Immortality begins with the Swordsman.

Chapter 43 Sword Qi Cooperation

Mount Hua, Purple Qi Comes from the East Pavilion.

As November arrives, the mountain air grows increasingly chilly. A thin layer of frost has already formed on the surface of the vegetation and rocks, shimmering under the sunlight, as if draping the entire Mount Hua in an elegant silver veil, making it both serene and solemn.

now.

The young girl, Ning Zhongze, dressed in white and holding a long sword, was intently practicing the Huashan beginner sword techniques. Her steps were as light as a swallow, and her swordplay was as graceful as the wind. Every move was measured and skillful.

Master Zixiao sat to the side observing the swordplay, but his expression was rather dazed, his gaze occasionally drifting towards the victory report in his hand.

The report reads: "Your esteemed father, Yue Buqun, has achieved the highest rank in the Shaanxi provincial examination, placing eighteenth..."

When the messenger came to deliver the news, he could hardly believe his ears.

"She actually passed the exam!"

His emotions were turbulent, a mixture of relief and a hint of helplessness.

The original plan was to send Yue Buqun to the Central Plains to take over the Qi Sect's business once he returned, but now all plans have been disrupted.

Master Zixiao sighed softly and muttered to himself, "Never mind... I'll make plans after the 'Sword Qi Competition' concludes next month. I hope everything goes smoothly."

Just then, a disciple of the Qi Sect rushed over, panting, and bowed to report, "Sect Master! Junior Brother Gu is back!"

"Ah! Second Brother is back?"

Ning Zhongze wielded her sword, but her ears were already perked up. At the slightest sound, she immediately sheathed her sword, turned around, and ran over quickly.

Master Zixiao said calmly, "He's back, so he's back. Do you expect me to go and greet him?"

The man said, "Sect Master, it's like this. Junior Brother Gu brought back a very big gift for Junior Sister Ning, but it's too big and too heavy. He asked me to come and ask you to come down the mountain to help."

"You brought me a big gift?" The girl's eyes lit up immediately.

A few days ago, Mei Jian and Lan Jian returned to the mountain, and her second senior brother asked them to bring back many new and interesting things. She was still angry at first, but when she saw the gifts, she generously forgave her second senior brother for leaving without saying goodbye.

Now that her second senior brother has brought back a great gift, she is so happy that her eyes crinkle into crescent moons.

She asked, "Senior Brother Liu, what wonderful gift did Second Senior Brother bring me?"

"We don't know either. Anyway, it's very big and heavy. Junior Brother Gu hired more than a dozen strong men but they still couldn't move it up. He said, 'The sect leader's internal strength is the best in the world. I guess only the sect leader can move it up.' So he asked me to ask the sect leader to come down the mountain to help."

Upon hearing this, Daoist Zixiao chuckled: "This brat, is he already starting to treat me like a laborer? No way, let him figure it out himself."

Upon hearing this, Ning Zhongze immediately became anxious and tugged at his sleeve, pleading, "Master, Master, let's go take a look!"

Seeing this, Daoist Zixiao shook his head and chuckled, "Alright, alright, you little rascal, you get so excited as soon as you hear it's a gift for you. What, you actually take his nonsense seriously? Aren't you afraid he'll say something like 'as a betrothal gift' or something like that again?"

"Master—!" The girl's pretty face flushed red instantly, too embarrassed to look up.

Master Zixiao laughed heartily: "Alright, alright, let's go! Let's see what kind of trouble that brat is up to now."

……

……

Down the mountain.

Chu Buxiu, panting and clutching his aching back, stared at the coffin-sized wooden box behind him, asking suspiciously, "What's in this box? It's ridiculously heavy, and it's radiating a chilling aura..."

Several Qi Sect disciples who had been "temporarily dragged in to help" by Gu Changfeng were also exhausted, all drenched in sweat and looking miserable.

"I heard you pulled off a big heist in Chang'an. Is there some gold and silver jewelry in here? Are you going to give this as a betrothal gift to Junior Sister Ning?" someone joked.

Gu Changfeng scoffed, "The betrothal gifts are real, but the gold and silver jewelry are far too tacky. Do you think I, Gu Changfeng, am such a vulgar person?"

Chu Buxiu leaned closer and whispered gossip, "I heard, I heard... I heard you and Cai Ling Shuang in Chang'an... cough, you know..."

Gu Changfeng was shocked: "Holy crap, who spread this rumor? I am absolutely loyal to my junior sister! That vixen, does she even dare to corrupt my Dao heart?"

Chu Buxiu said disdainfully, "If your Dao heart isn't disturbed, then why are you swallowing saliva? You're clearly distracted."

Gu Changfeng chuckled and turned to the dozen or so laborers he had hired below, saying, "Brothers, give it your all. Once we get it up the mountain, I guarantee you'll be well paid."

After saying that, he looked up and saw that the mountain path was already crowded with people, including those from the Sword Sect and the Qi Sect. Even Feng Buping and Cong Buqi had come and were staring at the big box with great interest.

Gu Changfeng raised an eyebrow and said bluntly, "Feng Buping, Cong Buqi, haven't you two seen enough? Come and help!"

Feng Buping frowned: "Is this how you beg for help?"

Gu Changfeng smiled mysteriously, patted the wooden box, and said, "The things inside are treasures you've always dreamed of. If you obediently help me carry them upstairs now, I might let you use them for a couple of days if I'm in a good mood. So, will you help me or not?"

Feng Buping was silent for a moment, then said, "Hmph, I'm not helping you, it's just that you're blocking the way here, which is affecting other people going up and down the mountain... Junior Brother Cong, take a few people up the mountain and find some more ropes."

Before long, when Zixiao Daoist and Ning Zhongze reached the mountainside, they witnessed an astonishing scene.

The disciples of the Sword and Qi sects were actually working together to drag a heavy wooden box.

The box was as long as a coffin and incredibly heavy. Coupled with the narrow and steep mountain path, even though these people were all highly skilled, they were exhausted and panting heavily.

When everyone saw that Daoist Zixiao had arrived, they all bowed and greeted him as "Sect Master" and "Sect Master Yue".

Master Zixiao nodded slightly, but before he could speak, the girl beside him could no longer contain her joy and called out, "Second Senior Brother, you're finally back!"

Even so, her gaze remained fixed on the heavy wooden box, her eyes unblinking, filled with undisguised curiosity and anticipation.

Daoist Zixiao frowned and asked, "What is this thing?"

Gu Changfeng smiled and said, "It's a gift for my junior sister."

Chu Buxiu chimed in from the side, "Hey, didn't you just say it was a 'betrothal gift'?"

The moment the words "betrothal gifts" were uttered, the girl's pretty face flushed red, and she lowered her head in embarrassment. However, unlike the panic she felt when she first heard the words, she seemed somewhat used to it now, even though she was shy.

Gu Changfeng said with a serious face, "Don't talk nonsense. It's just a gift for my junior sister. It's nothing special. It can barely be considered the number one treasure in the martial arts world."

Everyone was speechless for a moment, thinking: This is too much to ask...

Master Zixiao narrowed his eyes slightly. He knew Gu Changfeng's character; if it was said to be the number one treasure in the martial arts world, it absolutely couldn't be wrong.

"How heavy is it?"

"About four or five thousand catties!"

Master Zixiao gasped, hesitated for a moment, and then sent someone up the mountain to invite Lin Qingxuan, Chu Qingkuang, Su Qingxue, and others to come and help.

Everyone worked until it was completely dark before finally transporting the heavy wooden box to "Purple Qi Comes from the East Pavilion".

Even though the mission was accomplished, no one left. Everyone's eyes were fixed on the wooden box, without exception—whether they were disciples of the Sword Sect or the Qi Sect, they were all gripped by curiosity, wanting to know what rare treasures were hidden inside.

Ning Zhongze, unable to contain herself any longer, blinked and urged, "Second Senior Brother, what exactly is in here?"

Gu Changfeng smiled without saying a word, and with a swing of his longsword, the wooden board cracked open, and a chilling aura instantly surged out, making everyone shiver.

Inside the box was a single piece of crystal-clear, gleaming blue jade. The jade was warm and translucent, shaped like a couch, and exuded a chilling aura, as if even the air itself had frozen.

"This, this, this is... a jade bed?"

Su Qingxue's beautiful eyes widened in surprise and doubt. Then her expression changed slightly, and she blurted out, "Changfeng! You wouldn't have... dug up the Tomb of the Living Dead, would you?"