The memories of all humanity are awakening, except for mine.

Standing in front of the building, Jiang Chuan looked up at the towering pavilion.

The setting sun cast its golden glow on the building, making the ancient structure appear even more majestic.

Looking at the scene before him, Jiang Wei suddenly said, "The demonic chaos that occurred in the southern region of Yan three months ago was too devastating."

More than 300,000 people died, and the bodies are probably still piled up and no one has cleaned them up.

Jiang Chuan personally experienced that chaotic event and knew its cruelty.

Whenever I think of those days, the figures of Master Liu, Caiyun, and others come to mind.

And then there was the girl he missed, Yu Youwei, who said she was going back to the Song Kingdom when she left the Southern Region. He wondered if she had arrived safely.

"Alas, that demonic chaos ruined the lives of so many people." Jiang Chuan's words were filled with sorrow.

Jiang Wei had always sensed a strong murderous aura emanating from Jiang Chuan, and now he seemed to understand why.

In such a brutal war, the weak had no way to survive; only the strong could survive the bloodshed and were qualified to talk about the horrors of that time.

"Brother Jiang, what is the purpose of our cultivation?" Jiang Wei couldn't help but ask.

Jiang Chuan turned to look at Jiang Wei and said earnestly, "To protect those we want to protect, and to prevent such tragedies from happening again."

After a moment of silence, Jiang Chuan suggested, "Now that we're here, let's go upstairs and see the scenery of the three counties."

Jiang Wei nodded, and the two walked towards the Stork Tower.

The building is an all-wood structure, made of thousand-year-old golden nanmu wood.

Upon closer inspection, the eaves and hanging bells on the railings exude a sense of the vicissitudes of time.

Both of them were cultivators of the Zhiwei realm, and at first they didn't take climbing the tower seriously.

Jiang Chuanxiu has reached the second level of the "Dragon Elephant Divine Demon Art". His body is strong, comparable to a third-level magical beast. He climbs steadily and does not feel tired.

But Jiang Wei was different; after climbing about thirty zhang, sweat began to bead on his forehead.

He thought to himself, "If Jiangchuan can do it, so can I." So he continued climbing.

The higher you go, the harder it gets; Jiang Chuan only broke out in a sweat.

Jiang Wei found every step difficult, his breathing became disordered, and he gasped for air.

A moment later, the two reached the top floor.

Jiang Chuan wiped his sweat, turned his head and saw Jiang Wei slumped on the ground, his legs wouldn't obey him.

"Haha, Brother Jiang, it seems you need to intensify your training," Jiang Chuan joked with a smile.

Jiang Wei said admiringly, "Brother Jiang, I admire you. Your physical fitness is amazing."

Jiang Chuan reached out and helped Jiang Wei up, saying, "Brother Jiang, don't underestimate body refinement. It can make your body stronger and also improve your cultivation level."

Jiang Wei nodded: "Brother Jiang is right. I will put more effort into body training in the future."

The two arrived at the top floor of the Stork Tower, stood by the railing, and gazed into the distance.

Right now, the vast land of three prefectures and a hundred miles was laid out before them without reservation.

The Yongji River flows gently, its surface shimmering in the afterglow of the setting sun.

This scenery is precisely the most famous and renowned viewpoint of the Stork Tower. "The sun sets beyond the mountains."

Looking at the scene before him, Jiang Wei turned to Jiang Chuan and said, "Brother Jiang, this place is truly magnificent."

Jiang Chuan's gaze remained fixed on the distance as he replied, "Yes, such a magnificent sight is truly rare."

Jiang Wei led Jiang Chuan into the inner room of the pavilion.

Upon entering, Jiang Chuan saw the walls covered with poems and prose, each with its own unique handwriting and style.

Jiang Wei raised his hand, pointed to the wall, and explained to Jiang Chuan: "Brother Jiang, look at this wall, it is made of diamond and jade."

Ordinary mortals simply cannot leave a single word on it. To inscribe a poem on this wall, one's cultivation must at least reach the level of a sage.

Jiang Chuan's eyes swept over the poems and inscriptions on the wall.

A poem caught his eye.

The poem was powerful and vigorous, carrying a sharp, sword-like intent.

Upon closer inspection, it turned out to be "Ascending the Stork Tower" by Wang Zhihuan, a half-step sword immortal:
The sun sets behind the mountains.
The Yellow River flows into the sea.

To see a thousand miles further,
Take it to the next level!

Jiang Chuan was drawn to the poem, or rather, to the profound sword intent contained within it.

In this world, he saw strange sights.

The Bitter Sea liquefies innate pure Yang energy, containing an inner vortex and emitting a mysterious aura.

A rainbow bridge rose from the vortex, soaring straight to the heavens, its momentum reaching the sky, threatening to pierce the heavens and reach the depths of the soul sea.

Within the sea of ​​souls, a page of golden book radiates dazzling light, suppressing a savage dragon.

The dragon was suppressed, but it continued to struggle, and the aura emanating from its body was terrifying.

That page of golden book exuded awe-inspiring divine power, suppressing the giant dragon and preventing it from breaking free, demonstrating its unshakeable strength.

The scene shifts, and Jiang Chuan sees a white-haired girl standing alone on an endless wasteland.

She gazed at the horizon, accompanied by the red leopard and the raccoon dog.

The girl was surrounded by surging sword intent, which was like a raging tide that seemed to want to swallow everything around her.

A great river came into view of Jiangchuan.

The mighty river surged ceaselessly, carrying the surging sword intent, coming from the Yellow Springs and heading towards the Nine Heavens.

On the river, a bright white sun was setting in the west, about to disappear into the mountains and rivers.

Jiang Chuan was so captivated by the wondrous scene created by the sword intent that he could not extricate himself from it for a long time.

He sighed deeply and subconsciously reached out to grasp the universe, wanting to control this wondrous power.

The surging river roared past his hand.

The setting sun cast its last rays upon him, and the young man stood there, gazing intently at the burgeoning sword energy in his hand.

In this wondrous realization, Jiang Chuan's cultivation level quietly underwent a change.

He sensed the third sword of the Heavenly Dao. The third sword, Long River Sunset, was successfully comprehended at this moment.

He felt the sword intent constantly gathering in his internal organs and kidneys, and the surging true energy rising from the sea of ​​suffering gradually condensed in his dantian under the guidance of the sword intent.

The true energy swept away the dust in the Purple Palace, making it even clearer.

After a long while, Jiang Chuan finally came to his senses.

He raised his hand, extended a finger, and a powerful sword aura shot out from his fingertip.

The sword energy, like a wild horse unleashed, burst through the railings and shot out from the top floor of the seventy-foot-high Stork Tower, disappearing into the distant twilight sky in the blink of an eye.

Jiang Wei stood aside and witnessed everything.

He stared blankly as the sword was drawn, the sound of the whistling wind still seeming to echo in his ears.

After a long while, he came to his senses, turned to look at Jiang Chuan, and asked, "What is this sword strike called?"

Jiang Chuan said, "The setting sun over the long river."

Jiang Chuan's aura had already risen to the Purple Mansion Realm and was gradually stabilizing.

His aura surged, having just broken through to the Purple Mansion Realm, his body was filled with true energy and he exuded a powerful aura.

However, it is still restricted by the laws of Heaven and has not yet reached the power of the Ten Cauldrons.

Just then, a figure appeared silently.

It was actually a mountain spirit. She used an illusion technique to conceal her form, but at this moment she was staring straight at the poem left by Wang Zhihuan.

Jiang Chuan noticed something was amiss and asked, "Mountain Spirit, do you have something to say?"

The mountain spirit looked bewildered and replied softly, "I don't know where to begin."

After a moment's thought, Jiang Chuan suggested, "How about you and Wang Zhihuan compose a poem together?"

Having said that, he drew his sword and carved a poem on the dragon-carved pillar beside him:

The journey is long and arduous, and the journey is far from over.

He single-handedly conquered the desolate hill with his sword.

The moon, like a hook, hangs like a mist over the deep mountains.
What kind of law, what kind of flow?
Jiang Wei had been watching from the sidelines, and upon seeing this poem, he had a private understanding of the Dao.

After Jiang Chuan finished carving, he said to Jiang Wei, "I will call this poem 'Asking the Sword'."

"In the future, I will definitely carve it on the stone wall, alongside Wang Zhihuan's poem." Having said this, Jiang Chuan turned to face Jiang Wei and suddenly asked, "Do you know the true meaning of the sword?"

Jiang Wei seemed to be deep in thought.

He had been cultivating for sixteen years and had never really thought about this question before, leaving him speechless for a moment.

Jiang Chuan recalled the past and said, "Someone once asked me the same question, and my friend and I pondered it for a day and a night, and came up with two answers:
Everything is a sword, and the sword is the sword in your hand. Both answers are correct; they are simply different people's understandings of the sword.

Jiang Chuan told Jiang Wei a story: "There was a senior sword master who was obsessed with practicing swordsmanship his whole life. In his youth, he roamed the world with his sword."
In his youth, he threw his sword off a cliff in the East China Sea; in his later years, he picked it up again.

His swordsmanship progressed from the tangible to the intangible, and ultimately transcended both.

Jiang Chuan continued, "It's like this: at first, we only saw the shape of the sword."
I gradually came to realize that everything in the world can be turned into a sword;

Only at the end did I realize that the sword had always been with me; I didn't need to deliberately search for it.

Jiang Wei felt his internal energy surge, and the shackles of his Dao heart shattered with a "crack".

It turned out that, inspired by Jiang Chuan, he had grasped the true essence of the sword.

Jiang Wei said gratefully to Jiang Chuan, "Thank you, Brother Jiang. If it weren't for you, I would still be trapped here. From now on, please don't hesitate to ask if you need anything."

Jiang Chuan laughed and said, "I was just telling a story; it's your own high level of understanding that's the key."

Jiang Wei took out a secret manual from his bosom and handed it to Jiang Chuan: "This is the Thunder Light Sword Manual, here you go."

Jiang Chuan did not refuse and gladly accepted it.

Jiang Chuan suggested, "How about we take a night cruise on the Yongji River?"

Jiang Wei nodded in agreement.

The two flew down on their swords and arrived at the riverbank, where they chose a fishing boat.

Upon seeing the guests, the boatman warmly greeted them: "Gentlemen, please come aboard. We've just caught some fresh bass, and we also have some fine wine!"

Jiang Chuan smiled and agreed, taking out a jar of Monkey Wine from his storage bag.

Once on the boat, the three of them sat separately.

The boatman brought over a perch and his homemade wine. Jiang Chuan opened the Monkey's Intoxication wine, and its aroma filled the air.

Jiang Chuan poured wine for Jiang Wei and himself, then tilted his head back and took a big gulp.

Thinking of his master Xie Xuan's whereabouts still unknown, he could only drown his sorrows in this fine wine.

Jiang Wei noticed Jiang Chuan's low spirits and raised his cup, saying, "Brother Jiang, let's enjoy the wine today and not worry about anything."

Jiang Chuan returned the cup to him, and the two drank it down in one gulp.

On the fishing boat, Jiang Chuan and Jiang Wei enjoyed the beautiful scenery and felt their affection for each other.

The next day, Jiang Chuan, Jiang Wei, and Sun Qi received a message from the immortal master, instructing them to go to the prefectural government office immediately to prepare for their journey to the Cloud Sea Immortal Gate of Tianzhu Mountain.

At that time, the demon scourge of Longhai County had been eliminated, and the immortal masters of Tianzhu Mountain were preparing to return home.

In front of the prefectural government office, the prefect led the people in a joyous farewell, and the people repeatedly thanked the immortal master for eliminating the evil.

An old man with white hair said loudly, "Thanks to the immortal master, I can live a peaceful life again."

Those around him nodded in agreement.

Immortal Master Gao Lin raised his hand and summoned the Fangtian Painting Boat.

Gao Lin shouted, "Prepare to board the ship!"

The disciples walked in an orderly fashion toward the painted boat.

The prefect bowed respectfully to the immortal masters, his gaze lingering on Jiang Wei for a moment with a meaningful look.

Jiang Wei nodded in response.

Subsequently, the two immortal masters, Wang He and Gao Lin, boarded the ship using their qi, and everyone else followed suit.

Once everyone was seated, the painted boat took off.

Aside from the immortal master, only fifteen people on the boat passed the preliminary test, including Jiang Wei's sword attendant, Afu.

Jiang Chuan and Sun Qi sat together, looking at Jiang Wei and muttering to themselves.

Jiang Chuan whispered to Sun Qi, "Judging from Jiang Wei's treatment, his identity is probably not simple."

Sun Qi nodded.

Jiang Chuan then joked, "After entering the mountain gate, I'll have to cling to his leg."

Sun Qi couldn't help but laugh.

The painted boat started moving, and it moved very fast.

Jiang Chuan remarked, "This painted boat is faster than flying on a sword, and it even has a barrier to block the strong winds. It's also very comfortable to ride in."

I was thinking that I would definitely make such a magical artifact in the future.

The painted boat flew for a day and a night, arriving at the Cloud Sea Immortal Gate of Tianzhu Mountain at dawn the next day.

At the bow of the ship at Gaolin Station, it was announced: "Prepare to land, everyone get ready."

As the painted boat descended, a magnificent scene unfolded before our eyes: celestial mountains and pavilions hidden in the sea of ​​clouds, seven peaks rising high, white cranes flying, and rare and exotic beasts roaming about, faintly revealing the signs of the Dao.

Jiang Chuan couldn't help but investigate the fortunes of the immortal sect, but as soon as he tried to use his powers, he suffered a backlash, and a mountain ghost mark appeared between his eyebrows.

Sun Qi hurriedly asked, "Jiang Chuan, what's wrong?"

Jiang Chuan shook his head: "It's nothing, I was just reckless."

At this moment, a disciple of the immortal sect arrived on a crane and respectfully said to the painted boat, "Two immortal masters, welcome back to the mountain. Please proceed to Qiyun Peak."

Gao Lin nodded and steered the painted boat toward Qiyun Peak.

Only then did they learn that Tianzhu Mountain has seven peaks.

The main peak, Tianzhu Peak, is the orthodox sect of immortals and holds a revered position.

The other six peaks are Zuowang Peak, Mengdie Peak, Duanzui Peak, Chiyang Peak, Panlong Peak, and Qiyun Peak.

Qiyun Peak is an outer sect peak, and its peak master, Daizong, is an elder of the immortal sect and the head of the outer sect. He is the only peak master among the seven peaks who comes from the outer sect.

Chunyangzi, the leader of the Yunhai Immortal Sect, possesses profound cultivation and firmly holds the top position among the righteous sects in the Northern Territory.

However, the Northern Territory has not been favored by Heaven for five hundred years. The old sword immortal Kong Zhou and the sword-wielding Li Muzhi both came from the Central Plains.

Chunyangzi knew that his talent was limited and that he would hardly become a terrestrial immortal. His greatest wish was for the immortal sect to produce a successor who could prove the Dao for the Northern Territory.

In the main hall, Chunyangzi was talking with Mingyangzi, the peak master of Duanzui Peak.

Chunyangzi asked, "How did the mountain gate assembly go?"

Mingyangzi hesitated for a moment: "Sect Leader, the conference went smoothly, but..."

Just as Chunyangzi was about to press for more information, Mingyangzi lowered his voice and said, "Tongming Zhenren has returned to the mountain."

Chunyangzi seemed to understand the meaning behind it.

Yu Diezi, the peak master of Dream Butterfly Peak, entered the main hall and bowed to the two.

Chunyangzi asked, "What business do you have with me?"

Mingyangzi and Yudiezi exchanged glances, deliberately keeping each other in suspense.

After a moment, Mingyangzi smiled and said, "Sect Leader, the Grandmaster brought back the Sword Emperor's successor. His physique is very likely to be a Daoist divine body, or even a congenital Dao embryo."

Chunyangzi burst into laughter, and his laughter echoed throughout Tianzhu Peak.

"A congenital Dao embryo? That's a rare physique on the Daoist Divine Body Ranking. This child has an extraordinary background!" exclaimed the peak master of Zuowang Peak.

"Yes, the innate Dao embryo is even more precious than the sword spirit body of the contemporary sword immortal Li Muzhi."

"This young man has great potential; he might even prove the Dao for the Northern Territory!" the Peak Master of Crimson Sun Peak echoed.

Chunyangzi nodded, his eyes filled with expectation: "This child is the hope of the immortal sect. It's just that the fate of Sword Emperor Xie Xuan is unknown, which is worrying."

Tao Hongjing said, "In the battle of the Southern Region, the Sword Emperor chased after the man in black robes. The man in black robes had high cultivation and possessed the majesty of a saint."

At that time, it seemed that the Sword Emperor intended for me to lead Jiang Chuan to the Immortal Sect, while he himself was prepared to die in pursuit.

I don't understand the Sword Emperor's plans, but given his powerful divination skills, he may have already conceived of this.

At this moment, Mingyangzi spoke up: "Sect Leader, the situation in the Northern Territory is not good."

With the rise of alien races and the birth of the Demon Emperor, the hearts of the people in the seven kingdoms of the North are unsettled.

Those people at the Jixia Academy, at the Daoist conference, advocated that the Confucian school should take control of the northern border, implying that you should abdicate.

Chunyangzi sneered: "Hmph, those people are all talk and no action, I don't care." (End of Chapter)