The memories of all humanity are awakening, except for mine.

When she blew out the candle, the room fell into darkness, with only the sound of rain clearly audible in the silence.

It was late at night when we returned to the camp.

Chen Ping stood outside the central tent, holding a small, floating sword in his hand, its blade wreathed in faint spiritual energy.

"Flying sword delivers the message."

Chen Ping breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Jiang Chuan return.

"The Immortal Sect will send a Supreme Elder to pick us up early tomorrow morning."

Jiang Chuan nodded and led Xiao Man to arrange accommodations.

He had only taken a few steps when Chen Ping called him back.

"Gucheng is looking for you, saying he has something to discuss."

After settling Xiaoman in, Jiang Chuan went to his tent.

Pushing open the door, Gu Cheng was already sitting inside, the candlelight casting a long shadow of him.

Xiao Man stood obediently to the side, pouring tea for the two of them.

"You came."

The voice of the lonely city remained as calm as ever.

"sit."

Jiang Chuan sat down, with the sword lying across his lap.

The sword trembled slightly, as if it were on guard against something.

"Zhao Weiyuan is dead."

The isolated city gets straight to the point.

"But Stephen Hawking is still alive."

Jiang Chuan frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"My explanation to the Immortal Sect."

Gu Cheng picked up his teacup, the steam blurring his face.

"Zhao Weiyuan's body will be returned to the Yan Kingdom delegation, and Huo Jinzhi will be a witness."

"Witness what?"

Gu Cheng put down his teacup, his gaze sharp as a knife.

"Witness how Zhao Weiyuan colluded with demonic cultivators, betrayed the immortal sect, and ultimately reaped what he sowed."

Jiang Chuan was startled.

This is clearly a frame-up, but given the current situation, it may be the safest way to handle it.

The immortal sect needs to give an explanation to all parties, but the dead cannot defend themselves.

"Mr. Jiang."

The voice of the lonely city was as deep and still as an ancient well.

"The Great Zhou will handle the assassination itself. It will not involve you, nor will it affect the relationship between the Great Zhou and the Immortal Sect."

Ten paces away, Jiang Chuan stood with his hands behind his back. The boy was only fifteen years old, but he already showed a composure beyond his years.

He gently stroked the jade pendant at his waist, a token of the direct disciples of the Cloud Sea Immortal Sect, which gleamed with a warm blue hue in the dim light.

"Lord Gucheng, you flatter me."

Jiang Chuan had a faint smile on his lips.

"I just wonder what price the Great Zhou paid to protect Jiang?"

Gu Cheng looked surprised.

He never expected that this seemingly gentle and refined young man would be so perceptive.

After a moment of silence, he raised his right hand, the coiled dragon pattern embroidered in gold thread on his sleeve trembling slightly in the wind.

"Some costs are better left unsaid."

"Oh?"

Jiang Chuan suddenly kicked a piece of gravel, startling several sparrows hiding among the rubble.

"Has Lord Gucheng ever considered that if a great tree begins to rot from its roots, how long can it block out the sky and the sun, no matter how lush its branches and leaves are?"

These words were like a blunt knife, piercing the heart of the lonely city.

His pupils contracted sharply, and his knuckles turned white as he gripped the sword hilt. The cawing of crows in the distance accentuated the deathly silence of the ruins.

"Such an ending"

Jiang Chuan turned around, his gaze sharp.

"Is this truly what Lord Gucheng desires?"

The wind suddenly picked up, whipping up a few stray strands of hair that had fallen across Gu Cheng's forehead.

His face was ashen, his jawline taut. After a long while, he suddenly clasped his hands in a fist salute, his dark cloak fluttering behind him.

"Farewell."

Watching the lone city's departing figure, Jiang Chuan let out a soft breath.

He opened his palm, revealing an unhealed wound—a mark left from forcibly creating the Bitter Sea Phenomenon last night.

"master!"

Xiao Man's voice came from the other side of the ruins.

The girl lifted her skirt and leaped over several ruins, the silver bells in her hair jingling.

"The Immortal Sect's Fangtian Painting Boat has arrived!"

Jiang Chuan looked up and saw the outline of a huge ship vaguely emerging from the clouds.

The ship's hull is as smooth as jade, with a crane in outstretched wings carved on its bow. Surrounded by clouds and mist, it is a unique flying artifact of the Cloud Sea Immortal Sect.

"Let's go."

Jiang Chuan dusted off the dust on his sleeves.

"Don't keep the elders waiting."

On the East Gate Square of Longhai County, the Fangtian Painting Boat has landed steadily.

The bluestone slabs within three zhang around the ship were all covered with a thin layer of frost, which was caused by Elder Dai Yongde's release of his icy true energy.

The white-haired elder stood at the bow of the ship, holding the body of an old woman covered with a white cloth in his arms. His wrinkled face revealed no emotion.

"Disciple Jiang Chuan greets Elder Dai."

Jiang Chuan stepped forward and bowed, glancing out of the corner of his eye at the two people behind Dai Yongde—Yun Wanggui was dressed in white, with the "Listening to the Rain" longsword hanging at his waist; Xue Xing was wearing an indigo outfit, his right arm wrapped in bandages, clearly still recovering from an injury.

Dai Yongde nodded slightly, his voice hoarse as if it were being ground together.

"Now that the person is dead, all grudges are settled."

After saying that, he turned and boarded the ship, without uttering a single unnecessary word.

Yun Wanggui stepped forward and bowed to Gu Cheng and Lu Jianxiong.

"Thank you both for taking care of the disciples of the immortal sect."

Lu Jianxiong laughed heartily, his towering body causing his armor to rattle loudly.

"Senior Brother Yun, you're too kind! Young Brother Jiang helped us uncover the Yan Kingdom spy who had been hiding in the Prefect's Mansion for many years. We should be the ones thanking him."

Gu Cheng merely nodded indifferently, glancing at Jiang Chuan from time to time, clearly still pondering the conversation in the ruins.

Xue Xing walked straight up to Jiang Chuan and suddenly bowed deeply.

"Junior Brother Jiang, that day I..."

"Senior Brother Xue, there's no need for that."

Jiang Chuan reached out to support him.

"If I were in that situation, I would make the same choice. Besides."

He lowered his voice.

"Thanks to Yin Wending, I have finally been able to discover the strange phenomenon of the Sea of ​​Bitterness."

Xue Xing looked up abruptly, his eyes filled with shock.

It should be known that the Bitter Sea Phenomenon is an unusual sign that only appears when one cultivates the "Great Void Qi Guiding Technique" to an extremely high level, and even many inner sect elders have not been able to achieve it.

"Come aboard!"

Dai Yongde's voice came from the painted boat, exuding an unquestionable authority.

The group boarded the boat one after another.

Jiang Chuan was about to take a step when he suddenly heard a clear female voice behind him.

"Hey! You pretentious guy!"

Turning my head, I saw Wu Shuang from Huoshenshan Hospital standing not far away.

The girl, dressed in fiery red with gold bells adorning her wrists and ankles, stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at him.

"I'll challenge you to a duel in the Kunlun Secret Realm Trial next year!"

Jiang Chuan chuckled and cupped his hands in greeting.

"Since Miss Wu has invited me, how could I dare refuse? I will await good news on Mount Tianzhu."

Wu Shuang snorted, turned around and leaped onto the painted boat, the golden bells jingling incessantly.

Jiang Chuan shook his head and was about to board the ship when he noticed that Xiao Man was standing still.

"what happened?"

He walked back to the girl's side.

Xiao Man looked up at the increasingly smaller Longhai County City below the Fangtian Painting Boat, and her eyes suddenly reddened.

She bit her lower lip hard, her fingers twisting the hem of her clothes.

"N-nothing, it's just that the wind got in my eyes."

Jiang Chuan looked at her trembling shoulders and suddenly understood something.

He sighed softly and reached out to ruffle Xiaoman's hair.

"Cry if you want to."

This statement was like opening a floodgate.

Xiaoman's tears instantly burst forth, and she hurriedly tried to wipe them away with her sleeve, but the more she wiped, the more tears flowed.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have. But Sister Fan Su, and Young Master Ye Qiu..."

"They must be thinking of you too." Jiang Chuan's voice was gentle. After hesitating for a moment, he finally pulled the girl into his arms.

“If they don’t come back, I’ll take you to Zhongzhou to find them.”

Xiao Man's crying grew louder.

She buried her face in Jiang Chuan's chest, her tears soaking through her blue robe.

"Really, really?"

"When have I ever lied to you?"

Jiang Chuan patted her back lightly, but his gaze went past her shoulder and looked at the county town, which had become a black dot.

There are too many unsolved mysteries there—the price the lonely city spoke of, the decaying tree, the movements of the Yan envoy—each of which could potentially stir up a storm.

The painted boat pierced through the clouds and mist, and in the blink of an eye, it had risen to a height of a thousand feet.

Xiao Man cried herself to sleep and fell into a deep sleep by the side of the boat.

Jiang Chuan took off his outer robe and draped it over her shoulders. When he turned around, he found Yun Wanggui looking at him thoughtfully.

"Is there something you need, Senior Brother?"

Yun Wanggui lightly stroked the sword tassel with his fingertips, his tone full of meaning.

"What did you say to Gucheng? He looked very strange when he left."

Jiang Chuan smiled but did not answer, instead asking a question.

"Senior brother, do you know what changes have recently occurred in the Great Zhou?"

"You mean the Liang Prince's Mansion?"

Yun Wanggui raised an eyebrow.

"It seems you have guessed it."

The two were silent for a moment.

Jiang Chuan gazed at the faint outline of Tianzhu Mountain at the edge of the sea of ​​clouds and said softly.

"When a large tree begins to decay from the roots and stem, the first branches and leaves to fall are often the ones at the top."

Yun Wanggui's expression hardened.

"You mean"

"I am just a junior cultivator who has just discovered the strange phenomenon of the Sea of ​​Bitterness."

Jiang Chuan interrupted him, his smile as pure as a young boy's.

"Let's leave these important matters of the court to a pillar of the state like Lord Gucheng."

Three days later, the Fangtian Painting Boat arrived at the Cloud Sea Immortal Sect. Half a month later, a piece of news spread like thunder throughout the cultivation world.

Zhao Weiyuan, the chief of the Great Zhou Sword Pavilion, assassinated the emperor's brother-in-law, causing Prince Liang to be shocked and enraged, and his old illness relapsed, leading to his death.

The crown prince was so grief-stricken that he vomited blood and was bedridden.

Zhao Weiyuan was killed on the spot by the royal family of the Great Zhou Dynasty, and his body was taken back to Handan by Huo Jinzhi, an envoy from the Yan State.

The two countries agreed to meet in Mianchi during the winter.

Jiang Chuan was practicing his swordplay on the back mountain when he heard the news.

He stood still, gazing at the cold light swirling on the sword's edge, and suddenly recalled the image of the coiled dragon embroidered in gold thread on Gu Cheng's sleeve trembling in the wind amidst the ruins that day.

"So this is the price to pay."

He muttered to himself.

On the misty Zuowang Peak, Jiang Chuan slowly ascended the blue stone steps, followed by a petite figure.

Xiao Man looked around curiously, occasionally reaching out to touch the dew-covered herbs by the roadside.

"Senior brother, this is your Cloud Sea Immortal Sect? It's even more magnificent than I imagined!"

Xiao Man blinked her big eyes and exclaimed in amazement, pointing to the palace hidden in the sea of ​​clouds in the distance.

Jiang Chuan smiled slightly.

"We've only reached the foot of the mountain; the real grand formation of the immortal sects is still up there."

He glanced back at Qinglin, who was perched on Xiaoman's shoulder. The little guy was resting with his eyes closed, completely ignoring his gaze.

Since their argument in the ancient tomb, Qinglin hasn't spoken a single word to him.

Jiang Chuan sighed inwardly. This little one had a special bloodline and was still in her infancy. It would be inappropriate to force her into danger.

"The Purple Bamboo Forest is just ahead."

Jiang Chuan pointed to a bamboo forest not far away that was glowing with a purple halo.

"You stay here for now, I'll go and inform my master."

Xiao Man nodded obediently, then suddenly lowered her voice.

"Senior brother, has Senior Brother Lin Xiao really not returned yet?"

Jiang Chuan paused, his brows furrowing slightly.

"Yes, my second senior brother went down the mountain on business and should be back soon."

He recalled Lin Xiao's meaningful look before he left, and a vague unease crept into his heart.

After settling Xiaoman in, Jiang Chuan walked alone to the mountaintop.

As he passed by the courtyard where he and Lin Xiao lived, he paused for a moment. Under the old plum tree in the courtyard, the stone table where the two brothers had played chess still stood.

"They can't be crammed together anymore."

Jiang Chuan muttered to himself, his gaze sweeping over a flat open space not far away.

"I need to find some time to open up a new place to live."

"Junior Brother Jiang!"

A clear voice interrupted his thoughts.

Jiang Chuan turned around and saw Chen Qing walking from the corridor carrying several scrolls of bamboo slips.

Behind her followed Pei Guoguo, who was hopping and skipping, the little girl clutching a handful of colorful spirit fruits.

"Senior Sister Chen."

Jiang Chuan bowed with his hands clasped in greeting.

"I heard you're going to stay at Zuowang Peak for a while?"

Chen Qing smiled and nodded.

"Yes, firstly, to take care of Guoguo, and secondly..."

Her eyes held a gentle light.

“My elder brother is currently in seclusion at Zuowang Peak, so I want to spend more time with him.”

Jiang Chuan understood.

Chen Ping's swordsmanship training has reached a critical stage, and it would indeed be better to have his younger sister by his side to take care of him.

He bent down and rubbed Pei Guoguo's head.

"Guoguo, don't eat too many of these spiritual fruits at once, or your little spirit will be too full."

The little girl pouted and hid the spirit fruit behind her back.

"Senior Brother Jiang is so stingy! He still hasn't given me the candied hawthorns he promised me last time!"

Chen Qing couldn't help but laugh.

"Alright, Guoguo, your senior brother Jiang just got back, let him go see Master first."

After saying goodbye to the two, Jiang Chuan continued walking towards the mountaintop.

Passing through a stone path shrouded in clouds, the outline of the dilapidated ancient temple gradually becomes clear.

In the morning light, a tall figure stands with his hands behind his back, gazing at the rising sun bursting forth in the distance.

"Master."

Jiang Chuan bowed respectfully at the foot of the stone steps.

Tao Hongjing did not turn around, but simply raised his hand slightly.

"Come on up, your master has been waiting for you for a long time."

Jiang Chuan stepped onto the stone steps and stood beside his master.

From this angle, the entire sea of ​​clouds is visible, and the rising sun dyes the clouds golden red, as if molten gold is flowing between heaven and earth.

"Did you find anything on your trip down the mountain?"

Tao Hongjing's voice was as calm as still water.

Jiang Chuan circulated his spiritual energy. In an instant, a faint golden light emanated from his body, and a vast golden phantom of a sea of ​​suffering unfolded behind him.

In the center of the sea of ​​suffering, a chaotic blue lotus sways gently, its three lotus leaves unfurling and scattering dappled sunlight.

Tao Hongjing finally turned around, his eyes filled with surprise.

"The Chaos Lotus is good, very good!"

He smiled, a rare occurrence for him.

"He is even three points better than I was back then."

The strange phenomenon in the sea of ​​suffering slowly subsided, and Jiang Chuan's forehead was already covered in fine sweat.

"This disciple is dull-witted and cannot fully control the power of this strange phenomenon."

"No hurries."

Tao Hongjing sat down on the stone steps of the ruined hall and patted the spot next to him.

“The strange phenomena of the sea of ​​suffering need the polishing of time, and it is already rare that you can manifest them now.”

Jiang Chuan sat down as instructed, hesitated for a moment, and then spoke.

"Master, I am in Longhai County."

"You saw Xie Xuan?"

Tao Hongjing seemed to have anticipated this.

Jiang Chuan was taken aback.

"How do you know?"

Tao Hongjing gazed at the sea of ​​clouds, his eyes fixed on the distance.

"Why is there a frown between your brows? Besides that old man's matter, what else could it be?"

Jiang Chuan clenched his fist.

"That person had prayer beads on his wrist, which were extremely similar to those of Xie Xuan, who chased Li Tianxing at Hulao Pass. But Senior Xie Xuan was clearly already..." (End of Chapter)