NOVPUBChapter 891: The Dao is endless
“Whoa-!”, Wei Yuanjie climbed a bit to the sofa, backing away as he didn’t expect it to escalate so quickly into the bodyguard’s death.
He thought Wu Long was going to somehow block that attack and there would be at least a conversation as they struggled.
What he certainly didn’t expect, is for the bodyguard who had been watching and controlling his every move on behalf of the Empress ever since he could remember, to drop dead in less than a second, and for that violent scene to spring out of nowhere right in front of him.
‘T-That easily…?’, was the thought that came to his mind next, as this insurmountable figure of authority and control, this symbol of his shackles was toppled in a blink of an eye, and if he didn’t watch with wide eyes, he would have missed it.
He then turned to the other four who stood in place like statues.
Fen Baihu turned away from the four, having made sure they’re completely under her enchantment, as her mist started enveloping them to take them away.
The gaze of the Celestial Fox then fell onto the dead bodyguard, her eyes narrowing, “Heh, the Soul Protective Treasure he’s wearing did work against me, you were right, Wu Long”
“Don’t worry, your recovery is going smoothly”, Wu Long could feel the light frustration at being blocked by a 3rd-tier Profound Grade treasure behind the light tone and playful smile on her lips.
“You did great, Ye’er, Fairy Hong Yue”, he stood up to give Hong Ye a kiss.
Hong Yue, who normally, in such situations, didn’t really linger in place to receive praise, or at least turned to look away with a slightly distant feel to her, this time remained in place with unchanged pose, not to mention her eyes unconsciously continued looking on as her sister received the kiss, weaving her hands around Wu Long’s neck, only jolted awake a few moments later, turning her gaze away with a slightly confused look.
Fen Baihu’s tails swayed as she approached Wu Long to receive her praise and kiss as well, her earlier frustration being soothed and dissipating.
‘I… might’ve gotten entangled with slightly… or not slightly crazy people’, Wei Yuanjie looked back and forth from the dead bodyguard on the floor to the romantic scene a bit to the side, belatedly recognizing that Wu Long might just be, a slightly more unhinged person than he thought previously.
—
“So you decided to start a Sword Sect”, Wu Long nodded.
“I cannot say that it’s a Sect, really, just a group of like-minded people seeking the way of the sword, a wandering group of swordsmen is how I would put it”, Duan Feng spoke lightly shaking his head.
“That’s how Sword Sects start out”, Wu Long chuckled, and then turning to the painter, asked, “I am guessing you are the one who cuts the path of Dao with your brush”
“Haha, Benefactor’s words are too kind for this humble artist… I am simply enjoying the protection that Daoist Duan is giving me, and paint what I see along the way of our travels”, the painter spoke with a genuinely humble smile, shaking his head as well.
“I’d really like for you to stop calling me that, but in your case I am almost convinced I’ll fail to achieve that”, Wu Long made a wry smile.
“Haha, Benefactor is truly wise. You would indeed find it hard to have me call you something else, for what I gained from you cannot be taken lightly under any circumstances”, the painter spoke with a light chuckle, but a profound sense of gratitude and respect was felt in his words as he continued in a slightly introspective and calm manner, “I was ready to sell off my art supplies on that day, you know. Almost ready to give up. That day that you gave me the first enlightenment at the Peacock Feather Trading Company”
Duan Feng listened with interest, as he never actually got to find out what linked Wu Long and this Dao Cultivation painter, who sought out the Dao through his art.
Not that he didn’t have some guesses.
After all, Wu Long was a profound, mysterious figure who enlightened Duan Feng with one single sword move that also defeated him.
Wu Long also did not seem to be limited to only swordsmanship and held profound skills and knowledge in many areas.
Thus, Duan Feng guessed that Wu Long likely imparted some kind of profound and priceless mystery of the Dao to the painter.
‘Their first meeting is no doubt as profound as my own first encounter with Daoist Wu…’, Duan Feng nodded, now certain of his guess being correct.
“You received your enlightenment on your own, just witnessing what I did without any intent of helping you”, Wu Long shrugged his shoulders.
“And yet it was you who gave that enlightenment to me, not to mention the second time we met at the Wood Spirit Empire’s palace… when you have truly elevated my Dao to a whole new level”, the painter spoke with a warm, slightly nostalgic smile, and then added, “And now, for the third time… I can feel the horizons broadening, and the Dao unfolding a bit more of its mysteries before my eyes, in all its grace and profundity… I cannot express how grateful I am”
‘Huh? Daoist Wu already imparted some new revelation in the time we have met?’, Duan Feng was shocked, even though outwardly he did not express any reaction at all, and then thought with a wry, slightly self-deprecating inner chuckle, ‘Hah, I guess I have yet to reach the profound level to have been able to catch it. My sword may show me the world around me, but I am yet to perceive its profound mysteries…’
He then made a note to himself with a renewed resolve, ‘There is still so much room that I have to grow, and yet it continues to expand… I must not dawdle and continue honing my skills, improving myself and strive to seek the Dao. Truly, the Dao is endless…’
Wu Long raised his eyebrow, not getting why he felt Duan Feng become so fired up, filled with determination and fighting spirit for some unfathomable, inexplicable reason in this kind of setting and witnessing such a mundane talk, but shrugged his shoulders, thinking the blind swordsman must’ve found some sort of inspiration in the painter’s words or something, or was just simply lost in his own thoughts and stumbled upon some inspiring idea.
He asked a bit about the Boundless Mortal World and the Three Continents.
He first learned that Xia Jung’s group did their job well in stabilizing all Three Continents and making the lives of people much better there.
But since Duan Feng left the Three Continents with the painter and his new group of followers for the World Stone to the Soft Meadow Continent only around year after Wu Long departed, as it took a very long and perilous journey of nearly two years for them to cross the distance that Wu Long covered in weeks, they didn’t know much beyond that.
Wu Long, from his side, shared with them the reason they were met with such gazes from the people around when they just appeared, and that while they possessed the aura of the Boundless Mortal World on them, it was not wise to leave the protection of Wei Yuanjie, who for now shielded them from all others.
He also explained the basic lay of the land, and the upcoming struggle on the continent.
“Hmm, I guess we have to stay on this continent for a while…”, Duan Feng nodded with understanding, not to mention, that while the struggle between the Sects held a lot of dangers for them, it also held opportunities.
“Mm, it’ll be a good experience for you to get a feel for the Boundless Profound World here on a smaller scale”, Wu Long nodded.
—
Meanwhile, as the ship slowly drifted over the scenery of the Soft Meadow Continent, having no longer any need to rush, the continent itself was abuzz with news about Wei Yuanjie’s arrival.
“Curses!!!”, a small vase flew into a wall and crashed, the shattered pieces of porcelain flying in all directions.
The Silver Wing’s City Lord was in a foul mood after hearing his son’s report, gritting his teeth.
“Those arrogant… overbearing and greedy bastards of the Wei Dynasty! This was supposed to be my chance!!!”, he shouted going around in furious circles, as Spiritual Qi was swirling around him.
“And what did you do? Just stand there with a stupid face and obediently listen to that prince declaring us his subjects?!”, the eldest son of the City Lord, sensing his father’s foul mood chose to try and find a target for that foul mood so it doesn’t accidentally go his way, the easiest target being the one who was at the scene, his little brother who was always in his father’s cross-hairs.
“And what was I supposed to do?! Shout we’re going to be independent and declare war on the Wei Dynasty?! Are you an idiot?”, Ko Fuan shot back at his eldest brother with a defiant look.
“You…!!!”, his eldest brother widened his eyes in shock, not having expected a comeback from the usually more timid youngest, who mostly just took it, “It seems you forgot how to speak with your elders-…”
But as the eldest son was winding up his anger and agitating his Spiritual Qi, City Lord shouted, “Silence!”
And then added with a frustrated look, “He’s right you idiot! We can’t bare our fangs at the Wei Dynasty now…”
The eldest son shrank back, fearful of his father’s anger, but throwing a narrowed look to Ko Fuan, as if saying there will be payback later on.
“Tsk if could seize this chance, and was given another thousand or two thousand years… perhaps that could’ve changed… but now…”, meanwhile, the City Lord clicked his tongue and mumbled under his nose, continuing to walk around the large hall in fast pace, seemingly to help his mind run faster, “… how unfortunate… if only… hmm?”
And then he suddenly stopped, turning a look to Ko Fuan, “You said the prince came on behalf of a Princess?”
“Y-yes”, Ko Fuan nodded.
“Hmm~”, the City Lord traced his beard in a mild confusion, and an introspective look, and then a smirk appeared on his face, “Hah! Perhaps all is not lost… there’s something that happened within Wei Dynasty which news haven’t reached us yet… I am going out”
The City Lord went out of the room, as his sons followed him with their eyes, knowing he likely went to the Obsidian Moon Parlor. 𝑛𝑜𝑣𝑝𝑢𝘣.𝘤𝑜𝘮
Similar scenes were happening in other places as well, though none were as dramatic, but City Lord Ko also wasn’t the only one whose plans were almost entirely shattered by this new development , and thus required recalibrations.
Hehe ^^
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