Tide Watching Pavilion

Deng Baiyi sat in the shade of a tree on Little Barren Mountain, waiting for Xie Zhen to finish his seclusion.

She was very worried about Xie Zhen's injuries... but after all, her cultivation was low, and after controlling the Ninefold Phoenix Fire Array, she had exhausted too much mental energy.

After waiting for a long while, she rested her chin in her hand and dozed off, her head bobbing like a chick pecking at rice.

"Whoosh."

A gust of wind swept over the mountaintop.

Xie Xuanyi, having successfully broken through, waved his sleeve to disperse the remaining Violet Origin Pill medicinal aura, and at the same time reached out to remove the Purification Talismans hanging in formation.

He looked ahead, unable to suppress a smile.

Beneath the shade of the tree, Deng Baiyi and Jiang Huang, one big and one small, were both dozing off.

A gentle breeze rippled through the air.

Deng Baiyi suddenly raised her head, and through her hazy sleepiness, saw the slender figure in black sitting beside her, reaching out to remove the resin mask from his face.

Her vision gradually cleared.

Xie Xuanyi's handsome face came into view.

"Awake?"

Xie Xuanyi spoke softly, neatly stacking the thick pile of Purification Talismans and returning them to Deng Baiyi.

"You..."

Deng Baiyi reached out and gently wiped the saliva from the back of her hand, her eyes suddenly flashing with surprise: "You're alright?"

She stared in disbelief at Xie Xuanyi's right shoulder.

If she remembered correctly... there had been a fist-sized bloody hole there just before!

How long had it been, less than half a night.

His black shirt was torn, but the surface of his skin was as smooth as jade, not to mention a bloody hole, there wasn't even a blood scab to be seen!

Deng Baiyi's eyes were full of disbelief.

She cautiously moved closer, bent her knuckles, and tapped lightly, as if knocking on a stone.

Xie Xuanyi laughed: "Don't worry, I'm already healed."

"The Great Thousand World is full of wonders."

After a pause, Xie Xuanyi said leisurely: "The reason why cultivators use the world's spiritual energy to cleanse their bodies is to 'wash the marrow and cleanse the tendons,' to change their muscles and bones so that they can live longer... such methods of flesh regeneration are nothing in the Buddhist sect, and many great cultivators can do it."

Deng Baiyi blinked: "...Buddhist sect?"

Just what kind of background did Xie Zhen have?

How could he know a little bit of everything?

Seeing Deng Baiyi's reaction, Xie Xuanyi sighed inwardly. He couldn't exactly explain that his rapid flesh regeneration was due to the Immortal Spring, could he?

Xie Xuanyi explained: "It's not just the Buddhist sect, many large sects have it."

"You don't need to explain to me, it's good that you're alright."

Deng Baiyi shook her head, she wasn't really curious about Xie Zhen's sect background anymore: "That evil cultivator's soul has already been scattered... do you have any clues about your flying sword?"

As soon as she said this.

Xie Xuanyi fell silent for a moment.

He hadn't told Deng Baiyi about the Demon Realm and the Bai Ze Secret Realm yet.

This girl thought he was searching souls to find his flying sword.

After pondering for a moment, Xie Xuanyi decided to suppress this matter... Deng Baiyi was only a Qi Refiner, and knowing these things would do her no good.

He decided to do the rest of the things himself.

"There are some clues, but they are not yet clear."

Hearing this answer, Deng Baiyi's eyes showed a hint of joy.

She couldn't wait to stay by Xie Zhen's side for a while longer.

The flying sword hadn't been found yet, which meant that the matter of Carp Tide City was not over.

Deng Baiyi blinked and asked: "Then is there anything else I can help you with?"

"No need."

Xie Xuanyi knew what she was thinking, shook his head and said: "You can rest well these few days. Don't worry about the follow-up, I will take care of the flying sword."

Deng Baiyi hugged Jiang Huang and fell into a deep sleep in the shade of the tree.

Xie Xuanyi stood alone on the top of Little Barren Mountain.

Tonight's great battle had come to an end, and the two of them were exhausted, but Xie Xuanyi was full of energy, his mind clear, and he didn't feel tired at all.

Xie Xuanyi silently pondered the things he needed to do next.

To obtain [Chen Ke], he needed to enter the Bai Ze Secret Realm.

Within the Qing Province, there were two great aristocratic families.

The Jiang family and the Chu family!

Besides them, there was also a massive sect that couldn't be underestimated, its strength and status placing it among the top ten within Great Chu: the Hundred Flowers Valley!

With the emergence of the Bai Ze Secret Realm, these three forces would undoubtedly join hands to block the news.

A few days ago, Xie Xuanyi had been somewhat troubled...

Once the Bai Ze Secret Realm appeared, these three forces would jointly seal it off, and ordinary people would have no chance to set foot inside.

But now, having obtained the information from Rank Six's soul sea, Xie Xuanyi had a clue.

According to the Dragonwood Revered One's arrangement, obtaining the Bai Ze finger bone would allow him to contact that "important figure in Qing Province." If that person sincerely wanted to cooperate with the Demon Realm... then they would definitely arrange matters near the secret realm.

The finger bone could verify the authenticity of the secret realm without needing to enter it.

Just getting close to a certain range.

Rank Six could determine the "truth" and report it to the Dragonwood Revered One.

With that, the mission would be complete.

Now, Rank Six was dead... and he held Rank Six's remnant soul, the ring, and the most important Bai Ze finger bone.

In a sense, he could do everything that "Rank Six" could do.

Xie Xuanyi rubbed his brow, inadvertently catching a glimpse of a light in the distance.

To ambush Rank Six, the formation points for the Ninefold Phoenix Fire Array were deliberately chosen to be high, allowing him to not only see Sunken Chime Mountain, which was slightly shorter, but also to see the scenery within Carp Tide City not far away. Now that the night was half over, the lights of this bustling ancient city were extinguished, and all was silent.

But amidst the darkness of the city, there was a tall building, standing like a tower, that remained brightly lit.

Carp Tide City was famous throughout the world for its annual tidal bore.

And that tall building standing like a tower was the most famous "attraction" in Carp Tide City, and also the best place to watch the tide.

The Tide Watching Pavilion.

"I heard that King Youhai is hosting a banquet at the Tide Watching Pavilion tonight..."

Xie Xuanyi narrowed his eyes.

"The only people King Youhai would host a banquet for are those few."

More than a decade ago, he was wanted with a bounty on his head... and had once fled to Qing Province.

Hundred Flowers Valley, the Jiang family, the Chu family.

Xie Xuanyi had dealt with all three of these forces.

He was most familiar with Hundred Flowers Valley, because even before he was wanted, he had clashed with Hundred Flowers Valley many times.

Xie Xuanyi rose to fame at a young age, and before he had truly fought his way through the four territories, many people did not recognize the so-called title of "Sword Immortal."

For a long time.

Countless cultivators climbed the mountain to pay a visit and seek a duel.

Those who were too weak couldn't even ascend the mountain gate.

The reason why Xie Xuanyi had a deep impression of Hundred Flowers Valley... was because the disciples who came out of Hundred Flowers Valley, whether in terms of cultivation realm or their own talent, could be called first-class.

Although the two most prestigious sects within Great Chu were the Daoist Sect and the Sword Palace.

But that didn't mean that Great Chu only had these two sects.

Three thousand great paths, all can lead to ascension.

Besides the Daoist Sect and the Sword Palace, other sects also had amazing figures who founded schools and led an era.

Hundred Flowers Valley was such a first-class sect, worthy of being ranked among the top ten in Great Chu.

——

As for the story of the Chu family, everyone in Qing Province should know it.

Among the three kings with different surnames conferred by the entire Great Chu, Chu Lin, King Youhai, was one of them... However, this king's ability to achieve such a status had nothing to do with his family; it was purely his own "good fortune." Years ago, the internal struggles within the Great Chu Dynasty were fierce, and the former Chu Emperor had not yet ascended the throne, or even been confirmed as the crown prince, and had experienced a period of dark and difficult days.

At that time, Chu Lin and the young Chu Emperor were close friends, and he helped with all his strength. Later, when the true dragon rose, he naturally ascended as well.

From the "title" of this king with a different surname, one could see.

Youhai, Youhai.

Not exceeding the rules, carefree and unrestrained.

After the Chu Emperor's death, King Youhai was not affected. Because this king had always been an idle official, although his status was transcendent, his actual power was not great. He had never been able to interfere with the internal institutions and laws of the imperial city, and could only live happily in his own fiefdom.

However, these were enough to make the Chu family a powerful force.

——

The last of the Jiang family.

This was actually the faction Xie Xuanyi was most familiar with among the three major powers.

The current head of the family, Jiang Lie, is a renowned Garrison Envoy in the Northern Territory.

Jiang Lie distinguished himself in the Northern Territory campaigns, securing several crucial and hard-fought victories. He also participated in the final battle that killed Grandmaster Mozhen, a testament to his remarkable and dazzling achievements.

He was already a seasoned veteran back then, and now he is nearly eighty years old.

In recent years, the Great Chu Dynasty has dismissed all the Garrison Envoys, with most being transferred back to the Imperial City. A small number returned to their fiefdoms, and the old master Jiang was one of these rare "returnees."

The Jiang family is a prominent and respected clan that has been based in Qing Province for many years.

Jiang Lie cited his advanced age as a reason to decline the summons to the Imperial City. He retired from his post, returning to his hometown to live out his days. The Imperial City had no choice but to approve his request.

In recent years, Old Master Jiang has not been traveling much.

The vast enterprise of the Jiang family has gradually been handed over to the younger generation to manage.

The reason Xie Xuanyi understood the "Jiang family" was because his relationship with the "Jiang family" was quite special...

Back when he was on the run, everyone in the world wanted to kill him.

Only the Jiang family was willing to lend a hand.

It could be said that if it weren't for the Jiang family, he would have died in Qing Province long ago.

"Hah."

Xie Xuanyi spent half an incense stick's worth of time sorting through his thoughts, tidying up the fragmented memories of Qing Province.

Then, he slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

Looking at the swaying lanterns on the top floor of the Tide Watching Pavilion, Xie Xuanyi's eyes were slightly complicated.

He was thinking and struggling.

"Should I go and see..."

"That traitor in Dragonwood Revered One's words?"

"AliPay received."