Qi Long stood expressionlessly before Xu Mu, the formation disk held in his hand humming, formation runes glowing as if ready to erupt and engulf An Jin at any moment.
"You lunatic!"
After a brief silence, An Jin seemed to realize that if he pressed forward, Qi Long would kill him. He then uttered this furious exclamation and turned to flee.
"I will report this to the imperial court, just you wait!"
Qi Long retracted the formation disk and watched An Jin's retreating figure, saying calmly, "I await your report."
"Buzz!"
The light of the formation seals in the cave killing array extinguished like fleeting starlight.
Xu Mu and Zuo Mingqiu stepped forward, took a deep breath, and cupped their fists to salute Qi Long.
"Thank you for your rescue, Senior Qi."
Qi Long waved his hand, signaling them to be at ease. He turned to look at Xu Mu and Zuo Mingqiu, and a smile of appreciation suddenly appeared on his normally calm, slightly stern face. He said gently, "For the next ten days, you will stay at my Sword Pavilion. You may leave when the grand formation is repaired."
Xu Mu paused upon hearing this and then cupped his fists to ask, "But An Jin said he would report to the imperial court. I'm a little worried."
Qi Long waved his hand and chuckled, "Don't worry. He won't dare trouble you again, because he knows I will truly kill him if he does."
Xu Mu shook his head and looked earnestly at Qi Long. "Senior misunderstands my meaning. I am not worried about myself, but about you."
"After all, An Jin is someone from the imperial court, and the personal guard of the Seventh Prince. If the court investigates and holds you accountable, Senior... are you not afraid at all?"
Qi Long laughed heartily at this. "You don't need to worry about that. I will be fine. With the Seventh Prince's influence, he cannot threaten me for the time being."
"Because he is merely an unfavored illegitimate son, and you are an influential elder in the Sword Pavilion, so you have nothing to fear?" Zuo Mingqiu removed his tattered black conical hat, revealing half his face covered by a black cloth. He frowned slightly and asked, "Isn't this too risky?"
"Even if the Seventh Prince has limited manpower, the fact that we killed his guards is undeniable. If the court investigates and finds you guilty, the Sword Pavilion might not protect you."
Qi Long's words further solidified his earlier guess. He believed Xu Mu and Zuo Mingqiu were definitely from the Great Xia Dynasty, and his smile became even more cheerful.
"Hahahaha."
"You overestimate the court of Great Zhou, or rather, underestimate the martial forces here."
"My friends, this place is different from Great Xia. The court's restrictions on martial forces are negligible. Especially for a major sect like the Sword Pavilion, which supports the world, any conflict between them, even a case with ironclad evidence, becomes extremely troublesome to resolve."
"Since today's events involve the Sword Pavilion, and several three-stage guards were killed, even if the court wants to pursue the matter out of respect for the Seventh Prince, the investigation process will not be completed overnight. It will definitely take at least ten days."
"And after ten days, when the grand formation is repaired, we will all have long since departed. Even if the court finds guilt, what use will it be then?"
Zuo Mingqiu was momentarily stunned, then asked with some surprise, "Senior is also leaving by teleportation formation?"
Qi Long nodded, smiled, and looked meaningfully at Zuo Mingqiu. "Yes."
"Perhaps our final destination is the same," Qi Long thought to himself with a slight smile.
Zuo Mingqiu's eyebrows rose even further in surprise. He opened his mouth to ask more, but Xu Mu interrupted him in time.
"May I ask why Senior is helping us?"
Xu Mu also removed his tattered black conical hat, covering half his face, and squinted at Qi Long. They had merely helped Qi Long carry something. Even if Qi Long was bored and wanted to repay a small favor, he wouldn't offend a prince for it. Even if that prince was an illegitimate son, the power he could wield still made many martial forces fearful. Qi Long, as a steward of the Sword Pavilion, while possessing considerable authority, could not ignore the Seventh Prince's influence. So, what was his reason for helping them?
Qi Long smiled faintly and replied, "I, Qi, have my own reasons for doing things. Besides, helping you was merely a casual act. Don't give it much thought."
Xu Mu took a step back, his expression calm but with a hint of vigilance. "We cannot accept favors without cause. If Senior does not tell us, we two cannot feel at ease, so we must leave the Sword Pavilion. We ask for your understanding."
As Xu Mu spoke, he turned to leave with Zuo Mingqiu, without any hesitation. His expression was calm. Xu Mu knew very well that there were no free lunches in the world. In this martial world, there was no one so kind-hearted as to offend the imperial court for a small favor. Qi Long must have some hidden motive or reason that he was not disclosing.
Qi Long looked somewhat stunned at their retreating backs, shook his head, and smiled. "Wait."
"I merely value talent, which is why I intervened. You two are the most talented young people I have ever met. Even Li Chuan, the sect leader's disciple of the Immortal Wood Sect who came to the Sword Pavilion to retrieve the Long River Immortal Sword two years ago, was not as remarkable as you."
Xu Mu's movement slightly faltered. He didn't know who Li Chuan was, perhaps Zuo Mingqiu did, but it didn't matter. He wouldn't believe such a story about valuing talent. Qi Long was from Great Zhou and a steward of the Sword Pavilion. He and Zuo Mingqiu clearly came from outside, possibly from Great Xia or the Golden Tent Court. They were strangers, so what talent could Qi Long possibly value? There was no reason for him to value the talent of an enemy country!
"If Senior doesn't speak the truth, we are truly leaving." Xu Mu stopped at the mountain path and turned back, cupping his fists earnestly.
Qi Long looked somewhat dumbfounded. He was the steward of the Sword Pavilion, a fourth-stage lord, and their savior. Yet, Xu Mu's tone made it sound as if he were the one being saved! However, Qi Long did not become angry. He looked at Xu Mu, a wry smile on his face. "If you insist on it this way, then I will have to give you a sufficiently weighty reason."
"You should know that every year at this time, the Sword Pavilion opens its gates for half a month, allowing people from all over the world to take swords. During this period, every three days, swords that have not been claimed are taken by the elders to the forging platform for secondary tempering and refinement to improve their quality."
"What I want you to do is, during the third tempering, which is nine days from now, bring me the first immortal sword forged by the Sword Pavilion this year, the 'New Sun'."
Xu Mu and Zuo Mingqiu exchanged a glance, then slowly walked up to Qi Long and asked seriously, "Is Senior speaking the truth?"
Qi Long nodded. "Indeed."
Xu Mu and Zuo Mingqiu were silent for a moment, then Xu Mu continued, "Senior's power is immense, why don't you take the sword yourself? Furthermore, what if the 'New Sun' sword has already been claimed after ten days?"
Zuo Mingqiu also nodded. "Yes, I heard that the cultivators coming to the Sword Pavilion this time are all aiming for the 'New Sun.' It's likely that the 'New Sun' has already recognized its master by then."
Qi Long smiled and said, "A sword recognizing its master is not about cultivation level. Even if I were a domain lord, if the sword spirit doesn't accept me, I cannot take the sword."
"As for the 'New Sun,' I saw that sword once before. Its sword spirit compares itself to the sun high in the sky, immensely proud and unbound by anyone. Therefore, I am certain that the 'New Sun' sword will not be claimed by anyone."
"After repeated forging and tempering, the 'New Sun's' pride will only grow. It may remain in the Sword Pavilion forever, like those treasured swords in previous years, until a destined person arrives years later to claim it."
Xu Mu asked calmly, "What do you want this sword for, Senior?"
Qi Long smiled mysteriously. "You will know in ten days. Moreover, after I use it, I will give this sword to you, as payment for the task."
Xu Mu earnestly corrected him, "This sword will be ours to retrieve, so it should naturally be ours."
Qi Long couldn't help but tease, "You're not being polite with me at all. You just pretended to let me set the terms, and now you're haggling."
Xu Mu scratched his head and smiled. "I was just joking."
"Senior rescued us, how could we possibly accept anything from Senior? It's just that after ten days, with the 'New Sun' sword tempered three times, do you truly believe we can retrieve such an arrogant immortal sword?"
Qi Long smiled and nodded. "Of course. I believe in my intuition."
"However, regarding taking the sword, you don't need to rush to agree. Because what I need to do might implicate you, posing a mortal danger."
"If you fear the danger, then there's no need to repay this favor. I intervened on my own accord. You can just leave by the spatial formation and not feel burdened."
"But if you decide to stay and help me, then bring me the sword. After the deed is done, not only will the 'New Sun' sword be yours, but I will also give you some additional reward."
Xu Mu pondered for a long time, then looked up at Qi Long and said earnestly, "Thank you for your frankness, Senior Qi Long. However, since it concerns our lives, we should ask for clarification regarding what Senior intends to do. We cannot proceed in such a muddled state."
Qi Long's smile faded, and he looked at Xu Mu meaningfully. "There are things that I cannot say, not because I don't want to, but because I truly cannot."
"At least, until I know your true identities, I cannot tell you."
Xu Mu remained silent for a long time. He couldn't tell them their true identities, so he couldn't say what he was going to do. Although he desperately wanted to know Qi Long's plan, their identities as Xu Mu and Zuo Mingqiu absolutely could not be revealed.
"In that case, please forgive us, Senior. We will need to carefully consider the matter of retrieving the 'New Sun' sword and give you our answer in ten days."
Xu Mu cupped his fists, his expression apologetic. He had no choice. Since Qi Long had stated that his actions could endanger them, and they didn't even know what Qi Long intended to do, they absolutely couldn't agree outright. They had to go back and discuss it.
Qi Long chuckled. "No matter. We are strangers who met by chance. I helped you casually, so I can't expect you to risk your lives."
"I have already found a place for you to stay, at a guest courtyard not far from here. Take this token, and you can go straight there."
Xu Mu took the token, his eyes complex. Although they still didn't know what Qi Long intended to do, he could feel that the other's kindness was genuine, like the affection shown by elders of noble families to the prodigies of their clans in the Hundred Races Land. But that was kinship. Why was Qi Long like this? Xu Mu couldn't understand, but he wasn't troubled by the question for long, as Qi Long departed after Zuo Mingqiu bowed in thanks, leaving the two of them standing there.
Zuo Mingqiu looked at Xu Mu and asked, "What do you think? Should we help him?"
Xu Mu spread his hands and sighed. "I don't know. Let's go back to our lodging and settle in. We can stall for a day. If the 'New Sun' is claimed within these ten days, then we won't have to worry about it anymore."
Zuo Mingqiu nodded. "That sounds reasonable."
Xu Mu lowered his head, looking at the jade token in his hand emitting a faint glow. He injected a wisp of his divine soul into it, and immediately felt a sharp energy surge forth, guiding him in the right direction.