Duan Zhao sat next to Xie Xuanyi, feeling sullen.

"Hold on—"

"Hold on, hold on—"

"Nephew Xie Zhen means that you plan to leave tomorrow morning?"

Si Qi, who was never good with alcohol, drank quite a bit tonight, and was already slightly dizzy.

He propped his chin, feeling very puzzled.

This mission has finally come to an end.

Xie Zhen almost died in the Li Kingdom... It took so much effort, narrowly escaping death, to return triumphantly.

Why not stay at Da Sui Sword Palace for a while longer? Is the bed in the cave mansion of Lotus Peak not more comfortable than outside?

This nephew's behavior is just like his muddle-headed senior brother, never able to stay idle!

This is not good at all!

A cultivator should stay in their cave mansion...

So many troubles and calamities are self-inflicted due to restlessness!

"Not until tomorrow morning."

Xie Xuanyi raised the wine cup, took a light sip, and said calmly, "I will leave right after the celebration feast ends."

"In such a hurry?"

Si Qi frowned, suddenly recalling something significant.

His eyes widened, half his drunkenness faded away, and he said, "Could it be... South Border Demon Cleansing?"

"Mm."

Xie Xuanyi nodded, saying softly, "Besides demon cleansing, there are some other trivial matters. I need to go to the Imperial City as soon as possible."

"South Border Demon Cleansing?"

Xu Nianning, sitting nearby, heard their conversation and looked over curiously.

She purified her mind at Lotus Peak, not caring about outside matters, thus knowing nothing of the outside world.

The news of the South Border Demon Cleansing had already spread throughout the Holy Lands of Great Chu.

Si Qi tossed the secret scroll made by Ren Shou Palace's decree to Xu Nianning.

Then he looked at Xie Xuanyi.

Si Qi rubbed his forehead, speaking earnestly, "Nephew, my good nephew... You must heed Uncle's advice. This demon cleansing is different from the past, there's a strange air to it... I know Ren Shou Palace personally named you, but the old witch is still in seclusion. Who dares cause trouble for Sword Palace from the Imperial City? If you ask me, just stay at Da Sui, do not go anywhere, ignore the commands from the Imperial City. Those old fogeys are only good at giving orders, outside the Imperial City, they are nothing. Just because you don't participate in the demon cleansing, does the Imperial Family dare send a Yang God to break Da Sui Mountain Gate?"

"..."

Xie Xuanyi said nothing, watching Si Qi's swaying appearance, feeling both amused and warm.

It looked like Si Qi had drunk too much.

But, his junior brother had a good heart.

"He really shouldn't go."

At this moment.

A gentle voice suddenly sounded from a distance.

Si Qi sobered up immediately, sitting upright, watching the sword light flashing towards the hall from outside.

The arriving person was a middle-aged Confucian scholar in a purple robe, with greying temples fluttering in the wind, robes fluttering too. As he entered the hall, everyone greeted him, the sword instruments ceased their music.

It was the former senior master of Lotus Peak, now the Mountain Master of Xiao Chong Mountain, Zhou Zhiren.

"Senior Brother, why are you here?"

Si Qi's tone became somewhat awkward.

He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, his back soaked even more.

Back in the days of cultivation at Lotus Peak, out of all senior brothers, Zhou Zhiren was the one he feared the most.

On the surface, Senior Brother treated people kindly and was gentle.

But in reality,

Senior Brother was extremely strict with rules.

In those days at Lotus Peak, the Sect Leader seldom appeared, leaving many matters for Senior Brother to decide.

Zhou Zhiren played both the "kind mother" and the "strict father" roles.

Playing two roles in one.

Ordinarily, with the Sect Leader in seclusion and Great Chu's turmoil, at such a turbulent time, the various peaks should act low-key, not be extravagant or wasteful, not engage in grand celebrations.

Today's feast and revelry already violated the rules of Sword Palace, minorly it's indecisive Dao Heart, majorly it's the erosion of rites and music.

Si Qi had a severe headache.

He really didn't expect that tonight's banquet would alarm the senior brother who had been living in seclusion on Xiao Chong Mountain for years... Which fool sent the invitation to Senior Brother's residence?

Next, he would surely be scolded.

However, what Si Qi didn't expect was that Zhou Zhiren didn't get angry, didn't scold, and didn't stop them.

Zhou Zhiren waved his sleeve, with a gentle expression, signalling everyone not to be overly polite.

So the music resumed, and the banquet continued.

He walked slowly into the main hall, receiving a wine cup from a crane on the way, and took a gentle sip.

"Xiao Xie's return from Li Kingdom is good news worth celebrating. This banquet is justified."

He first came to Si Qi and said this.

Si Qi inwardly breathed a huge sigh of relief.

No scolding!

"However... this banquet is too extravagant."

Zhou Zhiren transmitted with a smile, "It seems Junior Brother Si made quite some money from his business after founding the mountain."

Si Qi broke out in a cold sweat again.

After founding the mountain, Xie Zhen proposed to widely bestow "Sword Energy Orders" and widely establish "Law Enforcement Halls," with True Hidden Peak in charge of errands, he indeed earned quite a bit of "hard money" from this business...

"After tonight's banquet, send the account books to Xiao Chong Mountain, I will have your sister-in-law check them thoroughly."

Zhou Zhiren coldly left this sentence.

Si Qi wanted to cry but had no tears, it seemed he escaped scolding but couldn't escape a financial penalty.

After saying this.

Zhou Zhiren came before Xie Zhen.

He held the wine cup, gazing at the young face, his eyes falling on Xie Xuanyi's eyes.

Zhou Zhiren just stared into Xie Xuanyi's eyes quietly.

Upon returning to Da Sui Sword Palace.

Xie Xuanyi had specially met many people.

But exclusively... he did not go see this senior brother.

Not due to a lack of affection with Senior Brother.

But because he knew, his karmic ties were heavy, once involved, it wouldn't end well.

Senior Brother Zhou Zhiren, always indifferent to fame and wealth, distanced himself from worldly disputes at a young age. When he was young, he loved to wander around, but Senior Brother secluded at Xiao Chong Mountain early, choosing a life of intimacy with his beloved.

This was a choice completely different from Xie Xuanyi.

Xie Xuanyi didn't envy it but greatly respected it.

The reason he trained so hard was to become the sharpest sword of Sword Palace...

If he could stand at the pinnacle of the world.

Then the senior brothers and sisters of Lotus Peak could live the life they wanted.

However, some karmic ties can't be avoided just by wanting to.

The two looked at each other for a moment.

Zhou Zhiren spoke slowly, "You should know, the ones who hate Xie Xuanyi most in this world, are the Southern Border Evil Cultivators."

"Yes." Xie Xuanyi nodded.

Zhou Zhiren continued, "If you participate in the demon cleansing, the three great sects of the South will definitely make a move... Xie Xuanyi died in the North Sea, all should have ended, but now another 'Xie Zhen' appeared. To them, it's an extremely bad news."

"Correct." Xie Xuanyi still nodded.

"Besides the three great sects of the South, many others have grudges against Xie Xuanyi."

Zhou Zhiren slowly said, "Now the hatred these people have for Xie Xuanyi has almost all shifted onto you. The Book Tower struck Jiangning with a thunderous blow, this blow was powerful, but not lethal... Ren Shou Palace sent Prince Jiangning south and designated you for the demon cleansing. You should understand what this means."

Those qualified to sit in the main hall seat for tonight's feast were all crucial figures of Da Sui Sword Palace.

Elders of various peaks, guest elders, and talented young disciples.

At this moment.

The music outside didn't stop.

But the main hall was utterly silent, not a sound.

These elders, guest elders, and young disciples, all wore awkward expressions, none daring to speak a word at this moment.

In that moment, Si Qi roughly calculated the accounts, regretting deeply, if only he had listened to advice, how could there be so much trouble.

The little junior sister was right.

It was all his fault, insisting on holding this celebration feast.

"...So?"

Xie Xuanyi sighed softly.

"So, I disagree with you leaving Sword Palace."

Zhou Zhiren's voice was very calm.

Those who had trained with him at Lotus Peak knew, this statement wasn't seeking opinions, but a final decision.

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