23. The Road to Departure
“It… it was you!?”
This news extinguished most of Qin Huaiqiu’s anger.
He looked at the Grand Elder in disbelief and couldn’t help but ask, “Why did you…?”
“If you still trust the Returning Heaven Sect, then consider it this way: I couldn’t stand their actions. Bullying a pregnant woman, what kind of hero is that? A direct confrontation would have been the proper way. And the child, after all, is innocent. She shouldn’t be held responsible for the past.”
The old man said with displeasure, “But if you don’t trust the Returning Heaven Sect, then consider it this way: I wanted to use this girl’s identity for something, so she couldn’t die.”
Of the two explanations, the former was clearly more likely.
Qin Huaiqiu, a man who understood right from wrong, immediately cupped his fists and bowed. “Thank you, Grand Elder, for saving my daughter’s life!”
“No need for such formalities.” The old man waved his hand dismissively. “If you truly believe I helped you, then do one thing for me.”
“Please speak freely, Grand Elder.”
“I’ll have my men delay the people from Qian Yue Academy. I trust that Palace Master knows what to do with the rest.”
As he spoke, he tossed a token to Qin Huaiqiu.
“As for you,” he pointed at the token in Qin Huaiqiu’s hand, “take this and go to the Baiyao Dynasty.”
“The Baiyao Dynasty?” Qin Huaiqiu was puzzled. “Why the Baiyao Dynasty?”
“The other day, someone from the Baiyao Dynasty sent a secret letter. In it, they mentioned a group of strange swordsmen.”
“They’ve challenged every major martial arts organization in the dynasty. Although they claim it’s a challenge, they slaughter anyone who can’t defeat them.”
“Slaughtered?”
Qin Huaiqiu had never heard of such a “martial” practice.
“But what does this have to do with the Returning Heaven Sect?”
Hearing this, the Grand Elder frowned.
“Those people are able to slaughter so many organizations without fear of reprisal because they can use the Sword Control Technique.”
“Sword Control Technique!?”
This news shocked Qin Huaiqiu.
Besides his own daughter, who had mastered the Thousand Transformations, anyone who wanted to learn Sword Control had to first learn the Returning Heaven Sect’s inner cultivation method.
But this method was a closely guarded secret. How could outsiders learn it?
“That’s why I want you to go.” The old man said, “You are now an unofficial disciple of the Returning Heaven Sect. No one in the sect knows who you are, and others even less so. You are the only one who can investigate without alerting them.”
“But I…”
“But what!” The old man’s beard quivered with anger. “Since those people already know you’re alive, they will surely come to the Returning Heaven Sect to demand an explanation.”
“If you don’t go to some remote place like the Baiyao Dynasty, and still try to find them, it’s uncertain if you’ll even see them alive.”
Qin Huaiqiu finally understood.
Although he didn’t want to admit it, it was true.
It was this Grand Elder’s love for talent that had saved him. Now that his secret was out, he shouldn’t stay here and cause more trouble.
The road to Qian Yue Academy was also perilous. He didn’t even know if Zhi’er and Ling’er were still there…
“Grand Elder,” after a moment of consideration, Qin Huaiqiu suddenly knelt down.
“A man does not kneel easily. What are you doing!”
Qin Huaiqiu put aside his usual playful and arrogant demeanor, his expression now as serious as it was when he first joined the sect decades ago.
“I have an presumptuous request. I hope you will grant it, Grand Elder!”
The old man’s eyes flickered.
It seemed… it was inevitable.
“I am willing to go to the Baiyao Dynasty and lie low for a while, and also investigate the matter of the Sword Control Technique.”
“But after that, I request to leave the Returning Heaven Sect. Whether you cripple my cultivation or sever my meridians, I only ask that you spare my life, Grand Elder. I, Qin Huaiqiu, am eternally grateful!”
Now that he knew his daughter was still alive, his greatest worry was gone.
Even if Zhi’er couldn’t forgive him, he had to go to the Pear Blossom Blood Orchid Palace to fulfill his promise.
Seeing his resolve, the old man waved his hand impatiently. “Go if you want to go. Don’t linger around here and annoy me.”
Hearing this, a wave of excitement washed over Qin Huaiqiu, and he bowed again.
“Thank you, Grand Elder… for your understanding!”
“Go, go, go. Pack your things and get lost to the Baiyao Dynasty.”
With that, Qin Huaiqiu didn’t say anything more and quickly left the main hall.
However, shortly after he left, the old man’s attitude changed completely.
He took out a newly written letter from his desk and, with a gesture, a black carrier pigeon flew in from the door and landed on his hand.
After tying the letter to the pigeon, the old man sent it out the window, then turned and stared at the longsword, Qingfeng, on the wall, silent.
After a long time, he sighed softly.
“If this is a trial the sword master must face, then this is all I can do.”
“I can only hope… that everything goes smoothly.”
—
—
“This Qian Yue Academy… actually has a place like this?”
After Gong Yiling and her group followed Yan Chuyue to a small wooden hut on the back mountain of the North Courtyard…
Such abandoned huts were common in the forests of Qian Yue Academy.
Some people simply didn’t like living in the designated dormitories, preferring these strange places instead.
Of course, after they left, these places became deserted, turning into adventure spots for a few.
But who would have thought that such a place would hide a passage leading outside Qian Yue Academy?
“You know, people are very idle, especially cultivators.”
Yan Chuyue, lifting a rotten floorboard, said, “Someone who has nothing better to do might just start digging and find an underground river.”
“And a normal person, upon seeing an underground river, would definitely want to go for a swim—”
Gong Yiling’s lips twitched. “Are you sure?”
What kind of normal person would do that?
“Oh, don’t worry about that.” Yan Chuyue opened the floorboard and was immediately choked by a cloud of dust.
After the dust settled, a deep, bottomless hole was revealed, the sound of flowing water coming from within.
“Yes, this is it!”
