AST 1022 – Holy Bracelet, Working Together Silently, Buddha Swordplay
This day, Mo Hongluo stayed at the Qing Clan. Having not met for so many years, they had a lot to talk about but Qing Shui had his own plans. The Buddha Sect at the Central Continent was divided into nine sect or nine gates and the Buddha Sword Sect was one of it.
At the Eastern Victory Divine Continent, he had previously stayed at the Golden Buddha Temple. There, he had a flash of realization, being able to improve his strength. Being at the Golden Buddha Temple, he knew the basic situation of the Buddha Sect.
The Abbot at the Golden Buddha Temple told him about some things regarding the Buddha Sect. Of course, it was just some minor problems, such as the Buddha Sect and Nine Sect not being very united, but were unanimous about external things.
Buddha Sword Sect!
This was the Sect in which Huoyun Peng was. The Master was someone of the Huoyun Sect and Huoyun Peng was the fifth son of the Master. Qing Shui was not sure about other things aside from that and so he would have to head to the Demon Gate once again.
After cultivating for a night, Qing Shui, Huoyun Liu-Li, Mo Hongluo and Qing Yu rushed to Demon Gate on the second day.
While on the way, Mo Hongluo carried Qing Yu, a few little items and some toys and snacks to bribe the naughty girl. Many people of the Qing Clan had received gifts from Mo Hongluo. Everyone had one, but the one Qing Yi received was the most expensive.
Golden Silk Cicada Wings Dress were something precious. Even if Qing Shui could find it, the item was not easily available. Yet Huoyun Liu-Li actually received a Golden SIlk Cicada Wings Dress. It was clear that the quality given to Huoyun Liu-Li was good.
It is not that Mo Hongluo did not love his daughter. It was a type of appreciation. Liu-Li has what she has today because of Qing Shui. Mo Hongluo knew everything now and Qing Yi was Qing Shui's Mother.
Qing Yi wanted to give it to Huoyun Liu-Li, but how would Huoyun Liu-Li accept it. She pulled Qing Yi to the room to change into it. She had already seen Qing Yi as her mother long ago and had given everything to Qing Shui. A man that she loved deeply, loved everything about him including those close to him. Shi Qingzhuang, Mingyue Gelou, and the others were like sisters to her. She had been in the Qing Clan for many years already and felt this it was a warm and comforting place.
"Grandmother, you are really beautiful. As beautiful as Mother." Qing Yu chuckled, letting out a sharp and clear laughter.
Qing Shui laughed. This girl could really "flatter" someone. Perhaps it was not considered as flattering. As long as she saw a good looking woman, the girl would not forget to compliment them. She knew that when she complimented them, she would be able to get a benefit.
"You sneaky girl, come tell Grandmother how am I pretty." Mo Hongluo liked the little girl.
……
Unknowingly, they had reached the Demon Gate. This time, the Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant flew above Demon Gate. Many people from Demon Gate were shocked and envious after seeing the huge and powerful Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant.
Even some Elders of the Elder Association from Demon Gate would be shocked. That was because some of them felt that the strength of the Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant was very scary. Some could even tell the level of strength that the Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant had. If the mounts of this youth people was already that strong, exactly how strong could that youth be?
An ordinary mount usually would not be stronger than their Master. It was not impossible, but it was very rare.
A few elders from Demon Gate were caught up in pondering. They had a little over five thousand stars strength and were the strongest of the Elder Association from Demon Gate. However, a few of them realized that even with a few of them combining their strengths, they could not bring down such a strong Dragon Elephant.
The reason why he flew over was that Mo Hongluo had asked Qing Shui to do so. At Demon Gate, Mo Hongluo was being called Mo Hongxiu. Only those of Demon Gate Elder Association and those from the Demon Clan knew that she was Mo Hongluo.
No matter what it was, the Master of the Demon Gate pampered this daughter the most. Therefore, nobody had dared to say anything to Mo Hongluo.
Landing at a spacious and empty place, Qing Shui then put away the Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant. The figure of an old man who was far away earlier already appeared there. Seeing the few people that arrived, the elders behind them smiled with joy.
"Father!"
Mo Hongluo called out excitedly. Seeing his daughter being the happiest she has been in so many years, he naturally was happy as well.
"You must be Liu-Li," the old man thought about Huoyun Liu-Li for a short while before saying. His voice was very benevolent. With the saying, love the house and its crow, perhaps Liu-Li was Hongluo's daughter.
[TL notes: Love the house and its crow: This is a Chinese idiom that means that you love everything about a person including his shortcomings. It is an analogy of how a person loved a house so much that he ending loving the crows that were there too.
The old man did not have many children but there was a significant number of them, he even had a significant number of grandchildren. However, he looked upon the one before him differently.
"Liu-Li greets Grandfather before!" Huoyun Liu-Li said to the old man in a lukewarm tone.
The old man laughed and he knew what she meant. After all, the old man had restricted Mo Hongluo's freedom. There were something that had no explanation and there could not be an answer to it.
"Alright, you have grown so much. This is for you. Consider this as a gift for meeting you for the first time. Take it as something to make up for what I have done." the old man handed over what looked like a bracelet to Huoyun Liu-Li.
Qing Shui was shocked by the amount of Spiritual Qi on it. He was stunned right as his Heavenly Vision Technique swept across it.
Holy Bracelet!
It would increase the cultivation speed of a cultivator by ten times!
Strong and heaven defying, Qing Shui knew about the existence of such sacred objects long ago. He knew about it when he found out about the Spirit Concentrating Pill that could increase by six times. Later, he also saw this item as Mu Qing had one of the Holy Bracelet.
The Holy Bracelet was the most basic of all the sacred objects. However, it had a special use. If a useless person has the Holy Bracelet in his hands, cultivating ten times the speed would turn him into quite a genius.
The effect of the Holy Bracelet differed from one to another. The Holy Bracelet that the old man gave to Liu-Li was the most basic one and increased ten times of the cultivating speed. Mu Qing's one enabled her to increase her cultivation speed by twelve times.. However, even the version that increased cultivation speed by ten times was already a heaven defying object. Qing Shui did not understand as to why the old man gave it to Liu-Li. Demon Gate was incomparably wealthy and had ample treasures, but it was not to the point where they could afford to give a Holy Bracelet to everyone.Mo Zitong would definitely had one and was definitely much better than this. There should be other good items he had, if not he would not be able to have two thousand stars strength given his age.
Qing Shui looked at Mo Hongluo and could already be certain that her aptitude was not exceptionally good. Adding to her problems that she had over the years, her strength had already stopped at its peak. If she could accomplish her desire, she could perhaps make a breakthrough within a short span. She had already used the necessary Medicinal Pills and other items in her body and it was just that her mood had suppressed a significant portion of her strength.
"Grandfather, this is the Holy Bracelet!" Huoyun Liu-Li looked at the old man.
"Yes! Do you like it?" the old man laughed while looking at Huoyun Liu-Li
"She does like it, but it is too precious." Qing Shui shook his head.
"Grandfather owes you this. No matter what it is, you are my granddaughter. You calling me Grandfather is already much better than this bracelet." the old man smiled.
"Liu-Li, take it. This is Grandfather's token of regard." Qing Shui laughed. He could actually tell what it meant. Besides, in the future, they could not draw a clear line with Demon Gate and would need the help of them.
"Thank you, Grandfather!" Huoyun Liu-Li thanked him and looked at the exquisite bracelet in his hands. A bright ray shone and Spiritual Qi radiated on the surface of it. However, once it recognized the Master, it would look like an ordinary bracelet.
Sacred objects. Some sacred objects were terrifying, just like how Qing Shui obtained the Arhat Rosary Beads. Unless a Master dies, then the next person cannot become its Master.
The Holy Bracelet did not go as far as that. As long as the one who received it erases the imprint on it and with some refining, it would be very simple.
"Little girl, this is for you!"
The old man took a Longevity Lock out and handed it to Qing Yu. It was unknown how many Longevity Locks Qing Yu received already, but this piece was made with silver essence containing high Spiritual Qi and had the effect of anti-poison.
This was a token of regard from the old man. Qing Yu pouted her lip while taking it. To a child, this item would be more attractive if it were something they could eat.
A few people walked in from the manor Qing Shui was at. This was where Mo Hongluo lived. In the past, people would generally not leave this manor. Those that were previously imprisoned would be imprisoned here.
The time used up to rush back during the whole journey was about half a day. It was now time for another meal. Not long after he entered the room, a few people brought in some fragrant dishes.
Everyone chatted while eating, the atmosphere was rather relaxed. Everyone would generally look ahead. At least Demon Gate and the Qing Clan were united. Huoyun Liu-Li was relaxed as well since she was able to settle her problems, as well as acknowledging her Mother and Demon Gate.
Although they acknowledged each other, it did not mean that they had to always be together. The old man loved his daughter dearly and might have loved his granddaughter, he might even notice the presence of Qing Shui, who was negligible. The wisdom of an elderly was sharp.
"Old Master, what is the situation at the Buddha Sect Nine Gate now? I heard that the Masters of the Buddha Sect Nine Gate is not as united as before." Qing Shui asked while eating.
The old man was not baffled by it. He then laughed, "The Buddha Sect seems to not be united on the surface, but if anything were to happen, they are very united. For example, if someone were to kill one from either Sect, they are intimately interdependent and will definitely interfere."
Qing Shui did know about it and hence did not expect that he would only have to face the Buddha Sword Sect.
"Old Master, how is the Huoyun Clan of Buddha Sword Sect?"
"Very strong, the Buddha Sect Nine Gate are all strong. If they were to battle with Demon Gate, Demon Gate will not be an opponent of the Buddha Sect. However, even if they won, there will be many casualties. Additionally, if there were a few experts among Demon Gate that sneakily attacked, it could lead them to be under pressure and therefore this was the balance that has been maintained all the while." the old man answered Qing Shui without being baffled about Qing Shui's questions.
Hearing that, Qing Shui laughed. The great sects had sent people that had the same apprehension as them. It is no wonder that as long as anyone from a Clan or Sect became an immortal, the rest could too. If an expert viewed them as an enemy and a few of them gets killed, if they would ran when the expert had arrived, they would sneak an attack on the elites of the younger generation from the Sect. If they do continue on as such, the sect might end up in a state where opinions differed, leading to a point of no return.
Qing Shui did not ask again. He knew what to do. With such a strong Sect, he could only use his martial skills as there was no other way to do it. Hence, he stopped asking, however the old man laughed and said
"Buddha Sword Sect is one of the Buddha Sect Nine Gate. Their Sword Art is known as the Buddha Swordplay. The teachings of Buddhism are very profound and legend says it was very strong as well. Even though I do not believe in Buddhism, the Buddha Swordplay was certainly strong. Their Sword Art has a profound power and was one that was incisive, firm, able to jolt opponents back at a fast speed. The main Sword art of Buddha Sword Sect is the Buddha Swordplay."
Qing Shui listened quietly. The old man had said what the opponent would not want to get their moves being meddled with. Qing Shui could not understand the thinking of the old man and did not know what he was thinking.
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AST 1023 – Buddha Sect's Test, The Powerful Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant
"Qing Shui, I know you will go to the Buddha Sword Sect, but I want to know how confident you are in winning against them."
The old man looked at Qing Shui and spoke again. Demon Gate had no choice back then. They have no other way to persuade the almighty Buddha Sect to allow his daughter and their son to marry, so the Demon Gate could only restrain their daughter in their home and prevent her from going outside. If she was found roaming anywhere near Huoyun Peng, the Buddha Sect would use any means to break them apart, resulting in a bad ending.
"I'm not sure. I haven't pinned down the exact strength of the Buddha Sect yet. But one thing's for sure – I can't go back now." Qing Shui said with a smile.
"Oh, the members of the Buddha Sect have their eyes on you?" The old man's eye glinted with curiosity.
"Yes. Or to be precise, they have their eyes on Liu-Li. Grandfather, please don't involve Demon Gate in this matter. I have plans of my own to deal with them." Qing Shui said after pondering for awhile.
"Qing Shui, to be honest, I don't know what you will use to deal with them, but I have a feeling that you will end this. I know it's odd. You're definitely not a reckless person to be able to stand where you are now, so I will believe you. But no matter what I do, you and I are already on the same page." The old man laughed, as he shook his head softly.
Qing Shui already knew about it from the moment he met Mo Hongluo. If it wasn't the case, the old man wouldn't have allowed Qing Shui to meet Mo Hongluo and reveal her true identity, not unless Qing Shui has sufficient capability to do so. But he knew he wasn't powerful enough, so no one would know what happen if things had gone to the unintended path.
"If that's the case, then grandfather should never interfere, even if it's for your daughter's sake. Let me and Liu-Li handle things from her, trust me."
The old man could only muster a sigh and nodded: "The Huoyun Clan has prospered for many generations. Huoyun Peng is the fifth son, but his family isn't well-liked. However, he was born in the Buddha Sect, so those old fools will never let him marry anyone from Demon Gate. Even if you depend on martial skills alone, it will be quite difficult to defeat them."
"I will handle the members of the Huoyun Clan slowly, but if someone from Buddha Sect decides to interfere, I will make sure they will never be able to go back alive. I will see how long the Huoyun Clan can endure. Also, I've discussed with Hongluo and Liu-Li already. We don't expect anything else except to take away Huoyun Peng from the Buddha Sect." Qing Shui smiled.
Qing Shui had a feeling that it would be difficult to make the Huoyun Clan to officially allow Mo Hongluo into their family with a happy celebration. He agreed that using his martial skills alone would be useless in this situation, so he had no choice but to pursue the alternatives – give a brief reunion to the Huoyun Clan and bring back Huoyun Peng. The alternative seemed possible if he managed to put a lot of effort into it.
…….
After spending a day in Demon Gate, Qing Shui and Huoyun Liu-Li decided to go back home. Qing Shui held Qing Yu in his arms while Huoyun Liu-Li stood beside him as the Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant calmly flew towards Fair Wind City.
"Liu-Li, we can free your father soon. When he's finally out, we can let your parents buy a house near blacksmith store, what do you think?" Qing Shui tightened his forehead as he asked Liu-Li.
"Ah, Qing Shui, I'm thinking the same thing too. The blacksmith store is my home, and they will always be my parents who are close to my heart like my biological parents. If they can stay at the same house, that'd be great," said Huoyun Liu-Li excitingly.
Qing Shui knew that the Central Continent wasn't a viable option for Huoyun Peng and Mo Hongluo to stay anymore, so he decided to let them stay in the Hundred Miles City. Moreover, Mo Hongluo was quite grateful to Liu-Li's foster parents, so that would be great if they could meet each other from time to time.
However, he could also allow Mo Hongluo, Huoyun Peng, and Liu-Li's foster parents to stay at the Heavenly Palace. Even so, Liu-Li's foster parents would not bear to part with their blacksmith store, so that was why he suggested her biological parents live in the Hundred Miles City instead. Liu-Li must be happy at the thought that she could be a daughter to both her biological parents and foster parents.
Suddenly, Qing Shui could feel a disturbance of aura from a distant sky. He looked at the direction of the aura with his sharp eyes and saw two small black dots approaching in a fast motion.
"They've come!"
Qing Shui remained calm and circulated the Qi of the Ancient Strengthening Technique right away. He then slowly enveloped his Qi around his little girl and Huoyun Liu-Li to give them some protection.
Swiftshadow Dragons!
A demonic beast with the dragon bloodline.
The Swiftshadow Dragons weren't especially large. Their wings were able to extend to about 30 meters long. Their ferocious dragon heads were atrocious and fierce, and they were extremely fast as well. Their bodies were rigid and sharp, so their damage resistance must be strong in that regard. With the bloodline of a dragon, their battle prowess should not be underestimated too.
Unfortunately for them, the Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant was here today. His demonic beast also has the same dragon bloodline, and the power of the elephant was vastly superior to that of the two Swiftshadow Dragons combined.
If the elephant wasn't a tamed mount, the Swiftshadow Dragons would have run away already!
There were two old men, each mounting on a Swiftshadow Dragon. They were wearing golden monk robes, but their hands were wielding long swords instead. Those were the signature attire of the members of the Buddha Sword Sect.
The old men had a benevolent appearance when they appeared, but quickly tighten their forehead when they saw the giant stature of the Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant. They could sense the dreadfulness of the demonic beast, a power too terrifying to contend against. Meanwhile, Qing Shui made a quick observation on those men quietly and calmly.
They have the power equivalent to 5000 stars!
The Buddha Sword Sect was a powerful existence, and their powers were considered one of the strongest in the five continents. They also had the largest amount of skillful cultivators under their sect. Qing Shui quickly commanded his Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant to stop, so that he could talk to them.
"Why are you blocking our path?" Qing Shui said calmly. At the same time, the Swiftshadow Dragons were twitching their bodies with uneasiness.
"You must be Qing Shui, and the woman beside you is Huoyun Liu-Li, correct?" The old man on the left scowled, as he asked with a murmuring voice.
"You were following us?" Qing Shui raised his eyebrows and said coldly at the elderly men.
He already knew they were following them, but kept quiet about it until they decided to show themselves. He knew the Buddha Sect would come for Huoyun Liu-Li, so he was determined to silence the Buddha Sect from speaking out their grievance.
"You only have to answer my question with a 'yes' or 'no'. Why do you insist on talking nonsense?" The old man on the right said angrily, as he stared at Qing Shui with contempt eyes.
Qing Shui was shocked for a moment. He didn't think that these benevolent-looking elders would act so harsh on him. It's undeniable that the Buddha Sect was strong, but these two members seemed abnormally arrogant. Perhaps they were too used to being high and mighty, and being showered with nothing but flatteries from the underlings.
"Are all members of the Buddha Sect as disgusting as you?" Qing Shui remained calm, undisturbed by the words of the old man.
"Impudence!"
"Scram!" Qing Shui's voice rang out like a thunderous roar that echoed into those old men's ears. There was a hint of Lion's Roar in his voice, which was infused with the Qi from the Nature's Energy and the State of Immovable as Mountains. His voice has the ability to frighten his enemies as well.
The Lion's Roar was a mastery technique that actually existed, which was simply a roar that had been infused with spiritual energy. However, because of Qing Shui's powerful spiritual energy, his voice could even ring inside their head besides ringing inside their ears.
Their expression changed after knowing how hard it was to deal with this young man. The old man on the left then spoke out in a soft tone, "Let us take away the woman beside you, and the Buddha Sect will not make things difficult for you."
Qing Shui sensed a hint of determination in their words, as if he would let them off lightly once they made him think he had gained the upper hand of the situation. Their decision was made with reluctance like they were being forced to slice off a piece of their meat and hand them on a silver platter to this young man.
"Should I be thankful that you're giving me a choice to live?" Qing Shui revealed a fake smile while facing those old men.
"You, you…. The Buddha Sect doesn't want to exterminate people needlessly. The woman beside you is a member of our Buddha Sect." One of the old men choked after he was shocked by Qing Shui's words.
"Oh, I see. You're going to exterminate those who stand in your way!"
Qing Shui released an aura of coercion towards those old men immediately. So what if they were from the Buddha Sect? He decided to change his mind – if they have a death wish, who was he to stop himself from granting their wish?
He allowed his little girl to lean on his chest as he held her in his arms, while the Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant casually made its way towards his opponents!
The old men went pale instantly. They were always treated with respect and honor wherever they went due to their background as members of the Buddha Sect. No one would dare disobey their orders like that.
They were ordered specifically to only probe Qing Shui today, but because of their tendency to act recklessly, they had inadvertently forced themselves into a sticky situation.
Roar!
The Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant let out a rumbling roar. Qing Shui had already put up a noise barrier around himself, so that Qing Yu would not be deafened by his demonic beast's penetrating cry.
Vajra Subdues Demons!
The Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant used its debuffing ability once more. When Qing Shui sensed the power of the old men, he curled a smile. The power of the two elderly men had been decreased by 10%, almost to the amount of 500 stars.
Diamond Sword Qi!
A ray of subtle golden aura locked onto the old men instantly.
"Hmm, the Diamond Sword Qi had turned golden. Two targets…."
Qing Shui was surprised, but smiled nonetheless. The Diamond Sword Qi was used to decrease the speed of these two opponents by 20%, prohibiting them from evading the next attack. In this situation, only the tough could confront toughness with equal strength.
Instantaneous Diamond Evasion!
Ferocious Diamond Attack!
Qing Shui held Qing Yu tightly in his arms while holding Liu-Li tightly with the other arm, as the Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant rammed towards the enemies. While being struck with absolute fright as the group of old men stared at the incoming demonic beast with a pale expression, the Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant was able to bash one of them away towards the air. The Swiftshadow Dragon that was standing at the front line was rammed into a pile of minced meat, a clear outcome of the great disparity between his power and that of the demonic beast.
The old fool's blood splattered everywhere as the other shocked old man quickly went to catch his wounded partner and fled instantly without leaving a trace behind.
Qing Shui did not pursue them, nor attack them. This was just the beginning and if he was right on his money those old men would surely come back for Huoyun Liu-Li, who was standing next to Qing Shui with a calm demeanor.
"Were you scared?"
"I will fear nothing as long as I stand beside you." Huoyun Liu-Li tightened her grip on Qing Shui's hand and smiled.
That dimpled smile was as beautiful as a blooming flower. He glanced at her breathtaking and seductive eyes and moved forward to kiss her luscious lips. Qing Shui could feel a momentary tension on his face, before she quickly leaped on him and hugged him tightly.
The Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant continued to soar towards the direction of Fair Wind City. It was when Qing Shui felt a tug on his clothes that he realized Qing Yu was looking at them with a pouting expression.
Huoyun Liu-Li was instantly flushed red, as her eyes were shrouded in a layer of mist. Qing Shui felt an itch in his heart when he saw her expression. This woman had unintentionally enticed him with her deadly, yet seductive mannerism.
She was the epitome of his adoration and passion!
Both Qing Shui and Huoyun Liu-Li pecked on Qing Yu's dainty face at the same time, causing the little girl to giggle with amusement.
"Liu-Li, the Holy Bracelet your grandfather has given you can increase your speed of cultivation by ten times. If you take the Spirit Concentrating Pill at the same time, your cultivation will progress even faster. Take heed of your cultivation so you can go to the other four continents as soon as possible. In the meantime, I will gain a foothold for you first." Qing Shui said with a smile.
"Mm, Sister Chen has gone to the four continents, so everyone is worried. I will definitely make it there one day." Once she was done speaking, Huoyun Liu-Li turned to look at her little girl in Qing Shui's arms with a frown on her forehead.
"Don't worry about this little kid. There are bound to be someone left in the Qing Clan, so she will have a good start ahead of us. If the remaining members of the Qing Clan can't make it to the four continents this time, they will eventually reach that level of power in the future. Once the children grow older, they will not cling onto us like this anymore." Qing Shui comforted Huoyun Liu-Li, as he knew she could not bear to part with Qing Yu.
Huoyun Liu-Li thought about it and laughed, "I will need a longer period of time to cultivate despite the rate of my cultivation. You're right, our kids will no longer cling to us once they grow older and independent."
After they went back to the Qing Residence in Fair Wind City, Qing Shui did not stop to rest but went ahead to lay a few Nine Palace Eight Trigrams Formations around the Qing Clan's manor. This formation was by far the best and trusted formation he had ever tried. At any rate, it would be impossible for anyone in the five continents to break the Nine Palace Eight Trigrams Formation he had put up in the past solely with brute force.
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AST 1024 – Buddha Sword Sect's Decision, Huoyun Peng's Resolution
After Qing Shui had laid a formation around the Qing Residence, he became more relieved. The old men from the Buddha Sword Sect had gone back, but they would never give up that easily. The Buddha Sect has never encountered such behavior towards them after all. As for Demon Gate, Qing Shui wasn't worried. They could go against the Buddha Sect with equal force, as they were also powerful in that context. He didn't have to concern himself with their ability to fight, and he had a feeling that he might need their help one day as well.
Buddha Sword Sect!
The Buddha Sword Sect was located at the Buddha Mountain, which was an impressive mountain region that had several statues carved naturally into the image of a Buddha. Throughout the mountain, the Buddha statues stood upright like a sword jabbed onto the ground. The scenery of these statues was quite life-like, and it was very enthralling.
The Buddha Sword Sect was one of the nine divisions of the Buddha Sect that sat right on this Buddha Mountain they were viewing. The distances between each of the sects from the Nine Divisions of Buddha Sect, or the Nine Sects, were quite close. The general headquarters of the Buddha Sect was located in the middle, with the other nine divisions surrounding it. The Buddha Sword Sect was located somewhere among these nine surroundings.
The headquarters of the Buddha Sect was actually formed by the Elders of the respective nine divisions. The commander of the headquarters was the Grand Elder, who had absolute power over the headquarters itself. The other nine divisions were controlled by their respective division lords and the sect lords. This was the information Qing Shui had received from the old man of Demon Gate. The Buddha Sect was just an abbreviation for the Nine Divisions of Buddha Sect.
The headquarters of the Buddha Sect were superior when compared to the Nine Divisions of Buddha Sect in title. All the nine divisions were comprised of powerful martial cultivators, and those from headquarters were constantly reaping benefits for their own divisions. Usually, they would not interact with each other except during the moment of crisis. The Elder Association from the headquarters would join forces to eradicate the crisis, and it was only in the Elder Association that the respective Elders from the nine divisions would interact with each other for various matters.
The selection of the Grand Elder was based on the martial prowess and the wisdom of the candidates that could be selected from one of the lords from the nine divisions. The Grand Elder has the absolute power, so everyone from the nine divisions would dream of being the Grand Elder of the Buddha Sect, as they could reap greater benefits for their own divisions.
At that moment, two people appeared inside a grand hall in the Buddha Sword Sect. One of them was pale as a white sheet of paper, and these two were the Elders assigned to intercept Qing Shui, but they were forced to escape back to the Buddha Sword Sect.
There weren't a lot of people in the grand hall. Besides the two of them, there was the leader wearing a yellow silk robe sitting on a high perch with a calm composure. And beside this leader stood another old man who was peering his eyes. He could be easily neglected, as he didn't stand out as much as the leader in an extravagant robe.
"What's the meaning of this?" The leader looked at those old men, where one of them was wounded, while the other was fine. His aura was obscure, seemingly unstable.
"Sect lord, that kid was domineering. Most importantly, his demonic beast was very powerful, we couldn't even win against it…." The unharmed one explained in a low voice.
"Both of you are already considered among the best in the five continents, and yet you can't defeat his beast mount. It seems that his demonic beast has surpassed the power of 10,000 stars. Even so, it can only unleash about 5,500 stars. But that doesn't mean both of you don't have that kind of power as well." The sect Lord said calmly and slowly.
"Sect lord, that demonic beast was able to debuff 10% of our powers. We could only unleash the power less than 4,400 stars." One of the old men explained in a trembling voice.
"Debuff 10% of your power? So he's using this trick against you. Did he really think that he could go against us using only a demonic beast with debuffing skill?" The sect lord wrinkled a frown, his face was plastered with a disdain expression.
"That's enough. You may leave. Go tend to your wounds!"
"Thank you sect lord!"
Two of the Elders descended and left the hall.
"Third Uncle, what do you think?" The sect lord stood up and turned to ask an elderly man who stood beside him with a respectful gesture.
"This young man doesn't seem to fear our Buddha Sword Sect. Do you think a young man such as he who possesses a powerful demonic beast will be dumb enough to use one demonic beast against us?" The elderly man said calmly, almost as if he was muttering to himself.
"I know that, of course. Does Demon Gate want to make things ugly for our Buddha Sword Sect that badly?" said the sect lord bewildered.
"Why did Demon Gate want a war against us as soon as this kid arrived? The key lies within this young man." The elderly man known as Third Uncle slowly opened his eyes that were as clear as unpolluted water.
"Third Uncle, the child of both Peng 'er and Mo Hongluo cannot be left alive in this world. If this goes out, the other divisions of the Buddha Sect will never allow it." The sect lord shook his head, seemingly in disbelief of the current situation.
It has been 30 years since then. He thought everything was settled after forcing his son to sever his relationship with Demon Gate, but he didn't expect that they had a child together and that child would come back, possibly to take vengeance on the Buddha Sword Sect. He couldn't allow them to find them openly like this, and he couldn't let this matter get blown out of proportion.
"If the other sect divisions can't allow such atrocity to continue, why don't we let them handle the situation?"
"Do you think they will?" The sect lord asked as he glanced towards his Third Uncle.
"Regardless, she is still Peng 'er's daughter. I can understand why it will be inconvenient for you to do this task. Let the other sect divisions or Elders do it. This matter concerns the reputation of the Buddha Sect, which is why they will most likely accept this task." After he was done, his slowly closed his eyes and walked out of the grand hall.
…….
In a similar secluded courtyard within the Buddha Sword Sect, one man wearing a brown robe was training focusing on his sword moves. He looked like a handsome middle-aged man with straight brows and clear eyes, but there was an unchanging bitterness and an indescribable emotion in his expression.
30 years ago, he came here on his own will to cultivate and cleanse his heart and desires. He continued to do so as an ascetic monk, much like the others in the Buddha Sect.
He had been trying his best to forget his past within these 30 years. Back then, he felt confined in his own life, but as he grew up, he was finally able to understand a lot of things. He didn't want to push the Huoyun Clan into the pits of abyss because of him, so he could only endure a lot of things thrown at him.
This man spent most of his time on penance, indulged in spiritual training, and practicing his flow of Qi, all for the sake of paralyzing himself. He had given all his love to a woman, despite the short passion both of them shared together. Even so, he would never be able to love another woman – a decision he had made 30 years ago. He couldn't care less about the world outside and continued to cultivate with diligence every single day.
Huoyun Peng has strong talents, this was evident by his accomplishment in breaking through Martial Emperor in just 15 years time. When he became a Martial Emperor, he wasn't 40 years old yet. His father – Huoyun Lie – gave him the best medicinal pills and treasures immediately after that, which came as a complete surprise to him.
After another 20 years, he became one of the top martial cultivators amongst the five continents with the power of 5000 stars. However, he was aware that this level of power would not yield any changes to his life, so he decided he would go to the other four continents during the next activation of the waypoint.
Perhaps he could extend his powers there, and perhaps after ten years, he would be more than capable of meeting her again. If that could be done, he would go and look for his daughter.
The more he thought about it, the more infatuated he had become. He had been restraining himself from thinking about those things, but he couldn't help it once he was calm and the world around him was silent. The days he spent with his love were happy and wonderful, including the time when his daughter was born….
Just then, a beautiful yet mature-looking woman came into the courtyard. She had a slender figure with well-developed features. This woman approached Huoyun Peng who was daydreaming with a sword in her hand.
"Brother Peng!"
"Lian Jing, didn't I say this before? Don't look for me anymore. It's been 30 years, why won't you give up?" Huoyun Peng swiveled his head towards the woman with a full figure. His expression was that of an unhappy man.
"I know you like her, and I never once think that I can replace her position in your heart. But she's not with you anymore, so let me take care of you, alright? I don't need anything, I just want to stay by your side. Once you find someone you like, I will leave right away." Lian Jing said calmly while looking at Huoyun Peng.
"Lian Jing, my heart belongs to her and no one else. Don't waste your time on me anymore. I'm an ascetic monk now. If you truly want me to be happy, then please find someone you like. That way, everyone will be happy."
"Brother Peng, your heart only contains Hongluo so you cannot accept anyone else. But you have taken over my heart, can you understand…." Lian Jing's voice faded as she spoke her words, but Huoyun Peng could still hear her every word clearly.
Lian Jing had waited for Huoyun Peng for 30 years. He gave her a bitter smile, realizing that she could essentially understand the feeling of waiting for their loved one for a long period of time. He lifted up his head to look at the mature woman who grew up from a young lady to a grown woman with a well-developed figure. There was no complaint she would utter, nor feelings of dissatisfaction she would show to him as she waited for him patiently for these past 30 years.
For Huoyun Peng, she was willing to wait no matter how long it was!
Both of them were the type of people who could not tolerate unreasonable things in life, otherwise, they wouldn't become what they were today. However, both of them would do anything for the one they loved without regrets, with the difference being Huoyun Peng for Mo Hongluo and Lian Jing for Huoyun Peng.
…….
In a blink of an eye, two days had passed. Qing Shui had been staying at the manor ever since he came back, getting a visit once from Ming Xian. His wounds had completely healed, but Qing Shui urged him not to come visit for the next few days and told him a gist of the situation with the Buddha Sect.
Qing Shui was the one who fully cured Ming Xian, and the Ming Clan owed him a huge debt of gratitude because of that. This was what Qing Shui wanted, and he finally got it. This kind of influence required a bit of involvement on his part.
On the third day, Qing Shui guided his family members on their training at the courtyard while playing with Qing Yu and Qing Long in between his guidance. Qing Long couldn't walk yet, so he could only hold him in his arms.
Huoyun Liu-Li had already started her cultivation, but was required to wear the Holy Bracelet whenever she was cultivating her skills. If she wasn't cultivating, she would lend her bracelet to those who were practicing their cultivation, which was why some members of the Qing Clan would cultivate throughout the whole night, particularly Qing Bei.
Roar roar….
A distinct beast roar could be heard from afar. Qing Shui looked up to the far horizon and saw dozens of black dots coming to the residence's direction. His vision was superb, so he was able to see a group of Swiftshadow Dragons despite the black dots being far away.
Even though he couldn't get a clear sense of the power of these Swiftshadow Dragons, he had a feeling that these people are far more powerful than the two from before. Qing Shui turned to Zhu Qing and handed her Qing Long from his arms.
"Qing 'er, hold tightly on our son. Take care of the other children for me too."
"Qing Shui, be careful!" Zhu Qing said in a worried tone.
"Don't worry. Everything will be fine." Qing Shui smiled and then knelt down to face Qing Yu.
"My girl, stay here and play with aunty. You have to be good and listen to her!"
Zhu Qing bent down and picked up Qing Yu with her other arm. At the same time, the other members of the Qing Clan came out rushing towards Qing Shui. Even those who were in the middle of their training came to observe the situation.
Qing Shui once again gave orders to not leave the residence and stay within the formation layout. As long as they remained inside, nothing will happen to them.
Qing Shui went out, called his Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant and flew to the air. By the time he stood in the sky, he could see those people coming from afar very clearly. Qing Shui couldn't help but felt surprised when he saw the faces of the incoming visitors.
Ten men, each riding on a Swiftshadow Dragon were swiftly coming towards his direction. The ten Swiftshadow Dragons had wings extended that measured to about 80 meters or more, blocking the sun's ray from shining the ground below. The heads of these dragons were ferocious, emitting a fierce aura slightly lesser than that of his Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant. However, there were two Swiftshadow Dragons that were somewhat on par with the fierce aura of his demonic beast.
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AST 1022 – Holy Bracelet, Working Together Silently, Buddha Swordplay
This day, Mo Hongluo stayed at the Qing Clan. Having not met for so many years, they had a lot to talk about but Qing Shui had his own plans. The Buddha Sect at the Central Continent was divided into nine sect or nine gates and the Buddha Sword Sect was one of it.
At the Eastern Victory Divine Continent, he had previously stayed at the Golden Buddha Temple. There, he had a flash of realization, being able to improve his strength. Being at the Golden Buddha Temple, he knew the basic situation of the Buddha Sect.
The Abbot at the Golden Buddha Temple told him about some things regarding the Buddha Sect. Of course, it was just some minor problems, such as the Buddha Sect and Nine Sect not being very united, but were unanimous about external things.
Buddha Sword Sect!
This was the Sect in which Huoyun Peng was. The Master was someone of the Huoyun Sect and Huoyun Peng was the fifth son of the Master. Qing Shui was not sure about other things aside from that and so he would have to head to the Demon Gate once again.
After cultivating for a night, Qing Shui, Huoyun Liu-Li, Mo Hongluo and Qing Yu rushed to Demon Gate on the second day.
While on the way, Mo Hongluo carried Qing Yu, a few little items and some toys and snacks to bribe the naughty girl. Many people of the Qing Clan had received gifts from Mo Hongluo. Everyone had one, but the one Qing Yi received was the most expensive.
Golden Silk Cicada Wings Dress were something precious. Even if Qing Shui could find it, the item was not easily available. Yet Huoyun Liu-Li actually received a Golden SIlk Cicada Wings Dress. It was clear that the quality given to Huoyun Liu-Li was good.
It is not that Mo Hongluo did not love his daughter. It was a type of appreciation. Liu-Li has what she has today because of Qing Shui. Mo Hongluo knew everything now and Qing Yi was Qing Shui's Mother.
Qing Yi wanted to give it to Huoyun Liu-Li, but how would Huoyun Liu-Li accept it. She pulled Qing Yi to the room to change into it. She had already seen Qing Yi as her mother long ago and had given everything to Qing Shui. A man that she loved deeply, loved everything about him including those close to him. Shi Qingzhuang, Mingyue Gelou, and the others were like sisters to her. She had been in the Qing Clan for many years already and felt this it was a warm and comforting place.
"Grandmother, you are really beautiful. As beautiful as Mother." Qing Yu chuckled, letting out a sharp and clear laughter.
Qing Shui laughed. This girl could really "flatter" someone. Perhaps it was not considered as flattering. As long as she saw a good looking woman, the girl would not forget to compliment them. She knew that when she complimented them, she would be able to get a benefit.
"You sneaky girl, come tell Grandmother how am I pretty." Mo Hongluo liked the little girl.
……
Unknowingly, they had reached the Demon Gate. This time, the Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant flew above Demon Gate. Many people from Demon Gate were shocked and envious after seeing the huge and powerful Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant.
Even some Elders of the Elder Association from Demon Gate would be shocked. That was because some of them felt that the strength of the Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant was very scary. Some could even tell the level of strength that the Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant had. If the mounts of this youth people was already that strong, exactly how strong could that youth be?
An ordinary mount usually would not be stronger than their Master. It was not impossible, but it was very rare.
A few elders from Demon Gate were caught up in pondering. They had a little over five thousand stars strength and were the strongest of the Elder Association from Demon Gate. However, a few of them realized that even with a few of them combining their strengths, they could not bring down such a strong Dragon Elephant.
The reason why he flew over was that Mo Hongluo had asked Qing Shui to do so. At Demon Gate, Mo Hongluo was being called Mo Hongxiu. Only those of Demon Gate Elder Association and those from the Demon Clan knew that she was Mo Hongluo.
No matter what it was, the Master of the Demon Gate pampered this daughter the most. Therefore, nobody had dared to say anything to Mo Hongluo.
Landing at a spacious and empty place, Qing Shui then put away the Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant. The figure of an old man who was far away earlier already appeared there. Seeing the few people that arrived, the elders behind them smiled with joy.
"Father!"
Mo Hongluo called out excitedly. Seeing his daughter being the happiest she has been in so many years, he naturally was happy as well.
"You must be Liu-Li," the old man thought about Huoyun Liu-Li for a short while before saying. His voice was very benevolent. With the saying, love the house and its crow, perhaps Liu-Li was Hongluo's daughter.
[TL notes: Love the house and its crow: This is a Chinese idiom that means that you love everything about a person including his shortcomings. It is an analogy of how a person loved a house so much that he ending loving the crows that were there too.
The old man did not have many children but there was a significant number of them, he even had a significant number of grandchildren. However, he looked upon the one before him differently.
"Liu-Li greets Grandfather before!" Huoyun Liu-Li said to the old man in a lukewarm tone.
The old man laughed and he knew what she meant. After all, the old man had restricted Mo Hongluo's freedom. There were something that had no explanation and there could not be an answer to it.
"Alright, you have grown so much. This is for you. Consider this as a gift for meeting you for the first time. Take it as something to make up for what I have done." the old man handed over what looked like a bracelet to Huoyun Liu-Li.
Qing Shui was shocked by the amount of Spiritual Qi on it. He was stunned right as his Heavenly Vision Technique swept across it.
Holy Bracelet!
It would increase the cultivation speed of a cultivator by ten times!
Strong and heaven defying, Qing Shui knew about the existence of such sacred objects long ago. He knew about it when he found out about the Spirit Concentrating Pill that could increase by six times. Later, he also saw this item as Mu Qing had one of the Holy Bracelet.
The Holy Bracelet was the most basic of all the sacred objects. However, it had a special use. If a useless person has the Holy Bracelet in his hands, cultivating ten times the speed would turn him into quite a genius.
The effect of the Holy Bracelet differed from one to another. The Holy Bracelet that the old man gave to Liu-Li was the most basic one and increased ten times of the cultivating speed. Mu Qing's one enabled her to increase her cultivation speed by twelve times.. However, even the version that increased cultivation speed by ten times was already a heaven defying object. Qing Shui did not understand as to why the old man gave it to Liu-Li. Demon Gate was incomparably wealthy and had ample treasures, but it was not to the point where they could afford to give a Holy Bracelet to everyone.Mo Zitong would definitely had one and was definitely much better than this. There should be other good items he had, if not he would not be able to have two thousand stars strength given his age.
Qing Shui looked at Mo Hongluo and could already be certain that her aptitude was not exceptionally good. Adding to her problems that she had over the years, her strength had already stopped at its peak. If she could accomplish her desire, she could perhaps make a breakthrough within a short span. She had already used the necessary Medicinal Pills and other items in her body and it was just that her mood had suppressed a significant portion of her strength.
"Grandfather, this is the Holy Bracelet!" Huoyun Liu-Li looked at the old man.
"Yes! Do you like it?" the old man laughed while looking at Huoyun Liu-Li
"She does like it, but it is too precious." Qing Shui shook his head.
"Grandfather owes you this. No matter what it is, you are my granddaughter. You calling me Grandfather is already much better than this bracelet." the old man smiled.
"Liu-Li, take it. This is Grandfather's token of regard." Qing Shui laughed. He could actually tell what it meant. Besides, in the future, they could not draw a clear line with Demon Gate and would need the help of them.
"Thank you, Grandfather!" Huoyun Liu-Li thanked him and looked at the exquisite bracelet in his hands. A bright ray shone and Spiritual Qi radiated on the surface of it. However, once it recognized the Master, it would look like an ordinary bracelet.
Sacred objects. Some sacred objects were terrifying, just like how Qing Shui obtained the Arhat Rosary Beads. Unless a Master dies, then the next person cannot become its Master.
The Holy Bracelet did not go as far as that. As long as the one who received it erases the imprint on it and with some refining, it would be very simple.
"Little girl, this is for you!"
The old man took a Longevity Lock out and handed it to Qing Yu. It was unknown how many Longevity Locks Qing Yu received already, but this piece was made with silver essence containing high Spiritual Qi and had the effect of anti-poison.
This was a token of regard from the old man. Qing Yu pouted her lip while taking it. To a child, this item would be more attractive if it were something they could eat.
A few people walked in from the manor Qing Shui was at. This was where Mo Hongluo lived. In the past, people would generally not leave this manor. Those that were previously imprisoned would be imprisoned here.
The time used up to rush back during the whole journey was about half a day. It was now time for another meal. Not long after he entered the room, a few people brought in some fragrant dishes.
Everyone chatted while eating, the atmosphere was rather relaxed. Everyone would generally look ahead. At least Demon Gate and the Qing Clan were united. Huoyun Liu-Li was relaxed as well since she was able to settle her problems, as well as acknowledging her Mother and Demon Gate.
Although they acknowledged each other, it did not mean that they had to always be together. The old man loved his daughter dearly and might have loved his granddaughter, he might even notice the presence of Qing Shui, who was negligible. The wisdom of an elderly was sharp.
"Old Master, what is the situation at the Buddha Sect Nine Gate now? I heard that the Masters of the Buddha Sect Nine Gate is not as united as before." Qing Shui asked while eating.
The old man was not baffled by it. He then laughed, "The Buddha Sect seems to not be united on the surface, but if anything were to happen, they are very united. For example, if someone were to kill one from either Sect, they are intimately interdependent and will definitely interfere."
Qing Shui did know about it and hence did not expect that he would only have to face the Buddha Sword Sect.
"Old Master, how is the Huoyun Clan of Buddha Sword Sect?"
"Very strong, the Buddha Sect Nine Gate are all strong. If they were to battle with Demon Gate, Demon Gate will not be an opponent of the Buddha Sect. However, even if they won, there will be many casualties. Additionally, if there were a few experts among Demon Gate that sneakily attacked, it could lead them to be under pressure and therefore this was the balance that has been maintained all the while." the old man answered Qing Shui without being baffled about Qing Shui's questions.
Hearing that, Qing Shui laughed. The great sects had sent people that had the same apprehension as them. It is no wonder that as long as anyone from a Clan or Sect became an immortal, the rest could too. If an expert viewed them as an enemy and a few of them gets killed, if they would ran when the expert had arrived, they would sneak an attack on the elites of the younger generation from the Sect. If they do continue on as such, the sect might end up in a state where opinions differed, leading to a point of no return.
Qing Shui did not ask again. He knew what to do. With such a strong Sect, he could only use his martial skills as there was no other way to do it. Hence, he stopped asking, however the old man laughed and said
"Buddha Sword Sect is one of the Buddha Sect Nine Gate. Their Sword Art is known as the Buddha Swordplay. The teachings of Buddhism are very profound and legend says it was very strong as well. Even though I do not believe in Buddhism, the Buddha Swordplay was certainly strong. Their Sword Art has a profound power and was one that was incisive, firm, able to jolt opponents back at a fast speed. The main Sword art of Buddha Sword Sect is the Buddha Swordplay."
Qing Shui listened quietly. The old man had said what the opponent would not want to get their moves being meddled with. Qing Shui could not understand the thinking of the old man and did not know what he was thinking.
——————————————————–
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AST 1023 – Buddha Sect's Test, The Powerful Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant
"Qing Shui, I know you will go to the Buddha Sword Sect, but I want to know how confident you are in winning against them."
The old man looked at Qing Shui and spoke again. Demon Gate had no choice back then. They have no other way to persuade the almighty Buddha Sect to allow his daughter and their son to marry, so the Demon Gate could only restrain their daughter in their home and prevent her from going outside. If she was found roaming anywhere near Huoyun Peng, the Buddha Sect would use any means to break them apart, resulting in a bad ending.
"I'm not sure. I haven't pinned down the exact strength of the Buddha Sect yet. But one thing's for sure – I can't go back now." Qing Shui said with a smile.
"Oh, the members of the Buddha Sect have their eyes on you?" The old man's eye glinted with curiosity.
"Yes. Or to be precise, they have their eyes on Liu-Li. Grandfather, please don't involve Demon Gate in this matter. I have plans of my own to deal with them." Qing Shui said after pondering for awhile.
"Qing Shui, to be honest, I don't know what you will use to deal with them, but I have a feeling that you will end this. I know it's odd. You're definitely not a reckless person to be able to stand where you are now, so I will believe you. But no matter what I do, you and I are already on the same page." The old man laughed, as he shook his head softly.
Qing Shui already knew about it from the moment he met Mo Hongluo. If it wasn't the case, the old man wouldn't have allowed Qing Shui to meet Mo Hongluo and reveal her true identity, not unless Qing Shui has sufficient capability to do so. But he knew he wasn't powerful enough, so no one would know what happen if things had gone to the unintended path.
"If that's the case, then grandfather should never interfere, even if it's for your daughter's sake. Let me and Liu-Li handle things from her, trust me."
The old man could only muster a sigh and nodded: "The Huoyun Clan has prospered for many generations. Huoyun Peng is the fifth son, but his family isn't well-liked. However, he was born in the Buddha Sect, so those old fools will never let him marry anyone from Demon Gate. Even if you depend on martial skills alone, it will be quite difficult to defeat them."
"I will handle the members of the Huoyun Clan slowly, but if someone from Buddha Sect decides to interfere, I will make sure they will never be able to go back alive. I will see how long the Huoyun Clan can endure. Also, I've discussed with Hongluo and Liu-Li already. We don't expect anything else except to take away Huoyun Peng from the Buddha Sect." Qing Shui smiled.
Qing Shui had a feeling that it would be difficult to make the Huoyun Clan to officially allow Mo Hongluo into their family with a happy celebration. He agreed that using his martial skills alone would be useless in this situation, so he had no choice but to pursue the alternatives – give a brief reunion to the Huoyun Clan and bring back Huoyun Peng. The alternative seemed possible if he managed to put a lot of effort into it.
…….
After spending a day in Demon Gate, Qing Shui and Huoyun Liu-Li decided to go back home. Qing Shui held Qing Yu in his arms while Huoyun Liu-Li stood beside him as the Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant calmly flew towards Fair Wind City.
"Liu-Li, we can free your father soon. When he's finally out, we can let your parents buy a house near blacksmith store, what do you think?" Qing Shui tightened his forehead as he asked Liu-Li.
"Ah, Qing Shui, I'm thinking the same thing too. The blacksmith store is my home, and they will always be my parents who are close to my heart like my biological parents. If they can stay at the same house, that'd be great," said Huoyun Liu-Li excitingly.
Qing Shui knew that the Central Continent wasn't a viable option for Huoyun Peng and Mo Hongluo to stay anymore, so he decided to let them stay in the Hundred Miles City. Moreover, Mo Hongluo was quite grateful to Liu-Li's foster parents, so that would be great if they could meet each other from time to time.
However, he could also allow Mo Hongluo, Huoyun Peng, and Liu-Li's foster parents to stay at the Heavenly Palace. Even so, Liu-Li's foster parents would not bear to part with their blacksmith store, so that was why he suggested her biological parents live in the Hundred Miles City instead. Liu-Li must be happy at the thought that she could be a daughter to both her biological parents and foster parents.
Suddenly, Qing Shui could feel a disturbance of aura from a distant sky. He looked at the direction of the aura with his sharp eyes and saw two small black dots approaching in a fast motion.
"They've come!"
Qing Shui remained calm and circulated the Qi of the Ancient Strengthening Technique right away. He then slowly enveloped his Qi around his little girl and Huoyun Liu-Li to give them some protection.
Swiftshadow Dragons!
A demonic beast with the dragon bloodline.
The Swiftshadow Dragons weren't especially large. Their wings were able to extend to about 30 meters long. Their ferocious dragon heads were atrocious and fierce, and they were extremely fast as well. Their bodies were rigid and sharp, so their damage resistance must be strong in that regard. With the bloodline of a dragon, their battle prowess should not be underestimated too.
Unfortunately for them, the Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant was here today. His demonic beast also has the same dragon bloodline, and the power of the elephant was vastly superior to that of the two Swiftshadow Dragons combined.
If the elephant wasn't a tamed mount, the Swiftshadow Dragons would have run away already!
There were two old men, each mounting on a Swiftshadow Dragon. They were wearing golden monk robes, but their hands were wielding long swords instead. Those were the signature attire of the members of the Buddha Sword Sect.
The old men had a benevolent appearance when they appeared, but quickly tighten their forehead when they saw the giant stature of the Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant. They could sense the dreadfulness of the demonic beast, a power too terrifying to contend against. Meanwhile, Qing Shui made a quick observation on those men quietly and calmly.
They have the power equivalent to 5000 stars!
The Buddha Sword Sect was a powerful existence, and their powers were considered one of the strongest in the five continents. They also had the largest amount of skillful cultivators under their sect. Qing Shui quickly commanded his Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant to stop, so that he could talk to them.
"Why are you blocking our path?" Qing Shui said calmly. At the same time, the Swiftshadow Dragons were twitching their bodies with uneasiness.
"You must be Qing Shui, and the woman beside you is Huoyun Liu-Li, correct?" The old man on the left scowled, as he asked with a murmuring voice.
"You were following us?" Qing Shui raised his eyebrows and said coldly at the elderly men.
He already knew they were following them, but kept quiet about it until they decided to show themselves. He knew the Buddha Sect would come for Huoyun Liu-Li, so he was determined to silence the Buddha Sect from speaking out their grievance.
"You only have to answer my question with a 'yes' or 'no'. Why do you insist on talking nonsense?" The old man on the right said angrily, as he stared at Qing Shui with contempt eyes.
Qing Shui was shocked for a moment. He didn't think that these benevolent-looking elders would act so harsh on him. It's undeniable that the Buddha Sect was strong, but these two members seemed abnormally arrogant. Perhaps they were too used to being high and mighty, and being showered with nothing but flatteries from the underlings.
"Are all members of the Buddha Sect as disgusting as you?" Qing Shui remained calm, undisturbed by the words of the old man.
"Impudence!"
"Scram!" Qing Shui's voice rang out like a thunderous roar that echoed into those old men's ears. There was a hint of Lion's Roar in his voice, which was infused with the Qi from the Nature's Energy and the State of Immovable as Mountains. His voice has the ability to frighten his enemies as well.
The Lion's Roar was a mastery technique that actually existed, which was simply a roar that had been infused with spiritual energy. However, because of Qing Shui's powerful spiritual energy, his voice could even ring inside their head besides ringing inside their ears.
Their expression changed after knowing how hard it was to deal with this young man. The old man on the left then spoke out in a soft tone, "Let us take away the woman beside you, and the Buddha Sect will not make things difficult for you."
Qing Shui sensed a hint of determination in their words, as if he would let them off lightly once they made him think he had gained the upper hand of the situation. Their decision was made with reluctance like they were being forced to slice off a piece of their meat and hand them on a silver platter to this young man.
"Should I be thankful that you're giving me a choice to live?" Qing Shui revealed a fake smile while facing those old men.
"You, you…. The Buddha Sect doesn't want to exterminate people needlessly. The woman beside you is a member of our Buddha Sect." One of the old men choked after he was shocked by Qing Shui's words.
"Oh, I see. You're going to exterminate those who stand in your way!"
Qing Shui released an aura of coercion towards those old men immediately. So what if they were from the Buddha Sect? He decided to change his mind – if they have a death wish, who was he to stop himself from granting their wish?
He allowed his little girl to lean on his chest as he held her in his arms, while the Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant casually made its way towards his opponents!
The old men went pale instantly. They were always treated with respect and honor wherever they went due to their background as members of the Buddha Sect. No one would dare disobey their orders like that.
They were ordered specifically to only probe Qing Shui today, but because of their tendency to act recklessly, they had inadvertently forced themselves into a sticky situation.
Roar!
The Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant let out a rumbling roar. Qing Shui had already put up a noise barrier around himself, so that Qing Yu would not be deafened by his demonic beast's penetrating cry.
Vajra Subdues Demons!
The Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant used its debuffing ability once more. When Qing Shui sensed the power of the old men, he curled a smile. The power of the two elderly men had been decreased by 10%, almost to the amount of 500 stars.
Diamond Sword Qi!
A ray of subtle golden aura locked onto the old men instantly.
"Hmm, the Diamond Sword Qi had turned golden. Two targets…."
Qing Shui was surprised, but smiled nonetheless. The Diamond Sword Qi was used to decrease the speed of these two opponents by 20%, prohibiting them from evading the next attack. In this situation, only the tough could confront toughness with equal strength.
Instantaneous Diamond Evasion!
Ferocious Diamond Attack!
Qing Shui held Qing Yu tightly in his arms while holding Liu-Li tightly with the other arm, as the Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant rammed towards the enemies. While being struck with absolute fright as the group of old men stared at the incoming demonic beast with a pale expression, the Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant was able to bash one of them away towards the air. The Swiftshadow Dragon that was standing at the front line was rammed into a pile of minced meat, a clear outcome of the great disparity between his power and that of the demonic beast.
The old fool's blood splattered everywhere as the other shocked old man quickly went to catch his wounded partner and fled instantly without leaving a trace behind.
Qing Shui did not pursue them, nor attack them. This was just the beginning and if he was right on his money those old men would surely come back for Huoyun Liu-Li, who was standing next to Qing Shui with a calm demeanor.
"Were you scared?"
"I will fear nothing as long as I stand beside you." Huoyun Liu-Li tightened her grip on Qing Shui's hand and smiled.
That dimpled smile was as beautiful as a blooming flower. He glanced at her breathtaking and seductive eyes and moved forward to kiss her luscious lips. Qing Shui could feel a momentary tension on his face, before she quickly leaped on him and hugged him tightly.
The Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant continued to soar towards the direction of Fair Wind City. It was when Qing Shui felt a tug on his clothes that he realized Qing Yu was looking at them with a pouting expression.
Huoyun Liu-Li was instantly flushed red, as her eyes were shrouded in a layer of mist. Qing Shui felt an itch in his heart when he saw her expression. This woman had unintentionally enticed him with her deadly, yet seductive mannerism.
She was the epitome of his adoration and passion!
Both Qing Shui and Huoyun Liu-Li pecked on Qing Yu's dainty face at the same time, causing the little girl to giggle with amusement.
"Liu-Li, the Holy Bracelet your grandfather has given you can increase your speed of cultivation by ten times. If you take the Spirit Concentrating Pill at the same time, your cultivation will progress even faster. Take heed of your cultivation so you can go to the other four continents as soon as possible. In the meantime, I will gain a foothold for you first." Qing Shui said with a smile.
"Mm, Sister Chen has gone to the four continents, so everyone is worried. I will definitely make it there one day." Once she was done speaking, Huoyun Liu-Li turned to look at her little girl in Qing Shui's arms with a frown on her forehead.
"Don't worry about this little kid. There are bound to be someone left in the Qing Clan, so she will have a good start ahead of us. If the remaining members of the Qing Clan can't make it to the four continents this time, they will eventually reach that level of power in the future. Once the children grow older, they will not cling onto us like this anymore." Qing Shui comforted Huoyun Liu-Li, as he knew she could not bear to part with Qing Yu.
Huoyun Liu-Li thought about it and laughed, "I will need a longer period of time to cultivate despite the rate of my cultivation. You're right, our kids will no longer cling to us once they grow older and independent."
After they went back to the Qing Residence in Fair Wind City, Qing Shui did not stop to rest but went ahead to lay a few Nine Palace Eight Trigrams Formations around the Qing Clan's manor. This formation was by far the best and trusted formation he had ever tried. At any rate, it would be impossible for anyone in the five continents to break the Nine Palace Eight Trigrams Formation he had put up in the past solely with brute force.
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AST 1024 – Buddha Sword Sect's Decision, Huoyun Peng's Resolution
After Qing Shui had laid a formation around the Qing Residence, he became more relieved. The old men from the Buddha Sword Sect had gone back, but they would never give up that easily. The Buddha Sect has never encountered such behavior towards them after all. As for Demon Gate, Qing Shui wasn't worried. They could go against the Buddha Sect with equal force, as they were also powerful in that context. He didn't have to concern himself with their ability to fight, and he had a feeling that he might need their help one day as well.
Buddha Sword Sect!
The Buddha Sword Sect was located at the Buddha Mountain, which was an impressive mountain region that had several statues carved naturally into the image of a Buddha. Throughout the mountain, the Buddha statues stood upright like a sword jabbed onto the ground. The scenery of these statues was quite life-like, and it was very enthralling.
The Buddha Sword Sect was one of the nine divisions of the Buddha Sect that sat right on this Buddha Mountain they were viewing. The distances between each of the sects from the Nine Divisions of Buddha Sect, or the Nine Sects, were quite close. The general headquarters of the Buddha Sect was located in the middle, with the other nine divisions surrounding it. The Buddha Sword Sect was located somewhere among these nine surroundings.
The headquarters of the Buddha Sect was actually formed by the Elders of the respective nine divisions. The commander of the headquarters was the Grand Elder, who had absolute power over the headquarters itself. The other nine divisions were controlled by their respective division lords and the sect lords. This was the information Qing Shui had received from the old man of Demon Gate. The Buddha Sect was just an abbreviation for the Nine Divisions of Buddha Sect.
The headquarters of the Buddha Sect were superior when compared to the Nine Divisions of Buddha Sect in title. All the nine divisions were comprised of powerful martial cultivators, and those from headquarters were constantly reaping benefits for their own divisions. Usually, they would not interact with each other except during the moment of crisis. The Elder Association from the headquarters would join forces to eradicate the crisis, and it was only in the Elder Association that the respective Elders from the nine divisions would interact with each other for various matters.
The selection of the Grand Elder was based on the martial prowess and the wisdom of the candidates that could be selected from one of the lords from the nine divisions. The Grand Elder has the absolute power, so everyone from the nine divisions would dream of being the Grand Elder of the Buddha Sect, as they could reap greater benefits for their own divisions.
At that moment, two people appeared inside a grand hall in the Buddha Sword Sect. One of them was pale as a white sheet of paper, and these two were the Elders assigned to intercept Qing Shui, but they were forced to escape back to the Buddha Sword Sect.
There weren't a lot of people in the grand hall. Besides the two of them, there was the leader wearing a yellow silk robe sitting on a high perch with a calm composure. And beside this leader stood another old man who was peering his eyes. He could be easily neglected, as he didn't stand out as much as the leader in an extravagant robe.
"What's the meaning of this?" The leader looked at those old men, where one of them was wounded, while the other was fine. His aura was obscure, seemingly unstable.
"Sect lord, that kid was domineering. Most importantly, his demonic beast was very powerful, we couldn't even win against it…." The unharmed one explained in a low voice.
"Both of you are already considered among the best in the five continents, and yet you can't defeat his beast mount. It seems that his demonic beast has surpassed the power of 10,000 stars. Even so, it can only unleash about 5,500 stars. But that doesn't mean both of you don't have that kind of power as well." The sect Lord said calmly and slowly.
"Sect lord, that demonic beast was able to debuff 10% of our powers. We could only unleash the power less than 4,400 stars." One of the old men explained in a trembling voice.
"Debuff 10% of your power? So he's using this trick against you. Did he really think that he could go against us using only a demonic beast with debuffing skill?" The sect lord wrinkled a frown, his face was plastered with a disdain expression.
"That's enough. You may leave. Go tend to your wounds!"
"Thank you sect lord!"
Two of the Elders descended and left the hall.
"Third Uncle, what do you think?" The sect lord stood up and turned to ask an elderly man who stood beside him with a respectful gesture.
"This young man doesn't seem to fear our Buddha Sword Sect. Do you think a young man such as he who possesses a powerful demonic beast will be dumb enough to use one demonic beast against us?" The elderly man said calmly, almost as if he was muttering to himself.
"I know that, of course. Does Demon Gate want to make things ugly for our Buddha Sword Sect that badly?" said the sect lord bewildered.
"Why did Demon Gate want a war against us as soon as this kid arrived? The key lies within this young man." The elderly man known as Third Uncle slowly opened his eyes that were as clear as unpolluted water.
"Third Uncle, the child of both Peng 'er and Mo Hongluo cannot be left alive in this world. If this goes out, the other divisions of the Buddha Sect will never allow it." The sect lord shook his head, seemingly in disbelief of the current situation.
It has been 30 years since then. He thought everything was settled after forcing his son to sever his relationship with Demon Gate, but he didn't expect that they had a child together and that child would come back, possibly to take vengeance on the Buddha Sword Sect. He couldn't allow them to find them openly like this, and he couldn't let this matter get blown out of proportion.
"If the other sect divisions can't allow such atrocity to continue, why don't we let them handle the situation?"
"Do you think they will?" The sect lord asked as he glanced towards his Third Uncle.
"Regardless, she is still Peng 'er's daughter. I can understand why it will be inconvenient for you to do this task. Let the other sect divisions or Elders do it. This matter concerns the reputation of the Buddha Sect, which is why they will most likely accept this task." After he was done, his slowly closed his eyes and walked out of the grand hall.
…….
In a similar secluded courtyard within the Buddha Sword Sect, one man wearing a brown robe was training focusing on his sword moves. He looked like a handsome middle-aged man with straight brows and clear eyes, but there was an unchanging bitterness and an indescribable emotion in his expression.
30 years ago, he came here on his own will to cultivate and cleanse his heart and desires. He continued to do so as an ascetic monk, much like the others in the Buddha Sect.
He had been trying his best to forget his past within these 30 years. Back then, he felt confined in his own life, but as he grew up, he was finally able to understand a lot of things. He didn't want to push the Huoyun Clan into the pits of abyss because of him, so he could only endure a lot of things thrown at him.
This man spent most of his time on penance, indulged in spiritual training, and practicing his flow of Qi, all for the sake of paralyzing himself. He had given all his love to a woman, despite the short passion both of them shared together. Even so, he would never be able to love another woman – a decision he had made 30 years ago. He couldn't care less about the world outside and continued to cultivate with diligence every single day.
Huoyun Peng has strong talents, this was evident by his accomplishment in breaking through Martial Emperor in just 15 years time. When he became a Martial Emperor, he wasn't 40 years old yet. His father – Huoyun Lie – gave him the best medicinal pills and treasures immediately after that, which came as a complete surprise to him.
After another 20 years, he became one of the top martial cultivators amongst the five continents with the power of 5000 stars. However, he was aware that this level of power would not yield any changes to his life, so he decided he would go to the other four continents during the next activation of the waypoint.
Perhaps he could extend his powers there, and perhaps after ten years, he would be more than capable of meeting her again. If that could be done, he would go and look for his daughter.
The more he thought about it, the more infatuated he had become. He had been restraining himself from thinking about those things, but he couldn't help it once he was calm and the world around him was silent. The days he spent with his love were happy and wonderful, including the time when his daughter was born….
Just then, a beautiful yet mature-looking woman came into the courtyard. She had a slender figure with well-developed features. This woman approached Huoyun Peng who was daydreaming with a sword in her hand.
"Brother Peng!"
"Lian Jing, didn't I say this before? Don't look for me anymore. It's been 30 years, why won't you give up?" Huoyun Peng swiveled his head towards the woman with a full figure. His expression was that of an unhappy man.
"I know you like her, and I never once think that I can replace her position in your heart. But she's not with you anymore, so let me take care of you, alright? I don't need anything, I just want to stay by your side. Once you find someone you like, I will leave right away." Lian Jing said calmly while looking at Huoyun Peng.
"Lian Jing, my heart belongs to her and no one else. Don't waste your time on me anymore. I'm an ascetic monk now. If you truly want me to be happy, then please find someone you like. That way, everyone will be happy."
"Brother Peng, your heart only contains Hongluo so you cannot accept anyone else. But you have taken over my heart, can you understand…." Lian Jing's voice faded as she spoke her words, but Huoyun Peng could still hear her every word clearly.
Lian Jing had waited for Huoyun Peng for 30 years. He gave her a bitter smile, realizing that she could essentially understand the feeling of waiting for their loved one for a long period of time. He lifted up his head to look at the mature woman who grew up from a young lady to a grown woman with a well-developed figure. There was no complaint she would utter, nor feelings of dissatisfaction she would show to him as she waited for him patiently for these past 30 years.
For Huoyun Peng, she was willing to wait no matter how long it was!
Both of them were the type of people who could not tolerate unreasonable things in life, otherwise, they wouldn't become what they were today. However, both of them would do anything for the one they loved without regrets, with the difference being Huoyun Peng for Mo Hongluo and Lian Jing for Huoyun Peng.
…….
In a blink of an eye, two days had passed. Qing Shui had been staying at the manor ever since he came back, getting a visit once from Ming Xian. His wounds had completely healed, but Qing Shui urged him not to come visit for the next few days and told him a gist of the situation with the Buddha Sect.
Qing Shui was the one who fully cured Ming Xian, and the Ming Clan owed him a huge debt of gratitude because of that. This was what Qing Shui wanted, and he finally got it. This kind of influence required a bit of involvement on his part.
On the third day, Qing Shui guided his family members on their training at the courtyard while playing with Qing Yu and Qing Long in between his guidance. Qing Long couldn't walk yet, so he could only hold him in his arms.
Huoyun Liu-Li had already started her cultivation, but was required to wear the Holy Bracelet whenever she was cultivating her skills. If she wasn't cultivating, she would lend her bracelet to those who were practicing their cultivation, which was why some members of the Qing Clan would cultivate throughout the whole night, particularly Qing Bei.
Roar roar….
A distinct beast roar could be heard from afar. Qing Shui looked up to the far horizon and saw dozens of black dots coming to the residence's direction. His vision was superb, so he was able to see a group of Swiftshadow Dragons despite the black dots being far away.
Even though he couldn't get a clear sense of the power of these Swiftshadow Dragons, he had a feeling that these people are far more powerful than the two from before. Qing Shui turned to Zhu Qing and handed her Qing Long from his arms.
"Qing 'er, hold tightly on our son. Take care of the other children for me too."
"Qing Shui, be careful!" Zhu Qing said in a worried tone.
"Don't worry. Everything will be fine." Qing Shui smiled and then knelt down to face Qing Yu.
"My girl, stay here and play with aunty. You have to be good and listen to her!"
Zhu Qing bent down and picked up Qing Yu with her other arm. At the same time, the other members of the Qing Clan came out rushing towards Qing Shui. Even those who were in the middle of their training came to observe the situation.
Qing Shui once again gave orders to not leave the residence and stay within the formation layout. As long as they remained inside, nothing will happen to them.
Qing Shui went out, called his Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant and flew to the air. By the time he stood in the sky, he could see those people coming from afar very clearly. Qing Shui couldn't help but felt surprised when he saw the faces of the incoming visitors.
Ten men, each riding on a Swiftshadow Dragon were swiftly coming towards his direction. The ten Swiftshadow Dragons had wings extended that measured to about 80 meters or more, blocking the sun's ray from shining the ground below. The heads of these dragons were ferocious, emitting a fierce aura slightly lesser than that of his Golden Scaled Dragon Elephant. However, there were two Swiftshadow Dragons that were somewhat on par with the fierce aura of his demonic beast.
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