Some people liked hot fiery wine, while others liked iced wine. The summer was about to pass. The temperature in Changling during the day was high, however, the night became obviously cooler.
The jade cups held grape wine. Some ice was added and so the outside of the cup was covered in cold dew. The fruit plate in front of the cup was filled with various washed fruits. Fireflies flew in the garden ahead.
A black-robed man whose face appeared ageless picked up the winecup. He did not drink it wildly, instead, slowly lapping at the liquid in the cup, dyeing his teeth and tongue in a blood red hue.
While he only wore ordinary black silk robes, in terms of a noble air, almost no one in Changling could match him. This kind of noble air was built up from numerous years of luxury and also countless years of fighting for life and death.
He was the person who had guided Zhang Yi to Celestial Seal Sect, and also the leader of Changling’s old aristocrats. Most people in Changling did not know of his existence, and even some of those who did know of his existence did not know his real name. They habitually called him “Ye Xiao” or Night Owl.
“Zheng Xiu is a madwoman. If she does not go mad, it’s just that she has not received enough stimulation.”
“She originally did not have many people with her. Coincidentally, I also dislike Wen Houling greatly.”
“What do we do if she goes mad?”
“Chu is about to be in chaos, Yan is too deep, the Qi is just right.”
There was a gentle middle-aged scholar sitting next to the black-robed man. The two only spoke a few simple words, but this was a matter able to influence all of Changling.
Slowly lapping up all the wine in the glass, the black-robed man stood up and disappeared into Changling’s night.
**
Another night with a clear moon.
In the Celestial Seal Sect, Zhang Yi had not been punished, but he was still carrying water. When he walked past that section of the mountain path, silver light no longer came out because he walked steadily and no more water leaked. His steps were no longer heavy.
While he still had not comprehended the meaning in those seal scripts, he was able to comprehend the flow of vital energy in his body, and comprehend this vital energy method. This vital energy method combined with the mystical power from the mountain path caused his body to grow stronger and more powerful.
In a few days, he was shocked at the changes. Some ordinary sharp weapons, even if they were scraping against his skin, only left behind faint white marks.
Celestial Seal Sect was really an astounding place. While his body had changed astoundingly under this powerful vital energy method, his comprehension of seals was still stagnant, and the worst among all the disciples who joined the sect with him. He was still embarrassed by this.
Some faint white lights flickered on the mountain path ahead, interrupting his thoughts and attracting his attention.
This was a weak light given off by a streak of sticky mucus.
Zhang Yi stopped walking and looked over. First, he was shocked and confused.
A small snail had left behind this luminescent trail of mucus.This was an ordinary-looking snail but the mountain path at this place had other secrets. Even low level cultivators likely could not walk here normally. This ordinary snail could travel here and leave behind such a track?
Zhang Yi looked dazedly at the snail slowly climbing the stone stairs. He looked for a long time and started to understand.
This snail had a very soft body. This snail climbed extremely slowly, much slower than before. Yet the slower it climbed and the longer it stayed on the stair, the more obvious the trace it left behind.
In many past years of cultivation, Zhang Yi had never used any shortcuts and relied on his hard work and focus. He cultivated step by step to advance. He rarely had any epiphanies.
Yet in this moment, light seemed to flashed through his mind. He was struck by lightning.
He inexplicably gripped the sword in his sleeve.This was a short rock-like sword. This was the sword Xue Wangxu had left him.
At the same time, a powerful sword essence, so sharp it hurt his consciousness, appeared in his mind. Then there were the luminescent tracks this snail left behind.
His consciousness pushed vital energy which slowly flowed to the sword in his hand. He did not realize or see it. But his stone sword flashed once with light. Some shavings fell off like someone had engraved a mark on the sword with a hammer and chisel.
When Zhang Yi was receiving an epiphany that all cultivators dreamed off in Celestial Seal Sect, Ding Ning was not recovering from his wounds. He was waiting and thinking.
Zheng Xiu had someone called Wen Houling by her side. He usually did not appear. But every time Zheng Xiu appeared on the battlefield and used the Starfire Sword that fell down from the sky, he would follow Zheng Xiu like a shadow.
Always keeping a trump card behind was Zheng Xiu’s style of conduct. She would only appear on the battlefield at the critical moment, and even if she did, only her sword would appear. Wen Houling, who hid on the battlefield as her close attendant, was her final move and naturally very strong.
Wen Houling was one of the cultivators who betrayed Ba Mountain Sword Field. Even though he had set up such a situation so everyone in Changling separated him from the Nine Death Silkworm, because of being too exceptional and incredible, Zheng Xiu still was worried after seeing him in person and wanted Wen Houling to come visit him.
Even Bureau Chief Chen was certain that Wen Houling could not sense Ding Ning’s abnormality. However, Ding Ning was not worried about this but rather his emotions. He worried he would unconsciously leak hostility. Even if he controlled his emotions too well, some unconscious and minute reactions of his body could reveal many things.
Wen Houling had acted as Zheng Xiu’s shadow for many years, and was most skilled in observing this.
But why has Wen Houling not come yet?
Even Bureau Chief Chen knew he would come. Why had he not come yet?
A carriage was stopped at the door of the Falling Parasol wine shop. A middle-aged man whose fingernails were maintained well came out of the carriage.
“Why come here first?”
At this time, a faint but explicably noble and authoritative voice floated out of the surrounding darkness.
The middle-aged man coming out of the carriage was Wen Houling.
He wore light yellow robes, but he gave off an energy vibration that seemed to pull in all the surrounding shadows to him to be consumed. This presence was enough to terrify many realm seven cultivators.
Hearing the voice in the surroundings, Wen Houling’s expression changed minutely.
“When a cultivator stays too long in one place, they will leave behind some traces, even some traces that even they missed.”
He thought for a moment before answering. Then he asked, “Why are you here?”
“What do you think?” A scornful laugh came from the darkness. “Originally, she had countless people she could use but now, they are decreasing in number. I want to see how she feels as the people around her grow fewer.”
Wen Houling frowned deeply. “You dare to kill me here?”
The voice from the darkness was cautious. “I want to try.”
Wen Houling was silent for a moment. “Because of the Nine Death Silkworm?”
The person in the darkness laughed. “Superfluous.”
“Then try.”
Wen Houling shook his head. He did not make any extra movements. His body did not shine with light. But all the dark shadows within several hundred feet of him seemed to be sucked instantly into his body. The area suddenly grew bright.
His face paled in an instant. A black line was silently drawn into his body as the shadow contracted. He had only sensed it after it entered.
This was an indescribable and profound duel between realm sevens. Powerful energy fought in the clouds. A black-robed man was already at his back, and standing so close they could touch.
In this flash, Wen Houling saw this black-robed man. The other had a more powerful presence, a handsomer face, and even better-maintained nails.
The feeling of this moment was one of shame, for being lesser in everything.
“You people continue to get defeated against the so-called rebels because you always rely on Changling, rely on other people. You do not think that your life and death needs to be in your own hands,” the black-robed man said and looked up.
He narrowed his eyes. A powerful presence had come from a distant turret, turning into a terrifying sword essence coming down.
Wen Houling screamed in grief. His pupils shot out countless black rays of light. In the next moment, his body exploded.
At the moment of the explosion, numerous black balls of light disappeared at many places in this laley. The terrifying sword essence coming from the turret cut through this ball of black light.
The black light immediately turned to nothing, leaving behind a deep mark on the ground and a blood stain like the cooled wine in the jade cup.
