Chapter 459: Guest Blood Rider

"Li Li Qingyun?"

Jiang Ding recalled for a moment, then remembered this person.

"It's been nearly a hundred years since we last met. Please, let him in."

This was a Heavenly Spiritual Root cultivator who had walked together with him from the jianghu of Yue Kingdom. Though he could not be called a close friend, there was still a measure of genuine camaraderie between them.

A moment later, a youth wearing a plain Daoist robe, with a handsome and radiant face, gentle as jade, walked into the demon palace and bowed deeply from afar.

"Disciple Li Li Qingyun pays respects to you, Little Martial Uncle!"

"Brother Li, it has been a long time. No need for such formality."

Jiang Ding smiled and nodded.

Among cultivation practitioners, apart from blood relations, direct disciples, or those who forged deep bonds in their youth, seniority and forms of address were always fluid, shifting with one's strength.

Therefore, no matter how others addressed him, he always addressed them as Dao Friend.

His divine sense swept over lightly, and a trace of surprise showed on his face.

The aura of Shen Shang De Fa on Li Li Qingyun had vanished, replaced by a scripture-grade Gong Fa, faintly carrying the breath of Lei Ting, with magic power and divine sense far deeper than those of the same rank.

His cultivation was at the peak of Foundation Establishment.

With the talent of a Heavenly Spiritual Root, forming a core was basically no problem—this was the tremendous advantage of innate talent.

However, it seemed a Heavenly Spiritual Root would encounter enormous obstacles at the Soul Transformation barrier, in fact far inferior to those with three or four spiritual roots.

"Little Martial Uncle, after so many years apart, my Master missed you dearly and specially sent this disciple to deliver a letter."

Li Li Qingyun rose only after receiving permission, presenting a letter with both hands.

"Oh?"

Jiang Ding was slightly surprised.

Over the years, correspondence with Xiang Qiyu Sect had continued on and off, maintaining a basic friendship.

Such solemn formality was a first.

He used his magic power aura to open the tightly sealed letter, which would self-destruct at the slightest mishap.

Jiang Ding closed his eyes to read for a moment, then opened them again.

He pondered in silence.

Li Li Qingyun stole a nervous glance upward, then quickly lowered his head.

"Senior Brother mentioned two matters in this letter."

"The first one, it seems to have something to do with the Blood Cloud Eighteen Riders?"

Jiang Ding looked down and asked.

"Yes."

Li Li Qingyun replied respectfully: "Several decades ago, the Eighth General of the Blood Cloud Eighteen Riders, the Golden Spear General, came to visit Xiang Qiyu Mountain and invited my Master to join the Blood Cloud Eighteen Riders as a Guest Blood Rider."

"A bit of an insult."

Jiang Ding commented.

The so-called Blood Cloud Eighteen Riders—only the first nine were late-stage Jin Dan cultivators. Not to mention that Bai Mei True Person was the lord of a regional power, holding the accumulated foundation of a sect over three thousand years. In terms of importance and strength, he surpassed even some individual late-stage Jin Dan cultivators.

Though he came from a small place, he was no weakling among his peers—this was the advantage passed down from his ancestors.

"Yes, the Golden Spear General thought so as well."

Li Li Qingyun explained: "The other party offered two conditions. First, a Guest Blood Rider could selectively obey the orders of the Rider Lord Dong Xue Dong Xue Liuyun; if he chose to obey, there would naturally be compensation. Second, the Blood Cloud Eighteen Riders offered a Nascent Soul inheritance of a thunder-attribute Gong Fa, with clearly defined merits—not something vague and intangible."

"The great hero of the Northern Plains, Dong Xue Dong Xue Liuyun, once swore to the heavens that if anyone's merits were sufficient and he could not produce the corresponding Nascent Soul inheritance, he would willingly take his own life."

"That is not bad."

Jiang Ding nodded slightly.

If an ordinary person made such an oath, a Jin Dan cultivator would only snort in derision and pay no heed, and even if a Dao contract were signed, he would still harbor many reservations.

But Dong Xue Dong Xue Liuyun, over the past several hundred years, had accumulated much reputation, and many people would believe him—especially since a Nascent Soul inheritance was something that could be granted repeatedly, not something one would need to go to great lengths to circumvent.

"After deliberating for several decades, Master decided to head to the Northern Plains to seek his Dao. Uncle Zhou's biological son died three years ago in his Core Formation heavenly tribulation. The old man is heartbroken and has already entered closed-door cultivation."

Li Li Qingyun said, his heart turning cold.

In such a short time, one of Xiang Qiyu Sect's two great Jin Dan cultivators had left and the other had entered seclusion, as if intending to hand the sect over to him. He wanted to say something, but knew it would be useless.

Master's lifespan was at most a hundred-plus years, and he had no attachments left.

At such a time, the Dao was his only obsession. Who would dare to stop him?

"I understand what you mean."

Jiang Ding felt rather helpless between laughter and tears.

This meant entrusting Xiang Qiyu Sect to his protection—not to himself, a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator, but to the Master Tushan sword cultivators, hoping that in times of crisis, they would lend a hand.

"In that case, it is acceptable. If I have the time, Tushan Xiancheng will offer some assistance."

Pretending to consult and inquire, Jiang Ding replied.

"Thank you, Little Martial Uncle!"

Li Li Qingyun was overjoyed, repeatedly cupping his hands in salute, feeling much relieved.

The Master Tushan sword cultivators had slain four Jin Dan cultivators in recent years, their fame shaking the land, virtually invincible in this region. As long as he spoke, Xiang Qiyu Sect would be as steady as Taishan.

"The second matter—my Master has also agreed to it."

From deep within the demon palace, a terrifying pressure descended—scorching, sharp—falling upon Li Li Qingyun, freezing his magic power and body completely, so that even his eyes could not move, his face showing terror.

After a long while, the pressure dissipated.

"The meridians at this section of the Greater Yin Lung Meridian still need refinement; the condensation of divine sense has already reached the standard, but can still be improved in this area…"

Jiang Ding tossed him a jade slip.

The second matter that Bai Mei True Person had earnestly requested help with naturally concerned Li Li Qingyun's Core Formation. He did not know where he had obtained a scripture-grade Gong Fa—possibly from a Nine Heavens relic.

In short, the Xiang Qiyu Sect's original Core Formation experience no longer quite fit, so they turned to leveraging their connections here, earnestly requesting a Master Tushan sword cultivator to offer a word or two of guidance.

To possess the strength of late-stage Jin Dan while only at Jin Dan Chu Qi — one need not think hard to know that the Suo Xiu Gong Fa is no ordinary one.

"Thanks to you, Little Martial Uncle. Thanks to you, Master Tushan Old Ancestor."

Li Li Qingyun trembled with awe, nearly dropping to his knees in worship. It took him a long while to recover, then he took his leave and departed.

The Demon Palace returned to calm.

Jiang Ding closed his eyes, just about to enter cultivation state, when his heart stirred and he looked toward a certain spot.

……

Outside the Demon Palace.

An extremely ordinary-looking young man, sneaking about, arrived at the gate. At the peak of Foundation Establishment, he first bowed to Spring Sword — the foremost maid of Spring, who stood at the gate gripping her sword tightly and resting with closed eyes.

"Miss, I am Han Lin. May I request an audience with Little Martial Uncle?"

"Han Lin?"

Spring Sword opened her eyes in confusion, swept her divine sense over the man, and confirmed after several checks that she did not know him. His cultivation was also not at a level warranting special attention. She gave a formulaic, apologetic smile: "Fellow Daoist, the Young Master is in closed-door cultivation and is not seeing outside guests."

Tushan Xiancheng had stood here for many years. Every year, disciples of Qi Yu Zong, loose cultivators, Jin Dan cultivators, and all manner of people wished to pay their respects.

None had ever succeeded.

Even Jin Dan cultivators only politely left behind a visiting card.

"But, I am…"

Han Lin's expression froze.

He opened his mouth to speak, yet did not know what to say.

After many years away from home, apart from a very few people, in the vast sea of humanity, there was simply no one who knew him at all.

"Come in."

A voice appeared in both their ears.

"Honored guest, please!"

Spring Sword was stunned for a moment, then hurriedly stepped aside to clear the way.

Han Lin's face took on a look of reverence. He strode quickly into the palace, and soon, beneath a palace roof as vast as the vault of heaven, he saw a youth in blue.

Just as in those days, without any change at all.

He could not help but be lost in a daze.

Vaguely, he recalled the scene of their first meeting, over a hundred years ago, in a broken temple in East Spirit Prefecture — exactly the same.

"After all these years, you've finally returned home."

Jiang Ding asked casually.

"How are the sights of the Northern Plains? Have these years treated you well?"

(End of this chapter)