Chapter 689: I'm Just Like Your Father

Noticing Jiang Yuebai’s unease, Chu Liang asked, "What's wrong?"

"I was worried that we might never be able to complete the Divine Ruins' Scroll. But now that it's suddenly complete, I don't know if it's a blessing or a curse," Jiang Yuebai said, her eyebrows knitting together tightly.

She continued, "Initially, Father was very calm; he wasn't in any rush to seek out the Divine Ruins Monastery. But two days ago, he went to the Holy Mountain in the Northern Regions. I don't know what he and the Noble Dharma planned, but he suddenly became very cheerful. He said we needed to come here to bid farewell to my teacher. Afterward, we'll enter the Divine Ruins... and our survival will be uncertain. It seems... he's determined to go."

Chu Liang squeezed her hand gently.

Jiang Yuebai and her father were incredibly powerful. However, the place in question was the legendary Divine Ruins Monastery—the hidden hand that had very likely erased traces of fallen ninth-realm cultivators. Could the two of them really stand against such a force?

Nevertheless, Chu Liang knew that it would be pointless to try and dissuade them. Once the Jiang Family made their minds up about something, they were resolute about it. That was plain to see. If not for their stubbornness, how could such an ancient aristocratic family have been almost wiped out?

Filled with mixed emotions, all Chu Liang managed to say was, "Make sure you come back."

After a pause, he added, "If you don't come back, then it'll be my turn to go find you."

Jiang Yuebai blurted out, "You can't..."

"Tell your father not to go looking for your mother. Do you think he'd listen?" Chu Liang asked.

Jiang Yuebai fell silent for a moment and stopped trying to dissuade him.

"So, you see..." Chu Liang said slowly, "I'm just like your father."

At first, Jiang Yuebai felt touched by his words, but the more she thought about them, the more something seemed off. She turned her head, frowned, and glared at Chu Liang, giving him a light punch.

Chu Liang chuckled, "

Hehe.

"

He was about to say more, but his expression changed suddenly. His gaze shot to the street corner, where a figure wearing a white-robed with a hood had just slipped past.

Chu Liang's expression turned fierce, and he quickly stepped forward. "Let's go check that out."

"What's wrong?" Jiang Yuebai asked.

Chu Liang replied quietly, "Something feels off..."

...

Following the local customs, Chu Liang and Jiang Yuebai were wearing the white robes of the Sword-Hanging Kingdom. This young man and young woman, both extraordinarily attractive, made a striking pair as they walked together. They were a pleasant sight for the many passersby on the street, warming their hearts and delighting their eyes.

The passersby had watched the couple chat and laugh. Then they saw the young man suddenly pull the young woman along, walking briskly as they hurriedly turned into an alley. The passersby exchanged knowing smiles.

Ah, young people.

Such impatient little monkeys.

...

Once Chu Liang and Jiang Yuebai turned into the alley, they concealed their qi and cautiously used their divine senses to carefully track their target.

The white-robed figure weaved through several streets before exiting the city. He headed over to a courtyard, and upon arriving, he lifted his hood. Someone opened the gate from the inside, took a look at him, and then allowed him in.

During that moment, Chu Liang and Jiang Yuebai managed to get a clear look of what was under the white-robed figure's hood, and it wasn't a human's head. The person's head had scales and a pair of horns; it was a dragon's head.

"Jimeng," Chu Liang muttered.

So, it really was as I thought...

Due to the Dragon God's mark, Chu Liang was sensitive to the aura of draconic descendants. When the white-robed figure passed through the streets earlier, he had already sensed the mixed dragon bloodline.

This wasn't the first time he had encountered a draconic descendant with a dragon's head and human body.

Back in Python Belly City, Chu Liang had learned that Ji Lingjue, a member of the Celestial Charm Sect, had killed his own mother, the Jimeng Dragoness and head of the Jimeng Clan. He then became the new leader, with many Jimeng Dragon Cavalry under his command in Python Belly City.

Could this member of the Jimeng Clan be connected to Ji Lingjue?

Gazing at the pavilion inside the courtyard, Jiang Yuebai said, "But this place... This is Baili Tong's sword hut!"

...

Baili Tong, an imperial swordsmith who lived in the imperial city, was originally from the Sword-Hanging Kingdom. However, when his sword-forging skills reached their peak and he could no longer make progress in the kingdom, he crossed the seas to the land of the Yu Dynasty to further his craft.

In this duel for the control of the Great Dao, Daoist Yan would be wielding the Heavenly Cloud Ancient Sword, which was ranked thirty-first in the Catalog of the Mortal World's Ten Thousand Treasures, while the Sword Emperor of the West Sea would be using the ancient sword Shadow Bearer, which was ranked seventy-first in the Catalog of the Mortal World's Ten Thousand Treasures.

There were great gaps in quality grading within the upper ranks of the Catalog of the Mortal World's Ten Thousand Treasures. A difference in ranking of forty places likely didn't represent a narrow gap of just one or two grades but rather a wide difference spanning more than ten grades.

The Sword-Hanging Kingdom was filled with an inflated confidence in the Sword Emperor's inevitable victory, and the Sword Emperor himself was confident he would retain control over the Great Dao of the Cloud of Determination. Nonetheless, he remained cautious of the possible tactics that Daoist Yan might employ; he knew better than to underestimate his opponent's ability to strategize.

That was why the Sword Emperor specially invited Baili Tong to return to the kingdom to enhance the Shadow Bearer. That was six years ago. However, it took Baili Tong three years just to devise a plan and gather the necessary materials for the upgrade. After that, he went to the Sword-Hanging Kingdom and spent another three years in closed-door cultivation, working on the sword.

To this day, he still had yet to emerge from the sword hut. If Baili Tong failed to upgrade the sword but at least returned the Shadow Bearer in its original state, Chen Erniu could still wield a reliable weapon in the duel. On the other hand, if the Shadow Bearer ended up as a half-finished work, things would become much more difficult for Chen Erniu.

If the citizens of the Sword-Hanging Kingdom had any concerns about their Sword Emperor's duel with Daoist Yan, it was the potential disadvantage caused by the disparity in quality between their flying swords.

Nevertheless, the Sword Emperor of the West Sea remained calm and unbothered as clouds drifting in the wind. He forbade anyone from disturbing Baili Tong. Adhering to the principle of "trust those you employ, and don't employ those you distrust," he insisted on letting Baili Tong focus on forging the sword in peace, even though the duel was scheduled for the next day.

The Whale-Riding Immortal always conducted meticulous investigations wherever he went, so it wasn't surprising that Jiang Yuebai had a thorough understanding of Sword-Hanging City's layout. Consequently, Chu Liang believed her when she said this place was a sword hut, especially since there was such intense sword qi and heat emanating from within.

"But why would there be members of the Jimeng Clan here?" Chu Liang muttered. "Those people inside are clearly Ji Lingjue's subordinates..."

"Maybe some stray Jimeng Clansmen are working for the Sword-Hanging Kingdom. It's quite possible that's the case," Jiang Yuebai replied.

"That's true..." Chu Liang agreed with a nod, but he still felt that something was off. "I'll go take a look."

"Let me go instead. That place is bound to be heavily guarded. I'm better at stealth techniques than you are."

"It's fine," Chu Liang said with a small smile. "I have a way to approach silently."

Jiang Yuebai nodded. "Alright."

Then she turned around and vanished. She had transformed into a wisp of smoke that flowed along the fallen leaves on the ground and climbed up the courtyard wall. Her presence seemed to disappear completely, leaving only a faint shadow.

Yet, as Jiang Yuebai clung to the wall, she couldn't see any sign of Chu Liang. Eventually, she turned around and found that Chu Liang had stopped near the wall. He was approaching with a slow, deliberate gait, looking like an old lady crossing the street.

"What are you doing?" Jiang Yuebai asked, unable to suppress her confusion.

"

Shh...

" Chu Liang raised a finger and whispered, "Stealth."

Chu Liang was, of course, using his newly acquired stealth technique, Spirit Cat's Tiny Steps—a divine skill for sneaking around. He regulated his breathing and climbed the wall step by step like a gecko.

Jiang Yuebai sighed helplessly and hid in his shadow, moving in sync with him.

Chu Liang continued with his slow, deliberate steps, seemingly making no effort to conceal himself—akin to an old man boldly ogling at beautiful women on the street.

Yet, strangely, not a single guard noticed him. It was likely there were enchanted formations in place, but there wasn't even a little response to Chu Liang's presence.

Jiang Yuebai knew Chu Liang was there. However, if she used her divine sense instead of her eyes to see, she wouldn't be able to detect Chu Liang's presence at all.

She was quite astounded.

What an amazing movement technique.

Just like that, the pair crept along the wall until they reached the back of the sword hut. By then, it was late in the day, and the sky was turning dark.

Right when Chu Liang was growing impatient with his tiny cat steps, there was a sudden rumble of thunder, and an astonishing scene unfolded before them.

...

At the rear of the courtyard, there appeared to be an enchanted formation, separating a hidden realm from the outside world. Within that hidden realm lay Baili Tong's true sword-forging site.

At this moment, rumbles of thunder and crackles of lightning rang out from within. There was a flash of light, and a crack ripped through the enchanted formation.

"You were right!" someone exclaimed, sounding weary but excited. "To elevate the Shadow Bearer to the level of a legendary sword, it truly requires a stronger sword spirit!"

"It's time..."

"What are you doing?!" The weary man's excited tone abruptly shifted to one of shock and fury. "You agreed that I would handle the sword spirit myself—

ah!

"

It was clear that there was more than one person present. The weary man's voice was abruptly cut off, replaced by the roaring of the sword furnace. A turbulent stream of crimson-gold fire erupted from the crack in the enchanted formation with a whoosh!

Boom!

The crack widened instantly, and in that moment, Chu Liang and Jiang Yuebai caught a glimpse of the scene within the hidden realm.

Chu Liang spotted a young man that looked rather familiar.

The young man lifted up someone dressed in white robes by the collar and tossed him into the roaring furnace.

It really is him!

Chu Liang thought.

It's Ji Lingjue!