When the Time Came, Heaven and Earth Lent Their Strength

Liu Sixteen stayed on the mountain, but he did not find it particularly dull.

With its Mountain Lord away for now, Luopo Mountain was like a gentleman who kept his weapons close and waited for the right moment to act.

When the world followed the Way, one stepped forward; when it did not, one withdrew. Luopo Mountain had no use for that saying. When times turned bad, its people refused to become immortal recluses keeping company with white clouds and green mountains. Instead, everyone went down the mountain. The full picture had yet to emerge, but Liu Sixteen was in no hurry. Besides, given his junior brother's choices and all he had done, Liu Sixteen could ask no more of him as his senior brother.

So although he was the Mountain Lord's senior brother, Liu Sixteen was an outsider to Luopo Mountain, and his impression of it grew better by the day.

But one great question troubled Liu Sixteen. The woman he had met again earlier—was she the sword attendant who had once followed that Supreme existence to wage war in every direction, what later generations called the spirit of an immortal sword? Or was she the sword attendant's true master, deliberately wearing another face to deceive those who came after? To Liu Sixteen, a sword attendant, or sword spirit, did not exist—at least, not as a complete being.

He had asked, but she had given him no answer.

Her eyes had been as cold as ever. She had not even deigned to show disdain.

Mi Yu did not accompany Little Millet on her mountain patrol that day. Instead, he went to the top of the steps and found Liu Sixteen sitting on the ground.

Mi Yu sat beside him. "With you on Luopo Mountain, Teacher Liu, I can rest