Chapter 254

The next day, early in the autumn morning, Pei Ye was already in the courtyard under the tree, continuing to hold the book and read carefully.

When Yang Yan walked in, he was simply surprised: "You came over so early?"

Pei Ye didn't lift his eyes: "I slept right here."

"Ah? Why didn't you go back to the Cuiyu side?"

"." Pei Ye was silent.

Yang Yan was a bit baffled, but quickly threw it to the back of his mind: "How is the progress?"

"I have a feeling," Pei Ye said immediately. "Let me try again."

"Get lost."

"About two or three days," Pei Ye restrained his smile and said seriously. "This sword manual is indeed quite difficult; one must first understand it before mastering it."

He smiled again: "You being able to master this sword art means your sword talent is actually quite good; no wonder Magistrate Sui pointed you out that day."

Yang Yan didn't respond to this, frowning as he calculated: "Two or three days for the first chapter... then how long will the second chapter take?"

"It's fine, in a few days, if I can't understand it, there will be someone to teach me," Pei Ye raised his eyebrows. "Do you have any urgent matters?"

Yang Yan was silent.

He hadn't slept at the martial arts hall last night but had been called to the Immortal Terrace by the people from Tianshan. Yesterday, the Immortal Terrace of Shaolong Prefecture had already arrived in Bowang and completed a meeting with Tianshan and Cuiyu to discuss the case.

". Nothing." Yang Yan sighed. "You keep reading."

Pei Ye was indeed at a critical point of understanding and didn't respond for the time being.

This sword art was less about comprehending the sword and more about connecting with principles through the sword, and the principle of the first chapter was the excavation of one's own body.

Pei Ye's praise for Yang Yan just now wasn't a joke; this sword art was indeed quite difficult and had truly opened up a field of swordsmanship he had never touched before. At this moment, he was holding the book in one hand and resting the other on the sword hilt; the sword was the mountain, and the body was that sky, and he was struggling to connect the two.

Pei Ye was serious enough when learning every sword art, but this move indeed made him feel that strenuous blurriness again.

Pei Ye therefore calmed his heart even more, gradually ignoring the passage of time, ignoring and not listening in that cloud and mist, capturing that occasionally flashing feeling, until a bright lightning bolt suddenly tore through the clouds. Pei Ye's eyes lit up, and he slowly gripped the sword hilt firmly.

Within his body, a small piece of sky had already been opened up, like a scar left by lightning, with fine snowflakes flying down.

Yang Yan, who was sitting to the side and lost in thought, also felt something, raised his eyebrows, and looked at him.

"I really have a feeling this time, want to try again?" Pei Ye was eager to try.

Yang Yan hesitated: ". No."

"But I really have a feeling."

"I know, but it's still no." Yang Yan looked at him distrustfully. "Wait until you've learned it all before talking."

Pei Ye was about to pester him when suddenly there were two restrained light knocks on the courtyard gate.

The two were startled, and Pei Ye said: "Please come in."

The courtyard gate was pushed open, and both were stunned.

A figure in white stood at the doorway, as if snow had fallen from Tianshan.

White stone falling on yellow sand, a tall crane standing among sparrows; some people's temperament just had such transcendence. Everyone else was a mortal, but only she, at a glance, looked like someone who had descended from the heavens.

Tianshan "Seven Jades", 【Peaceful Fragrance】 Shi Zanxue.

The woman lifted her hood, revealing a clear and beautiful face; she was truly as her name suggested, crystal clear like snow, as if even the carving of her fingerprints was more exquisite than others.

The woman held a black blade in her right hand, formed a finger salute in front of her chest with her left, nodded lightly: "Disciple of Tianshan Lanzhuchi, Shi Zanxue, fortunate to meet the two young masters."

"Oh, fortunate to meet, fortunate to meet, please come in, please come in." He had only heard that there were six guests from Tianshan, but Pei Ye hadn't seen them all yet. At this moment, he reacted and reached out, saying, "He is Yang Yan, I am Pei Ye. Shi Gu Niang, what is the purpose of your visit?"

Pei Ye poked Yang Yan, but the youth beside him was just stunned and stiff, not moving at all.

"My sect's junior uncle, Anzang Sifeng of Weifengchi, standing at the second rank of the Mystic Gate, has already arrived here this morning," the woman's clear and calm voice was also like fine snow. "Because there are two matters."

Shi Zanxue handed over the long blade in her hand and looked at Yang Yan: "The first. Young Master Yang, after Senior Brother Lu sent a letter informing us of this matter, we invited Junior Uncle Anzang to visit your sect, and he brought this blade for you along the way."

Only then did Pei Ye understand the youth's daze.

Yang Yan's gaze was fixed dead on this blade; he opened his mouth, and before his feet could take a step, his hand had already lifted.

He walked to the woman in a daze just like that.

Pei Ye followed behind, seeing for the first time the youth's hand holding the blade trembling slightly; it reached forward and took over this familiar weight.

Yang Yan held the scabbard in his left hand and the hilt in his right, pulled lightly, and in silence, a pitch-black blade slid out, with eight dark gold inscriptions falling on this section of the blade.

"Bury the snow and cover the frost, the blade soul is not lost."

Yang Yan's entire body trembled slightly, Pei Ye turned his head, and in his field of vision, the youth's face was taut, his lips pressed into a line, and his eye sockets were already red.

He swallowed, his throat a bit hoarse as he said: "Tha-thank you, it's my blade, thank you all."

Shi Zanxue nodded and said softly: "A small effort, after returning to Xilong, if you are willing, we can go to Hushanshan again."

"." Yang Yan trembled again and lowered his head heavily.

"The second matter." Shi Zanxue turned to face Pei Ye, "Since the Immortal Terrace of the Prefecture City and our sect's grandmaster have both arrived, the intention is to gather everyone for a talk, to communicate with each other, and to join forces. Hearing that Young Master Pei is the hero who killed the play-guest of the Huan Si Lou, we would like to invite you to join us."

Just as mentioned before, in the days since, the manpower that Tianshan had already arrived had been working on this case. However, Pei Ye hadn't paid attention to the progress; firstly, he had no time due to healing and martial arts competitions, and secondly, because this matter indeed had nothing to do with him anymore.

Someone had asked before, and Pei Ye had answered truthfully, but if they invited him to go, Pei Ye naturally had no time.

But now things had changed, because the black cat said it wanted to get its hands on this pendant.

Then what the context of this matter was had to be kept in mind; Pei Ye nodded: "Good, then I will go with Shi Gu Niang."

He turned back and said: "Is Yang Yan not going?"

Yang Yan shook his head.

Shi Zanxue said: "What Young Master Yang knows has already been fully told to us, and what we know has already been fully told to Young Master Yang. The seats for the gathering are limited, it will be fine to convey it to Young Master Yang after we come out."

". Oh." Pei Ye nodded.

Sure enough, once he came into contact with these things, the brain that had been comfortably focused only on martial arts and fighting in the past few days had to start getting tired.

Yang Yan was clearly one of the most important people in the whole matter, and looking at what he saw and heard now, Tianshan was clearly going to hold him firmly in its hands as a fulcrum for entering the game.

Even if the seats were limited, Yang Yan, as a representative of the involved party, should have had a separate seat; now that he wasn't going, it clearly meant that he was standing with Tianshan, so Tianshan was not the party intervening, but the party involved.

However, this was indeed not a bad thing for Yang Yan.

Secondly, even Yang Yan couldn't go, yet they invited him, Pei Ye; there was clearly Tianshan's effort in this.

And the reason was absolutely not some record of killing a seventh-life alone, being a friend of Cuiyu, or being the champion of the autumn martial arts competition—none of them were qualified. Only because...

The woman beside him had already asked softly: "Young Master Pei, I heard... you and the Ming Ming Jianzhu Ming are acquainted?"

Pei Ye smiled: "Not at all, just a few meetings, fortunate to have been helped by the Ming Ming Jianzhu, grateful for a lifetime."

Pei Ye had heard the story of the Ninth Prince passing a letter to Ming Qitian through Yan Feiqing when he was at the county government office, knowing how many gazes would be attracted by a woman of such status walking in the world without concealing her tracks.

Anything related to the woman would become a branch that countless people wanted to cling to.

Tianshan naturally stood high enough, but Pei Ye had long thought about not making himself an unnecessary trouble for the woman.

"Oh, I heard that Ming Ming Jianzhu Ming was passing through here while asking for the sword in the world; I thought you and the young master were acquainted through the sword," Shi Zanxue nodded lightly. "I was fortunate enough to see the final match; the young master's sword is very brilliant."

"Not at all, not at all! In front of a high disciple of Tianshan, I am truly blushing."

Shi Zanxue smiled lightly: "Young Master Pei and the person on the arena really look like two different people."

". Ah?"

"I suppose it's because a mediocre person like me is still worthy of mentioning the sword in front of the young master?" The woman tilted her head and smiled.

"." Pei Ye was speechless for a moment; he really didn't expect this woman, who looked cold and polite, to tease him, someone she had only met once.

However, the youth also liked to be familiar, so he smiled: "Shi Gu Niang, what is your cultivation?"

"Eighth life."

"What age?"

"Twenty-one."

"Sword Path Realm?"

"Spirit Realm."

Pei Ye nodded: "Not bad, indeed worthy of speaking of the sword in front of me."

Shi Zanxue smiled slightly: "Young Master Pei, what age?"

"Seventeen."

"May I ask where Young Master Pei studied?"

". Family learning."

"Hmm," Shi Zanxue pondered for a moment, "Then is the young master only fighting in the martial arts competition? Or do you really want to seek a way out in the Divine Capital?"

Pei Ye smiled: "I fought hard to get here, naturally it's not child's play."

"Oh? At your age, why not practice for a few more years? Once you leave the sect to roam, you will never have the chance to practice with peace of mind again."

". My master has passed away."

"Apologies," Shi Zanxue showed an apologetic look, and said again, "But with your aptitude, it wouldn't be difficult to find another sect to practice in."

Pei Ye smiled: "I'm a half-way monk, which sect would want me?"

"Tianshan," Shi Zanxue said seriously.

"."

"If Young Master Pei is willing to come to Tianshan to practice, I can guarantee you a direct entry into Weifengchi."

". I am honored by your regard, but this is indeed not my ambition."

"Tianshan is not all mediocre people like me; Young Master Pei, don't look down on Tianshan because of me."

Pei Ye quickly cupped his hands: "Not at all, not at all, just joking earlier, Shi Gu Niang's sword is truly something I am far from reaching."

"Young Master Pei doesn't seem to have seen me draw my sword."

"Yes, but the so-called sword is like the person, and the person is like the sword..."

Shi Zanxue smiled.

Pei Ye also chuckled. At this moment, they arrived at the main gate of the martial arts hall. Pei Ye smiled, stepped forward, pushed it open, and continued to divert the topic just now: "I think Shi Gu Niang's sword should be the latter of 'High wind falls from the sky, cold snow produces jade', it must be very beautiful and good-looking—"

And then the main gate was pushed open, and Pei Ye's words were suddenly choked off.

Li Piaoqing was standing outside the gate, watching the two who walked out somewhat quietly.

The young girl was wearing a green dress, a style Pei Ye had never seen before; her hair bun was also combed in a unique and beautiful way. She wasn't carrying a sword, and she was holding a wrapped box of snacks in her hand.

Pei Ye's heart stalled. Although he wasn't close to Shi Zanxue to begin with, he still subconsciously moved a small step to the right, opening up some distance from the woman.

But the expression on the young girl's face was already somewhat revealed; she quickly restrained it and bowed with a smile: "Good afternoon, Attendant Shi, to think we would meet here."

Shi Zanxue nodded: "Good afternoon, Young Sect Leader."

"Shi Gu Niang asked me to go to the Immortal Terrace." Seeing Li Piaoqing's gaze shift over, Pei Ye said, "You... what are you here for?"

". Oh. I was seeing if you had anything to do." Li Piaoqing hooked her finger and quickly handed over the pastries in her hand, "Have you eaten? I brought them for you."

Pei Ye indeed hadn't eaten yet; he walked down the steps to take them, and then heard the young girl say: "Is it the gathering where all parties meet?"

"Seems so."

"Oh, Master is there," the young girl was silent for a moment, "This gathering is very strictly restricted; only the most core few are needed. How did you..."

"Ah... I don't know either." Pei Ye subconsciously looked back; Shi Zanxue was still standing quietly on the steps.

Li Piaoqing looked in the direction of his gaze: ". Oh."

She lowered her head.

"Anyway, then I'll go first." Pei Ye raised his hand as if to touch his head, then put it down, "If there's anything, wait until it's over... let's talk tomorrow."

". Hmm. You go quickly, don't miss the time." The young girl smiled lightly.

Pei Ye then said goodbye again, turned around, and went out of the alley with Shi Zanxue, who had walked down.

The gaze coming from behind made him feel as stiff as if pricked by needles.

Li Piaoqing watched the two figures walking side by side and moving away; she also gently moved her somewhat stiff legs, and her gaze lowered.

"So you aren't incapable of speaking pretty words either," she murmured softly.

However, the young girl quickly collected her mood.

Today, she definitely wouldn't "talk tomorrow".

She would only be knocked down by an accident once; today, she would absolutely not accept Senior Sister Shen's mockery at night.

The young girl took a deep breath, and seeing the two figures disappear from her field of vision, she lifted her steps and also headed toward the Immortal Terrace.

——

Bowang Immortal Terrace.

Pei Ye finished chewing the last piece of pastry and walked into this building that stood independent of the Prefecture Government Office.

Actually, there was no difference; it was still a wide house forming a three-entry courtyard, with a five-story high building at the very back. People of different positions shouted and argued, exactly the same as the busy Prefecture Government Office.

When the two entered, someone was already waiting, leading them directly toward the high building.

And as soon as they entered this building, the atmosphere suddenly became solemn.

The noise was cut off outside, and people were working quietly and orderly, only making very quiet conversations.

The three quickly passed through the side and went up the stairs.

When passing the second floor, there were fewer voices and fewer people, mostly just sitting at their own desks and seriously doing their own errands.

The third floor was almost completely quiet, and it was like a house within a building; Pei Ye didn't see the appearance of this floor at all, as it was all blocked by walls, and they only passed over it from a small side staircase.

The fourth floor was the place for this gathering.

"Attendant Shi, Young Master Pei have arrived," the person leading the way said softly. He pushed open the door, and the quiet and gentle atmosphere leaked out, inviting the two to enter.

Pei Ye stepped over the threshold and immediately felt the weight of the few gazes falling on him.

He swept his eyes over and truly understood what "limited seats" meant.

(End of chapter)