Chongming Xianzong

Chapter 580 Xuepu Hou Brings Good News of Capture, Jiangxue Heals Wounds and Makes Plans

—Two months later, Sanbuk Province, Sanjung Prefecture

Surrounded by verdant peaks, a mountain gate stands quietly deep in the clouds.

The entire structure is built of bluish-gray rock, unadorned, yet it reveals a warm, lustrous sheen from the passage of time.

The gateposts are over ten feet tall, shaped like ancient pines rising from the ground. Natural cloud patterns are visible on the pillars, and each top is inlaid with a pale blue jade pendant, which gleams with a lustrous light in the sunlight, as if it contains the spiritual energy of the mountains.

The lintel is unadorned with elaborate carvings, only the sect's name is carved with a shallow knife. The strokes are slender and delicate, like pine needles, and the ink, though light, exudes a serene and otherworldly charm.

Instead of majestic mythical beasts, there were two ancient cypress trees, some over a thousand years old, planted on either side. Judging from the soil color, they must have been recently transplanted. The branches of the ancient cypresses stretched out like dragons reaching for the sky, their needles glistening with morning dew, rustling softly in the wind, like whispered Zen chants.

A bluestone path winds down in front of the door, occasionally covered with green moss, while a stream babbles beside it, with pebbles visible at the bottom.

The road ended in the clouds and mist, and occasionally a disciple in white robes would pass by carrying a book, his steps light and slow, his robes brushing against the grass without touching a speck of dust.

Behind the mountain gate, one can vaguely see a corner of the eaves, covered with gray tiles, blending into the color of the pines in the mountains. There is no noise of people, only the sound of wind, water and pines, which intertwine to create a quiet world, which is exactly the true meaning of "avoiding the world and returning to nature".

If others were not familiar with this place, they would hardly imagine that this simple and elegant place was the place where the Hehuan Sect established itself in the northern mountain road, and the place where the Crimson Snow Immortal cultivated in seclusion.

At this moment, Lian Xuepu was standing at the foot of the mountain. Although there was a hint of worry between his brows, he was as handsome as ever.

His face was as white as snow and as warm as jade, his eyebrows were arched as if they held a hint of flowing clouds, and his eyes were slightly lowered at the corners, giving him a soft look. He had a straight nose, thin lips, a light lip color, and a clean jawline without any excess flesh.

Although she looks middle-aged, her skin is still radiant and free of fine lines.

The Taoist priest seemed to have encountered some kind of problem, causing his fingertips to unconsciously twitch at the corner of his sleeve, his eyelashes to tremble slightly, and his gaze towards the distance to be shrouded in anxiety like a thin mist, losing his usual composure.

Behind him were several attendants, none of whom were advanced cultivators, but their ruthless aura was a level higher than that of Lian Xuepu, who was also a pseudo-core cultivator, which made people take notice.

The cultivators didn't speak, but all frowned and looked into the distance with Lian Xuepu, and the atmosphere became quite solemn.

Fortunately, only about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea had passed when a burly man standing close to Lian Xuepu suddenly brightened up and exclaimed in a cheerful voice, "They've arrived!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Lian Xuepu sensed a large, second-tier golden-feathered owl carrying a cultivator as it sped towards them. His expression immediately softened and the corners of his mouth turned up.

After a short while, the cultivators saw the cultivator ride the spirit bird and approach within a hundred feet. He then hurriedly jumped off the broad back, bowed, and said, "Duan Anle greets Grandmaster Uncle Lian and all the seniors of the Hehuan Sect."

"Alright, alright, you must be tired from your journey." Lian Xuepu quickly stepped forward and helped Duan Anle up. Just as he was about to exchange pleasantries, Duan Anle noticed a hint of urgency in his eyes and spoke first:
"So that my master can inform my grandmaster that he has ordered me to escort more than 2,200 captured bandits from Huozhou here. They are being led by my junior brother Kang Rongquan and should arrive in about half a day."

“That’s fine then,” Lian Xuepu said, making no effort to hide anything from Duan Anle.

He then revealed his joy and turned to instruct the pseudo-Dan cultivators beside him, except for the burly-armed Dan Master, to hurry and greet them to prevent any unforeseen events.

Duan Anle was about to return with several alchemists, but Lian Xuepu stopped him and invited him to rest at the Zhihu Hall at the foot of the mountain. Since it was an order from his elders, Duan Anle did not refuse and entered the Zhihu Hall with the two alchemists.

Upon arriving at this place, where the faint scent of perfume wafted towards him and the maids inside wore gossamer-thin veils, Duan Anle finally began to understand the essence of the Hehuan Sect.

This also served as a wake-up call for Duan Anle, making him realize that no cultivator in this sect had anything to do with the "pure cultivation" that permeated the immortal mountains outside.

The three took their seats according to their status as host and guest. A pretty maid brought fragrant tea, and when the scalding green tea was poured into the black teacup beside Duan Anle, the yin-yang symbol painted on the bottom of the cup immediately came to life, stirring the tea and making it even sweeter.

Duan Anle found it intriguing, but then realized that this tea set could only slightly enhance the taste of the spiritual tea, yet it cost the price of a top-grade spiritual artifact. Thus, he quickly lost interest.

After the sect leader's disciple respectfully thanked Lian Xuepu, he picked up his cup and gulped it down. The yin-yang fish talisman hadn't been alive for long when Duan Anle suddenly inhaled, swallowed it as spiritual energy, and absorbed it into his stomach.

"Grandmaster Uncle, this is indeed excellent tea."

"Haha, you little rascal, your tea ceremony skills are quite comparable to your lazy master and sect leader." Lian Xuepu's tone suddenly lost much of its flippant tone halfway through his sentence.

He glanced at Duan Anle, whose expression remained unchanged, and then felt relieved. He pointed to the burly-armed alchemist beside him and said softly:
“Anle, this senior Chen Huanggu is indeed a friend I’ve risked my life for. If you ever encounter any difficulties in the future and can’t find me, you can talk to him.”

Duan Anle's respectful expression deepened, and he was about to bow to Chen Huanggu when, unexpectedly, the latter's face immediately showed fear, and most of his fierce aura disappeared. He declined repeatedly, speaking in a friendly tone:
"Fellow Daoist Duan is a direct disciple of Sect Leader Kang of Chongming Sect. I, Chen, am merely a person whose path to Dao has been severed. How can I accept such a courtesy?! If Fellow Daoist thinks highly of me, you may simply treat me as an equal."

Duan Anle was taken aback by Chen Huanggu's reaction at first, but after Lian Xuepu nodded in agreement, he finally understood.

This disciple of the sect leader was indeed somewhat lacking in experience. However, he did not realize that among the many male favorites of Master Jiangxue, Lian Xuepu was indeed particularly favored because of his outstanding appearance. But it should be noted that among these Spring Breeze Envoys and Burning Peach Envoys, there were quite a few with profound family backgrounds.

If Lian Xuepu had ever fought with others and never suffered a loss, he still lacked some inner strength. Even if he wanted to recruit people, he would have to target someone of even lower birth like Chen Huanggu to succeed.

Others may come together for mutual benefit, but to become true confidants is extremely difficult. It is fortunate that he has Senior Brother Chi, who has been by the side of Master Jiangxue for a long time, as a source of support. He has never dared to dream of anything more.

However, once the news of Sect Leader Kang's slaying of Master Huang Mijia spread, the number of junior cultivators who used to secretly mock Lian Xuepu's background within the Hehuan Sect suddenly dwindled by more than half.

Even recently, when Lian Xuepu greeted his colleagues, he could sense that the fake smiles on most of their faces had become more genuine. This was something that Lian Xuepu had never achieved in his hundred years of navigating this sect filled with desires.

In addition, the Hehuan Sect has recently been in dire need of cultivators, and the Chongming Sect has been able to provide manpower on multiple occasions. Moreover, the quality of the manpower is of excellent quality, which has allowed Lian Xuepu, who was already quite favored by Jiangxue Zhenren, to advance even further.

This caused several Spring Breeze Envoys and Peach Burning Envoys to be unable to taste even a sip of Crimson Snow Immortal's vermilion lips for a long time. When they met in private, after a few cups of spirit wine, their resentment overflowed, like that of a wronged woman.

"There are six alchemists and one hundred and twenty Foundation Establishment cultivators, all of whom are legitimate practitioners and none are merely filling in the numbers. This is indeed true."

Lian Xuepu murmured something, then placed the book in his hand on the table beside him, his joy almost overflowing from his brows.

Suddenly, he remembered the seven high-level cultivators and gacha masters that Fei Nanying had just presented to Kuang Liuting. If they could also enter the Hehuan Sect...
However, this thought only flashed through Lian Xuepu's mind, because he knew what kind of reputation Fei Nanying had gained in the Duke's mansion, which made the Nascent Soul cultivators of Wu Lao Mountain and Hehuan Sect extremely jealous.

Fei Nanying gained even more influence in the Duke's mansion, and Kuang Liuting favored him even more. To put it more grandly, even the several prominent families in the capital who had long coveted and plotted against the Fei family of Yingzhou might have to temporarily halt their actions and observe the situation first.

Lian Xuepu was in a good mood and became very talkative. Duan Anle and Chen Huanggu naturally did not want to spoil his fun, so the atmosphere in the hall quickly became very lively.

Half a day passed quickly. When Master Kang Rongquan led over three thousand captured cultivators, along with several alchemists dispatched by Lian Xuepu, to the foot of the Hehuan Sect's mountain, Duan Anle had also benefited greatly from his discussions with the two fake alchemists. Lian Xuepu didn't exchange many pleasantries with his newly arrived disciples; instead, he carefully checked the register presented by Duan Anle against each visitor, verifying all errors before rushing to the Ming Palace at the summit to inform True Person Jiangxue.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

The Crimson Snow Immortal sat cross-legged on a cloud-patterned futon in the center of the sleeping quarters. The hem of her plain white Taoist robe hung down like frost, and her black hair was loosely tied up with a single mutton-fat jade hairpin. A few strands of hair fell on her cheeks and trembled slightly with her breath. Her plump, white breasts revealed a deep cleavage. With each breath, they expanded and contracted, truly arousing the imagination and a sight to behold.

Her eyes were gently closed, her fingertips forming a firm meditation mudra, and her body was surrounded by a faint purple spiritual aura, subtly echoing the objects in the hall.

The blue flame of the glass lamp by the window flickered, and the firelight inside the gilded cover seemed to have a mind of its own, slowly drifting towards the real person's body along the trajectory of spiritual energy, gradually smoothing out the stagnant aura.
The vermilion talismans on the snow-white gauze ribbons at the four corners suddenly lit up, and the spirit-gathering patterns flowed along the silk. The clear sound produced by the collision of dragon blood amber grew longer and longer, each sound seemed to strike the place where spiritual energy was stagnant, helping her to clear the blockage in her meridians.

Inside the bronze incense burner with the Eight Treasures Lingzhi pattern, the fine mist of agarwood from "Jade Marrow Meditation" was even thicker, seeping into her body through her breath and dissolving the surging spiritual energy during her healing process.

The fragrant mist swirled around her three times, then wrapped around the twelve-panel sandalwood carved lattice fan. The Daoist essence of the Golden Thunderwood was drawn by the mist, seeping into her nascent soul in strands, replenishing the essence depleted by the healing process.

Inside the ice crystal lotus cup on the side of the table, the fluorescent petals of the nine-leaf evening primrose had turned completely silver, and spiritual energy flowed into the palm of the real person along the petal veins;

The jade bell-shaped flower, adorned with five rainbows and twisted rouge, sang without wind. The dewdrops that fell from the clear sound were suspended in mid-air, enveloped by spiritual energy and transformed into specks of light that merged into her brow.

The nine-aperture exquisite water mirror inside the niche shimmered with light, and the four sealing spiritual patterns became clearer, firmly protecting her exposed vital points. The purple aura on the mirror surface intertwined with the spiritual energy around her, as if slowly repairing the damaged foundation of her nascent soul.

The fine beads of sweat that had just appeared on her forehead were gently wiped away by the sandalwood mist. Only her eyelashes occasionally trembled slightly, revealing a trace of focus as she healed.

Only those who truly understand the situation know that, besides being grand and beautiful, the furnishings in Master Jiangxue's bedroom can all be used for healing.

This beautiful woman has been healing for some time now. She knows that she was defeated by Bai Canhong and has little chance of recovery. Without superior resources and methods, she can only rely on painstaking effort to improve her condition.

She opened her eyes, and for a moment the hall shimmered with light. The beautiful woman's eyes seemed even more dazzling than the Milky Way above. Yet her face was covered with a layer of frost, which only added to her beauty.

But then she lowered her hand gestures, removed the jade mat from beneath her buttocks, parted her red lips slightly, revealing pearly white teeth, and said angrily, "Bai Canhong!"

At this moment, a soft tinkling of silver bells could be heard from inside the hall. Immortal Jiangxue probed with her divine sense and saw the person who had come. The frost on her face immediately melted away, and with a flick of her slender fingers, the hall door opened wide.

Senior Brother Chi, with his hair in a topknot and a broad smile, had just bent over and led Lian Xuepu a few steps behind him when a cold voice rang out: "Get out!!"

This senior brother was clearly very experienced. He turned around with great skill, quickly ran out of the hall, and then considerately closed the hall door for the two people behind him.

"come over!!"

These two words, spoken at the same volume as the previous three, were imbued with a captivating allure by Xiang Nian's tone. Yet, even Xue Pu, a seasoned veteran, possessed remarkable composure.

He strode confidently to the bedside, and just as he was about to bow in greeting, a snow-white arm reached out to his cheek, gently grabbed his left ear, and pulled him into the tent.

"Come here~"

The two words "ordinary" actually convey two different thoughts.

Lian Xuepu felt the fragrant breeze from Jiang Xuezhen's mouth wafting towards him, and his heart suddenly felt hot. Just as he was about to speak, he was blocked by two soft lips.

Her body was as smooth as ice and jade, yet her passion burned like fire. It was clear that Master Jiangxue's skills had improved again; even Xuepu felt that the moment the cloves entered his mouth, he lost all sense of reason.

The tent was filled with a decadent atmosphere, and even though Senior Brother Chi, who came to remind Master Jiangxue to take his medicine, came back and forth twice, he did not dare to activate the silver bell outside the hall.

A few days later, the palace gates reopened.

Senior Brother Chi showed no extra expression on his face, simply carrying in the new medicine as usual. But upon seeing Lian Xuepu's calm expression, he couldn't help but marvel inwardly: "He must be exceptionally talented; Brother Lian's skills are truly remarkable."

After seeing that Master Jiangxue had finished taking the new medicine, Senior Brother Chi was about to leave when he heard the beautiful woman, whose complexion had become much rosier, speak up to stop him: "Don't rush, Tong'er, you will hear everything that follows."

"I will obey the Lord's command."

"Yes, even the envoy from the Burning Peach Envoy has received three thousand elite troops as a gift from a friend. Their merits are above average, and all necessary supplies will be allocated immediately."

"Yes," Senior Brother Chi replied outwardly, but inwardly he was cursing. After all, everyone knew that while three thousand cultivators were certainly good, there was no reason why they deserved to be recorded as having above-average merit.

While inwardly grumbling, Senior Brother Chi glanced nervously at Lian Xuepu, lamenting that the latter was too lenient and had made too many enemies. Even if he gained all the benefits, for a pseudo-Dan Master whose cultivation had almost no chance of improvement, whether it could be considered a deadly blade was another matter entirely.

Senior Brother Chi was extremely worried, but Lian Xuepu, upon hearing this, did not refuse; instead, he accepted it calmly and without hesitation. Before he could think it through, he heard Master Jiangxue issue another instruction:

"In that case, all the other disciples should hurry up and urge them on. Now is the time to make contributions. If you are not willing to do your best now, don't blame me for not remembering our past friendship in the future."

"Yes,"

"Yes, we have enough people, but not enough alchemists. I heard that there is an alchemist named Luan at the Fei family's Sheshan Hall. I'll inquire about his progress in forming his core. Regardless of success or failure, as long as he survives, we'll borrow him for now."

"Yes,"

"Furthermore, Bai Canhong is not someone who can laugh off losses. He has lost the entire Huangpi region, and the north and south of the mountains may face war again. I have instructed all my disciples to be careful."

"Yes,"

“Yu Wangdao has an old friend who told me that the person from the outer sea seems to have sent someone over, but the leader is a stranger. Please gather as much information as possible and report it to me.”

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

After Senior Brother Chi and Lian Xuepu, who were in charge of many tasks, left the hall together, the latter took the talisman from Senior Brother Chi and rushed to the treasury.

After this selection, Lian Xuepu hurriedly found Duan and Kang, who were about to return home, and grabbed Duan Anle, saying, "Anle, wait a moment, and take this item back with you."

(End of this chapter)