Jade-Green Lotus Blooms, Uninvited Guests

The man had yet to appear, but his voice arrived first.

A streak of azure sword qi swept straight through the seven of them, directly splitting apart the seven Foundation Establishment cultivators who had been surrounding Bai Shang.

Ning Kang's expression turned incomparably grave. When he had activated the Frostblade Saber just now, he had undoubtedly used his full strength.

Yet with a single seemingly weightless streak of sword qi, his Frostblade Saber, driven with all his strength, had been shattered.

The power contained within that sword qi was absolutely not as simple as it appeared on the surface!

As Ning Kang recalled the Frostblade Saber and saw the notch on its blade, his expression grew even uglier.

This was the only high-grade Dharma artifact he possessed.

"Who goes there? Why hide your head and show your tail?" Lei Zhen bellowed. Spiritual waves mixed with the power of lightning erupted violently outward, wantonly ravaging the surrounding forest.

"Heh."

With a soft laugh, a handsome Daoist in a green robe and jade crown strolled over.

The Daoist's expression was calm, as though he were simply wandering through the mountains and wilds, as though he faced not seven Foundation Establishment cultivators, but seven stones.

"I am Jiang Sheng, a Qi Refinement cultivator of Qingping Mountain. Greetings, everyone."

Jiang Sheng's voice was clear and bright. It was not as thunderous as Lei Zhen's, yet it exploded beside all seven men's ears at once. It sounded placid, but struck like a sudden clap of thunder. Whether they were members of the Zhao Clan or Rogue Cultivators, all wore grave expressions.

A man's reputation was like a tree's shadow.

They all said that Qingping Mountain had a Daoist Jiang capable of defeating Purple Mansion Realm cultivators while at Foundation Establishment, but most cultivators believed it to be exaggerated. At best, they thought someone else had aided him, allowing him to earn that reputation.

But the moment Jiang Sheng appeared, a single streak of sword qi and a single sentence made Zhao Hong, Chen Ping, and the others understand what a master of Daoist cultivation truly was.

Sensing Jiang Sheng's genuine late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation, Zhao Hong immediately put on a smile. "So it is Daoist Jiang of Qingping Mountain. This old man is Zhao Hong of Sea Commandery. Greetings."

Zhao Rui and Zhao Jun also clasped their fists in salute.

Jiang Sheng gave a slight nod and smiled. "So it is the First Elder of the Purple Mansion Realm Zhao Clan of Sea Commandery. It is this poor Daoist who has been discourteous."

Gongsun Yulong had personally witnessed Ning Kang suffer a setback, so he had a very favorable impression of Jiang Sheng. "I am Gongsun Yulong. Greetings, Daoist Jiang."

"Hearing of you a hundred times is not equal to seeing you once. Now that I have seen Daoist Jiang today, you truly possess extraordinary bearing, unlike certain people who are arrogant and conceited, like frogs at the bottom of a well."

Ning Kang's face darkened again. Gongsun Yulong was plainly and subtly mocking him.

Chen Ping glanced at Ning Kang, then at Jiang Sheng. At last, he forced out a smile. "Why has Daoist Jiang come here?"

"Do you not all know perfectly well? A late-stage Foundation Establishment Black Fire Snake is fine medicinal material." As Jiang Sheng spoke, he took the severed snake head from his storage pouch.

The ferocious snake head, three zhang across, emerged. Though the demon beast was dead, the Baleful Intent on the verge of the Purple Mansion Realm remained condensed and unscattered. Even the faintest trace leaking from it was enough to send a crowd of cultivators fleeing in alarm.

Whether Zhao Hong or Chen Ping, all of them were startled upon seeing the snake head.

They were not fools. How was this some late-stage Foundation Establishment Black Fire Snake?

This was clearly a Black Fire Snake on the verge of breaking through to the Purple Mansion Realm.

The skull and scales of such a fierce beast were incomparably hard, far surpassing copper and iron.

Then they looked at its wound. There was only one scar, running through its entire skull and smoothly cleaving it apart. What a swift sword!

With that sword strike alone, none of them dared claim they could accomplish the same.

Zhao Hong looked at the ferocious, unwilling snake head, then at Jiang Sheng, who walked as leisurely as if strolling through his own courtyard. After a moment, he smiled. "This old man was originally entrusted by the Commandery Governor to slay a demon. Since the demon has now been slain, this old man must return to the commandery city to report."

"Daoist Jiang, if you have the time, do come to the Zhao Clan for tea. This old man will receive you most warmly."

Jiang Sheng nodded. "Thank you, Fellow Daoist Zhao. If I have the time, I will certainly come and impose upon you."

With that, Zhao Hong took Zhao Rui and Zhao Jun and turned to leave without the slightest hesitation.

Gongsun Yulong cast Ning Kang a glance, then smiled. "Today, I have witnessed quite a good show. This trip was not in vain. I shall take my leave first. Fellow Daoist Ning, do not see me off."

Once Gongsun Yulong had left as well, only Chen Ping, Ning Kang, and Lei Zhen remained.

Lei Zhen's expression was extremely unsightly, while Ning Kang's face was as black as the bottom of a pot.

But Chen Ping was undoubtedly the most composed. Seeing that the Zhao Clan members and Gongsun Yulong had departed, Chen Ping clasped his fists toward Jiang Sheng, transmitted a few words to Lei Zhen and Ning Kang, then left with the two of them.

In a short time, the once clamorous mountain forest returned to tranquility.

Bai Shang felt somewhat ashamed. "Daoist Jiang, I have caused you trouble."

Jiang Sheng remained calm as he gazed in the direction Zhao Hong, Chen Ping, and the others had gone.

"What does this have to do with Fellow Daoist Bai? To put it plainly, wealth moves men's hearts."

"Whether it is the late-stage Foundation Establishment Black Fire Snake or possible heavenly treasures and earthly materials, those are the reasons these people came here."

"Fellow Daoist Bai, I fear peace will be hard to come by for some time."

Bai Shang was somewhat confused. "Daoist Jiang, did you not frighten those people away?"

Jiang Sheng shook his head. "The Black Fire Snake is already dead, so they have lost any reason to directly clash with this poor Daoist. With several factions present, they only left for the moment because they did not wish to let others reap the fisherman's profit."

"They simply cannot confirm whether there is anything valuable in the mountains right now. Once they do, they will return to the mountain."

Bai Shang could not help but grow worried. "The Jade-Green Lotus has not yet matured. If those people truly return to the mountain..."

"Then one sword strike will be enough to cut them down!" The chill in Jiang Sheng's words made Bai Shang stiffen involuntarily.

Seeing Bai Shang's astonishment, Jiang Sheng smiled. "Fellow Daoist Bai, let me ask you a question. What do you think of this poor Daoist?"

Bai Shang stammered, "Daoist Jiang is naturally a master who has attained the Dao, with a heart that holds..."

Jiang Sheng laughed. "What master who has attained the Dao? Fellow Daoist Bai, do not speak such nonsense."

"If an ownerless object appeared before you, would you fight to claim it?"

Bai Shang nodded.

"If a treasure with an owner appeared before you, and that treasure's owner was weaker than you, would you fight to claim it?"

Bai Shang hesitated.

But Jiang Sheng said, "If that treasure were useful to this poor Daoist, I would certainly fight to claim it. Does Fellow Daoist Bai still think this poor Daoist is some master who has attained the Dao?"

"This..." Bai Shang was stunned.

Jiang Sheng smiled. "No matter how one puts it, it would seem that this poor Daoist had given rise to greed and evil intent, coveting another's possession. But why is it that this poor Daoist harbors evil intent, rather than that object being fated with this poor Daoist?"

"Greed and evil intent are matters on which opinions abound."

"Fellow Daoist Bai, it seems you read quite a few books in that ancient cultivator's estate, to the point that you have become too much like a person."

"Let this poor Daoist tell you something not found in the scriptures, nor in books. The strong are right."

"Whether it is the Great Heavenly Dragon Temple of the west, or Penglai of our Eastern Continent's Dao Sect, they all recognize this principle. It is the simplest and most universal truth."

With that, Jiang Sheng strolled away, leaving Bai Shang standing where he was.

Amid the wreckage and disorder, this early-stage Foundation Establishment fox fell into deep thought.

After returning to Boundary County, Zhao Hong's group and Chen Ping's group did not leave. Instead, they continued hiding within Boundary County.

Zhao Hong looked toward the rolling Qingping Mountain beyond Boundary County, his tone utterly certain. "If he had merely come to slay a demon, Jiang Sheng should have left after slaying it. Why did he remain?"

"There must be something in the mountain. Jiang Sheng is guarding it."

Zhao Jun asked, "Then, First Elder, shall we fight for it?"

Zhao Hong sneered. "No rush. Let us see what that old bastard Chen does."

"Our Purple Mansion Realm Zhao Clan does not lack this one thing, but that old bastard Chen does."

"If there truly is an opportunity, we can fish in troubled waters when the time comes. If there is no opportunity, giving Jiang Sheng a favor will still earn us some goodwill."

On Chen Ping's side, Ning Kang was already trembling with rage.

Staring at the cracked Frostblade Saber, Ning Kang clenched his fists so tightly that blood seeped from them. "Gongsun Yulong and Jiang Sheng must both die!"

Lei Zhen also said angrily, "Why did we have to leave? Jiang Sheng is clearly hiding something valuable. We should have taken him down!"

"With the three of us joining forces, are we supposed to fear one Jiang Sheng?"

Yet Chen Ping remained very calm. "It is not fear. It is simply not appropriate right now. Do you truly think that old bastard Zhao Hong has left?"

"That old bastard Zhao wants nothing more than for us and Jiang Sheng to fight to the death, so that the Zhao Clan can swallow all the benefits alone!"

"For now, we will endure and see whether that old bastard Zhao can hold himself back!"

Both Zhao Hong and Chen Ping chose to wait for the time being.

As for Jiang Sheng in the mountains, he also waited patiently for the moment when the Jade-Green Lotus matured.

The upheaval in Boundary County dissipated again in just a short time.

The Black Fire Snake was dead, and the Zhao Clan members and Chen Ping all seemed to have left. Boundary County returned to peace once more.

Only a few unwilling Qi Refinement Rogue Cultivators continued searching the mountains, hoping to find something valuable and pick up a bargain.

This calm lasted for several months, and Boundary County completely regained its former tranquility.

That terrifying Black Fire Snake seemed to have become little more than gossip among the people of Boundary County.

Until, on the night of the summer solstice in June, a clear, emerald radiance appeared within Qingping Mountain. Its strange fragrance drew countless beasts and birds in the mountain into a surging rush.

The instant that green light appeared, several figures within Boundary County shot into the sky and flew toward Qingping Mountain.

Several more figures followed close behind.

Though their faces could not be seen in the darkness, every one of those figures emitted the genuine pressure of the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Only then did the people of Boundary County discover that so many Foundation Establishment cultivators had been hiding in their county!

So many cultivators revealing their pressure and soaring into the air sent the entire Boundary County into chaos, with chickens flying and dogs jumping.

Boundary County Magistrate Lin Zhiyong and the local strongman Wu Fang both rushed out of their rooms without even dressing properly, watching helplessly as streak after streak of light shot toward Qingping Mountain.

Within the ancient estate, Bai Shang watched in astonishment as the Jade-Green Lotus absorbed the spiritual essence of an entire pool. Every lotus in the pond withered, and the clear water drained away in an instant. Only the Jade-Green Lotus fully bloomed, swaying gracefully as it released a beam of radiance that shot straight into the heavens.

"With such a spectacle, the beast herds in the mountain are likely to riot." Bai Shang watched the green light pierce through the mountain, his eyes filled with worry.

Jiang Sheng, who had been sitting cross-legged regulating his breath, slowly rose to his feet. "Leave the beast herds in the mountain to Fellow Daoist Bai."

"Daoist Jiang, where are you going?" Bai Shang asked.

Jiang Sheng raised his right hand in a loose grip, and the Azure Duckweed Sword appeared in his palm.

"Naturally, to welcome the uninvited guests."

First update of the day~

Still three thousand words.

Whether it gets recommended or not, it gets recommended or not. I promised everyone three thousand words, and I will not break my word.

(End of chapter)