On the twenty-ninth of the twelfth lunar month, Shen Xingchen returned home for the New Year. The remaining individuals continued their online cultivation and honed their combat strength. Lin Zhao, however, remained on the mountain peak of the Villa on the Summit, practicing his fist techniques and swordsmanship without the slightest slackening.
...
The Upper Realm, the Sea of Myriad Heavens.
The entire Sea of Myriad Heavens was profound and boundless.
A figure drifted past in the wind, holding a compass. It was Wei Huarou. After investigating Mount Wuwang, the God of War, Ding Muchun, had returned to the Platform of Investiture of the Gods to relieve Ming Yuechi and guard the Outer Heavens. The Sage of Dao, Lie Yun, had returned to the ancestral court of Daoism. The winds and clouds of the Upper Realm were turbulent, and nowhere was absolutely safe.
Wei Huarou's delicate brows furrowed as she looked at the compass needle, her gaze icy.
Suddenly, the compass needle began to tremble violently.
She gazed down at the Sea of Myriad Heavens, raised her hand, and drew her long sword. With a "swish," a sword aura split the water's surface. As the water's surface was split, what lay beneath was not seawater, but a different world. A scene of green mountains and clear waters appeared before her eyes. Amidst the green mountains and clear waters, a middle-aged man holding an oil-paper umbrella frowned, his peripheral vision catching Wei Huarou.
"Still dare to be so arrogant?"
Wei Huarou spread her five fingers, and instantly, the true essence of the Shang Qing Great Cave Scripture boiled, a surge of immense power directly "plucked" the middle-aged man holding the oil-paper umbrella from the water. In an instant, the middle-aged man became indignant and furious, "You... how can you be so unreasonable!"
"Less nonsense."
Wei Huarou raised her hand and drew a wisp of water fortune, refining it into a drop of water that she held in her hand. Within the drop of water was a cage. In the blink of an eye, the heart demon holding the umbrella was sealed within the water drop cage.
"Sect Master Wei."
A figure drifted over in the wind, clad in a blue robe, holding a long sword. It was Li Ruoxi, the Palace Mistress of Jade Still Palace, a cultivator at the fourteenth realm. She frowned, looking at the heart demon holding the umbrella trapped in the water drop cage that Wei Huarou was twirling between her fingers. She couldn't help but furrow her brows, "What kind of matter has caused Sect Master Wei to make such a great commotion and come to the Sea of Myriad Heavens to apprehend someone?"
"This you will have to explain."
Wei Huarou's lips curved slightly. "Palace Mistress Li, why is there a heart demon holding an umbrella in the depths of your Sea of Myriad Heavens? Do you intend to give our ancestral court of Daoism an explanation?"
"How else can we explain it?"
Li Ruoxi looked up at the direction of the Platform of Investiture of the Gods in the sky and pointed her hand. "Ask those sages guarding the Outer Heavens. Why did they allow a heart demon holding an umbrella to infiltrate our Sea of Myriad Heavens? Sect Master Wei doesn't go to hold those high-and-mighty individuals accountable, but instead blames us of the Sea of Myriad Heavens?"
Just then, a voice came from the Platform of Investiture of the Gods, "Bah, Li Ruoxi, if you dare to blabber any more, do you believe I'll chop off your dog's head with a sword?"
The old Daoist had died for the realm, and that person's temper was truly not good.
Li Ruoxi was instantly rendered speechless. "Alright, there's no need for me to say more. The pure will remain pure. If Sect Master Wei truly wants to investigate our Sea of Myriad Heavens, feel free to do so. How would I, Li Ruoxi, dare to stop you."
"Tsk tsk, Your Highness the Palace Mistress is truly kind, respectful, frugal, and temperate!"
A figure broke through the wind from the air, appearing as Wei Lingyu, a peak thirteenth-realm martial artist. "I truly never knew that the Palace Mistress would be so agreeable before."
"Why must you mock me, True Person."
Li Ruoxi smiled. "Sect Master Wei of the ancestral court of Daoism has personally descended. We must show three parts of deference."
At this moment, several more sages from the Sea of Myriad Heavens flew over. An old woman, leaning on a cane, had a chattering golden-haired monkey perched on her shoulder. This old woman was unremarkable in appearance, but she was a genuine fourteenth-realm cultivator.
In addition, there were two identical rogue Daoist priests, carrying Bagua swords on their backs, both of them peak thirteenth-realm sword cultivators.
The foundation of the Sea of Myriad Heavens was undoubtedly the most profound in the entire Upper Realm. Just pulling out a random group of people was enough to make the Upper Realm tremble.
This was also the reason why the God of War, Ding Muchun, had become famous after a single expedition to the Sea of Myriad Heavens, personally retrieving a spirit branch of the World Tree. From that day on, the Three Realms knew who was the strongest fighter in the Upper Realm.
"Are we going to fight?"
Wei Huarou's willow-leaf eyebrows slightly raised, and she smiled. "The Sea of Myriad Heavens is truly becoming more and more extraordinary."
"How dare we."
Li Ruoxi smiled. "Although Sect Master Wei is only a spiritual body here, we dare not overstep our bounds. After all, behind Sect Master Wei stands an entire White Jade Mountain. Who among the cultivators of the Twelve Towers and Five Cities would dare to underestimate us?"
"Oh? Are you afraid of the Twelve Towers and Five Cities, rather than me, Wei Huarou?"
Wei Huarou smiled faintly. "Since that is the case, I shall fulfill your wishes and give you sufficient courage."
Saying so, a sword light streaked from the end of the sky. It was another Wei Huarou, the true body of Wei Huarou, holding a sword and a tattered Shan He She Ji Tu (Map of Mountains and Rivers). She descended gracefully, her body merging with her spiritual body, becoming the true Wei Huarou.
"How about now?"
Wei Huarou curled her lips. "If anyone wants to kill me, feel free to make your move."
"Sect Master Wei, this is the Sea of Myriad Heavens."
A peak thirteenth-realm sword cultivator rogue Daoist priest took a step forward, clasped his hands, and smiled. "If Sect Master Wei truly wants to search the entire Sea of Myriad Heavens, then where would the faces of our sages of the Sea of Myriad Heavens be placed? Therefore, I advise Sect Master Wei not to make a mistake."
"Amazing, truly amazing."
From afar, the God of War on the Platform of Investiture of the Gods squatted on the edge of the ancient platform of conferring gods, looking like he was watching a show. He clapped his hands and laughed, "If I didn't know better, I would think that this speaker is a fifteenth-realm cultivator."
The rogue Daoist priest frowned and remained silent.
"Does Sect Master Wei truly wish to spar?"
Li Ruoxi's lips curled. "Actually, it's not impossible. Just a friendly bout?"
"As you wish."
Wei Huarou stepped forward, smiling. "In any case, I must make a trip to this Sea of Myriad Heavens."
"Then we can only be impolite."
Wei Lingyu, the thirteenth-realm martial artist, let out a low roar. Fist intent surged around him, and the vast aura of mountains and rivers manifested behind him. With the momentum of Mount Tai pressing down, he punched towards Wei Huarou's head. At the same time, the old woman with the monkey on her shoulder let out a cold laugh and pushed out a palm, flames surging within her palm, her killing intent sharp and fierce.
"Draw your swords!"
The two twin rogue Daoist priests also drew their swords. In an instant, two sword lights attacked Wei Huarou from left and right.
Li Ruoxi raised her long sword, stirring up a monstrous wave.
The opponent was Wei Huarou, second only to the Sage of Dao in the ancestral court of Daoism, the founding ancestor of a lineage. Her cultivation had long reached the peak of the fourteenth realm. Such a person, even the Sea of Myriad Heavens would not dare to underestimate.
"Buzz—"
Wei Huarou's lips curled, and her entire being was enveloped by the aura of the Shang Qing Great Cave Scripture, yet the intent of her sword strike was extremely profound, like the core technique of the Huang Ting Scripture. The moment she drew her sword, it seemed as if five Wei Huacun separated from her true body.
With one sword, she repelled the peak thirteenth-realm martial artist Wei Lingyu.
With one sword, she crushed Li Ruoxi's Jade Still Wave Dharma Image.
With one sword, she split open the intent of the old woman's flame palm technique.
The remaining two swords repelled the twin rogue Daoist priests. All of this was completed in an instant.
"Not good!"
Wei Lingyu retreated rapidly, his eyes filled with coldness, and transmitted his voice, "Palace Mistress Li Ruoxi, Wei Huarou's Avatar Art has been cultivated to the point of perfection. We cannot be rash today!"
"Mmm!"
Li Ruoxi parried with her sword, shattering a sword strike from a rogue Daoist priest. She smiled slightly, "Sect Master Wei, alright, alright. Are we really going to fight? Our Sea of Myriad Heavens and the ancestral court of Daoism have always minded our own business. There's no need to fight over trivial matters."
"Oh?"
Wei Huarou's dimples deepened as she smiled. "Has Palace Mistress Li changed her mind?"
"I never had a fixed idea."
Li Ruoxi smiled. "I just hoped that Sect Master Wei could be more polite to our Sea of Myriad Heavens, even saying a 'please' would suffice. Who knew that Sect Master Wei's disposition would be so straightforward? There's nothing we can do about it, so we can only be informal. Sect Master Wei can investigate whatever you want in the Sea of Myriad Heavens. I, Li Ruoxi, will not interfere."
"After all, Sect Master Wei represents the orthodox path of the Upper Realm, and our Sea of Myriad Heavens is also one of the orthodox paths."
She smiled, her smile incredibly sweet.
"Pah!"
The person on the Platform of Investiture of the Gods spat. "To force the Confucian Sage Qin Suihan to his death for a wisp of luck that originally belonged to the human world, is this considered an act of the orthodox path? If this is the orthodox path, then I, Ding Muchun, truly wish to shatter this signboard of the orthodox path with a sword."
Li Ruoxi frowned and looked into the distance. "Great Sage of War, back then you raided the Sea of Myriad Heavens and killed so many of our sages. Have you forgotten the scene of the Sea of Myriad Heavens littered with divine corpses back then? We accepted our losses and admitted defeat, and what did the Sea of Myriad Heavens say?"
"Alright."
Wei Huarou smiled calmly. "There's no need to argue. Since that is the case, I, Wei Huarou, will not decline your kindness. I will investigate the Sea of Myriad Heavens for any clues related to the Outer Heavens."
"Sect Master Wei, please help yourself."
Li Ruoxi, Wei Lingyu, and the others made way. This time, they truly did not intend to obstruct. Wei Huarou, whose Avatar Art had reached great mastery, combined with her innate Shang Qing Great Cave Scripture and Huang Ting Scripture, two peerless secret techniques, such a Wei Huarou was indeed too troublesome. It was best to avoid provoking her if possible.
...
New Year's Eve.
In the early morning, Lin Zhao got up early.
According to the customs of his hometown on New Year's Eve, his cousin Murong Feiyue got up even earlier. While Lin Zhao was sound asleep, she placed a piece of peeled cake at the head of his bed, symbolizing "climbing higher year after year."
Thus, Lin Zhao sat at the head of his bed and ate the cake in one gulp, then washed up and got dressed.
Early in the morning, Wang Ju cooked dumplings and glutinous rice balls. The customs of Jiangsu were neither strictly northern nor southern, so during the New Year, they ate both dumplings and glutinous rice balls, not missing out on either.
A group of people gathered around the table and ate dumplings and glutinous rice balls.
Lin Zhao held Xiao Juzi's hand and went outside. He, Ding Chi, and Zhang Jun set off the first string of firecrackers of New Year's Eve. In this era, there were no longer any rules prohibiting fireworks and firecrackers.
On the contrary, the raw materials needed to make fireworks and firecrackers were too expensive, so ordinary commoners could not afford them. During the New Year, they would watch the wealthy set them off and feel a sense of participation.
Chen Xue stood at the doorway, embracing Luo Man and Mo Chenxue, one on each side. The three girls were all smiling beautifully.