I Became an Immortal in the Mountains - Chapter 8: A Night of Observation and Shadowed Battle

Daqian Dynasty, North Chang Street.

This district lay adjacent to the Imperial Palace and government offices—it was where most high-ranking court officials resided.

Inside a secluded courtyard with two main halls:

“Eunuch Li, any word on the matter I asked you to investigate?”
Qin Bojun fixed his gaze on the eunuch before him.

Eunuch Li Haiming offered a faint smile.

“Strictly speaking, matters of the palace shouldn’t be disclosed to outsiders. But since Young Master Qin is the Princess’s fellow disciple, and the Lingxu Sect has always been on good terms with the court—and your esteemed father now serves as an Inner Palace Envoy—I suppose you count as one of our own. So I’ll be frank.”

He paused slightly before continuing:

“Indeed, something strange happened eight months ago. That night, His Majesty flew into a rage and smashed his favorite pine-ink imperial inkstone into dust. The next day, Prince Gu was demoted a rank, and his heir, Gu Yuanxuan, was stripped of his cultivation and exiled to the frontier for a crime committed half a year prior—assaulting a commoner woman. But oddly enough, he was ambushed by bandits less than 300 li from the capital and killed.”

He snorted. “Bandits near the capital? That’s like napping in a tiger’s mouth.”

Qin Bojun’s expression turned cold. “Are you saying… the child in Miaoxuan’s womb belonged to Gu Yuanxuan? And that he’s already dead?”

“I never said Her Highness was pregnant,” Li Haiming replied, voice sharpening. “Such claims, Young Master Qin, must not be spoken lightly. I merely mentioned an unusual incident that happened nine months ago.”

Qin Bojun ignored the evasive reply—it was clearly an attempt to cover things up. He took out a small box from his sleeve and pushed it across the table.

“Thank you for your trouble, Eunuch Li. Inside is a Leopard Fetus Marrow-Cleansing Pill, crafted exclusively by the Lingxu Sect. A small token of appreciation.”

Li Haiming’s eyes lit up with delight. He received the box with both hands, peeked inside, and then carefully tucked it into his belt pouch before smiling broadly and bowing.

“Then I thank you on behalf of my dear nephew, Young Master Qin.”

“Think nothing of it. May your nephew reach success in cultivation.”

“Many thanks! Oh, by the way… there’s something else I heard, though I can’t say whether it’s true. It’s said that Prince Gu also had an illegitimate son named… Gu Yuanqing, who was taken away by the Imperial Guards around the same time. Supposedly, he was imprisoned on Beiquan Mountain.”

Qin Bojun abruptly stood up. “What are you implying, Eunuch Li?”

“I’m merely relaying what I heard. Perhaps it’s just a rumor. Whether true or not, I trust Young Master Qin can judge for himself. I’ve lingered too long outside the palace—mustn’t delay further. Farewell.”

With a clasp of his horsetail whisk, Li Haiming bowed and backed away three steps before turning and leaving.

“Gu Yuanqing… a mere illegitimate son of the Gu family—how dare he!”

Qin Bojun’s expression turned dark and stormy.

The grief and indignation from that day had not faded. A whole month had passed, yet his heart remained restless, his cultivation stagnant.

Further inquiry revealed that Princess Li Miaoxuan had never publicly wed, which only confirmed his suspicions—a secret pregnancy.

If she had married openly, he might have accepted it. But this? How could he tolerate it?

He had rushed back to the capital, only to be denied an audience with Miaoxuan.

He began his private investigation, expecting to find some noble scion or elite genius. But instead, the truth led to a mere bastard?

The fury in his chest could no longer be contained. Every emotion now burned as murderous intent.

“Beiquan Mountain… is it?”

His voice was low, cold—and deadly.

***

On Beiquan Mountain, Gu Yuanqing was in excellent spirits.

His cultivation had broken through, his path ahead clear.

Except for the lack of anyone to converse with, life here was peaceful and untroubled.

He gathered celestial energy at dawn, terrestrial energy at dusk. At midnight, he practiced his core techniques with heaven and earth’s spiritual Qi. His progress improved with each passing day.

He only waited now for the moment he became a Grandmaster—then the whole world would be his to explore.

His swordsmanship had improved by leaps and bounds. The Big Dipper Seven Swords had moved beyond the basics, and the first stirrings of sword intent had emerged. He wasn’t sure of his current battle prowess, but he guessed that ordinary low-level True Martial practitioners would be no match for him.

That night, after his cultivation session, Gu Yuanqing lay on his bed and began his nightly Mountain Observation. He merged with Beiquan Mountain, sensing the subtle exchange between the mountain and the heavens.

In this half-asleep, half-awake state, his spiritual awareness grew stronger—more so than any meditation technique in his secret manuals.

Suddenly, he snapped out of his trance.

Two shadowy figures had crossed into Beiquan Mountain’s territory from the western cliff.

Both were clad in black, faces masked, swords on their backs—standard garb for covert operatives. Their cultivation was impressive; they moved along sheer cliffs as if on flat ground and reached mid-mountain in moments.

“Are they after Beiquan’s hidden treasure too? Allies of that old man, perhaps?”

Just as he pondered this, the two figures ran right into the old man who emerged from the cave.

The three all froze—clearly up to no good—and instinctively attacked!

The old man’s firewood chopper flashed out from his waist, unleashing a flurry of dazzling blade-light. The two black-clad figures drew their swords, responding like swimming dragons.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

A string of blade and sword clashes echoed in the mountains.

“Hmm? That looks like a blade technique… but I see hints of the Big Dipper Sword Technique. Could this old man be a former disciple of the Beiquan Sword Sect?”
Gu Yuanqing, a skilled swordsman himself, recognized the essence of the moves instantly.

“So they’re not allies after all. Interesting.”

He watched intently. In the past, his cultivation was too low—he had only ever seen minor fights between low-level practitioners. Even when he caught glimpses of True Martial experts, the movements had been a blur.

Now, things were different.

“Tsk. They’re fast, sure—but their sword techniques are average at best. Every strike has at least two or three obvious weaknesses.”

He shook his head repeatedly.

“That old guy isn’t too sharp either. Didn’t he notice? That last move—if he’d followed up with Rooted Crane Grasp, transitioning into Parting the Clouds, he could’ve—ah, wait, no, that Parting the Clouds upward strike would’ve left a gap the other guy could exploit…”

Gu Yuanqing became absorbed in the battle. New insights and realizations flowed through him. After all, while he was proficient in swordplay, he had no real combat experience. Watching a real battle like this was an invaluable lesson.

Suddenly, the old man’s technique shifted.

The humble firewood chopper emitted a three-inch blade of Sword Qi, and his previously ambiguous technique transformed into a genuine Big Dipper Sword Style.

The two masked men were caught off guard.

Twin sword lights broke through their guard, slashing across their bodies.

Bl00d sprayed into the air. Both let out muffled groans and tumbled down the mountainside.

The old man glanced down, then quickly turned and returned to his dwelling.

“Huh? That’s it? That’s how it ends?”

Gu Yuanqing was stunned. The fight had ended just as it got good—like a movie suddenly cutting out during the climax.

But then he immediately understood why.

A new figure, clad in armor, was approaching swiftly from a distance.

A falcon-shaped aura shimmered behind him. With every step he took, the falcon’s wings flapped, propelling him forward at lightning speed.