Slaying Lingyun with One Sword

The mountain breeze blew gently.

The river flowed slowly east.

Occasionally, fallen leaves drifted down, spiraling on the wind before settling on the river or beneath the trees.

Lin Xiaosu strolled along, seemingly savoring scenery that lay only a wall away from that other world, yet was utterly different.

A mountain spur lay ahead. Once he rounded it, the view suddenly opened up.

Tall mountains towered before him.

A distant city hid among clouds and mist.

The river on his left broadened, spreading gradually with the lay of the land.

Suddenly, he planted his foot and stopped on the mountain path.

He slowly raised his head.

With a whoosh, the mountain wind swept past.

A figure appeared out of thin air before him.

Almost simultaneously, another appeared out of thin air behind him.

He recognized their clothing. A cloud pattern flowed down from the shoulder to the hem. He had to admit that this single cloud motif lent their otherwise ordinary blue robes a touch of elegance.

The Heavenly Beauty Palace!

These were the Heavenly Beauty Palace's robes.

Cloud patterns on the shoulder were reserved for elders.

A cloud pattern on the left shoulder marked a top-ranking elder; one on the right marked an ordinary elder.

Both men had their cloud patterns on the left.

"Lin Xiaosu!" The old man ahead spoke his name, softly yet clearly amid the howling wind.

"Top-ranking elders of the Heavenly Beauty Palace!" Lin Xiaosu said. "May I ask what guidance you have for me?"

Zheng Lingyun, standing ahead, said, "We have two things to tell you!"

"Please, go ahead!"

"The first!" Zheng Lingyun said. "Our sect is displeased with your blockade of Kun Cang."

Lin Xiaosu smiled faintly. "And the second?"

"The second!" said Zheng Tuo, the Fourth Elder behind him. "I, on the