The woman's graceful figure turned and vanished without a trace once she left the bookstore's courtyard gate.
...
Lin Zhao stood frozen in place, the scene he had just witnessed leaving him deeply shaken. The image of the woman's nine tails swaying was now etched into his mind, impossible to shake, and might even become a source of inner demons.
"Nine-tailed fox."
Qin Suihan rose and said with a smile, "One of the heads of the demon race."
"Ah!?"
Lin Zhao was astonished. Was Boss Qin merely a humble bookstore owner? Why would a prominent figure of the demon race seek out a bookstore owner? Could it be... had Boss Qin offended her in some way?
The young man frowned, "Boss Qin, what... what was she looking for you for?"
"Just a game of chess."
Qin Suihan smiled, "Lin Zhao, congratulations on your great military achievements in the north. I've heard all about it. You're now a commander at the Snow Region Heavenly Pond."
The young man's face flushed. "Not at all. If not for Boss Qin's care when I was young, I wouldn't be alive today, let alone have achieved what I have."
"You must work hard..."
Qin Suihan picked up dried fish and began hanging them on the outer wall. "The demon race is stirring. The youths of our human race should strive to become stronger, otherwise, there will be no hope for humanity."
"Yes, I know."
Lin Zhao cupped his fists. "Boss Qin, I'm going back to practice my punches."
"Wait."
Qin Suihan narrowed his eyes, looking at Lin Zhao's spiritual void and three sword-holding lakes. He smiled, "Why aren't you surprised that you could see the Nine-tailed fox's true form just now?"
Lin Zhao frowned. "This is indeed strange. Does Boss Qin know why?"
"Yes, I have a general idea."
Qin Suihan looked at him with a smile. "For a sword cultivator to possess the heavenly eye to see the mortal world, it means they are beginning to see all things in the world with their mind's eye. Therefore, I suspect you have most likely formed a Sword Heart, otherwise, you wouldn't have been able to see the Nine-tailed fox's true form."
"Ah?!"
The young man looked bewildered. "Sword Heart? What is that..."
"Martial artists have Martial Hearts, so sword cultivators naturally have Sword Hearts."
Qin Suihan said, "If you don't have a Sword Heart, how can you ever achieve a Clear Sword Heart, let alone become a Sword Immortal?"
"Is that so..."
Lin Zhao secretly rejoiced. "So, I have a chance to become a Sword Immortal?"
"The chance exists, but you still need to work harder." Da Feng Novel Network
"I understand!"
The young man's face lit up with joy. "Then I'll go back and practice my sword!"
"Go~~~"
...
The young man rode away on his horse, and a streak of white light flew out from the ancient sword on his back, drifting into the small courtyard and transforming into a woman in white, the White Dragon Goddess.
Qin Suihan stood up, and beside him, a grey, hazy figure materialized. It was the old physician Zhang, looking as if he were on his last breath.
"Greetings, Immortal."
Qin Suihan and Physician Zhang bowed in unison.
"No need."
The White Dragon Goddess frowned slightly. "The fact that Lin Zhao has formed an immortal-grade Sword Heart is known only to the three of us in Heavenly Pond Town. Therefore... let's not speak of it, lest it bring him a fatal calamity."
"Yes!"
Both nodded in agreement.
"Qin Suihan."
The White Dragon Goddess glanced at him. "Have you reached an agreement with the demon race?"
"Yes."
Qin Suihan took a deep breath. "In half a month, the demon race will send five experts to step onto the Snow Region Heavenly Pond, one by one, to engage in consecutive duels with five human experts. Whichever side wins more matches will be declared the victor. If the demon race wins, humanity will relinquish the Snow Region Heavenly Pond and Fusu Great Wall, and all humans will relocate south of the Six Great Passes. If humanity wins, the four northern tribes, led by the demon race, will retreat three thousand li and will not be allowed to encroach upon human territory for a hundred years."
"Can the demons be trusted?"
The White Dragon Goddess sneered. "Moreover, if we talk about top-tier experts, the demon race alone has more than ten experts at the Thirteenth Realm than one can count on their fingers. Does humanity have so many Thirteenth Realm experts?"
"No."
Qin Suihan shook his head. "Therefore, I've agreed with Nine-tailed fox that the experts sent by both sides will not exceed the Twelfth Realm. The final outcome should be a duel between ten Twelfth Realm experts."
"In that case, it's a bit more watchable."
The White Dragon Goddess glanced at him and smiled. "Whether humanity wins or loses, I'm too lazy to care about these matters. I only hope my Lin Zhao is safe."
Qin Suihan smiled. "The momentum of the times is like a flood. If humanity loses and the four northern tribes advance south, there will be no one in this world who can remain unscathed."
"Hmph!"
The White Dragon Goddess snorted coldly. "Let everyone do their own thing."
With that, she floated away, chasing after Lin Zhao and disappearing into his sword sheath.
...
"This one... her temper isn't exactly good, is it?" Physician Zhang said with a hunched back and a smile.
"Is that so?"
Qin Suihan stroked his beard and chuckled. "Compared to tens of thousands of years ago, her temper is much better now."
"..."
Physician Zhang frowned. "Who exactly is she?"
"It's better that you don't know."
"What do you mean?"
Physician Zhang looked displeased. "As a sage presiding over the Ancestral Court of Medicine, am I not even allowed to discuss her?"
"Mm."
Qin Suihan nodded with a smile. "Don't discuss it, lest you implicate the Ancestral Court of Medicine. Those old physicians who saved lives and did good deeds have accumulated so much merit and fortune; it would be a shame if it were all ruined by the likes of you."
The old physician grumbled sulkily, glancing at the dried fish hanging on the wall. "Lin Zhao brought you food again? Want some wine?"
"No."
The scholar shook his head. "From now on, freeloading is forbidden in the bookstore. This was given to me by Lin Zhao. He never said anything about sharing it with Physician Zhang."
"Qin Suihan! You stingy old man!"
The old physician stamped his feet and pounded his chest, furious.
...
Mountain Peak Villa.
When Lin Zhao returned to his room, the White Dragon Goddess had already used a divine ability to conceal the aura of his Sword Heart. Otherwise, it would have been too shocking. A fifteen-year-old youth who was an eighth-realm martial artist and had formed a golden Martial Heart was already incredible. Now, at only a fourth-realm sword cultivator, he had formed an immortal-grade Sword Heart. What kind of talent and innate potential was this? Even calling him a born sword seed wouldn't suffice. In fact, Qin Suihan and the White Dragon Goddess had both concluded that given enough time, humanity could look forward to the birth of a fourteenth-realm Grand Sword Immortal, a truly peerless and invincible master!
Lin Zhao, oblivious to all this, sat cross-legged on his bed, diligently nurturing his sword intent. When he looked inward with his divine sense, he saw a golden Sword Heart deeply buried within his spiritual void, resembling a human heart. However, its surface was covered with mottled sword dao inscriptions. Ever since Lin Zhao became a sword cultivator, every sword dao understanding and every trace of sword韵 had been carved onto his Sword Heart. This Sword Heart was the crystallization of all his sword dao cultivation.
Sword cultivators, in their practice, need not be bound by moves; extraordinary sword techniques and sword intent suffice. Even if a Sword Immortal were to meditate for a hundred years without touching a sword, a wisp of sword qi emanating from them upon awakening would be earth-shattering. Sword cultivators cultivate more their Sword Heart. Therefore, Lin Zhao never practiced swordplay or swung his sword in the courtyard; it was unnecessary. His existing sword intent was potent enough, and his sword qi thick enough, that any casual swing would possess world-ending power. As for the flying swords within his sword-holding lakes, they were becoming increasingly sharp from being tempered daily in the Azure Gilt Stone.
Overall, Lin Zhao, a fourth-realm sword cultivator, possessed the foundation of an eighth-realm martial artist and the support of an immortal-grade Sword Heart in his central palace. Therefore, a casual sword swing from him might rival a seventh-realm peak sword cultivator!
...
Late at night, sealed letters were dispatched via flying fish from the Snow Region Heavenly Pond.
Vermilion Bird Camp Commander's Tent.
Shao Shiyu, clad in armor, sat at the commander's seat. Her beautiful eyes fixed on the brushes of two military advisors. "Write it clearly. Five duels. The demon race and the human race will each send five people, and they can only be at the Twelfth Realm. If the demon race wins, humanity will cede the Snow Region Heavenly Pond and Fusu Great Wall, and the vast northern territories will be lost. If humanity wins, the demon race will retreat three thousand li and will not engage in any hostilities with humanity for a hundred years."
"Your Excellency."
A general frowned. "Demon cultivators have powerful physiques and can often fight against human great cultivators one realm above them. Do we truly have a chance of winning these five duels? Could this be a ploy by the demon race?"
"There's no other choice. This is the best outcome."
Shao Shiyu sighed. "The human race's surprise attack in the north failed, resulting in the loss of nine hundred thousand elite soldiers. The demon race's main forces suffered less than a third in losses. Furthermore, the armies of the demon and ghost races remain intact. If the four northern tribes were to advance south now, humanity would certainly not be able to hold its ground. Hmph... If not for the pressure from various factions such as the Confucian scholars, the Ancestral Court of the Military, and the Ancestral Court of the Mohists, the demon race would not have agreed to this five-duel protocol."
"Yes, your subordinate understands."
...
Late at night, south of the small town, lights blazed.
Chu Huaixi, Huang Tingyu, Chen Yu, and Lin Zhao, who had just been summoned, stood in their armor at the town's entrance. Below the mountain, an army was slowly entering the town. Everyone wore soft armor and carried sabers, exuding a strong aura of war. This army consisted entirely of martial artists, with the lowest being those who had just entered the first realm.
The Martial Pavilion Tower, one of the six Grand Diansi of the Great Shang Dynasty, guarded Tiger Prison Pass. The Martial Pavilion Tower had a total of 150,000 soldiers, all of whom were martial artists. Amidst the crowd, a commander, clad in the Grand Diansi's armor and with a flying cape fluttering behind him, exuding a touch of immortal demeanor, rode forward and bowed to Chu Huaixi and the others.
Lu Fengxian, the head of the Martial Pavilion Tower, one of the six Grand Diansi of Great Shang.
"Your Excellency, you have worked hard!"
Chu Huaixi cupped his fists and smiled. "The Martial Pavilion Tower's stationing at the Snow Region Heavenly Pond is a great honor for Chu Huaixi!"
Lu Fengxian's expression was solemn, and he cupped his fists and smiled at Chu Huaixi. "The building is about to collapse; we martial artists should step forward. Commander Chu is too kind!"
"Please, we have already prepared camps for fifty thousand troops for the Martial Pavilion Tower!"
"Thank you!"
...
Lu Fengxian led the Martial Pavilion Tower troops away. Fifty thousand soldiers, all martial artists.
"Anyone else coming?"
Chen Yu asked.
"Yes."
Chu Huaixi nodded. "This army will be larger."
"The Dinghai Army?"
"Precisely!"
A short while later, the sound of horse hooves echoed from below the mountain. Countless Great Shang cavalry and infantry ascended the mountain. It was the Dinghai Army from Yanmen Pass, with a total strength of about 150,000, led by Grand Diansi Bei Minghai himself to the Snow Region Heavenly Pond.
...
At this moment, Lin Zhao's expression turned solemn. He was even more convinced that the decisive battle between humanity and the demon race was not far off.