One Month Later
Zhang Yong was sitting quietly in the disciples' hall, holding a book and reading.
The book was about advanced talismans,specifically the complex types like treasure talismans.
Currently,with the passage of this time, the atmosphere in the sect was calm.
But due to the major changes that had occurred in the sect,the elders and sect officials never seemed truly at ease.
At least,Elder Gu had been very busy with them, so it had been a while since the Serenity Peak disciples had seen their master.
Suddenly, Su Ming entered the door quietly. "Zhang Yong, Lu Li has purified her demonic Qi and is about to leave the valley."
Zhang Yong closed the book quietly and stood up. "Alright, I suppose it's time to set off."
In the Valley of Repentance, Lu Li had just emerged from the valley and stared with a pained gaze towards the sky.
"I have purified my energy of demonic Qi,but my mistakes still remain." Lu Li felt a momentary tightness in her chest that prevented her from breathing easily.
At that moment, light footsteps approached from behind Lu Li, and a familiar yet confident voice spoke: "Everyone makes mistakes; nothing is perfect, right?"
Lu Li turned slowly to see Zhang Yong standing there, wearing his usual simple robe, a calm smile on his face. Behind him, Su Ming stood, his eyes watching the situation with a half-mocking smile.
Lu Li sighed, her eyes turning to the ground. "Brother Zhang, I know I owe you, but... I can't forgive myself. I was a tool for killing our fellow disciples."
Zhang Yong took a step towards her. "Sister Lu Li, haven't you heard the phrase 'let bygones be bygones'? You can either let it affect you or let it push you forward."
Lu Li raised her gaze to him, her eyes filled with internal conflict. "But what about the others? How can I ask them to trust me after all that has happened?"
Zhang Yong shook his head. "Let me ask you, if you're worried, will that change anything? Just be what the situation requires, no more, no less. If you wait for them to trust you, they never will. You can do it through actions."
Su Ming interrupted with his usual calm, sarcastic voice: "But don't rely too much on Brother Zhang's help. He's not someone who likes to carry extra burdens for long."
Lu Li glanced at Su Ming and couldn't hold back a small smile, despite the weight on her chest. "I will carry my own burdens, don't worry, Brother Su."
"Su Ming, couldn't you find a better way to put it?" Zhang Yong grumbled a little.
Su Ming shrugged indifferently. "What? Don't tell me you're going to."
Lu Li laughed a little at the relationship between the two, and a faint reddish shadow appeared on her cheeks. "Actually, I don't know how to thank Brother Zhang Yong. If you hadn't defended me back then, I would have been.... I wonder how I can repay this debt."
Zhang Yong looked at her with a bit of confusion before saying, "If so, I want you to be my training partner."
Lu Li and Su Ming were immediately surprised by his words. Su Ming nearly fell to the ground from shock, while Lu Li's face instantly turned red. "T-this..." Steam visibly rose from Lu Li's head. "I think this is a bit rushed. I mean, we barely know each other."
Su Ming couldn't stay silent. "Hey, Zhang Yong, explain what you mean."
Zhang Yong looked puzzled. "I'm not asking for much. Just exchange pointers with me once in a while. Since you'll be busy as a substitute elder, I feel that if I spar with you with a sword, I'll be able to progress faster."
Lu Li took a deep breath full of relief. "I'd be happy to exchange pointers with you, although I might not be a match for you."
Zhang Yong waved his hand. "No, no, this will be good. I may be strong, but my sword techniques are low-level."
Lu Li smiled shyly, feeling a slight embarrassment creeping into her heart, but she stepped back a little to think about Zhang Yong's offer. "Well, if you have that much confidence in my training, I'll agree. But I must say I need a lot of work to reach a suitable level on the sword path."
Zhang Yong nodded. "That's fine. Alright, Sister Lu Li, we'll leave now. You've just come out of the valley and will need some time to rest before starting work as an elder."
Lu Li nodded quietly. "Okay, thank you both for meeting me right after I came out. And no need to call me 'sister'; you can speak to me casually. We're not strangers."
The two nodded, then turned and began to walk away from her.
Zhang Yong couldn't help but ask, "I wonder, what was wrong with Lu Li's expression earlier?"
Su Ming looked at Zhang Yong as if he were an idiot. "You asked her to become your training partner."
Zhang Yong shook his head. "Yeah, that's obvious."
Su Ming's expression involuntarily grew more frustrated. "You were asking her to be your dual cultivation partner."
Zhang Yong immediately spat out in shock. "By the—! Why didn't you tell me I meant regular sword training?"
Su Ming sighed. "Yeah, I expected this reaction. I can't imagine you asking a girl to be your cultivation partner. Not with your personality."
Zhang Yong looked at the sky and thought for a moment. "You're right. I would never ask for that. I don't have spiritual energy to begin with."
Suddenly, Zhang Yong let out a high sigh towards the sky.
Su Ming noticed it quietly. "What's the matter?"
Zhang Yong smiled gently. "Nothing. Let's return to the peak now."
Su Ming looked with some disappointment. 'When does Zhang Yong plan to talk about his past? Forget it, he probably doesn't want to remember it.'
Zhang Yong looked up and began to think. 'Most of my pending tasks are already finished. I have to go to the Heavenly Border Realm. But I've finished preparing for it as well. I've even talked to my disciple and given him some guidance. I even managed to get him to attract Wu Ruoxian's attention. I really have nothing to do. I've achieved every goal. Well, after the Heavenly Border Realm, I'll leave on a journey to the Crimson Valley. That will be the next step.'
...
Inside the sect meeting hall,
Elder Gu sat quietly next to the Frost Peak Matriarch.
"The time for the opening of the Heavenly Border Realm is approaching,"the Sect Master announced calmly.
The Frost Peak Matriarch stared with cold eyes at the Sect Master. "I assume it will be like every year. A competition will be held within the sect among the inner disciples for the ten spots."
The Thunder Peak Elder sighed quietly. "Last time, we lost eight out of ten disciples. It was a huge loss. The Wisdom Sect, the Storm Sect, and the Sorcery Sect... we have grudges with them that aren't easily resolved."
The Sect Master spoke firmly. "Therefore, I thought of forming an alliance with one of the sects we have friendly relations with."
The elders looked at each other. The Thunder Peak Elder asked, "That seems a reasonable choice, but which one?"
The Sect Master showed a sharp look. "It will be the Pure Jade Sect."
The elders' eyes gleamed at the mention of the name. The Pure Jade Sect was a relatively ancient sect, not much different in founding period from the Star Sect, and most importantly, all its disciples were women.
Elder Gu looked away. He didn't want to get involved with this sect. "So, who will go to form the alliance?"
The Sect Master's gaze remained on Elder Gu. Cold sweat ran down Elder Gu's back. "Oh no, I won't go."
Sect Master Ao Dong sighed. "I know your issues and that you don't want to see her, but for the sake of the sect..."
Elder Gu looked with a frown before his expression softened a little. "Alright, I suppose I can't refuse."
The Sect Master was silent for a moment before turning his gaze to the Frost Peak Matriarch. "Recently, there have been some movements from the Demonic Spring Sect. I ask Matriarch Han to send some disciples to investigate."
The Frost Peak Matriarch nodded. "I will certainly do so, Esteemed Sect Master."
...
After returning to Serenity Peak, Zhang Yong and Su Ming entered the disciples' hall, where they found an unexpected person there—Senior Brother Wang Fei!
"Senior Brother, you've already come out of seclusion?" The two smiled as they stepped inside.
Wang Fei smiled and raised his hand to greet Zhang Yong and Su Ming. His aura was more stable than before he entered seclusion; he had broken through to the Ancestor Realm. "Yes, I just came out. It seems I missed a lot of events during my absence."
Su Ming laughed with a hint of sarcasm. "Hehe, Senior Brother Wang, a lot really happened." He glanced at Zhang Yong from the corner of his eye and sneered more.
Wang Fei shook his head with a small smile, understanding the implication. "It seems Junior Brother Zhang Yong has caused a lot of chaos during my absence."
Zhang Yong rolled his eyes a little. "Chaos? I just did a few small things."
Su Ming snorted coolly. "Yeah, beheading the Sword Peak Elder isn't much."
Wang Fei chuckled softly, while giving an amused look at Zhang Yong. "It seems I chose the perfect time to come out of seclusion. I missed major events."
Su Ming looked at Wang Fei in astonishment. "You don't seem surprised at all."
Wang Fei shook his hands helplessly with a smile. "What is there to say? If that elder was looking for his end, then he should die. Junior Brother did a good job. You have to be decisive."
Zhang Yong and Su Ming looked at each other. There were some cases where people changed a little after entering and exiting seclusion. It seemed Senior Brother had been through a lot, huh?
The three sat around the tea table in the disciples' hall, while Zhang Yong began preparing tea as usual.
Wang Fei showed a faint smile. "Junior Brother, it seems you've been through a lot, especially what happened to your eyes."
Zhang Yong scratched the back of his head gently. "Yeah, that happened a while ago. They're a kind of treasure. But Senior Brother came out at the right time. We were about to prepare for the Heavenly Border Realm."
Wang Fei looked surprised. "Oh, it's that time again. Unfortunately, I won't accompany you. I've been before, so I can't enter again."
Su Ming looked with some disappointment on his face. He had thought they could rely on Senior Brother Wang's strength, but on the other hand, Su Ming asked, "So, Senior Brother, tell us about the Heavenly Border Realm."
Wang Fei cleared his throat a little and explained. "It's a realm to support paths, composed of laws. You'll understand what I mean when you enter. Rather than saying it's a realm of laws, it's a realm that generally specializes in paths. It's divided into areas, and each area belongs to a specific path. But the paths most spread throughout the entire world are the paths of Earth, Heaven, and Stars. The rest are scattered in the world. If we want to divide it, it's like a huge disk, divided into three circles. The outer circle contains sub-laws. The middle circle contains elemental laws. The inner circle contains higher laws. And in the center is a mountain. It's said to hold the greatest things that might exist in the world, but no one knows exactly. Some say it holds the Spring of Reincarnation, but it remains just a legend."
"But it exists." A voice came from the door behind the others. Everyone involuntarily turned their heads towards the sound. It was the master's voice.
Wang Fei stood up and bowed slightly. "This disciple is late in greeting the master."
Elder Gu laughed a little. "It's fine. You just came out of seclusion. But the Spring of Reincarnation exists. It overlooks the past, present, and future. It's said to be split from the River of Fate. It's not a legend."
"River of Fate..." Zhang Yong muttered quietly, then asked, "So, if someone reaches it, what would be the results?"
However, Elder Gu shook his head. "I don't know. No one knows. The records don't mention such a person. But it's confirmed. We saw it for a moment when I and Elder Xiao Ming entered when I was young. It was that period when I got injured right after leaving that world."
Both Zhang Yong and Su Ming took the master's words to heart immediately. For some reason, Zhang Yong was sure he could reach this area.
"Anyway, you two prepare. We will set off for the Pure Jade Sect," Elder Gu said indifferently, pointing to Zhang Yong and Su Ming.
Wang Fei looked with a bit of bewilderment. "The Pure Jade Sect? Isn't that the sect with only women? Why suddenly head there?"
Elder Gu sighed without any comfort. "The sect decided to form an alliance with them for the Heavenly Border Realm."
Zhang Yong immediately grumbled. "Wait, wait, wait..... Wait, a sect where all members are women? Master, do you want to send me to hell?"
Elder Gu looked at Zhang Yong with a meaningful gaze. "What? Not confident in your charm?"
Zhang Yong crossed his arms in protest. "Impossible! I'll be devoured. What about the two senior sisters?"
"Liu Yan is still focusing on consolidating her foundation as she prepares for the competition for spots to go to the Heavenly Border Realm. Liu Yin is still training." Elder Gu was calm and said indifferently.
"What about Senior Brother Wang Fei or Qing Feng?" Zhang Yong said, trying to get out of this trip.
"Wang Fei also needs to consolidate his foundation. And Qing Feng... well, you know why."
Zhang Yong's shoulders slumped in surrender. "Yeah, I shouldn't have mentioned Senior Brother Qing Feng. But I still can't go."
Su Ming raised his hand and said, "Same for me. I don't think I'll go."
Elder Gu smiled cunningly while playing with a small bead between his fingers. "Don't worry about this. Just come with me. And you, Su Ming." He paused for a moment to add with an ambiguous expression. "Don't you think it's time to meet your fiancée after all this time?"
Zhang Yong stared at Su Ming, his mouth wide open enough to swallow an ostrich egg. "Su Ming has a fiancée?!"
Su Ming was silent for a moment, and a complex expression appeared on his face, then he answered in a low voice:
"Yes,I have a fiancée. She is... Princess Jiang Ruoyan."
Zhang Yong froze in place and raised his eyebrows in great surprise. "Princess Jiang Ruoyan? As in the empire's princess? One of the empire's Five Great Beauties is your fiancée?"
Su Ming felt embarrassed and scratched behind his head. He wanted to avoid the topic. "I didn't want to talk about it. I haven't seen her since we were children. She might not even remember me."
Elder Gu laughed lightly while watching Su Ming's hesitation. "That's precisely why you need to go. Don't you think this is the right time?" Elder Gu gave a wink towards Su Ming.
Su Ming felt anxious and hesitated. "I can't, I can't. I'll surely ruin it. Zhang Yong, you have to help me."
Zhang Yong smiled slyly as he leaned on the table, raising his tea cup to his lips calmly. "Help you? Heh, that's interesting. But tell me, what will you offer me in return for my help?"
Su Ming stared at Zhang Yong in surprise, then gave him a pleading look. "You're my brother, shouldn't you stand by my side without compensation?"
Zhang Yong laughed lightly as he put the tea cup aside:
"Oh,alright. Just remember I helped you. I expect you to invite me to the wedding and let me name your first son."
Everyone in the hall laughed loudly after hearing Zhang Yong's comment, while Su Ming's face turned red with embarrassment. "What wedding?! We haven't met in years! Let alone naming children!"
After the laughter gradually subsided, Wang Fei touched Zhang Yong's shoulder. "Alright, alright, Zhang Yong, let's stop teasing Xiao Ming. Anyway, I'll help you too. But whatever happens, let's not tell Liu Yan."
Zhang Yong looked with surprise. "Why? Is there a specific reason?"
Wang Fei showed a mysterious smile, then turned his head slightly. "Let's just say she might be... unhappy if she finds out. If she finds out, she'll want to help despite everything, and if she does, she gives disastrous advice that will lead you to ruin. And if she finds out we hid this, we'll be as good as dead."
Zhang Yong laughed and patted Su Ming's shoulder. "Don't worry, we'll help you. But ughhh, this will make my brain rot. This reminds me, besides the princess and the three princes, are there other children of the emperor?"
Wang Fei and Su Ming looked at each other for a moment. "Well, the emperor has two wives. The first gave birth to the First and Third Princes. The second gave birth to the Second Prince and the Princess."
Zhang Yong shook his head. "So that's how it is..... Wait, the emperor has two wives?"
Wang Fei looked puzzled by Zhang Yong's reaction. "Yes, having multiple wives is normal. In fact, there are many other emperors who have harems. The Raging Flame Emperor has five wives and three concubines, and he has twenty-two sons and twelve daughters, not to mention five grandchildren."
Zhang Yong stared at Wang Fei in shock. "Damn, hey Su Ming, don't you dare think of doing this."
Su Ming immediately exclaimed, "It's impossible to do this. But you might very well do it."
"Ah..." Zhang Yong lost the ability to speak for a moment and sighed. "Believe me, I hate the idea of multiple wives. A person has one heart, so they can only love one person. Anything more is nothing but lust."