Xin Ji was a cunning man, and because he had been avoiding the pursuit of the Demon Realm for many years, he was extremely cautious. He had suffered from the Sword King Pavilion before, and even Yan Sen refused to come this time, so how could he easily listen to the words of the Sword King Pavilion? If he came, he would only act alone, and it would be impossible for him to follow the people of the Sword King Pavilion.
Xin Ji was coerced.
It sounds meaningless that the Sword King Pavilion forced Xin Ji to see him, but considering their business and the mission of Rain Sword Thirty-Three, it can be guessed that the Pavilion Master was using Xin Ji to hold him back.
What is the secret of the spiritual eye
Gu Pinglin rushed towards Danxia Cave. Yu Jian Sanshisan and Xin Ji probably knew they couldn't stop him, so they didn't chase after him.
Danxia Cave was opened in the middle of the cliff. There was a small pond on the platform outside. The pondside was covered with snow. The water was clear. Not only was it not frozen, but it was steaming. It was a hot spring. The cave entrance had been destroyed, and several black shadows flew into the distance.
Gu Pinglin's heart sank.
I'm afraid the secrets inside have been dealt with.
Lan Feiyu said: "I'll go after him!"
"No need, you can't catch up." Gu Pinglin stopped him, "Go in and take a look."
The spirit eye is born on the spirit vein, absorbing the energy of the sky vein to maintain the balance of the earth vein. Because it contains abundant spiritual energy, it is easy for monsters and demons to breed around it. Large sects have enough power to clean it up regularly, and leave a corner for disciples to train. Over time, this corner will grow into a secret realm.
The spiritual eye in Danxia Cave was very large, several meters in radius, like a milk spring pool, leading directly to the ground. The entire Baekdu Mountain should be hollow. The spiritual energy in the pool was like white milk, rippling endlessly, and seemed to be overflowing. A huge Tai Chi-shaped seal floated in the sky, emitting white light, appearing and disappearing from time to time.
There are two or three secret realms around, all of which were opened up by the Zixiao Palace. At this moment, the entrances are wide open and the inside has been swept through by various factions. Now that the spiritual eyes are sealed and the spiritual energy is exhausted, these secret realms will probably disappear completely in a few decades.
Gu Pinglin glanced around and frowned.
The seal is currently solid, and there is no sign of abnormality on the four walls of the cave. What were those people dealing with just now
There were footsteps outside the cave, and Yu Jian Thirty-three walked in. Lan Feiyu grabbed his front and said gloomily, "Boy, what do you want to do?"
Yu Jian Sanshi just glanced at him and said, "The task assigned by the Pavilion Master is for Xin Ji and I to do our best to hold you back and prevent you from reaching the Spirit Eye, but it doesn't matter if we can't stop you."
It doesn't matter if I can't stop him? Lan Feiyu was stunned.
"Your cultivation has recovered," Rain Sword Thirty-Three broke free from his grasp, "Is it a technique or a medicine?"
Gu Pinglin asked casually: "Is there any kind of skill that can repair the Dao meridian? Have you seen it?"
Yu Jian Thirty-Three stopped talking.
The other party did a very clean job and the two did not find any suspicious traces. Lan Feiyu planned to go into the abandoned secret realm to check.
"That's not necessary. This kind of large secret realm cannot be explored in a day or two," Gu Pinglin stopped him and asked Rain Sword Thirty-Three, "Sword King Pavilion does not interfere in the affairs of the outside world. Is this a deal you made with others?"
Rain Sword Thirty-Three nodded and said, "I just received the mission yesterday, and Xin Ji just came to join me this morning."
Gu Pinglin said: "It seems that I have been targeted for a long time."
Lan Feiyu said in a deep voice: "Could it be because of me..."
"No," Gu Pinglin said, "If he knew it was you, he wouldn't let you go so easily. I guess he cares about Yuluo Mountain. If I hadn't thought of coming to Danxia Cave to check, they probably wouldn't have taken action."
Lan Feiyu breathed a sigh of relief.
Gu Pinglin paced around the Spirit Eye for a few times, and suddenly said, "Go out."
Since there was no apparent problem, staying here would only waste time. Lan Feiyu did not object and followed him out of Danxia Cave.
Gu Pinglin casually asked Rain Sword Thirty-Three: "Where is Xin Ji?"
Rain Sword Thirty-Three said: "He has another mission."
Gu Pinglin said: "He was ordered around so smoothly, he must be very afraid of the Pavilion Master."
Yu Jian Thirty-Three did not respond.
"Don't be nervous," Gu Pinglin smiled at him, "I'm about to go to the Sword King Pavilion in person to visit your Pavilion Master."
The three of them walked up the steps carved out of the cliff. As soon as they returned to the main road, they met a group of people. When the first person saw Gu Pinglin, he laughed: "It's you."
"Lord of the South Island." Gu Pinglin bowed.
Lan Feiyu lowered his head slightly and pulled the curtain down.
"You want to go to Yuluo Mountain, why didn't you send a message in advance?" Nanzhu supported his arm and patted it, "Come on, I'll tell you in detail when you get over there." He looked at Yu Jian Sanshisan and Lan Feiyu again: "These two..."
Gu Pinglin said: "They are the two young friends from the Sword King Pavilion."
"Sword King Pavilion?" Nanzhu frowned slightly, then relaxed. "At the Yunya meeting, the Sword King Pavilion opened our eyes. You are a guest, please come in."
The Penglai Palace is located on the nearby Xiaoci Mountain. Compared with the main peak, Mount Baitou, the low Xiaoci Mountain is completely inconspicuous. Nanzhu wants it to be the base of Lujie and build a palace. The major sects and families also agreed to it as a favor.
As soon as Gu Pinglin landed, he noticed that there was plenty of spiritual energy in the mountain and said, "Brother Nan has good vision."
Nanzhu explained with a smile: "The Great Spiritual Eye of Mount Paektu was sealed, and the branch spiritual veins benefited. I didn't expect to have such luck at the beginning."
He pulled Gu Pinglin into the hall, and sat down in the main seat at the top. Gu Pinglin and the other two sat down on both sides.
"Please call the madam and tell her that Master Gu is here." Nanzhu ordered the maid.
Then, several servants came up with a small table, set out wine, food, and fruits, and then left, leaving only a maid kneeling beside the table, holding a jug to pour wine for everyone.
Gu Pinglin asked, "I came to Baitou Mountain. When did Brother Nan get the news?"
Nanzhu smiled and said, "I am close to Mount Paektu, so several sect leaders and family heads asked me to look after the spiritual veins. Once you reach the main peak, the people below will report it to me."
Gu Pinglin asked, "Then you saw a group of people coming down the mountain just now?"
“No,” Nanzhu frowned, “What’s wrong?”
Gu Pinglin did not answer, and signaled the maid beside him not to pour wine: "I heard about the Zixiao Palace incident. Did you report it, Brother Nan?"
"That's right. I accidentally caught the messenger and found evidence of the Zixiao Palace's collusion with Master Weifeng, so I did him a favor," Nanzhu admitted readily. "To be honest, Penglai is located in a remote corner of the East China Sea, and its resources are limited. I intend to develop in the land world."
Gu Pinglin said: "Brother Nan has always had great ambitions, which is admirable."
Nanzhu said: "If you and I can join hands and fight for supremacy in the cultivation world, how can we not succeed?"
Gu Pinglin did not take up the topic: "Now that Brother Nan has a foothold in Xiaoci Mountain, he can realize his ambitions."
Nanzhu was about to say something else when the maid came out from behind the screen and whispered, "Madam said she felt a little dizzy and couldn't see guests. She must be tired from practicing."
Nanzhu looked worried: "Then let her rest well and ask the pharmacist to take a look."
The attendant agreed and withdrew.
Gu Pinglin said, "You and I are drinking, why bother my sister-in-law?"
"She has been busy in recent years," Nanzhu raised her glass again and said with a smile, "Before in Yunya, you and I both had important things to do, and we were not happy to talk. Today we have a rare gathering, so we must get drunk."
Gu Pinglin also raised his glass and said with a smile: "It is better to obey than to be respectful."
Yu Jian Thirty-Three only ate some fruits from beginning to end. Lan Feiyu was very cautious and did not dare to drink too much for fear of his identity being discovered. Nanzhu knew that the two were disciples of the Sword King Pavilion, so she only politely persuaded them to drink a few glasses and then ignored them.
As the wine became more and more exciting, Nanzhu signaled the maid to pour more wine while sighing, "When I was trapped in Penglai, I never thought that I would end up like this."
Gu Pinglin said, "I heard that Brother Nan eliminated Guo Feng in just a few years. I wonder what the details are?"
In the past, the Six Imperial Lords Guo Feng was almost the only one who could control Penglai Island. After getting rid of him, Nanzhu finally took control of Penglai Island. However, when it came to this matter, Nanzhu did not want to say more, and only said vaguely: "Ji Shi contributed a lot."
Gu Pinglin asked: "Aunt Ji?"
Nanzhu said “hmm” and waved her hand, “Let’s not talk about the old things. Let’s drink!”
Gu Pinglin tactfully ended the topic. Nanzhu seemed particularly happy today and kept drinking from a large cup with no self-control at all. In the end, both of them were taken down from their seats by servants.
After the servant left the room, Gu Pinglin got up from the bed, opened the door, and sat at the table waiting.
Sure enough, someone soon came to the door.
"I haven't seen you for many years. How are you and Shunshi Gong?" Gu Pinglin bowed.
"Master Gu, is this a greeting or a joke?"
"oh?"
"I thought I was smart, but I misjudged people again and again." After not seeing each other for many years, Ming Gongnu's appearance remained the same, but she no longer had the brilliance of the past. There was a lot of fatigue between her eyebrows. She quickly walked into the room, closed the door, and then breathed a sigh of relief. "Guo Feng's old men were slaughtered, and my grandfather and I are not having a good time now."
Gu Pinglin said: "When you forced him back then, you should have thought about this day."
"Do you think it's just us?" Lady Ming said coldly, "Duke Pingcang can't do anything now. The island owner is ruthless to everyone. Penglai has become the domain of the Ji family."
Gu Pinglin said: "If you are ruthless to everyone, how can you establish the Ji family's empire?"
"Ever since the Ji clan came to the island, the island owner no longer trusts Lord Pingcang," Ming Gongnu sighed, "Not only has the island owner's temperament changed drastically, but Lord Pingcang has also been very strange in recent years. He only looks for the Lord Spirit Envoy everywhere and ignores everything else. If this continues, the foundation of Penglai will sooner or later be stolen by the Ji clan."
It seems that Lord Pingcang has also been affected. Gu Pinglin suppressed his smile.
"Although the island master doesn't trust us, his attitude towards you, Master Gu, remains unchanged," said Lady Ming. "Master Gu was able to save the island master once before, so why not save him again?"
Gu Pinglin asked: "Save him, or save you?"
"It makes no difference," Ming Gongnu said calmly, "As long as we all fall, the Ji family will control Penglai, and there is no need for the island owner to live."
Gu Pinglin stood up and walked to her: "My lady, you already have an idea, why are you asking me?"
Ming Gongnu smiled sweetly: "Master Gu's judgment can reassure me. The person who tied the bell must untie it, but she is still a daughter of the Ji family..."
Gu Pinglin said: "She is also the wife of the island owner."
"It's too risky."
"Are you afraid of taking risks?"
"Did I take your words as a compliment?" Lady Ming slowly approached him.
Gu Pinglin looked down at her and raised his eyebrows: "The purpose of taking risks is to gain corresponding value. A sect is not an aristocratic family. The leader may soon become the former leader. Please think carefully, young lady."
"I am busy now, so I shouldn't have any delusions. But am I just this kind of person in your heart?" Lady Ming smiled and stepped back, bowing. "It's late at night, I dare not disturb you any more, goodbye."
Gu Pinglin ignored Nanzhu's attempts to keep him and left after only two days. From beginning to end, Ji Qinnan did not come out to meet him.
Gu Pinglin transferred three high-quality spiritual cranes from the nearby Lingxin Temple to continue the journey, and arrived at the Blood Moon Miasma Valley ten days later.
The Blood Moon Miasma Valley is considered a semi-forbidden area in the cultivation world. It is not a large area, but the miasma and poisonous insects in it are enough to make cultivators change color. The name comes from a very unique miasma in the valley, called the Blood Bath Miasma. Once someone is touched by it, their skin will turn bloody and it will be extremely painful. When the blood color spreads to the whole body, they will become a blood man and die in great pain. Whenever the Blood Bath Miasma appears on a moonlit night, the moon will appear a strange bloody color, which is also a great wonder in the cultivation world.
There is a big stone at the entrance of the valley, with a few big red characters "This is the way to Jianwang Pavilion" engraved on it, and two lines of small characters next to it: Nothing is difficult in the world, sincere guests will come.
Gu Pinglin stood at the mouth of the valley and looked inside. He saw poisonous vines and strange trees covering the sky, and the road ahead was filled with miasma. The sounds of animals crying and insects chirping were miserable, and he must have suspected that this was the underworld.
Yu Jian Thirty-Three took out a small box and said, "This is the secret medicine for preventing miasma in the pavilion. You two can use some for now."
There was white powder in the box. Gu Pinglin did not refuse and took some and sprinkled it on his body. Lan Feiyu did the same. Then the three of them walked into the miasma valley.
The moment he entered the valley, the bright sunlight above his head suddenly dimmed. Lan Feiyu couldn't help but look up and found that the sun's shadow above his head had disappeared. Only the light barely passed through the miasma layer, and it also became much dimmer. He couldn't help but think to himself that this miasma valley was indeed as the legend said, with a moon but no sun.
Suddenly, a thin stream of green air blew out from the tree trunk next to me!
Lan Feiyu reacted quickly and dodged by holding his breath.
Rain Sword Thirty-three said: "This wood energy is not very toxic. Even without the secret medicine, it will not kill people."
Lan Feiyu then put away his contempt and frowned, "This place is indeed dangerous. Can this secret medicine cure the bloody miasma?"
Rain Sword Thirty-Three said: "No, but in fact, the blood-soaked miasma is not the most dangerous. It is slow and easy to avoid as long as you can see the pattern. The most dangerous ones are the white-headed miasma and the insect tide."
Lan Feiyu stopped asking.
Because of the Sword King Pavilion, this road had been obviously repaired, and many branches on both sides had been cut down. Gu Pinglin walked along the path, passing through various miasma. Many strange flowers and plants withered at a speed visible to the naked eye, and half-rotten corpses hung among the thorns. There were many strange phenomena that were hard to describe. It was exactly: the flowers withered in an instant, and the grass withered and flourished in the blink of an eye. Walking in the green mist in the forest, green smoke grew on the stones. Fierce beasts fought for rotten meat, and beasts died on vines and thorns. This place was neither righteous nor evil, but it was actually peaceful.
Every half hour, Rain Sword Thirty-Three would emit incense. It seemed that Sword King Pavilion had strongholds along the way.
After walking for half a day, there was suddenly a light ahead.
A mountain peak rose from the ground, or "half of a mountain" would be more accurate. It seemed as if a giant axe had split it in half, with the other half missing and the remaining half a whole expanse of rugged rock that was reddish in color. At the top of the peak, a stream of white smoke rose into the sky, and the miasma in the air was completely dispelled by the white smoke. The afternoon sunlight illuminated the mountain wall brightly.
Without the miasma obstructing his vision, Gu Pinglin could clearly see that between the cliffs, about twenty or thirty feet above the ground, there were a few pine trees growing sparsely, with branches slanting out and a corner of the eaves visible among the branches and leaves.
There were no guards around, but as soon as the three of them reached the bottom of the cliff, they heard someone above them say respectfully, "Your honored guests have arrived. Please go to the Sword King Pavilion."
Yu Jian Thirty-three had been in contact with the Pavilion on the way, so Gu Pinglin was not surprised: "Are we all going?"
"No one is allowed to go to the Sword King Pavilion without being summoned," Rain Sword Thirty-Three shook his head and pointed at Lan Feiyu, "He joined the Mist Sword, and I will take him to the Mist Sword Pavilion."
Lan Feiyu took off the curtain, nodded to Gu Pinglin, and followed Yu Jian Sanshisan.
The previous voice did not appear again. Gu Pinglin waited for a while but saw no one to guide him. He couldn't help but laugh and flew directly into the air.
About ten feet above the ground, a resistance came down overhead!
Gu Pinglin did not dodge or evade, but released his sword intent to fight against it and face the challenge head-on. The building was right in front of him, and the pressure above his head was as heavy as a mountain. The sword intent in his body began to show signs of collapse. Once the sword intent collapsed, he would undoubtedly be seriously injured. Gu Pinglin still did not change his expression. When he was close to his limit, he suddenly swung his palm in the air and slapped the cliff!
Amid the loud noise, countless pieces of rubble fell.
One of the sword marks on the stone wall was destroyed, the sword formation was broken, the pressure was relieved, Gu Pinglin turned around and landed in front of the pavilion, looking up.
The tall pavilion was built against the cliff, most of it embedded in the rock. It had high eaves with two exquisite palace lanterns hanging under them. The red door was wide open, with a black plaque hanging on it with three large characters "Sword King Pavilion" inscribed on it in neat and steady handwriting.
It was quiet all around and no one urged him. Gu Pinglin looked at the words for a long while before he walked up the stairs.
"Hey, as soon as the distinguished guest arrives, he wants to tear down my Sword King Pavilion." A voice sounded.
The voice was smiling, gentle and friendly, making people feel like spring breeze.
Gu Pinglin felt as if he had been hit hard. He couldn't help but take two steps back, and the fingers in his sleeves began to tremble slightly.