Chapter 64: A Three-Way Confrontation
(This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation)
Deep within the ruins, opposite the towering mountain known as the “Central Celestial Mountain,” a group of disciples from Spirit Sword Mountain sat on a gentle slope, gazing at the celestial radiance surging in the sky. Among them, a lone figure lay unconscious on the ground, his life or death uncertain.
Zhuo Wan Qiu approached with a basin of water and, with the help of several other disciples, carefully lifted the injured man. They began removing his blood-soaked robes to tend to his wounds. Surprisingly, he bore no severe injuries aside from a single piercing wound an inch away from his heart. The blood around it had turned black, but such an injury would not normally endanger the life of someone at the Dao Fusion Stage.
And yet, that was precisely where the strangeness lay.
Cultivators rely on spiritual senses, making it impossible to miss the heart’s location. The only explanation was that the assailant had aimed deliberately—just slightly off-target.
Adding to the oddity, nearly all casualties from the previous battle were disciples of the Dao Seeking Sect, fueling mistrust within their ranks. This mistrust caused the sect to withdraw from cooperating with Spirit Sword Mountain.
[Remember, don’t get involved in unnecessary matters.]
[Sister-in-law, didn’t you say not to meddle in other people’s affairs?]
[That doesn’t apply here. We must help the disciples of Spirit Sword Mountain.]
Zhuo Wan Ting changed the bandages on Gong Shu Chou, her mind echoing with fragments of the conversation she had overheard in the forest days before. The mysterious Ji You appeared to hold goodwill toward Spirit Sword Mountain’s disciples, though she couldn’t fathom the source of such benevolence.
Spirit Sword Mountain, nestled along the Mystic Sea far to the south, had no known connections with the Heavenly Script Academy. If Ji You were a disciple of the Dao Seeking Sect, his sparing the life of a Spirit Sword Mountain disciple out of loyalty to his sect would have made sense. But he wasn’t…
Zhuo Wan Qiu finished tying the bandage and tossed the soiled cloth into the basin. Suddenly, the jade token at her waist glowed with light. Only the Sect Master or the Appraiser could issue a command through the token. Since she was merely an outer envoy, it couldn’t have been from the Sect Master. The message had to be from the Appraiser.
Moving to a secluded corner, she activated the token. Immortal light shimmered, and the Appraiser’s cold, commanding voice emerged.
“Relay this order to all disciples: Leave Qiling immediately. Any who disobey will be expelled from the sect.”
Startled, Zhuo Wan Qiu asked, “Appraiser, what has happened?”
“The so-called celestial radiance in the mountains is no true fortune. Instead, you are likely to become someone else’s opportunity. Have Ding Yao lead everyone out, and inform the disciples of the Heavenly Script Academy to leave as well.”
“?”
Zhuo Wan Qiu, still puzzling over the relationship between the Heavenly Script Academy and Spirit Sword Mountain, grew even more bewildered. Ji You’s goodwill seemed oddly reciprocal…
She voiced her concerns after some deliberation. “Appraiser, Senior Sister Ding recently joined forces with the Dao Seeking Sect to attack the Heavenly Script Academy. They may not trust my words.”
“Attacked?”
“Yes. One of their female disciples carried a large number of spirit stones, and with the mountain’s killing aura hindering spiritual energy circulation, Senior Sister Ding targeted them.”
The Appraiser paused briefly. “What were the casualties?”
Zhuo Wan Qiu hesitated. “Several disciples were gravely injured. Gong Shu Chou narrowly escaped death.”
“Two sects joined forces, yet a Dao Fusion cultivator almost died?”
“They were winning until a disciple adept in dual cultivation of martial and Daoist arts appeared. He wielded seven swords, pierced Gong Shu Chou, and miraculously spared his life. Oh, and before that, he saved me, saying that disciples of Spirit Sword Mountain should be rescued.”
“Hmph, quite capable indeed.”
“?”
The Appraiser’s voice carried an uncharacteristic undertone, leaving Zhuo Wan Qiu perplexed. Was the Appraiser unwell? The faint hint of admiration seemed out of place, and before she could dwell further, the voice returned.
“Wan Qiu, you must go. If the Heavenly Script Academy disciples refuse to listen, seek out Ji You. If he also ignores you, tell him that I will be displeased.”
With that, the jade token’s light dimmed. Zhuo Wan Qiu stood in stunned silence, her clear eyes reflecting a trace of bewilderment. She hadn’t mentioned Ji You’s name…
Did the Appraiser know him?
As if a veil lifted, Zhuo Wan Qiu’s thoughts began to converge. The Appraiser’s specific mention of Ji You suggested a deeper connection—one where displeasing the Appraiser outweighed the lure of celestial fortune.
Reflecting on the Appraiser’s tone when mentioning Ji You, her expression turned peculiar. But the urgent matter at hand demanded focus. She sought out Ding Yao to relay the Appraiser’s decree.
“Retreat? The celestial radiance is within reach! How can we leave now?”
“The Appraiser has ordered it. Disobey, and you’ll be expelled from the sect.”
Staring at the resplendent celestial light so tantalizingly close, Ding Yao clenched her teeth in frustration. Yet defying the Appraiser was unthinkable. After much internal struggle, she ordered a retreat.
However, another group of Spirit Sword Mountain disciples, composed of elite inner sect members from Heavenly Sword Peak, disregarded the command. These high-level cultivators, driven by desperation after years of being trapped at bottlenecks, believed that retreating now meant giving up their only chance at advancement. This clash of individual ambition against collective loyalty was inevitable.
Since the rise of the Malignant Beings, many sect disciples had vanished, leading to speculation about an impending disaster. Yet, sects and clans flocked to Qiling Mountain, understanding that this was no hidden scheme but an open challenge. Should one sect claim the celestial fortune, the millennium-long balance among the Seven Great Immortal Sects would shatter.
For those who failed to obtain it, the fate of extinction loomed—as it had for the Array Masters or the enslaved Pill Sect during the Dark Era. None could afford to abstain.
“Senior Sister Ding, return along the main path. I must go ahead.”
“Where are you going?”
“To warn the Heavenly Script Academy disciples. They must leave swiftly.”
“Ji You saved your life, and now you feel indebted? Have you forgotten that we are sworn enemies?”
“This is the Appraiser’s command.”
“What?”
Without further explanation, Zhuo Wan Qiu left, her thoughts lingering on Ding Yao’s arrogance. She had earned leniency as the Appraiser’s personal servant, but it seemed she had crossed someone truly significant. That significance wasn’t in cultivation or status but in the Appraiser’s favor.
Navigating the forest, Zhuo Wan Qiu soon encountered Wen Zheng Xin and her group, who were retreating along the mountain’s main path. Recognizing the Spirit Sword Mountain robes, the Heavenly Script Academy disciples drew their swords.
“I mean no harm,” Zhuo Wan Qiu said hastily. “I’ve come to warn you: there’s danger in the mountains. Leave at once.”
Wen Zheng Xin narrowed her eyes. “We decide whether to advance or retreat. Spirit Sword Mountain has no say.”
Zhuo Wan Qiu scanned the group. “Where is Ji You?”
“What do you want with him?”
“I have urgent matters to discuss. He saved my life; I wouldn’t harm him.”
Bai Ru Long, standing nearby, interjected, “She’s telling the truth. I saw her several times during the skirmish at the foothills. She didn’t attack us.”
Ban Yang Shu frowned. “Amidst all that, you were still eyeing a girl?”
Bai Ru Long’s expression turned solemn. [The maiden has brought clarity to my Dao heart.]
Wen Zheng Xin hesitated before replying. “Ji You separated from us to go deeper into the mountains. He said he was going to rescue someone.”
“His fiancée!” Bai Ru Long added enthusiastically. “My brother Ji is incredible. Everywhere he goes, he has a fiancée! One here, another outside, and don’t forget the ethereal beauty he charmed on the White Jade Terrace last time. Truly a model for us all.”
Zhuo Wan Qiu: “?”