In the early morning, at Guyao Pass in the Northern Territory, a large number of players from "Grand Era of Peonies" headed north. Among them were not only Sword Master players but also many from other professions. They all traveled north, passing through the two military tents of the Demon race, and upon reaching the celestial curtain separating the Human and Nixiang realms, a curtain opener lifted a section of the celestial curtain, allowing everyone to enter the Nixiang realm.
Not long after, on a great mountain called Qingqu Mountain in the Nixiang realm, Cao Yan, the Silver Dragon Sword Immortal, founded his sect and established the Silver Dragon Sword Sect. Numerous celestial beings from the mountains rushed to congratulate the Silver Dragon Sword Sect. Half of the Upper Five Realms of the Nixiang realm were in attendance. Even Yu Zhi from the Demon race realm prepared a generous gift and sent someone to deliver it. Even the Demon Emperor prepared a gift and dispatched court cultivators to Qingqu Mountain. The Silver Dragon Sword Sect was, for a time, unparalleled in its glory.
...
In the evening, at North Mountain in the Snow Region Heavenly Lake.
Shen Xingchen and Leng Yan returned after leveling up. As usual, they sat on the edge of North Mountain's precipice, their bare legs kicking in the wind, chatting about interesting anecdotes from the game and real life. Lin Zhao, on the other hand, stood rigidly, practicing his fist stances with an exceptionally solemn expression, his martial intent flowing around him. Yet, it was embarrassing that despite feeling he had surpassed the threshold of a beginner martial artist, his meridians remained stubbornly closed, and his internal true qi could not circulate properly, preventing him from truly stepping onto the path of martial arts. Thus, he couldn't even be considered a first-realm martial artist.
"Lin Zhao."
Leng Yan turned back, smiling, and asked, "Any progress with your fist practice?"
"No..."
Lin Zhao scratched his head and said with a smile, "My martial soul seems to be asleep. There's no movement at all. No matter how hard I try, there's no reaction. I wonder if I've made some mistake somewhere, like... maybe players really can't cultivate dual paths, and after becoming a sword cultivator, I can never practice fists again. If that's the case, then there's nothing I can do."
"There's indeed that possibility."
Shen Xingchen said, "But it's not necessarily so. You don't need to be too fixated on some in-game settings. After all, in my opinion, you've already broken through many of the game's 'restrictions.' This game, 'Tian Xia,' is a completely free-mode game. The game mechanics are just one aspect. I think what's more important is 'cultivating the heart,' similar to the feeling of 'spiritual domain.' The fact that you could reach the ninth realm without going through the endless mode is a clue. So, practice your fists diligently and don't overthink things."
"Okay."
Lin Zhao nodded. When he was sometimes lost, Shen Xingchen could always offer some extremely valuable advice.
At this moment, Leng Yan frowned and said, "Have you heard? Something major happened in the Nixiang realm of the Demon race this morning. A twelfth-realm Demon race sword cultivator named Cao Yan established the Silver Dragon Sword Sect on Qingqu Mountain. And the people from 'Grand Era of Peonies,' led by Ghost King, entered the Nixiang realm in large numbers. It's said they all went to Qingqu Mountain to join the Silver Dragon Sword Sect. All the Sword Master players among them became disciples of the Silver Dragon Sword Sect, while players of other professions served as low-level contributors or menial laborers, just to make a living in the Demon race. The Alliance Leader, Ghost King, directly apprenticed himself to Cao Yan, essentially reaching the heavens in a single step."
"Heard about it."
Shen Xingchen said, "To become Cao Yan's disciple, it's said that Ghost King spent five thousand Golden Sardine Coins in one go. He's incredibly wealthy and especially willing to spend money."
"Hmph..."
Leng Yan laughed, "I don't think Ghost King is willing to spend money. It's more likely that after being beaten by the Scarlet Moon Knights, then by the Azure Knights, followed by the All-Evil, and recently hammered by Lin Yuan Xian Yu, his mentality has exploded. Ghost King couldn't swallow this humiliation, so he sold everything he had, even his property, to find an Upper Five Realms master to get revenge. To put it plainly, it was an impulsive purchase."
Lin Zhao gave a thumbs-up, "Miss Leng's words are absolutely correct. It was indeed an impulsive purchase!"
Leng Yan covered her mouth and chuckled. She liked the way Lin Zhao always addressed her as "Miss Leng" with such sincerity. It felt very much like a person from the martial world.
...
In the evening, a large amount of human race supplies were transported via Shanhai Pass and Fusang Great Wall, heading directly for Xijian River. Spirit boats laden with construction materials also traversed the sky. The ground convoys stretched for ten miles, and there were more than twenty spirit boats in the sky. Such a grand undertaking heading north was indeed a first for the Great Shang Dynasty in recent years.
On a large spirit boat with a white deer carved on its prow, the Eldest Princess Zhao Shutong, dressed in a strikingly beautiful court gown, frowned slightly. Heaven knew why the court had dispatched her as the supervisory official. Moreover, she wasn't the only supervisory official; Cao Ying and Huang Qingning, two people she found detestable, were also present. What was even more unbearable was that both of them were at higher cultivation realms than Zhao Shutong. Thus, no matter how displeased she was, the possibility of confrontation was extremely low. There was nothing she could do; she couldn't defeat them.
Therefore, Zhao Shutong looked dejected. This trip was to supervise the construction of an unprecedentedly grand River God Shrine on Xijian River. To build this River God Shrine, Grand Duke Juyang Lin Yan and Prince Jinao Zhao Qiyang had unanimously agreed to allocate a full 8,000 Golden Sardine Coins from the national treasury. This was an enormous sum of money, so once this River God Shrine was completed, it would be the largest mountain and river shrine in the entire world.
"Your Highness."
Cao Ying sat on the side of the ship's railing, holding a long sword, her slender jade legs stretching out before her. She smiled and said, "Your Highness seems rather unhappy. Why? Actually... although Elder Chu Jun's contributions weren't immense, he was one of the meritorious officials from a hundred years ago. Furthermore, he is a pillar of our Great Shang Dynasty. Having him serve as the River God of Xijian River would be better than an outsider holding such an important position, wouldn't it?"
"Precisely."
A figure appeared not far away. It was Huang Qingning, who had teleported over from another spirit boat. He smiled and said, "Your Highness, consider this: although Lin Xingchu possesses extremely strong combat power, her loyalty has always been to the former Xia Dynasty. She has always been at odds with our Great Shang over the years. In fact, the officials we sent to Xijian River were almost all met with closed doors. Decades ago, the late Emperor wished to confer an honored minister to Xijian River to be its water god, but Lin Xingchu flatly refused."
He frowned and said, "Xijian River, from top to bottom, is almost entirely Lin Xingchu's people. It has long since become too powerful to control. The River God of the largest river within the Great Shang Dynasty does not obey the court's orders. This is never a good situation."
"Is that so?"
Zhao Shutong turned to look at the two of them and smiled, "Lin Xingchu does have selfish intentions, and she uses her own people from the Xia tribe. But in the end, Lin Xingchu has defended the northern human race's gateway for hundreds of years, preventing the four northern tribes from launching a large-scale invasion of Fusang Great Wall and denying them the opportunity to attack Shanhai Pass and Yangping Pass. But if it were Chu Jun? Who can guarantee that Chu Jun, as the River God of Xijian River, can guard this territory and ensure the northern gateway of the human race remains secure?"
"Your Highness, you're twisting the facts now."
Huang Qingning smiled, "Your Highness seems to have forgotten that Xijian River is currently an unowned great river. In whose hands did it become unowned? Was it not Lin Xingchu? Was it not because Lin Xingchu could not defeat the combined might of the two great demon kings, Man Yuan and Liu Bai, that her golden body was shattered and she has since disappeared, right?"
"The situation of water and fire..."
Zhao Shutong's delicate eyebrows knitted. "That was a trump card the Demon Ancestor had been planning for nearly a century. Do you think a mere River God of Xijian River could resist it?"
"In conclusion."
Cao Ying said, "Prince Jinao's intention is that an disobedient River God of Xijian River is always a thorn in their side. Your Highness doesn't need to argue with us. Even if you win the argument, it won't change anything."
"Exactly."
Huang Qingning nodded. "Our Great Shang Dynasty presides over the human realm. Ultimately, balance is the fundamental principle. Since Lin Xingchu is disobedient, perhaps one day she will stand in opposition to the Great Shang Dynasty. As Senior Official Cao Ying said, for the Great Shang court, a compliant River God of Xijian River is more useful than a disobedient Lin Xingchu."
"Hmph..."
Zhao Shutong's lips curved upwards. She leaped onto the prow of the boat, folded her arms, and looked at the two officials, one of the first rank and the other of the second rank. She smiled and said, "You two are so obedient to the court. But not long ago, when seven twelfth-realm sword cultivators of the human race went south to intercept the water and fire situation, it seems you two had no part in it. The ones who truly influenced the tide of that battle were Lin Wanhua, Su Qingjiu, Xu Zhan, and Xu Shuo. Zhao Shutong dares to ask, does the outcome of that battle also prove your words that those who are obedient to the Great Shang court are more useful than those who are not?"
She smiled leisurely, looking at the distant scenery, and said, "This world seems to have always been defended by those who are disobedient..."
"..."
Cao Ying and Huang Qingning were speechless. Arguing with this Eldest Princess had a low chance of winning, and they would lose face very badly. Fortunately, they were subordinates, and Zhao Shutong was their superior. Therefore, a few scoldings were acceptable, as long as she didn't get serious. In the end, the two of them were loyal to Prince Jinao Zhao Qiyang and did not need to be entirely subservient to Zhao Shutong.
Late at night, on the south bank of Xijian River.
Lights flickered and clustered. Craftsmen from the Great Shang Dynasty worked overnight, directly felling trees and quarrying stones on the south bank. After unloading piles of supplies, they began laying foundations that very night. The Great Shang Dynasty's plan to confer a new River God quickly spread and soon reached the Snow Region Heavenly Lake.
...
Late at night, in a large tent by the riverbank.
Huang Qingning ordered the Shanhai Division to prepare a sumptuous banquet. Two tables of wine were set up in the tent, inviting Zhao Shutong, Cao Ying, and the many officials responsible for supervising the River God Shrine to a good meal and drinks. From then on, they would be busy, and there would be no leisure for eating and drinking every day.
Zhao Shutong, in her graceful court attire, with her long skirt trailing, held a long sword. She looked more like a fairy from the mountains than a princess from the court.
The other officials were mostly from the sixth to the third rank. However, Lin Xuanzhi, the third-rank Shanhai Commander, did not come. He desperately wanted to come, but Huang Qingning did not want to anger Zhao Shutong. Therefore, he explicitly ordered Lin Xuanzhi to remain and guard the Shanhai Division. This almost enraged the disobedient young man, Lin Xuanzhi, who pointed at Huang Qingning's nose and cursed, "Old dog Huang, you are heartless and unjust!"
...
After three rounds of drinking, Zhao Shutong remained dejected, merely eating dishes and sipping wine, not speaking much with the others.
Just then, a beam of sword light descended from the north bank. A young sword cultivator, dressed in white and carrying two swords on his back, appeared outside the large tent. He lightly cupped his fists and said to a few guards, "Please inform them, Lin Zhao seeks an audience!"
...
In an instant, Zhao Shutong, Huang Qingning, and Cao Ying all put down their chopsticks. What was expected had finally arrived!