Chapter 49: Sooner or Later, He’ll Get What’s Coming
After Ji Xiao left, deep beneath the muddy waters, a longsword trembled faintly, as if responding to its master’s thoughts.
Like a beast awakening from a long hibernation, it stirred for the first time, sending a shudder through the entire earth vein of Changchun Peak.
Yu Qishu jolted awake in his bed, leaping up at the same time as the golden coin mouse. The two stared at each other.
“Was that an earthquake?”
“Squeak squeak?”
The mouse used to be no bigger than a teacup and had to be cupped in the palm. Whether from all the fur-pulling or something else, it had gradually grown larger—now it could be carried in his arms.
The moonlight slanted westward. The long night was silent, broken only by the sounds of rushing water outside the window and waves rolling through the forest.
Yu Qishu muttered to himself, “No earthquake… must be because I was too nervous today. I should go back to sleep. I still have to deliver peach blossoms to Manager Qian in the morning…”
The golden coin mouse flailed wildly, but Yu Qishu held it and soothed, “Alright, alright, I won’t bring you along. Stop fussing, go to sleep.”
The last time Manager Qian saw the little mouse, he had business on his mind: “Is this Elder Meng’s wealth-bringing golden coin mouse? Will it breed? Is it for sale?”
The mouse turned its head away and buried itself in Yu Qishu’s arms, its tail pointed right at Manager Qian. Since then, every time Yu Qishu brought up the manager, the little mouse would launch into a fierce scratching frenzy.
He drifted off again and had a nightmare. In the dream, he confidently challenged Meng Xueli and Xiao Tingyun—only to be pinned down and brutally beaten by both of them.
Although Yu Qishu had won more than he lost today, he responded to praise with a vague daze, repeatedly insisting he didn’t deserve it. He had always believed that his comprehension was too poor for swordsmanship, and that he might be better suited for being an array master or a medical cultivator. Only people like Meng Xueli and Xiao Tingyun were truly worthy of becoming martial cultivators.
Some said he was too modest—he had progressed rapidly in a short time since entering the path. He should head to the Hanhai Secret Realm to clash with the elites, not stay at the Sword Training Platform bullying part-time gatekeepers and idle cultivators.
Others said that Meng Xueli’s luck was simply unreasonable and extraordinary. He had only ever taken two disciples—and both turned out to be prodigies.
So, without Meng Xueli even realizing it, the golden peach blossoms from Changchun Peak had started selling even better.
………
A massive bamboo raft rode the crashing white waves, floating downstream. The people on board chatted and laughed, making them the most conspicuous target on the entire Heishui River.
From the dense forests along both shores and the treacherous parts of the river, countless cultivators concealed their presence, silently watching the raft.
Jing Di, confident in his strength, held his sword in his arms and didn’t fear being scanned by others’ divine senses.
Indeed, some overconfident small teams tried to ambush and intercept the raft. Wanting to show off in front of Meng Xueli, Jing Di didn’t let his teammates step in. The array master, the alchemist, and the beast tamer trusted him and simply crossed their arms to watch the show, offering live commentary on the sword techniques for Meng Xueli.
“This sword is amazing—wow, Mingyue Shining on the Great River, so calm and grand!”
“Oh dear, unbelievable—Mingyue Beyond the Passes!”
Since Jing Di trained under the sect leader of Mingyue Lake, his sword style was naturally the famed Mingyue Sword.
The three from Han Shan kept hearing “Mingyue” and were clearly displeased. They didn’t want to be under Jing Di’s protection and chose to fight on their own.
So, in today’s battle, only the sword cultivators and the medical cultivator were kept busy.
Song Qianyi, who trained in the rejuvenation techniques of Songfeng Valley, could help martial cultivators recover their spiritual energy more quickly. If a martial cultivator experienced a spiritual energy riot after battle, she could help stabilize it too.
It was the first time the Han Shan trio had received healing from the Rejuvenation Technique. They were amazed: “So this is what it feels like to have a medical cultivator in the team. Incredible.”
“Jing Di is really lucky.”
Meng Xueli didn’t get a chance to stretch his limbs the entire way—he was strictly protected.
By dusk, the river was half shimmering blue, half glowing red. Green mountains and clear waters were cloaked in dim twilight.
Jing Di suggested, “Elder Meng, we’re near Central City, but the raft’s formation needs reinforcement. I suggest we dock and rest for the night, regain our strength, and set out early tomorrow.”
Meng Xueli nodded. “Thanks for the effort.”
With the elder’s approval, the Han Shan trio had no objections.
The group docked and disembarked. Liu Jing, puzzled, used voice transmission to ask Jing Di, “The formation is perfectly fine. What reinforcement? Why are we stopping to rest?”
Jing Di chuckled, “No wonder you’re still single. I saved the beauty during the day, now of course I have to strike while the iron’s hot tonight—seal the deal. Take notes, will you?”
Xu Sanshan swore, “That bastard… Sooner or later, he’ll get what’s coming. Then he’ll know how big the world really is!”
Meanwhile, as Song Qianyi was helping the Han Shan trio reorganize their spiritual energy, she used voice transmission to speak to Meng Xueli: “I bought peach blossoms from Changchun Peak.”
“Really?” Meng Xueli thought to himself, Was that worth a private transmission? Is buying peach blossoms that embarrassing?
“When I get back, I’ll talk to Manager Qian and make sure they send you a branch next time.”
It wasn’t even a valuable item—just overpriced.
Song Qianyi hesitated for a moment.
Jing Di sometimes had no bottom line. He was bold and shameless in his methods. But he was also a loyal friend and a responsible team leader. She wouldn’t sell him out.
But Meng Xueli was quite pitiful too. After Sword Sovereign passed away, he was left without support—preyed upon for both his looks and his wealth.
She finally gave a gentle reminder: “You and I aren’t familiar with each other, and you’re already saying you want to give me things—are you expecting me to accept them for nothing? You lived secluded on Changchun Peak for a long time, unaware of how treacherous the world can be. People’s hearts aren’t what they used to be—not everyone is like the Sword Sovereign, worthy of lifelong trust.”
Meng Xueli was stunned and thought, Can’t you just say it directly? Don’t tell me you’ve fallen for my Dao companion?
Just then, they heard Jing Di shouting from not far away, “Come eat fish!”
Song Qianyi: “Let’s go, Elder Meng.”
It was as if nothing had been said at all.
After coming ashore, Jing Di released several sword strikes into the river, bringing up over a dozen plump wild fish. Then he asked Zheng Musheng to start a dan fire and personally began grilling fish for everyone.
The three from Han Shan ate the fish, which was crispy on the outside and tender inside, all the while wondering in their hearts—what exactly was this man named Jing getting out of all this? He’d been going above and beyond for them the entire trip.
Were they being too cynical? Was he truly a noble person, and they were judging him unfairly with petty minds?
Only Meng Xueli remained unmoved. He neither drank alcohol nor ate meat.
By the bonfire, the firelight cast shadows from the young man’s thick eyelashes. His nose bridge was high, his jawline sharp.
A beauty looks even more beautiful under the light—Jing Di felt even more cheerful the more he looked. “Elder Meng, why aren’t you eating? Not to your taste?”
Meng Xueli smiled slightly. “I’m a vegetarian.”
Zhang Suyuan quickly explained, “Ji Xiao Zhenren passed away recently. Elder Meng is observing mourning and abstaining from meat.”
As soon as he said this, the other four all turned to look at Jing Di, and the atmosphere instantly grew awkward.
Meng Xueli sensed something was off. “What’s wrong?”
Jing Di reacted quickly. He stood up and put on a serious face:
“Elder Meng, actually I have something important to talk to you about! It’s a serious matter, and I only want to discuss it with you alone.”
Meng Xueli raised an eyebrow slightly. “Alright.”
The three from Han Shan exchanged nervous glances via voice transmission. Meng Xueli signaled them to relax—it was fine.
Jing Di and his teammates together still weren’t a match for him. There was nothing to fear. This could be a chance to figure out what they were really up to.
Meng Xueli followed Jing Di into the distance.
The night sky was clear, not a cloud in sight. The bright Milky Way stretched across the river, vanishing behind the cliffs on the other side.
They reached an open patch of grass by the river. Meng Xueli stood beneath the stars, his silver cloak billowing high in the wind.
“You can speak now?”
Jing Di looked at him. Even knowing that the sky in the secret realm wasn’t real—that it was merely an illusion created by the breath of the mirage beast—he still found the moment beautiful, and the person beside him even more so.
The evening breeze was soft, and the mood just right.
“Xueli, I…”
Before he could finish, the sky began to tremble violently. Countless dazzling stars wavered as if they were about to fall.
At that very moment, all cultivators participating in the competition looked up in unison, murmuring among themselves.
“What’s going on?”
“Did something disturb the mirage beast?”
The mirage beast resembled a white flood dragon and remained dormant year-round. It was the guardian of the secret realm, coiled deep in the underground palace of the central city—a place no one had entered besides Ji Xiao Zhenren.
The passageway leading underground was deep and winding, and the massive shark pearls embedded in the walls emitted a faint glow.
A solitary figure stood before the white flood dragon. Compared to the immense beast, he seemed small and frail. Yet the mirage beast lowered its head and gently exhaled toward him.
“I’ve returned,” Ji Xiao said, stroking its horn. “Be still now.”
And just like that, the sky above the secret realm calmed once more.
Beneath the brilliant starlight, Meng Xueli furrowed his brow slightly. Jing Di quickly said, “Don’t go! That was just the mirage beast breathing—it’s nothing. Let’s keep going.”
Meng Xueli sounded a bit impatient. “If this really is urgent, stop beating around the bush.”
Jing Di took a deep breath. “Xueli, the truth is, I wanted to say that when I first saw you, I—”
Ji Xiao patted the mirage beast on the head. “Where is my Dao companion?”
It was the first time the mirage beast had heard him ask it to find someone—it found the idea amusing. So, this person wasn’t all-powerful after all. Excited, it flipped over under Ji Xiao’s palm and exhaled hard.
“Boom!”
A bolt of lightning tore through the night sky. Thunder rumbled like a giant hammer pounding the heavens.
Such a bizarre weather phenomenon had never occurred in the secret realm. Back at the bonfire, the others dropped their fish and shot to their feet.
The three from Han Shan were still frozen in place, staring blankly at the lightning across the sky, while the other four had already taken off in a sprint in the direction Jing Di had gone.
Xu Sanshan: “I’m going!”
Song Qianyi: “He didn’t actually get struck by lightning, did he?!”
Liu Jing: “Sword Sovereign, may your spirit in the heavens be merciful—please let him off just this once!”
Huge shoutout to @_nyanmaru_ on Discord for commissioning this! The chapter will be posted regularly, show your support for Ciacia at Kofi.
