Lin Xingchu's mansion in Xijian River.
This River God Temple was far more magnificent than Han Yurou's cave abode in Tongjing Lake. The river's lower floor was elevated, its entire palace roof covered with golden glazed tiles, surrounded by palace walls adorned with dragon patterns, encircled by jade railings, and decorated with colorful dragon heads, each detail exquisite. It was said that the human race had spared no expense in casting this River God Temple.
Now, the invested capital yielded great returns. A thirteenth-realm River God Maiden, stationed in Xijian River, was a fourteenth-realm power. Even if the Demon Ancestor didn't appear, if all the thirteenth-realm demons were to challenge Xijian River, she, Lin Xingchu, alone would dare to accept. Thus, all southward movements of the demon, devil, and ghost races bypassed Xijian River via the upstream Great Snow Mountain.
Inside the grand hall, Lin Xingchu, Lin Zhao, and Zhuo Zhi sat by a table laden with various spiritual fruits. "Xiao Zhao, that Peach Demon Han Yurou from Tongjing Lake, do you like her?"
"No..."
Lin Zhao scratched his head. "I have no improper thoughts about Miss Han. I merely met her by chance while traveling down the mountain, and we formed a martial world connection. I believe Miss Han is a woman of true emotions and worthy of respect. Her husband, Zhang Xicheng, was a general of the Xia race, and his heroic spirit, unyielding even in death, still guards the human race's territory. They are both my friends, so I thought I'd help out if I could."
"Is that so..."
Lin Xingchu smiled slightly. "I knew it. My Xiao Zhao isn't someone who uses favors to gain affection. If there's no romantic affection between you and Han Yurou, then things will be easier. I have a method that might truly allow the Peach Demon Han Yurou and our Xia race's general Zhang Xicheng to be together."
"Ah?"
Lin Zhao's heart skipped a beat, and he said joyfully, "Aunt, please tell me!"
"Han Yurou's natal objects are divided into two parts: one is the ten-mile peach blossoms, and the other is Tongjing Lake. Therefore, Han Yurou cannot leave Tongjing Lake, at least not too far."
Lin Xingchu's eyes glittered with golden light, and she said with a smile, "As for Zhang Xicheng, he is merely a heroic spirit. He has endured wind, rain, lightning, and thunder for hundreds of years, and his soul is incomplete. According to my calculations, in a few more centuries, Zhang Xicheng's soul power will be exhausted, and he will truly become a lonely wandering ghost. To preserve his soul, and even to reunite him with Han Yurou, only one method might work."
"What method?"
"To cast a golden body for him, to sculpt a Dharma body. Then he will no longer depend on those withered bones."
"..."
Lin Zhao frowned, knowing this might be difficult. "Aunt, you mean to make Zhang Xicheng a mountain and river deity, just like you?"
"Mm."
Lin Xingchu smiled slightly. "But this is difficult to achieve. I became the River God of Xijian River because I had accumulated sufficient merit after my death, thus receiving a decree from heaven and earth to become the lord of this Xijian River. However, Zhang Xicheng, who fought against the demon race and descended south, missed the best period for divine enfeoffment. Otherwise, he should have had the opportunity to become a local deity as well."
"..."
Lin Zhao gritted his teeth. "Is there a way to resolve this?"
"Yes."
Lin Xingchu said, "There are only two kinds of deities in the world: one is enfeoffed by heaven and earth, and the other is enfeoffed by the Human Emperor. Within the territory of the Great Shang Dynasty, mountain gods and water gods are abundant, simply because they received a decree from the emperor. The human imperial seals carry the mandate of heaven and earth, and within his territory, the emperor can enfeoff deities. But currently, even Xijian River is not truly human territory, let alone the area around Tongjing Lake. Only by truly incorporating these thousands of miles into the Great Shang's territory will the ruler of Great Shang have the qualification to enfeoff the mountain gods of this region."
She looked at Lin Zhao with her beautiful eyes, her voice soft. "So, I called you here to show you a path. If you want Zhang Xicheng and Han Yurou to truly reunite, even be together, you need to do two things. The first is to survey and incorporate all the territory south of Xueyu Tianchi and Guya Pass into the Great Shang Dynasty's territory. The second is to accumulate enough military merit, merit so great that you qualify to meet the Human Emperor in Baidi City. At that time, a decree from the Human Emperor can make Zhang Xicheng the mountain god of a peak near Tongjing Lake. Then... it will not be difficult for a mountain god and a peach demon by Tongjing Lake to be together."
For a moment, Lin Zhao felt as if the heavens had cleared and his mind had been enlightened. He immediately stood up, clasped his hands in salute to Lin Xingchu, and said with a smile, "Thank you, Aunt, for the reminder. Lin Zhao remembers!"
"Mm."
Lin Xingchu also stood up with a smile. "Would you like to... stay for dinner with Aunt?"
"Dinner?"
Lin Zhao scratched his head. "I don't think so. I just finished lunch at Tongjing Lake, and there are many matters in Xueyu Tianchi. I should be heading back."
"Alright."
Lin Xingchu did not insist. There was no need to insist. Although she wanted to spend more time with Lin Zhao, her Xiao Zhao had established his own sect in Xueyu Tianchi and was already a regional leader, even capable of withstanding the pressure of two demon camps in Xueyu Tianchi for the human race. She should be proud and honored for Xiao Zhao. This was how a man of the Lin family should be.
...
Qingliang Sect.
Old Ancestor Zhao Jingyu was in seclusion, his cave dwelling sealed layer by layer, detached from worldly affairs. All matters of the sect, big and small, were handed over to Sect Master Zhao Suiguang. However, Zhao Jingyu had said before entering seclusion that the three thousand gold sardines in the sect's treasury had important uses and must not be misappropriated, not even by Zhao Suiguang.
This matter had always been a knot in Zhao Suiguang's heart. If he could obtain another five hundred gold sardines' worth of spiritual energy to nourish his natal magical artifact, he might be able to advance further and reach the legendary peak of the twelfth realm. With his cultivation foundation, once he reached the peak of the twelfth realm, there would be very few people in the entire human world who could be considered his opponent.
However, Zhao Suiguang dared not act rashly. Although he was the sect master, the true authority of Qingliang Sect lay with Old Ancestor Zhao Jingyu.
Afternoon.
Yu Wu, the chief guest elder of Qingliang Sect, walked out of his room with a satisfied burp. He had suppressed his realm to the early stage of the eleventh realm. Serving as chief guest elder at this level was more than sufficient. Even if Zhao Jingyu came out of seclusion now, his presence would still be justifiable, simply as a martial friend of Zhao Suiguang.
After eating his fill, Yu Wu took a stroll to the back mountain. The Dragon Subduing Abyss in the back mountain was protected by a restriction, but it posed no obstacle to Yu Wu. With a sweep of his aura, the restriction of the Dragon Subduing Abyss remained unmoved, while Yu Wu, light as a falling leaf, floated into the abyss. He stood with his arms crossed, leisurely before the coiled dragon pillar, a smile on his lips, looking at Huang Tingyu, who was chained like a dead dog to the thick iron chains of the pillar.
"Tsk tsk..."
Yu Wu sneered. "A dignified twelfth-realm demon immortal, a dignified twelfth-realm sword immortal... to be chained here like a dead dog, constantly having your demonic energy extracted. It's pathetic, but frankly, you brought it upon yourself!"
"What's it to you?"
Huang Tingyu looked up. Despite his disheveled state, the sharpness in his eyes remained. "I'm willing!"
"Yes, yes, you are willing."
Yu Wu smiled. "Honestly, I sometimes admire you, Huang Tingyu. Under the magnificent might of the Demon Ancestor, you dared to draw your sword, and you even struck at the Demon Ancestor. Impressive... You've done things that many rebellious little bastards among the demons, with a bone behind their heads, wouldn't dare to do in their lifetime. You can call it courageous, or you can call it incredibly stupid."
Huang Tingyu grinned and tilted his head, looking at the man in the gray and white robe before him. "What are you showing off about? Back when I was already a demon immortal, you were still a little mudfish at the bottom of a river, not even fit to carry my shoes. Now you're here trying to mock me?"
"Not at all."
A trace of venom flashed in Yu Wu's eyes, and he smiled. "Old Huang, I have something to tell you. Lin Zhao from Xueyu Tianchi is not dead, or rather, he has reincarnated. He's now leading a group of people in Xueyu Tianchi, planning to rebuild some 'Xueyu Army.' The commotion is quite significant. You must have heard something about this, right?"
Huang Tingyu's brows furrowed. "What exactly do you want to say?"
"Heh..."
Yu Wu chuckled. "Last time Lin Zhao went to Qingliang Sect alone, do you think the demons wouldn't notice? At that time, Lin Zhao awakened a sword tip. Our thirteenth-realm demons have already captured the inherent aura contained within that sword tip – it's Qin Suihan's Han Niu Sword. And at the moment of obtaining the tip of Han Niu Sword, Lin Zhao had a brief moment of heavenly wandering. If I'm not mistaken, he came to the back mountain to see you, didn't he?"
"..."
Huang Tingyu frowned and remained silent.
"Am I right?"
Yu Wu laughed heartily. "Lin Baiyi of Xueyu Tianchi, who doesn't know him in the world? A person like Lin Zhao, loyal and righteous, is admirable!!! You once drew a sword for the Great Chen Dynasty. Lin Zhao will never forget that kindness, so he must have made some promises when he came here, such as... he will definitely come back, and that will be the day he brings you, Huang Tingyu, home."
"You scoundrel!"
Huang Tingyu narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "What exactly do you want to say???"
Yu Wu's lips curled slightly. "What I want to tell you is that Lin Zhao will never come to Qingliang Sect again, and you will never leave Qingliang Sect. The reason I infiltrated Qingliang Sect is precisely to use Qingliang Sect's hand to kill Lin Zhao and completely destroy Xueyu Tianchi. In a short while, I will join Zhao Suiguang, Zhao Guangyi, and others to challenge Xueyu Tianchi. Two twelfth-realm experts and one eleventh-realm expert, do you think you can kill your little brother Lin Zhao? Who is by his side now? Zhuo Zhi at the tenth realm, Mu Da at the eleventh realm, Chu Yu at the tenth realm. Are these people enough?"
He raised an index finger. "Also, don't hope that Lin Xingchu or Lin Wanhua will help. Since I dare to come, I definitely have means to prevent those two from entering Xueyu Tianchi."
"..."
Huang Tingyu said nothing, but his eyes were filled with killing intent. As a twelfth-realm sword cultivator, it would not be difficult for him to kill the person before him in his peak state. However... when the heavens are in your favor, all forces conspire; when fortune turns, heroes are powerless. In this world, is there anyone more powerless than he is at this moment?
...
Yu Wu smiled. He wanted to see the angry and helpless expression on Huang Tingyu's face. Why did he hate Huang Tingyu?
It stemmed from his youth.
Many years ago, a small black carp swam happily in a stream in the demon world. A large yellow dog drinking water by the stream suddenly swiped at him with its paw, nearly killing him. How could this debt of revenge not be repaid?
...
Afternoon, outside Baidi City.
A white horse had just left Baidi City and was slowly traveling along the flower-lined official road. A young girl sat on the white horse, wearing a red dress over a snow-white gauze robe. Her beauty was breathtaking. In her right hand, she held a sword in a white jade scabbard, and in her left hand, she held a few peach branches in full bloom. She pursed her red lips, finally welcoming this year's long journey again. Now that spring was warm and flowers were blooming, she would take her time on this road, without haste.
After all, her father and mother, and Brother Lin Zhao, had all slept there eternally.
"Brother Lin Zhao..."
She suddenly looked up to the north, her eyes turning red, on the verge of tears.