I Have a Golden Crow

The celestial punishment drawn by Li Mengnan lasted for a full five days!

Unfortunately, Master Qing was unable to go a step further.

Twice in a row, she risked her life to shield her disciple from the heavenly punishment and, in doing so, absorbed a terrifying amount of energy, finally reaching the threshold for breakthrough.

However, breaking through to the Demon Taming General Level is no easy feat.

This threshold might block you for a day—or it could block you for a lifetime.

Master Qing made it very clear before: in cultivation, the hardest part is never about the accumulation, but about making that final breakthrough.

If only this time the celestial punishment had been Fire Attribute.

That way, the Mountain Fire Saber could have pushed Master Qing forward, just like last time, and everything would have fallen into place.

Thus, the Cyan Sect disciples’ grand endeavor to ascend to divinity finally drew to a close.

Master Qing could finally take a breather too. What Du Yu didn’t expect was that she barely rested for two days before, on October 8th, she handed down a new task: the Seven-foot Map of the Realm!

”Master Qing?” Under the Shatang tree, Du Yu had one arm wrapped around Qingci’s dragon tail, looking toward the main hall doors.

Yang Qingqing wore a light green palace-style robe, dazzling and radiant.

In her slender hand, which hung down naturally, she held a scroll.

”Wake up Qingci, let’s take a look at this painting,” Yang Qingqing said as she floated over gracefully.

”Master Qing, aren’t you going to rest a few more days?” Du Yu hesitated a little.

On the surface, she really didn’t seem to need more rest.

But Du Yu always felt that going through a heavenly punishment at that level was practically a brush with death.

Wouldn’t your heart be exhausted?

”I’m in great shape.” Looking at her disciple’s concerned face, Yang Qingqing smiled gently and spoke softly.

”All right then.” Du Yu replied a little helplessly.

This woman really is a workaholic.

He pinched the tip of the soft dragon tail, and the peacefully sleeping Celestial Cyan Porcelain woke up instantly.

She flicked her tail gently and sent Du Yu ten meters away, then turned her dragon head to look behind.

Those huge dragon eyes gave Du Yu a stare—firm but not too harsh.

”Hehe.” Du Yu scratched his head, ”Wake up, Qingci, let’s look at this painting together.”

Slowly, the dragon tail wrapped around Du Yu’s body: ”Don’t touch my tail again.”

”Mm-hmm.” Du Yu nodded repeatedly, looking perfectly well-behaved.

Only then did Celestial Cyan Porcelain release him, but the reproach in her eyes hadn’t faded—quite a sight indeed.

Yang Qingqing looked on with a smile, not disturbing the main character and her beast.

Du Yu reached out and requested the scroll fragments from the Shatang tree: ”Right, Master Qing, should we call Senior Brother Fu over?”

Yang Qingqing: ”Sword Province is in a good state at the moment, and West Xia’s Flute is emotionally stable. It’s best not to disturb the status quo.”

Du Yu nodded and took the scroll fragments.

Come to think of it, Rotten Master Qing, stationed at the Twenty-Ninth Bureau, was always keeping an eye on Senior Brother Fu.

Yang Qingqing: ”I should thank you for that song, by the way. West Xia’s Flute likes it very much.”

”That was all taught to me by the Shadow Gu Tower.” Du Yu made up a lie on the spot and waved his hand, indicating it wasn’t his credit. ”Master Qing, give me a second, I’ll go fetch the bow.”

With that, Du Yu’s figure flashed and vanished.

Back at his home on the 16th floor, with no one else around, Du Yu let out a deep sigh: ”Sigh...”

After successfully completing the mission at Jihua Village last time, Du Yu and the others went to report in at Great Xia’s Capital City—Headquarter of the Twenty-Ninth Bureau. During those days of reporting, he fulfilled his promise and taught Senior Brother Fu a song.

He didn’t pick something like ”Good Days” or ”Good Luck Comes.” Du Yu always felt those moods were too extreme and worried that Bai Lan wouldn’t be able to handle it all at once...

After much thought, Du Yu settled on ”To Alice.”

Gentle and beautiful, tinged with a faint melancholy, but more than anything, filled with hope and longing.

Du Yu felt this piece suited Bai Lan during her ”transformation period.”

Looking back, for someone who’s a total music noob, being able to play a song like this—he owed it all to the school’s end-of-class bell back in the day.

Every time he remembered the tune, Du Yu felt an urge to dash off to the cafeteria at lunchtime...

Really feels like another lifetime.

Thinking about it now, those days were honestly boring.

Poverty, hardship, monotony... but peaceful.

”Xiaoye, take good care of the house.” Du Yu took the Jade Marrow Bow from the Golden Leaf, gave the leaf a little pat, and flashed away again.

When Du Yu returned to Shatang Mansion, Yang Qingqing had already unrolled the painting and was waiting quietly for her disciple.

The Shatang tree was very considerate, using its branches to form a long table for displaying the scroll.

Du Yu quickly went over and placed the fragments onto the scroll one by one, like assembling a jigsaw puzzle.

When he fitted in the last piece, Yang Qingqing stretched an arm in front of Du Yu, pushing him back a few steps. ”I have a Rotten Wood Body. You step back a bit.

I’ll make sure it’s safe before you come closer to investigate.”

”Eh?” Before Du Yu even had a chance to move, a hand grabbed him by the back of his collar.

He was yanked a few steps back, and only then did he notice—there was another Master Qing at his side.

Good grief~

Having more bodies is so impressive, huh?

Can’t really blame her, though—Celestial Cyan Porcelain’s aura was so overwhelming that the presence of Master Qing behind him was completely masked, Du Yu hadn’t noticed at all.

Above the three of them, Celestial Cyan Porcelain curiously watched the scroll, waiting for the Seven-foot Map of the Realm to ”heal.”

One minute, two minutes... ten minutes.

On the leafy long table, nothing happened to the scroll. Occasionally, when a breeze wafted by, a few fragments would even get nudged out of place.

Could it really heal itself?

”Whew~”

The breeze swept over again, and a fragment shifted slightly.

”Shatang, make a wall of leaves.” Du Yu instructed.

”Shasha~” The thick tree leaves quickly poured down and wove together tightly.

Rotten Master Qing pressed a fingertip onto a fragment, lightly guided it back into the gap.

”Buzz!”—Right at that moment, a terrifying surge of energy blasted out, and the White Jade Scroll burst into light!

All five fragments subtly adjusted their position.

Though it was an ancient painting, it behaved like a precision modern device, fitting each fragment into the gaps with perfect alignment.

In the blink of an eye, the scroll was completely unblemished, restored as good as new!

Du Yu touched his left chest—his Shadow Gu Tower and Mountain and Sea Bell were there, too.

So this is what your self-healing process looks like?

”Really wants to live,” Yang Qingqing said softly.

Somehow...it seemed her attitude toward this spiritual artifact was a bit different than toward the others?

Just as she said, at first the scroll was all gray and murky, its contents indistinct; but now, the gray fog on the painting had thinned and begun to dissipate.

Rotten Master Qing’s beautiful eyes lit up—what a magnificent ink-painted Map of the Realm!

In the foreground stood a tall peak piercing the clouds, with layers of mountains rolling behind it.

The mountain path twisted and turned, hiding mansions deep within.

Rivers and lakes stretched out endlessly, with a lone boat faintly visible on the water.

By the riverside stood pavilions and terraces.

”A thousand miles of land, vast and boundless.” She whispered, trailing her slender finger to the height of the foreground peak.

There, a waterfall plunged down, like the Milky Way from the Ninth Heaven, pouring into the river below.

The next moment, Rotten Master Qing’s eyes opened wider.

Her finger seemed to actually go through the painting, penetrating into it?

The Jiangshan Map gripped her fingertip tightly. The next instant, an immense suction force erupted!

She couldn’t withstand the painting’s pull—before she knew it, her entire arm had been drawn inside.

”Master Qing!” Du Yu couldn’t help it—he lunged forward, arms circling the woman’s waist, trying to pull her back.

Yang Qingqing was focused on her Rotten Wood Body, so her reaction was a beat slow. But no matter—Shatang Tree and Celestial Cyan Porcelain were even faster!

Branches and dragon whiskers entwined their master and disciple, grappling with the ancient spiritual artifact!

After a brief stalemate, Celestial Cyan Porcelain let out a furious roar: ”Hiss!!”

The master and disciple duo were yanked back out...

The White Jade Scroll’s glow instantly vanished. The Map of the Realm became just another ink painting, falling silent once more.

Awkward!

This grand ancient spiritual artifact finally made its grand comeback after centuries, only to have its debut crash and burn.

Talk about embarrassing...

Then again, with not one but two Ancient Demon Saints guarding the master and disciple, no wonder the Seven-foot Map of the Realm lost so badly, right?

Each ancient spiritual artifact has different powers and traits, so you can’t really compare them directly.

But when it comes to ”pulling people into another world,” the Mountain and Sea Bell leaves the Jiangshan Map in the dust!

Once the Mountain and Sea Bell’s doors open and shut, whether you’re human or ghost, you’re coming in!

But this Jiangshan Map—it relies on ”suction”?

If that’s all, others can just muscle their way out of it.

Nothing to say, this little broken painting is kind of embarrassing!

Du Yu steadied his mind and turned to the two Demon Saints behind him. ”Thank you.”

Yang Qingqing was much calmer—with two Ancient Demon Saints at your side, you really can be confident.

Plus, if even ancient demon saints can’t keep you safe, then no matter how cautious you are, it won’t help.

The woman quietly observed the Jiangshan Map, reaching down to gently pat her disciple’s arms around her waist.

”Uh...” Du Yu quickly let go, silently cursing himself.

A year ago, what Du Yu said in his heart had now been proven true.

Master Qing’s waist isn’t just a waist—it’s a saber that kills...

”What did you see?” She pressed her hand on the Seven-foot Map of the Realm, tracing a tantalizing line along the scroll.

”Mountain peaks, waterfalls—pretty much what’s shown in the foreground,” Du Yu answered.

As he spoke, Yang Qingqing pushed Rotten Master Qing aside and faced the Seven-foot Map of the Realm head-on.

Du Yu frowned a little—what was she doing?

”Master Qing?” In the distance, Lin Shiwei stood beneath the moon arch, looking at those under the tree.

Yang Qingqing didn’t even turn her head. ”We’re fine. Go take care of Mengnan.”

”Yes.” Lin Shiwei’s eyes betrayed a hint of worry. After all, the furious roar from Qingci earlier was rather intimidating.

But a master’s order must be followed, so she had no choice but to give up and step away.

Luckily, Du Yu was thoughtful—he turned and gave her a thumbs up.

”Be careful.” Lin Shiwei mouthed silently, backing away lightly.

On this side, Yang Qingqing lifted her palm and slammed it down—”Pa!”

Du Yu couldn’t help but twitch his lips. Although she slapped the painting, it really looked a lot like she was slapping its face...

She said sternly, ”Come out!”

The Seven-foot Map of the Realm remained silent, like a dead object.

Yang Qingqing slowly grabbed the center of the scroll as if she might crush the painting. ”We restored you, gave you a second life, and yet you say nothing and work your tricks against us.”

As she spoke, a layer of red mist enveloped her.

Heart Slaying Garden—Nangong Ling reappeared.

And at that moment, a half-shadowed figure slowly emerged from the scroll.

He, too, was wearing a crimson robe, his expression now shocked as he looked at the red-robed woman before him: ”You are?”