Yu Wan Ning cupped his fists in salutation, bowing deeply. He was filled with awe. The two peerless women before him were both Thirteenth Realm! In Yu Wan Ning's understanding, Eleventh Realm was already akin to a celestial being shrouded in mist. What level of power would Thirteenth Realm possess? Chi Zhong Yu also cupped his fists, hesitating whether to kneel and kowtow. These were Thirteenth Realm cultivators, and Liu Li Ying was busy in the kitchen, unable to oversee them. Was it shameful for a mere Tenth Realm sword cultivator like himself to pay respects to a supreme Thirteenth Realm Sword Immortal?
Zhu Zhi smiled and walked to the old gentleman's side. "This old gentleman is a Sage of the Confucian school. His relationship with my lord is extremely close; he is my lord's teacher's teacher. This journey my lord took to Bai Hua Tian Xia would have been fraught with peril without the old gentleman's presence. We might not have even returned."
"Oh!"
Yu Wan Ning and Chi Zhong Yu quickly cupped their fists in salutation.
"That's right, the old gentleman is Fourteenth Realm, the genuine article," Zhu Zhi said with a smile.
"Oh dear..."
Chi Zhong Yu fell to his knees with a thud.
Yu Wan Ning covered his face, feeling embarrassed. Should he kneel too?
"No need, no need..."
Lin Zhao also covered his face. "This is too much courtesy..."
The old gentleman stroked his beard, a smile on his face. This young man named Chi Zhong Yu was rather interesting.
Lin Zhao walked to the old gentleman's side, pulling out a pot of Red Bamboo wine and a plate of soy-braised beef and a plate of salted peanuts, brought back from the capital of Bai Hua Tian Xia. "Teacher's teacher, don't just sit idle. Have a drink first?"
The old gentleman nodded with a smile. My Xiao Zhao understands my thoughts best!
Thus, the old gentleman took a few sips alone, while the others chatted amongst themselves.
Lin Zhao patted Chen Ben's shoulder and asked with a smile, "How has your martial arts training been lately?"
"It's alright."
Chen Ben scratched his head. "Although there's no progress and breaking through seems distant, my fist intent has become a bit more solid."
"Oh, really?"
Lin Zhao raised an eyebrow and smiled, "What level of the Farmer's Nine Fists have you reached?"
"The eighth level, the Sea Overturning style."
Chen Ben was a little shy. "But I haven't fully comprehended the fist intent yet. I've only grasped some superficial aspects. Brother Lin Zhao, would you like to see?"
"Alright, show me your fist intent outside."
"Yes!"
The two walked out. Lin Zhao crossed his arms and watched. Chen Ben then struck a martial stance. The moment he did, a terrifying and majestic fist intent surged forth. Behind Chen Ben, a magnificent image of surging deep-sea waves materialized. Lin Zhao, a martial artist of the Third Realm, felt instantly suffocated. He quickly waved his hand, "Ah... Alright, alright! Not bad, not bad. You must work even harder in the future!"
"Yes, I understand!"
Chen Ben nodded heavily and scratched his head. "My humble fist intent is nothing in Brother Lin Zhao's eyes, so I will work even harder to train my fists, striving not to disappoint Brother Lin Zhao."
Lin Zhao felt extremely guilty and slunk back to the living room.
In the living room, Yu Wan Ning's face was ashen. He was a martial artist of the Sea Stepping Realm and was well-versed in fist intent. The moment Chen Ben unleashed his fist intent, Yu Wan Ning's Battle God's Gall almost exploded. He was a proud individual in martial arts, but Chen Ben's unleashed fist intent severely damaged his confidence. If they were to truly spar, he suspected he wouldn't be able to withstand even one punch from Chen Ben and might even die. This was the gap in absolute strength.
Chi Zhong Yu's expression was also grim. It was fine for them to joke and laugh like family, and indeed, they were like family. He was a sword cultivator brought out from Bai Hua Tian Xia by Lin Zhao, and his connection to Shan Dian Bie Yuan was unbreakable. Chi Zhong Yu happily considered himself half a member of Shan Dian Bie Yuan. However, joking was one thing, but if these people were to truly fight, they would be terrifying. Of everyone present, he felt he couldn't defeat anyone except for the two youngsters, Zhang Luo Bai and Zhuang Yi Rong.
...
Soon, delicious dishes were served. Dong Cang, with her nimble fingers, had prepared two servings of each dish. As the dishes were mostly served, Lin Zhao took out more wine from his collection. The Dong Ting Purple Bamboo wine was too precious, with only half a jar left. Therefore, he only gave his aunt and his teacher's teacher a pot of Purple Bamboo wine each to sample the flavor. After that, everyone received a pot of Dong Ting Red Bamboo wine. Once that was distributed, it was Dong Ting Green Bamboo wine, Peach Blossom wine, and Apricot Blossom wine. These were more plentiful and were served without limit.
Once the wine started flowing, relationships began to deepen.
Chi Zhong Yu's face was flushed, and he was getting tipsy. He slung an arm around Huang Ting Yu, who was also swaying drunkenly, and said, "Brother Huang's tolerance for alcohol truly lives up to the title of Sword Immortal!"
Huang Ting Yu also gave a thumbs-up. "Brother Chi's deep devotion is equally worthy of the title Love Saint!"
Beside them, Tang Guang Jun was frantically gulping down wine as if he were a thousand-year-old camel dying of thirst in the desert.
"Smack!"
Huang Ting Yu kicked Tang Guang Jun directly. "Drink in small sips. Do you want to be seated at the table again next time? Your Mountain Lord is watching you."
"Ah?!"
Tang Guang Jun's hairs stood on end. He quickly turned to look at Lin Zhao, only to find that the Mountain Lord was toasting Lin Wan Hua, with Su Qing Jiu and Zhang Luo Bai sitting beside her. He had no time to pay attention to him.
"What are your plans for the future?"
Huang Ting Yu asked Chi Zhong Yu, "Will you cultivate in our Shan Dian Bie Yuan, or do you have other ideas?"
"Difficult."
Chi Zhong Yu's gaze drifted to Liu Li Ying, the Fan God, at another table. Liu Li Ying was separated from Lin Zhao by Zhang Luo Bai, but her beautiful eyes had barely left Lin Zhao. Chi Zhong Yu was not foolish. Even if Lin Zhao had no intentions, Liu Li Ying clearly had feelings for this young master. Although their relationship might not have a future, for himself... there was definitely no hope.
He sighed and said, "If I stay in Shan Dian Bie Yuan and am constantly by her side, loving her but unable to attain her, my sword heart may never have a chance to be repaired. Therefore, I want to stay far away from her."
"Alright."
Huang Ting Yu smiled and nodded. "Lin Zhao will definitely arrange everything for you after this."
"Yes, let's drink first!"
Chi Zhong Yu decided to let go today. He would drink to his heart's content first.
...
Under the starry night, the banquet ended, but no one dispersed. They gathered in groups near Tian Ran Ju, chatting. Returning would mean cultivating, which was rather boring. Since it was lively now, they might as well exchange some idle chatter, which could be considered a form of self-purification.
By the lotus pond.
Lin Zhao took out two jars of Dong Ting Red Bamboo wine. "I don't have much left. This time, I'll give Teacher's teacher two jars of Red Bamboo wine first to start with. Additionally, there are also several jars of Apricot Blossom wine brewed by Dong Cang that Teacher's teacher can take. Drink Apricot Blossom wine when you're in an ordinary mood, and Red Bamboo wine when you're in a very good mood. They each have their uses."
The old gentleman's eyes narrowed with a smile as he accepted everything. "Xiao Zhao, I've been in the lower realm for a long time and have completed my duty of protecting you. I will be leaving soon. To make a long story short, keep this Stone of Destiny safe. This Stone of Destiny contains an entire Bai Hua Tian Xia. It may be of great use in the future."
"Yes, I understand."
"Also."
The old gentleman gently raised his hand and handed over a fiery red sword tip, smiling. "This sword tip is a gift for your Third Senior Brother, Ding Mu Chen. However, it is said to be originally Yan Bei Chen's sword tip. Your Third Senior Brother, whose thick skin is comparable to a city wall, insisted that I convey this message to you in these exact words: 'This is a sword tip from a Fourteenth Realm Great Sword Immortal's sword, which Third Senior Brother helped you acquire from Yan Bei Chen. This sword tip once refined a Thirteenth Realm demon core from the Barbarian Abyss and possesses extremely terrifying killing power. Consider it a flying sword nurtured in your third Wujian Lake.'"
The old gentleman then said with a smile, "Your Third Senior Brother's words are correct. The killing power of this sword tip is indeed peerless in the world. It can be considered an immortal sword among immortal swords. In terms of combat power, it will not be inferior to the sword tip of the Han Niu Sword gifted to you by Sui Han. You must nurture it well and not let your Third Senior Brother's expectations go unfulfilled. Of course, fairness is fairness. I believe the favor should be credited to Yan Bei Chen, as it was Yan Bei Chen who killed the Barbarian Abyss by risking his own realm's decline that this sword tip was obtained."
"Yes."
Lin Zhao nodded. "I know the kindness shown to me by my Senior Brother, Brother Yan, and Teacher's teacher. I will engrave it in my heart!"
"That's good, that's good."
The old gentleman smiled and stood up. "Then I shall take my leave."
Lin Zhao immediately rose and respectfully bowed. "I respectfully see Teacher's teacher off."
A stream of golden Confucian text flashed, and in the next moment, the Fourteenth Realm Returning Sage old gentleman had ascended to the upper realm. Above the Xue Yu Tian Chi, only a golden ripple remained, with no significant disturbance.
"..."
Chi Zhong Yu and Yu Wan Ning both turned to look. They felt a profound aura of world-breaking. That Fourteenth Realm old gentleman had ascended. They had initially thought they were already in the upper realm, but it turned out they were still in the mortal world, with an even more profound upper realm above them.
...
Not long after, in the pavilion in the center of the lotus pond, Lin Zhao called Yu Wan Ning and Chi Zhong Yu over.
"How is it?"
Lin Zhao sat in the pavilion and smiled. "What are your impressions of this world?"
"The Great Dao is vast and unimaginable," Yu Wan Ning said.
Chi Zhong Yu nodded. "Compared to before, the understanding of us cultivators in Bai Hua Tian Xia was simply that of frogs in a well."
"The same."
Lin Zhao looked up at the sky. "Thinking of that ethereal upper realm, I also feel like a frog in a well."
The two of them smiled.
Lin Zhao lay down on the long bench in the pavilion, resting his arms behind his head, and looked at the starry sky outside. "This world is divided into four parts. The place you are now is called Xue Yu Tian Chi, located in the northern frontier of the Human Realm. Further north is the Monster Realm, inhabited by our mortal enemies, the monsters, who are powerful, with many cultivators in the Upper Five Realms. To the east is Ni Chang Tian Xia, the dwelling place of the demons. To the west is Gui Yu Tian Xia, the territory of the ghosts, but the ghosts are currently in a weak period."
He turned to look at Yu Wan Ning and Chi Zhong Yu. "The monster race, demon race, ghost race, and sprite race – these four races combined are what our human race calls the Northern Four Tribes, and they are mortal enemies of the human race. From now on, you can stay in Shan Dian Bie Yuan for a while longer to understand and familiarize yourselves with this world before deciding where to go."
"Lin Zhao."
Chi Zhong Yu stood up and scratched his head. "It's not that I don't want to stay in Shan Dian Bie Yuan, but my state of mind cannot remain here. Therefore... please guide me on a path. I want to cultivate in the place with the strongest sword dao fortune and the most perilous environment. Since I cannot attain love, I will pursue a higher realm. I, Chi Zhong Yu, will surely attain the legendary Upper Five Realms in this life!"
"I understand."
Lin Zhao smiled and nodded. "I will inform Miss Lin and arrange for you to cultivate at Fu Su Great Wall. The Fu Su Great Wall is currently experiencing a shortage of talent and indeed needs a young Sword Immortal with good aptitude to be stationed there."