Chapter Fifty-Five: Reunion with the Beloved

On this particular day, a momentous event occurred atop Qingyang Peak on Cangyun Mountain.

A series of urgent bells rang out beyond the Grand Hall of Danxia Sect, and soon after, the corpse of a Danxia Sect disciple was hung outside the hall. Instantly, chaos erupted among the disciples on Qingyang Peak. Their sect leader had gone missing, and, intimidated by the burgeoning power of Xuanzhen Monastery, the disciples of Danxia Sect on Qingyang Peak had no choice but to submit to Xuanzhen’s oppressive might. Now, seeing a fellow disciple so brutally slain outside the hall, fear gripped their hearts, and none could guess what fate Xuanzhen Monastery might have in store for them next.

Within the main hall, Elder Qingxu from Xuanzhen Monastery stood in a black Daoist robe, hands clasped behind his back, gazing coldly at the mangled corpse on the ground. He asked frostily, “Elder Yang, do you recognize this man?”

Elder Yang Zheng of Danxia Sect stepped forward to examine the body. After a moment, he replied respectfully, “This appears to be Luo Changfeng, first disciple under Huo Zhongmou.”

A sharp glint flashed in Qingxu’s eyes as he turned to question his own disciples. “Was this the man who came up the mountain today bearing the badge of the Marquis of Might?”

A disciple at his side quickly answered, “Reporting to Master, it was indeed him.”

Qingxu’s surprise was tinged with suspicion. “Word from the disciples at the Marquis’s mansion was that Huo Zhongmou wished no enmity with Xuanzhen Monastery and would not interfere in the affairs of Qingyang Peak; he sent his disciple up the mountain today simply to deliver this message. Why, then, has this man met such a gruesome end atop our Qingyang Peak?”

A trace of doubt clouded Yang Zheng’s face. He said in alarm, “Could this be the doing of someone from the sect’s outer court, hoping to frame Xuanzhen Monastery and thereby provoke Huo Zhongmou to act?”

Qingxu slowly shook his head. “It’s not so simple. If Mo Zhanpeng and the others truly wished to frame us, would they have hung the body so openly on Qingyang Peak? Wouldn’t that only put us on our guard?”

A sudden thought struck Qingxu. He spun around and demanded, “In broad daylight, a corpse could hardly appear outside the hall without notice. How do you guard Qingyang Peak?”

The disciples fell to their knees, trembling. “A stranger, dressed as a sect disciple, was seen bringing the corpse up the mountain. He claimed to be acting on the orders of the Grandmaster. Though my brothers were suspicious, they trusted in our master’s presence on the peak, so they accompanied him to Wangyue Peak. Unexpectedly, he hung the corpse outside the hall, which set the bells ringing. By the time the others realized and tried to seize him, he vanished like a wraith. Afterwards, some saw him speeding away in the direction of Wangyue Peak, where the Seven Absolutes Sect resides.”

Hearing this, a look of concern clouded Qingxu’s face. He muttered, “Could this truly be the work of the Seven Absolutes Sect?”

Yang Zheng, perplexed, asked, “Didn’t the master of Seven Absolutes swear to Master Cangsong not to meddle in our affairs? Why would he go back on his word?”

Qingxu sneered. “That was merely a convenient promise from old Sima Yan. Who could trust such words? Just recently, at the foot of the Penitence Cliff, Guo Huai died to a ferocious force of fist and sword—surely the Seven Absolutes Sect is involved.”

Yang Zheng frowned. “If the Seven Absolutes are involved, we must report to Master Cangsong at once, lest matters spiral out of control.”

Qingxu’s face darkened with reproach. “If you had not acted so recklessly before, driving out those outer court disciples who wished to join us, we would not be facing such hidden dangers today. When you succeed me as sect leader, your first task must be to welcome more outer court disciples into our ranks. Divide their power, so we don’t breed future threats.”

Yang Zheng flushed in embarrassment and quickly agreed, “You are absolutely right, Master. I was too hasty before.”

“Don’t worry, Elder Yang. Even if the Seven Absolutes try to frame us and join with Huo Zhongmou, they won’t succeed in tricking Xuanzhen Monastery. As for your disciples, they must be frightened after today’s events. You must reassure them. So long as they remain loyal to Xuanzhen, I will never harm them.” Confident in his own strength and the formidable power of his sect, Qingxu showed little concern for the incident.

While Qingxu and Yang Zheng suspected the Seven Absolutes Sect, far off atop Wangyue Peak, Qi Fei, clad in the robes of Xuanzhen Monastery, was hurrying toward the summit.

Along the way, he encountered several wary disciples of the Seven Absolutes, but eager for a meeting with Zhuo Jiner, Qi Fei flashed the jade pendant given to him by Sima Yan. With this token, his path was unimpeded.

Some among the Seven Absolutes remembered Qi Fei from the night he’d snuck onto Wangyue Peak and were puzzled by his apparent ties to their sect.

Before long, Qi Fei reached the narrow valley where he had nearly lost his life once before. Before the guards could speak, he raised the jade pendant and, in a flash, slipped into the valley.

The disciples outside the valley were startled, speculating about Qi Fei’s identity. Their sect master had once gathered all the disciples to explain that he had entrusted a sect token to a master of the Dao and ordered that whoever bore it was not to be impeded. Now, seeing this Daoist from Xuanzhen Monastery wielding the token, they were all the more astonished.

While confusion lingered among the Seven Absolutes outside, Qi Fei himself was uneasy within the valley. Having ruthlessly killed Luo Changfeng and thrown Qingyang Peak into chaos, Qi Fei had deliberately left traces to shift blame onto the Seven Absolutes.

Yet, upon returning to Wangyue Peak, he recalled the elder Gongsun She’s earth-shattering blade technique, so reminiscent of the final form of the “Divine Execution Sword Manual.” A bold idea took root in his mind, compelling him to risk venturing into the valley again to meet Zhuo Jiner.

It was not out of youthful passion or a desire for romance with the unparalleled beauty Zhuo Jiner. Qi Fei merely hoped to use the powers of this enigmatic sorceress, so highly regarded by Sima Yan, to break through the martial bottleneck that had long plagued him.

Having experienced Zhuo Jiner’s cunning before, Qi Fei felt a pang of apprehension as he entered the valley, wary of falling into her trap with one misstep.

In the tranquil valley, Qi Fei hesitated, uncertain. Suddenly, from the pavilion nearby, a silvery, melodious laugh rang out.

“It's only been a few days, and now you’re a disciple of Xuanzhen Monastery? Have you decided to side with them for protection, now that they’re on the rise?”

Qi Fei looked up at the enchanting woman by the window and called out, “You jest, Miss Zhuo. I have come here today to ask a favor.”

She smiled faintly. “Since you’re in Daoist robes, do you think you can break through the barrier I set before the pavilion?”

Qi Fei’s face fell as he sighed. “Please, Miss Zhuo, don’t tease me. If you won’t see me, I’ll take my leave.”

Zhuo Jiner feigned annoyance, her voice playful. “You’re no fun at all! Since you’ve come for my help, why act so aloof? All right, come up.”

With a wave of her sleeve, a flicker of light dispelled the Daoist barrier outside the pavilion.

Qi Fei, having cultivated his spiritual soul, was familiar with ordinary Daoist arts. Seeing Zhuo Jiner dismiss such a formidable barrier with a mere gesture, he could not help but respect her even more. Truly, the powers of this enigmatic sorceress were not to be underestimated.

With her permission, Qi Fei hurried inside. Ascending to the pavilion, he greeted her with a smile. “Forgive my intrusion today, Miss Zhuo.”

She was unmoved, frowning slightly. “That night, you fled from me as if I were a viper. If it weren’t for something urgent, you’d never have come here. What is it you want?”

Qi Fei looked awkward and, after sitting down, cleared his throat. “To be honest, since you know I was once a disciple of the Bloodshadow Lord, you must also know a bit about his life, and the grudges he bore against the Xuanxin Sword Sect.”

Zhuo Jiner nodded slowly. “And?”

Qi Fei smiled ruefully. “After passing on his legacy to me, my master fell victim to the corpse poison of the Daoist of a Hundred Ghosts. I swore before him I would someday settle his old scores. Before dying, he taught me the supreme sword techniques of the Xuanxin Sword Sect. Fearing that my enemies might one day recognize my moves, I thought to disguise them as intricate fist techniques. Only after meeting you did I realize how naïve I’d been.”