I've never felt happy to become an immortal.

Chapter 242 It’s hard to say goodbye when we meet

The shockwaves caused by the Book of Mending the Heavens were greater than expected.

Southern Chu, Meishan White Plum School.

"I'll go! I'll go!"

"Did you see it?"

"I saw it, it's not a hallucination, is it?"

"Ouch, why are you pinching me!"

"It hurts so much, it really wasn't a hallucination."

The disciples of the White Plum Sect stared wide-eyed, creating a commotion.

Even the true disciples had no time to maintain order at this point.

Qing Shu ran into the Transmission Hall, pushed open the door and entered: "Master, the Heaven-Mending Book just came out!"

"Yes, I saw it all." Master Jingxuan pressed down the letter that was being blown by the wind and waves, and she smiled faintly: "It seems we were overthinking it. He is indeed lively and audacious."

"Young Master Bai has completely enraged Huangji Mountain this time. Is there any danger?" Qing Shu asked worriedly. "The Lord of Huangji Mountain is a Heavenly Realm expert."

“Even those at the Heavenly Rank cannot kill indiscriminately.” A voice sounded from the doorway. Bai Mei Shenni walked in and patted Qing Shu’s head. “Those at the Heavenly Rank cannot act arbitrarily. That’s the rule. If they randomly attack people on the Earthly Ranking or the Human Ranking, the result will inevitably be mutual destruction, because both sides will kill each other’s descendants without any scruples. Even if the Lord of Huangji Mountain were to appear in person, he wouldn’t dare to attack him directly. Don’t worry.”

"But that doesn't mean he's safe. Even without the Heavenly Ranking, there are still experts on the Earthly Ranking and the Human Ranking." Master Jingxuan said solemnly, "The five major sects of the Northern Five Sects are not to be trifled with. Shouldn't the sect leader consider going to pick him up?"

Bai Mei Shenni said helplessly, "I can't enter the territory of Northern Zhou without permission. If I step into the territory of Northern Zhou without permission, it will be a war between the two countries."

The Heavenly Position, comprised of ten individuals, appears to be high above, yet in reality, they are not free.

Not all Heavenly Realm experts are subject to constraints; it's just that most Heavenly Realm experts bear the burden of their sects and must also be mindful of the balance between the Northern and Southern Dynasties.

If a mere outlaw from the martial world were to rise above his station and achieve a high position, then naturally there would be no concern for martial arts sects or political balance; he would simply act according to his own preferences.

There are indeed two or three such people among the current Heavenly Kings, but they are not common. They were quite active ten years ago, but now it is difficult to find any trace of them.

Bai Mei Shenni had some connection with one of them and was also searching for the other's whereabouts.

If that person were to come forward, it wouldn't be difficult to pick someone up from Northern Zhou.

Unfortunately, she couldn't find it.

"Perhaps we can only look to the Grandmasters on the Earth Ranking. Let's take it one step at a time..." Bai Mei Shenni waved her whisk, dispelling the clouds swirling in the sky. "I plan to go to Penglai Sword Pavilion. As for who should go to Northern Zhou, no one is more suitable than Qi Wuyi."

"Alright, go and come back quickly."

"Alas, it's a pity we still haven't found Qing Shuang's whereabouts. Her luck has always been bad. I really hope she hasn't ended up in some strange place."

……

Dragon Abyss Sword Pool, deep within the Sword Tomb.

"The Ranking of People..."

Fan Qingshuang looked up at the words on the Book of Mending the Heavens and muttered to herself, "How amazing."

They made it onto the list so quickly.

Unlike me, I'm still trapped here and can't get out at all.

She tossed aside the sword in her hand, picked up another sword from the side at random, placed it flat on her knees, and then circulated her internal energy to absorb the sword energy contained within it.

And so it continued to absorb the sword energy.

She found the method on a very old stone tablet. It is said that as long as the sword energy of a thousand swords is gathered, a special sword intent can be condensed, and thus the path to the deepest part of the Sword Tomb can be found.

"come on."

"effort!"

She clenched her fist to encourage herself.

……

The desert beyond the Great Wall.

Xu Tingfeng, who was fighting the shark and trying to make it obey, also heard the movement of the Book of Mending the Heavens.

Although he was blind, it did not prevent him from hearing the words on the Book of Mending the Heavens.

"In just a few months, having just entered the country, he has already made it onto the list of successful people."

"Oh, my white moonlight..."

Xu Tingfeng sighed, then encouraged himself.

"But time waits for no one, and I should find an opportunity to open my eyes and regain my sight."

"As long as all five senses are withdrawn, I believe we will be able to break through to the external realm."

"Why not kill more bandits from beyond the Great Wall and accumulate more achievements?"

"How can my name be absent from this list of heroes!"

……

Northern Zhou Dynasty, Hezhou.

A road used by vendors.

Zhu Quejian was sitting in the carriage, lost in thought.

Suddenly, the girl next to her stood up abruptly and exclaimed with great joy, "Sister Bifang, look, look! Bai Yueguang has made it onto the list of human heroes!"

Zhuquejian looked up and was startled, then saw Erzhu Tinglei defeated by his opponent.

He thought to himself that this person was ranked one place lower than him, but given Bai Yueguang's ruthlessness, she would definitely not leave any survivors.

This is really bad luck.

He was on his way to the top ten of the Crouching Dragon Ranking, but then he ran into a killer.

With Bai Xuan entering the Human Ranking, the Vermilion Bird Sword's ranking returned to tenth place.

He wasn't particularly happy.

The main reason was that he was in the Northern Zhou Dynasty and had to wear women's clothing to conceal his identity. He was also constantly on edge and had no way to find an opportunity to break through his cultivation level.

In fact, he also gained a lot in the secret realm, perhaps second only to Bai Xuan.

The Vermilion Bird Sword technique is extremely unique, requiring the collection of the true essence of the Four Symbols in order to break through to a higher realm.

The true meaning of the Vermilion Bird lies in the Blazing Feather Sword.

In the illusion of the secret realm, he was extremely lucky and encountered the Azure Dragon Guest from two hundred years ago.

He was a Grandmaster on the Earth Ranking and also a nominal elder of the White Plum Sect, which is why he obtained the Azure Dragon's True Meaning.

Even though it's not complete, the wood generates fire, and he has already found the opportunity to break through the external landscape.

If I weren't in Northern Zhou, I would have broken through.

However, he knew that he had suppressed his cultivation level for too long, and once he broke through, he would most likely directly reach the second or even third level.

In the territory of Northern Zhou, he dared not be so ostentatious.

But Bai Xuan did the things that he dared not do.

"Beneath this audacity lies absolute self-confidence."

"My white moonlight, I am indeed inferior to you..."

"Whether it's talent, opportunity, wisdom, or temperament."

"If we are destined to meet again, perhaps we can meet here again."

……

The Six Paths and Seven Sects have always been shrouded in mystery. Apart from a few sects like the Xuanwu Sect and the Xuanhu Sect, which disdain hiding their mountain gates, the other sects deliberately conceal their location.

The Star Moon Demon Sect is one of them.

Many disciples of the Star Moon Sect do not not want to return to the sect, but they cannot return because they do not know where the sect is located.

The disciples of the Star Moon Demon Sect who remained outside knew they couldn't go back, so they could only stay in fixed places, which eventually formed settlements.

These places are known only to the disciples of the Star Moon Demon Sect.

They call it the Township of Longing for the Moon.

In Panyue Township, those in charge of maintaining order are all disciples of the Xingyue Sect, but they are also ranked according to seniority and age.

Xi Qingqing has been back in Panyue Township for more than ten days.

She was indeed being closely watched and had no way to leave.

This does not align with her original purpose for returning here.

"Old women, what exactly do you want to do?" Xi Qingqing glared at the senior of the Star Moon Sect who was ten years her senior. The latter was a famous figure in the martial arts world twenty years ago, but her tone was quite impolite.

"I'll control you, so you won't do anything foolish." The veteran enchantress was over forty, yet her skin was youthful and delicate, and she possessed a natural allure. Unfortunately, her face was still blurry. "You want to go to Northern Zhou. If you go now, you'll either die or become a plaything. I'll preserve your dignity; you should thank me."

"Thank you so much, you big watermelon!"

"You're welcome. Your little peaches are quite cute too, they're so tiny."

"?" Xi Qingqing puffed out her chest in anger.

"Stay put in Panyue Village and focus your mind on breaking through to the Outer Realm." The purple-haired enchantress rested her chin on her hand. "After you break through, I will take you to Yumen Pass."

What are you going to Yumen Pass for?

"Go kill people, kill until you are qualified to enter the Human Ranking." The purple-haired enchantress opened her eyes, her deep purple pupils captivating: "You are the most outstanding disciple in hundreds of years, you cannot be unaware of the sect's secrets... Chasing the moon among the stars, breaking the shackles."

“What we crave is far more than a ray of moonlight.”

She reached out a finger and gently lifted Xi Qingqing's chin: "If you can't become the most dazzling star, how can you chase the moonlight? Don't put the cart before the horse."

At this point, the enchantress with purple eyes paused and said in a low voice, "What you think is love and joy, none of it is real. You are just... too young. You always mistake a momentary attraction for a lifetime of passion. I've been there. You're too young to grasp it."

Xi Qingqing's eyes flashed with hostility: "Who told you I like him?"

"Ok?"

"I just wanted to sleep with him!"

……

The capital of Southern Chu.

There is neither wind nor rain nor sunny.

Jiang Wanyue looked at the announcement of the Heavenly Book in the sky, her face first showing joy, then revealing a hidden sorrow.

Knowing that he is still alive is certainly a good thing.

She was finally able to let go of the worries that had been lingering for days.

However... the fact that the other party was in Northern Zhou and had killed a top expert on the Human Ranking and a direct disciple of Huangji Mountain had completely exposed the fact that he was in Northern Zhou.

From then on, the entire Northern Zhou martial arts world regarded him as a thorn in their side.

I wish I could devour it whole.

"Summon Zhuge Liang and the cabinet to the council hall," Jiang Wanyue ordered. "Draft my decree and have them devise a way to ensure his safety!"

……

Youzhou, the Prefectural Governor's Office.

After only the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Ouyang Qingfeng met Gongsun Sheng.

The latter held the scroll recording the content of the game in his hands, staring at the words on it with a look of amazement, deep thought, and doubt.

"Greetings, Prefect Gongsun."

"Mr. Ouyang has arrived. Please have a seat." Gongsun Sheng was a tall, robust, handsome, and loud-voiced middle-aged man with the demeanor of a northerner. "You have gone to great lengths to treat my daughter. I haven't had time to meet you, but I have investigated you. Mr. Ouyang's medical skills and ethics are outstanding. You don't seem like a disciple of Snake King Valley."

“Prefect Gongsun, there’s no need for that. I know you’re trying to avoid suspicion.” Ouyang Qingfeng said frankly, “I’m doing the same. If we don’t meet, there will be less trouble. But now we’ve reached a point where we have no choice.”

Gongsun Sheng took his seat: "Speak freely."

“Bai Xuan is my patient, and I know his identity. Once Huangji Mountain begins to retaliate, the imperial court and the five major sects will join forces to investigate. They will definitely not care who I am. In order to protect myself, I can only hope that Prefect Gongsun will cover up his whereabouts.” Ouyang Qingfeng’s words were seven parts true and three parts false.

"I've watched that game of chess three times just now, and it was quite brilliant." Gongsun Sheng praised, pressing his hand on the table. "The ideas put forward were something I had never even considered... As for Bai Yueguang, I now admire him and even have some respect for him. I never imagined he was such a strategist who could outwit fate; it's just that the mess he made was too big."

Ouyang Qingfeng thought to himself, "Isn't this enough? What else do we need to add?"
He hesitated for a moment, pondering how to persuade Gongsun Sheng to help him, and then asked, "Governor Gongsun, is there anything else you would like to know?"

“That’s too much, but right now, what I need most is provisions!” Gongsun Sheng spread his hands and clenched his fist, then stood up and said, “I hope Mr. Ouyang can go to Southern Chu on my behalf and negotiate with the Southern Chu court. Is that possible?”

Ouyang Qingfeng paused for a moment and then said, "On the surface, I am a member of Snake King Valley."

“Just change your identity,” Gongsun Sheng said with a smile. “You’ve known Bai Xuan for some time and have even played chess with him. You’re the most suitable person to facilitate this cooperation. To show our sincerity, let’s also send Li Ren to Nan Chu.”

Ouyang Qingfeng remained outwardly calm, but inwardly he was greatly shocked. He secretly felt that Bai Xuan's assessment of Gongsun Sheng was extremely accurate. This prefect was indeed ambitious, and he was willing to sacrifice anything to dominate Youzhou.

They were even willing to send their own daughter to the Southern Dynasty as a hostage!
"I know what you think, but... I don't care." Gongsun Sheng suddenly revealed a hint of emotion and said frankly, "Because of this cooperation, I must make it happen! Only with provisions can I defend Youzhou."

"Moreover, sending the departed person to the south will allow them to recuperate properly under the skilled treatment of the Xuanhu Sect, ensuring their health and preventing them from suffering from the bitter cold of the north."

"Do you know that if she stays in Youzhou, I will have to marry her off within three years... perhaps this year, in exchange for my support!"

"She's only eleven years old!"

"But she is the eldest daughter of the Gongsun family, so there are some things I cannot refuse!"

"I also have to thank you for resolving the crisis in Youzhou. Thank you, Bai Yueguang, for saving my daughter."

Hearing this, Ouyang Qingfeng couldn't distinguish between truth and falsehood, but he kept up the pretense and obediently bowed, saying, "I understand the Prefect's meaning. Miss Gongsun will remain in Southern Chu as a hostage, and I will do my best to facilitate this cooperation. I hope Prefect Gongsun can..."

"I will go there myself and erase all traces so they have no way to find out!" Gongsun Sheng made a solemn promise: "It's a pity that Bai Yueguang's whereabouts are unknown, otherwise, as long as he stays in Youzhou City, I will definitely protect him with my life!"

They both got what they wanted.

Judging from the outcome, Ouyang Qingfeng was even able to leave the harsh northern Youzhou and go to the southern Chu to study medicine, which was also a benefit.

Everyone won.

Before parting, Ouyang Qingfeng suddenly remembered something and said, "Bai Xuan had some things to say that I didn't write down in the game record at the time."

"Oh?" Gongsun Sheng asked, "What is it?"

"He said that if we want to wipe out the grassland people, we need to destroy the grassland king's golden tent, wipe out the royal court, and sweep away their strongholds..."

"Hahaha, he does seem like a military general." Gongsun Sheng laughed heartily. "He has some of Bai Wuji's bravery. If he were born in the Qin Dynasty, he would probably be a fierce general who could take on a thousand men."

“I did think so when I heard that, but…” Ouyang Qingfeng said meaningfully, “After thinking about it later, I felt that he didn’t finish what he was saying. Perhaps he meant to say that he knew how to find the location of the grassland people’s royal court.”

After saying that, he pushed his wheelchair out of the study, stopping just in time.

Gongsun Sheng stood before the strategic map, his breathing slightly rapid. If he could truly find the location of the royal court, he only needed one battle to settle the score, and for the next ten or twenty years, Youzhou would be free from border troubles!

Ouyang Qingfeng left the prefect's mansion and was placed in a safe house.

He gazed at the gray sky, murmuring to himself.

—Your destination will be covered by Gongsun Sheng, and he will also send people to fabricate your whereabouts. He is an ambitious and intelligent man. He will definitely try to meet with you, or at least make sure you return to Southern Chu alive.

—Bai Xuan, I've done all I can to help you. The rest is up to you.

Meeting is difficult, parting is even more difficult.

—Hopefully, we can meet again in southern Chu when spring is in full bloom.

(End of this chapter)