Chapter 120: Entering the Furnace

"Take my sword," Li Chijing uttered. A brilliant white light flowed from the longsword at his waist. As he lightly raised his left hand, the biting wind over Yishan City suddenly calmed, and everything became a vast expanse of white.

Deng Qiuzhi pressed down on the precious sword at his waist, his heart stirred. He too was a swordsman, and though his cultivation wasn't high, he understood the grandeur of this particular sword strike. "Moonfall Sword Intent..." he murmured. "Brother Chijing has always been good at hiding his abilities, never one to show off in front of others. Now that he's reached a dead end, he's finally no longer hiding!"

The white light flowed in like moonlight, striking Chi Jiuyun's red light barrier with deceptive speed, as if tearing through a paper window. Layers of golden protective light from talismans lit up on Chi Jiuyun's body, only to shatter uselessly. Feeling a chill on his neck, Chi Jiuyun could only cry out, his face pale, "Ancestor, save me!"

A look of realization flashed in Li Chijing's eyes. The white light, like moonlight, brushed past Chi Jiuyun's face without causing the slightest harm. Chi Jiuyun stood stunned for a moment, then spoke, "Sword Intent?!" Li Chijing cupped his hands, as if he hadn't heard, and simply replied, "Senior Brother Chi, thank you for the concession."

"Good!" Chi Jiuyun exclaimed, his face still pale. He then asked, "What kind of Sword Intent is this?" "Moonfall Sword Intent," Li Chijing replied with a slight nod. Unexpectedly, Chi Jiuyun's expression became complex, and he murmured, "What a pity! What a great pity!"

"Clang!" Only then did the sound of a precious sword falling to the ground echo, startling everyone and immediately sparking a flurry of whispers. Due to Chi Jiuyun's status, no one dared to comment much, but everyone's eyes were filled with shock.

Li Chijing descended back to the mountain. Xiao Yuansi was already staring at him, utterly stunned, and asked incredulously, "You almost killed Chi Jiuyun?" "I wouldn't dare," Li Chijing replied, sheathing his sword and shaking his head at Xiao Yuansi's bewildered look. "If I had killed him, the rest of the Chi family wouldn't have done anything to me due to the Purple Mansion True Person's requirements, but it would have been unavoidable for them to target my family. I merely taught him a lesson."

"Aren't you afraid he'll hold a grudge and cause trouble for your family?" Xiao Yuansi asked, curious. "Chi Jiuyun is too proud and arrogant to resort to such methods," Li Chijing said. "I've dealt with him for so many years; we understand each other."

Li Chijing smiled and stretched. Just then, a person walked in from outside the cave dwelling, bowing respectfully. "Senior," the person said, "someone from the sect has arrived and is asking you to depart." Xiao Yuansi froze. His expression, which hadn't shown anger in over a decade, clouded with annoyance. His sleeves billowed without wind as he said sharply, "Are they really that impatient?!"

The person lowered their head in fright. Xiao Yuansi immediately realized his impropriety and apologized softly. He then saw Li Chijing nod and say gravely, "Take me there." "Jing'er!" Xiao Yuansi called out. Li Chijing unfastened the sword from his waist, placed it in Xiao Yuansi's hand, and whispered, "Senior Brother, take care."

With that, he left the dwelling, riding the wind to descend towards the mountain peak. Xiao Yuansi was left behind, clutching the jade slip in the wind, his expression complex, as if he had made a momentous decision, staring blankly at the horizon. "Master..." he murmured, "forgive me, I cannot remain in the sect any longer..."

Li Chijing entered the grand hall on the peak. In the center, where Chi Jiuyun usually sat, was a man in green robes, his face indistinct. Chi Jiuyun stood to the side, his head bowed respectfully. Below them, kneeling, was Deng Qiuzhi, his head bowed, seemingly lost in thought.

"Greetings, True Person." Observing the man's posture, Li Chijing knew he was likely a Purple Mansion cultivator. He immediately bowed, then looked up, staring intently as if to pierce the mist obscuring the man's face and discern his true appearance. "How audacious!" Chi Jiuyun exclaimed, startled, but the Purple Mansion cultivator waved a hand and replied, "It's fine."

The green-robed Purple Mansion cultivator looked down at him for a moment, then suddenly asked, "How long has it been since you mastered the Moonfall Sword Intent?" "Over five years." The Purple Mansion cultivator murmured for a moment, then stepped forward and peered at Li Chijing's brow, confirming there was no crescent moon pattern that would have struck fear into his heart. Only then did he speak, "I've never supported Senior Brother Chi Wei's methods—sacrificing the sect's talents one by one to pave his own path. It's a pity that old fellow back then liked his style. Now he's the Sect Master, and his cultivation is high, so I can only follow orders."

Chi Jiuyun, standing nearby, quickly closed his eyes, pretending not to hear these words. The green-robed Purple Mansion cultivator glanced at him, then continued, "Rise." Li Chijing stood up. The Purple Mansion cultivator gave a slight lift, stepped forward, and in the blink of an eye, all three of them were above a sea of clouds.

The brilliant and magnificent morning sun was rising into the sky. The Purple Mansion cultivator took them south, over the flat wilderness outside Yishan City, deep into the vast and boundless Southern Border. "So fast!" Li Chijing chuckled softly as the scenery around them flashed by like lightning. The jungle below blurred into a green expanse, and distant mountains approached at a visible speed. He remarked, "A Purple Mansion cultivator truly enjoys immense freedom!"

The green-robed cultivator looked at him in surprise, maintaining the speed for both Li Chijing and Deng Qiuzhi with his magic. He then nodded approvingly and replied, "Not exactly freedom! Purple Mansion cultivators also have their predicaments; it's just that most of the time, at least we aren't forced to be pawns." "You, indeed," the green-robed cultivator said, looking at him again with a chuckle. "You truly suit my temperament. If things hadn't come to this, I would have liked to take you as my disciple and teach you well. However, you must die now. Even if that great flood dragon fails in its alchemy, I will personally watch you turn to ash before I can leave with peace of mind."

Li Chijing was momentarily caught between laughter and tears. The image of Li Mutian suddenly flashed in his mind. Calculating the years, Li Mutian had most likely passed away. Cut off from news in Yishan City, he didn't know how his family was doing now. Deng Qiuzhi, meanwhile, looked utterly dejected, staring blankly at the morning sun on the horizon. The biting wind chafed his cheeks, causing pain, but he was so crestfallen that he didn't notice.

Before long, they landed in a forest. Before them was a bottomless great pool, its water emerald green like jade, without a single ripple. Sitting nearby was a boy who looked to be in his teens, clad in a dark, ink-colored robe that shimmered like scales. He was leaning against a large tree, dozing with half-closed eyes. The green-robed cultivator cupped his hands and said respectfully, "Senior, the people have been brought."

The boy suddenly opened his eyes, revealing a pair of emerald green vertical pupils like those of a serpent-dragon. He stared at the green-robed cultivator and said in a soft, low voice, "Why is it you? Where's Chi Wei?" "The Sect Master is in seclusion, maintaining his vitality, just waiting for your esteemed elixir." The boy flicked his head, let out a cold, hissing laugh, and said, "I see. That old ghost is afraid of me, afraid to come to my Southern Border, so he sent you instead!"

Li Chijing was so suppressed by the two's oppressive aura that he couldn't speak. Gazing at the boy's emerald green vertical pupils, he thought to himself, "This must be the great flood dragon the Purple Mansion cultivator mentioned!" The great flood dragon reached out, seized Li Chijing, who was immobilized by the oppressive aura, glanced at him, and smiled, "Dao Foundation 'Autumn Moon over the Lake'... indeed, that meets the requirements... Just you wait!"

Then, with another hand, it grabbed Deng Qiuzhi, scrutinized him for a moment, and nodded. "As usual," it said, "this is a Qi Condensation cultivator who has practiced a secret technique, not over thirty years old; the 'medicinal age' is just right." With that, it grabbed both Li Chijing and Deng Qiuzhi and plunged into the water. Li Chijing's vision went black, and he found himself in a cave dwelling entirely made of jade. Jade tables, jade chairs, jade platforms, jade shelves—everything was a brilliant jade. In the center sat a massive golden cauldron, large enough for five people to embrace, with black and red flames burning beneath it.

The great flood dragon patted his head, looked at his arms, formed a hand seal, and chuckled, "You are truly delicious. If I hadn't promised that old ghost Chi, I would have really eaten you." With that, it threw Li Chijing into the cauldron. Then it picked up Deng Qiuzhi, held him above the cauldron, and with a hand, made a cut across his chest and abdomen. Immediately, a gash opened, profusely bleeding, and a piece of him fell away. Deng Qiuzhi groaned, fainted, and was forcefully thrown into the cauldron.

Li Chijing remained unable to speak or move. He let out a faint sigh as he watched the horrifying state of Deng Qiuzhi, witnessing the blood slowly seep out. As various spiritual items dropped onto him, Li Chijing quietly thought to himself, "I didn't even get to see my father before he died, and now I'm here in this remote Southern Border. When I get to the underworld, my eldest brother will probably lecture me again!"

His surroundings were already scorching hot. Li Chijing thought to himself, "I only hope my second and third brothers can watch over the younger generation of our family and uncover the true nature of the Azure Pond Sect soon!"