Chapter 16

"Those who work for the Tiqinglong Society either succeed or die!"

"So, no one who works for the Tiqinglong Society dares not give their all!"

Perhaps it was out of regard for past ties.

The Wood Daoist spewed out all the information he knew in one breath.

Then he turned and left without a trace of hesitation, descending directly from Mount Wudang.

Now look at Zhang Sanfeng.

He still stood rigidly in place.

But on his face, a faint look of bewilderment had appeared.

He seemed to have said everything, yet also nothing at all...

Qinglong Peak, Qinglong Shanzhuang.

While the outside world churned with hidden currents, as if a storm were gathering.

Here, it resembled a secluded paradise.

Mountains clear, waters pure, birdsong and floral fragrance, the sound of a lute drifting softly.

Everything seemed so beautiful.

Beautiful enough that no one wished to shatter it.

Even the breeze brushing past carried deep longing and reluctance.

Within the courtyard.

Ximen Wudi, clad in a black robe, calmly and elegantly raised his teacup.

He blew gently, sipping slowly and unhurriedly.

Just before him, a short distance away.

A young woman, dressed in simple elegance with breathtaking beauty, was slowly playing the lute.

So that was it.

The drifting lute melody was her playing!

Not long after.

The piece ended.

The woman lowered her head and walked over hesitantly.

In her timid eyes lingered traces of affection and self-deprecation.

She was so nervous she didn't even notice her fingers, twisting her sleeve, had turned faintly white.

Watching her expression,

Ximen Wudi couldn't help but fall silent.

Where was the scheming, ruthless woman who was supposed to terrify even the director?

Why was she still so timid?

He shook his head in disbelief and set down his teacup.

"You played well. You've begun to show the bearing of a master."

"Speak—what reward do you want?"

Hearing the praise,

Jiang Yuyan's heart instantly bloomed like a sweet candy, and she smiled brightly.

Then she tilted her head, thinking hard about the reward.

After a long while,

she spoke with a faintly downcast tone.

"Yan'er… Yan'er wants to go pay respects to her mother."

Ximen Wudi paused, then understood.

Since he had brought her back to the Shanzhuang, it had been three years since he'd taken her out.

Thinking of this,

he reached out and patted her head gently, murmuring in reply.

"Alright."

Upon receiving his consent,

Jiang Yuyan's face lit up instantly.

She turned and rushed back to her room in haste.

She quickly packed her belongings and ran back over.

Her speed was so swift it left Ximen Wudi speechless.

Not long after the two left Qinglong Shanzhuang,

in the void above,

the Heavenly Dao Golden List, spanning the horizon, blazed forth once more with brilliant light.

【Nine Provinces Combat Ceiling List—No. 16, Sweeping Monk (Murong Longcheng), Cultivation: late-stage Land Immortal.】

【Identity: Descendant of the Yan royal family, Sweeping Monk in the Scripture Library of Great Song Shaolin.】

【Sweeping Monk, real name Murong Longcheng, descendant of the Yan royal family, an unparalleled martial genius.】

【After the fall of Yan, he disguised himself as head of the Gusu Murong clan and created the supreme technique Dou Zhuan Xing Yi.】

【He roamed the Jianghu with few rivals, earning great renown through his ability to turn an opponent's own arts against them.】

【Yet he never forgot his ancestors' decree: he befriended righteous heroes, aiming to restore his homeland—but fate mocked him, for the Great Song enjoyed peace across its lands, and the people longed for tranquility.】

Having lost all hope of restoring his kingdom, he passed on the legacy of restoration to his son, then faked his own death and escaped, becoming a lowly sweep-keeper in the scripture hall of Yunzhou Shaolin—stealing their Wu Gong in secret, while lying low in the shadows, waiting for the chance to restore his kingdom!

Heavenly Dao's evaluation: A once-in-a-millennium Wu Xueqi, had he abandoned his obsession with restoring his kingdom, the Mythical Realm is attainable.

Heavenly Dao's reward: Immortal-grade palm technique, "Buddha's Divine Palm"

What?!?!

Immortal… Immortal-grade?

Almost instantly.

The breaths of the Jiuzhou martial artists synchronously grew rapid.

Some with weaker temperaments even turned their eyes blood-red.

It is well known.

On the Jiuzhou continent.

Whether martial arts or divine weapons, all are ranked into four tiers: Yellow, Mystery, Earth, and Heaven.

Above Heaven-tier lie Immortal-tier and Divine-tier.

Whether anything lies beyond that remains unknown for now.

The reason martial artists reacted so strongly

Is primarily due to the rarity of martial arts.

Let alone Immortal-tier martial arts.

Even Earth-tier are the treasured pillars of countless high-level Men Sects!

As for Heaven-tier, only the various nations and top-tier powers can possess them!

The only ones widely circulated in the Great Song Jianghu are Yellow-tier and some crude, low-grade breathing methods.

This is why merely the "Nine Yin True Scripture" could ignite endless bloodshed in the Great Song Jianghu!

Now consider this.

To witness firsthand an Immortal-tier martial art above Heaven-tier.

Tell me, who among them could remain utterly unmoved?

Of course.

Greed is greed, envy is envy.

No one who survives in the Great Song Jianghu is a fool.

They know exactly their own worth.

Otherwise, they wouldn't be alive today!

Only the top-tier powers, or nations like the Eight Imperial Dynasties, possess the strength and depth to compete for it.