Chapter 53: The Invitation

Early morning.

On Luoxia Peak, the morning mist had yet to fully clear, sunlight filtering through the thin haze.

It gilded the peak in a soft golden light.

In the courtyard, Lin Xiaoyu practiced her swordsmanship with the Qingfeng Sword in hand.

The blade-light traced profound, mysterious arcs through the air like silk ribbons.

Every thrust carried a faint, rumbling thunder.

As she moved, her footwork was exquisite – the Grand Dao Evasion Technique Chen Ping had taught her.

Chen Ping lay in a recliner under the old locust tree, fishing rod in hand, watching her through narrowed eyes.

This girl had been training harder than ever since they returned.

Up before dawn every day to practice her sword, still at it late into the night.

That ferocity made Chen Ping’s heart ache a little.

But the results were remarkable.

The twenty-fourth layer of the Heavenly Dao Primordial Qi Refining foundation was now completely stable.

She could already fight on equal footing even against a peak Nascent Soul cultivator.

“Not bad.”

Chen Ping spoke.

“Steady your posture when you return the sword. Don’t rush to withdraw the force.”

Lin Xiaoyu nodded, returned her sword, and took a deep breath.

Just as she was about to continue –

a voice came from the courtyard gate.

“Peak Master Chen! A letter for you!”

—

Chen Ping set down his fishing rod and walked to the gate.

A blue-robed disciple stood outside – a messenger from the Qingyun Sect’s outer sect, judging by his uniform.

He held a gilded letter, his expression respectful.

Chen Ping accepted the letter.

“Thank you.”

He casually withdrew three high-grade spirit stones from his robes and offered them.

The blue-robed disciple was stunned and quickly waved his hands.

“This… Peak Master Chen, this is far too generous! I only delivered a letter…”

“Take them.” Chen Ping said flatly.

“You made the trip out here early. You’ve worked hard.”

The disciple looked at him, then at the three spirit stones, his eyes reddening.

He’d been delivering messages in the outer sect for three years, ferrying countless invitations and letters, and no one had ever tipped him.

Let alone three high-grade spirit stones – half a year’s worth of cultivation resources for him.

“Thank you, Peak Master Chen!”

He bowed deeply, turned, and left at a brisk pace.

—

Chen Ping closed the gate and opened the letter.

Inside was a gilded invitation bearing the emblem of Tianyue Sacred Land – a crescent moon, cold and clear.

Lin Xiaoyu came over.

“Master, what is it?”

Chen Ping looked at her, the corner of his mouth lifting slightly.

“An invitation from Tianyue Sacred Land.”

“Inviting us, master and disciple, to their Hanling Mystic Realm.”

—

Lin Xiaoyu was taken aback.

“The Hanling Mystic Realm?”

Chen Ping nodded, walked back to the old locust tree to sit down, and gestured for her to come over.

Lin Xiaoyu sat beside him, curiosity in her eyes.

Chen Ping explained slowly:

“The Hanling Mystic Realm is jointly controlled by the three hegemonic powers of the Southern Region – Tianyue Palace, Wuya Hall, and the Shengling Sect.”

“The spiritual energy inside is dense, the resources abundant. It’s filled with all manner of heavenly treasures and ancient legacies. It’s said there are even ruins left behind by mighty ancient figures.”

“It opens once every decade. The three powers and their subordinate factions send their disciples in to train and seek fortune.”

Lin Xiaoyu listened, completely absorbed.

“Then… we aren’t part of the three powers. Why would they invite us?”

Chen Ping pointed to the signature on the invitation.

Lin Xiaoyu looked down.

The name “Yue Qingshuang” was written neatly and elegantly.

Her eyes lit up.

“It’s Sister Yue!”

“She invited us?”

Chen Ping nodded.

“As the Saintess of Tianyue Palace, she should have the right to extend recommendations.”

Lin Xiaoyu grew excited.

“So, are we going?”

Chen Ping looked at her and smiled.

“Of course we are.”

“An opportunity this good – why wouldn’t we go?”

He paused, his expression growing serious.

“Right now, you’re at the twenty-fourth layer of Heavenly Dao Primordial Qi Refining. You still need twelve more to reach the thirty-sixth layer of great completion.”

“The higher you go, the more resources you need. If we try to save up on our own, who knows how long that will take.”

“The Hanling Mystic Realm is full of heavenly treasures – the perfect place for you to gather resources.”

Lin Xiaoyu nodded firmly.

“I understand, Master!”

Chen Ping reached out and ruffled her hair.

“Go get ready. The invitation says to gather at Tianyue City in seven days.”

“Mm!”

Lin Xiaoyu stood up and ran quickly to her room.

When she reached the door, she suddenly stopped and turned back to look at Chen Ping.

“Master.”

“Hm?”

“Is Sister Yue inviting us because of last time…”

She didn’t finish, but Chen Ping understood what she meant.

Last time Yue Qingshuang came to Luoxia Peak to repay her debt, Chen Ping had asked her to stay for a meal before she left, and told her to visit whenever she was free.

Chen Ping chuckled.

“Maybe. Maybe not. But…”

He looked at the invitation.

“Since she’s invited us, we’ll go. Whatever the reason, the resources are real. The opportunity is real.”

Lin Xiaoyu nodded and pushed open the door to her room.

—

Chen Ping leaned back in the recliner, looking at the invitation in his hand.

Tianyue Sacred Land…

Hanling Mystic Realm…

He suddenly recalled the words Xuetu spoke before he died.

“Spirit Child descends, the Southern Region kneels.”

And that mysterious black-robed figure.

And the matter of Yue Qingshuang being plotted against by the Blood Fiend Sect.

Were any of these connected to Tianyue Sacred Land?

He didn’t know.

But he had a faint feeling that this trip to the Hanling Mystic Realm might reveal something.

—

“Never mind.”

He put away the invitation and picked up his fishing rod again.

“Cross that bridge when we get to it.”

“First, I need to recover from these injuries.”

The sunlight bathed him, warm and gentle.

Luoxia Peak was steeped in tranquility.

Soon, six days passed.

The morning mist still lingered on Luoxia Peak.

In the courtyard, Lin Xiaoyu stood sheathing her sword and exhaled a long breath of turbid air.

The breath condensed in the air without dissipating, forming a purple-gold qi sword that flew three zhang before slowly dispersing.

Chen Ping lay in his recliner, watching her through squinted eyes.

The girl’s presence had condensed and refined considerably compared to six days ago.

A purple-gold light flickered around her, faint and elusive. Every breath carried a subtle trace of the Dao.

Heavenly Dao Primordial Qi Refining twenty-fourth layer –

no, she was already brushing against the threshold of the twenty-fifth.

Just one final push.

“Alright.”

Chen Ping rose to his feet and set down his fishing rod.

“Let’s go. Time to head out.”

Lin Xiaoyu sheathed her sword and hurried over.

“Master, your disciple is ready.”

Chen Ping looked at her and smiled.

The girl had changed into a clean set of martial attire today, the Qingfeng Sword hanging at her waist, her long hair tied up in a high ponytail. She looked sharp and full of spirit.

“Let’s move.”

He raised a hand and waved. Purple-gold light enveloped them both.

Void Shuttle.

—

They pressed on.

With Chen Ping’s current strength, a single Void Shuttle could cross thousands of li, but it drained him considerably. To preserve his condition, he alternated between traveling and resting.

Along the way, mountains and rivers swept past beneath their feet. Towns and villages flickered into view through gaps in the clouds.

Lin Xiaoyu sprawled at the edge of the cloud, watching everything below with wide-eyed curiosity.

She had grown up in a mountain village, fled as a refugee, and later entered the Qingyun Sect. She had never seen such a vast, open world.

“Master, what’s that over there?”

“That’s Luoyun City.”

“And that?”

“The Wuding River.”

“That mountain range is so long…”

“That’s the Cangmang Mountains. They say demonic beasts lurk in the depths. Even a Saint Realm expert might not come out alive.”

Lin Xiaoyu stuck out her tongue and stopped pointing at random things.

—