished a small jade box from his bosom. The box was sealed with layers and layers of charms.

He was just about to hand the jade box over to them when red light burst from within. In an instant that no one expected, it transformed drastically. The red light broke free of the charms and flew out of the box, its Sword Qi overwhelmingly pressuring.

Linxing Jianxiu opened his mouth and a ray of white sword light flew out of it, meeting the ominous red light head-on.

Clang! The sounds of gold and iron intersecting resonated. The pure white sword light was pushed back, while the vicious red light changed directions to aim for Chang Huan.

Without anyone even realizing it, a metallic-black puppet automaton had placed itself in front of Chang Huan to stop the red light.

Clang! The head of the puppet automaton separated from its body. The vicious red light avoided the green light coming from the sword scabbard and slashed to its side.

Chang Huan hesitated to use Sky-destroying Cannon considering the many passengers who were still inside the compartment. In his hesitation, his movements slowed by a beat and he could only stare blankly as the red light cut at the passenger standing by the window.

“Oh no!”

“Be careful!”

The passengers sitting by the window were a pair of exceptional-looking people with ordinary breaths. One of them was a 16 or 17 years old automaton architect and the other was a young Taoist!

While the rest of the passengers were still grappling with shock and fright, the fierce sword light had rapidly reached Xie Xuan.

Chang Huan moved his puppet automaton while Linxing Jianxiu hurled his sword light, both trying to stop the red light. Concern lined their expressions because they knew that they would never make it!

Yet, at that moment, a hand appeared in their line of sight. The hand was fair and powerful, not lacking in grace in the least.

The hand lifted a finger and gently flicked the red light.

Clank!

The finger flicked the red light away, scattering its vicious, bloody tip. It fell to the floor miserably and turned into a scarlet sword ball.

“This…” Everyone inside the compartment was temporarily frozen in shock.

The pure white sword light stayed suspended in mid-air foolishly and the puppet automaton stopped in its tracks, stuck in a strange posture.