Chapter 126: New Journey

During these same seven days, everyone at the Heavenly Sword Holy Land was fully engaged in repairing the Holy Land battlefield. Internal and external affairs proceeded in an orderly manner under the Grand Elder's unified leadership.

Meanwhile, Xu Yang and his two disciples were in a secret chamber at the peak of the main mountain, using the Soul Roaming Heaven Array to search Ling Yao's mind for clues about the great secrets of the Three Thousand Dao Provinces.

“Strange, what’s going on… Why are these fragments we’re seeing so blurry, far less clear than Lianxue’s memories?” Xu Yang asked, his face clouded with doubt.

“Perhaps it’s because the spiritual jade has only just returned to her body, and Ling Yao’s soul consciousness hasn’t fully recovered,” Bai Lianxue explained. “It might improve in a few days.” Her words somewhat reassured Xu Yang and the other.

“Let’s hope so…” Xu Yang continued. “Since our business at the Holy Land is concluded, we’ll depart now. We’ll first return to the Heavenly Azure Sect to say our goodbyes, and then set off for the Three Thousand Dao Provinces to investigate the truth of what happened back then, as well as the clues to the Nine Dragon Treasure!”

Ling Yao and Bai Lianxue both nodded simultaneously.

After informing the Grand Elder, Xu Yang and his two companions traveled by spiritual boat directly to the Heavenly Azure Sect. There, they found Ling Qingshu standing just outside the sect, gazing into the distance, her solitary figure appearing somewhat lonely and forlorn.

“Grand Ancestor!!” Ling Qingshu excitedly rushed forward as the spiritual boat slowly descended.

Now, the girl had no other desires; as long as she could see Xu Yang, she felt her life had meaning.

“Qingshu, you’ve had it rough these past few days.”

This sudden word of comfort filled Ling Qingshu with an unprecedented sense of contentment.

“Hey, I knew you’d finally be back, kid! You wouldn’t believe it, Qingshu has been standing outside the gate waiting for you all these days!” Huang Tian suddenly popped out from nowhere and interjected.

“Ahaha, both of you are back too? Miss Bai Lianxue, right? I’m so glad to see you revived. You don’t know how much effort Xu Yang put into resurrecting you…”

Bai Lianxue offered a gentle, emotional smile and glanced deeply at Xu Yang. The bond between master and disciple needed no further words.

“I’ve returned this time to arrange some matters, and then I’ll be heading to the Three Thousand Dao Provinces…”

“Oh, come on, I knew you’d be busy with something bigger,” Huang Tian said. “But listen to your big brother for a moment: take Qingshu with you. This girl is completely devoted to you; it breaks my heart to see her like this!”

Huang Tian, as the elder brother, was truly perceptive. With such a divine assist from him, Xu Yang had no other choice.

In fact, he also deeply cherished Ling Qingshu. Even though there were many generations between them, the age difference was never an issue.

“Very well, then,” Xu Yang said. “Qingshu, you can travel with the three of us to the Three Thousand Dao Provinces. And you, Huang Tian? Aren’t you coming with us?”

Huang Tian gave a mischievous smile. “I’m not going. I’ll stay here and guard your home. With me here, you can rest assured, nothing will go wrong!”

Xu Yang couldn’t help but feel a chill. He knew Huang Tian, that old fox, wasn’t so easily convinced, and suddenly acting like this surely meant he had a secret.

“Grand Ancestor… to tell you the truth,” Ling Qingshu interjected, “Big Brother Huang Tian has taken a liking to your secret cultivation chamber. He’s been holed up in there, addicted to cultivation, these past few days. In my opinion, it would be better to let him stay and look after the Heavenly Azure Sect.”

“Hahaha! I knew it!” Xu Yang laughed. “Very well then, you can cultivate well. I hope that by the time we return, you’ll have become the strongest in Qizhou.”

Huang Tian confidently patted his chest. “It’s a deal!!”

The spiritual boat ascended into the sky, and Xu Yang, accompanied by three stunning beauties, embarked on his brand new journey.

Unbeknownst to them, the opening of the new map of the Three Thousand Dao Provinces was destined to be an extraordinary and earth-shattering journey. Xu Yang had no idea that he would encounter so many world-shaking secrets in this region, secrets concerning the rise, fall, and very survival of the entire continent.

As for the journey itself, these past few days, Xu Yang found himself utterly delighted, enjoying a life akin to that of an immortal. He leisurely reclined in a grand armchair, while Bai Lianxue played the zither, and Ling Qingshu diligently served him, busying herself with brewing tea. His days passed by in utmost comfort.

Only Ling Yao simply sat on the edge of the spiritual boat, gazing at the distant mountains and rivers stretching for thousands of miles beyond the clouds. Unlike Xu Yang and his two disciples, this girl had always remained within the Heavenly Sword Holy Land since she gained consciousness as a child, and was essentially unfamiliar with other parts of the continent. Now that she finally had the chance to travel, she naturally wanted to fully appreciate the endless beauty of the vast world.

“Master,” Bai Lianxue said, suddenly stopping her hand on the zither strings as if moved by a sudden thought, “Time flies, and ten thousand years have passed in the blink of an eye. I wonder what unique insights you’ve gained during these ten millennia?”

“Insights… they weren’t so obvious,” Xu Yang replied. “Aside from finding a way to resurrect you, I was mostly in seclusion. However, I still haven’t reached the realm of grand perfection, which is why I want to go to the Three Thousand Dao Provinces—hoping to encounter an opportunity for sudden enlightenment there.”

Bai Lianxue raised a faint smile. “For these ten thousand years, I have missed you almost constantly. I just truly never expected to be able to walk by your side like this again.”

Ling Qingshu, hearing this, also felt a surge of emotion. “No matter what, the reunion of the two Grand Ancestors is a great joyous occasion for our Heavenly Azure Sect.”

“Hahaha!” Xu Yang declared, “With me here, no matter what happens in the future, I will certainly ensure the safety of all three of you.”

Whoosh…

Suddenly, a cold flash of light streaked past the spiritual boat’s perimeter. The flash was extremely sudden. Even Ling Yao, who had now reached the Grand Perfection of the Nascent Soul realm, was startled by the flash.

“What incredible speed!!”

“Who could it be, possessing such terrifying movement techniques?!”

Xu Yang also became interested and walked to the edge of the spiritual boat. Just at that moment, the fleeting light streaked past again with a whoosh, clearly targeting Xu Yang’s position.

“Hmph,” Xu Yang snorted, “Since you’re here, why hide your face? Show yourself and let’s talk!”

As Xu Yang finished speaking, with a slight thought, countless streaks of sword energy surged around the spiritual boat, enveloping it entirely.

“Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait!” a voice exclaimed. “Mighty One, let’s talk things over properly; there’s no need for violence!”

Whoosh!

A black figure suddenly flashed into the spiritual boat. Xu Yang and the three others looked closely: the fellow was entirely clad in a black cloak, wore an eye patch, and his mouth resembled a hawk’s beak. His half-human, half-beast appearance was exceedingly eerie.

“You must be Xu Yang of Qizhou, correct?” the figure said. “And these individuals are the leader of the Heavenly Azure Sect and the Holy Lord of the Heavenly Sword Holy Land, respectively. My profound apologies for the lack of prior recognition!”

Xu Yang and the others immediately became wary. This fellow knew their identities intimately, indicating this was no chance encounter.

“Tell us honestly,” Xu Yang demanded, “who are you, and what is your purpose in following us?”