Talisman Emperor

Stomp! Stomp!

A wave of footsteps that weren’t swift nor slow sounded out from outside the hall, and it seemed to innately conform with the Grand Dao, causing one to feel a wisp of calmness for no reason or rhyme upon hearing it.

At this moment, the gazes of everyone within the hall was already looking out of the hall.

“The Heavenflow Dao Sect’s Bing Shitian has come to pay a visit to the Fellow Daoists of the Nine Radiance Sword Sect.” His figure hadn’t arrived, yet his clear and melodious voice had already entered the hall.

His voice carried a wisp of confidence and high spirits, causing others to feel he was absolutely not an ordinary person and not dare to look down on him in the slightest.

The expressions of all the Earthly Immortal Realm experts in the hall turned serious while they praised endlessly in their hearts. Actually, if it was in terms of status, then even though they were Earthly Immortal Realm experts that stood at the peak of the Mortal Dimension, they were obviously inferior when facing a Heavenly Immortal from the Immortal Dimension like Bing Shitian.

One was an Earthly Immortal while the other a Heavenly Immortal, and it was the difference between the heavens and the earth, it was an enormous chasm that lay between the Immortal Dimension and the Mortal Dimension.

But this was the depths of the territory of the Nine Radiance Sword Sect after all, and there were even many old seniors that lived in seclusion from the hall present here, whereas Bing Shitian was a guest, so they would naturally not lose to him in status and identity while they were here.

The clear voice was still drifting through the hall when an extraordinary and handsome figure had already stridden into the hall. He wore simple and plain clothes, had a handsome appearance, eyes that were suffused with numerous rings of light that were unreal and blurry, and he was overflowing with Immortal Energy.

Along with his arrival, the air was suffused with strands of refreshing fragrance that seemed like refreshing dew that gladdened the heart, causing one’s spirits to be refreshed.

He didn’t reveal any monstrous might, yet as soon as he appeared within the hall, everything within the hall seemed to have gone quiet, and everything displayed a tranquil, peaceful, and orderly feeling.

It was as if he was accompanied by the Laws!

This person was naturally Bing Shitian, a great figure from the Immortal Dimension that had descended to the Mortal Dimension. Even though he was only the External Avatar of a Heavenly Immortal, he carried the decree of the Immortal Dimension, so he was like an emissary of the Immortal Dimension no matter where he went, causing both his status and identity to be extremely extraordinary.

At the instant he walked into the hall, his gaze looked neither left nor right and arrived directly at the center of the hall, and he cupped his fists from afar towards Wen Huating that sat at the head seat in the center and said, “I’m sorry for troubling all of you, but I never expected that I’d receive such a grand welcome from your distinguished sect. I’m truly overwhelmed by the unexpected favor.”

Meanwhile, Wen Huating had stood up as well, and he said with a warm smile, “Emissary Bing, please have a seat.”

Bing Shitian similarly had a smile on his face as he sat at the side of Wen Huating, and it innately revealed a feeling of them being ‘on the same level.’ Besides that, there were naturally disciples to pour tea for him at the side.

Bing Shitian only raised his eyes to briefly sweep his gaze towards Chen Xi that sat at the end of the seats beneath the head seats after he sat down, and this entire movement of his was smoothly like flowing water and in a carefree manner that was without the slightest overbearing aura.

But his gaze was slightly stunned when it descended onto Xueyan that stood respectfully behind Chen Xi.

“May I know why Emissary Bing has come here this time?” Wen Huating spoke and placed emphasis on the word emissary, and he was silently telling Bing Shitian that it was precisely out of respect towards him being an emissary of the Immortal Dimension that he received a welcome of such a scale. So if he’d come for the sake of the matters of the Heavenflow Dao Sect, then it would be an entirely different matter.

What sort of figure was Bing Shitian, he naturally understood the meaning hidden within it, and he nodded and said, “Before I get down to business, I have a small matter to tell all of you about.”

Wen Huating said, “Please speak freely.”

Bing Shitian smiled and said, “On the way to your distinguished sect this time, I passed a place that demons resided in, and I encountered a few disciples from your sect that had suffered calamity. So I lent a hand and brought them along with me.”

As he spoke, Bing Shitian flicked his sleeve, causing Immortal Energy to flash and a few figures to appear. Four men and a woman appeared, and they were Chen Xi’s Second Senior Brother Lu Sheng, Third Senior Brother Yi Chenzi, Fourth Senior Brother Duan Yi, Fifth Senior Sister A’Jiu, and Sixth Senior Brother Qing Yu.

Everyone within the hall was stunned when they saw the five of them. Even though they were aware since the beginning that Bing Shitian would have surely come for the sake of Xueyan, and he would surely return the disciples of their sect, but they never expected that Bing Shitian would actually hand them over to readily.

Moreover, he’d produced a flawless lie with a few words, so if they didn’t know everything beforehand, they might really be deceived.

Compared to the reactions of these higher-ups of the sect, Chen Xi was obviously much more excited, and if it wasn’t out of consideration for his identity, he would have charge over to his senior brothers and sister a long time ago.

But he was puzzled because even though they stood at the center of the hall, they had absent-minded expressions and seemed unconscious yet weren’t unconscious, and it was even to the extent that they forgot to greet the seniors of the sect present here.

“The five of them have been affected by an illusory technique. I’ve already assisted them, and they’ll be able to awaken in less than a day.” As he spoke, Bing Shitian gazed imperceptibly at Chen Xi.

Chen Xi raised his head as well to greet Bing Shitian’s gaze, and they gazes intersected before splitting apart.

At this moment, Chen Xi seemed to be extraordinarily calm and composed, and there wasn’t the slightest fluctuation in his feelings from the absurd lie that Bing Shitian had produced because he knew that he couldn’t reveal the slightest weakness when facing such an opponent.

This was also the reason why he’d sat silently in meditation for the past three days without thinking or doing anything. He emptied himself and made his Dao Heart calm down completely.

“Support them out to go rest and take care of them properly.” Wen Huating instructed, causing arrows of disciples to stand out immediately, and they supported the five of them out of the hall.

“I have to thank Emissary Bing for your righteous assistance in rescuing these disciples of my Nine Radiance Sword Sect in their moment of peril. I’m unable to repay this kindness and can only offer this toast to display my gratitude.” Wen Huating smiled as he raised the cup in his hand.

“I only lifted a finger. It’s nothing worth mentioning.” Bing Shitian raised his cup as well and emptied it.

“Since this matter has come to an end, may I know why Emissary Bing has come here this time?” Wen Huating obviously had no intention to engage in small talk with Bing Shitian, and his voice was warm, yet his tone was rather direct.

“Two things.” Bing Shitian was very straightforward as well, and he pondered briefly before he said with a smile, “The first matter is an maidservant of mine called Xueyan, a clansman of the Nine Tailed Fox Clan. She’s born with a playful nature and loves to wander about the world. A few days ago, she left the sect once more and hadn’t returned for a long time, causing me to be worried. Later on, I found out that she’d actually come to your distinguished sect to cause trouble.”

When he spoke up to here, he couldn’t help but laugh in a carefree manner. “I had no other choice but to come over personally and take back this troublemaking maidservant of mine.”

As soon as these words were spoken, and coupled with Bing Shitian’s calm and unhurried appearance, everyone in the hall were exceedingly astounded in their hearts. This Bing Shitian really deserves to be called someone with a silver tongue. Anything spoken by him instantly changes into an entirely different matter. Moreover, his actions and expression are to natural and carefree, and this obviously showed how shrewd he was.

“Oh? There’s actually something like this?” Wen Huating spoke with surprise.

Bing Shitian cursed in his heart. Sly old fox! I’ve already said so much, yet you still act ignorant. Is there any point to doing this?

Even though he thought like that in his heart, he roared with laughter and said, “So far yet so near, Fellow Daoist Wen, please take a look. That’s my maidservant.” As he spoke, he raised his hand to point at Xueyan from afar.

“Oh!” said Wen Huating, and then he sighed with a smile on his face. “If Emissary Bing didn’t say anything, I would have thought that she was the maidservant of my Martial Nephew, Chen Xi.”

His words carried a slight ridiculing intent. Of course, everyone present understood this trace of ridicule, including Bing Shitian himself, but no one exposed it.

After all, from the beginning until the end, everyone was very cooperatively playing a courteous but insincere game. Everything was baseless and extravagant with true and false mixed together, and it depended on one’s ability in speaking.

All of these old fellows that had lived for countless years were experts in this skill to the point they’d reached the acme of perfection, so if someone that didn’t know the relationship between them were to come here, that person would surely think they had an extremely friendly relationship.

The corners of Bing Shitian’s mouth twitched imperceptibly, and he said with a smile. “There are too many people in this world that cause trouble, and I just happened to encounter one of them. It truly causes an extreme headache for me.” His words had needles concealed within them, and he was obviously pointing to something.

“Haha! To be able to make Emissary Bing have a headache. If this matter was to be spread, it would surely be a praiseworthy story in the cultivation world.” Wen Huating roared with laughter, and he lightly pushed everything back to Bing Shitian.

It was rare that he was able to react so quickly and so without leaving any flaws, causing even Chen Xi to feel a trace of admiration in his heart and Chen Xi sighed endlessly with emotion. It was absolutely not luck that someone is capable of becoming the exalted Sect Master of the Nine Radiance Sword Sect.

Bing Shitian smiled and spoke of the second matter. “Perhaps Fellow Daoist Wen has already heard that I’ll become Dao Companions with Senior Sister Qing within a hundred years, and the sect will hold a ceremony for us. I’ve come here this time to invite all the Fellow Daoists here to make sure to attend the ceremony.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere within the hall instantly became oppressive.

No one had imagined that Bing Shitian would actually spoke of this matter, and if they were to agree to attend the ceremony, then wouldn’t they have to disregard Chen Xi?

Even Wen Huating went silent, and he said with a smile after a long time, “There’s no rush. After all, there are few tens of years left. At that time, if nothing unexpected happens, then I’ll naturally attend the ceremony and congratulate Emissary Bing.”

He’d placed emphasis on the words ‘if nothing unexpected happens,’ and it was for both Bing Shitian and Chen Xi.

Bing Shitian roared with laughter. “A few tens of years if nothing but a blink of an eye to us. I was worried that time would pass fleetingly, so I personally came to invite everyone. Everyone, please don’t refuse my invite.”

Bing Shitian paused for a moment and said confidently, “To boast slightly shamelessly, it will absolutely be a grandest event in a few thousand years in the Dark Reverie. At that time, the Fellow Daoists from all over will converge together, so it would be too much of a pity if you miss it.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Xi who sat below spoke abruptly. “Allow me to boast shamelessly as well. Not to mention a few tens of years, even if it’s a few hundreds or a few thousands of years, Xiuyi won’t marry another.”

Everyone in the hall was stunned as they never imagined that Chen Xi would actually be so direct.

Logically speaking, Chen Xi’s current status was far inferior to everyone present here today, and he absolutely had no qualifications to speak. But everyone clearly understood the entanglement of resentment between them, so they didn’t feel it was rude.

Everyone present had heard how complicated the relationship between Chen Xi, Bing Shitian, and Qing Xiuyi was. But they didn’t know about it clearly. However, they were able to discern a trace of it from the way Chen Xi and Bing Shitian addressed Qing Xiuyi.

One addressed her as Senior Sister Qing.

The other addressed her as Xiuyi.

One was a respectful way of address, another was an intimate way of address. The closeness of their relationships was contained within these methods of address.

Of course, it might be the other way around. But that was something everyone present here was unable to surmise.

Amidst this oppressive atmosphere, Bing Shitian raised his eyes and looked directly at Chen Xi for the first time. His expression was tranquil, yet it revealed the supreme dignity of a Heavenly Immortal that seemed as if he was looking down at an ant.