Yu Wan Ning was approachable, while Xu Bei Lin was arrogant and ferocious, their characters a stark contrast.
Therefore, Lin Zhao had no reason not to save her.
...
Just as Xu Bei Lin was controlling his Natal Flying Sword, intending to pierce Yu Wan Ning's Nascent Soul with a single strike, a beam of sword light suddenly bloomed in the air. In the next moment, Xu Bei Lin's Natal Flying Sword missed its target. Even more so, he himself was enveloped in a small world. His shoulders felt as if they were bearing the immense pressure of a cosmic dao, and all his sword intent was suppressed.
Flying Sword Vast, Divine Ability Furlong.
Lin Zhao simply swept past, raising one hand and extending his five fingers to press against Yu Wan Ning's back. He instantly retracted the Flying Sword Vast. At the same time, he flicked his left hand, and five immortal swords flew out from his Spiritual Ruins, hovering behind Lin Zhao. Their tips pointed directly at Xu Bei Lin in the air, the meaning clear: if you want to fight, I'll accompany you.
"..."
Xu Bei Lin, having just endured the cosmic pressure of the Flying Sword Vast's small world, was now greatly shocked and sweating profusely. He looked down at the young sword cultivator supporting Yu Wan Ning from behind her. Xu Bei Lin's eyes held a newfound caution. He had never heard of this young sword cultivator before. At first glance, he appeared to be a six-realm sword cultivator, but he was likely suppressing his true strength. However, the most terrifying thing was the sword divine ability he had just unleashed. What was that cosmic pressure? Xu Bei Lin had never seen it before, nor even heard of it.
"Oh?"
Xu Bei Lin smiled, "Esteemed friend, are you here today to protect Yu Wan Ning of the Ancient Shu Kingdom?"
"Yes."
Lin Zhao smiled and nodded, "I had a brief encounter with Yu Wan Ning, and I have a good impression of her. So, Young Master Xu, don't think about killing Yu Wan Ning in front of me. Just give me some face, alright?"
Since the other party had offered a way down, how could he not take it?
Xu Bei Lin immediately nodded with a smile, "Alright. May I ask your esteemed name, friend?"
"Lin Zhao."
Lin Zhao didn't care. After all, this world was completely different from the one he came from. The two worlds should be completely separate. Even revealing his name was inconsequential.
"..."
Xu Bei Lin frowned. He had never heard this name before. The sword intent this person unleashed in an instant was extremely powerful, very much like that of an ultimate realm sword cultivator. Could it be... a sword cultivator of the Star River Realm, a realm that had been lost for hundreds of years?!
"Farewell, then."
Xu Bei Lin rode his sword away.
...
"Hoo..."
Yu Wan Ning sighed and turned to look at the young sword cultivator behind her. She had misjudged him. She hadn't expected his cultivation to be so high, even equal to her own. She clasped her hands in a fist and said, "Yu Wan Ning thanks young hero Lin for saving my life."
"No need."
Lin Zhao smiled, "I am a cultivator who walked from the mountains of the Ancient Shu Kingdom, so naturally, I wouldn't stand by and watch our Ancient Shu Kingdom's female warrior be bullied. Of course, even if I hadn't intervened, Miss Yu would likely have had the strength to fight."
Yu Wan Ning was taken aback. She found this young man quite interesting. Did he truly not understand her origins at all? He still called her "Miss Yu"?
"Young hero."
Yu Wan Ning smiled, "Actually, I am over a hundred years old. A female warrior over a hundred years old... there's no need to address me as 'Miss' anymore."
"Ah?"
Lin Zhao was stunned. He thought of Xiao Jiu'er, Lin Wan Hua, Chu Yu, Xiu Zhi, and Dong Cang from his hometown. They were all at least a hundred years old, yet they were all still lively young girls. How could they not be called "Miss"? The dynamics on the mountains of this Hundred Flowers Realm seemed a bit shallow!
He felt a little awkward and smiled, "Really? I can't tell at all. You look no older than twenty. Since your appearance is like this, what's wrong with calling you Miss? Moreover, Miss Yu is a warrior who trains on the mountains. You shouldn't constrain yourself with the age of mortals. It's completely unnecessary."
"Really..."
Yu Wan Ning's heart was in turmoil. "A female warrior over a hundred years old can still be called Miss?"
"Yes, you can."
Lin Zhao smiled, "I don't see anything wrong with it."
Yu Wan Ning revealed an extremely beautiful smile. At that moment, she suddenly felt much younger. Talking to the proud young talents on the mountain was indeed so comforting.
"Old man."
Yu Wan Ning looked at the old fisherman and smiled, "From now on, this young hero Lin is a distinguished guest of our Ancient Shu Kingdom. Did you charge him a fare for taking him boating on the lake?"
The old fisherman was horrified, "I... I did..."
Lin Zhao smiled and shook his head, indicating it was unnecessary to quibble; he had done so willingly.
"Good."
Yu Wan Ning nodded with a smile and said, "Tomorrow, go to the local government office and claim another thousand coins. Say it's a reward from Yu Wan Ning."
"Yes!"
The old fisherman kowtowed repeatedly, his face filled with gratitude.
...
On the shore, the donkey had indeed returned. It even nudged Lin Zhao's shoulder with its head. Lin Zhao was gradually beginning to understand why Lu Xun loved donkeys more than celestial maidens.
Yu Wan Ning, clad in her armor, looked at Lin Zhao with her beautiful eyes, a hint of reluctance in her voice. "Lin Zhao, have you ever considered not traveling the world, but instead... contributing to our Ancient Shu Kingdom? Our nation is currently in dire need of cultivators like you who stand at the peak. If you are willing to support the Ancient Shu Kingdom, we will have the strength to contend with the Xu Dynasty."
"Miss Yu..."
Lin Zhao looked troubled. "To put it bluntly, I am but a passerby and cannot stay permanently. Moreover, I am unrestrained by nature and do not wish to be bound. If I were to truly remain in the Ancient Shu Kingdom, I would likely not enjoy the riches and honors. For now, I only wish to travel this world with my donkey, which is also a form of cultivation."
"Since that is the case, Wan Ning will not force you."
The elegant female warrior clasped her hands in a fist towards Lin Zhao. "However, if young hero has leisure time, please come to the capital of the Ancient Shu Kingdom as a guest. Wan Ning will surely entertain you well and hopes that young hero can give Wan Ning this opportunity."
"If I have the chance, I will definitely come."
Lin Zhao leaped onto the donkey's back, raised his bamboo hat, clasped his hands in a fist towards Yu Wan Ning, and smiled, "Miss Yu, farewell for now. If fate allows, we shall meet again in the martial world!"
"Indeed, farewell in the martial world!"
Yu Wan Ning watched the carefree figure of the young sword cultivator, her heart filled with envy. If only she hadn't been born into a noble family of Ancient Shu, and wasn't this roaming warrior, how wonderful it would be. She genuinely wished she could now lead a donkey and travel the martial world with Lin Zhao. How pleasant such days would be, far better than her current role as the marshal of the Ancient Shu Kingdom, as if bearing a great mountain. Not to mention how difficult it was, it was certainly not enjoyable.
...
Lin Zhao continued on his journey. In the afternoon, he stopped at a small town by the imperial road. Because the system-provided map had a "fog of war," he bought a map from the town. However, the map was a bit old. Besides the Ancient Shu Kingdom and the Xu Dynasty, it also listed several vassal dynasties. In reality, those countries had long been annexed by the Xu Dynasty.
Sitting by a wonton stall, after eating a bowl of wontons, Lin Zhao confirmed his next destination: a famous mountain on the border of the Ancient Shu Kingdom, called Cui Wei Mountain. Cui Wei Mountain was one of the top scenic spots in the Ancient Shu Kingdom. It had numerous peaks and extremely abundant spiritual energy, thus many sects established their foundations on Cui Wei Mountain, earning it the reputation of "Ten Sects Connected Peaks." Since Lin Zhao didn't know where his "destiny" in the Hundred Flowers Realm lay, he would simply go where it was lively. After touring the historical sites of the Ancient Shu Kingdom, he would then visit the Xu Dynasty to see what that ambitious dynasty was truly like.
A gentle rain began to fall, but it didn't affect Lin Zhao much. He simply pulled his bamboo hat down slightly and rode his donkey through the fine rain, finding a unique charm in it.
...
Evening, Mountain Peak Villa.
In the living room, a group of people were restless.
Lin Xing Chu, clad in golden armor and with a golden cape that trailed the entire washed-sword river water, paced back and forth. With her pacing, the river within the washed-sword river rippled unstably.
"Aunt."
Su Qing Jiu looked up, "Stop pacing. You're already annoying enough..."
Lin Xing Chu frowned, "Xiao Jiu'er, can't you detect any clues at all?"
"No."
Su Qing Jiu said, "Brother Lin Zhao's last trace of energy disappeared next to the gourd trellis, vanishing into thin air. There were no signs of world-breaking or realm-breaking. It doesn't look like someone took him away."
Lin Wan Hua said, "It's impossible that demons took him. I rushed to this place immediately and could detect no demonic energy other than Huang Ting Yu's. Even a fourteenth-realm great demon using a treasure to conceal their aura wouldn't be so completely undetectable to me."
"Could it be... Master has already ascended to the thirteenth realm?"
Zhang Luo Bai whispered. Everyone was anxious about Master's disappearance, but Zhang Luo Bai was the only one crying. His eyes were red, feeling that Master might be gone. But he didn't dare to cry in front of them, fearing they would think him weak. Yet, Master had suddenly been gone for so long. The thought that Master might never return made tears stream down his face uncontrollably.
"Impossible, stop imagining things."
Xiu Zhi patted Zhang Luo Bai's head. "Go back and finish your homework. We're here. You can't help anyway."
"Oh..."
Zhang Luo Bai, carrying his satchel, walked away dejectedly.
Su Qing Jiu stood up and said, "Perhaps I should go to the Confucian Academy's Wen Lin to see if there's any explanation. Lin Wan Hua, you go to the Military School's ancestral hall and ask Senior Brother Lin Zhao's third senior brother, the Saint of War, for the reason. We cultivators in the mortal world don't know, but perhaps cultivators in the upper realms can sense some movement."
"Yes, that's the only way."
Lin Wan Hua said, "I'll go to the Military School's ancestral hall. Xiu Zhi, you go to the Mohist School's ancestral hall."
"Alright."
Streams of sword light scattered from the Mountain Peak Villa.
...
The Upper Realm.
White Jade Mountain, Five Cities and Twelve Towers.
On one of the jade-colored pavilions, a young Taoist priest sat quietly, but his heart was not at peace. The Heavenly Demonic Nightmares were raging. Could he, with just himself and his sword, succeed?
Suddenly, blood-red light surged into the sky. Then, the sky seemed to be torn apart. At that moment, the young Taoist priest sitting on the rooftop abruptly stood up. With a flick of his finger, a magnificent Dao Saint Dharma Image soared into the sky. And at that moment, a figure pierced through the void and descended from beyond the heavens onto White Jade Mountain, landing lightly on a terrace.
"Ding Mu Chen!"
The young Taoist priest frowned, looking at the man in green kneeling on one knee on the terrace, his head bowed.
"Hiss hiss..."
Streams of black energy coiled around the man in green. When he raised his head, it was visible that streaks of black veins had seemingly penetrated beneath his skin. His eyes, glowing with a blood-red light, revealed a cold smile as he faced the Dao Saint.