Chapter 623: Buddha’s Birthday

Chen Jinchan’s memory of Shen Lian was still stuck at the thousand years prior. At that time, his headmaster lived a simple life and let things follow their own course as if nothing could bother him. Today, he saw him unexpectedly wearing a sad expression and his heart knew that surely he was incredibly sorrowful.

Chen Jinchan kowtowed and said, “It was us disciples who were unable to keep Aunt-Master alive.”

Shen Lian slowly walked over to the both of them. He stretched out his hand to them and pulled them up saying, “The both of you are good children. It was unexpected of me to leave Qing Xuan for so long a time.” Shen Lian only understood now, he indeed has left for a very long time. When he dropped down from the Yellow Springs and reached the Netherworld, he had wasted a lot of time. It was anticipated that Chen Jianmei went in about the same time, perhaps the speed by which both of them went in and out of were different, causing their return to have a gap of three hundred years.

At least Chen Jianmei’s sword was already capable of directly running through both Qing Xuan’s earth and star as well as the Netherworld. It need not go through the Yellow Springs to descend to the Netherworld.

The saddening thing was that unless he could turn back time, he would never be able to find Chen Jianmei and Gu Caiwei anymore. Even if Gu Caiwei was reincarnated into a person, it would not be easy to understand the secret of the womb. Thirty years had passed. Even if he could find her the body of her reincarnation, it would not be her anymore. Not to mention the fact that Chen Jianmei had already given up his self, evolving into that paramount swordcraft. The universe may be vast and obscure, but there will never be another Chen Jianmei.

Having been pulled up by Shen Lian, Fan Yanying saw the happiness in him fade. She glanced at the Blood Red Long Sword, and her eyes started to tear again.

She had a lot of cultivation experience. One would not be able to find anyone who was stronger than her in the earth and star of Qing Xuan. Thus it seemed as though she could feel something, and so asked, “Uncle-Master, does this sword have something to do with my master, the old man?”

Shen Lian was silent for a good while. In the end, he drew the Blood Red Killing Sword. Its blade was like water, and also like time. Aside from the undispersed blood-red color, not a bit of the murderous aura leaked out.

Finally, Shen Lian gave a profound sigh, “Yanying, this sword is called ‘Jianmei’. Chen Jianmei’s ‘Jianmei’.”

Fan Yanying understood what Shen Lian meant. In her heart, she felt a deep pain. Without a word, she knelt down, and tightly pursed her lips. She faced the sword and gave three kowtows and nine prostrations. In the end, Chen Jinchan had to lend his arm in support of her standing up.

At this time, Shen Lian erased all sorrow from his expression and in a heavy tone asked, “Jinchan, how many cultivators are there in Qing Xuan temple at the present?”

Even though Chen Jinchan did not understand why his headmaster changed to this topic, he replied, “The cultivators that the headmaster asks about, what is the minimum cultivation experience they should have?”

Shen Lian answered, “They should at least have achieved the State of Trance.”

Chen Jinchan pondered slightly and in a moment he composed all the information he wished to convey, “In these few thousand years, a total of a hundred and eight schools had adhered to our Qing Xuan Daoist Sect. Beyond the seas, the powerhouses who have countless associations with us total at three hundred and sixty. In addition to Aunt-Master’s Temple of Longevity and Senior Apprentice-Sister’s Temple of Killings, as well as those disciples who have never left the school, the number would be roughly around ten thousand.”

Shen Lian was surprised, “That is quite a number.”

Chen Jinchan replied, “The truth is that this was all because of the favor that headmaster did for everyone back then. After all, during the demonic chaos in the world, the headmaster was the one who took the initiative to wage war against the Demon Master, the one who brought everyone out of that predicament. Ever since then, we received deep affection and respect. Many of the schools adhered to us, one after another. In addition, the disciples of our School also spread our networks after they left the mountain. In time, it has reached the current phase.”

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“It may not be as simple as it looks. What else is there that you are concealing from me?” Shen Lian looked at Chen Jinchan as soon as he uttered the question.

Although Chen Jinchan had already reached the absolute peak of a land immortal, when the headmaster looked at him like this, he still felt slightly scared.

This time it was Fan Yanying who voluntarily spoke, “Uncle-Master, when you disappeared three hundred years ago, Tianhua Continent was invaded by Luoists. The Orthodoxy of the Shangdong Eight Celestials were all killed off by Fairy Zhao. The remaining schools in Tianhua Continent that survived were all pushed out. At that time, there were also some conflicts with the cultivators of Yuan Continent. That was when Jinchan won the support of many schools and brought them over to Qing Xuan’s side, providing us with a peripheral barrier.

Shen Lian pressed, “What else happened?”

Fan Yanying continued, “Fairy Zhao took hold of Tianhua and her supernatural power became a force that was hard for one to wrap their head around. In the end, she attracted the attention of Lu Jiuyuan. It was said that the both of them engaged in battle, and since then Fairy Zhao was never to be seen again. And because Fairy Zhao lost constraint over Luoism, they did numerous evils. In the end, Jinchan, with the help of many schools had to thoroughly eradicate them for the sake of preserving peace within the cultivation community.”

This drew out a forced smile from Chen Jinchan, “Headmaster, your disciple had no other choice at the time. Aunt Zhao had the wind, rain, thunder, and lightning in the palm of her hand. Each of them was high ranking people amongst the Immortal Zhenrens, the crowd of Luoism was led by them. Ordinary schools could do nothing but be bullied and humiliated. Five of our Qing Xuan disciples had also run into misfortune. We had no choice but to disregard the friendship between you and Aunt Zhao. In order not to cause any more damage, we had to eliminate Luoism completely.”

Having heard this, Shen Lian sighed, “You did nothing wrong, why did you have to conceal this from me? Well, enough about that. Go and make an imperial decree: in one month’s time, convene all those cultivators who are willing to listen to the orders of Qing Xuan. Something big is going to happen. I need your help, and the help of everyone else.”

Chen Jinchan replied, “It will not be hard to convene them, but we lack an ostensible purpose.”

Shen Lian looked up at the sky and leisurely said, “I, Shen Lian, will be that purpose! Also, along the way, send this news to all the Immortal Zhenrens out there: I, Shen Lian, wish to organize a Dragon Flower Assembly for Buddha’s Birthday! I extend the invitations to all of them!”

Chen Jinchan was surprised at this unusual request. Buddha’s Birthday has been present since ancient times. Generally speaking, it was a gathering meant for people who achieved Dao and became immortal. However, for the past thousand years, the earth had only seen one person who had the power to rally enough supporters and organize the Dragon Flower Assembly – Lu Jiuyuan. But he had no interest in dealing with these matters, and furthermore between Chen Jinchan feared Lu Jiuyuan. Chen Jinchan felt that there was surely an incredible secret in Lu Jiuyuan. If there was none, why would someone with as high a cultivation experience as Lu Jiuyuan not leave this world in search of the Great Way?

However, when his headmaster battled with Demon Master back then, it was universally shocking. It could even be said that the battle was the biggest event in three thousand years. If today he returned only to send a message, there might not be any Immortal Zhenrens who would decline him. After all, he was the one who broke the chiliocosm from an irreversible precedent. If people said that they were not curious in the least, they would be lying.

He thought for a moment, then said, “Your disciple will start to plan this. But with your sudden return today, headmaster, it caused quite a bit of an odd shift. All of our doyens and their disciples received quite a shock. Let your disciple inform them of the situation beforehand.”

Shen Lian replied, “No need for such trouble. Let us all descend from the mountain.”

Chen Jinchan could not object.

Shen Lian looked at the still distressed expression of Fan Yanying. “Yanying,” he called, “Please do not be sad. As cultivators, we will surely be able to execute actions contrary to the laws of heaven and make that which is impossible, possible. If now you start to fall into depression, not only will I be disappointed, but your master will be too.”

Fan Yanying replied, “Uncle-Master, I understand all these things. But I find it very hard to bear my grief.”

Shen Lian thought about patting her on the shoulder and continuing to give her words of consolation, but in the end, his arm was only half extended and those consoling words did not come out of his mouth. All he could muster was a sigh, “Truth be told, I feel the same way as you.”