Chapter 296 The Defeat of the Pentakill (Supplement) "I had a total of five opponents against him..."
Lin Feiran finally got a good night's sleep and felt quite refreshed when she woke up the next day. Ru Xian was still asleep, so she quietly washed up and then took the Golden Wave Sword to the Taoist temple in the center of Daohe Palace.
Although the sky was still dark, a few rays of light were already shining through the two gaps, indicating that it must be early morning.
This place was originally the disciples' training ground, so she was naturally very familiar with it. However, she had been away for a long time, and when she came back today, there was no one in the training ground. She only saw a desolate and cold scene. She couldn't help but feel nostalgic, but she also had indescribable feelings.
"It's too cold here, so I didn't want you to come here to cultivate before."
Jin Lan appeared beside her, arms crossed, looking around, not satisfied. Thinking of Lin Feiran's past, she felt a burning resentment in her heart.
It is now late spring and early summer, but the sun is not visible in the sky, so Sanqing Mountain is even colder. Snow is piled on some withered pine branches, and the wind blowing is cold.
A sigh echoed through the empty temple: "What can we do? When we were choosing a site to open the mountain gate, this was the only unclaimed sacred land. I can't just take it from someone else."
A streak of ink appeared, and the Grandmaster appeared at the very front of the dojo. He looked down at the pine and snow forest below the cliff, his gaze not as complex as Lin Feiran's, but only a sense of open-mindedness and appreciation as if he were simply seeing mountains as mountains.
He smiled and said, "Mountains are mountains, snow is snow, and pines are pines. They originally grew here; it's a natural place. Daohe Palace only borrowed this precious land for a few years. Now we've implicated them, and we feel apologetic."
Jin Lan glanced at her grandmaster, then flashed to the same spot. She said, "Now that Zhang Chunhe has passed away, Daohe Palace has no leader and may cease to exist. Doesn't your grandmaster feel any worry?"
The Grandmaster withdrew his gaze, shook his head with a smile, and then his gaze fell lightly on Jin Lan, saying meaningfully, "The Dao has spread throughout the world. My original vision for establishing the Daohe Palace has been fulfilled, and its survival is no longer in my heart."
Besides, I am a dead man, or to put it bluntly, a stubborn wandering soul. The day my wishes are fulfilled will be the day I depart. Since I am about to leave anyway, why should I worry about anything else?
Jin Lan paused, and as she lowered her gaze, she caught a glimpse of Lin Feiran wiping his sword in the center of the training ground out of the corner of her eye, and fell silent for a moment.
The master then said, "Last night I saw you sitting on the roof for a long time. I suppose it was because you saw her expression last night?"
Jinlan did not look back, but turned to look at the sea of mist swirling among the snow-covered forest, her voice not as light and melodious as usual.
"I sealed her memories back then because I didn't want her to go down the path of revenge, and I didn't want her to become the Lin Feiran of today, burdened with such a heavy load..."
Lin Feiran is proud of how far she has come, but as a mother, how can she bear to see her child with those eyes?
The grandmaster turned around and saw that Lin Feiran was very sensible. Knowing that the two of them were talking, he did not urge them. After wiping his sword, he warmed up on his own.
He paused for a moment, then said, "What you said is both right and wrong."
If it weren't for the esoteric sect and the Taoist leader, you wouldn't have left Luoyang City in the first place, and none of what happened to her afterward would have occurred.
But ultimately, there are no "what ifs".
Even if we went back to the beginning, you would still choose to leave; even knowing everything, she would still have ended up where she is today.
Everything in this world is a cycle of cause and effect, with beginnings and ends connected; hence, some call this fate.
Jin Lan's gaze shifted slightly, and she saw the hazy sea of mist below churning among the withered branches, with a few cedar trees still growing, stretching their green branches in this pale white chaos.
"There's no need to suffer for yourself. Everything that will happen will happen eventually, but until the result arrives, it means that nothing has happened."
The grandmaster turned to look at Lin Feiran, his figure gradually disappearing.
“Every day you live is precious, cherish it. You still need to teach her swordsmanship. Instead of feeling depressed, you should face it with a cheerful heart.”
Seeing that he was about to leave, Jinlan realized and said, "Grandmaster came here this morning not to ask her for the answer to last night, but to comfort me."
The grandmaster smiled faintly, his appearance elegant, his eyes reflecting the true face of Mount Sanqing, but also the figure of that earnest swordsman.
"She will tell me her answer after she practices swordsmanship. I'm not in a hurry, but I did come for her this morning. She has already shouldered too much, so she doesn't need to feel so regretful about the time she spends with her mother."
"..." Jin Lan was slightly stunned. Only when her master's figure had completely left did she realize what was happening. She smiled and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Master."
Jin Lan stood quietly at the edge of the cliff for a moment, then turned around and was back beside Lin Feiran.
She sheathed her sword and looked in the direction the dark figure had disappeared, asking in confusion, "Didn't Grandmaster come to ask me for an answer?"
Jin Lan shook her head, her tone as light as ever: "Since he has already agreed to wait for you in the room, why is he in such a hurry to ask for an answer? Grandmaster has just not seen the mountain scenery for a long time and came to lean on the railing to look into the distance this morning."
Lin Feiran touched the sword hilt with his fingertips, glanced at her a few times, and said, "It is indeed very cold here, but it's not all bad. At least it's not too hot when practicing swordsmanship, and it's easier to stay awake. I'm still very happy to cultivate here."
This statement is clearly meant to comfort oneself.
If she still maintains that gloomy expression, the child will probably have to devote half of his attention to her.
"If we only consider sword cultivation, this dojo is indeed very suitable. Although it's a bit cold, it's not bad."
Jin Lan turned her gaze and flicked her two fingers together onto the sword blade, producing a sword hum. She smiled and said, "I've taken you to practice many times before, but today is the first time we've seriously practiced swordsmanship."
When practicing swordsmanship, it's just the two of us, nothing else. Although I'm a weapon refiner, when it comes to the Golden Wave Sword, you're no match for me. If you get distracted during a sword duel, you'll suffer the consequences.
Lin Feiran's expression held a hint of interest. She twirled her sword to dispel the tremors, then raised her sword in front of her, assuming a starting stance.
"Then let's give it a try."
On the empty training ground, two swift figures flashed past, swords locked in combat. The ancient bricks and stones were engraved with the sword marks of their predecessors, and the sword intent was strong, which soon resonated and trembled with the two who were engaged in sword fighting.
The two practiced for nearly an hour and a half, a time that had never been before, but it was also very enjoyable for Lin Feiran.
All she could hear was the sound of the wind rushing past her, and all she could see was the flash of her mother's sword. This teaching and competition became very pure, as if they were the only ones in the world, and only their telepathic connection during the battle. All words were conveyed through the light of the sword.
She is one person, but she is also more than one person. Behind her are those who will always stand with her, and many more like-minded people!
A storm is brewing across the land, turbulent currents are surging, who dares to be the first to act? Yet this single sword is enough to overcome all difficulties and calm the turbulent sea!
With a clang, the Golden Wave Sword flashed with light, splitting the wind that swept in from the snow cliffs of Pinggu in two. It was not a simple scattering, but a complete severing, with the gap almost frozen in time, as if time itself had been stopped here!
A few breaths later, the snow wind began to move again, then exploded with a roar, sending fine snowflakes flying rapidly away. Lin Feiran and Jin Lan looked at each other through the mist, and after a moment, a similar smile appeared on their lips.
Lin Feiran smiled as usual, but Jin Lan quickly burst into laughter. She brushed aside the snowflakes, walked to Lin Feiran's side, put her arm around her shoulder, and the two of them returned to the disciples' quarters without saying a word.
There were still only three places with lamps lit in the dormitory.
One of the rooms was where Ru Xian lived. He had already woken up and was pushing open the window.
One of the rooms was where Wei Changzai was staying. He had just woken up from his coma the night before and was alarmed, fearing that Lin Feiran had already left. So he hurriedly pushed open the door and went out.
The other room was where the grandmaster was staying, with only the light on, waiting for her answer, but everything was already self-evident.
Looking through the window, Ru Xian's eyes were slightly narrowed and a smile played on her lips. Wei Changzai, standing in the corridor, also looked up, her gaze quietly fixed on the roof.
There, Lin Feiran sat cross-legged on the roof tile, his long hair loose, his forehead beaded with sweat, his face flushed from practicing swordsmanship, and his eyes brighter than ever before, toying with a wooden comb in his hand.
Behind her, Jin Lan was styling her hair into an elaborate updo, her expression equally serious.
A moment later, the windows closed as if sleet had fallen, and Wei Changzai silently returned to her room. No one disturbed them at this time, and it seemed as if there were only the two of them in the large residence.
While combing her hair, Lin Feiran quietly leaned back against Jin Lan's leg, not wanting to miss this moment of solitude.
"Mother, the Dingfengbo sword technique is extremely rare. I have only ever seen this one. What was the situation when you fought against the Dao Master?"
Jinlan pulled up a few strands of long hair from her forehead and slowly braided them into thin braids.
She thought for a moment, then laughed and said, "It's quite a mess."
Lin Feiran then asked, "How many times have you faced him in total?"
“Five times.” Jin Lan paused, looking at the darkness before her. “I have faced him a total of five times, and I have lost all five times.”
Lin Feiran was silent for a moment, then spoke up: "Can you tell me about the past?"
Jin Lan smiled and said, "Of course you can. It's good that you told me. I've already learned some lessons, so you don't need to learn them again."
"When I first stumbled into the ends of the earth by accident, I didn't actually see him immediately, nor did I know where it was. I thought I had accidentally entered some kind of sacred realm. I was overjoyed and dared not delay, so I started searching for rare and precious materials."
During my looting, I encountered another monk.
"He was dressed very plainly, carrying a bamboo basket and wearing a mask, writing and recording something around the secret realm."
I thought he was like me, someone who had stumbled in by mistake. I didn't want to get involved with him. As you know, treasure hunting is inevitable in secret realms, and I don't like that kind of thing, so I planned to leave.
But he was far too weak, not at all like a cultivator.
“His spiritual power was barely there, and pitifully little. He also had to rely on a walking stick to climb the mountain. The naturally formed mountain path was not difficult to walk, but he still had to stop and rest after a few steps.”
Eating was out of the question; if he tried to catch some fish, he would be attacked by a swarm of fish, and when he hunted, he was led around by rabbits, and in the end, he could only pick up some fallen fruit to fill his stomach.
I couldn't stand it anymore, so I just gave him a ride too.
Jin Lan paused for a moment, then used a long hairpin to tuck her hair back in before continuing.
"He had no interest in the spiritual treasures in the secret realm. He only wanted to record the creatures in the secret realm. Although he was very weak, he was too knowledgeable. He knew all kinds of spiritual treasures and could talk about every kind of cultivation technique. It seemed that there was nothing he did not know. So I mistakenly thought that he was a master with a hidden illness and continued to accompany him."
She combed up another strand of Lin Feiran's hair, wrapped it with a gold-embroidered hair ribbon, and began to speak.
"But now that we've come this far, you should know who he is."
We stayed in the secret realm for nearly five months, during which time I found many treasures that could be used to refine weapons. Just when I was wondering how to find a way out, Bi Sheng happened to return. She mistook me for a thief who had broken in and intended to kick me out. Only then did I realize that this was the territory of the Secret Sect.
Lin Feiran exclaimed in surprise, "She has this kind of time to do?"
Jin Lan smiled, but it was unclear who she was laughing at: "Bi Sheng is indeed ruthless, but she is not a person who kills indiscriminately. She is also very proud and arrogant. She would hardly give a second glance to a nobody like me."
They were too lazy to even fight or kill me, so they thought they'd just intimidate me and then throw me out to end it all.
At that time, I was only at the level of a wandering cultivator, no match for Bi Sheng. She, on the other hand, was already a Venerable of the Divine Travel Realm. Even a casual palm strike from her would be difficult for me to withstand. Just as I was terrified, the Dao Lord stopped her.
Perhaps because nothing like this had ever happened before, Bi Sheng was both angry and annoyed, but she dared not disrespect the person in front of her. After glaring at Jin Lan, she bit her lip and bowed to the man in gray before speaking.
"My lord, we can release her, but the treasures she took must remain. Since you cannot leave this place, we created these mountains, rivers, and lakes here to entertain you. The rare treasures within are spiritual objects searched far and wide, found only once in a hundred years. They are all offerings from believers, how could they be taken by others at will?"
The Dao Lord interrupted her: "Those who are able to come here are destined to be with me. Not to mention her, even if anyone else comes here and has the ability to take them away, I will not stop them."
"You stumbled upon this place by chance, and I didn't kick you out, did I?"
Bi Sheng choked, speechless. She angrily took Jin Lan out of the secret realm and threw her into the snowfield.
Such a place is one that ordinary people might never be able to enter in their entire lives, let alone be so lucky as to get in a second time. So she left without looking back and quickly forgot about this little incident.
The same applies to Jinlan.
Although the secret realm was strange, it was just a chance encounter on her path of cultivation. She quickly put it aside and focused on cultivation and weapon crafting, and never went back to that place by mistake.
She was still exploring the celestial rift that she had been able to see since childhood. During this time, she heard about the rise of esoteric Buddhism and, on a whim, began to investigate it in depth as well.
The more she investigated, the more she realized that Tantric Buddhism was not a righteous sect. They had misled their followers into doing many evil things. When she thought of the gray-robed monk, she felt only a sense of regret that an acquaintance had gone astray.
However, these feelings of regret and sorrow were merely the triggers; what truly drew her to Tantric Buddhism was the White Dew incident.
Although she and Bailu were not often together, they still kept in touch through letters. One day, she sensed something was amiss and asked where Bailu was. Worried, she rushed to Luoyang and saw her friend sitting in the pavilion, whose face no longer looked the same as before.
Her feet seemed to have grown out of this deep palace. At first glance, she was dressed in red and almost blended into the desolate palace walls.
The two talked all night, and Jinlan finally learned everything. She knew that her friend was trapped here, and that the Human Emperor had used secret methods to possess her body. The bead came from the esoteric sect.
She was burning with anger. She wanted to take Bailu away, but was refused. Her former friend only said...
“Jinlan, I should stay with him. After all these years, it’s impossible for me to abandon him.”
From then on, she left Luoyang forever, never setting foot there again, and never corresponded with Bailu again, but she did not stop her investigation into the esoteric sect.
At this point, Jin Lan paused for a long time, and only after she had finished tying Lin Feiran's black hair with her hairpin did she withdraw her hand, slowly combing Lin Feiran's hair at the end, and sighed softly.
"Later, a cold disease appeared in the world at some unknown time. Many people contracted this strange disease and it was difficult to cure. One of my friends was not spared either. I searched everywhere for medicine for her. Until one day, I received Bailu's letter again."
There was not a single word inside, only a pill.
I understood what she meant, so I gave my friend the pills. She did get much better, and I felt that this cold illness was unusual, perhaps related to the Human Emperor, so I began to investigate the matter.
It was during this period that I met many people who had also glimpsed the crack in the sky, including Zhang Siwo and his group.
It was from them that I learned about the mending of the sky.
Lin Feiran took the mirror from her hand and pondered, "They don't know that the Heavenly Rift is related to the Secret Sect?"
Jin Lan nodded: "Even I don't know. In the existing records, the first thing that appeared was in the notes of the Goddess Sect, and the so-called patching of the sky is a saying passed down by many predecessors. None of them mentioned the esoteric sect. Many things we know now were only discovered later."
"When everyone was at a loss and had no ideas, I suddenly remembered the adventure in the secret realm."
I plan to go there and inquire, to test the waters. At least in his eyes, I am still a chance encounter, someone who has stumbled upon this place without any danger.
But just as Bi Sheng predicted, I couldn't stumble back to this place at the ends of the earth.
For the next few years, I searched for this place.
Later, one afternoon, she went to the vicinity of Beiyuan and, by a twist of fate, once again ended up at the edge of the world.
"This is our second meeting after a long time."
Author's Note: [Heart emoji]
P.S.: My collection count has increased more than usual lately! I wonder which reader recommended this book to me. Thank you so much! Actually, it's happened several times before, but I'd like to thank all the readers who recommended it this time. The collection count for this book has exceeded my expectations by a lot. Everyone's help has contributed to this success. I will work hard to finish it smoothly and live up to everyone's recommendations. [crying emoji]
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