Yinshan Record

Chapter 266 Zhang San is still here
The East China Sea has been a sacred place for cultivators since ancient times, and a gathering place for various sects of Taoism. There has always been a saying in the world that it is the "Penglai Immortal Land of the East China Sea".

It wasn't until later, when sword cultivators emerged out of nowhere, and sword immortals from all walks of life gathered in the East Sea, that the name of the Sword Palace was finally established, and the name of the East Sea Sword Palace gradually became well-known.

Now, when people mention the East Sea, the first thing that comes to mind is not the various sects of Xuanmen that live there, but the Sword Palace that bears the name "East Sea".

While it can't be said that they usurped the throne, it still shows the grandeur of the East Sea Sword Palace.

"I see that Brother Yan's Mirage Sword technique is skillful and sophisticated. It turns out he is a disciple of the East Sea Sword Palace. No wonder."

Su Che pointed to He Wuji, who was meditating beside him, and said, "So, Brother Yan was invited by this person to slay demons and monsters?"

"No, I don't know this Brother He."

Yan Qi smiled and said, "I had arranged to meet some other friends to go and see what was going on. On the way, I saw some eerie energy in this place and decided to take a look."

"In that case, you and I are pretty much the same; I saw miasma here."

Su Che nodded. If he wasn't He Wuji's friend, then things would be easier.

"In truth, we've both fallen into the blood puppet's trap."

Su Che had already heard Yan Qi mention the name of the Blood Puppet once, so he couldn't help but ask.

"I have lived in the Central Plains for a long time and do not know what Brother Yan is talking about, the Blood Puppet..."

"Oh, look at my brain."

Yan Qi seemed to be a very easy-going person, and he smiled sheepishly.

"The Crimson Feather Blood Puppet is a demonic master who has recently emerged in the East China Sea. His real name is unknown, and he only refers to himself by this title. He has been notorious in the East China Sea for decades, often using fortuitous encounters as a means to subtly corrupt the ignorant. Several disciples of major sects have already fallen into his trap."

Yan Qi shook his head as he spoke.

"I never imagined that this clever Ghost Tiger would ultimately fall into his hands."

The swordsman from the East Sea looked at Su Che in front of him.

He couldn't discern this person's background, so he tried to test him with some conversation.

"Bewitching people is indeed a demonic tactic."

Su Che listened as Yan Qi recounted the story of the Four-Eyed Ghost Tiger. This was also a great demon from Xuanshan, and if you were to be precise, he was related to the Dushan Lord.

Later, in pursuit of the Great Dao, he left Xuanshan and headed straight for the East Sea. Subsequently, he was injured by a master from the East Sea Sword Palace, which shook his foundation and made it difficult for him to achieve anything. Thus, he fell into the scheme of the Crimson Feather Blood Puppet.

Thinking about it carefully, it seems to have some similarities with the old lion from back then.

According to Yan Qi, the Crimson Feather Blood Puppet has used similar methods quite a bit in the East China Sea over the past few years.

Su Che recalled their conversation earlier. This Crimson Feather Blood Puppet clearly had a powerful "ancestor" behind it, who sounded like he had dealt with the ancient Azure Emperor or the reincarnation of Ling Weiyang.

It seems that it wasn't just the Buddhist sect that used the Yin-Yang boundary to infiltrate the Central Plains; the demonic sect was also quietly making its own plans.

Su Che thought to himself. Zhong Yuan made his moves step by step, Huang Tiandao launched an expedition to the outer void, and both the demonic and Buddhist sects were digging their hands into the Central Plains.

A major upheaval is truly imminent.

Thinking of the tiger demon before him and the old lion from before, Su Che couldn't help but feel a little emotional: "The most difficult thing on the path of seeking the Dao is to guard one's original heart and not be swayed by external things."

"That's right." Yan Qi looked at Su Che and said, "May I ask which sect or school you belong to, Senior Brother..."

He still wanted to find out more about Su Che's background.

"Me? I'm just a country bumpkin with no affiliation or sect."

"But I see that Brother Su possesses profound magical power and a solid foundation, which doesn't seem like..."

After hesitating for a moment, Yan Qi continued, "Actually, it's a bit strange. Ever since I met Brother Su, I've felt a kind of resonance in my sword intent..."

Among sword cultivators, there is often a concept of sword intent resonance. To put it simply, it means that two people who practice sword techniques are roughly following the same path, or even inherit the same lineage. Sometimes, their sword intents will influence each other, creating what is known as "resonance".

"I just had a lucky encounter and received some guidance from a senior."

Su Che thought for a moment about how to make up a lie.

"I wonder what kind of extraordinary encounter it was?"

"It's quite simple. Once, when I was passing through Guobei County, I met a senior who called himself Kuyun Sou, who taught me two sword techniques."

"Old Man Kuyun?" Yan Qi looked at Su Che: "Brother Su, are you perhaps a disciple of Tingyu Tower?"

Listening to the Rain Pavilion, this kid knows about Listening to the Rain Pavilion too.

Su Che shook his head blankly.

"What Listening to the Rain Pavilion? That senior only taught me three or two moves."

As Su Che spoke, he raised his fingers to wield the Mirage Yuan Sword. This sword technique was the first one he had ever practiced and had long been mastered. When using it, Su Che added a touch of the Taiyu Abi Sword.

In an instant, sword energy pierced the air, and ghostly shadows appeared one after another, a dazzling sight.

"I was wondering why Brother Su seemed so familiar. It turns out you follow the same path as me—the True Illusion Sword Intent." Yan Qi smiled. "Brother Su, do you know the name of your sword technique?"

"When that senior was passing on his skills, he only said that it was called the Mirage Yuan Sword."

"Brother Su, please don't mention these things to others again."

Yan Qi said very seriously, "Tingyu Tower has a bad reputation."

"Is it?"

"Listening Rain Pavilion is an assassin organization composed of sword cultivators. Although most of the members are independent cultivators who operate under aliases, their reputation is not good because they only do things for money and their business is based on a simple cash-on-delivery arrangement..."

Yan Qi smiled awkwardly as she spoke: "I don't know what's going on, but everyone thinks that we sword cultivators should be chivalrous and righteous, punishing evil and promoting good. What kind of logic is that?"

Even a rising star like Yan Qi from the East Sea Sword Palace knows about it, so it seems that Tingyu Tower might not be such a secretive organization after all.

However, Su Che interpreted Yan Qi's smile as the young man being embarrassed to provoke him too much.

He couldn't very well point his finger at Tingyulou and distance himself from it.

"Thank you, Brother Yan. I won't mention that again."

"It was my fault for being so talkative."

Yan Qi looked at Su Che and said, "Brother Su, it seems you have another lineage?"

"The Taiyin Method passed down in my family is nothing more than the ability to command ghosts; it's not a great supernatural power." Yan Qi simply nodded without saying anything more. Since Su Che was unwilling to explain clearly, there was no need to ask any further.

"Brother Yan, what are your plans?"

Su Che pointed to He Wuji, the leader of the White Deer Cave Army, who was still recuperating on the other side.

"What are your plans, Brother Su?"

"Me? My family has some grudges with White Deer Cave. I wouldn't go so far as to take his life right now, but it's impossible for me to help him. What about Brother Yan?"

"Me? Didn't I say that even sword cultivators aren't obligated to punish evil and uphold justice?" Yan Qi said. "Besides, he's already been through the wrestling of the Crimson Feather Blood Puppet..."

The implication was that He Wuji was most likely not going to make it.

"By the way, Brother Su, are you going to the righteous and evil sword duel at the Canglang River?"

"That's right, I'm going with these friends to check out the excitement."

As Su Che spoke, he pointed to the three people on the other side who were still watching the commotion.

"Then why don't we travel together?" Yan Qi smiled.

"Brother Yan, are you also interested in that nine-page golden book?"

Su Che was somewhat surprised. Logically speaking, disciples of the East Sea Sword Palace like Yan Qi, who were similar to himself, should not have much interest in Buddhist traditions like the Nine-Page Golden Book.

One's own family already possesses an excellent lineage; one should simply follow the master and diligently cultivate oneself. If one inadvertently becomes tainted by Buddhist precepts, it will only be detrimental to one's own cultivation.

“I’m not after the nine-page golden book, Brother Su, don’t you know? That old dragon has said that he will offer an invitation to the Qingchi Society to anyone who can help him win.”

The term "Qingchi Society" sounds familiar.

"Is it?"

"At the Qiantang Green Terrace Gathering, dragons gather in great numbers. I'm hoping to get an invitation, and if I can catch the eye of some dragon maiden, I can become her son-in-law..."

Yan Qi chuckled.

Su Che was thinking that this son-in-law was truly riding a dragon.

Judging from Yan Qi's words, could this Qingchi Gathering be a matchmaking event for the Qiantang faction?

That's quite interesting.

"Then I, Su, will congratulate Brother Yan in advance and wish him success in finding his beautiful dragon..."

Although the blessing was a bit odd, Yan Qi found it very pleasing.

"It's rare to hit it off with Brother Su so quickly. Why don't we travel together for the rest of the journey?"

Traveling with Yan Qi?
Su Che glanced at the Prince of Wuling, who was staring longingly at him, and thought that it wasn't a bad idea.

"By the way, Brother Su."

Yan Qi's eyes turned cold and fierce.

"Brother Su, do you recognize that demon over there?"

After Ghost Tiger's defeat, all the demons and accomplices under his command vanished in an instant.

Only the old ox was circling the battlefield, seemingly plotting something.

They haven't left yet.

"Oh, him? We have some old friendship."

Su Che looked at Yan Qi: "Brother Yan, is it not a taboo of the East Sea Sword Palace to associate with demons?"

"Of course it doesn't count, otherwise wouldn't everyone be unable to marry a girl from Cloud Recesses?"

Yan Qi shook his head: "Brother Su, why don't you come with me to the East Sea? Cultivators make up 40% of the population there, while various alien races and monsters make up 30%."

"I'll go say hello to him first."

Su Che clasped his hands in a fist salute to Yan Qiyi: "I'll have a good chat with Brother Yan later."

"Brother Su, please proceed."

Yan Qi said with a smile.

Su Che rode the wind and flew straight towards the old ox.

He had asked Zhang San to meet him in Guobei County, but the two of them disappeared without a trace.

Su Che had assumed that the two of them had perished together in that great upheaval, but now it seemed that was not the case.

Since we've run into each other, we absolutely must seize the opportunity to get to the bottom of this.

Otherwise, how could I face Zhang San?
Su Che arrived fiercely, and the old ox was just as decisive. When he saw Su Che coming from afar, he shouted loudly.

He pushed aside the mountain of gold and the jade pillar, and knelt directly on the ground.

A pair of teary, ox-like eyes watched Su Che arrive on the wind.

"Sir, please save us..."

Su Che had imagined many things the old ox might say to him.

such as.

Spare me.

I'm wrong.

It's all my fault.

Listen to me.

Please, sir, show mercy.

Su Che never expected that Lao Niu would say such a thing.

"Save us" means Zhang San is still alive.

(End of this chapter)