Chapter 649: Moon in the Well

Volume 3: He Xinliang

Tantai Pingjing quietly gazed at the young man, a true prodigy, with a hint of pity in her eyes. However, when she, a tall and striking woman, took a step forward, not only did the Guanyin Sect, the leading sect of the Southern Qi Practitioners, retreat, but even Li Mofan did not dare to be careless. He raised his arm, making a gesture that all Beiliang army officers and soldiers understood. The Dragon Elephant Cavalry immediately exuded an indescribable aura, like tigers unleashed, fiery and wild. Over a thousand elite cavalry quickly spread out, forming an aggressive fan-shaped formation. Several skirmishers even circled behind the Qi Practitioners, clearly determined to engage in a major conflict and completely encircle these arrogant South Sea Immortals. The Coal Girl was not seriously injured; she had merely been severely suppressed by Xu Longxiang's aura earlier and dared not act rashly. Now that her senior sister had personally intervened, she felt emboldened. She jumped down, rubbed her temples, and gritted her teeth, wishing she could dismember the sallow-skinned youth and cast his three souls and seven spirits into the Moon Well Sky Mirror, the sect's primary heavy artifact specifically used to suppress malevolent spirits and evil.

The Guanyin Sect has five generations. Tantai Pingjing and the Coal Girl, both nearly a hundred years old with almost ageless appearances, are the most senior pair of sisters, with an astonishing age gap between them. Next are six elderly elders, all with hair as white as frost. Mei Yingyi, Sun Ya, and Qi Longzhong are relatively younger Qi practitioners of the subsequent generation. The fourth generation consists of the direct disciples of the six elders and their branches, followed by the young boys and girls who have only recently joined the sect. Across these five generations, over a hundred Qi practitioners each possess at least one, or several, spiritual treasures and talismans. For example, the Coal Girl's painting, "Land Towards Immortals," and the Chi pendant, destroyed while capturing a flood dragon in Shu, are both among the Guanyin Sect's foremost heavy treasures. In addition, there is the Disciplinary Elder's willow branch purificatory vase; this small three-inch tall jade bottle weighs an astonishing six hundred catties, naturally containing its own universe. Sun Ya's coiling dragon stone pier, which conceals thunder and lightning, suppresses evil and restrains malevolent forces, is also a miraculous artifact that conforms to the Heavenly Dao. Talisman swords are even more common accoutrements in the Qi practitioner domain. However, the Guanyin Sect suffered severe losses in the South Xinjiang Dragon Slaying War, losing seven or eight out of ten, which led to the dispute with Youyan Mountain Villa's Dragon Rock Sword Forge over the eighty-one talisman swords. Later, two of the world's most renowned swordsmen, Deng Tai'a and Sui Xiegou, arrived uninvited; the latter, who enjoyed eating swords, further strained the Guanyin Sect's already deep foundations.

Tantai Pingjing did not display the air of an eminent master that her junior sister, the Coal Girl, had when she provoked earlier. She merely walked forward, showing no mystical signs, just like an ordinary strong woman walking, as if she were about to greet an acquaintance. However, this time Xu Longxiang's waiting time for an opportune moment was undoubtedly longer. Especially whenever Tantai Pingjing made an imperceptible pause or even took a step back, Xu Longxiang showed a bewildered confusion, as if he had returned to his childhood days in the Qingliang Mountain Prince's Estate, becoming a dazed "Yellow Barbarian." Xu Longxiang, thinking of something, scratched his head, a look of relief on his face. His brother had told him that when encountering something inexplicable, it was best not to dwell on it. Whether one could win should be proven with fists; if not, one should simply escape. Mountains remain, and rivers flow; at most, one could shout "We'll meet again!" It was how heroes in the Jianghu operated. With his mind unburdened, Xu Longxiang's entire demeanor transformed. While this seemed unremarkable to Li Mofan and the Dragon Elephant Cavalry, it was truly strange in the eyes of the Guanyin Sect Qi practitioners, who specialized in observing aura. With a great battle imminent, and a master facing an enemy, changes in mental state were a grave taboo. Those rare individuals who repeatedly break through bottlenecks in life-and-death battles and rise from certain defeat are, after all, extremely rare. In the Liyang martial arts world, which has gathered many heroes over the past century, Wang Xianzhi is considered one, Gu Jiantang half. Other celebrated figures, like Li Chungang and Cao Changqing, acknowledged for their exceptional talent, achieved breakthroughs naturally. Of course, after Xu Fengnian defeated Wang Xianzhi, as various rumors, true or false, began to spread, Xu Fengnian became another martial arts genius, after Wang Xianzhi, who mastered the art of "cultivating through battle." Otherwise, people in the Jianghu simply couldn't comprehend how a dissolute young master, who had only started practicing martial arts less than five years ago, could suddenly reach the pinnacle and claim dominance in the martial world.

Is it not enough that the Xu family produced Xu Fengnian, who is said to be invincible? Must another Xu Longxiang emerge? Are all good things in the world to be monopolized by your Xu family? Do you intend to leave no path for others to live? Perhaps one day, when you, Xu Fengnian, grow tired of being the world's foremost, you'll simply hand over that top seat to your younger brother? Today, the so-called prominent martial arts sects and aristocratic families are defined by whether their sect can simultaneously have two first-rank masters standing side-by-side. Of course, if only one person reaches the Heavenly Phenomenon realm, that is enough to lead a faction and oversee the Jianghu. But there is no precedent for a single family, clan, or sect to produce two martial arts grandmasters. Even the Wu Family Sword Tomb couldn't achieve this, as it is far more difficult than having, for example, four generations of ducal ministers or a father and son who are both top scholars in the imperial court.

To the Qi practitioners, the illustrious young man's qi flow at this moment was like a raging prairie fire transforming into stagnant water; one moment, full of vitality, the next, utterly devoid of qi and lifeless.

Tantai Pingjing, whose stature surpassed even the sturdy men of the northern lands, stopped and walked, finally reaching a spot only five or six steps away from Xu Longxiang. She looked down at the interesting young man, born with Vajra strength yet deliberately suppressing his cultivation, and smiled slightly: "Come, strike me. If you hit me, you win. From now on, when our sect travels in Liuzhou, everything will be at your brother's command."

Xu Longxiang shook his head, his expression earnest. Tantai Pingjing smiled knowingly. She had grasped the young man's meaning: in the territory of Beiliang, no matter who it was, anyone who stepped foot in Beiliang must obey his elder brother. This principle did not need to be won through any means of surpassing others; it was simply a matter of course. Even before his brother inherited the title of Prince of Beiliang, Xu Fengnian's word was always paramount on Qingliang Mountain, more effective than their father, Xu Xiao. Now that he was a Prince, not only the Prince's Estate but all of Beiliang should follow suit. Tantai Pingjing was not annoyed; her smile remained pure and serene. The Northern School of Dragon-Assisting Qi practitioners all claimed that the Guanyin Sect seemed to be cast from the same mold, and this was not without reason. Besides their uniform white robes and white boots, their temperaments were identical, possessing an otherworldly aura, untouched by worldly concerns. They respected neither common people nor kings, only spirits and deities. Every Qi practitioner, upon leaving the sect, was forbidden from carrying any external possessions other than dry rations, clothing, and talismans nurtured over many years. Only by being free from attachments and untouched by worldly karma could their Dao Heart remain unstained. For instance, Qi practitioners of all generations from the Guanyin Sect on this journey, once they entered the isolated island in the South Sea to cultivate the Grand Dao, effectively severed all ties with their birth parents; even if their parents passed away, they were absolutely forbidden from offering sacrifices. The Heavenly Dao is ruthless yet has "constant laws." Qi practitioners are like "fishermen" who mend the vast net of laws, capturing those fish that slip through. Thus, the Grand True Man Qi Xuanzhen on the Demon Slaying Platform once sent a message to the Guanyin Sect, which was in fact more like a question: "The Grand Dao has fifty, yet the Heavenly Dao only evolves forty-nine. The sages say humanity escapes with one; but where is that one?" Tantai Pingjing's years of solitary cultivation to the brink of life and death stemmed from this. When Deng Tai'a stirred the sea with his sword to flood the Guanyin Sect, his imposing might was not the true reason for Tantai Pingjing's early emergence from seclusion. Rather, it was that 'one' she had painstakingly sought but failed to deduce during her long seclusion. This migration of the entire sect north to Liang was also Tantai Pingjing's attempt to seek it elsewhere.

Tantai Pingjing was always reticent within the Guanyin Sect, never taking disciples. She had presided over the sect for nearly six decades, accruing profound prestige. Even the elders felt uncomfortable in the presence of this "young" sect leader, who was close to achieving Dao, let alone juniors like Mei Yingyi, Sun Ya, and Qi Longzhong, who would be content just to exchange a single word with the truly towering sect leader in a year. Everyone could sense a rare, heartfelt affection from the sect leader towards this young man. Many Guanyin Sect disciples, both male and female, whose mental fortitude was not yet deep, felt a touch of "jealousy." Tantai Pingjing was not far from Xu Longxiang, her smile tranquil and pure. Suddenly, a faint, ethereal, dark-green, teardrop-shaped object materialized before her. As the water droplet fell, it streamed down in two lines, like painted crescent moons, creating ripples. In an instant, a large circular mirror formed, standing upright between her and Xu Longxiang. The mirror surface shimmered with rippling, dark-green water patterns. As they looked at each other, their vision became blurred; from Xu Longxiang's perspective, he could only see the vague outline of the other person.

The Guanyin Sect Qi practitioners exchanged bewildered glances. Even the highly discerning Coal Girl was deeply moved. The Guanyin Sect's ability to single-handedly contend against the Northern Dragon-Affiliated Scholars of the entire Liyang Dynasty ultimately relied on two talismans. The painting "Land Towards Immortals," a masterpiece by the Great Feng Dynasty's Painting Saint, served to suppress the "talented individuals" of the Jianghu. Meanwhile, the Moon Well Sky Mirror before the Sect Leader's senior sister was used to subdue various "spiritual beings" in the world who stubbornly sought to break the shackles of the Grand Dao. Both were favored creations born from the convergence of heavenly and earthly spiritual energy. However, the more powerful such objects were, the more unruly they often became, wishing to overstep boundaries. The Guanyin Sect lineage was tasked with suppressing these two types of beings who, having received gifts from the Heavenly Dao, remained insatiably discontent.

After Tantai Pingjing "emerged" from the mirror, she smiled and spread out a hand towards Xu Longxiang, signaling to the young man not to hold back, but to fully display his abilities. Then everyone saw Xu Longxiang fiercely crash into the mirror, appear before Tantai Pingjing, and smash down with a punch. Most Guanyin Sect disciples, who had only seen this sect artifact for the first time, instinctively let out exclamations. But then they saw the Sect Leader's entire body shatter like an artifact forged from colored glaze, transforming into countless fireflies scattered across the sky. Xu Longxiang didn't hesitate, rushing to the next spot. Sure enough, another mirror quickly appeared before him. After he crashed into it again, he shattered that glass-bodied Tantai Pingjing, repeating this tirelessly. On the sandy ground, within the short span of an incense stick's burning time, Xu Longxiang had entered the mirror and shattered the "glass body" no less than a hundred times. Each time, before her body shattered, Tantai Pingjing maintained a serene smile. The fiercer and more rapid Xu Longxiang's attacks were, the more they highlighted her composure and the profound subtlety of her Daoist techniques.

A cavalry officer rode up to Li Mofan, full of doubt, and couldn't help but ask, "General, what's going on? Is that woman really an immortal?" Although Li Mofan was proficient in all eighteen martial arts, skilled in every one, and a top master of cavalry combat on the battlefield, he had never truly experienced the obscure divine powers of Qi practitioners. He was somewhat baffled, like a monk trying to grasp something beyond his reach. Not wanting to lose face in front of his subordinates by admitting ignorance, he feigned profundity, stroking his chin, and slowly said: "Qi practitioners are divided into North and South, each with their strengths. The Northern School is like plump rats stealing grain from a large granary, but what they supplement themselves with is the Imperial Dragon Qi. As for the Southern Guanyin Sect, they focus on absorbing vital energy by 'dining on dawn clouds and swallowing thunder' from heaven and earth to nourish their spirit. This strange mirror of the Guanyin Sect Leader is probably similar to the Daoist True Masters' 'universe in their sleeve' or the Buddhist 'sumeru in a mustard seed' techniques." The bearded cavalry officer held it in for a while, then chuckled foolishly, "General, your knowledge is truly vast! You even know about this. No wonder the Grand General says you're one of our Beiliang Army's most accomplished scholar-generals." Li Mofan chuckled, scolding him, "Go cool off somewhere! All these years of flattering, and you haven't improved your skill one bit. Scholar-general, my ass! My position as Deputy Commander of the Dragon Elephant Army was earned by leading from the front time and again. Which scholar-general isn't some bastard who hides behind the battlefield, fanning himself and flapping his lips?" The cavalry officer said indignantly, "I'd actually like to be a scholar-general." Li Mofan rolled his eyes and sneered, "With your slovenly pig-butchering appearance, you won't be a scholar-general even in your next life."

Xu Longxiang, one of the parties on the battlefield, stopped, showing no signs of exasperation. After a brief pause for thought, he rapidly ran towards the direction where the Guanyin Sect disciples were gathered. Clearly, he was employing the military strategy of "besieging the city to strike at reinforcements." Your Guanyin Sect Leader can evade, but your disciples and grand-disciples cannot. At that point, will you reveal your true form and fight openly? Tantai Pingjing appeared behind Xu Longxiang, her back to the fan-shaped formation of the Dragon Elephant Cavalry. She lightly tapped the mirror surface in front of her. The next moment, a mirror appeared before Mei Yingyi's group of Guanyin Sect disciples. After Xu Longxiang charged through, he miraculously appeared before Tantai Pingjing in the blink of an eye. This scene, entirely contrary to worldly logic, was utterly bizarre. Xu Longxiang, spurred by his stubborn determination, no longer charged at the woman who dared not confront him directly. Instead, he turned back and ran towards the Guanyin Sect disciples with even greater speed, making directional changes for the first time while running. His speed was such that one first saw only a fleeting, blurry silhouette, and then, within a hundred-zhang radius, Xu Longxiang seemed to be everywhere. This scene was quite similar to Wang Xianzhi's tactics during his battle with the Useless Monk. All martial arts, once perfected, often lead to the same destination, never escaping the principles of "speed" and "precision." One is to seize every opportunity, the other to strike with purpose. Possessing both means ensuring victory from an unassailable position. In disputes concerning swordsmanship, no matter how great the differences between the supporters of two schools, there is no disagreement regarding the two meanings of "speed" and "precision." The Peach Blossom Sword God, Deng Tai'a, precisely because his flying sword was renowned as a "celestial meteor" and reached extreme speed, was able to suppress all swordsmen in the world, preventing them from raising their heads, before Li Chungang re-emerged in the Jianghu.

As time passed, Xu Longxiang still couldn't touch even a corner of Tantai Pingjing's or the Guanyin Sect disciples' clothing. Even Li Mofan grew anxious and irritable, not to mention the group of cavalry officers and lieutenants whose temperaments were as rough and fierce as the northwestern wind and sand. They were all eager, just waiting for a command to charge on horseback and leave no one alive, regardless of whether they were immortal masters or Qi practitioners.

Just then, a black dot in the distance approached steadily, gradually revealing its form.

He came alone, standing outside the Dragon Elephant Cavalry and the Guanyin Sect, the three forming a tri-cornered standoff.

However, the thousand Dragon Elephant Cavalry and over a hundred Qi practitioners, despite their overwhelming numerical advantage, could not diminish this person's slightest elegance or imposing aura. Indeed, his solitary presence completely overshadowed both groups.

The Beiliang Army, whose combat strength was unparalleled, had always recognized only two things: the character "Xu" from Grand General Xu Xiao, and the means of subduing people through force. Ultimately, it all came down to "force," because Old Prince of Liang, Xu Xiao, had earned his world-shaking power as Grand Minister of State and Prince of Beiliang by killing half of the able-bodied men during the Spring and Autumn periods.

Then, after Xu Xiao, another person from the Xu family filled the void left by the Human Butcher's death. Most people originally believed this was a feat impossible even for immortals after Xu Xiao's passing, yet that person accomplished it. Very simply, he killed Wang Xianzhi.

Xu Fengnian stood there, at that very moment. He had received news at the Liuzhou Governor's mansion that the Guanyin Sect and the Wu Family Sword Tomb were entering the territory separately. He, of course, valued the latter more and was preparing to personally go to the border between Liuzhou and Liangzhou to welcome them. As for whether his younger brother "Yellow Barbarian" was escorting the South Sea Qi practitioners or giving them a show of force, it didn't matter. Given Xu Fengnian's indulgence towards "Yellow Barbarian," there was nothing in the world "Yellow Barbarian" couldn't do. However, at the last moment, Xu Fengnian still felt uneasy. After all, the Guanyin Sect's centuries-old accumulated foundation was not to be underestimated. The Coal Girl's cunning tactics in Rouge County, with just one painting of "Land Towards Immortals," nearly entrapped him, the so-called new world's foremost expert. That's why he changed his mind midway, deciding to see "Yellow Barbarian" with his own eyes before proceeding to welcome the hundred skeletal swordsmen from the Sword Tomb who were heading northwest.

Perhaps Xu Fengnian's passive observation seemed inconsequential to him, but both Li Mofan's thousand brave and fierce Dragon Elephant Cavalry and the more than a hundred South Sea Qi practitioners, who, despite their isolated and secluded lives, had heard his name as if it were thunder, felt an immense, silent pressure more potent than any sound.

Especially those cavalrymen under the Xu family's princely banner, each instinctively tightened their grip on their iron spears, fearing they might be underestimated by the Prince, thus diminishing their invincible Dragon Elephant Army in his eyes.

To the Qi practitioners, Wang Xianzhi of Wudi City was originally the greatest "fish that got away" in the world, whom neither the Southern nor Northern Qi practitioners could touch. Then, with the old monster Wang's death, that suffocating sense of despair invisibly transferred to the young Prince.

Who would dare to face this man as an enemy?

This man is not someone one can challenge with mere numbers. Even if one were to take ten thousand steps back, no matter how many people there were, could they outnumber his thirty thousand Beiliang Iron Cavalry?

Tantai Pingjing turned her head, looking at the slightly abrupt, slender figure in the distance. Beneath her gaze, a hint of inexpressible complex emotions was contained.

Xu Longxiang had fallen into a frenzied state, head bowed, fists clenched. Far from exhausted, he was panting heavily, like an ancient fierce beast. His aura surged for no less than seven hundred li in an instant, already surpassing the "dragon gate threshold" of six hundred li on the New Martial Arts Ranking.

Tantai Pingjing withdrew her gaze. Just as Xu Longxiang turned his head, she saw the young man's scarlet eyes.

If before it was merely the playfulness of a mischievous youth, with no real intent to harm, then at this moment, Xu Longxiang had indeed harbored killing intent.

Possessing an innocent heart, he performed good deeds instinctively, and likewise, acted maliciously straightforwardly.

In the Confucian Sage Master Zhang's "Treatise on Heaven," there is a saying: "The Heavenly Dao is constant; it does not exist for sages, nor does it perish for villains." This speaks to the inscrutability of the Heavenly Dao; although humans are the foremost of all spirits, they cannot interfere with the immutable workings of the Heavenly Dao. This undoubtedly brought great confusion to Qi practitioners who sought to act on behalf of Heaven. Each "fishing expedition" was undertaken with extreme caution, fearing that they might deviate from the Grand Dao, in which case they would have to bear the karma. This is also why Daoist True Men who cultivate themselves in harmony with nature often achieve enlightenment and ascension, while great Qi practitioners rarely meet a good end, let alone join the ranks of immortals. For instance, at this moment, Tantai Pingjing found it difficult to judge Xu Longxiang's moral standing, or whether his soul should be confined in the Moon Well. In fact, within the Moon Well Sky Mirror, besides those universally recognized demonic overlords, there were also many renowned sages. However, Qi practitioners often kept the latter a secret. The reason why the legacy of a gentleman often ends after five generations is precisely because Qi practitioners are often the executioners, for the actions of sages, though greatly beneficial to the common people or society, do not necessarily conform to the Heavenly Dao. Throughout history, so many reforms that turned the world upside down benefited the populace, yet the reformers themselves often met tragic ends, and some even risked not being reborn after death. The Confucian saying, "Though a thousand-man multitude confronts me, I shall go," represents a magnificent spirit passed down through generations. Yet, for the individual, it may not be a blessing. But this is precisely the most valuable quality of those scholars who aim to benefit the world.

The young Prince standing in the distance, during his youth, would sneer at scholars. Back in Jiangnan, he even dared to playfully ask the Sword Immortal Liang Tangxi, now a pillar of the dynasty, if he could sell him a few catties of benevolence and morality. The reason he had grown to appreciate scholars more over the years was largely because, having ascended to a high position, he could see further and higher, developing increasing respect for those scholars who truly cared for the world's fate without regret.

For those who truly care in this world are often the trailblazers, bearing heavy burdens and stumbling forward, solely to pave a path for future generations.

This was true for Wang Xianzhi in the martial world, and equally true for Xun Ping and Zhang Julu in the imperial court.

And even more so for Huang Sanjia.

Such individuals, even if they are adversaries, can be killed but not hated.

The founding of a prosperous dynasty always begins with warriors blazing trails, followed by scholars diligently building roads, so that the common people can walk those paths in happiness and comfort.

Tantai Pingjing's eyes still held pity as she looked at the Human Butcher's second son before her. The Liyang Dynasty and Beiliang, nominally one of its territories, were in a stalemate. The reduction of princely states was an unstoppable trend, yet resisting the Beiliang Iron Cavalry was an urgent priority. The court neither trusted the cunning Gu Jiantang enough to allow him to be enfeoffed as a prince of a different surname, nor could it tolerate the Xu family's two generations leveraging their merits to assert themselves. Xu Xiao's military achievements were so vast that there was nothing left to bestow. Despite countless heinous killings, Xu Xiao was strong-willed and righteous, and Heaven seemed to grant him a reprieve, allowing this great Prince to die a natural death. However, his wife and four children inevitably suffered repercussions, each facing a difficult life. Had it not been for Hong Xixiang, the reincarnation of Patriarch Lü, who sacrificed seven hundred years of merit, Xu Zhihu would have long since died prematurely from illness. As for the remaining three, even if Xu Weixiong was not the biological daughter of Xu Xiao and Wu Su, their fates were mostly not enviable. Tantai Pingjing's arrival in Beiliang was to vaguely glimpse clues of that "one," and to witness firsthand how the young Prince of Beiliang would turn the tide, defy fate for his siblings, and even bring blessings to future generations. Such an endeavor was even more difficult than slaying a flood dragon with human strength.

Tantai Pingjing sighed softly.

Xu Longxiang had also completed his preparations; with him at the center, sand and stones swirled around. To an ordinary person, they would only see the Human Butcher's second son's astonishing presence and powerful qi. But in the eyes of Tantai Pingjing, with her century of experience, it was the form of a python-flood dragon, almost achieving dragonhood, innately violent and savage. Tantai Pingjing, in the prime of her youth, had once unintentionally "conferred righteousness" upon a white snake. "Conferring righteousness" is a relatively obscure Daoist term, a step below the legendary "conferment of divinity by heavenly beings." Ordinary folk might not understand the emperor's "heavenly edicts from his mouth" or a Daoist True Man's "prophetic word," but most would have heard that monastics do not lie, and that parents often nag a child about "innocent words" after they say something wrong, making them spit a few times to retract impolite remarks. This explains why ancient sages' creation of characters caused spirits and deities to weep, and why spoken words also possess unpredictable profundity. That immense stroke of fortune, whose truth only became known years later, occurred in the middle section of the Guangling River. Tantai Pingjing was quietly traveling through the central plains with her master and martial uncle. She independently encountered a snow-white great snake coiled by the riverbank, hesitant at the brink of entering the water to cross. For a snake to transform into a flood dragon, like a carp leaping over the dragon gate, it must pass through a Heavenly Dao threshold by "traveling the river and entering the sea," a near-fatal trial. Countless great snakes, having grown in auspicious mountains, perished at this stage. Tantai Pingjing didn't think much at the time; she simply felt a kinship with the white snake, which was over ten zhang long. She was merely a "newborn calf," unaware of the unpredictable might of the Heavenly Dao, and presumptuously "conferred righteousness" upon it, wishing aloud for the white snake to become a dragon. The enormous white snake, as thick as a water vat, incredibly shed tears like a human, then instantly sloughed off its eighth skin without any hesitation or pain, and grew dragon horns on its head. A casual "conferment of righteousness" from Tantai Pingjing, an ordinary Qi practitioner, caused the white snake to ascend in a single step, transforming into a dragon before even entering the river. After leaping onto the river surface, the white flood dragon licked Tantai Pingjing's arm with its tongue before reluctantly plunging into the great river amidst surging winds and clouds. Her master, rushing over upon hearing the news, was torn between laughter and tears, only sighing that "foolish people have foolish blessings." Afterwards, Tantai Pingjing learned that conferring righteousness upon spiritual beings, especially great snakes, was a delicate matter. Even the Heavenly Master of Longhu Mountain, who held the title of Feather-Robed Chancellor, only dared to proceed gradually, enfeoffing them as great flood dragons, never presuming to mention achieving the status of a true dragon. Tantai Pingjing's action was tantamount to tying the merits of several lifetimes to the white snake; their fates were intimately linked. If the white snake ultimately transformed into a dragon and ascended, her reincarnations through generations would naturally receive great opportunities. But if the white snake failed, Tantai Pingjing would also suffer with it, never to be reborn, and even all her close relatives would be tainted by negative karma. Fortunately, Tantai Pingjing's master had a very favorable view of that white snake. Otherwise, once a bad karma was formed, no matter how highly he valued Tantai Pingjing, he would have expelled his disciple to prevent the sect from being implicated in a terrible catastrophe.

After that, probably only Li Yufu, the young Sect Leader of Wudang, possessed such an auspicious opportunity. At the time, by the Guangling River, a carp leaped out of the water and into his embrace. The Daoist sat holding the carp. "This poor Daoist, Li Yufu. You and I are fated. If indeed all things in this world can cultivate, then let us encourage each other and cultivate the Grand Dao together. I only hope to meet you again in a few hundred years." However, the world only knew of the Wudang Sect Leader's immortal act of suppressing the evil dragon of Difu Mountain, unaware of these secret affairs.

Facing the formidable Xu Longxiang, Tantai Pingjing, for some reason, revealed an unprecedented hint of absentmindedness.

Even the young disciples of the Guanyin Sect, two or three generations her junior, noticed it.

This tall woman, who had already reached the realm of returning to simplicity yet deliberately maintained the appearance of a thirty-year-old, suddenly felt a touch of sadness.

She recalled her master, a man whose profoundness she could never hope to match. When they stood together, she was always a head taller; her master had to look up to speak to her. It was only then that her master, whom she perceived as omniscient and omnipotent, would show a hint of helplessness.

Before her master mysteriously disappeared, he had a favorite saying: "You foolish giant."

It was only years later, after her master's "nirvana," that she deduced from fragmented words of an elder that her master had likely been one who repeatedly perceived heavenly secrets, appearing when fate was favorable and departing when it waned.

But as for which specific historical figure he was, Tantai Pingjing did not deliberately speculate, nor did she dare to presumptuously deduce.

This was also a way of showing reverence for the esteemed.

Xu Longxiang's direct charge at that moment interrupted the grand Qi master's reverie, causing Tantai Pingjing to feel an unprovoked surge of anger, something even Xie Feiyu, the Confucian scholar from Shu, had failed to evoke.

Tantai Pingjing swiftly raised her hand, fluidly lifting the mirror whose exact origin was unknown even to the Guanyin Sect's founder. She was about to teach the young man a lesson.

A woman's mind is like a needle at the bottom of the sea; even Tantai Pingjing, who was akin to an immortal, could not escape this stereotype.

Just then, a cool, clear voice sounded in everyone's ears: "Yellow Barbarian fighting with you Qi practitioners is like civil and military officials insisting on comparing their merits—pointless."

The next moment, a figure passed through the Moon Well Sky Mirror ahead of Xu Longxiang, arriving before Tantai Pingjing.

The Moon Well Sky Mirror showed no ripples when he passed through its surface.

Yet, after he passed through, the water patterns danced joyfully.

As if an old object had met its old master.

The mirror no longer looked like a mirror; instead, it resembled the shattered moon in a well.

Xu Fengnian stood before the unusually tall Guanyin Sect Leader, having to tilt his head slightly to meet her gaze. He gave a polite smile, then turned and walked towards Yellow Barbarian, rubbing his head. The boy, who had been restless moments ago, immediately quieted down.

Tantai Pingjing watched the young man's retreating back, her lips trembling slightly.

She uttered those two words, but no sound escaped.