Chapter 71
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Yun Qin lowered her gaze, her eyes fixed on her nose, and her nose on her heart.
Hmm, one of the wedding gifts from my parents. It’s okay to give it to a friend.
Her parents wouldn’t mind.
But this gift, personally sent by the Northern Emperor for the wedding of one of his subordinate Star Lords, was already too significant.
What’s more, her teacher had now revealed its origins—it was a treasure refined by the [Jade Pure Dao Sovereign, Supreme Clarity Lingbao Heavenly Venerable].
Even a carefree and innocent girl with a playful nature could faintly sense that she had gotten into big trouble. Anxiety stirred in her heart, along with a hint of frustration: why hadn’t her parents explained the origins of this mirror? They had simply thrown it to her, saying she could use it freely. And so, she had casually given it to her rare friend of the same age.
If the Jade Pure Dao Sovereign were to find out it had been given away.
Wouldn’t the Lingbao Heavenly Venerable be angered?
The chances might be slim, but what if?
It would not bode well if this implicated Qi Wuhuo.
These thoughts swirled through the young girl’s mind. The Lingbao Heavenly Venerable’s renown was too immense, and a faint trace of fear lingered in her heart. She then obediently responded: “I still have it, Teacher. Would you like to see it?”
As expected, Lady Danhua, the Celestial Monarch of Talismanic Resonance, who was known for her cold and strict demeanor, merely smiled faintly and replied gently:
“Why would I need to see your parents’ belongings?”
“Just keep it safe yourself.”
“However, this incantation you’ve crafted on your own is quite intriguing. Very good, very good. You have talent.”
“As your teacher, I’ll take it for now and let my master know that my disciple possesses such remarkable aptitude.”
Yun Qin vaguely sensed something was amiss, but for a moment, she couldn’t think of a way to explain that the technique wasn’t her creation without implicating Qi Wuhuo. Thus, she had no choice but to let her teacher take it for now.
She resolved to later discuss with Qi Wuhuo a secure way to explain to her teacher that the divine ability wasn’t her own creation, all without exposing the matter of the mirror.
Uncle Niu returned after watching the commotion, still deep in thought. Even the usually jovial Old Yellow Ox bore a solemn and moved expression. Clearly, the issue at the Divine Firmament Jade Purity Thunder Mansion was no small matter.
She listened as Uncle Niu discussed the event with her father, all the while quietly studying the “simple” [Round Light Manifestation Technique], which still gave her a headache.
Just then, she noticed ripples reappearing on her jade mirror, forming text.
It was a message from Qi Wuhuo.
Relieved, she murmured to herself: “It’s so difficult, if you’re the one teaching me, I’ll definitely learn it.”
“You spent a year creating it, but I can master it in three days—no, two days!”
“Thinking about it like this, my talent isn’t so bad after all.”
Meanwhile, Qi Wuhuo placed the ancient, tarnished bronze mirror, covered in light green patina, back into its wooden box. Carrying some osmanthus cakes, he strolled leisurely, picking up some paper and brushes on the way. As he approached the city walls of Zhongzhou Prefecture City, he noticed the majestic statues of [Jiaotu] and [Chaofeng] atop the towering structure. Beneath the pressure of the swirling clouds, the statues exuded a mix of majesty and ferocity.
A playful thought crossed his mind.
He cast a concealment spell and quietly climbed up.
Perhaps it was the calming tea from the elderly gentleman that had saved the young Daoist several days of effort, or perhaps it was because the two stone statues faced outward, away from the city wall. Either way, they failed to notice the young Daoist sneaking up from behind.
Qi Wuhuo, his spirit clear and pure, could hear the two statues ‘whispering’ to one another.
“Has that little Daoist left yet?”
“Yes, he’s probably gone.”
“Phew, thank goodness. He scared Jiaotu half to death.”
“Indeed, scared Jiaotu to de—wait, what are you saying?!” The Jiaotu statue reflexively echoed the words, only to realize what had been said. Furious, it roared: “Clearly, you were the one who was scared, Chaofeng!”
“Why are you saying it’s me!”
The Chaofeng statue sneered: “Me? Afraid?”
“Ridiculous! How could I possibly be afraid?!”
“I once saw a black flood dragon soaring through the sky from 300 miles away, stirring up a raging storm, and I didn’t flinch!”
Jiaotu retorted: “As if you could even move!”
“How dare you! You’re the one who was scared!”
“Nonsense! Clearly, it was you who was afraid!”
“You were scared!”
“No, you were scared!”
The two statues grew furious, bickering with increasing intensity. Then, as if finally sensing someone approaching the top of the city wall behind them, they made a concerted effort to shift their eyes and heads to look back. Staring at the young Daoist boy, the spiritual essence within the ancient, weathered statues widened their eyes in unison. Both loudly demanded: “You tell us—who was the one that was sca—?!”
Their voices abruptly cut off, leaving only the sound of the wind brushing against the hanging bells beneath the eaves of the city wall.
It was quiet.
Extremely quiet.
In that instant, it felt as if all sound had been swallowed by the silence.
Chaofeng slowly turned its head back around, pretending as if nothing had happened.
Jiaotu, meanwhile, lowered its head, its mouth slightly agape in an awkward pose.
Inwardly, it chanted silently:
You can’t see me. You can’t see me…
The young Daoist steadied himself with one hand on the eaves of the city wall, his feet treading carefully on the smooth glazed tiles. He walked to the space between the two ancient statues, paused for a moment, and then sat down. From his vantage point, the expanse of clouds stretched across the wilderness below, filling the heart with tranquility. As the wind swept by, the bells under the flying eaves chimed gently, and the young Daoist’s wide sleeves fluttered lightly in the breeze. After a moment of thought, he asked:
“But why are you afraid of me?”
[Chaofeng] and [Jiaotu] exchanged a glance.
If they had legs, they would have bolted immediately.
Unfortunately, being an inseparable part of the city wall, they couldn’t move unless they tore themselves from the structure. Trapped, they had no choice but to answer truthfully: “Because we saw the pure and clear spiritual essence in you. It’s the mark of the orthodox path of the Daoist sects.”
“There are few who walk such a path anymore.”
“So, we guessed that you must be a disciple of some Daoist True Person, traveling outside for training and experience.”
Jiaotu added cautiously: “It’s better to avoid unnecessary trouble. A disciple of a True Person, someone with such pure spiritual essence, surely wouldn’t do harm. But if we provoked you, it could bring us problems instead.”
The young Daoist mused: “A disciple of a True Person?”
Chaofeng and Jiaotu glanced at each other and replied hesitantly: “We must be right… right?”
“We’ve been here for three to five hundred years, watching countless stories unfold. Our eyesight is quite good. We’ve seen Daoist swordsmen and Buddhist monks—those who cultivate their spirit’s essence are easy to recognize at a glance.”
The statues seemed rather proud of their perceptiveness and experience.
When asked about their origins, they claimed that centuries ago, they were sculpted by a great True Person.
When sculpted, the statues were modeled after two dragon variants, capturing their form and a trace of their essence. Placed at the highest point of the city wall, they had been tasked with surveying distant lands to ward off demonic forces and evil spirits from entering the city of Zhongzhou. Bathed in the radiance of the sun and moon over centuries, their forms gradually gained sentience and spiritual abilities.
The sculptures became sentient and gained divine powers.
Qi Wuhuo marveled, genuinely impressed: “Even carved sculptures can develop such spiritual intelligence?”
The Chaofeng statue, with a touch of pride, replied:
“Indeed. He once said, ‘The Dao gives birth to all things. All things are merely the union of innate spirit and life treasure’.”
“Reversing three to return to two, reversing two to return to one—this is the orthodox path of the Daoist sects.”
“But he never said this principle could only be applied to personal cultivation.”
“If materials infused with [Primordial Qi] are used as the foundation, and one imitates the [Innate Spirit], it is naturally possible to create beings with both sentience and self-awareness. That was the path he chose to walk.”
“He’s still alive, you know.”
“Just a few years ago, he painted a mural in front of a Buddhist temple—a depiction of two dragons fighting over a pearl. At first, he left the dragons’ eyes unfinished. Many onlookers clamored for him to complete the painting. Unable to refuse, he finally added the pupils, and the two dragons flew out of the mural and soared into the sky.”
Chaofeng’s gaze, capable of surveying distant lands, gleamed with envy as it recounted the story.
They’ve been stuck here for five centuries, staring off into the distance.
But those dragons—painted just a few years ago—can fly freely.
How wonderful, to be so unrestrained!
The two statues turned their curious gazes toward Qi Wuhuo, and their earlier fear dissipated. “You’re not a disciple of a True Person?”
The young Daoist sat on the glazed tiles, gazing at the distant clouds. After a pause, he replied:
“Not yet. My teacher hasn’t formally acknowledged me as a disciple.”
“Some senior brothers and sisters failed the trials of the mortal world and had their names struck from the record.”
Chaofeng muttered discontentedly: “What kind of teacher is this? Your lineage is too strict, isn’t it?”
The young Daoist simply said: “I’m following my teacher’s advice: to travel the mortal world, witness its countless wonders, encounter diverse paths, and meet all sorts of people. Only by walking my own path can I be formally recognized as a disciple of our lineage.”
Jiaotu encouraged him earnestly: “You must work hard!”
“Once you’ve achieved your goal, come back and tell us.”
Chaofeng encouraged him as well: “By then, you should be a True Person, right?”
Qi Wuhuo nodded, his gaze lingering on the flowing clouds and radiant sunset. As he prepared to take his leave, Chaofeng hesitated before saying: “Be careful out there.”
“It seems the local Land Gods are looking for you. We’re not sure what it’s about.”
Jiaotu added: “They did ask us.”
Chaofeng clarified: “But we didn’t say anything!”
Qi Wuhuo nodded again, descending the stairs and heading into the distance beneath the evening glow. Jiaotu sighed wistfully. “Speaking of the old man, he seems to be searching for someone lately. I wonder what it’s about…”
Chaofeng replied: “Yes, but I do know he’s looking for a scene from a painting.”
“A scene from a painting?”
“Yes.”
Chaofeng, whose sight could span great distances, explained: “Last year, he saw a breathtaking sight during the shifting colors of sunset. From atop a mountain peak, he beheld what seemed like a young Sword Immortal practicing swordplay amidst the stars and the clouds. The scene was so magnificent that he’s been trying to capture it in a painting ever since, but he never seems satisfied…”
As he spoke, his gaze followed the young Daoist descending the city wall. His figure, carrying a sword case, gradually receded into the soft hues of twilight.
The gentle light of the sunset fell upon his shoulders.
He remarked casually, “Right. Just like him.”
PS:
The sword-dancing scene appears in Chapter 45.
