Jian Jun Zhūnzhǔ swept his divine sense over the flying sword transmission. A subtle shift crossed his expression before he returned to calm. He waved a hand at Jian Dan and Tao Chengfeng.
"You two may go and rest."
Then he turned to Jian Wu Zhēnjūn beside him.
"You'll need to make a trip. Escort Jian Sheng back to the sect and have Jian Ning come in his place. On your way, go to the Administrative Hall on Heavenly Sword Peak and exchange one Regenerative Pill for Jian Sheng. Put it on the Enforcement Hall's account."
"Yes, I understand."
"Yunling City will be lively for a while. Once you've finished matters at the sect, return immediately. Jian Ning will assist you in handling the situation here."
"Yes, I'll set out at once."
Jian Wu turned and left the city lord's manor. As he exited, Peng Wang Zhūnzhǔ arrived uninvited, bringing City Lord Peng Xilai to pay a visit to Jian Jun Zhūnzhǔ.
Jian Dan left the main hall and followed a young Qi Refining disciple to a guest room on the side, intending to rest and recover.
Tao Chengfeng stood silently nearby, seemingly wanting to say something but thinking better of it. In the end, he simply cupped his hands in salute and went to rest elsewhere.
Inside the guest room, Jian Dan placed a mid-grade defensive formation disk, then sat cross-legged to circulate the Primordial Chaos Art, calming the turbulence in her blood and qi from the earlier impact.
She cast a cleansing technique over herself, then changed into a fresh white robe with wide sleeves. After tidying her hair, she let spiritual energy mend the bloody scratches on her face. At last, she removed the image-recording earring from her ear.
Under such force, her physical body should have been injured, but she had narrowly avoided the worst of the explosion by hiding in her personal space. With Cotton Candy's help and the red phoenix-shaped jade pendant shielding her upon exit, she had managed to survive.
There had been no time to think back then. Everything happened too fast. Rather than risk revealing her trump cards, it had been better to take a gamble.
Not only had she slain the black-armored insect monster, she'd also earned the favor of many Jīndān Zhēnrén. Most importantly, she had dispelled her sect's doubts about her. That would let her focus on cultivating in peace.
Or so she had hoped. As things stood now, that dream still felt far off.
"What a cursed fate." Jian Dan muttered to herself as she tried to review the image-recording stone, hoping to watch the moment she entered the space. But everything from the start was a blinding white blur, only clearing up once she reemerged and was struck by the residual shockwave.
It was likely the magnolia space's own protective instinct, blocking the footage. That actually saved her some trouble. Tomorrow, the major sects and the cultivation clans of Yunling would likely gather for discussion. When the time came, she could play the footage freely.
By sunset, Jian Dan had finished recovering. She stepped out of the guest room, planning to check on the Heavenly Sword Sect disciples who had escaped. After all, she was their leading Jīndān Zhēnrén.
Beneath the eaves outside stood Tao Chengfeng, apparently waiting for her. Jian Dan wasn't surprised. She gave a slight nod, and the two walked side by side toward the stone table in the guest courtyard.
Jian Dan asked casually, "Tao Zhēnrén, were you waiting for me because you had something to say?"
"Yes. Let's sit down first."
"All right, after you."
They took their seats. Yue Liang leapt from Jian Dan's shoulder to her lap, nestling close to be petted.
When Jian Dan had told Yue Liang to lead Tao Chengfeng away earlier, it had been intentional. Their contract was equal in nature, without deep binding force. Though Yue Liang trusted her, Jian Dan didn't want to take even a one-in-ten-thousand chance. Keeping Yue Liang out of the final battle had been best for everyone.
Since Jian Dan had returned alive from the center of that final clash, Yue Liang had been glued to her side. Jian Dan didn't mind, and now gently stroked her fur.
They sat quietly for a while, Tao Chengfeng still hesitating. It seemed he didn't know where to start.
Jian Dan, watching him struggle, decided to take the initiative.
"Tao Zhēnrén, you don't need to be so conflicted. That day, things happened quickly. Do you remember what I told you before we entered the secret realm?"
"You said you suspected this mission would go wrong, so you replaced the warship just in case?"
"That's right. I figured you didn't really believe in my so-called intuition at the time."
Tao Chengfeng looked a bit embarrassed but still nodded.
"So you humored me, thinking nothing serious would happen."
"…Cough…"
"I made full preparations. Everything I could think of. Where do you think those mid-grade spirit stones used against the black-armored monster came from? That was my entire fortune."
"Shan Zhēnrén, you were truly selfless."
"Don't say that. I just wanted to stay alive. I even used my last life-saving jade pendant to ensure I'd survive the final strike. But you didn't have one. Should I have left you there to die?"
"…No."
"And even if I had died, as the leading Zhēnrén of the Heavenly Sword Sect, you would still be responsible for bringing the surviving disciples home safely. If both of us had fallen, what would have happened to the others?"
"…You're right. I was being narrow-minded. I let my thoughts twist into knots."
Tao Chengfeng formally bowed his thanks to Jian Dan.
"One last question," Jian Dan said.
"Go ahead."
"Before we entered the Chilang Secret Realm, you didn't allow our disciples to team up with those from the Cloud Sea Sect. Why?"
"…Because I was planning to kill someone."
===
From now on, I'll do my best to maintain consistency in the terms I use, especially for sect names.