Chapter 3, The Tomb of the Azure Cloud Sword

In the early morning, the clouds and mist envelop the mountains and fields like a purple veil, when suddenly a group of uninvited guests arrived in a serene valley of the colorful misty mountains

This is it, the young girl clapped her hands and giggled, saying: "If they want to fish, then the methods those two are using are rather foolish! Moreover, we have quietly followed them into the colorful Misty Mountains without raising any suspicion. This shows that those two fellows are not very skilled. In fact, even if He Zhizhang, the leader of the Brocade Robe Society, were to come in person, we would not be afraid!"

"Crimson Goose! Ming Shixun has also become popular. When he disappeared, you said there was something suspicious; now that he has appeared, you still say there is something suspicious. Aren't you being overly paranoid?"

At that moment, he suddenly heard a scream echoing through the silent river valley, faintly resembling that of the young man in blue, Ming Shixun

Quan Shidai was taken aback and said, "Little brother, what do you mean by that?"

Yuan Shiheng has never been good at understanding romantic feelings, and he naively stated, "Have you noticed which direction his toes point when he raises his left leg?"

Yuan Shiheng glanced at the girl whose complexion had turned slightly pale and said, "How about we take a vote?"

Above

Should I save them? A trace of hesitation lingered in his heart

Of course, how could we be intimidated by a single armored dragon?" said the young man in blue.

"Ironclad Wujiao, quickly hide!" Qianshi Nai revealed the identity and origin of the monster, and everyone's faces immediately changed color

The four people in the distance were stunned. The young girl, with her big watery eyes, asked, "Junior Brother Yuan, did you see how that person caught the fish?"

The youthful and vigorous figure glided freely and leisurely through the vast web of intertwining emerald rays.

The young man in blue reacted swiftly, drawing his sword with his right hand while wrapping his left arm around the slender waist of the young girl, gliding sideways for more than 10 meters

Who is this person? How strange! The young girl let out a sigh of relief and asked her companion beside her

Quan Shidai saw that the young girl was about to argue with Ming Shixun, and hurriedly advised, "Junior Sister, Senior Brother Ming, I have an idea. Since these two know the whereabouts of the Cangyun Sword Tomb, why don't we just capture them? Whether it turns out to be a false alarm or there is indeed a conspiracy, we will know for sure when we question them."

The young man in blue, referred to as "Senior Brother Ming" by the girl, smiled with a hint of pride and said, "Junior Brother Quan, Junior Sister's words are not without merit. If they intended to deliberately lure us in, would they suddenly lower the volume of their conversation to such an extent?"

The young girl exclaimed, feeling anxious, "Where is he? Why hasn't he come out of the water?"

The young girl exclaimed angrily: "If you don't believe me, I do. Those two fellows from the Brocade-clad Society are sneaky, appearing and disappearing at intervals; there must be something fishy going on!"

The speaker is a beautiful young girl, around sixteen or seventeen years old. She is wearing a mint-colored gauze dress, with bright eyes, white teeth, and hair as dark as clouds. Behind her, she carries a long sword with a green sheath and red tassels slung diagonally, adding to her striking and spirited demeanor

The black-skinned youth standing behind the young man in blue is Yuan Shiheng, a rising talent of the Tianyi Sect, whose cultivation level is second only to his. He has a somewhat dull personality, yet possesses considerable talent, and is also well-liked by the elders of his sect

At this moment, the armored dragon had already been stabbed in five or six places by the young man with a dagger. Although none of the wounds were fatal, its vigor had diminished, and it suddenly sank to the bottom of the water, attempting to swim away.

Quan Shidai shook his head again and replied: "His techniques are unlike anything I have ever heard of. At times, they appear exquisite and agile, while at other times, they become ancient and clumsy. It truly opens one's eyes to new possibilities"

The young man in the blue attire also clearly saw hetushu.com; indeed, following the water birds was a figure of a Daoist.

As Qu Shina said, there are always those who will not turn back until they hit a wall; by the time they truly hit the wall and wish to turn back, it is already too late

The person appeared to be quite young, with their upper body bare and a tiger skin skirt wrapped around their waist. They spread their arms, resembling a water bird soaring gracefully over the water, their figure light and agile.

In the heat of battle, the young man suddenly spotted a flaw in the armored black dragon. Like a white cloud emerging from a valley, he sprang up from the water, and in his right hand, he held a dagger as green as autumn waters. With a "thud," he plunged it into the back of the armored black dragon, and instantly, blood gushed forth like a spring.

"Junior Sister, you should come with us," Quanshi Nai advised. "You are well aware of Senior Brother Ming's temperament; he won't turn back until he hits a wall. Once the situation is clarified, he will know when to retreat."

In my opinion, it should be nearby

Yuan Shiheng said: "I will go instead."

As several individuals discussed, the fierce battle between the youth and the armored dragon gradually reached a boiling point. The armored dragon almost unleashed all its eighteen skills, stirring the mountain stream into a tumultuous chaos, darkening the sky and earth; however, it was unable to inflict even a single hair's breadth of harm on the youth

"Ming Shixun, come back to me!" the girl exclaimed, stamping her foot.

The young girl let out a soft hum and retorted: "First, how can a private room in a restaurant be considered a public place? Second, they were clearly drunk, which is why they spoke the truth after drinking and discussed the Cangyun Sword Tomb, and their voices were kept very low; third, how could they know that we were right next door? Even if they did know, how could they possibly anticipate that Senior Brother Ming would use our sect's unique skills to hear their conversation so clearly?"

Then the four individuals saw the young man, holding a dagger, step by step emerge from the water's edge. Apart from a few deep red claw marks on his body, he appeared to be uninjured, though his breathing was slightly heavy. After all, this iron-armored black dragon was equivalent to a true-stage fourth-level cultivator, and it indeed required considerable effort to kill it

The young man in the blue attire released the hilt of his sword and stepped forward, saying: "Everyone, stay close to me; we must not get separated."

At this moment, the young man in blue returned from the forest, shaking his head and said, "We can't catch up, let's go."

Young girl said: "You are so clumsy with your words, it's hard to believe that Senior Brother Ming would listen to you. Forget it, let's catch up together; even if we have to drag him out of the mountain. If we can't even drag him, then we might as well die together with him!"

I believe that the young man would not deceive us without reason; his words further corroborate my earlier suspicions. Moreover, I have never heard of any magical beasts appearing in the Variegated Misty Mountains, and the emergence of that armored black dragon is indeed rather suspicious

Indeed, he is Chu Tian. Ever since he inadvertently came across the Vandu Golden Book three years ago, he left Huaiyang City and secluded himself deep within the colorful Misty Mountains, dedicating himself to continuous cultivation day and night, hoping to achieve mastery as soon as possible in order to retrieve Qing'er, who was taken away by the old man in white.

The young man in blue let out a long howl, leaping forward to strike the shield with his sword. The massive shield endured a series of blows, ultimately shattering with a thunderous crash, scattering a stream of black lightning that eventually dissipated into vapor and vanished.

Suddenly, the waterfowl darted towards the river's surface like arrows, and with a splash, a large fish was caught from beneath the water.

What is the background of this young man? The young man in blue was still in shock, yet he did not dare to claim that the other was a wild man from the deep mountains any longer

The young man in blue was startled by the sound and looked in the direction pointed out by Yuan Shiheng, where he saw two black dots flying closer from afar above the valley. He could not help but laugh out loud, saying, "Junior Brother Yuan, you actually believe what Junior Brother Quan said, making everyone jumpy. Those are not people; they are clearly two water birds out early in search of food."

With a thunderous roar, almost simultaneous, another loud sound erupted. Yuan Shiheng, wielding the long sword "Haoge," met the sky with a powerful slash. The glossy black blade clashed with another beam of emerald light, creating a dazzling spectacle of brilliance.

"The one in front is a bird, but the one behind is a person." Yuan Shiheng's eyes were bright and he gazed intently at the sky above the valley

Indeed, observing the skills of this young man reminds me of the eight characters: "The way of nature, the mastery of creation"

The youth's figure swayed slightly in the air, and then, taking advantage of the fierce wind generated by the giant tail of the armored black dragon, he drifted to the right, narrowly avoiding the latter's gaping maw

But at this moment, where could Qing'er be? Is she doing well? Is anyone bullying her?

As the three were conversing, they suddenly saw Ming Shixun rushing back, his face filled with excitement as he said: "Guess who I saw ahead—those two incense masters from the Brocade-clad Society! What do you think, isn't that boy's word unreliable? Let's hurry and follow them; we are sure to find the Cangyun Sword Tomb."

Before those around could respond, the body of the armored dragon suddenly trembled and became rigid, crashing down like a colossal pillar into the mountain stream, stirring up a spray of waves that filled the sky

I am fine, just a bit of numbness in my leg The girl's heart was still pounding: If he hadn't ambushed me, he probably wouldn't have been able to kick me!

In fact, even if you were well-prepared, you still could not evade his kick

"The true image, the true image..." Yuan Shiheng's eyes sparkled as he murmured.

He is the only son of Quan Xiangde, a venerable elder of the Tianyi Sect. Although he is not striking in appearance, his thinking is meticulous and he is full of clever ideas

No, Yuan Shiheng said honestly: "His movements are too fast, and they are clean and precise without any unnecessary actions"

Quan Shidai and others nodded silently, following the young man in blue deeper into the river valley

The youth's gaze carries a hint of bewilderment, with deep-seated pain burning in his eyes, searing his heart.

First, the fish leaps over the dragon gate, then the eagle soars high into the sky—" Yuan Shiheng exhaled deeply and said: "This young man's skills are derived from his understanding of the birds and beasts, flowers, birds, fish, and insects in the mountains"

It is indeed wise for all disciples to act cautiously, as caution ensures longevity. The young man in blue clearly did not wish for the argument to continue, stating, "However, since we have already entered the river valley, we cannot simply retreat. We must at least seek clarity. Even if the two incense masters of the Brocade Robe Society truly harbor malicious intent, how could our esteemed Tianyi Sect, a legitimate orthodox sect, be intimidated by a second or third-rate demonic sect?

Quan Shidai furrowed his brows and said: "Junior Brother Yuan, you take care of Junior Sister and return to Huaiyang City first. I will catch up with Senior Brother Ming and, no matter what, I must persuade him to come back"

The young girl was momentarily stunned, making an effort to recall the scene from just now. Her charming face gradually revealed a hint of embarrassment as she said, "I seem to have trouble remembering the direction of his toes when he kicked!"

The waterbird seemed to realize that someone was closely following it, darting left and right, up and down, deliberately adopting a variety of dazzling postures in an attempt to shake off its pursuer

The sound of "ding!" echoed as the Mangusuo struck the giant shield, causing it to rebound violently, while the surface of the shield crackled with countless fine fissures.

Good idea! Ming Shixun turned his anger into joy and said: "Let's hurry and catch up, we must not let them escape again"

Bang! The fist struck the armored giant tail of the iron-armored dragon, producing a sound as thunderous as a storm, shattering dozens of scales harder than steel.

It seems to be a hermit from the deep mountains; we need not pay any attention to that. It is more important to find the whereabouts of the Cangyun Sword Tomb

Quan Shidai unleashed a beam of crimson light, which was the unique hidden weapon "Manggu Suo" of the Tianyi Sect. It was crafted from thirty-seven rare materials of heaven and earth, specifically designed to break through various protective true qi and defensive treasures.

"Little Junior Sister, do you really take that boy's words seriously?" The young man in blue laughed and said, "I suspect he is deliberately exaggerating because he doesn't want us to obtain the Cangyun Yuancheng Sword. Where are the corpses of those supposed dozens of people who died?"

"Is that him?" The girl paused for a moment and exclaimed, "Let's go up together to help!"

His face flushed slightly, and he shook his head, saying, "It's a bit vague, I can't hear it very clearly"

But one can see columns of water rising from the surface of the river, with waves crashing continuously, knocking the trees on both sides of the ravine askew. Pools of deep red blood bubble up from below, and it is unclear whether it belongs to the youth or the armored black dragon.

Over the course of three years, he took the universe as his teacher, contemplating day and night the profound truths of the heavenly way contained within the vast expanse of the Brahman Sutra, and before he realized it, he had cultivated himself to the fifth level of the True Stage.

At a critical moment, a figure suddenly emerged from the side forest, using his shoulder to knock aside the young man in blue with a "bang." He then clenched his left fist to meet the incoming strike of the armored giant tail of the black dragon, and it was indeed the peculiar youth that the four had seen earlier!

Before his words had faded, Quan Shidai suddenly said in a deep voice: "Quick, look, there is someone over there!"

Three years later, another spring arrives

"Do not worry, junior sister. We will search slowly; we will surely find it," said a young man in blue holding a map.

"How come we still need to search for the so-called Cangyun Sword Tomb?" asked Quan Shidai.

Boom! A streak of azure light struck the very spot where the two had just been standing, sending dust flying and waves crashing against the clouds. A deep chasm over three meters wide and more than twenty meters long opened up on the riverbank.

"So impressive," Quan Shidai also exclaimed: "If he were to pounce not on the fish in the water, but on us..."

I am doomed! The young man in blue was greatly alarmed and involuntarily closed his eyes

The young man glanced at the youth in blue and said lightly, "Go back, this is not a place for you to be."

Demon, prepare to fight

"Dozens of groups have come before you, and not a single one has emerged alive. If you do not turn back, you will be the next group."

"Do not be afraid, everyone be cautious, this person has an unknown background and does not seem to be from the Demon Sect!" The young man in blue said, placing his right hand on the hilt of the sword at his back

At that time, wasn't he also caring for Qing'er with the same meticulous attention as they did

Below

He did not articulate the following words, yet everyone could comprehend the implied meaning behind them

The armored dragon suffered a loss and became extremely aggressive, its "昂昂" roar resounding endlessly, with its eyes emitting streaks of emerald light.

At that moment, the two black dots gradually flew closer. The girl, with her keen eyesight, noticed this and exclaimed, "It really is a person! How strange, it seems he is chasing that bird?"

The youth's figure subsequently submerged beneath the water, temporarily removing him from the sight of the four individuals on the shore

The young man suddenly turned his body, lifting his left leg like a crane and gently tapping the acupoint on the girl's right leg with his toes. His figure resembled a dragonfly skimming the water as he flew up at an angle, disappearing into the mountains and forests in an instant

Three years can feel both too short and too long, but Chu Tian knows well that he is not yet ready to emerge from the mountains

The riverbed rises abruptly with the terrain, creating massive drops in the water flow. From a distance, it resembles a flowing heavenly ladder, with azure waves rippling and white foam rolling, extending straight into the depths of the towering cliffs.

Regardless of how the waterfowl flit up and down, that figure always seems to closely follow, whether slowly or swiftly.

The young man in blue received the answer he desired and smiled slightly, saying: "I believe the words of those two from the Brocade-clad Society are still credible. Let us not forget that three years ago, He Zhicheng, the young leader of the Brocade-clad Society, was ambushed by the Iron-clad Gang outside Huaiyang City, and two days later, his corpse was discovered in the Huaiyang River. The reason He Zhicheng was pursued by the Iron-clad Gang was precisely because he had found some clues related to the Cangyun Sword Tomb."

The youth was like a shadow, also moving like lightning across the water's surface, and in his hand, he held a lively, wriggling fish

Suddenly, a fierce wind surged from behind, and the massive tail of the armored black dragon hidden beneath the water abruptly rose, resembling an unmatched thunder whip striking down.

It is not good; that old demon is going to harm people again

"Hey, why are you being so secretive and not speaking clearly?" the girl exclaimed. "Why can't we come to this place?"

The young man in blue angrily exclaimed, "Do you still consider me your senior brother? Even if I am the only one left, I will definitely find the Cangyun Sword Tomb. If you want to leave, then go!" After saying this, he strode forward in a huff.

However, the youth in the sky seemed indifferent to the four disciples of the Heavenly Intent Gate, as his figure traced a graceful and smooth arc beneath the celestial dome, following the trail of the waterfowl into the dense forest on the left side of the river valley, and suddenly fell silent.

Its lower body was hidden in the water, with only its massive head and a small portion of its torso protruding above the river surface, measuring up to 5 meters in length. A pair of emerald green eyes glimmered with fierce light, and with each opening and closing, two beams of light shot forth, each over 2 meters long, roaring as they struck down towards the four individuals at the edge of the mountain stream.

What should I do?" The young girl asked Quan Shidai while gazing at the back of the young man in blue.

The young girl curiously asked, "What does it really look like?"

At this point, he paused and turned back to ask, "Junior Brother Yuan, I noticed that you were also cultivating and listening at that time. Did you manage to hear the conversation between those two people clearly?"

Four individuals traveled approximately twenty miles through the river valley, when ahead, the sound of roaring water echoed, reminiscent of the spring thunder awakening hibernating creatures

In the blink of an eye, the four individuals had gone far away, and the young man slowly emerged from the mountains and forests, watching their figures depart.

Everyone's spirits were lifted, and the fatigue from the overnight journey was cast aside, as they quickened their pace and moved forward

The young man did not respond, using his internal energy to "hiss" away the moisture from the tiger skin skirt, and then he walked into the forest, lost in his own thoughts

The crimson goose nibbled at her cherry lips and nodded slightly, quickening her pace to catch up with Ming Shixun and Yuan Shiheng.

They were moving upstream along the water flow into the depths of the valley, occasionally taking out a compass and a map to determine their direction, as if they were searching for something

This should be the 'Heavenly Steps Gorge' mentioned by the two leaders of the Brocade-clad Society. The young man in blue stopped, examining the valley against the map, and said: 'According to their account, the Cangyun Sword Tomb is hidden within a deep ancient cave at the end of the Heavenly Steps Gorge'

Among the several hundred second-generation disciples of the Tianyi Sect, you, Senior Brother, are the most perceptive.

The young man in the blue attire quickened his pace and said, "Rest assured, I will be fine"

The colorful misty mountains seem to be awakened by the bright spring light, as the snow and ice that covered them all winter quietly melt away. They converge into crystal-clear streams that flow gently between the deep valleys, producing a melodious sound of tinkling water. Ultimately, they flow into the Huaiyang River, breaking free from the encirclement of towering mountains, and rush towards the boundless vast sea thousands of miles away.

"Wait, then tell me, how did they die?" The girl chased after him, trying to grab the boy's arm

The armored black dragon emitted a deafening screech, opening its mouth to expel a mass of dark true water, which solidified in mid-air into a thick, round black giant shield

The camaraderie among these four young disciples of the Tianyi Sect involuntarily reminded the youth of the past

Not busy!" Quan Shidai gazed at the battle in the sky and shook his head, saying: "Even if the four of us combined, we might not be able to defeat that armored dragon. Having more people would only complicate matters. Let's observe for now.

What a sharp dagger, it must at least be a seventh-grade magical artifact!" exclaimed the young man in blue.

It turned out that he had not gone far, but had been hiding in the forest, listening to the conversation of the four individuals. Seeing that Ming Shixun and the others were determined to pursue the two leaders of the Jinyi Society, he did not intervene

But what he just said—" the girl hesitated. She was referring to that peculiar boy.

The young man in blue pressed his advantage, his long sword humming as it thrust toward the thick, rounded neck of the armored black dragon.

The short and stout young man continued to shake his head, "How can we explain their sudden disappearance as soon as they entered the valley?"

Little brother, thank you for your help! The young man in blue led his junior brothers and sisters to greet the youth, clasping his fists in gratitude

The figure of a youth may soar like a bird in the sky, or swim like a fish in the depths of the water, unpredictable and without fixed rules, making it truly difficult to ascertain to which school or sect he belongs.

Chutian's mind suddenly returned to reality, and his figure flickered before vanishing into the depths of the mist.

The young girl, caught off guard, let out a startled cry as her right leg went numb and she collapsed to the ground

One person and one bird fly together, soaring side by side among the mountains, as if treating the boundless sky and earth as a vast canvas, freely and boldly splashing and rendering.

"Senior Brother Ming, be careful!" The other three were taken aback, but it was too late to offer assistance from a distance.

It is not that you do not remember, but rather that there is simply no way to judge! Yuan Shiheng said with a bitter smile: "At the moment he made his move, he relaxed every part of his body to the utmost, ready to adjust his posture and techniques according to the changing circumstances. This is akin to the mountain stream beside us, which appears crystal clear, yet who can truly see the bottom of the river?"

At the moment of intense suspense, a sudden "ang" echoed as a ten-meter-long armored black dragon leaped out of the water, soaring high into the air

Suddenly, a snow-white water column shot up into the sky from a hundred meters away on the river surface, and a creature resembling a dragon, covered in black scales, sprang out from the depths of the water.

The young man seemed to have not spoken to anyone for a long time, and found it somewhat laborious to speak. After saying this, he continued walking into the forest.

Yet I always feel that this news is somewhat suspicious. Another short and stout young man furrowed his brows into a "川" shape and said, "What a secret matter the Cangyun Sword Tomb is, how dare the two incense masters of the Brocade-clad Society discuss it openly in public, showing no concern at all about being overheard.

Little Junior Sister! Quan Shidai, fearing she might be hurt, hurriedly chased after her and helped the young girl up from the ground

"So, we have encountered a prodigy?" the girl murmured

He took the lead and chased after them. Yuan Shiheng glanced at Yin Hong, whose red lips moved but did not make a sound, and then followed Ming Shixun.

His body curled up as he tried to avoid the onslaught of the splashing gale, being thrown backward. A wave of blood surged in his chest, as if a massive stone weighing a thousand pounds was pressing down on him