Chapter 172
Chapter 172
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 172
Chapter Title: The Yun Clan Ancestor Passes Away, Peiyao Arrives
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“The Ancestor… has passed away!”
Yun Xiaoniu knelt on the ground, crying in anguish. Memories of the Yun Clan Ancestor’s kindness flooded his mind, and tears streamed down his face in an instant.
“What?”
Yu Daniu’s body trembled. He staggered back a step. “Didn’t the Ancestor say he would pass in the third month? It’s only the first month now. How could this be?”
“I haven’t even gone to see the Ancestor for the last time.”
Yu Daniu’s eyes reddened, a layer of mist welling up before instantly falling, tracing paths across his rugged cheeks.
He took a step forward, his hands gripping Yun Xiaoniu’s shoulders tightly.
When a cultivator’s lifespan reached its end, they could sense the day of their passing. Even if there was a margin of error, it would not exceed three days.
The Yun Clan Ancestor was supposed to pass in the third month.
The new year had just ended, and it wasn't even the middle of the month yet. How could the Yun Clan Ancestor have passed away?
Hearing the news of the Yun Clan Ancestor's passing, a trace of melancholy arose in Chen Jianghe’s heart.
The Yun Clan Ancestor was once a prominent figure in Mirror Moon Lake. He had reached Foundation Establishment in his fifties and planned for two hundred years to bring the Yun Clan to where it was today.
But this was the way of cultivation. Without reaching a higher realm, even a Foundation Establishment Ancestor would one day pass away.
But to hear that the Yun Clan Ancestor, who was meant to pass in the third month, had died more than two months early was rather strange.
The next moment, Chen Jianghe looked at Yun Xiaoniu and asked, “Xiaoniu, did the Yun Clan Ancestor pass away at Mirror Moon Lake or at Yunmen Mountain?”
“Yunmen Mountain,” Yun Xiaoniu said in a hoarse voice.
Hearing this, Chen Jianghe guessed what might have happened. He sighed helplessly, then said to Yu Daniu, “With the Yun Clan Ancestor’s passing, you should head to Mirror Moon Lake as soon as possible to see him off on his final journey.”
“Right, right…”
Yu Daniu immediately looked at Yun Xiaoniu and ordered, “Everyone from the Yu Clan will go to Mirror Moon Lake to pay their respects to the Ancestor.”
“Yes, Father.”
Watching Yu Daniu and Yun Xiaoniu leave, Chen Jianghe’s gaze couldn't help but turn toward Mirror Moon Lake.
He held great admiration for the Yun Clan Ancestor.
The man had worked tirelessly to maintain harmony between the Yun and Yu Clans, doing everything in his power to ease the tensions.
If not for the Yun Clan Ancestor mediating between them, the two clans would have surely become mortal enemies.
“Fellow cultivator, what has happened?”
Just then, the Yu Clan’s bell tolled, startling Alchemist Zhuang and Luo Xiyue in the other courtyard.
“The Yun Clan Ancestor has passed away. The Yu Clan is heading to Mirror Moon Lake to offer their condolences.” Chen Jianghe’s mood was also a little heavy at the moment.
He still held a favorable impression of the Yun Clan.
“The Yun Clan Ancestor passed away? That’s right, it’s been nearly two hundred years since he reached Foundation Establishment. When I was a boy, I often heard legends about him. To think that even a Foundation Establishment Ancestor cannot escape the passage of time.”
Alchemist Zhuang sighed softly and returned to his own courtyard.
At this moment, he felt it most deeply, for his own life was also nearing its end.
In three years at most, he too would have to leave his granddaughter and disciple behind.
His heart was filled with reluctance, yet he was powerless to change it.
“An early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator with no hope of advancing to the mid-stage. To live out his natural lifespan is already a profound blessing.”
Luo Xiyue commented coolly.
Chen Jianghe glanced at Luo Xiyue and nodded. For the Yun Clan Ancestor to live to the end of his days was indeed a joyous funeral.
“Fairy Luo, does that Yun Clan member with the three-elemental True Spirit Root have any hope of reaching Core Formation?” Chen Jianghe thought of Yun Bufan, the prodigy of the Yun Clan.
“A three-elemental True Spirit Root?”
Luo Xiyue’s fine brows twitched, seemingly surprised. “If he can leave Mirror Moon Lake, he might have a chance to cultivate to the late stage of Foundation Establishment.”
From Luo Xiyue’s perspective, the Yun Clan had become a burden to Yun Bufan.
But upon careful consideration, what Luo Xiyue said made sense.
The Yun Clan was not a major immortal clan; the cultivation resources it could provide Yun Bufan for his Foundation Establishment journey were limited.
If he could only rely on arduous cultivation, he would end up just like the Yun Clan Ancestor—still an early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator after nearly two hundred years.
A Foundation Establishment immortal clan could nurture Qi Refining cultivators and help them break through, but once they succeeded, the clan became a shackle, binding them firmly to its side.
The clan had poured all its resources into helping you reach Foundation Establishment, all to continue the glory of an immortal clan. They would never let you roam the Tiannan Region in search of your own opportunities after your breakthrough.
As for Core Formation?
Who would dare speak lightly of reaching Core Formation? The Tiannan Region was vast, and just south of the Heaven-Piercing River, there were countless cultivators, yet those who formed a core were few and far between.
Half a month later.
Yu Daniu returned from Mirror Moon Lake, the grief on his face heavier, tinged with deep self-reproach.
It was a moonlit night.
The bright moon hung high in the sky, causing the stars to retreat into the background.
Yu Daniu brought wine to find Chen Jianghe. The two talked at length under the moon, speaking of the Yun Clan Ancestor and the long-departed Yun Huizhen.
Listening to Yu Daniu’s words, Chen Jianghe confirmed the suspicions in his heart.
It was just as he had thought.
The Yun Clan Ancestor had not died peacefully of old age. Instead, on the ninth day of the new year, he had suddenly left Mirror Moon Lake for Yunmen Mountain.
To Yun Xiaoniu’s complete surprise, the Yun Clan Ancestor had engaged the Liu Clan Ancestor in battle.
The Yun Clan Ancestor fell in combat.
But his high-grade flying sword had severed both of the Liu Clan Ancestor’s legs, robbing him of his ability to fight.
He would be unable to participate in the upcoming struggle for the Yunmen Mountain spirit mine.
Given the severity of the Liu Clan Ancestor’s injuries, even with a Flesh and Bone Regrowth Pill, it would be difficult to regrow his legs.
Although the Flesh and Bone Regrowth Pill was miraculous, it was not omnipotent.
Ruan Tieniu had been able to regrow his arm and repair the hole in his forehead with the pill's aid because of the Severed Limb Regeneration Art.
The Flesh and Bone Regrowth Pill had only played a supporting role.
Of course, if the Liu Clan Ancestor had taken the pill shortly after the injury, he might have been able to regrow one leg.
Chen Jianghe had not expected that the Yun Clan Ancestor, on the eve of his life’s end, would still be fighting for the Yu Clan’s interests.
Just two days ago, Yun Xiaoniu had gone to Yunmen Mountain to confront the Shi Clan Ancestor, only to find that the latter possessed a tier-two puppet.
It was clearly provided by the Puppet Lu Clan.
Therefore, to give Yun Xiaoniu the ability to contend with the Shi Clan Ancestor and a tier-two puppet, Yun Bufan had entrusted the clan’s guardian spirit beast, the Long-Armed Ape, to him.
Hearing Yu Daniu reach this point, Chen Jianghe knew that the Yun Clan Ancestor’s efforts had not been in vain.
Even after the ancestor’s passing, the Yun and Yu Clans had not severed their ties but had instead become even more closely linked.
“Big Brother, the Yun Clan has given up another twenty percent of the profits from the Mirror Moon Market City. Now, the Yun Clan takes seventy percent of the profits, and the Yu Clan takes thirty percent.”
There was no joy on Yu Daniu’s face, only helplessness. In his mind, if the clans hadn’t split, the Yun Clan would be much stronger.
“When I returned from Mirror Moon Lake, I saw that the Clan Head, Yun Xiaotian, already bears the aura of death. His end is near as well.”
Chen Jianghe nodded. “The Yun and Yu Clans are connected by blood. In the Eastern Territory, with its dozens of Foundation Establishment immortal clans, only by uniting closely can you go further and can Mirror Moon Market City become more prosperous.”
Following that, Chen Jianghe discussed the matter of talismans with Yu Daniu.
Chen Jianghe needed to convert the talismans he had into resources, and it was natural to do so through Yu Daniu, which would also help the fledgling Yu Clan.
Moreover, Yu Daniu had various channels to trade for resources.
Of course, the price of the talismans Chen Jianghe sold to the Yu Clan would certainly not be the market rate. Even Alchemist Zhuang’s disciple, Jiang Ruxu, gave them a twenty percent discount on spirit pills because of her relationship with him and Yu Daniu.
How could he, as the elder brother, possibly trade at market price?
In the end, at Chen Jianghe’s insistence, the talismans were traded at seventy percent of the market price. If the price was inflated, then it would be seventy percent of the inflated price.
Seventy percent of the inflated price.
This was a condition Yu Daniu insisted on adding.
Faced with Yu Daniu’s stubbornness, Chen Jianghe could only sigh and agree.
He would not be staying on Qiyun Mountain for much longer.
Once he left, there was no telling when, or if, they would ever meet again.
Therefore, Chen Jianghe wanted to help Yu Daniu as much as possible during his time on Qiyun Mountain.
Because Qinghe Market City had also suffered a beast tide, the price of talismans was still inflated. However, it was no longer possible to see the previous premiums of 110 or even 130 percent.
After all, the scale of Qinghe Market City was far smaller than that of the Beast Taming Market City.
Furthermore, most of the cultivators in Qinghe Market City who needed high-grade talismans had already become food for demonic beasts.
The two great immortal clans of Qinghe had abandoned the northwest and southwest districts, leaving only the northeast and southeast.
The cultivators in these two districts were either artisans, rogue Foundation Establishment cultivators, or members of immortal clans.
They were generally not lacking in resources.
So, for the nineteen high-grade talismans traded with Yu Daniu this time, a thirty percent discount on the inflated price was almost equivalent to buying them back at eighty-five percent of the standard price.
Seven Five Elements Escape Talismans, eighty-nine spirit stones.
Four Divine Movement Talismans, fifty-one spirit stones.
Six Giant Strength Talismans, seventy-six spirit stones.
Two Spirit Tracking Talismans, fifty-one spirit stones.
When it came to his own brother, Chen Jianghe truly rounded down the spirit sand, unlike when he traded with Ji Wujin and rounded up to the nearest whole number.
The total came to two hundred and sixty-seven spirit stones.
Chen Jianghe did not accept the spirit stones. Instead, he took out the tier-two ice-element spirit core.
“Daniu, take this tier-two ice-element spirit core to the Treasure Pavilion in Mirror Moon Market City and put it up for auction. Hmm… you don’t need to give me the spirit stones from the sale. Just help me buy two tier-two water-element spirit cores.”
“This tier-two ice-element spirit core, plus the talismans, definitely won’t be enough to buy two tier-two water-element spirit cores. I’ll make up for whatever spirit stones are lacking.”
He now had enough resources to attempt his breakthrough to Foundation Establishment. All that remained was for his spiritual cultivation to reach perfection, and then he could make the attempt.
Therefore, he could fully focus on nurturing Maoqiu.
He wanted Maoqiu to become a tier-two spirit beast in the shortest time possible.
Yu Daniu naturally followed Chen Jianghe’s words without question. He took the talismans and the tier-two ice-element spirit core and left the courtyard.
After Yu Daniu departed, Chen Jianghe hung a ‘In Seclusion’ sign on his courtyard gate.
Then, he began his closed-door cultivation.
He did not rush to draw talismans or cultivate the *Soul-Suppressing and Spirit-Forging Art*. Instead, he began to practice the *Blood River Escape Art*.
His physical cultivation had reached perfection, allowing him to practice the second level of the *Blood River Escape Art*: Qi and Blood Forming a River.
Having cultivated to this stage, he could now perform a severed limb blood escape.
His life-saving abilities had once again been enhanced.
For the next half a month, Chen Jianghe used his essence blood to refine the blood escape marks, carving them onto the main acupoints of his four limbs.
After completing the blood pattern carving, he began to cultivate the Limb Essence Art, causing the qi and blood in his limbs to flow in reverse towards his Dantian. He then used spiritual energy to compress it into his sea of consciousness in his brow, forming a “Blood Escape Talisman Seal.”
Two months passed.
Chen Jianghe mastered the second level of the *Blood River Escape Art*, Qi and Blood Forming a River.
“Under the effect of the severed limb blood sacrifice, the power of my Water Escape Art has increased by one hundred and thirty percent!”
Chen Jianghe was astonished.
The *Myriad Waters True Scripture* he cultivated already amplified the power of his arts.
Yet, the amplification from the *Blood River Escape Art* was an additional one hundred and thirty percent on top of the existing twenty percent boost.
No wonder Lan Tianxiang had dared to be so arrogant.
Even at the ninth level of Qi Refining, he had dared to cause trouble at the Yun Clan and even escape from the Yun Clan Ancestor’s grasp.
Now, when Chen Jianghe used the severed limb blood sacrifice, his speed already surpassed that of an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator.
“Ruan Tieniu is a Foundation Establishment cultivator. When he uses the severed limb blood sacrifice, he must be even faster. No wonder he can escape danger time and again.”
Chen Jianghe felt that after he reached Foundation Establishment, his Blood River Escape Art would likely be even a fraction faster than Xiao Hei’s Profound Earth Fissuring Escape.
His heart swelled with satisfaction at the improvement of his life-saving techniques.
Immediately after, he began cultivating the *Soul-Suppressing and Spirit-Forging Art* and drawing talismans.
Unwittingly, five months passed by.
Chen Jianghe opened his eyes from his cultivation. With a thought, water spiritual energy condensed into a water mirror, and he extended his spiritual sense into it.
It extended and returned, covering a distance of forty-three zhang and eight chi.
This brought a smile to Chen Jianghe’s face. At this rate of cultivation, his breakthrough to Foundation Establishment would come much sooner than he had anticipated.
He calculated the time and realized it was already mid-August.
If all went as expected, Gao Peiyao would arrive at Qiyun Mountain in the next few days. As for Zhou Miaoyun, she should have already arrived.
He walked to the courtyard gate and took down the ‘In Seclusion’ sign.
Around a quarter past seven in the evening, there was a knock on the gate. It was Yun Siniu.
He had brought two letters.
Chen Jianghe glanced at the signature on the letters and a smile touched his lips. Both were from Ruan Tieniu.
He opened and read both letters.
His understanding of Thousand Mountains Market City deepened.
This time, Ruan Tieniu’s letters were not exaggerated. He had written down the true situation of Thousand Mountains Market City.
To say Foundation Establishment cultivators were as common as clouds was a bit of an overstatement.
However, there were indeed many Foundation Establishment cultivators in Thousand Mountains Market City, rivaling even the market cities of immortal sects.
As the second-largest market city in the Tiannan Region, Thousand Mountains Market City governed a vast territory, at least ten times the size of Mirror Moon Lake.
North of the Heaven-Piercing River, although there were no massive mountain ranges like the Wandering Immortal Mountain Range, there were numerous smaller peaks.
Thousand Mountains Market City was named after the thousand small mountain peaks under its jurisdiction.
Each of these thousand peaks had a spirit vein, some tier-one, others tier-two.
The reason Foundation Establishment cultivators liked to go to Thousand Mountains Market City was that they could lease a mountain peak containing a spirit vein.
Furthermore, the resources in Thousand Mountains Market City were quite abundant.
A wave of spiritual power emanated from Chen Jianghe’s palm, turning the two letters into dust. He then returned to the main hall to continue drawing talismans.
Three days later.
Yun Siniu once again knocked on Chen Jianghe’s gate, inviting him to the Yu Clan’s main residence, saying that Gao Peiyao had arrived.
Chen Jianghe told Yun Siniu to go on ahead.
Afterward, he went to the backyard and recalled Maoqiu into his spirit beast space.
Stepping out of the gate, he glanced at Luo Xiyue’s neighboring courtyard. The gate was shut tight; he didn't know if she had gone to the main residence.
Without lingering, he headed directly to the main residence.
“Grand-Uncle.”
Thirteen-year-old Yu Qirui had shot up in height after starting cultivation. After a year, he was only half a head shorter than him.
This child really did take after whoever raised him.
Yun Xiaoniu had looked after Yu Qirui for a long time. After Yun Xiaoniu left for Yunmen Mountain, Yu Daniu and Yun Siniu took over.
As for Madam Zhou, she was busy with the various affairs of the Yu Clan and matters of cooperation with the Yun Clan.
It could be said that under Madam Zhou’s management, the Yu Clan was steadily rising, and its cooperation with the Yun Clan was very harmonious.
“Mm, good.”
Chen Jianghe smiled and patted Yu Qirui’s shoulder. They walked into the inner courtyard together and soon saw the brightly lit guest hall.
A tall, beautiful woman, Gao Peiyao, appeared before his eyes.
“Brother Jianghe.”
Upon seeing Chen Jianghe, Gao Peiyao’s eyes curved into a smile. She walked up to him and greeted him warmly.
“Fairy Peiyao.” Chen Jianghe quickened his pace, cupping his hands in return.
Gao Peiyao did not correct Chen Jianghe’s form of address, and similarly, she would not change how she addressed him and Yu Daniu.
She was now a Foundation Establishment cultivator, a different status altogether.
Being overly insistent on titles would only create more distance between them.
“Fellow Cultivator Chen.” Zhou Miaoyun also walked over, nodding to Chen Jianghe in greeting.
“Fellow Cultivator Zhou.”
Chen Jianghe looked at Zhou Miaoyun and sighed inwardly.
His former ally looked even older now.
In Zhou Miaoyun’s cloudy eyes, he actually detected a trace of the aura of death, though it was not strong.
But from this, he could tell that Zhou Miaoyun’s life was also entering its final countdown.
Her lifespan was nearing its end.
Zhou Miaoyun was three years older than Chen Jianghe. She was not yet eighty, and according to the one-hundred-and-twenty-year lifespan of a Qi Refining cultivator, she should have had another forty years.
However, due to overworking herself with clan affairs and frequently overexerting herself drawing talismans, her spirit had declined, and her soul had become unstable.
Moreover, in her earlier years, the Zhou Clan had fought with others over spirit fields in Lotus Town of Qinghe Market City. Zhou Miaoyun had been severely injured once, causing her to lose a significant portion of her lifespan.
At this moment, Yu Daniu invited everyone to be seated.
After they had all sat down, Madam Zhou arranged for servants to bring out spirit dishes and top-grade immortal spirit wine.
“Brother Daniu, why don’t I see Xiaoniu?”
Gao Peiyao asked.
“The conflict over the Yunmen Mountain spirit mine isn’t over yet. Eldest is still at Yunmen Mountain in a standoff with the Shi Clan Ancestor.”
Yu Daniu said, then laughed heartily. “Why bring that up? We’ve finally reunited after so long. Come, come, let’s have a toast first.”
Everyone drank a cup of wine.
Gao Peiyao seemed very concerned about the Yunmen Mountain spirit mine and asked, “Does the Shi Clan have a tier-two spirit beast?”
“A tier-two spirit beast? They don’t have one of those, but the Shi Clan Ancestor does have a tier-two puppet…”
“Father, you’re mistaken. The Shi Clan Ancestor has two tier-two puppets. A month ago, the Lu Clan sold another one to the Shi Clan.”
Madam Zhou reminded him at this moment.
“Tier-two puppets?”
Gao Peiyao’s brow furrowed. She said coldly, “The Lu Clan dares to interfere in a spirit mine dispute between Foundation Establishment immortal clans?”
The Tiannan Sect had explicit rules: any spirit mine discovered within the territory of a Foundation Establishment immortal clan was to be mined by that clan.
However, twenty-five percent of the mined spirit stones had to be handed over to the Tiannan Sect.
Later, considering that top-tier immortal clans might interfere with the mining operations of Foundation Establishment clans, the Tiannan Sect added another rule.
After mining a spirit mine, the Foundation Establishment immortal clans in the four territories of the Tiannan Region had to give another ten percent to the top-tier immortal clan of their respective territory.
At the same time, top-tier immortal clans were forbidden from interfering with the mining of spirit mines by Foundation Establishment clans.
Tier-two puppets were difficult to craft, and the materials were hard to find. Even the Puppet Lu Clan did not have many.
They would certainly not sell them.
Yet now, the small Shi Clan actually had two tier-two puppets. Wasn’t it obvious that they had the backing of the top-tier immortal Lu Clan?
As a personal disciple of a Tiannan Sect elder, Gao Peiyao was very displeased with the Lu Clan’s actions.
If the targeted clan had nothing to do with her, she would have let it go.
Tiannan Sect disciples would often turn a blind eye to top-tier immortal clans interfering in the resource disputes of the Foundation Establishment clans below them.
But Yu Daniu was a friend from her youth.
“Brother Daniu, what is the estimated output of the Yunmen Mountain spirit mine?” Gao Peiyao asked.
Hearing her ask this, Yu Daniu knew very well that Gao Peiyao might be about to stand up for the Yu Clan.
While she might not go so far as to attack the Shi Clan Ancestor, she would definitely make the Lu Clan cease its clandestine support for the Shi Clan.
Immediately, Yu Daniu answered truthfully, “Currently, it’s a tier-two low-grade spirit mine, but it could also be a tier-two mid-grade one.”
“A tier-two spirit mine!”
Gao Peiyao was shocked.
No wonder the Lu Clan would interfere. If it was a tier-two mid-grade spirit mine, it could yield at least eighty thousand spirit stones.
After secretly helping the Shi and Liu Clans, the Lu Clan would probably get thirty percent of that.
This was no small sum.
The Tiannan Sect, even if it was aware of the top-tier immortal clans secretly expanding their influence, would likely not intervene.
As long as they didn’t openly defy the will of the Tiannan Sect, it was fine.
In the past, Gao Peiyao would have been powerless against the Lu Clan. She was just an ordinary Foundation Establishment disciple of the Tiannan Sect.
But things were different now.
Her master had already reached Core Formation and become a Core Formation elder of the Tiannan Sect. She could completely order the Lu Clan to cease its biased support for the Shi Clan.
“Regarding the Yunmen Mountain spirit mine, I will step in and make the Lu Clan stop interfering in the dispute. However, I cannot personally help you fight for the mine.”
Gao Peiyao thought for a moment before speaking to Yu Daniu.
“For Fairy Peiyao to step in and stop the Lu Clan’s interference is already a great kindness to the Yu Clan. How could we dare to trouble you to act personally?”
Yu Daniu cupped his hands in thanks.
“Brother Daniu, there’s no need for that. It’s just a small matter for me,” Gao Peiyao said with a light laugh.
Witnessing this scene, Chen Jianghe couldn’t help but feel a sense of感慨.
Even among Foundation Establishment cultivators, there was not only a gap in strength but also a huge disparity in status and position.
Back then, Chen Feng, the fifth master of Qingfeng Stronghold, had been slain by a single sword strike from Luo Xiyue, showing him that there were vast differences even between Foundation Establishment cultivators.
Now, Gao Peiyao dared to directly state that she could make the Lu Clan stop interfering in the Yunmen Mountain spirit mine dispute.
This showed how high her status was.
If Ruan Tieniu had said such a thing, he would probably be annihilated by the Lu Clan within a day.
One had to know that the Lu Clan was a top-tier immortal clan in the Eastern Territory, with a Core Formation expert presiding over it.
As the topic of the Yunmen Mountain spirit mine concluded, the group began to reminisce about the past.
After all, in front of Gao Peiyao, they couldn’t really talk about the future.
Once the future was brought up, they would be on completely different levels, which would make the banquet very awkward.
Gathering together now, all they could do was recall some of the pleasant and interesting things from their past.
This not only gave them common ground but also helped to strengthen their bond with Gao Peiyao.
After three rounds of wine and five courses of dishes, the banquet concluded late in the evening.
Yu Daniu wanted to arrange lodging for Gao Peiyao, but she declined, saying she could just stay with Luo Xiyue.
Afterward, Gao Peiyao left with Chen Jianghe.
The silver moon hung high, and a gentle autumn breeze rustled.
Chen Jianghe and Gao Peiyao walked side by side under the night sky, their steps in unison, but neither spoke.
Under the soft moonlight, their shadows intertwined like the strings of a zither, as if whispering silent vows.
Suddenly!
A streak of sword light tore through the night sky, hurtling towards the Yu Clan’s main residence.
It shattered the tranquility of the moonlit night.
“A Foundation Establishment cultivator is attacking.”
Gao Peiyao’s fine brows knitted together, and a pale blue longsword appeared in her jade-like hand.
(End of this chapter)