Chapter 1077:

Xu Fengnian pondered for a moment before asking, “Is it Chen Zhibao? Or Gu Jiantang?”

Jiang Fuding grinned. “Guess again.”

Xu Fengnian cast a sidelong glance at the favored son of the half-tongued Yuan Benxi. “Just like the first time we met, you still look like you have ‘punch me’ written on your forehead.”

After a brief pause, Xu Fengnian amended, “Actually, ‘asking for death’ might be more accurate.”

Jiang Fuding tilted his head slightly, as if reminiscing. “All these years I’ve spent in the capital, I’ve often wondered—what if we had met before Zhao Kai was killed? What if we’d crossed paths by chance in the martial world back then? Would we have hit it off like you and that wooden-sword wanderer? Could we have shared a table, drinking from big bowls and feasting on meat?”

Xu Fengnian merely chuckled in response.

Jiang Fuding answered his own question. “But alas, life has no ‘what ifs.’ And now, here we are. Well, so be it.”

Snapping back to the present, Jiang Fuding asked, “Aren’t you going to ask if this siege was the Emperor’s idea?”

Xu Fengnian replied indifferently, “It doesn’t matter.”

Jiang Fuding pressed on, “Then won’t you ask if the blind Lu Xu had a hand in it?”

Xu Fengnian raised an eyebrow but remained silent.

Above and below the mountain, two talismans resonated with the heavens and earth, their overwhelming power nearing its climax, exuding a rare celestial pressure.

Yet at this moment, Jiang Fuding sighed, his expression suddenly clouded with inexplicable gloom.

Xu Fengnian burst into laughter. “After all these years of careful scheming, you still ended up coming here just to get beaten. Jiang Fuding, your luck has never been good.”

Jiang Fuding grimaced. “How about giving me another chance?”

Xu Fengnian nodded. “Third time’s the charm. Next time, I won’t hold back.”

Jiang Fuding slowly rose to his feet, shaking his head with a bitter smile. “Farewell, then.”

Xu Fengnian extended his hand but still said nothing.

Jiang Fuding looked puzzled.

Xu Fengnian glared. “Last time, at least you left behind a ‘Crossing the River Pawn.’ What do you think you’ll leave this time?”

Jiang Fuding laughed heartily. “How about next time?”

Xu Fengnian waved dismissively. “Just have someone send a good sword to Difei Mountain later.”

Jiang Fuding nodded. “No problem!”

With that, Xu Fengnian watched as this favored son of heaven descended the mountain and vanished into the distance. Soon after, the celestial and earthly talismans dissipated like smoke.

Left behind was Zhao Ningshen, who now found himself in an awkward predicament. As one of the ten carefully selected by Jiang Fuding, the young Dragon-Tiger Mountain Sect Leader had never expected things to turn out so embarrassingly. Even a glorious death in battle would have been preferable to this.

Qi Xianxia’s expression turned solemn as he prepared to intercept Xu Fengnian.

Even Bai Yu, who rarely let worldly matters weigh on him, seemed unusually grave.

Only Xu Baozao remained utterly bewildered.

Xu Fengnian fell silent, watching the clouds gather and scatter, the river flowing eastward.

Xuanyuan Qingfeng approached and stood beside him. Since he was seated and she was standing, she looked down at him and said, “This isn’t like you. What went wrong in that final battle between heaven and man?”

Xu Fengnian didn’t look up, keeping his gaze distant as he answered obliquely, “I could have forced Jiang Fuding to stay, but I was afraid someone might… take advantage. That’s the last thing Li Yufu would want to see.”

Xuanyuan Qingfeng frowned but said nothing.

She watched Xu Fengnian, while Zhao Ningshen watched her.

Like the green mountains and clear waters of the world—except this mountain was that water, and that mountain was this water.

Xuanyuan Qingfeng seemed somewhat disappointed. She averted her gaze, clasping her hands behind her back as she surveyed the vast landscape.

Alone and unburdened, her heart was at peace.

Zhao Ningshen sighed softly.

In this moment, she had finally solidified her position as a Terrestrial Immortal.

Had this been the bustling martial world at the end of the Spring and Autumn era, achieving Terrestrial Immortal status would have been rare but fleeting—no one could claim lasting supremacy, and many fell as quickly as they rose. But now, things were different.

Only a handful of seats remained.

First come, first served.

Though the Three Teachings no longer had sages, they would inevitably reclaim their places in time.

For pure martial artists, this might leave only two chairs.

Today’s aborted siege at Difei Mountain, where grandmasters had gathered in force, was likely tied to this hidden truth.

If Xu Fengnian died, his Dao would perish, and his fortune would scatter. Those nearby would naturally seize the opportunity, perhaps breaking through to new realms—if not Terrestrial Immortal, then at least stabilizing or advancing within the Great Heavenly Phenomenon.

A streak of violet light flashed across the sky as Xuanyuan Qingfeng departed as swiftly as she had arrived. From start to finish, she never exchanged a single word with the young sect leader.

Xu Fengnian turned to the despondent young Daoist and added salt to the wound with a mischievous grin: “Once, I asked Li Yufu a question—what should one do if they meet a woman they admire in this world? Sect Leader Zhao, would you like to know the answer?”

Bai Yu couldn’t help but laugh. “That’s just cruel.”

Qi Xianxia also frowned at Xu Fengnian’s kicking-a-man-while-he’s-down behavior, far from gentlemanly.

Zhao Ningshen gazed wistfully at the fading violet in the distance. “This humble Daoist has no regrets.”

Xu Fengnian stood. “From Dragon-Tiger Mountain to Difei Mountain, mountain to mountain—if this continues, your Tian Shi Mansion’s Yellow-Purple Nobles will never produce another Terrestrial Immortal.”

Zhao Ningshen remained silent.

Xu Fengnian smiled. “Since you’re already so pitiful, I’ll let it go.”

He glanced back at the girl. “Consider that sword sent to Difei Mountain a congratulatory gift for finding your master. May you become the next female Sword Immortal. Then I can boast that I was once friends with Sword Immortal Xu Baozao.”

Xu Baozao bit her lip.

Before she could speak, Xu Fengnian vanished, streaking toward the riverside at the mountain’s base.

With Jiang Fuding gone, the ancient turtles lurking in the martial world’s depths had mostly scattered—except for one.

A monk who looked unnaturally youthful.

Spotting Xu Fengnian, the monk burst into laughter, as joyful as a disciple meeting the Buddha.

After his hearty laugh, the monk pressed his palms together and bowed solemnly. “This humble monk, Liaowu, greets Benefactor Xu!”

Xu Fengnian sighed, hesitating to speak.

The monk also sighed, his face troubled—utterly unlike a man of the cloth.

The world is full of impermanence, yet few possess equanimity.

Breaking the silence, Xu Fengnian asked, “What’s your relation to the Lotus Monk of the Western Regions and the Tree Sage Monk of Longliang Temple?”

The monk in his striking kasaya looked ashamed. “One is my elder brother, the other my younger brother.”

Xu Fengnian was at a loss for words.

The monk said gravely, “For now, matters are settled. But one day, we will inevitably clash. When that time comes, Benefactor Xu, hold nothing back. Fate will decide; life and death are our own.”

Before leaving, the monk pressed his palms together once more. “Amitabha.”

Xu Fengnian smiled. “You few, whether alive or dead, are free. But the common folk of this world may yet be dragged into the mire by you, helpless as ever.”

The monk turned and strode away, his final words drifting like mist. “Thus, the world knows both sorrow and joy.”

Xu Fengnian remained where he stood.

The girl came running, panting, bending over with her hands on her knees, sweat beading on her forehead.

She looked up at Xu Fengnian’s profile and asked solemnly, “Back on the mountain, when you were speaking so close, why couldn’t I hear some of your words clearly?”

Xu Fengnian thought for a moment before answering with mock seriousness, “Maybe it’s time to clean your ears?”