Chapter Eighty-Two: Turning to the Talisman Map (Second Update)

March 16th marked the tenth day since the Festival of Azure Clouds had passed, when Dan Cliff Sect officially acknowledged to the world that its Sect Master Ling Xuzi and Nascent Soul expert Jin Donglou had met with misfortune and perished together.

The moment this news broke, an uproar swept through all the great sects. If it had truly been an accident, so be it—one could only say Dan Cliff Sect’s luck had run out. But what truly unsettled cultivators across the land was the resurgence of demonic cultivators, dormant on this continent for millennia, now seemingly revived from their ashes.

Though Dan Cliff Sect tried to obscure the details, rumors still spread like wildfire that Ling Xuzi’s senior brother, Sun Yougong, had colluded with demonic cultivators.

Sun Yougong was a figure of great renown among the orthodox Daoist cultivators—how could he possibly be involved with the demonic path? Those who knew him reacted in various ways: some, like the Master of Immortal Mist Cavern, condemned him in the strongest terms; others chose silent observation. Only Leyou, the master of Little Yingzhou, dared to publicly declare under pressure that Sun Yougong was incapable of such acts and must have been framed, pointing the finger directly at Mu Fengshan, now acting head of Dan Cliff Sect.

Amidst this chaos, Dan Cliff Sect announced it would hold the grand third-seven-day memorial for its two late elders on March 27th atop Red Wheel Peak. As a result, every Daoist sect and noble family with ties to Dan Cliff Sect would send representatives to offer condolences. The gathering was bound to be grand, and many anticipated that once the memorial concluded, Dan Cliff Sect would seize the occasion to officially declare Mu Fengshan as the new Sect Master.

All eyes of the cultivation world thus turned to Little Yingzhou, waiting to see whether Leyou would send anyone to pay respects at Dan Cliff Sect—and, if so, who that person would be.

In the blink of an eye, March 21st arrived, and the great sect of Talisman Diagram, located in the continent’s western reaches, received an unexpected visitor.

She was a very young female cultivator, weary and travel-worn, as if she had journeyed a great distance. Upon arrival at Talisman Diagram Sect, she immediately requested an audience with Sect Master Dai Mingchi.

Had the disciple guarding the sect gates not seen that she had already formed her Foundation so young—barely over twenty—he would have thought her merely a promising student sent by some renowned master on sect business, not someone to be allowed near the sect’s inner halls. Hearing such an audacious request, he immediately considered driving this deluded girl away. But then the young woman declared her identity: she was the grand-disciple of Sun Yougong of Dan Cliff Sect.

This young cultivator was none other than Hong Jian.

Given the commotion surrounding Sun Yougong’s affairs, the sudden appearance of his grand-disciple at Talisman Diagram Sect was no small matter. The disciple dared not make a decision and quickly reported the matter up the chain of command.

Dai Mingchi, the Nascent Soul master, and several elders were away from the sect. In charge at home was Dai Mingchi’s own disciple, Nangong Jiu. Hearing that Sun Yougong’s grand-disciple had come to call, he was extremely surprised but made time to meet Hong Jian.

Upon meeting her, Nangong Jiu realized that, setting aside her background, the young woman herself was instantly likable. She was very young, with delicate, blossom-like features, and her manner was both respectful and composed. She was neither naively ignorant nor prematurely worldly, but instead exuded the pure freshness of a mountain spring. Most of all, her eyes, when meeting another’s gaze, were so sincere.

She said, “Elder Nangong, I happened to be cultivating in the Endless Sea during the Festival of Azure Clouds, and witnessed the deaths of several elders from my sect with my own eyes. As a mere Foundation Establishment disciple, I was powerless to protect myself, and now, with water-attribute disciples facing unjust treatment in Dan Cliff Sect, I have come to seek refuge with your esteemed sect for the sake of survival. Even if it is only as an outer-sect disciple, I humbly beg you to take me in.”

Nangong Jiu was momentarily at a loss. When disaster befalls a sect, for a disciple to abandon loyalty and seek shelter elsewhere is the height of shamelessness—yet how did this young woman named Fang Hongjian speak of it with such calm, as if it were only natural?

Furthermore, why come here of all places? Leyou of Little Yingzhou was a close friend of Sun Yougong and the other deceased elders of Dan Cliff Sect; surely she would be better received there than to risk humiliation here at Talisman Diagram Sect. Nangong Jiu, vaguely aware what his master and the elders were occupied with, sensed that this matter was far from ordinary. He arranged for Fang Hongjian to stay for the time being, then immediately sent word to Dai Mingchi.

Dai Mingchi replied quickly, ordering Nangong Jiu to bring Fang Hongjian at once to the Qi family estate in Tong City.

Nangong Jiu understood the implication. Tong City lay just over three hundred miles from Dan Cliff Sect, and the Qi family was that of Elder Qi Tianbao. Since his master had chosen to stay at the Qi estate rather than return to the sect, it was clear the Dan Cliff Sect affair was not yet resolved.

Using a flying artifact, Nangong Jiu brought Hong Jian swiftly through the night, reaching Tong City in just two days. As the Qi family estate came into view, Nangong Jiu, thinking of the challenge the young woman was about to face with his master, couldn’t help but ask, “You’ve reached Foundation Establishment at such a young age—you clearly have talent. If you have a water spiritual root, what is your signature martial art?” A cultivator’s core technique greatly influences their strength, and this is especially true for water cultivators, whose arts tend to lack offensive power. Nangong Jiu thought that if this young woman had chosen a formidable technique after forming her foundation, perhaps his master might see her as a promising talent and overlook her past, accepting her into the sect.

Hong Jian replied respectfully, “Elder, I have cultivated the ‘Return of Myriad Streams to the Source.’”

“Oh?” For a moment, Nangong Jiu wondered if the wind was too strong and he had misheard. He shot Hong Jian a curious glance but said nothing further. That technique was an obscure one—what future could she possibly have? He couldn’t help but feel sorry for her. “What is Dan Cliff Sect thinking, wasting such a promising seedling and ruining students’ prospects? No wonder, when the tree falls, the monkeys scatter: their disciples feel no loyalty, and the first thought in crisis is to defect.”

The Qi family was Tong City’s most prestigious cultivation clan, occupying nearly half the city’s land, with the family head also serving as city governor. Lately, with Nascent Soul expert Dai Mingchi and his party staying there, only Nascent Soul and Golden Core experts came and went, and the whole Qi household had been instructed to stay clear and avoid disturbance. Thus, Nangong Jiu and Hong Jian were admitted to Dai Mingchi without hindrance.

Dai Mingchi was not alone; Elders Yuan Bijian and Qi Tianbao were with him. Nangong Jiu was surprised that his master would pay such attention to this young woman from Dan Cliff Sect.

The moment Hong Jian entered, she felt a crushing pressure. She had anticipated this, but what surprised her was that it was not Dai Mingchi, but the two men seated on either side of him, who deliberately sought to make things difficult for her. She had only caught distant glimpses of them when her grandmaster, Sun Yougong, was ambushed, but she still recognized them in her heart.

Outwardly, Hong Jian showed nothing, but quietly thought, “Chen Zaizhi, these three are the enemies of your fate.”

Yuan Bijian and Qi Tianbao, of course, recognized Hong Jian as well. They hadn’t expected this little fish who had followed Sun Yougong to survive, and now, for her to walk willingly into their hands—what was her intention? Yuan Bijian snorted coldly, regarding this newly established Foundation young woman as beneath his notice, and a wave of murderous intent rose from him.

Nangong Jiu, seeing the scene, refrained from further introduction. He paid deep respects to his master, greeted the two elders, and stepped aside to wait.

Dai Mingchi studied the young woman before him. He remembered that nine years ago, in Huanhua Hall, Ji Youyun had surprised everyone by asking to take Fang Hongjian as a disciple, only to be publicly refused by her. Unfortunately, Ji Youyun had since departed for the north and was out of touch, and in all these years hadn’t mentioned accepting a disciple again. If possible, Dai Mingchi would have liked him to witness this scene and see what he might think now.

Yuan Bijian, with a gold spiritual root, was a late Nascent Soul expert. His killing intent, like an invisible blade, assaulted the mind. Not to mention Hong Jian, who had only just established her foundation—even a Golden Core cultivator with a weaker will could easily be made to lose composure.

Yet, surprisingly, apart from turning pale, Fang Hongjian showed no sign of distress. She carefully observed the three men before her, then knelt before Dai Mingchi at the center and spoke with utmost respect and propriety: “Junior Fang Hongjian pays her respects to Sect Master Dai. You are a half-step from true immortality, unrivaled in the world, your virtue and reputation command awe and admiration from all. It would be my greatest honor to follow in your footsteps.”

Yuan Bijian and Qi Tianbao exchanged peculiar glances. They had destroyed Sun Yougong’s physical body together, yet here his grand-disciple showed no thought of vengeance, but instead fawned over his killers. Was the younger generation of Daoist cultivators truly so degenerate?

Still, seeing the young woman’s deference focused solely on the sect master while she deliberately avoided them, they wondered whether it was out of fear or lingering resentment.

Dai Mingchi, too, felt a strange emotion stir within him—had nine years truly changed a person so much?

He said indifferently, “Fang Hongjian, you insisted on remaining at Dan Cliff Sect in the past. Now you have a master and have established your foundation—why do you seek to join my Talisman Diagram Sect? Out of consideration for your long journey, I will hear your true intentions.”

Hong Jian raised her head and let the Talisman Diagram elders look upon her without flinching. She said frankly, “Elder, Dan Cliff Sect is deeply biased in favor of men over women. Over the years, my master Yan Changqing gave me little guidance. After my junior brother Chen Zaizhi entered the sect, relations between us became extremely strained. These matters are well known in Dan Cliff Sect; I do not deceive you in the slightest.”

At her blunt mention of her master’s name, Dai Mingchi’s eyebrows twitched, and Yuan Bijian and Qi Tianbao’s expressions grew displeased.

Nangong Jiu, standing aside, lowered his gaze: Talisman Diagram Sect was strictest about hierarchy. The master sat in the center, the two elders at his sides; even he, a Nascent Soul disciple, could only stand. This Fang Hongjian was practically seeking her own ruin.

Dai Mingchi, however, did not interrupt her, so the others had to stifle their opinions. Hong Jian continued, “On the day of the Festival of Azure Clouds, my grandmaster took me to cultivate in the Endless Sea,”—here, she glanced at the two men beside her—“when the incident occurred, I found his nascent soul inside a nearby fish. Knowing he was beyond saving, he entrusted me with the sect’s transmission jade slip.”

At these words, the elders could no longer look down on Hong Jian, their expressions changing. All of them, including Dai Mingchi, had risked inner demons and slaughtered without restraint, yet had never found Dan Cliff Sect’s transmission jade slip. Now this young woman claimed Sun Yougong had given it to her.

Qi Tianbao said, “Impossible! The jade slip is in Chen Zaizhi’s hands.”