Dusk.
A sword light from the south landed unceremoniously in front of the Natural Dwelling on the mountaintop villa. Standing on the flying sword was a beautiful maiden in a red dress and white shirt. The moment she leaped from the sword light, she saw Lin Zhao engrossed in drawing talismans in the study. Without a word, she floated through the window. By the time Lin Zhao looked up, she had already pounced into his embrace.
Behind her head, a delicate and translucent peach wood hairpin dangled.
"Little Jiu'er?!"
Lin Zhao couldn't help but chuckle, "You're here already?"
"Mhm!"
Su Qingjiu hugged Lin Zhao's neck tightly, still with her bright eyes and pearly teeth as she did when she was little. Looking at Lin Zhao, she asked with a smile, "We've been apart for so long, have you missed me, Brother Lin Zhao?"
"Missed you, missed you, I think of you every day."
Lin Zhao gently patted her fragrant shoulder and chuckled, "Get down. Didn't I tell you? A man and a woman should not touch each other."
"Oh, oh~~~"
Su Qingjiu left Lin Zhao's embrace, tidied her clothes, and resumed the demeanor of the Mountain Master of Changming Mountain. She smiled and asked, "Brother Lin Zhao already knows about what happened in the West?"
"Yes, Miss Lin Wanhua from Fusu Great Wall told me."
"Oh."
Su Qingjiu tilted her head, her beautiful eyes looking at him, and she smiled, "I want to eat white fish soup tonight..."
"Alright!"
Lin Zhao laughed heartily, took out his fishing rod from his bag, "Let's go fishing!"
"Mhm mhm!"
As Lin Zhao and Su Qingjiu fished side by side, Wu Zhi passed by and asked with a smile, "Little Jiu'er is back?"
"Mhm, Sister Wu Zhi, will you have dinner with us tonight?"
"Okay~~"
Later, Chu Yu and Wang Yue, master and disciple, passed by while practicing their punches and also greeted them. Then, Dong Cang returned with a basket of mountain mushrooms, and with a smile, asked, "Little Jiu'er is back?"
"Mhm!"
Su Qingjiu nodded vigorously and smiled, "Sister Dong Cang's spiritual energy has become more vigorous recently. The mountaintop villa is indeed good for cultivation. I suppose it won't be long before Sister Dong Cang enters the Star River realm. Perhaps... if the spiritual energy is sufficiently nourishing and her state of mind is good, Sister Dong Cang might have a chance to enter the Upper Five Realms in this life."
"Ah?"
Dong Cang's pretty face flushed, "How dare I even hope for that? Just being by Young Master's side, serving him, and seeing everyone every day is already enough for me."
"That is the state of mind."
Su Qingjiu blinked her eyes and smiled, "The state of mind for the Upper Five Realms doesn't necessarily have to be one of contending with heaven and earth. Immersed in the mundane world, one can still integrate with the Dao. It's also a path to the Upper Five Realms."
"Mhm."
Dong Cang smiled and nodded. Although she didn't say much, her heart was indeed bright. In this world, not many people truly treated her well, but Lin Zhao and Little Jiu'er were definitely the two who treated her the best, having lived together day and night. And Su Qingjiu, as a Great Sword Immortal, her words were essentially pointing the way for Dong Cang. Seemingly casual remarks, yet Dong Cang held them firmly in her heart.
Dinner was quite lavish.
Lin Zhao invited Xu Zhan to join them for dinner. When Xu Zhan saw Su Qingjiu, he wasn't surprised, as the list of seven people heading west had already been finalized. They were all top-tier cultivators in the twelfth realm. If these seven failed to accomplish their task in the Ghost Realm, then perhaps no one in the human world would be able to change destiny.
After eating their fill, Xu Zhan returned to his guest room.
Just then, another sword light descended from the sky. On the sword light stood a Sword Immortal woman dressed in snow-white, it was Lin Wanhua from Fusu Great Wall. Seeing Lin Wanhua, Lin Zhao was slightly taken aback and said, "Miss Lin, you're late. We've just finished dinner..."
Su Qingjiu patted her belly and looked at the Sword Immortal Lin.
Lin Wanhua smiled gently, "It's fine, I'll wait for the late-night meal."
"Of course, of course."
Lin Zhao said, "Since you're here, why don't you and Little Jiu'er, the two twelfth-realm Sword Immortals, chat? I'll go to the lotus pond to fish and see if I can catch another big white fish to make soup for you tonight."
"Mhm, okay!"
Su Qingjiu and Lin Wanhua smiled and nodded together.
...
Lin Zhao went fishing alone. After meeting his master, Tong Yu felt that Lin Zhao was too lonely, so he also asked for a fishing rod and sat beside Lin Zhao to fish in a very proper manner.
Su Qingjiu and Lin Wanhua walked side by side on the mountain path. The moonlight shone down, illuminating the graceful figures of the two top twelfth-realm Sword Immortals of the human world.
"When shall we fight?"
Lin Wanhua smiled, "Let's have a duel, stopping before causing actual harm."
"If we stop before causing harm, we won't be able to decide a victor."
Su Qingjiu smiled faintly and said, "No rush, let's talk about it after we all come back alive."
"Indeed."
Lin Wanhua pursed her red lips and said, "You mean a great deal to Lin Zhao, do you know that?"
"I know..."
Su Qingjiu smiled, "In my heart, Brother Lin Zhao means a great deal too, more than anything else."
"Is that so..."
Lin Wanhua seemed a little dejected. She frowned and looked at the distant mountain scenery, saying, "When we go to the Ghost Realm, let's try our best to all come back alive. If you don't come back, Lin Zhao will be very sad."
"Mhm, I will."
Su Qingjiu curled the corners of her lips and smiled, "We all have to come back together. It won't be good if any one of us is missing. In the future, Brother Lin Zhao will definitely lead the human race to defeat the Four Northern Tribes. On the chessboard he has planned, he will need Sword Immortals like us."
As she spoke, she revealed her natal flying sword, gently stroking its blade, and smiled, "I am willing to be the most formidable chess piece on Brother Lin Zhao's chessboard, to slay generals and kill enemies for him."
Lin Wanhua's delicate body trembled, and her gaze suddenly became somewhat dazed. For a moment, she could no longer distinguish Su Qingjiu's feelings for Lin Zhao. It wasn't familial affection, yet it surpassed it.
"Is that so."
Lin Wanhua smiled faintly and said, "If Lin Zhao is willing to use this chess piece, Lin Wanhua will not refuse."
Su Qingjiu gave her a deep look and smiled, "That's why we all must come back alive."
Lin Wanhua smiled gently, but there was still a knot in her heart that had not been untied. To go west without untying this knot would be truly uncomfortable. But did that person understand so much?
...
Late at night, Lin Zhao began to stew porridge and boil white fish soup, while Dong Cang stir-fried a few small dishes to go with the wine.
Before they were finished, another sword light came from the east. It was an acquaintance, Xu Shuo of the Mohist school, known as Xu Lao Er. Following Xu Shuo, a sword light approached from the southeast, from Fusu Great Wall. It was an elder Sword Immortal at the peak of the twelfth realm, Han Fang, the previous generation's Sword Immortal who guarded Fusu Great Wall with Lin Wanhua, and a subordinate of the thirteenth-realm Great Sword Immortal Lu Xinghe.
"Oh my, we've made it for the late-night meal!"
Xu Shuo rubbed his hands and smiled, "What good luck, hehehe..."
"Xu Shuo!"
Lin Zhao directly invited Xu Shuo into the Natural Dwelling, and together with Lin Wanhua, welcomed Elder Sword Immortal Han Fang into the Natural Dwelling as well. Afterward, Xu Zhan also arrived. This day of having two meals and wine felt truly carefree, making Elder Sword Immortal Xu Zhan feel a little embarrassed.
By now, out of the seven people slated to go west for the human world, Xu Shuo, Xu Zhan, Su Qingjiu, Lin Wanhua, and Han Fang had arrived. The remaining two were the peak cultivators from the officialdom of the Great Shang Dynasty: Cao Ying, the Pavilion Master of the Embroidered Uniform Pavilion, and Huang Qingning, the Director of the Shan Hai Division, both influential figures in the imperial court.
At the wine table, no one held back, constantly picking up dishes and drinking wine.
Lin Zhao, while urging them to drink, said with a serious expression, "Xu Shuo, you are so skilled in swordsmanship and formations. When we get to the Ghost Realm, please take care of my Little Jiu'er. Look, my Little Jiu'er is the youngest, and her swordsmanship is the weakest. You old seniors must look after her more. I'm talking to you, Senior Xu Zhan, and Senior Han Fang!"
"Ah?!"
Xu Zhan, who was eating meat, laughed heartily, "I'm involved too?"
Han Fang also grinned and said, "Got it, got it. Oh, Lin Zhao, I don't even want to talk about you. Su Qingjiu of Changming Mountain, whose sword heart is connected to the divine, and you say her swordsmanship is the weakest? You have no shame, do you?"
"Hahahaha~~~"
Lin Zhao laughed heartily, "Sword Immortal Han Fang entered the Upper Five Realms early, and he has plenty of experience in the martial world. The Ghost Realm is dangerous. After we go, you naturally have to look after my Little Jiu'er more. After all, my Little Jiu'er has been in seclusion and cultivation at Changming Mountain all year round. How much of the martial world has she even experienced? To put it bluntly, Sword Immortal Han, you've eaten more salt than my Little Jiu'er has eaten rice, isn't that right, Senior Xu Zhan?"
"That's indeed the case!"
Xu Zhan nodded repeatedly, "When Han Fang entered the Upper Five Realms, I was still a Golden Core Sword cultivator, just like you."
"Tsk tsk!"
Han Fang laughed heartily and said, "Alright, alright, I get it. Even if my strength is insufficient, Han Fang will still protect your Little Jiu'er a bit. Don't you agree, Sword Immortal Su?"
As a result, Su Qingjiu showed no embarrassment. She leaned her face against Lin Zhao's shoulder and said with a smile, "I started learning sword from my master too early when I went up the mountain. I didn't read much, and I don't understand the teachings in the books of sages thoroughly, so I don't know much. But I know that what Brother Lin Zhao says is always right."
"Mhm, right, right, right!"
Xu Zhan, Han Fang, and Xu Shuo drank heartily, pinching their noses.
Among everyone, only Lin Wanhua pursed her lips. She found this meal rather unpleasant. She glanced at Lin Zhao and asked, "Are you still going to warm and care for the Sword Illumination Talisman tonight? Today, there are so many Great Sword Immortals."
"No."
Lin Zhao resolutely shook his head and said, "You are all about to head west. I will not consume even a trace of your spiritual energy. Today, just drink heartily."
Lin Wanhua revealed a smile. Finally, she said something pleasant to hear.
...
Late at night, Xu Zhan, Xu Shuo, and Han Fang returned to their guest rooms to rest. Su Qingjiu and Lin Wanhua also bid farewell one after another. Lin Zhao, having nothing to do, began drawing talismans in his study. He was a thrifty person, and felt pained by any wasted bit of physical strength, so he hated seeing his 200 points of strength being wasted.
In the Xueyu Tianchi, east of the Snow Ridge area.
Under the moonlight, the first Sword Suppressing Tower stood tall. On the rooftop, a young military sage leaned on a bright silver spear, gazing towards the direction of the Monster Race Ancestral Mountain with a thoughtful expression.
Just then, a wisp of sword intent materialized nearby, and then a peerlessly beautiful figure stepped out of the sword light. In a red dress and white shirt, she cupped her fists towards the military sage and smiled, "Su Qingjiu of Changming Mountain, pays respects to Sage Huo."