Once Hou had fully awoken and comprehended what he saw, he was brought up by Nine Clouds Purple Miasma and they walked back. Marching through Sword City, through the streets once more.
The streets had become busy once more as Hou was as still as a statue for a day. The Hilt and surrounding areas were guarded by the Myriad Smog Army and when Hou awoke they started to move.
The soldiers slammed their spears to the ground and shouted,
"Make way!"
They all matched unison, guarding Hou and also clearing the streets. Hou and Nine Clouds Purple Miasma both walked forward. They walked from The Hilt down the main street, towards to main red gate, there they would circle back to the teleport gate.
As they passed the red gate, the whole of Sword City let out a gasp. Even though they were excited, at the same time they were scared and anxious of an Elder visiting them. They had been watching in anticipation of the direct disciple had only for a full day and then silently left.
Hou made Nine Clouds Purple Miasma walked out of the gates and saw the two cultivator's from earlier,
"Elder Nine Clouds Purple Miasma, Nine Clouds Hou! We thank you deeply for visiting Sword City and for your gift! If you call for us anytime, we will be glad to help!"
"We are Yi Xuan and Jing Yuan, disciples of Sword City Sect!"
Nine Clouds Purple Miasma had instructed Hou to do and nodded to Hou,
"Yi Xuan and Jing Yuan of Sword City, I accept your offer. Whenever I wish for your help I will call for you."
Hou did not bow but gave a gentle nod, as in line with his authority as an Elder's direct disciple.
"Now we will depart" Nine Clouds Purple Miasma gave a goodbye and pushed Hou forward to indicate they will leave now.
Hou took his cue and activated his Cloudy Eagle Divine Wings and the Free Lark Technique. He set off from the ground and was flying through the sky and following Nine Clouds Purple Miasma.
Once they were a sufficient distance from Sword City, Nine Clouds Purple Miasma spoke,
"Do you have any questions about what you saw at The Hilt?"
"...so spirits don't exist anymore? It was hard to tell with the knowledge that I got."
"Yes it's as you say, one of the reasons for Traditional cultivation's downfall is it is not viable anymore. When The Great Earthly Master of Heaven, Yao Tian, was in his final moments he sacrificed himself for change. He had used all of his knowledge and skills of modern cultivation and changed the function of the world. In the old world spirits would form from experiences and laws mixing into a sort of lifeform. But what Yao Tian did was change this fundamental law and allowed physical laws in the world."
"Allowed physical laws? How, what do you mean?"
"What I mean is that he stopped spirits from forming naturally and instead laws entered the world and mixed with material this things. Now laws are created in the world and can create mystical things. Like beasts with special powers or plants like the ones you use in alchemy."
"I understand, normally laws would act in accordance to causation but now they are separate. The effect makes the cause."
"Exactly so! Any other questions?"
"I can think of one, yes. What about Zhou Tian's other two children?"
"A daughter Yun Qian and a son Da Yong. They were working within the traditional system in a world full of spirits but still they pioneered paths. Yun Qian created beautiful formations and talismans which controlled spirits more like laws. While antiquated now, her ideas are the basis on formations. And Da Yong, the progenitor of the sword paths. He had saw that his father and siblings had given up on the basics. He was the shortest living of Zhou Tian's children, but in that time he became highly influential. He created the sword spirits and sword laws purely from his innovation."
"He...created new laws?"
"Not so created, I should say discovered. Bit even that is debated, like I said these figures might not be fully factual. But that is the myth at least."
"I see. Thank you"
By the time they finished talking they were already where they needed to be. Hou didn't notice but Nine Clouds Purple Miasma purposely chose a specific route. He had noticed an airstream and chose to use a technique to strengthen it.
By strengthening the air stream they could travel along it and fly faster and more efficiently. In only half the time as before, for only a small price, they have it back to the teleport gate.
It was a large stone gate in the shape of a circle, though smaller than the entrance gate of Sword City.
"Next we leave Cloud Sword Mountains headed by Nine Clouds Sword Master! We will next arrive in Elder Nine Clouds Elegant Formations, Qi Lan. She is one of my closest elders expect a welcoming."
With that said Nine Clouds Purple Miasma took a token from his robes and threw it into the sky Infront of the gate.
"Master, what are the tokens you are throwing?"
"They're called Transport Tokens and they each correspond to different other teleport gates. When needed, I can transfer your Disciple Token into a Transport Token."
"Thank you"
Hou watched as the Transport Token floated into he air and shot out lights onto the edge of the circle. The. He watched as marking on the teleport gate grew and clouds were seeping.
Cloud fog was seeping out the circle and swirling onto the middle of the gate. It solidified then shimmered, turning into a different land. Instead of rough mountains or clouds, it was grass!
"Welcome, Hou, to Green Earth Paradise!"
Nine Clouds had introduced the place as a paradise, and Hou could see why. It was a bright and vivid green, luscious grasslands with rolling hills and elegant mountains.