Chapter 258: It's My Turn
“Though you are my disciple, I don’t have much time to instruct you. If you have questions, you may come find me at the summit of Celestial Mountain. Otherwise, there’s no need to visit.”
Celestial Mountain.
The Mortal World had known peace for eight hundred years. For eight hundred years, because of one person’s existence, Desire Demons could not descend upon the Mortal World, Demon Cultivators dared not stir up chaos, and the Righteous Dao flourished as never before. The paths of Desire Destruction and self-restraint reigned supreme.
But not long ago.
An event occurred that shook both the Cultivation Realm and the Mortal World.
The Chang’an Daoist was taking on a disciple.
Just one.
The Mortal World was in an unprecedented uproar. An endless stream of people arrived outside the Daoist Sect each day, seeking an audience.
Within the Daoist Sect, however, it was silent. The entire sect had departed, journeying across the land to find a child with a superior aptitude, all in the hope that someone could inherit the Chang’an Daoist’s mantle.
And so, after a long and busy search…
…the choice for the Chang’an Daoist’s disciple was finally made.
To everyone’s surprise, the chosen one was no peerless genius. She was already past the ideal age of six or seven for embarking on the Immortal Path. The only remarkable things about her were, perhaps, her noble air and striking beauty.
But neither of those things were of any use for cultivation.
The young woman lowered her head. “Master, are you angry with me for taking Jiayi’s place?”
No matter how one looked at it, her potential was far lower than that of an Innate Sword Body.
That’s why she believed the Chang’an Daoist was so cold to her—because she had angered him.
The Chang’an Daoist hadn’t intended to answer the young woman’s question.
But given that she was, in fact, his disciple and would one day have to take up his sword to guard Celestial Mountain, the Chang’an Daoist answered her.
“I’m not angry with you. Since you succeeded, it simply means she and I were not fated to be master and disciple.”
‘Then that means we are fated.’
The young woman recalled when she had come to see him in Jiang Jiayi’s stead. He had said nothing, simply repeating the same process with her that he had with Jiang Jiayi.
“Master… may I see your face?”
The young woman said respectfully, “Otherwise, if I were to fail to recognize you one day out in the world, the fault would be mine.”
The Chang’an Daoist simply said, “There will come a day when you may.”
With that, he drifted away.
The young woman could only watch respectfully as the Chang’an Daoist departed.
Turning around, she cast all of her fine silken robes into the fire.
A palace gown with a budding peony motif, a shawl densely embroidered with gold thread, a Nine Simurghs Holding Pearls Step Shaking Hairpin—this was the last set of finery she had brought up the mountain.
She had already dismissed her entourage long ago.
The blazing firelight illuminated her face. She was exceptionally beautiful. Her skin was as white as ivory, her nose high and straight, and her startlingly red lips held a hint of inviolable pride.
But what was most striking were her eyes and brows. Her eyebrows arched like distant, verdant mountains—not finely penciled, but naturally sparse and elegant. The slight, upward tilt at the ends lent her a hint of innate arrogance.
Only a single word could describe her.
Regal.
This woman, who seemed born to be regal, now wore the simplest of coarse-spun clothes.
The firelight reflected in her eyes, which held no attachment to her past life, only a yearning for greater heights.
“If I’m going to do this, I will become the greatest person in the world.”
Her former identity was useless now that she had entered Celestial Mountain. There would be no more servants at her beck and call.
From this moment on, her past was as if separated from her present by death itself.
Her status as Empress was no longer relevant. From this day forward, she was a cultivator on the mountain.
She was also the Chang’an Daoist’s sole disciple, Leng Moyuan.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lu Changyuan withdrew his hand.
The desire for sleep was sated.
Forty percent of the Five Desires had been collected.
After unleashing that sword strike, he had immediately transformed into a ray of sword light and rushed to the border between the Qingcao Sword Sect and the Cloud Sea at extreme speed.
‘There’s a meal to be had in the distance, so of course I have to go eat. It’d be a waste to stay put.’
‘Besides, while the phantom’s power still lingers, I can see if Li Dashu needs a hand. With that last sword strike, he should be able to get out of trouble, but just in case, I should still check on him.’
‘It’s definitely not because I’m afraid my Evil Disciple will sense that strike and follow the fluctuations of sword energy to hunt me down.’
‘I’m not that afraid of my own disciple.’
Before long, Lu Changyuan arrived. Just as he’d expected, Li Dashu had already achieved a decisive victory and was now using a butcher’s knife to slice up the ape’s head.
The Ape Lord of the Ape Race was already dead.
Its true form, that of a gargantuan ape, was unbelievably massive, yet it was still being deftly carved apart by that rusty butcher’s knife with the skill of a master anatomist.
Li Dashu had to meticulously carve away the Ape Lord’s Magic. Otherwise, the fall of a Yao Guang Powerhouse would inevitably affect the surrounding environment.
They were very close to his Qingcao Sword Sect, after all, and environmental protection was an essential duty.
The Dream Demon, meanwhile, was still clinging to life. It wasn’t dead, but Li Dashu had it pinned in place, unable to move.
This Dream Demon was incredibly difficult to kill. Even if its body and spirit were utterly annihilated here, there was no guarantee it wouldn’t be reborn through a dream.
Li Dashu had originally planned to suppress it according to an ancient technique, slowly grinding away its true Spirit until there was no possibility of rebirth. But with Lu Changyuan’s timely arrival, such a troublesome method was no longer necessary.
Lu Changyuan dismissed the phantom of the Chang’an Daoist and revealed his true form. Dealing with this Ancient Great Demon was incredibly simple for him.
The Five Desires and Six Dust Heart Transformation Technique devoured the Dream Demon completely.
It left no trace behind.
Li Dashu watched with curiosity as Lu Changyuan devoured the Dream Demon.
“Say, my friend,” Li Dashu asked, “that sword strike from before… was that you?”