Xu Ziqing searched his memory and vaguely recalled that when he first arrived in this great world, his master had mentioned the Savage Beast Plains while recounting his senior brother’s years of cultivation.
After comprehending sword intent, Yun Lie had entered the Savage Beast Plains for ten years, carrying out endless slaughter until his sword intent reached perfection. During that time, his cultivation advanced from early to middle Essence Transformation. He then spent years examining everything he had learned, entered the Sword Cave, and emerged another ten years later at the peak of late Essence Transformation!
It could be said that those ten years on the Savage Beast Plains had done the most to temper Yun Lie and had laid the foundation for his later strength. Xu Ziqing also knew that his senior brother advanced steadily, never slighting the fundamentals or rushing greedily after a higher realm. That was precisely why he had such extraordinary potential now. Every bit of it had been earned through effort.
His senior brother intended to return to the Savage Beast Plains, and there must be a reason. Could it be that he had encountered a bottleneck in his cultivation?
Xu Ziqing knew little about the Savage Beast Plains, but he said, “Senior Brother, I wish to go with you.”
He knew that if his senior brother believed the trip would benefit him, Yun Lie would simply have offered to take him along from the beginning. Since he had said nothing, he was leaving Xu Ziqing to make his own decision.
There must be advantages to training on the Savage Beast Plains, but dangers as well.
And that was indeed the case.
Hearing his junior brother speak so firmly, Yun Lie nodded. “Prepare plenty of medicinal pills, talismans, and other supplies. The Savage Beast Plains are unlike other places, and they lie within the Western Domain. You must exercise particular caution.” After a brief pause, he added, “Now that your injuries have healed, visit Master first. Then return here, and we will depart together.”
The care with which his senior brother instructed him made Xu Ziqing even more vigilant. “Yes, Senior Brother,” he replied immediately.
With that, he rose to visit Little Bamboo Peak.
Little Bamboo Peak remained peaceful and warm. Spiritual energy swirled above it, lending it an auspicious air.
Xu Ziqing went directly to the mountainside and entered Perfected Qiu He’s cave abode. Inside, the scene was still an immortal paradise filled with flowers. In the past, he had only admired its exquisite beauty; now, however, he could discern some of the techniques and traces underlying the arrangements.
As one’s cultivation realm changed, so did one’s perspective.
Several women were seated cross-legged among the flowers on either side, cultivating. Spiritual energy rose from underground and entered their bodies, making their appearances seem even more ethereal.
They appeared immersed in a certain state of comprehension and did not notice anyone approaching.
Just then, the wooden door opened and a young man came out.
He wore plain clothing and had an honest, somewhat simple face. This was Qiu Ze, Perfected Qiu He’s third direct disciple.
After the sect’s grand competition, Qiu Ze, Luo Yao, and the other two companions had each established cave abodes on Little Bamboo Peak. Qiu Ze alone could live in this place; the other three resided elsewhere on the mountain.
Later, Luo Yao ultimately joined the Du family and followed Young Master Du Zihui, receiving the family’s protection while painstakingly crafting talismans. Surprisingly, he and the young master got along quite well. Having first met as opponents, they had eventually become friends.
Long Xuan and Yue Jun remained on Little Bamboo Peak. The two had gained much insight during the grand competition and had been in seclusion for many days, without appearing for a long time.
When Qiu Ze saw Xu Ziqing, he immediately saluted. “Greetings, Second Senior Brother.”
Xu Ziqing smiled. “Master must already know I’ve arrived.”
Qiu Ze smiled as well. “He does. He sent me out to welcome you.”
Xu Ziqing followed him inside.
Once past the doorway, he found Perfected Qiu He seated on the ground as usual, looking like a gardener. A meditation cushion stood beside him; apparently he had been instructing his third direct disciple before the interruption.
In the past, Perfected Qiu He had greatly regretted his inability to teach either Yun Lie or Xu Ziqing directly. Now Qiu Ze had a compatible attribute and was deeply respectful toward his teacher, so Perfected Qiu He devoted himself to guiding him. This had brought the older man considerable enjoyment.
Even so, Perfected Qiu He remained very fond of Xu Ziqing. Seeing him enter, he invited him to sit, his eyes full of affection. “Yun’er told me you were badly injured. Have you recovered?”
Xu Ziqing replied gently, “Thanks to Senior Brother’s help, I’ve made a full recovery.”
Perfected Qiu He smiled and nodded, then brought out a jade box and pushed it toward him. “Take this and return it to Yun’er on Master’s behalf.”
Xu Ziqing recognized the box almost immediately. It was clearly the one that held the Posuo Fruit. He understood at once: his senior brother must have presented the fruit to Master as a gesture of filial devotion. Perhaps Master had not known what it was at first, but after opening the box and seeing it clearly, he must have felt that such a treasure ought to be kept for his beloved eldest disciple. He therefore wanted his second disciple, who was close to Yun Lie, to return it. Such profound affection for his disciples, to the point of overlooking the value of so rare a treasure, was truly moving.
But since his senior brother had given it to Master, how could Xu Ziqing take it back and provoke his senior brother’s displeasure?
Besides, Xu Ziqing understood his senior brother’s intentions.
Yun Lie had severed ties with his blood relatives long ago. Master had found him and raised him, looking after him for many years. Even though Yun Lie had frozen his seven emotions, he was not ungrateful. He understood Master’s kindness and respected him deeply.
On their visit to Ruyi Immortal Estate, his senior brother had worked so diligently not, perhaps, to improve his own chances of forming a Nascent Soul, but because he had intended from the outset to obtain a Posuo Fruit for their master.
The more Xu Ziqing thought about it, the more reasonable it seemed.
A little reflection was enough for him to understand.
It had taken their master over four hundred years to form his Golden Core. His aptitude was not especially good, and his early foundations had not been strong. He had struggled upward from the disciples’ residences without a master of his own to protect and support him.
Although their master could live as long as eight hundred years, he was already more than four hundred years old and had reached only early Golden Core. In the few remaining centuries, advancing even to late Golden Core would be difficult, let alone forming a Nascent Soul. That was all but impossible.
But if Yun Lie respected his master, how could he simply stand by and watch his lifespan run out? If there was any method worth trying, he would naturally try it.
Xu Ziqing wholeheartedly agreed with this intention.
He therefore pushed the box back and said, “Since Master understands Senior Brother’s feelings, please accept it, so that your disciple may also be at ease.”
Perfected Qiu He sighed. “Ziqing, do you know what this is?”
Xu Ziqing smiled. “Your disciple accompanied Senior Brother to the immortal estate. Of course I know.”
Hearing this, Perfected Qiu He frowned. “Then you should understand that using such a treasure on me would be little different from wasting it. If either of you kept it instead, surely it would serve you better.”
Xu Ziqing shook his head. “Master, that isn’t so. Senior Brother and I still have many years in which to cultivate before forming Nascent Souls, and we have our own plans. In Master’s hands, this fruit would be of far greater use. Besides, both of us regard Master as our closest family. There can be no question of waste.”
Perfected Qiu He’s expression grew complicated.
That his disciples were filial was an immense blessing, but he had grown old. All he had hoped was to instruct his last disciple well during the years remaining to him and close his eyes without regret. He had never dared aspire to another step in cultivation. The more he thought, the more his heart ached.
He had been such a useless master. Not only was he unable to help his disciples, but they had to make plans for his sake. How ashamed he felt.
Xu Ziqing was straightforward and sincere. He immediately perceived his master’s thoughts and smiled. “Master, please don’t treat your disciples as strangers.”
Perfected Qiu He’s eyes reddened. He felt such comfort and gratitude that words could scarcely express them.
Xu Ziqing did not want him dwelling on it, so he changed the subject. “Senior Brother and I will be leaving the mountain for training soon. I came to bid Master farewell.”
Perfected Qiu He quickly composed himself, his gaze growing still gentler. “You and Yun’er are both thoughtful people. I needn’t say much. But Yun’er has more experience than you do. Whatever difficulties you brothers encounter, be sure to discuss them together and listen to one another.”
Xu Ziqing straightened and answered solemnly, “Please rest assured, Master. Your disciple understands.”
After a little more conversation, he finally took his leave.
After saying farewell, Xu Ziqing visited the Pavilion of Ten Directions and exchanged his merit points for all the supplies he needed, storing them in his storage ring. He also bound the second ring, the one holding the divine-tree seeds, with a drop of blood. He was no longer as ignorant as he had been at the beginning. Now that he possessed two storage rings, he knew how to conceal the latter deep within the former instead of displaying both openly.
Once his preparations were complete, Xu Ziqing returned to find his senior brother.
Yun Lie stood calmly in his usual plain robes. As ever, he seemed a man whom nothing could defeat and no pressure could bend.
He did not constantly carry a sword in his hand, for he had yet to choose any sword as his life-bound sword. His sword intent lay concealed within his sea of consciousness. In battle, any sword was the same to him, provided it could bear his power.
When he saw the green-robed youth approach, he swept his gaze over him. “This journey is dangerous.”
Xu Ziqing answered earnestly, “I understand.”
Yun Lie nodded. “Let’s go.”
Xu Ziqing’s lips curved into a smile. “Yes, Senior Brother.”
A clear eagle cry rang out overhead as Chonghua swooped down.
The two figures moved in a blur, and in the blink of an eye they stood upon the eagle’s back.
The Savage Beast Plains lay on the border of the Western Domain, adjoining the Northern Domain but separated from it by vast stretches of desert.
Countless savage beasts lived upon the plains. At intervals, beast tides swept through the region and caused terrible devastation.
While the Eastern Domain was dominated by Wuling Immortal Sect and numerous other immortal-path sects, the Western Domain was held under the authority of an empire. By harnessing dragon qi, it had established a cultivator dynasty that gathered countless cultivators, concentrated the fortunes of heaven and earth, and sought the Dao and eternal life while ruling the mortal world.
That empire was the Great Yan Empire.
Centered upon the empire, numerous smaller kingdoms swore allegiance and yielded their own dragon qi, gathering it into a mighty current.
Mortals and cultivators also lived together throughout the Western Domain. Only cultivators could hold official positions within the imperial capital, but in the twelve commanderies many mortals still administered government affairs.
Powerful cultivators of the empire protected ordinary people, while the latter served the dynasty through their own abilities in exchange for that protection. The arrangement resembled the way mortals made offerings to sects in the Eastern Domain, but here the system was expressly set out in law, with an even more rigid hierarchy.
The Savage Beast Plains were a place whose very name struck terror into the hearts of mortals. The empire had therefore appointed a State-Defending General to guard them, with the post entrusted to the same line for generations.