Chapter 459: The Departure of the Bronze Box, Investigating the Barrier

Two streaks of light shot out of the atmosphere, one chasing the other through the vast expanse of space. The flaming beam behind soon reached its limit, while the white light in front kept accelerating.

Helplessly watching the distance between them grow rapidly, Wang Sheng gritted his teeth and forcefully pushed his Soaring Red Feathers. Within the flames, the three-legged Golden Crow folded its wings tight and shot forward like an arrow. Its speed climbed once more.

Back at the palace of the Pure Yang Sword Faction, everyone stood and stared at the cracked statue in stunned silence. The ancient words still echoed faintly in their minds.

The first to recover was Xi Lian, who already understood the archaic tongue. Pressing her lips together, she sighed softly and fixed her gaze on the statue. Her thoughts wandered.

Qing Yanzi slowly sat back into his seat, supporting himself with one hand. Faint sadness could be seen in his eyes due to their forefather's message.

"I am but a man who failed to reach the end of the immortal path. What need do I have for incense and offerings? As the inheritors of my immortal teachings, you must all remember not to ask of the past. Cultivate diligently. When you ascend as an immortal in the coming age, do not flaunt yourself. Do not pry into the wars of old.

"The Heavenly Court has fallen. I no longer have the power to protect you or the strength to shelter you. Unless you have no other choice, live quietly in some secluded corner. What use is immortality? What joy lies in freedom? Only confusion awaits at the end of the immortal path. Beneath the Great Dao, all are unequal."

The palace remained dead silent. The other lineages' Daoist masters, who had been rendered speechless, now had complex expressions. Their Dao Hearts trembled as they pondered the message, which was filled with weary sorrow.

Soon, a troubling thought crossed their minds. If the forefather of the Pure Yang Sword Faction could still manifest his spirit, then why had their own forefathers never done the same despite having recruited many disciples and given centuries of offerings? Could their forefathers be truly gone?

Almost simultaneously, they realized that the matter couldn't be that simple. Many other lineages also worshipped Chun Yangzi, yet as far as they knew, none had received such a warning. Still, no one could grasp the secret behind all this yet.

Qing Yanzi sighed faintly. He then beckoned his three young disciples closer.

Mu Wanxuan walked toward the forefather's statue. She gathered the stone fragments and used a stream of enchanted power to wrap them. Afterward, she returned them carefully to their place and sealed the cracks with a slowly spinning Tai Chi diagram.

Xiaomiao blinked, walked over to Xi Lian, and asked what their forefather meant. Using voice transmission, the latter gave her a detailed interpretation.

Xiaomiao clutched Xi Lian's arm and whispered, "Don't worry, Big Sister. This is good news, at least. It means some of the Heavenly Court's immortals are still alive."

Xi Lian, whose heart had been heavy moments before, could not help but smile faintly. She leaned against Xiaomiao and continued gazing at the statue in quiet thought.

What do we even do about this? Although Forefather Chun Yangzi is alive, what does it really prove?

Qinglin had been a minor combatant on the battlefield. Even if he had gained some rank during the Heavenly Court's counterattack, his chances of surviving the final battle were slim. He was a symbol of Earth's ancient cultivation world, yet he was insignificant when compared to the vastness of the Heavenly Court's power. Nevertheless, the despair in Chun Yangzi's voice seemed to affirm that the Heavenly Court had indeed perished.

"I'm tired, Sect Master," Xi Lian whispered. "I'll go rest first."

Smiling gently, Qing Yanzi nodded. Xiaomiao quickly excused herself as well and followed Xi Lian.

Qing Yanzi cleared his throat. "

Ahem!

Jing'an, Liuji, come forward and offer incense. When your second martial brother returns, I will give each of you a Daoist name."

"Yes, Master."

The fourth and fifth disciples bowed their heads and obeyed, placing the nearly burnt incense sticks into the burner. Smoke curled upward in the great palace, yet something in the air still felt missing.

Time passed, yet Wang Sheng still hadn't returned.

Several hours later, Qing Yanzi noticed that the three youngsters were struggling to stay awake. Hence, he instructed the ceremony to continue. He bestowed the three their Daoist names, then invited the parents and guests to join them for a meal.

𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

The mood in the palace eventually somewhat lightened. The Daoist masters chatted with Qing Yanzi over drinks, exchanging tales of recent events in the cultivation world.

The three new disciples sat with their families, caught between parental worries and their own reassurances. Though the Pure Yang Sword Faction allowed parents to visit their children, they had been warned that too much contact could disturb their Dao Heart.

To walk the immortal path, one had to leave the mortal world behind.

In the evening, the parents decided to spend the night on the mountain, while the Daoist masters took their leave. Qing Yanzi would personally escort the guests the next day.

That night, the Pure Yang Sword Faction was filled with both warmth and a trace of melancholy.

Every parent wished for their child to have a bright future, live long, grow stronger, and survive the uncertain days ahead. That was why they entrusted their kids entirely to the Pure Yang Sword Faction even though the sect's rules stated that disciples at the Foundation Establishment Stage could only return home once every two years, except in times of grave family emergencies.

***

The next afternoon, Qing Yanzi and Jingyun escorted the three couples down the mountain. The Pure Yang Sword Faction had finally achieved order.

Qing Yanzi's three new disciples began their first sword training under Chi Wen. From that day onward, free time became a luxury for them.

There was still no trace or word from Wang Sheng. Since no one knew where he had gone, people couldn't help but feel concerned.

Compared to the stars, the universe was far too vast.

Twenty-three days after Wang Sheng left, the sect's female cultivators gathered at Mu Wanxuan's pavilion for tea and conversation.

Qing Yanzi was in the thatched cottage, teaching his new disciples how to recite Daoist scriptures. Chi Wen had been ordered to attend as well. The scene resembled a high school class, with a lively teacher explaining ancient texts in simple words.

Teary-eyed, Xiamiao slipped into her senior sister's arms for comfort. "

Haaa...

Do you think my brother has already left us behind and flown out of the Realm of Exiled Immortals?"

Mu Wanxuan sighed softly and patted her back, though her heart was filled with nothing but concern for Wang Sheng's safety.

Xi Lian chuckled. "Didn't Princess Yaoyun say that at his speed, it'll take years for him to even reach the edge of the Realm of Exiled Immortals? Stop worrying. Finish your dim sum, then come play with me. The party's short on a healer and a tank again."

"I'm not just overthinking." Xiaomiao sighed faintly. "All the Daoist heritages have been spreading rumors about our forefather appearing and taking my brother away. The truth was twisted so fast into gossip."

Jingyun whispered, "People only believe what they want to hear. Cultivators are no different from mortals in that."

Xi Lian unlocked her phone, opened a model of the star map, and seemingly made calculations. Before long, she rolled her eyes and tossed the phone to Xiaomiao.

"Go on, figure out when your brother will be back."

Xiaomiao threw it right back with a grin. "If my assumption is right, it'll take him around half a year from now."

Mu Wanxuan was startled. "Six months?"

Xiaomiao nodded seriously. "My brother would've been back by now if he could catch that box. If he couldn't back then, chances are he still can't now. And knowing him, he has probably decided to check the concealment array in the asteroid belt and see what the immortals left behind there.

"Based on my master's calculations of his flight speed and direction, his destination should be at least three months away. We're not talking about the Moon here. The asteroid belt lies between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter. Taking that into consideration, my brother wouldn't waste time flying all the way to the Realm of Exiled Immortals' entrance.

"Once he has confirmed that the barrier is still working, he'll think about returning. He'll then probably bring you two along to the Moon Palace to train and grow stronger quickly, Senior Sister and Big Sister. I can already imagine him being all serious when he returns. He'll talk to the sect master in private, then give us one of his fiery speeches about cultivating hard."

She sighed.

"When that happens, please just play along, everyone. Don't ruin his moment."

Xi Lian burst out laughing. Mu Wanxuan raised her hand and gently tapped Xiaomiao's head, her gaze mildly reproaching her.

***

Half a year later.

The cultivation world remained peaceful. The rumor that the Pure Yang Sword Faction's forefather had taken Wang Sheng away faded after only a few days.

At some point, the authorities held a meeting with all Daoist heritages. Since Qing Yanzi was too busy teaching his disciples, Jingyun attended in his place.

The officials in the meeting proposed setting regulations for cultivators entering the secular world. They also invited the Daoist heritages to offer their opinions and suggested concentrating the qi meridians near Mount Kunlun to construct a "small realm" for the cultivation realm. The Hidden Earth Sect would provide the array support, and Lady Meng would assist in its creation.

It was still only a proposal awaiting further discussion among the sects, though.

Within the Pure Yang Sword Faction, life went on quietly. The disciples trained diligently, the kitchen staff cooked busily, and the servants led relaxed lives.

Meanwhile, Mu Wanxuan's meditation sessions never lasted long. Every few days, she would stand by the window, gazing toward the direction Wang Sheng had left.

The three young disciples had all advanced considerably. They had reached the late stage of the Breath Condensation Realm and mastered a basic sword art.

Qing Yanzi spent his days teaching. Perhaps because he no longer had to rush about in the mortal world, he made astonishingly fast cultivation progress. In just half a year, he had achieved three minor breakthroughs.

***

A hundred ninety-two days after Wang Sheng departed, a meteor fell across the sky and stopped above the great palace, releasing a familiar aura.

Wang Sheng had returned.

The entire sect immediately grew lively. Mu Wanxuan, who had been in seclusion comprehending the Dao of Yin and Yang, ended her meditation. She dispersed the surrounding Dao Rhythm, breathed a small sigh of relief, and flew toward the great palace.

Wang Sheng looked travel-worn. He had dark circles under his eyes and exhaustion written all over his face. Seeing his senior sister stop before him, guilt stirred within him. However, Mu Wanxuan just shook her head slightly, her lips curving into a relieved smile.

All that mattered to her was that he had returned safely.

"Little Sheng, did you catch it?" Qing Yanzi asked from inside the palace.

Wang Sheng shook his head gravely. "Master, may I speak with you privately?"

"Of course." Qing Yanzi immediately activated the palace barrier. Wang Sheng led Mu Wanxuan inside.

Xi Lian and Jingyun, who had just arrived, exchanged glances. With knowing looks, they faintly smiled in amusement as they turned toward the innocent-looking Xiaomiao.