Translator: CKtalon Editor: CKtalon

The date that Qin Yun and Yi Xiao determined to take action was the twenty-sixth day of June because the twenty-eight was the day many villages in Grand Dominance County would sacrifice their young children to Water God. By taking action two days early, it would firstly, prevent the children from suffering a terrible fate and secondly, allow Qin Yun and Yi Xiao’s plan to proceed.

There was still more than half a month before the designated day arrived. The two made careful preparations and frequently discussed with each other.

After all, neither one of them wanted to fail.

That day at noon.

Just after Qin Yun left Yi Xiao’s yard, he saw the county governor standing far away.

"Young Master Qin." The county governor greeted him with a smile.

"Lord County Governor." Qin Yun immediately walked over.

"Let’s talk along the way." The county governor smiled as he headed toward a small footpath to the side. Qin Yun followed behind him curiously.

The surrounding vegetation was tranquil and silent. The guards in the distance also maintained a certain distance.

The county governor said with a sigh, "It really feels different being younger. My muscles and bones have strength and some of my minor ailments are gone."

Qin Yun smiled. 𝚋𝚎ｄ𝚗ｏｖ𝚎𝚕．ｃｏ𝚖

"Qin Yun." The county governor turned to look at him. "I owe you a great favor. You played a huge role in being able to extend my life by twenty years. In my heart, you aren’t an outsider."

"Whatever happened at Green Tooth Mountain was simply a call of duty," said Qin Yun.

"I’m not treating you as an outsider so I should make some things clear to you." The county governor said, "Previously, you did not have many interactions with Yi Xiao but after the expedition to Green Tooth Mountain, you frequently came to County Governor Manor to see her. Occasionally, she would go to Qin Manor to see you... For a man and woman to meet privately in a lone yard without anyone present would tend to make people have wild thoughts once it reaches a certain frequency."

Qin Yun was slightly startled.

Yes, in order to deal with Water God, they had frequently met to discuss the plans in detail.

"Yi Xiao is indeed considered one of the most aesthetic entities in the world, like a fairy that had descended to the mortal world." The county governor asked, "She is the most excellent member of the Kunlun Prefecture’s Yi family’s younger generation. She is also a disciple of the Daoist sacred land, Divine Firmament Chapter. Cultivators are, after all, few in number. Compounded by her beauty... she is a rare one even among cultivators. How many people do you think are courting her?"

Qin Yun was taken aback.

There were many mortals but it was very rare for mortals to produce a woman of peerless beauty. There were very few cultivators. Even if cultivation could rejuvenate a person, making their mein extraordinary, they needed to be born pretty to be like Yi Xiao.

"There are probably many who court Miss Yi," said Qin Yun.

"I know there are many." The county governor said with a laugh. "There are many who do not dare court her too. Why? It’s because there are three who are fervently courting her. Each of them has formidable backgrounds that scare away the rest. Those who dare court her are those with guts."

"Who are the three?" Qin Yun asked out of curiosity.

"The first is His Highness, Sixteenth Prince." The county governor said, "Human Emperor has established the Great Chang empire for more than three centuries. There aren’t many princes, with only eighteen to date."

Qin Yun nodded.

Human Emperor ruled the world and had maintained his monarchy for more than three centuries. Just from his age, one could easily know that he was an unfathomable expert. Rumors said that Human Emperor cultivated in Godfiend heritage, and was one of the few peerless experts in the world.

"Among Human Emperor’s children, there are not many with talent in cultivation. As for His Highness, Sixteenth Prince, he is rather talented. He is now twenty-five and is already at the Connate False Core realm. He also cultivates in Godfiend heritage and is extremely strong. He is favored by His Majesty and placed in important positions. Now, he is second to a general, a commandant of a Godfiend Guard with Godfiend experts under his command." The county governor said, "His Highness, Sixteenth Prince had visited the Divine Firmament Chapter once and began pursuing Yi Xiao fervently after seeing her."

"The other is Divine Firmament Chapter’s eldest disciple." The county governor said, "He is now twenty-nine and is already at the Connate True Core realm. He is truly an elite with great profundity in the Dharmic Dao. Rumors say that the Divine Firmament Lightning Dharma has been passed down to him. With his talent, there is a large chance of him reaching the Connate Golden Core realm as well."

Qin Yun was secretly alarmed.

He was at the Connate True Core realm at such a young age?

Divine Firmament Lightning Dharma? Out of all the Dharmic Dao, lightning reigned supreme. And among the Lightning Dharma, the Divine Firmament Lightning Dharma was the best! One had to know that the moment Divine Firmament Skylightning befell the world, it had unimaginable powers.

"The third is the youngest, Young Master Fu of the Divine Firmament Zhang family." The county governor said, "Young Master Fu is the most excellent among the present generation of the Divine Firmament Zhang family. He’s only sixteen this year and has already entered the Connate False Core realm. As for the Divine Firmament Zhang family... I believe you know what position it enjoys in the Divine Firmament Chapter.

Qin Yun muttered to himself.

He knew. Of course, he knew!

The Divine Firmament Chapter’s sect master had always been helmed by someone from the Divine Firmament Zhang family! It had never changed. This particular Young Master Fu was considered the most excellent son of the Divine Firmament Zhang family. His status and position were unmatchable even to favored princes.

"Divine Firmament Chapter’s eldest disciple and the Divine Firmament Zhang family’s Young Master Fu. In addition, His Highness, Sixteenth Prince." The county governor said, "These are only the three strongest ones that are courting Yi Xiao. Furthermore, they aren’t very old so its a suitable match."

"AsYi Xiao is unmoved by externalities, no one has succeeded to date." The county governor looked at Qin Yun, "The both of you haven’t known each other for long so I would like to alert you so that you would not fall into this mess. Young Master Fu and Sixteenth Prince are both extremely overbearing. Divine Firmament Chapter’s eldest disciple also has extremely powerful means."

"Thank you, Lord County Governor, for informing me," said Qin Yun.

The county governor nodded. "I’ll leave it to you." With that said, he left.

Qin Yun had guessed it too.

A gentle and graceful belle was the perfect mate for a gentleman. Despite having honed his Dao heart in the northern borders, he had been astonished the first time he met Yi Xiao. She had been cultivating in the Divine Firmament Chapter for long periods of time. There was naturally no lack of pursuers that were of the same generation in the Divine Firmament Chapter. One of them was the eldest disciple and the other was Divine Firmament Zhang family’s Young Master Fu. Lastly, there was Sixteenth Prince who had visited Divine Firmament Chapter. It was only natural.

"Compared to them, I’m only an itinerant cultivator." Qin Yun chuckled before walking out of County Governor Manor.

...

Days passed and in a blink of an eye, it was the nineteenth.

It was late into the night.

Qin Yun was sitting cross-legged on a bed in his room. Inside an incense cauldron, an incense stick was lit.

"Swoosh."

Quintessential Essence rapidly opened the big chest by the corner of the room. It was a chest that had been specially made-to-order. It opened to reveal fragments, all parts of the large axe! The large axe only had five hundred and fifty kilograms left after all the absorption. It was separated into several fragments and placed in the chest.

Being carried by Quintessential Essence, the fragments flew up and soon formed a pile inside the room.

"If I estimate it correctly, today is the day I will master my Intrinsic Flying Sword." Qin Yun had a strong presentiment as his mind stirred. The sword ball in his dantian rapidly transformed into a metallic sliver and left his dantian, surging through his veins and out his fingertip. It expanded upon contact with the surrounding air and grew to a length of three inches.

The flying sword remained bright silver in color. However, there was a blue nether glow suffusing from it.

With a thought, he controlled the flying sword to fly straight to a point above the axe fragments on the ground.

"Chi! Chi! Chi!"

As Qin Yun circulated his Dharma method, the flying sword once again had lustrous swirls on its surface. The fragments beneath it began flying up as points of light, infusing into the flying sword above.

One second after another passed by.

After about an hour, about fifteen kilograms of the metallic essence absorbed.

"Weng–"

The flying sword suddenly vibrated with a sword hum. Its absorption rates accelerated as the fragments beneath it rapidly disintegrated. Large swaths of light dots surged upwards at the floating three-inch-long flying sword. The speed of the absorption was the first Qin Yun encountered when cultivating his Intrinsic Flying Sword. The fragments of the large axe quickly reduced to dregs.

Qin Yun revealed an anticipant look, as his burning eyes stared at the flying sword. "It’s the critical moment!"

The fervent absorption took only about ten minutes. When there were only about three hundred kilograms of fragments left, the Intrinsic Flying Sword’s vibrations came to a halt. The sword hum paused and the room fell silent.

There was only a silver sword floating there with formless sword beams appearing at its tip.

"My baby."

Qin Yun revealed a look of glee.

An Intrinsic Flying Sword was nurtured through using one’s Quintessential Essence and soul. By using his sword intent to nurture it daily, it had already become a part of his life over time. It was even more important than his limbs! Cultivators had means to regrow their severed limbs. But to have an Intrinsic Flying Sword destroyed, the effects would range from being severely injured to having his cultivation path completely severed!

Its destruction was equivalent to having half his life sliced off.

However, the prowess of a sword immortal stemmed from the Intrinsic Flying Sword! Without the Intrinsic Flying Sword, there was no way to demonstrate the strength of a sword immortal. Once the Intrinsic Flying Sword was mastered, it was when one’s strength surged. Qin Yun had been relying solely on his heaven-defying Misty Rain Sword Intent to last this long.