Appointment

"Brother Xuan Bao, are you alright?" As the large ship began to fly, Li Fan also ran to the quiet room beneath the ship's cabin, looking at Yuan Xuan Bao through the door.

The eight disciples were locked up separately, with yellow talismans on the doors and red ropes tied. It seemed they were in for a beating when they got back to Bamboo Mountain. What's more, it was right when the inner sect was investigating Luo Cult spies, they were likely in for more suffering...

"...Qingyue, you've seen my embarrassing side," Yuan Xuan Bao had washed his face and changed his clothes. His complexion was alright, but he seemed down.

"...Do you want to talk about it?" Li Fan scratched his head, unsure what to say.

"What, you still want to befriend despicable villains like us who kill fellow disciples just to survive?" Yuan Xuan Bao glanced at Li Fan.

Li Fan shook his head. "People have close and distant relationships. Even fellow disciples and comrades can turn on each other at any time. Although I don't know what exactly happened in the formation back then, I saw you fight desperately for Chen Daotong before, so I know you're not a bad person. Besides... sigh, in this damned world, you never know when you'll die. What's there not to befriend?

Here, take this."

Yuan Xuan Bao was stunned. He reached out and took what Li Fan threw over. Upon seeing it, he was shocked. "Mysterious Purple Gold Pill! Where did you get this! I'm not even injured, I can't accept such a heavy gift!"

"Go on, just take it. Keep it for emergencies. You'll need it sooner or later in this day and age."

"...Thank you." Yuan Xuan Bao gritted his teeth, unable to bring himself to throw back the life-saving golden elixir. Obtaining such a pill made this trip worthwhile.

Li Fan waved his hand dismissively, about to leave. But after a moment's hesitation, he turned back to confirm, "Brother Xuan Bao, there's something I'd like to ask. Which Fellow Daoist told you to come to Tiantai Mountain for a sword duel? Was it Lu Xing?"

Yuan Xuan Bao didn't hide it. "No, it was Master Zhang who told me."

What?

Li Fan froze. "What did you say? Master Zhang? When? What did he say?"

Yuan Xuan Bao was confused. "Lu Qi heard that the family's merchant caravan was robbed, and Lu Xing and the others had already left ahead of time. He also wanted to rush to help, so he went to ask Master Zhang. Master Zhang saw that he had to go, so he said Tiantai Mountain was dangerous and told him to gather more fellow disciples for safety..."

Something's going to happen!

"Where is Lu Qi locked up!"

"In the lower cabin, I think. What happened?"

Li Fan's expression turned grim. He didn't have time to explain to Yuan Xuan Bao and immediately ran inside, stopping at the lower level.

He saw only Master Yao and Lu Xing standing at Lu Qi's door.

Lu Qi looked bewildered, Lu Xing seemed lost in thought, and Master Yao turned to look at Li Fan, his face as grim as Li Fan's.

Li Fan's heart sank. A confrontation had already occurred.

Master Yao strode past him and went upstairs. Li Fan quickly followed. "Is Master Zhang really lying?"

Master Yao remained silent. Li Fan continued, "If he knew in advance about the sword duel at Tiantai Mountain, then the Lu family people were deliberately lured here.

Inciting Ink Bamboo Mountain and Immortal Palace to duel was also planned in advance by someone.

But no matter who he was working for, since he knew it was a planned trap, why did he still jump into it?

If it was just to contend for luck and overcome tribulations through sword duels, there are plenty of life-saving golden elixirs. Why bring Zhang He with him, risking exposure of practicing demonic arts in secret?

And judging by his desperate fight with Nangong Wuchen, he probably didn't expect Nangong Wuchen to appear at Tiantai Mountain at all, right?

Then, what was Zhang He's sacrificial life prepared for, if not for Nangong Wuchen..."

"What else could it be?" Master Yao pushed open the door, walked onto the deck, and looked westward with a grim expression. "For the sword duel."

In the distance, westward, a treasure tree with sliding doors, colorful clouds, magnificent chariots, and divine steeds filled the sky, blocking the sun. Cranes flew amidst falling rainbow shadows. One could see three imposing beams of light blocking the retreat to Ink Bamboo Mountain.

Disciples of Ink Bamboo Mountain also gathered on the deck to watch.

The three beams of light, from afar to near, landed before the ship in the blink of an eye.

In the center was an old monk in a sea-blue robe and a kapok kasaya. To his left was a female nun wearing a celestial crown and with a white snake wrapped around her arm. To his right was a scholar holding a jade tablet and with a mustache. From a distance, one bloomed with golden lotuses, another had three flowers growing from his head, and the last exuded righteous energy. All were riding clouds and mist, flying through the sky, Nascent Soul Great Cultivators.

Behind each of them, they brought a novice monk, a warrior, and a pageboy as attendants, all disciples in the Foundation Establishment Realm.

"Tiantai Mountain's Faji, here to fulfill the sword duel appointment," the old monk said, cupping his hands.

"Tiantai Mountain's Cijing, here to fulfill the sword duel appointment," the female nun smiled, stroking her snake.

The scholar cupped his hands. "Brother Yao, long time no see. Still alive?"

Yao Xuan Zhou didn't look at the other two, staring only at the scholar. "Zhou Sheng, I knew it was you causing trouble behind the scenes."

The scholar laughed heartily, wagging his finger. "You didn't guess it, did you? If you had, how could I have caught your trail?"

That made sense...

Yao Xuan Zhou rolled his eyes at him and waved his hand. "I won't waste words with you. Today, regarding the matter between Bamboo Mountain and Immortal Palace, does Liqiu Palace also want to get involved? Fine! Come! Let me take your dog head! And then I'll deal with the five pests hiding in the Censorate!"

Zhou Sheng laughed heartily again. "That's where you're wrong. Although I was once the Inspector of Dongjiang, I recently resigned due to mourning my parents. Now I'm just a commoner, drinking tea and listening to music, bored out of my mind, so I accepted the invitation to join the fun.

If all you Fellow Daoists are willing to grace me with your presence, I'll use my humble name as a witness. Brother Yao, please don't shout and spout nonsense, wrongly accusing good people!"

Yao Xuan Zhou frowned. "Mourning? You've been enlightened for five hundred years, what are you mourning? Did your mother die again?"

Zhou Sheng didn't get angry at this either, and chuckled again. "Indeed. Can't I take the dao companion I befriended as my wet nurse? She recently passed away and reincarnated, and I am deeply saddened, so I voluntarily wear mourning for her, can't I?

In short, this matter has nothing to do with Li Country, nor with the Censorate. Brother Yao, don't go around biting indiscriminately and slandering the court. Your death doesn't matter, but it would be bad if you harmed the harmony inside and outside the imperial city!"

Yao Xuan Zhou's brows twitched, choked by his words. "Shameless dog! Fine! It has nothing to do with you! Then I'll kill this pair of demonic heads and eradicate these false Buddhist demonic seeds of Tiantai Mountain!"

Zhou Sheng smiled and shook his head. "Brother Yao is wrong again. Today's opportunity is the sword duel between Tiantai Mountain and Bamboo Mountain. It has nothing to do with Immortal Palace."

"Nothing to do with Immortal Palace!" Yao Xuan Zhou laughed in anger, pointing north. "Then why are they here! To watch the show!"

Li Fan followed his gaze. From the north, a thunderclap sounded, and dark clouds rolled in, bringing three hundred Golden Core heavenly soldiers. They were led by three Nascent Soul generals, arrayed in three divisions. Each wore leopard heads, iron masks, and mountain-patterned armor, with iron scales, golden helmets, and cloud-patterned boots. They wielded staffs, halberds, axes, glaives, sabers, and spears—all eighteen types of weapons were displayed, their killing intent soaring to the heavens, like a flood overwhelming the sea, like dark clouds destroying a city. The mere killing aura of these three hundred men was enough to shake heaven and earth, utterly incomparable to the grand song and dance party of last night.

Zhou Sheng chuckled again, "Oh, they're looking for someone. More than sixteen hundred people went missing yesterday, probably hiding on your sect's ship. We'll search and leave, no delay."

Yao Xuanzhou actually started laughing too, "What, you want to snatch back those Sha corpses, right? Fine, they're right here in my hands, come and get them! You jumping clowns! Let's see who dies first!"

And indeed, they came. From the south, a sharp cry, like a golden string snapping, pierced the air. Then, a line of fire stretched across the sky, unfolding into a golden cloud that burned the accumulated clouds red. In an instant, a giant bird appeared, its wingspan reaching thirty feet. Its body was vermilion, with purple claws and a golden beak. Its wings and the vermilion feathers on its head bore golden patterns of the sun, moon, and stars, respectively, and it emanated Samadhi True Fire, its divine light dazzling.

This, could this be...

'The Heavenly Realm of the Southern Three Qi, the Abode of the Fire Official, the Palace of the Red Emperor, the Fire Virtue of Mars, the divine Vermilion Bird of the well, ghost, willow, star, wing, and chariot constellations.'

'Li Fan's mood dropped by 1 point.'

The giant bird, Vermilion Bird, traveled a thousand miles in an instant, soaring through the air. From afar, several cultivators could be seen standing on its vermilion back. Leading them was a female general in golden armor and a vermilion crown, her face bearing a striking resemblance to the head Master Yao had collected earlier, though at least it was still attached to her neck. She wore a purple-gold crown to tie her hair, with a pair of red pheasant tail feathers hanging down on either side. She was draped in a bright red cloak, holding a fire-tipped spear, exuding an imposing and majestic aura. It was clear at a glance that she was another from the Nangong family.

Beside her seemed to be several other male and female cultivators, dressed in feathered robes and immortal garments, with sashes of purple silk. They wore the attire of the Buddhist, Confucian, and Daoist traditions. Though obscured by the golden flames and vermilion feathers, their figures were indistinct from afar. However, a five-colored divine light radiated from each of their heads, vibrant and varied, indicating that they were all at the Nascent Soul realm.

'Profound Heaven Sword Intent expresses, Ugh, this is messed up.'

Zhou Sheng suddenly burst into loud laughter, his voice like rolling thunder, "Brother Yao, your sect's actions are too arrogant and overbearing! It was merely a misunderstanding, yet you razed the Tiantai Mountain dojo! Slaughtered countless people! And even stole the ancestral treasures of Luo Temple! Although I, Zhou Hao, am but a commoner, I cannot stand by and watch you disregard the law! Murder and theft! Acting with impunity!"

The monk also raised his voice, "Faji knows he cannot defeat Lou Guan's demonic arts, but he must also avenge his wrongly deceased disciples! Master Yao, please enlighten me!"

The nun Cijing also cried out in a feigned sob, "Lou Guan's evil ways! Bullying others with power! You harmed my Dao companion! I beg Immortal Palace to uphold justice!"

Following this, from the back of the Vermilion Bird, led by the female general of the Nangong family, four stars took flight. Together with the three Nascent Soul cultivators from the west, they headed straight for the treasure ship of Ink Bamboo Mountain. The northern army remained motionless, merely unfurling their banners, with black winds swirling, likely deploying some kind of formation.

Yao Xuanzhou watched them perform, his gaze fixed on the people who had arrived on the Vermilion Bird's back from the south, remaining silent.

Li Fan also looked at the Vermilion Bird to the south, the northern army formation, the monks and nuns from the west, and finally turned to look towards the east. The sky was clear and vast, the blue sky washed clean...

Ten against one, and they're still playing all sorts of schemes, surrounding three sides and leaving one open? Are there still formations, traps, and ambushes hidden? Do they have any shame at all...

'Profound Heaven Sword Intent expresses, Host, the opportunity for this killing tribulation has been reversed by that glib scholar. Little Yao will probably abandon you all and escape alone later. Watch for your chance, and if necessary, defect to the Immortal Palace side. Remember, your face is attached to your head; prioritize survival. Absolutely do not get carried away...'

"The others are manageable, but that dog Zhou Hao has seen my sword techniques, so he'll be troublesome. If I can't kill them all within three moves, it'll still be death in the end..." Yao Xuanzhou's expression was grave. He glanced at his pale-faced disciples around him and finally sighed, "I can't protect you all when the fighting starts. There's only one way... Come! Let's draw straws! A sword duel!"

'Profound Heaven Sword Intent expresses, It's over, Little Yao is already getting carried away...'