Carrying Wine and Singing Long Songs

Volume 1: Carrying Wine and Singing Long Songs Chapter 1: The Qi Refining Stage Ancestor

A white figure fell from the clouds, crashing into the Great Bell in front of the Mountain Gate with a thunderous boom.

In a desperate hurry, he didn't have time for etiquette or to walk up the mountain path; instead, he landed directly in the small courtyard near the summit.

But while they were chatting, a dark cloud silently obscured the Bright Moon Haoguang that had hung over the Azure Nether Sword Sect for a thousand years.

The giant claw's momentum did not falter; with a deafening crash, it slammed into the front of the Mountain Gate, turning the gate and the entire mountain path into ruins.

"Crimson Flame—Slash!"

The first thing to strike was an overwhelming sense of oppression, as suffocating as the mugginess before a spring thunderstorm, which almost instantly made the disciples guarding the gate aware of the anomaly and unease.

The Thunder Beast pointed its front hoof at Bai Qiuran, laughing until tears, snot, and drool ran down its face.

The Thunder Beast was caught off guard and kicked flying, landing on a small hill outside Qingming Mountain and collapsing the entire peak.

The white-haired young man walked up to the red-robed disciple and asked him.

Dark clouds rolled incessantly, seemingly brewing with rage.

"My name is Bai Qiuran."

The Thunder Beast didn't even want to answer this boring question. Seeing Bai Qiuran blocking its way, it opened its mouth and spat out a bolt of lightning, intending to crush both Bai Qiuran and Jueyunzi.

"Do you have some kind of problem with the Qi Refining Stage?"

The Thunder Beast, wreathed in lightning and riding the clouds, arrived in mid-air, looking down at Jueyunzi on the ground with the arrogance of a victor.

Perhaps protected by this Immortal Sect Master, the sect had stood tall for thousands of years, its incense burning continuously despite surviving several catastrophes.

"Old Man Qingming! I've come for revenge!"

But the uninvited guest outside the gate clearly lacked the patience to wait for the Sect Master and elders to arrive. Seeing that the thunder spear had failed to break the defense, it manipulated the rolling dark clouds to form a beast claw that covered the sky, slamming it into the Mountain Protection Array of the Azure Nether Sword Sect. With a crisp sound, the array that had stood for a thousand years shattered like a soap bubble under the dark cloud claw.

"Fine, fine."

On the other side, while the Qingming Sect Master Jueyunzi held off the Thunder Demon Venerable, the red-robed direct disciple steered his flying sword and flew rapidly toward Seven Star Peak.

A red-robed direct disciple, who was steering his flying sword to provide support behind the elders, heard the Sect Master's words and quickly accepted the order. He then transformed into a streak of light, flying toward the most remote peak among the Qingming mountains.

That night, in the cloud-piercing Qingming mountains, two third-generation green-robed disciples near the gate were yawning out of boredom, discussing trivial sect matters and beautiful Senior Sisters and Junior Sisters, while imagining whether any of the newcomers joining the sect through the initiation ceremony tomorrow would be their destined soulmate.

But the red-robed disciple was clearly in a trance-like state, muttering some strange words.

But just then, a figure fell from the sky with a boom and kicked the Thunder Beast away.

"Ignorant junior! You've actually never heard of the prestige of the Thunder Demon Venerable!"

At the gate of the Azure Nether Sword Sect, the disciples and elders looked up at the sky; their Sect Master was dueling with the intruder in the clouds.

"Hahaha, a thousand years later, the successor of Old Man Qingming is only this strong!"

"I see."

But what shocked the disciples even more was the cultivation level of this legendary "Martial Ancestor Uncle."

The voice echoed, resounding throughout the entire peak. A moment later, the door to a room in the courtyard was pushed open, and a lazy voice drifted out.

But that night, a catastrophe descended upon the Azure Nether Sword Sect without them knowing.

The main target of this lightning bolt was Jueyunzi; a tiny Qi Refining Stage cultivator—a being it could kill by sneezing—was not worthy of its attention.

As the smoke and dust cleared, Jueyunzi, blood at the corner of his mouth, leaned on his life-bound flying sword and slowly climbed up from the ground.

He looked up at the sky with a grave expression.

It raised its head, and the spiral horn on its forehead emitted lightning, communicating with the thunderclouds in the sky to brew an incredibly terrifying technique.

"Problem?"

Qi Refining Stage, he was only at the Qi Refining Stage! Damn it!

The light faded. Bai Qiuran casually tossed aside the long sword whose blade had been melted into molten iron by the Crimson Flame, then snorted coldly: "Stop looking down on Qi Refining Stage cultivators, okay? I'm actually very strong!"

This "Martial Ancestor Uncle" of the Qi Refining Stage carried his iron sword to the red-robed disciple and asked with a frown: "I'm asking you a question. Where is Jueyunzi? Is he at the Main Peak?"

Footsteps sounded, and then a figure appeared before the red-robed direct disciple. The disciple couldn't suppress his curiosity and looked up, only to see a handsome young man standing before him. His skin was as fair as an infant's, but he had white hair and white eyebrows, with a hair color like that of a centenarian. He looked lazy and wore no clothing representing the Azure Nether Sword Sect, but rather a tight-fitting, wide-sleeved cloth garment. He wore cloud-patterned shoes and had an iron sword hanging at his waist, looking less like a cultivator and more like a wandering swordsman.

A surge of True Qi, as vast as a boiling sea, was drawn from Bai Qiuran's Qi Sea, igniting his sword blade. The tip of the sword blazed with fire, which was the most basic martial technique used by every cultivator when they first entered the Qi Refining Stage.

The white-robed Qingming Sect Master Jueyunzi frowned and said: "If you want to find him, you should go to the Immortal Realm, not come here to harass our Azure Nether Sword Sect!"

"Huh? What are you talking about? Did you encounter a Heart Demon?"

It roared in anger, rushing out from the smoke and dust, only to see a white-bearded, white-haired youth standing before Jueyunzi, watching it with composure.

"The Sect Master is dueling someone in front of the Mountain Gate."

A figure drifted down from the highest peak of the Qingming mountains, transforming into a handsome man in white robes. He stood in mid-air with his hands behind his back, looking at the dark clouds and saying coldly: "Who goes there?"

"Who is that?!" The red-robed disciple was stunned.

"Ugh!"

"That won't do."

Thinking of this, Jueyunzi moved his mind, connecting his Spiritual Sense to one of his closed-door disciples...

Seeing the lightning strike, the red-robed direct disciples in the sky screamed, but Jueyunzi remained calm and composed, because he saw that Bai Qiuran in front of him had already drawn his sword.

In this vast world, the prestige of this sect was known to all. Not only did this sect produce a batch of Transformation, Body Integration, and even Tribulation Crossing level old monsters every few hundred years, but more than three thousand years ago, one of its Sect Masters had even broken through the shackles of the Heavenly Tribulation and ascended to become an Immortal in broad daylight!

"Go to Seven Star Peak and ask Martial Ancestor Uncle to come and help!"

"A mortal body at the Qi Refining Stage, daring to call himself a disciple of Old Man Qingming! Haha, your insult to him far exceeds my imagination!"

It was also at this moment that a streak of cyan sword light shot down from the clouds, transforming into a cyan flying sword that struck the ground in front of the giant dark cloud claw with a clang.

The red-robed disciple had a look of total despair on his face as he pointed toward the direction of the Mountain Gate.

Fire soared into the sky, splitting the lightning in two. The momentum did not stop, and like a hot knife through butter, it sliced the unsuspecting Thunder Beast, along with the mountain range behind it, into two halves.

"Hehe, hahahaha."

"Sect Master!"

"The Qingming Martial Ancestor attained the Dao and ascended three thousand years ago."

"Want to level the Azure Nether Sword Sect? Then you'll have to let Jueyunzi experience the peerless cultivation of Senior Thunder Demon!"

The rumbling of thunder grew louder, lightning cracked, and the thunder snakes in the dark clouds gathered together, forming a thick thunder spear that crashed into the Mountain Protection Array of the Azure Nether Sword Sect, causing the cyan array to shake violently.

This Thunder Beast possessed the bloodline of an Immortal Beast and originally had the strength equivalent to a Body Integration Stage cultivator. After falling into the Demonic Path, its strength surged by another thirty percent, almost rivaling the Heavenly Immortals. Although he, a peak Body Integration Stage Sect Master, was confident, he knew he was no match for this Thunder Beast. However, the Grand Elder was currently in closed-door cultivation; if disturbed, not to mention the impact on his lifespan and cultivation, he would likely suffer a backlash of True Essence and be severely injured, making his arrival useless even if he did come.

In a corner of the vast land of Guzhou in the mortal world, sat the Azure Nether Sword Sect, one of the largest cultivation sects in the world.

"Oh, I see."

"Fine, fine. Today I came to settle accounts with Old Man Qingming. Tell him to get out here!"

A few minutes later, a muffled groan came from the clouds.

And this year, it was time for the Azure Nether Sword Sect's once-every-twenty-years disciple selection event. People from several kingdoms within Guzhou, and even those from other great continents who longed for the Immortal fate, had gathered in Xuanjian Town at the foot of Qingming Mountain.

"You have already lost! You are at your wit's end. Old Man Qingming's mountain gate will be destroyed here today!"

The laughter gradually subsided, and the Thunder Beast said in a low voice: "Get lost, and I might spare your life."

The array inscribed on the bell caused the sound to echo throughout Qingming Mountain. At this moment, everyone in the Azure Nether Sword Sect heard the sound. The second-generation disciples quickly directed their junior brothers, sisters, and juniors to take refuge, while the first-generation red-robed direct disciples steered their flying swords and took to the air with the elders and the Sect Master. For a time, countless sword lights flew and crisscrossed over the summit of Qingming Mountain, a truly spectacular sight.

Unable to help himself, the red-robed disciple muttered.

With a loud boom, the entire Seven Star Peak shook, the ground beneath his feet shattered, and the red-robed disciple lost his footing and sat on the ground. Meanwhile, the figure of that Martial Ancestor Uncle had already soared high into the clouds, leaping toward the direction of the Mountain Gate.

Seeing the disciple accept the order and leave, Jueyunzi felt slightly relieved. He then joined his fingers into a sword gesture, and the cyan flying sword beneath his feet transformed into a rainbow, rising and circling around him.

"Hahahahahaha! What are you talking about? That's the funniest joke I've ever heard in my life!"

Upon landing, he immediately knelt on one knee, mustered his Golden Core stage True Essence, and shouted: "The Azure Nether Sword Sect is under attack! The Sect Master has sent me to ask Martial Ancestor Uncle to come out of the mountain and provide rescue!"

It really was the Thunder Beast sealed by the Martial Ancestor three thousand years ago as recorded in the classics...

Bang!

This was a level that even the martial artists at the foot of the mountain could reach. With the strength of that Thunder Demon, let alone a Qi Refining Stage cultivator, even a Nascent Soul old monster would just be serving himself up as a snack.

Subsequently, outside the Mountain Protection Array of the Qingming Mountain Gate, dark clouds surged without warning. Thunder snakes rolled within the clouds, and rumbling thunder sounded, accompanied by an echoing human voice.

The dark clouds parted, and within the thunderclouds appeared a giant Divine Beast with a wolf's head and a horse's body, with three hook-shaped tails behind it, its entire body wreathed in black, muffled thunder.

In the sky, thunder snakes and sword lights crisscrossed, surging with immense energy. Every bit of energy that leaked out was enough to easily blow up a small hill.

"Alas, everything passes like a flowing river; there is no banquet in the world that does not end..."

The white-haired, white-browed "Martial Ancestor Uncle" nodded, then crouched slightly. The red-robed disciple suddenly felt a wave of True Qi like a raging sea erupt from his body.

The Thunder Beast stared at the youth for a moment, then suddenly burst into laughter.

"It's over. This time next year will be the anniversary of the Azure Nether Sword Sect..."

"Quick, go report to the Sect Master!"

The youth smiled gently and said: "Today, I am here on behalf of my late teacher, Daoist Qingming, to have a word with you."

A loud laugh came from the dark clouds: "Ridiculous, ridiculous! This Old Man Qingming actually managed to ascend in broad daylight? Fine, you are the disciples he left behind. Today, I will destroy your mountain gate first, and then I will go to the Immortal Realm to seek my revenge!"

Bai Qiuran smiled, but veins bulged on his forehead.

"Where is Jueyunzi now?"

Seeing its true form, Jueyunzi frowned.

The disciples guarding the mountain were knocked to the ground by the violent tremor. The leading second-generation green-robed disciple reacted quickly, climbed up from the ground, and shouted this to the other disciples. He then rushed to the Great Bell near the gate, mustered his True Essence, and used his fist as a hammer, ringing the great bell with a series of booms.