This wait lasted three years.
The Demon Realm became completely unified at an unexpected speed. Then, amidst the cultivation world’s nervous anticipation, it settled down, not even sending small groups of soldiers to harass the Human Realm border. It behaved itself to an inconceivable degree.
Such a sight not only failed to make the cultivation world relax its vigilance but made them even more suspicious.
It couldn’t be that savage, man-eating beasts suddenly became vegetarians overnight, could it?
Laying down the butcher’s knife and becoming a Buddha on the spot doesn’t happen that fast.
Whoever believes it is an idiot.
The cultivation world developed boundless caution towards the new Demon Lord, Wu Zhaoxing. The reason was simple: the Demon Race’s nature was tyrannical and savage, wild and untamable. They took pleasure in killing humans and demons, and disemboweling. Small groups of scattered soldiers would often come to harass the Three Realms Mountain, or a Demon General would launch an unauthorized attack with troops. This was as casual and common as a spring outing. For the Demon Race, who disregarded rules and discipline and could never learn loyalty, this was perfectly normal.
It would be strange for the Demon Race to obey orders, yet Wu Zhaoxing could enforce strict prohibitions, keeping them from moving troops for three years. This showed Wu Zhaoxing’s methods and prestige.
It couldn’t be that Wu Zhaoxing, after a visit to the Dao Sect, the foremost immortal sect of the human race, was enlightened and taught, then turned over a new leaf and devoted herself to good, could it?
Even if the world didn’t know that Wu Zhaoxing was Qingxiao Immortal Venerable’s only remaining junior disciple, they wouldn’t believe in such a suspiciously good thing.
The fastest changing thing in the Lancang Continent wasn’t Jijin Sword Sovereign’s mouth, which couldn’t be tough; it was the Demon Lord’s position in the Demon Race. Not only was Wu Hai’s power struggle extremely chaotic, but it was also the same before the previous previous Demon Lord. Any demon who could fight their way into the Demon Palace could call themselves Demon Lord. There were countless “one-day Demon Lords.” Mortal mountain bandits and vagrants were more organized and disciplined than them. This kind of unremarkable excitement wasn’t even worth those idle people from the Lingjing Sect bothering to open a betting game for.
An unknown former Demon Lord’s seventy-ninth daughter, however, could firmly sit on the Demon Lord’s throne and wield such prestige in the Demon Realm. Thus, even before Wu Zhaoxing revealed herself, it was enough to fully heighten the cultivation world’s vigilance against her.
Caution was caution, but not everyone was a sword cultivator from the Sword Sect, screaming and charging forward with swords raised, as if afraid of missing out on a fresh fight. The mainstream opinion of the Nine Great Immortal Sects still did not approve of starting another war recently. The main reason was that fighting the Demon Race yielded no benefits. Even the corpses of dead demon soldiers were a form of pollution to the cultivation world, and it would also cost the lives of a batch of carefully nurtured disciples. It was simply not worth it.
Since the new Demon Lord wanted to go into hiding and act out a drama of enduring hardships to achieve a goal, then let her hide. If she keeps feigning weakness to hide her strength, she might truly become weak.
No one knew what would happen before the other shoe dropped.
On this day, the sky was clear, and a gentle breeze blew.
Li Jin’an’s phoenix eyes were sharp, and she carried her Blazing Radiance Sword, exuding killing intent as she returned to the Dao Sect.
The Dao Sect disciples on the road were used to her fierce and menacing appearance. They uniformly bowed with respectful gazes. “Greetings, Sword Sovereign.”
They were already familiar with this situation. It must be that Jijin Sword Sovereign had once again gone out to kill demons, beasts, and evil cultivators. For the past three years, they often saw Sword Sovereign leave with her sword and return with it; it had become a unique sight of the Dao Sect.
Aside from Qingxiao Immortal Venerable, who had become family, Jijin Sword Sovereign had never failed. No matter who the wrongdoer or rebel was, they couldn’t escape the fierce sword energy of the Blazing Radiance Sword, and their heads would fall in an instant.
Li Jin’an casually nodded and strode quickly towards Qingxiao Peak.
She had spent her three years at the Dao Sect like this: accompanying Xie Huaixue, occasionally taking a mission to go out for some fresh air, returning to continue accompanying Xie Huaixue, going out for fresh air, returning, and dragging Xie Huaixue out for some fresh air together…
This was one of the reasons why she had lived on Qingxiao Peak year-round and hadn’t returned to the Sword Sect.
The Sword Sect was a bunch of paupers. Their treasury was emptier than a face; even mice wouldn’t visit. Naturally, they weren’t willing to let Li Jin’an go out, to avoid her bringing back a huge bill. Li Jin’an had done such things before.
Getting too carried away in a fight and smashing everything around, casually beating up rude cultivators from other sects, brazenly flying over cities where flying was prohibited, accidentally breaking a formation plate inscribed by the Divine Mechanism Sect, trying to act heroically only to find herself tricked and beating both the hooligan and the woman who claimed to be selling herself to bury her father into a pig’s head, tricking elixirs out of Spring Rejuvenation Valley cultivators, forcing other sects’ guardian spirit beasts to dance for her…
Letting Jijin Sword Sovereign out meant bringing back endless trouble.
For everyone and every beast, meeting Li Jin’an was truly suffering a lot.
The victims couldn’t defeat Jijin Sword Sovereign, but they could go to the Sword Sect to complain tearfully, right?
The Sword Sect wouldn’t be so domineering as to not let them cry out loud, would they?!
The Dao Sect was different. They were wealthy and powerful; Jingting Dao Lord had plenty of spirit stones. No matter how much trouble Li Jin’an caused, they could afford to compensate. They could completely let Li Jin’an live wildly outside.
Of course, the Sword Sect might not even want her back. If she went crazy and demanded a cultivation partner from them, where would they find another Qingxiao Immortal Venerable to soothe her?
It was good that she stayed at the Dao Sect and didn’t come back. The Dao Sect could withstand her mischief.
Before Li Jin’an could even reach the foot of Qingxiao Peak, she was stopped by an anxious Jiang Fengmian, who cautiously watched her expression and asked carefully, “You didn’t hear any messy news on your way back, did you?”
“No,” Li Jin’an didn’t understand why, but she still answered good-naturedly, “After I finished killing that Old Ancestor Dongshan who sacrificed young boys and girls, and his disciples and grand-disciples, I returned to Huanlang Domain. I even bought steamed buns for Xie Huaixue.”
Saying this, she pulled out a steaming hot and fragrant large steamed bun, proudly dangling it around in front of Jiang Fengmian, then put it back into her storage ring. She didn’t give it to Jiang Fengmian; she was purely showing off.
“Smell good, right? Just for you to smell.”
It was still that Grandma Wang’s Steamed Bun Shop, where immortals would buy buns every few decades. An old shop that had been around for thousands of years felt reassuring to eat from.
To prevent Grandma Wang’s steamed bun craft from being lost, Li Jin’an even gave the family a common cultivation technique, considering it a reward for their perseverance in making steamed buns. Otherwise, given the short lifespan of mortals, Li Jin’an might not find anyone to make her buns after a period of seclusion.
Now, the highest cultivated person in Grandma Wang’s family was at the Foundation Establishment stage, and also the best at making steamed buns. They vowed to repay the immortal’s kindness and forever make buns for the immortal.
Every time Li Jin’an went out for some fresh air, she would bring a gift back for Xie Huaixue—it might be steamed buns, spoils of war, or pretty little trinkets from the street… just like how she used to give hush money every time she got into a fight. Now, she brought gifts, so it wouldn’t be difficult to go out next time.
She was very well-behaved.
Even the anxious Jiang Fengmian choked a little, almost forgetting what she was about to say next.
Although she didn’t want to eat her steamed bun at all, this stingy display was too infuriating!
She didn’t lack Li Jin’an’s steamed bun!
“…Good that you didn’t hear.”
“What are you even talking about? Am I supposed to have heard it or not? If you’re not going to say it, I’m leaving.” Li Jin’an had no patience for Jiang Fengmian’s idle talk. She walked around her towards Qingxiao Peak. Someone without a cultivation partner like Jiang Fengmian couldn’t understand her feeling of eager return.
Jiang Fengmian didn’t know that Li Jin’an was grumbling inwardly about her not having a cultivation partner and blocking others from seeing theirs. Hearing Li Jin’an, her expression was a little hesitant. “Qingxiao isn’t on the peak right now. The Sect Master called her to Taishi Peak.”
Taishi Peak’s name was so audacious; ordinary people wouldn’t dare to name their peak that. It was precisely Jingting Dao Lord’s main peak.
Li Jin’an finally sensed something was wrong. She turned and stared intently at Jiang Fengmian.
Jiang Fengmian suddenly took a deep breath. Only when cold air harshly filled her lungs and heart did she grit her teeth and say:
“Wu Zhaoxing has publicly announced that she is Qingxiao’ third disciple, Ning Zhufeng, and that her achievements today are all thanks to Qingxiao’ tireless teachings. She also said… she also said that Qingxiao truly lives up to being a human venerable, teaching without discrimination, and that her disciples include all three races: human, beast, and demon, which fully demonstrates her broad-mindedness. Unfortunately, her two senior sisters have already died and their Dao disappeared, leaving only her to serve Qingxiao. She wonders if there might be an opportunity to invite Qingxiao to be a guest in the Demon Realm, and she would certainly sweep the mat to welcome her, put her shoes on backwards to greet her master. She imagines it would surely be a beautiful tale…”
“Not only that, she also said… she said…”
Li Jin’an raised her phoenix eyes, watching Jiang Fengmian leisurely and at ease, waiting for her to continue.
Jiang Fengmian inexplicably felt that Li Jin’an at this moment was quite similar to Xie Huaixue—majestic without anger, with still waters running deep. No one could discern her thoughts.
“She said that Qingxiao is afflicted with cold poison, and her cultivation cannot advance an inch.” Jiang Fengmian’s voice lowered. She didn’t dare to look at Li Jin’an’s current expression. “The news couldn’t be blocked. Everyone who should know and shouldn’t know now knows.”
In short, the Lancang Continent and the Three Realms all knew these things.
In fact, Jiang Fengmian had already simplified these words. If she were to fully recount them, Jiang Fengmian feared she would be beaten to death by an enraged Li Jin’an who was venting her anger.
Unexpectedly, Li Jin’an did not fly into a rage. Instead, she sneered disdainfully, narrowed her eyes, paused for a moment, then calmly and lightly said, “A rat has skin, but a person has no propriety! If a person has no propriety, why not die? Ah! I forgot, Wu Zhaoxing isn’t even considered human.”
She almost forgot how that saying went, otherwise Jiang Fengmian would have heard her loudly curse Wu Zhaoxing as a dog-thief.
Li Jin’an patted Jiang Fengmian’s shoulder again, smiling, “Next time, if you’re going to say something so infuriating, you can replace ‘Qingxiao’ with ‘your cultivation partner.’ I’d feel much more at ease listening.”
If it were Jiang Fengmian’s cultivation partner, Li Jin’an would probably burst out laughing as she listened, with no time to get angry at all.
As for why she wasn’t angry? What was there to be surprised or enraged about, when she had already expected it?
After reading the Heavenly Tome’s plot, Li Jin’an knew how disgusting those three scoundrels were. Nothing Wu Zhaoxing did surprised her.
Since she had such good leverage, with Wu Zhaoxing’s sinister and cunning personality, it was impossible for her not to exploit it. She just hadn’t expected her to publicize it so widely.
However, the Heavenly Tome was one thing, but the original plot didn’t include an annoying Jijin Sword Sovereign. The moment Li Jin’an caused that strange disturbance at Ning Zhufeng’s disciple-acceptance ceremony, she had already altered the story’s trajectory. She wasn’t so lacking in confidence that she couldn’t crush the last scoundrel protagonist.
Jiang Fengmian startled at the slap, silently retreating a few steps. She deeply felt that Li Jin’an must have been driven mad with anger, starting to babble nonsense. Was she going to go berserk next?
In that case, she wouldn’t be able to withstand a single sword strike from Li Jin’an.
Before Li Jin’an narrowed her eyes again, Jiang Fengmian changed the topic, “Are you going to Taishi Peak?”
“No,” Li Jin’an replied decisively. “I’ll go home and wait for Xie Huaixue to eat steamed buns.”
Let Xie Huaixue and Dao Lord Jingting handle the brain-racking matters.
Suddenly, Li Jin’an looked up at the sun in the sky. Under Jiang Fengmian’s perplexed gaze, she clasped her hands behind her back and quietly said, “A good day, for slaying enemies.”