Xu Chu rode his black-mane horse through the blizzard.
From Yuan Chi back to the capital—snow delayed him.
Face grave; first tasted Tantai Xuan’s terror.
Bend or stretch; endure beyond normal—how not fear?
Even immortal fate in hand—calmly offered…
Beyond mortal; fate one step heaven.
Ordinary joy mad; treasure guard; die before yield—many bled, bones cold for fate.
Thus Tantai Xuan bold—Xu Chu heart shook.
Xu Chu spurred; eyed majestic Purple Gold Palace; slow exhale.
Rode capital official road—royal city.
Purple Gold front.
Overlord knife-horse sat threshold; calm eyed distant snow vast; goose snow light; thoughts unknown.
Since royal city master—always Purple Gold.
No seek Luo Mingsang; pretended busy; avoided.
Luo Mingsang no see him.
Overlord shook head; rubbed temples.
Xu Chu returned.
Rapid royal city—Purple Gold.
Saw threshold Overlord—Xu Chu stunned; no banquet prep?
Guessed Tantai Xuan no return.
“Back?”
Overlord eyed Xu Chu; smiled.
Xu Chu slight bow; pocket Tantai Xuan half gold dragon seal.
“King, North Xuan refuse banquet; subordinate said King love seal; thus North Xuan let bring for Majesty admire.”
Xu Chu said.
Overlord face no great surprise.
Mo Beike there—Tantai Xuan no attend.
But Xu Chu brought seal—some surprise; Tantai Xuan truly yield?
Took Xu Chu seal; held warm; carved gold dragon—half.
Overlord took his half.
Joined.
Seams tight—once one; split two.
Overlord body dragon qi surged; wrapped complete seal.
Gold dragon seem alive.
But… calm again.
“No?”
Overlord separated; frowned.
Other seal… not his?
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Overlord thoughtful.
“King…”
Xu Chu aside bowed; face tangled; words unsure.
“North Xuan… bend stretch; no ordinary; King beware.”
Xu Chu said.
“Minister thinks—before Daxuan strong… annihilate.”
Xu Chu serious.
Truly; grave.
Feared Tantai Xuan.
Own lord—joy; enemy—nightmare; unrest.
Overlord held seal; eyes flickered; Xu Chu words tempted.
But eyed seal—shook head.
Seal appear strange; behind manipulator?
If annihilate Daxuan army—seal maker act?
Seemed easy kill Tantai Xuan; crush Daxuan.
Actually no.
Plus…
Tang Xiansheng.
South County Tang support Daxuan; South plus Daxuan—Overlord wary.
South no nation; but near.
Battle strong—Tang Yimo.
Thought occupy capital; families attach…
But counties families watch Daxuan Xiliang.
Snow blew; goose vast.
Overlord held two seals; distant sky.
Zhou fallen; world contest darker tides.
...
Capital anti-Zhou end news rapid South County.
Of course.
Also notable—Baiyujing; trial tower… break shackles chance?
Jianghu cultivators stunned.
Vs court; jianghu care cultivation.
Baiyujing authority; trial tower extraordinary.
Tang Yimo hall sat.
Sima Qingshan book box back; behind cheap disciple An Miaoyu.
“Qingshan brother? Leaving?”
Tang Yimo saw box—stunned; rose.
Sima Qingshan smiled: “No endless banquet; continue wander; as Young Master Lu said—paint path insight; roam world; view all draw all.”
“Plus Baiyujing trial tower interest; bottleneck; seek break.”
Sima Qingshan said.
Tang Yimo no persuade.
Sima path different bitter; insight; one paint epiphany soar.
Trial tower interest Tang Yimo.
Break shackles—his?
“Farewell.”
“Brother Tang, later.”
Sima Qingshan cupped.
Behind red cloak An Miaoyu slight curtsey.
Then shoulder left Tang manor; An Miaoyu umbrella; drizzle; figures rain curtain vanish.
Tang Yimo hands back; door stood; pondered long.
Sima Qingshan An Miaoyu left manor—South Jiang city; south.
South Jin city.
South Jin serene; rain hazy; wars washed—still.
Aged story city.
An Miaoyu oil umbrella; eyed mottled old—like scarred strong; stood.
“Master hometown?”
An Miaoyu red lips; curious expect.
Sima Qingshan nostalgic smile; led An Miaoyu in; gate South army saw—smiled; knew.
Once fought side.
In; many greet; rain South Jin desolate.
Blue stone water puddles.
Sima Qingshan led; familiar faces greet.
Some remain; some gone.
War cruel; post-war lingered.
An Miaoyu quiet follow; unhurried.
Sima visited every corner; memories.
Then back mountain; mid height; cliff view South Jin.
Distant—vast battlefield.
“Miaoyu, regret paint sect?”
Sima cliff; qingshan rain wind swayed.
Soft asked.
Behind umbrella; red cloak; rain breeze.
An Miaoyu fair cheeks flushed.
“No regret.”
“Paint sect good.”
Sima smiled.
Box scroll; sudden unfold; float air; took brush; An Miaoyu ground ink.
Sima penned; like rain; ink bloom scroll.
Eyed rain South Jin.
Continued.
Not city—simple small building; rain quiet; below plantain.
Finished.
Sima before building penned.
Plaque four words: Paint Sect · Ink Tower.
An Miaoyu eyes bright; Sima light laugh.
Hand shake.
Scroll brocade shook; rustle.
An Miaoyu saw—mountain flat; ink small tower stood.
“Today—paint sect gate.”
Sima eyed An Miaoyu.
“No despise poor… master poor.”
An Miaoyu lips smile.
“This scroll keep; future you guard.”
Sima said.
Hand call.
Ink tower scroll again; rolled; gave An Miaoyu.
An Miaoyu took; cloth case; inserted; back; lips smile.
Two wordless; down mountain.
Figures drizzle blue stone road drip.
“Master, next where?”
“Miaoyu, world first cultivator force heard?”
“Baiyujing?”
“Yes, next Baiyujing… trial tower.”
“Good.”
...
Beiluo out.
Vast snow plain; two figures trudged.
Jiang Li conical hat; blocked snow; eyed immortal qi Beiluo; deep inhale.
First Beiluo.
Chi Lian familiar; once came.
Snow plain long trails; soon city base.
Gate Luo Cheng saw Chi Lian Jiang Li—stunned; opened.
Jiang Li in; first saw Beiluo prosper.
Beiluo streets carts horses; vendors cries; food scents lanes.
Jiang Li marveled; Baiyujing pure land.
Eyed sky white jade tower; oppressive; mind crack.
Horrified tower.
Jiang Li Chi Lian enter instant—Lu sensed.
Lu no Luo Cheng bring lake isle; self drink; place pieces.
Jiang Li arrive no ripple.
Outside storm military god; Beiluo no special.
Lu chin hand; piece chessboard.
Body momentum.
Chess momentum.
Human Realm harder previous; like hundred human states.
Board end.
Lu leaned Thousand Blade.
Held bronze cup; drank.
Trial tower all effort cultivate.
Kong Nanfei wrote Song; entered; fifth insight remain.
But path special; likely skip attribute qi; righteous attribute.
Saved attribute process.
Thus Lu expect; Kong use insight impact Heaven Lock.
Who first Heaven Lock?
Lu anticipated.
Leaned wheelchair.
Eyed snow sky; squinted.
Mind stirred.
System panel jumped.
Sight shift; odd [Heavenly Dao Thunder Punishment Experience Reward].
Then up; long unused dusty [Preaching Platform].
Refine qi layer four.
Preaching Platform… pull new.
