32. Chapter 32

You Yue remained silent for a long moment, eventually forced to admit that she was right.

The vast majority of people, in such a situation, would only see two paths before them. Because they are cultivators, they are subconsciously bound by the mindset of a cultivator; ascension or falling—that is the only choice a cultivator knows.

Xie Chang'an, however, did not view herself as a cultivator. By stepping outside that mold to find another way, she had achieved a fortuitous outcome born of a blind gamble.

He raised his sleeve and cupped his hands. "After hearing your words, I feel as if I have been struck by a bolt of enlightenment. My thanks to you, fellow Daoist, for your guidance."

Xie Chang'an replied, "You are too kind, City Lord You. I was merely relying on luck. Had I guessed wrong, I would have perished completely; I would hardly be in a position to stand here and spout such nonsense."

You Yue laughed. "With your master present, he certainly would not have watched you die in there."

Zhu Xuanguang asked, "Do you wish to return to Mount Chishuang first, or stay here for a few days?" This was, naturally, directed at Xie Chang'an.

Xie Chang'an said, "I would like to wait a few days to see if I might run into Senior Brother Shen and the others. If not, I shall return afterward. I wonder, Master, if you have any spare time? There are a few things I would like to report to you."

Zhu Xuanguang nodded. "I also have matters to discuss with you. Let us meet at the Hundred-Foot Pavilion outside the town tomorrow at the hour of the Rooster."

Seeing that the two of them likely had more to discuss, Xie Chang'an bowed and took her leave. She turned and walked away, quickly merging into the crowd.

The small town outside the outer walls of the City of Departing Dreams is prosperous throughout the four seasons. Ordinary people cannot enter; those who come mostly possess some level of cultivation. Even the merchants hawking their wares here are related to cultivators or have seen enough of the world to know better. They do not sell ordinary trinkets; one might find anything from Silver Sand of the North Sea to the blood of a Flower-Backed Eagle, or rare treasures and herbs from all corners of the world.

Many cultivators come here not for the Great He Ascension trial, but to hunt for rare curiosities. Around the decennial period when the City of Departing Dreams opens for the trial, the town is bustling with noise and activity, never resting day or night.

From You Yue’s perspective, the girl walking away was still dressed in green, though it was not the green robes of her former service in the palace. The green of her current attire was so pale it approached white; in the night, under the lantern light, it was nearly indistinguishable from white, perhaps appearing a shade of gray amidst the dappled light and shadow.

Such clothing was utterly plain, lacking the precious jewels, gold thread, or jade ornaments of others. Nor did she adorn herself like other beauty-conscious female cultivators, using spiritual energy to make her clothes shimmer and glow as she walked. Yet, in the bustling crowd, her slender, crane-like silhouette was remarkably conspicuous, causing even the cultivators passing by to turn and gaze at her.

He suddenly remarked, "You have taken on quite a fine disciple."

Zhu Xuanguang, standing beside him, did not speak. He seemed to be watching that receding figure from afar, or perhaps he was looking at nothing at all.

You Yue glanced at him. "You were injured inside, weren't you? You are still forcing yourself to hold up now that you are out. I have some spirit medicine here."

"It is no matter," Zhu Xuanguang replied.

The girl had already walked far away and was no longer visible. He withdrew his gaze, his eyes falling on the White Jade Ascension Tablet not far off. A few new names had appeared on it, meaning a few more people had successfully passed the trial. But the name "Xie Chang'an" remained at the very top. From now until the next Great He Ascension, everyone who comes to the City of Departing Dreams will see her name the moment they look at the tablet.

"It is just a pity that—"

You Yue's unfinished words were cut short by a sharp, instinctive alarm when Zhu Xuanguang looked his way. Zhu Xuanguang stared at him deeply.

Overwhelmed by the sudden, surging, and piercing aura from the other man, even the Lord of the City of Departing Dreams could not help but break into a cold sweat. He realized that his sudden intuition had nearly caused him to leak a heavenly secret.

"My apologies, I misspoke."

Thinking of this, You Yue could not help but look up. The night was heavy, as it always was, but the power of that earlier heavenly thunder was still fresh in his memory. Xie Chang'an had exploited a loophole in the rules to forcefully break through her realm; a mere Sword Heart cultivator should not have been that eye-catching, yet the heavenly thunder had pursued her immediately.

Does that mean all cultivators under heaven, even those at the lower Sword Qi stage, are being kept under surveillance?

The moment the word "surveillance" surfaced in his mind, the City Lord of Departing Dreams suddenly had a more bizarre and preposterous thought.

"Tell me, does the Immortal-Pointing Chart on Mount Bei Huifeng look like a pair of eyes?"

A pair of eyes belonging to the Heavenly Dao, watching the human world at every waking moment.

Zhu Xuanguang said coldly, "There are some things that do not need to be said aloud; it would be better for you."

You Yue sighed. He was usually someone who could keep his composure, but the Dharma image of Xie Chang'an’s breakthrough tonight had truly shaken him. "After today, I too shall go into seclusion to meditate. Master Zhu, the road ahead is treacherous. I wish you well."

...

One’s mood before and after a trial is naturally worlds apart.

When she arrived, Xie Chang'an had no interest in looking around the town. Now that she was idle, she thought she might browse for some treasures or herbs. Even if she found nothing, buying a few trinkets to take back for Pei San would surely make him dance with joy.

She wandered aimlessly, enjoying a rare moment of leisure. Without a set route, she drifted lazily, eventually finding herself in a small, winding alleyway, so twisted that she even forgot the way she had come.

It did not matter; the town was not that large. She figured she would eventually find her way back, so she remained unhurried until she sensed an unusual fluctuation of spiritual energy and stopped in her tracks.

Those with lower cultivation would find it hard to take another step here, as someone had deliberately erected a barrier of spiritual energy to keep outsiders away. This suggested that someone inside was doing something they did not wish others to know.

Xie Chang'an had no intention of meddling, but she heard voices.

"Fellow Daoists, we have no grievances between us. Why must you push us so hard?"

"Hand over the dragon bone in your possession, and we shall naturally leave you in peace."

"Are you mistaken? This is not dragon bone; it is the bone of a *hui* snake. Furthermore, I spent a great sum of gold to pre-order this from the seller a year ago."

After these words, the interceptors’ tempers flared. They began to curse and seemed on the verge of violence, but were held back by their companion, whose tone turned conciliatory again.

"A *hui* snake becomes a *jiao* dragon after five hundred years. This is not a *hui* bone; it is a *jiao* dragon bone. Many people are simply accustomed to using the terms interchangeably. Fellow Daoist, our master requires this dragon bone for medicine. We are willing to pay double the price. What say you?"

Yet, even this gentle tone carried an air of "take it or leave it." If the other party refused, it seemed a conflict would be inevitable.

The female cultivator remained silent for a moment. "If I refuse, will you resort to forced buying and selling?"

The other side sneered, "Don't be ungrateful! Do you think we don't know the origin of your sect? The Ten Thousand Plum Blossom Pool has been destroyed, and its members long scattered. If you don't sell it to us, you will be swarmed the moment you leave this place. You’ll end up with nothing. We are offering you money now—you should be counting your blessings!"

The female cultivator endured and endured, but finally retorted, "The destruction of the Ten Thousand Plum Blossom Pool—was that not all thanks to your sect?!"

The moment these words were spoken, the atmosphere between them became fraught with tension.

It was the mention of the "Ten Thousand Plum Blossom Pool" that stopped Xie Chang'an in her tracks. She pondered for a moment, then walked forward. With her current cultivation, shattering this spiritual barrier was effortless, but the others sensed it immediately.

"Who goes there?!"

"Come out!"

Xie Chang'an turned the corner naturally and revealed herself. There were three cultivators on one side and a lone female cultivator on the other. Clearly, the three were the ones pressuring the woman.

Xie Chang'an stood against the light; they could not see her features clearly, but they became guarded the moment she appeared. Her ability to enter their barrier so easily indicated that her cultivation was not below theirs. It also suggested she had likely overheard their conversation and the mention of the dragon bone.

"May I ask for your honorable name, fellow Daoist?"

"Before asking others, shouldn't you introduce yourselves first?" Xie Chang'an asked casually, her gaze sweeping over the outnumbered woman before settling on the three men.

"I am Zhao Beiyuan of the Nanyue Cave Heaven, and these are my two junior brothers. A senior of our sect was injured in the Great He Ascension and needs dragon bone for his medicine. It so happens that the only piece available was bought by this fellow Daoist, so we were asking if she might be willing to part with it."

The speaker was the one who had been more polite earlier. He appeared to be the eldest of the three, and in a few brief sentences, he had laid out the matter.

"And if I refuse to give it to you, what will you do?" The female cultivator was unsure if Xie Chang'an was a third party looking to claim the bone, so she dared not lower her guard.

Zhao Beiyuan’s junior brother, who had been eager to act, could no longer restrain himself. He threw a talisman that transformed into a small red snake in mid-air, snapping toward the box the woman held to her chest.

But the box was intercepted in mid-air. Xie Chang'an flicked her sleeve, and the snake, which had never missed its mark, was swatted aside. As the box was about to land in Xie Chang'an’s hand, she gave it a gentle push, sending it back to the female cultivator.

The item was returned, entirely unharmed.

The maneuver was exquisite and so swift that no one had time to react. They all stared in astonishment. The woman clutched the box, still shaken.

Xie Chang'an said, "Transactions rely on mutual consent. If she is unwilling, it would be quite uncouth for you to resort to robbery."

The men from Nanyue Cave Heaven looked sullen, and even Zhao Beiyuan could no longer maintain his composure. "Since you wish to take up her cause, please provide your name so that we may report it to our sect!"

Nanyue Cave Heaven was one of the major sects of the Nine Provinces, revered as the state religion due to its deep ties with the Li Tang dynasty. Zhao Beiyuan had assumed that by stating his sect, the other party—even if her cultivation were slightly higher—would not dare to interfere. He was incensed to find that she seemed to hold Nanyue Cave Heaven in no regard at all.

The young woman spoke clearly and concisely: "Mount Chishuang, Xie Chang'an."

"It's you!"

Zhao Beiyuan's two junior brothers clearly recognized her. Zhang Fanruo had traveled with them to the City of Departing Dreams and had introduced them to his fellow disciples, so they were familiar with her. Although Xie Chang'an had not interacted with them much, the dual identity of being a disciple of Mount Chishuang and the top disciple of Zhu Xuanguang was enough to command caution.

She took two steps forward, the halo of light around her fading, and Zhao Beiyuan finally saw her face clearly. She was a thin, young girl, undeniably beautiful, with eyes that held a hint of soft, shimmering stars, especially captivating in the bright lamp light.

Zhao Beiyuan was stunned. He had not traveled with his junior brothers earlier and had not seen her before. With the pride typical of Mount Chishuang disciples, she certainly had the standing to not bow even before Nanyue Cave Heaven; she was unlikely to back down.

Then, his sleeve was tugged, and a junior brother whispered through a telepathic message: "Senior Brother Zhao, she is the one at the top of the Ascension Tablet!"

That was right! Zhao Beiyuan remembered now—the first person to emerge from the Great He Ascension was also named Xie Chang'an. His sect had come to the city, and having been in the trial before, he was here to oversee the newcomers. Zhou Lanqing and Liu Xisheng, lacking courage, had only dared to wish for the slaughter of low-level demons when they entered. They had emerged quickly, but because their cultivation had made no progress, they hadn't even made it onto the tablet.

Zhao Beiyuan was frustrated by their lack of ambition, but could not blame them, only offering words of comfort that there would be other opportunities.

Yet, this Xie Chang'an before him was not only at the top of the tablet, but was also the first Sword Heart cultivator to manifest a Dharma image. That image had spanned the skies above the City of Departing Dreams—the Great Peng in the rosy clouds—a spectacle that had left everyone in awe.

How could there be such a favored child of heaven in this world? To be a student of Zhu Xuanguang was already an extraordinary stroke of luck; how could she also possess a Sword Heart Dharma image? Did being born into a prestigious sect under a famous master mean one was inherently superior? Where was the fairness in this world?

Zhao Beiyuan felt a complicated mix of emotions—it was unclear if he was awestruck or jealous, perhaps a bit of both. He steadied himself, unwilling to concede easily.

"Fellow Daoist Xie, Nanyue Cave Heaven and your sect have been on good terms for many years. The dragon bone in this girl's hand is needed for the injuries of a senior uncle of our sect..."

"Whether she is willing to part with it is her business. If she is not, I will meddle in this matter," Xie Chang'an interrupted, her voice light and airy. "Furthermore, I do not like Nanyue Cave Heaven. Is that reason enough?"

Zhao Beiyuan was stunned again, suddenly feeling a strange sense of grievance. He thought to himself that even among cultivators, social dealings required tact—how could someone be so blunt when there was no prior grievance between them?