Daoist Master of Qing Xuan

Biyou Palace was not a place of enlightenment deliberately constructed by Shangqing Daoist Master from the void. As Tongtian Leader spent a long time in this palace before, his leader aura filled this place and turned it into a palace with its own world.

Shen Lian had earned the recognition of Shangqing Daoist Master. So this palace, which had its own spirituality, never objected to Shen Lian being its new master.

The procurement of Biyou Palace was more smooth sailing than expected. Therefore, Shen Lian quickly brought Kui Li and Jing Shu back to Da Zhou. The people of Zhou were curious to see Shen Lian returning with two gorgeous fairies, thinking that their king was finally going to fill his harem of concubines.

However, the cultivators and deities who went to the netherworld with Shen Lian knew very well that one of the fairies was an earth wrecking demon creature. Although they could not recognize Jing Shu, but judging from her closeness with Kui Li the demon queen, they also knew that this must be another fearsome character as well.

The addition of Kui Li and Jing Shu would increase the strength of Zhou Empire more significantly than before, but its people had no knowledge of Shen Lian’s current dangerous situation.

Kui Li vaguely knew about it, because although Shen Lian acted casually, Jing Shu still occasionally showed some worries on her face. She knew very well about this senior sister whose origin was the elegant Palace Yaoshi, so there would be rarely anything that worried her. However, during that time when she was asked to leave so this senior sister could speak with Shen Lian exclusively, it was obvious that the content of this conversation was so shocking that even she had no solution to it.

Kui Li knew that she would be helpless when facing with things that even Jing Shu feared unless she went to seek help from Mahā-mayūrī-vidyā-rājñī. She might get rid of her ego for this friend, but she still needed to know what was going on.

Obviously, both Shen Lian and Jing Shu had subconsciously agreed not to tell her.

Kui Li never pursued with her questions because Shen Lian was so straightforward that he would definitely tell if he felt the need to do so. In the contrast, if he did not want to reveal anything, then it meant that she must not know anything about this.

Kui Li’s initial plan was to grab the Pearl of Formless Mass from the Bull King and wander around the universe and explore the beauty of all worlds. However, she had now lost the desire to do so. Though she did not know what trouble Shen Lian was in, her staying beside him would be of some help.

Besides, her temperament was not the best. She could never ignore what happened with Ye Liuyun from Underworld Demon Sect and Tianyi from Yinshang.

As soon as Shen Lian returned to Zhou country, he immediately began his solitary retreat. Obviously only she and Jing Shu were not enough to get back what they wanted.

So, Kui Li care freely stayed in Zhou country. Since she recognized many of the cultivators and deities who traveled to the netherworld with Shen Lian, Kui Li occasionally interacted with this group of people about their cultivation.

As mentioned by the Sage, ‘among three people, one will always be your teacher’. After her lengthy stay in Qing Xuan, Kui Li understood that no matter how successful her cultivation was, there would still be imperfections; whereas other cultivators who were thought to be less refined could provide some unique advice too.

This day Kui Li was conversing about the Buddhism with Master Jiunan of Zizai Temple in a tea house in Xiliang City of Zhou when she suddenly felt two sword auras fighting each other near the palace.

Master Jiunan’s cultivation level was not low too. She asked, “Lady Kui Li, why is Lady Jing Shu fighting with Zhenren Fang?”

Kui Li frowned, “Let us go and find out.”

With a strike of thought, both of them vanished from the tea house and reappeared near the palace, Biyou Palace.

Biyou Palace was one which could move places. So Shen Lian would not have to move earth and renovate the palace anymore. Its firm features could even withstand of attacks of Emperor Xia and Tianyi, even if they combined their strengths. It was extremely safe for Shen Lian to meditate in isolation in there.

This solitary retreat was for Shen Lian’s mana to recover. It would originally take a long time for him to recover from his current state, but with the draping of Zhou Empire’s fate and belief of its people, his recovering was enhanced significantly. His mana could be restored completely after half a year.

This was the benefit of a country’s fate, which was why certain Qi cultivators liked to become a State Preceptor in the mortal world. However, if they were tainted in the secular mortal world for too long, their karma would be affected, so this method had its pros and cons.

Shen Lian never feared of any karma, because no karma was greater than the karma of a Daoist Master. Now that his sole focus was to increase his strength so that he would not lack the ability to face the attacks of the connoisseurs from Yuxu Palace and Bajing Palace.

Shen Lian was gathering his Qi of vitality to build his celestial body, and subsequently enter the deepest state of concentration. Therefore, he ordered Fang Yanying to return from Youshen and stay guard for him to avoid any disturbance.

That was when Jing Shu rushed into Biyou Palace and was stopped by Fang Yanying.

In terms of mana and cultivation, Fang Yanying was still not as good as Jing Shu. But Fang Yanying’s attacks were brutal and more aggressive than the other celestials, and Jing Shu was only going to ask Shen Lian something and had no intention to argue with Shen Lian, hence she was slightly hesitant in her attacks. In the eyes of an outsider, it would look like Fang Yanying’s sword aura came in continuous waves that trapped her like a Kunpeng within.

Fang Yanying knew very well that Jing Shu’s ability was more superior to hers. Though her sword aura was almost impenetrable, going near Jing Shu’s demonic body would nullify everything, as if it was sucked in by an invisible force.

Her waves of sword aura might look intimidating, but it caused zero damage to Jing Shu.

Even Jing Shu was silently shocked by the force of Fang Yanying’s Killing Sword. With her broad knowledge, she managed to observe the style of Fang Yanying’s Killing Sword which carried a hint of the Tai Shang Dao rhythm from Bajing Palace. Who knew that she might become the next Yuantu or Avici.

Fortunately, she was shielded with ‘Bei Ming’, which protected her from Fang Yanying’s sharp Killing Sword. So despite Jing Shu’s hesitation, she was not at a lost, though she needed more time to break through Fang Yanying’s attack. It was even harder and required better strategizing to stop the attacks without injuring her.

Just as she was contemplating how to beat Fang Yanying, a five colored ray was seen to be shot into the waves of sword aura, causing the sword aura to disappear completely.

Jing Shu knew very well that this was done by Kui Li. As she looked forward, Kui Li was standing beside Fang Yanying right in front of Biyou Palace.

Jing Shu repositioned herself towards them.

She told Fang Yanying, “I need to see Shen Lian.”

Fang Yanying replied, “Uncle-Master is in solitary retreat. He is not seeing anyone.”

Since Kui Li and Fang Yanying were considerably close, she knew of Fang Yanying’s stubbornness, especially now when Shen Lian was isolating himself. She would do her best not to let anyone in.

Kui Li had to interrupt to avoid this conflict, “Sister Jing Shu, why are you looking for Shen Lian?”

Jing Shu said, “I need to ask Shen Lian whether he was the one who destroyed my ninth brother’s demon body.”

Kui Li exclaimed, “What is going on here now?”