Beichen Sword Sect's Headmaster's Secret Records

Chapter 459 Green Tea Immortal Wine
"This is a new tea specially picked from the Liuli Jingjing Cave Heaven behind the Qingtang Sect. Its name is Yuehua Ningbi."

This tea plant is a primordial, rare species, born of the Dao. Its roots rest on ten-thousand-year-old warm jade, and it receives the pure and spiritual energy of the heavens above. It has been nurtured for ninety-nine years by the radiance of the moon. Therefore, this tea plant is born from the interaction of heaven and earth, embodying the harmony of Yin and Yang, and forming its own unique Daoist charm.

Every hundred years on the night of the full moon, the female cultivator who has conceived a nascent soul and refined a breath of innate true energy will bathe and cleanse herself. She will hold moon dew in her mouth, cut a piece of dew with a jade knife, and hold it in the root of her tongue to moisten it, so that she will not let her innate Daoist essence dissipate even a breath.

Every bud and leaf in this cup of tea was picked by me; you must savor its flavor carefully.

That's how people in the Xuanmen sect are. Just a moment ago they were fighting tooth and nail, their clothes were torn and their bodies were about to explode, but now they're sitting down to eat tea, drink wine, and play house.

Although Tie Dan said he didn't want it, the Qing Tang disciples' social skills and interpersonal relationships were so great that when they saw that the sect leader's aloof and fairy-like demeanor couldn't attract Tie Dan at all, they guessed that the young man probably had a grudge about the elder sister's past in the immortal palace that was not for outsiders to talk about, so they immediately replaced him.

Chu Ruowei's expression changed, revealing a tender and gentle side. She took over the position, her delicate fingers flying as she took out a mutton-fat jade jar. She unsealed the talisman, and a burst of azure light shone forth, with wisps of immortal energy swirling around it, just like opening a jar of emerald jade.

Upon closer inspection, the Moonlit Jade Tea Leaves, with their delicate green hues, were indeed extraordinary. The entire leaf resembled jade bathed in moonlight, with silver threads flowing between the veins, like the downy feathers of a newly born phoenix, enveloped in celestial light, light and ethereal, ready to take flight.

Tie Dan glanced coldly at the can of tea. Although it had been chewed by someone else, he wasn't disgusted by seeing it with his own eyes. At a glance, the tea in the can was visibly overflowing with spiritual energy, naturally imbued with Daoist charm, and was definitely not an ordinary product.

Chu Ruowei then flicked her sleeves and set out another tea set.

"Such celestial tea will be destroyed if it is placed in ordinary utensils. Therefore, only celestial vessels can be used to hold the dew. Young master, please look at this pot. Its name is Taixu."

"Taixu?"

Tie Dan's eyes sharpened.

Upon closer inspection, the pot was carved from a single piece of warm jade, its color like solidified fat, warm to the touch, with a rounded shape and naturally occurring cloud-like patterns on its surface. However, it seemed to have nothing unusual about it.

Yun Jiangli explained,

"This vessel is a treasure of the Imperial Kiln of the Celestial Palace, crafted into a storage item. It contains a unique space within, capable of holding not only the five lakes and four seas, but also spiritual energy and heavenly breath. It can perfectly stimulate the spirituality of tea leaves. When tea is poured in, the patterns on the body of the pot will flow spontaneously, like clouds rolling and unfolding, manifesting a wondrous scene in the celestial realm, hence its name."

"Oh."

Pshaw, is that all? I thought touching the teapot would summon some kind of deity...

Seeing that even this boorish man like Tiedan knew how to appreciate tea sets, the two women immediately tried to please him, introducing the teaware one after the other.

"Sect Leader, please look. This cup is called the Dew Collector. There are seven cups in a set, corresponding to the Big Dipper. They are made from ice from the North Sea, as thin as a cicada's wing, and perfectly clear."

As the tea is poured in, a misty vapor rises from the cup's walls, condensing into dew at the rim without spilling—not a single drop of dew is wasted.

"The vessel, named Qinglian, is made of ten-thousand-year-old agarwood and carved into the shape of a twelve-petaled blue lotus in full bloom. The lotus heart is slightly concave, just enough to support the dew-collecting cup."

Its fragrance is delicate and subtle, blending with the aroma of tea, and has a calming and soothing effect, allowing the drinker to achieve a tranquil state of mind from the very beginning of the tea ceremony.

"The plate is called Guiyuan. The base tray is made of five-colored divine jade, with five colors and inner radiance. This plate can gather the surrounding spiritual energy into the tea ceremony, so that the aroma of the tea will not dissipate and the spiritual effects will not be lost."

"As for the nectar used to brew tea, it is also collected from the top of Kunlun Mountain. It is a ten-thousand-year-old ice, clear and pure, tranquil and far-reaching, and is best used to brew tea."

As Chu Ruowei explained, she melted the millennia-old ice with her palm. When boiling water was poured into the Taixu Pot, all was silent at first. After a moment, a cool and fragrant aroma, like moonlight, "flowed" out and filled the room. The rising smoke indeed swirled and transformed into mist and auspicious clouds, creating a wondrous scene of a fairyland in the clouds, attracting everyone's attention.

Chu Ruowei bowed her head and offered tea as a gift.
"The moonlight is clear and bright, cleansing the foundation of one's cultivation, nourishing the soul, and aiding in the comprehension of the Great Dao. Please use it, both sect leaders."

"Please, fellow Daoist."

Yunjiang left a toast first, leaving a light lip print on the dew-carrying cup.

Tie Dan glanced at the way the other person was putting on a show, treating even a cup like a treasure, and their attitude was so sincere, both prostrating themselves and standing up straight. Knowing he couldn't refuse, he took a small sip.

At first, it tasted slightly bitter, like the chill of night dew, but it quickly transformed into endless sweetness, like a young girl's tongue soothing the skin. As the tea entered the stomach, it became a warm yet powerful spiritual current, silently permeating the meridians and internal organs. It even cleansed impurities within the body, smoothed away the hidden injuries from previous sword fights, and restored the foundation of one's Dao to its flawless clarity.

After finishing the cup, the coolness lingered on his lips and teeth, while a sweet saliva welled up in his throat. Not only did his meridians feel cleansed, but his mind was also clearer than ever before. Closing his eyes and looking inward, he could see that the golden elixir in his dantian shone even brighter, and his divine sense spread outward like a tide. The laws of heaven and earth seemed to have become clearer than ever before.

Even someone as picky as Tie Dan couldn't help but look at the teacup and take another sip.
"Not bad, you should be called the Green Tea Clan..."

Seeing that the simpleton was so enamored with food, Chu Ruowei and Yun Jiangli exchanged a knowing smile, their voices rising in unison.
"Young master, you flatter me. Moon Essence Jade is indeed my Qingtang's most precious treasure. After drinking it, one's mind becomes instantly clear, and one's divine sense becomes more refined and acute. If one drinks it for a long time, it can even nourish the Moon Essence Divine Sense, which can increase the range of divine sense exploration under moonlight by several times, and it is not easily invaded by evil spirits and demonic thoughts."

"Its most mysterious aspect lies in its ability to draw upon a trace of the true essence of Yin, helping the drinker to come closer to the laws of heaven and earth. Drinking a cup when breaking through to enlightenment can greatly increase the chances of sudden enlightenment, and the usually obscure and difficult-to-understand key points of cultivation techniques may suddenly become clear in the aroma of tea. It has always been only the sect leader and elders who can enjoy it."

Tie Dan knew it was good stuff; he held his teacup and glanced sideways at the two of them.

"Let me make it clear beforehand, you guys brought this out yourselves, I didn't ask you for it."

Chu Ruowei pouted.
"Fellow Daoist, you are too kind. It is of my own free will that I have invited you to enjoy this tea. Ordinary people would not have this honor."

Yun Jiangli smiled faintly, then sipped the remaining tea from his cup, curling his tongue around it.

"Indeed, these tea leaves were picked one by one by my sister, with her lips and mouth. Young master, please don't waste all that hard work."

"A chance to become an immortal is a rare opportunity; how can we miss it?"

It's just eating saliva. Tie Dan got used to it when he was begging on the streets back then. He didn't refuse and drank all the tea and ate all the tea leaves.

Seeing that he ate without any disgust, finishing every last crumb, Chu Ruowei was delighted and clapped her hands in praise.
"Very well, since you're willing to drink a cup of my tea, we're practically family, and there's nothing we can't talk about. May I ask, Junior Brother Xuantian, do you have a Daoist partner?"

Tie Dan nodded and said,
"A few."

Chu Ruowei rolled her beautiful eyes, her joy growing even stronger.

"Indeed, he is a handsome and dashing man. My sister and I hit it off immediately with you. Since we are so fortunate, why don't we become partners?"

Seeing how impatient and undisguised the sisters were, Tie Dan became extremely wary.
"I'll say it again, forget about tea and wine. Even if we were to become a couple here, I wouldn't take anything from the boat." Yun Jiangli smiled as he poured him tea.

"Fellow Daoist is too cautious. My sister and I have been in charge of the Qingtang Sect for many years. What kind of good things haven't we seen?"

"It's simply because I've been lonely for too long, and this rare encounter has brought me to a perfect match, a handsome and talented young man like you. I've taken a liking to you, and that's why I've decided to have this brief meeting with you, just to make your acquaintance."

Tie Dan still had doubts.
"Is it really just a casual acquaintance, and you don't want anything from me?"

Chu Ruowei spat.
"What a money-grubber! In the past, all those sect leaders lined up to send us things, just wanting to catch a glimpse of us from afar. Now that we sisters have come to our door together, you're still being picky."

"If it weren't for your unparalleled talent as a Daoist prodigy, possessing the millennia-long fortune of the Xuanmen sect and a long-term connection with my Qingtang lineage, we wouldn't have bothered serving you if we didn't forge an alliance with you."

What she said made sense, and Tie Dan couldn't help but become curious.
"A thousand-year-old Dao Child is that rare? Then you must have served Ling Xuzi as well."

Unexpectedly, these words caused both women to lose their composure, their expressions completely failing them, and they felt disgusted as if they had swallowed flies.

"Pah! He's dreaming!"

"Don't mention that scoundrel!"

"Despicable!"

"A disgrace to humanity!"

Tie Dan became increasingly curious.

"What's wrong? Did he offend you?"

"Ha! He's offended me! I'll make him offend me! I'll cut off his balls!"

Cut it off and stuff it in his mouth!

"He should be reincarnated as a pig!"

The two women huffed and puffed, cursing Ling Xuzi for over a quarter of an hour. Tie Dan was taken aback and quickly poured them tea. He then gossiped and inquired around for a while, finally getting the gist of it.

Well, actually, Ling Xuzi didn't do anything to them at all, there were no personal conflicts, and there was no behavior of putting personal interests before public duties or engaging in favoritism or corruption. As the head of the Xuanmen sect, he was actually very fair, but that's the problem.

The Qing Tang Sect excels at, to put it nicely, cultivating interpersonal relationships; to put it bluntly, using back channels, pulling strings, and manipulating people's hearts. They handle both romantic and tumultuous relationships with ease and are always successful. But this tactic doesn't work against Ling Xuzi.

Because he is a true master of Taoism, the best in the world at arithmetic. How could you possibly win a calculation against him?
Moreover, although the Xuanmen (mystical sects) have always given people the impression of being free and undisciplined, in reality, each sect and faction follows its own path. But precisely because of this, the nine Xuanmen leaders, elected by the Xuanmen to represent the Xuanmen in their struggle against the Immortal Palace and Divine Sect, actually wield immense power.

After all, unless it is a major issue concerning the bottom line and principles of the sect, as long as the head of the Xuanmen sect issues a decree, the leaders of all the mountains and sects will tacitly give their absolute support, sign with the head of the sect, issue emergency missions for the Xuanmen sect, and dispatch capable trusted elders and true disciples to carry them out. Of course, the mission rewards are also doubled.

Furthermore, since most of the Xuanmen sects are now hidden immortal sects, many of their leaders and elders are also engrossed in cultivation and don't manage affairs much. So, in many cases, they simply skip the paperwork altogether, since no one dares to forge the decree of the head of the Xuanmen sect.

Therefore, in a sense, the head of the Xuanmen sect can act as the sect leader and issue tasks to all Xuanmen disciples. As long as it is beneficial to the Xuanmen sect, the disciples will naturally obey.

For example, when Tian Gang was the head of the sect, he presided over the operation of Shanglin Garden in order to use the Immortal Palace to plunder the world. Disciples from various sects participated, and the Qingtang Sect had particularly close ties with him. Qingtang disciples entered the world to cultivate and relied on their connections to operate behind the scenes, naturally reaping great benefits.

If even the Heavenly Generals could amass a fortune from the Shanglin Garden, how could the Qingtang Sect's frontline infiltrators not line their own pockets and make a killing?

Unfortunately, times have changed, and fortunes have turned. After Lingxuzi took over, the Xuanmen's overall strategy began to shift, and they began to undertake large-scale construction, building the Taixu Yuntai Peak.

Essentially, this means extracting resources from various sects and factions within the Xuanmen sect to centrally construct the Cloud Platform. The Qingtang Sect naturally became the first target, the prime prey set by Lingxuzi.

After all, people pick on the weak, and that old dog Tiangang just hides in the Sword Pavilion all day pretending to be dead, not giving them a chance. Ling Xuzi didn't use all his computing power to mess with those rich women from the Qingtang Sect.

You think the most capable fighter in the Qingtang Sect is someone like Yun Jiangli? Even Tie Dan can fight her to a standstill. How could they possibly gain an advantage against the number one Xuanmen? It can be said that the Qingtang Sect has been bullied and schemed against for hundreds of years.

One moment it's the failure to attack the Immortal Palace that resulted in the loss of a mine; the next it's the insufficient supply of pills that resulted in the loss of a spirit field; then it's the excessive distribution of funds for recruiting soldiers that caused the sect's stockpiled reward currency to rapidly depreciate in purchasing power; then it's the speech that caused rumors to spread across Yuntai and the spirit stone market to fluctuate wildly, leading Elder Qingtang to go bankrupt; then it's the reform of the distribution of immortal silkworm silk that led to monopolistic price gouging, causing Qingtang disciples to complain bitterly.

Yun Jiangli and Chu Ruowei, one a sect leader and the other an elder, have been scheming against Ling Xuzi for five hundred years, suffering heavy losses for five hundred years. It's no wonder they're not in a good mood.

Tie Dan became even more curious as he listened.

"Since the Xuanmen is humiliating you like this, why are you still putting up with it? Just stop playing along."

The two women exchanged a glance, their anger dissipating momentarily, and they sighed softly.

"Although it was Ling Xuzi who came forward, the fact that he was able to accomplish these things shows that, though the nine major sects may not say it, they all think we are taking too much."

"We may appear glamorous in public, but at our core we are just a group of weak women. If we were to truly turn against them, we might soon find ourselves in the same predicament as the Sword Sect..."

Tie Dan understood a little.

"So you want to recruit me to form a loser's bracket alliance and fight against the entire Xuanmen?"

Yun Jiangli shook his head.

"How dare I? The Xuanmen are the great tree to shelter us. Once we lose the protection of the nine great Xuanmen, my Qingtang Sect will be nothing more than a floating duckweed or a rootless tree. How can we last long?"

Chu Ruowei continued,

"We only ask the sect leader to pass on a message for us: our Qingtang Sect is willing to offer 30% of the Daoist Scripture to the Xuanmen and present it to the Yuntai. Please ask him to stop targeting us."

(End of this chapter)