Dragon Abyss County was small, and there was no Daoist arena in the surrounding area. Yet it had an Immortal Family Inn on Sword Pool Street, all because of a well brimming with Spiritual Energy. They said its waters reached the Eastern Sea. A cultivator versed in the Azure Satchel Book had once descended to investigate and discovered an underground river. Using a water-parting spell, he followed it for dozens of miles into Another Sky, where the ruins of a long-abandoned water palace lay hidden. The inn had been built because of it. Its owner was said to be surnamed Dong—the very Dong Half-City who had made his fortune selling wontons.
The party lodged there. The beautiful woman named Madam Xu, whose connection to some distinguished family no one could place, spent lavishly and booked every vacant room in the inn. A second group of guests soon arrived, looking more like students traveling to study abroad, with book cases on their backs and Green Bamboo Staffs in hand.
Bai Xuan should have been among them, but she changed her mind at the last moment. Before returning alone to Sword Worship, she flew over to Madam Xu's party on her sword and made sure to take leave of the Old Celestial Master. Mostly, she feared he might take offense and think she looked down on the Dragon Tiger Mountain Celestial Master Mansion's Daoist arts. That would never do. In the mountains, Bai Xuan practiced her own swordsmanship; outside them, she was a registered disciple of Luopo Mountain and had to mind her manners.
At the time, Bai Xuan had no idea how to express her admiration. She could only raise a thumb and squeeze out an honest remark. "Old Celestial Master, you're a true hero."
Zhao Tianlai smiled and nodded. He