World's No. 1 Swordsman-Chapter 587: What Is the Dao For?

They discussed matters the entire way and still failed to come up with any solution that satisfied everyone. In the end, they could only choose to delay.

Instead of telling Xi Lian immediately, they would first observe how deep her attachment to Qinglin truly went in the future.

They also hoped that, as Qinglin had said, time would wash away all ripples in the heart.

Wang Sheng brought the group to Fengmo.

Although the Celestial Wind Sect could no longer interfere in Fengmo, Wang Sheng remained extremely cautious. He detoured outside the ancient battlefield instead of cutting directly through one of its corners. After all, everyone aboard this shuttle could be considered a liability for him.

His senior sister in particular had not yet undergone her tribulation. She was still far too weak for this environment.

Along the way, Wang Sheng explained the ways of survival on the thirteen qi planets and carefully outlined the various threats they might face.

Wang Sheng had never felt time pass as quickly as their few days in the Shadowless Shuttle.

Almost without realizing it, they reached Fengmo's perimeter. He and his senior sister had barely spent any time together or even spoken much!

They sometimes felt like there were endless things to say, yet most of the time, simply sitting quietly beside each other was enough to bring them peace of mind.

"Fengmo is just ahead."

Bathed in the glow of a sun, the planet quietly revolved along its orbit. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

Zhang Zikuang laughed. "It feels pretty similar to Earth. Looks quite peaceful."

At that moment, two streaks of light shot out from above the celestial body. They collided violently thousands of li away, the shockwaves of their immortal power rippling deep into space. Seemingly at a disadvantage, one of the streaks of light fled after several clashes, rapidly heading toward the ancient battlefield. The other gave chase.

Wang Sheng smiled. "Yes, they're about the same, except for the occasional True Immortals battling around."

Zhang Zikuang laughed awkwardly. Gao Shixing merely pinched his small tuft of beard and smiled stiffly. At the side, Fei Lianzi was still steaming in anger over Qinglin's fate.

Wang Sheng said, "The greatest advantage of being outside is the normal flow of time. If you don't think about things back home, this is actually a very ordinary cultivation environment. The order here is much weaker compared to Earth's, though. Immortal Dao forces make the rules, but they do not interfere in disputes among unaffiliated practitioners outside their territories.

"For the next few years, you should all focus on cultivating peacefully within the city. There's no need to go out too much. Since a hundred years here is only a year back home, you don't have to rush to report anything. Anyway, let's find Buddhist Master Huai Jing first. He has likely been waiting for quite some time."

Wang Sheng took out a bamboo hat and put it on. Afterward, he stored away Spiritless and the Dragon Sword, then restricted his aura to the Ascended Immortal Realm.

The others didn't have to conceal their identities. Cultivators who had not yet ascended were common in Xinghai City. Even so, Wang Sheng still covered Mu Wanxuan's face with a bamboo hat to prevent any frivolous cultivators from staring at her.

The Shadowless Shuttle plunged straight into the atmosphere of Fengmo and descended toward an uninhabited mountain forest, quickly vanishing among the trees. After carefully scanning their perimeter with immortal perception and detecting no one observing the area, he finally allowed the group to come out and store away the Shadowless Shuttle.

Aside from the Xinghai Sect, two other unaffiliated practitioner factions with Heavenly Immortals were stationed here. The Xinghai Sect put them under pressure, making it wise to always practice caution.

At the entrance of Xinghai City, Zhang Zikuang stepped forward to pay the entrance fee with Spirit Stones and collect their identity jade pendants. Wang Sheng kept himself scarce.

Walking along the lively and bustling streets, the group looked around with curiosity, exclaiming in admiration again and again.

Xinghai City had gradually grown over time, but the streets here clearly weren't well planned. The more prosperous the street, the narrower and more winding it became. Nevertheless, the various buildings along the sides always had a distinctive Immortal Dao charm.

Wandering the city for half a day and seeing many novel sights made their interest run high. Even so, Wang Sheng still led them to the small courtyard where the three martial brothers lived.

He knocked on the wooden door a few times. A voice inside then asked, "Who is it?"

"Plumbing repair."

The courtyard array deactivated, and the gate swung open. A beautiful female cultivator stepped out, frowning at the group outside.

"Who are you? And what do you mean by plumbing repair?"

Wang Sheng was stunned and speechless. The others were also a bit bewildered. His senior sister, who was beside him, tried her best to stifle a soft laugh, but she ended up failing at the last moment.

The female cultivator was at the Grand Immortal-Ascension Realm. Fortunately, she was fairly calm and collected. "Have you come to the wrong place?"

Wang Sheng awkwardly replied, "This used to belong to a... My apologies for disturbing you."

Keeping himself hidden behind the bamboo hat the entire time, he cupped his hands toward the female cultivator. The female cultivator nodded and closed the courtyard gate.

While Wang Sheng was feeling conflicted, a Buddhist invocation came from the side.

"Amitabha. Bless you."

Smiling, Huai Jing emerged from the corner of the alley and greeted Wang Sheng with a cheerful Buddhist salute.

He had truly acted quickly. Not only had he purchased a larger residence, but he had also sold the previous small courtyard to recoup some funds. After all, they planned to settle here in Xinghai City for the long term, but everyone was focused on cultivation; no one was earning Spirit Stones. Living off savings meant frugality was necessary.

Eighteen layers of arrays had been set up inside. At their full power, they could hold out against a powerful enemy for quite some time.

Gao Shixing and the others reminisced with Huai Jing in the front courtyard. Instead of joining them, Wang Sheng held his senior sister's hand and went to the garden at the back of the residence. The two leaned against each other in the pavilion by the pond, quietly enjoying a moment that belonged only to them.

Wang Sheng had initially expected that they would do something a bit less family-friendly—something full of affectionate intimacy that was better left undescribed. Nevertheless, his heart was unexpectedly calm, and his Dao Heart showed little fluctuation. For a time, all he wanted was to sit quietly with his senior sister and speak of private, familiar matters.

Wang Sheng asked how his master had been lately and whether his parents were doing well. His senior sister took out her phone and typed quietly for a long while.

Everyone is safe, but they're worried about you. Your parents are also doing well.

Wang Sheng then asked whether the Hua Republic was currently at peace. His senior sister revealed many details about the authorities' continuous push for the separation of immortals and mortals. Though not particularly surprised, he still felt a touch of helplessness.

He blinked at Mu Wanxuan. "The world can't be allowed to fall into chaos, after all."

Their tacit understanding was still there. When his senior sister gently patted her soft legs, Wang Sheng laughed and lay down, only to have his senior sister grab his ear and knead it for a while.

"How has Xiaomiao's cultivation been lately?"

She is extremely diligent and has been advancing rapidly. She probably wants to come out and find you as soon as possible.

Wang Sheng smiled bitterly. "She should stay at home and keep our parents company a bit longer. If we both come out here, our parents would be over ten thousand li away from their children."

Your parents have started traveling around the world. They do not seem too saddened by you and Xiaomiao being away.

Wang Sheng didn't know what to say. Well, I guess I'll consider that as good news.

The two continued chatting. They made small, affectionate gestures from time to time, each one done naturally and not too excessively.

After all, Spiritless was watching nearby.

Were the past few years out here very hard for you?

Had Mu Wanxuan not attached a "gently patting a dog's head" meme to the message, Wang Sheng would've felt deeply moved.

"It was alright. Hard or not, it didn't really matter. Now that you're here, I don't feel tired anymore. There was a period when my freedom was restricted, which I found a bit hard to endure at the time. Eventually, though, it no longer felt like much. Since you'll be by my side from now on, you can just help cheer me on when I'm tired."

How do I do that?

Mu Wanxuan's eyes showed a hint of mischief as she pressed down hard on Wang Sheng's stomach. Wang Sheng rose to counterattack, though he only reached out to pinch her earlobe.

The atmosphere immediately shifted a little. Mu Wanxuan's cheeks flushed red, while Wang Sheng casually set up an array to isolate them from their surroundings. He was about to get up and deepen their interaction when a long-absent, dry cough echoed in his mind.

A certain sword spirit calmly reprimanded, "You are not yet married. Mind your image."

Wang Sheng's mouth twitched. He leaned over and whispered something into Mu Wanxuan's ear. Her face turned redder, and she shook her head in refusal, lightly twisting Wang Sheng's cheek in return.

"Behave yourself!"

"Yes, ma'am!"

After playing around for a bit, Wang Sheng suddenly felt tired. He lay down beside Mu Wanxuan, rested against the pavilion railing, and soon fell asleep. His Dao Heart was tranquil and unruffled.

Mu Wanxuan leaned quietly nearby, watching Wang Sheng for a long while. In the end, she simply stayed beside him, sitting in meditation and not moving even half a step away.

Meanwhile, Huai Jing had already begun guiding the others around the estate, assigning each of them a residence and reminding them not to rush. They could wait a few decades before making a trip to the Buddha statue to report back home.

Occasionally, they would glance over the pavilion as they passed by, making them smile faintly. No one went over to disturb the couple.

***

The next few months were the least diligent and most comfortable months Wang Sheng had experienced in a long time.

Every day was spent being clingy with his senior sister. Even the sword spirit acting as their supervisor couldn't stop the two from deepening their bond and growing ever closer.

When bored, they drank wine and wrote poems, leaned into each other, and asked what the Dao was truly for.

They would even change into "couple outfits." Mu Wanxuan would wear a light-green gauze dress, and Wang Sheng would wear a green Daoist robe. In a corner of the back courtyard, they would spar and exchange insights. However, such moments were always filled with exchanged glances and tender affection, resembling long-lost Jianghu arts like the Silent-Signal Sword and the Tender-Affection Blade.

Wang Sheng often sat in the pavilion, drinking by himself, while Mu Wanxuan played the qin or flute beside him. Sometimes, she would coax him into performing the Pure Yang Sword Song.

The tightly strung chord in his heart, which had stretched on for hundreds of years, finally relaxed completely. Wang Sheng's Dao comprehension actually advanced faster than during his usual secluded cultivation.

Still, such carefree days naturally couldn't last forever. Before long, Wang Sheng found a notice that the Xinghai Sect had posted in the city.

The sect was recruiting talents once again. What made it especially interesting was that it specifically stated that the "Sword Heart," Elder Pi Kachew, would preside over the entire process.

Wang Sheng was momentarily stunned. After all, he had not received any prior message about this. However, he quickly understood that this was Yao Xingzi's way of summoning him back. He had even gone ahead and publicly announced the task.