In the early morning, at Tianranju.
Lin Zhao rushed to the front of the gourd trellis in a single stride, observing and studying it repeatedly. His heart was filled with joy. Now, seven gourds had grown on the gourd vine, and the first three gourds were fully formed. They should ripen soon. The second orange gourd was one that Lin Zhao had set aside for himself, and he was immensely looking forward to it.
"Sir."
Beside him, Wu Zhi descended gracefully and said, "Chi Zhongyu from Danxia Mountain has sent word that Xu Mingan has successfully refined the Guiyuan Pill. He asks if we should send it to the people of Qingluan Sect."
"We must send it!"
Lin Zhao pondered for a moment and said, "Why don't we go to Danxia Mountain ourselves and help Xu Mingan deliver the pill? Currently, Chi Zhongyu is the only one capable of fighting at Danxia Mountain. Chi Zhongyu should not leave, so we have to make this trip."
"Alright."
Wu Zhi smiled and said, "I'll accompany you."
"Young Master."
On the mountain, the fan-wielding goddess Liu Liying descended gracefully and smiled, "Since Liying arrived in the human world, she has not been anywhere except the mountain-top villa. I heard that Chi Zhongyu has gone to Fusang Great Wall and even become an eleventh-realm Sword Immortal. Miss Yu Wanning should also be making waves in the human world's martial arts scene by now. Only I... have not seen the world. If Young Master is going, Liying also wishes to follow..."
"..."
Lin Zhao felt a bit conflicted. In principle, he did not want Liu Liying to be seen in public. After all, although the name "Fan-wielding Goddess" was quite unfamiliar in the human world, the mere title "Goddess" was enough to make many mountain cultivators restless. Moreover, Liu Liying's beauty was on par with the legendary beauties who could make fish sink and geese fall. Taking her out would indeed easily cause trouble.
However, Liu Liying's words were not without merit. The dignified Fan-wielding Goddess had been confined to the mountain-top villa since arriving in the human world, which was indeed too stifling. He thought about it. With Wu Zhi, a peak twelfth-realm Sword Immortal, accompanying them, nothing would go wrong. Thus, he said in a deep voice, "Then prepare to depart. Wu Zhi, summon your sword, and we will go directly to Danxia Mountain."
"Young Master!"
Dong Zang also walked out from the kitchen and said, "Aren't we going to have breakfast before we leave?"
"No, we'll have Xu Mingan's breakfast. Dong Zang, if there's too much breakfast made, let Tang Guangjun come up the mountain to eat. He has a good appetite and can eat three bowls at a meal."
Dong Zang smiled and nodded.
...
Danxia Mountain, early morning, wisps of cooking smoke curling into the sky.
Along with a ray of sword light descending, Lin Zhao and the other two appeared in front of the Taoist temple. Immediately, Chi Zhongyu, who was sitting on a stone mill and applying medicine to his sword wound, looked over. Doing such a thing alone made him appear particularly disheveled. But upon seeing the three of them, Chi Zhongyu's unwavering sword heart softened instantly. Liu Liying appeared, as beautiful as ever, in a red dress, holding a fan.
"What happened?" Lin Zhao asked.
"It was yesterday's business."
Chi Zhongyu recounted the events involving Lin Zhujie, Sun Tingxuan, and Su Zhe. He did not hide the fact that he was defeated by Lin Zhujie in three swords, as if it were not something shameful.
"You've worked hard."
Lin Zhao patted his shoulder and smiled, "Since the injuries were sustained for the sake of the mountain-top villa and Danxia Mountain, they were well worth it... I'm not good at bandaging wounds. How about..."
He looked at Wu Zhi and Liu Liying. Chi Zhongyu also looked over. If Liu Liying could bandage his wound for him, he would die without regret.
"Wu Zhi, you bandage him."
Lin Zhao turned and walked away, inwardly chuckling and thinking to himself, dreaming on. If Liu Liying were to bandage you, wouldn't your recently rebuilt state of mind immediately crumble?
"Yes, sir."
Wu Zhi was also an astute person. She walked forward with a smile and carefully bandaged Chi Zhongyu's wound. Lin Zhao went to the kitchen to help Xu Mingan make noodles. Now that Chi Zhongyu was at Danxia Mountain, the meals for Xu Mingan and his two disciples had become increasingly better, with fish, meat, and vegetables. After breakfast, Lin Zhao said, "I'll go to Ningzhou's Qingluan Sect to deliver the pill for you. How many Guiyuan Pills are needed for breaking through?"
"Two."
Xu Mingan said, "However, the ancestor of Qingluan Sect is said to have a very high realm, so two might not be enough. Since this batch of pills I refined yielded quite a few, I'll give them four pills."
"Alright."
Lin Zhao smiled and nodded, saying, "Don't worry, the favor of these four Guiyuan Pills will be counted towards the future Danxia Sect. In the future, if Elder Xiao Chen truly reaches the Ascension Realm, Xiao Muhan will definitely come to thank us. The favor between Danxia Sect and Qingluan Sect will be established. You don't need to think too much about it. Just focus on cultivation and alchemy."
"Yes, I understand."
"Wu Zhi, summon the sword."
Lin Zhao put away the four pills and was about to depart.
As the sword light rose, Chi Zhongyu frowned, looked at the people within the sword light, cupped his hands, and said, "Then I won't see you off!"
As he spoke, his gaze still lingered on Liu Liying with infinite longing.
Liu Liying frowned, turned, and linked her arm with Lin Zhao's, their fingers intertwined.
"???"
Chi Zhongyu stumbled. The injury he sustained yesterday was not as severe as this.
With the sword light, the three of them soared away.
"Ouch..."
Lin Zhao released Liu Liying's hand and said with a laugh, "Is this necessary?"
"I can't help it."
Liu Liying pursed her red lips and said, "Young Master, please understand, this is also for his own good."
"I know, but next time, tell me in advance. You made me a little nervous."
"Oh~~~"
Ahead, Wu Zhi stepped on her flying sword, a slight smile playing on her lips.
...
Qingluan Sect.
A sect standing amidst mountain clouds. The sect buildings were clustered together, built along the mountainside, with halls like a forest. It truly lived up to its reputation as the foremost sect in Ningzhou. Lin Zhao looked down, seeing that Qingluan Sect had five peaks, each with a main hall. It was likely that under one sect, there were several subordinate mountains. In short, Qingluan Sect was prosperous and populous, far beyond the reach of ordinary sects.
"Qingluan Sect... truly remarkable," Lin Zhao praised endlessly.
Wu Zhi narrowed her beautiful eyes and smiled, "Qingluan Sect has over two thousand disciples, with six elders in the Upper Five Realms. The number of disciples in the Middle Five Realms within the inner and direct disciples is countless. It is indeed not comparable to ordinary sects. In contrast, our mountain-top villa has only a dozen people in total."
"Indeed, indeed."
Lin Zhao nodded repeatedly, "However, our mountain-top villa does not seek quantity, only quality."
Wu Zhi and Liu Liying both smiled.
At the sect gate, Xiao Muhan, accompanied by several officiating elders, personally welcomed them. Afterward, everyone ascended the mountain path to meet the ancestor. Upon reaching the main hall, a sickly old man, leaning on a cane, walked forward. Despite being a twelfth-realm Great Cultivator, he appeared extremely weak and emaciated, as if he had only a few days left to live.
Xiao Chen, a twelfth-realm Spirit Cultivator, the ancestor of Qingluan Sect.
"Snow Domain Heavenly Pool, Lin Zhao, pays respects to Ancestor Xiao Chen."
Lin Zhao bowed respectfully, and Wu Zhi and Liu Liying behind him also paid their respects.
"Mountain Master Lin, your great name has long been thundering in my ears..."
Xiao Chen nodded with a smile, but as he laughed, his body seemed on the verge of collapse. His internal meridians and heart fire were still in turmoil. At this moment, Xiao Chen's body was like a great furnace, ready to burn his physical body, which he had painstakingly cultivated for thousands of years, into ashes at any moment.
"The situation is not good."
Lin Zhao frowned, took out a pill from his embrace, and said, "These are four Guiyuan Pills. Their grade is higher than Zhenyuan Pills and they are more suitable for use by those in the Upper Five Realms for breaking through. Xu Mingan asked me to personally present them to Qingluan Sect."
"This..."
Xiao Muhan looked ashamed. Zhenyuan Pills were already astronomically priced. The higher-grade Guiyuan Pills were unimaginable in value. He gritted his teeth, "This puts our Qingluan Sect..."
"Say no more."
Lin Zhao said, "Immediately help the ancestor to take the pill and cultivate. Time is of the essence. Sect Master, observe the ancestor's condition after taking the Guiyuan Pill. We will wait here for the result, otherwise, we will inevitably feel uneasy."
"Alright, thank you very much!"
Xiao Muhan hurriedly helped the ancestor to a secret chamber for cultivation, while the deputy sect master entertained Lin Zhao, Wu Zhi, and Liu Liying with tea and refreshments.
...
Not long after, Xiao Muhan returned to the main hall with an excited expression and said, "Guiyuan Pills truly live up to their name as immortal pills, they are taking effect! My father's chaotic vital energy has been suppressed and is now slowly mending his meridians. Within the next few days, he should have the opportunity to break through to the thirteenth realm."
"That's good."
Lin Zhao took a deep breath and said, "Sect Master, I have something I wish to ask you."
"Lin Zhao, please speak!" Xiao Muhan's attitude had become extremely friendly.
"After your father enters the Ascension Realm..."
Lin Zhao frowned and asked, "What choice will he make? Will he remain in the mortal world to continue cultivating, or will he ascend to the Upper Realm?"
"Ascend."
Xiao Muhan smiled and said, "Father told me long ago that entering the thirteenth realm means ascension. He doesn't have the audacity of Zhao Jingyu, who remains in the mortal world to greedily absorb the luck of the world."
"That's good."
Lin Zhao said with joy, "However, I still have something I wish to entrust to the elder. Please convey a message to him later. Tell him not to rush to ascend. I have two treasures I wish to entrust him to take to the Upper Realm, to deliver to my senior brother."
"Oh?"
Xiao Muhan smiled and said, "Your senior brother is in the Upper Realm? Who is it?"
"The God of War, Ding Muchan."
"..."
Xiao Muhan's expression instantly froze. Ding Muchan, the only fourteenth-realm Sword Immortal in the world? He was Lin Zhao's senior brother!??
At that moment, Xiao Muhan became very certain. Although Lin Zhao was young, he was upright and honorable. He had made a firm friend.
...
"Lin Zhao."
Xiao Muhan hesitated slightly and said, "Xu Mingan gifting Guiyuan Pills to save my father's life, although Danxia Mountain doesn't charge for it, our Qingluan Sect cannot accept such a great kindness lightly. Here are five hundred Jin Zi coins. Please deliver them to Xu Mingan on my behalf. I know Daoist Xu Mingan leads a life of tranquility and inaction and disdains such worldly things, but this is a small token of my sincerity, Xiao Muhan. Those Guiyuan Pills not only helped my father break through but also saved his life..."
"Mm."
Lin Zhao accepted the money bag and said, "Xu Mingan truly disdains worldly things, but I am a worldly person, and I appreciate them... I will accept them on his behalf. This money will be used to build Danxia Sect. When Danxia Sect is established, please do come to the celebration, Sect Master. We will drink to our heart's content then!"
"Alright, to our heart's content!"
Xiao Muhan laughed heartily. After a while, he said sheepishly, "Lin Zhao, actually, you have also helped our Qingluan Sect a great deal this time. I also have a treasure here, which my father insisted I give to you. Although its grade is not high, you should like it very much."