Thousand Dusts Ferry Me - Chapter 68

Everyone looked intently and saw that people had surrounded them from all four directions.

Jiang Binghe led the group, followed by a short, sturdy man with a square face who must be Panshan Zi Li Xiuzhu, and another man dressed in luxurious and refined clothing with somewhat romantic features in his eyes and brows, who must be Lanyun Zi Xie Junze; next came Yu Beiting.

These four people each brought many disciples and blocked off the four directions.

The Jade River Sky-Shaking Mirror floated beside Jiang Binghe, spinning rapidly and stirring up an invisible whirlwind, bringing forth a surging wave of intimidating pressure.

Jiang Binghe’s face was as dark as water. When he saw Yun Qing, killing intent overflowed from his narrow eyes. He glanced at Jiang Baiyu, then put on an act of righteous anger, striking first with an accusation. “Unfilial son, for the sake of this demoness, you actually murdered your own mother!”

At these words, the entire Huayang Sect erupted in an uproar.

Jiang Baiyu was so infuriated by his shamelessness that he laughed.

Hanlu Zi looked at Jiang Baiyu in shock and demanded, “You are this beast’s son?”

Yun Qing said, “How could a beast possibly give birth to such a good son? Senior, you needn’t worry about such things.”

Hanlu Zi nodded, knowing this wasn’t the time to argue about such matters. She squinted as she surveyed the surroundings, and upon seeing Yu Beiting, she immediately flew into a rage. “Shameless traitor, you still have the face to come here!”

Seeing Yun Qing holding the Cangye Sword, she drew her own sword without hesitation and struck at Yu Beiting.

Yu Beiting looked at her expressionlessly. “Master, it would be better not to resist stubbornly.”

At these words, even the Huayang Sect disciples on the same side couldn’t maintain their composure. Betraying one’s master and destroying one’s ancestry had always been despised by people, yet Yu Beiting spoke so righteously about it – he had truly reached a certain level of shamelessness.

After all, Hanlu Zi had her collarbone pierced, limiting her movement. Having been imprisoned in Guizhen Cave for many years without practicing swordsmanship, she could at most display twenty to thirty percent of her peak power. Yu Beiting handled her with ease.

The others quickly joined the melee. Since Yun Qing had no sword, she drew Jiang Baiyu’s steel sword, while fortunately Jiang Baiyu still had the Caihen Sword to use. (TL: Cut Hatred Sword)

Fu Xue brought forth the Six-Path Sealing Bell, Cheng Suiyan brought forth the Zhaoming Painted Bone Fan, Ci Li brought forth the Water-Dissolving Wind-Gathering, and Li Xiuzhu and Xie Junze each brought forth their magic treasures.

Li Xiuzhu’s magic treasure was a small boat folded from white paper and a golden chain. Xie Junze actually brought forth three magic treasures in succession: a jade bamboo glass flower lantern, an ink jade chess board, and a golden incense burner.

For a moment, magic treasures flew everywhere and lights and shadows danced chaotically. Finally, Jiang Binghe called out “Form ranks!” and the Huayang Sect disciples retreated dozens of zhang in unison, all raising their swords and activating incantations.

Seeing this, Yu Beiting timely kicked Hanlu Zi in the chest and used the momentum to retreat into the crowd. Hanlu Zi was kicked backward repeatedly and was caught by Yun Qing.

As the incantations were chanted, the air trembled slightly, and everyone felt their steps gradually becoming heavy, their feet seeming rooted to the ground – they knew this was a binding formation.

Jiang Binghe calmly raised his palm toward the sky, his lips moving slightly. The Jade River Sky-Shaking Mirror flew into the air and rapidly expanded. The air was stirred at extreme speed, and space and time seemed to distort.

Yun Qing looked up and felt that even the sky had become somewhat twisted.

As the pressure within grew stronger and stronger, many disciples were suppressed until their legs trembled and their sword tips swayed gently.

The bright mirror hung high, expanding to about ten chi wide before stopping. Then, stardust began to scatter outward from the mirror’s surface.

Countless particles of stardust emitting faint silver light formed a glowing river. After the river took shape, it grew from narrow to wide, like the Milky Way pouring down, silently sweeping toward Yun Qing and the others on the ground.

Along with the river came Jiang Binghe’s cold voice. “Overestimating your abilities.”

Below was the binding formation, above was the broad star river – the group was like small insects in a net, with nowhere to escape.

Yun Qing looked up at the rapidly approaching suspended river and suddenly smiled.

Under Jiang Binghe’s confident gaze, she removed the demon core bracelet from her wrist, tossed it into the air, parted her vermillion lips slightly, and quickly chanted an incantation:

“A thousand li of bright moon, a thousand li of dreams,

 Free in the mortal world, free as the wind.

 The beauty lies drunk among the flowers,

 Fragrant mist drifts, returning to yun qing.”

The bracelet expanded in the air in the blink of an eye, like a giant flower wreath. Below the wreath, thick white mist appeared from nowhere, concealing the figures of several people.

Jiang Binghe’s expression changed.

The thick mist appeared and contracted at an incredible speed, then disappeared.

The people in the mist disappeared along with it.

Just as they vanished, the silver river of stardust poured down. Wherever the silver river passed, grass, trees, mountains, and stones simply vanished in large patches.

The Jade River Sky-Shaking Mirror rapidly shrank and returned to Jiang Binghe’s hand. In the previously empty mirror surface, an image of grass, trees, mountains, and stones now appeared.

Jiang Binghe’s face was like a dark cloud as he said coldly, “Pursue them.”

****

Yun Qing had to admit that the magic treasure Baiyu had refined was truly excellent.

If she had refined it herself, she probably would have tried to create an ultimate killing weapon.

But Jiang Baiyu’s intention was that when she fought, she was usually filled with killing intent, so if she added another killing weapon at such times, the effect might be limited – better to add some variation.

Thus came this string called “A Neat Family.”

Yun Qing understood that Baiyu hoped she would leave herself a way out.

This string of magic treasure could transport those within it to a certain distance away. The direction and distance could be controlled by thought, but there was an upper limit to the distance, which depended on the holder’s cultivation level and the number of people being transported.

For instance, now that Yun Qing’s cultivation had not yet recovered and the magic treasure was carrying quite a few people, it only transported everyone to a place more than two li east of Guizhen Peak, still within Huayang Mountain.

This was a dense forest with various trees growing together. The ground was covered with years of fallen leaves, mushrooms grew under tree roots, and wood ear fungi grew on tree trunks. Squirrels hid behind branches and leaves, curiously observing the group.

After settling down, Hanlu Zi began to reassess this group of young people.

Despite their young age, they each had either excellent cultivation, excellent magic treasures, or excellent swordsmanship – none were mediocre. No wonder they dared to brave Jiang Binghe’s formation to rescue her.

Especially this red-clothed woman’s magic treasure.

Even if ordinary people practiced their earth-shrinking techniques to perfection, they could at most teleport alone to a thousand li away. This woman’s magic treasure could carry multiple people – though the teleportation distance wasn’t far, it was still extremely rare. Experts could see its precious nature at a glance.

She looked curiously at Yun Qing’s wrist and asked, “What is your magic treasure called?”

“This one – A Neat Family.”

Hanlu Zi fell silent. She felt there was something wrong with herself – instead of asking the other party’s name, she had asked about the magic treasure’s name.

“Senior Sister, look quickly – there’s a grave over there.” Fu Xue pointed to a spot not far away.

Under a red pine tree stood a tomb. The group approached curiously. The weeds and fallen leaves around the tomb seemed to have been cleared not long ago, and a stone tablet stood before the grave, but not a single character was carved on it.

“This is very strange,” Cheng Suiyan said. “This grave is well-maintained, indicating someone regularly comes to tend it, showing they care deeply about the deceased. If so, why didn’t they inscribe a tombstone?”

Yun Qing couldn’t figure it out either. She looked at Jiang Baiyu and asked, “Baiyu, do you know about this grave?”

Jiang Baiyu shook his head.

Yun Qing then looked at Hanlu Zi.

Hanlu Zi twitched the corner of her mouth. “So many people have died in the Huayang Sect – who would care about one nameless grave? Speaking of which, who exactly are you people?”

To explain their origins would take a long time. Yun Qing’s group first gave their names. When Hanlu Zi heard that Jiang Baiyu’s surname was Jiang, she asked, “What exactly is your relationship to Jiang Binghe?”

Jiang Baiyu didn’t answer directly, but said, “Senior Hanlu Zi, the Golden Frost Jade Dew Lotus is with me.”

“What did you say?!” Hanlu Zi was greatly shocked. Her pupils trembled slightly, her pale lips quivered, and she looked at him in amazement.

Yun Qing surveyed the surroundings. Though this dense forest was still within Huayang Mountain, it was deep in the mountain forest with no roads around – they probably wouldn’t be found so quickly.

She said, “Senior, why don’t we help you remove the chains first? That way you can move more easily.”

“Very well.”

Yun Qing was thinking ahead. Before taking action, she first set up an invisible formation around them.

Although her cultivation had not yet recovered and the invisible formation’s effect wasn’t as good as before, if someone really did pursue them, it would at least help them gain some advantage.

Fu Xue helped Hanlu Zi sit by the grave, leaning against the stone tablet. Hanlu Zi composed her emotions, summoned her cultivation to block her senses, and said, “Go ahead.”

Yun Qing drew her sword and cut into her shoulder blade to remove the chains. Jiang Baiyu closed his eyes, his heart following his intention, and the Golden Frost Jade Dew Lotus gradually emerged from his chest.

Hanlu Zi stared unblinkingly at that bright and beautiful lotus flower. For a moment, her emotions surged, and tears rolled down from her cloudy eyes.

The tears traced down her wrinkled cheeks and dripped from her chin onto her chest, spreading into water stains on her dark blue garment.

Jiang Baiyu not only healed the wound on her shoulder completely but also helped repair her damaged meridians.

Unfortunately, after all these years in Guizhen Cave without cultivation support, her body had aged considerably. Physical aging and death could not be remedied through the Golden Frost Jade Dew Lotus, unless the person was the holder of the Golden Frost Jade Dew Lotus themselves.

Hanlu Zi silently watched him complete all this, then said in a daze, “Why is it with you?”

Jiang Baiyu remained silent.

Yun Qing said in surprise, “Senior, you don’t know either?”

“What should I know?” Hanlu Zi was puzzled, looking at Jiang Baiyu. “Young man, who exactly are you?”

Jiang Baiyu smiled bitterly. “I would like to know too – who exactly am I?”

Suddenly, a resonant voice rang out from behind the distant pine trees. “I know who you are.”