Chapter 23: White Cloud Lonely Castle

  Three people walked away from the Forbidden City, and the Taoist girl suddenly let go of her hand, pointing her sword at Ye Gucheng with a cold face.

  "Rebellion?"

  Ye Gu Cheng already knew that the plan had failed and was determined to fight Ximen Chui Xue to the death, but unexpectedly, at the critical moment of life and death, he was blocked by someone, and now he feels a little bewildered.

  When people do things, they often need a strong spirit. Whether it's seeking victory or seeking death, it usually comes from this strong spirit. As the saying goes, "One drumbeat of energy, twice and decline, three times and exhaustion." Ye Gu Cheng's determination to die is also based on this principle.

  From the moment this plot to usurp the throne began, Ye Gu Cheng had never been fully confident, and when he took action, he often hesitated, only feeling "had no choice but to do it". The battle on the night of the full moon at the top of the Forbidden City was for him a case of "the arrow is already on the string, can't help but shoot". What's strange is that from the moment he started taking action, he had a premonition that he would fail, so when his plot was exposed by Lu Xiao Feng, apart from feeling regretful, he also felt a sense of relief that it had finally come to this. Afterwards, he steeled himself for death, but unexpectedly, Xi Men Xue Xue blocked him once again.

  A lifetime, how many people truly understand me? How many can be considered as worthy opponents?

  Ye Gu Cheng stood proudly at the pinnacle of heroes with his unparalleled swordsmanship. How many more times can we expect a battle where both sides are evenly matched?

  This is the end, so let go of this last time, and let "Ye Gu Cheng" live as a "Sword Guest".

  A sword comes from the west, an immortal flies in from outside heaven.

  Ye Gu Cheng's heroic spirit as a top swordsman suddenly overwhelmed everything, all sorts of intrigue and confusion disappearing under the bright light of his sword.

  A clear mind leads to a clear sword; the sword moves with the heart.

  Under such a clear and empty state of mind, Ye Gucheng saw through his own heart.

  Ye Gu Cheng of White Cloud City did not want to die at the hands of a nameless person and did not want to end up like a defeated bandit.

  Ye Gucheng only hoped to be a pure swordsman and nothing more. At the very least, he hoped to die as a "swordsman".

  Ximen blew the snow and undoubtedly read Ye Gu Cheng's heart, so that sword was Ye Gu Cheng who willingly died. He felt grateful to this opponent and confidant in his heart, he had already sentenced himself to "death" at that moment.

  Who would have thought that Ye Gu Cheng still hadn't died after all.

  Ye Gu Cheng survived, at this moment that kind of desperate and reckless aura had dissipated, he no longer had the impulse to die from despair.

  So, Ye Gu Cheng heard this question from the newcomer and was stunned for a moment before responding.

  "Yes."

  The girl slightly frowned, her clear eyes sparkling, and coldly asked: "Where is Yu Dang?"

  Ye Gu Cheng was slightly puzzled, he had thought that the other party already knew about his actions and still wanted to save him, but now it seemed that wasn't the case?

  "Victors become kings and princes, while losers are branded as bandits."

  Cheng Wang defeated Kou, which means that most of his fellow party members didn't have a good ending.

  The maiden thought for a moment, then sheathed her sword.

  "Then let's go."

  Ye Gu Cheng hesitated for a moment and asked: "Where are you going?"

  The girl looked back at Ye Gucheng in surprise, her eyes filled with confusion.

  "You don't even know where your own home is?"

  If Ye Gu Cheng wasn't always cold and taciturn, he would have blurted out "Who knows what you mean by saying that!". But Ye Gu Cheng was indeed Ye Gu Cheng, his face calm and indifferent as he paused for a moment before responding: "I will repay the kindness of saving my life, Dao Zhang."

  The young girl replied very naturally: "That's right, I want to borrow a place to live in the mansion."

  ……

  Ye Gu Cheng was stunned again.

  At this time, shouldn't such a "senior fellow, recluse" bestow kindness without expecting reward and decline with a few words before leaving?

  He thought he would have to plead again, why did the other party agree so quickly?

  Ye Gu Cheng always felt that the girl's impression in his heart had undergone a subtle shift from being ethereal and otherworldly.

  Ximen Chuixue rushed over from behind, heard this, and slightly raised the corner of his mouth, without saying much, quietly left.

  The girl scrutinized Ye Gu Cheng's expression, slightly furrowing her brow, and said in a low voice: "I saved your life, you have food and clothing, what's not to be satisfied with? If you're unwilling, I can use your life to exchange for the same wealth and nobility from now on."

  The will to survive is an instinct of life.

  Ye Gu Cheng had passed through that impulse of rushing to his death, and at this moment he did not want to take it lightly. After a little thought, he bowed slightly and paid his respects.

  "Please follow me, Dao Chang. I don't know how to address you?"

  The girl hesitated for a moment, "Qingxu."

  "Qingxu" is indeed in line with Taoist customs and is likely a Taoist name.

  Ye Gu Cheng bowed his hands in courtesy.

  "It turned out to be Qingxu Daozhang, I dare ask where did Daozhang learn from?"

  This time, the girl quietly looked at Ye Gu Cheng for a long while, smiling but not answering.

  Ye Gucheng didn't ask any further questions and quietly contacted his subordinates to find a safe route back to Baidao City.

  Even if nothing happens along the way, it is unknown whether anyone in the palace has made a move. How many more days can the peace of White Cloud City last? Thinking of this, Ye Gucheng couldn't help but glance at the Taoist girl beside him.

  Ximen's fatal blow was blocked by her, and with one sword, she defeated both of them...

  Ye Gu Cheng thought that this person's swordsmanship and martial arts must be unparalleled in the world, so he flashed his sword to entrust it to this person - he only thought that if this person was present, the imperial court would have to consider using troops against White Cloud Castle. Now that he had calmed down, he immediately thought of more things. Even if the visitor kept his sword, he might not take White Cloud Castle, and being an enemy of the imperial court was not in line with the Taoist way.

  Why would this Qingxu Daozhang follow him back to White Cloud City?

  With her swordsmanship, under the vast sky, where can she not go, what wealth and glory can she not attain?

  All sorts of perplexities did not decrease, Ye Gu Cheng let out a long sigh.

  Forget it, I haven't repaid the kindness of saving my life yet, so let's just wait and see what happens for now.

  Seeing her opponent give up so easily, the girl also secretly let out a sigh of relief amidst her confusion.

  She really didn't grasp which era this was. If the Chunyang Palace hadn't been established at that time, speaking out about her master would only raise suspicions; or perhaps with the passage of time, the Chunyang Palace had long since disappeared, and speaking out the answer would also arouse people's doubts.

  She has always been unwilling to tell lies, with a consistent heart and mouth, being honest with others. When it's difficult, she wouldn't speak up. The two words "Qing Xu" are indeed her Taoist name. Chunyang Qingxu Zi under the Rui Gate also uses "Qing Xu" as her Taoist name. If one day she achieves success in her cultivation or has another opportunity, she will take on another Taoist name. She is truly "Qing Xu", and also Yao Guang.

  Yao Guang, Sword Sect disciple, Qingxu Zi under Rui Men, also known as Qingxu.

  In this strange era, she came from nowhere and was suddenly linked to the rebels due to some misunderstanding. She really didn't want to reveal her real name. Just imagine if one day there's a wanted poster with her face on it, with the words "Suspect Yao Guang" written on it, it's simply unbearable.

  If she had known earlier that the ones who came with a fierce sword aura were not assassins, Yao Guang would not have struck to repel them. Unfortunately, time cannot be reversed.

  To make it clear, we have to rewind time a bit and go back to that deep night when Yao Guang was attacked.

  At that time, Yao Guang was suddenly attacked, and the powerful and unpredictable force swept her in. She had thought of this as a possible lost "Yin Yang Technique", and did not dare to try it lightly with her own body. Therefore, at the critical moment, she drew her sword and swung out, using not any attacking move, but rather the defensive technique "Zhen Shan He".

  Pure Yang Purple Mist Qi Sect, Mysterious Sword Transforming Life Force - Suppressing Mountains and Rivers!

  One sword breaks through the sky, one sword turns the universe around, one sword swallows the sun and moon, one sword calms the mountains and rivers.

  The Pure Yang Sword Technique is not an exaggeration, nor is it a name that doesn't live up to its reputation. It's the secret technique of the Zhenshanhe style, which requires cultivating one's heart and sword, resonating with heaven and earth, borrowing the power of heaven and earth, and unleashing a single sword strike to subdue the mountains and rivers. Relying on this heavenly might to protect oneself, external forces cannot be added, there is no enemy hand, it is called "invincible". This is an absolute technique that will never be passed down outside of the Pure Yang Sect. Even within the Pure Yang Sect, not everyone can master this sword style, as it's no longer just a matter of individual strength. If one's cultivation of the sword and the Tao is unsuccessful, then even if they try to use it, it will only end up being like drawing a tiger but getting a dog instead.

  With Yao Guang's cultivation in the sword path, if she were to use Town Mountain River at a time when her energy was full and perfect, she would be safe for at least half a moment. However, after being struck by lightning, her internal energy was completely depleted, equivalent to starting from scratch again. In less than half a month's time, what degree could she have cultivated? Even the first layer of the Pure Yang Sitting Forgetting Scripture had not been fully cultivated. Thus, Yao Guang's hasty move only barely protected herself, and after the space-time shift, the aura of Town Mountain River was still present. Yao Guang, enraged, did not have time to distinguish, and as soon as she recovered her ability to act, several moves were immediately launched in succession.

  Three talents transform and give birth, five directions move to exhaustion, nine cycles return to one.

  All three moves are Qi Sect sword moves, controlling the air with the sword.

  Three talents give rise to anger, attaching energy to the sword; Five directions align with righteous energy, sharpness that cannot be opposed; Nine turns of true energy, strength able to repel enemies.

  The first two moves, although both can instantly turn one sword into several swords to attack multiple people, do not excel in power. Compared to the damage caused by the sword energy, their effect is more similar to that of a long-distance point strike - the sword energy invades the enemy, disrupting the flow of their true energy.

  In an instant, Yao Guang controlled the two people who had suddenly attacked him. Without hesitation, he used the "Tao Guang Yang Hui" method of "hiding and accumulating energy, then releasing it in a thin layer" to gather his true energy. With two moves of "Nine Turns Return to One", he pushed open the two people.

  Jiuzhuan True Qi, powerful enough to repel the enemy, is known as "Nine Turns Return to One" - this move has saved Yao Guang from countless enemies and achieved great merit once again.

  Up to this point, Ye Gu Cheng and Xi Men Xue were still unclear about what was happening, nor did they know that the sword momentum that shook them was the "Zhen Shan He" aura brought out by the resonance of heaven and earth, which had unintentionally raised Yao Guang's status by more than one or two points.

  Yao Guang pushed the two people away, and only then did she have the leisure to observe her surroundings. At a glance, she was immediately stunned.

  This is not a common folk house, and this style of architecture and materials used seem unlikely to be owned by ordinary people.

  Yao Guang, in her haste, didn't understand the truth and could only take things one step at a time. By the time she vaguely guessed that she had mistakenly become entangled in the palace assassination plot, the mistake had already been made.

  All that was left in front of her were a few roads, either to catch or kill the suspected assassin immediately, or to escape immediately, otherwise there would be endless troubles. Unfortunately, she had no power to complete even if she wanted to kill someone - the inner strength she had cultivated for half a month had been exhausted by the previous sword moves.

  In this case, Yao Guang had to consider "borrowing power", no matter whether that person was an assassin or a rebel, they should have some real ability to do such a rebellious thing. Based on what he saw before, his swordsmanship was not bad, if he was pursued, with that person around, he could at least escape further. So Yao Guang pulled the suspected rebel Ye Guo Cheng and started running with her unique light skill, along the way she was still quite fortunate that the true energy consumed by her school's light skill was not much, mainly consuming physical strength.

  After escaping from the imperial city, the rest of the things became much simpler.

  In Yao Guang's view, the hat of a rebel or traitor has probably already been put on, and it is not her wish to wander in exile. It would be better to follow the rebels who seem to have some power together. If the emperor insists on sending someone to pursue her relentlessly, when all else fails, she can use the rebel's head to exchange for peace. Judging from this style that allows rebels to engage in a duel in the imperial city, it is possible that the emperor of this world is unexpectedly reasonable and may let this rebel go.

  So Yao Guang decided to follow Ye Gu Cheng back home.

  As for Yao Guang's words and Xi Men Chui Xue's ten-year agreement, it was not intentionally raising her posture or waiting for Xi Men Chui Xue's swordsmanship to improve, but rather genuinely wanting the other party to wait for her to restore her internal strength to nine levels in ten years. However, this agreement may have taken on a certain profound and mysterious meaning in the eyes of others.

  After several days, Yao Guang stood in the White Cloud City in the South China Sea and sighed: It was worth the trip.

  Author's note: Ye Chengzhu, it's easy to invite a god but hard to send one away. (Far gaze.)

  Heartfelt thanks to everyone for their tyrannical votes!

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  Nineteen threw two landmines, boom boom!

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