As the days passed, the time to leave for Cangya Mountain drew closer.
Qin Residence.
In the study, Qin Yun sat at his desk, practicing calligraphy. Each stroke he made carried the strength of iron and the elegance of silver, exuding the sharpness of a sword and the softness of a willow in the spring breeze. His handwriting was exceptional, comparable to that of a master calligrapher.
In his childhood, he practiced writing while learning characters, copying numerous calligraphy models but achieving little success. However, after reaching the "Flawless Realm" in his sword practice, where he could perfectly control every strand of his strength—even every strand of hair—his writing became aesthetically pleasing. Yet, it lacked soul.
It wasn’t until he comprehended the "Rainy Mist Sword Intent" that his calligraphy transcended. The sword intent naturally infused itself into his writing, elevating it and granting it spirit, earning him the title of a true calligraphy master.
Practicing calligraphy had become another form of sword training for Qin Yun.
“My Rainy Mist Sword Intent still falls short in instantaneous strikes; the sword intent isn’t restrained enough.” Qin Yun frowned slightly, each brushstroke seeming like a sword move in itself.
“Second Young Master! Second Young Master! Someone from the Governor’s Mansion has arrived!” A servant hurriedly reported from outside the study.
“The Governor’s Mansion?” Qin Yun put down his brush and walked outside.
Soon, he met the visitor.
“Qin Yun! Qin Yun! Good news! Great news!” The governor’s son, Wen Chong, called out excitedly from a distance. Two guards accompanied him.
“Oh? What’s the good news?” Qin Yun, having a guess, couldn’t help but feel a surge of anticipation.
Wen Chong, grinning mysteriously, pulled out a jade-green bottle from his robe. In a low voice, he said, “The treasure you wanted. My father went through considerable trouble to gather these six jin and three liang. He even had to seek help from an Innate Daoist expert from a Daoist sanctuary. That expert also expended significant effort—it wasn’t easy. As for the remaining Cold Essence Elixir, it should be ready within a month after we return from Cangya Mountain.”
Taking the cold jade bottle in his hand, Qin Yun felt its chill and couldn’t suppress his delight. “Wonderful! I know how difficult it is to gather the Cold Essence Elixir. Please convey my thanks to Governor Wen.”
“As long as you bring back the Spirit Fruit from Cangya Mountain, it will all be worth it,” Wen Chong said with a smile.
“Rest assured, I will do my utmost on this trip to Cangya Mountain,” Qin Yun replied earnestly.
“Then I won’t disturb you further. Don’t forget—meet at the Governor’s Mansion early the day after tomorrow,” Wen Chong reminded him.
“The day after tomorrow, early morning,” Qin Yun nodded. That was the scheduled departure time.
After Wen Chong left, Qin Yun immediately ordered no one to disturb him and went into seclusion in his room, shutting the door behind him.This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
In the inner chamber, Qin Yun sat cross-legged on his bed, holding the jade-green bottle. Pulling out the stopper, a white mist visible to the naked eye spread out, rapidly cooling the room. Frost formed on the furniture and windows.
“Cold Essence Elixir,” Qin Yun smiled. “What a treasure! The Wen Clan truly has incredible resources.”
He had previously tried to obtain the elixir himself but failed. The Cold Essence Elixir could only be found in the depths of the northern seabed, making deliberate searching akin to finding a needle in a haystack. It was usually discovered by high-level cultivators who chanced upon it during their ventures, and even then, it was hoarded by top sects.
“Release.”
Qin Yun extended his right hand, and a metal strand flew out from his fingertip. It quickly expanded into a three-inch-long, bright silver flying sword, hovering in front of him.
“Go.” With a thought, his true essence penetrated the jade bottle, drawing out a stream of deep blue liquid that sparkled faintly. The cold mist spread, forming frost even on the furniture. This stream of Cold Essence Elixir enveloped the life-bound flying sword.
Qin Yun activated a secret technique, causing the flying sword to emit a radiant glow as it absorbed the elixir like a parched desert drinking water. Within moments, the entire stream of Cold Essence Elixir had been consumed.
“My life-bound flying sword has been starved for too long,” Qin Yun remarked, smiling.
The sword had previously absorbed materials with metallic and wooden attributes. However, treasures with water attributes—such as the Cold Essence Elixir—were exceedingly rare in the sword cultivator''s repertoire. The elixir not only strengthened the sword''s resilience but also enriched its essence, increasing its potential to reach the eighth grade upon becoming a magical artifact.
Magical artifacts were classified into nine grades, with the ninth being the lowest and the first the highest.
For sword cultivators, even subpar materials like scrap iron could eventually refine a life-bound flying sword into a magical artifact, though it would barely qualify as ninth grade. However, incorporating treasures from different elemental attributes greatly enhanced its quality.
“This elixir will make the flying sword tougher and more profound in its foundation. If I’m lucky, it might reach eighth grade as a magical artifact,” Qin Yun mused.
Over the next few hours, he continued feeding the sword, allowing it to absorb five jin and two liang of Cold Essence Elixir before stopping.
“My sword has truly been thirsty for too long,” Qin Yun chuckled. “With this infusion, even without more elixir, I could fully refine it into a magical artifact within three to four months. But with the next batch of Cold Essence Elixir, I can complete it in half a month!”
For a sword cultivator, having a life-bound flying sword was essential. Without one, could they even call themselves a sword cultivator?
Meanwhile, at the Governor''s Mansion.
“Father, the Cold Essence Elixir has been delivered to Qin Yun,” Wen Chong reported.
“Good,” the old governor replied, trimming a bonsai tree with precision.
“But Father, we’ve given benefits to Qin Yun and Lady Yi Xiao, yet offered nothing to Jia Huairen. And we’ve only promised him the Hundred Poison Blood after the Spirit Fruit is retrieved. Won’t he resent this and refuse to do his best during the mission?” Wen Chong asked worriedly.
The governor paused and looked at his son, smiling. “Different cultivators require different approaches. Jia Huairen is overly reliant on his monster servant and has never faced true hardship. Such people only comply when they feel the threat of death. Besides, we’ve already offered him both the stick and the carrot—a beautiful woman now, and the Hundred Poison Blood after the mission. He won’t dare act out.”
“As for Yi Xiao and Qin Yun, they’re different.”
The governor continued, “Yi Xiao hails from the Yi Clan of Kunlun Prefecture, a family with deeper roots than even our Wen Clan. She’s also a disciple of the Daoist holy land, Shenxiao Sect. To influence her, we must use favors.”
“And Qin Yun? He’s likely of the sword immortal lineage. Most importantly, he’s a man forged in the blood of countless battles. Threats won’t work on him. Showing him goodwill with the Cold Essence Elixir ensures he will give his all.”
The governor resumed trimming the bonsai. “As for Jia Huairen, his monster servant has some value, but he himself? The number of monsters he’s seen probably doesn’t even match the number Qin Yun has killed.”
“True!” Wen Chong laughed. “I’ve reviewed the records—Jia Huairen hasn’t encountered nearly as many monsters as Qin Yun has slain.”
“In three days, we’ll know the outcome.” The governor’s eyes gleamed with anticipation. The Spirit Fruit could extend his life by twenty years. Without it, he had only a few years left to live.
“Three days,” he muttered under his breath.