Chapter 109: Transcending the Mundane

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A soft drizzle fell in scattered drops, shrouding the whole of Luodu in a veil of mist and rain. Autumn winds and autumn rains were enough to wear down even the strongest spirit. The undulating ruins had been washed clean of dust, leaving only a haze of moisture behind.

Fine rain pattered onto the cheek of the Wine Taoist, who lay sprawled on the ground, snoring loudly. He pursed his lips, then rose groggily and wiped his face with the rainwater. His cultivation had been severely diminished, leaving him unusually weak; he could not even fly on his sword anymore. He had no choice but to return to the mountain and enter secluded cultivation, hoping to recover from his injuries. Scanning the surroundings, he saw Xie Yudie struggling to drag Zhu Fei beneath shelter from the rain. Zhu Fei was howling in pain while Xie Yudie scolded him. The Wine Taoist immediately relaxed. It seemed the two of them were out of danger.

But the person inside was still the one he worried about most. Just as he was about to go over, Zhu Fei suddenly shouted, “Senior Sister, you stepped on my flaky pastry!”

The Wine Taoist froze. “Where did you get a flaky pastry?”

“That mortal brought it back for me when he returned from outside!” Zhu Fei mumbled indistinctly through a mouthful of food.

“You mean Zhou Qian?”

“Yes.”

“That boy has recovered?” The Wine Taoist stared in astonishment, then broke into delighted surprise.

“More or less, I suppose.” Xie Yudie hesitated. “He went outside and dragged back two coffins. And his appearance—”

“His appearance?” the Wine Taoist asked in confusion. He was just about to press her for details when three streaks of immortal light descended from the sky.

“It’s Master and the others!” Zhu Fei exclaimed delightedly.

“Who cares about them? A bunch of fools, all of them manipulated by a demon as easily as children.” The Wine Taoist waved his hand. “You two tell them what happened here. Let’s see whether they have the shame to show their faces.”

With that, he entered the inner courtyard and saw a figure kneeling before two graves. He could not help but pause, and his heart sank.

Zhou Qian’s hair had already turned half white. Strands of silver hung loose, falling all the way to his waist.

He was **WHITE-HAIRED!!!**

The Wine Taoist sighed involuntarily, walked over, and placed a hand on Zhou Qian’s head. “Boy, you’ve truly suffered.”

Zhou Qian’s face was pale, and his eyes were threaded with blood. Yet through his immortal sight, the Wine Taoist could see vitality once again surging through his body. Compared with the lifeless state of the previous day, he was vastly improved.

“Thank you, Senior, for taking care of me these past few days.” Zhou Qian lowered his head and spoke hoarsely, his expression hidden.

The Wine Taoist looked at the two graves before them. Both were extremely simple. The one on the left bore the inscription, “Tomb of My Wife, Yingzhao,” while the one on the right was marked, “Tomb of My Honored Master, Zhou Xun.” Incense, candles, fruits, vegetables, wine, and other offerings had been arranged before both graves. Finding such things in Luodu now must have taken considerable effort.

“The customs of burial were very different when I attained the Dao. Is there anyone who should be notified? Or anything else that ought to be done?”

Zhou Qian shook his head slightly. “My master and Sister Yingzhao had no relatives, and neither of them cared for formal ceremonies. If anyone truly wishes to pay their respects, they will naturally come here to offer incense.”

The Wine Taoist hesitated for a moment before asking, “Your master’s body wasn’t…”

“I gathered some of the clothes he usually wore, a few books, and the remaining half of the Broken Gall Sword, and placed them inside. It is a symbolic tomb.” Zhou Qian explained in a low voice.

For a time, neither spoke. The Wine Taoist solemnly lit incense and bowed three times. Some people, having done certain things, deserved respect even if they had ultimately failed.

“Senior Wine.”

“Hmm?”

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“Could you leave a few days later?” Zhou Qian asked hesitantly. “If possible, I would like to keep vigil for my master and Sister Yingzhao through the seventh-day offering.”

“The seventh day?” The Wine Taoist scratched his head. Would they still make it in time?

“If it would delay you, then forget it,” Zhou Qian said, lowering his head.

“It’s a small matter.” The Wine Taoist waved dismissively. “We can travel several thousand miles in a single day on our swords. There will be no problem.”

Zhou Qian raised his head. His eyes held a startling weariness of the world. He bent deeply at the waist. “Thank you, Senior Wine.”

“A small matter, nothing more!” The Wine Taoist headed outside. “I’ll go see those old fools and discuss the schedule—”

He suddenly stopped and added solemnly, “And from now on, just call me Master. Being called ‘Senior’ makes my skin crawl.”

Before long, faint sounds of arguing drifted in from outside. They did not cease for quite some time, and seemed to concern matters related to him.

For seven days and seven nights, Zhou Qian did not move an inch except to take the occasional mouthful of rice water. Two shallow hollows had been worn into the grass beneath his knees.

In the end, he had to leave. Zhou Qian gazed intently at the two graves, as though he wished to imprint them forever upon his heart.

Then he suddenly remembered something and drew a wooden box from his robes. Seven days earlier, he had found it by chance in a hidden compartment in Zhou Xun’s study. Only master and disciple had known of the compartment. Inside were books recording Zhou Xun’s experiences and secret methods for surpassing **the limit of the mortal body**—the culmination of his life’s work, and one of the reasons that had led to his death. Even now, Zhou Qian found the contents obscure and utterly unfamiliar.

After some thought, he dug a small pit before the graves with his bare hands and buried the box there.

Dust to dust, earth to earth.

“Master, Sister Yingzhao, you gave your lives for me. I am too foolish to understand why I was worth such a sacrifice, but I will never again blame myself or run away. This life no longer belongs to me alone. I will live while carrying both your lives upon my shoulders. The old Dog-Egg, and the Zhou Qian I am now—from this day forward, I am no longer a life that can be scorned!”

An hour later, three streaks of light shot into the sky and sped northward. They were the Wine Taoist and the other righteous sword immortals. After Zhou Qian’s persistent pleading, they had ultimately remained in Luodu for seven days. Now they had to hurry, for only a little over ten days remained before the battle between the righteous and demonic swordsmen.

Their battle with the fiends of the Bare-Body Sect had left them grievously wounded. Apart from Xie Yudie of the Mount Emei Sect, who could still fly on her sword, the other two were seriously injured. Even Xie Yudie moved slowly through the air and had to be carried along by Master Heavenly Duckweed and Yellow Talisman.

Master Heavenly Duckweed had learned that his beloved disciple, Zhao Zhuo, had been killed. His face had remained grim, and he had spoken not a word. He wrapped another female disciple in his sword light and flew off on his own, leaving only Yellow Talisman of the Unity of Heaven Sect and Fire-Eyed Master of Fire Island facing one another.

Fire-Eyed Master’s cultivation was shallow. At a speed of three thousand miles a day, he could barely keep up, and he could not carry anyone. Thus, the burden of transporting the other three fell upon True Master Yellow Talisman. Fortunately, Yellow Talisman was broad-minded, and the journey remained peaceful enough.

The only trouble was that True Master Yellow Talisman was exceedingly fond of talking—especially when addressing his own disciple.

“Good disciple, losing the use of your hands and feet is nothing serious. Once this battle is over, this old Daoist will go to Sunset Cavern on Gathered Fern Mountain and ask Grandmaster White Cloud for a piece of thousand-year immortal lotus root. I still have half a bowl of Unity-of-Heaven Divine Clay stored in my cave. Once your limbs are reconnected, you will be no different from an ordinary person. There are even other benefits…”

“Little Fei, this old Daoist knows you need nourishment. Over these seven days, I made a special trip two hundred miles to a mortal marketplace and bought all sorts of food, including your favorite pig trotters. Hurry and try them while they are still warm!”

“Good disciple, this old Daoist was careless. After thinking it over, I realize that descending the mountain to train alone is somewhat dangerous for someone of your cultivation. My junior sister Bitter Bamboo said that evil flood dragons have been appearing in the Western Sea. In a few days, this old Daoist will go slay one and refine a Flood-Dragon God Talisman for you. If you encounter danger in the future, you may not be able to defeat your enemy, but you will at least be able to escape!”

“Good disciple…”

“Yellow Old Devil, enough!” The Wine Taoist could bear it no longer. He lowered his wine gourd and cursed, “Anyone who knows you would say you’re doting on your disciple. Anyone who doesn’t would think the little fatty from the Zhu family was your illegitimate son by some mortal woman! I always wondered why Zhu Fei, a formally initiated disciple of the Daoist sects, looked so useless. Now I see it’s because you spoiled him. You’ve been chattering the entire journey. Even if you don’t find yourself irritating, this old drunk certainly does!”

True Master Yellow Talisman showed the Wine Taoist no courtesy whatsoever and immediately traded insults with him.

“You old bastard, what business is it of yours if this old Daoist dotes on his own disciple? Keep spouting nonsense and I’ll throw you overboard. Then we’ll see whether your mouth or your body is harder!”

“All right, all right! Master, Uncle, please stop arguing!” Zhu Fei hurriedly swallowed the chicken filling his mouth, wiped his greasy lips, and pleaded with them, his face flushed crimson.

The four of them rode in a small boat of azure jade, roughly four or five rods long and one rod wide. It had neither mast nor sail, yet flew swiftly through the air. A blue barrier along the railings blocked the cold winds and white clouds on every side. From time to time they passed above vultures and pelicans; at such an altitude, ordinary swallows and sparrows could no longer fly.

The three others stood at the bow, while Zhou Qian leaned against the railing at the stern, gazing down. The Wine Taoist curled his lips. With his cultivation greatly diminished, he no longer possessed much vigor even in an argument. He shook his head and ambled toward the stern, then looked down.

“How do you find the scenery?”

“The mountains and rivers are like ribbons, the waterways like threads, and the cities like scattered dots. I have never seen anything so magnificent!” Zhou Qian exclaimed.

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“There are many more things you have yet to see. Now, what do you think of sword immortals?”

“A little less immortal, and a little more human.” The corners of Zhou Qian’s lips lifted faintly.

“That’s because you happened to meet this old Daoist and the Yellow Talisman Devil. In the eyes of our fellow cultivators, the two of us have never cared much for dignity. We act without restraint and show no regard for seniority. If you encountered those old sticks from the Mount Emei Sect, you would not think so.”

“Are you feeling any better?”

Zhou Qian’s expression stiffened. His face darkened, and only after a long while did he shake his head.

“True enough.” The Wine Taoist laughed at himself. “If a few words from this old Daoist could alter a person’s joy or sorrow, I would have become a true immortal long ago, not merely a sword immortal.”

“These past few days, I have relied greatly on your care, Senior Wine—Master Wine,” Zhou Qian said, turning his head. His tone was sincere.

“That sounds much better. Naturally, all the credit belongs to me!” The Wine Taoist patted Zhou Qian on the shoulder, as shamelessly and without regard for seniority as ever.

“I forgot to ask—now that you have left, what will happen to your master’s and the young lady’s graves?”

“I left two letters. One is for General Li Guangzhi of the imperial court, and the other for my Uncle Master Tu of the Beggars’ Sect. With those two looking after the graves, no one will disturb my master and Sister Yingzhao’s rest.”

“You certainly thought things through. Isn’t Li Guangzhi an elder of Li Qionger? I met him twenty years ago. He is a trustworthy man.”

As they spoke, the azure-jade boat suddenly changed direction and flew westward. The two of them hurriedly seized the railing.

“This was absolutely deliberate on Yellow Old Devil’s part!” the Wine Taoist cursed inwardly.

Sure enough, Yellow Talisman turned and gave them a sly grin.

“This immortal boat is quite a treasure! I wonder how it compares with the Golden Radiant Thunderbolt Divine Shuttle you mentioned?” Zhou Qian asked, genuinely impressed.

“What immortal boat? It’s merely a Boat-Transformation Talisman of Azure Jade. At most, it contains a hundred restrictions. How could it compare with Old Monster Hu’s Golden Radiant Thunderbolt Divine Shuttle? The Unity of Heaven Sect has nothing better to show off.” The Wine Taoist spoke with apparent disdain.

“What did you say?” True Master Yellow Talisman flew into a rage. “You dare insult the Unity of Heaven Sect! Everyone knows that swords emerge from Mount Emei and talismans flourish beneath Heaven’s Gate. Which of our Four Great Divine Talismans is inferior to the Golden Radiant Thunderbolt Shuttle? And what does your Qingcheng Sect have to show for itself?”

“Rubbish! Our Qingcheng Sect descends from ancient immortals…”

The two exalted sword immortals immediately began shouting and gesticulating, spraying spittle as they traded insults. The two younger men could only exchange wry smiles.

“Oh, right.” The Wine Taoist managed to find time amid the argument to explain, “When we reach Chang’an and board the Golden Radiant Thunderbolt Divine Vessel, its flight will be so swift that you must not look outside with your naked eyes. Otherwise, the immortal haze, the treasure-light, and the brilliance created by friction with the empty ether will blind you.”

“So this is formed from an immortal talisman!” Zhou Qian thought in astonishment. He lightly tapped the railing, producing the hollow, resonant sound unique to jade. “And there are treasure ships so fast they can blind a person?”

It seemed the days ahead would be far more interesting than he had imagined.