In the early morning of Liuhegou, the mist, like boiling rice soup, thickly wrapped around the newly planted little locust tree at the entrance of the village.
Chu Xuan crouched on a bluestone, wedged the last spiritual stone into the earthen ridge with a flick of his fingertip, and a wisp of ice-blue spiritual energy sank into the roots, and the leaves rustled as if they had belched.
"It's done." He stood up, stretched, and his bones cracked.
Uncle Li, with a pipe in his mouth, the flame in the pipe flickered. "Little Xuanzi, is that all? No more days?"
"If you stay any longer, you'll have to secretly stuff me pancakes again." " Chu Xuan laughed, but his eyes were a little sore. "Auntie has a sore back. Remember to apply the plaster I left for her. Change it every day. Don't be stingy."
Ali, carrying a small bundle, with her braid raised very high, "Brother, I'll go with you! I've built a foundation and I can fight!"
Chu Xuan rubbed her head. "Dare to jump around in the early stage of foundation building? I'll wait for three years at the outer gate of the Qingyun Sect until my bones are hardened."
The little girl pursed her lips, tears welling up in her eyes, but stubbornly did not fall, "After those three years, I will enter the inner gate and stand by your side!"
"All right, I'll wait." Chu Xuan raised his hand, a gentle breeze lifted Ali, and placed her steadily on the distant ox cart. There were more than a dozen children in the cart, all of whom had spiritual roots in the village. Now that they had benefited, they went together to the foot of the Qingyun Sect to begin their cultivation.
Su Meier leaned against the tree, her veil half-lifted, waving to the children, "When we reach the foot of the mountain, tell me my name - Sister Su, take care of the meal!"
The children shouted in unison, "Sister Su is the most beautiful!"
Ling Qingxue's shadow was floating on the treetops, her white dress gilded by the morning sun, and she spoke softly, "The spiritual vein of the mortal world is stable, no worries for ten years."
Chu Xuan nodded, his palm opened, and an ice-blue jade talisman lay still. "Auntie, this' Cold Breath Talisman 'is close to your body. It won't be hot in summer, nor cold in winter. If you have a headache or a fever, crush it and all diseases will be gone."
Auntie took it, her rough palm trembling, "You brat... Don't starve yourself outside."
"Not hungry." Chu Xuan laughed, showing his white teeth, "I can now eat three bowls of spirit rice and two jin of demonic beast meat in one meal."
"Boasting!" The aunt was amused by him, but tears finally rolled down her face.
...
At the village entrance, the fog grew fainter, the sun rose higher, and the ox cart creaked and set off.
The children leaned out and waved, and Ali shouted the loudest: "Brother! See you in three years!"
Chu Xuan waved his hand, his shadow stretched out like a river that refused to turn back.
Uncle Li tapped his cigarette and shouted loudly, "Boy! "Come back if you don't do well, our village can afford a bed!"
Chu Xuan didn't turn around. With his back to everyone, he raised his arm high and shook it - that was the most familiar farewell for a young man when he left home.
The wind swept across the wheat field, the waves of wheat undulating like countless hands seeing off guests.
...
In mid-air, Su Mei 'er stepped on the fire cloud, stretched her body, "Worldly affairs, return to the sect?"
"Return to the sect." Chu Xuan took a deep breath and looked further away. "But take a detour first."
"Which way?"
"The Silk Tree Sect." Chu Xuan tossed a gilding note in his hand, "Someone has invited me to explore Kunlun. I can't refuse such a kind invitation."
Su Mei 'er raised her eyebrows, smiling seductiously, "Oh, little Xuanzi, the market has risen, even the Hehuan Sect has voluntarily sent posts?"
Ling Qingxue hummed softly, her voice like snow falling on a jade plate, "Hehuan Sect, Double Cultivation School, are you sure it's just 'joint exploration'?"
Chu Xuan coughed dryly, his ears slightly red, "Stop messing around, serious business. The post mentioned 'There are female cultivators in the secret realm of kunlun', they lack keys, I lack maps, mutual benefit.
"Key?" Su Mei 'er narrowed her eyes. "You, the holder of the contract, have really become the master key?"
"So you have to go and see." Chu Xuan shrugged his shoulders. "If we can pick up a flaw and add another lineage to our female lead group, it won't be a loss."
"Female lead group?" Su Mei 'er laughed her teeth out. "Little Xuanzi, you do know how to name."
Ling Qingxue gave her a faint glance, "Don't bully him."
"TSK, so well protected." Su Mei 'er shook her head. The fire cloud turned eastward. "All right, go to the Hehuan Sect and see what those little goblins are up to."
...
Three days later, the territory of the Hehuan Sect, the Valley of Flowers.
The air is filled with the fragrance of flowers and flocks of butterflies. A flying boat hangs at the mouth of the valley. The boat is painted with gold and phoenixes, and the gossamer dances gracefully. The sound of silk and bamboo wafts out, making one's bones melt.
At the bow of the boat stood a young girl in green, with her skirt reaching only her calves and silver bells tied around her ankles. With each step, she made a crisp sound as she shouted, "Is that Senior Brother Chu Xuan ahead?" Sister Yun Shang, by the order of the sect master, I have been waiting for you!"
Her voice was laughing, but her eyes were clear and not vulgar at all, like a crescent moon just fished out of a mountain spring.
Chu Xuan stepped forward with his sword and bowed his hand, "Sister Yun Shang, please welcome me."
Yun Shang blinked his eyes and suddenly lowered his voice, "Senior brother, the master said -- the 'key' is ready, just waiting for you to unlock it."
With a flick of her sleeve, a jade slip slipped and landed precisely in Chu Xuan's palm.
The jade slip was warm, and the map inside was faintly visible, pointing straight to the core of the Kunlun Secret Realm.
Chu Xuan's eyes flickered slightly and he smiled, "Hehuan Sect, the news is well-informed."
Yun Shang, with his hands behind his back, tilted his head playfully, "The master also said that if senior brother is afraid of being 'eaten' by us, he can bring his family along."
Su Meier leaned against the flying sword, raising her hand lazily, "Family Member No. 1, report for duty."
Ling Qingxue's faint figure emerged, "Family Member No. 2, on the way."
Yun Shang chuckled and the silver bells jingled, "Then please get on the boat, let's - explore Kunlun together!"
The boat quivered slightly, the colorful sails blew, and it turned its head towards the deep clouds of the distant mountains.
Chu Xuan stood at the stern of the boat, looking back in the direction of the mortal world. The morning light shone on the wheat fields, as if gilding his hometown. He said softly:
"Come back again, I will let this golden light shine across the three realms."
The flying boat passed through the valley of a hundred flowers. Yun Shang sat on the side of the boat, her calves swaying and jingling like a lark.
She stole glances at Chu Xuan - the latter was looking down at the jade slips, his profile gilded by the morning glow, and his eyelashes were too long.
The little girl's ears turned red quietly. She quickly turned her face away and pretended to look at the clouds.
Su Meier leaned against the mast and took in all of this with a mischievous smile. "Little Xuanzi, you have boundless charm."
Chu Xuan did not look up and just stuffed the jade slip into her bosom. "Stop messing around, look at the map."
Inside the jade slips, light spots flowed, outlining a hidden route: Baihua Valley → Luoxing Beach → Kunlun Outer Ring, and at the end, an ice-blue mark flickered, in sync with the runes of the Daoist pact.
"Luoxingtan?" Ling Qingxue's illusory figure emerged, his voice suspicious. "There are meteoric iron everywhere, the magnetic field is chaotic, and the compass will fail when the flying boat passes by."
Yun Shang raised his hand, smiling, "That's why the sect leader invited Senior Brother Chu - a primordial spirit with a sense of direction, the compass is ruined by you."
Su Mei 'er raised her eyebrows, "Are you using us as compasses?"
Yun Shang spat out her tongue, "It's a mutual benefit. The junior sisters will also contribute."
As he spoke, the flying boat had already reached the sky above Luoxing Beach.
Sure enough, the boat shook violently, the compass pointer spun wildly, and the helmsman exclaimed, "Out of control!"
Chu Xuan moved to the bow of the boat in an instant, his palm pressed against the side of the boat, and a wisp of chaotic air was injected, and the entire flying boat was instantly enveloped by icy blue light, as if firmly held by an invisible giant hand.
He closed his eyes, and his sense of spirit was outward. The innate spirit's natural perception of the energy of heaven and earth turned into an invisible thread, pointing straight to the quietest crevices in the magnetic field turbulence.
"Three zhang to the left, dive thirty degrees, go in!" His voice was not loud, but it carried an unquestionable certainty.
The helmsman gritted his teeth as he did, and the boat made a beautiful skidding, brushing past a forest of meteoric iron, and smoothly passed through the turbulence.
As soon as the boat emerged from the dangerous area, everyone was drenched in cold sweat on their backs.
Yun Shang's eyes shone like little stars. "Senior brother, you're more reliable than the legend!"
Su Meier clapped lazily. "Family Member No. 1 is proud." "
Ling Qingxue hummed softly, "Look ahead, Kunlun Outer ring, snow belt."
As soon as the words were spoken, the flying boat plunged into a vast expanse of white.
The heavy snowflakes came down, but outside the ship's side, there was an invisible layer of steam that turned into mist - Su Meier raised her hand lazily, and the purple fire turned into a shield to keep the cold out.
"Thanks." Chu Xuan turned his head.
"Thank you," Su Meier's eyes were flying. "You're frozen into an ice lolly. Who will be with me to make medicine?"
...
Through the wind and snow belt, the view suddenly opened.
A snow-capped mountain rose up from the ground, all above the mountainside veiled by clouds and mist, revealing only the dark base, like a giant beast lying down.
From the depths of the clouds, there are occasional flashes of pale golden beams that Pierce the sky, mysterious and oppressive.
"Outer ring of Kunlun." Yun Shang stopped laughing and looked solemn. "Further ahead is the entrance to the secret realm, but --"
With a touch of her fingertip, a light screen emerged at the bow of the boat: On the stone flat at the foot of the mountain, more than a dozen dark shadows were engaged in a fierce battle with a group of white-clad female cultivators, with flashes of inspiration and swirling snow mist.
"Hehuan Sect's vanguard?" Yun Shang exclaimed, "They are surrounded!"
Chu Xuan squinted, black-robed man cuff pattern - No. 2 of the ground.
"Heavenly Dao Pavilion." His voice cooled, "picking the soft persimmons."
"Soft persimmons?" Su Mei 'er licked her lips. "I think I kicked the iron plate."
Ling Qingxue had turned into a streak of light and merged into Chu Xuan's back. The ice-blue lines spread from his neck to the corners of his eyes, like a thin layer of frost.
He raised his hand, the Cold Moon Sword was drawn from its scabbard, and the tip of the sword pointed straight to the stone flat at the foot of the mountain. "Save the person and earn some interest at the same time."
The boat dived, and outside the purple fire shield, the wind and snow howled.
Chu Xuan stood at the bow of the boat, his sleeves fluttering, his voice dispersed by the wind, but each word was clear --
"The debts of the Heavenly Dao Pavilion will be settled one by one from today on."
...
On the stone floor, the female cultivators of the Hehuan Sect were already showing signs of decline.
The leader of the black-robed men chuckled, "Young lady of the Hehuan Sect, Blood Sacrifice is missing a few leads, come with us obediently!"
Before he could finish speaking, an ice-blue sword light descended from the sky and pierced straight to his feet. The sword energy exploded, and the snow froze ten feet in an instant. The black-robed man's legs were frozen into icicles and he couldn't move.
In the wind and snow, Chu Xuan came with his sword, his voice colder than the snow --
"Introduction? Which onion do you count for?"
He raised his hand, the tip of the sword lifted the other's chin, and the chaotic air thread pierced through the blade, instantly blocking the meridians.
"Go back and tell Xihe -- the key is here, let him wash his neck."
The ice reflected the light of the sky, revealing the cold profile of the young man, like a sword just drawn from its scabbard.