Demon Sword Sect's Undercover-Chapter 777 - 776: Each Going Their Own Way

In a filthy little tavern in Horse Hoof Town, a blind old man sat sobbing over a plate of broad beans, drowning them in cheap liquor.

The tavern owner, taking advantage of his blindness, served him spoiled beans and cloudy wine, but he didn’t care in the slightest--it was all part of life.

He finally saw the events from thousands of years ago, his old adversaries--the generals, the Horse-Faced King of Brightness, the Three-legged Golden Crow... and friends.

This courtyard managed to erase the lingering aura of celestial beings from thousands of years past, from then on, it was no different from the countless other ordinary flower shops of Sui Mo City.

It was enough.

Unbeknownst to anyone, his form gradually began to fade, and by the time the tavern owner noticed, where was there anyone still sitting there?

"Lucky I was clever, didn’t serve the good stuff, just knew he was another freeloader..."

That day, in less than an hour, Sui Mo City completed a cycle of reincarnation, but even among those involved, who knew what this event signified?

It all lay shrouded in mist, because the span of time was so vast, it even exceeded the memories of the gods.

As far as the locals were concerned, nothing had changed--that was the outcome.

..."You scared me to death!" Bai Niangzi patted her chest, still frightened.

Hou Niao smiled slightly, "You did well. You managed to hold off that Tang Yan, so he didn’t come meddling too, otherwise, it would’ve been troublesome."

Bai Qingqian shook her head with a wry smile, "It wasn’t me who held him off, he scared himself. If there had been a fight here, he would’ve rushed over immediately. But because it was so calm, he overthought and even presumed that the Heavenly Heart Pavilion was here to set up a trap for someone."

Not intending to inquire further, she wasn’t interested in the details, "Hou Lang, are you planning to leave, or will you continue to stay here?"

Hou Niao was not one to be single-minded, nor did he have any interest in staying here pretending to be indifferent, which might draw hatred. It made sense to take advantage of the situation and run. Only someone with a rusted brain would stay here and play tough.

"I’m afraid I’ll have to leave this place. It’s not out of fear, but rather to avoid endless disturbances, whether they are well-meaning or malicious. I haven’t completely perfected my flying sword yet, and it needs some arranging. My lady, you..."

"It’s not appropriate for me to follow you, and it’s even less suitable for me to stay here. I plan to return to Jin City to be with the grandfathers, as they might not have much time left."

Hou Niao nodded. Indeed, in the coming times, it would not be suitable to have a woman following him; it would hinder his actions and cause discomfort to her, needlessly exposing her to danger.

"That’s also good. I will contact the Heavenly Heart Pavilion to arrange for someone to escort you back..."

Stopping her interjection, "One must be cautious. After today’s events, they won’t come again soon, but there’s no need to give them the opportunity. The Heavenly Heart Pavilion owes me a favor; this minor errand is nothing much. They always have people venturing out for experience; it’s just convenient for them."

Bai Qingqian looked at the courtyard, "In the blink of an eye, I spent over a decade here, never thought it would be here; but as good as Sui Mo is, it still lacks the warmth of family. One may get used to the scenery, but not the people."

"You should get ready; all these flowers and plants, they are your hard work."

Yet Bai Qingqian saw the situation clearly. Critically, she wasn’t willing to have her man stay here any longer than necessary; the news had already leaked, and who knew if there were any other assassins lurking.

"There’s nothing much to pack up, nothing is ever truly finished. Since we’re asking Heavenly Heart Pavilion, we might as well entrust them with the care of this courtyard..."

Over the years, Bai Qingqian had also adopted her husband’s decisive and swift style. She would leave without hesitation or lingering attachment.

That very afternoon, a Golden Core Upper Cultivator from Heavenly Heart Pavilion arrived with two Tongtian disciples to escort Bai Qingqian away, while Hou Niao had already left Sui Mo City, silently waiting on a small mountain outside the city.

If the blind elder was willing to meet him, this would be his last chance; he too had many questions that needed clarification.

A night passed, and dawn was breaking. Hou Niao soared into the sky, taking one last glance at Sui Mo City before disappearing into the distance.

The blind elder did not come.

.........

Jiangning, the capital of Wu Country and the cultural center of Wu Sect’s cultivation.

Wu Sect, officially known as Wu Country’s Qingxu Sect, alongside Qi Country’s Qingxuan Sect in the Southeast region and Zhou Country’s Qingwei Sect, were known as the Three Pure Sects of the Daoist tradition in Jinxiu Continent.

Chu Sect’s ability to attract attention with the construction of their mountain gate had fully showcased the uniqueness of the Cultivation Sects, highlighting their status and the advantages of being in the city, whether in terms of prestige or practicality, offering numerous benefits unmatched by other forms of urban existence.

Ever since the awakening of spiritual energy on Jinxiu Continent, various races had been advancing in cultivation together, each leading the way. In order to regard the constant harassment of human cities by other races, Cultivation Sects had to establish their Daoist centers within the cities to maintain credibility among mortals. Thus, such a tradition formed on the continent—failing to do so would mean losing faith with the public, becoming out of touch with mortals, and so on.

But times and environments change. Nearly two thousand years have passed and Jinxiu Continent today is not what it once was. Humans have slowly pushed other races out of densely populated human territories, or confined them to a single mountain or river—especially in the more developed cultivation civilizations of the Southwest and Southeast. The model of Cultivation Sects and mortals coexisting within the same city had become outdated. That’s why Chu Sect in the Southeast paved the way for a historic change by placing their mountain gate in the remote Danyang Mountain, attracting the envy of almost all Daoist traditions with their architectural style.

Once one did it, others would inevitably follow—it was just a matter of time and style. Over the past few decades, the hottest profession among mortals on the Continent has been everything related to construction—roofers, carpenters, masons, painters, varnishers, carvers, and so on.

Experienced and skilled craftsmen were treasures, gathered up and offered generous compensation. This was not a short-term trend, but a long-term professional direction. With the wealthy finances and large scale of the Cultivation Sects, the endless renovations and expansions made construction a hot profession capable of feeding generations, stirring up an alternative building boom in the Mortal World.

The demands of the Cultivator lords were high; they were not something that could be shoddily met like in the mortal constructions.

The location of Wu Sect’s mountain gate was chosen to be Langya Mountain, a place of perilous peaks surrounded by mountains, also the most famous scenic spot within the territory of Wu Country, particularly valuable for its abundance of water systems in the Southwest.

Cultivation mountain gates, of course, must involve mountains or water; it would be impossible to find a flat area, for that would lack the symbolism of the arduous path of cultivation and be too easily accessible by mortals.

Being the national religion, Qingxu Sect had authority higher than the imperial power, so they had the liberty to choose any location. Even the Emperor’s Palace within Langya Mountain had to relocate, let alone those influential magnates. In a word, from now on, Langya Mountain would be an Immortal Mountain, where mortals were forbidden from entering.

With the natural protection of the mountain’s terrain and the barriers of arrays, after a few dynasties, this place would become a true forbidden area where ordinary mortals couldn’t enter, only able to hear about it in legends, which would ultimately be the final goal.