Secret Records of the Leader of the Beichen Sword Sect
Chapter 149 - 148 Protecting the Flower

Chapter 149: Chapter 148 Protecting the Flower

Tie Dan was sitting alone on the ship’s side, sitting until the sun set over the West Mountain, until Xiao Baoqin woke up from sleep and came over.

"Daoist Liu, I was out of line due to intoxication earlier, I apologize for any offense I might have caused..."

This time, Xiao Baoqin also wore a veil to cover her face, wrapping herself up tightly.

Tie Dan did not turn his head and coldly said,

"I can escort you to Zhenzhou, there’s no need for any bodily compensation, just the life-saving Spirit Pill and Immortal Elixir."

Xiao Baoqin breathed a sigh of relief,

"It’s a deal, our Xiao family never goes back on our word. To show sincerity, I will gift this magic treasure to my benefactor as a deposit."

Xiao Baoqin clapped her hands, and a maid brought a box forward. When it was opened, it revealed a treasure sword gleaming with a cold light.

"This sword was forged by my father using family-stored meteorite bin iron, to create a hundred swords, to be gifted to heroes of the world. The sword is four feet long, inscribed with ’Court Ceremony,’ invincible against dragons and tigers."

Tie Dan’s eyes lit up immediately. He took the Court Ceremony Treasure Sword and felt the water-ripple-like thousand-layer-forged blade, sensing a resonance with the Taibai Sword Embryo within him.

"Good sword, good sword, thank you!"

"As long as my benefactor likes it."

Xiao Baoqin also bowed gracefully, hiding a cold smile under her veil.

If it doesn’t work the first time, I’m not worried it won’t work eventually.

Everyone has their preferences, and preferences can be a leverage.

Gold, silver, jade, beauty, fine horses, treasure swords, fame, and fortune.

Once we see the gold and silver, I’m not worried I can’t open your mouth.

Once you speak up and become beholden, no matter how heroic, you can be used for my ambitions.

Don’t underestimate the cultivation of our Xiao family.

Having acquired a handy weapon, Tie Dan didn’t care about Xiao family’s schemes anymore.

Thus, his task changed from picking flowers to guarding them.

Since they couldn’t rely on Xiao family’s house guards and waiting on the cliff wasn’t a long-term plan, Tie Dan researched and discussed the structure of the treasure ship with Lord Xiao, explored the principles of flying talismanic runes with Kun, and sought help from Chen Xuantian Twelve Number. He drew a design and initially drafted a repair plan, gathered materials, and began repairing the flying ship.

Principally, the Flying Ship Magical Artifact is composed of three necessary arrays.

The first layer is the Qi Control Floating Array, usually engraved on the ship’s keel. It requires a mage to constantly observe the concentration of Spiritual Qi between heaven and earth to adjust the output, avoiding crashing when in a place with thin Spiritual Qi or losing control with sudden spiritual tides.

The ship of the Xiao family, pursued by demons, had its Spiritual Qi suddenly drop when it drove into a deep valley, and Xiao Baoqin couldn’t operate it, which caused it to fall from the sky.

Fortunately, the keel of the flying ship was very sturdy, made from an unknown deep-sea fishbone or dragon bone, with no damage, and the floating array still functioning. Otherwise, such a heavy flying ship would have crashed long ago.

The second layer is the Treasure Guardian Spirit Array, usually engraved on the ship’s cabin. It uses Artifact Spirit Treasures as the array eye, maintaining the cabin temperature, and protecting passengers who can’t withstand the Gang Wind chill. It can also inject Spiritual Qi, forming a Vigorous Qi shield to defend against storms and demon attacks.

This guardian array is still functioning, or else the passengers would have been torn apart by demons or frozen into icicles.

The third layer is naturally the Wind-controlling Flying Formation, usually written with flying talismans on the ship sail flags to control the flying direction and speed of the flying ship. Due to the fall’s impact and demon harassment, the flags were torn, and the masts were broken, so it couldn’t fly.

However, there are spare sets of Flying Sail Talisman Flags on board. Just fix the mast, change to a new flag, calculate the output for floating and flying, and it’s quite simple to escape the predicament without much trouble.

So Tie Dan got to work, first teaching Xiao Baoqin how to maintain array defense, then flew to the ice field to chop monsters, collecting demon bones and furs to repair the masts. Meanwhile, he adjusted the wind power and array output, taking only a day to repair the flying ship and navigated out of the predicament.

"Liu Lang, you’re incredibly skillful. These blueprints made me dizzy, yet you fixed it all at once. You’re amazing. Now we can fly straight to Lanling!"

Xiao Baoqin moved closer, serving tea and water, flattery in a gentle voice.

Tie Dan indeed wanted to avoid her slightly, fearing too much exposure to pheromones would lead to irresistible affection, causing her to pounce on his leg. Unfortunately, he had to steer the flying ship, so he couldn’t move arbitrarily, only taking the chrysanthemum tea, nodding in thanks.

"We will go to Yanmen first."

"To Yanmen?"

Xiao Baoqin frowned, somewhat worried,

"I’m afraid that frontier has already been taken by rebel forces, it might be a bit dangerous..."

Tie Dan looked at her arm entwining him,

"My Junior Sister is still in Yanmen. Bringing her along to Lanling saves the need to deliver medicine back and forth."

Xiao Baoqin’s eyes flickered, yet she didn’t let go, still hugging Tie Dan’s waist,

"Liu Lang, you’re truly devoted, such a good man is rare. I truly envy you greatly..."

Tie Dan was speechless. He really hadn’t seen anyone like Xiao Baoqin who climbs up so quickly. Could it be that pheromone is indeed this powerful??

"Miss Xiao, are you not drunk again?"

Xiao Baoqin giggled foolishly,

"Why, Liu Lang doesn’t want to press me underneath and ravish me again, does he? Then come on, I can bear it."

Hmm, this person...

"Hmph, Thirteenth Lady, isn’t it enough? Can’t you see Young Hero Liu is having a hard time, he’s not interested in our kind of beauty!"

At this moment, Shi Gui also walked up to the upper deck, coldly snorting, glaring at Tie Dan with azure eyes.

Seeing her come, Xiao Baoqin had to restrain herself a bit and twisted over to pay her respects,

"Princess Wanfu, please have some tea."

"Forget about the tea; there’s strong turbulence ahead, everyone sit inside the cabin."

Seeing that Tie Dan still ignored her, Shi Gui stomped her foot in frustration,

"Fine, let’s go to Yanmen! I really want to see, what kind of beauty your Junior Sister is to deserve your endless concern. Ignoring people like us! Hmph!"

Seeing the young girl’s tantrum, Xiao Baoqin was also helpless, smiling at Tie Dan apologetically before following into the cabin.

Tie Dan ignored these trivial issues, piloting the ship through clouds, flying southward.

To avoid demons, Tie Dan practically flew close to the cloud layer, constantly adjusting the array, causing quite a bit of turbulence, making the two young ladies seasick. Nevertheless, they made it uneventfully, flying out of the Yin Mountain Snow Ridge by evening, arriving outside Yanmen Pass.

Yet the more peaceful the journey was, the more uneasy Tie Dan felt.

After all, if he found a group of demons gathered outside the pass, at least it meant the Guardian Immortal Army successfully held them back. But if there were no signs of battle, it meant...

Tie Dan flew the ship out of the clouds, descended to low altitude flight, overlooking the scene inside Yanmen Pass, his heart sinking to the bottom.

It indeed was breached. The grand Nine Borders stronghold Yanmen Pass couldn’t even hold for a month before being overrun by demons, the majestic pass torn to pieces, the entire city’s garrison and residents extinct, unsure whether all devoured by demons or if they abandoned the pass and fled.

A bunch of useless officials, completely unreliable...

In any case, the Northern Land’s Demon Tide has burst forth like a flood and avalanche, sweeping towards Genzhou land.

Heavenly destiny is difficult to alter...

In silence, Tie Dan flew the ship to Nie Family Castle, circling the sky.

Beneath the nest, no eggs remain intact. Only a pack of demon beasts was wandering in the village, looting livestock carcasses.

Tie Dan didn’t rush to descend, flying to the nearby mountains and forest to settle the ship, instructing Xiao Baoqin and others to activate the defense array, then flew out himself with the saber to Nie Family Castle.

After a frenzy of chopping, killing all the demons inside the castle, he wiped his face to calm down, searching for traces of residents in the ruins.

Zhen Baiyu should still be alive; Tie Dan had left a talisman on her before departing, and hadn’t sensed her facing difficulty.

As Tie Dan carried the Court Ceremony Treasure Sword, wielding Sword Gang Ice Qi while slashing into Nie Family Castle, he didn’t see any human corpses, mostly dead cattle and sheep. He ventured into the hall previously occupied by Zhen Baiyu temporarily, indeed, without seeing any bloodstains or signs of destruction; a letter was left on the desk.

It was left by Nie Gang for him.

Apparently, not long after Tie Dan left, cavalry from Kan Country arrived, declaring Marquis Zhongshan had already taken Ye Capital, commanding all Nine Borders guards to report to Ye Capital for court assembly, urging withdrawal from the pass, to Ye Capital for reorganization, or else when the army arrives, all will perish.

Yanmen Pass guard was already frightened by the scene of nine Nascent Soul Demons simultaneously heading south, now with Kan Country approaching, calculated the situation was hopeless. They handed over seals and surrendered, with Yanmen Pass’s town garrison either submitting to Kan Country or abandoning office and fleeing south with families.

Nie Gang knowing it was untenable, abandoned property, taking Baiyu and their family south for refuge. Yet in such chaotic times, uncertainties arose; they intended to follow the Yanmen refugee caravan, moving wherever possible.

Yanmen’s refugee caravan is numerous, moving slowly, likely catchable.

Thus, Tie Dan used the letter to divine, calculating Zhen Baiyu’s fate, and incidentally deduced her fortune.

Who would have expected, he actually rolled three yang lines, receiving a Qian as Heaven.

It is said, confinement finds water and good fortune greets, leading to joy upon one’s face, all endeavors will prosper, future luck slowly elevating.

This hexagram indicates Zhen Baiyu is a hidden dragon unearthed, misfortune turned to fortune, seeing the dragon in the field, all things favorable, soaring dragon in the heavens, like the rising sun.

This time the fish leaps over the dragon gate, soaring proudly through the skies, no one could obstruct her destiny anymore.

...Ah, ah??

No, with the world turning upside down, chaos rampant, demons and wild beasts running amok, clearly indicating a great disaster has arrived.

Zhen Baiyu herself was exhausted in terms of lifespan; she only had a year left, and Tie Dan’s pursuit yielded nothing, unable to find Snow Lotus.

How come this resulted in her forecasting an extremely auspicious hexagram?

Something must be wrong.

But with three yang lines, how can there be miscalculation?

Calculus is truly mysterious...