Beichen Sword Sect's Headmaster's Secret Records

Chapter 473 Wrong Path

Lingxuzi's "after a while" refers to, more specifically, sixty years later.

It is said that sixty years later, the nine great sects will gather at Yuntai to jointly launch a grand campaign to punish the demonic sect.

It's a bit inexplicable, isn't it...?

Well, this is mainly because the three major factions have been fighting for so long that the Demon Palace has finally surrendered, so of course we have to show our support and give the Demonic Sect a good beating.

Yes, they really did vote. This time, the Three Realms Court sent the list of immortals and gods from the four kingdoms of Gen, Kan, Qian, and Dui all at once, acknowledging the legitimate status of the Xuanmen sect.

From then on, the blessed lands and mineral deposits of the four northern kingdoms all became assets of the Xuanmen sect.

As long as the head of Yuntai uses his seal and the nine major Xuanmen sects agree, the territories of the four kingdoms can be divided among the various sects of the Xuanmen.

Those mountain gods and river gods bestowed by imperial decree by the celestial palaces and vassal states, as well as powerful families, wealthy landowners, and other influential figures, all had to come to the mountain hermit's door to offer sacrifices and pay homage.

Of course, in reality, the four northern vassal states under the control of the Celestial Palace were already practically defunct.

The states of Qian and Dui have long been divided by the Xuanmen Divine Sect, while Kan and Gen have long been in the hands of demons and rebels. There is not much territory that the Celestial Palace actually controls.

It's nothing more than the old palace people from the Three Enclosures still stubbornly denying their wrongdoing, secretly instigating local gentry and powerful figures from various unorthodox sects to harass the Xuanmen sect.

Now we have a legitimate reason to surrender.

After all, the Celestial Palace really didn't have the energy to continue messing around with the Profound Sect.

The court of the Three Palaces has reached a critical juncture of survival.

Without the turning point of Suiyang, the Celestial Palace wouldn't have had time to recall its main army from the south. With Heavenly King Shi Jiao seemingly unstoppable, his ascension to the Central Plains and the change of dynasty were practically imminent. Now, these remnants of the old Celestial Palace had to consolidate their last remaining forces, draw troops from the four southern vassal states, and launch a desperate counterattack—a final, desperate struggle.

So whether you call it diverting trouble eastward or using one tiger to devour another, the 'brilliant plan' that the Three Palaces officials finally came up with was to send out a huge amount of rare and precious materials and send the immortal registers and divine lists of the four vassal states to the Cloud Platform in exchange for the support and protection of the Xuanmen.

In this way, the Central Plains Immortal Clan could secretly register various assets that they could not relocate or transfer on the Immortal Register and then transfer them to the Xuanmen (Taoist sect) in exchange for the protection of the Mountain Man.

Although doing this would force the powerful clans who previously refused to pay taxes to the imperial court to pay tribute to the hermit, at least their assets could be preserved!
Yes, even someone as powerful as the Heavenly King or as arrogant as the Stone Dragon would not dare to provoke the hermit and seize the Xuanmen's assets while the Immortal Palace is still unsettled and the world is still in turmoil!

When the Celestial Palace recovers and engages in a major battle with the rebel forces in the Central Plains, or even launches a counterattack to invade the Gen and Kan vassal states, although it may not necessarily receive the full support of the Nine Great Mystic Sects, those sects that have obtained actual resources and benefits will still have to contribute.

Those in the Xuanmen sect don't really care about the petty calculations and schemes of powerful families.

After all, my attitude towards the Immortal Clan is that what's yours is mine, and you can just take whatever you want. Now it's just that you're the one who's bringing it to me.

However, there is one thing that everyone values.

The lists of immortals and gods in the four domains also symbolized the allocation of spiritual silk.

In other words, the Celestial Palace has officially agreed to hand over one-third of its spiritual silk to the Xuanmen every year.

Of course, this agreement was made on the basis of the ceasefire agreement previously reached between Lingxuzi and the Immortal Palace, in which half of the immortal silk was paid in exchange for joint efforts to deal with the rebels.

In other words, the Celestial Palace would offer five-sixths of its silk as tribute each year in exchange for the consent of the Nine Great Mysterious Gates, ensuring the Celestial Palace's peace for sixty years.

Well, only guaranteeing it for sixty years is a bit too much. If the nine major sects monopolize it, the remaining nine top-tier sects will really jump up and rebel.

Therefore, the Xuanmen (mystical sect) also agreed that in sixty years, a new generation of nine Xuanmen would be elected, and a new treaty would be signed at that time depending on the situation.

As for which to choose, the obvious choice is to fight the cult. What if the Celestial Palace stops offering sacrifices if we fight the rebels?
Yes, the future has been changed.

After all, this was no longer a butterfly flapping its wings; it was more like a headless fly bumping around aimlessly. The ripples it created eventually led to a huge shift in the global landscape.

"Then the gimbal... isn't going to take off?"

Tie Dan asked cautiously. He hadn't forgotten the root cause of the cataclysmic events, the falling of meteors, and the collapse of everything sixty years later.

Ling Xuzi had naturally already calculated it, proceeding neither hastily nor slowly.
"Of course we have to fly, but there's no rush. The Divine Cult has been acting too recklessly lately, causing trouble in Suiyang and almost ruining my plans."

We can find a pretext to teach the cult a lesson and drive them out of the heart of the Dui Kingdom. It won't take more than two years.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, the nine major sects were re-selected, with everyone convinced of their merits. This would also prevent unrest and power struggles during the initial takeoff phase.

Then he looked at Tie Dan and pointed to the "Annotations on the Blood Codex Sword Manual".
"So I'm giving you some extra help. You have to make a great contribution in this battle to secure the position of the Sword Sect in the Cloud Platform. Otherwise, there will always be countless people plotting against you in the dark."

"Thank you for your guidance, Chief."

Since Tie Dan didn't like the Divine Cult anyway, he nodded in agreement to fight the Divine Cult and then got up to leave.

Lingxuzi reminded him,

"Is there something you forgot to tell me?"

Tie Dan paused, a little reluctant.
"What, you want a box too? Well, Qingcheng Mountain doesn't have a successor yet, so you can take a box."

Ling Xuzi rubbed his temples.

"No... No need to worry, my mountain elders have left behind many immortal legacies, so I don't need to worry about the lineage."

Tie Dan was overjoyed.

"Oh, then I'll go back to the mountain."

Seeing that he really couldn't remember, Ling Xuzi had no choice but to remind him.

"Qingtang Sect".

Tie Dan then remembered those two green tea bitches and casually said,

"Oh, those two said they would hand over 30% of the Daoist scriptures in exchange for your mercy."

"But you already know, so why do you need me to pass on a message?"

Ling Xuzi shook his head upon hearing this.

"They made no attempt to hide their tracks; anyone with a keen eye could have predicted it. But what exactly they said, only heaven and earth know."

And… thirty percent? Are you sure you didn't misremember? Thirty percent?

Tie Dan: "I have a photographic memory, my memory is excellent!"

Ling Xuzi looked at him suspiciously, but in the end he still took out a letter from his sleeve and handed it over.

Tie Dan: "What are you up to now?"

Lingxuzi said,

"They've offered you incredible favors to win you over, so naturally, this matter must be seen through to the end."

Once you've settled your own affairs, please make a trip to Qingtang to deliver the message for me.

I told them I agreed, but on one condition: they had to do it for me.

Write down what needs to be done in the letter, and tell them to burn it after reading it.

Success or failure, a response will be given on the spot; there will be no other opportunity.

Tie Dan squinted.
"I hope it's not something bad..."

Lingxuzi sneered and handed the letter to Tiedan.

"Don't worry, this is absolutely fantastic news."

This is the route the Three Enclosures will take for their first offering three months later. Tell them to prepare in advance, disguise themselves as the Carefree Demonic Path, and rob the offerings being delivered to the Cloud Platform. This will offset their hidden treasures and force the Celestial Palace to bleed again.” Tie Dan was speechless.

"No, their founder suffered such a great injustice and was at odds with the Free and Unfettered Sect. How could you expect them to impersonate the Free and Unfettered Sect?"

Lingxuzi chuckled.
"Heh, if they could really refuse on the spot because of the ancestor's slight, I would look at them differently."

Do you think I don't know how many Qing Tang disciples are using the guise of the Carefree Demoness to secretly exploit and corrupt people's cultivation? The complaints from the nine major sects accusing her Qing Tang disciples of extortion and plunder are piled up on my desk.

Besides, the Shanglin Treasure was acquired through the combined efforts of the entire Xuanmen sect. The struggle for these things even alienated the people of Tiangang, making them the target of widespread hatred. What ability do they possess? They dare to monopolize 70%? They're practically courting death.

I'll make a bet with you. If they refuse on the spot and are willing to hand over their privately held Daoist scriptures to Yuntai, I'll let them go. But if they agree to rob me, and then try to skim off another layer, keeping a portion for themselves, hehehe…

In short, you'll be there to keep watch for me then, and act as my witness at the summit of Yuntai Mountain. If this matter is accomplished, you'll deserve a share of the credit.

Tie Dan was speechless, but he couldn't offer any advice. After all, hadn't you heard people say that it wasn't that Ling Xuzi wanted to make things difficult for them, but that these sisters really thought they were very clever, unaware that the entire Xuanmen was eyeing the little things they were hoarding?

Ling Xuzi sighed, as if he were disappointed in his son.

"It's a pity that the Qing Tang Ancestor was a remarkable woman, a woman who was just as capable as any man. I never imagined that her disciples and descendants would be so greedy, stupid, and foolish. They have utterly disgraced the Xuanmen sect. Well, there should always be one or two who can be saved. Let's clean up the sect and rebuild the lineage later."

Tie Dan rarely saw Ling Xuzi's emotional fluctuations, and he was also curious.

"How come you know their patriarch? Oh? You know their patriarch!"

Ling Xuzi snorted coldly and flicked his sleeve, seemingly unwilling to discuss the other person's ancestor any further, and casually said,
"Who in the world doesn't recognize their ancestor? The statue of the Mysterious Maiden was carved based on their ancestor."

"Oh... wait, wait!??"

Tie Dan was caught off guard and was suddenly given a big surprise!
"What?! The Mysterious Maiden is like the Qingtang Patriarch?!"

Ling Xuzi said impatiently,

"It's nothing more than a statue. Back then, Ancestor Qingtang had made great contributions and held a very high position. He was regarded as the successor of the Mysterious Woman."

Later, she was harmed by the Demonic Path of the Carefree, suffering severe injuries and her primordial spirit collapsing. Therefore, the Xuanmen used the methods of the Immortal Palace and the Divine Path to create statues in various sects, distributing divine light to heal her wounds.

Later, all the old people died, and those who knew the truth remained silent. Over time, the story was distorted and spread, eventually becoming the image of the Mysterious Woman.

Tie Dan frowned.

"So that's how it is... Wait a minute? The Free and Unfettered Sect also worships the Mysterious Maiden? They couldn't possibly be worshipping Patriarch Qingtang, could they?"

Ling Xuzi's eyes sharpened.
"Have you ever seen the carefree demonic path?"

Seeing that the guy reacted, Tie Dan also remembered and quickly looked back with the same sharp gaze, puffed out his chest, and answered in a deep voice.

"It's written in the secret records of my Sword Sect leader."

Upon seeing how sharp Tie Dan was, Ling Xuzi hesitated for a moment, remained silent for a while, then shook his head and decided not to pursue the matter further.

"Worshiping the Mysterious Maiden was originally a tradition of the Free and Unfettered Demon Sect. The statue they worshipped was of the Mysterious Maiden herself. Later generations simply had Qing Tang's face carved onto it."

"Oh, so it was just the face..."

Iron Egg, holy crap!

"What the hell did you say?! Doesn't Xuan Nu have any shame?!"

Ling Xuzi remained silent, giving Tie Dan a deep look.
“I only said carved face, not faceless.”

You have indeed seen the real statue of the Mysterious Woman with your own eyes.

Where is it?

Tie Dan fell silent. In that instant, he could feel an unprecedented pressure emanating from the darkness.

This was the tension I had never felt before when fighting against masters from all schools and sects.

It is a biological suppression that poses a direct threat to both the Dragon Seed and the Yazi Beast.

It was hostility that came directly from Lingxuzi.

After a brief silence, Tie Dan quickly judged that further hesitation would likely trigger another dead end, so he decisively decided to be direct and to get straight to the point.

"After I came to see you last time, I followed the Heavenly Demon all the way and finally tracked him down to the Carefree Void Palace."

They discovered that the Grand Master Xuandu was raising 'eggs,' and thus saw a faceless statue of the Mysterious Woman.

There was a long silence on the other side. Just when Tie Dan thought the boss battle was about to begin, Ling Xuzi sighed and sat down on the futon in front of Tie Dan.
"That jade didn't fool you after all, but this was too fast."

Tie Dan stared at him.
"You've always known what the Archmage is doing?"

Lingxuzi nodded.

Tie Dan squinted, realizing he seemed to have stumbled upon a hidden storyline he'd never seen before, and decided to take a gamble.
"I heard from the Grand Master that you are all disciples of the Thunder Ancestor. Back then, a celestial demon descended upon the world and wiped out the Free and Unfettered Sect in one night."

So he decided to study the Path of the Heavenly Demon, while you decided to recreate the Great Void Heaven and escape the Taiji Realm.

Is it all true?

Lingxuzi frowned.
"He actually told you this? What exactly is your relationship? Did you receive the Daoist teachings of Xuandu and the Thunder Talisman of Shenxiao?"

Tie Dan shook his head, staring into Ling Xuzi's eyes.

"He's just a friend of mine. Can't friends just chat?"

Ling Xuzi remained silent, his intentions unclear, but he eventually spoke.

"Let's chat... This is the realm of divine consciousness, there are too many people and too much chatter, it's not convenient to talk, besides, I'm very busy..."

Alright then, since you're so troubled by these secrets, once we've accomplished something with the Qingtang Sect, I'll have a proper chat with you.

I can only answer one question right now. Think it through before you speak.

This time it was Tie Dan's turn to fall silent, torn between his inner turmoil and his own dilemma.

There are as many questions as there are stars in the sky that Tie Dan wants to ask and doesn't know.

A faceless immortal, a demon from beyond the heavens, a person from the mountains, and the affairs of the world.

Tie Dan doesn't understand anything now, and knows nothing.

He didn't know if speaking out about the future he saw in his dream would change anything, or even make any difference.

But he still decided to speak up.

After all, if we just sit in the mountains and wait, nothing will change, and no one can be saved.

So Tiedan asked,
"I want my friend to live, what should I do?"

Ling Xuzi gave Tie Dan a deep look and pointed to the "Blood Codex Divine Sword Notes" in his hand.

"If you refine this, you can survive."

Also, tell your friend that Tai Chi Dao is a dead end; it's a dead end.

(End of this chapter)