There are three realms in existence: the Mortal Realm, the Tongxuan Realm, and the Immortal Realm.
At first glance, they seem neatly separated—but in truth, it's not so simple. Apart from the Immortal Realm, which floats high above the Nine Heavens and remains out of reach for anyone down below, the boundary between the Tongxuan and Mortal Realms is not so clear.
Contrary to what many people assume, the Tongxuan Realm isn't some faraway land beyond reach. It's not a strict hierarchy either—not a matter of "higher" and "lower," where you can't even dream of crossing over. In fact, the two realms actually overlap in places. Those so-called sacred mountains and spirit veins mortals talk about? They're usually the points where the two realms meet.
The Lianxia Mountain Range, for instance, has three such spots that connect directly to the Mortal Realm.
Right now, Li Xun and his group had picked one of those points to descend into the Mortal Realm.
It wasn't until the day they set off that Li Xun finally understood: the reason Lin Ge wasn't interested in attending the Water Mirror Gathering wasn't just because of his gloom.
Turned out, Li Xun wasn't the only one tagging along with him.
From the second-generation disciples, there were two senior uncles—Daoist Minglan and Yue Mingfeng—both of whom weren't from the core lineage. From the third generation, there were fifteen disciples, including Li Xun himself. What really surprised him, though, was that even Senior Sister Qi Bi—the one who'd left quite an impression on him—was part of the crew.
It became clear this wasn't just a trip to attend some grand event. Before and after the gathering, they'd be roaming the world for real-life experience, sharpening their skills outside the comfort of the mountain. In short, Lin Ge wasn't just representing the Mingxin Sword Sect at the Water Mirror Gathering—he was also acting as the babysitter, bodyguard, and mentor for this entire squad of eighteen.
No wonder he looked so reluctant about it.
As his disciple, Li Xun couldn't help but feel a bit sorry for him.
Of course, the folks back on the mountain knew full well what Lin Ge's temperament was like. That's why they assigned him two capable assistants: Daoist Minglan and Yue Mingfeng. Both were experts at handling internal affairs, so Lin Ge could leave all the logistical headaches to them and just focus on protection and guidance.
There was still a month and a half before the Water Mirror Gathering begin—plenty of time.
Among the group, Li Xun was the youngest. Even the least-experienced person had been cultivating for seventy or eighty years, so naturally, their skills far outstripped his.
Still, out of all the third-generation disciples, only Qi Bi and Li Xun were from the core lineage. The rest were branch disciples.
In the Mingxin Sword Sect, the distinction between core and branch lineages wasn't overly strict.
Take someone like Qi Bi—she advanced step by step in her training before catching he eye of Ming Ru, Setting Sun Sword, while still in the Hall of beginnings. That's the classic route to becoming a core disciple.
Core disciples usually had great innate talent and solid character—the kind of people who could inherit the sect's legacy. They had direct mentorship from elite masters, so they tended to be a cut above their peers when it came to the finer points of cultivation. More importantly, only core disciples had the right to one day succeed the sect leader.
Branch disciples, on the other hand, were those who hadn't been chosen by a core elder in the Hall of Beginning. Some of them apprenticed under non-core elders, while others stayed in the hall and relied on group lectures, cultivating on their own.
That said, the cultivation techniques taught to both groups were basically the same. The gap between them wasn't anything that couldn't be bridged.
And besides, for cultivators who aim to ascend beyond the mundane, chasing status and titles isn't really the point. Because of that, the relationship between core and branch disciples stayed pretty peaceful, and the sect remained stable.
Li Xun had always paid close attention to how things worked within the sect. He knew that how he carried himself would affect how the elders and his fellow disciples saw him, so he made sure to be careful.
Since the day they had left the mountain, he'd been playing the part of the harmless little junior brother—wide-eyed, cheerful, and easygoing. He made sure to get on friendly terms with everyone, kept his manners in check, and sweetened his words when needed. No one found him annoying.
The only one who might've caught a glimpse of the calculation behind his smile… was probably Lin Ge.
Lin Ge only had one disciple—Li Xun. And even though he usually acted cold and aloof, the fact that he once handed over the rare treasure Phoenix Feather Needle said plenty. The man might not show it, but he did care. So as long as Li Xun didn't cross any lines or show signs of scheming, Lin Ge rarely gave him more than a few casual reminders before letting him do his thing.
But once they left the mountain and started traveling together day in and day out, Lin Ge's attitude changed. His standards for Li Xun suddenly got a lot stricter.
Li Xun had received the Shadowed Bamboo, Rising Mist sword manual from Zhong Yin and handed it over to Lin Ge as soon as he had come down the peak.
Other people might not have picked up on Zhong Yin's deeper intent, but as Li Xun's master, Lin Ge couldn't possibly miss it. That painting Zhong Yin had sent along wasn't just a gift—it was a subtle critique, suggesting that Lin Ge's way of teaching was a bit lopsided and needed correction.
Despite Lin Ge's usual gloominess, he still respected that reclusive Immortal Uncle of his on the mountain. So when he saw the sword art Zhong Yin had passed along, he immediately understood what was being asked of him.
From that day forward, Li Xun had to dedicate three hours every day to training his physical body.
Thanks to seven grueling years on Zuowang Peak, his physique had already reached the limit of what a person his age could achieve. Now, the real challenge was learning how to use that body—how to move in perfect sync with his intent and energy.
Shadowed Bamboo, Rising Mist really lived up to its name. As a personal creation of Zhong Yin's, the technique was subtle and elegant, progressing from the simple to the profound. It trained not only the body, but the inner flow of energy—inside out, step by step.
Li Xun had trained hard for a month. He didn't see any huge breakthroughs, but he could feel a shift—his control over his internal energy had reached a new level. Especially while moving, his true breath followed his intent as smoothly as a shadow following form. The little details were cleaner, sharper, way more refined than before.
The more he improved, the more obsessed he became with training.
"Three hundred… three hundred and one… three hundred and two…"
Li Xun was drenched in sweat, his robes soaked through, but his breathing stayed calm and steady. His sword arm—firm like steel, without the slightest tremble.
Each strike was clean, precise—raise the wrist, thrust, withdraw. Over and over, no sloppiness, no hesitation.
But this wasn't just swinging a sword. With each thrust, his true breath surged in tandem, flowing through his body and washing through his meridians. It was ten times more exhausting than mere muscle work.
By the time he hit his five-hundredth strike, both his stamina and inner energy were completely tapped out. He lifted the sword once more, but his wrist finally gave in, trembling uncontrollably. He just couldn't hold on any longer.
"Junior Brother Xun, take a break already!
Qi Bi had been watching from the side for a while now. Seeing him train like he was trying to kill himself, she couldn't help feeling concerned.
Li Xun paused, a little surprised when he saw who it was. Then he smiled. "Senior Sister Qi!"
Qi Bi was well-known on the mountain—gentle, calm, not one to stir up trouble. Li Xun had no romantic thoughts toward her, so whenever they talked, he always felt relaxed and at ease.
Out of the entire group, there were only two female cultivators—Qi Bi and another one named Qi Yun. Naturally, they drew plenty of attention.
Qi Bi, though delicate and beautiful, already had a partner. Her Dao companion, Wen Hai, was one of the top third-generation disciples. Because of that, no one really dared to flirt with her.
Which left the adorable and lively Qi Yun as the prime target for the male disciples.
So while Qi Bi enjoyed everyone's care and respect, she didn't have to deal with any awkward romantic advances. Compared to the others, she had it the easiest.
That said, aside from Lin Ge and the two other Immortal Elders, Qi Bi was actually the strongest among the group. She'd already started training in the Transforming Infant Chapter last year, and in the Tongxuan Realm, she was someone who could definitely hold her own. The sect had probably sent her along partly to help look after the younger disciples.
Her checking in on Li Xun? She was just doing her job.
Li Xun, of course, wasn't going to push back. He sheathed his sword, gave her a proper bow. "Thank you for your concern, Senior Sister Qi."
Qi Bi smiled gently in return and, seeing that Li Xun was soaked in sweat, added with concern, ", you're drenched. You should wash up before the evening meal—it wouldn't do to appear before our elders in this state."
Li Xun nodded slightly and was just about to leave when Qi Bi asked, "Junior Brother, that sword form you were just using… was it Shadowed Bamboo, Rising Mist? The one created by Granduncle Zhong?"
Hearing that, Li Xun couldn't help feeling a bit proud—though of course, none of it showed on his face. "Yes, it was Shadowed Bamboo, Rising Mist," he simply replied modestly. "I was lucky enough that the immortal master didn't think me unworthy. Since I've received such a gift, I'd be letting him down if I didn't give it my all."
Qi Bi smiled softly. "That reminds me—back on Guanxia Peak, you saw me use Rosy Mist Sword Technique just once, and you were already able to work out most of the later stages. Thanks to your insight, I managed to grasp the full flow of it. I never got the chance to thank you for that."
"Huh?"
Li Xun was caught off guard—he had no idea there'd been any follow-up from that day. It wasn't until Qi Bi briefly retold what happened that he understood.
He quickly waved it off, not daring to take credit for this so-called "guidance," and offered a few humble words about how it was probably just coincidence.
But Qi Bi clearly believed in his talent. She even started bringing up a few of her own thoughts and questions about sword techniques, wanting to compare notes.
Of course, Li Xun was delighted. After over a month of drilling deep into Shadowed Bamboo, Rising Mist, he'd made real progress. He wasn't just that kid who only knew how to push around true breath anymore—his understanding had grown far richer.
Qi Bi's thoughts were sharp, too. The questions she raised all landed right at the technique's most subtle and difficult parts—exactly the areas where the sword art's true essence lay.
After just a few exchanges, Li Xun was hooked. He sat down cross-legged right there to think things through more carefully, bouncing ideas back and forth with Qi Bi. Before he knew it, the whole idea of washing up had vanished from his mind.
That's the way it is with cultivators—once they dive into their training, the outside world fades away. A blink of the eye can become years in closed-door cultivation. In that sense, Li Xun already had the makings of a real Daoist master.
It wasn't until someone came by to call them for dinner that the two of them finally snapped out of their trance. They exchanged a glance and couldn't help but laugh—by now, the sweat on Li Xun's body had long since dried.
Qi Bi looked a little embarrassed. "I completely forgot to let you clean up first…"
"Not at all! I've been buried in sword forms for days. Felt like I was about to choke on my own boredom—Senior Sister, you totally saved me."
There was a bit of meaning behind his words. He was actually referring to the incident a few days ago, down in the mortal world by that great river, when they were clearing out a demon flood dragon. Lin Ge had held him back the whole time, not letting him join in.
Qi Bi, gentle by nature but sharp as ice, picked up on it right away and chuckled softly. "Junior Brother, you've only been cultivating for what, less than ten years? Even if you've got incredible talent, your foundation still needs time. Rushing into things isn't wise. That's why Eldest Senior Martial Uncle pulled you back yesterday—he was looking out for you…
"I'm guessing he brought you down the mountain to give you a taste of real-world trials. That flood dragon's cultivation was too high—you weren't ready. But if we run into lesser beasts or rogue cultivators along the way, ones more suited to your current level, I doubt he'll stop you from taking action. Slaying demons, purging evil, and accumulating external achievements, these are valuable too."
She didn't realize that her casual mention of "slaying demons and purging evil" made Li Xun break into a cold sweat on the inside.
Because he knew—deep down, he wasn't the same as people like Qi Bi, who cultivated with a pure heart and clear conscience.
The truth was, even if he wasn't a complete degenerate, he'd already done things that broke sect rules—things that might even be considered treacherous.
It all came down to three things: the Lingxi Art, the Netherworld Record, and the simple fact that his heart had never truly been loyal to the sect. No matter which school he landed in, he wouldn't have ended up with a happy ending.
Maybe in a few more years, in other people's eyes, he would be the one to slay—the demon to eliminate...
Right now, Qi Bi was still chatting with him gently, smiling with warmth. But who could say—one day, could those same hands that struck down the demon flood dragon yesterday be turned against him?
That thought soured him completely. He suddenly had no heart to talk anymore, muttered a quick excuse, and slipped away.
Dinner was tasteless. He choked down a few fruits and then withdrew to a quiet spot to train. It was only during cultivation that he could truly forget everything else, and feel that rare freedom that came with walking the Dao.
But tonight… peace wasn't on the agenda.