Chapter 212 Dispute (Revised) Like a hailstorm, it remained motionless for a long time.

It's another Qingming Festival. The trees in the city are no longer as lush and green as before, and the sky is mostly gray, with only a few sunny days.

Such a celestial phenomenon has never occurred before.

This place should be like spring all year round, with sunny days, but now there are also cumulonimbus clouds.

Lin Feiran stood on the roof ridge, withdrew his gaze, sheathed his sword, lightly brushed the thin layer of sweat from his forehead, exhaled, and then the Golden Ripples Umbrella slowly landed beside him, its sharp, hidden light even brighter than before.

The grandmaster sat to the side, looking closely, his eyes filled with amazement and satisfaction.

For a swordsman, practicing swordsmanship is actually self-cultivation. Each practice session is equivalent to striking the sword with a heavy hammer, which not only makes the sword more skillful but also makes the sword more pure.

Her dedication and daily practice have yielded remarkable results.

Even he couldn't help but feel a sense of relief and emotion.

"You've practiced very well." He nodded. "Now that you've practiced swordsmanship today, try the martial arts manual I gave you a few days ago again."

"Okay." Lin Feiran wiped the sweat from his forehead and nodded in agreement.

Just a few days ago, the Grandmaster suddenly sprang out of the stone book with an anxious expression. Then, she turned over paper and added ink at her desk, writing furiously all night, and wrote an unnamed martial arts manual.

The technique was given to Lin Feiran the next day, and she was instructed to study and practice it immediately.

"There are no earth-shattering moves in here." As if afraid that she would misunderstand, the grandmaster took the time to explain, "It's just that your meridians are different from ordinary people. A few days ago, I had a sudden inspiration, so I wrote this breathing technique. You should practice it."

Lin Feiran had practiced many breathing techniques since childhood, and the sword spirit had tried to master them before. Although they were not perfect for her, they were still somewhat effective.

However, the spiritual veins were abnormal because the incantation had attached itself to them. Now that only one-tenth remained, they could be completely eliminated. She was afraid that the cultivation method specially written by her master would be wasted, so she told her about it. However, her master still insisted.

The cultivation method consisted of six pages. Lin Feiran followed the method to practice breathing exercises the next day, but she would always encounter some obstacles, big or small, and would not be able to fully circulate the energy. Her master would then revise the method again and ask her to try again.

I finished the fifth page a few days ago, and if I come back today, perhaps I can finally master this technique.

Lin Feiran was willing to correct his cultivation method. She took the few pages of paper handed to her by her grandmaster, looked at the revisions, and then sat cross-legged on the roof ridge, preparing to practice breathing exercises according to the method. But just then, several gray clouds suddenly rolled up in the sky.

She gazed intently into the distance, and her grandmaster turned back as well. Dozens of beams of light descended before the city, with celestial horses and phoenixes hovering in mid-air, and many demons dressed in fine clothes flying down from above.

"Grandmaster, they've arrived," Lin Feiran said softly.

The grandmaster glanced at her, but wasn't too surprised. She simply remarked, "Given the relationships between the various tribes in the demon realm, it's already quite fast that they've managed to come here today to demand the spiritual vein."

Half a month ago, Lin Feiran took the initiative to bring up the matter of the spiritual vein, saying that such a treasure might be able to break the snow-condensing phenomenon, but the tribes should discuss who should step forward to retrieve it.

The various factions in the demon realm have always had strained relations, and she had originally intended to use this opportunity to delay things. Half a month was already beyond her expectations.

She glanced sideways and asked, "Grandmaster, haven't you figured out a way to hide the spiritual veins yet?"

The grandmaster sighed softly, his meaning ambiguous, and said, "Such rare treasures are not difficult to hide, but who can blame us for the powerful people who are looking for them? They even managed to dig them out in a place like Pilgrimage Valley. It's a difficult situation, a very difficult situation."

Lin Feiran withdrew her gaze, closed her eyes slightly, and began to breathe according to the technique. She then said, "The tribes are incompatible, but they were able to reconcile so quickly. The esoteric sect must have played a significant role in this."

Unfortunately, regardless of whether the spiritual veins can break through the Snow Cloud, it will not appear in the Boundary Sea.

With various minor kings in front and the esoteric sects behind, they all want to seize such a treasure. Even if they take back the spiritual vein, they will only argue about how to divide it up, and will never give it up.

Even those with noble aspirations cannot defeat a powerful overlord with treacherous ambitions in a place where the strong prey on the weak.

The grandmaster understood the unspoken meaning in her words. After glancing at her for a moment, he sighed helplessly, "When I first founded Daohe Palace, I took in many disciples who were as small as radish heads. They were pure and lovely when they were young, with innocent hearts. They never thought that there was black and gray in the world besides white."

Every time I went down the mountain for training, I would come back with many questions, but I couldn't answer any of them. I couldn't just say, "That's just how people are."

It's good that you never asked me.

Lin Feiran opened his eyes and looked: "If I ask today, does Grandmaster have an answer?"

Upon hearing this, the grandmaster shook his head, a helpless smile appearing on his gentle face: "I can only answer you that people are like that, but not all of them are."

Lin Feiran smiled and didn't ask any further questions, but continued her cultivation.

The Grandmaster said, "Perhaps in a few days, the Secret Sect will discover that this spiritual vein is unusual and will have to search for it everywhere."

"Therefore, Grandmaster should come up with a solution that satisfies both sides as soon as possible. There are only a few fake spiritual veins, so it may not take too long to delay them," Lin Feiran sighed.

The repaired technique no longer had the blockages and obstructions of before. Lin Feiran could feel the flow and inflow of spiritual energy, and even experienced a rare sense of ethereal abundance of spiritual power.

The Grandmaster suddenly said, "You seem quite surprised that the demon race has come to pay homage today? Didn't that little peacock tell you? Come to think of it, you two haven't seen each other much in the past five or six days?"

Lin Feiran paused, unsure how to begin.

She and Ru Xian had met before, but much less frequently than before.

The reason is simple: before Ru Xian goes to the secret realm to search for treasure, the two have been unable to reach a conclusion that satisfies both of them regarding whether or not to remove the curse from Lin Feiran.

Exorcising curses is not something Ru Xian can do easily. Every time he exorcised a curse before, he would have to rest for a long time. Once, it even caused a disturbance of spiritual energy.

Although only 10% of the incantation remains, the spiritual energy will be depleted more as the incantation progresses. The journey to the secret realm is fraught with danger, and Lin Feiran would never agree to it. However, the secret sect is relentlessly pursuing her, and Ru Xian naturally wants her to become stronger so that even if something unexpected happens, she will have more power to protect herself.

Neither of them was willing to compromise on this matter, so a stalemate ensued.

Since Ru Xian is rarely contradicted or rejected, will this create a rift between them?

A young person's heart is as fiery and unquenchable as a flame, capable of spreading like wildfire with just a wisp of wind, displaying remarkable courage. Yet, on the other hand, it is as fragile as thin ice, able to gaze quietly at and ponder the one they admire with a simple and narrow understanding of love, proceeding cautiously and tentatively.

Lin Feiran was honest with herself, but when it came to matters of love, she was always rather dull. In addition, she valued it too much, so she couldn't help but struggle and deliberate in her heart, not daring to make a wrong move. Therefore, she became more cautious and taciturn, for fear that he would find out that she was not smart enough in matters of love.

After all, she could tell that Ru Xian admired the strong more.

Undeniably, the two have been communicating much less lately.

Just as his thoughts were wandering, Lin Feiran sensed something when the yin-yang symbol in his eyes flickered slightly. He immediately focused his mind and a moment later heard a faint, cool voice.

"What are you doing?"

It was Ru Xian's usual tone, but upon closer listening, it was different. When he spoke to her, the end of his voice was always much softer, which made it sound inexplicably intimate and gentle. Even when he spoke from the heart, he still retained this habit.

Lin Feiran stopped halfway through her breathing exercise. She blinked and glanced at her grandmaster. Seeing that he hadn't noticed her, she replied, "I was meditating while breathing. I've been practicing a new technique, and it's very effective. I feel my spiritual energy is abundant right now!"

She subconsciously and deliberately showed off her strong side.

Unfortunately, Ru Xian did not understand the very subtle implication. He guessed that Lin Feiran must be meditating at the moment, so he just responded and, knowing that he had not disturbed her, said: "The tribes have reached a conclusion on the matter of the spiritual vein and will come to take it away today."

He paused: "Are you really going to give them to them? Such a magical treasure should be yours. I can make up a fake one for you to give away."

"...No need, just give it to them."

Ru Xian was on his way to the main hall when he heard this, he paused, and his fingertips, hanging at his sides, unconsciously began to tap. This was a gesture he only made when he was thinking. But he didn't say anything, just raised an eyebrow and said, "Okay."

He continued forward, "By the way, I received a message from a friend today. The general location of the secret realm has been determined. Tomorrow... or in a couple of days, I will be heading to the Northern Plains. How about we exorcise the curse tonight?"

Lin Feiran remained silent for a moment, but still insisted, "This is not urgent. We can remove the curse after you come back."

“Originally there was no rush, but you’re going to the human realm in a few days. Although I don’t know what you’re going to do there, you two have been plotting for so long that night, it must not be an easy task.”

Do not release it, just like sleet.

“Your spiritual channels are different from others. If they can be fully healed, they will be of great help to you. Sometimes, the slightest difference can be the difference between life and death, as you know.”

Lin Feiran stopped his attack and didn't know how to start the conversation.

She could understand Ru Xian's intentions because she shared the same feelings, but that's precisely why this matter could never be resolved in the best way.

Zhang Siwo and the others were almost ready to steal the fire seed; it was practically an arrow on a bowstring, just waiting to be released. She couldn't possibly stay in the Demon Capital waiting for Ruxun to return.

He had also mentioned going to the human realm together and then to the secret realm, but this matter was of great importance and Zhang Siwo and the others would not agree. Moreover, the matter of the secret realm was equally urgent. According to Qiu Tong, he had to find that treasure as soon as possible.

"...Many highly skilled seniors are traveling with me this time, so I will be fine."

Lin Feiran continued to speak, but this argument was actually untenable, since no one knew what would happen on this trip.

Ru Xian chuckled lightly: "If they could accomplish it themselves, why would they need you to do it? Since it's something they can't do, how can you expect to avoid getting hurt?"

As he finished speaking, his voice trailed off, and all traces of laughter vanished.

After a brief silence, his inner voice returned, but it was difficult to discern any emotion within it; only a faint chill remained.

"Lin Feiran, the three arrows that fell in Luoyang City, I have never mentioned them, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care."

Lin Feiran's eyes flickered slightly, somewhat surprised.

Although the three arrows were dangerous, compared to the appearance of the esoteric Buddhist saintess and everything that happened that day, they were not important to her, so she never remembered them.

She hadn't expected Ru Xian to bring this up.

Almost without pausing, he added, "You have your own path to walk, and I won't stop you, but I also hope you won't stop me from doing what I want to do."

There was a moment of silence between them, with only the faint sound of the wind in their ears.

After uttering a hurried and ambiguous murmur, Lin Feiran fell silent.

"..."

With a creak, the palace doors were pushed open by the guards, and more than ten tribal leaders stood quietly inside, their robes straight. Even though there had been undercurrents of tension just moments before, they all composed themselves, turned around to look at each other, and bowed and clasped their hands in salute.

"Your Excellency."

Outside the palace gates, the sunlight was gray and damp, but because it was daytime, it was bright enough.

Thus, the golden and white robes were outlined with a faint mist, and the rings on the wrists and legs swirled with sharp brilliance. Such an arrogant and flamboyant description was suppressed by those dark eyes.

Like snowflakes, it stood there in front of the door, motionless for a long time.

Author's Note: [Heart emoji]