On the third day after the Mountains and Rivers Cauldron awoke, the Green Mountain Daoist Temple welcomed an uninvited guest.
It was afternoon, and the autumn sun was shining obliquely, casting an extremely long shadow of the withered tree in the courtyard.
Qi Yun remained seated cross-legged beneath the tree, his aura calm and serene, as if he had become one with the world around him.
The Mountains and Rivers Cauldron hangs in the corner of the courtyard, with nine divine dragons slowly swimming around it. The Xuanhuang flowing over the cauldron is even brighter than it was a few days ago.
Cai Kun transformed into a humanoid phantom, sitting cross-legged beside the cauldron, and was rambling on to his fourteenth brother about his experiences over the years.
The Mountains and Rivers Cauldron occasionally emitted a low hum, as if in response or perhaps expressing its feelings.
Just then, Qi Yun opened his eyes.
His gaze passed over the low wall of the courtyard and landed on the southeastern horizon.
There, the clouds churned, and a faint blue Flowing Light was rapidly approaching.
When he sensed the aura of that stream of Flowing Light, the sealed grayish-white remnant in his sleeve twitched very slightly.
The flicker was so faint as to be almost imperceptible, like a candle flame in the wind being gently stirred by an invisible hand.
Qi Yun's eyes flickered slightly, but he ignored it.
"We have guests," he said casually.
Cai Kun was taken aback, glanced back, and then slowly nodded, transforming into a golden light that disappeared into the Mountains and Rivers Cauldron.
The Xuanhuang on the cauldron slightly diminished, and the movement of the nine divine dragons became slow and steady, as if it were just an ordinary ancient artifact.
A moment later, the streak of blue Flowing Light reached the sky above the Green Mountain Daoist Temple.
The Flowing Light faded, revealing a figure dressed in a blue robe with an ancient sword at his waist.
Sword Pavilion, the Qingyuan True Lord Wendao.
He did not land directly in the courtyard, but hovered above the Daoist temple, his gaze calmly sweeping over the small courtyard below.
"Fellow Daoist Qingyuan has come from afar, why not come in and have a chat?" Qi Yun's voice was not loud, but it clearly reached the high sky.
Qingyuan True Lord Wendao nodded slightly, and with a sway of his figure, he landed in the courtyard.
He stood opposite the withered tree, no more than three zhang away from Qi Yun.
The ancient sword hung at his waist, its scabbard simple and unadorned, exuding no aura whatsoever, yet possessing a profound and dignified stillness.
" Primordial Unity Daoist Hunyuan," he bowed respectfully, his voice clear and melodious like the ringing of a sword, "I hope you will forgive my unannounced visit."
Qi Yun slightly raised his hand, and a gentle force lifted a stone bench not far away, moving it to True Lord Qingyuan's side.
"Fellow Daoist, you're too kind. Please have a seat."
True Lord Qingyuan did not refuse and sat down with a flick of his sleeve.
His gaze lingered on the Mountains and Rivers Cauldron for a moment, then looked at the faint gray-white halo emanating from Qi Yun's sleeve, a knowing glint in his eyes.
"It seems Primordial Unity Daoist Hunyuan has made considerable progress recently," he said calmly, his tone revealing neither joy nor anger.
Qi Yun's lips curled slightly, remaining noncommittal. "Fellow Daoist, what brings you here?"
True Lord Qingyuan did not answer immediately.
He raised his gaze, looking over the low wall of the courtyard, towards the western horizon.
There, the clouds were thick, and the twilight was vast; nothing could be seen clearly.
But he lingered in that direction longer than he did looking at the Mountains and Rivers Cauldron and that lingering remnant.
Qi Yun noticed this detail but didn't point it out.
" The Great Tide of Time is approaching." True Lord Qingyuan finally spoke, his voice soft yet carrying an undeniable certainty. "Does Primordial Unity Daoist Hunyuan know what this means?"
Qi Yun's brow twitched almost imperceptibly.
The Great Tide of Time.
He had only heard this word from True Lord Contemplating the One and Demon Master Kunpeng.
Those two were, one a former Dao King who had severed his own rank, and the other a Grand Tutor of the High Antiquity Demon Race.
They are all at that level, so it's not surprising that they know these secrets.
But True Lord Qingyuan ----
Qi Yun's gaze deepened. He didn't press True Lord Qingyuan about where he had learned those four words.
Some things are better left unasked.
Asking will only lead to carefully crafted answers.
You should see for yourself.
"This means that the barrier between the Xuanhuang Home Realm and the outer void will become weaker," he said calmly, continuing True Lord Qingyuan's words, "It means that those beings hiding in the shadows can more easily spy on this place."
This means someone might take advantage of the situation.
True Lord Qingyuan nodded slightly.
" The World-Honored One is one of them."
But not only the World-Honored One.
He didn't continue, but his meaning was crystal clear.
Qi Yun fell silent. He knew, of course, that the World-Honored One was not the only player in this game of chess.
The True Lord Contemplating the One, the Demon Master Kunpeng, and the unknown entity hidden behind the door behind that wisp of remnant spirit----
Everyone has their own calculations; everyone is waiting for the flowers to bloom and the fruit to fall.
"So, fellow Daoist, you've come today to offer a reminder to me?" Qi Yun asked calmly.
True Lord Qingyuan did not answer immediately.
He raised his right hand, his thumb gently pressing against the hilt of the sword.
The ancient sword emitted a very low hum, as if it had sensed something.
"It's not a reminder," he said slowly, "It's an alliance."
To form an alliance.
It seemed somewhat strange that these two words came from the mouth of Qingyuan True Lord Wendao.
A righteous True Lord, who leads the righteous path, comes to seek an alliance with a demonic True Lord.
Qi Yun's gaze shifted slightly.
"An alliance? Sword Pavilion and my Holy Sect?"
"Not just," True Lord Qingyuan shook his head, "It's you and me."
He looked directly at Qi Yun, his gaze open and honest.
"Once the Great Tide of Time arrives, the barrier of the Xuanhuang Home Realm will weaken, allowing the Dao King to unleash even more power."
At that time, neither the World-Honored One nor any other being will let this opportunity pass.
"And within the Xuanhuang Home Realm, only one being qualified to contend with Dao King level being—" He paused, "Is Primordial Unity Daoist Hunyuan."
Qi Yun did not respond immediately. He slowly stood up, walked to the center of the courtyard, and looked up at the sky obscured by thick clouds.
The lingering resentment within his sleeve flickered extremely slightly the moment he stood up.
This time, Qi Yun clearly sensed the source of that pulsation.
It wasn't the lingering regret itself, but rather the faint, elusive Sword Intent deep within that regret.
It seems to have some subtle connection with the arrival of True Lord Qingyuan, like ripples on a lake, gently touched by a pebble thrown from afar.
Qi Yun's heart stirred slightly, but his face remained expressionless.
"Fellow Daoist overestimates me," he said calmly. "In a contest between Dao King, I am merely a novice; how could I possibly contend with such a game?"
" Primordial Unity Daoist Hunyuan is too modest." True Lord Qingyuan also stood up, walked to Qi Yun's side, and stood shoulder to shoulder with him.
"Having attained the [ Primordial Unity ] Dao, one transforms fruit into elixir, and the Great Dao follows one's body."
Throughout Xuanhuang ages, only you, Fellow Daoist, have been able to achieve this.
His gaze fell on the Mountains and Rivers Cauldron, then he looked at the faint gray-white halo in Qi Yun's sleeve.
"Moreover, fellow Daoist already holds the key to changing the course of the game."
Qi Yun neither denied nor admitted it.
The autumn wind swept through the courtyard, blowing the last few withered leaves from the bare branches, which swirled in the air and lingered for a long time before falling to the ground.
"What does fellow Daoist desire?" he suddenly asked.
True Lord Qingyuan remained silent for a moment.
" The Sword Dao," he said slowly, " Sword Dao Fruition Status remained high above All Wonders Heaven throughout the ages, and no one has ever been able to truly and completely refine it."
Because that Fruition Status was too domineering and too powerful, it suppressed many Sword Dao Fruition Status, causing some Great True Person Sword Dao masters to be unable to attain the Dao and become a sovereign.
He looked at Qi Yun, his gaze intense.
"But Primordial Unity Daoist Hunyuan is different."
Your [ Primordial Unity ] Way governs all laws and encompasses all heavens.
"If you were to refine that Sword Dao Fruition Status, all cultivators who practice the Sword Dao in the future would benefit from it."
"At that time, the Sword Dao lineage will usher in a new era!"
Qi Yun remained silent for a moment.
Of course he knew which Fruition Status True Lord Qingyuan was referring to.
The Immortal-Slaying Dao Fruit.
That peerless weapon he carried with him, the one that had once slain the Lord of the Ancient Coffin with a single sword strike from beyond the realm.
"Fellow Daoist, you've certainly got a good plan," he said calmly, a faint smile playing on his lips.
True Lord Qingyuan's expression remained unchanged. "This is a win-win situation."
For Primordial Unity Daoist Hunyuan, refining your Sword Dao Fruition Status is the icing on the cake.
For the lineage of Sword Dao, this is a monumental achievement for generations to come.
"Moreover—" His voice paused slightly, " The Great Tide of Time is approaching, Xuanhuang Home Realm needs more True Lord are skilled in battle."
"And in the Sword Dao, killing is paramount."
Qi Yun did not answer immediately.
He turned around, walked back to the withered tree, and sat down cross-legged again.
The autumn wind brushed against his robes, causing the dark blue Daoist robe to flutter slightly.
"I have taken your words to heart, fellow Daoist," he said calmly. "Give me a few days to consider."
True Lord Qingyuan nodded slightly, without urging him.
He bowed respectfully, his figure transforming into a streak of azure Flowing Light that soared into the sky and vanished into the horizon in an instant.
But in the instant he left, his gaze once again swept westward.
There, the clouds churned, dusk deepened, and nothing could be seen.
Qi Yun witnessed all of this.
He withdrew his gaze and closed his eyes.
The lingering thought within his sleeve had now completely subsided, no longer flickering.
Those two slight palpitations he felt earlier were just his imagination.
But he knew it wasn't an illusion.
"Young Qi." Cai Shen's spiritual energy emanated from the Mountains and Rivers Cauldron, tinged with doubt, "How does True Lord Qingyuan know about the Great Tide of Time?"
That's not—"
"I don't know," Qi Yun interrupted him, saying calmly, "Perhaps it was True Lord Contemplating the One who told him, or perhaps it was someone else."
"Who else?" Cai Shen was taken aback. "Who?"
Qi Yun did not answer.
He simply raised his gaze and looked westward.
That was the direction that True Lord Qingyuan looked in twice when he left.
It was also in the direction of that majestic ancient city in that lingering memory.
"Interesting," Qi Yun muttered to himself, a faint smile playing on his lips.
He did not pursue the matter further.
Because he knew that those lurking in the shadows wouldn't let him easily see the whole picture.
They will only gradually advance the game, allowing those who are meant to enter to step in one by one.
All he could do was wait.
Wait until they can't hold back any longer, wait until they reveal a weakness, wait until they personally hand that crucial piece to him.
Several days passed in the blink of an eye.
"Senior Cai." On this day, Qi Yun, who was meditating in deep cultivation, suddenly spoke.
"Yes, I'm here," Cai Shen replied quickly.
"Go and deliver a message." Qi Yun's eyes were half-closed, his voice calm, yet carrying an undeniable certainty.
"Tell Fellow Daoist Qingyuan about what he mentioned—"
I agree.