"Here you go..."
Chen Mengjun held out the demon cores and said, "These are from our spoils at Shanhai Pass. Three twelfth-realm and nine eleventh-realm demon cores. Some were from demons I killed myself, others were taken from great demons that died in the chaos of battle. While they may not be of much use to you, they will be immensely beneficial for the Void-Chasing Sword Immortal to refine the Demon Soul Sword."
She then weighed the money pouch. "This pouch... contains about 3,000 Jinzi coins. It's my personal savings, unrelated to Lingyan Sword Sect. Some were exchanged from the Four Great Ancestral Courts with battle merits from Shanhai Pass, and some were obtained from slaying Demon Calamities in the Southern Wilderness. Regardless, the source is legitimate."
"Good!"
Lin Zhao nodded heavily, accepting the demon cores with one hand and the money pouch with the other. "We at Shan Dian Bie Yuan will remember both these debts of gratitude. Once the people of Shan Dian Bie Yuan are reunited, and when Xue Yu Tian Chi is prosperous once more, we will repay Lingyan Sword Sect doubly."
"Mmm."
Chen Mengjun nodded, smiling. "That would be best. I also hope Shan Dian Bie Yuan can return to its peak soon, and I look forward to your next plans. After all, many old scores still need to be settled with the demon and fiend races."
Lin Zhao, Wu Zhi, and Yu Wan Ning all smiled and nodded.
Not long after, Chen Mengjun and her party did not linger. After all, Shan Dian Bie Yuan was now in ruins, lacking even guest rooms to entertain visitors. Moreover, it was practically penniless, with an empty kitchen and likely no stock in the wine cellar. Thus, Chen Mengjun genuinely could not bear to eat another meal at Shan Dian Bie Yuan.
Before their departure, the two had a tacit understanding. Lin Zhao offered to accompany Chen Mengjun for a stroll through the apricot grove, discussing the many events that had transpired over the past decade. Wu Zhi, Yu Wan Ning, and the group of Lingyan Sword Sect disciples found nothing amiss, as Lin Zhao and Chen Mengjun were old acquaintances. As for who harbored feelings for whom, everyone chose to observe without comment.
A cold wind rustled through the apricot grove.
Deprived of the spiritual energy nurturing it from Shan Dian Bie Yuan, the apricot grove had long lost its former vibrancy. Especially after Dong Cang's disappearance, the grove had lost much of its spiritual essence.
"Have you heard any news about Miss Dong Cang?" Chen Mengjun asked.
"No..."
Lin Zhao shook his head. "After Dong Cang was abducted by the thirteenth-realm spirit demon Chen Rusong, there has been no news. It's likely she is still imprisoned deep within the demon realm. Once the situation at Shan Dian Bie Yuan improves slightly, once Huang Ting Yu returns, and once Wu Zhi reascends to the thirteenth realm, we should plan to settle the score with Chen Rusong."
"Mmm, no rush. Take your time."
Chen Mengjun said softly, "If you need my help, don't hesitate. A single message via Flying Fish Scroll, and Meng Jun will do her utmost to assist."
"Thank you."
Lin Zhao turned and glanced at her, smiling. "Meng Jun, compared to your former self, you truly seem to have improved. You give off a feeling of greater dependability."
Chen Mengjun smiled slightly. "Is it because my realm and combat strength have increased?"
"That's part of it."
Lin Zhao continued, "In any case, don't stop practicing your sword. Inheriting the legacy of Sword Immortal Xie Yiying, it would be best if you could cultivate to the thirteenth realm. Since there are no longer any rules restricting ascensions in the human realm, if you can reach the thirteenth realm, you would be sufficient to guard the southern reaches of the human race in place of Xiao Jiu'er."
"Actually, I never thought of replacing Sword Immortal Su."
Chen Mengjun pursed her red lips. "Sword Immortal Su and Sword Immortal Lin Wanhua are unique individuals in the world. How many people could possibly replace them? Moreover, she is your Xiao Jiu'er."
"It's the same."
Lin Zhao stated, "Chen Mengjun is also a unique individual in the world. Why should others be able to enter the thirteenth realm, but Chen Mengjun cannot? There's no such logic. As long as you are willing and put in the effort, how can you not reach the thirteenth realm?"
"Ah?"
Chen Mengjun's pearly dimples surfaced as she smiled. "Lin Zhao, do you truly think so?"
"Mmm."
Lin Zhao nodded, gazing at the apricot and peach groves in the distance, and laughed. "Our Shan Dian Bie Yuan truly has unique scenery!"
Chen Mengjun looked at his handsome face and suddenly seemed lost in thought, her beautiful eyes sparkling as she gazed directly at Lin Zhao and said softly, "Actually, I never thought I would see you again in this lifetime. I thought our last meeting was truly a farewell."
"How could that be?"
Lin Zhao smiled indifferently. "Those you wish to see, you will eventually see."
A mistiness enveloped Chen Mengjun's beautiful eyes. She whispered, "I miss my master so much... I wish to see if she is well, to hear her praise me, or even to hear her scold me..."
Lin Zhao remained silent.
Everyone had someone they wished to see. He wished to see his parents, to see Mr. Qin, but for many, a parting meant forever, never to be seen again. How could words of comfort for Chen Mengjun console himself?
"Lin Zhao..."
Chen Mengjun looked at Lin Zhao and continued, "Since you emerged from Mount Wuwang this time, your entire aura is completely different. It seems... you possess the bearing of someone destined to reach the thirteenth realm. I wonder if my feeling is correct?"
"That's right."
Lin Zhao chuckled. "Even I feel that the legendary thirteenth realm is within my grasp, a matter of time."
In fact, Lin Zhao's foundation in the sword path was exceedingly deep. He possessed a flawless sword heart, benefited from the Qi of the Dragon Slaying Sword, and cultivated the supreme Eternal Sword Scripture of the Three Realms. Coupled with his inherent talent, which was not weak, as Chen Mengjun had said, the thirteenth realm was a certainty, merely a matter of waiting for the right time.
"Alright!"
Chen Mengjun laughed. "Then I will also strive hard. In the future, we will ascend together, sword in hand, to the heavens beyond to slay the inner demons!"
"Well said!"
Lin Zhao rubbed his fists and palms, laughing. "If the human world has two more peak thirteenth-realm cultivators ascending, the strength of the righteous path in the upper realm will be even greater."
Chen Mengjun's pearly dimples reappeared. Shortly after, the disciples of Lingyan Sword Sect arrived. Chen Mengjun bid farewell to Lin Zhao. The group of ethereal maidens soared into the sky on their swords. Lin Zhao stood at the mountain gate, hands clasped in a respectful salute as he saw off the celestial maidens of Lingyan Sword Sect.
...
Lin Zhao turned, about to ascend the mountain, when he noticed a figure emerge from the woods beside the mountain path. It was a disheveled old man, leaning on a staff and with a wine gourd hanging from his waist. With a glance, Lin Zhao, under his suppressed realm, discerned the stranger's nature.
A rogue cultivator, at the Nascent Soul stage. However, within the rogue cultivator's sleeve, a refined bronze urn was concealed. Lin Zhao narrowed his eyes for a moment and realized that within the bronze urn lay a strand of scorching firefly light. Clearly, this rogue cultivator had come to "scout" the mountain, bringing an umbrella-wielding inner demon to test the strength of Shan Dian Bie Yuan.
"Yu Wan Ning, come here."
Lin Zhao directly transmitted his voice to Yu Wan Ning on the mountain, then floated upwards, arms crossed, hovering in mid-air. He said with a smile, "Esteemed fellow Daoist, the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool lies ahead. Are you unaware of the forbidden zone?"
The rogue cultivator looked up at Lin Zhao, surprisingly unable to discern the true cultivation of this young sword cultivator. However, judging by his sword intent, he seemed to be at the peak of the Golden Core stage. At such a young age, his cultivation couldn't possibly be too high.
"What if I insist on going?"
The rogue cultivator, relying on the umbrella-wielding inner demon within the bronze urn, grinned. "Young friend, I advise you not to tread the wrong path."
"Alas..."
Lin Zhao sighed. "The umbrella-wielding inner demon descended upon the human realm with Mount Wuwang. During the ten years of war, the umbrella-wielding inner demon has caused no small amount of trouble, at best undermining the morale of the human army, and at worst directly attacking and harming cultivators in the human realm. I imagine you have committed no small amount of evil with this umbrella-wielding inner demon. If I were to kill you with my sword, would it not be justified?"
"Are you disrespecting me?"
The rogue cultivator's gaze instantly turned sinister. "I didn't intend to kill you, but since you are seeking death, you have no one to blame but yourself!"
This rogue cultivator was rather pitiful. He had been seeking opportunities in the mountains for a long time, and his information was outdated. He was completely unaware that Lin Baiyi had awakened, nor that Wu Zhi and Yu Wan Ning had returned to Xue Yu Tian Chi. He still intended to find opportunities at Shan Dian Bie Yuan, clearly arriving at the wrong time.
The next moment, the rogue cultivator let out a soft shout, twisting open the mouth of the gourd at his waist. Immediately, a flying sword shot forth, heading straight for Lin Zhao.
Lin Zhao frowned. With a thought, threads of incredibly fine ephemeral fly swords shot out from the orange gourd at his waist. After ten years of nurturing, the ephemeral fly swords had doubled again, numbering 72. Under the control of the Thirty-Six Horizontal and Vertical Techniques, they "swished" through the void, directly colliding with the rogue cultivator's flying sword, which let out a metallic clang, and were surprisingly devoured and shattered.
"You!"
The elder flew into a rage, raising his palm and unleashing a strike. Lin Zhao, drawing the Zhanlu Sword, swung it gently forward, activating the "Hidden Dragon in the Abyss" skill of the Eternal Sword Scripture. Instantly, a sword dao prohibition formed around him, like an invisible shield. The elder's palm strike, upon striking the prohibition, dissipated into nothingness, completely shattered.
"Not very strong, fellow Daoist!"
Lin Zhao laughed heartily. The skills used by this eleventh-realm cultivator seemed to have been greatly enhanced as well. He then swept his sword out, unleashing the "Horizontal Sword Style." With a deafening roar, the elder staggered back several steps, his body being repelled into the wind, a dizziness icon appearing above his head, knocked out by the Horizontal Sword Style.
Lin Zhao seized the opportunity, his blade flashing. A "Sunken Sword Style" descended from the sky, and instantly, strands of sword energy bombarded the elder's body. The Nascent Soul rogue cultivator's health bar plummeted rapidly. It was too fast. Indeed, killing cultivators of the middle five realms was like slaughtering chickens for those of the upper five realms!
However, killing too quickly meant he likely wouldn't gain experience points.
"Old friend!"
Just then, the Nascent Soul rogue cultivator let out a low cry and released an umbrella-wielding inner demon from the bronze urn in his sleeve. The umbrella-wielding inner demon, holding an oil-paper umbrella, was dressed as a middle-aged scholar. He looked at Lin Zhao and laughed heartily, "Brat, you're seeking death!?"
As a result, the moment he lunged forward, a figure of peerless beauty descended from the sky. It was Yu Wan Ning, who delivered a heavy punch straight down. The umbrella-wielding inner demon looked up, his mind filled with shock: "Trouble..."
The next second, the umbrella-wielding inner demon dissolved into a wisp of dissipating smoke. Lin Zhao then followed up with a combo of skills, depleting the rogue cultivator's health bar. Unfortunately, there were very few experience points. However, the rogue cultivator's corpse remained, and his storage bag contained many treasures.
...
Lin Zhao weighed the storage bag and laughed. "Rogue cultivators are indeed rogue cultivators, with so many treasures!"
Yu Wan Ning also narrowed her eyes and smiled. "Mountain Lord, don't be anxious. Many will come to die like this, one after another. Over the years, Shan Dian Bie Yuan has been ransacked countless times by these wicked rogue cultivators!"
"It's in your hands now."
"Alright!"