Huang Dali, clad in a set of tattered armor and carrying an orange ancient sword on his back, sat down on the highest stone on the mountain peak. He raised a hand to shade his eyes, looking into the distance, expecting the brats to return soon.
Although he possessed the blazing spiritual aura of a thirteenth-realm sword cultivator, his attire seemed out of place. That worn-out armor was treated like a priceless treasure, which he refused to discard. Moreover, the "Zhaoshan" sect, though having risen rapidly in the Neon World in recent years, was infamous. Relying on their high cultivation and combat strength, they plundered indiscriminately and committed all sorts of atrocities.
It was said that the Tengnan Sword Sect had been robbed half a year ago. All their treasures were taken, even the low-grade flying sword embryos of their outer disciples. The sect leader was knocked unconscious by a blow from the sky. Not only was his storage bag looted, but even his robes were stripped off. His wife, enraged, drew her sword to kill Huang Dali, but her vital points were sealed by a single sword strike. Not only were all the treasures in her boudoir stolen, but the old scoundrel also grabbed her leg. Furious, she withdrew from the martial world, henceforth living in seclusion, vowing to keep her heart locked away forever.
With a single Zhaoshan, the Neon World was filled with those who wished to see it destroyed. Yet, with a thirteenth-realm old scoundrel holding the fort, and his younger disciples all being unnaturally formidable, the martial world of the Neon World, despite its widespread condemnation of Zhaoshan, had few who dared to venture into the depths of the northern region to cause trouble. Those who did so were merely seeking their own demise.
"Whoosh!"
In the distance, a sword light streaked from among the mountains, transforming into a figure clad in a green shirt. It was a young sword cultivator, appearing to be seventeen or eighteen years old, yet possessing the aura of an upper fifth-realm cultivator. This little rascal had broken through last month, becoming an eleventh-realm sword immortal, and was currently relishing the feeling, going out to cause trouble every day.
"You little scoundrel, get over here!"
Huang Dali grinned and said, "Give me half of what you plundered!"
The young man streaked towards them, landing before him, and chuckled, "Old Huang, are you still dreaming?"
"Damn it, what are you calling me Old Huang!?"
Huang Dali raised his hand as if to spank the young brat's backside, "Behave yourself and call me Sect Leader!"
"Sect Leader my ass!"
The young man declared, "I, Zhang Luobai, am a true man, standing tall between heaven and earth. How can I be dejected and live beneath others!"
"Nonsense, you're called Zhang Abai now!"
Huang Dali raised an eyebrow, "Have you forgotten your master's instructions, you little brat? When you go out, you must be cautious in all matters, and not be too arrogant and overbearing, or you won't even know how you died."
Instantly, the young man's eyes reddened, tears welling up. "Damn you, Old Huang, why bring up Master..."
Old Huang grinned and said, "If I don't mention your master, how can I see you blubbering like a crybaby?"
...
Just then, another sword light ascended the mountain and streaked towards them, transforming into a maiden in a pink dress. She was exquisitely beautiful, capable of making fish sink and geese fall. Her figure was also curvaceous, but she was enveloped in a dense sword intent, implicitly warning others that such a woman was for looking at, and not for prolonged gazes, lest one's eyes be gouged out by a sword.
In Zhaoshan, her name was Lu Zhaohua. At only twenty years old, she was a twelfth-realm sword immortal, often seen in the Neon World's martial circles, righting wrongs, helping the weak, and extorting the rich to aid the poor. In the words of Sect Leader Huang Dali, her talent was extraordinary, and she had received the true teachings of Lin Wanhua and Old Man Wang. Her sword intent, honed through the "Thirty-Six Stratagems," grew deeper each day. Within a few years, she might reach the thirteenth realm. She was a truly captivating and dangerous young vixen.
Lu Zhaohua pulled out a storage bag and tossed it to Huang Dali, "Old Huang, I've been out for three days and earned over thirteen hundred gold fish coins. It's all here. Take good care of it. We agreed this is the fund for rebuilding Snow Domain Heavenly Pond. If you squander it on wine and women, Hmph... I'll report you, and Sister Shu Zhi and Sister Yu Wan Ning will never forgive you."
"What use is reporting them? They can't beat me."
Huang Dali grinned and said, "Ten years. My sword intent grows stronger with each passing day. I have the bearing of a fourteenth-realm expert!"
"Have you no shame!"
The young man chuckled, "I'm about to puke, Old Huang!"
"Hmph!"
Huang Dali was unfazed. He narrowed his eyes and looked into the distance, "Zhuang girl is also back."
In the distance, a female martial artist in a green short shirt broke through the wind and arrived. She was in the Heavenly Origin Realm, still appearing as a maiden, her fist intent radiating intensely. Her name was Zhuang Qingyi, seventeen years old.
"Zhuang girl."
"Old Sect Leader Huang," he said with his arms crossed and eyes narrowed, "after your trip to the Human Realm, what did you gain?"
"Nothing."
Zhuang Qingyi replied, "I roamed the Human Realm for over half a month and only learned that Sisters Shu Zhi and Yu Wan Ning had been spotted in the Deer Forest area. I searched but couldn't find them, so I returned. I roamed the Neon World for another half month and earned over a thousand gold fish coins. Here, take the money."
She tossed over a heavy coin purse, which Old Sect Leader caught with precision and put away.
"Old Huang."
Lu Zhaohua bit her red lip, "Still no news. Could Brother Lin Zhao truly..."
"No!"
Old Huang shook his head decisively, "How could the dignified Lin Baiyi of Snow Domain Heavenly Pond die so easily? I reckon that Lin Zhao kid might have dug a cave under Mount Wuwang and is currently having fun with a group of mountain fairies and little demons, playing mahjong and rubbing legs. He won't come out until the time is right."
Lu Zhaohua pouted, "My Brother Lin Zhao would at most play mahjong. Only you, Old Huang, would do things like rubbing legs."
"Hmph, young people, don't believe in the impossible!"
Old Huang muttered to himself, "Even the best man, when encountering tender, fair, and slender legs, cannot resist..."
"Nonsense!"
Zhang Abai lunged forward and flicked Old Huang on the head, "My master has always been a gentleman, cultivating himself diligently. How could he be like you, Old Huang!"
"You little brat, how dare you, a mere eleventh-realm cultivator, speak to a thirteenth-realm overlord like that?!"
Huang Dali suddenly turned and grabbed the little brat under his arm, took off his straw sandal, and began spanking his backside. So what if you're an eleventh-realm sword immortal? If you anger your elder, you'll still get spanked.
Lu Zhaohua and Zhuang Qingyi averted their eyes, secretly relishing the scene, wishing he would hit harder. That little scoundrel had one hundred and twenty-five pounds of pure defiance in his one hundred and thirty pounds of weight. He deserved to be beaten!
...
Snow Domain Heavenly Pond, Hefeng Academy.
Lin Zhao returned to Hefeng Academy with Shu Zhi and Yu Wan Ning. The eastern sky was beginning to show the first light of dawn. He rushed, leaping into Hefeng Academy and sitting down at the stone table beneath the white tree. He carefully spread out his hand and placed the white tree leaf, containing the remnant soul of Shi Hanyin, on the table. He looked up and said, "Ling Yu, Ling Yu, quickly think of a way! Dawn is almost here, and Miss Shi's soul will be lost!"
"Ah?"
Gu Lingyu, in his flowing sleeves, emerged from the white tree, looking surprised. "Little Uncle-Master, what do you mean Miss Shi's soul will be lost just because it's dawn?"
"Ghosts and souls have always feared sunlight,"
Lin Zhao said gravely, "It was said in 'A Chinese Ghost Story' that once morning arrives, souls must return to their urns of ashes. Wouldn't that mean all our efforts were in vain, and Miss Shi suffered so much for nothing?"
Gu Lingyu smiled, "Although I don't know which ancient tome 'A Chinese Ghost Story' is, some of its teachings are certainly wrong. At least here in Hefeng Academy, Miss Shi will be fine even if she appears during the day."
"Is that so?" Lin Zhao looked surprised.
"Miss Shi, come out."
Gu Lingyu gently raised his hand, infusing a wisp of pure spiritual energy into the white tree leaf, and smiled, "Don't worry. I have nourished your soul with spiritual energy, and now you have returned to your most beautiful appearance."
The next moment, Shi Hanyin emerged from the white tree leaf as a beam of white light, indeed transforming into the most beautiful woman of the Great Shang dynasty in a red dress. Her appearance, figure, and demeanor were all unparalleled in the mortal world.
"Thank you, Mr. Gu," Shi Hanyin bowed.
"You're welcome."
Gu Lingyu looked at Lin Zhao and said, "Little Uncle-Master, Miss Shi is merely a remnant soul and cannot remain indefinitely. So, I have prepared a path for her: to transform into a spirit or divine being, just like me."
"Hm?"
Lin Zhao frowned, "Before, I heard that beings like apricot spirits and peach blossom demons mostly gain the favor of heaven and earth, and receive a faint imperial decree to be formed. If Hanyin takes this path, will there be any obstacles?"
"With me here, there will be no obstacles,"
Gu Lingyu said confidently with a smile, "The current issue is what form you want her to take, Little Uncle-Master. Peach blossom demon, apricot spirit, or perhaps a pear blossom spirit, a green bamboo goddess, or any other form. Any living being in the mortal world can be affiliated."
"Peach blossom demon, perhaps."
Lin Zhao turned to look at Shi Hanyin, "I once had a very good friend who was a peach blossom demon, named Han Yurou. Sadly, she perished in the world. She was exceptionally beautiful and gentle. Hanyin, if we become peach blossom demons, not only will our destined robes be beautiful, but our appearance will be preserved, and we will remain youthful forever. What do you think?"
"Okay!"
Shi Hanyin smiled and nodded emphatically, "I belong to Young Master. I will listen to everything Young Master says!"
"Oh dear..."
Gu Lingyu was momentarily taken aback, looking awkwardly at Lin Zhao. What was he to do? In the future, he would take Shi Hanyin as his disciple and teach her sage doctrines, yet Shi Hanyin belonged to his Little Uncle-Master. Was she to be a disciple or a mistress? This was getting messy.
"Ling Yu."
Lin Zhao said, "What do we do next?"
"It's simple."
Gu Lingyu replied, "It's early spring, and the peach blossoms are in full bloom. Little Uncle-Master just needs to go to the mountain peak villa and transplant a well-grown peach tree to the academy. Plant it in the academy courtyard, and with the academy's literary fortune protecting it, it will surely grow vigorously and rapidly, saving Little Uncle-Master the constant worry."
"Ah?"
Lin Zhao hesitated. He wasn't that worried. However, Shi Hanyin beside him was already blushing.
"Then I'll go dig up a peach tree."
Lin Zhao drew his sword and, as an eleventh-realm sword immortal, soared into the sky, heading straight for Snow Domain Heavenly Pond.
For a moment, Shi Hanyin watched with delight in her beautiful eyes. This was the first time she had personally witnessed Lin Zhao soaring through the sky in his upper fifth-realm form. He was truly exceptionally handsome.