The northern borders of the Great Shang Dynasty were shrouded in snow, and all living things were hidden away.
Qinglan Sect.
...
In the grand hall.
Qin Ruo, the chief disciple, who had fallen back to the Golden Core realm, was in a sorry state. Beside him, Zhao Yan, who had lost her spiritual cultivation and was now aged, ugly, and on the verge of madness, both their states of mind were shattered. Zhao Yan, in particular, was close to death of the heart.
"A military strategist?"
Qin Yi, the Sect Master of Qinglan Sect, gritted his teeth and said, "To have injured Ruo'er to this extent, it must be a military strategist of the Upper Five Realms. The only question is, are they in the Returning to Truth realm or the Deification realm?"
Beside him, an elder in the Returning to Truth realm narrowed his eyes and said, "Senior Brother, even if they are in the Deification realm, you are also in the Deification realm, and moreover, a sword cultivator of the Twelve Realms. Even if the other party is a military strategist of the Twelve Realms and a martial artist of the Rebirth realm, we have the advantage of time and place on Qinglan Sect's territory. We can still kill them if we join forces!"
"Exactly!"
A high-ranking guest of the Star River realm frowned, "To humiliate our Qinglan Sect's chief disciple so brazenly at the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool! If our Qinglan Sect tolerates this, how will we establish ourselves in the world in the future?"
"Yes!"
A group of people were filled with righteous indignation. Someone stood up and said, "At best, it will be a fight to the death. Even if we have to take this to the ancestral court of the military strategists, our Qinglan Sect must defend this honor. Is it that the military strategists can run rampant without consequences? Do they really think that all the sages in heaven have died and will no longer open their eyes?"
"Precisely!"
Someone raised their weapon and shouted, "Let's go to the Snow Domain Heavenly Pool and demand justice!"
...
Just then, a "dong" sound suddenly echoed above Qinglan Sect. The sect-protecting formation of the entire Qinglan Sect vibrated. Above the formation, there seemed to be a deep crimson palm print, followed by a fist print that heavily struck the formation's restrictions.
"Not good!"
An elder suddenly stood up, "Someone is attacking our Qinglan Sect's sect-protecting formation!"
"Who could it be?!"
Qin Yi stood up abruptly and shouted, "Do you not take our Qinglan Sect seriously at all!"
Just then, the opponent struck again with a punch. Instantly, the sect-protecting formation swayed precariously, and a gap was blasted open. Immediately after, a green figure descended with the wind. Dressed in a blue robe, they looked gentle and refined, not at all like a military strategist. It was just that their fist was too strong, smashing through the sect's protective formation with three blows.
"You..."
A group of Qinglan Sect's sect masters, elders, protectors, and guests all flew out of the grand hall and confronted the opponent in the air outside the hall.
"Master, it's him!"
Qin Ruo's eyes were filled with fear. The scene of his natal flying sword being crushed and being defeated with a single punch was destined to become his inner demon.
"Fellow Daoist."
Qin Yi stepped into the air, and strands of the Great Dao's vital energy rippled beneath his feet, as if he were an immortal ascending to heaven. He said, "I am Qin Yi, the Sect Master of Qinglan Sect. May I ask who you are, and why you repeatedly disrespect my Qinglan Sect?"
The man in green smiled faintly and pointed at Qin Ruo, "Ask your good disciple. Ask him how he stole my junior brother's fortune, and how he shattered my junior brother's Heavenly Yuan spiritual脉 with three palms."
"This..."
Qin Yi was already well aware of Qin Ruo's actions. He didn't even see anything wrong with them. What was a nobody from the mud compared to an immortal seeking the Dao and ascending to heaven? Worthless.
"Hmph..."
Qin Yi smiled faintly, "The internal affairs of my Qinglan Sect, why is it for outsiders to point fingers?"
"Oh~~~"
The man in green chuckled with realization, "This is quite understandable. It's a matter of family conduct. With a dog disciple like Qin Ruo, naturally, you would have a dog master like Qin Yi. Since your Qinglan Sect's family conduct is so improper, I've come this far, so I'll help you set your family conduct straight."
"You..."
Qin Yi angrily said, "What do you want to do?"
"Nothing much."
The man in green raised a finger and smiled, "As long as each of you drops one realm, it's that simple."
"You dare?!"
Qin Yi let out a low growl and attacked immediately. As he thrust his sword, a flying sword bathed in bloody light from the Sword Lake above erupted and transformed into a torrent of blood qi, crashing down towards the man in green.
The man in green chuckled, throwing a punch at the sky and another at the person. He instantly sent the flying sword, which possessed a terrifying aura, flying away with a single punch. Then, his fist landed on the sword qi in front of Qin Yi. The punch intent was like a green pillar of light, continuously piercing through Qin Yi's sword qi.
"You dare to do this?!"
Qin Yi roared, quickly removed the white jade hairpin from his head, and instantly crushed it. Strands of jade powder transformed into spiritual essence, rapidly enveloping his body, constantly reinforcing his sword qi defense, determined to block the incoming punch.
"Can you block it?"
The man in green smiled faintly and exerted more force. Instantly, strands of golden text appeared around his arms. This punch, filled with righteous intent, became even more vigorous and unparalleled. With a deafening roar, it instantly pierced through Qin Yi's sword qi and directly struck Qin Yi's chest. A wisp of golden light flickered behind Qin Yi, on the verge of separating: it was the primordial spirit.
This punch was actually intended to separate Qin Yi's primordial spirit from his physical body!
What constitutes the Upper Five Realms?
The first realm of the Upper Five Realms, the Returning to Truth realm, as the name suggests, is to return to the primal simplicity. The primordial spirit and the physical body merge into one. This is a watershed, which has historically blocked countless spiritual cultivators from entering the Upper Five Realms. Ascending to heaven is not easy. If the man in green's punch truly separates Qin Yi's primordial spirit and physical body completely, it would be equivalent to sending Qin Yi back to the Tenth Realm, the Star River realm!
Qin Yi was already very old and truly couldn't withstand such a turmoil. Once he fell from the Twelfth Realm to the Tenth Realm, he would basically have no escape from death.
"You..."
Qin Yi was terrified. The situation was extremely dire. He looked at the other party urgently, his eyes shifting from arrogance to pleading, "Fellow Daoist! Qin Yi implores you to spare me, please don't..."
"Hmph!"
The man in green spun his body and retracted his punch. However, even so, Qin Yi still fell from the Twelfth Realm, the Deification realm, back to the Eleventh Realm, the Returning to Truth realm.
"All of you shall drop one realm."
The man in green pointed at the members of Qinglan Sect, "You believe that your high realms and profound techniques allow you to stand above the masses, to be superior, and thus to trample on living beings at will, am I right? It doesn't matter. Everyone walks a different path in seeking the Dao and ascending to heaven. You seek freedom from restraint, and I cannot control that. After all, I am not a Confucian who wishes to enlighten the world. But you dare to covet my junior brother Lin Zhao's fortune, so don't blame me for being impolite!"
Everyone nodded in subservience. Even the Sect Master of the Twelfth Realm was defeated with a single punch, so who dared to challenge him?
"This attitude is acceptable."
The man in green took a step forward, and strands of golden imperial decree text spread beneath his feet. With a resounding stomp, it shook the heavens and earth. Instantly, hundreds of mountains belonging to Qinglan Sect sank dozens of meters. The cultivation of the Qinglan Sect members also sank in unison. Apart from Sect Master Qin Yi, who had already fallen a realm, everyone else's souls trembled and was greatly affected. Those with weak wills cried on the spot. After the man in green finished his stomp, their cultivation collapsed, and each of them dropped one realm.
They stood dumbfounded in the wind, each still in shock.
"Remember, this is a one-time exception."
The man in green turned and rode the wind away.
"We respectfully send off the Daoist friend!"
Qin Yi was the first to stand up and bowed deeply towards the retreating figure of the man in green. The rest of the people nodded. At this moment, Qin Ruo's heart was filled with coldness and despair, while Zhao Yan became even more frantic.
...
"You scoundrel!"
Qin Yi stood up and immediately slapped Qin Ruo, roaring, "Do you know what kind of existence you've provoked by returning?"
Qin Ruo covered his face, filled with shame, but he didn't dare to act up in front of Qin Yi. He murmured, "Master, who exactly is he?"
"Hmph..."
Qin Yi snorted coldly and said, "He comes from the ancestral court of the military strategists. He can issue imperial decrees to heaven and earth, and he is so young. In the past few hundred years, has any military strategist received an imperial decree from heaven and earth?"
"Ah?"
The Deputy Sect Master's body trembled, "The Military Sage, Ding..."
"Hush!"
Qin Yi immediately silenced him, "How dare you utter the name of the Military Sage? Do you believe that the moment you speak these three words, he will immediately turn back and make us all drop another realm?"
The members of Qinglan Sect were collectively petrified, feeling that they had never been so unlucky in their lives.
Just then, everyone's hearts tightened. He's back again!
As expected, a figure in a blue robe floated down from the sky.
"That..."
He scratched his head, seeming a little embarrassed, and said, "I left in a hurry just now and forgot to retrieve... oh no, forgot to take back some things. Sect Master Qin Yi, it's nothing else, but your chief disciple Qin Ruo shattered my junior brother's Heavenly Yuan spiritual脉, making him hopeless of ascending to heaven in this life. Originally, with my junior brother's peerless talent and comprehension, he would have started as at least a Thirteenth Realm peak martial artist when practicing punches, and at least a Fourteenth Realm sword immortal when practicing sword. Now it's all ruined. I can't help it, so your Qinglan Sect will have to compensate."
Qin Yi trembled, "Fellow Daoist... how much do you want?"
"Not much."
The man in green said, "Ten thousand Jin Zi coins."
"C... can..."
Qin Yi looked helpless, "But the amount is too large, and the sect's treasury doesn't have it. We'll need some time to gather it. Can you give us some time?"
"Certainly."
The man in green stood in the wind, "I'll wait here. Don't make me wait too long, or the entire Qinglan Sect will drop a realm every hour. My temper isn't very good."
"Yes!"
Qin Yi looked numb. Damn, I naturally know your temper isn't good, I've already experienced it!
Not long after, Qin Yi returned with a group of people, holding a box in his hand, which was a storage artifact containing ten thousand Jin Zi coins. This sum was equivalent to more than half of Qinglan Sect's foundation. In the mortal world, it would be enough to buy a small vassal dynasty. Therefore, Qin Yi's hands holding the box trembled.
"Thanks!"
The man in green briefly inspected it, then took the box and rode the wind away.
...
Tianchi Town, dusk.
The winter dusk was extremely cold. Lin Zhao had already started a brazier at home, letting Xiao Jiu'er and Xiao Shitóu warm themselves by the fire. He himself was cooking a pot of wild boar meat and a pot of venison. The ingredients for the pickled fish were also prepared, and they would be ready to serve once the person returned and the soup was heated.
A little later, it began to snow in the sky.
This was the second snow of the year in the small town, arriving neither too early nor too late.
Outside, covered in dust and wind, a figure in a blue robe entered the courtyard. After helping to close the door, he brushed the snow off himself and raised a pot of apricot blossom wine, smiling, "Want to drink some tonight?"
Lin Zhao smiled lightly, "Yes, let's have some!"
...
For some reason, although the young man didn't know who the man in green was, he always felt a sense of closeness to him, as if he were a relative he had never met.