Chapter 400: Moon Rising Above the Willow Branch

Mid-August brought the clamor of cicadas.

At the summit of Ringfall Mountain, wisps of cloud, like a sword-boat hung against a blue backdrop, drifted slowly into the distance.

In recent days, several rounds of heavy rain had cleansed the air, yet the dry heat persisted. The pool carved out behind the Sect Master's hall was full of water, and Lu Jiajia often bathed in it to relieve the day's fatigue.

Her Five Paths Immortal Body was pristine; her skin, reflecting the water, seemed like an unfading immortal blossom.

Shao Xiaoli never slacked either. The cultivation method she practiced had been passed down to her by her master in Broken Realm City. She still didn't know its name, but she felt it resonated perfectly with her divine abilities.

Ning Changjiu, meanwhile, meditated in front of the hall, his physical body rooted to the ground like a nail, while his spirit slowly ascended. Combining this with his Lunar Eye, he surveyed the surrounding cosmos, gradually losing himself, entering a state where his spirit felt disembodied and merged with the universe.

His cultivation realm was steadily improving.

Each time he broke through a realm, his feeling and understanding were not of him struggling to advance higher in cultivation, but rather of a certain silhouette standing at a great height, a place he needed to return to and merge with that shadow.

Gradually, the white clouds in the sky reversed course, and the mountain waterfalls flowed upwards. All phenomena here revolved around him, governed by his spiritual will.

Lu Jiajia slowly rose from the emerald-shadowed pool, water droplets rolling off her and falling back into the water. Her graceful silhouette, reflected in the pool, was like an ethereal moonbeam strangely appearing on a bright sunny day. She draped on her robes, tied her jade belt loosely, and returned barefoot to the hall. Inside, beside the cultivating Shao Xiaoli, a faint, shimmering river surged and swirled, resembling a colorful satin ribbon coiling around her.

On Ning Changjiu's shoulder, the Three-legged Golden Crow gently flew around him, chirping.

Now, even this Golden Crow, with its muddled consciousness, seemed to have figured out who was in charge on this mountain.

Lu Jiajia couldn't help but recall the years when Ning Changjiu used the Golden Crow to forge her sword, her gaze distant. But time, unlike the white clouds in the sky, could not flow backward.

Lu Jiajia rested briefly in the hall, shedding the weariness of the past few days. After Ning Changjiu finished his meditation and breathing exercises, his consciousness drifted back from the sky. His body also seemed much lighter; as he ascended the steps into the hall, he floated and spun like rootless duckweed on water.

"Are you going to the Southern Wilderness today?" Lu Jiajia asked, channeling her voice into a thread lest she disturb Xiaoli's cultivation.

Ning Changjiu felt the increasingly thin spiritual energy in the mountains and nodded gently. "Yes, the spiritual energy in the Golden Crow Divine Realm is almost depleted."

The Golden Crow, flapping its wings beside Lu Jiajia, had noticeably duller golden light on its feathers.

Lu Jiajia reached out to tease the Golden Crow and said, "That's true, our Golden Crow is also a young lady; we shouldn't neglect her."

"Hmm?" Ning Changjiu's expression subtly changed. "Don't primordial spirits usually have no gender?"

"You didn't know?" Lu Jiajia also found it strange and explained, "Back then, Master invited me into a dream and told me the story of you shooting down the suns. There were nine suns born of heaven, and you shot down eight. The last one, a Golden Crow Queen, submitted to you and transformed into your primordial spirit."

"A Queen? Such a thing..." Ning Changjiu's gaze at the Golden Crow shifted. He thought to himself, if that were the case, the mythological logic could be further completed.

The Golden Crow was the spirit of his golden arrow back then. Now, 3500 years later, this Golden Crow should be the last surviving arrow.

He hadn't expected it to have a gender; he'd never noticed... even though he had carefully examined it before...

Lu Jiajia's brow furrowed slightly. "What are you thinking about now?"

Ning Changjiu said innocently, "What else could I be thinking about?"

On the other side, Shao Xiaoli finished her breathing exercises. The faint, shimmering river flowed into her eyes as they opened, and her gaze, after a momentary brightness, returned to cold stillness, like a long river frozen over.

"Is Master leaving?" Shao Xiaoli asked, rubbing her eyes.

Ning Changjiu nodded. "Yes, I'll be back as soon as possible."

Shao Xiaoli stood up and bowed, very formally. "Your disciple bids farewell to Master. May Master have a safe journey."

Ning Changjiu nodded with a smile. He stretched out his hand, touched the Golden Crow, and it transformed into a golden stream of light, flying back to him. He then casually grabbed a sword from inside the hall; the sword hummed and flew before him. Ning Changjiu lightly tapped his glabella, which opened, and the renowned sword turned into silver light, integrating into his body.

Just as Ning Changjiu was about to stand and leave the hall, Lu Jiajia suddenly rose. "Wait."

Ning Changjiu stopped and focused, only to see Lu Jiajia slowly walk up to him, stand on her tiptoes slightly, and lean in for a kiss. Before Ning Changjiu could react, he felt a soft touch, like snowflakes pressing together. The slightly warm summer air turned cool, and a fragrant scent enveloped him.

Shao Xiaoli watched, surprised, thinking, *In broad daylight, how can they do such a thing right in front of me...?*

"This is from Xueci, she wanted me to give it to you," Lu Jiajia said, her moist lips curving into a smile.

Ning Changjiu's heart stirred slightly, and he involuntarily glanced at Shao Xiaoli.

Besides being surprised, Shao Xiaoli looked a little wronged, thinking, *Siming is too much! She even plagiarized my idea!*

"Um... thank you, Xue'er," Ning Changjiu said, feeling a bit embarrassed himself.

Lu Jiajia imitated Siming's slightly cool yet alluring tone and said, "Sister Xueci also said that for the next few months, your humble concubine will not be able to accompany you, and she hopes her husband will not be displeased."

"Your humble concubine?" Ning Changjiu paused, imagining Xueci's aloof and arrogant demeanor. He shook his head and said, "Did she really say that? How could Xueci be so docile..."

Lu Jiajia narrowed her eyes. "You're getting a bargain and still want to act innocent?"

Ning Changjiu chuckled. "How could I dare?"

He bid farewell to Lu Jiajia and Shao Xiaoli, a nostalgic thought of Siming with her long rainbow-colored hair in his mind, and rode his sword out of the mountain.

At this moment, his figure was an invisible rainbow light. He circled the four peaks, then sharply ascended, tearing through the fragmented layers of clouds, turning them into scale-like wisps.

His sword energy streaked across the sky, flying south. In less than half an incense stick's time, he had bypassed the tribal clusters beside the abyss and arrived in the Southern Wilderness.

The Southern Wilderness was vast and boundless, filled with towering ancient trees, steep cliffs, and deep, secluded valleys. Its terrain was complex, and many mountain ranges had bizarre, unnatural shapes, more like relics of ancient gods' battles.

Back then, Ye Chan Palace, wielding the moon as a sword, had slain Yuanfu with a single strike, causing his divine realm to sink into the ground here. Although the divine realm was invisible, the curvature of space must have compressed the Southern Wilderness, causing it to largely collapse inward, forming a vast, landslide-like valley. Yet, in the very center of this valley, thousands of peaks stood tall, like gigantic rock swords piercing the sky, resembling ancient gods' holy towers, attracting pilgrims from all directions.

Ning Changjiu, clad in white, descended as a rainbow light to a low-lying pool in the forest, silently, like a wind passing unintentionally through the woods, not even startling the dragonflies on the pond.

After the heavy rain, the broad leaves of the ancient trees still held rainwater. As the wind swept over them, rain repeatedly sprinkled through the dim, layered forest.

Thousands of clear raindrops, none reflecting Ning Changjiu's white-robed shadow.

The curse in the Southern Wilderness had persisted for hundreds of years, deeply rooted. Even now that it was lifted, a faint resentment still lingered in the forest. Trees near the outer edge were relatively straight and upright, but deeper inside, they looked like malevolent spirits that had swallowed resentment—leaning at odd angles, half-dead, yet surprisingly tall.

Ning Changjiu stretched out his hand, feeling the spiritual energy flowing at his fingertips.

He stood silently for a moment, shook his head gently, and then drifted deeper.

After passing through the outer layers of the forest, a colossal cliff face appeared abruptly ahead. Clouds, flowing down from the forest, cascaded like a waterfall, thick and white. Below, it was dim, filled with lush ancient mosses that grew as tall as bushes along the incessantly flowing, clear, snowy-white river. Further in the distance, faint roars of ancient beasts could be heard.

Ning Changjiu opened his Lunar Eye and surveyed a thousand *li*. He could sense countless invisible barriers in the surrounding air. These barriers resembled a gigantic talisman, obstructing something.

These barriers had weakened but still floated invisibly, like isolated islands, densely distributed along the direct north-south line connecting Southern State to Central Land.

For no particular reason, Ning Changjiu simply felt they seemed connected to him.

He raised his sleeve, and as his snowy sleeve swayed, immortal swords streamed out, shooting towards the barriers in the air. The barriers, dilapidated from age, were not strong; cracks appeared instantly, and they shattered into pieces from the impact of his sword energy.

Ning Changjiu sheathed his swords, and his figure descended towards the valley floor.

Logically, the lower the elevation, the more abundant the spiritual energy should be.

He traveled north, casually breaking through barriers as he went, heading towards the very center of the Southern Wilderness.

The Southern Wilderness had been untouched for seven hundred years, and rare natural treasures were countless. He had already entered the Five Paths, so these treasures were of little benefit to him, but Xiaoli still needed them, so he collected some conveniently.

With his Lunar Eye, no matter how cunningly hidden a rare natural treasure was, it could hardly escape his sight.

He entered the river's snowy waves, collecting pearls from the riverbed. These pearls were the demon cores of ancient beasts, accumulated here by the river's erosion. He glided along the riverbed, arriving outside a massive cave. From the pitch-black opening, a huge, conical snake head slowly emerged. It was a giant python, its pupils alone as large as a human.

It slithered out from the deep riverbed, moving towards Ning Changjiu. Ning Changjiu reached out and pressed his hand onto the center of its head. The giant python's movements slowed slightly, and he then rode on its head, traveling with it through the intricate caves at the river bottom.

In the middle of the river was a grotto. Thousands of snakes wriggled densely within it, surrounding a central stone platform. On the platform lay a dark green seed, which had already cracked open and was sprouting amidst the twisting serpents.

Ning Changjiu approached, his Sword Eye opening to confirm that this was a rare Green Fire Paulownia wood, a remnant from ancient times. This type of wood was exceptionally precious; burning it could temper a divine body, and it should have become extinct thousands of years ago.

This was a rare opportunity for anyone.

But Ning Changjiu paid it no heed.

If he were tempted by the rare treasures of the world, it would instead limit his path of cultivation.

Ning Changjiu took some of the pearl and jade demon cores collected by the snake swarm, then left the giant python and continued to dive deeper along the riverbed.

In the Southern Wilderness, surprises were endless. Ning Changjiu encountered many rare treasures that should have long been extinct. Any one of these, if acquired by a cultivator, would be enough to inspire a legendary tale centered around them.

But Ning Changjiu merely observed, taking nothing, instead only collecting some rather ordinary spiritual immortal herbs.

He didn't even need to collect these immortal herbs himself; the local indigenous divine beasts had already gathered them for him. All he had to do was seize them.

He pilfered treasures from the nests of ancient dragon descendants, strange divine species, phoenix-blooded demon sparrows, thousand-year-old fierce demons, and even small squirrels. The descendants of those ancient fierce beasts could all feel his oppressive aura, growling but not daring to move rashly. Only the small squirrels, enraged, hopped and scurried, relentlessly pursuing him.

Ning Changjiu continued his plunder, casually breaking through any barriers he encountered. The divine beasts along the way were furious but dared not speak, while the small squirrels hated him to the bone.

During this time, he also discovered remnants of many cities and some shattered divine statues.

Most of these statues were carved into the cliffs. They were ancient and dilapidated, corroded by acidic rain, their forms only vaguely discernible.

Ning Changjiu guessed these were likely how humans imagined the great god Yuanfu.

The entire Southern Wilderness could be called a burial ground for gods, and its abyss was a tomb. Yuanfu's pilgrims had long since died, and the resentment that had shrouded the land for seven hundred years had also been dispelled by moonlight.

Ning Changjiu felt as if an entire age had passed.

His figure like lightning, he moved through forests and over peaks, arriving at the center of the Southern Wilderness two days later.

Liu Junzhuo had also set off.

She wrote down the cultivation formulas and mental techniques for Liu Xiwang, and only after repeated instructions did she worriedly leave the willow-lined street.

Before leaving, Zhou Zhenyue told her that when she was named, the character 'Jun' (珺) was originally intended to be 'Jun' (君), meaning 'sovereign'. But her master hoped she would become a monarch among swords, and since 'Jun' (珺) also meant 'beautiful jade', it was changed to 'Jun' (珺).

Her master's high hopes for her were, in fact, the greatest within the Sword Pavilion. Back then, she secretly resented it, so her master would always find an excuse to punish her whenever she made a mistake. Only now did she realize that her master had truly been right all along.

A monarch among swords, a person like beautiful jade, with outstanding Dao techniques...

Liu Junzhuo thought about her name, shaking her head with a light smile. Although she was at the peak of the Five Paths, she had no confidence in fulfilling this expectation.

She arrived on the long street.

The willow shadows were reflected in the river beside the street. Ducks and geese were co-mingled, chasing and playing in the water. In the distance, someone sang a tune in an incomprehensible local dialect, and children ran past, chasing and playing, chanting nursery rhymes.

"Willows on the bank, how verdant they are..."

Liu Junzhuo silently passed through the street, her sword cutting through the green mountains, and moved into the Southern Wilderness.

Although the Southern Wilderness contained countless fierce ancient beasts, for a cultivator of her realm, it was almost like walking on flat ground.

She wore a practical sword-attire: a white top, a black skirt, and a high waistline, exuding both martial spirit and the elegance of a sword-wielder. Compared to half a year ago, her expression held less pride and much more determination.

The most concentrated spiritual energy in the Southern Wilderness was undoubtedly its center. She was single-minded, paying no heed to the rare treasures.

A sword cultivator must ascend to great heights, with no external distractions in their heart. When she reached a sufficient realm, she would even abandon her sword, shedding all worldly constraints, to achieve a true state of celestial enlightenment.

Liu Junzhuo knew that she was still lingering in a bottleneck, unable to break through. She needed life-and-death battles to seek an opportunity to break through, but in the entire world, she could hardly find such an enemy anymore...

Moreover, for her master's grand plan, she could only choose to endure.

In the Southern Wilderness, Liu Junzhuo traveled by sword. When weary, she would open her sword domain to rest briefly, feeding on wind and dew. Occasionally, when hungry, she would steal nuts stockpiled by small squirrels in tree hollows. The squirrels, in turn, pursued her in droves. Liu Junzhuo, knowing she was in the wrong, did not retaliate. She glided along the low slopes, traversing the incredible landscape, sensing the traces left by ancient divine ruins, and marveling in secret.

The catastrophe five hundred years ago erupted in the heart of the Central Land, and logically, it shouldn't have affected the Southern State. Yet, this Southern Wilderness showed traces of divine battles everywhere. When were these truly left?

Liu Junzhuo vaguely felt she would encounter some great fortune.

Before the Sword Pavilion faced its tribulation, she had always been considered fortunate.

Liu Junzhuo pursued the clouds flowing through the mountains, her sword's hum like thunder, forcing the beasts of the Southern Wilderness to lie low and not dare to move.

Her arrival at the center of the Southern Wilderness was three days later.

The continuous sword-riding had left her somewhat fatigued, yet the thousands of peaks that seemed to rise out of nowhere before her eyes re-energized her. There were ancient legends of highly talented individuals attaining enlightenment by observing the world's wonders, and she, too, vaguely sensed a hint of sword intent among these peaks.

Liu Junzhuo closed her eyes, seeking the source of the sword intent. Her agile and lithe figure vanished among the peaks in an instant.

As expected, the spiritual energy in the center of the Southern Wilderness was unbelievably dense. Among the mountains, countless spiritual energies had liquefied, forming streams of spiritual liquid that cascaded down like waterfalls.

Similar pools of spiritual energy were countless, each a true blessing for cultivators.

Within the peaks on both sides, naturally formed caves were also numerous. But perhaps due to the excessive spiritual energy—an instance of extremes leading to opposites—there weren't many living creatures here.

Liu Junzhuo was very pleased with this. She stepped onto her ethereal sword, ascended into the sky, and looked down in all directions.

The thousand peaks competed in beauty, and the terrain was complex. Liu Junzhuo's cultivation allowed her only a general overview. After determining there was no significant danger, she descended back into the mountains and, at the foot of one peak, carved out a cave dwelling with her sword to serve as her secluded retreat, preparing for focused cultivation.

Liu Junzhuo did not know that the moment she entered the peaks, a pair of eyes had quietly settled upon her.

Ning Changjiu had never thought he would see her here.

Just a few days ago, he had promised Lu Jiajia that if he saw Liu Junzhuo, he would surely avenge her. Lu Jiajia had even laughed, questioning his abilities.

And today, this woman with heroic brows and clear, beautiful features appeared before him.

There were truly too many coincidences in the world...

Ning Changjiu had originally planned to let the Golden Crow feast here, but the moment Liu Junzhuo appeared, he immediately put away the Golden Crow, hid in a deep rock crevice, and took out his divine bow from within the Golden Crow. His fingers hooked onto the invisible bowstring, and he silently watched her, awaiting his opportunity.

He didn't have a bad impression of Liu Junzhuo, but the lunar eclipse was just over three months away. He absolutely could not show any leniency towards a Sword Pavilion disciple.

Even if he couldn't kill her, he had to severely injure her.

He wrote a sword-message, subtly sending it to Yujian Heavenly Sect, telling Jiajia that he had stumbled upon a great opportunity and would return later. Then, he silently watched Liu Junzhuo, just as he had outside Tianhu Peak back then.

He was ready to draw his bow and shoot at any moment.

Upon first entering the Thousand Peaks, Liu Junzhuo maintained a high level of vigilance regarding her surroundings. Instead of immediately meditating by the spiritual energy pools, she rode her sword to patrol the mountains, spending a full half-day scouting the terrain among the peaks.

These Thousand Peaks held no special ruins of ancient kingdoms; they were, in fact, purer than other parts of the Southern Wilderness.

Each of these thousand peaks was filled with vast spiritual energy, making them truly immortal mountains. Once human footprints once again ventured deep into this wilderness, this place would undoubtedly become a hotly contested territory for major sects.

After her sword patrol, Liu Junzhuo's sword-heart relaxed slightly. She returned to the center of the Thousand Peaks, came to the cave dwelling she had carved out earlier, and finally began to cultivate in peace.

When cultivating, she specifically condensed a sword intent, which transformed into a gentle breeze swirling around her, helping her detect danger while her spirit roamed freely.

Liu Junzhuo's talent was exceptionally high, and she cultivated diligently. In less than half a day, the surrounding spiritual energy pools were filled with her clear, frosty sword intent. The spiritual energy transformed into an ethereal mist of ice and frost, enveloping her. The woman's graceful profile was obscured by the mist, appearing faintly, exuding an otherworldly aura.

Every two hours, she completed a grand cycle of breathing exercises, practicing the Sword Pavilion's secret art, which was never taught to outsiders.

The Sword Pavilion's sword techniques originated from a Saint, with every strike capable of splitting mountains, overturning seas, shattering peaks, and breaking ranges. As Liu Junzhuo meditated and performed her breathing exercises, many shadows appeared around her, each one her. The multitude of shadows danced gracefully, simultaneously performing hundreds of sword moves, ultimately merging into one, returning to her glabella.

A day later, Ning Changjiu had deduced the preliminary form of the Sword Pavilion's inner sect cultivation method.

He was not in a hurry to act. In the future, he would inevitably have a battle with the Sword Saint, and at this moment, he could use Liu Junzhuo to first familiarize himself with the Sword Saint's techniques.

On the second day, he finished deducing the Sword Pavilion's inner sect cultivation method. He also tried practicing it for a while, aiming to understand both himself and his potential opponent.

To his surprise, this second master, who appeared to be a proud and cold beauty, also had another side—besides cultivating the Dao, she often used the cliff faces as her canvas, haphazardly drawing with her sword.

Ning Changjiu initially thought these were sword moves or something similar, but after observing carefully for a long time, he realized they were indeed just random scribbles.

This second master's drawing skills were truly not good; her drawings were mostly stick figures or things pieced together from simple patterns, quite abstract. Yet, she never tired of it and was very enthusiastic about painting. When fatigued from cultivation, she would create many "masterpieces" on the cliff faces, with herself as the main subject of these paintings.

Ning Changjiu could only recognize them because she had given names to her paintings.

Such as "Mu Jun Ten Battles the Evil Dragon," "Mu Jun Ten Bloody Battles the Giant God," "Mu Jun Ten Picks Stars with Bare Hands," and so on.

"Mu Jun Ten" should be a stage name she gave herself, with each character taken from a part of her own name.

Since she was very young, Liu Junzhuo had heard many mystical stories. Back then, she began to fantasize about becoming a hero in those myths. Now, she possessed the ability to split mountains and level seas with a single sword, yet the innocent girl within her seemed reluctant to move on, constantly lingering in the same spot.

However, these minor emotions only revealed themselves when she was alone.

She imagined that one day, people might look at her stone carvings and ponder their deeper meaning, which made her smile.

Today, Lady Mu Jun Ten created another work. In the painting, she sat before a crooked table, with weights piled in front of her.

The reason Ning Changjiu could recognize them as weights was because Liu Junzhuo had titled this painting "Mu Jun Ten, Always Victorious in Gambling."

Ning Changjiu was speechless, thinking, *The second master truly has no self-awareness at all.*

On the evening of the third day, as the last rays of the setting sun faded and the moonlight gradually rose, Liu Junzhuo entered the spiritual pool to bathe, aiming for better body tempering. Her black and white clothes were neatly folded by the pool, like tofu cut with a knife.

Ning Changjiu sighed softly, watching everything. Unbeknownst to him, the arrow was already on the string.

But it was still unreleased.