Beichen Sword Sect's Headmaster's Secret Records

Chapter 400 Chengyunque

"Yuhan, are you alright? Are you hurt anywhere?"

After an unknown amount of time, Pei Yuhan finally came to his senses, looked up at the woman who was staggering towards him and calling his name softly.

Her frosty temples are adorned with a white jade hairpin, her cloud-patterned robe trailing behind a cold pool. A vermilion dot between her brows resembles lingering snow, her clear eyes reflect the ordination platform. Her golden body is carved from Penglai Mountain, her jade-like face is parted from Vulture Peak. The wind whispers through the pines, creating a sound beneath her armpits; the moon casts shadows on her tattered robe amidst the bamboo grove.

Although the Iron Sword Nun of Ciyun Nunnery had clearly been at a disadvantage in the battle and was seriously injured, her face turning ashen and her lips deathly pale, she still remained dignified and graceful, with an extraordinary bearing. At this moment, her brows revealed a motherly concern, and the grief she felt when looking at Taozhi's corpse was genuine. Thus, the moment Pei Yuhan saw her, he felt inexplicably at ease.

"Master, Sister Peach is gone..."

Ciyun took her hand, helped Pei Yuhan up, and held her in her arms.
"It's good that you're alright. Taozhi... is a child with a hard life. It's her fate, and when it comes, she can't avoid it. I don't blame you."

At that moment, a streak of azure light appeared, veered in mid-air, and suddenly a person stepped out from the hall. He too was adept at disguise, with three inches of snow-white hair slanting at his temples and a single, upright stroke of spring between his brows. His hempen robes fluttered in the mountain mist, and his straw sandals rustled in the moonlight. He was neither monk, nor Taoist, nor Confucian; he was a being, a ghost, and a scholar. His snowy spirit had solidified into the bones of a youth, and his icy soul had forged an old cultivator.

Although he humbly claimed to be an unorthodox practitioner, he was a virtuous Quanzhen master with a dignified appearance, and was none other than the original Qingguangzhai.

At this moment, Qingguangzhai, holding a jade skull with a sword in its mouth, glanced at the pool of blood scattered in the hall and then at Abbess Ciyun's complexion, and offered his advice.
“Goddess, that thief is highly skilled, possesses extraordinary internal strength, and has a superior escape technique to protect himself. Even after fighting for thirty moves, he still managed to escape.”

To avoid being lured away by the thieves, Brother Meng and I dare not pursue them too closely. It would be better to first set up a trap in front of the mountain, and then make further plans after you have recovered from your injuries.”

Ciyun nodded.
"Please, fellow Daoist, protect me. I also need to trouble you to perform a ritual for Taozhi to help her soul find peace."

Qingguangzhai readily agreed to these trivial matters, and Pei Yuhan then let go, watching as Taozi's corpse was enveloped by a beam of green light.

"Yuhan, come with me."

While being led by Ciyun, Pei Yuhan reluctantly turned her head to look at the kitchen.

She didn't cry, she was just... unhappy.

Following the abbess to her daily meditation room, the room was quite simple and quiet, with several yellowed scriptures hanging on the walls and a faint scent of sandalwood burning in the corner. Ciyun loosened her robes, removed her crown, and took off her monastic robes, revealing her body, which resembled stalactite-fat.

Pei Yuhan immediately noticed a bruise on Ciyun's snow-white chest, clearly the result of a lightning-fast palm strike during their earlier exchange. The injury was indeed severe, leaving Ciyun slumped on the futon, her pulse weak and faint, her heart pounding and her breathing disordered.

"Master, you're injured. Let me apply the medicine for you!"

Ciyun shook her head, took Pei Yuhan's hand, and pulled her to sit down.
"Yuhan, be good and listen to me. Now I am going to pass on the mantle of our sect to you."

"But Master..."

Ciyun shook her head and extended her index finger to seal Yuhan's lips.

"There is no time left. I realized as soon as we exchanged blows that the person was my enemy. Today was just a test. Disaster will befall us soon. I'm afraid that even with the help of two fellow Daoists and the protection of the Heavenly Net Magic Treasure, we will not be able to survive this calamity."

"I originally intended to observe you for a few more days until you reached the Foundation Establishment stage, but time waits for no one. Our enemies might come knocking at any moment, and we cannot allow our sect's legacy to end here. Therefore, I have no choice but to pass on the true teachings to you today."

Seeing his master's serious expression, as if he were about to give his last instructions, Pei Yuhan had no choice but to obediently sit down and listen to his teachings.

So Ciyun carefully considered her words, stared into Pei Yuhan's eyes, and slowly said,

"Our sect is not the Ciyun Sect. The Buddhist attire is just a disguise. We are actually the true lineage of the Nine Heavens Free and Unfettered Immortal Sect, a branch called the Free and Unfettered Cloud Riding Pavilion. We cultivate the Heavenly Dragon Riding the Clouds, the way of seclusion and ascension to immortality... Have you heard of it?"

Pei Yuhan shook her head blankly. Although she was well-versed in the classics and had a deep understanding of the various factions within the imperial harem, she had never actually heard of any such thing as the Leisurely Immortal Sect.

Ciyun could tell that her inexplicable, dazed appearance was genuine, and couldn't help but sigh.
“A few days ago, while I was in seclusion, I suddenly had a premonition that a successor of my Xiaoyao Sect would be born in Qianzhou. I finally found you and brought you back, but it was not quite right. I don’t know if I made a mistake somewhere, but there’s no time to worry about it now.”

Fortunately, you are a blessed person with exceptionally high comprehension and are born into nobility with an extremely strong destiny. Dao Chuan should be able to handle you, and it won't be so easy for him to kill you. We have given you the secret techniques of our sect, and they can be passed down to you in the future.

Then Ci Yunlan flipped her fingers and took out a porcelain bottle, handing it to Pei Yuhan. She turned around and showed her her fair and white back.

"The secret manual of Chengyunque is tattooed on my back by my master. You can see it by rubbing it with this elixir. You must memorize every word. I will first tell you about the origins of our sect."

"Yes……"

So Pei Yuhan poured the milky white elixir from the porcelain bottle into his hand and applied it to Ciyun's back. It felt as if he were touching a piece of smooth and warm jade, fine but not greasy, rich but not greasy, like mutton fat. The delicate skin seemed to have a suction force, as if it would stick to the oil-coated fingertips.

As the milky white liquid washed over Ciyun's body, layers upon layers of golden incantations appeared on her skin. These were not only characters and incantations, but also meridian diagrams, covering the entire area. It was truly a mystery how they were tattooed on.

In the meantime, Ciyun briefly recounted the many grudges and conflicts between the Xiaoyao Immortal Sect and the Dragon and Tiger Temples. Although Pei Yuhan did not know the details of these internal power struggles within the demonic sects, he remembered the relevant records in the Immortal Palace.

If we start counting from today, the time when Xuan Nu led the uprising, killed the Immortal Emperor, and seized the Immortal Palace was about six thousand years ago. After that, Xuan Nu broke through the boundary and ascended to heaven. The Xuanmen sect in the human world was then led by Lei Zu. A thousand years later, they merged with the Dao and basically established the rules of dragon, tiger, crane, and deer, laying the foundation for the Xuanmen sect.

Based on Ciyun's account, the second generation of Xuanmen leader then selected the leader of the Jiuxiao Xiaoyao Immortal Sect. After the Xiaoyao Sect's careful management and meticulous planning, the next thousand years were a time of great prosperity for Xuanmen. They opened temples and altars in the twelve kingdoms, established sects, built palaces and monasteries, and recruited a large number of disciples, showing a strong momentum to replace the Immortal Palace.

However, about four thousand years ago, the various sects of the Xuanmen suddenly went into seclusion, abandoning all the palaces and temples in the human world. Overnight, not a single disciple of the Xiaoyao sect disappeared, as if the connection between heaven and earth had been severed and they had all ascended to the heavens, vanishing without a trace.

The Immortal Palace only vaguely knows that it seems the Xuanmen (mysterious sects) fought an internal battle for the position of the third generation's head. They suffered heavy losses and therefore went into seclusion, closing their mountains and remaining hidden from the world.

In the parlance of the Xuanmen (Taoist sects), this dark history is naturally about suppressing demons and eliminating calamities to uphold the righteous path. But the story told by the Xiaoyao Sect is far more bloody.

They were said to be disciples and grand-disciples of Lei Zu. In order to reclaim the position of the third generation Xuanmen leader, they gathered the guards of Huguan, won over the heretics of Luguan, colluded with traitors of Longguan, plotted to usurp the throne, and carried out assassinations. In one night, they slaughtered the entire Jiuxiao Xiaoyao Sect, leaving mountains of corpses and rivers of blood.

But regardless of who was right or wrong, this incident severely damaged the Xuanmen sect, allowing the Immortal Palace to recover, and bringing centuries of peace to the mortal realm. Then came the birth of the God Lord.

"The people of Huguan have been hunting down our Xiaoyao Immortal Sect for generations. We had no choice but to hide our identities and associate with these unorthodox sects and miscellaneous cultivators. Even our lineage is passed down through a single generation, from master to disciple, for fear of being schemed against."

Peach Blossom... In her previous life, she was my master. We, master and disciple, hid in a secluded temple on a lonely mountain, cultivating in seclusion and never making enemies with outsiders. Unfortunately, we were later harmed by Tiger Temple and even had our reincarnation locations predicted. By the time I arrived, her roots and bones had been destroyed, her primordial yin had been taken away, and her path to enlightenment had been severed.

I had intended to protect her until the end, but I never imagined that these thieves would not let her go. This calamity is definitely aimed at us; there's no way we can escape it now.

Pei Yuhan felt a chill run down her spine and her scalp tingle.

Born into a celestial palace and raised in Qianzhou, how could she not know how terrifying it would be to have a group of demonic sect enemies constantly watching over her? After all, what good is a thousand-strong army guarding the gate? There's no such thing as guarding against thieves for a thousand days, especially since this isn't measured in a thousand days, but a thousand years…

Pei Yuhan asked weakly,
“Master… since it’s so dangerous, and our enemies haven’t let us go after all these years, how about we stop cultivating this skill…?”

Ciyun suddenly turned her head and glared at her, her eyes so fierce it seemed she was disappointed in her daughter and almost slapped her. However, seeing the girl's pitiful, animal-like appearance, she softened and hugged her to comfort her.
"I know the Demonic Sect's scoundrels are terrifying, and they frightened you just now, but there's no need to be so worried. After all, I've lived for many years, and I haven't seen them do anything to me. Besides, compared to other fellow disciples, our Chengyunque lineage cultivates the divine power of flying and riding dragons, and we also have a superior method of riding the clouds to escape. It allows us to travel a thousand miles a day, and escaping by flying is the best way to do so. Even if our whereabouts are discovered by our enemies, we can still escape."

"Once you've mastered the true essence of my Cloud-Riding Technique, I'll give you a cloud-script spell to send you out of the mountains. They'll never find you. My magic weapon should be finished in the next few days, so I'll stay here and fight them. Delaying them for seven days will ensure your safety."

Having inexplicably formed such a deadly karmic bond, and now being hunted down by all the Xuanmen sects in the world, Pei Yuhan's face was truly long and mournful.
"Master, why bother fighting? Wouldn't it be better to just run away?"

Ciyun shook his head and smiled bitterly.

"I also want to escape and survive, but the Demonic Sect's Calculators are not so easy to deal with. Now that they have caught me, I will have to flee for at least seven days, otherwise there is no way I can get away."

Besides, how long can I escape? Over the years, I have purified my mind and desires, disciplined myself and cultivated in seclusion. I have been stuck in my cultivation realm for many years, and I was already about to lose control of my cultivation. Just now, I was hit by a palm strike, and my Qi and blood were churning. I was about to transform into a god.

By then, all sorts of old fogies from the mountains will come out of the pass to kill me. No matter how vast the world is, there will be no place for me to hide.

"Sigh, your cultivation level is still not high enough. You've at least formed your core. If I had just poured all my cultivation into you, you could have easily escaped the mortal realm. Why did it have to come to this?"

"boom!"

Suddenly, a clap of thunder struck, almost exploding overhead, startling Pei Yuhan so much that she trembled in Ciyun's arms.

Ciyun, however, remained resolute and fearless, gently stroking the girl's head.

"Don't be afraid. Even if the sky falls, your master will protect you."

At the same time, a burly man clad in iron armor, with a bristling steel beard, a leopard-like head, and bulging eyes, stood alone in front of the mountain gate, leaning on a large nine-ringed iron guillotine.

At this moment, a pair of tiger-like eyes shot out, coldly staring at the three uninvited guests standing in a triangular formation below the stone steps in front of the mountain. They were dressed in green robes and straw raincoats, their faces covered by bamboo hats, and they had swords on their backs.

The two sides were locked in a standoff when a flash of blue light appeared, and Qingguangzhai materialized, standing shoulder to shoulder with the burly man wielding the guillotine. His gaze swept over the crowd, and he couldn't help but sneer.
"A bunch of lowly Golden Core cultivators are trying to steal magic treasures. Brother Meng, why don't you pack them up and come back for a drink?"

Meng Zhan raised his hand and spoke in a deep, muffled voice.

"The Demonic Sect".

Qingguangzhai immediately noticed that Meng Zhan's left arm was clearly bleeding, the wound resembling a hole pierced by some spear, halberd, or sword. His smile vanished instantly, his brow furrowed, and he mentally calculated, realizing the newcomer had confused the heavenly secrets and was undoubtedly the hermit. He roused himself, pulling out a skull and concealing it in his sleeve as a precaution, while simultaneously casting a net-like mist of smoke into the sky.

Suddenly the sky above Ciyun Temple brightened, turning golden, blue, and white, as if three-colored clouds were covering the top. Suddenly, the sky was filled with colorful stars and shimmering rosy light, as if dusk had suddenly arrived.

The three men in green robes below the mountain did not stop him, but quietly watched Qingguangzhai perform hand seals and control his treasure. After he finished his performance, the leader of the vanguard nodded.

Then the smallest of the three stepped forward, took off his straw hat, revealing a doll-like face, that of a young boy, and stood alone in front of the mountain path, clasping his hands in a salute.

“Zheng Mingyi, an outer disciple of the Jiutian Temple in Jiaoyuan Cave of Donghua Mountain, has come to pay his respects and request a sword duel.”

Qingguangzhai glanced at the young man, his expression grave.

"Brother Meng, why don't we retreat to our tents and discuss this further..."

Meng Zhan grinned and laughed heartily.
"Be afraid of them my ass! They're all bragging about how powerful the Demonic Sect is! I've been on the battlefield for ages, and I've chopped off countless heads with my blade! Today I'll see just how tough these mountain folk really are!"

"...Be extremely careful."

After spending a long time together, Qingguangzhai also knew his brother's temperament. Seeing that he was getting excited and had a fighting spirit, he knew he couldn't be persuaded. So he simply made a hand seal to close the Samadhi Divine Net and watched the battle from the sidelines to see what the mountain man was capable of.

Zheng Mingyi, looking up at the swordsman standing on the mountain path who had come to meet him, slowly grinned, as if he had encountered something happy. At the same time, he stretched out his right hand, making a gesture of invitation.

When Meng Zhan saw this, he was so angry his nose almost twisted out of shape.
"Kid! I'm a realm stronger than you, don't underestimate me! I'll let you go first!"

Upon hearing this, Zheng Mingyi looked bewildered and even turned to look at his senior brother behind him.

The latter simply held his sword and nodded.

Zheng Mingyi then turned around, bent two fingers of his outstretched right hand to form a sword gesture, and placed his left hand on the curved pool of his right arm as if playing a zither.

Upon seeing this, Meng Zhan blushed crimson, gritted his teeth, and his face contorted with bulging veins.

"You little brat! You think you can fool me?! I was careless and fell for your sneaky trick! And now you're trying to pull it on me?! Do you really think I'm a pushover?! You think I'm made of mud?! Overlord Blade!!"

A fierce shout, like a tiger's roar, created a sonic boom that shook the heavens and the mountain ridges!

As Meng Zhan roared, his blood vessels bulged! His capillaries burst, turning his entire body crimson, and he instantly gathered terrifying, monstrous power!

With a casual lift, he took up the massive, heavy, nine-ringed iron guillotine, which looked as thick as a door panel and weighed several hundred pounds! He casually conjured up a fierce gust of wind!
In an instant, divine energy condensed into a blade! Golden light bloomed! Blade energy swift as the wind! Blade mist like a storm! Lightning flashed! A leaping slash!

"White Tiger leaps over the ravine! Slash—!!"

"Oh!"

Then he died.

Qingguangzhai stood there, stunned, looking at his friend of decades. His head exploded like a watermelon, red, yellow, green, and pink splattering all over the ground.

The corpse, its flesh torn to shreds, fell off the cliff like a tattered sack, while the iron broadsword clanged and tumbled down the steps like scrap metal.

But he saw nothing.

"Hush-huh-"

Amidst the long, drawn-out breathing sounds, the young man from Donghua Mountain exhaled a breath of true energy from his lungs. His brows, which had been shrouded in mist and clouds, slowly opened, like a dragon hidden in the clouds revealing its form and opening its eyes.

"Your true and profound essence has been broken; I accept your humility."

(End of this chapter)