Chapter 667: Liu Bai, Liuyiqing

Linkang.

The capital of Southern Jin.

As the capital of the second most powerful nation in the world, it naturally cannot compare to Chang'an of Datang, yet it is still bustling with heavy traffic and flourishing like brocade.

Rose Courtyard, the largest den of iniquity and pleasure ground in Linkang.

Inside the Rose Courtyard, the buildings are magnificent, with carved beams and painted rafters, and layers of pavilions. Since it is called the Rose Courtyard, there is naturally no shortage of roses that bloom in all four seasons. The flowers are glorious and beautiful, with diverse colors, visible everywhere, adding a touch of pink atmosphere and faint fragrance to this pleasure ground.

In an exquisite pavilion, young maidens play the zither and flute, singing in melodious, soft, and soaring voices.

There are also young maidens dancing gracefully with bare, frost-white feet, their sleeves fluttering to reveal long, crystalline jade legs.

The head courtesan of the Rose Courtyard is also in the pavilion, currently nestled in the arms of a man in black, pressing her soft, delicate body against him, her breath like orchids, her exquisite face flushed with a faint red, and her eyes looking at the man with a hazy, unfocused gaze. As the saying goes, "The procuress loves money, the girl loves beauty," and when this ideal lover stepped into the Rose Courtyard, almost no woman could tear her gaze away from his face.

If it were merely his handsome and refined appearance, that would be one thing, but he possesses an extraordinary bearing and a sense of composure as if everything in the world is under his control; how could one not be captivated? Among all the sisters, the fact that he smiled and chose her made her feel even more honored and proud, so she served him with even greater dedication and effort. If this young master were willing, she could become his intimate companion at any moment.

However, looking at him now, this guest does not seem to be a man of urgent lust.

Although he is currently in a pleasure ground, his pair of eyes remains surprisingly deep.

Sometimes when he looks at her, it is as if he is gazing from another world, causing her to involuntarily clench her legs and shiver without realizing it.

"Night... fall... heh..." the guest seemed to murmur in a low voice.

"Young Master, what did you say?"

"Heh, nothing." Yu Liancheng drained the fine wine in his cup, a faint smile curling the corners of his mouth, as many past events gradually surfaced in his mind.

Years ago, in the Zhu Xian World, he spent several years at Baijian Villa to forge the 'Ten Thousand Paths Infinite'.

During those years, he had once visited Nightfall, only to quickly withdraw and return, incidentally saving a little girl in red during that time.

The reason he returned at the time was, firstly, because the timeline was still early, and secondly, because he sensed an invisible will observing him.

If Yu Liancheng guessed correctly, that will was the legendary "Haotian".

The Heavenly Dao, in the vast majority of worlds, is a vague and ethereal concept, a collection of laws.

But in this world, the Heavenly Dao possesses a certain self-awareness and is an objective, rule-based existence.

Although Yu Liancheng is strong, he does not believe he can contend with a world consciousness; if that Haotian took an interest in him, it would inevitably lead to troublesome matters.

So he left quickly.

However, in the Zhu Xian World, he obtained the Seven Volumes of Heavenly Books and transformed what he had learned into the Gui Cang Nine Paths. Not to mention the strongest of the nine, the "Self-Only Path" which can form a world of its own, even just the "Xuanji Path" could confuse the heavenly secrets, making it impossible for Haotian's will to lock onto him precisely. Thus, he returned to this world.

But after arriving in this world, trouble soon followed.

The specific manifestation of this trouble was the relentless pursuit by the Xiling Divine Palace.

The reason for being hunted is twofold.

Firstly, in this world, orthodox cultivation involves perceiving the breath of heaven and earth, then coexisting harmoniously and controlling the Yuan Qi to fight enemies; more accurately, it should be like borrowing power from heaven and earth to use.

Yet, someone like Yu Liancheng, who absorbs the Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi into his body to transform it into his own True Qi, using his own body as a small world, is viewed as a Demon sect cultivation method.

And as for the master of heaven and earth, there is only Haotian.

Absorbing the Heaven and Earth Yuan Qi into the body to cultivate is going against heaven, a great rebellion, and is entering the path of the Demon.

Entering the path of the Demon to store Yuan Qi in the body not only makes it difficult for the Snow Mountain Qi Sea to bear, with a high possibility of exploding and dying, but is also a blasphemy against Haotian.

The Xiling Divine Palace serves Haotian and is the largest religion in the secular world; once they discover someone who has entered the path of the Demon, they will hunt them down without sparing any effort.

After Yu Liancheng entered this world, he accidentally displayed his cultivation and was discovered by the omnipresent Xiling Divine Palace, hence they must hunt him, this person who has entered the path of the Demon, until death.

Secondly, the supreme ruler of the Xiling Divine Palace on the surface is the "Xiling Sect Leader".

And as it happens, when Yu Liancheng saved that little girl in red, he gave the Sect Leader a sound beating, forming a grudge. Now that his appearance has become even more perfect after the 'North Underworld Rebirth Method', one can still vaguely discern his former look. Coupled with his cultivation method being vastly different from this world, the Xiling Sect Leader could easily recognize him and send people to hunt him down relentlessly.

"That shorty, the lesson from back then wasn't enough, huh..."

Yu Liancheng's gaze flickered slightly, and he looked toward the west inadvertently, as if he saw a figure that was radiant with light yet wretched and short.

He does not care about the pursuit of the Xiling Divine Palace, or rather, he does not care about the entire Xiling Divine Palace. Apart from Haotian, with his current realm, only a few people like Fuzi and Chen Mou could possibly pose a threat to him. It is just that the constant pursuit by the Xiling Divine Palace still makes him somewhat annoyed.

It is like a fly buzzing around one's ears; although it cannot hurt anyone, it makes one want to swat the fly to death directly.

Perhaps, after some time, he can take a trip to Xiling.

The Xiling Divine Palace is very close to the Zhishou Temple, and in the Zhishou Temple, there are also a few volumes of the 'Heavenly Book'.

Speaking of the Heavenly Book, Yu Liancheng thought again of the "Seven Volumes of Heavenly Books" in the Zhu Xian World, and thought of his own transformation of the Zhu Xian World.

"I wonder what the Zhu Xian World will change into after I leave? Can Xiaobai manage the 'Changsheng Tower' well?"

In the Zhu Xian World, he integrated the righteous and evil factions, unified the world, and continuously implemented various policies, causing the entire cultivation world and even the Central Plains to undergo earth-shaking changes.

And the reason the changes went so smoothly had a lot to do with the full support of the major forces like the Ghost King Sect and the Qingyun Sect.

The reason they gave their all, besides being suppressed by Yu Liancheng's peerless cultivation, also had a lot to do with women like Bi Yao, Tian Ling'er, and Jin Ping'er.

They were the heaven-favored daughters of various sects, acting as the hub and buffer between Yu Liancheng and the sects, and were also the hope of the major sects.

It can be said that, except for Tianyin Temple, the other major sects all had women closely related to Yu Liancheng. As for Tianyin Temple, it belongs to Yu Liancheng's own family, so the relationship is naturally extraordinary.

Before Yu Liancheng left, he passed the position of Tower Master to Xiaobai.

The reason for choosing Xiaobai is due to the following reasons.

Firstly, the fox clan that Xiaobai belongs to had already been decimated in the struggle for the Mysterious Fire Mirror back then, so there is no need to worry about one family holding power and desperately suppressing the other sects.

Secondly, Xiaobai has the deepest understanding of the seven stone walls in "Baiyujing" and her magic power is the most profound. If there were any rebellion, she could suppress it.

Thirdly, Xiaobai was the leader of the fox clan before and has administrative talent. However, it was also this fellow who led the fox clan to extinction, which is quite worrying.

Besides this, Xiaobai has a good relationship with women like Bi Yao and Lu Xueqi, and can be considered the mistress of the harem.

And among the other women, there are those who might be opposed to each other due to their positions or temperaments.

As for how the Zhu Xian World will develop in the future, whether it will become a "modern cultivation world" or turn into a ruin due to various theoretical and belief conflicts, that is a choice they made themselves. Just at this moment, Yu Liancheng looked outside the courtyard, a smile spilling from the corners of his mouth, and said: "Finally here."

A carriage stopped in front of the Rose Courtyard.

"Pavilion Master, we have arrived at the Rose Courtyard."

The person driving the carriage was a seemingly gentle youth in green robes, head bowed, voice very respectful, though his spine remained as straight as a sword.

"Good."

The green carriage curtain stirred slightly, lifted by a hand.

This hand was large, its knuckles long and powerful, very well-suited for gripping a sword.

This Sword Saint, revered as a God by countless Sword Masters, had nothing special about his appearance; his features were slightly sunken, his facial lines like carvings—he was a very ordinary middle-aged man.

"Ordinary" did not just describe his appearance; it also described the aura he emitted.

The aura he emitted was also very ordinary, looking nothing like the legendary Sword Saint.

The reason for this was that upon seeing that single rose, he knew he had encountered a rare opponent, so he had retracted all his Sword Qi and Sword Intent back into his body, not wasting even the slightest bit.

And once he drew his sword, it would be the most terrifying sword strike.

The inner hall of the Rose Courtyard was bright; the sound of silk and bamboo instruments was light and not lewd. In the center, on a stage covered with a red carpet, several women with graceful waists were plucking zither strings. There were also several dancers spinning and leaping to the music, their every gesture filled with bright spring charm, causing the entire hall to be permeated with an ambiguous atmosphere.

But when the Sword Saint Liu Bai and the youth in green robes stepped inside, it immediately became quiet. The music went mute, the dancing stopped, and the flirtatious laughter fell into silence...

Everyone looked at Liu Bai and the youth in green robes.

But they only took one look before immediately turning away, not daring to look any longer.

Neither Liu Bai nor the youth had striking appearances, but the youth wore the attire of the Sword Pavilion.

The cultivation of the Sword Pavilion was akin to the ascetic practices of the Buddhist faith; thus, although the Sword Pavilion was not far from Linkang, there were rarely any Sword Pavilion disciples to be seen.

Yet, few people would not recognize the Sword Pavilion's attire, and no one dared to impersonate them.

The status of the Sword Pavilion in Southern Jin was equivalent to the status of the Academy in Datang.

The youth in green robes casually summoned a trembling servant, and after some questioning, obtained the information he wanted.

Before long, Liu Bai and the youth passed through a long corridor, walked past some side rooms, and arrived before an exquisite pavilion.

"The winds and clouds of the world arise from our generation; once entering the Edo, the years hasten. Imperial schemes and hegemony are discussed in laughter; one does not live this life without a bout of drunkenness."

The main door was not closed, and from within came the sounds of vessels clinking and a long chant.

Liu Bai looked into the pavilion and saw a youth in black robes sitting at a desk, picking up a jade chopstick and tapping it lightly against a jade cup.

The singing girls had dispersed, the courtesan had left, and the youth in black robes had eyes that seemed veiled in a faint drunkenness, as if he were completely unaware of the Sword Saint Liu Bai who had pushed the door open, continuing to tap the cup and chant: "Drawing my sword, crossing my horse, I wave through the ghost rain; white bones like mountains, birds startled into flight."

"The mortal world is like a tide, people like water; I only sigh at how few return from the Edo."

This poem was very plain; one did not need much literary foundation to understand it.

Liu Bai and the youth behind him both understood it, and they were successively immersed in a peculiar implication.

That youth was a Sword Pavilion disciple, in reality, the younger brother of Liuyiqing. He had previously cultivated in the Liu residence, then joined the Sword Pavilion under the name Yinxing Maming, and had now reached the Dongxuan Upper Realm; in terms of strength, he was not below the Longqing Prince of the Judgment Division.

The previous lines had not moved him much, but upon hearing the seven words "white bones like mountains, birds startled into flight," his whole body trembled, feeling a tragic, bloody aura rushing toward him, as if he saw himself pitted against millions, killing until corpses piled like mountains and blood flowed like rivers. He could not help but turn pale, yet a sudden surge of heroic spirit rose within him.

As for Liu Bai, he was more moved by the opening line, "The winds and clouds of the world arise from our generation; once entering the Edo, the years hasten," for he was already a powerhouse whose great name had hung over the world for decades, and opponents were hard to find.

However, it was merely being moved. He was the Sword Saint, the number one person in the human world.

The Sword Dao was inherently about forging ahead, moving forward without looking back, and having no regrets even in death; how could there be so much time for sighing?

Yu Liancheng finished chanting the poem, a look of reminiscence appearing in his eyes, then he quickly laughed freely, looked up at Liu Bai, and smiled: "Are you Liu Bai?"

Liu Bai just nodded indifferently.

Yu Liancheng said: "Did you see that sword strike of mine?"

Liu Bai pondered for a moment and said: "Very good."

Very good, a very good sword strike.

To be able to receive a "very good" from the Sword Saint Liu Bai—for many swordsmen in the world, even if they died, it would be worth it.

"Since you saw that sword strike of mine, you still dare to come find me." Yu Liancheng raised his wine cup and took a slow sip: "Then, you have come to seek defeat."

Liu Bai was the number one person in the human world, at the Knowing Destiny Peak.

But even if he encountered a cultivator above the Knowing Destiny realm, he would still have the power to fight.

Yet Yu Liancheng said he had come to seek defeat, and his tone was flat and straightforward, as if he were stating an immutable truth like "if a person is killed, they will die."

Liu Bai did not reply, but suddenly turned his head to look at his youngest brother, whom he cherished the most: "Do you want to draw your sword against him?"

Liuyiqing bowed his head, his voice low: "He insulted the Pavilion Master."

In Liuyiqing's view, Yu Liancheng's words were a form of insult.

Liu Bai was the Sword Pavilion Master, his elder brother, and also the God in the hearts of the vast majority of people in the world who practiced the sword.

If anyone was disrespectful to him, even if it were Fuzi, Liuyiqing would harbor killing intent and have the urge to draw his sword; Yu Liancheng was naturally no exception.

"But you are no match for him; he might defeat you with a wave of his hand, you will be injured, and you might even die."

Liu Bai's words were also very calm and straightforward, as if he were telling Liuyiqing that the sun would rise from the east tomorrow.

Liuyiqing was silent for a long while, then suddenly raised his head, looking at Liu Bai with eyes like swords: "But you will not stop me."

"Correct. Just like every time before, I will tell you the pros and cons of a matter, but I will not forcibly demand that you do or do not do something."

Liu Bai said calmly: "Everyone has the right to choose, and must also bear the consequences of their choices."

Liuyiqing was silent again, but soon, raging flames of battle burned in his eyes: "I want to challenge him."

Liu Bai just nodded faintly.

Yu Liancheng rested his chin on his hand, curiously watching this pair, Liu Bai and Liuyiqing.

This was a very interesting pair of brothers.

The older brother was very interesting, and the younger brother was also very interesting.

Although their speech was a bit stiff, they were, in any case, two very interesting people.

"I wish to challenge you." Liuyiqing stepped past Liu Bai and made a gesture of invitation to Yu Liancheng.

"Please."

Yu Liancheng stood up; to deal with Liuyiqing, he did not need to stand up.

However, he felt that for such a serious swordsman, he should also show the most basic respect.

Liuyiqing was very grateful for this respect.

He had already learned from his elder brother what kind of powerful existence the other party was.

Therefore, to thank him for this respect, he drew his sword and then thrust it out with all his might.

……