A Brief Respite (3)

The direct disciples here, however, had become intrigued.

Though they were already the cream of the crop among the many disciples, their means of learning about the world beyond Lingshu Heaven Domain were truly limited. Most could only piece together vague impressions from scattered snippets in books and ancient records, or from storytellers' tales.

The Hundred Sects Tournament, held once every ten years, was hosted in turn by different renowned sects and great schools, and there were no lack of sects from other domains among them.

However, they had only joined the sect ten or twenty years ago at most. Besides, the Four Clans and Three Monarchies, along with the Demon Race, had always disdained participating in such competitions organized by cultivation sects.

Furthermore, most sects remained concentrated within Lingshu Heaven Domain. Naturally, the Hundred Sects Tournament was also held there most of the time. With all these reasons intertwined, none of them had ever truly set foot beyond their domain.

These spirited young men and women had always been filled with boundless longing for unknown lands. It was one thing when the subject had not been brought up, but now that Lin Huaixu had mentioned it, the curiosity in their hearts surged like floodwaters after a breached dam, impossible to restrain any longer.

They crowded around him one after another, eagerly urging Lin Huaixu to continue. Alas, Lin Huaixu merely spread his hands helplessly and said, "As for matters beyond our domain, this is all I know."

Amid the disappointed sighs of the junior brothers and sisters, Zhou Wan lightly covered her mouth and said with a gentle smile, "Junior Brother, stop teasing them. Even if you have no news from outside our domain, surely you have other interesting stories?"

At her words, everyone immediately perked up again.

Yet Feng Yue felt a faint, inexplicable unease rise within him, like ripples spreading without cause across a tranquil lake, leaving him with an ominous premonition.

Sure enough, at that very moment, Lin Huaixu's smiling eyes, like peach blossoms in spring, turned directly toward him. With a teasing expression that was neither quite a smile nor not a smile, Lin Huaixu joked, "Third Senior Brother, how come I've never heard you mention that you know someone from the Four Clans?"

That was right. This fellow, who always loved joining in the fun and whose curiosity was practically bursting from his chest, had ultimately failed to hold back and opened his mouth to court disaster like a moth flying into a flame.

Feng Yue froze at once, his face full of confusion. His swordlike brows drew together slightly as he asked in bafflement, "When did I ever know anyone from the Four Clans?"

Seeing how utterly clueless he looked, Lin Huaixu could not help frowning slightly, surprise flashing through his eyes. "Wait, you really don't know at all?"

"Know what? Stop speaking in riddles and tell me clearly." Feng Yue still looked completely lost, the confusion in his eyes growing heavier.

"..." Lin Huaixu looked at this straight-laced man of steel, who only knew how to bury his head in cultivation, with a face full of pity. Feng Yue's fists hardened under that gaze.

"Third Senior Brother, don't you have a marriage alliance partner? The one who ran away from the marriage without a word." Lin Huaixu shook his head helplessly and kindly reminded him.

The moment the junior brothers and sisters heard this, the crowd exploded like a pot boiling over.

"!!! Good heavens, you really picked the one pot that wouldn't boil to lift its lid, Fifth Senior Brother. You truly are a real warrior!"

Feng Yue: "..."

After quite a while, he finally seemed to understand. A flash of realization crossed his eyes as he hesitantly asked, "You mean..."

"That's right. Your never-before-met marriage alliance partner is a descendant of the Nian Clan, one of the Four Ancient Clans." Lin Huaixu spoke with certainty, not forgetting to smugly wave the folding fan in his hand.

"The ancient Nian Clan?" Song Zhiyi repeated in surprise, his eyes widening round with disbelief written all over his face.

"So they looked down on Third Senior Brother? What kind of ancient clan is that? They're dogs looking down on people!" Little Junior Sister said angrily, her small face flushed red as she planted her hands on her hips.

"..." Feng Yue was momentarily speechless. His lips moved slightly, yet he could not force out a single word. He had truly not expected to be looked down upon for no reason in such a situation.

"Hold on!" Lin Huaixu raised his folding fan and lightly tapped the table, signaling everyone to quiet down. A thoughtful look appeared on his face.

"In my opinion, things may not be that simple. Second Senior Brother's exact words were—'I hope Third Junior Brother's life is tough enough.' I'm afraid there is quite a complicated entanglement between that marriage partner and Third Senior Brother."

Feng Yue was utterly bewildered. "??? Since when did I suddenly need my life to be tough enough??"

Ye Jingxuan suddenly understood. "So that's how it is."

Everyone turned to look at him and asked in unison, "What do you mean, 'so that's how it is'? Stop keeping us in suspense."

Ye Jingxuan looked embarrassed. Scratching his head, he explained, "Didn't Second Senior Brother mention Third Senior Brother's marriage fate before? That thing about..."

With that reminder, Feng Yue suddenly remembered as well. Words like "dual cultivation" and "crippled his cultivation for a beauty" flashed through his mind like lightning, and his face immediately darkened like the bottom of a pot.

Lin Huaixu had not known about this matter before. The instant he heard it, his curiosity erupted like a powder keg set alight, exploding with a boom.

Ye Jingxuan still considered his senior brother's dignity and did not put it too bluntly, but Little Junior Sister failed to notice Feng Yue's already-darkened face and said carelessly, "Oh, oh! That one! 'Well, Third Junior Brother crippled his cultivation for a beauty, after all.'"

This little girl remembered Shen Yuxi's words perfectly, and she imitated them vividly. Her tone and expression were practically identical. Feng Yue's face grew even uglier, dark enough to drip water.

Lin Huaixu said excitedly, "An ancient clan descendant, fleeing a marriage, crippling his cultivation for a beauty—and did I hear something about dual cultivation too? Wow, Third Senior Brother, I suddenly can't stop wondering about the emotional entanglements between you and this fiancée. How about I go investigate for you again? Maybe I can dig up even more interesting things."

"You are not allowed to go!" Feng Yue hurriedly stopped him, his voice unconsciously rising as panic filled his expression. Put together, all this information was indeed rather more than he could bear.

At that moment, Feng Yue had no desire whatsoever to learn anything more. The information he already knew was enough to make his head ache as though it were about to explode.

Seeing Feng Yue so nervous, Lin Huaixu found the matter even more amusing. A crafty light flickered in his eyes as he feigned grievance. "Third Senior Brother, why are you being so fierce? I'm only worried about you."

Feng Yue took a deep breath and tried hard to calm the turmoil in his heart. He shot Lin Huaixu a fierce glare and said, "Stop adding to the chaos. This matter ends here. No one is allowed to mention it again."

But how could the junior brothers and sisters let such a juicy piece of gossip go so easily? Little Junior Sister tugged at Feng Yue's sleeve and pleaded sweetly, "Third Senior Brother, tell us a little more. What exactly happened? Why did they flee the marriage?"

Feng Yue sighed helplessly, rubbing at his aching head. "I really don't know. We never even met. The marriage alliance was decided by the elders of our families, and I only learned the details from all of you today."

Zhou Wan brushed the rim of her teacup, her fingertip tracing faint watery marks across the celadon. In a gentle voice, she said, "Since it was a marriage arranged by the family, that person must have had some unspeakable hardship to resort to such a helpless act as fleeing the marriage."

"Hmph! What hardship can't be said outright?" Little Junior Sister slapped the table, making the plates of tea snacks clink. With puffed cheeks, she grabbed a piece of osmanthus cake. "I say they simply looked down on our Third Senior Brother. Everyone knows those ancient clans have always held their heads high above the clouds and disdained associating with sects and cultivation families."

"Ow!" Before she had finished speaking, Lin Huaixu's folding fan had lightly struck her hair bun. He leaned against the bamboo railing, moonlight painting his features like a picture, while the ink bamboo on his fan seemed to come alive beneath the moon.

Watching Little Junior Sister clutch her head in protest, he raised a brow slightly and said with a half-smile, "You little girl, where did you hear such hearsay?"

Little Junior Sister hurriedly covered her head. She looked both aggrieved and stubborn as she muttered, "Everyone says so!"

"That does not mean it must be true." Eighth Junior Sister Chu Xuan sprawled lazily over the table, one elbow propped against it and her chin resting in her palm. Her sleeve slipped down slightly, revealing a red cord strung with a copper coin around her wrist.

The wine jug by her hand was already empty. It was impossible to tell whether she was sleepy or drunk. Half-closing her eyes, she spoke slowly, "Though quite a few people say such things, most are nameless nobodies passing falsehoods from mouth to mouth. I have never heard any renowned senior say anything of the sort."

Zhou Wan lightly tapped her fingertips against the tabletop in a steady rhythm. From afar came the soft rustle of bamboo leaves brushing against one another, strangely blending with her tapping.

"Come to think of it, I have searched through nearly every copy of the Chronicle of the Nine Domains in the Scripture Pavilion, yet the records concerning the Four Ancient Clans are all vague and incomplete."

Tilting her head slightly, she said thoughtfully, "On the contrary, rumors among common folk are told with great color and detail. But whenever one presses for specifics, no one can provide a single concrete example."

"Senior Sister, that only means you haven't listened enough." Lin Huaixu laughed as he teased her. "Some teahouse storytellers can even fabricate, vividly and lifelike, how many dishes were served at a Four Ancient Clans family banquet."

"Still... that is indeed true." With a swish, Lin Huaixu opened his folding fan, the ink bamboo upon it trembling faintly with the motion.

The smile vanished from his face, and his expression turned solemn. "This is precisely the strangest part. The Three Imperial Dynasties have the detailed Annals of Mountains and Rivers, but the Four Ancient Clans? Their names are famous, yet everything heard about them is mere street gossip. Strange, truly strange."

"Even Fifth Senior Brother has not heard much?" Little Junior Sister asked curiously, looking up at him.

After thinking for a moment, Lin Huaixu said, "I know a little of the surface. You all know about the Heavenly Demon Abyss, right?"

"Who doesn't?" Chu Xuan leaned against a corridor pillar and yawned. The scent of wine wafted from her broad sleeves, and drunkenness tinged the corners of her eyes as she looked half-asleep. "Isn't it the place where the Devil Race is said to be sealed?"

Lin Huaixu nodded and continued, "A thousand years ago, the Devil Race shattered the barrier between worlds. Heaven and earth changed color, and living beings suffered devastation. With the aid of the sects at the time, the heads of the Four Ancient Clans used themselves as sacrifices and exhausted all their strength before they could seal the Devil Race forever at the bottom of the abyss."

Little Junior Sister curled her lips, rather unimpressed. "After the war, Unquenchable Sect was founded. The Unquenchable Patriarch swore an oath that his sect would guard the seal for generations and prevent the Devil Race from returning to the mortal realm. Even three-year-old children know that story. Senior Brother is still telling it?"

"Don't rush." The corners of his lips lifted as his folding fan lightly tapped his palm. "It is said that the great war exhausted the ancient clans' foundations. The Four Clans were gravely weakened, and from then on, they retreated into seclusion, leaving no trace behind."

A bamboo leaf drifted into a cup, sending faint ripples across the water's surface. Lin Huaixu rubbed the cup's rim with his fingertips and watched the leaf spin within before continuing.

"Nowadays, what the world knows of the ancient clans is the tale of the Nian Clan's unwavering devotion to their Dao companions. Yet apart from those folk ballads, we know nothing at all about the Nian Clan. Their descendants never set foot in the mortal world, and news between the Nine Domains does not flow freely. It is as though they live in another world."

Lin Huaixu rubbed the ribs of his fan, his expression faintly mocking. "Next is the Ling Clan. When it comes to the Ling Clan, the street rumors are even more exciting than a storyteller's scripts."

"Some say they can control the weather, while others claim they raise evil beasts. Yet every version differs, and the descriptions in them differ by ten thousand miles. Gather them all together and you could make an entire Strange Tales of the Nine Domains. It is nothing more than groundless slander."

"Once such tales have spread for long enough, even if there were a grain of truth in them, it would turn into an absurd stage play." Lin Huaixu shook his head helplessly, finding the rumors both amusing and exasperating.

"As for the Ye Clan..." His voice suddenly lowered, carrying a hint of temptation. "I have indeed heard some interesting whispers."

He suddenly leaned closer. Everyone instinctively held their breath; even Chu Xuan opened her hazy drunken eyes.

"At some unknown time, a number of mysterious assassin organizations quietly emerged in the martial world. They moved in secret, like ghosts hidden in darkness."

"They never asked for reasons, only recognized money. Every one of them possessed profound cultivation and ruthless methods. No matter how deeply their target hid or how high the target's cultivation, so long as the price was right, the target would surely lie dead on the spot by the next day."

"And no matter how painstakingly others investigated, they could never uncover where these organizations came from. It was as though they had appeared from thin air."

Ye Jingxuan sucked in a cold breath. "Could it be..."

"It is exactly that 'could it be.'" Lin Huaixu tapped the face of his fan with a fingertip. "Under the weight of a huge reward, the All-Knowing Network, which claimed to know all affairs under heaven, finally loosened its lips—the assassins who followed their targets like shadows were actually descendants of the Ye Clan, the once-famous family of saviors."

Little Junior Sister could not help covering her lips as a muffled gasp escaped her.

"It is said that severe internal strife broke out within the Ye Clan. The family gradually declined, and left with no choice, they took this as their means of survival."

Upon hearing this, Ye Jingxuan could not help sighing deeply. "The Four Ancient Clans... they were heroic families that saved the entire Nine Domains. Have they truly fallen to such a state?"

Zhou Wan could not help letting out a soft sigh as well. "It truly is deeply lamentable."

Lin Huaixu's expression suddenly sharpened as he said gravely, "Do not underestimate them. A starved camel is still bigger than a horse."

His folding fan snapped shut with a crack. "The All-Knowing Network's influence spread throughout the Nine Domains, and it thought itself in control of every secret in the world. What happened in the end? Because it leaked information about the Ye Clan, the Ye Clan settled accounts with it. In a single night, every stronghold in the dark domain was uprooted. Blood flowed through the ditches for three whole days."

"From then on, they had no choice but to tuck their tails between their legs. So long as a matter concerned the ancient clans, they no longer dared speak carelessly."

"Even if they became assassins to make a living, that did not mean anyone could go stomping on them."

Feng Yue frowned slightly, a contemplative look on his face. "The All-Knowing Network truly brought it upon itself, but wiping them out over this seems a little excessive."

"Perhaps it is a difference in local customs. Those fools from the All-Knowing Network." Lin Huaixu suddenly gave a cold laugh, contempt flashing through his eyes. "What did they think the dark domain was? Back then, the Ye Clan took in Demonic Cultivators expelled from every domain. That was destined to make the law of the jungle prevail there."

"The Ye Clan was not particularly hostile to Demonic Cultivators merely for existing, but Demonic Cultivators were rejected by everyone precisely because they were prone to losing control. They had also caused casualties for the Ye Clan."

"The norm in Silent Night Dark Domain was slaughter. If there was no conflict, everyone lived peacefully together. If a conflict arose, one died and one lived, and peace lasted until the next conflict appeared."

"That is the way of survival in the dark domain." Lin Huaixu looked toward the deepening night overhead. "The All-Knowing Network could be considered to have adapted to local customs. After getting bitten once, they learned their lesson. There would certainly still be new strongholds afterward, but they definitely would not dare display them so openly as before."

"As for the Bai Clan, they are even more mysterious."

"Not even the tiniest scrap of information about the Bai Clan can leak out. The only thing anyone has heard is that the Bai Clan specializes in forbidden arts and secret techniques."

"The Ling Clan seemingly does not care much about outside rumors, and spreading lies about them brings little punishment. But no one is unafraid of the Bai Clan's forbidden arts; everyone fears becoming entangled in a curse."

As night deepened, he looked at the waning moon in the sky and concluded, "The Nian Clan is basically cut off from the world, the Ling Clan's rumors are impossible to distinguish between true and false, and the Ye Clan is even more taboo to discuss. Everyone knows the Bai Clan excels in forbidden arts, and no one even dares fabricate rumors about them."

The lanterns beneath the corridor lit one after another. The figures gathered around the table cast layer upon layer of shadows over the blue bricks, while only Lin Huaixu's voice echoed leisurely through the night, recounting secrets a thousand years old.

Nine Domains Encyclopedia:

○ Heavenly Demon War

A thousand years ago, the Devil Race shattered the barrier between worlds, bringing calamity to the world and leaving living beings in misery. It brought an immense disaster upon the entire Nine Domains.

At the moment of crisis, the Four Ancient Clans stepped forward and took the initiative to unite the forces of the Nine Domains. With the aid of the sects, they gave everything they had and paid a terrible price before finally sealing the Devil Race.

After the war, Unquenchable Sect was founded. The Unquenchable Patriarch swore an oath that his sect would guard the seal for generations and prevent the Devil Race from returning to the mortal realm.

○ Heavenly Demon Abyss

Located within Nether Abyss Forbidden Domain, it is the core of the forbidden domain. A thousand years ago, the cultivation world joined forces to seal the Devil Race here. Devilish qi churns like a black undercurrent, constantly threatening every realm. The seal only affects members of the Devil Race whose devilish qi is powerful enough; weaker members can instead pass through it easily.

It has been guarded by Unquenchable Sect disciples for generations. Should any member of the Devil Race cross the seal, they will kill it to prevent harm from coming to the Nine Domains.

○ The Difference Between the Devil Race and Demonic Cultivators

Demonic Cultivators are defined by their method of cultivation. It is a difference in cultivation path.

The Devil Race is defined by innate attributes. It is a difference in species.

Demonic Cultivators are still cultivators, while the Devil Race is simply another species.

○ All-Knowing Network

Its influence spreads throughout the Nine Domains, and it controls secrets from across the world, claiming to know all affairs under heaven. It has branches in every domain, some operating openly and others in secret. It is the organization that understands the conditions of every domain best.

It makes its living selling intelligence. Once, someone sold information about the Ye Clan, only to be settled with by the Ye Clan afterward. The entire branch in Silent Night Dark Domain became a river of blood overnight. Since then, it has become especially cautious when buying and selling intelligence. (But it still loves stirring up trouble.)

○ [Nether Abyss Forbidden Domain]

Located at the extreme north of the Nine Domains: an abyss.

Within Nether Abyss Forbidden Domain, eternal day and eternal night coexist, with the sun and moon hanging high in the sky at the same time. The surface of this forbidden zone, known as the "scar of heaven and earth," is covered in crystallized remnants of battlefields.

A thousand years ago, the cultivation world joined forces to seal the rampaging Devil Race here. After that, Unquenchable Sect took up the grave duty of resisting devils. The sect's body cultivators practiced in a unique manner: they had to temper themselves in places overflowing with devilish qi, enduring the agonizing pain of being eroded by it.

The Heavenly Demon Abyss is the core of the forbidden domain. Devilish qi churns like a black undercurrent, constantly threatening every realm. The forbidden domain has been eroded by devilish qi; its air is heavy, its spiritual qi thin, and it is gloomy, terrifying, and bitterly cold. Yet the disciples of Unquenchable Sect have never retreated. With their flesh and blood, they built an unbreakable barrier protecting every realm and became the final line of defense for peace.

The forbidden domain is also one of the gathering places for Demonic Cultivators. After Demonic Cultivators were suppressed and expelled from the various domains, the forbidden domain and the dark domain became their two major gathering places. Dawncry Manor is also the surviving force most adept at making use of devilish qi.

Though Unquenchable Sect and Dawncry Manor have conflicts, during special periods they also join hands to reinforce the seal and often exchange knowledge concerning research into devilish qi.

Though Dawncry Manor looks down equally upon most cultivation sects, regardless of righteous or evil alignment, it is far more generous toward Unquenchable Sect. Their relationship is both hostile and friendly.

Main forces: Unquenchable Sect, Dawncry Manor

○ [Silent Night Dark Domain]

Located in the northwest of the Nine Domains, it is primarily mountainous and forested, with jagged strange rocks. Dense dark aura hangs heavily over the entire region like thick storm clouds, giving it a suffocating and sinister feeling.

Demonic Cultivators move about here like ghosts. They diligently cultivate through unique demonic arts, pursuing the pinnacle of power with single-minded devotion. To achieve this, their conduct and methods are often cruel and bizarre, leaving the forces of other domains filled with fear and wariness toward them.

Friction between the dark domain and other domains never ceases, and conflicts occur frequently. It has become one of the factors causing unrest in the cultivation world.

The ancient Ye Clan has also taken root here. The Ye Clan possesses a strict internal hierarchy, and discrimination born from differences in status is extremely severe. Disputes often erupt within the family, yet whenever they face outside aggression, they can instantly cast aside former grievances, share a common hatred for the enemy, and unite against outsiders.

The current leader of the Ye Clan harbors extraordinary ambitions. Like an eagle lying in wait, he constantly covets a higher position and greater power. As a family of assassins, the Ye Clan has many body cultivators. With their agile movements and superb assassination techniques, their members have earned a fearsome reputation in the cultivation world.

Although the Ye Clan and Demonic Cultivators share some similarities, their essences are as far apart as heaven and earth.

The Ye Clan is not particularly hostile to Demonic Cultivators merely for existing, yet Demonic Cultivators have likewise caused casualties for the Ye Clan. The norm in Silent Night Dark Domain is slaughter. If there is no conflict, everyone lives peacefully together. If conflict arises, they fight to the death.

Main forces: ancient Ye Clan (Quyang Fort, Pavilion of No Return, Shadow Hall, and others), Nether Swan Hall