71: Chapter 72 Blessed Land

Jiang Yuhe tried her best to control her expression.

She merely stood amidst the mist of Luoxi Mouth, letting Listening to Rain spread out bit by bit, firmly tracking Han Zhaoye's departing figure.

The Qi of the Talisman of Subtle Danger Avoidance in her Dantian trembled incessantly.

It was completely different from the warning signs felt when encountering ordinary enemies; it felt as if something was separated by a layer of mist, forcibly crashing into her fate.

That jade tablet on Han Zhaoye's person had only been revealed for an instant, but that single instant was enough to make her unable to look away, her gaze fixed uncontrollably on Han Zhaoye.

Jiang Yuhe knew clearly in her heart that the object was by no means ordinary.

It could not even be summarized by the word "treasure."

Han Zhaoye walked further and further away, his figure wrapped in golden protective Spiritual Qi, and soon he crossed the paddy fields of the creek mouth, disappearing at the end of the riverbank.

Jiang Yuhe continued to gaze in that direction.

Not until his Qi could no longer be heard within Listening to Rain did she slowly lower her eyes, her fingers inside her sleeves still tightening unconsciously.

On the other side, Han Zhaoye rode the wind and departed.

After leaving Luoxi Mouth, there had been an inexplicable sense of irritability in his chest.

The feeling came strangely, with no discernible cause. He subconsciously looked back, but behind him were only the receding creek mouth, the flying boat, and that female Cultivator from the Jiang Family.

The lake-colored dharma sword at his waist suddenly gave a light tremor.

Inside the scabbard, a sliver of sword essence spontaneously emitted a faint light, as if affected by some sort of pull, wanting to unsheathe itself.

Han Zhaoye frowned, reached out to press his hand on the hilt, and slowly suppressed it with the magic power in his palm, soothing the restless dharma sword.

"Quiet."

He spat out the single word in a low voice.

The sword light faded slightly, though it still trembled.

A touch of gloom finally appeared in Han Zhaoye's eyes.

He subconsciously reached toward the inside of his chest; the jade tablet pressed against his heart, cold and gentle.

Upon his fingertips touching the jade tablet, his restless state of mind finally eased a little.

Han Zhaoye warned himself over and over in his heart.

He was already different.

He was different from those vulgar Cultivators in the Han Family who only knew how to fight over fields and taxes, and different from the descendants of these small Qi Refining clans on the riverbank.

In his youth, he found this object, and from it, he comprehended the Dao, understood cultivation in the world, and saw through mundane affairs.

Since then, he had severed many useless attachments, cultivated in seclusion, turned misfortune into Luck several times, and obtained Opportunity in desperate situations that others saw as dead ends.

Now what he should be looking at was the Chengtian Sect, the true teachings of the Immortal, Young Master Gu Xingzhi, Shen Zhaowei, and those geniuses from noble families who were truly qualified to become stepping stones on his path.

Not a direct descendant of an ordinary Qi Refining Family.

And certainly not the Jiang Family.

A small clan that had just crawled out of the mud of a Cold Household, a Family that barely stood firm by relying on the bones of the Luo Family and the shade of the Gu Clan, a woman who might not even touch the threshold of Foundation Establishment—what right did she have to make him feel disturbed?

The Dao is above, and longevity is ahead.

Why get angry over an ant beneath one's feet?

Han Zhaoye thought this, yet his state of mind did not truly settle.

Instead, he more clearly recalled the look Jiang Yuhe had given him just now.

That gaze was strangely calm, possessing something that disgusted him.

There was no fear, no admiration, no concession that an ordinary Cultivator should have when facing a Genius.

That gaze seemed to pass through his protective Spiritual Qi, pass through his dharma robes, pass through his words, and see a place that should not be seen.

This caused an uncontrollable disgust to rise in Han Zhaoye's heart.

He suddenly stopped in mid-air and closed his eyes for a moment.

Within his Sea of Consciousness, a wisp of Sword Intent swept across his spiritual platform, severing those chaotic thoughts one by one.

Heart Sword Slaying Thoughts.

This was one of the wonderful techniques he had comprehended from that jade tablet over these years.

When he opened his eyes again, the depths of Han Zhaoye's eyes had returned to calm.

Since the Chengtian Sect wanted to set up a ring and the tournament was in the name of families, that was for the best.

He would slay Jiang Yuhe on the ring.

Slay her body, and also slay the distracting thoughts that arose because of her.

In this way, his heart would naturally be clear.

On the side of Luoxi Mouth, Young Master Gu Xingzhi still stood on the Qingwu Cloud-Splitting Boat, watching the direction where Han Zhaoye had departed.

After a moment, he let out a laugh.

"This person's Dao wisdom is not shallow; I fear he will be one of my formidable rivals in the future."

He spoke with a touch of casualness, but it was not entirely a joke.

"He is at least sensible, leaving as soon as he saw me arrive. Otherwise, if the two of us joined forces today, we could have at least left him with half his life."

Jiang Yuhe replied almost without thinking, "It would be better to kill him."

After saying this, she herself paused for an instant.

Young Master Gu Xingzhi glanced at her sideways.

Jiang Yuhe immediately realized she had spoken out of turn, her expression unchanged, she merely steered the conversation toward the affairs of the Luo Family.

"The disaster of the Luo Family's annihilation was most likely the work of the Han Family."

"Now that the Luo Family has become a vassal clan of the Jiang Family, and Luo Qitang and the others are under the protection of our Jiang Family, the Jiang Family naturally cannot regard the Luo Family's vendetta as an external matter."

"Therefore, the Jiang Family will also show a hostile attitude toward the newcomers of the Han Family."

Young Master Gu Xingzhi blinked.

He looked at her without immediately pressing for more.

He merely smiled and acknowledged, "If there is a vendetta, it should naturally be avenged."

After he finished speaking, he changed the subject.

"I came today to give the Jiang Family a few reminders."

Jiang Yuhe composed herself and looked at him.

Young Master Gu Xingzhi leaped down from the flying boat, the Qingwu Cloud-Splitting Boat hovering by his side, the spiritual patterns on the boat's body flowing slightly.

He stood shoulder to shoulder with her by the creek, gazing at the distant Baishi River water.

"Cangya Ridge has handed over the Gu and Shen families, along with all the clans on this riverbank, to the Chengtian Sect as bargaining chips."

Upon these words, Jiang Yuhe's eyes flickered slightly.

Young Master Gu Xingzhi continued, "The Chengtian Sect knows of the tension between the Gu and Shen families, and understands even better the new grudges and old grievances between the Han, Jiang, and Luo families."

"They chose to hold the tournament at this very time; on the surface, it is to test the foundations of each Family and allocate future resources and Disciple quotas, but the purpose is not necessarily to intensify conflicts."

"As long as each Family has Disciples entering the Sect, even if they are only outer Sect, registered, or outside-the-mountain Disciples, they are nominally under the jurisdiction of the Chengtian Sect. If they tear off the facade and fight to the death then, it would just be internal strife among the clans under the Sect's command."

Jiang Yuhe said, "So their surface intention is just to test our strength?"

"Correct, the tournament determines treatment, and accepting people determines status." Young Master Gu Xingzhi nodded, "Regardless of rank, for families like ours, it is actually an elevation."

"At least nominally, we can all climb the towering tree that is the Chengtian Sect."

He said this, and the smile on his lips faded slightly.

"Of course, Spirit Stones do not fall from the sky, nor do Immortal Opportunities. Since the Chengtian Sect has paid the price to bring our families under its command, and is willing to provide status, resources, and prospects for our Disciples, it means we will definitely have our uses in the future."

Jiang Yuhe listened quietly.

Young Master Gu Xingzhi said, "The Gu Family has been established for over a hundred years, and there is one thing recorded in our clan history. My Gu Family ancestor was originally just a Loose Cultivator, who later obtained an Opportunity when a Blessed Land opened, only then achieving Foundation Establishment, and subsequently established the Gu Clan of Qingwu Terrace."

"A Blessed Land?"

Jiang Yuhe asked softly.

Young Master Gu Xingzhi nodded, his voice lowering slightly.

"A so-called Blessed Land is when a Purple Mansion expert achieves the Dao; their Divine Soul and magic power, the Luck of mountains and rivers, and their own status merge with a piece of heaven and earth, giving birth to a small world in the Great Void that belongs exclusively to them."

"That place is attached to the Purple Mansion status of the one who achieved the Dao; without permission, Cultivators below the Purple Mansion level cannot see it, touch it, much less enter it."

"Only Purple Mansion Cultivators can forcibly knock open the portals of the same level by relying on their own status."

He raised his hand and pointed toward the distant cloudy sky.

"A Blessed Land seems to be outside the mountains and rivers, yet it is connected to them."

"The higher the owner's cultivation, the broader the Blessed Land, the more abundant the Spiritual Qi, and the more precious the spiritual products that can be cultivated inside. If the owner manages it properly, the Blessed Land is like a Family ancestral ground hidden in the Great Void; with a hundred years of accumulation, who knows how many things it can nurture."

Jiang Yuhe felt a slight shock in her heart as she listened.

She originally knew very little about things at the Purple Mansion level, only vaguely having heard terms like Purple Mansion Earth Immortal, Blessed Land, and status.

Now that Young Master Gu Xingzhi had explained it this way, she faintly understood why the gap between Foundation Establishment noble families and Purple Mansion Immortal clans was so vast.

Foundation Establishment families fight for spiritual fields and mountains and waters.

Purple Mansion Immortal clans, however, already possess their own Blessed Lands.

Young Master Gu Xingzhi continued, "As for above the Golden Core, the Blessed Land seems to further upgrade into a Grotto-Heaven. Those mysterious matters are things I have only vaguely heard a word or two about; I don't know anything more."

After he finished speaking, he looked at Jiang Yuhe, his expression rarely serious.

"I suspect that the Chengtian Sect's expansion this time also has preparations in this regard."

"It is even more likely that a Blessed Land is about to open."

Jiang Yuhe's gaze narrowed.

Young Master Gu Xingzhi said, "If a Purple Mansion expert wants to explore a Blessed Land, they can naturally enter it themselves."

"But if that Blessed Land has restrictions, or is ownerless, or if there are things inside that are not suitable for high-level Cultivators to enter personally, then the most suitable ones to be thrown in to scout the path are us Family Cultivators below the Purple Mansion level."

The sound of the wind by the creek grew quiet for a moment.

In the distance, Sun Jingxiu stood self-consciously by the paddy field, not listening to the conversation between the two, only faintly feeling that the atmosphere between Jiang Yuhe and Young Master Gu Xingzhi had suddenly become heavy.

Young Master Gu Xingzhi continued, "My Gu Family ancestor once entered a similar Blessed Land, and thus obtained the Opportunity to establish the Family."

Young Master Gu Xingzhi gazed in the direction of Jinglan Lake, his voice slowly falling.

"I fear that that Purple Mansion expert intends to use us, these people, to throw all the clans on this riverbank into the Blessed Land to fight for the Immortal Opportunity."