Besides that, the Mystic Realm of Mountains and Seas has shown unusual activity again. The Meteorological Bureau asked if I’d investigate. I’m considering inviting you, Black King, and Swallow Nine to join me. With the three of us together, we’d have each other’s backs—I trust no one else.
In China, the Mystic Realm of Mountains and Seas has another famous name: the *Shan Hai Jing*.
It’s incredibly dangerous—mythical beings roam there like common beasts. Rumor has it that the three land immortals—Black King Bai Ling and Peerless Sword Swallow Nine—were once Containment Entities that broke free from this realm.
Though baseless, the rumor alone proves how treacherous and unpredictable the realm truly is.
"The Mystic Realm? Pass. It holds nothing for me. Half a year ago, I might’ve indulged you. Now? I’d rather stay in Qianning."
Bai Ling shook her head. Nothing mattered more to her than Junior Liming.
As long as Qianning remained untouched, she cared not if the world drowned in flood or shattered under chaos. But dare threaten Qianning, and she’d chop off your hand without hesitation.
Lu Xian wasn’t offended by her blunt refusal. He knew clarity mattered most among Containment Entities.
Even if they turned against each other later, neither would owe the other.
"Then I’ll go with Swallow Nine. We both seek something there—this is a chance to find it."
"Just don’t get critically wounded and hauled off by the Meteorological Bureau."
"If Swallow Nine and I together suffer heavy losses, the Bureau won’t be foolish enough to target us first. They’d protect us instead."
A final warning: though the Bureau treated powerful Containment Entities courteously, human hearts were fickle. Who could guarantee they wouldn’t strike when you were weakened?
If the Bureau were truly trustworthy, Bai Ling wouldn’t have smashed their containment sites repeatedly—or reduced a mythical entity to ashes as a warning.
Then again, if an enemy could overpower both Swallow Nine and Lu Xian, the Bureau would side with Lu Xian. They still shared a thread of mutual respect after years of clashes.
"Still, I’ve drunk much of your wine today. I owe you, Lu Xian. Take this." She slid a scroll toward him. "If you face an unbeatable foe in the realm, unseal it and unleash it."
Sipping her jasmine honey tea, Bai Ling knew well the horrors lurking within the realm. The scroll radiated terrifying, icy sharpness the moment Lu Xian touched it.
"This is…?"
"*Neither bronze nor iron nor steel, once hidden beneath Sumeru’s peak. No alchemy reversed its fate—no fire or water tempered its weight?*"
Lu Xian drew a sharp breath. He didn’t need her to name it—he knew the horror sealed within. Even the mightiest immortals would shed blood facing this.
Bai Ling was offering him a lifeline. The debt weighed heavy.
"This is too precious. Give it to Swallow Nine instead. In his hands, this sword aura could elevate his mastery."
The scroll held a sword aura from some ancient powerhouse, later falling into Bai Ling’s possession. To her, it was useless—better gifted to Lu Xian as a favor.
"Giving it to you or him makes no difference. The scroll’s seal is fading anyway. Do as you wish with it."
"Then… I accept."
Sealing a sword aura that left no karmic stain was a thousand times harder than unleashing it raw.
As a mere land immortal, Lu Xian couldn’t fathom the technique. He felt only awe—and deeper respect. He saw now: Bai Ling had been sustaining the seal all along.
Even without entering the realm, this scroll alone made Lu Xian’s trip worthwhile. But Peerless Sword Swallow Nine would truly benefit.
"Taking such a treasure freely unsettles me."
"Cancel today’s tab."
"Impossible. I may be reckless, but I don’t neglect weighty matters." Lu Xian refused her jest. Such gifts demanded reciprocity to keep his spirit unshaken.
Knowing his stubbornness, Bai Ling dropped the teasing. What news could match this sword aura’s value?
"You know I’m a land immortal. I sense fragments of the future. I seek the realm because I foresee a martial calamity—a weapon to preserve my Dao fruit from ruin."
"A *martial calamity*? Next you’ll say Chiyou, War God, or the Human Emperor walks again. Wake up—it’s the 21st century. Your senses mislead you."
Bai Ling nearly laughed. What war could frighten Lu Xian? Modern times held no such cataclysm.
"Possibly. But beyond that distant storm, I sensed malice from overseas—watching Jiuzhou."
This piqued Bai Ling’s interest. Any fool threatening Jiuzhou would be crushed by its guardians. She wanted to know who dared.
"Unclear. Likely an outer-domain Evil God. Didn’t Swallow Nine slay one recently? I checked the aftermath—its aura matched what I sensed."
"Let the Meteorological Bureau deal with those mindless beasts."
Bai Ling’s interest vanished. Creatures obsessed with destruction and enslavement were beyond reason. She preferred calling them beasts—they truly had no brains.
Their talk turned to trivialities: Qianning’s Containment Entities, daily affairs. Lu Xian asked Bai Ling to watch over the Mystic Blue Tavern in his absence. Before leaving, she confirmed details about a thread puppet, then drifted out.
As she turned, her lithe figure drew a teasing whistle from Lu Xian. He was the only one who dared such boldness before the Black King.
