《Starting My Cultivation With Time Management》 Chapter 1 - 1 The Junior Sister Always Challenges Me Chapter 1: The Junior Sister Always Challenges Me Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°` ¡°Countdown to world destruction: one thousand years.¡± ¡°Please hurry to find the Heaven-Mending Stone.¡± ¡°Location one: Kunlun Taiqing Sect, Golden Ridge Cave Abode.¡± ¡°Character identity: Qiu Changtian.¡± ¡°Mirror Flower Water Moon Temte oveying, currently in time-space travel.¡± He suddenly opened his eyes, only to find himself sitting on a stone bed in a cave room, his body in a meditative posture. Picking up the copper mirror beside him, he could see a handsome young man¡¯s reflection. With eyebrows like sharp swords, and eyes like bright stars, his face appeared jade-like, and his lips were red, bursting with grace and elegance. Tsk, too handsome, how can I be this good-looking? He set down the copper mirror and pondered for a moment before hearing a cold female voice outside: ¡°Is Senior Brother there? Your Junior Sister hase to seek instruction in sword techniques.¡± He froze for a moment upon hearing the words, then heaved a deep sigh. Here we go again. Walking to the entrance of the cave abode, he confirmed his current identity again. Yes, a newly initiated disciple of the Kunlun Sect, Direct Disciple of the Sect Leader, Qiu Changtian. As Qiu Changtian left the cave abode, he saw a fairy-like maiden in white standing outside. Her features were delicate and picturesque, with an ethereal quality about her. She wore a simple white Daoist robe and had long hair that fell to her waist, carelessly tied at the shoulder des, blending gentleness with an air of valiance¡ªshe was the type of female lead who, in fantasy TV series, would immediately be recognized by the audience as extremely popr. This maiden in white was his Junior Sister, Xu Yinglian. Coming from the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, a prominent family of cultivators, she also possessed the rare cultivating gift, the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart. Thus, justst month, the Kunlun Taiqing Sect made an exception for her to skip the entrance exam and took her in as a Direct Disciple, making her the ¡°favored daughter of the heavens¡± in every sense of the word. Well, if it weren¡¯t for him, she would undoubtedly be the first among the disciples of this generation. Seeing Qiu Changtiane out from the cave, Xu Yinglian formed a sword technique with her fingers, and summoned a streak of red light from behind her. The sword was about three feet and seven inches long, hovering in front of her chest; the handle was decorated with a lifelike carving of a divine bird with red feathers. Xu Yinglian caressed the flying sword with her slender fingers, her tone serious and her demeanor utterly earnest, she slowly said: ¡°This sword is named ¡®Yu Jia,¡¯ and it¡¯s a family heirloom of my Xu Family.¡± ¡°Master has sealed the eight subsequentyers of Daoist magic within it, allowing it to exert only the might of the Qi Refinement Realm, which is suitable for our sword trial.¡± Her fingers glided over the de, drawing out a spark of brilliant fire. Her eyes brimmed with fighting spirit, as if the mes were burning there too. Qiu Changtian was speechless. Just a moment ago, she spoke of ¡°seeking instruction in sword techniques,¡± and now it¡¯s be an unabashed ¡°sword trial,¡± huh? Sigh. Junior Sister is good in every way, except for this: She¡¯s toopetitive. Beat her once in any aspect, and she¡¯ll challenge you thousands of times until she wins back at least once. This week, she came to challenge under the pretext of seeking instruction in Sword Control Technique, is it the seventh time now¡­ Qiu Changtian was somewhat distracted, and seeing her Senior Brother¡¯s mind elsewhere, Xu Yinglian¡¯s beautiful face showed a hint of annoyance as she asked again: ¡°Is Senior Brother willing to offer guidance with the sword? Or is it inconvenient?¡± Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­ To be honest, he wasn¡¯t someone who liked to show off. If possible, he really wanted to intentionally lose to his Junior Sister this time, so she could be at ease and settle down for a few days. But my character setting doesn¡¯t allow it! ¡°Not qualified to instruct,¡± Qiu Changtian said warmly, ¡°Let¡¯s just mutually learn and borrow knowledge from each other.¡± He also formed a sword technique and pulled out the flying sword ¡°Jade Smoke.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for an introduction of my flying sword, right?¡± Qiu Changtian said with another smile. That was a slightly mocking statement, implying that his Junior Sister had lost to him many times and was already overly familiar with his flying sword. ¡°Please grant me your guidance, Senior Brother,¡± Xu Yinglian said unemotionally and stiffly. Both of them formed sword techniques again, and two streaks of light soared into the sky¡ªone red and one jade, signifying the start of the sword duel! Xu Yinglian continuously formed spells, directing Yu Jia to strike towards Jade Smoke. She knew that ording to the standards of the Heavenly Stem Sword Casting Method, her Senior Brother¡¯s Jade Smoke was only Seventh Rank, while her own Yu Jia was Tenth Rank. ¡°` Despite both being only in the Qi Refinement Realm, which sealed the sword Dao techniques on their swords, a Tenth Rank Flying Sword was far superior in terms of hardness, sharpness, and speedpared to a Seventh Rank Flying Sword. Winning through the rank of the Flying Sword was the key to victory in this sword fight! However, Qiu Changtian was faster to react. As soon as Xu Yinglian barely moved, Jade Smoke had already descended swiftly, shing towards Xu Yinglian¡¯s direction. Xu Yinglian¡¯s eyes turned fierce as she quickly directed her Feather Grace to turn back and defend, trying to lock down Jade Smoke¡¯s offensive. But with two quick stops and changes of direction, Jade Smoke easily broke through Feather Grace¡¯s encirclement, then transformed into a streak of jade-colored light, and in an instant, was close to Xu Yinglian¡¯s side, with the sword tip hovering in front of her chest. In the blink of an eye, the oue was decided. ¡°I¡¯ve lost,¡± Xu Yinglian lowered her head. Her face was filled with unwillingness, so intense that it seemed almost tangible. At the same time, the voice of the Kunlun Mirror sounded in her Sea of Consciousness: [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°Sister has made rapid progress in swordsmanship these days,¡± Qiu Changtian, reassured by the prompt from the Kunlun Mirror, said with a smile, ¡°Give it some time, and even I might not be your match.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Xu Yinglian pondered, ¡°It seems that it¡¯s due to sparring with Brother that I¡¯ve gained so much. I¡¯ll have to ask for more guidance in the future.¡± Qiu Changtian¡¯s face stiffened, and he quickly changed the subject: ¡°Ahem, although Sister¡¯s progress is rapid, being too hasty in practicing swordsmanship can lead to bottlenecks. Why not study some Daoist magic to ease your mind?¡± Youe to spar with me every day, and to maintain this invincible character setting, I can¡¯t refuse your challenges, it¡¯s so annoying! ¡°Then I¡¯ll just have to train harder, striving to hit that bottleneck sooner and then break through it,¡± Xu Yinglian remained unmoved, insisting. ¡°Sister, what exactly do you want from me?¡± Qiu Changtian said helplessly, ¡°I¡¯m not your personal sparring partner. Youe to me every day, and I barely have time for my own cultivation.¡± ¡°Brother,¡± Xu Yinglian was silent for a moment before speaking, ¡°I want to win against you.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s easy, I could just control¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare go easy on me, Brother!¡± Xu Yinglian eximed angrily, ¡°I want to defeat you with my own strength!¡± ¡°How long will that take?!¡± Qiu Changtian was angry too. As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted them. Because the implication was, ¡°No matter how many years you train, you¡¯ll never beat me.¡± How could Xu Yinglian, with her strong-willed nature, ever tolerate that? Indeed, her sister¡¯s face turned pale at once. Xu Yinglian fought back tears, bit her lip hard, and gave a difficult bow: ¡°These past days, I¡¯ve indeed troubled Brother. The next time Ie, it won¡¯t be for practice, but for a formal challenge!¡± Before Qiu Changtian could say another word, she mounted her sword and flew away in a huff, disappearing from sight. Once again, the Kunlun Mirror spoke: [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­ Sister, it¡¯s not that your brother wants to show off in your face. It¡¯s just that because of the Kunlun Mirror, I have to maintain this invincible character setting; otherwise, I won¡¯t be able to continue cultivating! Sigh, when ites down to it, isn¡¯t it all for the sake of saving the world? He turned his gaze to the northwest, where the Kunlun Mountain Range stretched endlessly. The snow-capped mountains, majestic and vast, werepletely within his view, looking like a world covered in silver. The sky was clear and blue, cloudless for miles, offering a sense of boundless ease and rxation. Yet who could know that in a thousand years, it would face the catastrophic Age of Dharma Decline? The very ce where N¨¹wa once mended the heavens would crumble once again. The heavenly dome would tilt towards the northwest, the milky way would hang upside down, and the sun and moon would change their courses. The Heavenly River with its nearly infinite amount of water would pour out crazily from the broken ces, causing Divine Land to be inundated, covered with vast oceans. Furthermore, countless stars would fall from the sky onto the Nine Provinces, their radiant heat radiating outwards wildly, melting mountains and boiling seas. Thus, ¡°the fire zes without ceasing, the water floods without respite,¡± leading to humanity¡¯s extinction and the world¡¯s utter silence! For ordinary people with limited lifespans, it was natural to just give up, thinking, what do I care after I¡¯m dead? Regrettably, just as he transmigrated to this world, he was chosen by an innate supreme artifact known as the Kunlun Mirror. It tasked him to search for the backup Heaven-Mending Stone left by the ancient N¨¹wa and then repair the ce where the heavens were mended to prevent the catastrophe of the Age of Dharma Decline. ording to the Kunlun Mirror, the remaining sole Heaven-Mending Stone had split into six parts, scattered everywhere. The reason he used the ¡°Mirror Flower Water Moon¡± technique of the Kunlun Mirror to disguise his appearance, assume a persona, and adopt the name ¡°Qiu Changtian¡± to infiltrate the sect, Was because one of the fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone was within the Taiqing Sect of Kunlun! Right above the Kunlun Heavenly Pir, inside the Jade Void Pce! Chapter 2 - 2 Hurry up and get married, you two Chapter 2: Hurry up and get married, you two Editor: Henyee Trantions The peak of the Kunlun Heavenly Pir, Jade Void Pce. ¡°Ah Jing,¡± Qiu Changtian called out in his mind, ¡°can you locate the position of the Heaven-Mending Stone fragment?¡± ¡°Unable to locate,¡± the Kunlun Mirror responded, ¡°it seems to be concealed by magic.¡± ¡°I suggest proceeding with caution.¡± ¡°How do you suggest I proceed?¡± Qiu Changtian said speechlessly, ¡°I¡¯m currently in the lowest rank of the Qi Refinement Realm. Anyone in this Jade Void Pce could surpass my realm by far, couldn¡¯t they?¡± ¡°I suggest you continue to maintain your character setting and improve your cultivation realm.¡± ¡°That¡¯s easy to say; I have no problem acting. But do you have any rapid sess techniques that could let me form my core in a day and reach Nascent Soul Formation by the second?¡± ¡°No.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so cold,¡± Qiu Changtian continued with a smile, ¡°If my realm is raised sooner, I can help you gather the Heaven-Mending Stones sooner, right?¡± Kunlun Mirror: ¡­¡­¡­ Seeing that the mirror didn¡¯t respond, Qiu Changtian didn¡¯t tease it any further and simply began to ponder to himself. The path of cultivating immortality in this world has a very straightforward division of ranks. Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, and Nascent Soul are the divisions of the three major realms. Each major realm is further divided into three smaller realms. For example, Foundation Establishment can be divided from low to high into Qi Refinement, Marrow Cleansing, and Refining Mansion. Currently, he was still in the lowest rank of the Qi Refinement Realm. How could he even think to risk exposing himself by actively investigating the news about Heaven-Mending Stone? Better toy low and be patient for now. As Qiu Changtian pondered to himself, he saw his junior sister Xu Yinglian walk past him without so much as a greeting, heading straight toward the Scripture Lecture Hall of the Ziwei Master. This girl was still sulking with him! Inside the Scripture Lecture Hall, the Ziwei Master sat on the nine-colored lotus tform, his eyes closed and silent. Below him were set fourteen meditation cushions, neatly arranged into two columns of seven rows each. The disciples entered one after the other, taking their ces in sequence. To his left were the Golden Core True Persons, and to his right were the Foundation Establishment cultivators, lined up from front to back ording to their strength or potential. It was the rule of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect that every half a jiazi (30 years) they would only take in a group of disciples. Because Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian had been admitted ahead of schedule without examination before the mountain was opened, their status was still that of recorded disciples, and thus they did not have cushions of their own in the Scripture Lecture Hall and had to stand at the very back. The two found a ce to stand, but before Qiu Changtian could start a conversation, Xu Yinglian turned her head away, denying him even a glimpse of her profile. Heh, this tsundere junior sister. Qiu Changtian stood quietly, holding his breath and listening to the Ziwei Master¡¯s teaching. To advance one¡¯s cultivation realm, a cultivator must breathe and refine Qi. From thises a variety of Qi Refining Techniques. Among the Orthodox Three Sects, the Kunlun Taiqing Sect is known for its Qi Refining Techniques. Therefore, whether it¡¯s high-rank cultivators in the Golden Core or Nascent Soul Realms, or in the diversity and quantity of Qi Refining Techniques, they are far ahead of the other two sects. The strongest Qi Refining Technique in the world is the so-called ¡°secret technique of the Immortal Sect,¡± the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,¡± which can only be taught by the current Head of the Kunlun Sect to his Direct Disciples and is not to be imparted to outsiders. Whether it¡¯s a secret of the Immortal Sect or not, the fact that it is extremely abstruse and difficult to understand is true, so everyone listened with extreme attentiveness, fearing they might miss any details spoken by the Sect Leader. After the lecture ended, everyone still seemed to want more, but the Ziwei Master had already made a motion with his horsetail whisk, and the disciples had to rise and leave one by one. ¡°Qiu Changtian, Xu Yinglian, stay behind,¡± the Ziwei Master said indifferently. As his voice fell, the senior brothers and sisters who were on their way out couldn¡¯t help but nce at the two of them. After all the senior brothers and sisters had left, the Ziwei Master pointed the handle of his horsetail whisk forward and said: ¡°Sit.¡± Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian then chose cushions to sit on, one on the left and one on the right. ¡°The Xu Family of Southern Heaven sent over a Geng Invitation this morning,¡± the Ziwei Master said with closed eyes, ¡°they hope that as your Master, I will make a decision for the two of you to be Daoistpanions.¡± Xu Yinglian: ¡­¡­¡­ Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­ Both were shocked into silence. After a long while, Xu Yinglian finally spoke: ¡°Master, I do not wish¡­¡± ¡°Reporting to Master,¡± Qiu Changtian interjected, ¡°I am wholeheartedly focused on the Way and have no interest in the matters of romantic affection for the time being. I believe Ying Lian junior sister feels the same.¡± Xu Yinglian was cut off by his interjection, leaving her momentarily speechless. Yet his brother¡¯s words had truly resonated with her, and she could only nod slightly in agreement, saying nothing more. When both disciples simultaneously refused, the Ziwei Master opened one eye, his gaze faintly sweeping over their faces before closing his eyes again to speak: ¡°Xu Yinglian.¡± ¡°Your Daoist Heart is unstable.¡± ¡°The crux of the issue lies with your elder brother.¡± ¡°As the saying goes, ¡®The bell ringer must untie the bell.¡¯ To pass this Heart Tribtion, you must start with your elder brother.¡± Upon hearing this, Qiu Changtian immediately fell silent. What they call a Heart Tribtion is a w in the Daoist Heart, and it is a major foe for those pursuing the path of cultivation. One misstep could lead to aplete loss of consciousness and deviation. At best, one¡¯s entire cultivation would be destroyed in an instant, at worst one could be possessed by an otherworldly demon, with all essence, Qi, and spirit wildly spilling out, swept away by the demon, leaving behind nothing but an empty husk. As a cultivator with the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart constitution, the younger sister inherently possessed a strong resistance to invasions by otherworldly demons. For someone with such aptitude to still have an unstable Daoist Heart, the obsessiveness leading her into madness must be terrifyingly profound¡­ Wait, obsessiveness? He turned in surprise, only to catch Xu Yinglian¡¯s expressionless gaze. Uh. Could it be¡­ me? ¡°Reporting to Master,¡± Xu Yinglian averted her gaze, bowing her head as she spoke, ¡°I merely wish to surpass my elder brother, how can that be considered an unstable Daoist Heart?¡± ¡°Desiring victory,¡± the Ziwei Master said cidly, ¡°is an obsession.¡± ¡°If you seek and do not obtain, what will you do?¡± ¡°Master,¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s voice trembled, ¡°do you also think that I will never surpass my elder brother?¡± But the Ziwei Master ignored her, instead asking Qiu Changtian: ¡°Changtian, your talent, ¡®Daoist Heart rity¡¯, is one of the rarest for cultivating the Dao.¡± ¡°If one day, I were to ept another disciple whose talent surpasses yours, what would you do then?¡± ¡°Disciple responds to Master,¡± Qiu Changtian replied respectfully, ¡°no matter how excellent his aptitude, what does it have to do with me?¡± Inwardly, he scorned: Moreover, what cultivating talent could surpass my ¡®Daoist Heart rity¡¯? Daoist Heart rity elerates cultivation speed, significantly increases the chances of sensing the Way, and grants permanent immunity to illusions, mental barriers, deviation, and other negative states, making it the world¡¯s top cultivation talent. The only downside is that his ¡®Daoist Heart rity¡¯ talent was not innate, but acquired through the ¡®Mirror Flower Water Moon¡¯ effect of the Kunlun Mirror. To maintain the state of ¡®Mirror Flower Water Moon¡¯, he must constantly y the role of an invincible genius, maintaining a high Synchronization Value with ¡®Daoist Heart rity¡¯ to fully utilize its effects¡­ ¡°Correct.¡± The Ziwei Master nodded approvingly, turning to Xu Yinglian, ¡°¡®On the road, pay no heed to the words of others; just concentrate on your own steps.¡¯ What does your elder brother¡¯s Cultivation Realm have to do with you?¡± ¡°What can you do if you surpass him? What can you do if you cannot?¡± ¡°When you can let go of all these concerns, only then will your Daoist Heart bepletely stable.¡± ¡°Master,¡± Xu Yinglian said with a miserable smile, ¡°my brother can afford to be unconcerned because there is no talent for cultivation superior to Daoist Heart rity.¡± ¡°With no one topete against, of course, he does not strive. If there is no one ahead, whom can he chase?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± she choked out, ¡°born into the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, have been the focus of great expectations since childhood, with the rare Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart constitution, thinking myself unparalleled in the world, only to realize I had been naively shortsighted.¡± ¡°My brother has always treated me well, yet¡­ ever since my initiation, I have always lived in his shadow.¡± ¡°It took me seven days to open my Qi Sea; my brother took merely half a day. I could not grasp the essence of the scriptures, while he would understand the truth in a few words. Even with the Kunlun Sword Technique, I painstakingly cultivated alone for half a month, thinking I had achieved something, only to be unable to withstand even a move and a half from my brother¡­¡± Once again, she fell to her knees, tears streaming down her face, teeth clenched as she said: ¡°Defeating my elder brother is my obsession. It can neither be extinguished nor abandoned¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m really¡­ sorry, Master¡­¡± Listening on the side, Qiu Changtian felt a heavy sense of guilt, only to hear the Kunlun Mirror chime in: [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] The Ziwei Master opened his eyes, his expression indifferent and silent. After a long moment, he shifted his gaze and lifted his eyelids at Qiu Changtian as if to say: Look at what you¡¯ve done! Aren¡¯t you going to take your foolish sister away now? Chapter 3: Marriage is Not a Possibility Chapter 3: Marriage is Not a Possibility Editor: Henyee Trantions Xu Yinglian was escorted to the entrance of Golden Ridge Cave Abode. This foolish junior sister had red eyes and still hadn¡¯tpletely calmed down. Simply because she uttered offensive words in the Scripture Lecture Hall, she apologized to Qiu Changtian in a low voice, seriously. Of course, Qiu Changtian wouldn¡¯t take it to heart. To tell the truth, with the task of seizing the Heaven-Mending Stone weighing heavily on his mind, he couldn¡¯t be bothered to see this junior sister as a contender. His real enemy was the unknown person living in the Jade Void Pce who possessed the Heaven-Mending Stone fragment! To obtain this Innate Spiritual Treasure, it was highly likely that the other party was a great figure at the level of a Supreme Elder, ranking even above the Ziwei Master. Whether it was persuasion, deception, or theft, the current Qiu Changtian did not have the confidence to obtain the Heaven-Mending Stone fragment from them. Exining the whole story was out of the question. Leaving aside whether the other party would believe it or not, just the fact of how he knew about the cmity of the Age of Dharma Decline was unexinable. Not to mention the Kunlun Mirror within him, which was an Innate Spiritual Treasure of the same caliber as the Heaven-Mending Stone. Once it was revealed to anyone, it would inevitably bring disaster rather than fortune to him! After sending the junior sister back, Qiu Changtian returned to his cave abode, sat on the stone bed and meditated for several hours, circting the True Qi in his body ording to the routes in the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,¡± thus slightly filling his Qi Sea. Havingpleted his cultivation for the day, Qiu Changtian once again called out in his mind: ¡°Ah Jing! Ah Jing!¡± Only after a long while did a resigned voicee through: ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°It¡¯s time to go to Shushan,¡± reminded Qiu Changtian. The Kunlun Mirror fell silent for a moment before asking: ¡°What do you n to do about Xu Yinglian?¡± ¡°Naturally, I¡¯ll refuse,¡± Qiu Changtian said with augh, ¡°Women only affect the speed of my cultivation!¡± Kunlun Mirror: ¡­ ¡°What¡¯s wrong? Isn¡¯t that right?¡± ¡°Xu Yinglian¡¯s Yuan Yin is naturally extremely pure. If you could Dual Cultivate with her and achieve Yin Yang Harmonization, it would be greatly beneficial to you,¡± stated the Kunlun Mirror truthfully. ¡°You, a lustful mirror, how do you even know the method of Dual Cultivation?¡± Qiu Changtian asked suspiciously, ¡°Tell me, have you taken a fancy to something about her?¡± ¡°Xu Yinglian has the Phoenix Bloodline,¡± exined the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Though it is thin, it still holds its rank.¡± ¡°Phoenix Bloodline, so what?¡± mocked Qiu Changtian internally, thinking, ¡°As expected,¡± and then pressed on with his questions. ¡°The Phoenix Bird is the true spirit within the demon kind, possessing fiery blood,¡± the Kunlun Mirror spoke frankly. ¡°If you Dual Cultivate with her and stimte the True Spirit within the depths of the bloodline, I can engrave the ¡®Phoenix Bloodline¡¯ talent into the mirror.¡± ¡°And then what?¡± Qiu Changtian sighed and asked, ¡°To gain the ¡®Phoenix Bloodline¡¯ talent, I¡¯d have to y Xu Yinglian¡¯s role, right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± replied the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Her persona is ¡®seeking victory¡¯, you should be very familiar with her.¡± Silent in thought, it wasn¡¯t until quite some time had passed that Qiu Changtian said: ¡°First, take me to Shushan.¡± ¡°All right,¡± the Kunlun Mirror started to operate, and Qiu Changtian felt a great brightness in his Sea of Consciousness, his three souls and seven spirits seemed to be vibrating. [Countdown to world destruction: one thousand years.] [Please hurry in finding the Heaven-Mending Stone.] The Kunlun Mirror recited mechanically: [Point Two: Shushan Shangqing Faction, Qingluo Peak.] [Identity: Ling Yunpo.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Temte ovey, time-space travel in progress.] Ling Yunpo abruptly opened his eyes. At this moment, he was sitting cross-legged on a soft bed, surrounded by the vintage furnishings of an ancient bedroom. On the wall near the bed hung a copper mirror. Upon gazing into the copper mirror, he saw a dark-haired young man, handsome and valiant, with a resolute expression. Although his features were quite simr to those of Qiu Changtian, the temperament was entirely different, bearing a hint of a great grievance. To personify this temperament, it was like a dark youth who was bent on avenging his family murdered by his own brother, who had then escaped into hiding¡­ Switching from Qiu Changtian to Ling Yunpo required only activating the Mirror Flower Water Moon of the Kunlun Mirror, creating a permanent illusion that subtly influenced the senses of everyone around. No matter whether by sight, hearing, smell, or touch, no matter how anyone attempted to perceive him, the image they would discern would no longer be Qiu Changtian, but the current Ling Yunpo. Of course, maintaining this image required assuming the corresponding persona. If the inner persona did not match the outward appearance, and the Synchronization Value fell severely low, it might alert others that something was amiss, posing a risk of breaking the Mirror Flower Water Moon. As for time-space travel, it was a unique skill of the Kunlun Mirror. It could lock onto a space-time coordinate, transporting oneself to the designated time and ce of the coordinate. For example, Qiu Changtian had spent an entire day at the Kunlun Taiqing Sect. At night, he would transport his body to the Shushan Shangqing Sect at the dawn of the same day, then disguise himself as Ling Yunpo using the Mirror Flower Water Moon Technique. In this way, it would seem as if ¡°Qiu Changtian¡± and ¡°Ling Yunpo¡± could appear at different ces at the same time, thus creating an alibi for both identities. The reason for doing so was, of course, because the second fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone was hidden within the Shushan Shangqing Sect. ¡°Little Mirror, can you detect the location of the second Heaven-Mending Stone fragment?¡± Ling Yunpo asked solemnly. ¡°The location remains unchanged,¡± answered the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°three thousand meters beneath the earth.¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­ Three thousand meters beneath the earth, what the heck? Am I supposed to dig down? But it was obvious that whoever could hide something three thousand meters under the ground of Shushan had to be a significant figure of the Shushan Shangqing Sect¡ªperhaps even at the level of a Supreme Elder. It was still best to take the long view and n carefully. ¡°Junior Brother, are you up?¡± The call of a Senior Sister came from outside. ¡°Senior Sister!¡± Ling Yunpo hurriedly put on his clothes and got up. As he opened the door, he saw Senior Sister standing charmingly outside, smiling at him. Senior Sister An Zhisu was the sole disciple of Su Jian, the Peak Master of Qingluo Peak of Shushan, and had already reached Great Perfection in the Refining Mansion stage, just one step away from Core Formation. However, since her master Su Jian was in secluded cultivation and unavable for guidance, An Zhisu¡¯s cultivation had not progressed, forcing her to shift her focus to managing secr affairs. For example, taking disciples on behalf of her master and training junior brothers. As Ling Yunpo looked over, he saw Senior Sister An dressed in a light yellow short blouse and an off-white long skirt today, her hair tied in an elegant bun behind her head. With a pure and lovely appearance,bined with her gentle and sisterly temperament, she was irresistible to any man. However, there was a fierce aura faintly discernible between her brows¡­ This was the ferocity she had garnered as a Shushan Sword Immortal from countless life-or-death battles, ensuring that Ling Yunpo wouldn¡¯t dare to underestimate her. ¡°Junior Brother, since you joined Qingluo Peak only yesterday, today I will tell you about cultivating immortality,¡± An Zhisu said with a smile as she led him towards the Contemtion Hall. ¡°To begin cultivating from a mortal body, you must first ¡®Fasting,¡¯ then ¡®Qi Refinement,¡¯ and finally master the ¡®Sword Control Technique.¡¯ Cultivators call this ¡®passing through three trials.¡¯ ¡°Because Master is in seclusion, I will pass on three scrolls of scripture to you for now.¡± ¡°¡®Nine Spirits Return to the Sun and Unite the Divine Supreme True Jade Scripture¡¯, for fasting and abstaining from grains;¡± ¡°¡®Supreme Primordial True Record¡¯, for opening the Qi Sea;¡± ¡°¡®Shangqing Secret Transmission Shushan Swordsmanship¡¯, for learning to control the Qi and mastering the incantation of our school¡¯s swordsmanship.¡± As Qiu Changtian, Ling Yunpo had already mastered these ¡®three trials¡¯ thoroughly. But now, impersonating Ling Yunpo, he used Mirror Flower Water Moon to disguise himself as a mortal who had not entered the Qi Refinement Realm, patiently listening as Senior Sister An exined the contents of the entry-level scriptures in detail. Chapter 4: Senior Sister, known as the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal Chapter 4: Senior Sister, known as the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°` It had been about ten days or so. Over at Kunlun, the matter of Xu Yinglian bing Daoistpanions with me seemed to have been settled. The junior sister herself didn¡¯t express any more opposition, but simply practiced the Kunlun Sword Technique relentlessly at the entrance of her cave dwelling, day and night. She was bent on defeating her senior brother in swordsmanship! Of course, being Daoistpanions was, after all, just a change in status. What was truly important was that after bing Daoistpanions, one could rightfully propose dual cultivation¡­ But let¡¯s not talk about that for now, since it involves Xu Yinglian¡¯s obsessions and even her Heart Demon. We should wait for the Ziwei Master¡¯s subsequent arrangements. These past few days, Qiu Changtian had been calmly rotating his qi through the Heavenly circuit, enjoying this hard-earned precious time without the disturbance of his junior sister. Every once in a while, he would use the time-space travel abilities of the Kunlun Mirror to return to Shushan at thest save point in time and continue to patiently lie low as Ling Yunpo, pretending to cultivate. Regrettably, having not shown off for several days, Qiu Changtian¡¯s synchronization value of his invincible character setting began to slowly decline. That morning, Ling Yunpo finally ¡°struggled¡± to pass through three trials and reported the good news to Senior Sister An. ¡°That¡¯s great, junior brother!¡± An Zhisu eximed joyfully, ¡°To my knowledge, the fastest record for someone from Shushan to pass the three trials was about seven days.¡± ¡°If you managed to enter the Qi Refining Rank within ten days, it proves that your talent for cultivation is top-notch. It¡¯s a pity that our master isn¡¯t out of seclusion, otherwise he definitely should know this delightful news¡­¡± ¡°Senior sister,¡± Ling Yunpo quickly changed the subject upon seeing her about to shed mncholy tears, and curiously asked, ¡°Someone in Shushan managed to open their Qi Sea in just seven days, better than me? Who is it?¡± ¡°It was me,¡± An Zhisu said, somewhat embarrassed, ¡°But in actuality, whether it¡¯s three days faster or slower doesn¡¯t really matter. Our Shushan Sword Immortals don¡¯t particrly value the speed of Qi refinement; what¡¯s most critical is the mastery of our foundational Shushan Swordsmanship.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Ling Yunpo pretended to feel discontented, ¡°So my ten days to break through three trials doesn¡¯t indicate any remarkable talent then¡­¡± ¡°No, that¡¯s not right!¡± An Zhisu quickly corrected herself upon seeing her junior brother looking disappointed, ¡°The time it takes to break through three trials is indeed an indication of one¡¯s talent!¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that the difference between seven and ten days isn¡¯t that significant¡­¡± She spoke haltingly, then suddenly changed the subject, saying: ¡°Oh right! Since you¡¯ve grasped Sword Control Technique, let me take you to the Sword Pool to choose a sword!¡± With that, An Zhisu cheerfully summoned her Flying Sword, carrying Ling Yunpo as they ascended and took flight. ¡°Senior sister, your Flying Sword is¡­¡± Ling Yunpo pretended as if he had never seen a Flying Sword before, and asked curiously. ¡°This is my life-bound sword artifact, a Tenth Rank Water System, named ¡®Frostfall¡¯,¡± An Zhisu exined. Ling Yunpo grunted in acknowledgment and then asked: ¡°What is Tenth Rank? What is Water System?¡± ¡°I was just about to exin to my junior brother,¡± An Zhisu replied with a bright smile. ¡°Flying Swords, depending on the materials used, the environment, the timing and the differences in the refiner and the sealed Daoist magic, can be ssified into the five elements of metal, wood, water, fire, and earth.¡± ¡°Likewise, depending on the materials used for refinement and the cultivator¡¯s cultivation strength, the Heavenly Stem Sword Casting Method categorizes the grades from low to high as Gui, Ren, Xin, Geng, Ji, Wu, Ding, Bing, Yi, and Jia. However, we typically denote them with numeric rankings, from one to ten.¡± ¡°Ranks one to nine correspond to the nine realms within Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, and Nascent Soul. If a sword¡¯s rank is higher than that of the Sword Immortal, it can be utilized by breaking seals. If the sword¡¯s rank is lower, it¡¯s like a warrior with a weapon that doesn¡¯t fit well, limiting the Sword Immortal¡¯s full potential.¡± ¡°And the pinnacle Tenth Rank Flying Sword is ¡®a sword that even immortals can unleash potent power with,¡¯ and thus also goes by the elegant name of ¡®Immortal Sword.¡¯ ¡°I see,¡± Ling Yunpo said with augh, pretending to be unaware, ¡°I wonder if I could be so lucky as to obtain an Immortal Sword for my use?¡± ¡°The Flying Swords in the Sword Pool, especially the Tenth Rank Immortal Swords, are extremely rare,¡± An Zhisu hesitated for a moment, thenforted him, ¡°But junior brother, you needn¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°Our Shushan Sword Control Heart Method¡¯s most exquisite aspect lies in ¡®nurturing the sword with one¡¯s body.¡¯ ¡°As long as the innate rank of the Flying Sword isn¡¯t too low, after you refine it into your life-bound sword artifact, it will be purified along with your increasing cultivation level, and there¡¯s even a certain chance it could ascend in rank.¡± Ling Yunpo nodded, but thought to himself: Instead of taking a Ninth Rank sword and then nurturing it to Tenth Rank with my body, why not just take a Tenth Rank sword directly? What if it could be nurtured into Eleventh Rank? Of course, judging from the implicit meaning in his senior sister¡¯s words, it seems you can¡¯t just pick any sword you want from the Sword Pool. Perhaps you need to pass some sort of test first. An Zhisu, controlling her Flying Sword, carried Ling Yunpo and arrived above Sword Peak. ¡°` The Sword Pool is a pool of clear green water. It is said that every drop of water in the pool is actually transformed from a Flying Sword. The Shushan Sword Immortals are known for their valor and ferocity, cherishing swords as their lives, and this is even more so in the outside world. Every time they duel with other cultivators and win, they often snatch the defeated¡¯s Flying Sword and toss it into the pool upon returning. Over time, this Sword Pool was thus created. Countless Flying Swords grind against and battle each other within it, making the pool ripple like spring water, creating waves without wind¡ªan absolutely stunning scene. For any Shushan disciplescking a sword, they simply need to stand near the Sword Pool, circte the Shushan Sword Control Heart Method, and they can summon a willing Flying Sword to answer the call. As for whether the Flying Sword is good or bad, that cannot be forced. With Ling Yunpo¡¯s sword light touching down, and stepping onto the ground, An Zhisu began to exin the history to her junior brother, recounting the origins of the Sword Pool. Ling Yunpo listened with fascination and pped in admiration. As the two started walking forward, a Shushan disciple guarding the Sword Pool came over to verify their identities: ¡°Hold on, you are¡­¡± As soon as the female disciple recognized An Zhisu¡¯s face, she blurted out in shock: ¡°You are! The Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal¡­¡± Before she could finish speaking, the male disciple beside her dragged her back, and gave her a stern look to silence her, then turned back with a strained expression and said: ¡°Senior Sister An, are you here to retrieve a sword?¡± ¡°Coming to the Sword Pool, if not to take a sword, what else would I do?¡± An Zhisu softly chuckled, ¡°Surely not to duel with you, right?¡± The male disciple immediately felt a surge of fear and hurriedly said: ¡°I made a mistake during sword practice the day before yesterday and injured my tendons. I¡¯m unable to duel! Senior Sister An, please don¡¯t look for me. That title was not created by my peak, it was passed on by other peaks! The debtor has a face and the debt has an owner, Senior Sister An must absolutely not recognize the wrong person!¡± ¡°Look at how this junior brother speaks.¡± An Zhisuughed, bemused, ¡°You are a disciple of the Marrow Cleansing Rank, and I am of the Refining Mansion Rank, with a cultivation a whole realm higher than yours. How can I duel with you? Wouldn¡¯t that be bullying the weak and breaking the rules of our sect?¡± ¡°Yes, yes, yes, Senior Sister An, are you going to take a sword? Pleasee this way, this way.¡± The male disciple, as if pardoned, hurriedly bowed and let them pass. An Zhisu walked forwardposedly, with Ling Yunpo following behind her, only to see the male disciple wiping sweat and the female disciple hiding behind him, both looking startled and fearful. After leaving those two behind, Ling Yunpo stepped forward a few paces and said with a smile: ¡°I¡¯ve now seen for myself the reputation of Senior Sister.¡± ¡°What reputation?¡± An Zhisu gave him a look and said helplessly, ¡°It was just that when Master hastily entered seclusion, the Various Peaks of Shushan targeted my Qingluo Peak. They sent disciples to provoke and request duels every now and then.¡± ¡°After so many duels, everyone became familiar with each other, hardly counting as any kind of reputation.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s how it is, it¡¯s the so-called ¡®no fight, no familiarity.¡¯¡± Ling Yunpo nodded, ¡°But just now, that older sister mentioned ¡®The Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal¡¯, I wonder who she was referring to?¡± An Zhisu felt extremely embarrassed upon hearing this and after a long while, she muttered: ¡°Who came up with such an awful nickname?¡± ¡°After Master entered seclusion, there were too many who approached seeking swordsmanship guidance, which was bothersome. I had to act tough, so I had to harden my heart and went a bit too far with my counterattacks¡­ How did it turn into ¡®weed-cutting¡¯?¡± Ling Yunpo pretended to suddenly realize and then sneered: ¡°I understand now. It must be the defeated duellers, unable to ept their loss, who ndered Senior Sister.¡± ¡°Just on hearing ¡®The Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal¡¯ title, I thought Senior Sister had a history of mass killing. Such rumor-mongers tarnishing Senior Sister¡¯s reputation are indeed detestable!¡± ¡°When have I ever killed wantonly?¡± An Zhisu bit her silver teeth and said with irritated embarrassment, ¡°I¡¯ve never indiscriminately taken lives.¡± ¡°If those whoe for a duel are polite, I also stop at the necessary limits.¡± ¡°If they are boastful or show malicious intent, I usually just sever their Life-bound Sword Artifact, making them damage their cultivation levels as a lesson.¡± ¡°asionally I can¡¯t hold back, and they end up with holes through their chests and ruptured bellies¡­ but afterward, I always try my best to save them!¡± ¡°Senior Sister has acted appropriately,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded and said, ¡°Those whoe with evil intent deserve it if they die! Hmm¡­ So, how many have died?¡± ¡°Probably¡­ in twenty cases, maybe an ident happens once or twice,¡± An Zhisu said, growing sheepish. Ling Yunpo: ? Chapter 5: My Fate Is in My Own Hands, Not Dictated by Heaven Chapter 5: My Fate Is in My Own Hands, Not Dictated by Heaven Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°` The two chatted andughed, quickly arriving at the shore of the Sword Pool. The azure pool was a thousand feet deep, its bottom nearly impossible to see. On the shore stood a huge rock, on which four lines ofrge characters were carved as if split by a knife and chiseled with an axe: Suming, Suming, Why dost thou not sing? Zhisu, Zhisu, Why such ignorance cling! Although there were only sixteen characters, the writer¡¯s anger, unwillingness, and despair leapt from the stone, leaving Ling Yunpo quite astonished. ¡°Sister, who wrote this?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± An Zhisu shook her head, ¡°ording to Master, when his master¡¯s master joined the sect, these words were already inscribed on the sword stele.¡± She looked up at the sword stele and slowly said: ¡°Suming is the Tai Yin Suming Sword; Zhisu is the Tai Yang Zhi Su Sword.¡± ¡°In ancient times, the human progenitor Fuxi, using the Innate Yin and Yang Qi left behind after Pangu opened the heavens and the earth, forged the two Supreme Immortal Swords, Suming and Zhisu, to suppress the Demon Race and protect the Human Race.¡± ¡°To this day, the whereabouts of both Supreme Immortal Swords are unknown. Therefore, the prevailing opinion in our Shushan is that these four lines on the sword stele express the regret and sorrow of our predecessors for not being able to find the Human Race¡¯s Immortal Swords.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ling Yunpo said with augh, ¡°But I wonder what Grade Rank would such Supreme Immortal Swords fall under?¡± ¡°You¡¯ve already said they are Supreme Immortal Swords, where does grade ranke into it?¡± An Zhisu giggled, covering her mouth, ¡°Like those ancient Immortal Swords left behind, like the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword, the Four Swords of Zhuxian¡­ they¡¯re all without grade, but this doesn¡¯t detract from their fame as Immortal Swords.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that too much, junior brother. Go to the edge of the Sword Pool and practice the Sword Control mental method by the pond, and you will have a Flying Sworde to your call.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re not satisfied, you can throw it back into the pool, and you can select repeatedly.¡± ¡°I can choose again?¡± Ling Yunpo asked with his tongue clicking, ¡°Then if I don¡¯t throw it back into the pool, but keep calling for Flying Swords instead, pulling all the water out of this pond, couldn¡¯t I just sell them¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s why there are guards at the Sword Pool,¡± An Zhisu said with a smile. Ling Yunpo smiled awkwardly and no longer joked with his sister. He simply took a breath and focused his gaze on the Sword Pool. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª In the Mirror Flower Water Moon, the temte associated with ¡°Ling Yunpo¡± was named ¡°Unyielding.¡± But he hadn¡¯t quite figured out how to synchronize with ¡°Unyielding.¡± Do I need senior sister to beat me up? And then should I shout, ¡°Thirty years in the east of the river, thirty years in the west, never bully the poor because they are young¡±? ¡°Senior sister.¡± Ling Yunpo pondered by the Sword Pool for a moment, then said in a deep voice. ¡°Hmm?¡± An Zhisu asked crisply. ¡°Have you ever thought, if Master continues in seclusion and the circumstances on Qingluo Peak decline day by day, what should we do?¡± An Zhisu fell into silence upon hearing this, and after a long time, she whispered: ¡°I don¡¯t know.¡± ¡°But junior brother, you needn¡¯t worry too much.¡± ¡°As long as your senior sister is here, I won¡¯t let you be wronged.¡± ¡°Thank you, senior sister.¡± Ling Yunpoughed heartily, ¡°Then let me also make a promise here.¡± ¡°As long as I, Ling Yunpo, am here, I will make sure you¡¯re never wronged either!¡± Inside the Sea of Consciousness, the Kunlun Mirror suddenly spoke up: [Unyielding temte, Synchronization Value +1.] Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­ ¡°So, it really works that way!¡± He broke into a cold sweat inside, and couldn¡¯t help mocking himself. Wait, this is a good thing! This script, I know it all too well! It¡¯s like second nature! ¡°Senior sister.¡± Ling Yunpo said in pain. ¡°` ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Although I¡¯m still only in the Qi Refinement Realm,¡± Ling Yunpo said loudly, ¡°fortune may favor us for thirty years in the west and another thirty in the east, do not underestimate the young and poor!¡± ¡°And then?¡± An Zhisu blinked. ¡°And then¡­ one day when the sword is in my hand, my fate will be in my control, not heaven¡¯s!¡± ¡°Mmm, very spirited,¡± An Zhisu nodded with a smile, ¡°go get your sword.¡± Ling Yunpo: ? ¡°Ah Jing,¡± he silently called in his heart, ¡°why aren¡¯t you adding any Synchronization Value?¡± After a long while, the Kunlun Mirror finally spoke slowly: ¡°Don¡¯t you feel awkward saying those lines?¡± ¡°Awkward, yes, I¡¯m getting goosebumps,¡± Ling Yunpoined, ¡°so why not add Synchronization Value?¡± ¡°Mirror Flower Water Moon may be illusionary, but it at least has to blur reality enough to reflect oneself,¡± Kunlun Mirror helplessly said, ¡°when even you don¡¯t believe what you¡¯re saying, how can Mirror Flower Water Moon be effective?¡± ¡°I understand, it¡¯s mainly about the context,¡± Ling Yunpo pondered thoughtfully, ¡°If a viin appears and humiliates me severely, with the right mood, I could pull those lines off without a problem.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± agreed the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°but still, be careful. Don¡¯t let the viin kill you right after finishing your lines.¡± Ling Yunpo turned his inward gaze again, looking at the ¡°Indomitable¡± temperament embedded in the Kunlun Mirror. This character temte came embedded with a talent named ¡°Innate Sword Bone.¡± Despite its rather unpleasant name, its effects were unexpectedly powerful: Innate Sword Bone: The entire body¡¯s bones are like de edges, increasing efficiency in nurturing swords, enhancing resistance to Sword Qi and Sword Intent, resonating with Flying Swords, and under special circumstances, being considered as a Flying Sword. Apart from thest point which seemed a bit problematic, the other three were quite understandable. One, improvement in nurturing effects for Flying Swords; two, enhancement in defense against Flying Swords; three, an increase in control over Flying Swords. It had to be said that it matched extremely well with the legacy of the Shushan Sword Immortals. Ling Yunpo stared at the Sword Pond and took a deep breath. Then he focused his mind, reached out towards the Sword Pond, and tried to resonate with it using his Innate Sword Bone talent: ¡°Sword,e!¡± An Zhisu watched from behind, finding her junior brother truly adorable. However, before she could react, the Sword Pond suddenly boiled over! Vast amounts of water churned and surged around, forming a swift and vast whirlpool. A droplet of water sshed out from the pond and transformed into apletely ck Flying Sword about three feet and six inches long in mid-air, with a green lotus flower carved on the hilt, causing one to feel dizzy just by looking at it. The ck Flying Sword fell into Ling Yunpo¡¯s hand, and looking back at the Sword Pool, it was calm and serene with sparkling waves, showing no signs of the previous turbulent surge. ¡°Did you see that just now?¡± An Zhisu asked in amazement. ¡°See what?¡± Ling Yunpo looked puzzled. ¡°¡­Nothing,¡± An Zhisu shook her head, turning to examine the Flying Sword in his hand. ¡°What kind of Flying Sword is this?¡± Ling Yunpo asked curiously. ¡°Not sure, I¡¯ll check the books when we get back,¡± An Zhisu said uncertainly as she turned the Flying Sword over. ¡°Could it be gradeless?¡± Ling Yunpo wondered to himself, quietly asked the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Ah Jing, tell me, what exactly is this sword?¡± Kunlun Mirror: ¡­¡­ ¡°Ask her yourself,¡± it suddenly said. After that, no matter how much Ling Yunpo continued to inquire, the mirror no longer made a sound. An Zhisu then took him away. After a short while, the male and female disciples originally guarding the Sword Pool hurriedly arrived by its side. ¡°Was there a disturbance in the pond just now?¡± the male disciple asked in shock. ¡°Swords rising in defense, a surging whirlpool, it was definitely a disturbance in the pond!¡± the female disciple eximed, ¡°A Tenth Rank Immortal Sword has appeared!¡± ¡°Quick, notify the elders in the peak!¡± Chapter 6 - 6 Senior Sister Teaches Me Swordsmanship Chapter 6: Senior Sister Teaches Me Swordsmanship Editor: Henyee Trantions Shushan, Ziyun Peak, Canxia Observatory. ¡°A tenth-rank Flying Sword?¡± The Peak Master of Ziyun Peak, the Ming Hua True Person, furrowed his brows in deep contemtion. He was a Nascent Soul Stage high-ranking elder of Shushan, a man who appeared to be in his forties, dignified and stern, with a simple robe and a tall crown. He sat up straight on a lotus pedestal, listening to the male and female disciples below rte the day¡¯s urrences at the Sword Pond. ¡°That Flying Sword was three feet and six inches long,pletely ck throughout, and it seemed to have a ck lotus at the base of the de,¡± the male disciple described, ¡°but because the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal was there, we did not dare to approach and observe. We waited for them to leave beforeing here immediately to report to Master.¡± ¡°Completely ck, with a blue lotus¡­¡± Ming Hua True Person mused, ¡°Could it be the Qing Ping Sword?¡± ¡°That is incorrect; the Qing Ping Sword was smashed to pieces in the Ancient Times¡¯ great war of Chan and Jie, losing all its spirituality.¡± ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s a replica of the Qing Ping Sword, recast in its image, or perhaps another Flying Sword of simr appearance. Since it could provoke the phenomenon of the Astonished Pond, causing a multitude of swords to circle and guard, it must undoubtedly be a tenth-rank Immortal Sword.¡± ¡°Had Qi Sha True Person Su Jian still been present, naturally, I would not dare to stir up the slightest trouble. But Su Jian has long been in closed-door cultivation, presumed to have met with more mishaps than fortunes. An Zhisu already has Frostfall as her Life-bound Sword Artifact, so that sword is surely intended for her junior brother.¡± ¡°However, Ling Yunpo is only in the Qi Refinement Realm. Not yet having undergone Marrow Cleansing, he cannot employ the method of carrying a sword within his body, and of course, he cannot immediately make that Immortal Sword his Life-bound Sword Artifact.¡± Coming to this conclusion, Ming Hua True Person considered the situation thoroughly, then lifted his gaze once more towards the disciples. Seeing their master looking over them, the disciples atop the halls became excited. Could this be about seizing the sword? That was a tenth-rank Immortal Sword! A method of forging such swords had already been lost, and the only way to find such a tenth-rank Immortal Sword now was to seek it from ancient times! No matter if it was Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, or Nascent Soul, even if one became immortal, a tenth-rank Immortal Sword would still be able to fully unleash its power! ¡°Lou Zhizheng.¡± Ming Hua True Person suddenly called out. Among the disciples, a short, chubby junior who had recently started his journey quickly stepped forward, his face flushed with excitement: ¡°Disciple is here.¡± ¡°Did you have something to say when I was observing you just now?¡± Ming Hua True Person asked leisurely. Lou Zhizheng¡¯s mind raced, and he promptly responded: ¡°True Person Qi Sha is in seclusion, and Qingluo Peak is left with but two people¡ªwho are they to possess a tenth-rank Immortal Sword? Since ancient times, treasures have always gone to those of virtue¡­¡± ¡°Nonsense.¡± Ming Hua True Person said tly, ¡°We are all from the Various Peaks of Shushan; how can we covet the swords of others? Think again!¡± Lou Zhizheng broke into a sweat, and after a long moment finally said: ¡°Disciple¡­ Disciple wants to challenge Qingluo Peak in a sword duel! Yes, to exchange swordsmanship insights!¡± ¡°With whom?¡± Ming Hua True Person lifted his eyes, ¡°An Zhisu?¡± ¡°No, no, it¡¯s with that Ling Yunpo!¡± Lou Zhizheng said confidently, his inspiration suddenly bubbling forth. He chuckled, ¡°I am in the Qi Refinement Realm, and so is Ling Yunpo, whichplies with Shushan¡¯s rules for sword dueling.¡± ¡°If I initiate the challenge and Ling Yunpo refuses, ording to the sect rules, he must pay with Spirit Stones. If, for some reason, hehe, Qingluo Peak cannot afford the Spirit Stones, then they couldpensate with the Immortal Sword. Ziyun Peak would be willing to purchase it at a fair price, with adjustments made for any difference in value.¡± ¡°What if Ling Yunpo agrees to the duel?¡± Ming Hua True Person continued to inquire. ¡°Please, Master, lend a hand!¡± Lou Zhizheng said with a sly smile, ¡°Once the request for a duel is approved, I would ask master to bestow Elixirs on me to help me ascend thedder and enter the Marrow Cleansing Rank!¡± ¡°With Marrow Cleansing against Qi Refinement, Ling Yunpo will undoubtedly be no match. Qingluo Peak only has these two people¡ªhow could An Zhisu bear to let her only junior brother walk to his death? Hehe, she will have no choice but to offer up that Immortal Sword willingly!¡± The surrounding disciples showedplex expressions. On one hand, they thought that the n seemed feasible because Shushan encouraged its Sword Immortals to engage inbat andpete; Lou Zhizheng¡¯s idea waspletely within the rules. On the other hand, the fact that this fellow coulde up with such a bullying scheme, relying on strength to oppress the weak, seemed excessively treacherous. Designing a shortage of Spirit Stones for Qingluo Peak and then deliberately proposing a contest was an act of oppressing the weak. They could have had a fair sword duel, yet he insisted on his master helping him forcibly ascend to Marrow Cleansing Rank, which was an act of relying on strength. With such a malicious mind, everyone must be wary of this junior brother in the future. Completely unaware of the wariness his senior brothers and sisters had against him, Lou Zhizheng continued to prostrate and said: ¡°This matter requires further nning and careful consideration. Please, master, allow me to take full charge. Once I obtain the Immortal Sword, I will return and present it to you.¡± Ming Hua True Person sat on the lotus dais, silent for a long time. Finally, he waved his hand casually, signaling his assent. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Atop Qingluo Peak. Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu, studying the ancient tomes left by their master Su Jian for half a day, still couldn¡¯t find out the origin of thepletely ck Flying Sword. Only one ancient text mentioned the ¡°Green Duckweed Sword,¡± and its description seemed somewhat simr to that of the Flying Sword. However, the Green Duckweed Sword was shattered by the MysteriousTreasures Tree at the end of the great Ancient Times battle. Meaning, this Flying Sword might be a recast of the shattered Green Duckweed Sword, or a replica made in its image, and its specific attributes were impossible to ascertain. For now, the only option was to wait until Ling Yunpo entered the Marrow Cleansing Rank, ¡°nourish the sword with his body,¡± turning it into his Life-bound Sword Artifact, and then confirm its properties internally with his Divine Sense. Back to the matter at hand, now that they had the Flying Sword, An Zhisu began to teach him Shushan Swordsmanship. Ling Yunpo discovered that Kunlun Sword Technique and Shushan Swordsmanship, were like the ¡°Qi Sect¡± and ¡°Sword Sect¡± of the Huashan School. The Kunlun Sword Technique favored bold and resolute moves, because the Kunlun Sect held Qi Refining Technique in the highest esteem, believing the key to Sword Control Techniquey in one¡¯s Cultivation Realm. If your cultivation level crushes your opponent, it¡¯s like ¡°one force breaks ten meetings¡±; everything you fight against is like cutting grass. Conversely, the overarching style of Shushan Swordsmanship is intricate and diverse, embodying the endless world, striving to use the weak to ovee the strong. Based on this overarching philosophy, each of the Various Peaks developed their own school of swordsmanship. For Qingluo Peak, it inherited the legacy of the Seven Kills Sword Immortal, and Su Jian¡¯s Shushan Seven Kills Swordsmanship. ¡°Seven Kills Swordsmanship, the priority lies in assaulting the body,¡± An Zhisu formed a sword incantation, summoned her Frostfall Flying Sword, recited the mental incantation, and said, ¡°A governed aspect is the biased official, ungoverned is Seven Kills; dual yang counters each other, dual yin counters each other, the seventh position is where they battle and counter; if there¡¯s killing, discuss killing first, if there¡¯s no killing, only then discuss usage.¡± Ling Yunpo couldn¡¯t help but nod, indicating that he didn¡¯t understand at all. An Zhisu gave a slight smile and then exined: ¡°Seven Kills Swordsmanship focuses on seizing the advantage to suppress the enemy, you must never let the opponent suppress you.¡± ¡°The swordsmanship style is like encountering an enemy in a narrow path, drawing the sword must be followed by bloodshed, not giving the enemy any chance to breathe.¡± ¡°The swordsmanship mindset also prioritizes offense. If you can overpower, you never just restrain; if you can restrain, you never just defend.¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­.. So Sister¡¯s penchant for bloodshed, always ready to break limbs and pierce bellies, is all because she has been practicing this Seven Kills Swordsmanship! Given that, my cheap master, who secluded himself in deathly meditation, the Peak Master of Qingluo Peak, the Seven Kills True Person Su Jian, is also not someone to be trifled with! Chapter 7: Cheer Up Junior Sister Chapter 7: Cheer Up Junior Sister Editor: Henyee Trantions As Xu Yinglian continued to learn from Senior Sister An, he discovered that the Seven Kills Sword Technique was excessively fierce. Every move was offensive, with absolutely no defense. Take the opening move ¡°Pine Tree Wees Guests¡± as an example: The general principles of Shushan Swordsmanship mention that ¡°Pine Tree Wees Guests¡± involves the Flying Sword tracing an arc towards the opponent, with the sword body and the sword path offset by about one-sixth of a Pythagorean angle (which is 15 degrees), the purpose being to flexibly respond to various situations. If the opponent chooses to defend, the Flying Sword can at any time adjust its angle tounch a probing thrust. If the opponent also attacks, the Flying Sword can take advantage of the situation to horizontally pivot the de and counter the opponent¡¯s Flying Sword; One could attack or defend, advance or retreat¡ªthis was the essence of the starting move. But within the Seven Kills Sword Technique, Su Jian had boldly transformed it into ¡°Sword Path Integration,¡± meaning the sword tip and the sword path were inplete alignment. If the opponent defended, one would manipte the Flying Sword to flit around, rapidly changing direction, until breaking through the opponent¡¯s Flying Sword entanglement, and directly stabbing at the opposing Sword Immortal! If the opponent attacked, one would fully energize the Flying Sword, charging at full speed, and before the opponent¡¯s Flying Sword could reach oneself,nd the first strike on the opposing Sword Immortal! Xu Yinglian could even imagine how Su Jian had considered this move when he first created the Seven Kills Sword Technique: ¡°What, tentative attacks? Just kill the opponent straight away, why bother probing at all!¡± ¡°Senior Sister,¡± he hesitated for a long time, but still asked, ¡°Shouldn¡¯t ¡®Pine Tree Wees Guests¡¯ include some considerations for defense?¡± ¡°This is called seizing the initiative,¡± An Zhisu exined with a smile. ¡°When both parties wield swords, youunch an all-out attack with your Flying Sword from the start. Shocked by your assault, six out of ten will choose to defend.¡± ¡°Once they defend, you can press and beat them. Most of the moves in the Seven Kills Sword Technique teach you how to break through your opponent¡¯s defenses.¡± ¡°So ¡®breaking through defenses¡¯ is a strong point of our Seven Kills Sword Technique.¡± ¡°What if the opponent doesn¡¯t defend?¡± Xu Yinglian asked again. ¡°If the opponent doesn¡¯t defend and counterattacks, you sh with them,¡± An Zhisu said, still smiling. ¡°Again, the vast majority of these people will not dare to engage you head-on, and halfway through their attack, they will turn their swords and retreat to defense. Then it circles back to the first scenario.¡± ¡°What if the opponent continues to attack?¡± Xu Yinglian wanted to make sure. ¡°Then ites down to who has faster sword speed,¡± An Zhisu stated calmly. ¡°Master once said, ¡®Among all swordsmanship, only speed is unbreakable.¡¯ ¡°So the mental method for Seven Kills Sword Technique has reached the peak in elerating the Flying Sword.¡± ¡°Regardless of Cultivation Realm, regardless of the Flying Sword¡¯s Grade Rank, just looking at the airflow path of the swordsmanship, our Qingluo Peak¡¯s Seven Kills Sword Technique is the fastest in all of Shushan Swordsmanship.¡± After thinking for a while, Xu Yinglian said with a smile: ¡°So that means if the opponent can¡¯t beat us in a quick attack and falls into our advantage by defending, doesn¡¯t that make the Seven Kills Sword Technique invincible?¡± ¡°Silly junior brother,¡± An Zhisu shook her head. ¡°Our Qingluo Peak¡¯s swordsmanship is known for its speed in all of Shushan.¡± ¡°So when you face them in battle, they will definitely notpete with you in attack but will act after you.¡± ¡°The Seven Kills Sword Technique must dominate the attack. As long as you suppress the opponent¡¯s swordsmanship, it is the Seven Kills, and often within a few breaths, the fight can end swiftly and neatly. But what if you can¡¯t suppress them?¡± ¡°Once your swordsmanship Cultivation is inferior to the opponent, and once your momentum is exhausted and your Sword Path is spent, it¡¯s their turn to counterattack.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why the second line of the Incantation states ¡®No control is the Seven Kills¡¯; the focus is on absolutely not being suppressed by the opponent.¡± ¡°This Seven Kills Sword Technique, with all its moves¡ªI¡¯ll perform it for you to observe closely.¡± An Zhisu put her hands together in sword-fingers, pointing forward, and the Frostfall Sword flew through the air, piercing the opposite rock wall as if cutting tofu, with stone chips cascading down. ¡°This is Pine Tree Wees Guests.¡± As she moved her sword-fingers again, the Frostfall Sword followed suit, twisting and performing each move in turn: ¡°This is Heart-Moves-As-Desire.¡± ¡°This is White Rainbow Piercing the Sun.¡± ¡°This is Drinking Alone Under the Moon.¡± Xu Yinglian watched in silence, seeing Senior Sister An¡¯s clothes flutter as if she were a colorful butterfly. The Sword Light danced, vibrant and shining. As sudden as Yi shooting down the nine suns, or as swift as a convoy of emperors¡¯ dragons soaring. Arriving like thunder and quelling fury, departing like the river sea congealing into clear light! ¡°` He watched, utterly enchanted, unsure whether it was the splendid aura of the Immortal Sword or Senior Sister An¡¯s valiant and stunning figure that captivated him. Caught up in the thrill of her sword dance, An Zhisu couldn¡¯t help but sing out in a clear voice: ¡°O flying light, flying light, heed my word!¡± ¡°Draw upon the fervent blood in my heart, the proud bones in my chest, to forge a three-foot Flying Sword.¡± ¡°Its cry like the roar of a dragon, its sh like purple lightning.¡± ¡°Cleaving foes in all fields, spirit soaring to the Nine Heavens.¡± ¡°The soul sealing off the azure skies, blood filling the Netherworld.¡± ¡°Demons and immortals present their heads, gods and Buddhas beid to rest!¡± ¡°I hear of the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm, yet its distance unknown.¡± ¡°Where might Suming lie? When will I truly see An Zhisu?¡± ¡°With my sword, I shall enter, and sh through the heavenly chasm.¡± ¡°Meng Zhang, who guards the soldiers, shall not live, Ling Guang, bearer of light, too cannot escape.¡± ¡­ As her song slowly came to an end, the Sword Light neatly sheathed itself. Ling Yunpo pped his hands in praise: ¡°Well sung! Senior Sister, your song carries the spirit of a hero, truly humbling your junior brother here.¡± Blushing, An Zhisu said: ¡°It¡¯s not my creation. It was a song our master sang while tapping his cup with chopsticks after drinking. I just thought it sounded nice, so I remembered the lyrics and melody.¡± ¡°Good lyrics, great melody, but Senior Sister sang it even better!¡± Ling Yunpoughed heartily. An Zhisu grew even more shy, and with an attempt to assume the air of a Senior Sister, she interrupted him: ¡°Enough chatter. Did you pay attention to the sword moves I just demonstrated?¡± ¡°Oh no.¡± Ling Yunpo said awkwardly, ¡°I was so focused on watching Senior Sister that I forgot to watch the Flying Sword. That was my mistake.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll perform it for you again.¡± An Zhisu sighed, giving him a helpless re as she once again summoned the Frostfall Sword. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª While Ling Yunpo practiced for several days, Qiu Changtian, not having the nuisance of a junior sister to deal with, also enjoyed a few peaceful days. But the Synchronization Value of the Invincible Character Setting kept sliding, prompting the Kunlun Mirror to issue several alerts. No choice but to go out and show off to someone. Using the Kunlun Mirror, he loaded Qiu Changtian¡¯s image temte and then teleported his body to Golden Ridge in Kunlun during the early morning. Qiu Changtian left his cave dwelling and went to find his junior sister Xu Yinglian. Xu Yinglian¡¯s cave was located slightly below the southern peak of Golden Ridge. In front of the entrance was a clearing where numerous cranes often strolled about, waiting for Xu Yinglian to feed them. Walking down the path for a few dozen steps, he reached the entrance to his junior sister¡¯s cave. There stood Xu Yinglian, dressed in white, gracefully practicing her swordsmanship in the clearing. In her left hand, she held the sword manual of the Kunlun Sword Technique, while her right hand made sword gestures. The crimson Feather Jia Sword traced hot arcs across the sky with each movement. ¡°Junior Sister!¡± Qiu Changtian greeted her with a smile. ¡°Senior Brother.¡± Xu Yinglian replied with a mild salute, managing a smile though her eyes and brows betrayed an indelible gloom. Qiu Changtian could tell that her fixations seemed to have deepened. ording to the Ziwei Master, if this continued, she might very well develop a Heart Demon. That won¡¯t do! Although I often need to brush up the Synchronization Value with my junior sister to maintain the Invincible Character Setting¡­ I cannot let it harm her! It seems I must find a way to encourage her, to invigorate her spirit. So Qiu Changtian put away his smile, watched her focused on her swordy for a few minutes, then suddenly, with a tone of disbelief, eximed in shock: ¡°Can it be, Junior Sister? After so many days of practice, just this?¡± Chapter 8 - 8 The Junior Sister is Very Spirited Chapter 8: The Junior Sister is Very Spirited Editor: Henyee Trantions Xu Yinglian¡¯s anger shot straight up to her forehead following the bloodstream. ¡°What instruction does Senior Brother have for me?¡± she all but squeezed the words out through gritted teeth, one by one. Yet Qiu Changtian did not answer her, merely hearing Kunlun Mirror say: [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] Feeling certain, he then slowly and seriously said: ¡°In a few days, it will be the foundation day of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect.¡± ¡°At that time, the Immortal Seekers who canplete the path to ascension will be the two hundred and eightieth generation disciples of Kunlun.¡± ¡°Due to the reasons of our innate talent for cultivating the Dao, we were epted early within Kunlun¡¯s gate.¡± ¡°If we cannot overwhelmingly surpass the other disciples, how shall wemand respect in the future?¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s eyes widened as she spoke with a hostile tone: ¡°Are you suggesting that I won¡¯t be able to stand above the other junior brothers and sisters, to be a worthy Second Senior Sister?¡± ¡°I did not say thus,¡± Qiu Changtian responded with a smile resurfacing, ¡°I only observed that your swordsmanship has many ws, and I was somewhat concerned for a moment.¡± ¡°ws?¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s pupils constricted, and she asked sharply, ¡°The swordsmanship I¡¯ve practiced is the orthodox Kunlun Sword Technique, how could there be any ws?¡± ¡°Even if everyone practices the orthodox sword technique of Kunlun, their individual understandings will differ, leading to disparities,¡± exined Qiu Changtian with a smile, ¡°Why don¡¯t you perform the ¡®Pine Wees the Guest¡¯ so I can see.¡± Xu Yinglian made no reply but merely pinched the Sword Technique, and the Feather Jia Sword suddenly flew up, drawing a sharp arc, and attacking Qiu Changtian directly. Nowadays, the three major Orthodox Sects, Kunlun, Shushan, and Peni, all originated from the Ancient rify Cult over ten thousand years ago, and thus their overarching sword control doctrines are inherited from the foundational swordsmanship of the Ancient rify Cult. The Kunlun Sword Technique¡¯s opening move is also the ¡°Pine Wees the Guest,¡± identical to what is outlined in the general principles of the Shushan Swordsmanship Scripture. However, after practicing the Shushan Seven Kills Sword Technique with Senior Sister An Zhi Su for many days, from a broad perspective, he could see that the foundational sword technique of the rify Cult has undergone a great deal of omission and simplification to allow beginners to adapt quickly. It¡¯s like the Shaolin Long Fist in martial arts novels; it¡¯s sufficient forying the groundwork, but not so great for actualbat. Using the standard Pine Wees the Guest attack, Qiu Changtian only needed a nce to spot five or six ws in it. The Jade Smoke Sword shot out like lightning, arriving even before its departure. Xu Yinglian aimed to control the Feather Jia Sword to block it, but the angle of Senior Brother¡¯s Flying Sword was so tricky, it entirely surpassed her predictions, and the Feather Jia was directly knocked away by Jade Smoke. ¡°This part, this part, and this part¡­¡± Qiu Changtian retracted the Jade Smoke, then copied Xu Yinglian¡¯s earlier sword move and pointed out several ws in the swordsmanship, leaving Xu Yinglian stunned. How had I not noticed this before? Well, what Senior Brother said was indeed not incorrect¡­ ¡°But this is the general outline of the Kunlun Sword Technique,¡± Xu Yinglian argued with a frown after he had finished exining in detail, ¡°ording to what you¡¯re saying, could it be that the general outline was designed with so many faults and defects from the beginning? Hasn¡¯t anybody improved it over the years?¡± ¡°Improvements have been made, of course,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a slight smile, ¡°For instance, the first w I pointed out, if targeted by an enemy, you need only make a slight adjustment here¡­¡± He demonstrated the moves for countering and counter-countering the w, and upon looking at Xu Yinglian, she already wore a look of sudden realization. ¡°Thus, blind faith in the manuals is worse than having no manuals at all,¡± Qiu Changtian concluded, ¡°Although the Sword Technique outlines it this way, if you were to follow it to the letter, you would in fact be at a disadvantage. You must have your own understanding and adjustments.¡± ¡°So it is, I have learned something new,¡± Xu Yinglian came to her senses and expressed her sincere gratitude to him. Unlike the resilient softness of An Zhi Su, Xu Yinglian was outwardly tough but inwardly tender. Her usual demeanor was distant and aloof, but as she was born into the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, an Immortal Cultivating n, her behavior and mannerisms still bore the cultivated grace and charm of a ssicaldy from her upbringing. At this moment, as she bowed slightly to express her thanks, the graceful curves revealed by the bending of her Daoist robe, and the fair neck visible inside the cor of her robe, all stirred a slight emotion in Qiu Changtian. ¡°You¡¯re wee,¡± Qiu Changtian said, suppressing the stirrings of his heart, turning around with hands sped behind him and spoke indifferently, ¡°As your Senior Brother, it¡¯s my duty to guide your cultivation and prevent others fromughing at us.¡± [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] Hmm? Qiu Changtian thought to himself. So there was such a way to act impressive; it turns out that even being a good mentor could increase the synchronization rate. Xu Yinglian had yet to respond when Qiu Changtian spoke up with urgency once more: ¡°If you have any other questions, ask them all, and quickly!¡± ¡°You are my junior sister, I won¡¯t allow you to lose face in front of the other disciples!¡± Xu Yinglian: ¡­¡­¡­ Anger red in her eyes, but a cold smile formed on her lips: ¡°Elder brother sure talks big. Can you really answer any question?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Qiu Changtian said indifferently, ¡°Otherwise, how would I be fit to be your elder brother?¡± Xu Yinglian: ! Upon hearing this, her fighting spirit ignited instantly. So that means, if I raise a question about swordsmanship and Qiu Changtian cannot answer, then it proves he isn¡¯t fit to be my elder brother? It means he has lost! Hmph, heeheehee, hahahahaha, this time elder brother will surely lose to me¡­ ¡°Alright.¡± Xu Yinglian lowered her gaze, concealing the wariness in her eyes from her elder brother, ¡°Then your junior sister indeed has a few questions that she needs to ask elder brother thoroughly¡­¡± From her daily practice of the Sword Control Technique, she had already umted many questions, which she now rattled off in session. This brings up the point that the records of Shushan Swordsmanship are far more detailed than those of the Kunlun Sword Technique. This isrgely because the general principles of thetter contain many ambiguous descriptions, leaving cultivators perplexed even after several readings, unaware of their true meaning. Xu Yinglian¡¯s questions mostly pertained to the vague sections of the Kunlun Sword Technique, which were rified in the Shushan Swordsmanship. Therefore, Qiu Changtian answered without hesitation: ¡°What¡¯s so difficult about that?¡± He deconstructed Xu Yinglian¡¯s questions into key points, one by one, explicated them clearly and concisely, and provided utterly perfect responses. Xu Yinglian listened as if enlightened, her previous mental blocks surrounding her cultivation issues dissipated like fog under the sun. Yet she was not happy. ¡°Leaving sword techniques aside, I still have some questions regarding the ¡®Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra¡¯ that I would like to consult elder brother on¡­¡± Xu Yinglian struggled to maintainposure as she continued to press her elder brother, while the Kunlun Mirror in her mind intoned: [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°What¡¯s so difficult about that?¡± Qiu Changtian inwardly cheered and said aloud again, ¡°Just listen to my detailed exnation¡­¡± With each point he made, Xu Yinglian¡¯s face grew paler. By the end, she was as pale as gilded paper, her figure swaying unsteadily. Could it really be that my understanding of Qi Refining Technique is that much inferior to elder brother¡¯s? Impossible! It¡¯s impossible!! It¡¯s absolutely impossible!!! ¡°Regarding the derivative Daoist Magic of the first level of the Qi Refining Technique, the ¡®Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique,¡¯ your junior sister still has a few questions to ask¡­¡± Xu Yinglian was in turmoil, her emotions fluctuating wildly, and even a hint of plea she herself hadn¡¯t noticed seeped into her tone: ¡°¡­ If elder brother cannot answer, it doesn¡¯t matter¡­ I can consult other seniors¡­¡± ¡°Consult what seniors?¡± Qiu Changtian impatiently said, ¡°The issue couldn¡¯t be simpler, let me exin to you¡­¡± Having elucidated thoroughly, Xu Yinglian finally copsed, turned around and left, saying: ¡°Elder brother exined very well, your junior sister has matters to attend to and shall not disturb elder brother any further.¡± She held back her tears, stepped onto her Feather Jia Sword, and in an instant, flew away out of sight. [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] Qiu Changtian watched Xu Yinglian leave in the distance, unable to help but reveal a smile. This junior sister, she¡¯s really adorable. Chapter 9: Patrolling the Mountains with Junior Sister Chapter 9: Patrolling the Mountains with Junior Sister Editor: Henyee Trantions The once every thirty years opening day of Kunlun has finallye. Thirty years, that is, half a sexagenary cycle. The Kunlun Taiqing Sect, built on the principle of ¡°Sea Center¡¯s Gold,¡± usually opens its doors officially in the Jiazi or Yichou years and holds a supplementary opening in the Jiawu or Yiwei years, which means one opening every half a sexagenary cycle. This matter could extend into a lengthy discussion, therefore, let it not be dwelled upon here. But for the ancients who typically lived no more than fifty years, this meant that most people would have only one or two opportunities to join Kunlun in their lifetime. Of course, if one¡¯s talent was as extraordinary as Qiu Changtian¡¯s, capable ofpleting the ascent to Kunlun on days other than the opening, then there would be no problem joining the Taiqing Sect at any time. Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian descended on their swords and circled around the Kunlun Heavenly Pir. They could see that the steps of the ascent to Kunlun, winding around the Heavenly Pir, formedyers uponyers, where countless mortals, like ants, clung on, struggling upwards. ¡°I heard that senior brother ascended the mountain on a day other than the designated opening,¡± Xu Yinglian said, with a nce and a frosty expression. ¡°Indeed,¡± Qiu Changtian nodded. ¡°Could you tell junior sister about the mysterious aspects of this ascent?¡± Xu Yinglian asked, pointing downwards. Because of her innate ¡°Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart¡± for cultivation, Xu Yinglian was carefully nurtured by the Xu Family of Southern Heaven and was personally brought into Kunlun to be a disciple by her Foundation Establishment Stage senior brother Xu Changqing, bypassing the ascent entirely. In modern terms, this would be akin to a college student who was directly admitted without exams asking ¡°what does it feel like to take entrance exams¡±¡ªfundamentally, it was a form of bragging. Qiu Changtian, as if oblivious, simply smiled and replied: ¡°This ascent to Kunlun isposed of a hundred thousand heavenly steps, and this is not a mere figure of speech, but indeed a hundred thousand actual steps.¡± ¡°If mortals canplete this ascent within a single day and night, they will be granted permission to join the Kunlun Taiqing Sect.¡± ¡°Based on the order ofpletion of the ascent, one can be distinguished as an Inner or Outer Sect disciple. Inner Sect disciples can attend the disciple recruitment event and be apprentices, while Outer Sect disciples must learn the Qi Refining Technique on their own.¡± ¡°Additionally, if one desires to cultivate the sect¡¯s highest ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,¡± one must be a disciple of the Ziwei Master.¡± ¡°Our master only takes seven disciples each generation, and only the Chief Disciple bes a Direct Disciple, allowed to enter the Jade Void Pce¡¯s Scripture Lecture Hall to listen to lectures; the rest must learn from the Chief Disciple.¡± ¡°Eh?¡± Xu Yinglian interrupted him, ¡°If the position of Chief Disciple for this generation has already been reserved for senior brother, then why was I also able to attend lectures in the Scripture Lecture Hall?¡± ¡°Because junior sister¡¯s Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart is one of the world¡¯s rarest talents for cultivation,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile, ¡°Genius always has a way of breaking conventions.¡± Genius always has a way of breaking conventions¡­ Xu Yinglian mulled over these words carefully, and suddenly, seeing her senior brother bring down his sword light tond, she quickly followed. Below on the mountain path, they saw a youngmoner seated on the steps, hands covering his face, not saying a word. Hispanion was tugging at his sleeve, earnestly persuading: ¡°Don¡¯t rest now,e with me.¡± The young man simply shook his head, evidently unwilling to get up: ¡°The path is endless, and it¡¯s truly exhausting. Allow me to rest a little longer.¡± As the two descended in their circling sword light, Qiu Changtian said coldly: ¡°He is deluded by demons from beyond and has developed a heart ofziness and defeatism. You should go on your way and pay him no mind.¡± The young man¡¯s expression changed several times upon hearing this, but ultimately his resolve was weak, and he truly did not wish to continue, so he lowered his head without another word. ¡°` Hispanion bit his teeth in frustration, feeling he had no choice but to leave him behind and continue onward. Qiu Changtian raised his sword light once more and said to Xu Yinglian, ¡°To ascend this path to heaven is no easy feat. The higher the mountain, the closer to the heavenly dome, the mortal flesh without the protection of immortalw will be magnified by outer demons at the slightest thought of weariness or pause. Those who are not steadfast in their pursuit of the Dao will find it extremely difficult to rise again once they stop to rest.¡± ¡°Outer demons?¡± Xu Yinglian asked incredulously, ¡°Even within the boundaries of our Kunlun Taiqing Sect, we can be influenced by demons from beyond the heavens?¡± ¡°In the path of cultivation, there are three disasters and nine tribtions that one cannot avoid anywhere,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a shake of his head. ¡°To transcend the mortal and ascend to immortality, one must possess great willpower and grand aspirations.¡± Their sword lights continued soaring up, and as they saw that the higher the mountain trail, the fewer the walkers and the more those who stopped. Indeed, as Qiu Changtian had said, the moment you pause and rest on this path to heaven is the moment you relinquish your cultivation¡¯s perseverance. To rise and continue the climb is indescribably challenging. Seeing Xu Yinglian somewhat eager to try, seemingly wanting to descend andpare skills with those immortal seekers on the path to heaven, Qiu Changtian smiled and said, ¡°Junior sister¡¯s Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart provides strong resistance against outer demons. Even if temporarily bewildered by magic, you can quickly see through it, which is why our master allowed you to skip the entry level trial. This ascent on the Kunlun path is really no challenge for you.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Xu Yinglian responded upon hearing her senior brother¡¯s exnation, setting aside herpetitive spirit with a sigh, ¡°Then what about senior brother¡¯s ¡®Daoist Heart rity¡¯?¡± Qiu Changtian smiled without responding. Your Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart only offers resistance against the invasion of heart demons. My Daoist Heart rity provides direct immunity to the invasion of heart demons. Which is superior and which is inferior, is there really a need to say more? However, saying this aloud, although it might significantly increase the synchronization value, would certainly lead to his prideful junior sister turning against him. Therefore, Qiu Changtian tactfully changed the subject, pointing downwards as he spoke, ¡°Speaking of which, there are a few disciples with exceptional talent among those climbing this year.¡± ¡°The one currently leading the pack is named Guan Zhan, said to hail from the Guan Family of Longyou.¡± ¡°The Guan Family of Longyou?¡± Xu Yinglian frowned and said, ¡°Isn¡¯t their family known for producing sword immortals generation after generation from the Shushan Shangqing Sect? Why has a youth from their family switched this time to joining Kunlun?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not sure about that either,¡± Qiu Changtian replied, shaking his head, ¡°However, this Guan Zhan has formidable root bone strength. He has been advancing tirelessly after the mountain opened and left others far behind. Now it seems he can¡¯t keep up the pace, but for the moment, his first ce is still secure.¡± ¡°In normal circumstances, he would undoubtedly be the chief disciple of this generation,¡± Xu Yinglian said with a cold chuckle, a hint of mockery in her tone, ¡°Too bad he met senior brother this time.¡± ¡°Just because he encountered me?¡± Qiu Changtianughed helplessly, ¡°Junior sister, don¡¯t forget, ording to the sequence of entry, you also rank above him. If he were to choose the Sect Leader as his master, at best he could only im third ce.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Xu Yinglian nodded, her mood lifting slightly at the thought of having a junior brother ranked below her. ¡°The one walking in second ce is from the White Deer Grotto Academy of Jiangzhou, named Yan Zhitui,¡± Qiu Changtian pointed to someone behind them and continued to speak with his junior sister, ¡°Of the three major sects of ancient times, they were the rify Cult, the Intercepting Cult, and the Human Cult. The Human Cult¡¯s teachings have been passed down to this day, and Confucianism has inherited their mantle.¡± ¡°This Yan Zhituies from the Yan Family of Qingzhou¡¯s Langya, a schrly family for generations. Instead of sitting for the imperial examinations and pursuing an official career, this family¡¯s heir has traveled a great distance to Kunlun to seek mentorship, which is also quite peculiar.¡± After pondering for a moment, Xu Yinglian spoke, ¡°Is senior brother implying something? That Kunlun¡¯s fortunes are rising and attracting scions from influential families to join us?¡± ¡°Not really,¡± Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t resist teasing his endearing junior sister, ¡°With such talent emerging in our generation, you must practice diligently, junior sister, and not be surpassed by your junior brothers and sisters.¡± ¡°That¡¯s absolutely impossible!¡± Xu Yinglian immediately grew furious, grinding her teeth as she spoke. Chapter 10: You Should Learn from Your Junior Sister Chapter 10: You Should Learn from Your Junior Sister Editor: Henyee Trantions The next day. Qiu Changtian continued to apany Junior Sister Xu, their swords enveloping them in light as they flew around Heaven Pir, chatting andughing, thoroughly enjoying themselves. Meanwhile, down below on Kunlun¡¯s Heaven-Ascending Path, Guan Zhan had been running wildly along the mountain trail for a day and a night, already utterly exhausted. On the day of the mountain opening, before the ascent, Kunlun distributed mountain-climbing tokens to everyone, each with its own fasting effect. However, even without the need to eat, drink, or excrete, the prolonged process of climbing was inevitably a physical ordeal, as well as a mental torment. Just past ny thousand steps, he saw Yan Zhitui catching up unhurriedly from behind. Guan Zhan was greatly rmed in his heart and, with sheer determination, he forced himself to speed up again. This stop-and-go progress was ultimately even more exhausting than maintaining a normal walking pace. Upon reaching thest dozen steps of the hundred thousand, Guan Zhan finally ran out of energy, stumbled, and fell on the stone steps, still stubbornly climbing upward. Yan Zhitui, who followed behind, witnessed this but did not seize the opportunity to overtake him. Though he appeared unfatigued, he was, after all, an ordinary mortal, and his limbs already moved as if they were weighed down with lead. It was only because his childhood education emphasized gentlemanly conduct that he managed to maintain hisposure, even amidst such fatigue. In the end, Guan Zhan reached the finish line, only three steps ahead of Yan Zhitui. Hey prostrate on the ground, his chest rising and falling slightly, without even the strength to turn over. Yan Zhitui calmly stepped over him, sat down on a nearby rock to rest. Shortly after, a red sword light arrived. Xu Yingliannded the sword light, nced at Guan Zhan lying on the ground, then looked towards Yan Zhitui sitting on the rock, and said coldly, ¡°The two of you havepleted the Heaven-Ascending Path and may rest here for a while. An Inner Sect Disciple will soone to lead you to the entry ceremony.¡± Guan Zhan lifted his head, weakly saying, ¡°You go ahead, I need to rest a little longer.¡± ¡°You must not be absent,¡± Xu Yinglian said with a frown, ¡°After the entry ceremony, there will be the disciple recruitment meeting.¡± ¡°You¡¯ll need to choose a Kunlun Elder willing to take disciples, in the order of yourpletion of the mountain ascent.¡± Guan Zhan shook his head, replying, ¡°I am the first in this event, and ording to the rules, I should be this generation¡¯s Chief Disciple, personally taught by the Sect Leader. Why do I need to choose?¡± Xu Yinglian sneered, ¡°The title of the 280th generation Chief Disciple belongs to Senior Brother Qiu Changtian; it has nothing to do with you.¡± ¡°What!¡± Guan Zhan cried out in disbelief, his voice turning shrill, ¡°But I¡­I¡¯m clearly the first this time! Who is Qiu Changtian!¡± ¡°Senior Brother had already walked the Heaven-Ascending Path on foot before the mountain opening day, hence he was designated as this generation¡¯s Chief Disciple by the Sect Leader,¡± Xu Yinglian stated coldly, ¡°If you disagree, you can also try ascending the mountain on a non-opening day.¡± Guan Zhany on the ground in powerless fury, cursing unintelligibly. On the other hand, Yan Zhitui seemed contemtive and asked, ¡°Senior Sister, I remember that during non-opening days, from the 85,000th step onward on Kunlun¡¯s Heaven-Ascending Path, there are fierce winds from beyond this world that blow relentlessly. These winds are invisible, foul-smelling, sharp as des, and piercing as awls, and even contain the soul-eroding sounds of demon heads.¡± ¡°Even as an ordinary mortal, Senior Brother Qiu surely carried the mountain-climbing token, but he would not have known the Art of Commanding. The slightest thought of demonic temptation and the wind would prate Heaven¡¯s Gate, travel along the bones, reach the Yongquan Point, turning the entire body into feathers, dissipating with the wind.¡± ¡°You are correct,¡± Xu Yinglian responded, her gaze shifting, and she nodded indifferently, ¡°But what is so surprising about Senior Brother Qiu having the extraordinary talent of ¡®Daoist Heart rity¡¯ andpleting the Heaven-Ascending Path on a non-opening day?¡± ¡°Daoist Heart rity?¡± Upon hearing this, Guan Zhan immediately became dumbfounded, and Yan Zhitui drew a sharp breath, clearly understanding the significance of these four words. That was a peerless talent for cultivation! Recorded in ancient texts, such talent emerged only once in ten thousand years! Seeing both of them speechless at the same time, Xu Yinglian felt an inexplicable sense of satisfaction swell within her. Back when her senior brother had freely bullied her with his peerless talent, her heart was stifled with frustration, but now, as she intimidated these neers with her senior brother¡¯s reputation, she felt an exhrating delight. Before long, the path to ascension closed once again. Those who had failed to reach the peak of Heaven Pir before the end were sent out of Kunlun by the Mountain Protection Formation. In total, three hundred and twenty-three individuals sessfullypleted the ascension path; among them, one hundred and seven became Inner Sect disciples, and two hundred and sixteen became Outer Sect disciples. Of the seven disciple slots of the Ziwei Master, aside from Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian, the first five disciples who had sessfully ascended snapped them up, demonstrating just how great the allure of the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra¡± was. Qiu Changtian also took part in the disciple recruitment ceremony. The five disciples who chose to pledge themselves to the Head of the Kunlun Sect were: From Longyou, of the Guan Family, Guan Zhan. From White Deer Grotto Academy, Yan Zhitui. From the Chen Family of Guangling, Chen Zhen. From the Zhong Family of Nanyang, Zhong Tianhuai. From the Jian Family of Qingzhou, Jian Qingnan. Among them, the Guan Family of Longyou has been a lineage of Sword Immortals generation after generation; White Deer Grotto Academy is a holynd of the Confucianism Cult. The Chen Family of Guangling and the Zhong Family of Nanyang both possess a small Cultivation Sect within their locality and many disciples. The Jian Family of Qingzhou, an Art Calction lineage, has the contemporary head of the family Jian Buyan, an exceptionally rare Divination Master. From this, it¡¯s evident that all five junior brother and sister disciples are actually ¡®Immortal progeny¡¯¡­ Qiu Changtian sighed deeply and began to calcte inwardly. The phenomenon of Immortal Cultivator aristocracies upying the Inner Sect disciple spots can be traced back to the very root of the rify and Intercept Sects¡¯ struggle. The ancient rify Cult emphasized ¡°teaching in ordance with one¡¯s capabilities.¡± The so-called ¡°rify¡± referrers to the idea of explicating and enlightening based on one¡¯s innate abilities. As a result of this, the Sect of the rify Cult approach in epting disciples heavily relied on the qualification for cultivating the Dao; without the proper qualifications, immortality was unattainable. Even though the rify Cult has now split into three, it still maintains such customs: The Kunlun Taiqing Sect assesses one¡¯s heart and intention, the Shushan Shangqing Faction focuses on the Root Bone, and the Peni Jade Pure looks solely at one¡¯s Comprehension. As for cultivation qualifications, how can ordinary folk, who have none of it,pete with the children of Immortal Cultivator families who have been nourished with heavenly treasures from birth and groomed by renowned masters? The result is the upper echelons arepletely dominated by the children of aristocratic families. On the other hand, the ancient Intercept Cult advocated ¡°teaching without discrimination,¡± where everyone could cultivate immortality regardless of their innate abilities, bringing hope to themon people. However, this led to a mix of good and bad among the disciples, and to circumvent theck of natural gifts, they invented various heretical approaches, like the Sacrificial Method, Essence Replenishing Method, and so forth, tarnishing their reputation beyond recognition. Leaving historical context aside, now with four new junior brothers and one junior sister, all of whom are surely of high-spirited and lofty Immortal progeny, I need to think of a way to assert my dominance¡­ no, that¡¯s not right, to properly educate them, to nurture them into polite and sensible juniors like Junior Sister Xu. With this thought, Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but turn his head and look towards Xu Yinglian, who was standing by his side. Junior Sister Xu is genuinely adorable. I can¡¯t help it, I must tease her once more! ¡°Why are you looking at me?¡± Xu Yinglian said puzzledly, ¡°You¡¯re the current Chief Disciple. Your demeanor should be dignified, don¡¯t let your gaze wander.¡± ¡°Has Junior Sister resigned herself to acknowledging my position as Chief Disciple?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in surprise. ¡°Not resigned!¡± Xu Yinglian dered angrily, ¡°Someday I will defeat you and take that position of Chief Disciple from you! Just you wait!¡± Chapter 11 - 11 Everyone Is So Cute Chapter 11: Everyone Is So Cute Editor: Henyee Trantions The apprenticeship conference ended, and everyone dispersed. Qiu Changtian looked at the six people before him and felt a sense of wonder. Among these six, be it Guan Zhan from Longxi, Yan Zhitui from the White Deer Cave, or any other, almost all were from families of immortal cultivation, far from unknown.¡± Now, they had to call him Senior Brother respectfully. The feeling was truly¡­ exhrating. ¡°Senior Brother,¡± Xu Yinglian said indifferently, ¡°where do we go now?¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Qiu Changtian came back to his senses, ¡°Let¡¯s head back to Golden Ridge first.¡± He took out an object from his sleeve and threw it into the air. The object grew as it caught the wind. It turned out to be a wooden boat magic artifact, prepared in advance by borrowing from the Foundation Establishment Stage Chief Disciple, Xu Changqing. Even with invincible Daoist Heart rity, it was impossible to conjure a magic artifact out of thin air. Fortunately, since he and Xu Yinglian already had a Daoist Companion marriage contract, they could obtain certain resources from the Xu Family of Southern Heaven. The crowd was taken aback: It turned out to be a flying magic artifact! This Senior Brother Qiu was really wealthy! Those present were all from cultivating families and were well aware of the costliness of flying artifacts. Even the simplest Flying Wooden Boat like this one thatcked protective arrays or restriction-breaking features could only carry people through flight and could not be acquired without at least two thousand spirit stones. Although the Senior Brother was the Chief Disciple of his generation, he was still in the Qi Refinement Realm. Excluding the usual cultivation expenses, to purchase such a boat would take at least half a year to a year of saving. Quick thinkers like Chen Zhen and Zhong Tianhuai did the math in their heads. They thought their Senior Brother was the type to care a lot about appearances,ughing to themselves that to wee them, he actually spent all he had on this boat. Unaware of the admiration and the scornful thoughts of the others, Qiu Changtian instructed everyone to board the boat. With a slight gesture, the boat caught the wind and ascended, flying towards the distant snow peaks. Standing alone with his hands behind his back at the bow, Qiu Changtian spoke to his junior brothers and sisters with a gentle expression: ¡°The Kunlun Heavenly Pir you climbed when you entered the sect is the highest peak of the Kunlun Mountain Range, rising eight thousand feet, majestic and splendid, piercing through the sea of clouds, and also the number one peak in the world.¡± ¡°The rest of the many snow peaks in Kunlun are divided into three areas based on their distance to Heaven Pir.¡± ¡°The outermost area is called ¡®Fan Tong,¡¯ located in the eastern section of the Kunlun Mountain Range, the dwelling of Outer Sect disciples, and there are many markets for our Kunlun to interact with the outside world.¡± ¡°The middle area is called ¡®Xuan Pu,¡¯ situated in the middle section of the Kunlun Mountain Range, the cave dwelling area for Inner Sect disciples. There are also many famed herbs, spiritual springs, and demonic beasts scattered throughout, which you can explore.¡± ¡°The innermost is called ¡®Layered City,¡¯ located in the western section of the Kunlun Mountain Range, the residence of elders, true people, and us Direct Disciples. Additionally, there are many caves left by immortals from ancient times with formidable restrictions, such that even the elders of Kunlun dare not touch them recklessly.¡± ¡°Therefore, do not fly recklessly in the Layered City area. It is better to stay near the mountains on ordinary days.¡± ¡°The mountain where we reside is called ¡®Golden Ridge. It used to be the dwelling of ancient Kunlun disciples. It is now deserted and uninhabited, so the cave dwellings are already avable.¡± ¡°After wend, you can choose the ones you like.¡± As he was speaking, he suddenly noticed that theplexions of the crowd were bing faintly green, and their bodies couldn¡¯t help but tremble. He immediately realized. This lone wooden boat had no restrictions in ce. The wind was harsh with high altitude flying, and the air was thin. Although he was fine, these ordinary people were bothcking oxygen and freezing to death. Qiu Changtian quietly performed a spell, which was the first level derivative Daoist Magic of the Universal Pure Tone, called the Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique, a multi-purpose skill thatbines regeneration, Purify Mind, and detoxification. Once this radiance emerged, everyone immediately felt warmth return to their bodies as if enveloped by the spring breeze, and the fear of the cold was no more. Even so, they were shocked by Qiu Changtian¡¯s skill. Some, like Chen Zhen and Zhong Tianhuai, thought more deeply, assuming the Senior Brother had detected their previous disrespect and thus deliberately disciplined everyone. They quickly adjusted their postures and expressions, feeling somewhat anxious inside. [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] Qiu Changtian was overjoyed; these junior brothers and sisters were indeed endearing! Upon reaching Golden Ridge, everyone disembarked and began choosing their cave dwellings. Guan Zhan, cold and aloof, chose a cave behind the cliff, secluded in the shadows, and did note out again. Chen Zhen and Zhong Tianhuai were friends, so they chose two adjacent dwellings near the top. Yan Zhitui, who liked to read, chose a cave dwelling on the sunny side. Jian Qingnan, a young girl of about thirteen or fourteen, was currently insisting on living with her ¡°Sister Ying Lian.¡± Xu Yinglian, always fighting-spirited in front of Qiu Changtian but cold and arrogant towards others, did not show any courtesy and was indifferent to Jian Qingnan¡¯s persistence. ¡°Whose dwelling is that up on the right?¡± Jian Qingnan looked around, and the only dwelling that was both the closest to Sister Ying Lian and the highest and best-lit on Golden Ridge was the one she noticed. ¡°That¡¯s Senior Brother Qiu Changtian¡¯s dwelling,¡± Xu Yinglian said coldly. Upon hearing this, Jian Qingnan¡¯s spirits immediately dampened. She might be fearless in every other aspect, but she dared not show any disrespect to this Senior Brother. You should know that only the Chief Disciple of each generation is allowed to enter the Scripture Lecture Hall to listen to the lectures! The rest can only study on their own, and if they have any questions, they must ask the Chief Senior Brother. If one offends the Chief Senior Brother, there¡¯s really no way to get along in the future. Qiu Changtian had no idea of these thoughts in people¡¯s minds, he simply stood at the entrance of his cave dwelling, leisurely gazing at the distant sea of clouds. There were several more cute junior brothers and sisters who could increase the Synchronization Value, which was truly great. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Through the Kunlun Mirror, loading Shushan turned into Ling Yunpo. Recently, Senior Sister An Zhisu has been troubled because there was a problem with Qingluo Peak¡¯s monthly stipend. In Shushan¡¯s Various Peaks, each peak usually receives a monthly stipend from the sect to maintain the operation of their Spirit Gathering Array. As for how much stipend each receives, it is ¡°negotiated¡± by the Peak Masters at the sect¡¯s annual meeting. Because Peak Master Su Jian of Qingluo Peak has been in seclusion for a long time, the monthly stipend has dropped to the lowest, leaving An Zhisu helpless. Under normal circumstances, the small amount of Spirit Stones they receive each month can be stretched to barely enough. But recently, for some unknown reason, the Administrative Hall, citing a shortage of Spirit Stones, reced the Intermediate Grade Spirit Stones meant for Qingluo Peak with an equivalent value of Low Grade Spirit Stones. This ¡°equivalent¡± refers to the total amount of Spiritual Energy being equivalent, but the purity of the Spiritual Energy was much lower. To maintain the current Spiritual Energy environment of Qingluo Peak, more Low Grade Spirit Stones would need to be consumed, causing their budget to be immediately strained. An Zhisu was forced into a corner, and while her own cultivation stagnation was one concern, she couldn¡¯t bear the thought of her junior brothers and sisters suffering! Therefore, she nned to wield her Frostfall Sword and make a scene at the entrance of the Administrative Hall. Ling Yunpo, on the other hand, waspletely unaware of his Senior Sister¡¯s intentions because the Kunlun Mirror had just given him a new mission: ¡°The third Heaven-Mending Stone has been found.¡± ¡°Where?¡± Ling Yunpo asked. ¡°East Sea, Peni Jade Pure View,¡± answered the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°The exact location is uncertain, it seems to be some kind of spatial dislocation. Further investigation is rmended.¡± Was it put inside a Storage Bag? Ling Yunpo pondered to himself and sighed: ¡°So I have to go undercover again, right? Come on, Ah Jing, bring out all your treasured cheats for me.¡± The Kunlun Mirror then pulled out a list of temtes, which included a variety of persona images and their corresponding talents. Since Peni ces a major emphasis on Comprehension during discipleship, Ling Yunpo selected from the Comprehension talent category. Soon, he took a liking to one of the young men. The bound talent was called ¡°One Hearing, Thousand Comprehensions,¡± capable of quickly grasping a variety of newly learned skills, which suited the requirements of Peni Jade Pure View. The corresponding persona setting was ¡°Falsehood,¡± which immediately suggested a need for high intelligence to manipte, a perfect match for himself. Upon examining the young man¡¯s appearance, like the other temtes, it was based on his own appearance, but modified by Mirror Flower Water Moon with different hairstyles and temperament. The hair was messier, the skin paler, and he wore a simple smile. His demeanor might seem harmless to both humans and animals, but the squinting eyes were like those of a fox, making one curious to see what they would look like fully opened¡­ ¡°Have him open his eyes,¡±manded Ling Yunpo. The Kunlun Mirror did as instructed, and the young man opened his eyes wide. Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­ This temperament! It instantly shifted from harmless to profound! The smile also became mysteriously inscrutable! Are you the ultimate viin behind the scenes in some long saga? Of course, even if the features of various personas werepletely identical, their hairstyles and temperaments still differed. For example, Qiu Changtian had fair skin, meticulouslybed hair, and then tied his hair up into a bun and wore a tall hat like a Kunlun Cultivator, looking upright and handsome. Ling Yunpo had a slightly darkerplexion, with longer disheveled hair and a sharper gaze, exhibiting the temperament of a reckless young hero. This new persona featured slightly curly, unkempt hair, a smiling face with a gentle appearance, especially when squinting, projecting an innocuous sense of safety. Add to that, in practice, Mirror Flower Water Moon would also apply subtle mental suggestions to outside observers, enhancing their impression of this persona¡¯s demeanor, virtually ruling out the possibility of them being mistaken for one another. ¡°What should we name this persona?¡± Ling Yunpo asked the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°Luo Yan,¡± suggested the Kunlun Mirror. Chapter 12 - 12 I Met the Young Lady in Penglai Chapter 12: I Met the Young Lady in Peni Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°` [Countdown to world destruction: One thousand years.] [Please hurry in your search for the Heaven-Mending Stone.] [Location three: Peni Yuqing View.] [Character Identity: Luo Yan.] [Oveying the Mirror Flower Water Moon temte, time-space travel in progress.] Luo Yan opened his eyes¡­ No, Luo Yan didn¡¯t open his eyes because he was squinting. Despite squinting, he could actually see through a tiny slit, so his vision wasn¡¯t greatly affected. The ce where the Kunlun Mirror sent him was a small fishing vige on the Immortal Ind of East Sea Peni. Peni Yuqing View was different from the Kunlun Taiqing Sect and the Shushan Shangqing Faction. Its location on the offshore Peni Immortal Ind was not directly open to the public. Commoners wishing to travel here from the maind could only set sail from Qingzhou to the east, heading first to the periphery of the seventy-two caves on the East Sea, hiring an ocean-going sailor skilled in Qimen Dunjia with a hefty sum to navigate throughyers of mystic barriers, and then sessfully arrive at Peni Immortal Ind. Because of this, those seeking apprenticeships at Peni Yuqing View might not necessarily be of exceptionalprehension, but most were the wealthy offspring of well-to-do families. Sons of generals from Yue, sons of royal advisors from Qi, the fourth princes of Chu, among others, were allmonce here, with various second-generation officials and rich kids everywhere. Even the inns in the small fishing vige were extravagantly built, sharply contrasting with the surrounding humble fishermen¡¯s thatch-roofed homes. Although Luo Yan had some money with him, he naturally wouldn¡¯t waste it on amodations. After asking the vigers, he headed in the direction of Yuqing View. This Yuqing View was built on the mountainside of Mount Peni and it didn¡¯t look very big. Apart from the architectural style of Taoist temples, from the outside it rather resembled the courtyard gardens of schrs and nobility. However, considering the numerous Array Masters within Peni Yuqing View, there might be a whole different world inside. When Luo Yan arrived at the main gate of Peni Yuqing View, he saw a puppet made of white jade blocking a beautiful girl, about sixteen years old, mechanically saying: ¡°ording to Elder Shi Ding¡¯s orders, you are not allowed to enter or leave the sect at will¡­¡± Before it could finish speaking, the beautiful girl impatiently tossed out a small seal. The small seal grew rapidly upon touching the wind, expanding to the size of a pot lid in mid-air, then spun swiftly with a ¡°ping¡± sound, and ¡°smack¡±! It shattered the puppet to pieces. ¡°Hmph, mere Nian Nu¡­¡± The beautiful girl retrieved the small seal, turned around to leave the View and saw Luo Yan standing there, dumbfounded. To be urate, his mouth was agape in shock, but his eyes didn¡¯t widen¡ªafter all, he couldn¡¯t easily open his squinted eyes. Although Luo Yan was new to cultivating immortality, Qiu Changtian was not, and he recognized at a nce: Wasn¡¯t the small seal in the girl¡¯s hand the Heaven-flipping Seal that had once caused havoc in the Intercepting Cult during the ancient battles? That was a post-celestial Spiritual Treasure! ¡°You are¡­¡± The beautiful girl initially looked timid upon seeing a stranger, but then quickly realized something and tentatively asked, ¡°Are you here to seek apprenticeship?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Luo Yan snapped back to reality and hastily replied with respectfulughter, ¡°I am wholly devoted to the Way, and have long heard of the great name of Peni Yuqing View. I have travelled thousands of miles here, hoping to hear and cultivate the Way¡­¡± ¡°Stop! Enough!¡± The beautiful girl raised her hands crossed in front of her chest, signaling for him to stop, ¡°Enough, enough!¡± ¡°All you have to say is that you¡¯vee to seek apprenticeship.¡± She looked at Luo Yan with disdain, thinking that this manughed foolishly, didn¡¯t seem too bright, and his eyes appeared as if they were barely open, making him look even more simple-minded. For such a person to pass the entry level test, it¡¯s probably going to be difficult, right? Lucky for you to have met me, the young miss. Considering the fate of our encounter, it wouldn¡¯t be out of question for me to lend you a hand. This is the karma you¡¯ve cultivated over your past eight lifetimes; just be quietly ted! ¡°If you wish to seek apprenticeship, then follow me.¡± The beautiful girl said coldly and started leading the way. ¡°Thank you, senior apprentice sister!¡± Luo Yan was overjoyed and quickly followed, ¡°May I ask for senior apprentice sister¡¯s name?¡± ¡°Shi Liuli.¡± The beautiful girl replied. Luo Yan smiled and said: ¡°Liuli of drifting clouds and colorful rays, what a beautiful name for senior apprentice sister.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ¡®Liuli¡¯ from ¡®five-colored ze¡¯!¡± Shi Liuli red at him, but for some reason, felt extremely cheerful, ¡°It¡¯s not ¡®liuli¡¯ from ¡®drifting clouds and colorful rays¡¯; remember that clearly!¡± ¡°Understood, senior apprentice sister.¡± Luo Yan chuckled. With each mention of senior apprentice sister, Shi Liuli couldn¡¯t help but feel delighted inside. As the youngest daughter of Elder Shi Ding, she was usually treated as a little apprentice sister surrounded and cherished by all kinds of older apprentice brothers and sisters. ¡°` At this moment, seeing a junior who respectfully called her ¡°senior sister,¡± she suddenly felt a certain sense of responsibility as an elder. For instance, just as Yue Lingshan from The Smiling, Proud Wanderer warmed up to Lin Pingzhi when he respectfully addressed her, her attitude towards this junior brother immediately became enthusiastic. ¡°Fair enough,¡± Shi Liuli said haughtily, ¡°do you know what the entry-level exam at our Yuqing View is like?¡± ¡°I really don¡¯t know, please enlighten me, senior sister,¡± Luo Yan said respectfully. ¡°You don¡¯t even know this, did you seek immortality at our doorstep without any preparation?¡± Shi Liuli shook her head, with a helpless expression of ¡°I really can¡¯t with you,¡± and said, ¡°The entry exam is a written test, one thousand questions, and you pass if you get six hundred correct.¡± ¡°As for the content of the exam¡­ Have you ever heard of Daozang?¡± ¡°Daozang? I haven¡¯t heard of it,¡± Luo Yan replied with a smile. This was a lie. Daozang was to cultivators what Buddhist scripture was to the disciples of Shaolin Temple; even those monks obsessed with martial arts could not possibly have never encountered the Buddhist teachings. However, Luo Yan said this to test the effectiveness of his false persona. As expected, right after Shi Liuli chuckled, the Kunlun Mirror in his mind began to whisper: [Falsehood persona, synchronization value +1.] Luo Yan breathed a sigh of relief in his heart. So that¡¯s how it is, as long as the lie is sessful, the synchronization value of the false persona increases, huh? ording to Qiu Changtian¡¯s experience, now that he had a proven method to increase the synchronization value, it would be best to find a scapegoat¡­ no, to find a caring senior sister or junior sister to help him maintain this synchronization daily! And since he had to be ¡°false,¡± it would be best if this person were a bit foolish, unable to see through his lies and uncover his ¡°falsehood.¡± For example, this airheaded-looking senior sister. Shi Liuli, unaware of his thoughts, mulled over the situation. This squinty-eyed junior brother, who appears so simple and naive and hasn¡¯t even heard of the entry exam¡¯s focus on Daozang, how could he possibly pass the entry exam? If it had been someone else who failed the exam, that would be that, but since this junior brother respectfully called me senior sister, I suppose I should reluctantly offer him some guidance. ¡°Listen carefully.¡± Shi Liuli coughed and then said, ¡°Daozang is known as having three thousand volumes, but in fact, ording to content, it can be divided into the Three Caves, Four Supplements, and Twelve Categories.¡± ¡°The Three Caves, namely Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Cave Divine, discuss the most essential aspects of the Great Dao and are the main focus of the entry exams;¡± ¡°The Four Supplements, Taiqing, Taiping, Tai Xuan, and Zhengyi, provide exnations and additions to the preceding Three Caves;¡± ¡°The Twelve Categories refer to the twelve categories under each Cave, with thirty-six categories in total for the Three Caves, serving as supplements and misceneousptions to the previous Three Caves and Four Supplements.¡± Bringing Luo Yan to the entrance of the Daozang Pavilion, Shi Liuli stopped and said with deep meaning: ¡°So, do you understand what the entry exam will test you on?¡± ¡°I understand, I understand,¡± Luo Yan thought to himself how could this not be clear. Since all others are supplements, the exam would definitely test on Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Cave Divine. ¡°Good,¡± Shi Liuli then pushed him into the Daozang Pavilion and said, ¡°You have one hour to study the Daozang here.¡± ¡°After an hour, a formation will transport you out and take you to the adjoining quiet room to take the written entry exam.¡± ¡°Seeing as you called me senior sister, I have practically given you the answer. Make good use of this hour and n ordingly.¡± Having said that, the doors of the Daozang Pavilion automatically closed, shutting Luo Yan inside. Turning his head, Luo Yan saw that the room was lined with many bookshelves, eight rows of four, totalling thirty-two. Each bookshelf was divided into fiveyers, with twenty books on eachyer, adding up to a total of three thousand two hundred books. Having been reminded by Shi Liuli just a moment ago, Luo Yan knew he should mainly look for the books of Dongzhen, Dongxuan, and Cave Divine, so he quickly started to search for these three volumes. In less than ten seconds, he found the booksbeled ¡°Three Caves¡± on the top shelf to the left. A quick count revealed there were twenty-four in total! With one hour to work with, meaning he would need to finish andprehend one book every five minutes, how could that possibly be enough time? No wonder Shi Liuli said he was embarrassingly unprepared! It turns out you absolutely cannot pass the entry exam without prior preparation! ¡°Ah Jing!¡± Luo Yan quickly called out, ¡°Can you ess Qiu Changtian¡¯s records now without being detected by the formation here?¡± ¡°I can,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°Can you also return to those recordster?¡± ¡°No problem.¡± ¡°Good!¡± Luo Yan clenched his teeth, ¡°Return to Qiu Changtian¡¯s side now, go to the Kunlun Scripture Pavilion to study the Daozang! Prepare for the exam!¡± Chapter 13: Senior Brother, I Won! Chapter 13: Senior Brother, I Won! Editor: Henyee Trantions The Daozang is said to consist of three thousand volumes; even the usual immortality-cultivating families do not possess such an extensive collection, but the Kunlun Taiqing Sect naturally has it. Thus, in the following days, Qiu Changtian loitered non-stop in the Daozang Hall of the Scriptural Repository, studying the theoretical knowledge of the Daoist teachings, his diligence so fearsome that even those habitual to solving questions would be scared. Because he had no intention of showing off in front of Junior Sister Xu, the Synchronization Value of his invincible character setting slid downhill continuously, watching it was borderline terrifying. This news even reached the ears of the Ziwei Master, who after finishing a lecture mentioned offhandedly to advise him ¡°not to get lost in these empty talks,¡± ¡°Do you want to be like those blockheads from the Yuqing View?¡± leaving Qiu Changtian somewhat amused and at a loss. After the lecture ended, Xu Yinglian found Qiu Changtian and asked: ¡°Have you recently taken an interest in the Daozang?¡± ¡°Sort of,¡± Qiu Changtian said in a hurry to get to the Scriptural Repository to read, casually dismissing, ¡°Why do you ask?¡± ¡°Growing up in my family, I didn¡¯t have many other hobbies, only reading and ying the guqin,¡± Xu Yinglian said with reserved pride, ¡°Though I dare not im to have the Daozang at my fingertips, I have basically read through it a few times.¡± Despite herposed and aloof expression, her eyes shone brightly, almost as if her face was begging ¡°Come ask me for guidance.¡± Qiu Changtian uttered an ¡°Oh¡± and hurried towards the Scriptural Repository. Xu Yinglian: ? She anxiously followed after him, saying: ¡°If Senior Brother is not familiar with the Daozang, you can ask me! Isn¡¯t it better to have someone help outline the key points than to read aimlessly?¡± Qiu Changtian stopped in his tracks, thinking that made sense, and was about to say ¡°Then I shall kindly ask Junior Sister for guidance,¡± when the Kunlun Mirror hastily interrupted: ¡°Be careful! If you say something that doesn¡¯t match your character setting, the Synchronization Value of Mirror Flower Water Moon will plummet!¡± Qiu Changtian quickly swallowed the words he was about to speak and instead put on a look of disdain, as if to say ¡°You think you can teach me?¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s blood pressure shot up, and she coldly said: ¡°Or is it that Senior Brother doesn¡¯t dare admit that I know more about the Daozang than you do? How about this, pose any question to me, and if there¡¯s a single one I cannot answer, then you win, how about that?¡± Seeing her so eager for battle, Qiu Changtian sighed in his heart. This Junior Sister Xu, why is her personality so strong? Sigh, being her senior brother is truly tough. Seeing that Qiu Changtian stopped talking, Xu Yinglian simply sneered: ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Senior Brother isn¡¯t scared, is he?¡± Qiu Changtian gave a faint smile and then asked: ¡°The Daozang¡¯s Three Caves, what scriptures do they consist of?¡± ¡°Ah, such an easy question,¡± Xu Yinglian answered fluently without hesitation, ¡°The Three Caves refer to the ultimate passages. They reach the profound and capture the marvelous, therefore they are called the Three Caves. The first is the ¡®Dongzhen,¡¯ the second is the ¡®Dongxuan,¡¯ and the third is the ¡®Cave Divine.¡¯ ¡°The ¡®Eight Element True Scripture¡¯ says: The supreme Dao has three; the Upper True Dao has seven; the Middle True Dao has six; the Lower True Dao has eight. Totaling twenty-four scriptures, respectively, they are¡­¡± She rattled off the names of all twenty-four scriptures as if listing vegetables before proudly tilting her chin up and asked: ¡°Did I get it right, Senior Brother?¡± ¡°You got it right,¡± nodded Qiu Changtian slightly, then continued asking, ¡°Let¡¯s see if you know this, what are the differences between the Three Caves?¡± ¡°What¡¯s so difficult about that?¡± Xu Yinglian grinned, her smile as refreshing as a spring breeze, making flowers bloom: ¡°The ¡®Benji Scripture¡¯ says: Should there be scriptures that epass twelve parts, they belong to the Three Caves, and this is called the righteousw. ¡®Dongzhen¡¯ stands for the meaning of purity, ¡®Dongxuan¡¯ is about unimpeded flow, and ¡®Cave Divine¡¯ is used for its unfathomability¡­¡± The two walked side by side, with Qiu Changtian questioning and Xu Yinglian answering, one saying ¡°Let me ask,¡± the other replying ¡°This is quite easy¡± or ¡°What¡¯s so hard about that?¡± Unknowingly, they arrived at the Scriptural Repository and spent several hours inside. Xu Yinglian was not lying; she indeed had a good grasp of the Daozang. With every question Qiu Changtian asked, she was mostly able to provide the answer right away, at most pondering quickly for a few moments. After answering, receiving a ¡°You got it right¡± from Qiu Changtian made her reveal a joyful and pure smile, and the resentment in her eyebrows seemed to dissolve as well. Witnessing her demeanor, Qiu Changtian knew that she had mended most of the cracks in her Daoist Heart and nodded to himself in approval. Junior Sister, your senior brother has done so much for you. If you are troubled by your Heart Demon again, you cannot me me. ¡°Let¡¯s stop here for today,¡± Qiu Changtian closed the book. Xu Yinglian, a little parched from talking, licked her lips subconsciously, not wanting to stop and asked: ¡°Is that all? So, Senior Brother, you are admitting defeat?¡± Qiu Changtian didn¡¯t respond but simply stood up withposure and a faint smile. ¡°Sorry, Junior Sister. If I had no Synchronization Value, what harm would there be in conceding to you every day?¡± ¡°But my Invincible Character Setting¡¯s Synchronization Value has naturally dropped to 77%.¡± ¡°If I personally admit defeat, what if it plummets below 60% directly?¡± ¡°Admitting defeat to you is impossible, it will never happen in this lifetime.¡± Seeing her senior brother fall silent, Xu Yinglian took it as tacit consent and immediately beamed with joy: ¡°Senior Brother, this time I definitely won.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s return to Golden Ridge,¡± Qiu Changtian said, dodging the question. ¡°Mm-hmm, I won.¡± The two left the Jade Void Pce, rising up with Sword Control. Seeing the smile still on Xu Yinglian¡¯s face, Qiu Changtian felt something was amiss and casually remarked: ¡°The wind tonight is really boisterous.¡± ¡°It must be joyful because Senior Brother lost to me,¡± Xu Yinglian actually continued. Qiu Changtian: ¡­ ¡°I wonder how our junior brother and sisters are doing,¡± he changed the subject, ¡°Are they getting used to living in the new cave abode?¡± ¡°As long as I win a few more times, I believe they¡¯ll quickly adapt to the life of cultivation,¡± Xu Yinglian said with augh. ¡°Junior Sister, can you stop bringing this up all the time?¡± Qiu Changtian asked helplessly. ¡°Sure, you just need to say these words to me, and I will stop mentioning it,¡± Xu Yinglian said in high spirits, ¡°Say: ¡®On the seventh day of the seventh month, within the Scriptural Repository of Kunlun Jade Void Pce, Qiu Changtian admitted defeat to Xu Yinglian during a debate.¡¯¡± ¡°Hurry up, repeat that for me to hear,¡± she urged excitedly. Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­.. Junior Sister, you¡¯re really too unadorable. Ignoring Xu Yinglian¡¯s hopeful gaze, Qiu Changtian steadfastly refused to admit defeat, and they made their way back to the Golden Ridge Cave Abode, where he left under her pouting gaze. Back at the cave abode, Qiu Changtian said indifferently: ¡°Ah Jing, I want to read files!¡± [Countdown to world destruction: One thousand years.] [Please hurry in searching for the Heaven-Mending Stone.] The Kunlun Mirror droned mechanically: [Location Three: Peni Jade Pure View, Daozang Pavilion.] [Identity: Luo Yan.] [Oveying Mirror Flower Water Moon Temte, currently time-space traveling.] Luo Yan slightly lifted his eyelids and saw himself standing in front of a bookshelf, daydreaming. He quickly pulled out a copy of the ¡°Yuqing Hidden Scripture¡± from the shelf, his gaze sweeping over a passage of text, with the full content instantaneously surfacing in his mind. With Qiu Changtian¡¯s Daoist Heart rity and diligent study, he had memorized all twenty-four scriptures in his mind. Through discussions with Xu Yinglian, he had alsoe to mostly understand their meanings. Next, all he needed to do was to go over the knowledge points one more time, and then wait for the final exam! Outside the Daozang Pavilion, Shi Liuli was pacing back and forth aimlessly, wondering how her junior brother was doing inside. Ah, what other senior brothers or sisters would care so much about a junior brother who hadn¡¯t reached Entry Level? No helping it, I¡¯m just that responsible¡­ ¡°Liuli, little Junior Sister!¡± a few senior sisters called out as they passed by, ¡°There¡¯s a new batch of Beauty-preserving Elixirs at the market in Fanghu, and they are on sale only for today. They¡¯re selling fast and about to be sold out. Do you want toe with us?¡± ¡°Limited edition?¡± Shi Liuli¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°About to be sold out?¡± In that instant, any responsible senior sister and the junior brother undergoing an exam disappeared from her memory. ¡°Let¡¯s go, let¡¯s go, right now! Take me with you!¡± Chapter 14 - 14 Senior Sister is Injured Chapter 14: Senior Sister is Injured Editor: Henyee Trantions With the help of his junior sister Xu Yinglian, Qiu Changtian had thoroughly mastered everything in the Sandon Section. Therefore, Luo Yan simply skimmed through the twenty-four scriptures, and then he began to read other scriptures. The character temte of Luo Yan had a talent feature known as ¡°Hearing Once, Understanding a Thousandfold.¡± Its effecty in extensive knowledge, an eidetic memory, outstanding deductive and analytical ability, seeing the subtle and understanding the obvious, inferring many principles from one, going from one to three, from three to nine, from nine to twenty-seven¡­ With progressive extraption, one could deduce the universe from a single leaf, a super trait that aspirants of problem-solving deeply long for. Of course, the above statement is somewhat exaggerated, but it sufficiently illustrates the terrifying boost that the ¡°Hearing Once, Understanding a Thousandfold¡± trait offers to a cultivator¡¯s logical, memory, andputational abilities. With an increase in intelligence, peripheral disciplines such as Formation, Talisman Scripts, Alchemy, Artifact Refining, Divination, and many other skills can also benefit significantly. Under the enhancement of ¡°Hearing Once, Understanding a Thousandfold,¡± Luo Yan could understand the main points of a book with just one read-through. Since the main examination content¡ªthe Sandon Section¡ªhad already been learned in advance, he could leisurely choose and calmly read the other scriptures. Unconsciously, the books around him piled up like a small mountain. Just as he was immersed in his reading, the scenery around him suddenly changed. When he came to his senses, Luo Yan found himself transported by the Formation to another room. The room was bright and clean, with a desk by the window on which sat a stack of test papers, next to it were prepared writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone, exuding a very ssical charm. Luo Yan pulled out a chair to sit down, steadied his mind, and then picked up the brush to quickly start writing his answers. Afterpleting all one thousand questions, Luo Yan leisurely picked up the test paper, ready to check all the questions and answers again with the demeanor of the king of problem-solvers, when a White Jade Puppet walked through the door, scanned the papers one by one, and mechanically said: ¡°Written exam score: one thousand points.¡± ¡°Permission to ess Daozang Pavilion: once.¡± ¡°Overall evaluation: Superior.¡± ¡°ording to the sect rules, you are now permitted to be a Jia-ss disciple of the two hundred and eightieth generation of our Yuqing View.¡± ¡°Please follow me to the Tianji Pavilion to register for entry.¡± Luo Yan then followed the White Jade Puppet out the door, and seeing that it was still the main entrance of the Daozang Pavilion, he wanted to report the good news to Miss Shi Liuli from before. Huh, where is the youngdy? ¡­¡­ After registering at the Tianji Pavilion, Luo Yan became a proud disciple of Peni Jade Pure View. Of course, the fragment of Heaven-Mending Stone in Peni was still hidden in some secret location. The Kunlun Mirror had been searching for a long time but could only sense that the other party was within the Yuqing View, without being able to pinpoint the exact location. It seemed he would have to take his time figuring it out. After reloading the save back to Shushan, Ling Yunpo continued to practice the Shushan Swordsmanship. He hadn¡¯t yet learned the Peni Sword Technique, so Luo Yan didn¡¯t know about it. But at least, he was certain that the Kunlun Sword Technique was far inferior to that of Shushan, as the teaching materials were too simple and crude. Even Ling Yunpo had a feeling that if he continued to practice the Shushan Swordsmanship, it would also benefit Qiu Changtian¡¯s advancement in the Kunlun Sword Technique. After all, both originated from Ancient rify Cult swordsmanship. On the other hand, with Senior Sister An, a grandmaster of the Refining Mansion stage who lowered herself to feed him moves every day, Ling Yunpo¡¯s swordsmanship cultivation naturally soared quickly. Speaking of which, because his inexpensive master Qi Sha True Person Su Jian had gone into seclusion, An Zhisu could not obtain the Core Condensation Technique. Despite her Refining Mansion stage being at perfection, she could not take that crucial step, which saddened Ling Yunpo greatly. If by the time I reach the Refining Mansion stage, master still hasn¡¯t emerged from seclusion, I will use the rtionships of Qiu Changtian and Luo Yan to get a Core Condensation Technique for her, iming Ling Yunpo obtained it during his adventures outside so that Senior Sister An can smoothly undergo Core Formation! Uh, where is Senior Sister An? Ling Yunpo waited until midnight when finally, a Sword Light gracefully descended¡ªit was indeed Senior Sister An, covered in blood. But unlike before when the blood on her was typically from others, she was truly covered in severe wounds. As soon as shended, Ling Yunpo immediately went up to her, half eager, half angry, and said: ¡°Senior Sister! What happened to you? Who hurt you like this?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± An Zhisu weakly replied. Barely standing, she lost bnce and was about to fall to the ground. Ling Yunpo quickly supported her, scanning her with his Divine Sense. Thankfully, she had only exhausted her True Yuan and passed out; her life was not in immediate danger. Even so, aftercare treatment still needed to be done. Ling Yunpo carried her into the quiet room and carefully examined her. Due to the excessive bleeding, the multiple wounds on An Zhisu¡¯s body were not visible. He could only strip off all her clothes, leaving Senior Sister Anpletely naked. Now that he could see clearly, there was a sh on her neck, a chop from her right shoulder down to beneath her left chest, a prating injury on the right side of her abdomen, and a stab wound on her left leg. As for the traces of Daoist Magic burns and rampant Sword Qi, they were too numerous to count. He had no choice but to treat each one, first carefully wiping away the blood with a warm, damp towel, then subtly activating the Shushan Sword Technique mental method to gently draw out the residual Sword Qi from the wounds and dissipate it into the air. Doing so, Senior Sister An¡¯splexion, even in her unconscious state, seemed to improve a bit, suggesting that her pain had lessened somewhat. He then ground up pills like Jiuhua Jade Dew Pill, Six Bears Xuanhuang Powder, and Heavenly Mechanism Leading Pill using a mortar, mixing them with water boiled with herbs like kudzu leaves and Bao Pu, forming a paste to apply over the wounds, which were then bandaged. This not only elerated healing of the wounds but also ensured that there was no damage to the Root Bone, an excellent form recorded in the Daozang Pavilion documents Luo Yan had seen, which he now applied in practice. After having tended to her in this way, Senior Sister An still hadn¡¯t woken up. Ling Yunpo stared at Senior Sister An¡¯s recumbent jade body, wondering if he had missed any step. Oh, right. She had suffered sword wounds, and it was possible that some malignant Sword Qi had entered her body and was wandering through her meridians. If not properly dealt with, it could cause endless troubleter on. No, no, he had to thoroughly check once more. So he continued to meticulously examine Sister An¡¯s whole body. But her body was just too well-developed, with curves where there should be curves, undoubtedly making his inspection more difficult. After probing her entire body with his Divine Sense, he found indeed there was no hidden Sword Qi. That was very good, with this his mind could be at ease as a fellow disciple. In the end, he took Senior Sister An¡¯s clothes and tried to dress her. But Senior Sister An was in aa, and with the ancient women¡¯s clothing having concealed buttons and sashes, it was very difficult to put on. After several unsessful attempts, he ran out of options and had to wrap Senior Sister An in the bedcovers. He left her clothes aside, letting her dress herself when she woke up. As the long night dragged on, and worrying about Senior Sister An, Ling Yunpo sat beside her, silently keeping watch. After an indeterminate time, An Zhisu finally moaned and gradually came to. ¡°Junior Brother¡­¡± she murmured groggily. ¡°Senior Sister.¡± Ling Yunpo then lifted her, wrapped in the nket, and helped her sit up straight against the wall. An Zhisu leaned on his shoulder, her ck hair cascading down. A moment passed before she slowly opened her eyes. ¡°Senior Sister, have you woken up?¡± Ling Yunpo asked softly. An Zhisu didn¡¯t reply, merely silently gazing at the floor. ¡°If you¡¯re awake, you can take the medicine.¡± Ling Yunpo took out some Jiuhua Jade Dew Pills and brought them to An Zhisu¡¯s lips. Senior Sister An¡¯s lips were pressed firmly together, and no matter how much he coaxed and pushed, there was no response. He then said helplessly, ¡°Senior Sister, can you open your mouth, please?¡± ¡°Junior¡­ Junior Brother!¡± An Zhisu finally opened her mouth, and the words she spoke were both angry and urgent, ¡°How can you casually undress your senior sister!¡± ¡°Senior Sister!¡± Ling Yunpo then recounted the circumstances she had been in before, exining how he had no choice. The key point was that he hadn¡¯t touched her, simply checked with his Divine Sense! An Zhisu was silent for a moment, then somewhat embarrassedly protested in a lowering voice: ¡°But¡­ but you still can¡¯t just undress¡­¡± By the end, her voice was as thin as a mosquito¡¯s, fading to silence. After a long pause, she spoke again with a peculiar tone: ¡°You, you go out first.¡± Ling Yunpo then stepped out, looking up at the night sky, filled with stars. From behind the door came the rustling sounds of someone getting dressed. After a while, Senior Sister An emerged, standing beside him. ¡°Junior Brother.¡± She sighed faintly, ¡°Our Qingluo Peak¡­ I¡¯m afraid we are going to face some hard times ahead.¡± Chapter 15: Need to Figure Out a Way to Make Some Money Chapter 15: Need to Figure Out a Way to Make Some Money Editor: Henyee Trantions After learning the details from Senior Sister An, Ling Yunpo¡¯s thoughts also sank. The issue itself was notplex: This month, the monthly stipend that Qingluo Peak was supposed to receive had for some reason been changed from intermediate grade spirit stones to low grade spirit stones by the Administrative Hall. As a currency, the two were essentially equivalent. However, as spellcasting materials for a Spirit Gathering Array, low grade spirit stones were far inferior to intermediate grade spirit stones. Therefore, An Zhisu took up her sword and went to the Administrative Hall, questioning why their stipend had been covertly reduced. The result was that she was challenged by a Brother Shi from the Administrative Hall, on the grounds of offending the Administrative Hall. It should be exined here that the Shushan Shangqing Sect advocates the exchange of swordsmanship through sparring, and those of the same cultivation level can challenge each other. The person being challenged, if they wish to refuse the duel, must pay spirit stones to the sect as a penalty. Under the same set of restrictions, if the challenged party identally kills the challenger in a duel, they will not face any punishment. An Zhisu wasn¡¯t wary of this duel, as she had already reached the Great Perfection of the Refining Mansion stage and was on the verge of entering the Golden Core Realm, truly having no equals among her peers. Unexpectedly, during the duel, the opponent used some kind of secret technique to forcefully elevate his cultivation, temporarily gaining the strength of a ¡°False Core,¡± and caught the unprepared Senior Sister off guard, severely injuring her. ¡°Damn that Shi Ziming!¡± Ling Yunpo yelled in rage, ¡°To plot against Senior Sister like this, I, Ling Yunpo, will definitely not let this go!¡± [Unyielding Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°Shut up, Ah Jing! I was being serious just now, it wasn¡¯t for the sake of increasing the synchronization value!¡± Ling Yunpo gnashed his teeth in his heart. ¡°Don¡¯t take it to heart, Junior Brother,¡± An Zhisu shook her head, ¡°Shi Ziming is already dead.¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­ So the guy with ¡°False Core¡± cultivation, a whole realm ahead of me, got taken down by you? And that¡¯s without any prior knowledge. If Senior Sister had been prepared, wouldn¡¯t you have emerged from the duelpletely unscathed? Senior Sister, your strength is just outrageous! ¡°Well, it did save that jerk some trouble,¡± Ling Yunpo sneered, ¡°Otherwise, I would¡¯ve gone to his door with my three-foot sword to show that Shi Ziming a thing or two!¡± ¡°The guy is at Refining Mansion stage, you¡¯re at Qi Refinement stage, how would you challenge him?¡± An Zhisuughed as she shook her head. ¡°Then I¡¯ll just pick a fight with his Junior Brother!¡± Ling Yunpo said indignantly, ¡°However he hurt Senior Sister, I¡¯ll return it to his Junior Brother¡­ No, I¡¯ll return it tenfold!¡± ¡°Well said,¡± An Zhisu spoke approvingly, ¡°We, as Sword Immortals, should have such vigor. Ready to face the consequences of our actions, we cut down anyone who stands in our way, heavenly demons and gods alike, with a single sh of the sword!¡± As she spoke, she sighed gently: ¡°But don¡¯t be too impulsive. After all, we can¡¯t solve the monthly stipend issue.¡± Ling Yunpo was rendered speechless as well. The duel was one thing, but the monthly stipend was another. The head elder of the Administrative Hall was at the Nascent Soul Realm, and Senior Sister An couldn¡¯t possibly go threatening the elder with her sword. Even if Shi Ziming had initially acted on his own, after Senior Sister An had killed him, the Administrative Hall was even less likely to change the stipend. Otherwise, people outside would think that An Zhisu had frightened the Administrative Hall to the point of forcing the elder to readjust the stipend; how could the Administrative Hall continue its presence in Shushan then? Does the head elder of the Administrative Hall have no pride? Thinking of this, Ling Yunpo also felt the situation was insoluble. The problem was that their master, Su Jian, was in seclusion and not emerging! Shushan had rules, but after all, rules were notws. When encountering numerous oversights, only the elders could coordinate a solution. Now without an elder on Qingluo Peak, once they met an evildoer who exploited the loopholes in the rules, wouldn¡¯t they be as helpless as dough ready to be kneaded? No wonder Senior Sister An always struck mercilessly in every duel. If she didn¡¯t establish her might, Qingluo Peak would likely not stand for even a single day! ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Junior Brother,¡± An Zhisu said with a smile, ¡°Before the master entered seclusion, he left some valuables in the side room. I¡¯ll sell them in the market for spirit stones. Our cultivation won¡¯t be dyed.¡± ¡°Senior Sister, this is still not a long-term solution,¡± Ling Yunpo murmured. ¡°Yes, I will figure something out,¡± An Zhisu said seriously. ¡­¡­ Speaking of cultivation, Ling Yunpo actually was notcking spirit stones. Because Qiu Changtian from Kunlun was the direct disciple of the Ziwei Master and the chief disciple of this generation, the cultivation resources he received every month were very abundant. Of course, the spirit stones Qiu Changtian received from the Kunlun Sect had to be invested in the Spirit Gathering Array of Golden Ridge; they couldn¡¯t be given directly to Ling Yunpo to ease Senior Sister An¡¯s mind. Otherwise, if the junior brothers and sisters saw that the number of spirit stones in the Spirit Gathering Array was incorrect, there would be a problem. ¡°Speaking of which,¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly said in his mind, ¡°do you like this Senior Sister An?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Ling Yunpo readily admitted, ¡°My senior sister is beautiful with a sweet temperament, kind-hearted, and takes care of me meticulously. Isn¡¯t it very normal for me to like my senior sister?¡± ¡°What about Xu Yinglian?¡± the Kunlun Mirror asked again after a long silence. Ling Yunpo also was silent for a long time before he said: ¡°Ah Jing.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°The sky, in fact, is colorless; it hasn¡¯t deceived you, it¡¯s just your own eyes that have deceived you.¡± ¡°¡­What do you mean?¡± ¡°The one who made a Daoistpanion marriage promise with Xu Yinglian is Qiu Changtian of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, what does that have to do with me, Ling Yunpo of Shushan?¡± The Kunlun Mirror: ¡­¡­¡­. It felt the urge to crack on the spot. Ling Yunpo continued with an unchanged expression: ¡°There is no truth or lie in this world, only cold, hard facts that stand firmly in ce.¡± ¡°Yet everyone in this world only treats the ¡®facts¡¯ that are favorable to themselves as the truth to live by.¡± ¡°Because if they don¡¯t do so, there would be no other reason to live.¡± ¡°But in reality, for the vast majority of beings that upy most of the world,¡± ¡°the ¡®facts¡¯ that can¡¯t affirm themselves are all the truth there is.¡± ¡°I am neither Qiu Changtian nor Ling Yunpo.¡± ¡°I am the savior, destined to collect all the fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone and obliterate the impending Age of Dharma Declinepletely.¡± ¡°Under such immense pressure, I must resort to whatever means necessary to seek a higher existence.¡± ¡°Mastering the teachings of myriad schools, proficient in the myriadws of all families, leaving everyone behind.¡± ¡°Until, I standpletely above these Nine Heavens!¡± The Kunlun Mirror was left speechless by him. Well, after all, cultivators are mostly like this, seeking mighty power within themselves. It was understandable. ¡°Are you going back to Kunlun now?¡± ¡°Yes, let¡¯s reload the save,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded and said. [Countdown to world destruction: One thousand years.] [Please hurry in searching for the Heaven-Mending Stone.] The Kunlun Mirror robotically recited: [Location one: The Kunlun Taiqing Sect¡¯s Golden Ridge Cave Abode.] [Identity: Qiu Changtian.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Temte oveying, time-space travel in progress.] On the stone bed in his own cave abode, Qiu Changtian abruptly opened his eyes. Outside it was still night, the time stayed right after Qiu Changtian had finished studying the Taoist scriptures and returned from the Jade Void Pce with Xu Yinglian. Qiu Changtian stepped out of the cave abode, gazed at the Milky Way and the brilliant stars, and couldn¡¯t help but heave a sigh. The path of cultivation requires wealth,panions, teachings, and a ce; without wealth, nothing can be done. ¡­I should still find a way to get some money for Ling Yunpo. Chapter 16 - 16 Seeking Only the Company of My Junior Sister Chapter 16: Seeking Only the Company of My Junior Sister Editor: Henyee Trantions As the Chief Disciple, Qiu Changtian, besides attending regr sessions in the Scripture Lecture Hall to listen to the Ziwei Master¡¯s teachings, also had to return to exin scriptures and answer questions for his junior brothers and sisters. The reason was simple: the Ziwei Sect Leader took on disciples every generation. With so many generations, the number of disciples had long since surpassed one hundred, and it was impossible to fit everyone in the Scripture Lecture Hall. Therefore, only the Chief Disciple of each generation could listen to the teachings in the Scripture Lecture Hall. The remaining junior brothers and sisters could only wait for the Chief Disciple to finish listening beforeing back to teach and answer questions on behalf of the master. Of course, Xu Yinglian, who possessed the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, was an exception¡ªhaving precious qualities for cultivation, she had privileges in Kunlun. Inside the Scripture Lecture Hall, all the meditation cushions were divided into left and right rows, and their arrangement also followed particr importance. Disciples at the Golden Core Stage sat on the left, those at the Foundation Establishment Stage sat on the right. Those with better aptitudes sat at the front, while those with lesser aptitudes sat at the back. Additionally, the cushion at the very front of both rows was reserved for the strongest among all the Chief Disciples of the Golden Core Stage and the Foundation Establishment Stage, respectively. Therefore, these two individuals had another title¡ªcalled the ¡°Great Chief Disciples.¡± Others, although first among their peers, had to follow the hierarchy in front of the Sect Leader, and could only be considered ¡°lesser Chief Disciples.¡± After the grand opening ceremony, Qiu Changtian came to listen to the teachings for the first time as a formal disciple and was appointed by the Real Ziwei to sit on the second cushion of the right row, causing envy and disappointment among the others. The senior brother who originally upied the second position on the right row, forced to give up his cushion, felt reluctant and had a gloomy expression. However, he was fiercely red at by Xu Changqing, the senior brother and Great Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Stage, in front of him, and he hastily lowered his head, not daring to show any further dissatisfaction. Qiu Changtian took his cushion, apologized, and the other could only force a smile saying it was all right and then moved to sit on the third cushion in the back. As for Ying Lian, if sorting by talent, she should have been sitting behind Qiu Changtian, on the third cushion. But the Ziwei Master, knowing of herpetitive nature and deep-seated obsession with Qiu Changtian, feared that if she sat behind him, after a few more sessions, the girl would be gone. Vomiting blood, biting through silver teeth, sumbing to Deviation, shouting thrice ¡°If Ying Lian was born, why let Qiu be?¡± before passing away and having her soul drift down to the Netherworld. Thus, the Master instructed her to move a cushion over and sit to the right of Qiu Changtian, forming a third row. Xu Yinglian was somewhat puzzled, but since it was amand from her master, sheplied and sat to the right of Qiu Changtian, her expression serene. Once the Ziwei Sect Leader had finished lecturing, everyone listened engrossed and reluctant to leave. But Qiu Changtian stayed behind, clearly having something to say. Xu Yinglian, seeing that he didn¡¯t leave, asked softly, ¡°Senior brother?¡± Qiu Changtian gestured for her not to ask too much and to just listen by his side. The Ziwei Master sat silently for a moment, eyes closed, then asked, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Reporting to master,¡± Qiu Changtian said respectfully, ¡°your disciple wishes to go out for experiential training.¡± Upon hearing this, the Ziwei Sect Leader lifted his eyelids to look at him, surprised, and asked, ¡°You¡¯re short of spirit stones?¡± Unruffled, Qiu Changtian replied, ¡°The disciple wishes to exert himself for the sake of our Sect.¡± The Ziwei Master then chuckled and shook his head. In today¡¯s Cultivation World, with many Sects, the paths for outer sect disciples and inner sect disciples arepletely different. Outer sect disciples, with subpar aptitudes and limited sect resources, would definitely not be able to keep up with the rate at which their lifespan was used in normal cultivation. Therefore, they had to go out for training and perform sect missions, searching for remnants left over from ancient times in the hope of a serendipitous encounter. Inner sect disciples, with superior aptitudes and generous resources from the Sect, enjoyed uninterrupted operation of their caverns¡¯ Spirit Gathering Arrays for twelve hours a day. Consequently, unless they hit a bottleneck, they would want nothing more than to stay in the Sect and reach full level before venturing out. Thus, the Ziwei Master¡¯s assumption was that Qiu Changtian wanted to go out and obtain some treasures or spirit stones¡­ You¡¯re only at the Qi Refining Rank, what need have you for such treasures? Probably for exchanging spirit stones. ¡°Very well.¡± Seeing that he was unwilling to admit it, the Ziwei Master didn¡¯t expose him further. ¡°Go to the administrative hall and obtain the leave talisman.¡± ¡°Reporting to the master,¡± Qiu Changtian continued, ¡°your disciple wishes to bring along junior sister Ying Lian.¡± Xu Yinglian: ? ¡°Why is this?¡± the Ziwei Master asked again. What reason could there be? The Synchronization Value was only at 77% now; it had to be brushed back up. Could he not rely on this junior sister? ¡°Master, this is also a disciple¡¯s selfishness,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a bitter smile, ¡°If your disciple encounters a fortuitous adventure outside and his cultivation level soars, I¡¯m afraid the junior sister would not be convinced¡­¡± ¡°Who do you say would not be convinced?¡± Xu Yinglian burst out in anger. ¡°Then let me put it another way,¡± Qiu Changtian immediately corrected himself, ¡°If I encounter a fortuitous adventure outside, my current state being at the Qi Refining Rank with modest mana, I may not be able to handle it. If junior sister Ying Lian could assist, our chances of sess would be greater.¡± The anger in Xu Yinglian¡¯s face slowly subsided, hidden but not extinguished. The Ziwei Master pondered for a moment, then smiled and said: ¡°You really have thought this through. However¡­ if you really doe across a great opportunity, would you be willing to share it with your junior sister? Aren¡¯t you afraid she may surpass you because of it?¡± Within the Kunlun Sect, it was alright, but in the Cultivation Realm outside the sect, it was all about survival of the fittest. Killing for treasure wasmonce, with no authorities to intervene¡­ What authorities are there for cultivators? After discovering an opportunity, the normal reaction would be to secretly hoard it and monopolize the benefits. That would be the logical approach. ¡°Of course,¡± Qiu Changtian said earnestly, ¡°If the junior sister can improve her cultivation through the opportunity and surpass your disciple, that would be a good thing.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Xu Yinglian asked incredulously. Qiu Changtian gave a faint smile and said: ¡°Walking alone on the path of cultivation is quite lonely. Having the junior sister¡¯spany would leave no regrets.¡± What if he trained outside for too long and no one was there to boast to, causing the Synchronization Value to drop? What then? Xu Yinglian was momentarily speechless, her anger had already dissipated, transforming into aplex expression as if deep in thought. [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°Good!¡± the Ziwei Masterughed and pped his hands in approval, ¡°Since you have this intention, I will not stop you.¡± With a gesture of his sleeve, a sword descended from the hall above, and he said: ¡°This is the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword, a treasured weapon of our sect. I will lend it to you temporarily; it will ensure your safety while traveling outside.¡± Qiu Changtian was startled: the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword, that was a famous Immortal Sword! It had gained renown since the Ancient battle of Chanyi and was far beyond the Tenth Rank, an exceedingly powerful Immortal Sword that could not be measured by grade ranks! He wanted to confirm this, but was afraid it would not fit with his character setting, so he maintained a dignified posture and responded solemnly: ¡°Thank you for the loan of the sword, Master.¡± Xu Yinglian was also shockingly amazed, her words stuck in her throat. After the two left, the Ziwei Master fell silent for a moment before slowly picking up the horsetail whisk beside the lotus tform, and murmured: ¡°Afflictions and deluded thoughts, sorrows both body and mind. Coveting the undying, how can one achieve tranquility?¡± No sooner had Qiu Changtian left the Jade Void Pce than Xu Yinglian grabbed him from behind. ¡°What are you nning to do?¡± Xu Yinglian frowned and asked, ¡°Venturing out for experience? What¡¯s there to experience at the Qi Refinement Realm? Without a Flying Sword, I fear you won¡¯t even be able to beat mundane martial artists.¡± I¡¯m going out to get Spirit Stones¡­ Of course, Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t tell her that; otherwise, Xu Yinglian would certainly say, ¡°I¡¯ll lend them to you¡± ¡°First, tell me what you need them for.¡± So he just gave a faint smile and asked, ¡°Are you scared?¡± Xu Yinglian: ?!! She nearly jumped in response. Strangely enough, her disposition as a Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart meant that whether dealing with people or issues, she could see through them as if they were clear mes. Because she could see through them, they held no interest for her. Because they held no interest, she was detached. Even though it was clear that her senior brother was using such simple provocation, she couldn¡¯t contain the anger within. It surged up to the top of her head like an erupting volcano, unceasingly. ¡°Scared of what?¡± she scoffed, ¡°Is it that the senior brother is too nervous for his first time venturing out, that you need to drag me along to bolster your courage?¡± ¡°It seems you¡¯ve discovered this already,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a gleeful smile. This teasing tone, as if tricking a girl, made Xu Yinglian even more irritated. Chapter 17 - 17 Junior Sister Xu Wants to Take a Bath Chapter 17: Junior Sister Xu Wants to Take a Bath Editor: Henyee Trantions The Kunlun Mountain Range is located to the west of Divine Land, stretching from Xining County in Yongzhou to the east, connecting with the desert Gobi of the Extreme West, spanning nearly four thousand miles. If the people of Divine Land wish to go to Kunlun to seek a mentor, they must start from Guanzhong, traverse Longyou to Xining County. Then they would take the Qiang central road into Shazhou, follow the northern foothills of the Kunlun Mountain Range past the towns of Ruoqiang, Qiemo, and Yutian, and finally arrive at Shule Town to rest for several days. After that, head south into the Kunlun Mountain Range, reaching the Kunlun Heavenly Pir. However, for Kunlun Disciples venturing out, it was not necessary to go through such trouble. They simply needed to fly on their swords from the Heaven Pir, head east along the trajectory of the Kunlun Mountain Range, pass through the three regions of Cengcheng, Xuanpu, and Fantong in session, and soon after leaving the Kunlun Mountain Range, they would arrive at Xining County. Subsequently, by turning southeast, crossing Longyou, they could reach Chang¡¯an. The whole journey, covering about six thousand miles, could be flown in merely one and a half hours. Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian rose on their swords, traveling from west to east across the entire mountain range, arriving at the edge of Jade Void Peak in the eastern part of Fantong. Jade Void Peak is the location of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect¡¯s external service hall. Whether it¡¯s the management of external properties or the distribution of experience tasks, all are centrally allocated here at Jade Void Peak. Located at the foothills to the northeast of Jade Void Peak is ¡°Chitai,¡± thergest market of Kunlun essible to the outside world, which also features ¡°Kunlun Spring.¡± It is said that bathing in it can beautify and rejuvenate, making it a sacred ce where female disciples of the Taiqing Sect linger and forget to return. Xu Yinglian had been in the service hall of Jade Void Peak for a short while, and she was already feeling the urge to soak in the Kunlun Spring. However, seeing that Qiu Changtian was still patiently browsing the mission jade ques on the wall, she forced herself to suppress the impulse and continued to help him pick one. ¡°Cooperative exploration of the newly discovered Qishan Earth Vein relics?¡± Xu Yinglian suddenly said, her tone eager to try, ¡°This one looks good, challenging.¡± ¡°We won¡¯t take it,¡± Qiu Changtian answered sinctly. ¡°How about this one?¡± Xu Yinglian asked again, ¡°Searching for the severely injured Demon Cult Cultivator who has fled from Mount Beimang to here?¡± ¡°Not taking that one either.¡± ¡°Why?¡± Xu Yinglian asked, puzzled. ¡°Because they¡¯re both too troublesome,¡± Qiu Changtian said while he nced toward the jade que that read ¡°Eliminate rampaging Demonic Beasts.¡± Hunting Demonic Beasts, a type of task with clear objectives and a short process, would quickly secure Spirit Stonepensation, which would be urgently needed for Ling Yunpo! ¡°Troublesome?¡± Xu Yinglian asked in wonder, ¡°Aren¡¯t we out here for experience? What¡¯s there to fear about a little trouble?¡± Qiu Changtian chuckled and said: ¡°Explore relics? Who knows how vast the relics are, how long it will take to explore?¡± ¡°As for searching for the severely injured Demon Cult Cultivator, who knows where that guy has gone? If it takes ten days or half a month toplete the task with no results, you might not even get the chance to soak in the Kunlun Spring!¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s face turned red, thinking her thoughts had been seen through, and her voice unconsciously lowered: ¡°If necessary, I can skip soaking in the Kunlun Spring this time; there will always be opportunities in the future¡­¡± ¡°Who¡¯s talking about you?¡± Qiu Changtian nced at her, ¡°I was talking about wanting to soak in the Kunlun Spring myself.¡± Consequently, the face of the girl with the long straight ck hair turned icy cold again, and her gaze began to grow terrifying. ¡°What do you think of this task?¡± Qiu Changtian pointed to another jade que, ¡°Hunting Demonic Beasts, interested?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not,¡± Xu Yinglian replied with sessive coldughs, ¡°Chasing Demonic Beasts through the dense forests where visibility is dark, I fear I might identally send my Flying Sword off course, stabbing my senior brother instead.¡± ¡°Junior Sister Xu, are your eyes not working properly?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in amazement, ¡°Confusing a four-legged Demonic Beast with a Cultivator, that¡¯s a first I¡¯ve heard.¡± ¡°Although they are different in shape, both have a stench and are repulsive,¡± Xu Yinglian turned her gaze away, ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s indistinguishable with closed eyes.¡± ¡°So why does Junior Sister need to close her eyes while using the Sword Control Technique? Are you nning to murder your senior brother and seize the position of Chief Disciple?¡± ¡°If senior brother could be so easily killed by junior sister¡¯s de, wouldn¡¯t that precisely prove that senior brother is unworthy of holding the position of Chief Disciple?¡± ¡°Uh, you just said ¡®assassination,¡¯ right?¡± ¡°Senior Brother misheard. What Junior Sister said was ¡®idental killing.¡¯¡± ¡°There¡¯s a difference between an idental killing and an assassination. How could I possibly mishear that?¡± ¡°It seems like Senior Brother¡¯s ears aren¡¯t that great. How about I recite the ¡®Ear-prating Listening Charm¡¯ for Senior Brother? Otherwise, if you can¡¯t even listen to Master¡¯s teachings clearly, when youe back to ry them, our junior brothers and sisters will suffer.¡± ¡°Junior Sister, don¡¯t change the subject!¡± ¡°Listen not with the ears, but with the heart; and not with the heart, but with the qi¡­¡± ¡°So, don¡¯t recite it, alright!¡± Seeing Qiu Changtian rendered speechless by her, Xu Yinglian couldn¡¯t help but reveal a cold smile. She had finally found a way to not be overwhelmed in front of her Senior Brother, which was to use cold and aggressivenguage for tit-for-tat counterattacks. Even though thispletely contradicted the teachings of the Xu Family of Southern Heaven and would likely cause the n elders to faint in frustration if they heard her speaking so harshly. But she would prefer that to being verbally broken down by Qiu Changtian, which was another kind of unbearable failure. Qiu Changtian caught a glimpse of her smile from the corner of his eye and couldn¡¯t help but sigh inwardly. ¡°Let¡¯s just take this mission to hunt demonic beasts.¡± He pointed at the board and said. ¡°Since Senior Brother won¡¯t heed the warning, don¡¯t me me if something goes wrong,¡± Xu Yinglian deliberately scared him. ¡°Junior Sister can rest assured,¡± Qiu Changtian smiled and pointed to the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword he was carrying on his back. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Speaking of the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword, it¡¯s worth mentioning that the system of Flying Swords was different around the time when the ancient Chun and Jie sects perished. Firstly, for the ancient Chun and Jie sects, there was no such thing as swords of various ranks, all Flying Swords were of Immortal Sword caliber. However, after the perishing of these sects, Artifact Refiners lost the method of forging perfect Immortal Swords, and thus they could only forge lower-grade Flying Swords for use by cultivators below the level of immortals. This led to the ssification system of grades one through ten, known as the ¡°Heavenly Stem Sword Casting Method¡±. And the dream of all Artifact Refiners was to recover the method of forging Tenth Rank Immortal Swords. Secondly, topensate for the lowerbat power of low-rank Flying Swords, research into the seals of Daoist magic on Flying Swords had to be strengthened. For instance, a Ninth Rank Flying Sword would have to have nine different strengths of Daoist magic sealed within it. With each increase in the user¡¯s realm, ayer of the sword¡¯s Daoist magic would be unsealed, thus perfectly matching the user¡¯s power and realm. For example, Qiu Changtian¡¯s Jade Smoke Sword, since he is currently at the Qi Refining Rank, can only unseal the firstyer of Daoist magic on it, called ¡°Dragon Qi Spirals the Sea of Clouds¡±. With a mere hand gesture for the sword technique, hastily chanting or mentally reciting ¡°Silk Cloud Rains, Jade Rainbow Produces Smoke¡± would activate the Daoist magic on the sword, creating numerous Light Swords to attack and bind the enemy. However, the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword, being a formidable Immortal Sword existing since ancient times, naturally does not conform to the ten-grade Heavenly Stem Sword Casting Method. It has only three Forbidden Techniques (powerful ancient Daoist magic) on it, two of which were sealed by the Ziwei Master, leaving only one, called ¡°Connecting Mountains to Ocean¡¯s Edge.¡± Once activated, it can conjure endless mountains and seas to trap and suppress enemies, a nearly omnipotent life-saving and offensive method. After listening to Qiu Changtian¡¯s exnation, Xu Yinglian no longer continued to provoke him. Despite herpetitive nature, she was not so arrogant as to underestimate the power of an Immortal Sword Forbidden Technique. Since her Senior Brother had the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword for protection, regardless of how divine the demonic beast they were to hunt was, it could not possibly threaten their safety. Thinking this, she grew eager to try her hand, wishing she could immediately find the whereabouts of the beast and y it before her Senior Brother. ¡°When do we depart?¡± Xu Yinglian urged. ¡°Don¡¯t rush, to find the whereabouts of that beast, we first have to contact other disciples who took on this mission,¡± Qiu Changtian said leisurely. ¡°Before that, why don¡¯t you go take a soak in the Kunlun Spring? How does that sound?¡± Chapter 18 - 18 I Am Qiu Changtian! Chapter 18: I Am Qiu Changtian! Editor: Henyee Trantions The Kunlun Spring was originally not a hot spring. It was merely a subterranean mineral spring, and the water that gushed forth was ice-cold to the touch and never froze throughout the year, containing an abundance of minerals. Or rather, it was the Earth Pulse Spiritual Power contained within the minerals that endowed the bathing water with effects such as beautifying and nourishing theplexion, as well as cleansing filth and purifying the spirit. Therefore, the female cultivators from the Ancient rify Cult channeled the springwater into pools constructed from warm jade, thus creating a series of indoor hot springs that have now be the sacred tourist destination of the Kunlun Border. In a private hot spring room, Xu Yinglian shed her in robe, revealing a wless body, with her long ck hair wrapped in a bath towel at the back of her head. First, she lifted her jade feet and tentatively tested the water temperature, then she slowly stepped into the crystal-clear water, immersing her beautifully curved body. ¡°Sigh.¡± Reclining in the hot spring, leaning lightly against the warm jade wall, Xu Yinglian exhaled a long breath amidst the rising wisps of steam, her face revealing a contented expression offort. After an unknown amount of time, a sudden thought sprang to mind. What is Senior Brother Qiu doing now? Is he soaking in a hot spring in some room as well? Xu Yinglian¡¯s feelings toward this Qiu Changtian, Senior Brother Qiu, were a mix of admiration and resentment. Admiration was due to his unparalleled talent, which was truly enviable. The resentment was also because of his unparalleled talent¡ªit was so terrifying that it drove her close to despair in her pursuit. The most infuriating thing was that her family had arranged a Daoist Companion marriage contract with him without even consulting her¡­ Xu Yinglian slowly submerged her face into the water, feeling somewhat powerless. In truth, she did not dislike Senior Brother Qiu, but she had never considered him in a romantic way either. Qiu Changtian was merely a goal for her to surpass. Once she hadpletely defeated him, he would just be like any other insignificant and uninteresting person in the world; by then, she wouldn¡¯t even spare him a nce. Humph. Thinking this, Xu Yinglian¡¯s mood improved once again as she soaked in the hot spring. Contrary to her guess, Qiu Changtian was at that moment socializing outside, meeting with the Kunlun Disciples who had also taken up the ¡°hunt the Demonic Beast¡± mission. In the restaurant, all the participants had arrived: three men and two women, aside from Qiu Changtian, all dressed as Outer Sect Disciples of Kunlun, exchanging names. ¡°I am Lv Zheng, and I greet my fellow Kunlun Sect peers,¡± one of them said, taking the lead with a formal bow. ¡°Well met, I am Liu Daoran.¡± ¡°Liu Yiyi.¡± ¡°Wen Qin.¡± ¡°Hu Haozhi.¡± After everyone had introduced themselves in turn, their gazes fell on Qiu Changtian, who was thest to speak. ¡°Qiu Changtian,¡± he said with a smile as he introduced himself. The room fell silent for a moment. Then, the disciple named Lv Zheng, as if to break the awkward silence, chuckled: ¡°What a coincidence, to share the same name as this generation¡¯s Chief Disciple.¡± Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­. Wait a minute, how did I be someone with the same name? But he was quick-witted and soon figured out the reason. Because Qiu Changtian was a Direct Disciple of the Sect Leader, his status was noble, and he had no need for external experience! Those standing here were the pitiable Outer Sect Disciples without the protection of a master, forced to stand on their own two feet and strengthen themselves independently. In order to improve their cultivation levels swiftly, they reluctantly had to take on long-term Qi Refining Rank missions from the service hall, all for the sake of earning a few Spirit Stones to fund their cultivation. Among all the Qi Refining Rank missions, hunting Demonic Beasts was the one with the leastpensation and the mostborious. One should know that whether it is exploring ancient ruins or searching for enemy cultivators, there are chances to obtain additional Magical Treasures, Elixirs, or even Cultivation Techniques. What could one possibly get from hunting demonic beasts? Fur? Flesh? Excrement? The only advantage of this task was that it could bepleted quickly, allowing for a rapid umtion ofpleted missions and enough spirit stones through this umtion¡­ Thus, the ones who would take on this task were all outer sect disciples desperately in need of spirit stones. Not to mention the current Chief Disciple, even other direct disciples and inner sect disciples, who could receive a monthly stipend from their masters, would not care about such a small amount of spirit stones! With this in mind, Qiu Changtian felt it was no longer appropriate to stress that ¡°I am the Chief Disciple,¡± so he just nodded in agreement. The other outer sect disciples still seemed oblivious, merely chatting among themselves in a friendly manner. ¡°Speaking of the Taiqing Sect¡¯s Chief Disciple Qiu Changtian, it seems he is a figure whose reputation does not match reality.¡± The disciple who had previously introduced himself as ¡°Liu Daoran¡± now chuckled coldly, ¡°I heard that when he first joined the Kunlun Sect, he never walked the path to heaven, but was directly appointed by the Sect Leader!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Another female disciple named ¡°Wen Qin¡± was apparently unaware of this and asked in surprise, ¡°If he hadn¡¯tpleted the path to heaven, how could the sect confirm his qualifications for cultivation? Why would he be directly made the Chief Disciple of our generation?¡± ¡°What else could be the reason?¡± Liu Daoran curled his lips, ¡°Probably just another cultivator from a cultivator family with connections.¡± At these words, everyone fell silent. That the descendants of the cultivator families often upied the majority of the slots as direct disciples and inner sect disciples of the Taiqing Sect was an almost open secret. Sometimes, even those with poor aptitude could snag a slot because of a rtive who was a real person or elder in Kunlun, which earned them considerable disdain from their fellow disciples. ¡°Forget about that Chief Disciple; let¡¯s look at the task at hand.¡± Seeing everyone¡¯s spirits dampened, Lv Zheng hastily tried to lighten the mood, introducing the task at hand, ¡°In the spirit stone mine at Old Dragon Ridge, mole crickets have recently invaded and are obstructing mining.¡± ¡°This creature resembles a wild goat with four horns, capable of running and jumping, and bes fiercely carnivorous at the sight of blood.¡± ¡°Fortunately, it cannot wield the Five Elemental Spells and is considered a low-rank demonic beast; therefore, as long as we act carefully, we should not find it difficult to efficiently kill with flying swords.¡± ¡°From here to Old Dragon Ridge is not far; if all goes well, the hunt and return should take no more than two hours at most.¡± He passed around the scripture scroll detailing the mission, and everyone agreed without objections. After all, Qi Refining Rank cultivators had not yet undergone Marrow Cleansing; although their bodies were frail and no different from ordinary people, the attack power of flying swords was nheless formidable. Unless a demonic beast found an opportunity tounch a surprise attack, it would typically die when pierced through a vital spot by a flying sword, rather than the turn-basedbat of ¡°you cast a fire incantation, I unleash a wind de¡± as written in xuanhuan novels. With the task confirmed, the group was about to set off when Qiu Changtian suddenly spoke up: ¡°Wait a moment, I have a junior sister who will be joining me. Could everyone please wait for me to bring her here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not really appropriate,¡± Lv Zheng said, feeling awkward, ¡°The spirit stones from this mission are already few; five people sharing is manageable, but with six people, it bes too little.¡± Qiu Changtian was left speechless. He had seen the mission reward earlier, just one hundred and twenty low-grade spirit stones; whether divided among five or six people, it was a difference of just four stones. How could that little difference matter? Looking at the other disciples, though they said nothing, their expressions all conveyed the same message: They did not want another person sharing. With this, Qiu Changtian had another realization: Four low-grade spirit stones meant nothing to him, but to these outer sect disciples, they represented a significant sum of money! ¡°How about this?¡± he changed tack, smiling, ¡°My junior sister and I will both contribute effort, but we will only take the share of one person¡¯s reward.¡± ¡°That would be excellent!¡± Lv Zheng was overjoyed at the prospect, as it would essentially be gaining an extra hand for free, ¡°But would your junior sister agree to this?¡± ¡°She doesn¡¯t care,¡± Qiu Changtian smiled, ¡°Shees from a cultivator family and doesn¡¯t mind such a small amount of spirit stones.¡± As soon as he made this Versailles-like remark, everyone¡¯s faces stiffened. Lv Zheng was about to continue asking ¡°then why take on the task,¡± but was rudely interrupted by Hu Haozhi next to him: ¡°Fellow daoist, since you are bringing your junior sister, please hurry it up. We can¡¯t have so many of us waiting just for you two!¡± While the others were members of the 280th generation of disciples and had only recently entered the sect, Hu Haozhi was from the 279th generation and had joined Kunlun thirty years earlier than the rest. Thus, when he pulled rank to interrupt, Lv Zheng did not continue to inquire, though his face showed lingering skepticism. ¡°Mm, please wait just a moment, everyone, I will be right back,¡± Qiu Changtian said as he turned to leave. After he was out of sight, Liu Daoran scoffed, ¡°A cultivator family¡¯s young miss doing this sort of grueling work? That man is probably not being truthful. Everyone be carefulter, don¡¯t let him take advantage of the confusion.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not dwell on that,¡± Liu Yiyi, who had been silent so far, suddenly spoke up, ¡°At least he is quite handsome.¡± ¡°You think so too?¡± Wen Qin eximed excitedly, ¡°He does indeed resemble a graceful young master from arge family!¡± ¡°Can a handsome face be used as spirit stones?¡± Liu Daoran shot back with a dark face, ¡°An embroidered pillow full of straw, don¡¯t you understand?¡± ¡°You ugly man don¡¯t know anything!¡± Wen Qin had not been pleased with him and now yelled directly, ¡°Keep your jealousy of his good looks to yourself! Don¡¯t be so passive-aggressive; it¡¯s irritating!¡± ¡°You!¡± Liu Daoran was infuriated and about to retort, but Lv Zheng hurriedly intervened to pacify the situation, ¡°Alright, alright, we are all disciples of the same Kunlun Sect, let¡¯s not ruin our harmony.¡± Having just calmed down, Liu Daoran began considering leaving the team to venture on his own. After all, having fallen out with the female cultivators in the team, remaining silent would mean swallowing insults, and retorting wouldpromise his dignity. It seemed better to leave. Yet thinking further, if he were to leave in such a disheartened manner, he couldn¡¯t help but imagine how these female cultivators would gossip behind his back, mocking and deriding him. It would be better to wait for the others to bring back that junior sister, to let everybody see what kind of ¡°young miss¡± she was! Chapter 19 - 19 My Junior Sister is the Cutest Chapter 19: My Junior Sister is the Cutest Editor: Henyee Trantions Xu Yinglian had just finished soaking in the hot spring and changed into her Taoist robe. She came out just in time to receive a message from her senior brother. After meeting with Qiu Changtian and hearing about the mission, she frowned and asked, ¡°For just a mere mole cricket, we need to team up with other disciples? Isn¡¯t that unnecessary?¡± ¡°We¡¯re all from the same sect. It¡¯s rare to meet, and helping each other isn¡¯t too much, right?¡± Qiu Changtian exined with a smile. If I don¡¯t team up with people, how can I show off and boost my Synchronization Value? Only use you for that? Isn¡¯t it just because I¡¯m worried about you, Junior Sister Xu Yinglian! Xu Yinglian looked at him skeptically, obviously not appreciating his senior brother¡¯s kindness. After a while, she nodded and said, ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter, I¡¯m just apanying you anyway.¡± By the time the two arrived downstairs at the restaurant, they saw the five outer sect disciples waiting at the entrance. Liu Daoran was originally full of disdain and impatience, but as soon as his eyes caught a glimpse of Xu Yinglian, he was instantly mesmerized: it was really the actual young miss! It should be noted that the world didn¡¯t have the concept of ¡°ck long straight¡± hair, but mainstream aesthetics still heavily favored ck long straight hair. One¡¯s hair should be ¡°dark without the aid of jewels,¡± and skin should be ¡°pale without the need for powder and rouge,¡± in essence, a reverence for natural beauty. Xu Yinglian¡¯s appearance and temperament undoubtedly stood at the pinnacle of these attributes. Clothed in a white in robe without any jewelry. Herplexion pure, untainted by makeup. Her ck hair cascading like a waterfall, held carelessly with a ribbon, without the embellishment of a pearl hairpin¡ªshe struck directly at the heart of mainstream aesthetics. As a result, the three male Kunlun disciples momentarily lost themselves in a daze at the sight of her, before quickly recovering and straightening their backs, trying to adopt a humble and elegant demeanor. On the other hand, the two female Kunlun disciples, who were initially happy to see Qiu Changtian return, immediately felt an instinctive aversion and a touch of jealousy upon seeing Xu Yinglian¡¯s appearance. Everyone then reintroduced themselves, and when it came to her turn, she simply said ¡°Xu Yinglian,¡± and stood by Qiu Changtian¡¯s side without further conversation. ¡°Is it a coincidence that she has the same name as Xu Yinglian? Or is it a fake name taken on purpose?¡± Wen Qin said with a sneer, and Liu Yiyi quickly tugged on her arm, ¡°Keep your voice down.¡± Looking again at Liu Daoran, who had previously questioned ¡°is this really the young miss,¡± he was now eagerly exining the mission details to Xu Yinglian, along with Lv Zheng. Hu Haozhi, with his seniority a level above everyone else, did not deem it worthy to stoop to exining, so he just kept nodding, signifying, ¡°What they¡¯re saying is right, I totally agree.¡± ¡°I only need to listen to Senior Brother Qiu,¡± Xu Yinglian coldly interjected after these male disciples had finished their morous exnations. Seeing the three men dete, the two female disciples couldn¡¯t help but cover their mouths and snicker. With various thoughts in mind, the group rode their Sword Lights towards Old Dragon Ridge. The journey was through high-altitude grasnds, with herds of cattle and sheep and nomadic tents scattered throughout. In the distance were lush fields and blue skies, with snow-capped peaks stretching endlessly, evoking a sense of boundless expansiveness and heartlifting bliss. Taking into ount that there were exactly seven people in the team, Qiu Changtian wanted to mention ¡°Seven Swords Down from Tianshan,¡± but considering that no one would get the reference, he had to let it go. It¡¯s absurd to say, but during the journey, in order to test the synchronization mechanism of Mirror Flower Water Moon, he chatted with a few female disciples in the team, and incidentally introduced the story behind Old Dragon Ridge. Wen Qin and Liu Yiyi ingratiatingly praised him for his ¡°profound knowledge,¡± yet the Synchronization Value didn¡¯t budge an inch. Xu Yinglian snorted, ¡°Brother, do you think I don¡¯t know these things?¡± and then, the Synchronization Value increased by +1. Clearly, even though both were showing off in front of her, the two female outer sect disciples didn¡¯t genuinely think he was impressive; they were merely pretending to be in awe to curry favor. Junior Sister Xu, however, was unaware of the tale of Old Dragon Ridge, cared about her defeat in thepetition of knowledge and so contributed a little Synchronization Value. My junior sister really is the adorable one. What noble breeds are you other outer sect disciples? Trash! Lucky for me to have brought my junior sister along on this trip! To return to the matter at hand, to the north of the main peak of Old Dragon Ridge lies a narrow, elongated valley known as ¡°Da Zhi Gou.¡± Within Da Zhi Gou runs a river, which the locals call ¡°Camel River.¡± The Spirit Stone mine is situated at the headwaters of Camel River, where several stewards and arge group of miners stood outside the mine, their faces etched with worry. It wasn¡¯t until Qiu Changtian and his group of seven descended that the stewards rushed over in panic, as if they had found a lifesaving straw, and joyfully said: ¡°The immortals have finally arrived!¡± ¡°Do not panic,¡± Qiu Changtian said soothingly, ¡°Our time is limited, so let¡¯s discuss the matter of the Demonic Beasts in detail.¡± Lv Zheng felt slightly annoyed upon hearing this, as he had intended to ask about the issue himself, but Qiu Changtian had beaten him to it, making it seem as if he were leading the team. However, sparring with this person would undoubtedly result in the wrath of the other female teammates¡ªLiu Daoran¡¯s fate was still fresh in everyone¡¯s mind. As such, he remained silent, listening to the stewards exin. It turned out that a few days prior, miners had suddenly started disappearing within the mine, and there was a faint glint of blood-light deep within the tunnels. Thinking it to be some kind of wild beast like a cave bear, the stewards had organized a team of miners to investigate. What they discovered inside were man-eating mole crickets. Demonic Beasts are different from wild beasts; thetter can be dealt with arrows, but the former require the use of Flying Swords. Therefore, the stewards promptly reported to the Sect, and the Stewards¡¯ Hall issued a task to the Qi Refining Rank disciples. After hearing the report, the group moved to a secluded spot to discuss. ¡°What do you all think?¡± Lv Zheng, learning from his previous mistake, did not wait for Qiu Changtian to speak and instead initiated the discussion, trying to take charge of the meeting and simultaneously show off in front of Xu Yinglian. ¡°What else can we do? It¡¯s just mole crickets, let¡¯s just charge in and kill them,¡± Hu Haozhi said impatiently. ¡°What does Senior Brother Qiu think?¡± asked Wen Qin with a smile. ¡°If it were just mole crickets, that would be fine,¡± Qiu Changtian solemnly stated, ¡°But do you all remember? The steward mentioned that on the day of the incident, there was a faint blood-light flickering within the cave.¡± He called the stewards over again and asked them to confirm, to which they did confirm the presence of the blood-light in the cave. ¡°Now we have a problem,¡± Qiu Changtian dismissed the stewards and said calmly, ¡°Mole crickets don¡¯t possess the art of the Five Spirits, so where did this blood-lighte from?¡± ¡°Blood-light is just a metaphor, right?¡± Lv Zheng raised an objection, ¡°It could simply be the light reflecting from fresh blood sttered on the walls after the mole crickets attacked their prey.¡± Qiu Changtian was speechless. One must have a pretty big hole in their head to think that blood-light is merely the reflection of fresh blood. Have I not repeatedly confirmed the ¡°blood-light¡± with the stewards? Were you not present just now, or are you hard of hearing? ¡°Don¡¯t worry,¡± Liu Daoran nced at Xu Yinglian out of the corner of his eye, then said with a smile to Qiu Changtian, ¡°If you¡¯re scared, you can stay at the back of the team.¡± Hearing him directly mock his senior brother, Xu Yinglian raised her eyebrows in astonishment and turned to whisper to Qiu Changtian: ¡°What¡¯s with him?¡± ¡°Just jealous,¡± Qiu Changtian whispered back, ¡°After all, Junior Sister is quite lovely.¡± ¡°So pointless,¡± Xu Yinglian said with mild exasperation, ¡°Why can¡¯t they focus on what¡¯s right?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Qiu Changtian agreed. Seeing the two of them whispering intimately as if they were a couple, the expressions of the other five external disciples darkened. This¡­ We¡¯re all from the same Sect, how can you be so oblivious to others¡¯ feelings? So you¡¯re just going to stuff dog food down our throats, is that it! Chapter 20 - 20 Hunting Demonic Beasts with Junior Sister Chapter 20: Hunting Demonic Beasts with Junior Sister Editor: Henyee Trantions No matter the dynasty, the working environment inside mines has always been quite harsh. Even for the Orthodox Sect of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, their affiliated Spirit Stone mines are no better. All around are irregrly hewn rock walls, which show an iron-blue hue in the permafrost environment. At intervals, wooden structures support the rock walls, with an oilmp hanging above, casting a faint glow in the dim mountain surroundings. Hu Haozhi walked at the forefront. As an elder disciple at the Qi Refining Rank, he had been with Kunlun for thirty years and had done countless tasks of hunting Demonic Beasts. Before entering the cave, he handed out Silencing Charms to everyone, asking them to stick them on the backs of their boots, which could prevent making sound that would disturb the Demonic Beasts. As for Miss Xu Yinglian, she was naturally given special attention by Hu Haozhi, who not only gave her two extra Silencing Charms but also had her walk behind him for easier protection. ¡°These people are so annoying!¡± Xu Yinglian coldly refused, turning her head to quietlyin to Qiu Changtian, ¡°Do they really think I¡¯m a defenselessdy?¡± Qiu Changtian gave a slight smile and made a sharp retort: ¡°The Phoenix flies over the North Sea, why bother with the caw of a crow?¡± Xu Yinglian:¡­¡­ Of course, she understood the meaning of this retort: ¡°Crow¡± refers to birds that eat carrion, with a call like a ¡°scare,¡± harsh and unpleasant to hear. The ¡°Phoenix,¡± a kind of colorful phoenix, possesses a noble nature, perches only on the Parasol Tree, drinks only from the sweetest springs. The meaning of this phrase is, ¡°A gentleman need not pay mind to the mor of the petty.¡± However, Senior Brother knew that the outside world praised me as the ¡°Phoenix Immortal,¡± but he justpared himself to the ¡°Phoenix,¡± what did that mean? A veiled confession? Xu Yinglian felt somewhat agitated; Senior Brother¡¯s words seemed like a confession but not quite, leaving her unsure how to respond for a moment. Qiu Changtian on his part, after waiting for a long time and not seeing the sess prompt of the Kunlun Mirror, felt puzzled, and continued: ¡°You must be careful, Demonic Beasts not only discern people by sound but also light, scent, wind direction, even vibrations from the ground¡­¡± ¡°Of course, I will not be careless,¡± Xu Yinglian said coldly. With the physique of the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, she quickly regained herposure. Talking about confessions is too far-fetched, it was only a y on words after all. On the surface, it seems likeparing oneself to a Phoenix, but the implied subject is actually me, reminding me not to care too much about other people¡¯sments. Hmph, befitting of Senior Brother, ying such a deft game of words, and yet it was unraveled by me. [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] Qiu Changtian: ? Hearing the bted prompt from the Kunlun Mirror, he became even more puzzled. What¡¯s going on with Junior Sister Xu? Is her braingging? The group continued deeper for dozens of meters when they noticed a cold wind blowing out from within, mixed with a rotten stench. Clearly, a Demonic Beasty ahead, and everyone drew their Flying Swords in unison, ready to strike. Shortly after, indeed a strange beast pounced out of the darkness, stirring up a pungent evil wind. The crowd, intimidated by its ferocious aura and dizzied by the offensive odor, actually didn¡¯t react for a moment. Hu Haozhi, being the most experienced at the front, instinctively bit his tongue, and instantly woke from the sharp pain. Just as he was about to forcefullymand his Flying Sword in the nick of time, he saw two shes of light shoot past him from behind! One jade-colored and one red, they were just a hair¡¯s breadth apart, but as they reached the Demonic Beast, the red Flying Sword, which had a slight edge in speed, struck first. It sliced into the beast¡¯s neck and made a full cut, sending the beast¡¯s head rolling to the ground, with blood gushing from the severed neck like a fountain. In the span of a rabbit rising and a falcon falling, the Demonic Beast was swiftly vanquished, and the remaining disciples had not even had time to react. Xu Yinglian withdrew her Feather Jia Sword, flicked it to shed the blood droplets, and said coldly: ¡°Just an ordinary Demonic Beast, nothing more.¡± Qiu Changtian: ? ¡°Junior Sister, the act you¡¯ve put on does possess seven parts of my charm. However, you don¡¯t need to maintain the ¡®Mirror Flower Water Moon,¡¯ so what¡¯s with the pretense?¡± Having retracted his Jade Smoke Flying Sword, he caught Xu Yinglian tilting her head to look over, her mouth corners almost imperceptibly curving into a smirk. ¡°Hmph, Senior Brother, this time I¡¯ve won.¡± While the other disciples were still in shock, Hu Haozhi was the first to recognize her, his eyes widening in utter astonishment, he eximed incredulously: ¡°What a swift sword! Crimson radiance, a startling swoop, with a vermilion phoenix carving on the hilt¡ªcould it be the Xu Family of Southern Heaven¡¯s heirloom Immortal Sword, Feather Jia?¡± Xu Yinglian didn¡¯t bother to look at him and continued to gaze at the corpse of the demonic beast with a cold expression. ¡°I never expected you to truly be Junior Sister Xu Yinglian!¡± Hu Haozhi switched to an enthusiastic smile, fawningly asking, ¡°Why has Junior Sister found the time to take on missions?¡± Xu Yinglian thenughed coldly, ¡°A sect mission, why can¡¯t I take it on?¡± ¡°Cough, indeed, it¡¯s the blindness of your Junior Brother here, not recognizing you at the start.¡± Hu Haozhi theatrically pped his own face, then resumed with an apologetic smile, ¡°Junior Sister be careful, I¡¯ll go check on that demonic beast.¡± Lu Zheng, Liu Daoran, Wen Qin, and Liu Yiyi standing nearby were all stupefied by now. It must be noted that this Senior Brother Hu Haozhi had been putting on airs of a superior from the start, either silent or hastening others when he did speak. Now, upon recognizing Xu Yinglian¡¯s true identity, he didn¡¯t just throw away his airspletely but even willingly abandoned the seniority, adopting the position of Junior Brother. Such a stark contrast between his previous arrogance and present obsequiousness was truly an eye-opener for all. Wen Qin¡¯s face alternated between pale and flushed. After all, she had previously mocked Xu Yinglian under her breath, and the thought of the possible retaliation filled her with dread, her legs wobbly with fear. Liu Daoran¡¯s expression was not much different. Knowing that if this was indeed Xu Yinglian, then the handsome young man acquainted with her must truly be¡­ Thinking any further was too terrifying for everyone to contemte. This was akin to immortals descending to mingle with us mortals in our cultivation! However, none of them possessed the ¡°flexibility¡± to yield and assert themselves like Hu Haozhi, so they barely managed to force smiles, pretending as if nothing had happened before. After inspecting the corpse, Hu Haozhi came back and respectfully said: ¡°Junior Sister Xu, Senior Brother Qiu, that dirt beetle is thoroughly dead.¡± ¡°The corpse is yours to take if you want,¡± Qiu Changtian said genially, ¡°However, that steward mentioned blood light appearing deep in the mine; there might not only be this dirt beetle around. We should remain cautious and ensure there¡¯s no other threat.¡± ¡°Indeed, indeed.¡± The outer sect disciples nodded vigorously, even Liu Daoran, who had been the most antagonistic before, now concurred respectfully, ¡°Senior Brother Qiu¡¯s insight is profound, we will certainly be cautious.¡± ¡°Heh.¡± A mockingugh suddenly came from the cave, ¡°Opportunistic and obsequious, is this the true face of disciples from a reputable orthodox sect?¡± With a steely look, Hu Haozhi hastily unleashed his Flying Sword into the darkness, which then fell silent. The next second, his expression changed drastically, and he shouted: ¡°My Flying Sword has lost its connection!¡± As everyone¡¯s expressions turned grim, a gaunt figure emerged from the darkness ahead, his hair in disarray and face emaciated, barely recognizable as a young man. Of course, in the world of Cultivating Immortality, appearances were not indicative of age nor a reliable measure of one¡¯s cultivation level. But observing the green Daoist robes enveloping the figure, giving off a sinister and nefarious aura, it was evident he was a disciple from the Demonic Path. Xu Yinglian¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly, the Feather Jia Sword trembling in the air as she watched Qiu Changtian out of the corner of her eye, ready to coordinate an attack. Fighting against a demonic cultivator and hunting demonic beasts were wholly different matters. Though she waspetitive, she wouldn¡¯t gamble with her life out of stubborn pride. Since Xu Yinglian didn¡¯t make a move and with Hu Haozhi¡¯s precedent, the other Kunlun disciples naturally hesitated to attack, only drawing their Flying Swords to hover in front of them, their expressions tense, ready for confrontation. The demonic cultivator walked into the light of the oilmp and tossed something onto the ground. Qiu Changtian could clearly see that it was indeed Hu Haozhi¡¯s Flying Sword. Yet, for some reason, the surface of the sword had be dull, its spiritual essencepletely dissipated, like scrap metal. ¡°The current Chief Disciple of the Kunlun Sect, Qiu Changtian with Daoist Heart rity?¡± The demonic cultivator¡¯s desated eyes moved slightly, examining Qiu Changtian¡¯s visage before turning to Xu Yinglian, his gaze lingering on her crimson Flying Sword. ¡°Mount Beimang, Nether Ghost Path?¡± Qiu Changtian asked emotionlessly. Both parties paused briefly before almost simultaneously unleashing their Flying Swords! Chapter 21: In the space of others’ minds, there are thousands of layers of mountains and seas! Chapter 21: In the space of others¡¯ minds, there are thousands ofyers of mountains and seas! Editor: Henyee Trantions Qiu Changtian¡¯s Jade Smoke traced a streak of flowing light, while Xu Yinglian¡¯s Feather Jia was even faster, drawing a red arc, and in an instant, vied with the Jade Smoke Sword to take the lead! The other Kunlun disciples also simultaneouslyunched their Flying Swords, following closely behind. The Demon Cultivator¡¯s Flying Sword, on the other hand, was a dark red hue, like tainted blood, and just as it was about to collide with Jade Smoke and Feather Jia, it suddenly exploded into a cloud of blood mist from the body of the sword! Qiu Changtian reacted extremely quickly (thanks to practicing Shushan Seven Killings Swordsmanship), and immediately as the qi mechanism hooked, the Jade Smoke Sword swiftly stopped in front of the blood mist, then reversed and shot back like lightning. The other Flying Swords were unable to stop in time and plunged straight into the blood mist, dimming in an instant. Only Xu Yinglian¡¯s Feather Jia Sword, of such high grade that it was difficult to corrupt, still operated smoothly within the blood mist, shing several times with the dark red Flying Sword, sparks flying in all directions. On Qiu Changtian¡¯s side, as he maneuvered the Jade Smoke Sword to turn back, he raised his right hand with a sword gesture, reciting rapidly: ¡°Brocade clouds bring rain, jade rainbow produces smoke!¡± The Jade Smoke Sword suddenly lit up in the mine, with countless golden lights transforming into sharp, thin swords, shooting densely towards the blood mist ahead. The opposing Demon Cultivator showed no fear, only let out a coldugh, and with a finger jabbing forward, also chanted swiftly: ¡°Evil Spirits, Resentful Curse Binding Kill!¡± Numerous gray-white ghost figures surged rapidly from his fingertips, some meeting the golden light sword rain of the Jade Smoke Sword, easily extinguishing them one by one. The rest wound into the blood mist, entwining around the Feather Jia Sword. Xu Yinglian immediately felt as if a tremendous force weighed upon the sword, making it difficult to maintain control for a moment. In a sh of lightning and fire, after several exchanges, the opposing Demon Cultivator single-handedly destroyed the external disciples¡¯ Flying Swords while simultaneously withstanding the attacks of Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian, two Direct Disciples, without even being at a disadvantage! ¡°Marrow Cleansing Rank?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in a deep voice. ¡°Yes!¡± Xu Yinglian clenched her teeth tightly, forcibly channeling her qi to drive the Feather Jia Sword, stubbornly shing with the opposing force and ghost figures. The Kunlun disciples immediately grew terrified, theirplexions turning to despair. Marrow Cleansing Rank! This person was a Marrow Cleansing Rank Demon Cultivator! It¡¯s well-known that for disciples in the Foundation Establishment Stage to rise from the Qi Refining Rank to the Marrow Cleansing Rank, they need a lengthy time dedicated to qi refinement, filling the Qi Sea of their Dantian. Those with slightly better aptitude might take twenty or thirty years, while those with less can take fifty or sixty years. Which is to say, the opponent had been refining qi for at least twenty to thirty years more than they had. Just in terms of the total amount of True Qi, they weren¡¯t on the same level, not to mention the more powerful spells, stronger Flying Swords, and the enhancements to reaction speed and Sword Control Technique after Marrow Cleansing¡­ Collectively speaking, ites down to four words: Realm suppression! Indeed, if not for Xu Yinglian¡¯s sharp swordsmanship and the tough attributes of the Tenth Rank Immortal Sword, Feather Jia, they couldn¡¯t even have withstood a few moves from the opponent. The faces of several Kunlun disciples turned as pale as death, visibly trembling, nearly ready to flee first. Xu Yinglian¡¯s eyes were fiery with rage, almost crunching her silver teeth, her entire body¡¯s True Qi surging, forcefullymanding the Immortal Sword, Feather Jia, to contend with the opponent. To surpass one¡¯s rank, but what of it? I don¡¯t want to lose, I¡­ I will not lose!!! Theughter of the Demon Cultivator opposite was mocking and shrill, probably feeling that victory was already in his grasp, his tone bing sharp and sinister: ¡°What if you are Direct Disciples, can you surpass your rank and win? Let me tell you, the reason I released those little bugs was to lure you Qi Refining Rank disciples over for hunting, to feed on the blood of Cultivators for the nourishment of my Nether Ghosts.¡± ¡°Surrender now, and I will let you reincarnate; otherwise, I will arrest your souls and spirits, locking them eternally in my banner for evesting torment, never to be reborn!¡± ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡± Qiu Changtian spoke calmly, ¡°At the Office of Affairs, I saw there was a seriously injured Demon Cult Cultivator who had fled over from Mount Beimang. It must be you, right?¡± ¡°You¡¯re on your deathbed and still have the leisure to care about this?¡± the Demon Cultivator scoffed. ¡°You sure talk a lot.¡± Qiu Changtian took a step forward, protecting the still fighting Xu Yinglian and the other terrified external Kunlun Disciples behind him, leaving only his towering and radiant silhouette for everyone to see. He formed a sword gesture with the middle and index fingers of his right hand, and the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword that he carried on his back shot out and hung steadily in front of him. His voice, althoughposed, carried an unfaltering assertiveness, like a bright, majestic sun, shining with integrity! ¡°Evil shall not prevail over righteousness, what of the Marrow Cleansing Rank?!¡± ¡°This is Kunlun Territory, how dare you Demon Cult Cultivators wreak havoc here!!!¡± The look of mockery in the eyes of the Demon Cultivator opposite grew more intense; his gaunt arm raised, chanting speedily: ¡°Evil Spirits, Resentful Curse Binding Kill¡­¡± ¡°Within another¡¯s small world, lie mountains and seas thousands of miles apart!¡± Qiu Changtian¡¯s voice thundered, boldly activating the Forbidden Technique of the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword! It was as brief as a snap of the fingers, yet as infinitely long as the transformation of oceans into mulberry fields. The environment of the mine around them had already disappeared, and everyone appeared to be in the high sky. In fronty the vast, boundless ocean, and behind rose a range of endless towering mountains. Only a winding and narrow coastline separated the two, like the chasm between the Chu and Han territories, with clear distinction. ¡°This is a Forbidden Technique!¡± The face of the Demon Cultivator opposite lost its sinister look, turning to incredible fright and astonishment, his pupils nearly scattering, his voice nearly tearing apart, ¡°How is this possible!!¡± ¡°How can you possibly possess a Forbidden Technique!¡± Qiu Changtian had grown tired of wasting words with him. Didn¡¯t he see how the fellow before him prattled on and on, only to be overturned in an instant? Viins die because they talk too much! With his right hand, he calmly formed the Three Purities Finger, and as the True Qi circted, hepletely activated the ¡°Lianshan Joins Oceans¡± Forbidden Technique on the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword. Consequently, their figures once again soared high, relegating the demon cultivator to a distant position below. And below¡­ The endless sea surged, rising to a kilometer high in the blink of an eye. Steep mountains also rose from the ground, piercing the clouds and sky in an instant. The demon cultivator was still hysterically reciting magic incantations, seemingly trying to deploy some spell to escape and preserve his life. However, within the Forbidden Technique of the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword, all struggles were in vain. Thest thought, like a bolt of lightning, streaked through the demon cultivator¡¯s mind: How could the Kunlun Taiqing Sect not have left measures in ce for such a once-in-a-thousand-years cultivation genius as Daoist Heart rity and simply allowed this talented disciple to venture out for experience? As thoughts arose and vanished, the surrounding mountains and seas had already expanded towards him, the spells he shot out in vain were merely howling and pressing down from both sides, until with overwhelming force, they collided, producing a thunderous roar like the splitting of heaven and earth! A momentter, the illusion of mountains and seas gradually faded, and everyone returned to the mine cavern. They saw that the demon cultivator and the Blood Mist Flying Sword had both crumbled to dust, falling in tiny particles, umting on the ground into an unidentifiable pile of ashes. Everyone: ¡­¡­¡­ After a moment, someone sobbed suddenly, pulling everyone back from their shock. Liu Yiyi and Wen Qin copsed on the ground, hugging each other tightly, crying andughing at the same time. Lv Zheng leaned back against the rock wall, his right hand tightly clutching the front of his Daoist robe, his back soaked with cold sweat. Hu Haozhi¡¯s face revealed a look of relief, wanting to go over and inspect the pile of ashes, but found his legs were so weak he couldn¡¯t move. Liu Daoran remained stupefied for a moment, then suddenly knelt down, bowing deeply to Qiu Changtian, his voice trembling with guilt: ¡°Senior Brother Qiu¡­ I thank Senior Brother Qiu for the life-saving grace. Had you not made a move this time, all of us would have died without a ce to be buried, our souls scattered and beyond the cycle of reincarnation!¡± ¡°Brother Daoran, there is no need for such formalities,¡± Qiu Changtian said gently, guessing that he was afraid of retribution for previously offending him, now that he had seen his own formidable power. Moreover, it was a narrow escape from death, a spiritual shock too strong, causing one to resort to such grand gestures in a state of disarray. So, Qiu Changtian once again formed a seal and cast the ¡°Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique,¡± falling upon the Kunlun disciples as he smiled: ¡°Being fellow members of the Kunlun Sect, it is our duty to help each other in righteousness, there is no need to talk about life-saving favors.¡± The Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique, stemming from the first rank of the Qi Refining stage of the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,¡± possessed effects such as replenishing blood, exorcising demons, and purifying the mind. Thus, the outer disciples of Kunlun, who were still in a daze, slowly came back to their senses with the aid of this spell, feeling relieved as if reborn. Xu Yinglian stored away the Feather Jia Sword, feeling the almost depleted True Qi inside her body, and with the help of the Minor Illumination Technique, she recovered a little. Recalling the formidable force of the boundless mountains and seas colliding just now, her eyes momentarily blurred, but quickly regained their rity. Although it relied on the Grade Rank of the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword, the fact that her Senior Brother could control such a terrifying Forbidden Technique also made her envious. However, the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword was lent to him by their master, and the Feather Jia Immortal Sword belongs to me! ording to what her n had said, aside from the Ninth Rank Daoist Magic, the Feather Jia Immortal Sword also sealed within it a Forbidden Technique, which could only be unleashed once the Phoenix Bloodline was activated. Given time, I will surely awaken the bloodline and fully master this Forbidden Technique, thereby surpassing Senior Brother in one fell swoop! Her heart surged with this thought, yet she saw Qiu Changtian standing tranquilly in ce, his expression as serene as if he had just done something trivial. So, her spirited fighting will also gradually settled down. Since Senior Brother shows no self-satisfaction, I must also guard against arrogance and impetuosity. Thinking this way, Xu Yinglian was unaware that Qiu Changtian was already flooded with notifications from the Kunlun Mirror. ¡­ [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡­ [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡­ [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] [Synchronization Value has exceeded the limit, Daoist Heart rity talent operation efficiency has reached 100%, please continue to strive.] Chapter 22 - 22 Ah Jing I Hate Power-Up Freaks the Most Chapter 22: Ah Jing I Hate Power-Up Freaks the Most Editor: Henyee Trantions Kunlun Mountain Range, Eastern Fantong Area, Jade Void Peak, Deacon Hall. ¡°That¡¯s what I said! The Demon Cult Cultivator was already ground to dust by Senior Brother Qiu Changtian!!¡± Liu Daoran roared in fury by the counter, while the deacon across the counter helplessly exined, ¡°It¡¯s not that we¡¯re unreasonable, but there are indeed rules in the sect, either verify the corpse, or have an identifying token; in any case, we must prove the target is dead¡­¡± ¡°How can you do anything with dust?¡± Lv Zheng was also visibly annoyed, demanding, ¡°Are we supposed to bring the dust here for you to inspect?¡± ¡°How can you guys at the Deacon Hall still be so shameless!¡± Wen Qin shouted from behind with Liu Yiyi, amplifying their presence. ¡°Even if it¡¯s just dust, it counts as evidence¡­¡± The deacon hadn¡¯t finished speaking when he was pulled out from behind the counter by Hu Haozhi, who draped an arm around his shoulder and took him aside for a private chat. ¡°Old Su, you know me, Hu Haozhi, don¡¯t you?¡± he said, tapping his chest impatiently. ¡°Ah, how can I not know Brother Hu?¡± The deaconughed, ¡°You¡¯re a regr customer at the Deacon Hall, huh, many of our missions are usually undertaken by you¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine then.¡± Hu Haozhi gave a thumbs up, pointing outside, ¡°That person outside is Senior Brother Qiu, the current Chief Disciple, a Direct Disciple of the Sect Leader. Would he really deceive others over such a matter?¡± ¡°This, this is uncertain¡­¡± ¡°Why would he lie to you? Is it for those few spirit stones, or is he after that little bit of fame?¡± ¡°That¡¯s just what I don¡¯t understand,¡± the deacon said with a bitter smile, ¡°If he really is a Direct Disciple of the Sect Leader, the current Chief, why would hee to us at the Deacon Hall to take on missions?¡± ¡°You,¡± Hu Haozhi shook his head, his expression unexpectedly weathered, ¡°do you know what ¡®born of Kunlun, aid with righteousness¡¯ means?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The deacon was baffled. In the cutthroat Cultivation Realm, was there still such a thing as ¡°aiding with righteousness¡±? ¡°Among those in our Kunlun Sect, there are not many whom I, Old Hu, truly admire. Among the Chief Disciples of past generations, there are also quite a few who are nothing but names.¡± Hu Haozhi spoke nostalgically, his gaze wandering to the distant continuous Snow Peaks, seemingly immersed in some profound thoughts, ¡°But that Senior Brother Qiu Changtian, he is absolutely a Chief without any doubts.¡± Recalling that day¡¯s perilous battle, his heart still palpitated with residual fright. Indeed, as Liu Daoran said, had it not been for Qiu Changtian¡¯s presence, they would all have been ensnared and robbed of their souls, left yearning for death without respite. But what was Qiu Changtian really after? Those few scarce spirit stones? Or the admiration of a few insignificant outer sect disciples? None of these exnations made sense; which of the past Chief Disciples would¡¯ve condescended to lead outer sect disciples on missions? After much thought, the only exnation that fit was ¡°aiding with righteousness.¡± ¡°Senior Brother Qiu¡­¡± His gaze fell upon the boundless cloud sea in the horizon, murmuring, ¡°Truly a personage akin to an Exiled Immortal.¡± ¡­¡­ ¡°So, Senior Brother, what are you really after?¡± Xu Yinglian asked, puzzled. ¡°As a member of the Kunlun Sect, why must there be another motive when undertaking a mission for the sect?¡± Qiu Changtian replied with a smile. Xu Yinglian nodded, revealing an ¡°I don¡¯t believe you at all¡± expression, and turned around, ¡°Since they¡¯ve already helped us collect and deliver the spirit stones, let¡¯s rest for today, shall we? I¡¯m going to bathe in the Kunlun Spring.¡± ¡°Junior Sister, why are you bathing again? Your skin will peel.¡± ¡°Senior Brother, only those who go years without washing and umte filth on their bodies will peel during a bath.¡± ¡°Junior Sister, I do bathe and burn incense every seven days.¡± ¡°Good then. If Senior Brother were to enter the Kunlun Pond, I¡¯m afraid the whole spring would be ruined. No one wants to soak in a mire, except maybe wild boars.¡± ¡°I really do bathe regrly! And don¡¯t make me sound like some wild beast!¡± With an expression of speechlessness, Qiu Changtian watched as Xu Yinglian revealed a cool smile. After sending Junior Sister Xu to the Kunlun Spring Bathhouse, Qiu Changtian called upon the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Ah Jing, Ah Jing, are you there?¡± ¡°When am I ever not?¡± the Kunlun Mirror asked helplessly, ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°` ¡°If I wanted to deliver the Spirit Stone to Ling Yunpo right now and directly flew to Shushan to meet him, would that create a time paradox?¡± Qiu Changtian asked with enthusiasm. ¡°For example, the first thing I heard Ling Yunpo say was ¡®Hello, Qiu Changtian.¡¯¡± ¡°Later, when I load the save file and go back to the past, bing Ling Yunpo, the first thing I say is, ¡®It¡¯s a pleasure to meet you, Qiu Changtian¡¯¡­¡± ¡°No, it wouldn¡¯t,¡± The Kunlun Mirror answered, ¡°The timeline is unique and does not allow paradoxes to exist.¡± ¡°So, in your earlier example, whatever Ling Yunpo said,ter as Ling Yunpo, you must also say the same thing.¡± ¡°Of course, if the differences are minor, just a few lines, I¡¯ll use Mirror Flower Water Moon to eliminate the disturbance for you, so you don¡¯t need to worry too much about it.¡± ¡°What about significant differences?¡± Qiu Changtian asked warily, ¡°Like returning to the past and deliberately making substantial changes to what has already happened?¡± ¡°Your attempt would fail,¡± The Kunlun Mirror answered, ¡°And, furthermore, you¡¯d be subjected to a bacsh from the time¡¯s Dao.¡± ¡°For example, you witnessed Xu Yinglian dying in front of you, then you load the save file to return to the past, trying to stop her death and change history.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s highly likely that before you can stop it, something will prevent you¡ªlike being struck dead by a bolt of Heavenly Thunder on the way there.¡± Qiu Changtian listened patiently, then mused: ¡°But, I can intercept her beforehand, then figure out a way to create some illusion, making ¡®my past self¡¯ see ¡®the death of Xu Yinglian¡¯ as it originally urred, right?¡± The Kunlun Mirror was stunned for a long moment, seemingly having never considered such a maniption, and after a long pause, it said: ¡°If you can do that, then indeed, there¡¯s no problem, no time bacsh would be triggered, and my Mirror Flower Water Moon can make that happen.¡± Qiu Changtian sighed and said: ¡°Isn¡¯t this just the Novikov self-consistency principle? Without a decade of cerebral thrombosis cultivation, I fear no one coulde up with such a magical setup.¡± ¡°What¡­ What¡¯s that principle?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Qiu Changtian said with a sigh, ¡°Let it be.¡± The Kunlun Mirror was silent for a moment, then carefully asked: ¡°Actually¡­ I¡¯m very curious, what do you truly think of Xu Yinglian? I¡¯m not asking Qiu Changtian, I¡¯m asking you.¡± ¡°Junior Sister Xu, eh?¡± He smiled slightly, ¡°A lovable junior who chose to follow me because she admired me.¡± ¡°What about An Zhisu then?¡± ¡°Senior Sister An? She is like a flower on a high cliff, exquisite and beautiful in her own right, but what I truly admire is her courage and strength to step into the sky fearlessly.¡± ¡°Do you like them?¡± He was silent for a moment, then scoffed: ¡°Ah Jing, to believe and to rely carry the same meaning, you know. They are the actions of the weak.¡± ¡°The path I must take is alreadyid out before me; nothing can stop my stride before I reach the end.¡± ¡°The lonely throne in the sky remains unimed to this day, and this unbearable interim shall notst much longer.¡± The Kunlun Mirror felt increasingly ufortable, as if it might crack at any moment. What kind of freak obsessed with power growth is this guy, does he truly have human emotions? ¡°¡­Sure.¡± It echoed vaguely, suddenly conceiving a strong, uncontroble thought: Though it seemed like partners, in reality, it was a proper exchange of interests. He helped it mend the heavens and save the world; it helped him gain all sorts of peerless cultivation talents with Mirror Flower Water Moon. But harboring purer maidens¡¯ heartfelt trust under deception wasn¡¯t part of the initial agreement, was it? So a little misstep with Mirror Flower Water Moon, allowing them to see this guy¡¯s true face would be understandable, right? Like gradually shifting Xu Yinglian¡¯s impression of him, from a fully contrived ¡°Invincible Qiu Changtian¡± to his real self beneath the mask, subtly, bit by bit, slowly. The same would apply to An Zhisu, letting him think that Senior Sister An knew a ¡°fictitious Ling Yunpo,¡± when in fact she was getting to know the actual person behind the name Ling Yunpo¡­ Wait until this tool man has finished mending the heavens for me, ceases to use the pretense of Mirror Flower Water Moon, and reverts to his original real disposition and appearance. Then to his horror, he finds that Xu Yinglian and An Zhisu can still recognize him. Wouldn¡¯t that be quite interesting? Chapter 23: The One I’m Going to Kill is You, the Monster Who Has Gotten Stronger Chapter 23: The One I¡¯m Going to Kill is You, the Monster Who Has Gotten Stronger Editor: Henyee Trantions At the same time, in a certain cave abode within the Layered City area, Song He asked in a deep voice, ¡°That Qiu Changtian actually went out for field training?¡± Song He appeared to be in his forties, with pale skin and short whiskers, giving off an honest and reliable impression. His current realm was at the great perfection of the Transforming the Foundation Rank, cing him second among the Chief Disciples under the Ziwei Master at the Foundation Establishment Stage, only inferior to the Chief Disciple, Xu Changqing. During the usual scripture lectures, he would sit on the second cushion behind Xu Changqing. However,st time he was begrudgingly forced to give up his seat to Qiu Changtian, who had just been formally epted as a disciple, an utterly humiliating scenario that nearly disrupted his Qi Cultivation Technique. ¡°Indeed,¡± Zhao Wencheng replied with a grin, ¡°Brother Song He, after all, he¡¯s just a Qi Refining Rank youngster, why worry excessively about it?¡± This man was Song He¡¯s junior brother and confidant, looking even younger, not yet thirty, with eyes that spun with considerable scheming and calction. ¡°Exactly,¡± said the fellow junior brother Qiu Yuan, chiming in, ¡°There won¡¯t be more than twenty years until Xu Changqing, our Chief Disciple, goes through the Core Condensation Tribtion.¡± ¡°Even if that person has Daoist Heart rity and exceptional talent, at most he¡¯ll only reach Qi Refinement Perfection and begin Marrow Cleansing by the time Xu Changqing forms his core.¡± ¡°Plus, assuming he has the devil¡¯s own luck and climbs the celestialdder. By some fluke, if he achieves great sess in Marrow Cleansing, he would just barely enter the Transforming the Foundation Stage.¡± ¡°By then, how could he possiblypete with you, Brother Song He, who¡¯s at the great perfection of the Transforming the Foundation Rank, for the position of Chief Disciple?¡± The two spoke confidently, clearly not optimistic about Qiu Changtian reaching the great perfection of the Transforming the Foundation Rank realm before Xu Changqing, the Chief Disciple, formed his core, advancing two ranks in the process. Yet Song He¡¯s brows were still tightly furrowed; it took him a while before he said, ¡°I heard the Pavilion is about to open.¡± ¡°What Pavilion?¡± Zhao Wencheng asked in surprise. ¡°Could it be the East Sea Pavilion?¡± Qiu Yuan was also astonished. ¡°Besides that one, which other Pavilion could it be?¡± Song He sighed deeply. ¡°If it¡¯s really the Pavilion in the East Sea,¡± Zhao Wencheng suddenly thought of something and eximed in shock, ¡°Master must have nned early on for him to go on a venture to the East Sea Pavilion, thus acquiring a massive amount of True Qi, directly skipping over the decades of drudgery that would normally be required at the Qi Refining Rank.¡± ¡°Then, through the methods of bone refining and marrow washing, they will help him elerate through the Marrow Cleansing Stage, transforming Qi into True Yuan, and establishing the Purple Mansion.¡± ¡°Skipping two ranks, in the end investing resources at all costs to push him to the great perfection of the Transforming the Foundation Rank before Xu Changqing forms his core, striving to take over the position of Chief Disciple!¡± The expression on Qiu Yuan¡¯s face also darkened as he agreed, ¡°Highly likely! If not for this, why would Master have allowed him to sit on the second cushion that day?¡± Song He was silent for a long while before he finally sighed, ¡°The path of cultivation is narrow; it does not amodate two people walking side by side. One must struggle to be the first.¡± Zhao Wencheng and Qiu Yuan¡¯s expressions immediately turned serious. The position of Chief Disciple at the Foundation Establishment Stage was critically important for their senior brother. The source of this stemmed from the Ziwei Master himself. This aloof master was often busy with affairs and cultivating, only giving a scripture lecture to his Chief Disciples every ten days, and sometimes even canceling for various reasons. As for private question-and-answer sessions, one should not even think about it, it was a pipe dream. Any difficult question encountered in their cultivation, they would have to turn to the Chief Disciple for answers. To ensure the Chief Disciple was capable of this, the Ziwei Master would carve out time to provide personal tutoring and answer questions exclusively for him. The ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra¡± was known as a true mantra of Immortal Sects, notoriously abstruse and difficult to understand. Saying, ¡°Every word conceals a pearl; every sentence hides a secret,¡± is not an exaggeration at all. The Ziwei Master personally answered questions, which was certainly far more effective than having the Chief Disciple answer them instead. Bing the Chief Disciple meant that one could receive the Ziwei Master¡¯s guidance, leading to a more perfect understanding andprehension of the Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra, and naturally the grade of Core Formation achieved in the future would also be higher. Not to mention, the grade of Core Formation for all past Chief Disciples had never been lower than Third Grade. As for the Direct Disciples of the Sect Leader who were not the Chief Disciple, the worst were said to be of Fifth Grade, with not a few achieving the Fourth Grade in each generation. It was clear that the position of Chief Disciple had too great of an interest behind it for anyone not to contend for it. Song He said, ¡°There is no room for two to walk together, one must strive to be the first,¡± which also meant a very simple thing: That was to use any means necessary to strike at Qiu Changtian! ¡°Daoist Heart rity, the stakes are too great,¡± Qiu Yuan said with a grave expression. ¡°There are countless eyes within Kunlun watching. Trying to secretly remove him while not raising any suspicions towards us is as difficult as ascending to heaven from t ground.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget, even when he goes out for trials, our teacher bestows upon him the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword for protection!¡± ¡°Then we just won¡¯t take direct action,¡± Zhao Wencheng narrowed his eyes. ¡°Such rare talent as Daoist Heart rity, how can it not attract envy? Why not use a scheme to ¡®borrow another¡¯s knife to kill¡¯¡­¡± ¡°¡®Borrowing another¡¯s knife to kill¡¯ canpletely clear us of involvement?¡± Song He sighed deeply. ¡°Even if we do nothing, should Qiu Changtian perish halfway through his cultivation, whether he chokes to death on water, falls to his death, or is assassinated by a traitor from the Demon Sect¡­from the perspective of ¡®he who benefits is suspect,¡¯ won¡¯t they still suspect me?¡± Both junior brothers were left without words. ¡°The key is evidence.¡± Song He shook his head. ¡°Once he dies, all stakeholders will be under suspicion, it¡¯s just a matter of who is more or less suspect.¡± ¡°But we Kunlun are an upright and reputable Sect! We must pay attention to evidence in our actions and convince people with reason. We can¡¯t act like the Demon Cult and capture people for soul extraction interrogation just because of suspicion.¡± He then pped his head and made a decision: ¡°As long as it¡¯s done cleanly, it can be done!¡± Zhao Wencheng and Qiu Yuan hesitated for a moment, then also nodded slightly. Song He was their generation¡¯s Chief Disciple, and although they too were disciples of the Ziwei Master, they did not have the qualifications to attend the scripture lectures and could only wait for Song He to return from the lectures to teach and answer questions for everyone. Their personal interests had long been tied to Song He. ¡°So, how does big brother n to proceed?¡± Qiu Yuan asked cautiously. ¡°Qiu Changtian usually doesn¡¯t leave the Golden Ridge Cave Abode, and it¡¯s rare for him to go out from Kunlun on trials. Plus, with the Sect Leader¡¯s gift of the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword for protection, even if we don¡¯t consider secrecy, there aren¡¯t many opportunities for action.¡± ¡°That¡¯s simple,¡± Zhao Wencheng suddenly had an idea. ¡°In fact, there is one ce that Qiu Changtian will surely visit in the future, and where he cannot possibly take the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword with him.¡± ¡°You mean¡­¡± Song He contemted for a moment, then narrowed his eyes. ¡°The East Sea Pavilion?¡± While these three were discussing their strategies in the secret chamber, Qiu Changtian had already handed over the Spirit Stones to the Kunlun Mirror, instructing it to transport them to the location of Ling Yunpo. ¡°Who would have thought that for getting rid of that Demon Path Cultivator, the Sect would reward me with so many Spirit Stones,¡± he remarked. ¡°A lot?¡± The Kunlun Mirror asked curiously. ¡°Every time I time-space transport you to a save point, the Spiritual Energy consumed is tens of thousands times the amount of these Spirit Stones.¡± ¡°That¡¯s different,¡± Qiu Changtian said nonchntly. ¡°You are an Innate Spiritual Treasure, after all. Even just the amount of Spiritual Energy contained within yourself is considered wealthy in the realm of Magical Treasures, so let¡¯s notpare.¡± Kunlun Mirror: ? Chapter 24: 24th Chapter: Ah Jing Starts to Make Achievements! Chapter 24: 24th Chapter: Ah Jing Starts to Make Achievements! Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°` The speed at which my persona¡¯s synchronization value has been dropping is very unstable; sometimes it¡¯s fast, and sometimes it¡¯s slow. In a nutshell, it¡¯spletely metaphysical and mysterious, with no discernible pattern whatsoever. But one thing is clear: when I¡¯m acting out a certain persona, the synchronization values of the other two personas are definitely falling. It¡¯s just a matter of how much and how fast they drop. Also, if the synchronization value drops too low, the corresponding talents of the persona temte and the illusion techniques of Mirror Flower Water Moon will start to get discounted. Therefore, I have to constantly monitor the synchronization values of each persona, to ensure they don¡¯t fall too low. Currently, Ling Yunpo¡¯s synchronization value is still okay, but Luo Yan hasn¡¯t been growing at all. So, even though Qiu Changtian has already obtained a batch of spirit stones, it¡¯s not wise to immediately transform into Ling Yunpo and go seek favor from Senior Sister An by offering treasures. I can only return to Kunlun Heavenly Pir with Xu Yinglian, return the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword to the Ziwei Master, and then find a ce to read the save and teleport to Peni. In Peni Immortal Ind of the East Sea, right after bing a proud disciple of Yuqing View, Luo Yan was taken away by the sect¡¯s White Jade Puppet to the warehouse to collect a starter pack. It¡¯s all textbooks, utterly ridiculous. At the very top of the pile of textbooks is the kindergarten trio of cultivating immortality: ¡°Imperial Records of Mystical Granaries,¡± for fasting. ¡°Inscriptions for Preserving Mind and Refining Qi,¡± for qi refinement. ¡°The Supreme Scripture of Ascending to Truth with Three Jumps of Spirit Response,¡± for practicing qi cirction. Of course, Luo Yan doesn¡¯t actually need to use any of these. During the days of portraying Qiu Changtian, he had already practiced to the Qi Refining Rank, but under the effects of Mirror Flower Water Moon, he had concealed his cultivator identity to appear as an ordinary person with no cultivation. If ever faced with a deadly danger, there¡¯s no need to pretend anymore, I can boldly cancel the Mirror Flower Water Moon. At that moment, whether it¡¯s Qiu Changtian¡¯s Kunlun Daoist magic or Ling Yunpo¡¯s Shushan sword techniques, I can use them with ease¡­ But it¡¯s pointless. Thebat capabilities of a Qi Refining Rank cultivator are too weak; it is better to stay in the sect and practice diligently instead of risking various dangers. Apart from the three basic textbooks, the rest are general knowledge textbooks: ¡°The Great Hollow Three Scenes Treasure Script of Shangqing Dongzhen,¡± teaching the drawing of various talisman scripts. ¡°The Essential Volume of the Tai Yi Divination and Six Ren Secrets,¡± teaching how to setup various formations. ¡°The Transmission of Nine Directions for Processing Spirit Grass by Immortals,¡± teaching how to handle various spirit grasses. ¡°The Daoist Alchemy Point Casting Law for Three Primal Treasures,¡± teaching the refinement of various elixirs. ¡°The Zhouyi Alchemical Seal Chart of Kettle Sword Diagrams,¡± teaching how to cast various magical treasures. ¡­ The rest are about divination, summoning spirits, astrology, calendrical science, and all sorts of things, totaling up to thirty-three books, which left Luo Yan somewhat dazed. Good Lord, am I here to cultivate immortality and seek eternal life, or to learn technical skills and craftsmanship? Could it be that this Peni Yuqing View is the vocational school of the immortal cultivation world? What¡¯s even more preposterous is that, although I passed the entry exam with a perfect score, I didn¡¯t be an inner sect disciple or apprentice under any elder. ording to the White Jade Puppet, the reason is that Yuqing View values independent specialization choices, allowing entry-level disciples to familiarize themselves with different courses first, and then choose the appropriate teaching elder based on their ¡°true interests and hobbies.¡± Now here¡¯s the problem. Without the sect-defined apprentice ceremony, once you have attended a few sses and wish to take an elder as your master, will your chosen elder be willing to ept you as a disciple? It stilles down to connections! If you still don¡¯t get it, here¡¯s a simpler analogy: it¡¯s like the college entrance examination no longer determines which specific school you go to, but only whether you can attend university. You can then choose the university you like for a ¡°trial period,¡± relying on your good performance during that time for mutual selection with the university¡­ It¡¯s barely a step away from outright saying, ¡°You need to have contacts within the university.¡± With such aworking system, no wonder Peni Yuqing View is the weakest among the Three Pure Orthodox Sects, garbage! Luo Yan kept a straight face, picked up his textbooks, and joined the other disciples in the ssroom for lessons. The lecturer today is Elder Shi Ding, instructing on treasure casting. It is said that this elder¡¯s cultivation level is not high, and he is quite weak among the Nascent Soul Stage elders. However, he excels in the most obscure skill in the offbeat left path of ¡°Artifact Refining,¡± a field with few students due to its high resource consumption, and even fewer masters. Within ¡°Artifact Refining,¡± there¡¯s a very important skill called ¡°Sword Casting.¡± ¡°` As for the importance of Flying Swords to Immortal Cultivation Sects, there¡¯s no need to expand on that here. Therefore, although Elder Shi Ding¡¯s cultivation level isn¡¯t great, his status within the Peni Yuqing View is quite high. Even if he were to visit Kunlun or Shushan, he would be personally received by sect leaders. The many disciples in the ssroom all vied eagerly to show off in hopes of gaining the elder¡¯s favor. As a matter of course, having seen all kinds of performances, Elder Shi Ding took no interest in these enthusiastic disciples. He always arrived at the very start of ss, didn¡¯t allow questions, and left as soon as the ss ended, quite aloof. As for disciples like Luo Yan, who had guessed what the oue would be and thus adopted a very passive attitude, it was even less likely for them to catch his eye. Later on, Luo Yan started to do what the other students sitting in the back did, lying down and sleeping right in the ssroom. Before finding a way to maintain his Synchronization Value, he might as well lie low and not even think about finding a master. Just as he was thinking this, he suddenly felt someone patting his shoulder from the side. Hmm, Shi Liuli? ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to actually pass the entry-level exam,¡± Shi Liuli greeted him with surprise in her voice. ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Luo Yan quickly broke into a smile, ¡°Yes, I got lucky and passed.¡± ¡°Well, then you should study hard.¡± After chatting with him a bit more and making sure he was keeping up with the ss, Shi Liuli casually said, getting ready to stand up. She had just happened to pass by and saw a familiar face in the ssroom, so she came over to check on him. Since he had sessfully joined the Yuqing View and could keep up with the lessons, she, as his senior sister, had fulfilled her duties. She had lost interest in this naive little junior brother. Seeing her about to leave, Luo Yan also felt a bit helpless and powerless. Qiu Changtian, relying on his Daoist Heart rity, had a smooth journey in obtaining a master, with the path turning green all the way. Ling Yunpo was fortunate enough to have met Senior Sister An, who took good care of him with dedication and responsibility. Luo Yan was the most unfortunate one, with neither the environment to climb higher nor the luck to meet a benefactor like An Zhisu. He felt as if he were trapped in a quagmire, with a golden finger but no strength to use it, and for the moment, he had no good solutions. The Kunlun Mirror was speechless in the shadows: The girl initially showed some interest in you, but you insisted on maintaining a ¡°false¡± persona, forcibly pretending to be mediocre and harmless. As a result, she couldn¡¯t tell the difference and directly considered you to be amon man. Does that make sense? Now I have to take action myself, and it¡¯s also a good opportunity to test the feasibility of that idea from before. Thinking this way, it quietly activated Mirror Flower Water Moon, opening a crack in Luo Yan¡¯s mask, which was perfectly disguised until then. While weakening this persona, it also leaked out his true character. Then, temporarily lifted the mental suggestion! Shi Liuli, who was just about to leave: ? She suddenly sensed that this naive and stupid little junior brother seemed to have changed into someone else in that moment. All of a sudden, the naive quality was gone. However, upon closer inspection, there wasn¡¯t any change, right? Was it her misconception? Shi Liuli thought about it for a moment and then decided to regard it as a misconception. Just as she was about to get up and leave again, the Kunlun Mirror continued to widen the opening, further releasing his true character. Consequently, the true character shed with the false persona, like two ipatible maic fields chaotically ovepping, intensifying the discord Shi Liuli felt. Hmm? Uh, uh? No, wait! There¡¯s something off about this junior brother! Shi Liuli sat back down, turned her head, and looked at Luo Yan with suspicion. Staring¡­ ¡°Senior Sister¡­ what¡¯s wrong?¡± Luo Yan feigned embarrassment and asked. Shi Liuli didn¡¯t respond. She certainly couldn¡¯t just use, ¡°Are you pretending to be a fool,¡± because if he really was intentionally feigning naivety, he would not admit it outright. Hmph, an interesting junior brother. What are you hiding? Let me, miss sharp-eyed, uncover your true face! Chapter 25 - 25 Why Not Call Me Green Duckweed Sword Chapter 25: Why Not Call Me Green Duckweed Sword Editor: Henyee Trantions Elder Shi Ding was somewhat irritable. Because his daughter, Shi Liuli, had at some point taken a seat at the back of the ssroom and was currently having a pleasant conversation with a male disciple. She waspletely oblivious to the fact that her elder father was above giving a lecture, which made him feel an indignation of being neglected. Of course, at the moment, he was being ¡°ardently gazed upon¡± by a bunch of disciples who wanted to be his apprentices, so he couldn¡¯t show any abnormality. Otherwise, these disciples would swarm around him like flies¡­ or even worse, if they noticed something was off, they would swarm around Liuli, which would be even more troublesome. So, he simply leisurely finished the lesson content and then precisely on the mark announced the end of the ss in a loud voice. Upon hearing her father announce the end of the ss, Shi Liuli smiled, bid farewell to Luo Yan, and then dashed out of the ssroom to catch up with her father¡¯s hurried footsteps. ¡°Father!¡± Back at the cave dwelling, she grabbed Elder Shi Ding¡¯s arm and sweetly called out, ¡°Father has worked hard giving the lecture, let your daughter make you some tea.¡± ¡°Very good, very good.¡± Elder Shi Dingughed heartily, and just as Shi Liuli went into the inner room to get the tea leaves, he suddenly came to his senses. Hmm? Wait a second, I have to ask her about that young male disciple. I mustn¡¯t forget. Seeing Shi Liuli carry a cup of tea out from inside, Elder Shi Ding coughed and said: ¡°Liuli¡­¡± ¡°Father, please enjoy the tea.¡± Shi Liuli dutifully offered the tea cup. ¡°Oh, yes, of course.¡± Elder Shi Ding took a sip contentedly, ¡°Hmm, not bad, your tea-making skills have improved.¡± ¡°That¡¯s good to hear.¡± Shi Liuli turned and said, ¡°I still have homework to do today, so I¡¯ll be going.¡± ¡°Yes, yes¡­ Ah, wait, wait a moment,¡± Elder Shi Ding thought, almost forgetting the main issue, ¡°Liuli, when your father was teaching today, it seemed like you made a new friend?¡± With a clear mind, Shi Liuli immediately understood what her father was worried about and let out a coldugh: ¡°Father.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°I think he¡¯s not right, he could be a spy from outside.¡± ¡°Not right?¡± Elder Shi Ding set down his tea cup, surprised, ¡°What exactly do you mean?¡± ¡°He¡¯s ying dumb,¡± Shi Liuli stated confidently, ¡°On the surface, he seems honest and harmless, but his real character is not like that at all.¡± Elder Shi Ding was silent for a moment, swallowing the words about to slip out, ¡°Is that so,¡± and gently exined to his daughter: ¡°Liuli, it¡¯s quite normal for a person to disguise themselves. After all, the inside of our Yuqing View sect isn¡¯t as safe as it appears to you usually. When I first joined the sect back in the day¡­¡± ¡°Stop!¡± As her father started to go on about ¡°back in my day,¡± Shi Liuli quickly called for a halt, ¡°Stop, stop, stop! I get it. So what Father means to say is that he is doing this just to protect himself, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Elder Shi Ding said with a smile, ¡°The Cultivation Realm is truly survival of the fittest, and sects only use rules to constrainpetition, covering it up under an apparently just order. Disguising oneself and being wary of others are very normal behaviors.¡± ¡°Besides, if he really were a spy from another sect, he wouldn¡¯t have been so easily detected by you as being off.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Shi Liuli was still somewhat skeptical and argued, ¡°But he indeed didn¡¯t show any ws, it¡¯s just my intuition telling me that he¡¯s disguising himself.¡± ¡°Is that so.¡± Elder Shi Ding didn¡¯t continue to argue with his daughter, instead asking, ¡°Then, how is his knowledge and talent? I mean, if you set aside your subjective impression of him and objectively evaluate his abilities and aptitude?¡± ¡°I specifically tested him,¡± Shi Liuli said as she wrinkled her nose, ¡°His theoretical foundation is very solid; he must have read through the ¡®Daoist Scriptures¡¯ thoroughly, as the content of Father¡¯s lecture posed no difficulty for him¡­¡± As she spoke, she suddenly remembered something and eximed: ¡°Right, the day I took him to attend the entry-level examination, he clearly said he hadn¡¯t read through the ¡®Daoist Scriptures¡¯ at all!¡± ¡°There¡¯s definitely a problem here! I need to investigate his exam papers and scores!¡± No sooner had she finished speaking than Shi Liuli turned and ran off like a shooting star. Watching his daughter rush off in haste, Elder Shi Ding was somewhat helpless. Although he didn¡¯t really believe that this Luo Yan was a spy, since his daughter rarely took the initiative to do something seriously, he thought it best to let her y along. Hmm, just to be on the safe side, it would be better to eliminate potential problems in advance. ¡°Nian Nu?¡± Elder Shi Ding called out. The White Jade Puppet standing in the corner of the room suddenly opened its eyes. ¡°Elder Shi Ding.¡± ¡°Go check out the test records of the new entry-level disciple, Luo Yan¡­ Hmm, from observing the Dao repository to the entry test, transmit his entire test footage to me.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Having finished his ss, Luo Yan returned to his residence within Yuqing View. Yuqing View internally provided residences for disciples, but the outrageous part was that rent had to be paid, and the price was steep. Fortunately, with Qiu Changtian¡¯s support, Luo Yan wasn¡¯t in a situation where he couldn¡¯t afford to live¡ªhe directly paid the fees for one year and rented a small single room. Once back in his cave dwelling, Luo Yan called to the Kunlun Mirror in his mind and said, ¡°Take me to Shushan.¡± The Kunlun Mirror mechanically recited: [Time until world destruction countdown: one thousand years.] [Please hurry in searching for the Heaven-Mending Stone.] ¡°Stop!¡± Luo Yan said helplessly, ¡°Can¡¯t we skip those two lines of script? I¡¯ve memorized them so well that they¡¯reing out backwards every time.¡± ¡°Then recite them backwards for me to hear?¡± the Kunlun Mirror retorted. Luo Yan: ¡­¡­ He recited the two sentences word by word in reverse order, then sneered: ¡°Silly mirror, silly mirror, have you forgotten that my current talent is ¡®A Whiff and Enlightenment¡¯? With my extraordinary intelligence now, let alone reciting lines backwards, mental arithmetic for advanced math would be a piece of cake.¡± ¡°What is advanced math¡­ Never mind.¡± The Kunlun Mirror honestly recited: [Location Two: Shushan Shangqing Faction, Qingluo Peak.] [Identity: Ling Yunpo.] [Oveying with the Mirror Flower Water Moon Temte, engaging in time-space travel.] Back at Shushan¡¯s Qingluo Peak, Sword Immortal Ling Yunpo opened his eyes and saw a package on the table. Inside were the spirit stones that Qiu Changtian had earned frompleting tasks. He picked up the package and went out to find Senior Sister An, nning to give her a surprise. However, after searching through various chambers, he couldn¡¯t find any trace of An Zhisu. Then, Ling Yunpo suddenly remembered that before hisst save point, Senior Sister had mentioned taking some items to sell in the sect¡¯s market to exchange for spirit stones. Sigh, the problem with frequent save-scumming is this: jumping from Shushan to Kunlun to do a bunch of things, then hopping to Peni and doing another bunch, and finally hopping back to Shushan, Ling Yunpo had nearly forgotten most of what was happening on his side. He returned to his chamber and threw the package back on the table. His gaze suddenly fell on the ck Flying Sword hanging on the wall. This sword was the one that had responded to his call and flew out from the Sword Pool after he resonated with it. The refinement process went very smoothly, and when practicing swordsmanship with Senior Sister An, the Flying Sword was responsive and obedient, like an extension of his arm. But since there was no master to help identify it, he still knew nothing about this Flying Sword. Ling Yunpo stretched out his hand and the Flying Sword immediately flew to him,nding in his palm. ¡°Ah Jing, what do you think this sword¡¯s name should be?¡± Ling Yunpo flicked the sword¡¯s de, producing a crisp and discernible sound, and he sighed inwardly. ¡°Senior Sister said it closely resembles the Green Duckweed Sword recorded in ancient books, but that Green Duckweed Sword was destroyed in the war of the Chan and Jie factions. So could this be a reforged Green Duckweed Sword?¡± Before the Kunlun Mirror could respond, another unfamiliar, soft and enchanting female voice sounded in his mind: ¡°If that¡¯s what you want to think, it can be~ From now on, you can call me Qing Ping.¡± Chapter 26 - 26 Ling Yunpo, you’re headed for disaster! Chapter 26: Ling Yunpo, you¡¯re headed for disaster! Editor: Henyee Trantions ¡°Green Duckweed Sword?¡± Ling Yunpo frowned as he spoke. ¡°Right.¡± The Green Duckweed Sword responded. ¡°Ah Jing!¡± Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t pay attention to her but instead asked the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Is what she said true?¡± ¡°Or else could it be false?¡± Green Duckweed Sword said, ¡°Isn¡¯t that right, Yao Yao?¡± ¡°What the heck is a ¡®Yao Yao¡¯!¡± Kunlun Mirror voiced a protest. ¡°In the Western Mother¡¯s Pce, the mirror atop Jade Pond tform is called ¡®Yao Yao¡¯. What¡¯s wrong with calling you ¡®Yao Yao¡¯?¡± Green Duckweed Sword said with augh. ¡°By that logic, I should be calling you ¡®Jian Jian¡¯.¡± Kunlun Mirror rarely made such a retort. ¡°OK then, although it doesn¡¯t sound as nice as Qing Ping, no problem,¡± Green Duckweed Sword said, not minding at all. Seeing that Kunlun Mirror had no rebuttal, Ling Yunpo spoke up again: ¡°Qing Ping, what just Rank are you? What¡¯s your Attribute? What Daoist Magic do you have?¡± ¡°Rank?¡± Green Duckweed Sword sounded surprised, ¡°Am I not an Immortal Sword?¡± ¡°The Heavenly Stem Sword Casting Method only became popr eight thousand years ago; by that calction, you¡¯re currently a Tenth Rank,¡± Kunlun Mirror reminded her. ¡°Then I am a Tenth Rank Flying Sword,¡± Green Duckweed Sword adapted quickly, ¡°As for the Five Elements Attribute, it¡¯s actually ¡®Milky Way Water¡¯.¡± ¡°The ssification by musical note attributes of the Five Elements is no longer in vogue,¡± Kunlun Mirror said again, ¡°You just need to say it¡¯s a Water System Attribute.¡± ¡°Oh oh, so a Tenth Rank Water System Flying Sword,¡± Green Duckweed Swordplied good-naturedly, ¡°As for the Sword Dao Techniques, that¡¯s temporarily a secret.¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®temporarily a secret¡¯?¡± Ling Yunpo said, dissatisfied, ¡°You are my Flying Sword, since when do you have secrets from me?¡± ¡°Oh, little brother,¡± Green Duckweed Sword reminded him, ¡°I¡¯m not actually your Flying Sword; I¡¯ve just been ying with you because I was bored.¡± Ling Yunpo: ? He turned and asked Kunlun Mirror: ¡°Ah Jing, is there still time to throw this wench back into the Sword Pool and exchange her for a proper Flying Sword?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Kunlun Mirror replied, ¡°and I strongly advise you to do so. She is not someone easy to tame.¡± ¡°Alright then.¡± Ling Yunpo promptly left the room. ¡°Hey, wait a minute, just wait!¡± the Green Duckweed Sword quickly started to whine, ¡°I was just joking earlier, I¡¯ve already dedicated myself to you, how could I betray my Sword Master so easily?¡± ¡°Give you another chance, whose Flying Sword are you?¡± Ling Yunpo asked coldly. ¡°Yours, yours, alright?¡± Green Duckweed Sword spoke softly and sweetly, ¡°With Yao Yao, we both belong to the Sword Master~¡± ¡°Do not drag me into this,¡± Kunlun Mirror, who had been enjoying the show, expressed discontent. ¡°Continue with the Sword Dao Techniques,¡± Ling Yunpo interrupted them. ¡°Well, most of the Sword Dao Techniques you can¡¯t use yet,¡± Green Duckweed Sword pretended to ponder, ¡°How about you take this to y with?¡± ¡°This technique is called ¡®Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains¡¯, and it uses Water System True Yuan to form a vast mist that spreads over miles. Enemies within it will have their senses sealed, movements slowed, and all non-Water System Spells greatly weakened.¡± ¡°To activate it, simply recite the incantation ¡®Mists rise and disperse, like a mirage over the water,¡¯ whether aloud or silently.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded, ¡°I will try it out. If it¡¯s not useful, you can roll back to the Sword Pool!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be like that!¡± Green Duckweed Sword started to whimper, ¡°Your consort does not wish to leave the Sword Master; can¡¯t you give your consort a bit of trust? As long as the Sword Master bes stronger, your consort can provide even more useful Sword Dao Techniques!¡± ¡°Green Duckweed.¡± Ling Yunpo said coldly and without sentiment, ¡°Remember, it¡¯s not you who chose me; it¡¯s me who chose you.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that the weak trust the strong and choose to follow them; it¡¯s because the strong are superior entities, and the weak have no choice but to follow.¡± ¡°The followers who are too weak will only be left far behind by the strong. This is true for both you and me,¡± Ling Yunpo said atst, before walking out. Green Duckweed Sword: ¡­¡­¡­.. ¡°If you don¡¯t want to even be unable to keep up with my pace, then strive to be stronger,¡± Ling Yunpo said atst as he walked outside. ¡°Yao Yao, I¡¯m starting to like him,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword spoke quietly to the Kunlun Mirror, avoiding Ling Yunpo¡¯s divine sense, ¡°What should I do? Such an interesting Sword Master, it¡¯s my first time encountering one.¡± ¡°Are you nning to transform into a human form and fall in love with him?¡± asked the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°No, no, no, being human is no fun. It¡¯s more enjoyable to be a sword,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword shook its head and said. Ling Yunpo, ignoring their whispered criticism, left the Daoist temple directly and went outside to an open space, raising a sword finger with one hand. His divine sense connected with the sword spirit, and the Green Duckweed Sword floated in the air, trembling slightly. ¡°A misty aura, like an illusionary mirage,¡± Ling Yunpo chanted aloud. In an instant, a boundless fog appeared out of thin air, rapidly enveloping the surrounding open space. Looking around, Ling Yunpo found that as far as the eye could see everything was a vast expanse of white, like the endless snow on the screen of an old television set that couldn¡¯t receive a signal. With his hand extended, he couldn¡¯t see anything, and with his ear turned, he couldn¡¯t hear any sound. The thick fog seemed to have absorbed all color and noise, leaving only the purely tranquil white between heaven and earth. His body seemed to be heavy, and upon looking down, Ling Yunpo realized that his clothes were soaked without knowing when. Water dripped from the hem of his clothes. He tried to use his divine sense, activating his Qi Sea, but he found that his divine sense was blocked less than half a meter away from his body, and the flow of his True Qi also became sluggish. Then he connected his Qi energy with the Green Duckweed Sword, and the weight on his body lightened instantly, his divine sense spreading unhindered through the fog. In this thick fog, every tiny drop of water could be a part of his divine sense¡¯s expansion. Ling Yunpo halted the flow of True Qi, dispelled the surrounding fog, sheathed the Green Duckweed Sword, and found a shady spot to sit down to wait for Senior Sister An to return from outside. He was also considering how to utilize this Sword Dao technique to construct a flexible battle system. For instance, when sparring with fellow disciples from Shushan, the dense fog could rise to obscure their perception, then he could use the Green Duckweed Sword for a fair and square backstab. Hmm, that approach still seems too conservative. Since the fog suppresses the opponent¡¯s divine sense, they would definitely recall their Flying Swords to their side and be on full alert. Suppose I carry two swords, deliberately throwing one directly at the opponent, while controlling the Green Duckweed Sword to circle around for a backstab. If the enemy is quick enough to block the frontal Throwing Sword, they¡¯ll surely miss the backstab from behind¡­ Just as he was thinking this, Ling Yunpo suddenly looked up and saw a strange, short and plump youth descend onto Qingluo Peak on a beam of sword light. ¡°Ling Yunpo, Junior Brother Ling?¡± The other¡¯s gaze came over. ¡°That¡¯s me. May I ask who you are?¡± Ling Yunpo greeted with a hand-sp. ¡°Lou Zhizheng.¡± The short and plump youth¡¯s eyes moved andnded on the Green Duckweed Sword behind him. ¡°Wow! This guy¡¯s gaze is disgusting!¡± the Green Duckweed Sword ranted in his mind, ¡°Hide me! I don¡¯t want him to see me!¡± ¡°Is Senior Sister An here?¡± Lou Zhizheng asked to confirm. ¡°She¡¯s gone out,¡± Ling Yunpo replied indifferently, ¡°Brother Lou is wee to sit inside the temple and wait for Senior Sister¡¯s return.¡± ¡°No need,¡± said Lou Zhizheng, lifting his chin and with a certain defiant but somewhat regretful tone, he sneered and said: ¡°Junior Brother Ling, do you know?¡± ¡°Great trouble ising your way!¡± Chapter 27: Duel, Young Man! Chapter 27: Duel, Young Man! Editor: Henyee Trantions Ling Yunpo was baffled: ¡°Brother Lou, where do you start with such a catastrophe looming over us?¡± Lou Zhizheng replied with a faint smile: ¡°Junior Brother Ling, do you know that your master, who is currently in seclusion, was gravely injured and returned to the mountain to face a life-and-death cultivation retreat?¡± Ling Yunpo¡¯s pupils shrank slightly. In fact, given that Qi Sha True Person Su Jian had been in seclusion for so long, he had guessed some clues, but he had never imagined that it was due to a grave injury that led to the life-and-death retreat. The so-called life-and-death retreat refers to sealing oneself in seclusion with one¡¯s highest cultivation before the retreat. Because with equal cultivation, it¡¯s easier to seal the retreat than to break out of it, one must make a breakthrough to the next realm and significantly increase their cultivation level before they can break out. This approach has such drastic restrictions that usually only those whose life is nearing its end and have no choice but to make a desperate move, or those who are seriously injured and dying and need to use secret techniques to cling to life, would choose to seal themselves in a life-and-death retreat. To put it bluntly, it¡¯s a matter of life and death. It¡¯s not only a question of when one will emerge from seclusion but also whether one can survive the ordeal. ¡°Junior Brother Ling, when you joined Qingluo Peak, it was really too hasty. Didn¡¯t you inquire with other senior brothers and sisters?¡± Lou Zhizheng continued with heartfelt urgency, ¡°In our Shushan, who doesn¡¯t know that Su Jian was seriously injured and would have perished immediately if not for the seclusion?¡± ¡°ording to the concept of a Nascent Soul cultivator, such an injury would require at least a few hundred years in retreat to heal. Which Qi Refinement disciple can wait that long?¡± ¡°Without reaching the Golden Core, your lifespan won¡¯t exceed a mere two hundred years. By the time your masteres out of seclusion, you¡¯ll already have turned to a pile of white bones!¡± Ling Yunpo fell silent for a moment before speaking: ¡°Thank you for the reminder, Brother Lou, it¡¯s just that¡­¡± ¡°Listen to me,¡± Lou Zhizheng interrupted, earnestly persuading, ¡°Junior Brother Ling, you have not been cultivating for long and are unaware of the hardships involved.¡± ¡°The path of Sword Immortal cultivation is filled with countless difficulties and dangers. Without guidance, it¡¯s almost impossible to make any progress in cultivation!¡± ¡°I¡¯m not trying to rm you without cause. Just think about it, when your mental method reaches a point of obscurity, who will teach you? When your sword technique bes ineffective, who will correct you?¡± ¡°Even if you have an extraordinary opportunity and manage to sessfullyplete the Marrow Cleansing and Refining Mansion processes, when ites to the final Golden Core Heavenly Tribtion, who will be there to protect and withstand it for you?¡± Ling Yunpo was left speechless by his words. He certainly couldn¡¯t tell Lou Zhizheng, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about this; Qiu Changtian has already taken Ziwei Master as a mentor in Kunlun, who will look after everything from Daoist techniques and mental method to sword technique and even the Golden Core Heavenly Tribtion.¡± Seeing that Ling Yunpo had nothing to say, Lou Zhizheng took it as a sign he was convinced and continued to entice passionately: ¡°Look at your Senior Sister An, she was a disciple informally adopted by Su Jian outside and was already at the Refining Mansion stage when she returned to the mountain.¡± ¡°Half a shichen has passed since then, has her cultivation level made any progress?¡± ¡°Go and ask the other brothers and sisters, anyone who understands the stakes, who would dare to join Qingluo Peak as a Loose Cultivator?¡± ¡°It¡¯s only because Senior Sister An regards Elder Su Jian as a father, willing to struggle for many years, barely maintaining Qingluo Peak rather than switching to another mentor.¡± ¡°We from Ziyun Peak cannot stand idly by and watch you ruin your future. Our master has requested the Sect Leader to grant you another opportunity to make a choice.¡± ¡°Once you join our peak, and after a shichen of hard cultivation under master¡¯s guidance, perhaps you will have already surpassed Senior Sister An and stepped into the Golden Core Realm in advance!¡± Ling Yunpo listened in silence, seemingly understanding what was going on. Oh, headhunters havee to poach talents. What he said was indeed true, everything else aside, just theck of a ¡°master¡± was truly detrimental here on Qingluo Peak, where cultivation was virtually the same as that of Loose Cultivators. If it had been the usual Shushan Ling Yunpo, then even though Senior Sister An was gentle as water, since his entry she had been considerate and caring towards him, taking good care of him, however, as it involved the great path and longevity¡­ Sorry, but I have to go. I wish Senior Sister all the best in the future, goodbye. However, ironically, Ling Yunpo was no ordinary person, but an undercover agent aiming to infiltrate the upper echelons of the sect. A key point of being an undercover agent is not to arouse suspicions of being a traitor. If he were to defect from his sect shortly after joining and switch his allegiance, even if the Peak Master of Ziyun Peak was willing to take him in, what would the brothers and sisters from Ziyun Peak think of him? Look, that Ling Yunpo, he¡¯s the one who betrayed Qingluo Peak before. With such history, it shows that he¡¯s utterly untrustworthy, and it wouldn¡¯t be impossible for him to betray Ziyun Peak in the future¡­ How could he fit in after that? In the eyes of others, whether it¡¯s worth trading one¡¯s reputation for a better cultivation environment might be a choice worth considering. But for Ling Yunpo, there was no need to think about it. After Lou Zhizheng finished speaking, Ling Yunpo revealed a determined look and said solemnly, ¡°Thank you for the generous offer from Ziyun Peak. However, I have already joined Qingluo Peak and taken Su Jian as my master.¡± ¡°Once a master, always a master, how can I easily betray him?¡± ¡°I, Ling Yunpo, am not such an unfaithful and disloyal person! Even if there are a thousand dangers and ten thousand difficulties in the future, I will shoulder them all!¡± [Unyielding character, Synchronization Value +1.] He spoke with fervent passion, his words resounding firmly, then he heard an excited cry from Senior Sister An from behind: ¡°Junior Brother!¡± Ling Yunpo turned around and saw An Zhisu rushing out from the rear gateway, excitedly clutching his arm. She had just returned to Qingluo Peak on her sword from the back when Lou Zhizheng mentioned ¡°whether your master is in a life or death retreat,¡± and saw her junior brother talking to a strange young man in front of the Daoist temple, so she quietly hid behind the main gate to listen. Upon hearing Lou Zhizheng mention ¡°Who dares to join Qingluo Peak as a Loose Cultivator,¡± An Zhisu¡¯s face first turned icy, then she fell silent, and finally her expression dimmed. Lacking a master¡¯s guidance was the biggest inherent w of Qingluo Peak itself; as long as the opponent insisted on this point, they would already stand on invincible ground. So, over the years, aside from Ling Yunpo, Qingluo Peak had not taken in a single disciple, and it became increasingly dpidated and decayed. She remembered before her master entered his istion, he had entrusted her, saying, ¡°Su¡¯er, Qingluo Peak is in your hands.¡± At the time, she, naive to the ways of the world, cheerfully agreed. It was onlyter that she experienced the coldness of human nature, contemptuous res; her cultivation level had hit a bottleneck for many years, drawing mockery and disdain; and now, her stipend was being docked, leaving her without enough Spirit Stones for cultivation¡­ No matter how lonely and helpless she was, she still remembered her master¡¯s entrustment, his voice as if it were right beside her ear, and thus she persevered with self-reliance, refusing to admit defeat. When her stipend was docked, she would argue her case at the Administrative Hall; when someone trespassed into Qingluo Peak and provoked her, she would draw her sword and beat them until they could not care for themselves. Since a Golden Core True Person, ording to the Sect rules, was not allowed to act against a disciple at the Foundation Establishment Stage, she practiced the art of Sword Control day and night; she had now be the foremost below the Golden Core. It was through her efforts that the Qingluo line had somehow managed to get by. Only in taking in disciples was there an issue; after all, with Qingluo Peak¡¯s current state, it wouldn¡¯t be right to ask others to sacrifice their path and forcefully keep them at Qingluo Peak¡ªthus, she had never managed to find junior brothers and sisters. It was precisely for this reason that when Ling Yunpo joined Qingluo Peak, she cared for and protected him in every way possible, treating him as if he were her own younger brother. Now that Junior Brother Ling had truly refused the invitation from Ziyun Peak for her sake, and since his earlier speech had been so moving and genuine, she felt a warmth in her heart and in a soft voice asked, ¡°Junior Brother, are you serious with what you said?¡± ¡°Naturally!¡± said Ling Yunpo resolutely. [Unyielding character, Synchronization Value +1.] An Zhisu¡¯s gaze grew warmer as she asked again, ¡°In the future, our master may continue to remain in seclusion, not having the time to guide our cultivation; we will have to rely on ourselves for everything. Can you ept that?¡± Ling Yunpo said undauntedly, ¡°Without master, what of it? In the future, I will support Senior Sister, and together we will keep the Qingluo line going!¡± [Unyielding character, Synchronization Value +1.] This unyielding character¡¯s synchronization rate is a bit hard to increase, huh! ¡°Junior Brother¡­¡± An Zhisu was deeply moved, her eyes brimming with tears, her gaze tender, biting her lower lip, unable to speak. On the other side, Lou Zhizheng had been stunned into silence by what he heard, and it took a good while before he came back to his senses, angrily flinging his robe sleeve and scolding, ¡°Foolishly stubborn!¡± ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, Ziyun Peak has no need to show mercy anymore!¡± After saying this, he threw down a Sword Talisman and then rode away on his Sword Light. With quick reflexes, An Zhisu summoned Frostfall Sword, transforming it into a ray of light, and swept up the Sword Talisman before it hit the ground. Upon inspecting the inscription, her face suddenly changed dramatically. On it was clearly written: Approved by Shushan Decree Hall, Ziyun Peak disciple Lou Zhizheng is authorized to challenge Qingluo Peak disciple Ling Yunpo to a sword duel under the supervision of an elder in charge. Chapter 28: Fiercely Brushing Up the Senior Sister’s Favorability Chapter 28: Fiercely Brushing Up the Senior Sister¡¯s Favorability Editor: Henyee Trantions After Lou Zhizheng left, Ling Yunpo learned from Senior Sister An about the old grudge between Ziyun Peak and Qingluo Peak. To be exact, Elder Ming Hua of Ziyun Peak and Master Su Jian had an old feud. Apparently, Master Su Jian used to be a notorious tough person, so fierce that even the Sect Leader had to give way to him and showed no mercy in fights. Whenever he challenged someone, he fought without holding back and almost always finished by severing the opponent¡¯s Life-bound Sword Artifact. Such ruthless behavior naturally attracted enmity, thus many Sword Immortals, because their fellow sect members¡¯ Life-bound Sword Artifacts were severed by Su Jian, suffered heavy losses in their cultivation levels and came to seek revenge with swords in hand. And then they were done for. Initiating challenges to sever sword artifacts and directly killing when challenged. Consequently, the ferocious reputation of Qi Sha True Person spread throughout Shushan, giving rise to ims that he was the ¡°Number One Sword of Shushan.¡± Well, if one has the ability to kill all other Sword Immortals, they indeed qualify as the Number One Sword of Shushan¡ªit makes sense. Moreover, since many Sword Immortals of Shushan were unruly by nature and doubted this notorious reputation, they wanted to test it with their swords, but ended up losing their lives upon trying, nearly leading to a talent drain in Shushan. This forced the Sect Leader to amend the sect rules: Duels had to be approved in advance by the Criminal Law Hall, and only upon obtaining a Sword Talisman could they proceed. Private dueling was prohibited! Vitors would be severely punished! With the need for approval, there came an examination process. If the examination revealed the challenged party was Su Jian, the approval would be dyed, and the Sect Leader would be secretly informed. The Sect Leader would quickly find an excuse to assign the challenger a sect mission, sending them away. Through these stalling tactics and a form of exile, the collective hatred for Su Jian within Shushan was forcibly quelled. Later, when Su Jian left the mountain to take in An Zhisu, he was ambushed by an elder from the Demon Sect¡¯s Asura Path and was badly injured and near death. Upon returning to Qingluo Peak, he hastily entered seclusion. Seeing that the fierce man no longer emerged, the Sect Leader then gradually recalled those who had been sent away. These people all bore grudges against Su Jian. Although they had calmed down during their exile and no longer thought about challenging Su Jian to their own demise, their spite towards Qingluo Peak remained undisguised. Hence, the situation for Qingluo Peak turned even more dire. Hearing this, Ling Yunpo was caught betweenughter and tears. Good grief, so it was that cheap master in eternal seclusion who attracted all the hate! ¡°As for Elder Ming Hua, he had his Life-bound Sword Artifact severed by Master during a duel, which heavily damaged his cultivation level. It was only after he reced it with a better Flying Sword that he stopped obsessing over taking revenge, though the enmity remained,¡± An Zhisu said as she brushed a strand of hair from her cheek to behind her ear and continued. ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, Ziyun Peak must have their eyes on your Flying Sword.¡± ¡°They do have some discernment,¡± Ling Yunpo said earnestly, ¡°I¡¯ve confirmed it myself, this sword is indeed the ancient Qing Ping Sword from the Intercepting Cult, undoubtedly a Tenth Rank Immortal Sword.¡± ¡°That exins it,¡± An Zhisu said, not inquiring about how he confirmed it but merely sighed, ¡°Otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t have chosen to trouble you right after you retrieved the sword from the Sword Pool.¡± ¡°Junior Brother, you need not worry about this sword duel challenge. We can just pay off the fines with spirit stones; I¡¯ll gather enough,¡± Senior Sister An said. ¡°No, Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo hurriedly replied, ¡°there¡¯s no such thing as being a thief for a thousand days, but preventing theft for a thousand days? What if Ziyun Peak finds someone else to challenge me after we refuse this duel by paying the spirit stone fine? Where would Qingluo Peak find so many spirit stones to pay the penalty?¡± ¡°You have a point,¡± An Zhisu said, her brows still deeply furrowed, ¡°But Junior Brother, do you know? Ziyun Peak has a secret technique called ¡®Ziwei Gathering Crown¡¯.¡± ¡°With the cost of three years of stagnation in cultivation, unable to progress an inch, it can temporarily boost one¡¯s strength by a rank.¡± She continued with a worried tone: ¡°Once we, the Sword Immortals of Shushan, reach the Marrow Cleansing Rank, we can cultivate the method of ¡®nourishing the sword with the body¡¯.¡± ¡°Normally, the Flying Sword can be hidden inside the body, nourished by one¡¯s blood to improve its quality.¡± ¡°Duringbat, one can also achieve ¡®Man-Sword Unity,¡¯ greatly enhancing the impact and lethality of the Flying Sword.¡± ¡°If that Lou Zhizheng uses a secret technique before the duel to forcibly break into the Marrow Cleansing Rank, your chances of winning would be minuscule.¡± ¡°Senior Sister An.¡± Ling Yunpo said passionately, ¡°Facing a challenge from a higher rank, others might hesitate, but I, Ling Yunpo, have no fear!¡± [Unyielding Persona, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°A true Sword Immortal should cut off life and death to have a possibility of achieving the Great Dao! If one retreats to protect oneself against a trickster ying the clown, what will one do when facing the great cmities and tribtionster on?¡± He spoke with righteous indignation, only to hear the Kunlun Mirror numbly say: [Unyielding Persona, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°Junior Brother.¡± An Zhisu bit her lower lip, her eyes brimming with tears. Strike hard once to prevent a hundred more strikes¡ªhow could she not understand this principle? That¡¯s how she made it through herself back then! Only this time, the one facing the challenge of a higher rank wasn¡¯t herself, but her junior brother with an honest character and a stubborn will! How could she possibly watch her junior brother go to his death with her eyes wide open? ¡°Senior Sister An.¡± Ling Yunpo carefully wiped the tears from her cheeks and said with determination, ¡°If you¡¯re truly worried about me, then teach me more swordsmanship.¡± As for how to defeat a Marrow Cleansing Rank Sword Immortal, I will ask the Kunlun¡¯s Ziwei Master myself, hmph. Matching his words about sacrificing life for righteousness, Ling Yunpo¡¯s face also disyed an appropriate expression of facing death without fear,mitting with his life, which made An Zhisu choke up once again: ¡°Junior Brother¡­¡± Seeing the naive Senior Sister Anpletely fooled by Ling Yunpo¡¯s feigned unyielding persona, even shedding tears for it, the Kunlun Mirror felt inexplicably angry. It quietly opened a small gap in the Mirror Flower Water Moon. While weakening the unyielding persona¡¯s aura, it also allowed his true temperament to shine through. Hmph, cancel the mental suggestion again! An Zhisu: ? Howe, just now my junior brother seemed to have changed into a different person? If before, Ling Yunpo gave her the impression of a steadfast young man who ¡°knew the risks but would still bet his life,¡± Then just now, although it was just a fleeting moment, that temperament seemed to be¡­ Calcting? Confident? Not the slightest bit panicked? Hmm, could it be that junior brother actually has a n and it¡¯s just not convenient to say it out loud? Ah, honestly, Junior Brother Ling, is there any strategy that can¡¯t be discussed with your senior sister? Thinking this, An Zhisu felt somewhat puzzled. But after all, she was someone with an extremely gentle nature towards her own people and protective of them, so since her junior brother wasn¡¯t willing to say it outright, she, of course, wouldn¡¯t deliberately expose him. She dried her tears, nodded and smiled brightly: ¡°Yes, I¡¯ll teach you!¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s the Two-Handed Sword Control Technique or any other swordsmanship, as long as I know it, I¡¯ll teach it to you!¡± Watching the deep sibling-like affection between these two, the Kunlun Mirror fell into a long contemtion. Originally, it simply couldn¡¯t bear to see An Zhisu deceived so pitifully, so it quietly removed Ling Yunpo¡¯s facade to let her get a glimpse of his real character. How did it end up seemingly increasing An Zhisu¡¯s affection for him? Chapter 29 - 29 Lightning Mage Qiu Changtian Chapter 29: Lightning Mage Qiu Changtian Editor: Henyee Trantions After declining the recruitment from Ziyun Peak and epting Lou Zhizheng¡¯s challenge to a duel, the rtionship between Ling Yunpo and his Senior Sister started to heat up rapidly. Awoken from a state of meditation by his Senior Sister in the morning, he was then subjected to intensive sword training, intensive sword training in the afternoon, and more intensive sword training in the evening. It was almost like a dream back to the days of endless daily problem-solving for the college entrance exam in his previous life. However, thankfully, the charming figure of Senior Sister An, wielding her sword in delicate gestures, was so enchanting that it wasn¡¯t unbearably boring. Having learned the overall sword moves of the Seven Kills Sword Technique, Ling Yunpo began to learn the Two-Handed Sword Control Technique. The Two-Handed Sword Control Technique circting within the Shushanmunity is based on using the Life-bound Sword Artifact as the main sword, apanied by an auxiliary sword. The two swords must attack and defend together, inseparably. However, the Two-Handed Sword Control Technique of the Seven Kills swordsmanship school, after Su Jian¡¯s improvements, had be a true multitasking of one mind using two swords. The two swords could either attack and defend together or act individually, with one attacking and the other defending, following different sword paths, as if a single-core CPU had suddenly be a dual-core ¡ª naturally greatly enhancingbat capabilities. To control two swords with both hands at the same time, Ling Yunpo needed to enable different meridian routes in each arm. Because he hadn¡¯t reached the Marrow Cleansing Rank yet, he tried many times but could not master it. An Zhisu was also worried and nned to find someone to teach him this technique. Let¡¯s put aside Ling Yunpo¡¯s situation for the moment; after all, there was still some time before the day of the sword duel. He could just reload to Qiu Changtian¡¯s side and then ask the Ziwei Master for his secret weapons. At the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, once today¡¯s scripture lecture was over, everyone filed out of the Scripture Lecture Hall. Qiu Changtian remained seated in stillness on the meditation cushion. Xu Yinglian was about to rise, but seeing this, she continued to sit to his right. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Only after everyone else had left did the Ziwei Master ask with his eyes still closed. ¡°Reporting to Master,¡± Qiu Changtian respectfully said, ¡°On a recent external practice journey, I encountered a Marrow Cleansing Rank cultivator from the Nether Ghost Path. If not for the Master¡¯s gift of the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword to protect my life, I might have met with misfortune.¡± ¡°I wish to ask Master, if without the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword, how should I deal with an enemy of the Marrow Cleansing Rank?¡± Xu Yinglian on the side was startled: The ambition of my Senior Brother is enormous! Mere Qi Refining Rank, and he¡¯s already seeking ways to defeat Marrow Cleansing Rank enemies? Hearing this, the Ziwei Master did not immediately answer, just pondered for a moment before suddenly opening his eyes to ask: ¡°Have you arranged a duel with someone?¡± How the hell could he guess that? Qiu Changtian was shocked deep down, but he verbally denied it: ¡°I was merely contemting the incident the other day, and the subsequent shock left me in fear.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± The Ziwei Master snorted coldly, not bothering to expose him. Instead, he turned to Xu Yinglian and said: ¡°Ying Lian, you may leave.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Xu Yinglian got up and left. As the Junior Sister departed, only the master and disciple remained in the Scripture Lecture Hall. Qiu Changtian looked at his master to see the Ziwei Master waving his horsetail whisk and saying in a clear voice: ¡°To my disciple of the 280th generation, Qiu Changtian, I now impart the technique of Thunderous Command. With the Great Dao above, listen with calm!¡± His voice was thunderous as if spring thunder burst forth from the tip of his tongue. Qiu Changtian instinctively sat up straight, feeling a cold sweat on his back and incense smoke curling before his eyes. Gradually, he could see nothing anymore, as if he was in a small universe isted from the world, with only the chanting of the Sect Leader echoing in his ears: ¡°Thunder and lightning are the pivot of heaven and earth. The Jade Pivot and Earthly Pivot, known as the Two Pivots, are situated in the east and west, presiding over the seventy-two officers of thunder. Positive thunder and negative lightning, the Pivot wields Yin and Yang, thunder signifies good, lightning evil. Good thunder brings life, evil lightning brings deathly qi. The convergence of life qi and deathly qi creates a striking peeling force. The subtlety of thunder is three from the east, two from the south, one from the north, four from the west, with five and six Wu Ji centralized¡­¡± In his sudden enlightenment and haziness, his consciousness sank quickly, seeing only darkness around him, except for a twinkling starlight in the Qi Sea, shing and swaying persistently. In a moment, the light ignited, gradually burning throughout his body, yet it did not feel unbearably hot, more like a warm bath, with aforting warmth to the limbs. After a short while, the chanting stopped, and the firelight around his body swiftly dissipated. In a daze, someone patted his cheek: ¡°Open your mouth.¡± Qiu Changtian subconsciously opened his mouth, and the Sect Leader took out an elixir bottle from his sleeve, retrieved one pill, and ced it under his tongue. As soon as the elixir entered his mouth, it dissolved, turning into a stream of heat that went down his throat, all the way to his dantian, into his qi sea. It formed into a ball of purple-gold light, which floated uncertainly within the qi sea, flickering in and out of sight. Qiu Changtian slowly woke up, only to see the Sect Leader toss the elixir bottle into his arms and, with eyes closed, said: ¡°This is a thunder seed. Take one pill every three days, continue for nine days to consolidate your realm.¡± ¡°Then go to the Scriptural Repository and fetch ¡®Shenxiao Jade Pivot Assessing the Five Thunders Greater Method,¡¯ study it carefully.¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s forpetition or self-protection, you must execute it wlessly and not tarnish the reputation of our Ziwei True Person.¡± Qiu Changtian remained silent for a while, then knelt to express his gratitude. After leaving the Scripture Lecture Hall, he immediately headed to the Scriptural Repository to fetch the scripture mentioned by his Sect Leader teacher. The elder in charge of guarding the Scriptural Repository, with thest name Xu (supposedly also from The Xu Family of Southern Heaven), was an olddy with a clear and lean appearance who practically knew the hundreds of thousands of scriptures in the repository like the back of her hand. Upon hearing the name ¡°Shenxiao Jade Pivot Assessing the Five Thunders Greater Method,¡± Elder Xu looked at Qiu Changtian skeptically and curiously asked: ¡°What do you need thunder methods for? That thing¡­ is not easy to practice.¡± ¡°May I ask, Senior, what do you mean by ¡®not easy to practice¡¯?¡± Qiu Changtian asked respectfully. ¡°Mainly because its cultivation is exceedingly difficult,¡± Elder Xu exined in detail, ¡°Thunder is the hinge of heaven and earth, themand of heaven, and carries the heaviest killing aura.¡± ¡°Thunder possesses a deadly energy, specialized in breaking all that is wicked and polluted, and holds immense power against magic; it also upies the shaking position, able to break through armor and defenses, even Flying Sword Treasures find it difficult to withstand.¡± ¡°Due to such immense power, it is therefore easy to harm others as well as oneself. If one is not careful during cultivation, one may injure their body, wither to the brink of death; or their temperament might greatly alter, bing irritable and prone to anger.¡± Stopping there, she pondered for a moment, then added: ¡°You possess a quality of Daoist Heart rity, which greatly reduces the risks of cultivating thunder methods. If you can obtain an Innate Thunder Crystal as the thunder seed for consumption, effectiveness would be doubled.¡± ¡°However, due to the scarcity of practitioners throughout history, most spells rted to thunders have been lost.¡± ¡°Taking the risk to painstakingly study the tome of thunder only to find no corresponding spells to practice would be quite a jest, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Even our Kunlun Taiqing Sect, as of today, only possesses the ¡®Shenxiao Jade Pivot Assessing the Five Thunders Greater Method¡¯ volume, which can be used to cultivate Jade Pivot Thunder.¡± ¡°With that amount of effort, one might as well cultivate other moreplete and conventional spells¡­¡± She rambled on. Seeing Qiu Changtian standing by with hands folded, showing respectful silence, she suddenly came back to her senses and apologized with a smile: ¡°What am I going on about! Since you¡¯ve specifically requested the Jade Pivot Thunder manual, you must have already made up your mind, so why should I interfere unnecessarily?¡± Retrieving a thin booklet from a certain bookshelf, Elder Xu handed it to Qiu Changtian, saying: ¡°Here is your Jade Pivot Thunder. Be extremely careful when you practice it.¡± ¡°Thank you, Elder Xu.¡± Qiu Changtian gave his thanks with a bow. ¡°There¡¯s no need for thanks. That girl Ying Lian will need you to look after her in the future,¡± Elder Xu said kindly, ¡°Hmm, as a wedding gift for the two of you bing Daoist Companions¡­¡± After pondering for a moment, she took out a writing brush and wrote him a note: ¡°Apart from Jade Pivot Thunder, our Scriptural Repository also had the Shenxiao Thunder manual, but it has been missing for six hundred years.¡± ¡°I checked the records and found that Chonghe True Person was thest inheritor of the Shenxiao Thunder method. Thest recorded time he left the mountain was to visit Kuaiji in Yangzhou, after which he never returned to the sect.¡± ¡°Should you find the time in the future, you might look for it in Yangzhou.¡± Chapter 30 - 30 My Junior Sister and I Are Of One Mind Chapter 30: My Junior Sister and I Are Of One Mind Editor: Henyee Trantions Kunlun Mountain Range, Golden Ridge Cave Abode. Senior Brother Qiu Changtian, the senior apprentice brother, seemed to be in a very good moodtely. Even the usually cold and arrogant Guan Zhan spoke a few more words of encouragement for cultivation when they met at the cave abode¡¯s entrance this morning, an unprecedented move for Qiu Changtian. Chen Zhen and Zhong Tianhuai, these two buddies who are always together, whispered to each other while he was delivering a lecture. Instead of scolding them as usual, he just smiled, which made the two junior brothers¡¯ hairs stand on end. ¡°Could it be that the senior apprentice brother has fallen into a romantic snare?¡± Chen Zhen spected in private. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say,¡± Zhong Tianhuai spoke with a suggestive tone, ¡°Aren¡¯t there rumors that the senior apprentice brother likes the second senior sister?¡± ¡°A romantic snare?¡± Guan Zhan said coldly from the side, ¡°The senior apprentice brother is one with Daoist Heart rity, how could there be any talk of romantic snares?¡± The two of them felt embarrassed upon hearing this. However, the rumors of an ¡°intimately close¡± rtionship between Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian have indeed been spreading widely among the Kunlun disciples of this generation. After all, to most Kunlun disciples, the image of Qiu Changtian is just too perfect. Handsome, talented, good-tempered, strong, and high in status, hardly any w can be picked on him. It is said that although he is the Chief Disciple, he would often go out for experience-gathering adventures, assisting other Kunlun disciples with sect tasks. When asked why he helped, he would simply say ¡°We all hail from Kunlun and should help each other righteously,¡± which deeply moved everyone. It¡¯s just too damn noble and shining. With such a high reputation, perhaps only Xu Yinglian could barelypete with him among this generation of disciples. The Phoenix Immortal too was very beautiful, with exceptional talent and temperament, notcking in strength, and hailing from a great cultivator family, the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, which possessed a dauntingly deep background. Yet, she still fell shortpared to Senior Brother Qiu. But if one were to say who in Kunlun could match the senior apprentice brother, it would probably be Xu Yinglian. And as for whom Xu Yinglian would take a fancy to, it would also logically be the senior apprentice brother. Isn¡¯t that just settled then? ording to the taste for gossip among the Kunlun masses, Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian make a natural and absolutely perfect couple. There are even rumors that the two had secretly engaged in a marriage pact to be Daoistpanions¡­ though there has never been evidence to confirm it. Thinking of this, Chen Zhen and Zhong Tianhuai¡¯s gazes leisurely shifted towards Xu Yinglian. Thetter had just finished contemting and stood up, saying lightly: ¡°It¡¯s not me.¡± Huh, we didn¡¯t say it was you, why are you taking it personally? The two exchanged nces, sensing something odd, then reached out to grab Jian Qingnan, who was about to leave with Xu Yinglian, and inquired with suggestive expressions: ¡°Junior Sister, look at how unusually cheerful the senior apprentice brother has beentely, did something happen, huh? With your second senior sister, you know?¡± ¡°With Sister Ying Lian? I don¡¯t know anything about that,¡± Jian Qingnan was initially a bit confused but then caught on and said: ¡°I¡¯m not one to speak ill of others behind their backs, you shouldn¡¯t ask me, ask the senior apprentice brother.¡± ¡°I¡¯m just worried it might be awkward for the senior apprentice brother and your second senior sister,¡± Chen Zhen said anxiously, ¡°such people caught in a romantic snare are often confused and in a state of ¡®neither too close nor too distant¡¯.¡± ¡°Maybe they do have feelings for each other, but if we directly ask and point it out, that would be terrible, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Heh, howe you know so much?¡± Jian Qingnan stared at him and scoffed coldly. After a moment, she rested her chin on her hand and said: ¡°There may be no sign of intimacy between them, as far as I can see.¡± ¡°But they often y music together at the entrance of the cave abode, the flute and zither in harmony; they seem to have some tacit understanding,¡± ¡°A duet for zither and xiao flute?¡± Zhong Tianhuai and Chen Zhen were taken aback. This matter of ying music surely exceeded theirprehension. ¡°What piece will be yed? Phoenix Seeking Phoenix?¡± ¡°What? You want to participate too?¡± Qiu Changtian¡¯s voice came from behind them. The two were so frightened they became panic-stricken and turning around, they stammered, ¡°Great, Senior Brother, we were just¡­¡± ¡°Normally, pay less attention to these romantic entanglements and focus more on improving yourselves and glorifying the sect,¡± Qiu Changtian said sternly, with a serious tone, ¡°If you finish your cultivation and have nothing to do, then follow me for external experiences!¡± ¡°Ah, this!¡± The two hastily made up an excuse and beat a hasty retreat. Who would be joking, who would want to go out for external experiences! What could you possibly gain from going out, spirit stones? Let alone that everyone is a second-generation immortal, even without the support of their families, have they evercked spirit stones for cultivation just for being the ¡°Direct Disciples of the Sect Leader¡±? Chen Zhen and Zhong Tianhuai fled in disarray, and Qiu Changtian then turned his gaze to the others. ¡°I still have to practice my Sword Control Technique,¡± Guan Zhan said sinctly, quickly taking his leave. ¡°I also have a scripture scroll that I need to read,¡± Yan Zhitui said, rising with a smile. ¡°I¡­¡± Jian Qingnan was somewhat reluctant to leave Ying Lian, but ultimately she honestly said, ¡°Senior Brother Qiu, the outside experiences avable to us Qi Refining Rank disciples are only low-rank missions.¡± ¡°And the rewards for these low-rank missions are merely some spirit stones, which are of little use to us all.¡± ¡°Qingnan, your perspective is short-sighted,¡± Qiu Changtian said gravely, ¡°you shouldn¡¯t always focus on the rewards!¡± ¡°The so-called experiences are about cleansing oneself in the mortal world and tempering one¡¯s Daoist heart. On one hand, it broadens one¡¯s horizons and knowledge, while on the other hand, it provides support to fellow disciples and builds awork of connections¡ªwhy not do it?¡± ¡°This¡­¡± Jian Qingnan couldn¡¯t refute these profound truths, of course, she also couldn¡¯t be persuaded, so she stuttered, ¡°Senior Brother is absolutely right, but I still have assignments to do, next time for sure, definitely next time.¡± She hastily ran away. Qiu Changtian sighed and felt a pang of reflection: The morals of the world are declining; the hearts of the people are not what they used to be. Are the young disciples of today all so calcting? Why can¡¯t they have a higher level of intellectual and emotional awareness¡­ The Kunlun Mirror suddenly interjected unexpectedly: ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the desire to leverage those outer disciples who worship you to boost the Synchronization Value of your Invincible Character Setting, would you be so eager to go out for external experiences?¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Qiu Changtian said righteously, ¡°Don¡¯t forget, Senior Sister An from Shushan still needs spirit stones!¡± Kunlun Mirror: ¡­¡­¡­ ¡°Junior Sister Xu, would you be willing to apany me this time?¡± Qiu Changtian extended the invitation to Xu Yinglian. ¡°What exactly is the point of going out for these experiences?¡± Xu Yinglian asked lightly, putting down the scripture scroll in her hand. ¡°That¡¯s something for Junior Sister toprehend on her own,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile, ¡°If Junior Sister feels she doesn¡¯t grasp the deeper meaning, she can choose to not go.¡± ¡°Hehe.¡± Xu Yinglian immediately let out a coldugh, ¡°Is this supposed to be reverse psychology, Senior Brother? It truly is a clumsy tactic.¡± ¡°Reverse psychology?¡± Qiu Changtian¡¯s face showed a hint of disappointment as he sighed, ¡°Junior Sister, you haven¡¯t even figured out why I want to take you along, yet you hastily judge me for provoking you. Don¡¯t you think such guesses are like castles in the air,pletely unconvincing?¡± ¡°If yourprehension is merely at this level, then I would indeed prefer you to stay here¡­¡± With a loud ¡°smack,¡± Xu Yinglian mmed the scripture scroll down on the table, interrupting Qiu Changtian¡¯s pitying words. ¡°Senior Brother Qiu.¡± Xu Yinglian maintained her icy polite smile and said, word by word, ¡°I heard that Senior Brother recently practiced a Thunder Method? Junior Sister is quite eager to witness it firsthand, would that be convenient?¡± ¡°I was just about to use this opportunity to demonstrate it for Junior Sister,¡± Qiu Changtian said warmly, seeing that she agreed. The two exchanged no more words, merely sharing a smile. With a knowing look and a meeting of the minds, everything was understood without having to speak a word. Chapter 31 - 31 Please become Daoist companions quickly! Chapter 31: Please be Daoistpanions quickly! Editor: Henyee Trantions A few hourster, Xu Yinglian regretted her decision at light speed. Where did all these bootlickerse from? The mission that Qiu Changtian had taken on this time was because an outer disciple from Kunlun had serendipitously discovered a suspected entrance to an Earth Vein on the western side of Long Mountain. The so-called Earth Vein was a branch of the Nine Provinces Dragon Vein, usually a ce full of abundant spiritual energy, apt for cultivation. There were often ancient cultivators who built thatched cottages to reside in; the benefits of their left-behind relics need not be mentioned, but there could also be treacherous mechanisms and Demonic Beasts lurking, presenting an equal measure of risks and rewards. This particr Earth Vein didn¡¯t have much spiritual energy, and if there were ancient relics, they would most likely only benefit disciples at the Foundation Establishment Rank; even Golden Core True Persons wouldn¡¯t be willing toe. The Kunlun disciples who had invited Qiu Changtian were somewhat apprehensive, fearing that the Chief Disciple would be concerned about the paltry rewardspared to the risks, and might note on ount of putting on airs. However, upon receiving a positive response to theirmunication, they were moved to tears, praising the Chief Disciple¡¯s righteousness continuously. By the time Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian arrived by Sword Control, more than a dozen Kunlun disciples had gathered to greet them, calling out ¡°Senior Brother¡± and ¡°Junior Sister¡± and trying to get familiar. Xu Yinglian had no patience for these bootlickers and responded with just a cold nod. Qiu Changtian, on the other hand, was not at all arrogant, nodding to each person in turn with a greeting, his demeanor and tone as gentle as a spring breeze, making everyone feel close and not neglected, immediately raising their good impressions of him. [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] Kunlun Mirror said indifferently. As the Synchronization Value continued to surge, the quality of Daoist Heart rity was also able to perform stably at 100%, making his practice during this period incredibly strong, quite like a leveling elerator. ¡°Senior Brother, please look, this here is the entrance to the Earth Vein.¡± The disciple who had taken on the task, named Duan Tianbao, assumed the responsibility of leading the way without hesitation. Qiu Changtian looked closely and indeed, behind the vines on the crevice of the mountain rocks, there was a small opening leading inside. ¡°The spiritual energy here is quite weak, it¡¯s remarkable that it was discovered,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a warm smile, ¡°but because it¡¯s so hidden, there might not be any remnants of cultivators inside, perhaps just a natural and empty Earth Vein. Everyone should brace themselves for this possibility on our journey.¡± ¡°Of course. If there really are no ancient relics, we will report back to our sect and have this location swapped for Spirit Stones, but we surely won¡¯t leave out Senior Brother¡¯s share,¡± said everyone all at once. ¡°That¡¯s unnecessary. My role ining here is to ensure your safety.¡± ¡°If it turns out to be just an empty Earth Vein without any ce to exert our strength, then I will not ept Spirit Stones,¡± Qiu Changtian dered with augh, raising his hand to cast the ¡°Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique,¡± dispersing the darkness before them as he took the lead inside. Xu Yinglian followed silently, thinking to herself that her Senior Brother was quite the character, always presenting this schrly and pleasant demeanor to the outside world. Who could know his true nature was not like that at all? She should really record him scolding her using a Shadow Stone and let these bootlickers listen to it properly. The others closely followed behind, through the tortuous and difficult paths of the cave, slippery with moss and unstable underfoot. After descending more than two hundred meters, the path ahead was still pitch ck, and the disciples who had not yet undergone Marrow Cleansing mbered down unceasingly, already gasping for air from exhaustion, casting hopeful nces towards the majestic figure of the Senior Brother ahead. Faced with so many silent pleas, Qiu Changtian also had no choice but to stop the advancing Xu Yinglian and signaled for everyone to rest. The air in the cave was humid, with no light prating its depths, and echoes reverberated continuously, bing eerier the longer they stayed. Hence, many disciples began harboring thoughts of retreat, afraid to venture deeper, and they sent Duan Tianbao to voice their concerns. However, facing the warm smile of Qiu Changtian, Duan Tianbao couldn¡¯t bring himself to speak, and upon returning to the others, he snapped irritably: ¡°Those who want to leave can break away from the group on their own. Don¡¯t waste Chief Disciple¡¯s effort by making hime here for nothing!¡± The rest were left speechless, exchanging looks of hesitation. After resting for a short while, they continued onward. A few hundred meters further down, light finally appeared,ing from Luminous Pearls embedded in the walls. The path ahead, unbeknownst to them, had transitioned from a natural cavern to a squared-off corridor of an underground pce. Seeing the grey walls and green bricks, the disciples¡¯ hearts were torn between excitement and fear. The excitement stems from the discovery that this ce is not an empty Earth Vein, but instead, it was once upied by cultivators. The fear arises from the green bricks and grey walls, which emit an eerily sinister and chilling vibe? Qiu Changtian watched coldly, casually picking something out of the wall. Hmm, as expected, there was bone ash mixed in. Others might not notice, but after studying for so long at Yuqing View, how could Luo Yan fail to recognize this kind of evil sect¡¯s artifact refining method? Given the style, it appears to be the artifact-refining approach of the early Nether Ghost Path, shortly after the split of the Intercepting Cult in ancient times. It seems that this Underground Pce must be rted to the ancient Nether Ghost Path. Still, as always, given the quality of the Spiritual Energy in these veins, it¡¯s unlikely that the ancient cultivators who upied this ce were very formidable. Qiu Changtian silently reviewed his spells, realizing that both the Jade Smoke Sword and the Jade Pivot Thunder had their advantages against creatures like Nether Ghosts, so he beckoned his group to continue moving forward. As they ventured deeper, the temperature grew colder and ghastly rustles could be heard sporadically. After a while, a shadow suddenly pounced from the darkness at a terrifying speed. Before the Kunlun Disciples could react, Qiu Changtian swiftly raised his hand and sent out a stream of jade light, nailing the shadow to the wall, and calmly warned: ¡°This is a Low Rank Corpse Spider. Everyone, be careful.¡± Hearing the Chief Disciple¡¯s warning, everyone drew their Flying Swords and braced themselves with focus. With another raise of his hand, Qiu Changtian retrieved the Jade Smoke Sword from the corpse and recalled it to him. The group watched the Corpse Spider¡¯s body with excitement, thinking that the Chief Disciple indeed deserved his title, as his swordsmanship was much more exquisite than theirs, and they grew even more admiration and respect for him. [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] Only Xu Yinglian felt somewhat discontented. Her Feather Jia Sword was even faster than the Jade Smoke Sword, but she was a beat slower than her senior brother in both reaction and attack speed, leading to aplete defeat. The team continued on their way, clearing out any Corpse Spiders they encountered. This area seemed to be their nest, and after killing more than seventy of them, there still seemed to be no end in sight. Not long after, strange wails suddenly arose from both ahead and behind. A massive wave of Corpse Spiders surged from both directions toward the Kunlun Disciples at the center! Qiu Changtian, unafraid in the face of danger, loudly roused the stunned crowd and ordered them to form a battle array to meet the enemy. Over there, about a dozen disciples, some crouching and some standing, formed three rows, each maneuvering Flying Swords, trying to repel the approaching Corpse Spiders. These Corpse Spiders were covered with tough bristles, formidable in defense, and usually impervious to a single strike from an ordinary Flying Sword. It would take three or four strikes before one could be killed. In just a few moments ofbat, the disciples¡¯ defensive line started to falter, nearly being breached several times. On the other side, Qiu Changtian alone controlled the Jade Smoke Sword, ying the iing Corpse Spiders. The Jade Smoke Sword was a Seventh Rank Metal System Flying Sword, and he himself had mastered the essence of the Shushan Sword Mastery. Thus, his Flying Sword cut through the horde effortlessly, with no spider able to withstand; they were almost instantly pierced by the golden light and killed on the spot. While he managed this side effortlessly, he hurriedly asked Xu Yinglian to support the other disciples who were having a hard time maintaining their formation. Compelled by him, Xu Yinglian immediately becamepetitive, her Feather Jia Sword flying faster and faster, weaving non-stop through the spider horde. In that moment, both of them disyed exquisite swordsmanship on either side, locking all the Corpse Spiders several meters away. [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] The onlookers were dumbfounded. The tide of spiders on just one side had already overwhelmed them when working together, yet Senior Brother Qiu and Senior Sister Xu could each fend off on their own with such ease, truly demonstrating their formidable strength. Again, they saw Qiu Changtian control his sword withposure and grace; Xu Yinglian,posed as she channeled her energy, her clothes fluttering with elegance. This only made the surrounding people feel even more inferior. What a perfect pair of cultivators, a match made in heaven! Just be Daoistpanions already, please! Chapter 32: If this child is not removed, he will surely become a great problem! Chapter 32: If this child is not removed, he will surely be a great problem! Editor: Henyee Trantions As piles of spider corpses umted like mountains on both sides, the remaining corpse spiders, realizing they were no match, began to retreat woefully one after another. The Kunlun disciples finally let out a breath of relief. Some were drenched in sweat, some had disheveled clothes, and even those too mentally drained simply sat down on the ground, staring nkly at the spider corpses. After all, this was the first battle for most of the Kunlun disciples present. The dark corridor and the endless tide of spiders had left a deep shadow in the hearts of these neers to the Cultivation Realm. The formidable strength of Senior Brother Qiu and Sister Xu also left a deep impression on everyone, which went without saying from then on. After resting for a moment, they continued on their way. Now that Qiu Changtian was leading the way, he had almost be the spiritual pir for all the Kunlun disciples, who were all secretly relieved to have invited this senior brother along, lest they all perish in this pitch-ck underground. [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] Xu Yinglian walked silently by the side, feeling that something was amiss. In the recent ughter of the corpse spiders, she and her senior brother were clearly on par, neither superior nor inferior. Why did it seem like the senior brother had garnered most of the prestige now? After walking several hundred meters down the corridor, everyone entered a spacious area that resembled a pce. This pce was octagonal, with eight entrances on the walls, and the group had juste in through one of them. In the center, there was arge irregr pit covering nearly a hundred square meters, surrounded by scattered stone coffins and various skeletal remains, with flickering phosphorescence and a ghastly aura all around. All the Kunlun disciples turned pale at this sight, which was clearly the relic of an ancient evil sect. No matter how powerful this evil sect¡¯s treasure was, as disciples of the Orthodox Sect, we couldn¡¯t use it. We also had to be wary of the sinister attacks from restrictions; indeed, it was a terrible bargain. Only the previous corpse spider bodies had some value for the cultivation of certain evil-subduing and demon-destroying Daoist magic and could be taken to the sect in exchange for spirit stones. Thinking this, the disciples unanimously began to persuade Senior Brother Qiu that it was too dangerous to venture further into such an eerie ce and suggested retreating to collect the corpse spiders to earn whatever they could. Qiu Changtian saw what was happening and clearly understood everyone¡¯s thoughts, so he pretended to ponder for a moment before nodding in agreement. Seeing that the senior brother had agreed, everyone breathed a sigh of relief and prepared to turn back. ¡°What kind of demon dares to lurk in the shadows?¡± Qiu Changtian suddenly shouted, raising his Jade Smoke Sword slightly and aiming at a certain cave ahead. The Kunlun disciples were startled and quickly turned around to be on guard. They saw a group of cultivators slowly emerging from the darkness within that cave. Each one was dressed in dark robes trimmed with silver, with ancient hairpins in their hair and bone toggles on their shoulders¡ªclearly dressed in the same manner as the Demon Path Cultivators of the Nether Ghost Path they had encountered before. The leader was a beautiful woman in heavy makeup and luxurious attire. She leanedzily to one side, slowly parting her vermilion lips, but what came out was a deep male voice: ¡°Who trespasses on the Nether Ghost Path¡¯s old ground?¡± Qiu Changtian watched him warily and said, ¡°We are disciples of Kunlun, simply seeking to explore the Earth Vein, having met you by chance with no other intentions.¡± ¡°Merely a chance encounter?¡± The androgynous individual sneered slightly, ¡°Gathering more than a dozen people, you enter my underground pce and im to have no ulterior motive?¡± ¡°Had we not arrived in time, wouldn¡¯t these fine ancient cadaveric shades in the pit have been desecrated by you Orthodox Sect disciples?¡± Qiu Changtian replied coldly, ¡°These ancient cadaveric shades do not belong to your Nether Ghost Path; they are relics from Ancient Times. We got here first and have our own methods for handling them, what concern is it of yours?¡± ¡°A joke! This ce is not without master; it is the old ground of our Ancient Nether Ghost Path. How could you Kunlun people recklessly trespass here!¡± The person narrowed their eyes into slits and suddenly thrust their fingers forward, chanting an incantation loudly: ¡°Evil spirits, Resentful Curse Binding Kill!¡± ¡°Rain falls from brocaded clouds, and a jade rainbow gives rise to smoke!¡± Qiu Changtian shouted, activating the Sword Dao Techniques from his Jade Smoke Sword, shooting out countless sword lights that formed a massive web-like Light Rope in the air. From the opponent¡¯s sleeves, suddenly poured countless grey ghosts that violently collided with the light. The fragmented light flickered out, and the aggrieved souls wailed. Qiu Changtian¡¯s expression changed, realizing the other was a Marrow Cleansing Rank Demon Cultivator, and quickly warned: ¡°Retreat!¡± Even if he used his trump card to exterminate these Nether Ghost Path disciples, who knew if it would attract even stronger enemies? Besides¡­ His lovely junior brothers and sisters behind him were the ones he had painstakingly brought out on missions recently, adeptly helping him to brush up his Invincible Character Setting Synchronization Value. If one died here, he would grieve for a long time! No sooner had he spoken than the Nether Ghost Path disciples on the other side also raised their arms in unison and thrust forward from a distance, chanting together: ¡°Evil spirits, Resentful Curse Binding Kill!¡± This so-called ¡°evil spirits¡± technique was evidently very powerful, a single release capable of shattering Qiu Changtian¡¯s sword Dao techniques. At that moment, several disciplesunched their spells simultaneously, how could Qiu Changtian have enough magic to fend them all off, so he quickly stepped back and pointed upwards towards the ceiling, eximing: ¡°Thunder Light Fire Pattern, Jade Pivot Divine Thunder, break!¡± This technique was the result of Qiu Changtian¡¯s cultivation of the ¡°Shenxiao Jade Pivot Five Thunders Great Law.¡± The Jade Pivot Thunder he had mastered was now at his disposal. The light was green with a core of red. A palm-sized ball of thunder light burst forth, striking the tunnel¡¯s ceiling. The disciples of the Nether Ghost Path only felt the ground beneath them shake violently, making it nearly impossible to maintain their bnce. Looking ahead, bricks and stones were flung wildly, and the air was filled with dust, causing the countless grey-white ghostly figures to miss their mark. Once the dust had settled, they discovered that the passage had beenpletely copsed, thoroughly obstructed and sealed. ¡°Senior Brother Wen, what should we do!¡± the disciples of the Nether Ghost Path asked in unison. That person of indeterminate gender furrowed their brows and, after a long while, harshly spat out a word: ¡°Pursue!¡± Meanwhile, the Kunlun disciples were frantically racing back the way they hade. Those who had just seen the person dueling with their eldest senior brother, as well as the disciples of the Nether Ghost Sect who hadter joined the attack, were all of Marrow Cleansing Rank in strength. With their ownrge group of Qi Refining Rank, there was no chance of victory, so they had to run as fast as they could, even forsaking their eldest senior brother who hadgged behind. Qiu Changtian positioned himself at the rear of the team to cover their escape, with Xu Yinglian at his side lending support. She whispered to him, ¡°Do you have any strength left?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°Senior brother¡¯s Thunder Method has impressive power,¡± Xu Yinglian remarked. A copse over ten meters long would not have been so easily achieved even with her Feather Jia Sword and its Daoist sword techniques. Qiu Changtian gave no reply, but once his True Qi had fully recovered, he once again pointed towards the sky, releasing another Jade Pivot Thunder, copsing the tunnel behind them again. On the other side, the Nether Ghost Sect disciples unleashed all their magic, finally managing to clear the obstructing debris only to find another copse ahead, whichpletely despaired them, cursing ¡°Those lowlifes from Kunlun¡± internally as they had to clear the passage once more. The Kunlun group reached the location where they had previously encountered the battle spiders. Qiu Changtian waved his sleeve, summoning the Jade Smoke and entangling several of the spiders, drawing them back into his sleeve. Taking advantage of the obstructions he created, he could dy his pursuers and take the opportunity to gather more spider corpses topensate for their efforts. Seeing their eldest senior brother do this, other Kunlun disciples also released their Flying Swords. In an instant, the sword lights swept through, and a pile of spiders vanished into thin air. After the retrieval, Qiu Changtian once again formed an incantation with his fingers to unleash another round of thunder, copsing the passage behind them. By running and sting their way through, the group finally managed to exit the cave along the path they hade. They then each mounted their swords and flew off in the direction of the Kunlun. Only after an unknowable duration did the disciples of the Nether Ghost Path finish clearing the copsed debris and emerge to see daylight again. By the time they reached the outside, the Kunlun disciples had long since disappeared. ¡°Senior Brother Wen,¡± someone said with a worried expression, ¡°should we report this matter to the Sect¡­ ¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Senior Brother Wen squinted his eyes and said malevolently, ¡°The final technique released by the person in charge was clearly Thunder Method!¡± ¡°Thunder Method?¡± The disciples of the Nether Ghost Path looked at each other, and then their expressions drastically changed. Thunder Method, also known as the Five Thunder True Law, had be rare in the world today because of the high risks associated with its cultivation. ording to the ancient records in the Sect, thunder carries a destructive energy naturally restraining the evil and demonic magic, so Thunder Cultivators, those who practiced Thunder Method, had always been natural enemies to the Nether Ghost Path Cultivators. If instead of the tunnel walls, that person¡¯s Thunder Method had struck the Nether Ghost Path Cultivators, it was estimated they would have been instantly killed, turned upside down and trampled. In retrospect, they realized just how narrowly they had escaped death, and a strong sense of relief washed over them. However, on Senior Brother Wen¡¯s effeminate face, there was not a trace of relief. He knew that in both quality and quantity, the disciples of the Nether Ghost Path were far superior to those of the Kunlun Sect. Therefore, had the Qi Refining Rank Thunder Cultivator decided to stay and fight to the end, it was highly likely the battle would have resulted in mutual destruction. Even if his own side would have suffered heavy casualties, that Thunder Cultivator would surely have been targeted first, dying on the spot. Nevertheless, the Thunder Cultivator had not taken the risk despite having the advantage against the ghosts, choosing instead to retreat promptly, which waspletely unexpected. ording to the ancient texts in the Sect, the greatest weakness of a Thunder Cultivator was the ¡°evil energy overwhelming the spirit,¡± as novices tend to be irritable and aggressive due to cultivating the Thunder Method, being sensitive andbative. In other words, this was a Thunder Cultivator with intellect! If not dealt with early, they feared he would be a major threat to the Sect in the future! Chapter 33 - 33 Junior Sister Xu Wishes to Accompany Chapter 33: Junior Sister Xu Wishes to Apany Editor: Henyee Trantions It wasn¡¯t until they reached Jade Void Peak that the Kunlun disciples alighted from their Sword Light, faces filled with the anxious relief of one who has just survived a cmity. ¡°Senior Brother Qiu is truly remarkable!¡± It took a moment before someone spoke up with genuine sincerity, ¡°Had it not been for Senior Brother Qiu apanying us this time, our fates would surely have been grim!¡± Thinking it over, everyone indeed felt the same. Considering that Qiu Changtian hadn¡¯t really gained any substantial benefit from this journey, they hastened to tter him with a babble of voices, fearing he might refuse toe along on the next mission: ¡°Senior Brother Qiu¡¯s life-saving grace, we will never forget for as long as we live!¡± ¡°Senior Brother Qiu¡¯s virtue reaches the sky. We will etch it in our hearts!¡± ¡°Senior Brother Qiu¡¯s great kindness is difficult to repay; I am willing to dedicate my life to you!¡± ¡°Go away, go away!¡± Soon, the female disciples on the scene pushed the woman who had spoken out to the edge of the circle, preventing her from continuing to embarrass herself. Qiu Changtian, with an awkward but polite smile, coped with the pupils¡¯ sycophantic praise. Ignores by all, Xu Yinglian stood silently at the edge of the circle, staring nkly at Qiu Changtian, who was surrounded by others, her thoughts obscure. After returning to Golden Ridge, Qiu Changtian continued to practice the Thunder Method for several days. Drawing upon thebat experience within the Earth Vein relics, he had confirmed the biggest drawback of Jade Pivot Thunder: Its power was too great! The advantage of this Thunder Methody in its fast release, substantial True Qi consumption, and immense destructive capability. It was a high-burst offensive technique. But it was this very power that prevented him from controlling it with ease and flexibility. In the Earth Vein relics, when he first sted the ceiling, the flying debris nearly smashed his own face. The second time he blew up the passage, Qiu Changtian deliberately tried to control the power of the Thunder Method. However, he discovered that he couldn¡¯t control it at all. Hrious. A palm-sized bundle of Thunder Light, when condensed to its minimum, was still the size of a seal, yet the power remained overwhelmingly destructive. If it exploded within a step¡¯s distance, the shockwaves could even injure him¡­ Don¡¯t ask Qiu Changtian how he came to know this. This was precisely why the information about Jade Pivot Thunder needed to be kept as confidential as possible. If too many people knew about it, it would be easily targeted and countered. For example, if an opponent were to shoot out a Flying Sword the moment the Thunder Light was released. Because the Flying Sword moved much faster than the Thunder Light, striking it the instant it was released would set it off prematurely, backfiring on Qiu Changtian himself¡­ That would be too ridiculous. Shouting ¡°Jade Pivot Divine Thunder¡± and then blowing up on the spot, covered in blood¡ªif there were spectators, the Invincible Character Setting¡¯s Synchronization Value would probably plummet through the floor. In conclusion, Jade Pivot Thunder was suitable for use as a trump card, and only as a trump card. That morning, Qiu Changtian was teaching his junior brothers and sisters the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra¡± as usual in his cave dwelling. After the lecture, it was time for questions. ¡°Senior Brother Qiu.¡± Yan Zhitui suddenly asked, ¡°I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯ve recently mastered a very powerful Daoist Technique. Could you tell us about it?¡± ¡°Ahem.¡± Qiu Changtian cleared his throat a few times, his mind quickly spinning. First and foremost, he should keep Jade Pivot Thunder as secret as possible. Junior Sister Xu was too familiar with him, so there was no hiding it from her; but he preferred that the others stay uninformed. Next, he couldn¡¯t just t-out refuse. An Unbeatable Character Setting is not one that deliberately conceals its trump card, acting secretive and refusing to share with others. After thoughtful consideration, Qiu Changtian replied with a smile: ¡°Junior Brother Yan, let me ask you first: do you know what the ¡®Two Techniques and Two Spells¡¯ are?¡± ¡°The so-called ¡®Two Techniques¡¯ refer to the Qi Refining Technique and the Daoist Technique; the ¡®Two Spells¡¯ are the Magic Sword and Magical Treasure,¡± Yan Zhitui cautiously responded, ¡°Is what I said correct?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Qiu Changtian nodded and started to exin to his junior brothers and sisters: ¡°The Two Techniques hold the Qi Refining Technique in the highest regard because it is the Qi Refining Technique that determines the most critical Cultivation Realm.¡± ¡°Without a sufficient Cultivation Realm, no matter how powerful a Daoist Technique is, it¡¯s nothing but a castle in the air.¡± ¡°Among the Two Spells, the Magic Sword is held in the highest esteem because it can be sealed with Daoist Magic, refined and ready for immediate use.¡± ¡°If you don¡¯t employ the Magic Sword and instead cultivate Daoist Techniques yourself, it will undeniably upy the time you would spend on Qi refinement.¡± ¡°If Qi refinement is slow, the Cultivation Realm will progress slowly, subsequently affecting life extension.¡± ¡°Common folks live for just over a hundred years, sessful Marrow Cleansing can extend it to two hundred, attaining Golden Core can extend it to eight hundred, Nascent Soul can extend it to five thousand, and beyond that lies Feather Transformation and ascension to immortality.¡± ¡°Compared to the time needed for cultivation progression, this extension of lifespan can be said to bepletely insufficient, so¡­¡± Before Qiu Changtian could finish, he heard Guan Zhanugh coldly and say: ¡°So rather than enquiring about Daoist Techniques, it¡¯s better to focus on Qi Refinement and improve one¡¯s cultivation level.¡± ¡°Senior Brother Qiu has attained Daoist Heart rity, and the rate at which he enhances his cultivation level has always far surpassed that of ordinary people. When he first opened his Qi Sea, it took him merely half a day! That¡¯s why he¡¯s had the leisure to delve into a Daoist Technique.¡± ¡°Yan Zhitui, how long did it take you to break through the three barriers back in the day? A full half month! What makes you think you¡¯re entitled to covet Daoist Techniques?¡± [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] Qiu Changtian: Ah, although this Junior Brother Guan always looks like an icy judge and often speaks too bluntly and without regard for others¡¯ feelings, he¡¯s actually quite adorable, isn¡¯t he? While he wasforting himself with these thoughts, Chen Zhen and Zhong Tianhuai felt somewhat indignant. Yan Zhitui, however, was not angry but simply bowed and said: ¡°Thank you for the guidance, Senior Brother Guan. I have learned a lot.¡± ¡°Junior Brother Guan isn¡¯t wrong, but his statement is a bit too absolute,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile. ¡°It would be fine if everyone nned to never leave the sect for their whole lives.¡± ¡°But if you¡¯re going out into the world to gain experience, it¡¯s quite necessary to learn a few Daoist Techniques for self-protection.¡± ¡°After all, the Daoist Magic of a Flying Sword often harmonizes with the Flying Sword¡¯s own attributes. If you encounter an enemy who counters the attributes of your Flying Sword and you have no other means to turn the tables, that would be dangerous.¡± ¡°Senior Brother Qiu speaks the truth!¡± Chen Zhen and Zhong Tianhuai chimed in purposefully. Guan Zhan¡¯s expression changed slightly (feeling as though he¡¯d been pped in the face), but he admittedlycked experience in venturing out, and since Senior Brother Qiu was already at a king-level in that regard, Guan Zhan could only bow his head in silence. ¡°Alright,¡± Qiu Changtian said, pping his hands. ¡°In summary, everyone should focus on Qi Refinement to elevate our realms for now. Those who want to increase their self-protection methods can follow me out for experience in private. I¡¯ll look into where the deficiencies and inadequacies in your actualbat lie, then give targeted advice topensate.¡± Everyone nodded in thanks and then got up and left one after another. Only Xu Yinglian remained seated on the meditation mat, quiet and unmoving. When he saw that everyone else had gone, Qiu Changtian smiled and said: ¡°Junior Sister, what¡¯s on your mind?¡± ¡°I want to practice a Daoist Magic,¡± Xu Yinglian dered sinctly. Upon hearing this, Qiu Changtian did not respond immediately but fell into thought for a moment before asking: ¡°Is it because you see that I have mastered a Daoist Magic, so you wish to emte your Senior Brother?¡± Xu Yinglian scoffed and said: ¡°If Senior Brother fears that I will catch up with you, you can choose not to guide me.¡± Qiu Changtianughed heartily: ¡°Junior Sister Xu, what kind of person do you take your Senior Brother for? Hmm, with your aptitude, it shouldn¡¯t be a problem for you to practice Daoist Magic, but the specific choice of which Daoist Magic depends on what your purpose is¡­¡± ¡°My goal is to surpass your Thunder Method!¡± Xu Yinglian blurted out without hesitation. ¡°Why are you always fixating on me?¡± Qiu Changtian said, torn betweenughter and tears. ¡°Can¡¯t you focus on ¡®perfecting yourself¡¯ instead?¡± Xu Yinglian fell silent for a moment before suddenlyughing: ¡°Didn¡¯t Senior Brother once say: ¡®On the path of cultivation, walking alone is truly lonely. Having a Junior Sister apany me, there would be no regrets.¡¯?¡± ¡°If my strength is far inferior to yours, how could you allow me to apany you?¡± ¡°Cough cough,¡± Qiu Changtian caught off guard by her radiant smile, quickly turned his head topose his expression, and then said with a bitter smile, ¡°Ying Lian, why are you suddenly confessing to your Senior Brother, you gave me quite a fright¡­¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t confess to you!¡± Xu Yinglian jumped up, frustrated, and said, ¡°I¡¯d rather chase after you than be left behind by you!¡± Having said that, she realized that there was still ambiguity in her statement and hastily added: ¡°Of course, catching up to you is just the first step. The second step is to surpass you! And then¡­ the one being left behind will be you, Qiu Changtian!¡± ¡°Then I shall wait and see, Junior Sister,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile. Xu Yinglian clenched her teeth in frustration. The Kunlun Mirror, which had been observing the two of them all this time, could not stand to see him tease Junior Sister like this and quietly opened a corner of the Mirror Flower Water Moon. It diminished the Invincible Character Setting while also releasing his own true temperament. And the mental suggestion was lifted! Seeing that her Senior Brother was indifferent to her challenge and was even sporting a mocking and arrogant smile, Xu Yinglian felt her blood boiling with rage, almost rushing to her head. Suddenly, though, she noticed that her Senior Brother¡¯s temperament seemed to have changed. No longer was he the aloof, arrogant and cold ¡®Heavenly God¡¯, always looking down on her. The gentle smile he now wore resembled more of a childhood friend from next door, carrying expectations for their future together and a fond promise that she had to ¡°surpass me, okay?¡±¡­ The blood that had been rushing to her head suddenly ebbed away, and her body began to feel a peculiar warmth. To hide the inexplicable slight fluttering in her heart, Xu Yinglian turned her head and said in a voice almost too faint to hear: ¡°Hmph, just you wait and see. Qiu Changtian!¡± Chapter 34 - 34 Miss Shi is Watching Me! Chapter 34: Miss Shi is Watching Me! Editor: Henyee Trantions After all, with three personas and three parallel storylines, some time had passed already. He then found some spare time to organize the progress of each thread. At Kunlun, Qiu Changtian¡¯s progress was the fastest. As the current Chief Disciple and a Direct Disciple of the Sect Leader, he was not only skilled in Immortal Qi Cultivation Technique and Five Thunder True Law but also widely loved by the many Kunlun outer disciples. His future could be described as a broad, unobstructed path. At Peni, Luo Yan was the furthest behind. He was just an ordinary disciple who had recently joined Yuqing View¡ªquite insignificant¡ªand had not yet found an opportunity to rise in the ranks, spending his days merely attending lectures. At Shushan, Ling Yunpo¡¯s progress wasplicated; it could be said there were good aspects and bad. The good was that Senior Sister An took meticulous care of him. The bad was that his economical master, Su Jian, not only entered a death-locking retreat but also made many enemies before his retreat, leaving the sister and brother pair in a precarious situation within Shushan. Now they were even schemed against by Ziyun Peak, being forced into a duel, and it was a Qi Refining Rank against a Marrow Cleansing Rank¡­ How miserable it was. Speaking of the uing duel, Ling Yunpo currently had two aces up his sleeve: The first was the Tenth Rank Immortal Sword, Green Duckweed, which bore the Daoist Magic ¡°Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains¡± that could conjure immense fog. Within it, divine senses be limited, perception obscured, and the power of any water system Daoist magic reduced by half. The second was the Thunder Method, ¡°Jade Pivot Thunder,¡± from Qiu Changtian¡¯s side. He had already nned meticulously: during the duel, he would first activate Green Duckweed Sword¡¯s Daoist Magic to separate himself with the fog, then release the Jade Pivot Thunder, aiming to kill the opponent in one blow, and ensure that nobody would discover the Thunder Method. Currently, although Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t say he ¡°mastered¡± the Jade Pivot Thunder, he had a ¡°rough understanding¡± of it. But just this ¡°rough understanding¡± was already terrifyingly powerful. For any cultivator below the Golden Core stage, receiving this thunder head-on would mean certain death or severe injury, hence it was his strongest trump card at the moment. What else could be said? He could only praise the Sect Leader¡¯s wisdom and thank the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s ¡°Daoist Heart rity¡± talent for allowing him to grasp such an extraordinary Daoist Magic. Next, he just needed to reload Ling Yunpo¡¯s save and continue refining his swordsmanship. After reflecting for a long time in his cave, Qiu Changtian decided to reload. At present, Ling Yunpo¡¯s Synchronization Value was still quite high;st time, by borrowing the viin Lou Zhizheng¡¯s identity, he recited plenty of lines in front of his sister, so there was no need to worry for now. Luo Yan¡¯s Synchronization Value was already low, and continuing this way would impact the effectiveness of Mirror Flower Water Moon. Enough of that; it¡¯s time to go to Peni and look for opportunities. ¡°Ah Jing, reload!¡± [Checkpoint 3: Peni Yuqing View, Dormitory.] [Character Identity: Luo Yan.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Temte oveying, in the midst of time-space travel.] Luo Yan opened his eyes on the soft couch. It should be mentioned that what the Kunlun Mirror refers to as the ¡°save¡± mechanism, signifies marking the current time/space coordinates. The so-called ¡°reload¡± mechanism means transporting his body to thest saved time/space coordinates and then swapping out the Illusion Technique mask of Mirror Flower Water Moon. For instance, Luo Yan¡¯s initial save was in the dormitory, after which his body was transported away. Then he lived a period of time at Shushan and Kunlun as Ling Yunpo and Qiu Changtian, respectively. Eventually, he was transported back to the time/space coordinates where Luo Yan had saved, with the transition being seamless to the point that even if people observed him, they wouldn¡¯t notice any sign of him having left. Of course, just to be safe, Luo Yan would still choose ces where no one was around to save/reload. After spending the night in the dormitory, Luo Yan nned to go to lectures as usual the next morning. As a result, on his way to the school, he was blocked by Shi Liuli who had been prepared for quite some time. ¡°Spill the beans.¡± Shi Liuli pulled him into a secluded spot and directly brought out the Heaven-flipping Seal as a threat, saying, ¡°Are you a spy from an external sect?¡± ¡°Senior Sister An, what are you talking about?¡± Luo Yan showed a ¡°I¡¯mpletely baffled¡± expression of helplessness which, together with his drooping eyebrows and his amiable squinted eyes, really started to make Shi Liuli, who was previously certain, waver a bit. [False persona setup, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°Your entry-level exam.¡± Shi Liuli took out his marked paper and questioned, ¡°Before the exam, you clearly admitted that you had no idea what the ¡®Daozang¡¯ is!¡± ¡°However, this time you¡¯ve scored full marks in the exam! Full marks, could you be any more fake? You said you haven¡¯t studied the ¡®Daozang¡¯, so how did you obtain full marks? Don¡¯t tell me you guessed all one thousand questions correctly by chance!¡± ¡°But Senior Sister, I had studied the ¡®Daozang¡¯ before the exam,¡± Luo Yan said with a somewhat innocent tone. ¡°Ha ha, so you admit it, saying ¡®I haven¡¯t studied the ¡®Daozang¡± to me before was actually a lie, wasn¡¯t it?!¡± Shi Liuli, like a cat that had caught a mouse by its tail, immediately started to gloat with triumph. ¡°When I first met Senior Sister, I indeed hadn¡¯t studied the ¡®Daozang¡¯.¡± Luo Yan exined awkwardly, ¡°However, an hour before the exam, I did read up on the ¡®Three Caves Section¡¯ properly in the Daozang Pavilion, which is why I was lucky enough to pass the entry-level test.¡± ¡°Ah, that¡¯s right!¡± He then showed a grateful smile, ¡°It was Senior Sister who reminded me that the main content of the entry-level exam was the ¡®Three Caves Section¡¯, I even forgot to thank Senior Sister¡­¡± [False persona setup, Synchronization Value +1.] Shi Liuli was already dumbfounded listening to this, when suddenly, she snapped to realization and urgently grabbed his arms to ask: ¡°You say you spent an hour in the Daozang Pavilion and that you thoroughly read, memorized and fully understood the entire ¡®Three Caves Section¡¯?¡± ¡°Yeah,¡± Luo Yan said bashfully, ¡°Senior Sister, please don¡¯tugh at me for cramming at thest minute, I also didn¡¯t know our sect would test on the ¡®Daozang¡¯.¡± [False persona setup, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°Impossible!¡± Shi Liuli eximed in disbelief. The Three Thousand Daozang, just the ¡®Three Caves Section¡¯ alone had twenty-four scriptures, how could you finish reading them in an hour?! Luo Yan looked at her with an innocent and pure expression, secretly chuckling inside. Although she was saying, ¡°How is that possible,¡± the notification of the increasing Synchronization Value showed that, in fact, a little part of her had started to believe him. Don¡¯t ask why, because it just so happens this fat sheep is especially easy to trick! ¡°Fine, since that¡¯s the case, I¡¯ll test you myself!¡± Shi Liuli steeled her resolve and said, ¡°I¡¯m now going to recite the ¡®Nine Cauldrons Divine Pill Scripture¡¯ to you; I¡¯ll only say it once, let¡¯s see if you can remember and understand it!¡± She red with her pretty big eyes and rapidly recited: ¡°To create a divine pill, one must start with making ¡®Xuanhuang¡¯. Take ten jin of mercury and twenty jin of lead, ce them in an iron vessel, fiercely heat from below; let the lead and mercury exude their essences which appear purple or like the color of gold. Collect it with an iron spoon, this is called ¡®Xuanhuang¡¯¡­¡± After a brief thousand words, recited in three to four minutes, Shi Liuli stopped talking and coldly said: ¡°Have you got all that, genius little junior brother?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve roughly got it,¡± Luo Yan nodded and said. ¡°Good, then I¡¯ll test you!¡± Shi Liuli sneered, ¡°Tell me, ording to the ¡®Nine Cauldrons Divine Pill Scripture¡¯, what should be the method for preparing a ¡®Returning Pill¡¯?¡± Luo Yan smiled slightly, and spoke clearly: ¡°To make a Returning Pill, one must use nine materials, which are: alum, reputation stone, daizhe, Rong salt, oyster, red stone fat, earth dragon arrow, mica, and talcum. Burn them for one day and one night, intensify the fire, grind everything into a mixture, like powder. Then mix it with the previously mentioned ingredients so that it¡¯s like mud. ce it directly into a kiln, add one jin of mercury¡­¡± As he smoothly recited the method for creating a Returning Pill, Shi Liuli¡¯s expression quickly shifted from scorn to stupor, from stupor to doubt, from doubt to astonishment, and from astonishment to ecstasy. ¡°In this world, could there truly be someone with such a photographic memory, capable of understanding everything upon a single hearing?¡± Luo Yan was a little regretful on his end since his act of pretense with this identity didn¡¯t grant any Synchronization Value, only to hear Shi Liuli suddenly shouting: ¡°Quick! Little junior brother, I¡¯ll take you to see my father, and have him take you as his direct disciple!¡± Chapter 35 - 35 The Junior Brother of Heavenly Craft Workshop, Luo Yan Chapter 35: The Junior Brother of Heavenly Craft Workshop, Luo Yan Editor: Henyee Trantions When Shi Liuli pulled Luo Yan before Elder Shi Ding, excitedly finished recounting the events, Elder Shi Ding couldn¡¯t help but reveal a face full of question marks. ¡°You went to investigate a spy, and while doing so, you brought a direct disciple back to me?¡± Long before Shi Liuli went to investigate him, Elder Shi Ding had also reviewed his examination footage and indeed, found no issues. Or, to put it more precisely, how could a spy who should remain inconspicuous be foolish enough to score full marks on the entry exam? Besides, if hisprehension was truly as exceptional as Liuli imed, thening here as a spy would really be a waste of talent. Wouldn¡¯t it be more desirable for the sect to nurture such talent carefully from within? Whether it¡¯s alchemy techniques, the essence of treasure casting, or the ¡°oceanic¡± amount of calctions required for formations, all demand exceptionally highprehension to master. Without ampleprehension, the speed of learning¡­ is indeed touching! Thinking this, Elder Shi Ding nonchntly said, ¡°Your name is Luo Yan, right?¡± ¡°I have seen the elder,¡± Luo Yan quickly paid his respects. ¡°Where are you from?¡± Elder Shi Ding asked. ¡°I was born in Lin¡¯an County, Yangzhou. My parents have passed away, leaving me alone. I spent my earlier years ghostwriting and grading papers for a teacher in a private school,¡± Luo Yan said respectfully. [Falsehood, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°Hmm,¡± Elder Shi Ding nonmittally replied, ¡°what is your date and time of birth?¡± Luo Yan: ? Does one need to calcte birthdates and horoscopes to ept a disciple? While he was slightly stunned, Shi Liuli beside him became both ashamed and angry as she called out, ¡°Father! Why do you need to calcte Junior Brother¡¯s birthdate and horoscope?!¡± ¡°Actually, what I meant was¡­¡± Elder Shi Ding realized that his question had indeed been ambiguous. He needed Luo Yan¡¯s date and time of birth simply to use the Tai Yi Divination, to verify if the background Luo Yan imed was true. But to his daughter, it sounded like he was checking if their natal charts werepatible for marriage¡­ Of course, Elder Shi Ding could not exin in front of Luo Yan that ¡°I am not calcting maritalpatibility, I am verifying his truthfulness,¡± so he could only put on a thick face and fibbed, ¡°I just wanted to calcte if he is suitable to be taken under my wing¡­¡± ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you calcte this for the other senior brothers and sisters when they joined?¡± Shi Liuli asked with indignation. ¡°That¡¯s because¡­¡± Elder Shi Ding couldn¡¯t go on with the pretense and abruptly waved his hand to change the subject, ¡°forget it, forget it, Luo Yan, let me tell you.¡± ¡°My name is Shi Ding, in my early years I entered the path of cultivation through cauldron casting, and I have now mastered various techniques of artifact refining, inheriting the ¡®Heavenly Craft Workshop¡¯.¡± ¡°In Peni¡¯s Yuqing View, although I dare not im to be first in artifact refining, I can still say that I am second to none.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve seen your entry exam, and yourprehension talent is superb, fitting to inherit my Daoist lineage.¡± ¡°So here I ask you, are you willing to be my disciple and learn the path of artifact refining?¡± Upon hearing this, Luo Yan immediately became solemn and bowed respectfully, ¡°The disciple is willing to learn.¡± [Falsehood, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°Good,¡± Elder Shi Ding then pinched his beard andughed. Although Luo Yan¡¯s decision to ept the discipleship was resolute, he had actually already thought everything through in an instant. The cauldron is a formation-stabilizing artifact, and ¡°entering the path¡± is a very stringent term to use. To give a real-world analogy, that would almost be the equivalent of being at the pinnacle among academicians. True Person Shi Ding imed he ¡°entered the path through cauldron casting,¡± which indicates an extraordinarily high level of expertise in formations. Then, ¡°mastering various artifact refining techniques¡± is a very weighty phrase. Artifact refining epasses a wide range; cauldrons, mirrors, seals, swords, zithers, bells¡ª who dares to im they can master them all? Hence, cultivators who practice the path of artifact refining are the fewest, causing magical treasures tomonly be priced extraordinarily high. When ites to ¡°sword casting¡± in particr: Flying Swords are the fastest, possess powerful lethality, and can also contain sealed Daoist magic within, making them equivalent to the ¡°firearms¡± of the cultivation realm, hence there is no sect that does not utilize them. As for the current state of magic sword forging within the cultivation realm, ¡°led by Peni with six out of ten,¡± this effectively amounts to a monopoly inter times, and the immense wealth that signifies, naturally, goes without saying. In short, cling tightly to Elder Shi Ding¡¯s apron strings, and I won¡¯tck for Flying Swords, Magical Treasures, or Spirit Stones in the future! As for Shi Liuli, she¡¯s just a na?ve youngdy who¡¯s new to the ways of the world. If Master doesn¡¯t want me to be involved with her, I promise I won¡¯t even give her the time of day! Seeing Luo Yan make up his mind to be an apprentice without hesitation, Elder Shi Ding was also very satisfied. Because of the faux persona of innocence and the mental suggestion of Mirror Flower Water Moon, Elder Shi Ding had an excellent first impression of Luo Yan: Smart, with an honest personality¡ªwhat¡¯s not to love about such a disciple? Shi Liuli pouted at the side, her mood somewhat sour. In her mind, it should have been her father not fancying Luo Yan, then she herself strongly rmending him, making her father reluctantly ept Luo Yan as his disciple. That way, Luo Yan would be eternally grateful to her, his senior sister, and be utterly loyal. Then, in the end, her father would finally realize how clever Luo Yan was, look at him with new eyes, and even praise her for her foresight¡­ That¡¯s how it should¡¯ve gone! Why didn¡¯t it follow my script? However, with a junior brother now, she was no longer the youngest in seniority. So, she enthusiastically took on the role of senior sister and said to Luo Yan: ¡°Now that you¡¯ve also be a disciple of my father, let me show you around to get familiar with the ce and introduce you to the other senior brothers and sisters~¡± Elder Shi Ding watched his daughter leading Luo Yan out and couldn¡¯t help but smile. Setting aside matters of men and women, his daughter had been the apple of the eyes of her senior brothers and sisters since she was little and was extremely adored, which nurtured her innocent and lively personality. If this junior brother Luo Yan could let her take on the role of senior sister and foster a sense of responsibility, that would certainly be a good thing. As for whether his daughter might develop feelings for himter on, that would be their younger generation¡¯s own business. Meanwhile, Shi Liuli was taking Luo Yan on a tour around the Heavenly Craft Workshop. They also casually visited the residences of the senior brothers and sisters. The eldest senior brother, Linghu Chu, a Golden Core True Person, specializes in Sword Refinement and also has considerable achievements in the Peni Sword Control Technique. However, he seems to have a penchant for alcohol. When Shi Liuli brought Luo Yan into the hall, they found him slumped over in a grandmaster¡¯s chair, drunk as a lord and snoring loudly. Shi Liuli wrinkled her nose in disgust, gave a brief introduction, and then hurried Luo Yan away as if she was afraid he might catch a drinking habit. The second senior sister, Lei Caiyan, also a Golden Core True Person, focuses on the art of zither making and is highly talented in music and Divination, though a bit slow in speech and thought. To wee the new junior brother, Lei Caiyan gifted a ¡°Phoenix Tail Zither¡± straight away, made entirely out of thousand-year-old paulownia wood while also having its wood grain meticulously cleared with True Yuan, making it a high-quality zither-style Magical Treasure. Qiu Changtian himself is adept in music, especially putting in a great deal of effort in flutes and recorders, nning to make a dramatic entrance in big scenes in the future with ¡°flute melodies heralding his approach¡± and ¡°arriving in a fluttering white robe.¡± However, he¡¯s not skilled at ying the zither, so Luo Yan decided to pass on the Phoenix Tail Zither to Qiu Changtian to then gift to a junior sister for her enjoyment. The third senior sister, Liang Ruohua, still a Golden Core True Person, is focused on mirror crafting and seal casting, with a wealth of experience in Sealing Skills. The Heaven-flipping Seal that Shi Liulimonly uses was modeled after the acquired Spiritual Treasure Heaven-overturning Seal and crafted by her, and it was said that it had thirty percent of the power of the original treasure. Thirty percent of the power of an acquired Spiritual Treasure is already astonishing, enough to bend a Tenth Rank Immortal Sword, just not as powerful as an ¡°Eleventh Rank Immortal Sword¡± like the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword. After some soft persuasion and hard begging, Shi Liuli got a ¡°Lifemanding Mirror¡± for Luo Yan from Liang Ruohua. It was said that carrying it on oneself could block a lethal attack at a critical moment. Luo Yan felt greatly honored and thanked them repeatedly. The fourth senior brother, Shi Wenshi, a Refining Mansion stage cultivator, focuses on the crafting of pots and clocks, while also inherited profound space-rted Daoist Techniques from his family. It was said that nearly eighty percent of all storage bags, cement bags, and Qiankun bags on the market came from the fourth senior brother¡¯s backing¡ªthe Shi Family of Guangling. However, this family had never produced a Nascent Soul Cultivator throughout its generations, so it kept a very low profile, belonging to the ¡°invisible wealthy¡± of the Cultivation Realm. As a wee gift, Shi Wenshi gave Luo Yan a ¡°Hundred Treasures Bag,¡± which had an enormous space inside, even big enough to fit arge sea ship, leaving Luo Yan pleasantly surprised and thanking him profusely. One must say, the cultivators of the Peni Jade Pure Sect, due to their obsession with mastering various skills, rankst among the Orthodox Sects in the number of Golden Core and Nascent Soul Cultivators, no wonder the Kunlun Ziwei Master calls them ¡°fools.¡± Yet, Luo Yan found that within Elder Shi Ding¡¯s Heavenly Craft Workshop, not only did everyone know each other well, but their rtionships were so warm they could casually gift each other Magical Treasures. It was just like a family, warming Luo Yan¡¯s heart immensely. By contrast, over at Kunlun, although the Ziwei Master had many Direct Disciples, besides attending the Scripture Lecture Hall together, the senior brothers and sisters barely exchanged a word. The warmth of human rtionships considerably outshone the other. Chapter 36 - 36 Licking Dog Never Gets the Senior Sister Chapter 36: Licking Dog Never Gets the Senior Sister Editor: Henyee Trantions The matter with Luo Yan hade to an end, and the Synchronization Value had finally escaped the danger zone. Therefore, after Shi Liuli took him to a single room in the Heavenly Craft Workshop for amodation, Luo Yan saved his progress there, then reloaded to transport his body to Shushan, using the Mirror Flower Water Moon Technique to assume the identity of Ling Yunpo. [Location Two: Shushan Shangqing Faction, Qingluo Peak.] [Character Identity: Ling Yunpo.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Temte oveying, time-space travel in progress.] Recently, Senior Sister An Zhisu had been especially enthusiastic, and even though he had Innate Sword Bone with robust Root Bone, she still managed to train him to the brink of death. Moreover, to learn the Two-Handed Sword Control Technique, Senior Sister An reportedly sought someone to teach him, but it was unknown who that person was. After staying in the side room for a moment, Ling Yunpo picked up the Green Duckweed Sword, nning to take a walk outside. Just before he reached the main hall, he heard an unfamiliar male voiceing from inside: ¡°The former senior sister of Shi Ziming met her fate at your hands, so Shi Ziming was not out for the Administrative Hall but came to seek revenge on you out of personal grudge¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m aware of that, Junior Brother Lin,¡± An Zhisu said, irritated. Ling Yunpo subconsciously thought he was being called, before realizing that it was ¡°Lin,¡± not ¡°Ling.¡± Well, Senior Sister An¡¯s ent belonged to the gentle Wu dialect, so it was normal for her not to distinguish the nasal sounds. ¡°Shi Ziming is already dead, so I don¡¯t n to pursue the matter any further,¡± An Zhisu continued, ¡°The priority now is¡­¡± ¡°Let me finish!¡± the male voice interrupted her, saying urgently, ¡°Shi Ziming¡¯s False Core method is exactly Ziyun Peak¡¯s ¡®Purple Qi Congealing at the Summit¡¯!¡± ¡°Do you understand? Although Shi Ziming harbored hatred against you, the one who was really fanning the mes behind the scenes was Ziyun Peak!¡± ¡°Since Ziyun Peak failed to harm you that time, they shifted their target to harm your junior brother instead.¡± ¡°If Ling Yunpo goes to duel with Lou Zhizheng, it would be tantamount to stepping right into a trap they¡¯ve set.¡± ¡°If I were you, I would never let Ling Yunpo go alone into danger!¡± An Zhisu sighed, saying: ¡°Junior Brother Ling has made up his mind, and I really can¡¯t dissuade him any further¡­¡± ¡°Then I will persuade him,¡± the male voice said. Who the hell are you! Ling Yunpo became furious and strode into the main hall with his head high. He saw An Zhisu standing in the center of the main hall, d in white, her eyes filled with worry. An unfamiliar young man stood beside her, dressed in a green robe, carrying a sword box on his back, with a stern face, still quietly saying something to her. When Ling Yunpo came out from the back courtyard, An Zhisu immediately put away her worries and smiled again, beckoning him over and saying: ¡°Junior brother, this is Senior Brother Lin Duanshan, whom I¡¯ve asked toe and teach you the Two-Handed Sword Control Technique.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve met Senior Brother Lin,¡± Ling Yunpo greeted indifferently. ¡°Jingang Feng, Lin Duanshan,¡± the other party also returned the greeting with a salute and arrogantly said, ¡°I¡¯ll make it clear in advance.¡± ¡°Your Senior Sister An has asked me to teach you. Although I¡¯ve agreed, I am not your master, and I¡¯m under no obligation to exin things to you in a way that you can understand!¡± ¡°If youck the talent and fail to learn what I teach, you should give up on the duel early, and not make your senior sister worry about you!¡± Hmph, Ling Yunpo was so angry heughed. What are you, daring to defy me in front of my senior sister? ¡°Senior Brother Lin is ranked third on the Immortal Sword Ranking,¡± An Zhisu said with a smile beside them, ¡°Despite his curt speech, he¡¯s actually kind-hearted. Since he¡¯s agreed to teach you, he will definitely do a good job.¡± Ranked third on the Immortal Sword Ranking? Ling Yunpo frowned, realizing that this man was not simple. The Immortal Sword Ranking was, in fact, a contrivance by the Shushan Shangqing Faction to encourage Foundation Establishment disciples topete with each other. Every so often, the Shangqing Sect would hold internalpetitions, using the results to rank positions on the Immortal Sword Ranking. In some ways, this Immortal Sword Ranking indeed held significance¡ªit directly showcased the strength of each disciple. If you were ranked thirtieth on the Immortal Sword Ranking, you had to be aware of it, and you¡¯d better not challenge anyone in the top ten, or else you wouldn¡¯t even know how you died. After all, the Cultivation World had no inte, and information was hard toe by. Unless you were as notorious as the top-ranked Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal, who had made blood enemies with almost every sword peak, it was very hard to spread your fame to other peaks. For example, Lin Duanshan from Jingang Feng¡ªI¡¯d never heard of him before today. But when you hear ¡°third on the Immortal Sword Ranking,¡± oh, that makes sense, a great master of the Refining Mansion Rank just slightly weaker than my senior sister, and instantly you understand the opponent¡¯s strength and realm. ¡°Then, please enlighten me, Senior Brother Lin,¡± he said reservedly. ¡°Hmph,¡± Lin Duanshan snorted coldly and walked outside. On the open ground outside Qingluo Peak¡¯s Daoist temple, Lin Duanshan summoned two Flying Swords which hovered side by side in front of him, and said: ¡°The one on the right is my Life-bound Sword Artifact, a Ninth Rank Earth System Flying Sword called ¡®Kaiyue¡¯.¡± ¡°The one on the left is my customarily used auxiliary sword, a Ninth Rank Metal System Flying Sword called ¡®Chang Bing¡¯.¡± ¡°To instruct you in the breathing method for the Two-Handed Sword Control Technique, it¡¯s sufficient to onlypare swordsmanship, without using one¡¯s own cultivation level or the Daoist Techniques on the sword,¡± he said suddenly in a deep voice. ¡°Ling Yunpo! Draw your sword!¡± Ling Yunpo immediately formed a sword technique with his hands, and the Green Duckweed Sword shot out from behind him, stopping before him: ¡°This is my Tenth Rank Water System Flying Sword ¡®Qing Ping¡¯,¡± he said aloud. ¡°Let¡¯s do as Senior Brother says, onlypare swordsmanship, without using Daoist Techniques or cultivation level!¡± ¡°Good!¡± Lin Duanshan shouted loudly. ¡°Senior Sister An, give him another Flying Sword!¡± An Zhisu, standing nearby, pointed with her finger and the Frostfall Sword shot out from her fingertip, hovering in front of Ling Yunpo. Ling Yunpo reached out with his left hand, establishing a connection of Qi with the Frostfall Sword. Under the control of An Zhisu, he had no difficulty in attaching his Divine Sense to it and smoothly tookmand of the Frostfall Sword. ¡°Which route does your right hand control Qing Ping through?¡± Lin Duanshan asked loudly. ¡°The Hand Taiyang Small Intestine Meridian!¡± Ling Yunpo answered loudly. ¡°Starting from the Giant Bone, passing through Qu Chi, across He Gu, around Shang Yang, to form a link with Qing Ping Sword!¡± ¡°Good!¡± Lin Duanshan quickly said. ¡°Yin and Yang must be bnced! For your left hand, use the Hand Jueyin Pericardium Meridian, starting from Tianchi, passing through Qu Ze, across Lao Gong, and around Zhong Chong, to try controlling the Frostfall Sword!¡± Ling Yunpo did as instructed, following the order of channels for the Qi flow, and soon found that while controlling the Qing Ping Sword, he could alsomand the Frostfall Sword as easily as moving his arm. An Zhisu, watching from the side, could not help but show a pleased smile. For her own Two-Handed Sword Control Technique breathing, the right arm went through the Hand Taiyang Small Intestine Meridian, while the left arm went through the Hand Taiyin Lung Meridian. However, when she taught it verbatim to Ling Yunpo, he just couldn¡¯t learn it. Now it seemed, due to individual physical differences, the suitable Qi flow routes varied from person to person. ¡°Being able to multitask and operate two swords simultaneously is only the most basic of the basics!¡± Lin Duanshan said coldly. ¡°The important part is integrating it into actualbat and bing proficient in its use!¡± ¡°Let me ask you, since your entry, which Sword Techniques have you learned?¡± ¡°Naturally, Shushan Swordsmanship and our sect¡¯s Seven Kills Sword Technique!¡± Ling Yunpo immediately replied. ¡°Only the Shushan Sword Technique?¡± Lin Duanshan said coldly. ¡°We Sword Cultivators use our swords to break through thews. Withws numbering in the myriad, if you only know one Sword Technique, how can you break through cleanly? His face was filled with a sneering smile, and the frustration in his eyes deepened: ¡°The dual-handed Sword Control of the Seven Kills lineage is renowned forpletely different sword paths in each hand. Yet you only know Shushan Swordsmanship. You¡¯re telling me the left sword follows Shushan¡¯s path, and the right hand does too? You might as well tie the two swords together!¡± ¡°Such a level truly tarnishes Senior Sister An¡¯s reputation. In the future, outside, refrain from admitting to being her junior brother!¡± ¡°Lin Duanshan!¡± An Zhisu immediately stood with furrowed brows and shouted, ¡°How I teach disciples at Qingluo Peak is none of Jingang Feng¡¯s business! Ling Junior Brother calls you Senior Brother, but don¡¯t get too cocky!¡± ¡°Yes, Senior Sister An,¡± Lin Duanshan quickly said with a forced smile, then turned and red at Ling Yunpo. ¡°I will use Huashan Swordsmanship to spar with you, observe my sword path carefully!¡± Chapter 37: Why need an old grandpa when there’s a young lady? Chapter 37: Why need an old grandpa when there¡¯s a youngdy? Editor: Henyee Trantions The cold gray Kaiyue Sword shot towards him, but was blocked by the Qing Ping Sword controlled by Ling Yunpo¡¯s right hand Sword technique. Lin Duanshan¡¯s left hand formed another Sword technique, and the golden-red Changbing Sword drew an arc, striking from the other side like lightning. Ling Yunpo hastily channeled his energy with his left hand, trying to defend with the Frostfall Sword. However, whether it was the Kaiyue Sword on the right or the Changbing Sword on the left, their flight trajectories were extremely flexible, and their routes were cunningly unpredictable, repeatedly targeting the weak points in the movement of the Qing Ping and Frostfall Swords. On Ling Yunpo¡¯s side, he had to divide his attention between controlling the Qing Ping Sword to suppress the opposing Kaiyue Sword and managing the less familiar Frostfall Sword to block the Changbing Sword¡¯s guerri attacks. How could he have time to observe and learn anything from the Huashan Sword Technique? He was stretched thin, with the Qing Ping Sword gaining advantage on the right, then the Frostfall Sword on the left would immediately be inferior; if he retrieved the disadvantage with the Frostfall Sword on the left, the rhythm of the Qing Ping Sword on the right would be disrupted. Truly caught between two fires, he was in aplete fluster. Taking advantage of the situation, Lin Duanshan pursued the attack, immediately intensifying the double sword assault and applied full Physical Strength to his Huashan Sword Technique, coldly shouting, ¡°Your Sword path must be stable! If you covet both sides, you¡¯ll lose both sides! Do you understand the importance of prioritizing? With such Comprehension, I wonder how you were epted into Qingluo Peak. Aren¡¯t you afraid of embarrassing Senior Sister An¡­¡± ¡°Lin Duanshan!¡± An Zhisu¡¯s eyes widened, ¡°If I hear you insulting my junior brother again, I¡¯ll skewer your shoulder des with my sword first!¡± ¡°Sorry, Senior Sister An.¡± Lin Duanshan hurriedly cated, ¡°I¡¯m not disdainful of Ling Yunpo¡¯s talent. It must be because the Tenth Rank Qing Ping Sword is unruly, plus he has not yet reached the Marrow Cleansing Rank, unable to nourish the sword with his body and fully Refine the Qing Ping Sword, causing his Sword path to be erratic and affecting his swordsmanship performance.¡± Senior Sister An¡¯s expression eased slightly. However, the Qing Ping Sword on her side was not going to let it slide, immediately starting to stir in Ling Yunpo¡¯s Sea of Consciousness: ¡°What kind of nonsense is this person talking about? You can me your poor swordsmanship level on me?¡± ¡°Qing Ping.¡± Ling Yunpo said coldly, ¡°How about I throw you into the Sword Pool and find someone with better swordsmanship, huh?¡± ¡°Sword Master!¡± the Qing Ping Sword quickly put on a charming smile, ¡°A loyal minister never serves two lords, and a chaste woman never marries a second husband. How could I possibly leave my Sword Master?¡± ¡°Jian Jian.¡± Kunlun Mirror interjected with a mocking tone, ¡°That bootlicking act of yours is quite simr to that Lin Duanshan across the way, six or seven points alike.¡± ¡°Yao Yao, don¡¯t nder a good sword with empty words!¡± the Qing Ping Sword argued, ¡°As a Lifeforce Flying Sword, how can ttering my Sword Master be considered bootlicking?¡± As the conversation reached this point, her voice turned charming again: ¡°Sword Master, let me tell you, that guy¡¯s Sword path on the other side is a side branch of the Huashan Sword Technique, which seems intricate andplicated, but its essence is sinister sneak attacks. It exploits the blind spots in sight for attacks, never taking the direct route.¡± ¡°If the Sword takes a devious path, the direct defense will weaken, so this Sword technique will ultimately not join the mainstream.¡± ¡°For example, when his Changbing Sword is blocked by the Frostfall Sword, it will bounce off from the counterforce and then has a pulling retreat motion. This move in Huashan Sword Technique is called ¡®Peak Returns¡¯, a preparatory move for maneuvering, and its weakness is also very obvious.¡± ¡°You just need to aim the Frostfall Sword at Lin Duanshan when it retreats, and forcefully thrust it, then it will just narrowly miss the Changbing Sword¡¯s edge and break through its defense. This move is called ¡®As the Map Ends, the Dagger Emerges¡¯, one of the few lethal thrusting moves in the Huashan Sword Technique that is worth learning¡­¡± After she finished exining this and that, Ling Yunpo immediately followed suit. The Changbing Sword struck from a tricky angle, blocked by the Frostfall Sword controlled by Ling Yunpo. Metal shed against metal, sparks flew everywhere, and both were repelled by the recoil. Sure enough, as the Changbing Sword dipped slightly, Ling Yunpo saw it clearly and immediately poured True Qi into his left arm, rapidly propelling the Frostfall Sword forward. Indeed! Had the Changbing Sword not dipped, it would have been alright. But as it dipped, the Frostfall Sword was simultaneously thrust forward, precisely missing the Changbing Sword¡¯s de by a hair¡¯s breadth from above, directly aiming at Lin Duanshan who was caught off guard behind! Lin Duanshan, who had been focused on the attack, was nearly startled into a cold sweat by this unexpected, almost celestial thrust, hurriedly recalling the Kaiyue Sword to defend and barely managed to block it half a step in front of him. ¡°What a pity,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword clicked its tongue, expressing regret, ¡°Sword Master, if you had exerted your full strength just now, Lin Duanshan would already be dead.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Ling Yunpo said coldly, ¡°Out of respect for Senior Sister, I spared his life.¡± ¡°Good!¡± Lin Duanshan, recovering from his fright, seemed to be trying to regain face and shouted loudly, ¡°What a move, ¡®When all is done, the dagger is revealed¡¯! I want to see how you¡¯ll break this one!¡± With his left hand forming several sword techniques, the style of the Kaiyue Sword immediately became more elusive. ¡°This move is called ¡®Luxuriant as Brocade,¡¯ but in reality, it is shy without substance, the most rubbish technique in the Huashan Sword Technique!¡± the Green Duckweed Sword hurriedlymunicated telepathically. ¡°You don¡¯t need to observe its sword path; those are just to distract you. Right before it attacks, there will be a sudden pause¡ªseize that moment and drive my de down in a sudden cleave. This is called ¡®Bear Splitting Mountains,¡¯ specifically designed to break ¡®Luxuriant as Brocade¡¯¡­¡± Although this text is long, in the consciousness exchange between Ling Yunpo and the Green Duckweed Sword, it was nothing more than the effort of a thought. Following the advice, Ling Yunpo acted ordingly. The Frostfall Sword was still entangled with the long-arm sword, while the Green Duckweed Sword slightly swayed, pretending to observe the movements of the Kaiyue Sword. Indeed, in one moment, the Kaiyue Sword was eerily shifting about, and in the next, it came to an abrupt halt, then aimed to strike past the Green Duckweed Sword¡¯s defense, directly at Ling Yunpo. The moment it elerated, it was promptly split down from above by the prepared Green Duckweed Sword, crashing to the ground with a thud, half its length burying into the earth. Under Lin Duanshan¡¯s frustrated and hasty urging, it extracted itself with great difficulty. ¡°Well executed, ¡®Bear Splitting Mountains¡¯!¡± Lin Duanshan gave a bitterugh in extreme anger, trying not to lose hisposure in front of Senior Sister An, and forcibly calmed himself as he said, ¡°You¡¯ve mastered the essence of the Huashan Sword Technique; it¡¯s all about catching the opponent off guard.¡± ¡°But if you focus only on being unpredictable, what about direct defense? Now, I¡¯ll use the Mount Wutai Hunyuan Sword Technique, you watch!¡± His finger movements changed rapidly, and the sword paths of the Kaiyue and long-arm swords once again shifted, beginning to entangle with the Frostfall and Green Duckweed Swords. The Green Duckweed Sword let out a few coldughs, saying disdainfully: ¡°This Mount Wutai Hunyuan Sword Technique, iming to amalgamate myriad minor factions and unorthodox methods, is versatile with defenses that are ¡®imprable¡¯.¡± ¡°However, why should we attack its defense head-on? The biggest weakness of the Hunyuan Sword Technique is that it¡¯s not truly ¡®Hunyuan.¡¯ Borrowing one move here, taking one style there, they patched together something ¡®neither this nor that¡¯!¡± ¡°Such a rubbish sword technique, not worth learning! You need not worry about the opponent¡¯s sword path, just propel both swords with all your strength to strike directly at him, and he will surely withdraw his variations,pelled to retreat!¡± Ling Yunpo did as instructed, and both the Frostfall and Green Duckweed Swords charged directly at Lin Duanshan, indeed forcing him to draw his swords back to save himself, no longer maneuvering with variations. Lin Duanshan clenched his teeth in rage, ignoring An Zhisu¡¯s expressionpletely and bellowed: ¡°The Mount Wutai Hunyuan Sword Technique requires the apaniment of various unorthodox spells from their Boundless Path. Without the support of these spells, it indeed falls short, not worth learning!¡± ¡°Now, behold my Asura Path Jiesha Sword!¡± No sooner had he spoken than the Kaiyue and long-arm swords became ferocious, their styles turning fierce. The Green Duckweed Sword huffed, stating: ¡°Asura Path Jiesha Sword is indeed an extremely brutal and pure form of swordsmanship.¡± ¡°But focusing solely on killing loses the element of unpredictability, making it easier to be deliberately targeted.¡± ¡°Listen to me, the essence of the Jiesha Sword lies in its angles and techniques of exertion¡­¡± Chapter 38: Defeating Senior Brother Lin All By Myself Chapter 38: Defeating Senior Brother Lin All By Myself Editor: Henyee Trantions The Asura Path¡¯s Jiesha Sword¡¯s essence lies in its bizarre force-application methods, originating from an ancient Western Cult scripture known as ¡°Yerou Veda¡± during the Ancient Times. Its characteristic is a tripleyered surge of strength, with eachyer stronger than the one before¡­ but that¡¯s about it. If one doesn¡¯t understand this feature and rashly uses a Flying Sword to block, they will undoubtedly suffer greatly. However, with the reminder from the Green Duckweed Sword, Ling Yunpo naturally wouldn¡¯t fall for it. With the talent of Innate Sword Bone, his control over the Flying Sword was extremely strong. The Green Duckweed Sword only had to exin it once, and he immediately mastered it. The Green Duckweed and the Frostfall Swords shed with the Kaiyue and Changbing Swords in the sky, with thetter quickly struggling to keep up. A Ninth Rank Flying Sword naturally couldn¡¯t outmatch a Tenth Rank Flying Sword in a head-on confrontation. Lin Duanshan¡¯s expression grew icy as he stealthily employed the secret force-application methods of the Jiesha Sword, and the strength on his dual swords suddenly became heavier. Yet, to his surprise, the force on the opposing Flying Swords also suddenly intensified, pressing Kaiyue and Changbing so much that they were forced to fly backwards in an instant, almost hitting Lin Duanshan himself. Lin Duanshan: How did you suddenly learn it after I just used it once? He gritted his teeth and said fiercely, ¡°The Jiesha Sword is simple and crude; its force-application methods are too easy to mimic, nothing difficult!¡± ¡°Now, witness my East Sea Coral Sword!¡± Before his words were finished, the Kaiyue and Changbing Swords began to move agilely through the air. The Green Duckweed Swordzily said, ¡°The East Sea Coral Sword, swordsmanship from the Peni Jade Pure View, is meant to be used in conjunction with Talisman Scripts and Arrays. Otherwise, it¡¯s just for show. You can just y around with it.¡± Ling Yunpo, without changing his expression, quickly mobilized the Green Duckweed and Frostfall Swords, easily breaking the defense of the opposing dual swords. Lin Duanshan¡¯s eyes widened, and he was visibly upset, looking as if he wanted to justify himself due to his previous high-handed attitude, but ultimately he did not say anything. Senior Sister An, watching the battle from the sidelines, finally spoke up with augh, ¡°Junior Brother Lin, thank you for the instruction this time.¡± ¡°Forget it, forget it.¡± Lin Duanshan waved his hand disheartenedly, his Kaiyue Sword flew to his side, while the Changbing Sword turned into a stream of light and entered the Sword Box on his back. He turned away, not letting the two see his expression, muttering, ¡°I, Lin Duanshan, am not someone who can¡¯t ept defeat.¡± ¡°Senior Sister An, your junior brother is indeed exceptionally talented, but it¡¯s truly a waste of his swordsmanship brilliance, given that your master is in seclusion.¡± ¡°Although he has defeated me in swordsmanship, for the next contest, Ziyun Peak¡¯s Lou Zhizheng won¡¯t hold back his cultivation power.¡± ¡°Facing Qi Refinement against Marrow Cleansing, only the strongest techniques will suffice. Anyway¡­ you all take care.¡± The Sword Light of the Kaiyue Swordnded at his feet, and Lin Duanshan took to the air on his sword, flying into the distant sky. ¡°Thanks for going easy, Senior Brother!¡± Ling Yunpo shouted towards his retreating figure. In the distance, Lin Duanshan¡¯s Sword Light suddenly dipped half a meter downwards, then wobbled back up before quickly vanishing from sight. ¡°Senior Sister.¡± Ling Yunpo turned his head, seeking praise with a smile, ¡°How did I do this time?¡± ¡°You performed very well,¡± An Zhisu said softly, ¡°Lin Duanshan is the eldest senior brother of Jingang Feng, and he has greatprehension in swordsmanship. Many sword techniques from other sects seem toe naturally to him, hence his extreme pride.¡± ¡°There aren¡¯t many disciples in all of Shushan whom he holds in high regard.¡± ¡°The fact that you could learn his sword technique during the match and even make him concede defeat shows that, Junior Brother, your talent in the way of the sword is certainly exceptional.¡± Ling Yunpo knew that Senior Sister An said this only for fear that Lin Duanshan¡¯s earlier words had struck at his confidence, and he hastened to reply with augh: ¡°Of course! Hmph, even if he is the great senior brother of Jingang Feng, didn¡¯t he still lose to me in swordsmanship?¡± Seeing his smug and self-satisfied expression, An Zhisu couldn¡¯t help butugh a little. She wanted to reach out and pat his shoulder but then, unountably, she remembered the night she returned wounded, and how her junior brother had removed her clothes to apply the medicine, and the shyness that had filled her. With this odd emotion in her mind, she awkwardly withdrew her hand, which had been halfway extended. Then she remembered the time when Lou Zhizheng dropped the Sword Talisman, and she had panicked like a headless fly, even bursting into tears. But her junior brother calmly wiped away her tears for her. His face at that time indeed bore a confident smile that said ¡°everything is under control,¡± which still lingered in An Zhisu¡¯s memory. Although he was her junior brother, he was nheless¡­ a person who could be trusted and relied upon. At this thought, An Zhisu suddenly reached out again and grabbed Ling Yunpo¡¯s arm. ¡°Come on, Junior Brother!¡± she said with a radiant smile, ¡°To celebrate your mastery of the Two-Handed Sword Control Technique, your senior sister has a treasure to give you.¡± ¡°What treasure?¡± Ling Yunpo asked curiously. ¡°A Tenth Rank Immortal Sword left by our master,¡± An Zhisu said with a twinkle in her eye. All Immortal Swords possess their own pride. In other words, it¡¯s easy for Immortal Swords to develop Sword Spirits. Once a Sword Spirit is born, it will choose its master, making the sword less easy to wield. The Flying Sword left by Qi Sha True Person Su Jian, called ¡°Thunderbane,¡± is a Tenth Rank Metal System Flying Sword. And it has its own Sword Spirit. Because the personality of this Sword Spirit is rather extreme, when Ling Yunpo had initially asked if there were any Tenth Rank Flying Swords in the Sword Pool, An Zhisu had hesitated for a while before deciding not to tell him about the existence of this Immortal Sword. After all, it seemed too preposterous to let a disciple who had just learned Sword Control try to tame such a difficult Sword Spirit. What if he was too severely demoralized, and his self-esteem was harmed? However, today¡¯s exchange between Ling Yunpo and Lin Duanshan had revealed to An Zhisu that her junior brother¡¯s innate talent in swordsmanship was astonishingly remarkable. Moreover, because of the adjustments made to the Kunlun Mirror earlier, his true temperament had been revealed, making Senior Sister An realize that Ling Yunpo was not just her obedient junior brother¡ªhe had matured to the point of having his own ns and schemes. Given that, why shouldn¡¯t she trust him a bit more and let him try to refine ¡°Thunderbane¡±? ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo¡¯s voice interrupted her thoughts, ¡°you just said, is there a problem with this Immortal Sword?¡± ¡°Thunderbane,¡± An Zhisu sighed, ¡°it only recognizes immortals as its Sword Master.¡± ¡°Immortals?¡± Ling Yunpo looked puzzled, ¡°How many immortals are there in this world?¡± Above the Nascent Soul Rank lies the legendary realm of immortals. Immortals are exceedingly rare in this world, and many cultivators go through their entire lives without hearing a single word about immortals. Yet there is amon belief that within the Three Pure Orthodox Sect, each branch is likely to have an elder of immortal rank residing over it. Why would they care about amon Tenth Rank Immortal Sword like Thunderbane? ¡°Mmhm,¡± An Zhisu shook her head, ¡°that¡¯s why it still has no Sword Master to this day.¡± Chapter 39: Subduing the Thunder Punishment Sword by Virtue of Morality Chapter 39: Subduing the Thunder Punishment Sword by Virtue of Morality Editor: Henyee Trantions The Green Duckweed Sword was three feet and six inches long, entirely dark with a green lotus decoration carved at its hilt. The Thunder Punishment Sword was three feet and eight inches long, its de shimmering enough to see one¡¯s reflection, adorned at the hilt with a golden lion¡¯s teeth embossed design that looked powerful and domineering. Well, or perhaps another word, shy. Even though it was a Tenth Rank Immortal Sword, it had been discarded in the storage room where nobody paid attention to it, piled up with brooms and other things as if it were just firewood. Finding the dust-covered Thunder Punishment Sword in a corner, An Zhisu picked it up, drew a few sword flowers in the air, and wiped the hilt with a handkerchief before handing it to Ling Yunpo and said, ¡°Here, want to give it a try? If you can sessfully refine it, we won¡¯t need to go to the Sword Pool to get a second sword.¡± Ling Yunpo took the Flying Sword, trying to connect his Qi to it. As soon as he touched the de, he was immediately repelled. Following that, a very shy voice of a ch¨±niby¨­ teenager echoed back: ¡°Who wants to refine me? A miscultivator! Are you even an immortal? Not even worthy?¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­ ¡°Senior Sister,¡± he said earnestly, ¡°I don¡¯t have much experience dealing with Sword Spirits, but with a spirit like this, I think it could be thrown back into the Sword Pool. Let it sh swords day and night with other Flying Swords.¡± The sounds of heartyughter from the Green Duckweed Sword and the indignant cursing of the Thunder Punishment Sword echoed in his mind while An Zhisuughed and said, ¡°Junior Brother, Thunder Punishment is, after all, a Tenth Rank Immortal Sword. Isn¡¯t it a pity to just throw it into the Sword Pool like that?¡± The Thunder Punishment Sword rxed, continuing to sneer in his mind: ¡°Pfft, good thing this little girl knows her stuff. Too bad she hasn¡¯t even reached the Golden Core Rank yet. As for you, you rude miscultivator, even if you really be an immortal, don¡¯t think you can conquer me!¡± ¡°Alright, Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded, ¡°then I¡¯ll take it back and try to refine it.¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± An Zhisu said smilingly, ¡°take your time, no rush.¡± Bringing the Thunder Punishment Sword back to his bedroom and cing it on the desk, Ling Yunpo then asked: ¡°Ah Jing, Qing Ping, is there a way to train a Sword Spirit?¡± The Kunlun Mirror was silent for a long time before it said, ¡°What do you mean by ¡®train¡¯?¡± ¡°To make it obediently listen to me,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a coldugh, ¡°like, for instance, throwing it into a drytrine¡¯s dung pit?¡± ¡°Are you human!¡± the Green Duckweed Sword eximed in disbelief. As a Tenth Rank Immortal Sword, it naturally didn¡¯t worry that a mere Qi Refining Rank disciple could cause it any substantial damage. But being thrown into a dung pit¡­ While it wouldn¡¯t be highly damaging, it was extremely insulting. Thunder Punishment Sword would rather destroy its Sword Spirit than retain such a memory. ¡°If I may be so bold, Sword Master,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword inquired cautiously, ¡°if it¡¯s thrown into that filthy ce, even if it¡¯s to force it to submit, wouldn¡¯t it be unusable afterward, since it would be so foul-smelling¡­¡± ¡°No matter,¡± Ling Yunpo said nonchntly, ¡°just clean it up. Since a Flying Sword doesn¡¯t need to be held when used, even if it stinks, it¡¯s others who will be bothered by the smell, not me.¡± Green Duckweed Sword: ¡­¡­ It wanted to say ¡°but I do mind,¡± but upon reflection, it knew that its cold-hearted Sword Master certainly wouldn¡¯t care about its senses. So, after a moment¡¯s thought, the Green Duckweed Sword once again ingratiatingly said, ¡°Sword Master, why not let me try?¡± ¡°You?¡± Ling Yunpo saidzily, ¡°How do you n to try?¡± He knew from a previous sparring session with Lin Duanshan that this Green Duckweed Sword was no ordinary Immortal Sword¡ªit had to be actively tapped for its value. ¡°I can go persuade it,¡± said the Green Duckweed Sword enticingly. ¡°How to persuade¡­¡± Ling Yunpo had begun to ask when he suddenly became wary and said, ¡°Wait, it¡¯s not going to be some seductive scheme, is it?!¡± ¡°Look at what you¡¯re saying, Sword Master,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword giggled, ¡°Among us Sword Spirits, we only have the gender we identify with, not an inherent distinction between male and female, so where does the idea of a honey trap or¡­ ¡®pretty sword scheme¡¯e from?¡± ¡°Besides, since I serve you, Sword Master, I will live as your Immortal Sword and die as your broken sword. How could I possibly cater to another sword¡­¡± ¡°Alright, alright.¡± Ling Yunpo also felt that he might have overthought it, as if he was somewhat forcing himself to find a silver lining, ¡°I¡¯ll leave it to you then, Qingping. Don¡¯t let me down.¡± He ced the Green Duckweed Sword on the desk and leisurely walked out of the room with his hands sped behind his back. ¡°Hmph, Fan Tie, what are you trying to do?¡± the Thunder Punishment Sword arrogantly asked, lying on the desk. The next second, an extremely terrifying aura rose from the Green Duckweed Sword beside it. With nothing to do, Ling Yunpo took a leisurely stroll around the top of Qingluo Peak. The Various Peaks of Shushan were located in the Heavenly Mansion territory, where thendscape stretched for miles. Although it did not match the grandeur of the snow-covered Kunlun Peak, it had its own exquisitely beautiful charm. Twining vines and flowering shrubs, mountains with cascading streams, birds in flight and insects singing, each element was brimming with the vitality of nature. By the creek behind the observation point, Ling Yunpo saw a poem inscribed on the stone wall as if carved with axes and knives: Even the eternal sky and the boundless earth have their end, yet this sorrow lingers on without cease. Ling Yunpo: ? Looking at the handwriting, it didn¡¯t seem to be written by Senior Sister An. But his cheap master, the man from the Seven Kills Formation, Su Jian, was said to have been obsessed with the way of the sword all his life, and was also unlikely to express such deeply emotional feelings. Well, he just didn¡¯t know which senior had left it. After making a round outside, Ling Yunpo returned to the side room only to find the two Tenth Rank Immortal Swords still lying quietly on the desk. Ling Yunpo slung the Green Duckweed Sword over his shoulder and picked up the Thunder Punishment Sword, linking their auras. The Thunder Punishment Sword offered no resistance, which made him slightly puzzled. So he attempted tomunicate with it: ¡°Thunderbane, you¡­¡± ¡°Oh my! I¡¯m here,¡± the Thunder Punishment Sword said sycophantically, ¡°Sword Master, what do you need me for?¡± Ling Yunpo: He really wanted to make a confused face, but considering there was no audience around, he asked again with patience: ¡°Qingping¡­ what did it say to you?¡± ¡°Sword Master.¡± The Thunder Punishment Sword spoke respectfully, ¡°The Emperor has taught me many principles, such as how a good bird chooses a tree to nest, and a wise sword chooses a master to serve; and that a sword may have pride, but it must not have arrogance¡­¡± ¡°Stop.¡± Ling Yunpo halted it, interrupting its ramble, ¡°Who the heck is the Emperor?¡± ¡°Qingping Emperor believes itself to be the Empress among swords, so I call it ¡®Your Majesty,¡¯¡± the Thunder Punishment Sword said with a grin. ¡°And what is your gender?¡± ¡°I currently do not possess a gender,¡± the Thunder Punishment Sword hastily replied, ¡°If the Sword Master prefers maidens, I can be a delicate young beauty; if you like the style of a man, I can be an attractive gentleman. Even my voice can correspondingly transform¡­¡± ¡°Go away!¡± Ling Yunpo cursed irritably, ¡°What attractive gentleman? From today on, you will speak with the voice of a little loli!¡± ¡°May I ask, Sword Master, what exactly is a ¡®little loli¡¯?¡± ¡°A young girl around thirteen or fourteen years old.¡± ¡°As the Sword Mastermands.¡± The Thunder Punishment Sword began to adjust its tone, voice gradually bing high-pitched and clear, ¡°Eh, oh, ah!¡± Eventually, it sessfully transformed into the bell-like, slightly milky voice of a young girl. ¡°Sword Master~ is this alright?¡± ¡°Hmm, that will do,¡± Ling Yunpo said coldly. He carried Qingping on his back and held Thunderbane in a reversed grip as he confidently walked out of his quarters, turning to knock on Senior Sister An¡¯s door. ¡°Senior Sister An,¡± he said with a deep voice and a hint of amusement, ¡°I have already subjugated the Thunder Punishment Sword!¡± ¡°Really?¡± An Zhisu, hearing his voice, hurried over to open the door for him. She looked at the Thunder Punishment Sword in his hand and asked excitedly, ¡°How did you subjugate it?¡± ¡°Of course, by virtue!¡± Ling Yunpo dered firmly. Chapter 40: Sword Contest, A Distinctive Flavor of Shushan, Not to Be Missed Chapter 40: Sword Contest, A Distinctive vor of Shushan, Not to Be Missed Editor: Henyee Trantions With his outstanding personal charm, after having subdued the Thunder Punishment Sword, Ling Yunpo nestled in Qingluo Peak without leaving, focusing on practicing two-handed sword control with Senior Sister An. asionally, he would reload his progress and go to Qiu Changtian to practice how to release Jade Pivot Thunder more covertly. Or, pretending to be Luo Yan, he would go to Peni Pavilion to attend sses, deal with Miss Shi, and brush up his Synchronization Value. Time passed in this way, and finally, the day of the sword-fightingpetition arrived. At noon, sword lights began descending upon the very summit of the Shushan Golden Hall Peak one after the other. Most people were there to watch thepetition, while some were allied with Ziyun Peak or bore a grudge against Qingluo Peak. They harbored ulterior motives, left unsaid. Lou Zhizheng stood on the south side of thepetition arena, with his sword on his back and hands behind him, assuming a lofty stance. Soon after, two sword lights descended on the north side. It was none other than Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu. ¡°Since you¡¯vee this far, take the time before thepetition starts to say anyst words you have,¡± Lou Zhizheng said. His voice was loud and resonant, actually causing the air above the peak to buzz. Some disciples in the Foundation Establishment Realm eximed in surprise: ¡°Could this person truly have reached the Marrow Cleansing Rank?!¡± No matter what rumors had circted before, to most Shushan disciples, apetition was naturally about fighting fairly and squarely. Winning honorably and losing openly was the right way. These kinds of underhanded tactics, like challenging someone of the same rank to a duel and then suddenly breaking through in power on the spot, were always considered despicable. Now, seeing Lou Zhizheng actually breakthrough to the Marrow Cleansing Rank as rumored, using the power of a secret technique, they responded with a wave of loud booing. ¡°Tsk, strategy is also part of sword-fighting, what do you ignorant people know!¡± Lou Zhizheng didn¡¯t care at all, just folding his arms and sneering. Forcing his breakthrough using the Purple Aura Gathering Top secret technique was a significant detriment to his future cultivation. Having paid such a price, he was determined to beat Ling Yunpo to a pulp this time, damaging his root bone as much as possible. Until An Zhisu could no longer stand it and was willing to offer the Immortal Sword in exchange for spirit stones, allowing him to gracefully ept, and then defeat Ling Yunpo swiftly and decisively, sparing him. In his eyes, the n was simply perfect, as seamless as heavenly clothing. The only regret was that no high-rank seniors from his own Ziyun Peak hade to watch. If a Golden Core True Person were standing by the arena, where would there be so many spectators daring to jeer at him! Listening to the jeers from the crowd outside, Lou Zhizheng¡¯s eyes twitched, and he clenched his fists in anger, silently forming an incantation with his hands. ¡°That guy doesn¡¯t seem very popr,¡± Ling Yunpo said. ¡°Don¡¯t mind the opinions of outsiders,¡± An Zhisu said with a smile, ¡°Just concentrate on the fight.¡± As soon as Ling Yunpo stood steady in the center of the arena, louder booing erupted from the surrounding crowd. The curses were vile, the verbal abuses sharp, and it truly startled him. ¡°Is this the new disciple of Qingluo Peak? How could he be so blind to enter that vile ce?¡± ¡°Is he the junior brother of the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal? I heard he¡¯s only at the Qi Refining Rank, surely doomed this time.¡± ¡°Hahaha, no matter which side gets severely injured or dies a miserable death, it¡¯ll be a pleasure to all. After thepetition, I¡¯ll treat everyone to drinks.¡± Having justmented on the poor poprity of the person across, Ling Yunpo thought to himself that his own reputation wasn¡¯t much better. As for why this was so, he had already figured out the main reasons during the time before thepetition. His cheap master, Su Jian, was said to be Shushan¡¯s notorious killer star, having killed countless fellow sect True Persons and elders in sword-fightingpetitions alone. It was onlyter, due to secluding himself in deathlike meditation, that he faded from the view of Shushan, both high and low. And his own An Zhisu, Senior Sister An, although she was gentle and considerate by nature, appeared to outsiders as a little killing star. There were even rumors that she would, with a smile, draw her sword and chop people at the slightest conflict. And her strength was formidable¡ªwithout a hundred and eighty disciples of the same rank, no one could subdue her. If it weren¡¯t for the Shushan rule against challenging across ranks, there would have been Golden Core True Persons rushing to eliminate her seventeen or eighteen times over. This pair from Qingluo Peak, one old and one young, had long oppressed the other Various Peaks of Shushan, antagonizing many fellow disciples to the extent that the reputation of Qingluo Peak within Shushan was second only to the people of the Demon Cult. From this, one could imagine the kind of discrimination and difficulties Ling Yunpo, as a disciple of Qingluo Peak, would face in the outside world. The martial artspetition hadn¡¯t even started, and there was already a rustling sound of angry curses around. They cursed Lou Zhizheng for ¡°resorting to any means necessary,¡± ¡°the disgrace of Shushan.¡± They cursed him, Ling Yunpo, ¡°descendant of the killing star,¡± ¡°better die early.¡± Their verbal firepower wasparable to a Ninth-Rank Flying Sword, practically wishing to y the two on stage alive. An Zhisu stood at the edge of the arena, her delicate brows slightly furrowed, her face clearly unable to hide her concern. Although her junior brother was strong, this was his first time facing such an away-ground array¡ªwouldn¡¯t it cause him psychological pressure? The more she thought about it, the more worried she became. To a disciple standing nearby who also bore ill will towards Qingluo Peak, this brought a faint sense of pleasure. This disciple also had a grudge against Qingluo Peak; the sister he admired had once challenged An Zhisu, resulting in her Life-bound Sword Artifact being cleaved apart, greatly diminishing her cultivation level. She never recovered, and six years ago, she requested to leave Shushan to go into the outside world. He didn¡¯t dare provoke Qingluo Peak on a regr basis, but seeing Ling Yunpo being attacked by public opinion and An Zhisu¡¯s distressed expression bolstered his courage. He approached to mock, saying: ¡°Senior Sister An, who would have thought that your Qingluo Peak would be so obsessed with martial artspetition that you could even pull off the feat of a Qi Refining Rank challenging a Marrow Cleansing Rank?¡± ¡°Tsk, tsk, tsk, Senior Sister, you¡¯ve lived your life enjoying sword fighting, but you have had your moments of misjudgment. Now you may have to collect your junior brother¡¯s corpse.¡± An Zhisu smiled faintly and said: ¡°Martial artspetition is a means for us Sword Immortals to break through. It¡¯s only on the brink of life and death that we can seize the opportunity for great enlightenment.¡± ¡°By the way, you seem to be a disciple of Green Bamboo Peak, aren¡¯t you? I wonder if your Golden Core brother Ji has recovered from his injuries from thestpetition?¡± ¡°If he has, please pass on the message that Senior Sister will soone to visit for another lesson.¡± The disciple initially just sneered, but upon hearing her talk of visiting for a lesson, his face drastically changed, and a sense of dread clutched at his heart. Originally, he had merely indulged in the momentary pleasure of running his mouth, but he hadn¡¯t expected to attract such trouble for his own. If Ling Yunpo were to die in thepetition, this An Shaxing, carrying her rage, might very well chop half the life out of his Golden Core brother! Looking around at the edge of the arena, let alone Ziyun Peak, not a single disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm from all of Shushan dared to show up! It must be because they were afraid that if Ling Yunpo unfortunately perished, An Shaxing would go berserk on the spot and challenge someone to a duel to vent her anger, and thus they had all already hidden themselves! The more he wildly spected, the colder his courage turned. He mustered his remaining bravery to speak submissively to An Zhisu in a low voice, offering a few soft apologies. Seeing him looking so fearful, An Zhisu couldn¡¯t help but conceal a smile as she gently reassured him. The disciple¡¯s face grew even paler, thinking that this Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal was indeed malicious¡ªwas she still hiding a knife within her jest? He quickly made up an excuse to take his leave, seizing the opportunity to cast an incantation for Two-Handed Sword Control and speed back to Green Bamboo Peak, where he informed his Golden Core brother of the incident. As a result, his Golden Core brother was shocked and scolded him fiercely before immediately flying off on his sword in the middle of the night, leaving Shushan to seek refuge elsewhere. Chapter 42: 42: You’re Both Senior Sisters, Learn from Her! By then, the fog hadpletely dispersed, revealing on the field one person sprawled, the other standing, clearly indicating that a victor had emerged. Suddenly, someone eximed in shock, ¡°Impossible!¡± ¡°A Qi Refining Rank against a Marrow Cleansing Rank, and he won?¡± ¡°Could it be that Ling Yunpo concealed some Supreme Rank magical treasure on his person?¡± ¡°Are you out of your mind? His master, Su Jian, has been in seclusion for ages, where would he get a Supreme Rank magical treasure for him?¡± ¡°With or without a magical treasure, he must have cheated in this match. If not, why the need for that dense fog earlier? He must have been afraid of us seeing through his tricks!¡± ¡°Even though there¡¯s no evidence, we all agree. The gap between Qi Refining and Marrow Cleansing is just too vast. If one doesn¡¯t cheat, how else could they win? What¡¯s the point of having divisions of cultivation realms!¡± ¡°This match is clearly tainted by cheating; it should be null and void! We bet spirit stones on him losing before, and you can¡¯t just let this slide!¡± The sword cultivators mored louder and louder, each filled with righteous indignation and brimming anger. Ling Yunpo stood in the center of thepetition arena, listening to the unanimous denunciation from the crowd outside, and he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle inwardly. What does it matter if the results are nullified?
Now that he¡¯s dead and I¡¯m alive, can you turn it around? Ling Yunpo crossed his arms, a slight smirk appearing at the corner of his mouth, seeming unwilling to argue any further. On seeing this, the spectators became even more furious, boiling over with rage, and wished they could drown him with their spit of justice. It wasn¡¯t until the overseeing elder descended gracefully riding on sword light that things changed. People hastily quieted down and stopped talking, turning their eyes toward the elder, with gazes clearly saying, ¡°Please, elder, seek justice for us.¡± The elder swept his divine sense over the corpse of Lou Zhizheng, sighed, and then dered the oue of the match. ¡°The result of thispetition: Qingluo Peak¡¯s disciple Ling Yunpo wins! As per thepetition¡¯s rules, the deceased disciple of Ziyun Peak, Lou Zhizheng, initiated the challenge, hence no further action will be pursued in this matter, that is all.¡± With a flick of his robe, the overseeing elder left without caring for the crowd below, turning into a streak of light as he departed. What a shoddy n, he thought to himself. However, although the Immortal Sword had not been obtained, it was likely that Elder Ming Hua had also used this sacrificial piece to probe another matter. That Su Jian, the Qi Sha True Person¡­ Is still trapped in his deadly seclusion. Chances are, it¡¯s more bad news than good. At first, there were still curses from the crowd, but they refrained from loudints out of respect for the elder¡¯s authority. However, as time went on, some people took note of what the elder had just said, and their expressions grew stiff, standing in stunned silence. The whole peak fell into an awkward hush, broken only as An Zhisu gracefully walked up and gently patted Ling Yunpo¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Well fought.¡± ¡°Senior sister,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded slightly, ¡°I¡¯ve won.¡±
¡°Good,¡± An Zhisu said softly with a smile, ¡°let¡¯s head back.¡± She took Ling Yunpo¡¯s hand, flung her sleeve to propel the sword light, and took off into the sky with him. After returning to Qingluo Peak, Ling Yunpo went to rest, while An Zhisu entered the depths of the Daoist temple, descending along the stairway through the outer hall, corridor, inner chamber, and secret chamber of Qingluo Peak, and into the mountain¡¯s interior. Eventually, she stopped in front of a certain stone wall.
On the stone door was a sword mark as if freshly carved, brimming with murderous aura. An Zhisu knelt before the sword mark, saying softly: ¡°Su Su pays her respects to Master.¡± ¡°Having been in seclusion for so long, I am unsure how Master¡¯s health is.¡± ¡°Junior Brother Ling has finally won today¡¯spetition with Ziyun Peak.¡± ¡°If Master were aware of this, he would surely be proud of him.¡± ¡°I have passed on the Thunder Punishment Sword that Master left for me to Junior Brother Ling.¡± ¡°He has sessfully subdued the Thunder Punishment Sword.¡± ¡°Ling Yunpo¡­ has the potential to be an excellent Sword Immortal.¡± ¡°I will definitely protect him.¡± When An Zhisu said this, she bowed deeply once again. After a long while, she stood up again, her gaze resolute and unwavering: ¡°I and Ling Yunpo.¡±
¡°Will surely uphold the Daoist heritage of Qingluo Peak.¡± ¡°Definitely.¡± [Point Three: Peni Jade Pure View, dormitory.] [Character identity: Luo Yan.] [Oveying Mirror Flower Water Moon Temte, undergoing time-space travel.] Luo Yan had also been very busytely. On one hand, Elder Shi Ding had already decreed that he should learn the art of Cauldron Casting, so he was currently cramming on formations, with a heap of Qimen Dunjia knowledge to learn. On the other hand, Shi Liuli came to bother him every day, insisting that he call her ¡°Senior Sister.¡± Although Luo Yan indeed needed to raise his Synchronization Value, and though this Miss Shi was not stupid, she must have been protected too well since childhood, her social experience was almost equal to zero, making it very easy for him to raise the Synchronization Value around her. But she can¡¯t find me from morning to night, either! Her clingy nature even gave Luo Yan an illusion of going back to the days with Qiu Changtian, involuntarily recalling the time when he just entered the sect, being relentlessly pursued by Xu Yinglian¡­ Do I not need to cultivate? However, Qiu Changtian could bully and torment Xu Yinglian in various ways, but Luo Yan couldn¡¯t do the same to Shi Liuli since she was the only beloved daughter of Elder Shi Ding and the dearest little junior sister adored by everyone in the Heavenly Craft Workshop.
Offending Shi Liuli meant you couldn¡¯t get by in Peni Jade Pure View anymore. ¡°Little Junior Brother, Little Junior Brother!¡± Just as he was getting distracted, Shi Liuli barged in, all fired up, and said, ¡°Quick, quick, help me look up a name of a ce!¡± ¡°A noun?¡± Luo Yan revealed an appropriately confused and wry smile. Shi Liuli suddenly remembered he knew nothing about this and hastily began prattling on. The matter was, in fact, notplicated ¡ª Miss Shi Liuli had been at the Qi Refining Rank for several years, feeling that it would take a long time before her Qi Sea was filled to the brim, yet she was impatient to continue the slow grind of Qi Refinement, so she went to pester Elder Shi Ding, asking if there was any way to quickly enter the Marrow Cleansing Rank. Elder Shi Ding then painstakingly educated her, saying that cultivation, like eating, requires one bite at a time, and one step at a time; lofty aspirations without foundation were not desirable. These words were indeed those of maturity and prudence, but it was obvious that Miss Shi wouldn¡¯t listen. So she went on to pester her senior brothers and sisters, inquiring if there was a way to speed up the cultivation process. Everyone unanimously said, ¡°This cultivation is just like eating¡­,¡± in short, it was clearly a rehearsed response, leaving Miss Shi in a huge huff. In the end, it was the eldest senior brother Linghu Chu who couldn¡¯t help slipping up, saying ¡°Anyway, the Pavilion will be open soon,¡± though he stopped the second half of his words in time, it was keenly noted by Shi Liuli. ¡°The Pavilion, huh.¡± Luo Yan also pondered. ¡°Pavilion,¡± clearly refers to a pce. ¡°Leave,¡± the most likely possibility was the ¡°Li¡± in the ¡°Eight Trigrams.¡±
The ¡°Book of Changes ¡¤ Exnation of the Trigrams¡± says: ¡°Li, stands for fire, for the sun, for lightning, for the middle daughter, for armors and helms, for spears and armies.¡± Thus, ¡°The Pavilion,¡± is likely a pce built in a special environment, such as surrounded by mes, scorching sun, lightning, and so on¡­ Seeing Luo Yan deep in thought without answering, Shi Liuli immediately red up, grabbed his shoulders, and started shaking him forcefully: ¡°Will you help me will you help me will you help me¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help!¡± Luo Yan was nearly shaken apart, ¡°Definitely help!¡± ¡°Senior sister¡¯s business is my business, after all!¡± [False persona, Synchronization Value +1.] Chapter 42: 42: You’re Both Senior Sisters, Learn from Her! By then, the fog hadpletely dispersed, revealing on the field one person sprawled, the other standing, clearly indicating that a victor had emerged. Suddenly, someone eximed in shock, ¡°Impossible!¡± ¡°A Qi Refining Rank against a Marrow Cleansing Rank, and he won?¡± ¡°Could it be that Ling Yunpo concealed some Supreme Rank magical treasure on his person?¡± ¡°Are you out of your mind? His master, Su Jian, has been in seclusion for ages, where would he get a Supreme Rank magical treasure for him?¡± ¡°With or without a magical treasure, he must have cheated in this match. If not, why the need for that dense fog earlier? He must have been afraid of us seeing through his tricks!¡± ¡°Even though there¡¯s no evidence, we all agree. The gap between Qi Refining and Marrow Cleansing is just too vast. If one doesn¡¯t cheat, how else could they win? What¡¯s the point of having divisions of cultivation realms!¡± ¡°This match is clearly tainted by cheating; it should be null and void! We bet spirit stones on him losing before, and you can¡¯t just let this slide!¡± The sword cultivators mored louder and louder, each filled with righteous indignation and brimming anger. Ling Yunpo stood in the center of thepetition arena, listening to the unanimous denunciation from the crowd outside, and he couldn¡¯t help but chuckle inwardly. What does it matter if the results are nullified?
Now that he¡¯s dead and I¡¯m alive, can you turn it around? Ling Yunpo crossed his arms, a slight smirk appearing at the corner of his mouth, seeming unwilling to argue any further. On seeing this, the spectators became even more furious, boiling over with rage, and wished they could drown him with their spit of justice. It wasn¡¯t until the overseeing elder descended gracefully riding on sword light that things changed. People hastily quieted down and stopped talking, turning their eyes toward the elder, with gazes clearly saying, ¡°Please, elder, seek justice for us.¡± The elder swept his divine sense over the corpse of Lou Zhizheng, sighed, and then dered the oue of the match. ¡°The result of thispetition: Qingluo Peak¡¯s disciple Ling Yunpo wins! As per thepetition¡¯s rules, the deceased disciple of Ziyun Peak, Lou Zhizheng, initiated the challenge, hence no further action will be pursued in this matter, that is all.¡± With a flick of his robe, the overseeing elder left without caring for the crowd below, turning into a streak of light as he departed. What a shoddy n, he thought to himself. However, although the Immortal Sword had not been obtained, it was likely that Elder Ming Hua had also used this sacrificial piece to probe another matter. That Su Jian, the Qi Sha True Person¡­ Is still trapped in his deadly seclusion. Chances are, it¡¯s more bad news than good. At first, there were still curses from the crowd, but they refrained from loudints out of respect for the elder¡¯s authority. However, as time went on, some people took note of what the elder had just said, and their expressions grew stiff, standing in stunned silence. The whole peak fell into an awkward hush, broken only as An Zhisu gracefully walked up and gently patted Ling Yunpo¡¯s shoulder. ¡°Well fought.¡± ¡°Senior sister,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded slightly, ¡°I¡¯ve won.¡±
¡°Good,¡± An Zhisu said softly with a smile, ¡°let¡¯s head back.¡± She took Ling Yunpo¡¯s hand, flung her sleeve to propel the sword light, and took off into the sky with him. After returning to Qingluo Peak, Ling Yunpo went to rest, while An Zhisu entered the depths of the Daoist temple, descending along the stairway through the outer hall, corridor, inner chamber, and secret chamber of Qingluo Peak, and into the mountain¡¯s interior. Eventually, she stopped in front of a certain stone wall.
On the stone door was a sword mark as if freshly carved, brimming with murderous aura. An Zhisu knelt before the sword mark, saying softly: ¡°Su Su pays her respects to Master.¡± ¡°Having been in seclusion for so long, I am unsure how Master¡¯s health is.¡± ¡°Junior Brother Ling has finally won today¡¯spetition with Ziyun Peak.¡± ¡°If Master were aware of this, he would surely be proud of him.¡± ¡°I have passed on the Thunder Punishment Sword that Master left for me to Junior Brother Ling.¡± ¡°He has sessfully subdued the Thunder Punishment Sword.¡± ¡°Ling Yunpo¡­ has the potential to be an excellent Sword Immortal.¡± ¡°I will definitely protect him.¡± When An Zhisu said this, she bowed deeply once again. After a long while, she stood up again, her gaze resolute and unwavering: ¡°I and Ling Yunpo.¡±
¡°Will surely uphold the Daoist heritage of Qingluo Peak.¡± ¡°Definitely.¡± [Point Three: Peni Jade Pure View, dormitory.] [Character identity: Luo Yan.] [Oveying Mirror Flower Water Moon Temte, undergoing time-space travel.] Luo Yan had also been very busytely. On one hand, Elder Shi Ding had already decreed that he should learn the art of Cauldron Casting, so he was currently cramming on formations, with a heap of Qimen Dunjia knowledge to learn. On the other hand, Shi Liuli came to bother him every day, insisting that he call her ¡°Senior Sister.¡± Although Luo Yan indeed needed to raise his Synchronization Value, and though this Miss Shi was not stupid, she must have been protected too well since childhood, her social experience was almost equal to zero, making it very easy for him to raise the Synchronization Value around her. But she can¡¯t find me from morning to night, either! Her clingy nature even gave Luo Yan an illusion of going back to the days with Qiu Changtian, involuntarily recalling the time when he just entered the sect, being relentlessly pursued by Xu Yinglian¡­ Do I not need to cultivate? However, Qiu Changtian could bully and torment Xu Yinglian in various ways, but Luo Yan couldn¡¯t do the same to Shi Liuli since she was the only beloved daughter of Elder Shi Ding and the dearest little junior sister adored by everyone in the Heavenly Craft Workshop.
Offending Shi Liuli meant you couldn¡¯t get by in Peni Jade Pure View anymore. ¡°Little Junior Brother, Little Junior Brother!¡± Just as he was getting distracted, Shi Liuli barged in, all fired up, and said, ¡°Quick, quick, help me look up a name of a ce!¡± ¡°A noun?¡± Luo Yan revealed an appropriately confused and wry smile. Shi Liuli suddenly remembered he knew nothing about this and hastily began prattling on. The matter was, in fact, notplicated ¡ª Miss Shi Liuli had been at the Qi Refining Rank for several years, feeling that it would take a long time before her Qi Sea was filled to the brim, yet she was impatient to continue the slow grind of Qi Refinement, so she went to pester Elder Shi Ding, asking if there was any way to quickly enter the Marrow Cleansing Rank. Elder Shi Ding then painstakingly educated her, saying that cultivation, like eating, requires one bite at a time, and one step at a time; lofty aspirations without foundation were not desirable. These words were indeed those of maturity and prudence, but it was obvious that Miss Shi wouldn¡¯t listen. So she went on to pester her senior brothers and sisters, inquiring if there was a way to speed up the cultivation process. Everyone unanimously said, ¡°This cultivation is just like eating¡­,¡± in short, it was clearly a rehearsed response, leaving Miss Shi in a huge huff. In the end, it was the eldest senior brother Linghu Chu who couldn¡¯t help slipping up, saying ¡°Anyway, the Pavilion will be open soon,¡± though he stopped the second half of his words in time, it was keenly noted by Shi Liuli. ¡°The Pavilion, huh.¡± Luo Yan also pondered. ¡°Pavilion,¡± clearly refers to a pce. ¡°Leave,¡± the most likely possibility was the ¡°Li¡± in the ¡°Eight Trigrams.¡±
The ¡°Book of Changes ¡¤ Exnation of the Trigrams¡± says: ¡°Li, stands for fire, for the sun, for lightning, for the middle daughter, for armors and helms, for spears and armies.¡± Thus, ¡°The Pavilion,¡± is likely a pce built in a special environment, such as surrounded by mes, scorching sun, lightning, and so on¡­ Seeing Luo Yan deep in thought without answering, Shi Liuli immediately red up, grabbed his shoulders, and started shaking him forcefully: ¡°Will you help me will you help me will you help me¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll help!¡± Luo Yan was nearly shaken apart, ¡°Definitely help!¡± ¡°Senior sister¡¯s business is my business, after all!¡± [False persona, Synchronization Value +1.] Chapter 43: 43: Can it be Considered Cultivation Without Skipping Grades? Peni Yuqing View, Daozang Pavilion. Luo Yan lifted his head from the pile of books, his expression slightly dazed. After flipping through hundreds of scriptures, he still hadn¡¯t found any information rted to the ¡°Pavilion.¡± The only mention was in the ¡°Comprehensive History of the Ancient rify Cult,¡± which stated, ¡°The Heavenly Lord grew worried and thus established the Pavilion.¡± So who is this Heavenly Lord? What are you worrying about? And why build a Pavilion just because you¡¯re worried? What exactly is this Pavilion? Looking at the author¡¯s name of this scripture again, well, no surprise there! It¡¯s indeed from predecessors of ancient Kunlun. It seemed that any scripture from the Kunlun Taiqing Sect always adopted this exasperatingly minimalist style. They¡¯d use one word when necessary, never two¡ªas if adding an extra word would somehow lower their chess. You want to save on words and show off your chess, why the hell don¡¯t you make a PowerPoint? How about some clear graphs and charts? Luo Yan showed this text to Shi Liuli, who also scratched her head in confusion.
¡°The Heavenly Lord probably refers to the leader of the rify Cult, the Primordial Heavenly Lord,¡± Shi Liuli spected, ¡°As for this worry¡­¡± ¡°Hold on a second!¡± Luo Yan said,ughing and crying at the same time, ¡°Senior Sister, if it really was established by the Primordial Heavenly Lord, then the Pavilion¡¯s rank would be terrifyingly high, and it shouldn¡¯t have anything to do with us at the Qi Refining Rank.¡± ¡°You have a point,¡± Shi Liuli said with frustration, ¡°So who exactly is this Heavenly Lord?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not worry about who this Heavenly Lord is for now,¡± Luo Yan tried to persuade Miss Shi, ¡°But the scriptures in the Daozang Pavilion are vast like the sea of smoke; searching for a special term within is like looking for a needle in the ocean. I think it might be better to get our Chief Senior Brother drunk and then coax some information out of him¡­¡± ¡°You think I haven¡¯t tried that?¡± Shi Liuli nced at him sideways, ¡°He¡¯s been on his guard against metely, carrying hangover pills with him.¡± ¡°That¡¯s strange,¡± Luo Yan mused, ¡°What is it that¡¯s so secretive that everyone keeps tight-lipped?¡± ¡°It might not necessarily be a secret,¡± Shi Liuli replied, ¡°It¡¯s just that the Senior Brothers and Sisters really listen to father.¡± ¡°Father probably just casually mentioned not to tell me directly, and they all refused to say anything to me.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Luo Yan thought for a moment and then made up his mind. Time to ask the audience for help! ¡°I need to use the bathroom,¡± he said as he stood up. ¡°No, you don¡¯t!¡± Shi Liuli eximed angrily. ¡°Senior Sister! Not even allowing a trip to the bathroom, isn¡¯t that too overbearing?¡± Luo Yan protested with a pained expression. ¡°Do you take me for a fool?¡± Shi Liuli said, hands on her hips, ¡°As a cultivator at the Qi Refining Rank, you¡¯ve long since practiced fasting, so why would you need to go to the bathroom?¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­ The Miss had suddenly be sharp again! ¡°See, you clearly just want to run away!¡± Shi Liuli used angrily. ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Luo Yan said helplessly, ¡°I actually had an inspiration, and I was just nning to go to the bathroom to organize my thoughts.¡±
¡°What kind of inspiration needs to be sorted out in the bathroom?¡± Shi Liuliughed coldly. ¡°Art Calction,¡± Luo Yan lied. ¡°Can¡¯t you do the Art Calction here?¡± ¡°No.¡±
¡°Why not?¡± ¡°Senior Sister is too beautiful; it distracts me and I can¡¯t focus on the calctions.¡± Shi Liuli: ? ¡°Oh dear, I really can¡¯t with you.¡± She waved her hand dismissively, still smiling, ¡°Why go to any bathroom? There¡¯s no such filthy ce in our Heavenly Craft Workshop. Inside the Daozang Pavilion there is a quiet room where you can do your calctions, but don¡¯t you dare run off!¡± ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Luo Yan quickly agreed as he stood up. Once in the quiet room, making sure there was nobody around, he called for the Kunlun Mirror in his mind: ¡°Yao Yao, I want to load the save!¡± The Kunlun Mirror ignored him. ¡°Ah Jing?¡± Luo Yan quickly changed his address. ¡°Which profile?¡± asked the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°Kunlun.¡± [Point one: Kunlun Taiqing Sect, Golden Ridge Cave Abode.] [Identity: Qiu Changtian.]
[Mirror Flower Water Moon temte oveying, currently time-space traveling.] His body reappeared in Kunlun, simultaneously cast with the invincible setting of the illusion technique Mirror Flower Water Moon. He swiftly switched to Qiu Changtian¡¯s mindset and left the cave abode calmly, soaring up on his sword. He was preparing to visit Xu Changqing, the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Stage. Xu Changqing, born to the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, was the two hundred and seventy-sixth generation Chief Disciple of Kunlun. Now the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Stage, he¡¯s known as ¡°the number one person below Golden Core¡± within the Kunlun Taiqing Sect. By the way, the ¡°number one person below Golden Core¡± of the Shushan Shangqing Faction is Senior Sister An, An Zhisu. There¡¯s no need to borate on the rtionship between Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu, while the rtionship between Qiu Changtian and Xu Changqing is actually not far behind. The reason is quite simple: in the genealogy of the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, Xu Changqing is the great-great-uncle of Xu Yinglian, meaning the uncle of her grandfather. That is to say, ording to the Daoistpanion marriage agreement already set, Qiu Changtian is the prospective great-great-nephew-inw of Xu Changqing. Although this title is a bit of a mouthful, Xu Changqing truly regarded Qiu Changtian as a member of his own family because of this rtionship. ¡°Changtian?¡± Upon seeing Qiu Changtianing to visit, Xu Changqing, who was meditating, stood up to greet him. He appeared to be around thirty years old,cking both the immaturity of the young and the weathered feeling of middle-aged men; his appearance could be said to be quite unremarkable. His usual conduct was very low-key, which made Qiu Changtian envious: wouldn¡¯t he himself wish for the same? It was simply that his character setting did not allow for it. ¡°Senior Brother Changqing,¡± Qiu Changtian greeted respectfully, then got straight to the point and asked, ¡°Changtian hase to inquire about a location from Senior Brother.¡±
¡°What location?¡± Xu Changqing asked, somewhat surprised. ¡°The Pavilion,¡± Qiu Changtian replied with a heavy voice. Xu Changqing blinked and then said with a smile: ¡°I see. You¡¯ve actually heard about it ahead of time.¡± Qiu Changtian: ? How so, the Pavilion has something to do with me, Qiu Changtian? Seeing his unchanged expression, Xu Changqing pondered for a moment and then borated on the matter: ¡°Changtian, as you know, the practice of the Qi Refining Rank is mainly about drawing Qi into the body to fill the Qi Sea.¡± ¡°The Marrow Cleansing Stage involves refining bones and cleansing marrow, expanding the meridians, which requires a substantial amount of True Qi. Hence, one needs a full Qi Sea.¡± ¡°In general, depending on the individual cultivator¡¯s aptitude and the quality of their Qi Refining Technique, it would take about thirty to sixty years to fill the Qi Sea.¡± ¡°During this period, if there¡¯s no assistance from treasures like the Flying Sword, thebat ability of a Qi Refining Rank cultivator is very fragile.¡± ¡°During Ancient Times, the rify Cult faced a problem: they had far fewer low rank disciplespared to the Intercepting Cult.¡± ¡°Although the average aptitude was higher, because of the lower cultivation realms, they couldn¡¯t create much of a gap from the disciples of the Intercepting Cult.¡±
¡°Therefore, a great being of the Ancient rify Cult used Supreme Divine Power to construct a ¡®Pavilion Secret Realm¡¯ under the East Sea, borrowing the immense spiritual power of an Earth Vein Volcano.¡± ¡°This Pavilion Secret Realm was designed specifically for the Foundation Establishment Rank disciples of the rify Cult to undergo trials.¡± ¡°As long as you can pass the trials, not only do you have the chance to obtain Flying Swords, magical treasures, spiritual medicines, and Daoist Magic, but you can also steadily increase your Cultivation Realm by one rank.¡± ¡°From Qi Refining to Marrow Cleansing, Marrow Cleansing to Refining Mansion, or from the beginning of Refining Mansion directly to Great Perfection of Refining Mansion, and even to the half-step Golden Core realm, all can be achieved through the Pavilion Secret Realm.¡± Qiu Changtian suddenly understood: ¡°I see, then this Pavilion¡­¡± ¡°The opening and closing times of the Pavilion are not within our foresight,¡± Xu Changqing said with a smile, ¡°but ording to the Master, the next opening should be soon.¡± ¡°The reason the Sect doesn¡¯t inform you is simply to prevent you from knowing that the Pavilion Secret Realm can guarantee advancement and thus developing the mindset of bingx in your practices.¡± ¡°Since you¡¯ve already caught wind of it, I no longer keep you in the dark.¡± Qiu Changtian certainly understood his meaning and nodded seriously: ¡°Senior Brother, rest assured, I won¡¯t reveal a word of this matter to any disciple, including Junior Sister Xu.¡± However, how should I approach Miss Shi regarding this? Chapter 44 - 44 Miss Shi’s Aura of Diminished Intelligence Chapter 44: Miss Shi¡¯s Aura of Diminished Intelligence Peni Jade Pure View, within the Scriptural Repository, Luo Yan finally thought of his excuse and began exining to Shi Liuli with a lengthy discourse. The differentiation of cultivation ranks, each rank has its special significance. Qi Refining Rank is the process from opening the Qi Sea to fully saturating it, which requires arge amount of time to draw in and refine energy. Marrow Cleansing Rank refers to the process after the Qi Sea is filled, where True Qi is permeated into every limb and bone, cleansing the meridians and refining the marrow, a stage that can greatly enhance a cultivator¡¯s physical qualities and extend life to around two hundred years. Refining Mansion Rank is about transforming the Dantian around the Qi Sea into the Purple Mansion and condensing the True Qi in the Qi Sea into True Yuan, therebyying the Daoist foundation for the subsequent critical step of ¡°True Yuan Core Formation.¡± Overall, the Qi Refining Rank takes the longest time, a short period being over thirty years and a longer period, more than sixty years. Marrow Cleansing Rank takes the shortest time, generally less than ten years toplete. As the most crucial step in foundation establishment, the time for Refining Mansion Rank is very flexible. Theoretically, it only takes an average of five years to construct the Purple Mansion, and the remaining time is just for further improvement of the Purple Mansion and purification of True Yuan. But if one skips the refinement and attempts Core Formation right after constructing the Purple Mansion, there¡¯s nearly a hundred percent chance of failing to withstand the Core Condensation Tribtion. Cores are divided into nine grades, with clear distinctions between good and poor quality. For those in the Refining Mansion Rank less than a hundred years, even if they endure the Core Condensation Tribtion, the highest grade Golden Core they can form is merely lower seventh grade, which is absolutely impossible to advance to Nascent Infantter on, effectively setting a cap on their lifespan. Therefore, everyone invests as much time as they can in the Refining Mansion Rank¡­ ¡°So, what exactly are you trying to say?¡± Shi Liuli asked impatiently. Luo Yan smiled slightly and said, ¡°Senior Sister, for this very reason, there must definitely be people who want to skip the Qi Refining Rank and quickly pass through Marrow Cleansing, thereby saving more time for the Refining Mansion to possibly raise the final grade of their Core Formation.¡± ¡°If my calctions and analysis are correct, this Pavilion should be a secret realm that allows one to jump from Qi Refining to Marrow Cleansing, or to directly enter Refining Mansion¡­ In this way, the logic behind why our eldest senior brother slipped up makes sense.¡± ¡°Your guess does make some sense.¡± After pondering carefully, Shi Liuli found his reasoning convincing and looked at him in surprise, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect you to be quite clever, junior brother.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not clever, I just habitually think a few steps further than others,¡± Luo Yan immediately replied with modesty, his squinted eyes making him appear extremely harmless. [False persona, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°Is that so?¡± Shi Liuli said naively, ¡°No matter, I¡¯ll use your conclusion to try to get more information out of our eldest senior brother!¡± Having said that, she excitedly got up and ran off. Luo Yan watched her retreating figure, the squint in his eyes conveniently masking the sharp gleam within. This Miss Shi, you can¡¯t say she¡¯s stupid, as she knows how to extract information. But if you say she¡¯s clever, she¡¯s indeed na?ve and innocently charming. Truly a prime fat sheep¡­ cough, I mean, a lovely youngdy. After sending Shi Liuli away, Luo Yan returned to his workspace and continued his meticulous research in the art of cauldron crafting,pleting the assignment Elder Shi Ding had set for him. Insofar as cauldrons, they are bronze vessels with three legs and two handles, originally used for cooking meat, butter evolved into a kind of Formation magic artifact. Mythology recounts that in ancient times the Earth Vein cracked open to the Nine Nether, allowing countless Nether Ghosts from the underworld to burst into the Mortal World. It was Shennong who collected metals from the Nine Provinces to cast the Nine Cauldrons and established the grand formation of the world, using the Nine Cauldrons to secure the Nine Provinces and once again separating the underworld from the Mortal World. The Shennong Cauldron mentioned here is an Innate Spiritual Treasure of the same caliber as the Nuwa Stone and Fuxi Sword, used to suppress the formation¡¯s focal point in the Nine Provinces. For the assignment Elder Shi Ding gave Luo Yan, it was the ¡°Quicksand Net¡± previously used by Lou Zhizheng, a sort of portable Cauldron Vessel used to trap enemies. First, one must cast a small cauldron, the size of a palm will suffice. The base should be square and the mouth circr, symbolizing ¡°heaven is round, earth is square,¡± resembling a Peni Jug and the shape of a human. Then it would be divided into threeyers, representing the upper, middle, and lower Dantians. Last, inscribe the Formation within it, with Kan below and Dui above, carefully draw the lines, and steadily infuse it with Spiritual Power. Thus, the Cauldron Vessel waspleted. Phew! Luo Yan took a long breath out, starting to scrutinize the Cauldron Vessel in his hands. This object was named Quicksand Net. Once activated and thrown on the ground, the Cauldron Vessel would sink into the soil and immediately form a Formation area nine feet wide around it. Any enemy that fell into this area would continuously sink and be trapped, as if the ground had turned into a quagmire, rendering them unable to move further. Of course, as an extremely low-ranked Formation, the Quicksand Net¡¯s weakness was Water System Daoist Magic. The ¡®Xiang¡¯ says: Without water in the marsh, one is trapped. If the Quicksand Net encountered Water System Daoist Magic, the formation ¡°water beneath the marsh¡± would be reversed, rendering its ability to trap people useless. After revisiting the crafting process, Luo Yan confirmed that there was really nothing about the artifact that could be improved. After all, with a talent like ¡°grasping a thousand things upon hearing one,¡± every scripture scroll wasprehensible at a nce andmitted to memory easily. Crafting such a low-level Cauldron Vessel to perfection on the first try was naturally not at all difficult. Well, in this case, he could make a few Cauldron Vessels to give to Qiu Changtian and Ling Yunpo, so they could carry them around. Taking them out at critical moments for self-defense would be like having an extra card up one¡¯s sleeve. Just as Luo Yan began to silently calcte thebat systems of Qiu Changtian and Ling Yunpo, wondering what kind of Cauldron Vessel Formation would bestplement them, he could hear Shi Liuli¡¯s excited voice from afar: ¡°Junior Brother! Junior Brother! Big Senior Brother has admitted it! There really is such a Pavilion, just as we guessed!¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Luo Yan said very calmly. Of course, under the illusion of a false persona using the technique of Mirror Flower Water Moon, his calmness felt naive and simple-minded, simr to the character Guo Jing. ¡°Task two! Task two!¡± Shi Liuli burst into the workshop, grabbed his shoulders, and shook him, ¡°Quick, help me check what kind of secret realms are in the Pavilion, and how we can get through the trials!¡± Luo Yan: So I¡¯m neither Doraemon nor an encyclopedia. Miss, do you think too highly of me if youe to me with every question? ¡°Do you think the Pavilion could be built in mes?¡± Shi Liuli casually sat on his desk and spected, ¡°So should we prepare some fire-resistant magic artifacts?¡± ¡°Hmm, that¡¯s very likely,¡± Luo Yan thought to himself. ording to Xu Changqing¡¯s words, the Pavilion made use of the spiritual power from submarine volcanoes, so there might well be some fire-based trials. ¡°When will the Pavilion open?¡± Shi Liuli asked again, ¡°Next month? The end of this year? Next year?¡± Luo Yan pondered for a long time, then under Shi Liuli¡¯s expectant gaze, he slowly said: ¡°I think you should ask Big Senior Brother about that.¡± ¡°Idiot!¡± Shi Liuli pped his head, ¡°If Big Senior Brother would honestly answer, why would Ie to you for help!¡± ¡°So in Sister¡¯s eyes, I¡¯m just Big Senior Brother¡¯s spare tire?¡± Luo Yan immediately feigned sadness. [False Persona, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°Ah, that¡¯s not what I meant!¡± Shi Liuli immediately felt a bit embarrassed and hastily exined, ¡°No, Junior Brother.¡± ¡°Because Senior Brother and Senior Sister know the answer, and were instructed by Father not to respond, that¡¯s why I¡¯m seeking your help. You¡¯ll help your Senior Sister, won¡¯t you?¡± She leaned her pretty face forward, batting her big eyes at Luo Yan, and with her hands pressed together in front of her chest, she shook them back and forth furiously, making a ¡°please¡± expression. Luo Yan suddenly felt his face grow hot and quickly shifted his gaze away awkwardly. It wasn¡¯t that he had never seen a beautiful woman before, whether it was the cool and aloof Xu Yinglian or the gentle and soft-hearted An Zhisu, neither of them would lose to Shi Liuli in terms of looks or temperament. But the exuberant and innocent nature of this young girl was really hard for him to handle¡ªit was like a sweet naivet¨¦ from his high school days, reminiscent of heart-throbbing moments with a cute female ssmate. Wait a minute! Luo Yan suddenly snapped out of his sentimental reverie. She actually managed to affect me; could it be that Miss Shi¡­ might actually have a natural charm to befuddle? Chapter 45 - 45 Everyone Loves Qiu Changtian Chapter 45: Everyone Loves Qiu Changtian [Location: Kunlun Taiqing Sect, Golden Ridge Cave Abode.] [Character Identity: Qiu Changtian.] [Oveying the Mirror Flower Water Moon Temte, currently traveling through time and space.] His body was transported to the Golden Ridge Cave Abode, and the art of Mirror Flower Water Moon ordingly adjusted itself. Whether it was his hairstyle or the aura he exuded, both had transformed from Luo Yan to Qiu Changtian. Another application of the Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique allowed the emotions stirred up by Shi Liuli to calm down. Qiu Changtian calmly picked up the bronze mirror beside his stone bed and looked at his own face. Still as handsome as ever. It seems my appearance is quite suitable for the role of a dashing young master. Setting down the bronze mirror, Qiu Changtian then sat upright with eyes closed, quietly cultivating his spirit. The junior brothers and sisters arrived at the cave abode one after another, prepared to listen to the lecture from the chief disciple. The Ziwei Master held lectures for all the chief disciples once every ten days, while Qiu Changtian held lectures for his junior brothers and sisters every morning, followed by a Q&A session. It wasn¡¯t until Qiu Changtian finished expounding on ¡°Harmonize with the outer light and dust, while inwardly maintaining the true one¡ªsuch is the subtlety of these words¡± that the junior brothers and sisters looked at each other, wanting to speak but hesitating. ¡°If you have any questions, speak them all,¡± Qiu Changtian said indifferently. ¡°If I may,¡± Chen Zhen blurted out, ¡°are senior brother and second senior sister truly Daoistpanions?¡± Qiu Changtian managed to control his facial expression well, not letting anyone detect any hint, meanwhile, Xu Yinglian, sitting quietly to the side, unexpectedly said with coldness: ¡°No.¡± That was the truth. The two were only engaged, not yet officially Daoistpanions. Daoistpanionship is more casualpared to mundane marriage, hence The Xu Family of Southern Heaven let the betrothed couple decide on the wedding date themselves, with the deadline being before Qiu Changtian¡¯s Core Formation. Because upon sessful Core Formation, Qiu Changtian would be a True Person of Kunlun. If the rtionship had not been confirmed by then, they feared unforeseenplications. The intention of the Ziwei Master was that as long as Xu Yinglian¡¯s obsessive thoughts didn¡¯t worsen, dying the matter was eptable. But if these thoughts deepened into a w in her Daoist heart, they would need to be Daoistpanions immediately, requiring Qiu Changtian to put aside his own cultivation for a time and focus on helping her resolve her inner conflict. The idea Xu Yinglian had settled on was to dy for as long as possible. The key was that she must achieve Core Formation before Qiu Changtian! As long as she became a Golden Core True Person first, The Xu Family of Southern Heaven couldn¡¯t possibly fall out with her, and the matter could be dragged on. As for calling off the engagement, she hadn¡¯t considered that¡­ not because she was reluctant to part with Qiu Changtian, but because on one hand, she worried about a fallout with her n, and on the other hand, having the senior brother Qiu out front could ward off many bothersome suitors. Even beforeing to this side of Kunlun, she had a whole pack of sycophants within her family. Of course, as a fairy with a cold temperament, Xu Yinglian would never give these sycophants any face, but she still couldn¡¯t stand the incessant bribery of her maids and the snooping around for every bit of gossip about her, which was truly annoying. Seeing Xu Yinglian¡¯s clear denial, the junior brothers and sisters once again exchanged silent nces. Jian Qingnan then held his forehead and sighed, ¡°This is bad. If they find out senior brother is still single, they might just turn Kunlun upside down.¡± Qiu Changtian: ? Xu Yinglian: ? ¡°Senior brother and senior sister don¡¯t know.¡± Seeing the puzzled looks on their faces, Zhong Tianhuai also exined, ¡°Senior brother Qiu, because of his many experiences outside, has gained tremendous reputation among the outer sect disciples.¡± ¡°Not to mention this generation, even the two hundred and seventy-ninth, seventy-eighth generation of outer sect disciples have many who have heard of senior brother Qiu¡¯s great name.¡± ¡°Additionally, among the Inner Sect Disciples of this generation, there are also quite a few loyal followers of Senior Brother Qiu¡­¡± ¡°Hold on a second,¡± Qiu Changtian said, puzzled, ¡°It¡¯s one thing for the Outer Sect disciples, but I know fewer than five Inner Sect Disciples. How did I gain followers among them?¡± ¡°Because Senior Brother, you¡¯re just too handsome,¡± Jian Qingnan sighed and said, ¡°You¡¯re also strong and hold a high status.¡± ¡°If that were all, it would be fine. Since they can¡¯t see you normally, everyone would just treat you as an untouchable celestial idol, respecting you from a distance.¡± ¡°But the key point is that you, Senior Brother Qiu, are always out and about, making contact with everyone without putting on airs, and blending in¡­ If you didn¡¯t have any poprity among the Kunlun disciples after that, now that would be strange, wouldn¡¯t it?¡± Qiu Changtian fell silent for a moment, and couldn¡¯t help but inwardly curse his oversight. Curse this overwhelming personal charm of mine! Initially, I was just looking for someone to show off to, to boost my Synchronization Value, but I didn¡¯t expect to build an invincible character setting and inadvertently cultivate arge group of fans! ¡°From the same Kunlun, we assist each other with righteousness.¡± Yan Zhitui suddenly stood up, bowing respectfully, ¡°Senior Brother¡¯s generous words from the past, I¡¯ve also recently heard from fellow disciples. Your profound words are awakening and inspiring, moving people¡¯s hearts. Please allow me to express my admiration with a bow.¡± Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­. Wait! That was just because after I made a move, they wouldn¡¯t stop thanking me, so I filled their mouths with fancy words to thank them in return. How did that be proof of my noble character? After Yan Zhituipleted his grand bow, Guan Zhan let out a snicker and turned his head away. Everyone was somewhat aware of this Third Senior Brother¡¯s caustic nature, so they didn¡¯t take it too seriously. Jian Qingnan immediatelyughed and said: ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s true. If it were any other Chief Disciple, who would be so kind-hearted?¡± ¡°From the same Kunlun, we assist each other with righteousness. Not only does Fourth Senior Brother like this saying, but several Inner Sect female disciples I know were also warmed by it, so much so that they asked me to inquire whether Chief Disciple and Second Senior Sister have a Daoist Companion rtionship.¡± ¡°If Senior Brother has already been overtaken by Junior Sister Ying Lian, then they have no chance, and they can only nurture a secret affection, carrying a silent and unrequited love.¡± ¡°If they knew that Senior Brother hadn¡¯t taken Junior Sister Ying Lian as a Daoist Companion, I reckon they would be eager topete.¡± Xu Yinglian: ! What, someone wants topete with me? Although she questioned her interest in Qiu Changtian in a romantic sense, the word pete¡± instantly ignited her fighter¡¯s spirit. Seeing her expression darken, everyone understood that even if Xu Yinglian hadn¡¯t established a Daoist Companion rtionship with Qiu Changtian, their rtionship didn¡¯t seem to be that of just pure Senior Brother and Junior Sister. ¡°Ahem, I¡¯m truly unworthy of such high esteem from my peers,¡± Qiu Changtian finally spoke up. ¡°However, I¡¯m currently not inclined to consider matters of love. Junior Sister, if youe across them again, you may ry my words to them.¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s expression softened. ¡°I refuse,¡± Jian Qingnan said with a smile, ¡°They¡¯re interested in you, Senior Brother, not me. How could I speak on your behalf and reject them outright?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Xu Yinglian said expressionlessly, ¡°If you¡¯re going to reject them, you should do it yourself. What¡¯s the meaning of letting Qing Nan do it?¡± ¡°Without any proof, how can Qing Nan speak for you? If others doubt there¡¯s someone behind her pulling the strings, what then?¡± ¡°Ahem, everyone knows Qing Nan is my Junior Sister. Who else could have instructed her to convey these words if not me¡­¡± Qiu Changtian had only said half a sentence when he saw Xu Yinglian giving him a deathly gaze that seemed like she could kill. He quickly realized the error and shifted his tone, saying: ¡°But Junior Sister Xu does have a point.¡± ¡°Um, Junior Sister, let¡¯s not bring up this matter for now. I have my own ns. Anyway¡­ there¡¯s no way I¡¯m having a harem! If I, Qiu Changtian, have agreed to take Junior Sister Xu as my Daoist Companion, I absolutely won¡¯ty a finger on any other woman!¡± Chapter 46: What’s So Difficult About a Simple Formation? Chapter 46: What¡¯s So Difficult About a Simple Formation? The Kunlun Taiqing Sect¡¯s Qiu Changtian currently serves as the 280th generation¡¯s Chief Disciple of Kunlun. He practices the secret Kunlun supreme Qi Refining Technique of the Immortal Sect, the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra.¡± The characteristic of this Qi Refining Technique is that it is difficult to learn and understand, but the True Qi and True Yuan it refines are exceptionally pure. This grants precious additional bonuses in the grade rank of the final Core Formation and Nascent Soul Transformation. In addition, reaching the firstyer unlocks a derivative Daoist Magic called the ¡°Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique,¡± which can heal injuries, cure sicknesses, dispel evil, and purify the mind¡­ Whenever in doubt, use it directly, and it has various marvelous effects. Beyond Qi Refining Technique, Qiu Changtian also possesses a Seventh Rank metal system Flying Sword named ¡°Jade Smoke,¡± and the Thunder Method ¡°Jade Pivot Thunder.¡± The Jade Smoke Sword is a flexible standard attack method, while Jade Pivot Thunder is used as a trump card for explosive power. Overall, Qiu Changtian¡¯s personalbat strength is much stronger than Ling Yunpo¡¯s, and far surpasses Luo Yan, who is as weak as a chicken. Of course, these three identities are still just virtual, and the body under the illusion is the same. All abilities, in fact, are his own. Next, there are three things to do: First, go on daily excursions for training, establish a character setting with sect members, and increase the synchronization value. As for the prestige of being the Chief Disciple, Qiu Changtian doesn¡¯t actually care about it. In cultivation sects, strength is king; what¡¯s the use of great fame? Second, continue to study the Five Thunder True Law. As Jade Pivot Thunder is his trump card, he must master it very proficiently. As for the Shenxiao Thunder clue that Elder Xu gavest time, since the location is in the distant southeast Yangzhou, Qiu Changtian doesn¡¯t n to run there from thousands of miles away before hepletely masters Jade Pivot Thunder in his hands. Third, prepare for the Pavilion trials. Although the specifics of the trial are still unknown, one could guess that the Pavilion, as an Ancient Times rify Cult relic, will definitely focus on testing those qualities valued by the rify Cult: That is, the cultivation level, temperament, root bone,bat ability, wisdom, andprehension that Kunlun, Shushan, and Peni respectively focus on, Conveniently, no matter which one of these aspects is tested, Qiu Changtian is not worried at all¡ªso he continues to calmly go on his excursions for training. This day, while wandering around the administrative hall on Jade Void Peak, he encountered an interesting mission: Rescue a group of Peni disciples trapped in the Qinling Mountains. It is said that these Peni disciples, following a secret cache clue, found an Ancient Times rify Cult hole in the sky in the Qinling Mountains, only to identally trigger the formation inside, causing most of them to be trapped. Luckily, one female disciple was fortunate not to be trapped, and she hurriedly flew to the nearby Kunlun administrative hall to ask for help, just running into Qiu Changtian. Qiu Changtian followed her, controlling his sword to reach the Qinling hole in the sky, and saw beyond a dense tangle of vines, the panic-stricken cries of the Peni disciples: ¡°Bi Lian sister! Is that youing back?¡± The Peni female disciple known as ¡°Bi Lian¡± hurriedly shouted through the vines: ¡°It¡¯s me! I¡¯ve brought Chief Disciple Qiu Changtian from Kunlun to help!¡± Hearing this, the Peni disciples inside began chattering all at once, making it impossible to hear what they were saying clearly. Qiu Changtian calmly walked forward, sweeping his divine sense over the lush vines that were obviously growing abnormally, andpared them with the formation knowledge in Luo Yan¡¯s mind. ¡°It should be the Yimu Kunlong Formation,¡± he said with a frown. ¡°Yimu Kunlong?¡± Bi Lian¡¯s face changed drastically upon hearing this, ¡°But isn¡¯t that a mountain-protecting arrayrge enough to epass a hundred miles?¡± ¡°There are also smaller ones, used for guarding mansions,¡± Qiu Changtian said calmly. ¡°You should have tried all sorts of methods to break the formation, right?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± said Bi Lian, turning somber, ¡°Whether it¡¯s shing with knives, cutting with swords, burning with fire, or tearing with blunt force, none can do anything to these vines. The more you destroy, the more they grow back.¡± As she spoke, she couldn¡¯t help but to start shedding tears. It¡¯s well known that the incident arose because of her. If it wasn¡¯t for her identally finding the clue to this relic and rashlying to explore, she would not have caused her fellow disciples to be trapped. If her master learns about this, who knows what punishment she would face! ¡°The Yimu Kunlong Formation is indeed beyond your current ability to solve,¡± Qiu Changtianforted her, ¡°The handiwork of the formation setter seems to be that of a Cultivator at the Refining Mansion Rank.¡± Bi Lian, relieved that it wasn¡¯t the work of a Golden Core True Person, began to feel troubled again. Formations were inherently designed to ovee the strong by the weak; forcefully breaking a formation set by a Refining Mansion Rank Cultivator would basically require the intervention of a Golden Core True Person. However, as a mere Marrow Cleansing Rank Cultivator, where could she possibly find a Golden Core Cultivator to assist her? Even in Kunlun, it was unlikely she knew any True Persons. It seemed she had no choice but to rush back to Peni to apologize to her master and ask him to pull some strings, to request the assistance of a few skilled in formations from her Sect¡­ Bi Lian bit her lower lip and her tears began to fall once again as she felt a bitter ache in her heart. She only heard Qiu Changtian¡¯s leisurely voice saying: ¡°However, the level of this formation is really quite poor; the spiritual power infused into it has, at most, been utilized to sixty percent of its potential, so it¡¯s not difficult to break.¡± Bi Lian: At this moment, she couldn¡¯t care less about how he seemed to be holding back in his speech; she hastily asked with urgency, as if clutching at a lifeline: ¡°Senior Brother Qiu, do you have a solution to break it?¡± ¡°If my observations are correct, this formation is established by the method of the Three Talents,¡± Qiu Changtian said with his hands behind his back and a supremely confident smile, ¡°This vine is just one of the formation gates; the real Yimu Kunlong Formation is actually muchrger,posed of three small formations nested within each other, mutually supportive.¡± He flew up along the nearby stream with Bi Lian, and they soon found a pond at the mountaintop. ¡°This is the Gui Water Nourishing Formation, responsible for transforming the external spiritual energy to provide for the operation of the Yimu Kunlong Formation.¡± As he said this, Qiu Changtian issued a bolt of thunder light with his finger. The Jade Pivot Divine Thunder fell into the pond, instantly sting the water apart. The pond water sshed in all directions, only to disappear suddenly, leaving behind a slightly damp depression. Bi Lian was stupefied by the sight, then heard Qiu Changtian continue: ¡°This formation is now broken;e with me.¡± Qiu Changtian once again led Bi Lian down the mountain, pausing here and there before finally alighting in front of a rock. With a wave of his hand, he summoned the Jade Smoke Sword and smiled: ¡°This is the Ji Earth Bearing Formation, the foundation of the Yimu Kunlong Formation, yet deliberately disguised to look like an ordinary rock, even the fluctuations of spiritual power were concealed.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for my deductions based on the formation¡¯s pathways, pinpointing that it should be right here, we wouldn¡¯t be able to recognize it even if it was right in front of us.¡± He controlled the Jade Smoke Sword to strike down upon it, splitting the rock in two, revealing a small cauldron half-buried beneath. After meticulously collecting the cauldron and seeing that Bi Lian had no objections, Qiu Changtian once again led her back to the entrance of the cave dwelling. The vines blocking the path had withered and wilted but were still tough and difficult to tear. ¡°Look around,¡± Qiu Changtian yelled inward, ¡°Is there a big tree nearby?¡± After a moment, a Peni disciple replied from inside: ¡°There¡¯s norge tree, but there¡¯s a potted iron tree!¡± ¡°Yimu must cling to Jiamu to thrive,¡± Qiu Changtianughed, ¡°All that¡¯s left is to chop down the iron tree, and the formation will dissolve itself!¡± Then, the sounds of chopping wood came from inside; after a few strokes, sure enough, the obstructive vines fell rustling down, turning into dead twigs and leaves. The Yimu Kunlong Formation that had trapped the Peni disciples was thus easily unraveled by Qiu Changtian! Bi Lian, who had followed along and witnessed the entire process, was both overjoyed and excited. After all the vines had fallen, she finally breathed a deep sigh of relief, as if a heavy burden had been lifted. In her eyes, as she gazed at Qiu Changtian, there was now an additional hint of admiration and longing. [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] So said the Kunlun Mirror as a reminder. Chapter 47: Junior Sister Xu Feels Endangered Chapter 47: Junior Sister Xu Feels Endangered ¡°Qiu Daoist friend,¡± really only at the Qi Refining Rank?¡± ¡°Absolutely certain.¡± ¡°But I feel that Qiu Daoist friend¡¯s demeanor is not inferior to that of a Golden Core True Person.¡± ¡°You tter me, Daoist friend.¡± ¡°Why be so formal? Just call me Bi Lian.¡± Qiu Changtian: What exactly is this Peni Daoist friend scheming? How could he not see it? Clearly, she¡¯s salivating over my body! Although this Bi Lian is not unattractive,pared to Xu Yinglian, An Zhisu, Shi Liuli, and the like, she still falls short by a notch. To draw aparison, it¡¯s like the difference between an average college and Tsinghua or Peking University. Of course, that¡¯s not the main reason; the main reason is that he and his junior sister have already arranged a Daoist Companion wedding. As Qiu Changtian¡¯s mind wandered, he heard Bi Lian casually probe: ¡°Does Qiu Daoist friend have a Daoist Companion?¡± ¡°¡­Yes.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard it¡¯s the Phoenix Immortal from Kunlun, Xu Yinglian?¡± ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right.¡± ¡°Seeing Qiu Daoist friend hesitate, it must be that you¡¯ve arranged the marriage, but have not yet fulfilled it, right?¡± Bi Lian made such a guess, of course, she had her confidence. That is because Cultivators strictly preserve their Yuan Yang, which doubles their efficiency in cultivation. If they were already Daoist Companions, who knows when they might lose control, mix Yin with Yang, and affect their cultivation, which is why Cultivators generally are not keen on affairs of men and women. Qiu Changtian did not answer but merely gave a wry smile by way of acknowledgment, which gave Bi Lian something to ponder. Upon returning to the Kunlun Jade Void Peak¡¯s office, Bi Lian immediately went to confirm thepletion of her mission and pay her dues. Qiu Changtian waited outside and happened to see Xu Yinglian descending with her Sword Light, greeting him: ¡°Senior Brother, are you out on an experience mission?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Qiu Changtian replied with a gentle smile, ¡°Junior Sister Xu, have you just soaked in the Kunlun Spring?¡± Xu Yinglian appeared somewhat unnatural, perfunctorily saying: ¡°I¡¯m also doing an experience mission, just got back.¡± Qiu Changtian smiled without a word, the droplets at the end of your hair are still wet! At this moment, Bi Lian came out of the office and saw Qiu Changtian conversing with a woman in white. The woman in white was so stunningly beautiful, with Flying Sword beneath her feet emitting a red streak of light ¨C if not the Phoenix Immortal, who else could she be? Bi Lian hesitated for a moment, the feeling of inferiority that had briefly arisen was quickly reced by another thought. ¡°Is this the Phoenix Immortal Xu Yinglian?¡± she asked Qiu Changtian with a smile. ¡°Exactly,¡± Qiu Changtian replied with a smile, ¡°Allow me to introduce, this is Daoist friend Bi Lian whom I met on thest mission, from Peni Yuqing View.¡± Xu Yinglian nodded slightly, then suddenly noticed the underlying hostility well concealed in Bi Lian¡¯s smiling eyes. With her Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, she instantly saw through the other¡¯s hostility and intentions, naturally she wasn¡¯t foolish enough topete in this regard¡­pete my ass! No one can defeat me in any way!! No one!!! Noticing the tense atmosphere, Kunlun¡¯s Chief Disciple, No One, Qiu Changtian instinctively felt a bit uneasy, and immediately smiled: ¡°Then let¡¯s part for now, Daoist friend Bi Lian. Next time you¡¯re wee to visit Golden Ridge in Kunlun.¡± ¡°Next time?¡± Bi Lianughed with her hand over her mouth, ¡°Does that mean I¡¯m not wee this time?¡± Qiu Changtian felt somewhat embarrassed; was it necessary to be so literal over a mere courtesy? Just as he was about to exin, he heard Xu Yinglian respond indifferently: ¡°Senior Brother Qiu has sword practice with me this afternoon. If Daoist friend Bi Lian is interested, you¡¯re naturally wee to join.¡± Bi Lian resigned herself, as swordsmanship and Daoist Magic were the weaknesses of Yuqing View. If it were merely a discussion on the Dao, she might have been interested. The other party deliberately said they were practicing swordsmanship, which was obviously a way of rejecting her. But this also served to test out the fact that this Phoenix Immortal did indeed care about Qiu Changtian, and her possessiveness was exceptionally strong. How amusing. ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, I won¡¯t impose any further,¡± Bi Lian said with a smile, ¡°Should Senior Brother Qiu have some free time to visit the East Sea, you¡¯ll be warmly weed.¡± There were two key points in this statement, one being the ambiguous phrase ¡°warmly weed,¡± and the other only mentioning Qiu Changtian but not Xu Yinglian. Xu Yinglian naturally could also understand the hostility in it, and her smile became increasingly cold and grim. Bi Lian gracefully rose on her Flying Sword, exchanging one final look with Xu Yinglian in midair: Go fuck yourself. And with that, she disappeared into the horizon, going to find her junior brothers and sisters. Xu Yinglian turned her head around, and one could imagine just how sour her expression was, staring at Qiu Changtian with a gaze that seemed to freeze everything. ¡°Ahem.¡± Qiu Changtian coughed, feeling oddly as if he had been caught cheating by his wife, and started to exin that mission, ¡°Previously, it was because her junior brothers and sisters had been trapped while exploring a cave heaven in the Qinling Mountains¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to exin to me,¡± Xu Yinglian cut him off and said sarcastically, ¡°Senior Brother Qiu is so sociable; how could I dare toment whimsically?¡± ¡°Junior Sister, listen to my exnation¡­¡± Before Qiu Changtian could finish, arge group of Kunlun disciples suddenly emerged from the Hall of Duty, looking as if they had just formed a team to take on a mission. ¡°Ah, isn¡¯t that the Chief Disciple?¡± someone with sharp eyes shouted, and immediately a whole crowd rushed up, greeting him warmly and excitedly. ¡°Senior Brother Qiu, good day!¡± ¡°Senior Brother Qiu has been radiating vigortely, a sign of flourishing luck!¡± ¡°Chief Qiu! We¡¯ve taken on a mission to find Spirit Grass, would you like to join us?¡± ¡°Senior Brother Qiu, Senior Brother Qiu! Is it true that you still don¡¯t have a Daoist Companion?¡± The onlooking disciples, primarily female, gradually turned the conversation toward teasing and bantering¡ªafter all, everyone knew that Chief Qiu was always genteel and would never get mad at this. Qiu Changtian cheerfully responded to the situation, surrounded byughter sweet and clear. Xu Yinglian¡¯s eyes twitched for a moment, and she subconsciously wanted to leave quietly on her Flying Sword. However, she then thought that leaving this way would appear shameful, as if she, the legitimate Junior Sister, was losing out to these shameless brats? ¡°Losing out¡±¡­ The words emerged in her mind, and Xu Yinglian found herself unable to move her legs. Murderous intent. Thick, heavy murderous intent. Chief Qiu, surrounded by fellow disciples, suddenly received, as if from some distant sister, a re like that of a ghastly demon, sending an involuntary shiver through him. After politely dismissing his admirers, Qiu Changtian managed to get free and came to Xu Yinglian¡¯s side, only to see the Junior Sister taking up her Sword Light without a word and leaving. Qiu Changtian hurriedly followed on his Flying Sword, saying with augh: ¡°Could it be that Junior Sister is jealous?¡± Xu Yinglian: If this were a novel, perhaps only a string of ellipses could express the feeling she had right now¡ªspeechless, wanting to swear. ¡°Alright then,¡± Qiu Changtian sighed, ¡°it seems like jealousy.¡± Xu Yinglian: She revealed a terrifying expression, one that seemed to say, ¡°Say another word, and I¡¯ll scatter your ashes.¡± ¡°Oh, Junior Sister,¡± Qiu Changtian continued, ¡°I suddenly understand why you¡¯re always so cold.¡± He said with a gentle smile: ¡°Because if you weren¡¯t, the number of fellow disciples pursuing you would only be greater, not fewer, than those who admire me.¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s expression softened slightly, and after a long while she finally said: ¡°Senior Brother.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Losing one¡¯s Yuan Yang can hinder the speed of cultivation,¡± Xu Yinglian said indifferently. ¡°So, I hope Senior Brother will take good care of himself.¡± Qiu Changtian: ? Chapter 48 - 48 Junior Sister Xu Meets Miss Shi for the First Time Chapter 48: Junior Sister Xu Meets Miss Shi for the First Time Jade Void Pce, Scripture Lecture Hall. After the Ziwei Master finished lecturing on the scriptures, just as the disciples were about to leave, they heard the Sect Leader say in a drawn-out tone: ¡°Qiu Changtian, Xu Yinglian, stay behind.¡± Under the astonished gazes of their senior brothers and sisters, the two sat quietly on their meditation cushions, silent and serene. Once everyone in the Scripture Lecture Hall had left, the Ziwei Master maintained his posture of resting with closed eyes, waved his horsetail whisk, and said: ¡°Qiu Changtian.¡± ¡°Your disciple is here,¡± replied Qiu Changtian respectfully. ¡°Coming from Kunlun together, helping each other with righteousness,¡± the Ziwei Master slowly said, ¡°This saying is very good.¡± Even with Qiu Changtian¡¯s skill in acting cool nearing its peak, he couldn¡¯t help but curse inwardly at that moment. The Ziwei Master, ignoring his disciple¡¯s embarrassment, continued: ¡°Our Kunlun Taiqing Sect, and the Peni Jade Pure Pavilion, both originated from the Ancient rify Cult, hence we maintain the custom of exchange visits at regr intervals.¡± ¡°Tomorrow morning, as your teacher, I shall be invited to visit the East Sea to discuss many affairs between the two sects.¡± ¡°ording to tradition, both sides will also arrange a meeting of elite disciples at the Foundation Establishment Rank, to enhance understanding andwork.¡± ¡°Previous visitors were always disciples at the Great Perfection rank of Refining Mansion. However, considering the two of you often go out on adventures, this time you will apany your teacher on the visit and also see the world.¡± Qiu Changtian: Xu Yinglian: See the world? I¡¯m already familiar with Peni, what¡¯s there to see? Qiu Changtian thought to himself. Does Master think I usually go out for adventures with my senior brother? Cough, actually, I¡¯m just soaking in the Kunlun Spring. Xu Yinglian thought to herself. Of course, neither of them could reveal the truth to their master on the spot, so they could only nod in agreement. It wasn¡¯t long before the next day arrived. Given the long distance, flying on swords was naturally not possible. The group arrived at the za in front of Jade Void Pce, where the Ziwei Master pulled out a treasure ship model from his sleeve and tossed it forward. The treasure ship grew with the wind, getting longer and longer, until it quickly reached over a hundred meters in length. A number of true immortals and disciples followed the Sect Leader onto the ship, among them the lowest in cultivation, Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian, naturally receiving another round of astonished gazes. From Kunlun to Peni, it was almost nine thousand miles, but the actual flight took no time at all. In this world, the speed of magical treasure ships is the fastest, even more so than Flying Swords. As evening neared, the treasure ship finally arrived at Peni Ind, where the Pavilion Master of Yuqing View and a number of Elders came out to wee the Kunlun envoy group into the residence of Yuqing View. Qiu Changtian followed within the group of disciples, noticing ahead the Ziwei Master in amiable conversation with Elder Shi Ding, evidently acquainted for some time. He discreetly withdrew his gaze and then heard Junior Sister Xu beside him ask: ¡°Senior brother, it seems this is not your first time here?¡± Qiu Changtian responded with a faint smile: ¡°Why do you say that?¡± ¡°Because senior brother seems too uninterested,¡± Xu Yinglian pointed out towards their surroundings. Following her indication, Qiu Changtian saw the Refining Mansion rank senior brothers and sisters looking around with great interest, examining their surroundings. After all, within the Kunlun Shangqing Sect, almost all Inner Sect disciples were recluses, staying in their secluded snowy mountain cave dwellings, practicing cultivation for a hundred years without stepping out of the mountain. Nowing to an Ind Sect for the first time, they were attracted by the vast and unseen sights, which was very normal. Not only the Kunlun disciples but also the Peni disciples, who hade to greet them, looked at these visitors from the western snowy ridges with inquisitive and curious eyes. Judging by their attire, the Kunlun disciples mostly wore white or sky-blue Taoist robes with wide sleeves, carrying Flying Swords on their back and their heads crowned with high-caps, appearing extremely dignified and solemn. The Peni disciples, on the other hand, favored brocade clothes with slim sleeves, no headwear, and various magical treasures such as gs and amulet bags at their waists, more resembling wealthy young masters anddies out on an excursion. Both sides examined each other; whatever they thought inside, they had to maintain decorum, greeting each other with smiles. The reception banquet was held in the main hall of Yuqing View, with disciples from both sects mixed and seated together to facilitate mutual acquaintance and friendship. Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian found a spot to sit down and saw a variety of exquisite dishes on the table, mainly cold dishes, including all kinds of meats and fruits, thinly sliced with thick soups, dazzling to the eyes. Although cultivators had long ago practiced fasting, feeding on wind and dew, having a bite to eat asionally was fine, and the impurities within the stomach could simply be refined away afterward. Qiu Changtian picked up a t peach from the te and slowly ate it, finding it sulently juicy and extremely sweet. It was far more delicious than the sliced fruits and snacks that Luo Yan usually scrounged from Miss Shi. ¡°This is no ordinary peach,¡± said a female voice nearby. ¡°It is the fruit of a peach sapling grown among spirit grass, bathed in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and thus sweet and luscious. While it may not increase one¡¯s lifespan, it can cleanse the mind and body.¡± Qiu Changtian turned his head to look beside him and immediately cursed inwardly. It was none other than Shi Liuli! At this moment, the typically fearless Miss Shi was sitting to his left, behaving demurely, looking at him with an adoring and passionate gaze. To be exact, it didn¡¯t seem like love at first sight between a man and a woman, or falling in love. It was more like the inexplicable emotions of a fan upon meeting their idol. Qiu Changtian instinctively felt a sense of extreme unease, but in order not to give himself away, he had to pretend to be a stranger who hadn¡¯t met her before, and he smiled and asked, ¡°May I ask who this Daoist friend is?¡± ¡°Yuqing View, Shi Liuli,¡± she replied with a slight smile, continuing, ¡°Daoist Qiu, Sister Bi Lian once mentioned to me that it was you who broke the Yimu Kunlong Formation in the cave heaven at Qinling and rescued our Yuqing View disciples, correct?¡± With her saying this,bined with Luo Yan¡¯s understanding of Miss Shi, Qiu Changtian immediately understood. It must be that Bi Lian went back and boasted extensively about his heroic deeds to Shi Liuli. Shi Liuli, with her typical girlish nature, admired the strong and detested mediocrity; additionally, she was a senior member of the appearance appreciation society. Having heard that Qiu Changtian, the chief disciple of this generation from Kunlun, was handsome, gentle, and powerful, how could she not be instantly interested? The test of his acting skills had arrived! Qiu Changtian modestly said, ¡°It was just a fluke, not worth mentioning. The art of formations mostly belongs to Peni; I, Qiu Changtian, dare not show off my meager skills.¡± ¡°Daoist Qiu is too modest.¡± Shi Liuli said with a smile, ¡°The way of formations is truly abstruse, and even within our Yuqing View, there are few cultivators who study Qimen Dunjia.¡± This was indeed true; Luo Yan had spent a considerable time in Yuqing View and was aware that the most studied within the view was alchemy, followed by talisman scripts. Workshops like Heavenly Craft that specialized in weapon-making were no more than three in the entire Yuqing View. As for those who studied formations, there were probably only seven or eight. ¡°Daoist Qiu¡¯s ability to break the Yimu Kunlong Formation wasn¡¯t just a stroke of luck; it required profound knowledge of formations.¡± Seeing no sign of pride in Qiu Changtian, Shi Liuli became even more intrigued and said smilingly, ¡°Even my junior brother who delves into formation and alchemy probably hasn¡¯t mastered the solution to the Yimu Kunlong Formation.¡± No, he actually had¡­ Qiu Changtian forced himself to remain calm, not wanting to continue the conversation on this topic. After all, his facial features were exactly the same as Luo Yan¡¯s. The only difference was that Luo Yan had squinty eyes, while Qiu Changtian had his hair tied in a tall crown and,bined with the modifications in demeanor from Mirror Flower Water Moon and mental suggestions, had kept Shi Liuli from immediately recognizing the simrities with Luo Yan. But what if she continued to discuss Luo Yan and suddenly noticed the simrities in their appearance? He had to shift the topic quickly! Qiu Changtian suddenly turned his body to the side, introducing the Junior Sister Xu sitting on his right: ¡°By the way, this is my junior sister, Xu Yinglian.¡± Xu Yinglian was drinking tea at the time, only to hear Shi Liuli opposite her say, ¡°Oh, the Phoenix Immortal? Hehe, I¡¯ve long admired your reputation.¡± The hint of barely concealed hostility in her voice immediately triggered Xu Yinglian¡¯spetitive spirit. ¡°Shi Liuli?¡± she asked coldly, ¡°Is the Daoist friend the beloved daughter of Elder Shi Ding?¡± ¡°I never expected to be recognized by the Phoenix Immortal herself,¡± Shi Liuli said with restraint. ¡°It truly is an immense honor.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too kind,¡± Xu Yinglian replied indifferently, ¡°After all, you are the daughter of Elder Shi Ding.¡± Emphasizing ¡°the daughter of Elder Shi Ding¡± twice, Shi Liuli immediately picked up on the tone of mockery (implying she was nothing special aside from having a notable father), and her face strained to maintain itsposure. Chapter 49 - 49 More People Craving for the Flesh Chapter 49: More People Craving for the Flesh The guest banquet had ended, and it was deep into the night. The amodations for the Kunlun emissary group were arranged in the eastern guest room area by Yuqing View. This ce was at a suitable elevation, with a cool temperature. Pushing open the window revealed the ocean wide, each room offering a perfect sea view. After spending a moment in his room, Qiu Changtian nned to step out for a walk. Of course, the possibility of meeting Luo Yan was out of the question. Though Ah Jing had assured that if there was any inconsistency between the timelines of Qiu Changtian and Luo Yan, it would be smoothed over using the Mirror Flower Water Moon technique. But Qiu Changtian, always cautious and careful, naturally wouldn¡¯t risk unnecessary trouble. Besides, Luo Yan was well-acquainted with the map of Yuqing View, whereas Qiu Changtian should not be. If he went outsideter, he would have to pretend to be unfamiliar with the ce, asking for directions everywhere, which would be incredibly bothersome. Suddenly, the sound of a zither string resonated from outside, seemingly yed by Xu Yinglian. Speaking of Xu Yinglian, he could not help but recall how she had exchanged sarcastic and mocking words with Shi Liuli at the earlier banquet. To Shi Liuli, Xu Yinglian was like that ¡°white lotus bitch entwined in scandal with the idol brother she was fanatical about.¡± And for Xu Yinglian, Shi Liuli was probably one of those ¡°idiots in the fan circle¡±, no wonder they found each other disagreeable. Stepping into the courtyard outside the room, he saw a cold plum nted in the central garden, its pink petals lightly tinted and its subtle fragrance enveloping the surroundings, adding an elegant charm to the area. Xu Yinglian was sitting beneath the cold plum, her fingers gently plucking the strings of the zither, producing a long, melodious sound¡ªit was the Phoenix Tail Zither Luo Yan had acquired from his second senior sister andter handed over to her by Qiu Changtian. ¡°Senior Brother, heading out in thete night, are you nning to find Shi Liuli?¡± She lowered her head, tuning the Phoenix Tail Zither as she asked indifferently. Faced with such a leading question, Qiu Changtian would naturally not answer incorrectly, andughed, ¡°Blind to the beloved¡¯s intent, I only hear the sound of the zither.¡± Yet Xu Yinglian was not inclined to let him off easily, continuing to ask with her head down, ¡°Junior Sister is dull and doesn¡¯t know whom the beloved refers to?¡± ¡°Junior Sister¡­¡± Qiu Changtian sighed and said, ¡°After all, we are guests here, why do we need to provoke conflicts with the people of Yuqing View?¡± ¡°Senior Brother,¡± Xu Yinglian furrowed her brows lightly, countering, ¡°Is it I who desires to provoke a conflict?¡± Qiu Changtian was left speechless. If you ask who started it, it was definitely Miss Shi who picked the quarrel. But considering her princess syndrome that feared neither heaven nor earth, why must you retaliate with biting remarks? If you just stepped aside, wouldn¡¯t the problem have been avoided? Yet on second thought, given Junior Sister Xu¡¯s strong nature and the fact that the other party had initiated the challenge, asking her to admit defeat would probably be harder than killing her. Thinking this, Qiu Changtian sighed heavily, suspecting that these two would likely never get along. ¡°Why does Senior Brother sigh?¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s expression grew colder, and her gaze became more fearsome, ¡°Is it because you find Junior Sister unamodating and unreasonable?¡± Qiu Changtian, of course, understood what upset her and immediately shook his head, ¡°No. It¡¯s just that with Elder Shi Ding¡¯s considerable reputation, I fear there will be many burdens in the future.¡± His words were veiled, but Xu Yinglian was not at a loss. He was implying that Shi Liuli would too easily attract animosity, which might eventually bring trouble to Elder Shi Ding. So her expression immediately softened, even feeling a bit triumphant in her heart: Hmph, how could my rtionship with Senior Brother be rivaled by Shi Liuli whom I¡¯ve only met for one day? ¡°Senior Brother, Junior Sister was just inside listening to the sound of the ocean tides and was inspired with a fragment of a beautiful melody.¡± She plucked the strings with her graceful fingers, ying a short segment of music, then elegantly asked, ¡°Does Senior Brother have the leisure to help Junior Sister finish this piece?¡± Hearing the warmth in her voice, Qiu Changtian knew that Junior Sister had calmed down, andughed, ¡°Of course, let me retrieve my flute from inside.¡± Together they yed the zither and flute, the lingering sounds filling the courtyard with the vitality of spring. As for the noise outside, there was a soundproofing formation, so there was no need to worry about disturbing others. After discussing music with Junior Sister, Qiu Changtian returned to his bedroom and immediately began to summon the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°Load Luo Yan¡¯s file,¡± he calmly said. ¡°I need to confirm whether Shi Liuli has noticed anything amiss.¡± ¡°What if they notice?¡± asked the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°Shut up, it¡¯s just a routine matter. I¡¯m certain my acting won¡¯t have any issues,¡± Xu Yinglian responded confidently. The Kunlun Mirror spoke helplessly: [Location Three: Peni Yuqing View, dormitory.] [Character Identity: Luo Yan.] [Oveying with the Mirror Flower Water Moon Temte, currently undergoing time-space travel.] Transferred to several days earlier at Yuqing View (before the Kunlun envoy team had arrived), Luo Yan made his move to find Shi Liuli. Before he even reached the door, he heard a burst of exmations from a group of girls inside. ¡°Junior Sister Ling, you really didn¡¯t know?¡± Shi Liuli eximed in surprise, ¡°Senior Brother Qiu is none other than the current Chief Disciple of Kunlun, the newly risen number one figure among the Orthodox Sect¡¯s disciples, Qiu Changtian!¡± ¡°Rumors say he is exceptionally handsome and has an excellent character, courteous and humble in his dealings with everyone.¡± ¡°And his strength is formidable. He is the prime disciple under the Ziwei real person, the Head of the Kunlun Sect. He once led Kunlun disciples deep into the Demon Sect¡¯s Underground Pce and slew thousands of Demon Cult disciples with his sword, emerging unscathed!¡± Luo Yan stood outside the door, his eyes zed over from the initial part of the conversation, and by the end, he was utterly bbergasted. Miss Shi, you can joke about anything else, but not about these wildly exaggerated tales; where in the world did these thousands of Demon Sect disciplese from? At this moment, another sister spoke up: ¡°I heard from Junior Sister Bi Lian of the Furnace Hall that on that day she took some junior brothers and sisters to explore a celestial cave in Qinling Mountains, only to get trapped by the Yimu Kunlong Formation inside the ruins!¡± ¡°It was fortunate that the Kunlun Chief Disciple, Senior Brother Qiu Changtian, just happened to be passing by. Seeing Junior Sister Bi Lian crying covertly, he took the initiative to help!¡± ¡°Wow!¡± all the youngdies gasped in unison, ¡°Then what happened?¡± The sister sped her hands before her chest, her voice tremulous with excitement: ¡°He was a vision of sword light and elegance, effortlessly breaking three formation points and rescuing the disciples of the Peni Sect, who had been on the brink of death, leading them all to safety!¡± ¡°Right there on the spot, Junior Sister Bi Lian was so touched that she wanted to repay him with spirit stones. But Senior Brother Qiu politely declined, saying that as fellow disciples of the Orthodox Sect, it was only right to help without expecting anything in return.¡± ¡°As he was leaving, he even retrieved the elixir and scripture scrolls Junior Sister Bi Lian needed from deep within the cave and presented them to her, insisting it was a simple effort and not to be hung up on.¡± ¡°Junior Sister Bi Lian was smitten right there and then. Unable to persuade him to stay, she could only watch as Qiu Changtian gracefully took his leave.¡± ¡°From that moment on, she became preupied with thoughts of him, washing her face with her tears every day!¡± What the¡­ Who concocted this melodramatic nonsense? Luo Yan was shocked and appalled. Bi Lian, isn¡¯t it? I kindly saved your junior brothers and sisters out of goodwill, and this is how you repay me by singing such high praises behind my back! Hey, wait a minute, something seems off here¡­ ¡°Junior Sister Bi Lian is really dense!¡± a sister eximed indignant, ¡°If I were her, I would have confessed on the spot, face be damned! Even if it didn¡¯t work out, I would have at least tried to get a token from him, anything would¡¯ve been good!¡± ¡°Junior Sister Yng, you¡¯re too greedy!¡± another sister teased, ¡°Do you know how much Senior Brother Qiu Changtian¡¯s belongings go for in the ck market?¡± ¡°Even a single strand of hair from his pillow sells for six hundred low-grade spirit stones inside Kunlun! That¡¯s if you can even find it, as it¡¯s snapped up immediately by thedy disciples of Kunlun!¡± Luo Yan¡¯s eye twitched involuntarily as he heard someone ask: ¡°You¡¯re kidding. Six hundred spirit stones for a single hair?¡± Another sister spoke enviously: ¡°You have no idea. That Qiu Changtian is blessed with Daoist Heart rity, an incredibly rare trait among cultivators!¡± ¡°Those with the Daoist Heart rity are not haunted by evil spirits, nor daunted by cmities. Even a single hair of his, kept close to one¡¯s body, can clear the mind and improve vision, possessing the effect of driving away evil spirits!¡± ¡°Do you know about Qing Nan Jian Qingnan? She¡¯s the prodigious cultivator girl who stirred up rumors ten years ago, now she¡¯s Qiu Changtian¡¯s junior sister.¡± ¡°Every month she tries her best to sneak into Senior Brother Qiu¡¯s cave dwelling and manages to steal just one or two hairs to auction. They¡¯re snapped up instantly in Kunlun on the same day!¡± Jian Qingnan, you¡¯re the traitor within! Just wait until I get back; I¡¯ll teach you a lesson you won¡¯t forget¡­ Luo Yan thought fiercely, grinding his teeth. Six hundred spirit stones for a hair; this rumor is just too outrageous, exaggerated to the point of absurdity. So another sister voiced her confusion, sparking an uproar of debate, until finally, Shi Liuli came out to dispel the rumors: ¡°Stop arguing, it¡¯s all true!¡± Chapter 50 - 50 My Number One Fan Turns Out to Be Myself Chapter 50: My Number One Fan Turns Out to Be Myself ¡°My dad said when Master Qiu first joined the Kunlun Sect, the elders almost came to blows over who would take him as a disciple.¡± ¡°Because to one with Daoist Heart rity, there are no obstructions on the path of cultivation, and they are naturally set on a smooth road. After several cycles, they be a Nascent Soul powerhouse.¡± ¡°So, after a fiercepetition, the Head of the Kunlun Sect went to great lengths to take him under his wing.¡± ¡°Wow.¡± After hearing this, everyone could only sigh in admiration, their faces full of envy. ¡°And the rumors about his deeds are all true. There are people in both Kunlun and Peni who can vouch for them, none of it is fabricated.¡± Shi Liuli said this while pulling out a small booklet from her sleeve, and continued, ¡°I got this by calling in favors and paying a hefty price from a Kunlun practitioner. It¡¯s the biography of Qiu Changtian, I can let you have a look.¡± So, the crowd swiftly gathered around to look over it, headsing together. Luo Yan, standing outside, scratched his head in frustration, wanting to go in but not daring to, truly feeling miserable. Inside, the discussion was vigorous: ¡°This cover actually has his sketch portrait! Indeed, he is handsome and stately, just my type!¡± ¡°Different from what I imagined, but the one in this picture is even more handsome! Ahh, I really want to touch his face!¡± ¡°To think there¡¯s such a perfect man in this world! Damn it, if I had known, I would have gone to Kunlun to be a disciple!¡± ¡°Junior Sister Shi, may I borrow this little booklet to admire for a few days?¡± a senior sister eagerly asked. Upon hearing this, Shi Liuli immediately took it back, clutching it to her chest and shaking her head fiercely: ¡°No way, no way, I must keep this booklet close to me. You can go buy it from someone in Kunlun.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be so stingy, Junior Sister.¡± ¡°How about I trade a Demon-Sealing Talisman for it? I¡¯ll add two Luminous Pearls from the East Sea!¡± Luo Yan left with an expressionless face. Walking along the garden paths within the Yuqing View, he began to ponder a profound question: Is this considered cuckolding oneself? Of course not. First off, Miss Shi¡¯s view of Qiu Changtian was currently only idol worship, not actual romantic feelings. Even if there¡¯s a chance it could turn into a secret crushter on, that is in the future, and at least for now, it isn¡¯t the case. Secondly, Luo Yan himself harbored no romantic feelings towards Miss Shi. That was the key! Even though Miss Shi was pretty and cute enough (particrly cooperative when it came to increasing Synchronization Value), as Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian mentioned, her immature personality was really a turnoff. To provoke Xu Yinglian, whom he had never met before, over such a trivial matter was indeed folly. To put it nicely, it was being ignorant of the world; to put it bluntly, it would lead to trouble in the future! Of course, her personality could also be attributed to an overly privileged upbringing. Her father, Elder Shi Ding, was an important figure in the Artifact Refining Sect of the Yuqing View¡ªnot only did hemand respect from the Pavilion Master, but even the Ziwei Sect Leader of Kunlun showed him courtesy. Add to that the fact that within the Heavenly Craft Workshop, they had a family of three Golden Cores; the third senior sister, Liang Ruohua, was at the Soul Storing Rank; the second senior sister, Lei Caiyan, was at the Root Seeking Rank; and the chief disciple, Linghu Chu, had reached the Perfection level of the Obscure Weave Rank, just awaiting the final transformation into an infant spirit to be a Nascent Soul Elder. With so many formidable senior brothers and sisters, who would dare to pick on Shi Liuli? Even if someone found her disagreeable, they¡¯d be sure to steer clear of her. Under such conditions, developing a self-centered character came naturally¡ªand not to mention anything else, the fact that Shi Liuli was still somewhat caring towards her junior brothers at times already showed her intrinsic goodness. Although Luo Yan had to attend to Miss Shi in order to boost his Synchronization Value, he honestly found her character far less appealing than that of the gentle and considerate Senior Sister An or the smart and proud Junior Sister Xu. Whatever, let her fancy whoever she wants. After all, Qiu Changtian is me, and Luo Yan is also me; as long as I don¡¯t like her, it doesn¡¯t matter who she likes. After returning to his workspace, Luo Yan continued to tackle his assignments. Elder Shi Ding had given him three tasks: First, to study the ways of Formation and Cauldron Casting. Second, to practice Qi Refinement and enhance his Cultivation Level. Third, to take good care of Miss Shi. Of course, that was not how it was originally phrased; the actual words were ¡°take the opportunity to consult your Senior Sister more.¡± With the talent of prehending a thousand things upon a single hearing,¡± how could Luo Yan not understand the hidden meaning in his master¡¯s words? He was always ready to fulfill Shi Liuli¡¯s every request, which conveniently allowed him to boost his Synchronization Value for maintaining a false facade. As for practicing Qi Refinement and enhancing his Cultivation Level, there was no need to be too obsessed. After all, the Qi Refining Technique of the Heavenly Craft Sect was ¡°Three Flowers Gathering Spirit,¡± which had very average efficiency. Practicing it was fruitless; it was better to wait for an opportunity to advance ranks at the Pavilion. After a few more days of study, Luo Yan finally caught up with Qiu Changtian¡¯s schedule on the day the Kunlun delegation arrived. At that time, Qiu Changtian was apanying the Ziwei Master and others into the main hall for the wee banquet, with Elder Shi Ding also in attendance to show support. Unexpectedly, the fellow senior and junior disciples were not keen onworking with people from Kunlun. Aside from Shi Liuli, who was eager to meet her idolized elder brother, only the eldest disciple Linghu Chu was reluctantly brought along. The rest stayed in their workspaces, which spared Luo Yan the trouble of making up excuses. In the evening, after the banquet ended, Shi Liuli came barging into his workshop in a flurry. ¡°Junior Brother, Junior Brother!¡± sheined as soon as she entered, ¡°Ugh, that Xu Yinglian is so disgusting, let me tell you!¡± She rattled off a string ofints about Xu Yinglian, rendering Luo Yan utterly speechless. Mhm, in addition to her princess syndrome, add vengefulness, pettiness, and gossiping to the list. ¡°Junior Brother! What do you think?¡± Shi Liuli said, puffing up angrily. Luo Yan: ¡°Are you saying it¡¯s my fault?!¡± Shi Liuli immediately red up, eyebrows inverted and hands on her hips, presenting a look that said, ¡°If you don¡¯t exin this clearly, I¡¯ll bite you to death.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not,¡± Luo Yan could only sigh and say, ¡°I was just thinking, Qiu Changtian of the Kunlun Sect is such a dashing figure, howe his Junior Sister happens to be so uncivilized?¡± [Falsehood Persona, Synchronization Value +1] Despite not finishing the sentence, Shi Liuli understood what he meant and immediately beamed with delight, ¡°Well said! You¡¯re worthy of being my Junior Brother. Indeed, if Xu Yinglian were just an ordinary disciple, I wouldn¡¯t bother with her, but as Qiu Changtian¡¯s Junior Sister, she doesn¡¯t strive for progress and instead spends her days fantasizing about scandals with her Senior Brother¡ªthat, I cannot tolerate!¡± Luo Yan had already be utterly numb to it and simply nodded, acquiescing to Shi Liuli¡¯s continued denigration of Xu Yinglian, throwing around phrases like ¡°faking aloofness¡± and ¡°molted phoenix.¡± As he did so, his Synchronization Value soared, Miss Shi¡¯s heart burgeoned with joy, and the anger she harbored from her verbal skirmish with Xu Yinglian finally dissipatedpletely. ¡°You really do understand, Junior Brother,¡± Shi Liuli said cheerfully. ¡°Oh right, I¡¯ve got to tell you, a few Senior and Junior Sisters and I have formed a club. Do you want to join?¡± ¡°What club?¡± ¡°It¡¯s a fan club to support and learn from the esteemed Senior Brother Qiu, tentatively named ¡®Zhang Tian Club¡¯.¡± Luo Yan almost spat out blood. You want me to join my own fan club? But on second thought, it wasn¡¯t such a bad idea. If left unchecked, who knows what kind of trouble Shi Liuli and her group of Senior and Junior Sisters might stir up against Qiu Changtian! I can¡¯t just stand by and do nothing! Chapter 51: Shouldn’t Talk Back to Senior Brother Chapter 51: Shouldn¡¯t Talk Back to Senior Brother The next day, the envoy delegation embarked on a treasure boat, heading back to Kunlun, westward. Song He sat near the stern, silently looking out at the sea of clouds outside the window. This time, the Ziwei Master¡¯s visit to Peni Jade Pure was primarily to finalize the joint venture of Foundation Establishment Rank disciples to the Pavilion. Although it was a remnant secret realm from ancient times, the Three Cults had already established themselves independently, and their rtions were not as solid as iron. Moreover, since the Pavilion Secret Realm was located deep in the East Sea and its ess mechanism was controlled by the Yuqing View, Kunlun disciples needed to gain approval from Yuqing View to participate in the Pavilion trials. In short, without dwelling on the minutiae of interest exchanges, the two sects eventually came to an agreement, and the list of disciples destined for joint cultivation in the Pavilion was settled. His junior brothers, Zhao Wencheng and Qiu Yuan, who had recently entered the Refining Mansion Rank, sought to swiftly transform their Purple Mansion with the help of the Pavilion¡¯s power, thus leaving time to perfect it and were sessfully included on the list. Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian were also on the list, as it was intended for them to skip the prolonged phase of Qi intake for Qi Refinement. Since the Pavilion Secret Realm was situated in the distant ocean of the East Sea and within the sphere of influence of Yuqing View, it was impossible for the Sect Leader to let him take the sect¡¯s treasure, the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword, there. Additionally, non-Foundation Establishment Rank disciples were unable to enter the realm, creating a rare window of opportunity. A window where Qiu Changtian would be isted outside, without any Magical Treasures or elders for protection, was also the most suitable time to act against him. Song He stretched out a finger and gently massaged his brow. Last night, he visited an old acquaintance from Yuqing View and managed to learn the details of the Pavilion Secret Realm¡¯s trial from him. Inside the secret realm, the world was vast and boundless. Theoretically, it was possible to find fellow daoists and tackle challenges together. However, upon entering the Secret Realm, the Pavilion¡¯s Prohibitions would identify each entrant¡¯s Divine Soul and intentionally scatter everyone to different locations. Due to different starting points and varying sequences ofpleting the trials, it was very difficult for the trialists to meet. But there was one ce where all trialists would inevitably reach, differing only in the order of arrival. That was the end point after passing all trials¡ªthe Pavilion Main Hall! As long as he cleared the trials before Qiu Changtian, he could ambush him at the entrance to the Pavilion. Given Qiu Changtian¡¯s qualities, he was likely to clear the trials faster than most others. As long as he arrived earlier and ambushed him, employing a powerful Magical Treasure for a rapid kill, the chances of sess were very high! As for the aftermath, it was even easier. Once the Pavilion Secret Realm closed, who knew when it would open again, and the cause of his death would be entirely unverifiable. It was known that to prevent cheating by concealing the divined fate, the Restrictions of the Pavilion Secret Realm brutally blocked off all Divination methods of investigation. While Song He was carefully plotting, on the other side, Luo Yan and Shi Liuli were also called over by Elder Shi Ding. ¡°You have already learned about the Pavilion from your Chief Disciple, haven¡¯t you?¡± Elder Shi Ding spoke solemnly, ¡°Our Heavenly Craft Workshop lineage¡¯s Three Flowers Gathering Spirit Technique is not very efficient in Qi Refinement.¡± ¡°Thus, using this opportunity in the Pavilion Secret Realm to skip the originally prolonged process of filling the Qi Sea is a rare opportunity for you all.¡± Seeing his serious and solemn demeanor, Luo Yan and Shi Liuli sat upright and listened patiently to Elder Shi Ding¡¯s guidance: ¡°The Pavilion trial secret realm is divided into six paths: the One Line Fire Prison Gate, Double Lives Mortal World Gate, Three Kinds Animal Gate, Four Kings Asura Gate, Sixth Heaven Heavenly Demon Gate, and the Ten Halls of Fengdu Gate.¡± ¡°Of these, the Fire Prison, Asura, and Fengdu Gates will testbat capabilities; the Mortal World, Animal, and Heavenly Demon Gates will test heart and Comprehension.¡± ¡°After entering, the Pavilion¡¯s Restrictions will teleport you randomly to one of the gates. As long as you seed in clearing it, you will be randomly teleported to the next gate, making it very unlikely for you to meet with each other.¡± ¡°Thus, you must clear the gates on your own, and don¡¯t trust anyone you encounter¡ªregardless of whether you know the person, you should treat them as strangers.¡± ¡°The disciple understands (The daughter understands),¡± Luo Yan and Shi Liuli replied respectively. ¡°Hmm,¡± Elder Shi Ding pondered for a moment before sighing and saying, ¡°The Qi Refining Rank is not only the process of drawing Qi into the body but also the process of cultivating Qi to Purify the Mind.¡± ¡°The Qi Refining Rank, as the first hurdle for cultivators, often requires thirty to forty years and is actually a test of Daoist Heart.¡± ¡°Whether you can withstand loneliness and remain true to your core is key to your subsequent cultivation.¡± ¡°By taking advantage of the Pavilion Secret Realm, skipping this stage, it¡¯s uncertain whether it will be beneficial or detrimental.¡± Elder Shi Ding heaved a long, deep sigh and then, with his hands sped behind his back, slowly walked away. ¡°Hmph!¡± No sooner had he left than Shi Liuli jumped up and said, ¡°Father looks down on me again!¡± ¡°What master said is not without reason¡­¡± As soon as Luo Yan tried to smooth things over, he was stared down by Miss Shi, and sensing the mood, he cleverly shut his mouth. ¡°Daoist Heart, Daoist Heart, do I not possess a Daoist Heart?¡± Shi Liuli said angrily, ¡°Am I not a cultivation genius? Who decreed that others must spend thirty to forty years in the Qi Refinement rank, and that I must follow suit and also spend thirty to forty years?¡± ¡°Senior sister is absolutely right!¡± Luo Yan could only falsely tter her, ¡°Master, being a father, always subconsciously treats his children as if they are still little kids.¡± ¡°And?¡± Shi Liuli asked, tilting her head. ¡°But in fact, with senior sister¡¯s talent, there¡¯s really no need to worry,¡± Luo Yan said with a smile. [False persona, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°Exactly!¡± Shi Liuli said as if it were only natural, and then smiled contentedly, ¡°Junior brother understands me best.¡± ¡°s, even though my talent may not be as clear-sighted as Chief Qiu¡¯s Daoist Heart rity, it can¡¯t be considered poorpared to other senior brothers and sisters, right? They all took one or two months to pass the three trials, but I managed to cultivate my Qi Sea in just half a month!¡± ¡°To be fair, it¡¯s indeed so,¡± Luo Yan continued with a flurry of ttery, ¡°Cultivating a Qi Sea in half a month, what kind of cultivation talent is that? I bet it took master more than half a month to pass the three trials when he did them.¡± ¡°Junior brother, I¡¯ll tell you a secret, but you can¡¯t tell anyone else, okay? Father actually wasn¡¯t that talented,¡± Shi Liuli said with a smile in her eyes, whispering in his ear, ¡°It took him a month and thirteen days.¡± Luo Yan was left speechless at her words. Miss Shi, there¡¯s a saying that family shames should not be spread abroad, and your actions are truly very ¡®filial¡¯. Of course, to some extent, this also reflected the deep trust Shi Liuli had in him. In any case, since Miss Shi had no awareness of the rtionship between Qiu Changtian and Luo Yan, he could safely reload Qiu Changtian¡¯s save and start preparing for the trip to the Pavilion Secret Realm. He reloaded the save tost night, donned Qiu Changtian¡¯s persona, and spent the night in his room. The next morning, Qiu Changtian joined the others and boarded the treasure ship headed back to Kunlun. Upon arriving at Golden Ridge, Qiu Changtian said to Xu Yinglian: ¡°Junior sister, you should go back first. I still have things to take care of.¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Xu Yinglian didn¡¯t ask further, only descended at the entrance of her cave dwelling with the light of her sword. Qiu Changtian controlled the sword light and quickly arrived at the entrance of Jian Qingnan¡¯s cave, bursting in with great momentum. Not long after, the caught-in-the-act Jian Qingnan, under the chief disciple¡¯s interrogation, confessed everything: ¡°¡­ Actually, all these concentric knots are fakes, just human hair I casually collected from Red tform Market.¡± Heh, still daring to deceive with fakes? Qiu Changtian then sternly warned her: ¡°Hair and nails, if they fall off within a month, can be used by someone as a vehicle for curse mystique, did you know that?¡± ¡°Of course I know,¡± said Jian Qingnan in a wronged tone, ¡°But most of these curse mystiques have been long lost.¡± ¡°In ancient times, there was the Seven-Arrow Nail Head Scripture. Just by knowing a person¡¯s name, you didn¡¯t need hair or nails to connect with the other person¡¯s divine soul! By that logic, shouldn¡¯t even names not be revealed¡­¡± Qiu Changtian burst into anger, interrupting her: ¡°You still dare to talk back?¡± ¡°I dare not,¡± Jian Qingnan quickly shrank back. ¡°Say ¡®junior sister should not talk back to senior brother¡¯ ten times! Louder!¡± ¡°Junior sister should not talk back to senior brother¡­¡± Tears were almost falling from Jian Qingnan¡¯s eyes. Chapter 52: 52: The cheat finally works! Chapter 52: The cheat finally works! About a weekter, it was finally the day the Pavilion opened. The East Sea Pavilion, located in the remote sea abyss of the eastern part of Yingzhou, was three thousand zhang deep. If not for the protection of High-Rank Magical Treasures of those with Nascent Souls, ordinary cultivators would have been crushed into minced meat by the immense water pressure at this depth. Above the sea surface, a multitude of dragonships and shuttle boats of various colors packed densely, all belonging to cultivators from the Kunlun and Peni sects. Qiu Changtian, Xu Yinglian, along with Guan Zhan, Yan Zhitui, and other disciples of the current Sect Leaders, were standing on the deck of the Meng Chong, waiting for the opening of the Pavilion below the sea. Shi Liuli was decked out in colorful clothing and ornate hairpins today, looking beautiful as she pulled at Qiu Changtian¡¯s sleeve, chatting with him. As for Luo Yan, being the version of himself from a future timeline, he was probably skulking around somewhere. On the deck, Qiu Changtian courteously and humbly dealt with Miss Shi, feeling utterly helpless inside. Xu Yinglian stood at the edge of the boat, gazing down into the sea without a word, only asionally turning her head to cast a disdainful look as if she were staring at bugs, towards her senior brother and Shi Liuli, causing Qiu Changtian¡¯s back to tingle with unease. As for the other unscrupulous junior brothers and sisters, they didn¡¯te forward to rescue their senior brother, just hiding behind and whispering, giggling andughing.
Qiu Changtian, looking at the distant sea with a smile, had already thought of thousands of ways to deal with them. Hum, just wait when I get back to Kunlun, I¡¯ll start with you guys! On another shuttle boat, Zhao Wencheng and Qiu Yuan stood side by side at a corner of the deck, their expressions serious as they looked out over the sea. For this n, Song He, their senior brother, had used up almost a century¡¯s worth of resources to barely scrape together two Tenth-Rank Magical Treasures for them, all replicas of Post-Heaven Spiritual Treasures, extremely powerful in their might. This time, they intended to take advantage of the power of the two Tenth-Rank Magical Treasures to pass through the levels quickly and then ambush Qiu Changtian at the square in front of the Pavilion Main Hall at the end for a powerful attack! With the arrival of the wee hours, sudden trails of meteors surged onto the sea surface. Everyone leaned over the railing to look down, only to see below the sea surface, a few zhang deep, multicolored, undting water light that rippled and waved like brocade, unfolding and folding like clouds of cotton, dazzling and blinding to the eyes. The East Sea Pavilion opened right on schedule at the third quarter of noon! Instantly, the sea surface erupted as various Immortals Sect¡¯s Magical Treasures, shuttle boats, and ships dived down into the sea in unison. Diving deep, one could see a splendid pce gate, quietly enveloped within a water film. Many Meng Chongs stopped within it, and the Pavilion Master of the Yuqing View stood at the bow, hands behind his back, and dered, ¡°The Pavilion has opened, all disciples enter swiftly and undergo the trials! The gate will close three days hence, you must escape before then, make no mistake!¡± No sooner had his words fallen than countless rainbow lights rose in response, forming bridges directly to the pce gate from the boats above. All the Kunlun and Peni disciples flew up on their swords, transforming into colorful streams of light as they sped along the rainbow bridges into the majestic pce gates. Qiu Changtian too took control of his sword to move forward when suddenly he saw Xu Yinglian dart past him with a whoosh, racing ahead into the pce gate. What¡¯s there topete over¡­ he muttered to himself, somewhat speechless. He then followed and vanished inside too. As the perspective spun and the surroundings shifted, Qiu Changtian regained his senses and found himself standing in the middle of a barren wastnd. ck sky, ck earth, with a dim light all around, numerous shadows flickered and trembled in the distance, hazy and frightening, enough to send chills down one¡¯s spine.
¡°This ce is the Land of Fengdu of the Ten Courts.¡± Someone nearby spoke. Qiu Changtian turned his head to look. Damn it! It was actually Luo Yan! The person standing by his side, with messy hair and squinting eyes, radiating an aura of harmlessness, was none other than Luo Yan, one of his false identities, and a disciple of Peni Jade Pure.
¡°Don¡¯t panic, listen to me first,¡± Luo Yan said expressionlessly, ¡°I am you from a future timeline.¡± ¡°To be precise, I am you who hadpletely cleared the Pavilion and left, then went back to the cabin on the ship outside and immediately loaded the Luo Yan file.¡± ¡°I came here this time to help you avert an imminent cmity,¡± he continued. ¡°You can verify my identity through the Kunlun Mirror, as I have a Kunlun Mirror on me too.¡± ¡°Ah Jing,¡± Qiu Changtian called out in his mind, ¡°Is this really me from the future?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied, ¡°and the future Kunlun Mirror has spoken to me.¡± ¡°What did it say?¡± ¡°It said to record all of Luo Yan¡¯s current words,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said helplessly, ¡°When you reach his point in time along the timeline, I will reproduce these lines and have you y the role of Luo Yan, reading them to the past Qiu Changtian.¡± Qiu Changtian: ??? So, the Luo Yan across from me is reciting lines, right? No wonder it sounded a bit like rote reading. But since the Kunlun Mirror has already confirmed it, then the Luo Yan across from me is indeed myself from the future. ¡°You must also know,¡± Luo Yan continued, ¡°that the words I am saying now, are the words I heard the future Luo Yan say when I was ying the role of Qiu Changtian at your point in time.¡± ¡°And his lines were also what he heard from another future Luo Yan when he was ying Qiu Changtian in his past.¡±
¡°So you must be wondering, where does this time loop originate from?¡± At this point, Luo Yan¡¯s voice paused: ¡°Don¡¯t mind these details.¡± ¡°Where does time begin? Where does it end? Unless you canprehend the great Dao of time, don¡¯t explore these details¡­ just treat these lines as if they were written for you by the great Dao of time.¡± Qiu Changtian: Alright, I won¡¯t ask then. Luo Yan continued: ¡°The reason I met you here is that the Pavilion¡¯s Prohibition identifies different cultivators by their divine souls and teleports them to different locations.¡± ¡°Mirror Flower Water Moon can¡¯t disguise divine souls, and since our divine souls are identical, we were teleported to the same ce.¡± ¡°This is a weakness of the Mirror Flower Water Moon, you must remember it in the future.¡± Qiu Changtian nodded, although his mind was brimming with thousands of questions, he remained silent. Because he knew, the more he asked, the more the Luo Yan across from him would have to answer. And then, when the future self would y Luo Yan, he would have to repeat even longer lines to the past Qiu Changtian¡­ so better not to create trouble for himself.
The most important thing for now was, as Luo Yan said, to resolve the imminent cmity he was about to encounter! Luo Yan spoke tly: ¡°This is the domain of the Land of Fengdu, simting the great terror between life and death, testing your ability to confront fear.¡± ¡°The future me has already led me through it once. Now it¡¯s my turn to lead you through, thuspleting this causal cycle.¡± ¡°Come with me.¡± He urged his sword light and flew forward, saying at the same time: ¡°This is a Ninth Rank Wood System Flying Sword named ¡®Peach Blossom¡¯.¡± ¡°After you load Luo Yan¡¯s memory, remember to ask the eldest senior brother for one.¡± Qiu Changtian looked at the pink sword light beneath his feet and hesitated to speak. Never mind, it¡¯s already history that has happened, unchangeable. So what if it¡¯s girly pink! ¡°Besides, you also need to borrow an item from Shi Liuli,¡± Luo Yan continued, flipping his hand and a small seal appeared on it, ¡°it is the replica magical treasure ¡®Heaven-flipping Seal¡¯ that she used before.¡± Qiu Changtian: ?
¡°You must be wondering now why Miss Shi would lend it to you,¡± Luo Yan said, ¡°Don¡¯t ask, just borrow it.¡± ¡°Pay close attention to how I¡¯ll be leading you through the entire process.¡± Qiu Changtian, having nothing to say, could only smile and nod. After all, the person across from him is himself from the future! The memories in his mind are like a walkthrough for his current self! What is an ultimate cheat code? This is it! Ah Jing, the eternal genius! Kunlun Mirror: ? Chapter 53: 53: Forcibly Crossing the River of Forgetfulness, Eagerly Drinking Meng Po’s Soup Chapter 53: Forcibly Crossing the River of Forgetfulness, Eagerly Drinking Meng Po¡¯s Soup Qiu Changtian closely followed Luo Yan, the two of them controlling Sword Light as they rushed toward the depths of the Land of Fengdu. This Ghost Gate of the Ten Halls of Fengdu was also cleverly designed, said to be modeled after the real Netherworld. Everywhere was filled with eerie, cold energy, and shadows of ghosts flitting about, instinctively making one feel uneasy. If it were normal times, he would have been in the mood to explore. But now, following the future Luo Yan, with urgency in their steps, there was no time to pause. After traveling for dozens of minutes, arge building loomed ahead, resembling an ancient city tower, looking ferocious and terrifying under the cover of night. ¡°This ce is the Ghost Gate,¡± Luo Yan reminded. As the two dived down on their Sword Light, suddenly a Soul Hooking Envoy with a Nether Banner on its head and a tongue that was unusually long rose up, eerily saying: ¡°Halt, travelers. This is the Ghost Gate. Do you have a guide? Luo Yan did not pay it any heed, merely saying:
¡°This is merely a minor checkpoint.¡± ¡°Trialists can ept its task, search nearby for stray souls and wild ghosts, then return and exchange them for a guide.¡± ¡°But we don¡¯t have that kind of time.¡± Having said that, Luo Yan rapidly performed an incantation, and a spell of ¡°Jade Pivot Divine Thunder¡± thundered past, sting the Soul Hooking Envoy and flipping it over. The cultivation realm of the Soul Hooking Envoy was not high, and it was caught off guard, failing even to conjure its protective Ghost Qi, and thus was instantly sted into residue. The sound of the explosion resounded through heaven and earth. There were also some other trialists around, who had been transported to this Land of Fengdu of the Ten Halls. After negotiating with the Soul Hooking Envoy, they were searching high and low for stray souls and wild ghosts; they turned their heads in shock, only to see two streaks of Sword Light entering the Ghost Gate, while the Soul Hooking Envoy was nowhere to be seen. ¡°Can it be? Who was that expert, to directly force their way through the gate?¡± The onlookers all flew up to check, just in time to meet the soldiers and officers of the Netherworld rushing out from the Ghost Gate, startled. A melee ensued, and they were cut down, crying and screaming for mercy. Since Qiu Changtian was following Luo Yan and they were the fastest, they managed to avoid the fray by sheer luck. As the two flew over the Netherworld Path, the True Qi refined from the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra¡± was extremely pure, granting them strong endurance. Moreover, having learned the essence of Sword Control from Shushan, the speed of their Sword Control was now far beyond the standard of the average cultivator, which is why the ghosts and monsters in their way could not catch up at all. Continuing to fly madly, they shot straight across the Netherworld Path, arriving at the bank of a river, where suddenly, Restrictions materialized out of nowhere, oppressing them so they could no longer control their swords. ¡°This is the River of Forgetfulness,¡± Luo Yan said, ¡°Above the River of Forgetfulness, there¡¯s a wooden bridge called the ¡®Naihe Bridge.¡¯¡± ¡°Due to the Restrictions, we must walk across. Later, stay close behind me, and do not move around at will.¡± Qiu Changtian: ? He wanted to take advantage even in speech? Something¡¯s off with you! The two ran to the bridge, only to see the river water below them murky with a blood-red hue, and from it, countless slender, dark ghost hands extended, trying to fiercely drag them into the water.
Luo Yan operated the Peach Blossom Sword, with pink light shing rapidly, and wherever it touched, the skin of the hands disintegrated into blood, annihting numerous ghost hands, which twitched uncontrobly, iling wildly in the air. While controlling the sword, he indifferently recited the lines: ¡°If this were the real River of Forgetfulness in the Netherworld, falling into it would mean separation of flesh and bone, the Divine Soul trapped, forever unable to reincarnate.¡± ¡°But in this Trial Illusion Realm, falling into the water only means failure of the trial, and being expelled from the Pavilion.¡±
¡°The further up the bridge you go, the more stray souls and wild ghosts will attack, so remember, before setting out, to buy more me Rush Talismans from Yuqing View and carry them on you.¡± No sooner had he finished speaking, Luo Yan suddenly brought out Magical Treasure Talisman Scripts. The Talisman Scripts were all me Rush Talismans, frenziedly thrown ahead as if they cost nothing, causing the multitude of ghost hands to sizzle and shake wildly. The Magical Treasure was Miss Shi¡¯s signature Heaven-flipping Seal, which at that moment was spinning idly in the air, striking any hand it saw. The ghost hands were beaten until their flesh split open, tendons ruptured, and bones fractured, forcing them to retract back into the River of Forgetfulness, daring not to emerge again. The two continued to advance on the bridge, and indeed, as Luo Yan had said, the higher up on the bridge they went, the more ghost hands reached out from below. While these ghost hands did not possess strong individual power, they triumphed in their nearly innumerable quantity and the extreme craftiness of their angles. If it were an average cultivator who encountered them, they would naturally suffer greatly. However, Luo Yan was clearly well-prepared, using up one stack of me Rush Talismans after another, almost setting the entire wooden bridge aze. The Heaven-flipping Seal was also extremely sharp, asionally there are powerful ghostly hands piercing through the sea of fire to charge at us, each was promptly battered into a sloppy mess with a flurry of chaotic strikes. It was not until we crossed the Naihe Bridge and reached the other shore that Qiu Changtian still hadn¡¯t quitee to his senses. Did I just pass through unscathed like that? ¡°Once you¡¯ve crossed the River of Forgetfulness, you wille upon the Pavilion of Home Viewing,¡± Luo Yan suddenly pointed ahead and said. There in front of the Pavilion stood an old crone blocking the way, behind a small table, on which a row of sea bowls was ced.
¡°This is Meng Po¡¯s stall, selling the Elixir of Memory,¡± Luo Yan said woodenly, ¡°Following the normal sequence of passing through, naturally, you would have to drink the soup to proceed.¡± Also, drinking it would be of great benefit to you.¡± After pondering for a moment, Qiu Changtian nodded and went over to take a bowl from the stall. The soup looked whitish but not quite white, with no oily sheen, turbid throughout, emitting heat when sniffed, butcking any appealing fragrance. He tipped his head back and gulped it down, gurgling the soup until it was gone. Instantly in his mind, from birth until now, memories of family alleys, skyscrapers, school ygrounds¡ªall fluttered past in a whirl. Parents and rtives from a previous life, teachers and friends, their voices and smiles before his eyes, but they faded away swiftly. Unknowingly, a nameless emotion rose from within his heart, and tears streamed down his cheeks. ¡°Why do you seek the Daoist path?¡± a voice in the void asked him. Initially immersed in profound wistfulness, fortunately, being of the Daoist Heart rity constitution, his mind instantly cleared, and he replied: ¡°To seek immortality.¡± ¡°To seek boundless freedom and ease.¡± ¡°To aspire to step out of the Three Realms and Five Elements, the cycle of the Six Paths, to ascend to the highest throne in the heavens.¡±
¡°To have mighty power within myself, no longer bound by the world!¡± The voice then faded away in an instant. Regaining his senses, he found himself feeling refreshed and clear-headed, all the ws in his state of mind seemed to have been mended, and even his cultivation level felt like it had slightly surged. Realizing the benefits, he turned his thoughts and looked at Luo Yan. However, Meng Po immediately extended her w-like old hand, protecting the row of soup bowls and dered: ¡°One bowl per person, drinking more is of no benefit.¡± Luo Yan said indifferently: ¡°Recognizing that you and I are one and the same, Meng Po is also part of the Pavilion¡¯s Restrictions, no need to worry.¡± Qiu Changtian then nodded, thinking to himself what a pity. The two of them once again proceeded at full speed. After passing the Pavilion of Home Viewing, they were faced with ck Dog Ridge. Although the mountain path was rough and difficult, it was not a problem for cultivators. It¡¯s just that, from time to time, evil dog spirits would attack in the darkness, aiming to bite at a person¡¯s limbs.
Luo Yan remained silent, not waiting for Qiu Changtian to take action, but simply wielded the Peach Blossom Sword and the Heaven-flipping Seal, creating a flurry of strikes that left the pack of dogs yelping pitifully. Before long, numerous evil spirits with disheveled hair and ragged clothes came rushing towards them, angrily shouting: ¡°These dogs are so adorable, why do you need to beat and kill them¡­¡± As their words began, it felt almost like a tightening spell, giving Qiu Changtian a splitting headache. Looking at Luo Yan, however, he simply did not bother to argue with them and directly struck out. The evil spirits¡¯ heads were busted, and they ran around in panic; in no time, they were all eliminated. Lying amidst the scattered spiritual remains, there shone an object, though it was not clear whether it had burst forth from person or dog. Luo Yan picked it up and stored it away, saying in a grave voice: ¡°This object is called the ¡®ck Dog Spike¡¯, forged with the hot blood from the neck of a robust male dog, effective for warding off evil.¡± ¡°We will be using itter on.¡± Chapter 54: 54: Passing through Fengdu City, Encounter with Junior Sister Xu Again Chapter 54: Passing through Fengdu City, Encounter with Junior Sister Xu Again After crossing ck Dog Ridge, they reached Golden Rooster Mountain. The mountain path was even more rugged and difficult to navigate, but for cultivators, it still wasn¡¯t a problem. However, there were always those wild chicken spirits that would take advantage of the night tounch an attack, pecking wildly at their faces, aiming for the skin, flesh, and eyeballs. Luo Yan still had a look of indifference on his face and remained silent, as usual, wielding his Flying Sword Treasure haphazardly, beating those wild chickens until they flew about chaotically, crying pitifully. Before long, numerous malicious ghosts emerged in in clothes, approaching the two and advised softly, ¡°These avian creatures also feel pain. Isn¡¯t it cruel to kill them like this? Why not follow us and eat vegetarian¡­¡± Qiu Changtian felt oppressed in his chest, but he only saw Luo Yan, without a word, treat these malicious ghosts like the wild chickens and killed them together. As a result, another item burst forth, resembling a featheredmand arrow. Luo Yan stepped forward to pick it up, carefully stored it away and said, ¡°This is a Chicken Feather Arrow, simr to the ck Dog Spike, it has the effect of expelling evil, and we will need itter on.¡±
After passing Golden Rooster Mountain, they arrived at Wild Ghost Vige. The path through Wild Ghost Vige was not difficult, but the houses were disordered and maze-like, making it hard to discern the direction. And from time to time there were ragged lone ghosts with eyes glowing green, fiercely pouncing from dark corners. Luo Yan, without caring for exnations or distinctions, once again indiscriminately attacked. Shortly thereafter, many neatly dressed malicious ghosts appeared, pretending to be kind and benevolent, pointing at the carcasses of those wild ghosts and said, ¡°These refugees¡­¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Once again, a demonic voice prated their ears, and Qiu Changtian¡¯s blood pressure surged as he unleashed the Jade Pivot Thunder, attacking indiscriminately. Ever since they started from ck Dog Ridge, there kept being all sorts of nonsensical ghosts and spectersing out, giving them strange lectures. Not only were those words meaningless, but the entities also prattled on incessantly, trying to drill into their minds. Even with Daoist Heart rity, it was tough to endure such a terrifying mental assault. They could only cooperate with Luo Yan and kill indiscriminately. After a few Thunder Methods were unleashed, it seemed as if the entire world had be quiet. Luo Yan picked up an item from the ground, which appeared to be a red cord. When hebined this item with the ck Dog Spike and Chicken Feather Arrow, the three spontaneously merged into a token. The front had ¡®Yin¡¯ written on it, the back had ¡®Yang¡¯, neither gold nor jade, the material was unknown. ¡°This is the Yin Yang Order,¡± Luo Yan said softly, ¡°With this, we can now enter Fengdu City.¡± The two continued deeper until they reached the Hall of Soul-Bewildering. There, someone of high stature, indistinct in appearance, said, ¡°Visitors, please halt and drink the Soul-Bewildering Water before entering Fengdu City to face the final challenge.¡± But Luo Yan didn¡¯t respond, simply showing the Yin Yang Order in his hand. The figure beckoned slightly, drawing the token from them through the air, and said with augh, ¡°Very well, with this order, you can pass without drinking the Soul-Bewildering Water.¡±
He waved his hand, and a great door opened in the back wall, indicating that the two could pass through. ¡°If you drink the Soul-Bewildering Water, you will have to endure the torment of diminished intellect,¡± Luo Yan led Qiu Changtian through the opening, heading deeper, ¡°Without drinking the Soul-Bewildering Water, the following Di Ting incarnations are easier to deal with.¡± ¡°Later, pay attention to my hand signals. Wherever I strike with the Heaven-flipping Seal, you shoot the Jade Pivot Thunder.¡± Qiu Changtian nodded seriously.
The two entered Fengdu City and saw the air filled with white joss paper, fluttering like drifting snow, and the bluestone pavement was covered with lit candles, their little mes flickering, casting dancing shadows. In the houses on both sides of the street, behind the windowttices, there were faint shadows moving, but no sound of people was heard. Directly ahead, a massive beasty in the middle of the candle-lit street,zily licking its paws. It resembled a tiger but was not one, with a single horn; resembled a dog but not, covered in scales, its body pure white. Suddenly, it turned its head around. ¡°Hold!¡± Luo Yan immediately raised his hand to call out, ¡°Venerable Di Ting, looking at the two of us, who is real and who is fake?¡± The beast¡¯s face showed a perfectly human-like expression of suspicion. It looked at Luo Yan first, then Qiu Changtian, noticing traces of Illusion Technique disguised on both of them. But when it activated its Divine Skills to see through the disguise, the Divine Souls inside were exactly identical. But how could there be two identical divine souls in this world? Thus, the mythical beast turned its head, seemingly trying to distinguish between the two voices. But as soon as it turned its head, it was smashed on top by a Heaven-flipping Seal from Luo Yan. Qiu Changtian, poised to strike, fired a Jade Pivot Thunder that burst into the beast¡¯s head wound, spilling blood like a cascading waterfall. The beast, in pain, shook its head, and Luo Yan, with his quick reflexes, sent another Jade Pivot Thunder, once again piercing into the creature¡¯s skull.
This time, the skullpletely exploded, reds and whites spewing everywhere like a burst dye vat, scattering a myriad of colors all over the ground. ¡°With that, the chain of ten realmses to an end,¡± Luo Yan said softly, and then Qiu Changtian¡¯s vision began to whirl and spin. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself in another realm altogether. Here, the sky was blood-red and the ground crimson; clouds in the sky rolled like mes, stretching across ten thousand miles with no sun in sight. The ins were covered in red soil which, when stepped on, began oozing red liquid, resembling contaminated blood. ¡°This realm is thend of the Asura kings,¡± Luo Yan stated impassively. ¡°It¡¯s inhabited by Asura people ruled by four Asura kings: Poya Zhi, Luo Qiantuo, Vimkirti, and Rahu.¡± Qiu Changtian hastily memorized these four names, repeating them in his mind several times. ¡°Well, you need not remember these names,¡± Luo Yan said slowly after Qiu Changtian had memorized all four names. ¡°I¡¯m just educating you. It might be usefulter on.¡± Qiu Changtian: ¡°The Asura people are constantly at war with the deity Shakra and his army of heavenly beings,¡± said Luo Yan, expressionless. ¡°The trial of this realm is to assist the Asura people in defeating Shakra who has kidnapped an Asura beauty.¡± An Asura beauty kidnapped by deity Shakra? Qiu Changtian wondered in his mind if there might be any elements not suitable for children here. ¡°You¡¯re thinking if there could be any elements not suitable for children,¡± said Luo Yan impassively. ¡°The answer is no because this isn¡¯t truly the Asura Path, only an illusion created by the Pavilion Secret Realm.¡± ¡°Thisnd of the four Asura kings tests your will to prevail. The path of cultivation is narrow, and one mustpete with others. Those who are timid and afraid will hardly find the greater way.¡±
Qiu Changtian remained silent upon hearing this, thinking to himself that Junior Sister Xu must be thriving in such an environment. ¡°Hmm,¡± Luo Yan paused for a moment and sighed, ¡°Junior Sister Xu¡­ is more than just thriving.¡± Qiu Changtian: ? ¡°Come with me,¡± Luo Yan instructed as he began to control his sword for flight. The two turned into streaks of light, swiftly passing over the crimson ins. Below, trees were devoid of leaves, their trunks twisted like demons. The grass was mostly parched yellow and withered; their leaves were thin and sharp like needles. After traveling several miles, they came to arge river with water as red as blood. On the opposite bank, a massive army was engaged in battle. One side was adorned with gands, able to fly low in the sky, smashing their Vajra Pestles towards the opposition, each strike bringing down a bolt of lightning. Despite their might, it seemed that these thunderbolts were not as powerful as Qiu Changtian¡¯s Jade Pivot Thunder. The other side stood barefoot on the ground but had four arms each. The males had fierce appearances with bristling beards, and the females had slender figures with beautiful faces. But regardless of gender, each held a chakram with de edges in their hands, continuously hurling them forcefully into the air.
Amidst the sh of thunder and the whirl of chakrams,batants from both sides fell swiftly, some hacked by the spinning des, others struck fatally by the lightning. Bodies fell or copsed to the ground, bleeding profusely, further staining the already crimson earth. Qiu Changtian could guess why thend of the four Asura kings was so replete with red¡­ Wait, who is that? His gaze traveled over the river and saw, in the distance, a woman in white riding a sword, intoning aloud: ¡°The phoenix departs, the empty nest; the nascent mes are just beginning to spread!¡± No sooner had her words faded, countless birds of me split from the sword light, swarming toward the flying army adorned with gands. In the blink of an eye, numerous fire-bound soldiers screamed and struggled as they rained down like drops from the sky. Therefore, the four-armed n on the ground cheered, while the woman in white remained unperturbed, simply pointing her sword forward, urging them to quickly clear the enemies and continue to advance. This woman in white was none other than Qiu Changtian¡¯s Junior Sister Xu Yinglian! Chapter 55: 55: The Killing of Emperor Shitian, The Junior Sister is Furious Chapter 55: The Killing of Emperor Shitian, The Junior Sister is Furious ¡°These four-armed individuals are Asuras.¡± ¡°Those flying beings are celestial beings.¡± Furtively moving forward with Qiu Changtian, and trailing behind Xu Yinglian and the Asuras, Luo Yan whispered an exnation: ¡°The goal of this challenge is to defeat Emperor Shitian. To find Emperor Shitian, we must first defeat the celestial beings that block our path.¡± ¡°Xu Yinglian¡¯s approach is the standard solution to pass this level, which is to escort the battle-ready Asuras and fight our way through.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s an even less energy-consuming strategy, which is to follow stealthily like us.¡± ¡°When she gets to thest of the celestial being¡¯s armies, we¡¯ll quickly pass the Asuras and rush to sneak attack Emperor Shitian.¡± Qiu Changtian was stunned. Isn¡¯t this just like stealing the boss? ¡°Yes, it¡¯s exactly like stealing the boss.¡± Luo Yan said emotionlessly, ¡°In ordance with the celestial beings¡¯ cycle of decay, Emperor Shitian revives fully restored every five quarters. Whoever kills him first will be able to move on to the next level sooner.¡± ¡°And the time it takes to pass the level is very important to us,¡± he enunciated each word, ¡°even a second¡¯s lead is worth fighting for.¡±
For some reason, Qiu Changtian felt that Luo Yan¡¯sst remark seemed to carry a deeper meaning. The two continued to follow Xu Yinglian and saw Junior Sister Xu demonstrating her formidable power. The Kunlun Sword Technique allowed for her Flying Sword to soar, cutting down arge number of celestial beings, and asionally she would unleash Sword Dao Techniques, sending out countless firebirds that screeched across the sky. These firebirds,posed of high-temperature mes and extremely fast, unaffected by the celestial beings¡¯ lightning attacks, reaped the battlefield with efficiency. With victory after victory, Xu Yinglian went from being initially silent and aloof to gradually bing spirited and lively. After all, the point of battle is to win, isn¡¯t it? I couldn¡¯t beat my senior brother in swordsmanship not because I was too weak, but because he was just too abnormal! Now it seems, with my strength, dealing with these illusionary monsters in the Pavilion Secret Realm is more than manageable! Hahaha¡­ Confidence and joy seemed to brim from her excited eyes and brows. Watching from behind, Qiu Changtian grew increasingly hesitant. If I were to snatch the final blow on Emperor Shitian right before her, surely Junior Sister Xu wouldn¡¯t be driven by rage into Deviation, right? Sigh, to smack her down from the pinnacle of happiness into the depths of despair¡­ I really can¡¯t bring myself to do such a mean deed¡­ ¡°Don¡¯t worry, she won¡¯t sumb to Deviation,¡± Luo Yan suddenly said, ¡°In fact, what we¡¯re doing is teaching her a valuable lesson.¡± ¡°And that is, never let your guard down or becent until the very end.¡± Qiu Changtian: ? Ah well, you do have a point when you put it that way. Moreover, ording to what Luo Yan said, something like this must have already happened to him in the past. It¡¯s now a fixed part of history. How could I attempt to change history so easily? No choice then, I¡¯ll just have to follow through with it.
I believe Junior Sister Xu will surely understand the senior brother¡¯s difficulties! The two continued to trail behind, and the further they progressed, the more celestial beings they encountered, and the more potent the thunder and lightning released by their Vajra Pestles became, resulting in increasing casualties among the Asuras. With a grave expression, Xu Yinglian focused intently on wielding her Feather Jia Sword, swiftly ying the approaching foes. Thanks to her outstanding performance, she was able to hold off the vast numbers of celestial beings, inspiring the Asuras on the ground to fight even more fiercely, persistently pressing forward under the barrage from the celestial beings.
¡°Now!¡± Luo Yan suddenly whispered, wrapping his sword light around himself and Qiu Changtian and charging forward from their hiding ce. His sword light grew faster and faster until it almost became a straight line. In an instant, it pierced through the heavenly beings who failed to react in time, shooting straight towards their rear. Xu Yinglian caught that fleeting streak of light, her expression immediately turning ice-cold. Such fast sword light! Even if she gave it her all, she could never make her Flying Sword shoot out at such speed. The person controlling the Flying Sword must be above the Marrow Cleansing Rank, and also using some sort of profound Sword Control Technique¡­ Wait? Why is he prating deep into the enemy¡¯s rear? Could it be¡­ An rming thought suddenly sprung to mind, causing Xu Yinglian to quickly activate the Sword Dao Techniques, trying to rapidly clear away the obstructing heavenly beings. However, for every group she eliminated, another group of heavenly beings would take their ce, infuriating Xu Yinglian to the point of grinding her teeth, the frustration and resentment on her face so thick it was nearly tangible. That person¡­ that person took advantage of me holding the heavenly beings back, and suddenly appeared, controlling the Flying Sword to dash into the enemy¡¯s rear, certainly aiming to snatch the task¡¯s target¡ªEmperor Shi Tian! While Xu Yinglian was desperately fighting and still unable to break through the heavenly beings, Luo Yan had already used the Shushan¡¯s Man-Sword Unity technique, carrying Qiu Changtian and rushing towards the distant Emperor Shi Tian. The Emperor Shi Tian manifested by the Pavilion Secret Realm was an image of a female Divine King nearly a hundred meters tall, dressed in splendid and magnificent attire, with a dignified and elegant posture, wearing a phoenix crown, hands sped together in prayer, and besides the Vajra Pestle hanging by her side, her entire appearance was that of a royal consort. But celestial beings have no gender. Whether male or female, it¡¯s merely the form they wish to present. ¡°Thunder Light Fire Pattern, Jade Pivot Divine Thunder!¡± Luo Yan called out, holding a sword technique in his right hand and loudly reminding Qiu Changtian, while his left hand quickly formed an incantation.
Both of them roared ¡°Break!¡± and then two streaks of azure thunder light, one after the other, struck the Divine King¡¯s head urately! Thunder roared and the world reverberated. Luo Yan once again drove the Peach Blossom Sword with all his might, and the pink sword light was abruptly elongated, piercing through like lightning, carrying an overwhelming aura. Unity of Body and Sword! The head of the Divine King finally exploded, and the colossal figure slowly copsed to the ground. In the distance behind them was Xu Yinglian, who had hastily broken through the encirclement and was rushing their way. ¡°After all, it¡¯s a target for the Foundation Establishment Rank¡¯s trial, it was never going to be too difficult to deal with,¡± Luo Yan saidstly in a low voice. ¡°With this, the Fourth King Asura trial is broken.¡± As the sound of his voice faded, the two of them had already disappeared from sight. Dozens of secondster, Xu Yinglian finally rode her sword light to the scene, only to see that the Divine King¡¯s body was also gone, leaving only a huge crater on the ground. She gripped her fists in silent, furious frustration, her fingernails digging into her flesh. After a long while, she released her anger by forcefully swinging her fist into the air. Qiu Changtian was once again transported away, feeling the world upside down, day and night misaligned, until he finally arrived in a new world. The sky here was still tinged with red, but not the blood red of the Fourth King Asura¡¯s realm; rather, it was closer to the beautiful twilight hues. The ground was gray soil mixed with gravel, surrounded by numerous yellow-leaved ginkgo trees. It seemed that the two of them were now in the middle of a ginkgo forest, next to a stream that meandered through it.
Although as far as the eye could see, the falling leaves were soft like cotton and the river was as thick as cream, with the elegance and fun of autumn, Qiu Changtian still did not dare to take it lightly, just gazed solemnly at Luo Yan. ¡°This ce is the Sixth Heavenly Demon Land,¡± Luo Yan stated indifferently, ¡°The trial here is to test your resistance to temptation.¡± ¡°You possess Daoist Heart rity, so you need not fear the attack of Heart Demons. But I am currently ying the role of Luo Yan, not well equipped to counteract the many illusions toe,¡± he added. After speaking, he sat down on the fallen leaves and said: ¡°You should proceed alone along the river.¡± ¡°We are essentially one person; as long as you pass this trial, I will be transported along with you,¡± he exined. Qiu Changtian nodded and walked along the river towards the deeper parts of the golden forest. Chapter 56: 56 Ah Jing Breaks Heavenly Demon, Chief Disciple Transforms into White Feathers Chapter 56: Ah Jing Breaks Heavenly Demon, Chief Disciple Transforms into White Feathers Qiu Changtian proceeded cautiously along the stream. The ground was everywhere covered with piled-up fallen leaves, which felt incredibly soft underfoot. Qiu Changtian did not like this kind of environment because if a trap were hidden beneath the leaves somewhere, he would have no way to identify or investigate it. However, since Luo Yan had said that this barrier was a test of one¡¯s ability to ¡°resist temptation,¡± then presumably¡­ ¡­there shouldn¡¯t be any strange design like ¡°traps.¡± After walking several tens of steps further, the river joined ake. In the middle of theke, a faint, graceful figure seemed to be bathing in the water. A faint, pleasing song drifted over: ¡°There are trees on the mountain with branches high, my heart is pleased with you, yet you don¡¯t know why¡­¡± Qiu Changtian¡¯s gaze swept thekeshore and spotted a neat pile of a woman¡¯s dress on arge stone.
Well, all the elements are in ce. Do you think I¡¯d pick up that dress with a twig and tease the bathing woman? Unfortunately, I, Qiu Changtian, as an upright gentleman, love to say ¡°no¡± to those who are self-righteous! Without a moment¡¯s hesitation, Qiu Changtian turned and walked away, but after only a few steps, he saw a beautiful womane around from behind a tree. The dress she was wearing was identical to the one by therge stone at theke. Turning back to theke, indeed both the figure and the singing hadpletely disappeared. ¡°Why does the young master spurn my affections so?¡± The beautiful woman seemed on the verge of tears, approaching him. Qiu Changtian quickly retreated several steps, treating her as if she were some venomous snake or beast, and sternly said: ¡°Miss, please respect yourself!¡± ¡°Young master~¡± The beautiful woman began to pout. The next second, the Jade Smoke Sword had pierced through her abdomen. With his Daoist Heart rity, Qiu Changtian had been keenly aware from the moment he neared theke that some kind of illusion was continuously attacking his mind. Whether it was the shadow in theke, the singing voice, or even the dress on the stone that emitted a e steal me¡± intention, they were all part of the illusion attack. Obviously, he wouldn¡¯t exin to the opponent, ¡°Sorry, I¡¯m actually immune to illusion magic¡±; he simply remained cautious and on guard. Seeing that he wasn¡¯t fooled, the opponent stopped pretending and directly attempted a physical attack, forcing Qiu Changtian to counter. When pierced by the Jade Smoke Sword, that beautiful woman immediately dissipated into dreamlike bubbles and shattered with a loud bang. As Qiu Changtian continued along the side of theke, enchantingly soft and lingering murmurs arose around him, almost enough to make one¡¯s fists clench. But since there were only voices without forms, he couldn¡¯t resolve the situation as neatly as he had before, and could only listen. Fortunately, with a high Synchronization Value from the Invincible Character Setting, Qiu Changtian fully activated his Daoist Heart rity, immunizing himself against the seductive effect of these bewitching sounds, choosing to ignore thempletely.
Seeing that he remained unmoved, the seductive phrases of the demonic voices grew even more unrestrained and risqu¨¦. Gradually, voices resembling Xu Yinglian, An Zhisu, and Shi Liuli appeared, with an endless stream of ambiguous ¡°dear brother¡± and ¡°kissy little brother¡± emerging. Qiu Changtian sneered internally: This is it? If I wanted to pursue them, I would have conquered the real ones by now!
Stillpletely unmoved by their attempts, the surrounding demonic voices fell silent for a moment, then further simted the voices of the Kunlun Mirror and Green Duckweed Sword, subtly trying to entice Qiu Changtian. Qiu Changtian frowned, finding it extremely awkward to imagine the mirror using such a delicate tone. Inside his Sea of Consciousness, the Kunlun Mirror was already seething with rage. ¡°I am the mirror from the West Queen Mother¡¯s pce atop Jade Pond tform, when have I ever suffered such humiliation?¡± ¡°Mirror Flower Water Moon, Silent Photographic Void! Such vulgar illusions, break for me!¡± Suddenly, as if the bottom of the sky pped with thunder, the countless charming phantom sounds that were whining around just now screamed miserably for a moment and immediately disappeared without a trace. Qiu Changtian: ? ¡°Ah Jing, what did you do?¡± he asked in astonishment, also on the alert internally. This shattered mirror indeed had a trick up its sleeve! Just like that Green Duckweed Sword, it refused to yield unless squeezed hard! ¡°Nothing much,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said demurely. ¡°This Illusion Domain was too noisy, so I helped you pass through more quickly.¡± ¡°Oh, is that so?¡± Qiu Changtian thenughed coldly, ¡°Then next time we encounter danger, I hope Ah Jing won¡¯t hesitate to help me.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said insincerely, ¡°You help me seek the Nuwa Stone to mend the heavens, and I assist you with Mirror Flower Water Moon to obtain peerless talent. Our rtionship is supposed to be one of mutual assistance.¡± ¡°Naturally,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a chuckle.
As his voice faded, the world spun. The Sixth Heavenly Demon Barrier had been breached, and Qiu Changtian was then transported by the Pavilion¡¯s Prohibition to the next checkpoint. However, here it was a world of blue sky and yellow earth, with a clear azure overhead and clouds stretching for miles. Far away, mountainsyered upon each other, surrounded by lush trees, with streams running between, murmuring. Birds chirped and insects buzzed, one after another; fish leaped, sshing water in all directions. Qiu Changtian: ncing down at his reflection in the stream, he realized he had turned into a celestial crane with white feathers and a long neck, tall legs, and a dark crown. ¡°Ah Jing!¡± Qiu Changtian quickly called out in his mind, ¡°Quick, help me undo this illusion!¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t an illusion, it¡¯s a formation,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said softly. ¡°Formation?¡± Qiu Changtian questioned with suspicion, ¡°Howe I have never seen such a formation?¡± Subconsciously grooming his feathers with his beak, he then instinctively pped his wings and took to the air. Flying low around the woods, circling several times, Qiu Changtian confirmed the vicinity was just an ordinary mountain basin, with trees and water, nothing out of the ordinary. There was no sign of any formation at all. Suddenly, he descended in a clearing, only to see a three-eyed mongoose sprinting out of the forest.
The mongoose had golden fur, soft skin, long whiskers, and a pointed snout, but it could stand upright on its two hind legs, clearly also transformed from a human form. ¡°That¡¯s Luo Yan.¡± the Kunlun Mirror reminded, ¡°The future Kunlun Mirror is on him!¡± ¡°Li! Li!¡± Qiu Changtian called out. ¡°Gru! Gru!¡± Luo Yan replied. Although the two were of different species and could notmunicate directly, thankfully, the two mirrors of Kunlun and their intentions were interconnected and could exchange messages, so they began to trante for each other. ¡°He says,¡± the Kunlun Mirror ryed to Qiu Changtian, ¡°this ce simtes the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm, known as the Land of Three Types of Animals. The so-called three types of animals are fish, birds, and beasts.¡± ¡°The Land of Three Types of Animals tests the ability of ¡®Daoist Magic as natural¡¯. ¡± ¡°For this, we need to go to the ce nearby where the spiritual energy is most abundant, and then imitate the demonic beasts to eat the wind and dew, absorbing the essence of the sun and the moon.¡± Qiu Changtian was speechless after listening. If the first three barriers had clear signs of guiding the trialists, then this Land of Three Types of Animals could be considered hellish from the start. Upon entering, the trialists turn into animals with no one tomunicate nearby nor any guidance for the barrier. Without a guide, who could think of going to the ce with the most spiritual energy? Wait, hold on¡­ The three-eyed mongoose cooed several times, then the Kunlun Mirror tranted:
¡°That¡¯s right, you¡¯ve thought of it.¡± ¡°Ordinary people must spend at least twenty to thirty years of hard work to progress through the Qi Refining Rank, drawing in Qi into their bodies uninterrupted and refining it.¡± ¡°And this Land of Three Types of Animals is the key provided by the Pavilion Secret Realm to skip the Qi Refining Rank.¡± Chapter 57: 57: Though the Qi Sea Brims, It Cannot Withstand the Frost Hell Chapter 57: Though the Qi Sea Brims, It Cannot Withstand the Frost Hell A golden-yellow marten beast weaved through the forest, its four paws hitting the ground as it ran swiftly. A snow-whiterge bird glided behind, closely following the marten¡¯s figure. Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but sigh again¡­ Within this third-ss beastnd, how to find the ce with the most abundant spiritual energy? There¡¯s no clue at all, okay? One could only rely on their future self cheating to smoothly clear the level. It¡¯s just unknown how Junior Sister Xu and Miss Shi, upon entering here, would find any clue to break through the level. About fifteen minutester, Qiu Changtian followed Luo Yan, tracing the stream into the mountains. That stream was originally spring water in the mountains, bubbling out from a dark cave. The Luo Yan marten took the lead and went in, tearing the obstructing vines with its paws and squeezing into the narrow cave with its small figure in just a moment. Qiu Changtian, as a crane, followed inside and felt the damp air growing heavier, dampening his feathers and making it extremely ufortable.
The two advanced dozens of steps inside the cave and saw that the depths unexpectedly revealed a cave heaven. Holes were chiseled in the roof, letting down daylight, with several vines hanging down like curtains. In the column of lighty a natural stone tform. Countless exotic flowers bloomed around the stone tform, bursting into life like steps. ¡°Gugu,¡± called the Luo Yan marten, and the Kunlun Mirror tranted, ¡°Go ahead.¡± ¡°You and I are one and the same, and only one person here can receive the anointment of Sun Essence and Moon Splendor.¡± ¡°I have already experienced this once in the past and sessfully advanced to the Marrow Cleansing Rank.¡± ¡°Now, it¡¯s your turn.¡± Upon hearing this, Qiu Changtian fell silent for a moment, then pped his wings to move forward,nding in the center of the stone tform. And then? There was no ¡®then.¡¯ Qiu Changtian cast an inquiring gaze at Luo Yan, only to see that the golden-yellow marten had found a dry spot,fortably curled up andy down. Since his future self had not offered any guidance, that meant there was likely nothing wrong with him simply standing there on the tform for now. With this in mind, Qiu Changtian once again instinctively began to preen his wet and tangled feathers with his long beak. It wasn¡¯t because of avian instinct, but rather because the wet, entangled feathers were truly ufortable. After standing within the beam of light for a good while, Qiu Changtian began to feel slightly sleepy. So he stood on one leg, closed his eyes, and started to rest. In the midst of his hazy consciousness, he suddenly heard a chanting sound, holy and ethereal, drifting uncertainly, slowly descending from the daylight:
¡°How grand is the Seven Treasures Pce, where lotuses naturally arise. Illuminating the night with shimmering brightness, its faint glow graces the abode of gods. Looking up at the Mystical Reality tform, cloud towers majestic and high. Radiance flows, lighting up the profound expanse, summon armies to crush countless demons¡­¡± By the time the chant reached ¡°Fortune and sin arise with no set rule, delivered by one¡¯s own freedom of body,¡± Qiu Changtian immediately shed his feathers and transformed into human form, adopting a meditative posture, and continued to absorb the Sun Essence on the stone tform. After an indeterminable amount of time, the outside had shifted from daytime to night, and the Sun Essence in the daylight had changed to Moon Splendor. Qiu Changtian was still sitting on the stone tform, slowly absorbing the Moon Splendorpletely.
A momentter, the chanting ceased. Qiu Changtian opened his eyes only to find that his Qi Sea was already brimming, his cultivation level had nearly surged! After a brief internal observation, he confirmed he had skipped at least twenty to thirty years of the Qi Refining Rank and sessfully advanced to the Marrow Cleansing Rank! ¡°Not bad,¡± Luo Yan emerged from the shadows of the cave and said indifferently, ¡°With that, the third-ss beastnd has also been broken through.¡± ¡°Upon entering the Marrow Cleansing Rank, the ¡®Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra¡¯ will gain an additional derived Daoist Magic, called ¡®Shangyang Sword Qi¡¯.¡± ¡°This is purely an offensive Daoist Magic. Within one hundred steps, Sword Qi crisscrosses, able to pierce through gold and split stone, controble at will, untainted by evil, and suitable to be used in conjunction with the Flying Sword.¡± ¡°In the next trial, you should start by getting ustomed to it¡­¡± Once again the familiar sensation of the heavens spinning and the earth overturning, the Universe shifting position urred. By the time Qiu Changtian regained his senses, he found himself and Luo Yan already transferred to the fifth trial by the Restrictions. This ce, however, was a world of red skies and red earth, the Heavenly Dome stained like blood, the ground¡¯s magma forming rivers, and fiery sparks fluttering in the air¡ªa heat nearly intolerable, reminiscent of a Fire Prison. ¡°This is the Fire Prison trial.¡± Luo Yan said with a frown, ¡°The reason being, this trial is to test your ability to deal with powerful enemies, so¡­¡± ¡°So, it will generate an opponent we are unable to defeat?¡± Qiu Changtian thought to himself. Then he saw a figure slowly appearing in front of them. The person was wearing a blue Daoist robe, tall and slender, with a Sword Box on his back, his hair white with age, and his features handsome and cold-hard, truly a middle-aged hunk.
¡°Qi Sha True Person Su Jian¡­¡± Luo Yan slowly said, ¡°Run.¡± The two turned and flew away with Sword Control, and only after Su Jian fully materialized did he look up toward the direction they were fleeing, his eyes filled with coldness. The two fled desperately into the distance, practically Qiu Changtian following Luo Yan as they sped past smoke-engulfed volcanoes and through seas of magma, and soon the far side was in sight¡ªa range of iron-blue peaks rising up like axes and knives. Suddenly, a frosty white Sword Light came flying from afar and in a moment appeared in front of them. As if prepared, Luo Yan called for his Magical Treasure, and the Heaven-flipping Seal spun half a circle in the air, then violently smashed toward Su Jian¡¯s head. With his right hand forming a Sword technique, Su Jian¡¯s Harsh Cold Sword met the Heaven-flipping Seal head-on, the Sword Light as round as a full moon. With a thunderous noise, the Harsh Cold Sword was actually bent by the impact. Qiu Changtian: !!! Could the power of this Heaven-flipping Seal be a bit too outrageous? Well, after all, it was a Magical Treasure famous for its ¡°great-power brick-flying,¡± and it exerted itself to the utmost in sheer brute force to barely contend with Su Jian¡¯s Harsh Cold Sword. As he was thinking this, he was suddenly enveloped by Luo Yan¡¯s Sword Light, and they once again fled toward the mountain range ahead. Behind them came the cold, merciless incantation from Su Jian: ¡°The void is clear and chill, the night eternally frosty.¡±
The next moment, the entire world was engulfed by endless wind and snow. The cold was piercing to the bone. Even though Qiu Changtian had Daoist Heart rity, witnessing such terrifying elemental power for the first time caused his mind to go nk for an instant. When he came back to his senses, he was already enveloped in Luo Yan¡¯s Sword Light, not knowing how far they had broken through. He turned his head sharply, and saw that within the relentless expanse of the red sky and sea of mes, the ce where they had just battled with Su Jian had now abruptly transformed into a nearly hundred-mile expanse of chilling ice Hell. Inside it, fierce winds surged, frost and snow flew wildly, jagged rocks stood stark against the Heavenly Dome. Its outer shell wasyered obsidian, keeping the massive rivers of magmapletely at bay. The shocking and grand sight was only a sh before Qiu Changtian¡¯s eyes, quickly obscured by the iron-blue mountain range. Luo Yan drove them into the Iron Thistle Mountain Range, and with the Heaven-flipping Seal, he directly smashed a very deep cave into the mountainside nearby, and they quickly ducked inside. Qiu Changtian then noticed that Luo Yan¡¯s entire body was turning a shade of blue and purple, with many ces torn open by Su Jian¡¯s Sword Qi, leaving narrow, dreadful wounds. He silently cast the Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique on Luo Yan, and then he watched as Luo Yan expressionlessly took out an Elixir Bottle from his bosom. ¡°Caowu Baijiang Pills, most suitable for extracting cold energy.¡± He tilted the Elixir Bottle into his mouth without a nce, not even drinking water, as all the pills went straight down his throat, and only then did he slowly exhale, saying, ¡°Don¡¯t be stingy with money, buy the best.¡± Qiu Changtian nodded gravely. Seeing you like this, how could I possibly go for cheap ones?
I¡¯ll keep ten bottles on me after the reset! After taking the Caowu Baijiang Pills, the blue and purple on Luo Yan¡¯s skin slowly faded away, and the wounds also began to heal under the effects of the Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique. Then he reached into his bosom and pulled out a broken mirror. ¡°The Lifemanding Mirror you got from your third Senior Sisterst time can withstand one fatal external attack, don¡¯t forget to carry it with you.¡± Chapter 58: 58: Escaping the Jedi Realm, Entering into the Asura Field Chapter 58: Escaping the Jedi Realm, Entering into the Asura Field Both of them held their breaths in the cave, secretly on guard. Qiu Changtian¡¯s expression became solemn, his pupils contracting slightly. The terrifying spell that had shaken the heavens was still deeply etched in his memory. The first attack had been blocked by Luo Yan with the Lifemanding Mirror, but what about the second one? If Su Jian¡¯s Illusionunched a second attack, they did not have a second Lifemanding Mirror to protect themselves! However, just by looking at Luo Yan¡¯s expressionless face, they knew that the future self must have confidence in getting through this predicament. Or rather, Luo Yan¡¯s very existence was proof that they did not die within this thin line of Fire Prison! Qiu Changtian¡¯s thoughts raced when suddenly he heard a thunderous boom from outside. It¡¯sing! Without a word, they immediately flew out of the cave on their swords, only to see Su Jian standing in the sky with a cold expression, pinching his Sword technique and looking down as he recited the incantation:
¡°Ice lies three feet under, snow covers a thousand miles!¡± The harsh cold wind howled again, turning the surrounding ten thousand miles into a freezing hell. The two hastened to flee in a sh of Sword Light but saw their Flying Swords operating sluggishly, as if they were frozen by ice and snow! Obviously, noticing that the first strike didn¡¯t seed, Su Jian had given up on the strategy of a swift kill and instead opted to trap them first before aiming to kill. Realizing that they were in a dire situation, Qiu Changtian actually became much calmer than before, just desperately urging on the Flying Sword while once again turning his gaze to Luo Yan. How can we break through this? As death approached, where was the opportunity for life? Luo Yan, however, did not speak, simply looking indifferently upwards. Su Jian stood above the heavens, his gaze toward the two devoid of any warmth, once again chanting: ¡°The Sword Emerges as white scales, its Qi like a cold Jiaolong!¡± With the incantation, the Harsh Cold Sword split into a myriad of des, the enormous Sword Qi forming into a gigantic Jiaolong shape, bringing a might that seemed capable of destroying heaven and earth as it roared straight down at them! Qiu Changtian quickly murmured ¡°Dew gathers into bones, fingertips strike the clouds,¡± unleashing the full force of Shangyang Sword Qi towards the giant Harsh Cold Jiaolong in the sky. Countless Shangyang Sword Qi pierced into the Jiaolong, and the struck Harsh Cold Sword Qi instantaneously dispersed. However,pared to the vast amount of Sword Qi inside the Jiaolong¡¯s body, it was just a drop in the bucket. In a few breaths¡¯ time, the massive Jiaolongposed of Sword Qi crashed down, utterly engulfing both the motionless Luo Yan and the still struggling Qiu Changtian. Qiu Changtian suddenly opened his eyes. He then realized he was in a city. Greenstone paved the ground beneath his feet, and dark clouds crowded overhead, looking as though it would rain soon; passersby hurried along their way. ¡°I¡¯ve said before, the One Line Fire Prison test is about the ability to deal with strong enemies,¡± Luo Yan stood by his side, looking at a stand selling conical hats, and said indifferently, ¡°Whether it¡¯s to stay and fight or to flee, both are just possible choices.¡±
¡°But when you truly face a life or death situation, and all hope for the road ahead is severed, the key to breaking through this test is whether you can continue to struggle to survive, rather than resigning yourself to death.¡± Having said that, he sighed deeply, and earnestly added: ¡°The path of cultivation is narrow; others obstruct me, I obstruct others. Even at thest moment, how can we speak lightly of sess or failure, life or death?¡± Qiu Changtian was silent for a long while before nodding.
¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that anymore,¡± said Luo Yan with a smile, ¡°This ce is the Mortal World of Two Realms. The Two Realms refer to the past and the future.¡± ¡°You and I are not from this realm, having no past to speak of, so what the Illusion Domain reflects here is the future.¡± He paid the stand owner, then picked up a conical hat and put it on his head: ¡°Or rather, it¡¯s a potential future that you fear.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk anymore; it¡¯s rted to the Illusion Domain, you¡¯d better figure it out yourself, it¡¯ll be good for you.¡± After finishing his words, he leisurely disappeared at the corner of the street. Qiu Changtian looked at him suspiciously, feeling as if a future version of himself was expecting something. Hmm, could it be that I will make a fool of myself here in the Illusion Domain? What a joke, I¡¯m someone with Daoist Heart rity! How could I be fooled by mere illusions? But just in case, it¡¯s better to be cautious¡­ ¡°Ah Jing,¡± he called out softly, ¡°help me break this Illusion Domain.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t I tell you?¡± the Kunlun Mirror spoke indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s better for you to figure it out yourself.¡± ¡°I sense a whiff of conspiracy,¡± Qiu Changtian said coldly, ¡°Ah Jing, have you already seen through this Illusion Domain and are intentionally hiding something from me?¡± The Kunlun Mirror remained silent.
Since the damn mirror started ying dead again, Qiu Changtian had no choice but to continue walking down the street for the time being while carefully scanning his surroundings. It seemed to be the busy time in the marketce, with peopleing and going, a never-ending stream. However, all the pedestrians had no faces, their bodies surrounded by a dim and murky gray, quite eerie. He walked for a moment when suddenly, he saw a figure pushing through the crowd, waving anding towards him. Shi Liuli? No, it¡¯s an illusion! With his Daoist Heart rity, Qiu Changtian quickly realized that the ¡°Shi Liuli¡± opposite him was not a real person but made of illusions. Good, I want to see what kind of tricks this Illusion Domain is trying to y. As these thoughts whirled in his mind, he saw that Shi Liulie forward with a charming smile, sped his arm, and said in a crisp voice: ¡°It¡¯s already noon; why is my husband still leisurely strolling outside? Are you not terribly hungry? The banquet at home is already prepared, just waiting for my husband to dine!¡± Qiu Changtian sneered inwardly. If this Mortal World wants me to y the role of Miss Shi¡¯s husband, I¡¯ll y along for now and see how things unfold. Thinking this, he smiled warmly and said to Shi Liuli:
¡°Very well, I am indeed hungry; let¡¯s return to the mansion together.¡± Following Shi Liuli back to the mansion and stepping into the dining hall, sure enough as she had said, all kinds of dishes were already served on the round table. Xu Yinglian sat at the right side, and An Zhisu at the left. Seeing hime in, they stood up to greet him and called out ¡°Master¡± with a bow. Ah, what¡¯s the meaning of this? Why do I feel like I¡¯m in some Republican-erady of the manor scene? Qiu Changtian was filled with doubts in his heart but called for everyone to sit down nheless. One man and three women sat around the round table in their respective positions. He had eaten a few slices of meat when Shi Liuli cheerfully put a chicken drumstick in his bowl and said: ¡°Husband, eat more; this meat is very tender and fresh.¡± Qiu Changtian bit into it and immediately noted that the marinade was rich and savory, deliciously salty and fresh. Seeing that Shi Liuli¡¯s face was full of a ¡°hurry up and ask me¡± eager expression, he asked: ¡°This taste is wonderful; was it made by a cook at home?¡± ¡°It was me!¡± Shi Liuli raised her hand and shouted, looking yful and cute, ¡°I learned this secret recipe from the master chef at the Xing Xiang Building!¡± ¡°I¡¯ll tell you a secret, my husband, it¡¯s made with top-quality chicken drumsticks and a mix of various ingredients like star anise, cinnamon, pepper, orange sauce, and more, marinated for three days and three nights. Withoutprehension and patience, it would be very difficult to learn, you know!¡± Qiu Changtian smiled faintly, about to praise her, when he heard Xu Yinglian from across the table humph and say coldly:
¡°As a married woman, how can you so easily show your face about and learn skills in such noisy ces like taverns?¡± After finishing her words, she picked up some asparagus with her chopsticks and ced it in Qiu Changtian¡¯s bowl, adding: ¡°My husband, have some vegetables.¡± Chapter 59: 59: Pass Six Trials, Receive Rewards at the Pavilion Chapter 59: Pass Six Trials, Receive Rewards at the Pavilion Shi Liuli put down her chopsticks and gave the table a firm smack, huffing: ¡°At least I have this intention, willing to offer my meager strength for my husband¡¯s gastronomic desires.¡± ¡°Naturally, I cannotpare to certain concubines who spend all dayposing poems and ying zither, humming tunes, and fancying themselves as refined and cultured, oblivious to their utter uselessness at home, which is trulyughable.¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s eye twitched as she sneered: ¡°Who says I am utterly useless? At least I have a son, continuing our family¡¯s lineage and the ancestral incense.¡± ¡°Unlike some women who, after sharing the marital bed for three years, can¡¯t even bear a child.¡± ¡°Who are you saying can¡¯t bear a child!¡± Shi Liuli screamed, about to flip the table. But the tabletop wouldn¡¯t budge; it was An Zhisu across from her, holding down the table with one hand, preventing her from flipping it. She spoke in a soft voice: ¡°Ladies, the master of the house is still here. Let¡¯s not disrupt the harmony in front of the family head, it would be embarrassing for the master.¡± Immediately, Shi Liuli¡¯s tears fell like rain as she clung to Qiu Changtian¡¯s right arm, wailing:
¡°Husband, look at how jealous she is, always bullying me, where is the decency expected of the main wife¡­¡± At that moment, Xu Yinglian also had tears in the corners of her eyes, she nibbled her lower lip and whimpered: ¡°I, from Xu Family, have been married for seven years and believe I have upheld my marital duties, treating my inws with respect, and teaching the children diligently while managing household affairs.¡± ¡°Who would have thought that someone, having been in the marriage for three years, would have the audacity to try to oppress me, causing unrest in the inner courtyard¡­¡± Each crying their grievances, one on the left and one on the right, An Zhisu chiming in from the side with veiled barbs in her tone. The three women¡¯s incessant chatterbined into a cacophony that buzzed in his ears, causing him to grow dizzy. He could not help but smash the tabletop with force and bellowed: ¡°Shut up all of you!!!¡± The three women immediately fell silent, yet their faces were streaked with tears, each looking at him with eyes brimming with more tears. ¡°What¡­ what kind of hellish trial is this!¡± Qiu Changtian stood up from the table, his heart in turmoil. What kind of bizarre illusion is this?! A harem catfight? Is this a test of my ability to deal with domestic disputes? You¡¯ve got to be kidding me! What does this have to do with cultivation? I must be seeing ghosts! Don¡¯t panic, do not panic, these women are fake, calm down, it¡¯s all an illusion¡­ Forcing himself to revolve his Daoist Heart rity, Qiu Changtian quickly regained hisposure. Ah, I¡¯ve got it. This illusion must be intentionally crafted this way, creating aplicated harem situation that if you be obsessed with solving it, you¡¯ll fall right into the trap. The correct action should be to decisively cut through the mess, the so-called ¡®sharp sword cutting through love¡¯s ties¡¯, surely that would allow me to pass the trial¡­ Upon this realization, he suddenlymanded his Jade Smoke Sword, aiming to sh directly at the three madams. Only to be met with Xu Yinglian conjuring the Feather Jia Sword, Shi Liuli wielding the Heaven-overturning Seal, and An Zhisu drawing the Frostfall Sword to deflect his attacks with a ttering din, blocking them all. ¡°Husband, what is this? Could it really be that for that woman¡¯s sake, you would kill me?¡± ¡°My lord, how could you be so cruel? Willing to silence me despite years of affection, dreaming only of roaming the skies with that woman?¡±
¡°Master, did you see through my ns? I had no choice, as you¡¯ve been seeking pleasures too frequently in recent years, I had to resort to such vulgar tactics to win back your attention¡­¡± The madams¡¯ faces reflected choked-up sobs, but their hands unleashed various Divine Skills as they shed fiercely with Qiu Changtian. In an instant, the mansion was reduced to rubble. In the sky, Xu Yinglian had transformed into a phoenix, raining down heavenly fire; on the ground, Shi Liuli deployed myriad treasures, dazzling with flowing lights; from a distance, An Zhisu¡¯s sword thrust across the sky, her Sword Qi vast and mighty.
Caught in such a pincer attack, Qiu Changtian could not hold them off, and he fought while retreating. The three pursued relentlessly, battling him until the heavens grew dim and the earth darkened, the sun and moon void of light. It was only when his True Qi was exhausted and his divine essence dwindled that he realized he was standing in a square. Luo Yan was standing by the side, looking at him with profound meaning: ¡°You¡¯ve passed the Mortal World trial of the two realms. Do you have any thoughts on it?¡± ¡°Go to hell.¡± ¡°Why would you curse yourself?¡± ¡°Then why would you want to harm yourself?¡± ¡°Because I am you from the future; I have already personally experienced that chaos,¡± said Luo Yan, his tone leisurely. ¡°I couldn¡¯t let go of this opportunity to let you understand it too; my conscience wouldn¡¯t allow me otherwise.¡± Qiu Changtian: I have a swear word on my mind, not sure whether to say it or not. After thinking it over, I¡¯ll hold back. I don¡¯t want to curse myself while impersonating Luo Yan in the future. ¡°Alright,¡± said Luo Yan atst, ¡°The Pavilion is just ahead. You can push the door open and receive your reward.¡± ¡°What about you?¡± asked Qiu Changtian suspiciously.
¡°Me?¡± Luo Yan smiled slightly with an air of profound mystery. ¡°I must stay here, to deal with the impending cmity that¡¯s about toe.¡± ¡°Cmity?¡± Qiu Changtian was confused, only to hear Luo Yan urge him with a wave of his hand. ¡°Hurry up. After you¡¯ve received the reward and been teleported away, find a ce to ¡®load the save¡¯ of Luo Yan.¡± ¡°As for what this cmity actually is, you¡¯ll know once you be Luo Yan.¡± ¡°Alright then,¡± sighed Qiu Changtian and walked towards the Pavilion ahead. ¡°Wait,¡± Luo Yan suddenly called out to him. ¡°What is it?¡± Qiu Changtian turned his head and asked. ¡°Remember this when choosing a reward,¡± Luo Yan said seriously, ¡°Two birds in the bush are not worth one in the hand.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Qiu Changtian pondered for a moment, then nodded. The Pavilion was a majestic pce, its exterior somewhat resembling the Forbidden City Pce of his previous life. Qiu Changtian climbed up the nine-rank white jade steps, stood in front of the mammoth nanmu doors, took a deep breath, and then pushed them open. Once inside, he saw a vast and empty pce hall. There was only an incense table, one meditation cushion, and a scroll painting on the wall depicting a beautiful immortal woman, and nothing else.
It seemed the secret must lie within that meditation cushion. Qiu Changtian walked up to it, knelt down on the cushion, bowed deeply to the scroll, and instantly a voice resonated within the hall, sounding like a young woman, her artiction ethereal, filling the space with fragrance: ¡°rify Cult branch, Kunlun disciple, Qiu Changtian. Passed six trials, first to clear this round, outstanding performance.¡± After a short pause, the voice continued: ¡°It is observed that what you practice is the Immortal Sect¡¯s Nine Heavens Pure and Minor Entry Daoist Incantation, a wondrous method. Given time, you will surely be a Golden Immortal, so this time you shall not be given the Qi Refining Technique.¡± ¡°Flying Sword, Magical Treasure, Daoist Magic, choose one of the three.¡± Three objects then descended from the air. Whenever he set his gaze on any one of them, the celestial voice would exin it to him: ¡°The Flying Sword is the Dual Prity Dust Sword, a Daoist Magic Sword. Harmoniously blending Yin and Yang, carrying the Universe within, whoever wields this sword can pass through the Dual Prity Dust Formation undisturbed by any Qimen Dunjia. It contains Triple Prohibition Law, which will reveal itself upon touching.¡± ¡°The Magical Treasure is the ¡®Changes and Exchanges Map¡¯, a Daoist Magical Treasure. Inscribed upon it are the Great Expansion numbers of heaven and earth, the River Map Four Symbols Eight Trigrams, Dragon Diagram Turtle Scripture discussion; it can activate corresponding formations: the Great Expansion Array, the River Map Four Symbols Eight Trigrams Array, the Dragon Diagram Turtle Scripture Array.¡± ¡°Daoist Magic includes the middle volume of the Five Thunder True Law, containing the Immortal Capital Thunder, Pr Thunder, Tai Yi Thunder ¨C three types of Thunder Methods with supreme power.¡± Qiu Changtian fell silent for a brief moment. Curse it, I want them all, what to do? First off, the Dual Prity Dust Sword, this thing is often mentioned in ancient texts, at the same level as the renowned ancient Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword, also known as the ¡°Eleventh Rank Immortal Sword.¡±
If talking about value, among the three treasures, the Dual Prity Dust Sword ranks first. However, for Qiu Changtian, the biggest issue with this Immortal Sword is¡­ its rank is too high, beyond his capability to refine without external assistance. Thereupon he called upon the Kunlun Mirror in his heart,ughing as he asked: ¡°Ah Jing, Ah Jing! Don¡¯t you think this sword would perfectly match Qing Ping? Could you help me refine it, to pair it with Qing Ping?¡± ¡°Do not choose the Dual Prity Dust Sword,¡± the Kunlun Mirror advised leisurely, ¡°Though it bears the same name and rank, it¡¯s actually a Tenth Rank replica, possessing only a fraction of the original Dual Prity Dust Sword¡¯s capabilities.¡± Qiu Changtian uttered an ¡®oh¡¯, suddenly enlightened. No wonder it was called the Dual Prity Dust Sword, yet couldn¡¯t ¡°manipte¡± the Dual Prity Dust Great Formation, only aiding the Sword Master to ¡°pass through¡±¡ªit was just a replica! Said replicas, also known as ¡®subsidiary products¡¯, refer to a high level of Artifact Refining skill, wherein a crafter can use a fragment of an Eleventh Rank genuine Magical Treasure¡¯s essence to cast a Tenth Rank Magical Artifact that possesses a portion of the original¡¯s power. In the current Cultivation Realm, the art of replicating Immortal Swords has gone lost; it can only be done by recasting broken swords. The art of replicating Magical Treasures is also mastered by very few. If Luo Yan¡¯s knowledge wasn¡¯t wrong, only his Third Senior Sister Liang Ruohua, with the help of Elder Shi Ding, could replicate ¡°Eleventh Rank¡± Magical Treasures of the Spiritual Treasure level¡ªand those had to be the simple and crude variety, like the purely physical attacking Heaven-overturning Seal, Divine Smiting Whip, and the like. If it were a true Dual Prity Dust Sword, he might indeed have found it difficult to part with; but since it¡¯s merely a replica, its value plummets substantially. Thus Qiu Changtian turned his gaze onto the next Magical Treasure, the ¡®Changes and Exchanges Map¡¯. Chapter 62: 62: Ah Jing Opens Up, Qing Ping Offers Support Chapter 62: Ah Jing Opens Up, Qing Ping Offers Support Upon traversing the realm of the ten halls in the Land of Fengdu, following the guidance of the Kunlun Mirror, they sessfully fought their way from start to finish with Qiu Changtian. In thend ruled by the four kings of Asura, it was still Xu Yinglian who led the frontline, while the two of them stealthily followed behind, eventually snatching the boss¡ªand once again witnessed the fury of their junior sister. In the Sixth Heavenly Demon Land, Luo Yan simply sat down in the forest and allowed Qiu Changtian, with his Daoist Heart rity, to clear the stage on his own. In thend of the three types of beasts, Luo Yan, transformed into a roon-like beast, exchanged words with Qiu Changtian in thenguage of birds and beasts, then led him into a cave to absorb the essence of the sun and the moon, smoothly bypassing Qi Refinement to enter the Marrow Cleansing Rank. In the realm of the narrow Fire Prison, Luo Yan led Qiu Changtian in a frantic escape, and halfway, they were struck by Su Jian¡¯s sh of Daoist magic, avoiding a fatal injury through the use of the Lifemanding Mirror, then removed the chill poison with an elixir. In the Two Worlds Mortal Realm, Luo Yan kept his distance throughout, watching Qiu Changtian fight fierce illusions of Xu Yinglian, An Zhisu, and Shi Liuli, nearly erasing the very essence of the Dao in their battle. It was thrilling, exciting, and spectacr. Just before the two were transported to the Pavilion Main Hall, Luo Yan leisurely said: ¡°The Two Worlds Mortal Realm level has been cleared, what are your thoughts?¡± ¡°Screw you,¡± Qiu Changtian responded coldly.
¡°Why do you want to curse yourself?¡± Luo Yan asked curiously. ¡°Then why do you want to harm yourself?¡± Luo Yan couldn¡¯t help but chuckle and said: ¡°Because I am you from the future. I have already personally experienced that Asura battle.¡± ¡°Taking advantage of this opportunity to let you experience it too, I really couldn¡¯t rest easy if I didn¡¯t.¡± Seeing Qiu Changtian¡¯s crestfallen expression, Luo Yan¡¯s interest waned somewhat. After exining a few more things, he ushered him into the Pavilion Main Hall. Next, Luo Yan slipped to the back of the Pavilion Main Hall, found a spot where he was unlikely to be noticed, and hid himself. ¡°Ah Jing,¡± he said coldly in his mind, ¡°tell me, what exactly is that cmity?¡± Kunlun Mirror was silent for a moment before asking: ¡°How do you know that I can answer this question for you?¡± Luo Yan replied solemnly: ¡°The gift of time, you think I would believe that excuse?¡± ¡°These lines, there are too many details and clear directions in them, how could they possibly be written by the Dao?¡± ¡°Ah Jing, although you never mentioned it, I know that in addition to being able to record to the past, you can actually observe the future.¡± ¡°Otherwise, how would you know that the world will be destroyed in a thousand years?¡± ¡°Since you can observe the future, it must be that you saw an unavoidable death that I am about to face, thus deciding to employ the extraordinary measure of ¡®letting the future me save the past me,¡¯ which naturally bes the only logical exnation.¡± There was a long silence. ¡°Do you know?¡± Kunlun Mirror spoke faintly, ¡°Knowing the future is actually not a good thing.¡± ¡°The future is uncertain, but the moment you be aware of the oue, it bes fixed.¡±
¡°Whether it is good or bad; continuation or destruction.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± After pondering for a moment, Luo Yan smirked and said, ¡°So, it means that when you observed the destruction of the world in a thousand years, that oue had already be ¡®history,¡¯ unchangeable, right?¡± ¡°To all things in this world, yes,¡± the Kunlun Mirror whispered, ¡°Only those from the other world can interfere with the future¡¯s direction.¡± Luo Yan suddenly shivered.
With the help of the insight granted by a single whiff of magical aroma, he instantly grasped the cryptic meaning of the Kunlun Mirror. Schr?dinger¡¯s sealed box was in an indeterminate state before observation. When the Kunlun Mirror observed the dead cat inside, the cat¡¯s death became certain. Observation was the dividing line, with the state being uncertain before and confirmed death after, imprinting the process from beginning to end upon the timeline, which could no longer be altered by the Kunlun Mirror. For all its efforts, including its own existence, had already be parts of this timeline, steering towards the predetermined ¡°destruction of the world.¡± One cannot lift oneself by pulling one¡¯s own hair, just as individuals within the light cone cannot break free from their predestined fate. The only possibility of breaking this predicament is to introduce ¡°parts that do not belong to this timeline.¡± Which is to say, from outside the light cone, theoretically unable to enter yet abruptly crossing through¡ªthe other self. ¡°You helped me mend the heavens and save the world, and I granted you top-notch talent for cultivation. Our rtionship of mutual benefit was established from the beginning,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said softly. ¡°Thus, even if there are some things I cannot exin to you, I can promise that I will never harm you.¡± ¡°Ha,¡± Luo Yan scoffed, ¡°I just fear that, under the pretense of benefiting me, you would do things behind my back that you believe wouldn¡¯t harm me.¡± ¡°Not at all!¡± the Kunlun Mirror said guiltily, ¡°Look, I¡¯ve always been residing in your Sea of Consciousness, how could I possibly do anything without you knowing?¡± ¡°So, what is the deadly tribtion I am about to face?¡± Luo Yan asked indifferently, not pressing further. ¡°There are two individuals at the Great Perfection rank of Refining Mansion stage who want to kill you,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied, ¡°And they¡¯ve brought some rather formidable defensive magical treasures.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Luo Yan closed his eyes.
After thinking rapidly for a moment, he released the Green Duckweed Sword from his fingertip. Upon entering the Marrow Cleansing Rank, a Shushan Sword Immortal can ¡°nourish the sword with the body,¡± using their own Root Bone as a Sword Box to harbor and nurture the Flying Sword. Over time, one can achieve a profound connection with the Flying Sword, linking breaths and spirits, what is called the ¡°Life-bound Sword Artifact¡± technique. The Green Duckweed Sword slipped out from his fingertip, and a coquettish voice rang in his mind: ¡°What is it, Sword Master?¡± ¡°The Kunlun Mirror says two people are out to kill me, and they have brought some powerful defensive magical treasures,¡± Luo Yan said coolly. ¡°I need your assistance.¡± ¡°Easy,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword chuckled, ¡°Since the Sword Master has reached the Marrow Cleansing Rank, I can unlock another Daoist Magic.¡± ¡°This technique is called ¡®After Rain in the Empty Mountain¡¯, which condenses the water system True Yuan into needle-sized Sword Qi to attack the enemy. By chanting ¡®Clouds form where the skin rises, raines upon feet¡¯s retreat¡¯, you can activate it.¡± ¡°Sword Master, you should know that ¡®water says it moisturizes everything below¡¯; it means that the water system True Yuan possesses prative abilities that leave no crevice unfilled.¡± ¡°This move ¡®After Rain in the Empty Mountain¡¯ is specifically designed to break through various defensive spells. Ifbined with ¡®Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains¡¯, it can be particrly effective.¡± Hearing the Green Duckweed Sword¡¯s delightedugh, Luo Yan quickly firmed up his thoughts. Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains can raise a fog that blocks Divine Sense, where all non-water system Daoist Magic have their power halved, yet ¡®After Rain in the Empty Mountain¡¯, being a water system Daoist Magic, is unaffected. As for his trump card, the Jade Pivot Thunder, while it would suffer negative effects, its original power is so excessively formidable that even halved, it remains significantly formidable.
More importantly, the thick fogpletely conceals one¡¯s form and also covers the trajectories of the Green Duckweed Sword and Jade Pivot Thunder, creating a perfect environment for a sneak attack. With proper nning, taking advantage of ¡®After Rain in the Empty Mountain¡¯s¡¯ ability to break defenses, there is a chance of a one-hit kill even against two Refining Mansion stage enemies! Chapter 61: 61: Fully Equipped, Back to the Pavilion! Chapter 61: Fully Equipped, Back to the Pavilion! Linghu Chu hurried to the backyard, first to check if the jars of wine buried underground had been dug up recently. Then he went to the workshop, brought back a Flying Sword, and forcefully handed it to Luo Yan with augh, saying, ¡°Junior brother! You did very well. In the future, if junior sister tries anything with the wine jars in my backyard, you must notify me in advance!¡± Luo Yan looked down and indeed it was the pink Flying Sword he remembered. His brows furrowed slightly, and just as he was about to speak, he heard Linghu Chu say, ¡°I figured you¡¯d be heading to the Pavilion soon to participate in the trial, so I wanted to gift you this sword. This is the ¡®Peach Blossom,¡¯ a ninth-rank Wood System Flying Sword. I¡¯ve refined it using the heartwood of millennia-old peach trees along with poisonous swamp gas as auxiliary materials. Not only can it poison flesh and blood, but it can also taint magical treasures, which I thought would be most suitable for your gentle and modest nature.¡± Big brother, do you have some misunderstanding of the phrase ¡°gentle and modest¡±? Speechless, Luo Yan could only solemnly ept the gift, thank his senior brother, and then take his leave. After saying goodbye to Linghu Chu, Luo Yan nned to borrow the Heaven-flipping Seal from Shi Liuli. Miss Shi was currently in an empty room at Yuqing View with her senior and junior sisters, setting up the surrounding environment. Upon seeing Luo Yaning, Miss Shi pulled him over and, without exnation, stuffed a test paper and writing materials into his hands,
¡°Junior brother, you¡¯vee at just the right time! Try out the exam for the new members of our society and see how many points you can score?¡± So, you have to take an exam to join your fan club? Luo Yan thought wearily. Such a trashy society should close down sooner rather thanter. He sighed and looked at the test paper, the first question read: What are the most attractive traits of Qiu Changtian (list at least ten)? Luo Yan barely suppressed the urge to tremble and vomit blood as he continued to read the second and third questions: What is your favorite quote from Qiu Changtian? What is Qiu Changtian¡¯s favorite color? Scrolling further down, the questions were simr, about sixty or so in total. Luo Yan: As he shamefully wrote his answers, Shi Liuli found a moment to lean over, nced at his paper, and said, ¡°Qiu Changtian¡¯s favorite color is sky blue! You got that wrong, didn¡¯t you?¡± What I like is the deep blue of the Sky Throne! How could that guy like a sky blue that leans towards green?! Luo Yan, with an expressionless face, crossed out the answer and rewrote ¡°sky blue,¡± only to hear Shi Liuli, looking at his test paper, continue to say, ¡°His favorite quote is ¡®Emerging from Kunlun, united by justice¡¯¡­ haha, most people write this one. The attractive traits of Qiu Changtian¡­ you answered well, but you missed one thing, that although he is high above, he is also approachable, and it¡¯s this seemingly contradictory contrast that is central to his charismatic personality¡­¡± Luo Yan suppressed the severe urge to vomit and corrected the entire test paper ording to Miss Shi¡¯s suggestions. Shi Liuli then picked up the test paper, put it away with satisfaction, and said, ¡°Well done, junior brother. From today onwards, you are the sixteenth official member of our ¡®Changtian Society¡¯.¡± Luo Yan replied woodenly,
¡°Okay, sister. Also, I would like to borrow the Heaven-flipping Seal.¡± ¡°What do you need the Heaven-flipping Seal for, is it for the Pavilion trial?¡± Shi Liuli took out the Heaven-flipping Seal and passed it over readily, ¡°Here you go.¡± Luo Yan took it in surprise and asked, ¡°If you give me the Heaven-flipping Seal, what will you use for the Pavilion trial?¡±
¡°Third Sister has made me a replica of the Divine Smiting Whip, the Divine Striking Whip, which is much more useful than the Heaven-flipping Seal,¡± Shi Liuli replied. Luo Yan didn¡¯t know what kind of expression to show to this little rich girl, so he just responded with a strained smile. After bidding farewell to Shi Liuli, Luo Yan went to the other shops in the Taoist temple, buying arge number of Talisman Scripts and Elixirs. In the end, he took out the ¡°Lifemanding Mirror¡± that his third senior sister Liang Ruohua had given himst time and carried it with him. All set, fully armed! ¡°Ah Jing! Anything else that needs to be prepared?¡± Luo Yan asked in his mind. The Kunlun Mirror remained silent for a moment, then started to y the scenes it had recorded earlier in the Pavilion. There¡¯s even a little film? Luo Yan was thrilled and hurriedly rewatched the whole process. During his trip to the Pavilion, Luo Yan had used a total of five battle techniques. The first, the Ninth Rank Wood System Flying Sword ¡°Peach Blossom¡±. The second, the Heaven-flipping Seal. The third, arge quantity of me Rush Talismans. The fourth, the Grass-U White Descending Elixir.
The fifth, the Lifemanding Mirror. Wait, that¡¯s not right, there was another one: it was the Shushan Sword Technique ¡°Unity of Body and Sword¡± he had used to kill the incarnation of Emperor Shitian in the Four Kings Asura Land. So, Luo Yan reloaded a save and went back to Ling Yunpo, without telling Senior Sister An about his advancement to the Marrow Cleansing Rank, he first absorbed the Green Duckweed Sword into his body to ¡°nourish the sword with his body,¡± then he practiced Unity of Body and Sword for several days, and initially mastered the technique skillfully. Then he reloaded the save and returned to Luo Yan¡¯s side, beginning preparations for the trip to the Pavilion. Soon, the day the Pavilion opened arrived. On Peni¡¯s side, at Yuqing View, arge number of dragon boats and shuttles were prepared, carrying the disciples to meet with Kunlun in the open sea. To avoid meeting Qiu Changtian, Luo Yan locked himself inside the cabin the whole time, rehearsing again and again the lines and expressions he would need to useter on. As a result, his senior brothers and sisters seemed to have misunderstood, seeing Miss Shi eagerly chatting with Qiu Changtian and thinking Luo Yan had been through a heartbreak, thusing tofort their junior brother. Luo Yan could only deal with them one by one through the cabin door, cating each in turn. Soon, the moment the Pavilion opened arrived, and Miss Shi hurried over, knocking on the door from outside: ¡°Junior Brother! The Pavilion has already opened, hurry up ande out!¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Luo Yan checked his equipment onest time, then got up, opened the door, and went out, only to be grabbed by Shi Liuli, who pulled him to the side of the ship and jumped towards the rainbow light outside. Her hand was soft and slippery, causing him to be slightly distracted, but soon he was pulled by Shi Liuli into the splendid pce gate, whirling around, and then they were teleported away.
Luo Yan opened his eyes in the secret realm. He looked at the stunned Qiu Changtian next to him. In his field of vision, the little assistant of the Kunlun Mirror activated the teleprompter, revealing the lines he needed to read before his eyes. ¡°Don¡¯t panic, just listen to me,¡± Luo Yan said expressionlessly, ¡°I am you from a future timeline.¡± ¡°To be precise, I am you who hadpletely cleared the Pavilion and left, returned to the cabin on the ship outside, and immediately reloaded Luo Yan¡¯s save.¡± ¡°I havee here to help you resolve an imminent disaster.¡± ¡°You can verify my identity through the Kunlun Mirror because I have one too.¡± The Qiu Changtian opposite him fell silent for a moment; it seemed he wasmunicating with the Kunlun Mirror in his Sea of Consciousness. Then, he showed a helpless expression that read ¡°you¡¯re really half-assing this read.¡± After finishing the rest of the lines, Luo Yan set off on Sword Light, taking Qiu Changtian with him as they proceeded forward. The Kunlun Mirror¡¯s little assistant timely produced an electronic map, guiding Luo Yan towards the direction of the Ghost Gate. Arriving at the Ghost Gate, Luo Yan exined dully for a few sentences, then with a strike of Jade Pivot Thunder, he knocked the Soul Hooking Envoy over. The two of them turned into Sword Light and entered, instantly passing through the Ghost Gate and rushing in the direction of the River of Forgetfulness.
Chapter 62: 62: Ah Jing Opens Up, Qing Ping Offers Support Chapter 62: Ah Jing Opens Up, Qing Ping Offers Support Upon traversing the realm of the ten halls in the Land of Fengdu, following the guidance of the Kunlun Mirror, they sessfully fought their way from start to finish with Qiu Changtian. In thend ruled by the four kings of Asura, it was still Xu Yinglian who led the frontline, while the two of them stealthily followed behind, eventually snatching the boss¡ªand once again witnessed the fury of their junior sister. In the Sixth Heavenly Demon Land, Luo Yan simply sat down in the forest and allowed Qiu Changtian, with his Daoist Heart rity, to clear the stage on his own. In thend of the three types of beasts, Luo Yan, transformed into a roon-like beast, exchanged words with Qiu Changtian in thenguage of birds and beasts, then led him into a cave to absorb the essence of the sun and the moon, smoothly bypassing Qi Refinement to enter the Marrow Cleansing Rank. In the realm of the narrow Fire Prison, Luo Yan led Qiu Changtian in a frantic escape, and halfway, they were struck by Su Jian¡¯s sh of Daoist magic, avoiding a fatal injury through the use of the Lifemanding Mirror, then removed the chill poison with an elixir. In the Two Worlds Mortal Realm, Luo Yan kept his distance throughout, watching Qiu Changtian fight fierce illusions of Xu Yinglian, An Zhisu, and Shi Liuli, nearly erasing the very essence of the Dao in their battle. It was thrilling, exciting, and spectacr. Just before the two were transported to the Pavilion Main Hall, Luo Yan leisurely said: ¡°The Two Worlds Mortal Realm level has been cleared, what are your thoughts?¡± ¡°Screw you,¡± Qiu Changtian responded coldly.
¡°Why do you want to curse yourself?¡± Luo Yan asked curiously. ¡°Then why do you want to harm yourself?¡± Luo Yan couldn¡¯t help but chuckle and said: ¡°Because I am you from the future. I have already personally experienced that Asura battle.¡± ¡°Taking advantage of this opportunity to let you experience it too, I really couldn¡¯t rest easy if I didn¡¯t.¡± Seeing Qiu Changtian¡¯s crestfallen expression, Luo Yan¡¯s interest waned somewhat. After exining a few more things, he ushered him into the Pavilion Main Hall. Next, Luo Yan slipped to the back of the Pavilion Main Hall, found a spot where he was unlikely to be noticed, and hid himself. ¡°Ah Jing,¡± he said coldly in his mind, ¡°tell me, what exactly is that cmity?¡± Kunlun Mirror was silent for a moment before asking: ¡°How do you know that I can answer this question for you?¡± Luo Yan replied solemnly: ¡°The gift of time, you think I would believe that excuse?¡± ¡°These lines, there are too many details and clear directions in them, how could they possibly be written by the Dao?¡± ¡°Ah Jing, although you never mentioned it, I know that in addition to being able to record to the past, you can actually observe the future.¡± ¡°Otherwise, how would you know that the world will be destroyed in a thousand years?¡± ¡°Since you can observe the future, it must be that you saw an unavoidable death that I am about to face, thus deciding to employ the extraordinary measure of ¡®letting the future me save the past me,¡¯ which naturally bes the only logical exnation.¡± There was a long silence. ¡°Do you know?¡± Kunlun Mirror spoke faintly, ¡°Knowing the future is actually not a good thing.¡± ¡°The future is uncertain, but the moment you be aware of the oue, it bes fixed.¡±
¡°Whether it is good or bad; continuation or destruction.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± After pondering for a moment, Luo Yan smirked and said, ¡°So, it means that when you observed the destruction of the world in a thousand years, that oue had already be ¡®history,¡¯ unchangeable, right?¡± ¡°To all things in this world, yes,¡± the Kunlun Mirror whispered, ¡°Only those from the other world can interfere with the future¡¯s direction.¡± Luo Yan suddenly shivered.
With the help of the insight granted by a single whiff of magical aroma, he instantly grasped the cryptic meaning of the Kunlun Mirror. Schr?dinger¡¯s sealed box was in an indeterminate state before observation. When the Kunlun Mirror observed the dead cat inside, the cat¡¯s death became certain. Observation was the dividing line, with the state being uncertain before and confirmed death after, imprinting the process from beginning to end upon the timeline, which could no longer be altered by the Kunlun Mirror. For all its efforts, including its own existence, had already be parts of this timeline, steering towards the predetermined ¡°destruction of the world.¡± One cannot lift oneself by pulling one¡¯s own hair, just as individuals within the light cone cannot break free from their predestined fate. The only possibility of breaking this predicament is to introduce ¡°parts that do not belong to this timeline.¡± Which is to say, from outside the light cone, theoretically unable to enter yet abruptly crossing through¡ªthe other self. ¡°You helped me mend the heavens and save the world, and I granted you top-notch talent for cultivation. Our rtionship of mutual benefit was established from the beginning,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said softly. ¡°Thus, even if there are some things I cannot exin to you, I can promise that I will never harm you.¡± ¡°Ha,¡± Luo Yan scoffed, ¡°I just fear that, under the pretense of benefiting me, you would do things behind my back that you believe wouldn¡¯t harm me.¡± ¡°Not at all!¡± the Kunlun Mirror said guiltily, ¡°Look, I¡¯ve always been residing in your Sea of Consciousness, how could I possibly do anything without you knowing?¡± ¡°So, what is the deadly tribtion I am about to face?¡± Luo Yan asked indifferently, not pressing further. ¡°There are two individuals at the Great Perfection rank of Refining Mansion stage who want to kill you,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied, ¡°And they¡¯ve brought some rather formidable defensive magical treasures.¡± ¡°Fine,¡± Luo Yan closed his eyes.
After thinking rapidly for a moment, he released the Green Duckweed Sword from his fingertip. Upon entering the Marrow Cleansing Rank, a Shushan Sword Immortal can ¡°nourish the sword with the body,¡± using their own Root Bone as a Sword Box to harbor and nurture the Flying Sword. Over time, one can achieve a profound connection with the Flying Sword, linking breaths and spirits, what is called the ¡°Life-bound Sword Artifact¡± technique. The Green Duckweed Sword slipped out from his fingertip, and a coquettish voice rang in his mind: ¡°What is it, Sword Master?¡± ¡°The Kunlun Mirror says two people are out to kill me, and they have brought some powerful defensive magical treasures,¡± Luo Yan said coolly. ¡°I need your assistance.¡± ¡°Easy,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword chuckled, ¡°Since the Sword Master has reached the Marrow Cleansing Rank, I can unlock another Daoist Magic.¡± ¡°This technique is called ¡®After Rain in the Empty Mountain¡¯, which condenses the water system True Yuan into needle-sized Sword Qi to attack the enemy. By chanting ¡®Clouds form where the skin rises, raines upon feet¡¯s retreat¡¯, you can activate it.¡± ¡°Sword Master, you should know that ¡®water says it moisturizes everything below¡¯; it means that the water system True Yuan possesses prative abilities that leave no crevice unfilled.¡± ¡°This move ¡®After Rain in the Empty Mountain¡¯ is specifically designed to break through various defensive spells. Ifbined with ¡®Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains¡¯, it can be particrly effective.¡± Hearing the Green Duckweed Sword¡¯s delightedugh, Luo Yan quickly firmed up his thoughts. Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains can raise a fog that blocks Divine Sense, where all non-water system Daoist Magic have their power halved, yet ¡®After Rain in the Empty Mountain¡¯, being a water system Daoist Magic, is unaffected. As for his trump card, the Jade Pivot Thunder, while it would suffer negative effects, its original power is so excessively formidable that even halved, it remains significantly formidable.
More importantly, the thick fogpletely conceals one¡¯s form and also covers the trajectories of the Green Duckweed Sword and Jade Pivot Thunder, creating a perfect environment for a sneak attack. With proper nning, taking advantage of ¡®After Rain in the Empty Mountain¡¯s¡¯ ability to break defenses, there is a chance of a one-hit kill even against two Refining Mansion stage enemies! Chapter 63: 63: Activate the Trump Card, Slaying Two Fiends! Chapter 63: Activate the Trump Card, ying Two Fiends! Luo Yan and Qiu Changtian, equipped with their own strategies, passed through the challenges at an incredibly fast pace, significantly outpacing those behind them. He had waited for quite a while, yet no second person managed to break through the six barriers and arrive at this Pavilion Main Hall¡¯s square. As he was starting to have some doubts, a figure suddenly appeared on the square. Zhao Wencheng quickly scanned his surroundings to confirm that there were no others present. Hmm, I borrowed Chief Disciple Song He¡¯s magical treasure, and I¡¯m also at the Great Perfection of the Refining Mansion Rank, so I should be the first to clear the stages, right? Now, all I need to do is wait for Qiu Yuan to arrive, and then we can start setting the trap for Qiu Changtian. In a hidden spot behind the Pavilion, Luo Yan saw that he wasn¡¯t rushing into the Pavilion Main Hall and was just frantically looking around, so he guessed that the other party had ulterior motives. ¡°Ah Jing, is it him?¡± ¡°Yes, he is one of them.¡± ¡°Good.¡± Luo Yan immediately began reciting an incantation in his heart, ¡°Cloudy and hazy, like a mirage out of steam.¡±
In a moment, the square in front of the Pavilion Main Hall was enveloped in dense fog. Zhao Wencheng was shrouded in the thick fog, his Divine Sense limited in its outreach, and he quickly sensed something was wrong, swiftly activating the Divine Fire Mantle magical treasure on his body. This was a replica of the Innate Spiritual Treasure, the Nine Dragons Divine Fire Mantle; it could not only protect oneself inside from external damage, but also trap the opponent inside and refine them with divine fire, making it a formidable magical treasure for both offense and defense. As the Divine Fire Mantle descended, glimmering with gold and red brilliance, as radiant as the sun at dawn, it kept the dense fogpletely at bay. Zhao Wencheng quickly maneuvered his Flying Sword, sweeping across 360 degrees around him. Should anyone have taken advantage of the rising fog tounch a close-quarters surprise attack, they would inevitably suffer injury. However, his Flying Sword found nothing but empty air, and Zhao Wencheng realized his opponent was still watching him. Just as he was about to speak to stall for time, a st suddenly sounded from behind the Divine Fire Mantle! By the greenish-red glow, thunder bolted. His Divine Fire Mantle was hit directly by Jade Pivot Thunder, shaking violently, and its luster dimmed considerably. But, after all, it was a Tenth Rank magical treasure specialized in defense, and it wasn¡¯t breached by a single Divine Thunder strike. Zhao Wencheng hurriedly infused more True Yuan to keep it operating, causing the brilliance of the Divine Fire Mantle to shine anew. ¡°That was Jade Pivot Thunder just now, wasn¡¯t it?¡± He tentatively asked, ¡°Could it be Junior Brother Qiu?¡± Another Jade Pivot Thunder struck the Divine Fire Mantle, its brilliance dimming, and its defensive system nearly copsed instantly. Zhao Wencheng simply invested more True Yuan, and in the blink of an eye, he easily fixed it. ¡°Why is Junior Brother Qiu attacking me? Unprovoked aggression, plotting against a fellow sect member, this is a great sin within Kunlun!¡± Zhao Wencheng¡¯s voice held sternness, but Luo Yan remained silent in the mist, simplyunching another Jade Pivot Thunder. Perfect! Zhao Wencheng had discerned the direction from which the Thunder Method originated. He braced for the strike with the Divine Fire Mantle while shooting out the Flying Sword in stealth! Sword Dao Techniques instantly activated, but only stirred up the dense fog, revealing no figure within it. Something¡¯s wrong, my Sword Dao Techniques should be more powerful than this! This fog is eerily strange! Could it be not Daoist Magic¡­ but a Forbidden Technique? As this thought struck him, Zhao Wencheng instantly knew he couldn¡¯t just sit and wait for demise.
If the opponent probes the limits of the Divine Fire Mantle and Qiu Yuan fails to arrive in time, the situation could take a dire turn! Zhao Wencheng¡¯s expression became fierce as he rapidly recited an incantation in his mind, activating the Third level derivation of the Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra. Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman! A giant talisman script, formed by True Yuan, shot out, with spiritual light stretching out like a line. Wherever it passed, the boundless fog dispersed entirely.
This Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman actually held the power to suppress Daoist Magic! Zhao Wencheng let out a sigh of relief, only to see a small quadrate seal spinning and flying towards him from the clearing fog. Before he could react, the Heaven-flipping Seal mmed directly onto the Divine Fire Mantle. Crack! A resounding thunderous noise shook the earth, and not only did the Divine Fire Mantle¡¯s brilliance nearly extinguish, but it also disyed an rming number of web-like deep cracks! Scared out of his wits, Zhao Wencheng immediately poured all his effort into driving True Yuan, rapidly repairing the Divine Fire Mantle. Fortunately, the Heaven-flipping Seal¡¯s single hit wasn¡¯t sessful, and after spinning in the sky, it took some time before the second strike came down. Seeing this, Zhao Wencheng finally breathed a sigh of relief. After all, Qiu Changtian was only at the Marrow Cleansing Rank, and his True Qi was not as potent as True Yuan. Operating such a replica of an Innate Spiritual Treasure would also require considerable effort to sustain, making it impossible to smash down several strikes in a short time. True Qi,pared to True Yuan, suffers from a decisive quality disadvantage. Seeing that the Heaven-flipping Seal cannot break through the Divine Fire Mantle, and its destruction speed is even slower than the repairing speed here, one could glimpse the difference. Zhao Wencheng calmed down and was about to activate the Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman again topletely clean the dense fog surrounding him. The next second, countless streams of Water System Sword Qi silently pierced through the Divine Fire Mantle from behind, instantly severing his head from his neck. His head tumbled down, still wearing an expression of disbelief and terror.
Through the mist, Luo Yan observed coldly the headless corpse opposite him. The previous Jade Pivot Thunder and Heaven-flipping Seal were only feints, aiming to catch him off guard in that moment when he saw that the attacks were failing, and then strike a fatal ambush! He had already calcted everything clearly in advance, knowing that battles between Foundation Establishment Rank cultivators rely heavily on ¡°Rank¡± and ¡°Hidden Cards¡±. ¡°Rank¡± here refers to the rank of Flying Swords, Magical Treasures, Daoist Techniques, and of course, one¡¯s own Cultivation Level. Had it been an ordinary Marrow Cleansing Rank cultivator, they would have been easily sted to pieces by this Refining Mansion Rank cultivator. Why was he able to counter-kill? Because although his Cultivation Level wasn¡¯t as high as his opponent¡¯s, he possessed higher-Rank Green Duckweed Sword, Heaven-flipping Seal, and Jade Pivot Thunder, which enabled him to fight evenly across Ranks. ¡°Hidden Cards,¡± naturally refers to the secrecy of one¡¯sbat methods. Among the aforementioned sword, seal, and thunder, only Jade Pivot Thunder wasmonly used by Qiu Changtian and known by the members of the Kunlun Sect. The opponent had specifically brought the Divine Fire Mantle this time, which perfectly countered the attack of the Jade Pivot Thunder¡ªthis was the price of having one¡¯s hidden cards exposed. Had he not possessed the Green Duckweed Sword and Heaven-flipping Seal, the oue would have been more likely grim than not. Fortunately, being a ¡°triple agent,¡± what he was best at was concealing himself,ying down an endless series of hidden cards¡­ With these thoughts in mind, he had a pretty clear idea of how to fight the next battle. After waiting for a while, a figure suddenly emerged again in the dense fog.
Although the entry points for the Pavilion Secret Realm were not fixed, the endpoint was inevitably before the Pavilion Main Hall, so Qiu Yuan and Zhao Wencheng had previously agreed to leverage their Magical Treasure and intelligence advantage to swiftly clear the levels and then set up an ambush at the entrance of the Main Hall. In truth, although Qiu Yuan arrived a littleter, he was not more than a quarter-hour behind Zhao Wencheng; the n itself was without issue. If only they hadn¡¯t overlooked the fact that Qiu Changtian could clear the level with a ¡°speedrun.¡± Just as he emerged into the fog, Qiu Yuan¡¯s brows furrowed in confusion. ording to what that disciple from the Yuqing Sect said, after clearing six levels, he should be at the Pavilion Main Hall, right? Why does it seem like a new level? No sooner had this thought arisen than he suddenly found his vision spinning. It wasn¡¯t because of spatial disorientation caused by the Restrictions teleporting him but because his head had already flown into the air. Having sessfully executed a double kill with ¡°Misty Rain after the Empty Mountains,¡± Luo Yan also discovered the advantages of this Daoist Technique: In the thick fog, not only could heunch it silently, but it also came with its own armor-piercing effect, making it a tantly obvious stealth weapon. Hmph, such a fine Green Duckweed Sword, truly worthy of being my Life-bound Sword Artifact designated by Ling Yunpo. After carefully inspecting the two bodies, Luo Yan took out the two Flying Swords they carried, Zhao Wencheng¡¯s Divine Fire Mantle Magical Treasure, and the Jade Emperor Bell Magical Treasure that Qiu Yuan had not used. Both Flying Swords were of Ninth Rank, to be kept for the time being; The two Magical Treasures were also Tenth Rank treasures imitations of Post-Heaven Spiritual Treasures.
The Divine Fire Mantle could be used both for defense and to trap others, refining them with True Fire; The Jade Emperor Bell could also defend oneself and disrupt the enemy¡¯s True Yuan cirction with sound waves. Both Tenth Rank treasures could be used by Luo Yan. If anyone asked where they came from, just say they were refined by the Third Senior Sister. Don¡¯t believe it? Looking down on our Heavenly Craft Workshop, are you? Finally, using a poison Dao Technique from the Peach Blossom Sword, he eradicated the bodies, making sure no clues were left behind, before Luo Yan waved his hand to dismiss the ¡°Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains¡±. He then turned and stepped up the stairs, pushing open the door of the Pavilion Main Hall, ready to teleport and flee. Upon reaching the cushion, Luo Yan kneeled on it proficiently, bowing toward the scroll. Then, the ethereal female voice rang out again: ¡°rify Cult branch, Peni disciple, Luo Yan. Passed six trials, being the first to clear them this time, the score is¡­¡± Suddenly, the voice stalled as if stuck, silent for a long moment. Luo Yan: ? Chapter 64 - 64 Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light Chapter 64: Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light Indeed, Luo Yan had already noticed that the female voice he heard in the Pavilion Main Hall after passing the trial sounded like some sort of preset artificial intelligence. Or, in terms of this world¡¯s terminology, it could be ¡°a mechanical artifact spirit with a rigid personality.¡± If the female voice really belonged to an artifact spirit, then the entire Pavilion could very well be a giant magical treasure. This giant magical treasure operated on fixed rules, periodically opened to the outside world, and the Peni Yuqing Sect controlled part of its ess privileges, using them for trials and cultivating disciples of rify Cult. At the same time, this magical treasure possessed the ability to ¡°recognize divine souls.¡± The evidence was that whether it was Meng Po in the Ten Halls of the Land of Fengdu or the Heavenly Demon¡¯s sound in the Sixth Heaven Demon Lands, both would target Qiu Changtian while avoiding Luo Yan. Because, in the judgment program of the Pavilion¡¯s Prohibitions, Qiu Changtian and Luo Yan were the same person. Then the question arose: Normally, disciples of Foundation Establishment Rank who passed the Pavilion¡¯s trial would be unable to re-enter the Pavilion for a short time after being teleported away. The Pavilion would close after being open for only three days, and the period before it opened again often spanned hundreds of years. By then, the previous Foundation Establishment Rank disciples who had been to the Pavilion would typically either have perished or reached Core Formation, naturally losing the qualification to enter the Pavilion. So, theoretically speaking, a disciple is not supposed to enter the Pavilion twice. Qiu Changtian and Luo Yan, recognized by the Pavilion¡¯s Prohibitions as the same person, yet when the Pavilion opened, the Peni Yuqing Sect ¡°registered¡± them as two different individuals. As a result, the female voice in the Pavilion Main Hall just now had made the mistake of dering ¡°Qiu Changtian as the first to pass,¡± ¡°Luo Yan also as the first to pass.¡± In a state of sudden enlightenment, Luo Yan almost instantly thought of this and immediately cried out ¡°not good¡± three times in his heart. To use a programming analogy, if there was a BUG, the program would probably crash and could not continue to run. So, could this Pavilion artifact spirit also fall into a state of error, thereby being unable to teleport me out? If that were the case, it would be terrible! Just as Luo Yan was breaking out in a cold sweat, he heard the mechanical female voice say: ¡°Hmm¡­ that¡¯s not right, hmm¡­ strange, hmm¡­¡± It hummed for a long time, then suddenlymented: ¡°So that¡¯s how it is. Since you were able to borrow the Secret Transmission Formation, forcibly open the Restrictions, and return to my Pavilion, I suppose the Daoist lineage of my rify Cult has already perished outside.¡± Luo Yan: ???????????? What? My Three Pure Ones Orthodox Sect has perished? The female voice sighed again and said: ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, I shall impart to you the Immortal Law ¡®Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light,¡¯ you must cultivate it well, and take self-preservation as the priority.¡± ¡°One day, if it is within your power, you must reestablish the sect, and carry on the ultimate teachings of the rify Cult¡¯s lineage¡­¡± Luo Yan was momentarily stunned, then shouted in his heart: Brilliant, absolutely brilliant!!! It turned out that this Pavilion Secret Realm was not only the trial ground for rify Cult¡¯s Foundation Establishment disciples but also a contingency n left by an Ancient Power for when the rify Cult fell. ording to what the Pavilion artifact spirit said, there should be some ¡°Secret Transmission Formation¡± within the Three Pure Ones Orthodox Sect. If one day the sect faced extinction, they could send elite disciples back to the Pavilion to obtain its precious resources, preserve their lineage, and continue the teachings of the rify Cult. And because of the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s tricky maniption, he hade to the Pavilion a second time and just happened to hit a logic loophole of the artifact spirit, making it mistakenly believe he hade using the Secret Transmission Formation¡ªafter all, under normal circumstances, a disciple couldn¡¯t enter the Pavilion twice. Luo Yan suppressed his excitement and continued to listen to it speak for a long while, but nothing descended. He was bewildered for a moment, then suddenly realized what had happened and immediately swore sincerely: ¡°Disciple Luo Yan swears to diligently cultivate thisw to maintain the rify Cult¡¯s Daoist lineage unbroken!¡± ¡°Very good,¡± the female voice said with satisfaction, and then a light appeared in the air and rushed into his Spirit Mansion. In an instant, Luo Yan felt a shock in his heart; the light entered his Dantian and immediately turned into red, green, yellow, ck, and white colors, making his Spirit Mansion as bright as daylight. After a good while, the five-colored speck of light finally sank deep into the Qi Sea, and his mind was now imprinted with a set of methods for cultivation. Postnatal Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light, harnessing the generative and oveing forces of the Five Elements, could melt metal, cut wood, cover water, extinguish fire, and bind earth, possessed of infinite might! Any magical treasure, magic sword, spell¡­ as long as it falls within the Five Elements, nothing is unbreakable! ¡°Now that the evil demons are rampant in the Nine Provinces, and the legacy of rify Cult has been destroyed, it seems there are no safe ces left outside,¡± the woman¡¯s voice continued in a deep tone, ¡°If you wish to stay here longer, then stay.¡± ¡°If you wish to go somewhere, I can transmit you there using the Pavilion Formation. You can go anywhere in the East Sea.¡± They¡¯re even giving out a return ticket to the city, huh? Luo Yan thought long and hard, weighing all the various factors before choosing to be transmitted to the front entrance of the Pavilion. In the whirl of heaven and earth, he soon reached the boundary of the water membrane. Aside from Qiu Changtian, the others had yet to emerge. Following the rainbow light back to the deck, he saw that the Ziwei Sect Leader was no longer there¡ªshe must have returned to the treasure ship on the Kunlun side. True Person Shi Ding beckoned him over, said a few words, and then asked about the rewards for passing the trial. Luo Yan had already thought it through while inside: The Postnatal Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light, ording to the Artifact Spirit of the Pavilion, was a technique capable of founding a sect and continuing the legacy of the rify Cult. If his master knew it was a technique of Immortal Law, he would surely be suspicious. Therefore, Luo Yan could only choose to surrender one of his spoils of war, the Jade Emperor Bell. ¡°Hmm.¡± Gazing at the Jade Emperor Bell, Elder Shi Ding appeared somewhat surprised. The Jade Emperor Bell, a Tenth Rank magical treasure, immensely powerful in defense, was a normal reward for the Pavilion trial. However, with Qiu Changtian acquiring the Five Thunder True Law, that was a hard act to follow;pared to that, Luo Yan¡¯s reward as the second finisher of the Pavilion trial seemed rather meager. But Elder Shi Ding had no suspicions regarding this. After all, Luo Yan was always honest and, having been exposed to various knowledge on artifact refining at the Heavenly Craft Workshop, it was only natural for him to favor magical treasures. Thus, he warned Luo Yan with a few words, essentially advising, ¡°Don¡¯t be reckless just because you have a defensive magical treasure,¡± to which Luo Yan naturally agreed wholeheartedly. It was only when he returned to his cabin and closed the door that he couldn¡¯t contain his excitement and began to search his Sea of Consciousness again. The Postnatal Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light, ording to the general outline of the mental method given by the Pavilion, was created in imitation of the Innate Five Elements Great Chaos Divine Light. That Innate Five Elements Great Chaos Divine Light was the innate divine ability of the Peacock n from the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm, renowned for its ability to cleanse anything. No matter what magical treasure or magic sword you have, if it can¡¯t transcend the Five Elements, a swipe can erase its divine powers and essence, a force even immortals fear greatly. As for this Postnatal Destion Divine Light, though not as powerful as the Innate Chaos Divine Light, it¡¯s on the same level of Immortal Law, boasting the ability to break everything. If an opposing magical treasure or magic sword approaches, a swipe can heavily damage it. Continue swiping a few more times, and its power would nearly match a single swipe of the Innate Chaos Divine Light. If the Green Duckweed Sword is the Life-bound Sword Artifact of Ling Yunpo, then the Postnatal Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light could serve as Luo Yan¡¯s Life-bound Daoist Magic, worthy of dedicating his entire life to master! ¡°Who would¡¯ve thought it would be the Postnatal Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light?¡± the Kunlun Mirror also eximed. ¡°Hmph, Ah Jing,¡± Luo Yan arrogantly said, ¡°What do you think of this technique of Immortal Law?¡± Not liking his attitude, the Kunlun Mirror retorted stubbornly: ¡°To call it strong, it¡¯s not that strong. Compared to Kon Xuan¡¯s Innate Five Elements Great Chaos Divine Light, it¡¯s certainly inferior.¡± ¡°If you cultivate this technique to a profound level, at most, it will be on par with one of his five feathers, roughly equal in power to a Postnatal Spiritual Treasure.¡± ¡°A Postnatal Spiritual Treasure is enough,¡± Luo Yan pondered, ¡°I¡¯m not a peacock, so how could I possibly obtain the Innate Chaos Divine Light?¡± ¡°Speaking of that, my Mirror Flower Water Moon does record the innate divine abilities of the Peacock n, but it can only be activated at the Nascent Soul Rank.¡± ¡°Oh, and what¡¯s the corresponding persona?¡± ¡°Conceited.¡± ¡°Alright, enough said, store it away.¡± Chapter 65: Exchanging Tokens, Deepening Bonds Chapter 65: Exchanging Tokens, Deepening Bonds ¡°` After Miss Shi also returned from the Pavilion, the Heavenly Craft Workshop¡¯s Meng Chong began its journey home. In the cabin, Luo Yan was sitting on his bed, concentrating onprehending the Postnatal Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light. ording to the annotations in his memory, he first needed to refine his True Qi into Yuan Maic Gang Qi, then he had to find the Five Elements True Vein, andstly, infuse it into the Yuan Maic Gang Qi, transforming it into Divine Light. The Five Elements True Veins of the Postnatal world are to be sought from ¡°Wood that is close to death but not dead,¡± ¡°Fire that seems extinct but is hard to extinguish,¡± ¡°Earth that is lowly and untainted,¡± ¡°Metal that appears like jade but isn¡¯t,¡± and ¡°Water that is rootless and unceasing.¡± All five types are rare natural treasures seldom encountered, and they represent the true threshold in cultivating the Postnatal Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light. Fortunately, the Pavilion had thoughtfully found all five types of these treasures and had extracted the corresponding Five Elements True Veins, which were the red, blue, yellow, ck, and white spots of light that had entered Luo Yan¡¯s Sea of Consciousness at that time. Next, all Luo Yan needed to do was slowly cultivate the Yuan Maic Gang Qi and then refine these ¡°Postnatal Five Elements True Veins¡± into it. As he was cultivating, Miss Shi rushed to the door, knocked a few times vigorously, and then pushed the door open and came in. ¡°Little junior brother!¡± She pounced beside Luo Yan¡¯s bed, excitedly said, ¡°Guess what I got from the Pavilion?¡± ¡°It must be something incredibly powerful,¡± Luo Yan said helplessly. Forgetting to lock the door was really a miscalction. ¡°Humph,¡± Shi Liuli said proudly, ¡°The ¡®Five Latitudes Heavenly Secret Record,¡¯ ever heard of it?¡± ¡°Huh?¡± The perfectly confused expression on Luo Yan¡¯s face made Miss Shi even more satisfied. Thus, she began to exin exuberantly: ¡°The so-called ¡®Five Latitudes¡¯ refer to Tai Bai, Sui Xing, Chen Xing, Ying Huo, and Zhen Xing, the collective name for these five stars.¡± ¡°The ¡®Five Latitudes Heavenly Secret Record¡¯ uses the power of these five stars to perform a profound Qi Refining Technique of breathing and cultivation.¡± ¡°Besides Qi refinement, it also contains many incredibly powerful derivative Daoist Magic techniques, which all require the summoning of the Five Latitudes to use.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Luo Yan understood her point and nodded. To assess the quality of a Qi Refining Technique, there are mainly two criteria: One is the efficiency and purity of the refined True Qi. The higher the efficiency and purity, the higher the grade rank of the Elixir formed eventually. The other is whether the Qi Refining Techniquees with its own derivative Daoist Magic. Only Qi Refining Techniques that are in deep ordance with the Dao can naturally produce various profound magical abilities during breathing exercises and cultivation level enhancement, saving the effort of cultivating additional Daoist Magic separately. ¡°Father said that starting from today, I no longer have to cultivate with you guys!¡± Shi Liuli boasted, ¡°Because the efficiency of my ¡®Five Latitudes Heavenly Secret Record¡¯ is much higher than our Heavenly Craft Workshop¡¯s Three Flowers Gathering Spirit Technique.¡± Luo Yan was speechless in his heart, but he smiled and said: ¡°Then congrattions to senior sister.¡± Wasn¡¯t Miss Shi too naive about the world? Didn¡¯t she know that such tant bragging was the easiest way to bring trouble to her parents and family? It was only because she was spoiled by everyone in the Heavenly Craft Workshop that she could speak so recklessly. If she said these things outside, inducing envy and covetousness in others, it could even unintentionally bring disaster upon her! Thinking this, Luo Yan cautiously asked: ¡°Senior sister, didn¡¯t father instruct you not to talk about this with others?¡± ¡°Of course he did,¡± Shi Liuli gave him a dismissive nce, ¡°It¡¯smon sense that wealth should not be unted and that techniques should not be leaked, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Then why are you¡­¡± ¡°You are not ¡®others,¡¯ are you?¡± Miss Shi interrupted him, ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that cultivating the ¡®Five Latitudes Heavenly Secret Record¡¯ required ¡®Five Latitudes Mystery Elixirs¡¯ and the Pavilion only provided enough pills for one person to cultivate¡­ I would have passed this secret record to you for us to cultivate together!¡± ¡°` ¡°Ah, Senior Sister, there¡¯s no need for this,¡± Luo Yan immediately said with righteous indignation, ¡°I¡¯m not the kind of person who would covet my Senior Sister¡¯s possessions!¡± ¡°Did I say you were?¡± Shi Liuli blinked and naturally responded, ¡°If it could be passed on to you, as your Senior Sister, of course, I wouldn¡¯t hide or hoard it.¡± ¡°Senior Sister¡­¡± Luo Yan then gave a bitter smile. His previous statement actually had twoyers of meaning: The first was that I¡¯m not interested in your ¡°Five Latitudes Heavenly Secret Record,¡± so I won¡¯t scheme for your ¡°Five Latitudes Mystical Elixir.¡± The second was that you shouldn¡¯t speak of this outside; what if a viin heard it and came to steal this bottle of elixir? As a result, Miss Shi, staying in the basement, didn¡¯t understand even the firstyer of the meaning, causing Luo Yan to feel the urge to go crazy. [Falsehood persona, Synchronization Value +1.] The reminder from the Kunlun Mirror echoed in his mind, leaving Luo Yanpletely numb. He didn¡¯t bother pondering why the Synchronization Value had increased and simply moved on from the matter. He took out the Heaven-flipping Seal from within his garments and said: ¡°Senior Sister lent this treasure, which was a great help to me at the Pavilion. It¡¯s time for it to return to its original owner.¡± ¡°The Heaven-flipping Seal is very useful, isn¡¯t it?¡± Shi Liuli said with a giggling smile, yet she did not reach out to take it. ¡°Indeed,¡± Luo Yan also smiled. ¡°Then I¡¯ll just keep lending it to you for a while longer,¡± Shi Liuli waved her hand, ¡°I¡¯ve got the Divine Striking Whip now, so I don¡¯t need the Heaven-flipping Seal for the time being.¡± The so-called ¡°Divine Striking Whip¡± was an imitation of the acquired spiritual treasure ¡°Divine Smiting Whip¡± and was also a Tenth Rank magical treasure. That spiritual treasure, the Divine Smiting Whip, was also within Peni Jade Pure View, but it was unknown which elder was in charge of it. Last time, Elder Shi Ding had borrowed it to allow the artifact refining genius third Senior Sister to study and advance the Path of Artifact Refining. The ¡°Divine Striking Whip¡± was the final product of that research. ¡°Alright then.¡± Since the magical treasure was handy for Luo Yan too, no matter how the other party responded, he¡¯d just smash down with a Seal from above, ¡°Thank you, Senior Sister¡­¡± ¡°Oh right!¡± Shi Liuli pped her hands and said, ¡°I heard that the reward you received at the Pavilion was the Tenth Rank magical treasure ¡®Jade Emperor Bell¡¯? I now have the Divine Striking Whip and amcking a defensive treasure. How about lending the Jade Emperor Bell to me for a bit, Junior Brother?¡± Pah, pah, pah, what do you mean ¡®lend it to me for a bit¡¯, Junior Brother? Just say you¡¯re aiming for my Jade Emperor Bell! However, Luo Yan already had the Divine Fire Mantle, so he didn¡¯t need the Jade Emperor Bell. Moreover, Miss Shi cleverly proposed to exchange it for the Heaven-flipping Seal, so he readily agreed and handed her the Jade Emperor Bell. Seeing how willingly he gave it, Shi Liuli became even more delighted, her eyes almost curving into crescents with joy: ¡°Good Junior Brother! I knew you would lend it to me!¡± She yed with the Jade Emperor Bell, turning it over in her hands, unable to put it down. She was about to ask in detail about how to use it, but outside, the Meng Chong had already returned to Yuqing View andnded on the peak of Peni Fairy Mountain. Thus, Shi Liuli excitedly pulled Luo Yan and jumped off the ship, sprinting toward the direction of their sect. She couldn¡¯t wait to try out the power of the Jade Emperor Bell. Elder Shi Ding and several fellow senior and junior disciples were walking up from the cabins below the deck, only to see the two holding hands, running off and disappearing at lightning speed. ¡°Sigh,¡± Elder Shi Ding couldn¡¯t help but sigh. His daughter had been practicing Dao since she was five and it had almost been twenty years now; howe her temperament was still like that of a thirteen- or fourteen-year-old girl? But, to be fair, it was good that she got along so well with Luo Yan, her junior brother. Normally her closest was the eldest disciple, but they seemed to only have a fraternal rtionship. Mainly because Linghu Chu was too free-spirited, and really couldn¡¯t catch Shi Liuli¡¯s eye¡­ Thinking of this, Elder Shi Ding came back to his senses and let out a wry smile again. Who his daughter would eventually be fond of, as an old father, what use was there in him worrying? As long as she was happy, that was enough. Chapter 66 - 1: The Great Competition Approaches, the Immortal Sword Rankings Chapter 66: Chapter 1: The Great Competition Approaches, the Immortal Sword Rankings ¡°` Looking back on his trip to the Pavilion, his gains could be described as a full bounty. First of all, he had skipped the twenty to thirty years of Qi Refining that would normally be required, directly filling his Qi Sea and smoothly entering the Marrow Cleansing Rank. Secondly, he had acquired the middle volume of the ¡°Five Thunder True Law,¡± the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light, the Divine Fire Mantle, the Heaven-flipping Seal, and two Ninth Rank Flying Swords. Let¡¯s not dwell on the two Flying Swords for now, as they are merely Ninth Rank and nothing out of the ordinary, so Luo Yan took them to the Fanghu Immortal Mountain Market next door and secretly sold them for Spirit Stones. After ssifying their gains, Qiu Changtian and Luo Yan had be the biggest winners. Aside from the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,¡± Qiu Changtian¡¯s Thunder Method trump card was further strengthened, now possessing four of the ten thunders. He was progressing further and further on the path of the Thunder Method King. Luo Yan, who originally had the weakestbat power, turned the tables immediately upon obtaining the Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light. Beyond the Five Elements Extinguishing Divine Light, he also had the Tenth Rank Magical Treasure, the Heaven-flipping Seal, borrowed from Miss Shi, which could smash anyone it encountered, shattering their foreheads and sending their souls to the heavens. Additionally, he had acquired another spoil of war, the Tenth Rank Magical Treasure Divine Fire Mantle, which could be used both defensively on oneself or offensively to trap and refine an enemy,bining attack and defense in infinite marvelous uses. As for the big sum of Spirit Stones earned from selling the two Ninth Rank Flying Swords, and how many Elixirs and Talisman Scripts he bought with them¡­ naturally, there¡¯s no need to borate. On Ling Yunpo¡¯s side, for reasons unknown, the Shushan Shangqing Faction had not participated in the trip to the Pavilion, hence they didn¡¯t reap any benefits. Now, the young Sword Immortal only had the Green Duckweed Sword and the Thunder Punishment Sword, two Tenth Rank Immortal Swords, making his worth somewhat modest inparison. However, he was about to undergo Marrow Cleansing, which would greatly enhance his physical foundation, so the Sword Immortal¡¯s own strength was also set to enter a period of rapid development. In addition, Ling Yunpo could ¡°nourish the sword with his body,¡± by taking the Qing Ping Sword into his spine and slowly nurturing it with his own flesh and blood to be his Life-bound Sword Artifact. Not to mention, he had an ace up his sleeve with ¡°Unity of Body and Sword,¡± but let¡¯s not get into that now. The disadvantage of not having a master¡¯s guidance in the three paths was finally starting to show. Luo Yan, who had secluded himself toprehend the Five Elements Extinguishing Divine Light, had initially refined the Primary Maism Qi. He then loaded the file back to Ling Yunpo and continued practicing swordsmanship with Senior Sister An. Since there was no master to offer guidance, he could only extract as much experience as possible from An Zhisu at the Refining Mansion Rank. An Zhisu was somewhat surprised to find that Ling Yunpo¡¯s swordsmanship had recently improved by leaps and bounds. Or rather, it had reached a level that was not attainable at the Qi Refining Rank. She carefully raised her cultivation level to match the Marrow Cleansing Rank, only to find that Ling Yunpo was still steadily holding his ground. ¡°Junior Brother,¡± An Zhisu eventually stopped her swordy and hesitantly asked, ¡°have you¡­?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t intend to hide it from her, so he retracted the Green Duckweed Sword into his body and then called it out again, ¡°I had a stroke of fortune the other day and made a breakthrough. I have now entered the Marrow Cleansing Rank.¡± An Zhisu stood motionless for a moment, then covered her mouth with her slender hand in disbelief, her pretty eyes reddening as she became so excited that tears fell. Ling Yunpo was at a loss for words upon seeing this reaction, momentarily speechless. ¡°Why¡­ Why did you suddenly make a breakthrough!¡± An Zhisu fiercely wiped her tears away, trying hard to spread a smile, ¡°It¡¯s okay, Senior Sister is just¡­ just too happy.¡± ¡°If your master were here, he would surely be overjoyed as well.¡± Seeing her transition from tears to smiles, Ling Yunpo felt both relieved and puzzled. Relieved because Senior Sister An truly didn¡¯t ask ¡°what kind of fortune,¡± allowing him to avoid using the excuse he had carefully fabricated. Puzzled because, why would she cry? Fortunately, An Zhisu didn¡¯t keep him in suspense, simply wiping away her tears and cheerfully saying: ¡°Junior Brother Ling, do you know? The Shushan Swordsmanship Tournament is about to begin.¡± Another swordsmanshippetition, Ling Yunpo inwardly groaned. You Shushan Sword Immortals fight and kill all day long, always ending in fratricide; no wonder you¡¯ve been losing to Kunlun in recent years, with all your elite disciples perishing in internal strife! As if seeing through his thoughts, An Zhisu proceeded with a smile: ¡°This swordsmanshippetition, however, is not the usual private fight, but the official disciple contest of the Shushan Sect.¡± ¡°For the Foundation Establishment Rankpetition, only disciples who have at least reached the Marrow Cleansing Rank and possess a Life-bound Sword Artifact may participate.¡± ¡°Each match is held on a specialized field with protective Restrictions in ce, and with High Rank elders in attendance, there is no threat to life.¡± ¡°Moreover, as long as one¡¯s rank in the swordsmanshippetition enters the Immortal Sword Ranking, they will have the opportunity to enter the Shushan Demon Locking Tower for a trial after thepetition concludes.¡± ¡°The Shushan Demon Locking Tower usually opens once every two sixty-year cycles. Inside, Demons lurk with great risks, but there are also great opportunities.¡± ¡°Take the Marrow Cleansing Rank disciples as an example; there¡¯s a ce inside the tower called the ¡®Blood Pool,¡¯ where bathing for three days and nights can greatly improve one¡¯s foundation, eliminate impurities, and elerate the Marrow Cleansing process.¡± ¡°Senior Sister originally thought that, no matter how hard you trained, it would still be difficult for you to catch up with the opening of the Demon Locking Tower this time, but unexpectedly, you made a breakthrough through a stroke of fortune¡­ Maybe it really is a blessing from the master.¡± ¡°` Speaking of Master, she couldn¡¯t help but have her eyes turn red and teary, appearing utterly charming and captivating. ¡°What do you mean ¡®Master¡¯s blessing¡¯?¡± Ling Yunpo said with a hint of jealousy, ¡°Senior Sister An, don¡¯t make it sound like Master is already a spirit in heaven, it¡¯s such bad luck. ¡°Besides, he is currently in seclusion, how could he bless me?¡± ¡°My achievements today are all thanks to my unyielding efforts and relentless self-improvement!¡± [Unyielding character set, synchronization value +1.] ¡°Yes, Sister was wrong,¡± An Zhisu admitted her mistake and changed for the better, smiling as she said, ¡°Indeed, Junior Brother is impressive. Then, An Zhisu started to exin to Ling Yunpo what the Immortal Sword Ranking was all about. The order of the Shushan Sect¡¯s Chief Disciples and other ranked positions was different from those in Kunlun. While the Kunlun Sect took into ount disciple potential and aptitude when assigning meditation mat positions, the Shushan Sect ranked based solely on true merit. The Sword Immortals were straightforward and brutal, indifferent to the order of initiation. Below the Golden Core, the strongest was the Chief Disciple, the second rank was the deputy, and the third was third seat, and so on until the ny-ninth and the hundredth final rank. If you desired a certain position, you simply sought out the corresponding Sword Immortal and challenged them for their rank. This challenge for rank, unlike private duels, must be an official challenge initiated by the challenger ¡°under the supervision of a high-rank elder,¡± targeting a ¡°Sword Immortal with a higher ranking on the list,¡± thus itcked various restrictions and penalties of private duels. As long as you won, you could take the other¡¯s rank. That¡¯s why, especially when it came to rank challenges, the Sword Immortals among the top hundred were exceptionally fierce. With a Nascent Soul Elder overseeing, they held nothing back in their swordy, aiming to kill without mercy. Otherwise, if they failed to establish their dominance, they would have to brace themselves for endless harassment from challengers. Over time, the list of these top hundred Sword Immortals became nicknamed by the disciples of Shushan as the ¡°Immortal Sword Ranking.¡± The Sword Immortals on the list were referred to by their Life-bound Sword Artifacts, a way for the disciples to express their reverence. ¡°When ites to this Immortal Sword Ranking, it reminds me of something I¡¯ve heard about,¡± Ling Yunpo said purposefully. ¡°I heard that the current Chief Disciple of Shushan, the leader of the Immortal Sword Ranking, wields a sword called ¡®Frostfall.¡¯ It is rumored to be a once-in-a-century fiercesome star that cuts down people as if mowing grass.¡± ¡°It has reached the point where everyone fears the name. Those in the know won¡¯t talk about it, and those who don¡¯t are afraid to inquire, so strangely, no one knows who it is.¡± ¡°It¡¯s me,¡± Senior Sister An said, eyes filled with a deep hurt as if embarrassed by his teasing. She held back for a while before she muttered, ¡°Ah, ording to the rules of rank challenge, one must be ruthless to establish authority. There¡¯s no room for mercy.¡± ¡°These past years, I really had no choice¡­¡± No choice? Indeed, she had none. The others on the Immortal Sword Ranking also only fought mercilessly during rank challenges. But for a certain Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal, whether it was a rank challenge or a private duel, they would always sever their opponent¡¯s Life-bound Sword Artifact viciously! As a result, except for Ziyun Peak, which recently dared to provoke and test the waters, other peaks would normally avoid Qingluo Peak altogether! Yet, to be fair, this couldn¡¯t be med on Senior Sister An. After all, the grudges drawn by that pesky Master, Su Jian, were too numerous, and his infamy was indeed overwhelming. Ling Yunpo had already witnessed the severity of it in hisst duel with Ziyun Peak. If Senior Sister An had not seeded in establishing her dominance, Qingluo Peak today would be subject to attacks, its predicament more miserable. Therefore, he simplyughed and said: ¡°Sister is absolutely right! Those who cannot defeat you in swordmanship then malign your reputation behind your back, they are despicable. ¡°They better not let me encounter them. If it happens during the officialpetition, I must beat them to a pulp to avenge the years of defamation you¡¯ve suffered,¡± Upon hearing this, An Zhisuughed and said: ¡°In this officialpetition, the initial few days involve randomly drawing lots for the matchups, it¡¯s not that easy for you to encounter them. Only in the final days will you have the chance to freely choose your opponents and initiate rank challenges.¡± ¡°Based on the results of previouspetitions, if one¡¯s strength is ranked first among those in the same period of Marrow Cleansing Rank, they could probably secure around the seventieth ce on the Immortal Sword Ranking.¡± ¡°You just need to diligently practice your swordsmanship and improve your strength.¡± ¡°When the timees, whether it¡¯s through random drawing or free challenging, first win against a Sword Immortal on the ranking to obtain a position.¡± ¡°Then, no matter who challenges you for your rank, ruthlessly break their Life-bound Sword Artifact.¡± ¡°Continue until those ranked below you no longer dare to challenge you for your position, and your seat will be secure.¡± Ling Yunpo internally sighed, Is this the path of a little Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal you¡¯re setting me on? ¡°Alright!¡± He confidently asserted, ¡°Since Sister has such high hopes for me, I will let you see what I¡¯m capable of!¡± ¡°I, Ling Yunpo, will certainly make it onto the Immortal Sword Ranking this time!¡± Chapter 67 - 2: Sharing All That One Has, Imparting Profound Knowledge Chapter 67: Chapter 2: Sharing All That One Has, Imparting Profound Knowledge As mentioned previously, the save/load mechanism of the Kunlun Mirror follows a certain ¡°resume from breakpoint¡± rule. For instance, with the Shushan storyline, whenever you saved and leftst time, you would pick up from the same point upon loading next time. By now, Qiu Changtian and Luo Yan had bothpleted the Pavilion trial, while Ling Yunpo¡¯s timeline in Shushan was still at the moment right before the Pavilion was about to open. One day, after finishing a sparring session with Senior Sister An, Ling Yunpo saw a streak of sword light sh across the sky, descending upon Qingluo Peak. Ling Yunpo took a closer look and saw it was Lin Duanshan, the chief disciple of the Golden Peak and a sycophant of his sister¡¯s. ¡°Senior Sister An!¡± As soon as Lin Duanshannded, he hurried over and said, ¡°The East Sea Pavilion has opened this morning, with disciples from both Kunlun Peni and our sect entering the secret realm for the trial.¡± ¡°The Emei Golden Summit has sent a message, saying that as we are all from the Orthodox Sect, we cannotg behind others, hence the Demon Locking Tower must be opened ahead of schedule.¡± ¡°ordingly, the Shushan Sect¡¯s grandpetition is likely to be brought forward as well!¡± ¡°I understand,¡± An Zhisu replied with aposed demeanor, but Lin Duanshan couldn¡¯t contain his impatience and turned to re at Ling Yunpo, saying, ¡°The bigpetition is imminent, are you ready?¡± ¡°Without a single doubt!¡± Ling Yunpo replied with a sneer. Lin Duanshan was slightly startled, then he said seriously: ¡°Since Senior Sister An wants you to participate in the Demon Locking Tower trial, then ording to Shushan¡¯s rules, you must secure a ce on the Immortal Sword Ranking in this sectpetition.¡± ¡°On the Immortal Sword Ranking, the strong and weak are clearly delineated. The chief disciple, which is your Senior Sister An, upies a tier of her own; the second to fourth ces form one tier; the fifth to fiftieth ces another tier; and from the fiftieth ce onwards, yet another tier.¡± ¡°Within the same tier, the power levels are simr, and the ranking of positions often changes; but if you rise one tier, there is a crushing advantage in strength, making it extremely difficult to win a sword fight against them.¡± Lin Duanshan paused slightly before continuing earnestly: ¡°With your talent in the sword arts, you should aim for a position below fifth ce and above the fiftieth.¡± ¡°If you end up outside the top fifty, then you would be bringing shame to Qingluo Peak¡­¡± An Zhisu cut him off, speaking indifferently: ¡°Our peak has such a bad reputation already, what does it matter if we lose a little more face? Even if I secure a position above the fiftieth ce, the other peaks would not change their opinion of us.¡± ¡°All I want is for Ling to participate in the Demon Locking Tower trial and sessfully undergo the Marrow Cleansing at the Blood Pool. As for those empty honors, they are dispensable.¡± Lin Duanshan was left speechless by her retort, suddenly at a loss for words. As the chief disciple of the Golden Peak lineage and deeply trusted by his master, he often had the final say in matters concerning the Golden Peak. Moreover, with his serious personality, he has always been stringent with his junior brothers and sisters, driving them on with severity and harshness. As for something like ¡°tactful tone¡± or ¡°encouraging teaching,¡± impossible, not in ten thousand years. Therefore, when facing a senior sister like An Zhisu who was protectively irrational, he found himself a bit helpless. Fortunately, Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t let the awkward momentst too long. Or perhaps, not willing to let him continue interacting with Senior Sister An, he said: ¡°Senior Sister, I of course understand your intentions.¡± ¡°Regarding the challenge for ranking positions, anyone with a lower rank can challenge those above.¡± ¡°In other words, if I secure a certain position, I must have the strength to defeat everyone below that rank, otherwise, even if I manage a lucky victory, I wouldn¡¯t be able to maintain the position afterward.¡± ¡°But Brother Lin is also right! Ever since our master started his retreat, hasn¡¯t our Qingluo Peak gone from being in a tight spot from facing numerous enemies to not being lightly regarded anymore, all thanks to you, Senior Sister, fighting each battle, forcibly carving out our reputation?¡± ¡°Keep in mind that even a bad reputation is still a reputation! If the name that Qingluo Peak has built up were to be ruined by me, I wouldn¡¯t be able to forgive myself either!¡± [Indomitable Persona, Synchronization Value +1.] After he finished speaking with fervor and conviction, even An Zhisu¡¯s beautiful eyes reddened, and Lin Duanshan nodded repeatedly. Both were momentarily subdued by his spirited words, speechless. [Indomitable Persona, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°Junior Brother,¡± after a long while, Senior Sister An finally said softly, ¡°since you have such lofty ambitions, naturally I won¡¯t meddle.¡± ¡°Since that is the case, let Senior Brother Lin teach you about the Shushan Sect Competition.¡± Ling Yunpo: ??? Wait a minute, I just didn¡¯t want him to interact with Senior Sister anymore, not that I wanted to interact with him! However, Lin Duanshan turned a blind eye to his inner turmoil and burst intoughter as he said: ¡°Very good! Since Ling Junior Brother aspires for greatness, I will not be stingy with my skills and will pass on all I know.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no time like the present, let¡¯s start fencing right away!¡± ¡­¡­¡­ Of course, the so-called fencing was just the very ordinary shing of Flying Swords, with no special meaning. If the Swordsmanship of Qingluo Peak¡¯s Seven Kills emphasizes ¡°striking first to gain control¡± and ¡°speed is unbeatable¡±, then the Myriad Forms Sword line of the Golden Peak values ¡°going with the flow¡± and ¡°endless variability¡±. There are countless paths in swordsmanship, none of which are absolutely superior or inferior to the others; ultimately, it all depends on the Sword Immortal¡¯s own true strength. Because they needed to simte the Shushan Competition, Lin Duanshan directly used his cultivation level, wielding the Kaiyue Sword with Marrow Cleansing Rank True Yuan, delivering strikes powerful and heavy, forcing Ling Yunpo into a defense that made it extremely difficult for him to fend off the attacks, repeatedly pushing him to his limits. An Zhisu silently observed from the side, and whenever Ling Yunpo looked like he couldn¡¯t hold on, she would ce her hand on the hilt of the Frostfall Sword, making Lin Duanshan instantly break out in a cold sweat and feel chilling fear. ¡°Ahem, after entering the Marrow Cleansing Rank, I¡¯ve got a rough idea of your strength level.¡± Feeling that if he continued fighting, the probability of being killed would only get higher, Lin Duanshan immediately chose to pull back from the brink and put away the Kaiyue Sword, saying earnestly: ¡°As I expected, as long as you perform to your stable strength during the Shushan Competition, ranking within the top fifty should be no problem for you.¡± Hearing Lin Duanshan make his prediction, An Zhisu agreed with a radiant smile: ¡°Indeed, with your ability, Junior Brother, there really is no need for too much worry.¡± ¡°Senior Sister only hopes that you won¡¯t put too much pressure on yourself. The reputation of Qingluo Peak is not important; what¡¯s important is whether you can advance in your swordsmanship and improve your cultivation level.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Lin Duanshan said with a straight face, ¡°knowing yourself and knowing your enemy is crucial, aside from your own strength level, you also need to understand the strength of otherpetitors.¡± ¡°Currently, on the Immortal Sword Ranking, only the top four seats can be said to have a stable advantage over you, so let¡¯s start with those top four.¡± ¡°The top of the list ¡®Frostfall¡¯ is your Senior Sister An. Since her induction, she has never been defeated, whether in official seat challenges or private sword duels.¡± ¡°You are all too aware of herbat style and strength level, so there¡¯s no need for me to borate further.¡± ¡°Second on the list ¡®Cang Tie¡¯ is Duan Fenhai, the Chief Disciple of Yellow Dragon Peak. Originally from a family of well-off heroes, his approach is not reckless or vicious; instead, he is known for his calm demeanor and vast experience, surpassing you in every aspect of quality.¡± ¡°Third on the list ¡®Kaiyue¡¯ is me, we¡¯ll skip that for now; fourth on the list ¡®Fragmented Moon¡¯ is Guan Shanyue, the Chief Disciple of Green Bamboo Peak.¡± ¡°She hails from the Longxi Guan Family, a Sword Immortal n, possessing numerous tricky Sword Control Secret Techniques. Even I am not fully confident against her, let alone you.¡± Lin Duanshan spoke bluntly but noticed An Zhisu¡¯s livid expression and quickly added: ¡°Of course, I¡¯m saying the you right now is not their match¡­ given time, with your talent in sword arts, your achievements won¡¯t be far off.¡± ¡°All in all, if during the drawing phase of the Shushan Competition, you happen to draw one of the top four seats, just concede directly. There¡¯s no need to stubbornly fight to the end.¡± ¡°The Shushan Competition is divided into two parts. The first half is an elimination round to advance in rank, where matches are randomly drawn, and losing means demotion while winning means promotion.¡± ¡°The top hundred disciples who finally advance will be ced on the Immortal Sword Ranking ording to the results of the bouts.¡± ¡°The second half is the challenge to climb the ranking; all disciples can choose to challengepetitors ranked higher than themselves on the list, ascending to that seat with a victory, with no punishment for losing.¡± ¡°That is to say, apart from the top four seats, you need to remember the fighting style and sword habits of the other ny-sixpetitors currently on the Immortal Sword Ranking.¡± ¡°Because, in the uing Shushan Competition, you might encounter them in the draw phase, or they might single you out for elimination during the challenge phase!¡± Chapter 68: 3 Shushan Demon Tower, The Clues Emerge Chapter 68: Chapter 3 Shushan Demon Tower, The Clues Emerge Next, the process of cramming began. Senior Sister An¡¯s strength was certainly not weak, but she really wasn¡¯t that great at teaching. The reason was her strength was too formidable; she simply didn¡¯t need to and wouldn¡¯t bother understanding other sword cultivators¡¯bat styles and habits in swordsmanship. Why bother with such things? Would you pay attention to the differences between every ant under your feet? On the contrary, Lin Duanshan, whose main focus was the Myriad Forms Sword, a sword Dao that emphasizes strategic variation, had an excellent grasp of intelligence on various sword cultivators. Not only that, but Elder Brother Lin was also a genius in swordsmanship, proficient in the major sword methods of various sects. Whenever he talked about a Sword Immortal on the Immortal Sword Ranking, he could hit the nail on the head, describing their style of swordsmanship in great detail, and instantly point out their ws, even the fatal ones. Besides, Lin Duanshan was able to replicate another cultivator¡¯s style of swordsmanship almost perfectly during sparring practice, allowing Ling Yunpo to not only acquire knowledge but also to apply it quickly and adapt! No wonder Senior Sister An asked him to teach herself. However, simting swordsmanship styles still had its gapspared to realbat, as it was impossible to replicate Sword Dao Techniques exactly. So Lin Duanshan didn¡¯t stay for too long, merely briefed on the intelligence of a hundred Sword Immortals from the Immortal Sword Ranking, and then simted the corresponding swordsmanship for Ling Yunpo to get a basic adaptation.
Who prefers to fight head-on, who is ustomed to treacherous tricks; he familiarized him with these roughly. Having done all that, Lin Duanshan hastily took his leave again. Because he had sniffed out an ominous scent, it seemed like if he continued to use sparring as an excuse to thrash a certain junior brother, he would end up being hung up and beaten by a certain senior sister¡­ After Lin Duanshan left, Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu continued practicing swordsmanship for several hours. During a break, Ling Yunpo ventured to ask: ¡°Senior Sister, what is your rtionship with Lin Duanshan¡­ with Elder Brother Lin?¡± An Zhisu thought seriously for a moment: ¡°I have defeated him.¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­ ¡°Senior Sister, have you ever shattered his life-bound sword artifact?¡± ¡°Not that far,¡± recalled An Zhisu. ¡°He was polite in his speech at that time, so I didn¡¯t go too hard on him.¡± ¡°Oh, I see he seems to know you quite well,¡± Ling Yunpo probed again. ¡°You heard him say it; the strength of the top four seats on the Immortal Sword Ranking is of the same level,¡± smiled An Zhisu. ¡°Plus, they are all individuals with great pride, so it¡¯s quite normal for them to know each other well.¡± No, no, no, Lin Duanshan said it was the second to fourth seats that were in the same level; you, An Zhisu, are in a level by yourself¡­ But Ling Yunpo knew that his senior sister was ustomed to downying the fact that she was ¡°more formidable than her junior brothers,¡± so he changed the subject, asking: ¡°Now that I¡¯ve met Lin Duanshan, what are the people in the other two seats like?¡± An Zhisu pondered before answering: ¡°Duan Fenhai in his early years came from a background of a jianghu hero and even reached the position of Martial Arts Alliance Hierarch.¡± ¡°Later, because he offended a certain enemy, his entire family was killed¡­ That¡¯s why he came to our Shushan to practice swordsmanship.¡±
¡°Almost a decade ago, he left the mountain to exterminate his enemy¡¯s n. After avenging his great grudge and returning to the mountain, he, in fact, became much more disillusioned and was often lethargic.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Ling Yunpo silently noted. ¡°As for Guan Shanyue, she is a woman with extreme pride,¡± continued An Zhisu. ¡°From the Longxi Guan Family, generations of Sword Immortals, and Guan Shanyue is the strongest of the Guan Family¡¯s younger generation.¡±
¡°Although she usually looks all smiles and pretends to be without schemes, she actually has a foul temper and holds grudges,¡± ¡°Junior Brother, if you ever encounter that Guan Shanyue, it¡¯s still best to keep your distance from her.¡± Got it, Senior Sister An is jealous. Ling Yunpo immediately nodded in agreement: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Senior Sister, I won¡¯t get entangled with that Guan Shanyue!¡± ¡°Senior Sister isn¡¯t trying to interfere with your rtions with others,¡± An Zhisu said awkwardly. ¡°Just worried that you might get deceived out there.¡± Got it, she¡¯s worried I might get duped by a bad woman. After thinking for a while, Ling Yunpo asked again: ¡°What kind of ce is the Demon Locking Tower then?¡± ¡°The Demon Locking Tower,¡± An Zhisu said with a smile, ¡°is an ancient inverted tower located beneath the rocky cliffs of Thunder Hole teau, extending almost a thousand zhang into the ground. It is a ce rify Cult used in ancient times to confine demons.¡± ¡°An ¡®inverted tower¡¯ looks like a normal pagoda, but flipped upside down,rger on top and smaller at the bottom.¡± ¡°The deeper you go, the fewer the imprisoned demons, but the more formidable they be. It¡¯s said that the demons at the deepest level of the Demon Locking Tower even possess the strength of Daluo Golden Immortals, though it¡¯s uncertain if this is true or not¡­¡± Ling Yunpo zoned out for a moment before suddenly catching on.
One zhang is three point three meters, almost a thousand zhang¡­ isn¡¯t that about three kilometers underground? Could it be, the fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone I¡¯m looking for is in the deepest part of the Demon Locking Tower? ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo said cheerfully. ¡°Tell me more about this Demon Locking Tower.¡± An Zhisu looked somewhat surprised but without suspicion, she continued: ¡°The history of the Demon Locking Tower is said to be even more ancient than that of rify Cult, likely dating back to the era of Fuxi and Nuwa.¡± ¡°Nearly a thousand zhang deep with a hundred levels, each level ten zhang high. But the inside is not an open area; it¡¯s divided into various big and small isted spaces.¡± ¡°Ancient cultivators would catch demons outside and throw them into the Demon Locking Tower. The tower would automatically transport these demons to a level corresponding to their strength.¡± Ling Yunpo pondered for a moment, then asked: ¡°Is the existence of the Demon Locking Tower solely for the imprisonment of demons?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± An Zhisu said softly. ¡°The Demon Locking Tower has many uses. For example, there¡¯s a Blood Pool within it that¡¯s greatly beneficial to cultivators at the Marrow Cleansing Rank; it¡¯s said to be filled with Dragon Blood.¡± ¡°And this Dragon Bloodes from a dragon of the Dragon n imprisoned somewhere inside the tower.¡± ¡°In fact, many of Shushan¡¯s productse from within the Demon Locking Tower. For instance, some of the Flying Swords in the Sword Poole from the outside world, some from trade with Yuqing View, and others from the Sword ve tribe within the Demon Locking Tower.¡± ¡°Sword ve?¡± Ling Yunpo asked in surprise.
¡°They seem to be demon cksmiths,¡± An Zhisu said uncertainly. ¡°Sword ves are mild-tempered demons,¡± Kunlun Mirror suddenly spoke up in the Sea of Consciousness. ¡°They feed on metal ores and are especially skilled in sword casting.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Ling Yunpo quickly grasped the crux of the matter. ¡°So, our Shushan Shangqing Faction actually maintains regrmunication and exchanges with many demons inside the Demon Locking Tower, right? Who in the faction is responsible for these tasks?¡± ¡°It should be managed by Golden Core True Persons. I¡¯m not very clear on the details,¡± An Zhisu answered. ¡°After all, entering the Demon Locking Tower is dangerous, and it can¡¯t be entrusted to an outer disciple.¡± As expected. Ling Yunpo became thoughtful. That means, Shushan has the ability to enter the Demon Locking Tower at any time. I need to figure out a way to get clear on this. Chapter 69: 4: Return to Kunlun, Reunion with Song He Chapter 69: Chapter 4: Return to Kunlun, Reunion with Song He The great Shushan tournament was just around the corner. After practicing swords with his senior sister for several days, Ling Yunpo returned to Kunlun to y the part of Qiu Changtian again. Coming back from the Pavilion Secret Realm, Qiu Changtian¡¯s junior brothers and sisters had all gained a great deal. Xu Yinglian ranked at the forefront in the trial, thereby obtaining a powerful Daoist Magic from the Pavilion, named the ¡°Tai Su Yuan Jun Zhen Xuan Great Bright Fire.¡± It was said that its might was no less than that of the Five Thunder True Law. Every morning at sunrise, Junior Sister Xu would sit cross-legged on the top of Golden Ridge precisely on time, cultivating this technique. When the sunrise illuminated the sea of clouds, she would open her mouth to breathe, ingesting the precious sr Qi and converting it into Sun Qi, then swallow saliva with her eyes closed, pouring it into her limbs and five viscera. After a while, as the Sun Qi refined the scenery within her, a bright, dazzling red light shone through her body, both inside and out, making Xu Yinglian look like a little gilded figurine, her jade skin luminous, shining brilliantly. As for the other junior brothers and sisters, they had also sessfully advanced to the Marrow Cleansing Rank. Guan Zhan acquired a Flying Sword, keeping it close to his chest so that no one else could see it. Yan Zhitui got a book, although not a Daoist tome but a book-shaped Magical Treasure, which led him to readboriously through the night. Chen Zhen and Zhong Tianhuai chose Elixirs, intending to return to their diligent cultivation, eager to press on with their Qi Refinement. Only the little girl Jian Qingnan did not choose a Flying Sword Treasure, instead selecting a book called ¡°Zhou Yi Pointer to Mystical Heart Sutra,¡± likely following the wishes of the Qingzhou Jian Family, wanting her to continue developing towards the art of Tai Yi fortune-telling and calctions.
Of course, the one who reaped the biggest harvest was certainly Chief Qiu. Not to mention Luo Yan¡¯s side, just the Thunder Method sections from the Five Thunder True Law alone, by association and extension, elevated his understanding of Thunder Method by a notch. The Jade Pivot Thunder had a blue light and a red color, a palm-sized thunder ball. Byparison, Immortal Capital Thunder was greyish-red in color, its form unstable, but its flight speed was much faster than that of Jade Pivot Thunder, striking out like lightning with a ¡°crack!¡± extremely fast. Pr Thunder waspletely ck and also a condensed ball of thunder light. It appeared deep and unfathomable, emanating a chilling cold that was oppressive on close contact, and when it struck a rock wall, its power was tremendous. The surrounding area would even frost over and split, clearly having an effect simr to a refrigeration system, fitting for a type of thunder that was particrly effective against the aquatic produce of the Dragon n. As for Tai Yi Thunder, it had no color to it at all; holding it in one¡¯s hand was like holding an almost transparent thunder ball, with a very broad range of attack. Because its power was less concentrated, its ability to damage a single target was not as strong as the other three types of thunder, but in terms of moving mountains and alteringndscapes, it was second to none. Apart from the Thunder Method, Qiu Changtian, who had advanced to the Marrow Cleansing Rank, obtained the second derived technique from the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,¡± which was the ¡°Lesser Shangyang Sword Qi.¡± The activation method was somewhat simr to the Six-Pulse Divine Sword,pressing pure True Qi in the meridians to whet its sharpness, and then projecting it out from the Shangyang point on the index finger to injure the enemy. This Sword Qi was colorless and intangible, extraordinarily effective for sneak attacks and assassinations. The only drawback was that its attack power was not very high pared to Thunder Method). Not to mention something like the Divine Fire Mantle, a defensive Magical Treasure, even if the opponent used a Flying Sword to block it, they could easily stop the Lesser Shangyang Sword Qi. It was said that a Nascent Soul Elder from Kunlun (a Direct Disciple of the previous Sect Leader and now the senior brother of Ziwei Master) had devoted an unknown amount of effort and finally optimized this Lesser Shangyang Sword Qi, renaming it the ¡°Taiqing Xuanmen Intangible Sword Qi.¡± It retained its stealthiness while greatly enhancing the Sword Qi¡¯s lethality. Qiu Changtian made some inquiries and found out that the elder listed Intangible Sword Qi as a secretly inherited technique. That is to say, it would only be taught to Direct Disciples. As a Direct Disciple of the Ziwei Master, he obviously could not switch to the sect of this senior uncle, so he had to let it go. In order to master the Thunder Method quickly and to maintain a high Synchronization Value for his persona, Chief Qiu still kept up with the rhythm of ¡°going out for trials once every ten days.¡± The rest of the time, he holed up in his cave dwelling, routinely lecturing, refining Qi and cleansing marrow, and studying the central principles of the Five Thunder True Law. That afternoon, he once again led several outer sect disciples back from a grueling trial outside, and went to the administration hall on Jade Void Peak to turn in the task. Those outer sect disciples, receiving their task rewards, were overwhelmed with gratitude towards Chief Qiu, thanking him profusely, and then they left reluctantly. Chief Qiu had long grown ustomed to the praise and thanks from his Kunlun fellow disciples, so he simply continued to calmly browse the task catalog, when out of the corner of his eye, he suddenly noticed someone approaching the counter and speaking quietly with the Kunlun officials. Hmm, it seemed to be Song He.
Qiu Changtian immediately remembered that this person was Song He, the second senior brother under the Ziwei Master, whose strength was second only to the Chief Disciple, Xu Changqing, among the Foundation Establishment disciples directly taught by the Ziwei Master. However, the rules of Kunlun were different from those of Shushan; only the position of Chief Disciple was determined by strength, while the ranking of other disciples was determined by their natural talent. Whether under the Ziwei Master or the other Nascent Soul Elders, this was the rule. As a result,pared to the brilliant and shining Chief Disciple Xu Changqing, this second senior brother Song He was much more low-profile. He was thinking about this when he saw Song He suddenly look up, smile, and greet him:
¡°Junior Brother Qiu, have you returned from another experience outside?¡± Qiu Changtian keenly noticed that Song He¡¯s gaze lingered for a moment on the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword on his back. The Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword, wielded by sessive Heads of the Kunlun Sect, was entrusted to him by the Ziwei Master for protection during each of Qiu Changtian¡¯s outings, which spoke volumes about his status in the Master¡¯s eyes. ¡°Yes.¡± Qiu Changtian nodded, ¡°Senior Brother Song, what brings you here?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯vee to deliver the possessions of two junior brothers who¡¯ve passed away,¡± said Song He, staring into his eyes as he spoke slowly. Zhao Wencheng and Qiu Yuan, although not Chief Disciples, were disciples under the Ziwei Master and had mysteriously disappeared in the Pavilion Secret Realm, not returning even by the time the realm¡¯s gates closed. The Pavilion trial was not supposed to be lethal. If one was killed by the trial¡¯s restrictions, they would be teleported out at the brink of death from severe injuries. However, if they were killed by other trialists within the secret realm, there was no such protective mechanism. If Zhao Wencheng and Qiu Yuan did not return before the closure of the Pavilion, it was highly likely that they had perished within, but it was not known whether the culprit was a Kunlun disciple, a Peni disciple, poison, a Heart Demon, or perhaps idental harm from the impact of wide-ranging lethal Daoist magic¡­ In the world of cultivation, there are simply countless ways to end a life. The Ziwei Master used divination for a while but couldn¡¯te up with any results and could only set off to return to Kunlun. After returning to Kunlun, both were judged by the Taiqing Sect to have died. As for the possessions left in their dwellings, naturally they had to be packed and sent to their families in the secr world. ¡°s.¡± Qiu Changtian sighed, ¡°The trial of the Pavilion Secret Realm, left by the rify Sect, should have been straightforward; how could such a disaster have happened¡­¡±
Seeing no w in his demeanor, Song He withdrew his gaze and said lightly: ¡°The path of cultivation is inherently against the heavens; how can there be any straightforward path?¡± ¡°Any hardship and danger must be broken through with great resolve and great wisdom.¡± ¡°If you cannot break through, then you will fall, and there is no reasoning behind it.¡± Qiu Changtian smiled warmly: ¡°You are right in your teachings, senior brother.¡± Song He nodded slightly in an encouraging manner, patted his shoulder, and then left with his hands behind his back. As Qiu Changtian watched his back recede from the duty hall, he quickly said in his mind: ¡°Ah Jing, when he patted my shoulder just now, did he do something to me?¡± ¡°No, he didn¡¯t,¡± replied the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°However,¡± its voice paused, then continued, ¡°this Senior Brother Song He of yours¡­¡± ¡°¡­actually harbors a very well-concealed enmity towards you. Hmm, it would be more appropriate to call it ¡®malice¡¯.¡±
Chapter 70: 5: Using Reverse Psychology to Rescue Junior Sister Xu Chapter 70: Chapter 5: Using Reverse Psychology to Rescue Junior Sister Xu Jade Void Pce, Scripture Lecture Hall. As the disciples finished listening to the scriptures and were about to rise from their meditation cushions, they heard the Ziwei Master suddenly speak: ¡°Qiu Changtian, remain.¡± Therefore, the fellow senior brothers and sisters quickly exchanged nces, then their eyes unanimously fell upon Xu Yinglian. Xu Yinglian frowned slightly but did not speak. She simply rose indifferently and left. Based on past incidents, if the Ziwei Master asked someone to stay, it often meant that he would keep both Qiu Changtian and her behind¡ªbut this proved nothing. What difference did it make if she wasn¡¯t kept this time? Although Xu Yinglian waspetitive by nature, she was not so trivial as to fight for the Sect Leader¡¯s attention, she was not a child after all. As she left unfetteredly, the others looked at each other and then left one after another. Thus, only Qiu Changtian was left in the Scripture Lecture Hall. ¡°On the first day of next month, the Shushan Demon Locking Tower will open,¡± the Ziwei Master said with closed eyes, speaking leisurely, ¡°There is a ¡®Blood Pool¡¯ inside.¡±
¡°Bathing in the Blood Pool can elerate Marrow Cleansing, strengthen the Root Bone, and replenish vitality. It will greatly benefit you.¡± ¡°On the twenty-ninth of this month, at the third watch of the night,e here alone. I will arrange for a true master to take you to Shushan.¡± ¡°Do not let others know about this, especially your Junior Sister Xu. Understand?¡± Wow, master is giving me special one-on-one instruction! Qiu Changtian quickly bowed and said: ¡°Disciple understands.¡± No sooner had his words fallen than the Ziwei Master tapped him lightly yet firmly on the head with the handle of the horsetail whisk. ¡°Do not think that your master is being partial. It¡¯s just that my Kunlun Taiqing Sect and the Shushan Shangqing Faction aren¡¯t particrly close. It took an owed favor from the Shushan Sect Leader for your master to secure a spot for you.¡± ¡°If your Junior Sister knew about this. her obsessions would surely deepen. Then, you alone will be held ountable by your master.¡± Qiu Changtian said solemnly: ¡°Disciple understands the painstaking intent of master. After leaving this room, I will not reveal a single word!¡± The Ziwei Master nodded slightly and then let out another long, helpless sigh, sounding both mncholic and advisory: ¡°Zhang Tian.¡± ¡°You have the Daoist Heart rity of an unrivaled talent. Most of the difficulties and dangers on this path of cultivation turn invisible when ites to you.¡± ¡°However, those crises that can¡¯t be dispelled are even more perilous for you.¡± ¡°The Three Cmities and Nine Tribtions are inevitable. Only by treading cautiously, as if on thin ice, can you see a sliver of hope for survival. Have you remembered?¡± ¡°Disciple has remembered,¡± Qiu Changtian affirmed seriously. ¡°Very well,¡± the Ziwei Master nodded slightly, ¡°You may go.¡± Qiu Changtian bowed respectfully and then got up and left. After an unknown amount of time, from behind the golden curtain and atop the nine-colored lotus dais, another long and resigned sigh was heard.
Highly aplished in cultivation and having been at the helm of Kunlun for many years, there¡¯s hardly anything in this world that can pose a challenge to the Ziwei Master. Except¡­ only the future fate of this Direct Disciple has been calcted by him thousands of times over and yet remains elusive. It¡¯s as if it¡¯s being concealed by someone. But in this world, who could possibly hide a fate from him, the Ziwei Master¡¯s calctions? If it were an immortal, that would be one thing, but if, by any chance, it is the Heavenly Dao¡­
Qiu Changtian returned to Golden Ridge, only to find Xu Yinglian in white clothes, waiting for him at the entrance of the cave dwelling. Ah, this¡­ Could she possibly know? Impossible! I haven¡¯t spoken a word to her sinceing from the Scripture Lecture Hall! ¡°Senior Brother,¡± Xu Yinglian saw him finally return and seriously said: ¡°My Great Bright Fire has made minor achievements. I wonder how your Five Thunder True Law ising along?¡± Is she suggesting another contest? Qiu Changtian was almost speechless. Enough with the constantpetition¡ªswordsmanship, Daoist discourses, Daoist Magic. Does it ever end? ¡°The Five Thunder True Law is immensely powerful and must not be wielded lightly,¡± he found an excuse to decline. ¡°No matter,¡± Xu Yinglian was prepared, ¡°To the west of Kunlun, on the way to the Extreme West, there is a long and narrow valley, an uninhabited area called ¡®Congling Xuan Pass,¡¯ where we can fully exercise our Daoist Magic.¡± Qiu Changtian was somewhat surprised; Junior Sister Xu had clearlye prepared! To refuse again would make this foolish junior sister think he was looking down on her, so he could only get rid of her as soon as possible and talkter. The two then took to sword flight, heading west. The entrance to the Extreme West was obstructed by a vast expanse of barren mountains, also known as ¡°Congling.¡± Except for the summer season, the mountains were always covered in heavy snow and uninhabited.
Arriving at the Congling passageway described by Junior Sister Xu, Qiu Changtian saw winding barren mountains on both sides and a tremendous gap in the middle, as if it had been forcibly sted open by a great deal of Daoist magic. Traveling several dozen miles along the mountain pass, the corridor gradually narrowed. ¡°Should we stop here?¡± Xu Yinglian stopped the sword light, asking for confirmation. ¡°Mm,¡± Qiu Changtian nodded reservedly. Xu Yinglian then turned to gaze at a distant rock wall and chanted an incantation: ¡°Floating Morning Light, shine forth ten thousand ren!¡± In that instant, brilliant light burst forth, spewing from her mouth and nose outward, turning into a mass of intense fiery clouds thatnded on the rock wall, instantly melting and eroding it! In just a few breaths, tens of meters wide and nearly a hundred meters deep of mountainous rock and soil had been burned to flying ash by the Great Bright Fire. Qiu Changtian: ? If it had been Jade Pivot Thunder, firstly, it wouldn¡¯t have sted such arge area, and secondly, it couldn¡¯t have burned all that soil and rock to nothing. Junior Sister Xu, you¡¯ve been plotting this for a long time! Looking at her own achievement in front of her, Xu Yinglian also felt somewhat proud and nced sideways at Qiu Changtian. Qiu Changtian sighed for a moment, then began to form hand seals and chanted:
¡°Sound that shakes the three realms, Tai Yi Divine Thunder, shatter!¡± Semi-transparent thunder light emerged from his hands, silently shooting towards the mountain wall ahead. A thunderous explosion that could shake heaven and earth nearly deafened Xu Yinglian. After the dust cleared, the two of them, looking past a mess on the ground, saw nothing but empty space where the mountain wall used to be. Moreover, the ground and rocks within a radius of over a hundred meters around them had been leveled (and this was Qiu Changtian specifically restraining its power). As for the marks of the Great Bright Fire that Xu Yinglian had used earlier, they had beenpletely covered by the Tai Yi Thunder, leaving not a trace behind. [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1] [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1] [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1] ¡­ The Kunlun Mirror directly prompted with a tenfold notification. Xu Yinglian: ¡­¡­ She silently gazed at the scene before her, her expression forlorn, remaining speechless for a long time.
¡°No matter how strong Daoist magic is, after all, it¡¯s just an external technique,¡± having racked up a wave of Invincible Character Setting synchronization values, Qiu Changtian spoke contentedly, ¡°As Kunlun cultivators, in the end, we still need to consider our cultivation realm¡­¡± ¡°If ites to cultivation realm, can I defeat senior brother?¡± Xu Yinglian asked softly, her expression vague, eyes misty, and even a trace of sorrow appeared in her tone. Bad! The junior sister¡¯s Daoist heart is wavering! She¡¯s deviating! Seeing Xu Yinglian¡¯s face grow increasingly shadowed with demonic qi, Qiu Changtian hurriedly stepped forward, grabbing her hands tightly, and said sternly: ¡°So what?¡± ¡°Does a temporary defeat mean you¡¯re doomed to be behind for life?¡± ¡°Xu Yinglian, don¡¯t make me look down upon you!¡± ¡°My junior sister Xu Yinglian should be the one who obsessively seeks to surpass me, who never yields, not someone who bes resentful and self-pitying, sinking into depravity just because of a temporary loss!¡± This thunderous voice jolted Xu Yinglian abruptly awake, and her previously dim Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, affected by the violent emotions, quickly resumed its operation. Seeing the demonic qi on her face quickly recede and her expression clear up again, Qiu Changtian had just breathed a sigh of relief when Xu Yinglian suddenly grabbed the cor of his long robe, forcibly pulling his head down toward her. Her flushed face was very close to Qiu Changtian¡¯s, close enough for him to see the bright fury about to erupt in her eyes: ¡°Who did you just call trash?!¡± Chapter 71: 6 The Flaw in the Daoist Heart, What to Do About It Chapter 71: Chapter 6 The w in the Daoist Heart, What to Do About It Xu Yinglian, endowed with a Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, briefly lost herposure when she was called ¡°trash,¡± but she quickly regained her senses. When her senior brother scolded her at the time, he was actually trying to save her. If it weren¡¯t for that startling usation of ¡°trash¡± freeing her from her bewitched state in time, she would have likely already lost her Daoist Heart and destroyed her entire cultivation level in a sh. Thus, Junior Sister Xu could only sincerely apologize to her senior brother and thank him earnestly before obediently following him back to the Kunlun Mountain Range. Qiu Changtian brought Xu Yinglian to the Jade Void Pce and hurriedly ryed the events to the Ziwei Sect Leader. The Ziwei Sect Leader was so shocked that he immediately descended from his nine-colored lotus tform and pointed his horsetail whisk at Xu Yinglian¡¯s brow, carefully probing her Sea of Consciousness. No traces of a lurking Demon Head were found. The Daoist deviation can be divided into two categories based on its cause: The first is a breach in the Daoist Heart. For example, due to extreme emotions such as love, hatred, stupidity, or desire that cannot be fulfilled, the mind bes unguarded and is spotted by external demons, who directly conquer the Daoist Heart, leading to immediate demise. The second is the lurking of a Heart Demon. If your Daoist Heart has no breach for the time being, but you¡¯re targeted by an external demon, it will secretly reside in the deepest, most shameful thoughts within you. It transforms into a Heart Demon, waiting for the right moment. One day, you might encounter something that shakes your mental state, creating a breach; or, you might face a life-and-death situation, like a Heavenly Tribtion, for example. At that point, the parasitic Demon Head will suddenly cause trouble, attacking both from within and without, significantly increasing the danger.
Cultivators mostmonly face the second scenario. After all, a breach in the Daoist Heart can be mended, but a parasitic Heart Demon is exceedingly difficult to detect¡ªDaoist Heart rity is considered a peerless talent partly because the heart is like a bright mirror, leaving the Heart Demon nowhere to hide. Although the Ziwei Sect Leader conducted a cursory inspection of Xu Yinglian¡¯s Sea of Consciousness and found no traces of a Heart Demon, this did not guarantee absolute safety. Therefore, he invited several Nascent Soul Elders, who employed various magical treasures and divine skills, to meticulously search Xu Yinglian¡¯s Sea of Consciousness again, leaving no stone unturned. ¡°At present, the likelihood of a Heart Demon lurking seems minimal,¡± stated the Elder of the Criminal Law Hall, withdrawing the Bright Mirror and speaking solemnly, ¡°With a Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, one naturally has strong resistance to Heart Demons. If an external demon were lurking within, it would be like oil scorched by fierce mes, with no ce to hide¡­ We canrgely rule out this possibility.¡± ¡°However, regardless of this, the breach in Xu Yinglian¡¯s Daoist Heart was indeed significant, particrly in the realms of anger and infatuation.¡± ¡°One must know, that to desire without fulfillment, to harbor unresolved resentment, is the greatest taboo in cultivation¡­¡± ¡°That will be enough,¡± interrupted the Ziwei Sect Leader, swaying his horsetail whisk and cutting off the Elder¡¯s words, ¡°Erasure of Sin, I have my own ns for this matter.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± the Elders exchanged nces and then took leave of the Sect Leader. Xu Yinglian¡¯s face was pale, and she remained silent. Qiu Changtian stood beside her, stern and quiet. A momentter, the Chief Disciple, Xu Changqing, hurriedly arrived upon hearing the news. ¡°Great-grandfather.¡± Xu Yinglian greeted him with a bow. Xu Changqing did not look at her but instead asked the Ziwei Sect Leader: ¡°Master, regarding the marriage arrangement between Yinglian and Changtian as Daoist Companions, do you think it could be moved up¡­¡± Upon hearing this, Xu Yinglian¡¯s face immediately turned paler. Xu Changqing, in his secr identity, was the uncle of Xu Yinglian¡¯s grandfather. Since her great-grandfather had passed away, he was begrudgingly considered a direct elder of hers, with the authority to decide her marital matters on behalf of the Xu Family of Southern Heaven. The Ziwei Sect Leader pondered for a short while and was about to speak when Qiu Changtian stepped forward assertively and said: ¡°Master, brother Xu. Now that Junior Sister has a breach in her Daoist Heart, I, as the Chief Disciple, cannot shirk the me.¡± Having said that, he was about to kneel in apology, lifting his robe, but Xu Changqing quickly steadied him, repeatedly saying ¡°There¡¯s no need for such,¡± his expression filled with shame. After all, in Xu Changqing¡¯s eyes, Xu Yinglian¡¯s current plight was purely self-inflicted.
Was it not enough for you to be strong-willed, but also uneptable for someone else to be stronger? Failing to achieve dominance, you¡¯ve allowed your Daoist Heart to be riddled with holes. Can you really me anyone else? Qiu Changtian did not insist, merely saying: ¡°As her senior brother, I will naturally do everything in my power to help her mend the ws in her Daoist Heart. Whether we be Daoistpanions or not, this will never change!¡±
His tone was resolute, emphatic, and so forceful that it moved Xu Changqing and the Ziwei Master simultaneously. It is known that to marry early means Qiu Changtian would be the son-inw of the Xu Family of Southern Heaven and thus receive the full support of this old and reputable family devoted to cultivating immortality. The cost is also clear: helping Xu Yinglian mend the ws in her Daoist Heart would definitely dy his own cultivation. So, in essence, it was a mutually beneficial exchange of interests. Yet now, Qiu Changtian took the initiative to state that he did not need to marry early (that is, he did not need the Xu Family of Southern Heaven to fulfill their promise in advance) and was willing to help Xu Yinglian¡­ His statement was so magnanimous that even Xu Yinglian herself bit her lower lip, unable to utter a word. If Qiu Changtian had not expressed his position, even if shecked the confidence to persuade Xu Changqing, she would at least have the courage to protest. But her senior brother had taken the initiative to step forward for her, preventing the advance of the marriage alliance, leaving her unable to agree, lest she appear ungrateful and disloyal. Xu Changqing was silent for a long while before he let out a long sigh and said, ¡°It is also eptable not to advance the marriage. But from today onwards, let¡¯s provide Qiu Changtian with everything ording to the standard of being Ying Lian¡¯s Daoistpanion.¡± ¡°That would be excellent,¡± the Ziwei Master said with a smile, twirling his beard. What Xu Changqing meant was, even if you do not wish to marry early, we still have to provide Qiu Changtian with the resources in advance; our Xu Family of Southern Heaven, too, has a reputation to uphold. But Xu Yinglian was thinking of something else: If everything is ording to the standard of Daoistpanions, doesn¡¯t that mean that when I return home for a visit in the future, my senior brother will have to apany me?
At the Xu Family¡¯s ancestral worship ceremony, would my senior brother also act as my husband and recite the sacrificial words with me? Even if we stay overnight in the n¡¯s homes, we might be given only one room, onerge bed, one set of quilts¡­ This! Wouldn¡¯t this be ¡°though not in name,¡± yet ¡°indeed in reality¡± a married couple? Considering this, she felt increasingly embarrassed. But in the end, it was her own inability to maintain her Daoist Heart that had led to reliance on her senior brother¡¯s help. If she made more demands, she would truly be unappreciative of her senior brother¡¯s kindness. So Xu Yinglian could only remain silent, neither nodding nor opposing, showing a stubborn attitude. As for the Ziwei Master and Xu Changqing, they naturally ignored her behavior and quickly settled the matter with just a few words. Upon leaving the Jade Void Pce, Xu Yinglian managed to calm her indignant feelings before speaking helplessly, ¡°Then, senior brother, how do you n on stabilizing my Daoist Heart?¡± ¡°Or, do you already know that the blemish in my Daoist Heart is due to consistentlygging behind you?¡± ¡°In that case, do you have any method that can quickly make me stronger?¡± ¡°I have my ways,¡± Qiu Changtian said calmly. ¡°You just need to follow my instructions.¡±
Xu Yinglian took a deep breath, evidently aware that this matter was rted to her own life and she could not afford to be capricious. She could only nod and say, ¡°Alright.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Qiu Changtian nodded solemnly and said, ¡°Let¡¯s go, we have preparations to make back at Golden Ridge.¡± ¡°Prepare what?¡± Xu Yinglian mounted her Sword Light. ¡°Prepare to take on our Kunlun peers,¡± Qiu Changtian said casually. Chapter 72: 7: The Proud Cat Likes to Be Stroked the Right Way Chapter 72: Chapter 7: The Proud Cat Likes to Be Stroked the Right Way It¡¯smon knowledge that the Shushan Shangqing Faction is a ratherherworldly sect. Because Sword Immortals heavily rely on the ¡°breakthroughs and sudden enlightenment at the brink of life and death,¡± the sect also encourages peer-level sparring among its members. The most typical rule is that if someone challenges you to a duel and you refuse, you have topensate with a substantial amount of Spirit Stones. Such a culture and environment make everyone extremelybative. Even Senior Sister An, with her gentle nature, had to pretend to be vicious and cruel. Otherwise, she¡¯d be taken advantage of like a soft persimmon. By that logic, Junior Sister Xu would have been better suited for the Shushan Shangqing Faction. With herpetitive nature, whenever she felt unhappy, she could just challenge a junior brother or sister to a duel, easily defeat them, and have her thoughts cleared in no time. Whereas at Kunlun, where everyone is busy practicing breathing and Qi Refinement, she can¡¯t let loose, which bes a w in her Daoist Heart, right? It¡¯s all a matter of the sect¡¯s culture! To this day, Qiu Changtian still remembered when Junior Sister Xu, leading the Asura troops in the Trial Secret Realm of the Pavilion, achieved one victory after another against the celestial opponents. Back then, her face truly carried a pure smile that came from the depths of her heart. Now, all that needed to be done was to resurrect that smile for Junior Sister Xu.
¡°Overturn my Kunlun peers?¡± asked Xu Yinglian, puzzled for a moment, then starting to feel annoyed, ¡°Are you suggesting I go and overwhelm those junior brothers and sisters weaker than me?¡± ¡°Hehe,¡± Qiu Changtian shook his head with a smile, ¡°Ying Lian.¡± ¡°What?¡± Xu Yinglian felt a bit ufortable being called by her name, and her attention swiftly shifted. ¡°If you don¡¯t consider cultivation level, just swordsmanship, how do youpare to Third Junior Brother Guan Zhan?¡± Qiu Changtian asked with a smile. ¡°¡­We are about equal,¡± Xu Yinglian said hesitantly. ¡°About equal?¡± Qiu Changtian pressed on seriously, ¡°The Kunlun Sword Technique,pared to the Shushan Swordsmanship or even the secret Sword Control Technique of the Longxi Guan Family, how does it fare?¡± Xu Yinglian was silent for a moment, then sighed and said: ¡°It¡¯s inferior.¡± Qiu Changtian bombarded her with questions: ¡°Since the Kunlun Sword Technique is far less refined than the secret swordsmanship of the Longxi Guan Family, which specializes in the sword path, could it be that Junior Sister has decades more experience in swordsmanship than Junior Brother Guan, which helps you outdo him in battle? Or is it that your swordsmanship talent is so exceptional that Junior Brother Guan simply can¡¯t match you?¡± ¡°I¡­¡± Xu Yinglian started to speak, then paused before reluctantly admitting, ¡°Regarding just swordsmanship, I might¡­ well, indeed, at the moment I can¡¯t confidently beat Junior Brother Guan.¡± ¡°Good!¡± Qiu Changtian apuded andughed heartily, ¡°Since that¡¯s the case, let¡¯s find a way to improve your swordsmanship so you can confidently beat him, how about that?¡± ¡°Ah, that?¡± Xu Yinglian became confused. As Qiu Changtian said, she was not significantly better than Guan Zhan in talent or experience, and was far behind in Sword Control Technique. How could she possibly beat him with swordsmanship alone? Unless she relied on a Flying Sword! However, recently Guan Zhan had also obtained a Tenth Rank Flying Sword from the Pavilion¡¯s Trial Secret Realm. I don¡¯t have an advantage in equipment either, do I? ¡°Are you afraid, Junior Sister?¡± Qiu Changtian teased with a smile. ¡°Afraid?¡± Xu Yinglian blurted out instantly, ¡°How is that possible?!¡± Her first instinct was to say ¡°I¡¯m not even afraid of you, how could I be afraid of a junior brother,¡± but that seemed like self-defeat, and not wanting to undermine her own spirit, she forcefully changed it to ¡°How is that possible?¡± at thest second.
¡°Then it¡¯s settled!¡± Qiu Changtianughed boisterously, ¡°Ying Lian, don¡¯t sell yourself short; you are a junior sister recognized by me, Qiu Changtian!¡± [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°I¡¯m not selling myself short!¡± Xu Yinglian grew irritated and muttered, ¡°Hmph, I¡¯m well aware of my own potential, but you tell me, how can I improve my swordsmanship to definitely beat him?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s fencing with me!¡± Qiu Changtian said loudly.
¡­¡­¡­ Xu Yinglian clenched her teeth. When Qiu Changtian used the training method of Lin Duanshan from the Vajra Peak and crushed Xu Yinglian with his extraordinary swordsmanship, pushing her to the limit, her subconscious reaction was to stubbornly hold on for dear life. Never avoid, never show weakness, never admit defeat. She performed even stronger than the original Ling Yunpo. Qiu Changtian silentlymended her in his heart, but verbally he said: ¡°Don¡¯t think about the gap between you and me. What you really need to defeat is the timid, cowardly self inside you that constantly wants to give up!¡± ¡°I know that, of course!¡± Xu Yinglian snapped fiercely. Concentrating intensely, long hours of controlling the Flying Sword had pushed both her physical strength and will to the verge of copse. Yet she still gritted her teeth, mobilizing the little remaining True Qi she had left to continue propelling the Feather Jia Sword to block the attacks from the Jade Smoke Sword. ¡°Enough,¡± Qiu Changtian suddenly retracted his Flying Sword, ¡°rest for a while.¡± Xu Yinglian, trembling, recalled the Feather Jia Sword, then settled slowly on the piece of bluestone next to her, sitting in meditation to recover her True Qi. ¡°Next, let¡¯s talk about the problems with your swordsmanship¡­¡± Qiu Changtian did not let her rest.
Because the moment this girl had free time, she was prone to wild thoughts. And with wild thoughts, she tended to obsess over things and then descend into madness. Therefore, drawing from the Ling Yunpo¡¯s sword training experience, Qiu Changtian nned to subject her to ¡°high-pressure training,¡± filling up her schedule to the brim to upy all her time and keep her from overthinking. Indeed, once they started discussing ¡°the problems with swordsmanship,¡± even though Xu Yinglian was already exhausted, she still forced herself to start listening attentively. Although they were both using the Kunlun Sword Technique, relying on his ability to draw inferences about other cases from one instance, Qiu Changtian¡¯s swordsmanship attainment had long sincepletely overwhelmed her. Normally, this girl might not be able to ept this reality, ¡°The gap between my senior brother and me is actually this big,¡± but at this moment, Xu Yinglian didn¡¯t have the time for such thoughts. She was just listening attentively, like a sponge, eagerly soaking up all the swordsmanship knowledge Qiu Changtian was imparting to her. Her heart harbored only one firm thought, constantly circling, unable to be dispelled: I must surpass Guan Zhan in swordsmanship! And then, find the method to surpass my senior brother! After several days like this, noticing that his junior sister¡¯s swordsmanship had improved by leaps and bounds, Qiu Changtian dered the training over and took her to challenge Guan Zhan to a bout with swords. ¡°No Cultivation Level, no Daoist Magic, only swordsmanship?¡± A bewildered Guan Zhan eximed in astonishment. Just in terms of swordsmanship alone, not to mention Junior Sister Xu, even if you, Senior Brother Qiu, came at me, wouldn¡¯t I easily suppress you?
¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Xu Yinglian said coldly. At this moment, although there were still traces of exhaustion around her eyes and eyebrows, her entire demeanor was like a de that had just been quenched in water, chillingly sharp. ¡°Fine,¡± Guan Zhanughed coldly as well. If you¡¯re asking for humiliation, then you can¡¯t me me. Hearing that Junior Sister Xu was challenging Brother Guan in swordsmanship, Chen Zhen and the others could not stay put in their retreats either, hastily riding their Sword Light, following Senior Brother Qiu to the scene of the battle. Chapter 73: 8 A Good Straight Pitch Attack Chapter 73: Chapter 8 A Good Straight Pitch Attack The swordpetition wasckluster and hardly worth watching. For the junior brothers and sisters, it might have seemed like a thrilling battle. Without any definitive and splendid Daoist magic, it was merely a ughter between Flying Swords, interspersed with innumerable exchanges of attack and defense, so much so that everyone watched intently, deeply anxious about the oue of thepetition. Only Qiu Changtian found it boring. These two Kunlun weaklings pecking at each other, neither knowing how to disguise their attack intentions nor understanding tactical deception, was just pure offense and defense, to see who would make the first mistake and reveal a w. Of course, such a battle was extremely advantageous for Xu Yinglian because Qiu Changtian knew very well, after this period of mentoring, just how exaggerated this girl¡¯s unyielding spirit was. If Guan Zhan engaged in a war of attrition with her, it was like being drawn into her most familiar territory, and he was bound to be defeated by her strong will. Just as expected, after a prolonged tug-of-war, Guan Zhan soon ran out of True Qi. The moment he showed a w, Xu Yinglian immediately urged the Feather Jia Sword to strike. Seeing that he couldn¡¯t defend in time, Guan Zhan actually made a Sword technique gesture, giving up on defense to go all out in attack, adopting a posture as if willing to perish together with her. Just as the two¡¯s Flying Swords were about to pierce each other simultaneously, suddenly, a bolt of Immortal Capital Thunder struck from outside the arena, knocking Guan Zhan¡¯s Flying Sword aside. At the same time, Qiu Changtian¡¯s Jade Smoke Sword shot out, blocking Xu Yinglian¡¯s Feather Jia Sword.
¡°I¡¯ve lost.¡± Before he even spoke up, Guan Zhan coldly dropped the words, recalled his Flying Sword, and left without looking back. Above the swordpetition arena, Xu Yinglian also withdrew the Feather Jia Sword, and gave a vigorous fist pump towards Qiu Changtian outside the arena. That gesture was naturally ¡°I won.¡± Qiu Changtian smiled in response, noting the tension in Xu Yinglian¡¯s eyes and brows had clearly dissipated by quite a bit. In the distant sky, Xu Changqing stood with his sword, looking down at the radiant Xu Yinglian below and let out a long sigh of relief, musing to himself: Master said that only the creator of the knot can undo it, and now it seems, he was indeed correct. What Ying Lian truly desired was not so much victory but rather Qiu Changtian¡¯s recognition¡­ With that thought, Xu Changqing descended. Xu Yinglian was about to leave the swordpetition arena when she saw her great-grandfather arrive and so she stopped. ¡°Ying Lian, you won beautifully just now. How did your swordsmanship improve so dramatically recently?¡± Xu Changqing said encouragingly. ¡°I studied diligently with brother for a while.¡± Xu Yinglian didn¡¯t deny it, and though her expression was reserved, her eyes and brows already hinted at a smile. On the edge of the arena, Guan Zhan who was indignant in defeat, as well as Chen Zhen, Jian Qingnan, and the others who watched with excitement, turned their hopeful gazes to Qiu Changtian upon hearing this. ¡°It¡¯s fine to learn swordsmanship from me,¡± Qiu Changtian said warmly to them, ¡°Like Junior Sister Xu, if you apany me on my journeys, I¡¯ll teach you.¡± So everyone began to feel conflicted again. Learning swordsmanship was certainly good, but if it had to be exchanged for time spent on external experiences, it became a difficult decision to make. After all, the most crucial thing for a Cultivator is the Cultivation Realm. If during the Foundation Establishment stage, one doesn¡¯t invest enough time in perfecting the Purple Mansion, it would affect the ultimate Grade Rank of the core formation. The Pill divides into nine grades, and there are upper, middle, and lower tiers within those. If the Pill Formation turns out to be of the lower third grade, the speed of cultivation in the Golden Core Rank would severelyg, and one might not even live long enough to reach Nascent Infant. Senior Brother Qiu and Junior Sister Xu, one with Daoist Heart rity and the other with Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, both have a talent for cultivation as a bonus, which gives them the confidence to venture out and gain experience, or to study swordsmanship and Daoist Magic.
But they didn¡¯t have that confidence, to say that they could practice both Qi Refining Technique and swordsmanship Daoist Magic and still ensure a smooth core formation afterwards. Seeing the junior brothers and sisters were clearly hesitant, Qiu Changtian didn¡¯t force them, only telling them to go back and think it over. Whenever they made a decision, they coulde and find him then. After sending the junior brothers and sisters away, Xu Changqing pulled Qiu Changtian aside and handed him a Flying Sword.
¡°This is the ¡®Yu Long,¡¯ a Tenth Rank Metal System Flying Sword,¡± Xu Changqing said solemnly, ¡°From the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, as a gift to Chang Tian.¡± Qiu Changtian epted the Flying Sword with due gravity and nodded his thanks. Tenth Rank Flying Swords, in the Ancient Era, were standard issue for disciples of various sects, but now, due to the lost art of sword casting, they have be an unrenewable resource. Given Qiu Changtian¡¯s identity as the Chief Disciple of Kunlun, if he really wanted to obtain a Tenth Rank Flying Sword, with time, it wouldn¡¯t be impossible to acquire, but for The Xu Family of Southern Heaven to give one as a gift upon meeting, that indeed surprised him. Hmm, it felt like someone was currying favor with him. ¡°Yinglian, from now on, she will be in your care,¡± Xu Changqing said seriously. ¡°I will take good care of Junior Sister,¡± Qiu Changtian replied earnestly. Xu Changqing gave a faint smile, did not correct his use of ¡°Junior Sister,¡± and then rode away on his sword light. ¡°What did Great-Grandfather give you?¡± Xu Yinglian walked over and asked. ¡°Oh, just a Flying Sword,¡± Qiu Changtian said nonchntly. ¡°The Yu Long Sword, huh,¡± Xu Yinglian stared at the long sword in his hand and said, ¡°Impressive, they really went all out.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in surprise. ¡°The Xu Family of Southern Heaven currently possesses eight Tenth Rank Flying Swords other than the Feather Jia Sword,¡± Xu Yinglian stated modestly, ¡°The Feather Jia Sword must not be passed on lightly to those outside our Xu Family lineage, it was originally Great-Grandfather¡¯s apanying sword, butter he transferred it to me.¡±
¡°Apart from the Feather Jia Sword, the strongest one is the Yu Long Sword.¡± ¡°As far as I know, everyone in the family with aspirations for Cultivating Immortality, from the top down, has their eyes on that sword, yet the family actually gave it to you.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Qiu Changtian immediately understood, this was the Xu Family of Southern Heaven treating him as one of their own. ¡°Certainly,¡± Xu Yinglian also realized this and blushed slightly, ¡°I am a bit tired, apany me back, will you?¡± ¡°Okay.¡± The two of them rode the sword light, and returned to the Golden Ridge Cave Abode. In front of Xu Yinglian¡¯s cave, at some point, many cranes had appeared, standing elegantly on one leg, using their long beaks to preen their feathers. Perhaps because she had just won and was in a good mood, Xu Yinglian took a basket of herbs from her cave and began feeding the cranes one by one. ¡°Help me,¡± she said softly. The Kunlun Mirror, acutely sensing the change in atmosphere, immediately and quietly withdrew the Mirror Flower Water Moon illusion, allowing the intimidating aura surrounding Qiu Changtian to slowly dissipate. ¡°Mm,¡± Qiu Changtian took the basket of herbs and helped feed the cranes. These white-feathered birds weren¡¯t afraid of him either, simply standingzily in ce, waiting for him to bring the herbs to their beaks, then opening their mouths to grab the food and lifting their heads to swallow. Suddenly, Qiu Changtian remembered the Pavilion Secret Realm with its three categories of beasts, where he had turned into a crane¡­
Xu Yinglian stood at the entrance of the cave dwelling and watched him, suddenly noticing that the aura around him had vanished. The sharp aura that belonged to a genius of his caliber, which always made her feel choked with deference, seemed to havepletely disappeared. So Xu Yinglian mustered her courage and spoke in a faint tone, ¡°The only ones these cranes don¡¯t reject, other than me, are only you,¡± she said. ¡°Junior Sister Jian has tried many times, no matter what she holds in her hands, even if it¡¯s thousand-years-old Polygonum multiflorum, as soon as she gets close, the cranes immediately spread their wings and fly away.¡± ¡°Maybe it¡¯s because I have a unique affinity with animals,¡± Qiu Changtian replied. ¡°No, it¡¯s pride,¡± Xu Yinglian paused silently, then said, ¡°Only the proud of their own kind can gain the cranes¡¯ recognition.¡± ¡°Senior Brother and I are the same kind of people. Or rather, a person even more proud than I am.¡± ¡°So, if I were to ask you directly, you certainly wouldn¡¯t deign to lie to me, right?¡± She lowered her gaze slowly toward the ground, her eyshes trembling slightly, ¡°Senior Brother, do you like me?¡± Qiu Changtian looked at her in astonishment.
Chapter 74: 9: Riddle Man Defies Proud Junior Sister Chapter 74: Chapter 9: Riddle Man Defies Proud Junior Sister ¡°Senior Brother, do you like me?¡± Xu Yinglian did not look at him, but calmly stared at the ground. Qiu Changtian looked at her in surprise. After a while, he suddenly smiled and said, ¡°The moon in the sky and the moon in the water, which is real and which is fake?¡± The nervous Xu Yinglian immediately began to ponder rapidly. The moon in the sky is naturally real, but it is unreachable; the moon in the water is within reach, but ultimately an illusion. So Senior Brother means to ask me whether I want to hear ¡°pleasant lies¡± (implied by the moon in the water) or ¡°unknown truths¡± (implied by the moon in the sky). Pleasant lies, naturally, are that he likes me¡­ but what is the point of such lies? ¡°The moon in the water is close at hand, yet it shatters upon touch, so why yearn for it?¡± Xu Yinglian said without hesitation, ¡°Even if it is unattainable, I still wish to part the clouds to see the moon and glimpse the truth.¡±
Qiu Changtian blinked his eyes, thenughed, ¡°Junior Sister, what are you talking about?¡± Did I misunderstand¡­ Xu Yinglian frowned slightly and began to ponder again. If the moon in the water and the moon in the sky are not referring to lies and truths, respectively, what do they imply? ¡°Well, let¡¯s stop here for today,¡± Qiu Changtian said leisurely, ¡°I¡¯ll continue to teach you Daoist magic tomorrow.¡± ¡°Alright,¡± Xu Yinglian nodded slightly. With herpetitive spirit, she naturally wouldn¡¯t simply admit defeat and directly ask Qiu Changtian for the answer to this conundrum. She needed to return to her cave abode and think it over properly. On the other hand, as Qiu Changtian once again rode the sword light to the Scriptural Repository, he heard the Kunlun Mirror ask curiously, ¡°What did you mean by the moon in the water and the moon in the sky just now?¡± ¡°It means nothing,¡± Qiu Changtian said after a moment of silence, ¡°It was just a distraction to shift her attention away.¡± Kunlun Mirror: ¡­¡­ You can even wrap up a situation like that? It wanted to describe him with a word, but couldn¡¯t think of what that word was for a moment. ¡°When she realizes, she will eventually ask again,¡± the Kunlun Mirror reminded him. ¡°How will she realize?¡± Qiu Changtian scoffed, ¡°My answer lies within this riddle.¡± ¡°If she can¡¯t solve the riddle, it¡¯s the same as admitting intellectual defeat to me. Do you think she will just concede and then ask me what this riddle really means?¡± ¡°Wow.¡± The Kunlun Mirror still couldn¡¯t think of that word and could only express itsplex feelings with an emotionless interjection. ¡°Next is the Daoist magic,¡± Qiu Changtian said confidently, ¡°Junior Sister Xu¡¯s Heart Demon arose because she was defeated by the power of my Daoist magic.¡±
¡°But what kind of Daoist magic canpare to the Thunder Method? The Thunder Method is extremely difficult to cultivate and very risky. If its power could be surpassed, Thunder Cultivators would have been extinct long ago.¡± ¡°Besides, Thunder Method deals damage in an instant, while the Great Bright Fire does sustained damage. Does she have water in her brain trying topete with me in burst damage?¡± ¡°I think she has picked the wrong opponent. She needs to be beaten by an easier target to regain her confidence.¡± ¡°She indeed picked the wrong opponent,¡± the Kunlun Mirror thought to itself.
How did Xu Yinglian¡¯s Heart Demon originate in the first ce? Do you, you great viin, really have no idea? Wait, if we really trace it back, it¡¯s also because I selected him as the Savior which led him to bring disaster upon Junior Sister Xu. Am I the viin myself? The Kunlun Mirror fell into a confused state of self-doubt. ¡­¡­ In the following days, Qiu Changtian sacrificed much of his time, taking Xu Yinglian around to visit and challenge the direct disciples of various elders. ¡°Senior Brother Liu, I¡¯ve heard that you¡¯ve recently mastered the ¡®Scorching Sun Bing Fire Divine Skill.¡¯ I came to seek guidance,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile. Senior Brother Liu asked in confusion, ¡°I¡¯m at the Refining Mansion rank, while you are only at the Marrow Cleansing Rank. Are you sure you want to seek guidance from me?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Xu Yinglian said seriously. Momentster, after a demonstration of Daoist magic near Congling, Senior Brother Liu¡¯s expression had be stupefied. The Great Bright Fire released by Xu Yinglian was on par with his Scorching Sun Bing Fire in terms of its destructive range, yet it boasted even greater power. Where his mes had scorched the rocks, leaving noticeable chunks and gravel, the area Xu Yinglian targeted had almost melted into ss.
This¡­ Junior Sister Xu really was at the Marrow Cleansing Rank? A cultivator at the Marrow Cleansing Rank, whose True Qi has not yet been purified into Yuan, how could their Daoist magic be so terrifyingly powerful! Could it be that all the 280th generation disciples are monsters?!! Xu Yinglian calmly withdrew her Daoist form, acting as if defeating Liu, a Refining Mansion Rank senior brother, in Daoist magic was not something worth being surprised about. Qiu Changtian then said with a smile, ¡°Senior Brother Liu¡¯s Scorching Sun Bing Fire is truly fierce and aggressive. As a junior, I have been watching from the side and have a few questions to ask¡­¡± He asked his questions one by one, all basic ones often encountered when deploying Daoist magic. Senior Brother Liu patiently answered each question, and Qiu Changtian nodded slightly in thanks, then also shared some of his insights about using Thunder Method, asking Senior Brother Liu to guide and correct his understanding. With this exchange, Senior Brother Liu no longer felt the embarrassment and awkwardness of losing to a junior. Instead, he silently marveled at Qiu Changtian¡¯s proficient social skills, which made one feel refreshed like a spring breeze, truly deserving of the praise he received from the entire sect as the current generation¡¯s Chief Disciple. Standing to the side, Xu Yinglian seemed to be listening to their conversation, but inside, she was feeling both shocked and delighted. Delighted that she had indeed defeated Refining Mansion Rank Senior Brother Liu. Shocked because her victory hade with Qiu Changtian¡¯s guidance. With just over a dozen words, it was as if he had poured enlightenment into her head, allowing Xu Yinglian to make a leap in her understanding of Great Bright Fire, almost like a qualitative jump.
However, what she could not understand was why Qiu Changtian¡¯s knowledge of the Fire System Daoist Magic was so profound? Wasn¡¯t Thunder Method his usual practice? Of course, Qiu Changtian wouldn¡¯t tell her that he had mastered an ancestral immortal art of the Five Elements category, the ¡°Acquired Great Five Elements Extermination Divine Light,¡± which allowed him to offer unique enlightenment and pointers on the application of Great Bright Fire to Xu Yinglian. Thus, as Xu Yinglian pondered silently on her side, Qiu Changtian, who was interacting with Senior Brother Liu, heard an incessant string of prompts from the Kunlun Mirror: [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡­ Qiu Changtian: ??? Wait, Junior Sister Xu was the one who had a sessful show, so why is my Synchronization Value rising? Unable toprehend it, after saying goodbye to Senior Brother Liu, he took Junior Sister Xu back to Golden Ridge Cave Abode. Having continuously defeated those she had thought unbeatable in both swordsmanship and Daoist magic, Xu Yinglian¡¯s expression had nowpletely normalized, returning to her original cool and aloof demeanor. There was no lingering shadow in her eyes anymore, and her confidence was through the roof.
Even if she couldn¡¯t defeat Senior Brother Qiu for the time being, she was now confident that she could beat 99% of the Foundation Establishment Rank disciples of Kunlun Taiqing Sect. Senior Brother was just the final guardian she needed to challenge. In summary, she was extremely happy. After escorting Xu Yinglian back to her cave abode, Qiu Changtian turned to leave but was suddenly called back by her: ¡°Senior Brother.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Qiu Changtian turned back and asked. ¡°That¡­¡± Xu Yinglian hesitated to speak. She wanted to ask Qiu Changtian what the meaning of ¡°the moon in the sky¡± and ¡°the moon in the water¡± was, but she didn¡¯t want to admit to her senior brother that she couldn¡¯t solve his riddle. ¡°Ahem.¡± Finally, Xu Yinglian coughed and said unnaturally, ¡°Thank you for your effort.¡± Qiu Changtian smiled faintly and then said in all seriousness, ¡°It¡¯s nothing, after all¡­¡± ¡°¡­how could the junior sister of I, Qiu Changtian, be second to anyone other than myself?¡± [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] The Kunlun Mirrormented. Chapter 75: 10: Overseas Isolated Island, Ten Thousand Years of Molted Shell Chapter 75: Chapter 10: Overseas Isted Ind, Ten Thousand Years of Molted Shell Qiu Changtian spent over ten days and finally began to mend the rift in Xu Yinglian¡¯s Daoist Heart. Then, he switched to loading his saved progress and went to Peni Yuqing View, assuming the role of Luo Yan to cultivate the Postnatal Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light. If he were to evaluate it from a sensory perspective, Yuqing View was undoubtedly the sect within the Three Cults that offered the best treatment. The master was generous, fellow disciples were kind and loving, and the sry was exceptionally generous. If you include the elixirs, talisman scripts, and other benefits, the monthly stipend that Luo Yan received even surpassed what Qiu Changtian got. One could only say that the Heavenly Craft Workshop was really rich. If there was anything less than perfect about it, it would probably be that a certain youngdy always clung to him, preventing him from focusing on his work. Get lost! Women only affect the speed of my cultivation! ¡°Little Junior Brother!¡± Shi Liuli pinned a hairpin to her head, ¡°How do I look wearing this?¡± Today, Miss Shi, as always, bore a natural face void of makeup, dressed in a cyan-green long skirt, looking charming and cute, her hair tied into a lively bun at the back of her head, with a hairpin inserted on top. Luo Yan was somewhat speechless. Your hairpin is dull in color, devoid of spiritual energy, obviously not even a magical treasure, what¡¯s there toment on?
¡°Ah, the hairpin really suits Senior Sister well,¡± he said with a beaming smile, ¡°The shape of the hairpin itself is fine, delicate and graceful, but the touch of dark green jade is what brings it all together, elevating Senior Sister¡¯s jade-like charm to the pinnacle.¡± [False persona, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°Does it really look that nice?¡± Shi Liuli asked in surprise. She held a bright and clear bronze mirror, admiring herself with the hairpin from every angle. ¡°Of course,¡± Luo Yan assured her solemnly. Having deceived the ted Miss Shi to leave, Luo Yan sighed softly. s, it can¡¯t be helped. Such is the power of personal charm; even if I don¡¯t seek her out, she would actively seek me. She does so tirelessly, impossible to stop. While I can use her to brush up the Synchronization Value, the Synchronization Value is merely a bonus to innate talent forprehension, not as though knowledge would directly pop into my mind. After all, I still need to find time to study. But, with hering over seven or eight times a day, I¡¯m almost out of time to study. Hmm, wait a second¡­ Is there a possibility that Shi Liulies to me so frequently not because she¡¯s attracted by my charm but simply wants to hear me say some pleasing ttery? After thinking for a moment, Luo Yan quickly discarded this conclusion. The reason is nothing else but his full confidence in his own charisma. If Miss Shi fancied Qiu Chang Tian, then Luo Yan, sharing a simr appearance, would naturally fit her aesthetic preferences, which made perfect sense. With that in mind, Luo Yan promptly slipped away from Yuqing View while Shi Liuli had note to find him again. You should know, the Postnatal Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light could be cultivation technique enough to be a mainstay Immortal Law of the rify Cult. During the process of refining the Five Elements True Veins with the maism of the primordial energy, bizarre celestial phenomena would ur, so it absolutely must not be allowed to be known easily.
He must find an utterly safe ce for his practice. Flying eastward over the vast sea with his sword control technique, Luo Yan closely scanned the waters below with his gaze, on guard for any demonic beasts that might surge out at any time. In this world, east of the Divine Land Continent lies the boundless ocean, and the further east one goes, the more formidable the monsters in the sea be. It is said that at the easternmost point, at the edge of the ocean, lies the Dragon Pce where the Dragon n resides, a ce that only immortals can reach ¡ª from this saying, one can infer that continuing to fly east would eventually lead to encountering demonic beasts of Golden Core rank.
As a result, when Luo Yan noticed that the demonic beasts in the surrounding waters were generally at the Refining Mansion rank, he stopped going any deeper east and began to head south in search of uninhabited inds. Finally, after flying for about half an hour, he found a deserted ind. There were no man-made structures on the ind, its center was hilly, surrounded by dense jungle, while the coastline was formed of sandy beaches. Luo Yan descended on the beach with his sword light and headed into the ind¡¯s jungle, bringing out the Heaven-flipping Seal as well, just to be cautious. After passing through the woods and using the Heaven-flipping Seal to kill a few beasts that resembled cheetahs, Luo Yan finally found a natural cave near the central hills. ¡°` He circted his Qi Refining Technique, pulling out the ¡°Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique¡± with his left hand, but instead of releasing it, he just gripped it as a light source in his hand; his right hand formed a Daoist form, manipting the Heaven-flipping Seal, ready to smash it forward at any moment. Delving deeper into the cave, after dozens of breaths, the air remained remarkably fresh, but the surroundings grew increasingly dim. Suddenly, Luo Yan noticed the path ahead sloping downward, which had be roughly hewn stone steps. Was there someone here? He immediately went on high alert, continued forward for a few dozen steps, turned around a corner, and entered a small stone chamber. The stone chamber was quite small, about thirty square meters, with nothing else inside except for a stone bed against the wall. There was a skeleton sitting on the stone bed in the lotus position, its bones grayish-white indicating it had died a long time ago.
Next to the skeleton, there was a jade slip. Luo Yan silently backed up a few steps, retreated outside the stone chamber, pulled out the Green Duckweed Sword from within his body with his right hand, and pinched a Jade Pivot Thunder in his palm with his left hand. If the long-dead person¡¯s Primordial Spirit was hiding under the jade slip, ready to pounce and attempt a soul possession, he would instantly release the Jade Pivot Thunder and then flee through the passage without looking back. The Green Duckweed Sword shot out, flicking the jade slip into the air, but there was nothing underneath it. So he controlled the Green Duckweed Sword to turn into a sword light and rolled the jade slip back, but didn¡¯t use his hands to pick it up. Instead, he wiped it on the corpse of the demonic beast. Hmm, the corpse did not react unusually, it seemed that there was no contamination of flesh and blood poison on the jade slip. Eventually, he picked up the jade slip, and inwardly called out: ¡°Ah Jing, scan this jade slip and see if there¡¯s any trap inside.¡± ¡°You¡¯re being overly cautious,¡± the Kunlun Mirrormented. ¡°It¡¯s not very likely that there¡¯s a trap inside a jade slip.¡± ¡°This is called being prudent,¡± Luo Yan said impatiently. ¡°Just help me confirm!¡± The Kunlun Mirror sighed and then scanned the jade slip. ¡°No problem, it¡¯s just ast message left by the body.¡± Thus Luo Yan immersed his Divine Sense into it, and indeed discovered a message:
¡°I am Tai Yi of the Intercepting Cult, a true person of Tong Xuan, who was ambushed near Moon Ind in the East Sea by a sly dog from rify Cult with white eyebrows, destroying all my cultivation and might. Having escaped to this ce, my physical body in ruins and my Primordial Spirit exhausted, I had no choice but to undergo physical dissolution and be reborn.¡± ¡°Here I leave a letter, if a fated individual should see this, please bury me in an abandoned tomb, and go to the Intercepting Cult to find the Sect Leader of the Tong Xuan Gate, and inform him of my death.¡± ¡°The Tong Xuan Gate is the sect I established, continuing my Daoist legacy, with the secret phrase ¡®Tai Yi Tong Xuan, Myriad Laws Break the Path,¡¯ known by all sessive Sect Leaders.¡± ¡°After passing on the message, tell him the secret phrase to prove the truth, and you may join my Tong Xuan Gate as a Direct Disciple of the Sect Leader. Any cultivation techniques or secret arts can be imparted to you!¡± ¡°If you already have a master and do not wish to join my sect, you may still receive a Qi Refining Technique.¡± ¡°This technique is called ¡®Devil Purging Uplifting Spirit Splitting the Clear and Turbid Scripture,¡¯ it is the essence of my being and should not be carelessly passed on.¡± ¡°Be aware: Qi is the vessel of the divine; the origin of rity and turbidity exists in the mystery, as in the heavens so clear, as in the body so alive. Life and death, surplus and deficiency, truly follow between absorption and control¡­¡± Luo Yan read the message with an odd expression, thinking that this Tai Yi of Tong Xuan truly had bad luck. The will was well-written: bury his body, then tell his disciples of his death, and upon proving the message¡¯s authenticity with a secret phrase, the reward was an opportunity to join the Tong Xuan Gate he founded, in addition to receiving a Qi Refining Technique. The request was not difficult, and the promised reward was quite generous. The only problem¡­ was that not only were Tai Yi¡¯s Daoist lineage gone, but the entire Intercepting Cult had also vanished, right? After feeling wistful about the vicissitudes of life for a while, Luo Yan silently memorized the ¡®Devil Purging Uplifting Spirit Splitting the Clear and Turbid Scripture,¡¯ then activated his Thunder Method to turn the jade slip into fine powder. The ¡®Devil Purging Uplifting Spirit Splitting the Clear and Turbid Scripture,¡¯ as a Qi Refining Technique, could only be described as ¡°average,¡± with an efficiency far inferior to the ¡®Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra.¡¯
Its sole advantage was its ability to freely convert clear and turbid Qi. If one was originally cultivating low-grade Demonic Techniques, this technique could be used to transform the dirty Demonic Qi into true Daoist Yuan, and vice versa. Since the Intercepting Cult had a diverse array of disciples, some may have already been practicing Demonic Techniques before joining the sect, this Qi Refining Technique could be used for ¡°resetting their points,¡± but Luo Yan clearly didn¡¯t need it at this point. Therefore, Luo Yan went out and dug a pit several meters deep where he buried the remains of the Tai Yi of Tong Xuan. He then returned to the underground cavern, inside the stone chamber, and sat down cross-legged on the bed, ready to begin refining the Postnatal Five Elements True Veins with Maization Qi. Since the remains of a true person from the Intercepting Cult have been undiscovered here for over ten thousand years, it proved that this ce was indeed rarely visited by man. It was the perfect ce to cultivate the Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light! Chapter 76: 11 Five Elements Divine Light, Miss Shi Chapter 76: Chapter 11 Five Elements Divine Light, Miss Shi ¡°` The Five Elements True Veins of Acquired Nature are known as ¡°Wood that is dying but not dead,¡± ¡°Fire that seems extinguished but is hard to put out,¡± ¡°Earth that is humble and untainted,¡± ¡°Metal that is like jade but not jade,¡± and ¡°Water that is rootless and unceasing.¡± These strange objects all share amon characteristic: while on the verge of extinction, they possess an almost infinite vitality. Being on the verge of extinction, they are not prone to violent instinct, which makes them easier to refine. The infinite vitality aligns perfectly with the way of the Five Elements Generation. ording to the form provided by the Pavilion, the best way to start refining the Five Elements Extinguishing Divine Light is from the Water System True Vein. The first step is to refine the Water Vein, followed by the Wood Vein, in ordance with the principle that water generates wood. The third step is to refine the Fire Vein, but since the Fire Vein is suppressed by the Water Vein, it is extremely difficult to cultivate. Because the Wood Vein has been refined prior, using the principle that wood generates fire, the previous Wood Vein needs to be refined more than the Water Vein. The fourth step is to refine the Earth Vein, and as the Wood Vein restrains the Earth Vein, the previous Fire Vein needs to be refined more than the Wood Vein. Finally, the Metal Vein is to be refined, which is restrained by the Fire Vein, therefore sufficient Earth Vein must be refined to provide support.
However, following the previous steps, the Earth Vein should be refined to the highest degree at this point, with the Water Vein being the least refined. Since earth ovees water, it can easily suppress the Water Vein, causing an imbnce of the Five Elements. Therefore, the ¡°extra refinement¡± mentioned at each step is an extremely subtle amount. A tiny bit of extra refining, amplified over each step, could lead to the difficulty of subsequent refining steps rising exponentially. Luo Yan reviewed the cultivation form in his mind several times, making sure he hadmitted it to memory and grasped it thoroughly, without any hindrance, before he began to cautiously embark on the first step of cultivation. The Qi Sea circted, and his Divine Sense led out a ck speck of light. This was the ¡°Rootless and Unceasing Water,¡± the Gui Water True Essence. Upon contacting it with his Divine Sense, he felt a chill deep to the bone. Luo Yan then activated the Yuan Maic Qi, carefully enveloped it, and began the refinement process. An hourter, a light rain started to drizzle above the area surrounding the small ind. The rain grew heavier, soon leading to sh floods. The animals in the forest on the ind ran away in terror, and flocks of birds scattered in all directions. The water flow cascaded down through the cave, umting in the stone chamber to the height of a person¡¯s lower leg, perfectly flooding the stone bed where Luo Yan was sitting. Suddenly, as the rain outside eased up, the grass and trees began to spur a burst of growth, quickly turning the entire rain-soaked ind into lush, verdant greenery. The green crept down the mountain steps, entering the stone chamber like spreading moss, where it turned into duckweed on the water surface, with roots drifting in the water like jellyfish and swaying like willow branches. Luo Yan, amidst all these odd phenomena, sat with his eyes tightly shut, as ifpletely unaware of his surroundings. Suddenly, the mes around him zed fiercely, quickly spreading across the duckweed on the water surface. Water and fire shed, sending up steams of white mist. The fire on the water was clearly suppressed, but it did not go outpletely, sustained only because the duckweed continued to provide fuel incessantly. The dense forest on the ind was also engulfed in mes. The fiery ze reached for the sky, the smoke bing more intense, swaying unpredictably under the onught of the pouring rain.
As for the birds and beasts on the ind, they either scrambled to flee or perished by plunging into the sea. Inside the stone chamber, Luo Yan remained sitting with his eyes closed. The Five Element Water Vein, Wood Vein, and Fire Vein had been preliminarily refined into his Yuan Maic Qi. Now came the most difficult step: refining the Earth Vein.
In his Yuan Maic Qi, the Water Vein was the weakest, the Wood Vein moderate, and the Fire Vein the strongest. If the newly born Earth Vein was refined too little, it would be ovee by the Wood Vein; if too much, it would extinguish the Water Vein. Finding the right bnce was extremely challenging. But Luo Yan, after all, possessed the trait of prehension upon hearing,¡± and had already gained aplete understanding of the heart method and form for the Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light. With a slight stir of his thoughts, ayer of fine soil suddenly appeared at the bottom of the umted water in the stone chamber. As the soil emerged, it was immediately absorbed by the duckweed roots. ¡°` Yet as the mes scorched the duckweed, the ashes sank to the bottom and once again gave rise to dust. Since the ze was fiercer than the growth of the duckweed, the sand at the bottom of the water gradually increased, acting like a giant sponge with a siphoning effect that caused the water level to slowly drop. Although Luo Yan sat calmly, a fine sweat faintly emerged on his forehead, a clear sign that his mind was consumed too much, as he was fully concentrating on controlling the progress and extent of the refinement. On the ind outside, fire burned, rain poured, forests grew, and dust umted; the various spectacr changes were too fast to follow, inspiring fear in those who watched. Suddenly, a bolt of lightning tore through myriad phenomena and struck heavily upon the hills at the center of the ind, shredding the soilyers, piercing through rocks, and striking directly at Luo Yan, who was sitting and cultivating in an underground chamber! After a long while, the wildfire was extinguished, the storm ceased, the trees withered¡­ leaving only a bare and deste ind.
Luo Yan escaped through the cracks split by the lightning riding on the Sword Light, only to see the ind deserted with nothing but wastnd ¨C as if all the Five Elements Spiritual Energy had been drained. He formed a Daoist form with his hands, and behind him, a five-colored Spiritual Light shed out, sweeping over every part of the ind. Thus, the forests grew anew, clear springs converged into streams, rainbow light enveloped the sky, and the whole ind once again brimmed with vitality. After Luo Yan retracted the Five Elements Divine Light, he realized that his True Qi was nearly depleted, and hisplexion paled with shock. This Five Elements Divine Light, how could it consume so much? Even more extravagant than the Five Thunder True Law! Fortunately, being cautious by nature, he had brought enough Elixirs with him for cultivation, just in case. After slightly recovering his True Qi, he rode the Sword Light away to the distance. Back in Yuqing View, within his own room, Luo Yan began to introspect his Qi Sea. Where once there were five-colored specks of light, the Five Elements True Veins, now there was a vast expanse of brilliant radiance flowing continuously among red, green, yellow, white, and ck. This was the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light, able to suppress all things in the world that ¡°do not transcend the Five Elements¡±. For example, if the enemy deployed a Metal System Flying Sword, Luo Yan would sweep it away with the Divine Light. Metal generates water, fire ovees metal; the intery of water and fire¡¯s radiance would instantly drain the Metal System Spiritual Power of the Flying Sword, extinguishing its spirit and turning it into scrap metal. Its intense and domineering nature was even more formidable than Tenth Rank¡¯s Five Thunder True Law.
Of course, now that Luo Yan had refined the Five Elements True Veins, the Five Elements Divine Light he cultivated could only be considered a ¡°faint glow¡±. The reason was simple: the Quality of True Qi at the Marrow Cleansing Rank was not enough. Once transformed into elemental maic Qi, the capacity to host Five Elements Divine Light was limited, and its durability was also weak. Once he entered the Refining Mansion Rank and his True Qi condensed into True Yuan, the power of the Five Elements Divine Light would leap again. By then, even facing a Golden Core True Person, he might not be without the strength to retaliate. However, as his ultimate trump card, the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light must not be used rashly. If it had to be used, he must ensure all witnesses were eliminated. Otherwise, ¡°a man with no guilt can be made guilty by the possession of a priceless treasure,¡± and if some Nascent Soul old monster were to catch him and coerce him to reveal the mental method of the Five Elements Divine Light, that would be troublesome. The trump cards hidden upon him, such as the Kunlun Mirror, Green Duckweed Sword¡­ would not withstand thorough scrutiny. ¡°Little Junior Brother!¡± Shi Liuli ran into the room again, indignantly saying, ¡°When did youe back? I¡¯ve been here several times and you weren¡¯t here!¡± What, I have to report to Miss every time I step out? Luo Yan sneered inwardly but replied with a smile, ¡°Sister, I just went out to practice the Sword Control Technique at sea.¡± [Falsehood persona, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°What¡¯s there to practice with Sword Control Technique?¡± Shi Liuli asked, puzzled, ¡°No matter how exquisite the Sword Control Technique, it¡¯s still not as good as mming down with the Heaven-flipping Seal.¡± Luo Yan forced augh, while internally he was full of sarcastic thoughts.
The statement was indeed true. As a Foundation Establishment Rank disciple, no matter how ingeniously you practiced Sword Control, what can you do against a Tenth Rank magical treasure like the Heaven-flipping Seal smashing down on you? Without a defensive Magical Treasure, you would have no choice but to block with a Flying Sword! The saying goes: the poor rely on effort, the wealthy on their resources. Capitalist Miss can¡¯t see the struggle of bricying and says things like ¡°eating bread isn¡¯t as good as cake,¡± whichpletely infuriates people, making them wish they could tie her up for a good criticism¡­ Oh, I am also part of the wealthy ss in the Cultivating Immortality realm now, so never mind. ¡°Right!¡± Shi Liuli suddenly remembered something important, ¡°Father said to call you over.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Luo Yan asked tentatively, ¡°Did Master mention what it¡¯s about?¡± ¡°It seems to be about a visit from Wuzhi Cave,¡± Shi Liuli pondered, ¡°They¡¯re asking our Heavenly Craft Workshop to send someone to repair their ind defensive Formation.¡± Chapter 77: 12: Wuzhi Cave, Four Seas Restaurant Chapter 77: Chapter 12: Wuzhi Cave, Four Seas Restaurant To the east of the Divine Land Continent lies the ¡°East Sea,¡± vast and boundless, stretching over ten thousand miles. Above the East Sea, many cultivation sects revere Peni Jade Pure as the most esteemed. There are also seventy-two caves in the East Sea, each belonging to arge cultivation sect that governs the surrounding seas. Wuzhi Cave is one such sect in the East Sea. The sect is named ¡°Wuzhi Cave¡± and is situated across five neighboring inds. These inds are so named because they each produce Danzhi, Jinzhi, Yuzhi, Xuanzhi, and Muzhi, respectively. In reality, there are more than one hundred and forty other inds, but as the spiritual energy is thin, no cultivators reside there permanently. ¡°Speaking of Wuzhi Ind, one simply cannot fail to mention their Wuzhi Seafood Soup.¡± As she swiftly controlled her sword above the sea¡¯s surface, Miss Shi introduced it with excitement to Luo Yan: ¡°Danzhi paired with green abalone makes a soup that is fresh, smooth, and refreshing. Consuming it can make one¡¯s vision clear and pupils bright.¡± ¡°Jinzhi paired with silver-shell lobster makes a soup that is sweet and delicious. Drinking it can make one¡¯s ears sharp and hearing acute.¡±
¡°Yuzhi paired with bloodline ginseng makes a soup that is spicy and fragrant. Consuming it can help clear the nose, enhancing the sense of smell.¡± ¡°Xuanzhi paired with ink-sand iron crab makes a soup that is slightly bitter yet rich. Drinking it can clear the throat, making the voice as melodious as a guzheng.¡± ¡°Muzhi paired with yellow-w rock fish makes a soup that is sour and salty, stimting the appetite. Consuming it can invigorate the spirit and clear the mind.¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ Has this advertisement turned into a parallel structure? And can thosest two ¡°bitter soups¡± and ¡°sour soups¡± really be ptable? ¡°Now that sister mentions it, I¡¯m getting a bit of a craving myself,¡± he said with a smile twinkling in his eyes. [Falsehood persona, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°Of course,¡± Shi Liuli said with anticipation shining in her eyes, ¡°the Wuzhi Seafood Soup is a must-try when visiting Wuzhi Cave. Besides, there are many other delicacies there, like thergest seafood hotpot at Four Seas Tower on Danzhi Ind¡ªit¡¯s said to be second to none¡­¡± Luo Yan verbally agreed, despite feeling helpless inside. The reason for this trip wasn¡¯tplicated: the ind-protecting formation of Wuzhi Cave, previously set up by Elder Shi Ding, had recently started malfunctioning. Since there were no formation experts in the sect, they had sought help from Heavenly Craft Workshop. Elder Shi Ding had calcted the time since the formation was set up and determined that it shouldn¡¯t have degraded so quickly, surmising there must be an issue with the formation gs¡­ So he dispatched Luo Yan, his disciple, to go and attempt a repair, resolving to step in himself if the problem persisted. Under normal circumstances, it was merely a routine business trip financed by public funds. However, Shi Liuli had whimsically insisted on apanying Luo Yan, justifying it by iming, ¡°It¡¯s my junior brother¡¯s first time out on an adventure, and I, as his senior sister, really can¡¯t rest easy.¡± In reality, everyone knew that Miss Shi was just there to have fun. Considering that the pair had the Heaven-flipping Seal and Divine Striking Whip, as well as the Divine Fire Mantle and the Jade Emperor¡¯s Bell, and that Wuzhi Cave had good rtions with Yuqing View, Elder Shi Ding finally relented to his daughter¡¯s coaxing and tantrums, agreeing to let them go. The two of them controlled their swords and flew southeast at full speed, and in about a quarter of an hour, they arrived at the Wuzhi Inds. They were soon greeted by someone who came by sword control, smiling and saying: ¡°The two distinguished guests have traveled far from Peni, please follow me down to rest.¡±
The greeter was a female cultivator, appearing to be around seventeen or eighteen years old, with a melon-seed face, a slender figure, bright eyes, and a smile that bloomed like a flower. With hair dark as ink, simply secured by a Gold Step Shake, she wore a light red lipstick-colored phoenix-patterned long dress. A faint fragrance emanated from her, lingering at the nose like a gentle breeze caressing the face. Shi Liuli, after all, was a senior member of the Beauty Association. Seeing how pretty the girl was, she instantly took a great liking to her and curiously asked: ¡°How did you know we¡¯re from Peni?¡±
The female cultivator smiled gently and said: ¡°I had the pleasure of meeting Sister Liulist time when I went to the Fanghu Market to look for Sister Yng.¡± ¡°Right, I also joined your ¡®Zhang Tian Society¡¯ then!¡± ¡°Really?¡± Shi Liuli¡¯s eyes lit up. Those who liked Qiu Zhangtian, couldn¡¯t be bad people! The two girls chatted for a bit and quickly became close. From their conversation, Luo Yan learned that the female cultivator¡¯s name was ¡°Li Qinniang,¡± a Marrow Cleansing Rank cultivator from Wuzhi Cave, and she was almost done with her vein cutting, ready to advance to the Refining Mansion rank. ¡°By the way, Daoist Li.¡± Once the three of themnded on a forest path of Danzhi Ind, with their sword light touching down, Luo Yan finally found an opportunity to interject, ¡°Regarding the formation problem of your sect, what exactly has gone wrong?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s like this.¡± Li Qinniang twirled her hair with her fingers and sighed, ¡°Our sect¡¯s ind-protection grand formation is a Land Sha and Celestial Gang Formation, personally arranged by your master back in the day. It has one hundred and eight formation gs, each distributed on one of the one hundred and eight surrounding inds of the cave.¡± ¡°There¡¯s also a main g, which is situated in the central altar within the cave, incorporating functions like scouting, warning, defense, and trapping the enemy.¡± ¡°As long as the main g changes position, the formation ordingly rotates and transforms. Therefore, even if someone has been spying on the formation for a long time, it is very difficult to find a way to break it.¡± ¡°However, sincest month, the information returning from the central altar has been somewhat odd.¡± ¡°First, the cirction of spiritual power within the formation was unsmooth, often getting blocked; then, the scouting function sometimes worked and sometimes failed¡­ s, we¡¯re not well-versed in formations, so we don¡¯t know if it¡¯s an issue with a g being out of ce, which is why we came for help.¡±
Luo Yan thought for a moment and said: ¡°Formation gs are ced at the key points, so they can¡¯t be easily shifted by external forces. Unless there¡¯s a change in the mountains and spirit veins that obstructs the operation of the formation, or the formation gs have been tainted by evil and polluted spirits, clouding their spiritual nature¡­ Of course, we¡¯ll only know for sure after we investigate.¡± ¡°Mm-hm.¡± Li Qinniang nodded andughed, ¡°It¡¯s just that these one hundred and eight formation gs are scattered and quite far from each other, so it will certainly take a lot of time and effort to inspect. Therefore, there¡¯s no rush for the moment.¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you two rest at our cave for a while? I¡¯ll treat you to a taste of our local ¡®Wuzhi Five Delicacies Soup¡¯.¡± This invitation was perfectly reasonable, as cultivators live much longer than ordinary people and are thus not very urgent about efficiency and time management. For example, it¡¯s quite normal to spend a month or two exploring relics and caves with good friends during travels ¡ª keeping one¡¯s mind open and receptive is very important, for who knows when sudden enlightenment could strike? Therefore, Shi Liuli and Luo Yan also dly epted. Li Qinniang led the two on a leisurely walk through the woods. The trees around were not too dense, and the sea could be seen in the distance where the water met the sky in a frothy line. There was also a moist sea breeze blowing through, slightly salty and rich in water vapor, which made it feel refreshing and uplifted one¡¯s spirits. Upon arriving at thergest local establishment, the Four Seas Tower, Li Qinniang ordered food for them. A variety of immortal vegetables and fruits, fish, shrimp, crab, shellfish, and other exquisite delicacies were present in abundance. Of course, there was also the Wuzhi Five Delicacies Soup that Miss Shi couldn¡¯t stop thinking about, served separately in fiverge bowls in red, green, yellow, white, and ck colors, with spiritual energy swirling above, extremely tempting. Oh, the colors of these five soups happened to exactly correspond to the Five Elements True Veins, which was quite interesting. Shi Liuli first chose the green abalone soup and took a sip from her bowl. Her eyes instantly widened.
¡°Wow, this broth is utterly delicious!¡± she eximed, unable to restrain her praise, then scooped another bowl for Luo Yan, ¡°Junior Brother, you have to try this soup. I simply can¡¯t describe it with words, it¡¯s too good!¡± Luo Yan, seeing Miss Shi remember him even while enjoying her soup, felt slightly moved andforted. Just as he was about to bite into the abalone, he noticed Li Qinniang across the table, smiling at him and Shi Liuli with an amused expression. That kind, hidden yfulness in her smile¡­ It was just like when he looked at himself in the mirror. Chapter 78: 13 Just left the East Sea, Heading to Shushan again Chapter 78: Chapter 13 Just left the East Sea, Heading to Shushan again ¡°Ah Jing, does this Li Qinniang have any ill intentions towards me?¡± Luo Yan asked. This broken mirror wouldn¡¯t produce oil unless squeezed; he always had to proactively ask before it would speak. Before inquiring, he had no idea it had the ability to sense ill will. ¡°Currently, no,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°She is simply curious about you.¡± ¡°Oh, she¡¯s coveting my body, huh.¡± Luo Yan sneered, ¡°Ah Jing, keep a close watch on her, and report back immediately if anything unusual happens.¡± Kunlun Mirror: ¡­¡­¡­ Are you sick? Do you think every woman is coveting your body? However, there indeed seemed to be something off about this Li Qinniang, hmm¡­ Ah Jing decided to observe her for a while first. After the meal, Miss Shi couldn¡¯t stop praising the Five-Mushroom Five-Delicacies Soup, especially the abalone and lobster soups. Luo Yan, on the other hand, preferred seafood hotpot. It felt like he was back to the days before his time travel when he would go out for amunal pot with his three college roommates on weekends. s, while others graduated and looked for jobs, I started cultivating immortality; everyone has a bright future ahead of them.
Stuffed and satisfied, they left the Si Hai Building. Shi Liuli then suggested inspecting the local market. Li Qinniang readily agreed, only Luo Yan inwardly cried out in dismay. Be they mortals or immortals, women¡¯s behavior is universally the same in a ce filled with shops. The only difference being that many girls just browse without buying, whereas Miss Shi has been ustomed to a life of luxury from a very young age, wandering the market and buying anything she liked without hesitation, never bothering to ask the price. Soon, her treasure pouch was filled to the brim, and she took Luo Yan¡¯s storage bag, continuing her shopping spree as if nothing happened. Stunned by Shi Liuli¡¯s generous actions, Li Qinniang watched from behind and, after a long while, said to Luo Yan: ¡°Shi Daoist¡­ truly is a heroine among women.¡± Luo Yan nced at her indifferently, then suddenly feigned surprise and asked: ¡°Eh? Didn¡¯t Li Daoist herself im that you met my senior sister at the Fanghu Market? She practically emptied the entire market that day, didn¡¯t Li Daoist see her?¡± ¡°I was with Senior Sister Yng at that time,¡± Li Qinniang replied without a change in her expression, ¡°I only had a brief encounter with Shi Daoist.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Luo Yan said, as if oblivious to anything amiss, and continued, ¡°By the way, Li Daoist has also joined ¡®Zhang Tian Society¡¯?¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Li Qinniang nodded. ¡°There was one question I got wrong in the entry exam,¡± Luo Yan said with narrowed eyes and a smile. ¡°What is Qiu Changtian¡¯s favorite color? Could Li Daoist enlighten me?¡± ¡°I answered purple,¡± Li Qinniang also smiled, ¡°I just don¡¯t know whether it was correct.¡± ¡°She¡¯s lying,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said inside the Sea of Consciousness. ¡°Purple?¡± Luo Yan asked, puzzled, ¡°Why purple?¡± ¡°Because I like purple,¡± Li Qinniang said with a smile, ¡°I figure that even if Qiu Changtian doesn¡¯t like purple, he probably wouldn¡¯t dislike it.¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ This woman¡¯s level was quite high; even though he already knew she was lying, on the surface, there was nothing to fault her for.
¡°What are you two whispering about back there?¡± From the front, Shi Liuli, who had been shopping for a while, finally noticed her little junior brother and the newly acquainted ¡®bestie¡¯ sharingughs and hurried back to ask in panic. ¡°We¡¯re talking about the Zhang Tian Society,¡± Li Qinniang replied smoothly without a hitch. ¡°Is that so?¡± Shi Liuli blinked, seemingly still a bit skeptical. But after Li Qinniang whispered a few words to her, Shi Liuli immediately understood and the two of them happily continued their market stroll.
Luo Yan watched the backs of the twodies with narrowed eyes, a cold light flickering within. This trip to the Wuzhi Cave, as well as Miss Li Qinniang, who was to meet them, was definitely not as simple as it appeared on the surface. However, the priority was still the Shushan Sectpetition involving Ling Yunpo. There was no need to initiate a new quest line at the moment. Best to focus on advancing the Shushan storyline first. While the two youngdies ahead had not yet shifted their attention onto him, Luo Yan quickly found a secluded spot nearby and began to load his save. [Save Point Two: Qingluo Peak, Shushan Shangqing Faction.] [Character Identity: Ling Yunpo.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Temte ovey, undergoing time-space travel.] Returning to Qingluo Peak in Shushan, he also changed his illusory appearance to that of Ling Yunpo. The great Shushanpetition was imminent. The prices of elixirs, spirit grass, and others in the various markets had all surged. It was said that long queues had already formed at the Sword Pool. The reason was that many Shushan disciples dissatisfied with the grade rank of their Flying Swords were there to draw better ones. It was fortunate that the upper echelons of the Shushan Shangqing Faction were straightforward in their ways, putting no obstacles in the way of drawing swords from the Sword Pool. If it had been the calcting Peni Yuqing View, you¡¯d probably see ¡°pay Spirit Stones to draw a Flying Sword,¡± coupled with ¡°ten-draw deals,¡± ¡°168 Spirit Stone package,¡± ¡°648 Spirit Stone package,¡± and I guarantee these Shushan disciples would be crying for their fathers, investing their entire fortunes into it.
Of course, Ling Yunpo, as a Sword Immortal with awareness, had long abandoned such narrow thinking of ¡°relying on external objects.¡± A Sword Immortal who does not polish oneself but instead relies on a Flying Sword is surely on a wicked path! I, Ling Yunpo, did not farm the Sword Pool either. I simply drew a random sword and used it, and haven¡¯t I firmly stepped up to my current position, step by step? ¡°Junior Brother!¡± An Zhisu returned from outside the view and smiled, ¡°Look what I bought for you?¡± ¡°This is¡­?¡± Ling Yunpo looked over, ¡°A Sword Box?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± An Zhisu said with a beaming smile, ¡°We Shushan Sword Immortals carry our swords within ourselves and can only nurture our Life-bound Sword Artifacts.¡± ¡°But if you¡¯re proficient in Two-Handed Sword Control Technique, you can then keep a second sword in the Sword Box to nurture it.¡± ¡°This Sword Box is made entirely from maite iron, and it¡¯s ideal for nurturing Metal System Flying Swords.¡± ¡°Your Thunder Punishment Sword happens to be of the Metal System. Isn¡¯t that perfect?¡± Ling Yunpo was profoundly touched and said, ¡°Senior Sister, you are so thoughtful. But where did this Sword Boxe from?¡± ¡°I won it at an auction in a nearby market,¡± An Zhisu said with a chuckle, ¡°It didn¡¯t cost much.¡± Upon hearing that it was purchased rather than a gift from some fawning admirer, Ling Yunpo breathed a sigh of relief and slung the Sword Box on his back.
Then, with a gesture of a sword technique, his Thunder Punishment Sword shot up from his waist and automatically inserted itself into the Sword Box. ¡°Sword Master!¡± The Thunderbane let out the cheerfulughter of a young girl, ¡°This Sword Box is truly wonderful. It¡¯s spacious andfortable to live in, and I feel full of power.¡± Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t pay it any mind, just turning to Senior Sister An with a smile, ¡°Senior Sister¡¯s foresight is truly impressive. I¡¯ve been feelingtely that I was missing something, and it turns out it was this Sword Box.¡± He stood in front of a bronze mirror, turning back and forth for a moment. Not bad, impressively imposing, Ling Yunpo¡¯s persona¡¯s charm finally enhanced. An Zhisu stood behind him, her eyes brimming with tender emotion, looking at her junior brother dressed in a blue sword robe, carrying the Sword Box, standing with his hands behind his back, and suddenly, for no particr reason, she thought of their master. For a moment, she felt the urge to cry but tried hard to hold back the tears. Chapter 79: 14: The Shushan Tournament, Mercurial Elixir Flower Chapter 79: Chapter 14: The Shushan Tournament, Mercurial Elixir Flower Finally, the day arrived. At the Emei Golden Summit, ten thousand swords were unsheathed, announcing the official start of the sectpetition. Normally, the opening ceremony of such a grand event would be described in at least several hundred words. However, one needed a master¡¯s guidance to participate in the opening ceremony. Since Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu bothcked a master, there didn¡¯t seem to be any point in them attending the ceremony, where they would just face disdain from others, so they simply didn¡¯t bother going up. The two of them found a shaded pavilion halfway up Mount Emei to take a rest and chat leisurely. An Zhisu patiently exined to Ling Yunpo the various matters that needed attention for the Shushan tournament. For example, one should not hold back, remember to establish one¡¯s might, wield their sword as ruthlessly as possible, and if they cannot beat their opponent, to surrender right away instead of giving the opponent a chance to be fierce, and so on. Ling Yunpo appeared to listen seriously on the surface, but in reality, he was constantly gazing at Senior Sister An¡¯s tender face. As for the matters that needed attention, he would let the Kunlun Mirror take note of them first and listenter when he had time. Only after the opening ceremony concluded did the two ride their Sword Light to ascend to the summit of the clouds.
By then, the Shushan Cloud Summit had already been turned immensely vast, its space cleaved open by a high individual with Supreme Sword Intent. Parting ways with An Zhisu, Ling Yunpo joined the queue of other disciples to draw lots, while concurrently having the Kunlun Mirror rey Senior Sister An¡¯s earlier admonitions. They say an elder sister is like a mother, but why is An Zhisu, as a senior sister, as nagging as someone else¡¯s real sister? After drawing the lot, Ling Yunpo went to find the corresponding arena indicated on his lot. In the sword-fighting arena, his opponent had already been waiting there, dressed in the customary blue robe of the Shushan Sect Disciples, holding a Flying Sword. He went up to salute, and the sword fight was dered officially underway. As soon as it began, Ling Yunpo leaped into the air, propelling the Green Duckweed Sword in a ¡°Rainbow Through the Sun¡± thrust straight toward his opponent¡¯s chest! The opponent, in utter shock and haste, released their Life-bound Sword Artifact to defend but was easily defeated by the Tenth Grade Green Duckweed Sword, which sent the Flying Sword Artifact flying and pierced him through the heart! By the time Ling Yunpo retracted his Sword Light, that opponent had been transmitted out of the arena by the Restrictions, dering his defeat. The first battle was a victory, uneventful and without risk. This was to be expected. During previous training sessions, Lin Duanshan had introduced him to the hundred elite disciples on the current Immortal Sword Ranking. His first opponent was not included in his memory; he must have been a mere extra, so he finished him off with his aggressive move right away, saving quite some time and effort. After leaving the arena, Ling Yunpo went to look for Senior Sister An. And there, at another sword-fighting arena across from him, he saw Senior Sister An holding her sword with one hand while standing there, giving a graceful smile: ¡°Brother Yu, can we start now?¡± The person opposite Ling Yunpo was also in his memory, supposed to be ranked sixty-seventh in thest Immortal Sword Ranking. At that moment, the person¡¯s face was pale as he said with trepidation, ¡°Senior Sister An, I, Yu, have never caused trouble for you or Qingluo Peak. Let¡¯s agree before the fight that this time, you won¡¯t chop down my Life-bound Sword Artifact, shall we?¡± ¡°Oh, you¡¯re not nning to use your Life-bound Sword Artifact this time?¡± Senior Sister An asked with augh.
Instantly, the man opposite was drenched in sweat and lowered his head, saying dispiritedly, ¡°Forget it, forget it, I concede.¡± The surrounding audience immediately burst into a torrent of abuse, using An Zhisu of being duplicitous with her smile, intimidating her opponent, and disdain the man surnamed Yu for conceding without a fight,cking backbone. High in the sky, three Nascent Soul Elders, seeing that the sword fight had ended, announced the victory of Qingluo Peak¡¯s An Zhisu, then disappeared in Sword Light.
An Zhisu stepped down from the stage with grace, and upon seeing Ling Yunpo, she smiled and said, ¡°Junior Brother, finished so quickly?¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded and expressed his astonishment, ¡°Senior Sister, your entrance was truly majestic. To have three Nascent Soul Elders supervising!¡± ¡°When I had my sword fight just now, there was only a Golden Core True Person watching nearby.¡± ¡°Oh dear,¡± An Zhisu said softly with a smile, ¡°The elders were just concerned about the security of the arena Restrictions, so they came to check for themselves.¡± Ling Yunpo was taken aback: ¡°What do you mean? I thought the Restrictions of the arena are meant to transfer the loser out just in the moment before death. Can these Restrictions also fail?¡± ¡°I¡¯m rather embarrassed,¡± An Zhisu said sheepishly, ¡°The Restrictions of this arena were activated by a Magical Treasure called ¡®Xuanguang Ruler¡¯.¡± ¡°In a previous duel, I thought the Restrictions were secure enough and did not hold back my sword. Unfortunately, I identally broke the Restrictions, and that resulted in the death of my opponent.¡± ¡°After that, the elders no longer trusted the effectiveness of the Xuanguang Ruler, so they personally came over to watch over it.¡± Ha-ha, it¡¯s not that they don¡¯t trust the magical treasure¡¯s effectiveness¡ªthey¡¯re clearly worried that you¡¯re too ruthless, and that even thesepetition ground restrictions can¡¯t stop you! Ling Yunpo couldn¡¯t help but feel both amused and helpless inside, but he said aloud, ¡°So that¡¯s how it is. The elders really worry too much. Why not go to Yuqing View and buy some better restriction magical treasures? Our Shushan¡¯s resources are great, we can certainly afford it.¡±
¡°The Xuanguang Ruler is also a famous magical treasure from the Ancient rify Cult,¡± An Zhisu exined. ¡°If it¡¯s used to ce restrictions on a single person, it can even lock down immortals for a few breaths. It¡¯s just that it¡¯s difficult for the wielder of the magical treasure to divide their attention when trying to lock down several thousand martial artspetition grounds¡ªat times, they can be careless by ident.¡± The two of them joked and chatted as they walked, and the crowd automatically parted to make way for them. Seeing the fearful and resentful expressions on the faces around him, Ling Yunpo sighed in his heart. His reputation among his fellow Shushan disciples was probably not much different from Qiu Changtian¡¯s in Kunlun, except his was the negative kind. While he was absentmindedly thinking about this, he suddenly saw someone blocking the way ahead¡ªit was Lin Duanshan, Brother Lin. Seeing An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo approaching, he sped his hands together and said, ¡°Senior Sister An, I have something to discuss with Ling Yunpo.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± An Zhisu didn¡¯t ask further and walked to the side. Lin Duanshan pulled Ling Yunpo aside and made sure they were far enough that An Zhisu couldn¡¯t hear them, then he asked in a low voice, ¡°Ling Yunpo, do you know what a ¡®Refining Mansion Rank¡¯ is?¡± ¡°I wish Brother Lin would enlighten me.¡± Ling Yunpo knew he had something to say, so he cut straight to the chase. Seeing his willingness to listen, Lin Duanshan exined in detail, ¡°This Refining Mansion First Rank involves transforming the Dantian into Purple Mansion, to be the residence of the Golden Core.¡±
¡°The longer one stays at the Refining Mansion Rank, nurturing the True Yuan over an extended period, the more perfect the Purple Mansion that¡¯s built, and thus the higher the grade of the Golden Core formed after Tribtion.¡± ¡°Pills are graded in nine ranks. If the Pill Formation is of the lowest three grades, the prospects for reaching the Nascent Soul Rank are almost nonexistent; if it is of the middle three grades, even with smooth Tribtion, it is difficult to form a high-grade Nascent Soul.¡± ¡°Only with a Pill Formation of the highest three grades, does one have the chance to form a high-grade Nascent Soul in the future.¡± ¡°Your Senior Sister An has high cultivation talents. In just a half-cycle, her Qi Sea was abundant, she performed Marrow Cleansing and directly cultivated to the Refining Mansion Rank.¡± ¡°However, because your master, Su Jian, wasn¡¯t around, the cultivation resources for Qingluo Peak had almost dried up, causing her cultivation level to stagnate for a long time and resulted in less than ideal nurturing efficiency for her Purple Mansion.¡± ¡°But this Shushan martial artspetition is different. In order to encourage disciples to vie for ces on the Immortal Sword Ranking, the higher-ups have prepared special rewards for those on the Immortal Sword Ranking!¡± Hearing Lin Duanshan¡¯s increasingly solemn tone, Ling Yunpo asked in surprise, ¡°What rewards?¡± Lin Duanshan clenched his teeth and lowered his voice, ¡°It is said that among the rewards for the top three, there is Mercurial Elixir Liquid!¡± Hearing ¡°Mercurial Elixir Liquid,¡± Ling Yunpo also took a sharp breath. This thing was mentioned in the ¡°Nine Cauldrons Divine Pill Scripture¡± taught by Shi Liuli, touted as ¡°the world¡¯s number one divine pill.¡± When consumed by a cultivator at the Refining Mansion Rank, it can quickly perfect any imperfections in the Dantian¡¯s Purple Mansion. One spoonful equates to the nurturing of True Yuan for a cycle. In summary, it means there¡¯s a high chance to make one¡¯s final Pill Formation grade forcefully improve by one rank!
Knowing the gravity of the situation, Ling Yunpo tensed up inside but still puzzled, asked, ¡°I see, but there are no worthy opponents for my senior sister in the Immortal Sword Ranking. This Mercurial Elixir Liquid will naturally be hers; why do we need to worry for her?¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± Lin Duanshan let out a long sigh, his expression also turned somber, ¡°If it were normal times, indeed there would be no need for us to bother.¡± ¡°But Ling Yunpo, you also understand Senior Sister An¡¯s temperament.¡± ¡°If she obtains the Mercurial Elixir Liquid, do you think she would consume it herself, or would she think to keep it until you ascend to the Refining Mansion Rank, to then give it to you?¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­ Ah, could that be the case? If it were something else, it would be one thing, but this concerns the path to greater achievement in the future. How could Senior Sister An possibly give it away so easily to me¡­ ¡°Given your Senior Sister An¡¯s nature, she would certainly think that way,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror leisurely in the Sea of Consciousness. ¡°I¡¯m not socking in the Mercurial Elixir Liquid that I won¡¯t be able to form the pill in the future. It¡¯s better to keep it for Ling Yunpo¡­¡± Hearing this, cold sweat ran down Ling Yunpo¡¯s back. ¡°You understand now, don¡¯t you!¡± Seeing his fluctuating expression, Lin Duanshan spoke gravely, ¡°In this Shushanpetition, you must bring out all your strength and strive for the highest possible rank on the list to give Senior Sister An enough confidence in you!¡± ¡°Otherwise, if her confidence in you wanes even slightly, she will surely keep the Mercurial Elixir Liquid to herself. She¡¯ll be willing to risk her own path for your future achievement!¡± Chapter 80: 15: Sworn to Capture the Top 3, Cang Tie Carnage! Chapter 80: Chapter 15: Sworn to Capture the Top 3, Cang Tie Carnage! If there were one word to describe my rtionship with Senior Sister An, it would be ¡°doting.¡± Two words, ¡°protective.¡± Three words, ¡°little brother fixation.¡± It must be said that the judgments of the Kunlun Mirror and Lin Duanshan are probably quite urate. After careful reflection, Ling Yunpo realized that the probability of An Zhisu doing so was indeed not low. Think about it, the Thunder Punishment Sword is a Tenth Rank Immortal Sword, yet she gave it to me so casually¡­ No! If I take Senior Sister An¡¯s opportunity for Core Formation, I can¡¯t conscionably feel guilt-free! If my conscience is burdened, my thoughts will not be clear, and my Daoist Heart won¡¯t be harmonious, affecting my future path! The road to the throne in the sky does not permit defilement! Thus, in the following battles, Ling Yunpo exerted an extra 20 percent of fierceness, cutting through obstacles and passing several stages, finally making it onto the Immortal Sword Ranking, temporarily ced at seventy-second. After each victory, he would go and report his achievements to Senior Sister An.
An Zhisu was overjoyed, but Ling Yunpo was puzzled in his heart, wondering if his character had truly burst with luck, having encountered weak opponents in several consecutive battles, allowing him to win so easily? With that thought, he unwittingly raised a g, bringing upon himself a formidable enemy. Now, during the fifth round, as soon as Ling Yunpo left the arena, he saw a middle-aged man in a in robe with white at his temples and a face weathered by the elements, standing quietly with hands bound and waiting. With just one nce, Ling Yunpo recognized who the man was. Duan Fenhai, who entered swordsmanship through martial arts, is one of the rare figures in the entire Cultivating Immortality world¡¯s history. It is said that he was originally a swordsman from the Mortal World. As a youth, he waspetitive and, with a sword in his right hand, became invincible under heaven. Later, after being plotted against and his right arm injured, he turned to practicing the sword with his left hand and starting from zero, once again reached the peak of invincibility. Having upied the position of the Martial Arts Alliance Hierarch for three years straight, his enemies were scattered across the martial world. One day, a peerless master was finally invited, who defeated and severely injured him on the spot. Yet that master, seeing his extraordinary courage, ultimately chose to spare his life. After the master left, enemies great and small swarmed him, surrounding Duan Fenhai in a chaotic battle. Somehow, Duan Fenhai managed to fight his way out from the Blood Sea, and upon hearing that his entire family had also been cruelly killed by his foes, he hid until the turmoil settled, then unexpectedly forsook vengeance and went straight to the Shushan Sect to be a disciple. The Shushan Sect does not limit age for taking disciples, but those who pass the tests are mostly teenagers. The reason is that these young people¡¯s Root Bone is just forming, and their willpower and spirit are at their most vigorous. If one waits until their thirties or forties, after being worn down by the distractions of women, alcohol, and the like, the purity of their Root Bone and spirit won¡¯t be so perfect anymore. Duan Fenhai was also an oddity, perfectly retaining his Root Bone at over forty years old, with no interest in women or alcohol, he smoothly passed the mountain¡¯s sword tests and sessfully became a disciple of the Shushan Sect. Then, relying on his abundantbat experience and tenacious fighting will, he cultivated diligently for many years, eventually bing a strong Sword Cultivator, ranking second in the previous Immortal Sword Ranking, with his sword known as ¡°Cangtie.¡± Lin Duanshan had said earlier that Duan Fenhai would likely be thispetition¡¯s toughest enemy for Ling Yunpo to defeat. And for no reason other than his profound understanding of swordsmanship, richbat experience, and unyieldingly tough mental constitution, which made him seem wless all around; how to attack? This strongest enemy of thepetition just happened to appear halfway through the stages, and to say that the organizers did not cheat during the drawing of lots, even I wouldn¡¯t believe! Ling Yunpo inwardly cursed the Shushan officials thoroughly, but on the surface, he had to act perfectly, cupping his hands and saying:
¡°Senior Brother Duan.¡± ¡°Junior Brother Ling.¡± The middle-aged man waved his hand indifferently, saying, ¡°I know your intent, there¡¯s no need for more words. Shall we start the fight directly?¡± Start your sister! Ling Yunpo felt helpless inside, but at that moment, he only steeled himself and said through gritted teeth, ¡°Fine!¡±
As soon as the words fell, he activated the Qing Ping Sword¡¯s firstyer of Daoist Magic, ¡°Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains!¡± ¡°The mist rises ethereal, like towers among the clouds.¡± With the incantation sighing in the air, a thousand-mile mist arose, enveloping the entire scene. Obscure and hazy, theypletely shrouded the figures of bothbatants. The outside audience immediately cursed in anger, having expected to see a good fight, yet here Ling Yunpo was using this same trick again, causing them to protest vehemently, though they were powerless to change anything. Within the dense fog, clouds and mists stretched afar, with not a single object visible. In the fog, Ling Yunpo maneuvered his sword at high speed, keeping his body extremely low, almost brushing the ground. This was a Hidden Sword Technique taught to him by Lin Duanshan, which excelled in silent and invisible flight. With this Forbidden Technique domain in ce, Divine Sense was suppressed for everyone except for him, who could extend his Divine Sense to cling to every drop of water in the thick fog. Every de of grass, every grain of sand, was clear to him. Inparison, the opponent was like groping in the dark, almost like a blind person. He circled around the edge of the arena while Duan Fenhai stood motionless in the center, his gaze fixed straight ahead, steadying his Flying Sword without moving. Could it be that he¡¯s staying put because he can¡¯t see, thus choosing to remain unchanging in response to myriad changes? Ling Yunpo felt puzzled and quietly flew to a position twenty meters behind him, but still, there was no reaction; he just stood there.
Looking at the immovable figure, Ling Yunpo suddenly felt that his opponent was full of openings. Perhaps I should strike with my sword to test him? With that thought, he executed a Sword technique, and from the Sword Box on his back flew the Thunder Punishment Sword, tracing a wide arc towards Duan Fenhai¡¯s back. As the Sword Light neared, Duan Fenhai suddenly turned around and chanted, ¡°Zichen stars, the winds rise to Tian Gang!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, an Immortal Sword appeared in the palm of his hand¡ªit was Duan Fenhai¡¯s Life-bound Sword Artifact, the Tenth Rank Metal System, Starry Sky Iron Sword. The sword, dark all over, suddenly rotated sharply in the air, bringing a wind and thunder momentum as it shed down. Metal shing against metal, the sound was like thunder, and Ling Yunpo¡¯s Thunder Punishment Sword was directly sent flying upon impact with the Starry Sky Iron Sword! ¡°This sword is sharp and firm, perhaps not inferior to the Immortal Sword!¡± Ling Yunpo had just thought, when he saw the Cangtie Sword, as if sensing something, immediately dive along the original path of the Flying Sword toward him. Bad news! He hastily summoned the Green Duckweed Sword, blocking the Cangtie Sword¡¯s attack mid-air. The two swords collided fiercely, their forces vibrating off each other. The Cangtie Sword, relentless, struck down again in mid-air. Ding ding ding ding, ding ding ding ding!
The swords shed numerous times in an instant, sparks flying, and amidst the vast fog, those outside couldn¡¯t see what was happening inside, seeing only the constant disturbance of the thick mist. Within the mist, Ling Yunpo retreated quickly. The Cangtie Sword hesitated for a moment before shing towards his chest again. Ling Yunpo attempted to block with the Green Duckweed Sword, but unable to withstand the momentum, he had to deflect the force upwards. The swords rubbed against each other, spitting out a trail of brilliant sparks. ¡°Your swordsmanship is not bad,¡± Duan Fenhai said indifferently, his voice echoing in the mist, ¡°Butpared to An Zhisu, it¡¯s too inferior and sloppy.¡± ¡°With your level of strength, entering the top fifty of the Immortal Sword Ranking would already be reaching the limit. To expect to climb even higher is an impossible feat.¡± ¡°It¡¯sughable how those people feared you climbing directly into the top ten, resorting to such despicable methods to have me intercept and kill you here.¡± ¡°Hmph, truly an overabundance of concern by mediocrities.¡± Duan Fenhai continued, his tone bing more impatient: ¡°I want to break your Life-bound Sword Artifact, to injure you seriously enough to be bedridden for half a year, so An Zhisu won¡¯t let it go without a fight.¡± ¡°But your strength is so weak that I can¡¯t exert full effort; I still need to control my power, which is really troublesome.¡± ¡°Just surrender quickly and don¡¯t waste any more of my time.¡± This guy¡¯s ridicule seemed to have no end!
The Cangtie Sword kept shing and chopping, carrying the Wind and Thunder Sword Qi, disying absolute dominance, while Ling Yunpo was in a difficult situation, frantically thinking. He knew from the beginning that his opponent was stronger than himself, which is why he had chosen this Hidden Sword Technique, to avoid a direct confrontation. Unexpectedly, during the previous sneak attack, he identally revealed himself, and now the opponent¡¯s Life-bound Sword Artifact relentlessly pursued, catching him in a tight bind with no room to break free! If this continued, not only would the Hidden Sword Technique lose its purpose, but he would also expend more energy in controlling his sword and defending himself than his opponent. In a sword duel, the stronger must use direct attacks to overbear the weaker, while the weaker must use cunning to win. If I continue to bepletely dominated like this, I might not even have a chance to turn the tables in the end! As he formted strategies in his mind, Duan Fenhai, also shrewd, sensed his momentarypse and increased the speed of his Flying Sword¡¯s attacks, giving him no chance to catch his breath or think. Ling Yunpo struggled to hold on and quietly executed the sword incantation, activating the secondyer of Daoist Magic of the Green Duckweed Sword, ¡°Mountain¡¯s Echo after the New Rain¡±! Chapter 81: 16: Having Many Trump Cards Means You Can Do As You Please Chapter 81: Chapter 16: Having Many Trump Cards Means You Can Do As You Please The forbidden technique activated, and water system sword qi appeared out of nowhere¡ªslender and sharp like a nting wind-driven drizzle, finding an extremely tricky angle to shoot rapidly towards Duan Fenhai. Just as it was about to reach his back, Duan Fenhai seemed to notice something and then another sword qi soared to the sky; it was his signature Immortal Sword ¡°Heavenly Wind Weighs a Thousand Pounds¡± unsheathed, spinning rapidly behind him like the full moon, blocking all iing sword qi. Ling Yunpo¡¯s finger techniques changed continuously, and the water system sword qi now dodged left and right with unpredictable movements. Duan Fenhai let out a coldugh, merely using the Heavenly Wind Sword to guard his whole body, adopting a passive defensive stance to take the hits. This old bastard! Ling Yunpo cursed inwardly. Now that he waspletely suppressed head-on, he had to rely on stealth attacks from the side to disrupt the offense. With Duan Fenhai taking up such a position, it was clear that he saw through this tactic and intended to focus on stability, giving him no chance at all. As he anxiously pondered, he heard Duan Fenhai snort coldly and say, ¡°Hmph, I never thought you¡¯d force me to use my Heavenly Wind Weighs a Thousand Pounds Sword; I truly underestimated you.¡± ¡°That water system life-bound sword artifact of yours, and the metal system flying sword you used at the beginning, must also be tenth rank Immortal Swords, right?¡± Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t answer, but heard Duan Fenhai continue,
¡°What a pity!¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a shame that Su Jian, after being in seclusion all these years, has let the gem amongst his disciples gather dust.¡± Just as Ling Yunpo was about to speak, he heard Duan Fenhai speak again: ¡°Don¡¯t misunderstand. The gem amongst the disciples isn¡¯t you but your Senior Sister An Zhisu.¡± ¡°With her aptitude, if it weren¡¯t for theck of guidance from her master, preventing her cultivation from advancing, why would she need to pour so much effort into you?¡± ¡°Although you have talent in swordsmanship, you are not even one percent as good as she is.¡± ¡°It¡¯s ridiculous how some peoplepare you to her, calling you the ¡®Big and Small Star Killers of Qingluo Peak.¡¯ Do you even deserve it?¡± The bastard kept spouting contempt, bbing on and on without end. Ling Yunpo felt his head swell from listening and, out of spite, could only shout, ¡°Shut up!¡± and hurled the Green Duckweed Sword and the Thunder Punishment Sword outwards. Duan Fenhai sneered, ¡°Bring it on!¡± He immediately shot out two swords to counter the Green Duckweed Sword and the Thunder Punishment Sword¡¯s attack. Ling Yunpo¡¯s thoughts sank as he realized that the opponent¡¯s Starry Sky Iron Sword and Heavenly Wind Weighs a Thousand Pounds Sword were both tenth rank Immortal Swords, with a quality not inferior to that of his Green Duckweed and Thunderbane. However, the opponent was at the Refining Mansion rank, and the True Yuan attached to his sword was more than a hundred times purer than his own True Qi. Engaging the enemy head-on would be extremely disadvantageous for him. If he didn¡¯t y his ace, he really had no chance of winning! Having thought it through, Ling Yunpo quietly formed a hand seal, bending his middle finger and silently chanting: ¡°Vast and lightless, Beiming Yin Thunder!¡± This belonged to the Five Thunder True Law¡¯s North Pole Thunder, a Daoist magic belonging to his split persona, Qiu Changtian, and was not something he preferred to use lightly. But now, pressed by urgency, for the sake of the rankings contest, for his mentor, he couldn¡¯t care less. Ling Yunpo opened his hands and held the ck thunder light in his palms, using the Dense Fog Forbidden Law to conceal any trace.
Battling the Cangtie Sword at the forefront, the Thunder Punishment Sword was shed into a sorry state due to the disparity in the quality of the True Qi on the swords, and it began to cry out in Ling Yunpo¡¯s mind: ¡°Master Sword Master, boo hoo! How can there be any chance of victory for a Marrow Cleansing rank against a Refining Mansion rank? They have pure True Yuan, and I only have True Qi; this is just bullying the weak¡­¡± ¡°Do not panic!¡± Ling Yunpo reprimanded in the Sea of Consciousness, ¡°Watch as my Thunder Method defeats the enemy!¡± On the opposite side, Duan Fenhai used the Cangtie Sword to repel the Thunder Punishment Sword, and after a brief pause in mid-air, he shot fiercely towards Ling Yunpo¡¯s direction.
The Heavenly Wind Sword tightly entangled the Green Duckweed Sword on the outside, preventing it from breaking free to help. Ling Yunpo let out a coldugh, raised his hands, and unleashed the North Pole Thunder. ¡°` These two clumps of North Pole Thunder are lightning from the Beiming Abyss. Although their appearance is dark and unremarkable, the power contained within is extremely terrifying. Under the cover of the thick fog, Duan Fenhai had no idea and simply maneuvered the Starry Sky Iron Sword, stabbing towards the location of Ling Yunpo he remembered. The result was that the flying sword directly collided with the two clusters of thunder light, with the first one immediately halting the swift-flying Ster Dark Iron Sword, scattering its surrounding brilliance; The second strike hit again, instantly sting the Cangtie Sword away like a cannonball leaving the muzzle, piercing through the restrictions of the arena, with no clue where it ended up flying off to. There stood Duan Fenhai, still appearing haughty, but the next second hisplexion drastically changed, and he vomited arge mouthful of blood, clearly indicating that his life-bound sword artifact had been severely damaged, and his root bone and spirit had suffered substantial injuries. ¡°You!¡± he bellowed, eyes wide with a mix of panic and disbelief, ¡°What kind of Immortal Sword Forbidden Technique is that? It¡¯s so overbearing¡­¡± ¡°Noment,¡± Ling Yunpo replied with a faint smile, pointing with his sword. Duan Fenhai wanted to resist, trying to use the Daoist magic of the Heavenly Wind Sword to buy time, but with his life-bound sword artifact severely damaged and injuries upon him, he couldn¡¯t hold on and was immediately pierced through the chest by the Thunder Punishment Sword, sent out of the arena by the restrictions. Atst, victory was his. With a sigh of relief¡­ Ling Yunpo also took a long breath, dispelling the ¡°Dense Fog Conceals Green Phoenix¡±, causing the dense fog to dissipate.
This battle was indeed tough; he had been discovered at the very beginning when trying a sneak attack, and he faced peril at every turn. Had he not taken a risk to use Qiu Changtian¡¯s decisive technique, he would surely have been defeated. The Kunlun Taiqing Sect emphasizes Qi Refinement, while the Shushan Shangqing Faction specializes in sword techniques. Although both are from the ancient rify Cult lineage, the True Qi cultivated from their respective methods differ. The Qi Refining Technique of the Shushan Shangqing Faction is the ¡°Supreme Primordial True Record¡±. The Hunyuan True Qi refined through breathing exercises is tough and durable, very suitable for driving flying swords. If used to employ Thunder Method, however, its purity is not as good as the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra¡±, and its power is significantly diminished. Were it not for the concerns of leaving traces of foreign True Qi at the scene, Ling Yunpo would have simply used the pure immortal qi to unleash the thunder; there would have been no need for a second strike, likely breaking the Ster Dark Iron Sword in one go. Even so, the spectators around the arena at this moment looked at him as if they were looking at a demon or a monster. After all, they were looking at the one who defeated the second-ranked Cangtie Sword Immortal on the Immortal Sword Ranking, Duan Fenhai! At the peak of the Refining Mansion Rank, approaching the threshold of Golden Core, a super powerhouse! And he was defeated by this young man who hadn¡¯t even made it into the top fifty of the Immortal Sword Ranking? Considering that this fellow¡¯s Senior Sister is the infamously ruthless Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal of Qingluo Peak, it was not difficult for everyone to draw the conclusion: It must have been that Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal who gave her Junior Brother some kind of trump card that enabled him to instantaneously defeat Duan Fenhai on the stage; otherwise, there would be no exnation! With that thought, a hush fell both inside and outside the arena. No matter who was dissatisfied or skeptical about the result of the bout, they could only keep their doubts to themselves. Otherwise, if word got back to the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal, what then?
It would likely end badly for all their fellow disciples. Above the arena, the overseeing Golden Core True Person was rather frustrated. He was well aware that Duan Fenhai¡¯s appearance was no coincidence but deliberately arranged by certain ¡°anti-Qingluo Peak¡± forces. The aim was to use the hand of the second-ranked on the Immortal Sword Ranking to cut down that youngster named Ling Yunpo¡ª at least to break his life-bound sword artifact and make him unable to participate in the uing swordpetitions. To think that in this nefarious scheme of using one to kill another, not only did the intended target not die, but the ¡®weapon¡¯ itself broke. It was truly a case of lifting a rock only to drop it on one¡¯s own foot. There were powerful forces behind Duan Fenhai as well, his teacher being Luo Beihe, the Peak Master of the Yellow Dragon Peak lineage. With his Direct Disciple¡¯s life-bound sword artifact heavily damaged, how could this Peak Master stand idly by? He would certainlye to settle ounts at the first opportunity! This is not good at all; I hope they won¡¯te to me when the trouble starts, ming me for failing to intervene as an overseer! With a furrowed brow, the Golden Core True Person hurriedly announced thepetition results and quickly fled the scene atop a streak of Sword Light. Below the arena, the now-defeated Duan Fenhai¡¯splexion was deathly pale, his face ashen. After standing still for a moment, he stomped over to Ling Yunpo, infuriated. ¡°What technique was that?¡± he barked straightaway, ¡°Was it a Forbidden Technique of the Water System Immortal Sword? Or of the Metal System Immortal Sword? Could it be a Thunder Method you¡¯ve cultivated in addition?¡± ¡°Noment,¡± Ling Yunpo waved dismissively, annoyed, ¡°How could I possibly reveal my tactics now when I still have swords topete with?¡± ¡°`
Chapter 82: 17 My Senior Sister is Really Over-Protective Chapter 82: Chapter 17 My Senior Sister is Really Over-Protective Duan Fenhai¡¯splexion was extremely poor as he leaned in and said in a low voice: ¡°Do you really think after snatching away my second ce on the Immortal Sword Ranking, you¡¯ll be able to keep it?¡± ¡°This spot isn¡¯t so easy to keep.¡± ¡°Not to mention, everyone from the third to the sixth ce on the Immortal Sword Ranking, Lin Duanshan, Guan Shanyue, Sima Changyan, and Bi Sheng, who doesn¡¯t want to move up the ranks?¡± ¡°Previously they couldn¡¯t beat me, let alone dare to challenge your Senior Sister An. But now it¡¯s you sitting in this spot.¡± ¡°When the timees and you¡¯re brought down by a series of challenges, how long do you think you can keep it hidden?¡± ¡°That¡¯s no problem at all.¡± Ling Yunpo, with many trump cards up his sleeve, was not afraid at all, and he said righteously, ¡°Senior Brother Duan, you worry too much!¡± ¡°We, as Sword Immortals, ought to wield our swords and press forward, cutting down all obstructions and Heart Demons in our path!¡± ¡°As for those demons, whether the swordsmanship is sharp, or the Daoist Magic powerful, can I possibly walk around them?¡± ¡°Senior Brother, you¡¯re overly concerned with so-called intelligence, to the point where it seems like a hesitation to move forward, a sign of inferiority.¡± [Unyielding character established, Synchronization Value +1.]
[Unyielding character established, Synchronization Value +1.] [Unyielding character established, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡­¡­¡­ With every sentence Ling Yunpo uttered, the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s Synchronization Value increased by +1. Duan Fenhai almost spat out blood hearing this; just as he was about to burst out, a sh of light appeared in the distance. Having just finished her battle, An Zhisu, controlling her sword, rushed to the two, enveloped in an ascent of murderous aura. She pointed her Frostfall Sword at Duan Fenhai from afar and shouted: ¡°Duan Fenhai! If you dare harm a single hair on my junior brother, I swear to run you through with my sword and cast you up into the Nine Heavens to suffer the torment of the whipping winds!¡± Duan Fenhai¡¯s eyes twitched as he said coldly: ¡°An Zhisu, what does your junior brother¡¯s sword match have to do with you?¡± An Zhisu rushed in front of Ling Yunpo, grabbed his right hand, and checked him over with her Divine Sense, the color of anxious concern clear on her face. Standing opposite, Duan Fenhai took in the expression on Senior Sister An¡¯s face and was taken aback. Isn¡¯t this Qingluo Peak¡¯s killing god supposed to be inherently cold and heartless? Howe she¡¯s showing such an indecisive expression of a tender-hearted woman? Could it be that she¡¯s been possessed by a soul? Once she thoroughly examined him with her Divine Sense, confirming that her junior brother indeed had not a single injury inside him, An Zhisu finally let out a sigh of relief as if a weight had been lifted. Turning her head, her eyebrows sharply raised, she reverted to the familiar cold-blooded killer the others knew and coldly said to Duan Fenhai: ¡°It appears you were sensible enough this time to hold back. But that¡¯s beside the point. This attempt to ambush and kill Junior Brother Ling is a grudge I will have to settle with Yellow Dragon Peak¡¯s folks when I have the time.¡± Duan Fenhai let out a breathlessugh: ¡°An Zhisu, you¡¯re probably just too consumed by your killing intent, nearing Deviation.¡± ¡°My Yellow Dragon Peak and your Qingluo Peak have always had no quarrels. I¡¯ve had nothing to do with your junior brother prior to this, why would I look for an opportunity to plot against him?¡±
¡°The real adversary who manipted the drawing of the sword match is someone else. Don¡¯t you have any clue who it might be?¡± ¡°Just now, dragging out the sword fight with me was none other than your own Yellow Dragon Peak¡¯s Xue Qianchao!¡± An Zhisu scolded him angrily, ¡°And you¡¯re saying Yellow Dragon Peak isn¡¯t involved?¡± ¡°Junior Brother Xue? Impossible!¡± Duan Fenhai¡¯s face wentpletely pale. ¡°He was gravely injured during an expeditionst month and has been recuperating deep in Yellow Dragon Peak. He didn¡¯t even register for the sectpetition this time!¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s true or not, you¡¯ll find out once you go back and ask,¡± An Zhisu said, no longer engaging with him, grabbing Ling Yunpo by both hands. ¡°Junior brother, let¡¯s go.¡±
The two of them conjured their Sword Light and departed into the distance, leaving Duan Fenhai standing there with a face alternating between pale and green. After a long moment, despite the severe injuries on his body, he also summoned his badly damaged Ster Dark Iron Sword and conjured a Sword Light to escape. On the way back to Qingluo Peak, An Zhisu rode her sword above the floating clouds with a grave expression and said to Ling Yunpo: ¡°Junior Brother, fortunately, you were not injured this time. Otherwise, if anything had happened to you, I truly do not know how I would exin it to our master.¡± ¡°Although you were defeated in the sword fight this time, your defeat was not unjust.¡± ¡°Your opponent Duan Fenhai is ranked second on the Immortal Sword Ranking, has reached perfection in the Refining Mansion Realm, and wields the Twin Fairy Swords. He is indeed a formidable figure, second only to those with the Shushan Golden Core.¡± ¡°Even I wouldn¡¯t be confident in iming a sure victory against him. After this defeat, you should return to Qingluo Peak and recuperate well to avoid being targeted.¡± ¡°When the sectpetition is nearing its end, I¡¯ll find an opponent who matches your strength on the Immortal Sword Ranking and let you challenge and defeat them.¡± ¡°Senior Sister, I won,¡± Ling Yunpo touched his nose and said. ¡°Hmm, winning is good. Losing to that Duan Fenhai is no big deal; there will always be a chance for you to win next time.¡± An Zhisu kept rambling on, suddenlying to her senses. ¡°Won¡­ You won? Who did you win against?¡± ¡°I won against that Duan Fenhai.¡± Ling Yunpo said helplessly. With a whoosh, An Zhisu¡¯s sword light suddenly went out of control, and the two of them plunged into the clouds.
Less than ten secondster, they emerged from beneath the clouds, both drenched in moisture from the clouds, their clothes and hair wet. An Zhisu¡¯s eyes widened as she stared at her junior brother, asking in rm: ¡°You¡­ won the fight just now?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Ling Yunpo said. ¡°You defeated Duan Fenhai?¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°How did you win?¡± ¡°With a sword,¡± Ling Yunpo said vaguely. An Zhisu fell silent for a moment, then suddenly reached out her slender hand and ced it on Ling Yunpo¡¯s forehead. ¡°You¡¯re not feverish, and it doesn¡¯t seem like you¡¯re speaking nonsense¡­¡± she mumbled, her eyes beginning to redden, ¡°Are you really not deceiving your senior sister?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not.¡± ¡°This is just too¡­¡± An Zhisu wanted to say it was unbelievable. But upon reflection, how many unbelievable things had her junior brother done since he started his training?
ying Lou Zhizheng, advancing rapidly through Marrow Cleansing ¨C weren¡¯t they all beyond belief? Master often said that geniuses of extraordinary talent weremon in this world. If the junior brother was a swordsmanship genius, what¡¯s so surprising about him defeating Duan Fenhai, who is second on the Immortal Sword Ranking? With this thought, An Zhisu¡¯s protective instincts kicked in, and she immediately discarded any sense of rationality. My junior brother is the best in the world, unrivaled by anyone! ¡°Junior Brother, you did very well.¡± Adjusting her damp hair slightly, Senior Sister An said with a beaming smile, ¡°With this, you are now second on the Immortal Sword Ranking.¡± ¡°The third seat is Lin Duanshan, we¡¯ve already given him a heads up, so he definitely won¡¯t make a move against you.¡± ¡°The fourth seat is Guan Shanyue, whose thoughts run deep; she likely won¡¯t risk provoking my anger by challenging you for the seat.¡± ¡°With Duan Fenhai defeated by you and off the rankings, he must be both shocked and afraid. Given his character, he won¡¯t rush to reim the second seat without being certain of victory.¡± ¡°But you need to watch out for those further back in the rankings; with dozens of people, there will inevitably be some bold enough to test your strength.¡± As she spoke, she made a cutting motion with her hand, and a sh of fierceness passed through her eyes. ¡°In the uing drawing of lots for sword fights, you must win decisively, ying any Life-bound Sword Artifacts that should be in, and quickly establish the majesty of a second seat Sword Immortal!¡±
Chapter 86: 21 Junior Sister Xu’s Observation Diary Chapter 86: Chapter 21 Junior Sister Xu¡¯s Observation Diary Qiu Changtian felt that something was amiss. He couldn¡¯t put his finger on it, but it seemed as if someone was watching him. Could it be that my spy identity has been discovered by the big shots of the Kunlun Sect?! Impossible! I have no backing force, and I joined the Kunlun Sect as a mortal. My background is clean without any ws, how could I have possibly attracted the attention of the higher-ups in the sect? He rode his Flying Sword to the Extreme West, the edges of Congling, to continue his study of the Five Thunder True Law. Among the four Thunders he had at his disposal: Jade Pivot Thunder was the most handy to use, consuming less True Qi than the other three, yet its power was not much inferior. Tai Yi Thunder consumed the most True Qi and had a vast range of attack, suitable for casting once and then taking advantage of the chaos to escape. Pr Thunder came with a chilling effect. Its overall power was less than Tai Yi Thunder¡¯s, but it was superior in terms of burst power, exceeding the Jade Pivot Thunder, and could be used for attacking formidable enemies. Immortal Capital Thunder was the fastest, striking instantly and even too quick for a Flying Sword to catch up, making it suitable for sneak attacks or frontal assaults. As for the properties like special attacks on yin spirits and the Dragon n, he didn¡¯t need them for now.
In any case, each Thunder had its characteristics, and Qiu Changtian needed to master them all to use them as countermeasures at critical moments. Hm? He suddenly turned his head, but saw no one. ¡°Ah Jing, tell me, is someone watching me?¡± Qiu Changtian asked vigntly. ¡°Yes,¡± the Kunlun Mirror answered leisurely. ¡°Who is it?¡± Qiu Changtian asked with a frown. ¡°Someone who likes you,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said calmly. God damn someone who likes me! Qiu Changtian flew into a rage, to hell with riddle mirrors! All of Kunlun knows how beloved I am by my fellow sect members. There are plenty who like me, how am I to know which one it is? ¡°And it¡¯s the one who is usually closest to you.¡± As if detecting his thoughts, the Kunlun Mirror added. ¡°Oh, Junior Sister Xu eh.¡± Qiu Changtian pondered, ¡°What is she spying on me for?¡± The Kunlun Mirror was speechless. Just hearing ¡°likes you¡± and ¡°closest to you¡± and you can spontaneously deduce it¡¯s Xu Yinglian¡ªaren¡¯t you a bit too narcissistic? The coating of the Kunlun Mirror was ultimately too thin. It didn¡¯t dare contemte the face-smashing words further, so it decisively chose not to dwell on them and instead asked: ¡°She is on the mountain peak right behind you, watching you intently right now. What do you n to do?¡± ¡°Not much,¡± Qiu Changtian responded, ¡°If I were to catch her in the act, she¡¯d definitely deny it to herst breath with her thick skin, and even less could be gotten out of her.¡± ¡°Better to pretend I haven¡¯t noticed for now, and see what she¡¯s up to.¡± He continued practicing the Five Thunder True Law, casting a few Divine Thunders, stopping to recover his True Qi, and casually asking the Kunlun Mirror if Junior Sister was still watching from behind.
Then he cast a few more Divine Thunders, took a rest, and slowly meditated on the profound truth within the Thunder Method that ¡°Yin and Yang sh, generating fierce peeling energy.¡± Xu Yinglian on the mountaintop gazed down from afar, beginning to ponder as well. Senior Brother has been practicing the Thunder Method here for almost half an hour. Compared to my practice of the Great Bright Fire, the frequency of his Daoist Magic casting is much slower.
Meaning that casting Daoist Magic more doesn¡¯t necessarily lead to mastering it faster. Practice isn¡¯t the ultimate goal, deepening the understanding of Daoist Magic through practice is where the true meaning lies. Hmm, worthy of being Senior Brother, I was still too naive. [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] Qiu Changtian: ? Wait a minute, what did I do? Why did my Synchronization Value increase? He was quite puzzled in his heart, and subconsciously stopped practicing the Thunder Method for a moment. Xu Yinglian saw this and was secretly shocked: Why did Senior Brother suddenly stop? Could it be that he has had a realization? So that¡¯s how it is! How could Senior Brother have so much time to practice multiple Qi Refining Techniques, Daoist Magic, and Sword Control Technique? It turns out it¡¯s all thanks to sudden insights! Under this state of sudden enlightenment, like receiving an infusion of wisdom, barriers swiftly lifted, and naturally, the efficiency of cultivating the Dao increased exponentiallypared to the ordinary. To frequently enter the state of sudden enlightenment, aside from relying on one¡¯s innate talent, it seemed that long-term practice and deep contemtion were also part of the secret. Hmph, Senior Brother, you only know how to hide these tricks up your sleeve, but you never expected that I would see right through them, did you?
[Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] Qiu Changtian: ?? No, who is increasing my Synchronization Value? Could it be Junior Sister? Has she be so adorable to the extent that she can increase my Synchronization Value even when I¡¯m just standing still? The more Qiu Changtian thought about it, the more he felt something was amiss, so he mounted his Sword Light and flew away. Xu Yinglian hastily followed with her Sword Control Technique, silently taking notes in her heart: [Senior Brother in the east of Congling, practicing the Thunder Method for an hour.] [Although the time allocation is simr to mine, frequent states of sudden enlightenment can increase the efficiency of cultivation.] She carefully followed Senior Brother all the way back to Golden Ridge, then saw Qiu Changtian enter his cave abode. Following quickly into the cave abode, Xu Yinglian cautiously refrained from using her Divine Sense to explore, and after waiting outside the stone room for a long time, she quietly peeked in. She saw Senior Brother Qiu sitting on the stone bed, with legs crossed and facing heavenward, his chest moving slightly as strands of white vapor rose from the top of his head, clearly cultivating the Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra, practicing Breathing and Qi Refining. Xu Yinglian noted to herself: [At the fourth quarter of the Earth Branch corresponding to approximately 1 to 3 p.m., Senior Brother Qiu returned to his cave abode tomence Breathing and Qi Refining.]
After cultivating for approximately two hours, Qiu Changtian finally reopened his eyes, slowly exhaling a long breath. Xu Yinglian quickly retracted her head and again took note: [Senior Brother practiced Breathing and Qi Refining for two hours.] [The duration is simr to mine.] Qiu Changtian rose from his meditation posture, seemingly preparing to leave, and Xu Yinglian quickly turned and walked away. As she had just exited the entrance of the cave abode, she saw Jian Qingnan flying by on his sword, suddenly stopping in the air, staring dumbfounded at Junior Sister Xu emerging from the First Senior Brother¡¯s cave abode. Xu Yinglian promptly raised her right index finger to her lips, indicating that this matter was not to be disclosed. Jian Qingnan¡¯s face immediately turned pale: Is Ying Lian implying that I must not disclose this private meeting between her and Senior Brother, or she will tear apart my mouth? He hastily shook his head as if he was ying a pellet drum, and Xu Yinglian seemed satisfied with the response, nodding her head and then hurriedly walked away. Following which, Qiu Changtian came out of his cave abode and, upon seeing Jian Qingnan standing in the air, asked: ¡°Junior Sister, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°I was admiring the majestic and noble bearing of First Senior Brother outside his cave abode,¡± Jian Qingnan said, barely holding back her expression as she blurted out a fib. ¡°Ah?¡± Qiu Changtian was startled for a moment before he saw Jian Qingnan turn her Sword Light and hastily fly away.
[Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­ Which Junior Sister increased my Synchronization Value? Come out, let me properlymend you! As he walked down the mountain path, Xu Yinglian, hearing the footsteps, quickly hid inside her own cave abode. After a moment, she heard Senior Brother Qiu¡¯s voice resounding outside: ¡°Junior Sister Xu, today I was in high spirits and had a spark of inspiration; could you help meplete this piece of music?¡± Xu Yinglian was silent for a moment before she quicklyposed her expression, revealing a reserved and aloof demeanor. She then collected the Phoenix Tail Zither from the inner chamber and stepped out of the cave abode, answering: ¡°Okay.¡± Qiu Changtian gave a faint smile and also took out the jade flute hanging from his waist. The two began to y the zither and flute together, with the flute initiating a tune, and the zither subsequently joining in¡ªa meld of call and response, resonating like the profound dialogue between mountains and flowing water, as if a musical kindred spirit was harmonizing. The music, initially hesitant and sporadic, gradually became smoother, ultimately rendering aplete piece. The Kunlun Mirror also showed tact, discreetly removing the aura of the Invincible Character Setting, making Qiu Changtian in his white robe, holding a flute, even more spirited and handsome, as gentle and refined as jade. Xu Yinglian felt his change in demeanor, and it seemed as though Senior Brother was no longer so cold and distant, stirring up subtle emotions within her. [ying music together with Senior Brother for half an hour.] [Feeling a little happy.] Chapter 84: 19: Is the Last Name An or Su? Chapter 84: Chapter 19: Is the Last Name An or Su? In the pavilion by the clear spring stream, An Zhisu gazed down at the babbling water, sadly recounting her life story: ¡°I was born in a mountain vige in Yangzhou¡¯s Guangling County.¡± ¡°My mother was a widow in the vige, my father had passed away before I was born, so life was very tough.¡± ¡°But ever since I can remember, my master would often visit my mother and me.¡± ¡°Each time he came, he would bring some money to help out, so our life wasn¡¯t too destitute.¡± Ling Yunpo listened with interest, only then understanding that Su Jian wasn¡¯t some swordsmanship-obsessed murderous lunatic¡ªhe too possessed the kindness and warmth of an ordinary person. An Zhisu continued: ¡°Every time my mother would refuse to take master¡¯s money, saying he ¡®doesn¡¯t owe us mother and daughter anything¡¯.¡± ¡°But master always found a way to leave the money, making it impossible for my mother to refuse.¡± ¡°Sometimes he would seemingly take it back, yet in the blink of an eye, the money would reappear on the stove, beside the pillow, or hidden in the clothes pile.¡± ¡°When my mother saw the money he¡¯d left behind, she would sigh helplessly.¡±
Ling Yunpo sympathetically sighed: ¡°Ah, Sister¡¯s family life hasn¡¯t been easy.¡± ¡°It¡¯s not just about poverty.¡± An Zhisu said with a touch of sadness, ¡°A widow in a vige without the support of her parents or husband is subject to gossip and even bullying.¡± ¡°Sometimes, the idlers in the vige would gather outside my house, spewing unspeakable filth andughing boisterously.¡± ¡°My mother would hold me tightly in her arms, not letting me hear those dirty words.¡± ¡°How despicable!¡± Ling Yunpo immediately red with anger, saying righteously, ¡°If I had been there, no matter how many of them there were, I¡¯d grab a firewood cutter and rush out to kill all the scum who dared to bully a mother and her daughter!¡± [Unyielding Character, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°Brother, you have the same temperament as master,¡± An Zhisuughed, ¡°When master first learned of this, he immediately grabbed his sword and went door to door, killing all those scoundrels one by one.¡± ¡°How exhrating!¡± Ling Yunpo pped his hands in approval, yet inwardly criticized: retracting previous words, this Su Jian is still a murderous lunatic. ¡°However, from that time on, there was a rift between my mother and master.¡± An Zhisu continued to reminisce, ¡°The vige people all avoided our house, even taking detours to avoid meeting us on the road.¡± ¡°My mother was very sad, not because her reputation in the vige declined, but because she felt that master considered ordinary people to be no better than pigs or dogs, and that sooner orter, he would also be estranged from us.¡± ¡°Master had a few arguments with my mother because of this, and finally, he decided to take me to cultivate immortality, secretly teaching me Shushan Swordsmanship behind the sect¡¯s back.¡± Ling Yunpo mused silently, suddenly finding something strange. He originally thought Su Jian had taken an interest in An Zhisu¡¯s qualifications for cultivation and thus took care of her family¡¯s finances. But ording to Sister¡¯s ount, it seemed that Su Jian had some sort of intimate rtionship with An Zhisu¡¯s mother, and that was why he chose to ept her as a disciple?! ¡°Sister, I have a question,¡± he cautiously asked, ¡°Is there a possibility that your father is not dead, and he is just trying to win your mother¡¯s recognition in various ways, like stuffing money into your home, standing up for your mother, and taking you on as a disciple?¡± An Zhisu looked at him silently, then after a long moment, smiled and said: ¡°Brother, you¡¯re talking nonsense again. Master¡¯s surname is Su, and mine is An, how could we possibly be father and daughter?¡± ¡°What is your mother¡¯s name?¡± Ling Yunpo asked.
¡°My mother¡¯s name is An Susu,¡± An Zhisu replied. ¡°So, you actually take your mother¡¯s surname,¡± Ling Yunpo immediately said. ¡°What else?¡± An Zhisu opened her eyes wide looking at him, ¡°My father was gone before I was born, so taking my mother¡¯s surname is quite normal, isn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°What I mean is,¡± Ling Yunpo got tangled in her logic and took a while toe to his senses, ¡°perhaps your mother was unwilling to forgive your father, and that¡¯s why she let you take her surname¡­¡±
¡°Junior Brother,¡± An Zhisu fell silent again, and it took a long moment before she spoke, ¡°Stop guessing.¡± ¡°If there was even a sliver of possibility to what you¡¯re suggesting, then our master should have stayed at home to apany my mother instead of sparing only a monthly visit.¡± ¡°To neglect his wife and daughter, to be immersed in swordsmanship with only asional, perfunctory returns for brief visits, how could such a man possibly be my father?¡± Ling Yunpo was at a loss for words. From the slightly annoyed tone of Senior Sister An¡¯s words, he understood her meaning. Su Jian could only be her master, and not fit to be her father. She was resisting the eptance of this fact. However, since it was, after all, Senior Sister An¡¯s family matter, it wasn¡¯t right for him to press further, so Ling Yunpo decisively changed the subject, asking: ¡°What happenedter then, between your master and your mother¡­¡± ¡°Later,¡± An Zhisu paused for a moment, then said, ¡°My mother passed away.¡± ¡°Passed away?¡± ¡°Yes, her natural life came to its end,¡± An Zhisu said softly, ¡°Master apanied me to bury her, and then took me back to Shushan to officially start my cultivation.¡± ¡°On the way, we were ambushed by a Nascent Soul Elder of the Demon Cult, and Master was gravely injured. After arranging my entry into the sect, he hastily went into seclusion, possibly to the death.¡±
Ling Yunpo thought to himself, so that¡¯s how it was. Actually, with Su Jian¡¯s status as a Nascent Soul Elder, had he taken An Zhisu to Shushan earlier, she might have been the next Shi Liuli¡ªthe daughter of Shushan¡¯s God of Killing; who would dare provoke Miss Shi? But Senior Sister An¡¯s childhood was vastly different from that of Miss Shi. Her childhood was spent in the countryside, and her adulthood was spent alone with Su Jian learning swordsmanship. After cultivating to the Refining Mansion stage, and with her mother having passed naturally, Su Jian, unbound by worldly ties, took her back to Shushan, only to be ambushed on their way. Then, upon their return to the mountain, he secluded himself, possibly to death¡­ Her life was indeed fraught with hardship, an endless ordeal! Senior Sister An, this unyielding character¡¯s temte should truly be yours. ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about this anymore.¡± An Zhisu suddenly smiled, with all traces of gloom swept away, ¡°Master will surely make it out of seclusion sessfully. Let¡¯s not dwell on the past.¡± ¡°Today, we should be celebrating for Junior Brother¡¯s ascendancy to the second seat of the Immortal Sword Ranking.¡± As if by magic, with a wave of her hand, the Frostfall Sword emerged as a beam of Sword Light, bringing along a tter and a wine sk. Ling Yunpo was somewhat astonished to see this: wine and appetizers were all prepared; Senior Sister hade fully equipped! An Zhisu grasped the sk, tilting its narrow neck, as the wine flowed into the cup. A rich amber hue and the fragrance of sweet orchids filled the air; it was Shushan¡¯s specialty Spiritual Wine ¡°Jade Brow Spring,¡± a preciousmodity.
In the dishy eight vermilion fruits, plump and lustrous, resembling small tomatoes but emitting an exotic fragrance. With a gentle wave of the Frostfall Sword, all the vermilion fruits were halved into equally sized sixteen segments. Ling Yunpo picked up a segment and tasted it, finding it sweet and refreshing, almost like swallowing Spiritual Liquid, an endless aftertaste. With another small sip of wine, the effect was lingering and gentle, not intoxicating but making him feel satisfied and invigorated, as if his Divine Sense had be much clearer. In his gaze, the silhouette of Senior Sister An, who continued to pour wine for him, became even more softly graceful and charming, making it difficult for him to shift his eyes away. Chapter 85: 20 Junior Sister Xu Suddenly Realizes Chapter 85: Chapter 20 Junior Sister Xu Suddenly Realizes Xu Yinglian, An Zhisu, Shi Liuli. Three girls with distinct personalities. Junior Sister Xu Yinglian is currently the easiest female target for conquest. Bound by a Daoist Companion marriage contract, she herself is assertive and refuses to be left behind. I can easily influence and control her by leveraging this point. Moreover, the long-term benefits of an alliance with the Xu Family of Southern Heaven are also the most substantial. If one must choose one out of three from a purely utilitarian standpoint, it would be her. Senior Sister An Zhisu, on the other hand, is the woman I admire the most. She¡¯s tenacious, powerful, sweet on the inside but cool on the outside. Of course, what¡¯s most important is that she wholeheartedly treats me well, her junior brother. If one must choose one out of three from a rational selection standpoint, it would be her. Miss Shi Liuli, however, is a woman I cannot deal with.
She¡¯s naive, clingy, a super little rich girl, with no idea what¡¯s going on in her head all day. But strangely, being with her always brings a sense of youthful naivety, like first love. If influenced by hormones and forced to make a choice, it would be her. Of course, in reality, there¡¯s no need to choose just one; in fact, I have no intention of choosing at all. What¡¯s fake will ultimately remain fake, and even with feelings involved, they won¡¯t be genuine. There is only one constant, undeniable truth: I am the one decreed by destiny! ¡°Are you finished?¡± Kunlun Mirror asked helplessly. This guy is not only skilled at deceiving his master, senior sisters, and junior sisters, but now he¡¯s even deceiving himself, which is truly astonishing. However, it is precisely because his ¡°driving skills¡± are so advanced that Kunlun Mirror is eagerly looking forward to the day he ¡°wrecks the car¡± and to see how marvelous the expression on his face will be. For mending the heavens and saving the world, Kunlun Mirror has already rewarded him with all sorts of peerless talents. For deceiving the hearts of young women, Kunlun Mirror will also make sure he experiences a setback at a critical moment, as a form of punishment! The righteous Ah Jing will never neglect to reward aplishments nor fail to penalize for misdemeanors! ¡°Alright,¡± Ling Yunpo suppressed his emotions and said indifferently, ¡°Let¡¯s reload the save.¡± [Location one: Kunlun Taiqing Sect, Golden Ridge.] [Character Identity: Qiu Changtian.] [Oveying with Mirror Flower Water Moon Temte, engaging in time-space travel.] Adopting the invincible aura of Qiu Changtian, he calmly walked out of the cave residence. In terms of sect¡¯s scenery, the Kunlun snow ridges were undoubtedly the most monotonous, with nothing but sky and snow as far as the eye could see, which could make one¡¯s eyes go blurry if gazed upon for too long.
Therefore, most Kunlun Cultivators are homebodies, capable of staying in their cave residences for years without stepping foot outside. Xu Yinglian was an exception. Aside from breathing exercises and Qi Refinement, she would also take time to practice her Sword Control Technique and Daoist Magic, so she didn¡¯t spend all her time cooped up in her cave residence. Looking down from above, Qiu Changtian saw Xu Yinglian standing at the entrance of her cave residence, sparring in swordsmanship with Third Junior Brother Guan Zhan. After a few exchanges, the Feather Jia Sword finally prated the blockade of the Iron Gall Sword, bringing its tip to the front of Guan Zhan¡¯s throat.
¡°I lost,¡± Guan Zhan said coldly. He summoned back his Iron Gall Sword and departed emotionlessly. Qiu Changtian watched speechlessly. After Guan Zhan left on his sword, Qiu Changtian approached Xu Yinglian and asked, ¡°Another sword duel?¡± Xu Yinglian nced at him sideways and exined, ¡°Junior Brother Guan lost to mest time and wasn¡¯t convinced, so he wanted another match.¡± Of course, Qiu Changtian understood that Junior Sister Xu meant ¡°It wasn¡¯t me who sought him out,¡± so he said with a smile, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Junior Brother Guan to be quitepetitive.¡± ¡°Heh,¡± Xu Yinglian scoffed. ¡°Despite being unbeatable, he still challenges me; it¡¯s annoying, right?¡± Qiu Changtian: ? Thement seemed out of the blue, but being a clever man, Qiu Changtian immediately realized that Xu Yinglian was alluding to the times she had frequently challenged him to sword duels in the past, so he smiled and said, ¡°Junior Sister, your unwavering determination in seeking the Dao, how could I ever disdain you?¡± The words reached Xu Yinglian¡¯s ears and, mixed with Qiu Changtian¡¯s invincible character setting, took on a different vor immediately.
It felt like mockery and pity from the strong. Recalling the past Sword Control Techniquepetitions where she had never once bested him, frustration kindled within Xu Yinglian. Her ire arose, and she simply drew her Feather Jia Sword and said, ¡°Would Senior Brother be willing to enlighten me once more?¡± Qiu Changtian paused for a moment before replying, ¡°It¡¯s not convenient¡­¡± ¡°Does Senior Brother look down on me?¡± Xu Yinglian grew even more irritated. ¡°It¡¯s really not like that¡­¡± Qiu Changtian saw that his Junior Sister was getting worked up again,pletely unresponsive to reason, so he could only sigh and say, ¡°Today, my hands are quite skilled, and if you were topete with me in swordsmanship and lose badly, you must be careful not to let the Heart Demon take advantage of you.¡± [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°Come on!¡± Xu Yinglian said angrily. It wasn¡¯t long before Qiu Changtian proved his words were true. Having won so many matches in the Shushanpetition, even defeating Duan Fenhai, who was ranked second on the Immortal Sword Ranking, his momentum was at its peak and his state couldn¡¯t be better. The Yu Long Sword collided with the Feather Jia Sword several times in mid-air before it easily crushed thetter¡¯s moves. Xu Yinglian bit her lip and spurred on the Feather Jia Sword, ready to make another effort, but was again struck at a weak point by the Yu Long Sword and sent flying back, defeated and unwilling.
¡°How¡¯s that?¡± Qiu Changtian did not pursue her, merely asking leisurely. [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] Xu Yinglian silently summoned back her Feather Jia Sword and asked with an expressionless face, ¡°Our True Qi strengths are simr, so is the reason Yu Long can send my Feather Jia flying due to the angle of force applied?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Qiu Changtian was somewhat surprised and began to exin, ¡°You see, when I use my Qi to initiate a nted sh with the Flying Sword, the force is actually applied at the hilt.¡± ¡°This way, there is torque¡­¡± ¡°The so-called torque, its mechanism is like this¡­¡± He exined the mechanical principles of the Sword Control Technique in a simple and clear way, then concluded, ¡°These principles are all mentioned in the ¡®Renyou Swordsmanship Misceny.¡¯ You can go to the Scriptural Repository to borrow and read it.¡± The ¡°Renyou Swordsmanship Misceny,¡± written by a Sword Immortal of the ancient rify Cult, was collected by the Three Pure Ones¡¯ Orthodox Sect, yet since it didn¡¯t fall into the category of Qi Refining Technique or Daoist Magic, Kunlun naturally ssified it as ¡°misceneous reading.¡± Considering there are hundreds of thousands such misceneous books in the Kunlun Scripture Pavilion, how could an ordinary Cultivatore to know and see it? It¡¯s all up to fate. Only a faction like the Shushan Shangqing Sect, which values the inheritance of swordsmanship, would single out all the books rted to swordsmanship to refer to when refining their Sect¡¯s sword techniques. Xu Yinglian silently noted the title of the book, feeling utterly shocked.
Apart from his daily breathing exercises, Qi refinement, Daoist Magic and Sword Control Technique practice, as well as his outings for experience, Senior Brother Qiu also found the time to read these misceneous books? Damn it! How could this detestable Senior Brother¡­ be so outstanding? [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] Where does he get so much time? Upon this thought, Xu Yinglian suddenly had an epiphany. In the past, her way of catching up to Qiu Changtian was to rush forward recklessly, without care. As if to say, ¡°I¡¯ve lost to Senior Brother in Sword Control, so I¡¯ll practice swordsmanship hard, six hours a day, and if that¡¯s not enough, seven or eight hours¡­¡± The result was being left so far behind by Qiu Changtian that she couldn¡¯t even see his shadow. She used to be able to exchange blows with him, but now she couldn¡¯t even withstand a few of his moves. However, after some careful consideration, could the way she was trying to catch up be the problem? Senior Brother Qiu¡­ how exactly does he manage his time? When does he perform breathing exercises or investigate Daoist Magic? When does he study swordsmanship? When does he go out for experience? Why can he overpower me in every aspect? Could he have some unique time management techniques? At that thought, the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart started to operate, and Xu Yinglian began to realize how she had previously taken the wrong path. Knowing the enemy and knowing yourself, you will not be imperiled in a hundred battles. If you don¡¯t even know how the other person cultivates, just blindly rushing forward, how can you possibly win? I need to observe Senior Brother carefully, to see how he arranges his daily twelve hours! Chapter 86: 21 Junior Sister Xu’s Observation Diary Chapter 86: Chapter 21 Junior Sister Xu¡¯s Observation Diary Qiu Changtian felt that something was amiss. He couldn¡¯t put his finger on it, but it seemed as if someone was watching him. Could it be that my spy identity has been discovered by the big shots of the Kunlun Sect?! Impossible! I have no backing force, and I joined the Kunlun Sect as a mortal. My background is clean without any ws, how could I have possibly attracted the attention of the higher-ups in the sect? He rode his Flying Sword to the Extreme West, the edges of Congling, to continue his study of the Five Thunder True Law. Among the four Thunders he had at his disposal: Jade Pivot Thunder was the most handy to use, consuming less True Qi than the other three, yet its power was not much inferior. Tai Yi Thunder consumed the most True Qi and had a vast range of attack, suitable for casting once and then taking advantage of the chaos to escape. Pr Thunder came with a chilling effect. Its overall power was less than Tai Yi Thunder¡¯s, but it was superior in terms of burst power, exceeding the Jade Pivot Thunder, and could be used for attacking formidable enemies. Immortal Capital Thunder was the fastest, striking instantly and even too quick for a Flying Sword to catch up, making it suitable for sneak attacks or frontal assaults. As for the properties like special attacks on yin spirits and the Dragon n, he didn¡¯t need them for now.
In any case, each Thunder had its characteristics, and Qiu Changtian needed to master them all to use them as countermeasures at critical moments. Hm? He suddenly turned his head, but saw no one. ¡°Ah Jing, tell me, is someone watching me?¡± Qiu Changtian asked vigntly. ¡°Yes,¡± the Kunlun Mirror answered leisurely. ¡°Who is it?¡± Qiu Changtian asked with a frown. ¡°Someone who likes you,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said calmly. God damn someone who likes me! Qiu Changtian flew into a rage, to hell with riddle mirrors! All of Kunlun knows how beloved I am by my fellow sect members. There are plenty who like me, how am I to know which one it is? ¡°And it¡¯s the one who is usually closest to you.¡± As if detecting his thoughts, the Kunlun Mirror added. ¡°Oh, Junior Sister Xu eh.¡± Qiu Changtian pondered, ¡°What is she spying on me for?¡± The Kunlun Mirror was speechless. Just hearing ¡°likes you¡± and ¡°closest to you¡± and you can spontaneously deduce it¡¯s Xu Yinglian¡ªaren¡¯t you a bit too narcissistic? The coating of the Kunlun Mirror was ultimately too thin. It didn¡¯t dare contemte the face-smashing words further, so it decisively chose not to dwell on them and instead asked: ¡°She is on the mountain peak right behind you, watching you intently right now. What do you n to do?¡± ¡°Not much,¡± Qiu Changtian responded, ¡°If I were to catch her in the act, she¡¯d definitely deny it to herst breath with her thick skin, and even less could be gotten out of her.¡± ¡°Better to pretend I haven¡¯t noticed for now, and see what she¡¯s up to.¡± He continued practicing the Five Thunder True Law, casting a few Divine Thunders, stopping to recover his True Qi, and casually asking the Kunlun Mirror if Junior Sister was still watching from behind.
Then he cast a few more Divine Thunders, took a rest, and slowly meditated on the profound truth within the Thunder Method that ¡°Yin and Yang sh, generating fierce peeling energy.¡± Xu Yinglian on the mountaintop gazed down from afar, beginning to ponder as well. Senior Brother has been practicing the Thunder Method here for almost half an hour. Compared to my practice of the Great Bright Fire, the frequency of his Daoist Magic casting is much slower.
Meaning that casting Daoist Magic more doesn¡¯t necessarily lead to mastering it faster. Practice isn¡¯t the ultimate goal, deepening the understanding of Daoist Magic through practice is where the true meaning lies. Hmm, worthy of being Senior Brother, I was still too naive. [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] Qiu Changtian: ? Wait a minute, what did I do? Why did my Synchronization Value increase? He was quite puzzled in his heart, and subconsciously stopped practicing the Thunder Method for a moment. Xu Yinglian saw this and was secretly shocked: Why did Senior Brother suddenly stop? Could it be that he has had a realization? So that¡¯s how it is! How could Senior Brother have so much time to practice multiple Qi Refining Techniques, Daoist Magic, and Sword Control Technique? It turns out it¡¯s all thanks to sudden insights! Under this state of sudden enlightenment, like receiving an infusion of wisdom, barriers swiftly lifted, and naturally, the efficiency of cultivating the Dao increased exponentiallypared to the ordinary. To frequently enter the state of sudden enlightenment, aside from relying on one¡¯s innate talent, it seemed that long-term practice and deep contemtion were also part of the secret. Hmph, Senior Brother, you only know how to hide these tricks up your sleeve, but you never expected that I would see right through them, did you?
[Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] Qiu Changtian: ?? No, who is increasing my Synchronization Value? Could it be Junior Sister? Has she be so adorable to the extent that she can increase my Synchronization Value even when I¡¯m just standing still? The more Qiu Changtian thought about it, the more he felt something was amiss, so he mounted his Sword Light and flew away. Xu Yinglian hastily followed with her Sword Control Technique, silently taking notes in her heart: [Senior Brother in the east of Congling, practicing the Thunder Method for an hour.] [Although the time allocation is simr to mine, frequent states of sudden enlightenment can increase the efficiency of cultivation.] She carefully followed Senior Brother all the way back to Golden Ridge, then saw Qiu Changtian enter his cave abode. Following quickly into the cave abode, Xu Yinglian cautiously refrained from using her Divine Sense to explore, and after waiting outside the stone room for a long time, she quietly peeked in. She saw Senior Brother Qiu sitting on the stone bed, with legs crossed and facing heavenward, his chest moving slightly as strands of white vapor rose from the top of his head, clearly cultivating the Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra, practicing Breathing and Qi Refining. Xu Yinglian noted to herself: [At the fourth quarter of the Earth Branch corresponding to approximately 1 to 3 p.m., Senior Brother Qiu returned to his cave abode tomence Breathing and Qi Refining.]
After cultivating for approximately two hours, Qiu Changtian finally reopened his eyes, slowly exhaling a long breath. Xu Yinglian quickly retracted her head and again took note: [Senior Brother practiced Breathing and Qi Refining for two hours.] [The duration is simr to mine.] Qiu Changtian rose from his meditation posture, seemingly preparing to leave, and Xu Yinglian quickly turned and walked away. As she had just exited the entrance of the cave abode, she saw Jian Qingnan flying by on his sword, suddenly stopping in the air, staring dumbfounded at Junior Sister Xu emerging from the First Senior Brother¡¯s cave abode. Xu Yinglian promptly raised her right index finger to her lips, indicating that this matter was not to be disclosed. Jian Qingnan¡¯s face immediately turned pale: Is Ying Lian implying that I must not disclose this private meeting between her and Senior Brother, or she will tear apart my mouth? He hastily shook his head as if he was ying a pellet drum, and Xu Yinglian seemed satisfied with the response, nodding her head and then hurriedly walked away. Following which, Qiu Changtian came out of his cave abode and, upon seeing Jian Qingnan standing in the air, asked: ¡°Junior Sister, what are you doing here?¡± ¡°I was admiring the majestic and noble bearing of First Senior Brother outside his cave abode,¡± Jian Qingnan said, barely holding back her expression as she blurted out a fib. ¡°Ah?¡± Qiu Changtian was startled for a moment before he saw Jian Qingnan turn her Sword Light and hastily fly away.
[Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­ Which Junior Sister increased my Synchronization Value? Come out, let me properlymend you! As he walked down the mountain path, Xu Yinglian, hearing the footsteps, quickly hid inside her own cave abode. After a moment, she heard Senior Brother Qiu¡¯s voice resounding outside: ¡°Junior Sister Xu, today I was in high spirits and had a spark of inspiration; could you help meplete this piece of music?¡± Xu Yinglian was silent for a moment before she quicklyposed her expression, revealing a reserved and aloof demeanor. She then collected the Phoenix Tail Zither from the inner chamber and stepped out of the cave abode, answering: ¡°Okay.¡± Qiu Changtian gave a faint smile and also took out the jade flute hanging from his waist. The two began to y the zither and flute together, with the flute initiating a tune, and the zither subsequently joining in¡ªa meld of call and response, resonating like the profound dialogue between mountains and flowing water, as if a musical kindred spirit was harmonizing. The music, initially hesitant and sporadic, gradually became smoother, ultimately rendering aplete piece. The Kunlun Mirror also showed tact, discreetly removing the aura of the Invincible Character Setting, making Qiu Changtian in his white robe, holding a flute, even more spirited and handsome, as gentle and refined as jade. Xu Yinglian felt his change in demeanor, and it seemed as though Senior Brother was no longer so cold and distant, stirring up subtle emotions within her. [ying music together with Senior Brother for half an hour.] [Feeling a little happy.] Chapter 87: 22: Meeting a Kindred Spirit Overseas, Turns Out to Be a Colleague Chapter 87: Chapter 22: Meeting a Kindred Spirit Overseas, Turns Out to Be a Colleague Over at Shushan, Qiu Changtian¡¯s task in the Ling Yunpo swordypetition was to defeat Duan Fenhai and secure the second rank on the Immortal Sword Ranking, which he did sessfully. The next goal was to hold onto that second rank, which required striking down any challengers with thunderous might, to ensure no one else dared attempt a challenge. This ¡°thunderous might¡± was quite literal in meaning. The Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light was too domineering, turning a Flying Sword into scrap metal with a single brush. It looked unharmed on the outside but was devoid of spiritual essence within, something anyone could detect as being amiss. Only the Five Thunder True Law could deceive with the Daoist magic sealed within the Thunder Punishment Sword¡­ after all, no one knew which Daoist magics were sealed inside it. So, during this period, besides his daily breathing and Qi Refinement, Qiu Changtian focused on practicing the Five Thunder True Law to increase the power of his Thunder Method. He also made sure to check on Junior Sister Xu¡¯s mood, watching for any signs of deviation. Junior Sister Xu¡¯s mood had improvedtely, spending her time wholly in cultivation, ying the zither andposing music, or soaking in Kunlun Spring at the market¡ªa life of considerablefort. The other junior brothers and sisters were much the same, engaging in their own hobbies after their daily breathing and Qi Refinement, allowing their thoughts to flow freely and unhindered. Guan Zhan was addicted to practicing his swordsmanship, Yan Zhitui liked to read, Chen Zhen and Zhong Tianhuai were fond of adventuring everywhere in search of ruins and blessednds, while Jian Qingnan would gather with other Inner Sect junior sisters, chattering endlessly about who knows what.
Compared to the warmth of the Peni Jade Pure View, and thepetitive atmosphere within the Shushan Shangqing Faction, the Kunlun Taiqing Sect was probably the most in line with the ¡°disinterestedness¡± of Cultivating Immortality¡ªan unrestrained, do-what-you-like kind of sect. After several days of cultivation, Qiu Changtian then loaded his save file to visit Luo Yan. There was no particr reason for it; he had simply grown ustomed to spending a few days in each line before switching, to prevent forgetting what needed to be done on a line that hadn¡¯t been loaded for a while. Currently, Luo Yan was on an expense-paid business trip to Wuzhi Ind on orders from his master, Elder Shi Ding, alongside Miss Shi. The Heavenly Craft Workshop had previously helped set up an ind protection formation for the Wuzhi Cave, but now the formation was malfunctioning, requiring Luo Yan to find the problem and fix it. The disciple from Wuzhi Cave assigned to receive them was a beautiful female cultivator named ¡°Li Qinniang.¡± Luo Yan always felt that there was something off about this woman. [Position Three: East Sea, Wuzhi Ind.] [Identity: Luo Yan.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Temte ovey, in the midst of time-space travel.] In the market alleyways of Danzhi Ind, Luo Yan got used to the blurry feeling for a moment, then walked out with a warm smile. At a stand ahead, the vendor was eagerly promoting a so-called ¡°beautifying¡± pearl powder to two fairies, only to be quickly seen through by Li Qinniang with a few words, sheepishly offering them a fifty percent discount. Miss Shi, considering Li Qinniang a bosom friend by now, walked arm in arm with her, sharing intimate girlish secrets, as Luo Yan followed behind with a smile. No matter what trick Li Qinniang was plotting, he wasn¡¯t very worried. If she chose to hide it, it meant she didn¡¯t want to provoke a conflict with us for the time being. As for ambushing us, it was even less likely. After all, who the Heavenly Craft Workshop would send to Wuzhi Ind was an utter unknown¡ªwhat if Elder Shi Ding himself came? So first of all, on our side, no suspicions were to be revealed, to avoid letting the other party easily detect anything. Second, the reasons why the other party invited us had to be uncovered, to eliminate unnecessary risks. For thetter, Luo Yan nned to take responsibility personally, as only his superior intellect could smoothly prate the enemy¡¯s conspiracy.
As for the former, that would be left to Miss Shi, who didn¡¯t know anything to begin with and could therefore confuse the other party. Thus, Luo Yan adopted a rxed demeanor, pretending to be in no rush, and started having a grand time with the two fairies, eating and ying around the market. ¡°Junior Brother, Junior Brother, how about that m pot?¡± Shi Liuli suddenly asked. Luo Yan followed her gaze and saw rows of neat y pots set up at a small stand by the side of the street.
Steam rose from the pots, which contained ms and ss noodles cooked to a mushy consistency, with a bright soup color and tempting aroma. However, all the ingredients were ordinary foods with no rare or beneficial items for cultivators. Eating out of loneliness, it seems. ¡°Wow, Senior Sister, you really have a sharp eye,¡± Luo Yan feigned surprise, ¡°These vermicelli pots look incredibly delicious.¡± ¡°Oh, there¡¯s just no dealing with you,¡± Shi Liuli said, very pleased with herself, and then turned to Li Qinniang. ¡°My little Junior Brother is good in all aspects, except he¡¯s always craving for tasty food, and no matter how many times I¡¯ve told him, he never changes.¡± She showed a helpless expression that said ¡°It¡¯s all because Junior Brother wants to eat,¡± signaling Luo Yan to hurry up and buy it. Luo Yan went to grab his wallet with a wry smile. No, I must be professional as a spy, never using force unless absolutely necessary. Li Qinniang found it amusing from the sidelines. She could see right through Shi Liuli¡¯s excuse of ming her own cravings on her Junior Brother. Luo Yan secretly scrutinized her smile and suddenly realized that this woman seemed very much like him. For example, both treated Miss Shi as a fool¡­ ¡°Would Fellow Daoist Li also like to try some?¡± He asked while unhesitatingly buying three cans, and passed the first one to her. ¡°I¡¯ve already tried these local snacks countless times,¡± Li Qinniang said with a flower-like smile, epting it, ¡°but indeed, they¡¯re so good I never tire of them.¡±
Luo Yan took the second can, patiently blew it cool, and then handed it to Miss Shi. Shi Liuli was overjoyed. These little tacit understanding moments between senior sister and junior brother, especially when disyed in front of outsiders, brought her great pleasure and enjoyment. However, Li Qinniang seemed to have no realization of this, simply eating the vermicelli calmly. No, that¡¯s not right. Luo Yan mused in his heart. With the woman¡¯s previous behavior, she couldn¡¯t possibly have missed Miss Shi¡¯s show-off. She just didn¡¯t care. With that thought, Luo Yan could finally confirm that this person was likely the same kind as him. I should bestow my false persona upon you, Fellow Daoist Li¡­ Hm? Suddenly, Luo Yan remembered something and quickly said to the Kunlun Mirror: ¡°Ah Jing! Does Li Qinniang show any traces of being possessed by a Heavenly Demon?¡± ¡°Just telling it like it is,¡± the Kunlun Mirror covertly activated its ability, observing for a while before saying without changing her expression, ¡°Indeed¡­¡± Her voice paused for a moment, then she continued:
¡°It¡¯s not a case of Heavenly Demon possession, but like you, she¡¯s not showing her true appearance to others¡ªshe¡¯s used some kind of Heavenly Demon Illusory Art to disguise herself into what you all see now.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Luo Yan burst intoughter, ¡°So that¡¯s how it is.¡± This ¡°Li Qinniang¡± wasn¡¯t a cultivator from Wuzhi Cave at all but a Demonic Path spy that had been swapped in. Trying to spy in front of me is like showing off woodworking skills in front of Lu Ban, or wielding a broadsword in front of Guan Yu! ¡°Can you confirm it¡¯s the Heavenly Demon Illusory Art?¡± Luo Yan asked to confirm again. ¡°Confirmed,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror with certainty. The Heavenly Demon Illusory Art is a signature illusion technique from the Intercepting Cult¡¯s Demonic Path. This branch of the Demonic Path excels at harvesting people¡¯s Seven Emotions and Six Desires, and even living souls, to refine all sorts of Demon Heads and cast various Evil Demon Laws. Among them is a magic called ¡°Ten Aspects Release Method,¡± which allows the caster to freely change their face, stature, skin color, voice, and scent, and even be a child, youth, elder, strong man, or woman, considered the most inscrutable illusion in the world. Of course, Ah Jing¡¯s Mirror Flower Water Moon is an exception and is not included in this. Confirming the true identity of the opponent as a cultivator from the Heavenly Demon Path, Luo Yan felt as if a weight had been lifted from his chest and immediately became assured. A mere Evil Demon of the External Path, impersonating a righteous cultivator, let¡¯s see how I deal with you!
Chapter 88: 23: Ten Aspects of Dharma Explanation, Five Mushrooms and Five Poisons Chapter 88: Chapter 23: Ten Aspects of Dharma Exnation, Five Mushrooms and Five Poisons The disintegration of the Intercepting Cult in ancient times came a bitter than that of the rify Cult. Simr to the rify Cult¡¯s division into three, the Intercepting Cult splintered into five: the Heavenly Demon Path, Mortal Life Path, Nether Ghost Path, Beast Taming Path, and Hell Path. Later, the Beast Taming Path¡¯s lineage was destroyed and was overtaken and renamed by the Eastern Emperor Path. Then, the Asura Path, hostile to the Western Cult, joined them, and thus they were collectively known by the Three Pure Orthodox Sect as the Six Paths of the Demon Cult. Of these, the Hell Path imed to be the inheritor of the ¡°direct lineage of the Intercepting Cult,¡± the most mysterious, with the Sect Residence whereabouts unknown; Furthermore, the Mortal Life Path was located at Mount Wutai in eastern Shanxi, with thergest number of people. The Nether Ghost Path was in Mount Beimang to the north of Luoyang, inhabited entirely by Ghost Cultivators. The Eastern Emperor Path was on Yu Long Mountain in the Southern Border, experts in raising poisonous creatures. The Asura Path was at Iron City Mountain in Qinghai, filled with foreign monks. As for the Heavenly Demon Path, it was actually located on Big te Mountain near the offshore inds along the Yangzhou coast. Most disciples within the Sect were female, active year-round in the southern East Sea, constantly infiltrating and corrupting the power of Peni Jade Pure in the northern East Sea.
However, the fact that they could infiltrate Wuzhi Cave, so close to Yuqing View, still surprised Luo Yan considerably. ¡°Ah Jing, inside Li Qinniang¡¯s skin-changing illusion technique, it wouldn¡¯t happen to be some rough guy, would it?¡± Luo Yan suddenly recalled a more pressing matter. If there were a burly man with chest hair, donning the ¡°Ten Aspects Release Method¡± illusion, acting all delicate and charming as a young miss in front of him¡­ Causing Luo Yan to throw up the lunch he had eaten would be a minor issue. Proving that the other party was sufficiently perverted would be the truly horrifying matter. As Demon Cult Cultivators of the Heavenly Demon Sect who primarily refined Seven Emotions and Six Desires, the more perverted, extreme, and irrational their personalities were, the more sinister and powerful the magic they cultivated. Thus there is a saying that goes, ¡°Don¡¯t provoke the three no¡¯s¡± of the Demon Cult: children, women, and the elderly. It¡¯s well known that within the Demon Cult, there are a thousand ways to change one¡¯s appearance. Anyone deliberately disguising as one of these three is certainly up to something. ¡°Hmm,¡± the Kunlun Mirror scanned and casually affirmed, ¡°The true body is also female.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a relief,¡± Luo Yan then breathed a sigh of relief. ¡°What does it matter if it¡¯s a man or a woman?¡± inquired the Kunlun Mirror, puzzled. ¡°It¡¯s quite evident,¡± Luo Yan sighed and said, ¡°A tree without bark will surely perish; a person without shame is invincible.¡± ¡°If a man can even endure the humiliation of cross-dressing, what else could possibly defeat himpletely?¡± Kunlun Mirror: ¡­¡­ For some reason, it found his twisted logic always came in patterns. Although they seemed to make sense on the surface, a closer look would reveal they were clearly not okay, right? In the marketce on Danzhi Ind, after Shi Liuli had thoroughly enjoyed herself for a day, she was arranged by Li Qinniang to stay with Luo Yan at a nearby inn. After Li Qinniang left, Luo Yan circled the inn and activated his innate ability, Memorize a Thousand Times Over, to memorize the inn¡¯s internal structure and the surrounding terrainpletely. Then he approached Shi Liuli¡¯s door and knocked, thump, thump, thump. To his surprise, the door swung open¡­ as if it had been left ajar on purpose. ¡°Ah!¡± Shi Liuli inside let out a scream.
Luo Yan looked carefully and noticed that Shi Liuli was measuring up her newly bought bellyband against herself, thinking ¡°Is that it? She didn¡¯t even take off her clothes,¡± while calmly shutting the door, loudly saying: ¡°Ah, I had something to discuss with the senior sister, but I¡¯ve forgotten what it was. I¡¯ll remember ande back to herter.¡± [Falsehood persona, Synchronization Value +1.] He leisurely returned to his own room and began preparing to set up a Formation.
Not long after, Shi Liuli, having regained herposure, charged in furiously from outside. ¡°Forget everything you just saw, no matter what it was!¡± she demanded imperiously. ¡°Senior Sister, I only saw that you were holding a piece of underwear¡­¡± Luo Yan said with an innocent look on his face, but before he could finish, Miss Shi cut him off with a stream of agitated ¡°Aaaahs.¡± ¡°Even that¡¯s not allowed!¡± Shi Liuli¡¯s face turned red as she glowered at him, ¡°In short, you¡¯re not allowed to remember! Did you hear me?¡± Luo Yan was truly helpless. We¡¯re already cultivating immortality, and yet she¡¯s making a fuss about her body being seen¡­ Ah, no, I didn¡¯t even see anything! I just saw you holding underwear, and even for that, you¡¯re shy? He scoffed inwardly, unable to contain his disdain, but aloud he drew out his words, saying: ¡°Alright, alright, alright¡­ Hm? Senior Sister, what was it you said I shouldn¡¯t remember just now? I seem to have forgotten already?¡± [Falsehood persona, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°Hmph.¡± Shi Liuli snorted, taking out a paper scroll and unrolling it on the table, as she spoke, ¡°Tomorrow¡¯s n is this: in the morning, we go to Jade Mushroom Ind for a warm bath, as it¡¯s said to have natural sulfur hot springs.¡± ¡°At noon, we eat at a lobster restaurant nearby, and in the afternoon, we visit Wood Mushroom Ind to see the musk deer and buy some poison-avoidant wooden fragrance beads.¡± ¡°In the evening, we y in the coral forest at the bottom of Mysterious Mushroom Ind, and then rest¡­ Do you have any questions?¡±
¡°Yes.¡± Luo Yan pretended to be confused, ¡°Since we¡¯re already fasting, do we need to eat ordinary lobster?¡± ¡°Of course.¡± Shi Liuli said as a matter of course, ¡°Because you¡¯re too gluttonous, and the lobsters there are particrly delicious. As your Senior Sister, I have to cater to your preferences.¡± Shameless! She wants to eat, but won¡¯t admit it and pins it on me! Luo Yan cursed in his heart, but said aloud: ¡°Then when are we going to repair the ind¡¯srge formation?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that something you can fix with a casual nce after we¡¯re done ying?¡± said Shi Liuli. Luo Yan could only force a wry smile: ¡°Indeed, you should rest early tonight, Senior Sister.¡± ¡°Mhm, I¡¯m off to practice breathing and Qi Refinement,¡± Shi Liuli cheerfully left the room. Luo Yan smiled as he watched her leave, then continued to set up formations in the room. Despite not knowing the actual situation in Wuzhi Cave, and nning to y along with the other party as ifpletely oblivious to maintain peace for a while, Luo Yan naturally could not afford to be totally unguarded. To be honest, if he hade alone on this trip, he would have taken the chance to escape long ago. However, as Miss Shi was apanying him this time, Luo Yan had no confidence that he could take her with him without exposing his true capabilities, thus he chose not to act precipitately. Elsewhere, under the cover of night, Li Qinniang quickly arrived at the outskirts of Danzhi Ind, meeting with another unfamiliar female cultivator on the rocky cape.
¡°Senior Sister,¡± she said with a grin, ¡°I¡¯ve already appeased the two cultivators from Yuqing View.¡± ¡°You didn¡¯t give yourself away?¡± coldly inquired the female cultivator whom Li Qinniang addressed as Senior Sister. ¡°Not at all,¡± Li Qinniang said with a smile, ¡°My Ten Aspects Release Method is so wless that even our master struggles to find any fault in it.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± the female cultivator said coldly, ¡°If they discover anything and the n fails, you will be the only one to me!¡± ¡°Of course, Senior Sister,¡± Li Qinniang¡¯s eyes narrowed slightly. Somehow, she felt a sense of security in narrowing her eyes, as if hiding her thoughts, perhaps because she had seen that man named Luo Yan do it often¡­ ¡°However, Senior Sister,¡± she continued with a smile, ¡°If those two manage to solve the formation, and we search but find nothing, that would be considered Senior Sister¡¯s oversight, right?¡± ¡°Impossible,¡± the female cultivator scoffed, ¡°Hmph, Sister Jiang, do you know that this ce wasn¡¯t called ¡®Wuzhi Ind¡¯ ten thousand years ago?¡± ¡°Oh, what was it called then?¡± Li Qinniang asked innocently. ¡°Five Poisons Ind.¡± The female cultivator¡¯s voice was chilling. Chapter 89: 24 Using Each Other, Mutual Wariness Chapter 89: Chapter 24 Using Each Other, Mutual Wariness ¡°In the Ancient Era, this ind was located on the border between the rify Cult and the Intercepting Cult, not inhabited by anyone. The rify Cult called it ¡®Wuzhi Ind¡¯, while the Intercepting Cult called it ¡®Five Poisons Ind¡¯.¡± ¡°Wuzhi refers to the growth of five types of spiritual fungi on each of the five inds, known as the Red, Gold, Jade, ck, and Wood Lingzhi.¡± ¡°Five Poisons refers to the presence of five types of poisonous creatures on each of the inds, specifically scorpions, spiders, centipedes, toads, and snakes. Each feeds on one of the Lingzhi fungi.¡± Upon hearing this, Li Qinniang tightened her clothes around her body without showing any reaction. Although she was not afraid of bugs, she found them quite repellent. Seeing her difort, her Senior Sister showed a pleased expression and continued, ¡°Originally, Five Poisons Ind was under the control of the Intercepting Cult, used for raising and cultivating poisons.¡± ¡°After the Intercepting Cult met defeat in the East Sea, many of its powerful members were killed. The poisons on Five Poisons Ind were also exterminated by the rify Cult, which had taken over the ce.¡± ¡°But the most crucial poison creature, due to its exceedingly secretive hiding ce, luckily survived the massacre.¡± ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± Li Qinniang asked softly. ¡°After the destruction of the Intercepting Cult, the Beast Taming Path has been continuously sending people to the East Sea,¡± her Senior Sister said coldly. ¡°Given the considerable resources and manpower they¡¯ve invested, it¡¯s highly unlikely they¡¯re searching for some elusive phantom. They must have some way to confirm that the creature is still alive.¡±
Li Qinniang said nothing for a moment, her mind churning with thoughts. If what her Senior Sister said was true, then considering the Beast Taming Path¡¯s previous arrogant behavior, a poison creature that could intrigue them to such an extent that they would go to great lengths to deal with it, was very likely the one her Senior Sister suspected¡­ ¡°I understand now.¡± She smiled sweetly. ¡°Then I will follow the n and lead those two to the ce.¡± ¡°Good,¡± her Senior Sister responded sternly, ¡°Once they¡¯ve disabled the Formation, you¡¯ll use the Divine Light to subdue them both.¡± ¡°Yes, Senior Sister,¡± Li Qinniangplied. After bidding farewell to her Senior Sister, her face once again took on a yful expression. To be honest, when she first met Luo Yan, she had an inexplicable sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu but couldn¡¯t quite pin down what it was at the time. It suddenly dawned on her: The simrity between him and me is that we both have idiotically foolish Senior Sisters. The only difference is that he is still subtly manipting his Senior Sister, while I can no longer tolerate this imbecile. Well, this could be a good opportunity to get rid of her. ¡­¡­¡­ The following days passed with nothing eventful happening. Ling Yunpo continued his streak of easy victories. Among his seven or eight opponents, only one was ranked beyond the eightieth ce on the Immortal Sword Ranking; the rest were unranked neers. It was an effortless win that delighted Senior Sister An. On Qiu Changtian¡¯s side, when he wasn¡¯t busy with routine cultivation, he was taking care of Xu Yinglian. If the Junior Sister wasn¡¯t happy, he would take her out to challenge others or to gain experience through adventures. This led to strange rumors within the Taiqing Sect, suggesting the two had already be Daoist Companions. When Xu Yinglian first heard these rumors, she felt a mix of embarrassment and annoyance, but seeing Qiu Changtian¡¯s calm demeanor, she didn¡¯t want to lose to her Senior Brother in terms ofposure and gradually became indifferent towards the gossip.
Luo Yan apanied Shi Liuli on various tours with Li Qinniang, the host, providing them with delightfulpany throughout. It wasn¡¯t until they had finished visiting all of Wuzhi Ind and sampled all the local delicacies that Miss Shi remembered the real purpose of their trip. Guided by Li Qinniang, the two made their way to the uninhabited inds of Wuzhi Cave and began examining the key points of its Formation one by one. Luo Yan had to admit that his master, Shi Ding, was truly skilled in setting up Formations.
¡®Observing the mountains and the waters¡¯ means integrating the artificial Formation with the natural terrain to minimize operational loss and prolong the life of the Formation. No wonder his master¡¯s first reaction was ¡®impossible¡¯ when he heard there was a problem with the Formation. After examining more than a dozen small inds, Shi Liuli, finding it boring, used her sword to fly back to Danzhi Ind to explore the market. Luo Yan patiently adjusted the Formation gs, only to hear Li Qinniang ask from behind, ¡°It seems that Luo Daoist Friend is quite adept at Formations?¡± ¡°I dare not im to excel,¡± Luo Yan said indifferently, ¡°I only have a slight understanding.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Li Qinniang neither agreed nor disagreed, simply smiling as she said, ¡°I wonder if my friend understands ancient formations?¡± Upon hearing this, Luo Yan¡¯s heart skipped a beat. Was she showing her true colors? At the moment, the two were on a deserted ind, and Miss Shi was not present; whether she desired to attack him or he wished to kill her, there was ample opportunity. Well, if she makes even the slightest move, I¡¯ll just kill her with the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light. With that thought in mind, Luo Yan decided not to keep up the pretense any longer, and simply said: ¡°Speak then, what formation do you want me to break?¡± Li Qinniang giggled:
¡°My friend is truly amusing. Why would you think that I want you to break a formation?¡± ¡°Because the protective grand formation of Wuzhi Cave has no problems,¡± Luo Yan said expressionlessly. ¡°And my friend is not someone from the Wuzhi Cave.¡± Li Qinniang fell silent for a moment, then suddenly revealed a mischievous smile: ¡°Interesting.¡± ¡°I thought my disguise was wless¡­¡± ¡°So could my friend enlighten me, where did I slip up?¡± ¡°What are you plotting?¡± Luo Yan countered instead of answering. Li Qinniang stared at him intently for a while before biting her finger in frustration and saying: ¡°You¡¯re not going to take action directly? I thought all you orthodox sect people had the straightforward nature of ¡®demons and heretics must all be executed.¡¯¡± ¡°That¡¯s correct,¡± Luo Yan replied calmly. ¡°So based on your answer, I will determine whether you are a demon or heretic.¡± Li Qinniang¡¯s mind raced, and she surmised that his seemingly confident demeanor might indeed be backed by a powerful trump card capable of self-protection. Indeed, he is simr to me. ¡°Actually, it¡¯s quite simple,¡± she said with a smile. ¡°I found an ancient relic on Wuzhi Ind, protected by an obscure formation on the outside, so I wish to borrow my friend¡¯s strength to break through it.¡±
¡°Once the formation is broken, we can split the spoils inside the relic fifty-fifty. How about that?¡± Luo Yan thought for a moment, then asked: ¡°Where is this relic located?¡± ¡°Right on this ind,¡± Li Qinniang narrowed her eyes. ¡°But the entrance is extremely hidden. If my friend were to go alone, you would definitely not find any clues.¡± Luo Yan, astute as he was, immediately understood that she was cautioning him not to think about ditching her to look for the relic. As for her saying ¡°the entrance is extremely hidden,¡± that made sense. After all, this ce had been under the control of the Wuzhi Cave for thousands of years, and even if located on a rarely visited ind, it would be difficult to conceal from the eyes of the local cultivators. There must be some mechanism that conceals its presence. Of course, Luo Yan had no intention of starting a fight with her either, since he wasn¡¯t a Guardian Taoist who detested evil to the extent of needing to eradicate itpletely at the sight of a Demon Cult cultivator. Moreover, since she had taken the initiative to reveal her identity and was not worried about him attacking her¡­ perhaps she also had a simr trump card for self-preservation. There was no need to rashly attack her without any benefit. And she likely held the same belief towards him. With both parties using and wary of each other, a fragile basis for cooperation was established.
¡°Alright,¡± Luo Yan then nodded and said, ¡°let¡¯s first locate that relic.¡± ¡°Let me say this upfront,¡± Li Qinniang smiled charmingly, reminding him, ¡°Although it is an ancient relic, it may not be safe; my friend must still be cautious.¡± ¡°You need not worry about that,¡± Luo Yan replied without hesitation under her probing gaze, ¡°Lead the way quickly!¡± Seeing that his expression remained wless and he didn¡¯t even ask for more details, Li Qinniang felt increasingly puzzled about his strength, but could only smile and say: ¡°My friend, please follow me.¡± Chapter 90: 25 The God-Devil of Forms, Five Elements Divine Light Chapter 90: Chapter 25 The God-Devil of Forms, Five Elements Divine Light ¡°` At that moment, what the two sides had reached was a fragile equilibrium. On one hand, they were mutually exploiting each other¡¯s value. Luo Yan needed Li Qinniang to lead the way to the ruins, while Li Qinniang needed Luo Yan to decipher the formations surrounding the ruins. On the other hand, they were also wary of each other¡¯s hidden strength. Without necessity or confidence, rashly starting a fight would be disadvantageous for both parties. But such a fragile bnce could notst forever. The moment one party showed a weakness, or a sufficient benefit arose, someone would immediately take the risk. Therefore, Luo Yan kept his hands constantly hidden in his sleeves, making sure he could silently unleash the Immortal Capital Thunder¡ªthis thunder was the fastest among all Thunder Methods, even faster than Flying Sword, perfectly suited for taking the initiative inbat. At the same time, he reminded the Kunlun Mirror in his Sea of Consciousness to help keep an eye on any movements around them. Following Li Qinniang through the woods, they entered a swamp.
Luo Yan frowns, noticing that these swamps were primarily made up of pale blue wastewater, teeming with vermin andrvae squirming in the water, swarms of mosquitoes flying above them, enough to make even cultivators take a step back. Going further in, they would most likely encounter miasma. Li Qinniang, however, was indifferent and continued on calmly. Luo Yan followed her to the center of the swamp, where the trees grew denser, blocking out the sun and shrouding the area in darkness. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Li Qinniang suddenly said. Following the direction she pointed, Luo Yan saw a deep pool with a diameter of about three or four meters, located on the edge of where the swamp and the low hill met. At first nce, it seemed inconspicuous. But upon closer inspection, anomalies could be found. First, the color of the water was wrong, too clear, sharply contrasting with the surrounding swamp. Second, there were no bugs in the water, and swarms of mosquitoes refused to approach, as if there was an invisible wall of air. ¡°Daoist Luo, do you recognize this formation?¡± Li Qinniang asked with a smile. ¡°Mount Sumeru Great boration Formation?¡± As Luo Yan sent out his Divine Sense to investigate the distribution of Spiritual Power, his face suddenly showed a look of surprise, ¡°No, there¡¯s also the Ren Water Dragon-Locking Formation.¡± ¡°Dual formations nested together, one for defense outside, the other for locking inside. What kind of structure is this? It doesn¡¯t look like ruins, it¡¯s more like a prison.¡± ¡°Do you have a way to solve it?¡± Li Qinniang continued to ask, while imperceptibly ncing at a location in the distance. Her senior sister was hiding behind the low hill, havingid an ambush with thirty-six corporeal Demon Heads, waiting for Luo Yan to solve the formation so they could rush out and kill him outright. ¡°It¡¯s hard to say, the rank of the person who set up the formation is too high,¡± Luo Yan was studying the formation when he heard the Kunlun Mirror speak, ¡°There is a Demon Path Cultivator behind the low hill in front.¡± Hmm? Luo Yan immediately tensed up, suddenly noticing Li Qinniang beside him emitting a trace of Demonic Qi. But it was fleeting, so quick it was almost as if he had imagined it. What¡¯s with this person? Luo Yan was extremely cautious in his heart. The trace of Demonic Qi just now almost made him believe that she was about to attack, and he was about to cast Thunder Method, when she retracted it again.
It was as if it was meant to intimidate me¡­ wait, deliberately? Linking this to the warning from the Kunlun Mirror, Luo Yan quickly realized what was happening. The Demon Path Cultivator behind the low hill and this Li Qinniang were in cahoots, lying in ambush here to attack him the moment he disabled the formation. However, Li Qinniang and her aplice had a seemingly harmonious but actually strained rtionship; she didn¡¯t want to be directly assassinated, so she deliberately released Demonic Qi to put him on his guard.
In essence, she wanted to incite a deadly fight between him and the other person, so she could profit from their conflict. With these thoughts in mind, Luo Yan continued to calmly study the formation. The Mount Sumeru Great boration Formation and the Ren Water Dragon-Locking Formation were both extremely profound formations. Even Elder Shi Ding, if he were here, probably wouldn¡¯t dare im he could easily solve these two formations. Luckily, the formation had been set up ten thousand years ago, and since then,ndscapes had shifted, and the stars had changed their courses, creating many weaknesses in what was once a wless formation. The person who set up the formation must have been a Nascent Soul old monster, or even a higher-level immortal, but their mastery of formation was not deep, nor did they know the techniques of repairing and maintaining it, which left the once perfect 100-point formation with only about 15 points remaining. ¡°` Even 15 minutes, for a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Rank, seemed as unattainable as the heavens. As the saying goes, without a diamond how can you cut porcin? Even if Luo Yan could think of a hundred methods, he struggled as his cultivation level was too low to begin¡­ That¡¯s right! With the talent of ¡°Enlightened Upon Hearing,¡± Luo Yan suddenly had an inspiration sh through his mind. I have the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light! The Ren Water Dragon-Locking Formation is an extremely formidable Water System formation. The body of water below appears to be a deep pond, but its actual volume is nearly infinite, not an exaggeration to say it¡¯s like an entire ocean. An ordinary cultivator stepping into it would not be surprised to be crushed into a meat paste.
But such a formation certainly can¡¯t escape the Five Elements. I just need to activate the Five Elements Divine Light, extract and refine the Ren Water True Essence from it, and the formation will resolve itself! As for the Mount Sumeru Great boration Formation, it is a profound spatial ss formation. Within Mount Sumeru, one can make vast distances seem as close as a hair¡¯s breadth, perfect for entrapping enemies. However, I have a mirror on me that possesses the Daoist Magic of the time-space category, specialising in transporting me here and there¡­ ¡°Cough cough.¡± The Kunlun Mirror spoke up, ¡°I can help you break the Mount Sumeru Great boration Formation.¡± ¡°No, I don¡¯t want to break it,¡± Luo Yan said with a slight smile, ¡°Ah Jing, can you take control of the formation instead?¡± ¡°I can, but¡­¡± the Kunlun Mirror responded subconsciously, then realized, ¡°You want to use the formation to counter-kill them?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Luo Yan smiled, ¡°How could I not make good use of running into two big formations that I can solve?¡± ¡°Alright.¡± The Kunlun Mirror agreed. Luo Yan, controlling the Flying Sword in the air, extended his arm and made a pressing motion towards the water pond below. The air barrier that separated the inside from the outside began to twist faintly. Li Qinniang: ?
She suddenly had a very bad premonition. From a young age, her premonition for fatal danger had always been very urate, this intuition even saved her life several times between life and death. A great terror rose from the bottom of her heart, and almost immediately, Li Qinniang screamed as she retreated: ¡°The formation is broken! Senior Sister, make your move now!¡± The Demon Path female cultivator ambushed behind the hillock immediately leapt out with numerous Demon Heads! These Demon Heads, known as ¡°Thirty-six Manifestation Demons,¡± were invoked through a secret technique that drew in a ¡°Fifth Delighted Heaven¡± being from beyond the Heavenly Dome, calling down the otherworldly Demon Heads into the Lower Realm, and then refining them for personal use. The Demon Heads from the Delighted Heaven naturally could morph into various shapes, birds in the sky, elephants and horses on the ground, impervious to any physical des and swords. Once the thirty-six Demon Heads appeared, they immediately transformed into green-faced and fanged Asura figures, rushing towards Luo Yan! Li Qinniang, being closer to Luo Yan, quickly widened the gap, while from her sleeves she sent out another Demon Head, a regr-looking Heavenly Demon with a human head, howling as it charged at Luo Yan. Luo Yan descended a few dozens of feet with his Sword Control andnded in the Mount Sumeru Great boration Formation. With a flick of his right hand, the Immortal Capital Thunder was released, a red lightning bolt mmed downwards, instantly killing and disintegrating the human-headed Heavenly Demon into a wisp of ck smoke. The female Demon Path cultivator took advantage of the situation,manding the Manifestation Demons to kill their way to the front, the thirty-six Demon Heads surrounded Luo Yan, spewing out masses of ink-like dense smoke, directing it straight at Luo Yan¡¯s face! This smoke was the innate divine ability of the Manifestation Demons, incredibly sinister. An ordinary cultivator touched by it would immediately stir up the Seven Emotions and Six Desires, fire of the heart zing uncontrobly, unable to move, left at the mercy of the Demon Heads¡¯ ughter and consumption. However, Luo Yan remained still within the formation. The masses of ck smoke enveloped him, yet could not get within a few inches of his body, as if blocked by an invisible air barrier.
The female Demon Path cultivator paused upon seeing this, then looked towards her junior, Li Qinniang, only to see her already driving her Sword Light at full speed, disappearing into the dense forest. The next second, Luo Yan brought his hands together and rubbed, and a five-colored radiance squirted out from between his palms, quickly sweeping over the surrounding Demon Heads. The Demon Heads wailed in unison, the Five Elements in disarray, turning into ck smoke that dissipated into nothingness! These thirty-six Manifestation Demons, capable of besieging a Golden Core Rank cultivator, couldn¡¯t even withstand a mere moment under the radiation of the Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light! Chapter 91: 26 The Gold Sesame and Jade Leaves Flower Chapter 91: Chapter 26 The Gold Sesame and Jade Leaves Flower The Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light, achieved unexpectedly excellent results in its first real battle. The thirty-six substantial demonic entities were instantly turned into flying ashes under the overwhelming might of the Five Elements Divine Light. Seeing this, the female demon cultivator was momentarily stunned before she quickly changed direction and made a run for it. Only then did she realize that earlier, Jiang Shimei¡¯s cry of ¡°Senior sister, make your move quickly,¡± was not really urging her to engage the enemy. It was to distract the cultivator¡¯s attention so she herself could seize the chaos to escape! ¡°Damn it!¡± she immediately activated the Heavenly Demon Disintegration Technique, with her cultivation dramatically increasing, and her essence blood beginning to burn furiously. Desperate to escape, she sted herself forward while mentally cursing the junior sister countless times. ¡°Damn junior sister, after I escape this time and catch you, I will definitely skin you, pull out your tendons, crush your bones to dust, lock your soul in the Demon Refining Pot, and refine you for forty-nine days, turning you into a vengeful demon to suffer for eternity¡­¡± Before she could finish her curse, she realized that despite the Sword Light reaching its peak speed, she had strangely not made much progress in her location. To be more precise, the space had been oddly stretched by the formation¡­ Suddenly, both she and her Sword Light werepletely devoured by the endless Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light. Luo Yan staggered out from the Mount Sumeru Great boration Formation, feeling his True Qi almost depleted.
The consumption of the Five Elements Divine Light was really exaggerated¡ªit had onlysted for about four or five seconds¡­ When he arrived at where the demon cultivator had perished, he found that her body had already disintegrated into ashes, and the Flying Sword she hadmanded had turned into a piece of scrap metal. Luo Yan: ¡­¡­ Did the Storage Bag and all the treasures inside also turn into ash? Alright, from now on, unless necessary, I must not use the Five Elements Divine Light recklessly, lest it block my path to wealth and riches. Luo Yan turned around again, looking in the direction where ¡°Li Qinniang¡± had fled. She fled quickly, just in the nick of time when I controlled the formation but had not yet used the Five Elements Divine Light. After a brief hesitation, Luo Yan decided to abandon his n to pursue her. On one hand, she had already left the range of the formation, and there was no certainty of catching up; on the other hand, with Miss Shi still ying on Danzhi Ind, the priority was to explore the ruins below as quickly as possible, without wasting any more time! With that thought in mind, he took out an Elixir from his sleeve to recover his True Qi, then swiftly dove into the deep pool below. With the help of the Kunlun Mirror, he effortlessly prated the Mount Sumeru Great boration Formation and plunged into the Ren Water Dragon-Locking Formation. As soon as he was underwater, what came from all around were immense pressure, cold, and darkness. There are two types of true water, Gui Water and Ren Water; if the Gui Water True Essence is the Rootless and Unceasing Water, the ¡°spring eye¡± of all rivers,kes, and seas in the world; Then Ren Water is the vast Beiming Water, a single drop possessing the terrifying volume of myriads of catties. If it were any ordinary cultivator, they would have been crushed into meat paste, but Luo Yan was well prepared. Relying on the True Qi replenishment from the Elixir and once again stimting the Five Elements Divine Light, he protected his body and with a forceful envelopment. The pressure, cold, and darkness all receded in an instant. By forcefully breaking the Ren Water Dragon-Locking Formation with the Five Elements Divine Light, Luo Yan only felt darkness before his eyes. The True Qi that he had just restored using the Elixir was instantly depleted again. Although frequently taking Elixirs in a short period of time was certain to increase drug resistance and decrease conversion efficiency, there seemed to be no better solution for the moment.
He took another Elixir, then peered inwardly, seeing the Qi Sea slowly filling up, with the enlightening glows of red, blue, yellow, white, and ck among them. The ck glow was notably deeper, clearly due to absorbing the Ren Water True Essence. ording to the mental method of the Five Elements Divine Light, if one could gather the Great Sun True Yang Fire, along with four other types of ¡°Yang Five Elements True Veins¡±¡ªthe Ten-Thousand-Year Sky-Supporting Wood, the Deep, Thick, and Long Breath Earth, the Heavenly Meteorite Tai Bai Metal, and the Vast Beiming Waterbining them with the previously refined ¡°Yin Five Elements True Veins,¡± the Yin and Yang Five Elements wouldplement each other and elevate the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light to the Innate Rank. Of course, that¡¯s probably even harder than ¡°bing an immortal.¡± For example, the Ren Water True Essence exists only in the depths of the Sea Abyss, ten thousand zhang beneath the end of the North Sea, unreachable by anyone who is not immortal.
The only way is to have a stroke of huge luck, like this time, finding a drop in ancient ruins. Hmm, on careful thought, just four more simr strokes of tremendous luck would allow the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light to upgrade. It seems not difficult¡­ Suppressing the torrent of thoughts, Luo Yan controlled the Sword Light to continue sinking, prating the water membrane. Below the deep pool was a vast underground space, roughly the size of a football field. Surrounding it were about a dozen stone houses, standing side by side, indistinguishable from each other on the outside. In the very center was arge golden field, but it wasn¡¯t wheat that was nted there, but some kind of bizarre nt, not a flower yet not a mushroom either, with petals or mushroom slices as thin as cicada wings, trembling up and down as if breathing. Luo Yan cautiously drew out the Green Duckweed Sword, which hovered in the air, as if facing a formidable enemy, looking around vigntly. ¡°Eh?¡± Green Duckweed Sword suddenly said, ¡°Isn¡¯t that the Golden Mushroom and Jade Leaf Flower?¡± ¡°What?¡± asked Luo Yan. ¡°Golden Mushroom and Jade Leaf Flower,¡± Green Duckweed Sword replied. ¡°It¡¯s a hybrid of five species of mushrooms, watered day and night with flesh and blood, crossbreeding for over a hundred generations until the color gradually turns to bright gold.¡± ¡°Then they¡¯re watered with hundreds of poisons to weaken the mushroom, making it increasingly frail until its thickness is as tender as a petal; the toxins inside are so violently extreme that it bes the Golden Mushroom and Jade Leaf Flower.¡± ¡°This thing is used to cultivate the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu; why would it be nted here¡­ oh, this is a relic of the Intercepting Cult from ancient times, right?¡± ¡°How do you know that too?¡± Luo Yan said with an expressionless face, ¡°Where is the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu?¡±
¡°It¡¯s been over ten thousand years; while the Golden Mushroom and Jade Leaf Flower, as a near-dead entity, can endure, the Golden Silkworm Gu as a living thing couldn¡¯tst that long,¡± Green Duckweed Sword replied. ¡°They should all be in the form of unhatchedrvae. Look in the nearby buildings for some kind of sealing treasure containers, like a basin or bowl.¡± Luo Yan did as instructed and began to search through the nearby houses one by one. The first was an ordinary stone room, with only a bed, chest, table, and chairs, all empty. The second was also an ordinary stone room, with an old meditation cushion in the center of the floor and nothing else. The third room was slightlyrger, but inside it was furnished like a prison, with stone bars dividing countless single cells, and their surfaces covered with talisman scripts emitting a sinister ck aura, frightening to behold. Luo Yan, who was not a talisman script researcher, could not understand them at all, so he dared not touch and exited carefully. The interior of the fourth room seemed to be a storeroom, with plenty of stone cabs and tforms for cing Elixir Bottles and Magical Treasures¡ªbut now they were all empty. In other words, the owner of this dwelling had not fled in an emergency but had packed everything meticulously before leaving calmly. So, the so-called Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu might also¡­ ¡°Of course not,¡± the Kunlun Mirror reminded. ¡°If the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu were not left here, the owner of the dwelling wouldn¡¯t have left the Golden Mushroom and Jade Leaf Flower either.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± agreed Green Duckweed Sword. ¡°The Golden Mushroom and Jade Leaf Flower is virtually a half-alive entity, extremely fragile, and almost impossible to transnt elsewhere.¡± ¡°Without the Golden Mushroom and Jade Leaf Flower, once the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu hatches outside, it can¡¯t be tamed and immediately poses the danger of turning against its master.¡± ¡°Simrly, without the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu, there¡¯s no use for the Golden Mushroom and Jade Leaf Flower; it¡¯s better to uproot it, press out the juice, and extract the venom, for it is also a rare spiritual object.¡±
The Kunlun Mirror concluded: ¡°Since there are Golden Mushroom and Jade Leaf Flowers growing here, and the dwelling¡¯s Formation is still in operation, it¡¯s very likely that the owner would have also left the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu here, sealed somewhere, nning to return and deal with itter.¡± After pondering for a moment, Luo Yan neither agreed nor disagreed, simply continuing the search in the next stone house. After searching through seven or eight houses, upon entering a certain room, Luo Yan suddenly caught his breath. He saw a palm-sized mortar quietly ced on a stone table, with a bell cover inverted on top, covering it. The mortar and the bell cover were both swirling with radiance, clearly Magical Treasures specially used for sealing. Chapter 92: 27 The Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu Chapter 92: Chapter 27 The Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu ¡°Ah Jing, help scan for traps.¡± Luo Yan stood cautiously outside the door, not making any move, not even using his Divine Sense to investigate inside. After all, with a thing like the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu at stake, he simply didn¡¯t believe the ancient powerhouses would leave it unprotected, just lying carelessly on the opposite side. ¡°Mirror Flower Water Moon, Silent Photographic Void!¡± The Kunlun Mirror readily shone its radiance over. Thus, the scene before Luo Yan¡¯s eyes changed once again: The Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu was still ced on the stone table, only it had shifted positions. Moreover, the floor, walls, and ceiling, which were originally bare, were now covered with countless Formation curse scripts drawn in ck lines, twinkling with cold light and emitting a chilling atmosphere. Upon a cursory nce, Luo Yan recognized three of the Formations. The Myriad Souls Devouring Heart Formation, Blood Decay and Flesh Withering Formation, Soul Dispelling and Spirit Destroying Formation¡ªall archaic and sinister formations, long lost and only recorded in ancient texts, caused Luo Yan¡¯s back to break out in cold sweat. If someone were to rush in and fall for these traps, it¡¯s doubtful they¡¯d even have the chance for reincarnation; the owner of this dungeon was certainly ruthless. However, even though he had now confirmed that the ce was riddled with traps, he still felt somewhat at a loss about how to dismantle or bypass them.
Well, Qing Ping¡¯s Daoist Magic ¡°Green Mist Veil Over The Mountains,¡± having its power halved for not being of the Water System, could be used to give it a try. But even halved, the power of these formations was not something he could withstand at the moment. ¡°Or how about I give you a suggestion?¡± The Kunlun Mirror suddenly spoke, ¡°You can¡¯t pass through these traps unscathed, but she can.¡± ¡°She?¡± Before Luo Yan could react, the Green Duckweed Sword started to scream: ¡°Kunlun Mirror, you should umte some virtue!¡± ¡°Hang on,¡± Luo Yan spoke calmly, ¡°The Green Duckweed Sword can remain unharmed under the power of these traps? It¡¯s my Life-bound Sword Artifact, and our auras have already started to connect. If it were to be severely damaged, I would be hurt as well.¡± ¡°She can,¡± the Kunlun Mirror stated calmly, ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, ask her yourself.¡± After a long silence, the Green Duckweed Sword, seeing that Luo Yan had stopped talking, finally spoke in a low voice: ¡°I can indeed pass through these traps unharmed.¡± ¡°Justmand me, Sword Master.¡± ¡°Command?¡± Luo Yan couldn¡¯t help butugh upon hearing this, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t do such a thing.¡± The Green Duckweed Sword seemed taken aback by his words, only to hear Luo Yan continue: ¡°As a Life-bound Sword Artifact, do you still need the Sword Master to issue orders to you personally?¡± ¡°Considering the Sword Master¡¯s interests should be something you do on your own initiative. If I have tomand you for everything, what¡¯s the difference between you and a Flying Sword that has no Sword Spirit?¡± Then, in the awkward silence, the Green Duckweed Sword finallyughed heartily: ¡°Alright, Sword Master.¡± ¡°Please step back a bit.¡± After Luo Yan retreated, the Green Duckweed Sword turned into a streak of ck light and shot straight into the stone house. Almost simultaneously, the entire stone house exploded violently from the inside.
In the rising Demonic Qi, among the shockwaves and dust spreading in all directions, the ck light curled back and returned, stopping in front of Luo Yan, revealing its undamaged de as well as items trapped under a mortar and cloche. ¡°Sword Master,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword said cheerfully, ¡°I have seeded without shaming yourmand.¡± ¡°Very good,¡± Luo Yan nodded, but did not reach out to take them, obviously concerned there might be some toxins on them. ¡°The eggs of the Golden Silkworm Gu inside seem to all be in a state ready to hatch at any moment,¡± the Kunlun Mirror reminded, ¡°You just need to drop your Essence Blood on top of the cloche, and it will permeate through, allowing you to Refine and hatch the Golden Silkworm Gu.¡±
After a brief moment of thought, Luo Yan did as instructed. He held his hand above the cloche and used the Shangyang Sword Qi to pierce his fingertip, releasing a few Blood Beads. Falling onto the cloche, they immediately soaked in like water on a sponge. After a moment, the mortar and cloche began to shake violently. Luo Yan frowned and stepped back a few paces, only to suddenly hear a rustling noise emanating from within his Sea of Consciousness. That sound was extremely shrill, resembling the cries of a baby, and it seemed to being from the golden silkworm gu that had been refined from the bowl: ¡°So hungry, so hungry, so hungry, so hungry, so hungry, so hungry, so hungry¡­¡± ¡°Eat flowers, eat flowers, eat flowers, eat flowers, eat flowers, eat flowers, eat flowers¡­¡± Before the echoes faded, the bell-shaped cover was finally lifted. Several streaks of white light darted out quickly, rushing towards the nearby flower field in an impatient frenzy. After a short while, the sound of incessant nibbling could be heard. Just a few breaths¡¯ time and about one-fifth of the Golden Fleece Jade Leaf flowers had been nibbled clean. The three golden silkworm gu had had their fill and flew back from the flower field,nding in the palm of Luo Yan¡¯s right hand, each curling up into a ball.
Luo Yan looked indifferently at the three insects. Hmm¡­ pretty ugly. The Hundred Poison Golden Silkworms, in appearance, were plump white caterpir-like creatures with four segments to their bodies. Their skin wasn¡¯t soft flesh but the hard chitinous shell characteristic of insects. Beneath each body segment were two pairs of tiny pincers, totaling eight pairs, which allowed them to cling onto objects like tortoise beetles and secure themselves. Additionally, on the back of the first and second body segments, they sported two pairs of beetle-like elytra¡ªouteryers of hardened shell with an inneryer of semi-transparent cicada wings. On their heads, they had four half-convex, ck-jade-like eyes, two pairs stacked vertically, their surfaces crisscrossed with countless grid lines, resembling the eerie structure ofpound eyes. Underneath the eyes were a pair of gigantic mandibles akin to those of a longhorn beetle, presenting a purplish-ck sheen and asionally snapping shut crisply, quite unnerving to witness. Perhaps due to feeding on the Golden Fleece Jade Leaf flowers, a certain golden hue was spreading from the top of their heads down to their tails. Once their entire bodies turned golden, these three Hundred Poison Golden Silkworms would be considered adults, ready to be utilized forbat and attack. With a flip of his hand, Luo Yan tucked the golden silkworms into his sleeve, then continued his search. After scouring through the remaining stone houses without yield, his effort turned out to be fruitless. The owner of this dwelling had departed after a thorough clean-up, it seemed. If it wasn¡¯t for the fact that the Golden Fleece Jade Leaf flowers were not easily transntable, and the three Hundred Poison Golden Silkworms were probably not developed enough to be hatched at that time, this trip truly would have been in vain. Riding the sword light once more, he passed through the membrane of water, bursting out of the deep pool. Luo Yan didn¡¯t hurry to leave. Instead, he stayed within the range of the Mount Sumeru Great boration Formation, carefully scanning his surroundings with his Divine Sense.
Hmm, no ambush, time to leave! He turned into sword light and soared into the sky, reaching Danzhi Ind in no time. Danzhi Ind¡¯s market hosted thergest elixir trade in the East Sea, with even the alchemists of Yuqing View setting up a sales branch here. Miss Shi, a woman of wealth, went on a shopping spree in the market until she couldn¡¯t stuff any more items into her storage bag. When Luo Yan found her, the youngdy was on the street corner, nonchntly popping elixirs into her mouth as if they were candy beans, one after another. ¡°What elixir are you eating?¡± Luo Yan asked in rm, ¡°Senior sister! You can mess with food, but you cannot carelessly consume elixirs!¡± ¡°This is a Licorice Pill,¡± Shi Liuli tossed an elixir into his mouth. Luo Yan tasted it with his tongue, detecting a hint of sweetness. Wait a minute, the Licorice Pill isn¡¯t an elixir; it¡¯s just a snack for children! Alright then, while I¡¯m outside fighting to the death with Demon Path Cultivators, you¡¯re here happily shopping and snacking,pletely unconcerned about your junior brother¡¯s well-being, right? Luo Yan chuckled and then said: ¡°Senior sister, the formation has been repaired, and Li Dao-friend has also left. Shall we go?¡± [Falsehood Persona, Synchronization Value +1.]
¡°It¡¯s repaired already?¡± Shi Liuli was surprised; she had intended to enjoy herself for a few more days. ¡°Yes, it went very smoothly,¡± Luo Yan replied with a faint smile, his hands tucked into his sleeves, feeling the three plump Hundred Poison Golden Silkworms. Chapter 93: 28 Sword Bone, Tears of Affection Chapter 93: Chapter 28 Sword Bone, Tears of Affection ¡°` Loading the saved file, he returned to the Shushan storyline. The Great Tournament of Shushan was in full swing. If you looked at the early stages of the Great Tournament from a modern sporting perspective, the drawing lots and matchups were typical of a ¡°single elimination¡± format. For example, 100 disciples would pair off andpete in sword fighting. The 50 victorious disciples would thenpete among themselves again in pairs, and so on, until the ranks from 1 to 50 were decided; Simrly, the 50 disciples who lost would also spar in this manner to determine the ranks from 51 to 100¡­ without any messy rules like a losers¡¯ bracketeback. The problem with single elimination is that victories in the early stages are far more important than thoseter on. For instance, in the earlier example, if you lost in the first round, you would have no chance of making the top 50, and even if you won every subsequent match, you would still only rank 51st at best. And with random drawings, there¡¯s always the chance that someone wille up against one of the powerhouses on the Immortal Sword Ranking. This is why there is thetter half of the Tournament: the seat challenge battles.
Now, the lot-drawing and sword fighting phase of the early stages was approaching its end. Ling Yunpo, An Zhisu, Lin Duanshan and others were still maintaining an undefeated record, and thepetition for the coveted ranks on the Immortal Sword Ranking had narrowed to the top twenty. Duan Fenhai, who had been defeated once before, also managed to maintain a winning streak afterwards, but even if he won all the way to the end, his final rank would not be appealing, hence he was bound to initiate a seat challenge in thetter half. As the Foundation Establishment Rank disciples had beenpeting for many days in a row, they were utterly exhausted, leading the Shushan higher-ups to announce a day off so everyone could have a good rest and reset themselves. Senior Sister An ran to the interior of Qingluo Peak to report this good news to her master. Ling Yunpo decided to take this opportunity to go to the market at the foothills to buy some wine and dishes, and celebrate with his Senior Sister. Unlike Kunlun, the Shangqing Sect of Shushan coexisted with mortal viges, with Sword Immortals living atop various peaks whilemon folk dwelt in the valleys between the mountains. The corresponding markets were all set up within these valley viges, where mortals and cultivators lived together. To avoid being pestered by the vigers (like requests for elixirs and such), Shushan Sect disciples entering the market would usually hide their Flying Swords and the like to avoid attracting undue attention. Ling Yunpo entered a wine shop, asked the owner for a jug of wine, specifically the fine Monkey Brew, and also bought some spiced beef and hundred-year ginseng as a reserve. While waiting for the boss to cut the meat and ginseng, he suddenly heard a group of Shushan Sect disciples chatting at a wine table across the room: ¡°¡­As for this Tournament, let¡¯s not mention those powerhouses; the only person worth mentioning is the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal¡¯s junior brother who directly defeated Cangtie Sword Immortal Duan Fenhai and seized the second seat.¡± ¡°Is it the same person who went from Qi Refinement to Marrow Cleansing and killed a disciple from Ziyun Peak?¡± someone asked. ¡°Exactly. Eh, what was his name again? I only vaguely remember his surname is Ling¡­¡± The crowd fell silent. ¡°I remember now!¡± Suddenly someone pped the table, ¡°I just happened to hear someone talking about it the day before yesterday, when the opening bets for this Tournament were brought up.¡± ¡°The first seat is definitely going to the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal; there¡¯s no other possibility. But who will end up with the second seat after the seat challenges conclude is the biggest focus of this wagering.¡± ¡°There are only four contenders, the three powerhouse veterans of past tournaments, and this neer who suddenly emerged, the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal¡¯s junior brother.¡± ¡°These four will be this tournament¡¯s ¡®Four Kings,¡¯ and someone summarized them in a four-character idiom: ¡®Duan Shan Fenhai, Sui Yue Po Yun.¡¯
Hearing this, the group responded with an ¡°Oh,¡± and someone said: ¡°Duan Shan is Lin Duanshan of Diamond Peak, Fenhai is Duan Fenhai of Yellow Dragon Peak, Sui Yue is Guan Shanyue of Green Bamboo Peak, whose sword is named ¡®Crushing Moon,¡¯ then Po Yun is¡­¡± ¡°It must be the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal¡¯s junior brother who¡¯s called Ling Poyun,¡± another disciple eximed, ¡°My goodness, is a fierce and domineering name a prerequisite to bing a strong person?¡± ¡°That does seem true. Hey, what do you think about me changing my name to ¡®Overlord¡¯?¡±
Ling Yunpo, having received the jug of wine and side dishes from the shopkeeper, turned around expressionlessly. I¡¯m Ling Yunpo, damn it! Returning to Qingluo Peak in a gloomy mood, Ling Yunpo saw An Zhisu drinking alone in the pavilion at the back. ¡°Senior Sister!¡± He dropped down to the ground along his sword light, holding up his wine and dishes, and smiled, ¡°Why are you drinking alone here?¡± An Zhisu let out a sigh and said: ¡°Junior Brother, did you know? They say that the rewards for the top three ranks in this Shushan Tournament include Mercurial Elixir Liquid.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Ling Yunpo was startled inside but smiled outwardly, ¡°Since Senior Sister is specifically mentioning it, it must be an extremely precious item.¡± ¡°Precious?¡± An Zhisu shook her head, ¡°After reaching the Refining Mansion Rank, a spoonful can match sixty years of arduous cultivation.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fantastic!¡± Ling Yunpo eximed with delight, ¡°Senior Sister is at the Refining Mansion Rank, so this item is perfect for you.¡± ¡°No,¡± An Zhisu said seriously, ¡°I¡¯m going to save it for you.¡± ¡°` Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­.. Even though he had long suspected it, hearing Senior Sister An confirm it in person still shocked him.
This was about the quality of Core Formation! It was about your Dao and future, Senior Sister! ¡°I don¡¯t want it!¡± Ling Yunpo urgently refused, but An Zhisu held his hand down and spoke firmly, ¡°Junior Brother, listen to me.¡± ¡°Master has been in seclusion for too long, and Qingluo Peak has be increasingly targeted in recent years, now facing hostility from all sides.¡± ¡°Thest time our monthly stipend was deducted, and the maniption of the lots in this swordpetition are the best evidence of this.¡± ¡°Ultimately, it¡¯s because Qingluo Peak not onlycks a Nascent Soul Elder, but we also don¡¯t even have a Golden Core True Person, leaving us struggling to hold on by ourselves.¡± ¡°We can¡¯t go on like this.¡± An Zhisu¡¯s tone was resolute, with an air of determination in her eyes so solid, it seemed almost to pierce through his chest: ¡°Junior Brother.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind, to protect Qingluo Peak¡¯s Dao lineage, I will form my core within thirty years.¡± ¡°The time in the Refining Mansion is too short, even drinking Mercurial Elixir Liquid is useless¡­ it¡¯s better to leave it for you.¡± Ling Yunpo opened his mouth, but he couldn¡¯t say anything. Thirty years sounds long, but for a cultivator at the Refining Mansion Rank, it is exceedingly short. Ordinary cultivators at the Refining Mansion Rank, if they start cultivating at the age of twenty, need sixty years for Qi Refinement, and ten more for Marrow Cleansing; they often have to dedicate a hundred years to Refining Mansion, testing Core Formation only when their lifespan of two hundred years is reduced to just over a decade.
This is to maximize the chance of achieving a high quality core, which is vital for the cultivation path during the Golden Core Rank and not to be taken lightly. An Zhisu, at the Refining Mansion Rank, has almost cultivated for thirty years; to cultivate for another thirty years would be a sixty-year process at the Refining Mansion. Given her cultivation talent, if she tries Core Formation after just sixty years, at most she could achieve a fourth or fifth Grade Pill Formation, definitely missing out on the third Grade. A fourth or fifth Grade Pill Formation means that the subsequent evolution will peak at an Intermediate Grade Nascent Soul. Without a High Grade Nascent Soul, in theter stages of Ascension, it¡¯s impossible to be a Daluo Golden Immortal. At best, she could only cut down the Three Corpses and be a Heavenly Immortal¡­ falling behind at one step meansgging at every step, with not even a chance to remedy the situation! Were Ling Yunpo himself in her ce, he acknowledges that despite his deep respect and affection for Senior Sister An, he could not possibly take such a matter lightly. Yet Senior Sister An was willing to give up a brighter future for herself, just to be a Golden Core True Person as soon as possible and protect him¡­ ¡°Senior Sister¡­¡± His voice was somewhat suppressed. ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll find a way!¡± Ling Yunpo suddenly burst out, grabbing An Zhisu¡¯s hands firmly, and said vehemently: ¡°I¡¯ll find a way to change Qingluo Peak¡¯s situation of facing enemies on all sides, starting with this Shushanpetition!¡± [Unyielding Character Attribute, Synchronization Value +1.]
In the Sea of Consciousness, prompts from the Kunlun Mirror began to flood in, but Ling Yunpopletely ignored them, gritting his teeth and swearing: ¡°Please, Senior Sister, don¡¯t say such absurd things like ¡®forming the core in thirty years¡¯! If you treat your future as a joke again, Junior Brother here will go to the base of the Daoist temple and bash my head against the wall of Master¡¯s seclusion chamber!¡± ¡°Junior Brother!¡± An Zhisu¡¯s eyes immediately reddened, about to angrily scold him for making such a toxic vow, but she noticed in Ling Yunpo¡¯s eyes a stubbornness and determination as unyielding as cold steel. It was almost exactly like the steely expression on their master¡¯s face when he took the Asura Path Elder¡¯s attack to protect her. She stared nkly at her Junior Brother, suddenly feeling a mournful sense of mission rising in her heart: Perhaps our Qingluo lineage is of such unbreakable Sword Bone. To desperately protect the people close to us, we soar out like Flying Swords burning at our core, never looking back. But Junior Brother¡­ Now, it¡¯s my turn to protect you like Master did¡­ With a heart heavy with sorrow, An Zhisu suddenly extended her arms, pulling him into a tight embrace. Ling Yunpo: ? ¡°Junior Brother.¡± An Zhisu leaned her head on his shoulder, letting her tears fall as she said, ¡°Don¡¯t say such things ever again.¡± Her tears slid down her cheeks, making her hold Ling Yunpo even tighter, her voice choking up: ¡°You mustn¡¯t say such things, you have to be alright¡­¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s for your Senior Sister¡­¡± Chapter 94: 29: Crumble Moon, Duan Shan Chapter 94: Chapter 29: Crumble Moon, Duan Shan The next day at the grandpetition, Ling Yunpo¡¯s expression was wooden as he stepped onto the swordpetition grounds. He was numb, no desire to speak. To have my Senior Sister An bullied to this extent, all I want now is to exterminate the entire Shushan Sect. Starting with my opponent in the Shushan grandpetition. As soon as he entered the arena, without a word, he drew out his Green Duckweed Sword and with Unity of Body and Sword, he directly unleashed a powerful move at his opponent! This Green Duckweed Sword, in the previous relics of deep pools, could withstand various sinister formations of an ancient mighty power, and roll back the container of the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu, and moreover, its de was still perfectly intact, which shows its sword casting material must be extraordinary. Could it be that the flying swords of these fellow Shushan disciples are more formidable than the formations of the ancient power? As expected, the Sword Cultivator ranked slightly beyond the twentieth ce on the Immortal Sword Ranking, who had never seen such an opener with a full-powered move, hastily spurred the Daoist Magic on his Life-bound Sword Artifact. Yellow brilliance shimmered atop the sword, which then attempted to intercept the Green Duckweed Sword, only to be split in two by the Unity of Body and Sword of Ling Yunpo directly. The ck Sword Light continued unabated, piercing through the unsuspecting opponent¡¯s chest and sending him straight out of the arena. This sight caused another uproar among the surrounding crowd.
As the reputation of ¡°Duan Shan Fenhai, Sui Yue Po Yun¡± spread, Ling Yunpo¡¯s swordfighting gradually gained fame. The audience drawn to watch were half there to see him fail, while the other half sincerely wanted to study his swordsmanship, or gather intelligence on him in preparation for their uing matches. Now seeing him delivering a one-hit-kill with his massive move, even severing the Life-bound Sword Artifact, everyone truly struggled to maintain theirposure. The man who had just been defeated was Xu Ziyan, ranked twenty-third, a powerhouse on the Immortal Sword Ranking. In the preceding rounds of thepetition, he had also won all his matches, and most of his opponents had their Life-bound Sword Artifacts broken by him. The reason was Xu Ziyan¡¯s Life-bound Sword Artifact was the Tenth Grade Earth System Flying Sword ¡°Chenzhou,¡± with Sword Dao Techniques that could significantly increase the flying sword¡¯s weight, greatly enhancing the sword¡¯s strength, hardness, and True Yuan adherence, thereby massively boosting the innate power of the Immortal Sword. Flying swords of slightly lower Grade Rank would crack upon a single strike from it. Without conceding promptly, the second strike would almost certainly result in a broken weapon. Yet now, the tables have turned, with Ling Yunpo using Unity of Body and Sword to directly sever the Life-bound Sword Artifact¡­ Considering Unity of Body and Sword doesn¡¯t require extensive swordsmanship attainment, one can only conclude that the inherent strength of Ling Yunpo + Green Duckweed Sword has far surpassed the defensive threshold of Xu Ziyan + Chenzhou Sword. Is this Po Yun Sword Immortal truly as formidable as this? Ling Yunpo walked down from the swordpetition tform, his arms crossed, silent, and started heading toward Senior Sister An¡¯spetition arena. Yet he saw six or seven Shushan disciples, blocking his path together. The one leading them was a female Sword Cultivator, tall and slender, almost 1.8 meters tall, with sharp and defined facial features, somewhat reminiscent of Guan Zhan. ¡°Are you An Zhisu¡¯s junior brother, Ling Poyun?¡± the other party asked directly. ¡°It¡¯s Ling Yunpo, not Poyun,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a frown. ¡°Ling Yunpo, that name isn¡¯t as nice-sounding as Ling Poyun,¡± the female Sword Cultivator said with a light smile, ¡°I am Guan Shanyue from Green Bamboo Peak.¡± She sized up Ling Yunpo with her gaze for a moment, then showed a satisfied look and said: ¡°You¡¯re quite good, but it¡¯s a pity that in this grandpetition of Shushan, it seems there won¡¯t be a chance topete against you.¡± ¡°After thepetition is over, feel free to visit the Bright Moon Pavilion.¡±
After speaking, Guan Shanyue smiled radiantly and left with the Shushan disciples. Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­ Under normal circumstances, he would probably curse someone as a lunatic and then cast this matter out of his mind. But now, Ling Yunpo hade to understand that defeating these people was not difficult. What was difficult was how to break through the current predicament where ¡°everywhere he looked he faced enemies.¡±
As long as he yed his trump card, not to mention winning in the swordpetition, even splitting Guan Shanyue¡¯s life-bound sword artifact would not be difficult; but would that make Green Bamboo Peak concede willingly? Defeating Guan Shanyue wouldn¡¯t mean he could defeat the peak master of Green Bamboo Peak, Bi Yun True Person, who could bring more unsolvable troubles for Qingluo Peak simply by saying a few words among the higher-ups of Shushan or by remaining silent when other forces kicked them while they were down. Senior Sister An¡¯s way of thinking was not wrong. At first, their master was forced into seclusion, surrounded by malice that surged time and again, indeed necessitating a swift and heavy-handed approach to establish authority. However, after establishing authority and stabilizing the surrounding situation, it was necessary to change the strategy to one of appeasement and alliance building. But no one had taught Senior Sister An these things; she still habitually wielded a heavy hand, which, on the contrary, prevented her from breaking through the predicament Qingluo Peak faced¡ªonly thinking that it was because she was not strong enough and that once she became a Golden Core True Person, all problems would be swiftly resolved¡­ This is the thinking of a problem-solver! Ling Yunpo silently made up his mind. After today¡¯s sword fight, he would go to keep his appointment and make alliances. Then he went to thepetition arena where Senior Sister An was. He saw that on the field, a great flurry of wind and snow suddenly arose, pure white as goose feathers, sharp as the edge of a knife, causing the sword cultivator opposite to be covered in blood, wounds all over, before dispersing as a streak of light. This was Senior Sister An¡¯s Frostfall Sword Dao Techniques, known for their wide range and high attack. It was said that every snowke was transformed from a piece of Sword Qi and could be controlled by her divine sense, swirling and flying about at will on the field. However, Ling Yunpo had previously seen Su Jian¡¯s overwhelming Sword Qi attacks in the Pavilion Secret Realm, so he didn¡¯t feel much about Senior Sister An¡¯s Daoist Magic. After Senior Sister An finished the match, Ling Yunpo went over to meet her and reported his recent achievements with a smile. The two chatted and rested for a while, and then the results of the next round of draws came out.
Ling Yunpo bid farewell to his senior sister and found the correspondingpetition field, where he saw Lin Duanshan standing on the stage with his hands behind his back. ¡°Senior Brother Lin,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a salute, ¡°I have benefited from your advice many times, and I keep your kindness in my heart. However, this grandpetition is rted to Senior Sister¡¯s future, and I cannot afford to yield.¡± Lin Duanshan nodded at his words and then revealed a gratified smile, saying, ¡°That¡¯s only natural. You need not have any reservations; let us reveal our true abilities in our hands.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Ling Yunpo said as he drew the Green Duckweed Sword and then released the Thunder Punishment Sword from the sword box, dering loudly, ¡°I¡¯ll take the initiative.¡± ording to ancient sword-fighting etiquette, juniors should make the first move, but nowadays, everyone is desperate to win in sword fights, and hardly anyone observes this kind of etiquette. However, Lin Duanshan was always strict and upright. Seeing Ling Yunpo still adhering to the sword-fighting etiquette, his favorable impression of him increased greatly, so he too drew out his Kaiyue and Long Weapons swords, indicating for him to attack first. The spectators outside the field were all showing oddly strange expressions. What was this disy of brotherly love from a teacher and humble courtesy from a disciple? Wasn¡¯t Ling Poyun a disciple of the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal? How could he still talk about etiquette? Since it was Lin Duanshan¡¯s sword-fighting segment, there were also many disciples from Mount Jin¡¯gang there to watch. Seeing Ling Yunpo¡¯s courteous behavior toward Lin Duanshan on the field, they all proudly dered to their fellow disciples around them that it was because of the grandeur and grace of our Mount Jin¡¯gang¡¯s Senior Brother Lin that people were won over. Look, even the Po Yun Sword Immortal, who treats other sword immortals like a grandfather treating a grandchild, is still polite to our Senior Brother Lin, isn¡¯t he? The next moment, on the field, Ling Yunpo controlled the swords with both hands, sending the Green Duckweed Sword and the Thunder Punishment Sword shooting out, attacking from the left and right to create a pincer; he then unleashed ¡°Fresh Rain on an Empty Mountain,¡± with countless Water System Sword Qi swiftly circling to the back for a sneak attack and stab.
He was making an aggressive move from the start, aiming to suppress Lin Duanshan fiercely from three directions! Chapter 95: 30: Win at All Costs! Chapter 95: Chapter 30: Win at All Costs! Facing attacks from three directions, Lin Duanshan¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he calmly formed hand seals. The longsword blocked the assault of the Thunder Punishment Sword, while the light shed on the Kaiyue Sword, suddenly splitting it into two. One de entangled with the Green Duckweed Sword, while the other protected Lin Duanshan¡¯s rear, blocking all of the Water System Sword Qi. This was one of Lin Duanshan¡¯s signature Sword Dao Techniques of the Kaiyue Sword, ¡°Twin Peaks Forming Mountains,¡± which could instantly activate the Earth System¡¯s True Yuan, forming a second Kaiyue Sword. It was flexible in operation, as responsive as if it were one¡¯s own limb, and its power was no different from the original. When opponents dueled with him, they would often just manage to use their Flying Swords to block the Kaiyue Sword, only to see a sh of light on it and another sword flying out, swiftly circumventing the defense to sh at the enemy. Even if one knew it in advance, it was almost impossible to guard against. Ling Yunpo initiated a three-pronged assault right from the start to force out his ¡°Twin Peaks Forming Mountains,¡± otherwise, it would be too mentally taxing to remain vignt during the course of the sword duel. Upon seeing the second Kaiyue Sword appear, Ling Yunpo immediately fell silent and chanted an incantation, activating the ¡°Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains.¡± A dense fog suddenly rose up on the field, thick as white silk covering the face, so dense that one could not see one¡¯s own fingers. But Lin Duanshan was well-prepared and also silently chanted an incantation, activating the secondyer of Sword Dao Techniques on the Kaiyue Sword, ¡°Earthshaking Strike.¡± A swirling mass of sand and stones emerged, sword Qi flew in all directions, creating a tornado close to three zhang high on the spot, directly sweeping open a circle in the thick fog. Ling Yunpo was not surprised by this and quickly retreated in silence.
As the duels unfolded, his frequently used swordsmanship and Daoist Magic had already been thoroughly analyzed by the watching Shushan Sect disciples. It was not unusual for them to be prepared for his ¡°Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains.¡± While he remainedposed, Lin Duanshan eximed in surprise because the area cleared by the Earthshaking Strike was much smaller than he had expected. Although the Green Duckweed Sword was Tenth Rank and the Kaiyue Sword only Ninth Rank, within the Five Elements Earth ovees Water, and given that Ling Yunpo was only at the Marrow Cleansing Rank, with True Qi that couldn¡¯t match True Yuan, he should have been slightly inferior in a contest of Daoist Magic. The fact that ¡°Earthshaking Strike¡± was clearly suppressed by the opponent only meant that the sword suspected to be the Green Duckweed Sword might have a higher Rank than imagined, such that the fog was not confined to the realm of Daoist Magic, and was likely a higher-ranked Forbidden Technique! With this in mind, the Daoist Magic of Earthshaking Strike had alreadye to an end, and the dense fog spread once more, swiftly enveloping Lin Duanshan. Lin Duanshan surveyed his surroundings with a calm andposed expression, silently chanting another incantation. The Myriad Forms Sword lineage excelled in calction and would certainly not stake the oue on a single move. The thirdyer of Sword Dao Techniques on the Kaiyue Sword, ¡°Earthshaking Strike,¡± was another lethal move he had prepared for Ling Yunpo! Crowds of dense, earthy yellow Sword Qi burst from the Kaiyue Sword, fanning out in all directions. Where the Sword Qi passed, the dense fog roiled, not from being suppressed by spells, but from the shock waves of the Sword Qi itself. Although Ling Yunpo was covered by the dense fog, he couldn¡¯t ignore the harm from the Sword Qi and had to dodge in embarrassment. Dodging one wave after another, Lin Duanshan abruptly utilized the full force of the Sword Dao Techniques on his sword,unching a continuous, indiscriminate strike across the entire dueling field! Although the audience outside the field couldn¡¯t see the positions of the two within the fog, they could still see waves of Sword Qi piercing through the fog, continuously striking the Restrictions outside the field and then dissipating into nothingness. The power and consumption of Earthshaking Strike¡¯s Sword Qi could be adjusted by Lin Duanshan at will. He had now set both to the lowest, seeking only to maximize the number and coverage area to prate the surroundingyers of dense fog. Even if the visibility was insufficient, the Sword Qi could still tear open the dense fog! Once Sword Qi from any direction was blocked, it meant Ling Yunpo¡¯s position would also be exposed. Since the Sword Qi covered the entire field, he would have to keep moving to avoid getting hit. And even if he simply ran away, Lin Duanshan could still use precise calctions to gradually cut down and reduce his range of movement with arge amount of Sword Qi, until Ling Yunpo had nowhere to retreat and thenunch a fatal attack on him.
With Duan Fenhai¡¯s experience as a warning, Lin Duanshan would certainly not engage in a purely swordsmanship-duel under such circumstances! After dodging several times, Ling Yunpo realized his range of movement was rapidly shrinking under the onught of the Sword Qi. The strategic thinking of the other side was also instantly clear to him. He must not be hit by the Sword Qi!
But merely running away would still y into the opponent¡¯s hands, and he would definitely be forced into a dead end eventually. What to do? Ling Yunpo¡¯s mind raced. If he was attempting a feint, he could deploy the Green Duckweed Sword or the Thunder Punishment Sword to destroy these sword Qi from a distance, preventing his location from being exposed. But Lin Duanshan would not likely fall for this. He only needed to shoot out his spear-like sword in time, entangling the revealing Flying Sword, and I would have no choice but to divide my attention, controlling the Flying Sword to fend off the attack while maintaining my own movement and evasion! Hmm? ¡°Ah Jing,¡± Ling Yunpo suddenly said, ¡°Let¡¯s save our location here first, then I¡¯ll run to another spot to load the save, and you can teleport me back to thest saved location, that¡¯s okay, right?¡± ¡°No way,¡± the Kunlun Mirror was essentially speechless, ¡°This is after all a fair and square sword duel, you want me to help you cheat, wouldn¡¯t that be a bit inappropriate¡­¡± ¡°How could this be considered cheating?¡± Ling Yunpo¡¯s eyes widened as he argued, ¡°A sword duel is all about using every possible means at your disposal, going all out to achieve victory! That¡¯s a sign of respect for your opponent!¡± The Kunlun Mirror was at a loss for words, finally responding after a long pause: ¡°I can teleport you to a location without time-traveling¡­ but you can¡¯t abuse my teleportation, it does consume spiritual energy after all.¡± ¡°Hmm, I can only teleport you once during this duel.¡± ¡°Once is more than enough!¡± Ling Yunpoughed heartily, ¡°Let¡¯s save here!¡±
After saving the location, Ling Yunpo began to dash away. He quickly activated the Sword Control Technique and flew straight to the edge of the sword Qi range, shing out with the Green Duckweed Sword in a swift motion. The Green Duckweed Sword struck the sword Qi directly, annihting it in an instant. Almost at the same time, Lin Duanshan had already looked in his direction. The spear-like sword turned into a zing stream of light, shooting towards him! Ling Yunpo smiled slightly, then started to control the Green Duckweed Sword to entangle with it, while simultaneously continuing to move. Lin Duanshan was not about to let him go. As he besieged him with the long weapon sword, he continued to unleash a massive amount of Earthshaking Strike sword Qi,pletely sealing off the surrounding space. Then he silently recited the incantation, preparing for a one-hit kill. In the blink of an eye, Ling Yunpo had already charged halfway across the field, grasping the Green Duckweed Sword and immediately calling on the Kunlun Mirror to load the save. In the next instant, both he and the sword disappeared from the spot. Lin Duanshan had just performed a Daoist form, only to find his spear-like sword had lost its target. He assumed Ling Junior Brother was trying to break line of sight again and immediately invoked Daoist magic with full force. Countless earthy-colored sword Qi suddenly converged into a giant sword, shing fiercely across a huge area ahead! This strike covered a full one hundred and eighty degrees, nearly epassing half the field! The result, however, failed to hit anything, causing Lin Duanshan to freeze for a moment, then his expression changed dramatically.
It was toote to react, as behind him, the Thunder Punishment Sword apanied by Jade Pivot Thunder came roaring in, sting him directly out of the arena. Outside the arena, Lin Duanshan looked up in a daze, his expression one of utter disbelief. To his specialized Wan Xiang Sword lineage, calction was the very foundation of swordsmanship. Even in defeat, he had to figure out why he lost. However, in the battle just now, he had no clue how the other party had escaped his attack range. Keep in mind, before the giant sword was unleashed, I had already covered the remaining space of the dueling area with sword Qi, leaving no ce for him to hide! How did he manage to appear behind me? Unable to fathom the answer, Lin Duanshan gathered his spirits, intending to approach Ling Junior Brother for an exnation. Even if the other party kept things secret to maintain confidentiality and didn¡¯t reveal the specifics, getting even a hint would be beneficial. He had only taken a few steps toward Ling Yunpo, raising his hand to call out ¡°Ling Junior Brother,¡± when he saw An Zhisu had already gone over to meet him, smiling and chatting. Since the great Shushanpetition, whenever either of the siblings finished their match, they would go to the other¡¯s arena to wait. After exchanging a few words of affection, An Zhisu took his arm and together they soared away on a sword light. Lin Duanshan: ???
Chapter 96: 31: How Can There Be Unforgetting Without Having Asked About Love? Chapter 96: Chapter 31: How Can There Be Unforgetting Without Having Asked About Love? Qingluo Peak, behind the Taoist temple. By the stream in the courtyard, An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo were drinking several cups, their faces flushed with tipsiness and a hint of crimson. She was truly thrilled. The first time her junior brother defeated Duan Fenhai, others might attribute it to ¡°luck¡± or ¡°fluke¡±; But defeating Lin Duanshan the second time was a genuine disy of power. Luck? Try having luck like that two times in a row. Not only the onlookers from Shushan, but even An Zhisu began to question herself: she had probably underestimated her junior brother before. My brother has the makings of a Chief Disciple on the Immortal Sword Ranking! Um, wait a moment¡­ If I lose to my junior brother in the final swordpetition, wouldn¡¯t he truly be the first ranked? As for whether she was first or second on the ranking, An Zhisu really didn¡¯t care.
Instead, why not let her junior brother take the top spot, while she, content being second, protected him by his side? If someone defeated her junior brother and took the first ce, she would step in, beat them until they were helpless, take back the chief position, and then intentionally lose to her junior brother¡­ Thinking about it this way, it seemed like a rather nice idea, didn¡¯t it? With a gentle intoxication tinting her beautiful face a shy red, her lips slightly curled up in an enchanting, bewitching smile. The allure of a mature woman that it conveyed made Ling Yunpo freeze for a moment. When he snapped out of it, he hastened to lower his head to drink, hiding his awkward expression. The two of them had been drinking for a while, and as the sky turned dusky and the moon rose above the treetops, Ling Yunpo helped his somewhat tipsy senior sister slowly walk back to the Taoist temple. For those pursuing the path of cultivation, getting drunk was a joke. Senior Sister was indulging in the wine over her excitement, and he thought it was only fair to let her enjoy herself. After settling Senior Sister An in her room, Ling Yunpo went down the mountain to buy wine¡ªtheir recent string of continuous victories in sword duels had led to an astonishing depletion of the Taoist temple¡¯s Spiritual Wine, all consumed by his senior sister. Arriving at River Valley Vige, he entered a restaurant in the market. Ling Yunpo eyed the various wine signboards for a moment before someone called out to him: ¡°Junior Brother Ling.¡± Turning his head, Ling Yunpo saw Guan Shanyue sitting at a table near a window in the main hall, smiling and beckoning to him. What does this guy want with me¡­ Oh, she had invited me over at the Emei Golden Summit saying we could ¡°have a chat when free.¡± Ling Yunpo approached the table and sat down opposite Guan Shanyue. She inquirednguidly: ¡°Wine? Tea?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll follow the host¡¯s lead,¡± Ling Yunpo replied. ¡°Did you know?¡± Guan Shanyue poured him a drink, ¡°The first time I met your Senior Sister An was at this table too.¡± Serenely filling his cup and sliding it towards Ling Yunpo, she continued: ¡°You certainly have better manners than she does.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take that as apliment,¡± Ling Yunpo picked up the cup but didn¡¯t drink, just twirling it in his hand.
¡°You¡¯re wondering why I sought you out,¡± Guan Shanyue stated calmly, ¡°Nothing much, just wanted to meet the recently hot topic, Ling Poyun.¡± ¡°It¡¯s Ling Yunpo, not Ling Poyun,¡± he furrowed his brow and corrected her. ¡°But Ling Poyun sounds better,¡± Guan Shanyue waved a hand dismissively, ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that.¡± Ling Yunpo felt a bit ufortable. He realized this Senior Sister Guan was too dominating, always steering the conversation.
¡°So, do you n to continue walking the path your master has set out for you?¡± Guan Shanyue raised her cup, drank it down in one gulp, her gaze fixed intently on him, ¡°To forget love, or to inquire about sentiments?¡± Ling Yunpo: ? Seeing his confused frown, Guan Shanyue chuckled and set down her cup: ¡°Hasn¡¯t An Zhisu told you about it?¡± She raised three fingers: ¡°Within the Shushan Shangqing Faction, although various peaks have their own swordsmanship schools, none are sufficiently profound to form a legitimate lineage.¡± ¡°The only three paths that can truly be said to follow the doctrine are,¡± ¡°Indifference, Forgetting Love, and the Sentiment Inquiry Path.¡± ¡°I would like to hear the details,¡± Ling Yunpo sighed and said, ¡°I really don¡¯t understand. How can love elevate to the height of a doctrine?¡± ¡°Because it¡¯s rted to a problem that goes straight to the Daoist Heart,¡± Guan Shanyue said slowly, ¡°As a Sword Immortal, why should you draw your sword?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s for eternal life,¡± Ling Yunpo answered without hesitation. ¡°Eternal life,¡± Guan Shanyue scoffed, ¡°If one day the higher-ups of Shushan want to kill your Senior Sister, you should hide and preserve your own life, watching her get executed with your own eyes¡­ Would you do that?¡± Ling Yunpo was rendered speechless.
¡°Actually, that answer isn¡¯t entirely wrong,¡± Guan Shanyue put away her mocking expression and calmly said, ¡°For eternal life, forplete freedom, for the pursuit of the ultimate in swordsmanship, essentially, it¡¯s all for oneself.¡± ¡°This is the doctrine of Indifference.¡± ¡°If you were to cultivate the doctrine of Indifference, then you must center yourself and not have the slightest attachment in the Mortal World. Otherwise, you will produce Heart Demons, at the very least halting your cultivation level, or at the worst shaking your Daoist Heart and leading to Deviation.¡± ¡°But you¡¯re not that kind of person,¡± she said, staring intently at Ling Yunpo and speaking in a heavy tone. ¡°Senior Sister believes I am what kind of person?¡± Ling Yunpo countered. ¡°Forgetting Love, or perhaps the Sentiment Inquiry Path,¡± Guan Shanyue said frankly. ¡°The so-called Forgetting Love Path is actually a branch of the Indifference Path. They first acknowledge the existence of love, then immerse themselves within it, and finally detach from it to achieve transcendence.¡± ¡°The Indifference Path regards love as a dangerous flood and beast, daring not to easilye into contact with it. If one were to develop worldly emotions, they might even annihte an entire lineage to eliminate loose ends¡­ But the Forgetting Love Path is different. Pick it up, put it down, no longer cling to it¡ªthat¡¯s what¡¯s most important.¡± ¡°Your master, Qi Sha True Person, originally followed the doctrine of the Forgetting Love Path.¡± ¡°Originally?¡± Ling Yunpo¡¯s interest was suddenly piqued. ¡°Yes, originally,¡± Guan Shanyue took a sip of her drink, ¡°He once had a wife and daughter in the secr world, did you not know?¡± ¡°I have heard a bit about it,¡± Ling Yunpo was slightly taken aback and replied. ¡°The cultivation method of the Forgetting Love Path is to find a mortal spouse, to love and cherish each other,¡± Guan Shanyue said with a sigh, ¡°A mortal¡¯s life eventuallyes to an end.¡±
¡°Once the spouse¡¯s life ends, the Sword Immortal experiences the pain of separation and finally lets go and moves on¡ªthat¡¯s when the Forgetting Love Path is considered to have started.¡± ¡°But there¡¯s a key point here one must not have descendants,¡± her tone shifted, she chuckled and said, ¡°Not only did Qi Sha True Person have a daughter with her, but he also taught her cultivation and brought her back to Shushan.¡± ¡°This isn¡¯t the Forgetting Love Path at all, but the Sentiment Inquiry Path. Qi Sha True Person¡¯s sword was drawn for his wife and daughter.¡± ¡°So, the master can¡¯t let go?¡± Ling Yunpo asked wistfully. ¡°I am not entirely sure about the specifics,¡± Guan Shanyue shook her head, ¡°So, what do you think is the reason that Various Peaks of Shushan are so against you all from Qingluo Peak?¡± ¡°Is it because Su Jian kills without blinking an eye? Or is it because An Zhisu kills without blinking an eye? Neither is entirely correct.¡± ¡°Behind this, actually lies a dispute over doctrines.¡± Ling Yunpo remained silent for a long time. ¡°Why is the doctrine of the Sentiment Inquiry Path so unwee?¡± he showed a puzzled expression. ¡°Have you ever read the two lines of poetry beside the Sword Pool?¡± Guan Shanyue asked instead of answering. ¡°Suming, Suming, why do you not sing?¡± Ling Yunpo read quietly, ¡°Truly muddled, truly muddled, how utterly obtuse.¡± ¡°The ancient doctrine of the Sentiment Inquiry Path waspletely severed from that time on,¡± Guan Shanyue said with a slight smile, ¡°That¡¯s why I¡¯m looking forward to seeing whether Qingluo Peak can pave this path anew, no matter if it¡¯s Qi Sha True Person, An Zhisu, or you.¡± She stood up, leaving the money for the wine on the table:
¡°After all, being a stone woman or marrying a mortal, is truly a bit dull.¡± Guan Shanyue gracefully left the table, and all of the customers from the other tables stood up and followed suit, leaving behind her. Ling Yunpo then understood that to create a safe environment for their conversation, this tavern had already been taken over by the disciples of Green Bamboo Peak. Seeing the tavern owner and servers emerge from the back, trembling, Ling Yunpo sighed. He had learned another new way to show off. ¡°Waiter, bring a pot of good wine,¡± he called out loudly, ¡°I¡¯ll take it with me.¡± Chapter 97: 32 : The Secret Realm of Kunlun, The Trap of Song He Chapter 97: 32 Chapter: The Secret Realm of Kunlun, The Trap of Song He Qi Sha True Person¡¯s sword was drawn for the sake of his wife and daughter. Until Ling Yunpo returned to Qingluo Peak, the words of Guan Shanyue seemed still to echo in his ears. Then, for what reason should my sword be drawn? ¡°I think you actually don¡¯t need to be too troubled,¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly said. ¡°Unless you choose the path of heartlessness, whether it is forgetting love or questioning love, you must first fall for someone.¡± ¡°Without ever having loved, how can there be questioning love? And how can there be forgetting love?¡± ¡°Ah Jing,¡± Ling Yunpo spoke earnestly, ¡°I¡¯m not considering which path to take.¡± His tone suddenly grew somber: ¡°I¡¯m just very curious, on the path leading to the throne of the sky, who is truly worth drawing my sword for?¡± Kunlun Mirror: ¡­¡­¡­ Me worrying about who you¡¯ll fall in love with is indeed foolish of me. Fine then, I¡¯ll leave on my own. It was about to dive into the Sea of Consciousness, to speak no further, when it heard Ling Yunpo say again:
¡°Load game, I want to go rest in Kunlun.¡± The Kunlun Mirror mechanically recited: [Location one: Kunlun Taiqing Sect, Golden Ridge.] [Character identity: Qiu Changtian.] [Oveying the Mirror Flower Water Moon temte, time-space travel in progress.] After returning to the Golden Ridge Cave Abode, Qiu Changtian continued with his breathing exercises and qi refinement to enhance his cultivation level. As previously mentioned, among the three orthodox sects, the lifestyle of the Kunlun Sect most closely aligns with the immortal¡¯s ideal of ¡°peaceful simplicity.¡± There is none of theherworldly atmosphere of constant sword-fighting like in the Shushan Shangqing Faction, nor the worldly atmosphere of various personal interactions at the Peni Yuqing View. There¡¯s plenty of abundant time at one¡¯s disposal, do whatever one pleases. Compared to those direct disciples who spend all day cooped up in their cave abodes, Qiu Changtian is fairly fond of socializing since he has to frequently lead teams on missions outdoors to brush up on Synchronization Value with the help of a bunch of lovely junior brothers and sisters. As such, not only did his reputation grow amongst the outer sect disciples, but even the inner sect disciples held him in reverence and sought his friendship, known as ¡°Chief Qiu, the epitome of generosity and righteousness.¡± One day, while Qiu Changtian was ying the zither and flute duet with Xu Yinglian, suddenly two streaks of sword light descended. Qiu Changtian looked closely; both were inner sect disciples of this generation¡ªhe had made their acquaintance on previous visits, so they were familiar. One of them was Lingbao elder¡¯s direct disciple, Jiang Yuhuan, and the other was an inner sect disciple of Yuqi elder, Hu Bugui. The two descended to the ground and bowed in greeting to Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian. After the greetings and pleasantries, Jiang Yuhuan cut straight to the point and said: ¡°I wonder if Senior Brother Qiu and Senior Sister Xu are avable to explore a newly discovered Cave Heaven and Blessed Land with us?¡± Qiu Changtian expressed his surprise and then inquired: ¡°May I know about this Cave Heaven¡­¡±
Seeing that he did not outright reject them, Hu Bugui breathed a sigh of relief, and with a smile, he said: ¡°It is an ancient ruin located in the southern district of theyered city, hidden by an illusion technique formation at its entrance, which brother Jiang and I stumbled upon by chance.¡± ¡°Upon entering, one finds an immense space beyond. In the distance are pavilions, towers, corridors, and water pavilions, with misty celestial music surrounding, and auspicious clouds enveloping the area¡ªit does not seem like an ordinary dwelling.¡± ¡°Nearby, however, is a vast sea of clouds, with only a rope bridge leading forward. At the entrance of the rope bridge, there is a Divine General guarding, clothed in golden armor and a silver robe, carrying a long de, very difficult to contend with.¡±
¡°Brother Jiang and I estimate that we are no match for it, hence we have no choice but to seek the help of Senior Brother Qiu and Senior Sister Xu. Afterward, we can explore the Cave Heaven together and share the treasures equally, how does that sound?¡± Upon hearing this, Xu Yinglian pondered and then said: ¡°Based on your description, I fear it¡¯s not amon ancient ruin, but an Immortal Pce Secret Realm.¡± ¡°Senior Sister Xu mustn¡¯t jump to conclusions so lightly,¡± Jiang Yuhuan hastily said. ¡°If we use the existence of an Immortal Pce Secret Realm as a reason to seek help from our elders, and it turns out to be just an ordinary ruin in the end, wouldn¡¯t that be making a big deal out of a minor issue?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Hu Bugui also chimed in. ¡°Let¡¯s first try to defeat that Golden Armored Divine General. Afterward, we can explore further to confirm.¡± Xu Yinglian gave a faint cold smile, knowing that these two were insincere and actually just wanted to get their share of the loot from the secret realm first, reap the benefits, and then report it to the sect for handling. However, every man for himself, heaven dooms those who do not look out for oneself, so it¡¯s normal to have such thoughts. Therefore, Xu Yinglian turned to look at Qiu Changtian, signaling him to make a decision. But Qiu Changtian hesitated, knowing that a secret realm and an ancient relic were two different things. Thetter might only be the dwelling of an ancient cultivator, full of traps that could be solved, such as formations, talisman scripts, and mechanisms. The former, however, were specially designed spaces, often apanied by extremelyplex and powerful restrictions, with no possibility of being broken. If it were a trial-type secret realm like the Pavilion Secret Realm, it would be manageable, but he feared encountering the unfriendly kind, where the restrictions could easily kill. Once deeply trapped, one would no longer be in control of their own life or death. At this time, not to mention Jiang Yuhuan and Hu Bugui, who were full of anticipation, even his junior sister was watching. If he were to show hesitation and cowardice, it would not only damage the reputation of Chief Qiu, but also cause his character to copse and his synchronization value to plummet, which was the bigger problem.
As a result, he could only agree for now and then adapt to the situationter. Since Jiang Hu were both able to explore and then extricate themselves, it was unlikely to be a secret realm with difficult entry and exit. If they really encountered an insoluble trouble, they would just retreat in time¡ªBesides, there was always the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°To be honest,¡± Qiu Changtian said gently, ¡°I actually don¡¯tck treasures.¡± The two showed disappointed expressions, but then they heard Senior Brother Qiu¡¯s tone change and he said, ¡°However, unexplored secret realms are often fraught with danger, and I would feel uneasy letting you two junior brothers go alone. I might as well apany you.¡± Jiang Hu were overjoyed upon hearing this, and hurriedly assured that they were willing to make concessions in the distribution of spoils and would not let Chief Qiu be disadvantaged, feeling secretly relieved. The reason they asked for Qiu Changtian¡¯s help was precisely because of the chief senior brother¡¯s reputable and righteous image, making it unlikely that he would take advantage of them. If it were other senior brothers or sisters, they might demand an exorbitant share, such as priority in selecting treasures or a seventy-thirty split of the spoils, which would be disgustingly greedy. Now it seemed that Chief Qiu really lived up to his name, generous as the sky! After a brief rest, the four of them rose on their swords and flew towards the southern foothills of the western section of the Kunlun Mountain Range. After an indeterminate length of time, the four of them finally descended in a valley, with Jiang Yuhuan taking the lead and guiding everyone into a crevice in the rock face opposite them. After a few steps, their figures gradually faded away, eventually disappearingpletely.
A momentter, another sword light arrived from a distance,nding before the crevice. It was Song He. He looked at the entrance to the secret realm before him, his expression changing several times before turning grim. The clue to this secret realm was not first discovered by Jiang Hu but had been identally obtained by Song He during a fortuitous encounter. He had spent nearly half a month to thoroughly investigate the entrance of the secret realm and decided to use it as a trap to kill Qiu Changtian. The reason was simple: within the secret realm, all divination from the outside world could be shielded. If Qiu Changtian were to die inside, the cause and effect would be obscured by the secret realm¡¯s restrictions, unable to be traced or calcted from the outside. Therefore, he cleverly allowed Jiang Hu to ¡°identally¡± discover the clue, knowing their greed and boldness¡ªif they couldn¡¯t handle the Guardian General, they were likely to seek aid from the respected Chief Qiu, rather than reporting to the sect. In this way, he was confident in luring Qiu Changtian into the trap. As for whaty beyond the Guardian General, Song He had no clue, but he knew the secret realm had an extremely long history and its rank was high, making it impossible for disciples at the Foundation Establishment rank to break through. To exchange a secret realm that he could not benefit from for the life of Qiu Changtian and the position of chief was a deal too good to pass up. After all, the magic artifact to open the entrance of the secret realm was obtained by Song He through his fortuitous adventure¡­ Song He took a small incense burner from his sleeve, ced it on the ground recess in front of the crevice, then took out an incense stick, lit it, and chanted:
¡°Rich earth carries all, mountains and rivers close naturally. Seal!¡± As his voice fell, the mountains in front began to tremble. The rocks on the left and right sides slowly closed in towards the center,pletely sealing the crevice in the middle. In doing so, those inside could no longere out. It had be a deadly trap. Chapter 98: 33 Queen Mother Divine Palace, Golden Armored Warriors Chapter 98: Chapter 33 Queen Mother Divine Pce, Golden Armored Warriors Jiang Yuhuan and Hu Bugui led the way, with Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian following, as they squeezed into the crevice. Strangely, from the outside, the crevice appeared to narrow the further one looked inside; but once they actually entered, after a few steps, the space ahead opened up increasingly wider. After walking dozens of steps, they suddenly came onto a bright open space, standing atop a clifftop tform, having emerged from a cave. Before them, a vast sea of clouds stretched out, with white mist swirling like tides. There was no sun in the sky, yet it was as bright as daytime. An Iron Chain Long Bridge extended from the tform towards the distance. Just as Jiang Hu had mentioned, one could see at a distance the dome of an Immortal Pce, standing majestic and magnificent atop the sea of clouds, irresistibly stirring one¡¯s longing. In front of the long bridge, a golden-armored and silver-robed Divine General stood silently, his eyes firmly shut, immovable. The long sword in his hand rested on the ground, as if it had taken root. All four involuntarily stopped in their tracks, their gaze fixed on the golden-armored figure. Here, Sword Control was impossible, and the only way to continue forward was to cross the Iron Chain Long Bridge¡ªhowever, to do so, they would evidently need to confront the golden-armored Divine General. As Qiu Changtian stared intently for a moment and was about to speak, he suddenly heard the Kunlun Mirror in his Sea of Consciousness exim in shock: ¡°The Divine Pce of the Queen Mother of the West?¡± The Mirror paused, then added:
¡°Ah, it¡¯s the Divine me Path.¡± ¡°The Divine me Path?¡± Qiu Changtian asked. ¡°To be gods through the power of incense and wishes, that is the Divine me Path.¡± the Kunlun Mirror answered. ¡°Now that you mention it, I have heard of it.¡± Qiu Changtian replied in surprise, ¡°An offshoot of the Ancient Human Cult, the Divine me Path, inheriting the concept of ¡®Non-Action¡¯ from the Supreme Old Lord.¡± ¡°iming not to practice Breathing, Qi Refinement, or any Cultivation Method, they gather the power of wishes, sitting in meditation to be gods¡­ However, it seems their lineage has since perished.¡± ¡°When the path forward is severed with a single cut, doesn¡¯t that mean extinction?¡± the Kunlun Mirror remarked, suddenly recalling something, it said with gravity, ¡°Since it¡¯s constructed to mimic the Divine Pce of the Queen Mother of the West, this secret realm must be the lost ground of the Ancient Divine me Path, not a ce for disciples of the Foundation Establishment Rank to intrude upon.¡± ¡°Ah Jing speaks truthfully.¡± Qiu Changtian cleared his throat as if he had just noticed something, and with a frown he eximed, ¡°Eh?¡± ¡°Senior Brother Qiu, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Jiang Yuhuan asked in a hushed voice. ¡°If my memory serves me right, this should be the secret realm of the Divine Fire Cult.¡± Qiu Changtian replied. ¡°The Divine Fire Cult?¡± Everyone was taken aback and speechless, only to hear Xu Yinglian say, ¡°That bunch who y at being gods and ghosts with the Divine me Path?¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Seeing that Jiang and Hu were still puzzled, Qiu Changtian exined, ¡°This path is an offshoot of the Ancient Human Cult. They preach not about practicing Breathing or Qi Refinement, instead focusing on saving the world and the people, spreading beliefs, and relying on the collective wish power of the masses to be gods.¡± ¡°Can that really work?¡± Hu Buguiughed, ¡°Just like local deities in temples who, receiving incense and worship from people, ascend smoothly to immortality?¡± ¡°No one knows the specifics of their cultivation method, because the Divine Fire Path¡¯s teachings perished ten thousand years ago.¡± Xu Yinglian added, ¡°ording to Senior Brother, this guardian of the bridge dressed in golden robes must be the ¡®Golden-armored Divine General¡¯ of the Divine Fire Path, each of whom possesses strengthparable to a Golden Core Rank.¡± ¡°Power of the Golden Core Rank¡­¡± Jiang Yuhuan and Hu Bugui looked at each other with apprehension visible on both faces. Beforehand, when they had entered the secret realm and witnessed the formidable Divine General guarding the bridge, they dared not test him and left the realm to seek reinforcements. Now it seemed fortunate that they hadn¡¯t acted impulsively, for otherwise, they might have been struck down by the Divine General. ¡°In that case, shouldn¡¯t we return to the Sect and ask the Elders to deal with it?¡± Jiang Yuhuan suggested tentatively. ¡°It should be so,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile. Although he possessed a trump card like the ¡®Immortal Capital Thunder¡¯, tailor-made to ovee wish-powered Immortal Gods, he didn¡¯t want to risk a forceful encounter with a Divine General in an unfamiliar realm¡ªnot knowing whaty beyond even if he defeated the opponent.
Consequently, everyone turned around to crawl back into the cave. After retracing dozens of steps, they faced a dead end. ¡°` Everyone: ? ¡°How could it be a dead end?¡± Jiang and Hu were both shocked and pale, they quickly used their Flying Swords to cut the rock wall in front of them, trying to dig out an entrance.
Of course, behind the rock wall was still the rock wall. ¡°You two stop digging,¡± Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t bear to watch and began to persuade, ¡°It¡¯s likely not a mechanism that has sealed the entrance, but rather some changes in the secret realm¡¯s restrictions that have trapped us inside.¡± To the side, Xu Yinglian raised her eyebrows. Her senior brother really was used to being invincible, even describing being trapped by restrictions as something so trivial, truly befitting of a senior brother. [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1] Caught off guard, Qiu Changtian turned to look at Xu Yinglian, while Jiang and Hu, upon hearing ¡°trapped inside the secret realm,¡± couldn¡¯t keep calm and immediately drove their Flying Swords at full force, turned into crazy excavators, and began to madly continue digging at the rock wall. Seeing that persuasion was futile, Qiu Changtian could only make eye contact with Xu Yinglian, signaling her to leave with him. The two of them walked out of the cave again and returned to the cliff tform by the sea of clouds. They saw the majestic golden-armored warrior standing nearby, and the slow and rolling sea of clouds in the distance looked seemingly open but also gave a strange feeling of narrowness and oppressiveness. ¡°What does senior brother n to do?¡± Seeing he wasposed and not panicked, Xu Yinglian lowered her voice and asked. The reason why Qiu Changtian wasn¡¯t panicked was, of course, that the Kunlun Mirror could teleport him out of the secret realm at any time, after which he could find his master toe back and save his junior sister. Ah Jing, forever divine! Of course, doing so carried a great risk of being exposed. Let alone his junior sister, even his master would certainly ask, How did you escape from that secret realm?
If it really came down to a life-and-death crisis, then there would be no other choice; but as long as there was a way, it was better not to use Ah Jing, this ultimate weapon. After careful consideration, Qiu Changtian spoke with determined confidence: ¡°From the perspective of the designer of the restrictions, if an entrance is suddenly sealed, it is definitely for the purpose of trapping people.¡± ¡°Merely staying at the entrance won¡¯t lift the restrictions. We can¡¯t stay put, we have to move.¡± ¡°As for where to go, we don¡¯t seem to have much choice, do we?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Xu Yinglian looked toward the Iron Chain Long Bridge ahead, ¡°but this golden-armored warrior¡­¡± ¡°ording to records, the reason why the golden-armored warrior is parable to a Golden Core True Person¡¯ is because he is impervious to sword and spear, extremely fierce, and hard to kill without Golden Core Rank methods, not that he actually has the strength of the Golden Core Rank.¡± Qiu Changtian pondered for a moment and slowly said, ¡°Maybe we can test the waters with an attack¡­¡± Before he could finish, the golden-armored warrior suddenly opened his eyes, drew his sword, and despite Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian swiftly adopting an attack stance, he ignored them and strode toward the inside of the cave. With Qiu Changtian¡¯s experience and Xu Yinglian¡¯s Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, how could they not see that this was because Jiang and Hu inside had dug too greedily, triggering the restrictions¡¯ countermeasures? They quickly, and simultaneously, shut their mouths, fearful of attracting the golden-armored warrior¡¯s animosity. Once the warrior entered the cave, Qiu Changtian suddenly came to his senses, grabbed his junior sister¡¯s hand urgently, and said: ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Xu Yinglian also realized, and taking advantage of the golden-armored warrior¡¯s entry into the cave, she immediately followed Qiu Changtian onto the Iron Chain Long Bridge. Because they couldn¡¯t use Sword Control within the secret realm, the two could only run wildly along the bridge.
The iron chains shook violently, and the nks underfoot trembled nonstop, coupled with the deep and endless sea of clouds on both sides, giving a foreboding sensation of ¡°stepping onto a road of no return.¡± After dashing out for roughly a few hundred meters, they suddenly heard a brief scream from behind. Jiang and Hu in the cave had likely met their end. ¡°` Chapter 99: 34 Celestial Music on Cloud Platform, Jade Pond Golden Lotus Chapter 99: Chapter 34 Celestial Music on Cloud tform, Jade Pond Golden Lotus ¡°` Vast sea of clouds, Iron Chain Long Bridge. No shore in sight ahead, nor the ce from whence we came. Even though Xu Yinglian possessed the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, realizing the bridge couldn¡¯t possiblyck an end, she couldn¡¯t help feeling an inexplicable tension rising within her. Fortunately, her senior brother was by her side¡­ Sensing her thoughts, Kunlun Mirror quickly and quietly withdrew its Invincible Character Setting aura. Thus, Xu Yinglian gradually noticed a warm sensationing from the palm of her senior brother, as if he was infusing her with strength. If she knew what the ¡°Suspension Bridge Effect¡± was, she would understand that in perilous circumstances, girls instinctively develop a reliance and fondness for the boys beside them, a natural physiological phenomenon evolved by humans. Of course, Junior Sister Xu didn¡¯t understand this; all she did was tightly grasp her senior brother¡¯s hand and desperately move her legs forward, with the Feather Jia Sword waving ceaselessly by her side, ready to strike out at any moment. After an indeterminate amount of time, the two of them finally arrived safely on the opposite shore. What they saw was a wide Cloud tform, clear springs like crystal, white jade for tiles, with ethereal immortal melodies harmonizing in the distance, contributing to the surrounding aura of transcendental sanctity.
¡°What the hell is this?¡± Kunlun Mirrorined, ¡°Even if it¡¯s built to imitate the Divine Pce of the Queen Mother of the West, ying music every day like this is quite excessive, isn¡¯t it noisy?¡± ¡°Doesn¡¯t the Divine Pce of the Queen Mother of the West have an atmosphere group?¡± Qiu Changtian asked. ¡°What is an atmosphere group¡­¡± Kunlun Mirror sighed, ¡°Of course not, the Empress prefers serenity.¡± ¡°Who is the Empress?¡± Though he knew the answer, Qiu Changtian asked intentionally. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s the Queen Mother of the West,¡± Kunlun Mirror said, ¡°But she has left this world a long time ago.¡± ¡°Ah Jing, I would like to hear the details.¡± ¡°That¡¯s a long story. In short, nearly ten thousand years have passed, the Immortal Realm has grown increasingly distant from the Mortal Realm¡ªnow they are nearly forever separated, unable to interfere with each other,¡± Kunlun Mirror said in a tone of mncholy, ¡°If it were not so, this world wouldn¡¯t have just me busying with the task of mending the heavens.¡± ¡°If you wish to listen, there will be timeter. Right now, we should focus on finding a way to leave this ce.¡± ¡°Let me tell you: the Divine me Path holds an almost fanatical obsession and admiration for the abodes of Immortal Sects, so I estimate that since this ce is built to imitate the Divine Pce of the Queen Mother of the West, the terrain and environment should be simr.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then behind the Divine Pce, in the t peach orchard, there exists a ¡®Rain Well,¡¯ which leads to the Lower Realm, corresponding to the exit from this mysterious realm,¡± Kunlun Mirror concluded. Upon hearing this, Qiu Changtian nodded and then turned to his junior sister, saying, ¡°To my knowledge, the Divine me Path holds an almost fanatical obsession and admiration for the abodes of Immortal Sects¡­¡± He repeated Kunlun Mirror¡¯s analysis to Xu Yinglian, which caused her to slightly furrow her brows in mild surprise, ¡°So the exit is likely in the backyard of the Divine Pce? Well, we have no choice but to explore this ce anyway.¡± ¡°Correct,¡± Qiu Changtian agreed, ¡°However, as we move on, we are bound to encounter other dangers like golden armored warriors. Junior Sister, stay close behind me and do not wander off on your own.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Xu Yinglian replied coldly, ¡°Also, senior brother, could you let go of my hand first?¡± Qiu Changtian was momentarily startled, realizing he was still holding onto his junior sister¡¯s hand. He then released it with an easy smile. Xu Yinglian gently massaged her left hand, which had just been held, her expression slightly unnatural as she asked, ¡°Shall we head directly to the Divine Pce ahead? Or should we first explore this Cloud tform?¡±
¡°Caution is paramount. It¡¯s better to thoroughly explore first,¡± Qiu Changtian responded, ¡°If there¡¯s danger like golden armored warriors here, and we¡¯re unaware and proceed deeper, only to get trapped between forces from before and behind, that would be troublesome.¡± ¡°That makes sense,¡± Xu Yinglian nodded. The two of them began to explore the Cloud tform. Though the tform was vast, there weren¡¯t many structures obscuring the view. Only pools, Heaven¡¯s Gate, and archways stood.
When Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian arrived at the edge of the pool, they saw withered lotus leaves and shriveled lotus pods, as if everything had died off over the ten thousand years. ¡°Huh?¡± Kunlun Mirror suddenly eximed, ¡°These are actually the Jade Pond Golden Lotuses, where did they get these from?¡± ¡°Jade Pond Golden Lotuses?¡± ¡°` ¡°For this world, it is quite a rare spiritual object of the Immortal Sects. Eating its seeds can open up all the body¡¯s orifices, increasing the efficiency of breathing and Qi Refinement.¡± ¡°I see, so are there any Illusion Technique traps around this pond¡­¡± ¡°There are no traps,¡± the Kunlun Mirror answered. Thus, Qiu Changtian conjured his Yu Long Sword and directly swept toward the pond. Xu Yinglian was startled and quickly readied her Feather Jia Sword in a defensive stance, only rxing when she confirmed that there were indeed no Formation traps within the Jade Pond. The senior brother is too reckless, what if there were hidden Restrictions triggered? She pondered to herself and was tempted to give her senior brother a lesson, but then another thought came to her: Could it be that senior brother noticed some detail that confirmed the absence of traps and Formation here, which is why he made a decisive move? Indeed, no matter what, it ultimately proved that senior brother made no mistake. If I rashly chastised him and he rebutted with evidence to mock me, it would only show myck of observation¡­
Humph, I refuse to fall for senior brother¡¯s trick. [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1.] Qiu Changtian received the prompt, remained silent, and kept his expression unchanged. He meticulously peeled the shriveled lotus pod that his Sword Light had swept up and finally found two intact seeds. ¡°Jade Pond Golden Lotus Seed, want to eat one?¡± He offered one to his junior sister. ¡°Can this seed really be eaten?¡± Xu Yinglian asked, pinching the seed between her fingers and closely examining it in the light. ¡°Of course,¡± Qiu Changtian confidently stated, and in his mind, he asked Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Right?¡± ¡°Spiritual object of the Immortal Sect, it might lose Spiritual Power over time, but it¡¯s still edible,¡± the Kunlun Mirror provided an answer. Therefore, Qiu Changtian popped the seed into his mouth and chewed on it. Well, it was crunchy like a fried potato chip, hard like a roasted pea, but the taste wasn¡¯t anything special, and he didn¡¯t feel anything after eating it. Seeing her senior brother eat so decisively, Junior Sister Xu naturally followed suit and tossed it directly into her mouth. ¡°Cough! Cough cough cough!¡± The seed unfortunately slipped into her throat, got stuck in her esophagus, and induced violent coughing. Qiu Changtian quickly went to pat her back, just as Xu Yinglian tensed her chest and swallowed hard, finally managing to get it down and avoiding bing the first Cultivator in history to choke to death. Then she turned around and red at Qiu Changtian.
¡°Junior sister, don¡¯t be hasty,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a soothing smile. ¡°This seed is a spiritual object from the Immortal Realm. Although it has lost much of its Spiritual Energy, it should still have the effect of opening all the body¡¯s orifices and increase the efficiency of breathing Spiritual Energy.¡± Xu Yinglian was moved immediately. Improving the efficiency of breathing Spiritual Energy directly affected the efficiency of cultivation leveling; even a slight improvement was incredibly precious. With this in mind, she turned to look at the lotus pod on the ground again, unable to resist checking it over one more time. Unfortunately, Qiu Changtian had not been mistaken; there really were only two seeds, with no more left. Xu Yinglian still wasn¡¯t convinced and stretched her neck to peer into the Jade Pond, hoping to confirm whether there were any undiscovered pods. Qiu Changtian found this amusing and asked her: ¡°Is the junior sister looking for koi fish in the pond?¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s cheeks turned slightly red, realizing that her senior brother was teasing her, so she defiantly retorted: ¡°I am just wondering why there is a pir standing oddly in the center of that pond? Don¡¯t you think it¡¯s very conspicuous?¡± Qiu Changtian followed her gaze and indeed saw a short pir in the middle of the Jade Pond, rising above the water, with a groove at the top where there was a mirror ced. ¡°That¡¯s the Jade Pond Mirror Stand,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror with a distant tone. ¡°I was once ced upon it within the Western Queen Mother¡¯s pce, silently reflecting all living beings, oblivious to the passage of seasons.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Qiu Changtian then looked at the mirror on the mirror stand. As his gaze fell upon the mirror surface, it seemed to flicker with a subtle and imperceptible light.
Chapter 100: 35: Tracing Back Again, The Temporal Puzzle Chapter 100: Chapter 35: Tracing Back Again, The Temporal Puzzle He walked forward tens of steps, and the view suddenly opened up. They found themselves on a teau above a cliff, with an endless sea of clouds in the distance, connected only by an Iron Chain Long Bridge on this side. A tall, armored warrior stood guard at the head of the bridge, a long saber in hand, eyes closed and unmoving. Qiu Changtian tried but found that he couldn¡¯t use Sword Control here, so he carefully observed the armored warrior. Suddenly, he heard the voice of the Kunlun Mirror in his Sea of Consciousness eximing in surprise, ¡°What is going on here?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Ah Jing?¡± Qiu Changtian asked, frowning. The Kunlun Mirror fell silent for a moment, then spoke gravely to Qiu Changtian, ¡°The things I¡¯m about to tell you, you mustn¡¯t be afraid, no matter what.¡± ¡°You can count on me,¡± replied Qiu Changtian earnestly, ¡°I¡¯ve been professionally trained; no matter how terrifying the situation, I won¡¯t be afraid¡­ unless I can¡¯t help it.¡± ¡°What sort of professional training¡­ Never mind.¡± The Kunlun Mirror then recounted the previous events to him in detail and rapidly.
Qiu Changtian listened in silence and then said, ¡°So, time has reversed?¡± ¡°I suspect that the mirror on the Jade Pond Mirror Stand is actually a fragment of my true form,¡± sighed the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°which is why it has the power to reverse time and space.¡± ¡°Fragment? When did you die, Ah Jing?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in surprise. ¡°After descending to the Lower Realm from the Western Mother¡¯s Divine Pce,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied nonchntly, ¡°My true form shattered¡­ into many pieces, scattered everywhere, leaving only the Artifact Spirit.¡± ¡°Condolences. If I get a chance, I¡¯ll see if I can help you retrieve the fragments and make the mirror whole again.¡± While Qiu Changtian was talking to the Kunlun Mirror, Junior Sister Xu, who had been watching for a while, recognized that the armored warrior was a follower of the Divine me Path, so they nned to return to the cave and leave the Secret Realm. Xu Yinglian was about to follow them out but noticed her senior brother standing still, and turned her head to look at him in confusion. Qiu Changtian took Junior Sister Xu¡¯s hand and walked a few steps towards the edge of the Cloud tform. Before long, they saw the armored warrior suddenly open his eyes and walk towards the cave with his saber. Qiu Changtian immediately grabbed Junior Sister Xu¡¯s hand and dashed across the Iron Chain Long Bridge to the Cloud tform on the other side. As soon as they reached the Cloud tform, celestial music rang out, as if right beside their ears. ¡°The music is louder thanst time,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror suddenly. ¡°Maybe it¡¯s hinting that time has already been reversed once,¡± spected Qiu Changtian, ¡°If the music keeps getting louder, could it mean that some kind of change is happening in the Secret Realm?¡± ¡°And it¡¯s definitely not a good change,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said gravely, ¡°This isn¡¯t the Pavilion Secret Realm of the rify Cult; it may not wee outsiders like you.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Qiu Changtian agreed, looking warily towards the Jade Pond and then said, ¡°Ah, Ah Jing!¡± ¡°Do you think if I went to the Jade Pond and picked the Golden Lotus Seeds again, I could eat them a second time?¡± The Kunlun Mirror: ? ¡°It should be possible,¡± it said hesitantly.
¡°After time reverses, would the effects of the previously eaten seeds remain?¡± Qiu Changtian cautiously asked. ¡°The time reversal here doesn¡¯t mean time is going backward,¡± replied the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°but rather your and Junior Sister Xu¡¯s bodies are being sent to the past, with the Mirror Flower Water Moon Illusion Technique casting a mental suggestion on you both, causing you to forget the previous events.¡± ¡°For example, if your Junior Sister dies next, after time reverses, all you¡¯ll see is her Illusion¡­ just like those two Kunlun Disciples just now.¡± ¡°After all, it¡¯s one thing for the flesh to travel backward, but to make the deade to life requires too great a causal effect, something even I can¡¯t do, let alone a fragment of my true form.¡±
¡°So the two of them were Illusions just now?¡± Qiu Changtian realized, sighing. Jiang and Hu had invited him to help because they trusted him, and he never expected they would be killed¡­ It was out of his hands. He mourned in silence for a few seconds, then unrolled a Sword Light and scooped up the withered lotus pod from the Jade Pond into his hands. Xu Yinglian was startled, but when she saw that no formation had been triggered in the Jade Pond, she slowly let out a sigh of relief. Qiu Changtian peeled open the lotus pod and indeed extracted two more seeds from it. That¡¯s strange, doesn¡¯t that mean these lotus seeds can be repeatedly harvested? ¡°Ah Jing,¡± he couldn¡¯t help but ask, ¡°I remember you once said that history that has already happened cannot be changed.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the Kunlun Mirror sighed, ¡°so this is a ¡®false history.¡¯¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®false history¡¯?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in surprise. The Kunlun Mirror fell silent for a moment, then said: ¡°You¡¯re walking down the road and suddenly you encounter yourself from tomorrow, who gives you a lotus seed.¡± ¡°To ensure that history isn¡¯t changed, the next day you travel back in time to yesterday and pass the lotus seed you got earlier to your past self.¡± ¡°So, where does this lotus seed, which must be sent back to yesterday every other day, actuallye from?¡±
¡°The answer is: this lotus seedes from a ¡®false history,¡¯ a temporary timeline created by the pathways of time to ensure a linear loop that doesn¡¯t exist on the main timeline.¡± Qiu Changtian fell silent for a moment, then said: ¡°Ah Jing, can you put it inyman¡¯s terms?¡± ¡°Oh, I forgot you¡¯re not Luo Yan now, without the addedprehension,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said with a sheepishugh, ¡°It¡¯s quiteplicated to exin. First, you need to know that time is a ray; it has a starting point but no endpoint¡­¡± ¡°All right, stop there,¡± Qiu Changtian sighed, ¡°in the end, the lotus seed is edible, right?¡± ¡°Right.¡± ¡°Then can it be harvested infinitely?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Even as a fragment of myself, I cannot create an infinite number of temporary timelines, that would provoke a bacsh from the pathways of time.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Qiu Changtian then ate a lotus seed and handed the other one to Xu Yinglian, ¡°Be careful not to choke.¡± Xu Yinglian: ? ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°Jade Pond Golden Lotus Seed, consuming it can enhance the efficiency of breathing and Qi Refinement.¡± Upon hearing this, Xu Yinglian was momentarily taken aback, hastily ate the lotus seed, and then turned her eyes to the remaining lotus pods.
¡°Don¡¯t bother looking, there¡¯s nothing left in there,¡± said Qiu Changtian as he abruptly formed a sword technique with his hand, and the Yu Long Sword transformed into a streak of light, heading straight for the mirror on the Jade Pond Mirror Stand. ¡­¡­ The view suddenly brightened up. Qiu Changtian stepped out of the cave and looked at the armored guards at the bridge, about to whisper something, when he suddenly heard the Kunlun Mirror say with resignation: ¡°Let me show you a little video¡­¡± Qiu Changtian watched the video with astonishment and then his eye twitched: ¡°So you¡¯re telling me that I¡¯ve been through two reincarnations already?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°And you have no idea why I fell for it?¡± ¡°Not a clue. As it stands, it¡¯s best to avoid getting close to my main body fragment, that mirror.¡± ¡°So that means,¡± Qiu Changtian pondered, ¡°considering I might very well revert back this time too, even if I sneak a kiss from Junior Sister Xu now, she won¡¯t remember it after the reversal.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said dully, ¡°as long as you can survive until the third reversal after kissing her.¡± Just imagining it for a moment, the scene of Xu Yinglian wielding a sword and chasing him on the Iron Chain Long Bridge, Qiu Changtian quickly shook his head, throwing the impractical thoughts out of his mind.
I am a gentleman of integrity, how could I possibly do such despicable deeds! Chapter 101: 36: Bizarre Mechanisms, Phantom Reborn Chapter 101: Chapter 36: Bizarre Mechanisms, Phantom Reborn ¡°` To tell the truth, Qiu Changtian really had no recollection of the previous time retroversions at all. But he was well aware of the power of Mirror Flower Water Moon¡¯s illusion technique: Despite sharing the same facial features as Luo Yan, Qiu Changtian went unnoticed by everyone, from the Ziwei Master and Elder Shi Ding to Xu Yinglian and Shi Liuli. It was truly an unparalleled illusion technique under the heavens. After time retorsion, failing to detect even the slightest sense of incongruity should not be a difficult task. However¡­ ¡°By the way, Ah Jing,¡± sighed Qiu Changtian, ¡°you are an artifact spirit after all. Don¡¯t you have a way to deal with the original body?¡± ¡°I do not possess the power of time. I merely borrow from the Grand Dao of Time,¡± replied the Kunlun Mirror helplessly, ¡°It is mainly because your rank is too low. How could a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Rank possibly withstand an Innate Spiritual Treasure?¡± Qiu Changtian was somewhat amused by this: ¡°So, it seems that you died without fulfillment, and your body is being used against me, all because my cultivation realm isn¡¯t high enough?¡±
¡°I don¡¯t want this either!¡± The Kunlun Mirror became increasingly embarrassed and said with a grievance, ¡°After all, I am just a mere mirror. If it weren¡¯t for residing in your sea of consciousness, I wouldn¡¯t even be able to move freely.¡± ¡°That¡¯s too disappointing, Ah Jing. You should feel some shame.¡± ¡°Feel shame, feel shame,¡± Kunlun Mirror quickly brushed it off, ¡°listen to me, this time try to bypass the Jade Pond, and do not go to the mirror stand.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± nodded Qiu Changtian. Following the stepsid out in the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s guide, once the golden armored strongmen were alerted by the two people inside, Qiu Changtian led Xu Yinglian across the Iron Chain Long Bridge, running straight to the Cloud tform on the opposite side. ¡°The celestial music is louder this time,¡± Kunlun Mirror reminded. ¡°Hmm,¡± Qiu Changtian nodded, then took Xu Yinglian around the Jade Pond towards the direction of the Divine Pce. Xu Yinglian was clueless and originally wanted to explore around, but seeing her senior brother dragging her along without exnation, she felt slightly embarrassed and insecure, with no resistance. The two of them circled far around the Jade Pond, passing through the arched corridors at the edge of the Cloud tform, and then over the towering Heaven¡¯s Gate, arriving in front of the Divine Pce. The Divine Pce of the Queen Mother of the West, known as the ¡°Zhao Pce.¡± The word ¡°Zhao¡± signifies a brilliant radiance. From the outside, it was indeed a Divine Pce of the Immortal Sect, with columns winding with dragons, and eaves soaring with phoenixes, in the utmost splendid and brilliant style. As they ascended the steps, the two stood before the sealed pce doors. The doors were approximately three zhang high, tightly sealed, and extremely heavy. After confirming there were no traps, Qiu Changtian pushed on the door with force. Seeing him struggling a bit, Xu Yinglian stepped forward to help. Both of them shouldered the door and let out a concerted shout as they exerted themselves, finally managing to push the doors open. Inside, the spacious main hall was filled with stands and desks. Innumerable magical treasures, Flying Swords, Daoist texts, and elixirs, gleaming with flowing light and rising spiritual energy, were neatly arranged on the stands and desks, nearly dazzling their eyes. Taking a deep breath, Xu Yinglian¡¯s Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart operated, and she suppressed the greedy feelings that rose in her heart, then turned to ask Qiu Changtian:
¡°What should we do?¡± Qiu Changtian fell silent for a moment, then after confirming through the Kunlun Mirror that there were no traps or restrictions inside, he nodded to Xu Yinglian. Together, they stepped through the pce doors. ¡­¡­
Their vision suddenly became bright. Qiu Changtian¡¯s gaze swept over the sea of clouds toward the Divine General guarding the bridge, when suddenly a fast-forwarded miniature film yed by Kunlun Mirror shed before his eyes. ¡°¡­Ah, this,¡± after watching it, Qiu Changtian felt quite troubled, ¡°Which time retroversal is this for me?¡± ¡°The fourth time,¡± answered Kunlun Mirror. Qiu Changtian quickly pondered: The first time, he stared at the mirror stand and was reverted. The second time, he tried to take a piece of the Kunlun Mirror and was reverted. The third time, he bypassed the Jade Pond and tried to enter Zhao Pce. Time reverted again. Combining the only evidence avable, it seemed that the shard of the Kunlun Mirror was guarding this location at the Cloud tform. As soon as it perceived a threat, or an attempt was made to leave the Cloud tform and enter Zhao Pce, it would trigger the defensive mechanism of the Kunlun Mirror shard. ¡°` To confirm this conjecture was quite simple. By wandering around the Cloud tform with Junior Sister Xu, without trying to enter the Zhao Pce or investigate the central Jade Pond,
if after the same amount of time the time retrospection still hadn¡¯t been triggered, then they couldrgely prove their point. Therefore, Qiu Changtian replicated the method, and after the golden-armored warriors were lured away, he didn¡¯t say much and directly pulled Xu Yinglian onto the Iron Chain Long Bridge. Although Xu Yinglian often liked topete with her senior brother, deep down she acknowledged his abilities and decisiveness. Since Qiu Changtian didn¡¯t care to exin, she didn¡¯t ask further, merely following closely behind him, her expression tense as she silently pondered the deeper meaning of her senior brother¡¯s actions. Upon reaching the Cloud tform, the two heard the sounds of celestial music, seemingly just within reach. It was louder than the sound from their previous time retroversions. Not only that, the surrounding archways and stone columns began to gradually reveal illusory images. Although the outlines were faint and flickered unsteadily, one could vaguely make out the countless golden-armored warriors standing guard around them. However, the eyes visible through their facial armor were cold and lifeless, unlike those of regr people. There were also fairy maidens weaving in and out of the crowds, their faces half-hidden behind pipas, their jade throats rolling as they sang enchanting tunes. Yet within the shifting nces of their eyes, a bitter and malevolent intent shed by frequently. With a grave expression, Qiu Changtian realized that if they were subjected to a few more retroversions, these golden-armored warriors and fairy maidens might be real and would likely attack them en masse¡­ They had to break the time retrospection mechanism as quickly as possible!
He ignored the illusions, simply walking in circles along the edge of the Cloud tform with his junior sister. After about ten rounds, Xu Yinglian couldn¡¯t hold back her curiosity any longer and asked with a frown, ¡°What are you looking for, senior brother?¡± ¡°Oh, I¡¯m studying a formation,¡± Qiu Changtian responded. ¡°Formation?¡± Xu Yinglian eximed in astonishment. Were these illusions caused by a formation? Moreover, her senior brother understood formations? Wait a second, I remember during his previous excursion, he had helped the cultivators of the Yuqing View break a formation¡­ Dammit, not only does senior brother have a high cultivation level, powerful Daoist magic, and a mastery of Sword Control Technique, but now he¡¯s even delving into formations? When will I ever catch up to senior brother? While Junior Sister Xu was thinking this, she saw Qiu Changtian giving her a strange look. [Invincible character setting, synchronization value +1.] ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Xu Yinglian suppressed her frustration and asked again. ¡°Don¡¯t talk for now,¡± Qiu Changtian frowned and replied, ¡°I¡¯m thinking over a problem.¡±
Since their arrival at the Cloud tform, he had been constantly keeping track of time. Up to now, nearly three times the duration of the previous time retroversions had passed without triggering the mechanism, which was telling. Qiu Changtian asked Xu Yinglian to stand on this side of the archway and then cautiously approached the Jade Pond. He didn¡¯t look at the mirror stand in the pond¡¯s center but instead used sword light to sever a dried lotus pod. Then he turned around, peeled out two lotus seeds, and gave half to Xu Yinglian, saying, ¡°Eat these.¡± Xu Yinglian hesitated, but seeing Qiu Changtian chew and swallow without hesitation, she too put the lotus seeds into her mouth. After eating the lotus seeds, Qiu Changtian turned his back on the Jade Pond and contemted. Hmm, still no time retrospection triggered. The triggering mechanism was almost clear: as soon as they tried to force their way into the Zhao Pce or if the Kunlun Mirror shard on the mirror stand sensed a threat, it would initiate the retrospection mechanism. That is, they only had tounch a surprise attack while it wasn¡¯t paying attention¡­ Thinking this, Qiu Changtian suddenly turned around, and from his sleeve, the Immortal Capital Thunder flew out, striking the Jade Pond Mirror Stand like a bolt of lightning! ¡­¡­ Qiu Changtian emerged from the cave, his vision suddenly clear. In the distance was the endless sea of clouds; nearby were the Iron Chain Long Bridge and the bridge-guarding Divine General, and¡­ the mini movie yed by the Kunlun Mirror. Listening in astonishment to the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s exnation and realizing he had failed four times already, Qiu Changtian began to silently reflect once more. Chapter 102: 37: Junior Sister’s Inspiration, Immortal Capital Divine Thunder Chapter 102: Chapter 37: Junior Sister¡¯s Inspiration, Immortal Capital Divine Thunder ¡°` It seems that the method ofunching a sudden attack on the fragment of the Kunlun Mirror when it¡¯s not paying attention is no longer viable. Immortal Capital Thunder is already Qiu Changtian¡¯s fastest method of attack, on par with the Five Elements Divine Light. If even the Immortal Capital Thunder can¡¯t make a difference, then it proves that conventional methods are simply ineffective against the Kunlun Mirror fragment. As he took Junior Sister Xu up the Iron Chain Long Bridge, this time Qiu Changtian did not sprint at full speed but rather hastened his step. His stride was heavy, his expression grave, his eyebrows almost knotted together in deep thought, pondering over a strategy to turn the situation around. Xu Yinglian had never seen her senior brother like this. In her memory, Qiu Changtian was always mild-mannered and unruffled, confidently dering ¡°Evil can never ovee Good¡± even when facing enemies a rank higher. To see such a frowning, battle-ready Qiu Changtian was a first for her. Kunlun Mirror: ¡­¡­¡­ The Synchronization Value of the Invincible Character Setting was about to fall, but it did not tell Qiu Changtian, silently dissolving the illusion technique instead.
As long as the character setting isn¡¯t maintained, there¡¯s no problem with the Synchronization Value. It¡¯s like not having to add fuel to a boiler that¡¯s been shut off, quite rational. The dissipating aura of dominance immediately made Xu Yinglian feel a sense of closeness. She didn¡¯t actually dislike her senior brother and even harbored some faint admiration for him, but because of her overly assertive personality and being constantly provoked by his domineering aura, she always maintained a tense andbative stance around him. Now, without that choking sensation, Xu Yinglian rxed and asked with curiosity: ¡°Senior brother, why are you wearing such an expression? Is there a problem with this secret realm?¡± ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand even if I told you,¡± Qiu Changtian replied perfunctorily. Had the domineering aura still been in ce, that remark would have set Xu Yinglian off instantly. But since the aura was gone, sensing his irritation, she gently grasped his hand and said softly: ¡°I may not know what you¡¯re worried about because you¡¯ve never shared it with me.¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t you tell me the problem? Or do you think Junior Sister is too foolish to be of any help to you?¡± Qiu Changtian nced at her impatiently. Xu Yinglian responded with a serene smile. Qiu Changtian then sighed and said: ¡°Junior Sister, do you believe that we are experiencing Time Retrospection?¡± He didn¡¯t mention anything about the Kunlun Mirror, only briefly mentioned the concept of Time Retrospection and casually pointed out that ¡°this mechanism seems to be rted to the Jade Pond Mirror in the center of the Cloud tform.¡± Xu Yinglian fell silent after listening. It wasn¡¯t until the two had crossed the long bridge and stepped onto the Cloud tform, seeing the half-corporeal phantoms around them and hearing the resonant music of the Immortal Sect, that Xu Yinglian confirmed her senior brother wasn¡¯t joking. In other words, she and her senior brother had indeed experienced Time Retrospection at least once, which could exin why he seemed to possess foreknowledge, describing the scenery of this ce with great uracy beforehand. ¡°Truly amazing¡­¡± she murmured, looking at the phantoms of the Golden Armored Divine Generals surrounding them.
For some reason, Xu Yinglian suddenly felt the illusion that these Divine Generals were also watching her maliciously, restrained from attacking the two only by the restrictions of the secret realm. ¡°ording to Senior Brother, the core of this Time Retrospection is that mirror in the center of the Jade Pond,¡± Xu Yinglian said. ¡°Mhm,¡± Qiu Changtian responded absently. ¡°Since Senior Brother has already tried and can¡¯t approach the Kunlun Mirror from the front, have you thought about trying to circumvent it sideways?¡± Xu Yinglian analyzed earnestly.
Qiu Changtian thought to himself, isn¡¯t that what I¡¯m trying to figure out, and suddenly noticed Junior Sister Xu¡¯s delicate profile. ¡°` Her deep in thought and racked her brain with such earnestness, which waspletely different from her usual aloof and reserved expression, instead, there was a kind of unique, pretty cuteness. Well, since the secret realm¡¯s countdown is based on the number of retracements, not the duration of stay, it would do no harm to let Junior Sister ponder for a while longer. Therefore, Qiu Changtian stared at Junior Sister¡¯s profile intently, until Xu Yinglian suddenly had a stroke of insight and said: ¡°Brother, do you see by the edge of the Jade Pond, is there a Golden Armored Warrior standing there?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Qiu Changtian also seemed to realize something, but it still felt like there was a veil he couldn¡¯t pierce through, leaving him unclear, ¡°And then? What does this imply?¡± ¡°The Golden Armored Warrior can approach the Jade Pond,¡± Xu Yinglian said solemnly. These words struck like lightning in the night, deafening and rifying, instantly breaking Qiu Changtian¡¯s mental fixation. He himself would be perceived as a threat by the mirror shard, but the Golden Armored Warrior would not. If he could disguise himself as a Golden Armored Warrior, and with Ah Jing¡¯s Illusion Technique of Mirror Flower Water Moon on him, could he deceive that shard? ¡°Of course you can!¡± the Kunlun Mirror excitedly said in the Sea of Consciousness, ¡°How did I not think of this? Junior Sister Xu is really smart!¡± ¡°Have you recorded the Golden Armored Warrior before?¡± Qiu Changtian asked calmly.
¡°No,¡± the Kunlun Mirrorughed, ¡°But isn¡¯t there one by the Iron Chain Long Bridge?¡± Qiu Changtian immediately had an epiphany, as if a veil was lifted from his confusion. With this, all the elements for sess had been gathered! ¡°Junior Sister,¡± Qiu Changtian saidposedly, ¡°Let¡¯s go back to the Iron Chain Long Bridge.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Hearing that her brother wanted to return to the long bridge, Xu Yinglian immediately understood that Qiu Changtian was nning to kill the bridge-guarding Divine General at the bridgehead, taking its equipment to disguise as a Golden Armored Warrior to approach the Jade Pond Mirror Stand! Though unsure if it would work, it seemed there were no other methods avable at the moment. The two returned to the Iron Chain Long Bridge once more, with the vast sea of clouds on both sides, and the gentle breeze blowing over, causing the bridge to sway slightly. Xu Yinglian felt somewhat shy, remembering how her brother had held her hand earlier, running all the way from the entrance of the secret realm to the Cloud tform. That warm sensation seemed to linger in the palm of her hand even now. Moreover, ording to what her brother had said, time had already retraced four times, which meant her brother had held her hand four times¡­ Thinking this, she felt a bit flustered. Xu Yinglian hurriedly circted her Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart to suppress these amorous thoughts. But considering time retracement would erase her memory, so had her brother made even bolder moves before, like kissing¡­ With those thoughts, she was even lessposed.
Xu Yinglian quickly focused all her effort on the Seven Crafty Exquisite Heart, to push down these shy notions. However, Qiu Changtian was unaware of the multitude of tumultuous thoughts filtering through his Junior Sister¡¯s mind in such a short time. He was walking on thin ice, vigntly moving forward until the distant cliff tform was faintly visible. Then, the silhouette guarding the bridge on the tform suddenly moved! ¡°Junior Sister! Cover me!¡± Qiu Changtian warned, as the Yu Long Sword shot out from his hand. ¡°Floating Morning Light, shine across ten thousand zhang!¡± Xu Yinglian immediately recited the incantation, breathing out an immense amount of mes from her mouth and nose, swiftly surging forward along the Iron Chain Long Bridge. However, in order not to burn the bridge, she deliberately controlled the intensity of the mes, merely creating a ze of light and thick smoke. Amidst the mes, the figure of the Golden Armored Divine General charged out, swinging the long saber in the air and deflecting the attacking Yu Long Sword. The next second, the red and ck Immortal Capital Thunder, like a long serpent, struck directly at the chest of the Golden Armored Divine General! Chapter 103: 38: Subduing the Fragments and Entering Zhao Palace Chapter 103: Chapter 38: Subduing the Fragments and Entering Zhao Pce The golden-armored guardian, d in full armor, was not only impervious to ordinary weapons of the mortal world, but even Immortal Flying Swords struggled to break through his defenses. The reason was simple: his armor was a manifestation of the mortal world¡¯s collective wishes, converging the faith of millions, which naturally endowed him with strange divine skills. However, Immortal Capital Thunder was known as the ¡°Majesty of the Jade Emperor,¡± and it had a natural restraining effect on such wish-powered entities, with a destructive power three times that of ordinary thunder methods. A thunder method struck the golden-armored guardian, instantly creating a huge crack on the Bright Light Mirror on his chest. Countless wisps of ck smoke poured out, as if blood gushed from a spring, yet the Divine General seemed oblivious, continuing to charge forward withrge strides, his long de dragging behind him. Xu Yinglian, pulling Qiu Changtian, retreated hastily, her Feather Jia Sword shooting out urgently only to be split open once again by the Golden Armored Divine General. At the moment of the sh between gold and iron, another Immortal Capital Thunder struck precisely at the crack in the Divine General¡¯s chest, piercing straight through it, then bursting from the inside. The lower half of the Divine General¡¯s body continued to charge forward, while his upper half was cut off at the waist, flying backward. Soon, the golden armor, helmet, and long de fell onto the Long Bridge. The body,posed of the willpower, was perfectly vanquished and disintegrated by the precisely controlled power of the Immortal Capital Thunder. As Qiu Changtian¡¯s Yu Long Sword swept past, it gathered the scattered gear to his side, while he asked the Kunlun Mirror in his heart: ¡°How is it?¡±
¡°It¡¯s recorded,¡± replied the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°The moment the willpower spilled out, I had already captured and inscribed it.¡± ¡°Good,¡± Qiu Changtian said as he attempted to don the armor. Xu Yinglian helped him from the side, fastening the straps and belt for her senior brother, then circled around him a few times, scrutinizing him up and down. ¡°Aside from the crack in the chest of the armor, there are no other ws,¡± she eventually concluded. ¡°We can try it.¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± agreed Qiu Changtian as he put on the facete and headed towards the direction of the Cloud tform. The Kunlun Mirror also began to alter the Mirror Flower Water Moon Illusion Technique, and as for the persona temte of the golden-armored guardian, it was one of ¡°persistence.¡± The so-called wish-power was essentially great persistence. The more devout and firm the beliefs of the praying masses were, the purer the wish-power they contributed. At this moment, Qiu Changtian had discarded all distracting thoughts, maintaining only the firm intention to leave the secret realm, striding along the Iron Chain Long Bridge. As the Synchronization Value rapidly climbed, the trailing Xu Yinglian keenly felt that her senior brother¡¯s aura was changing again¡­ But it wasn¡¯t the first time it had changed; she had long since grown ustomed to it. Qiu Changtian, silent and umunicative, advanced with rapid strides, eventually crossing the Iron Chain Long Bridge and stepping onto the jade bricks of the Cloud tform. Indeed, by employing the Mirror Flower Water Moon Illusion Technique of the Kunlun Mirror and assuming the guise of the golden-armored guardian, neither the Golden Armored Divine Generals nor the music and dance maidens paid any attention to him. The malice that had always seemed to lurk, as if spying on him, had also vanished without a trace. Without further ado, Qiu Changtian proceeded directly to the Jade Pond Mirror Stand and reached for the mirror on top. The surface of the mirror shimmered faintly, seemingly about to initiate Time Retrospection, but it did not activate in the end¡ªthe artifact itself was merely a piece missing its Artifact Spirit, taken by the Divine me Path to serve as the core for the secret realm¡¯s outer defenses. It was imbued with a low-level consciousnessposed of wish-power, with orders to guard against any strangers from outside the realm. Members of the Divine me Path, golden-armored guardians, and music and dance maidens from within the Sect naturally did not fall within the range of entities to guard against. By adopting the illusion of the golden-armored guardian¡¯s persona, Qiu Changtian finally avoided the risk of Time Retrospection and took the mirror directly from the Mirror Stand. The next second, the fragment merged into his body as Ah Jing within his Sea of Consciousness began to work, allowing the Artifact Spirit and the fragment to rbine through a profound connection.
¡°Oh dear,¡± called out Ah Jing, half in distress and half in annoyance, after the fusion, ¡°why did it use so much Spiritual Power?¡± ¡°Is the loss of Spiritual Power serious?¡± Qiu Changtian asked. ¡°It makes sense, seeing as nearly ten thousand years have passed¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a matter of time.¡± The Kunlun Mirror said with a desire to cry but no tears, ¡°The main consumption was due to the multiple activations of Time Retrospection just now.¡± Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­
Indeed, having taken Junior Sister Xu through several rounds of the Jade Pond Golden Lotus Seeds, it seemed that they were produced by the Kunlun Mirror fragments consuming their reserves of spiritual energy. As the mirror on the mirror stand was removed by the senior brother and then disappeared abruptly and oddly, the surrounding illusions also vanished along with it, and the sound of the music from the heavens above slowly died down. Seeing Qiu Changtian begin to remove his armor, Xu Yinglian breathed a sigh of relief and then asked with a smile, ¡°Does this mean we¡¯ve solved it?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Qiu Changtian nodded slightly, and then harvested a withered lotus pod from the Jade Pond, extracting two Golden Lotus Seeds from it. Anyway, since the artifact¡¯s fragment created some ¡°false history¡± by using spiritual energy to pull out the Golden Lotus Seeds from the recursive space-time, it would be a waste not to eat them. After sharing a lotus seed with Junior Sister Xu, Qiu Changtian spoke concisely, ¡°Eat it, it can increase the speed of Qi Refinement.¡± Xu Yinglian was stunned for a while, but after seeing Qiu Changtian eat his, she reluctantly followed suit and popped it into her mouth. After consuming the Jade Pond Golden Lotus, the two made their way through Heaven¡¯s Gate, heading towards the Zhao Pce of the Queen Mother of the West. Just as on the previous asion, after exerting effort to push open the doors of the Zhao Pce, they were greeted by an array of colorful magical treasures, flying swords, books of Dao, and elixirs¡­ allid out on shelves, free for choosing. Despite Xu Yinglian¡¯s usual cool and reserved demeanor, she couldn¡¯t help showing a delighted expression, yet she didn¡¯t rush through the entrance and merely looked eagerly at her senior brother. Qiu Changtian pondered for a moment, then heard the Kunlun Mirror speak in his Sea of Consciousness,
¡°I have absorbed the knowledge and intelligence from my main body¡¯s fragments.¡± ¡°Although this ce is built to imitate the Divine Pce of the Queen Mother of the West, it is actually a secret realm designed by the Divine me Path to train thebat capabilities of Golden Core True Persons.¡± Qiu Changtian understood clearly. Unlike the Pavilion, as a purelybat-training type secret realm, it made sense for there to be hostile entities like the Golden Armored Strongmen. ¡°The ancient Divine me Path emphasized collecting aspirations to be divine while sitting, leading their Golden Core True Persons to covet peace and quiet, having cultivation levels but not skilled in magicalbat.¡± ¡°Therefore, within the secret realm, inside the Zhao Pce¡ªthat is, the room before you¡ªthe Divine me Path designed a total of thirteen training levels called ¡®The Thirteen Luminaries of Divine me of the Upper Primordial¡¯.¡± ¡°The might of the divine soldiers and generals at each level will change ording to the cultivation rank of the trainees, ranging from the Soul Storing Rank to the Obscure Weave Rank of the Golden Core Realm.¡± ¡°After the trialists finish their challenges and return to the starting point¡ªwhich is the room you are in now¡ªthey can choose their rewards based on the number of kills.¡± ¡°Additionally, as you have in the Golden Armored Strongman at the entrance of the secret realm, which is equivalent to a Soul Storing Rank of the Golden Core Realm, this counts as defeating one Golden Armored Divine General. You do not need to challenge the subsequent levels and may directly select a reward.¡± ¡°Note, ording to the restrictions of the Zhao Pce, each of you should only be able to choose one reward.¡± After hearing the exnation from the Kunlun Mirror, Qiu Changtian understood. This secret realm of the Divine Pce of the Queen Mother of the West was specifically designed by the Divine me Path for cultivators of the Golden Core Rank, much like abat-training type secret realm like the Pavilion. The training levels were located inside the Zhao Pce, in the rooms beyond the main hall, and corresponding rewards for passing the challenges were also set up. As for himself and his junior sister, what they had solved on the Cloud tform was merely the ¡°firewall¡± of this secret realm to prevent outsiders from entering¡­
With this in mind, he felt his enthusiasm wane and decided not to challenge the ¡°Thirteen Luminaries of the Upper Primordial¡± levels inside. The ability to defeat the Golden Core Rank Golden Armored Strongman earlier was indeed crucial due to the Opposite Capital Thunder that countered aspirations, but even more critical was that the battle took ce on the narrow Iron Chain Long Bridge where the opponent couldn¡¯t maneuver or dodge attacks well. If ced in a more spacious environment, given the opponent¡¯s terrifying sprint speed within a hundred meters, he probably wouldn¡¯t even have time to unleash his Thunder Method. So he decided to choose rewards with his junior sister first and then leave the secret realm. Chapter 108: 43: One Hundred Thousand Gods and Demons Attack Penglai Chapter 108: Chapter 43: One Hundred Thousand Gods and Demons Attack Peni Shi Liuli meticulously cleared her way, soon reaching the stone chamber she had discovered before. Above the stone chamber¡¯s ceiling, the crack split open by thunder remained starkly visible, casting downrge swaths of clear sky light. There was also a spring trickling down the crack, resembling strings of pearls. Green vines hung down alongside the water, like a folding screen. In the center of the stone chamber, there was a stone bed¡ªthat was where the Myriad Laws True Person from the Intercepting Cult had transcended physical form, only now it had been scorched ck by the lightning. Surrounding it were pools of umted water, dotted with stars of lotus flowers, with delicate leaves gently bobbing and petals strikingly beautiful, much to the delight of Shi Liuli. ¡°This ce must have been the dwelling of an immortal.¡± She dered with absolute certainty, her expression extremely serious and solemn, ¡°The immortal is gone, so henceforth this ce shall be my cave abode!¡± What else could Luo Yan say? He could only agree repeatedly. ¡°Junior brother, you help me set up a formation outside to cloak it, so passing cultivators won¡¯t detect anything,¡± Shi Liuli instructed. Luo Yan really wanted to say that in the depths of the East Sea, there wouldn¡¯t be any cultivators passing by casually. But seeing Miss Shi in such high spirits so rarely, he justughed, shook his head, and left to arrange the formations.
He set up a few simple illusion arrays outside, then interlocked them with each other and added a deeper recursion¡ªit was perfect. Studying arrays at the entrance to the Wuzhi Ind ruins had greatly increased Luo Yan¡¯s experience, especially in interlocking two arrays. Nobody understands arrays better than I do. Nobody. After arranging the formations, as Luo Yan was admiring his handiwork, he suddenly heard the Kunlun Mirror panicking in his sea of consciousness: ¡°The fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone from Yuqing View has just left Peni Immortal Ind!¡± ¡°What?¡± Luo Yan was startled but quickly calmed down, ¡°Which direction is it moving?¡± ¡°South.¡± ¡°Can you be more precise, Ah Jing?¡± ¡°We¡¯re now a hundred and eighty thousand li from Yuqing View, how can I be precise? Being able to sense their movement at all is pretty amazing, okay?¡± ¡°Alright alright, my Ah Jing is the most amazing.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to praise me like that¡­ anyway, you better head back to Yuqing View quickly and find out who has left Peni Immortal Ind recently.¡± ¡°Of course, but what about Miss Shi?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about her for now, just go!¡± Kunlun Mirror urged, ¡°It¡¯s rare that we¡¯ve detected the location moving. If we don¡¯t confirm their identity now, once they return, it will be impossible to do so!¡± Luo Yan then fell silent for a long while before finally saying: ¡°That won¡¯t work, Ah Jing.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t just leave Miss Shi here all alone. She¡¯s so foolish; what if she encounters danger while she¡¯s out here alone?¡± Kunlun Mirror: ¡­¡­.. To say that this guy had a despicable character, well, he didn¡¯t seem all that despicable.
At least he remembered that he hade out here with Shi Liuli, so he felt responsible for her. But to say that this guy was loyal and righteous, that didn¡¯t seem quite right either. Would he dare to say ¡°She¡¯s so foolish¡± to Miss Shi¡¯s face? ¡°Fine then, you bring her back quickly,¡± Kunlun Mirror had no choice but topromise, saying anxiously.
Luo Yan turned to leave when suddenly he saw two streaks of sword lightnding on the open ground in front of the crevice. It was a man and a woman, two mysterious cultivators. ¡°There¡¯s no one around. You can speak now,¡± the male cultivator said. The female cultivator, still cautious, simply swept the area with her divine sense. Luo Yan immediately hid within the crevice. Thankfully, one of the interlocked formations he had set up was designed to shield against divine sense, so he managed not to get exposed by the female cultivator¡¯s scanning. After confirming there was no one around, the female cultivator then began to speak: ¡°Have you ever heard of the ¡®Hundred Thousand Deities and Demons Attacking Peni¡¯?¡± Luo Yan, who was eavesdropping: !!! ¡°I¡¯m not aware,¡± the male cultivator said with a wry smile, ¡°but it sounds interesting.¡± ¡°Iron Fan Daoist, we know you have a grudge with Yuqing View, so we wanted to invite you to join us,¡± the female cultivator said coldly. ¡°If you keep ying the fool, there¡¯s no need to continue this conversation.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t rush, Madam Liu.¡± Iron Fan Daoist quickly said, ¡°Actually, no one has told me about this, but I have also noticed something recently.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about anything else. Just consider how Madam Liu has been visiting along the way, always picking those sects with conflicts against Yuqing View. Even the most obtuse cultivator could see the implication, right?¡± ¡°Nonsense,¡± Madam Liu sneered. ¡°Which sect in the East Sea doesn¡¯t have conflicts with Yuqing View?¡± ¡°Peni Yuqing View prides itself on being the direct lineage of the rify Cult and behaves arrogantly without restraint. Every item produced in the East Sea is hoarded by them alone, and the other sects have been holding back their anger for years. Who could be the exception?¡±
¡°Just take the previous opening of the East Sea Pavilion. Out of the thirty-six Cave Heavens and Blessed Lands of the East Sea, whose disciples were allowed to enter the secret realm for training?¡± ¡°Instead, it was the Kunlun Taiqing Sect who sent their elite disciples from thousands of miles away¡­ It¡¯s as if the East Sea Pavilion did not belong to the East Sea but to the rify Cult themselves!¡± Iron Fan Daoist fell silent for a moment and then said through gritted teeth: ¡°That¡¯s right! The East Sea belongs to the cultivators of the East Sea, not just to Yuqing View alone! What rify Cult direct lineage, the ancient rify Cult has long perished. How can Yuqing View continue to dominate arrogantly!¡± ¡°Iron Fan Daoist,¡± Madam Liu¡¯s tone softened as she continued, ¡°This operation, named ¡®Hundred Thousand Deities and Demons Attacking Peni¡¯, isn¡¯t entirely a bluff.¡± ¡°I can reveal to you: among the thirty-six Cave Heavens of the East Sea, twenty-four have already agreed to join; from the Demon Cult¡¯s Six Paths, both the Heavenly Demon Path and Mortal Life Path will also partake.¡± ¡°As for the loose cultivators willing to assist from all over, there are at least seventy to eighty thousand.¡± ¡°When the wall falls, everyone pushes. Even if we can¡¯tpletely destroy Yuqing View, we will make sure their vital energy is greatly damaged, so they can no longer pose as the hegemony of the East Sea!¡± ¡°Madam Liu,¡± Iron Fan Daoist said sternly. ¡°If it¡¯s just a matter ofcking people and resources, my Iron Wire Mountain would of course be willing to support.¡± ¡°But you have to be clear with me: if ¡®Hundred Thousand Deities and Demons Attack Peni¡¯, will Shushan and Kunlune to aid?¡± ¡°If the Three Pure Orthodox Sect truly is as united as they im to be, then we¡¯re not only dealing with Yuqing View alone, but we¡¯re also facing three sects at the same time¡­ Even if all the paths of the Demon Cult gathered here, victory wouldn¡¯t be possible.¡± ¡°You worry too much,¡± Madam Liu chuckled again, but a cold look shed in her eyes, ¡°As far as I know, Kunlun Taiqing Sect has recently discovered a new secret realm.¡± ¡°All of their Golden Core True Persons are in that secret realm, exploring the mechanisms. Who would have the time toe all the way to support the East Sea?¡±
¡°A secret realm,¡± Iron Fan Daoist¡¯s eyes also glinted with greed. Secret realms, to the cultivators of the outside world, were blessednds brimming with Daoist Techniques, Flying Swords, Magical Treasures, and Elixirs, offering trialists whatever they sought. But the vast majority of these secret realms in the world were either controlled by the Three Pure Orthodox Sect or dominated by the Six Paths of the Demon Cult. It was extremely difficult for sect cultivators to enter a secret realm and gain its benefits. What to do? There¡¯s only one solution: Kill. For instance, was the ¡°Hundred Thousand Deities and Demons Attacking Peni¡± just about resisting the hegemony of Peni Yuqing View? At least the majority of the Demon Path cultivators and loose cultivators must havee with the intent to kill and seize treasures ¡ª and Iron Fan Daoist himself was no exception. ¡°What about Shushan?¡± Iron Fan Daoist continued to inquire. ¡°Shushan,¡± Madam Liu pondered briefly, then sneered, ¡°If all goes well, Shushan will likely be greatly injured soon enough, so there¡¯s no need for concern.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Iron Fan Daoist¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay to disclose the details,¡± Madam Liu said, looking around with furrowed brows, ¡°But let¡¯s not discuss it here. What if someone passes by suddenly? Let¡¯s go above the sea with Sword Control to talk in detail.¡± The two of them then mounted their Sword Light and left. After a moment of silence, Luo Yan turned to look for Shi Liuli down below. And then he saw Miss Shi walking back and forth in the passageway with a face full of panic. Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ Only now did he remember that even before those two hadnded, he had already activated the Array in the tunnel.
The result was that people outside could not discover the crevice, and those inside could not find the passage; Miss Shi, affected by the Array, had her senses confounded and was now spinning around in circles on the spot. Trying to hold backughter, Luo Yan deactivated the Array and was about to speak when he was suddenly wrapped around the neck from behind by an angry and embarrassed Shi Liuli. Ah, so soft¡­ Snap! Chapter 105: 40 Report to the master, Rewards within the Sect Chapter 105: Chapter 40 Report to the master, Rewards within the Sect A sword light pierced through the surface of the water. The two emerged from theke, both dripping wet. Xu Yinglian sneezed and suddenly felt warmth returning to her body¡ªit was Qiu Changtian casting the Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique. Looking around, as the sword light hovered for a moment, Xu Yinglian uncertainly said, ¡°This ce¡­ seems to be Guozha Lake?¡± Guozha Lake, locally known as ¡°Guozha Cuo,¡± is ake at the southern foothills of the Kunlun Mountain Range. The north side is fresh water, and the south side is salt water, which is indeed strange. The location from which the two had emerged from the secret realm was precisely at the boundary between the fresh and salt water. As such, after using the Minor Illumination Technique to dry their clothes, Qiu Changtian¡¯s body ended up covered in countless tiny salt crystals that sparkled in the sunlight, while Xu Yinglian remainedpletely clean. ¡°How can big brother be so unlucky?¡± Xu Yinglian couldn¡¯t help butugh as she saw the reason, and began to brush the salt grains off Qiu Changtian¡¯s clothes. Qiu Changtian, however, remained silent, just gazing at her quietly.
Soon, Xu Yinglian also realized the ambiguity of her actions and hurriedly withdrew her hand in embarrassment. At the same time, she summoned her Feather Jia Sword, and riding the sword light, she sped off to the north, hastily leaving behind a sentence: ¡°Big brother, this secret realm affair is of great importance. We should report to master as soon as possible.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Qiu Changtian nodded slightly, and the Yu Long Sword¡¯s light immediately shot up into the sky. The two flew on their swords, one after the other, and quickly arrived back at the top of the Heaven¡¯s Pir of Kunlun, entering the Jade Void Pce. Xu Yinglian arrived first at the Ziwei Master¡¯s location, but without speaking, she simply gestured for Qiu Changtian to talk. Qiu Changtian respectfully bowed to the Sect Leader and then recounted how Jiang and Hu hade seeking them, how the four entered the secret realm, how the golden-armored divine general showed aggression, and how they subsequently fell into a bizarre time retrospection. In the end, relying on Junior Sister Xu¡¯s clever n, they killed the golden-armored divine general and sessfully broke through the defense of the Cloud tform surrounding the secret realm, acquired the rewards from the Zhao Pce, and left. The Ziwei Master remained silent, merely holding a horsetail whisk and listening with a stoic expression. However, the faint trembling of the whisk¡¯s tip seemed to indicate that the heart of this esteemed Sect Leader was not asposed as his facade. Only when Qiu Changtian mentioned their escape from Guozha Lake did the Ziwei Master finally speak slowly: ¡°The Divine me Path¡­ About ten thousand years ago, it indeed once thrived within the Kunlun Mountain Range.¡± ¡°But afterwards, for some unknown reason, it vanished mysteriously from this world.¡± ¡°If that hadn¡¯t been the case, our ancestors wouldn¡¯t have been able to so easily upy the entire Kunlun Mountain Range.¡± ¡°Your survival from that secret realm is exceedingly rare.¡± ¡°However¡­ to ensure the situation is as you described, I must go there with you once more.¡± Qiu Changtian immediately agreed. Of course, this was to be expected, since if the Divine Pce of the Western Queen Mother was indeed a trial secret realm for the Golden Core Realm, its significance to the Taiqing Sect of Kunlun was self-evident. Given that it had not been explored by anyone for nearly ten thousand years, the abundance of treasures and resources within could even surpass those of the East Sea Pavilion. Therefore, it was within expectation for the Ziwei Master to want to personally verify it.
Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian once again took flight on their swords, bringing the Ziwei Master to the original rock crevice location, only to find that the crevice had already disappeared. The Ziwei Master narrowed her eyes at the shallow groove on the ground in front of where the rock fissure had been, fell silent for a moment, and then drew out the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword. With a single sh, she cleaved through a hundred meters of rock, exposing the crevice once more. The three stepped into the crevice again, and before long, they re-entered the secret realm, arriving on the cliff tform with an endless sea of clouds stretching out in front of them.
The golden-armored divine general guarding the bridge had respawned and stood immobile at the head of the bridge, when they heard the Ziwei Master say: ¡°How did you deal with it? Demonstrate it once more for your master.¡± Qiu Changtian bowed and then silently chanted an incantation, performed the hand seals, and cast an Immortal Capital Thunder, causing a crack in the breastte of the Golden Armored Divine General. The Golden Armored Divine General immediately opened its eyes wide with a fierce gaze and charged with its de, but was casually pointed at by the Ziwei Master, and the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword elegantly swept by, shing the enemy in half at the waist. ¡°It truly is a manifestation of willpower,¡± the Ziwei Master observed the Divine General for a moment and said, ¡°Golden Core rank, with willpower as its armor, impervious to des and spears, and immune to the trials of water and fire.¡± ¡°Had you not possessed the Immortal Capital Thunder, which happens to restrain it, this journey would have be perilous.¡± The three continued across the long bridge and reached the Cloud tform. Now the Jade Pond was empty, with nothing but the hollow mirror stand and the water, nothing else. Regarding the fragments of the Kunlun Mirror, Qiu Changtian only mentioned ¡°they vanish upon touch,¡± and the Ziwei Master did not pursue the matter further, continuing through Heaven¡¯s Gate. With a whisk of his horsetail whisk, the pce doors opened on their own. In the main hall inside, various treasures were still disyed, dazzling to the eyes. The Ziwei Master¡¯s gaze moved swiftly, and with a flick of his horsetail whisk, he rolled up two elixir bottles from one of the stands and tossed them to Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian. The two hurriedly caught the elixir bottles and felt themselves immediately transported back to the peach garden at the touch of them. Qiu Changtian took out the elixir bottle and sniffed it lightly under his nose.
Could it actually be the Pure Yuan Qi Pill? ¡°This is the Pure Yuan Qi Pill!¡± Xu Yinglian, hailing from the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, soon recognized it as well, eximing excitedly, ¡°After consuming and refining its power, it facilitates the flow through the limbs and bones, and can shorten the time needed for Marrow Cleansing.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Qiu Changtian said unemotionally as he secured the elixir bottle. ¡°It¡¯s just a pity we didn¡¯t encounter the Mercurial Elixir Liquid again,¡± Xu Yinglian remarked regretfully, ¡°Shall we wait here for Master to return?¡± ¡°Master must be confirming the situation inside Zhao Pce; there¡¯s no telling how long it will take,¡± Qiu Changtian contemted for a moment, then said, ¡°Even if we wait, it¡¯s best to do so outside the exit of the secret realm.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Xu Yinglian had no objections. So, the two rode their sword light, directly entering the downpour of the peach garden¡¯s well, and then broke through the surface of the water from Guozha Lake in the outer world. After waiting by theke for almost half an hour, they saw the water suddenly part to both sides, and the Ziwei Master, holding his horsetail whisk, came out calmly from within, approaching them. ¡°You both did well this time,¡± the Ziwei Master slowly spoke, his face though not clearly showing a smile, but his tone carried contentment, ¡°The sect will record a great meritorious deed for you.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s go, you two head back to Kunlun first.¡± Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian nodded in agreement, then mounted their swords and headed back to Golden Ridge. The Ziwei Master was left standing silently by thekeshore, staring at the shimmeringke surface, his fingers slightly moving within his sleeve, seemingly calcting something. Upon returning to the Golden Ridge Cave Abode, Qiu Changtian had justnded when he heard Xu Yinglian hesitate before finally speaking up:
¡°You know, although there¡¯s little, I can share half of it with Elder Brother¡­¡± Qiu Changtian was stunned for a long time before he realized she was talking about the Mercurial Elixir Liquid. He slightly furrowed his brows, showing impatience as he said: ¡°Surely Junior Sister isn¡¯t looking down on me?¡± Xu Yinglian was dumbfounded by his response; she was usually the one to throw that remark at Elder Brother, but didn¡¯t expect to have it thrown back at her. Her face quickly turned cold, and she scoffed: ¡°It seems Junior Sister has indeed underestimated Elder Brother. Well, with Elder Brother¡¯s peerless talent, I suppose even without relying on external aids, you would easily achieve First Grade Pill Formation.¡± After saying that, she huffily turned around and left, and once out of Qiu Changtian¡¯s sight, she couldn¡¯t help grinding her teeth in frustration, cursing him in her heart. Qiu Changtian watched her retreating figure, smiling slightly,pletely unaffected by her sarcasm. Of course, he would not covet such a small amount of Mercurial Elixir Liquid, for that was Junior Sister Xu¡¯s opportunity. Besides¡­ with his own abilities, how could he possiblyck the chance to form a pill? Chapter 106: 41 The Golden Silkworm Falls Asleep, Liuli Runs Away Chapter 106: Chapter 41 The Golden Silkworm Falls Asleep, Liuli Runs Away Qiu Changtian returned to his cave dwelling and first took a ¡°Pure Yuan Qi Pill.¡± After a brief period of refining, he took out the cone-shaped magic artifact and began to carefully examine it. The cone was seven inches long and weighed about five ounces. The material felt smooth and delicate to the touch, with an inscription carved at one spot, arranged vertically from the base to the tip. This was Ancient Immortal Seal Script, supposedly every inscription has countless meanings, and it¡¯s only by differentbinations of inscriptions that one could determine their ultimate meaning. Therefore, since ancient times, only immortals could decipher Immortal Seal Script; it had never been decoded by any cultivator of the mortal world. Of course, objects endowed with the essence of immortals also probably count as one of the ranks of immortals. ¡°Ah Jing,¡± Qiu Changtian once again sought help from an outside expert, his own immortal spiritual object, ¡°do you understand the meaning of these inscriptions?¡± ¡°This probably means ¡®splitting metal and cleaving stone,¡¯¡± the Kunlun Mirror said uncertainly. ¡°Splitting metal and cleaving stone? Does it mean it¡¯s meant to counter the Metal System and Earth System?¡± Qiu Changtian pondered. ¡°I don¡¯t know about that,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said demurely, ¡°but anything that bears the ancient inscription is definitely an artifact from the ancient times, no doubt about that.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a chuckle, ¡°truly, listening to a single word from you is better than a whole conversation. Thank you, Ah Jing.¡±
Kunlun Mirror: ? After putting away the cone, Qiu Changtian spoke indifferently: ¡°Load the file, Luo Yan.¡± The Kunlun Mirror then began to broadcast: [Location three: East Sea, Peni Yuqing View.] [Character identity: Luo Yan.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Temte ovey, undergoing time-space travel.] Getting up from the bed, Luo Yan went to check the iron cauldron in the corner of the room. Three plump, white Hundred Poison Gold Silkworm Gu were curled up together at the bottom of the cauldron, fast asleep. The Gold Silkworm Gu instinctively loves cleanliness, so Luo Yan put them in the cauldron and covered it with a lid to ensure not a speck of dust could enter. But looking at the bodies of these bugs, the golden color had only reached the first segment of the outer shell and was very faint. He didn¡¯t know when they would fully mature in color. ording to the records, the Hundred Poison Gold Silkworm Gu was sessfully bred in thete period of the ancient Intercepting Cult, the king of all poisons, whose bite causes flesh to rot instantaneously; And it¡¯s also the king among insects, with a shell as tough as gold and steel, unbreakable as refined metal, impervious to swords and fire, no matter the magic artifact, just a bite with theirrge teeth and it instantly falls to pieces. The only pity was that these insects had almost gone extinct with the decline of the Intercepting Cult, and even the ones Luo Yan had were too few, a mere three. If he could be like the ancient cultivators of the Intercepting Cult, releasing tens of thousands of Hundred Poison Gold Silkworm Gu with a wave of his hand, forming a cloud in the sky, diving down like rain, buzzing into a symphony like the thundering boom of thunder. Only then would it be like meeting gods and ying gods, meeting Buddhas and ughtering Buddhas, destroying heavens and earth. With just two or three tiny insects like these, they could only be used to assassinate in secret. Luckily, Luo Yan specifically checked the scriptures and confirmed that these three Hundred Poison Gold Silkworm Gus were one male and two females. If there were resources and opportunitiester, he would let them breed, to be his second trump card after the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light.
Looking at the three Gold Silkworm Gus still asleep, Luo Yan had already nned their entire future. Let them shine brightly and burn, realizing the full value of their existence as insects! ¡°Junior Brother!¡± Shi Liuli came rushing in once again, ¡°Father is calling for you.¡± Even before Miss Shi stepped through the door, her impatient voice had already preceded her into the room.
Luo Yan made a swift decision and skillfully tossed the three Gold Silkworm Gus back into the cauldron, pulled over the lid, pasted a Sealing Talisman on top, activated the formation on the floor, and erased all traces clean. ¡°Alright,¡± he said with a smile. Why Elder Shi Ding was looking for him was, of course, not hard for Luo Yan to guess; he must have heard about the trip to the Five Elements Cave Heaven from Shi Liuli and realized that there was something off about Li Qinniang¡¯s identity, so he had hurriedly sought him out for confirmation. Therefore, upon meeting Elder Shi Ding, Luo Yan exined the whole situation truthfully: She asked me to fix the gs of the formation, I checked all the gs, found no problem, and came back. Luo Yan spoke honestly, as the prompt for the rise in Synchronization Value constantly popped up in his Sea of Consciousness, to the point where even Ah Jing nearly got numb from it. I have never seen such a person so adept at lying! Under the guise of his false persona, Elder Shi Ding harbored no doubts, but merely let out a long sigh, signaling Luo Yan that he could leave. After Luo Yan left, a person emerged from behind the screen, none other than the Pavilion Master of Peni Jade Pure, Master of Xuan Du. ¡°This is strange,¡± the Master of Xuan Du said with surprise, ¡°the people of the Heavenly Demon Path, disguised as cultivators from Wuzhi Cave, just to make your disciple run a fool¡¯s errand?¡± ¡°Luo Yan is pure of heart, he should not have lied,¡± Elder Shi Ding said with a sigh. ¡°I don¡¯t think your disciple is lying either,¡± the Master of Xuan Du said solemnly, ¡°It¡¯s just that this makes the situation even more confusing.¡± ¡°Nothing seems to be missing on the Wuzhi Cave¡¯s end,¡± said Elder Shi Ding gravely, ¡°At the time, they didn¡¯t even know that there was a ¡®Li Qinniang¡¯ disguising as one of their sect¡¯s cultivators.¡±
¡°So it seems that the enemy¡¯s target is not within Wuzhi Cave,¡± the Master of Xuan Du sneered coldly, ¡°If there is no oue, there¡¯s no need to worry about it either, lest we fall for the Heavenly Demon Path¡¯s tactic of creating a diversion.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± stroked his beard, Elder Shi Ding¡¯s face remained clouded with concern. His daughter and Luo Yan were of too low a realm, they couldn¡¯t be entangled in the struggles between Yuqing View and the Heavenly Demon Path too early. Indeed, over the next few years, it¡¯s best to keep them within Yuqing View instead of going out. ¡­¡­ A few dayster. ¡°What? Grounded again?!¡± Miss Shi eximed in disbelief, ¡°Why?!!¡± ¡°Per the orders of Elder Shi Ding, you are not allowed to enter or leave the sect at will¡­¡± the White Jade Puppet tasked with guarding the main gate of Yuqing View hadn¡¯t finished speaking when it was smashed to pieces by Shi Liuli wielding the Divine Striking Whip with a loud snap. Luo Yan, who was standing behind her, wanted to say something but hesitated, feeling helpless inside. Having stayed at Yuqing View for so long, he knew that this White Jade Puppet was called ¡°Nian Nu.¡± Simply by attaching one¡¯s Divine Sense to it, it could move freely like a robot with artificial intelligence, much more useful than a servant. For this reason, each Nian Nu cost a fortune in Spirit Stones. To see Miss Shi casually destroy one, Luo Yan genuinely felt a headacheing on.
Even the wealthy Heavenly Craft Workshop, capable ofpensating the loss, might find such waste somewhat inappropriate¡­ ¡°Junior Brother, let¡¯s go quickly!¡± Shi Liuli suddenly cried out, grabbing his hand without further exnation, and soared into the sky with a surge of Sword Light. Below the fleeing pair, arge flock of White Jade Kites took flight, beginning the chase for the culprit who had destroyed the sect¡¯s property. Luo Yan, wrapped up in the Sword Light beside her, stared nkly back at the scene they left behind, his mind filled with messy thoughts like ¡°Who am I,¡± ¡°Where am I,¡± and ¡°What am I supposed to do.¡± Fortunately, Miss Shi¡¯s Flying Sword was powerful enough to quickly leave the pursuers far behind out of sight. ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Luo Yan reminded her, ¡°We have left the territory of Yuqing View, so where shall we go next?¡± ¡°Next¡­¡± Shi Liuli seemed troubled. She had originally nned to go shopping at the Fanghu Market, only to run into obstacles while trying to sneak out of the sect. Now, having once again destroyed the gate-keeping White Jade Puppet, she expected her father to be furious when he found out. If they were to continue shopping at Fanghu Market, they might get caught by her senior brother sent to retrieve her, and then she would be confined to the Heavenly Craft Workshop, unable to even leave the door¡­ Alright, decision made! We¡¯ll have fun outside for a while, and when father probably cools down, we¡¯ll go back! ¡°Next, let¡¯s explore the various relics and secret realms of the East Sea! What do you say, Junior Brother?¡± Shi Liuli, thinking she found an appropriate reason, proposed to Luo Yan with high spirits. Luo Yan almost grimaced upon hearing this.
Qiu Changtian¡¯sst exploration of a secret realm was fraught with peril, nearly costing both him and Junior Sister Xu their lives. Having barely escaped the secret realm, who would want to apany Miss Shi on another adventure? Even the most iron-willed Daoist Heart couldn¡¯t withstand it! No way! Of course, you can¡¯t just bluntly say ¡°no¡± to Miss Shi, because she would be furiously embarrassed and insist on going just because you said she couldn¡¯t. Therefore, Luo Yan feigned great interest and responded: ¡°That¡¯s great, Senior Sister! I¡¯ve been feeling cooped up in the Heavenly Craft Workshop myself. Why don¡¯t we start by heading east, then turn south to search for uninhabited inds? How does that sound?¡± [False persona, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°That sounds wonderful!¡± Shi Liuli, unaware that Luo Yan had already scoured that ind while cultivating the Five Elements Divine Light, leaving no chance for any relics to exist, eagerly agreed with keen interest. Chapter 107: 42 Exploring the Secrets of the East Sea, Revisiting the Old Ground Chapter 107: Chapter 42 Exploring the Secrets of the East Sea, Revisiting the Old Ground Luo Yan, in his quest to find an ind to refine the Five Elements True Veins, had flown eastward on the Flying Sword for a long time. Shi Liuli, however, had never ventured so deeply into the East Sea. Hearing her father mention that the deeper parts of the East Sea were filled with increasingly formidable water Demons, she couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of anticipation and curiosity. In less than a quarter of an hour, the two had encountered another attack. The attacker this time was a giant squid, about nine yards wide with a white body and purple stripes. It raised its tentacles and with a rustling sound, water Arrows were swiftly shot out, attacking the Sword Light that streaked across the sky. Shi Liuli, spotting the attack from below, was just about to bring out the Jade Emperor Bell to defend herself when Luo Yan suddenly grabbed her and quickly rolled to the side. This was because the shape of the water Arrows was eerily simr to the ¡°Rain After a Mountain¡¯s Silence,¡± the secondyer of Sword Dao Techniques of the Green Duckweed Sword, likely with the ability to breach defenses. As expected, the water Arrows treated the protective shield of the Jade Emperor Bell as if it were nothing, piercing through it without any impediment. Fortunately, Luo Yan had urgently pulled Miss Shi, preventing the water Arrows from prating her skull¡ªinstead, they shattered her hairpin, releasing her long, waterfall-like ck hair. Realizing her favorite hairpin had been destroyed, Shi Liuli was almost beside herself with anger. She let out a cry and brought out the Divine Striking Whip, mming down with all her might! The giant squid, sensing danger, tried to sink and escape by undting its body. But the Divine Striking Whip was even faster. It severed two of its tentacles and smashed onto its head, creating a huge bloody hole.
The giant squid first sank vertically, then floated up horizontally, clearly having met its demise. Shi Liuli then descended with the Sword Light and said to Luo Yan, ¡°Junior Brother, help me check if it has an inner core.¡± ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Luo Yan replied helplessly, ¡°only Demonic Beasts of the Transformation Rank have inner cores.¡± The so-called Transformation Rank referred to Demonic Beasts transforming from beast form to human form, equivalent to the Golden Core Rank of human Cultivators. If the two encountered a Transformation Rank Demonic Beast in the territory of the East Sea, their first instinct would surely be to flee¡ªthere were no other options. ¡°Is that so?¡± Shi Liuli was still doubtful, ¡°But this squid was so powerful that it could even break through the defenses of my Jade Emperor Bell; it seems like its Cultivation Realm can¡¯t be far off.¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Luo Yan patiently exined. The innate Divine Ability of this squid must have had the effect of breaking defenses. That¡¯s how it was able to ignore the protection of the Jade Emperor Bell and shatter the hairpin on Miss Shi¡¯s head. In terms of strength, it would be considered as mid to lower level within the Refining Mansion Rank, and even more fragile than a Cultivator of the same Rank. ¡°Really?¡± Shi Liuli was still somewhat skeptical but then had a sudden inspiration. She asked Luo Yan to help her dissect the giant squid, catch more fish, shrimp, crabs, and shellfish, and then find a nearby ind to have a barbecue. After hearing Miss Shi¡¯s request, Luo Yan couldn¡¯t help but admire her wildly imaginative thought process. It took a special kind of whimsy for someone who was nning on exploring an uninhabited relic one moment to then suddenly decide to kill seafood for a feast the next. Since this Miss had always been spoiled, if you tried to remonstrate with her and went against her wishes, she would definitely throw a little tantrum. ¡°Alright, then I¡¯ll look for a small ind first,¡± Luo Yan cated her. He took out the Flying Sword and cut the giant squid into pieces, storing them in the Storage Bag. Then, he led Miss Shi along their previous route; eventually, they reached the ind they had used before for Cultivating the Five Elements Divine Light. As soon as Shi Liuli arrived above the ind, she immediately took an interest. Probably because the ind had both beautiful mountains and seas, lush forests, and fine sandy beaches, fitting the criteria for a seaside holiday destination in every respect. Mainly, it was because someone had restored the ind after achieving great sess in the Divine Light and had also bnced the Five Element Spiritual Energy, making the ce teem with life.
She descended, kicked off her shoes and socks, and started ying with the water on the beach. Meanwhile, Luo Yan, controlling the Sword, quietly went to the nearby sea surface and using the Sword Dao Techniques of Qing Ping, caught many fish and shrimp. He then chopped some trees to set up a grill on the beach and started getting busy. Miss Shi, hailing from the East Sea, was naturally ustomed to the oceans and the beaches. It was just her first time venturing deep into an uninhabited ind in the East Sea, and the unfamiliar environment was a novelty to her for a moment. It wasn¡¯t long before she tired of ying and came back to watch over the grill. Using Flying Sword, she poked at the fish and shellfish cooking on it. As each piece finished, she ate it, her mouth dripping with oil, her brows dancing with delight, and she was extremely happy.
Luo Yan saw her disy such a gourmet¡¯s expression and decided to try some of the grilled fish as well. Indeed, the quality of the sea fish here was even more sulent and tender, rich and juicy. It probably had something to do with the higher ranks of the deep-sea Demonic Beasts here, though the fundamental reason remained unknown. After finishing their seafood barbecue, both of them felt satisfied and content. Though those who pursue Cultivating Immortality have taken up Fasting and have no need for food, asionally indulging in the desires of the pte was not a loss of the joys of the Mortal World. Having refined away the impurities within his stomach, Luo Yan then gracefully stood up, thinking that now they should surely be able to return, right? Then, he heard Miss Shi dere, ¡°This little ind will be mine from now on. Junior brother, how about we build a hut here and reside to cultivate quietly for a few days?¡± Luo Yan almost spat out blood upon hearing this. To leave without saying goodbye was one thing, but to stay outside for a few more days¡ªElder Shi Ding would surely y my skin! ¡°Senior sister, this doesn¡¯t seem appropriate, does it? If our master finds out¡­¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand.¡± Shi Liuli patiently and persuasively said, ¡°If we were to return right now, father would definitely fly into a rage and hold us ountable for leaving the Sect without cause and for destroying Sect property.¡± ¡°If we return after a day, father will start to worry. He¡¯ll think that as long as the two of us can safely return, all previous mistakes will be wiped clean.¡±
¡°If we return after two days, father will start all manner of praying, swearing to give us more Magical Treasures and Spirit Weapons, just hoping that we cane back alive.¡± Luo Yan was stunned speechless. What a strategy! Is this what they call ¡°being spoiled into filial piety¡±? However, this also showed that Miss Shi was notcking in intelligence. At the very least, she had the emotional intelligence to understand people¡¯s nature. The reason she usually seemed foolish was only due to her limited interactions andck of worldly wisdom. The two of them then cleaned up the barbecue setup. Miss Shi put on her shoes and socks, nning to take a walk in the forest, with Luo Yan naturally apanying her. As they strolled along the forest paths, they eventually came upon the entrance that led to the cave where Luo Yan had previously cultivated. ¡°Junior brother, look! There¡¯s a crevice!¡± Miss Shi eximed with great excitement, ¡°Could there be a secret realm inside?¡± If there truly was a secret realm, I¡¯d hail Miss Shi as a Creator God! Luo Yan inwardly scoffed, but replied aloud: ¡°Indeed¡­ looking at the outline of this crevice, it doesn¡¯t seem natural. There might actually be another world underneath, it¡¯s possible.¡± ¡°You think so too?¡± Shi Liuli, intrigued, lifted her Divine Striking Whip and struck directly at the crevice. The passage, which had originally been blocked due to the copse caused by Luo Yan¡¯s Divine Light, was quickly cleared.
¡°There really are ruins!¡± Miss Shi finally spotted the man-made stone steps at the bottom of the passage, and immediately became excited, pping her hands andughing, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, there must be immortals living here!¡± Luo Yan: ¡­ There were no immortals, but there was indeed one dead powerful being. Just as he was thinking of an excuse not to go, Shi Liuli had already grabbed his hand, not taking no for an answer, and dragged him into the crevice. Chapter 108: 43: One Hundred Thousand Gods and Demons Attack Penglai Chapter 108: Chapter 43: One Hundred Thousand Gods and Demons Attack Peni Shi Liuli meticulously cleared her way, soon reaching the stone chamber she had discovered before. Above the stone chamber¡¯s ceiling, the crack split open by thunder remained starkly visible, casting downrge swaths of clear sky light. There was also a spring trickling down the crack, resembling strings of pearls. Green vines hung down alongside the water, like a folding screen. In the center of the stone chamber, there was a stone bed¡ªthat was where the Myriad Laws True Person from the Intercepting Cult had transcended physical form, only now it had been scorched ck by the lightning. Surrounding it were pools of umted water, dotted with stars of lotus flowers, with delicate leaves gently bobbing and petals strikingly beautiful, much to the delight of Shi Liuli. ¡°This ce must have been the dwelling of an immortal.¡± She dered with absolute certainty, her expression extremely serious and solemn, ¡°The immortal is gone, so henceforth this ce shall be my cave abode!¡± What else could Luo Yan say? He could only agree repeatedly. ¡°Junior brother, you help me set up a formation outside to cloak it, so passing cultivators won¡¯t detect anything,¡± Shi Liuli instructed. Luo Yan really wanted to say that in the depths of the East Sea, there wouldn¡¯t be any cultivators passing by casually. But seeing Miss Shi in such high spirits so rarely, he justughed, shook his head, and left to arrange the formations.
He set up a few simple illusion arrays outside, then interlocked them with each other and added a deeper recursion¡ªit was perfect. Studying arrays at the entrance to the Wuzhi Ind ruins had greatly increased Luo Yan¡¯s experience, especially in interlocking two arrays. Nobody understands arrays better than I do. Nobody. After arranging the formations, as Luo Yan was admiring his handiwork, he suddenly heard the Kunlun Mirror panicking in his sea of consciousness: ¡°The fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone from Yuqing View has just left Peni Immortal Ind!¡± ¡°What?¡± Luo Yan was startled but quickly calmed down, ¡°Which direction is it moving?¡± ¡°South.¡± ¡°Can you be more precise, Ah Jing?¡± ¡°We¡¯re now a hundred and eighty thousand li from Yuqing View, how can I be precise? Being able to sense their movement at all is pretty amazing, okay?¡± ¡°Alright alright, my Ah Jing is the most amazing.¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to praise me like that¡­ anyway, you better head back to Yuqing View quickly and find out who has left Peni Immortal Ind recently.¡± ¡°Of course, but what about Miss Shi?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about her for now, just go!¡± Kunlun Mirror urged, ¡°It¡¯s rare that we¡¯ve detected the location moving. If we don¡¯t confirm their identity now, once they return, it will be impossible to do so!¡± Luo Yan then fell silent for a long while before finally saying: ¡°That won¡¯t work, Ah Jing.¡± ¡°I can¡¯t just leave Miss Shi here all alone. She¡¯s so foolish; what if she encounters danger while she¡¯s out here alone?¡± Kunlun Mirror: ¡­¡­.. To say that this guy had a despicable character, well, he didn¡¯t seem all that despicable.
At least he remembered that he hade out here with Shi Liuli, so he felt responsible for her. But to say that this guy was loyal and righteous, that didn¡¯t seem quite right either. Would he dare to say ¡°She¡¯s so foolish¡± to Miss Shi¡¯s face? ¡°Fine then, you bring her back quickly,¡± Kunlun Mirror had no choice but topromise, saying anxiously.
Luo Yan turned to leave when suddenly he saw two streaks of sword lightnding on the open ground in front of the crevice. It was a man and a woman, two mysterious cultivators. ¡°There¡¯s no one around. You can speak now,¡± the male cultivator said. The female cultivator, still cautious, simply swept the area with her divine sense. Luo Yan immediately hid within the crevice. Thankfully, one of the interlocked formations he had set up was designed to shield against divine sense, so he managed not to get exposed by the female cultivator¡¯s scanning. After confirming there was no one around, the female cultivator then began to speak: ¡°Have you ever heard of the ¡®Hundred Thousand Deities and Demons Attacking Peni¡¯?¡± Luo Yan, who was eavesdropping: !!! ¡°I¡¯m not aware,¡± the male cultivator said with a wry smile, ¡°but it sounds interesting.¡± ¡°Iron Fan Daoist, we know you have a grudge with Yuqing View, so we wanted to invite you to join us,¡± the female cultivator said coldly. ¡°If you keep ying the fool, there¡¯s no need to continue this conversation.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t rush, Madam Liu.¡± Iron Fan Daoist quickly said, ¡°Actually, no one has told me about this, but I have also noticed something recently.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about anything else. Just consider how Madam Liu has been visiting along the way, always picking those sects with conflicts against Yuqing View. Even the most obtuse cultivator could see the implication, right?¡± ¡°Nonsense,¡± Madam Liu sneered. ¡°Which sect in the East Sea doesn¡¯t have conflicts with Yuqing View?¡± ¡°Peni Yuqing View prides itself on being the direct lineage of the rify Cult and behaves arrogantly without restraint. Every item produced in the East Sea is hoarded by them alone, and the other sects have been holding back their anger for years. Who could be the exception?¡±
¡°Just take the previous opening of the East Sea Pavilion. Out of the thirty-six Cave Heavens and Blessed Lands of the East Sea, whose disciples were allowed to enter the secret realm for training?¡± ¡°Instead, it was the Kunlun Taiqing Sect who sent their elite disciples from thousands of miles away¡­ It¡¯s as if the East Sea Pavilion did not belong to the East Sea but to the rify Cult themselves!¡± Iron Fan Daoist fell silent for a moment and then said through gritted teeth: ¡°That¡¯s right! The East Sea belongs to the cultivators of the East Sea, not just to Yuqing View alone! What rify Cult direct lineage, the ancient rify Cult has long perished. How can Yuqing View continue to dominate arrogantly!¡± ¡°Iron Fan Daoist,¡± Madam Liu¡¯s tone softened as she continued, ¡°This operation, named ¡®Hundred Thousand Deities and Demons Attacking Peni¡¯, isn¡¯t entirely a bluff.¡± ¡°I can reveal to you: among the thirty-six Cave Heavens of the East Sea, twenty-four have already agreed to join; from the Demon Cult¡¯s Six Paths, both the Heavenly Demon Path and Mortal Life Path will also partake.¡± ¡°As for the loose cultivators willing to assist from all over, there are at least seventy to eighty thousand.¡± ¡°When the wall falls, everyone pushes. Even if we can¡¯tpletely destroy Yuqing View, we will make sure their vital energy is greatly damaged, so they can no longer pose as the hegemony of the East Sea!¡± ¡°Madam Liu,¡± Iron Fan Daoist said sternly. ¡°If it¡¯s just a matter ofcking people and resources, my Iron Wire Mountain would of course be willing to support.¡± ¡°But you have to be clear with me: if ¡®Hundred Thousand Deities and Demons Attack Peni¡¯, will Shushan and Kunlune to aid?¡± ¡°If the Three Pure Orthodox Sect truly is as united as they im to be, then we¡¯re not only dealing with Yuqing View alone, but we¡¯re also facing three sects at the same time¡­ Even if all the paths of the Demon Cult gathered here, victory wouldn¡¯t be possible.¡± ¡°You worry too much,¡± Madam Liu chuckled again, but a cold look shed in her eyes, ¡°As far as I know, Kunlun Taiqing Sect has recently discovered a new secret realm.¡± ¡°All of their Golden Core True Persons are in that secret realm, exploring the mechanisms. Who would have the time toe all the way to support the East Sea?¡±
¡°A secret realm,¡± Iron Fan Daoist¡¯s eyes also glinted with greed. Secret realms, to the cultivators of the outside world, were blessednds brimming with Daoist Techniques, Flying Swords, Magical Treasures, and Elixirs, offering trialists whatever they sought. But the vast majority of these secret realms in the world were either controlled by the Three Pure Orthodox Sect or dominated by the Six Paths of the Demon Cult. It was extremely difficult for sect cultivators to enter a secret realm and gain its benefits. What to do? There¡¯s only one solution: Kill. For instance, was the ¡°Hundred Thousand Deities and Demons Attacking Peni¡± just about resisting the hegemony of Peni Yuqing View? At least the majority of the Demon Path cultivators and loose cultivators must havee with the intent to kill and seize treasures ¡ª and Iron Fan Daoist himself was no exception. ¡°What about Shushan?¡± Iron Fan Daoist continued to inquire. ¡°Shushan,¡± Madam Liu pondered briefly, then sneered, ¡°If all goes well, Shushan will likely be greatly injured soon enough, so there¡¯s no need for concern.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Iron Fan Daoist¡¯s eyes brightened, ¡°Go on.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay to disclose the details,¡± Madam Liu said, looking around with furrowed brows, ¡°But let¡¯s not discuss it here. What if someone passes by suddenly? Let¡¯s go above the sea with Sword Control to talk in detail.¡± The two of them then mounted their Sword Light and left. After a moment of silence, Luo Yan turned to look for Shi Liuli down below. And then he saw Miss Shi walking back and forth in the passageway with a face full of panic. Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ Only now did he remember that even before those two hadnded, he had already activated the Array in the tunnel.
The result was that people outside could not discover the crevice, and those inside could not find the passage; Miss Shi, affected by the Array, had her senses confounded and was now spinning around in circles on the spot. Trying to hold backughter, Luo Yan deactivated the Array and was about to speak when he was suddenly wrapped around the neck from behind by an angry and embarrassed Shi Liuli. Ah, so soft¡­ Snap! Chapter 109: 44: My Sword Could Never Be Thrust at My Senior Sister! Chapter 109: Chapter 44: My Sword Could Never Be Thrust at My Senior Sister! On the way back to Yuqing View, Shi Liuli still lingered on the memories. After all, this was her first time venturing so far for fun. Luo Yan, however, was burning with impatience. Not only because he needed to confirm the location of the Heaven-Mending Stone but also because he had learned of the news ¡°one hundred thousand demons attacking Peni.¡± Despite carrying the mission of Heaven-Mending and having to infiltrate this sect to obtain the Heaven-Mending Stone, the care from everyone in the Heavenly Craft Workshop, as if from kin, was still etched in his heart. He had feelings for Yuqing View! Yet, just as they were about to reach Yuqing View, the Kunlun Mirror suddenly said with a sigh: ¡°The location of the Heaven-Mending Stone has returned to Yuqing View; it¡¯s no longer possible to confirm it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s okay,¡± Luo Yan stated calmly, ¡°I¡¯ll inquireter who has recently returned to the sect.¡± ¡°Moreover, regarding the ¡®one hundred thousand demons attacking Peni,¡¯ I also need to discuss this with Master¡­¡± He paused and suddenly frowned, ¡°Wait a moment. Such a major event can¡¯t possibly be unknown within the view.¡±
¡°How am I going to exin the source of my information if I go and tell them?¡± The Kunlun Mirror asked in confusion: ¡°Why don¡¯t you just honestly say you overheard it while passing by¡­¡± ¡°Why would I have the ability to eavesdrop?¡± Luo Yan counter-asked. ¡°That¡¯s not by using a formation¡­¡± The Kunlun Mirror began, then quickly realized. To maintain his false persona, Luo Yan had always concealed his true strength from the Heavenly Craft Workshop. For instance, iming he didn¡¯t acquire the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light when he actually did in Pavilion. Or forcefully denying he obtained the Five Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu at the Five-Zhi Archipgo. And such as Luo Yan¡¯s Qi Refinement progress, Formation skills¡­ In short, everything was understated. Every time he reported to his Master, he added to his Synchronization Value, reveling in the deceit. If he were to speak the truth now, Elder Shi Ding would inevitably question him, and his cover would be blown. ¡°Forget about it!¡± Luo Yan made a decision, ¡°We have to trust that Peni Jade Pure View can withstand these disaster risks! How can such a huge conspiracy go unnoticed by the view? Are all those Elders who practice Art Calction hopeless?¡± ¡°What if no one has predicted it?¡± the Kunlun Mirror deliberately argued, ¡°What if you don¡¯t speak up and it leads to Yuqing View suffering a heavy blow; what then?¡± ¡°If Yuqing View has fallen to the point where it depends on a mere Foundation Establishment disciple like me to survive, then isn¡¯t its demise inevitable sooner orter? I might as well take the opportunity to confirm the location of the Heaven-Mending Stone, or even personally attempt to seize it, rather than dying alongside Yuqing View.¡± The Kunlun Mirror was speechless, almost forgetting that he was actually a spy lurking in Yuqing View. ¡°If Yuqing View is untroubled, then I will continue to lurk,¡± Luo Yan finally resolved, ¡°After all, it¡¯s impossible for me to be at a loss. That¡¯s that!¡± The Kunlun Mirror had nothing to say in response. Upon returning to the Heavenly Craft Workshop, as Miss Shi had previously predicted, their early return had caught Elder Shi Ding while he was still irritated, and he immediately decreed a one-year confinement for both individuals. Aside from this, Luo Yan wasn¡¯t too harshly reprimanded, knowing full well he couldn¡¯t control his daughter¡ªif not even himself, how could he expect his disciple to?
Consequently, Luo Yan and Shi Liuli were confined within the Heavenly Craft Workshop, strictly supervised by their fellow disciples, forbidden from leaving for a year. Yet, after three days of confinement, they heard that Elder Shi Ding had cooled off, changing the confinement period from one year to one month¡­ Setting aside Yuqing View for the moment, Luo Yan, taking advantage of the confinement, used his previous save to go to Shushan and impersonate Ling Yunpo, continuing the greatpetition in Shushan. To this day, having overtaken Duan Fenhai, who held the second seat on the Immortal Sword Ranking, and Lin Duanshan, who held the third, even the arrogant higher-ups of Shushan wouldn¡¯t be foolish enough to keep thinking of him as merely ¡°the younger brother of the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal.¡±
Aside from the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal himself, no one was confident in defeating the Po Yun Sword Immortal. It was probably for this reason that the following random processes seemed ¡°too random,¡± featuring Sword Immortals who were beyond the fortieth seat and lucky enough, as well as those ranked in the top ten who were almost powerhouses. For Ling Yunpo, without utilizing his other trump cards and solely based on his swordsmanship strength, he was roughly between the Tenth and Twentieth Rank. But with his trump cards, not even strong individuals like Duan Fenhai and Lin Duanshan were his match. In a sense, these two did not lose to Ling Yunpo, but to Qiu Changtian¡­ Guan Shanyue had lost to An Zhisu in the previouspetition segment, leading all three veteran powerhouses to be defeated early in the drawing of lots and eliminated from the top ten, to the surprise and astonishment of the audience. After several rounds of victory, Ling Yunpo¡¯s final opponent was only one person left. An Zhisu. In the final segment, Senior Sister An stood in the arena with a beaming smile. Previously, her courteous smile often carried a kind of stubborn determination and a cold indifference that kept people at a great distance. But now, she smiled warmly and happily. Ling Yunpo stepped into the arena, bowed respectfully to Senior Sister An under the watchful eyes of the crowd, and then said, ¡°I concede.¡±
¡°Wait a moment!¡± An Zhisu¡¯s smile immediately faded, reced by an unanticipated panic. She had nned to control her strength, fight a guiding battle with her junior brother, and then appropriately let him win, but Ling Yunpo¡¯s preemptive resignation disrupted all her ns. Rustling discussions began among the surrounding crowd, but not all were hostile curses; it was a strange, mixed noise. ¡°Are you sure you want to concede?¡± One of the Nascent Soul Elders hosting the sword contest lowered the height of his Sword Light slightly, asking with a peculiar expression on his face. You must realize that the convention of giving way to fellow sect members is not the tradition of Qingluo Peak. Qi Sha True Person Su Jian, even when up against his fellow disciples, would show no mercy; if he needed to break a Life-bound Sword Artifact, he would do so without hesitation. It was precisely because of his ruthless attitude that all the various peaks¡¯ factions, which had strong expectations for his strength and sought to win him over, eventually backed down. If you are to form an alliance, at the very least, you need to show the attitude of how you treat an ally. If he could be ruthless to his own brothers, how could one expect him to treat his allies? After Su Jian went into seclusion, An Zhisu generally inherited his battle style: merciless towards enemies, decisive in killing, and leaving no room for bargaining. But Ling Yunpo seemed to be different¡­ In response to the Nascent Soul Elder¡¯s query, Ling Yunpo simply nodded, then turned around and said gravely, ¡°Even if I were to unsheathe my sword, I would not face my senior sister inbat.¡±
Then he left the arena. There was silence around the final battleground; no one expected this Po Yun Sword Immortal, who had fought his way to the finals with a tough style, to choose to concede so unhesitatingly. Was it because he admitted he could not defeat An Zhisu? No, ording to what he said, it seemed he was unwilling topete with his senior sister for the position of chief disciple¡­ For a moment, everyone was at a loss for words; regardless of whether they believed what he said or not, their expressions were allplex. ¡°Junior Brother Ling is indeed a gentleman.¡± Lin Duanshanmented from the seats opposite the field. Given his staunch character, the term ¡°gentleman¡± was an extraordinarymendation indeed. ¡°I won¡¯tment on his character, but his strength is truly peculiar.¡± Duan Fenhai said, frowning. First was the Dense Fog Forbidden Law; the higher-ups of Shushan had reached a consensus that the dense fog generated by that Tenth Rank Water System Flying Sword (presumably the Qing Ping Sword) was undoubtedly of a Forbidden Technique Rank. The second was the Lightning Forbidden Law; although the outside world attributed it to a Forbidden Technique sealed within the Nine Heavens Thunder Execution Sword, Duan Fenhai did not agree. He felt that the Lightning Forbidden Law would certainly be used under the cover of the Dense Fog Forbidden Law, and Ling Yunpo was clearly trying to conceal something. ¡°What does Po Yun Sword Immortal think?¡± Lin Duanshan was nomittal and simply turned his head to ask Guan Shanyue. ¡°I think he¡¯s quite interesting,¡± Guan Shanyue responded leisurely, ¡°far more interesting than his senior sister.¡±
Duan Fenhai shook his head, just about to speak when he heard Guan Shanyue say softly again, ¡°However, this is not necessarily a good thing¡­¡± Chapter 110 - 45: Ranking in the Competition, Receiving Rewards Chapter 110: Chapter 45: Ranking in the Competition, Receiving Rewards The Immortal Sword Ranking of Shushan is, in fact, not officially established. Officially, it¡¯s referred to as the ¡°Results of the Shushan Great Competition,¡± whose purpose is to issue awards based on the results. However, as soon as the ranking resultse out, they quickly spread throughout the Various Peaks of Shushan, with everyone judging the strength of the Sword Immortals based on the list. For example, the three powerhouses of Shushan¡ªLin Duanshan, Duan Fenhai, Guan Shanyue¡ªare called ¡°strong people¡± because they¡¯ve dominated the top four spots for years without any changes, hence it¡¯s a popr topic of conversation. As for the leader of the list, the Frostfall Sword Immortal, people generally do not mention her name. If they really must, they don¡¯t call her ¡°Frostfall Sword Immortal¡± or ¡°An Zhisu,¡± but rather ¡°Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal,¡± implying ¡°she¡¯s the knife, and I¡¯m the leek¡±¡ªshe¡¯s simply no longer in the same category of beings; therefore, there is no sense inparison. Now, with Ling Yunpo¡¯s meteoric rise, he reached the second rank with his Marrow Cleansing Rank strength, showing no mercy as he defeated Duan Fenhai and Lin Duanshan, naturally causing a sensation across the Various Peaks of Shushan. Initially, people hadn¡¯t even remembered his name and simply referred to him as ¡°Little Weed-Cutting,¡± distinguishing him from the ¡°Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal.¡± Before they got used to that, Jinguang Peak came out with a statement that the eldest brother Lin Duanshan saw the other as someone with ¡°the demeanor of a gentleman.¡± Green Bamboo Peak was not to be outdone, with another statement saying that Senior Sister Guan Shanyue also spoke, that ¡°Ling Poyun has the appearance of a strong person.¡± The former could be considered as Lin Duanshan trying to save face after losing to a junior of the Marrow Cleansing Rank, praising him so as not to look too bad. Thetter, however, caused a small wave of public opinion because if Guan Shanyue expressed such a view, it meant she did not intend to challenge Ling Yunpo in the uing ranking challenge match. The message released by these two was quite clear: ¡°He¡¯s in the same league as us.¡± When the eldest brother of Yulong Peak, Duan Fenhai, alsomented, looking forward to ¡°the next time he wouldpete with him,¡± the Shushan disciples gradually unified their view: the usual three powerhouses had now be four. It wasn¡¯t that the mighty Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal had brought up a ¡°Little Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal¡± but rather that a Shushan disciple had be one of the four powerhouses. The former has a connotation of disdain and intimidation, but thetter is more positive, marking the point where Ling Yunpo himself had shed the negative influence of An Zhisu¡¯s bad reputation, beginning to enter the Shushan public¡¯s view with aparatively more positive impression. ¡°Breaking mountains and parting seas, shattering moons and cleaving clouds,¡± the titles of the four great Sword Immortals also began to spread, leaving many people confused, thinking that one of the four strong was called ¡°Ling Poyun¡±¡­ But let¡¯s not dwell on that for now; the drawing of lots has ended, with the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal in first ce, and Po Yun Sword Immortal second, while neither Lin Duanshan, Duan Fenhai, nor Guan Shanyue made it into the top ten. Therefore, everyone is looking forward to these three powerhouses boldly attacking during the seat challenge portion, and battling Po Yun Sword Immortal for a spot in the top five, fighting fiercely in a cloud of woe and a downpour of blood. True to form, as soon as the seat challenges began, Duan Fenhai was the first to call out Sima Changyan, the third-ranked in the greatpetition, to a sword fight. Sima Changyan struggled to hold on but was soon defeated in swordsmanship, with neither side using their Sword Dao Techniques. In the spectator stands, An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo stood side by side, with Senior Sister An offering insights on the match: ¡°Junior Brother, what do you think is Duan Fenhai¡¯s strength?¡± she asked. Ling Yunpo concentrated for a moment before responding, ¡°I can¡¯t tell; it seems Brother Duan has no weaknesses.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± An Zhisu affirmed. ¡°Duan Fenhai¡¯s true strength lies in his ample experience inbat before he pursued cultivation.¡± ¡°Therefore, when you face him, don¡¯t think about looking for his weaknesses. Because of his rich experience, he¡¯s likely already covered all of his vulnerabilities.¡± ¡°Sima Changyan didn¡¯t use any Sword Dao Techniques in his sword fight because his Flying Sword Rank is inferior to Duan Fenhai¡¯s. He definitely can¡¯t beat him in Daoist Magic and had a better chance in swordsmanship.¡± ¡°And Duan Fenhai didn¡¯t use Daoist Magic to conceal his own strength. You should know that during a sword duel, every move you make is being watched by others¡­¡± As she spoke, she suddenly realized something andughed awkwardly, ¡°But with your Green Duckweed Sword, capable of releasing a fog to cover the whole field, you don¡¯t have to worry about that aspect.¡± Ling Yunpo nodded at her words, unable to deny that what Senior Sister An said made sense. Even though he had ¡°Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains¡± to conceal his form, both Lin Duanshan and the Kunlun brother who hadin in wait at the Pavilion hade up with strategies to counter it. There are no absolutely unsolvable winning tactics. ¡°` It¡¯s still the same principle, the battles between cultivatorse down to one¡¯s ¡°Rank¡± and ¡°hidden cards.¡± Either your rank is higher, overpowering your opponent with superior strength, or ites down to who has the deeper hidden cards, revealing them at the critical moment to clinch the victory. As he pondered this, he saw that Lin Duanshan and Guan Shanyue had also chosen their challengers and emerged victorious. Thus, aside from Senior Sister An¡¯s top position, the remaining spots in the top five were sessively filled by Po Yun, Fenhai, Duan Shan, and Sui Yue. And then¡­ there was no more. With thest sword fight concluded, the top one hundred rankings of thepetition were set in stone. Ling Yunpo thought he would be challenged, but ended up beingpletely overlooked, which made him heave a sigh of relief, though he also couldn¡¯t help but feel puzzled about it. However, his confusion was quickly resolved. It turned out that for this Shushanpetition, the reward for the top five seats was the same: They could each select any item they wished from the third level of the Shushan Fire Element Cave¡¯s inventory to take away. As soon as the rankings were decided, a Golden Core True Person came forward to lead An Zhisu, Ling Yunpo, Duan Fenhai, Lin Duanshan, and Guan Shanyue¡ªfive people in total¡ªtoward the Emei Golden Summit via controlled sword flight. Detouring to the east above the main hall atop the golden peak was a suspended cliff known as ¡°Sacrifice Cliff.¡± The Sword Immortals rode their sword light downwards, passing throughyers of clouds, and descended into arge hollow at the valley¡¯s bottom. Continuing down, they saw mes rising from beneath them. ¡°This is the Fire Element True Qi,¡± the Golden Core True Person stated indifferently, ¡°Hold your breath and concentrate, and do not inhale the Qi.¡± Everyone quickly held their breath and saw the Golden Core True Person take out a ruler, gently spinning it in hand, conjuring several blossoms of light that enveloped everyone within them. From behind, Ling Yunpo could clearly see that this was the Shushan Shangqing Faction¡¯s acquired Spiritual Treasure ¡°Xuanguang Ruler.¡± Once covered by these blossoms of light, the fiery red glow waspletely kept at bay, unable to advance an inch. After putting away the Xuanguang Ruler, the Golden Core True Person continued: ¡°The Fire Element Cave below is vast and deep, beyond even immortals to fully explore.¡± ¡°The deeper you go, the more intense the Fire Element True Qi bes, thus giving rise to the saying ¡®The Fire Element Cave leads directly to the heart of the Earth.¡¯¡± ¡°Furthermore, the deeper you go, the more winding andplicated the pathways be, with numerous intersections, constantly changing and difficult to remember.¡± ¡°The Fire Element True Qi melts the rock walls and then they solidify again in an instant, making the routes uncertain and easy to get lost within.¡± ¡°From here on, you must not act recklessly, as if we be separated, even deities would struggle to save you.¡± Everyone promptly acknowledged and followed closely behind the True Person¡¯s sword light. The Golden Core True Person¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he led the way ahead. After an indeterminate amount of time, they finally reached a vast subterranean chamber. The floor was a sea of magma, churning and bubbling, with endless vapors rising up. The surroundings were cylindrical walls, and every thirty feet there was a small cave, about the length of a forearm, with a treasure inside, glowing and brightening the entire cave. The Golden Core True Person stopped his sword light, gestured with his hand, and said: ¡°You have a quarter of an hour, make your selections, I will not wait for stragglers!¡± Thus, the five of them quickly propelled their sword light, spiraling down along the walls, while scanning the nearby caves for treasures using their Divine Sense. Chapter 111 - 46: Could the Senior Female Disciple Be the Female Lead? Chapter 111: Chapter 46: Could the Senior Female Disciple Be the Female Lead? Ling Yunpo rapidly propelled the Sword Light, his Divine Sense sweeping over the treasures in the surrounding caves, so thrilled that his heart almost surged. The Fire Element Cave contained numerous treasure caves, and the one they were in at the moment was the third cave deep within. The rare treasures inside were much more umon than those in the first and second caves. For example, there were almost countless Tenth Rank Flying Swords, Magical Treasures, and various Elixirs and strange objects, and so on. Ling Yunpo even saw a fragment of a scripture on Purple Mansion Thunder, which was the Seventh Thunder among the ten types of Thunder Method that Qiu Changtian was collecting. If it weren¡¯t for the Mercurial Elixir Liquid, he almost couldn¡¯t help but exchange for it. Continuing to lower his Sword Light for a moment, Ling Yunpo then saw a candlestick ced inside another cave, with a tiny me flickering upon it. This was a sliver of the Great Sun True Yang Fire, one of the Innate Five Elements True Veins! An essential for the ascension of the Five Elements Divine Light! ¡°No, restrain yourself! You have to restrain yourself!¡± Ling Yunpo repeatedly brainwashed himself, forcefully suppressing the urge to take the Innate Fire, and continued to lower the Sword Light. Only one¡¯s own cultivation level is the foundation! All external objects and external methods are illusory! As he thought this, he suddenly heard Senior Sister An calling out to him below: ¡°Junior Brother!¡± Ling Yunpo hurriedly turned into Sword Light and rushed over, arriving next to An Zhisu. Indeed, in the cave next to her, he saw the Mercurial Elixir Liquid contained in a small bottle, about the size of a spoon. ¡°Senior Sister, you¡­¡± Ling Yunpo was just about to say something when he was interrupted by An Zhisu, ¡°You go take it first, I¡¯ll keep looking.¡± ¡°Okay.¡± Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t hesitate, reasoning that if Senior Sister didn¡¯t find a second bottle of Mercurial Elixir Liquid, he would just exchange this one with her¡ªit was all the same. Having taken the Mercurial Elixir Liquid, he then steered the Sword Light in a circle, noting the locations of the previously seen Purple Mansion Thunder and Great Sun True Yang Fire, before finally soaring up quickly to rejoin the Golden Core True Person. Even though the Golden Core True Person was positioned high in the sky, resting with eyes closed, in reality, he monitored everyone¡¯s movements below through the Xuanguang Ruler. Seeing Ling Yunpo¡¯s Sword Light returning, he knew the other party had taken the Mercurial Elixir Liquid, but he just nodded slightly without making a sound. Soon after, Lin Duanshan and Duan Fenhai, one after another, also returned. About ten minutester, An Zhisu also rose into the sky on her Flying Sword, nodding and smiling at Ling Yunpo from afar, indicating that she had also found it. With only seconds left in the quarter hour, Guan Shanyue still continued to search below, her Sword Light flying extremely fast, circling in a sh, then swiftly spiraling down another level. Suddenly, she reached out like lightning and grabbed something from a certain cave, then immediately merged body with sword, transforming into a streak of light rapidly ascending! Stopping abruptly before the Golden Core True Person, Guan Shanyue¡¯s fatigued face emerged, smiling and asking: ¡°May I ask True Person, am I out of time?¡± ¡°A few breaths short.¡± The Golden Core True Person said calmly, wavering the Xuanguang Ruler again to split light into flowers, covering everyone¡¯s bodies, then pulled up the Sword Light and left. After a series of twists and turns inside the Fire Element Cave, as they followed the Golden Core True Person¡¯s left and right turns ording to the colorful light of the Xuanguang Ruler, they finally went through a long vertical passage, leaving the deep underground and returning to the valley. ¡°Three dayster, at chen hour, gather on the cliff top of the Thunder Cave t, to enter the Demon Locking Tower for the trial!¡± Leaving these words behind, the Golden Core True Person¡¯s Sword Light shot up into the sky, heading towards the direction of the Emei Golden Summit. The rest also quickly activated their Sword Lights, eager to leave, except for An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo, who leisurely went side by side, chatting andughing all the way, slowly returning to the daoist convent on Qingluo Peak. ¡°Senior Sister, did you get the Mercurial Elixir Liquid?¡± Right after entering the convent, Ling Yunpo confirmed. ¡°Yes, I got it.¡± An Zhisu took out a transparent Purifying Bottle from her sleeve, within which was a sphere of golden liquid, rolling and bouncing at the bottom of the bottle as if endowed with sentience. ¡°Good, Senior Sister, go to the inner chamber to refine it quickly. I¡¯ll stand guard for you outside.¡± Ling Yunpo immediately said. An Zhisu hummed in agreement; after all, her junior brother¡¯s words had no issue, so she turned and walked toward the secret chamber inside the mountain where Su Jian was in seclusion. Ling Yunpo stood guard outside, took out the Mercurial Elixir Liquid he had obtained, and silently began to ponder. Common sense dictated that an item capable of enhancing the pill formation grade should naturally be consumed at the earliest opportunity, to avoid unforeseenplications. However, Ling Yunpo¡¯s own level had yet to reach the Refining Mansion stage. With his Purple Mansion still unformed, taking the Mercurial Elixir Liquid would harden his Dantian, turning what should be a panacea into poison instead. Therefore, he needed to find a secure ce to store it. After much thought, the only suitable ce seemed to be the secret chamber within Qingluo Peak. Any other location appeared to bear the risk of theft¡­ He fretted over this for a long time, until finally An Zhisu finished refining the medicinal strength and gracefully emerged from her seclusion. Senior Sister An had changed into a light yellow dress, her hair pinned up with a jade hairpin, with the excess hair woven into a braid that fell from the side of her neck to her chest, adding an especially soft and enchanting charm. Seeing that Senior Sister An¡¯s divine light was subdued and her eyes were profound, Ling Yunpo knew that she had perfected her Purple Mansion and had greatly advanced her realm, equivalent to an added sixty years of arduous cultivation. ¡°Senior Sister, how was your refinement?¡± ¡°Very good,¡± answered An Zhisu with a smile, ¡°The Mercurial Elixir Liquid truly deserves its reputation as a Foundation Establishment strange object. With each thread refined, my Purple Mansion became a bit more rounded and perfect.¡± ¡°In the end, the inner wall of the Dantian became nearly as white as snow and as bright as jade, and my Daoist Foundation was also much more stable than before.¡± ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a smile, ¡°If I remember correctly, this means your Purple Mansion is approaching perfection, stepping into what is known as the ¡®Jade Mansion¡¯ realm.¡± ¡°Based on past experience, those who establish the Jade Mansion before you form the core have about a seventy-percent chance of forming a Third Grade Golden Core.¡± ¡°If the core is of high grade, then the Nascent Soul might have the prospect of forming an Immortal Infant; with an Immortal Infant formed, there is a chance to be a saint in the flesh, and then a Daluo Golden Immortal¡­ doesn¡¯t that mean I would be the junior brother of a Daluo Golden Immortal?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be silly,¡± said An Zhisu with a radiant smile, ¡°Do you think reaching Daluo Golden Immortal status is that easy? Every step must be wless, only then there¡¯s a minuscule chance of achieving it¡­ Anyway, you won¡¯t need your Mercurial Elixir Liquid for now, just keep it in the secret chamber for the time being.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Ling Yunpo immediately responded. The two once again passed through the inner hall, secret chamber, and tunnel, ultimately arriving in front of the stone wall where Su Jian was in seclusion. An Zhisu opened the secretpartment underground and carefully ced the Mercurial Elixir Liquid inside. Seeing her solemn and earnest demeanor, Ling Yunpo couldn¡¯t help feeling moved. He suddenly recalled what Guan Shanyue had said about the Sentiment Inquiry Path. ¡°Senior Sister,¡± he asked cautiously, ¡°I heard that our Shushan has three different routes of cultivation doctrines, right?¡± ¡°Cultivation doctrines?¡± An Zhisu appeared slightly surprised, ¡°Yes, that¡¯s correct.¡± ¡°Because most of us Sword Immortals are of profound sentiments, we¡¯re far more susceptible to falling into demonic states due to emotions and love than those of the Kunlun and Peni sects.¡± ¡°For this reason, our sect has three distinct attitudes towards handling mortal love and affections: one is to exterminate emotions and desires, another is to forget emotions and achieve tranquility, and the third is to inquire into feelings with the sword.¡± She exined the three schools of thought in detail, which were simr to Guan Shanyue¡¯s exnations. The path of exterminating emotions centers on oneself, eradicating love; The path of forgetting love is to experience passionate love followed by separation, seeing through the mortal world; The Sentiment Inquiry Path is about knowing and staying by someone¡¯s side, never leaving nor forsaking. To draw a parallel with web novels, the path of exterminating emotions has no female lead, the forgetting love path is like literary romance, and the Sentiment Inquiry Path entails feeding dog food (romance). ¡°So, Senior Sister, which path do you n to follow?¡± Ling Yunpo finally asked the crucial question. An Zhisu paused for a moment before lowering her head and saying: ¡°I¡­ of course I n to continue our master¡¯s teachings.¡± Chapter 112: 47 Demon Locking Tower Group Tour Package Chapter 112: Chapter 47 Demon Locking Tower Group Tour Package Three dayster. At the peak of Leidongping, one hundred disciples from the Shushan Immortal Sword Ranking had already gathered at the entrance of the Demon Locking Tower. Ling Yunpo stood within the group, asionally ncing at Senior Sister An beside him. Senior Sister is also taking the Sentiment Inquiry Path, yay! Then I might be able to¡­ huh? Before long, another group of Golden Core True Persons arrived by Sword Control, led by a Nascent Soul Elder, their Sword Light drifting down like rain. The trial in the Demon Locking Tower, though involving both Foundation Establishment Realm and Golden Core Realm, actually follows different paths once inside. The goal for the Foundation Establishment disciples is to start from the inverted tip of the tower and ultimately reach the ¡°Four Symbols Formation Eye¡± on the thirtieth floor. The Golden Core True Persons, on the other hand, enter from the ¡°Four Symbols Formation Eye¡± on the thirtieth floor and make their way down to the ¡°Two Yi Formation Eye¡± on the fiftieth floor. Thus, there would be no intersections between the two groups. As he watched the Golden Core swordsmen descend into the valley, Jinghua True Person withdrew his gaze and looked again at the Foundation Establishment disciples before him.
This Jinghua True Person was a Direct Disciple of the Jade Capital Sect Leader of the Shushan Shangqing Faction and also the leader of the Foundation Establishment disciples for this trial. His gaze swept over everyone as he said in a deep voice: ¡°The trial in the Demon Locking Tower is different from the Shushanpetition.¡± ¡°The demons imprisoned within do not care about stopping at a touch, nor is there constant protection and apaniment by Nascent Soul Elders.¡± ¡°In thepetition, having your Life-bound Sword Artifact severed just results in being sent out of the arena by restrictions; but in the Demon Locking Tower, the consequence of a broken sword often equates to death.¡± ¡°In the history of the Demon Locking Tower trials, the one with the highest death toll saw seventy-two perish, with a survival rate of less than thirty percent.¡± ¡°If you do not wish to participate in the trial, it¡¯s still not toote to withdraw.¡± Jinghua True Person kept a stern face and waited half a day, but no one stepped forward to quit. After all, Shushan is such an intenselypetitive sect. Using the words of Chief Linghu Chu from the Heavenly Craft Workshop, Shushan recruits ten times more disciples than Kunlun in every generation; and after several hundred years, fewer than one-tenth of them survive, yet those who do can defeat ten Kunlun Cultivators of the same rank¡­ Such exaggeratedbat capability is built on a very high casualty rate. Those who can fight their way out in such an environment are the kings ofpetition; how could they possibly be scared away by the mere Demon Locking Tower? To the kings ofpetition, whether it¡¯s a ny, seventy, fifty, or thirty percent pass rate, they¡¯re not scared at all, okay? Seeing that no one was reacting, Jinghua True Person turned his head away, stood silently with his hands behind his back, as if waiting for something. It didn¡¯t take long before a melodious flute sound suddenly came from afar, twisting and uplifting like the chant of dragons and phoenixes, instantly drawing the attention of the Shushan disciples present. Chief Qiu Changtian of Kunlun, dressed in white robes and holding a jade flute, arrived on his sword. None had ever seen a man whose entrance came with its own BGM before, so they were all stunned by this impressive disy and fell utterly silent. Qiu Changtiannded with Sword Light, stepped onto the ground, and thest note of the flute was yed perfectly on cue. He stowed the jade flute on his waist and gave a salute to Jinghua True Person: ¡°True Person.¡± ¡°My esteemed nephew Qiu seems to be in good spirits,¡± said Jinghua True Person with a faint smile, a stark contrast to the cold face he had shown to the Shushan disciples. ¡°It was merely inspiration that struck upon first witnessing the strange wonders of Heavenly Mansion, its splendor and peerless beauty,¡± Qiu Changtian said modestly. He then turned to the Shushan disciples and bowed, ¡°Chief Qiu Changtian of Kunlun, pleased to meet all the Shushan daoists here.¡±
¡°We¡¯ve heard much about you,¡± the Shushan disciples hastily returned the gesture. It wasn¡¯t just because of Jinghua True Person¡¯s affable attitude towards him, but also Qiu Changtian¡¯s own aura and poise that impressed them, prompting these usually haughty Immortal Sword Ranking disciples to suddenly be courteous. Even Duan Fenhai, who had been distracted the whole time, made a symbolic gesture of sping his fists. ¡°This Qiu Changtian is the Chief Disciple of this generation from the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, a Direct Disciple of the Ziwei Master,¡± Jinghua True Person said again. ¡°He will participate in the Demon Locking Tower trial with us. Make sure you don¡¯t lose your manners, lest Kunlun looks down on our Shushan.¡±
¡°Absolutely not,¡± the Shushan disciples promptly responded in unison. Of course, what they truly thought was another matter. However, the title of Kunlun¡¯s Chief Disciple was certainly intimidating. Especially since many Shushan disciples weren¡¯t aware of Kunlun¡¯s distinction between ¡®junior chief¡¯ and ¡®senior chief¡¯. They subconsciously applied the rules of the Immortal Sword Ranking, assuming Qiu Changtian to be ¡°the foremost beneath Golden Core¡± in Kunlun, and their gaze inevitably shifted to An Zhisu. One wondered, who was more powerful, the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal of Shushan, or Kunlun¡¯s Chief Qiu? An Zhisu, however, paid no mind to their stares. Having returned the salutations with everyone earlier, she turned her head back around to continue gazing at the imposing Demon Locking Tower piercing into the valley. ¡°Once inside the Demon Locking Tower, you must work in groups and follow mymands,¡± Jinghua True Person continued. ¡°When to move forward, when to stay put, and when to scatter and act on your own will all be directed through specific instructions.¡± ¡°Those who disobey will be left behind by the group, killed in a sneak attack by demons, or if I¡¯m in a bad mood, I might just y you myself with a single sword strike, and don¡¯t expect anyone toe save you.¡± The Shushan disciples remained silent. ¡°Let¡¯s go!¡± Jinghua True Person said coldly, sweeping his long sleeves. So, the Shushan disciples roughly lined up in four columns and followed Jinghua True Person one by one into the entrance of the Demon Locking Tower. The top five ranks of the Immortal Sword Ranking were at the front of the team, closely following behind Jinghua True Person, while Qiu Changtian was pulled to his side for special protection. Ling Yunpo walked beside An Zhisu, sneaking nces at Qiu Changtian, only to find that Qiu Changtian was also stealthily looking his way.
Then, the future him withdrew his gaze, continuing to look intently ahead. The passageway into the Demon Locking Tower was a corridor wide enough for four people to walk abreast, with a depth beyond the reach of sight at first nce. As Ling Yunpo moved forward in the corridor, he suddenly realized that this ce was very simr to the crevice passageway that led to the secret realm of the Queen Mother of the West. The sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu was incredibly strong. ¡°Ah Jing,¡± Ling Yunpo asked quietly, ¡°is there a secret realm ahead?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kunlun Mirror said after a moment of silence, ¡°And just now, Qiu Changtian sent me a message through the future Kunlun Mirror.¡± ¡°A message?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°He said he hase to avert a deadly cmity that you will soon face.¡± Ling Yunpo: ????????? What, is it time to cheat again? ¡°Anyway, he doesn¡¯t n to make direct contact with you this time, lest you have to remember what he said, what he did, and then demonstrate it all over again to your past self in the future,¡± ¡°Fair enough,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded. ¡°It should have been like this all along.¡± ¡°Also, he has a message for you,¡± Kunlun Mirror added.
¡°Speak.¡± ¡°No matter what,¡± the voice of Kunlun Mirror hesitated slightly, ¡°you must trust Senior Sister An.¡± ¡°What¡¯s that supposed to mean!¡± Ling Yunpo blurted out angrily. ¡°As if I would betray my senior sister!¡± ¡°Wake up, do you really consider yourself a Shushan disciple?¡± Kunlun Mirror said helplessly. ¡°Didn¡¯t you join Qingluo Peak and be a disciple of Su Jian to seize a piece of the Heaven-Mending Stone?¡± ¡°Cough, how can saving the world be considered a betrayal?¡± Ling Yunpo argued. Chapter 113: 48: Senior Sister Leads the Team, Experienced Tour Guide Chapter 113: Chapter 48: Senior Sister Leads the Team, Experienced Tour Guide ¡°` Passing through the narrow corridor, everyone entered the secret realm of the Demon Locking Tower. The first scene they came upon in the secret realm was a spacious hall. Real Person Jinghua had everyone rest here for a while to adjust their condition, so people either sat or stood, chatting with sectmates or cautiously observing their surroundings. Due to Qiu Changtian¡¯s reminder, Ling Yunpo was particrly vignt of his surroundings. He noticed that the hall was an octagonal structure,posed of eight walls, with an octagonal pyramid as the dome. All the walls, the floor, and the dome were engraved with a strange yet somehow familiar script. Immortal Seal Script. This Immortal Seal Script, also known as tadpole writing, was made up of various curved strokes that resembled tadpoles. It was said that each character had no meaning, or rather, it had infinite meanings. It was only when arge number of Immortal Seal Scripts formed a sentence, a paragraph, or even an article that they had a readable and understandable meaning.
ording to the Kunlun Mirror, anything with this Immortal Seal Script could be considered an artifact from ancient times¡ªancient here even predates the era of rify Cult and Cult Intercept from Ancient Times. This also proved that the Demon Locking Tower was not built by the rify Cult of ancient times but was an even older structure. ¡°Ah Jing,¡± Ling Yunpo asked again, ¡°can you understand the meaning of these Immortal Seal Scripts?¡± ¡°Different paths for humans and demons,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°What does that mean?¡± ¡°Just the literal meaning,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said. ¡°Humans and demons are ultimately not the same kind, so do not let your guard down.¡± ¡°So the predecessors who built the Demon Locking Tower were racists, huh,¡± Ling Yunpo said nonchntly and suddenly noticed that Qiu Changtian had disappeared. ¡°Eh, where¡¯d he go?¡± ¡°He left a while ago and told you not to worry about him,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said. Ling Yunpo¡¯s brow furrowed as he heard Senior Sister An Zhisu ask with concern: ¡°Junior Brother, what¡¯s wrong?¡± ¡°Nothing,¡± Ling Yunpo replied with a quick smile. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be too tense,¡± An Zhisuforted him. ¡°Although there are many demonic creatures in the Demon Locking Tower, the formidable ones are all on the lower levels.¡± ¡°Besides, we have a Golden Core True Person leading the team, so we don¡¯t have to worry too much.¡± Ling Yunpo verbally agreed, but inwardly he gave a wry smile of helplessness. Senior Sister An¡¯s reasoning was sound, but he was unable to exin to her that he knew about the dangers ahead because he had cheated and foreseen them. Thus, he could only hide the worry from his face and expertly disy a reassuring smile. After a brief rest, Real Person Jinghua gathered the Shushan disciples once again and announced it was time for free activity. Beneath each of the eight walls, there was an archway leading to eight different passages, in perfect ordance with the meaning of the eight gates of Qimen Dunjia.
Among them, excluding the Life Gate leading out of the tower, there were seven passages: Opening, Rest, Blocking, View, Shock, Harm, and Death. The Opening Gate led to the next level, and the Rest Gate led to a safe area with no danger. The Blocking and View Gates led to low-risk areas where the demons were less aggressive and mostly would not attack humans proactively. The Shock and Harm Gates led to mid-risk areas where demons would actively attack, requiring extra caution and care.
The Death Gate led to a high-risk area; behind it, the demonic creatures were often powerful or possessed strange abilities, making them incredibly difficult to deal with. Real Person Jinghua¡¯s suggestion was for the disciples of Marrow Cleansing Rank to enter the Blocking and View Gates, and the other disciples to enter the Shock and Harm Gates for their respective trials. Furthermore, those in the top five of the Immortal Sword Ranking could enter the Death Gate. Speaking of this, Real Person Jinghua let out a coldugh, saying: ¡°` ¡°Of course, if you have confidence in your own strength, you¡¯re certainly not obliged to follow my suggestions. After all, each selection process sees disciples attempting to challenge greater difficulties¡ªfew of them are modest about their hidden depths, but the majority are merely courting death. Either way, it¡¯s none of my concern.¡± ¡°I¡¯m giving you only an hour. Once the time is up, I will lead the team to the next level, and we shall wait for no one.¡± Having said that, he leaned against the wall near the Rest Gate, crossed his arms, and closed his eyes for a quiet moment of rest. After a brief contemtion, everyone started to form groups of two or three and dispersed through the various gates around them. Ling Yunpo watched from behind, noticing that fewer people chose the Du and Jing gates, while the Surprise and Injury gates saw the most traffic. Strangely enough, a good number of disciples chose the Rest Gate, reasoning that this was only the first level and they did not intend to partake in the trial. Duan Fenhai was also among them, seemingly unwilling to expend too much effort on the first level. Guan Shanyue stood up and headed straight for the Surprise Gate; Lin Duanshan chose the Death Gate. Thus from the top five of the Immortal Sword Ranking, only Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu had yet to choose. ¡°Junior Brother, which one would you like to choose?¡± An Zhisu asked with a smiling gaze.
¡°I¡¯ll leave itpletely in the hands of Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo immediately replied. ¡°The Blood Pool is within the Death Gate on the twenty-eighth level of the Demon Locking Tower, not to be missed,¡± An Zhisu said with a smile. ¡°As for the trials on the other levels, they¡¯re optional.¡± ¡°If Junior Brother would like to get ustomed beforehand, Senior Sister can take you for a stroll through the Death Gate.¡± Ling Yunpo was deeply touched. Listen to this¡ªother disciples advised against it, but to my Senior Sister, the ¡®Death Gate¡¯ was merely a ¡®stroll¡¯. He fell silent for a moment and, finding no objection from the Kunlun Mirror, nodded and said: ¡°Then let¡¯s go for that stroll.¡± ¡°Mhm, let¡¯s go, Junior Brother,¡± An Zhisu said as she gracefully rose to her feet. The two of them headed toward the Death Gate, immediately attracting the gazes of numerous Shushan disciples. Upon reaching the archway, An Zhisu took Ling Yunpo¡¯s hand and stepped through. This gesture held no romantic implications, but rather, since the Demon Locking Tower was filled with formation mechanisms, even if they entered one after the other, it was easy to end up in different rooms¡ªso holding hands was a precaution. Ling Yunpo, his hand held by Senior Sister, felt its soft and silky warmth, with fingers long and delicate; he couldn¡¯t help but intece his fingers with hers and hold tightly. An Zhisu¡¯s cheeks turned slightly red, but feeling shy to show her awkwardness to her Junior Brother, she quickly turned her head away and hastened her steps. Ling Yunpo followed closely behind her, only able to see the fair and slender curve of her neck, which also seemed to be blushing slightly.
As they stepped into the Death Gate, they were surrounded by pitch-ck darkness, as if all light were excluded from beyond its threshold. Ling Yunpo swept his divine sense around, this time encountering no barriers, only aware that he and his Senior Sister were in a narrow passage. After walking dozens of steps, the space suddenly opened up¡ªa typical effect of spatial formations. The two of them were now in a valley. The valley was devoid of trees but hadrge, lush grasnds and a river running through it. This was typical of the Longyou region¡¯s climate, something Qiu Changtian had be quite ustomed to during his time away from the sect for training. Suddenly, An Zhisu¡¯s voice rang out in warning: ¡°Be cautious, Junior Brother! It¡¯s a Yato!¡± Before her words fully faded, several creatures burst forth from the earth. These creatures resembled the Komodo dragon, covered in ochre-yellow scales, armed with sharp ws, pointed teeth, and saw-toothed tails, their vertical pupils cold, their appearance ferocious, and their bloodthirsty eyes fixed on the two of them. Ling Yunpo immediately ascended on his sword with An Zhisu, only to see one of the demonic beasts, named ¡°Yato,¡± suddenly constrict its pupils dramatically. It opened its mouth wide and let out a frantic roar. Although Ling Yunpo could not understand demonic speech, he could sense the terror within it, as if it were saying: ¡°Beware! It¡¯s the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal!¡±
The other two Yatos, upon hearing this, froze for an instant, and then scurried to roll back into the same hole they had emerged from, desperately trying to burrow back underground. The next second, the Daoist magic on the Frostfall Sword was activated, and endless snowkes shot down as An Zhisu shouted angrily: ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going, demons!¡± Chapter 114: 49: Expanding into the Unknown Chapter 114: Chapter 49: Expanding into the Unknown The sky is vast, the wild is boundless, the wind blows the grass low and shows cattle and sheep. At this moment, the ¡°herd of cattle and sheep¡± was frantically fleeing in all directions, chased hither and thither by An Zhisu in the sky like a hunting falcon. Ling Yunpo watched from behind, dumbstruck. Whether it was demonic beasts asrge as buffaloes or demons as swift as cheetahs, all were in by Senior Sister An, scattering in panic. If their hide was thick and flesh was tough, An Zhisu would target their weaker areas, thrusting her Flying Sword into their eyes, nostrils, or limbs; If they were as fast as lightning, An Zhisu would use her Sword Qi to block off most of their escape routes, then deliver a fatal, unavoidable strike with her Frostfall Sword. Such supremely precise changes in swordy, Ling Yunpo had also seen under the tutge of Lin Duanshan, but as Duan Fenhai said, ¡°Compared to An Zhisu, it was far inferior.¡± In fact, Ling Yunpo suspected that Senior Sister An¡¯s swordy was not purely based on calction, but also relied on a certain level of ¡°intuition,¡± abat instinct only attainable at a profound level of mastery in the Seven Kills Sword Technique. Without a second thought, each move she made and its timing were just right, precise and deadly. Sometimes, when demonic beasts were driven to desperation, they would huddle and turn tounch a joint attack, sending a barrage of various dazzling demon arts toward An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo. An Zhisu would then activate the Sword Dao Techniques of her Frostfall Sword, conjuring countless icy Sword Qi, extinguishing all the demon arts one by one.
The remaining Sword Qi fell like a downpour, piercing those rebellious demonic beasts, impaling them to the ground. Having watched Senior Sister An for a while, Ling Yunpo realized her invincibility came from her exceptional strength in every aspect. Her True Qi was abundant and resilient, the rank of her Frostfall Sword was high, coupled with her richbat experience and the special ¡°battle intuition,¡± making the slightly less powerful demonic beasts face a one-sided ughter inbat. The nickname ¡°Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal¡± wasn¡¯t entirely unfounded. As for how she would fare against stronger opponents, Ling Yunpo was not sure, for Senior Sister An was now the foremost under the Shushan Golden Core, and no Golden Core True Person would make a move against her, thus there was no chance to witness it. The only indirect evidence was the time when Shi Ziming of the Administrative Hall used a secret technique to forcibly elevate his Cultivation Level to the False Core Realm, only to leave her severely wounded ¡ª at the cost of being killed by her on the spot. From this, it can be seen that Senior Sister An wasn¡¯t incapable of fighting battles where she had to win against stronger foes; it¡¯s just that the enemies she usually faced were too weak, resulting in battles that were sheer overkill. My Senior Sister, forever invincible! ¡°Do you want to give it a try as well?¡± An Zhisu suddenly stopped her swordy and asked with a smile. Her tone was as rxed as if she wasn¡¯t fighting with demonic beasts but as if she were hunting. ¡°Alright then.¡± Ling Yunpo drew out the Qing Ping and Thunderbane Swords. He felt no pity for the demonic beasts below, as the creatures in the Death Gate region actively attacked humans, even relishing in cannibalism, and there were nopassionate Bodhisattvas around to preach about the equality of all beings. We Shushan Sword Immortals are just that savage! Ling Yunpo silently recited the incantation and then triggered the Sword Dao Technique ¡°After the Rain in the Empty Mountains¡± of the Qing Ping Sword, creating countless long, sharp Water System Sword Qi, which he poured down densely below. Compared to Senior Sister An¡¯s exquisite swordsmanship, his method of attack was undoubtedly much more brutal. He didn¡¯t bother with weaknesses or vital points; seeing a demonic beast, he would just send a barrage of Sword Qi, and with ¡°After the Rain in the Empty Mountains¡± having its own armor-piercing effect, disregarding the defenses of the demonic beasts¡¯ shells, he ughtered them as if chopping melons and cutting vegetables. asionally, there were beasts that stubbornly resisted, refusing to sit still for death,unching demon arts at Ling Yunpo, who would simply point a finger, and immediately a golden lightning would strike, killing the opponent before they could react. This was not the Thunder Method that Qiu Changtian possessed, but the innate Daoist Magic of the Thunderbane Sword, ¡°Nine Heavens God Shocking Thunder,¡± characterized by long attack distance and exceptionally strong pration, capable of killing enemies from afar. The brother and sister pair bombarded the skies, quickly ughtering all the demonic beasts within sight, with the remaining scattering and fleeing to ces they could no longer find.
Just this for the Death Gate region? Ling Yunpo felt disdainful, and the Kunlun Mirror, aware of his thoughts, reminded him: ¡°Think about it carefully. If these demonic beasts hadn¡¯t run helter-skelter upon seeing your Senior Sister and instead grouped together to besiege you, would you still be able to kill as effortlessly?¡± Ling Yunpo gave it some thought and realized it was true.
¡°If I were surrounded by so many demonic beasts, I¡¯d have to devote half of my strength to self-preservation, such as casting ¡®Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains¡¯ to conceal my form,¡± he pondered. Consequently, to avoid detection by the enemy, one naturally wouldn¡¯t be able to strike at will. ¡°Senior Sister An,¡± Ling Yunpo asked knowingly, perplexingly, ¡°why do these demonic beasts not resist and simply allow us to ughter them?¡± ¡°After a certain Shushan tournament ended, the Demon Locking Tower was once opened,¡± An Zhisu exined, ¡°I had been here at that time¡­¡± ¡°And then? Oh¡­ I see, worthy of Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo was slightly stunned, then he couldn¡¯t help butugh and say. The title of the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal was not only feared by the disciples of Shushan, but even the demonic beasts were terrified. An Zhisu nonchntly waved her hand and said: ¡°Actually, it¡¯s nothing much, these creatures are all bullies who fear the strong. If you are weak, they will swarm you and bite; if you are strong, they can only scatter in a frantic escape.¡± Ling Yunpo agreed repeatedly, truly convinced. After the demonic beasts below were almostpletely exterminated, the two descended with their swords¡¯ light and began to clean up the battlefield. These demonic beasts hadn¡¯t reached the Transformation Rank and had no demon cores, only their bodily materials might be worth some money. For instance, the giant lizard demonic beast ¡°Yayu¡± they first encountered had scales that were exceptionally hard. If made into inner armor, it could withstand a frontal stab from a Flying Sword¡­ Although it would be damaged after three or four uses, it could still save one¡¯s life at a critical moment.
After all, not every Shushan disciple has defensive magical treasures like the Divine Fire Mantle or the Jade Emperor Bell. After roughly reaping the materials and putting them into a storage bag, the two set off on their return journey. Arriving near the entrance of this space, in a certain valley, Ling Yunpo had yet to see the original passageway and was wondering when he saw An Zhisu suddenly summon the Frostfall Sword and activate the Sword Dao techniques on it. Suddenly, thick snowkes began to fall like feathers, covering the sky and nketing the ground with a rustling sound. Several demonic beasts stumbled out from behind a hill. They intended to take advantage of the moment when the two were searching for the entrance and let down their guard to sneak up and attack from behind. They didn¡¯t expect An Zhisu to directly discern their locations. Before they could escape far, the snowke Sword Qinded on them, tearing their flesh open, blood gushing like fountains, and they died on the spot. ¡°Demons cannot leave the space that confines them,¡± An Zhisu exined softly, ¡°So, whenever there are demons near an entrance, these entrances won¡¯t appear.¡± ¡°Therefore, when we enter a certain space, if there are demons nearby, the entrance will immediately disappear, preventing us from leaving¡­ take note of this mechanism,¡± she said. ¡°Of course, you can also use this mechanism to detect if there are any hidden demons nearby.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Ling Yunpo expressed his eagerness to learn. As the demonic beasts were killed, the entrance for the return path also emerged from the void. The two rode their swords into the passage, through the long, dark corridor, and quickly returned to the original hall. But in the hall, the atmosphere was tense as if drawn swords were at the ready, and when a few Shushan disciples saw An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo return from the passage, they immediately summoned their Life-bound Sword Artifacts and braced for battle.
Ling Yunpo frowned slightly, only to see An Zhisu¡¯s eyebrows arching as she drew the Frostfall Sword, her whole body exuding an aura so fierce it almost pierced the sky, and she asked coldly: ¡°What are you trying to do?!¡± ¡°We¡¯d like to ask what Qingluo Peak is plotting!¡± a Shushan disciple in the crowd roared, ¡°Committing murder amongst fellow disciples, what is the punishment ording to our sect¡¯s rules?¡± ¡°Senior Sister An and I have been together the whole time, observed by all as we entered the Death Gate, and we have juste back from inside, how can there be any talk of murdering our fellow disciples?¡± Ling Yunpo quickly stopped Senior Sister An, who was ready to counterattack, and calmly asked in a deep voice. ¡°Our disciples from Red Sun Peak were not attacked by demons in the Wound Gate, but died at the hands of fellow Shushan disciples,¡± the disciple opposite them said with red eyes, filled with grief and anger, ¡°Now that our master is not present, please have True Person Jinghua make a judgment for our Red Sun Peak.¡± ¡°The murderer is none other than the Peak Master of Qingluo Peak, Su Jian!¡± Chapter 115: 50: Disputes, Doubt, and Betrayal Chapter 115: Chapter 50: Disputes, Doubt, and Betrayal ¡°This is impossible!¡± Hearing the name uttered by the disciple from Red Sun Peak opposite her, An Zhisu immediately widened her eyes in disbelief and blurted out without thinking: ¡°This is impossible!¡± Her expression was one of shocked horror, and she swept her gaze over everyone present once more, as if to reinforce her persuasiveness, she emphasized again: ¡°It simply can¡¯t be! Before Junior Brother and I entered the tower, our master¡­ our master was still in seclusion!¡± No one responded. The faces of all the Shushan disciples present bore an expression that was a mix of skepticism and hostility. ¡°I dare to ask for enlightenment from True Person Jinghua.¡± Ling Yunpo said loudly, ¡°Did anyone witness our mastermitting murder?¡± The usually silent True Person Jinghua spoke after a long moment: ¡°I have not seen it.¡± ¡°Then why is this fellow disciple so certain that it was our master who did it?¡± Ling Yunpo turned around, his gaze suddenly sharp, and he asked sternly:
¡°The disciple from Red Sun Peak died from Water System Sword Qi, a sword stroke to the back,¡± that disciple said through clenched teeth. ¡°Moreover, words were left at the scene saying ¡®The schemer shall suffer a stab in the back,¡¯ with Su Jian¡¯s signature below!¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ling Yunpo turned to face True Person Jinghua and said somberly, ¡°The matter is clear now; this is an extremely clumsy attempt to sow discord.¡± ¡°If our master truly sought revenge, why would he target a disciple of the Foundation Establishment rank? Wouldn¡¯t it be more direct to challenge the Peak Master of Red Sun Peak to a sword duel? That way none of you would have anything to say!¡± True Person Jinghua was silent for a moment before speaking again: ¡°Indeed.¡± ¡°I implore True Person Jinghua to see clearly!¡± the previously speaking Red Sun Peak disciple hastily called out, ¡°Even if it was not the work of Qingluo Peak¡¯s Peak Master, it could still be a Qingluo Peak disciple acting in their master¡¯s name! Because¡­ because my Senior Brother, he had an old grudge with that An Zhisu!¡± ¡°Since you¡¯re using me and Senior Sister, then present your evidence!¡± Ling Yunpo immediately threatened, ¡°If you are ndering Qingluo Peak based solely on a message of unknown origin, be prepared for my merciless response!¡± The Red Sun Peak disciple gnashed his teeth but dared not provoke further, choosing instead to fall into sullen silence. After all, Po Yun Sword Immortal was the second-ce victor of the grandpetition of Shushan, having defeated Lin Duanshan and Duan Fenhai. If he were to engage in a sword duel with him, he certainly wouldn¡¯t stand a chance, so it would be better to seek justice from his Peak Master after leaving the Demon Locking Tower. ¡°I would like to add a word.¡± Lin Duanshan, who had just returned to the hall and understood the situation from his junior brothers, spoke up, ¡°If it was indeed Junior Brother Ling or Senior Sister An who stealthily killed him, why leave such a message and expose one¡¯s identity?¡± ¡°Perhaps it was to make a disy of power.¡± Duan Fenhai said idly from the side. ¡°Such talk is absurd.¡± Lin Duanshan said coldly, ¡°Disy of power? To kill and deliberately leave a clue pointing to oneself, and now vehemently deny the usations, what kind of disy of power is that?¡± ¡°This can only lead to distrust among Shushan disciples, leaving everyone to fend for themselves!¡± ¡°Correct.¡± True Person Jinghua nodded, ¡°No matter who the real culprit is, the purpose of leaving behind those words is to confuse and take advantage of the chaos.¡± ¡°From now on, during the trials, disciples from the same peak must stay together, advance and retreat as one, and must not separate! If attacked by anyone, do not seek immediate revenge; instead, make sure to report back to me first!¡± After saying this, he intended to lead the group to the second level but then heard Guan Shanyue suddenly say: ¡°True Person Jinghua, might I ask for a moment of your time?¡± ¡°What is it?¡± True Person Jinghua stopped in his tracks.
¡°You said the murderer intends to sow discord among us Shushan brethren, and I agree with this.¡± Guan Shanyue spoke leisurely, ¡°But among those who entered the Demon Locking Tower this time, isn¡¯t there one who is not a Shushan disciple?¡± ¡°Where is that Chief Disciple of Kunlun named ¡®Qiu Changtian¡¯ at this moment?¡± Once these words were spoken, they were like an Earthshaking Strike, immediately stirring up discussions among the disciples of Shushan. Even though everyone was still wary of the disciples from other peaks, in the presence of True Person Jinghua, they definitely couldn¡¯t outright express suspicion towards their fellow sect members.
However, it was different for a cultivator from Kunlun. using Qiu Changtian of grave suspicion, demanding that he be captured for detailed interrogation, and kept under strict surveince ¨C that couldn¡¯t possibly be wrong, right? Ling Yunpo, who was listening from behind, almost spat blood. Damn it, you all think Qiu Changtian is a cultivator from Kunlun, but do you not know he has another identity called ¡°Ling Yunpo¡±? How could I possibly scheme against myself? Hey, wait a minute! Could it be¡­ could this really have been done by a future version of myself? Considering thest visit to the Pavilion, during the final challenge between the two realms in the mortal world, myself as Qiu Changtian, I was outmaneuvered by a future Luo Yan, literally going through a tough battle in an Asura-like situation¡­ To say that I wouldn¡¯t scheme against myself, that would be far too naive. But one thing is for certain, my future self would definitely not truly harm me. After all, any harm that I suffer will carry forward with the normal passage of time to the future. As Ling Yunpo was carefully contemting, he heard True Person Jinghua assert unequivocally: ¡°This is impossible!¡± ¡°Why is it impossible?¡± Before Guan Shanyue could speak, a hot-tempered Shushan disciple hurriedly asked. ¡°When I say it¡¯s impossible, it means it¡¯s impossible!¡± True Person Jinghua retorted angrily. This Golden Core True Person spoke with such domineering authority that, although people still harbored doubts, they couldn¡¯t question any further.
Everyone remained silent, following True Person Jinghua through the opened door, and then descended to the second floor of the Demon Locking Tower. As previously stated by True Person Jinghua, this time the participants were not allowed to choose any door at will; the disciples from the same peak were required to enter the same trial. The reason was simple: simr to the transportation mechanism of the Pavilion, inside the Demon Locking Tower, regardless of which door one chose, if there was a sequence in entering, one would be transported to different demon locking spaces. Under these circumstances, the chance of trialists being separated was very high, which provided opportunities for the murderer to strike. Requiring the Shushan disciples of the same peak to enter the trial environment together was to prevent anyone from being isted. Under these circumstances, should the murderer dare to strike again, the victim would most likely be a Shushan disciple from the same peak as the murderer. Such a design was indeed an appropriate response. Still, Ling Yunpo subconsciously felt that the murderer would not stop because of this¡­ ¡°Junior Brother, which door would you like to choose this time?¡± An Zhisu asked indifferently. Even though she tried her best to suppress the fluctuations in her voice, Ling Yunpo still keenly detected that Senior Sister An¡¯s heart was in disarray. It wasn¡¯t because she had been framed by someone, but because the murderer had left a message in the name of Su Jian, causing Senior Sister An to also be somewhat suspicious. After all, even Ling Yunpo himself didn¡¯t have enough confidence to convince himself that his frugal master Su Jian was truly in seclusion within the belly of Qingluo Peak¡­ ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo said in a deep voice, ¡°let¡¯s not go through the trial this time, how about we take a rest in the Rest Door?¡±
¡°Mm.¡± Senior Sister An was utterly unprepared and upon hearing this, she agreed without much thought. Seeing these two enter the Rest Door, the remaining Shushan disciples in the hall secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Chapter 116: 51: Sharing a Room with My Senior Sister Chapter 116: Chapter 51: Sharing a Room with My Senior Sister Unlike the Death Gate passage where one couldn¡¯t see their hand before their face, the resting gate corridor was built magnificently, simr to the style of the Zhao Pce in the secret realm of the Western Queen Mother. Whether it was the intricate and bright wall relief or the Everbright Lamps set at intervals, everything highlighted the uniquely ornate style of the ancient era of Cultivating Immortality. The end of the corridor led to a spacious room,pletely furnished with tables, chairs, beds, and cabs. There were also fur rugs spread on the floor, cotton drapes hanging before the beams, and soft cushions beside the bed, which felt thick andfortable as well as soft and warm to lie on, making one immediately feel all fatigue dissipate and wanting nothing more than a good sleep. Ling Yunpo sat down by the bed, briefly organized his thoughts, and asked in a deep voice, ¡°Senior Sister, can we produce any evidence at the moment to prove that Master is indeed in closed-door cultivation and couldn¡¯t possibly appear in the outside world?¡± An Zhisu fell silent for a while before sitting down beside him and sighing, ¡°We cannot.¡± This was only natural since the ce where Su Jian was currently in closed-door cultivation was a ck box, and no one had any information about the situation inside. Conversely, if it could be confirmed that Su Jian was still alive, then the state of Qingluo Peak wouldn¡¯t be as deste as it was now. Ling Yunpo also sighed.
The true frustration in this mattery in the fact that it was clear that the perpetrator couldn¡¯t possibly be someone from Qingluo Peak, but since there was absolutely no clue or lead regarding the murderer, me was temporarily ced on Qingluo Peak. The reason for choosing to bring Senior Sister An to the rest gate was to try and reduce the Shushan Sect disciples¡¯ vignce as much as possible. Of course, if the murderer took this opportunity to strike again, both of them could use it topletely clear themselves of suspicion¡­ although, the chances of that happening were slim. If ites to it, we¡¯ll just keep on resting like this! In reality, the only ces they truly needed to visit were the twenty-eighth and thirtieth floors. The twenty-eighth floor had a Blood Pool, in which Marrow Cleansing Rank Sword Immortals could bathe to swiftly cleanse their meridians and veins, furthering their Marrow Cleansing progress. The thirtieth floor had a cocoon forest, where Refining Mansion Rank Sword Immortals could cultivate to quickly perfect their Jade Mansion and advance their Refining Mansion progress. Apart from these two floors that Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu needed to visit, the trials on the other floors, despite offering various rewards and Strange Objects, were not critical and could be forsaken if necessary. As for Ling Yunpo at this time, his ambitions were already too high. Not to mention the materials of Demonic Beasts used for Alchemy and crafting, even if Tenth Rank Flying Swords were bundled up and tossed before him, he might not give them a second nce. ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo sighed, and seeing that there was still a long way to go until an hour had passed, he sought out a topic and asked, ¡°Tell me about Master¡¯s past, would you?¡± ¡°It seems that whenever the other Various Peaks mention Qi Sha True Person, their attitude is one of both hatred and fear. What exactly did Master do back then that provoked such spiteful and petty people?¡± ¡°Master,¡± An Zhisu said with a sigh, ¡°was actually not fond of killing or fighting; he was just stubborn by nature.¡± ¡°The reason he didn¡¯t hold back when sword fighting with others was because he believed that Sword Immortals should give their all. Holding back was an insult to his sparring partners.¡± ¡°Furthermore, regarding those who challenged him and were easily killed by him, Master actuallyined privately, saying that these people clearlycked skill in swordsmanship yet instead of diligently cultivating the path of the sword, they were impetuous and belligerent, moring to fight and kill with him, leaving him quite perplexed.¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­ Man, this cheap Master really doesn¡¯t care about face! He was just like the high school top student who would say, ¡°If your grades are so bad, why don¡¯t you stay up all night studying?¡± ¡°However, Master was not being sarcastic.¡± As if afraid Ling Yunpo wouldn¡¯t believe her, An Zhisu emphasized again, ¡°Master really felt perplexed.¡± ¡°You see, when others challenge him to a duel, he can¡¯t really refuse. But to go easy on them during the duel wouldn¡¯t be in line with his principles. If he goes all out, the opponent is too weak to withstand even one of his strikes.¡±
¡°So when outsiders use Master of indiscriminate killing, I think that¡¯s an unfair assessment. It¡¯s clear they can¡¯t win, yet they insist on challenging Master to a duel. Isn¡¯t that just seeking their own demise? How can they me Master?¡± Ling Yunpo had no reply. Senior Sister An¡¯s argument seemed logically wless, yet upon reflection, it was sophistical. You kill someone¡¯s senior brother or junior brother, and they, bearing a grudge,e to seek revenge to the death. Could it still be their own fault?
But of course, Senior Sister would defend Master, so making far-fetched arguments was quite normal, just as I am bound to unconditionally defend Senior Sister. ¡°I¡¯ll tell you a secret, Master actually has a weakness.¡± An Zhisu blinked and whispered to him, ¡°You can¡¯t tell anyone else.¡± ¡°What weakness?¡± Ling Yunpo perked up his ears, ¡°I promise not to tell anyone.¡± ¡°Master can¡¯t hold his liquor,¡± An Zhisu said with a smile, ¡°If he doesn¡¯t use his True Yuan to refine the alcohol, he¡¯s practically guaranteed to get drunk from the slightest drink.¡± ¡°And when he¡¯s drunk, he starts to confess, crying out everything that has made him feel guilty. To take care of him when he was drunk, my mother had to put in a lot of effort.¡± Hearing this, Ling Yunpo chuckled to himself. The idea of a cultivator getting drunk and acting crazy was simply a joke. But he understood that Su Jian was just using this as a way to relieve stress. For him to speak freely, he and An Zhisu¡¯s mother must have shared a very deep connection. ¡°In any case, Master is not the cold-hearted and ruthless person that outsiders im he is,¡± An Zhisu concluded, ¡°If he has to kill for our sake, he does so openly, he would never hide and leave room for spection¡­ That¡¯s just not his style.¡± ¡°True Person Jinghua must also understand this,¡± Ling Yunpo sighed, ¡°But as to who the murderer is, we still have no clue.¡± ¡°Speaking of which, I think Guan Shanyue¡¯s words make some sense.¡± An Zhisu said gravely, ¡°That Chief Disciple from Kunlun, Qiu Changtian, disappeared without a trace as soon as he entered the Demon Locking Tower, isn¡¯t he the most suspicious one?¡± ¡°Moreover, True Person Jinghua is covering for him in every possible way, it¡¯s really hard not to be suspicious¡­ Hmm, Junior Brother, what do you think?¡± What do I think? I think it¡¯spletely absurd, okay? Why would the future me want to cause trouble for myself?
Of course, I can¡¯t tell Senior Sister An that, so Ling Yunpo could only pretend to agree and then raise a question: ¡°So, that makes Qiu Changtian a bit suspicious, but observing his behavior, he seems to be a fairly upstanding Cultivator and it doesn¡¯t seem likely for him to do such things.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think so,¡± An Zhisu frowned and said, ¡°You see, he could havee earlier, but instead he deliberately arrivedte, waiting for everyone to arrive before making an exaggerated, pretentious entrance¡­ Just like someone with a frivolous style.¡± Ling Yunpo became instantly enraged upon hearing this¡ªwhat did she mean by a frivolous style? Prestige, Sister, it¡¯s called prestige, okay! But since Senior Sister had said so, Ling Yunpo couldn¡¯t directly argue with her, so he had to persuade her circuitously: ¡°It¡¯s said that you can¡¯t judge a book by its cover. I think it¡¯s better for us not to jump to conclusions too hastily and just wait and observe his future actions.¡± Chapter 117: 52: Holding Your Hand, Roaming the Riverbed Chapter 117: Chapter 52: Holding Your Hand, Roaming the Riverbed The crowd continued to descend to the seventh floor, where the second victim finally appeared. The victim was from the Xuan Shi Peak lineage, and had died in a certain area of the Jing Gate. He had been traveling with his Senior Brothers and was at the very end of the group. As they passed through a forest, someone suddenly realized this Junior Brother was missing, so the group turned back to look for him. They found the victim dead under a tree, the ground around him covered with frozen frost. The victim had a sword wound at the front of his neck and had been struck once, fatally, across the throat. Blood had sprayed out massively from the wound. At the base of the tree trunk where the body leaned, a line of small characters had been carved with sword qi: ¡°Those who spread falsehoods, your throats shall be locked and tongues sealed. Su Jian.¡± The disciples from Xuan Shi Peak took the body and the tree bark with the carved message back to the hall, where Jinghua True Person personally examined them. Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu returned from the Xi Gate to find the Shushan disciples gathered around the re-created scene and the body, every one of them looking extremely grave. Then, Ling Yunpo realized that the Shushan disciples present were all seemingly avoiding his gaze as if by some unspoken agreement. Since he and Senior Sister An went to the Xi Gate in full view of everyone each time, and only returned when it was necessary to go down to the next level, they could basically be ruled out as suspects. But the question remained: who was the murderer?
At the moment, all clues pointed to Su Jian¡ªso obviously, in fact, that it could almost be determined as a frame-up. Would a Golden Core True Person kill a disciple of the Foundation Establishment Rank in a sneak attack? A sneak attack is a sneak attack, but why sign it? What did it mean? The vast majority of Shushan disciples actually believed that it definitely had nothing to do with Su Jian. Of course, this did not stop everyone from being wary of Qingluo Peak, because the onlymon trait between the two victims so far was: Their grudges with Qingluo Peak¡­ more precisely, with An Zhisu. One of the victims had, more than a decade ago in a sword contest, used underhanded tactics against An Zhisu, almost injuring her. The cause of death was a stab in the back with the message left at the scene read, ¡°Plot against others, and you will be backstabbed.¡± The second victim had been inciting hatred among disciples of Various Peaks, calling for them to iste Qingluo Peak. The cause of death was a torn neck and the message left at the scene imed, ¡°Spread malicious lies, and your tongues shall be sealed and throats locked.¡± Even if the murderer wasn¡¯t Su Jian, their logic inmitting the crimes was very clear: to target Shushan disciples who bore old grudges with Qingluo Peak. Yet who among the present Shushan disciples could im to be without grudges against Qingluo Peak? Everyone questioned themselves on what could be considered a grudge. If it was as simple as having spoken ill of someone, then likely the whole of Shushan would be apprehended¡­ Therefore, everyone tried hard not to look at Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu. It wasn¡¯t that they suspected them of being the murderers; rather, they feared that any eye contact now might lead to them being found dead on the spot, eyes gouged out, with a carved message beside them: ¡°What are you looking at? Mind your own business. Su Jian.¡± The Shushan disciples had these concerns, but Jinghua True Person had no such scruples and directly called Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu over, asking them if they had any clues about the murderer. ¡°I must speak frankly,¡± Ling Yunpo said outright, ¡°If someone is acting under the pretense of our master¡¯s name tomit murder, it¡¯s clear they cannot be friends of Qingluo Peak.¡± ¡°As for enemies of Qingluo Peak, True Person, you surely know that they are too numerous to count. The murderer choosing Qingluo Peak as their guise must have considered this¡­¡± ¡°I am well aware,¡± Jinghua True Person interrupted, ¡°But tell me, do you have any leads at all?¡±
Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu looked at each other and after a long pause, they said: ¡°None.¡± ¡°Go then!¡± Jinghua True Person said impatiently. Afterward, paying no heed to the protests of the Xuan Shi Peak disciples, he forcefully seized their Life-bound Sword Artifacts and restricted their freedom of movement, requiring them to stay in the hall on each floor, subject to questioning, and not allowing them to leave.
Everyone continued down to the eighth floor, and Ling Yunpo went to seek out Jinghua True Person to inquire if he and An Zhisu could continue the normal trials. After all, always staying in the Xi Gate to rest with Senior Sister¡ªalone together in a room¡ªa man and a woman, could harm Senior Sister¡¯s reputation¡­ Of course, the main reason Ling Yunpo was worried was that he feared he might not be able to restrain himself and would make a mistake. The bed in the Xiumen area is just too soft! ¡°Since the murderermitted the crime when you were in the Xiumen area, the suspicion on you can basically be ruled out,¡± Jinghua True Person pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°Of course, it would be best if you choose the ¡®Death Gate¡¯ and undergo your trial in a different area from the other disciples.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± An Zhisu said coldly. Thus, the two of them entered the Death Gate, passed through a long, dark corridor, and finally entered a new area. This world was submerged in deep water, but it was unclear whether it was a river,ke, or sea. The riverbed glistened with wavering light, aquatic nts swayed and generated ripples, and schools of fish swirled and circled, their silver scales and long tails exhibiting elegant forms. Both being at the Marrow Cleansing Rank, not only could they hold their breath to avoid using up oxygen, but they could also withstand the deep-water pressure. Furthermore, with their Flying Swords being of the Water System, controlling them was like fish taking to water, moving with ease. After continuing forward for over ten kilometers, An Zhisu casually chatted with her junior brother, saying: ¡°Ahead should be an underwater cave dwelling, filled with river spirits and water demons.¡± ¡°If you fight deep enough, you¡¯ll encounter a Water Viper. I failed to kill itst time, and it got away.¡± ¡°Inside the chamber where it resides, there seems to be some treasures¡­ though I didn¡¯t look closely.¡±
Ling Yunpo almost fell over upon hearing this. It seemed there might be some treasures, but I didn¡¯t look. Senior Sister An, how can you say such things so matter-of-factly? s, my Senior Sister An is just too naive, devoted only to the sword in her life, indifferent to other worldly possessions, of course she wouldn¡¯t be interested in these low-rank magical treasures. But I simply can¡¯t ignore them! Ling Yunpo even remembered a documentary about marine conservation he had watched before crossing over to this world. It talked about how humans dumped all kinds of trash into the ocean, with stic bags taking ten thousand years to dpose, often entangling marine life like dolphins and turtles, ultimately leading to their helpless demise. Whatever exists deep in that underwater cave dwelling that Senior Sister spoke of must also be trash casually thrown into the water by someone. These treasures¡­ No, these pieces of trash clearly won¡¯t dpose on their own, and might be ingested by small fish, shrimp, or dragons, thus endangering these aquatic creatures. I simply can¡¯t bear it! For the sake of a pristine and pure underwater environment, I must clean up this rubbish! With this in mind, Ling Yunpo spoke with righteous indignation: ¡°Senior Sister! How about we explore that underwater cave dwelling once more?¡± ¡°Sure,¡± An Zhisu immediately agreed.
That¡¯s really great about Senior Sister An, she always directly agrees to whatever Ling Yunpo asks, never pestering with this or that question. One can only say she spoils him tremendously. The two continued to control their swords, swiftly arriving at the underwater cave dwelling. The entrance to the cave dwelling was a crevice formed between the riverbed rocks, just wide enough for the two to pass through side by side. Since the passage was narrow and didn¡¯t allow for agile movement, An Zhisu sheathed her Sword Light and descended, then positioned the Frostfall Sword above her head to be ready for any enemies. She herself walked a few steps deeper, then turned around and extended her hand to Ling Yunpo with a smile: ¡°Junior Brother, this ce is covered with dense moss and is slippery when stepped on; be careful.¡± ¡°Okay, Senior Sister,¡± said Ling Yunpo as he took her hand. Hand in hand, the two moved through the internal passage amid the scattered rocks on the riverbed. All of a sudden, Ling Yunpo felt a subtle sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu as he remembered Qiu Changtian holding Xu Yinglian¡¯s hand and running across the Iron Chain Long Bridge above the sea of clouds. Only, that time he was the one holding Junior Sister Xu¡¯s hand, but this time it was Senior Sister An holding his. Chapter 118: 53: Ten Thousand Li Water Vein Godspeed Talisman Chapter 118: Chapter 53: Ten Thousand Li Water Vein Godspeed Talisman ¡°` The riverbed cavern was a clutter of jumbled rocks. As the terrain gradually descended, the surrounding space became oddly more spacious. The originally disorderly river stones on both sides also started to show signs of being neatly cut, slowly revealing traces of man-made work. Ling Yunpo moved forward cautiously, the Green Duckweed Sword swaying slowly above his head, taut as a spring ready to shoot out at the slightest disturbance. Of course, he hoped there wouldn¡¯t be any disturbances, so he could hold Senior Sister An¡¯s hand a little longer. But it seemed the river spirits and water monsters didn¡¯t understand the concept of spoiling the mood. After about ten minutes of walk, shadows suddenly darted out from cracks in the corner rocks like green lightnings. However, the Frostfall Sword was faster, striking before the enemies could, nailing one to the rock wall. Only then did Ling Yunpo make out that it was a long, narrow water snake, with a triangr head and red tongue, twisting its body in pain. ¡°Junior brother must be careful, these creatures are very skilled at ambushes; I almost got caught off guard¡­¡± An Zhisu spoke softly. Although there were no signs that she had been ¡°almost caught off guard,¡± Ling Yunpo obligingly nodded, saying,
¡°Fair point, indeed. These demons are too vicious and treacherous, Senior Sister should also be careful.¡± The water snake nailed to the wall suddenly stopped struggling. It was unclear whether it had lost itsst breath or if it was simply passed out from the humans¡¯ conversation. An Zhisu pulled out the Frostfall Sword and, with another swift stroke, decapitated the snake¡¯s head, allowing them to continue onward. As they ventured deeper, the surrounding environment changed from haphazard, roughly cut stones, to neatly stacked blue stone walls, creating an especially serene and profound atmosphere underwater. Ling Yunpo¡¯s expression grew serious and he readied himself for battle, holding the Green Duckweed Sword in front of him, wary of any potential attacks. But every time a shadow flickered, Senior Sister An¡¯s Frostfall Sword had already shot out. By the time Ling Yunpo discerned the nature of the attacking monster, it had already fallen under Senior Sister¡¯s sword. Then Senior Sister An would turn back and say, ¡°See, weren¡¯t they difficult to handle?¡± Ling Yunpo really wanted to reply, ¡°I think Senior Sister is the most difficult one to deal with,¡± but, being a professional spy, he wouldn¡¯t make such a rookie mistake; instead, he just obediently nodded, signaling that he had taken her words to heart. As they continued fighting, Senior Sister An suddenly said with curiosity, ¡°It seems that there are fewer monsters inside thanst time.¡± ¡°Perhaps they were intimidated by Senior Sister¡¯s strength and fled in advance,¡± Ling Yunpo replied with a smile. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it¡¯s a bit disappointing,¡± An Zhisumented. ¡°I was hoping to show you the Water Viper.¡± When they reached the depths of the underwater cavern, there was indeed no trace of Jiaolong. While An Zhisu felt somewhat let down, Ling Yunpo¡¯s spirits were undiminished as he eagerly pulled his Senior Sister towards the treasure room of the cavern. Almost every cavern had a treasure room ¡ª more precisely, a ¡°storage room¡± for a cultivator¡¯s residence. Magical treasures, Flying Swords, Elixirs, and the like, which were asionally found and not regrly used, were too precious to be sold or thrown away, so they were all piled up in the treasure room. Ling Yunpo quickly identified the location of the treasure room after some discernment. After confirming with the Kunlun Mirror that there were no traps, he pulled Senior Sister in to start their search.
Most of what was piled up inside were Spirit Stones with dissipated spiritual energy, now defunct, heaped around like little mountains. Ling Yunpo used the Green Duckweed Sword to shift aside the discarded Spirit Stones and uncovered a Water-Repelling Pearl from beneath them. The Water-Repelling Pearl created a spherical water-free environment with a radius of about ten feet, isting all water outside. Considering cultivators can mostly retain their breath under water and don¡¯t need to breathe, this magical treasure was both rare and of limited use. It was typically only effective in special environments, such as the deep-sea bed under immense water pressure¡­
¡°` Ling Yunpo casually stored the Water-Repelling Pearl away and heard An Zhisu chuckle beside him, ¡°Junior Brother, what do you think of this?¡± She used the Frostfall Sword to push aside the pile of stones and discovered a small, three-legged bronze cauldron inside. Upon careful inspection, Ling Yunpo saw that the cauldron was about the size of two hands put together, its surface covered with patches of rust, clearly indicating that the Formation on it had lost its effect. The cauldron also had a lid, which upon lifting revealed a Talisman Script inside¡­ Eh? Those characters on the Talisman Script were ones Luo Yan had seen in the texts at Yuqing View; even in the Ancient Times, they were considered extremely rare¡ªthe ¡°Godspeed Talisman of the Vast Water Vein.¡± Once activated, this Talisman allows one to traverse from any water vein and leap to another unconnected water vein, making it an exceptional artifact for escaping. Its only w was that it required the energies of Ren and Gui Waters to charge the Godspeed Talisman of the Vast Water Vein. As mentioned before, Ren Water Essence is found only in the depths of Beiming, nearly inessible to ordinary Cultivators; the Gui Water Essence is an even stranger object, impossible to find. Therefore, due to these stringent recharging requirements, the method to craft such Talisman Scripts was not passed down and had beenpletely lost by now¡­ However, Ling Yunpo was different. He had already obtained the Gui Water Essence from the Pavilion and had refined it into the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light; he had also acquired the Ren Water Essence from the ancient Formation left in the Five Zhi Inds. Thus, he met the conditions for using this ancient divine Talisman.
¡°This Talisman Script looks rather mysterious, I¡¯ll take it back to study,¡± Ling Yunpo found an excuse to im the Talisman Script for himself. An Zhisu had no objections. To her, even if they had found the Supreme Immortal Swords Suming and Zhenmei, if her Junior Brother said, ¡°Senior Sister, I want them,¡± she would probably give them to him directly. What was an old Talisman Script with undecipherable directions inparison? Seeing Senior Sister An nod with a smile, Ling Yunpo reached for the Talisman Script. But the moment he touched the script, the patterns within suddenly lit up, and amidst the flow of Spiritual Energy, it was already triggered! Ling Yunpo: ??????? Wait a second! I didn¡¯t activate it! This thought shed through his mind in an instant, and both Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu disappeared simultaneously. The only things left at the scene were two small whirlpools; these were the surrounding water currents filling the void left by their vanished bodies. Soon the stone chamber returned to tranquility, as if nothing had happened at all. ¡­ The third victim appeared.
The deceased was the second disciple of the Peak Master of Bi Yun Peak, a female sword Cultivator whose arms were severed before her death. ording to the disciples of Shushan, this sword Cultivator had a generous and benevolent character, almost never had conflicts with other disciples from different peaks, let alone Qingluo Peak. Yet, the message left at the crime scene read, ¡°For the greedy, sever both arms. Su Jian.¡± After Real Person Jinghua inquired about the female sword Cultivator¡¯s usual cultivation resources from the other disciples of Bi Yun Peak, he had a rough idea in mind. The killer¡­ so familiar with the secrets within the Various Peaks of Shushan, could not possibly be one of the Demons from the Demon Locking Tower, nor a figure from outside Shushan. It must undoubtedly be one of Shushan¡¯s own disciples. The only question was whether the person was operating from outside or among the people present here. His gaze swept over the assembled crowd, and all disciples seemed somewhat uneasy, only the disciples of Xuan Stone Peak, who had regained their freedom, exchanged nces with grim expressions. Chapter 119: 54 Innate Sword Bone, Instant Marrow Cleansing Chapter 119: Chapter 54 Innate Sword Bone, Instant Marrow Cleansing ¡°This ce is¡­¡± Ling Yunpo, who was ustomed to being teleported by the Kunlun Mirror, quickly recovered from the dizziness. Looking around, all he could see was a tide of red! The two of them were now in the middle of a Blood Sea. An Zhisu also steadied her mind, looked around, and said with a frown, ¡°This ce is the ¡®Blood Pool¡¯.¡± ¡°Senior Sister An, are you saying we were teleported to the twenty-eighth level by the Talisman Scripts?¡± Ling Yunpo asked in astonishment. ¡°Yes, if there isn¡¯t a second Blood Sea inside the tower,¡± An Zhisu summoned Sword Light, circled high in the sky, ¡°Something¡¯s not right.¡± ¡°What¡¯s not right?¡± ¡°The space of the Blood Sea should be open-air, and the surroundings boundless,¡± An Zhisu said gravely, ¡°Apprentice brother, look¡­¡± Ling Yunpo looked around and saw that above their heads was not the sky, but ochre-red sandstone, approximately ten zhang high, extending outwards and slowly descending until it met the farthest edge of the water, creating a suffocatingly narrow feeling.
In other words, this ce was less of a ¡°sea pool¡± and more of an enclosed undergroundke with a considerable size. For ordinary people, the danger of an enclosed undergroundke lies in the fact that the air above the water is sealed, and the oxygen would quickly be depleted. But for a cultivator, this is not a problem. Apanied by An Zhisu, Ling Yunpo circled around the space above the Blood Sea several times before confirming that there were no openings in the rock walls. Afterward, the two of them dived into the Blood Sea and circled several times, only to find that there were no living creatures in the sea¡ªit was empty andpletely enclosed by sandstone. There were only about seven Blood Corals, their roots plunging deep into the seabed, their porous tops constantly bubbling as they exhaled bubbles. Ling Yunpo, looking at those Blood Corals, suddenly said, ¡°Senior Sister An, do you feel a bit hot?¡± ¡°Hot?¡± An Zhisu was slightly taken aback, then quickly realized something and joyfully said, ¡°That¡¯s great! It¡¯s the purifying force of the Blood Sea trying to enter your body to help with your Marrow Cleansing!¡± ¡°Find a ce to sit cross-legged, hold your breath, focus your mind, and breathe to refine your Qi, try to guide the Blood Sea Qi around you into your body!¡± Hearing this, Ling Yunpo suddenly understood, found arge boulder on the seabed nearby to sit on, crossed his legs, and operated the Supreme Primordial Secret Record Mental Art of Shushan. Soon, a scorching hot force of extreme yang began to seep into his body from the pores all over his body. For others, it might only feel warm andfortable, but Ling Yunpo had eaten four Jade Pond Golden Lotus Seeds after all, and his acupoints were half more open than ordinary people¡¯s, feeling that hot force surge into his meridians aggressively, as if they were trying to ignite every cell in his body. He felt terribly ufortable on his end, feeling sweat pouring down all over his body, which soon mixed with the surrounding blood water, indistinguishable from each other. To An Zhisu, who was guarding nearby, she only saw dirty turbid water flowing around Apprentice Brother Ling, like ck smoke drifting and spreading out. She knew that it was the turbid Qi residing in the meridians and marrow cavity of her apprentice brother¡¯s body, now being forcibly expelled by the Blood Sea Qi that was being inhaled into the body, so she secretly felt relieved. After a little more than a moment, she saw that the flow of dirty water had not yet ceased, still slowly seeping from the pores of Apprentice Brother Ling, which made An Zhisu start to feel anxious again. Ordinary cultivators at the Marrow Cleansing Rank who absorb Blood Sea Qi for Marrow Cleansing would stop after at most a quarter of an hour, which could shorten the overall duration of the Marrow Cleansing phase to about forty percent of its original length. As for the remaining turbid Qi, it mostly remains in narrow and hidden areas such as the end of the spinal cord and the back of the skull, where Blood Sea Qi is difficult to reach, and they have to be slowly grinded away using their True Qi.
But Ling Yunpo had already exceeded a quarter of an hour, and the process of Marrow Cleansing and expelling turbidity had not yet stopped. It was either because he naturally had more open acupoints and stronger meridians, allowing him to absorb more Blood Sea Qi, or because there was too much turbid Qi inside his body, making it difficult to expelpletely, therefore slowing down the process¡­ An Zhisu was truly anxious, not knowing what to do, so she could only walk around the meditating Ling Yunpo back and forth, back and forth, and back and forth again. Almost half an hour had passed, and the Blood Sea Qi within Ling Yunpo¡¯s body finally reached saturation. To be precise, due to his ¡°Innate Sword Bone¡± talent, his meridians were unobstructed, and impure qi could hardly linger.
In several marrow cavities where ordinary people¡¯s True Qi could not enter, he forcefully infused them with Blood Sea Qi, purging all impurities and turbid qi. Atst, Ling Yunpo opened his eyes, his pupils bright and clear, his skin translucent. He had sessfully broken through to the Marrow Cleansing Rank and entered the Refining Mansion Rank! ¡°Senior Sister, I¡¯ve had a breakthrough,¡± Ling Yunpo said as he opened his eyes, and just as he spoke, he saw Senior Sister An pouncing toward him and tightly embracing her junior brother. ¡°That¡¯s great, I¡¯m so d you¡¯re okay¡­¡± She hugged her junior brother as if a great burden had been lifted, unwilling to let go, and murmured. Meanwhile, she reached to wipe tears from the corner of her eyes, forgetting that she was in the midst of the Blood Sea, where her tears dispersed as soon as they fell. Ling Yunpo was both amused and helpless, only able to carefully extend his hand and gently pat her back a few times, offeringfort. Senior Sister An had many virtues, she was strong, considerate, and protective, but she was also overly sensitive. Any slight mishap with him would make her anxious and overreact; And once she was sure everything was fine, she couldn¡¯t help but shed tears, crying from joy¡­ it was indeed an excess of genuine emotion. Speaking of ¡°genuine emotion,¡± Ling Yunpo recalled that Senior Sister An had once said that she also cultivated the Sentiment Inquiry Path. Thinking of this, his heart softened, and he reciprocated by hugging Senior Sister An in return. The two of them nestled against each other tenderly for a moment, until An Zhisu finally let him go, choking up as she said,
¡°I thought you¡­ Nevermind, it¡¯s good that you¡¯re fine.¡± ¡°Why do you underestimate me so much, Senior Sister?¡± Ling Yunpo said teasingly, ¡°How could anything go wrong with this mere Blood Sea?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not talk about that now,¡± An Zhisu said with a smile, ¡°There is no exit in this eerie Blood Sea, we might need to pick a direction and dig a tunnel through the sandstone.¡± ¡°No need to dig any tunnels.¡± Ling Yunpo took out the Godspeed Talisman, and said earnestly, ¡°It was this talisman script that suddenly activated and teleported us here.¡± ¡°That means we just need to activate it again to teleport us to the next location¡ªthough where exactly that might be is unknown.¡± After pondering for a moment, An Zhisu said, ¡°In that case, let¡¯s use the talisman.¡± ¡°Inside the Demon Locking Tower, many spaces are not physically interconnected. Simply moving in one direction may not break through the spatial barriers, so it¡¯s better to rely on this talisman for teleportation.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Ling Yunpo nodded, and said, ¡°Hold on to me tightly, Senior Sister, I¡¯m going to activate the talisman script.¡± ¡°Alright.¡± An Zhisu blushed slightly, but still moved closer, gently taking her junior brother¡¯s hand. They had already embraced, so holding hands was not a difficulty. Ling Yunpo activated the Godspeed Talisman once more, and the two of them felt the world spin before their vision gradually stabilized. This ce was shrouded in dense fog, with the fog sprawling everywhere, so thick that they could scarcely see their own fingers in front of them, and the clear water underfoot reached up to their knees.
¡°This ce¡­¡± An Zhisu said uncertainly, ¡°seems to be the ¡®Cloud Sea Realm¡¯?¡± Chapter 120: 55 Cloud Sea Giant Cocoon, Rotten Stump Refining Mansion Chapter 120: Chapter 55 Cloud Sea Giant Cocoon, Rotten Stump Refining Mansion The Cloud Sea Realm, located on the thirtieth floor of the Demon Locking Tower. ording to what Senior Sister An had said, this ce should be a sea of clouds where the sky was not seen above and the ground not touched below, enveloped by hazy clouds, requiring the constant maintenance of a Sword Control flying posture. However, at this moment, the ce where the two of them stood had firm ground underfoot, and there were clear deep waters reaching up to the knees. Ling Yunpo looked down and saw, between the mists, a clear reflection of himself on the surface of the water. An Zhisu held his hand, her gaze vigntly sweeping the surroundings. Unable to see clearly. Just a few steps away, obscured too much by the clouds, the line of sight simply couldn¡¯t reach, and they could only rely on Divine Sense to probe. For now, there appeared to be no creatures or buildings around the two of them. Upon closer inspection, both the water currents at their feet and the clouds in the air were slowly moving and drifting in one direction. The two continued to move in the direction of the water flow. Before long, they arrived at a cocoon forest. There were arge number of white giant cocoons, nearly ten feet in length, which could easily amodate an adult lying within.
An Zhisu and other Refining Mansion stage disciples hade to this Cloud Sea Cocoon Forest for their mission in the Demon Locking Tower, but¡­ ¡°This is strange,¡± An Zhisu said with surprise after circling a giant cocoon a few times. ¡°The cocoon forest I know of is supported by extremely thin silk threads wrapped around pirs hanging in the midst of the cloud sea.¡± ¡°These horizontally lying cocoons in the water are something I¡¯ve never seen before, nor have I heard others speak of them.¡± ¡°Supported in the air by silk pirs?¡± Ling Yunpo asked with curiosity, ¡°Wouldn¡¯t that require a supporting ground?¡± ¡°Not sure,¡± An Zhisu replied. ¡°Many seniors have tried flying at full speed upward, downward, or in all other directions, but the boundaries of the Cloud Sea Realm have never been detected.¡± ¡°Among the clouds, there lives a kind of ferocious avian Demonic Beast. Anyone outside the cocoon forest will be attacked by such beasts. The further one strays from the height of the cocoon forest, the more numerous the beasts be¡­¡± An Zhisu paused there, exchanging a nce with Ling Yunpo. If this ce was indeed part of the same world as the Cloud Sea Realm, then it must certainly be the lowest level of the Cloud Sea Realm. The cocoons whose supporting silk pirs broke would fall here, and also because of the low height, there would be no harassment from those avian Demonic Beasts. Verification was simple: one only had to fly upward from here to see if they could find the silk-pir-supported cocoon forest. But ording to what Senior Sister An had said, the cocoon forest was vastly extensive in every direction, upwards, downwards, and to the southeast, northwest, such that ordinary cultivators could never detect its end. Heaven knows how far this bottom part is from the height of the cocoon forest. If it would take a very long time (such as several days) to reach it just to verify whether this world was the Cloud Sea Realm, it definitely wouldn¡¯t be worthwhile. Ling Yunpo¡¯s gazended on a giant cocoon. For Refining Mansion stage cultivators, what matteredy within this very cocoon. ording to the records, this type of giant cocoon possessed a peculiar ability rted to time and space. Cultivators who fell into the giant cocoon could maintain a state of cultivation and rapidly fast-forward their bodies by thirty years. These thirty years would be equivalent to day and night cultivation without interruption, free from any external disturbances, single-mindedly perfecting the Purple Mansion for thirty years. Although it consumed thirty years of lifespan, it could probablypensate for about thirty-four or thirty-five years of normal cultivation. After all, in the outside world, cultivators couldn¡¯t maintain the highest efficiency of cultivation every day, and would inevitably encounter periods when they weren¡¯t in top form. The two climbed onto the giant cocoon and tentatively ced their feet on the mouth of the cocoon.
Soon, the mouth of the cocoon began to move, engulfing Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu¡¯s ankles, then their calves, thighs, and half of their bodies, until finally, they were entirely enveloped. Ling Yunpo felt an incredibly subtle sensation, with warm, omnipresent, rhythmically pacing pressureing from all around, which inexplicably reminded him of a womb filled with amniotic fluid. However, consciousness soon became groggy, indicating that the speed of time was slowly increasing. The ¡°ounts of the Marvelous¡± by the Southern Dynasty once recorded a tale of a woodcutter who stopped to watch children ying chess and singing. He was so engrossed that only after the children finished did he realize his axe handle hadpletely rotted away; upon returning to his vige, he discovered that a hundred years had passed, and everyone he knew had vanished.
As the flow of time elerated, the thoughts of cultivators would also begin to slow down, much like the woodcutter watching the chess game. Eventually, the body could only mechanically repeat actions without any capacity for thought. ¡°` Therefore, Ling Yunpo quickly calmed his emotions and began to stimte the rotation of the Qi Sea. While breathing and refining Qi,pressing True Qi into True Yuan, he attempted to use True Yuan to nourish and perfect the ws of the Purple Mansion¡¯s inner walls. As the Qi Sea spun faster and faster, in his half-conscious state, a strand of True Yuan began to refine itself from within the Qi Sea, clinging to the Purple Mansion¡¯s inner walls to circte. This was what the Daoists referred to as ¡°the Union of Dragon and Tiger.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± The Kunlun Mirror suddenly spoke, ¡°This power of time and space, it feels like a fragment of my true form¡­¡± Watching Ling Yunpo¡¯s consciousness slip into silence, it knew that the flow of time had elerated, and now the guy was unable to speak. ¡°However, the fragment of my true form should not be here,¡± the Kunlun Mirror continued to muse to itself. ¡°This ce is merely borrowing its authority.¡± ¡°The only certainty is that my fragment is definitely within the Demon Locking Tower, hmm.¡± ¡°With your current realm, it is still too early to be plotting for these things.¡± ¡°Strive to get stronger quickly.¡± ¡­¡­ About a quarter of an hourter, Ling Yunpo¡¯s consciousness finally began to slowly awake. He subconsciously called upon his Divine Sense for introspection, and then was startled.
Most of the Qi Sea was now upied by True Yuan, with only about one-third to one-fourth of True Qi remaining, slowly drifting at the top of the upper Dantian. If True Qi could be likened to mountain streams, then True Yuan was akin to great rivers and seas, greatly eclipsing the former in quality. The result was a dual enhancement of the power and endurance in the activation of Sword Control Technique, Daoist Magic, and Magical Treasures, among other things. However, Ling Yunpo had no time to confirm how much stronger he had be. He quickly extricated himself from the giant cocoon and then went to look for Senior Sister An nearby. After a short while, An Zhisu also struggled out of the cocoon and rolled over, falling right into the waiting arms of Ling Yunpo, who had been waiting for some time. ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo clearly breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°d you¡¯re okay.¡± ¡°As if something would happen with this mere cocoon,¡± An Zhisu joked as well, her expression warming up, ¡°You can put me down now.¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Havingnded on the ground and steadied herself, the two then realized they were both covered in the goo from the inside of the giant cocoon, stickily ufortable. After washing briefly with the water on the ground, Ling Yunpo chuckled and said: ¡°Mercurial Elixir Liquid for sixty years, Cloud Sea Giant Cocoon for thirty years, isn¡¯t it equivalent to you having endured ny years of rigorous cultivation, Senior Sister? With this, isn¡¯t the Pill Formation of High Grade beyond question?¡± ¡°To achieve a Pill Formation of the top three grades would, under normal cultivation efficiency, require two hundred years in the Refining Mansion.¡± An Zhisu pondered for a moment before calmly stating, ¡°Considering this rate, if nothing unexpected urs, my Core Formation should reach the third grade.¡± Ling Yunpo immediately congratted Senior Sister, his heart also starting to fill with emotion.
To form a Third Grade Golden Core requires two hundred years in the Refining Mansion; for the Second Grade, at least four hundred years are needed. As for First Grade Pill Formation, the estimates say at least eight hundred years¡­ and there¡¯s no historical record of its achievement. That¡¯s probably because, without entering the Golden Core Realm, a human¡¯s lifespan is at most two hundred years, deducting time for Qi Refinement and Marrow Cleansing, at most, one can only have one hundred and fifty years of cultivation. How could it be possible to spend two hundred years in the Refining Mansion? One must join a renowned sect, like my Senior Sister and I did, then enter various secret realms, relying on one fortunate encounter after another to stack up, only then do we have a chance to strive for a Third Grade Golden Core. As for a Second Grade Golden Core, it¡¯s unthinkable unless one is an unparalleled genius! Now, with my identity as a Shushan Po Yun Sword Immortal, the treatment is roughly simr to Senior Sister An¡¯s, first gaining the power of the Mercurial Elixir Liquid, then elerated by the Cloud Sea Empty Cocoon, I estimate I can save myself ny years of arduous cultivation. The Mercurial Elixir Liquid can only refine a spoonful at most; any more would be considered poison. The Cloud Sea Empty Cocoon can only be used once for eleration; any more would cause insanity. Continuing this step-by-step cultivation, I should have about one hundred and fifty years of life remaining. Excluding thest ten years for Pill Formation, it is equivalent to spending two hundred and thirty years in the Refining Mansion. A Third Grade Golden Core is guaranteed, and the gap from the Second Grade is about one hundred and seventy years. Once the Demon Locking Tower¡¯s event ends, I will have to switch focus to Qiu Changtian and Luo Yan to see if Kunlun Taiqing Sect and Peni Jade Pure View have any simr secret realms and fortuitous encounters that can help me stack up to a Second Grade Golden Core! Seeing Ling Yunpo¡¯s expression brimming with emotions, An Zhisu couldn¡¯t help but smile. If my junior brother and I can both achieve a Third Grade Core Formation, then the day when Master emerges from seclusion, I can say with confidence that I have not let him down, and that I have adequately maintained Qingluo Peak¡­ ¡°`
Chapter 121: 56: The Swarm of Weaving Spiders, Blade Mountain Divine Dragon Chapter 121: Chapter 56: The Swarm of Weaving Spiders, de Mountain Divine Dragon After slightly consolidating their explosively increased realm, Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu began to explore their surroundings. Passing through numerous dormant water cocoons, they continued to follow the flow of the water and saw even more of the towering silk pirs. The so-called silk pirs, that is, ¡°Columns of Woven Silk.¡± ording to ancient records, three strands make a twist, three twists make a string, three strings make a bundle, three bundles make a braid, three braids make a wrap, three wraps make a branch, three branches make a stem, and three stems make a trunk; and with a hundred and eighty trunks interwoven, they form the Columns of Woven Silk, supporting the aerial cocoons with infinite length, yet the root of which is unknown, as if it lies within the abyss. At this time, the two seemed to be at the roots of these Columns of Woven Silk, which is the bottom of the ¡°Abyss¡± as recorded in the ancient texts. They saw these silk threads intertwining and knotting at the bottom, submerged underwater; there was also a multitude of ¡°spiders,¡± slender and light, walking on the water with extreme timidity. Seeing Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu approaching, they scattered in panic, creating ripples upon the water¡¯s surface that spread outwards. ¡°So it¡¯s these spiders that have woven the aerial cocoons,¡± An Zhisu said with a suddenugh of realization. Following Senior Sister An¡¯s gaze, Ling Yunpo saw among the roots of the Columns of Woven Silk, many iplete aerial cocoons scattered about, some more than half-finished, and some only a thirdplete. ¡°These are ¡®Weaving Cloud Spiders,¡¯¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly said from within the Sea of Consciousness, ¡°They are a type of time-space demonic beast that feeds on ¡®broken histories¡¯, which are the ¡®threads of time¡¯ I¡¯ve spoken of before.¡± It couldn¡¯t help but express its sentiment: ¡°The Weaving Cloud Spiders are inherently harmless, yet even they are imprisoned here. It appears that the construction purpose of the Demon Locking Tower is definitely not for the so-called ¡®defense against the Demon Race.¡¯¡±
¡°The Demon Locking Tower was not built by the Shushan Shangqing Faction in the first ce,¡± Ling Yunpo said dismissively, ¡°Shushan ims it was built by a great power of the Human Race for defense against the Demon Race, but where is the evidence for that? It¡¯s just arbitrary fabrication and interpretation for political purposes.¡± ¡°However, Ah Jing, I thought you, as an object from Ancient Times, would know the secrets of the Demon Locking Tower¡­ Turns out you only know bits and pieces as well,¡± he added. ¡°I am a mirror from the pce of the Western Queen Mother, not a mirror of the Mortal World; how could I possibly be so knowledgeable about worldly affairs?¡± the Kunlun Mirror said indignantly, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for¡­ never mind.¡± Its voice paused for a moment, then it continued: ¡°The Weaving Cloud Spiders weave the threads of time, extending inevitably from the past to the future. Therefore, the space-time in this realm is discontinuous; the more you try to fly upwards, the more stretched the space bes, and you will never reach the end.¡± ¡°So, it is better to leave using the ¡®Godspeed Talisman of the Myriad Mile Water Vein,¡¯¡± it suggested. Ling Yunpo was somewhat speechless, and after a moment said: ¡°Why does this damned talisman keep taking us to abnormal ces? Can¡¯t it just properly transport us outside the tower?¡± ¡°All water veins, within the system of the Water Element of the Five Elements, have incredibly mystical connections. The Godspeed Talisman of the Myriad Mile Water Vein merely transfers you from the upstream part of this mystical connection to the downstream,¡± the Kunlun Mirror stated meaningfully, ¡°Besides, leaving the Demon Locking Tower now might not necessarily be a good thing.¡± ¡°Not a good thing? What do you mean¡­ Oh.¡± Ling Yunpo was quick to understand, immediately rting this to what Qiu Changtian had mentioned earlier about ¡°an impending deadly tribtion.¡± That is to say, in the time that my Senior Sister and I have been absent, some kind of extremely unfavorable change has already taken ce outside. With this in mind, Ling Yunpo said to An Zhisu: ¡°Senior Sister, if we continue to fly upwards, there¡¯s no telling where we might arrive. Considering the Cloud Sea Realm is almost infinitely tall and deep, and its boundaries have never been fully explored, wouldn¡¯t it be better for us to use the talisman again and jump to the next water source?¡± ¡°We could,¡± An Zhisu hesitantly said, ¡°but the first time we activated it, we jumped from the eighth floor to the twenty-eighth; the second time, straight to the thirtieth. It seems to be taking us further towards the bottom of the Demon Locking Tower each time.¡± ¡°The deeper we go into the Demon Locking Tower, the more powerful the imprisoned demons be; past the thirtieth floor lies the strength of the Golden Core Rank. Could that be too dangerous?¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­.. She had a point. Havingpleted the Marrow Cleansing and secured the strength of thirty years of arduous cultivation from the Refining Mansion Rank, his journey to the Demon Locking Tower could be described as overwhelmingly lucrative. There was no need to take further risks. Had it not been for Qiu Changtian¡¯s reminder, he would have long since sought a way to exit the trial and return to Qingluo Peak to drink the Mercurial Elixir Liquid.
Nevertheless, considering his experience at the Pavilion journey, Ling Yunpo still had a basic trust in this golden finger of his, and thus spoke to Senior Sister An: ¡°Indeed, why don¡¯t we first ascend. If we fail to find the exit of this world, then we can descend and use talisman scripts to leap. How does that sound?¡± ¡°Alright,¡± An Zhisu agreed without hesitation. Thus, the two rode their Sword Light, flying up along the thread-like pir.
After flying for six or seven hours, they still did not see the end of the pir. It extended upwards into the Cloud Sea and downwards into the misty mountains, with neither end in sight. An Zhisu sighed deeply, then had no choice but to suppress the Sword Light with Ling Yunpo. After a while, they finally returned to the water. Ling Yunpo took out the Godspeed Talisman of the Thousand Mile Water Vein, infused it with True Yuan, and activated it. The two disappeared from their original spot once again. Momentster, countless weaving spiders crept out cautiously and tentatively from behind each thread-like pir. They gathered around the spot where Ling Yunpo had been standing, looking around as if perceiving something. In the midst of the world spinning, Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu once again arrived in a different realm. Upon opening their eyes, all they could see was the crimson river water gushing down, washing and beating against the riverbanks on both sides, like a roaring Jiaolong. Are we back to the 28thyer¡¯s Blood Sea? Ling Yunpo was somewhat dazed when he heard An Zhisu clenching her teeth, squeezing out a few words through the gaps, her voice forcibly calm: ¡°Junior Brother, look ahead¡­¡± Ling Yunpo suddenly looked up, only to see atop the surging river¡¯s source, on the peak of the red sandstone mountain, a gigantic dragon was coiled up. The dragon¡¯s body was almost as long as the mountain itself, its golden scales neatly arranged with colorful feathers attached to its sides. Several thick chains pierced through its lower half, firmly binding it to the mountain peak, sharp like des. Blood incessantly flowed down from the wounds caused by the chains, like springs.
However, its upper body could still move freely. At this moment, it was lowering its massive head, its cold and merciless golden vertical pupils closely staring down at Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu, as if a giant was observing ants. Ling Yunpo could even feel the dragon¡¯s breathing. When it inhaled, the wind blew forward; when it exhaled, the wind blew backward, alternating, carrying a strong moisture. ¡°Two humans¡­¡± it finally said, trying to speak softly, yet the sound was still like thunder, ¡°two humans not yet at the Transformation Rank¡­¡± ¡°¡­how did you get here?¡± Ling Yunpo was silent for a moment, then took hold of the apprehensive An Zhisu beside him and slowly said: ¡°The Godspeed Talisman of the Thousand Mile Water Vein.¡± The dragon tilted its head slightly, its gaze fixed on the talisman in his hand. ¡°¡­I see.¡± Chapter 122: 57: Prisoner’s Dilemma, Trust in Senior Sister Chapter 122: Chapter 57: Prisoner¡¯s Dilemma, Trust in Senior Sister The dragon coiled atop de Mountain. Its tail swung back and forth incessantly, apanied by frequent violent mountain copses, sending arge amount of reddish soil and rocks into the Chijiang River. Even though it was pierced and bound by chains, such actions should have caused its wounds to continue bleeding profusely, yet it seemed to show no signs of weakness from blood loss. The upper body of the dragon, however, remained motionless, its golden vertical pupils quietly gazing at the two humans, an invisible, mountainous fear slowly descending with its look. Then, it suddenly slowly cracked a smile, disying a human-like expression that seemed to suggest amusement. ¡°Two humans, I want to y a game with you.¡± Ling Yunpo did not answer, merely silently moving closer to Senior Sister An. An Zhisu¡¯s fingers curved slightly, Frostfall Sword already primed to strike. ¡°Do not attempt to resist with martial force,¡± the dragon continued with a weird chuckle, ¡°Given the gap in our realms, you have no hope of victory.¡± No sooner had the voice faded, an extremely terrifying pressure descended out of nowhere. Both of their expressions changed drastically as they felt some sort of intangible bond that prevented any movement of their divine sense or limbs, as if they were fragile frogs being forcibly stuffed into small jars.
The next second, the pressure vanished just as suddenly as it had arrived, leaving no trace, as if everything before was merely an illusion. Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu looked at each other, reading shock and fear in each other¡¯s eyes. ¡°My game is called ¡®Prisoner¡¯.¡± The dragon gently exhaled, and a thick fog rose up, separating Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu. In the midst of the fog, Ling Yunpo found his vision hampered, voice dissipated, and divine sense unable to expand, much like the ¡°Green Mist Veil Over the Mountains¡± sealed on the Green Duckweed Sword. ¡°This is the Five Elements Water System Daoist Magic,¡± the dragon¡¯s voice floated leisurely from within the fog, ¡°Under this magic, light, sound, divine sense¡­ all intangible transmissions are under my control.¡± ¡°In other words, you and your Senior Sister are now my prisoners.¡± ¡°The rules of the game are simple,¡± the dragon continuednguidly, ¡°Although you can¡¯t see or hear her, you know your Senior Sister is right beside you.¡± ¡°You can choose whether or not to strike her down. Of course, she can make a choice, too.¡± ¡°If both of you choose not to act, then I will let you go.¡± ¡°If both of you choose to act, then I will destroy your Life-bound Sword Artifacts.¡± ¡°But if one of you chooses to act and the other chooses not to, then¡­ the one who chooses not to will be killed, and the one who acts¡­¡± The voice paused for a moment, then nonchntly said: ¡°I will give them a reward.¡± ¡°Of course, a real reward. Flying Swords, Magical Treasures, Daoist Magic, Strange Objects¡­ Overall, it depends on my mood.¡± ¡°The more disbelieving the expression on the face of the betrayed, fatally wounded person, the more pleasure I experience, and the more valuable the corresponding reward will be¡­¡± As the dragon¡¯s leisurely speech continued, Ling Yunpo¡¯s mind already began racing. This dilemma was, in fact, a game-theory proposition. From a pure theoretical model perspective:
If I choose not to betray, then there are only two oues: to leave unharmed or to be killed. If I choose to betray, there are also two oues: to receive a reward or to have my Life-bound Sword Artifact destroyed. Comparing these four oues, it¡¯s obvious that the dragon¡¯s rules encourage participants to betray and kill each other. Raising the fog to block the sight and sounds of the two people is also meant to further increase the suspicion between them:
Will Senior Sister betray me? Or thinking that I would betray her even though she doesn¡¯t want to, would she choose to betray me as a precaution? In fact, if the trust between each other can¡¯t outweigh the doubts, then decisively choosing to act is the optimal move under these game conditions. However, reality cannot be fully epassed by a pure theoretical model. With Qiu Changtian¡¯s prior warning, Ling Yunpo certainly wouldn¡¯t make a mistake, so he stated outright: ¡°I choose not to act.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be hasty,¡± the dragon¡¯s voice carried a hint of mockery, ¡°let¡¯s see what she chooses first.¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­.. So, you¡¯re intentionally scaring me, huh? Sorry, I¡¯ve had professional training, I absolutely won¡¯t be afraid. However, as time slowly passed, he couldn¡¯t help feeling a bit of instinctual restlessness. Senior Sister An couldn¡¯t possibly¡­ Impossible, impossible. If she wanted to kill me, she would have done it by now, why the hesitation until now? Maybe Senior Sister An is also hesitating¡­ That¡¯s even less likely. For me, she could give up her own future, how could she betray me over such doubts?
Rational thoughts, emotions, and instincts waged a relentless battle in Ling Yunpo¡¯s mind, tugging back and forth. Reason told him there was no need for his Senior Sister to hesitate, emotions also insisted she couldn¡¯t possibly choose to betray, only instincts kept feeding a strong sense of unease. Ling Yunpo realized that deep within his heart, there was always an instinctual sense of insecurity, which was the natural anxiety not to trust anyone, spawned from the pressure of self-vignce during his long spy career. He had not genuinely wished to be a Shushan disciple when he joined Qingluo Peak¡¯s ranks but had done so to seize the Heaven-Mending Stone fragment from the Shushan Shangqing Faction. Should his scheme be exposed, there was no doubt he would be regarded as a traitor to Shushan, and then how would his Senior Sister view him, her ¡°Junior Brother¡± who had schemed and infiltrated? As soon as his thoughts slipped in this direction, Ling Yunpo would start to overthink, unable topletely eliminate thest bits of suspicion in his heart. But the dragon before them seemed to have finally lost its patience. Looking at Ling Yunpo, who remained silent, and An Zhisu, determined and unwavering on the other side, it ultimately let out a long, turbid sigh, blowing their hair and robes rustling: ¡°Fine, this is so boring. You can go now.¡± As its words fell, the dense mist immediately dispersed. Ling Yunpo looked at Senior Sister An, who was close at hand, and his heart was suddenly filled with relief, as well as a sense of guilt and shame for having doubted her. However, he concealed thetter feeling well, revealing a face that said ¡°I knew it would be like this,¡± smiling as he reached out his hand: ¡°Senior Sister.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± An Zhisu also reached out her hand, and they sped hands.
Ling Yunpo immediately activated the Godspeed Talisman of the Thousand Mile Water Vein, and under the indifferent gaze of the de Mountain dragon, he transported away with An Zhisu. After a long while, the dragonzily yawned. ¡°¡­It seems I have won,¡± said a sword light emerging from behind the mountain belly. It was Qiu Changtian, the Kunlun Chief Disciple, riding his sword through the air, standing with his hands behind his back, speaking indifferently. ¡°Hmph.¡± The dragon snorted out sparks from its nostrils, ¡°You already knew these two Shushan disciples, and knew they practiced the Sentiment Inquiry Path, didn¡¯t you?¡± ¡°That¡¯s irrelevant to our bet,¡± Qiu Changtian said with downturned eyelids, disinterestedly, ¡°Or do you, Ying Long, intend to back down from the agreement?¡± ¡°Heh.¡± The dragon gave a smile that was not quite a smile, ¡°Why would I go back on my word? Even a lost bet is to my advantage, after all.¡± It folded its five-colored wings on its back and released its formidable dragon¡¯s might, but not aimed at Qiu Changtian in the air, rather it radiated aimlessly in all directions. Suddenly the Chijiang River almost came to a standstill, de Mountain crumbled inch by inch, and the heavens and earth seemed to change color at this moment. Qiu Changtian, on his Yu Long Sword, appeared as though a small boat in a storm under this terrible dragon¡¯s might, almost about to capsize. After a while, the dragon then withdrew its oppressive presence, sayingzily: ¡°Are we done?¡± Qiu Changtian steadied himself, looking bedraggled, and remained silent. Only after consulting the Kunlun Mirror in his mind and receiving the reply ¡°Recordingplete,¡± did he solemnly nod his head. ¡°Very well, remember your promise,¡± the dragon then spat out a Blood Bead, floating it over to his face, ¡°If you get the chance to go to the Eastern Emperor Realm, go find my daughter and take her to the Beiming You Realm.¡±
¡°Where might your esteemed daughter be found? And what features does she have that can be identified by?¡± Qiu Changtian took out the Purifying Bottle, stored the Blood Bead, and asked seriously. ¡°Her nickname is ¡®Long Hu,¡¯¡± the dragon fell silent for a long time before answering, ¡°She carries the bloodline of humans, dragons, and foxes, making her look like a white fox but with the golden pupils of a dragon. With such a mixed appearance, she should be unique in the Eastern Emperor Realm.¡± ¡°As for her location, I¡¯ve been imprisoned in the tower for at least a hundred thousand years, how could I know? She¡¯s likely with her mother. If you find her, tell her mother¡­¡± ¡°¡­Tell her mother what?¡± ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing,¡± the dragon closed its eyelids, lying back on de Mountain, and coiled its body tightly again. Chapter 123: 58: Su Jian Did It, Confirmed Chapter 123: Chapter 58: Su Jian Did It, Confirmed True Person Jinghua sped out of the injury sector with Sword Light, charging back into the hall. His expression was extremely pale with cold severity, as if he were suppressing an immense shock and fury, such that the Shushan disciples present, under his chilling gaze, all involuntarily shifted their own eyes away. ¡°Ling Yunpo, where is An Zhisu?¡± True Person Jinghua said in a frosty voice, which waspletely devoid of any warmth. ¡°They have not returned yet,¡± Lin Duanshan stepped forward with a sped hand salute and said, ¡°True Person, the disciples from Wutong Peak who went to the injury sector for their trial, have they found any clues?¡± ¡°The disciples from Wutong Peak have all perished,¡± True Person Jinghua coldly stated, ¡°The murderer is none other than Qi Sha True Person Su Jian from Qingluo Peak.¡± A tide of noise surged among the Shushan disciples, a mixture of shock and anger, interrupted by Lin Duanshan¡¯s incredulous question: ¡°Is True Person certain? Please be aware that this hall is the only passage connecting the upper and lower levels, guarded at all times by Shushan disciples. We can guarantee that no one else has passed through here!¡± ¡°If the murderer on the upper level is indeed Su Jian, how did he evade the eyes of all of us and quietly descend to this level?¡± True Person Jinghua, in extreme anger,ughed derisively: ¡°I went to the injury sector in search of the missing disciples from Wutong Peak, and saw with my own eyes Su Jian standing amidst the corpses, and he even exchanged several blows with me¡­ Lin Duanshan, are you doubting my words?¡± Lin Duanshan was lost for words, and the Shushan disciples around him fell silent as well.
No one had anticipated that Su Jian would indeed be the one who had acted, let alone confirmed personally by True Person Jinghua! ¡°Listen well, all of you!¡± True Person Jinghua shouted, ¡°The trial in the Demon Locking Tower is hereby canceled on short notice, and I will take full responsibility!¡± ¡°Everyone is to leave the tower with me immediately! If there is any lead on Ling Yunpo or An Zhisu, report at once!¡± As he spoke, he seemed to recall something else and angrily demanded: ¡°Has anyone seen Zhang Tian, the Chief Disciple from Kunlun?¡± Before his words could fade, as if timing his entrance, Zhang Tian appeared from the doorway behind and gave True Person Jinghua a bow. Following that, all of the Shushan disciples, including True Person Jinghua, disyed expressions of shock. Elsewhere, Ling Yunpo activated the Godspeed Talisman of the vast water veins and was transported with An Zhisu to another water source. The moment they opened their eyes, they were met with immense water pressure. It was unknown how many thousands of meters beneath the sea this environment was, where the light was faint, visibility extremely low and the water temperature exceedingly cold, a frigid pain as if diseased bone marrow was being pressed upon from all directions. Before they could stabilize themselves, a pair of huge golden vertical pupils suddenly emerged from the darkness ahead. Then another pair of golden pupils appeared, followed by the ferocious head of a Jiaolong covered in scales and tentacles. Two enormous Jiaolongs from the depths of the sea. Ling Yunpo held his breath, aware that these aquatic dragon species were different from human cultivators, naturally possessing extremely formidable strength. Their initial form is the ¡°Water Viper,¡± roughly equivalent in power to a cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Refining Mansion stage; their evolved form is the ¡°Jiaolong,¡± which possesses the strength of the Golden Core Realm Soul Storing Rank. Had it been any other Refining Mansion stage cultivator without the Golden Core Realm, they probably couldn¡¯t even prate a Jiaolong¡¯s scales. But Ling Yunpo, after all, had practiced the North Pole Thunder as Zhang Tian, a thunder specifically effective against the Dragon n, thus against the Golden Core Realm Jiaolong, he wasn¡¯tpletely without the power to fight back. However¡­ His hands concealed within his sleeves clenched the Godspeed Talisman in silence.
It would not activate. This damned Talisman Script, after multiple teleportation jumps, had already exhausted its Water System Spiritual Power! It needed to be charged with Ren Gui Water Essence. This charging process would consume who knows how much time¡­ As they braced themselves for battle, they heard the Jiaolong on the right suddenly opening its mouth, astonishingly speaking in humannguage, threateningly saying:
¡°Human cultivators, how did youe to this ce? Confess honestly, and you may be spared¡­¡± The Jiaolong on the left, unwilling to show weakness, growled: ¡°Let me eat them first!¡± The Jiaolong on the right, with wide-open eyes, turned to itspanion and said: ¡°You mustn¡¯t act on a whim just for the sake of your appetite! Blood-food can be found elsewhere, but we must find out why human cultivators are here! There¡¯s only one entrance to this sea area, they couldn¡¯t have slipped past the guard undetected, so they must havee from where that one is imprisoned. We need to find out how they got there¡­¡± The Jiaolong on the left feigned an epiphany and howled: ¡°Then I¡¯ll eat them first!¡± It opened its bloody maw wide, unable to restrain itself, and charged straight at them! Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu had been on high alert, and they immediately aimed at the head of this Jiaolong, firing Thunderbane and Frostfall Swords. To make sure, Ling Yunpo, while shooting the Thunder Punishment Sword, pretended to invoke Sword Dao Techniques, but in fact, he flung the Pr Thunder along with it. Two sword lights, one gold and one white, dazzlingly bright, shot straight into the Jiaolong¡¯s mouth. The Jiaolong, unafraid, relying on its sufficiently sharp teeth, aimed to snap these low-realm human cultivators¡¯ Flying Swords in one bite. But before it could close its mouth, it experienced an exceedingly harsh cold aura from the Pr Thunder, and an innate sense of dire crisis emerged, startling it into retracting its head. It was toote to dodge, and its dragon head was struck by the Pr Thunder, exploding into a bloody mess.
Not only that, the frosty and harsh thunder continued to pour into its wound madly, causing the Jiaolong to thrash in pain, nearly losing the ability to maintain its sanity, as it went berserk. An Zhisu moved her fingers through the Sword technique, piercing the Frostfall Sword into the wound. While infusing Sword Qi, she cleanly withdrew it. In the moment of withdrawal, it got hit by a breath of cold air from the Jiaolong beside it, freezing over half the body of the sword. An Zhisu¡¯s body trembled slightly, clearly because the Frostfall Sword had been invaded by a higher grade cold air and was damaged. The connection through her Life-bound Sword Artifact caused her to suffer considerable injuries as well. However, herbat experience was indeed extensive; behind her risky behavior was a well-calcted n. Using the Frostfall Sword as bait to lure the Jiaolong to turn its head, she shot another ray of cold light from her sleeve lightning-fast, as swift as electricity, as bright as frost and snow, ruthlessly stabbing into the golden vertical pupils of the Jiaolong! This Jiaolong, living in the Demon Locking Tower for years, was experienced in dealing with its simr-sized kind but had no experience whatsoever in fighting human cultivators. Instantly hit hard, the entire dragon went berserk, ready to unleash all sorts of divine skills in a furious assault. However, it heard An Zhisu chanting swiftly: ¡°Ice depths three feet, snow covers ten thousand miles!¡± In a blink, a multitude of frost blossoms sprang out of nowhere on the Jiaolong¡¯s body, spreading rapidly over its scales. Taking advantage of one Jiaolong¡¯s rampage from the Pr Thunder and the other being stabbed in the golden eye and temporarily restrained by the frost Daoist magic, An Zhisu quickly pulled Ling Yunpo away. Both of them sped up, riding the sword light to flee frantically. After a short while, distant, intense dragon roars resonated. Its volume was so thunderous that it could pierce metal and split stones, causing the surrounding seawater to tremble. If the two were a bit slower, they would have been caught in the Jiaolong¡¯s divine skills and demon arts. ¡°Senior sister,¡± Ling Yunpo hurriedly checked An Zhisu¡¯s condition.
Fortunately, though she was pale, she hadn¡¯t lost color entirely; presumably, a slight chill had entered her body, which should not impede their further actions. Thus, Ling Yunpo continued to stimte True Yuan, secretly coordinating with the Water System Divine Light in his Qi Sea, fueling the talisman at full speed. This Godspeed Talisman, fortunately, could leap as long as there was water, unfettered by any spatial obstacles. The drawback was that thending point couldn¡¯t be chosen at will¡­ Of course, at that moment, they didn¡¯t really have other options. If they didn¡¯t use the talisman, the two of them wouldn¡¯t get far before being caught and killed by the two Jiaolong. They had to finish charging quickly and then escape with the talisman! However, senior sister had seemingly used another Immortal Sword besides the Frostfall Sword just now. It seemed to be¡­ Master¡¯s Harsh Cold Sword? Chapter 124: 59: Sacrificing Oneself to Save Another, Senior Sister Has No Regrets Chapter 124: Chapter 59: Sacrificing Oneself to Save Another, Senior Sister Has No Regrets Two streaks of sword light suddenly split apart the sea¡¯s surface, tearing through the water like white satin. Ling Yunpo was rapidly ascending when An Zhisu suddenly grabbed his arm and yanked him away. The high-pressure water jet, sharp as a knife and spewing from the chasing Jiaolong¡¯s mouth, barely missed scraping Ling Yunpo¡¯s scalp. Even though it missed, Ling Yunpo still sensed the extreme sharpness within the water jet, carrying a terrifying power that seemed capable of tearing everything apart. If it had hit him, even if he risked exposing the Divine Fire Mantle for protection, it might not withstand a single blow! The disparity between the Golden Core Realm and the Foundation Establishment Realm felt like an insurmountable chasm of despair. He had plotted and schemed for so long, only managing to strike the Jiaolong through a sneak attack with the dragon-restraining Pr Thunder, and yet he still had not killed it. Meanwhile, the other party could freely wield demon magic,unching a saturation attack with dense water arrows. Even if he and Senior Sister An sessfully dodged countless times, a single hit would mean instant annihtion¡­ This battle held no chance of victory; they needed to escape, and fast! No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than he found himself enveloped in a warm embrace¡ªSenior Sister An grabbed him from the front, pushing the Frostfall Sword Light to its limit, zigzagging at an extremely high frequency. Ling Yunpo barely held back his dizziness and swiftly turned his head for a quick nce backward.
He saw that, in addition to the two injured Jiaolongs, even more white-scaled Jiaolongs had been alerted and were breaking through the sea¡¯s surface to give chase¡ªfrom a distance, they were numerous, swarming like a gue, hundreds upon a hasty nce! If hundreds of Golden Core Rank dragons caught up, he might as well use his Flying Sword to end his own life¡ªdeath woulde more swiftly! Ling Yunpo took a deep breath, letting An Zhisu drag him through ultra-high-speed maneuvers while channeling all his True Yuan into his Qi Sea, desperately charging the Godspeed Talisman with energy from the boundless water vein. Finally, the charging wasplete! Just as Ling Yunpo was about to activate the talisman, An Zhisu suddenly jumped in front of him again, and then they were both struck by a powerful blow, knocked into the air together. The impact left Ling Yunpopletely disoriented, his stomach almost churning like a tumultuous river. He gritted through the pain, fully activated the Godspeed Talisman, and their forms abruptly vanished from the spot. The next second, an imprable barrage of water arrows, like a deluge, inundated their former location. About a dozen Jiaolongs rushed to the scene, and with golden vertical pupils, they surveyed the area and then began roaring in the dragon tongue: ¡°Those two human cultivators have run away!¡± ¡°We must capture them!¡± ¡°Quick, go inform the Holy Messenger!¡± ¡°We can¡¯t afford any disruptions in the final stages of the n!¡± Thebined roar of thousands of dragons stirred the sea until waves rose tens of feet high, the heavens and the earth quaking in response. In a whirl of confusion, Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu found themselves in a valley, standing in a waist-deep pool of water. The surroundings were indeed picturesque, with no demonic beasts in sight. Ling Yunpo steadied An Zhisu, only to find that Senior Sister An was limp and too weak to stand on her own. And on her back, fragments of a broken Immortal Sword were embedded, drenching her entire being in blood. Ling Yunpo hurriedly checked for her breath, rmed. Fortunately, she wasn¡¯t dead, there was hope for her.
For those engaged in cultivation, physical injuries were the easiest to deal with, far less terrible than the poisons and curses of demons or some notoriously insidious, poisonous demonic techniques. Ling Yunpo found a house nearby, which had all sorts of furniture in it, yet there were no signs that it had been inhabited by human beings. After confirming there were no traps with the Kunlun Mirror, he let An Zhisu lie down on the bed and then carefully removed her upper garments to extract all the fragments of the Immortal Sword embedded within her. From the distribution and the angle of the fragments¡¯ pration, it appeared that Senior Sister An had attempted to protect him by intercepting the Water Arrows with the Flying Sword behind her while trying to shield him in front. Eventually, the Flying Sword could not withstand the power of the demon magic of hundreds of Jiaolongs, shattered, and became embedded in her body.
Of course, if it weren¡¯t for blocking the attack with the Flying Sword, Senior Sister An¡¯s body would not have been able to withstand such an assault¡­ wait, this Flying Sword is? Ling Yunpo picked up a bloodied fragment and examined it closely. The Frostfall Sword¡­ In order to buy him time to activate the Talisman Scripts, Senior Sister An had sacrificed her Life-bound Sword Artifact, the Frostfall Sword, which spelled trouble. ording to the essence of Shushan Swordsmanship, the Life-bound Sword Artifact was linked to the Sword Immortal¡¯s vital energy, greatly enhancing all its abilities. But the destruction of a Life-bound Sword Artifact was like losing an arm for a Sword Immortal, leading inevitably to a standstill in their realm and a regression in cultivation level. A standstill in realm meant that no matter how one practiced breathing and Qi Refinement, it was impossible for their realm to make further progress for a short period. A regression in cultivation level meant what used to exhibit 100% power can now, perhaps, only manifest 40%. Thinking this, Ling Yunpo stared nkly at the still unconscious Senior Sister on the bed, his expression fluctuating between light and dark. The time needed for a damaged Life-bound Sword Artifact to recover varied from person to person, as short as two to three months or as long as half a year to a year, but once recovered, it would not leave any side effects. However, for a Sword Immortal, the loss of a Life-bound Sword Artifact was not as simple as losing just a sword. Having nurtured the Frostfall Sword for a long time, it could be said to be as responsive as her own limb. Even if she was given another Tenth Rank Flying Sword, how could she get used to it in the short term? Even if she got used to a new Immortal Sword, what about the Sword Dao Techniques? They couldn¡¯t possibly be the same as those of the Frostfall Sword, could they? If the Daoist Magic sealed on the sword changed, wouldn¡¯t the matching swordsmanship andbat techniques have to change as well?
What¡¯s more, never mind the swordsmanship andbat techniques, the Sword Immortal¡¯s own familiar battle strategies might need to bepletely overturned and started from scratch¡­ The negative impact on the Sword Immortal herself was far from something that could be eliminated in just a few years. s, Senior Sister. Ling Yunpo felt an unspeakable emotion and guilt. The reason for the emotion goes without saying, as Senior Sister had sacrificed herself to save him, which would move even the most cold-hearted and ungrateful of people. The guilt, however, stemmed from the fact that in his desire to conceal his identity, he had refrained from using too many of his trump cards, inadvertently dragging Senior Sister into choosing to sacrifice herself. Not to mention other things, just the sky-filling barrage of Water Arrows from the Jiaolong swarm could have been dispelled by Luo Yan activating the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light with a single sweep¡­ what of the Golden Core Rank? The Five Elements Divine Light is a power of Immortal Law! Of course, such secretive thoughts could only be buried deep in Ling Yunpo¡¯s heart. What An Zhisu was willing to sacrifice for was that little junior brother Ling Yunpo who had joined the Qingluo Peak. As for an individual who schemed to infiltrate Shushan with the intent of seizing fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone, a spy and a traitor¡­ it was best not to reveal him before her attitude was certain. With these thoughts, Ling Yunpo shed a few tears, took An Zhisu¡¯s delicate hand into his own, and called out in a mournful voice: ¡°Senior Sister!¡± Chapter 125: 60: Escape from the Demon Locking Tower, Hide into the Xuanguang Ruler Chapter 125: Chapter 60: Escape from the Demon Locking Tower, Hide into the Xuanguang Ruler Half a day passed before An Zhisu slowly regained consciousness. Ling Yunpo carefully helped his senior sister to sit up. Her back wound had been cleaned by Ling Yunpo, who ensured that there was no special energy leftover, then properly applied medicine and wrapped it up. But perhaps due to the damage to her life-bound sword artifact, at this moment, An Zhisu still seemed frail and listless, which was a stark contrast to her usual gentle beauty that carried a brisk vitality. It was as if Xishi was holding her heart; although weak and powerless, her charm was even greater than before. Ling Yunpo, sitting beside the sickbed, talked to his senior sister with patience, shedding tears of self-me, which startled Senior Sister An enough to hastilyfort him, telling him not to take it to heart. ¡°So at that time, was it because you needed time to activate the Godspeed Talisman?¡± An Zhisu revealed an expression of realization andughed, ¡°I was wondering why you didn¡¯t hurry away¡­¡± ¡°In that case, the Frostfall Sword breaking also had some meaning; it at least bought us time to escape.¡± ¡°Senior Sister¡­¡± Ling Yunpo was at a loss for words, tearfully grateful. To say ¡°the life-bound sword artifact breaking had meaning,¡± to what extent was this senior sister indulging me? ¡°Don¡¯t worry about me,¡± An Zhisu continuedforting him, ¡°Before Master went into seclusion, he also left the Harsh Cold Sword with me. Even without the Frostfall Sword, I still have a sword I can use.¡±
¡°Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo said earnestly, ¡°one day, I will find an eleventh-rank Immortal Sword to be your life-bound sword artifact!¡± The long-absent voice of the Kunlun Mirror also sounded: [Unyielding Character, Synchronization Value +1.] But this was indeed boasting¡ªan eleventh-rank Immortal Sword mentioned in ancient texts was without exception famous from being wielded by powerful beings in ancient times. The junior brother hadn¡¯t even reached the Golden Core Realm, where could he get an eleventh-rank Immortal Sword from? However, An Zhisu didn¡¯t take his words as a joke but said with a smile: ¡°Alright, then your senior sister will wait for your eleventh-rank Immortal Sword.¡± She extended her little finger and hooked it with the bemused Ling Yunpo. After a short rest, An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo left the room together to inspect the valley. They did not encounter any demons, which was quite strange. In a certain part of the valley, the two found an exit from this world. Following the passage back to the octagonal hall, Ling Yunpo was startled to realize that the valley was actually the rest area of the seventy-second floor. Using the Godspeed Talisman over such a long distance, he and his senior sister had somehow made it all the way down to the seventy-second floor¡­ Surviving was extremely fortunate. Wait, hadn¡¯t the future self said, ¡°I was originally going to face a fatal cmity¡±? So, was this simply the result after the timeline had been corrected? Anyway, since the main purpose of elerating the Marrow Cleansing was achieved, it was time to leave this ce quickly. In the octagonal hall of the Demon Locking Tower, the upper floors connect to the door of life and death, and on the 1st, 30th, and 50th floors¡¯ doors of life, there are direct exits to the outside world. Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu kept entering the doors of life, as the number on the floors they were on continuously increased, the light around them gradually brightened. Upon reaching the fiftieth floor, the surrounding environment changed drastically.
The walls were twisted and deformed, the Everbright Lamps shattered on the ground, and there wererge patches of blood from someone unknown, sttered almost everywhere. The door of life leading to the outside world had been violently torn apart from the inside by some powerful spell, and Ling Yunpo went up to inspect it. At the severed section, there were clear signs of cold temperature fracturing. ¡°Junior Brother,¡± An Zhisu said at his side, ¡°be careful when you go out.¡±
¡°Mm,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded. The two left through the damaged gate of life. As soon as they reached the outside world, they saw that the sky and earth had changed colors. Dark clouds filled the air, lightning zigzagged, and countless jiaolong appeared and disappeared within the cloudyers, their prolonged roars and soft growls resonating. There was also a massive chi dragon coiled around the top end of the Demon Locking Tower, forcefully tugging at it¡ªthe tower emitted sounds of unbearable strain, as if it were on the brink of copse. An Zhisu suddenly grabbed Ling Yunpo¡¯s arm, and their sword light abruptly elerated, dodging a gaping maw that had attempted a sneak attack from below. The two fled desperately through the valley, with the chasing jiaolong relentlessly pursuing them from behind, constantly spitting out a barrage of ice des that forced them to veer and dodge. Suddenly, a streak of sword light shot through, instantly piercing the head of the jiaolong and nailing it to the rock wall nearby. ¡°We have seen the Jade Capital Sect Leader,¡± Ling Yunpo, recognizing the person, quickly paid his respects. The Jade Capital Sect Leader, dressed in a Seven Star Daoist Robe, descended from the sky atop a beam of sword light, ncing at him indifferently. That nce gave Ling Yunpo the illusion of being seen through and through, almost identical to how Qiu Changtian had felt before the Ziwei Master. Fortunately, it seemed that the Sect Leader of the Shushan Shangqing Faction was not interested in wasting time on them and soon shifted his gaze away, stating indifferently: ¡°All disciples gather at the Emei Golden Summit for refuge. You two should head there as quickly as possible.¡± ¡°Understood!¡± Ling Yunpo immediately pulled An Zhisu away.
They didn¡¯t dare to fly too high and could only skim close to the ground propelled by their sword light. A troop of Golden Core True Persons, riding on sword light, swept over their heads with an intimidating aura. Ling Yunpo squinted and saw, in the farther distance, grand swathes of radiant light that seemed to be the aftermath of the Shushan Sword Immortals shing with the jiaolong. Without a doubt, the war unfolding in the skies above Shushan required at least cultivators of the Golden Core Realm to qualify for participation. As for himself and Senior Sister¡­ it would be best to gracefully exit the stage. An Zhisu struggled to control the harsh Harsh Cold Sword Light, which was noticeably slower than the original Frostfall Sword, her Life-bound Sword Artifact¡¯s destruction resulting in increasingly severe aftereffects. Ling Yunpo had no choice but to keep pace, holding her arm and grasping her hand, their fingertips touching at the acupoints as he fed his robust True Yuan into her. Thankfully, he had stolen thirty years¡¯ worth of cultivation growth in the Cloud Sea Realm, which now afforded him enough True Yuan to support Senior Sister. An Zhisu squirmed slightly, seemingly embarrassed, but ultimately failed to free herself. Feeling Ling Yunpo¡¯s True Yuan traveling through her arm and slowly entering the Qi Sea below her abdomen, she felt an indescribable wave of shame. Considering her current weakness and the critical situation around them, An Zhisu stopped struggling and let her Junior Brother guide her in their escape. When they finally reached the Emei Golden Summit, they saw a vast light screen drawn by the Xuanguang Ruler, with the entire summit protected within a colorless light barrier. Various attacks constantly descended upon it, creating ripples on the surface of the barrier.
As they brought Senior Sister to the edge, someone soon noticed the two Shushan disciples and opened a small hole in the Xuanguang Ruler¡¯s shield to let them in. Just as they entered the light screen, Ling Yunpo saw True Person Jinghua approaching on sword light, who angrily said: ¡°You two have arrived just in time! Tell me, where exactly is Su Jian?¡± Ling Yunpo: ??? He immediately showed a confused expression. Chapter 126: 61 Emei Golden Summit, Ying Long’s Demonic Might Chapter 126: Chapter 61 Emei Golden Summit, Ying Long¡¯s Demonic Might Seeing that both Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu wore bewildered expressions, True Person Jinghua grew even more irritated and said in a harsh tone, ¡°Stop the deception! Su Jian colluded with demons, releasing the dragon imprisoned within the Demon Locking Tower and thus,mitted a heinous crime against the sect! If you do not wish to be punished with him, then speak the whole truth without reserve!¡± An Zhisu became very anxious upon hearing this, and she was about to speak, but she was stopped by Ling Yunpo reaching out a hand. Even though his senior sister was flustered with concern, Ling Yunpo was no fool and instantly sensed something amiss. If his master had truly colluded with demons, wouldn¡¯t Shushan have already forcefully seized him and his senior sister? Why would they need True Person Jinghua here to ¡°interrogate¡± us? ¡°What True Person Jinghua is talking about, neither my senior sister nor I have any knowledge of,¡± he said, perplexed, ¡°If it is true that our master has colluded with demons, then please have the Criminal Law Halle to take us away. My senior sister and I will tell all that we know, holding back nothing.¡± The implication was, as long as True Person Jinghua was interrogating alone, they would say nothing at all. Upon hearing this, True Person Jinghua became even more enraged, made a sword-finger gesture, and repeatedly said the word ¡°good¡± three times. Then¡­ he turned and walked away. Seeing him actually turn to leave, An Zhisu realized that the other party was trying to deceive them, and she let out a long sigh of relief. Under normal circumstances, even while facing a Golden Core True Person, she would insist on arguing her point.
But now that her life-bound sword artifact was damaged, and her body was weak and fatigued, especially with her junior brother beside her, she subconsciously began to rely on him. Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t say anything, so she also obediently stood by, remaining silent. On Emei Golden Summit, at Tianji Square, disciples of the Foundation Establishment Realm were already filling the area. It wasn¡¯t because the higher-ups required the disciples to stay there, but because everyone was too anxious to feel at ease inside the main hall. If Shushan were to be defeated, then they, even if hiding in the main hall, could not escape the fate of being captured and killed by the Dragon n. And if Shushan were to win, they would certainly want to be outside to witness how their predecessors slew the dragons. As An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo entered Tianji Square, they quickly attracted the gazes of many Shushan disciples. Unlike True Person Jinghua, the gazes these disciples cast did not contain much hostility or fear. They merely gave them a few symbolic nces before their expressions returned to one of tension as they looked towards the distance and the sky. Halfway up the stairs leading to the main hall, Duan Fenhai was half closing his eyes as if taking a brief rest. Lin Duanshan was standing at the bottom of the steps, holding his sword, saying nothing. Guan Shanyue, on the other hand, was leaning on the railing, chatting merrily with Sima Changyan and Bi Sheng. Seeing the two return, Lin Duanshan immediately came forward to greet them, asking, ¡°Where did you go earlier in the Demon Locking Tower? Why couldn¡¯t we find any trace of youter on?¡± An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo chuckled awkwardly, after all, exining the ¡°strange object like the Water Vein Godspeed Talisman¡± was not something that could be rified in a short moment. Luckily, Lin Duanshan was very considerate. Seeing that they were reluctant to speak, he did not press further but exined, ¡°Thanks to the timely intervention of Kunlun¡¯s Chief Disciple Qiu Changtian, the Sect Leader has been informed about the gruesome affair within the Demon Locking Tower. It was an Eastern Emperor Path traitor lurking within our sect who allowed an external demon skilled in illusion techniques to enter, disguising as Qi Sha True Person from Qingluo Peak.¡± ¡°An Eastern Emperor Path traitor?¡± Ling Yunpo inquired with surprise, ¡°How could our Shushan have spies from another sect infiltrating our ranks?¡± ¡°The traitor is a disciple from Red Sun Peak,¡± Lin Duanshan said with a sigh. ¡°He joined the sect as an ordinary mortal with a clean background and has been in hiding for over twenty years. If he hadn¡¯t revealed himself this time, who would have suspected?¡±
¡°This time, a great demon secretly infiltrated the Demon Locking Tower, attempting to rescue the imprisoned members of the Dragon n. It just so happened that we entered the tower for our trials, and they activated this mole with the goal of creating chaos within our ranks and framing Qi Sha True Person, forcing Jinghua True Person to end the trial early and lead people out of the tower.¡± ¡°Fortunately, Qiu Changtian, the chief disciple of Kunlun, exposed him in time, otherwise if arge number of demons had escaped from the Demon Locking Tower while we were stillpletely unprepared, our sect would have truly suffered heavy losses this time,¡± Lin Duanshan said, endlessly praising Qiu Changtian, while An Zhisu remained silent. After all, she had previously suspected that he was the culprit. ¡°So it was Qiu Changtian, the chief disciple, who made the effort.¡± Ling Yunpo also breathed a sigh of relief. On further thought, if he had not cheated and brought Qiu Changtian over, what would have happened if he had suddenly encountered this situation? Wouldn¡¯t it be hard to defend himself?
He might have been cut down by Jinghua True Person with one strike¡­ or, if he had been lucky to survive, he still would¡¯ve perished in the subsequent attack by the demons leaking from the Demon Locking Tower. ¡°What¡¯s the situation like now?¡± An Zhisu asked gravely. ¡°By the time the higher-ups received the message, it was actually a bitte,¡± Lin Duanshan replied, ¡°And the first wave of the Dragon n had already escaped.¡± ¡°The Jiaolong are trying to destroy the Demon Locking Tower to release more demons from their bindings. The Sect Leader has already taken a team of Sword Immortals to stop them.¡± Hearing this, both Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu realized that when they left the Demon Locking Tower, the Jiaolong n had just broken free, and the Sect Leader was on his way with his team. If they had left anyter, the area around the Demon Locking Tower would have turned into a battlefield between high-ranked Sword Immortals and Jiaolong, where just the terrifying aftershocks of the battle would¡¯ve been enough to grind them into dust¡­ Ling Yunpo squinted toward the direction of the Demon Locking Tower, where various radiance flickered, shing of metal rang out, and dragon roars filled with rage reached them across the long distance, with no sign of attenuation, as if right beside their ears. ncing at the disciples of Shushan, some looked nervous, others anxious, while some were itching to fight, almost wishing they could leave the Emei Golden Summit right away to battle the Jiaolong n. An Zhisu also focused on the direction of the Demon Locking Tower, but her face remained calm, and it was unclear what she was thinking. Suddenly, a dragon¡¯s roar echoed, piercing the heavens and startling the wilderness. From the overhanging clouds above, a gigantic head suddenly emerged, followed by a neck and upper torso, and vast, multicolored wings. Ling Yunpo was shocked; wasn¡¯t this the Divine Dragon that had previously perched atop de Mountain, giving him and his senior sister puzzles to solve? Why had ite out as well?
Before he could ponder further, he heard the Divine Dragon emit a prolonged roar: ¡°Long Eyebrow! Come out! The oath from the past is still in effect!¡± ¡°If you win, kill me or imprison me, whatever you wish; if I win, then let the Shushan Shangqing Factionpletely disappear from this world!¡± Its voice was like thunder, and simply speaking caused the Xuanguang Ruler¡¯s light shield to tremble unstably, nearly breaking apart. The disciples inside Shushan were all frightened, and even Duan Fenhai, who had been indifferent before, now stood up as if facing a formidable enemy, and said to Lin Duanshan in shock: ¡°It is the Ancient Ying Long! Lin Duanshan, do you know of Ying Long?¡± ¡°Of course I know,¡± Lin Duanshan replied, his face ashen. The so-called ¡°Jiaolong has five transformations,¡± which means that Jiaolong have five developmental stages. Initially, as Water Vipers, they are at the Foundation Establishment Realm of Refining Mansion. If they evolve into Jiaolong, they possess the strength of the Golden Core Realm at the Root Seeking Rank. Beyond that are three more stages, with the final one being Ying Long, which appears once every million years, but ording to the records, it possess strengthparable to a Daluo Golden Immortal! A Great Demon of Daluo Golden Immortal level has actually escaped from the Demon Locking Tower! Chapter 127: 62 : The Two Instruments and Dust, the Immortal Makes a Move! Chapter 127: 62 Chapter: The Two Instruments and Dust, the Immortal Makes a Move! ¡°` The Emei Golden Summit, Sky¡¯s End za. All Shushan disciples looked up at the sky, their expressions a mix of shock, panic, and despair. Amidst the somber clouds in the firmament, the head of Ying Long peeked down through the oppressive cloudyer, its dragon head alone nearly asrge as the Emei Golden Summit. Along with its speech, the light barrier from the Xuanguang Ruler began to quiver, while the unprotected peaks of Shushan suffered a series ofndslides, with a great number of trees, soil, and rocks crumbling and falling down. The power of mere words was terrifying to such an extent! At that moment, the Jade Capital Sect Leader was leading the Nascent Soul Realm Peak Masters in battle near the Demon Locking Tower against the main forces of the Jiaolong. The other Golden Core True Persons were scattered among the various peaks, hunting down the stray Jiaolong that had escaped. If the Ying Long within the clouds trulyunched an attack on the Emei Golden Summit, there wouldn¡¯t even be a high-rank Sword Immortal to restrain it! Of course, Ying Long wouldn¡¯t go out of its way to trouble these ¡°lower-end cultivators¡±; it merely lowered its head to gaze at Mount Emei, the golden vertical slit in its eyes showing only cold majesty, without a trace of other emotions. Suddenly, it seemed to notice Ling Yunpo within the crowd, as its pupils shed with aplex and inexplicable light.
Then, Ying Long opened its massive mouth, and a five-colored radiance began to condense in its throat, resembling theary destruction cannon from a sci-fi blockbuster. ¡­ Time seemed to freeze for a moment. Ling Yunpo looked up to the sky, seeing Ying Long still maintaining its posture of gathering energy with its mouth open, but the sky was already filled with numerous strange lines. These lines formed a dense that perfectly covered the gigantic body of Ying Long. The next second, the lines spread across the sky suddenly vanished. At the same time, the five-colored brilliance in the throat of Ying Long dissipated, as if choked and locked tight around its neck. Momentster, its body suddenly burst with arge amount of blood, the slender wounds matching exactly with the previous distribution of the lines. Ling Yunpo gazed in stunned silence at this miraculous sight, while Lin Duanshan beside him eximed with a tone mixed with zeal, longing, and adoration: ¡°That¡¯s the Dual Prity Dust Sword Array!¡± ¡°The Dual Prity Dust Sword Array?¡± Ling Yunpo was also shocked, ¡°Is it therge sword array that needs the Eleventh-Rank Immortal Sword¡ªthe Dual Prity Dust Sword to activate?¡± ¡°To be precise, it¡¯s not that the Dual Prity Dust Sword Array needs the Dual Prity Dust Sword for activation.¡± Duan Fenhai also rarely opened up, his deep gaze fixed on the sky, ¡°It¡¯s that the Dual Prity Dust Sword was forged from the beginning to preside over the Dual Prity Dust Sword Array.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Lin Duanshan borated, ¡°Back in ancient times during the great battle between the rifying and Intercepting Cults, the Intercepting Cult used the Four Swords of Massacre to create the Immortal ying Sword Formation, irresponsibly killing countless rifying Cult Sword Immortals.¡± ¡°Later, the rifying Cult developed the Dual Prity Dust Sword Array, which was inspired by the Intercepting Cult Sword Formation. With the Dual Prity Dust Sword as the eye of the formation, it could harness the immense force of post-heaven Yin and Yang to crush everything within the formation into dust.¡± While the two were exining, the bloodied Ying Long had already escaped back into the clouds, still as free and unimpeded as before, showing no signs of serious injury. The lines in the sky reappeared, this time denser by a factor of two, seeming like inexhaustible intersecting Sword Qi, slicing directly into the clouds. A heavy dragon chant soon emitted from within the clouds. The oue of the battle within the clouds was still unknown, but the Shushan disciples atop the Emei Golden Summit only saw more and more lines appearing. They weren¡¯t just densely covering the sky above the summit, but were rapidly spreading in all directions. It was as if someone was carelessly painting in the sky.
The lines doubled, then quadrupled, increasing at a geometric rate. They crossed mountains and swept over valleys, passing over the battling Shushan Sword Immortals and Jiaolong as if they were insubstantial, but slicing into the Jiaolong¡¯s white scales and flesh like tangible Sword Qi, instantly dismembering and killing them. ¡°` ¡°`
It seemed like a quarter of an hour had passed, yet felt like the flick of a finger; when the disciples of the Shushan faction from Emei Golden Summit looked again, no jiaolong existed between heaven and earth. Even the dark clouds in the sky were cut into disarray by dense lines, allowing the brilliant golden light of day to scatter down. A majestic and profound white sword light shot out from the depths of the Demon Locking Tower, entering the clouds where the Ying Long had been before, and then retreated back into the Demon Locking Tower. ¡°So it¡¯s true,¡± Duan Fenhai said quietly after a long silence. ¡°What¡¯s true?¡± Ling Yunpo asked curiously. ¡°Wielding the Dual Prity Dust Sword and spreading the Dual Prity Dust Formation across the entire Shushan territory, what rank do you think this predecessor is?¡± Lin Duanshan chuckled. Ling Yunpo was momentarily speechless upon hearing this but then heard An Zhisu say from the side: ¡°An Immortal.¡± ¡°It seems our Shushan Shangqing Faction¡­ and we should add Kunlun and Peni to the list, have an ancient rify Cult Immortal of the Daluo Golden Immortal rank backing us. Starting today, this is probably confirmed,¡± Lin Duanshan said with a sigh, ¡°Actually, when you think about it, it makes sense since we are the inheritors of the ancient rify Cult teachings.¡± ¡°You¡¯re putting the cart before the horse,¡± Guan Shanyue said while ascending the steps, speaking indifferently, ¡°It¡¯s not because the Three Pure Ones Orthodox Sect inherited the rify Cult teachings that ancient rify Cult Immortals are stationed here.¡± ¡°But rather because, at the time of the decline of the rify Cult, the three surviving ancient rify Cult Immortals each chose one of these three forces¡ªKunlun, Shushan, and Peni.¡± ¡°Only these three sects ultimately survived and became the inheritors of the ancient rify Cult teachings.¡± The crowd fell silent. The ancient secrets Guan Shanyue spoke of were not recorded in any official texts within the Orthodox Sect but were passed down among the top families of cultivators. No one had heard of them before, yet upon reflection, they seemed quite usible.
After the fall of the ancient rify Cult, it just happened to split into three forces¡ªKunlun, Shushan, and Peni? Of course, that was impossible. After all, the Intercepting Cult could be divided into five based on different teachings. If the rify Cult were to be meticulously divided ording to sect lineages, the corresponding forces would certainly be more numerous, not less. The reason why only the teachings of the Three Pure Ones survived until today was naturally that the teachings of the other rify Cult lineages were eventually integrated and unified by the Three Pure Ones Orthodox Sect. ¡°The Immortal from Shushan is called ¡®Long Eyebrow¡¯,¡± Guan Shanyue continued, ¡°Of course, knowing this name doesn¡¯t really matter since he is far beyond our current rank. Apart from the Jade Capital Sect Leader, probably only the Various Peaks Sword Masters might have the chance to meet him.¡± ¡°Regardless, this is good news,¡± Ling Yunpo concluded upon seeing everyone¡¯s conflicted expressions, ¡°Having an Immortal personally intervene and dissolve this turmoil into nothingness means we no longer have to worry.¡± Upon his words, everyone agreed, finding Po Yun Sword Immortal¡¯s reasoning sound. ¡°So, it was Long Eyebrow Immortal,¡± the Kunlun Mirror mentioned wistfully within the Sea of Consciousness, the tone seeminglyden withplexity. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Ling Yunpo joked, ¡°Could it be that this Long Eyebrow Immortal is an old acquaintance of yours?¡± ¡°Not exactly, he probably wasn¡¯t even born when I fell into the mortal world,¡± sighed the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°What I mean is¡­¡± ¡°When he wielded the Dual Prity Dust Sword and emerged from the Demon Locking Tower, I perceived that the location of the Heaven-Mending Stone fragment also shifted.¡± Ling Yunpo: ??? ¡°The Heaven-Mending Stone fragment of the Shushan Shangqing Faction is on the body of the sect-guarding Long Eyebrow Immortal?¡± he asked in disbelief. ¡°It seems that way now,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said bitterly. ¡°Well, Ah Jing,¡± Ling Yunpo paused for a moment before speaking, ¡°What do you think about slightly modifying our n?¡±
¡°What modification?¡± ¡°Instead of scheming to acquire the Heaven-Mending Stone from an Immortal, how about I go find Long Eyebrow Immortal right now and turn you in?¡± Ling Yunpo said solemnly, ¡°Let this ancestor of Shushan be your savior and mend the heavens, how about that?¡± ¡°¡­Even though I can tell you¡¯re joking, I still want to say one thing,¡± the Kunlun Mirror rebuked angrily, ¡°You¡¯re a beast, not human!¡± ¡°Thanks for thepliment.¡± ¡°` Chapter 128: 63: Dust Settles, Return to the Taoist Temple Chapter 128: Chapter 63: Dust Settles, Return to the Taoist Temple Demon Locking Tower central hub at the bottom level. In the extremely spacious hall stood huge sword hilts, roughly numbering twenty-eight. These sword hilts extended upwards to the top of the tower, serving as supportive pirs¡ªit was because of these sword hilts that when the Jiaolong broke free and tried to entangle and shatter the Demon Locking Tower, it ultimately failed. The longer sword des were stabbed downwards into the heart of the earth. To be precise, they prated into the Fire Element Cave, charging the Demon Locking Tower with the inexhaustible Fire Element True Qi. An old man sat cross-legged in the center of the hall surrounded by sword hilts, floating in mid-air, meditating with closed eyes. The elder was dressed in white robes, with white hair, white eyebrows, and white beard, and his long eyebrows met in the middle, easily leaving a deep impression. A short swordy on his knees, three feet and four inches long, transparent throughout, its brightness reflecting like a mirror. This person was the Long Eyebrow Immortal of the Shushan Shangqing Faction, and the short sword was the renowned Dual Prity Dust Sword. Jade Capital Sect Leader strode over, his robes rustling with his movements. He came in front of Long Eyebrow Immortal, formed a sword salute with his left hand, and then spoke sinctly, ¡°The demon cmity has been quelled, and currently of the Jiaolong that fled from the tower, there are three hundred and sixty, one hundred and twenty-seven Chi dragons, and thirty-five Qiu dragons. Apart from those executed by the Dual Prity Dust Sword, all have been bound and brought back to the tower.¡±
The Jade Capital Sect Leader did not mention Ying Long, but continued, his tone shifting, ¡°This cmity was caused by a collusion between a traitor within our Sect and a great demon from outside.¡± ¡°The internal traitor was nted by the Eastern Emperor Path and became a disciple under Red Sun Peak of our Sect one hundred and twenty-seven years ago, iming to be an orphan from Yongzhou. Combining the records of the service and feedback from Red Sun Peak, the spy indeed seemed to be a mere mortal at the beginning.¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal remained undisturbed, as he had long anticipated this oue. What spies feared most was being such an ordinary person, never having cultivated any other Sect¡¯s techniques, and were, apart from their thoughts, not much different from a regr disciple. If the enemy were even more cunning, it would be almost impossible to discern their true nature. However, such spies also have a characteristic; theyy dormant for an exceptionally long period. A mere mortal would need at least two hundred years to reach the Golden Core Realm, and in the Foundation Establishment Realm, they hardly could y any significant role. Yet, the main cause of the cmity was not the spy but the external great demon involved. ¡°The external great demon, after investigation, is presumed to be an Illusionary Moon Celestial Fox from the Qingqiu tribe,¡± continued Jade Capital Sect Leader. ¡°The steward of Demon Locking Tower has discovered one person missing, likely attacked by the Illusionary Moon Celestial Fox while on an external mission, and then reced by the Celestial Fox to infiltrate the tower.¡± The Illusionary Moon Celestial Fox was at least in the Nascent Soul Realm and also skilled in Illusion Techniques; it made sense that the tower stewards, being only True Persons by rank, would be no match for it. ¡°However, the day when the intruder sneaked into the Demon Locking Tower coincided with the beginning of the tower¡¯s trial.¡± The Jade Capital Sect Leader sneered, ¡°After entering the tower and finding the trial ongoing, caught off guard, the intruder had no choice but to crudely activate the hidden traitor within, causing chaos in the trial team and forcing the trial to end prematurely.¡± ¡°The disciples who died during the trial period were killed by the Illusionary Moon Celestial Fox, and, with intelligence provided by the spy, impersonated Qi Sha True Person tomit the deed. This stirred confusion and panic and has been confirmed.¡± ¡°After the incident, the Golden Core and Foundation Establishment teams were forced to interrupt the trial and evacuate from the Demon Locking Tower¡­.¡± ¡°That Illusionary Moon Celestial Fox,¡± interrupted Long Eyebrow Immortal suddenly, ¡°what was its calcted n by infiltrating the tower?¡± Jade Capital Sect Leader started to smile bitterly. To say that the fox was there to aid Ying Long¡¯s escape was ludicrous. After breaking free, Ying Long did not flee Shushan immediately but instead went to sh with the Dual Prity Dust Formation above Emei Golden Summit, clearly showing no intention to escape. Long Eyebrow Immortal, who presided over the Dual Prity Dust Formation, initially chose not to activate it, intending to confirm which Great Demon had infiltrated the tower. However, when Ying Long threatened to breath a destructive st at the Emei Golden Summit, Long Eyebrow Immortal waspelled to activate the formation early and severely wounded Ying Long. The Illusionary Moon Celestial Fox probably seized this chance to escape.
As such, the reason for the fox¡¯s infiltration into the Demon Locking Tower became an unsolvable mystery¡­. ¡°I dare to specte there might be two possibilities,¡± Jade Capital Sect Leader pondered for a long while before speaking, ¡°The first, it intended to convey a certain message to Ying Long.¡± ¡°The second, it sought to receive a certain message from Ying Long.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal also pondered.
Obviously, the Illusionary Moon Celestial Fox came empty-handed and left the same way without taking any demons¡ªthus, it must be something intangible. For instance, the secrets that only Ying Long was privy to¡­ and so on. ¡°Let¡¯s leave this matter at that for now,¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal decided, ¡°It¡¯s not appropriate to make a big show of investigating within the Sect, but you can choose some trustworthy people to observe carefully.¡± ¡°At this juncture, external factions are paying closer attention to our Shushan circumstances. Other spies within the Sect will also be more active in gathering intelligence. It¡¯s a good opportunity to eliminate a batch as a warning to others.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Jade Capital Sect Leader hesitated before adding, ¡°There¡¯s just one more thing.¡± ¡°If we don¡¯t exin this matter within the Sect, many disciples will think that it was Qingluo Peak that took action¡­¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal replied directly: ¡°No harm, let them think what they will.¡± Jade Capital Sect Leader sighed inwardly. The Immortal still couldn¡¯t let go of Qi Sha True Person, after all, he was his most valued Direct Disciple¡­ But suchpulsion may not necessarily achieve the desired effect. Su Jian¡¯s stubbornness, Jade Capital Sect Leader knew all too well. If An Zhisu really was harmed one day because of this, once Su Jian finished his retreat and sought revenge for his daughter, how could he not see the deliberate indulgence of the Immortal in this matter?
By then, he feared that Su Jian would rather betray the Sect than return to the path of Forgetting Love. Unfortunately, this struggle for doctrinal dominance is utterly ruthless. As long as Su Jian chose to return to the path of Forgetting Love, everything would proceed to a sessful conclusion, and Qingluo Peak¡¯s lineage would be safe and sound. But if Su Jian still insisted on following the Sentiment Inquiry Path, then he would be deemed a heretic, deserving of death. The Immortal probably saw it that way. It¡¯s just a pity for An Zhisu and Ling Yunpo, who stood out among their Foundation Establishment Realm peers, but in the Immortal¡¯s eyes, they likely didn¡¯te close to even a ten-thousandth of Su Jian¡¯s importance. Setting aside the affairs of the Shushan upper echelons for now, let¡¯s say that after the Demon Locking Tower incident was settled, Ling Yunpo returned to Qingluo Peak with An Zhisu and came to a secret chamber deep within the mountain. Ling Yunpo took out the Mercurial Elixir Liquid and began refining it. In this world of Cultivating Immortality, there are indeed rare and strange methods that can improve one¡¯s elixir grade, not limited to just one or two kinds. Among them, Mercurial Elixir Liquid is considered top tier, saving one sixty years of arduous cultivation, a pity that one can ingest only a spoonful; The Cloud Sea Realm is regarded as second tier, elerating half a sixty-year period of arduous cultivation, but of course, it can also be used only once. For Pill Formation Third Grade, two hundred years are required in the Refining Mansion, giving one ny years of cultivation. The remaining one hundred and ten years, Ling Yunpo does not n to spend in terms of lifespan but aims to search in Kunlun and Peni.
He does not believe that the Taiqing Sect and Yuqing View, also of the Three Pure Orthodox Sect,ck profound methods to speed up the Refining Mansion process! Ling Yunpo refines the Mercurial Elixir Liquid on that side, while on this side, An Zhisu kneels on a cushion, praying to her master Su Jian about hertest journey. ¡°Master, I have something to report.¡± ¡°This venture to the Demon Locking Tower was fraught with treachery and unpredictability.¡± ¡°Fortunately, as your disciple, I managed to bring back my junior brother unharmed.¡± ¡°The Frostfall Sword has been damaged because of this, but I¡­ do not feel regretful. Saving my junior brother is more important than anything.¡± ¡°Although¡­ I¡¯ve lost my Life-bound Sword Artifact, fortunately, with the support of the Mercurial Elixir Liquid and the Cloud Sea Realm, attaining Pill Formation Third Grade is within reach, and I won¡¯t disappoint you, Master.¡± ¡°I hope you will leave your retreat soon, Master. Here, your disciple bows deeply.¡± Having recited these thoughts silently, An Zhisu gently bowed down, resting her forehead on the ground. Yet in the corner of her eyes, there flickered a glimmer of tears. Chapter 129: 64: Rediscovering the Sword Artifact, Senior Sister Transforms Chapter 129: Chapter 64: Rediscovering the Sword Artifact, Senior Sister Transforms Five or six days had passed since Ling Yunpo returned from the Demon Locking Tower. Ling Yunpo had epted the harsh reality that the fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone were now in possession of Long Eyebrow Immortal, and he resolved to take his time and n carefully. Taking his time and nning carefully: it meant at least making it to the Nascent Soul Rank before discussing further. The reason for such a decision stemmed from an extremely helpless reality. Firstly, he needed the Mirror Flower Water Moon from the Kunlun Mirror to maintain his peerless talent for cultivating Daoist magic. Secondly, once Long Eyebrow Immortal became aware of the Heaven-Mending matter, the existence of the Kunlun Mirror as a source of intelligence was at risk of exposure. Based on these two points, a conclusion could be drawn: The matter of mending the heavens must not be known to Long Eyebrow Immortal. Otherwise, looking at it optimistically, Long Eyebrow Immortal would be willing to take on the responsibility of mending the heavens, then take the Kunlun Mirror, relegating Ling Yunpo to mediocrity. Pessimistically thinking, Long Eyebrow Immortal wouldn¡¯t believe in something like the impending destruction of the world, and would take away the Kunlun Mirror, relegating Ling Yunpo to mediocrity. In either case, there was no other possibility but the painful loss of Ah Jing. Ling Yunpo asked himself and found that he did have deep feelings for Ah Jing, even though this broken mirror was naive, simple-minded, foolish, stubborn, and stuck in its ways, not knowing how to adapt nor how to overlook trivial matters. But at least it didn¡¯t impose its values upon him.
As everyone knows, being overly kind makes one a saint, but demanding others to be overly kind is sanctimonious. As long as Ah Jing didn¡¯t suddenly be judgmental, Ling Yunpo was much willing to consider it a close friend and to protect it from covetous immortals. ¡°After all is said and done, you just don¡¯t want to lose your talent for cultivation,¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly said, ¡°It¡¯s not that you can¡¯t bear to lose me.¡± ¡°Ah Jing, why would you say that?¡± Ling Yunpo said with heartfelt distress, ¡°We sharemon ideals, aspirations, and goals. It wouldn¡¯t be too much to even call you rade.¡¯ How can you doubt our friendship as steadfast as gold?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t recall us ever having a mon goal,¡¯¡± the Kunlun Mirror sighed, ¡°My goal is to mend the heavens and prevent the world from destruction, while someone else¡¯s goal is to ¡®ascend to the Sky Throne.¡¯ Our paths only converge temporarily because of mutual benefit, don¡¯t they?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Ling Yunpo said with conviction, ¡°A person destined for greatness cannot have just one goal. I do not desire to rise to a broken Sky Throne. If you, Ah Jing, are willing to assist me on my journey to ascend, what harm is there in leaving you a peaceful and intact world?¡± Kunlun Mirror: ¡­¡­ ¡°Pfft.¡± The Green Duckweed Sword suddenlyughed. ¡°What are youughing at!¡± the Kunlun Mirror immediately snapped back. ¡°Nothing, I was just pondering how to handle his Senior Sister An¡¯s Life-bound Sword Artifact,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword changed the subject. At the mention of this, Ling Yunpo¡¯s face fell into a frown. Securing a Tenth Rank Immortal Sword wasn¡¯t necessarily difficult, but it wasn¡¯t simple either. Chief Qiu could acquire one given time, but the quality was uncertain¡ªthe gap between the upper and lower limits within Tenth Rank Immortal Swords could be vast. The Frostfall Sword was among the higher-quality grades within the Tenth Rank Immortal Swords. It not only helped Senior Sister An achieve the title of ¡°Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal¡± but also withstood demon arts from several hundred Golden Core Realm Jiaolong before breaking. To find an Immortal Sword of a simr grade wouldrgely depend on luck, beyond what human effort alone could secure. ¡°It¡¯s best to first consult Senior Sister An¡¯s wishes,¡± Ling Yunpo sighed. Many factors constitute the strength of an Immortal Sword: its inherent quality, Five Elements Attribute, Sword Dao Techniques, and so on. It¡¯s unrealistic to demand perfection in all aspects, so priorities must be set. For instance, if Senior Sister An preferred a Water System Flying Sword, or a sword with great speed, or one with powerful Daoist magic¡­ Determining the primary and secondary preferences would allow for a targeted search for the appropriate sword. Thus, Ling Yunpo departed from the Daoist temple and went to Linxi Pavilion at the back to find his Senior Sister. An Zhisu, when alone, would only engage in two activities, one was sword practice, and the other was drinking. For sword practice, she visualized past enemies she had battled, pondered over how to break their moves, and then mastered these skills through practice.
As for drinking, it involved sitting in a small pavilion and pouring for herself. However, Senior Sister An¡¯s alcohol tolerance was poor, and she had to refine the alcohol with her True Yuan after each cup, or she would easily be drunk. Yet, when Ling Yunpo came to find Senior Sister An, he discovered that An Zhisu was neither practicing swordy nor drinking, but instead¡­ she was practicing the Sunflower Manual¡­ No, she was actually holding an embroidery needle and working on some needlepoint. ¡°Senior Sister, what are you embroidering?¡± Ling Yunpo approached and, looking at the fat duck in her hands, asked in confusion, ¡°A duck?¡±
¡°It¡¯s a mandarin duck,¡± An Zhisu said calmly and evenly. ¡°Ah, my mistake,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a sheepishugh, ¡°Senior Sister¡¯s mandarin ducks are so lifelike, as if they woulde alive¡­¡± ¡°Don¡¯t make fun of me, Junior Brother,¡± An Zhisu said with a hint of embarrassment, as she set down her needle and thread and let out a sigh, ¡°It¡¯s indeed a bit oversized.¡± ¡°What made you suddenly interested in needlework, Senior Sister?¡± Ling Yunpo asked with a smile. ¡°Just whiling away the time when there¡¯s nothing to do¡­¡± An Zhisu said in a low voice. Ling Yunpo immediately cursed inwardly, why did he have to bring up the very topic he should have avoided? Senior Sister An, because her life-bound sword artifact was damaged, could not advance in her cultivation level for at least half a year. That¡¯s why she was disinterested in sword practice and took up a hobby to relieve her worries and boredom, so why did he have to poke at her sore spot? Realizing he had said something out of line, Ling Yunpo hastily changed the subject and asked: ¡°By the way, Senior Sister, if you were to choose an Immortal Sword, what kind would you want?¡± An Zhisu looked slightly surprised, but soon calmed down and said: ¡°If I could choose, I would hope for a Fire System Flying Sword.¡± ¡°A Fire System Flying Sword?¡± Ling Yunpo asked in surprise. You should know, due to the distinct characteristics of Flying Swords of the Five Elements, they differ in their style ofbat.
Generally speaking, Metal System Flying Swords are swift and sharp, excelling at rapid assaults and annihtion; Wood System Flying Swords are resilient and tough, skilled at entanglement and hindrance; Water System Flying Swords are nimble and flexible, adept at gueri tactics and changing moves; Fire System Flying Swords are fierce and domineering, excelling at powerful offensive strategies to overpower enemies; Earth System Flying Swords are solid and heavy, skilled at frontal suppression. If Water System Flying Swords are considered the ¡°swordsmen¡± of agility, then Fire System Flying Swords are the ¡°warriors¡± of strength, and these two styles are quite different! If one wanted to transition, choosing a Metal System or Wood System as an intermediary would be more suitable. As if sensing what was on Ling Yunpo¡¯s mind, An Zhisu exined: ¡°The Frostfall Sword was the Flying Sword Master prepared for me, but it was not one I chose for myself.¡± ¡°Over the years, despite Frostfall aiding me greatly, it has also hindered the advancement of my sword dao in some aspects.¡± ¡°For example, when facing powerful enemies, I subconsciously choose to dodge their sharp edges rather than confront them head-on¡­ If I switch to a Fire System Flying Sword, perhaps I can also shift my style and make further progress on the Sword Dao.¡± Ling Yunpo listened, wide-eyed and dumbfounded. Good gracious, I thought Senior Sister An was fierce enough, but it turns out she didn¡¯t think she was fierce enough. She ns to switch her life-bound sword artifact to the Fire System! Chapter 130: 65: Return to Kunlun, Concern from a Junior Female Fellow Disciple Chapter 130: Chapter 65: Return to Kunlun, Concern from a Junior Female Fellow Disciple ¡°` In fact, upon closer consideration, Ling Yunpo felt that the most suitable swords for Senior Sister An were indeed those of the Metal or Fire Systems. The Metal System Flying Swords specialize in surprise assassinations, while the Fire System Flying Swords excel in ferocious and powerful attacks, both of which could maximize Senior Sister An¡¯sbat experience and killing instinct. Since Senior Sister An had chosen the Fire System, Ling Yunpo of course respected her decision. ¡°If you¡¯re thinking about a Fire System Flying Sword, I do have a rmendation,¡± said the Green Duckweed Sword suddenly, ¡°Has the Sword Master ever heard of the Flying Smoke Sword?¡± ¡°The Flying Smoke Sword?¡± Ling Yunpo mused. ¡°This sword was once wielded by a powerful being from the Intercepting Cult in ancient times. Originally a pair of swords, one was destroyed during the great war between the cults, leaving only one remaining,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword giggled, ¡°This sword kills quickly and ruthlessly, sweeping through the air without any sword light, just a faint wisp of smoke, hence its name.¡± ¡°Sounds promising,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded, ¡°But where is this sword now?¡± ¡°If my memory serves me right, it should be in the Southern Sea,¡± said the Green Duckweed Sword. ¡°The Southern Sea¡­¡± Ling Yunpo quietly took note. However, now was not the time to search for the sword, as Qiu Changtian had just helped him avert a deadly cmity. Therefore, to close the ¡°historical loop,¡± he himself had to take up the role of Qiu Changtian and help his past self avert that deadly cmity.
As for how to avert it, the future Qiu Changtian did not tell him (to avoid having to exin it all over again in the future), but instead let the future Kunlun Mirror record the ¡°mission walkthrough,¡± and then forwarded it to his own Kunlun Mirror. Thus, Ling Yunpo instructed the Kunlun Mirror: ¡°Ah Jing, load the file.¡± The Kunlun Mirror indicated: [Location one: Kunlun Taiqing Sect, Golden Ridge.] [Identity: Qiu Changtian.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Temte ovey, time-space travel in progress.] In an instant of the world spinning around him, he had returned to Kunlun¡¯s Golden Ridge, transformed into the figure of Qiu Changtian. His experiences in the Demon Locking Tower were too bizarre and had upied most of his mental effort, so upon returning to his identity as Qiu Changtian, he sat quietly in the Golden Ridge Cave Abode and carefully reviewed his experiences along the Kunlun storyline. The current progress of this storyline was that he and Junior Sister Xu had stumbled upon the secret realm of the Western Queen Mother and, after escaping the predicament, informed the Ziwei Master. Recently, the Kunlun Taiqing Sect seemed to be focused on developing this secret realm. Moreover, Xu Yinglian had obtained a third of a spoonful of Mercurial Elixir Liquid from the secret realm, roughly equivalent to twenty years of arduous effort at the Refining Mansion Rank. However, since she was currently at the Marrow Cleansing Rank, she was not yet able to consume it. But thest time Master brought the two of us into the Western Queen Mother¡¯s secret realm, I managed to obtain a Pure Yuan Qi Pill, so Junior Sister Xu should now be refining the medicinal power. s, I haven¡¯t finished my Pure Yuan Qi Pill, but I¡¯ve alreadypleted the Marrow Cleansing ahead of schedule, and even gained ny years of power at the Refining Mansion Rank, leaving Junior Sister Xu far behind. Tsk, I must keep this a secret for the time being, for if Xu Yinglian finds out, I fear she would be ovee with rage, and might even drop dead on the spot. Qiu Changtian thus resolved that, before heading to the Demon Locking Tower, he absolutely had to avoid meeting Junior Sister Xu. Little did he know, the Kunlun Mirror inwardly sneered: If you hadn¡¯t been using her to boost your Synchronization Value all the time, would she have such a strong fixation on you? Avoiding trouble with her would be simple. Just remove Mirror Flower Water Moon secretly, and no matter how much you show off, it¡¯ll be futile to provoke her.
But I digress. In the past few days, aside from teaching scriptures, Qiu Changtian was meditating in his cave abode, keeping his door shut, causing his junior brothers and sisters to sense that something was amiss. Consequently, Chen Zhen and Zhong Tianhuai, the two junior brothers, grew curious and paid Junior Sister Xu Yinglian a visit to inquire about their senior brother¡¯s situation. ¡°` ¡°How should I know about Senior Brother Qiu¡¯s matters?¡± Xu Yinglian had just finished refining the medicinal power of the Pure Yuan Qi Pill and was in a great mood, so she added another sentence, ¡°If you want to know, just go ahead and ask him directly; there¡¯s no need to worry too much.¡±
¡°How can we not worry?¡± Chen Zhen, who was also straightforward, said directly, ¡°Sister, you and Brother explored a secret realm together, and the news has already spread throughout the sect.¡± ¡°What if Senior Brother is digesting the gains from his adventure and we rudely disturb him, angering him¡ªwhat then?¡± ¡°You¡¯re not afraid to disturb him with your rudeness, but you dare to disturb me, what¡¯s the reasoning behind that?¡± Xu Yinglian was both amused and annoyed. ¡°Cough, if we¡¯re topare you with Senior Brother, of course we respect you but fear him,¡± Zhong Tianhuai immediately delivered a ttering remark. ¡°Hmph,¡± Xu Yinglian replied nomittally. With her Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, how could she be confused by these two¡¯s ttery? It was simply because Qiu Changtian was responsible for teaching the scriptures, and these two were too timid to ask too much, so they came to me for information instead. However, speaking of which¡­ Senior Brother has indeed rarely been seentely, even the frequency of our music-ying sessions has decreased significantly. Thinking of this, Xu Yinglian also became a little curious and decided to visit Qiu Changtian. ¡°Is Senior Brother there?¡± When she arrived at the entrance to Qiu Changtian¡¯s cave abode, Xu Yinglian asked aloud. After waiting for a while, Qiu Changtian slowly appeared from inside, his face stern as he spoke: ¡°Junior Sister, what brings you here?¡± Xu Yinglian instinctively wanted to retort, ¡°Can¡¯t I look for Senior Brother without a reason?¡± But upon further thought, she realized that it would be too frivolous, so she exined:
¡°The junior brothers noticed that you haven¡¯t been emerging these past few days, so they asked me to inquire about your situation.¡± Qiu Changtian¡¯s expression softened as he nodded and said: ¡°You all are concerned¡­ But I am fine, I am merely refining the medicinal power of the Pure Yuan Qi Pill, which you should know about.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Xu Yinglian nodded and asked, ¡°How is Senior Brother¡¯s cultivation progressing?¡± ¡°It has been greatly beneficial; it won¡¯t be long before my Marrow Cleansing isplete,¡± Qiu Changtian intended to give her a heads-up to prevent any shock from his sudden increase in cultivation level in the future. ¡°Is that so?¡± Xu Yinglian wasn¡¯t particrly doubtful, as she had been shocked by her ¡®dog¡¯ Senior Brother too many times, which made her develop the capacity to remain calm in the face of changes¡ª even if Qiu Changtian one day imed he was on the verge of Core Formation, she probably wouldn¡¯t be too surprised, ¡°Then I wish Senior Brother an early aplishment of the Dao.¡± The so-called ¡°aplishment of the Dao¡± refers to merging with the Dao and making rapid progress in cultivation. Qiu Changtian smiled slightly, not wanting to delve further into his cultivation progress, and instead changed the subject to ask: ¡°How is Junior Sister¡¯s practice going? If you have any questions about Marrow Cleansing or cutting the veins, you can consult with me at any time¡­ Ahem, no, what I mean is we can discuss with each other for mutual improvement.¡± Hearing him correct himself, Xu Yinglianughed coldly: ¡°It¡¯s very kind of you to be concerned, Senior Brother, but I don¡¯t have the unparalleled talent of ¡®Daoist Heart rity¡¯ like you. Even if wepare the efficiency and speed of Marrow Cleansing, I probably can¡¯t catch up to Senior Brother.¡± Qiu Changtian was secretly surprised, thinking that his Junior Sister had suddenly lost herpetitive spirit, only to hear Xu Yinglian¡¯s tone shift as she continued: ¡°However, when ites to the rank of Core Formation, what¡¯s crucial is the Refining Mansion, not Marrow Cleansing. To form a Third Grade Golden Core, one must perfect the Purple Mansion for over two hundred years, but the lifespan of mortals doesn¡¯tst so long, Senior Brother should think about what to do after advancing to the Refining Mansion Rank.¡±
Qiu Changtian discerned the implication behind her words andughed: ¡°I already saidst time that the Mercurial Elixir Liquid you obtained in the secret realm is your opportunity, I won¡¯tpete with you for it.¡± Xu Yinglian, frustrated, inwardly cursed her Senior Brother for his ingratitude, and then turned her head away in anger, gritting her teeth as she said: ¡°Senior Brother doesn¡¯t need it, fine. Once I consume the Mercurial Elixir Liquid and my cultivation dramatically surpasses yours, it¡¯ll be toote for you to regret it!¡± Chapter 131: 66 Arrival at Shushan, Before the Trial Chapter 131: Chapter 66 Arrival at Shushan, Before the Trial ¡°` There were still a few days until the opening of the Demon Locking Tower. At noon on this day, Qiu Changtian was summoned to the Scripture Lecture Hall of Jade Void Pce, where he saw the Ziwei Master in conversation with a Sword Immortal. That Sword Immortal appeared to be in his thirties, and it was none other than Jinghua True Person from Shushan. ¡°Is this the Qiu Changtian, Qiu Xian nephew?¡± Jinghua True Person said, his smile a stark contrast to the cold demeanor he had previously shown towards the disciples of Shushan, ¡°Indeed, a man of notable appearance, a seedling of those who seek the Dao.¡± ¡°What seedling of seeking the Dao, he still has a long way to go,¡± said the Ziwei Master with a stern face, saying things like ¡°my unworthy disciple is not up to par,¡± but Qiu Changtian knew that his mind was actually filled with immense pleasure at the moment. After another round of mutual praise, Ziwei Master finally pointed to Qiu Changtian and said to the other, ¡°For this trip to Shushan, I entrust my unworthy disciple to you.¡± He then turned to Qiu Changtian and said, ¡°This is Jinghua True Person from Shushan, a descendant of your master¡¯s secr family. If there is anything in the Demon Locking Tower, feel free to discuss it with him.¡± Qiu Changtian was shocked to hear this.
He keenly noted the Ziwei Master¡¯s choice of words, ¡°discuss it with him¡± rather than ¡°listen to his orders.¡± There was a significant difference between the two. The former meant acting under Jinghua True Person¡¯s orders, while thetter meant having a certain degree of autonomy. I, a Kunlun disciple, stepping onto the territory of Shushan, am actually allowed to act freely? Upon further reflection, it made sense: The Demon Locking Tower was by no means a benevolent ce. The Shushan disciples participating in the trial were to follow Jinghua True Person¡¯s control, which meant he was responsible for their lives and deaths. If Qiu Changtian, as the Chief Disciple of Kunlun, were to have any mishap, how could Jinghua True Person be held responsible? Could he bear such responsibility? Hence, Jinghua True Person certainly would not consent to be Qiu Changtian¡¯s caretaker; at most, he would just y a role as a guide. Thinking this way, it made sense that when the future Qiu Changtian first entered the Demon Locking Tower, he immediately ran off without a trace. Who would have thought that Jinghua True Person, despite his harsh treatment of the Shushan disciples throughout, was actually protecting them? He greeted Qiu Changtian with a smiling face, but in reality, he hardly cared at all. Having thought through this thoroughly, Qiu Changtian proceeded to salute Jinghua True Person. Jinghua True Person repeatedly insisted there was no need for such formalities and asked Qiu Changtian to rise quickly. In the end, the Ziwei Master gave him a few instructions and then let Jinghua True Person lead him to Shushan. Once outside Jade Void Pce, Jinghua True Person took out a wine gourd and gestured for Qiu Changtian to step onto it with him. For short-distance flying, a Flying Sword is used; for long-distance travel, a magic artifact is preferred. Even the Shushan Shangqing Faction, renowned for their Sword Immortals, did not enjoy flying on swords and facing the wind for hours on end. The wine gourd bore inscriptions of a formation that provided wind protection, warmth, and shock absorption, making the journey veryfortable. Soon, they reached Shushan. Theynded at the Heavenly Extreme Square on the Emei Golden Summit and Jinghua True Person, apanied by Qiu Changtian, entered the main hall of Shushan to pay a visit to the Jade Capital Sect Leader. The main hall of the sect at the peak of Kunlun Heavenly Pir is called ¡°Jade Void Pce¡±; the main hall of the sect at the Emei Golden Summit of Shushan is called ¡°Ancestral Master Hall.¡±
Upon entering the hall, the walls on both sides were lined with rows of sword steles. Each stele detailed the life story of a Sword Immortal who has made significant contributions to the Shushan Shangqing Faction since its establishment. A cursory nce by Qiu Changtian caught sight of the sword stele of Qi Sha True Person, Su Jian. The stele was densely inscribed with his glorious achievements: how many Demon Cultivators he slew on the Asura Path today, how many beast cultivators of the Eastern Emperor Path he ughtered tomorrow, and the various heterodox practitioners he casually eliminated the day after¡­ The exaggerated numbers piled up, making Qiu Changtian wonder how the Demon Cult hadn¡¯t been exterminated yet. However, he was Qiu Changtian at that moment, not Ling Yunpo, so it would not be appropriate for him to linger and examine the stele closely. Instead, he nced over briefly and continued to follow Jinghua True Person.
¡°` Passing the Sword Tablet Pavilion, one find¡¯s himself before the Incense Hall. Here, an ancestral spirit tablet is venerated, depicting Yu Yutian of the Shangqing Realm, the Heavenly Treasure Great Deity¡ªtestament to the Shushan Shangqing Faction¡¯s continuation of the ancient Daoist heritage of the rify Cult. Walking past the Incense Hall, Qiu Changtian caught sight of the Jade Capital Sect Leader of the Shushan. This middle-aged, lean Daoist, adorned in a Seven Star Daoist robe and a long beard, carried an imposing and serious demeanor as he patiently spoke with Qiu Changtian. Qiu Changtian, abiding by the etiquette expected of juniors, responded respectfully. The exchange between them consisted mostly of superficial pleasantries, with each uttering courteous remarks such as ing from afar¡± and ¡°grateful for your reception,¡± wlessly observing all social proprieties. After the pleasantries were through, the Jade Capital Sect Leader summoned a disciple and instructed her to take the Chief Disciple Qiu around. Upon closer inspection, Qiu Changtian realized she was none other than Bi Sheng, ranked sixth on the Immortal Sword Ranking. As previously mentioned, among the Foundation Establishment disciples of Shushan on the Immortal Sword Ranking, there was a solitary Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal at the very top, referred to as ¡°the woman we do not speak of.¡± Next were the four powerful individuals known as ¡°Duan Shan, Fenhai, breaking the moon, and Po Yun,¡± dominating the second to fifth ces and being the subject of many discussions and admiration by the Shushan disciples. Following these five were Sima Changyan and Bi Sheng. While not as strong as the top four, their abilities were exceptional within the top twenty, earning them the moniker ¡°contenders for the strong ones.¡± Although not acquainted with them, Ling Yunpo had heard extensive details from Lin Duanshan before the Shushan Great Competition and hade face to face during thepetition, leaving him with some impression. Sima Changyan appeared to be in his thirties, short-bearded and serious; while Bi Sheng was a girl in her twenties with a long ponytail, equally cold and awe-inspiring in demeanor.
Both were said to have chosen the path of the unfeeling Dao, pursuing the ultimate swordsmanship as their life¡¯s goal; therefore, Qiu Changtian had no intentions of engaging in small talk with Bi Sheng, merely gesturing a hand salute. Bi Sheng was straightforward in speaking, bluntly stating, ¡°Fellow Daoist Qiu, if you have traveled far and wish to rest, I can show you to the guest rooms.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re in the mood, I¡¯ll take you on a tour of Shushan.¡± Qiu Changtian replied with a smile, ¡°Then I¡¯ll trouble you to lead the way.¡± Truth be told, he was already well-versed in the terrain surrounding Shushan, particrly the area around Qingluo Peak, which he had traversed countless times with Sword Light by day and night. But that was Ling Yunpo¡¯s memory, and for Qiu Changtian, it was his first visit to Shushan. To avoid blowing his cover, he had no choice but to act as if this was all new to him, feigning curiosity towards the scenery of Shushan. Bi Sheng wasn¡¯t surprised by Qiu Changtian¡¯s response¡ªafter all, the Sect Leader had said to ¡°take him around¡±¡ªand so she turned and said, ¡°Fellow Daoist Qiu, please follow me.¡± Leaving the Ancestral Master Hall, they rode their sword lights across the Sky Edge Square and flew onward. Bi Sheng led the way, exining, ¡°Although the influence of our Shushan does not stretch as far and wide as the two-thousand-mile span of the Kunlun Mountain Range, our domain is also vast, reaching from Micang Mountain in the north to Daliang Mountain in the south, epassing nearly a thousand miles.¡± ¡°The Various Peaks within Shushan are often named for their color, shape, or associated elements, such as Red Sun Peak, Green Bamboo Peak, Ziyun Peak, and so on.¡±
¡°The one exception is Mount Emei, the location of our ancestral Ancestral Master Hall, the traditional dwelling of the Sect Leader lineage.¡± The Sect Leader lineage¡­ Qiu Changtian pondered. He had heard from Lin Duanshan and Guan Shanyue that, though it appeared the Jade Capital Sect Leader held the highest position in the Shushan Shangqing Faction, there was actually another figure looming above¡ªLong Eyebrow Immortal. ording to the Kunlun Mirror, the Heaven-Mending Stone was carried by Long Eyebrow Immortal, who resided deep within the Demon Locking Tower beneath Thunder Hole t, which itself was situated within the bounds of Mount Emei. This meant that Long Eyebrow Immortal must have a very close connection with the Sect Leader lineage residing on Mount Emei¡­ and it might be reasonably inferred that each generation¡¯s Sect Leader appointment was likely subject to Long Eyebrow Immortal¡¯s approval. In the Immortal Cultivation World, the lifespan of immortals could match the heavens themselves. Having stayed in Shushan for at least ten thousand years, Long Eyebrow Immortal¡¯s influence and control over the entire sect, regardless of his terrifying power, must have been profound. Whether Qiu Changtian chose to seize the Heaven-Mending Stone overtly or scheme to attain it covertly, sess seemed improbable; he felt that revealing himself to Ah Jing might be a more feasible approach. Chapter 132: 67 Traitor’s Rendezvous, Spy Within a Spy Chapter 132: Chapter 67 Traitor¡¯s Rendezvous, Spy Within a Spy Qiu Changtian stayed at the Taoist temple guest rooms on Mount Emei for a few days. Every morning, Bi Sheng would visit once to ask if the guest from Kunlun had any needs, such as Spirit Stones, Spirit Fruits, and so on. Each time, Qiu Changtian politely declined. After stepping onto the path of cultivation, cultivators¡¯ needs for the outside world had already been reduced to the extreme. No need for food or water, there were fasting techniques; no need for elimination, there was impurity removal; no need for breath, they practiced the tortoise breathing technique. In a word, it was all about sitting in meditation and practicing breathing exercises, and time would quickly pass by. When the day to open the Demon Locking Tower arrived, Qiu Changtian changed into a moon-white Taoist robe and also took a green jade flute, preparing to act ording to the strategy recorded in the Kunlun Mirror. Seeing that Ling Yunpo was right in front, he took out the flute and yed. Before he was seen, the sound of the flute arrived first, making a dashing entrance in his white robe. Having yed thest note, Qiu Changtian stepped down from the sword light and onto the ground, arriving at the Demon Locking Tower under everyone¡¯s watchful eyes. Listening carefully within the Sea of Consciousness, he only heard the Kunlun Mirror report a few ¡°+1 Synchronization Values,¡± and then it was quiet. Qiu Changtian was immediately somewhat displeased.
However, these Shushan disciples were inexperienced with his true power, so it was expected they couldn¡¯t contribute arge amount of Synchronization Value. It could only be said that they were all short-sighted. ¡°True Person,¡± he greeted Jinghua True Person with a bow. ¡°Qiu Xian nephew indeed has a refined interest,¡± said Jinghua True Person with a faint smile. With the rtionship of Ziwei Master, Jinghua True Person¡¯s tolerance for him was extraordinarily high. As a result, the Shushan disciples nearby immediately became agitated¡ªthey all wanted to know who this unfamiliar guest was, to receive such a favorable response from Jinghua True Person. Qiu Changtian exchanged pleasantries with Jinghua True Person and then bowed to the astonished Shushan disciples: ¡°Kunlun¡¯s Qiu Changtian greets all the Shushan Taoist friends.¡± The Shushan disciples hurriedly returned the greeting, and the atmosphere became much more harmonious. Among them, in the team from Red Sun Peak, there was a Refining Mansion stage disciple named ¡°Xu Anze.¡± His gaze towards Qiu Changtian carried a different meaning from his fellow sect brothers and sisters. In reality, he was an undercover spy who Eastern Emperor Path had nted within Shushan. He quietly pondered at this moment: ¡°Previously, I received a secret message from the sect, saying that a member of the Demon Race, ¡®Marquis of Mount Tu,¡¯ nned to infiltrate the Demon Locking Tower to rescue someone important and that I should await instructions to make contact with this individual.¡± ¡°Could it be that this Kunlun Chief Disciple Qiu Changtian is the Marquis of Mount Tu, who has sneaked in under disguise?¡± ¡°Hmm, assassinating the Kunlun Chief Disciple along the way and then using an Illusion Technique to take on his appearance. Considering that Shushan is not familiar with Kunlun disciples, this possibility is quite high indeed.¡± ¡°Later on, I should still find a way to make contact and test the waters.¡± Jinghua True Person then told his disciples the matters they should pay attention to before leading the team into the Demon Locking Tower. Walking alongside Jinghua True Person, Qiu Changtian¡¯s Kunlun Mirror began to project the video recorded by the ¡°future Kunlun Mirror,¡± guiding him to act ording to the strategy. Well, it was time to take a look back at Ling Yunpo and transmit the strategy to the Kunlun Mirror of the past. Qiu Changtian turned his head to cast a covert nce at his past self, then turned his head back, focusing intently on the path ahead. After passing through a narrow corridor, he entered the grand hall with eight gates on the first level of the Demon Locking Tower.
While Jinghua True Person was still detailing the rules of engagement, Qiu Changtian took the opportunity when no one was paying attention and, ording to the strategy, directly slipped away to descend to the lower level. Before even reaching the third level, he saw Xu Anze chasing after him from behind, calling him to a stop: ¡°Qiu Taoist friend! Everyone is acting on the first level; why have you run down here alone?¡± Upon reading the strategy¡¯s dialogue, Qiu Changtian immediately understood this man¡¯s identity and thus replied with a sneer:
¡°If we didn¡¯t leave the first level, how would there be a chance for me to contact you alone?¡± Upon hearing this, Xu Anze immediately became serious, frowning as he asked: ¡°Who exactly are you?¡± Qiu Changtian replied with an expressionless face: ¡°Our n has an agreement with your faction. ording to it, your faction should provide assistance in this operation. I wonder if the agreement still stands?¡± As he spoke, his right hand, which had been hanging down, silently began to gather Jade Pivot Thunder in his palm. Looking at the ball of green Thunder Light forming in the hand of the other party and the terrifying threatening aura it emitted, Xu Anze immediately felt his soul on the edge, knowing that if he let half a word of refusal slip from his mouth, Marquis of Mount Tu would kill him on the spot. He quickly nodded and said: ¡°Of course, it still stands! This lowly one has seen Marquis of Mount Tu, please give your orders.¡± The ability to speak of ¡°agreement¡± and ¡°assistance¡± suggested that this person must undoubtedly be the Marquis of Mount Tu! Qiu Changtian snorted coldly through his nose and said: ¡°I came here in a hurry, and I did not expect that Shushan Demon Locking Tower would open today.¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Xu Anze hurriedly said, ¡°Normally, it should have opened in a few years.¡± ¡°But recently, the elite disciples from Kunlun Peni entered the East Sea Pavilion, and many of them have greatly increased their strength. Thus, in desperation, the Shushan higher-ups opted to open the Demon Locking Tower trial ahead of schedule.¡±
¡°Their trial is their own business, but they must not ruin my important affair,¡± Qiu Changtian said irritably. ¡°To rescue that person, I will need to leave the team for quite a long time. You must immediately create chaos within the team and divert everyone¡¯s attention!¡± ¡°Understood, to create chaos,¡± Xu Anze immediately nodded in agreement, his mind spinning rapidly. ¡°I¡¯ve got it! Two disciples from Qingluo Peak are also participating in the trials this time. If I arrange a little incident and me it on An Zhisu or Ling Yunpo, with the hatred for Qingluo Peak within Shushan, that will surely turn the team upside down!¡± Qiu Changtian was near to spitting blood: great, turns out I¡¯m the one who caused this damn mess! ¡°No, wait!¡± Xu Anze thought carefully for a moment before speaking again, ¡°Each floor of the Shushan Demon Locking Tower has eight separate gates to mystical realms, all connected only through the central hall.¡± ¡°If I set up a trap for these two people, it would be easy for them to prove they were not present¡­ Better to falsely me it on Qi Sha True Person, leaving them with no way to clear their names!¡± Qiu Changtian was beyond exasperated but eventually replied: ¡°Not bad. I¡¯ve heard that Qi Sha True Person has been in seclusion for a long time, unseen by anyone¡ªwho knows if he¡¯s alive or dead or if he has secretly broken out of seclusion? Using this to misdirect would indeed suffice.¡± ¡°Marquis of Mount Tu is indeed wise. However, there is still a difficulty,¡± Xu Anze said with a ttering smile. ¡°As I mentioned before, each floor¡¯s Eight Gates Mystical Realm is connected solely by the central hall.¡± ¡°If we dy too long, and an ident happens in any one of the mystical realms, Jinghua True Person will surely investigate everyone who entered that realm. After a few times, simply by process of elimination, it would be easy to trace back to me.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Marquis of Mount Tu¡¯s Illusion Technique is exceptionally unique. Could you bestow a simple method on me, allowing me to disguise myself as a disciple from another peak? If I can just confuse Jinghua True Person¡¯s judgment, I have the confidence to hold up the team¡¯s progress and prevent them froming down too soon, thereby not spoiling your important affair.¡± Qiu Changtian sneered inwardly: this guy is unrepentantly cunning, actually finding an excuse to ask for Daoist Magic! If it was the real ¡°Marquis of Mount Tu,¡± perhaps appreciating his quick wit, he might indeed grant him an Illusion Technique¡­ But where would I conjure such a technique from? But then?
He looked at the strategy broadcast by the Kunlun Mirror, remained silent for a long time, and then slowly said: ¡°Your point is indeed valid.¡± ¡°I have a talisman script here, called ¡®The Godspeed Talisman of the Water Veins,¡¯ which allows you to leap between different water veins.¡± ¡°The leaping distance has been set by me, and it can only transport you between water veins on the same floor. If you enter any mystical realm, by activating this talisman with your True Yuan, you will be able to leap to another realm, undetected by others.¡± ¡°Furthermore, this talisman can only be used four times at most before needing recharging from me. Be careful with it and don¡¯t waste it.¡± Xu Anze listened helplessly, recognizing that the Marquis of Mount Tu was indeed cunning and astute; not only did he refuse to bestow an Illusion Technique, but he also handed over a Strange Object with limited uses, clearly unwilling to let him gain any advantage. On Qiu Changtian¡¯s side, his face expressionless, he followed the unique method recorded in the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s strategy, silently circting the Water System Divine Light among the Five Elements Divine Light, and resetting the jumping route of the Godspeed Talisman of the Water Veins. Then he handed it over to Xu Anze. ¡°Thank you, Marquis of Mount Tu.¡± Xu Anze quickly expressed his gratitude. ¡°If there is nothing else, you may leave now!¡± Qiu Changtian waved his hand, his heart full of a thousand words, which couldn¡¯t find their way out. Where did the method to set the Godspeed Talisman of the Water Veinse from¡­ No, this whole strategy, who wrote it in the first ce?! Chapter 133: 68: Middlemen Profiteering Both Ways Chapter 133: Chapter 68: Middlemen Profiteering Both Ways ¡°There are infinitely many possibilities for the future,¡± exined Kunlun Mirror. ¡°To give you an analogy, it¡¯s as if there are infinitely many paths before you.¡± ¡°I randomly sampled ten thousand of them and found that only one was a path to life, the rest led to death.¡± ¡°Then I recorded the details of that one path, which is the strategy you¡¯re seeing now.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Qiu Changtian pondered, ¡°so if I go now to kill Long Eyebrow Immortal, can you also find that one possibility for my survival among tens of thousands of certain-death oues?¡± ¡°If you go kill Long Eyebrow Immortal now, the sess rate is definitely less than one in several tens of thousands, okay?¡± the Kunlun Mirror said with exasperation. ¡°Besides, my spiritual power isn¡¯t endless. I have to transport you back and forth, provide you with Mirror Flower Water Moon for disguise and now also devise a strategy for you¡­¡± ¡°Alright, alright, don¡¯t say anymore,¡± Qiu Changtian immediately said. ¡°I understand your difficulties, but isn¡¯t this all for the future we both aspire to?¡± No sooner had he finished speaking than he suddenly felt something was amiss. Why did he feel like a husband weary of his wife¡¯s nagging? Casting aside the jumbled thoughts in his mind, Qiu Changtian continued to look at the strategy. The strategy said that next, he would have Ah Jing disguise him to look like Xu Anze, whom he had just seen, and then descend to the thirtieth floor.
So, after donning the Illusion Technique of Mirror Flower Water Moon, Qiu Changtian passed through various levels, descending the stairs. The deeper he went, the darker the color of the walls around him, and the more dense and numerous the tadpole texts on them, giving a sense of tense, oppressive danger. On reaching the thirtieth floor, Qiu Changtian saw someone with the appearance of a Shushan Golden Core True Person overseeing duties, standing in the center of the hall, back facing him, scrutinizing the Immortal Seal Script on the walls. ¡°Greetings, Marquis of Mount Tu,¡± said Qiu Changtian with a bow. The person turned around, revealing the figure of a middle-aged beautiful woman, and said with a smile: ¡°How did you know I am Marquis of Mount Tu?¡± ¡°If I were to infiltrate the Demon Locking Tower, I would also choose to disguise myself as an overseeing officer in the tower,¡± Qiu Changtian replied. ¡°Not necessarily,¡±ughed Marquis of Mount Tu. ¡°Why not disguise oneself as a Shushan disciple entering the tower for trials?¡± ¡°Because Marquis of Mount Tu could not have known in advance that the Demon Locking Tower would open for trials today,¡± Qiu Changtian answered. ¡°Why would I not know?¡± ¡°If Marquis of Mount Tu had known, there would have been no need to engage my services,¡± Qiu Changtian said in a low voice. ¡°You are indeed a clever one,¡± Marquis of Mount Tuughed. ¡°You must be ¡®Xu Anze,¡¯ right?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± ¡°This Demon Locking Tower¡¯s formation is too profound for me to understand,¡± Marquis of Mount Tu said, her voice pausing for a moment. ¡°I need to talk with some of my juniors in the tower.¡± ¡°During this time, we can¡¯t allow those disciples undergoing trials toe down here and cause disturbances. Do you have any good ideas?¡± After pretending to consider it for a moment, Qiu Changtian said: ¡°In that case, I have a n.¡± ¡°Currently, among the Shushan peaks, Qingluo Peak is notorious for its bad reputation. Coincidentally, the Peak Master, Qi Sha True Person, is currently undergoing a closed-door Death Gate trial, and no one knows the situation inside.¡± ¡°First, I¡¯ll go around attacking Foundation Establishment disciples, leaving behind the name of Qi Sha True Person.¡±
¡°Once everyone is on edge, I would request Marquis of Mount Tu to disguise as Qi Sha True Person and attack Jinghua, the Golden Core True Person leading the Foundation Establishment trials.¡± ¡°I see,¡± the Marquis of Mount Tu nodded slightly, ¡°If Jinghua True Person is suddenly attacked, it will push the panic to its peak. To protect these Foundation Establishment disciples, she will surely choose to end the trial.¡± ¡°Moreover, once it is confirmed that Qi Sha True Person, Su Jian, is seeking revenge within the tower, the news would spread from Jinghua True Person to the lower floors. The Golden Core trial teams will also be horrified and afraid of Su Jian finding them, and will choose to temporarily withdraw from the Demon Locking Tower.¡± At this point, Marquis of Mount Tu suddenly pivoted on his heel.
From a dignified middle-aged beautiful woman, he transformed in an instant into a tall, silver-haired, imposing, and stern-looking old hunk. ¡°How about this?¡± the Marquis of Mount Tu asked in a deep male voice, conjuring a cold-hued Flying Sword that looked eight or nine parts simr to the Harsh Cold Sword, ¡°Do I bear any resemnce to Qi Sha True Person?¡± Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­¡­ ¡°Absolutely wless,¡± he immediately praised, ¡°Comparable to the spells of the Immortal Sects.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a minor trick,¡± Marquis of Mount Tu said indifferently, suddenly raising his hand and shooting a cold light into Qiu Changtian¡¯s body. ¡°What¡¯s this!¡± Qiu Changtian¡¯s expression changed dramatically. ¡°Your reward,¡± Marquis of Mount Tu replied. Qiu Changtian held his breath and looked inward to his Sea of Consciousness, only to notice an extra point of light. Upon probing with his Divine Sense, he found some basic Illusion Techniques and¡­ ¡°She has nted a secret Illusion Technique in you,¡± Kunlun Mirror reminded him, ¡°If you have any thoughts of betrayal, she will immediately sense it through your spirit and thus be aware.¡± ¡°Is it that amazing?¡± Qiu Changtian said in surprise. He had only known about Soul Search to check memories but had no idea there was also such a secret lie-detection spell. ¡°Not amazing. As she said, it¡¯s just a small technique,¡± Kunlun Mirror said with a chuckle, ¡°Your Daoist Heart rity is naturally immune to Illusion Techniques, and I have already shielded it; you need not worry.¡± ¡°Excellent, worthy of being my Ah Jing,¡± thus Qiu Changtian acted surprised, bowed his hands and said, ¡°Thank you, Marquis of Mount Tu, for granting me Illusion Techniques.¡±
¡°You¡¯re about to create chaos among Shushan Sect Disciples; you certainly need some life-saving skills,¡± Marquis of Mount Tu, confirming that the person before him had no intent to betray, spoke amicably, ¡°Go. If you encounter any problems, look for me in the Death Gate area on the forty-seventh floor.¡± ¡°Understood.¡± Qiu Changtian bowed and departed. Following the strategy to return to the upper levels, he quickly made it back to the tenth floor. In the central hall of the tenth floor, Xu Anze, who had been waiting in the rest gate passage, saw Qiu Changtian returning and hastily showed himself, eagerly reporting: ¡°This subordinate pays respect to Marquis of Mount Tu. To let the True Person know, the team has now descended to the seventh level, and two have already been killed in a sneak attack by ¡®Qi Sha True Person.¡¯¡± ¡°Now in the trial team of the Foundation Establishment Realm, the disciples are extremely nervous, and Jinghua True Person doesn¡¯t allow everyone to freely choose the eight gates of the trial; disciples from the same peak must act together.¡± ¡°Many disciples are worried about being killed now. In the secret realm, they are all proceeding with extreme caution; their progress is slow.¡± ¡°Very good,¡± Qiu Changtian expressed approval, ¡°I have important matters to attend to below; you continue to dy their progress!¡± ¡°There¡¯s another thing to report to Marquis of Mount Tu,¡± Xu Anze took out the Godspeed Talisman of the Water Vein, saying, ¡°This talisman has been used twice and has two uses left.¡± ¡°In case of an emergency, could I ask Marquis of Mount Tu to help recharge it?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Qiu Changtian took the Godspeed Talisman of the Water Vein and put it into his sleeve. Xu Anze: ???? ? ¡°This talisman has many limitations, and is inconvenient to use,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a cold smile, ¡°I see you are clever and aware. For now, I will impart some Illusion Techniques to you, listen carefully¡­¡±
Xu Anze was initially startled, but then, immediately, he was ovee with great joy. For a traitor like him,pared to the Strange Object that could only be used a few times and would definitely be taken back, the coveted disguise Illusion Techniques were clearly the more important of the two. Qiu Changtian then orally ryed the techniques given by Marquis of Mount Tu to Xu Anze. Xu Anze quickly took them to heart, again and again expressing vast gratitude and inexplicable emotion, causing Qiu Changtian to be somewhat at a loss whether tough or cry. To be a middle-man ying both ends, enjoying the benefits from both the buyer and the seller, felt truly exceptional! Chapter 134: 69: Killing the Water Viper, Completing the Loop Chapter 134: Chapter 69: Killing the Water Viper, Completing the Loop After imparting the Illusion Technique divine skills, Qiu Changtian instructed Xu Anze to continue his infiltration and create chaos. Once this person returned to the upper levels, Qiu Changtian followed the guide¡¯s instructions and directly entered the tenth floor¡¯s Jinghua Gate. The area of the Jinghua Gate was a beautiful valley in, inhabited by numerous floral demonic beasts swirling and nesting. When the uninvited Qiu Changtian intruded, the little floral demonic beasts flew around in panic, all hiding deep in the bushes. Qiu Changtian paid no attention to them, and instead found a stream nearby, stepped into it, and then activated the Godspeed Talisman of the Water Vein. Following the method provided by the Kunlun Mirror, as the Water System Divine Light circted, a profound perception immediately emerged in his Sea of Consciousness, which were all of the independent water veins nearby. From small streams and pools torge rivers and seas, as long as they were separate from each other and not interconnected, they constituted an independent water vein, mysteriously linking with Qiu Changtian. However, Qiu Changtian could only sense where the water veins were, without being able to perceive in advance whether they were streams and pools or rivers and seas, nor could he determine the distance or direction. But with the strategy guide, these weren¡¯t problems at all. Soon, Qiu Changtian, guided by the strategy guide, locked onto a distant water source and then teleported there. Between the spinning heavens and earth, he had teleported to the entrance of an underwater mansion.
Calcting the time, Senior Sister An and his past self should have been just right when entering this secret realm, and the entrance was more than ten miles away from here. Qiu Changtian hurried, first starting the Water-Repelling Pearl to reduce resistance in the water and then charged into the underwater mansion¡¯s passage. He hadn¡¯t gone far when he saw a host of water viper demonic beasts emerging, twisting and entangling, looking fierce and terrible with their wide-open bloody mouths and sharp poisonous fangs, pouncing viciously at Qiu Changtian. Qiu Changtian remained fearless, merely drawing out the Pr Thunder and sending a mass of Thunder Light directly at them, immediately smashing the foremost water vipers to pieces, their venomous blood spilling out. The remaining water vipers quickly scattered in terror. Although they didn¡¯t know what Pr Thunder was, they had the instincts of demonic beasts and sensed the extreme danger of the Thunder Light¡ªeven faintly restraining themselves, and soon they dispersed like birds and beasts. Qiu Changtian wasn¡¯t intent on eradicating all the evil beasts, just nonchntly advancing forward, using the minor Shangyang Sword Qi to harvest those water viper demonic beasts that hadn¡¯t managed to escape, thinking to himself, so that¡¯s how it was. No wonder Ling Yunpo faced very few demonic beasts when he came here with Senior Sister An; it turns out I had already killed them all. Understanding the sequence of events, Qiu Changtian felt some emotion: So, it was all nned! He entered the mansion as if stepping into and without owners, and there he saw arge water viper coiled up, which immediately spewed out a mass of venomous fog at him. The purple fog was dense in the water, looking extremely thick, clearly not a benevolent ¡°demon art.¡± Qiu Changtian¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he swiftly formed Daoist forms. After cultivating to the Refining Mansion stage, he derived the third Daoist Technique from the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,¡± called the ¡°Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman.¡± This talisman had no special traits except for its powerful spiritual power and strong abilities to suppress and seal. A giant talisman script made of spiritual power struck out, immediately dispersing the toxic fog. The water viper was stunned, seemingly not expecting its innate divine ability to be so easily countered. By the time it recovered from its shock, it was struck by Qiu Changtian¡¯s Pr Thunder, its entire dragon skull bursting open like a watermelon. The Pr Thunder, specifically potent against the Dragon n, would leave even a Golden Core Realm Jiaolong bloodied and bruised from a direct hit, let alone a Refining Mansion stage water viper. The torn remnants of the water viper¡¯s corpse floated in the center of the hall, with flesh and blood scattered everywhere. Qiu Changtian, not wanting to dirty his Daoist robe, simply activated the Five Elements Extinguishing Divine Light, using the principle of ¡°wood engenders fire¡± to vaporize all the flesh and blood to ash.
Then he walked through the mansion¡¯s main hall to the treasure chamber inside. Inside, there were still piles of discarded Spirit Stones, like dust and rubble, with no value whatsoever. Only a few magical treasures were sparsely distributed upon it, likely collected after the Water Viper took over this ce. However, the Water Viper itself was only at the Refining Mansion level, so what good magical treasures could it have gathered?
In the eyes of Qiu Changtian, who far surpassed peers of his level, there was no doubt that they were all trash. No wonder Senior Sister An didn¡¯t even give them a nce and directly passed them by! Wait a second, where were the Water-Repelling Pearl and the Godspeed Talisman of the Thousand-Mile Water Vein? Qiu Changtian turned the pile of spirit stones upside down repeatedly, but still couldn¡¯t find the Water-Repelling Pearl from before. The small cauldron that held the talisman scripts was found, but when he opened the lid and looked inside, it waspletely empty, with not a single item. Now he was in trouble. What would happen when Ling Yunpo and Senior Sister arrived and couldn¡¯t find the Water-Repelling Pearl and the Godspeed Talisman of the Thousand-Mile Water Vein? Without the former, it¡¯s a small matter. But without thetter, how would Ling Yunpo leave this ce with Senior Sister An? And how would they go to the Blood Pool¡¯s Red Tide or the Cloud Sea Realm? Wouldn¡¯t this mess up the historical timeline? ¡°What are you worrying about so aimlessly!¡± said the Kunlun Mirror, observing at the side and unable to keep silent, ¡°Aren¡¯t the Water-Repelling Pearl and the Godspeed Talisman of the Thousand-Mile Water Vein both on you?¡± Qiu Changtian: ??????? After being stunned for a while, he suddenly realized. So I received these two items in the past just so that I could return them to their original ce in the future, allowing my past self to obtain them again following history¡¯s course? Isn¡¯t this¡­ what do you call it, an infinite loop? Then, where exactly did this Water-Repelling Pearl and the Godspeed Talisman of the Thousand-Mile Water Vein originallye from, and where did they end up in the end?
¡°As I¡¯ve said,¡± the Kunlun Mirror sighed with resignation, ¡°this was created to realize the historical cycle, a ¡®loose end¡¯ not existing in the original timeline.¡± ¡°It came from nothingness, and after helping you through this deadly trial, it naturally has to return to nothingness.¡± Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­ One could only say that the Dao of Time is indeed mysterious and utterly beyondprehension. The Water-Repelling Pearl indeed yed a decisive role in reducing resistance and facilitating escape when Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu teleported into the deep sea environment teeming with Jiaolongs on their fourth attempt. But strictly in terms of escaping, the ¡°Godspeed Talisman of the Thousand-Mile Water Vein¡± that allowed transmission wherever there was water was even more practical. To let them return to nothingness and fall into an endless time loop was truly a pity¡­ However, Qiu Changtian was, after all, someone with a firm will, knowing that if it weren¡¯t for his current advantage, Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu would not have strayed from the trial team. Then, Xu Anze and Marquis of Mount Tu would get on the normal track, creating a series of attacks afterward, and framing Su Jian, resulting in the two being victimized. Even if they weren¡¯t killed on the spot by the True Person of Jinghua, the trials couldn¡¯t have continued, and they would have missed both the Blood Pool and the Cloud Sea Realm. Not to mention surviving the ¡°Dragon n Uprising¡± brought by the Marquis of Mount Tuter. Compared to those deadly trials that could be avoided, the benefits that could be obtained were mere trinkets like a Godspeed Talisman of the Thousand-Mile Water Vein, a single Water-Repelling Pearl ¨C what was there to begrudge? Abandon them!
Qiu Changtian gritted his teeth, fully charged the Godspeed Talisman of the Thousand-Mile Water Vein, set it to activate upon touch, and ording to the strategy guide, set the destination to the water vein representing the twenty-eighth level, the Blood Pool. He then stuffed it into the small cauldron, covered it with the lid, and hid it under the pile of spirit stones, casually tossing the Water-Repelling Pearl aside. Finally, without looking back, he left the underwater cave dwelling and headed outside. Chapter 135: 70: The Beiming Sea Abyss, The Endless Expanse Chapter 135: Chapter 70: The Beiming Sea Abyss, The Endless Expanse Leaving the riverbed cave dwelling, Qiu Changtian recalcted the time, knowing that Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu were about to arrive, so he hurriedly took a wide arc to avoid meeting them. Then he retraced his steps ording to his memory and arrived back at the entrance to this secret realm. ording to the strategy guide, one should not directly return to the central hall after reaching the entrance, but instead, wait there for two hours. Qiu Changtian had no choice but to rest in ce. After about two hours had passed, he saw a figure sh in front of him. It was a Shushan sect female disciple with an unfamiliar face who had juste through the entrance passage. ¡°Greetings, Marquis of Mount Tu,¡± Qiu Changtian hastily said. The Shushan sect female disciple was slightly stunned, then covered her mouth and giggled, ¡°How interesting, how did you recognize me for the second time?¡± ¡°Due to several attacks we¡¯ve encountered, Master Jinghua now requires fellow sect disciples to act together,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile. ¡°Isn¡¯t Marquis of Mount Tu deliberately defying Master Jinghua¡¯s orders by being alone like this?¡± ¡°Oh, but just because Master Jinghua gave the order, does that mean everyone has to obey it?¡± Marquis of Mount Tuughed. ¡°Can¡¯t we secretly disobey?¡± ¡°This is the Death Gate area. Even if one intentionally separates from the group, no one would choose the Death Gate as a trial ground,¡± Qiu Changtian seriously stated. ¡°Even if one were to choose the Death Gate for their trials, ordinary disciples would enter this ce trembling with fear, as if walking on thin ice. How could they possibly be as calm and collected as your grace?¡± Marquis of Mount Tu was taken aback by his response, and then she fell into thought.
Having dared to enter Shushan alone, she was certainly not a fool. With her masterful Illusion Technique, most sect fortes were virtually defenseless against her. But this man was right; she couldn¡¯t just rely on her Illusion Technique, she had to practice her acting skills as well. Hmm? Wait, this guy seems to be quite clever, so maybe¡­ ¡°Follow me,¡± Marquis of Mount Tu turned around. The two of them left the secret realm and returned to the central hall. Then they made their way downward, discreetly circling around the Shushan sect¡¯s trial team with the aid of concealed Illusion Techniques, all the way to the forty-seventh floor. Passing through the Death Gate, they came to a deep-sea area. The surrounding waters were dim and shimmering, with dark currents flowing in all directions, no seaweed, rocks, fish, or crustaceans in sight, only the impurities and bubbles rising in the water. Marquis of Mount Tu led Qiu Changtian further on. As the depth gradually increased, Qiu Changtian could vaguely make out the contours of the seabed below. ¡°This secret ce is built to resemble the Beiming Abyss,¡± Marquis of Mount Tu said leisurely. ¡°The Mortal Realm and the Demon Realm have been separate for so long, your human kind probably doesn¡¯t know what ¡®Beiming¡¯ is anymore, right?¡± ¡°Not exactly,¡± Qiu Changtian responded calmly. ¡°There are still some records in our texts, which say that Beiming is ¡®a vast and distant ce unseen by mortals,¡¯ ¡®perpetually dark with neither day nor light,¡¯ and ¡®surrounded by Jiaolong, dreadfully fierce¡¯.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Marquis of Mount Tu said, seemingly unconcerned. ¡°That is indeed surprising.¡± After traveling several miles, they arrived at a certain abyss in the sea. Continuing their descent along the abyss, visibility became increasingly lower, until they finallynded at the bottom of the Sea Abyss. The water pressure here was already quite strong, causing Qiu Changtian some difort. He noticed that the ground beneath his feet seemed to be made of fine sand, but it waspressed solid as if made of refined steel, firm underfoot akin to stony ground. ¡°We¡¯re here,¡± Marquis of Mount Tu stated. ¡°My journey to the Mortal Realm, infiltrating the Demon Locking Tower, was to rescue a senior member of my n.¡± Her voice paused for a moment, and she then continued, ¡°Have you ever heard of ¡®Ying Long¡¯?¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Qiu Changtian replied, ¡°I have heard that Jiaolong undergoes five transformations: Initially, they are ¡®Water Vipers,¡¯ which after five hundred years, if they survive, grow scales and transform into ¡®Jiaolong.¡¯¡±
¡°Another thousand years without death, and they turn red and be ¡®Chi Dragons¡¯; another five hundred years without death, they grow horns and be ¡®Horned Dragons.¡¯¡± ¡°In the end, after another thousand years of cultivation, he would grow wings and transform into a ¡®Ying Long¡¯.¡± ¡°Merely in terms of physical transformation, there¡¯s nothing wrong with what you said,¡± the Marquis of Mount Tu said with slight surprise, correcting, ¡°But in reality, the evolution of the Dragon n doesn¡¯t just depend on time, but on the promotion of rank.¡± ¡°The higher the rank one aims for, the more difficult it bes to advance. And the senior I¡¯m about to rescue this time is probably the only Ying Long in this world.¡±
¡°ording to the records in the Demon Realm, this senior Ying Long fell into the Mortal Realm ten thousand years ago and was imprisoned by human cultivators in the Demon Locking Tower, locked away in this secret realm known as ¡®Endless¡¯.¡± ¡°Endless?¡± Qiu Changtian asked curiously. ¡°It means ¡®an interval without an interval¡¯,¡± the Marquis of Mount Tu exined seriously, ¡°It appears to be some kind of independent space.¡± ¡°Normal space is continuous, just like an endless in, where you can run freely.¡± ¡°An independent space, however, is discontinuous, akin to inds in the sea; running on one ind, no matter what you do, you¡¯ll never reach another without some other means to cross the ocean.¡± Feigning contemtion, Qiu Changtian asked with puzzlement, ¡°In that case, what are your thoughts, Marquis of Mount Tu?¡± ¡°I possess no divine skills rted to space, so naturally, I can¡¯t cross this ¡®sea¡¯,¡± the Marquis of Mount Tu sighed, ¡°but there should be a ¡®bridge¡¯ over this ¡®sea¡¯; I just can¡¯t find it, which is why I called you to help me.¡± Listening to this, Qiu Changtian was stupefied. This talk of ¡®seas¡¯ and ¡®bridges¡¯, what ploy is he ying at with me? However, as for how to reach the space where the Ying Long is imprisoned, he had already known: since he can¡¯t ¡°move¡± there, of course, he must ¡°leap¡± there. Like the Godspeed Talisman of the Water Vein that stretches for ten thousand li. Of course, he had already given that talisman to Ling Yunpo and the others, so he had to think of another way, like perhaps¡­ An idea struck Qiu Changtian: When ites to spatial leaping, isn¡¯t that Ah Jing¡¯s specialty?
¡°Ah Jing, you¡­¡± He had barely begun to speak when he heard the Kunlun Mirror interject, ¡°It¡¯s possible. ording to the strategy, I will teleport you there.¡± Then, Qiu Changtian vanished on the spot. Marquis of Mount Tu: ??? She slowly widened her eyes, then incredulously extended her arm and waved it a few times where Qiu Changtian had been standing. Gone. How could he be gone? Could it be that he found the ¡®Endless¡¯ realm? What the hell! I¡¯ve been searching here for ages and couldn¡¯t find a trace, and this human brat, who hasn¡¯t even reached the Transformation Rank, justes along and immediately finds it???! She stood there for a while and couldn¡¯t help but start getting angry. As the sky turned and the earth spun, Qiu Changtian appeared in a familiar space. To his side was the rushing Chijiang River, and in front of him stood the towering de Mountain. A massive Divine Dragony coiled atop de Mountain, its lower half pierced by Dragon Binding Chains, from which arge amount of blood flowed down the rocky surface, like a rapid waterfall¡¯s current. ¡°Human?¡± the Ying Long saidzily, then yawned as if opening its massive mouth.
As heart-stopping energy swiftly gathered in its mouth, ready to annihte the tiny human below in an instant, it heard Qiu Changtian suddenly say, ¡°Would you dare to make a bet with me, Lord Ying Long?¡± Chapter 136 - 71: Ying Long’s Wager, A Drop of Essence Blood Chapter 136: Chapter 71: Ying Long¡¯s Wager, A Drop of Essence Blood ¡°A bet?¡± Ying Long heard this and suddenly closed his mouth, revealing a thoughtful and strange expression. During the long years of his imprisonment, he had be sozy that he took little interest in most things; he usually spent his time sleeping away the hours. But before this, his favorite pastimes had been betting and testing human nature¡­ It¡¯s just that those memories were so distant, he had almost forgotten he had this fondness. Moreover, among the untransformed low-rank vermin, this human was the first to dare to gamble with him. To the first urrence in life, Ying Long always adopted an extra tolerant attitude, because the first time often meant ¡°worth remembering and savoring.¡± So, he leaned down his huge head again, intending to hear what kind of bet this human would propose. If the bet was truly uninteresting, then there was no rush in killing him afterwards. ¡°The bet I wish to make with you,¡± Qiu Changtian said in a deep voice, ¡°is that the next human to arrive here if faced with the dilemma of choosing between ¡®sentiments¡¯ and ¡®interests,¡¯ I bet they will ultimately opt for the former.¡± Ying Long¡¯s golden vertical pupils narrowed as his thoughts began to race. This bet tested the value orientation of an individual human, whether they leaned more towards ¡°valuing rtionships and righteousness¡± or ¡°putting interests above all.¡± The one being tested was limited to ¡°the next human to arrive here,¡± which meant there was a certain unpredictability. The conditions proposed by the other party didn¡¯t have an obvious advantage, and were fairly reasonable. He could agree to this bet, but¡­ ¡°Fine, then I¡¯ll bet they will choose interests,¡± Ying Long said in a deep voice. ¡°However, the specific test that challenges their decision must be decided by me.¡± Qiu Changtian sneered: ¡°How can that be fair? Since we are betting on his choice, the ¡®sentiments¡¯ and ¡®interests¡¯ on both ends of the scale should at least be equivalent in value and mutually recognized by both of us.¡± ¡°If Lord Ying Long determines the content of the test, you only need to offer staggeringly great interests and then ce them against trivial sentiments, making the choice an assured defeat for me.¡± ¡°Do you think I would engage in such a boring act?¡± Ying Long disdainfully exhaled a fierce gust of fire, melting arge swath of rock under his feet, ¡°If you don¡¯t trust me, then we might as well not make the bet.¡± Not betting also meant that Ying Long had lost interest in him, and the oue for him was self-evident. Therefore, Qiu Changtian feigned a struggle on his face for a moment before finally having topromise, saying: ¡°I have no choice but to make this bet. As such, I can only trust you for now.¡± ¡°My demand for the bet is: if I win, you need to unleash your Dragon¡¯s Might for a moment, then give me a drop of your Essence Blood.¡± Upon hearing this, Ying Long fell silent for a moment, then suddenly burst into uproariousughter, shaking the entire de Mountain to the point of trembling and copsing: ¡°Interesting, really interesting! You actually want my Essence Blood? Do you know, what exactly a drop of my undiluted Essence Blood represents?¡± ¡°You, you dare to covet it? You, you think you are worthy?¡± Qiu Changtian replied expressionlessly: ¡°Lord Ying Long is now a prisoner, having been bled by others for so many years, why would giving me a drop of Essence Blood be a concern?¡± ¡°Heh,¡± Ying Long said mockingly, ¡°I was not forced to give blood, but instead lost a bet with a certain immortal among your humans and had to be temporarily trapped here to fulfill my oath, donating only regr blood.¡± ¡°Back to the matter at hand, since you have the courage to wager with my Essence Blood, it¡¯s not impossible¡­ but what can you offer as an equivalent stake in return?¡± ¡°Whether the stakes are equivalent, isn¡¯t that for Lord Ying Long to decide?¡± Qiu Changtian replied with a cold smile. ¡°In that case, why not just state your price.¡± ¡°You do have some self-awareness,¡± Ying Long expressed with a humanized sarcastic smile, ¡°There is nothing on your person of interest to me.¡± ¡°If you lose, I will kill you; if you win, I can do as you say and give you a drop of Essence Blood.¡± ¡°But you must also agree to a demand of mine so the stakes will be equal, how about it?¡± ¡°Agreed,¡± Qiu Changtian nodded. If he lost the bet, he would be killed; if he did not bet at all, he would still be killed. So, the cost of losing the bet didn¡¯t need to be considered at all; what was important was whether the ¡°drop of Essence Blood¡± and the ¡°demand¡± after winning the bet were equivalent. Of course, this question couldn¡¯t be asked directly, as Ying Long would certainly disdain to make any guarantees in advance. In Ying Long¡¯s view, the mere willingness to bet with the ant beneath its feet was already the greatest grace bestowed upon the ant ¡ª do you think you deserve even more fairness? Of course, if Ying Long had known what the Kunlun Mirror was, it would probably have abandoned such a contemptuous attitude. However, ignorant of its significance, it was bound to lose without a doubt. ¡­¡­¡­ Only after Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu were teleported away did Qiu Changtian control his Sword Light to circle around from behind the mountain and say, ¡°It seems I have won.¡± ¡°Hmph.¡± Ying Long¡¯s pride was evidently wounded. After all, it had agreed to the bet beforehand, and also designed the specific challenges; still, to have lost¡­ it had never felt so suffocated by defeat in its memories! The only exnation was that the two who had arrived just now had anticipated every test they faced, and their reactions had been within the other¡¯s expectations. ¡°You¡¯ve known these two Shushan disciples for a long time, and you knew they practiced the ways of the Sentiment Inquiry Path, didn¡¯t you?¡± Ying Long asked him with an unfriendly expression. Qiu Changtian didn¡¯t bother with lengthy exnations and simply said, ¡°That has nothing to do with our bet. Or is it that Lord Ying Long intends to go back on your word?¡± Ying Long, further infuriated by the response, could only scoff and reluctantly conceded, ¡°Why would I renege? After all, even a lost bet is to my advantage.¡± It folded its five-colored wings and its golden vertical pupils suddenly dted, releasing an explosion of Dragon¡¯s Might that erupted like a nuclear bomb! Facing the brunt of the Dragon¡¯s Might, Qiu Changtian, like a small boat struck by a tsunami¡¯s massive wave, almost capsized and tumbled to the ground, straining greatly to stabilize his figure in the air. Seeing his embarrassed state, the remnants of Ying Long¡¯s rage dissipated, and itzily withdrew its Dragon¡¯s Might, asking, ¡°Are we done?¡± After confirming that the Kunlun Mirror had indeed recorded the other in its mirror, Qiu Changtian finally nodded, his face pale. ¡°Very well, remember your promise.¡± Ying Long vibrated its heart meridian slightly, emitting a drop of Essence Blood, and spat it out in front of him. ¡°If you have the chance to travel to the Eastern Emperor Realm, seek out my daughter and bring her to the North Dark Ocean Realm.¡± Ying Long¡¯s daughter? Qiu Changtian pondered for a moment before taking out the Purifying Bottle to collect the drop of Essence Blood and then asked, ¡°Where may your esteemed daughter be located? And what features does she have that I may recognize her by?¡± Ying Long fell silent for a long while, seemingly lost in deep, lingering thoughts, before finally saying, ¡°Her nickname is ¡®Long Hu¡¯.¡± ¡°Possessing the blood of humans, dragons, and foxes simultaneously, she resembles a white fox but has the golden pupils of a dragon.¡± ¡°Such mixed-blood features should be unique in the Eastern Emperor Realm.¡± ¡°As for her location, having been imprisoned in this tower for at least a hundred thousand years, how would I know?¡± ¡°She is likely with her mother. If you find them, help me tell her mother¡­¡± At this point, Ying Long suddenly hesitated again. ¡°¡­tell her what?¡± Qiu Changtian saw that it wasn¡¯t reacting and couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°No, nothing.¡± Ying Long closed its golden vertical pupils and coiled its body around de Mountain, falling silent once more. Chapter 142: 4 Then, look up some information. Chapter 142: Chapter 4 Then, look up some information. Kunlun Scripture Pavilion. Qiu Changtian sat beside the desk, focusing intently as he flipped through the scripture scrolls. The light streaming in from the windowttice fell on his peerlessly handsome profile, as if adding an exquisite golden rim. A few Kunlun female disciples hid by the bookshelves, ogling Chief Qiu with either infatuation or zeal. If this were modern times, girls would have been unable to restrain themselves from striking up a conversation. But after all, this was ancient times; even though cultivators generally did not adhere strictly to propriety, the notion of proactively flirting with strange men was non-existent. Xu Yinglian watched for a moment and felt a sudden sense of crisis in her heart, as if her senior brother was about to be stolen away. That¡¯s not right! It wasn¡¯t worry about her senior brother being snatched away, but rather that these senior and junior sisters didn¡¯t understand his true nature! Senior brother might seem perfect, but in reality, he is arrogantly conceited. If one doesn¡¯t have a certain breadth of mind, one would soon be driven crazy by his various words and actions. These sect members are only covetous of his external splendor, yet unaware of his inner despicability. How can I sit idly by? So she marched over assertively, sat down opposite Qiu Changtian, and along the way, threw a sharp nce toward the direction of the bookshelves.
The Kunlun female disciples who were sneaking peeks at Qiu Changtian immediately scattered like caught mistresses, flying away in a flurry. ¡°Eh, Junior Sister Xu, why have youe?¡± Qiu Changtian looked up, first asking in surprise, and then as if he suddenly understood, he smiled with a ¡°So that¡¯s why¡± expression, ¡°Have you encountered some issues with Marrow Cleansing and want to ask me about it?¡± Seeing his ¡°Here to seek my advice again, aren¡¯t you?¡± smile, Xu Yinglian felt a nameless anger rise within her, and it took quite an effort to suppress it before she calmly said: ¡°I heard that senior brother has been researching the Intercepting Cult for several days?¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Qiu Changtian nodded calmly. ¡°Whatever you need to research, I can help,¡± Xu Yinglian offered directly. ¡°Mainly some history about the Demon Cult¡¯s Six Paths, as well as their current situation,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a hint of surprise. Why is Junior Sister Xu suddenly offering to help? Perhaps she¡¯s worried about me, her senior brother? After Xu Yinglian listened calmly, she went deeper into the Scriptural Repository, took a book from the shelf, opened it in front of Qiu Changtian, and began to exin: ¡°The Demon Cult¡¯s Six Paths, iming to have inherited from the ancient Intercepting Cult, is not entirely urate.¡± ¡°Hell Path, Heavenly Demon Path, Nether Ghost Path¡ªonly these three paths have inherited the Intercepting Cult¡¯s teachings. Among them, the Hell Path, inherited from the Immacte Mother, should have the mostplete teachings, but they generally do not appear in the mortal world, resulting in scant information.¡± ¡°The Heavenly Demon Path inherited from the Three Immortal Inds, the Nether Ghost Path from Skull Mountain; their teachings have be somewhat defective and warped. Overall, they exhibit an attitude of seeking quick sess, undervaluing the foundation of cultivation and favoring aggressive magical attacks.¡± ¡°The Mortal Life Path, descended from former external disciples of the Intercepting Cult, itself epasses numerous factions and aplex system, and it indiscriminately recruits all sorts of loose cultivators, resulting in a bloated and uneven state.¡± ¡°The Eastern Emperor Path was once a peripheral force of the Beast Taming Path. Afterpletely destroying the Beast Taming Path and plundering its teachings, they imed to continue the legacy of the Intercepting Cult. However,pared to the former grandeur of the Beast Taming Path, they are vastly inferior. There are also suspicions that the Eastern Emperor Path is actually a vanguard force nted in the mortal world by the Demon Realm, but there is no evidence to prove this yet.¡± ¡°As for the Asura Path, it is a doctrine that hails entirely from the West, arriving in Central ins around the same time as Buddhism. They generally do not partake in the affairs of Central ins but are known for their bravery and ferocity, ustomed to being the vanguard enforcers of the Demon Cult.¡± After Qiu Changtian listened patiently, he smiled and said: ¡°So it seems that the only ones we really need to worry about are the Heavenly Demon Path and the Nether Ghost Path, right?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Xu Yinglian thought to herself, ¡°Worthy of brother,¡± and nodded, ¡°Hell Path does not concern itself with worldly affairs, Asura Path only knows ughter, Eastern Emperor Path is all bark and no bite, Mortal Life Path is just a mess.¡±
¡°Those four sects do not possess the will or capability to unify the Demon Cult. Based on past experiences, the collective actions of the Demon Cult are mostly led by the Heavenly Demon Path or the Nether Ghost Path.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Qiu Changtian murmured, ¡°Currently, the Nether Ghost Path seems to be the most suspicious.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Xu Yinglian agreed, ¡°Do you remember thest incident at Long Mountain Vein?¡± ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, it must be the Nether Ghost Path who realized brother¡¯s enormous potential, and so they nned to eliminate brother ahead of time.¡±
Qiu Changtian nodded his head, indicating his approval of his junior sister¡¯s spection. Suddenly, another thought rose in his mind. Compared with the Nether Ghost Path, wasn¡¯t Marquis of Mount Tu more suspect? After all, during thest mission to the Demon Locking Tower, it was Qiu Changtian who single-handedly killed the Eastern Emperor Path¡¯s traitor within the Shushan Sect and alerted the higher-ups of the sect in advance. So it was possible that Marquis of Mount Tu, using the name of Eastern Emperor Path, had set a hefty bounty on him out of spite¡­ If he did not figure out who was behind all this, it would be like a fishbone stuck in his throat; it seemed he had to make a move on the fourth small ount towards Mount Wutai. ¡°Junior Sister,¡± Qiu Changtian spoke gently, ¡°Why not tell me more about Hell Path and Mortal Life Path?¡± ¡°If Hell Path does not walk in the mortal world, how can everyone be sure that the teachings of Hell Path are still being passed down?¡± ¡°Why is Mortal Life Path such a mess? Do they not have a leader?¡± Xu Yinglian pondered for a moment and said: ¡°Although Hell Path does not show itself, it has special ways tomunicate with Heavenly Demon Path, Nether Ghost Path, and Mortal Life Path.¡± ¡°Mortal Life Path, rather than a sect, is more like a loose allianceposed of a multitude of sects. The nominal leader is ¡®Hunyuan Sect¡¯ of Mount Wutai, but in reality, there are numerous factions within, and their opinions can hardly be unified.¡± ¡°Hunyuan Sect? What a bold name,¡± Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t help butugh.
The term ¡°Hunyuan¡± refers to the state before Chaos, the origin of vital energy, ranking even above ¡°Acquired¡± and ¡°Innate¡±; the rank couldn¡¯t be any higher. The Daoist Magic of the Three Pure Ones from the Orthodox Sect, although long and pretentious in names, is generally chosen with caution. Terms like ¡°Hunyuan,¡± ¡°Great Void¡± and other highbrow words are rarely used recklessly. Other sects don¡¯t care so much, and even for entry-level cultivation techniques, they wish to stack up a super highbrow name. ¡°Even though it¡¯s called Hunyuan Sect, the disciples under its banner are all rather ordinary, so to maintain the overall strength of Mortal Life Path, they have to ept arge number of loose cultivators,¡± Xu Yinglian said with a chuckle, ¡°The price being the loss of leadership.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Heavenly Demon Path and Nether Ghost Path acknowledging only Hunyuan Sect as the representative of Mortal Life Path, it might have been overturned by other paths, just like what happened with Beast Taming Path previously.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Qiu Changtian thought to himself. This Mortal Life Path seems to be a suitable ce for infiltration. The thing spies fear most is a strong leader in the rival sect, who then conducts internal audits and strict investigations periodically¡­ A sect like Mortal Life Path, with no one in charge and no one minding the store, is simply a spy¡¯s paradise! Chapter 138: 73: Return to Kunlun with Full Rewards Chapter 138: Chapter 73: Return to Kunlun with Full Rewards The journey to the Demon Locking Tower thus came to an end. Next came Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu¡¯s escape from the Demon Locking Tower, being hunted by a Jiaolong, then returning to the Emei Golden Summit Sky Extreme za. In the end, the Long Eyebrow Immortalunched the Two-Yi Micro Dust Formation, killing all the escaped Jiaolongs, and recaptured the Ying Long back into the Demon Locking Tower. All of this was of no concern to Qiu Changtian, because right from the time the rm was raised regarding the Demon Locking Tower¡¯s appearance, Shushan had immediately sent him away in order to avoid any idents that might harm the rtionship between the two factions. He had arrived via magical artifact, and could only return by sword control, after all, with Shushan on the verge of chaos, it was impossible for the Real Person Jinghua to escort him all the way back to Kunlun. The return journey was unusually smooth, the number of cultivators in this world was so smallpared to the vast expanse of the Divine Land Continent, that the probability of encountering a cultivator while flying on a sword was probably lower than winning the lottery. After crossing the Tibetan teau and reaching the Kunlun Heavenly Pir, Qiu Changtian entered the Jade Void Pce and pletely and in detail¡± reported his trip to Shushan to the Ziwei Master. To summarize that would be: I arrived at Shushan and visited the Jade Capital Sect Leader, with nopse in etiquette. After entering the Demon Locking Tower, I went straight to the lower levels to the Blood Pool, and broke through the Marrow Cleansing Rank in one breath, then visited the Cloud Sea Realm and gained thirty years¡¯ worth of cultivation from the Refining Mansion. Aftering out, I found that a great conspiracy was taking ce within the Demon Locking Tower trial team.
So, I carefully investigated in the secret realm, and just happened toe across the perpetratorsmitting a crime, so I took action, killed them, and prevented the conspiracy from expanding and endangering Shushan. The Jade Capital Sect Leader acknowledged and thanked me for my contribution, it¡¯s just that because they had to urgently save the Demon Locking Tower, that¡¯s why I was sent out of Shushan first. The Ziwei Master, seated upon the Seven-Colored Lotus tform, silently listened to the narrative of the Direct Disciple, without showing any emotion for a long time. ¡­ I only sent you to the Demon Locking Tower to take advantage of the Blood Pool used by the Marrow Cleansing Rank Sword Immortals. How did you not onlyplete your Marrow Cleansing, but also take advantage of the Cloud Sea Realm of the Refining Mansion Rank? Not only that, you just happened toe across a Demonic Beast conspiracy? And you resolved it as well? Even the Ziwei Master, with vast knowledge and experience, had truly never seen such strange urrences. To use an analogy, this disciple went out for the first time to practice and was merely supposed to kill a Demonic Beast ravaging a mine, but instead, he just happened to encounter a high-rank Demon Path Cultivator fleeing to the area¡­ After reciting the ¡°ssic of Purity and Stillness¡± in her mind, the Ziwei Master managed to calm her spirit. Regardless, this Direct Disciple had ultimately returned safely and even gained tremendous benefits. Isn¡¯t that all right then? ¡°I am aware, you may leave.¡± The Ziwei Master said calmly, waving her horsetail whisk. Qiu Changtian bowed and left with trepidation. With someone else, he was confident he could blunder through; but this master of Kunlun was truly not easy to deceive, so Qiu Changtian tried to avoid lying, opting instead for a ¡°selective¡± recounting of the truth, lest he reveal any clues. Fortunately, it seemed the master did not intend to probe further¡­ Upon returning to the Golden Ridge Cave Abode, Qiu Changtian began to organize his gains. First of all, the most significant gain was the dramatic increase in his cultivation realm. Leveraging his Innate Sword Bone from Ling Yunpo, he purged the impurities from his marrow, thus directlypleting the Marrow Cleansing. Then with the help of the Mercurial Elixir Liquid and the Cloud Sea Realm, he effectively gained ny years¡¯ worth of cultivation in an instant.
If I do nothing else and simply continue my closed-door cultivation for another hundred and ten years, I will certainly be able to form a superior Third Grade Golden Core. Of course, as one who aims to ascend to the throne of the heavens, Qiu Changtian¡¯s vision is naturally not limited to the mere Third Grade. With another two hundred years of cultivation, wouldn¡¯t it be wonderful to form an even more formidable Second Grade Golden Core? I¡¯ll have to ask my master if the Kunlun Taiqing Sect has any secret realms prepared for Cultivators at the Refining Mansion rank¡­
I¡¯m sure there must be; after all, the Taiqing Sect ces great importance on the cultivation realm. Otherwise, why would there be more Golden Core Cultivators in Kunlun than in Shushan + Penibined? With the major changes happening at Shushan, the master surely must consult with the elders first to devise countermeasures, so it¡¯s probably better to look for him a few dayster. Next, there are various spoils of war, including the fox demon illusion technique taught by the Marquis of Mount Tu, a drop of essence blood from Ying Long, and the bloodline talents of Ying Long that Ah Jing has inscribed. All these were obtained by strictly following the strategy guide, and though I¡¯m not sure what use they hold, I doubt they are useless. Just like in literary novels, if ¡°a hunting rifle is hanging on the wall,ter in the story it must go off,¡± Ah Jing¡¯s habit of being secretive surely wouldn¡¯t include unnecessary steps in the strategy guide. Anyway, they wille in handy sooner orter! Thinking of this, Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but once again inventory all the strengths he currently held. What Qiu Changtian has avable includes the Tenth Rank Yu Long Sword, three derivative Daoist Magic from the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra¡± (the Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique, Shangyang Sword Qi, Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman, serving roles of healing, attack, and control respectively), and four types of Thunder Methods: Jade Pivot, North Pole, Immortal Capital, and Tai Yi. Ling Yunpo has avable the Tenth Rank Qing Ping Sword, Tenth Rank Thunder Punishment Sword, along with various swordsmanship skills that are mastered, knowing, and familiar from different schools. On Luo Yan¡¯s side, what¡¯s avable includes the Ninth Rank Peach Blossom Sword, Heaven-flipping Seal, Yu Huang Bell, and various elixirs, talisman scripts, formation devices, etc., umted over this period. All in all, it is clear that Qiu Changtian is following the Daoist Magic route, Ling Yunpo is on the swordsmanship route, and Luo Yan is on the Magical Treasure route. The three routes each have their advantages and disadvantages, there¡¯s no need to forcefully rank them. Additionally, there is the Immortal Law level Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light, serving as a trump card in reserve.
Also, there¡¯s the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu (awaiting maturation), the ¡°Exorcising Superior Spirit Separating Clear from Turbid Scripture¡± (awaiting exploration of use), and an Ancient Times odd awl obtained from the secret realm of the Queen Mother of the West (awaiting appraisal), and so on¡­ I have too many cards in my hand! In the future, I can y whatever card I want! After doing the inventory, Qiu Changtian felt confident. It feels like I don¡¯t need to send out Ah Jing; I can continue toy low as nned and slowly plot for the Heaven-Mending Stone fragments! ¡°Why are you always thinking of cutting corners?¡± the Kunlun Mirror saidnguidly, ¡°There are still nine hundred and ny-nine years left until the celestial leak.¡± ¡°With all kinds of peerless talents in your possession, the assistance of the Qing Ping sword, and strategies I have designed for you to avoid fatal cmities and reap benefits¡­ If you still can¡¯t achieve Feather Transformation and ascend to immortality within a thousand years, you would have to be quite a waste.¡± ¡°Shut up, Ah Jing!¡± Qiu Changtian scolded, ¡°Forewarned is forearmed, don¡¯t you understand?¡± ¡°He who has great ambitions must consider every aspect. What¡¯s the point in doing something when you know it¡¯s impossible?¡± ¡°Yao Yao, don¡¯t bother with him,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword chuckled, ¡°From the beginning, he never really nned to sell you. He¡¯s just been repeatedly bringing it up to tease you.¡± ¡°Of course, I know,¡± the Kunlun Mirror huffed, ¡°This fellow is always so frivolous and mocking, truly detestable!¡± ¡°I wasn¡¯t teasing you¡­¡± Qiu Changtian was just about to defend himself when he heard the voice of Xu Yinglianing from outside the cave abode. ¡°Senior Brother, may I have a moment of your time?¡±
Chapter 139: 1: Junior Sister Xu Doesn’t Want to Be Left Behind Chapter 139: Chapter 1: Junior Sister Xu Doesn¡¯t Want to Be Left Behind ¡°Immortal Execution Order?¡± Upon hearing Xu Yinglian¡¯s words, Qiu Changtian was somewhat bewildered. How did I suddenly end up on the hit list of a demon cult? ¡°Yes.¡± Xu Yinglian said in a deep voice, ¡°This time, it was jointly issued by Mortal Life Path, Nether Ghost Path, Heavenly Demon Path, and Eastern Emperor Path.¡± ¡°No matter if it¡¯s a demon cult cultivator or a loose cultivator, whoever kills you by any means can take the evidence to Mount Wutai to im the reward.¡± Qiu Changtian pondered for a moment before asking, ¡°Aren¡¯t there two more Paths? What about Hell Path and Asura Path?¡± ¡°Hell Path has always been mysterious and never publicly walks the world, so naturally, they will not make a statement about this.¡± Xu Yinglian exined, ¡°As for Asura Path¡­ they generally do not issue hit orders, but they specialize in epting such orders.¡± So the Asura Path is essentially an assassin organization! Qiu Changtian reluctantly thought and then asked, ¡°How substantial are the assassination rewards, approximately?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Xu Yinglian replied, ¡°Probably elixirs, Daoist magic, and the like.¡± ¡°In any case, for the time being, you¡¯d best not leave Kunlun, lest you be a target.¡±
Qiu Changtian responded nomitally, thinking how could he not leave the mountain? The synchronization value of the invincible character setting depends on taking my disciples out for training to umte. Senior Sister An¡¯s life-bound sword artifact would also require a journey far to the Southern Sea to find. Could it be that I have to send Luo Yan and Ling Yunpo out? But most of my skills are vested in Qiu Changtian! Unless one uses trump cards like the Five Elements Divine Light¡­ Seeing that Qiu Changtian was preupied, Xu Yinglian became somewhat indignant. How could you be so attached to going out for training? I think you¡¯re not trying to contribute to our sect but rather to show off in front of your junior brothers and sisters! Junior Sister Xu, with her Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, had guessed Qiu Changtian¡¯s true intention and said with a chuckle, ¡°Senior brother should not underestimate the Demon Cult¡¯s Immortal Execution Order. The tricky part is that we have no idea how much the reward offered inside their ranks is.¡± ¡°If the Demon Cult truly sees senior brother as a significant threat to their future, they may offer an extravagant reward. Then it¡¯s possible that even Golden Core True Persons, and even Nascent Soul old freaks, might take on the job.¡± ¡°Senior brother certainly possesses the peerless talent of Daoist Heart rity, but after all, you¡¯re at the Marrow Cleansing Rank. Could you really transcend your rank to defeat cultivators of the Golden Core and Nascent Soul Realm?¡± This speech instantly sobered Qiu Changtian up. That¡¯s right! In the real world, unlike in novels, not all the big shots will kindly wait for you to develop your strength before making a move! Isn¡¯t it amon scenario to meet an insurmountable foe and be brutally snuffed out in your developmental phase? Even as someone as cautious as me, meticulously nning every step and being extremely careful, I¡¯ve already encountered death twice! The problem is that the taller the tree, the harder the wind blows! With Qiu Changtian¡¯s exceptional talent, quality, and experience, it would be quite reasonable and natural for the Demon Cult to use extreme measures to eliminate someone like him. At this thought, Qiu Changtian suddenly remembered the Ziwei Sect Leader¡¯s warning: ¡°¡­You have the peerless talent of Daoist Heart rity, which makes most of the hardships and dangers on the path of cultivation invisible to you. However, those unsolvable crises be even more perilous for you¡­¡±
With a start, he finally fully awakened. It seems that the smooth experiences from countless times of training outside had made me develop an unconscious air of arrogance andcency. Thank goodness for Junior Sister Xu¡¯s timely reminder! I¡¯d better stay in Kunlun andy low for a while before considering my next move.
Senior Sister An¡¯s life-bound sword artifact can be sought by Luo Yan, who has the least reputation and won¡¯t attract much attention. But what about the synchronization value of the invincible character setting? No other identity can rece Qiu Changtian in umting synchronization value! Without being able to go out for training, I can¡¯t set a good example for my junior brothers and sisters, and my synchronization value will definitely drop. What should I do¡­ Then, Qiu Changtian¡¯s gaze involuntarily shifted to Xu Yinglian. Hmm? Come to think of it, has the junior sister been somewhat negligenttely? Alwaysughing and joking around in front of me, as a cultivator, one should maintain dignity; how can she be so frivolous? Perhaps it¡¯s because I¡¯ve neglected her recently that she¡¯s be sozy. It¡¯s an excellent opportunity to encourage her to be diligent and focus on her cultivation while I stay at Kunlun. Xu Yinglian,pletely unaware, continued to earnestly persuade her senior brother: ¡°Senior brother, you¡¯ve also fought with Demon Cult cultivators before; you must know that the Demon Art is often bizarre and venomous, making them difficult to deal with even when they¡¯re at the same level.¡± ¡°The Heavenly Demon Path maniptes demonic heads, moving unseen; the Nether Ghost Path binds souls and refines corpses, unpredictable and strange; the Eastern Emperor Pathmands beasts and controls insects, domineering and brutal; let alone the fierce monks of the Asura Path, each one bloodthirsty and not afraid of death.¡± ¡°If you recklessly venture out and are ambushed and beaten, dealing with one or two might still be manageable, but what if theye in groups? What if there are Golden Core cultivators among them?¡± ¡°I know your Thunder Method is divine, but after all, you only possess the cultivation level of Marrow Cleansing¡­¡±
¡°Refining Mansion rank,¡± Qiu Changtian suddenly interjected. ¡°What?¡± Xu Yinglian hadn¡¯t even reacted yet. ¡°A few days ago, with the help of the Pure Yuan Qi Pill, I have sessfully reached the Refining Mansion rank,¡± Qiu Changtian said earnestly. Xu Yinglian was momentarily dazed, her mind filled with echoes of Qiu Changtian¡¯s voice saying, ¡°I have already reached Refining Mansion.¡± Qiu Changtian was nearly the same, with the reminder of [Invincible Character Setting, Synchronization Value +1] echoing in his head, so he went on to say: ¡°So, Junior Sister, you¡¯re absolutely right. The Refining Mansion stage is crucial for the process of forming the Elixir; it cannot be taken lightly.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve decided to stay in Kunlun to cultivate in seclusion and perfect my Purple Mansion.¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s for the best¡­¡± Xu Yinglian was still somewhat bewildered, as if she couldn¡¯t ept the fact that she had ¡°suddenly been left far behind by her senior brother,¡± and just murmured subconsciously. ¡°How is Junior Sister¡¯s cultivation progressing?¡± Qiu Changtian smiled. Although it was a gentle smile,plemented by the aura of an invincible character setting, it looked like a sneer to Xu Yinglian. It felt as if a wave of anger was rising from her throat. She tried hard to suppress the negative emotions in her heart, when she suddenly heard Qiu Changtian say: ¡°Junior Sister Xu, I would like to make a bet with you.¡± ¡°What bet?¡± Xu Yinglian immediately looked up and red, her voice also unavoidably rising in pitch.
¡°For ordinary cultivators, doesn¡¯t Marrow Cleansing take ten years?¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile. After being with his junior sister for so long, he knew exactly how to shift her attention and stop her from obsessively dwelling on a single point: ¡°With your talent for the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart and the aid of the Pure Yuan Qi Pill, let¡¯s cut that cultivation time in half. Five years, how about it?¡± ¡°Junior Sister, can youplete Marrow Cleansing within five years?¡± ¡°Why can¡¯t I!¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s chest zed with a fire, no longer filled with jealousy and unwillingness, but with a high-spirited me of the will to fight, ¡°I don¡¯t even need five years!¡± ¡°Senior brother has Daoist Heart rity; since leaving the Pavilion, he only took two months toplete the Marrow Cleansing! Although my Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart can¡¯tpare with Daoist Heart rity, I don¡¯t need as long as five years, two years is more than enough!¡± Qiu Changtian was nearly caught off guard by his own response: It took me two months toplete the Marrow Cleansing because of the Innate Sword Bone talent from Ling Yunpo, coupled with the Blood Sea Marrow Refining in the Shushan Demon Locking Tower¡ªit¡¯s the result of both these boosts! Without these ¡®cheat codes,¡¯ even someone with Daoist Heart rity couldn¡¯tplete Marrow Cleansing in two months! Before he could say anything else, he heard Xu Yinglian speaking decisively: ¡°If I can¡¯tplete Marrow Cleansing within two years, catch up with you, senior brother, then what dignity do I have to be the second senior sister?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t have to persuade me any further, senior brother; my mind is made up! Let¡¯s make it two years¡ªif I cannot enter the Refining Mansion, then I will¡­¡± ¡°Snap!¡± But it was Qiu Changtian who quickly covered her mouth, preventing her from rashly swearing a toxic oath with her Daoist Heart. Chapter 140: 2: 4 sub-accounts are already in progress Chapter 140: Chapter 2: 4 sub-ounts are already in progress After seeing off the somewhat shy but more resolute and ambitious Junior Sister Xu, Qiu Changtian returned to his cave dwelling and immediately reached out to the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°Marrow Cleansing in two years? How could that be possible!¡± the Kunlun Mirror eximed in disbelief. ¡°Could it be that she has some aid simr to the Kunlun Mirror?¡± ¡°What kind of Ah Jing does she have to help her!¡± Qiu Changtian said angrily. ¡°She just can¡¯t bear to fall too far behind me, so she is pushing herself into a corner in a desperate attempt to catch up! Such a foolish girl!¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± the Kunlun Mirror sighed. ¡°And why did you have to provoke her on purpose?¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that setting a goal for her? Five years,¡± Qiu Changtian exined patiently. ¡°With the Pure Yuan Qi Pill and the Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, if she really buckles down on her cultivation, there is still hope in five years.¡± ¡°Even if five years isn¡¯t enough, there¡¯s still the sixth year, or the seventh year.¡± ¡°Who could have imagined she would cut it down to two years? If I hadn¡¯t stopped her in time, she would have made a poisonous oath on her Daoist Heart!¡± ¡°You¡¯ve really brought disaster upon her,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said with a sigh. ¡°I haven¡¯t¡­ how have I brought disaster upon her?¡± Qiu Changtian retorted discontentedly. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the Daoist Heart rity you gave me, which corresponds to the Invincible Character Setting, would I have to pretend to be this ungratifying toughie of a Chief Disciple?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not my fault the temte for the Invincible Character Setting was designed that way!¡± the Kunlun Mirror erupted in anger. ¡°Besides, why must you always provoke her? Don¡¯t you have other junior brothers and sisters?¡± ¡°Other junior brothers and sisters just aren¡¯t as adorable as Junior Sister Xu,¡± Qiu Changtian said helplessly. ¡°The same rhetoric, when spoken in front of them, would only be seen as normal by them, and the contribution of the Synchronization Value would be less.¡±
¡°But Junior Sister Xu would react in all kinds of shocked ways. In terms of contributing Synchronization Value, she alone is worth all those other junior brothers and sistersbined.¡± The Kunlun Mirror was at a loss for words for a moment. How could it not know what Qiu Changtian was talking about? It simply subconsciously thought that ¡°a gentleman should have things he does not do.¡± ¡°In the past, when it was possible to go out for trials, although the other fellow disciples didn¡¯t give as much Synchronization Value as Junior Sister Xu, there were more of them after all, so the total amount wasn¡¯t falling behind,¡± Qiu Changtian continued with a sigh. ¡°Now that I¡¯m wanted by the Demon Cult and it¡¯s inconvenient to go out for trials, and without any other excuse to organize the disciples to show off, I have to rely on Junior Sister Xu alone, don¡¯t I?¡± He clenched his teeth fiercely and continued, ¡°The maintenance of the Mirror Flower Water Moon cannot be given up lightly. At worst, I just need to study Junior Sister¡¯s character and temperament more carefully and try not to let her be affected by the Heart Demon in the process of gathering Synchronization Value!¡± ¡°This is not a long-term solution either,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said, then suddenly inspiration struck, ¡°Right, I¡¯ve stumbled upon a clue to the fourth fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Qiu Changtian raised an eyebrow. ¡°Are you opening a fourth alt ount? Tell me, where¡¯s the location?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no specific location this time,¡± the Kunlun Mirror admitted. ¡°By screening the future timelines, I discovered that a fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone seems to have ended up in the hands of the Hell Path of the Intercepting Cult.¡± ¡°The Hell Path?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in surprise. ¡°Is it the branch created in seclusion by the No Worries Holy Mother, who inherited the teachings of the Intercepting Cult after its downfall in ancient times?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± the Kunlun Mirror confirmed gravely. ¡°After the final battle between the rify and Intercept sects, the Myriad Immortals Formation of the Intercept Cult was broken, resulting in their overwhelming defeat.¡± ¡°Knowing there was no hope left, Tongtian allowed his Direct Disciple, the No Worries Holy Mother, to leave the formation early to preserve the lineage of the Intercept Cult.¡± ¡°After her departure, to prevent the rify Cult from coveting and pursuing her, she hid from the world and broke off all karma with everything, thus shielding any divination attempts.¡± ¡°Since then, over ten thousand years have passed, and her direct teaching sect has gradually evolved into ¡®the Hell Path¡¯. The No Worries Holy Mother is revered as the ¡®Holy Mother No Worries¡¯, and the Sect Residence is hidden in the ¡®Home of the Void¡¯. They have always adhered to the principle of ¡®hiding from the mundane and cutting off karma¡¯ so secretive that today nobody knows where the Hell Path is or how many disciples walk the Mortal World.¡± ¡°Given that, how are we supposed to find it?¡± Qiu Changtian frowned. ¡°If even the karma has been shielded and divination is not possible, how are we to search?¡± ¡°I suggest you first find a way to infiltrate the Demon Cult, and then slowly look for clues about the whereabouts of the Hell Path,¡± Kunlun Mirror advised him. ¡°Among the Six Paths of the Demon Cult, the Mortal Life Path is the most extensive andplex, epassing all sorts of beliefs from the Three Cults.¡± ¡°Didn¡¯t you previously obtain the legacy of Tai Yi from the Intercepting Cult, the ¡®Five Elements Severing Demons Profound Spirit Scripture¡¯? Isn¡¯t this the perfect opportunity to use it as a stepping stone to go to the Mortal Life Path and inquire about the whereabouts of the ¡®Tong Xuan Gate¡¯ he founded?¡± ¡°If you can sessfully join the Tong Xuan Gate, you will have a foundation to then pursue the Hell Path.¡± ¡°It turns out it¡¯s still a gradual process, right?¡± Qiu Changtian said with a vacant look. ¡°Honestly, nearly ten thousand years have passed, and I really doubt whether this Tong Xuan Gate still exists.¡±
¡°No problem, you can first confirm it,¡± Kunlun Mirror said as it pulled out the character temte from Mirror Flower Water Moon. ¡°How do you like this talent?¡± ¡°This is¡­¡± Qiu Changtian looked closely, ¡°Chaotic Demon Body? What kind of cultivation talent is this?¡± ¡°Since Pangu created heaven and earth, the pure qi rose to form heaven, and the murky qi sank to form the earth,¡± exined Kunlun Mirror. ¡°Humans walk on the ground, so their bodies contain more murky qi, about seventy percent.¡± ¡°And because they breathe air, they have thirty percent pure qi. The phrase ¡®all things carry yin and embrace yang,¡¯ with murky qi being yin and pure qi being yang, refers to this.¡±
¡°Since pure qi is nimble and murky qi is heavy, most paths of cultivation are about refining the murky to the pure. Even when undergoing the Feather Transformation to ascend as an immortal, whether one bes an Earth Immortal, Heavenly Immortal, or Golden Immortal, it also depends on the residual murky qi in their body.¡± ¡°As for the Chaotic Demon Body, it is a constitution even rarer than ¡®Daoist Heart rity.¡¯ Its carrier¡¯s murky qi can flow freely just like pure qi, so there¡¯s no need to refine the murky into pure.¡± ¡°One could even reverse the process and refine the pure into murky, using the pure murky qi to condense and solidify True Yuan, which has unique effects not possessed by pure qi True Yuan.¡± Qiu Changtian listened with wide eyes: Using murky qi to condense True Yuan, is that even possible? You should know, the Qi Refining Rank involves refining the murky qi in the Dantian and meridians, and the Marrow Cleansing Rank is about purifying the residual murky qi in the marrow¡­ This murky qi is something that many low-rank cultivators detest deeply, and most people avoid food and water altogether after Fasting, fearing they might contaminate themselves with even a hint of murky qi. But on closer thought, it seems only the Orthodox Sects are so averse to murky qi. To my knowledge, although the cultivators of the Six Paths of the Demon Cult still base their cultivation on pure qi, they also refine murky qi into Demonic Qi, mainly storing it in Magic Artifacts and Flying Swords, to have unique methods of attack. For example, befouling Divine Sense and tarnishing Magical Treasures are things that pure qi cannot achieve. Now Ah Jing says, with a ¡°Chaotic Demon Body¡± constitution, one can use murky qi as the foundation of cultivation, which could significantly expand one¡¯s array of tricks. Thinking of this made Qiu Changtian¡¯s heart race, like a collector who had just seen an extremely rare artifact. ¡°It¡¯s just that¡­¡± he hesitated, ¡°although cultivation talents can be switched, the body is still the same.¡± ¡°If I amodate too much Demonic Qi while in the Chaotic Demon Body state, could it affect my body when I switch back to other character settings?¡± ¡°Generally speaking, it definitely would,¡± Kunlun Mirror said earnestly. ¡°Once you lose the Chaotic Demon Body, the murky qi in your body will slowly be inert, stubbornly remaining in the meridians and Qi Sea.¡±
¡°But don¡¯t you have the ¡®Five Elements Severing Demons Profound Spirit Scripture¡¯?¡± Qiu Changtian: ? Right! The ¡®Five Elements Severing Demons Profound Spirit Scripture¡¯ can transform the pure qi and murky qi in the body into each other! As long as I convert all the active Demonic Qi into Daoist Spiritual Energy while in the state of the Chaotic Demon Body, and then switch back to another character setting, wouldn¡¯t that resolve the issue? Chapter 141: 3 First, Create a New Folder Chapter 141: Chapter 3 First, Create a New Folder Having decided to use the Chaotic Demon Body temte, Qiu Changtian looked again at the character requirements. ¡°Mysterious? What does that mean?¡± ¡°As the name implies, it means to make others unable to see through your strength, only to feel that you are as unreachable as towering mountains and unfathomably deep,¡± the Kunlun Mirror exined. ¡°Isn¡¯t that just an invincible character setting¡­¡± Qiu Changtian started to say, then caught on. Invincibility and mystery are actually quite different. An invincible character setting disys one¡¯s formidable strength, eliciting amazement, admiration, and envy from the surrounding audience. A mysterious character setting, as Ah Jing had mentioned, is about hiding one¡¯s formidable strength, inciting suspicion, wariness, and fear among the audience. The former is about actively showcasing, while thetter is about concealing and then inadvertently revealing just enough to scare the opponent, letting them imagine the extent of your power, thus demanding stricter requirements in terms of acting skill. ¡°Sigh, I¡¯ll try my best,¡± Qiu Changtian said as he closely inspected the character¡¯s appearance. The facial features were still his own, but the expression was serious, showing amanding presence without anger. Forparison, he looked like Yue Buqun from either the 1996 Hong Kong or the 2001 Maind version of ¡°The Swordsman¡±¡­
Qiu Changtian admired the Mirror Flower Water Moon Illusion Technique of Ah Jing so much that he waspletely in awe. It was the same face, but just changes in hairstyle and demeanor could make him look like a totally different person. Even Teacher Tony couldn¡¯t achieve such a miracle, right? ¡°You¡¯re not meeting me for the first time,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said with a mixture of embarrassment and pride, ¡°Mirror Flower Water Moon, reality blended with illusion, changing in the blink of an eye. No one else in this world can do it but me.¡± ¡°Oh my, you truly live up to being my Ah Jing,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a beaming smile. ¡°Stop with the sweet talk,¡± the Kunlun Mirror changed the subject, ¡°Mount Wutai has been located, shall we teleport now?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s not rush.¡± Perhaps due to Junior Sister Xu¡¯s reminder, Qiu Changtian realized he couldn¡¯t just barge in directly. The destination was Mount Wutai, the stronghold of the Demon Cult, and all three of his identities had lived among the Orthodox Sect for a long time, subtly adopting the manners and habits of an Orthodox Cultivator. If he revealed the slightest hint of his true identity within the Demon Cult, it might lead to a fatal disaster! The Demon Cult, unlike the face-conscious Orthodox Sect, often didn¡¯t require evidence; mere suspicion could result in a soul-searching and spirit-seizing fate. He must prepare his intelligence work in advance! So Qiu Changtian set out for the Scriptural Repository to look up information about the Six Paths of the Demon Cult. ¡­¡­¡­.. Meanwhile, over the past few days, Xu Yinglian had been sitting in her cave dwelling, ingesting a Pure Yuan Qi Pill and began guiding the True Qi to cleanse her marrow and forge her meridians. At Qi Refining Rank, one circtes the Qi Sea, engaging in Grand Cirction, while filling the Qi Sea, it is also necessary to cleanse all the turbid qi from the twelve meridians. The twelve meridians are the main channels for the flow of qi, akin to expressways with a high volume of traffic, hence they can be cleansed of turbid qi more easily. Beyond the twelve meridians, the human body also has the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, as well as various nooks and crannies within the marrow, resembling the provincial highways, secondary roads, and rural dirt paths. Since the rate of qi cleansing here is slower, one can only use brute force to grind away the turbid qi bit by bit. Of course, if one wants to quickly get through the Marrow Cleansing Rank, there are some cleverer methods. For example, the Pure Yuan Qi Pill can activate the blocked turbid qi, making it easier to be flushed out by the True Qi; another example is the Blood Pond Qi from the Demon Locking Tower, its level of refinement is countless times stronger than True Qi, making marrow cleansing extremely efficient.
The most astonishing is Ling Yunpo¡¯s unparalleled innate talent ¡°Innate Sword Bone,¡± ensuring unimpeded and robust channels throughout the body, devoid of dead corners in the meridians, making cleansing of turbid qi instant whenbined with the previous two methods. Although Xu Yinglian didn¡¯t have thetter two means, thankfully she had the Pure Yuan Qi Pill, which made her marrow cleansing efficiency much faster than her peers at the same Cultivation Realm. But as she continued to progress with the marrow cleansing, she gradually noticed something was amiss. This Pure Yuan Qi Pill, although it can help with Marrow Cleansing, its benefits are not exaggerated enough to plete Marrow Cleansing in two months¡± ¡ª it could at most reduce the time by forty to fifty percent.
How could Senior Brother Qiu havepleted Marrow Cleansing in two months? Could it be the additive effect of Daoist Heart rity? Attributing the gap in cultivation realms to a difference in innate talent for cultivation is naturally a time-and-effort-saving approach. But Junior Sister Xu, how proud she was, would never deceive herself in that regard. She knew that Daoist Heart rity referred to a clear and untroubled Daoist Heart, which enhances enlightenment, mental focus, and immunity to Heart Demons¡­ all of which are rted to one¡¯s mentality. But what does Marrow Cleansing, which is about improving the Root Bone, have to do with mentality? It¡¯s like saying a star student scored perfect in physical education because his IQ is over 200, which is simply nonsense. Senior Brother must have some special techniques for Marrow Cleansing! If it were the early days when she had just started, Xu Yinglian would definitely have been stubborn. Knowing full well that Senior Brother had secret techniques, she would have refrained from asking, insisting on figuring them out herself. However, after a series of events such as bing Daoist Companions, repairing her Daoist Heart, and braving secret realms together, Xu Yinglian still sought to surpass Senior Brother, but no longer regarded him as an adversary to be vigntly guarded against. For any questions, I can just go and ask him! If Senior Brother can¡¯t answer, it just means he is scared! With that thought, Xu Yinglian got up, nning to find Senior Brother Qiu. Having just reached the entrance of her cave, her thoughts suddenly shifted and she went back into the stone chamber to look in the bronze mirror. In the mirror was the reflection of a celestial maiden with delicate features and an ethereal temperament, looking somewhat haggard around the eyes and eyebrows due to recent stress, which inadvertently added a certain frail beauty.
Xu Yinglian stared into the mirror and slowly rubbed her forehead with her slender jade fingers, smoothing away all traces of knitted worry. Even though I am going to ask for advice, I cannot let Senior Brother realize that this is troubling me. Otherwise, he would think I am asking a favor of him, and his arrogance would only increase! Having adjusted her expression, Xu Yinglian then took a Youth Preserving Pill to ensure a radiant appearance before slowly stepping out. ¡°Senior Brother, are you there?¡± she called out at the entrance of Qiu Changtian¡¯s cave. A moment passed, but there was no response from inside. Xu Yinglian was frowning when she saw Fourth Junior Brother Yan Zhitui passing by, who casually reminded her: ¡°Are you looking for Eldest Senior Brother? He¡¯s been buried in studying at the Scriptural Repository these past few days.¡± ¡°The Scriptural Repository?¡± Xu Yinglian asked puzzledly. ¡°What is he doing there?¡± ¡°It seems he is looking up information from the Intercepting Cult,¡± Yan Zhitui said with a smile. Information from the Intercepting Cult¡­ With a little thought, Xu Yinglian understood what was going on. Presumably, Senior Brother was also worried about being hunted by the Demon Cult and had to research countermeasures in advance. In that case, Senior Brother actually has his weaknesses, such as an ordinary background, a shallow foundation of knowledge, and little understanding of the Immortal Cultivation World.
Faced with such sudden events, he can only cramst minute and urgently make up for the relevant knowledge¡­ Realizing this, Xu Yinglian had another bright idea: I can answer any knowledge about the outside world Senior Brother wishes to understand; as repayment, he must also answer my questions about Marrow Cleansing. This way, it wouldn¡¯t be just me asking him for a favor! Thinking this, she let go of all reservations and couldn¡¯t help but smile brightly. Chapter 142: 4 Then, look up some information. Chapter 142: Chapter 4 Then, look up some information. Kunlun Scripture Pavilion. Qiu Changtian sat beside the desk, focusing intently as he flipped through the scripture scrolls. The light streaming in from the windowttice fell on his peerlessly handsome profile, as if adding an exquisite golden rim. A few Kunlun female disciples hid by the bookshelves, ogling Chief Qiu with either infatuation or zeal. If this were modern times, girls would have been unable to restrain themselves from striking up a conversation. But after all, this was ancient times; even though cultivators generally did not adhere strictly to propriety, the notion of proactively flirting with strange men was non-existent. Xu Yinglian watched for a moment and felt a sudden sense of crisis in her heart, as if her senior brother was about to be stolen away. That¡¯s not right! It wasn¡¯t worry about her senior brother being snatched away, but rather that these senior and junior sisters didn¡¯t understand his true nature! Senior brother might seem perfect, but in reality, he is arrogantly conceited. If one doesn¡¯t have a certain breadth of mind, one would soon be driven crazy by his various words and actions. These sect members are only covetous of his external splendor, yet unaware of his inner despicability. How can I sit idly by? So she marched over assertively, sat down opposite Qiu Changtian, and along the way, threw a sharp nce toward the direction of the bookshelves.
The Kunlun female disciples who were sneaking peeks at Qiu Changtian immediately scattered like caught mistresses, flying away in a flurry. ¡°Eh, Junior Sister Xu, why have youe?¡± Qiu Changtian looked up, first asking in surprise, and then as if he suddenly understood, he smiled with a ¡°So that¡¯s why¡± expression, ¡°Have you encountered some issues with Marrow Cleansing and want to ask me about it?¡± Seeing his ¡°Here to seek my advice again, aren¡¯t you?¡± smile, Xu Yinglian felt a nameless anger rise within her, and it took quite an effort to suppress it before she calmly said: ¡°I heard that senior brother has been researching the Intercepting Cult for several days?¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Qiu Changtian nodded calmly. ¡°Whatever you need to research, I can help,¡± Xu Yinglian offered directly. ¡°Mainly some history about the Demon Cult¡¯s Six Paths, as well as their current situation,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a hint of surprise. Why is Junior Sister Xu suddenly offering to help? Perhaps she¡¯s worried about me, her senior brother? After Xu Yinglian listened calmly, she went deeper into the Scriptural Repository, took a book from the shelf, opened it in front of Qiu Changtian, and began to exin: ¡°The Demon Cult¡¯s Six Paths, iming to have inherited from the ancient Intercepting Cult, is not entirely urate.¡± ¡°Hell Path, Heavenly Demon Path, Nether Ghost Path¡ªonly these three paths have inherited the Intercepting Cult¡¯s teachings. Among them, the Hell Path, inherited from the Immacte Mother, should have the mostplete teachings, but they generally do not appear in the mortal world, resulting in scant information.¡± ¡°The Heavenly Demon Path inherited from the Three Immortal Inds, the Nether Ghost Path from Skull Mountain; their teachings have be somewhat defective and warped. Overall, they exhibit an attitude of seeking quick sess, undervaluing the foundation of cultivation and favoring aggressive magical attacks.¡± ¡°The Mortal Life Path, descended from former external disciples of the Intercepting Cult, itself epasses numerous factions and aplex system, and it indiscriminately recruits all sorts of loose cultivators, resulting in a bloated and uneven state.¡± ¡°The Eastern Emperor Path was once a peripheral force of the Beast Taming Path. Afterpletely destroying the Beast Taming Path and plundering its teachings, they imed to continue the legacy of the Intercepting Cult. However,pared to the former grandeur of the Beast Taming Path, they are vastly inferior. There are also suspicions that the Eastern Emperor Path is actually a vanguard force nted in the mortal world by the Demon Realm, but there is no evidence to prove this yet.¡± ¡°As for the Asura Path, it is a doctrine that hails entirely from the West, arriving in Central ins around the same time as Buddhism. They generally do not partake in the affairs of Central ins but are known for their bravery and ferocity, ustomed to being the vanguard enforcers of the Demon Cult.¡± After Qiu Changtian listened patiently, he smiled and said: ¡°So it seems that the only ones we really need to worry about are the Heavenly Demon Path and the Nether Ghost Path, right?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Xu Yinglian thought to herself, ¡°Worthy of brother,¡± and nodded, ¡°Hell Path does not concern itself with worldly affairs, Asura Path only knows ughter, Eastern Emperor Path is all bark and no bite, Mortal Life Path is just a mess.¡±
¡°Those four sects do not possess the will or capability to unify the Demon Cult. Based on past experiences, the collective actions of the Demon Cult are mostly led by the Heavenly Demon Path or the Nether Ghost Path.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Qiu Changtian murmured, ¡°Currently, the Nether Ghost Path seems to be the most suspicious.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Xu Yinglian agreed, ¡°Do you remember thest incident at Long Mountain Vein?¡± ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, it must be the Nether Ghost Path who realized brother¡¯s enormous potential, and so they nned to eliminate brother ahead of time.¡±
Qiu Changtian nodded his head, indicating his approval of his junior sister¡¯s spection. Suddenly, another thought rose in his mind. Compared with the Nether Ghost Path, wasn¡¯t Marquis of Mount Tu more suspect? After all, during thest mission to the Demon Locking Tower, it was Qiu Changtian who single-handedly killed the Eastern Emperor Path¡¯s traitor within the Shushan Sect and alerted the higher-ups of the sect in advance. So it was possible that Marquis of Mount Tu, using the name of Eastern Emperor Path, had set a hefty bounty on him out of spite¡­ If he did not figure out who was behind all this, it would be like a fishbone stuck in his throat; it seemed he had to make a move on the fourth small ount towards Mount Wutai. ¡°Junior Sister,¡± Qiu Changtian spoke gently, ¡°Why not tell me more about Hell Path and Mortal Life Path?¡± ¡°If Hell Path does not walk in the mortal world, how can everyone be sure that the teachings of Hell Path are still being passed down?¡± ¡°Why is Mortal Life Path such a mess? Do they not have a leader?¡± Xu Yinglian pondered for a moment and said: ¡°Although Hell Path does not show itself, it has special ways tomunicate with Heavenly Demon Path, Nether Ghost Path, and Mortal Life Path.¡± ¡°Mortal Life Path, rather than a sect, is more like a loose allianceposed of a multitude of sects. The nominal leader is ¡®Hunyuan Sect¡¯ of Mount Wutai, but in reality, there are numerous factions within, and their opinions can hardly be unified.¡± ¡°Hunyuan Sect? What a bold name,¡± Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t help butugh.
The term ¡°Hunyuan¡± refers to the state before Chaos, the origin of vital energy, ranking even above ¡°Acquired¡± and ¡°Innate¡±; the rank couldn¡¯t be any higher. The Daoist Magic of the Three Pure Ones from the Orthodox Sect, although long and pretentious in names, is generally chosen with caution. Terms like ¡°Hunyuan,¡± ¡°Great Void¡± and other highbrow words are rarely used recklessly. Other sects don¡¯t care so much, and even for entry-level cultivation techniques, they wish to stack up a super highbrow name. ¡°Even though it¡¯s called Hunyuan Sect, the disciples under its banner are all rather ordinary, so to maintain the overall strength of Mortal Life Path, they have to ept arge number of loose cultivators,¡± Xu Yinglian said with a chuckle, ¡°The price being the loss of leadership.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Heavenly Demon Path and Nether Ghost Path acknowledging only Hunyuan Sect as the representative of Mortal Life Path, it might have been overturned by other paths, just like what happened with Beast Taming Path previously.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Qiu Changtian thought to himself. This Mortal Life Path seems to be a suitable ce for infiltration. The thing spies fear most is a strong leader in the rival sect, who then conducts internal audits and strict investigations periodically¡­ A sect like Mortal Life Path, with no one in charge and no one minding the store, is simply a spy¡¯s paradise! Chapter 143: 5: The Witch Jiang Liyan Chapter 143: Chapter 5: The Witch Jiang Liyan Aftermunicating with Junior Sister Xu in the Scriptural Repository for several days, Qiu Changtian had gained a basic understanding of the Six Paths of the Demon Cult. The ones most worthy of vignce were naturally the Heavenly Demon Path and the Nether Ghost Path. The organizational structures within these two sects were tightly knit, with various Qimen techniques emerging endlessly. They required special attention. Next were the Eastern Emperor Path and the Asura Path. The former was akin to a cuckoo taking over the nest; it originated from a small sect with weak umtion and had snatched some Daoist doctrines from the Beast Taming Sect; overall, their strength was still on the lower side. Thetter was a bunch of killers, fierce in magical fights and murders but aplete mess in other aspects. Thergest in scale was the Mortal Life Path; yet, the weakest in overall strength was also the Mortal Life Path, like a dragon without a head. After organizing the intelligence, Qiu Changtian seriously thanked Junior Sister Xu and then left the Scriptural Repository. Xu Yinglian beamed with a triumphant smile, returning to her cave dwelling only to remember: Wait a second, I was supposed to ask my senior brother why the Marrow Cleansing was so fast, not to help him collect intelligence! On Qiu Changtian¡¯s side, he returned to his cave dwelling and instructed the Kunlun Mirror, saying: ¡°Ah Jing, what do you think I should name my fourth persona?¡± ¡°Wei Dongliu, how about that?¡± the Kunlun Mirror suggested and asked.
¡°That name has a bit of dominance,¡± Qiu Changtian said skeptically, ¡°How did youe up with it? It feels like you haven¡¯t even thought it through.¡± ¡°Thinking of a name is not really a difficult task,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied, ¡°If you don¡¯t like the name Wei Dongliu, there are others like Yue Nantian, Yan Chang¡¯an, Tang Wanzhong, and Xue Dinglu¡­¡± ¡°All right, all right, let¡¯s go with Wei Dongliu,¡± Qiu Changtian considered briefly, feeling that they were all quite simr, and interrupted its litany, ¡°Then it¡¯s Wei Dongliu, teleport!¡± The Kunlun Mirror then spoke solemnly: [Location Four: Mount Wutai, Nanliang Gully.] [Identity: Wei Dongliu.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Temte ovey, undergoing time-space travel.] When Wei Dongliu opened his eyes again, he found himself in the midst of the mountains. Compared to the snow-capped peaks of Kunlun and the inds of Peni, the environment of Mount Wutai was closer to that of Shushan, with undting terrain and densely forested hills. However, inparison, the mountains of Shushan were steeper, whereas Mount Wutai was slightly gentler, and the trees were more cold-resistant and sparse. Wei Dongliu trekked along the mountain path and came across a few woodcutters. ¡°Excuse me,¡± he called to the woodcutters, ¡°to visit the immortals of Mount Wutai, is it in this direction?¡± The woodcutters exchanged nces for a moment, then one of them spoke up: ¡°Deep within Mount Wutai, indeed, there are some who practice cultivation, but most of them are not easily dealt with.¡± ¡°If they take a liking to you and ept you as a disciple, that¡¯s fine; but if they find you disagreeable, I¡¯m afraid you might even lose your life.¡± ¡°Young man, I see you alsoe from a decent family. It¡¯s better to stop here and not venture deeper.¡± Wei Dongliu sincerely thanked them and then continued climbing upward. The woodcutters shook their heads and sighed as they saw his determination to proceed. After almost two hours, he suddenly heard an ethereal singing from up ahead. The voice was soft and sweet, but it was sung in dialect, iprehensible.
Wei Dongliu narrowed his eyes slightly, sensing that the voice seemed to carry an attack from an illusion technique. Not daring to go further, he looked around and chose to take another mountain path that veered away from the source of the sound, thinking to himself that the woodcutters had indeed not been wrong. If an ordinary person heard this singing, they would surely be mesmerized by the illusion within it, foolishly seeking the source of the sound, and what fate befell them need not be mentioned. After about a quarter of an hour, the singing abruptly stopped.
Wei Dongliu continued on his way and reached a turn in the mountain stairs, only to see a small pavilion ahead. A copper pot was propped up on the stone table in the pavilion, bubbling with cooking ingredients. Next to it sat a young girl in purple clothes, who looked to be no more than twenty years old, staring nkly at the mes beneath the pot with her cheek propped on her hand. Wei Dongliu¡¯s brows furrowed slightly, and he was about to bypass the area when he heard the other party gazing at the pot and saying: ¡°Since you¡¯vee this far, why note closer and have a chat?¡± ¡°` ¡°I fear I may be a bother,¡± Wei Dongliu said with a cupped-fist salute, swiftly making a distinction in his mind. The voice of this purple-d youngdy was identical to the singing they had heard earlier! ¡°No trouble at all,¡± the youngdy in purple lifted her head, suddenly revealing a bright and beautiful smile. Her eyes wererge, but the corners were slightly upturned, characteristic of peach blossom eyes. Even without any expression, there was always a trace of enchantment in her nces. Her nose was small and delicate, and her mouth¡¯s corners curved slightly upward, ¡°not speaking yet smiling,¡± always stirring fanciful thoughts without end. In the art of physiognomy, such features belonged to ¡®beauties who bring disaster,¡¯ exquisite on the surface but often cunning and tricky, capable of leading to unrest at home. Wei Dongliu therefore became extremely vignt, ensuring there were no formations hidden around the pavilion before carefully stepping inside and sitting down opposite the girl in purple.
¡°May I know your esteemed name?¡± he asked. ¡°My surname is Jiang,¡± the girl said with a sweet smile, ¡°My name is Li An, what¡¯s yours?¡± That smile was full of allure, intermingled with illusion techniques, aimed directly at bewitching the mind. Ordinary cultivators who fell for it would be deeply infatuated, their feelings for her maxing out instantly. They would be led astray by her few words, willing to walk through fire and water for her. Although Wei Dongliu did not possess the talent of Daoist Heart rity, it was fortunate that the Kunlun Mirror was the master of illusions. He dispersed the illusions right away and quickly notified Wei Dongliu. Realizing he¡¯d been attacked by her illusion techniques again, Wei Dongliu slightly narrowed his eyes as a hint of murderous intent arose within him. Jiang Liyan: ? The appearance of this man when he narrowed his eyes reminded her of a very dangerous person she had met before¡­ She steeled her mind, nonchntly withdrawing the illusion technique, and smiled, ¡°Is it inconvenient to disclose your name?¡± ¡°I am Wei Dongliu.¡± ¡°So, it¡¯s Cultivator Wei,¡± Jiang Liyan said with a smile, her thoughts secretly turning. ¡°Wei Dongliu¡± might not be his real name, but ¡°Jiang Liyan¡± was actually a pseudonym; thest character of her real name was not ¡°Li An¡±.
Because in the Intercepting Cult, there were innumerable unusual techniques, including secret incantations based on a person¡¯s name, like the famous Seven-Arrow Nail Head Scripture from ancient times¡­ Of course, those secret techniques had all been lost over time, but to be on the safe side, the Heavenly Demon Path still required its disciples to keep their true names hidden, using pseudonyms even within the sect. ¡°From whence do you hail, Cultivator Wei, and why have youe to Mount Wutai?¡± Jiang Liyan asked with a glowing smile. ¡°I am but a loose cultivator,¡± Wei Dongliu said seriously, ¡°Many years ago, I chanced upon an opportunity left by a predecessor, and now I am here in search of my sect.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Jiang Liyan immediately understood, ¡°May I ask which sect you are seeking?¡± ¡°Tong Xuan Gate,¡± Wei Dongliu replied, ¡°Reportedly a sect left over from the ancient Intercepting Cult.¡± Jiang Liyan paused for a moment then burst intoughter, ¡°Are you serious, Cultivator Wei?¡± ¡°Why do you ask?¡± Wei Dongliu inquired with surprise. ¡°That one you speak of should be the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect, once a leading force of the Mortal Life Path, but it perished and its lineage was cut off four thousand years ago,¡± Jiang Liyan said with a smile, ¡°If it weren¡¯t so, the Mortal Life Path wouldn¡¯t have fallen into such a state.¡± The Tong Xuan Gate was gone? Wei Dongliu felt a dull heaviness in his thoughts. Although he was mentally prepared, hearing the news so abruptly still irritated him. ¡°If you are searching for that Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect, then I¡¯m afraid you have indeede toote,¡± seeing his somber expression, Jiang Liyan feigned sorrow as she sighed and said:
¡°Not to mention the lineage of the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect, even the outer disciples died fully during the sect-destroying catastrophe. The sect¡¯s Daoist techniques and Magical Treasures are also gone¡­ Even if something miraculously remained in some ruins, after four thousand years they would have been looted nearly clean.¡± ¡°All that¡¯s left is perhaps the name, which some ignorant loose cultivator sects have improperly adopted.¡± ¡°However, I can assure you, these so-called ¡®Tong Xuan Gate¡¯ factions have no hereditary connection to the original Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect.¡± ¡°You might as well start your own Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect, Cultivator Wei. I wager it would be more authentic than theirs,¡± Jiang Liyan said, her smile tinged with disdain as she shook her head. ¡°I see,¡± Wei Dongliu mused for a long while, then said, ¡°It seems that to revive my master¡¯s legacy, I have no choice but to reestablish the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect myself.¡± Jiang Liyan: ??? ¡°` Chapter 144: 6: What Can Be Done If He Cannot Be Persuaded? Chapter 144: Chapter 6: What Can Be Done If He Cannot Be Persuaded? ¡°Are you serious, Daoist Brother?¡± Jiang Liyan asked in astonishment. ¡°How could I jest?¡± Wei Dongliu replied earnestly. ¡°Has Daoist Brother reached Core Formation?¡± Jiang Liyan inquired. ¡°Not yet,¡± Wei Dongliu responded, ¡°As far as I¡¯m aware, for a Loose Cultivator to establish a Sect within the Mortal Life Path, one only needs to be at the Refining Mansion stage of cultivation.¡± ¡°Although that¡¯s the rule, a Sect founded by a Refining Mansion stage Loose Cultivator is nothing but cannon fodder in the Mortal Life Path,¡± Jiang Liyan reminded him. Wei Dongliu simply smiled slightly, without replying, he stood up, bowed ceremoniously, and then gracefully departed. Jiang Liyan watched his figure disappear at the end of the mountain road. After a long while, she slightly narrowed her eyes. This man constantly imed to be a Loose Cultivator who had fortuitously received the inheritance of the Tong Xuan Gate. Yet, how could an ordinary Refining Mansion stage cultivator have possibly withstood her Heavenly Demon Marvelous Sound Technique just now? Furthermore, he intended to establish his Sect¡­ Who doesn¡¯t know that Sects founded by Refining Mansion stage cultivators in the Mortal Life Path are no better than third-rate organizations?
Unless this man¡¯s actual cultivation level far surpassed that of average Refining Mansion stage Loose Cultivators, then it would make sense for him to withstand the Heavenly Demon Marvelous Sound Technique, as well as his ns to rebuild the Tong Xuan Gate. Thinking this, she felt a sense of curiosity and anticipation rise within her. Picking up her chopsticks and dipping them into the copper pot to pick up a slice of fish, Jiang Liyan¡¯s eyes curved into crescent moons as she chewed carefully. She had thought that her time in the Taihang Mountains was exceedingly dull, but unexpectedly she had encountered such an intriguing person. How marvelous, indeed marvelous! Meanwhile, after leaving the pavilion, Wei Dongliu continued walking up the mountain, when he heard the Kunlun Mirror in his Sea of Consciousness asked: ¡°Why have you suddenly decided to start your Sect?¡± ¡°The Tong Xuan Gate has already fallen,¡± Wei Dongliu spoke indifferently, ¡°If I join another Sect, with the temperament and practices of the Demon Cult, my life and death will ultimately be at the mercy of a master.¡± ¡°If I could ascertain that a piece of the Heaven-Mending Stone is within a certain Sect, I would endure the humiliation and remain hidden among them. But now, I¡¯m merely investigating news about the Hell Path, so why take such a huge risk? Establishing my own Sect would be safer.¡± The Kunlun Mirror pondered for a moment before speaking: ¡°What you say is not without reason.¡± ¡°What do you mean ¡®not without reason¡¯? This is the most rational course of action, okay?¡± Wei Dongliu replied disdainfully, ¡°I won¡¯t waste more words with you, this foolish mirror. I must hurry and attend to important matters.¡± After another hour passed, Wei Dongliu arrived at the Affairs Office of Mount Wutai. The so-called Sect Affairs Office is generally located at the outermost part of the Sect Residence, to facilitate interaction with the external mines, medicine gardens, and branch residences. Of course, even at the outermost part, there are usually patrolling disciples responsible for security, not allowing individuals from other Sects to enter without permission. That Wei Dongliu, a mere Loose Cultivator, could even reach the doorstep of the Affairs Hall without encountering a single disciple to question his identity, this demonstrated just howx the discipline and system within the Mortal Life Path really were. ¡°Excuse me,¡± he approached the counter and knocked on the tabletop, ¡°What is the procedure to establish a Sect?¡± The Mortal Life Path deacon looked up, ncing at him with slight surprise: ¡°You want to establish a Sect?¡±
¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What cultivation level has Daoist Brother achieved?¡± ¡°Refining Mansion stage.¡± ¡°That will cost ten Intermediate Grade Spirit Stones.¡±
Wei Dongliu: ¡­¡­¡­ Now they were asking for money. Luckily, both Qiu Changtian and Luo Yan weren¡¯t short on money; he took out arge Intermediate Grade Spirit Stone and handed it over. The deacon took the Jade Slip, lifted his writing brush, and asked: ¡°The name of the Sect?¡± ¡°Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect,¡± Wei Dongliu replied. ¡°If Daoist Brother really insists on this name, then this would be the thirty-third Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect registered here,¡± the deacon said, having found him to have a pleasant appearance and a neither servile nor overbearing attitude, and since he handed over the money readily, he gave him an extra reminder, ¡°Nowadays, there are too many Sects with ¡®Tong Xuan¡¯ in their name, which may not be advantageous for gaining fame. Has Daoist Brother given this proper thought?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve made up my mind.¡± Wei Dongliu nodded and said. ¡°Okay.¡± The deacon wrote two ques, keeping one and handing the other to Wei Dongliu, saying, ¡°With this, your sect is now officially registered and bes an affiliate of our Mortal Life Path.¡± ¡°As for matters concerning the selection of your sect residence and recruitment of disciples, you will need to resolve them on your own. Our Affairs Office is only responsible for registration.¡± Wei Dongliu heard this and couldn¡¯t help butugh. What a setup, even in my previous life¡¯s franchise agreements, at least some technology and raw materials were provided to the franchisee. You, Mortal Life Path, give nothing but a ¡°nominal protection right¡± and still charge me an intermediate grade spirit stone?
¡°Then, the principles for selecting the sect residence¡­¡± he had just begun to speak when he heard the deacon point to the Taihang Mountains map on the wall, saying, ¡°Those marked with vermilion are already upied by sects. You just need to choose an unimed area.¡± Wei Dongliu looked at the map again, only to see it densely dotted with marks drawn in vermilion. Overall, the closer one got to the main ridge line of the Taihang Mountains (that is, the direction of the Dragon Vein), the more abundant the spiritual energy, the denser the marked areas. Many circles even ovepped, suggesting that these areas were shared by two sects. The amount of bitter conflicts and struggles, both overt and covert, behind this was self-exnatory. He was staring at the map, lost in thought, when suddenly a pleasant and enchanting female voice rang out beside him: ¡°If fellow Daoist is looking for a ce to start a sect, we have some vacancies near Tongtian Gorge.¡± Wei Dongliu turned his head and who else could it be but the witch Jiang Liyan, who had previously tested him with an illusion technique? ¡°To think it¡¯s Fellow Daoist Jiang!¡± The deacon recognized her as well, a hint of fear shing in his eyes. He bowed and took a half-step back, saying, ¡°If the Heavenly Demon Path doesn¡¯t mind, then there¡¯s no issue.¡± ¡°Tongtian Gorge?¡± Wei Dongliu expressed his slight surprise. ¡°Right here.¡± Jiang Liyan flicked her right hand, and a stream of starlight flew out from her sleeve. It was a silver needle that she then nailed directly onto the map. Wei Dongliu focused and saw that it was a location south of the Taihang Mountains, surrounded by arge area of nk space not circled in vermilion. ¡°Fellow Daoist Jiang.¡± He pondered for a moment before asking, ¡°That area near Tongtian Gorge¡­¡± Jiang Liyan didn¡¯t let him finish, cutting straight to the point:
¡°The terrain is extraordinary, and the river is vigorous, making it a splendid ce full of spiritual energy. An ancient Intercepting Cult powerhouse once lived there. It¡¯s a perfect ce for starting a sect.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Wei Dongliu nodded, ¡°Such an Immortal Sect wondend, why hasn¡¯t any other sect settled there?¡± ¡°Because the Heavenly Demon Path¡¯s branch residence in the Taihang Mountains is in Tongtian Lake.¡± Jiang Liyan¡¯s face was all smiles, ¡°Those weak, unsupportedmon loose cultivators naturally fear the Heavenly Demon Path as they would scorpions or tigers, and they would rather avoid me than to get close.¡± ¡°Then why does Fellow Daoist Jiang invite me over?¡± Wei Dongliu also smiled, ¡°After all, I am merely a loose cultivator.¡± ¡°You are different, Fellow Daoist Wei.¡± Jiang Liyan stepped closer, pressing her body close, and spoke in a charming voice, ¡°I took a liking to you at first sight. If you could settle down in Tongtian Gorge, where we could see each other day and night, I would be more than satisfied.¡± She pressed very near, as if about to cling to him. Before they even touched, a refreshing fragrance wafted to Wei Dongliu¡¯s nostrils. The Kunlun Mirror spoke irritably: ¡°This fragrance is mixed with an illusion technique! Does this demoness have her eyes on you, or what? Find a chance and deal with her quickly!¡± ¡°Ah Jing, be patient.¡± Wei Dongliu allowed her to press closer, merely whispering, ¡°If it¡¯s just an illusion attack, it means she¡¯s only testing me. There¡¯s no need to fall out with the Heavenly Demon Path just yet.¡± ¡°I think you¡¯re enjoying her tests!¡± the Kunlun Mirror said indignantly. While he wasmunicating with the Kunlun Mirror, Jiang Liyan stopped just as she was about to press against him. Seeing that his expression remained clear, she couldn¡¯t help but be secretly shocked. The Heavenly Demon¡¯s wonderful sound technique failed to achieve, but how could her sprayed Ghostly Illusion Water not confuse him? Could this man¡­ Could this man be at the Golden Core Realm?!
No, that¡¯s not right. The Ghostly Illusion Water is a strange object that confuses the divine sense. Even a Golden Core True Person, unless having taken an antidote in advance or using a cultivation technique to neutralize the effect, would be at risk of being affected. How could he be so indifferent as if the Ghostly Illusion Water didn¡¯t exist at all? With various shocks in her heart, her mouth kept up the act, smiling: ¡°Would you honor me with yourpany, Fellow Daoist Wei?¡± Wei Dongliu pondered for a moment, and just then, the Kunlun Mirror suddenly reminded him: [Mysterious persona, Synchronization Value +1.] This witch is really adorable! Wei Dongliu was thrilled. Honor yourpany, of course, I¡¯ll honor yourpany! Chapter 145: 7: Establishing a Sect in Shiping Mountain Chapter 145: Chapter 7: Establishing a Sect in Shiping Mountain The Heavenly Demon Cult¡¯s base in the Taihang Mountains was located on an artificial ind at the center of Tongtian Lake, and their pce was called ¡®Biyun Pce¡¯. Legend had it that an ancient Intercepting Cult powerhouse once stayed here for some time, and his hermitage was called a simr name. Immortals, although they may live as long as the heavens, cannot stay in the mortal world forever. Today, aside from a few junior immortals, those ancient powerhouses have all left this realm, so when the Heavenly Demon Path named this ce, it also implied a tribute to the ancients. Inside Biyun Pce, Jiang Liyan was chatting with her eldest senior sister about Wei Dongliu¡¯s matters. ¡°Golden Core True Person?¡± her eldest senior sister, Ai Zhenzhi,ughed scornfully, ¡°You really dare to dream!¡± ¡°Would a loose cultivator who manages to reach the Core Condensation Realm not be aware of our Heavenly Demon Path¡¯s formidable aspect? And still be foolishly lured to Tongtian Gorge by you?¡± ¡°If senior sister doesn¡¯t believe me, you could apany junior sisterter to investigate Wei Dongliu¡¯s background?¡± Jiang Liyan suggested with a smiling face. ¡°What¡¯s there to investigate?¡± Ai Zhenzhi waved her hand impatiently, ¡°Such foolish loose cultivators are a dime a dozen in the Taihang Mountains. If you lure one in, should I deal with each one of them? Should I take your ce as the eldest senior sister and handle these trifling characters?¡± ¡°Why would senior sister say such things?¡± Jiang Liyan immediately burst into tears, wiping her eyes as she said, ¡°junior sister truly didn¡¯t mean it that way. I will handle this matter right away and dare not trouble senior sister¡­¡± As she stood up and weepingly walked out, Ai Zhenzhi just watched her back with cold eyes, not saying a word to retain her.
Once Jiang Liyan left Biyun Pce, she wiped away the remaining tears on her face, revealing an almost cold expression. It was within her expectations that her eldest senior sister, Ai Zhenzhi, would refuse to take action. The reason was simple: now that their master was in the East Sea and there were no Golden Core Realm cultivators in Biyun Pce, if Wei Dongliu was indeed a Golden Core True Person, Ai Zhenzhi would have no chance against him. By requesting Ai senior sister to probe into his background, it would naturally make Ai Zhenzhi suspicious of deceit, leading her to be cautious of Wei Dongliu. This way, a foundation for pitting the two against each other would be established. Honestly, Jiang Liyan hoped more that Wei Dongliu could kill Ai Zhenzhi rather than Ai Zhenzhi sessfully getting rid of Wei Dongliu. After all, if it was thetter, most of Wei Dongliu¡¯s heritage would be taken by Ai Zhenzhi, and Jiang Liyan would get nothing out of it¡ªthough she would definitely clear herself entirely of the situation, ensuring she suffered no losses. But if it was the former and Ai Zhenzhi died, who would take the position of the eldest senior sister? Clearly, it would lead to a fierce struggle among all the senior and junior sisters, even to a bloody turmoil! Being the youngest and weakest disciple of the master, Jiang Liyan had virtually no chance of climbing to the position of the eldest senior sister through normal means. Only in chaosy her soledder to promotion. Having considered her n again, Jiang Liyan once more rose on her flying sword and headed towards Shiping Mountain on the opposite side of Long Qu Water. At the very top of Shiping Mountain, Wei Dongliu was surveying the surrounding terrain. The spiritual energy here was quite abundant, only the bare mountain top without flowers or trees was too ugly to look at. However, Qiu Changtian was ustomed to living in the deste snow peaks of Kunlun, so Wei Dongliu rode the sword light, flying around Shiping Mountain, looking for a suitable spot to excavate a cave dwelling. The flying sword he was currently using was a Ninth Rank Wood System Flying Sword from the Kunlun Sword Pavilion, called ¡®Green Bamboo¡¯. This sword was neither sharp nor heavy, but it was capable of creating many duplicates. There was no limit to the number, yet it consumed the Sword Master¡¯s True Yuan. As long as the Sword Master had True Yuan, he could create an endless number of flying swords, each with the capability to harm, making it a rather peculiar Wood System Flying Sword. Finding a stream, he saw Jiang Liyan flying over from the opposite side, with a mischievous smile she said:
¡°Have you found a location, Wei Fellow Cultivator?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Wei Dongliu said indifferently, ¡°To set up a Spirit Gathering Array, the spiritual energy here isn¡¯t sufficient. It would be best to find a ce close to an earth vein.¡± Jiang Liyan¡¯s eyes widened, growing increasingly astonished. A Spirit Gathering Array is used to collect all the surrounding spiritual energy into the cultivator¡¯s retreat, enhancing the efficiency of their breathing exercises.
For the Three Pure Ones of the Orthodox Sect and the Six Paths of the Demon Cult, a Spirit Gathering Array is naturally basic, but for a Loose Cultivator, it¡¯s a luxury that¡¯s out of reach. Not to mention anything else, even if you have enough Spirit Stones, do you have the connections to find an Array Master to set up and maintain a Spirit Gathering Array for you? Those who can set up a Spirit Gathering Array, even if not from a great sect, are absolutely core figures within small and medium-sized sects! Just who is this Wei Dongliu? As Wei Dongliu spoke, he suddenly heard [Mysterious Character Setup, Synchronization Value +1] and was puzzled. ¡°If you¡¯re looking for a ce rich in spiritual energy, I do know of one,¡± said Jiang Liyan with a smile. She maneuvered the Sword Light, taking Wei Dongliu down into the mountain¡¯s foothills, through the forest, and then, after several twist and turns, they slipped into a rocky peak. After navigating through the narrow rocky peak for a while, the view suddenly opened up dramatically. It turned out that inside Shiping Mountain, there was a huge space. A mountain stream cascaded down, pooling into ake at the valley floor before pouring into the underground water system. Daylight also fell through the narrow gaps at the top, lighting up the valley, and a clear breeze seeped out from cracks in the rocky peak, making the valley well-ventted. With light, water, and air, the moist soil by theke sprouted a vast array of wildflowers and grasses. Even in the center of the daylight, at a damp spot by theke shore, a wild peach tree grew, its branches rough and knotty but robust and thriving. Wei Dongliu was delighted at the sight, very satisfied with this ¡°hidden path to a secluded spot¡± and ¡°another world within,¡± while Jiang Liyan was somewhat reluctant to part with it.
After all, she had discovered this secret inner territory by happenstance, and although it had no relics, the scenery was uniquely appealing, making her linger and forget to return. But now, in order to prevent Wei Dongliu¡¯s existence from being exposed too soon, she had no choice but to contribute it, to serve as the site for Tong Xuan Gate¡¯s Sect Residence¡­ However, it didn¡¯t matter, as she could stille to y often. As long as Wei Dongliu established his sect here, took in disciples, andter had a conflict with Sister Ai, he wouldn¡¯t be able to just walk away without a care. In any case, the first step was to keep this ¡°supposedly eminent person¡± tied down here! Wei Dongliu, unaware of her thoughts, only knew that this Demon Head Ah Jing looked sweet and attractive, contributed to his Synchronization Value, and found him a suitable Sect Residence¡­ How could she be any female demon head? She was simply a bosom friend to Wei Dongliu! ¡°You¡¯re really foolish,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said earnestly, ¡°How could she possibly help you wholeheartedly? She must have ulterior motives!¡± ¡°Then aren¡¯t you helping me wholeheartedly, too, Ah Jing?¡± Wei Dongliuughed, ¡°You better not have any ulterior motives.¡± The Kunlun Mirror almost spat blood in response: This is a transaction of interests, alright! And even though we are allies of interest, it doesn¡¯t stop me from brewing the right moment to backstab you, let alone this female demon head! You don¡¯t even know what she wants from you; how can you trust her so easily?! Chapter 146: 8: First Take a Senior Disciple Chapter 146: Chapter 8: First Take a Senior Disciple It took Wei Dongliu several days to finally finish setting up the formation. First was the Valley Protection Formation, which enveloped the entire mountain valley in its embrace. Its function was to temporarily trap the enemy, preventing them from locating his position. At that time, as long as he presided over the Valley Protection Formation and then pulled out the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light to sh wildly at the opposition, even a Golden Core True Person would lose ayer of skin. Next was the passageway formation, covering the entrance to this rocky peak, with the purpose of concealing the entrance and confusing the enemy, making them unable to find the rocky peak¡¯s entrance, or mistaking it for a dead end. After setting up the formation, he began to build housing. The style and distribution of the housing followed the pattern of the ancient Intercept Cult beneath the Wuzhi Archipgo. The central area near thekeshore¡¯s moist depression was designated for the cultivation of spirit flowers and grasses. The surrounding area had disciples¡¯ residences, storage rooms, elixir rooms, meditation chambers, and even prisons and so on. In Cultivation sects, the task of building houses was usually entrusted to mortals. If it was a small sect unwilling to spend money, they would have to let their own disciples do the work, but without wood system or earth system Daoist techniques, cultivators weren¡¯t much faster at building houses. However, if one used the Five Elements Divine Light, it only took a gentle sweep to freely control the growth of wooden trunks and the rise of the earth into walls ¨C it was incredibly convenient. After advancing to the Refining Mansion stage, True Qi transforming into condensed True Yuan, the Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light could finally exhibit at least its minimum might ¡ª at least not like before, when a few seconds of use wouldpletely deplete the Qi Sea.
With the infrastructureplete, Wei Dongliu prepared to go out and find some disciples to fill his ranks. The identity of Wei Dongliu was not for infiltrating any sect, but for collecting intelligence on the Hell Path. Doing it alone was definitely not enough. He needed to recruit a batch of disciples first, and then use their social circles to maximize the channels of information. Leaving the valley and walking into the rocky peak, Wei Dongliu was surprised to see Jiang Liyan standing in the center of the rocky peak¡¯s passage, her expression calm and alert as she watched her surroundings. So she was trapped by the formation¡­ huh, why does she seem familiar? After pondering for a moment, he remembered that Shi Liuli had once been trapped by his formation in the same way on an overseas deserted ind. Only, Miss Shi had been panic-stricken, running around wildly; whereas Jiang the Witch remained calm and cautiously observed her surroundings. This alone showed that Jiang the Witch¡¯s experience in battle was far richer than Miss Shi¡¯s by more than a thousandfold. Wei Dongliu waved his hand and dispelled the formation, only to see Jiang Liyan look over, her expression revealing a trace of relief and¡­ resentment? ¡°Wei Daoist friend,¡± she quickly hid her negative emotions, smiling sweetly again, ¡°was that a formation just now?¡± ¡°Just some minor tricks,¡± Wei Dongliu said indifferently. ¡°I never expected that the Tong Xuan Gate¡¯s legacy would include knowledge of formations,¡± Jiang Liyan remarked half seriously and half mockingly, ¡°I fell into the formation without a sound, and couldn¡¯t find a single w. If Wei Daoist friend hadn¡¯t taken action to save me, I might have beenpletely at others¡¯ mercy.¡± ¡°As Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect is named, it naturally incorporates a wide array of strengths,¡± Wei Dongliu patiently exined, ¡°Daoist magic, swordsmanship, formations, and strange objects¡ªI understand a bit of each.¡± Jiang Liyan¡¯s mind stirred, secretly thinking: Although Wei Dongliu has received the Intercept Cult inheritance, why does his speech have the rigid style of the rify Cult? We in the Intercept Cult don¡¯t care about the ¡°coherence of name and meaning¡±¡ªwe simply choose the most domineering names. Who decreed that being called ¡®Myriad Laws¡¯ means one must be adept in allws? Yet such thoughts of criticism circted only briefly in her mind before being suppressed again. ¡°This time I¡¯m out, I n to recruit a few disciples to return with me,¡± Wei Dongliu said again. ¡°Recruit disciples?¡± Jiang Liyan pondered for a moment and smiled, ¡°What kind of disciples does Wei Daoist Friend intend to recruit?¡±
¡°Honest and obedient,¡± he replied. ¡°Anything else?¡± she asked. ¡°No, that¡¯s it.¡± Wei Dongliu said in surprise, ¡°Isn¡¯t that enough?¡± Jiang Liyan was somewhat speechless, you¡¯re looking for a sessor to pass on your mantle!
Even if you can¡¯t find someone with high cultivation talent (after all, geniuses have been picked up by the big sects), you should at least look for someone smart and clever, right? Who just looks for the honest and obedient? ¡°That¡¯s too simple a criterion,¡± Jiang the Witch said with a chuckle while covering her mouth, ¡°Wei Daoist Friend could go to some remote mountain vige to find those skinny little kids who are dark and have hardly had a decent meal, and I guarantee they¡¯ll all be obedient and honest.¡± Her insinuation was that ¡°honest, obedient¡± equals ¡°foolish, slow-witted,¡± and aren¡¯t fools found everywhere? Unexpectedly, Wei Dongliu nodded and said: ¡°I see, I have learned something.¡± In the eyes of Wei Dongliu, the Wei family¡¯s eldest son, the first disciple must be honest and obedient, so he could serve as his confidant. The information gathered by other junior brothers and sisters would have to be summarized by him before being passed on to oneself. For such a critical position, if the person seated here harbors ulterior motives, engaging in actions that are contradictory to their outward appearance, then the harm could be truly great. Better to be a bit slow-witted and dull, than topromise on loyalty! Jiang Liyan couldn¡¯t understand his logic but, seeing that he still refused to speak frankly, she could only sigh and say: ¡°If that¡¯s the case, then shall I take Wei Daoist Friend out for a spin? Just to the west here lies the ancient city of Shangdang. We often go there to collect materials¡­ ahem, slip of the tongue. Mainly to find some quick-witted mortals toe and help with cultivating techniques.¡± ¡°That would be great, please lead the way, Jiang Daoist Friend,¡± Wei Dongliu said, not caring at all about how this witch cultivated her demonic techniques. Since she offered to lead the way, nothing could be better.
Upon leaving the range of Shiping Mountain, they took to their sword light and flew towards Shangdang City in the west. Shangdang in Jinzhong, an ancient city once belonging to the Zhao kingdom, is now known as ¡°Luzhou¡± or ¡°Luzhou Prefecture¡±, a city located on the Loess teau. The twonded near the city to avoid unnecessary attention and then entered the city on foot, pretending to be mortals. Jiang Liyan even used the ¡°Ten Aspects Release Method¡± to disguise her exquisite appearance into something in and unremarkable, causing Wei Dongliu to give her a few surprised nces. The Ten Aspects Release Method, it seems everyone in the Heavenly Demon Path knows it. Luo Yan encountered a Heavenly Demon Path female disciple who knew the Ten Aspects Release Method as well on Wuzhi Inds¡­ ¡°Wei Daoist Friend seeks disciples who at least must be literate,¡± Jiang Liyan said with a smile as they walked through the bustling streets, ¡°If they¡¯re illiterate, they won¡¯t understand Daoist Technique Scrolls. Surely Wei Daoist Friend doesn¡¯t wish to start by teaching literacy?¡± ¡°On the other hand, it¡¯s best if the prospective disciple is young and still impressionable so that they can be shaped more easily. Otherwise, if they¡¯ve been seasoned in the mortal world for too long, there¡¯s the risk of deep-seated worldly attachments, which are detrimental to subsequent cultivation.¡± ¡°Combining these factors, we should go to some affordable private schools, to look for those good family¡¯s children who are studying there. That would be the most suitable choice.¡± ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s true,¡± Wei Dongliu nodded, affirming Jiang the Witch¡¯s judgment. Chapter 147: 9 Could This Disciple Be Silly Chapter 147: Chapter 9 Could This Disciple Be Silly Wei Dongliu and Jiang Liyan sat side by side under the parasol tree in the courtyard, listening to the resonant sounds of readinging from inside. ording to Jiang the Witch, those who stayed behind to continue reading after the private school was dismissed were definitely the most honest and dutiful kind. Wei Dongliu agreed with this, after all, he had attended high school in his previous life and knew very well the nature of those who studiously worked on problems¡ªthey were the ones who stayed behind to read a bit more even after the dismissal bell had rung. ¡°Speaking of which, why is Daoist Jiang so eager to assist me?¡± Seeing that it was still early, Wei Dongliu casually asked. ¡°We hit it off at first sight, what¡¯s wrong with me helping you?¡± Jiang Liyan¡¯s eyes danced flirtatiously as she nced at him obliquely. This was mixed with some Illusion Technique; the Kunlun Mirror was numb and could only silently block it all out. Wei Dongliu waspletely oblivious and simply continued to ask, ¡°What kind of bond is this ¡®hitting it off¡¯?¡± ¡°Do bonds need to be exined?¡± Jiang Liyan ced her hand on his leg and cooed, ¡°This youngdy fell for you at first sight, and if Daoist does not mind, I am willing to offer myself for your pillow and mat¡­¡± ¡°How many children do you want to have after we¡¯re married?¡± Wei Dongliu suddenly asked. ¡°I don¡¯t want any,¡± Jiang Liyan paused, then said, ¡°Looking after children is too troublesome.¡±
¡°Then I¡¯m sorry, I cannot ept that,¡± Wei Dongliu moved his body a bit further away. Jiang Liyan was silent for a moment, then couldn¡¯t help but burst into heartyughter, tears streaming from herughter. ¡°You really are an interesting person,¡± she said, wiping the corner of her eye, ¡°We¡¯re both cultivators, what significance do children have?¡± ¡°Then what¡¯s the significance of a woman?¡± Wei Dongliu asked her in return. Jiang Liyan was stumped by the question and after a while became somewhat angrily embarrassed. Good, he had it nned out from the start to block me with words here! From the beginning, Wei Dongliu had never believed her so-called ¡°love at first sight¡± nonsense; he was just deliberately going along with it, using the topic of having children to block her. ¡°It seems like ss is over,¡± Wei Dongliu suddenly said. He saw a throng of young boys pouring out from the private school; boys of their age were the most restless and were already impatient to go outside and fly kites. The old schoolteacher also walked out of the room, holding scrolls in his hand, looking somewhat weary and frustrated. After the disciples and teacher had left, Wei Dongliu walked to the windowttice. He then saw a young boy still sitting in the corner of the schoolhouse, intently reading a book. The young boy had a full forehead and a high nose bridge, his appearance and temperament were simple and honest. But his eyebrows were tightly knitted, and his lips were pressed together, creating the impression of a student struggling to understand, ¡°I¡¯m working hard toprehend, so why can¡¯t I grasp it?¡± ¡°This person looks to be honest and faithful,¡± Jiang Liyan chuckled from the side, ¡°Daoist Wei, does he meet your criteria?¡± ¡°Whether he fits or not, we should first ask him,¡± Wei Dongliu entered the school and approached him. The young boy looked up, hurriedly stood up, and respectfully greeted, ¡°Good day, Teacher.¡± Wei Dongliu waved his hand, indicating that the boy needn¡¯t be so formal. He didn¡¯t rify that he wasn¡¯t actually a tutor at the private school, but simply asked in a mild tone, ¡°What is your name?¡±
¡°Responding to Teacher, my surname is Guo, and my given name is Jin,¡± the young boy replied. Wei Dongliu: ??? ¡°Guo Jin?¡± He couldn¡¯t help butugh and said, ¡°That¡¯s a good name. What book are you reading?¡± ¡°Disciple is reading ¡®The Commentary of Guliang¡¯.¡±
¡°Is there anything you don¡¯t understand?¡± Wei Dongliu waved his hand grandly. ¡®The Commentary of Guliang¡¯ is one of the Thirteen Confucian ssics, which Luo Yan had once read in Yuqing View to pass the time. ¡°Responding to Teacher, disciple hardly understands any of it,¡± Guo Jin confessed honestly. Snort! Outside, Jiang Liyan couldn¡¯t contain her amusement, and even Wei Dongliu found it difficult to keep a straight face, frowning as he said, ¡°If you don¡¯t understand, why don¡¯t you ask the schoolteacher?¡± ¡°To answer the teacher,¡± Guo Jin said earnestly, ¡°the tutor has said, ¡®Read a book a hundred times, and its meaning will reveal itself.¡¯ I have now read it sixty-seven times.¡± Ha ha ha ha ha! Jiang Liyanughed so hard he almost rolled on the ground, and Wei Dongliu also started to hesitate. The young man¡¯s first impression on him was actually quite good, but now it seemed¡­ This wasn¡¯t honesty and earnestness; it was starting to look like foolishness! He subconsciously thought about giving up and leaving, but then he thought that, since the youth¡¯s name was ¡°Guo Jin,¡± could he be the embodiment of apparent foolishness but hidden wisdom, the ssicalte bloomer? ¡°Let me ask you,¡± Wei Dongliu continued, ¡°if you have read a hundred times and still don¡¯t understand, what will you do?¡± ¡°I would then go and consult my tutor,¡± Guo Jin replied. ¡°What if the tutor says that if you still don¡¯t understand after a hundred reads, it means you have no talent for studying, what would you do then?¡± Upon hearing this, Guo Jin¡¯s thick brows knitted, and it took him a long while to speak:
¡°Then I will find another tutor and continue learning.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Wei Dongliu was somewhat surprised, ¡°Why would you do that?¡± If Guo Jin had said ¡°then I shall not read,¡± he was certain to turn around and leave immediately, but he had not expected this young man to show a stubborn side. ¡°Replying to the teacher,¡± Guo Jin earnestly said, ¡°my mother once said before she passed away, ¡®One must not listen blindly to what others say about right and wrong, merit and fault.¡¯¡± ¡°If the tutor says I have no talent for studying, then I must first verify whether it is true or not; otherwise, it would be ¡®blindly believing others¡¯ words¡¯ and go against my mother¡¯s admonition.¡± Wei Dongliu pondered for a moment, his thoughts slightly altered. It seemed that this young man was not foolish, just simple-minded, as shown by his adherence to histe mother¡¯s words as his guiding principle. In other words, being simple-minded often equates to ¡°loyalty,¡± which happens to be the quality Wei Dongliu valued most at this moment. ¡°Your mother has passed away, do you have any other family members left?¡± he continued, asking gently. ¡°No more,¡± Guo Jin shook his head, ¡°Before she died, my mother sold the house for money and entrusted the vige head to hand it over to the private school so that I could stay there to study.¡± Wei Dongliu nodded. This mother was quite shrewd. Guo Jin, having lost his mother at a young age, was unlikely to keep the family property, which, in the end, would inevitably be divided by ¡°distant rtives from who knows where.¡± So by selling the property in advance, and using the vige head as a guarantee (the vige head definitely benefited from this) to deliver it to a city private school in exchange for a ce for Guo Jin to stay and study, seemed like an apprenticeship, in essence.
The private school received a hefty tuition fee, and with the vige head¡¯s guarantee and oversight, they naturally would not refuse Guo Jin¡¯s enrollment. If Guo Jin excelled in his studies, the private school would do its best to nurture him, and even bing a schr would bring honor to the tutors. If he did not perform well, then the private school would eventually get tired of him and wouldn¡¯t let him stay indefinitely¡­ but by that time, he would likely be literate and able to write, so helping the vigers draft family letters and such, he would manage to make a living. This mother had truly done her utmost to arrange for her son before she died. ¡°Let me ask you,¡± continuing with this in mind, Wei Dongliu spoke gravely, ¡°would you be willing to learn the ¡®Way¡¯ with me?¡± Guo Jin paused for a moment and asked: ¡°What is ¡®the Way¡¯?¡± Wei Dongliu was immediately stumped. That question is a bit terrifying! What is ¡®the Way¡¯ speaks directly to the ultimate truth. Laozi once said, ¡°The Way that can be told is not the eternal Way,¡± meaning the ¡®Way¡¯ that you can understand at your level is not the real eternal ¡®Way.¡¯ Seeing that Wei Dongliu couldn¡¯t answer, Guo Jin kindly said: ¡°Thank you for your high regard, but for the time being, I have no intention of seeking another master. You should still seek someone more capable.¡± You¡¯ve used the idiom ¡°seek someone more capable¡± wrong! Wei Dongliu left the school with a sagging face, only to see Jiang Liyan covering his mouth with his left hand, leaning against the wall with his right hand, his shoulders shaking uncontrobly.
¡°What are youughing at, fellow Daoist Jiang?¡± he asked, feigning indifference. ¡°I am notughing,¡± Jiang Liyan tried to make his voice sound calm. ¡°You are clearlyughing!¡± Wei Dongliu red up indignantly, ¡°You haven¡¯t stopped!¡± Chapter 148: 10 It Doesn’t Matter if She’s a Witch as Long as She’s Cute Chapter 148: Chapter 10 It Doesn¡¯t Matter if She¡¯s a Witch as Long as She¡¯s Cute In the courtyard, Jiang Liyan finally had enough ofughing and started to console Wei Dongliu with feigned sympathy. ¡°It¡¯s alright, Daoist Wei. I think that kid is pretty stupid, doesn¡¯t seem like he¡¯d make a good cultivator at all. How about we visit some other private schools?¡± Wei Dongliu nced at him, his face expressionless. What he was looking for was not an heir to pass on his mantle, but a trustworthy and loyal confidant¡­ Of course, he couldn¡¯t tell Jiang the Witch directly. After calming down for a moment, Wei Dongliu came up with a new n and discussed it with Jiang the Witch while smiling: Guo Jin is supposed to listen to his tutor, isn¡¯t he? If I can get the tutor on my side, won¡¯t I have that kid wrapped around my finger? Jiang the Witch fell silent upon hearing this, her thoughts whirling: What¡¯s with Wei Dongliu, why is he so fixated on that boy? Could it be that the young man named Guo Jin possesses some special cultivation talent? After pondering for a moment, she dismissed that guess:
No! Before we even came here, Wei Dongliu had already decided to find an ¡°obedient andpliant¡± disciple. His desire to take Guo Jin under his wing must be for the same reason, unlikely due to any ¡°cultivation talent.¡± Time passed, and soon the old tutor was seen returning, staggering with a string of cured meat in tow, clearly drunk. Wei Dongliu approached him and asked directly: ¡°Old sir, do you have a disciple named Guo Jin?¡± The old tutor looked up on hearing this, about to burst into anger, but then abruptly held back. Shangdang City is close to the south of Taihang Mountains, where Demon Cult Cultivators oftene to gather materials; hence, themon folk are very cautious, aware of the distinction between ¡°mortals and immortals¡± and ¡°being at someone¡¯s mercy.¡± Though the man and woman before him did not seem overly arrogant, they alsocked the respect that juniors should have for their elders. They directly inquired about his disciple¡­ What if they were cultivators? Thinking this, the old tutor was so frightened that he sobered up a bit and stammered: ¡°He is not my disciple, just that his mother has him stay at the private school¡­ May I ask what business do you two have? Perhaps this old man could be of some help¡­¡± ¡°This child is fated to be with me, and I wish for him to study the Dao with me,¡± Wei Dongliu dered bluntly. Indeed a cultivator! The old tutor quickly began nodding like a pecking chicken, saying: ¡°It¡¯s truly his fortune from a past life that an immortal like you would take notice of Guo Jin! I will immediately go and make things clear to him!¡± Leading the two back to the ssroom, Guo Jin saw the old tutor storming in and quickly got up to greet him, but the old tutor stopped him with both hands on his shoulders and said with a big smile: ¡°Guo Jin, I¡¯ve watched you grow up since you were little, and I¡¯ve always known that you are destined for great fortune!¡± ¡°Now that an immortal master wants to take you as a disciple, your good fortune has arrived. Go pack up your things and follow the master.¡± Guo Jin waspletely dumbfounded and after a long pause replied: ¡°But¡­¡± ¡°No buts!¡± The old tutor knew what he was going to say; it must be all that ¡°I cannot switch to another master¡± nonsense.
Of course, he knew all too well Guo Jin¡¯s honesty and stubbornness. But the person interested in him now was a cultivator! If they just decided to kill him with a casual sword strike and then coldly said, ¡°Now you have no master,¡± where could he go to make his case? Therefore, without letting him finish, the old tutor cut him off:
¡°Your mother had you stay at my private school, but she never said you had to study with me!¡± ¡°In fact, your mother had already spoken to the vige chief and me, saying that if there was a chance, she wanted to send you to a better ce to study. Now hasn¡¯t that opportunitye?¡± As soon as the old tutor mentioned his mother, Guo Jin indeed fell for it and said honestly: ¡°If the tutormands it, Guo Jin dares not disobey.¡± He rose from his seat to stand, first kneeling before Wei Dongliu and gave him a loud kowtow: ¡°Disciple pays respects to Master!¡± ¡°Good,¡± Wei Dongliu nodded and said. ording to the customs of ordinary people, taking on a disciple usually involved giving gifts, but he naturally did not care for such formalities. Guo Jin straightened his upper body, hesitantly looking towards Jiang Liyan next to him. Clearly, this elder sister hade with the master. It wouldn¡¯t be right not to pay respects, but what should he address her as if he did? Suddenly, as if inspired, he turned around and also gave Jiang the Witch a loud kowtow: ¡°Disciple pays respects to Master¡¯s wife!¡± Wei Dongliu almost burst outughing. Jiang Liyan was also taken aback but quickly recovered, not denying it, merely smiling as she reached into her sleeve, pulled out a silver needle, and said:
¡°Good child. I didn¡¯t bring anything else, only a ¡®Chaste Girl¡¯s Yin Needle.¡¯ I¡¯ll give it to you as a meeting gift.¡± Guo Jin, however, did not reach out to ept it but instead observed the strange look on Wei Dongliu¡¯s face, immediately sensing that something was amiss, and cautiously said: ¡°With my teacher present, your disciple does not dare to ept¡­¡± ¡°ept it,¡± Wei Dongliu sighed. As for his rtionship with Jiang Liyan, there was no need to rify that here¡ªnot with the unrted old school teacher still present! ¡°Congrattions to the Immortal Master on epting a disciple!¡± The old school teacher, noticing his unfriendly gaze, quickly said, ¡°I¡¯ll go fetch Guo Jin¡¯s bedding and clothes¡­¡± ¡°No need,¡± Wei Dongliu waved his hand, then left the ssroom with Jiang Liyan and Guo Jin. Both of them produced Sword Light, simultaneously wrapping the unsuspecting Guo Jin in it and shooting directly into the sky. Watching the two disappear in a sh of light, the old school teacher stood in a daze for a while before copsing onto the ground, having broken out into a cold sweat from fright. Taking Guo Jin back to Shiping Mountain, Wei Dongliu waved his sleeve to disable the Formation, and propelled Sword Light to enter. Jiang Liyan, without a word, cheekily followed. Passing through the long, narrow rocky crevices, the two arrived at the belly of Shiping Mountain. Upon seeing the scenery in the valley, Jiang Liyan¡¯s expression suddenly changed. She saw that the marshy area by theke, which had previously been overgrown with wildflowers and weeds, had been mostly cleared out, with only the more attractive ones transnted elsewhere, and various Spiritual Herbs and Elixirs nted in their ce.
Around the perimeter, many stone houses had been constructed. Their arrangement, seemingly random and disorderly as if carelessly ced, subtly hinted at the intention of Qimen Dunjia, the mystical intricacies hidden within. Jiang the Witch suddenly recalled that the style and arrangement of these stone houses seemed familiar, as if she had seen them in ancient illustrations from the Intercepting Cult within the Heavenly Demon Path¡ªat least, theyout was simr. Of course, she didn¡¯t understand the knowledge of Formations and couldn¡¯t recognize the profound intricacies within¡­ but she could tell that there was an extremely formidable Formation here! This person is truly well-versed in Formations? He has hidden it well! Wei Dongliu heard the Kunlun Mirror indicate that the Synchronization Value of his mysterious persona was rising rapidly, thinking to himself that Jiang the Witch was indeed adorable. All notions of ill intent, all thoughts of cunning schemes, none of it mattered. After all, this was Demon Cult territory; could you really expect that any Cultivator you meet should be of the benevolent kind? In any case, as long as she¡¯s cute, that settles it! While he rejoiced inwardly, his expression remained impassive as he turned to Guo Jin and said: ¡°Your teacher¡¯s secr surname is Wei. This is Jiang the Cultivator, do not mistake her identity again in the future.¡± ¡°Disciple has seen Elder Jiang,¡± Guo Jin hastily apologized, unsettled, ¡°I am truly ashamed of my earlier mistake¡­¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a matter of address, it doesn¡¯t matter,¡± Jiang Liyan said cheerfully, ¡°Wei the Cultivator surely wouldn¡¯t mind, right?¡± Wei Dongliu: ¡­¡­ He did not pay attention to Jiang Liyan, simply continuing to speak with Guo Jin:
¡°Our sect is called the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect, upholding the ancient teachings of the Real Person of the Tai Yi Mystic Profundity from the Intercepting Cult. Remember this well.¡± ¡°Yes, your disciple will remember it,¡± Guo Jin recited silently several times, stating earnestly. The Real Person of the Tai Yi Mystic Profundity from ancient times? Jiang Liyan also noted it silently in her heart, nning to return to Biyun Pce and thoroughly research the details behind this name. Chapter 149: 11 Jiang the Witch Continues to Probe Chapter 149: Chapter 11 Jiang the Witch Continues to Probe ¡°` Ancient Intercepting Cult Tai Yi Mystic Profound True Person¡­ Inside the Biyun Pce, Jiang Liyan stood in front of the vast sea of bookshelves and patiently began to search by name, repeatedly muttering this name in her heart. Ah, there it is. She found a bamboo slip, held it in her hands, and carefully opened it. ording to ancient records, after the end of the rify-Intercept war, the great powers each went into hiding, and the Cultivation Realm entered a long period of calm. And then it began to enter the Age of Dharma Decline. The Tai Yi Mystic Profound True Person was a great power of the Intercepting Cult during the Age of Dharma Decline. His prowessy in his proficiency in multiple disciplines: profound Daoist magic, sharp swordsmanship, powerful magical treasures, and also being well-versed and talented, proficient in all sorts of side and minor paths, even his Qi Refining Technique was self-created. The Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect he established was also once one of the strongest sects of the Intercepting Cult, but it was severely damaged when the Intercepting Cult fell, and its subsequent rise and decline were uncertain, eventually its teachingspletely ceased four thousand years ago. Reading up to this point, Jiang the Witch began to ponder in silence.
Tai Yi Mystic Profound True Person indeed existed, and was also the founding ancestor of the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect. This was not widely known in the Mortal Life Path, after all, not everyone is interested in ancient history. Knowing this name, the so-called ¡°idental inheritance from ancient times¡± that Wei Dongliu mentioned seemed to gain a bit more credibility. On the other side, within the quiet chamber in Shiping Mountain, Wei Dongliu was teaching Guo Jin ¡°Exorcising Supreme Spirit Division of Purity and Turbidity Sutra¡±: ¡°¡­not the same as harnessing the yin qi of the secluded valleys, seeking the spiritual essence of galloping horses, traversing seas in search of salvation, or riding feathered chariots on fire mountains. One must be cautious, indeed be cautious.¡± Having said this, he stopped the exnation and asked, ¡°Did you understand?¡± ¡°No,¡± Guo Jin honestly shook his head. Wei Dongliu fell silent. This was what, the seventh time he had exined it? ¡°Where don¡¯t you understand?¡± He suppressed his impatience and asked again. Guo Jin then mentioned several points he didn¡¯t understand, and Wei Dongliu answered each one. ¡°Now your disciple almost understands,¡± Guo Jin pondered for a long time before finally speaking dully. ¡°Go practice!¡± Wei Dongliu waved his hand broadly. Leaving the quiet chamber, he found that Jiang Liyan was standing by thekeside, staring absentmindedly at the Spirit Grass nted in the hollow. When renovating the valley, Wei Dongliu had taken the opportunity to visit Peni once, where he purchased various materials needed to run a sect, such as nt seeds, furniture, utensils, and also brought the Hundred Poison Gold Silkworm Gu with him. Although it seemed somewhat in and simplepared to many small sects, it was basically suitable for long-term habitation. ¡°Wei Daoist Friend, your Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect residence is indeed well-designed,¡± Jiang Liyan spoke with a cheerful smile, ¡°Though the sparrow is small, all its vital organs are intact.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just a minor skill of carving,¡± Wei Dongliu waved off thepliment, ¡°Would Daoist Friend Jiang like to have a look around?¡±
¡°This mountain belly was discovered by me first; is there a ce I haven¡¯t been to?¡± Jiang Liyan¡¯s eyes flickered, ¡°How about I take Wei Daoist Friend to tour the Taihang Mountains for a few days, and we can also gather some necessities along the way.¡± Wei Dongliu pondered for a moment, thinking it would be a good opportunity to understand the real situation of the Mortal Life Path, and then nodded in agreement: ¡°Good.¡± After telling Guo Jin not to go out and leaving him a thousand-year-old Polygonum multiflorum for sustenance, Wei Dongliu followed Jiang Liyan out of Shiping Mountain and flew northward along the Taihang Mountain Range.
¡°Wei Daoist Friend,¡± Jiang Liyan suddenly said, ¡°In former times, the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect once controlled the entire Mortal Life Path, epassing the whole Taihang Mountain Range within the sect residence.¡± ¡°` ¡°Compared to the current situation, which is as scattered as sand, it truly makes one sigh with regret.¡± Wei Dongliu was fully aware of her probing intentions and said indifferently, ¡°There is a regrity to the heavens, and whates together must eventually part. How could any sectst for ten thousand years? I now only want to restore the Daoist orthodoxy of my sect; let¡¯s not talk about the rest.¡± ¡°Wei Daoist friend is truly open-minded,¡± said Jiang the Witch as she narrowed her eyes slightly, seeing that he was not taking the bait, ¡°If the cycles of the Heavenly Dao dictate such retribution, then the Three Pure Orthodox Sect should also face difficulties for it to be fair.¡± Her words wereden with meaning, prompting Wei Dongliu to recall the dragon n¡¯s turmoil at Shushan and to be more vignt internally. However, he casually responded, ¡°There is a regrity to the heavens, yet it doesn¡¯t follow a sequence of orderly changes, but rather, survival of the fittest.¡± ¡°The strong prevail, simply upying the world. In time, they can¡¯t help but becent, and from strong, they turn to weak, which is why prosperity is bound to decline.¡± ¡°What a concept, ¡®survival of the fittest, prosperity bound to decline!¡¯¡± Jiang Liyan pped her hands andughed. ¡°Wei Daoist friend, your words are absolutely in line with the spirit of our Intercepting Cult!¡± ¡°It¡¯s known that the Dao has fifty paths, and the heavens evolve from forty-nine, leaving one unounted for. This one element, I shall seize it. After all, it all boils down to one word, ¡®struggle¡¯!¡± Her eyes sparkled as she spoke, and her lips curled into a seductive smile as she said, ¡°During the ancient struggle between the rify Cult and the Intercepting Cult, we, the Intercepting Cult, fell due to ourck of strength, but it was misrepresented by the rify Cult as the destiny set by the Heavenly Dao, which is utterly ridiculous!¡±
¡°One day, if the Three Pure Orthodox Sect falls in session, I would really like to know if they dare say it¡¯s the result of destiny!¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Wei Dongliu feigned interest and asked, ¡°Listening to Jiang Daoist friend, it seems the Orthodox Sect¡¯s Three Pure Ones are about to encounter disaster?¡± Jiang Liyan continued smiling but did not answer directly, instead counter-questioning, ¡°If Wei Daoist friend were to lead the six paths of the Demon Cult against the Orthodox Sect¡¯s Three Pure Ones, what would your strategy and arrangements be?¡± After pondering for a moment, Wei Dongliu said, ¡°If I were to arrange the attack? I would certainly make a direct assault on Shushan andunch a surprise attack on Peni.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Jiang Liyan appeared slightly startled, ¡°Why is that?¡± ¡°The Shushan Sword Immortals seek enlightenment between life and death and thus are extremely prone to battle.¡± Wei Dongliu said with a smile, ¡°If we attack the other two sects, the Shushan Sword Immortal will surelye to their aid.¡± ¡°So the intention is to attack Shushan first, to tie down their capacity to help,¡± mused Jiang the Witch thoughtfully, ¡°Then what about the surprise attack on Peni? Why not Kunlun?¡± ¡°Because among the Three Cults, Peni is the weakest and Kunlun the strongest,¡± Wei Dongliu replied. ¡°Why would one forsake the weak to attack the strong?¡± ¡°Moreover, even Peni, being the weakest, isn¡¯t something the six paths of the Demon Cult could easily defeat. Peni excels in Artifact Refining and Alchemy; the benefits of conquering Peni would certainly far exceed those of seizing Kunlun.¡± Jiang Liyan fell silent for a long while, then suddenly said, ¡°Wei Daoist friend wasn¡¯t just fortuitously receiving your sect¡¯s legacy, were you? How is it you know so much about the situation in the Cultivation Realm?¡±
¡°Since I need to enter the Cultivation Realm, naturally I had to inquire clearly about all parties involved,¡± said Wei Dongliu lightly. These words, falling into Jiang Liyan¡¯s ears and matching his mysterious persona, immediately took on a different tone. This person¡­ could actually deduce so much information without any clues? Jiang the Witch was secretly awe-struck. If it were another Demon Cult Cultivator,ing to these conclusions based on the understanding of the Cultivation Realm¡¯s situation wouldn¡¯t be strange, but Wei Dongliu had only recently joined the Mortal Life Path, hadn¡¯t he? Before that, he imed to have been a wandering Loose Cultivator, so how could he possibly know so much? There¡¯s definitely something off about this person! At the very least, he can¡¯t be just an ordinary Loose Cultivator! Jiang Liyan was thoroughly convinced of this internally, yet outwardly she chatted warmly and smilingly with him. Wei Dongliu was unruffled, simply listening as the Kunlun Mirror reported a Synchronization Value +1 alert, his mood bing even more ted. As Jiang Liyan grew more suspicious about his origins, the synchronization value of his mysterious persona rose higher and higher, and he could feel the innate abilities of the Chaotic Demon Body gradually revealing themselves. If he couldter obtain Demonic Techniques or a Demon Cult Magical Treasure, as long as he activated it with Demonic Qi, he would be able to unleash power beyond the ordinary! Chapter 150: 12 No One Understands Sword Casting Better Than Me Chapter 150: Chapter 12 No One Understands Sword Casting Better Than Me The two traversed theyered Taihang Mountains and finally arrived at Mount Cloud tform. Here, within Taihang Mountain, was thergest ¡°Cloud tform Market,¡± a ce for internal trading for the Mortal Life Path as well as a free market for loose cultivators from outside. Before they officially entered the market, Jiang Liyan magically produced two masks, handing over the dog-faced one to Wei Dongliu. ¡°Do we have to wear masks to enter the Mount Wutai Market?¡± Wei Dongliu took the mask and asked hesitantly. ¡°Not necessarily,¡± replied Jiang the Witch straightforwardly. ¡°Unless you don¡¯t mind being chased down for assassination after leaving the market¡­¡± Before she finished speaking, Wei Dongliu sighed and put on the dog-faced mask. Jiang Liyan also put on her cat-faced mask, then led him into the market. As soon as Wei Dongliu stepped into the market, surprise filled his gaze. What a wildly demonic spectacle! He saw that almost everyone in the market was dressed in dark, long robes. Those with ck robes wore ck, and those without wore grey or brown, their faces also hidden behind a variety of masks, making them look like smuggling operatives. No wonder Jiang the Witch suggested I wear a mask. If I were to go in there with my bare face, I would immediately be the center of everyone¡¯s attention.
Although in fact, this face also wore the invisible mask of Mirror Flower Water Moon¡­ ¡°What do you n to buy?¡± asked Jiang Liyan, turning her head. The clear and coquettish voice, coupled with a cute cat-head mask,pletely belied any trace of a witch¡¯s demeanor. ¡°Let¡¯s start with some Flying Swords and Magical Treasures,¡± answered Wei Dongliu. The supply of resources in the sect was primarily procured by Luo Yan from Peni Yuqing View. However, as a righteous sect, whether it was Flying Swords or Magical Treasures, Yuqing View produced them bright and righteous, without any trace of Demonic Qi in their insidious Magic Artifacts. Wei Dongliu¡¯s talent was the ¡°Chaotic Demon Body,¡± which allowed him to harness Demonic Qi to drive Daoist Magic, Flying Swords, and Magical Treasures, granting an enhancement due to his unique physique; thus, his corresponding Magic Artifacts naturally had to be switched to the ¡°Demonic Qi model.¡± ¡°If you want Magic Artifacts, then we have to look for Smokey Old Ghost,¡± Jiang Liyan mused, her chin propped up by her finger. ¡°Smokey Old Ghost?¡± Wei Dongliu asked, puzzled. ¡°Yeah, he¡¯s a senior who uses smoky Magical Treasures to conceal his form. You¡¯ll know him when you see him,¡± Jiang Liyan exined as she led him through twists and turns, finally finding a stall in a corner of the market. At the stall, there was just a long table with a variety of Flying Swords and Magical Treasures on it, gleaming primarily in ck and purple with tinges of grey and brown, radiating intense Ghost Qi and a sinister aura, clearly all insidious in nature. But standing behind the table, was an incredibly dense cloud of smoke,pletely obscuring whoever was within. ¡°Smokey Old Ghost,¡± Jiang the Witch greeted him nonchntly, ¡°You¡¯ve set up your stall today, huh? Where¡¯s your wife fromst time?¡± ¡°Heh heh heh,¡± the smoke emitted a raspy, gratingugh, like the sound of something scraping on sandpaper. ¡°That olddy of mine has already been killed. Little Witch, if you want to take her ce, now¡¯s your chance.¡± ¡°Who would be interested in an old guy like you!¡± Jiang Liyan scoffed with a sneer, dismissing him. ¡°Wasn¡¯t thatdy of yours quite obedient? How did she not manage tost even a month?¡± ¡°She made me dumplings in the morning and without even asking, she put coriander in them!¡± the smoke grumbled incessantly. ¡°Such a stinky thing, how could an old man like me possibly stomach it!¡± ¡°So I had to kill her with a palm strike, then ced her head in my cave dwelling. That way, the next woman I find knows to ask for my opinion when she¡¯s cooking¡­ What, the one beside you, is she your new sweetheart?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t talk nonsense, or the Heavenly Demon Path might snatch you and wring your tongue!¡± Jiang Liyan picked up a magical treasure, examined it closely for a moment, then turned to Wei Dongliu and said, ¡°This Smoky Old Ghost is one of the best Artifact Refiners in the Taihang Mountains; everything he sells is of high grade, it¡¯s just a bit pricey.¡± ¡°Of course, the only thing I have to show off is my Artifact Forging skill,¡± boasted Smoky Old Ghost, ¡°I charge ten percent more than the market rate in spirit stones, fair and square, no bargaining.¡±
Wei Dongliu picked up a Flying Sword from the table and looked it over back and forth before asking, ¡°A Ninth Rank Flying Sword made from Ghost Vine Wood? The craftsmanship is indeed exquisite, but why was Corrosion Water added?¡± ¡°Without Corrosion Water, how can the Yin Soul within be purified?¡± Smoky Old Ghost scoffed disdainfully, ¡°The stench of decay permeates it, lingering for a long time; can you stand it?¡± ¡°Then why did you use the blood and flesh of children to nurture the Ghost Vine Wood?¡± Wei Dongliu shook his head, ¡°Mortal flesh, although rich in murky energy, is inevitably impure.¡±
¡°Even if you pick young children who have consumed little grain, it cannot possibly be pure.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t spout nonsense!¡± Smoky Old Ghost suddenly roared in irritation, ¡°If not the blood and flesh of children, then what? Infant blood and flesh aren¡¯t enough for sword casting by volume, and using more infants would make it even more impure¡­¡± ¡°Why fixate on mortal flesh and blood?¡± Wei Dongliu sighed, ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard of Nether Yin Soul Stones?¡± ¡°Nether¡­¡± Smoky Old Ghost had only uttered two words before the rest got stuck in his throat. Who didn¡¯t know that Nether Yin Soul Stones were more suitable for sword casting than mortal flesh? But that item only grew in ces heavy with ghost qi like Mass Burial Mounds or deep under the ground of ancient battlefields, which weren¡¯t easy to find at all. ¡°Hmm, to think you know about Nether Yin Soul Stones; I underestimated you,¡± Smoky Old Ghost thought hard to himself, then finally said, ¡°I get it; you¡¯re implying you¡¯re an expert too, telling me not to try to fool you with these inferior goods on the table, right?¡± Jiang Liyan: ??? For a moment, the expression beneath her mask was extremely vivid. Her previous words of praise for Smoky Old Ghost still hung in the air, yet now it felt as though she was being harshly pped. Wei Dongliu remained nomittal, just continued after hearing the notification that his Synchronization Value had increased: ¡°After the devastation of the Chanjiao, the art of Ancient Artifact Forging was lost as well. How good can a Ninth Rank magical treasure Flying Sword really be? If you can¡¯t produce a Tenth Rank magic artifact, then let¡¯s not waste our time here.¡± ¡°Such audacity in the youth, daring indeed!¡± Smoky Old Ghostughed heartily and then suddenly waved his smoky arm, clearing everything from the table, ¡°What exactly do you want? A magical treasure, or a Flying Sword?¡± ¡°Bring out an Eleventh Rank Immortal Sword first,¡± Wei Dongliu stated gravely. A sword suddenly flew out of the smoke and ttered onto the table.
¡°Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword,¡± Smoky Old Ghost said sinisterly, ¡°This sword is forged from Netherworld Yin Iron, washed with Netherworld water for forty-nine days, possessing the might to snatch souls and control minds. Does it meet your requirements?¡± ¡°Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword?¡± Jiang Liyan suddenly spoke up in reminder, ¡°Isn¡¯t that the Eleventh Rank Immortal Sword that Nether Ghost Path has been seeking for years?¡± ¡°Indeed, that¡¯s the one,¡± Smoky Old Ghost snorted, ¡°If it weren¡¯t for the fear of using this sword outside and having those mad dogs of the Nether Ghost Pathe knocking, why would I even consider selling it here?¡± ¡°Wei friend,¡± Jiang the Witch chuckled coldly several times, her voice ethereal, ¡°The sword¡¯s features are all too prevalent. Every strike brings a wail of a hundred ghosts; it simply cannot be concealed.¡± ¡°If you buy this sword, unless you keep it boxed up and unused, sooner orter word will reach the ears of the Nether Ghost Path¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯ll take it!¡± Wei Dongliu dered resolutely. Chapter 151: 13: Obtained the 11th-Rank Immortal Sword Chapter 151: Chapter 13: Obtained the 11th-Rank Immortal Sword Because the disparity between the upper and lower limits of Tenth Rank Immortal Swords is so vast, many cultivators jokingly refer to the particrly powerful and famous ones as ¡°Eleventh Rank Immortal Swords.¡± The Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword is also considered to be among the more renowned levels among Immortal Swords. Although it does notpare to the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword or the Dual Prity Dust Sword, it roughly meets the threshold of the Eleventh Rank. Moreover, ording to ancient texts, there should also be a ¡°Thousand Demons Soul Sword,¡± forged by the hands of the same Ancient Artifact Forging Master. However,ter on, the Thousand Demons Soul Sword for some reason disappeared without a trace, leaving only the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword passed down through the lineage of the Intercepting Cult at Skull Mountain, boasting various terrifying achievements in battle. So it was only natural for the Nether Ghost Path to regard it as a symbol of their doctrine and to search for it desperately, at all costs. If it were any other Immortal Sword, Smoke Old Ghost definitely wouldn¡¯t have made a move, but this sword¡¯s emergence caused such amotion, and with the Nether Ghost Path being a well-known mad dog within the Demon Cult, it forced him to use it ndestinely. Better to sell it. Wei Dongliu decisively dered, ¡°I¡¯ll buy it,¡± which immediately sent Smoke Old Ghost into a frenzy of joy. But the next second, he was pulled aside by Jiang Liyan, and the two of them started whispering closely. ¡°My friend Wei, there are indeed problems with that sword,¡± Jiang the Witch earnestly advised, ¡°Legend has it that every time it is activated, various ghastly criesment loudly, reverberating within a hundred miles, and it¡¯s utterly impossible to hide.¡± ¡°The Nether Ghost Path views this sword as the lost treasure meant to stabilize their sect. If they learn that you possess this sword, they will definitely stop at nothing to kill their way to your doorstep¡­ unless you lock it up forever and never reveal it. But if that¡¯s the case, what¡¯s the point of buying this sword?¡±
¡°For collection.¡± Wei Dongliu said. Jiang Liyan: ¡­¡­ ¡°You¡¯re right,¡± Wei Dongliu suddenly said loudly on purpose, then turned his head and looked at the Immortal Sword reluctantly, saying, ¡°Still, it¡¯s impossible to wield it openly, and if I buy it, it¡¯s likely to rot away in my possession.¡± Smoke Old Ghost: ¡­¡­ ¡°Enough is enough!¡± Seeing the other party¡¯s intention, he impatiently said, ¡°If you want to start bargaining, then bargain. You go first with a price.¡± ¡°Forty High Grade Spirit Stones,¡± Wei Dongliu said. ¡°How about this¡ªI give you forty High Grade Spirit Stones, and if you can buy an Eleventh Rank Immortal Sword for this price from anywhere else, I¡¯ll give you the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword for free, alright?¡± Smoke Old Ghost said hopelessly. ¡°That¡¯s different,¡± Wei Dongliu argued, ¡°This sword can¡¯t be used openly without attracting the Nether Ghost Path, so how can it be valued at a normal price?¡± ¡°Moreover, after I buy your sword, I still have to be vignt that you don¡¯t go straight to the Nether Ghost Path to betray me afterpleting the trade. I¡¯m taking on a risk here, you know?¡± ¡°What the hell would I betray!¡± Smoke Old Ghost burst out in anger, ¡°If the Nether Ghost Path asks me how I knew the sword was in your hands, and I tell them I sold it to you myself, won¡¯t the Nether Ghost Path crush my bones and scatter my ashes? Two hundred High Grade Spirit Stones, take it or leave it!¡± ¡°Two hundred is definitely too much,¡± Wei Dongliu began to bargain skillfully, ¡°These are High Grade Spirit Stones! Unless there is a massive vein of Spirit Stones in one¡¯s family, who could afford two hundred High Grade Spirit Stones? It wouldn¡¯t sell for even a thousand years! How about one hundred¡ªI could bite the bullet and offer that.¡± ¡°One hundred, you might as well buy a scabbard,¡± Smoke Old Ghost scoffed, ¡°If you can¡¯t afford two hundred, why should I sell it to you? Couldn¡¯t I sell it to some rich Sect?¡± ¡°Wake up, if you go to a Sect, it¡¯s as good as seeking your own death, alright?¡± Wei Dongliuughed, ¡°So the Sect buys the sword and doesn¡¯t kill you, waiting for you to go and snitch to the Nether Ghost Path, right?¡± Smoke Old Ghost fell silent. The reason he did not sell the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword to the major sects was exactly due to such concerns: Sects cannot ensure that, after the transaction isplete, he wouldn¡¯t go to the Nether Ghost Path to betray them for a second payment, so they would definitely need to eliminate him to seal the news about the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Swordpletely, eliminating the possibility of leakage. In other words, Smoke Old Ghost could only opt to sell to Loose Cultivators, as they carry no burdens and can flee across the world at any time without risking their lives in a fight to silence him. However, a Loose Cultivator who could afford two hundred Spirit Stones was probably rarer than an Eleventh Rank Immortal Sword¡­ ¡°160.¡± The Smokey Old Ghost decided to concede.
To him, even if it was a Tenth Rank Immortal Sword, if it couldn¡¯t be used, it was equivalent to trash, and might even attract the Nether Ghost Path, making it a hot potato. ¡°140.¡± Wei Dongliu said indifferently, ¡°Recently, the exchange rate between high grade and intermediate grade Spirit Stones has risen to nearly one to one hundred and twenty; the price has to be adjusted ordingly.¡± ¡°Tch.¡± The Smokey Old Ghost¡¯s brows furrowed tightly, and his thoughts sank. In just a few minutes of conversation, this dog-headed customer had shown his rich knowledge of artifact forging, an urate grasp of market trends, and an extremely cunning and shameless style.
He truly was one of the most troublesome and disgusting customers he had ever encountered over the years. He even had a suspicion that this person could not possibly be a Loose Cultivator, but more likely a Direct Disciple from some major sect; otherwise, it would be impossible to exin the qualities he exhibited. This wouldn¡¯t do; he had to get out of there fast, or if he stayed a moment toote, he might be blocked by the other party outside the Cloud tform market! ¡°140 it is!¡± he gritted his teeth and said, ¡°But I want cash! Paid in full and at once!¡± Wei Dongliu nodded and pulled out a Storage Bag from his sleeve. Although there were no mines at his home, Luo Yan was after all with the Heavenly Craft Workshop, an incredibly lucrative ce. He had saved up almost 150 high grade Spirit Stones in this period, all of which he brought to Wei Dongliu for his startup. Little did he know he¡¯d spend them all today. As each high grade Spirit Stone fell onto the table, both the Smokey Old Ghost and Jiang Liyan¡¯s breathing became heavy. This man was actually so wealthy, to carry so many high grade Spirit Stones on his person! ¡°That¡¯s it,¡± Wei Dongliu closed up his Storage Bag, ¡°Count them and we canplete the transaction.¡± The Smokey Old Ghost swallowed, forcefully suppressing the urge to snatch the Spirit Stones and run. He just tossed over the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword and started counting the weight of the Spirit Stones quickly. After a quick tally, the Smokey Old Ghost let out a low chuckle as the smoke around him suddenly stretched into a line and he swiftly shot up into the sky, vanishing from sight. ¡°The Smokey Old Ghost just ran off like that?¡± Jiang Liyan said, puzzled. ¡°Mhm, there¡¯s no problem with the goods.¡± Wei Dongliu spoke indifferently, tucking away the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, ready to take it back for refinement.
Bumbling upon an Eleventh Rank Immortal Sword this time, although it was one of the inferior ones within its rank, and also a hot potato that was inconvenient to wield¡­ such a gain still far exceeded his expectations. Not to mention that during the process, both Jiang the Witch and the Smokey Old Ghost contributed countless Synchronization Value to his mysterious persona. When he returns, he will be able to harness the Chaotic Demon Body¡¯s innate talent, first extracting Pure Demonic Qi and then refining the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword! ¡°Congrattions to Wei for fulfilling your long-cherished wish,¡± Jiang Liyan said with a soft smile, suppressing the greed in his heart, ¡°The Forbidden Technique sealed within the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword targets the three souls and seven spirits of a person, notorious for being unpredictable and hard to defend against.¡± ¡°Even the wailing of the myriad ghosts when it is activated has the effect of shaking one¡¯s mind¡­ it¡¯s just that the sound is too loud, truly impossible to hide from others¡¯ ears.¡± ¡°No need to worry, Jiang,¡± Wei Dongliu said warmly, ¡°I have my ways to handle the wailing of the myriad ghosts.¡± Indeed! Jiang Liyan shuddered internally. This guy dared to buy the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword because he was confident he had a solution for the wailing of the myriad ghosts! But¡­ a problem that even the Smokey Old Ghost couldn¡¯t solve, he actually had a way to fix. Could he be even more skilled in artifact forging than the Smokey Old Ghost? Wei Dongliu, who in the world are you? [Mysterious persona, Synchronization Value +1.] Chapter 152: 14: When in Doubt within, Consult Qing Ping Chapter 152: Chapter 14: When in Doubt within, Consult Qing Ping ¡°` Having returned to the belly of Shiping Mountain and said farewell to Jiang Liyan, Wei Dongliu went to check on Guo Jin¡¯s condition. At that moment, Guo Jin was sitting upright on the stone bed, adopting the Five Hearts Facing the Sky position for Qi Refinement, breathing in and out slowly, opening up his Qi Sea. The Cadaverous Yin Needle given to him by Jiang Liyany wrapped in ck cloth on the stone table beside him and seemed untouched since he had returned. The thousand-year-old Polygonum multiflorum that Wei Dongliu had left him before descending the mountain had been partially consumed, with the remainder sitting untouched in a pot¡ªsuch aged Polygonum was particrly resistant to hunger and excellent for Fasting. The ¡°Dispersing Demons and Invoking Spirits, Dividing the Clear from the Turbid Scripture¡± from Tai Yi the Mysterious True Person also contained methods for Fasting and Qi Refinement. These foundational entry-level steps werergely the same across all major sects; even the Fasting and Qi Refinement methods of Kunlun were not significantly superior. Having confirmed that Guo Jin was still diligently cultivating, Wei Dongliu leisurely returned to his own room, also assumed the Five Hearts Facing the Sky posture, and began to circte his mental method. Being at the Refining Mansion realm himself, he circted the mental method from the ¡°Dispersing Demons and Invoking Spirits, Dividing the Clear from the Turbid Scripture¡± for a moment and felt his Qi Sea suddenly be heavy, as if a weight were hanging in his lower abdomen. Nowadays, whether it¡¯s the Three Pure Ones of the Orthodox Sects, the Six Paths of the Demon Cult, as well as the Buddhist and Confucian sects and other heterodox paths, there were myriad methods of breathing, but their essence all boiled down to refining the turbid and purifying the clear. That is, to refine and expel the turbid Qi within the body and to absorb Pure Qi from the outside world to constantly purify.
The reason is straightforward: the Pure Qi is ethereal, whereas the turbid Qi is dull. The former, being light and agile, can be refined into True Qi, used for powering spells, improving physique, advancing realms, and so on. Thetter, being muddy, is practically immovable and thus unusable. For these turbid Qis, the Orthodox Sects would typically discard them entirely, expelling them from the body. The Demon Cults, on the other hand, often retain a tiny amount of turbid Qi and use Demonic cultivation methods to refine it into Demonic Qi, cautiously storing it within the Qi Sea. When necessary, they push it out wrapped in True Qi inbination with cultivation techniques to harm others. This so-called Demonic Qi is millions of times more inert than turbid Qi, extremely difficult to eradicate, much like venom: Corrupting Magic Artifacts, rendering them unresponsive; hitting cultivators, blocking their meridians and stripping them of cultivation levels¡­ a particrly insidious and malignant form of magicalbat. Before long, Wei Dongliu inverted the cirction of the mental method of the ¡°Dispersing Demons and Invoking Spirits, Dividing the Clear from the Turbid Scripture,¡± transforming all his True Yuan into Demon Origin. For an ordinary Demon Path Cultivator, such a feat would be impossible. With the Jade Mansion filledpletely with Demon Origin, they would have met their end by exploding Dantian. But Wei Dongliu possessed a Chaotic Demon Body, within which any Demonic Qi could flow as freely as Pure Qi¡­ This included the condensed essence of Demonic Qi, the Demon Origin. After the transformation wasplete, Wei Dongliu stood up and looked into a bronze mirror. What he saw startled him. The man in the mirror had distinct handsome features, with no changes in size or position. But the iris of the eyes had turned from brown to pitch ck, the hair from jet ck to dark red, and although the skin tone had dimmed, there was no sense of weakness from a ¡°loss of blood color.¡± Instead, it carried an additional air of evil rebellion. Quite the dashing Demon Lord! ¡°Tsk tsk tsk,¡± the Kunlun Mirror didn¡¯t speak in the Sea of Consciousness but just clicked its tongue. Knowing that Ah Jing was taunting him for ¡°self-praise¡± and ¡°shamelessness,¡± Wei Dongliu said sternly, ¡°What¡¯s there to click your tongue at? Has Ah Jing never seen such a charming and attractive Demon Lord before?¡± ¡°Alright, alright, whatever you say,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied helplessly.
Wei Dongliu couldn¡¯t be bothered with it and simply flicked his left hand in the air several times, setting up an istion Formation. Raising his right arm, he gestured and the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword sprang up from the case and flew towards him. ¡°` The hilt fell into his palm, and as the rich Demonic Origin poured into it, the wails of myriad ghosts immediately rose.
One could only hear those cries filled with grief and yearning, weeping andmenting, each thread piercing the ear, every sound startling the soul. Even Wei Dongliu, with his stalwart determination, found it somewhat unbearable to withstand the wailing of these ghosts, relying on the help of the Kunlun Mirror to stabilize his mind. What a piece! This Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword truly lived up to its reputation as an Eleventh Rank Immortal Sword! Even with no one deliberately invoking it, and at its lowest power, the wails of myriad ghosts could still ensnare a cultivator like me in the Refining Mansion phase. If I were to drive it with all my strength, wouldn¡¯t I have the power to battle a Golden Core True Person? ¡°It¡¯s pretty good for ambushing,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword spoke. ¡°Qing Ping ah,¡± Wei Dongliu chuckled inwardly, I¡¯ve been waiting for you to speak, ¡°Everything else about this sword is fine, but the cries of these myriad ghosts cannot be controlled freely.¡± ¡°It can¡¯t be that every time I unsheathe my sword, the cries of the ghosts are heard within dozens of miles, can it? The facade of my mysterious character is about to crumble¡­ Do you have a way to tame this Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, like you did with the Thunder Punishment Swordst time?¡± ¡°How can I train it if the sword has no Sword Spirit?¡± said the Green Duckweed Sword with a chuckle. ¡°No Sword Spirit?¡± Wei Dongliu¡¯s brows furrowed, his gaze suddenly sharp, ¡°How can an Eleventh Rank Immortal Sword be without a Sword Spirit?¡± ¡°First of all, there¡¯s no such thing as an Eleventh Rank Immortal Sword,¡± interjected the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Secondly, not all Immortal Swords possess a Sword Spirit.¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword agreed, ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, the previous owners of this sword never properly nurtured it.¡± ¡°How can a Sword Spirit exist for a heartless Sword Master?¡± ¡°In that case,¡± Wei Dongliu still refused to give up, and continued to ask, ¡°There has to be some other way to suppress the cries of the myriad ghosts, right?¡±
¡°To suppress the cries of the myriad ghosts, you first need to know why there are cries at all,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword said indifferently, ¡°This sword is forged withherworldly iron and refined with the water of Netherworld. Both possess a mighty ability to bind souls.¡± ¡°You mean to say¡­¡± ¡°The so-called cries are thementations of the thousands of beings in by this sword, whose part of the soul was seized by it,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword responded, ¡°Because of the sheer volume, their collective cries shock the heart and scatter the soul.¡± ¡°If you want to silence these cries, it¡¯s quite simple¡­ just roast them in the Red Lotus Karma Fire for a few days to kill and remove all the souls, and the cries will naturally disappear.¡± ¡°How can that be?¡± Wei Dongliu couldn¡¯t helpughing, ¡°I don¡¯t want to eliminate the cries of the myriad ghosts; I only wish to make them from uncontroble to controble.¡± ¡°In other words, they cry only when I want them to cry; and when I don¡¯t, they stay silent without making a peep.¡± Green Duckweed Sword: ¡­¡­¡­ Faced with a Sword Master who always makes unreasonable demands, it¡¯s really troublesome and bothersome¡­ ¡°There is a way, after all.¡± The Green Duckweed Sword pondered for a long while, then sighed and said, ¡°These souls don¡¯t have much sense, merely driven by the lingering pain of death, which is why they cry.¡± ¡°However, death is not only apanied by persistent pain but by immense fear as well.¡± ¡°All you need to do is channel the Five Metals Qi through the sword, which will terrify these souls into silence, afraid to make a sound.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Wei Dongliu feigned sudden understanding, ¡°Then what is the ¡®Five Metals Qi,¡¯ and what does it mean to ¡®channel it through the sword¡¯?¡± ¡°Five Metals Qi is the Qi of ughter,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword said helplessly, ¡°You can use your own Shangyang Sword Qi from the Lesser Mansion.¡±
¡°As for channeling it through the sword, I have a technique here called the ¡®True Spirit Seal Sword Technique,¡¯ which allows Daoist Magic to adhere to the Flying Sword. Listen carefully now¡­¡± ¡°Mhm, go ahead, Qing Ping.¡± Wei Dongliu immediately perked up and started to listen to the Green Duckweed Sword exining the technique. Indeed, when unsure about external matters ask Ah Jing, and for internal matters consult Qing Ping! With their assistance, why worry that Tao will be hard to seek? Chapter 153: 15: Not Allowed Chapter 153: Chapter 15: Not Allowed [Location Three: Peni Immortal Ind, Yuqing View.] [Character Identity: Luo Yan.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Temte ovey, currently in time-space travel.] Having returned to the Yuqing View of Peni, Luo Yan once again reviewed the timeline of this character. Compared to the Western Queen¡¯s secret realm in Kunlun and the trial of the Demon Locking Tower in Shushan, nothing much had happened in Peni since the journey from the Pavilion. If any incident were to be mentioned, it was the conversation Luo Yan and Miss Shi overheard from passing cultivators about ¡°the attack of a hundred thousand gods and demons on Peni.¡± Initially, he had thought to inform his sect of the news, butter felt it better to keep silent, fearing it might expose himself. Now, having assumed the identity of Wei Dongliu at Mount Wutai and having received hints from Jiang the Witch, Luo Yan guessed that the Demon Cult¡¯s Six Paths were indeed plotting against the Three Pure Orthodox Sect, with the overall strategy likely being ¡°a frontal assault on Shushan with a stealth attack on Peni.¡± The Dragon n was in upheaval, the Demon Locking Tower was damaged, until the Long Eyebrow Immortal had to deploy the Taiji Micro Dust Formation to rescue the Shushan Shangqing Faction from the demonic might of Ying Long. The current Shushan Shangqing Faction was like a wounded hedgehog bristling with spikes, warily watching for any rustle of grass or wind¡­ As for the distant East Sea Peni, there probably wasn¡¯t any spare attention to give. If Peni were suddenly attacked, the only external support avable would likely be from Kunlun.
But nestled within the far reaches of the Extreme West, by the time the cultivators traversed the Divine Land Continent and made their arduous journey to the East Sea, the battle for Peni could very well be over¡­ No, he still needed to observe whether there was any forewarning within the View. Cleaning up his room, Luo Yan had just stepped out when he saw Miss Shi rush out with her head in her hands, wailing, ¡°I won¡¯t listen, I won¡¯t listen, I won¡¯t listen! Father is just annoyed by me and wants to send me away!¡± She dashed into her room like a streak of smoke, mming the door shut with a loud bang and locking herself inside. Elder Shi Ding walked into the courtyard, looking at Shi Liuli¡¯s door. He opened his mouth as if to speak, then sighed deeply after a moment of silence. Then, he turned his gaze toward Luo Yan, involuntarily adopting a stern expression, and asked, ¡°Luo Yan, how have your studies been going recently?¡± Luo Yan, knowing his master needed to change the subject, hurriedly asked several questions regarding formations with utmost respect. ¡°That question is quite interesting,¡± Elder Shi Ding stroked his beard and turned to leave, ¡°Come with me.¡± Luo Yan quickly followed his master¡¯s steps, keeping entirely silent on the way, without inquiring about what happened with Miss Shi. Arriving at the back hall of the Heavenly Craft Workshop, Elder Shi Ding pointed to the ground and said, ¡°Complete this formation.¡± Luo Yan looked intently and saw an iplete formation drawn on the ground, about ten meters in diameter. In the center of the formation was a cauldron vessel approximately half the height of a person, surrounded by a myriad of densely packed curse scripts, seemingly numbering over ten thousand. There were more than a dozen gs alone maintaining the formation¡¯s eyes. As he stared intently, Elder Shi Ding asked with a smile, ¡°Do you know where to start in order toplete it?¡± ¡°Here,¡± Luo Yan pointed directly beneath the cauldron¡¯s feet. ¡°Why?¡± Elder Shi Ding asked.
¡°The outer structure is intact, no connection with the cauldron in the inneryer. It must be Fu Yan¡¯syout,¡± Luo Yan extended a finger, circting his True Yuan to inscribe a runic script in the air, then sent it into the cauldron. The moment the runic script entered the cauldron, it immediately appeared beneath its feet. The multitude of curse scripts that surrounded the central cauldron made room for it by expanding outward by the space of one character, like tightly interlocking gears moving by one tooth. ¡°Very good,¡± Elder Shi Ding said, satisfied, ¡°In the way of formations, with yourprehension, you are capable of surpassing me.¡± Being acknowledged to outdo his master signified a very high praise, so much so that Luo Yan promptly bowed his head, fearfully saying,
¡°How did this disciple earn such honor¡­¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for false modesty,¡± Elder Shi Ding waved his hand, unaware of Luo Yan¡¯s attempt to align his exterior show of Falsehood, simply finding his modesty extremely gratifying, ¡°To understand a thousand things from one hearing, that is your talent, but it may also be your burden. After all, in the Cultivation Realm, one still has to make their case with strength.¡± As he spoke, there was a brief pause in his voice, suddenly tinged with a hint of mncholy, ¡°Apart from the knowledge of formations, my own cultivation level must not fall behind. There might not be much time left for you¡­¡± Luo Yan: ??????????? Though he appeared to be puzzled on the surface, rms were sounding off in his heart!!! What does ¡°there might not be much time left for you¡± mean? Thoughts shed like lightning in his mind, rapidly whirling, and a sudden realization dawned on him, shocking Luo Yan into lifting his head halfway as he tentatively asked, ¡°Master, what exactly is happening in the pavilion right now? Could it be that even us Foundation Establishment disciples are not spared?¡± Upon hearing this, Elder Shi Ding was stunned for a good while before he realized that his disciple must have misunderstood, and he exined with an embarrassed smile, ¡°That¡¯s not it. It¡¯s just that the pavilion master came to me the day before yesterday, wanting to establish a good connection between his son and Liuli.¡± The so-called ¡°establishing a good connection¡± was essentially socializing with a hint of matchmaking. The two would spend some time together, and if they got along, they might be Daoistpanions; if not¡­ at least they would get to know each other better.
For the master of Xuandu Pavilion, the Heavenly Craft Workshop under Elder Shi Ding¡¯s control was the main source of ie for the pavilion. Shi Liuli was his only beloved daughter, so it was only natural for him to express such a wish to connect. Elder Shi Ding had no objections. In the end, it all depended on whom Shi Liuli liked. Unexpectedly, when he brought this up to Shi Liuli, the miss immediately took it the wrong way, thinking that her father was trying to ingratiate himself with the master of Xuandu Pavilion by promising her to someone else¡­ Hence, the scene that had unfolded earlier. After listening to Elder Shi Ding express his frustrations, Luo Yan also looked somewhat dumbfounded. He had seen for himself just how strong Miss Shi¡¯s imagination was¡ªespecially when it came to matters of the heart. Based on Luo Yan¡¯s long-term observations and in-depth analysis, Miss Shi was a typical case of fear of intimacy: On one hand, she harbored excessive fantasies and idealism about love, such as forming the Zhang Tian Society and concocting various excellent traits for Qiu Changtian. On the other hand, she recoiled from and feared ¡°genuine emotional involvement.¡± Whether it was Elder Shi Ding or other fellow disciples, whenever she was asked simr questions, she would always change the subject and avoid answering. Elder Shi Ding even asked her if she liked that Qiu Changtian from Kunlun, which was also tly denied by Miss Shi. As a bystander, Luo Yan could see it all very clearly: The current Miss Shi was enamored with an ideal male that she had conjured up with her vivid imagination; a man who did not exist in reality. It was the ssic ¡°Mary Sue mate selection¡± that many girls have during their childhood. Out of fear and ignorance of love, she crafted an ideal partner, then desperately piled on various positive buffs on that person, to ease her own worries and anxiety¡­ It could only be said that such a Miss Shi was not fully mature in terms of personality, and was not suited for arranged matchmaking.
Of course, this was not something suitable to say to Elder Shi Ding, so Luo Yan could only gently remind him, ¡°The reason sister is so sensitive about this matter may be because she is not mentally prepared for it. It would be good for Master to be more patient with her.¡± ¡°Hmm, of course, I understand,¡± Elder Shi Ding nodded as he stroked his beard, his gaze toward his disciple bing more genial, ¡°Luo Yan.¡± ¡°Disciple is here.¡± ¡°If it were up to me to choose,¡± Elder Shi Ding said with significance, ¡°I would still hope for a younger disciple with a trustworthy character who can tolerate her temper and take good care of her in the future to be Liuli¡¯s Daoistpanion.¡± You might as well just give my sect number outright. Luo Yan internally grumbled, bowing his head and replying, ¡°Indeed, but it still depends on what Sister Liuli wants.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Elder Shi Ding continued leisurely, ¡°but right now she is only at the Marrow Cleansing Rank, with a lowly realm, which is why she has to stay in the Heavenly Craft Workshop.¡± ¡°When she progresses to the Refining Mansion and Core Formation, I won¡¯t be able to keep her in the pavilion anymore. Then, she will go out into the world and meet all kinds of cultivators, among whom she might even encounter bad people¡­¡± ¡°Luo Yan, you may be pure and loyal by nature, but you¡¯re not foolish, so you should understand what I mean.¡± After a brief silence, Luo Yan assumed a thoughtful expression that was just right and lowered his head to say, ¡°Disciple understands.¡± The master wants me to win over Miss Shi¡¯s heart before she forms her core. How could I not understand that?
But isn¡¯t Miss Shi, with her psychological age in this aspect still not of age¡­ Wouldn¡¯t this be considered forcing things? Chapter 154 - 16 The Millennium Meeting Comes Again Chapter 154: Chapter 16 The Millennium Meeting Comes Again ¡°` In the back hall of the Heavenly Craft Workshop, afterpleting the repair of the formation, Luo Yan bid Elder Shi Ding farewell and left. During the process of repairing the formation, Elder Shi Ding also imparted a lot of profound knowledge about formations. Even with Luo Yan¡¯s current understanding, he felt like he had been enlightened and had greatly benefitted. However, regarding the favor Elder Shi Ding had asked of him, Luo Yan still found it somewhat troublesome. If he weren¡¯t a spy from another sect, pursuing Miss Shi would naturally be a good option, at least he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about cultivation resources. But taking into ount his true identity and purpose, Luo Yan, out of a kind of simple moral consciousness, didn¡¯t really want to bring harm to Miss Shi. Of course, when the Xu Family initially proposed that he and Junior Sister Xu be Daoist Companions, he felt the same way¡­ It was only when there was really no other choice that Qiu Changtian finally gave in. In any case, the n was to take good care of Miss Shi, but not to actively pursue her; let nature take its course. Luo Yan had made up his mind on this, while the Kunlun Mirror in his Sea of Consciousness silently observed, without anyment. After leaving the back hall of the Heavenly Craft Workshop and returning to his quarters, Luo Yan was immediately grabbed by the arm by Miss Shi, who rushed over to him from a corner. ¡°Did my father just look for you?¡± she asked excitedly. ¡°What did he say to you?¡± ¡°Just now, Master asked me if I had any difficulties, and I mentioned a few issues with the formations, mainly¡­¡± Luo Yan was about to borate on the specific problems when Shi Liuli violently shook his arm, ¡°Then what? What after that?¡± ¡°Then he took me to the back hall,¡± Luo Yan said leisurely. ¡°What did he say in the back hall?¡± Shi Liuli pressed eagerly. ¡°He asked me toplete a formation¡­¡± Shi Liuli immediately widened her eyes, as if she could hardly resist biting her junior brother to death, and said fiercely, ¡°If you keep tantalizing me like this, see if I pay you any attention in the future!¡± ¡°What exactly does Senior Sister want to ask?¡± Luo Yan asked with a wry smile. ¡°It¡¯s just¡­¡± Shi Liuli looked somewhat ufortable and shifted her gaze, ¡°About the matter of forming good connections¡­¡± ¡°Oh, that,¡± Luo Yan nodded and said, ¡°I suggested to Master not to rush things and to give Senior Sister a little more patience.¡± ¡°Junior Brother, you¡¯re so kind!¡± Shi Liuli¡¯s heart swelled with joy and she was about to beam with happiness when suddenly she realized something and red, ¡°That¡¯s not right! Why would he talk to you about these things? They have nothing to do with you at all!¡± ¡°Why is Senior Sister asking me about this then?¡± Luo Yan countered calmly. ¡°Because!¡± Shi Liuli paused for a moment before saying uncertainly, ¡°Because I feel that father usually holds you in such high regard, maybe he would talk to you about something¡­¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Luo Yan immediately agreed, ¡°It must be because Master values me that he would casually chat with me about some difficulties he¡¯s encountering from time to time.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Shi Liuli said skeptically. ¡°Of course, even Senior Sister subconsciously thinks so, doesn¡¯t that make it even more evident?¡± ¡°What you say makes sense¡­¡± Miss Shi still felt something was off, but couldn¡¯t pinpoint exactly what. On Luo Yan¡¯s part, seeing the synchronization value of his false persona skyrocket, he shed a victorious and sincere smile, saying, ¡°Senior Sister, sometimes, you really are a bit too sensitive.¡± ¡°Huh?!!¡± Shi Liuli was still trying to figure out what was wrong when he diverted her attention like this, immediately her eyes shot open, ¡°How am I being sensitive? If I hadn¡¯t made a big fuss, I would have already been pulled into an arranged marriage by father, okay?¡± ¡°` ¡°No,¡± Luo Yan said patiently, ¡°Master regards Senior Sister as the apple of his eye. How could he possibly force Senior Sister into bing Daoistpanions with someone she does not like?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t understand!¡± Shi Liuli waved her hand sadly, ¡°Precisely because Father dotes on me, he insists on imposing what he thinks is good for me onto me¡­¡± Hearing this, Luo Yan could only silently roll his eyes in his heart. To be fair, it was not that Elder Shi Ding¡¯s way of educating was wrong, but that Miss Shi, your way of thinking is too unconventional; any father would struggle to cope with it¡­ Of course, this was something he could never say in front of Miss Shi, so Luo Yan could only put on a troubled and helpless expression and said: ¡°Indeed, sometimes Master does care too much, to the point of overlooking your feelings, Senior Sister.¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± Shi Liuli suddenly felt like she had found a kindred spirit and started to pour out herints to Luo Yan. After finally listening to Miss Shi¡¯s bitter recollections and having exchanged revolutionary sentiments and friendship, Luo Yan was able to extract himself from the conversation. This Shi Liuli¡­ Innocence and cheerfulness is one thing, but being willful and childish is quite another. Elder Shi Ding asked me to pursue her; it¡¯s practically like coaxing a child. This matter needs a long-term n. Of course, there is a benefit to having such a Miss Shi, which is that the Synchronization Value goes up particrly fast with her, almost four or five times faster than with Elder Shi Ding. As long as the Synchronization Value for the Falsehood persona is high, the talent boosted by high Comprehension can continue to operate, and learning Formation knowledge bes exceptionally fast. As for the uses of Formations, they have already been fully realized through Wei Dongliu. Without the ability to set up Formations, Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect would have no defenses, making it easy for ill-intentioned outsiders to infiltrate¡ªlike a certain witch. Of course, aside from Formations for personal use, Luo Yan also often works as a Heavenly Craft Workshop¡¯s Formation Master, traveling to various Great Hollows of the East Sea to help set up and maintain Formations. If not for this, Wei Dongliu wouldn¡¯t have been able to save up a stash of one hundred and fifty High Grade Spirit Stones. Unfortunately, the savings were exhausted by the purchase of the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, and there is an urgent need to replenish the economy! Thus, these past few days, Luo Yan started to study hard and work diligently, umting operational funds for the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect. One day, having just returned from maintaining a Formation outside, Luo Yan was suddenly called to the Heavenly Craft Workshop¡¯s back hall by Elder Shi Ding. Upon arriving at the back hall, he saw Elder Shi Ding was instructing Linghu Chu: ¡°This time when you head to the Three Isles Treasure Ship, you must protect your Junior Brother and Sister.¡± ¡°Disciple understands.¡± ¡°Luo Yan, you¡¯ve arrived just in time.¡± Elder Shi Ding beckoned him over upon seeing Luo Yan, ¡°A Three Isles Treasure Ship has been discovered in the sea area near Redtail Isle to the south.¡± ¡°The Three Isles Treasure Ship?¡± Luo Yan was also surprised, ¡°The Three Isles Treasure Ship? Isn¡¯t that an exceedingly rare secret realm that appears only once every thousand years?¡± The so-called Three Isles Treasure Ship is a mystical three-masted vessel, crafted by some unknown Immortal (certainly from before the time of Chan and Jie), which appears and disappears within the ranges of the East Sea and Southern Sea, surfacing at intervals spanning thousands of years. Inside there are various monsters, traps, and Formation defenses, and, of course, also Immortal Realms and treasures that can greatly benefit cultivators who enter to explore. Naturally, because of the ship¡¯s infrequent appearances, there is little documented in ancient texts, resulting in ack of in-depth exploration by the various Great Hollows of the East Sea and Southern Sea, and a risk that is much greater than that of the East Sea Pavilion. But Luo Yan and Shi Liuli had no choice but to go because, inside, not only were there secret realms that could speed up Marrow Cleansing, but also various rare treasures that could save years of arduous cultivation in the Refining Mansion¡­ Missing this opportunity meant waiting at least another thousand years for the next one! Chapter 155 - 17: The Treasure Ship of the Three Isles, Random Routes Chapter 155: Chapter 17: The Treasure Ship of the Three Isles, Random Routes Given that the Treasure Ship only appears for a maximum of three days before departing again, the members of the Heavenly Craft Workshop set off immediately. Considering the various gains to be found within the Treasure Ship Secret Realm, ranging from the Foundation Establishment Realm to the Nascent Soul Realm, this time the entire Workshop was mobilized. Not only did Second Sister Lei Caiyan, Third Sister Liang Ruohua, and Fourth Brother Shi Wenshi join the trial, but even Elder Shi Ding decided to personally search the secret realm for treasures. Since the first senior brother, Linghu Chu, had already reached the Great Perfection of the Golden Core Realm and was still some time away from forming his Nascent Infant, the fortunes and treasures aboard the Treasure Ship were not of great value to him. Therefore, he would be taking Luo Yan, who was at the Marrow Cleansing Rank, and Shi Liuli with him, and would protect them throughout the journey. After all, the Treasure Ship was not as harmless as the Pavilion Secret Realm, and Elder Shi Ding only had this one daughter. If something were to happen to her, the people of Heavenly Craft Workshop would certainly not ept it. Luo Yan also breathed a sigh of relief. Since the eldest senior brother would protect them throughout, couldn¡¯t he simply coast through? Not only that, it seemed that he could also use this opportunity to ¡°break through the Marrow Cleansing Rank¡± and ¡°enter the Refining Mansion Rank¡± in front of everyone at Heavenly Craft Workshop, which would truly be wonderful. In the Meng Chong warship, Elder Shi Ding was exining the many ¡°rules¡± of the Treasure Ship: ¡°After boarding, you will enter an independent oceanic secret realm.¡± ¡°You will be randomly transported to the deck of a ship within the secret realm, from where you can steer the ship to reach nearby inds.¡± ¡°The Treasure Ship¡¯s secret realm will only be open for three days, after which you must be on the ship to return. You absolutely must not miss the time limit, or you will be trapped in the secret realm and unable toe out.¡± ¡°The locations of the inds seem to be fixed, but there are too many of them. ording to the records of Yuqing View, less than one-tenth has been explored so far.¡± He took a map out of his sleeve: ¡°This is theplete record of the previous generation within the View who explored the Treasure Ship Secret Realm. Luo Yan, you have a good memory, so memorize these charts. Once you enter the secret realm, you will navigate for your senior brother.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± Luo Yan took the charts and quickly flipped through them, allowing the Kunlun Mirror to record all their contents. Shi Liuli sat in a chair beside him, shaking her leg. She didn¡¯t seem nervous at all; instead, she was quite eager to try. But the eldest senior brother, Linghu Chu, looked solemn and asked in a low voice: ¡°Teacher, can we control the direction and route of the ship¡¯s voyage?¡± ¡°Yes, there is a steering wheel at the back of the deck that can control direction, but not speed,¡± Elder Shi Ding said with a sigh, ¡°but that sea area is vast andrgely unexplored.¡± ¡°Only in very few cases will you be lucky enough to encounter an explored ind, and then you can follow the routes marked on the map.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Shi Liuli immediately said, ¡°So if we encounter only unfamiliar inds, wouldn¡¯t that mean¡­¡± ¡°Right,¡± Elder Shi Ding said with a wry smile, ¡°in such cases, you leave what gains you might find entirely up to fate.¡± Luo Yan listened quietly on the side while quickly leafing through the charts. He saw that in the map, which ¡°merely recorded information on one-tenth of the inds,¡± there were already over seven thousand entries. Of these, only three inds were marked with ¡°enhance the efficacy of the Jade Mansion,¡± and that was it. Considering the mission was certainly to prioritize Miss Shi¡¯s Marrow Cleansing first, it would be best to pick an ind from all those marked with ¡°increasing the Marrow Cleansing rate¡± that was closest to one of the three ¡°Jade Mansion¡± inds. Once Marrow Cleansing wasplete, they would then quickly proceed to the Refining Mansion. But the problemy in the fact that the secret realm was only open for three days¡ªhow many inds could they explore within these three days? Taking sailing time into ount, the number of inds they could probably explore was extremely limited. Moreover, considering that 90% of the inds in the secret realm were unfamiliar inds that had never been explored¡­ ¡°In addition to the inds, you also need to be wary of the dangers thate with encountering other cultivators in the secret realm,¡± continued Elder Shi Ding. ¡°The Treasure Ship is different from the Pavilion Secret Realm; it¡¯s not only Yuqing disciples who enter, hence there might be loose cultivators or even Demon Cult Cultivators who kill without a second thought.¡± ¡°Because in the Treasure Ship Secret Realm, the rewards range from those suitable for practitioners in the Foundation Establishment Realm to those for the Golden Core and Nascent Soul Realms, the danger of encountering unfamiliar cultivators is extremely high.¡± ¡°The safest course of action, naturally, is to avoid contact with any ship as much as possible. Upon spotting one on the sea, quickly steer clear.¡± ¡°When arriving at an ind, it is also necessary to conduct a long-distance reconnaissance beforending. If traces of a magicalpetition are found on the ind, one must determine the realm of the other party before deciding whether to go ashore.¡± ¡°Disciple understands,¡± Linghu Chu said solemnly. ¡°Simply letting Luo Yan and Liuli go, as a teacher, I would certainly be worried,¡± Elder Shi Ding said with a sigh, ¡°Chu, with your ample experience and knowledge, their safety on this trip is in your hands.¡± ¡°Disciple will not let down Master¡¯s trust and will bring back junior brother and junior sister safely!¡± Linghu Chu immediately assured earnestly. Shi Liuli is Master¡¯s only daughter, and Luo Yan is a formation genius from Heavenly Craft Workshop. If these two encounter any misfortune in the secret realm, it would be a severe blow to Heavenly Craft Workshop. Linghu Chu understood the stakes and thus continued to discuss various emergencies with Elder Shi Ding, clearly intending to devote his utmost efforts to the task. The other senior brothers and sisters were each adjusting their condition in their cabins. But Shi Liuli couldn¡¯t sit still and thus went out onto the deck to observe whether there were any traces of the Treasure Ship ahead. Luo Yan continued to swiftly and steadily record all the information about the inds in the charts and part of the map into the Kunlun Mirror. Finally, the Meng Chong sailing in the waters suddenly came to a stop. Everyone quickly went on deck and saw at the far end of the vast sea, the silhouette of a three-masted ship looming in and out of sight on the sea. The giant masts stood tall, their straight tips piercing the sky, like three towering mountains¡ªthat¡¯s why it was named the ¡°Treasure Ship.¡± Elder Shi Ding raised his right arm and gestured towards the distant Treasure Ship, saying, ¡°The entrance is right here.¡± After speaking, he stepped forward and suddenly vanished from the deck. Luo Yan, watching from behind, felt a shiver and understood why Master had said earlier that they couldn¡¯t prevent other cultivators from entering the Treasure Ship Secret Realm. It was because the way to enter the secret realm was to approach the Treasure Ship to a certain distance, and then you would be automatically pulled into the realm. From this point stretching towards the Treasure Ship at the horizon, the radial area delineated was much toorge for Peni Jade Pure Sect to possibly seal such a vast boundary. Any cultivator approaching the Treasure Ship from any direction could likewise be transported into the secret realm¡ª and among these, there could be Nascent Soul cultivators from the Demon Cult that are hostile to the Orthodox Sect¡­ Upon this reflection, Luo Yan saw his senior brothers and sisters had already stepped forward, one after another, entering the secret realm of the Treasure Ship. Only the eldest senior brother, Linghu Chu, was still tirelessly exining things to Miss Shi, ¡°¡­In short, inside you must listen to my arrangements, and you absolutely must not wander about.¡± ¡°I know, I know!¡± Shi Liuli said impatiently, ¡°Eldest senior brother, you are even more long-winded than father! Can we go in now?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Linghu Chu nodded gravely, and then looked at Luo Yan. But Luo Yan didn¡¯t respond immediately, instead calling out in his Sea of Consciousness, ¡°Ah Jing.¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Kunlun Mirror asked. ¡°Help me save a record here, noting the time and spatial coordinates,¡± Luo Yan said. Chapter 156: 18 Mysterious Seawaters, Luo Yan Leading the Way Chapter 156: Chapter 18 Mysterious Seawaters, Luo Yan Leading the Way The secret realm of the Three Isles treasure ship was a boundless ocean without any visible end. Compared to the seas of the outer world, this mystical realm seemed normal, yet it bore many oddities. There was no sun in the sky, yet it was as bright as day; there was no breeze at sea, yet the ship moved without wind. Miss Shi was delighted, running around on the deck and even took out the Flying Sword to practice Sword Control¡­ naturally, in this secret realm, Sword Control was forbidden. Linghu Chu stood at the helm on the top deck, carefully inspecting the steering wheel¡¯s structure. Luo Yan quickly surveyed the surroundings, silently making calctions in his mind. Every time the Three Isles treasure ship appeared, the secret realm would only be open for three days. From the initial opening of the secret realm to receiving the news at Yuqing View, followed by the group from Heavenly Craft Workshop rushing over, six hours had already passed. Meaning, the time left to explore the secret realm was another two days and six hours. The surrounding sea was calm, without even the basic tide and waves, one could only see the upper part of an ind appearing faintly at the two o¡¯clock direction from the ship¡¯s bow. It seemed to be a mountain range in the center of an ind.
¡°Luo Yan?¡± Linghu Chu signaled and asked. Afterparing the shape characteristics of the mountain range with all the ind information recorded in the Kunlun Mirror, Luo Yan slowly shook his head. Meaning, that ind was not on the map. Linghu Chu¡¯s thoughts sunk slightly, and he sighed, ¡°Then let¡¯s go.¡± Although the ind ahead was unfamiliar, there was nowhere else to go. He turned the steering wheel, adjusting the ship¡¯s course to head straight towards the distant ind. At the same time, he spread out his Divine Sense, monitoring every move in the surrounding sea. Luo Yan too observed the surroundings, but didn¡¯t tense up like the senior brother. Firstly, after all, they had the protection of a Great Perfection Golden Core Realm senior brother, and secondly, there wasn¡¯t a Qiu Changtian or Ling Yunpo appearing before him saying, ¡°I¡¯vee this time to resolve your death tribtion,¡± so he could maintain a rtivelyposed demeanor. Huh, where¡¯s Miss Shi??? Noticing Shi Liuli¡¯s sudden disappearance, Luo Yan¡¯s heart jolted with shock. Rushing into the cabin below the deck, he found Miss Shi kneeling on a meditation cushion, which brought him relief. What¡¯s this about? In front of Miss Shi, at the table, three sticks of incense were burning in the incense burner, though it was unclear when she had lit them. Shi Liuli had her hands together in prayer, kneeling on the meditation cushion, muttering a chant under her breath. On a closer listen, her soft prayer was ¡°May the heavens bless me, on the next ind, to encounter a rare adventure that will promote Marrow Cleansing¡±¡­ Miss Shi, if prayer were effective, the Cultivation Realm would be full of religions instead of the great Sects, you know? ¡°Junior Sister Xu,¡± Luo Yan barely suppressed his urge tough, pretending to be curious as he asked, ¡°What are you doing?¡±
Shi Liuli ignored him and continued her silent prayer until she had finished, only then saying, ¡°Quiet, I¡¯m cultivating power.¡± ¡°Cultivating power?¡± Luo Yan was baffled. ¡°I¡¯m influencing the luck and fate of the next few days,¡± Shi Liuli stated indifferently.
Luo Yan felt he was about to lose hisposure and took half a minute to regain his calm before asking, ¡°So what is the principle behind this¡­ no, behind this maniption of fate?¡± After seriously pondering for a moment, Shi Liuli said: ¡°It¡¯s not thatplicated to exin,¡± she said, rising gracefully to her feet and cradling the incense burner in her palms, raising her chin as she spoke: ¡°First of all, I, Miss Shi, am a person of destiny.¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Luo Yan finally couldn¡¯t hold back. ¡°What the hell are youughing at!¡± Shi Liuli immediately red at him. ¡°No, I wasn¡¯tughing,¡± Luo Yan weakly tried to exin a few words, and then he asked, ¡°What do you mean by a person of destiny?¡± ¡°You know, ¡®the favored one by the heavens¡¯,¡± Shi Liuli stated matter-of-factly. ¡°Look, your senior sister here is beautiful, intelligent, and from an Orthodox Sect family, a senior¡¯s daughter. Isn¡¯t that the most powerful proof?¡± Luo Yan suddenly fell silent. Is he¡­ at a loss for words? On closer thought, if being born was considered a kind of starting point, then Miss Shi¡¯s starting point was indeed as perfect as it could be.
Among the female cultivators he knew, probably only Xu Yinglian, who came from the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, couldpare with her. But even Junior Sister Xu, despite enjoying the benefits of a Cultivation family, had to passively ept her family¡¯s arrangements, being forced into an engagement with senior brother Qiu Changtian¡­ unlike Miss Shi, who, from childhood to adulthood, only enjoyed the benefits without the need to fulfill any obligations. Seeing that he had noebacks and had tacitly agreed, Shi Liuli gave a triumphant smile and continued: ¡°Having so many favorable conditions in one person is enough to show that I am being paid attention to by the fate of the Heavenly Dao.¡± ¡°As long as I pray sincerely, the heavens will definitely hear my plea and reach out to help me.¡± Luo Yan sighed internally: Fine, whatever makes you happy. Miss Shi then set down the incense burner and fumbled with the storage bag she carried with her, saying: ¡°Junior brother.¡± ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°Lend me a High Grade Spirit Stone. I¡¯ll pay you back after we leave this secret realm.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Luo Yan fished out a High Grade Spirit Stone and handed it to Miss Shi. ording to Luo Yan¡¯s experience, a High Grade Spirit Stone in the Cultivation Realm was equivalent to a ¡°hundred-thousand-yuan bill,¡± mainly used forrge transactions, like purchasing a Sect¡¯snd or immovable properties like caves and heavens. Beyond that, you couldn¡¯t really buy anything with it in the market because no one could make change for it. So, it was normal for Miss Shi not to have it on her.
Still, Luo Yan believed that Miss Shi would be able to effortlessly produce any number of High Grade Spirit Stones upon returning, so he lent it quite willingly. Upon receiving the Spirit Stone, Shi Liuli left the cabin and went up to the deck. Then, to Luo Yan¡¯s astonishment, she threw the High Grade Spirit Stone into the sea. Luo Yan: ??? ¡°This is a necessary sacrifice,¡± Shi Liuli turned around to exin, ¡°Even when throwing dice, the odds of good and bad luck are close.¡± ¡°So, to fulfill my wish, I must first make a corresponding sacrifice. This way, it meets the requirements of the Heavenly Dao¡¯s fate.¡± Hearing this, Luo Yan felt numb, thinking what kind of metaphysical method is this? Isn¡¯t it too mystical? However, seeing the look of deep conviction on Miss Shi¡¯s face, he started to have his doubts. Considering this world isn¡¯t one that follows a scientific setting, what if the Heavenly Dao¡¯s fate Miss Shi spoke of truly exists¡­ Wait a minute, the Heavenly Dao does indeed exist, doesn¡¯t it? ¡°Ah Jing, Ah Jing!¡± With this thought, Luo Yan hurriedly called out to the Kunlun Mirror in his mind, ¡°Can Miss Shi¡¯s method reallymunicate with the Heavenly Dao¡¯s fate?¡± ¡°What are you thinking?¡± The Kunlun Mirror was simply speechless, replying irritably, ¡°The fate of the Heavenly Dao doesn¡¯t give a damn about anyone; it¡¯s not something you canmunicate with!¡± ¡°Besides, even if it couldmunicate, it would definitely be utterly ruthless. Trying to get a favor from it? Dream on!¡± ¡°I suppose so,¡± Luo Yan patted his head, feeling like Miss Shi¡¯s erratic behavior had really driven him crazy.
If the will of the Heavenly Dao does exist and is watching over Miss Shi, he dreaded that it would be the first to strike down him, a ¡°time thief¡± who ¡°cheated with Ah Jing¡±! Chapter 157: 19: The Solitary Island Cave, Message from the Demon Lord Chapter 157: Chapter 19: The Solitary Ind Cave, Message from the Demon Lord ¡°We¡¯re here!¡± Linghu Chu reminded. His divine sense had swept over the ind ahead, confirming the absence of any signs of magicalpetition¡ª the probability of other cultivators being on the ind was not significant. Luo Yan and Shi Liuli on the deck had been on alert for the past fifteen minutes and immediately became tense, ready to follow their senior brother off the boat. The spot where the vessel docked was a concave-shaped cape, a natural harbor. Linghu Chu dropped the anchor and moved the boarding nk from the side of the deck to connect with the cape, testing its stability before calling his junior brother and sister to disembark. The terrain of the ind was extremely steep, rising roughly ten meters above sea level, presenting sheer cliffs all around when viewed from outside. The three of them raised their magical treasures, the Flying Swords, ready to confront any enemies, and carefully made their way forward. After traversing through the dense jungle and killing some attacking demonic beasts, the group arrived at the central mountain range of the ind¡ªthe same peak that Luo Yan had seen from the sea. The mountain towered high, about a kilometer in height, with many areas consisting of vertical rock faces. Linghu Chu quickly scouted the vicinity and found a narrow path up the mountain, but with no steps, just barely sufficient footholds that seemed to be carved out by wild beasts. ¡°Judging from the demonic beasts we encountered earlier, there shouldn¡¯t be any demons capable of transformation on this ind,¡± Linghu Chu pondered for a moment before warning, ¡°But just to be safe, stay close behind me and don¡¯t wander off.¡±
He gave Luo Yan a meaningful nce, who immediately understood and instructed Miss Shi to walk in the middle of their group while he covered the rear. This mountain was incredibly steep, its perilousness surpassing that of Shushan, though its vegetation was not as dense, with many ces exposing bare rocks, pocked and uneven, evidently weathered over time. About two-thirds of the way up, a natural cave suddenly came into view. The cave wasrge, approximately five meters in width and three meters in height, with its inner depths shrouded in darkness. Linghu Chu took out a magical treasure, a Luminous Pearl that emitted light on its own, and let it float into the cave ahead of them. Wherever the pearl went, the terrain became visible. The deeper they went into the cave, the more narrow and constricted it became, until atst, it was barely wide enough for a single person to pass through. ¡°Let¡¯s go in and take a look,¡± Linghu Chu said gravely, ¡°Be ready to follow mymands at any time. If I give the order, turn around and run out with all your might.¡± Seeing his senior brother look towards him, Luo Yan nodded earnestly, understanding that Linghu Chu actually meant, ¡°You grab Shi Liuli and run.¡± Yet Shi Liuli, unaware of the exchange of nces between the two men, clutched Luo Yan¡¯s left arm tightly, both excited and afraid. The three moved through the narrow rock corridor for some distance, the light around them growing dimmer, the temperature dropping, and their footsteps beginning to echo. After several turns, the passage suddenly opened up. They entered arge cavern where the temperature turned chilly. The cavern was filled with stgmites and stctites, with water droplets falling from above to the ground, producing prolonged echoes in the tranquil chamber. ¡°Are there characters on the wall?¡± Shi Liuli suddenly said. Linghu Chu shone the pearl towards the wall and indeed saw several lines ofrge characters carved onto a rtively smooth surface, ancient seal script characters¡­ Other cultivators might have been unable to trante and been left baffled, but Yuqing View epassed the teachings of many ancient schrs, and reading ancient seal script was one of the required subjects, so everyone present could read it without difficulty. The wall bore the following message: I am the True Lord Suan Ni, having strayed into the You Ming Sea for two thousand years with no escape, I discovered this natural cave on this ind. To preserve our lineage¡¯s teachings, I hereby inscribe our Suan Ni n¡¯s Body Refining Technique ¡°Swallowing Smoke and Gleaming Gold Technique.¡± Should any descendant from the Demon Racee upon this, you may learn it based on how closely rted you are to our n. If you are of the Human Race, withdraw on your own volition. The diagrams below depict arge long-haired cat stretching its back and limbs vigorously, posing in various bizarre breathing positions.
There are countless acupoints and energy pathways on the cat¡¯s body, alongside various cues like ¡°Here the demonic energy turns back again¡± and ¡°Here one must umte physical strength to break through the acupoint¡±, filling the entire stone wall densely, leaving not a single nk space. Linghu Chu: ¡­¡­¡­ Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ Shi Liuli: ¡­¡­¡­
No, but what¡¯s the deal with ¡°For Demon Race only¡±? Are you kidding me? Nowadays, the Demon Race has all rolled off to the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm, okay? ¡°Truly unfortunate,¡± Linghu Chu said with a wry smile. ¡°There is a fortunate encounter, but it¡¯s specially prepared for the Demon Race; we can¡¯t use it.¡± As for the Human Race, the Body Refining Technique from the era when the Ancient Times were at their peak has also been lost and can only be traced back to the prehistoric times. If it were possible for the Human Race to practice it, Linghu Chu would also like to learn it to improve his own physical quality. However, Luo Yan was not giving up and asked the Kunlun Mirror in his Sea of Consciousness: ¡°Ah Jing, is there really no way for me to learn this? Don¡¯t you have any Suan Ni bloodline temte that could grant me the Suan Ni¡¯s talents, so I could learn this Body Refining Technique?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like you¡¯re pouring vinegar just to eat dumplings, but now you see a te of vinegar and you¡¯re asking me if I have dumplings, right?¡± the Kunlun Mirror said, torn betweenughter and tears. ¡°Of course not.¡± ¡°Furthermore, to disguise as a member of the Demon Race using Mirror Flower Water Moon, one must have the corresponding race¡¯s Essence Blood. The difference between human bodies and those of the Demon Race is too great, without the matching Essence Blood, the Mirror Flower Water Moon can¡¯t bridge the gap.¡± ¡°Of course, the main thing is that I haven¡¯t recorded the Suan Ni¡¯s bloodline talent. Such Demonic Beasts prefer quietness and are not fond of movement. Unless you specifically go looking for them, it¡¯s hard to encounter them in the outside world.¡± ¡°Tch,¡± Luo Yan said with regret. ¡°To think there¡¯s something even Ah Jing can¡¯t do¡­ It seems I¡¯ve overestimated you.¡± ¡°Asking for a beating?¡± Kunlun Mirror replied with augh born of anger. ¡°Say that one more time, and I¡¯ll withdraw your Mirror Flower Water Moon!¡± ¡°Ah Jing, don¡¯t be like this! I take back what I said!¡±
While Luo Yan was bickering with the Kunlun Mirror, Linghu Chu spoke up: ¡°It seems this Ancient Great Demon had a deep sense of exclusivity, and didn¡¯t leave anything useful for us on this ind, shall we go?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s look a little more.¡± Shi Liuli was still not convinced¡ªhow could my metaphysics fail? I even sacrificed a High Grade Spirit Stone! Damn Heavenly Dao, give me my money back! ¡°At the very least, we should thoroughly investigate this ce¡­¡± she said, still hopeful as she fumbled in the darkness, ¡°Hey, look, isn¡¯t there a cave here?¡± Linghu Chu shone the Luminous Pearl in that direction and saw sure enough, beyond the stgmites and stone forests, there was a smaller cave, about a meter high, which required adults to stoop to enter. ¡°This cave doesn¡¯t seem like it¡¯s passable¡­¡± Before he could finish his thought, Shi Liuli had already ducked inside, startling Linghu Chu and Luo Yan to their cores. If anything long or short happened to Miss Shi inside, wouldn¡¯t Elder Shi Ding y our skins off when we get back?! Both men hurriedly shouted, ¡°Wait,¡± and bent over to follow her into the cave, only to hear Shi Liuli suddenly p her hands andugh ahead: ¡°Big Senior Brother, Little Junior Brother,e over quickly and take a look!¡± Chapter 158: 20 Dragon Spring Hundred Forms, Body Refining Secret Technique Chapter 158: Chapter 20 Dragon Spring Hundred Forms, Body Refining Secret Technique Linghu Chu and Luo Yan passed through the narrow passageway and came to the second cave chamber. The rocks walls here were also smooth, and Shi Liuli had already fetched a pcentern magical treasure, which was floating in the air and illuminated the words on the rock wall: ¡°The outside is full of writing by the big cat, and there¡¯s no space left, so the old man writes here.¡± ¡°What ¡®Swallow Smoke and Glisten Gold Charm¡¯? Utter rubbish, don¡¯t even bother learning it!¡± ¡°The demon race¡¯s innate qi contains impurities, and following that method to circumnavigate the meridians will result in an umtion of these impurities with each cycle and you¡¯ll suffer when ites time to form your Nascent Infant!¡± ¡°You might as well learn our Witch n¡¯s ¡®Dragon Spring Hundred Forms Song,¡¯ the strongest body refining secret technique of the human race. Demons need not bother!¡± Below were pictures of a naked man performing various odd movements, and they were likewisebeled with various acupoints, qi cirction pathways, and notes. Linghu Chu: ¡­¡­¡­ Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ Shi Liuli: ¡­¡­¡­ Are you two leaving messages andpeting with each other here?
¡°Eh?¡± Linghu Chu suddenly eximed with surprise, ¡°This cultivation technique seems to have miraculous effects on Marrow Cleansing?¡± Upon hearing this, Luo Yan was shocked and hastily followed the direction pointed out by the eldest senior brother. Indeed, the qi cirction pathway of the cultivation technique did pass through the most difficult-to-reach dead corners within the Marrow Cleansing Rank, with annotations from that elder of the Witch n beside them: ¡°Behind the brain there is a protuberance on the ipital bone. Here, one should guide the qi in the small Heavenly Circuit three times, and then inject it from the side of the brain¡­¡± ¡°There are intervertebral foramen along the spine that be wider from top to bottom, thus qi should be directed from bottom to top¡­¡± After carefully reviewing it, Luo Yan realized that this wall-contained body refining secret technique offered much more detailed pathways for guiding qi than the breathing techniques did. That¡¯s not right either, one can¡¯t really say that. After all, the aim of the Daoist Qi Refining Technique is to facilitate breathing, to strengthen the Qi Sea, and hence the qi merely circtes through the main meridians. However, the aim of the body refining secret technique is to eliminate impurities and nourish the body, and for this reason the qi must pass through various muscles and bones, as well as many minor and intricate ces. When ites to advancing one¡¯s Cultivation Realm, one must certainly use the Qi Refining Technique; but for the Marrow Cleansing stage alone, the efficiency of the body refining secret technique is indeed superior¡­ To be precise, the efficiency crushes the Qi Refining Technique. On the other side, Linghu Chu was marveling and deeply admiring, saying: ¡°I¡¯d long heard of the Witch n¡¯s body refining secret techniques from ancient times, holding their own against the Daoist Qi Refining Techniques in prestige. Now it seems they truly are profound and ingenious.¡± ¡°It¡¯s a pity, though, that as the practice of refining techniques progresses, it bes increasingly difficult to advance in realms. If this were not the case, they would not have ended up with their teachings obliterated¡­ However, I didn¡¯t bring a jade slip for record on this trip. Little junior brother, your memory is good, can you remember all these techniques?¡± ¡°I¡¯ve remembered them,¡± said Luo Yan, who had already scrutinized all the diagrams without missing a single word, and nodded. In his mind, the Green Duckweed Swordmented: ¡°¡®Dragon Spring Hundred Forms Song,¡¯ a secret body refining technique of the Witch n, I did not expect to find it here.¡± ¡°Your elder senior brother was indeed correct. The problem with all of the Witch n¡¯s body refining techniques lies in their difficulty to make further progress as one reaches theter stages. The ¡®Dragon Spring Hundred Forms Song¡¯ is a supreme technique among their secret methods, and its practice is even more profound. From the Golden Core Realm onward, the benefits in the same amount of cultivation time be far less than that of the Daoist Qi Refining Techniques.¡± ¡°But for your current Cultivation Level, practicing it can still rapidly enhance your strength.¡±
Luo Yan asked uncertainly: ¡°Can this Body Refining Secret Technique be cultivated alongside Daoist Qi Refining Technique?¡± ¡°Why not?¡± the Green Duckweed Sword chuckled, ¡°The origins of the Daoist Qi Refining Technique and the Witch n¡¯s Body Refining Technique run much deeper than you realize.¡± ¡°The Witch n¡¯s Body Refining Technique aims to cultivate the entire body, whereas the Daoist Qi Refining Technique simply shifts the focus to primarily cultivating the Dantian. The essence of circting Qi doesn¡¯t differ much.¡±
¡°I agree with her on this point,¡± the Kunlun Mirror chimed in, ¡°When the Daoist Qi Refining Technique was first developed, its main slogan was ¡®First establish the Dantian¡¯s Jade Mansion, then forge the limbs and bones.¡¯ ¡°It¡¯s just thatter on,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword said with a coyugh, ¡°Cultivators found that they could achieve immortality and be celestial beings without having to train their bodies.¡± ¡°The so-called ¡®Severing of the Three Corpses¡¯ involves discarding the physical body to ascend with the True Spirit¡­ Of course, the highest one can reach in that way is the Heavenly Immortal Realm, but with a lifespan equal to the heavens, who insists on pursuing physical sanctification?¡± ¡°I understand now.¡± Luo Yan took note of this conversation between the mirror and the sword to heart. After confirming there was no remnants left in the cave, Linghu Chu led his junior brothers and sisters out of the cave and back onto their ship to set sail. In the cabin below the deck, Luo Yan watched Miss Shi, who was gleefully practicing the Body Refining Secret Technique, and felt a mix of emotions. This Miss Shi, after conducting a mysterious and secretive ritual, had actually found an extraordinary encounter that could elerate her Marrow Cleansing? Could it be she wasn¡¯t joking, and she was truly a person of heavenly fate? ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish,¡± the Kunlun Mirror couldn¡¯t help but say, ¡°Probabilistically speaking, no matter how small the chance, there¡¯s always a possibility for it to ur¡ªthat doesn¡¯t really prove anything.¡± ¡°Ah Jing, do you mean to say that Miss Shi just got lucky?¡± ¡°Yeah, what else?¡± the Kunlun Mirrormented, ¡°To actually believe her nonsense, I¡¯m starting to question your intelligence.¡± ¡°I haven¡¯tpletely believed it either, I¡¯m just making a bold assumption,¡± Luo Yan reflected seriously, ¡°Do you think if I let her perform another ritual, to seek an extraordinary encounter that could ¡®elerate the Refining Mansion,¡¯ it might work?¡± ¡°You are so boring¡­¡± His idea was met with ruthless ridicule from the Kunlun Mirror.
But Luo Yan didn¡¯t give up and instead returned to his own cabin to begin practicing the Dragon Spring Hundred Forms Song. Although he had already entered the Refining Mansion Rank and didn¡¯t need to elerate Marrow Cleansing, the Body Refining Secret Technique could strengthen the body. Moreover, he needed to leave the impression on his elder brother that ¡°I achieved Marrow Cleansing through this technique,¡± so he found it necessary to practice it. After cultivating for a while, Luo Yan left his cabin and went to find Miss Shi. ¡°Senior Sister,¡± ¡°What is it?¡± Shi Liuli opened her eyes, ¡°How is your practice going?¡± ¡°Not bad,¡± Luo Yan said casually, ¡°Senior Sister, could you speak to the will of the Heavenly Dao again, requesting that we have an encounter for the Refining Mansion Rank next? Ideally, one that can directly perfect the Jade Mansion, save time in Refining Mansion, and improve the Quality Rank of the Golden Core.¡± Shi Liuli said with a frown, ¡°I¡¯ve just asked the heavens for help once; you want me to do it again¡­ How could that be possible?¡± She nced outside the cabin and then whispered mysteriously to Luo Yan: ¡°My method has two limitations: first, the more people who know about it, the less effective it bes; second, the more often it has been used, the less effective it is. So we can¡¯t let others know, and we can¡¯t use it frivolously.¡± ¡°There¡¯s such a thing?¡± Luo Yan didn¡¯t know what to say and after a pause finally said, ¡°If that¡¯s the case, we shouldn¡¯t have sought to elerate Marrow Cleansing; we should have sought to speed up the Refining Mansion instead¡ªthat¡¯s rted to the Quality Rank of forming the Golden Core!¡± ¡°Are you stupid?¡± Miss Shi tugged at his ear, ¡°Two birds in the bush are not as good as one in the hand. I haven¡¯t fullypleted Marrow Cleansing, what use is an encounter to elerate the Refining Mansion?¡± ¡°We could save it forter!¡± Luo Yan said anxiously, ¡°For example, if we got an Elixir, we could not consume it now, but wait until after Marrow Cleansing to do so; wouldn¡¯t that be better?¡± Shi Liuli was stunned for a while before suddenly pping her forehead:
¡°Why didn¡¯t you say so earlier!¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ Chapter 159: 21: You Must Not Hide Anything from Your Senior Martial Sister Chapter 159: Chapter 21: You Must Not Hide Anything from Your Senior Martial Sister Not until he stepped onto the deck after leaving the cabin did Luo Yan still agonize over it. ¡°How could it be used like this?¡± ¡°Why was it used at the Marrow Cleansing Rank?¡± Even without eleration, the Marrow Cleansing Rank would only take about ten years; the Refining Mansion Rank could easily take more than two hundred years, and that¡¯s just for the Third Grade Golden Core requirement! Since there¡¯s such a strong capability, why the hell didn¡¯t they use it to improve the grade of the Golden Core, damn it! ¡°You don¡¯t really believe it, do you?¡± the Kunlun Mirror said somewhat helplessly. ¡°Why shouldn¡¯t I believe it?¡± Luo Yan directly countered, ¡°If it¡¯s fake, then I¡¯ve lost nothing; but if it¡¯s true, the loss would be huge, okay?¡± He said through gritted teeth: ¡°I¡¯d rather she was just bluffing; otherwise, if this happens a few more times, my blood pressure is definitely going to explode.¡± ¡°You have such a small capacity for dealing with issues,¡± said the Kunlun Mirror leisurely. ¡°Shut up, Ah Jing! If you¡¯re capable, go find the Heaven-Mending Stone yourself.¡±
Luo Yan chatted with the helmsman, the senior brother Linghu Chu, for a moment on the deck. Seeing that there was still no sight of inds in the surrounding sea area, he went back below deck again. He had a new understanding of the secret realm of this Three Inds Treasure Ship¡­ Not only was which ind you ended up atpletely random, but even the chance of encountering an ind was unpredictable. It was far too unstable. However¡­ Luo Yan suddenly remembered the text written by that ¡°Suan Ni True Monarch¡± in the cave on the previous ind. Lost in the You Ming Sea, unable to leave for two thousand years. Adding ¡°Witch n¡± at the end, one could roughly deduce that this secret realm had existed since the distant past when the Witch n was active and was known as the ¡°You Ming Sea.¡± The ancient cultivators who entered this secret realm at the time didn¡¯t have such ships to leave with, so once they entered, they were trapped. So, who exactly built the Three Inds Treasure Ship afterward? Luo Yan stuck his head out over the side of the ship and looked down towards the sea. The sea was dark and deep, bottomless, and there was no seaweed or other floating debris. The waves were indeed heaving, but the direction of the current was not clear, and there was no wind whatsoever. ¡°You Ming Sea¡±, where did this name actuallye from? ¡°Junior brother, be careful!¡± Linghu Chu called out from the upper deck, ¡°If you fall down there, we can¡¯t save you!¡± ording to what elder Shi Ding had said before, whether it was entering or exiting this secret realm, or traveling between the many inds, one must travel by this ship. If one were to fall off unintentionally and drop into the sea, there would be a risk to one¡¯s life. The reason is simple: here, one cannot practice Sword Control, and the buoyancy of the water is extraordinarily low; if one fell into the water and failed to grab onto a rope or some other fixture on the ship in time, one would sink in the blink of an eye, then be gone without a trace. Luo Yan thus retracted his neck and paced the deck with a frown, feeling increasingly uneasy about this secret realm. So he went below deck again to find Miss Shi. To his surprise, upon entering the cabin, Luo Yan discovered that Shi Liuli had not continued to run the Body Refining Secret Technique, but was lying on the bed like a dead dog.
¡°Senior sister, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Luo Yan hurried over and ced a finger on her neck to check the flow of True Qi within her body, to confirm whether she had experienced Deviation or not. ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± Shi Liuli pushed his finger away and said weakly, ¡°That Body Refining Secret Technique is too tiring to practice!¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ I feel that the Cultivation Realm should pass aw in the future: no one with a mental age under eighteen should be allowed to cultivate immortality.
¡°Why is Marrow Cleansing more tiring than Breathing Qi Refinement?¡± Shi Liuli asked, propping her head on her hands and pressing against the pillow while her ck hair cascaded over the bed. Her slender legs were bent and lifted, revealing the white silk stockings, yfully swinging one after the other. She suddenly turned her head and asked, ¡°Junior brother, is there a way to directly undergo Marrow Cleansing without having to practice every day?¡± ¡°There probably is.¡± Luo Yan said vaguely. Indeed, there are such things as the Blood Pool of the Demon Refining Tower in Shushan, the Pure Yuan Qi Pills in the secret realm of the Western Queen Mother of Kunlun¡­ but you can¡¯t get your hands on them! Hmm, wait a minute, because Qiu Changtian underwent Marrow Cleansing in the Blood Pool ahead of time, the Pure Yuan Qi Pill was actually spared. Junior Sister Xu has her own sufficient share, and Senior Sister An is already at the Refining Mansion Rank; neither of them need it. Could there be an opportunity to give it to Miss Shi? No, it can¡¯t be given directly, we have to get some benefits from her. Luo Yan was daydreaming when he suddenly snapped back to reality, only to see that Shi Liuli¡¯s pretty face was extremely close, almost to the point of kissing him. ¡°What are you thinking about?¡± she asked, her eyes wide, ¡°Are you keeping something from me?¡± Must her perception be so acute! Luo Yan quicklyposed himself and said with a dryugh, ¡°Not at all? Sister, you shouldn¡¯t make baseless guesses.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Shi Liuli straightened up and crossed her arms again.
Luo Yan let out a sigh of relief inwardly, but then he noticed that the Kunlun Mirror did not indicate an increase in the Synchronization Value and was slightly startled. Then, he noticed the way Shi Liuli was eyeing him and immediately realized that she hadn¡¯t been fooled by him. ¡°That said,¡± Shi Liuli spoke as if talking to herself while still holding her arms, ¡°if there were a faster direct method for Marrow Cleansing, surely my junior brother would actively tell me, right?¡± ¡°Absolutely!¡± Luo Yan quickly professed his loyalty, ¡°If such a fortuitous opportunity arose, I probably wouldn¡¯t be able to handle it on my own, and would definitely report it to Master!¡± ¡°That¡¯s true,¡± Shi Liuli nodded. However, the Synchronization Value still did not increase, indicating that Miss Shi didn¡¯t believe a word of his nonsense. ¡°Well, the senior brother was looking for me just now, I have to go up and reply to him,¡± Luo Yan, feeling that the situation was turning dire, hastily made up an excuse to beat a hasty retreat. Only after he had left the cabin and closed the door did Shi Liuli show a pouting expression. Just now, when she asked her junior brother if there was a direct method for Marrow Cleansing, he first forced a smile and said, ¡°Probably there is,¡± then he began to space out¡­ clearly indicating there was a method, but he was hesitating whether to tell me! Thinking this, she clenched her silver teeth in frustration, thinking to herself, Luo Yan oh Luo Yan, how well I¡¯ve treated you, and yet you still keep things from me? Who was it that brought you into the Heavenly Craft Workshop? Have you forgotten? An ungrateful, stinky man! With these thoughts, Shi Liuli sustained a stretch of sulking before finally having to ept the current reality.
Even if the junior brother was hiding something, she had no way of forcing it out of him! If the hard approach wouldn¡¯t work, it seemed she would have to try a softer one. With this in mind, Shi Liuli raised her eyebrows and checked herself in the bronze mirror. Not bad, her features were delicate, and her demeanor charmingly adorable. What kind of man could resist the charms of such a beauty? No one! With this thought, Shi Liuli straightened her clothes and then put on a smile as lovely as a blooming flower. She got up, opened the cabin door, and headed towards the upper deck. Usually, to get what she wanted, Miss Shi had three tricks up her sleeve: The first was the money tactic; use a massive amount of Spirit Stones to stun the other party, which could resolve most problems. The second was the coquetry tactic, which so far she had only used on her father. As soon as she acted coquettishly, Elder Shi Ding would mostly bepletely obedient to her¡ªif not, she would shift to acting aggrieved and crying, and Elder Shi Ding often couldn¡¯t withstand this move either and would go to negotiate with the other party. If the other party wouldn¡¯t ept Spirit Stones, then more valuable items would have to be exchanged, such as the prestige of Elder Shi Ding of the Peni Jade Pure Artifact Forging, or a Heavenly Craft Workshop magic artifact customization¡­
The third was the esoteric tactic, used when things couldn¡¯t even be handled by Elder Shi Ding. Of course, since Luo Yan was their little junior brother, there was no need to use something as forceful as esoteric methods. She¡¯d let him experience the power of acting coquettishly first! Chapter 160: 22 Shi Liuli’s Super Combo Chapter 160: Chapter 22 Shi Liuli¡¯s Super Combo On the deck, Luo Yan was chatting with his senior brother Linghu Chu, discussing the Body Refining Secret Technique. ¡°The Body Refining Secret Technique, lost during the ancient times along with the discontinuation of the Witch n¡¯s Daoist traditions, now only some Martial Arts Secret Manuals remain, but they merely scratch the surface,¡± Linghu Chumented, ¡°You are at the Marrow Cleansing Rank. Do not circte your qi ording to the Qi Refining Technique, but instead use the Body Refining Secret Technique; it will greatly increase the efficiency of your Marrow Cleansing.¡± ¡°After Marrow Cleansing, you can also carve out a quarter of an hour each day to practice it, as it has the benefit of strengthening the body. But any longer would dy your own cultivation.¡± ¡°So what you mean, Senior Brother, is that the efficacy of the Body Refining Secret Technique in advancing one¡¯s cultivation level is far less than that of the Daoist Qi Refining Technique?¡± Luo Yan thought to himself; his senior brother¡¯s words seemed to align with what Ah Jing and Ah Jian had said. The biggest problem with the Body Refining Secret Technique is that it¡¯s too slow to take effect. The further one progresses, the slower the advancement of the cultivation level bes, far inferior to the Daoist Qi Refining Technique. Luo Yan even had a suspicion that there might be some ¡°key¡± medicine or rituals intended toplement these Body Refining Secret Techniques. But due to some reasons, these key factors were unfortunately lost, leading to the disuse of the Body Refining Secret Technique because of its low efficiency. Of course, looking at the history of the entire Cultivation Realm, it is a lengthy process of weakening. Who knows how many Daoist traditions have been lost in the river of time¡­ ¡°Indeed,¡± the Kunlun Mirror sighed, ¡°In fact, Daoist cultivation techniques are just the least damaged part.¡± ¡°From the ancient times, to the ancient era, to the middle ages, to the modern era, and then to today. Every once in a while, the distribution of Spiritual Energy in the Cultivation Realm would undergo drastic changes.¡± ¡°Daoist Heart rity, Innate Sword Bone, these peerless cultivating talents, how long have they not appeared? It¡¯s not just an issue of probability; the probability itself is diminishing¡­¡±
At this point, the Kunlun Mirror suddenly stopped. ¡°¡­What¡¯s wrong, keep talking,¡± Luo Yan said, puzzled. ¡°No, it¡¯s nothing,¡± the Kunlun Mirror fell silent. ¡°So you mean you¡¯ve let something slip?¡± Luo Yanughed, ¡°In this phase, you identally told me something secret that you shouldn¡¯t have?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not that,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said indifferently, ¡°Now is not the time to discuss this topic. Look, who ising to find you?¡± Luo Yan turned his head in surprise and saw Shi Liuli approaching with a smile. Miss Shi was naturally delicate and beautiful, and her smile made her even more stunningly irresistible. But for some reason, whether it was Luo Yan who was up close, or his senior brother Linghu Chu standing at the helm, both felt an inexplicable chill rise from the depths of their hearts. Her smile is so strange! It wasn¡¯t that Miss Shi couldn¡¯t smile, but she had always been someone who couldn¡¯t hide her feelings. Even her smiles were genuine, so when did she ever show such a polite and ingratiating smile that was clearly seeking a favor? Linghu Chu shivered and immediately turned to lean on the ship¡¯s rail, pretending to gaze into the distance and zone out. Luo Yan also nned to walk away, but Miss Shi grabbed his arm and wouldn¡¯t let him go. ¡°Little Junior Brother~¡± she smiled sweetly, ¡°Come with me, I have something to tell you.¡± Such a coy statement caused Luo Yan to shiver all over. Devoid of any strength to resist, he was confusedly dragged by her beneath the deck. Linghu Chu: ¡­¡­ He turned around with aplex expression, wondering if their master already knew about the thing between his junior brother and junior sister. When would master n for them to get engaged and be Daoist Companions? And was there any n for offspring? What would be more appropriate for the wedding gift and the monthly stipend? Luo Yan was pulled into the cabin by Miss Shi and was about to speak when Shi Liuli locked the cabin door behind her. Luo Yan: !!! Just Miss Shi, thinking to take away my Yuan Yang? Impossible!
¡°Why are you gripping your pants?¡± Shi Liuli frowned and said. ¡°Nothing.¡± Luo Yan calmed down, released his grip on his waistband, and rubbed his dumbstruck face, ¡°What does Senior Sister want with me?¡± ¡°Can¡¯t Ie to you if there¡¯s nothing important?¡± Shi Liuli smiled beautifully, ¡°Caring for my junior brother is a senior sister¡¯s duty.¡± ¡°Thank you for your concern, Senior Sister.¡± For some reason, whenever Luo Yan heard her speak in such a sickly sweet tone, he felt like a bug trapped in honey, with a sweet yet suffocating feeling.
¡°How is your Body Refining Secret Technique training going?¡± Shi Liuli asked cheerily, ¡°Do you have any difficulties that require your Senior Sister¡¯s guidance?¡± Luo Yan found himself momentarily at a loss for words. You¡¯re asking me, a Refining Mansion rank cultivator if I have any questions for you, a Marrow Cleansing rank cultivator? Of course, he was a professional spy, after all, so he wouldn¡¯t be stumped by such a request. After silently grumbling for a moment, Luo Yan quickly changed his train of thought, asking her about a problem he had encountered himself during his own Marrow Cleansing: ¡°Mm-hm, Senior Sister, I do have a question: Why does the flow of qi always pause at the second Heaven¡¯s Gate from the top when it circtes up the spine during the full cycle?¡± Shi Liuli¡¯s smile froze on her face. ¡°Listen carefully to this,¡± Shi Liuli coughed after a moment of silence, settling herself, ¡°It¡¯s because, um, when qi circtes during the full cycle, up the spine, it will get stuck slightly at the second Heaven¡¯s Gate¡­ because that¡¯s the second Heaven¡¯s Gate, do you understand?¡± Luo Yan: ??? If one day I ascend to the celestial throne, I must enact the ¡°Minor Cultivator Protection Act¡± to prevent ¡®big kids¡¯ with immature psychological ages from bing Senior Sisters! ¡°Alright, since I have solved a question for you, you owe me a favor now!¡± She pulled a chair over, sat down almost next to Luo Yan, leaned in, and asked, ¡°Little Junior Brother~ you have a simpler method for Marrow Cleansing, don¡¯t you?¡± Upon hearing this, Luo Yan breathed a sigh of relief.
Thank goodness, she¡¯s not suspicious of my identity, nor coveting my body; she just intends to get the Marrow Cleansing secret technique from me. Seeing that Luo Yan did not deny it immediately, Shi Liuli could see right through him, that this junior brother indeed possessed a secret Marrow Cleansing technique. She immediately grabbed his arm and started shaking it, coaxing persistently: ¡°Tell me, please! Tell me tell me tell me tell me¡­¡± Dammit, she¡¯s using abo attack! Luo Yan prided himself on having been through a lot, but Miss Shi was simply too adept at leveraging her assets: Knowing how exquisite and wless her appearance was, cute and charming, she deliberately pleaded with the coyness of a daughter; Aware of her own innocent and cheerful nature, winning people¡¯s hearts, she purposely acted spoiled like a child. If it were just one of those things, Luo Yan could resist with an iron will, but when all these traits wove together into a, a massive web capable of melting a man¡¯s heart, he was ever so slightly breached. Forget it, there¡¯s no use holding onto it anyway. ¡°Senior Sister¡­¡± Luo Yan closed his eyes, struggling visibly, and finally said slowly, ¡°I originally nned to give it to you after we left.¡± ¡°I have a bottle of Pure Yuan Qi Pill¡­¡± The Kunlun Mirror watched his performance coldly, then nced at the rapidly rising Synchronization Value, wondering whether he was role-ying or being true to himself at this moment.
Chapter 161: 23 Not Even Giving a Chance to the Titanic! Chapter 161: Chapter 23 Not Even Giving a Chance to the Titanic! Miss Shi was very happy. Miss Shi was also very angry. Her happinessy in the fact that her junior brother indeed had a method to quickly perform Marrow Cleansing! The source of her anger, naturally, was that her junior brother hadn¡¯t told her right away¡­ Of course, this wasn¡¯t that important, and overall, she was happier than she was angry. Luo Yan took out a bottle of Pure Yuan Qi Pill from his Storage Bag and ced it in Shi Liuli¡¯s hands, instructing, ¡°Taking this Elixir every three days will activate the stagnant vital energy in the hard-to-reach corners of the marrow, making it easier to expel with Vital Energy cirction.¡± ¡°To put it simply, you still need to practice the Body Refining Secret Technique daily, butbined with this bottle of Elixir, you can shorten the corresponding Marrow Cleansing time.¡± ¡°Mm-hmm!¡± Shi Liuli was ted, thinking that as long as it could shorten the Marrow Cleansing time, it was fine. Otherwise, she couldn¡¯t stand another five or six years of practice. ¡°Then, senior sister, I won¡¯t disturb your cultivation anymore.¡± Seeing that Shi Liuli didn¡¯t care how he came by the Pure Yuan Qi Pill¡ªmuch like how a woman shopping doesn¡¯t worry about whether her husband finds earning money difficult¡ªLuo Yan quickly excused himself to leave. ¡°Go on, go on.¡± Miss Shi was quite swift to dismiss him this time, giving Luo Yan a somewhat inexplicable sense of loss. If you stick around, it¡¯s annoying; if you don¡¯t, it¡¯s loss¡ªthat¡¯s just how we men are! He mocked himself inwardly, walked up to the deck, but suddenly heard an explosion in the distance, like thunder striking, nearly deafening him. ¡°Junior brother, quickly return below deck!¡± Linghu Chu yelled anxiously.
Upon hearing this, Luo Yan didn¡¯t hesitate and hurriedly turned around to run below, just in time to run into Shi Liuli who had rushed out from her cabin in a panic. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± she asked anxiously. ¡°It seems there¡¯s someone having a Magical Competition on the sea surface!¡± Luo Yan had only taken a quick glimpse and said uncertainly. No sooner had he spoken than the ship they were on, under Linghu Chu¡¯s fierce steering, suddenly executed a 180-degree drift. The violent turn and tremendous eleration flung Luo Yan directly out, crashing him against the hallway wall. He felt a sharp pain in his back and hadn¡¯t yet steadied himself when he saw Miss Shi also getting thrown his way, sandwiching him in a front-and-back collision. Her mouth knocked directly into Luo Yan¡¯s lips, the pain almost making him cry out¡ªhis lip was cut by his teeth, and a faint iron-tasting blood spread between his tongue and teeth. Miss Shi sat down on the floor in disarray, her hands tightly covering her mouth, her beautiful eyes already brimming with tears. On one hand, it was because of the pain, but on the other hand, it was shyness and panic¡­ Even with her innocent and carefree nature, she at least understood the significance of losing her first kiss. ¡°Senior Sister, are you okay?¡± Luo Yan struggled to stand up and wanted to help her up, but only saw Shi Liuli retreating rapidly back to the corner with a clear look of panic, tears still lingering in her eyes. Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ Don¡¯t make it seem like I took advantage of you, okay? I¡¯m a victim too! However, something outside seemed amiss, and the floorboards of the ship shuddered violently again¡ªit felt as if the entire ship was lifted by a giant wave and then mmed back down onto the sea. Luo Yan felt like he was on a roller coaster without a seatbelt, as he was thrown up and down again, tumbling into a heap with Miss Shi. If it were outside the Immortal Realm, being able to fly in the sky with Sword Control wouldn¡¯t have been so embarrassing¡­ As this thought shed through his mind, his view suddenly shifted a dozen meters sideways! To be exact, some overwhelmingly terrifying external force had cleaved the entire ship in half from the outside! At this moment, Luo Yan and Shi Liuli were located in the front half of the ship¡¯s body, and the torn breach of the treasured ship suddenly came into view, with the rolling sea water outside, and on the deck of the rear half of the ship stood their senior brother with an expression of shock and panic. ¡°Hold on!¡± he rapidly formed a hand seal, pinning the Flying Sword to the lower hull, then leaped down like a wild goose,nding steadily on the back of the Flying Sword.
Subsequently, with his right hand grabbing hold of a protrusion on the side of the ship to stabilize himself, he formed a Sword technique with his left hand, and the Flying Sword shot out from under his feet again, pinning itself lower down¡­ After a few such leaps, Linghu Chu quickly descended, rushing swiftly towards the two of them. However, the situation on Luo Yan¡¯s side was even less optimistic, as the front half of the ship had already begun to tilt, and it was tilting downwards towards the sea at the breach where they were, causing immense volumes of sea water to start flooding in through the break. Luo Yan and Shi Liuli had to hastily retreat towards the front of the ship to avoid being submerged by the iing water. Shi Liuli tightly clung to Luo Yan¡¯s arm, her pretty face already pale with fright, and Luo Yan realized her body was shaking violently, a clear sign of utter helplessness. Luo Yan himself was somewhat shocked and panicked, but after all, he had a strong mental fortitude. He was not some pampered Immortal Sect miss with the mental age of a minor; he quickly regained hisposure, imitated his senior brother by drawing the Peach Blossom Sword, and forcefully pinned it in the deck beneath his feet to stabilize himself.
This treasured ship, although it appeared no different from amon wooden boat, must necessarily contain some special qualities, otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t have been able to carry everyone in and out of the You Ming Sea, nor would it have been possible to sail on water without buoyancy. Thinking of the rumor that ¡®one who falls into the You Ming Sea shall surely drown¡¯, Luo Yan immediately concluded: Even if the treasured ship is destroyed and capsizes, they must cling to the wreckage and floatboards until the third day! Just as he had resolved to do so, the ship suddenly shook violently again. Caught off guard, Miss Shi, who had not held on tight enough, was flung off and fell down the deck sloping more than sixty degrees. She desperately tried to clutch at the deck, but there was neither protrusion nor indentation to grasp onto; she could only cast a desperate yet hopeful look toward Luo Yan. Seeing her plight, Luo Yan cursed inwardly without hesitation, pulled out the Peach Blossom Sword, and elerated down the tilted deck, his thoughts turning as fleetingly as lightning. Why? If this was a certain death trap, why hadn¡¯t his future self appeared in advance? Unless I¡¯m not going to die at all¡­ He didn¡¯t even have time to consult the Kunlun Mirror before he had already reached Shi Liuli, leaning over to grab Miss Shi¡¯s arm. However, the downward force of Shi Liuli¡¯s fall far exceeded his expectations. Before he could pin the Peach Blossom Sword into the deck again, Luo Yan was already being dragged into the sea by Shi Liuli. The icy sea water filled his robes, and in vain, he thrust the Peach Blossom Sword forward forcefully. Finally, it pierced upwards into the hull from underneath the water. However, perhaps due to exerting too much force, he failed to secure his grip on the hilt, and was helplessly dragged into the deep sea by Shi Liuli¡¯s struggling.
Luo Yan could only watch as the broken treasured ship floated farther and farther away on the sea surface, the waterlight around him gradually dimming. He tried to swim forcefully a few times, and after realizing that the sea water had absolutely no buoyancy, he simply used his arms to forcefully pull Shi Liuli, who was clinging to his arm like an octopus, into his embrace. Shi Liuli, still shivering, gradually quieted down in his arms, her eyes lifelessly staring at him. You should lose some weight. Luo Yan ¡®said¡¯ without words, using the shape of his mouth underwater. Shi Liuli was stunned for a moment, then suddenly began to struggle fiercely again. Chapter 162: 24 The Prisoner of the Underwater Dragon Palace Chapter 162: Chapter 24 The Prisoner of the Underwater Dragon Pce In the deep sea, the two embraced and sank downward. For cultivators,ck of oxygen was not a problem at all. As long as they had passed the Fasting period, their bodies could circte internally and sustain themselves without any exchange with the outside world to maintain life. However, this did not mean they could dive into the deep sea without dying, because the deeper they went, the greater the water pressure, and the bodies of cultivators would be crushed by the immense force¡­ Yet, about two quarters of an hourter, Luo Yan surprisingly discovered that the surrounding water pressure had not increased at all. Hmm? After pondering for a moment, he realized the truth. Buoyancy, essentially, was caused by the difference in water pressure above and below an object. If this seawatercked even buoyancy, then how could there possibly be any water pressure? He was lost in thought for a long time, while Shi Liuli in his arms tightly closed her eyes, her eyshes trembling slightly. She had originally thought that she was surely going to die, so she clung to Luo Yan, motionless, waiting for death toe with trepidation.
But after waiting for two quarters of an hour and still not dying, she finally became a little impatient and forced her eyes open. It was so dark. Descending to this depth, the visibility around them had be so dim that they could hardly see anything at all, and they could only sense Luo Yan¡¯s presence through the most basic sense of touch. However, the seawater was extremely cold, nearly numbing her entire body, forcing her to hold on tightly to Luo Yan. Suddenly, it seemed something had wrapped around the two of them. That thing seemed like seaweed, yet also like silk, winding around the two several times before dragging them downwards. Luo Yan tried to struggle, realizing he couldn¡¯t break free at all¡­ Moreover, his entire True Yuan seemed to be stagnating, unable to circte at all. About another quarter of an hour passed when a light gradually appeared below. What hung in the abyss below was a pce, brightly lit and breathtakingly beautiful. Crystal for walls, coral for trees, ms for candles, and fragrance wafting in the smoke decorated the whole pce like an immortal realm, akin to the Dragon King¡¯s pce of mythological tales, overwhelmingly beautiful. What bound the two was a long, thin rope that did not seem to be woven from nt fibers, but rather like the sinew of some creature¡­ The two were dragged into the pce of the Dragon King, and the pce gate quietly opened, revealing ayer of shimmering water membrane. They passed through the water barrier without any impediment, and immediately felt lighter. The cold, cultivation-sealing water that felt almost suffocating was all isted outside the water membrane; even their clothes were not wet. Shi Liuli shivered, anxiously clinging to Luo Yan¡¯s arm. Luo Yan, however, looked around calmly and asked the Kunlun Mirror in his Sea of Consciousness: ¡°Where¡¯s my future warrior? Where¡¯s my strategy guide?¡± ¡°What do you need a strategy guide for?¡± Kunlun Mirror was baffled, ¡°I didn¡¯t see any deadly tribtion, and I can¡¯t be staring at your future all the time, can I?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no deadly tribtion, you say?¡± Luo Yan immediately feigned a leap, ¡°Then I¡¯ll just sweep this ce directly!¡±
¡°Be careful,¡± Kunlun Mirror said, half amused, half exasperated, ¡°A deadly tribtion refers to a life-and-death crisis that you can¡¯t escape from without external interference when it¡¯s one hundred percent certain! Don¡¯t foolishly court death and forcefully bring about a tribtion from nothing!¡± ¡°Got it,¡± Luo Yan said, relieved, ¡°Ah Jing, you¡¯re always so good to me.¡± That is to say, if I face a fate of one hundred percent certainty of death, Ah Jing will remind me, right? ¡°Hmph.¡± The Kunlun Mirror was not fooled, ¡°Anyway, I¡¯m just a tool for you. Useful and I¡¯m ¡®Ah Jing,¡¯ useless and I¡¯m a ¡®broken mirror¡¯¡­ Hmph! Just go on hugging Miss Shi.¡±
It sank into the Sea of Consciousness and fell silent, no matter how Luo Yan called for it, it did not respond. So, all that was left was the chuckling sound of the Green Duckweed Sword near his ear. Luo Yan brought his attention back to reality and saw a long corridor ahead, with all the doors on both sides shut tight. Only the main door at the end was open, which was self-exnatory. So, Luo Yan nned to move forward to explore, but Miss Shi held onto his arm, stopping him from leaving. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Senior Sister?¡± Luo Yan asked. Shi Liuli didn¡¯t speak, only shrinking her neck and shaking her head. ¡°Don¡¯t be afraid, Senior Sister,¡± Luo Yanforted her, ¡°Since the master of this ce brought us here safely, it seems that there¡¯s no intention to harm us.¡± Shi Liuli still shook her head, looking genuinely frightened. ¡°Come with me, be good!¡± Seeing that neither persuasion nor intimidation worked, Luo Yan simply used his hand to lift her chin, pretending he was going to kiss her lips. Frightened, Shi Liuli hurriedly let go of his arm, retreating several steps like a little rabbit. Then she suddenly realized she was in a strange environment full of dangers and quickly jumped back to cling to his arm again, ring at him and grinding her teeth, showing a vicious look that said, ¡°Tease me again, and I¡¯ll bite you to death.¡± Luo Yan was somewhat amused but relieved that Miss Shi had finally regained her unique spirit. He then patiently persuaded her again: ¡°Let¡¯s go. Don¡¯t let them get anxious waiting.¡± Shi Liuli hesitated for a long while before asking in a low voice: ¡°Is this the Dragon Pce?¡±
¡°Not every pce built at the bottom of the sea is the Dragon Pce,¡± Luo Yan analyzed with a wry smile, ¡°Look at the width of these corridors, the height of these doors, it¡¯s clear that humans, not some Great Demon, move around here¡­¡± Before he could finish, a drawn-out voice came from ahead: ¡°That¡¯s not necessarily true, after all, Great Demons can transform, can¡¯t they?¡± Luo Yan fell silent for a moment before leading Shi Liuli forward. As they passed through the room at the end of the corridor, they saw a splendid and spacious hall where a handsome man in white robes was leaningzily on a throne, his gaze driftingzily over them. The man¡¯s features were too handsome for a mortal, with a full forehead, a high nose bridge, and long, narrow eyes. His expression¡­ was very simr to the Marquis of Mount Tu that Luo Yan had seen in the Shushan Demon Locking Tower before. ¡°I greet the Great King,¡± Luo Yan quickly greeted with a bow. Having interacted with the Marquis of Mount Tu, Luo Yan already knew how to deal with these Great Demons: Be interesting when you meet, to capture their attention; be smart in between, to make them respect you; be useful at the end, so they won¡¯t want to kill you. ¡°Why do you call me ¡®Great King¡¯?¡± The man in white was indeed intrigued and started to smile, ¡°Interesting. Others call me True Monarch or Your Excellency, but you call me ¡®Great King¡¯? Do I look like some bandit leader to you?¡± ¡°Not a bandit chief, but a True Dragon,¡± Luo Yan immediately followed up, ¡°If not a destined ruler, how could one sit upon the throne?¡± The man in white pondered for a moment, then tapped the armrest of the throne with his slender fingers and continued: ¡°Does sitting on the throne necessarily make one a ruler? Maybe the ruler is away, and I¡¯m just sitting here casually?¡±
Luo Yan smiled without saying a word, his expression reflecting utter certainty that needed no exnation. ¡°Well then,¡± the man in white sighed, ¡°You are also smart, to even see that I am from the Dragon n.¡± Upon hearing this, Shi Liuli couldn¡¯t help but grip Luo Yan¡¯s arm even tighter. The man in white continued to speak: ¡°However, I am not any Dragon King, and this is not any pce.¡± ¡°I am merely a prisoner, confined here.¡± Chapter 163: 25: The Cage of Immortality Chapter 163: Chapter 25: The Cage of Immortality ¡°If you have any questions, you may ask them now.¡± ¡°May I ask, Your Majesty, where is this ce?¡± ¡°You may call me Lord Zhunmang,¡± the man in white said gently, ¡°This sea is known as the ¡®Great Gorge,¡¯ which is the end of all waters under heaven.¡± ¡°The waters of the Eight Extremities and Nine Territories, the flow of the Celestial River, they converge from west to east into the East Sea, Southern Sea, and finally alle here to this Great Gorge.¡± ¡°Deep within the Great Gorge, lies this travelling pce, known as ¡®Gui Xu.¡¯¡± Luo Yan silently noted his words, then asked: ¡°For what purpose did Lord Zhunmang bring the two of us here?¡± ¡°Naturally, it was to save you,¡± Lord Zhunmang blinked. Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ Damn, there¡¯s no way to argue that. ¡°The depths of the Great Gorge have no end,¡± Lord Zhunmang continued, ¡°If you had continued sinking and missed Gui Xu, you would have fallen into eternal oblivion, unable to extricate yourselves.¡±
¡°Thank you, Lord Zhunmang, for your rescue,¡± Luo Yan could only bow his thanks. ¡°You¡¯re wee,¡± Lord Zhunmang said gently, ¡°In saving you, I also had some self-interest.¡± Now this was the crux of the matter! Luo Yan and Shi Liuli immediately pricked up their ears, curious about what price this member of the Dragon n would demand. ¡°If you say that the Great Gorge is the end of all spaces, then Gui Xu would be the closest observation point to the Great Gorge,¡± Lord Zhunmang said with a smile, ¡°I don¡¯t know who the builder was, but they must be from a time even more ancient than our Dragon n¡¯s. ¡°Within Gui Xu, there are many historical records left by the ancestors of the Dragon n. ording to the current research, the essence of the Great Gorge is actually a kind of Formation.¡± ¡°Formation?¡± Luo Yan was amazed. ¡°Yes, a Formation,¡± Lord Zhunmang said leisurely, ¡°What do you think a Formation is?¡± Shi Liuli remained silent, carefully hiding behind Luo Yan. Luo Yan thought for a moment and then replied: ¡°A Formation is a special and orderly state of matter and energy.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Lord Zhunmang¡¯s eyes shed with a different light, ¡°Have you studied Formations?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare say studied, but I¡¯ve learned about them,¡± Luo Yan said modestly. ¡°That¡¯s wonderful!¡± Lord Zhunmang pped his hands andughed, ¡°After such a long time, finally, another cultivator who understands Formations hase! Human, what is your name?¡± Shi Liuli was about to speak, but Luo Yan had already replied: ¡°Responding to Lord Zhunmang, my name is Luo Yan.¡± ¡°Luo Yan¡­ Very well, Luo Yan,¡± Lord Zhunmang nodded,mitting the name to memory, ¡°Luo Yan, you said that a Formation is a special and orderly distribution of matter and energy, so let me ask you: Isn¡¯t the world we live in an orderly distribution of matter and energy?¡± Luo Yan¡¯s mouth opened slightly, feeling a certain enlightenment rising from the depths of his heart. ¡°Why does the sun rise in the east and set in the west? Why do all things fall to the ground? Why does water turn into vapor when heated?¡± Lord Zhunmang spread his hands as if chanting, ¡°Our world operates under a series of woven rules and systems.¡± ¡°This world is a gigantic Formation. Or to put it another way, our understanding of ¡®Formation¡¯ is actually the study of the fundamental mechanisms of this world.¡±
¡°The Great Gorge is one of the most important formation points in this world.¡± Luo Yan patiently listened to him finish before asking, ¡°Forgive my frankness, but what does this have to do with a ¡®prison¡¯?¡± ¡°Because located deep within the Great Gorge, Gui Xu has a very special rate of time flow,¡± Lord Zhen Mang smiled, ¡°Time here passes extremely slowly.¡±
¡°In here, for every year your perception experiences, your body has only aged three days, and the outside world has also merely passed three days.¡± Time flows at different rates? Luo Yan was momentarily stunned by the words, and then slowly, he understood, ¡°Doesn¡¯t that mean¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Lord Zhen Mang said candidly, ¡°after discovering this characteristic of Gui Xu, the Dragon n started using this ce as a prison to banish their prisoners.¡± ¡°A prison of time, where the prisoners are almost immortal. But more torturous than immortality is the nearly eternal boredom, along with the unstoppable desire to escape from this prison.¡± He stood up, gesturing for the two to follow him. The three of them passed through the main hall and entered a side hall. In the side hall, shelves filled with books stretched as far as the eye could see, like walls of a maze, fragmenting the hall. The shelves were densely packed with thread-bound paper books, and even more books were piled directly on the ground, forming small mounds. Many cultivators stood in front of the bookshelves or piles of books, some immersed in reading, while others furiously penned their thoughts at the desks, their expressions fervent. Among them were human cultivators and Great Demons of the Dragon n; some wore simple clothes never seen before, and others wore robes from the Ancient Times. Theirmonality was particrly manic expressions. ¡°They are all cultivators who, like you, unfortunately fell into the Great Gorge before you and were saved by me to Gui Xu,¡± Lord Zhen Mang exined indifferently, ¡°Inside the Great Gorge, there is an extremely strong sealing power. Cultivators are unable to mobilize True Yuan and can only sink slowly in the deep sea.¡± ¡°But only within Gui Xu do cultivators not face such restrictions.¡±
¡°Which means, you want to study the mechanism of this Gui Xu,¡± Luo Yan suddenly realized, summarizing, ¡°and find a way to resist the seal of the Great Gorge from within so you can escape from here!¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Lord Zhen Mang nodded, ¡°This Gui Xu is formed by a Grand Formation.¡± ¡°Before this ce was used as an exile prison, there were many Dragon n ancestors who entered here by mistake and couldn¡¯t escape from the Great Gorge, so they could only research the Formation here, hoping to find a way to escape.¡± ¡°Andter, as your human race began to rise, human cultivators also started arriving here.¡± ¡°What you see now, all the books in this entire hall¡ªthere are probably just over a hundred thousand volumes by now¡ªare their research findings.¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­. Shi Liuli: ¡­¡­¡­. ¡°Immortality, what a boring term,¡± Lord Zhen Mang remarked, ¡°All cultivators who came here had initially indulged in pleasures, engaged in strenuous cultivation, or did nothing at all¡­ but in the end, they all concentrated their efforts on researching the Gui Xu Grand Formation.¡± ¡°After all, once you have infinite time, you will find that those hobbies that once obsessed you mean nothing under the merciless passage of time¡ªyou will grow tired of them someday.¡± Luo Yan feigned a sympathetic expression, but inwardly, he disagreed: Without smartphones and the inte, of course it¡¯s like this. With both, I could loiter until the end of the world, okay? Of course, this was ultimately an impractical fantasy, so Luo Yan gently patted the trembling Miss Shi beside him and asked, ¡°Then, when can we start researching the Gui Xu Grand Formation?¡±
¡°Anytime,¡± Lord Zhen Mang said with a smile, ¡°But I suggest you stay here for a few days first, get ustomed to it for a while, and adjust your mindset and condition.¡± ¡°After all, what we have in abundance here is time.¡± Chapter 164: 26 Miss Shi Weeping and Sobbing Chapter 164: Chapter 26 Miss Shi Weeping and Sobbing Chun Mang Jun arranged a room for Luo Yan and Shi Liuli. The furnishings in the room were extremely simple, consisting only of a stone bed, stone table, and stone stools. Luckily, Luo Yan¡¯s storage bag contained manymonly used pieces of furniture¡ªthey were leftovers from when he initially helped Wei Dongliu arrange the Sect at Shiping Mountain, which he had purchased from Yuqing View. He then took them out one by one, carefully arranging them in the room: cabs, racks, and even a copper kettle and tea leaves for brewing tea, as well as some meditation cushions and wall hangings. After everything was set up, the room felt much cozier. Luo Yan then took out several small gs and began to set up the defensive array, only to hear Miss Shi suddenly start sobbing next to him. ¡°Sister, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Luo Yan asked as he worked on the formation. ¡°Are we going to be stuck here forever?¡± Shi Liuli asked sorrowfully. ¡°Ah, that¡­¡± Luo Yan paused for a moment and then gave a strained smile, ¡°I don¡¯t think so. How about we first study the Gui Xu Grand Formation when the timees?¡± ¡°But Chun Mang Jun said it already.¡± Shi Liuli spoke in despair, ¡°Since ancient times, no cultivator has ever been able to unravel the mysteries of the grand formation and sessfully leave this ce!¡± ¡°Just because they couldn¡¯t, doesn¡¯t mean we can¡¯t,¡± Luo Yan said, unconvinced. He turned and quietly asked the Kunlun Mirror in his Sea of Consciousness, ¡°Ah Jing, the save from before outside the secret realm, we can still load it, right?¡± ¡°¡­We can,¡± the Kunlun Mirror confirmed, ¡°However, this Great Gorge is indeed peculiar. To transport you out, it would consume far more spiritual power than usual.¡±
¡°Then that¡¯s settled,¡± Luo Yan said, immediately as if he had taken a calming pill, his tone also lightening up, ¡°I knew I could always trust my Ah Jing! By the way, about Miss Shi¡­¡± ¡°That¡¯s not possible,¡± the Kunlun Mirror frowned and said, ¡°I¡¯ve told you before, you are a person from outside this world, not within the ¡®future¡¯ set by the Time Dao, that¡¯s why you can traverse time and space and change fate. That¡¯s also the reason I chose you.¡± ¡°She is from this world. The moment I try to take her through time and space, she would immediately be subjected to the bacsh of the Time Dao.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Luo Yan said seriously, ¡°So if I want to use your help to leave the Great Gorge, I can only leave Miss Shi behind, right?¡± ¡°¡­That¡¯s how it is,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said, somewhat nervously. Was he really going to leave Shi Liuli behind and save himself? Strictly speaking, it indeed couldn¡¯t be helped. After all, Miss Shi couldn¡¯t be transported by me, which was a truly sad and helpless reality. But¡­ even if you were to abandon her, at least make an effort to hesitate and struggle for a while first, right? Instead of immediately making a cold-hearted and ruthless decision, it would make me feel¡­ The Kunlun Mirror couldn¡¯t help but get lost in thought, but Luo Yan didn¡¯t immediately make a statement. Instead, he said: ¡°I see, so this can only be considered ast resort.¡± ¡°Yes, it can serve as ast resort,¡± the Kunlun Mirror hastily added, inwardly relieved. ¡°Sister,¡± Luo Yan began tofort Shi Liuli again, ¡°Don¡¯t rush to conclusions. After all, we haven¡¯t studied that Gui Xu Grand Formation yet. Don¡¯t easily assert that we will fail.¡± Miss Shi didn¡¯t believe him. She thought about the over one hundred thousand books in that hall that hadn¡¯t been thoroughly studied, all those ancient cultivator predecessors who hadn¡¯t figured it out, and the chances that she and her brother could seed seemed incredibly slim. She might end up trapped here until death¡­ With that thought, she couldn¡¯t help but have a mental breakdown and burst into loud tears. Luo Yan was so anxious that he ran in circles around her. He wiped her tears, held her tofort her, made funny faces to make herugh, pinched her cheeks to annoy her, but nothing worked. Miss Shi could do nothing but cry up a storm, sobbing uncontrobly, as she rubbed her tears forcefully onto Luo Yan¡¯s clothes. Finally, Luo Yan had a sh of inspiration and said, ¡°That¡¯s right, Senior Sister! You¡¯re a person of destiny, aren¡¯t you? Don¡¯t you have that¡­what¡¯s it called¡­mysterious studies?¡±
He found it a bit embarrassing to mention, as the concept of mysterious studies was quite far-fetched. But after careful consideration, all that mattered was that Miss Shi believed in it, and the priority was to cheer her up! Upon hearing the phrase ¡°person of destiny,¡± Shi Liuli¡¯s sobbing seemed to have subsided a little. Luo Yan seized the moment to press on,
¡°Senior Sister, someone as beautiful and smart as you, born into an Orthodox Sect family, a daughter of an elder, is clearly a favorite of the heavens. How could you possibly end up alone in a ce like this? Why would the heavens grant you so many favorable conditions if that were to be your fate? That simply doesn¡¯t make any sense!¡± ¡°What you¡¯ve said¡­ does make some sense¡­¡± Shi Liuli said intermittently, beginning to blow her nose with a handkerchief. Seeing Miss Shi gradually returning to her senses, Luo Yan asked her to rest a bit in the room and went out to get her something to eat. After activating the defensive array of the room, Luo Yan went to the hall and found Zhun Mang Jun lying on the throne. ¡°Food?¡± Zhun Mang Jun seemed slightly surprised before responding with a smile, ¡°You can just go to the garden in the backyard and look for yourself; whether it¡¯s animal flesh or fruits and vegetables, or even cooking utensils and spices, you¡¯ll find everything you need.¡± ¡°Why is that?¡± Luo Yan immediately became interested, ¡°Can this ce stillmunicate with the outside world?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Zhun Mang Jun replied, ¡°But with so many cultivators stranded here, even with the tiniest probability, there have been ones who brought various types of animal offspring and vegetable seeds¡­ Moreover, most cultivators have practiced fasting and have no desire for food, so I initially left them in the garden to breed freely.¡± ¡°Plus, the Gui Xu Grand Formation enriches the spiritual power. Eventually, they proliferated so much in the garden that they became a gue, forcing me to periodically get rid of them. It would be good if you could help alleviate some of that.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Luo Yan said with a somewhat amused expression. It made sense; aside from a few cultivators, most were ustomed to surviving without food or drink, plus the presence of spiritual power within Gui Xu made the sustenance of animals and vegetation usible. ¡°Ah,¡± he sighed with a hint of emotion, ¡°In the outside world, with limited lifespans, which cultivator doesn¡¯t yearn for immortality? Now that we¡¯ve achieved it here, everyone fears it like a tiger. It¡¯s really strange.¡± ¡°You only know their words, not their meaning,¡± Zhun Mang Jun said with a smile, ¡°The so-called immortality is merely a foundation for ultimate freedom and ease.¡± ¡°If one doesn¡¯t achieve immortality, one would live in fear of nearing death. Where is the ease in that? If one is confined here, unable to leave, it¡¯s likenguishing in captivity, devoid of any freedom.¡±
¡°I¡¯ve been enlightened,¡± Luo Yan first feigned a look of sincere admiration,plimenting the other for a few sentences, before subtly probing, ¡°I noticed that many of the cultivator seniors in the side hall seem to have been driven mad by being trapped here for so long, but despite having been here even longer than them, you seem to be quite normal.¡± ¡°My method wouldn¡¯t work for you,¡± Zhun Mang Jun said leisurely. ¡°Oh?¡± Luo Yan expressed surprise, ¡°I¡¯m keen to hear the details. If it could help maintain sanity over the long term, it would certainly aid me in studying the Gui Xu Grand Formation.¡± ¡°I am of the Dragon n,¡± Zhun Mang Jun stated inly, ¡°The Dragon n has the ability to hibernate in the summer and the winter, and can choose to enter a state of deep sleep at will, avoiding the erosion of sanity over time.¡± ¡°If you have a way to be a member of the Dragon n, you might as well try my method.¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ That¡¯s nonsense, how could I possibly be a dragon¡­hmm? Chapter 165: 27 It must be a misunderstanding Chapter 165: Chapter 27 It must be a misunderstanding Luo Yan came to the backyard garden. He saw the hall was unknowably tall, with countless towering trees rising from the ground, and wild grass growing everywhere. Instead of an unattended garden, it seemed more like a primeval forest. A rabbit burrowed out from the underbrush and, upon seeing Luo Yan, showed no fear; it continued to nibble on something. Luo Yan locked eyes with it for a moment, then smiled slightly. He cleaned a few skinned rabbits by the pond, tied them with grass ropes, and then carried them back with him. On the way, he saw a few cultivators holding their heads, wailing at the side of the road, shouting, ¡°Take me with you¡± or ¡°Old ancestor, take me with you.¡± It was hard to tell how long they¡¯d been driven mad. Luo Yan sighed, thinking that these cultivators were indeed pitiful. The rate of time flow within Gui Xu was very peculiar. It appeared normal at first, but when one started to cultivate, they would discover that the speed was rmingly slow. ording to Master Zhun Mang, spending a year in this ce only reduced one¡¯s lifespan by three days. As for cultivation, it was almost the same: practicing Breathing and Qi Refinement for a year only amounted to three days¡¯ worth of cultivation in the outside world. For those cultivators who only knew how to advance in their cultivation and didn¡¯t understand how to enjoy the pleasures of life, this ce must have been nothing short of Hell. But Luo Yan felt it was okay¡­ at least for now.
When he returned to his room with the rabbits, he saw Miss Shi kneeling on a meditation cushion, praying and looking mournful. ¡°What are you holding in your hand?¡± she turned and asked. ¡°Rabbits,¡± Luo Yan replied with a smile, lifting the meat in his hand. ¡°Yuck!¡± Liuli made a sound of disgust and turned her head away. ¡°Rabbits are so cute, why would you kill them?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t kill them,¡± Luo Yan said with a smile, ¡°They ran into tree stumps and died by themselves.¡± ¡°Nonsense!¡± Liuli started to shed tears again. ¡°Raw meat looks so disgusting, I won¡¯t eat it!¡± Left with no choice, Luo Yan silently set up the roasting rack, lit the charcoal fire, and began to brush and flip the meat. Liuli, fuming with anger, turned her back to him, wondering when she had ever been so wronged? In the past, even when eating meat, it had always been prepared and given to her. When had she ever witnessed such bloodiness? The little junior brother simply didn¡¯t know how to be considerate of his senior sister! As Luo Yan roasted the rabbit meat until it was shiny and dripping with fat, the unique aroma began to waft through the air. Liuli stared at the painting on the wall, swallowed her saliva, and thought, if the junior brother apologizes now, perhaps I can forgive him. Luo Yan turned the bamboo skewers over and over, brushing on some spicy oil, intensifying the fragrance even more. Liuli swallowed her saliva again and again, and after some deliberation, she thought that maybe she should turn around and re at him, just to let him know to respect his senior sister. As Luo Yan began to sprinkle pepper and cumin, and the oil dripped onto the charcoal, making a loud explosion sound, Liuli¡¯s cravings got the better of her, and she spun around to snatch the bamboo skewer from his hand, biting into it eagerly. ¡°Senior sister, if rabbits are so cute, how can you eat them?¡± Luo Yan asked with a smile. ¡°Shut up! Give me the chili powder.¡± Liuli shook the can vigorously, resulting in all the chili spilling onto the rabbit meat, then she ferociously bit into it as if it were Luo Yan¡¯s own flesh. ¡°Cough, cough, cough.¡± But she hadn¡¯t eaten much before she started to choke.
¡°Slow down, senior sister,¡± Luo Yan quickly passed her a teacup and helped her pat her back to ease her breathing. Miss Shi finally calmed down, but she was somewhat embarrassed by Luo Yan¡¯s intimate actions and felt ufortable, twisting her body slightly. ¡°What do you n to do next?¡± she asked, holding a cup of tea and looking down at the tea leaves without looking at her junior brother¡¯s face. ¡°Oh, I n to go to the side hall first to look over the materials on the Gui Xu Grand Formation.¡±
¡°Do you want me to apany you?¡± Shi Liuli asked softly. Luo Yan was about to say it was unnecessary when he saw a timid plea in Miss Shi¡¯s eyes. Taking into ount her temperament, Luo Yan understood what she meant. It was not ¡°Do you want me to apany you?¡± but ¡°Can I go with you?¡± ¡°Of course, you can.¡± He said with a smile. ¡°So hypocritical.¡± After reporting ¡°Synchronization Value increased,¡± the Kunlun Mirror couldn¡¯t help but criticize, ¡°You know she is timid, so why don¡¯t you just coax her a bit? She has been so scared¡­¡± ¡°With your eloquence and emotional intelligence, wouldn¡¯t it be very easy for you to calm her down?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need,¡± Luo Yan said, chuckling. ¡°A proper fear of the unknown can help to close the distance between her and me¡ªafter all, during such anxious times, she can only rely on me, right?¡± Kunlun Mirror: ¡­ If you were not nning to abandon the identity of Luo Yan once the situation is restored, I would simply think you were a noble suitor and keep quiet. But since you¡¯ve already nned to have Luo Yan be just a passerby in your life, why bother leaving so many traces in her heart? Scumbag! However, Luo Yan was unaware of Kunlun Mirror¡¯s thoughts; he simply left the room with Shi Liuli and went to the side hall filled with books. Along the way, Shi Liuli held tightly to Luo Yan¡¯s arm, looking around like a timid hamster.
When she saw three unfamiliar cultivators by the roadside, she immediately hid behind Luo Yan. But those three cultivators didn¡¯t pay any attention to them, just shouting at each other as if possessed. One was shouting, ¡°Distributed nodes are invincible,¡± while another roared, ¡°Increasing coupling is the only way out,¡± both looking as if they wanted to tear each other apart on the spot. The remaining cultivator could only futilely call out, ¡°Don¡¯t discredit,¡± ¡°Everything has value,¡± but was directly ignored by hispanions. ¡°Do you see?¡± Luo Yan said to Shi Liuli when they had walked far enough, ¡°The cultivators here are all very erratic.¡± ¡°Think about it, one year here is equivalent to three days outside. The outside world¡¯s Treasure Ship Secret Realm opens every thousand years, which means that thest batch of cultivators who entered the Secret Realm and fell into the Great Gorge have already spent a hundred thousand years in the Gui Xu Pce.¡± ¡°A hundred thousand years! Who other than immortals could live that long in the outside world? Plus, there¡¯s no way to practice Qi Refinement here, nor is there anything to do. Those cultivators who don¡¯t think about escaping have likely already fallen into despair andmitted suicide. Those who have survived are all erratic, what¡¯s there for you to fear?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t say such scary things!¡± Shi Liuli hit him hard, tearfully saying, ¡°What if we are also trapped here for a hundred thousand years?¡± ¡°If I am trapped with sister,¡± seeing her like a startled bird, Luo Yan deliberately said seriously, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t mind even a million years, let alone a hundred thousand.¡± Shi Liuli listened and became indignant: she was already feeling so ufortable, and the little junior brother was still trying to tease her! She was just about to start grinding her teeth, preparing to bite her annoying junior brother, when unexpectedly the Kunlun Mirror suddenly withdrew the Illusion Technique of Mirror Flower Water Moon. As soon as this false persona was dropped, his demeanor immediately became extremely sincere, so much so that Shi Liuli actually couldn¡¯t figure out on the spot whether her junior brother¡¯s words were just to distract her attention so she wouldn¡¯t continue to be panicked and frightened, or whether it was a genuine confession to her. After walking a distance further, Shi Liuli finally stuttered:
¡°Um, junior brother¡­ I need to think about it, seriously think about it¡­ okay?¡± Luo Yan: ? Chapter 166: 28: Can’t Cultivators Sleep? Chapter 166: Chapter 28: Can¡¯t Cultivators Sleep? The two came to the side hall and were once again astonished by the nearly oceanic quantity of books. Shi Liuli found a deserted corner, pulled a book off the shelf, and after a moment of reading, her eyes immediately seemed to emit spirals of mosquito coil smoke. Luo Yan also picked up a book, read for a moment, and found the author¡¯s writing intriguing¡ªalthough somewhat mad. The author imed that the reason the Gui Xu Grand Formation appeared different with each observation was because it was actually three-dimensional, not t. Each time the cultivators made an observation, what they recorded was just ¡°a certain cross section¡± of this three-dimensional formation¡­ Luo Yan quickly flipped to the back and discovered that the author was all spection with no evidence to support his views, which immediately diminished his interest. It appeared that among the more than one hundred thousand books, there truly weren¡¯t many that were useful. He then went over to a window in the side hall and looked out. The Gui Xu Grand Formation, located in the central courtyard, was best viewed from above, right at the heart of Gui Xu. Anyone looking out from the windows of the side hall could see the extremely intricate andvish formation below, like a piece crafted from silver threads, exquisitely beautiful yet wholly natural. Even more peculiar was that the formation was constantly changing, growing more and moreplicated and indescribable¡­
¡°Can you understand it?¡± Miss Shi¡¯s voice suddenly rang in his ear, interrupting Luo Yan¡¯s thoughts, which he was almost immersed in. ¡°Uh, it¡¯s kind of interesting,¡± Luo Yan responded nomittally. ¡°Liar,¡± Shi Liuli pursed her lips and then continued to stare at him. The junior brother had just been staring at the formation for a quarter of an hour¡ªhow could it just be ¡°kind of interesting¡±? She cautiously surveyed her surroundings once more and found that everyone was still engrossed in their own activities, paying no attention to them whatsoever. Unable to understand the books and with no entertainment around, Shi Liuli could only sit next to Luo Yan, motionless, and cast her gaze toward the Gui Xu Grand Formation outside the window. Luo Yan, on the other hand, went to the bookshelves and started to search quickly. With the talent of understanding a thousand things from one scent, he could get a general idea of what any book was about with just a brief nce through a few pages. Therefore, most of the books full of subjective spection and guesses were ruthlessly skimmed over by him. Only those about formations that truly had substance were kept in his hands to read slowly, page by page. Though ¡°slowly¡± still meant flipping each page after about two seconds, the expression on Luo Yan¡¯s face was extremely serious. And none of the surrounding cultivators gave him even the slightest bit of attention. After some time had passed, Luo Yan was suddenly awakened again by Miss Shi. ¡°How¡¯s it going?¡± Shi Liuli asked. ¡°These books are fantastic!¡± Luo Yan said, his expression animated, ¡°There are discussions by several Array Masters, some which my master had mentioned before¡­¡± ¡°Alright, alright,¡± Shi Liuli nced nervously around and quickly pushed Luo Yan to walk out. As they passed through the main hall again, they saw Zhun Mang sitting on the throne, holding a piece of wood and casually carving it into a rough treasure ship shape. Then, he tossed it outside carelessly. The treasure ship shot out of the water film, rapidly growingrger as it swiftly ascended. Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­.
Shi Liuli: ¡­¡­¡­. Turns out the San Yu Treasure Ship that brought us in was your handiwork! ¡°I always need to bring more people in,¡± Zhun Mang noticed theirplex looks and turned back with a handsome smile, ¡°Otherwise, the rate at which cultivators in Gui Xu take their own lives would be much faster than the rate new peoplee in.¡± ¡°May I ask Zhun Mang, why is that treasure ship not affected by the Great Gorge, being able to ascend freely?¡± Luo Yan asked seriously.
¡°I don¡¯t know either,¡± Zhun Mang admitted candidly, ¡°Perhaps it has something to do with the material. These pieces of wood¡­ have been piled on the Gui Xu Grand Formation in the central courtyard for a long time. Maybe they¡¯re soaked with the power of the formation. Perhaps that¡¯s why, like Gui Xu itself, they don¡¯t sink in the Great Gorge?¡± Luo Yan seemed contemtive as he asked, ¡°May I go to the central courtyard to look at those pieces of wood?¡± ¡°Feel free,¡± Master Chun Mang said with a smile. ¡°But be careful not to block the line of sight of the cultivators behind the surrounding windows.¡± ¡°If you block their observation of the Gui Xu Grand Formation, they might be¡­ a bit irritable.¡± ¡°Of course, within the Gui Xu, all individuals are prohibited from attacking each other, and I will step in to stop them.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Luo Yan said with a slight bow. After they returned to their room, Shi Liuli suddenly rxed. Shey down on the stone bed and stretchednguorously. ¡°Phew, I¡¯m bored to death,¡± she yawned, covering her mouth, ¡°The day has been so long; I finally understand why those cultivators go mad. Ten thousand years¡­ How did they endure it?¡± ¡°If Senior Sister finds it dull, you can simply sleep in the room tomorrow,¡± Luo Yan genuinely suggested. His tone was quite earnest, but this time the Kunlun Mirror did not dispel the illusion technique, so Miss Shi,paring this demeanor to the previously ¡®iparable¡¯, ¡®First Grade¡¯ one, immediately felt something was amiss and said with grievance, ¡°Are you implying that my presence beside you is bothersome?¡± Luo Yan: ?
¡°No, how could that be?¡± Seeing that Miss Shi seemed on the verge of tears again, Luo Yan could only sigh inwardly and hasten to reassure her, ¡°I find it moreforting to have Senior Sister by my side.¡± ¡°You¡¯re lying!¡± Shi Liuli sobbed. ¡°I¡¯m not lying¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve been burying your head in those books all day, not even ncing at me once!¡± Why does it feel like a girlfriend throwing a tantrum to get her boyfriend¡¯s attention? Luo Yan pushed down the strange feeling in his heart and patiently said, ¡°Senior Sister is overly concerned; I have actually been watching you.¡± ¡°Really?¡± ¡°Of course, it¡¯s true, truer than true. If you don¡¯t believe me, look into my eyes.¡± Luo Yan shamelessly widened his eyes. Shi Liuli mustered her indignation and ¡°fiercely¡± met his gaze for a few seconds, then suddenly, perhaps thinking of something, she retreated with a red face. ¡°There aren¡¯t even any bedding here, how am I supposed to sleep tonight?¡± she changed the subject. ¡°Sleep?¡± Upon hearing this, Luo Yan expressed great surprise, ¡°Why would Senior Sister still have the habit of sleeping? Don¡¯t we cultivators just need to sit in meditative concentration?¡± ¡°I like to sleep, what¡¯s it to you!¡± Shi Liuli red at him, then quickly resumed her worried frown, ¡°The bed I usually sleep on has severalyers of nkets, soft and fluffy¡­ I can¡¯t get used to this hard stone bed at all.¡±
¡°But Senior Sister, I really didn¡¯t bring any bedding,¡± Luo Yan said with difficulty. It¡¯s not like I can have Ah Jing teleport me out to buy some and bring it back, right? Even without considering the risk of exposing our secret, Ah Jing is unlikely to tolerate Miss Shi¡¯s unreasonable demands. Shi Liuli also pondered for a moment, then suddenly said, ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to sit in meditation for the entire night?¡± ¡°Yes?¡± Luo Yan replied, puzzled. Which cultivator didn¡¯t spend the night in meditation? ¡°Then I¡¯ll sleep on your thigh,¡± Shi Liuli said assertively and, without giving Luo Yan any chance to refuse, she promptly nestled onto hisp as he sat cross-legged. Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ Forget it; let her be. The next morning, Miss Shi woke up with a stiff neck. Chapter 167: 29 Miss Shi’s Far-reaching Thoughts Chapter 167: Chapter 29 Miss Shi¡¯s Far-reaching Thoughts ¡°Ouch.¡± In the side hall, Miss Shi clutched her neck, tears welling up in her eyes. ¡°Should I get you some ice?¡± Luo Yan sat next to the chair, holding a fragrant bronze incense burner, with a book still in his hands. ¡°It¡¯s all because your leg is too stiff!¡± Shi Liuli said, huffing angrily. ¡°My fault, my fault.¡± Luo Yan surrendered at the speed of light. In the entire side hall, probably only Luo Yan and Shi Liuli, sitting on cushioned chairs wrapped in nkets and embracing the fragrant incense,fortably read their books. The other cultivators all had red eyes, hunched backs, disheveled hair, roughly flipping the pages of books back and forth, as if they wished they could tear them to shreds. Most of the books here in the side hall were observation diaries regarding the Gui Xu Grand Formation, with a small portion being notes left by Array Masters, for those cultivators with no foundational knowledge to learn the ways of Formations¡ªwhat Luo Yan focused on reading was thetter. Furthermore, there were a very few books that were the diaries of some cultivators who were in the habit of writing things down, recording their life¡¯s deeds and the aura of the times; Miss Shi used them to pass the time. ¡°Junior Brother,¡± Shi Liuli suddenly said, ¡°why do most of the ancient cultivators mention opposing sects and even enemy cultivators in their diaries?¡± ¡°Logically speaking, whether a cultivator can ultimately achieve the Way, isn¡¯t it only about their own cultivation? Why are they constantly calling for fights and bloodshed?¡± ¡°Senior Sister makes a good point,¡± Luo Yan thought to himself, surprised. Since when did Miss Shi be interested in history? And she even began to reflect on historical matters, ¡°It¡¯s just that cultivation is indeed not that simple.¡±
¡°The so-called ¡®wealth,panionship,w, and territory¡¯ are indispensable; at its core, it¡¯s a struggle over cultivation resources. Based on conflicts of interest, more intense hostility and confrontation arise.¡± ¡°For example, during the ancient conflict between the Human Race and the Demon Race, it was because the Demon Race wished to consume human flesh and blood, while the Human Race coveted the Demon¡¯s inner core.¡± ¡°Another case is the rivalry in the Ancient Era between the rify Cult and the Intercepting Cult, because the Intercepting Cult aimed to ¡®teach without distinction¡¯ and ¡®open the gates to all marvels,¡¯ threatening the interests of the rify Cult¡­¡± Shi Liuli listened, half-understanding, yet she grasped a bit, the root of all evil: ¡°conflict of interests.¡± ¡°Now look at us, trapped inside Gui Xu,¡± Luo Yan continued persuasively, ¡°unable to leave, with nearly infinite time, so bored we¡¯re nearly going mad.¡± ¡°At this time, the original conflicts of interests aren¡¯t important anymore. What matters most is escaping this ce as soon as possible. Therefore, the Human Race and the Demon Race can coexist peacefully, and the cultivators of the rify Cult and Intercepting Cult can ignore each other. Everyone lives in peace.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Shi Liuli suddenly realized and then asked, ¡°So, what if one day, your interests conflict with those of everyone in the Heavenly Craft Workshop, would you choose to betray us all?¡± Luo Yan was suddenly shocked to his core. Was she on to my true identity? However, he quickly saw from Shi Liuli¡¯s expression that she did not have any intention of probing or suspicion¡ªit was just a casual question. Miss Shi, she really knew how to speak. ¡°Ahem.¡± Luo Yan coughed and sincerely said, ¡°Senior Sister, if such a situation were to ur, I would definitely sacrifice my own interests for the sake of everyone in the Heavenly Craft Workshop. Because Master would surelypensate me afterward.¡± Shi Liuli was immediately choked up because, had Luo Yan not added thetter part, she would have had to question how that fit with what he had said earlier about ¡°conflicts of interest determining everything.¡± Upon further thought, it made sense¡ªher father indeed valued him highly¡­ Thinking this, Shi Liuli¡¯s face grew a bit red, and she quietly hid it behind the book. She was currently reading a diary written by an ancient female cultivator. This female cultivator, due to her sect¡¯s arrangements, had be Daoist Companions with a senior brother whom she did not like. Thus, between the lines of her diary was filled with contradictions: on one hand, she couldn¡¯t stand the senior brother¡¯s personality and habits, but on the other hand, she had to admit the Daoist Companion status had brought many benefits to her cultivation. As she recalled her father¡¯s suggestion that she should try getting along with the son of the Sect Leader of Xuandu, Shi Liuli felt an instinctual resistance and irritation. If her father insisted on arranging her marriage like the female cultivator in the diary, what should she do?
Compared to that, being with her little junior brother didn¡¯t seem like such an uneptable option anymore. Thinking this, Shi Liuli felt both shy and uneasy, since such a frivolous thought was truly beneath her dignity. Why would she entertain such an indecorous idea? It¡¯s all the little junior brother¡¯s fault! Saying things like as long as he is with me, he¡¯d be content even if trapped here¡­ How can he say that to his senior sister! With a ¡°smack,¡± it was Luo Yan¡¯s head that got hit by the thick book Shi Liuli picked up, as if venting and striking him neither too lightly nor too heavily.
Luo Yan: ? ¡°Focus on your reading!¡± Shi Liuli red and scolded him. How have I offended her¡­ Luo Yan thought helplessly. With his exceptional gift of grasping things upon a brief exposition, his learning efficiency was extraordinarily high. The books he had read now piled into a small hill behind him, and his understanding of formation arts advanced by leaps and bounds each day. In a few ancient texts, Luo Yan even discovered several exquisite formations that had been lost for a long time, each with supreme utility in various situations. However, he still had not made any progress in breaking the Gui Xu Grand Formation. This formation was far moreplex than any other he hade to understand, on an entirely different level. If the formations that Luo Yan had mastered were basic arithmetic, then the challenge of the Gui Xu Grand Formation was akin to a supeputer-level problem, leaving Luo Yan feeling almost hopeless about solving it. No wonder so many cultivators in Gui Xu ended up losing their minds¡­ Luo Yan sighed, closed the book, and stood up. ¡°What are you doing?¡± Miss Shi quickly got up in a fluster, ¡°Where are you going?¡± ¡°I¡¯m going to the central courtyard to look at the wood used for constructing the Treasure Ships.¡± Luo Yan replied. ¡°I¡¯ll go with you!¡± Miss Shi had already decided not to leave his side for a moment.
The two left the side hall, walking along the corridor. Gathering her courage, Miss Shi asked softly: ¡°Little junior brother, what should we do if we really end up trapped here and can¡¯t get out?¡± ¡°If that happens¡­¡± Luo Yan pondered for a moment, ¡°The first thing to consider would be how to maintain our sense of self and rationality throughout the long erosion of time.¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± Shi Liuli nodded with a worried expression, ¡°The closure of the Treasure Ship Secret Realm is in two days. That means we have another eight months here¡­¡± As for what would happen if they stayed beyond that time, it went without saying, naturally. Assuming the secret realm opened again in a thousand years, that would be at least over a hundred thousand years inside the Gui Xu Pce. If she really fell into such a scenario, Shi Liuli admitted to herself that she knew nothing about formations and would unlikely be able to join the research, inevitably falling into a horrifyingly empty state of existence. If she hoped to maintain her sanity, maybe the only option would be to start a romantic rtionship with her little junior brother so as not to be driven mad by boredom. Chapter 168: 30: Quiz Masters, Time to Limit the Flavor Chapter 168: Chapter 30: Quiz Masters, Time to Limit the vor Gui Xu Pce, central courtyard. This was an open-air spacious courtyard, its ground graced by the intricate Gui Xu Grand Formation, which resembled a constantly spinning kaleidoscope, endlessly shifting its dazzling lines and structures. Above, a deep abyss stretched into unfathomable depths, its boundless waters forming a pitch-ck ¡°night sky¡± that instilled a daunting sense of fear in those who gazed upon it. The only sources of light, aside from the rays casting through the windows of the surrounding side halls, were probably those emitted by the Gui Xu Grand Formation itself¡ªthe incantations and silver lines that made up the formation were luminous. Luo Yan did not rashly step into the courtyard, for there were many cultivators observing the formation from behind the windows. Even just one step on their part could block the view of several people and might provoke a violent reaction from those enthralled by madness. After all, those seized by madness were not known for their reason! Therefore, he cautiously walked around the open area surrounding the formation and came to a pile of wood in the corner. These logs, judging by their grain, seemed to have been felled from the abandoned gardens in the backyard and were haphazardly stacked in the corner. Luo Yan used his Divine Sense to probe into the crevices of the wood, inspecting carefully, but he did not find anything unusual. They seemed to be just ordinary logs¡­ but then why were they able to resist the sinking force of the Great Gorge? ¡°We need to do an experiment,¡± Luo Yan said as he took a piece from the pile of wood.
¡°What?¡± Miss Shi, caught off guard, didn¡¯t catch what he said. She had been distracted the whole way there, her mind filled with all sorts of wild thoughts: For instance, if the two really were trapped here for hundreds of thousands of years, whether she and her junior brother should be Daoist Companions to resist the erosion of time, and whether they should have children or not. In the world of Cultivating Immortality, cultivators who became Daoist Companions could choose to have children or not, purely based on personal preference. For Shi Liuli, it was partly due to the subtle influence of her family environment (Elder Shi Ding was clearly not an advocate of celibacy or childlessness), and partly out of concern that her junior brother might change his heart one day. Perhaps having a child might bind him more tightly? Of course, Luo Yan had no idea that this miss with her erratic thoughts was even considering whether to have children after being trapped here, so he patiently repeated his idea: ¡°As it seems now, aside from the Gui Xu Pce itself, the wood used to construct the San Yu treasure ship also has the same effect in resisting the sinking trend in the Great Gorge.¡± ¡°If direct research on the Gui Xu Grand Formation yields no results, we can try studying these logs. Simply put, first we go to the backyard to get the same kind of wood, and thenpare it with the logs piled near the formation for experimentalparison, looking for differences and simrities between the two.¡± Shi Liuli understood this time and obediently responded with an ¡°oh,¡± thinking to herself that she should be a good capable wife and mother, right? No problem, Liuli, you can definitely do it! Seeing her reaction, Luo Yan found it odd, considering Miss Shi had never shown such a docile and submissive attitude in the past. Even when she agreed to his requests, it was because ¡°I find it interesting,¡± not because ¡°it¡¯s what my junior brother wants.¡± He guessed that Miss Shi must have been truly frightened this time, her courage shattered, so he took her hand tofort her: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, senior sister, we¡¯ll definitely be able to get out of here.¡± At the very least, I will be able to get out¡­ Miss Shi felt an impulse to pull away shyly as he held her hands, but another thought struck her¡ªif she were trapped here, what else could she do but stay with her junior brother? So she turned her head away and nodded almost imperceptibly. Luo Yan grew even more bewildered, thinking her rational endurance was exceedingly low. How long had they been here for her to already be so unsettled? Well, after all, she was a psychological minor, and it wasn¡¯t right to be too harsh on her. ¡°` Luo Yan led her into the garden at the back courtyard and, after walking around the perimeter for a moment, noticed that certain areas did indeed bear the marks of logging.
Apart from that Chun Mangjun, who else would be chopping down trees here¡­ Hmm? ¡°Who¡¯s there!¡± Luo Yan suddenly shouted loudly, his hand ready to unleash Daoist magic from within his sleeve, startling Shi Liuli so much that she quickly hid behind him. However, what emerged from the woods was not some ill-intentioned viin, but rather a crazy old Taoist. ¡°Futile! Futile!¡± heughed heartily, ¡°Another one researching the wood of the vessel, do they not know that it will float without people aboard, but sink with them? This path is a dead end, a dead end!¡±
The old Taoist ran offughing and crying, leaving behind a bewildered Shi Liuli and Luo Yan with a face that darkened then cleared unpredictably. Luo Yan had heard the crazed man¡¯s words clearly: He said that the route of studying the wood used for the magic vessel had already been attempted by predecessors. Perhaps it was due to the Great Gorge at this location and the formidable suppressive force it exerted, if wood imbued with the power of the grand formation was carved into a vessel, it would only float when unupied. Once someone sat on it, it could not withstand their weight and would instead continue to sink. In contrast, the Gui Xu Pce, no matter how many cultivators entered, remained firmly afloat in this spot, clearly showing that in resisting the Great Gorge¡¯s downward force, the two were not evenparable. Luo Yan chopped off several sections of wood from the back courtyard garden and brought them back to his dwelling topare with the wood near the Gui Xu Grand Formation in the central courtyard. To the naked eye, there was indeed no difference between the two. Yet, if one were to scan the interior with Divine Sense, a subtle difference would be revealed: The wood from the back courtyard garden had a fiber distribution with clear regrity, which was due to the phototropism nts develop in response to the direction of a fixed light source during their growth. However, the fiber distribution in the wood near the Gui Xu Grand Formation in the central courtyard was chaotic andcked any simr pattern. Next, there were two experiments to be conducted: The first was to carve the wood from the back courtyard into a magic vessel and apply an ¡°Adaptive Formation¡± from the formation to it, enabling it to rapidly erge upon leaving the water membrane¡ªas a control group, to see if it could sessfully float. If it couldn¡¯t, this would prove that the ability to float was not an inherent property of the wood, but rather due to the Gui Xu Grand Formation in the courtyard.
The second experiment was to take wood from the central courtyard and ¡°refresh¡± the arrangement of the wood fibers inside using the Wood System Divine Light from the Five Elements Ultimate Extermination Divine Light, and then to see if it could float. If it couldn¡¯t, that would prove that the ability of the magic vessel to float was associated with this specific pattern of wood fiber distribution! As Luo Yan was intently designing his experiments, his face was suddenly hit by a strand of hair. He turned his head in confusion, only to see Miss Shi, Shi Liuli, mischievously sporting a twin ponytail hairstyle, ying with her hair out of boredom. ¡°¡­Senior Sister.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Junior Brother?¡± ¡°Please don¡¯t interrupt my train of thought, thank you.¡± Shi Liuli paused for a long while, then flew into a sudden rage: I¡¯m not yet married to you, and you¡¯re already sick of your senior sister? With my father not present, are you toozy to even pretend anymore? Her expression was as cold as icy water, and a hint of chill flickered in her eyes. She quietly circled to the unsuspecting Luo Yan¡¯s back and suddenly wrapped her right arm around him, pulling his neck upwards sharply. Crack! ¡°`
Chapter 169: 31: The Commonalities Between Cooking and Doing Problems Chapter 169: Chapter 31: The Commonalities Between Cooking and Doing Problems A monthter. In his residence, Luo Yan was burying his head in his desk, writing feverishly. By his side, half of the room was piled with test data from that period, along with more possible guesses and verification ns. The more he wrote, the more pained his expression became, until his eyes were red with urgency, like a contractor who¡¯d revised their n hundreds of times without approval, almost wishing to flip the entire table over in frustration. Why were these formation forms wrong no matter how he modified them? Luo Yan was so vexed that he almost wanted to rip his scalp off. ¡°I told you earlier, that step before shouldn¡¯t be calcted like that,¡± the Kunlun Mirror droned beside him. ¡°Ah Jing, it¡¯s useless. Even with another form it¡¯s still wrong, the initial assumption is incorrect,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword began to argue with the Kunlun Mirror. At first, Luo Yan still had the patience to tell the two voices in his mind to shut up, but now he was left with only indifference and disregard. In another part of the room, near the door, Shi Liuli had turned the space into a kitchen. As Luo Yan became increasingly engrossed in solving problems, Miss Shi, who loved fine food, had no choice but to be self-reliant, and started to learn cooking seriously. Although previously she wouldn¡¯t dip her fingers in spring water, after cooking for a while, the dishes she made became edible at least.
Seeing Luo Yan¡¯splexion getting visibly worse day by day, Miss Shi, worried, decided to make some delicious food to take care of him¡ªof course, satisfying her own culinary desires was secondary; the main reason was to reward her hardworking junior brother. She chopped ginseng and Solomon¡¯s seal into chunks, diced the Hundred-Knot Grass, and, after nching the beef chunks, put them all in the pot, adding bay leaves and Sichuan pepper¡­ Shi Liuli covered the pot, admiring her work and pped her hands in satisfaction. In the side hall of the Gui Xu Pce, aside from arge number of books rted to formations, there were also many other misceneous books. For example, this miraculous cookbook that used various Spirit Grasses from the Immortal Sects to cook was like a treasure trove for Shi Liuli. Turning the ginseng and Solomon¡¯s seal into soup and stewing the beef until tender would take at least an hour and a half, so Shi Liuli carefully adjusted the Fire Control Magical Treasure before turning to find Luo Yan to y with. ¡°Junior brother!¡± She sat down next to Luo Yan, grabbed his arm, and asked, ¡°Guess what I made today?¡± ¡°Food,¡± Luo Yan replied without even lifting his head. ¡°What kind of dish?¡± Shi Liuli teased yfully. Luo Yan ignored her and resumed writing quickly after a brief pause of his pen tip. He suddenly had a brilliant idea about the Gui Xu Grand Formation model that needed immediate verification. Seeing her junior brother ignoring her again, Shi Liuli was somewhat annoyed but still barely managed to hold back. Fine, he¡¯s now focused on studying the Gui Xu Grand Formation, I won¡¯t hold it against him. You won¡¯t get a single bite of the stewed beefter! Shi Liuli returned to the kitchen and continued fiddling with her new dish. She added vegetable oil and butter to the pot; melting them together, she poured in flour to mix well, increasing viscosity. Then, she added the soul of this dish¡ªthe sauce made from hundred-year-old vermillion fruit, which had to be at least a century old; otherwise, the taste would be too sour. Next, she stirred continuously with a spoon over low heat until all the water in the pot dried up, then added water in batches and kept stirring, letting it slowly melt and turn into a pot of fragrant, spirit-energized nourishing sauce. Shi Liuli rolled up her sleeves, and after stirring vigorously with adle until her arm felt sore, she abandoned thedle altogether, cleaned her Flying Sword, then with her left hand forming a Sword technique, made the Flying Sword stir in the pot by itself. The sauce finally turned a bright orange hue, and Shi Liuli stood her sword upright, summoned the battered Flying Sword with a gesture, making it fly out of the pot to shake off the sauce, and thennd in a tub of water beside her. ¡°Add salt to the sauce,¡± she followed the recipe, continuing her work, ¡°add wine, then add scallop powder for vor. Mmm, a small amount of maltose.¡±
¡°Next, scoop out the previously stewed beef, Solomon¡¯s seal, and ginseng; pour them into a pot.¡± ¡°Mix in mushrooms, pitless dates to mix well, then pour in the sauce.¡± ¡°Continue slow stewing.¡± This time Shi Liuli decided not to cover the pot, wanting the aroma of the stewed beef to fill the entire room, waiting for her salivating junior brother toe and beg for food.
The rich aroma of the beef and the unique fragrance of the various Spiritual Medicines started to waft out of the pot. She cooked the cleaned rice, then, with a triumphant look, she folded her arms and waited for Luo Yan for a long time, but he didn¡¯t even lift his head, still there working on his forms. The formation forms were still incorrect, the so-called brilliant inspiration from earlier had now been proven to be an illusion¡­ Frustration had Luo Yan feeling like he wanted tosh out indiscriminately. No matter what, a random act of violence would settle it. Shi Liuli watched his silhouette, her expression shifting from triumphant to hesitant, then to confused, and finally to that of utter frustration. Could it be, he wouldn¡¯t even nce up once? Could it be that my stewed beef isn¡¯t fragrant? I think it smells quite nice though¡­ Hisss! Swallowing arge gulp of saliva, Miss Shi decided to confirm if there was a problem with her food. She first sipped a little of the broth; mmm, deliciously savory and replenishing with spiritual energy, definitely a dish worth trying for those in the midst of cultivating immortality. Then she took a piece of the stewed beef; mmm, tender and ky, soaked with broth,bining both the essence of meat and spiritual medicine, creating a clearly distinguishedyer of vors. So why isn¡¯t the junior brother interested at all? Shi Liuli pondered as she tasted, and unwittingly ate most of the pot of stewed beef.
By the time she came back to her senses, only a shallowyer of broth and three or four pieces of beef remained. She jolted, instinctively ncing at Luo Yan with a sense of guilt. Confirming that the junior brother was still immersed in his problem-solving and hadn¡¯t noticed anything here, Miss Shi quickly scooped up the remaining broth and beef into a small bowl, then hurried to clean therge pot to destroy the evidence. Just as she finished cleaning, she heard Luo Yan suddenly m down his pen. Damn it, I just can¡¯t solve it, I¡¯m done with it! Having barely suppressed his sense of defeat, Luo Yan slowly came back to his senses. This problem must be unsolvable. My ¡°Eureka¡± trait should theoretically grant me the bestprehension in the world. If even I can¡¯t solve this problem, it definitely must be unsolvable¡ªthat¡¯s the only way to exin it. I should eat something instead. Sigh, such a waste of time¡­ Luo Yan stood up to get some rice, tried the soup and beef left by Miss Shi, and immediately started singing praises: ¡°Sister, this beef is simply divine! The broth paired with rice is also amazing, the overall assessment is like refining spiritual medicine into a spirit pill, nearly a qualitative leap¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯m d you like it,¡± Shi Liuli said with a guilty conscience.
Luo Yan, unaware of her thoughts¡ªor perhaps he had guessed but pretended not to¡ªcontinued to boost the Synchronization Value, smiling as he said: ¡°I see, so you cooked the beef with spirit grass, right? Ordinary ingredients, after being infused with the medicinal juice, have turned into such a delicacy¡­¡± As he spoke, his expression suddenly turned grave. Wait, boiling spiritual medicine into a juice, then infusing the beef with it? The so-called Gui Xu Grand Formation, could it also be¡­ a kind of ¡°juice¡±? Seeing his expression darken abruptly, Shi Liuli hurriedly tried to exin: ¡°The reason there¡¯s only a little bit left is because I was so hungry just now, and you didn¡¯t seem like you were going toe to eat for a while¡­¡± Luo Yan suddenly stood up, held Shi Liuli tightly in his arms, kissed her on the cheek, and then rushed out of the room. Shi Liuli stood in a daze for a moment, then covered her cheek tightly with her hands. Her body was heating up. Chapter 170: 32: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada Chapter 170: Chapter 32: The Mantis Stalks the Cicada As he moved swiftly through the corridor, Luo Yan¡¯s thoughts became more and more fluid and clear. From the very beginning up until now, he had been seeking the connection between the Gui Xu Grand Formation and the materials of the treasure ship. Little did he know that what he saw as the ¡°Gui Xu Grand Formation¡± was not actually the formation itself. For instance, it was as if he attributed the vor of the beef stew he just made to the soup being very special. However, no matter what, he couldn¡¯t replicate the same soup. The reason was that the soup itself was an ¡°Intermediate Product¡± made from the ovey of various raw ingredients. What he observed in the courtyard, the ceaselessly changing Gui Xu Grand Formation, was actually some kind of extremelyplex ¡°Intermediate Product.¡± To deduce results from an intermediate product was like solving a system of multivariate higher-degree equations ¨C he could be confounded by countless possible answers. The real key to the puzzley in finding the true ¡°Spiritual Medicine¡± that led to the creation of the ¡°soup¡± ¨C that is, the true Gui Xu Grand Formation. Arriving in the central courtyard, Luo Yan gazed quietly at the rotating and shifting lines, his mind already constructing the corresponding geometric models. If the Gui Xu Grand Formation itself is three-dimensional, and what we see is just the two-dimensional motion profile of the three-dimensional model following a certain path¡­
Then, by mapping the motion profile over time into countless frames in his mind and stringing these moving frames together to form an animation, he would reveal the true shape of the Gui Xu Grand Formation. ¡°Do you understand what he¡¯s talking about?¡± Green Duckweed Sword whispered. ¡°Not really,¡± Kunlun Mirror replied, ¡°but I kind of get it.¡± ¡°You can actually keep up with his train of thought,¡± Green Duckweed Sword said discontentedly, ¡°Who exactly is the Life-bound Sword Artifact?¡± Shi Liuli hurried from behind and saw her little junior brother intently staring at the Gui Xu Grand Formation, his forehead already covered with cold sweat as if he had been overworking his mind to the point of almost burning out. No! That¡¯s not right¡­ If we move from two dimensions to three, theplexity is still too high. We must continue to ascend dimensions! He began to forcefullypress the continuously moving model in his mind towards the interior. Had he not absorbed countless formation knowledge in the side hall during this time, he would definitely not possess the theoretical basis for suchplicated calctions. But more importantly, his talent for grasping a thousand mysteries from a single whiff provided him with enoughputing power! ¡°Little junior brother, what¡¯s wrong with you?¡± Seeing his body start to tremble, Shi Liuli quickly went up in an attempt to stop him, but suddenly a snow-white long sword blocked her path. ¡°We can¡¯t let you disturb him now,¡± Zhun Mang Jun, holding the long sword, emerged from the shadows of the corridor, wearing a dark, strange, desirous smile, ¡°I¡¯ve been waiting for this day for a long time¡­ ¡± In the central courtyard, Luo Yan¡¯s face slowly turned red, a vast amount of Qi Sea surged from his Dantian along his meridians into his brain, and as his thoughts elerated at an ever-increasing pace, his entire Sea of Consciousness seemed as if it was boiling over. ¡°Ah Jing!¡± the Green Duckweed Sword in the spine suddenly said, ¡°If this goes on, he¡¯ll burn out his essence and die! We must sever his Governor and Conception vessels to stop the Qi from flowing back!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t cut yet!¡± the Kunlun Mirror in the Sea of Consciousness said, ¡°Trust me, he¡¯ll be alright!¡± Green Duckweed Sword hesitated for a moment, then coldly said, ¡°Fine¡­ but if he falls as a result, you know what will be of us!¡± Luo Yan waspletely oblivious to the conversation between the sword and the mirror within him, or perhaps he chose to ignore it entirely. At that moment, he had devoted all his energy to the calction, while also constantly rotating his Qi Sea and mobilizing True Yuan, driving it into his brain like a steam engine and maximizing the talent of grasping a thousand mysteries to make his thoughts run even faster.
The model of the Gui Xu Grand Formation in his mind had alreadypressed to the eighth dimension. Countlessplex lines kept coiling andpressing, gradually revealing the outline of a stunningly elegant existence of high-dimensional form. Still not enough! He must keep calcting! Compressed to the ninth dimension, the changes in the lines became incredibly slow, demanding a much higher level ofputation power. From Luo Yan¡¯s eyes, nostrils, ears, and corners of his mouth, tiny droplets of blood began to ooze out, a sign that the pressure from the cirction of Qi in his skull had caused the endpoints of his meridians to rupture.
Shi Liuli wanted to rush over and scream, but she found her limbs as heavy as lead, her jaws mped shut, leaving her unable to utter a sound. Moreover, the invisible pressure became increasingly heavy, almost making it difficult to stand, let alone activate a Magical Treasure. This was¡­ Dragon¡¯s Might! Chun Mang Jun ced his hands within his sleeves, as if exerting Dragon¡¯s Might had not required any effort at all. His gaze fixed upon the teetering Luo Yan in the courtyard, his face bore a nearly solidified smile, yet his eyes shimmered with a covetous gleam. Many cultivators in the side hall had also noticed the anomaly in the central courtyard; quite a few people had already entered the corridor, rushing towards the entrance of the central courtyard. The Tenth Dimension! Luo Yan¡¯s train of thought suddenly broke off, and he felt as if his soul had split. On one hand was the rational thinking spurred by the talent ¡°Insight upon Hearing,¡± like the engine of a high-speed train, continuously roaring and operating; On the other hand was his own consciousness, slowly being extracted from rationality, beginning to assess the condition of his body. This is bad, very bad. At this moment, the subcutaneous temperature of his body had risen to nearly seventy degrees, a fever no ordinary person could survive. And protecting him was¡­ The Sword Qi of the Green Duckweed Sword.
The Green Duckweed Sword used its Sword Qi to protect all his meridians and continued to run the Body Refining Secret Technique, utilizing True Yuan to repair the parts of his body burned by the high temperature. The Kunlun Mirror shone brightly, suppressing the boiling Sea of Consciousness, like a long track of iron, restraining the runaway train of thoughts from plunging directly off a cliff. The Eleventh Dimension! All the lines of motion, Runic Script, structures¡­suddenly condensed into an entity with finite boundaries. This ¡°Formation¡± within the Eleventh Dimension was soplex, gorgeous, and naturally formed, rapidly rotating in Luo Yan¡¯s Sea of Consciousness and morphing into countless dazzling patterns. As the Gui Xu Grand Formation in his Sea of Consciousness rotated, Luo Yan took notice of the Gui Xu Grand Formation beneath his feet, its rate of rotation starting to change as well. The changes in both formations grew increasingly simr until they were almost in perfect sync. Then, from the center of the Gui Xu Grand Formation beneath his feet, a rift broke open in the void, revealing a ck shuttle-shaped object. Without making a move, Luo Yan heard Chun Mang Jun suddenly burst intoughter next to him, transforming into a stream of light that darted into the central courtyard, reaching out to grab the object ahead of everyone else. At this point, half of the object had emerged from the void, and with Luo Yan¡¯s extensive experience, how could he not recognize it as a shuttle-shaped magical treasure? What level of power must a magical treasure possess, that the Gui Xu Grand Formation would use it for refining and concealment? Luo Yan maintained a cid expression, bracing his feeble body, with his fingers already forming seals within his sleeves, ready to unleash the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light at this Chun Mang Jun who was waiting for his chance, when suddenly he saw his opponent throw something at him. Shi Liuli! Why is it Miss Shi?
The previouslyposed Luo Yan instinctively dissolved the Divine Light in his sleeves, fumbling to catch Shi Liuli¡¯s body, while his feet pressed back in a quick retreat. ¡°Junior Brother, not yet¡­¡± The moment they moved out of the central courtyard¡¯s range, freeing themselves from the cover of Dragon¡¯s Might, Shi Liuli regained control of her body and was about to speak when she saw bursts of light shing from the nearby corridor! The ancient cultivators lurking around the courtyard also clearly saw the outline of the shuttle-shaped magical treasure. It wasmon knowledge that most shuttle-shaped magical treasures possessed the power to traverse and manipte space. Moreover, since this treasure had appeared from the Gui Xu Grand Formation, it was clearly the key to leaving Gui Xu. How could these ancient cultivators, mad to the point of near insanity, restrain themselves? They immediately charged towards the central courtyard in unison, hurling their strongest techniques, flying swords, magical treasures¡­all directed at Chun Mang Jun, who was at the forefront. A furious dragon¡¯s roar erupted amidst the onught of brilliant lights, as a White Dragon soared into the sky, brazenly breaking through the dome¡¯s watery barrier atop the central courtyard! In its mouth, it held the shuttle-shaped magical treasure that had materialized from the center of the Gui Xu Grand Formation, about three feet and seven inches long,pletely ck, as if it could absorb all the light from the surroundings. Seeing countless cultivators piercing through the water membrane, chasing after the White Dragon in haste, Shi Liuli quickly grasped Luo Yan¡¯s hand, thinking to herself that her Junior Brother had put so much effort and thought into this, only to see others reap the benefits. He must be feeling terrible now, right? Yet she did not know how tofort her Junior Brother and could only silently tighten her grip on his hand, their palms touching and fingers interlocked. Luo Yan watched the sky expressionlessly, while in his mind came the Green Duckweed Sword¡¯s voice, which seemed to beughing: ¡°Why, aren¡¯t you going to chase after it? Perhaps there¡¯s a slim chance to snatch it back, huh?¡± ¡°No need,¡± Luo Yan replied with a coldugh.
Chapter 171: 33: The Yellow Sparrow is Also Me Chapter 171: Chapter 33: The Yellow Sparrow is Also Me The massive White Dragon pierced through the water film, soaring into the sky like a silver ribbon. The Dragon¡¯s Might crashed down like Mount Tai bearing down with its weight. Below it, countless cultivators also broke through the water film, deploying various Divine Skills to withstand the Dragon¡¯s Might and rapidly pursued the White Dragon. However, once they left the water film, both the White Dragon and the cultivators¡¯ speeds in flight visibly slowed. Within the Great Gorge, it was difficult to summon True Yuan. Thus, everyone relied solely on the initial velocity and inertia from breaking through the water film. Seeing that their momentum was about to expire, the White Dragon funneled thest prepared bit of True Yuan at full speed into the shuttle-shaped Magical Treasure, activating it. The ck Shuttle quickly began to vibrate, just for an instant, and then it exploded with a loud bang. The body of the White Dragon had vanished from sight, and the ck Shuttle began to descend toward the ground below. The cultivators below had already be thoroughly agitated¡ªwasn¡¯t the disappearance of the White Dragon the perfect proof that this ck shuttle-shaped Magical Treasure was the key to escaping Gui Xu? After a brief moment of chaos, an even greater turmoil and conflict erupted. Luo Yan, carrying Shi Liuli, fled through the corridor, only to see the central courtyard outside the window almost bright as day, with countless Spell aftereffects falling to the ground like a meteor shower, as if they wanted to destroy the entire courtyard.
Fortunately, the structures of Gui Xu were sturdy enough to withstand the onught of Spell aftereffects, showing not even a tremor or shake. Having escaped to a side hall, Luo Yan set down Shi Liuli, and both turned their attention to the scene outside the window. By then, the brightness outside had gradually subsided, and dozens of fallen bodies nowy on the ground. The remaining were either sted into the Great Gorge or had managed to seize the ck Shuttle Magical Treasure, activating it to transport themselves away. Half a minuteter, the ck Shuttle fell from the sky,nding right at the center point of the Gui Xu Grand Formation on the courtyard ground, where it remained suspended motionless. Shi Liuli: ¡­¡­¡­ She wore a look of puzzled bewilderment, and after a long while, she said: ¡°They¡­ they just teleported away without taking the Magical Treasure with them?¡± ¡°Teleported away?¡± Luo Yan nced at her curiously, ¡°How could that be? Borrowed time doesn¡¯t need to be repaid?¡± ¡°Borrowed?¡± Shi Liuli asked, confused, ¡°What do you mean?¡± ¡°Inside the Gui Xu Pce, time flows at a rate increased to one hundred and twenty times that of the outside world,¡± confirming there were no more cultivators outside, Luo Yan walked toward the courtyard and continued, ¡°Three days have passed in the outside world, but a year has already gone by here. Yet, lifespan and cultivation are calcted ording to the time of the outside world, what do you think is the reason for that?¡± ¡°In fact, if you delve deeply into the principles of the Gui Xu Grand Formation, you¡¯ll realize that time hasn¡¯t actually been elerated butpressed instead.¡± ¡°A day in the outside world equates to one hundred and twenty days within Gui Xu. It¡¯s not that time moves faster in Gui Xu, but rather, every hundred and twenty days of each cultivator here arepressed to match a single day in the outside world.¡± ¡°It¡¯s just that because cultivators are within the time system of Gui Xu, their perception of time is simrlypressed, so they don¡¯t notice the problem.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t understand,¡± Shi Liuli said, somewhat getting it but not quite. ¡°Put it this way,¡± Luo Yan patiently exined, ¡°think of it like this: inside Gui Xu, for every day you live, the Gui Xu Grand Formation additionally ¡®borrows¡¯ you one hundred and neen days.¡± ¡°That is, you actually only live through one day, but your perception feels like it has been one hundred and twenty days.¡± ¡°You mean¡­¡± Shi Liuli, though not understanding what ¡°rtivity of time¡± meant, did know about ¡°what a loan was,¡± ¡°those extra one hundred and neen days need to be repaid?¡± ¡°Once a cultivator leaves the Gui Xu Grand Formation and enters the time coordinate system of the outside world, a conversion is needed,¡± Luo Yan seriously exined, ¡°the time originallypressed into a single day will then revert back to one hundred and twenty days.¡± ¡°In other words, the body will fast forward by one hundred and neen days.¡±
Shi Liuli was stunned for a moment, and after she understood the hidden meaning behind it, she immediately felt a biting chill rise within her. ¡°At one year here, only three days pass in the outside world, and the body ages only three days,¡± Luo Yan sighed deeply, ¡°However, once you leave the range of Gui Xu, the yearpressed into three days will burst forth, causing your body to rapidly age to one year.¡± ¡°And the cultivators here have lived for at least over a hundred thousand years¡­¡± Shi Liuli said in a daze, ¡°Once they leave the range of Gui Xu¡­¡± ¡°They would instantly die of old age,¡± Luo Yan said in a low voice, ¡°Even their bodies would directly rot away under the ravage of time¡ªthat¡¯s why they seem to have teleported away, but the fact that they didn¡¯t take the ck Shuttle with them indicates they have already perished.¡±
His tone was somewhat emotional, thinking to himself that he had realized it all toote: how could one have nearly infinite lifespan within Gui Xu?! After all, in the world he came from, there was the folklore of ¡°Urashima Taro¡±; even in this world, Ling Yunpo had experienced the Cloud Sea Realm with Senior Sister An, where they elerated time by thirty years within a giant cocoon. He should have long understood the principle of the Dao of Time, it¡¯s like amercial bank: only if you pay it the time, don¡¯t even dream of earning even a second of time from it! Even the Kunlun Mirror, which allowed him to hop across multiple timelines, still required him to pay the same amount of time. ying four roles as one person meant that, in the eyes of the outside world, his lifespan was only a quarter of that of an ordinary person. ¡°Then we¡­¡± Shi Liuli fell silent for a long while before she finally exhaled in relief. The two of them had stayed in Gui Xu for a month, which equated to only six hours passing in the outside world, and their lifespans were temporarily reduced by only six hours. After leaving Gui Xu, it would just be an eleration of one month, no big deal. ¡°Let¡¯s go,¡± Luo Yan turned around, ¡°Start packing up.¡± ¡°Mhm,¡± Shi Liuli was about to reach for his hand when she suddenly came to a startling realization. Wait, does that mean I won¡¯t be trapped here? I don¡¯t have to marry my junior brother? As soon as this thought arose, all the grievances she felt from being neglected over the past month sprouted like bamboo after rain, one after another. Today, she had finally gotten through it, and there was no need to endure anymore!
¡°Ah! Ah! Ah!¡± Shi Liuli suddenly roared and pounced forward, ¡°Little thief Luo Yan, take my punch!¡± ¡­ Luo Yan couldn¡¯t understand why Miss Shi had such huge resentment at this moment, to the extent that she tackled him to the ground, rolled a few times, and then randomly hit him with her dainty fists. Fortunately, she hadn¡¯t practiced her Body Refining Secret Technique for long, so her punches felt light and not painful at all. Luo Yan just assumed she was overwhelmed with happiness and let her vent her feelings for quite a while. After retrieving the ck Shuttle Magical Treasure from the central courtyard, Shi Liuli mored to see the treasure. She took it over and examined it closely, noticing that it was engraved with a line of Immortal Seal Script. If it was ancient seal script, Miss Shi could understand it, but Immortal Seal Script was beyond herprehension. Even Yuqing View had only a handful of elders with hobbies in linguistics who had the capability to interpret it. Thus, she returned it to Luo Yan, her interest waning. Luo Yan took it back and asked the Kunlun Mirror in his Sea of Consciousness: ¡°Ah Jing, what¡¯s written on this?¡± ¡°Its name is written on it,¡± Kunlun Mirror scanned for a while and said, ¡°Its name is ¡®Universe Creation Heavenly Weaving Divine Shuttle.¡¯¡± Luo Yan:¡­. This name, it¡¯s like stacking BUFFs, right?
Chapter 172: 34: Back to the Surface of the Sea Chapter 172: Chapter 34: Back to the Surface of the Sea ¡°` As everyone knows, within the Daoist system, terms like ¡°Universe,¡± ¡°Cosmos,¡± and ¡°Creation¡± carry special connotations and a certain sense of grandeur. The Universe implies the perfection of Yin and Yang, and it cannot be restrained by any of the Five Elements. The Cosmos signifies the capability of space and time¡ªin some sense, the Kunlun Mirror could also be called the ¡°Cosmic Mirror,¡± without any error. Creation indicates the divine skill of the one bing two, the two bing three, and the three generating all things. Luo Yan recognized each of these words, but when put together, he did not know what they meant. If these words were all true, then this ¡°Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle¡± might very well have been buffed to the level of an Innate Spiritual Treasure. Of course, not everyone follows naming conventions, for example, the rifying Cult is often strict and reserved, while the Intercepting Cult is more mboyant and unrestrained¡­ Since this shuttle originated from an ancient era before the formation of both Cults, Luo Yan was more inclined to think that the creator was someone with a ir for the dramatic. Inside Gui Xu, it wasn¡¯t a good ce to study magical treasures, so Luo Yan and Shi Liuli decided to pack up first. In the side hall, all sorts of ancient tomes, whether on formations or other subjects, were packed up without leaving behind a single one. In the abandoned garden of the backyard, any pluckable spirit herbs and spiritual medicines were all uprooted, whilemon herbs and wild animals were left to continue thriving there, unbothered.
Back in the room, Shi Liuli looked at the bedding, the pots, pans, and utensils, and felt a bit troubled. Logically, these weremon items, not worth taking with them at all. But for a girl, there is a concept called ¡°sentimental value.¡± So after a brief moment of contemtion, Shi Liuli emptied some less precious spiritual medicines from her storage bag and made room for these ordinary items. Once everything was packed, Luo Yan activated the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle with Shi Liuli, and in an instant, the two vanished within Gui Xu. Above the sea, Linghu Chu sat nkly on the wreckage of a broken half-boat, gazing worriedly into the distance. The junior brother and junior sister have sunk down, how am I going to face Master after leaving the secret realm? True, it was because the boat had been hit by the aftershocks of a distant magicalpetition, but what of it? Would it change the fact that Master had lost his beloved daughter and disciple to sorrow? Maybe I should run away¡­ just pretend we all disappeared in the secret realm, giving Master a sliver of hope and longing¡­ Suddenly, a shadow shed by, and Luo Yan and Shi Liuli broke through the water,nding on the broken half-boat with the momentum of their exit. ¡°Senior brother!¡± they called out in unison. Linghu Chu stood in disbelief, and then couldn¡¯t help but shed tears of joy. After some time, Luo Yan exined what had happened¡ªthey had fallen into a relic site, and after Luo Yan had exhausted all efforts to break the formation, they were finally transported to the surface of the sea. As for the likes of Lord Gui Xu, the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle¡ªnone of that was mentioned. Shi Liuli listened quietly on the side, thinking things through thoroughly. After all, the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle and the Gui Xu Grand Formation represented ranks that were terrifyingly high, and knowing about them might not be good for the senior brother who had not yet achieved Nascent Infant. The secrets of this journey would at most be shared with their father; it was better to keep the other senior brothers and sisters in the dark. Linghu Chu listened patiently and sighed with emotion several times. He certainly sensed that the junior brother was avoiding specifics, but those were the juniors¡¯ own adventures, and it didn¡¯t concern him.
Just having the two return safely was reason enough for Linghu Chu to go thank the Three Pure Ones. Using broken nks as paddles, the three of them began rowing towards the nearest ind. Shi Liuli, feeling sore from rowing, couldn¡¯t help but send Luo Yan a meaningful look: How long is this going to take? Shouldn¡¯t we just use that shuttle of yours to speed up the journey?
Luo Yan responded with a look: ¡°` ¡°` Not yet, it¡¯s not the right time. The corner of Linghu Chu¡¯s eye caught the subtle exchanges between the two, sparking a sense of loneliness typical of a single dog within him. Then again, he thought, with junior sister¡¯s pampered personality, having her as a junior sister isn¡¯t too bad, but as a Daoistpanion¡­ that would be a real ordeal for junior brother. So, his mood brightened up. After a whole day¡¯s effort, the three finally paddled the small boat back to the ind they hadnded on before. Shi Liuli jumped off the boat, hurriedly ran onto the beach and, throwing aside any pretence ofdylike grace,y sprawled on the sand. Luo Yan also jumped into the sea and pushed the remains of the treasured boat towards the beach while casually asking: ¡°Do you guys want to eat something? I remember there are some wild animals in the woods, I can go hunt someter.¡± ¡°I want barbeque!¡± Shi Liuli, lying on the beach, whined, ¡°Luo Yan, you make it for me!¡± ¡°Alright, alright, what do you want to eat, eldest senior brother?¡± Luo Yan asked. Linghu Chu: ¡­¡­¡­
We are cultivators who have mastered fasting, what¡¯s so great about mundane meat? ¡°I¡¯ll just have whatever you¡¯re having, I¡¯m easy,¡± Linghu Chu said reluctantly. Luo Yan¡¯s heart skipped a beat when he suddenly realized the eldest senior brother didn¡¯t eat. On second thought, aside from Miss Shi, the odd one out, which cultivator would hanker after culinary pleasures? Still, he¡¯d spoken too soon, and Luo Yan didn¡¯t intend to rectify the situation. He knew that the more one tries to cover things up, the more slip-ups there are; it¡¯s better just to go with the flow openly and avoid arousing further suspicion from the eldest senior brother. Having settled his thoughts, he stood up and headed for the forest on the ind, soon returning with a deer. He set up the spit, bled the deer, then removed the entrails and applied marinade¡­ Luo Yan did all this with practiced ease before going to the seashore to wash his hands, only to see eldest senior brother looking at him with a confounded expression. That look clearly said, ¡°Where did you get all these seasonings from!¡± ¡°Found them in the relics,¡± Luo Yan exined offhandedly. Oh, found them. Linghu Chu didn¡¯t question it and simply overlooked the matter. After all, wondering why a sea relic would contain barbeque seasonings is a quite troublesome and meaningless endeavor. While waiting for the marinade to set in, Luo Yan, with nothing else to do, sat on the beach and gazed into the distance listlessly. No need to read or solve puzzles, or study formations; he feltpletely rxed.
¡°Is it done yet?¡± Shi Liuli began to mour, ¡°Have you started grilling yet?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± Luo Yan responded without turning around, ¡°It needs to marinate a bit longer.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to marinate!¡± Shi Liuli got up impatiently, ¡°Just cut it, use lots of salt and oil, and marinate while you grill, right?¡± She took out a small knife from her storage bag, deftly shed the surface of the deer meat, stuffed in peppercorns and salt, then took out her fire control magical treasure to heat it from below, and started brushing oil on inyers with a small brush. Meanwhile, Linghu Chu¡¯s expression went from confounded to horrified. Is¡­ is she really my junior sister? Linghu Chu never considered himself a culinary expert, but being fond of drinking, he often made his own snacks to apany his liquor. But that¡¯s my junior sister! Raised and pampered by the entire Heavenly Craft Workshop from childhood, the junior sister who had never even seen raw meat! Noticing her senior brother¡¯s utterly baffled gaze, Shi Liuli exined nonchntly: ¡°Learned it in the relic.¡± So what is this undersea relic, a restaurant¡¯s back kitchen or what?! ¡°`
Chapter 173: 35 Not yet available in the current version, right? Chapter 173: Chapter 35 Not yet avable in the current version, right? The secret realm entrance of the Three Inds Treasure Ship. Elder Shi Ding paced back and forth on the Meng Chong, a kindly smile appearing on his face each time a disciple emerged from the secret realm, yet a faint trace of worry still lingered between his brows. Not Liuli¡­ Not Liuli either¡­ Why still not Liuli¡­ Finally, Linghu Chu appeared from the secret realm, causing Elder Shi Ding¡¯s heart to leap into his throat. Following him was¡­ Luo Yan. Elder Shi Ding took a deep breath, about to inquire, when Shi Liuli finally appeared. With that, the worried look on his face disappeared, and all he heard was Shi Liuli shouting, ¡°Daddy,¡± before she flung herself into his arms like a swallow returning to the forest. ¡°As long as you¡¯re alright, that¡¯s good, that¡¯s good.¡± Elder Shi Ding hugged his daughter with a beaming smile, then turned to look at Linghu Chu, ¡°Thank you for your hard work, Chu-er.¡± ¡°It¡¯s my duty as the eldest disciple,¡± Linghu Chu said with a touch of guilt, because he had actually messed things up halfway through¡ªand the fact that his junior brother and sister ultimately escaped had nothing to do with him.
The real decisive factor in this matter, Luo Yan, was simply nodding calmly at the side. After some pleasantries, everyone set off for the return voyage. Back at the Heavenly Craft Workshop, Shi Liuli and Luo Yan exchanged a few nces before going into detail about the events in Gui Xu with Elder Shi Ding. Elder Shi Ding sat in a chair, his brow slightly furrowing upon hearing that both had fallen into the water, and when the discussion turned to the appearance of the Underwater Dragon Pce, he couldn¡¯t help but tug at his beard. At the mention of the one hundred thousand ancient manuscripts in the side hall, Elder Shi Ding immediately stood up in agitation and asked: ¡°Did you bring back all those ancient books?¡± ¡°We brought them back.¡± Luo Yan and Shi Liuli took out their storage bags, removed all the ancient books, and soon a small mountain piled up on the hall floor. Elder Shi Ding: ¡­¡­ He didn¡¯t know what expression to show for a moment. With the destruction of the Chan and Jie sects, it was clear how many lost techniques had vanished. Nowadays, no one can even reforge a Tenth Rank Immortal Sword, showing the sadness of the academic discontinuity. Now that he had so many ancient books unexpectedly, Elder Shi Ding could hardly contain the joy in his heart, but thinking that his daughter and beloved disciple had exchanged their lives for this, he also felt some residual fear and dread. Seeing his master¡¯s facial expression, Luo Yan knew what he was thinking and quickly exined. They had met many ancient cultivators in Gui Xu, each of them talented, with pleasant conversation. They cooperated to decipher the Formation and worked hard to escape from Gui Xu, with very harmonious rtions. During that time, he had learned a lot about Formation knowledge, Shi Liuli had also learned cooking techniques, and they both had grown considerably. Elder Shi Ding listened sternly and then asked: ¡°So how did you manage to escape?¡± ¡°I broke the Gui Xu Grand Formation and acquired this Magical Treasure,¡± Luo Yan said quickly as he presented the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle. Miss Shi had also seen this treasure, so keeping it a secret was definitely not going to work. Moreover, on their way back, Luo Yan had thoroughly examined the ¡°Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle of Creation and Transformation of the Universe¡± with his Divine Sense and found out that aside from being exceptionally fast and able to fly with people on board, it seemed to have no other functions. If that was really the case, then such an impressive name would be wasted¡­ Of course, the likelihood of that was slim; Luo Yan was more inclined to believe that there was some secret within the Divine Shuttle that he was currently unable to discover due to his low Rank and knowledge level.
Elder Shi Ding received the Divine Shuttle, looked at it for a few moments, and said curiously: ¡°This shuttle, it¡¯s very peculiar, why does it seem like it has no spirit at all?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know either,¡± said Luo Yan honestly, ¡°Perhaps the divine skills are all locked within, which is why I cannot detect them.¡± ¡°Hmm, it does look like an ancient strange object indeed,¡± Elder Shi Ding stared at the Immortal Seal Script on the shuttle, muttering to himself for a moment, then said, ¡°Follow me.¡±
Luo Yan quickly kept pace with his master, and Miss Shi also followed with a calm demeanor, as if she didn¡¯t consider herself an outsider at all. The three of them left the Heavenly Craft Workshop and headed to the nearby Tianji Pavilion. ¡°I need the Dragon and Tiger Attraction Device for three hours,¡± Elder Shi Ding instructed the attendant, ¡°Postpone all other requests for me.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± the attendant hurried to say, ¡°Elder, please use it, I will exin to the other applicants.¡± Luo Yan and Shi Liuli followed into the Tianji Pavilion, where they saw a huge device ced in the center, upying over sixty square meters, with a shell made mainly of copper spheres, and countless iron rings winding around it. This was the ¡°Dragon and Tiger Attraction Device¡± of Peni Yuqing View, able to observe extremely minute structures of spiritual power, the best identification equipment within the View. Elder Shi Ding then pinched a Daoist form as if entering some sort of password. The copper spheres began to rotate by themselves, the iron rings rapidly spun into position, then split apart to the sides, revealing a jade tform. Having ced the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle on the tform, Elder Shi Ding pinched another form, causing the copper spheres to close up again. Luo Yan watched from behind with eager curiosity, wondering if this device was akin to the scanning tunneling microscope of the Cultivation Realm? What if he put Ah Jing and the Green Duckweed Sword inside for meticulous identification, one by one? What kind of results would that yield¡­ But if they were both girls, wouldn¡¯t such identification be like X-ray vision? ¡°I advise you not to ask for trouble,¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly said. ¡°I advise you not to court death,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword also threatened. Luo Yan smiled without saying a word, watching as Elder Shi Ding approached the Dragon and Tiger Attraction Device and twiddled one of the protrusions for a moment before staring nkly at the runic script above it.
After some time, he turned back and said: ¡°This ancient magical treasure is sealed.¡± ¡°Sealed?¡± both Luo Yan and Miss Shi asked in unison. ¡°Correct, there are threeyers of seal,¡± Elder Shi Ding nodded and said, ¡°Before the seals are lifted, I fear it can¡¯t exhibit even one percent of its true power.¡± ¡°Please borate, teacher,¡± Luo Yan respectfully said. ¡°The first seal requires Nine Nether Yin Soul Stones and Nine Phoenix Scorching Sun Stones to unravel,¡± Elder Shi Ding sighed as he spoke, ¡°The second seal lies even deeper, which can only be known after unlocking the first.¡± Shi Liuli went off to look at the runic script, while Luo Yan stood silent for a long while, showing a helpless bitter smile. Nine Nether Yin Soul Stones are formed by the umtion of Yin energy, usually found underground in Mass Burial Mounds or ancient battlefields. These stones are not so scarce as to be considered unique treasures, but many cultivation techniques of the Nether Ghost Path require the help of Nine Nether Yin Soul Stones, thus almost leading them to extinction due to relentless searching over thest hundred years. Nine Phoenix Scorching Sun Stones, in contrast, are formed from the umtion of Yang energy, appearing only near the habitats of the Golden Crow species. The problem is, the Golden Crow species, as part of the Demon Race, have been exiled to the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm since ancient times. After hundreds of thousands of years, even if there were any Nine Phoenix Scorching Sun Stones left, they¡¯re likely to have been already thoroughly scavenged by various cultivators. Seeing Luo Yan¡¯s dejection, Elder Shi Dingforted him:
¡°Don¡¯t be too fixated on this. Even if it can¡¯t be unsealed, it¡¯s still good as a mode of transportation.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all I can hope for now,¡± Luo Yan sighed. Chapter 174: 36: In Shushan, Just Off the Flying Sword Chapter 174: Chapter 36: In Shushan, Just Off the Flying Sword After returning to his room, Luo Yan began to organize the gains from the Three Inds Treasure Ship Secret Realm: First and foremost, the acquisition of the Body Refining Secret Technique and the breakthrough to the ¡°Marrow Cleansing Realm¡± were significant. With the Witch n¡¯s Body Refining Secret Technique, Luo Yan could, as a matter of course, ¡°shorten the Marrow Cleansing duration,¡± and then, one day, he would be able to enter the Refining Mansion stage without arousing suspicion¡ªa legitimate reason was now in hand. Secondly, there was the knowledge of various ancient formations. Modern formations tend to emphasize simplicity and grandeur, such as the Mountain Protection Array or the Sect¡¯s Grand Formation, with tens of thousands of g nodes aligned in a clear and straightforward structural order. However, the ancient formations found in Gui Xu often emphasizedplexity and integration, such as the Gui Xu Grand Formation with its immense volume of information, where the Formation Setter deliberately depicted its magnificent essence in a high-dimensional ne, revealing only the tip of the iceberg in the two-dimensional ne. Perhaps the cultivators of ancient times felt this was more impressive. Indeed, from Luo Yan¡¯s perspective, both had their pros and cons. The simplicity and grandeur of modern formations meant they were easier to learn and maintain, which was the result of the massive loss of Taoist traditions after the annihtion of the Chan and Jie teachings¡ªafter all, thoseplex and hard-to-learn formation traditions had almost all but vanished. Theplexity and integration of ancient formations, on one hand, made them difficult to decipher, and on the other, advantageous for use in battle, with many records even mentioning portable Formation Devices. Luo Yan had already decided that, when he had the time, he would design a set of Formation Devices for himself.
Thest gain was this Universe-constructing Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle. It waspletely ck, dull, and lusterless, with an outline that resembled an elongated American football. Except for a column of vertical Immortal Seal Script at a certain angle, there was nothing else. For now, its function was akin to a mode of transport, with a flight speed faster than Sword Control, and less True Yuan consumption. More importantly, in secret realms where Sword Control was not possible, this Divine Shuttle could still achieve spatial jumps, reaching ces one¡¯s feet could not. Elder Shi Ding mentioned that the magical treasure contained threeyers of seals, prompting Luo Yan to specte: Perhaps these three seals corresponded to ¡°Universe,¡± ¡°Cosmos,¡± and ¡°Creation¡± in the Divine Shuttle¡¯s name¡ªeach unsealing might realize one of these titles¡­ Of course, this was merely spection. ¡°Ah Jing, it¡¯s time to load the save and go to Shushan.¡± ¡°Okay, are you going to see Senior Sister An?¡± Kunlun Mirror casually asked. ¡°Shut up, I¡¯ve just returned from Gui Xu and simply want to rest for a bit,¡± Luo Yan said coldly. Laughing silently, Kunlun Mirror knew that Luo Yan didn¡¯t know how to face Shi Liuli at the moment (after all, in Gui Xu, their rtionship had developed to an almost intimate level), so he wanted to find a ce to calm down. [Save Point Two: Shushan Shangqing Faction, Qingluo Peak.] [Character Identity: Ling Yunpo.] [Oveying Mirror Flower Water Moon Temte, time-space travelmencing.] Back at Qingluo Peak in Shushan, Ling Yunpo got up from the stone bed and dismantled his meditative posture, slinging his Sword Box over his shoulder. ¡°Master!¡± The Thunder Punishment Sword immediately called out, ¡°Are we going to practice swordsmanship? I haven¡¯t sparred with Senior Sister An in a long time!¡± ¡°How long could it have been?¡± Ling Yunpo thought to himself that it had indeed been a long time for him. But for you, it was only a day¡¯s absence on a trip to the Demon Locking Tower¡­ With this thought, he suddenly remembered that An Zhisu¡¯s Life-bound Sword Artifact, the Frostfall Sword, had been shattered by a Golden Core Realm Jiaolong in the Demon Locking Tower while protecting him.
Now, Senior Sister An could only temporarily use the Harsh Cold Sword left by their master, Su Jian. Although it also belonged to the Water System Flying Swords, it was not her Life-bound Sword Artifact, making it weaker in both power and control. Indeed, he needed to find a new sword for Senior Sister An. The Green Duckweed Sword had mentioned the ¡°Flying Smoke Sword¡± located in the Southern Sea¡ªwithout the necessary information collected, there was no opportunity to pursue it for now.
¡°` However, perhaps I could go to the Sword Pool to find a sword to serve as a transitional one for Senior Sister An. With that thought in mind, Ling Yunpo set out for the Sword Pool. The Shushan Sword Pool, located at the summit of Heavenly Gate Peak, also serves as the gateway of the Shushan Shangqing Sect. Every aspirant seeking to join the sect must ascend Heavenly Gate Peak in their mortal flesh, facing many areas along the entire path with steps over one meter high and even sections where they must cling to cliff faces to pass. A moment of inattention can lead to a fatal fall. Ling Yunpo, wielding the Thunder Punishment Sword, circled above Heavenly Gate Peak and saw several mortals climbing the mountain. They seemed to be disciples from the martial world, which invoked in him a mix of emotion and sighs. Descending near the Sword Pool, he was immediately approached by two duty disciples who asked, ¡°Have youe for a sword¡­ You are, Po Yun Sword Immortal!¡± The other disciple quickly added with a smile, ¡°This way, please, Brother Po Yun.¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­ What the hell is ¡®Brother Po Yun¡¯? Who has been spreading my name incorrectly? He couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue with the two unfamiliar disciples and, with a cold expression, passed between them to reach the edge of the Sword Pool.
Activating the innate talent of his Innate Sword Bone, Ling Yunpo began trying to resonate with the water in the pool. However, this time there was no outburst of thousands of swords as there had been when he imed the Green Duckweed Sword. Not long after, a Ninth-Rank Earth System Flying Sword burst forth from the water andnded in the palm of his hand. ¡°Ninth-Rank Earth System Flying Sword,¡± the Green Duckweed Swordzily stated. ¡°Ninth-Rank won¡¯t do, Senior Sister An¡¯s transitional Flying Sword must be at least Tenth Rank,¡± Ling Yunpomented, casting the Flying Sword back into the pool. He then resonated again, pulling out a new Flying Sword. ¡°Ninth-Rank Wood System Flying Sword,¡± said the Green Duckweed Sword in response. ¡°Wood System doesn¡¯t suit Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo said as he cast the sword back into the pool before resonating once more. ¡°Eighth-Rank Fire System Flying Sword,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword stated calmly. ¡°Howe the Grade Rank is getting lower and lower?¡± Ling Yunpo said, annoyed, throwing the Flying Sword back into the pool, ¡°Qing Ping, didn¡¯t you have any girlfriends in the pool? Isn¡¯t there one that would respond to my call?¡± ¡°No,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword chuckled, ¡°Even among the Tenth Rank Flying Swords, not all Immortal Swords have a Sword Spirit. What are you thinking?¡± ¡°Without a Sword Spirit, summoning a Flying Sword from this Sword Pool is purely a matter of fate,¡± the Kunlun Mirror added. With a cold expression, Ling Yunpo continued to summon about a dozen Flying Swords, not one of which was Tenth Rank. Given such scarcity, it¡¯s no wonder that he was immediately targeted by Ziyun Peak after pulling out the Green Duckweed Sword.
Forget it, I need to find another way. This public pool is just not reliable. Ling Yunpo turned to leave the Sword Pool, intending to ride his sword back to Qingluo Peak when he suddenly saw Guan Shanyue descend. One of the four mighty figures of Shushan, the senior sister of Green Bamboo Peak, the Fragmented Moon Sword Immortal Guan Shanyue, was usually apanied by a procession of many junior brothers and sisters, making quite the scene. This time, however, she was apanied by only one person on a sword, the fifth-ranked Sima Changyan from thest Shushanpetition. ¡°¡­In any case, I hope Senior Sister Guan will consider it,¡± Sima Changyan had just said when he caught sight of Ling Yunpo below and immediately fell silent. Guan Shanyue, however, wasn¡¯t as cautious and greeted Ling Yunpo with a warm smile, ¡°Isn¡¯t this Brother Po Yun? Are you looking for a new Flying Sword at the Sword Pool?¡± ¡°Can you call me ¡®Ling Yunpo¡¯ please?¡± Ling Yunpo said helplessly. ¡°` Chapter 175: 37: The Clever Younger Disciple Persuasively Advises the Stubborn Older Sister Chapter 175: Chapter 37: The Clever Younger Disciple Persuasively Advises the Stubborn Older Sister ¡°Here you go.¡± ¡°What is this?¡± ¡°An invitation. On the first day of the next month, at the Guan n¡¯s estate in Heavenly Water County, the Sword Tomb will be opened, and you are invited to attend.¡± ¡°Sword Tomb¡­¡± Ling Yunpo looked at the invitation, feeling a sense of unexined fatigue, ¡°Is it some kind of secret realm again?¡± ¡°Pfft!¡± Guan Shanyue couldn¡¯t help butugh, while Sima Changyan stood beside her, speechless, and exined: ¡°What secret realm¡­ The Sword Tomb is the residence of the Guan Family¡¯s ancestor.¡± ¡°After our ancestor ascended and underwent the Feather Transformation, he stayed within our n¡¯snd, and has rarelye out of the Sword Tomb since.¡± Guan Shanyue finally stoppedughing and patiently added, ¡°He only opens it asionally.¡± ¡°Whenever our ancestor opens the door, our Guan Family will invite many new talents in the way of the sword from all over the world to visit our n¡¯snd and meet with the ancestor.¡± ¡°After all, the Guan Family ancestor is of the immortal rank and possesses boundless mastery in swordsmanship. Even a casual piece of advice from him can benefit you greatly,¡± Sima Changyan said with emotion, and looked enviously at Ling Yunpo, ¡°Securing an invitation from the Longxi Guan Family is something many sword cultivators dream of.¡± ¡°I see, thank you Senior Sister Guan for your kindness.¡± Ling Yunpo respectfully epted the invitation. ¡°Oh right, there¡¯s another one here.¡± Guan Shanyue took out another invitation, ¡°It¡¯s for Senior Sister An, please trouble Brother Ling to pass it on.¡±
¡°You want me to pass it on?¡± Ling Yunpo asked, puzzled, thinking why don¡¯t you give it to her directly? ¡°Senior Sister An and I, we¡¯ve had some misunderstandings in the past,¡± Guan Shanyue saw his confusion and said with a smile, ¡°If I go myself, she probably won¡¯t even ept the invitation, so I can only bother Brother Ling to do so.¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s a huge misunderstanding, that is an invitation from the Guan Family after all¡­¡± Sima Changyan shook his head, clearly not believing Senior Sister An would refuse. The two chatted warmly with Ling Yunpo for a while before they left on their swords. Ling Yunpo went down the mountain to the market to buy meat and wine and then returned to Qingluo Peak, where he saw An Zhisu sitting somewhat bored on a swing, slowly swinging with the ropes in hand. Since losing her Life-bound Sword Artifact, Senior Sister An even stopped her daily morning swordsmanship practice, causing Ling Yunpo much concern. ¡°Senior Sister, I bought some beef tendons today, as well as some top-notch osmanthus wine.¡± He raised the wine and dishes in his hand as an invitation, ¡°How about having some?¡± An Zhisu lifted her head and revealed a tender smile, nodding her head: ¡°Okay.¡± The two sat down by the pavilion, and Ling Yunpo enthusiastically poured wine for his senior sister: ¡°Senior Sister, please drink this cup full.¡± An Zhisu picked up the wine cup and drank it down in one go. The wine entered her troubled heart, and a wave of drunkenness rose instantly, blurring her vision. She quickly and quietly circted her True Yuan to refine the alcohol in her stomach, and in an instant, she was back to normal as if nothing had happened. Ling Yunpo poured himself another cup of wine and drank it with relish. The alcohol wasn¡¯t strong, but the vor was sweet and refreshing, veryforting. He set up a small earthenware pot on a bronze stove on the stone table, adding many small pieces of firewood to light it. Before long, the pot was making bubbling sounds. Ling Yunpo lifted the lid like revealing a treasure, and An Zhisu saw the glossy taro and the beef tendons that had been stewed till tender in the steaming hot broth. Despite having practiced Fasting for a long time, seeing such a dish stirred her appetite. She reached in with her chopsticks to grab a piece and began chewing it carefully, her eyes lighting up with pleasure. They feasted to their hearts¡¯ content, and after a satisfying meal, seeing his senior sister contentedly squinting her eyes, Ling Yunpo took out Guan Shanyue¡¯s invitation.
Upon seeing the invitation, An Zhisu¡¯s face immediately fell, and she frowned, saying: ¡°I don¡¯t want to go to her ce.¡± ¡°They say that the old ancestor of the Guan Family is of the rank of immortals,¡± Ling Yunpo patiently persuaded, ¡°A few casual pointers from her could be of great benefit to our swordsmanship growth.¡± ¡°Even if it¡¯s beneficial, I¡¯m not going,¡± An Zhisu turned her back, saying displeasedly, ¡°After all, that¡¯s her family¡¯s territory. Who knows what kind of traps they¡¯ve set up there?¡±
¡°Why would Senior Sister say such a thing?¡± Ling Yunpo feigned surprise, ¡°Has that Guan Shanyue ever offended you in the past?¡± ¡°Offended? No direct offense, but we just dislike each other,¡± An Zhisu sighed, ¡°She loves to beat around the bush and talk in a strange and erratic way when she speaks, thinking herself humorous when she¡¯s actually caustic. How do you think I got the title ¡®Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal¡¯? It started circting from Green Bamboo Peak, causing me no end of trouble, and she actually takes pleasure in it.¡± Ling Yunpo had nothing to say, thinking to himself that even his nickname of ¡°Po Yun Sword Immortal¡± seemed to have originated from Guan Shanyue. Is she a nickname-making machine? So fond of giving others nicknames; I should give you one someday, see how you like it? ¡°Anyway, I don¡¯t want to go,¡± An Zhisu finally spoke, ¡°If you want to go, you go by yourself, but try to interact with her as little as possible.¡± ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo sighed, ¡°Do you remember what I told youst time?¡± ¡°What?¡± ¡°If Qingluo Peak wants to escape its current predicament, it¡¯s not advisable to just cultivate behind closed doors. We also need to pay attention to socialworking, developing allies.¡± ¡°I¡¯m well aware of that,¡± An Zhisu replied helplessly, ¡°Lin Duanshan of Yellow Dragon Peak, Duan Fenhai of Yellow Dragon Peak, if I happen to meet them on the road, I always make sure to greet them properly.¡± ¡°But it¡¯s only Guan Shanyue that I really don¡¯t want to deal with; I find her annoying.¡± So a simple greeting counts as socialworking? Ling Yunpo started to feel a headacheing on over his senior sister¡¯s emotional intelligence. ¡°They¡¯re different.¡± ¡°What¡¯s so different about them?¡±
¡°In terms of swordsmanship skills, Guan Shanyue may not be as good as Lin Duanshan or Duan Fenhai,¡± Ling Yunpo analyzed, ¡°But don¡¯t forget, the Longxi Guan Family has been Sword Immortals for generations, and their influence within the Shushan Shangqing Faction is immense. If you talk about the breadth of connections, these twobined are probably no match for Guan Shanyue.¡± An Zhisu fell silent for a moment and found herself unable to refute. She of course knew how extensive Guan Shanyue¡¯s connections within Shushan were, or rather, it would be strange if someone as hypocritical as her couldn¡¯t dance in a long sleeve. Back when her master, Su Jian, was around, he had set an example and taught her to live a life of swift justice, ¡°If you meet someone you can¡¯t stand, just kill them with one sword.¡± While An Zhisu hadn¡¯t followed this to the letter, she was undoubtedly influenced, generally preferring a straightforward approach. In the case of someone like Guan Shanyue, who had both status and strength and still wouldn¡¯t admit defeat after being bested, An Zhisu would simply avoid contact as much as possible, without ever considering maintaining some sort of superficial harmony with her opponent. Now, as Ling Yunpo urged her towards diplomacy, she subconsciously resisted. However, after a moment¡¯s thought, An Zhisu couldn¡¯t deny that what her junior brother said made sense. Her master had taught her to live a life of swift justice, and now he had ended up in a situation where he was sealed in a life-and-death gate, showing that being straightforward wasn¡¯t always the best approach. More than ¡°listening to Master¡¯s words,¡± her actual priority was to maintain the Taoism of Qingluo Peak; otherwise, how would she have the face to meet him when he came out of his retreat? And to maintain the Taoism, the ¡°diplomacy¡± her junior brother spoke of was indispensable¡­ After much contemtion, An Zhisu finally made up her mind, closed her eyes, and sighed: ¡°I understand, Junior Brother¡­ I¡¯ll apany you then.¡±
¡°That¡¯s very good,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded in satisfaction, then suddenly felt something was off. Wait, wasn¡¯t the intention to go and make connections? How did it be ¡°apany me¡± again? Chapter 176 - 38 The Guan Family Patriarch has already decided Chapter 176: Chapter 38 The Guan Family Patriarch has already decided Time quickly approached the first day of the following month. Initially, An Zhisu still had the mood to eat and drink and, during Ling Yunpo¡¯s sword practice, would offer guidance on his swordsmanship. But as time drew closer, she seemed to grow increasingly agitated. On the morning of the first day, Ling Yunpo changed into his long robe and left his room to call for Senior Sister An. As a result, after knocking on the door for a long time, An Zhisu refused toe out, only making excuses such as ¡°I¡¯m not feeling well today¡± and ¡°Let¡¯s not go.¡± Ling Yunpo flew into a rage, ¡°A cultivator, telling me ¡®I¡¯m not feeling well today¡¯¡ªdo you take me for a fool?!¡± He pinched the Sword technique, and the Thunder Punishment Sword flew out of the Sword Box, directly smashing the door, and then he strode in. Not long after, An Zhisu, who was already dressed, was forcibly dragged out of her room by Ling Yunpo. Overall, with Senior Sister¡¯s looks and temperament, she didn¡¯t need any makeup at all. She just needed her hair done well and to choose a good hairpin and dress. Before travelling here, Ling Yunpo had been a typical man with no sense for such things, but Luo Yan had spent enough time at the Heavenly Craft Workshop with Miss Shi (whose clothes managed to vary every day for a whole year), and had thus gleaned some experience in this area. Using an oxhornb, he meticulouslybed Senior Sister¡¯s long hair, simply tying it into an elegant chignon at the back of her head, then inserting a jade hairpin. He chose a goose yellow long dress for her attire. Although the dress was connected, it had a tighter fit from the cuffs to the shoulders, facilitating the movement of the arms for casting spells. The hem of the dress was quite loose, but considering Senior Sister was wearing knickers inside, there was no worry of decency issues. As for boots, people in this world were not very fanciful about them, so Ling Yunpo chose a pair of cloud-patterned shoes interwoven with silver threads for Senior Sister An. Only afterpletely dressing her in front of the copper mirror did he notice that Senior Sister An¡¯s face and neck had turned red-hot. Ling Yunpo chuckled inwardly, pretending to be oblivious, and pulled the Senior Sister out the door. After leaving the Daoist temple on Qingluo Peak, An Zhisu had also calmed down. Truthfully, all the junior brother did was help her dress up, which couldn¡¯t count as any inappropriate intimacy. Although the ancients used ¡°the joy of painting one¡¯s eyebrows¡± to illustrate the affection between a married couple or Daoistpanions, the junior brother didn¡¯t paint eyebrows, did he! What¡¯s wrong withbing one¡¯s hair or choosing an outfit? After convincing herself of this, An Zhisu called out her Harsh Cold Sword, and together with Ling Yunpo, they flew away on their swords. The two headed north across the Qin mountains, reaching Tianshui County, where they descended from the Sword Light outside the city. The way of the rify Cult differed from the Intercepting Cult, typically valuing subtlety and restraint. If they flew into the city ostentatiously, it wouldn¡¯t matter if themon people gathered to gawk, but being looked down on by fellow cultivators andughed at behind their backs would be a far greater problem. After asking passersby nearby, they learned that the Longxi Guan Family did not reside in the city of Tianshui County, but near Mount Guan to the east of the city. The reason why the Guan Family was named ¡°Guan¡± was because they had lived near Mount Guan for generations. Thus, Ling Yunpo spent some money to hire a horse carriage, carrying Senior Sister An eastward. After about half an hour, they finally arrived at the entrance of the Guan n¡¯s estate. The estate covered a vast area, with towering walls, and further up along Mount Guan, it was filled withyers of buildings that truly epitomized ¡°built along the mountainside.¡± There were many servants at the gate who, upon meeting them, first respectfully checked the invitations and, after confirming the identities of Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu, immediately weed the two inside and arranged for them to stay in a guest room. The guest room was extremely luxurious, with six rooms and two halls, including a bathroom with a spacious hot water pool built of stones¡ªa far cry morefortable than soaking in a bathtub. Although Ling Yunpo hadpleted the Marrow Cleansing and no longer produced dirt or dead skin, he too thought of Xu Yinglian¡¯s ¡°a good wash is more healthy.¡± An Zhisu, however, showed little interest. She went around each room once and eventually returned to the living room, sitting down to rest and meditate in an armchair. After getting used to the bathing pool, Ling Yunpo changed into his clothes and got up again, joining an already-waiting An Zhisu to go out for a walk. Cultivators naturally have long lifespans, and sometimes, relentless cultivation is not necessarily appropriate. Experiencing the diverse states of existence in the mortal world is also a rare form of practice. Added to that, Ling Yunpo had first entered the Demon Locking Tower and then gone to the Treasure Ship Secret Realm rather promptly, with not much time in between. He was quite fatigued¡ªthis was the perfect opportunity to rx and unwind thoroughly. As the two walked side by side, there was no need to hold hands, yet they seemed to be in perfect harmony, their pace and speed matched just right. In the courtyard of the Guan n¡¯s vi, with its small bridges over flowing water and clusters of bright flowers, all the delicate sights delighted Ling Yunpo, and An Zhisu was exceptionally at ease as well. Just as they were leisurely appreciating the scenery, suddenly a voice sounded ahead: ¡°Senior Sister An, you¡¯ve reallye. I knew it was right to ask Junior Brother Ling to deliver the invitation.¡± An Zhisu¡¯s originally rxed expression immediately turned cold. Guan Shanyue, who emerged from behind the archway, seemedpletely oblivious to the change and continued to smile as she said: ¡°Junior Brother Ling, are you settling in well here? Have you tried the stone-built bath?¡± Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t pick up on her cue, but responded with a straight face: ¡°I am deeply grateful for your hospitality.¡± ¡°Not at all,¡± Guan Shanyue covered her mouth andughed, ¡°How about Senior Sister An?¡± An Zhisu looked at her for a long while before suddenly asking: ¡°What is your intention in inviting me?¡± ¡°Intention?¡± Guan Shanyue blinked and said, ¡°The elder wishes to invite the neers of swordsmanship. As the top person under the Shushan Golden Core, isn¡¯t it normal for Senior Sister An to receive an invitation?¡± ¡°Whether it¡¯s under the Golden Core or the neers of swordsmanship, since when is it up to the Guan Family to decide?¡± An Zhisu asked coldly. ¡°Are you questioning my judgment, or do you think you don¡¯t deserve it?¡± Guan Shanyue narrowed her eyes. ¡°You know I always decline such invitations.¡± ¡°But this time with Junior Brother Ling around, you will definitely ept.¡± An Zhisu was slightly taken aback by this statement, then a murderous aura was released: ¡°I warn you, do not harbor intentions towards my junior brother¡­¡± ¡°Senior Sister An is joking.¡± Faced with the sharp killing intent, Guan Shanyue treated it as a gentle breeze and continued to smile, ¡°Who meets the conditions of the invitation among other Foundation Establishment cultivators indeed is up to me to judge. However, both of your names were personally decided by the elder.¡± Ling Yunpo raised his eyebrows, and he exchanged nces with An Zhisu. ¡°Chosen by the elder?¡± Seeing that his Senior Sister was also confused, Ling Yunpo asked in a deep voice, ¡°Both my Senior Sister and I are but mediocre, how did wee into your family elder¡¯s notice?¡± ¡°Shushan¡¯s mainpetition, the Chief Disciple and the second seat, can also be considered mediocre?¡± Guan Shanyue was still smiling. ¡°Even if my Senior Sister and I are the Chief Disciple and the second seat, we haven¡¯t yet formed a Golden Core, so how could we be of concern to an immortal?¡± Ling Yunpo said coldly, ¡°Sister Guan, if you¡¯re thinking of fobbing us off here, I¡¯m afraid that won¡¯t be appropriate.¡± ¡°Junior Brother Ling, don¡¯t be hasty, I have no intention of fobbing you off,¡± Guan Shanyue dropped her jovial tone and spoke earnestly, ¡°The reason the elder specifically wants to see you is nothing else but because you are Su Jian¡¯s disciples.¡± ¡­¡­¡­ Even An Zhisu, who had been on guard, could not help but be moved at this point. If Guan Shanyue had given any other reason, no matter how flowery her words, An Zhisu wouldn¡¯t have believed a word. But Guan Shanyue mentioned it was ¡°because of Su Jian,¡± and this An Zhisu could not refute from the bottom of her heart. Because their master¡­ truly had extraordinary and rare talent in the realm of swordsmanship, highly treasured not only by the Long Eyebrow Immortal of Shushan but also renowned far and wide. That the elder of the Guan Family knew their master was nothing out of the ordinary. Chapter 177 - 39: This Child and I are Destined Chapter 177: Chapter 39: This Child and I are Destined ¡°I finally understand why Senior Sister dislikes her.¡± After Guan Shanyue left, Ling Yunpo couldn¡¯t help but express his sentiment. ¡°Hm?¡± An Zhisu paused for a moment, then shook her head, ¡°Right? I told you,municating with her is like torture.¡± ¡°The Riddle Speaker is truly revolting,¡± Ling Yunpo sighed. No matter how they probed, Guan Shanyue remained inscrutable, only answering, ¡°You¡¯ll know when the Sword Tomb opens and you see the ancestor.¡± If that were the case, why inform us in advance? Is keeping people in suspense considered fun? ¡°Talking to her ruins a good mood,¡± An Zhisu said, massaging her temples, ¡°Let¡¯s go back.¡± ¡°Okay, Senior Sister.¡± The two turned around and went back to the guest room to rest. After several days, a maid came to inform them that the Sword Tomb had officially been opened. Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu followed the leading maid through a mountain belly tunnel and entered a valley. They saw that the valley was t without trees or hills, just arge number of swords scattered about, thrust haphazardly into the ground. This ce was the Sword Tomb of the Longxi Guan Family. Whenever a Sword Immortal of the Guan Family unfortunately fell, the Guan Family would seal their Flying Sword into the Sword Tomb, creating what is called a ¡°Sword Stele,¡± akin to a spiritual tablet for ancestors. Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu walked on the small path through the forest of Sword Steles, listening to the Guan family maid narrate the history of the Sword Tomb. It was said among the fallen Sword Immortals here, those who died in battle and those who perished during Transcending Heavenly Tribtion were about even in number, while those who died of old age were less than five percent. This was probably because Sword Immortals of the Guan Family were too proud to die in their sickbeds. Once their life span was nearing the end and a breakthrough in their realm seemed impossible, they would go out to fight the Demon Cult, seeking an honorable death in battle. An Zhisu listened with a respectful solemnity, while Ling Yunpo feigned a simr respect on the surface, but inwardly sneered to himself. If my life was nearing its end, I definitely wouldn¡¯t want to stay at home waiting to die either; I¡¯d go out looking for opportunities to break through, making ast desperate struggle. If I failed and fell, wouldn¡¯t you be able to say whatever you pleased? Even if you imed I died assassinating the Demon Lord for justice, how could I refute it? Of course, everyone tries to present themselves in the best light, which is understandable. Therefore, Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t say anything and merely looked around at the surrounding Sword Steles with great interest. Hm? He suddenly spotted a familiar face in the crowd in the distance. Isn¡¯t that Guan Zhan? How is this third junior brother here¡­ Ah, his surname is Guan, so it¡¯s no problem. Ling Yunpo withdrew his gaze and continued with his Senior Sister through the dense forest of swords until they saw a thatched cottage ahead. The maid led the two of them to the front of the cottage and pushed open the door. Upon entering the cottage, they saw an elderly but spirited man seated on a couch, wearing grey robes, sitting cross-legged with his eyes tightly closed, and on either side, there was a gilded incense burner with blue smoke curling upwards. ¡°Sit,¡± he said ndly. Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu sat down on meditation cushions, their expressions somewhat uneasy and solemn. Although the elder appeared ordinary, the two, using their intuition as Sword Immortals, sensed the profound depth and towering strength behind his demeanor, indicating an extremely high rank and realm. ¡°How has Su Jian been recently?¡± the Guan Family ancestor asked with closed eyes. ¡°Our master is doing well,¡± An Zhisu replied. ¡°Has hee out of seclusion?¡± ¡°Not yet.¡± ¡°Since he hasn¡¯t left seclusion, how do you know he¡¯s still in good condition?¡± the Guan Family elder opened his eyes and asked with a hint of mockery. An Zhisu frowned slightly, only to hear Ling Yunpo say beside her: ¡°The lineage of Qingluo Peak has not ceased, which indicates that my master is still well.¡± ¡°Ha!¡± The Guan Family elder immediately burst intoughter, his gaze towards Ling Yunpo changed, and he said with amusement, ¡°What a sharp tongue you have indeed.¡± Seeing that the other party did not fly into a rage, Ling Yunpo also secretly breathed a sigh of relief. This elder must not bear any ill will towards Qingluo Peak; he just wanted to test the courage and spirit of me and my Senior Sister. It seems that we¡¯ve passed his test. After staring at them for a moment, the Guan Family elder finally spoke slowly: ¡°The descent of Qingluo Peak to its current state can¡¯t be med on you; it¡¯s truly Su Jian who brought it upon himself.¡± ¡°I beg to differ with the elder¡¯s words,¡± An Zhisu immediately raised her eyebrows and said, with Ling Yunpo hastily grabbing her arm in rm. ¡°What does it matter to me whether you agree or not?¡± The Guan Family elder chuckled, tauntingly said, ¡°Even if Su Jian were standing here, he would have to admit that it¡¯s his own fault. What qualification do you have to deny it for him?¡± An Zhisu fell silent, unable to speak, while Ling Yunpo beside her sweated inwardly and said nothing. If Su Jian were here, he would, of course, admit his responsibility. Or could he possibly shove the me onto his disciples instead? Senior Sister An¡¯s words were merely a stance, yet who would have thought they would be seized upon by the Guan Family elder for criticism? Immortals can pretend to be foolish and misunderstand, can¡¯t they? Wait¡­ now I think I know where Guan Shanyue¡¯s nasty characteres from. ¡°I told Su Jian in the past that if he doesn¡¯t change his stubborn nature, he will ultimately ruin himself and even bring disaster upon his family,¡± continued the Guan Family elder with a coldugh. ¡°Cause and effect, the way of Heaven cycles. Can you not see that it hase to pass now?¡± He looked at An Zhisu and said: ¡°If all you know is to emte your master, recklessly making enemies and holding grudges, you will eventually meet the same end.¡± An Zhisu kept silent, while Ling Yunpo sat beside her, deep in thought, only to hear the Guan Family elder turn his head and speak to him: ¡°You¡¯re different from your master and Senior Sister, a clever and perceptive younger generation, which is quite rare.¡± Ling Yunpo smiled faintly, thinking to himself that this assessment sounded a little familiar. ¡°It¡¯s only because Su Jian was in seclusion and allowed your Senior Sister to take on disciples that you chanced upon bing a disciple of Qingluo Peak.¡± The Guan Family elder snorted coldly, ¡°If Su Jian had made the choice, even if your talent were great, you would definitely not have been admitted to Qingluo Peak.¡± ¡°The elder has it wrong there,¡± An Zhisu couldn¡¯t help but interject once more, ¡°Master admires disciples with extraordinary swordsmanship talent the most, and Ling Yunpo, my junior brother¡­¡± ¡°Even geniuses are useless,¡± the Guan Family elder said, unabashedly, ¡°It¡¯s not like there haven¡¯t been prodigiously talented disciples seeking to be Su Jian¡¯s disciples after he inherited Qingluo Peak. Yet has he taken a liking to any of them?¡± An Zhisu was silent once again. ¡°Ling Yunpo.¡± The Guan Family elder turned his gaze, and his expression softened, ¡°Su Jian wouldn¡¯t have taken you in, not because of your fault, but because he is innately arrogant. No matter how outstanding the talent in swordsmanship, none could catch his eye.¡± ¡°As for your Senior Sister An, the reason she could be his disciple owes to another connection, which is best left unsaid.¡± ¡°If Su Jian never emerges from seclusion, you will be like a Loose Cultivator without a master; if Su Jian does emerge, you are unlikely to be well-treated by him.¡± Hearing this, the Guan Family elder suddenly paused, then spoke earnestly: ¡°Su Jian once owed me a favor that has not yet been repaid. If you are willing to switch to my sect and take me as your master, I will use this favor to make a deal with him, so that even if hees out from seclusion, he will have no objections, what do you say?¡± Ling Yunpo stood stunned on the spot, only to see An Zhisu spring up from her seat, eximing in shock: ¡°How can this be!¡± Chapter 178 - 40: It Turns Out to Be the Forerunner Senior’s Fault Chapter 178: Chapter 40: It Turns Out to Be the Forerunner Senior¡¯s Fault ¡°Why not?¡± the Longxi Guan Family¡¯s ancestor asked displeasedly. ¡°You rise to interrupt before your elder has finished speaking. Is this the kind of unruly and disrespectful upbringing Su Jian has provided?¡± Clenching her lower lip, An Zhisu refused to give in, insisting: ¡°Even if my master truly owes you a favor, it still requires a direct conversation between you two to settle it. If my master doesn¡¯t wish for my junior brother to leave and is only preupied with his seclusion, does it justify you seizing the opportunity to snatch away his disciple? How should I, as a junior, handle myself? If this were known to all, how would the world view the Longxi Guan Family?¡± The Longxi Guan Family¡¯s ancestor snorted coldly and said: ¡°Don¡¯t try to provoke me with that.¡± ¡°You¡¯ve said it yourself, your Ling Yunpo is exceptionally talented¡ªhe¡¯s an ¡®Innate Sword Bone,¡¯ do you understand?¡± An Zhisu gasped in shock, while Ling Yunpo fell silent, his heart nearly bursting with emotion. Atst¡­ after many years at Shushan, someone had finally recognized the extraordinary talent of Ling Yunpo! ¡°Innate Sword Bone?¡± An Zhisu pondered for a moment, hesitant, ¡°Is that the ¡®Innate Sword Bone¡¯ known alongside the ¡®Innate Sword Heart¡¯?¡± ¡°Precisely,¡± the Longxi Guan Family¡¯s ancestor affirmed proudly. ¡°In fact, the cultivation potential of the Innate Sword Bone is even stronger than the Innate Sword Heart, mainly because while one¡¯s state of mind can change, the root bone is extremely difficult to alter.¡± ¡°With such a peerless talent, even if Su Jian were willing to personally teach him, he would struggle to utilize eighty percent of his potential. How could thatpare to instruction from an immortal like me? If you truly cared for your junior brother, you wouldn¡¯t stand in the way of his great future.¡± An Zhisu¡¯s face turned pale as she stumbled several steps back until her back was against the wall¡ªeach sentence from the Longxi Guan Family¡¯s ancestor was like a heavy hammer, relentlessly striking at her heart. Indeed, no matter how it was dressed up (whether the junior brother himself wished to stay, or how hard she tried to be kind to him), it couldn¡¯t change one fact. Ling Yunpo was indeed dying his own cultivation progress by staying on Qingluo Peak. Not to mention, the one currently aiming to poach him was one of the rare terrestrial immortals in the world, the Longxi Guan Family¡¯s ancestor! Even as much as An Zhisu found it hard to let go, as long as she still had a shred of goodwill towards her junior brother, she couldn¡¯t find the words to let him refuse the Longxi Guan Family¡¯s ancestor. Seeing her subdued and retreating, the Longxi Guan Family¡¯s ancestor then turned his gaze to Ling Yunpo: ¡°I¡¯ve already heard about your experiences at Shushan from Yue¡¯er.¡± ¡°You joined Qingluo Peak alone, involving your master Su Jian, and fell victim to the targeting by Ziyun Peak and the other peaks. Fortunately, you overcame the hardships with significant determination and fought your way here, you must be aware of the various difficulties of the sect with no one to turn to.¡± ¡°If you¡¯re willing to join my sect, firstly, the resources of the Longxi Guan Family will be fully avable to you, and secondly, I will teach you my Dao without reservation. Those Shushan disciples who once humiliated you will have to avoid you by three clear steps when they see you, giving you due respect!¡± Ling Yunpo hung his head, unable to deny that he waspletely tempted. Being favored by an immortal, bestowed with longevity. If he epts here and now, Ling Yunpo¡¯s identity would catapult him upward, surpassing even Qiu Changtian and bing the ¡°super ount¡± among numerous secondary ones, with Qiu Changtian unable to grasp its edge! It¡¯s well known that Qiu Changtian¡¯s status as the Chief Disciple of Kunlun is partly due to his innate ¡°Daoist Heart rity¡± talent, with the greater part owing to the Ziwei Sect Leader¡¯s insightful recognition and full support. As for the Longxi Guan Family¡¯s ancestor, a terrestrial immortal, it goes without saying that he would only be more formidable than the Ziwei Sect Leader, and not less! Under normal circumstances, Ling Yunpo would have immediately nodded vigorously, knelt as if his knees were rooted to the ground, and performed the grand gesture of discipleship to the Longxi Guan Family¡¯s ancestor¡­ s, what a pity, what a pity! ¡°Ah Jing, ah,¡± he sighed inwardly, ¡°for the sake of helping you seize that fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone from Shushan, I¡¯ve made quite the sacrifice.¡± ¡°Tsk,¡± the Kunlun Mirror scoffed disdainfully, ¡°If you have the heart to hurt Senior Sister An, then just go ahead and do it.¡± ¡°Hmph,¡± Ling Yunpoughed without a word, his face falling silent for a moment before he revealed a sequence of expressions indicative of hesitation, inner turmoil, long deliberation, heartache, and finally resolute determination, saying gravely: ¡°I am grateful for the ancestor¡¯s generous love, but¡­ having been epted into the Shushan sect, it would be improper for me to change allegiance to another. I apologize for not living up to the ancestor¡¯s recognition.¡± ¡°No matter,¡± the Longxi Guan Family¡¯s ancestor waved his hand dismissively, ¡°I am also a Guest Elder of the Shushan Shangqing Faction; moving from Qingluo Peak to join my sect does not constitute a betrayal of Shushan.¡± ¡°Qingluo Peak is all the same,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a small smile, oneden with extreme determination. So determined that his synchronization value for an unyielding persona even began to rise. The Longxi Guan Family¡¯s ancestor furrowed his brow and stared at him for a long while before suddenly asking in a deep voice: ¡°Are you practicing the Sentiment Inquiry Path?¡± Ling Yunpo: ? He had already prepared five or six excuses to deal with the various recruiting conditions offered by the old immortal, but he did not expect him to ask such a question. Seeing him at a loss for words, the Guan Family elder turned to An Zhisu and frowned: ¡°Are you also practicing the Sentiment Inquiry Path?¡± An Zhisu lowered her head in silence, uttering not a word. Seeing that neither of them could speak, the Guan Family elder realized the situation and immediately felt a bit numb. Su Jian, oh Su Jian, you are truly a disgrace to Shushan! Not only did you switch from the Forgetting Love Path to the Sentiment Inquiry Path, but you also led two outstanding disciples astray! However, he was after all of Immortal rank, and at least he had someposure, so he heaved a sigh, patted his knee, and said: ¡°The Sentiment Inquiry Path, why is it always the Sentiment Inquiry Path? s, I had long told Jade Capital to let you young disciples know of the past misdeeds of the Sentiment Inquiry Path, but he always insisted on not airing our dirtyundry¡­¡± ¡°May I ask, elder, what exactly is the old affair?¡± Seeing that the elder had more to say, Ling Yunpo immediately caught on to the subject, going with the flow to ease the awkward mood. ¡°It¡¯s nothing indescribable.¡± The Guan Family elder sighed, ¡°Do you know that the ancient progenitor of the Human Race, Fuxi, once forged two Supreme Immortal Swords called ¡®Tai Yin¡¯ and ¡®Sun¡¯?¡± ¡°Of course we remember.¡± Ling Yunpo replied. ¡°After the Demon Race was driven to the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm, the contact between the two realms was not as weak as it is nowadays. Often, great demons would cross the Boundary Gate to attack.¡± The Guan Family elder, feeling quite mncholic, began to recount the secrets of the past, ¡°Therefore, the Human Race passed down the two Supreme Immortal Swords from generation to generation, with each generation having two people responsible for holding the swords, defending the Human Race, and deterring the Demon Race. The title bearers were known as the ¡®Tai Yin Sword Master¡¯ and the ¡®Sun Sword Master¡¯.¡± ¡°By thest generation, the Sun Sword Master was named ¡®Ouyang Zhao¡¯, and the Tai Yin Sword Master was ¡®Yin Xiaojing¡¯. These two were cultivators of the Sentiment Inquiry Path and, after years of studying under the same master, ascended to immortality and became Daoist Companions, with a remarkably affectionate rtionship.¡± ¡°Little did anyone know, Yin Xiaojing¡¯s true identity was that of a Celestial Fox from Qingqiu of the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm, who had smuggled herself over. She had just transformed and, using a special magical treasure of the Celestial Fox n, assumed a human identity and infiltrated this realm for many years, all to seize the Tai Yin ¡®Suming¡¯ Sword.¡± An Zhisu listened intently, while Ling Yunpo was inwardlyughing and crying. Goodness me, so this Yin Xiaojing is also a senior in the same line of work as me! Both of us infiltrated a sect to obtain a precious treasure, each using some kind of special magical treasure. This sense of d¨¦j¨¤ vu is overwhelming¡­ s, from what the Guan Family elder said, it seems Yin Xiaojing resorted to using her charms, something I disdain to do! ¡°Later, not long after Yin Xiaojing became the Tai Yin Sword Master, before she could escape back to the Eastern Emperor Realm, her identity was exposed.¡± The Guan Family elder contemptuously said: ¡°The Human Race cultivators intended to surround and kill her, but that Sun Sword Master Ouyang Zhao, to protect his Daoist Companion, boldly made himself an enemy of the entire Human Race. The two fought their way to the Boundary Gate of the Eastern Emperor Realm, causing countless deaths and injuries to the Human Race.¡± ¡°In the end, Yin Xiaojing returned to the Eastern Emperor Realm while Ouyang Zhao died at the Boundary Gate. Before dying, he sealed the gate with the Sun True Fire Sword. Ever since, the passage between the two realms has been eternally separated by the burning Sun True Fire, and humans and demons took separate paths, no longer able to interact.¡± ¡°And the Tai Yin ¡®Suming¡¯ Sword has been lost ever since.¡± ¡°Lost?¡± asked Ling Yunpo curiously, ¡°Wasn¡¯t it taken back to the Demon Realm by Yin Xiaojing?¡± ¡°Before Ouyang Zhao¡¯s defection, he proposed that he and Yin Xiaojing relinquish the swords and find a ce in this realm to live together in seclusion forever, never to step into the outside world again. Hence, he had left the Tai Yin ¡®Suming¡¯ Sword somewhere, intending to trade its location for Yin Xiaojing¡¯s life.¡± The Guan Family elder said with a coldugh. ¡°Butter, probably because negotiations with the Human Race failed, they ended up with one dead and one escaped. As for the Tai Yin ¡®Suming¡¯ Sword, the likelihood of it being taken back to the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm is low; otherwise, across these hundreds of thousands of years, it would not have remained hidden unused by the Demon Race¡­ It is indeed likely, as Ouyang Zhao imed, hidden somewhere in this realm, simply yet to be found.¡± ¡°And ever since then, the Sentiment Inquiry Path was swiftly severed, considered by the various cultivator sects as dangerous as floods and wild beasts, strictly shunned.¡± ¡°You have to understand, the Sentiment Inquiry Path prioritizes emotion, but if your whole heart¡¯s emotions are mistakenly devoted to a non-human, then what?¡± ¡°If you insist on the Sentiment Inquiry, you might make a grave mistake like Ouyang Zhao; but if you try to switch to forgetting love, your Daoist Foundation may immediately be unstable, risking deviation¡­¡± Towards the end, the Guan Family elder was sneering continuously, ¡°After all, binding the pursuit of Dao with the desires and love of ordinary people is extremely foolish behavior!¡± Seeing that Ling Yunpo remained indifferent, he then derided and mocked: ¡°Take you, for example! You¡¯re willing to give up the Daoist lineage of immortals for your Senior Sister An, is it not an act of cutting yourself off from the great Dao?¡± ¡°Over the years, all cultivators of the Sentiment Inquiry Path have been fools to the extreme, just like you!¡± Chapter 179 - 41: Sword Tomb Convention, Teasing Senior Sister Chapter 179: Chapter 41: Sword Tomb Convention, Teasing Senior Sister After leaving the thatched cottage, the atmosphere between the two became ambiguous. Ling Yunpo was slightly annoyed, his mind filled with the thought, ¡°Does the Guan Family ancestor really think we¡¯re practicing the Sentiment Inquiry Path together, and developing affections for each other? Why didn¡¯t Sister deny it?¡± An Zhisu was also somewhat disturbed, merely fiddling with the hem of her clothes, wondering, ¡°Why didn¡¯t I rify just now? Could it be because I wanted to use this misunderstanding to persuade the Guan Family ancestor to let Ling Yunpo stay?¡± An Zhisu, oh An Zhisu, you really are a bad woman¡­ ¡°Sister, let¡¯s go back,¡± Ling Yunpo said. ¡°Hmm, oh, let¡¯s go back,¡± An Zhisu replied in a flustered manner. ¡°Have you two finished your talk?¡± Just as they were about to leave, they saw Guan Shanyue approaching from the opposite side, who asked, ¡°Did Po Yunpo brother agree?¡± ¡°First of all, it¡¯s Ling Yunpo¡­¡± Ling Yunpo hadn¡¯t finished correcting when he heard An Zhisu coldly ask, ¡°Did you incite this?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t joke,¡± Guan Shanyue dismissed, ¡°I don¡¯t have the influence to guide the elder. Besides, it¡¯s only natural for someone with an Innate Sword Bone to be sought after, right?¡± ¡°You better really not be scheming behind our backs,¡± An Zhisu said gravely. ¡°Rest assured,¡± Guan Shanyue waved his hand, ¡°But don¡¯t leave just yet, for the elder will formally summon everyone in a moment.¡± Implicit in his words was the fact that the Guan Family ancestor had only had a ¡°private meeting¡± with the two just now. And the formal summoning toe had other official matters to attend to. Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu exchanged a look and followed Guan Shanyue into a nearby courtyard. In the open space surrounded by numerous sword steles, scattered tables and chairs had been set up, where many Sword Immortals were already seated. The Guan Family disciples were the most in number, followed by the Shushan cultivators. Representatives from Kunlun and Peni were also in attendance, and aside from Qiu Changtian¡¯s third disciple Guan Zhan, Ling Yunpo also spotted Luo Yan¡¯s eldest senior brother Linghu Chu¡ªcurrently, he was deep in a discussion about sword casting with a Guan Family cultivator, apparently well-acquainted for some time now. Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu sat in a corner, unable to integrate into the conversations of these strangers, so they began whispering to each other. ¡°Brother, are you really not considering it?¡± An Zhisu asked softly. ¡°Is Sister trying to send me away?¡± Ling Yunpo teased back with a smile. ¡°No, it¡¯s just that¡­¡± An Zhisu hesitated, stopping mid-sentence before finally saying, ¡°After all, it¡¯s an immortal we¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°What of an immortal?¡± Ling Yunpo feigned grandeur, ¡°Without an immortal, can I not be one myself? If it means giving up Sister to achieve the Great Dao, I would rather forsake it!¡± [Unyielding character trait, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°Brother,¡± An Zhisu looked at him with tenderness in her eyes, but even more so with helplessness and reluctance, ¡°I¡¯m truly happy you want to stay at Qingluo Peak¡­ but still, I fear holding back your path¡­¡± ¡°More than the path, what I care about is not disappointing Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo stated immediately. So, An Zhisu became shy again, her head bowed, revealing her fair neck, her long eyshes quivering as if masking some emotion. Ling Yunpo suddenly found that his normally steadfast and valiant Sister, asionally being shy, was quite charming¡ªhe could tease her a little more. ¡°Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo deliberately elongated the word. ¡°Hm?¡± An Zhisu didn¡¯t look at him, her gaze fixed on her own toes. ¡°The Guan Family ancestor said you practice the Sentiment Inquiry Path, is that true?¡± An Zhisu didn¡¯t answer, she just nodded imperceptibly. She didn¡¯t know what she was thinking; her thoughts felt tangled like a mess of threads. At first, she wondered, ¡°How could junior brother say something so misleading,¡± then she thought, ¡°Maybe junior brother is really trying to express his feelings subtly,¡± then she thought, ¡°What if junior brother just meant he can¡¯t let me down,¡± and then, ¡°But what if junior brother¡¯s intention actually is¡­¡± Her mind became a confusing mush until Ling Yunpo asked her if she nned to cultivate the Sentiment Inquiry Path. That¡¯s when she broke free from those embarrassing illusions and blurted out hurriedly: ¡°Junior brother, whether it¡¯s the Sentiment Inquiry Path or some other faction, that should be considered after Core Formation. It¡¯s too early to think about this now! Too early!¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Ling Yunpo feigned confusion, ¡°but why did the ancestor of the Guan Family ask us if we had all cultivated the Sentiment Inquiry Path?¡± ¡°Actually, the ancestor of the Guan Family wanted to ask us if we have¡­¡± An Zhisu spoke quickly and hurriedly, but then abruptly stopped. ¡°Have what?¡± Ling Yunpo teased her once more. ¡°Just that¡­¡± An Zhisu¡¯s face turned red, and after a long pause, she suddenly eximed as if seizing a lifeline, ¡°Ah, look, the ancestor of the Guan Family ising out.¡± Ling Yunpo turned around to look and saw the ancestor of the Guan Family already stepping out of the thatched hut, with the younger disciples of the Sword Immortals standing up one after another to greet the old immortal. The ancestor of the Guan Family gestured with his hand, indicating for everyone to sit back down. Then, he extended his hand and summoned Guan Shanyue, who approached carrying a sword. ¡°The sword is the king of a hundred weapons,¡± the ancestor of the Guan Family said slowly, taking the long sword, ¡°My friends, why do cultivators often use Flying Swords, but seldom use Flying Daggers, Flying Spears, or other weapons?¡± His gaze swept over everyone and then settled on Ling Yunpo, signaling him to speak: ¡°You tell me.¡± ¡°Cough,¡± Ling Yunpo began awkwardly, ¡°Is it because the Flying Sword excels in assassination and can also seal Daoist Magic within it?¡± ¡°Barely satisfactory,¡± the ancestor of the Guan Family nodded, ¡°Those that are good for piercing must be straight; those that are good for magic must be heavy.¡± ¡°The Flying Sword ovees the knife with its straightness and the spear with its weight, so it bes distinguished. Such is the nature of swordsmanship; not to seek to overpower alone but to be wless in every aspect.¡± The Sword Immortals all showed looks of sudden understanding. Then began the time for the ancestor of the Guan Family to lecture. In ordinary swordsmanship factions, the master¡¯s teachings to the disciple are often limited to the ¡°techniques,¡± such as how to thrust with this sword, how to block when the enemy attacks this way, and so on. But the ancestor of the Guan Family, who is indeed and immortal, had spoken only a few words, and the Sword Immortal disciples immediately sensed that these phrases had transcended to the ¡°Dao,¡± a realm far beyond their reach yet greatly aspired to. Thus, they paid close attention, listening intently and silently reciting. At the most exciting points, some couldn¡¯t help but shed tears, loudly praising with admiration. Only Ling Yunpo was perfectly calm, because he could not only record the talk with the Kunlun Mirror but also have the Green Duckweed Sword exin it to him word by wordter. Therefore, he was not eager to understand it on the spot. The ancestor of the Guan Family noticed hisposed demeanor, and couldn¡¯t help but think even more highly of him. It¡¯smendable to seek the Dao with a great thirst, but to hear of the Dao without surprise is an even more excellent quality. After the lecture, many were still immersed in an enraptured state, as if they had not yet awakened from their enlightenment. The next moment, the blockbuster news announced by the ancestor of the Guan Family abruptly woke them: ¡°I havemunicated with and reached an agreement with the Shushan Shangqing Faction. I will now leave the Sword Tomb to search for the lost ancient Tai Yin Suming Sword!¡± Chapter 180: 42: Pre-registration for the Sword-Seeking Operation Chapter 180: Chapter 42: Pre-registration for the Sword-Seeking Operation ¡°` The ancient ancestor of the Guan Family announced the search for the lost Tai Yin Suming Sword, of course not for the young sword immortals present to hear. He aimed to have the message ryed through them to the Kunlun, Shushan, Peni, and other major cultivation sects behind them¡ªanyone who could provide valid clues would be rewarded by the Longxi Guan Family and receive the favor of the ancient ancestor. A favor from a terrestrial immortal¡­ The advertisement could not be called anything less than sensational, and it instantly spread throughout the north and south of the great river. After the Sword Tomb conference ended, Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu were kept behind for a few words with the immortal. ¡°Although you¡¯re unwilling to take me as your master, you can still join in my subsequent sword search,¡± the ancient ancestor of the Guan Family said to Ling Yunpo, ¡°I have already roughly confirmed the escape route of the twost sword masters from ancient times, and will follow the route to search.¡± ¡°Normally, you won¡¯t need to do anything. When I need your help, I¡¯ll have Yue¡¯er contact you in advance. How does that sound?¡± ¡°I dare not decline the request of my elder,¡± Ling Yunpo thought carefully for a moment and felt that if it was only to leverage his ¡°Resonate with the Sword¡± ability, it was indeed doable. After all, thepensation given by an immortal would likely not be disappointing. ¡°Very good,¡± said the ancient ancestor of the Guan Family, satisfied. ¡°Then it¡¯s settled.¡±
After Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu left, the ancient ancestor of the Guan Family rose on his sword and in an instant arrived at the Shushan Demon Locking Tower. At the base of the Demon Locking Tower, he met with Long Eyebrow Immortal, who guarded the ce. ¡°Long Eyebrow,¡± the Guan Family¡¯s ancient ancestor said directly, ¡°I have ensured that boy Ling Yunpo¡¯s safety.¡± Upon hearing this, Long Eyebrow Immortal opened one eye and said indifferently: ¡°Isn¡¯t he unwilling to join your sect?¡± ¡°But he will join my subsequent sword search,¡± the Guan Family ancestorughed. ¡°There have been more than thirty sword searches between the Chan and Jie teaching throughout history,¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal stated coldly, ¡°Even those that involved greater forces and resources than you, seven or eight times, all returned empty-handed. What makes you think you will be any different?¡± ¡°Did they have cultivators with Innate Sword Bone?¡± the Guan Family ancestor retorted with disdain. ¡°Innate Sword Bone, although capable of resonating with a sword, cannot ignore spatial distance,¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal remained unmoved, ¡°If it¡¯s within a resonating distance, how could it escape the divine perception of immortals?¡± ¡°It¡¯s also possible that formations are shielding it. We will never know unless we try,¡± the Guan Family ancestor sighed, ¡°Long Eyebrow, don¡¯t deceive me. What do you think of the divination results from Wan Xiang? What are the chances of theming true?¡± ¡°I do not know,¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal replied indifferently, ¡°You may ask him yourself.¡± ¡°If in the future demons attack the Mortal Realm, then retrieving the Sun and Tai Yin swords will be our most critical move,¡± the Guan Family ancestor said with hair and beard bristling, ¡°The Sun True Obscure Sword is at the Eastern Emperor Boundary Gate. To retrieve the sword, we must pass through the burn zone of the Sun True Fire. We just need to wait for Wan Xiang toplete his Absolute Fire True Spirit Orb.¡± ¡°The Tai Yin Suming Sword, on the other hand, its whereabouts are unknown. I will search along the escape route of the twost sword masters from ancient times. Ling Yunpo¡¯s Innate Sword Bone may very well be the key to sess or failure in this endeavor, so this time, do not interfere with me.¡± ¡°Boring,¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal closed his eyes again. ¡°Has your disciple, Qi Sha True Person, left his seclusion yet?¡± the Guan Family ancestor changed the subject. ¡°Not yet,¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal said softly, ¡°If he¡¯s lucky to be alive, it won¡¯t be too long now.¡± ¡°If hees out of seclusion and learns about the treatment his two disciples have endured over the years, he is certain to go mad,¡± the Guan Family ancestor sneered, ¡°Though the Various Peaks had long been at odds with the Qingluo lineage, if it wasn¡¯t for your consent as an immortal, who would dare make a move against them?¡± ¡°Aren¡¯t you afraid that Su Jian would sever his ties with youpletely after hees out of seclusion?¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal was silent for a moment and then said:
¡°If he continues to be obstinate, I will pretend he is not my disciple.¡± ¡°` ¡°Very good, very good.¡± the Guan Family elder gave a thumbs up, ¡°Impressive! Full of guts!¡± ¡°The Demon Locking Tower is an important ce in the Shushan, and it¡¯s not convenient for outsiders to stay long. Please leave!¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal said furiously, swinging his sleeve vigorously.
Therefore, the Guan Family elder burst into a heartyugh, turned around and left, and for a time, the entire space at the base of the tower was filled with his mocking and unrestrainedughter. After a long while, the sound faded into silence. In the center of the hall, on the Eight Trigrams Purple Gold tform, Long Eyebrow Immortal remained silent for a long while before taking out a stone from his sleeve. The stone seemed ordinary, but if someone used their Divine Sense to carefully perceive it, they would find that it was still just as ordinary. How could something that the immortal kept specially on him be just an ordinary stone? ¡°The great cmity¡­¡± Long Eyebrow Immortal muttered in a low voice, ¡°The great cmity¡­¡± If the divination results of the Wan Xiang Immortal were toe true, then the apocalyptic cmity looming in the future would indeed be inevitable. Therefore, the key to protecting the entire Shushan Shangqing Faction rested on the ordinary stone he held in his hand. At that time, the person capable of assuming the heavy responsibility of the Sect Leader, other than Qi Sha True Person Su Jian, would not be anyone else. However, to take up this position, one must abandon the Seven Emotions and Six Desires of a mortal, or else how could theymand respect after the precedents set by Ouyang Zhao and Yin Xiaojing, and thest Sect Leader from the Sentiment Inquiry Path? Long Eyebrow Immortal slowly caressed the surface of the stone, then slowly closed his eyes again. No matter what form the apocalyptic cmity would take¡ªwhether it be an invasion by the Demon Race, descent of the Heavenly Demon, manifestation of Nether Ghosts, or some other natural disaster¡­ At least the Shushan Shangqing Faction could not be destroyed on his watch!
¡­¡­ Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu returned to Qingluo Peak, arriving at the backyard of the Taoist temple. The discourse on swordsmanship by the Guan Family elder was indeed exquisite, so much so that even Senior Sister An, with her powerful sword techniques, gained many insights and realizations from it. Therefore, upon returning to the backyard, she stretched out her hand to summon the Harsh Cold Sword from behind her back and began to practice ording to her new understandings. Ling Yunpo sat leisurely in the pavilion by the stream, watching Senior Sister An gracefully control her sword, as if a beautiful dancer were whirling with fish and dragons. Although Senior Sister had been quite disheartened for a time because her Life-bound Sword Artifact had been destroyed, seeing so many distinguished swordsmanship disys today and receiving guidance from the earthly immortal had evidently revived her spirits somewhat. After I find her the Flying Smoke Sword, she will surely return to her peak condition! He watched as the sun set and the moon rose, night fell, the cicadas began to chirp, and the water continued to flow. An Zhisu suddenly stopped the sword light and turned around, smiling as she said, ¡°Junior Brother, why are you still sitting there? Won¡¯t you practice with me for a while?¡± ¡°Since Senior Sister has invited me, Junior Brother naturally obeys!¡± Ling Yunpo immediately hopped off the stone stool, with his right hand forming a seal to summon Qing Ping and his left hand calling out Thunderbane; both Immortal Swords were now aimed at An Zhisu. ¡°What, trying to bully me with numbers?¡± An Zhisu saidughing, obviously in a good mood. ¡°Senior Sister is more advanced in cultivation than I am, it¡¯s only fair that you allow me one sword,¡± Ling Yunpo shamelessly said.
Beneath the moonlight, the three Immortal Swords shed, sparks flying with each strike of metal on metal, as if phoenixes were singing and dragons were chanting. Chapter 181: 43: Fooling Junior Sister Xu is Just Too Easy Chapter 181: Chapter 43: Fooling Junior Sister Xu is Just Too Easy [Position One: Kunlun Taiqing Sect, Golden Ridge.] [Character Identity: Qiu Changtian.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Temte ovey, currently time-space traveling.] Qiu Changtian sat upright on the stone bed, ready to begin today¡¯s scripture lecture. As the direct disciple of the Ziwei Sect Leader and the chief senior brother of this generation, Qiu Changtian had to rece his master every morning to lecture and answer questions for his junior brothers and sisters. Soon, people began to arrive at his cave abode one after another. Third junior brother Guan Zhan, cold and gloomy, found a spot in a corner and did not utter a word. Fourth junior brother Yan Zhitui, gentle and schrly, stepped in with a scroll in his hands and even gave Qiu Changtian a junior¡¯s bow. Qiu Changtian nodded in response. Fifth junior brother Chen Zhen and sixth junior brother Zhong Tianhuai, who always stuck together, were horsing around andughing as they entered the cave abode. Upon seeing Qiu Changtian sitting upright on the stone bed, they immediately knew to shut their mouths.
Thest to enter were junior sister Jian Qingnan and second junior sister Xu Yinglian. Jian Qingnan¡¯s expression seemed a bit stiff, as if she wanted to say something but didn¡¯t dare to, while Xu Yinglian¡¯s face was full of frost, her gaze sharp as a snow-bright de, cutting towards Qiu Changtian as she entered. Qiu Changtian: ? He was initially puzzled, but, being a person who had impersonated four characters, he immediately realized: The reason he could skip Marrow Cleansing and enter the Refining Mansion was because he went to the Demon Locking Tower for a trial¡ªthis fact was now known to Junior Sister Xu. Upon reflection, it seemed quite normal: ording to the instructions of the Ziwei Sect Leader, he should have entered the Demon Locking Tower discreetly, soaked in the Blood Pool quietly, and then left unobtrusively. However, he couldn¡¯t resist showing up in grand style riding a sword and blowing a flute when he first impersonated Ling Yunpo¡ªhis entrance couldn¡¯t have been more conspicuous. Then there were the Great Demon invasion and the Dragon n riot¡­ To maintain the consistency of historical events,ter when impersonating Qiu Changtian, he also had to follow the guide of the Kunlun Mirror and go through the process step by step. Ultimately, nearly the whole of Shushan knew that Kunlun¡¯s chief disciple Qiu Changtian had foiled the Great Demon¡¯s conspiracy in advance and protected the Demon Locking Tower trial team as they left. Up until now, the news had just reached Kunlun, which slightly surprised him. Qiu Changtian calmed his mind and showed Xu Yinglian a carefree smile. Xu Yinglian remained silent, just staring intently at her senior brother. Stare¡­ Soon, the atmosphere in the entire cave chamber turned awkward. Guan Zhan closed his eyes, not wanting to get involved in these messes. Yan Zhitui seemed to have something to say but held back, looking helpless. Chen Zhen and Zhong Tianhuai mped their mouths shut, frantically exchanging nces as if they were transmitting Morse code with the frequency of their blinking. Only junior sister Jian Qingnan kept winking and gesturing at Qiu Changtian, hinting that there was serious trouble and he must do something quickly. ¡°Has Junior Sister Xu been welltely?¡± Seeing that Xu Yinglian had no intention of sitting down on the meditation cushion, Qiu Changtian could only take the initiative to start a conversation, smiling as he spoke. ¡°Not well.¡± Xu Yinglian said coldly, ¡°I am deeply hurt.¡± ¡°Why are you deeply hurt?¡±
¡°In the past, someone said they would walk alongside me, but then secretly took a shortcut on a darker path, that¡¯s why I¡¯m hurt.¡± Xu Yinglian¡¯s gaze swept across his face like a knife. Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­. He found himself at a loss for words, so he smiled awkwardly for a while. If anyone else had said that, Qiu Changtian would definitely have looked at her as if she were a fool: Whoever dictated that any fortunate encounter of mine must be shared with you?
However, Junior Sister Xu was not just anyone else. Back then, in order to boost the Invincible Character Setting synchronization value, I almost caused her to develop a Heart Demon. Latter, because of the matter concerning a Daoist Companion, I had no choice but to take on the task of helping her ¡°dissolve her obsessions.¡± Therefore, I spoke many sweet words to her, such as ¡°With Junior Sister by my side on the path of cultivation, I have no regrets,¡± and ¡°You are a Junior Sister whom I, Qiu Changtian, personally acknowledge,¡± and also ¡°I¡¯d like to make a bet with Junior Sister¡±¡­ Right, I even made a bet with Junior Sister Xu before. She even nearly swore a venomous oath toplete her Marrow Cleansing within two years and catch up with me. The result is that upon discovering the target she was chasing had ¡°cheated,¡± what her feelings must be now is all too imaginable. On one hand, Qiu Changtian was overwhelmed with guilt and self-reproach, and on the other hand, his mind was spinning rapidly, leaving him temporarily speechless. Xu Yinglian, full of indignation and with a hint of unperceived bitterness and sorrow, naturally was also left without words. Both gazed at each other in silence, while the rest of the junior brothers and sisters naturally did not dare to speak, insteadmunicating with each other through nces. ¡°Junior Sister Xu looks like a pitiful woman who¡¯s been abandoned,¡± said Chen Zhen through his gaze. ¡°This faithless wretch of an elder brother!¡± Jian Qingnanmunicated with her eyes, responding, ¡°Shameful! Senior Brother Qiu, to think I respected you so much usually!¡± ¡°s, to ask what love in the world really is, it¡¯s only something that rends the heart into pieces, leaving a woman¡¯s love shattered without a trace,¡± Zhong Tianhuai made an expression of sighing. ¡°Don¡¯t make wild guesses; this is not what a gentleman would do,¡± Yan Zhitui frowned and continuously signaled them with his eyes not to make faces.
Guan Zhan in the corner snorted coldly and turned his head away. ¡°Would Junior Sister Xu take a seat? Even divine injuries have their remedies,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a clear voice. ¡°With what as the medicine?¡± Xu Yinglian asked after a long silence, sitting down on her cushion. ¡°Let¡¯s wait until elder brother has finished reciting the scripture and then talk,¡± Qiu Changtian said with aposed smile. So everyone hurriedly sat down properly. Arguments aside, they still had to listen to the scripture; after all, it rted to the grand Dao. In his mind, the Green Duckweed Sword suddenly asked curiously: ¡°I also want to know with what as the medicine. Surely he is not nning to kneel and apologize to Junior Sister Xu after the crowd disperses, right? Or is he going to hold her in his arms and fool her with a fierce kiss?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t be foolish,¡± the Kunlun Mirror sneered with disdain, ¡°He clearly has not yet thought of what to do, so he¡¯s deliberately using this to stall for time!¡± ¡°Shut up, both of you!¡± Qiu Changtian said irritably. After the scripture was recited, the junior brothers and sisters fled as if they had been granted amnesty, all at once. Only Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian were left, looking at each other, one with a forced smile, the other with a cold smile. ¡°Junior Sister,¡± Qiu Changtian suddenly had a sh of inspiration and asked, ¡°Does that bet still count?¡± Xu Yinglian continued to stare at him.
¡°Sigh,¡± Qiu Changtian pretended to sigh, ¡°If Junior Sister wants to cancel the bet for this reason, so be it¡­ Let¡¯s pretend we never made that agreement.¡± He put on an act and stood up to leave, but as expected, was stopped by Xu Yinglian: ¡°What do you mean, elder brother? Do you think I¡¯m behaving this way in order to muddle through the previous bet?¡± ¡°Junior Sister, you are misunderstanding me!¡± Qiu Changtian hurriedly defended himself, but Xu Yinglian didn¡¯t believe a word, her anger reaching its peak as she gritted her teeth and said fiercely, ¡°Senior Brother Qiu, I am not as calcting as you!¡± ¡°Even without the assistance of the Demon Locking Tower¡¯s Blood Pool, the two years I set for Marrow Cleansing are still two years!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t you dare look down on me!¡± Angry and frustrated, she stormed off, leaving behind a dumbstruck Qiu Changtian. After a while, he let out a long sigh. Perhaps he should transcribe a copy of the Body Refining Secret Technique he obtained from the Three Isles Secret Realm and send it over to Junior Sister Xu. Chapter 182: 44: Begin Harvesting the Chives! Chapter 182: Chapter 44: Begin Harvesting the Chives! Body Refining Secret Techniques are different from Qi Refining Techniques. One aspect is their rarity; most cultivators are unfamiliar with them. Even if they see someone progressing rapidly in their Marrow Cleansing, they wouldn¡¯t immediately think of Body Refining Secret Techniques. The second aspect is their time sensitivity; they are most effective before one has formed a Golden Core, especially during the Marrow Cleansing Rank. Once a Golden Core is formed, the rate at which Body Refining Secret Techniques can enhance cultivation can¡¯t keep up, and they will inevitably be abandoned by cultivators. Thus, as long as Xu Yinglian doesn¡¯t go outside and shout ¡°I¡¯m practicing Body Refining Secret Techniques¡±, generally speaking, there won¡¯t be any unexpected risks. Considering that the Body Refining Secret Technique is a secret passed down from the ancient Witch n, once its origins are exposed, it will certainly attract covetous eyes (who doesn¡¯t know a few juniors who need Marrow Cleansing?), I trust Junior Sister has this sense of vignce. Qiu Changtian finished transcribing the Body Refining Secret Technique, then took the jade slip and went to Xu Yinglian¡¯s cave dwelling. Within the cave dwelling, Xu Yinglian looked at her reflection in the copper mirror and slowlyy down at the stone table. She began to regret. The so-called Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart should easily see through everything without causing ripples.
Why then, when it came to her senior brother, could she not help but be at odds with him? She buried her head in the crook of her arms and sighed deeply. Even as Daoist Companions, there¡¯s no obligation to share one¡¯s adventures. Besides, it was the master who chose senior brother to go to the Demon Locking Tower for trials. If one really wanted to me someone, it would be the master¡¯s favoritism; it¡¯s not senior brother¡¯s fault¡­ Yet, I showed disapproval in his cave dwelling, making a fool of myself in front of junior brothers and sisters, thoroughly embarrassing myself. Xu Yinglian closed her eyes and emitted a low sound of regret, suddenly hearing Qiu Changtian calling from outside: ¡°Junior Sister Xu, are you in your cave dwelling?¡± ¡°Yes!¡± Xu Yinglian quickly lifted her head and responded. Qiu Changtian entered the cave dwelling, only to see that Junior Sister Xu¡¯s ascetic living quarters had no noticeable difference from his own. Both of their living environments were primarily simple, the only difference being that Xu Yinglian¡¯s stone bed had an extrarge soft cushion, probably for morefort during meditation. Seeing Xu Yinglian sitting at the stone table, Qiu Changtian ced a jade slip in front of her: ¡°Here, take this.¡± ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Xu Yinglian cast her gaze toward the jade slip. ¡°Body Refining Secret Technique,¡± answered Qiu Changtian. ¡°A martial art from a wandering warrior?¡± Xu Yinglianughed in disbelief, apparently mistaking the ¡°Body Refining Secret Technique¡± for something like the ¡°Golden Bell Cover¡± or ¡°Iron Cloth Shirt,¡± ¡°Why are you giving this to me?¡± ¡°No, just take a look at it first,¡± said Qiu Changtian. Xu Yinglian picked up the jade slip, immersed her divine sense into it, and realized that the technique was called ¡°Dragon Spring Hundred Forms Song.¡± As she continued to read, her expression turned cold and her eyebrows furrowed, ¡°How could this be a heritage left by the ancient Witch n? Senior brother, where did you get this?¡± ¡°Shh.¡± Qiu Changtian gestured for her to not inquire further, ¡°This object, although rare and precious, has very limited application. It is most worth practicing below the Foundation Establishment Realm, especially during Marrow Cleansing.¡± ¡°Mm.¡± Xu Yinglian read on and immediately saw that the cirction routes of this technique within the body were far more intricate than those of Qi Refining Techniques, making it extremely suitable for Marrow Cleansing.
¡°Thank you, senior brother,¡± she sincerely offered her thanks. ¡°Don¡¯t thank me,¡± winked Qiu Changtian, ¡°This is not just about senior and junior helping each other out, you understand, right?¡± Xu Yinglian pursed her lips with a blush on her face. She suddenly thought: Although she usually doesn¡¯t mention it, deep down, she probably still sees senior brother as a potential future Daoist Companion. Otherwise, why would she be irritated when senior brother received benefits but didn¡¯t share with her?
Upon reflection, there seemed to be some pettiness involved, which was truly too embarrassing¡­ As these thoughts crossed her mind, Xu Yinglian could no longer contain herself and said with embarrassment: ¡°I got it, I got it! You can go now!¡± ¡°Huh?¡± Qiu Changtian was immediately baffled. I give you a secret technique, and you want to send me off? Talk about biting the hand that feeds you! ¡°Hurry up, go, go!¡± Xu Yinglian didn¡¯t bother to exin, stood up, pushed his back, and rushed him out, moring, ¡°I¡¯m going to practice!¡± After kicking her senior brother out of her cave dwelling, Xu Yinglian returned to the chamber within, her expressionplex as she looked at the jade slip in her hand. In the past, with herpetitive spirit and pride, she would never have epted such an almost charitable ¡°gift¡± from her senior brother. But now¡­ Consider it an advance on the dowry. What¡¯s important is to seize this opportunity and catch up with her senior brother¡¯s progress as soon as possible! Xu Yinglian clenched her fists tightly, her fighting spirit soaring. Qiu Changtian left the cave dwelling, still not quite understanding his junior sister¡¯s sudden change in attitude.
Forget it, maybe she just wasn¡¯t feeling well today. Tossing aside themon knowledge that cultivators don¡¯t get sick, Qiu Changtian happily concluded. Considering the massive Synchronization Value she contributed for me, I¡¯ll forgive my junior sister this time! Seeing that it was still early, Qiu Changtian mounted his Immortal Sword and flew eastward. When he arrived at the central area of the Kunlun Mountain Range, the Xuan Gardens, he saw lights streaking through the sky everywhere, much busier than the West Layer City District where he lived. The Xuan Gardens, not only the ce where Inner Sect Disciples (not Direct Disciples) cultivate and reside but also the central area for nting spiritual medicines and raising spirit beasts, is equivalent to the internal production area of the entire Kunlun Taiqing Sect. Compared to the Outer Sect Disciples, who work hard every day to earn resources through missions, Inner Sect Disciples, who are more rxed and mostly keen on social interactions, stay in their cave dwellings and focus solely on cultivation. Many of the little tidbits within the sect are circted by Inner Sect Disciples; some are even directly concocted by them. In short, these people are a bit like low-level civil servants who hold an iron rice bowl, not aspiring to be promoted and content to simply clock in and out, and are also the group of juniors that Qiu Changtian has been focusing on nurturingtely¡­oops, I misspoke, they should be called the group of juniors he intends to earnestly take under his wing. After all, since they can¡¯t go out on adventures or take on missions, it¡¯s not that easy anymore to farm Synchronization Value from Outer Sect Disciples. Therefore, Qiu Changtian nned on targeting these Inner Sect Disciples¡­ more precisely, he was looking to open up new channels of Synchronization Value. And this time, what he intended to attempt was to emte the old ancestor from the Guan Family by holding a public lecture and winning people over. Considering that the current generation of disciples, barring extraordinary encounters, were still mainly at the Qi Refining Rank, Qiu Changtian was rather confident about this approach.
Soon, through a few familiar Inner Sect Disciples, word that Chief Disciple Qiu Changtian was going to host a lecture spread like wildfire among the 280th generation of Inner Sect Disciples. About an hourter, Qiu Changtian arrived above the meeting venue on his sword and found that not only disciples of the current generation but also seniors from several previous generations hade, drawn by his reputation. Among these senior brothers and sisters, the majority were at the Marrow Cleansing Rank, and there were quite a few at the Refining Mansion Rank, to Qiu Changtian¡¯s great shock and surprise. Thankfully, no Golden Core True Persons attended¡­ of course, it would be quite preposterous for a Golden Core True Person to attend a lecture held by a Foundation Establishment Realm disciple, even if the host was the Chief Disciple. The venue was set up at the peak of Dry Cloud Mountain, where arge natural depression on the mountaintop could amodate many disciples to watch. Descending sword lights continuouslynded, all dressed as Inner Sect Disciples, who afternding would look around for a bit and then find acquaintances in the venue to sit with and chat¡­ quickly filling most of the space. Qiu Changtian, watching this grand scene from above, couldn¡¯t help but click his tongue in secret. Who¡¯d have thought the name ¡°Qiu Changtian¡± would spread so widely among Inner Sect Disciples! All I did was ask a few familiar disciples to invite people, and in the end, so many came to the lecture! With this thought, he subconsciously felt somewhat uneasy, but then he thought of all these fellow Sect brothers and sisters and if he could nurture them all to contribute Synchronization Value like Junior Sister Xu had¡­ All in! Even if it means clenching my teeth, I¡¯m doing it! Chapter 183: 45: The Assembly of Immortals Discusses the Tao, Generously Imparting Wisdom Chapter 183: Chapter 45: The Assembly of Immortals Discusses the Tao, Generously Imparting Wisdom Song He sat in a corner of the audience area, his expression as still as an ancient well. Ever since being directly pierced through by Qiu Changtian in thest Western Queen Mother¡¯s secret realm, he had to lie low for quite some time. In fact, he often asked himself in moments of solitude: Could he really contend with Qiu Changtian? A mere Marrow Cleansing Rank could counter-kill two Refining Mansion Rank disciples, and a Refining Mansion Rank was able to break through a Golden Core Realm secret realm, so what could he do now? Could it be that he had to find a Nascent Soul Cultivator to kill him? If I could find a Nascent Soul Cultivator to help me, I wouldn¡¯t be vying with that Qiu Changtian for the position of Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm! In fact, Song He hadn¡¯tpletely given up onpeting for the position. For instance, the recent wanted notice issued by the Demon Cult was actually the result of him passing on all the information he had collected about Qiu Changtian to Wen Yang, the Foundation Establishment Realm Judge of the Nether Ghost Path. The Nether Ghost Path practiced an elite disciple system. Ordinary disciples were called ¡°Ghost Envoys,¡± and the elite disciples were known as ¡°Judges.¡± Their selection system was much more brutal than that of the Orthodox Sect¡ªGhost Envoys and Judges could be demoted or promoted amongst each other.
Wen Yang was the most ruthless and most favored Judge in the Foundation Establishment Realm by the elders. After Song He handed over the information to him, as expected, the Demon Cult issued an immediate wanted notice of the highest level, which might even attract the intervention of a Nascent Soul Cultivator. However, it was all in vain because Qiu Changtian had already received the tip-off and nned to stay within Kunlun without venturing out. He wouldn¡¯t go out! He must be made to go out. Song He had carefully studied Qiu Changtian¡¯s past life since his admission and finally found a suspected breakthrough: It seemed that Qiu Changtian quite enjoyed the limelight! From the moment he was admitted, when he was still at the Qi Refining Rank, he took the initiative to go out and do experience tasks. Even for the simplest tasks, there would always be external disciples apanying him; he never acted alone. In other words, there was a high probability that Qiu Changtian revelled in the attention and adoration of others! Since he was so fond of reputation, Song He would help him elevate his fame until he became conceited and arrogant, exposing his ws in the process. Let him be proud for a while¡­ Song He watched Qiu Changtian, who descended into the center of the venue, squinting his eyes slightly. Qiu Changtian came to the center of the venue and bowed to the surrounding disciples,ughing and saying, ¡°I originally nned to meet up with just a handful of friends for a casual chat, but I never expected so many people toe¡­¡± A wave of friendlyughter rose from the crowd, and some disciples even joked, ¡°Although Senior Brother Qiu didn¡¯t invite us, we can stille over and eavesdrop!¡± And so theughter became even louder. Of course, besides the disciples who really nned to eavesdrop, many were ¡°attracted by his fame¡±¡ªdue to Song He¡¯s continuous behind-the-scenes efforts, many Refining Mansion Rank brothers and sisters had heard the name ¡°Qiu Changtian¡± to varying degrees. To these people, some came out of curiosity to see what he was really made of, while others harbored skepticism and disbelief, intending to give him a hard timeter on.
Even without any grudges, the saying ¡°the bigger the tree, the stronger the wind blows¡± applied. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, what does everyone want to hear?¡± Qiu Changtian asked with a heartyugh. ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra!¡± a disciple shouted out as a jest. Qiu Changtian¡¯s heart was immediately drenched in sweat, thinking, Can I casually transmit this technique? Even if I dare to speak it, would they dare to listen? Are they not afraid of hearing only part and not the rest, risking deviation in their cultivation?
Fortunately, everyone seemed to sense the improbability of it, and they began suggesting a wealth of other ideas. ¡°Don¡¯t rush, everyone!¡± Qiu Changtian hastily signaled for everyone to pause, thinking that this was the exact result he had wanted. If he started with a particr topic, those not interested in the audience might protest and cause a disturbance. Instead, by symbolically asking the audience ¡°what do you want to hear,¡± there would naturally be a variety of responses. Then he just needed to choose those topics he wanted to talk about and could rightfully im that he had ¡°considered the audience¡¯s opinions.¡± He definitely had a clear n. Next, Qiu Changtian took the opportunity of ¡°the majority wanting to hear about breathing and Qi Refinement¡± to lecture on knowledge of breathing and Qi Refining. Of course, speaking the Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra was out of the question, but after all, he was an expert in several Qi Refining Techniques, such as the tenacious and strong ¡°Supreme Primordial True Record,¡± or the impurity-transforming ¡°Demon Quelling Upper Spirit Split Purification Scripture,¡± among others. The more he knew and the more he delved into the subject, all he had to do was exin some of the profound mysteries and essentials of these techniques, and he immediately piqued the interest of his fellow Kunlun disciples, who listened attentively. After he finished his lecture, most Kunlun disciples still maintained a thoughtful posture, as if they had gained some insights. However, several senior brothers who had initially intended to make things difficult for him had already pinpointed a few vague points in his speech, and they immediately started moring: ¡°Junior Brother Qiu, I am puzzled by three points you mentioned just now, please enlighten me¡­¡± Qiu Changtian calmly addressed each question they raised, instantly brightening the eyes of the onlooking disciples. The senior brother who had posed the questions originally thought that Qiu Changtian was merely well-read and had extensive knowledge, but had not expected his research on these topics to also be quite profound. For a moment, he was at a loss for how to respond, only able to stiffly nod his head in agreement.
Qiu Changtian, moreover, was receiving notifications of an increase in his Synchronization Value inside his Sea of Consciousness. Feeling pleased, he once again looked around at the audience and said: ¡°Do any of you have more topics of interest? Whether it¡¯s about breathing and Qi Refining, Sword Control Technique, or any esoteric and unorthodox methods, nothing is taboo. Feel free to speak up.¡± His tone was indeed a bit grand, causing some attendees to be restless. One stood up and said: ¡°Junior Brother Qiu, please be generous andment on the various schools of the Kunlun Sword Technique¡­¡± ¡­¡­ Xu Yinglian was in her cave, following the Body Refining Secret Technique from the jade slip and trying to perform Grand Cirction for the first time. This Body Refining Secret Technique was quite profound and intricate upon first encounter, with an extremelyplicated and detailed route of cirction. But after one cycle of Grand Cirction, coupled with the effects of the Pure Yuan Qi Pill, she was pleasantly surprised to find a significant reduction in the residual turbid qi within her marrow that had yet to be cleansed. The only downside was that the route was oveplicated and performing one cycle of Grand Cirction was simply too slow. No wonder Senior Brother Qiu had said that this Body Refining Secret Technique was only suitable for practitioners at the Foundation Establishment stage, and that its efficiency for advancing one¡¯s cultivation would be too slow after reaching the Core Formation stage. The crux of the matter lies here! However, for her, a cultivator with a particrly strong character, as long as the technique was truly helpful for Marrow Cleansing, she was naturally willing to devote time and energy to it. After all, Xu Yinglian was a Kunlun Cultivator with a quite mature psychological age. Just as she was about to start the second cycle of Grand Cirction, Jian Qingnan burst in hastily: ¡°It¡¯s bad, Second Senior Sister! Senior Brother and the others have started arguing!¡±
Xu Yinglian: ? ¡°What?¡± she eximed, quickly standing up, ¡°They¡¯ve started arguing?¡± ¡°It¡¯s at the peak of Dry Cloud Peak!¡± Jian Qingnan said anxiously, ¡°The fight is fierce, and it¡¯s said that many elders have rushed over there!¡± Chapter 184: 46 Everything Is Beyond Calculation Chapter 184: Chapter 46 Everything Is Beyond Calction Xu Yinglian and Jian Qingnan took off on their flying swords and rushed to the sky above Ku Yun Peak. Ku Yun Peak was a mountain range within the Xuan Pu area of the middle section of the Kunlun Mountain Range, named because its summit had a depression where the snow umted like clouds yet never moved. Descending through the clouds, Xu Yinglian heard a tumult of voices below, as if trying to pierce the heavens. ¡°Senior Brother Qiu!¡± Someone attempted to shout over the din, ¡°I have a question about the seal of Daoist magic on the sword, have you heard¡­¡± The rest of the voice was drowned out by the wind. Xu Yinglian quickly sped up her descent, only to hear Qiu Changtian¡¯s voice rise again: ¡°This is not difficult, everyone listen to me¡­¡± Suddenly, Xu Yinglian felt an impulse to vomit blood: when she used to cause him trouble, he would lift his chin in contempt and chuckle, ¡°What¡¯s so difficult about that¡±; but now, in front of everyone, it had changed to the mild ¡°This is not difficult¡±? So it was just targeting me, huh? Following Jian Qingnan, theynded on the top of Ku Yun Peak, only to find that the summit was almost overflowing with people. Nearly a thousand cultivators were gathered around, listening to Qiu Changtian debating with everyone below. ¡°¡­thus one cannot manage everything through reason. What do you say?¡± Qiu Changtian had already finished speaking in one breath, smiling as he looked towards the questioner.
The questioner stammered and could not speak, covering his face with his sleeve to signify submission. A loud cheer immediately erupted from around: ¡°Good!¡± ¡°Senior Brother Qiu is awesome!¡± ¡°Morning bell and evening drum, profound meaning in subtle words! Marvelous!¡± After watching for a long time, Xu Yinglian turned her head and asked Jian Qingnan: ¡°Isn¡¯t this just an ordinary discussion of Dao?¡± ¡°What ordinary discussion of Dao, Sister Yinglian!¡± Jian Qingnan tiptoed and pointed to several spots in front, ¡°Look there, there, and there, a bunch of people surrounding Senior Brother Qiu, taking turns asking all sorts of deep and difficult questions. Isn¡¯t this like a tag-team battle?¡± ¡°And what¡¯s the result?¡± Xu Yinglian asked helplessly. ¡°The result¡­ of course, is that they cannot win in debate.¡± Jian Qingnan said matter-of-factly, ¡°How could anyone pose a difficulty to Senior Brother Qiu, so mighty as he is?¡± ¡°Which means, he¡¯s showing off his prowess again,¡± Xu Yinglian said with aplex expression, looking down at the field below. As Jian Qingnan described, it was essentially the audience taking turns asking questions, with Qiu Changtian answering each one. Among the questioners, some asked in earnest, posing very basic questions; others intentionally picked out profound andplex questions that were off the curriculum. However, whether the questions were one type or another, Qiu Changtian would ponder for a moment and answer smoothly, as if no question could surpass the boundary of his knowledge. The crowd¡¯s judgment was crystal clear. If the questioner was sincerely seeking guidance, they would respond with pure apuse; if the question was asked with malice, they would go wild with praise for Qiu Changtian, making the questioner feel what is known as ¡°the disadvantage of being overwhelmed on away ground.¡± Standing with the victorious majority and beating the fallen can bring a strong sense of pleasure to these crowds. After all, inside the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, which advocates purity of heart and few desires, everyday immortality cultivation was quite boring, and there were no variety shows to watch¡ªsuddenly encountering such an event, everyone was almost overjoyed. ¡°How does it feel?¡± The voice of the Ziwei Master suddenly appeared beside her; the master, unbeknownst to her, had been standing at the edge of the field for a while. ¡°Master?¡± Xu Yinglian hurriedly performed the disciples¡¯ salute, then said bitterly, ¡°The feeling is¡­ still unable topare to Senior Brother.¡±
¡°Before, I could at least see his back, but now it seems I can¡¯t even spot where he is.¡± ¡°Yinglian,¡± the Ziwei Master said solemnly, ¡°you are still too obsessed.¡± ¡°He has his path, and you have yours. A tiger does notpete with an eagle for flight, so why must youpare yourself so excessively on the path of cultivation?¡± ¡°This disciple acknowledges her mistake,¡± Xu Yinglian sighed in her heart and bowed her head.
¡°Hmm.¡± the Ziwei Master said with some surprise. I still remember the time when she first joined us, how this girl would stubbornly fixate on Qiu Changtian without letting go. When I tried to say a few words to her, she just put on the ¡°I know, but I won¡¯t change¡± attitude, which gave me quite a headache as her mentor. Now she actually knows how to bow her head and admit fault¡­ Whether she changes or not is another matter, but at least her arrogance has lessened quite a bit from before. The gaze of the Ziwei Master shifted and fell upon Jian Qingnan: ¡°You are¡­ Qingnan from the Jian Family of Qingzhou?¡± ¡°Greetings, Master.¡± Jian Qingnan hurriedly followed with a disciple¡¯s salute. ¡°No need for such formalities.¡± The Ziwei Master didn¡¯t pay much attention to this newly inducted disciple, simply stating indifferently, ¡°The Jian Family of Qingzhou has achieved their Daoist magic through Art Calction, yet they sent you to the Kunlun instead of Peni. You should understand the meaning behind this.¡± ¡°Your cultivation from now on must not be wasted in idleness. Should you have any issues, you will need to frequently consult with your Senior Sister Xu and Senior Brother Qiu.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Jian Qingnan said softly. Turning back around, the Ziwei Master waved her horsetail whisk, and the gathered crowd immediately parted, divided by some invisible force. The elder from the Disciplinary Hall also used the Sword Control Technique toe forward, ordering everyone to leave in an orderly fashion. First the disciples on the outer edges departed on their flying swords and then gradually those on the inner side followed suit, taking off in sequence to prevent any collisions. ¡°Master sure is fierce,¡± remarked Jian Qingnan, recovering hisposure as he watched the Ziwei Master walk towards the center of the arena, whispering to Xu Yinglian. ¡°Fierce?¡± Xu Yinglian shook her head. ¡°She¡¯s neither fierce nor aloof.¡±
¡°She acts purely based on the individual.¡± In the center of the arena, Qiu Changtian was relieved to see the elder from the Disciplinary Hall interrupt from above. At the beginning of the questioning, he had been able to handle it with ease. But as the atmosphere on the field heated up, some of his fellow senior brothers and sisters who were displeased began to pose tricky questions in various ways, asking him to debate and rify. Despite Qiu Changtian¡¯s extensive knowledge and mastery of the Myriad Laws, he was nearly burnt out by these obscure questions. Fortunately, for external matters, one should ask Ah Jing, and for internal matters, inquire of Qing Ping. In terms of odd and secondary paths like Formations and Artifact Refining, as long as it wasn¡¯t about specific details, just discussing the profound and erudite aspects of Dao, the Kunlun Mirror could provide many interesting answers. As for matters involving the Flying Sword and Sword Control Technique, Qing Ping was an expert in this area. Aside from Sword Dao Techniques, evenmon questions about Daoist Magic, it could asionally answer one or two. In this way, through some scares but without danger, Qiu Changtian had managed to hold out until the elder from the Disciplinary Hall arrived¡­ Of course, Qiu Changtian also seriously suspected that those seniors who were giving him a hard time had probably run out of questions to ask. If the questioning continued, it would only be creating trouble out of nothing. While it wouldn¡¯t destroy his Invincible Character Setting, if this debate concluded on an unhappy note, it wouldn¡¯t look good to the master. Now that the elder from the Disciplinary Hall had forcefully interrupted¡­ it seemed to be okay? As Qiu Changtian was weighing the pros and cons, he saw the Ziwei Master walking through the parted crowd with an expressionless face, asking Qiu Changtian: ¡°During this assembly of immortals to discuss the Dao, have you gained anything?¡± ¡°Reporting to Master, many aspects that I did not understand before became clear after this debate,¡± Qiu Changtian replied respectfully.
¡°How does it feel to be challenged?¡± the Ziwei Master asked again. ¡°I felt apprehensive and managed to respond barely adequately,¡± Qiu Changtian modestly answered. ¡°At least you didn¡¯t lose your head.¡± The Ziwei Master lifted her horsetail whisk and gently tapped it on his head, ¡°Next time you wish to discuss the Dao, simply invite a few close friends and have a casual talk in your cave abode, what¡¯s the need for such a grand disy? If you continue to make a spectacle of yourself, aren¡¯t you afraid you will attract unwarranted cmities seeking to take advantage?¡± On the edge of the arena, as he was about to leave, Song He nced back and saw the Ziwei Master tapping Qiu Changtian and suddenly had an inexplicable bad premonition. Turning his head back, he saw the elder from the Disciplinary Hall already on his sword blocking his path, casually pointing at him. Song He immediately felt his flow of True Yuan stop, sealed off. It¡¯s over! A sh of realization crossed his mind. He had only been focused on using the Nether Ghost Path to kill Qiu Changtian, acting too hastily in this move without considering the fatal risk: The moment he delivered information about Qiu Changtian, he would lose his value, and the Nether Ghost Path could easily put out a bounty on Qiu while turning around and selling him out to Kunlun, negotiating a suitable price. For all he knew, even the bounty the Nether Ghost Path ced on Qiu Changtian might have been funded by Kunlun! Chapter 185: 47: The Mystery of Time Chapter 185: Chapter 47: The Mystery of Time The two hundred and seventy-fifth generation Chief Disciple, Song He, was captured by the elders of the Disciplinary Hall due to the leakage of his collusion with the Demon Cult! This heavy news spread quickly among the Inner Sect Disciples, but was soon contained, as if the higher-ups of Kunlun had intervened. However, at the Ziwei Master¡¯s scripture lecture, the irond fact was that Song He had not attended. The Sect Leader¡¯s Direct Disciples at the scene looked at each other, but none dared to ask about it. The Ziwei Master didn¡¯t bother to exin, merely having the disciples behind move up one ce each. Thus, everyone began to feel a sense of foreboding. After the scripture lecture, Qiu Changtian privately sought out Xu Changqing, the Foundation Establishment Rank¡¯s eldest senior brother, to inquire about Song He¡¯s situation. ¡°He brought about his own destruction through his misdeeds,¡± Xu Changqing clearly knew something, but he spoke lightly. ¡°Senior Brother Xu,¡± Qiu Changtian pretended not to believe what he heard, continuing to probe, ¡°What exactly happened? Is there a possibility that Brother Song has been wronged¡­¡± ¡°Wronged?¡± Xu Changqing revealed a somewhat strange expression, then shook his head, ¡°Not likely. This time the evidence is irrefutable, he has no way to deny it.¡±
¡°There¡¯s actually a witness?¡± Qiu Changtian was shocked, ¡°I heard he was used of colluding with the Nether Ghost Path, can we even trust what the Demon Cult has to say?¡± ¡°The collusion with the Demon Cult is true, but the witness is actually a Loose Cultivator,¡± said Xu Changqing. A Loose Cultivator? Doubts grew in Qiu Changtian¡¯s mind, and after bidding farewell to Xu Changqing, he flew on his sword to the Disciplinary Hall. Song He plotting against him was something he could not possibly have beenpletely unaware of. It¡¯s just that at the time, Qiu Changtian was only at the Marrow Cleansing Rank, with the trial at the Demon Locking Tower imminent. He thought to elevate himself to the Refining Mansion Rank first, then find an opportunity to investigate properly. But before he had the chance to investigate, Song He was suddenly killed by an outsider. What was the meaning of this? Arriving at the Disciplinary Hall, Qiu Changtian requested to view the relevant files. ¡°Junior Brother Qiu, this isn¡¯t quite proper,¡± the officer of the Disciplinary Hall refused, saying, ¡°Regarding this case, the Sect Leader has already ordered strict handling, how can I reveal the details to you so casually?¡± ¡°The Sect Leader is my master,¡± Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but smile wryly, ¡°If I didn¡¯t want to trouble his Excellency, I would¡¯ve already asked him myself.¡± Thinking it over, the officer realized this was true: Now that Song He had been imprisoned, and once Xu Changqing entered the Golden Core Realm, this Qiu Changtian would be taking over the position of the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm. There was no point in creating discord over this matter. Furthermore, as the victim in this case, Qiu Changtian was more than justified in seeking information. Even if details were disclosed to him and the elders askedter, the officer could always im it was out of respect for the Sect Leader¡­ After all, the Kunlun Taiqing Sect didn¡¯t have a policy of ¡°governing the faction by thew,¡± so as long as he could convince the elders of the Disciplinary Hall, and the Sect Leader didn¡¯t pursue the matter, wouldn¡¯t it be settled? ¡°Alright then, but Junior Brother Qiu must not share this information, lest you make things difficult for us,¡± the officer finally relented with a ¡°troubled¡± face. Qiu Changtian naturally understood what the officer meant, and quickly assured him that he wouldn¡¯t, then inquired about the officer¡¯s specific name to show familiarity. Following the officer into the Disciplinary Hall, Qiu Changtian discovered for the first time that the ce was built inside the mountain, and that the surrounding walls, ceiling, and floor were all engraved with dense arrays that seemed familiar in style. ¡°This Disciplinary Hall and the dungeons below were once used to imprison war prisoners during ancient Kunlun times,¡± seeing Qiu Changtian seemed interested, the officer introduced, ¡°But their construction predates ancient Kunlun by much more, we suspect it¡¯s of the same era as the Shushan Demon Locking Tower, look at these runic scripts that resemble Immortal Seal Script¡­¡± Qiu Changtian nodded slightly, looking around, but continued moving without stopping, and quickly arrived at the ce where the scrolls were stored. The officer took out the scroll from the cab, handed it to Qiu Changtian, and reminded him,
¡°You can only view it here, leave no trace, nor are you allowed to take it away.¡± Qiu Changtian thanked him and then began to read the scroll. Hm?!! In the section concerning the witness, four big characters were written:
Loose Cultivator Guo Jin. ¡­¡­ Leaving the Disciplinary Hall with a heavy heart, Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but sigh as he flew back to the Golden Ridge Cave Abode on his sword: ¡°Ah Jing, do you think the future has already been woven together?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± the Kunlun Mirror, knowing what he was thinking, gently consoled him, ¡°If everything were predestined, then the world would have to embrace a doomed fate, so why bother sending you here through time?¡± ¡°What if my travel through time isn¡¯t outside the tapestry of fate, but part of it?¡± Qiu Changtian sighed deeply and expressed his mncholy thoughts. ¡°Do you think there¡¯s a possibility that all the destinies in this world are scripted in some book, and that we are actually the protagonists in a novel¡­¡± ¡°Shameless,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said speechlessly, ¡°Protagonists in novels are either schrly talents or princes and generals. Do you think you¡¯re as refined and gentle as a schrly talent, or as shrewd and capable as a prince or general? Your character isn¡¯t like a protagonist at all, okay?¡± ¡°Ah Jing,¡± Qiu Changtian earnestly said, ¡°I don¡¯t know what era of romance script you¡¯re referring to, but those novels with a protagonist whose character is either wimpy or overbearing have long been eliminated by the market. Nowadays, popr novel protagonists are extremely perfect, handsome and dashing, elegant and romantic, wise and brave, with extraordinary courage and insight ¨C these are all standard character settings, and relying on a singlebel simply won¡¯t cut it.¡± ¡°What are ¡®wimpy¡¯ and ¡®overbearing¡¯ anyway¡­¡± the Kunlun Mirror said helplessly, ¡°Forget it, stop rambling and focus on the task at hand.¡± ¡°That¡¯s all I can do,¡± Qiu Changtian nodded in agreement. He certainly understood what the Kunlun Mirror meant: It was nothing more than worrying that he would lose his subjective initiative by getting caught up in philosophical spection about predestination. I am not someone who would so easily submit to fate! ¡°Ah Jing, let¡¯s teleport!¡± After returning to the Golden Ridge Cave Abode, Qiu Changtian rallied his spirits and spoke, ¡°Let¡¯s go check what¡¯s really going on with Wei Dongliu!¡±
¡°Okay,¡± the Kunlun Mirror began to recite: [Destination Four: Tongtian Gorge, Shiping Mountain.] [Identity: Wei Dongliu.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Temte ovepping, time-space travel in progress.] Wei Dongliu rose from bed and went to the next room to check on the progress of his new disciple¡¯s training. ¡°How is your training going, Guo Jin?¡± ¡°Reporting to Master,¡± answered Guo Jin, ¡°I am still cultivating my Qi Sea.¡± Wei Dongliu red and questioned: ¡°After so many days, why are you still cultivating your Qi Sea? I¡¯m giving you two more weeks. If you can¡¯t cultivate your Qi Sea by then, don¡¯t im to be a disciple of Wei Dongliu when you¡¯re outside!¡± ¡°Yes, Master,¡± Guo Jin replied naively. Only after Wei Dongliu had left with his hands behind his back did Guo Jin¡¯s face fill with worry. What do you mean ¡®so many days¡¯? Didn¡¯t Master just teach me the cultivation technique yesterday? I¡¯d better focus on cultivating¡­
Wei Dongliu,pletely oblivious to the fact that he wasplicating his disciple¡¯s situation by adding the timelines from other narrative threads to his own, hurried back to his residence, puffing with anger. Opening the Sealing Altar, he saw the golden color of the Hundred-Poison Golden Silkworm Gu extending to the second section of the shell¡¯s wing case. Very good, ording to ancient texts, the process slows towards the end, and it should take almost one more year to mature. Wei Dongliu cast several spells to activate the array in his room, then took out the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword. As soon as the sword was revealed, a wail of ghosts ensued. Fortunately, the arraypletely blocked out the noise, or else it would have rmed the area for miles around. But if he nned to use it outside, there was no way to set up an array to iste it every time the sword was drawn. Best to refine and assimte it quickly. Chapter 186: 48: Chaoyang Cave at Mount Wutai Chapter 186: Chapter 48: Chaoyang Cave at Mount Wutai Wei Dongliu sat upright on his bed with the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword ced horizontally across his knees. The nested Formation within the room, along with the grand array outside in the valley, had been fully activated. In his mind, he meticulously and repeatedly went through the ¡°True Spirit Seal Sword Technique¡± taught by the Green Duckweed Swordst time. Then he raised his left hand, and the Shangyang Sword Qi burst forth from his meridians, shaping into a saber-like de several feet long at his fingertips. Next, he ran his technique with all his might and pressed the Sword Qi powerfully onto the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword! Instantly, a multitude of ghostly wails erupted within the room, no longer the intive sobs from before, but thementation of thousands of people. Pain, fear, resentment, despair¡­ endless negative emotions flooded in through his ears, causing Wei Dongliu¡¯s mind to tremble tremendously, nearly breaching his defenses. Fortunately, the wailing of the ghosts at this moment was not driven by a cultivator¡¯s True Yuan, and thus the damage they could do to the psyche was limited. He soon managed to resist the demonic sounds piercing his ears, grinding his Sword Qi over and over against the spine of the sword on his knee until the wailing weakenedpletely, seemingly subdued. ¡°If you wail recklessly outside in the future, I will eradicate all of you residual souls!¡± Wei Dongliu transmitted his Divine Sense into the sword and began to refine it only after issuing a threat. Perhaps intimidated by the threat, the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword just trembled without making a sound, allowing him to drip his Essence Blood onto it, infuse his Divine Sense, and permeate it from beginning to end.
After finishing the refining process, Wei Dongliu fetched a strip of cloth and said, ¡°You are now a mature Eleventh Rank Immortal Sword; you should learn to wrap yourself up.¡± The Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword vibrated slightly, allowing him to drape the cloth over the hilt; it then began to spin vertically, wrapping the cloth tightly around the de. Perfect. Wei Dongliu was extremely satisfied. Using this cloth to wrap the sword, rather than putting it into a scabbard or sword box, gave off the impression that its sharpness could not be concealed. It suited the temperament of his mysterious and powerful persona perfectly. Having adjusted the Formation one more time, Wei Dongliu left the valley intending to check out the wanted poster at Mount Wutai. Last time, he had meant to check it with Jiang the Witch by his side, but as they passed by the Market, he stumbled upon the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword and had to hurry back to settle it. He couldn¡¯t dy it any longer this time. He rode the cloth-wrapped Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword towards Mount Wutai, only to see a purple streak of light rushing toward him halfway there,ing to a halt in front of him. What a coincidence, if not Jiang the Witch, who else could it be? ¡°Wei Daoist friend, howe you¡¯re here?¡± Jiang Liyan asked urgently, ¡°That Old Smoke Ghost sold you out!¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Wei Dongliu replied, unfazed. ¡°Although he didn¡¯t go directly to confront the Nether Ghost Path, he used a puppet to find Judge Wen Yang and sold our information to him!¡± Jiang Liyan spoke rapidly and urgently, her face darkened as she said, ¡°We are both wearing masks, so your identity has not yet been revealed, but Wen Yang now knows that Ie from the Heavenly Demon Path!¡± ¡°So, is the Nether Ghost Path going to negotiate with the Heavenly Demon Path?¡± Wei Dongliu inquired. ¡°That¡¯s unlikely,¡± Jiang Liyan frowned and said, ¡°I suspect Old Smoke Ghost has no hard proof, so he can only describe the characteristics of the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword roughly to gain Wen Yang¡¯s trust.¡± ¡°But the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword has been lost for many years; how can one be sure whether the features Old Smoke Ghost described are from actually having obtained this Immortal Sword or from some ancient tome?¡± ¡°Therefore, Wen Yang will most likely not report back to the Sect but will instead follow this clue alone, searching all the way to the Heavenly Demon Path!¡± ¡°I see,¡± Wei Dongliu nodded in understanding, ¡°This Wen Yang you speak of, is he powerful?¡± ¡°This man is extremely formidable in magicalpetition, and among his peers, he is almost without equal,¡± Jiang Liyan said gravely, ¡°If the Nether Ghost Path were to select a ¡®number one person below Golden Core,¡¯ it would undoubtedly be Wen Yang. It is said that he has fought against Golden Core Realm cultivators at the Soul Storing Rank and in the end, none could get the better of him!¡±
In other words, he considered himself a degraded version of Qiu Changtian, Wei Dongliu thought to himself. Seeing that he had no intention of leaving, Jiang Liyan became even more troubled. She thought to herself, I¡¯ve already greatly exaggerated Wen Yang¡¯s strength; how can this guy still look so unconcerned? Does he not believe what I said? Or does he not think Wen Yang can find out his identity?
Or is it even possible¡­ that he¡¯s confident he can contend with Wen Yang without falling short? Jiang Liyan was inherently suspicious. At this thought, all kinds of past clues immediately linked together in her memory. For example, their first encounter, when Wei Dongliu remained indifferent to her Heavenly Demon Wonderful Music Technique. And then there was their second meeting, where Wei Dongliu still ignored the Prepared Ghost Illusion Water she had¡ªsomething that could lead an unguarded Golden Core True Person astray. Furthermore, his expertise in various Daoist Magic, Sword Control Technique, and even Formation. Perhaps it wasn¡¯t because he was learned and talented, but because his cultivation level wasn¡¯t at the Foundation Establishment Realm at all¡­ As her thoughts delved deeper, Jiang Liyan became increasingly uneasy. This guy, he couldn¡¯t really be a Golden Core True Person who has lived for a very long time, or even an ancient Nascent Soul, could he? Wait a minute, a Nascent Soul is too outrageous, but a Golden Core True Person is not impossible. If he¡¯s really undergone Core Formation, then why pretend to be at the Refining Mansion rank and establish a sect on Shiping Mountain? It¡¯s like a big shot ying house with a little girl¡­ ¡°Right, Daoist Jiang,¡± Wei Dongliu said gently, ¡°we spoke of a warrant from the Mortal Life Pathst time, but I¡¯m curious about its location in Mount Wutai. Could you lead the way for me?¡± ¡°Ah? Oh, of course,¡± Jiang Liyan was momentarily startled, then she immediately revealed a flower-like smile, with even a bit more enchantment and eagerness to please, ¡°I will lead the way for you right now.¡± No matter whether he is a disguised Golden Core True Person, she decided to maintain a good rtionship with him first, believing there would ultimately be an opportunity to use him in the future.
After all, Jiang the Witch was part of the Demon Cult. Not to mention outsiders, even the fellow Sect disciples, senior and junior sisters, and even the master were nothing more than utilitarian targets with clear price tags in her heart. She then took Wei Dongliu and flew northward, diligently saying: ¡°This Demon Cult wanted notice is in the Chaoyang Cave in Mount Wutai.¡± ¡°There is a cliff in the Chaoyang Cave which an ancient prowess cast a spell upon, allowing names to be inscribed on it.¡± ¡°Once the person the name represents dies, the name will vanish from the cliff.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite peculiar,¡± Wei Dongliumented without a change in expression, though he was surprised inwardly. ¡°Qiu Changtian¡± is a fake name! How could it correspond to me? Or could it be that it doesn¡¯t actually correspond to me but to someone else? ¡°Actually, it reacts to the ¡®Daoist Heart rity¡¯ personality temte engraved in my mirror,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said helplessly, ¡°Because if I didn¡¯t let it react, they¡¯d immediately know ¡®Qiu Changtian¡¯ is a fake name.¡± ¡°I see, Ah Jing, you did well,¡± Wei Dongliu breathed a sigh of relief, ¡°So you¡¯re saying this kind of reaction won¡¯t harm me, right?¡± ¡°Of course not.¡± Chapter 187: 49: Deceiving the Kind Judge, Bewitching Jiang the Witch Chapter 187: Chapter 49: Deceiving the Kind Judge, Bewitching Jiang the Witch At Mount Wutai¡¯s Chaoyang Cave, names of various individuals were densely inscribed upon the rocky walls. Every so often, bits of rock would trickle down as a name disappeared¡ªsignifying yet another target had been harvested and killed. Wei Dongliu looked carefully and saw not only Qiu Changtian¡¯s name but also Xu Yinglian¡¯s, as well as Lin Duanshan, Duan Fenhai, Guan Shanyue, and An Zhisu. By focusing on a name for a moment, the corresponding bounty information would emerge in one¡¯s mind. The bounties of others stayed within the normal range, but the bounty on Qiu Changtian¡­ it even gave Wei Dongliu the impulse to ¡°kill myself¡± and then go im the reward. Jiang Liyan was also staring at the rock wall, but the corner of her eye was secretly peeking at Wei Dongliu, observing the expressions on his face. Why is this guy looking at the bounty wall? Could it be that he intends to take on a bounty? Jiang the Witch followed his gaze, trying to lock onto the focal point of his vision, and said with a smile: ¡°Does Brother Wei have a preferred target in mind?¡± ¡°No particr target, just casually looking,¡± Wei Dongliu responded nonchntly.
Unwilling to let me know, huh? Jiang the Witch¡¯s thoughts sank slightly. If she could figure out his criteria for selecting bounties, perhaps she could arrange one for Sister Ai¡­ With her covert motives silently turning, she suddenly heard a somewhat maic and hoarse male voiceing from the distance: ¡°Eh, isn¡¯t that Brother Jiang?¡± Wen Yang had arrived! Jiang Liyan quickly controlled all the muscles in her face, turning around in feigned surprise: ¡°Eh, Brother Wen?¡± ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since we¡¯ve seen each other.¡± Wen Yang descended with the sword light and stepped onto the ground, then turned his gaze to Wei Dongliu and asked, ¡°And this is¡­¡± ¡°Wei Dongliu, a neer to the Mortal Life Path,¡± Jiang Liyan said with a slight smile. ¡°Brother Wei, it¡¯s a pleasure to meet you,¡± said Wen Yangzily. ¡°I am Judge Wen Yang of the Nether Ghost Path.¡± Wei Dongliu bowed in greeting, suddenly recognizing this individual before him as the leader of the Nether Ghost Demonic cultivators whom Qiu Changtian had encountered in the Earth Vein ruins on the western side of Long Mountain. He had left a profound impression on Qiu Changtian as a beauty dressed in women¡¯s clothing but with a man¡¯s voice. Yet at that time, the other party was only at the Marrow Cleansing Rank, and now it seemed he had already promoted to the Refining Mansion Rank. The Demon Cult¡¯s Six Paths were full of various quick-sess Cultivation Techniques that could forcefully hurry one¡¯s progress, rapidly advancing one¡¯s Cultivation Realm¡ªthe only drawback being the emotion-stirring pass rate of the Heavenly Tribtion. ¡°The Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect, Wei Dongliu.¡± He introduced himself, noticing Wen Yang¡¯s gaze lingering on the wrapped sword on his back for a moment. ¡°From which sect does Brother Wei inherit his Daoist magic?¡± Wen Yang asked with a smile. His own attire was mboyant, with dark green robe sleeves, silver trimmed edges, and a turquoise hairpin elegantly holding up his long hair that was as dark as ink. If not for his voice, one would never perceive him to be a man. ¡°Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect,¡± Wei Dongliu said gravely. ¡°The Daoist heritage of the Tai Yi Mystic Profound Real Person of Myriad Laws?¡± Wen Yang showed a trace of curiosity.
¡°Brother Wen is also familiar with this name?¡± Jiang Liyan asked with a radiant smile, yet unsurprised. After all, the Heavenly Demon Path and the Nether Ghost Path retained the mostplete collections of the Intercepting Cult¡¯s ancient texts and materials. ¡°I have heard a little,¡± Wen Yang said with a slight smile. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that the Real Person was versed in allws, particrly good at innovation, and possessed unrivaled Sword Casting Techniques; many famous swords came from his hand.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t hide it from you, I have always loved observing swords, and I regret not having been born in the era of the Real Person, to discuss the art of famous swords with him.¡±
¡°By the way, I¡¯ve been wanting to ask since earlier: the sword on Brother Wei¡¯s back, to what extent does its sharpness exceed, that it couldn¡¯t be contained in a scabbard or sword box, prompting you to wrap it in cloth?¡± Jiang the Witch maintained her smile on the side, but her heart was already in turmoil, immediately devising at least thirteen methods to flee on the spot. ¡°Although it is abrupt, may I ask Brother Wei to lend me that Flying Sword to observe in my hand?¡± Wen Yang continued to smile, but a chill was gradually appearing in his eyes. ¡°Since you recognize it¡¯s abrupt, why propose such a request?¡± Wei Dongliu asked indifferently. ¡°Because I¡¯m irresistibly curious,¡± Wen Yang nestled his hands in his sleeves, giving the impression that he was forming hand seals for a spell, still with a smile on his face, ¡°I trust Brother Wei won¡¯t embarrass me.¡± Wei Dongliu silently observed him, while Wen Yang responded with a smile, the two thus staring at each other for a long while. ¡°Alright then,¡± Wei Dongliu reached out to touch the long sword on his back, while Wen Yang slightly narrowed his eyes. However, the other party did notunch an attack but rather calmly took down the sword from his back and tossed it over casually. Wen Yang caught it firmly, and the smile on his face quickly faded, solemnly unwrapping the clothyer byyer to reveal the dark purple, almost ck sword beneath. Hmm¡­ Although it was indeed close to pitch ck, there were too many swords with this kind of luster, and no wailing of myriad ghosts when the cloth was unwrapped. Wen Yang ran his slender fingers over the spine of the sword, feeling a chilling coolness, but it was merely the coolness of the metal surface and not the cold that would disce a soul. Indeed, it was not the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword¡­
As his thoughts whirled, a smile reappeared on his face, and he said, ¡°What a fine sword.¡± Who are you calling a fool? Wei Dongliu¡¯s eyebrows jumped. ¡°Water System?¡± Wen Yang asked. ¡°Water System Tenth Rank,¡± Wei Dongliu answered. ¡°Does the sword contain Daoist Magic or Forbidden Technique?¡± Wen Yang continued to probe. ¡°What is a Forbidden Technique?¡± Wei Dongliu didn¡¯t fall for the bait, ¡°Please enlighten me, Brother Wen.¡± ¡°You jest, Brother Wei,¡± Wen Yang returned the Immortal Sword to him and then took out an Elixir Bottle from his sleeve, ¡°Soul Cleansing Pill, it can slightly increase the speed of your Refining Mansion but carries a trace amount of toxicity, so it must not be consumed excessively.¡± ¡°Thank you,¡± Wei Dongliu re-slung the Immortal Sword on his back. ¡°Don¡¯t mention it,¡± Wen Yang bowed with hands sped together and saluted the two, ¡°I have matters to attend to and must be going.¡± He rode off on his Sword Light and disappeared into the horizon. Jiang the Witch turned her head, her beautiful eyes swirling with curiosity. When Wen Yang had unwrapped the cloth earlier, she saw clearly that it was definitely the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword sold by the old ghost Yanst time!
The question was, why didn¡¯t Wen Yang recognize it after he¡¯d handled it? If Judge Wen Yang had gone blind, that was clearly nonsense; to say that she ¡°saw it wrong¡± seemed even more unlikely. Just how many secrets was this guy hiding? With these thoughts in mind, Jiang the Witch found her eyes almost unable to leave Wei Dongliu. In response to her disyed curiosity and thirst for knowledge, Wei Dongliu simply smiled without a word, feeling secretly thrilled. The key to deceiving Wen Yangy in the Mirror Flower Water Moon Illusion Technique cast by the Kunlun Mirror, a secret Jiang Liyan would never guess. Because of this, the Synchronization Value of his mysterious persona was once again soaring¡­ Surely, to boost the Synchronization Value of such a persona, one must find someone as clever, quick-witted, and brimming with curiosity as Jiang the Witch. On reflection, he realized that beside each persona he had, there always seemed to be an opportune target for harvesting Synchronization Value. For Qiu Changtian¡¯s Invincible Character Setting, which required showing off, there was Xu Yinglian, a proud and strong junior sister. For Ling Yunpo¡¯s indomitable persona, which thrived on struggle, there was An Zhisu, a senior sister with enemies wherever she looked. For Luo Yan¡¯s Falsehood persona, which demanded deceit, there was Shi Liuli, a naive and innocent youngdy. Now, for Wei Dongliu¡¯s persona of mystery which required suspense, encountering someone like Jiang Liyan who was inquisitive yet cautious was extremely fortunate. Being prone to overthinking meant paying attention to the many mysteries about Wei Dongliu;
Being vignt prevented her from asking directly, instead pondering repeatedly in her mind¡ªthere came the Synchronization Value! ¡°Brother Jiang,¡± Wei Dongliu held back his joy and said indifferently, ¡°As neighbors, we should indeed visit each other more often.¡± Jiang Liyan: ? This guy¡­ he couldn¡¯t possibly be coveting my beauty, could he? With a sense of wariness rising inside, she responded with a sweet smile and a soft voice, ¡°Of course, we must visit each other often indeed.¡± Chapter 188: 50: Live Sales of Song He Chapter 188: Chapter 50: Live Sales of Song He ¡°Brother Wei, are you nning to return?¡± ¡°No rush.¡± ¡°Where else would you like to go? I can lead the way for you.¡± ¡°I¡¯m thinking of finding a disciple. Just Guo Jin alone is ultimately not enough.¡± With a chuckle, Jiang Liyan¡¯s enchanting and beautiful face instantly bloomed like a myriad of flowers, captivating and hard to look away from: ¡°I¡¯ve said it long ago, although that child Guo Jin is loyal and honest, as the chief disciple, he¡¯s still somewhat dull¡­ So, Brother Wei, are you looking for someone clever and quick-witted this time?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Wei Dongliu nodded, ¡°If they could be called ¡®Huang Rong,¡¯ that would be even better.¡± Jiang Liyan: ? Was there a special meaning to the name Huang Rong? She didn¡¯t ask further but made a mental note of it.
Just as the two were about to take off on their swords again, they saw Wen Yang return after having left, approaching the two, and said to Jiang Liyan with a smile: ¡°I almost forgot¡­ I heard that Fellow Daoist Jiang is proficient in the ¡®Ten Aspects Release Method,¡¯ which even Nascent Soul cultivators find hard to see through. Is it true or false?¡± ¡°Brother Wen tters me,¡± Jiang Liyan certainly wouldn¡¯t admit it, only saying with a smile, ¡°It is but a minor skill, not worthy of mention.¡± Wen Yang pondered for a moment and then said: ¡°Actually, I have a business deal here that I would like to share with Fellow Daoist Jiang.¡± ¡°A business deal?¡± Jiang Liyan was slightly surprised. ¡°Yes.¡± Wen Yang tilted his head to look at Wei Dongliu, and upon seeing that he wasn¡¯t intending to leave, continued, ¡°It is a deal concerning the Orthodox Sect.¡± Jiang Liyan immediately understood. The Three Pure Orthodox Sect and the Demon Cult¡¯s Six Paths, though outwardly irreconcble, also have relentless struggles in secret. However, if both parties had a need for an exchange of interests, secret transactions could still be made: For example, a disciple of the Demon Cult obtained a sword that a particr Orthodox Sect disciple was desperately seeking; so, would it be possible to sell it to him? Yes. The only risk was that the other party might choose to deal first and then kill, taking both money and goods¡­ After all, on the surface, good and evil stand opposed, and killing the other party is politically correct, so there is no need to worry about the infamy of ¡°killing for wealth.¡± Even if the person¡¯s sect found out, they wouldn¡¯t punish them in this regard. Therefore, a safer method came into being, which was to entrust the deal to a neutral Loose Cultivator who would deal with the other party on their behalf, so as to not give the other party a justified reason to turn the table over. This Loose Cultivator must be powerful enough to deter the other party from harboring thoughts of murder and looting; otherwise, if the incident was exposed, it would be hard to justify to the sect, especially since the Orthodox Sect is particrly sensitive to such matters. At the same time, this Loose Cultivator must be someone they can trust to prevent them from simply running away with the goods and money halfway through the transaction¡­ which makes the selection even more difficult. Wen Yang chose Jiang Liyan, proficient in the Ten Aspects Release Method, because she could use illusion techniques to disguise herself as a Loose Cultivator and deal with a certain Orthodox Sect.
Another reason was that Jiang Liyan came from the Heavenly Demon Cult and wouldn¡¯t abandon her sect for some money, making herfar safer than a regr Loose Cultivator. With this in mind, Jiang Liyan shook her head and declined: ¡°Unfortunately, Brother Wen. Although the Ten Aspects Release Method can disguise oneself, it is not without ws, so I cannot put myself in a risky situation.¡± ¡°I can give you thirty percent of the proceeds from the transaction,¡± Wen Yang held up three fingers.
Jiang Liyan hesitated for a moment but shook her head again. In the past, she might have agreed¡ªafter all, that was thirty percent of the profit! Keep in mind, even in the realm of Cultivation, a Loose Cultivator broker¡¯s transaction fee is at most five percent. However, ever sincest time on the Five Mushrooms Immortal Ind, when an apprentice of the Peni Jade Pure Sect saw through her illusion disguise, Jiang the Witch became much more cautious in this area. Having money is certainly good, but if one might lose their life over it, then it¡¯s certainly not worth it. ¡°Alright.¡± Wen Yang withdrew his finger, his face showing no sign of disappointment, ¡°It seems that this deal of mine won¡¯t be sessful.¡± ¡°Hold on a moment.¡± Wei Dongliu suddenly spoke up, ¡°Brother Wen, you just need to find someone to help, right?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Wen Yang turned his gaze towards him, wondering if this person had inherited the Daoist lineage from the Tai Yi Mystic Profound Myriad Laws real person? I remember that Myriad Laws real person; initially, he cultivated high-grade demonic techniques and then, for some reason, had an epiphany and switched to cultivating the Xuanmen Qi Refining Technique. As a result, the disciples in the sect who were of higher generations all followed him in cultivating high-grade demonic techniques early on; the junior disciples, who were just starting, all exclusively practiced the Xuanmen Qi Refining Technique. The two groups were distinctly divided, each firmly opposing the other, both believing their own cultivation path to be the best, leading to a subtle struggle over the Daoist lineage. Latterly, the Myriad Laws real person went out in search of inspiration to create a new Qi Refining Technique that would transform clean and turbid Qi into each other¡­ However, he never returned, which alsoid the groundwork for the eventual split and destruction of the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect. Of course, let¡¯s not dwell on the past. Since this Brother Wei has inherited the lineage of the Myriad Laws real person, could it be that he also cultivates the Xuanmen Qi Refining Technique?
High-grade demonic techniques operate with arge amount of Pure Qi and a small amount of Turbid Qi, the former used for breathing and refining the body, and thetter suited for magicalpetition and killing. Once the Turbid Qi is refined into Demonic Qi, although its killing power is superior, it¡¯s pungent like the stench of a toilet. Once tainted with it, it¡¯s impossible to hide from the Divine Sense of mainstream Orthodox Sect cultivators. But if one starts with cultivating the Xuanmen Qi Refining Technique, then there would be no problem at all¡­ Wen Yang¡¯s thought process was quite simr to Jiang Liyan¡¯s, or rather, like all the elite disciples of the Demon Cult nowadays who have emerged from the perilous environment, they all like to think things through meticulously in their minds, then subtly probe step by step without stirring any sound. So, after pondering for a while, he slowly asked: ¡°Brother Wei, do you have experience dealing with the Orthodox Sect?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t call it experience,¡± Wei Dongliu said calmly, ¡°just a bit of understanding of the Orthodox Sect, that¡¯s all.¡± Wen Yang pondered for a moment, then turned his gaze to Jiang Liyan. Jiang Liyan smiled slightly and took half a step closer to Wei Dongliu. Therefore, Wen Yang immediately caught on and said solemnly: ¡°A friend of Brother Jiang is my friend, Wen. I trust you. What do you think about the promised thirty percent in profits?¡± ¡°The profit is not important, what matters is that I, too, would like to make friends with Brother Wen,¡± Wei Dongliu said with a faint smile. Wen Yang immediately burst into a heartyugh, and while hisughter was generous and hearty, when paired with his gentle and delicate features, it was somewhat jarring:
¡°Good, we shall find a ce to talk in detail.¡± The three found a dpidated temple nearby, and once they were sure no one else was around, Wen Yang slowly recounted the matter: ¡°The Chief Disciple of the two hundred seventy-fifth generation of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, Song He, came to me in private some days ago, wanting me to get rid of his junior brother, Qiu Changtian, through my hands.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Jiang Liyan drew out her words with a hooked smile, ¡°I wouldn¡¯t have thought that beneath the Orthodox Sect¡¯s righteous exterior lies behavior even more despicable than ours. At the very least, when we deal with our own, we do it openly and challenge them.¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Wen Yang shot her a nonchnt nce, not exposing her embellishment but instead continued, ¡°Many years ago, while exploring an ancient relic, I encountered that Kunlun Song He and built some rapport, which is why he reached out to me for assistance this time.¡± Jiang Liyan just smiled, saying nothing. Rapport? I suspect it¡¯s more than just that; it must involve shared interests. Whatmon interests could there be between an elite disciple of the Taiqing Sect and an elite disciple from the Nether Ghost Path? It could only be the unauthorized exchange of secret intelligence between the Orthodox Sect and the Demonic Path¡­ Of course, this is a sensitive matter, and surely Wen Yang wouldn¡¯t admit it. ¡°So what you¡¯re saying is, the rapport has run its course, and now, Brother Wen, you n to sell out Song He to the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, right?¡± Wei Dongliu, who had been silent all along, suddenly interjected coldly. Wen Yang¡¯s eyes widened slightly, thinking how sharp-witted this person was to guess his intentions in advance¡­ Yet he let out a coldugh: ¡°Rapport, like material wealth, eventually runs out one day. Originally, I thought that Song He would surely secure the top Foundation Establishment position in the next Kunlun hierarchy; thus, I deigned to build rapport with him in advance.¡± ¡°But unexpectedly, this Qiu Changtian emerged out of nowhere, brutally blocking Song He¡¯s path to ascend!¡± ¡°Regarding this Qiu Changtian, I¡¯ve also heard about him recently,¡± Jiang the Witch revealed a thoughtful expression, ¡°ording to the bounty information, it¡¯s said that this person possesses ¡®Daoist Heart rity¡¯ that¡¯s rare in a millennium?¡±
¡°Precisely,¡± Wen Yang said with a cold expression, ¡°Daoist Heart rity, without need for further exnation, you can find information about its formidable aspects in the texts.¡± ¡°With Qiu Changtian there, Song He no longer held any value for connection. If he had not contacted me, that would have been the end of it. But he delivered this leverage into my hands, and if I didn¡¯t take full advantage of it, how would I live up to the title of ¡®Judge¡¯ bestowed upon me by my sect?¡± Chapter 189: 51: Taking Another Second Disciple Chapter 189: Chapter 51: Taking Another Second Disciple ¡°Some days ago, a loose cultivator approached me,¡± Wen Yang whispered, exining the origin and development of the situation, ¡°saying that Kunlun intended to pay a high price for information about a traitor.¡± ¡°How odd,¡± Jiang Liyan clicked her tongue in amazement, ¡°An orthodox sect has a traitor who leaks information to the Demon Cult, and then the orthodox sect goes to buy information about this traitor from the Demon Cult?¡± ¡°After all, for Qiu Changtian, who is now the apple of the eye of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect,¡± Wen Yang also sneered, ¡°the bounty is so detailed that it even clearly marks the features and ws of the cultivation technique he practices. How could the upper echelons of Kunlun sit still?¡± ¡°They have no way to deal with the bounty, but if they were to prohibit Qiu Changtian from going out, there would be no worries. However, the damn traitor is still within the sect, and that is the bigger hidden danger.¡± ¡°So, you n to sell Song He to Kunlun,¡± Jiang Liyan nodded. Wei Dongliu listened quietly by the side, gaining a deeper understanding of the Demon Cult¡¯s operations. To put it bluntly: interests are supreme. Even the orthodox sect understands this, so they specifically entrusted a loose cultivator toe and convey the message, to see if they could buy information about the traitor¡ªWen Yang actually intended to take the offer, which shows that nothing is impossible when the interests are sufficient. ¡°I have recorded the message in this jade slip,¡± Wen Yang took out a jade slip and tossed it to Wei Dongliu, ¡°The question now is, how to take it and transact with Kunlun.¡± ¡°Among the Three Pure Orthodox Sects, the Kunlun Taiqing Sect is the most hypocritical,¡± Jiang Liyan also sneered, ¡°When dealing with the Taiqing Sect, don¡¯t worry about them attacking you directly, but always beware of the hidden arrows from behind.¡±
Wei Dongliu: ¡­¡­¡­ Give me a break, as if I don¡¯t know how the Kunlun Taiqing Sect treats members of the Demon Cult! No one understands Kunlun better than I do! ¡°Then, I shall leave it to Daoist Wei,¡± Wen Yang nced again at Jiang Liyan, ¡°After the matter is settled, you can have Daoist Jiang bring you to find me.¡± Jiang Liyan sneered inwardly. Wen Yang was still wary, hinting that she should vouch for Wei Dongliu. But based on her observations, Wei Dongliu was not the type to be dazzled by money¡­ Of course, even if she was mistaken, there were ways to sever ties with Wei Dongliu. Thus, she remained silent. Seeing her tacit agreement, Wen Yang also felt relieved and heard Wei Dongliu speak again: ¡°However, I had nned to take a disciple today¡­ This matter isn¡¯t urgent, is it?¡± ¡°I trust Daoist Wei will not keep me waiting long,¡± Wen Yang said smoothly. This statement was so equivocal that even the shameless Jiang the Witch couldn¡¯t help but roll her eyes. ¡°By the way, what kind of disciple is Daoist Wei nning to recruit?¡± Wen Yang continued with a smile. ¡°I have resided in both the Luoyang and Jinnan regions. Perhaps I could be of help¡­ Of course, if you¡¯re looking for a disciple with peerless talent, that might be a bit difficult.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need someone with peerless talent,¡± Wei Dongliu waved his hand, ¡°Just someone clever and astute, good at handling matters, and articte.¡± Jiang Liyan let out a snort ofughter, while Wen Yang felt a little embarrassed and slightly annoyed upon hearing this. He thought Wei Dongliu was making a dig at him, but Wei Dongliu¡¯s expression didn¡¯t seem to imply that. Noticing Jiang Liyan¡¯s mocking smile, he immediately understood that he was overthinking. ¡°I see,¡± Wen Yang said earnestly, ¡°So Daoist Wei ns to recruit a disciple to handle the sect¡¯s mundane affairs?¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Wei Dongliu stated. ¡°I suggest looking among the merchant families,¡± Wen Yang smiled, ¡°Because merchants have to deal both with various officials and with people from all walks of life, they are quite capable and flexible in their actions¡­ The only problem is finding someone with a good aptitude for cultivation, which is extremely difficult.¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be an issue,¡± Wei Dongliu remarked, ¡°As long as they¡¯re not too poor in talent.¡±
Wen Yang then had an idea, guessing that Wei Dongliu didn¡¯t intend to recruit any true disciple, but rather was looking for a nominal ¡°worker.¡± He immediatelyughed and said: ¡°That¡¯s good, we can start by going to Luoyang.¡± Three people flew into the air on their swords from the mountain, only to hear Wen Yang continue, ¡°In terms of business, Luoyang¡¯s prosperity far surpasses that of Guanzhong and Jinzhong. Among them are over a hundred and twenty merchant families of considerable wealth and fame who often send various resources to our sect, hoping to have their family¡¯s offspring embark on the path of cultivation.¡±
¡°However, there are not many among their kin who barely pass muster in terms of cultivation aptitude. Friend Wei, if you don¡¯t mind, I shall take you to meet these families.¡± After arriving in Luoyang, Wen Yang led the two to the Wang Family estate. When ites to the wealth of Luoyang, the Wang Family is generally considered first; the current patriarch, Wang Lin, serves as the Minister of Revenue for the Great Xia Dynasty, in a position ¡®hot enough to scorch the hands with power.¡¯ Of course,pared with the Cultivator Families of the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, the Longxi Guan Family, and the like, they simply do not measure up¡­ These elite families have essentially severed all dependencies on secr authorities, whereas the Wang Family is still pursuing positions and power within the imperial court. Upon hearing that Elite Judge Wen Yang of the Nether Ghost Path was visiting, the patriarch Wang Lin, who was resting that day, immediately came out to greet him and anxiously inquired about the purpose of the Immortal¡¯s visit. ¡°There¡¯s no particr matter with you,¡± said Wen Yang, pointing to Wei Dongliu beside him, ¡°but my friend here is looking to select an honorary disciple from among you to handle mundane affairs for his sect.¡± Wang Lin quickly ordered his servants to summon all the young members of his family, who then lined up in the courtyard for Wei Dongliu to choose from. Wei Dongliu scrutinized the assembly carefully. Most here were under twenty years of age, likely because the older offspring had already been filtered through numerous screenings and had essentially been deemed devoid of any talent for cultivation. There were also noticeably more females than males, clearly revealing a calcting intention on the part of the Wang Family leader¡ªif Wei Dongliu were fond of beauty, then the likelihood of a female being selected was greater; if not, it was no loss either way. As Wei Dongliu¡¯s gaze swept over them, most bowed their heads respectfully while a few boldly met his eyes. Some of the pretty ones even dared to flutter their eyelids, attempting to flirt but not daring to do so outright, looking pitifully adorable in their restraint. ¡°Ah Jing,¡± Wei Dongliu asked in the Sea of Consciousness, ¡°how is the cultivation aptitude of these people?¡± ¡°The third one in the first row, the fifteenth one; the twenty-second one in the second row¡ªthese have the best talents among them,¡± answered the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°but they¡¯re only passable inparison. If these three were to go to the Kunlun Taiqing Sect to seek discipleship, they probably wouldn¡¯t even meet the threshold for outer sect disciples.¡±
¡°Of course,¡± Wei Dongliu said nonchntly, ¡°the Orthodox Sects might be picky about innate talent, but we in the Demon Cult embrace all. As long as the talent is just about adequate.¡± He raised his arm and singled out the three individuals identified by the Kunlun Mirror, signaling for them to step forward. The two youths in the first row were of a delicate schrly appearance. Wei Dongliu spoke with them for a bit and discovered they both had a significant schrly foundation¡­ a pity they had been brought up on literature alone, almost devoid of experience handling family affairs. The one from the second row, however, was a young girl. She was not breathtakingly beautiful, certainly no match for the likes of Jiang the Witch or the captivating Wen Yang, but her appearance was decent and properpared to the rest. It was just the pair of dark eyes, always rolling about, that did not give the impression of someone particrly straightforward or honest. ¡°What¡¯s your name?¡± he asked. ¡°To answer the Immortal, my name is Wang Cong,¡± the girl replied. Jiang Liyan frowned slightly at this, since the origin of ¡°Cong¡± suggests clinging nts, which carries a disparaging connotation. Seeing this, Wang Lin hurriedly exined, ¡°She is my younger brother¡¯s daughter, given a humble name for ease of upbringing.¡± The justification was clearly an embellishment, as the truth surely was that little care was given to naming due to her being an illegitimate child. However, Wei Dongliu was unconcerned with this and continued to ask, ¡°Have you ever engaged in business?¡±
¡°I have managed a pharmacy owned by my mother,¡± the girl caught on that the Immortal seemed to have a preference for ¡°those withmercial experience¡± and took the initiative to add, ¡°on a day-to-day basis I assisted the shopkeeper grandfather with purchasing herbs, bargaining, dealing with patients seeking medical advice, and also with debt collection¡­¡± ¡°Enough,¡± Wei Dongliu waved his hand dismissively and said, ¡°You¡¯ll do!¡± Chapter 190: 52: The Unconcerned Master Wei Dongliu Chapter 190: Chapter 52: The Unconcerned Master Wei Dongliu Back at the territory of Mount Wutai, Wen Yang was still somewhat puzzled and confused. This Wei Dongliu, the way he recruits disciples is really too casual, he didn¡¯t even carefully examine that girl¡¯s talent for cultivation, he simply asked a few questions and decided to take her in. You should know that if her aptitude and quality are not up to par, she will struggle greatly on the path of cultivation, and might even be discouraged and self-destructive, affecting efficiency in handling mundane affairs¡­ There have been lessons in the histories of various sects. Wei Dongliu, after all, is still too young. Thinking this way, Wen Yang¡¯s guard against him dropped a few notches. After bidding each other farewell, Wen Yang turned around and left. Wei Dongliu then, along with Wang Cong and Jiang Liyan, took a detour southward, flying towards the direction of the Tongtian Gorge. Back at Shiping Mountain, Wei Dongliu called out Guo Jin, who was still cultivating in the room, to introduce him to his new brother and sister disciples. ¡°Guo Jin, from now on, you will be her senior brother. You are responsible for leading her through the three challenges of Fasting and Qi Refinement,¡± he said. Jiang Liyan almost spat blood upon hearing this: The girl had just acknowledged you as her master, and you¡¯re already passing her over to that foolish boy to teach? This master of yours is trulyzy! Unaware of Jiang the Witch¡¯s inner criticism, Wei Dongliu was actually quite satisfied.
This tactic of ¡°senior disciples leading junior disciples,¡± thereby achieving ¡°collective advancement in cultivation level,¡± was a ¡°management method¡± he learned from the Ziwei Master, and now it seems to be very effective. In the future, all the junior brothers and sisters entering the sect will be led by thisd Guo Jin! Wang Cong felt a bit dumbfounded too; how could her master seem so unreliable? But after all, she was thoughtful and noticed that the immortal sister beside her also seemed somewhat displeased, yet she did not directly object, which suggested that it was probably not easy to speak with her thrift-shop master. Therefore, she also held back silently, thinking that if it was difficult to speak with her master in the future, she could go through a ¡°roundabout rescue¡± via this immortal sister. After Wei Dongliu and Jiang Liyan left, Guo Jin solemnly brought out the scriptures copied by his master and earnestly started to exin to Wang Cong: ¡°Junior Sister Wang, let¡¯s start by going through the principles of the Fasting technique¡­¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare take up too much of Senior Brother¡¯s time,¡± Wang Cong said with a clever and charming smile, ¡°How about I read it myself, and if I have any questions I¡¯lle to ask you, is that alright?¡± Guo Jin thought silently for a few minutes, then shook his head and said: ¡°No. What if you misunderstand and think there¡¯s no problem when actually you¡¯re on the wrong path? If the foundation is skewed, the more you cultivateter on, the more problematic it gets. This is what Master has said.¡± Wang Cong still wanted to use her clever words to persuade her senior brother, but Guo Jin didn¡¯t pay her any attention and just continued reciting to her: ¡°Did you remember that?¡± ¡°I remembered all of it,¡± Wang Cong hurriedly nodded like a pecking chicken. ¡°Hmm, I¡¯ll read it again, and this time you should try to understand¡­¡± Outside the house, by the water¡¯s edge, Jiang Liyan lifted the hem of her robe slightly, as if a youngdy gracefully lifting her skirt, to avoid soiling it on the damp earth beneath her feet. She carefully squatted down, her slender fingers pinching the stem of the Jade Cymbidium, bringing it close to her nose to gently sniff. Wei Dongliu watched speechlessly: Are you taking an artistic photo? Still here posing. ¡°Wei Dao-friend is really learned, even in the cultivation of spiritual medicine,¡± Jiang Liyan said softly, ¡°I¡¯ve also tried to grow Jade Cymbidium, but not one has survived, so I had to buy them.¡± ¡°The roots of Jade Cymbidium like moisture but fear light, yet the petals need venttion and sunlight, so they are difficult to grow,¡± Wei Dongliu exined, ¡°To ensure the roots and petals are in different environments, you need to use formations for separate treatment.¡±
¡°I¡¯m very curious,¡± Jiang Liyan suddenly stood up, and brought her delicate and beautiful face closer, her breath fragrant like orchids, with a gentle voice she said: ¡°I¡¯m really curious. Is the Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect¡¯s heritage truly so vast and extensive, epassing all phenomena?¡± ¡°Otherwise how could it be worthy of the name ¡®Myriad Laws¡¯?¡± Wei Dongliu tilted his head back slightly, only to see Jiang the Witch suddenly step closer again, her mouth directly nting a kiss on him! Just as their lips were about to touch, she suddenly stopped and gracefully turned around, tapping her cheek with her slender finger and thoughtfully said,
¡°There¡¯s some truth to that.¡± Having been yed by this witch, Wei Dongliu could see that she was deliberately flirting with him! ¡°This demoness harbors ill intentions, I advise you to keep your distance from her,¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly spoke from within his sea of consciousness. ¡°Howe she suddenly dares to boldly test me?¡± Wei Dongliu frowned and asked, ¡°Could it be that there is something wrong with Mirror Flower Water Moon that she has discovered?¡± ¡°How could there be anything wrong with my Mirror Flower Water Moon!¡± The Kunlun Mirror immediately grew angry, and with some well-hidden guilt, retorted, ¡°Even if there is a problem, it would be with your acting skills!¡± ¡°Indeed.¡± Wei Dongliu thought it over carefully and seemed to agree. To him, Ah Jing was like a system in a system novel¡ªhow could it possibly go wrong? Did he still need to find the pieces of the Heaven-Mending Stone? If there was a real problem, then forget about saving the world, he might as well find a ce to bury himself in advance. Jiang Liyan saw him standing there without responding and her heart thumped: He couldn¡¯t be angry, could he? Wait a minute, don¡¯t turn on me just yet, I still need to use you to get rid of my elder sister! With their own ulterior motives, the two of them exchanged nces for a moment, only to hear Wei Dongliu say, ¡°I¡¯ll go check how they¡¯re doing with their learning.¡± Typical avoidance¡­ The Kunlun Mirror thought to himself.
¡°I¡¯lle too,¡± Jiang Liyan immediately said with a smile. Contrary to avoidance, this demoness liked to take the initiative to attack, with both strong curiosity and a desire to control¡­ The Kunlun Mirror thought to himself. When they returned to the room, they saw Wang Cong already sitting on the bed, cultivating in meditation. Guo Jin, clutching the scriptures, honestly said to Wei Dongliu: ¡°Master, my sister asked me some questions that I don¡¯t quite understand¡­¡± He repeated these questions and Wei Dongliu¡¯s head started to ache. ¡°You even need to ask such simple questions?¡± Wei Dongliu said impatiently, ¡°Didn¡¯t I exin thisst time?¡± ¡°Master, the exnation you gavest time was for another question¡­¡± ¡°You should be able to draw parallels and learn by analogy, understand?¡± Wei Dongliu red. ¡°Oh.¡± Guo Jin was an honest child, and having been scolded by his master, he dared not make a sound, instead casting a pleading look toward Jiang Liyan beside him. ¡°If you want to ask the senior, just ask directly. What are you looking at?¡± Wei Dongliu continued to scold. ¡°Disciple, disciple would like to ask Senior Jiang¡­¡± Guo Jin stuttered. ¡°There¡¯s no problem, go on and tell me,¡± Jiang Liyan said, pulling Guo Jin to sit beside her on a chair, taking the scroll from his hands, and beginning to exin in detail, while her gaze quickly skimmed the content of the pages, seeking to uncover traces of Wei Dongliu¡¯s Daoist heritage.
Unfortunately, the fasting method described in it was very basic and revealed nothing significant. ¡°Do you have any other questions? I might as well exin them all while we¡¯re here,¡± Jiang Liyan said with a hint of disappointment, speaking offhandedly. ¡°Yes, these are the other questions¡­¡± Guo Jin started to list all the questions he had umted up to that point, while Jiang Liyan answered absentmindedly, her mind still secretly specting and analyzing. With Guo Jin¡¯s talent andprehension both being outrageously poor, why would Wei Dongliu take him as his eldest disciple? Was there a particr reason for this? Could it be that there is something extraordinary hidden about him that I just can¡¯t see? Chapter 191: 53 Jiang occupies Weis nest Chapter 191: Chapter 53 Jiang upies Wei¡¯s nest ¡°Winter hase,¡± Wei Dongliu suddenly said. The two of them stood at the summit of Shiping Mountain, watching the snowkes flutter down. The river that flowed through Tong Xuan Gate had also frozen over quite a bit. ¡°Every time winter arrives, I just want to sleep,¡± Jiang Liyan yawned. ¡°I can never seem to wake up fully.¡± ¡°You could try Daoist meditative concentration,¡± Wei Dongliu suggested. ¡°Meditative concentration? I¡¯m enjoying the tranquility of sleep, okay?¡± Jiang Liyan said, exasperated. Wei Dongliu chuckled wryly and shook his head. This Jiang the Witch, how simr she was to Miss Shi. It¡¯s just that Miss Shi was obsessed with food, while Jiang the Witch was obsessed with sleep. On reflection, Senior Sister An also seemed quite fond of drinking alcohol, while only Junior Sister Xu had no particr hobbies; she did nothing but cultivate every day, truly a role model for us cultivators. Thinking of those three, Wei Dongliu suddenly realized:
Sinceing to Mount Wutai, time had insensibly passed by. This must be the longest he had stayed in one ce under one identity. Upon reflection, the reason was simple: Life on Mount Wutai was too peaceful, hardly resembling the life of a Demon Cult cultivator. In Kunlun, Qiu Changtian had to expound scriptures to junior brothers and sisters every day, cultivate diligently as an example, and every so often debate scriptures with other sect members, boosting his Synchronization Value¡ªjust like a regr office worker. At Shushan, Ling Yunpo had to practice swordsmanship with his Senior Sister every day, practice swordsmanship, and then practice some more swordsmanship, and every so often spar with her, getting beaten up in all sorts of ways¡ªalmost like those preparing for postgraduate studies. In Peni, Luo Yan had to apany Miss Shi in chatting to relieve her boredom, stroll in the market, eat, choose clothes and jewelry, and gossip about Elder Shi Ding and other brothers and sisters, just like a college student. Only here, here in the southern part of Mount Wutai, within Shiping Mountain, and in thepany of Jiang Liyan, did Wei Dongliu truly obtain a rare sense of freedom and peace. There were no sects here, no masters, no senior or junior sisters to attend to, just plenty of ample, disposable time¡ªlife as a Loose Cultivator was indeed so unrestrained. When he felt like cultivating, he would cultivate; when he didn¡¯t, he would train his two disciples. Although Jiang Liyan had the demeanor of a little demoness, her emotional intelligence was astonishingly high, her words alwaysforting, asionally granting heart-fluttering little benefits¡­ ¡°I¡¯m a bit curious, Daoist Jiang,¡± Wei Dongliu said slowly, ¡°your sect doesn¡¯t seem to keep a close eye on you?¡± ¡°In the Heavenly Demon Path, we have always valued freedom andpetition,¡± Jiang Liyan said with a smile. ¡°For the sect, once they provide you with the corresponding cultivation secret techniques, the rest is up to you.¡± ¡°Whether you are slow in cultivating, dying of old age, perishing from the Heavenly Tribtion, killed by enemy cultivators, or even dying at the hands of fellow sect members, that¡¯s all because you were less skilled, and the sect has no need to protect you.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t that social Darwinism?¡± Wei Dongliu remarked. ¡°What¡¯s Darwin?¡± Jiang Liyan asked curiously. ¡°Never mind,¡± Wei Dongliu said thoughtfully. ¡°You think I should use this method too, letting Guo Jin and Wang Cong freelypete and improve on their own?¡± Jiang Liyan: ¡­¡­ So you¡¯re saying you only learn the bad things, not the good ones, huh? After watching the scenery from the mountaintop for a while, they both began to feel the chill and decided to return to the warm Tong Xuan Gate base. Inside the belly of Shiping Mountain, Guo Jin and Wang Cong hadpleted their Fasting and were practicing Breathing and Qi Refinement to open up their Qi Sea.
Guo Jin¡¯s cultivation speed was slower, but his foundation was very solid, and he had a thorough grasp on the Demon Purifying Qi Scripture. Wang Cong progressed faster, but he often looked for shortcuts and had subtle misunderstandings about the Demon Purifying Qi Scripture. It was all thanks to Guo Jin¡¯s corrections that she got back on track. Of course, Guo Jin was not what you¡¯d call highly perceptive¡ªwhenever he encountered problems understanding the scriptures, no matter how simple, he would take them to his master, much to Wei Dongliu¡¯s annoyance, who preferred to pass as many of them as possible to Jiang the Witch. But as for Jiang the Witch probing into our Sect¡¯s Qi Refining Technique, Wang Cong had recently also sneakily reported this to the master.
Although the Demon Purifying Qi Scripture was quite intricately designed, with Wei Dongliu in possession of the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,¡± he didn¡¯t consider it a closely-guarded secret never to be divulged; thus, he allowed Jiang Liyan to probe it at will. Jiang Liyan certainly didn¡¯t miss this opportunity, answering any questions they had in great detail. It¡¯s just that before answering, she couldn¡¯t help but confirm details of the Demon Purifying Qi Scripture under the guise of ¡°rifying their questions.¡± Guo Jin was okay with it; Wang Cong, on the other hand, felt like crying without tears. On one hand, she sensed that this Senior Sister had ulterior motives, with her problem-solving seeming somewhat intentional. On the other hand, Senior Sister¡¯s serious and responsible demeanor while clearing up queries was indeed much better than her master¡¯s¡­ Forget it, since the master doesn¡¯t mind, it¡¯s not for me, a mere Qi Refining Rank disciple, to worry. ¡°Jiang Sister, I have a question I¡¯d like to ask you~¡± Seeing Jiang Liyane in, she approached her eagerly, speaking sweetly. ¡°What¡¯s the question?¡± smiled Jiang Liyan amiably. She had an excellent impression of the young girl; on one hand because her personality and cleverness were quite simr to her own and on the other, because of her past uncherished status in the Wang family, which evoked an involuntary empathy in Jiang Liyan. Of course, the girl¡¯s constant wariness towards her gave Jiang Liyan a sense of ironic frustration. ¡°You¡¯re thinking in the wrong direction here,¡± Jiang Liyanughed after hearing Wang Cong¡¯s question, ¡°Pure Qi is nimble, while turbid qi is sluggish; hence, the pathways for their cirction differ.¡± ¡°Pure Qi supports your Microcosmic Orbit, so you should store it in the Qi Sea and circte it through your meridians.¡±
¡°Turbid qi drives magic, fights, and kills. But it has hard-to-remove impurities, so it must be enveloped many times over with pure qi to ensure none of it leaks out.¡± ¡°Of course, when you reach the Refining Mansion phaseter, the pure qi will condense into True Yuan and the turbid qi into Demonic Qi, and you¡¯lle to a deeper understanding then.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s how it is, thank you, Jiang Sister.¡± Wang Cong knew how to speak pleasingly, aware that calling her ¡°sister¡± rather than ¡°senior¡± would make Jiang the Witch happier, the specifics of which naturally didn¡¯t need to be stated. Wang Cong had just left when Guo Jin came running over from the other side and said respectfully: ¡°Senior Jiang, I have a few questions to ask as well.¡± ¡°Mhm, what questions?¡± asked Jiang Liyan, patiently. Listening to Guo Jin finish his questions, Jiang Liyan couldn¡¯t help but marvel at the¡­ delicacy and simplicity of them, and thus she exined to him in the most straightforward manner. After listening, Guo Jin had an epiphany, solemnly thanked her, and then left. Jiang Liyan watched his receding figure, reflecting in her mind. Wang Cong was shrewd, but her w was her impatience; she tended to skim over many things without seeking in-depth understanding. Guo Jin¡¯s fixation on details wasmendable, yet his problem was the inability to prioritize; he¡¯d ponder over some inconsequential questions for ages. However, since their initiation up to now, the growth of these two disciples had indeed been startling, particrly in how they cooperated and learned from each other. When Guo Jin was slow to understand, Wang Cong would often give him pointers to help hime around; when Wang Cong was impatient, Guo Jin would make her read carefully and think deeply.
Watching these two disciples grow increasingly excellent gave Jiang Liyan a sense of achievement, as if her own disciples were maturing before her eyes. Hold on, that¡¯s not right! They are not my disciples! What on Earth is Wei Dongliu doing? Chapter 192: 54 Setting Off! Searching for the Flying Smoke Sword Chapter 192: Chapter 54 Setting Off! Searching for the Flying Smoke Sword Wei Dongliu had his reasons for ying the role of a hands-off master. Firstly, his ultimate goal was not to expand and glorify ¡°Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect¡±. Instead, it was to establish awork of contacts within the Demonic Path to search for the whereabouts of the Hell Path. Secondly, with the talents of Guo Jin and Wang Cong, it was almost impossible for them to embark on the path of cultivation. Wei Dongliu took them as disciples with the purpose of having them help collect information, rather than to cultivate their talents¡­ Although it sounds cruel, Wei Dongliu doubted that either of them would even find it difficult to form an Intermediate Grade Golden Core. He could only y the role of a guide; as for how high they could climb, that was up to them! After entrusting his two disciples to Jiang Liyan, Wei Dongliu set off to meet with the people of Kunlun. The time arranged by Kunlun was precisely one day before Qiu Changtian¡¯s ¡°Debating Scriptures Conference¡± in Kunlun. It seemed coincidental, but upon closer consideration, it appeared to have been predestined. Wei Dongliu rode his sword westward, arriving on the outskirts of Xining County. Unexpectedly, the Kunlun Cultivator who came to meet him turned out to be an old acquaintance of Qiu Changtian.
The Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm, Xu Changqing. Upon meeting, Wei Dongliu sharply detected that Xu Changqing¡¯s Divine Sense had immediately fallen upon him. Using Divine Sense to probe others is considered exceedingly unfriendly in the Cultivation Realm, as it is often a precursor to an attack during a magicalpetition. As a result, many cultivators interpret the probing of Divine Sense as a sign that the other party is about to make a move. However, Wei Dongliu had no reaction, as the Divine Sense came quickly and left just as fast, seemingly only to confirm whether there were any traces of magic usage on him¡­ which is to say, remnants of turbid qi. ¡°Who goes there?¡± Xu Changqing asked coldly. ¡°A mere Loose Cultivator, Guo Jin,¡± Wei Dongliu replied with a bow. Xu Changqing nodded indifferently. There was no turbid qi on the other person, indicating that he hadn¡¯t practiced Demonic Cultivation Methods, but he still asked: ¡°Being a Loose Cultivator, why would you collude with the Demon Path Cultivator of the Nether Ghost Path?¡± ¡°I have not colluded,¡± Wei Dongliu wouldn¡¯t make the low-level error of answering such a leading question, simply stating, ¡°Someone asked me to deliver an item to your Sect and to retrieve the corresponding reward.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Xu Changqing¡¯s expression shifted subtly, and he inquired with profound meaning, ¡°Aren¡¯t they afraid you might take the reward and flee afterpleting the trade?¡± ¡°They¡¯re not afraid,¡± Wei Dongliu responded calmly, ¡°because I won¡¯t.¡± ¡°How can you be so sure?¡± ¡°Integrity.¡± Xu Changqing: ¡­¡­ Even with his broad experience, he had never encountered such a ¡°frank¡± Loose Cultivator. Catching the Jade Slip thrown by Wei Dongliu, Xu Changqing probed it with his Divine Sense, examining it in detail. His brows furrowed deeply. ¡°Is the information recorded here true?¡± he asked in a grave tone. ¡°I do not know,¡± Wei Dongliu replied earnestly, ¡°My only responsibility was to deliver the item; I did not view its contents.¡± Xu Changqing looked at him suspiciously, as if trying to detect any trace of lying on his face, but eventually gave up.
He drew a Storage Bag from his sleeve and threw it in Wei Dongliu¡¯s direction. Seeing Wei Dongliu catch it, Xu Changqing warned him again: ¡°If you join the Demonic Path afterward, then you will be an enemy of Kunlun!¡± With that said, he stepped onto a streak of Sword Light and headed west. Wei Dongliu checked the contents of the Storage Bag, even feeling an impulse to take the money and run for a moment.
Of course, this identity was not to be squandered in such a way, so after a brief pause, he carefully stowed it away. Returning to the dpidated temple at Mount Wutai where he had been before, Wei Dongliu saw Wen Yang waiting for him there. ¡°Wei Dongliu indeed keeps his word,¡± Wen Yang said with great joy after checking the storage bag, immediately taking out his share and handing it over to him, ¡°Thank you so much.¡± ¡°You¡¯re wee.¡± Wei Dongliu epted the bag. ¡°Friend Wei is an honest man,¡± Wen Yang began, hesitating as if he wanted to say something but stopping himself, then after a long pause continued cautiously, ¡°But¡­ why would you have dealings with a Demon Path cultivator of the Heavenly Demon Path?¡± ¡°What leads you to say that?¡± Wei Dongliu asked in surprise. ¡°It is not my intention to stir up trouble,¡± Wen Yang started in an attempt to cover up, then tactfully added, ¡°Everyone says that my Nether Ghost Path is cruel in its infighting, often resulting in the overthrow of the superior by the inferior, but who knows that the infighting in the Heavenly Demon Path is a hundred times more brutal than in my Sect?¡± ¡°The Heavenly Demon Path conspires with Heavenly Demons, often capturing the weakest disciples to sacrifice to the Heavenly Demons.¡± ¡°Nether Ghost Path disciples can still protect themselves if they do not seek to contend, but there are no weak or mediocre ones among the Demon Path cultivators; each and every one has survived through bloody storms.¡± Wei Dongliu¡¯s face remained expressionless, but inside he was stunned: True to its reputation as a Demon Cult, this Sect¡¯spetitive nature is indeed far fiercer than the Orthodox Sects! While Kunlun is still maintaining a ¡®once-and-for-all¡¯ philosophy, the Nether Ghost Path has already started to implement ¡®promotion and demotion,¡¯ and the Heavenly Demon Path has even begun ¡®elimination of the lowest-ranked¡¯! ¡°Jiang Liyan started her training thetest and is the youngest in seniority, so logically her strength should be the weakest,¡± Wen Yang went on, a hint of wariness shing across his expression, ¡°But since her induction, three of her senior fellow sisters above her have perished, each with different causes of death¡ªbut virtually none rted to her.¡± ¡°I think that Friend Wei is a person worth establishing a deeper rtionship with,¡± he said as he waved his sleeve, summoning a cluster of gray-white Sword Light and rising into the air on his sword, ¡°I also hope you don¡¯t end up dead in an unexined manner someday, to my regret and frustration.¡±
As Wen Yang departed on his sword disappearing into the horizon, Wei Dongliu gazed intensely at the sky for a long time, then suddenly smiled coldly. Stirring up trouble, huh? Think I¡¯ll fall for it? He had just returned to Shiping Mountain when he saw Guo Jin and Wang Cong engaging in a swordfight. Both were beginners, just having learned how to channel True Qi, and their Flying Sword control was awkward and unstable, making Wei Dongliu find it unbearable to watch. Jiang Liyan had set up a little wooden bed by thekeside, covered with thick sheep wool and brocade,fortably napping in the afternoon sun. From above her head, pure sunlight seeped through a narrow gap in the mountains, shining on her curled slender body, stirring a sudden tender and protective feeling in Wei Dongliu. Of course, with the Kunlun Mirror in his possession, it certainly wasn¡¯t any Illusion Technique, just the natural male instinct of yearning for beauty. ¡°Friend Jiang,¡± Wei Dongliu nudged the wooden bed. ¡°Hmm?¡± Jiang Liyan rubbed her eyes groggily. ¡°I need to step out for a while soon, and I would trouble you to look after the two disciples,¡± Wei Dongliu said softly. ¡°Mhm¡­¡± Jiang Liyan turned over and went back to sleep. After an unknown amount of time, she suddenly opened her eyes on the wooden bed: Wait, what did he just say to me?
Did he just dump his disciples on me again??? Jiang the Witch jumped from the bed and hastily flew out of the cave on her sword, only to see the vast sky and earth, no trace of Wei Dongliu to be found. ¡°Dammit!¡± Her expression shifted unpredictably, but then she reached into her storage bag and pulled out a ghastly pale and decayed Demon Head, which she held aloft in the center of her palm, muttering to it: ¡°Heavenly Demon invades the scenery, revealing every trace! Find that damn fool for me!¡± After a moment, the Demon Head suddenly cackled eerily and turned its face toward the south. ¡­¡­ Not long before, Wei Dongliu had been propelling the ¡°Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle of the Universe¡¯s Creation,¡± speeding towards the south. ¡°There should be a golden-bearded giant turtle in the Southern Sea,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword told him, ¡°Its body is immense, forming an ind of its own, floating in the Southern Sea with the Flying Smoke Sword embedded in the center of its shell.¡± ¡°Of course, this is what other Sword Spirits from the Sword Pool shared with me thousands of years ago, and some time has passed since then¡ªso there might be some changes, and you need to be prepared.¡± ¡°No problem,¡± Wei Dongliu said decisively, ¡°I have to try anyway. Senior Sister An sacrificed her Frostfall Sword for me, I can¡¯t let her be without a Life-bound Sword Artifact forever.¡± Chapter 193: 55: Chase to the Southern Sea Chapter 193: Chapter 55: Chase to the Southern Sea The Southern Sea, from its appearance alone, more closely resembled the blue of the sky, while the depths of the East Sea were a profound azure. Regarding aquatic demonic beasts, the Southern Sea was less frequented by therge types found in the East Sea, but there was a noticeable increase in groups that moved in formation¡­ and they were also more sensitive andbative. After firing the Five Elements Divine Light once more, felling an entire school of swordfish, Wei Dongliu turned his gaze toward the distance and couldn¡¯t help but feel a headacheing on. That Gold-whiskered Turtle¡­ where on earth could it be? With the vast sea before me, when will I ever find it? ¡°It should be close by,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword said. ¡°That was thousands of years ago in this vicinity,¡± Wei Dongliu said somewhat speechlessly. ¡°It¡¯s not like the turtle has roots tethering it to the spot. How could it possibly remain in the same ce?¡± ¡°Gold-whiskered Turtles love to eat Southern Sea horse mackerel,¡± the Kunlun Mirror suggested. ¡°It¡¯s December now; the horse mackerel schools should be in the southern sea currents to avoid the cold.¡± ¡°Worthy of you, Ah Jing!¡± Wei Dongliu praised. When in doubt about external matters, one should consult Ah Jing. Qing Ping is, after all, not as learned as Ah Jing. Hovering in the air for a moment, Wei Dongliu was about to proceed when he suddenly saw a sh of light shoot towards him from behind.
¡°Daoist Wei!¡± Jiang the Witch halted her advance in front of him, then revealed a feigned, relieved smile. ¡°Why have you not returned for so long? I thought the people of Kunlun had captured you.¡± Her seemingly sincere and earnest words paired with her innocent expression made Wei Dongliu also start to doubt. Was it possible that when I returned to Shiping Mountain, she was really asleep so deeply that she didn¡¯t hear what I told her? ¡°Thank you for your concern, Daoist friend,¡± Wei Dongliu said with a wry smile. ¡°The trip to Kunlun was smooth. As for my being here, it¡¯s to look for a sword.¡± ¡°A sword?¡± Jiang Liyan disyed a perfectly curious look. ¡°Yes, this sword I seek for a good friend, and it was he who provided the information about the sword,¡± Wei Dongliu replied. ¡°To have Daoist Wei¡¯s friend worried must mean it¡¯s undoubtedly a Tenth Rank Immortal Sword,¡± Jiang Liyan said with a smile. ¡°No, it¡¯s not for his own use, but rather he is fulfilling another¡¯s request. Since he was too busy to do it himself, he asked me to search for the sword,¡± Wei Dongliu said gravely. It was a precautionary warning for Jiang the Witch: to let her know that this Flying Smoke Sword had been ¡°passed around¡± and ¡°transferred several times¡± before finally ending up in An Zhisu¡¯s hands, thereby disconnecting Ling Yunpo and Wei Dongliu¡¯s association. ¡°Is that so?¡± Jiang Liyan chuckled and inwardly marveled. It sounded like a veryplicatedwork of connections? No wonder Wei Dongliu, though a Loose Cultivator, knew much about the great affairs of the world. It turned out to be because he had connections with many other cultivators¡­ Having information like the Immortal Sword, does his origin lie in Peni or Shushan? [Mysterious character setting, Synchronization Value +1.] Upon hearing the prompt from the Kunlun Mirror, Wei Dongliu was slightly surprised. I just made up an excuse; how could the synchronization value of the mysterious character setting increase? This Jiang Witch¡­ with such extraordinary imagination, she¡¯s just too adorable! He gave her a meaningful look and said with a smile: ¡°Well, now that Daoist Jiang hase this far, would you like to apany me on my journey, or shall you return?¡± Jiang Liyan pondered for a swift moment, then replied with a radiant smile: ¡°Havinge all this way, if I were to return now, wouldn¡¯t that be disappointing?¡± Sure enough, Wei Dongliu smiled:
¡°Then let¡¯s go, Daoist Jiang.¡± This witch had an extraordinary curiosity. Whether it was her true nature or a facade she had deliberately constructed, at least for the time being, it could be used to anticipate her actions. The two continued flying on their swords, and Wei Dongliu detailed his objective and the clues provided by the Kunlun Mirror.
¡°I see, so if we find the school of Southern Sea horse mackerel, we can follow the trail to trace the whereabouts of that Gold-whiskered Turtle, right?¡± Jiang Liyan said with a smiling twinkle in her eye while secretly making her own calctions, ¡°The Southern Sea currents¡­ I am aware of them, they should be over a thousand miles south of here in the depths of the Southern Sea.¡± ¡°Thank you, Daoist Jiang, for leading the way,¡± Wei Dongliu said, pleased. After an unknown amount of time, the two finally arrived deep in the Southern Sea. The sunlight here was extremely intense, hardly resembling winter at all. The water below had turned the color of emerald green, and upon closer inspection, there was arge amount of seaweed drifting among it. Looking down, Jiang Liyan said, ¡°The sea horses sustain themselves on these seaweed fruits, so that Golden Whisker Tortoise should also be nearby¡ªif it does indeed exist.¡± ¡°It should be in the nearby waters,¡± said Wei Dongliu, who naturally could not tell her that the news came from thousands of years ago. Heughed and said, ¡°Even if we end up empty-handed, it won¡¯t be a wasted trip for Daoist Jiang.¡± ¡°You¡¯re too kind, Daoist Wei,¡± Jiang Liyan said, covering her mouth with augh. After searching for roughly another hour, they finally arrived at a small ind. ¡°Is this the ce?¡± Jiang Liyan circled above the small ind. ¡°It doesn¡¯t look like a tortoise, does it?¡± ¡°This is the ce,¡± Wei Dongliu affirmed. ¡°The Golden Whisker Tortoise, with a shell that spans a hundred miles and supports earth to form mountains, drifts back and forth across the seas. If Daoist Jiang wishes to verify, you might dive beneath the waters to see if the ind¡¯s base has four limbs and a head.¡± ¡°No need, I naturally believe you,¡± Jiang Liyan said nonchntly, though inwardly she chuckled to herself. The Golden Whisker Tortoise feeds on sea horses in the ocean, so it usually buries its head beneath the sea¡¯s surface.
If I rashly dive in, what would I do if it suddenly decided to snap at me? Seeing her change the topic, Wei Dongliu followed the descent of his Sword Light downward,nding on the edge of a towering bamboo grove. Having circled above the ind for a long time, the two had a clear view of most areas, but this dense bamboo grove, with its fluttering fragmented leaves, obscured whatevery within. Moreover, the bamboo grove¡¯s location¡ªall too conveniently in the center of the ind¡ªaroused Wei Dongliu¡¯s suspicions even further. Jiang Liyan followed him tond, and saw a densely packed bamboo forest in front of them, each bamboo shoot nearly twenty to thirty feet high, far exceeding the height that ordinary bamboo could grow. The bamboo grew so densely between each other that it was almost impossible to walk through. It took a long while for the two to navigate around the grove until they found a small path through the wilderness that they could pass through. Entering the bamboo forest, they saw the harsh sunlight disappear immediately above them, reced by the cool shade of the bamboo. ¡°Formation,¡± Wei Dongliu suddenly said. ¡°Do you recognize this formation, Daoist Wei?¡± Jiang Liyan quickly asked. ¡°The Mustard Seed Mt. Sumeru Formation,¡± Wei Dongliu replied, having seen this formation before in the library of the Gui Xu annex, ¡°It¡¯s just used for concealing a Secret Realm.¡± ¡°There¡¯s a Secret Realm here?¡± Jiang Liyan eximed. ¡°Hard to say,¡± Wei Dongliu shook his head, ¡°The Mustard Seed Mt. Sumeru Formation can contain a Secret Realm, but it doesn¡¯t mean that there must be one.¡± ¡°But it sounds like a very high-level formation?¡± Jiang Liyan pondered.
¡°At least Earth Immortal Rank,¡± Wei Dongliu replied. Earth Immortal¡­ Jiang Liyan fell silent. There are four sses of immortals: Earth Immortals, Heavenly Immortals, Golden Immortals, and Daluo Golden Immortals. Among them, the Earth Immortal Rank is the lowest and most numerous, with the closest ties to the Cultivation Realm; they are also known as the ¡°Land Deities.¡± Of course, even the lowest rank of immortals is not something that two mere Refining Mansion Rank cultivators can handle. ¡°Earth Immortal Rank simply refers to the rank, and does not mean that the Formation Setter is within the Array,¡± Wei Dongliu saw her concerns and tried to reassure her. ¡°This Array itself has no offensive power, so there¡¯s no need to worry too much.¡± Seeing his calm, Jiang Liyan also cooled down and thought to herself: How manynd deities can there be in this world, just waiting to be encountered? It¡¯s probably been set up a long time ago! Chapter 194: 56 Suppressing Jiang the Witch Chapter 194: Chapter 56 Suppressing Jiang the Witch The two continued to walk through the bamboo forest, feeling the gentle breeze brush their faces, refreshingly pleasant. The wind whispered through the fragmented leaves of the bamboo, like the low chanting of scriptures, an indistinct murmuring barely audible. If Miss Shi were here, she would probably be terrified, trembling with fear, and wishing she could hide in Luo Yan¡¯s arms. But Jiang the Witch was not afraid at all; she had seen far stranger scenes than this. As she moved, she kept waving the sleeves of her robe, sending out eerie ck lights that circled around her before quietly flying back. ¡°Is that the spell of the Heavenly Demon Path for manipting demon heads?¡± Wei Dongliu casually asked. ¡°It¡¯s just a minor trick,¡± Jiang Liyan replied with a coquettish smile, ¡°hardly worth mentioning.¡± Seeing she was reluctant to say more, Wei Dongliu did not pursue the topic. Instead, he asked seriously: ¡°Did you notice anything?¡± ¡°The demon heads don¡¯t like this ce,¡± Jiang Liyan replied. ¡°There¡¯s an aura nearby that they find quite displeasing¡­ hmm, it¡¯s not the spellcraft of an Orthodox Sect, but rather it smells somewhat of the bald monks.¡± ¡°Buddhist cultivators?¡± Wei Dongliu frowned slightly, ¡°But I wonder from which Buddhist Sect.¡±
Just as the Daoist Sect is divided into the rify and Intercepting Cults, the Buddhist Sect is not monolithic, but as religious sects, they can internally be differentiated into a progressive left faction and a conservative right faction. The rify Cult emphasizes ¡°teaching ording to one¡¯s abilities¡±, valuing objective conditions more than subjective will; people without the aptitude for spiritual practice are advised against it, instead they should farm, conduct business, or study¡­ Due to theirck of interest in spreading their teachings, they are part of the conservative right faction. The Intercepting Cult, on the other hand, believes in ¡°education for all¡±, asserting that human will can triumph over fate; even those with lesser aptitude can set foot on the path of cultivation if they have the heart for it¡­ Thus, they tend to recruit as many disciples as possible to expand their influence, belonging to the progressive left faction. Currently, the Three Pure Orthodox Sect is thriving while the Demon Cult¡¯s Six Paths are being suppressed, it could be said that the Daoist conservative faction is prevailing. However, the situation ispletely reversed within the Buddhist Sect. The Theravada school of Buddhism, with its conservative view, advocates for ¡°to save others, one must first save oneself¡±; while the Mahayana school believes that ¡°all beings can be saved,¡± hence it belongs to the progressive left faction. Since the followers of Theravada Buddhism prefer to live in seclusion and do not venture out much, those who travel outside and engage with other sects are almost invariably from the Mahayana school. If the one secluded here belongs to the Theravada Buddhism, it is highly likely they will ignore Wei Dongliu and Jiang Liyan, which means they wouldn¡¯t persecute them nor offer any assistance. But if it is the Mahayana school, depending on their stance towards the Intercepting Cult and Loose Cultivators, the specifics could be much more variable. Wei Dongliu pondered carefully and continued deeper with Jiang the Witch, until atst they saw an ancient temple ahead. Although it was referred to as ¡°an ancient temple¡±, a closer look revealed it to be aplex of temples. As the two drew nearer, more buildings seemed to squeeze out from the void, stretching out to both sides. Jiang Liyan was clearly hesitant, but Wei Dongliu knew it was the automatic shifting of the Mustard Seed Mount Meru Formation, and thus he stepped onto the staircase without hesitation, walking towards the heart of the ancient temple. Seeing his decisiveness, Jiang the Witch had no choice but to follow with gritted teeth, her hand already grasping a spell. They ascended the steps, crossed the main gate, and saw within the vast temple hall only an old monk with his back to them, sitting upright on a meditation cushion, hunched over as he rhythmically struck a wooden fish. Towering Buddha statues, two to three zhang tall, were arrayed on either side, their heads almost level with the rafters. What was even stranger was that these Buddha statues were not benevolent andpassionate; instead, each depicted various emotions¡ªjoy, anger, sorrow, and pleasure¡ªshowing the diverse expressions of mortal life. On closer inspection, these expressions were all exceedingly peculiar. Theughing Buddha statue was indeed smiling, but with eyebrows drooping, as if forcing a cheerful countenance. The weeping Buddha statue was indeed crying, yet the corners of its mouth were slightly upturned, as though feigning sorrow. Even the angry Buddha statue, with its wide-open eyes, conveyed a sense of cold indifference and cruelty¡­ All in all, the faces of the Buddha statues seemed to be the creations of some soulful artisan.
Well, it seems my earlier assumptions were off, Wei Dongliu thought to himself. This isn¡¯t a ce of the Mahayana nor Theravada Buddhism, but rather some kind of unusual heresy. Once again, his gaze fell upon the old monk before him, and he thought to himself: ¡°Ah Jing, scan it.¡± If it were a Divine Sense scan, it might be detected by the other party, but there would be no such issue with the Kunlun Mirror taking action.
Ah Jing, forever divine! ¡°A Buddha Candle Demon,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°Its cultivation level is roughly in the Demon King Realm, specifics unknown.¡± The so-called Buddha Candle Demon is an everbrightmp that has turned into a demon in many dpidated monasteries, amon phenomenon. But reaching the Demon King Realm is truly rare, almost equivalent to a cultivator¡¯s Earth Immortal Realm. With this thought in mind, Wei Dongliu suddenly saw the old monk in front of him slowly stand up, turn around, and say, ¡°It is rare for our monastery to have visitors, and we are not well-prepared to receive guests, please forgive us.¡± Before the sound of his voice had faded, a long table suddenly appeared before them, on which were ced two cdon cups of in flower design, filled with fragrant tea, steaming hot. Wei Dongliu¡¯s eyes twitched. Although it was the hour of Shen, which was suitable for drinking tea, who would dare to drink this tea of unknown origin? Jiang Liyan also dared not drink it, merely staring at the old monk, hesitating over whether or not to make a move and test him. As if sensing her inner thoughts, the old monk suddenly raised his eyebrows and shouted at her, ¡°You cunning demon! You almost slipped past, daring to enter my Mahavira Hall so brazenly!¡± No sooner had he finished speaking than Jiang Liyan spread her robe¡¯s sleeves, from which several points of ck light shot out, viciously lunging toward the old monk! The old monk¡¯s expression did not change as he simply stretched out his hand and flicked his fingers, instantly shattering the points of ck light, shocking Jiang Liyan into a pale retreat out of the hall while she shouted out loud:
¡°An immortal! Fellow Daoist Wei, run quickly!¡± Before she could escape the main hall, a gigantic purple-gold alms bowl descended from the sky, and with a ¡°smack,¡± like a fly swatter hitting an insect, Jiang Liyan was pped to the ground. Fortunately, the old monk seemed to have held back, so Jiang the Witch did not turn into a mass of mush, but was merely trapped by the Alms Bowl Treasure, pressed halfway into the ground and unable to move, her expression fluctuating uncertainly. ¡°How curious, how strange,¡± the old monk murmured, walking next to the alms bowl, peering at the dispirited Jiang the Witch and musing, ¡°How can you, a demon, still manage to speak humannguage? And even know to urge your aplice to flee?¡± ¡°Great Master~¡± Jiang Liyan began to weep, her eyes filled with tears like rain on pear blossoms, pleadingly said, ¡°I was born poor and inadvertently went astray onto the Demonic Path, yet I often feel remorse and pity for myself. If the great master could showpassion, as soon as I leave here, I would correct my ways and seek a reputable Daoist sect to follow the path of goodness!¡± She swore oath after oath, repeatedly pleading in a soft voice, but the old monk paid no attention, only turning his head to look at Wei Dongliu and asked: ¡°You seem to practice orthodox Daoist magic, so what is this demon to you?¡± Wei Dongliu hesitated slightly, his gaze noticing Jiang Liyan next to him, trapped by the alms bowl, her expression one of pleading and distress. Indeed, if he admitted any connection with her, he might be treated by the old monk as a fellow demon, and be executed alongside her¡­ But you¡¯re a demon yourself! Disguised as a human high monk, talking of ying viins and eradicating evil? Gathering all the clues at hand, Wei Dongliu immediately made a deduction and said, ¡°Jiang Daoist friend came here with me. We are old acquaintances. If we have caused any offense, we ask for the great master¡¯s forgiveness.¡± The old monk looked somewhat surprised on hearing this, while Jiang Liyan slightly opened her mouth, looking at him with aplex expression.
¡°Why would you¡­ s, Amitabha.¡± The old monk then put his palms together, chanting a verse: ¡°Once human form is lost, countless kalpas cannot restore. Temporarily residing in the mortal world, yet always dwelling in Hell. Endless suffering is the retribution, originating from the three poisons. Attachments and love ensnare, entangling oneself. Without generating revulsion, when can liberation be sought?¡± While shaking his head and chanting, he also sat back down on the meditation cushion and started to vigorously strike the wooden fish. Chapter 195: 57: Encounter with the Heavenly Demon in the Demon-Imprisoning Hall Chapter 195: Chapter 57: Encounter with the Heavenly Demon in the Demon-Imprisoning Hall The old monk continued to strike the wooden fish, his mouth ceaselessly reciting scriptures. ¡°How should I address senior?¡± Wei Dongliu asked respectfully. The other party did not respond. ¡°The path senior cultivates, is it Mahayana, Theravada, or Hinayana?¡± Wei Dongliu asked again. The other party still did not respond. ¡°Although mypanion has cultivated the Demonic Path, they are not beyond redemption,¡± Wei Dongliu carefully pleaded, ¡°If senior could be lenient, I would be immensely grateful.¡± The other party still did not respond, merely buried his head in continuously beating the wooden fish. Wei Dongliu turned around and cast a helpless expression at the pitiful-looking Jiang Liyan. Jiang Liyan responded with a pleading ¡°please help me¡± gaze. Wei Dongliu ignored her plea for help and was about to walk further inside when he suddenly heard the old monk say:
¡°Releasing her is possible, but with two conditions.¡± ¡°First, she has too heavy a karmic debt. If you ask me to release her, that karmic debt will be transferred to you, and you must shoulder it.¡± ¡°Second, you must find the Flying Smoke Sword, which is deep within the inner hall.¡± ¡°However, the inner hall has been upied by demons. If you wish to retrieve the sword, you must pass through there, and first transcribe scriptures here, otherwise entering will lead to certain death.¡± Wei Dongliu: ? He wanted to say something more, but the old monk simply gestured, and immediately in front of him appeared a desk, a chair, rice paper, writing brush, ink, and a neatly stacked pile of thread-bound books. Alright, you¡¯re a celestial being, so you call the shots. So Wei Dongliu settled his heart and mind, sat down on the chair, and methodically began to grind ink. Jiang Liyan, half-trapped under the alms bowl, alternated between watching Wei Dongliu, who was intently transcribing, and peeking at the old monk chanting sutras and reciting Buddhist scriptures. The initial panic of confinement subsided, and her eyes began to roll around curiously. After copying one sheet of rice paper, Wei Dongliu suddenly sensed something amiss. This seemed¡­ not quite like the Buddhist Scriptures that speak of reason and the profound, but rather like a collection of fables made up of many short stories, mainly describing how the Sixth Heavenly Demon King, Poxun, engaged in magicalpetition with the great powers of Buddhism. ording to the scriptures, above the Heavenly Dome is the Desire Realm, which has six heavens, of which the highest is called ¡°Transformational Freedom Heaven.¡± The beings of the Desire Realm, each skilled in shape-shifting, can stir up people¡¯s six inner desires, corrupt their Daoist foundations, and cause people to fall without noticing, making it the ¡°most evil of the Desire Realm.¡± Consequently, it is known as the Heavenly Demon. At the highest point of Transformational Freedom Heaven resides the Sixth Heavenly Demon King, ¡°Poxun,¡± with his five hundred daughters known as ¡°Witches,¡± along with his subordinates ¡°demon servants, demon offspring, demon wives, and various demon attendants, males and females,¡± who often descend to the Lower Realm to disrupt the cultivators¡¯ practice. After transcribing all the scriptures on the desk, Wei Dongliu had gained an extremelyprehensive understanding of what kind of creature the ¡°Heavenly Demon¡± was, and also surmised what kind of ¡°demons¡± would be waiting for him in the inner hall. ¡°Thank you, Master,¡± he said, standing up and bowing sincerely to the old monk. The old monk still paid no attention. Wei Dongliu approached the alms bowl, squatted down, and said to Jiang Liyan: ¡°I must ask Daoist Jiang to wait here for a while. I¡¯ll be back soon.¡± Jiang the Witch really wanted to say, ¡°Don¡¯t leave me,¡± but she was not impulsive by nature and understood that at this point she could only hope that the old monk would keep his word. So she put on a wless smile and said:
¡°Go on, Daoist Wei. I can hold on for a little longer.¡± ¡°Mm,¡± Wei Dongliu stood, and walked toward the back of the grand hall. After turning past the main hall, he saw that the surrounding light suddenly became deeper. The candle mes on the walls flickered uncertainly, and the terrain began to slope downward.
Soon, he came upon another side hall, above which hung a signboard with threerge characters: Demon-Imprisoning Hall. Wei Dongliu moved without a sound, cautiously instructing Ah Jing to help monitor the surroundings for dangers, then he stepped forward and walked in. Inside, a wide roady straight ahead, nked on both sides by row upon row of Arhat statues, some expressionless and silent, others with brows raised in anger, each uniformly holding an alms bowl in their hands. In each alms bowl, there was a continuous banging sound, as if something within was striking the inner walls. Perhaps Heavenly Demons were imprisoned inside? This thought suddenly crossed Wei Dongliu¡¯s mind. After turning several corners ahead, he suddenly realized he was getting lost. Within the Demon-Imprisoning Hall, there were Arhat statues on both sides, with no distinctive structures for orientation, leaving one unable to discern the directions of east, west, south, and north. Just as he was about to ask Ah Jing if it could make a small map or something to record the route he had walked, he saw a cluster of ck fog suddenly turn out from up ahead. The fog approached swiftly, almost instantly engulfing him, but Wei Dongliu remained undaunted, merely drawing out the Five Elements Divine Light and casually sweeping it towards the other party, at which point a scream immediately pierced his ears. ¡°Immortal, spare my life!¡± Seeing the divine light was overwhelmingly fierce, the other party decisively employed a lizard¡¯s tail-cutting strategy, splitting off just a small wisp of fog to escape the range of the Five Elements Divine Light, then rolled upon hitting the ground, transforming into a beautifully shaped woman who pleaded pitifully: ¡°This unworthy woman was rash and offended the Immortal, deserving punishment, but I must boldly request that the Immortal spare my life!¡± ¡°Are you a Heavenly Demon?¡± Wei Dongliu stopped the divine light and asked indifferently.
¡°Yes,¡± said the woman timidly, ¡°my name is ¡®Ailian,¡¯ and if the Immortal wishes to search for something, I am willing to guide you.¡± Ailian? Wei Dongliu¡¯s eyebrows furrowed slightly as he recalled some scriptures he had copied before. It was said that the Sixth Heavenly Demon King Poxun had five hundred daughters, each possessing the ability to transform in myriad ways. When walking the Lower Realm, they often took ¡°Love¡± as their surname¡­ so he asked: ¡°Are you a daughter of Demon Poxun?¡± Ailian immediately prostrated on the ground, trembling as she said: ¡°No, how could someone like me be worthy of being a princess? This name was not granted by His Majesty, I merely chose it at random.¡± Wei Dongliu listened patiently, thinking that Heavenly Demons are inherently sly, and he couldn¡¯t tell whether this was really the case or if she was deliberately spinning lies to deceive him, so he continued to question: ¡°Why are you here?¡± Ailian spoke softly and meekly: ¡°Reporting to the Immortal, this ce used to be Golden Turtle Ind of the Intercepting Cult, where several Immortals of the Intercepting Cult invited us Celestials from the Heaven Realm to the Lower Realm, to enjoy the music and dance, sharing the festivities.¡± ¡°Later, during the great war between rify Cult and Intercepting Cult, Golden Turtle Ind also fell into the chaos of war. Some of us Celestials escaped back to the Heaven Realm, but those left behind, unable to escape in time, were suppressed and imprisoned by the powers of the Western Cult, and it has already been more than ten thousand years.¡± ¡°However, I managed to break free from the seal¡¯s bind almost a few hundred years ago, yet I am unable to leave this great hall. My earlier transgression against the Immortal was an attempt totch onto the Immortal to leave this ce, but I truly didn¡¯t dare harbor any malicious intentions, please forgive me.¡± Wei Dongliu listened to her exnation with an impassive face, thinking that the Heavenly Demon was indeed full of deceitful talk.
Cultivators of the Intercepting Cult using Heavenly Demons for their own purposes, am I not aware of that? Most likely, the Intercepting Cult cultivators summoned the Heavenly Demons to the Lower Realm, then refined them into Demon Heads tomand them, much like what the Heavenly Demon Path does today. And in the war between the rify and Intercepting Cults, Golden Turtle Ind was captured by an alliance of rify Cult and Western Cult. These Heavenly Demons that couldn¡¯t escape in time were then suppressed here. Seeing his indifferent expression, Ailian tentatively said: ¡°If the Immortal wishes to find something here, I am willing to lead the way.¡± ¡°Can you read my thoughts?¡± Wei Dongliu suddenly red. ¡°Not at all!¡± Ailian prostrated once more, ¡°Please understand, Immortal, I can only see a few of your thoughts, like steam rising from boiling water in a copper cauldron; as for what is truly in the Immortal¡¯s heart, unless you allow me to delve into your Sea of Consciousness, I would remainpletely unaware.¡± Wei Dongliu heard her out, pondering on thepetency of the Heavenly Demon ¨C such abilities were not mentioned in the scriptures. However, whether her words contained truth or were riddled with lies was hard to say. I will not believe it all for now but will allow her to guide me instead. Chapter 196: 58 Abi Devil Lord Chapter 196: Chapter 58 Abi Devil Lord Ailian led the way in front, while Wei Dongliu followed leisurely behind. ording to what the other had said, the alms bowl in the hands of the Arhat statue was the sealing magic artifact used to imprison the Heavenly Demon. On their way, Wei Dongliu indeed saw several alms bowls with a broken opening at the bottom, from which it seemed the Heavenly Demons inside had already escaped. It was unclear just how many Heavenly Demons had already been let loose in this Demon-Imprisoning Hall. Hmm, could this guy be leading me into a trap? Otherwise, why haven¡¯t we encountered a single escaped Heavenly Demon along the way? With this thought, Wei Dongliu looked again, only to find that the space ahead was empty; where was even half a shadow of Ailian? This Heavenly Demon actually managed to escape right under my watch; that¡¯s somewhat interesting¡­ With that thought, Wei Dongliu pulled the Green Duckweed Sword from within his body and also lifted the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword from behind his back. The two flying swords hovered in mid-air simultaneously, one ck and one purple, brimming with murderous aura. Then, he reversed the flow of the Demon Purifying Qi Scripture, turning all the Daoist True Yuan in his body into pure Demonic Qi. Instantly, his hair turned crimson red, his skin tone darkened, and mes seemed to dance within his pupils as his entire demeanor began to exude a wicked and unruly charm.
Wei Dongliu¡¯s innate ability, the ¡°Chaotic Demon Body,¡± could immunize him from the corrosive effects of Demonic Qi, allowing it to move freely within his body just like Daoist True Yuan. In this way, he could use Demonic Qi to deal with the Heavenly Demon, and it could be considered fighting poison with poison. He injected Demonic Qi into the flying swords, and the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword immediately buzzed with excitement, even thenguishing soul fragments within the sword began to emit satisfied wails. Although the Green Duckweed Sword was a Daoist flying sword, it seemed not to resist the Demonic Qi at all. It waspletely soaked in the Demonic Qi without any impact on its spirit. ¡°This Chaotic Demon Body is quite interesting,¡± the spirit of the Green Duckweed Sword chuckled. ¡°If driven by Demonic Qi, my Sword Dao Techniques would also change. Later, we can use those Heavenly Demons for practice.¡± ¡°Not so fast,¡± Wei Dongliu said coolly. ¡°Let¡¯s start with the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, and use them as a test for my de.¡± As the Demonic Qi circted through his body, a kind of icy and violent emotion also began to infect his mind, causing a cold light to grow in Wei Dongliu¡¯s eyes. So, this Chaotic Demon Body can also affect one¡¯s mind? Broken Mirror, is this your ¡®Mirror Flower Water Moon¡¯? How ridiculous! ¡°Tone it down,¡± Kunlun Mirror said helplessly. ¡°Demonic Qi indeed amplifies your desires, but as long as your will is strong, you can still resist it with reason¡­¡± ¡°Since when do I, Wei Dongliu, need your broken mirror to interfere in my affairs!¡± Wei Dongliu flicked his sleeve and strode forward. Kunlun Mirror: ¡­¡­¡­ ¡°Alright, Yao Yao,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword said yfully. ¡°A Demon Lord should be wilful and unrestrained after all. If you¡¯re too rational, it¡¯s no fun¡­ Huh? Here theye!¡± No sooner had its words fallen than a ck mist burst out from behind the Arhat statue next to them andunched a stealthy face-to-face assault on Wei Dongliu from a very close distance! Wei Dongliu did not dodge or evade, but simply raised his hand, and the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword flew into his palm, emitting an eerie wail from within. The ck mist was originally moving at extreme speed, but upon hearing the sound, it suddenly stalled in mid-air. Wei Dongliu had already drawn his sword, thrusting it once more towards the mist. Soul-Stripping Stab! This was the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword¡¯s firstyer forbidden technique, called ¡°Soul-Stripping Stab.¡± As long as it pierced the opponent¡¯s body, it could inject soul poison and tear soul fragments from the opponent. The ck mist, originally an intangible body of a Heavenly Demon, was not affected by any soul poison, but was caught by the soul-stripping power of the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword and was about to be shredded and pulled into the sword. Startled, the Heavenly Demon quickly divided its body and employed ast-ditch escape tactic.
Wei Dongliu had anticipated this, and with his left hand, his two fingers joined to form the shape of a sword and stabbed forward once more. Bursting forth from between his fingers was the Five Elements Divine Light, which struck the escaping figure squarely, annihting it on the spot. The Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword also sucked in all the remaining mist and emitted a satisfied sound that was like a mix of crying andughing. ¡°Not satisfying!¡± Wei Dongliu said with a coldugh, turning his head toward the empty space ahead, ¡°You didn¡¯t even force out one ten-thousandth of my strength. Is this all a Heavenly Demon is capable of?¡± ¡°I¡¯ll give you one more chance to swarm me. If you dare note out, then I will seek you out and kill you one by one!¡±
The surroundings remained eerily silent. ¡°Fine!¡± Wei Dongliu said coldly, stepping onto the Green Duckweed Sword. Astonishingly, he began to control the sword directly within the grand hall, turning into a streak of Sword Light and escaping! In the distance, countless Heavenly Demons were fleeing in panic,municating with each other using Divine Sense, wailing in despair: ¡°Protect the body with Demonic Qi, Abi Rakshasa! That person is none other than Abi Rakshasa!¡± ¡°How did we provoke such vile evil? Such misery!¡± One of the Heavenly Demons spoke up: ¡°Why don¡¯t we do as he wishes, use grand Illusion Techniques to confuse him, and then strike from both front and back, invading his Sea of Consciousness and seizing his mind?¡± Another Heavenly Demon rebutted: ¡°Do you know what an Abi Rakshasa is? It is a Demon Lord that wanders in Abi Hell, its entire being shrouded in profound Demonic Qi. Once released, it is so utterly dark that there is no sight of sun or moonlight.¡± ¡°One touch, and your consciousness wille to a halt, unable to escape, only to be tortured at his whim. You¡¯ll suffer endlessly with no deity to save you!¡± ¡°Ordinary celestials would avoid it at all costs, and yet you want to throw yourself at him? Go seek your own death!¡± No sooner had these words fallen than a dark red figure burst forth ahead¡ªit was none other than Wei Dongliu, with his hair and beard bristling and an evil intensity about him, speaking in an ominous tone: ¡°Where are you all heading? You should all enter my sword; why are you running around in disorder?¡±
¡°What misery!¡± The Heavenly Demons cried out in unison, desperately scattering in every direction. Some of the Heavenly Demons were encircled by Wei Dongliu with the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword and then all were absorbed into the sword. Yet many more, in sheer panic, ran amok, knocking over the statues of Arhats, toppling some and overturning others, and in the blink of an eye, most had fled. Just as Wei Dongliu was about to pursue his advantage, he suddenly felt a chill over his head that cleared his mind considerably. ¡°Stop being foolish!¡± the Kunlun Mirror chided, ¡°These Heavenly Demons have been imprisoned here for ten thousand years, their will and spirit long since eroded. They fled in all directions only because they mistook you for a Demon Lord from Abi Hell!¡± ¡°If they return to their senses and collectively attack you, do you think you could withstand them? You haven¡¯t even reached the Golden Core Realm!¡± As soon as these words were spoken, they struck Wei Dongliu like a tolling bell in the morning, causing him toe to a sudden realization. Indeed, his Chaotic Demon Body and Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword did have a restraining effect on the Heavenly Demons, but it was not to the point ofplete domination. If these Heavenly Demons did not merely focus on fleeing but attacked from all directions, could he possibly turn the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword into countless swords to fend them off one by one? It was better not to entangle with them and to quickly find the Flying Smoke Sword¡ªthat was the proper course of action! Thinking this, Wei Dongliu maintained the wild and unrestrained expression on his face, controlling the sword as he charged fiercely ahead. The Kunlun Mirror also projected the small map it had drawn for his guidance. Following the directions on the map, he delved deeper into the back halls until he finally caught sight of a small hut ahead. Chapter 197: 59: Return to Shiping Mountain Chapter 197: Chapter 59: Return to Shiping Mountain In the Demon-Imprisoning Hall, there was a simple, humble cottage. When Wei Dongliu entered the cottage, he saw the refined and elegant furnishings and could tell that a woman once lived there. Next to the desk by the window, therey a pristine white Jade Slip. After confirming there were no traps on the Jade Slip, Wei Dongliu invested his Divine Sense into it, nced through it for a moment, and saw that it contained the content of a letter: ¡°I am Real Person Caidie from the outer disciples of the Intercepting Cult.¡± ¡°The battle between rify Cult and Intercepting Cult is almost hopeless. Lady Sanxiao and the ten great Heavenly Lords have perished one after another, their Divine Souls bound and captive.¡± ¡°I had no choice but to flee to the south of Golden Turtle Ind to avoid being plundered by the rify Cult.¡± ¡°Inside this cottage are the remnants left by our numerous teachers: one Flying Smoke Sword, a purple-gold gourd, a scroll of the Nine Curves Yellow River Formation, a Bewitching Immortal Pill, and a scroll of the Sealing Immortal Secret Arts. Additionally, there are one hundred and eight Heavenly Demons of ferocious and sinister nature outside, who would be very difficult for anyone but disciples of our Intercepting Cult to bypass.¡± ¡°Since you are a junior disciple of our Intercepting Cult, you are to inherit and carry forward the doctrine, following my will. Once your cultivation is sessful, seek revenge against the rify Cult in the future!¡± After reading the letter, Wei Dongliu thought to himself that Real Person Caidie¡¯s will no longer needed to be fulfilled by him.
The rify Cult is gone! He carefully stored the Jade Slip and then looked around. The purple-gold gourd was ced at the edge of the desk. It was a Magical Artifact that Alchemists dreamt of owning, said to retain the efficacy of any Elixir ced within it for over a thousand years without any loss, akin to a ¡°portable refrigerator¡± of the Cultivation Realm, which could be of use to Luo Yan. The Flying Smoke Sword hung on the wall with a red cord. Its form was a dark crimson color, the de exceptionally sharp, and there was no scabbard. Later, it would be gifted to Senior Sister An. The Nine Curves Yellow River Formation was recorded on a Jade Slip, and upon careful examination by Wei Dongliu, he found it contained a massive amount of information. He decided to keep it for now andy it outter within the Tong Xuan Gate¡¯s base in the belly of Shiping Mountain. As for the Bewitching Immortal Pill and Sealing Immortal Secret Arts, they were a matched set of Magical Artifact and Refinement Technique, able to seal the opponent¡¯s True Yuan¡­ This thing was too underhanded and did not match the style of Demon Venerable Wei, so he took it to offer to Jiang the Witch as a borrowed gift. Of course, he would memorize the Sealing Immortal Secret Arts, lest Jiang the Witch catch him off guard with the Bewitching Immortal Pillter on. Wei Dongliu swiftly gathered the items and then, with his Sword Control Technique, he burst forth. Before the Heavenly Demons could react, he had already dashed out of the Demon-Imprisoning Hall. The ground sloped upwards and the surrounding light grew brighter. Upon returning to the Mahavira Hall, Wei Dongliu saw the old monk still striking the wooden fish and loudly chanting some mysterious Incantation: ¡°Duozieta, Pishilinpo Pishilinpo¡­¡± Crushed under the Alms Bowl, Jiang Liyan felt dizzy and almost saw stars, but when she suddenly saw Wei Dongliu burst from the rear hall, she excitedly cried out: ¡°Master! Now that he has returned, could you let the youngdy go?¡± The old monk sighed, got up, and crouched next to Jiang the Witch. He said patiently: ¡°Demon Head, after hearing the Dharani Incantations chanted three thousand times, have you gained any enlightenment?¡± ¡°Enlightenment?¡± Jiang Liyan was immediately stumped, then after a moment, she said with a forced smile, ¡°Master, as expected of an enlightened monk, I feel like I have obtained something, but cannot describe it in words. It feels so mysterious¡­¡± She bbered on pointlessly, making the old monk sigh, fold his hands, and say: ¡°Amitabha, take good care of yourself.¡±
He returned to sitting on his cushion, made a motion with his sleeve, and the Alms Bowl rose into the air, spinning and gradually shrinking until it flew back to his sleeve. Afterward, the old monk hunched his body, closed his eyes, and sat in silent meditation without striking the wooden fish or chanting any Buddhist Scriptures. Jiang Liyan clumsily got to her feet and hurried over to grab Wei Dongliu¡¯s hand, asking: ¡°Did you get it?¡±
¡°Mm,¡± Wei Dongliu nodded. ¡°Quick, let¡¯s get out of here!¡± Without further ado, Jiang Liyan summoned Sword Light, enveloping him, and the two immediately fled the Mahavira Hall, dashing into the bamboo grove. They saw the temple getting smaller and smaller behind them until it finally disappeared. After leaving the bamboo grove and returning to the air above Golden Turtle Ind, Jiang Liyan finally breathed a sigh of relief. Being brutally suppressed by the Earth Immortal, and having her life and death in someone else¡¯s hands, was such an awful feeling that she still felt a lingering fear. ¡°I¡¯ve suffered so much this time, if Wei Dongliu doesn¡¯t give me enough benefits, I¡¯ll¡­ I¡¯ll turn against him!¡± ¡°Wei Fellow Daoist,¡± Jiang Liyan said sweetly, ¡°you¡¯ve finallye back just in time. If it were anyter, I might have been brainwashed by Buddhist scriptures and converted to the Buddhist Sect.¡± ¡°If Jiang Fellow Daoist wishes to convert to the Buddhist Sect, I believe you could also find another bright path,¡± Wei Dongliu said meaningfully. Jiang Liyan nearly spat out blood on hearing this: How good he was at making such cold remarks! ¡°Is that the sword Wei Fellow Daoist was searching for?¡± She looked behind Wei Dongliu and saw¡­ two swords, both tightly wrapped in cloth strips. She had no idea which one was the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword and which one was the recently acquired sword. As for the flying sword¡¯s appearance, Five Elements Attribute, rank, Daoist magic, and so on, she knew nothing at all, leaving Jiang Liyan extremely frustrated. Wei Dongliu gave a slight smile, not bringing up the matter of the flying sword; instead, he took out a box containing a Bewitching Immortal Pill and a Jade Slip with the Sealing Immortal Secret Arts written on it and handed them to her. ¡°This is¡­¡± Jiang Liyan took it with confusion, opened the box, and then let her Divine Sense prate the Jade Slip. Her expression becameplex in an instant. ¡°Jiang Fellow Daoist hasin under that alms bowl for quite a while, a bit ofpensation is only fair,¡± Wei Dongliu said with a smile.
¡°Thank you, Fellow Daoist,¡± Jiang Liyan said softly, knowing this was Wei Dongliu¡¯s ¡°hush money¡± for her to keep their trip a secret from others. The Bewitching Immortal Pill was a powerful external type of magical treasure, capable of strongly sealing True Yuan; whenbined with the Sealing Immortal Secret Arts, it was even harder to resist. If such rare treasures and techniques could be given away so casually, it could only mean that he must have gained a fortune within the rear hall. However, as the other party always acted mysteriously, asking him directly would surely yield no answers, so she would have to probe graduallyter on. With this thought in mind, Jiang the Witch made up her mind and smiled, ¡°I heard there were many demons within that rear hall? I¡¯m very curious, how did Wei Fellow Daoist deal with them?¡± ¡°Well, that¡¯s a long story,¡± Wei Dongliu began to spin a tale. As the two chatted and controlled their swords, they made their way back to the Divine Land Continent,ughing and joking with their own thoughts, eventually arriving at Shiping Mountain in the southern part of Taihang Mountains. Back at the sect, Wei Dongliu checked on the studies of his two disciples. Guo Jin and Wang Cong had both sessfully passed the three tests and be Qi Refining Rank disciples, with a foundation of cultivation that was quite solid ¡ª at leastpared to their poor innate qualities; such a foundation was quite remarkable. Upon reaching the Qi Refining Rank, cultivators face two daily tasks: One is Breathing and Qi Refinement, to enhance their Cultivation Realm. Second is the Sword Flight Technique, to improve theirbat abilities.
Guo Jin, who was dull and honest by nature, remembered Wei Dongliu¡¯s words that ¡°Realm is the foundation.¡± During the time the two were away, he had practiced the cirction of Qi thoroughly. Wang Cong, spirited and restless, couldn¡¯t stand the loneliness of meditating and Qi Refining. Instead, she practiced the Sword Control Technique to perfection. Fortunately, with their master absent for a long time, the two had developed the habit of helping and supporting each other. Guo Jin urged his junior sister to devote a certain amount of time to Qi Refining every day, while Wang Cong taught her senior brother many difficult parts, managing to fend for themselves for the time being. Excellent! Wei Dongliu was quite satisfied with the two, thinking that at this rate, they would soon be able to stand on their own! Jiang Liyan was somewhat distracted, seemingly seeing the shadows of Wei Dongliu and herself in Guo Jin and Wang Cong. If she had not been found by the Heavenly Demon Path back then and had stayed with Wei Dongliu instead, even though she would have had a master who didn¡¯t care, she still might have had a serene and peaceful life. ¡°Jiang Fellow Daoist?¡± Wei Dongliu suddenly said. ¡°Ah!¡± Jiang Liyan awoke from her reverie, briefly thinking her thoughts had been seen through and feeling a bit embarrassed. ¡°I need to teach my disciples the sect¡¯s Qi Refining Technique,¡± Wei Dongliu said with a beaming smile, signaling her to leave and avoid propriety. ¡°Oh, then I shall take my leave,¡± Jiang Liyan turned and left, feeling a bit upset again. Who else would I take as a senior brother if not him! You want to teach your disciples, huh? As long as you continue to neglect them in the future, I will eventually turn your disciples into mine, and I¡¯ll get all your techniques too!
Chapter 198 - 60: Senior Sister is Forever 20 Years Old Chapter 198: Chapter 60: Senior Sister is Forever 20 Years Old Shushan, Qingluo Peak. Ling Yunpo found Senior Sister An sitting in the backyard, unfastened the long sword from his back, and said with a smile, ¡°Senior Sister, please take a look.¡± ¡°A Flying Sword?¡± An Zhisu was drinking when she saw it and set down her cup, taking the Flying Smoke Sword , ¡°Where did you get a Fire System Flying Sword¡­huh?¡± She infused her True Yuan into it and refined it for a moment, immediately bing shocked. This¡­isn¡¯t this the usual Immortal Sword? Could it be an Eleventh Rank Immortal Sword? ¡°To let Senior Sister know.¡± Seeing An Zhisu¡¯s astonished expression, Ling Yunpo calmly smiled and said, ¡°This is the ¡®Flying Smoke Sword¡¯, a relic from Ancient Times. Originally a pair, one was destroyed during the great war between the factions, leaving only this one. And it just so happens to be of the Fire System, suitable to be Senior Sister¡¯s Life-bound Sword Artifact.¡± After stroking the sword¡¯s spine for a moment and sensing the abundant Fire System True Essence within, An Zhisu ced it back on the table, then smiled and said, ¡°Junior Brother, how about I trade this sword for your Thunder Punishment Sword?¡± ¡°Why?¡± Ling Yunpo asked, puzzled, ¡°The Thunder Punishment Sword is a Metal System Tenth Rank, both in attribute and grade rank, it¡¯s more suitable for Senior Sister than this Flying Smoke Sword¡­¡± An Zhisu shook her head, speaking softly, ¡°Senior Sister doesn¡¯t need such a good sword, a Tenth Rank is enough.¡± Ling Yunpo was speechless. ¡°This will be your Life-bound Sword Artifact!¡± he pretended to be furious as he stood up, indignantly saying, ¡°Senior Sister, it¡¯s only because you¡¯re my Senior Sister that I¡¯m going to say one more thing: the thing I hate the most are flip-floppers! Once it¡¯s my sword, it¡¯s my sword for life! Don¡¯t even think about taking my Thunder Punishment Sword!¡± Having said that, he grabbed the Flying Smoke Sword, stuffed it into An Zhisu¡¯s hands without a word, then turned and walked away. An Zhisu was stunned for a long while before her expression gradually softened, tenderly stroking the patterns on the Flying Smoke Sword, her eyes brimming with happiness, rippling out like waves. ¡­¡­¡­¡­.. Because Wei Dongliu¡¯s side took too long, the timelines of the other three charactersgged rtively behind; therefore Ling Yunpo also nned to stay longer at Shushan before moving on to the next phase. The overall atmosphere at Shushan had now settled down from the previous turmoil of the Demon Locking Tower incident, and external exchanges were gradually increasing, with Loose Cultivator Sword Immortals asionallying to visit rtives and friends and exchange sword techniques. An Zhisu had already initially refined the Flying Smoke Sword into her body, but since the Fire System Flying Sword was aggressive and fierce in attack, she still needed some time to adapt her fighting style. Meanwhile, Ling Yunpo, after rising to the Refining Mansion rank following his return from the Demon Locking Tower, unlocked the third Sword Dao Technique of the Qing Ping Sword, named ¡°North Wind Rolls The White Feathers¡±. Turning Water System Sword Qi into heavy snowfall, descending boundlessly from the sky, with great cutting and sharpening power. Of course, when sparring with Senior Sister An, there was no need to resort to using Sword Dao Techniques. Ling Yunpo¡¯s right hand continuously formed Sword Techniques, as the Qing Ping Sword struck out swiftly and fiercely, making the Harsh Cold Sword retreat over and over. However, observing the Harsh Cold Sword¡¯s movements, it was only temporarily suppressed, as Senior Sister An never lost her rhythm. He discreetly manipted his left hand, and the Thunder Punishment Sword suddenly changed direction, attempting a sneak attack, which was blocked by An Zhisu with the Flying Smoke Sword. Indeed, Ling Yunpo inwardly sighed. No matter how cleverly he timed his attacks or from what concealed angle he attempted to sneak attack, they were always guarded against by Senior Sister An, as if she had anticipated them in advance. Where exactly was the problem? ¡°Actually, Junior Brother,¡± An Zhisu suddenly said, ¡°what you think are very clever sneak attack moves have already been used by many Sword Immortals many times.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ling Yunpo pressed on fiercely, but An Zhisu casually parried all of his moves, ¡°So what should I do?¡± ¡°Just steadily umte experience,¡± replied An Zhisu. The two sparred for hundreds of rounds before stopping to rest for a moment. ¡°Senior Sister, how¡¯s the new life-bound sword artifact?¡± Ling Yunpo asked with a smile. ¡°Pretty good,¡± An Zhisu replied cheerfully, ¡°It¡¯s lighter than the Frostfall Sword but more agile and forceful, and its flexibility is a notch higher.¡± ¡°After all, it¡¯s an eleventh grade Immortal Sword,¡± Ling Yunpo joked, ¡°You even had your eye on my Thunder Punishment Sword at the beginning, how do you feel about it now?¡± ¡°What?¡± the Thunder Punishment Sword cried out in his heart, ¡°Master, although I must admit your senior sister has good taste, a sword master shouldn¡¯t be changed lightly, or it¡¯ll tarnish the reputation of me, the Thunder Punishment Sword!¡± ¡°What reputation could you possibly have?¡± Ling Yunpoughed coldly, only to hear An Zhisu exining, ¡°The Harsh Cold Sword is of the water system, and the Flying Smoke Sword of the fire system. Water and fire sh; if both swords invoke their sword dao techniques at the same time, they would weaken each other, reducing their power. But if it¡¯s a metal system flying sword, as cold metal generates water, there wouldn¡¯t be such a concern.¡± Ling Yunpo remained silent for a moment before saying with vexation, ¡°Senior Sister, why didn¡¯t you say so earlier? If I had known¡­ I would have made you a metal system or wood system flying sword.¡± ¡°No need,¡± An Zhisu said with a smile, ¡°When our masteres out of retreat, I still have to return the Harsh Cold Sword to him. By then, you can just make me a wood system or an earth system flying sword. Mhm, earth system would be best so that it canplement the Flying Smoke Sword with one being defensive and the other offensive.¡± ¡°Senior Sister¡­¡± ¡°What is it?¡± ¡°Do I look like someone who can forge flying swords?¡± Ling Yunpo said helplessly, ¡°Do you think I can just conjure up whatever flying sword you want?¡± ¡°I believe in my junior brother¡¯s abilities,¡± An Zhisu said, covering her mouth with augh, ¡°After all, in just ten years, junior brother has already reached the Refining Mansion rank~¡± What, has it already been ten years? Ling Yunpo was slightly shocked. For cultivators leading a secluded life, the passage of time is often hard to perceive. But with An Zhisu¡¯s reminder, he had a sudden realization that he had been in this world for ten years already. The East Sea Pavilion was the third year, and the Demon Locking Tower started in the seventh year; it was now the tenth year. Ordinary cultivators at this time probably hadn¡¯t even perfected the Qi Refining Rank yet, whereas he had already reached the Refining Mansion rank. But upon further reflection, due to frequent use of the Kunlun Mirror to load previous saves, he had actually spent over thirty years in this world. Kunlun, Shushan, Peni, they each spanned thirty years, with the remaining time spent on Mount Wutai. No matter what pseudonym he used, when alone practicing Qi Refining Technique through breathing exercises, he cultivated the secret Immortal Realm Qi Refining Technique ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,¡± which is why his cultivation level advanced so swiftly. Thirty years to reach the Refining Mansion rank would probably be considered a peerless genius. However, to the outside world, reaching the Refining Mansion in just ten years wasn¡¯t just genius, it was monstrous. ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo ventured to ask, ¡°Don¡¯t you find it strange that I advanced to the Refining Mansion rank so quickly?¡± ¡°Not strange at all,¡± An Zhisu shook her head, ¡°Master also took a little over thirty years to reach the Refining Mansion rank.¡± ¡°Junior brother and Master are both geniuses, unlike me¡­ I spent sixty years on Qi Refinement and another ten years on Marrow Cleansing before I barely entered the Refining Mansion rank.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ling Yunpo said somewhat embarrassingly. Both of us reached the Refining Mansion rank in thirty years; I only managed it by cheating with the Kunlun Mirror, relying on various talents and fortunate encounters meant for cultivation to force my progress, but my master Su Jian, he was the real genius. But¡­ I remember Senior Sister was cultivating in her hometown in Yangzhou and it was only after entering the Refining Mansion rank that Su Jian brought her back to Shushan, right? Plus, Senior Sister has only been in Shushan for half a sexagenary cycle (30 years). That means Senior Sister An is already a hundred years old? ¡°Junior brother, what are you thinking?¡± An Zhisu asked curiously. ¡°Nothing, nothing at all,¡± Ling Yunpo hurriedlyughed heartily. What am I thinking! Senior Sister is forever the gentle and protective older sister who¡¯s twenty at heart! Chapter 199 - 61 The Sword Quest Chapter 199: Chapter 61 The Sword Quest At dawn, Ling Yunpo rose from bed and took up a broom to start sweeping outside. Shushan enjoyed a pleasant climate, but when autumn and winter came, the cold winds from the north would blow, and the leaves still fell in rustling heaps, truly ¡°a pile-up of yellow flowers on the ground.¡± To deal with the umted fallen leaves, using Daoist magic was naturally the most convenient method. The reason why Ling Yunpo chose to sweep by himself was simple: Boredom. This world hardly had any forms of entertainment. There were neither cell phones, TVs, norputers, and neither was there an information-bombarding inte. Even the storytelling and opera, much beloved by officials and nobles, seemedckluster to Ling Yunpo. After all, he had seen the world before crossing over; what splendid cultural works hadn¡¯t he seen? Only the gentle and adorable An Zhisu, Senior Sister An, who was indulgent and protective, was one of the few brilliant colors in life. Should he go find Senior Sister to practice swordy withter, or drink with her? As he was lost in his wild thoughts, he saw Guan Shanyue flying towards him on her sword, gracefully descending from afar. ¡°Junior Brother Ling,¡± she said with a smile, ¡°the elder has summoned you.¡± ¡°The Guan Family elder is looking for me?¡± Ling Yunpo asked in surprise. ¡°There¡¯s no need to be so shocked,¡± Guan Shanyue said oddly, ¡°Hasn¡¯t the elder talked to you about the sword-seeking mission?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Ling Yunpo exined, ¡°I just didn¡¯t expect it to happen so soon.¡± ¡°We don¡¯t know how long it¡¯s going to take, of course we need to start as soon as possible,¡± Guan Shanyue looked towards Qingluo Peak¡¯s Daoist temple behind him, ¡°Bring Senior Sister An out as well.¡± ¡°The elder is looking for her too?¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Ling Yunpo then went around to the back of the Daoist temple and found An Zhisu drinking. ¡°What does he want me for?¡± An Zhisu was just as surprised. ¡°Don¡¯t know, let¡¯s just take it as a chance to clear our minds,¡± Ling Yunpo said. The reason of apanying Junior Brother to clear their minds, without a doubt, immediately convinced An Zhisu, so she returned to her room to change into her skirt and prepared to set off. Looking at An Zhisu, who had turned into apletely refreshed figure with a gentle look in her eyes and eyebrows, Guan Shanyue also clicked her tongue in wonder. She had known An Zhisu for a long time. Back when Qingluo Peak hadn¡¯t taken in any disciples yet, this Frostfall Sword Immortal always had an off-limits aura, as if she wished to kill everyone in sight. Ever since Junior Brother Ling came along, it seemed even the maternal halo had been activated. Thinking about this, Guan Shanyue smiled slyly to herself. It wasn¡¯t that she absolutely had to engage in romance, but both the heartless path that exhausted ways and rejected desires, and the forgetting love path that involved self-deception were too self-torturing and foolish. Let¡¯s see how far these two can go along this path in the future. After exchanging pleasantries with An Zhisu for a moment, Guan Shanyue led the two of them on her sword and rose to the top of Heavenly Gate Peak. By the Sword Pool, everyone saw the Guan Family elder standing beside the Sword Pool, staring at the stele next to it. The Jade Capital Sect Leader and several unfamiliar cultivators stood by, hands tied, not uttering a word. ¡°Suming, Suming, why won¡¯t you summon. So hidden, so hidden, how utterly obtuse,¡± the Guan Family elder stroked his beard and chatted casually, ¡°When the past Sun Sword Master Ouyang Zhao etched these two lines, I wonder what kind of frustration and despair he felt in his heart.¡± ¡°He betrayed the Human Race for his own selfish desires. The Sun Sword and the Tai Yin Sword refused to be wielded by him, which was truly his own fault,¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader said in an unemotional manner. ¡°Does the Jade Capital Sect Leader think I sympathize with Ouyang Zhao?¡± the Guan Family ancestor asked in surprise. ¡°How could Elder Guan possibly sympathize with a traitor?¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader shook his head. ¡°Of course, I don¡¯t think what he did was right,¡± the Guan Family ancestor said casually, ¡°but if you put yourself in Ouyang Zhao¡¯s shoes, you would realize that without doing anything yourself, you suddenly discover that the whole world wants to kill your wife. What would you do?¡± ¡°One must put justice before familial ties,¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader said without hesitation. ¡°It¡¯s said that at the time, Yin Xiaojing was pregnant with a child,¡± the Guan Family ancestor continued, ¡°Ouyang Zhao had no other kin. To put justice before familial ties would mean to wipe out his entire family.¡± ¡°Wiping out his entire family is the right thing to do,¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader said coldly, ¡°It¡¯s his own fault for being blinded by love and falling for a demon.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why those of you who practice the ¡®Forgetting Love¡¯ technique have never been able to find the Tai Yin Summoning Sword,¡± the Guan Family ancestor said with a sneer, ¡°In my view, while Ouyang Zhao¡¯s reasoning is hard to ept, his situation is pitiable. If the Human Race had been willing to show leniency to Yin Xiaojing by changing the sentence from extermination to life imprisonment, theter mistakes made by Ouyang Zhao might have been avoided.¡± ¡°I must disagree,¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader said, ¡°Humans and demons cannot coexist, nor is there room for personal sentiment.¡± The Guan Family ancestor turned his head towards Ling Yunpo and beckoned with a smile: ¡°Is Ling Yunpo here? Come here.¡± What kind of address is ¡®Ling Yunpo¡¯¡­ Ling Yunpo really wanted to criticize, but seeing the other cultivators around him, including Guan Shanyue, all staring in shock with a ¡°how did you catch the old ancestor¡¯s eye¡± expression, he could only walk up helplessly with a wry smile. ¡°You must have heard the conversation we just had,¡± the Guan Family ancestor said with a chuckle, ¡°If you were in Ouyang Zhao¡¯s position and suddenly found out that your Senior Sister An Zhisu is a demon, and the whole of Shushan wants to kill her, what would you do?¡± The Jade Capital Sect Leader¡¯s expression changed slightly, while Ling Yunpo instantly panicked, saying hurriedly: ¡°The elder should not spout nonsense! My Senior Sister¡¯s identity is clear, how could she possibly be a demon?¡± ¡°Don¡¯t take it so seriously,¡± the Guan Family ancestor said, waving his hand, ¡°I, of course, know she is the daughter of Su Jian. I¡¯m just making aparison.¡± Do you makeparisons like this? Ling Yunpo secretly heaved a sigh of relief. If I didn¡¯t know that my Senior Sister is the master¡¯s daughter, I might have really thought that the Guan Family ancestor was hinting at something. As for the question posed by the other side, to be honest, Ling Yunpo really didn¡¯t want to answer such a loaded question, but seeing the Jade Capital Sect Leader looking at him with keen eyes, he said resolutely: ¡°If I were Ouyang Zhao, I would first send Yin Xiaojing back to the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm, and then present myself before the Human Race wielding both the Sun Sword and Tai Yin Sword, to take my life as an apology!¡± ¡°Hmph!¡± The Jade Capital Sect Leader was clearly not satisfied, with a tone of slight mockery, ¡°The Sect has expended a great deal to cultivate you, and yet you would ruin your prospects for the sake of a demon?¡± This is just the Guan Family ancestor setting up a hypothetical scenario¡­ Ling Yunpo thought helplessly, while aloud he said: ¡°At least I wouldn¡¯t lose the Sun Sword and Tai Yin Sword, causing the Human Race to lose a treasure that secures the n.¡± ¡°Enough!¡± Seeing the Jade Capital Sect Leader wanting to speak, the Guan Family ancestor interrupted, ¡°It¡¯s just a hypothetical scenario, why get into an argument with the younger generation over it!¡± The Jade Capital Sect Leader was also left speechless, wasn¡¯t it because you hypothesized recklessly? ¡°Jian Buyan, where¡¯s your item?¡± the Guan Family ancestor turned to ask. ¡°Right here,¡± said a stranger cultivator quietly. Jian Buyan? Ling Yunpo¡¯s mind stirred. Jian Buyan, the head of the Jian Family of Qingzhou, a Nascent Soul Realm master and an unmatched master of the Art Calction, the Direct Disciple of the Peni Jade Pure Sect¡¯s Master of Xuandu, and the ancestor of Jian Qingnan, the junior sister of Qiu Changtian¡­ it was unexpected that he would be invited by the Guan Family ancestor to this location. Jian Buyan appeared to be a refined middle-aged cultivator. Upon seeing Ling Yunpo¡¯s gaze, he smiled amiably and from his Storage Bag took out an exquisite jade pillow. ¡°This is the Huangliang Pillow,¡± he said. Chapter 200: 62 A Dream of Yellow Millet Chapter 200: Chapter 62 A Dream of Yellow Millet ¡°The Dream Pillow is the rarest of all art calction strange objects, capable of inducing dreams in cultivators who sleep upon it,¡± Jian Buyan exined to everyone: ¡°With my art calction techniques aiding it, I can recreate scenes from history within those dreams.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, why must it be him?¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader asked in a heavy voice. ¡°Jade Capital Sect Leader,¡± Jian Buyan said with a faint smile, ¡°art calction is not omnipotent, nor can it perfectly recreate the past. To increase the uracy of the dream¡¯s results, ¡®Dual Union¡¯ is needed.¡± ¡°This ¡®Dual Union¡¯ refers to the union of bloodlines and the merging of hearts and minds.¡± ¡°Ouyang Zhao has no descendants in this realm,¡± the Guan Family¡¯s elder said irritably. ¡°Yin Xiaojing has gone to the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm, so a union of bloodlines is out of the question.¡± ¡°As for a merging of hearts and minds, apart from Ling Yunpo, who else among the disciples of Shushan who follow the Sentiment Inquiry Path? Would you, Jade Capital, care to rmend another?¡± The Jade Capital Sect Leader was at a loss for words, falling silent. Whether it was to seek clues through the Dream Pillow or to search for the Immortal Sword through the resonance of the Innate Sword Bone, Ling Yunpo was undoubtedly the best choice.
And the reason the elder of the Guan Family asked that question earlier was to have Ling Yunpo try to step into the shoes of Ouyang Zhao¡­ Thinking this way, it made a lot more sense. He decided to remain silent from then on, merely watching with a cold eye. Ling Yunpo, under Jian Buyan¡¯s guidance, attempted to lie on the Dream Pillow alongside Senior Sister An. The Dream Pillow was not wide enough for two people to lie on it and enter dreams simultaneously; their bodies needed to be extremely close. Not to mention the crowd of onlookers, let alone An Zhisu, even Ling Yunpo himself felt somewhat embarrassed. But after all, he was someone of exceptional mental strength; he hypnotized himself with the thought ¡°This is for the sake of finding the sword,¡± and slowly fell asleep. ¡­¡­ Through blurry vision, indistinct figures could be made out. Ling Yunpo vaguely remembered that he seemed to be called ¡°Ouyang Zhao¡±? Standing on the peak of Heavenly Gate Peak, facing him was his wife, Yin Xiaojing, pregnant with their child¡ªher true identity was that of a Celestial Fox from the Qingqiu of the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm. At that moment, suddenly learning of her true identity, his feelings were almost those of despair, as if the entire world had grown dim on this one day. ¡°Why didn¡¯t you tell me?¡± Ouyang Zhao said in agony. ¡°I¡­¡± Yin Xiaojing, silent for a moment, said, ¡°At first, I only wanted to take advantage of your feelings.¡± ¡°Is it still the same now?¡± Ouyang Zhao had a heavy feeling in his chest, at times even feeling as if he couldn¡¯t breathe. ¡°If I had no affection for you now, I would have simply left. Why would I wait here for you?¡± Yin Xiaojing said miserably,ing forward to embrace Ouyang Zhao, ¡°Let¡¯s elope. Since the Human Race won¡¯t ept us, let¡¯s return to the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm.¡± ¡°The Sun True Obscure Sword and the Tai Yin Summoning Sword are the Human Race¡¯s treasured swords; I can¡¯t take them with me to the Demon Realm,¡± Ouyang Zhao said with a trembling voice, as if giving in to despair while pulling at his hair, ¡°I can¡¯t¡­ I¡¯ve already betrayed my sect; I cannot betray the Human Race again¡­¡± ¡°You suspect I¡¯m after the twin swords?¡± Yin Xiaojing said with a tragicugh. ¡°Then what if we leave the swords behind? I only want you toe with me.¡± These words struck Ouyang Zhao¡¯s heart like an arrow, shattering all his lingering doubts. After pondering for another moment, he gritted his teeth and said:
¡°Without the twin swords, how would we reach the Eastern Emperor Realm? First¡­ First, let¡¯s hide the Tai Yin Summoning Sword, to prevent the sect from using it against us.¡± ¡°I¡¯ll exchange the location of the Summiting Sword to ensure the sect lets us go. As soon as we reach the Boundary Gate, I will inform them of its whereabouts and return the Sun True Obscure Sword.¡± ¡°But after all, the Sun True Obscure Sword is in your hands,¡± Yin Xiaojing said softly. ¡°The sect will never allow the True Obscure Sword to be lost, nor will they trust your verbal assurance.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no other way,¡± Ouyang Zhao said with difficulty, ¡°The Dual Swords have already be unresponsive. If we return them to the sect now, we¡¯ll only die faster.¡±
There was something he kept to himself, that so long as he could prevent the Tai Yin Sunming Swords from falling into the hands of the Demon Race, his own death here would not matter. But Yin Xiaojing and the child in her womb¡­ they must survive¡­ Once again he tried tomunicate with the Sun True Obscure Sword, and he was met with feelings of anger and resistance from the Sword Spirit. Ouyang Zhao knew that the Sun True Obscure Sword was resisting him. The Dual Swords were originally created to suppress the Demon Race, yet now he was about to betray his sect for the sake of a demon. How could the swords still recognize him as their master? Overwhelmed by despair, he simply took the Sun True Obscure Sword in hand and etched two lines ofrge characters onto the stele. ¡°Why must it be this way¡­¡± Yin Xiaojing silently wept, ¡°If only I hadn¡¯t been born into the Demon Race¡­¡± ¡°At this point, there¡¯s no turning back.¡± Ouyang Zhao said through clenched teeth, ¡°It has to be this way!¡± He grabbed Yin Xiaojing¡¯s hand, and just as the two of them were about to ascend with sword control, they saw countless streaks of light suddenly flying towards them from a distance. Ouyang Zhao didn¡¯t react in time and was directly pierced through the chest by the radiance, and the entire world seemed to shatter like a broken mirror in an instant. ¡­ Consciousness rapidly sank, returning to his body. Ling Yunpo slowly woke up, steadied his mind for a moment, and then had time to sort through Ouyang Zhao¡¯s memories from the dream. Although not self-aware in the dream, upon waking, it became clear:
That Ouyang Zhao did not die unjustly¡ªhis mistake was thinking he could y both sides! He could have either thrown in his lotpletely with the demons, taking the Dual Swords and boldly fighting his way out, or he could have chosen to negotiate with the Human Race, trying to resolve the differences between them. Whichever way he chose, he needed steadfastness and unwavering resolve from the start¡­ What was he thinking, always trying to keep a way out? Ling Yunpo even spected disdainfully that there were surely divisions within the Human Race at that time. If there was a Martial Annihtion Faction, there must also have been a faction advocating negotiation and appeasement. You, Ouyang Zhao, served as the Sword Master for so many years, did you not have any connections within the sect? Were there truly no senior members willing to protect you, to plead on your behalf? Offer the peaceful surrender of the swords in exchange for your kin¡¯s protection. Even if it was only temporary,ter on you could have Yin Xiaojing reveal some Demon Race intelligence, proving her critical value, wouldn¡¯t that allow both of you to survive? In the era before I transmigrated, how many nobles depended on peacefully yielding power to withdraw from intense political struggles in time? It¡¯s all clearly documented in the history books. The key points boiled down to three: The first: everyone hadn¡¯t reached the point of no return and were still willing to y by political rules (after all, politics is the art ofpromise); The second: you must possess sufficient value to protect yourself, making the cost of your political enemies utterly destroying you greater than the benefits of letting you live; The third, and most critical: you must have a keen political sense to timely disy your willingness to negotiate. Ouyang Zhao had the first two points but he did not grasp the most crucial third point, which led to his ultimate downfall. On the Human Race¡¯s side, they also lost a treasure of their lineage. It was a pyrrhic defeat, with everyone ending up as the losers. A pity! Ament! A tragedy!
Ling Yunpo silently gripped his wrists while An Zhisu, lookingpletely distressed, seemed yet to recover from Yin Xiaojing¡¯s emotions. But the Guan Family ancestor couldn¡¯t wait for them to regain their senses, and urgently asked Jian Buyan: ¡°How did it go?¡± ¡°Their hearts are lined up,¡± Jian Buyan said somberly, ¡°The process of Art Calction went without any issues.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s first ask them what exactly they saw in the dream.¡± Chapter 201: 63: Senior Sisters Wild Imaginations Chapter 201: Chapter 63: Senior Sister¡¯s Wild Imaginations Under the scrutinizing gaze of the elders in the Sect, Ling Yunpo organized his thoughts for a moment before recounting what he had seen in his dream. As he spoke of ¡°being pierced through the chest by sword light, plummeting swiftly downward as if drowned by water,¡± he was finally interrupted by the Jade Capital Sect Leader, who could no longer contain himself: ¡°So what? Did he reveal the whereabouts of the Tai Yin Suming Sword?¡± ¡°No,¡± Ling Yunpo shook his head and said, ¡°I woke up directly.¡± Thus, everyone couldn¡¯t hide their disappointment, and the Guan Family patriarch turned to ask: ¡°Is it possible to enter the dream once more?¡± ¡°The Art Calction doesn¡¯t allow for a second guess,¡± Jian Buyan smiled as he declined. ¡°Why is that?¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader asked with a frown, ¡°Is there a risk of bacsh? Or is the second calction inurate?¡± ¡°It can be calcted,¡± Jian Buyan still smiling, ¡°And it¡¯s urate, but it would mislead.¡± The crowd fell silent.
In the art of calction, the most frightening thing is ¡°uracy that misleads,¡± which is much more terrifying than ¡°inuracy.¡± An apparently correct but erroneous conclusion is more insidious than apletely wrong one. While the elders discussed the next n of action, Ling Yunpo went to An Zhisu¡¯s side and asked with concern: ¡°Senior Sister An, are you alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± An Zhisu hesitated as if wanting to say more. In the dream, when she stepped into Yin Xiaojing¡¯s shoes, she could feel the other¡¯s heart-wrenching pain, as well as the regret for having been born a demon. Of course, sympathizing with Yin Xiaojing was deemed entirely politically incorrect in the current Shushan, so she dared not to voice it, only hiding it quietly in her heart. The Guan Family patriarch and the Jade Capital Sect Leader, among others, had a collective discussion for a while, and finally decided that since another calction was not possible, they would use the method of a sweeping search once again. The so-called sweeping search meant maintaining Ling Yunpo¡¯s Sword Bone resonance and having him walk all over Heavenly Gate Peak, trying to lure out the Tai Yin Suming Sword that might be hidden in some corner. The search operation took a full five hours, nearly wearing Ling Yunpo thin, only to ultimately dere a fruitless endeavor. Returning to Qingluo Peak utterly exhausted along with Senior Sister An, Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t have the mood to talk, nning to quickly return to his room for meditative rest. After taking a few steps forward, he only saw An Zhisu standing in the shadows, seemingly weeping. Ling Yunpo: ??? Hold on, is Senior Sister An so sensitive? Getting so immersed in a little movie? ¡°Senior Sister?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± An Zhisu said, obviously against her true feelings. Having spent so much time together, Ling Yunpo had already figured out his Senior Sister An¡¯s temperament, and so he feigned ignorance, saying: ¡°Then let¡¯s go back and rest for now.¡± Seeing that her junior brother did not inquire further, An Zhisu, with no other options, took the initiative to speak:
¡°Junior Brother, while I was in the dream today, stepping into Yin Xiaojing¡¯s shoes, I kept feeling something¡­¡± ¡°Feeling a bit of sympathy for her?¡± Ling Yunpo ventured. ¡°Yes,¡± An Zhisu nodded. ¡°It¡¯s normal for Senior Sister An to think that way,¡± Ling Yunpo gently coaxed, ¡°But you are not Yin Xiaojing; you are An Zhisu.¡±
¡°Think about it, if our Qingluo Peak had a pair of junior brother and sister, and our master had invested a lot of effort in them. Suddenly we discover the junior sister is a demon, the junior brother wants to flee with her, and moreover, take our Qingluo Peak¡¯s treasure away¡­¡± ¡°Then I would stop them and plead on their behalf to our master,¡± An Zhisu said without hesitation. Ling Yunpo grunted and then remembered his Senior Sister¡¯s temperament; she was so protective that she disregarded reason. He had no choice but to change his words again: ¡°Then let¡¯s consider the disciples of another peak. Now one of them is a demon, and another wants to elope with her, nning to take away the treasures of our Qingluo Peak. What would you do?¡± ¡°Why would the disciples of another peak take away the treasures of our Qingluo Peak?¡± An Zhisu first asked in puzzlement, then her tone became stern, ¡°Of course, kill them!¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Ling Yunpo sighed, ¡°Different identities and positions lead us topletely different attitudes when facing the same issue.¡± ¡°If Senior Sister were in Yin Xiaojing¡¯s position, torn between racial righteousness and her husband¡¯s and children¡¯s well-being, she would naturally feel incredibly pitiful.¡± ¡°But Senior Sister is not Yin Xiaojing; you are An Zhisu. You¡¯re not Ouyang Zhao¡¯s wife, but you are my Ling Yunpo¡¯s¡­ cough, Senior Sister, so it¡¯s better to consider it from the perspective of a Shushan disciple.¡± ¡°I see,¡± An Zhisu then smiled gently, ¡°Junior Brother need not worry; I won¡¯t be troubled by this anymore.¡± After helping his Senior Sister untangle herplex thoughts, Ling Yunpo took his leave to return. An Zhisu went back to her room, gazing at the moonlight shimmering outside the window, and suddenly sighed again. Ling Yunpo had persuaded her to consider things from the standpoint of Shushan¡¯s greater good, and of course, she understood his meaning. However, she had an instinctual fear of ¡°sacrificing individual interests for the collective good¡± because over the past decades, the Various Peaks of Shushan had used excuses such as ¡°for the righteousness of the sect¡± and ¡°Sentiment Inquiry Path is heretical¡± to collude against and jointly ostracize Qingluo Peak.
An Zhisu could fend off provocations and malice from fellow sect disciples with her formidable martial force, but she had no good solutions for the exclusion and difficulties posed by those who wore the mask of righteousness. If one day, the Shushan Shangqing Faction decided to kill my Junior Brother in the name of justice, what should I do? Even more, if my master after emerging from seclusion also took the side of the sect, what then? If it really came to that¡­ should I choose righteousness over kinship, or follow in Ouyang Zhao¡¯s footsteps and betray the sect¡­ An Zhisu bit her lip in silence, her mind in turmoil, and she couldn¡¯t even enter a state of meditative concentration. The next morning, Ling Yunpo woke from his meditative concentration and cycled through several Grand Circtions ording to the ¡°Supreme Primordial True Record,¡±pleting his Refining Mansion practice for the day. Once a cultivator reaches the Refining Mansion Rank, they must practice breathing and refine Qi daily, using True Yuan to moisten the Purple Mansion within their Dantian. To be honest, it¡¯s quite boring. In the Qi Refining Rank, the cultivation allows one to see the Qi Sea within the Dantian expanding with each advance in practice; In the Marrow Cleansing Rank, one can see the turbid qi within the marrow being gradually cleansed by the constant flushing of True Qi. Both stages result in noticeable changes, giving cultivators a clear sense of achievement. However, the Refining Mansion Rank is different, with cultivators mechanically immersing their Purple Mansion in True Yuan day after day, with almost imperceptible changes. After finishing the morning practice, Ling Yunpo picked up a broom and went to sweep the entrance of the temple. He hadn¡¯t been sweeping for long when he saw Lin Duanshan and Guan Shanyue descend from the sky on Sword Light.
¡°Why are you sweeping again?¡± Guan Shanyue asked, puzzled. ¡°Let¡¯s talk about the important matter first,¡± Lin Duanshan interrupted her, ¡°The miasma in the Hundred Thousand Mountains is about to dissipate.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Ling Yunpo responded listlessly. The Hundred Thousand Mountains, located to the south of Shushan, is a vastndscape of mountain ridges teeming with Demonic Beasts, Spirit Grass, and ancient ruins. However, for over three hundred and fifty days a year, they are enveloped in deadly miasma that not only hinders the spread of Divine Sense but also damages the physical foundation of cultivators if inhaled over a long period. The Eastern Emperor Path lies within Yu Long Mountain inside the Hundred Thousand Mountains. Its method of traversing the miasma is a closely-guarded secret of the Sect, coveted by the Shushan Shangqing Faction but thwarted by the miasma, preventing incursion. Yet, during the coldest two weeks of the year, which are also the least hot days in the Southern Border, the miasma encasing the Hundred Thousand Mountains slowly dissipates. At this time, the Shushan Sword Immortals would form groups and travel southward,peting with cultivators from the Eastern Emperor Path for various resources, always returning fullyden. But what does that have to do with me? Ling Yunpo continued sweeping, only to hear Guan Shanyue say: ¡°Aspensation for participating in yesterday¡¯s sword-seeking event, the elders secured two slots for Qingluo Peak.¡± Upon hearing this, Ling Yunpo paused, raising his eyebrows. Chapter 202 - 64: Senior Sister’s Pleasant Surprise Chapter 202: Chapter 64: Senior Sister¡¯s Pleasant Surprise The Shushan Shangqing Faction refers to the yearly winter expeditions to the Hundred Thousand Mountains as the ¡°South Expedition.¡± It is not a mere raid, but a South Expedition ¡ª the difference lies in its righteousness, as the Shushan Shangqing Faction has always regarded the Hundred Thousand Mountains as their domain ¡°since ancient times.¡± In Ancient Times, the Hundred Thousand Mountains in the Southern Border were the battlegrounds of the Human and Demon Races, where arge number of Sword Cultivators stationed around Shushan, responsible for repelling Demons attempting to move northward into Sichuan Shu. By the Ancient Times, with the full rise of the Human Race in Divine Land, the number of Cultivators also began to surge. A few powerful figures from Immortal Sects began to integrate the forces of the entire Cultivation Realm through discipleship and alliances, gradually forming the massive entities of rify Cult and Intercepting Cult. At that time, rify Cult was in the west, and Intercepting Cult in the east, with the middle section of the ancient Xiaohan Path as the boundary of influence. Sichuan Shu remained the preserve of rify Cult¡¯s Sword Cultivators¡ªand so began their im over the Hundred Thousand Mountains. As for how the power distribution of the rify and Intercepting Cultster became interlocked and spread out like stars in a game of Go, and how the Hundred Thousand Mountains came to be ¡°covertly upied¡± by Intercepting Cult¡¯s Cultivators, that is another long story. Within the Hundred Thousand Mountains, the temperature remains constant throughout the year. This constancy allows the particrly temperature-sensitive miasma to persist steadily, only briefly receding between the Greater and Lesser Cold each winter. At that time, the Shushan Shangqing Faction would send out arge number of Sword Immortals on a South Expedition to ¡°harvest¡± the resources within the Hundred Thousand Mountains. Although Cultivators from the Eastern Emperor Path can navigate through the miasma, they cannotpletely ignore it and also need to take advantage of this time to harvest resources. Moreover, facingpetition and threats from Shushan Sword Immortals, it ismon to invite other Demon Path Cultivators to assist, turning the entire Hundred Thousand Mountains into a brutal battlefield, a ce far more perilous than any secret realm trial. For this reason, every year, the Shushan Shangqing Faction selectively chooses Sword Immortals for the South Expedition, rather than giving each disciple an equal opportunity topete, as is the case with trials at the Demon Locking Tower. Strongbat ability is a necessary basis, while veiled political status is naturally within the scope of consideration. After all, within the Hundred Thousand Mountains, in addition to enemies, there are all kinds of unparalleled fortunate encounters and harvests¡­ Therefore, Qingluo Peak is almost always uninvolved in the South Expedition each year. This time, with the help of rtions with the Guan Family¡¯s elder, Ling Yunpo was genuinely surprised to catch such a valuable opportunity, feeling as if a joy had descended from the heavens. Great! Now I can start investigating in advance for relics within the Hundred Thousand Mountains that could elerate the refining process of the Refining Mansion! ¡°Where¡¯s Senior Sister An?¡± Lin Duanshan asked. Ling Yunpo immediately became alert, ¡°What do you need Senior Sister for? She¡¯s practicing swordsmanship at this time; you can tell me anything, and it¡¯s all the same.¡± Lin Duanshan frowned slightly, while Guan Shanyue immediately caught on, teasingly saying, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, it¡¯s not a personal matter we¡¯re looking for her for, it¡¯s official business. It¡¯s said that this time the Eastern Emperor Path has unprecedentedly gathered the Asura Path, Heavenly Demon Path, Nether Ghost Path, and Mortal Life Path, intending to ambush our Shushan Sword Immortals in the Hundred Thousand Mountains.¡± ¡°All five paths together?¡± Ling Yunpo asked in surprise, ¡°In the past, wasn¡¯t it only the Asura Path that was involved?¡± ¡°They¡¯ve had this nned out for a long time,¡± Lin Duanshan said seriously, ¡°First, by using the Dragon n¡¯s uprising incident at the Demon Locking Tower to weaken our Shushan¡¯s strength¡­¡± ¡°It didn¡¯t weaken us that much though,¡± Ling Yunpo reminded. ¡°Ahem, although it didn¡¯t weaken us much, our Sword Immortals¡¯ thirst for revenge has been ignited,¡± Lin Duanshan added. ¡°With five paths gathered together, our Shushan is at a disadvantage. But if we avoid battle or seek help from the Taiqing Sect and Yuqing View, we fear it will damage morale.¡± So can we stop being so obsessed with saving face? Ling Yunpo thought critically to himself, but aloud he said, ¡°That¡¯s right! If the Eastern Emperor Path thinks they can seed like this, then we must disappoint them! We Shushan Sword Immortals have never feared strong enemies; we worry only that the enemy isn¡¯t strong enough!¡± [Unyielding character setting, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°Well spoken, Younger Brother Ling!¡± Lin Duanshan greatly appreciated his stance, ¡°With only the five paths of the Demon Cult gathered, what is there for us Sword Immortals to fear? Even if myriad gods and spirits block the way, I would cut them down with a single sword strike!¡± Guan Shanyue, however, did not respond, only staring suspiciously at Ling Yunpo, wondering how this guy could also have a rash side? I thought he was rather deep¡­ It seems it¡¯s just that he was made to look good by An Zhisu, after all, the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal is the very epitome of rashness. ¡°But to respond to the situation, in addition to great courage, we also need to do our homework on intelligence in advance,¡± Lin Duanshan added, ¡°That¡¯s why we nned toe to you and Senior Sister An to discuss preparations in advance.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded, thinking there was no harm in that. After all, Lin Duanshan, Senior Brother Lin, likes to do intelligence investigations in advance. Before the Great Comparison among the Shushan peers, he made me memorize all the battle intelligence of the top fifty Sword Immortals by rote. The three arrived at the courtyard of the Taoist temple and saw An Zhisu, with a flushed face slightly inebriated, sprawled over the stone table in the pavilion, fast asleep, with a few slender jade porcin wine bottles rolling around next to her. Everyone: ¡­¡­¡­ Lin Duanshan, astonished, looked at Ling Yunpo, as if to say, ¡°Is this what you call practicing swordsmanship?¡± Ling Yunpo hurriedly took three steps and made them into two, rushing to the pavilion to shake An Zhisu¡¯s shoulders vigorously: ¡°Senior Sister! Wake up!¡± But An Zhisu refused to wake up and even burped with her eyes closed, a strong aroma of alcohol wafting in the air. Ling Yunpo, out of options, could only whisper into his senior sister¡¯s ear: ¡°Master has exited seclusion!¡± An Zhisu almost instinctively sat up, and it took her a while toe to her senses, realizing she had been tricked by her junior brother. She could only silently circte her True Yuan to refine all the alcohol, then, as if nothing had happened, she spoke to Guan Shanyue and Lin Duanshan, who were already staring dumbfounded: ¡°What¡¯s going on, any issue?¡± Lin Duanshan was still in a daze, but Guan Shanyue quickly steadied his nerves and smiled: ¡°The miasma of the Hundred Thousand Mountains is about to dissipate, and the faction has already begun preparations for the southern expedition.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± replied An Zhisu in the same manner as Ling Yunpo, which was essentially ¡°What does that have to do with me?¡± ¡°As a reward for thest sword-seeking mission, the elder secured two spots for both of you,¡± Guan Shanyue continued. ¡°Really?¡± An Zhisu was overjoyed and turned to Ling Yunpo, ¡°That¡¯s great, Junior Brother! There¡¯s a site in the Hundred Thousand Mountains that should be able to expedite the refinement process in the Refining Mansion, we must go this time!¡± ¡°I was about to tell Senior Sister An another piece of bad news,¡± Lin Duanshan began, ¡°The Eastern Emperor Path has almost summoned the entire Demon Path toe to the Hundred Thousand Mountains to confront us from the Shushan, so the danger level is likely far greater than before¡­¡± ¡°Even better,¡± An Zhisu said, beaming, then turning to Ling Yunpo she continued, ¡°Junior Brother, this is a rare opportunity, we can go all out and have a full-fledged battle with the Demon Cult.¡± Lin Duanshan: ¡­¡­¡­ Guan Shanyue: ¡­¡­¡­ Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­ So, staying in Shushan all this time, there hasn¡¯t been anyone worth your full effort, has there? Chapter 203 - 65 Quasi-Innate Sword Heart Chapter 203: Chapter 65 Quasi-Innate Sword Heart Having secured a spot in the expedition to the Hundred Thousand Mountains, Senior Sister An¡¯s attitude became even stricter during this period. First, she aimed to train Junior Brother Ling¡¯s ¡°Sword Immortal Basic Skills,¡± specifically his reaction speed and response time. The method was to have him spar against Senior Sister An¡¯s two swords with just a single sword. After only a few days of practice, Ling Yunpo began toin incessantly. In the past, when I used my Two-Handed Sword Control against Senior Sister An¡¯s, I was still not her match. Now that I¡¯m restricted to using only a single sword, isn¡¯t that the same as cutting off my own arm and serving it to her on a tter? I protest! There¡¯s something wrong with this method of training! He tentatively raised the issue several times, only to be outright rejected by his always-smiling Senior Sister. Her reasoning was simple and straightforward: shed more tears during practice, bleed less in battle. Indeed, during this period, sparring with Senior Sister An was far more than just sweating; it was about being hit until a grown man cried, nearly doubting whether one even had talent for swordsmanship. When Ling Yunpo could no longer endure it, he could only secretlymunicate with the Green Duckweed Sword and the Kunlun Mirror, devising a strategy to defeat Senior Sister An. ¡°Your Senior Sister seems to possess the talent of the ¡®Innate Sword Heart,''¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly said. ¡°Innate Sword Heart?¡± Ling Yunpo said in surprise, ¡°Isn¡¯t that the exceptional aptitude that matches the Innate Sword Bone? And I remember, though often mentioned together, the Innate Sword Heart is actually slightly inferior to the Innate Sword Bone, so why can¡¯t I beat Senior Sister?¡± ¡°That¡¯s natural,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword said with augh, ¡°The Innate Sword Heart enhances swordsmanship experience, but one can acquire swordsmanship experience through hard work, which doesn¡¯tpare to the Innate Sword Bone¡¯s enhancement of the Flying Sword itself.¡± ¡°However, at your current low realms, you are unable to unleash the power of high-rank Flying Swords, plus your Senior Sister has much morebat experience than you, that¡¯s why you¡¯re not her match.¡± Ling Yunpo suddenly saw the light: Senior Sister¡¯s talenty in the software, mine in the hardware; poor software could be upgraded by downloading better versions, but poor hardware would require reincarnation to change. ¡°No, that¡¯s not quite right,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said unsurely, ¡°She probably doesn¡¯t possess the ¡®Innate Sword Heart¡¯ yet, she merely has the potential and is starting to grasp the threshold of developing her aptitude¡­ When she fully unlocks her talent, I think I will imprint her into the mirror as well.¡± ¡°That¡¯s fine by me,¡± thought Ling Yunpo, considering that imprinting wouldn¡¯t harm his Senior Sister, ¡°But what is Senior Sister¡¯s character temte?¡± ¡°Protective,¡± replied the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°Indeed,¡± Ling Yunpo found it hard to disagree. Externally, she was cold and cautious, but internally she was like a caring big sister, full of tenderness and warmth; describing her as ¡°protective¡± couldn¡¯t be more apt. ¡°Let¡¯s get back to the matter at hand,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword said with a chuckle, ¡°Her not fully developed Innate Sword Heart is actually a form of intuition that operates without conscious thought.¡± ¡°Since it is without thought, it can easily be misled or deceived. You should make your moves as I¡¯ve taught you¡­¡± Ling Yunpo immediately put what he learned into practice, using a variety of cunning tricks that made An Zhisu somewhat troubled and vexed. However, she did not be frustrated or irritable; instead, she thought to herself that it was just like her Junior Brother to quickly find a way to counter her, and her Sword Control Technique became even sharper. After about a month of practice, Ling Yunpo then performed a time-space travel to Kunlun. [Location One: Kunlun Taiqing Sect, Golden Ridge.] [Identity: Qiu Changtian.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Temte ovey, time-space traveling in progress.] Early in the morning, after Qiu Changtian finished discussing scriptures with his junior brothers and sisters, they all paid their respects to the Chief Disciple and then exited the cave dwelling one by one. Yet Xu Yinglian remained behind as usual, without uttering a single word. After her junior brothers and sisters left with suggestive expressions, Qiu Changtian finally opened his mouth to ask, ¡°What is it, Junior Sister? Have you gained new inspiration for a song?¡± ¡°Other thanposing and ying together, is there no serious business to talk to you about?¡± Xu Yinglian raised an eyebrow and began to bicker with him, ¡°Does Senior Brother think that I onlye to bother you with personal matters?¡± ¡°Of course not,¡± Qiu Changtian replied with an easyugh. However, with his invincible character setting entuating the mood, it only seemed more hateful in Xu Yinglian¡¯s eyes, ¡°So, what important matter is it then, Junior Sister?¡± Xu Yinglian took a moment to calm her emotions and then said, ¡°Great Granduncle wants to see you.¡± ¡°Great Granduncle?¡± Qiu Changtian was momentarily taken aback, then realized she was referring to Xu Changqing, the chief disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm. As the Ziwei Master was often busy with countless matters, if there was anything tomand the disciples of the Foundation Establishment Realm, he would usually have Xu Changqing ry the message. Therefore, Qiu Changtian joined Xu Yinglian to fly on their swords to Xu Changqing¡¯s cave abode to see what their master had to delegate. Upon entering the cave abode, they saw Xu Changqing seated on a stone bed, not dressed in the Kunlun robes but in in white garment with his hair casually spread over his shoulders. ¡°Great Senior Brother,¡± Qiu Changtian greeted with a bow. ¡°Qiu Junior Brother,¡± Xu Changqing asked warmly, ¡°How have your studies and cultivation been progressing recently? Do you have any questions?¡± It was also the duty of the chief disciple to answer questions for other disciples in the Foundation Establishment Realm, so Qiu Changtian did not hold back and candidly spoke about a few difficulties from the Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra. Xu Changqing pondered for a moment before exining things in an easy-to-understand manner. His answers were not as exquisite as those of the Ziwei Master but were straightforward and simple, which actually suited the junior brothers and sisters¡¯ understanding better. After the question session ended, Qiu Changtian thanked him profusely. Xu Changqing waved his hand to indicate it was unnecessary and said, ¡°Qiu Junior Brother, do you know¡­ in a few days, I am going to form my Golden Core.¡± ¡°Core Formation?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in astonishment, ¡°I heard it was still a few years away, wasn¡¯t it?¡± ¡°Already I am one hundred and eighty-six years old,¡± Xu Changqingughed heartily, ¡°Along with the fortuitous encounters and resources I have acquired throughout my life, they roughly amount to two hundred and thirty years of Refining Mansion cultivation.¡± ¡°Although the Jade Mansion of my Dantian has been built, a Second Grade Golden Core is still far-fetched. If I continue to dy for a few more years, what purpose would it serve?¡± Qiu Changtian remained silent, thinking to himself that it wasn¡¯t quite that simple. Ordinary cultivators usually chose to form their core at one hundred and ny years of age. Although Xu Changqing had only four years left, if he traveled around visiting celestial caves, who could assure an unexpected encounter would not bring him several decades more of Refining Mansion cultivation? Alright, a Second Grade Golden Core requires at least four hundred years, and there¡¯s still a shortfall of one hundred and seventy years. The gap is indeed quite substantial¡­ ¡°Ultimately, there is the foundation of a Third Grade Golden Core.¡± Qiu Changtian congratted with a bow, ¡°As long as the Core Formation and embryonic immortal formation go smoothly, ascending to the position of a Daluo Golden Immortal is not impossible.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to think too far ahead for the moment,¡± Xu Changqing waved his hand, chuckling, ¡°If I can sessfully ovee the Third Grade Golden Core Heavenly Tribtion, I¡¯ll owe a great deal of thanks to the Three Pure Ones.¡± ¡°Great Granduncle must not speak of such inauspicious words!¡± Xu Yinglian hastily interjected. ¡°No matter,¡± Xu Changqing stopped at the right time and then brought up the proper affairs with Qiu Changtian, ¡°The Sect Leader intends, on the day I undergo the tribtion, for you all to watch attentively from the periphery to feel andprehend what exactly the Heavenly Tribtion is like.¡± Chapter 204: 66 The Might of the Heavenly Tribulation Chapter 204: Chapter 66 The Might of the Heavenly Tribtion Heavenly Tribtion, the thing all cultivators fear the most. Though the path of cultivation is full of many hardships, if one is cautious andys low, it¡¯s not impossible to avoid risks. But the three Heavenly Tribtions¡ªCore Condensation Tribtion, Embryo Formation Tribtion, and Ascension Tribtion¡ªare unavoidable for every cultivator. The higher the quality of the Golden Core, the more the power of the Heavenly Tribtion multiplies, to the extent that the survival rate for high-rank Heavenly Tribtions is much lower than that of lower ones¡­ It must be known, those who achieve a higher Golden Core grade are without exception the elite disciples of the major sects, each of them blessed with certain fortunes, truly the chosen ones! It can only be said that cultivation is ultimately an act against the heavens. The more capable the cultivator, the more likely they are to perish during the Heavenly Tribtion, which is really the Heavenly Dao redistributing wealth by its own hand. The essence of the Heavenly Tribtion is the Thunder Method. Qiu Changtian¡¯s cultivation of the ¡°Five Thunder True Law,¡± one of which is the Heavenly Thunder, is identical to the Tribtion Lightning, and maye in various rich forms, such as metal, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, light, sound, darkness, smoke¡­ but it is definitely of the Thunder Method nature. As for the power of the Thunder Method, there¡¯s no need to say much. Just look at the absurd bounty the Demon Cult has ced on Qiu Changtian¡¯s head, one can see the strong sense of fear behind it. And the lightning of the Heavenly Tribtion, both in scale and intensity, far surpasses the Thunder Method that cultivators can employ. Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian stood atop the snow peak, watching Xu Changqing, who was seated in the distant snow valley.
This ce is known as the ¡°Thunder Tribtion Valley¡± of Kunlun, where generations of cultivators mostly choose to ovee their tribtions. As a result, the surroundings of the valley¡¯s bottom have been nearly ttened by Heavenly Tribtions, and every so often, they expand yet again. ¡°Senior Brother,¡± Xu Yinglian said in a low voice, the mountain wind making her Daoist robe rustle loudly. She tucked her windblown hair behind her ears, then hugged her arms tight: ¡°I¡¯m somewhat afraid.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Qiu Changtian was somewhat surprised, unable to imagine this strong-willed junior sister suddenly showing such a weak emotion. The Kunlun Mirror quickly removed the invincible character setting, only to hear Xu Yinglian continue: ¡°I worry whether Great Grandfather will survive the Heavenly Tribtion.¡± ¡°Worrying is of no use,¡± Qiu Changtian said gently. ¡°But I believe that Senior Brother Xu would not do something if he weren¡¯t confident.¡± ¡°Facing the Heavenly Tribtion, who can be sure of themselves?¡± Xu Yinglian said somberly. ¡°Cultivation itself is an act against the heavens,¡± Qiu Changtian said. ¡°But I¡¯ve heard that if one dies under the Heavenly Tribtion, it¡¯s not just a matter of being crushed to pieces but also of the soul disintegrating, not entering reincarnation,¡± Xu Yinglian said. ¡°Is Junior Sister Xu afraid?¡± Qiu Changtian nced at her obliquely. However, without the aura of the invincible character setting, that ncecked any provocative power and was instantly seen through by Xu Yinglian¡¯s Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart. She knew her senior brother was using reverse psychology to boost her spirits, so she responded with a light smile: ¡°How could I not be afraid? I too will have to face the Heavenly Tribtion someday, and it might even be the Second Grade Golden Core Tribtion~¡± ¡°Second Grade Golden Core¡­¡± Qiu Changtian was speechless and smiled wryly, swallowing the rest of his words. It could only be said, if you¡¯re happy, that¡¯s all that matters. ¡°But,¡± Xu Yinglian paused for a moment, then continued, ¡°fear or not, one still has to keep moving forward. The so-called pursuit of the Dao is probably just that.¡± ¡­Perhaps it¡¯s because I¡¯m even more afraid of being left behind that I mock myself in my heart.
¡°Junior Sister¡¯s words resonate deeply with me,¡± Qiu Changtian said approvingly, echoing the ¡°sect spirit¡± of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect. ¡°No time to talk, the Heavenly Tribtion is about to start,¡± Xu Yinglian shifted her gaze toward the sky. The sky, which had been clear and transparent, now borerge swaths of dense clouds; within them, lightning flickered and thunder rumbled ominously. The brilliant arcs of electricity were almost the size of mountain peaks, presenting a terrifying sight. ¡°What kind of lightning is that?¡± Xu Yinglian asked in rm, her voice quivering with an uncontroble tremor.
¡°in Cloud Golden Lightning,¡± Qiu Changtian said gravely, ¡°It¡¯s approaching the power of a Second Grade Golden Core Heavenly Tribtion.¡± No sooner had he spoken than the golden lightning arced down like a violent storm, sending them both hastily retreating on their swords into the air. Striking the valley floor, the in Cloud Golden Lightning¡¯s shockwave spread rapidly, shaking the airborne Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian so much that they nearly lost their bnce and struggled to maintain it. Looking back, the peak where they had just been standing had been sheared off by the shockwave. ¡°I didn¡¯t expect the range of the Heavenly Tribtion to be so far¡­ Watch out!¡± Xu Yinglian suddenly shouted a warning. Several strands of in Cloud Golden Lightning had transformed into huge electric serpents that were shing down from the edges of the tempest clouds toward them. Without hesitation, Xu Yinglian formed a hand seal and quickly released Great Bright Fire from her mouth and nose, instantly enveloping the sky above. However, the electric serpents tore through the wall of mes like knives shredding fragile cloth and continued to descend toward them¡ªuntil they were slowed to a visible speed by being struck by a massive spirit talisman made of spiritual energy. ¡°Your rank is too low!¡± Qiu Changtian said as he continued to cast the Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman to slow down the Heavenly Thunder, pulling back Xu Yinglian, who was ready to release more Great Bright Fire, ¡°The strength of True Qi at the Marrow Cleansing Rank isn¡¯t enough to confront the Heavenly Tribtion head-on!¡± Xu Yinglian, pulled backward by him, saw the electric serpents tearing through one spirit talisman only to get trapped in another. With reluctance, she had to admit that her own strength at the Marrow Cleansing Rank was insufficient against the Third Grade Golden Core Heavenly Tribtion. They retreated to a safe area in a single breath, and only then did the electric serpents cease their pursuit, turning back to attack Xu Changqing at the valley floor instead. Looking again at the elder brother Xu, he seemed to have adopted the same countermeasures as Qiu Changtian: using the sealing abilities of the Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman to bind and weaken arge number of electric serpents. Yet, more and more Tribtion Lightning began to break free from the bond of the spirit talismans, continuing their ferocious assault on Xu Changqing.
¡°Watch carefully,¡± Qiu Changtian suddenly said. Xu Yinglian looked intently only to see Xu Changqing in the center of the valley, his right hand constantly casting spirit talismans, while his feet began to move in mysterious steps, just in time to dodge the Tribtion Lightning, causing them to createrge craters in the ground as they missed. ¡°Is that¡­ a Formation?¡± Xu Yinglian asked uncertainly. ¡°A pre-arranged Formation,¡± Qiu Changtian replied, ¡°The time and location to confront the Heavenly Tribtion can be chosen, it would be a pity not to use formations.¡± ¡°But I¡¯ve heard that if one relies on the power of a formation, the intensity of the Heavenly Tribtion would increase with the strength of the formation,¡± Xu Yinglian said with nervous apprehension. ¡°To put it precisely, a cultivator cannot relypletely on formations,¡± Qiu Changtian corrected her, his gaze fixed intently on the center of the valley, ¡°Look closely, for the weaker lightnings, he chooses to defend with the Flying Sword.¡± Xu Yinglian focused her look and noted that indeed, Xu Changqing was executing theyered tactics as Qiu Changtian had described. The main force of the Heavenly Tribtion was being dyed and bound by the Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman. This Daoist technique, derived from the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,¡± was an indisputable method passed down through the disciples of the Kunlun Sect Leaders for countering the Heavenly Tribtion. As for the Tribtion Lightnings that broke through the bindings, therger ones were deflected or dodged using formations, while the smaller ones were countered directly with the Flying Sword or Magical Treasures. ¡°How long can this hold?¡± Xu Yinglian said dryly, her expression showcasing utmost concern, ¡°The Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman merely dys the descent of the main force of the Heavenly Tribtion, it doesn¡¯t dissipate them¡­¡± Before she finished speaking, a great number of electric serpents furiously descended, surpassing the critical point of the talisman¡¯s binding and instantly engulfing Xu Changqing¡¯s figure! Chapter 205: 67 Foundation Establishment Realm, Chief Disciple! Chapter 205: Chapter 67 Foundation Establishment Realm, Chief Disciple! Xu Yinglian¡¯s face turned pale. As a member of a Cultivating Immortality family, she had long understood the terrifying nature of Heavenly Tribtion from various ancient texts. However, it was only when she truly witnessed the Heavenly Tribtion before her that she realized all the records in the ancient texts had severely downyed its actual power. Each bout of Tribtion Lightning was a thick electric serpent, capable of easily tearing through all kinds of Daoist Magic, and could only be shattered with a high-rank Immortal Sword or a powerful Magical Treasure. And there were hundreds, if not thousands, of such bolts of Lightning at the same time¡­ As the tribtion clouds grew denser, the serpentine lightning became even more intense, forcing Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian to retreat once again, to avoid being harmed by the tribtion¡¯s aftermath. The means Xu Changqing had used to deal with the Lightning were also gradually overwhelmed by more and more electric serpents, eventually disappearingpletely from both their sight. ¡°Great-grandfather, he¡­¡± Xu Yinglian hesitated to ask. ¡°He¡¯s still alive,¡± Qiu Changtian consoled her, ¡°otherwise the Heavenly Tribtion wouldn¡¯t still be continuing.¡± ¡°But isn¡¯t he nearing his limit?¡± Xu Yinglian asked anxiously.
By this time, the two had retreated nearly twenty miles away, only to see that the tribtion clouds in the distance had pressed extremely low, and the valley¡¯s floor was almost unseen,pletely covered by an ongoing, intensely brilliant va ocean.¡± In fact, it was an almost limitless umtion of the terrifying disaster created byyer uponyer of in Cloud Golden Lightning. Within a few miles of the ocean¡¯s periphery, all the Snow Peaks had been melted and scorched by the immense heat, revealing almost ss-like, dazzling colors on the surface, and the ground continued to tremble incessantly. The air above was filled with an ominous gale, the hot air from the Heavenly Tribtion rising and causing turbulence, tossing about the two on their Flying Swords. Qiu Changtian silently watched that ocean, and after a moment of silent estimation, he realized the scale of this Heavenly Tribtion could almost bepared to a nuclear explosion. And it was the kind of concentrated explosion that involved bombarding the target area with continuous sts¡­ Is this unreasonable thing what I will have to face when undergoing my Core Condensation Tribtion? No, no, no, when I face my Core Condensation Tribtion, the Pill Formation will likely reach the Second Grade, and the corresponding Heavenly Tribtion will probably be unsolvable! He pondered with mixed feelings, while Xu Yinglian was wide-eyed, staring at the apocalyptic scene of the horrific Heavenly Tribtion. With such a terrifying Heavenly Tribtion, do I even have hope of oveing it? For a moment, her will wavered and, almost involuntarily, her eyes flicked to her Senior Brother beside her, only to see Qiu Changtian¡¯s handsome profile marked by surprise and deep thought, but no sign of worry or fear. Junior Sister Xu immediately felt as if she had found her pir of strength, and somewhat mysteriously, her confidence was restored. After years ofpeting with her Senior Brother, she had developed an almost conditioned instinctive response: If Senior Brother can do it, why can¡¯t I? I can do it too, and I must, even if I seem unable! This kind of thought did not require any logical support. In short, if Senior Brother can¡¯t do something, I may or may not be able to; but if Senior Brother can do it, then I must be able to do it too! And I have to do it even better than him. Thus, all the worries and anxiety were transformed into full-blown fighting spirit. Qiu Changtian was puzzled, noticing how Junior Sister Xu¡¯s face had initially been pale, but somehow, her spirits suddenly lifted, and he couldn¡¯t help but murmur to himself, this Junior Sister is really something. The Heavenly Tribtionsted for about three hours, and as the tribtion clouds gradually dispersed, the va ocean¡± below also began to dry up slowly. A stream of azure light shot from afar; it was the arrival of the Ziwei Master, who crossed above their heads in an instant and flew towards the center of Thunder Tribtion Valley. Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian exchanged a nce and then followed suit on their Flying Swords.
Upon arriving in the center of Thunder Tribtion Valley, they saw Xu Changqing, who was covered in blood, sitting on the ground, his face tinged with a greenish-purple ckness, constantly casting the Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique on himself. Scattered around him on the ground were all manner of fragments¡ªmagical treasures, Flying Swords, array gs¡­ Most had turned to dust under the Heavenly Thunder, with only a few remnants left that still bore glowing traces of spiritual power. Having experience with artifact forging at the Heavenly Craft Workshop, Luo Yan could make a rough estimate at a nce: the number of magic artifacts destroyed in the Heavenly Tribtion was no fewer than fifty. On one hand, it showed the financial strength of The Xu Family of Southern Heaven; on the other hand, with so many magical treasures and Flying Swords used, Xu Senior Brother still ended up in this state after the tribtion?
How many magic artifacts would I need to prepare for my own Second Grade Golden Core Tribtion in the future? A hundred? Two hundred? It¡¯s useless if they¡¯re not of high enough grade¡­ He silently calcted in his mind only to see the Ziwei Master cast a few spells, and Xu Changqing¡¯splexion immediately improved significantly. ¡°Master,¡± Xu Yinglian asked softly. ¡°He¡¯s fine,¡± the Ziwei Master said indifferently. ¡°His foundation is severely damaged. It¡¯s already fortunate that he¡¯s alive. He will need to go into seclusion to recuperate for a while.¡± Xu Yinglian visibly rxed, while Qiu Changtian watched Xu Changqing¡¯splexion and thought to himself that this ¡°for a while¡± would be at least a decade. ¡°From today,¡± the Ziwei Master turned towards Qiu Changtian, pointing with the handle of a horsetail whisk, ¡°you are the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm.¡± ¡°Disciple is undeserving,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a sped-hand salute. The Ziwei Master didn¡¯t give him a chance to continue being modest and simply waved his hand. Then, wrapping Xu Changqing in a light of sword, he left a message before flying in the direction of the Kunlun Heavenly Pir: ¡°This matter is concluded. Hurry to the Kunlun ancestral hall to receive the rites!¡± As the sword light disappeared into the sky, Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian exchanged a look. Junior Sister Xu then sighed and said: ¡°Congrattions, Senior Brother.¡± ¡°Congrattions to us both,¡± Qiu Changtian said modestly. With Qiu Changtian bing the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm, he would be able to receive personal consultation from the Ziwei Master, which would lead to a qualitative leap in his understanding of the Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra.
Xu Yinglian and the other junior sisters and brothers usually had their questions answered by Senior Brother Qiu, who would naturally also benefit greatly from this¡ªhence the saying, ¡°When one man attains Dao, his poultry and dogs ascend to heaven.¡± After escorting Junior Sister Xu back to Golden Ridge Cave Abode, Yan Zhitui and others had also received the news and came over to congratte the new Chief Disciple: ¡°Congrattions to Senior Brother Qiu on taking the position of Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm.¡± ¡°Senior Brother Qiu is now truly the ¡®great senior brother,¡¯ isn¡¯t he?¡± Qiu Changtian nodded and thanked each of them, chatting andughing with his junior brothers and sisters. Xu Yinglian stood to the side with her lips pursed, simply smiling faintly. Her great-grandfather Xu Changqing had sessfully ovee the Heavenly Tribtion, and Senior Brother Qiu had be the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm. With double happiness gracing them, her mood was also extremely joyful. Seeing the happiness on her face, the junior brothers and sisters who were unaware of her and the newly appointed Chief Disciple¡¯s grandparent-grandchild rtionship thought to themselves how concerned Junior Sister Xu was for Senior Brother Qiu, wondering how far their rtionship had progressed¡­ After bidding farewell to the junior brothers and sisters, Qiu Changtian proceeded to fly on his sword towards the Kunlun Heavenly Pir. ording to the sect¡¯s regtions, the current Chief Disciple was mainly responsible for internal affairs, but the Chief Disciples of the Foundation Establishment Realm and the Golden Core Realm had to shoulder some of the sect¡¯s external responsibilities, hence the need to formally receive the rites in the ancestral hall. Arriving at the ancient Kunlun ancestral hall in the Jade Void Pce, Qiu Changtian was surprised to see not only the Ziwei Master present, but most of the Nascent Soul Elders as well, and even several sect Guest Elders who were usually as elusive as divine dragons. They had all gathered in the hall, engaging in pleasantries and casual conversation with the other elders. It wasn¡¯t for any other reason but to meet the newly advanced Chief Disciple, a once in a millennium peerless genius with a Daoist Heart of rity!
Chapter 206: 68, Chief Disciple Appointed, Meeting with the Ancestral Master Chapter 206: Chapter 68, Chief Disciple Appointed, Meeting with the Ancestral Master ¡°Qiu Changtian, the 280th generation disciple, assumes the position of the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm from today. Ancestors above, please take note,¡± the Ziwei Master said solemnly as he inserted three sticks of incense into the burner with great reverence. The sound echoed in the ancestral hall, where the elders all had solemn expressions on their faces. Outside of Kunlun, within the countless cave abodes, the various leaders also had a sense of awareness; as they lifted their heads, they knew that the position of Chief Disciple in the Foundation Establishment Realm of Kunlun had been transferred. As the ceremony for the Chief Disciple concluded, the Ziwei Master waved his horsetail whisk, and a Daoist robe and a Daoist crown floated towards Qiu Changtian,nding in his embrace. The Daoist robe, called the ¡°Star Orbs Shift Robe,¡± felt as smooth as silk to the touch, yet upon closer inspection, there were no visible seams; in style, it was nearly identical to the robes worn by the Inner Sect Disciples of Kunlun, with hardly any noticeable difference. Only embroidered on the back was a map of the constetions, which included the ¡°Four Symbols Constetion Formation Method¡± that held special defensive and life-preserving qualities¡ªIt was said that in his most critical moment, Xu Changqing had activated the Four Symbols Star Constetion Formation Method on the robe to narrowly survive amidst a molten sea formed by tribtion lightning. Considering how, during his ordeal of transcending the heavenly tribtion, Xu Changqing¡¯s array of magical treasures and Flying Swords were all destroyed, yet this robe remained intact without even a scorch mark, one could understand its extraordinary nature. The Daoist crown was named ¡°Sun and Moon Essence-Gathering Crown,¡± and simrly to the crowns worn by the Inner Sect Disciples, it had the same outer shape; however, the front was embroidered with the sun in silver threads and the back with the moon, concealing twoyers of Daoist magic that could be activated: One was the ¡°Great Sun Wheel Method,¡± which upon activation could revive the dead and restore white bones¡ªthe divine technique for regenerating blood and extending life.
The other was the ¡°Illusory Moon Reflection Method,¡± which upon activation could stabilize the soul and ward off mental attacks. One for healing and blood regeneration, the other for dispelling negative states, coupled with the robe¡¯s Four Symbols Constetion Formation Method, essentially meant that once the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm donned this attire, his ability to survive would increase manifold instantly. After reflecting for a moment, Qiu Changtian realized the intended design of the robe and crown was to allow the Chief Disciple to focus on breathing and qi refinement, to concentrate fully on advancing his cultivation level without having to worry about whether he could stand his ground against others in magicalpetition. ¡°Now go change in the back hall, then enter the inner hall to meet the Ancestors,¡± the Ziwei Master instructed. Qiu Changtian respectfullyplied without a word, then holding the Daoist robe and crown, he headed into the back hall. In a secluded corner where no one else was present, he changed into the clothes symbolizing the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm and pulled out the Yu Long Sword, examining his own reflection against the bright and wless de. Not bad, dignified and imposing¡ªI am worthy of the title, and the majesty of the Chief Disciple was immediately evident. Gathering his sleeves, Qiu Changtian strode majestically towards the depths of the back hall. This ancestral hall was not normally open to the public, and he had never been here before; he had only heard people mention that it seemed to contain the spiritual tablets of many great Ancestors from the rify Cult. Passing by the long table of spiritual tablets, Qiu Changtian saw a door at the end. Upon opening the door, the view suddenly expanded before him; he had unexpectedlye outside. Just three paces ahead was the edge of a cliff, below which was an endless sea of clouds, quite simr to the secret realm of the Divine Pce of the Queen Mother of the West. There was also a stone staircase leading from the edge of the cliff all the way to the top of a certain mountain peak opposite. Underneath the stone staircase, there seemed to be no support of any kind, as if defying gravity, it floated in mid-air. With a slight curl of his lip, Qiu Changtian cautiously stepped onto the first stair to test its stability. Indeed, it was stable, with no shaking at all. Considering the length of the staircase, it was likely some form of Immortal Law Restriction that did not follow thews of physics, so there was no need to worry about it copsing midway. Qiu Changtian continued to ascend, feeling the weather around him was excellent¡ªsunny and breezy,pletely different from the cutting winds above the snow peaks of Kunlun. The stone steps under his feet were also firmly supportive, easily holding up his weight.
When he reached the top of the stone staircase, Qiu Changtian saw that the summit was not very spacious and only had a solitary small temple. An elderly man was sitting on a stone bench in front of the hall, staring nkly at a stone table. On the stone table, intersecting lines carved out a Go chessboard, dotted with ck and white stones in an intricately staggeredyout, seemingly equally matched. The old man stroked his beard with his left hand, using his right hand to ce a white stone first, then a ck one, followed by another white one, murmuring,
¡°Hold on, let the old Daoist finish this game of chess¡­¡± Qiu Changtian bowed in salute and then stood respectfully to one side without looking at the chessboard, remaining silent. If this were any other novel¡¯s protagonist, this would be the moment when the male lead nonchntly gives a few pointers on the game, leading the old man to ponder for a moment before being struck with astonishment, looking at him with new eyes¡­ But unfortunately, Qiu Changtian didn¡¯t know how to y Go. Even if he did, he wouldn¡¯t be able to grasp this old man¡¯s personality. What if thetter was the type who didn¡¯t like interference; wouldn¡¯t his good intentions backfire? Fortunately, the old man didn¡¯t keep him waiting; after thirty or forty moves, the oue on the chessboard became clear. Sweeping across the chessboard with a wave of his long sleeve, making all the pieces vanish, the old man then turned around and smiled, ¡°Very good, you¡¯re sensible. Are you the new Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm?¡± ¡°I have seen the Patriarch,¡± Qiu Changtian hurriedly bent down to salute, ¡°Your junior¡­¡± ¡°No need, no need,¡± said the old man, beaming, ¡°It is rare to encounter someone whose Daoist Heart is as clear as yours; I would surely know.¡± He gestured towards the inner hall, saying, ¡°Go ahead. Seeing that you didn¡¯t disturb my mood, I¡¯ll give you a hint: if you find yourself inadequate, feel free to rest.¡± Qiu Changtian: ??? What does that mean? To just sleep through difficulties?
Nevertheless, the old man didn¡¯t seem inclined to exin further, just waving his sleeve, and the doors of the small hall opened. Qiu Changtian quickly stepped inside and saw that the hall wasn¡¯t veryrge, approximately thirty square meters. At the front, by the wall, there was an altar with the divine image of ¡°Taiqing Realm¡¯s Great Red Heavenly Virtue Celestial Honored One.¡± In front of the altar was a worn meditation cushion, its purpose obvious. Taiqing, Yuqing, and Shangqing, the ancestral halls of the rify Cult¡¯s Three Pure Ones, weren¡¯t devoted to any historical figures of great ability, but rather to anthropomorphic representations of the Great Dao. Therefore, Qiu Changtian knelt down without any psychological burden and began to silently pray: ¡°Disciple Qiu Changtian, currently the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, prays for the Patriarch¡¯s blessing¡­¡± With this thought, he suddenly became aware of a mysterious force descending from nowhere, beginning to invade his Dantian. To be precise, after this force infiltrated the Jade Mansion, it quickly began to rotate his Qi Sea¡¯s True Yuan and continuously soaked and repaired the damaged inner walls of his Jade Mansion. Kneeling here can actually increase my Refining Mansion Cultivation! Qiu Changtian was overjoyed and promptly coordinated the cirction of his energy, speeding up his cultivation. However, as more of the mysterious force infiltrated, he began to feel as if he were losing control of his body, and his mind became groggy. Instinctively, he wanted to bite his tongue to maintain consciousness, but then he recalled the old man¡¯s advice outside and rxed imperceptibly, quickly sumbing to the overwhelming drowsiness that overtook his consciousness.
Chapter 207: 69: The Whereabouts of the Second Heaven-Mending Stone Fragment Chapter 207: Chapter 69: The Whereabouts of the Second Heaven-Mending Stone Fragment All chief disciples of the Foundation Establishment Realm throughout Kunlun¡¯s history had an unknown benefit. That was, after their inauguration, they could visit the deeply situated Heaven¡¯s Gate Hall in the ancestral shrine to pay respect to the Taiqing Heavenly Venerable. The ancient image of Taiqing Heavenly Venerable here is not an ordinary y or wooden idol, but an ancient artifact that has been handed down from before the rify Cult. It could bestow the worshiper a one-time ¡°Enlightenment Baptism,¡± which would greatly advance their current cultivation realm. Theoretically, regardless of what realm a cultivator is in, they could gain an almost enormous boost through this enlightenment. In reality, to attain enlightenment in the Refining Mansion phase of the Foundation Establishment Realm is the most cost-effective, because whether the foundation at the Refining Mansion phase is solid or not directly determines the Grade Rank of Core Formation. And the Grade Rank of a Golden Core limits the maximum Grade Rank of a Nascent Soul, and even the maximum limit of Feather Transformation and ascension to the Immortal Realm¡­ It is indeed like the foundational cornerstone of a high tower of cultivation, none can afford to be careless. If a Kunlun cultivator with rtively good innate talent starts cultivating at the age of ten, spends forty years on Qi Refinement, ten years on Marrow Cleansing, and uses all remaining time for Refining Mansion, One¡¯s lifespan wouldn¡¯t exceed two hundred years without reaching a Golden Core. By the age of one hundred and ny, that roughly equates to one hundred and thirty years in the Refining Mansion stage. As long as one bes the chief disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm and then visits the Heaven¡¯s Gate Hall to pay respects to the ancient image of Taiqing Heavenly Venerable, one can attain seventy years of Refining Mansion cultivation in one enlightenment. Altogether, that makes two hundred years, just reaching the threshold of a Third Grade Golden Core¡ªthis is also why the Grade Rank of Core Formation for all chief disciples of Kunlun¡¯s Foundation Establishment Realm throughout history has never been below Third Grade.
To rise further to a Second Grade Golden Core, one would need to double the cultivation level in the Refining Mansion to four hundred years, which requires a variety of serendipitous encounters, and isn¡¯t something that can be forced without being the chosen one. Ling Yunpo, when he entered the Refining Mansion stage in the Demon Locking Tower, took into ount the eleration from the Cloud Sea Empty Cocoon, had one hundred and thirty years of mortal life left. Setting aside ten years as a precaution, that means one could stillboriously cultivate for one hundred and twenty years. Adding sixty years from the Mercurial Elixir Liquid, thirty years from the Cloud Sea Empty Cocoon, and seventy years of enlightenment from the Kunlun Heavenly Pir Hall, that makes a total of two hundred and eighty years of arduous cultivation, leaving a gap of one hundred and twenty years from the Second Grade Golden Core¡­ Qiu Changtian suddenly awoke from enlightenment, quickly inspected his inner self, and discovered that his Purple Mansion was nearly immacte, already possessing the basic outline of the Jade Mansion. This meant he was close to reaching the threshold of a High Grade Golden Core. He rose from his meditation mat, respectfully bowed to the ancient image of Taiqing Heavenly Venerable to express his gratitude. There still was a gap of one hundred and twenty years, Luo Yan from Yuqing View needs to start exerting effort now. He must first let Elder Shi Ding know and ept the fact that he himself had advanced to the Refining Mansion stage in an adequately reasonable way, then begin inquiring about methods to advance his Refining Mansion cultivation. The expectation was to at least advance for a cycle of sixty years! The remaining gap would be filled by Wei Dongliu from there. Second Grade Golden Core, charge, charge, charge! Leaving the Heaven¡¯s Gate Hall, Qiu Changtian once again bowed in gratitude to the old Taoist outside the hall. ¡°There is no need for such formalities.¡± The old Taoist chuckled, ¡°With your natural talent and aptitude, this position of chief disciple is well deserved; I dare not take credit for it.¡± ¡°I also thank the ancestor for the reminder,¡± Qiu Changtian earnestly said. With his emotional intelligence, it was not difficult for him to guess that the amiable old Taoist in front of him was the legendary guardian immortal of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect¡ª otherwise, who would have the power to guard the Heaven¡¯s Gate Hall here? Wasn¡¯t he afraid that other powerful beings would steal the ancient image of Taiqing Heavenly Venerable? After exchanging a few words with the old Taoist to make a good first impression, Qiu Changtian bid farewell and left. On his way back along the stone steps to the Kunlun Heavenly Pir and entering the back hall of the ancestral shrine, he suddenly heard the Kunlun Mirror softly call out: ¡°Chen Guanshui¡­¡± Qiu Changtian: ?
It took him quite a while to realize that this was his name before he had transmigrated to this world. This is the only name I truly acknowledge, the ¡°true name¡± that represents my real identity. Really, having worn so many different masks for such a long time, I¡¯ve even started to get a bit fuzzy on what my true face looks like under them. ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Ah Jing?¡± Chen Guanshui asked patiently.
¡°A fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone.¡± The Kunlun Mirror spoke slowly, ¡°I just sensed it.¡± ¡°It¡¯s in that old Daoist¡¯s¡­ the basket holding the ck chess pieces.¡± ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª Chen Guanshui was somewhat speechless. The fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone had split into six pieces; the whereabouts of four had already been ascertained, each located within the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, Shushan Shangqing Faction, Peni Yuqing View, and the Demon Cult¡¯s Hell Path. Among them, the two fragments in Kunlun and Shushan were in the hands of the Sect Guardian Immortal, the Supreme Elder. On closer thought, it seemed that the owner of such an innate strange object like the Heaven-Mending Stone could hardly be an ordinary mortal. Ah Jing, Ah Jing, you¡¯re being inhumane! You want me to obtain fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone from immortals, and not just from one, you you you¡­ ¡°Alright, alright.¡± The Kunlun Mirror said dejectedly, ¡°There¡¯s no helping it. Besides, I didn¡¯t set a time limit for you.¡± ¡°Isn¡¯t it a thousand years?¡± Chen Guanshui said, at a loss for words. ¡°That limit wasn¡¯t set by me either.¡± The Kunlun Mirror defended staunchly, ¡°If the heavens are falling, what¡¯s that got to do with me? Go me the heavens then.¡± ¡°How did Lady Nuwa repair the heavens back then?¡± Chen Guanshui grumbled resentfully, ¡°Was it a shoddy job?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a quality issue, it¡¯s because when the Heavenly Sphere intersected, the Mortal Realm and the Immortal Realm separated¡­¡± The Kunlun Mirror began exining, then stopped short, saying, ¡°In any case, knowing the reason now won¡¯t help you, you¡¯re better off thinking of a remedy.¡±
¡°What other remedy could there be?¡± Chen Guanshui retorted, ¡°Unless I turn around now, report everything to the ancestral masters of the immortals, and ask them to figure out a way to mend the heavens.¡± ¡°Sure.¡± The Kunlun Mirror snorted coldly, ¡°Whether he¡¯ll mend the heavens or not is another matter, but you definitely won¡¯t be able to keep me safe, so you can say goodbye to your ¡®Daoist Heart rity,¡¯ ¡®Innate Sword Bone,¡¯ and other peerless talents.¡± Chen Guanshui:¡­¡­ His mood at this moment could only be summed up by amon nt. For the Kunlun Mirror, a Supreme Elder of a cultivation sect was undoubtedly harder to control than a multi-faced spy; if they decided not to save the world, what could it do? It told Chen Guanshui that gathering the six fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone could repair the rift in the heavens and save the world. What it didn¡¯t tell Chen Guanshui was that even with just one fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone, although it wasn¡¯t enough to mend the sky, it was more than sufficient to protect thend of an entire province. The fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone were, after all, strange objects of sealing enchantments nearly at the same rank as the Great Way! These Supreme Elders of the cultivation sects, if they knew the true reality of the apocalypse, would they choose to make the effort to collect the fragments and save the world, or would they choose to use the single fragment they had to first protect their own sect¡­ The Kunlun Mirror neither knew nor wished to know. The only thing it knew was that aside from Chen Guanshui, whose fatey beyond this world, no one else could stop the preset destruction. ¡°Cough, I was just joking.¡± Chen Guanshui said awkwardly, ¡°How could I possibly hand you over, Ah Jing? You are my life-bound magical treasure after all!¡± ¡°Do I need to show humor in response to your joke?¡± The Kunlun Mirror said dryly, ¡°Hahaha.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s think long-term!¡± Chen Guanshui immediately made amends, ¡°The fragment of the Heaven-Mending Stone from the Kunlun Taiqing Sect is a must-have for me!¡±
Chapter 209: 1: The Rival Isnt Really a Rival Chapter 209: Chapter 1: The Rival Isn¡¯t Really a Rival Luo Yan always believed that if it weren¡¯t for Shi Liuli¡¯s existence, life here at Yuqing View would be much easier. He could leisurely practice his breathing and Qi Refinement, freely study Formation knowledge, calmly work on raising his master¡¯s favorability towards him, and surreptitiously inquire about the whereabouts of the Heaven-Mending Stone fragments¡ªmost likely held by the Immortal Cultivator in charge of Yuqing View. He had ample experience in this area. Instead of frolicking with Miss Shi every single day! ¡°Little Junior Brother, hurry up and hand me the Spirit Grass!¡± Shi Liuli urged. Luo Yan could only pick up the basket, grab a handful of Nine-sectioned Cmus from inside, and pass it over. ¡°Good boy, good boy,¡± Shi Liuli cooed as she fed it, caressing the Nine-colored Deer¡¯s beautiful fur, her eyes filled with love for the fluffy creature. The Nine-colored Deer chewed on the Spirit Grass silently, then slowly raised its head, casting Luo Yan a look of aged helplessness. With just a nce, Luo Yan understood that this Nine-colored Deer was not enjoying Miss Shi¡¯s petting. It was being forced to put on an act. ¡°Senior Sister,¡± he tentatively said, ¡°even though the Nine-colored Deer is a Spirit Beast raised by our sect, it still has its own pride. Treating it like a cat, stroking it this way, could this not make it feel humiliated¡­¡±
¡°Shut up, Little Junior Brother,¡± Shi Liuli said irritably, then grinned and asked, ¡°But it likes me, doesn¡¯t it, little deer?¡± The Nine-colored Deer stared at the Spirit Grass in her hand, seeming to make an extremely difficult decision, before finally nodding its head. Luo Yan also sighed inwardly. Life is hard, let alone for a deer, huh? After feeding the Nine-colored Deer, the two found an open space by the clear stream. Luo Yan set up the grill and ced a three-legged cauldron underneath it. This three-legged cauldron, originally a magical treasure used by Alchemists to generate mes, why use it for barbecue? Because Miss Shi is rich. Shi Liuli took out arge chunk of beef, carefully sliced it with her Flying Sword, then began to smear it with sea salt and other seasonings for a heavy marinade. Since she shifted her primary cultivation from the Qi Refining Technique to the ¡°Five Latitudes Heavenly Secret Record,¡± Miss Shi had recently changed her Flying Sword as well. The new Flying Sword is called ¡°Moonfall,¡± a Tenth Rank Wood System Flying Sword with Daoist Magic sealed within¡­ not that Luo Yan knew, because as far as he could remember, every time it was used, it was utilized by Miss Shi to slice meat. If Moonfall had a Sword Spirit, it probably would have burned with rage to death by now. Although Shi Liuli was inexperienced in swordsmanship, her culinary skills had improved dramatically since returning from Gui Xu. In just a few swift motions, she sliced the marinated beef into countless thin pieces as delicate as cicada wings. Then, she ced them skillfully on the grill to roast. As the fragrance of the fat slowly wafted through the air, Luo Yan had to admit that Miss Shi wasn¡¯t entirely without virtues. At the very least, her barbecue skills were indeed exceptional. However, choosing a pic spot remained as bizarre as ever¡­ While the scenery here was beautiful, it was, after all, the ce within the sect where Spirit Grass was nted and Spirit Beasts were bred! It could only be said that Miss Shi wielded enormous power, and I, Luo Yan, was just a minor follower, having no say in the matter. Once the barbecue wasplete, the two began their meal.
Shi Liuli devoured her food with relish, grease smearing her mouth. Luo Yan took a small skewer and ate slowly, quietly circting the True Yuan in his Dantian to Refine away the impurities in his stomach. Immortal Cultivator True Persons fast not to save on food expenses, but to avoid ingesting impurities. Beasts and birds feed on grains, which absorb the earth¡¯s impurities. The more one eats, the more impurities umte in the body, leading to aging and reduced lifespan. Someone like Shi Liuli, who indulged in the pleasures of food and drink, willing to put in the effort to Refine away the impurities just to enjoy eating and drinking, was truly a rare oddity among Cultivators.
While I was happily enjoying the meal, I suddenly saw a sword light sh in the distance and a Daoist in a blue robe descended. ¡°Miss Shi,¡± the person greeted, ¡°and Brother Luo, what a refined pleasure to be tasting the mortal life here?¡± Luo Yan looked carefully and recognized that the Daoist was the son of the Sect Leader of Xuandu from Yuqing View, his surname Tian, with a single name, Zhang. While he bowed in greeting, Shi Liuli seemed somewhat unhappy and just kept her head down eating meat. Seeing that Shi Liuli was unwilling to engage with him, Tian Zhang started to chat with Luo Yan: ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Brother Luo has inherited Elder Shi Ding¡¯s formation methods. Even the other heavenly grottoes in the East Sea have been praising Brother Luo¡¯s expertise. People have even given you the nickname ¡®Little Ding True Person.¡¯ It seems that Heavenly Craft Workshop has a sessor.¡± Hearing this, Luo Yan felt somewhat embarrassed. What is this ¡°Little Ding True Person¡±? I¡¯m not Elder Shi Ding¡¯s son! ¡°Brother Tian is too kind,¡± he said with sped hands and humbly responded, ¡°I have only a superficial understanding of formations, far from reaching my master¡¯s level. The praise from other Daoists is really more than I deserve.¡± ¡°Not at all. I believe that there will certainly be a ce for Brother Luo in Yuqing View in the future¡­¡± Tian Zhang continued to talk with a smile, noticing that Shi Liuli waspletely uninterested, he covertly gestured to Luo Yan with his eyes, meaning ¡°Let¡¯s go over there and talk.¡± Luo Yan immediately pretended not to see. I would have to be foolish to go with you. What if you pull out a ¡®Rival-Killing Sword¡¯ move on me when we¡¯re alone? Who would I call for help then? Seeing that he seemed not to understand, Tian Zhang started to speak at great length, discussing the various factions within Yuqing View, the traditional friendship between the Sect Leader¡¯s lineage and the Heavenly Craft Workshop¡­ Shi Liuli rolled her eyes at that and simply picked up a skewer of meat and said to Luo Yan: ¡°You guys take your time, I¡¯ll excuse myself first.¡± As soon as Miss Shi left, Tian Zhang immediately revealed his true intentions, clutching Luo Yan¡¯s arm earnestly and pleading:
¡°Good brother, save me!¡± Luo Yan calmly withdrew his arm and said: ¡°Brother Tian is joking. How could I possibly be able to save you¡­?¡± ¡°All you need to do is be Daoistpanions with Shi Liuli,¡± Tian Zhang blurted out quickly. Luo Yan: ??? ¡°Our Sect Leader¡¯s lineage has always been friendly with all the major factions within the View,¡± Tian Zhang sighed helplessly, ¡°and now that the Heavenly Craft Workshop is thriving, my father has the intention of having me form a good rtionship with your sister, ideally to be inws with the Heavenly Craft Workshop.¡± After a long silence, Luo Yan asked: ¡°Is Brother Tian reluctant?¡± ¡°Brother Luo,¡± Tian Zhang then showed a bitter smile, ¡°if it were you, would you be willing to be Daoistpanions with a female cultivator who you can¡¯t scold or hit, who spends money like water, lords over others, causes trouble everywhere, sneaks out of Yuqing View every few days to disrupt peaceful cultivation and bring chaos?¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­ Every word¡­every single word Brother Tian said! It hit right at the core of my heart! I, Luo Yan, have been a junior brother for so many years, thinking that the sorrow in my heart was known to no one. I never imagined that Brother Tian would understand me so well! ¡°Ahem.¡± He cleared his throat and said with difficulty, ¡°Actually, sister is not like what you imagine. Most of the time, she is gentle and considerate, virtuous and dutiful¡­¡±
¡°Brother Luo, would you dare to swear on your Daoist Heart?¡± Tian Zhang pressed relentlessly. Luo Yan was immediately at a loss for words. ¡°If you be Daoistpanions with your sister, my father will not force me to seek out Shi Liuli,¡± Tian Zhang paced back and forth, excitedly saying, ¡°For you, Brother Luo, it would mean going from being Elder Shi Ding¡¯s beloved disciple to his son-inw, adding kinship upon kinship, and naturally taking over the Heavenly Craft Workshop in the future. Moreover, it would also be helping me out once, owing you a favor. Wouldn¡¯t that be wonderful?¡± Luo Yan gave a forced smile, thinking to himself that you would rather give up the position of sessor to Heavenly Craft Workshop than be Daoistpanions with Shi Liuli. Doesn¡¯t that say enough? Having been her junior brother for so many years, no matter how splendidly you paint the picture of bing kin with her, you can¡¯t fool me. That¡¯s just preposterous! Chapter 209: 1: The Rival Isnt Really a Rival Chapter 209: Chapter 1: The Rival Isn¡¯t Really a Rival Luo Yan always believed that if it weren¡¯t for Shi Liuli¡¯s existence, life here at Yuqing View would be much easier. He could leisurely practice his breathing and Qi Refinement, freely study Formation knowledge, calmly work on raising his master¡¯s favorability towards him, and surreptitiously inquire about the whereabouts of the Heaven-Mending Stone fragments¡ªmost likely held by the Immortal Cultivator in charge of Yuqing View. He had ample experience in this area. Instead of frolicking with Miss Shi every single day! ¡°Little Junior Brother, hurry up and hand me the Spirit Grass!¡± Shi Liuli urged. Luo Yan could only pick up the basket, grab a handful of Nine-sectioned Cmus from inside, and pass it over. ¡°Good boy, good boy,¡± Shi Liuli cooed as she fed it, caressing the Nine-colored Deer¡¯s beautiful fur, her eyes filled with love for the fluffy creature. The Nine-colored Deer chewed on the Spirit Grass silently, then slowly raised its head, casting Luo Yan a look of aged helplessness. With just a nce, Luo Yan understood that this Nine-colored Deer was not enjoying Miss Shi¡¯s petting. It was being forced to put on an act. ¡°Senior Sister,¡± he tentatively said, ¡°even though the Nine-colored Deer is a Spirit Beast raised by our sect, it still has its own pride. Treating it like a cat, stroking it this way, could this not make it feel humiliated¡­¡±
¡°Shut up, Little Junior Brother,¡± Shi Liuli said irritably, then grinned and asked, ¡°But it likes me, doesn¡¯t it, little deer?¡± The Nine-colored Deer stared at the Spirit Grass in her hand, seeming to make an extremely difficult decision, before finally nodding its head. Luo Yan also sighed inwardly. Life is hard, let alone for a deer, huh? After feeding the Nine-colored Deer, the two found an open space by the clear stream. Luo Yan set up the grill and ced a three-legged cauldron underneath it. This three-legged cauldron, originally a magical treasure used by Alchemists to generate mes, why use it for barbecue? Because Miss Shi is rich. Shi Liuli took out arge chunk of beef, carefully sliced it with her Flying Sword, then began to smear it with sea salt and other seasonings for a heavy marinade. Since she shifted her primary cultivation from the Qi Refining Technique to the ¡°Five Latitudes Heavenly Secret Record,¡± Miss Shi had recently changed her Flying Sword as well. The new Flying Sword is called ¡°Moonfall,¡± a Tenth Rank Wood System Flying Sword with Daoist Magic sealed within¡­ not that Luo Yan knew, because as far as he could remember, every time it was used, it was utilized by Miss Shi to slice meat. If Moonfall had a Sword Spirit, it probably would have burned with rage to death by now. Although Shi Liuli was inexperienced in swordsmanship, her culinary skills had improved dramatically since returning from Gui Xu. In just a few swift motions, she sliced the marinated beef into countless thin pieces as delicate as cicada wings. Then, she ced them skillfully on the grill to roast. As the fragrance of the fat slowly wafted through the air, Luo Yan had to admit that Miss Shi wasn¡¯t entirely without virtues. At the very least, her barbecue skills were indeed exceptional. However, choosing a pic spot remained as bizarre as ever¡­ While the scenery here was beautiful, it was, after all, the ce within the sect where Spirit Grass was nted and Spirit Beasts were bred! It could only be said that Miss Shi wielded enormous power, and I, Luo Yan, was just a minor follower, having no say in the matter. Once the barbecue wasplete, the two began their meal.
Shi Liuli devoured her food with relish, grease smearing her mouth. Luo Yan took a small skewer and ate slowly, quietly circting the True Yuan in his Dantian to Refine away the impurities in his stomach. Immortal Cultivator True Persons fast not to save on food expenses, but to avoid ingesting impurities. Beasts and birds feed on grains, which absorb the earth¡¯s impurities. The more one eats, the more impurities umte in the body, leading to aging and reduced lifespan. Someone like Shi Liuli, who indulged in the pleasures of food and drink, willing to put in the effort to Refine away the impurities just to enjoy eating and drinking, was truly a rare oddity among Cultivators.
While I was happily enjoying the meal, I suddenly saw a sword light sh in the distance and a Daoist in a blue robe descended. ¡°Miss Shi,¡± the person greeted, ¡°and Brother Luo, what a refined pleasure to be tasting the mortal life here?¡± Luo Yan looked carefully and recognized that the Daoist was the son of the Sect Leader of Xuandu from Yuqing View, his surname Tian, with a single name, Zhang. While he bowed in greeting, Shi Liuli seemed somewhat unhappy and just kept her head down eating meat. Seeing that Shi Liuli was unwilling to engage with him, Tian Zhang started to chat with Luo Yan: ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Brother Luo has inherited Elder Shi Ding¡¯s formation methods. Even the other heavenly grottoes in the East Sea have been praising Brother Luo¡¯s expertise. People have even given you the nickname ¡®Little Ding True Person.¡¯ It seems that Heavenly Craft Workshop has a sessor.¡± Hearing this, Luo Yan felt somewhat embarrassed. What is this ¡°Little Ding True Person¡±? I¡¯m not Elder Shi Ding¡¯s son! ¡°Brother Tian is too kind,¡± he said with sped hands and humbly responded, ¡°I have only a superficial understanding of formations, far from reaching my master¡¯s level. The praise from other Daoists is really more than I deserve.¡± ¡°Not at all. I believe that there will certainly be a ce for Brother Luo in Yuqing View in the future¡­¡± Tian Zhang continued to talk with a smile, noticing that Shi Liuli waspletely uninterested, he covertly gestured to Luo Yan with his eyes, meaning ¡°Let¡¯s go over there and talk.¡± Luo Yan immediately pretended not to see. I would have to be foolish to go with you. What if you pull out a ¡®Rival-Killing Sword¡¯ move on me when we¡¯re alone? Who would I call for help then? Seeing that he seemed not to understand, Tian Zhang started to speak at great length, discussing the various factions within Yuqing View, the traditional friendship between the Sect Leader¡¯s lineage and the Heavenly Craft Workshop¡­ Shi Liuli rolled her eyes at that and simply picked up a skewer of meat and said to Luo Yan: ¡°You guys take your time, I¡¯ll excuse myself first.¡± As soon as Miss Shi left, Tian Zhang immediately revealed his true intentions, clutching Luo Yan¡¯s arm earnestly and pleading:
¡°Good brother, save me!¡± Luo Yan calmly withdrew his arm and said: ¡°Brother Tian is joking. How could I possibly be able to save you¡­?¡± ¡°All you need to do is be Daoistpanions with Shi Liuli,¡± Tian Zhang blurted out quickly. Luo Yan: ??? ¡°Our Sect Leader¡¯s lineage has always been friendly with all the major factions within the View,¡± Tian Zhang sighed helplessly, ¡°and now that the Heavenly Craft Workshop is thriving, my father has the intention of having me form a good rtionship with your sister, ideally to be inws with the Heavenly Craft Workshop.¡± After a long silence, Luo Yan asked: ¡°Is Brother Tian reluctant?¡± ¡°Brother Luo,¡± Tian Zhang then showed a bitter smile, ¡°if it were you, would you be willing to be Daoistpanions with a female cultivator who you can¡¯t scold or hit, who spends money like water, lords over others, causes trouble everywhere, sneaks out of Yuqing View every few days to disrupt peaceful cultivation and bring chaos?¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­ Every word¡­every single word Brother Tian said! It hit right at the core of my heart! I, Luo Yan, have been a junior brother for so many years, thinking that the sorrow in my heart was known to no one. I never imagined that Brother Tian would understand me so well! ¡°Ahem.¡± He cleared his throat and said with difficulty, ¡°Actually, sister is not like what you imagine. Most of the time, she is gentle and considerate, virtuous and dutiful¡­¡±
¡°Brother Luo, would you dare to swear on your Daoist Heart?¡± Tian Zhang pressed relentlessly. Luo Yan was immediately at a loss for words. ¡°If you be Daoistpanions with your sister, my father will not force me to seek out Shi Liuli,¡± Tian Zhang paced back and forth, excitedly saying, ¡°For you, Brother Luo, it would mean going from being Elder Shi Ding¡¯s beloved disciple to his son-inw, adding kinship upon kinship, and naturally taking over the Heavenly Craft Workshop in the future. Moreover, it would also be helping me out once, owing you a favor. Wouldn¡¯t that be wonderful?¡± Luo Yan gave a forced smile, thinking to himself that you would rather give up the position of sessor to Heavenly Craft Workshop than be Daoistpanions with Shi Liuli. Doesn¡¯t that say enough? Having been her junior brother for so many years, no matter how splendidly you paint the picture of bing kin with her, you can¡¯t fool me. That¡¯s just preposterous! Chapter 210: 2: Elder Shi Dings Affirmation Chapter 210: Chapter 2: Elder Shi Ding¡¯s Affirmation After Tian Zhang had left, Shi Liuli finally returned leisurely, her face full of suspicion as she asked: ¡°What did that person say to you?¡± ¡°He said that although Senior Sister has the grace of an orchid and the heart of a reed, it¡¯s a pity she holds no affection for him, so he has given up hope,¡± Luo Yan creatively conveyed the message that ¡°the Sect Leader¡¯s son is not interested in you¡± in a tactful manner. ¡°Hmph,¡± Shi Liuli crossed her arms, ¡°at least he has some self-awareness. Why doesn¡¯t the Master of Xuandu?¡± Luo Yan broke out in a cold sweat. The other man just wanted to propose marriage, and you¡¯re already badmouthing an elder? I dread to think what you might dare to do next. One could only say that Tian Zhang¡¯s unwillingness to get involved was indeed well-founded. ¡°I¡¯ve lost my appetite; this is so disappointing.¡± With that, Shi Liuli walked away. ¡°Junior Brother, you clean up the stall.¡± Miss Shi went straight back, leaving Luo Yan to silently clean up everything before he pulled out the Peach Blossom Sword and fled. Upon returning to the Heavenly Craft Workshop, it was time for Elder Shi Ding¡¯s assignment review. This time the task was the ¡°Nine Curves Linked Formation,¡± which required setting up nine formations at once, all interconnected, touted as the strongest formation within the Foundation Establishment Realm.
Unless the person entering the formation also understood the way of formations, or with overwhelming power disrupted all nine formations simultaneously, if even one formation was broken, the remaining eight would connect energies and slowly restore the broken formation, like a centipede that keeps moving despite being mortally wounded. After some careful thought, Luo Yan suddenly realized that this ¡°Nine Curves Linked Formation¡± was actually a simplified version of the ¡°Nine Curves Yellow River Formation¡± from ancient Intercepting Cult? With a slight pause, he directly flung his sleeves and nted the formation gs into the ground. Elder Shi Ding saw him act so boldly, starting without careful nning, and felt somewhat dissatisfied and disappointed in his heart. However, by the time Luo Yanid out the fifteenth formation, Elder Shi Ding suddenly discerned the brilliance in it and couldn¡¯t help but widen his eyes in surprise and delight. Excellent, excellent, excellent! Truly worthy to inherit my mantle as a Direct Disciple. His proficiency in the way of formations has actually reached such a profound realm! Most of the formations below the Golden Core level are probably no longer a challenge for him. After Luo Yan finished setting up the Nine Curves Linked Formation in one go, Elder Shi Ding could hardly hide the joy on his face, and he said with a smile: ¡°Well done! Luo Yan, with your current mastery of formations, before you reach Core Formation, there¡¯s nothing much I can teach you,¡± he said. He took out a Jade Slip from his sleeve and tossed it to Luo Yan, saying: ¡°Inside are all the formations suitable for the Foundation Establishment Realm. From now on, focus on your Breathing and Qi Refinement. Simply take some free time to learn them all.¡± ¡°Thank you, Master,¡± Luo Yan carefully stowed away the Jade Slip, seeing Elder Shi Ding in such high spirits, he knew this was the best moment to speak, ¡°Master, I had an epiphany a few days ago and have entered the Refining Mansion stage.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Elder Shi Ding¡¯s eyes lit up, and he reached out to grab Luo Yan¡¯s wrist, probing with his Divine Sense. Ah Jing activated an Illusion Technique, disguising Luo Yan¡¯s Purple Mansion, which was almost at the level of Jade Mansion, to appear as if he had just entered the Refining Mansion stage not long ago. With a sweep of his Divine Sense, Elder Shi Ding was immediately overjoyed: ¡°Truly at the Refining Mansion stage? Wonderful! I originally thought I¡¯d wait another ten years, but it seems unnecessary now.¡± Luo Yan heaved a sigh of relief, seeing that his master had no suspicion and even seemed to have had ns in mind, and said with a smile: ¡°I leave it up to you to arrange, Master.¡± Come on, Yuqing View, bring on whatever opportunities, treasures, and secret realms that might elerate my progression in the Refining Mansion stage. Throw them all at me without holding back! ¡°There¡¯s no need to rush,¡± Elder Shi Ding said with a chuckle, ¡°I told you before, to hurry and advance your cultivation level.¡±
¡°Mainly because the Sect Leader also has his eyes on Liuli, wanting to join our Heavenly Craft Workshop in marriage¡­ Now that you¡¯ve also entered the Refining Mansion stage, at least you have a fighting chance in terms of status.¡± Luo Yan: ??? Hold on, Master, when you said you ¡°intended to wait another ten years for me,¡± you weren¡¯t preparing to speed up my Refining Mansion stage; instead, you were nning to match me with Miss Shi? Recalling Elder Shi Ding¡¯s previous words, he couldn¡¯t help but feel troubled.
¡°However, as much as I favor you, the key still lies with Liuli¡¯s own feelings,¡± Elder Shi Ding nodded. ¡°At least for now, nobody seems able topete with you, not even the Sect Leader¡¯s son. Liuli doesn¡¯t have a very good impression of him either.¡± Luo Yan quickly pondered for a moment and immediately said: ¡°Master, I¡¯ve also encountered Brother Tian earlier, and he secretly told me that he doesn¡¯t harbor that kind of feelings for Senior Sister.¡± ¡°If that is indeed the case, that would be wonderful!¡± Elder Shi Ding immediately pped his hands in approval and smiled benevolently. ¡°Luo Yan, I regard you as my own son.¡± ¡°As a student respects his teacher, I too regard Master as my father,¡± Luo Yan immediately replied smoothly, though he sighed inwardly. Upon closer consideration, Miss Shi does have many strong points, such as being cute, being cute, and also being cute. Yet, for some reason, there didn¡¯t seem to be many male cultivators who liked her. The Sect Leader¡¯s son, Brother Tian, didn¡¯t want anything to do with her, and Master Elder Shi Ding was trying every means to push her towards himself as if worried that she would end up undesirable in the future. Luo Yan¡¯s thoughts shifted slightly, and with his talent for quick understanding, he immediately grasped the essence of the matter. This world of cultivation was different from the modern Earth he had traversed from; it was, after all, a world resembling ancient cultures. On modern Earth, a girl generally only needed to be attractive to win over a host of fawning admirers. But here, the prevailing idea was ¡°marry for virtue rather than beauty.¡± If a woman had nothing to offer besides her looks, she would be scorned. So, did Liuli possess other strong points besides her looks? Well¡­
Until he left the thoroughly pleased Elder Shi Ding and returned to his room, Luo Yan had still not found the answer. ¡°Little Junior Brother!¡± The door was once again rudely pushed open from the outside, and Liuli burst in excitedly, clinging to his arm and cooing, ¡°Quick, help me, help me, help me¡­¡± Well, being willing to provide favors could be considered a strong point. Luo Yan calmly withdrew his arm and asked: ¡°Thinking of Marrow Cleansing shortcuts again?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± Liuli gave him a satisfied look that said ¡°As expected of my Junior Brother,¡± and sighed. ¡°The Body Refining Secret Technique is too exhausting.¡± Luo Yan suppressed the urge to hit her and said with a fake smile: ¡°Sister, with the Pure Yuan Qi Pill I¡¯ve given you, it¡¯ll only take a few years¡­¡± ¡°I don¡¯t want to wait a few years either.¡± Liuli sat down on his bed and put forward a very excessive demand with a serious look. ¡°Is there a way toplete Marrow Cleansing today?¡± ¡°There isn¡¯t,¡± Luo Yan feigned helplessness, thinking to himself that there indeed was one, such as the Blood Pool in the Shushan Demon Locking Tower. But you can¡¯t go there! He internally scoffed, maintaining a perfectly helpless expression on his face, as though dealing with a daughter who wants the moon from the sky. But unexpectedly, Liuli suddenly stood up and said with renewed vigor: ¡°You¡¯re lying to your sister again! There must be a way, right?¡±
¡°There isn¡¯t, where would I lie?¡± ¡°You hesitated when you spoke just now!¡± ¡°How could there be any hesitation?¡± Luo Yan immediately denied, saying, ¡°I answered without a second thought¡­¡± ¡°So you¡¯re not denying the fact that you lied to me, right?¡± Liuli said sharply. Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ Thest strong point: She¡¯s brilliantly clever at the worst possible times. Chapter 211: 3: Innocence and Reluctance to Stab in the Back Chapter 211: Chapter 3: Innocence and Reluctance to Stab in the Back ¡°Speak, confess honestly!¡± ¡°Martial Sister, I really don¡¯t know¡­¡± ¡°Spill it quickly!¡± After being roughed up by Miss Shi, Luo Yan could only think of a way to reveal some less crucial information in a vague manner: ¡°I¡¯ve heard that Taiqing focuses on Qi Refinement, Shangqing cultivates the Sword Technique, and Yuqing enters the path through a side door.¡± ¡°The Shushan Shangqing Faction mainly concentrates on Sword Cultivators, so they pay more attention to Root Bone when taking disciples, and I¡¯ve heard they seem to have a Secret Technique for Marrow Cleansing too.¡± His words were unclear, but they made Miss Shi¡¯s eyes light up. That¡¯s right, Shushan! As the heiress of Heavenly Craft Workshop, she certainly wasn¡¯tpletely ignorant about Shushan. Shushan, as the frontline against the Demon Race in Ancient Times, once had thergest material reserves of the Human Race. Beneath Thunder ins, the Fire Element Cave was said to store countless treasures and rarities.
Considering that the Marrow Cleansing Rank generally onlysts ten years, and most Cultivators choose to cultivate on their own, it¡¯s highly likely that a lot of Magical Treasures or Spirit Pills that can speed up Marrow Cleansing still remain! Liuli immediately turned around to leave, nning to run to Elder Shi Ding and act adorably in order to persuade him to use his connections to trade with Shushan. Seeing that Miss Shi was finally fooled, Luo Yan secretly breathed a sigh of relief. Unexpectedly, just as Liuli reached the doorway, she turned around as if prompted by some mysterious force and caught a glimpse of Luo Yan¡¯s relieved expression. She couldn¡¯t help but reveal a fox-like wary expression. ¡°Junior Brother.¡± ¡°What¡¯s the matter, Martial Sister?¡± ¡°You¡¯reing with me,¡± Liuli said, not up for discussion, as she reached out and grabbed his hand. This was the first time Luo Yan had held Liuli¡¯s hand¡­ wrong, actually, it had happened quite often, but every time felt like the first. Liuli¡¯s hand was soft and smooth, with a wonderful warmth that made him involuntarily want to cherish it like a treasure. In a daze, he remembered his school days before his transmigration, studying hard every day within the exam-oriented education system, stuffing all his youthful hormones into piles of textbooks. How nice it would have been to have such a youthful, beautiful girl run across the school field with me under the envious gaze of other students. Hmm? Attention? Luo Yan suddenly snapped back to reality and saw passersby, fellow disciples of both genders, giving them stunned looks of attention. ¡°Wait, Martial Sister!¡± he quickly tried to pull away, ¡°In front of so many people, holding hands like this is too embarrassing!¡± He had intended to say ¡°It¡¯s too damaging to your reputation,¡± but thinking about it, he knew that Miss Shi, who feared neither heaven nor earth, probably didn¡¯t care about her reputation at all. ¡°Ha! You do want to escape!¡± Liuli immediately turned back and red at him, ¡°No way!¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­ It¡¯s over, at this rate, the rumors that Luo Yan is being kept by the wealthy Miss Shi are going to spread all over Yuqing View.
Rushing to Elder Shi Ding¡¯s residence, Liuli was just about to speak when Elder Shi Ding interrupted her: ¡°Liuli, you should be mindful of your conduct when you¡¯re outside!¡± Looking at the two holding hands, he sighed. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter.¡± Liuli said nonchntly, ¡°Let them spread rumors, it¡¯s even better. At least this way, the Sect Leader won¡¯t think about setting me up with his son anymore.¡±
Luo Yan chuckled to himself, it seems Miss Shi was using me as a shield. ¡°Sigh.¡± Elder Shi Ding continued to sigh, but said nothing, for Luo Yan was the disciple he approved of the most, ¡°Rushing over here with your junior brother in tow, what cunning n do you have this time?¡± ¡°Father!¡± Shi Liuli immediately smiled sweetly and hugged her father¡¯s arm, ¡°Junior brother mentioned that Shushan has magical treasures and spiritual medicines that can speed up the process of Marrow Cleansing, is that correct?¡± ¡°What do you want that for?¡± Elder Shi Ding looked confused. Marrow Cleansing¡­ isn¡¯t a decade of cultivation enough? Do you really need external aids to hasten the process? ¡°Father~¡± Shi Liuli started cooing, ¡°Look, in the Heavenly Craft Workshop, only your daughter and junior brother are at the Marrow Cleansing Rank.¡± ¡°If junior brother cultivates faster and surpasses me, how can your daughter still be a good senior sister then? Father, please be considerate of your daughter!¡± Elder Shi Ding furrowed his brows and looked towards Luo Yan. Luo Yan could only offer a sheepish smile, thinking that Miss Shi¡¯s concern is indeed valid¡ªI¡¯ve actually already surpassed her. ¡°Alright, alright, alright.¡± Even Luo Yan, who was so adept at falsehood, couldn¡¯t withstand Shi Liuli¡¯s full-set of coquetry attacks, how could Elder Shi Ding, her doting father, hold out? He quickly surrendered, ¡°Father will ask around for you.¡± ¡°Thank you, Father!¡± Shi Liuli¡¯s face bloomed with joy, and she hurried to pour tea and wait on her father, massaging his shoulders and patting his back. Observing the father and daughter getting along so harmoniously, Luo Yan quietly signaled Elder Shi Ding with his eyes, then gracefully turned and departed. Upon reflection, he did hold a certain fondness for Shi Liuli as a person.
But just a fondness, nothing more. Shi Liuli¡¯s innocence and vivacity were built on the joint protection and affection from everyone in the Heavenly Craft Workshop, which in turn led Miss Shi to develop a certain ¡°dependency mindset.¡± When faced with any problem, it was either seeking help from junior brother or from father, or from other senior brothers and sisters¡­ Looking on the bright side, this was conducive to quickly building ¡°bonds¡± with everyone. The strong family atmosphere in the Heavenly Craft Workshop hingedrgely on their cherished pearl, Shi Liuli. However, for Luo Yan alone, such bonds were too much of a good thing. He was willing to establish bonds within the sect, provided they helped him further infiltrate the sect¡¯s inner workings to gather intelligence and secure pieces of the Heaven-Mending Stone. But bonds that are too deeply forged¡ªthe inevitable ¡°severing of emotional ties¡± when the timees would certainly be bloody. As an elegant spy of many faces, Luo Yan¡¯s vision for himself was to manipte everyone deftly and then depart nonchntly after achieving his goals, leaving behind only a wondrous and elegant legend¡­ not to shatter Miss Shi¡¯s heart into pieces and leave her in tears when his true identity was revealed. Xu Yinglian was inherently strong-willed, and An Zhisu was tough on the inside despite her gentle exterior. Only Shi Liuli was too tender-hearted. Should she discover a betrayal, Shi Liuli would likely be the one most deeply hurt. Therefore, the intimacy of his rtionship with Miss Shi would need to be kept within a prudent boundary. ¡°Luo junior brother!¡± Someone suddenly called out from behind. Luo Yan turned around and saw Tian Zhang waving at him from a distance. ¡°What¡¯s up, Tian senior brother?¡±
¡°It¡¯s like this, my father wishes to see you,¡± said Tian Zhang with a smile. Luo Yan immediately showed a wary expression. ¡°Don¡¯t be anxious,¡± Tian Zhang patted his shoulder, ¡°It¡¯s not to give you a hard time, but rather to see what kind of outstanding talent can win the heart of Shi junior sister, who is revered by Elder Shi Ding.¡± Upon hearing this, Luo Yan rxed, and after giving it some thought, it indeed made sense: The reason Master of Xuandu wanted to match his son with Shi Liuli was to further win over the Heavenly Craft Workshop. Now that Luo Yan was favored by Shi Liuli and valued by Elder Shi Ding, if he became angry with Luo Yan due to his son¡¯sck of opportunity, wouldn¡¯t it be putting the cart before the horse? Better to straightforwardly invite him over, to show esteem and encouragement, that would properly reflect the Sect Leader¡¯s magnanimity and grandeur! Chapter 212: 4: Five Qi towards the Yuan Cave Chapter 212: Chapter 4: Five Qi towards the Yuan Cave The Pavilion Master of the Yuqing View, the Sect Leader of Xuan Du, was a middle-aged man dressed in a white robe, with a refined and schrly demeanor. If Luo Yan hadn¡¯t already known of his identity, he probably would have taken him for some great schr, an important official in the Imperial Court, or a prefect of a region at first sight. ¡°Please, have a seat,¡± the Sect Leader of Xuan Du said kindly. Luo Yan then respectfully sat down on the cushion. ¡°Do you specialize in formation techniques?¡± the Sect Leader of Xuan Du asked gently, ¡°Elder Shi Ding has mentioned that you have been promoted to the Refining Mansion Rank.¡± ¡°To answer the Pavilion Master,¡± Luo Yan replied earnestly, ¡°the junior indeed specializes in formation techniques and was fortunate to achieve Marrow Cleansing during a visit to the Pavilion, followed by a fortuitous event on the Three Isles Treasure Ship that led me into the Refining Mansion.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need to add ¡®to answer the Pavilion Master¡¯ before you speak,¡± the Sect Leader of Xuan Duughed heartily, looking at his son, Tian Zhang, who stood by his side, ¡°Luo Yan is cautious and polite, while you arezy and disrespectful. When will you, my boy, learn his thorough manners?¡± Tian Zhang immediately caught the hint and said with augh, ¡°I shall definitely learn earnestly from Brother Luo.¡± Luo Yan smiled, knowing that this was the Sect Leader of Xuan Du¡¯s way of expressing his intent to be closer.
If his son couldn¡¯t marry Shi Liuli, it was still good to interact more with Luo Yan. ¡°Have you encountered any difficulties recently?¡± the Sect Leader of Xuan Du continued to inquire. Luo Yan thought to himself that the critical moment had arrived, and this was an opportunity to receive a favor! Trying to appear a bit embarrassed, he said, ¡°There are no other difficulties, only that I worry about my limited lifespan; I fear it would be difficult to advance to the Core Condensation Rank.¡± To the ears of the Sect Leader of Xuan Du and Tian Zhang, this seemed entirely reasonable: Luo Yan started cultivation at the age of twenty, and within ten years, he encountered fortuitous events that propelled him into the Refining Mansion Rank¡ªhis progress could not be faster. Upon careful calction, by the time he reached one hundred ny years old, he would still have one hundred sixty years to cultivate, just forty years shy of forming a High-Grade Golden Core. If onecked only this final step and because of missing opportunities, couldn¡¯t break through, who could be content? After a long contemtion, the Sect Leader of Xuan Du slowly said, ¡°The View has always provided key support and cultivation to outstanding disciples. Some days ago, in the transaction with Shushan, there was a surplus of about three spoonfuls of the Mercurial Elixir Liquid.¡± Luo Yan almost choked upon hearing this: I¡¯ve already drunk the Mercurial Elixir Liquid! Seeing that Luo Yan had no reaction, Tian Zhang thought he didn¡¯t know what it was and exined, ¡°This Mercurial Elixir Liquid is a famous and precious elixir of the ancient Human Race, where one spoonful is roughly equivalent to the cultivation level of sixty years in the Refining Mansion.¡± ¡°The preparation of this medicine is extremelyplex, requiring a variety of rare minerals, Spiritual Medicine, and even materials from Demonic Beasts. Hence, the process has traditionally been that Shushan provides the raw materials, we are responsible for refining them, and then we split the output.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Luo Yan could only force a smile. Seeing the perfunctory joy on his face, the Sect Leader of Xuan Du could tell something was amiss, thinking to himself that this junior¡­ surely couldn¡¯t have drunk it already, could he? Well, the Heavenly Craft Workshop has extensive connections; it wouldn¡¯t be surprising if Elder Shi Ding had already acquired the Mercurial Elixir Liquid for him. ¡°Besides the Mercurial Elixir Liquid,¡± the Sect Leader of Xuan Du continued with a smile, ¡°there¡¯s also the option of the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave.¡± ¡°The Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave?¡± Luo Yan said, surprised.
¡°That is a cave located overseas,¡± Tian Zhang exined, ¡°The exact location is confidential, currently only in our hands at the Yuqing View.¡± ¡°Deep within the cave, there lies a vent of Dynasty Yuan vital energy, where one can absorb the Dynasty Yuan spiritual energy through breathing, which has miraculous effects of repairing damages and filling deficiencies.¡± Dynasty Yuan spiritual energy? Luo Yan immediately pondered within his memories. The so-called Dynasty Yuan spiritual energy should be a unique form of spiritual energy found at the end of a Dragon Vein.
The Dragon Veins of the Divine Land Continent run from east to west, beginning in the Kunlun Mountain Range and ending deep in the East Sea. The spiritual energy produced at the end of a Dragon Vein is called ¡°Dynasty Yuan spiritual energy,¡± which, ording to records, epasses the Way of the Five Elements of Acquired Nature, possessing effects that bring forth life from the brink of death, heal the living and mend the dead, enable old women to bear children, and cause withered trees to sprout anew. It is one of the world¡¯s most elusive and remarkable things. Turning a damaged Purple Mansion into a Jade Mansion naturally falls within the scope of ¡®repairing damages and filling deficiencies.¡¯ The only problem is that this item is incredibly rare, so much so that there are very few records of it. If Luo Yan didn¡¯t possess a wide knowledge and a strong memory, he might not even recall it. ¡°If that¡¯s the case,¡± he carefully considered his words and asked, ¡°why have I never heard of it within the Pavilion?¡± ¡°Because the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave is extremely dangerous, few people venture there, hence not many know of it,¡± Master of Xuandu said solemnly, ¡°Yuqing View can grant you permission to explore, but there are many risks involved. Elder Shi Ding and you need to discuss these beforehand to decide whether or not you should go.¡± Luo Yan bid farewell to Master of Xuandu and returned to the Heavenly Craft Workshop with a heavy heart, only to see Shi Liuli chatting with Elder Shi Ding. ¡°¡­In any case, during that time in Gui Xu, I took care of junior brother all by myself!¡± Miss Shi puffed out her chest proudly, like a peacock, ¡°I also learned to cook during that time.¡± ¡°Very good, very good,¡± Elder Shi Ding was nearly tamed into a nodding puppet, always praising, then turned his head to Luo Yan, who hade back, ¡°What¡¯s up?¡± ¡°It¡¯s like this,¡± Luo Yan nced at Miss Shi and asked, ¡°Father, have you ever heard of the ¡®Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave¡¯?¡± ¡°Did Pavilion Master mention this to you?¡± Elder Shi Ding frowned, ¡°That¡¯s no good ce.¡± ¡°What is the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave?¡± Shi Liuli curiously asked. ¡°This cave is located under the deep sea, meandering and extensive,¡± Elder Shi Ding exined, ¡°Ordinary cultivators who enter are unlikely to return, with nine out of ten not making it back.¡±
¡°A casualty rate of over ny percent?¡± Luo Yan eximed, ¡°So dangerous, are there demons inside?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it,¡± Elder Shi Ding sighed, ¡°It¡¯s just that the cave is winding and deep. Moreover, the maic fields inside are chaotic, causing most path-finding magical treasures to fail. This leads many cultivators to lose their way inside, bing trapped and unable to exit.¡± ¡°How deep is the cave approximately?¡± Shi Liuli asked curiously. ¡°If converted to distance, it¡¯s at least over ten thousand li,¡± Elder Shi Ding replied. Luo Yan¡¯s heart jumped: Ten thousand li? The radius of the Earth before he crossed over was just around twelve thousand li¡­ But this figure refers to the effective length of a cavern, not a straight line, so it must be an incredibly deep sea cave. ¡°If it were your fourth senior brother, I definitely wouldn¡¯t let him go,¡± Elder Shi Ding¡¯s tone shifted, then added, ¡°But Luo Yan, you do have corresponding advantages.¡± ¡°What advantages?¡± Luo Yan was about to speak when he heard Shi Liuli¡¯s coquettish question, ¡°Father, don¡¯t keep us in suspense, just tell us.¡± ¡°Luo Yan has a good memory.¡± Elder Shi Dingughed, ¡°Although the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave is extensive and winding, it doesn¡¯t change its topography or reshape the way back like the Fire Element Cave in Shushan does from time to time.¡± ¡°As long as you can remember the way you came, you can safely return the same way.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Luo Yan was about to speak when Shi Liuli interrupted, ¡°Then I want junior brother to take me there to y!¡± ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Elder Shi Ding¡¯s face changed immediately, speaking sternly, ¡°You are still at the Marrow Cleansing Rank and haven¡¯t reached the Refining Mansion stage yet; what would you do in the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not at ease with junior brother going alone,¡± Shi Liuli quickly changed her plea, ¡°It¡¯s to protect him, as well as to memorize the terrain in advance to make it easier for me after reaching the Refining Mansion stage.¡± ¡°Absolutely not!¡± Luo Yan sighed, then heard Elder Shi Ding emphatically dere, his face turning ashen.
Chapter 213: 5 Where Do All These Problems Come From? Chapter 213: Chapter 5 Where Do All These Problems Come From? ¡°The Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave is located beneath the deep sea. Due to the high water pressure in the depths, it is necessary to carry a Water-Avoiding Talisman.¡± ¡°Third Senior Sister Liang Ruohua has prepared a Water-Sealing Charm for me, so there shouldn¡¯t be any problem in that aspect.¡± ¡°The maic field inside the cave is strong. Not only can it destroy any path-finding treasures, but it can also interfere with cultivators¡¯ sense of direction, causing one to lose track of east, west, north, south, up, down, left, and right¡ªthis is the main reason cultivators be trapped and go missing in there.¡± ¡°Master prepared for me a map Jade Slip left by predecessors. Plus, I have the Kunlun Mirror to record the route taken and correct the bearings, so that shouldn¡¯t be a problem either.¡± ¡°From the entrance to reach the nearest Yuan Qi vein, it takes at least two months. Ordinary people who are in the pitch-ck sea cave environment for a long time can easily be tormented to the point of shaking their Daoist Heart, and even lose their sanity.¡± ¡°But I¡¯m not an ordinary person. I have Ah Jing and Qing Ping to chat with me.¡± ¡°There are no dangerous creatures in the cave, but intermittent earthquakes or underwater thermal eruptions may ur.¡± ¡°It¡¯s fine. The probability of that happening is too small, and if it does ur, it¡¯s an unavoidable natural disaster that can only be handled as ites.¡± ¡°Shi Liuli somehow convinced Elder Shi Ding to let her go with me.¡± ¡°¡­What should I do about this?¡±
Luo Yan once again went over the ns for the trip to the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave in his mind. He had prepared contingency ns for nearly every risk¡ªexcept for the disruption caused by Shi Liuli¡¯s sudden involvement. Why does this Miss always follow me around? Could it be that she has actually taken a liking to me? ¡°I have a premonition,¡± Shi Liuli said earnestly, ¡°that in the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave, there is an opportunity that will allow me to skip Marrow Cleansing and enter the Refining Mansion.¡± ¡°Sister, did you use your metaphysical ritual again?¡± Luo Yan askedzily. ¡°Of course,¡± Shi Liuli affirmed confidently, ¡°Anyway, this time I will definitely seed in Marrow Cleansing.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what you saidst time you went to the Treasure Ship Secret Realm,¡± Luo Yan deliberately reminded her, ¡°and all you got was a Body Refining Secret Technique you were toozy to use.¡± ¡°That was an ident! An ident!¡± Shi Liuli retorted, flustered and her face reddening, ¡°I¡¯m not talking to you anymore. You don¡¯t understand the weight of being ¡®favored by the heavens.¡¯ It¡¯s pointless to exin it to you! Humph!¡± She turned her body away to show her dissatisfaction, at the same time pressing her hands together in front of her chest and shaking them vigorously, mumbling some iprehensible phrases like ¡°heaven energize¡± and ¡°earth energize.¡± Luo Yan didn¡¯t bother with her. Although this Miss always liked to cling to him, at critical moments she would at least not intentionally cause trouble. Taking into ount that they would have to stay in the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave for at least two months, there was also a risk of the Synchronization Value declining. If the Synchronization Value dropped, the ¡°One Whiff and Thousands Enlightened¡± trait would fade, so he might as well use Shi Liuli¡¯spany this time to boost the Synchronization Value. Thinking this way, hering along suddenly seemed like a good thing. Luo Yan quickly convinced himself and then continued to ponder. The two were currently inside a shuttle-shaped magical treasure, which was being operated by a Nascent Soul Elder of their sect. The reason for being enclosed within a treasure for long-distance travel was to keep the location of the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave secret¡ªthis ce was located in the Extreme East Sea, far too distant from the Peni Yuqing View to station people for long-term surveince, and it could not be revealed to other sects, so strict confidentiality measures had to be in ce. Atst, the shuttle-shaped treasure stopped and released Luo Yan and Shi Liuli. ¡°Be careful once you enter the cave,¡± the elder operating the treasure warned, ¡°If something seems wrong, it is better to retreat timely than to risk continuing deeper.¡± ¡°Thank you, Senior, for your advice,¡± Luo Yan said, bowing in gratitude, and Shi Liuli hurriedly followed suit. ¡°In two months, I wille here again to pick you up,¡± the elder continued, ¡°If neither of you appears within three days, the sect will assume you died in there.¡±
¡°This is the eastern edge of the East Sea. With your abilities, it¡¯s basically impossible to get back to Peni from here, so don¡¯t miss the timing. Remember, two months!¡± After speaking, he pped the shuttle-shaped magical treasure with the back of his hand, and his entire being turned into a dark stream of light, disappearing into the distant horizon. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Watching the elder leave, Luo Yan sighed and said to Shi Liuli. ¡°Okay!¡± Shi Liuli became excited.
¡°Everything I told you on the way here, have you remembered it all clearly?¡± Luo Yan emphasized and asked again. ¡°I know, I know, I¡¯ll listen to everything you say, little junior brother,¡± Shi Liuli smiled brightly like a blooming flower. Luo Yan sighed in his heart again, guessing why Elder Shi Ding would allow Miss Shi toe along. If Shi Liuli were toe here alone, Elder Shi Ding would definitely not feel at ease and would surely arrange for a trustworthy person to apany her as an escort. For example, during thest adventure at the Treasure Ship Secret Realm, he had arranged for senior brother Linghu Chu to escort the two of them. Me, Luo Yan, what merit or ability do I have to be someone my master could trust enough to let me escort Miss Shi? Perhaps it was because of my exceptionally outstanding performance in the Gui Xu at thest Treasure Ship Secret Realm, which contrasted sharply with the big senior brother who was unable to do anything after the ident, that my trust value in my master¡¯s heart soared rapidly. ¡°In any case, from now on, you must strictly follow mymands. Do you understand?¡± Luo Yan advised tirelessly. ¡°Mhm mhm!¡± Miss Shi nodded eagerly and impatiently. ¡°Let¡¯s go.¡± Luo Yan then activated the Water-Sealing Charm, creating a two-meter radius water repelling space around them, and then jumped into the sea with Shi Liuli. This was the seawater at the edge of the East Sea, and the transparency was much worsepared to the central East Sea. The pair had only descended a few dozen feet when the light around them quickly became dim and deep. Luo Yan then took out a lighting magical treasure, which was a Hexagon Pce Lantern, shining brightly in the water. About a thousand feet down, they finally reached the seabed.
The seabed here was made of white limestone rock, which looked like a vast in at a nce. In the center of the in stood a stele abruptly. The two flew swiftly on their swords towards the stele and upon reaching it, they saw that it was carved as if with a chisel and axe¡­ but it was no longer clear, seemingly eroded away by the seawater, leaving only faint indentations. They could roughly make out four characters. Below the stele was a deep and bottomless sea cave. ¡°Little junior brother,¡± Shi Liuli circled the stele and asked curiously, ¡°Wasn¡¯t the location of the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave supposed to be kept secret? Why is there a stele erected here? Are they worried that passing cultivators from other sects won¡¯t be able to find this cave?¡± ¡°Perhaps the stele wasn¡¯t erected by Yuqing View,¡± Luo Yan replied offhand. ¡°Then who put it up?¡± Shi Liuli asked. ¡°Ancient cultivators, of course,¡± Luo Yan answered. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s ancient cultivators, could it be future cultivators?¡± Shi Liuli said, somewhat speechless. She still felt something was off: even if the stele was put up by ancient cultivators, why didn¡¯t Yuqing View move it after discovering this ce? However, Luo Yan, anxious to hurry on their way, repeatedly urged her by the cave, so Miss Shi could only set aside her doubts, quickly ran to her junior brother¡¯s side, and with their hands held together, they took the plunge into the sea cave, protected by the Water-Sealing Charm. Chapter 214 - 6 Your Wreckage Chapter 214: Chapter 6 Your Wreckage After entering the cave, they were first met with a long, vertical tunnel going downward. About a quarter of an hourter, the terrain gradually shifted to a slope, until two diverging paths appeared. Take the one on the right. ¡°Wait a minute,¡± Shi Liuli said as she saw him head towards the right, unable to resist asking, ¡°Didn¡¯t Father give you a jade slip with the map? Aren¡¯t you going to check it first?¡± ¡°Senior Sister,¡± Luo Yan said with resignation, ¡°didn¡¯t we agree to follow my lead?¡± ¡°I am following you,¡± Shi Liuli replied with a sweet smile. ¡°If you say we absolutely must go right, of course, I¡¯ll follow you, but that doesn¡¯t prevent me from asking before you make a decision, right?¡± ¡°My answer is,¡± Luo Yan said as he tossed the jade slip to her, confidently dering, ¡°the entire map and steps to navigate are all recorded in my mind, so there¡¯s no need to check again.¡± Shi Liuli immersed her divine sense into the jade slip, looked carefully, and indeed the path on the right was the correct one. She obediently returned the jade slip to Luo Yan, her expression somewhat sheepish as she whispered, ¡°It was just a subconscious feeling that we should take the one on the left¡­¡± ¡°This time we brought a map with us, so let¡¯s not y with your metaphysical hunches, alright?¡± Luo Yan said decisively. Shi Liuli fell silent and obediently followed Luo Yan. Proceeding to the next three-way intersection, take the middle tunnel; Proceeding to a bottle-shaped cave chamber, descend to the bottom of the bottle and take the passage with the entrance shaped like a melon seed. Proceeding to a slope, do not go uphill, but circle around to the back of the slope and take the hidden entrance beside the pile of rubble. Following the map¡¯s guidance, Luo Yan led Shi Liuli along the route, while he couldn¡¯t help but grumble in his mind once more: Even though he already knew it, what on earth was this map? Couldn¡¯t they have just surveyed and drawn out a proper path? After about a day¡¯s effort, Shi Liuli started to feel exhausted¡ªnot physically, but moving through stone-walled cave tunnels was incredibly dull and uninteresting. Understanding her predicament, Luo Yan considerately took a break. After all, with their current pace, they could reach the source of primordial vital energy deep at the bottom of the cave in about twenty-four days, so they had plenty of time to spare. Shi Liuli let out a cheer, found an open space nearby, and took out the grill and ingredients to start cooking, leaving Luo Yan speechless. Barbecue at the bottom of the sea, can you believe it? Only Miss Shi could think of something like this! ¡°If I hadn¡¯te out with you this time, Junior Brother, where would you get such good meat, huh!¡± Shi Liuli was still quite proud. Luo Yan replied helplessly: ¡°Senior Sister, eating really isn¡¯t a necessity for cultivators.¡± ¡°Put down my skewer before you speak!¡± Shi Liuli said, annoyed. After the two leisurely finished their barbecue skewers, Miss Shi somehow produced several oddly-shaped fish and continued to roast them on the grill. ¡°What kind of fish is this?¡± Luo Yan asked with a frown. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen them before.¡± ¡°Caught them near the pile of rubble just now,¡± said Miss Shi. You dare to eat fish caught so casually¡­ Luo Yan quickly took one and thoroughly examined it with his divine sense. Hmm, there were no toxins in the fish, clearly, these deep-sea caverns did not harbor predators that necessitated the evolution of toxic abilities. The only issue was that it contained a lot of turbulence, with a higher content than that of ordinary meat. In ancient times, the universe was chaotic and round like an egg. After Pangu created the world, the pure qi rose and the turbid qi sank, simply put, the lower the altitude, the higher the concentration of turbid qi in living beings. Eating this would definitely cause diarrhea¡­ Well, no need to stop Miss Shi. It might be good for her to learn a lesson. Luo Yan calmly ate his grilled meat, watching Miss Shi skillfully grill the fish with degenerated vision, then savored them with relish. She even kindly offered him one, which Luo Yan declined under the pretext of ¡°not wanting to try new foods.¡± ¡°Little Junior Brother, you are really too timid.¡± Shi Liuli covered her mouth andughed, ¡°I have already checked with my divine sense. These fish are not poisonous at all.¡± Not poisonous means it¡¯s edible? Luo Yan chuckled inwardly and pretended to focus his attention on observing his surroundings. Hmm? His expression suddenly changed, and he silently took out the jade slip that recorded the map. Something isn¡¯t right! ¡°Ah Jing,¡± Luo Yan asked in his mind, ¡°there¡¯s something off.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kunlun Mirror asked in puzzlement, ¡°Isn¡¯t it exactly the same as what¡¯s recorded on the map?¡± ¡°That¡¯s exactly the problem,¡± Luo Yan frowned deeply, a worried look on his face, ¡°The original version of the map jade slip was left by ancient cultivators and has since been passed down within the Peni Yuqing sect. Each generation of cultivators would modify and supplement the map based on their actual exploration findings.¡± ¡°In fact, since the time gap between each exploration is generally much greater than the urrence cycle of underwater earthquakes, the terrain explored each time and the routes recorded in the map jade slip always have roughly simr outer pathways, but differing inner pathways¡ªthis is also why one cannot rely solely on the map and must remember the way they came.¡± ¡°But look, we¡¯ve already ventured this deep, yet it¡¯s exactly the same as recorded on the map jade slip. Isn¡¯t that strange?¡± ¡°If you put it that way, indeed it is,¡± Kunlun Mirror pondered, ¡°Could it be that there just hasn¡¯t been an underwater earthquake between thest exploration and this one? So the terrain here hasn¡¯t changed?¡± ¡°The so-called underwater earthquake, which is thought to change the terrain of the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave, is only a conjecture within the sect, without any solid proof,¡± Luo Yan said with a sigh of concern, ¡°If this ce is a mystical domain, and the terrain changes are caused by restrictions of the mystical domain, then why didn¡¯t the terrain change this time? Thinking this way makes it even more troubling.¡± ¡°Mystical domain restrictions?¡± Kunlun Mirror pondered for a moment, ¡°Wait, let me use more spiritual power and scan the surroundings.¡± After a while, she suddenly eximed in shock: ¡°No way¡­¡± ¡°What happened?¡± Luo Yan hurriedly asked. ¡°At a position right below us¡­¡± Kunlun Mirror hesitated, ¡°Though it¡¯s weak, I indeed detected a spatial fluctuation.¡± ¡°That fluctuation frequency, it seems¡­ it¡¯s a characteristic of a fragment of my main body.¡± ¡°A fragment of your main body is in this cave?¡± Luo Yan suddenly realized with a start, ¡°So you mean, it has been the fragment of your main body changing the terrain of the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave all along, causing many cultivators to be trapped and die here?¡± ¡°Cough, cough.¡± Kunlun Mirror said awkwardly, ¡°After all, I possess the ability of time and space.¡± ¡°Then during this trip to find the Vital Energy vein, let¡¯s also take the opportunity to look for a piece of your ¡®corpse,''¡± Luo Yan had just resolved to do so, when he saw Miss Shi holding her stomach and saying, ¡°Junior Brother, my stomach feels a bit ufortable.¡± ¡°Would Sister like to go to the adjacent cave to relieve herself?¡± Luo Yan thought ¡°as expected¡± inwardly and feigned a look of concern. [Falsehood persona, Synchronization Value +1.] ¡°Yeah.¡± Shi Liuli nodded with a troubled expression, ¡°But, Junior Brother, you mustn¡¯t take the opportunity to leave me behind and run away on your own.¡± ¡°How could I!¡± Luo Yan immediately chuckled. Chapter 215 - 7 It’s Not My Place to Give Directions Chapter 215: Chapter 7 It¡¯s Not My ce to Give Directions Miss Shi went to the adjacent cave room. As a cultivator who hadpleted the Fasting, abdominal pain must have been an entirely new and novel experience for her. Luo Yan sincerely hoped that after this lesson, her psychological age would mature a bit more. At the very least, don¡¯t be excessively greedy for the pleasures of the pte and disgrace us cultivators. Of course, educating Miss Shi was just something he did along the way. The most important thing right now was to figure out the mysteries within the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave. ¡°Your corpse can read minds?¡± Luo Yan frowned and asked. ¡°What do you mean ¡®your corpse¡¯?¡± Kunlun Mirror protested his choice of words, ¡°It¡¯s not mind-reading, it¡¯s just sensing your surface-level thoughts. Likest time in the secret realm of the West Queen Mother¡¯s Divine Pce, it could sense you had the thought of stealing from it.¡± ¡°I remember that the Heavenly Demon seemed to have this ability too,¡± Luo Yan¡¯s tone became even more skeptical. ¡°As long as one is proficient in illusion techniques, sensing thoughts is a basic skill,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied, ¡°I¡¯ll help you shield against its senses first.¡± ¡°So before, it was your fragment that was sensing my thoughts and deliberately designed thisbyrinth ording to the map in my memory,¡± Luo Yan said with a darkened expression, ¡°all to entice me to keep going deeper.¡± ¡°Not necessarily to entice you to go deeper,¡± Kunlun Mirror objected, ¡°It might just want you to follow the original route, smoothly reach the vital energy vein to cultivate, and then hurry back, instead of searching everywhere and possibly discovering its existence.¡± ¡°But now I have learned of its existence,¡± Luo Yan sighed. ¡°So from now on, it won¡¯t arrange the passages ording to the original map,¡± the Kunlun Mirror also sighed. ¡°Last time it was constantly resetting, and this time it changed to the Universe¡¯s Far-reaching Shift, right?¡± Luo Yan said with an expressionless face, ¡°Kunlun, how do you always manage toe up with something new for me?¡± ¡°I am naturally proficient in the power of space and time!¡± Kunlun Mirror argued, ¡°Space and time! Manipting time and space isn¡¯t it instinctive?¡± ¡°What¡¯s the next step?¡± Luo Yan asked impatiently, ¡°If it connects the ends of the cave rooms to form a circr path, wouldn¡¯t I be walking forever without ever getting out?¡± ¡°Theoretically, that is possible,¡± the Kunlun Mirror stated seriously, ¡°but don¡¯t worry, I can also interfere with its maniption of the space here.¡± ¡°Are you talking about teleportation?¡± Luo Yan asked, puzzled, ¡°Just don¡¯t let Shi Liuli catch on.¡± ¡°Of course not teleporting you over!¡± Kunlun Mirror exined with augh and a cry, ¡°If it interferes with the teleportation, you might end up buried somewhere at the bottom of the sea halfway through the teleport!¡± ¡°So, instead of teleporting us to the location of your fragment, you¡¯ll assemble the cave rooms ahead of us spatially, creating a passable route,¡± Luo Yan said thoughtfully, ¡°Like the sliding-block puzzle game?¡± ¡°What¡¯s a sliding-block puzzle game?¡± Kunlun Mirror asked curiously, ¡°But you¡¯re generally right.¡± ¡°If the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave is divided into different sections with each room as the center, then each section is connected by corridors one zhang high and half a zhang wide.¡± ¡°The fragment is trying to continuouslybine these sections in such a way that even if you keep going down, you will be getting farther and farther from it.¡± ¡°However, I¡¯ve already stopped its assembly.¡± ¡°That is to say,¡± Luo Yan pondered for a moment, then said, ¡°the terrain of the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave no longer changes now.¡± ¡°As long as I¡¯m not defeated in my confrontation with it, the terrain will not change,¡± Kunlun Mirror gave an affirmative reply, ¡°Of course, it¡¯s already different from what¡¯s recorded in the map on the jade slip. You¡¯ll have to explore on your own from now on.¡± ¡°That being said, you¡¯re not going to lose to it, right?¡± Luo Yan asked with a mix of skepticism and teasing, ¡°After all, as the original, it would be too embarrassing to lose to a fragment that has no Spiritual Wisdom and only instincts left.¡± ¡°I won¡¯t!¡± Kunlun Mirror became annoyed, ¡°You don¡¯t have to worry about me; you should take care of yourself! The path below is veryplicated now!¡± The Kunlun Mirror stopped talking, and Luo Yan continued to ponder. The Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave had transformed from a non-static simple maze into a staticplex maze. The former was meticulously designed and adjusted by the Kunlun Mirror shards at any given moment, with the purpose of concealing its own existence and allowing Luo Yan to quickly find the path to the Vital Energy veins and leave. When Luo Yan suddenly realized something was amiss, that intent had already failed. Thus, the shard quickly scrambled the maze¡¯s terrain. Realizing this, Ah Jing immediately intervened to stop it, eventually fixing the maze¡¯syout as static and unchangeable. With that, it returned to a pure exploration activity. ¡°Oof.¡± Shi Liuli returned from a nearby chamber, looking a bit wilted, likely exhausted, ¡°Little junior brother, my legs are numb.¡± ¡°Find somewhere to sit first.¡± Seeing Miss Shi like a rabbit with droopy ears, Luo Yan felt both annoyed and amused, and teased her, ¡°Are you still going to eat things randomly in the future?¡± ¡°Not anymore.¡± Shi Liuli pouted, ¡°I¡¯vepleted the Marrow Cleansing.¡± Luo Yan: ??? He slightly widened his eyes, as if trying to discern whether there was any pretense in Shi Liuli¡¯s expression. However, from her eyes, he saw only pure emotion. An emotion that was both happy and vexed from obtaining the desired object, yet having paid a heavy price. ¡°I don¡¯t know why.¡± Shi Liuli gathered the hem of her robe, found a clean spot on the ground to sit, and grimaced, ¡°The residual turbid qi in my marrow all rushed out at once¡­ Although the process was truly painful.¡± ¡°That¡¯s what happened.¡± The Green Duckweed Sword suddenly spoke, ¡°The fish she ate before, those with white eyes and no sight, are called ¡®Without Turbidity¡¯.¡± ¡°The East Sea has an abyss, unknown in depth. It harbors fish without turbidity, embodying the path ofbining Yin and Yang and spawning life. Eating them clears the ears, sharpens the sight, and purges deep-rooted ailments¡­ In short, these fish only grow in seabeds where turbid qi is extremely dense and heavy, but eating them can cleanse one¡¯s own turbid qi, which does echo the principle found in the Vital Energy veins.¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ So, whatever is needed just appears, huh? Seems like you truly are blessed with invincible luck, Miss Shi, you illogical mystical being¡­ Well, wait a second, this might actually be useful now. ¡°Senior sister!¡± Luo Yan suddenly spoke earnestly, startling Shi Liuli so much she jumped, ¡°This is bad!¡± ¡°What¡¯s bad?¡± Miss Shi asked nkly. ¡°We took a wrong turn!¡± Luo Yan wore an expression of deep regret, ¡°At a certain point earlier, I remembered the map steps wrong, and now I have no idea where we¡¯ve ended up!¡± ¡°Oh.¡± Shi Liuli nodded with an air of understanding, ¡°But you still remember the route we took to get here, right? Should we backtrack the same way then?¡± ¡°No.¡± Luo Yan said with a pleasing smile, ¡°Since we¡¯re here, let¡¯s finish exploring the area ahead. If it¡¯s all dead ends, it¡¯s not toote to turn back. But since this time we¡¯re going off the map, why don¡¯t we let senior sister pick the route?¡± ¡°But¡­¡± Shi Liuli was somewhat tempted (to actually lead the way), and also a little proud (the junior brother admitted he was wrong), so she deliberately made a troubled face and said, ¡°Didn¡¯t we agree from the start that I would follow your instructions in the cave? Wouldn¡¯t this be inappropriate¡­¡± ¡°I must retract my earlier arrogant ims.¡± Luo Yan smiled modestly, ¡°Senior sister¡¯s divinely favored luck is infinitely superior to my crude and inferior schemes by thousands and millions of times.¡± ¡°Fortunately, we have senior sister here, so there¡¯s no reason for me to continue meddling with the journey nning or arrogantly directing. Please use your unique intuition and luck to help me conquer this insignificant Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave.¡± ¡°Can you stop talking? I¡¯m going to throw up!¡± In his mind, apanied by the shing notice of Falsehood Synchronization Value, was the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s almost uncontroble outcry. Chapter 216: 8: The Second "Gui Xu Chapter 216: Chapter 8: The Second ¡°Gui Xu At the fork in the road, turn left. At the crossroads, turn left. If you encounter a dead end, turn back and go left. Luo Yan finally couldn¡¯t hold back and asked: ¡°Since a while ago, it seems we have always been turning left?¡± ¡°You don¡¯t like turning left?¡± Shi Liuli nced at him, ¡°Then let¡¯s go right from now on.¡± ¡°No,¡± Luo Yan simply didn¡¯t know which words to use to describe his current feelings, ¡°Are we just wandering around aimlessly? What happened to that great luck you mentioned?¡± ¡°You dare to question my luck?¡± Shi Liuli ced her hands on her hips. ¡°I wouldn¡¯t dare,¡± Luo Yan immediately changed his expression, showing a ttering smile, ¡°But¡­ could Senior Sister please exin how exactly your great luck works? Cough, I¡¯m not doubting Senior Sister, I¡¯m just purely curious to broaden my horizons, that¡¯s all.¡± ¡°It¡¯s actually quiteplex when you talk about it,¡± Shi Liuli said seriously, ¡°This so-called great luck is the ability to make whatever you wishe true.¡±
¡°As long as I focus my mind on finding the Yuan Vital Energy vein as soon as possible, then even if I keep turning left, I will eventually arrive at the destination smoothly. Do you understand?¡± Luo Yan suddenly felt bewildered. Isn¡¯t this mysticism a bit too unreasonable? If you always turn left at the forks, you can still reach the end? Hey, wait, if there are no circr routes in the maze, then always turning left would mean traversing the entire maze, wouldn¡¯t it? That seems to work out¡­ The two of them walked for several more hours, not knowing how deep into the undersea they had gone; the surrounding area was still the same unchanging gloomy rock walls. Shi Liuli suddenly stopped and said: ¡°Let¡¯s rest for a while and eat something.¡± Seeing her somewhat boredly take out a cauldron, Luo Yan started to mutter to himself and asked the Kunlun Mirror: ¡°Ah Jing, are we currently on the right path?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°You useless mirror, howe you don¡¯t even know this? Then why did your fragment know?¡± ¡°Why would I know?¡± the Kunlun Mirror responded speechlessly, ¡°It has been down here for hundreds of thousands of years, of course it has scanned every inch of the cavern. I am just as new to this ce as you are, how could I possibly know? All I can do is use spells to interfere with its magic.¡± ¡°Then tell me, does Miss Shi really have some kind of great luck that can lead me out of thisbyrinth, find your main body¡¯s fragment, and locate the Yuan Vital Energy vein?¡± Luo Yan continued to ask skeptically. ¡°If you¡¯re asking for my opinion, I think it¡¯s preposterous,¡± the Kunlun Mirror honestly said, ¡°Where in this world is there such a thing as great luck? Even the Heavenly Dao wouldn¡¯t specially favor any one person.¡± ¡°If that¡¯s the case, how do you exin the Three Isles Treasure Shipst time and the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave this time?¡± Luo Yan was still very suspicious, ¡°She said she wanted to speed up the Marrow Cleansing, and as a result, we found a Body Refining Secret Technique; she said she wanted to skip Marrow Cleansing, and then we encountered the Untainted Fish.¡± ¡°Think about it, skipping Marrow Cleansing just by going to the toilet; if that¡¯s the case, then what was the point of me braving the dangers at Shushan Demon Locking Tower in search of the Blood Pool to undergo Marrow Cleansing?¡± His words grew more indignant as he spoke, ¡°Even Senior Sister An broke her Life-bound Sword Artifact!¡± ¡°Calm down, don¡¯t embarrass yourself,¡± the Kunlun Mirror hurriedly said, ¡°A person¡¯s luck can¡¯t stay the same forever; just because it worked thest two times doesn¡¯t mean it will work this time too.¡± ¡°I¡¯m not jealous of her¡­¡± Luo Yan was about to continue defending himself when he saw Shi Liuli lifting the lid off the cauldron, the aroma of broth wafting through the space sealed by the Water-Sealing Charm. He swallowed a mouthful of saliva, ¡°I better drink the soup first, to give some face to Senior Sister.¡± Within the cramped and dark chamber, the two huddled around a cauldron, each taking turns sipping the soup until they felt a warm and cozy sensation throughout their bodies. Shi Liuli packed up the cauldron and sighed:
¡°It¡¯s really too boring to keep going like this, can¡¯t we encounter something strange and unusual?¡± ¡°Senior Sister, isn¡¯t it good to be safe and sound?¡± Luo Yan asked bewilderingly. ¡°What¡¯s the fun in smooth sailing?¡± Shi Liuli said discontentedly, ¡°Why not have a sudden encounter with danger, and then have us, master and disciple, support each other through thick and thin, finally reaching the position of the vital energy vein? Wouldn¡¯t such a design be more interesting?¡± ¡°That¡¯s such a clich¨¦d plot from some old novel¡­¡± Luo Yan had just started to retort when suddenly the Kunlun Mirror eximed,
¡°Be careful! It realizes it can¡¯t beat me and is going to make a desperate move!¡± No sooner had the words left its mouth, the rocks beneath their feet began to tremble violently. Luo Yan had just enough time to wrap his arms around Shi Liuli¡¯s waist before everything around them started to copse. ¡­¡­¡­ At the top of a huge natural cavern, a massive copse and cave-in took ce all of a sudden, sending countless broken rocks scattering downwards. Two figures burst out from the dust and smoke, drawing sword light in mid-air and swiftly circling down tond on the ground¡ªit was Luo Yan, holding Shi Liuli. In that instant, as they were plummeting down due to the split in the ground, Luo Yan had already assessed their surroundings. The violent earthquake had not only destroyed the chamber they were in but the entire space around them. If they were to stop abruptly in mid-air, they might have been hit directly by therge amount of falling debris from above. So, Luo Yan calmly held onto Shi Liuli, falling along with the countless falling rocks while continually using the Peach Blossom Sword to fend off any stones that came too close. Facing this sudden event, Miss Shi once again exposed her psychologically immature side. She could only cling to Luo Yan¡¯s arm for dear life, eyes tightly shut, without the courage to look at what was happening around them. It was not until they dropped into the great cavern that Luo Yan swiftly maneuvered his controlled sword mid-air, moving sideways with Shi Liuli and away from the range of the copsing assault. Their original location had been covered by arge amount of rocks and dust, even forming mounds of rubble below the cavern¡ªif they had moved sideways even a little slower, they could have been buried alive by the debris, or they might have had to expose Qiu Changtian¡¯s thunder method to protect themselves, neither of which would have been a good oue. ¡°You can open your eyes now, Senior Sister,¡± said Luo Yan, ¡°We¡¯vended.¡±
Hearing the sporadic sounds of falling pebbles around her, Shi Liuli shivered violently and shook her head vigorously in fear. ¡°Open your eyes!¡± Luo Yan intentionally shouted at her in a stern voice. ¡°Why are you being so harsh!¡± Shi Liuli fell for it and immediately opened her eyes to retort. ¡°If it weren¡¯t for your ill-omened remarks about a ¡®sudden encounter with danger,¡¯ would we have encountered this kind of situation?¡± Luo Yan said, touching his forehead in resignation, ¡°If the exit has been blocked by the copse, we might be trapped to death in the depths of this ocean!¡± Of course, that was a false statement because the Kunlun Mirror could teleport through space, provided there were no interference from its physical fragments. As long as they could find the fragments of the original body, they would be able to teleport away from this ce at any time and ce. However, Shi Liuli was unaware of these facts and thought their current plight was caused by her careless words, which supposedly triggered the catastrophic copse of the undersea cavern. Her eyes brimmed with tears as she said, ¡°I didn¡¯t know I had such a powerful effect!¡± ¡°How can you not know your own luck?¡± Luo Yan sighed and said, ¡°Well, never mind. Since your earlier prophecy came true, you had better make sure the part about us ¡®finally finding the vital energy vein¡¯es true too!¡± ¡°It will definitelye true, it will definitelye true,¡± Shi Liuli closed her eyes again, brought her hands together at her chest, and started shaking vigorously as if she was a rustic Daoist priest invoking deities. Luo Yan stopped minding her and began carefully surveying their surroundings, only to discover that this cavern was muchrger than any other chamber they had encountered before, almost as big as a modern ser field. Unlike the other chambers, this cavern wasn¡¯tpletely dark. Scattered throughout were coral trees, their jagged, antler-like surfaces spotted with starry points of light, which reminded Luo Yan of the floating Gui Xu in the deep Great Gorge of the Treasure Ship Secret Realm. Around that Gui Xu Pce, simrly luminescent coral trees also grew, setting the entire pce aglow, as if it were a pce in an Immortal Realm.
Luo Yan¡¯s gaze followed the faint light from these coral trees all the way to the end of the cavern, where he saw, about a mile ahead, a pce as ethereal and exquisite, encircled by dense forests of glowing coral. It was reminiscent of the Gui Xu Pce from days gone by. Chapter 217: 9 Coral Divine Palace, Gloomy Ghost Dragon Chapter 217: Chapter 9 Coral Divine Pce, Gloomy Ghost Dragon ¡°Is that¡­¡± Following Luo Yan¡¯s gaze, Miss Shi also found it hard to believe her own eyes, ¡°Gui Xu?¡± ¡°No.¡± Luo Yan shook his head, ¡°It should just be an ancient relic from the same era, which is why it has the same architectural style and exterior silhouette.¡± ¡°You mean, the ancient cultivators who once lived at the bottom of the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave¡­¡± ¡°¡­are very likely the same group of ancient cultivators who built Gui Xu in the Great Gorge,¡± Luo Yan said. ¡°I see.¡± Shi Liuli pondered thoughtfully and suddenly said excitedly, ¡°Why don¡¯t we explore that pce?¡± Luo Yan hesitated for a moment, only to hear the Kunlun Mirror suddenly speak: ¡°The Yuan Qi vein is inside that pce.¡± ¡°Are you sure, Ah Jing?¡± ¡°We are so close now, of course, I can sense it¡­¡± The voice of the Kunlun Mirror paused, ¡°A piece of my essence is also inside.¡± ¡°Then it¡¯s a good chance to catch everything in one fell swoop,¡± Luo Yan sneered.
¡°Be careful, since it didn¡¯t hesitate to copse the cave to lead you here, there must be some sort of trap,¡± the Kunlun Mirror quickly warned. ¡°Ah Jing, there¡¯s no need to worry. Whatever tricks that piece of your essence is up to, how can it possibly deceive me¡­ fuck!¡± Luo Yan was speaking disparagingly when he suddenly saw a huge and ferocious head emerge from the dark void ahead. It was a massive Jiaolong¡­ to be exact, it didn¡¯t look like a living Jiaolong, but more like a sort of undead creature unique to Western fantasy worlds. Its body was almost translucent, emitting an ominous blue glow, and the bones inside were as bleak as ivory, bright as cold jade, with not a trace of flesh to be seen. ¡°Such a vicious demonic technique!¡± the Green Duckweed Sword eximed in surprise, ¡°Using the dragon bone as the base of the array, flesh and blood as ink, inscribing a soul-binding array onto it, confining countless souls of the Dragon n within to create this stitched-together monster; does the formation setter not fear divine retribution?¡± ¡°Never mind that for now,¡± Luo Yan quickly pulled Shi Liuli behind a pile of rocks and urged, ¡°Is there any way to deal with this creature?¡± ¡°My suggestion would be to run,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword snickered, ¡°Even a living member of the Dragon n, no matter the breed, will at least be at the Golden Core Realm. Sword Master, you¡¯re just a minor disciple in the Foundation Establishment Realm, what are you thinking?¡± ¡°If we were to reveal Qiu Changtian¡¯s methods, which specialize in defeating the Dragon n, such as the Pr Thunderbane, I wonder what the odds of sess would be,¡± Luo Yan gritted his teeth evaluating the situation, when the Ghost Dragon suddenly let out an earth-shaking roar, causing the stone walls around them to tremble. Next, it pointed the two balls of Nether Ghost Fire leaping in its skull eye sockets straight at Luo Yan hiding behind the rocks. Suddenly, his vision blurred into obscurity, and his ears filled with a deafening buzz¡­ until the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s scream rang out, jolting Luo Yan from near unconsciousness in an urgent awakening: ¡°Guan Shui, run!¡± Luo Yan jolted, his scattered gaze quickly focused,nding on the Ghost Dragon¡¯s skull approaching rapidly¡ªthetter was already within mere dozens of yards, with the chilling breath of the cold stream punching through the seawater towards his face. ¡°Shrouded in darkness, Beiming Yin Thunder!¡± Luo Yan silently recited the spell, his right hand in his sleeve coalescing a pitch-ck Thunder Light, the very Pr Thunder known for defeating the Dragon n of the four seas. Then again chanting, ¡°Thunder Light Fire Pattern, Jade Pivot Divine Thunder,¡± his left hand in his sleeve pulled out a ball of blue Thunder Light, which was the Jade Pivot Thunder that specialized in defeating the souls of Nether Ghosts. Quickly ncing to confirm that Shi Liuli was caught in a dizzy state, oblivious to her surroundings, he immediately swung his hands, casting both balls of Thunder Light from his sleeves. The Ghost Dragon was too close to dodge and got hit squarely. The Jade Pivot Thunder, being faster, struck the blue ¡°soul flesh¡± first, melting through it like a red-hot iron through snow, directly burning a hole through it. Following half a beat behind, the silent and traceless Pr Thunder prated the hole made by the Jade Pivot Thunder, mming into the runic inscribed dragon bone. Amidst the earth-shattering noise, Luo Yan had already drawn the Green Duckweed Sword. The sword light wrapped around the unconscious Miss Shi and then he directly activated Man-Sword Unity, charging towards the pce within the distant Coral Forest! Escape!
Run run run run run run¡­ He didn¡¯t even dare to look back to confirm the status of the Ghost Dragon; knowing full well that considering he hadn¡¯t even reached the Golden Core Rank, the idea of killing the adversary was foolish daydreaming. Barely halfway through the distance, a wave of dizziness took over his mind¡ªclearly, the Ghost Dragon was catching up from behind, once again casting a bizarre and eerie Illusion Technique. At the critical moment, the Kunlun Mirror came to the rescue once more, a shout startling Luo Yan awake.
Regaining his senses, Luo Yan was so frightened he nearly lost his soul. He quickly formed a spell with his hands and unleashed his strongest trump card, the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light¡ªrecklessly sweeping it behind him. The Divine Light struck the Ghost Dragon head-on. Luo Yan, carrying Miss Shi, rushed into the front entrance of the pce, and only then did he find a moment to look back. He saw that the head of the Ghost Dragon hadpletely shattered, losing its form, yet it still moved effortlessly through the water, furiously charging towards the pce. Even with Immortal¡¯s Secret Techniques and unmatched Thunder Methods, constrained by his current Cultivation Realm, his lethality was still insufficient! He hurriedly picked up Miss Shi again and directed his sword flight straight into the depths of the pce. Another sound like thunderous roaring resounded as the Ghost Dragon smashed directly into the pce¡¯s main entrance. Although the entrance was wide open, it was far too smallpared to the size of the Ghost Dragon, which couldn¡¯t squeeze through. Instead, it went mad, violently striking the pce, causing the walls on both sides to tremble. Luo Yan, with Miss Shi in tow, charged deep into the pce. Only when he saw that the Ghost Dragon hadn¡¯t followed did he stop and breathe a sigh of relief. Shi Liuli made a soft groan, slowly waking up. Noticing Luo Yan by her side, she was about to speak when she suddenly took in her surroundings and let out a terrified scream. All around the hall where they stood were bones and skeletons scattered in disarray. Some sat on ornate stone chairs, clutching silver cups with floral carvings in their bony hands; othersy copsed on the cold stone floor, embracing or holding hands with other skeletons. ¡°Is this¡­¡± Shi Liuli said with a trembling voice, ¡°the Netherworld?¡± ¡°There are plenty of ghosts, not corpses, in the Netherworld,¡± corrected Luo Yan. ¡°This ce must be an ancient Dragon n¡¯s dwelling that met with some disaster, leaving them all to die here.¡± ¡°Dragon n?¡± Shi Liuli asked timidly.
¡°That¡¯s right,¡± said Luo Yan. ¡°Look at the foreheads of these skulls.¡± Shi Liuli looked closely and indeed noticed that there were slight protrusions on either side of their foreheads, one characteristic of the Dragon n¡¯s Transformation. ¡°How did they die?¡± she asked, fearfully clinging to Luo Yan¡¯s arm. ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Luo Yan replied, looking around. He then asked the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Where is your fragment?¡± ¡°It¡¯s in the inner chamber, straight ahead,¡± answered the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°You stay here for now. Don¡¯t move,¡± Luo Yan instructed Shi Liuli as he turned to her. ¡°I¡¯ll be right back.¡± ¡°No!¡± Shi Liuli quickly clung to his arm, ¡°I want to go with you!¡± He knew it would be like this¡­ Luo Yan sighed internally. With a flick of his hand, the Heaven-flipping Seal was invoked, smashing towards the inner chamber door ahead! Chapter 218: 10 Eastern Pole Divine Palace Chapter 218: Chapter 10 Eastern Pole Divine Pce The Heaven-flipping Seal smashed through the door, and rushing currents surged in, filled with fragments and bubbles that momentarily obscured Shi Liuli¡¯s vision. Seizing the opportunity, Luo Yan released the Green Duckweed Sword close to the ground, dashing into the inner chamber ahead. A multitude of spell radiance burst from within the inner chamber, clearly indicating that fragments of the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s main body were hiding there, not without preparation, ready to meet their end. However, upon encountering the Green Duckweed Sword, it was as if waves crashed against a hard reef, quickly dissolving into foam and dissipating. Shi Liuli hastily ducked behind Luo Yan to avoid being sttered by the flying debris, but failed to notice a streak of ck light that silently returned from ahead and slipped into Luo Yan¡¯s right sleeve. The second fragment, obtained! ¡°Not bad,¡± the Kunlun Mirror remarked. ¡°This fragment is full of spiritual power. I feel my strength has returned¡­ at least a part of it.¡± ¡°No need to thank me, Ah Jing,¡± Luo Yan said indifferently. ¡°Considering the many years you¡¯ve served me, this is just a small token of my appreciation.¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t thank you,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said speechlessly. ¡°I was just¡­ never mind.¡± As the dust settled around them, Shi Liuli cautiously peeked into the inner chamber and asked, ¡°Little junior brother, do you think that¡¯s the Dynasty Yuan spiritual vein you mentioned?¡±
¡°Oh?¡± Luo Yan followed her gaze and discovered a vent in the style of an earth dragon beneath the floor of the central chamber. Faint spiritual energy rose from below, like simmering steam, forming wisps of white smoke in the air. So that was it¡ªthe Kunlun Mirror¡¯s main body fragments rested here to draw upon the Dynasty Yuan spiritual energy, didn¡¯t they? Luo Yan immediately had an epiphany, while Miss Shi couldn¡¯t wait to sit cross-legged on the spot, close her eyes, and hold her breath, beginning to breathe in and absorb the surrounding spiritual energy. Another loud bang came from outside, it seemed the ghost dragon had not yet given up, still persistently ramming the pce gates. Before it could break in¡­ With that thought, Luo Yan also sat down on the spot, positioned himself with Five Hearts Facing the Sky, and silently began to practice the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra.¡± His True Yuan circted vigorously, and with eachplete cirction, all the pores in his body opened, drawing in the surrounding spiritual energy as well. The Dynasty Yuan spiritual energy at the end of this dragon vein was indeed profound. It initially entered his body in faint threads so delicate they seemed on the verge of copse, yet in reality, they were incredibly tenacious and constantly regenerating. Everywhere it passed, whether through the meridians or flesh and bones, all hidden ailments were being healed and restored. Following the cirction route of the Grand Cirction, the Dynasty Yuan spiritual energy finally followed the Daoist True Yuan back to the Purple Mansion, settling into the Qi Sea. Luo Yan saw a faint tremor in his own Purple Mansion, followed by an expansion of his Qi Sea, which soaked all the inner walls of the Purple Mansion and gradually transformed them into a jade-like pure and glistening interior wall of the Dantian. Jade Mansion achieved! Up to this point, he had umted ten years of Cultivation Level at the Refining Mansion stage (autumn, Ling, and Luo linesbined), plus an equivalent of sixty years of cultivation from the Mercurial Elixir Liquid, thirty years from the Cloud Sea Empty Cocoon, seventy years of Sense the Way in the Kunlun Heaven¡¯s Gate Hall, and now fifty years of nourishment from the Dynasty Yuan spiritual energy, totaling two hundred and twenty years of Refining Mansion Cultivation. He had broken through the threshold of a Third Grade Golden Core and officially established his Jade Mansion! Not only that, but he also had a lifespan of one hundred and twenty years left. Leaving aside ten years as a precaution (after all, it wasn¡¯t practical to wait until the end of his lifespan to form the core, as the risk was too great), that meant he could cultivate for another one hundred and ten years, totaling three hundred and thirty years of Refining Mansion Cultivation. He was only seventy years shy of reaching the threshold for a Second Grade Golden Core! Worthy of me! Luo Yanpleted thest cycle of the Grand Cirction, and the Dynasty Yuan spiritual energy inside him began to slowly disperse. ¡°Too much of anything is not good, and moderation is better,¡± his body had already absorbed enough Dynasty Yuan spiritual energy, and to force more into it would now be harmful. Shi Liuli also opened her eyes, her pretty face brimming with ecstasy. Truly worthy of being my Shi Liuli! The very day Marrow Cleansing waspleted, she gained fifty years of Refining Mansion cultivation. Who else in this world could achieve such a feat?
Before she could express her promotion sentiments for reaching Great Perfection in the Marrow Cleansing Rank, she only heard Luo Yan say in a deep voice, ¡°That¡¯s strange, why has the Ghost Dragon stopped its assault?¡± ¡°Ghost Dragon?¡± Shi Liuli blinked, ¡°Could it be that it gave up and left after realizing it couldn¡¯t get in?¡± ¡°There¡¯s that possibility,¡± said Luo Yan seriously, ¡°but we can¡¯t let our guard down until we have confirmation.¡±
¡°Of course!¡± Shi Liuli, in high spirits, didn¡¯t bother herself about what the Ghost Dragon was up to. She just started counting on her fingers, ¡°I¡¯m twenty-three this year, with one hundred sixty-seven years left to cultivate; adding the fifty years gained from the Dynasty Yuan Spiritual Energy, doesn¡¯t that mean a Third Grade Golden Core is already in my grasp?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Luo Yan said, keeping a vignt eye on the surroundings, ¡°that Ghost Dragon should be incapable of Transformation. Where could it have gone?¡± ¡°Even if we¡¯re talking about a Second Grade Golden Core, I¡¯m only one hundred eighty-three years short. Encountering extraordinary opportunities like the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave four more times would suffice!¡± Shi Liuliughed, her eyes nearly crescent-shaped with joy, as she began to n excitedly, ¡°Even considering Yuqing View¡¯s history to date, there are scarcely a handful who have achieved a Second Grade Golden Core. And they have all at least reached the Golden Immortal rank!¡± ¡°If that Ghost Dragon is lurking just outside the pce, how am I to escort Miss Shi out of here?¡± Luo Yan also felt a headacheing on, ¡°For now, let¡¯s explore this pce a bit more.¡± With one delighted and one concerned, the two left the inner chamber and continued upwards. The second floor was the Dragon n¡¯s repository of scriptures. Since this ce was underwater, naturally, there was no writing on paper scrolls; all were uniformly made of jade slips, without any signs of decay. Luo Yan picked up a jade slip and immersed his Divine Sense within, only to discover that it was written in the Dragon n¡¯s script¡­ In ancient times, the Human Race and the Demon Race were at odds, and theirnguages and scripts were mutually unintelligible. Even though he possessed the ability to learn swiftly and had studied some ancient scripts at Yuqing View, he could still only trante and guess roughly thirty to forty percent ¡ª from the recorded content, it seemed to be a history book. The history book stated that this ce was called ¡°Eastern Pole Pce¡±. Its location in the Eastern Pole Sea was where the great Goddess N¨¹wa had erected the eastern Heaven Pir in the old days. In ancient times, when the heavens crumbled and the earth split, the Goddess N¨¹wa forged the Heaven-Mending Stone and sealed the breach in the heavens. She also slew the cosmic tortoise, severing its four limbs, and ced them at the extreme points to the east, south, west, and north, thus propping up the previously tilted heavenly dome once again. The Dragon n established the Eastern Pole Pce here, but the reason was¡­ with the seeding words tooplex, Luo Yan simply couldn¡¯t trante them, only left scratching his head. He turned his head painfully and saw Miss Shi engrossed in reading a jade slip. ¡°Senior Sister, you understand the ancientnguage of the Dragon n?¡± Luo Yan asked in surprise.
¡°I studied it previously at the View,¡± Shi Liuli said matter-of-factly. ¡°Great Senior Sister!¡± Luo Yan eximed joyfully, ¡°Then you should be able to help me trante all these jade slips!¡± ¡°What do you want to trante?¡± Shi Liuli puffed out her chest proudly, thinking to herself that her little junior brother needed her help once again. Ah, what¡¯s to be done with him? After all, I am his senior sister. Luo Yan handed over the jade slip he was holding, and upon inspection, Shi Liuli eximed in surprise, ¡°This appears to be a history book.¡± ¡°It should concern the history of this pce,¡± Luo Yan asked patiently, ¡°What does it say inside?¡± After carefully reading through, Shi Liuli furrowed her brows and said, ¡°It says here that the ancient Dragon n established the Eastern Pole Pce in these seas to prepare for a possible apocalyptic catastrophe in the future.¡± ¡°An apocalyptic catastrophe?¡± Luo Yan¡¯s eyebrows lifted, calmly suppressing his urgency, ¡°Senior Sister, please borate.¡± ¡°It¡¯s written rather cryptically here.¡± Shi Liuli stroked her chin, lost in thought, ¡°Hmm, the convergence of the Heavenly Spheres, tearing¡­ tearing the vault of the heavens?¡± Chapter 219: 11: The Infallible Escape Plan Chapter 219: Chapter 11: The Infallible Escape n The materials in the Scriptural Repository could roughly be divided into three categories: The first was historical records, which documented the Dragon n¡¯s intentions in constructing the Eastern Pole Pce, namely to surveil the Heaven Pir of the Eastern Pole. The second was tests, recording a series of observational data the Dragon n gathered about the Heaven Pir of the Eastern Pole. The Heaven Pir of the Eastern Pole was considered to exist not within this space but on the reverse side of the main world, ¡°back to belly,¡± propping up the firmament of the main world. However, this support was far from fail-safe because the Heavenly Demons from beyond would continuously bombard the firmament, and yet, the Heaven Pir remained unmaintained. As one side weakened and the other grew, there would inevitably be another cataclysm one day. The ancient Dragon n conducted research on the Heaven Pir for a thousand years and finally concluded: They couldn¡¯t understand it. The construction principle of the Heaven Pir was nearly akin to the world¡¯s origin and the essence of the Great Way; almost all attempts to study the Pir failed. The third was misceneous writings, documenting the Dragon n¡¯s pessimism and despair over the ¡°inevitable destruction of the world,¡± giving birth to a series of ¡°Dragon n characteristic trauma literature.¡±
ording to various diaries, essays, and narrative poems, it was evident that in theter stages, the madness-stricken Dragon Cultivators stationed in the Eastern Pole Pce had nned to transform it into a second ¡°Gui Xu.¡± Within Gui Xu, time would be stretched as much as possible. For the Dragon Cultivators inside, it meant that the world¡¯s end, which would eventually arrive in the outside world, was dyed as much as possible. In doing so, they could fight for more preparation time. However, the Human-Demon War outside was nearing its end, and the Dragon n had already nned to withdraw from the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm, issuing an evacuation order to the cultivators in the Eastern Pole Pce. The Dragon Cultivators of the Eastern Pole Pce refused to evacuate and decided to use a forbidden technique within their n, determined to fight to the end against the invading Human Race cultivators. ¡­ After reviewing these archives, both were in a subtlyplex mood. So these ancient Dragon Cultivators were trying to save the world, only to be annihted by the ancient Human Race? ¡°Records involving the Human Race cannot be wholly trusted,¡± Luo Yan said solemnly. ¡°As the two races are hostile towards each other, these Dragon Cultivators would certainly mince words, embellishing their own intentions and ndering our ancestors.¡± ¡°Yeah, definitely,¡± Shi Liuli nodded, yet felt inwardly uneasy. So, what exactly was this impending world¡¯s end? Now¡­ how much time was left? Having packaged these Dragon n historical records, the two of them made one final sweep through the pce and, finding nothing else, prepared to leave and return. Looking outside from a hallway window, they saw the massive-bodied Ghost Dragon circling above the pce, its venomous gaze scanning back and forth below. ording to the Dragon n¡¯s records, this monster was called ¡°Decaying Bone Corrupt Soul,¡± an eerie creature created by live sacrificial rituals of some of the Dragon n, characterized by undying nature and regeneration abilities. Unless obliterated into smithereens in an instant with supremely powerful immortal techniques, even a small piece left behind could re-coalesce into the monster¡¯s shape¡ªthe price being the Dragon n souls trapped forever within the dragon bones, never to be reincarnated. Luo Yan had previously employed the Five Thunder True Law and Destion Divine Light, sting the Ghost Dragon¡¯s head to smithereens. To no effect, as if it went entirely unharmed, the creature continued chasing them all the way to the pce, and it never stopped ramming into the pce doors, ruthlessly aggressive. From their current location to where they had fallen was roughly one thousand seven hundred meters¡­ Luo Yan made a rough estimate and knew that to fly Sword Control through this distance, it would only take a matter of seconds.
The issue was, once the two left the pce and made it halfway, there was a very high chance they would be immobilized by the Ghost Dragon¡¯s eerie incantation, their consciousness scattering. Even with Ah Jing¡¯s help to break the incantation, their escape would be interrupted, forcing them to confront and fight the Ghost Dragon. If the Ghost Dragon had learned from the previous encounter and devised some trump card against my techniques, then the risk just became much greater. Luo Yan stared fiercely at the Ghost Dragon outside, then turned to look at Miss Shi, gradually formting a n in his mind.
¡°Why are you looking at me?¡± Miss Shi asked in puzzlement. ¡°Senior Sister, do you see it?¡± Luo Yan pointed towards the distance to Shi Liuli, ¡°That¡¯s where we fell from above, and it¡¯s also the starting point for us to return the way we came.¡± ¡°You mean¡­¡± Shi Liuli pondered for a moment, then asked, ¡°Take advantage of it being unalert and rush over there in one go?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± Luo Yan said with a beaming smile. ¡°I have a feeling there¡¯s a catch.¡± Shi Liuli suddenly had a premonition, thinking could her junior brother be intending to deceive her into drawing away the Ghost Dragon, then take the opportunity to slip away? So she red with wide eyes, and said fiercely: ¡°You go first, I¡¯ll follow behind you!¡± Luo Yan feigned difficulty, waited for a while, and then said: ¡°Alright, but Senior Sister, you must follow closely.¡± ¡°Of course!¡± Shi Liuli patted her chest, ¡°I¡¯ll cover our rear!¡± If I really relied on you to cover our rear, I¡¯d be better off hoping the Ghost Dragonmits suicide¡­ Luo Yan silently criticized for a moment, then said with a smile: ¡°Then let¡¯s go!¡± As the two approached the open pce gate, Luo Yan naturally reached out his hand and took Shi Liuli¡¯s small hand in his.
Miss Shi instinctively wanted to struggle, but upon second thought, they were going to escape together, holding hands was just to prevent separation, right! So she restrained the slight shyness rising in her heart and let Luo Yan lead her by the hand. Taking advantage of a moment when the Ghost Dragon turned its head, Luo Yan suddenly activated the Peach Blossom Sword, pulling Shi Liuli with him as they turned into a streak of sword light and sped away! They hadn¡¯t gotten far when a heavy blow seemed to hit Luo Yan on the head, nearly causing him to faint on the spot. Luo Yan quickly regained his senses and caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye that Miss Shi had already rolled her eyes back; he immediately flicked his sleeve, shooting out the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light. However, he only saw the Ghost Dragon taking the full brunt of the Five Elements Divine Light straight on, then whipping its tail like a longsh and striking Luo Yan with the speed of lightning. He only had time to drag Miss Shi behind him and bring the Peach Blossom Sword in front just before it was hit, and the two were suddenly smacked away by the immense physical strength. Pieces of the shattered Flying Sword embedded themselves in his body, and Luo Yan felt a sweetness in his throat, as if all his internal organs had been shattered. He endured the intense pain, pulled out the Green Duckweed Sword in mid-air, quickly stabilizing his backward flight, threw a Jade Pivot Thunder at the Ghost Dragon, then immediately changed direction and flew upward with sword control at high speed. The exit was within an arm¡¯s reach! By the time he reached the exit, Luo Yan took a good look and nearly spat out blood. He saw that the hole they had fallen through had already been sealed off by the Ghost Dragon with even more rubble. The adversary really had held back a trump card! Catching a glimpse from the corner of his eye of the bloodied Ghost Dragon bellowing like a fiend as it approached, Luo Yan gritted his teeth, took out the Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle to cover both of them, his entire True Yuan surged, preparing for a desperate struggle, and shouted in his mind:
¡°Ah Jing! Teleport!¡± The Kunlun Mirror immediately initiated spatial teleportation, moving the obstructing rubble above and exposing a narrow gap. The Divine Shuttle turned into a streak of light, instantly shooting into the gap and vanishing. The Ghost Dragon¡¯s damaged head hit the rock wall in vain, and after a thunderous noise that shook heaven and earth, the underground cavern began to copse again. Chapter 220: 12: The Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu, Ive Tamed It! Chapter 220: Chapter 12: The Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu, I¡¯ve Tamed It! The Heavenly Weaving God Shuttle broke through the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave. Luo Yan controlled the Magical Treasure to stop its momentum, hovering in the seawater, waiting for the elders from Yuqing View toe and collect him. Shi Liuli was still in an unconscious state, which clearly showed that the Ghost Dragon had learned from its previous failure to trap Luo Yan, greatly enhancing the strength of its spell. As a result, Miss Shi had yet to regain consciousness. If Luo Yan didn¡¯t want to continue the ambush at Yuqing View, he could take advantage of her at that moment and do as he pleased. No, considering Liuli¡¯s personality and emotional intelligence, if he really did as he pleased and then hugged and coaxed her afterwards, it¡¯s not impossible that she could be appeased¡­ Of course, all these thoughts were just that¡ªthoughts. After all, Luo Yan hadn¡¯t nned to lose his Yuan Yang that soon¡ªat least not until Wei Dongliu went to the Demonic Path and obtained some exquisite Dual Cultivation Technique. Having roughly estimated the remaining time, Luo Yan instructed the Kunlun Mirror: ¡°Teleport to Shiping Mountain.¡± The Kunlun Mirror was still reminiscing about its brilliant recent teleport, which had perfectly made the Ghost Dragon¡¯s trajectory of copsing and blocking the route disappear into nothingness. It had hoped for Luo Yan¡¯s praise, but upon hearing his words, felt a twinge of disappointment. ¡°What¡¯s wrong, Ah Jing?¡±
¡°¡­No, it¡¯s nothing.¡± The Kunlun Mirror sighed, thinking that it was fine not to be praised, after all, it had also helped locate the second piece of its main body. [Location four: Shiping Mountain, Tong Xuan Gate.] [Identity: Wei Dongliu.] [The Mirror Flower Water Moon Temte is being oveid; time-space travel is in progress.] Wei Dongliu stepped out of the stone cottage, only to see Jiang Liyan lying on a lounger by theke, sleeping. It must be said that Jiang the Witch had many simrities with Miss Shi in appearance and personality: such as an intense curiosity, skill in leveraging the natural advantages of being a woman, and a strange but often urate ability to predict the future¡­ among other things. However, the crucial difference was that Miss Shi¡¯s behavior was genuine, while Jiang the Witch was merely pretending. Therefore, Shi Liuli oftenmitted acts that were bothughable and annoying, while Jiang Liyan had much better control over herself, showcasing true acting talent. Perhaps only in sleep did she reveal such a purely innocent and unguarded expression. Wei Dongliu felt slightly moved, while from behind the window of the adjacent stone cottage, the young girl Wang Cong was secretly observing them. ¡°Junior sister¡­¡± Guo Jin called out weakly from behind, ¡°Hurry up and finish today¡¯s daily tasks.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t bother me!¡± Wang Cong turned her head to shush him, ¡°Master is standing beside his wife, staring at her sleeping face and daydreaming!¡± ¡°That¡¯s not the mistress.¡± Guo Jin honestly corrected her, ¡°It¡¯s the senior from next door, Jiang.¡± ¡°It will be eventually!¡± Wang Cong thought to herself that the spells Jiang taught her were far more interesting than the Qi Refining Technique taught by her master. If Jiang couldn¡¯t be my mistress, how could I shamelessly continue learning spells from her? She had to think of a way to help! As Wei Dongliu was deep in thought, the Demon Head within Jiang the Witch¡¯s sleeve sensed his approach and started to get restless, waking its master from her light slumber. Her consciousness then cleared, her eyelids flickered, and her thoughts turned quickly as she pretended she had been faking sleep the whole time¡ªsuddenly, she opened her eyes wide and red at him, half shyly, half reproachfully saying: ¡°Daoist Wei, how can you stare at a girl¡¯s face like that! That¡¯s quite impudent and rude!¡±
Wei Dongliu¡¯s expression remained unchanged as he simply said: ¡°You¡¯ve gained weight.¡± Jiang the Witch: ???!!! Anger surged to her forehead, only to be quickly suppressed by her strong willpower.
After all, she was a woman of the Demon Sect, and of course, she wouldn¡¯t be provoked by such words. So, she began to sob and cry mockingly: ¡°I didn¡¯t expect Brother Wei to be this kind of person, not only presumptuous and frivolous but also shaming me, wuu wuu wuu¡­,¡± Wei Dongliu looked at her expressionlessly for a long time until Jiang the Witch sheepishly dropped her pretense, only then did he ask in confusion: ¡°Doesn¡¯t Fellow Jiang have her own sect? Why do you spend all your time at my Tong Xuan Gate¡¯s residence? Aren¡¯t you afraid your master will be jealous?¡± Jiang Liyan¡¯s defenses broke instantly, and she left covering her face and crying: ¡°Then I¡¯ll leave, I¡¯ll leave!¡± Watching Jiang the Witch leave indignantly, Wang Cong sighed from behind the stone house window and climbed down from the table, saying to Guo Jin: ¡°It seems this master is really going to be single for a lifetime¡­¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong with cultivators being single?¡± Guo Jin asked, puzzled. ¡°The problem is that fools like senior brother here don¡¯t even realize there is a problem,¡± Wang Cong responded irritably, ncing at him, but quickly hid behind Guo Jin, because Wei Dongliu had already started knocking on the door outside. ¡°It¡¯s been many days since I¡¯ve seen you, let¡¯s have your teacher check your homework,¡± he said stiffly. Guo Jin and Wang Cong exchanged nces, thinking, what ¡®many days since we¡¯vest seen you¡¯? If you want to make things hard for us, just say it! Wei Dongliu entered the stone house and began to examine the condition of his two disciples.
Surprisingly, the cultivation progress of both was quite decent; although they couldn¡¯tpare to his own past progress at their age, they were nheless up to a respectable standard. ¡°Now that you both have started Qi Refining, your teacher will exin carefully,¡± Wei Dongliu turned around and spoke indifferently with his hands behind his back, ¡°The foundation of cultivation lies in the Purple Mansion, and the basis of the Purple Mansion is the Qi Sea. The Qi Refining Rank is the very foundation of foundations on the path of cultivation, one must not be careless.¡± ¡°Ordinary-talented cultivators need about sixty years to fill their Qi Sea, and those with slightly better talent need thirty or forty years. With your aptitude, it¡¯s estimated that you won¡¯t finish in seventy or eighty years.¡± ¡°Therefore, you must not ck off in your daily lessons. You need to cycle at least three hundred and sixty heavenly circuits every day. Understood?¡± Wang Cong¡¯s face stiffened; those three hundred and sixty heavenly circuits would take up at least two-thirds of each day! Guo Jin obediently replied, ¡°Understood.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Wei Dongliu nodded, ¡°When you enter the Marrow Cleansing Rank, that¡¯s when your teacher will permit you to go out and gain experience.¡± Wang Cong, who was naturally lively and restless, had been frowning, but at this news, she brightened up a bit. Guo Jin was still his stolid self as he replied: ¡°Yes, Master. My junior sister and I will strive to enter the Marrow Cleansing Rank.¡± ¡°Hmm, Guo Jin,¡± Wei Dongliu continued, ¡°Cultivation is like sailing against the current, if you do not advance, you will fall back. You are the eldest brother of our sect, ensure you don¡¯t neglect your own cultivation level while also urging your junior sister¡¯s practice.¡± ¡°Yes, Master,¡± Guo Jin respondedpliantly. Wang Cong, on the other hand, thought the master knew she was cking off and quickly looked anxious, adopting a humble and obedient expression.
Pleased, Wei Dongliu nodded in satisfaction, gave a few more instructions, and then turned and left. Back in his quarters, Wei Dongliu was about to sit on the bed to meditate when he suddenly heard a buzzing from a tripod in the corner; three golden rays of light flew out, circling in the air for a moment beforending in the palm of Wei Dongliu¡¯s spread hand. He saw three round, golden beetles, closing their smooth wing covers, gently clutching his fingers and starting to meticulously clean their antennae and mouthparts. The Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworms had finally matured! Wei Dongliu was overjoyed, his trump card had increased by one more! ording to the records, once the Golden Silkworms matured, they became impervious to knives and mes, could eat through metal, and came with a deadly poison, making them first-ss ferocious creatures in the world. What was more important was that, since they had been ¡°extinct¡± for nearly ten thousand years, the methods to counter the Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworms had also been lost, with neither Kunlun, Peni, nor Shushan possessing them. If used well, they might rece the Five Elements Extinguishing Divine Light and be Wei Dongliu¡¯s unique weapon! Chapter 221: 13 A Trip to the Southern Border, 5 People Gather Chapter 221: Chapter 13 A Trip to the Southern Border, 5 People Gather After that incident, Jiang the Witch hadn¡¯t visited for a while, which left Wei Dongliu somewhat concerned. ¡°My mysterious persona needs someone to keep the Synchronization Value going¡­¡± Not only was Wei Dongliu concerned, but Wang Cong also missed the prospective mistress of their Sect. He dared not mention her in front of Wei Dongliu but hadined several times in private to Guo Jin, certain that it was the master who had driven the mistress away. One day, Jiang Liyan suddenly paid another visit, bringing with her a piece of news. ¡°Assist the Eastern Emperor Sect?¡± Wei Dongliu asked in surprise. ¡°Precisely,¡± Jiang the Witch said with a smile, ¡°Other Mortal Life Path Cultivators have been making connections for days and have already received the news. Howe you, Brother Wei, rely on an outside cultivator like me to get wind of what¡¯s happening?¡± ¡°Ahem,¡± Wei Dongliu said somewhat awkwardly. This identity was meant for infiltrating the inner workings of the Demon Cult, specifically to gather intelligence, yet it turned out to be less well-informed than Jiang Liyan¡­ Seeing that Wei Dongliu didn¡¯t respond, Jiang Liyan didn¡¯t press on but simply continued: ¡°Every winter, when the miasma disperses from the Hundred Thousand Mountains, those brutes from Shushan head south to sweep and plunder.¡±
¡°The Eastern Emperor Path asks us for help every year, but since they¡¯re not from the Intercepting Cult and are unwilling to offer a proper price, nobody really cares to deal with them, with the exception of those madmen from the Asura Path.¡± ¡°This year, however, is different. Firstly, Shushan¡¯s strength has significantly declined after the tumult at the Demon Locking Tower, and secondly, the Eastern Emperor Path is willing to open up the Hundred Thousand Mountains as a reward. Therefore, everyone made an agreement with the Eastern Emperor Path tounch a fierce surprise attack on Shushan this time.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Wei Dongliu nodded, ¡°The Eastern Emperor Path should have made up their mind earlier, right? Why wait to be beaten down by Shushan for so many years before reluctantly giving up theirnd?¡± ¡°The honored founder of the Eastern Emperor Sect is said to have once been a beast-ve of the Beast Taming Path, not even an outer disciple,¡± Jiang Liyan said with a coveredugh, ¡°If the founder was like that, what strategic foresight can we expect from his descendants?¡± ¡°After all, nowadays, the real pirs of the Demon Cult are nothing more than the Heavenly Demon Path, the Nether Ghost Path, and the Mortal Life Path.¡± Wei Dongliu listened calmly, sneering inwardly. If one were to speak of the true pirs of the Demon Cult, it would actually just be the Heavenly Demon Path and the Nether Ghost Path. As for the Mortal Life Path, Wei Dongliu knew that although there were a few powerful and influential figures, the group as a whole was disorganized, bloated, and fundamentally weak. It was better left unmentioned. ¡°In that case,¡± he asked nomittally, ¡°do I need to report to the Sect if I want to participate in the hunt at the Hundred Thousand Mountains?¡± ¡°Report?¡± Jiang the Witchughed, ¡°Of course not. Have you heard the joke, Brother Wei?¡± ¡°What joke?¡± ¡°Joining the Mortal Life Path only involves dealing with the Sect on two asions,¡± Jiang Liyan said with a wink, ¡°one is when establishing a Sect, and the other is when changing locations.¡± Wei Dongliu: ¡­¡­ So your Mortal Life Path is basically the civil affairs bureau, huh? They only show up to make money through procedures! ¡°Let¡¯s not dwell on that for now. I wonder if Brother Wei would like to join forces with others?¡± Jiang Liyan said with a full smile. ¡°Join forces? Isn¡¯t it joining forces with you?¡± Wei Dongliu was momentarily stunned, then he caught on, ¡°You¡¯ve called others as well, right?¡± ¡°Since it¡¯s a hunt and ambush, we should of course maximize our advantage,¡± said Jiang Liyan, her expression unchanged as he guessed her intention, ¡°Singlebat is something those brutes from Shushan would insist on.¡± ¡°Who are thepanions?¡± Wei Dongliu asked to confirm. ¡°Nether Ghost Path¡¯s Judge Wen Yang, whom Brother Wei has dealt with before,¡± Jiang Liyan said with a smile, ¡°Additionally, there¡¯s Gu Lie of the Asura Path and Long Qi of the Eastern Emperor Path, all very reasonable people.¡±
Very reasonable¡­ Wei Dongliu immediately understood that it meant they had rather unpleasant attitudes. ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter,¡± he said indifferently, ¡°One more or one less, it¡¯s all the same to me.¡± Jiang Liyan was somewhat surprised and began to wonder to herself. Although Wei Daoyou does not like socializing, he puts on quite a show of strength¡­ No, judging from all the signs, this guy must be so confident in his own strength that he truly doesn¡¯t care.
That¡¯s fine; Wen Yang is not easily fooled, but Gu Lie can be provoked with just a nudge. It¡¯s perfect for testing Wei Daoyou¡¯s strength with that hot-headed youth. ¡°In that case, Wei Daoyou, pleasee with me,¡± she said with a smile as lovely as a flower, ¡°Let us make haste to the Southern Border and meet up with the other three Daoyous.¡± Wei Dongliu then summoned Guo Jin and Wang Cong, and said: ¡°I will be traveling for some affairs in theing days. You two practice here on your own, and do not entertain any visitors.¡± ¡°If anyone shows up without notice, activate the Protective Sect Array. Wang Cong, have you memorized the incantations for the formation I taught you?¡± ¡°Reporting to Master, your disciple has memorized them,¡± Wang Cong obediently replied. Jiang Liyan listened from the side, full of curiosity. A Protective Sect Array? If it really is an array of that caliber, it would require a cultivator specialized in formations to set it up, not something an amateur could handle. Could it be just a bluff, with a minor formation masquerading as a ¡°great array¡±? Of course, Wei Dongliu had no intention of exining to her, and limited by their understanding, neither Guo Jin nor Wang Cong could appreciate the subtleties andplexities of the ¡°Nine Curves Yellow River Formation,¡± so they simplyplied. Leaving Shiping Mountain, Jiang Liyan finally found the opportunity to ask him seemingly offhand: ¡°Is Wei Daoyou¡¯s Protective Sect Array reliable? If not, your two disciples can go to my Biyun Pce to stay temporarily.¡± ¡°No need,¡± Wei Dongliu waved his hand and said.
Jiang Liyan couldn¡¯t figure out his attitude, and seeing that he was unwilling to borate, she could only continue to wonder to herself, with his mysterious character¡¯s Synchronization Value sharply rising. The two of them traveled south on their swords and arrived at Dali City in the Southern Border. Perhaps because the day when the miasma from the Hundred Thousand Mountains would dissipate was nearing, there were many more cultivators in the city. Some carried sword boxes on their backs, openly identified as Shushan Sword Immortals; others were tattooed and scarred, handling snakes and insects in a way that did not at all resemble orthodox sects. Both groups maintained a tacit peace, not encroaching on each other¡¯s territory, not because they couldn¡¯t confirm each other¡¯s identities, but because there were no conflicts of interest at the moment, making it unnecessary to engage in conflicts. Following Jiang Liyan, Wei Dongliu arrived at a tavern in the city. They went up to the second floor and saw Wen Yang drinking with two cultivators. Wen Yang was still dressed in a strikingly gorgeous manner, with ornate and intricate clothes, and long hair fastened with a hairpin, appearing entirely the beautiful young woman until he spoke. The other two cultivators were an old man and a child. The old man dressed like a foreign monk, bald-headed, with no visible prayer scars on his forehead,rge earlobes with earrings, and fierce eyes looking around. The child was dressed as a girl, her hair done up in two buns, with an expression of innocence¡­ However, if she could sit at the same table as Wen Yang and the monk, how could she possibly be of virtuous kind? Jiang Liyan went over to greet them with a smile, and then introduced: ¡°This is Wei Dongliu from the Mortal Life Path, an exceptionally strong cultivator. I assure you of his joining us in our venture.¡± ¡°Wei Daoyou is indeed trustworthy,¡± Wen Yangzily said while pinching his wine ss with slender fingers.
With both of them vouching for him, the gazes of the monk and the girl turned his way. However, while the monk looked at him with strong hostility, the girl only seemed to be curiously sizing him up¡ªat least on the surface. Chapter 222: 14 Go, Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu! Chapter 222: Chapter 14 Go, Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu! Everyone introduced themselves and gathered at a table to drink. The old monk, named ¡°Gu Lie,¡± was a Han-Tibetan hybrid, a cultivator of the Asura Path at the Refining Mansion stage. The young girl imed to be ¡°Long Xiaoqi,¡± a local from Dali, and an outer disciple of the Eastern Emperor Path, also at the Refining Mansion stage. Wei Dongliu looked around the table and saw old people, children, beautiful women, and even a third-sex person; he realized that he was the only serious cultivator there, and couldn¡¯t help but think to himself, ¡°Is this some kind of freaks¡¯ gathering?¡± Gu Lie caught the sentiment in Wei Dongliu¡¯s eyes and took it as mockery. He narrowed his eyes and said: ¡°Brother Wei, Brother Wen and Sister Jiang have given you high praise, which makes me quite curious. Would it be convenient to let me experience how strong you are?¡± ¡°How does Brother Gu wish to learn?¡± Wei Dongliu asked with a smile. Gu Lie didn¡¯t answer but instead curled his middle finger and suddenly flicked out a streak of Sword Qi, aiming straight for Wei Dongliu¡¯s face! Wei Dongliu remained calm in the face of this poisonous and vicious sneak attack, seated and drinking his wine, as a golden light blocked the Sword Qi. Upon closer inspection, it was a golden beetle that caught the Sword Qi with its mouthparts, chewing it up and dispersing it in an instant.
¡°Myriad Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu?¡± Wen Yang eximed in shock. ¡°Myriad Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu!¡± Jiang Liyan rejoiced inwardly. Gu Lie also recognized the fame of the Golden Silkworm Gu, and his pupils constricted. He suddenly stamped on the ground, retreating while raising both hands and throwing out two streams of Sword Qi, aiming straight for the middle of Wei Dongliu¡¯s eyes! This move was meant to be an offensive instead of a defensive action, blocking the assumption that Wei Dongliu would choose to defend and thus buying himself time to save his own life. Targeting the eyes was to trigger the opponent¡¯s subconscious nervousness, creating a greater sense of fear and pressure. However, Wei Dongliu simply smiled slightly without a trace of fear. From his sleeves, two more streaks of golden light shot out like lightning, blocking the two streams of Sword Qi from left and right¡ªit was another pair of Myriad Poisons Golden Silkworm Gus. As for the first one that had flown out, it buzzed and rushed towards Gu Lie¡¯s head in an instant! ¡°Please calm down, Brother!¡± Wen Yang called out urgently. After the sh of light and spark of fire, the scene quieted down. Gu Lie raised his empty hands, still retreating, but dared not make any rash moves. One of the Myriad Poisons Golden Silkworm Gus was already clinging to his entire face, its sharp, huge mandibles clicking as if it might bite him at any moment. Wei Dongliu just sat leisurely in his spot, with an expression of being quite at ease, turning his gaze to Wen Yang. ¡°Amazing!¡± Long Xiaoqi suddenly eximed. Her seemingly innocent remark instantly eased the previously tense atmosphere, so Wen Yang revealed a smile again and smoothed things over, asking: ¡°Brother Gu, have you now experienced Brother Wei¡¯s divine skills?¡± ¡°I have, indeed!¡± Gu Lie, the old rascal monk, hurriedly capitted, his bald head shining with sweat. He quickly admitted, ¡°Wei Dongliu is immensely gifted, and from now on, Gu Mou would be willing to be just a small pawn before your horse!¡± ¡°What virtues or abilities do you have that you dare to be a pawn before my horse?¡± Wei Dongliu asked with a half-smile. ¡°Brother Wei,¡± Jiang Liyan said with a smiling voice, ¡°you must not underestimate this old thief Gu.¡± ¡°In terms of fighting and killing, the internal strife within the Asura Path is even more severe than in Shushan. The strongest under the Golden Core are called ¡®Vajra,¡¯ a title fraught with danger. It changes hands every year, often with holders dying violently, with few managing to keep it for long.¡±
¡°This Gu the old thief may seem fierce, but he¡¯s actually incredibly cunning. He has been in the Foundation Establishment Realm Vajra position for three years without being taken down by his junior brothers and sisters, so he must have some real skills up his sleeve.¡± With a few words, she had made clear the capabilities and background of Gu Lie, letting Wei Dongliu also understand. ¡°What skills could Gu Mou possibly have,¡± Gu Lie said with a forced bravado, ¡°I simply know when to admit defeat in the face of a superior opponent. If Brother Wei still feels unsatisfied, I can kowtow a few more times!¡± ¡°You should call yourself ¡®poor monk,''¡± Long Xiaoqi said softly from the side.
Ignoring her, Gu Lie was about to bow down to kowtow when suddenly, he felt his face rx, and the three Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm Gus had already burrowed back into Wei Dongliu¡¯s sleeve. ¡°Kowtowing isn¡¯t necessary. As cultivators, why should we care for such worldly formalities?¡± Wei Dongliu said indifferently, tucking his hands into his sleeves, ¡°Do one thing for meter, and we¡¯ll consider this matter settled.¡± ¡°Fair enough.¡± Gu Lie stood up, dusting off the dirt from his knees, ¡°Then I owe Brother Wei a favor.¡± He sat down again at the table as if nothing had happened, telling several jokes with relish, making Jiang the Witchugh out loud, and the atmosphere became harmonious once more. Everyone continued to drink and joke, but each had their own schemes and chose not to mention them. The appearance of the Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu, a fierce creature lost almost ten thousand years, needed time for everyone to digest and assess the implications of its emergence. Jiang Liyan was naturally overjoyed, as she had long suspected that Wei Dongliu was concealing his true strength. Such as being immune to the Heavenly Demon¡¯s Enchanting Music, being able to hide the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, and having an unfathomable expertise in formations, and so on. But, those were all intangibles¡­ Ultimately, the key standard to judge the strength of a Demon Cult Cultivator is whether he has the ability to kill others outright! And the emergence of the Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu finally added a stroke of vivid color to the nk bat power¡± aspect of the old Wei thief. Wen Yang felt mixed emotions, happy that this powerful individual was not only an acquaintance but also someone with whom he had had dealings and formed ties. He was concerned because the Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu was a long-sought item of the Beast Taming Path, like the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword for the Nether Ghost Path, which had a special historical significance besides its formidable strength. Long Xiaoqi has been my good friend for many years; if she were to n or even attempt to take it by force, should I help Wei Dongliu to stop her or help him kill her?
Gu Lie¡¯s eyes darted back and forth, and though he joked aloud, he felt somewhat depressed on the inside, using drinking to mask his emotions. Only Long Xiaoqi maintained a dazed, absent-minded look, not sparing even a nce at the Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu. Seeing her sitting there unresponsive, Wen Yang thought that perhaps the Eastern Emperor Path had lost its ambition and had no intention of carrying on the legacy of the Beast Taming Path, and said with a smile, ¡°About this operation¡­¡± ¡°Brother Wen,¡± Jiang Liyan interrupted suddenly, ¡°Beware of eavesdroppers.¡± ¡°I have booked this entire tavern, and Nether Ghosts have been set up at all four corners; it¡¯s impossible for anyone to sneak in,¡± Wen Yang said with a slight smile, her gaze shifting, and her charm exuding. ¡°Better safe than sorry.¡± Jiang the Witch waved her sleeves, and several Demon Heads flew out, scattering in all directions and soon vanished into the walls. ¡°Are you satisfied now?¡± Wen Yang asked nonchntly, continuing, ¡°For this operation, the Eastern Emperor Path has requested support from the other five paths. So, if we want to join the hunt, we need Long Xiaoqi to guide and vouch for us.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Jiang Liyan nodded, ¡°Even though the miasma in the Hundred Thousand Mountains is about to dissipate, the area is still teeming with Demonic Beasts and fraught with danger, so we do need a guide familiar with the terrain to lead us.¡± Wei Dongliu listened idly, knowing these two were outlining the importance of Long Xiaoqi for him, and so he simply nodded slightly. Seeing he had no objections, Wen Yang said with a smile, ¡°There are a few days left; let¡¯s first get to know from Long Xiaoqi the basic intelligence about the Hundred Thousand Mountains.¡±
Chapter 223: 15 Oh, Interesting Humans Chapter 223: Chapter 15 Oh, Interesting Humans ¡°` The miasma of the Hundred Thousand Mountains would take some more time topletely dissipate. Therefore, Long Xiaoqi decided to take the group back to the Eastern Emperor Sect¡¯s base first. After leaving Dali City and continuing their journey by flying swords to the northwest, they soon saw the clouds and mist in the distance turning a blushing red, softer than the colour of a burning sunset yet more captivating and enchanting. It was a sight that dazzled the eyes and mesmerized the mind. That was the ¡°Peach Blossom Miasma¡± that nketed the Hundred Thousand Mountains. Speaking of miasma, Wei Dongliu was reminded of Luo Yan¡¯s original sword ¡°Peach Blossom,¡± which was said to have been forged by the eldest brother using the miasma from the Southern Border. Sadly, at the bottom of the Five Qi Dynasty Yuan Cave, it was smashed to pieces by the strike of a Ghost Dragon while saving him. What a pity! Upon reaching the edge of the miasma, they heard Long Xiaoqi say, ¡°Stay close to me and don¡¯t wander off; otherwise, it will be hard to save you if you inhale the miasma.¡± So the four drew closer to Long Xiaoqi, with Jiang the Witch pressing up right beside Wei Dongliu, andughed,
¡°Wei, stick close to me, or it won¡¯t be good if you breathe in the miasma. ¡°I¡¯ll stick with Xiaoqi,¡± Wei Dongliu casually moved closer to Long Xiaoqi. Jiang Liyan: ??? She was somewhat inclined to curse, but being good at managing her emotions, she only showed a look of silent resentment. Weaving past Jiang the Witch to Long Xiaoqi¡¯s side, Wei saw the girl showing no reaction but murmuring incantations and casting several spells forward, causing the Peach Blossom Miasma to slowly clear and reveal a narrow passageway. ¡°It can only get this wide at most,¡± she whispered to everyone. ¡°I see,¡± Wen Yang pped his hands and said, ¡°This is enough for a few to pass through, but to explore the Hundred Thousand Mountains, it¡¯s insufficient.¡± ¡°That¡¯s why we have to wait for the miasma to dissipate,¡± Jiang Liyan agreed. Wei Dongliu didn¡¯t speak but stared at Long Xiaoqi¡¯s back and asked the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Ah Jing, is she¡­?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°Do you think I have some kind of fate with the Dragon n?¡± Wei Dongliu said curiously. ¡°Ling Yunpo, Qiu Changtian, Luo Yan, and now me, we have all had dealings with the Dragon n.¡± ¡°The Dragon n is indeed the progenitor of all demons,¡± Qing Ping Sword said. ¡°With the body of a serpent, antlers of deer, ears of ox, whiskers of goat, ws of an eagle and scales of fish, the myriad forms and features of the demons in the world originate from them.¡± ¡°You always encounter the Dragon n because the identity of each character you assume has already reached a rtively high level in the Cultivation Realm.¡± After pondering for a while, Wei Dongliu had to admit it was true. Qiu Changtian, Ling Yunpo, and Luo Yan corresponded to the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, the Shushan Shangqing Faction, and the Peni Jade Pure View respectively. The Three Pure Orthodox Sect ¨C they were the three giants of the Cultivation Realm, and with each character rising rapidly within their Sects, it was not strange toe into contact with the Dragon n. Even the identity of Wei Dongliu had him dealing with many up-anding powerhouses of the Demon Cult. Jiang Liyan, Wen Yang, Gu Lie, which of them were easy to handle in their own Sects?
It turns out I¡¯m just too outstanding! Without seeking them out, the Dragon n flocked to me like moths to a me! ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± Kunlun Mirror said with augh, ¡°Last time, you were chased by the Dragon n all over the ce; if I hadn¡¯t helped to teleport away the obstacles, you almost died in that undersea cavern.¡± ¡°Shut your mouth, broken mirror!¡± Wei Dongliu bragged unabashedly, ¡°Fated encounters with enemies are also a type of fate. Why don¡¯t you say that meeting an enemy like the Ghost Dragon is the best proof of my outstanding abilities?¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Qing Ping Swordughed as well, ¡°The key is that he really managed to escape with his life from such a foe. No other normal Refining Mansion stage cultivator could have done that.¡±
¡°` ¡°` The Kunlun Mirror very much wanted to stress again, ¡°You only escaped with your life thanks to me,¡± but then it thought better of it, realizing that boasting about its achievements would only earn a few dismissive retorts of ¡°broken mirror.¡± So, it simply shut its mouth and sulked in silence. After trekking through the Hundred Thousand Mountains for three days and nights, the group finally reached the Eastern Emperor Path¡¯s station¡ªYu Long Mountain. As they approached, the vegetation gradually thinned until it was reced by a continuous stretch of snowcapped mountains, which for a moment gave Wei Dongliu the d¨¦j¨¤ vu of returning to the Kunlun Mountain Range. However, within the Kunlun Mountain Range, there were almost no trees¡ªjust snow or bare rocks, with at most some low shrubs. The climate on Yu Long Mountain was much milder: the high altitudes held snowcapped mountains, which turned into meadows further down, then coniferous forests in the cold zone, and at the foot of the mountain, temperate broadleaf forests. Interspersed among these were numerous ice-eroded and unfrozenkes¡ªthendscape was distinct in itsyers. Nearing the base of the mountain, as the temperature dropped, the Peach Blossom miasma also faded away. Without hesitation, everyone flew on their Flying Swords, following Long Xiaoqi up the mountain. After soaring over several mountain peaks, they saw the magnificent Eastern Emperor Divine Pce, perched on the highest peak of Yu Long Snow Mountain. In ancient times, the Eastern Emperor Divine Pce was known as the ¡°Demon Suppressing Pce,¡± a prehistoric relic that was mentioned in the same breath as the ¡°Demon Locking Tower¡± of Shushan. ording to records, however, the two had different functions: the former served as a military front for fighting against the Demon Race, while thetter was a prison for captive demons. But as time passed and after the great war between the Intercepting Cult and the Orthodox Sect, with the Intercepting Cult¡¯s defeat and dissolution, the Demon Suppressing Pce nearly fell into ruin and destion, even suffering from multiple lootings, a shadow of its former glory.
During the heyday of the Beast Taming Path, Demon Cult Cultivators attempted to restore the internal functions of the Demon Suppressing Pce. Yet, for years they faced suppression by Shushan and their influence never extended beyond the Southern Border,cking both resources and manpower to make any difference. Later, when the Beast Taming Path suddenly declined, it was reced by the Eastern Emperor Path. This ancient human relic, known as the ¡°Demon Suppressing Pce,¡± was unceremoniously converted into the oddly-named ¡°Eastern Emperor Divine Pce,¡± much to the Cultivation Realm¡¯sment. Indeed, considering the rumors that ¡°the Eastern Emperor Path had long been infiltrated by the Demon Race¡± and factoring in Long Xiaoqi¡¯s identity, delving deeper into these thoughts became somewhat terrifying. Arriving at the entrance of the Eastern Emperor Divine Pce, the group saw a mythical creature lyingzily in the za before the pce gates. This creature had four legs, a robust body, the head of a goat, the hooves of a wolf, and skin covered in colorful patterns. It was about twelve feet tall and was currently napping with its head buried between its two front legs. ¡°This is Lord Qilin,¡± Long Xiaoqi exined matter-of-factly. ¡°It has been lying here since the Beast Taming Sect¡¯s time, never bothering to pay attention to anyone, unresponsive to all calls.¡± ¡°Could it be it¡¯s a deep sleep from which it does not wish to be disturbed?¡± Jiang the Witch asked curiously. She fully understood the desire to sleep undisturbed. ¡°No,¡± Long Xiaoqi shook her head. ¡°It¡¯s feigning sleep. It can hear everything we say; it just doesn¡¯t want to bother with us.¡± ¡°In the past, when the Beast Taming Sect was attacked to the brink of the Divine Pce, Lord Qilin would awake and move to a ce unaffected by the war to continue napping.¡± The group: ¡­¡­ So, this being wasn¡¯t the guardian beast of the Sect but an itinerant creature that had taken up residence and refused to leave? Observing the Qilin pretending to sleep with closed eyes, Wei Dongliu imperceptibly curled his lips, reminded of the stray cat that used to loiter at his doorstep in a previous life. Then, the Qilin opened its eyes.
Its eyes were asrge as copper bells, amber in color butcking the majesty and killing intent typical of a superior predator like the dragon. Instead, there was a sense of ageless calm, as if it had seen through the world¡¯s affairs. ¡°What is your name?¡± the Qilin asked slowly. It spoke with the resonance of an evening drum and morning bell, its tone deep and measured with the patience characteristic of the elderly, fixating its gaze on Wei Dongliu, clearly directing the question at him. The rest fell silent, expressionsplex and indescribable. In Wei Dongliu¡¯s mind, the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s exmation rang out: ¡°Synchronization Value is rising too quickly! I¡¯m not reporting anymore! You know it in your heart!¡± ¡°I am Wei Dongliu,¡± he hastily collected his thoughts and replied with a bow. ¡°Oh,¡± the Qilin leaned forward, seemingly sniffing around him¡­ ¡°I¡¯ll remember that,¡± it said in an even tone, then slowly buried its head back between its front limbs and closed its eyes. Chapter 224: 16 Expedition Team Chapter 224: Chapter 16 Expedition Team ¡°¡­Lord Qilin, at that time you asked Brother Wei, ¡®What is your name?¡¯ Then Wei Dongliu sped his fists and replied, ¡®Wei Dongliu at your service.¡¯ Lord Qilin nodded and said, ¡®I will remember that,¡¯ before lying down again.¡± Inside the Divine Pce Main Hall, Long Xiaoqi reported in a low voice. ¡°Reconstruct the scene at that time for me, and don¡¯t omit any details,¡±manded an authoritative female voice. Sect Leader Shi Yao of the Eastern Emperor Path was a mature woman who appeared to be in her thirties, wearing a cyan robe with flowing ink patterns, her ck hair tied up in a towering bun. She had a full broad forehead and exhibited a majestic presence even without anger, and there was a cinnabar mole between her eyebrows. If Wei Dongliu were here, he would certainly have a snide thought, ¡°Which TV drama version of the character ¡®Miejue¡¯ are you?¡± ¡°When Lord Qilin said those words, what was his facial expression?¡± Shi Yao asked, frowning intently. ¡°No expression,¡± answered Long Xiaoqi. ¡°What tone of voice?¡± ¡°No particr tone,¡± Long Xiaoqi replied. ¡°Very t.¡± ¡°What do you mean by t?¡± Shi Yao persisted, seeking further confirmation.
It wasn¡¯t that she was overly cautious; after all, Lord Qilin was a celestial of high rank. Being extremely careful with matters rted to such a figure could never be considered excessive. ¡°Just like my expression and tone right now,¡± Long Xiaoqi said tly. Shi Yao: ¡­¡­¡­ Long Xiaoqi: ¡­¡­¡­ After a moment of silent eye contact, Shi Yao eventually broke the silence and cleared her throat before asking: ¡°What about this Wei Dongliu, what is his background, what is his character like?¡± ¡°Wei Dongliu is a Mortal Life Path Cultivator,¡± Long Xiaoqi said softly. ¡°He founded the ¡®Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect¡¯, and he has a good rtionship with Brother Jiang of the Heavenly Demon Path, as well as Brother Wen of the Nether Ghost Path whom he¡¯s known for a long time.¡± ¡°Brother Jiang?¡± Shi Yao pondered a bit from her memory and asked, ¡°Is it Jiang Liyan, the one recruited by the Heavenly Demon Path more than twenty years ago, born on an inauspicious year, month, day, and hour?¡± ¡°I wouldn¡¯t know about that,¡± Long Xiaoqi admitted earnestly. ¡°But her name is indeed Jiang Liyan, so it must be the same person you¡¯re talking about.¡± ¡°And how did hee to know Wen Yang?¡± Shi Yao inquired further. ¡°I don¡¯t know that either,¡± Long Xiaoqi answered crisply. ¡°What is the nature of their rtionship?¡± Shi Yao pressed on. Long Xiaoqi thought carefully for a while, then said: ¡°It seems that Brother Jiang quite likes Brother Wei.¡± ¡°Has the Heavenly Demon Path already taken an interest in this Wei Dongliu?¡± After a lengthy silence, Shi Yao dered with a wave of her sleeve, ¡°You may leave now, and ask them if they are willing to join the expedition team.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± said Long Xiaoqi as she turned to leave. No sooner had she left than a figure emerged from the inner hall. She was tall and slender, her eyes as deep as autumn waters, her face adorned with the glow of peach blossoms, exuding charm with every move. It was the same ¡°Marquis of Mount Tu¡± who both Ling Yunpo and Qiu Changtian had seen in the Demon Locking Towerst time, now no longer dressed as a male Shushan cultivator, but in a captivating peach-colored dress. ¡°I would like to meet this Wei Dongliu,¡± said the Marquis of Mount Tu with a smile.
¡°No,¡± Shi Yao rejected immediately. ¡°This n is of grave importance, and you must not create anyplications.¡± ¡°I know my limits,¡± the Marquis of Mount Tu retorted petntly. ¡°You know nothing about limits!¡± Shi Yao erupted in fury. ¡°I must return to the Eastern Emperor Realm at once, and you will take me there.¡± ¡°If you go back, what will happen here?¡± The Marquis of Mount Tu was not upset, just askingnguidly.
¡°That is not your concern,¡± Shi Yao said, not wanting to borate any further, her words resolute. ¡°Your only task is to transport my kin back and forth between the two realms, and you¡¯re not allowed to meddle in anything else!¡± ¡°How utterly heartless,¡± Marquis of Mount Tuughed behind her hand, ¡°Keep offending me, and one day you might just get outsmarted by me.¡± ¡°Are you trying to provoke a dispute between the two races?¡± Shi Yao asked, her expression turning sharp as one eyebrow archly rose. ¡°Stop, stop, stop ¨C don¡¯t intimidate me,¡± sighed Marquis of Mount Tu, ¡°I¡¯ll take you there, okay?¡± She turned her gaze toward the exterior of the hall and let out a deep sigh. ¡­¡­¡­ Wei Dongliu sat in meditation in his guest room for a moment before beckoning his gold silkworm gus forth with a wave of his hand. The three gold silkworm gus danced and weaved through the air, buzzing happily as if they were greatly enjoying themselves. In theory, once mature and if there is a pair of male and female, the Hundred Poisons gold silkworm gus should be able to reproduce. But how to induce them to procreate? On this, Wei Dongliu was without a clue. The more he thought about it, the more he realized that probably only the Eastern Emperor Path would have intelligence on such matters, considering they had fully inherited the heritage of the Beast Taming Path. Although Long Xiaoqi seemed unconcerned, that didn¡¯t necessarily mean that the Eastern Emperor Path didn¡¯t covet the Hundred Poisons gold silkworm gus. Upon this realization, Wei Dongliu casually stood up, ready to go out and probe Long Xiaoqi for information.
Just as he stepped out, he saw Jiang the Witch leaning against the rails of the outer corridor with Long Xiaoqi, idly chatting and gazing into the distance. The Eastern Emperor Divine Pce was built atop the snowy peak of the Jade Dragon Snow Mountain; from the railing of this corridor, one could seeyers of ice and snow, grassy meadows, lush conifers, and in the distance, the vast Hundred Thousand Mountains, tropical rainforests, and the miasma of Peach Blossom, a panoramic view of diversendscapes. ¡°What¡¯s truly fearsome in the Hundred Thousand Mountains isn¡¯t the demonic beasts,¡± said Long Xiaoqi in a low voice, ¡°but the ruins.¡± ¡°Ruins?¡± Jiang Liyan asked curiously, ¡°Aren¡¯t those opportunities for serendipity?¡± ¡°It¡¯s only an opportunity if you make it out alive,¡± replied Long Xiaoqi, ¡°If you die inside, that¡¯s not serendipity ¨C it¡¯s a death trap.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Wei Dongliu joined in the conversation naturally, ¡°and the Hundred Thousand Mountains were once the ancient battlefield of the Human Race and the Demon Race, so the ruins there aren¡¯t just the dwellings of immortals but also purely military traps.¡± ¡°If you wander into one by mistake, even if it doesn¡¯t kill you, it will skin you alive, let alone any hope for treasures.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Jiang Liyan said thoughtfully, yet the gleam of interest in her eyes remained unabated, and she smiled, ¡°Little Qi is a local; you must be very familiar with the terrain here, right? You should know all about where the ruins and traps are.¡± ¡°Brother Jiang,¡± said Wei Dongliu with a wry smile, ¡°All the outer areas that she knows like the back of her hand have certainly been explored long ago; what¡¯s there left for us?¡± ¡°True,¡± nodded Long Xiaoqi, ¡°Every year when the miasma fades, expedition teams enter the Hundred Thousand Mountains, focusing on areas that haven¡¯t been explored before.¡± ¡°Furthermore, there are many ancient ruins that we¡¯ve never explored before, but when we enter, they¡¯re already plundered. It seems that the Shushan folk have gotten there first.¡± ¡°Apart from the expedition teams, we also need to form hunting squads every day to protect the expedition teams from being ambushed by Shushan or to ambush the located Shushan Sword Immortals, to prevent them from jeopardizing our exploration efforts.¡± Ambush the other side¡­ Wei Dongliu couldn¡¯t help but smirk inwardly; you think I don¡¯t know that every year you¡¯re the ones getting decimated by Shushan, with no strength to fight back?
Jiang Liyan obviously knew this as well, but chose not to call out Long Xiaoqi¡¯s bluff andughed instead: ¡°With our Five Sects uniting this time, the barbarians of Shushan will be like a solitary tree incapable of making a forest, hardly worth mentioning.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Long Xiaoqi nodded in agreement, ¡°ording to the original agreement of the Five Sects, the hunting squad should be staffed by members rotated from all five sects, with each person spending on average one day hunting for every two days spent exploring.¡± ¡°However, I¡¯ve discussed this with the Sect Leader¡­ well, Brother Wei, Brother Jiang, Brother Wen, and Brother Gu, as strong cultivators within the Foundation Establishment Realm, you have the option not to participate in the hunting but to join the expedition team instead.¡± ¡°Expedition team?¡± Wei Dongliu asked curiously. ¡°It¡¯s the team that goes deep into the Hundred Thousand Mountains towards the area near the Eastern Emperor Boundary Gate,¡± exined Long Xiaoqi, ¡°The region is incredibly dangerous, and even Golden Core cultivators frequently perish there. Only the strongest among the Foundation Establishment disciples are qualified to apany the Golden Core seniors into that area.¡± Wei Dongliu and Jiang Liyan exchanged a nce. The former remained expressionless, covertly weighing his options. Thetter broke into a smile, eager to test her mettle. Chapter 225: 17 Wei Daoyou observes the subtle and understands the obvious, seeing with clarity! Chapter 225: Chapter 17 Wei Daoyou observes the subtle and understands the obvious, seeing with rity! ¡°` Traditional cultivation novels are like games where the growth in enemy power levels is an important aspect. For instance, if the protagonist is at the Marrow Cleansing Rank, then most of the enemies encountered will certainly be at the next higher Refining Mansion Rank, allowing the protagonist to desperately fight and win against higher-ranked enemies. After all, if the enemy is in the Golden Core Realm, the protagonist can usually only flee; if they¡¯re even higher, in the Nascent Soul Realm, there wouldn¡¯t even be a chance to run, and the novel coulde to a premature end. But reality, after all, is not a novel; the ces you go can¡¯t possibly hang a ¡°High Rank Cultivators Not Allowed¡± sign. In most cases, it¡¯s about whether the location has value that would attract high-rank cultivators. If so, low-rank cultivators can only resign themselves to fate and pray they don¡¯t run into high-rank enemies. The Hundred Thousand Mountains is just such a ce. There are many benefits there that would move even Nascent Soul Realm cultivators; there are also many ruins that even Refining Mansion Rank cultivators may fully explore. Therefore, on the day the miasma dissipates each year, arge number of cultivators enter the Hundred Thousand Mountains. The Shushan Sect, the Eastern Emperor, and many other allied cultivators, including loose cultivators¡­ In short, it¡¯s a mixed bag, and anything could happen. If cultivators of the same rank encounter each other, they often avoid conflict after cautious probing, since fighting is detrimental to both parties;
Once there is arge gap in realms, it almost inevitably results in a one-sided massacre¡­ It¡¯s fine if an outer sect disciple perishes, but if it¡¯s an elite seed from within the sect, of course, they cannot be allowed to die due to bad luck. So this so-called expedition team is less about bravely entering high-risk areas and more about high-rank cultivators providing protection and training throughout the journey. After listening to Jiang Liyan¡¯s exnation, Wei Dongliu finally understood. s, this character doesn¡¯t have the trait of ¡°understanding a thousand things upon hearing one¡±; quite unustomed indeed. As for the response, of course, it was to decline the offer. Although it¡¯s tempting to have a powerhouse as a coach, what about the Synchronization Value of my mysterious character setting? If I y coy here, and Jiang the Witch gets curious just as a big shot says an indifferent ¡°just this¡±, won¡¯t my mysterious character setting copse right then and there? ¡°That is very well, but I, Wei Dongliu, will not be participating,¡± Wei Dongliu said indifferently, ¡°Sorry, Brother Jiang, if you wish to join the expedition, we can part ways here.¡± Jiang Liyan: ??? It was the first time that she couldn¡¯t maintain herposure and showed a baffling expression of astonishment. Isn¡¯t this a perfect opportunity, with a sect senior offering full support and protection, ensuring safety from ambushes by high-rank Shushan cultivators while freely exploring ruins? What are you thinking, Old Wei? To decline such a golden opportunity, has a Heart Demon gnawed away at your brain? ¡°Brother Wei.¡± She carefully weighed her words, saying, ¡°Whether to join hands this time is, of course, up to each individual¡¯s free will; we won¡¯t force anything. However, I¡¯m a bit curious, if you could share your reason why?¡± Wei Dongliu smiled faintly and replied: ¡°I¡¯m afraid it¡¯s inconvenient to disclose, sorry.¡± Jiang Liyan: ¡­¡­¡­ She immediately felt somewhat irritated. This is just nonsense! Refusing the protection of a high-rank cultivator and instead insisting on exploring alone, I can¡¯t think of any legitimate reason besides deliberately showing off¡­ Wait a minute. Jiang the Witch is indeed shrewd, and suddenly a thought emerged in her mind:
Hmm. Could it be¡­ Within the group of sect seniors leading this expedition¡­ There¡¯s an acquaintance that Old Wei knows and would prefer not to encounter?
Thinking this, it suddenly seemed very likely¡ªshe had long suspected Wei Dongliu was hiding his true strength; it¡¯s just that she didn¡¯t know his real realm, and therefore, didn¡¯t dare to test him directly. Although there¡¯s no conclusive evidence, one must know that even the Qilin at the gate of the Eastern Emperor Divine Pce took a rare interest in Wei Dongliu! Who would believe he¡¯s a low-rank cultivator who hasn¡¯t achieved Core Formation? With this in mind, Jiang Liyan¡¯s thoughts drifted towards a secretive insight: ¡°` Wei Dongliu¡¯s seemingly young body might be inhabited by an extremely old soul? An ancient soul from the Nascent Soul Realm¡­ or perhaps even from the Immortal Realm? This spection had no basis whatsoever, it simply arose suddenly from the depths of her heart, as if a miraculous intuition had appeared out of thin air. However, Jiang the Witch was a person who very much trusted her intuition, as it had saved her from danger on numerous asions in the past. For instance, during herst visit to Wuzhi Inds, it was an ominous premonition that emerged out of nowhere that allowed her to escape an ambush by a cultivator from Yuqing View. If her intuition proved to be correct this time, then inside Wei Dongliu¡­ resided an old monster who had possessed a new body? Wei Dongliu, unaware that his identity had already been romantically reimagined by Jiang Liyan, only noticed that the synchronization value of his mysterious persona had skyrocketed and excitedly said to the Kunlun Mirror: ¡°Ah Jing, you see? I told you that you were prejudiced against Jiang Daoist. Look, isn¡¯t this girl quite adorable!¡±
¡°Quite good,¡± the Kunlun Mirror didn¡¯t want to bother with him and responded nomittally, ¡°If you want to be close with this witch, I can only say that as long as you¡¯re happy, it¡¯s fine.¡± ¡°Ah Jing, cut the sourness. I¡¯m merely doing this for identity synchronization. Don¡¯t be too jealous,¡± Wei Dongliu said proudly. Kunlun Mirror: ¡­¡­¡­ ¡°So, what do you n to do?¡± she changed the subject and asked, ¡°If you¡¯re not joining the expedition team, then you can only explore and hunt.¡± ¡°It seems that¡¯s the only choice,¡± Wei Dongliu sighed and said, ¡°As long as I don¡¯t encounter high-rank Sword Immortals or old acquaintances, I can handle the other Shushan Sect disciples.¡± ¡°In that case,¡± Jiang Liyan finally settled on a thought and then smiled again, ¡°let¡¯s go and discuss with Brother Wen and Gu Lie.¡± Wei Dongliu raised his eyebrows in surprise. He had already expressed his refusal so decisively, yet Jiang the Witch was not giving up. Was she intending to keep him around? Moved! ¡°What do you think, Xiaoqi?¡± Jiang Liyan turned her head and asked. ¡°I¡¯m fine with either,¡± Long Xiaoqi said leisurely. After all, the Sect Leader had only asked his willingness, not made it mandatory for him to join the expedition team. ¡°Very well, then let¡¯s go find both Daoists and have a discussion together,¡± Jiang Liyan pped her hands inughter. Since it was Long Xiaoqi who had brought them in, the guest rooms of Wen Yang and Gu Lie were not far away, and they were quickly summoned.
¡°Not joining the expedition team?¡± Wen Yang also showed the same surprised expression. ¡°Why is that, Daoist Wei? Could you exin if convenient?¡± ¡°There¡¯s no need for Daoist Wei to exin, I¡¯ll say it,¡± Gu Lie sneered. ¡°To join the expedition team, was it the elders of the various sects¡¯ wish, or was it Sect Leader Shi who suggested it?¡± ¡°Of course, it was the Sect Leader¡¯s intention,¡± Long Xiaoqi said calmly. ¡°So Sect Leader Shi proposed it because of the immortal beast Qilin speaking to Daoist Wei in front of the pce gates, right?¡± Gu Lie continued to sneer. Long Xiaoqi didn¡¯t reply, just slowly shook his head. It was unclear whether he meant ¡°it¡¯s not¡±, ¡°I don¡¯t know¡±, or ¡°it¡¯s not appropriate to say¡±. ¡°If it¡¯s the sect elders who want you to join the expedition team, it¡¯s certainly a good move,¡± Gu Lie didn¡¯t mention the Qilin anymore, but said coldly, ¡°But if it¡¯s Sect Leader Shi¡¯s idea, then it¡¯s not a matter of the elders valuing you, but rather just giving face to Sect Leader Shi.¡± ¡°Although that¡¯s the case, when the news gets back to the sect, what will your fellow disciples, brothers, and sisters think?¡± ¡°They won¡¯t know that it¡¯s Sect Leader Shi¡¯s face at y; they will think that you were exceptionally valued by the sect elders, which will lead them to be wary and hostile towards us¡­ After a while, when they realize that the elders do not actually value us that much, they will begin to doubt whether we have lost favor.¡± ¡°In such a situation, do you think most of them will drop their caution, or try to kick someone when they are down to see if they can squeeze out any benefits the elders gave us earlier?¡± ¡°Naturally, thetter,¡± Wen Yang also smiled coldly, ¡°Daoist Wei¡¯s keen observation and Daoist Gu¡¯s understanding of human nature have truly opened my eyes. I am enlightened.¡± ¡°To exploit an opportunity is of course the best,¡± Gu Lie concluded, ¡°But if you exploit it under everyone¡¯s scrutiny and don¡¯t have the strength to dispel the subsequent covetousness, then you must weigh whether it¡¯s worth it!¡± ¡°I see,¡± Jiang Liyan sighed and said, ¡°In that case, indeed, we cannot join the expedition team. It¡¯s merely a pity that a tall tree catches the wind. I¡¯m not as perceptive as Daoist Wei. Thank you, Daoist Gu, for the rification.¡± Wei Dongliu smiled on the surface, remaining silent, but inwardly chuckled:
You guys¡­ what are you imagining? Chapter 226: 18: Do Not Seek Your Own Demise Chapter 226: Chapter 18: Do Not Seek Your Own Demise Long Xiaoqi had no objections to everyone¡¯s decision not to join the expedition team. After the meeting disbanded, she nned to report everyone¡¯s decision to the Sect Leader, only to find out that the Sect Leader had already gone out on business. Standing outside the main hall, Long Xiaoqi thought hard for a long time. ¡°¡­Forget it, such a hassle.¡± ¡°Never mind.¡± She leisurely made her way back to the guest quarters, only to see Wei Dongliu leaning against the railing on the corridor, apparently waiting for her. ¡°Fellow Daoist Long,¡± he turned around and cupped his hands in greeting. ¡°Just call me Xiaoqi,¡± Long Xiaoqi said softly, ¡°that¡¯s what Sister Li An calls me.¡± Sister Li An? It took a moment for Wei Dongliu to realize she was referring to Jiang Liyan. Probably because Jiang Liyan and Long Xiaoqi were quite close, they had a different way of addressing each other in private. Now that Long Xiaoqi sensed Jiang the Witch¡¯s attitude towards Wei Dongliu, she intended to include him in their intimate little circle.
¡°Xiaoqi, there¡¯s still some time before the Hundred Thousand Mountains opens. I am bored alone in my guest room; is there any chance I could find some books to read here?¡± Wei Dongliu asked with a hopeful smile. ¡°Sure,¡± said Long Xiaoqi, with no guile whatsoever, ¡°we have a Scriptural Repository that visitors are allowed to enter. I can take you there.¡± Wei Dongliu was overjoyed. He had thought that he would only manage to borrow some books with Long Xiaoqi¡¯s help, but to his surprise, he was allowed to go in and search for them himself! This Eastern Emperor Sect, truly a ragtag group within the Demon Cult¡¯s Six Paths, had such ax management system! How delightful andmendable! Long Xiaoqi led Wei Dongliu to the Scriptural Repository, only to see the vast attic empty, not a soul in sight. Even the Shushan Sword Immortal, who was not fond of reading, had one or two people in the Scriptural Repository. It seemed that Demons probably didn¡¯t like being bookworms. ¡°You can¡¯t go into the inner chambers there,¡± Long Xiaoqi pointed out, ¡°you can look at any of the books outside, but you can¡¯t take them away.¡± ¡°I understand,¡± Wei Dongliu said sincerely, ¡°thank you, Miss Xiaoqi.¡± ¡°No need to thank me,¡± Long Xiaoqi said, looking down and seeming a bit embarrassed, ¡°I¡¯ll leave first, you remember the way back, right?¡± ¡°Of course I do.¡± ¡°Mhm.¡± Long Xiaoqi then turned around and left, while Wei Dongliu strolled around the Scriptural Repository, searching carefully through the scriptures. The characteristic of Scriptural Repositories from theter periods of the Intercepting Cult, as opposed to the rify Cult, had be quite distinct, the most typical being ¡°technique over magic,¡± cing the more powerful and quicker-to-master Daoist magic scriptures within easy reach. As for the profound and difficult magic, which requires a long time to cultivate, they were mostly neglected in the corners of the deeper parts of the repository. Wei Dongliu guessed that this was rooted in the survival crisis felt by the cultivators after the Intercepting Cult¡¯s defeat in the great war, cing ¡°preserving life¡± as a higher priority. When it came to quickly enhancingbat power, the simplest and most effective method was manding external forces.¡± From the scriptures in this Scriptural Repository, it was clear that three schools had developed in theter period of the Intercepting Cult: manding Heavenly Demons,¡± manding Nether Ghosts,¡± and manding Demonic Beasts,¡± corresponding to theter Heavenly Demon Path, Nether Ghost Path, and Beast Taming Path. With such ssification, Wei Dongliu quickly found the section with books onmanding Demonic Beasts. ording to the records of the Intercepting Cult¡¯s cultivators, Demonic Beasts were divided into five categories: ¡°Shell, Scale, Fur, Feather, and Insect.¡±
¡°Feather¡± referred to birds, ¡°Fur¡± to mammals, ¡°Scale¡± to fish and amphibians, ¡°Shell¡± to smooth-skinned mollusks, and ¡°Insect¡± to crustaceans. After searching for a long time in the ¡°Insect¡± category, Wei Dongliu found many scriptures rted to the Hundred Poisons Gold Silkworm Gu. Unfortunately, most of the contained records extolled how incredibly powerful the Hundred Poisons Gold Silkworm Gu was, while the scriptures discussing its cultivation, nurturing, andmanding were pitifully few, and those that existed were brief, almost the same as the scriptures in the Heavenly Craft Workshop. Wei Dongliu suddenly had an ominous premonition: Could it be that the methods for using the Hundred Poisons Gold Silkworm Gu were traditionally passed down orally from master to disciple within the Intercepting Cult, notmitted to writing?
That would be terrible! Now that the Intercepting Cult had fallen and the Beast Taming Path was in decline, where would I find someone to ask! ¡°` ¡°Are you looking for this?¡± Suddenly, a voice came from the side. Wei Dongliu turned his head and saw Marquis of Mount Tu standing opposite the bookshelf, smilingly handing him a jade slip. What a surprise, it was the Great Demon he had met before, [but] not recognizing her at first nce after she changed into women¡¯s attire! epting the jade slip, scanning it with his divine sense, Wei Dongliu felt a surge of joy, yet his face remained impassive as he said: ¡°Yes, thank you, senior.¡± ¡°Why are you unwilling to join the expedition team?¡± Marquis of Mount Tu pressed curiously. ¡°May I ask who the senior is?¡± Wei Dongliu parried with a question instead of answering. ¡°Guest Elder of the Eastern Emperor Path, Hu Li.¡± Hu Li, a fox¡­ although Wei Dongliu pretended to be oblivious, he said: ¡°Senior Hu. The tree that stands out in the forest is the one that is most likely to be blown down.¡± ¡°They have a forest, but you do not.¡± The female cultivator, now calling herself Hu Li, said with a smile, ¡°The Mortal Life Path is just a loose sand, whom are you afraid of tempting the envy of?¡±
¡°Caution never led to any harm,¡± Wei Dongliu replied nonchntly. Of course, he couldn¡¯t possibly reveal to her the plethora of secrets he bore. Even just the existence of the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, once exposed, the Nether Ghost Path woulde calling for his head, regardless of whether he was from the Mortal Life Path or not. ¡°Being too cautious is also no fun,¡± Hu Li chuckled behind her hand, then abruptly asked, ¡°How do you know the Qilin?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t,¡± Wei Dongliu was not fazed by her sudden assault, simply responding steadily, ¡°It was my first time meeting the Qilin senior as well.¡± ¡°It wouldn¡¯t casually take note of a nobody¡¯s name,¡± Hu Li¡¯s smile was fraught with implication. ¡°Why doesn¡¯t senior ask it directly?¡± Wei Dongliu countered. ¡°If it were willing to pay attention to me, I would have asked already,¡± Hu Li waved her hand nonchntly and turned around to leave. ¡°Really not considering joining the expedition team?¡± She suddenly turned back, ¡°I¡¯m also in the team and could look after you.¡± ¡°Thank you for your concern, senior,¡± Wei Dongliu bowed, ¡°I have no way to repay you.¡± Having no way to repay meant that he dare not ept, so Hu Li finally left with a lightugh. Wei Dongliu watched her leave until she was far away, then his expression turned grave as he began to ponder. Why would Marquis of Mount Tu appear here?
Since she ims to be a Guest Elder of the Eastern Emperor Path, the rumors of the Eastern Emperor Path being infiltrated by demons were almost certainly confirmed. From the perspective of demons, weakening Shushan was definitely more important than weakening the Demonic Path, so the expedition team was unlikely to be a trap. Even so, Wei Dongliu did not want to deal with a bunch of big shots from the Demonic Path. Isn¡¯t Jiang the Witch, who can help me increase my Synchronization Value, adorable? Having copied the entire contents of the jade slip through the Kunlun Mirror, Wei Dongliu left, content. When he reached the door to his room, he suddenly heard a cry of rm from the other end of the corridor. It seemed to be Jiang the Witch¡¯s voice. He went over to take a look, just in time to see Jiang Liyan toppled to the ground, covering her cheek, eyes brimming with tears, and a bright red p mark on her face. The one who had just pped her was an unfamiliar female cultivator with upturned triangr eyes and sunken cheekbones, her countenance suggesting a mean and sinister character. ¡°The Heavenly Demon Path is handling an internal affair!¡± The moment Wei Dongliu looked like he might approach, she red at him and coldly shouted, ¡°Outsiders, stand back! Don¡¯t seek your own death!¡± ¡°` Chapter 227: 19 Jiang the Witchs Big Failure, Yet Not a Total Failure Chapter 227: Chapter 19 Jiang the Witch¡¯s Big Failure, Yet Not a Total Failure Jiang Liyany on the ground, emitting sobs, unable to stop the tears from flowing down, yet her eyes stealthily nced at Wei Dongliu. Then, she saw an extremelyplex expression on Wei Dongliu¡¯s face. It was a look that was half smile, half grimace, with a sense of irony. Jiang the Witch¡¯s heart skipped a beat, and a profound crisis suddenly surged within her. With the inspiration that followed, she immediately scrambled up from the ground and hid behind Wei Dongliu, calling out anxiously, ¡°Be careful! That¡¯s my senior apprentice sister, Ai Zhenzhi, a master of the Refining Mansion tier!¡± This sentence was nearly perfect, and it instantly made Ai Zhenzhi regard Wei Dongliu as the enemy¡ªespecially since he allowed Jiang Liyan to hide behind him and didn¡¯t make any subconscious effort to evade, nor did he show any signs of surprise or shock, which further corroborated that notion. Ai Zhenzhi clenched her right hand into a fist, and countless Demon Heads howled out, attacking Wei Dongliu from all sides. As the eldest apprentice sister of the Heavenly Demon Path, the thirty-six corporeal Divine Demons she fostered were far more formidable than those Luo Yan had dealt with on the Five Zhi Indsst time. Each Demon Head was eight feet tall, with a green face and ferocious fangs, possessing immense strength¡ªthey could tear a person apart with their hands and even withstand direct attacks from the Flying Sword, making them nearly wless when facing cultivators below the Golden Core tier.
The reason the word ¡°nearly¡± is used is that these Demon Heads were bulky and vast, and if faced with Daoist Magic or Magical Treasures specifically designed to counter Demon Heads, they could be easy targets and struggle to escape due to being easily hit. Wei Dongliu remained expressionless as the cloth behind him unfurled without wind, revealing a purple-ck, sinister Immortal Sword that shot out from behind him. After being infused with Demonic Qi from the Chaotic Demon Body, the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword had be extremely docile to him, almostparable to a Life-bound Sword Artifact. With a mere thought from him, the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword suddenly leveled its de horizontally and swept across, cutting open the first three Divine Demons that approached it. It was said that upon reaching a high level of mastery, each of the thirty-six corporeal Divine Demons was impervious to des and resistant to fire and water. However, under the attack of the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, their robust bodies seemed as fragile as paper, tearing apart as a great amount of ck Qi dispersed from within. Ai Zhenzhi¡¯s pupils contracted sharply, rms ringing in her mind, and she immediately realized she had been tricked. There weren¡¯t many methods that could counter the thirty-six corporeal Divine Demons; how could the opponent just happen to possess one! Instead of attributing it to bad luck, it was almost certain that Jiang Liyan had leaked her information beforehand and specifically sought out an opponent capable of countering her abilities! Recalling Jiang Liyan¡¯s previous words and demeanor, the ostensibly normal yet subtly provocative behavior and tone that agitated her, Ai Zhenzhi snapped out of her rage, returning to her cold, rational state. Being strategically outwitted, the situation was dire, and it was not a ce to linger! She had to escape! She made a decisive bite on her teeth, formed a Spell with her hands, and the three Demon Heads that were nearly bisected suddenly swelled up like balloons. Burst! A thick ck smoke filled the surrounding space like fog. The substance that made up the thirty-six corporeal Divine Demons was the most superficialyer of human emotions,posed of a mixture of joy, anger, worry, thought, sorrow, fear, and shock. Upon contact with even a hint of it, ordinary cultivators would immediately lose their Daoist Heart, falling into fits of madness,ughing or crying uncontrobly, or other bizarre states of frenzy. But Wei Dongliu was not an ordinary man; with a light flick of his sword finger, the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword vibrated again, activating the Sword Dao Technique ¡°Soul-Stripping Stab.¡± In an instant, it was as if a whale was swallowing a dragon, sucking up all the surrounding emotional ck smoke, leaving nothing behind. Jiang Liyan popped out from behind him, gaping at the now empty space in front of her, her face disying utter disbelief. Where¡¯s the eldest apprentice sister?
My big senior apprentice sister, she escaped? How could you let her get away? Where¡¯s that, your Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm Gu? Use the move you used on Gu Liest time! Just straight-up grab her face and kill her ahhhh! At this moment, Jiang the Witch was filled with mixed emotions, wishing she could scream out in anguish like a meerkat on the verge of copse, but after all, she was also a seasoned woman of the Demon Sect. She quickly gathered her unwilling feelings, her face showing a mix of gratitude and concern, as she bowed in thanks, saying,
¡°Many thanks, Brother Wei, for your assistance,¡± ¡°No need for excessive courtesy,¡± Wei Dongliu said indifferently with hands sped behind his back, ¡°She initiated the attack. I was merely defending myself, and saving you was just incidental.¡± Jiang Liyan¡¯s eyes brimmed with tears, and she had a torrent of curses on the tip of her tongue, ready to erupt. Who found you the Sect Residence, led you around Mount Wutai, introduced you to Wen Yang and many other contacts, and helped rify doubts for your disciples¡­ And this is how you repay me, Old Devil Wei? You can¡¯t even help me kill a fellow disciple! ¡°That was your fellow disciple, wasn¡¯t it?¡± asked Wei Dongliu with puzzlement, ¡°Why did she want to attack you?¡± Jiang Liyan forced a miserable smile, covering her cheek, and said sorrowfully: ¡°Within the Demon Sect, it¡¯s nothing but thew of the jungle. s, the weak get hit; there¡¯s no ¡®why¡¯ to it.¡± ¡°Oh,¡± Wei Dongliu sighed and continued, ¡°Is Brother Jiang alright?¡± ¡°I¡¯m fine,¡± Jiang Liyan said as she awkwardly stood up, still sporting a palm print on her face. Truth be told, even for non-cultivators, most ps are more insulting than damaging. Furthermore, Jiang Liyan had deliberately borne that p to strengthen her narrative of being ¡°oppressed by a fellow disciple¡±. To think that Wei Dongliu had actually let her escape¡­ At this thought, she couldn¡¯t help but grind her teeth in frustration, wishing she could bite Wei Dongliu in half to vent her anger. However.
It wasn¡¯t irremediable. Knowing Ai Zhenzhi as she did, having detonated three pieces of her Chaotic Demon Body just to get away, the elder sister must be bleeding inside. Having suffered such a loss, the elder sister would assuredly not let things rest. She would definitely think that Wei Dongliu was an ally Jiang Liyan had solicited, specifically setting up an ambush for her here. Therefore, from a vengeful perspective, she would likely gather more forces and, once they were in the Hundred Thousand Mountains, would seize an opportunity to track them down. It was not only to settle a grudge but also to eliminate a future threat. As long as the two lived, the elder sister would surely not rest easy. By the time she was attacked continuously twice, even if Old Devil Wei was cautious, he wouldn¡¯t allow a tiger to return to the mountain, right? Hmph, there are plenty of opportunities anyway! With this thought, Jiang the Witch¡¯s mood quickly improved again. Putting on a face of guilt and self-reproach, she said with a sigh to Wei Dongliu: ¡°s, it¡¯s my fault. It¡¯s a private grudge between my fellow disciple and me, yet I¡¯ve dragged you, Brother Wei, into it.¡± Seeing her convincing act without any ws, Wei Dongliu naturally yed along, saying: ¡°It¡¯s not Brother Jiang¡¯s fault. I was just passing by when your fellow disciple attacked me. If there¡¯s me, it lies with her.¡± Comforted by his words, Jiang Liyan took the opportunity to soften her expression, replying with a wry smile: ¡°Brother Wei, you¡¯ve angered my elder sister this time, and she managed to escape using a ruse. I fear that when we enter the Hundred Thousand Mountains, she might ambush us in retaliation.¡±
¡°Let here,¡± said Wei Dongliu, unconcerned. ¡°After seeing your strength, she will definitely seek out more formidable allies,¡± Jiang Liyan reminded him. ¡°However manye, it¡¯s all the same,¡± Wei Dongliu stated coolly, without a trace of fear. Beneath the level of a Golden Core Cultivator, no matter how many you are, I just need to employ the Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm, the Five Elements Extinguishing Divine Light, the Five Thunder True Law¡ªare any of those not enough to wipe you out? Even if it¡¯s a Golden Core Cultivator, if I really can¡¯t beat them, at least Ah Jing can help me escape! Jiang Liyan, unaware of many things, could only ponder to herself upon seeing Wei Dongliu¡¯s confidence. Chapter 228: 20: Schemes and Seeing Through Chapter 228: Chapter 20: Schemes and Seeing Through Returning to her room, Jiang Liyan took out the medicine from the elixir bottle and carefully applied it to her face, quickly removing the bright red handprint. Gazing at the pretty face in the bronze mirror, she slowly revealed an incredibly charming, seductive, and enticing sweet smile. Her beauty remained unchanged. Unlike the foolish Miss Shi, Jiang the Witch had a profound understanding of her own beauty and temperament. To describe her as a ¡°rose watered with poison,¡± not an exaggeration at all. However, why didn¡¯t he fall for it? Thinking about the carefully plotted scheme she had in mind for a long time, Jiang Liyan couldn¡¯t help but feel a wave of discouragement. Senior Sister Ai Zhenzhi had a violent temper and would not tolerate any form of insubordination. Hence, the junior sisters had to act humbly in her presence to avoid her punishment and revenge. Jiang the Witch¡¯s understanding was even more profound; she knew that all the brutality disyed by the senior sister actually stemmed from a deep-seated fear within her. Like a house dog barking wildly at a ck bear, fierce on the surface but meek at heart.
As for the source of the fear¡­ like the other sisters, it originated from their shared, ¡°kind and affable¡± master. Fairy Cai¡¯e, among the elders of the Heavenly Demon Path, was the most capricious one. Whenever she took on disciples, she would choose young and cute girls; Whenever she summoned a Demon Head, she almost always used her disciples as the sacrifice. As for the criteria for selecting sacrifices, those sisters who have survived until now have almost deciphered the master¡¯s habits: Those who are foolish, weak, and displeasing to the eye. Since Heavenly Demons are considered disposable, especially in battles against formidable enemies (as seen when Ai Zhenzhi faced Wei Dongliu and had to detonate three Demon Heads to escape), cultivating under Fairy Cai¡¯e meant one couldn¡¯t be too conspicuous nor too inconspicuous. Being too conspicuous would attract Fairy Cai¡¯e¡¯s attention, and then one day, if she was in a bad mood and found you unpleasant, she¡¯d directly grab you as a Heavenly Demon Sacrifice. Being too inconspicuous would cause Fairy Cai¡¯e to look down upon and ignore you, and then one day, if she was in a good mood and doing a headcount of disciples, she would pick youst as a Heavenly Demon Sacrifice. The bnce here is extremely difficult to master, and many sisters have fallen due to this, vanishing like fragrance and jade, dying with grudges. But Jiang Liyan had survived until now, and she had essentially grasped Fairy Cai¡¯e¡¯s character¡ªher arbitrary treatment of disciples as if they were livestock stemmed from her belief that only disciples who had formed a Golden Core truly qualified as a cultivator of the Heavenly Demon Path. Those who hadn¡¯t formed a core, regardless of whether they were in Qi Refinement, Marrow Cleansing, or Refining Mansion, were no different from mortals in her eyes. And to the Demon Cult, mortals were merely materials for casting spells. Now, under Fairy Cai¡¯e, Jiang Liyan had be the youngest in seniority and the weakest in strength. Those junior sisters who had joined after her had mostly been taken and killed by the master. Until new disciples were taken in, if the master decided to refine a new Demon Head at any time, she was highly likely to be chosen. Fortunately, more than a decade ago, after the master lost a magicalpetition to a Shushan Sword Immortal and returned in embarrassment, she conveniently took the second senior sister as a sacrifice. She is now in seclusion at the main branch of the Heavenly Demon Path in the Hundred Thousand Mountains of Yangzhou, refining Demon Heads, and has yet to emerge sessfully. Before the masteres out of seclusion, Jiang Liyan must eliminate a few more sisters. By doing so, by the time the master emerges, finding so few disciples at the Foundation Establishment Realm, she will go out to recruit a new batch of disciples, removing Jiang Liyan from the position of weakest among them! As for why she targeted Ai Zhenzhi, the reason was actually very simple: she was just toopetent.
Having been stationed at the Biyun Pce branch on Shiping Mountain for many years, she had managed many affairs in an orderly fashion, which made the master feel that she could do the work of several people, thus diminishing her urgency to take in new disciples. Ever since Ai Zhenzhi became the eldest apprentice sister, the frequency of Master taking in disciples had greatly decreased, to the point where there were now absolutely no disciples of the Marrow Cleansing or Qi Refining Rank, and Li An of the Refining Mansion stage had be the ¡°little apprentice sister.¡± This was a clear testament to the harm that this eldest apprentice sister had inflicted. Jiang the Witch had long been scheming: As long as Ai Zhenzhi died, the position of the eldest apprentice sister would be vacant, and the other sisters would immediately start infighting.
When Master emerged from seclusion, he would find not only that Ai Zhenzhi had long perished, but also that a significant number of the Refining Mansion stage disciples had died. In such a case, recruiting new disciples would be an urgent matter, as one couldn¡¯t possibly expect Golden Core disciples to do the work meant for Foundation Establishment disciples, after all. Getting rid of the high-risk title of ¡°little apprentice sister¡± was the first step in the n; The second was to eliminate the remaining apprentice sisters, seize the position of the eldest apprentice sister, and then disy a stronger work capability than Ai Zhenzhi, ensuring Master feltfortable and reassured in using her. Only then would she have at least some assurance of surviving until Core Formation! Li An supported her cheeks with her hands and looked into the copper mirror at the beautiful reflection that emerged. She revealed an innocent and sweet smile, yet it contained a hint of poison. She had the brains, the wrist, and a ruthless and decisive character, with only the backgroundcking. Although the old thief Wei was deeply reserved and hid his strength well, causing her repeated setbacks, she was not intimidated or fearful. On the contrary, she actually hoped that the old thief Wei¡¯s strength was as formidable as possible. After all,pared to the other sisters, the cards in her hand were far too few¡ªif she did nothing, her future would almost certainly be doomed. Ai Zhenzhi had already been angered by her, and had developed a great deal of animosity towards Wei Dongliu. Next, she would surely look for every possible way to find out his background. Since Wei Dongliu was ostensibly ¡°invited by the Eastern Emperor Path,¡± Ai Zhenzhi would certainly seek out cultivators familiar with the Eastern Emperor Path to inquire. All she needed to do was to use Long Xiaoqi¡¯s mouth to pass on the information she wanted the eldest apprentice sister to know to her ears, just right.
After going over the n in her mind once more, Li An gracefully stood up, ready to go out and join the others. Upon reaching the door, she smiled briefly and then rubbed her face with her hands, turning into a somewhat frail and haggard smile before reaching out to open the door. Outside on the corridor, everyone had already gathered by the railing and were chatting casually. Gu Lie was telling Wen Yang some bawdy jokes, and Wen Yang wasughing heartily, his rough and husky male voicepletely ruining his otherwise feminine and exquisite appearance. Long Xiaoqi was grasping the railing with both hands, eyes unblinking as she looked outside, as though she might fall asleep at any moment. Wei Dongliu stood with his hands behind his back, listening quietly at the side. Upon seeing Li An emerge from her guest room, he nodded at her in greeting. After the five of them had gathered, they nned to head out to the external market of the Eastern Emperor Path to purchase supplies needed for their deep expedition into the Hundred Thousand Mountains. ¡°Jiang Dao friend, you seem unwell?¡± Wen Yang suddenly spoke up as they walked. ¡°It¡¯s nothing, just a minor mishap during practice,¡± Li An shook her head and managed a smile. Such a wan, numb smile would elicit pity and tenderness from any man who saw it, and Wei Dongliu was no exception. However, he refrained from expressing concern for Li An, because a voice inside his head had been incessantly speaking ill of her since earlier. ¡°Hmph! Look at that acting; it¡¯s so tantly ¡®I¡¯m suffering, but I won¡¯t say.¡¯ Such an affectation, do they really think people will fall for it?¡± ¡°Ah Jing, tone down the acidity,¡± Wei Dongliu said with a frown, ¡°Even if she was pretending earlier, at least the p she received was real¡­ It¡¯s normal for her face to be haggard.¡±
¡°No way, you can¡¯t be serious! You¡¯re not actually falling for it, are you?¡± the Kunlun Mirror eximed in disbelief, ¡°A cultivator taking a p can¡¯t get hurt! And especially not this Demon Head!¡± Chapter 229: 21: Night, The Hum of Swords Chapter 229: Chapter 21: Night, The Hum of Swords Wei Dongliu was meditating in the room. As for the thoughts of Jiang the Witch, he wasn¡¯t actually unaware. If he didn¡¯t originally know, he couldn¡¯t help but learn from Ah Jing¡¯s various ¡°livementaries¡± beside his ear, much like watching a magician¡¯s stage show while the girlfriend beside you keeps saying, ¡°The trick is actually done like this,¡± ¡°That contraption is hidden over there,¡± h h h. It made Wei Dongliu feel a mix ofughter and tears every time he saw Jiang the Witch¡¯s performance, always feeling particrly taken out of the experience, even though her acting was indeed wless¡­ ¡°Let¡¯s go back to Shushan, Ah Jing,¡± he said with his eyes closed, instructing. [Checkpoint Two: Shushan Shangqing Faction, Qingluo Peak.] [Character Identity: Ling Yunpo.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Temte ovey in progress, time-space travelmencing.] Ling Yunpo donned his robe and left the daoist temple to see that the trees outside had shed all their yellow leaves, leaving only bare branches. Cultivators have a unique constitution that is indifferent to heat and cold, but it is only upon seeing the destion of all things that they realize winter is about to arrive.
¡°What are you looking at?¡± An Zhisu asked as she gracefully approached from behind. Today, Senior Sister An had unusually dressed as a Daoist nun, her ck hair pinned up within her headdress, looking three parts less gentle than usual, but seven parts more awe-inspiring and heroic. This bearing, how can it be described with just the word ¡®impressive¡¯? ¡°I¡¯m just looking at the scenery,¡± Ling Yunpo said truthfully. ¡°I need to take a trip to Yangzhou,¡± An Zhisu hesitated, ¡°do you want to join me?¡± ¡°Yangzhou?¡± Ling Yunpo pondered, ¡°If I remember correctly, isn¡¯t Senior Sister from Guangling County of Yangzhou?¡± ¡°Right.¡± An Zhisu felt a warmth in her heart, thinking to herself that she had only mentioned it once, and yet her junior brother actually remembered where her hometown was, which showed he truly cared. ¡°Every ten years, I have to return to my hometown to pay respects to my deceased mother¡­¡± She pinned up a stray lock of hair near her ear and said softly, ¡°I suddenly thought that since Junior Brother has been at Shushan for so long without ever leaving for experience, I wondered if you would be willing to join me for a trip out¡­¡± ¡°If Senior Sister wishes it, how could I dare to refuse,¡± Ling Yunpo saw right through her thoughts¡ªit was nothing more than taking him to meet her parents, wasn¡¯t it! It¡¯s just that Senior Sister was too shy to say it directly. ¡°That¡¯s settled then,¡± An Zhisu sighed in relief and smiled, ¡°Pack up, and follow me.¡± Ling Yunpo turned and walked back into the temple, to his own room. Hmm, there wasn¡¯t much to take with him. The character of Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t carry many Daoist Magic spells or Talisman Scripts; after all, as a Shushan Sword Immortal, he relied solely on the sword in his hand. The Green Duckweed Sword was his life-bound sword artifact, cultivated within his body and requiring no carrying, so he simply hoisted the sword box containing the Thunderbane Sword and headed out. Cultivators favoring long-distance flight often prefer flying artifacts to flying swords, but Qingluo Peak¡¯s finances were limited, unable to afford a magic artifact, so the two of them flew along the Yangtze River using Sword Control. The wind faced them head-on, so strong it nearly made it impossible to open one¡¯s eyes, but Ling Yunpo had to maintain the persona of unwavering determination, enduring the dryness in his eyes relying on his Marrow Cleansing physique. By the time they arrived at Guangling County, it was already dusk. The two descended outside Jiankang City and then entered the city on foot, finding an inn to rest. Ling Yunpo shamelessly proposed that to save money they could just get one room¡­ and then backed down in the face of An Zhisu¡¯s surprised gaze.
This Senior Sister of his, you¡¯d say she¡¯splex-minded, and yet in many ways, she¡¯s unexpectedly naive; you¡¯dbel her innocent and naive, yet look, she actually understands everything! She couldn¡¯t be provoked like Xu Yinglian, nor could she be coaxed like Shi Liuli, and definitely not seduced like Jiang Liyan¡ªtruly the most difficult one to handle among everyone. Forget it, sleep! Back in his own room, he sat on the bed in meditation, and Ling Yunpo suddenly recalled something.
Speaking of which, there¡¯s a Thunder Method practiced by Qiu Changtian that I remember requires a trip to Kuaiji County of Yangzhou to find¡­ Should I look for it on this trip as well? He pondered the idea in his mind and gradually entered a state of meditative concentration. After an indeterminate amount of time, he suddenly heard a sharp whistling sound above his head. It was the hum of a sword! Ling Yunpo had been the Shushan Sword Immortal for over a decade, how could he not recognize the sound of a Flying Sword being pushed to its limit, slicing through the air? Someone was engaging in a magicalpetition in the sky! He hurriedly jumped out of bed, rushed out the door, and saw An Zhisu also emerging from her room, with the Flying Smoke Sword in her hand. Ling Yunpo gave her a knowing look that meant, ¡°There¡¯s a duel outside.¡± An Zhisu pointed her sword outward as if to say, ¡°Let¡¯s talk outside.¡± With someone battling outside, staying indoors wouldn¡¯t give them any knowledge of the situation and if the building was affected by the residual waves of Daoist magic, they wouldn¡¯t even be able to respond properly; therefore, they had to leave quickly! They hurriedly left the inn, and Ling Yunpo immediately took to the skies on his sword, quickly scanning the surroundings. ¡°Northwest direction, thirty zhang,¡± An Zhisu reminded him. Ling Yunpo concentrated and looked, just in time to see a person riding a sword, shooting up from the ground and clearing the rooftops.
Hmm? Junior Brother Guan? He saw Guan Zhan rising into the air on his sword, not yet flying high when another sword light shot out from behind him, striking him fiercely from the back and causing him to plummet! To be more precise, it was a p down, as the adversary used the back of the sword. An Zhisu sighed. Ling Yunpo frowned and continued watching as he saw Guan Shanyue rise on her sword from below, catching the off-bnce Guan Zhan with one hand as he fell, then leisurely flew over. ¡°What a coincidence,¡± she said with a smile, ¡°Senior Sister An, Junior Brother Ling, are you also here?¡± ¡°And this is?¡± Ling Yunpo feigned ignorance about Guan Zhan, curiously asking. Guan Zhan¡¯s face was ashen, his lips trembling fiercely as he struggled to break free from Guan Shanyue¡¯s grip, summoning his own flying sword to step onto. ¡°This is my cousin from the Guan Family, Guan Zhan,¡± Guan Shanyue chuckled, ¡°He secretly joined Kunlun without informing the Guan Family, and I happened to run into him while he was out gaining experience, so I took the opportunity to teach him a lesson.¡± ¡°Whether I join Kunlun or Shushan, what business is it of yours?¡± Guan Zhan spat out angrily through gritted teeth. ¡°As long as Guan Family blood runs through your veins, you cannot sever ties with the Guan Family,¡± Guan Shanyue spoke calmly, but her eyes showed a hint of disdain. This made Guan Zhan even more infuriated and frantic, nearly hysterical as he roared: ¡°If the Guan Family truly cared a bit for me, how could they have allowed my mother¡­¡± He couldn¡¯t finish his sentence; the rest of his words were choked back as Guan Shanyue crisply pped him across the face, stunning himpletely.
Ling Yunpo, or rather Qiu Changtian, had never seen such a miserable Junior Brother Guan. Usually, during scripture reading sessions in the cave dwelling, he was always the one sitting silently in the corner, and when he did speak, it was mostly in a sharp and sarcastic tone. Qiu Changtian thought it was just his nature, but now he suspected there might be hidden reasons. An Zhisu, however, was surprised as she looked at Guan Shanyue. After knowing her for many years, she had never seen this woman be so angry, her face still wore a false smile, but her muscles were almost too tense to maintain herposure, clearly she was struggling not to lose her temper on the spot. ¡°Sorry for making a spectacle in front of you two,¡± Guan Shanyue apologized as she grabbed Guan Zhan¡¯s arm and dragged him away without another word, ¡°We have some private family matters to take care of, so we¡¯ll take our leave now.¡± The two of them left quickly on their swords and soon disappeared into the night. ¡°Who would have thought someone from the Guan Family would join Kunlun,¡± An Zhisu said with surprise, ¡°The Longyou Guan Family, who devote all their resources and connections to Shushan ¨C what for did that person join Kunlun? To stand out?¡± ¡°Perhaps there are some underlying reasons,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a sigh. An Zhisu nodded, not disagreeing with this notion. She was unfamiliar with Guan Zhan to begin with, only finding it strange what could cause Guan Shanyue to reveal such a suppressed expression as if she had been betrayed. However¡­ If she put herself and Junior Brother Ling in their shoes, she might be able to understand. If Ling Yunpo suddenly decided to switch his allegiance to Kunlun, An Zhisu wasn¡¯t sure if she, in her current state, would let him go with tears, or¡­
She dared not think any further. Chapter 230: 22 Cleaning Graves, Offering Sacrifices Chapter 230: Chapter 22 Cleaning Graves, Offering Sacrifices After seeing off Guan Shanyue and Guan Zhan, the two of them returned to their room at the inn. Ling Yunpo soon entered meditative concentration, but An Zhisu felt somewhat perturbed and couldn¡¯t calm down. She sensed something was amiss about herself. In the past, if Ling Yunpo were to leave Qingluo Peak, she would be heartbroken and pained, but she wouldn¡¯t try to make him stay. Because the reason was clear: the lineage of Qingluo Peak had no masters. Without a master and not valued by the sect, what difference would there be from a loose cultivator? Moreover, since Junior Brother Ling had the ¡°Innate Sword Bone¡± aptitude, there was naturally no need for him to be confined to Qingluo Peak. Not to mention anything else, just the recruitment offers that came to him were twice. Once was from Ziyun Peak, and the other was from the Guan family ancestor; although she felt anguished at the time, she was still willing to let Junior Brother make his own choice. If the Junior Brother wanted to soar into the world, she would let him go despite how reluctant she might be.
However, just now, when she heard Guan Shanyue mention Guan Zhan joining Kunlun, the first thought that sprang to her mind when she subconsciously put herself in that situation, if Junior Brother were to leave, was to teach him a lesson like Guan Shanyue did and forcefully make him change his mind and stay at Qingluo Peak. After all, Guan Zhan had the noble blood of the Guan Family, which made Guan Shanyue barely tolerant of his betrayal. But Junior Brother Ling¡­ what kind of position did she im to have to harbor such aggressive thoughts that insisted he should not leave? Thinking about this made An Zhisu feel deeply terrified. It was as if she suddenly discovered that she was no longer the person she used to be. Her heart was in turmoil throughout the night. When she got up the next day, she naturally had dark circles under her eyes. ¡°Eh, Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo encountered her in the hallway and asked with concern, ¡°Why do you look so haggard? Didn¡¯t you meditatest night?¡± ¡°It¡¯s nothing.¡± An Zhisu smiled helplessly, avoiding an answer and diverting the conversation, ¡°From here to my hometown, it¡¯s less than half an hour¡¯s journey. Let¡¯s go.¡± The two left Jiankang City, found a secluded area with no one around, and took to the sky on their swords. After crossing the Yangtze River, they turned northeast and quickly arrived at an old vige deep in the mountains. The vige was nestled among the mountains. Although it was inconvenient for travel, it was spared from wartime cmities, so it remained a peaceful and tranquil ce, hardly changing over hundreds of years. ¡°Let¡¯s enter the vige quietlyter; we don¡¯t want the vigers to see us,¡± An Zhisu whispered, looking toward the houses in the distant valley. ¡°Why?¡± Ling Yunpo asked curiously, ¡°Would they still recognize Senior Sister after all these years?¡± ¡°Ie back once every ten years, there are always people who recognize me,¡± An Zhisu sighed. ¡°It¡¯s better to avoid trouble.¡± Ling Yunpo uttered an ¡°Oh,¡± and immediately understood. Cultivators often choose to keep a low profile when moving through the mortal world to avoid revealing their identities. This was mostly because being seen by mortals meant dealing with a horde of people seeking immortality and elixirs, which can be quite troublesome. An Zhisu¡¯s situation was even more special. Her mother was buried here, and it was impractical to relocate the grave, so they had to rely on the vigers for care. Thus, it was actually not feasible to keep her distance from the vigers, especially since Senior Sister was not the heartless type.
The two quietly went around to the back of the vige and saw big and small grave mounds dotting the hillside. The grave of An Zhisu¡¯s mother was situated at the highest point of the mountain peak. Descending before the grave, Ling Yunpo took a close look and noticed that the area around the grave was covered with dust and fallen leaves, although the weeds were not overgrown¡ªsomeone must have cleaned it a few months ago. With a flick of his fingers, he activated the spell on his Green Duckweed Sword, and a cascade of Water System Sword Qi swept like rain, brushing away the dust, fallen leaves, and weeds in front of the grave.
An Zhisu took out offerings: chicken, duck, fish, goose, and an eight treasure hot pot, meticulously cing each before her mother¡¯s grave, then she brought out an incense burner and lit some sandalwood incense. Those born into cultivation should not actually believe in such things. After all, it¡¯smon knowledge that when a person dies, their soul falls into the Netherworld, and then they are reborn. Senior Sister An hase here to offer sacrifices now; it is more of a ceremonial act than one with actual significance. Thus, Ling Yunpo also helped by taking out a cushion and cing it in front of the tombstone. However, An Zhisu waved her hand and didn¡¯t go for the cushion, but knelt directly on the stone bs. After bowing deeply in homage, she lowered her head and closed her eyes, holding her hands to her chest, and began to pray for herte mother. Ling Yunpo saw her lips moving slightly, just like when she prayed to Master at Qingluo Peak. He thought to himself that he was unsure if Master could hear him, but he was certain that her mother definitely couldn¡¯t. Anyway, it¡¯s just forfort¡­ His gaze fell upon the tombstone and his mind suddenly drifted away. This An Susu, thete matriarch, I wonder how gentle and beautiful she was in life, that she was able to make someone as arrogant and ungrateful as Su Jian change his ways from the Forgetting Love path to the Sentiment Inquiry Path, shocking nearly the entire Shushan. Looking carefully at Senior Sister An¡¯s profile, with such a delicate and exquisite face,bined with the image of Su Jian that appeared in the Pavilion Secret Realm, who was apletely handsome middle-aged man, it¡¯s likely that the matriarch¡¯s beauty was not far off. An Zhisu finished her prayers and opened her eyes to stand up, and somehow her cheeks were slightly flushed; it was unknown what she had said to her mother. ¡°Junior Brother,¡± she said gently, ¡°It¡¯s done. Let¡¯s go back.¡± ¡°Senior Sister, someone entrusted me with a task, and when I have free time, I¡¯m supposed to visit Kuaiji County.¡± Ling Yunpo spoke tentatively. ¡°Since I¡¯m already here in Yangzhou, I thought I¡¯d finish the task first before returning to Shushan.¡±
¡°Sure,¡± An Zhisu nodded. ¡°I¡¯ll apany you.¡± There it is, this is my Senior Sister! Ling Yunpo was deeply moved. If it were Junior Sister Xu, Miss Shi, or Jiang the Witch, who would agree so easily without even asking what it¡¯s about? Only Senior Sister, with herplete trust in me, would so readily agree to apany me. ¡°There¡¯s one more thing I need to do before we leave,¡± An Zhisu suddenly said. She and Ling Yunpo turned into Sword Light and flew towards the vige, promptlynding in the backyard of a certain house. In the backyard, there was a woman dressed like a peasant feeding chickens. She was almost frightened into screaming when she saw someone descending from the sky. On the other hand, the elderlydy next to her reacted quickly, pulling the younger woman into her arms and covering her mouth. ¡°Gui Niang, I hope you are well,¡± An Zhisu greeted with a nod. ¡°Well indeed, well indeed,¡± the elderlydy responded with a chuckle. ¡°Old An has gone out. Would the Immortal like to stay here for a meal and rest for a while?¡± ¡°Who might this be?¡± An Zhisu asked, turning her attention to the unfamiliar-looking woman instead of answering. ¡°My daughter-inw, she¡¯s been part of the family for around five or six years now,¡± the elderlydy hastened to exin. ¡°The Immortal visits once every ten years, and she hadn¡¯t had the opportunity to meet you before, so she was almost disrespectful just now, my apologies, my apologies¡­¡± ¡°No harm done,¡± An Zhisu retrieved an Elixir Bottle from her sleeve, which contained the ¡°Detoxification Elixir¡±monly used in Daoist Sects to regte one¡¯s constitution, and ced it on the ground. ¡°These past years, I must also thank the vige chief for looking after my mother¡¯s grave.¡±
¡°No thanks necessary,¡± the elderlydy waved her hand, her eyes fixed on the Elixir Bottle on the ground. ¡°After all, we¡¯re from the same vige and share the same surname; it¡¯s only right to look out for one another.¡± ¡°Since the vige chief isn¡¯t here, I¡¯ll be leaving,¡± An Zhisu said, turning to Ling Yunpo. ¡°Junior Brother?¡± ¡°Yes, let¡¯s go,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded. The two once again rose into the sky on their swords, disappearing from sight. It was only then that the younger woman managed to break free from her mother-inw¡¯s embrace and picked up the Elixir Bottle on the ground, hesitantly saying: ¡°Mother-inw, this¡­¡± ¡°Give it to me!¡± The elderlydy snatched the Elixir Bottle, first verifying that it indeed contained elixirs, then seriously warned, ¡°Apart from your father-inw and me, no one else must know about this! That includes your husband and those reckless nephews!¡± ¡°Understood,¡± the woman realized the significance and excitedly said, ¡°Are these Immortal Pills inside?¡± ¡°No matter the ailment, just one pill will do!¡± the elderlydy said quivering. ¡°They are undoubtedly Immortal Pills¡­¡± Chapter 231: 23: The Tale of the Demons Extermination at Mount Tianmu Chapter 231: Chapter 23: The Tale of the Demon¡¯s Extermination at Mount Tianmu This time, heading to Kuaiji County in Yangzhou, the Thunder Method I sought was called ¡°Shenxiao Thunder¡±. ording to the general outline of the Five Thunder True Law, Shenxiao Thunder specializes in ¡°extinguishing the vitality¡±, which is highly effective against demons with robust vitality. Along with the Jade Pivot Thunder, which specializes in killing Nether Ghosts, and the Great Hollow Thunder, which specializes in killing demons from beyond the heavens, they are called the ¡°Three Daoist Foundations of the Thunder Method¡±. Almost every Thunder Cultivator could master them proficiently. Of course, the lineage of Thunder Cultivators has almostpletely died out now. The widely spread Shenxiao Thunder, along with the departure of Chonghe True Person, has since vanished from this world. Lucky for me, Ling Yunpo did some digging and found that the lineage left by the other party was actually still around, located on Mount Tianmu to the south of Kuaiji County, reportedly now with only a single temple and two or three disciples left. The two of us flew on our swords from Guangling County, heading southwards. Below, the fields stretched continuously, crisscrossed by paths, with travelers and caravans on the roads, bustling with activity¡ªan indication of a peaceful and bountiful year. Unfortunately, for rural Daoist priests, peace means no demons or ghosts, and bountiful harvests mean no droughts or disasters, yet demon hunting and rainmaking constitute the main source of their ie. The consecutive years of peace and harvest in Yangzhou have caused the business of rural Daoist priests to decline. Now it¡¯s no wonder that the descendants of the Chonghe predecessor are living such miserable lives. Passing through Lin¡¯an and Kuaiji, we arrived at Mount Tianmu andnded at the temple on the mountain¡¯s peak. What a dpidated temple!
Honestly, whether it was Ling Yunpo, Qiu Changtian, Luo Yan, or Wei Dongliu, none had ever seen such a rundown temple. The roof tiles were all damaged, most of the ster on the walls had fallen off, and one corner of the stone threshold was even missing¡­ Ling Yunpo mused that if he were looking for someone to make it rain or catch ghosts, he would probably turn around and leave at the sight of such a decrepit facade. He walked up and knocked on the door; there was no response. ¡°There¡¯s no one inside,¡± An Zhisu said. ¡°Looks like we¡¯ll have toe back another time,¡± Ling Yunpo had just turned around when he saw a young Daoisting from the other end of the mountain path. The young Daoist was dressed in a tattered Daoist robe covered in patches, carrying a basket full of wild vegetables, staring dumbfounded at the two guests before him. Ling Yunpo, handsome and resolute, with a sharp gaze; An Zhisu, tall and valiant, exuding an air of heroism. Combined with their Shushan Daoist robes that indicate they are from a major sect, the sight frightened the young Daoist so much that he dropped his basket and came over to give a loud kowtow: ¡°Kunlun has finally sent someone! Please, seniors, save my master! A demon has captured him!¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­ An Zhisu: ¡­¡­¡­ ¡°Calm down, we are not cultivators from Kunlun.¡± Seeing the young Daoist kneeling and continuously kowtowing, Ling Yunpo helplessly exined, ¡°We are cultivators from Shushan. And what do you mean your master has been captured by a demon? ¡­Stop kowtowing to me!¡± The young Daoist slowly raised his head, his gaze dizzy and puzzled, obviously having kowtowed himself into a bit of stupor. An Zhisu was speechless as well and took out a white jade liquor cask. First, she poured a little in her hand and then flicked it into the young Daoist¡¯s mouth with the flick of a finger. ¡°Cough¡­ cough cough¡­¡± Suddenly startled by the liquor, the child coughed several times, his senses somewhat returning to him. ¡°You¡¯re¡­ not from Kunlun?¡± he asked, still somewhat dazed as he looked at the two of them. ¡°We are Shushan Sword Immortals,¡± Ling Yunpo replied. ¡°Shushan¡­ where is that?¡± the young Daoist asked, confused. ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry about where Shushan is,¡± An Zhisu patiently said, ¡°You just need to know that we from Shushan have a good rtionship with Kunlun. So where exactly was your master taken when he was captured?¡±
¡°In the Thousand Fathom Valley! East of the Neen Peaks!¡± The young Daoist¡¯s eyes lit up, and he immediately began to spill everything out like beans pouring out of a bamboo tube, ¡°The demon on that side is powerful! The master didn¡¯t dare to provoke it, but during an exorcism mission in Kuaiji County, he identally killed a lesser demon under the other¡¯smand.¡± ¡°Afterwards, the monster refused and came knocking on our door to reason with my master. My master couldn¡¯t argue with him and was kidnapped!¡± ¡°What is your master¡¯s cultivation level?¡± Ling Yunpo pressed, ¡°And the demon¡¯s cultivation level?¡± ¡°Cultivation level? I¡¯m not sure,¡± the young Taoist said nkly, ¡°but that demon is very powerful, able to summon clouds and ride the fog, flying about¡­¡±
As he spoke and gestured, he couldn¡¯te to the point, and Ling Yunpo had to interrupt him: ¡°Never mind that, can the demon transform?¡± ¡°Transform?¡± ¡°As in, turn into a human.¡± ¡°It probably can¡¯t,¡± the young Taoist recalled carefully, ¡°Master said that demons that can turn into humans are fierce. If we encounter one, we must flee immediately, and there would be cultivators from some ind who would deal with it¡­¡± ¡°Peni Ind?¡± An Zhisu asked for confirmation. Yangzhou was under the influence of Peni¡¯s Yuqing View, although the Heavenly Demon Path certainly didn¡¯t see it that way. ¡°Right, right, right!¡± the young Taoist nodded repeatedly. ¡°Without transformation, it means it hasn¡¯t formed a demon core yet.¡± Ling Yunpo looked up and said to his senior sister. ¡°It can be killed,¡± An Zhisu nodded. ¡°Where is that Thousand Fathom Valley you mentioned?¡± Ling Yunpo asked the young Taoist again. ¡°Over there!¡± The young Taoist pointed in a direction, ¡°Past those three mountains, on the east side of the fourth mountain¡­¡± He was interrupted by his own startled cry. Because Ling Yunpo had already swept him up under his arm and soared up with his sword, shooting up nearly a hundred feet into the air.
¡°Where? Point it out to me directly,¡± he asked again. Still in shock, the young Taoist strived to calm down for a moment, then pointed towards the distance and said: ¡°There! That narrow, long gorge!¡± ¡°Good.¡± Ling Yunpo turned and spoke to his senior sister, and the two of them turned and headed northwest, setting the young Taoist down outside the city of Kuaiji County. ¡°Stay here for now, so that when we exterminate the demon, none that flee will go to your temple to vent their frustration,¡± An Zhisu advised, and then took out a Green Nourishment Pill, ¡°I see you haven¡¯t yet started fasting? Take one of these pills daily, and you can go a day without food.¡± ¡°Thank you, Fairy Sister,¡± the young Taoist said earnestly. Ling Yunpo couldn¡¯t help but chuckle at the side. Senior Sister An wasn¡¯t that thoughtful; it was his own idea to leave the young Taoist at a distance. But to a child, a sister is undoubtedly easier to approach than a brother, so he didn¡¯t quibble with him. The two turned around once again and set off, this time flying directly to the entrance of the gorge, then descended with their sword lights. Entering with swords a-zing was the approach of high rank cultivators looking to overpower their enemies. Catching a target from above was far less easy than locking on to oneing from the sky when you¡¯re on the ground. Stepping into the gorge, and walking on the mountain trail for a while, Ling Yunpo suddenly cast his gaze into the distance. A demon! On the rocks on the other side of the valley, stood a horned little demon with the head of a deer and the body of a human, erect and retreating, gazing intently in their direction.
The next second, a scorching streak of light flew across, pinning the small demon dead against the rock face! Chapter 232: 24: Eradicating Demons Chapter 232: Chapter 24: Eradicating Demons ¡°Senior Sister An, your swordsmanship is impressive!¡± Ling Yunpo eximed in admiration. Just a moment ago, he had almost projected himself into Qiu Changtian¡¯s ce, subconsciously thinking that it was Junior Sister Xu¡¯s Feather Jia Sword. Because Senior Brother Qiu used to go out for realbat practice with Junior Sister Xu, he was very fond of ying this game of ¡°who kills the monsters first¡± with her¡­ But Senior Sister An was not sopetitive; she probably just saw the demons and killed them in passing without thinking too much about it. ¡°It¡¯s just a ¡®White Rainbow Piercing the Sun¡¯, how can it be called impressive swordsmanship?¡± An Zhisu said with a slight smile. ¡°Senior Sister¡¯s White Rainbow Piercing the Sun truly captures the essence of ¡®speed¡¯ from the Seven Kills Sword Technique!¡± Ling Yunpo said earnestly, ¡°This juniorcks talent but wishes to show what I¡¯ve learned.¡± He formed a sword technique with his hands and pointed forward, and the Green Duckweed Sword shot out like lightning. Opposite, on the mountain path, a small demon had just appeared, seeing itspanion¡¯s body nailed to the cliff, it hastily raised the gong in its hand, just preparing to strike it when suddenly it felt a chill at its neck and its vision dimmed instantly. ¡°Not bad.¡± An Zhisumented, ¡°You can try to incorporate more variation in your sword movements.¡± As the small demon was killed by the Green Duckweed Sword, its gong fell to the ground, producing an extremely loud sound of metal shing, immediately echoing through the valley and startling a flock of birds and herons.
¡°How should I vary it?¡± Ling Yunpo pondered, calling back the Green Duckweed Sword from afar, ¡°Do you mean to use the terrain to my advantage and aim to pass through the target¡¯s blind spots?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right,¡± An Zhisu also called back the Flying Smoke Sword, speaking in an instructive tone, ¡°Although a straight line is the shortest distance between two points, very often, it is not the best choice.¡± ¡°Seven Kills Swordsmanship emphasizes on striking the first blow, but it doesn¡¯t rely solely on ¡®speed¡¯ to defeat the enemy; such swordsmanship is too crude.¡± ¡°Our usual sparring on Qingluo Peak focuses on counteracting moves and controlling the rhythm, with basically no consideration of the terrain.¡± ¡°Since we have the chance to engage in realbat this time, I will teach you how to use various terrains to execute the movements of the Seven Kills Sword Technique.¡± No sooner had her voice fallen than a horde of demons appeared on the mountain path opposite, fluttering, scampering, winged and hooved creatures of all sorts surged forth in an instant. ¡°What is going on with Yuqing View?¡± Ling Yunpo frowned and said, ¡°So many demons upy this ce, and yet they turn a blind eye!¡± ¡°A good opportunity to test my sword!¡± An Zhisu said in a grave voice, stepping on the Harsh Cold Sword to lift her figure and dashed into the crowd of demons in an instant. In a short while, countless severed limbs and body parts were flung about, blood sttered and even the stream below was dyed crimson. Ling Yunpo watched intently from behind, filled with admiration for his Senior Sister¡¯s exquisite swordsmanship. A snake demon approached him from behind, about to bite at his neck, when a glint of golden light suddenly shot out from the sword box on his back, as the Thunder Punishment Sword swept across, cleaving the snake demon to pieces. An Zhisu gracefully returned on her sword, her robe sleeves fluttering in the wind without a single speck of blood on them. Looking back at the creek and valley below, it was now a scene of utter destruction, too gruesome to behold. ¡°Did you see that clearly?¡± An Zhisu asked softly. ¡°Yes, Senior Sister,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded in response. He had seen clearly just now; those demons were mostly at the Qi Refining Rank, even if he were to venture alone with his sword, he could easilye back unharmed. But to remain as unblemished as his Senior Sister in the midst of flying flesh and blood with his current level of swordsmanship, that was indeed not feasible for him. No wonder Ah Jing had said that Senior Sister An was probably nearing the threshold of the ¡°Innate Sword Heart,¡± which was the realm of some kind of ¡°Dao.¡± ¡­¡­¡­
While An Zhisu was using the demons to test her sword and demonstrating in person for Ling Yunpo, cutting a path through them all the way. In a cave within a thousand-zhang deep valley, an old Daoist was cautiously studying the restrictions, while a green-faced, fanged bat demon impatiently tapped its steel trident on the ground, repeatedly urging and cursing. ¡°This is torture! Torture!¡± the old Daoist cried in his heart. If only he had known about the swarms of demons here, he would have abandoned his ancestor¡¯s Daoist temple and fled with his disciples at the earliest opportunity!
¡°Old Daoist, are you done yet?¡± Listening to the noisy soundsing from afar, the bat demon grew even more impatient, ¡°If the king returns and finds the restrictions still in ce, being ripped open and having your liver dug out will be your fate!¡± ¡°I have already figured out something about these restrictions,¡± the old Daoist said with a fawning smile, ¡°Have you ever heard of ¡®Dreaming of Mount Tianmu and Leaving a Farewell Poem¡¯?¡± ¡°Ah?¡± the bat demon uttered a confused sound, not understanding. ¡°Mount Tianmu in Yangzhou has been associated with tales of Immortal Sect since ancient times,¡± the old Daoist continued. ¡°It¡¯s said that there was an Exiled Immortal who was reincarnated as a human and dreamt of wandering through Mount Tianmu, eventually reaching the Immortal¡¯s Pce. And this poem wasposed based on what he saw in his dream.¡± ¡°The poem says, ¡®The heavens cracked and thunder roared, hills and ridges crumbled. The Stone Gate of Cave Heaven, with a thunder, did open.¡¯ That is to say, one needs to strike the cave with Thunder Method to open the entrance to that Immortal¡¯s Pce.¡± ¡°I see!¡± the bat demon was overjoyed, ¡°But where can we find this Thunder Method?¡± ¡°Right here.¡± The old Daoist gave a sly chuckle as a white light suddenly shone in the palm of his hand and he mmed it onto the bat demon¡¯s body faster than lightning! Before the bat demon could react, it was struck by a Shenxiao Thunder. The expression of surprise was still frozen on its face, but its body stiffened like a statue and toppled forward to the ground. A single Shenxiao Thunder obliterated all signs of life within the demon¡¯s body¡ªits power terrifying to such an extent! The old Daoist grabbed its wings from behind and dragged itboriously into the cave, then tumbled and scrambled down the mountain. With his current Qi Refining Rank cultivation level, he could only muster three strikes of the Shenxiao Thunder at best, yet there were at least a thousand demons entrenched in this mountain¡ªhe stood no chance by himself. The demon horde leader was a deer spirit, who somehow hade upon news of a celestial hermit¡¯s cave dwelling within Mount Tianmu and led its underlings to settle in the mountain, trying to uncover traces of this clue. Moreover, this cunning and patient deer spirit leader usually severely constrained its minions from disturbing human viges, so much so that it had not attracted the attention of the nearby Cultivation Sects¡­
No, I must get word out! Otherwise, if the deer spirit king discovers the celestial hermit¡¯s relics, Yangzhou will no longer have peaceful days! The old Daoist staggered along the stream, his shoes and socks soaked with water and mud, his hair disheveled when suddenly two figures descended from the sky. ¡°Excuse me, are you Daoist Zhang Zhengfa?¡± the younger of the two asked. The old Daoist looked up in astonishment to see a handsome and brave figure with a determined look, dressed in a green cloud-patterned Daoist robe, carrying a sword box as tall as himself. From memory, it seemed only a Shushan Sword Immortal would wear such an attire. ¡°I am indeed Zhang Zhengfa,¡± the old Daoist quickly greeted with a bow, then eagerly said, ¡°There are many demons in this mountain, we should talk more after we get out!¡± ¡°The demons have all been in by us,¡± the female sword immortal on the side said. Though she was dressed as a nun, with long hair coiled up, beyond the grace and beauty of a woman, she also possessed an inherent heroic spirit thatplemented her male counterpart. ¡°You might not be aware,¡± the old Daoist said hesitantly, ¡°but there are many concealed demons in this mountain¡ªin the woods, under the streams, inside the valleys, at the bottom of caves, numbering as many as a thousand¡­¡± ¡°One thousand two hundred and more,¡± Ling Yunpo interrupted, ¡°All in.¡± Old Daoist: ¡­¡­¡­ His lips parted slightly, but he didn¡¯t know what to say. One thousand two hundred and more¡­ Even if they were pigs, it would take several days for a butcher to kill that many! Indeed, these were none other than the Shushan Sword Immortals!
Chapter 233: 25 Thunderbolts Split the Mountain Tops, Hills Collapse in Landslides Chapter 233: Chapter 25 Thunderbolts Split the Mountain Tops, Hills Copse in Landslides ¡°` A thousand-zhang deep valley, twelve hundred demons, all in. Even for an old Taoist who had spent his life exorcising demons, such ruthless methods practiced by the disciples of the Shushan Sect sent a chill down his spine¡­ although itsted only for a moment. More so, there was a feeling of relief: It was about time they were eradicated! Kuaiji County in Yangzhou is considered arge county, hence the public order is rtively stable. In contrast, in the Minyuends abundant with southern mountain ranges, tens of thousands of people are killed by demons yearly, to whom can they turn toment? Comining about the Shushan Sword Immortal¡¯s methods being too ruthless, why not me the demons for their cruelty in devouring humans? All the demons in the world are born from serpents, insects, rats, ants, tigers, leopards, jackals, and wolves that absorb the Sun Essence and Moon Splendor. Since they can never be utterly eradicated, nor can their nature to eat humans be reversed, the only solution is to y them! I, the old Taoist, wholeheartedly endorse and support this with both hands! In the face of the old Taoist¡¯s ttery, both parties remained indifferent, showing no signs ofcency.
An Zhisu didn¡¯t care about such things, and Ling Yunpo had heard enough of it when he was the senior brother in autumn, which in the eyes of the old Taoist proved the disposition of a great sect¡¯s disciple. Since this old Taoist had no Flying Sword (only a self-made Peach Wood Sword), the two left the valley on foot. Looking at the dead bodies of demons along the way, the old Taoist couldn¡¯t help but marvel. ¡°¡­However, it would be best to burn those demon corpses,¡± he said cautiously. ¡°The dirty Qi in the demons¡¯ flesh is heavy. If consumed by wild birds and beasts, in a few years, they could transform into new demons.¡± ¡°You speak the truth,¡± An Zhisu said, shooting out his Flying Smoke Sword with a graceful sweep through the air, showering sparks that ignited the demon corpses, causing them to burn fiercely without wind. ¡°This act of yours is indeed a great kindness,¡± continued the old Taoist with ttery. ¡°With the evil of Mount Tianmu cleansed, Kuaiji County will have no concerns for the future. It can be said to ¡®save the lives of the people¡¯, ruing great merit indeed.¡± ¡°Fellow Taoist,¡± Ling Yunpo, seeing him continuing to talk non-stop, interrupted, ¡°I havee here entrusted by another, and I wish to inquire about the Daoist lineage of Chonghe True Person.¡± ¡°Chonghe True Person?¡± The old Taoist pondered for a moment, ¡°That is indeed an ancestral master¡¯s Taoist title in our sect.¡± ¡°However¡­¡± The ancestor said that this Daoist Magic stems from Kunlun, and I beg your forgiveness as I cannot disclose it.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded with a smile, ¡°it¡¯s no problem; I was just asking.¡± If it¡¯s only transmitted in Kunlun, then I¡¯ll just use Qiu Changtian¡¯s title next time Ie. I am confident I will obtain the Shenxiao Thunder eventually. His easygoing response made the old Taoist feel somewhat embarrassed. The visitor hade from afar and saved him from a dire situation. It was not too much to ask for the Thunder Method aspensation. After all, Shenxiao Thunder belongs to Daoist Magic, not Qi Refining Technique, and with its rank being low, it¡¯s not worth being the foundation of a sect¡¯s Daoist lineage; there is therefore no need to be secretive. Unfortunately, the ancestor emphasized that this method must not be divulged. As a result, I have no way to repay the debt and am instead beholden to them¡­ Musing upon this, the old Taoist¡¯s thoughts sank. Spells are easy to give, but debts of gratitude are hard to owe! Especially since the other party is from the great Shushan lineage ¨C when ites time to return the favor, it may involve going through fire and water¡­ With this in mind, he finally made up his mind and said: ¡°Do both of you know why the demons captured me and brought me here?¡±
¡°Oh?¡± Ling Yunpo instinctively asked, ¡°Why?¡± ¡°It seems that they have somehow learned that there are Immortal Sect relics within Mount Tianmu,¡± the old Taoist said gravely. Immortal Sect relics? Ling Yunpo¡¯s expression showed surprise as he exchanged a nce with An Zhisu. If it truly were relics of an Immortal, the first group to explore would be the most rewarded ¡ª unless limited by the strength of their Cultivation Realm and unable to explorepletely.
¡°Why do you reveal this to us?¡± Ling Yunpo asked with a smile. ¡°Unable to repay the debt of saving my life,¡± the old Taoist said earnestly, ¡°My own Cultivation Realm is low, and naturally, I am not destined for such a fortuitous encounter.¡± ¡°However¡­ the Daoist lineage of our sect was originally inherited from Kunlun. The descendants have not lived up to the legacy, and it has increasingly declined,cking the ability to uphold it. If trading this information could allow me and my disciple to return to the Kunlun gate, it would also be a good thing.¡± ¡°So, Fellow Taoist wishes to return to Kunlun,¡± Ling Yunpo immediately understood, andughed freely, ¡°you really do trust us.¡± This old Taoist was originally kidnapped by demons under duress but happened upon the information about the Immortal Sect relics. Now he wanted to use it to return to Kunlun, which could also be considered a blessing in disguise for him and his disciple. ¡°` However, to repay the two for saving his life, the old Daoist made a decision to offer them the opportunity to explore the ancient ruins for the first time. ¡°You trust that we won¡¯t betray you after getting the information, eliminate the Daoist, and then return to Shushan to im credit, right?¡± ¡°What do you mean by ¡®trustworthy¡¯?¡± asked the Daoist in confusion, ¡°That immortal¡¯s relic is a secret realm, and it doesn¡¯t matter if the two of you explore it a few times.¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­ Turns out the other party hadn¡¯t even considered the possibility of ¡°killing to silence.¡± Cough cough, it appears I¡¯m the one with impure thoughts. However, since it is a secret realm of the Immortal Sect, it must contain many treasures or be a ce of fateful encounters; otherwise, it would not make sense.
With this thought, Ling Yunpo found himself tempted. Turning to look at An Zhisu, his senior sister¡¯s eyes were also shining, and she sent him an inquiring nce: To ept or not? ept! Ling Yunpo made up his mind and, with a cupped fist salute, said: ¡°In that case, I thank the Daoist friend for his generosity.¡± ¡°Not at all, it is I who should thank the two of you for saving my life,¡± the Daoist responded with a deep bow. As the three walked along the mountainous stone steps, they could hear the Daoist saying: ¡°Speaking of the immortal¡¯s relics, there are actually verses recorded about them, only forgotten byter generations.¡± ¡°The poem goes: ¡®With Xie Gong¡¯s wooden clogs on my feet, I climb thedder to the azure clouds. Halfway up the cliff, I see the ocean sun, high in the sky I hear the heavenly rooster.¡¯ This means ¡®To visit the cave abode, one must climb up high first.''¡± Continuing to ascend the mountain path and after covering some distance, they saw a gurgling brook in front, its flowing water producing a pleasant sound, creating an aesthetic charm. The Daoist pointed to the water and said: ¡°The poem says: ¡®A thousand rocks and myriad turns, where the path is not steady; lost among flowers leaning against the stones, suddenly it is dusk. Bear roars and dragon groans echo in the rock springs, in the deep forest shocks rise to the peak.¡¯ This means ¡®The mountain path is rugged, beyond the stream and forests.''¡±
Crossing the stream and passing through the woods, the trio arrived in front of a cave. ¡°This is the entrance to the Immortal Sect¡¯s legacy,¡± the Daoist sighed, ¡°The poem says ¡®Gaps shing with lightning, hills and mounts crumble away. Cave Heaven¡¯s stone gate, thunderously unlocks itself¡¯; it means that one must use Thunder Method to activate the restrictions and open the gate.¡± ¡°However, as my Cultivation Realm is too low and my mastery over the Shenxiao Thunder is too superficial, I have a treasure mountain yet cannot enter it. If the two of you possess the corresponding Divine Skills, you could give it a try.¡± Ling Yunpo could not help but chuckle; so, there was a catch after all! Indeed, even though the Immortal¡¯s legacy was being offered as repayment, if my senior sister and I couldn¡¯t open the entrance to the legacy, there would be no ming the Daoist, and he would have an exnation for Kunlun. ¡°Senior sister, do you know any Thunder Methods?¡± Ling Yunpo casually asked. ¡°I do not,¡± An Zhisu shook her head honestly. She had always followed Su Jian¡¯s instructions, focusing on cultivating her swordsmanship, showing no interest in other spells. ¡°I¡¯m not versed in Thunder Methods either,¡± said Ling Yunpo as he formed a Sword technique, summoning the Thunder Punishment Sword from the Sword Box, ¡°but I have this sword.¡± ¡°Could it be a Metal System Flying Sword?¡± the Daoist asked in surprise, ¡°Thunder Method is known for its immense power. Even if the sword carries Daoist Magic of the thunder attribute, it cannotpare to the power of the Five Thunder True Law, and it may be difficult to open the relic.¡± ¡°Let¡¯s try first before we conclude,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a slight smile, stepping forward and leaving the other two behind. With the Thunder Punishment Sword in his right hand and caressing the de with his left, he quietly formed the Jade Pivot Thunder, using the ¡°True Spirit Seal Sword Technique¡± to enhance it further. This ¡°True Spirit Seal Sword Technique,¡± originally taught by Qing Ping, was used to tame the resentful spirits on the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword with the Shangyang Sword Qi.
Now, Ling Yunpo put it to another use, channeling Jade Pivot Thunder into the sword. Suddenly, the Thunder Punishment Sword let out a startling cry: ¡°What kind of Thunder Method is this? Ah¡­ wait a moment, ah! Sword Master, stop! It¡¯s too much, Thunderbane is going to break¡­¡± Initially, its voice carried a mix of anger and fright, but itter became whiny. As a Thunder Attribute Flying Sword, being tempered by Heavenly Thunder is all benefits and no drawbacks, so while it was saying ¡°don¡¯t,¡± the tone suggested ¡°bring on more.¡± Ling Yunpo, stony-hearted, was unmoved by its moring and simply channeled all of the Jade Pivot Thunder onto the de before propelling the sword forward with Sword Control. The Thunder Punishment Sword, together with the Jade Pivot Thunder on it, struck the depths of the cave wall, setting off an earth-shattering boom! Chapter 234: 26: The Cave Heaven Stone Gate Opens with a Bang Chapter 234: Chapter 26: The Cave Heaven Stone Gate Opens with a Bang ¡°` The heavens trembled, and thunderous roars erupted! Even the seasoned Daoist priest, despite his preparation, almost jumped out of his skin. What kind of thunder attribute flying sword was that? The sword dao techniques on it were so powerful that even my Shenxiao Thunder was no match for it! When the dust settled, everyone saw that the rock wall in front of them had disappeared, reced by a vast expanse of water-blue light, like a crystal-clear sky. The immortal ruins had been opened! All three could hardly conceal the surprise on their faces, yet they all maintained theirposure. The Daoist priest knew his realm was too low, and entering might not only render him powerless but perhaps even threaten his life. An Zhisu, having seen much of the world, understood that although the secret realm was designed for people to enter, it certainly did not wee just anyone. For example, in the snow peaks west of Shushan in Tubo, there exists a ¡°Pink Demon Pce.¡±
Its creator, an entric and powerful individual, made it so that female cultivators faced challenging trials. Should they fail, they would be expelled by the restrictions; male cultivators, however, faced difficulty doubled, and death inside meant real death¡­ In short, although the secret realm of the immortal sect was sessfully opened, one must not be careless. Ling Yunpo was well-prepared and instructed the Kunlun Mirror in his mind: ¡°Ah Jing, what¡¯s it like inside?¡± ¡°The entrance seems to be two-way, so it won¡¯t trap us inside,¡± analyzed the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Hmm, judging from the style of restrictions, it doesn¡¯t seem malicious¡­¡± ¡°You can tell if it¡¯s malicious or not?¡± Ling Yunpo asked in surprise. ¡°Of course, you¡¯re also knowledgeable about formations, which are simr to restrictions,¡± exined the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Some formations are mostly about restrictions and confinement, with not much killing power, leaving a lot of leeway; other formations are clearly designed to either kill or exhaust you to death. The approaches are definitely different!¡± ¡°When you put it that way, it does make some sense,¡± Ling Yunpo was convinced and no longer dwelt on the issue, turning to smile at An Zhisu, ¡°Senior Sister, shall we?¡± ¡°Sure.¡± An Zhisu turned and said, ¡°Fellow Daoist¡¯s disciple, we met him earlier in the mountains. To prevent any demons seeking revenge from escaping and harming him, we secured him in Kuaiji City for now.¡± The old Daoist was astonished and profusely grateful, thinking to himself that these two were indeed thoughtful and kind-hearted. It was not in vain that he shared the news of the secret realm with them. After bidding farewell to the old Daoist, An Zhisu took the lead with her Flying Smoke Sword and stepped into the water-blue light. Ling Yunpo followed suit and felt the world spinning as everything around him suddenly brightened. They found themselves in a square. The square was on the peak of a mountain, with white jade as railings and dark stone as steps, somewhat reminiscent of the Emei Golden Summit¡¯s utmost square in Shushan but much more grand in carving and style. In front of them, connected to the White Jade Square, was a wide and straight hanging corridor that led to theyered pavilions and buildings in the distance. Ling Yunpo keenly noticed that the architectural style of these pavilions and buildings bore a resemnce to the ¡°Queen Mother of the West¡¯s Secret Realm¡± that he had seen in the Kunlun Mountain Range. They were both lofty in the clouds and had the grandeur and atmosphere of an immortal¡¯s pce. However, while the Queen Mother¡¯s Secret Realm was bold and simple, these buildings in the secret realm were intricate and ornate. Looking closely, one could see finely carved pavilions and open halls; the green tiles and golden pirs glittered brightly. The corridor leading to these pavilions and buildings was also constructed of dark sandalwood, extremely elegant to behold.
Every few paces, there were mythical beasts carved on the handrails as if sitting in meditation, but they were unrecognizable as any specific demons. At the entrance to the corridor, which connected to the square, stood one pir on each side. The left pir read ¡°Twelve Towers and Five Cities.¡± The right pir read ¡°Heavenly White Jade Capital.¡±
¡°` ¡°White Jade Capital?¡± Ling Yunpo stared at the pir, feeling a sense of wonder inside. ¡°Does Junior Brother recognize the origin of this secret realm?¡± An Zhisu asked curiously. ¡°No, I just think ¡®White Jade Capital¡¯ sounds very grand.¡± Ling Yunpo said with a wry smile. ¡°Has Senior Sister heard of it?¡± ¡°No,¡± An Zhisu shook her head. In fact, Ling Yunpo had just told a lie. The ce name ¡°White Jade Capital¡± is recorded quite extensively in Taoist scriptures. However, nowadays, apart from the cultivators of Peni Jade Pure Sect, few people go through the effort of reading the entire Taoist canon. ording to the Taoist scriptures, to ascend to Heaven Realm as a mortal, one first reaches the ¡°White Jade Capital,¡± then proceeds to the ¡°Golden Que,¡± continues to the ¡°Seven Treasures Mysterious Garden,¡± and finally arrives at the ¡°Great Bright Hall.¡± As annotated by the predecessors from Yuqing View, these four ces do not actually describe the environment of the Heaven Realm. Instead, they use metaphors to hint at the four steps of ascension to immortality. White Jade Capital symbolizes the flesh; Golden Que represents consciousness; Seven Treasures Mysterious Garden signifies the soul; Great Bright Hall alludes to the origin;
The four steps of ascension, each step as difficult as ascending to the heavens. Simrly, the Immortal Ranks are subdivided into four, which are divided ording to thepletion rate of the four steps of ascension. Earth Immortal Rank, ¡°not beyond the city of White Jade Capital¡±: it means there is a deficiency in the physical body, so every thousand years one must face tribtion, ranked as the lowest among immortals. Heavenly Immortal Rank, ¡°hindered at the courts of the Golden Que¡±: it signifies impure consciousness, thus necessitating the severing of the Three Corpses, discarding humanity to preserve divinity, ranked as a slightly higher grade among immortals. Golden Immortal Rank, ¡°dwelling overnight in Seven Treasures Mysterious Garden¡±: it means that the soul is clear and the flesh and consciousness are prated, capable of achievingplete sanctification, ranked as high grade among immortals. As for the Daluo Golden Immortals, ¡°seated in the Great Bright Hall,¡± they are the extremely powerful few among Golden Immortals, the highest grade among immortals. At this level, not only is the soul clear and the flesh sanctified, but one¡¯s origin merges with the universe¡ªunless the heavens crumble and the world is destroyed, they are virtually impossible to be killed by any external force. Of course, legend has it that above the Daluo Golden Immortals there is an even more formidable realm called ¡°Hunyuan Daluo Golden Immortal.¡± In this realm, even if the universees to an end and the great Dao copses, they would not die¡­ All in all, since this secret realm is called ¡°White Jade Capital,¡± it is very likely a test of Root Bone Strength. Given Ling Yunpo¡¯s character setting, he is supposed to be ignorant of the Taoist canon, so he couldn¡¯t share this information with his Senior Sister directly. Luckily, when Shushan Sword Immortal epts disciples, Root Bone Quality is of the utmost importance. An Zhisu, as the foremost person below the Shushan Golden Core, surely has remarkable Root Bone strength;
He himself, with the quality of ¡°Innate Sword Bone,¡± has an unbelievably strong Root Bone. Therefore, the uing tests of the secret realm should not be difficult for him and his Senior Sister, unless they are specially designed to be only essible for those of Golden Core Rank and above¡­ While Ling Yunpo was deeply contemting, An Zhisu beside him didn¡¯t interrupt his thoughts, simply walking around the square leisurely with her hands behind her back, admiring the clouds, the mountains, and gazing at distant pavilions and towers. Hmm? She suddenly felt an intuition and noticed that theyout of the distant pagodas and towers gave her a peculiar, sharp sensation. To put it metaphorically, it was like a sword that, despite being sheathed inyers andyers of scabbard, still couldn¡¯t conceal its cutting aura¡­ A sword? Chapter 235: 27: The Lower Si Pairs with the Upper Si Chapter 235: Chapter 27: The Lower Si Pairs with the Upper Si Both stepped onto the corridor. The corridor hung in the air, with nothing beneath supporting it; it seemed to sway on the verge of copse under the force of the heavenly winds. Ling Yunpo had set foot on such a structure before;st time, when Qiu Changtian ascended to be the Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm in Kunlun at Heaven¡¯s Gate Hall, he had walked one just like this. He knew that such floating structures unaffected by gravity were supported by Immortal Sect restrictions and thus felt no fear or trepidation. An Zhisu, however, was walking such a path for the first time, hence her face was extremely grave. The Flying Smoke Sword and Harsh Cold Sword rotated beside her, ready to turn into a streak of sword light to whisk them away should any mishap ur. It was only after they safely passed through the corridor that she let out a sigh of relief. Past the corridor was the first pavilion. On the pir to the right of the door were carved the words ¡°Five truths converge to form the perfect pearl of qi¡±; on the pir to the left, ¡°Bones like cinnabar jewels, appearance like an infant.¡± The inscriptions were written with cinnabar, the brushstrokes ancient and robust, filled with strength. The former referred to ¡°Core Formation,¡± and thetter to ¡°Nascent Infant,¡± which made Ling Yunpo even more certain in his heart that this secret realm was certainly one for trials; otherwise, it wouldn¡¯t be inscribed everywhere with these Daoist philosophical sayings. Just like how campuses dedicated to teaching and nurturing students, love to hang portraits of great scientists and great writers on the walls of the hallways in academic buildings¡ªit¡¯s the same principle. An Zhisu took a deep breath and was the first to push the door open. Just as Ling Yunpo was about to follow her in, he saw a transparent film of light appear in front of him, firmly barring him from entering. ¡°g flutters in the heavenly wind, summoning true qi from the five directions; sword crosses the Big Dipper, cleansing a thousand miles of demonic miasma,¡± a dream-like, illusory female voice said from within the pavilion, ¡°Trialist, state your origin and name.¡±
¡°Shushan, An Zhisu,¡± Senior Sister An said calmly. ¡°An Zhisu of Shushan challenges the first floor of the White Jade Capital,¡± the voice continued. ¡°Based on cultivation level, a sword foe is generated.¡± No sooner had the voice faded than a shadowy figure appeared on the blue-tiled floor opposite An Zhisu, seemingly formed from mist. The details were unclear; only the general outline suggested a Daoist of average height and build, neither fat nor thin, d in a Daoist robe. It extended its right hand, made of condensing mist, and from its palm emerged a Flying Sword, also made of mist, about three feet and seven inches long, which appeared even more solid than its own misty physique. Then, in a sudden motion, it flung its hand, and the mist-made Flying Sword thrust directly at An Zhisu! With quick reflexes, An Zhisu reacted as the Flying Smoke Sword sprang up from her palm, parrying the attack of the misty Flying Sword in midair. Based on the sound and force, it was almost indistinguishable from a real metal sword! Combining this with the earlier female voice, An Zhisu knew that this mist-formed figure was the opponent generated by the secret realm of the White Jade Capital for her to challenge and trial against. Without hesitation, An Zhisu raised her eyebrows, exuding a fierce energy as she shouted lowly. The Flying Smoke Sword and Harsh Cold Sword shot forward together. The mist-formed figure hurriedly retracted its Flying Sword in an attempt to defend itself, but was struck from both sides and barelysted a dozen breaths before directly being pierced through the heart and the throat by An Zhisu¡¯s swords, bursting apart alive. Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­ He watched clearly from outside; the swordsmanship of the mist-formed figure was roughly at the level of a Refining Mansion stage cultivator, the same realm as An Zhisu. However, Senior Sister An¡¯s attainment in swordsmanship was far superior to her cultivation level, so much so that the opponent was easily defeated in just a few exchanges. Brutal! After the sword fight ended, the sealing membrane at the door did not disappear. An Zhisu shed at the membrane a few times with the Flying Smoke Sword, finding itpletely imprable. She could only talk to Ling Yunpo through the membrane for a few moments before heading towards therge open doors on the other side. As soon as she crossed the threshold of the opposite door, the light membrane in front of Ling Yunpo abruptly vanished, as if indicating permission for him to proceed had been granted. So, within each pavilion, only one person could exist at a time? And one must defeat the corresponding sword foe to pass through this pavilion¡­ Ling Yunpo quickly grasped the rules and, seeing the encouraging look from the senior sister opposite, understood she was indicating ¡°this one isn¡¯t hard to defeat.¡± He chuckled softly and stepped over the threshold.
Just as he stood firm in the center of the pavilion, he heard the female voice again: ¡°Trialist, state your origins and name.¡± ¡°Shushan¡¯s Ling Yunpo!¡± he confidently dered aloud. ¡°Shushan¡¯s Ling Yunpo, challenging the first floor of White Jade Capital.¡± The voice seemed to pause for a moment and then said, ¡°ording toprehensive strength, generating Sword Foe.¡±
No sooner had the voice faded than mist rose before him, quickly solidifying into a figure wielding a sword, lunging towards him. Ling Yunpo drew forth the Thunder Punishment Sword to parry the misty Flying Sword, and with the Green Duckweed Sword, he thrust forward, using the same strategy as Senior Sister An to exploit the dual advantage of the Two-Handed Sword Control Technique, intending to crush the misty figure in one fell swoop. However, the misty figure extended an arm, reaching into the air and solidifying another long sword, which shed with the Green Duckweed Sword several times, sending sparks flying in all directions. Ling Yunpo: ? Wasn¡¯t it fighting with just one sword against the senior sister? Why is it using Two-Handed Sword Control against me? Picking on the soft ones, huh! ¡°Fight properly.¡± The Green Duckweed Sword suddenly spoke, ¡°Something¡¯s off about this guy.¡± Ling Yunpo¡¯s spirits lifted, and he quickly focused on controlling both swords. The Green Duckweed Sword usually remained silent unless spoken to, and its sudden initiation of conversation this time must mean that there was some mystery in the White Jade Capital Secret Realm, significant enough to warrant its advice! Ling Yunpo intensified his offense. The Thunder Punishment Sword charged fiercely like a seasoned warrior on the battlefield; the Green Duckweed Sword moved with agility like a wandering swordsman. Nevertheless, the misty figure opposite him remainedposed, its two misty long swords flipping and somersaulting. Regardless of how the Thunder Punishment Sword attempted to break through, it blocked all attacks; no matter how the Green Duckweed Sword changed its moves, the defense was impermeable. They were almost equally matched! As Ling Yunpo engaged fiercely, he wondered, what on earth was going on?
The level of swordsmanship of the person opposite was many times stronger than when it fought Senior Sister¡ªimpossible! An Zhisu, watching from the outside, felt anxious and couldn¡¯t fathom that White Jade Capital would y such a trick¡ªdeceiving them with a weaker opponent and then sending out a stronger one to fight her junior brother! Fortunately, Ling Yunpo was not truly the ¡°weaker¡± one; embodying a steadfast and unyielding character, he immediately rallied and fought with even more ferocity, eventually disrupting the opponent¡¯s rhythm and causing them to falter. The misty figure seemed to stagger back a few steps, as ifcking strength. Then, a third misty Flying Sword suddenly condensed above its head and swiftly aimed for Ling Yunpo. Ling Yunpo, dumbfounded, hastily directed the Green Duckweed Sword to intercept the attack, internally cursing the situation. This¡­isn¡¯t this cheating? Three swords against two? Unless the difference in Cultivation Realm is enormous, how could one hope to win? All they need to do is use two swords to entangle mine, leaving the third free to strike at will! With thoughts whirling in his mind, Ling Yunpo had no choice but to pull the Green Duckweed Sword and Thunder Punishment Sword back to his side, assuming a defensive posture. Going up against three swords with two required significantly increased coordination between them, and he was forced to reduce the range of his sword moves out of necessity. An Zhisu, watching from outside, was alsopletely taken aback. Normally, a cultivator could at most split their focus between two tasks, and to control three swords simultaneously, one must cultivate a secret technique known as ¡°External Incarnation,¡± hosting the split Spiritual True Spirit in the third Flying Sword. As for ¡°External Incarnation,¡± it¡¯s an extremely profound Daoist Magic, which can only be cultivated after reaching Core Formation. This means that the ability to simultaneously control three swords is actually at the level of a Golden Core Cultivator!
As she wasing to understand the situation, she saw the misty figure wave its arms, its two swords parrying the Green Duckweed and Thunder Punishment Swords, and the third sword, like lightning, shot forward, piercing through Ling Yunpo¡¯s forearms, which he reflexively put in front of his chest, and impaling his torso! Chapter 236: 28 The Hidden Level Mount Fajue Chapter 236: Chapter 28 The Hidden Level Mount Fajue ¡°Ouch¡­¡± Ling Yunpo slowly woke up, only to realize there were no wounds on his chest at all. ¡°Ah, Sword Master has awakened,¡± Thunder Punishment Sword announced, descending from the sky andnding beside him. ¡°Just now, His Majesty Green Duckweed and Lord Kunlun were arguing,¡± it said. Ling Yunpo fell silent for a moment and decided to ignore its bizarre references to the Green Duckweed Sword and the Kunlun Mirror, and asked: ¡°How long was I unconscious?¡± ¡°Not long, about a quarter of an hour,¡± Thunder Punishment Sword replied and was about to dish out some ttery when he saw the Green Duckweed Sword approaching from a distance, also stopping in front of him, and it said with a smile: ¡°You¡¯re awake, Sword Master.¡± ¡°Where is this?¡± Ling Yunpo looked around and realized he was not in the Tongtian Pavilion anymore but seemed to be in some sort of dungeon. Instead of the light-permitting woodenttice windows, there were stone walls impervious to wind, meeting at the top to form a pointed ceiling. The floor was covered with a thinyer of umted water, up to the edge of the boot soles, and the back of his robe waspletely soaked, probably due to him havingin on the ground just now.
And, most troubling of all, there were no visible exits from this ce. ¡°I have no idea,¡± Green Duckweed Sword answered. ¡°After you were defeated, you were immediately transported here. Yao Yao did not give any hints beforehand.¡± ¡°I¡¯ve said it many times, I can¡¯t keep track of his every possible future,¡± Kunlun Mirror said helplessly. ¡°Unless he faces an unavoidable fate of death¡­ which he hasn¡¯t, has he!¡± ¡°¡®Trapped¡¯ is also a form of ¡®not dead,''¡± Green Duckweed Sword said coldly. ¡°If Sword Master and I were forever trapped in some secret realm, you couldn¡¯t predict that in advance either?¡± ¡°I¡¯m not omnipotent!¡± retorted Kunlun Mirror, annoyed. ¡°Besides, his failure in the sword duel just now, wasn¡¯t that because you didn¡¯t give him any hints?¡± ¡°The opponent resorted to tricks like turning two swords into three, it was impossible to win anyway,¡± Green Duckweed Sword argued. ¡°So what difference would a hint have made?¡± ¡°Enough, both of you stop it!¡± Ling Yunpo interrupted their bickering. ¡°Assigning me is pointless! In the end, I¡¯m the one who suffers¡­ Now what should we do about our current predicament?¡± ¡°Judging by the spatial fluctuations, you should be in another space within the White Jade Capital Secret Realm,¡± Kunlun Mirror soothed him. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s a restriction simr to one triggered by failing the trial.¡± ¡°Incorrect,¡± Green Duckweed Sword corrected. ¡°These restrictions were triggered the moment you stepped into the Pavilion.¡± ¡°Don¡¯t forget, the person you were up against was much stronger than the one Senior Sister An faced!¡± ¡°It¡¯s hard not to acknowledge that,¡± Ling Yunpo said with a sullen face, resentfully. ¡°So why the hell does this shitty White Jade Capital Secret Realm have it out for me?¡± Both Kunlun Mirror and Green Duckweed Sword pondered this. ¡°Is there a possibility,¡± Green Duckweed Sword hypothesized, ¡°that it¡¯s because your strength is weaker than your Senior Sister¡¯s¡­¡± ¡°No, next,¡± Ling Yunpo cut it off firmly. ¡°My personal belief is quite the opposite,¡± Kunlun Mirror analyzed. ¡°From what we can see, this secret realm provides swordsmanship trials, so any adjustments or changes to the difficulty of the trial can¡¯t possibly be unrted to the trialists¡¯ own strength.¡± ¡°Could it be, because your opponent was stronger than Senior Sister An¡¯s, that the secret realm judged your strength to be much higher than your Senior Sister¡¯s?¡± ¡°There¡¯s some reason to that,¡± Ling Yunpo said, confused. ¡°But when ites to swordsmanship alone, I¡¯m not far superior to Senior Sister.¡± ¡°Swordsmanship is certainly a criterion, but the rank of the Immortal Sword itself cannot be overlooked,¡± Kunlun Mirror remarked. ¡°Might as well just report my name,¡± Green Duckweed Sword said irritably.
¡°I didn¡¯t say that,¡± Kunlun Mirror replied with a chuckle. Hmm? Ling Yunpo caught the undertone of Ah Jing¡¯s words; was it implying that this secret realm was targeting him because of the Green Duckweed Sword? He paced around the surroundings again, confirming that indeed no passageways existed on the walls. The tenacious Ling Yunpo, wielding the Green Duckweed Sword, taps here and strikes there until he finally notices that the echo from a certain wall segment is different¡ªthe area behind seems to be hollow.
He then lets out a coldugh, steps back to a distance, chants a spell and says, ¡°Resonate through the three realms, Tai Yi Divine Thunder, break!¡± A colorless, transparent Thunder Lightshes out from his hands, none other than the power of Tai Yi Thunder known for ¡°moving mountains and filling seas.¡± It strikes directly at the opposite wall, instantly causing dust to fly and bricks to scatter, with the entire building trembling violently. Once the dust settles, Ling Yunpo sees that the wall has nearly disappeared, revealing a passageway behind it. Entering the passageway with caution, he carefully surveys his surroundings when suddenly he hears the female voice from before say, ¡°Shushan¡¯s Ling Yunpo, possessing the Innate Sword Bone talent, is hereby granted a special trial on Mount Fajue.¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­.. So the Restrictions recognized my exceptional talent and led me here on purpose! Realizing that this situation wasn¡¯t a malicious trap specifically against him, he breathes a sigh of relief. Whatever the case, since this too is part of the trials and not some trap, I should explore freely and to the fullest. Ling Yunpo proceeds through the corridor and enters into a second sealed room, where he suddenly sees figures rising in front of him. Compared to the misty silhouettes from before, these figures are obviously more solid, with their facial features clearly discernible; it¡¯s an emaciated, clear-eyed old man, dressed in a hemp Taoist robe, wearing a tall hat with an iron hairpin, his hair and beard gray, his expression serious and devoid of smiles, coldly saying, ¡°This humble Daoist Zhu Ling, requests instruction from the Sword Bone bearer.¡±
He bows deeply, and Ling Yunpo hastily returns the gesture, ¡°Please impart your instruction.¡± The two bow to each other, then immediately activate their Immortal Swords and sh fiercely in the air! ¡­ Outside Mount Fajue, in one of the five cities, An Zhisu¡¯s pupils abruptly contract upon seeing Ling Yunpo being run through by a long sword and disappearing on the spot. She stands still for a moment, then, with a swift movement, her Flying Smoke Sword strikes at the light curtain in front of her with all her might. She¡¯s rebounded. Clearly, each pavilion is a trial. Trialists who have already passed a trial are not allowed to enter it again. But why would my junior brother¡­ Forcing herself to calm down, An Zhisu feels her blood turn cold as ice, and all her thoughts sink, leaving nothing but pure reason. Firstly, given the mechanisms of most secret realms, if a trialist were truly killed, they typically wouldn¡¯t transport the body away on the spot¡ªsuch a move would be entirely superfluous. Secondly, there¡¯s a high probability that the secret realm is a type designed for trials, meant to temper the abilities of the trialists. Therefore, Cultivators who fail the trial will probably be teleported out of the secret realm, not killed. Verification is simple¡ªjust pass all the trials, and everything will be clear upon exiting!
With this in mind, An Zhisu turns on her heel and strides forward without looking back. Passing once again through the suspended corridor, she quickly reaches the second pavilion, only to hear the female voice say, ¡°Shushan¡¯s An Zhisu, challenging the second floor of the White Jade Capital. Generating a Sword Foe ording to the Cultivation Level.¡± Before the misty figure can even take shape, An Zhisu charges forward with high-speed Sword Control, her Flying Smoke Sword enveloped in fierce mes and radiant brilliance, shing down like Mount Tai bearing down on her foe! The misty figure has just enough time to draw its sword for a hasty block. But then An Zhisu¡¯s Harsh Cold Sword suddenly springs from below her feet, piercing straight through its chest. Countless ice crystals freeze the mist, and An Zhisu grabs the hilt of the Harsh Cold Sword with a backhanded grip, pulling fiercely to one side, cleanly cutting the silhouette in two! Chapter 237: 29 Senior and Junior, Advancing Side by Side Chapter 237: Chapter 29 Senior and Junior, Advancing Side by Side ¡°` Mount Fajue, in the dungeon. ¡°Damn! Damn! Damn!¡± Ling Yunpo cursed inwardly three times in a row. The Daoist opposite him was incredibly skilled in swordsmanship, surpassing him in strength, speed, skill, and judgment. Facing off with swords, he was violently overpowered; trying to stealthily attack from behind, he was promptly seen through; Attempting to nk from the side, only to find the opponent effortlessly flicking their sword, disrupting his moves and restraining him instead of gaining any control. Ling Yunpo gritted his teeth and fought fiercely, using the Thunder Punishment Sword to block the left sword¡¯s cleave, while the Green Duckweed Sword feigned entanglement with the opponent¡¯s right sword, before abruptly turning and stabbing directly at the Daoist. With no block on the right, the opponent¡¯s sword pierced fiercely into his right arm. Ling Yunpo, with his left hand, grabbed the tip of the sword, his hand covered in blood, desperately holding it in ce; His right hand summoned his full strength in True Yuan, turning the Green Duckweed Sword into ck light piercing through the Daoist¡¯s chest.
He¡¯d done it! Almost simultaneously, the Flying Sword that pierced his right arm suddenly vanished as if it had been an illusion from the beginning. The Daoist, with his chest pierced by the Green Duckweed Sword, did not fall dead. He simply said indifferently, ¡°Sword Bone, Sword Bone, a body filled with hundreds of bones and five metals. If not tempered in the great furnace, how can it be sharp?¡± As soon as he finished speaking, he vanished without a trace. Ling Yunpo maintained his stern expression, casting a ¡°Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique¡± on his right arm, and the wound quickly healed. ¡°What did that Daoist mean by that?¡± he said through clenched teeth. ¡°He¡¯s probably telling you not to fear getting hurt and to fight with all your might when necessary,¡± guessed the Kunlun Mirror. ¡°I think it means your technique is too conservative, and there¡¯s a clear suspicion that you fear injury,¡± analyzed the Green Duckweed Sword, ¡°You could fight more unrestrainedly, epting some minor injuries in exchange for the advantage during offensive and defensive switches.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± Ling Yunpo stood in silence for a moment, then sighed. The Daoist just now could be considered the first real adversary he had truly defeated since his reincarnation. Before this, either he had just the right countermeasure for his opponent, or he used various clever methods to avoid confrontation¡­ It¡¯s almost as if he¡¯d ingrained the awareness of risk control into his very genes. Of course, this was unavoidable as he was spying within many Sects, ying multiple roles, where being cautious was the least he could do. However, this inevitably affected hisbat style, even forming an intangible shackle in his consciousness: That is, ¡°don¡¯t sh head-on with an opponent.¡± Thinking of this, Ling Yunpo suddenly recalled Senior Sister An¡¯s simr words: ¡°¡­Frostfall, though it has aided me greatly, has also hindered my progress in the sword¡¯s path to some extent.¡± ¡°¡­When facing strong enemies, I would subconsciously choose to evade their edge, rather than confront them head-on.¡± Indeed, Senior Sister An originally practiced with the Water System Immortal Sword, just like him, and herbat style was also focused on being flexible and unpredictable.
She faced the same problem, so howe he had just discovered it now? He should¡¯ve realized this long ago! Sigh, what is Senior Sister An up to now? As Ling Yunpo worried about his senior sister, in the twelfth floor of the White Jade Capital, Senior Sister An was already fighting like a madwoman. Starting from the third tower, the Sword Foes she faced became more and more formidable.
By the time she reached the fifth tower, the Sword Foe actually possessed Golden Core Rank Cultivation Level, so that no matter how hard An Zhisu struggled, she eventually could not withstand the opponent and was prated by a sword. However, after being pierced through the chest, unlike Ling Yunpo being transferred away immediately, she was reborn outside the fifth tower¡¯s gate. An Zhisu: ¡­¡­¡­. ¡°Where is my junior brother!¡± In a fury, she activated her Flying Sword again, smashing towards the surrounding towers. ¡°` After venting for a while (surroundings still intact), An Zhisu finally calmed down again, her full chest heaving up and down, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, don¡¯t worry¡­ Sigh, Junior Brother must be fine. This is clearly a trial-oriented secret realm; it wouldn¡¯t intentionally harm the trialists.¡± ¡°I was defeated by the sword at the fifth pavilion and got ¡®killed¡¯, didn¡¯t I? And yet I didn¡¯t die, right?¡± But¡­ ¡°At least teleport me and him to the same ce!¡± An Zhisu repressed her anger, her beautiful face frosting over with cold. Standing in silence for a moment, she then picked up the Flying Smoke Sword again, her aura murderous as she strode forward. Meanwhile, Ling Yunpo had traveled through the tunnel and arrived at the second dungeon.
He saw the water on the ground suddenly rise, coalescing into a massive human shape about seven feet tall, burly as a wild ox. The figure said with a cupped fist salute, ¡°My name is ¡®Wu Sheng.¡¯ I am honored to cross swords with a ¡®Sword Bone.¡¯ Please do not hesitate to enlighten me.¡± ¡°Please enlighten me,¡± he replied, returning the gesture with a cupped fist salute. Once the formalities were finished, Ling Yunpo shot the Green Duckweed Sword forward, a streak of white light aimed at the giant. But the giant, with a backhand flick, dismissed the Green Duckweed Sword as if it were a toothpick, knocking it away. Before Ling Yunpo could react, he received a heavy blow to the abdomen¡­ the giant had burst forward two steps and was already upon him. The palm asrge as a fan clenched into a fist and sent him doubling over like a shrimp. Ling Yunpo coughed out a mouthful of water, a shock of terror crossing his mind: A Body Refiner! What about the sword duel we agreed on? Why isn¡¯t this following the rules?! ¡°Sword Bone! Sword Bone!¡± The giant, however, did not follow up with an attack, but backed off a few steps, stood firm, and burst into loudughter, ¡°His hide is tough like copper that won¡¯t break! Endure a thousand hammers to forge steel refined a hundred times!¡± ¡°It means that it wants you to learn how to take hits in adversity,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword quickly reminded him. ¡°I know that!¡± Ling Yunpo had just replied when he saw the giant lift its thick leg again, sweeping a cruel and fierce kick at him, startling him so much that he abandoned all pretense of a Sword Immortal¡¯s grace and rolled on the ground to narrowly avoid it. No sooner had he barely managed to get up than he saw the opponent stop the half-kicked sweep and changed it to a ¡°War Stomp¡± from above.
Ling Yunpo, having just gotten up and not yet steady, could only hurriedly raise his sword to block. He, along with his sword, was kicked flying by the giant¡¯s foot, mming hard into a wall, his back breaking who knows how many ribs. Slumping down the wall like mud, Ling Yunpo sat in disarray on the ground. He barely managed to mobilize his True Yuan, casting a ¡°Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique¡± on himself. This spell, truly worthy of being the firstyer of Daoist Magic derived from the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra,¡± is perfect for Regenerate. It was capable of recovery from bleeding, bruising, or bone fractures. With one application, one could recover in a few breaths. While he was healing, the opponent indeed did not take advantage of his victory to pursue but simply crossed his arms to watch. Thus, Ling Yunpo could confirm that this test was indeed meant to train him in ¡°how to take a beating.¡± However, his experience in this area was practically nonexistent¡­ whether it was the untouchable Qiu Changtian, the unfathomable Wei Dongliu, or the Magical Treasure-reliant Luo Yan, where would he have had such an experience of being beaten like a dog? ¡°So what am I supposed to do!¡± Ling Yunpo became anxious, ¡°Even if I have to learn how to take a beating, how do I know when I¡¯ve learned it? I can¡¯t just keep getting beaten like this!¡± ¡°Perhaps it is training your ability to withstand pressure,¡± the Kunlun Mirror spected, ¡°Maybe when you¡¯re beaten half to death and barely clinging to life, yet still barely maintaining your consciousness for battle, that means you¡¯ve passed this level?¡± ¡°Impossible! Next!¡± ¡°I think you might try to deflect the force,¡± said the Green Duckweed Sword, ¡°Since taking the hits is inevitable, if you could find a way to reduce the harm inflicted, wouldn¡¯t that be another viable approach?¡± ¡°Deflect the force?¡± Ling Yunpo wondered aloud. After all, as a Sword Immortal, he was ustomed to countering flying swords with flying swords. If an opponent¡¯s flying sword broke through his defense and reached him, he typically wouldn¡¯t even have time to cast a spell before being considered as good as dead.
Deflecting force¡­ Chapter 238: 30 Sword Heart is Dizzy, Sword Bone is Weary Chapter 238: Chapter 30 Sword Heart is Dizzy, Sword Bone is Weary An Zhisu stood in the center of the arena, with the Flying Smoke Sword and the Harsh Cold Sword returning to her side, one on the left and one on the right. She was bathed in blood, covered with wounds all over her body, and her right hand dangled limply, with several sections of the bone inside already broken. In front of her stood a Golden Core Cultivator, his chest pierced by the Flying Smoke Sword. The opponent¡¯s lips parted slightly, uttering hoarse words, ¡°Sword Heart! Sword Heart! For whom does the long de nk and ring? I hear only¡­¡± Before he could finish, his head was severed by the Flying Smoke Sword, and the following words dissipated with the crumbling mist, vanishing into thin air. Clenching a sword technique in her left hand, An Zhisu was shaking with anger. What do you mean, ¡°For whom does the long de nk and ring¡±? None of your damn business! You filthy, damned thing deserving of a thousand cuts! At this moment, her mind was in utter chaos, even though she continuously tried to convince herself that ¡°my junior brother will be alright,¡± she couldn¡¯t help but be consumed with worry.
If, after leaving the secret realm, she discovered that her junior brother hadn¡¯te out¡­ The very thought made her want to tear down the entire White Jade Capital. Once she had somewhat regained herposure, An Zhisu didn¡¯t rush to leave but quickly sat down cross-legged right there. She first took an elixir bottle out of her sleeve and swallowed an elixir. As the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal of Shushan, the enemy of the various peaks, she had been challenged eighteen times in a single month, and she had suffered serious injuries countless times. She was more than experienced in treating her own injuries. As the elixir¡¯s potency spread through her meridians, An Zhisu reached out with her left hand, pressing on several major acupoints on her right arm, then aligned the broken sections of the bone and stimted her True Yuan to heal them. After her injuries were mostly recovered, she struggled to stand up and walked toward the sixth pavilion. Her originally sky-blue Shushan Daoist robe was nowpletely soiled with blood, unclean to an extreme. ¡­ Underground environment, Mount Fajue checkpoint. Almost a day had passed¡­ Although Ling Yunpo felt nothing, Ah Jing, after all, was keeping track of time. It had been ten hours since meeting the giant. Even though a cultivator can go without eating, drinking, or sleeping, continuous fighting (or rather, enduring beatings) for a whole day is naturally quite a mental strain. Ling Yunpo had no experience in fighting against body refiners until now and only now he realized how troublesome it was. Deploying Daoist magic waspletely too slow, even the quickest Thunder Method, as he recited incantations and just formed a spell in his mind, the opponent would already be upon him. Casting a spell at close range only risked damaging himself before it could harm the opponent, possibly leaving him half dead from coteral damage. Under such circumstances, he could only use the quicker Flying Sword or magical treasures. Luo Yan wouldn¡¯t have had magical treasures on hand; only the Green Duckweed Sword and Thunder Punishment Sword were avable for use. The issue was that the physical attack of the two flying swords couldn¡¯t break the opponent¡¯s defense¡­
It was clear that the secret realm had arranged for a body refiner to appear here to send a message, ¡°Focus on learning how to endure beatings; don¡¯t think about counter-killing.¡± But what exactly does it mean to ¡°learn how to endure beatings¡±? ¡°Endure countless hammerings to forge steel of the highest refinement¡± ¡ª could it really be, just as Mirror had said, that I have to be beaten half dead to count? Ling Yunpo thought this as he took another heavy punch to his abdomen.
After enduring so much punishment for so long, his body was almost developing reflexes. Seeing an unavoidable punching, he would instinctively curl up the moment the fist impacted his body. Thrown by the force, he flew andnded, rolling several times to dissipate the power. Ling Yunpo clumsily scrambled to his feet, ready to face the next onught of blows, when he saw the burly man standing in ce, folding his arms and nodding as he said, ¡°` ¡°Wonderful! Truly worthy of the Innate Sword Bone! As steadfast as bamboo in form, unshaken by wind or rain like the pine.¡± After speaking, his figure transformed back into a flow of water and copsed with a thunderous crash. Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­. The other¡¯s finalment, ¡°You really do take a beating handsomely,¡± left him unsure whether to feel joy or sorrow for a moment. Ling Yunpo once again cast the ¡°Universal Pure Tone Minor Illumination Technique,¡± healing his body covered in wounds, then took a brief moment to tidy up before leaving the chamber. Stepping into the third room, he saw water rising from the ground and forming a figure¡­wait, not a human figure. Why was it shaped like a big cat? ¡°Meow, the name¡¯s ¡®Absolute Electricity.''¡± The big cat licked its paw, then spoke in humannguage, ¡°Sword Bone, Sword Bone, seated watching all directions, hearing the wind¡ªwhatever¡­uh, what was it again?¡± Ling Yunpo stood there, staring nkly at it. ¡°Nevermind.¡± The big cat revealed a human-like smile, ¡°I really can¡¯t remember your human poetry. Anyway, this level is to train your ability to ¡®use stillness to control movement.¡¯ Meow, are you ready? I¡¯m going to pounce¡­¡±
Before its voice faded, it suddenly turned into a streak of light and disappeared. Ling Yunpo felt a strong forceing at him; his body didn¡¯t even have time to brace before he was knocked to the ground, rolling several times. Rising awkwardly, he saw his daoist robe torn at the chest with three sharp w marks etched across it. This demon¡¯s speed is astonishingly fast! Ever since the Marrow Cleansing, even a Flying Sword pushed to its limit and turning into a streak of light, Ling Yunpo believed he could catch a glimpse of it. But before the big cat pounced, not even a shadow lingered for an instant, let alone seeing its movement clearly! If he couldn¡¯t see where the attacks wereing from, how was he supposed to defend and respond? Wait, it previously mentioned ¡°using stillness to control movement,¡± which means it¡¯s training me on how to cope when ¡°unable to match the opponent¡¯s speed.¡± After standing up, Ling Yunpo leaped back, pressing his back against the wall. This way, he wouldn¡¯t have to worry about attacks from behind. The Green Duckweed Sword and Thunder Punishment Sword floated at the ready on either side in front of him, always prepared to defend against attacks from three directions. As for the big cat, it merely strolled leisurely in the pool of water in front of him, wearing an odd smile that seemed to mimic that of a human. ¡°Back to the wall, huh? Meow. Seems like a good idea, but the terrain limits my attack routes. What about you, though? Hasn¡¯t your evasive space been reduced as well?¡± It casually finished speaking and then disappeared from the spot again. Ling Yunpo knew this was bad; he took another w to the chin, his head knocked back so hard that it struck the wall behind him, leaving himpletely disoriented.
Damn it! This damned cat, it¡¯s right! Since he couldn¡¯t keep up with the opponent¡¯s speed at all, it didn¡¯t matter much whether the attacks came from the front, side, or back. But the wall behind him directly hindered the possibility of rolling to dissipate the force. Hmm? Ling Yunpo suddenly had an epiphany, realizing that the second level trained him in how to dissipate force because this third level would be an onught? And thinking about it more, wasn¡¯t the first level about training him to ¡°face injury head-on¡± because he would be ¡°brutally beaten¡± in the second level? In other words, this so-called ¡°Mount Fajue Trial¡± was actually aplete training course designed for those with Innate Sword Bone, with each level¡¯s content serving as a foundation for the next, linked together in a chain. Having the courage to face injury, bing proficient in dissipating force, and then dealing with faster enemies, learning to use stillness to control movement¡­ The smile on the big cat¡¯s face suddenly vanished when it saw Ling Yunpo close his eyes, step forward a few paces, his right hand forming a sword finger ced in front of his chest, his left hand performing a Sword technique behind his back, adopting the stance of ¡°Fighting in Eight Directions at Night.¡± ¡°Fighting in Eight Directions at Night¡± is a strategy used in pitch darkness when the eyes cannot see,pletely abandoning reliance on vision. Martial Artists depend on their hearing and the sound of the wind, whereas Cultivators rely on their Divine Sense. Thus, a yful look intensified in the big cat¡¯s eyes as it slowly circled around Ling Yunpo, now and then drawing near, now and then moving away, seemingly probing the range of his Divine Sense. Yet Ling Yunpo remained unmoved, merely standing with closed eyes. The Green Duckweed Sword blocked in front of him, the Thunder Punishment Sword guarded behind, like a motionless statue.
¡°` Chapter 239: 31 Where is the Tai Yin Sword Master Chapter 239: Chapter 31 Where is the Tai Yin Sword Master Another day had passed. Ling Yunpo¡¯s figure once again flew backward, as the opponent¡¯s w struck his chest. But the moment he was hit, his Green Duckweed Sword and Thunder Punishment Sword crossed and shed, leaving several deep wounds on the body of therge cat. Therge cat awkwardly leaped and rolled backwards, slowly getting up, thinking to itself that this fellow was just too unbelievable. In merely a day¡¯s time, he had already developed the ability to defend and counterattack, striking back in the direction of the attack the moment he was hit¡­ Even for someone with Innate Sword Bone, this rate of progress was outrageous! ¡°No more fighting!¡± it suddenly growled, leaping back several steps, ¡°This time, I¡¯ll consider you to have passed!¡± ¡°Thank you, senior.¡± Ling Yunpo bowed with his hands sped and asked, ¡°May I ask, senior, what is the content of the next test?¡± Therge cat gazed at him steadily, then suddenly revealed a sly smile: ¡°You should have discerned the purpose of the first three trials by now. They are all in a sessive sequence.¡± ¡°The first trial is called ¡®Adversity¡¯, the second ¡®Hardship¡¯, and the third, which is my trial, is called ¡®Peril¡¯.¡±
¡°As someone blessed with Innate Sword Bone, resilient and brave, faced with adversity you should rise up to struggle, faced with hardship you should persist, faced with peril you should remain calm in the face of danger.¡± ¡°I see.¡± Ling Yunpo nodded and said, ¡°Then the fourth trial is¡­¡± ¡°The fourth trial is also thest test of Mount Fajue¡¯s trial, called ¡®Desperation¡¯.¡± Therge cat chuckled mischievously, its form suddenly dissolving like falling water, copsing downward. Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­ So it¡¯s ¡°face adversity and be trapped,¡± ¡°trapped for long then in peril,¡± ¡°extreme peril leads to desperation,¡± right? It indeed progresses step by step. Considering the abnormal difficulty of the first three trials, the final ¡®Desperation¡¯ is likely to be incredibly challenging. But havinge this far, of course, I cannot shrink back before the final trial. Moreover, there¡¯s no option to quit here anyway. Thus, Ling Yunpo took a short rest, and then, rallying his spirits, prepared to step into the veryst trial. ¡­¡­ On the eleventh floor of White Jade Capital. An Zhisu was seated cross-legged in the center of the floor, silently recovering from her injuries. From the fourth to the eleventh floor, the Realm of the Sword Foes she faced continued to rise. By the tenth floor, the foggy figures had already reached the Obscure Weave Rank of the Golden Core Realm, terrifyingly close to the Nascent Soul Realm. As soon as An Zhisu entered the arena, she was almost killed by the Flying Sword in an instant, with no chance to retaliate. Fortunately, though these Sword Foes were of the Golden Core Realm, they were all castrated versions¡ªpossessing Cultivation Realms but unable to use Daoist Magic or activate Spells on the swords, relying solely on the basic attributes (such as Physical Strength, speed, agility, etc.) of the Flying Sword and the refinement of Sword Control Technique. Due to the vast difference in Realms, An Zhisu couldn¡¯t even cross swords with the foggy figures. To say nothing of a direct sh¡ªif even grazed during the Sword Control process, her Flying Smoke Sword or Harsh Cold Sword would immediately be sent flying, as ineffectual as a mantis attempting to block a chariot wheel, without any room for resistance. An Zhisu had no choice but to abandon all tactics, pushing her assassin-style technique to the extreme.
First off, upon entering, she had to unleash the Shushan Sword Immortal¡¯s ultimate move ¡°Unity of Body and Sword¡±. Because only the speed of Unity of Body and Sword could barely dodge the ordinary attacks of an Obscure Weave Rank Sword Foe. Second, because the interior of the tower was not spacious, the speed of Unity of Body and Sword was simply too fast for An Zhisu to control to roam the entire area. In other words, she could only charge towards the Sword Foe, seeking the quickest one-hit kill.
The Obscure Weave Sword Foe¡¯s Sword Control speed was so fast that it was almost infuriating. An Zhisu managed to dodge the first attack with Unity of Body and Sword, and even had the leisure to call back the Flying Sword to rescue. After avoiding the attack, An Zhisu aimed to break through the opponent¡¯s defensive rescue and directly assassinate the main body while still in Unity of Body and Sword. If the strike failed, it would mean death on the spot. The tenth floor took two days, the eleventh floor took three days, dying tens of thousands of times, until finally, there was only thest pavilion of White Jade Capital left. Considering the progression of strength, it was estimated that the Sword Foe there would have the Cultivation Level of the Nascent Soul Realm. An Zhisu circted her Grand Cirction a few times, feeling as if all the bones in her body were about to fall apart, with a faint sense of dizziness that was hard to contain, probably due to excessive blood loss. Her mood was like a volcano about to erupt, which could explode violently at any moment. However, there was some kind of wonderful power that suppressed all her restlessness and impatience, keeping her mind cold and efficient. A Sword Foe of the Nascent Soul Realm, even if they entered Unity of Body and Sword from the outset, there was probably no chance of fighting and winning. No matter what, she could only try to probe first. After healing her injuries, An Zhisu slowly got up, took up her sword, and walked toward the twelfth pavilion. Pushing open the grand doors of the pavilion, she stepped across the threshold and saw a figure made of condensed mist rising before her, seemingly a slim and graceful female Cultivator. The other party drew a ck long sword, looking over with a charming demeanor¡ªalthough the features were formed of mist, An Zhisu somehow made out the coquettishness on the face.
¡°So you are an Innate Sword Hearted One,¡± sighed the figure somberly, ¡°I haven¡¯t seen someone from outside in a long time. Before the trial, let¡¯s have a chat first.¡± ¡°What do you want to talk about?¡± An Zhisu asked impatiently. Without confirmation that her junior brother was safe, she had no interest inmunicating with this figure. ¡°Who is the Tai Yin Sword Master of this generation?¡± the other voice asked melodiously. ¡°There is none,¡± An Zhisu shook her head and said. ¡°The Tai Yin Suming¡¯s Sword has been missing for a long time.¡± ¡°But why?¡± the figure asked in surprise. ¡°Thest Tai Yin Sword Master was actually a demon in disguise,¡± An Zhisu replied impatiently. ¡°Her identity waster revealed, and she was hunted by the Human Race. During this process, the Tai Yin Suming also went missing.¡± ¡°Is that so?¡± the figure sighed again, murmuring, ¡°Suming¡­ even she could misjudge?¡± She stood still for a moment, then suddenlyughed: ¡°If Suming were to be reborn, a Sword Immortal as straightforward as you would probably be to her liking.¡± ¡°Are you a projection of the Tai Yin Sword Master?¡± An Zhisu asked, alert. ¡°Just one of the generations,¡± the figureughed. ¡°White Jade Capital, the ce of trial, was the sacred ce for Cultivators of the Human Race Sword Immortals in our era.¡± ¡°Sadly, I don¡¯t know when, but gradually, there have been fewer and fewer visitors.¡±
¡°There will be more visitors in the future,¡± An Zhisu stated tly. ¡°I hope so. Please promote this ce when you leave, so it does not continue to be buried in dust,¡± the figure smiled beautifully. ¡°The sword in my hand, though a projection, has sealed a trace of the real aura of Tai Yin Suming.¡± ¡°Since you are an Innate Sword Hearted One¡­ if you can catch my sword, then you shall have passed the trial of White Jade Capital.¡± ¡°Of course, even if you can¡¯t catch it there¡¯s no worry, you won¡¯t die. You can think it over outside ande back again.¡± ¡°Come!¡± An Zhisu¡¯s wrist flicked, as she propelled the Flying Smoke Sword with her Sword Control Technique, and in a sh, unified with the sword, she charged directly at the Cultivator! Facing the wielder of Tai Yin Suming, to be defensively passive was the most foolish choice! Chapter 240: 32 The Sun Sword Master Bragging Chapter 240: Chapter 32 The Sun Sword Master Bragging Ling Yunpo stepped into thest chamber. He saw the umted water on the ground suddenly rise, converging in the air into a humanoid figure that looked like a lean Daoist. Even though his specific facial features were indistinct, the figure stood with his hands behind his back, his posture as straight as a green pine, almost exuding the aura of an immortal Daoist. ¡°There¡¯s no need to ask for my name,¡± the figure said in a clear voice. ¡°Are you the one with the Innate Sword Bone?¡± ¡°Yes, may I ask if this ce is the deadlock trial?¡± Ling Yunpo was about to ask ¡°May I know the senior¡¯s name¡± when he suddenly remembered the figure¡¯s words ¡°no need to ask¡± and promptly changed his question. ¡°Indeed.¡± The Daoist spread his arms, and the water at his feet began to boil fiercely. Amidst the churning water, a white-golden Immortal Sword slowly ascended, its hilt rising to the Daoist¡¯s hand where he deftly grasped it. As he took hold of the hilt, the water that formed his arm also began to boil violently, leaving Ling Yunpo astonished¡ªwhat rank of Fire System Immortal Sword could possibly possess such terrifying heat? ¡°This sword is a projection of the Sun True Obscure Sword, with a sealed whisper of its true essence left behind,¡± the Daoist said calmly. ¡°You must have heard of the Sun True Obscure before, right?¡± ¡°I have,¡± Ling Yunpo replied with an expressionless face, yet his heart was deeply shocked.
The Sun True Obscure Sword? What kind of trick is this? Even as a mere projection, this is one of the Supreme Immortal Swords, the Sun True Obscure! Not to mention it contains a whisper of true essence¡­ Even if it includes a mere sliver, or half, a quarter, or even an eighth of its essence, how could I ever withstand it? I haven¡¯t even formed my Golden Core yet! This trial¡¯s final deadlock is too outrageous. It would be better to just strike me dead with a bolt of Heavenly Thunder directly. ¡°The essence descends, dividing light, opening the murky darkness,¡± the Daoist held the sword horizontally, his gaze sweeping over its zing brilliance, his eyes growing fervent. ¡°Transforming and refining the yin spirit, melting away lingering karma.¡± ¡°This Sun True Obscure was forged by our human ancestor Fuxi, from a strand of pure and profoundly masculine Innate Pure Qi when heaven and earth first divided. The day the sword took shape, there was no rival in all thends.¡± ¡°Keep blowing,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword remarked sarcastically. ¡°What do you mean ¡®no rivals¡¯? Isn¡¯t there the Tai Yin Suming Sword?¡± ¡°Shut up, Qing Ping,¡± Ling Yunpo said despairingly. ¡°They¡¯re wielding the Sun True Obscure Sword. Let them boast how they wish¡­ We can¡¯t beat them anyway.¡± ¡°For ordinary cultivators at your rank, it would be impossible to withstand a single blow from it,¡± the Daoist raised the Sun True Obscure Sword above his head, suddenly bursting intoughter. ¡°But as an Innate Sword Bone, you have the unique honor of challenging it!¡± ¡°Come! If you can withstand my single strike, then you shall be deemed to have passed this trial!¡± The figure waved the Sun True Obscure Sword with force to one side, all the water at his feet boiling over, the air filling with a scorching smell, even the light distorting in the rising heat. Feeling the heatwave hitting his face, Ling Yunpo¡¯s heart sank. Can I refuse? No. Then what¡¯s the point of talking? He had no choice but to squint his eyes and grab the Green Duckweed Sword in his hand. A moment of circting True Yuan around the sword, turning it into the Water System, brought a much-needed coolness to his body. ¡°Here goes, Qing Ping, Thunderbane,¡± he said, determined. ¡°Charge, charge, charge!¡± Thunderbane Sword cried out ready to meet its fate. ¡°Don¡¯t hold back. Go all out,¡± Green Duckweed Sword also advised.
Ling Yunpo did not respond but instantly executed Unity of Body and Sword, merging with the Green Duckweed Sword into a streak of light, and rushed toward the Daoist! ¡­¡­ Within a cavern in a thousand-zhang deep valley. Several Golden Core True People from Kunlun hade down with the old Daoist.
They saw that what was once the entrance to the secret realm was now reced by rock once more. ¡°This is the ce,¡± the old Daoist pointed ahead and said, ¡°Back then, those two friends from Shushan used the Thunder Attribute Flying Sword spell to st the rocks and sessfully entered the secret realm.¡± The Golden Core True People looked at each other for a moment, then a middle-aged nun stepped forward and drew a purple bronze hairpin from her hair. Because of the high risks and dangers of cultivating the Five Thunder True Law, scarcely any Kunlun cultivators practice it nowadays, but there are many Magical Treasures sealed with Thunder Method spells. The nun thrust the purple copper hairpin forward, and several purple thunder balls suddenly appeared out of thin air, exploding towards the rocks ahead. With a thunderous boom, the rocks parted, revealing the entrance shrouded in a light membrane. There really is a secret realm here! The Kunlun True Persons exchanged nces again, each reading the delight in the others¡¯ eyes. Before anyone could speak, the light membrane suddenly rippled. Afterward, An Zhisu stepped out from within, her expression slightly surprised as she looked at the Kunlun Cultivators outside. ¡°Are you a Shushan disciple?¡± the middle-aged nun who had attacked first asked. An Zhisu didn¡¯t make a sound, merely nodding in acknowledgment, her gaze swiftly sweeping the surroundings, her heart suddenly plummeting into an icy abyss. No junior brother¡­
The light membrane rippled again, and Ling Yunpo also stepped out from it. ¡°Junior brother!¡± An Zhisu eximed with joy, quickly rushing over to him and grabbing his hand to check for any injuries. ¡°Senior sister, I¡¯m alright,¡± Ling Yunpo patted her hand and with his gazending on the distant Kunlun True Persons, he involuntarily cursed inwardly. The Disciplinary Hall¡¯s Shenxiao True Person, as well as the Purple Green True Person and the Scattered Sun True Person, why had these threee here? Seeing the old Taoist standing by respectfully, Ling Yunpo immediately guessed the answer and stepped forward to greet them with a bow: ¡°Shushan¡¯s Ling Yunpo, greets the three seniors.¡± The atmosphere, which had be somewhat stiff due to An Zhisu¡¯sck of response, rxed once again with Ling Yunpo¡¯s gesture of respect. The Scattered Sun True Person, well-versed in social pleasantries, immediately smoothed things over with augh: ¡°It is said that Shushan has four sword immortal geniuses, whose names together read ¡®Duan Shan, Fenhai, Sui Yue, Po Yun¡¯. You must be the Po Yun Sword Immortal, right?¡± ¡°Shouldn¡¯t it be Ling Poyun?¡± the middle-aged nun, who was the Shenxiao True Person from the Disciplinary Hall, frowned and asked doubtfully. ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s ¡®Ling Yunpo¡¯,¡± Scattered Sun True Personughed heartily, ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s just that Shushan wanted the names to be symmetrical and roll off the tongue. Anyway, these two are undoubtedly true Shushan disciples.¡± Ling Yunpo could only offer an awkwardugh, while An Zhisu seemed somewhat irritated, her eyebrows slightly raised. ¡°Do you two have any time to answer a few questions for us?¡± Shenxiao True Person gestured invitingly with a hand.
¡°We have been away from our Sect for too long, and if we do not return soon, I fear the elders wille looking for us,¡± said An Zhisu lightly. She was subtly hinting to them that their trip to Yangzhou Kuaiji County had already been reported back to Shushan. If we were to be silenced here, suddenly disappear, and then the discovery of a secret realm at Mount Tianmu by Kunlun were to emerge, Shushan would inevitably make the connection. Shenxiao True Person caught the wary undertone in her words and casually replied with a smile: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, we have already notified your Sect¡¯s Jade Capital Sect Leader and the Master of Xuandu from the Peni Yuqing View about the existence of this secret realm.¡± ¡°How to further explore this realm will require mutual discussion amongst the Three Sects to formte a n¡­ Our visit here was merely to take the lead in exploring the secret realm.¡± ¡°Mutual discussion amongst the Three Sects?¡± An Zhisu¡¯s eyes widened in confusion. Ling Yunpo, however, quickly guessed the reason: We have entered the secret realm, so it would be impossible for Shushan to cover it up. Mount Tianmu is located in Yangzhou¡¯s Kuaiji County, which ording to the legal division of the rify Cult, falls within the sphere of influence of the Peni Jade Pure View. Opting not to attempt an arrogant monopoly, but instead seeking to get involved as discoverers with the intention of joint exploration or even leading the development of the secret realm, speaks to the confidence of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect as the leader of the Orthodox Sects! ¡°That would be most excellent,¡± Ling Yunpo agreed, smiling, ¡°If there are any questions, I shall not hesitate to answer.¡± Senior sister doesn¡¯t know who Shenxiao True Person is, so it¡¯s natural for her to be cautious and wary.
But I am well aware that this True Person is one of the most straightforward and upright characters in Kunlun, so one can assuredly engage with him! Chapter 241: 33 Ah Jing, Whos With Whom Chapter 241: Chapter 33 Ah Jing, Who¡¯s With Whom About White Jade Capital, there actually isn¡¯t much that needs to be exined. Ling Yunpo merely described the scene and mechanisms once, and the three Kunlun Cultivators could immediately affirm that it was a secret trial ground for ancient human swordsmen. As for why White Jade Capital ¡°mysteriously vanished¡± during the Ancient Era, it can only be said that from ancient to ancient times, from ancient to modern times, too many things have been lost in history, and White Jade Capital is not a unique case. However, it was the projections of the Sun Sword Master and the Tai Yin Sword Master that caused the three Kunlun Cultivators to ask several times over. Upon learning that they were indeed only projections, they also sighed in disappointment, although it was expected. As for how the two defeated the Sword Master projection and what benefits they obtained from the trial in White Jade Capital, these topics belonged to more sensitive, private matters, not suitable for an external True Cultivator to inquire about. Soon, the Jade Capital Sect Leader of Shushan, the Master of Xuandu from Peni, and several other True Elders from their respective sects also arrived at Qianzhang Valley via sword control. ¡°You two did well this time,¡± said the Jade Capital Sect Leader to the pair, sinctly speaking, ¡°After returning to the sect, do not mention this matter to others.¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Ling Yunpo immediately replied. ¡°Take these.¡± The Jade Capital Sect Leader produced two tokens and tossed them to them.
Ling Yunpo caught one and saw, to his great surprise and joy, that it was actually the Demon Locking Tower Command. The so-called Demon Locking Tower Command, as its name suggests, allows any Shushan Sect Disciple to hold thismand and enter the Demon Locking Tower at any time¡ªa ¡°Special Sect Contribution Reward¡± from Shushan¡¯s Shangqing Temple, only bestowed upon disciples who have performed great deeds. As for the richness of resources within the Demon Locking Tower, there is no need to mention further here. Even a Golden Core Sword Immortal can only enter the tower once a year. If the two of them had no use for themand, selling it to the sect elders would definitely not result in a loss. ¡°Thank you, Sect Leader!¡± Ling Yunpo sincerely expressed his gratitude. Senior Sister An, of course, also knew the weight of themand and hesitated for a moment before following Ling Yunpo in showing their thanks. ¡°Return now,¡± the Jade Capital Sect Leader said indifferently, merely waving his hand. There was still a consultation between the Three Sects to attend to, and naturally, there was no need for these two Foundation Establishment disciples to participate. Thus, the pair took their leave and rose into the air upon their swords. ¡°Guan Shui,¡± Kunlun Mirror suddenly spoke, ¡°it seems that your Senior Sister An has already awakened the Innate Sword Heart talent.¡± Ling Yunpo: ? He looked incredulously at An Zhisu, thinking that even his ¡°Innate Sword Bone¡± was maintained by ying the role of Ling Yunpo non-stop for twelve hours a day. How could Senior Sister awaken the talent of the Innate Sword Heart after just one visit to White Jade Capital? ¡°Your Senior Sister has it naturally,¡± Qing Ping Sword said mysteriously, ¡°yours is cheated and borrowed, of course, it¡¯s different.¡± Ling Yunpo didn¡¯t want to bother with this annoying sword, he just asked Ah Jing: ¡°Do you need to scan and record?¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Kunlun Mirror said somewhat sheepishly, ¡°I¡¯ve only recorded Sword Bone on my side, not Sword Heart, so having aplete pair is naturally best.¡± ¡°Are you some kind of noble yer who collects all the data?¡± Ling Yunpoined, ¡°How exactly should we do this?¡± ¡°The simplest method, of course, is dual cultivation¡­¡± Kunlun Mirror hadn¡¯t finished speaking when Ling Yunpo brutally interrupted:
¡°Shut up, another way.¡± ¡°Is Sword Master such a naive schr?¡± Qing Ping Sword mocked in his tone. ¡°During dual cultivation, her whole heart is open to you without reservation and is highly emotional, which makes the recording much more effective,¡± Kunlun Mirror sighed, ¡°If that¡¯s not possible, romance is another method.¡± ¡°Why though?¡± Ling Yunpo was somewhat bbergasted, ¡°When recording the Ying Long Bloodline, wasn¡¯t just a drop of essence blood needed? Howe for Senior Sister, we have to turn to romance?¡±
¡°For bloodline talents, a drop of essence blood is sufficient,¡± Kunlun Mirror patiently exined, ¡°For instance, if your Junior Sister Xu awakens the Phoenix Bloodline, just give her a drop of essence blood.¡± ¡°Of course, asking her directly for essence blood would definitely arouse suspicion. It¡¯d be better to dual cultivate and naturally obtain maiden blood¡­¡± ¡°Why are you always fixated on dual cultivation?¡± Ling Yunpoughed and cried, ¡°What about the Innate Sword Heart?¡± ¡°Innate Daoist Heart belongs to the type of mental state talent, which has nothing to do with blood.¡± Kunlun Mirror sighed, ¡°Recording the Innate Sword Heart requires capturing a trace of the Sword Heart¡¯s natural aura.¡± ¡°Breath?¡± Ling Yunpo mused. ¡°That¡¯s right.¡± The Kunlun Mirror patiently exined, ¡°Beneath the flowers and under the moon, where the heart flutters, unable to contain one¡¯s feelings, whether it be an Innate Sword Heart, Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart, Daoist Heart rity, or any other kind of naturally gifted state of mind, I can capture and record it.¡± ¡°So Qiu Changtian¡¯s Daoist Heart rity was also something you pilfered while he was falling in love?¡± Ling Yunpo asked with a coldugh. ¡°What do you mean ¡®pilfered while he was falling in love¡¯!¡± the Kunlun Mirror retorted angrily, ¡°At that time, he was already heartbroken, and it was only after going through great hardships that he found me and begged to use my Time-Space Teleportation Technique to see that person just one more time¡­¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Ling Yunpo¡¯s eyes lit up, ¡°So there¡¯s actually a story behind it?¡± ¡°Go on, tell us!¡± the Green Duckweed Sword said, bing curious as well. ¡°No more speaking,¡± the Kunlun Mirror, realizing its slip of the tongue, waved its hands and said, ¡°It¡¯s all ancient history now, and I¡¯m not about to make light of the deceased¡¯s past to amuse you.¡± ¡°Just remember that I never steal talents from anyone. It¡¯s always been a mutual exchange of benefits!¡± ¡°What do you have to offer for the exchange?¡± Once Ling Yunpo heard there were benefits to be exchanged, he immediately asked in a serious tone.
As for where Ah Jing initially obtained the Daoist Heart rity that had been recorded, he hadpletely lost interest. ¡°If you let me record the ¡®Innate Sword Heart,¡¯ I will give you a secret technique,¡± the Kunlun Mirror calmly said, ¡°You must use this secret technique in conjunction with the ¡®Innate Sword Bone¡¯¡­ That¡¯s right, the one that the original possessor of the Innate Sword Bone exchanged with me.¡± ¡°To put it simply, by burning the essence of the ¡®Innate Sword Bone,¡¯ you can attain a state of Rapid Regeneration for an hour. As long as you aren¡¯t instantly pulverized by your opponent, no matter how severe the injury, it will instantly heal.¡± Ling Yunpo froze for a moment, his eyes widening involuntarily. This ability, which granted instant healing of any injury, was more aptly described as ¡°Invincible and Undying¡± rather than just ¡°Rapid Regeneration.¡± However, Ah Jing¡¯s mention of ¡°burning essence¡± instinctively made him a bit uneasy. ¡°The so-called burning of essence is to damage the very core of the Innate Sword Bone,¡± the Kunlun Mirror exined, as if perceiving his concern, ¡°After using it two or three times, the Innate Sword Bone would most likely be reduced to a withered bone.¡± ¡°How can that be okay?¡± Ling Yunpo frowned, ¡°If it was just a period of weakness, I could ept it, but this kind of core damage is irreversible¡­¡± ¡°Wake up, you fool, do you even have an Innate Sword Bone?¡± Green Duckweed Sword, unable to watch this any longer, reminded him. Ling Yunpo: ¡­ Right, where did I get an Innate Sword Bone from? Isn¡¯t that just Ah Jing using its spiritual power to simte it? ¡°Your Innate Sword Bone consumes my spiritual power,¡± the Kunlun Mirror sighed, ¡°The so-called burning of essence is actually just the consumption of my precious spiritual power.¡± ¡°Help me record an Innate Sword Heart, and I will teach you how to use this technique, as well as provide you with one opportunity to use it at the expense of my spiritual power.¡±
¡°I see,¡± Ling Yunpo nodded. So, by courting Senior Sister An, I could trade for a precious lifeline¡­ This deal makes sense, I should ept it! ¡­ Wait a second. If I didn¡¯t make this exchange, and I truly faced some kind of life-threatening danger, wouldn¡¯t Ah Jing have to save me anyhow? Of course, she would! With that in mind, wouldn¡¯t I just be giving away my talent for nothing¡­ ¡°Wow, your thought process is simply inhuman!¡± the Kunlun Mirror eximed in horror, ¡°Are you treating me like I owe you something, Chen Guanshui? Relying on being the Savior to demand I save you and yet unwilling to do me a small favor, is that it?¡± ¡°Cool it, Ah Jing!¡± Seeing that Ah Jing appeared on the verge of splitting open, Ling Yunpo quickly rephrased himself with righteous indignation, ¡°What I mean is, with the level of intimacy in our rtionship, why discuss any exchange of benefits? That¡¯s unseemly and embarrassing!¡± ¡°The previous times you saved my life, did you ever ask for anything in return? Now it¡¯s my turn to repay you and record an Innate Sword Heart for you; how could I possibly demand a benefit in return?¡± ¡°That is somewhat reasonable,¡± the Kunlun Mirror¡¯s tone softened slightly, still holding some residual anger, ¡°Just before, who was it mentioning an exchange of benefits? Hmph, it infuriates me.¡± ¡°Who brought up the exchange of benefits first?¡± Ling Yunpo red. ¡°Obviously, you did!¡± the Kunlun Mirror stated spontaneously.
¡°Uh, Yao Yao,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword suddenly interjected, ¡°It seems like you were the first to bring it up.¡± Kunlun Mirror: ? Chapter 242: 34 Nonsense Chapter 242: Chapter 34 Nonsense ¡°¡±¡± Upon reaching Shushan¡¯s Qingluo Peak, the two returned to the Daoist temple for a brief rest. This trip to White Jade Capital appeared unscathed on the surface, yet in reality, I had died countless times. Even the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal¡¯s habit of ¡°killing without blinking¡± was nearly driven to the brink of copse by tens of thousands of defeats and deaths, held together only by some unspeakable tenacity. As soon as I returned to the Daoist temple, I immediately drowned myself in a pot of monkey wine to reward myself. Ling Yunpo followed behind, wanting to speak, then hesitating, hesitating then wanting to speak. Normally, flirting with Senior Sister An anytime and anywhere was effortless, and I could even enjoy her slightly coquettish ring. Yet when it came to professing love, I found myself somewhat at a loss as to where to begin. In the end, Ling Yunpo was not prepared to take responsibility for Senior Sister An. After all, I am a spy, and one day my true identity will be revealed; I cannot apany Senior Sister An to the end.
However, Senior Sister An is so tender, protective, and attentive to the point of willingness to sacrifice everything for me, even her own life¡­ To deceive and disappoint such a Senior Sister, even if Ling Yunpo could deceive his own conscience, he was afraid that he would be struck dead by Heavenly Thunder during the Heavenly Tribtion. The Kunlun Mirror, listening to his inner monologue, remained silent, simply observing from the sidelines. It¡¯s alright, Guan Shui, just follow your heart. Don¡¯t worry about failing Senior Sister An because such an opportunity will nevere¡­ ¡°Ah,¡± said Ling Yunpo with irritation, ¡°Ah Jing, I remember when I first joined Qingluo Peak, you seemed to have advised me not to cause trouble for Senior Sister An, did you not?¡± ¡°Me? When did I say that?¡± the Kunlun Mirror asked in surprise. ¡°The one engaged to Junior Sister Xu was Qiu Changtian, what does that have to do with me, Ling Yunpo?¡± Ling Yunpo reminded him. The Green Duckweed Sword eximed with a ¡®Wow,¡¯ uncertain as to what it was amazed by, but Ling Yunpo chose to ignore it. The Kunlun Mirror fell silent. At this point, it couldn¡¯t possibly say, ¡°Originally I was pure and only supported one female lead,¡± ¡°Now you forcibly tarnish the image of the sole female lead, which is actually ungrateful and heartlessly disloyal; I¡¯d prefer you to be caught and exterminated by them.¡± After struggling to think for a moment, it stuttered as it spoke: ¡°After all, Senior Sister An likes you¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ve noticed too?¡± asked Ling Yunpo in surprise. ¡°Is it hard to notice?¡± the Green Duckweed Sword chuckled, ¡°I think she¡¯s just deceiving herself by masking it as ¡®sisterly care for her junior brother.¡¯ Just push a little harder and break through that thin veil, she certainly won¡¯t be able to deny it.¡± ¡°I feel like both of you are waiting tough at me¡­¡± Ling Yunpo said suspiciously. ¡°No, no. Not at all,¡± both the mirror and the sword hurriedly retorted. Ignoring them, Ling Yunpo walked to the back courtyard and saw An Zhisu heavily intoxicated in the pavilion, her graceful figure leaning carelessly against a pir, radiating charm. When ites to Senior Sister¡¯s figure, I must mention the time she returned bloodied, and I had once tended to her wounds¡ªthe curves of her body were simply breathtaking. Unfortunately, since then, Senior Sister An has never returned injured again. Ling Yunpo suspected that instead of ceasing her sword duels, she would find somece to hide and secretly heal beforeing back. Stepping into the pavilion, Ling Yunpo touched Senior Sister¡¯s forehead.
It was a bit hot, and her flushed face didn¡¯t seem feigned, so it looked like she was truly drunk. The taste of alcohol itself isn¡¯t pleasant. Many people relish what¡¯s in their cups not for the pungent taste but for the drunken haze that helps them forget all their troubles, which seemed to be the case with Senior Sister An. Based on what Ling Yunpo knew, Su Jian¡¯s father was said to be a heavy drinker, so Senior Sister An was likely led astray by him. ¡°Hmm?¡± Feeling the weight on her forehead, An Zhisu hazily opened her eyes, ¡°Junior Brother?¡±
¡°Why are you drinking all by yourself here, Senior Sister?¡± Ling Yunpo asked with a bittersweet smile, ¡°Is something troubling you?¡± Upon mentioning this, An Zhisu suddenly burst into tears, caught Ling Yunpo off guard with a hug, and sobbed: ¡°Junior brother, I am sorry¡­ I shouldn¡¯t have had such bad thoughts¡­¡± Ling Yunpo: ?????????? At this moment, he wasn¡¯t sure how many question marks he would need to express the confusion on his face. ¡°¡±¡± Bad thoughts? What bad thoughts? Could Senior Sister be nning to kill me¡­ Mmm! Mmm mmm mmm! Before he could even ask, he was embraced around the neck by Senior Sister An and buried into her chest, which made even breathing difficult. ¡°Senior Sister really doesn¡¯t want you to leave¡­¡± Under the influence of the alcohol, her tone was mournful, broken and sobbing, and she rambled on without end, ¡°The situation at Qingluo Peak is indeed bad, but¡­ but Senior Sister really doesn¡¯t want you to leave¡­¡± Towards the end, it seemed less like she was venting her frustration through drunkenness and more like she was acting spoiled and willful. It took Ling Yunpo some effort to struggle free from the excess flesh, and then he took her into his arms, gently patting her back forfort, but his eyes flickered with a hint of doubt: Could it be possible that Senior Sister is actually pretending to be drunk right now, taking the opportunity to confess to me¡­ ¡°No chance.¡± the Kunlun Mirror spoke out, ¡°I¡¯ve scanned her, she¡¯s truly drunk.¡±
¡°Oh.¡± Ling Yunpo sighed and then saw An Zhisu struggle out of his embrace with a flushed face, turn around to hug a pir, and cry out: ¡°Master¡­ Your disciple has let you down, had bad intentions towards my junior brother¡­¡± As she spoke, her voice gradually turned into sobbing and she fell silent. Since Senior Sister is indeed drunk, does that mean¡­ everything she¡¯s saying now is the truth? Ling Yunpo moved behind her and asked in a low voice: ¡°Tell me, what bad intentions are you talking about?¡± ¡°Your disciple originally only wanted to be his Senior Sister¡­¡± An Zhisu¡¯s eyes were blurred with drunkenness, and her voice trailed off, ¡°but doesn¡¯t want to be¡­ just his Senior Sister forever¡­¡± ¡°Then what do you want to be to him?¡± Ling Yunpo asked patiently. The response he received was the even sound of breathing; Senior Sister had already fallen asleep hugging the pir. ¡°Ah, really.¡± Ling Yunpo stared at An Zhisu¡¯s defenseless sleeping face, his heart filled withplex feelings, unable to decide whether he was happy or guilty. ¡°Let¡¯s take Senior Sister back to her room first.¡± The next morning. An Zhisu slowly woke up on the bed, feeling a severe headache as if she hadn¡¯t recovered from a hangover.
She silently circted her True Yuan, passing it over the many major acupoints on her head, and her consciousness immediately cleared up. Clutching her head, she vaguely remembered the events of the previous day and couldn¡¯t help but groan. She remembered umting too much pressure in White Jade Capital and then drinking a lot of alcohol in the pavilion by the creek upon returning, eventually even forgetting to use her True Yuan to dissipate the alcohol, ending uppletely intoxicated. As for who brought her back, it went without saying. Uh, I hope I didn¡¯t say anything foolish when junior brother found me, right? At this thought, An Zhisu had the urge to bang her head against a wall. To show herself in a bad light while drunk was a minor issue; what¡¯s worse was if she had said something nonsensical in front of her junior brother and lost the dignity of a Senior Sister! Regarding her ¡°drunken behavior¡±, An Zhisu really had no confidence. She straightened her clothes slightly, then walked out of the Daoist temple. Seeing Ling Yunpo practicing swordsmanship in the open space in front of the temple, An Zhisu subconsciously straightened her face, nning to rectify yesterday¡¯s misconduct and authoritatively said: ¡°Junior brother, your swordsmanship is not bad, but there are some areas for improvement, such as¡­¡± She gave some scatteredments, but then saw Ling Yunpo looking at her with a strange expression. ¡°Junior brother! You, what are you doing¡­¡± An Zhisu tried to put on a senior sister¡¯s authority, sternly scolding him, but her voice involuntarily softened as she spoke.
¡°Senior Sister, you are really beautiful.¡± Ling Yunpo said with a smile. ¡°Ah, is that so?¡± An Zhisu said frantically, only then realizing she had been too hasty getting out of bed and had forgotten to dress her hair and put on her hairpin. Her long ck hair cascaded smoothly over her shoulders like a vast waterfall. She quickly covered her face, turned around, and hurried back into the Daoist temple, bashfully leaving behind a sentence: ¡°I¡¯m going to tidy up!¡± Chapter 243: 35 The 100,000 Mountains, Before Departing Chapter 243: Chapter 35 The 100,000 Mountains, Before Departing The news from White Jade Capital had not yet spread within the Shushan Sect when Qingluo Peak weed a group of new guests. ¡°So this is Qingluo Peak?¡± Duan Fenhai asked in surprise. ¡°Does it not match your expectations?¡± Guan Shanyue asked with a smile. ¡°I thought it would be some kind of dragon¡¯sir or tiger¡¯s den¡­¡± Duan Fenhai said offhandedly, but upon seeing Ling Yunpoe out of the Taoist temple, he immediately fell silent. ¡°Brother Lin, Brother Duan, Senior Sister Guan.¡± Ling Yunpo greeted everyone with a sped fist salute. ¡°It has been a while, and your swordsmanship seems to have improved.¡± Lin Duanshan said approvingly. ¡°How can Brother Lin tell that my skills have improved?¡± Ling Yunpo asked curiously. ¡°In the past, Junior Brother, you were sharp and outstanding, but today your divine light is restrained, hence I know there is improvement,¡± Lin Duanshan exined. ¡°Indeed.¡± Duan Fenhai looked at him with surprise, ¡°It¡¯s said that one should regard someone with a new perspective even after a separation of just three days.¡± Ling Yunpoughed heartily and then invited everyone to enter the temple to sit for a while.
The three of them hade this time to discuss the uing southern expedition. Although Sword Immortals are keen on one-on-one fights, they cannot stand against Demon Path Cultivators who are ustomed to teaming up for group attacks, so the Shushan side also made it a rule that during the southern expedition, Cultivators in the Foundation Establishment Realm need to travel in groups, usually in teams of four to six. In the previous southern expeditions, Lin, Duan, and Guan would usually team up together, mostly because the other Foundation Establishment disciples could not keep up with them, and would often be a drag on the team; they were better off with fewer people. This year, thanks to the care from the elder of the Guan Family, both Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu joined the team, so the original trio naturally expanded into a team of five. Also, because both of them had never participated in a southern expedition before, Lin Duanshan and the others had speciallye over to exin the basic situation of the southern expedition to them. Of course, the main purpose was to familiarize Ling Yunpo. The Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal, that freak, did not need intelligence; he would just obliterate the enemies upon encounter. ¡°Junior Brother Ling, let me tell you, the Hundred Thousand Mountains are like this¡­¡± After sitting down in the hall, Lin Duanshan began to exin the intelligence of the Hundred Thousand Mountains in detail to Ling Yunpo. Ling Yunpo listened attentively but was almost on the verge of ¡®spitting blood¡¯ inside. He had heard all of this information from Wei Dongliu long ago through Long Xiaoqi and the others, and the details were far more intricate than what was being offered. Matters of Demonic Beasts in the mountains, mechanisms of miasma, which areas had been explored¡ªLing Yunpo was nearly dozing off while listening but had to force himself to look attentive and as if he was seriously memorizing everything. Fortunately, An Zhisu finally came out from the inner chamber and interrupted Lin Duanshan¡¯s briefing: ¡°We¡¯ll leave other relics aside for now; which ones can improve the Purple Mansion and increase the efficiency of Refining Mansion progression?¡± ¡°I was just about to get into that,¡± Lin Duanshan said earnestly. ¡°Within the Hundred Thousand Mountains, there are currently two Secret Realms of the Purple Mansion that have been discovered by our Shushan Sect.¡± ¡°One is exclusively owned by our Shushan, called ¡®Langgan Cave¡¯, which contains a Millennium Stone Milk. Drinking it can perfect the Purple Mansion.¡± ¡°Equivalent to how much cultivation?¡± Ling Yunpo inquired seriously. ¡°One sip can increase one year of cultivation.¡± Duan Fenhai said in a grave voice, ¡°But the Stone Milk is poisonous and must not be consumed in excess; the exact amount depends on one¡¯s Root Bone.¡± ¡°An ordinary Cultivator can drink at most ten sips. Any more than that and they would feel their face turn dark purple, with limbs heavy as if they were filled with lead,¡± Guan Shanyue also added. ¡°But if you drink only one sip each year, you can slow down the buildup of tolerance in the body, potentially extending up to forty years at most.¡± Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu exchanged a nce, clearly understanding Guan Shanyue¡¯s point. If they were to consume the Stone Milk in one go, they could gain at most a decade¡¯s worth of cultivation before reaching their physical limit.
But if they were to drink just one sip each year ande back the following year, letting the benefits umte slowly, they could keep increasing their cultivation for nearly forty years, which was undoubtedly much more advantageous than the former approach. However, the reason Guan Shanyue specially brought this up was another. The southern expedition to the Hundred Thousand Mountains was not the same as the grandpetition with Shushan; not every disciple could participate. In essence, it was a partitioning of resources by those in high positions, involving the contest andpromise between the powers of the Various Peaks, where Qingluo Peak was undoubtedly a weak contender.
Owing to a favor from the Guan Family¡¯s ancestor, they secured the qualifications to join this year¡¯s southern expedition, but there might not be such an opportunity next year. Therefore, following in Lin Duanshan¡¯s footsteps, joining the expedition each year to take just a sip was rather unrealistic¡­ If there would hardly be a chance to join the expeditions in the future, it would be better to drink their fill at once and extract the maximum benefit. Guan Shanyue reminded them of this point so the two could discuss and make a clear decision on how to choose. ¡°Many thanks to Senior Sister Guan for the information,¡± Ling Yunpo said, sping his hands in gratitude. ¡°Besides Langgan Cave, there is also the Misty Forest that is rumored to enhance the Refining Mansion¡¯s cultivation,¡± Lin Duanshan continued. ¡°Rumored?¡± An Zhisu asked, frowning. ¡°Not every cultivator who enters the Misty Forest perfects their Purple Mansion,¡± Duan Fenhai said coldly, ¡°Only one or two out of ten encounter such fortune, and they generally cannot describe exactly what encounter they experienced.¡± ¡°That¡¯s rather curious,¡± Ling Yunpo said with augh, ¡°Does it mean that Refining Mansion stage cultivators entering this Misty Forest could lose their consciousness?¡± ¡°Exactly so,¡± Guan Shanyue nodded in confirmation. Everyone: ¡­¡­¡­ ¡°No consciousness?¡± An Zhisu said with knitted brows, ¡°Then what if they encounter misfortune? How would they cope?¡± ¡°So far, it seems that none of the cultivators entering the Misty Forest have fallen or gone missing; they wake up outside the forest when the timees,¡± Lin Duanshan exined, ¡°Some increase their Refining Mansion cultivation, while others gain nothing.¡± ¡°The Jade Capital Sect Leader once entered the Misty Forest alone to investigate; upon returning, he imed it was essentially harmless, which eased everyone¡¯s concerns,¡± Lin Duanshan added.
Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu then understood; if the Sect Leader had investigated and said there was no problem, then there should indeed be no problem. ¡°But there is a crucial issue with the Misty Forest,¡± Duan Fenhai suddenly said, ¡°Every year after the miasma dissipates, the location where the Misty Forest appears is uncertain.¡± ¡°You mean¡­¡± Ling Yunpo immediately came to an understanding. ¡°If it appears in territories controlled by our Shushan, naturally, there is no issue; however, if it emerges in the core hearnds of the Demonic Path, we can basically forget about it,¡± Duan Fenhai continued, ¡°But if it is within the boundaries of both powers, it is almost certain to cause a bloody storm.¡± ¡°Will Golden Core Cultivators be involved?¡± Ling Yunpo asked in a low voice. ¡°Hard to say,¡± Lin Duanshan shook his head, ¡°The Misty Forest is too vast; to dispatch Golden Core Cultivators to patrol the periphery, specifically to ambush Refining Mansion stage cultivators from the opposing camp, would be too inefficient.¡± Being ¡®inefficient¡¯ meant they would not conduct such operations on arge scale, but whether or not they would send some idle immortals over, that was uncertain. ¡°If one hits the jackpot in the Misty Forest, they can advance their Refining Mansion cultivation by thirty years,¡± Guan Shanyue concluded, ¡°But it is more likely that youe out with nothing. Thankfully, it¡¯s an opportunity avable every year, so one can try their luck. Therefore, it is also a path we must take.¡± ¡°In the remaining unexplored areas, some are clear and open for the collection of Spiritual Herbs and Elixirs, Demonic Beast materials, and such; and there are also many areas still unexplored, with unknown relics and encounters. What do you think we should prioritize this time?¡± Although the question was seemingly directed to both, it was actually intended for Senior Sister An. An Zhisu did not immediately answer but turned her gaze to her junior brother. After pondering briefly, Ling Yunpo replied without hesitation: ¡°Obviously thetter!¡±
Chapter 244: 36 The True Transmission of Swordsmanship Chapter 244: Chapter 36 The True Transmission of Swordsmanship After discussing the situation of the Hundred Thousand Mountains, everyone started to chat idly again, bonding with one another. After all, forming a team meant that getting to know each other was a necessity. Lin Duanshan, Duan Fenhai, and Guan Shanyue, having had to team up every year for the southern campaign, were quite familiar with each other. As for Ling Yunpo and An Zhisu, they could only say they were rtively familiar with Lin Duanshan, while their interactions with Duan Fenhai and Guan Shanyue were more about ¡°fighting each other.¡± Now that they were supposed to cooperate and work together, they naturally had to set aside past affairs and get to know each other anew. Lin Duanshan, as the mediator known to both sides, took up the role of leading themunication without hesitation. He first discussed the characteristics of the Various Peaks¡¯ swordsmanship schools and then mentioned the Seven Kills Sword Technique of Qingluo Peak. ¡°The essence of the Seven Kills Sword Technique lies in ¡®speed,''¡± Lin Duanshan summarized, ¡°In the realm of swordsmanship, nothing can withstand absolute speed.¡± ¡°I have some reservations about that,¡± Guan Shanyue pondered, ¡°Rather than ¡®speed,¡¯ it would be more urate to say ¡®striving to be first.¡¯ Ling Yunpo was slightly surprised; Senior Sister Guan had quite a discerning eye!
¡°True,¡± Duan Fenhai agreed with the suggestion, ¡°The Seven Kills Sword Technique is known for speed, but it doesn¡¯t blindly pursue it; it emphasizes striving to be first.¡± ¡°Is Brother Duan recalling the thrashing he received from Brother Ling during the great Shushanpetition?¡± Guan Shanyue covered her mouth andughed, ¡°You didn¡¯t even have time to use your Sword Dao Techniques.¡± Duan Fenhai¡¯s mouth twitched and after a moment, he spoke seriously: ¡°Hmph, to achieve a preemptive strike and use the weak to ovee the strong are the hallmarks of the Seven Kills Sword Technique. I lost to Brother Ling in the past and upon reflection, I realized that being toocent was one reason, but more so, it was because of Brother Ling¡¯s swift swordy, which truly brought the advantages of the Seven Kills Sword Technique to their full potential.¡± His words, while serving as an excuse for himself, were also meant to praise Ling Yunpo, so there was no need for anyone to refute them. ¡°Speaking of striving to be first, Senior Sister An¡¯s swordsmanship must have reached a state of perfection,¡± Lin Duanshan suddenly said, ¡°Not only does she seize the initiative, but she¡¯s also quick to consolidate her advantage.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Duan Fenhai echoed, ¡°There used to be a saying among the peaks: ¡®Never give ground when facing Senior Sister An. Once you retreat, you will have lost any chance of gaining the upper hand.¡± ¡°Although I hate to admit it, Senior Sister An¡¯s swordsmanship is indeed better than mine,¡± Guan Shanyue said with a forced smile, ¡°With Senior Sister An in our team this time, the campaign to the south will surely encounter no unexpected changes.¡± While everyone showered An Zhisu withpliments, she showed no response, which made things somewhat awkward. To put it precisely, she had never encountered this situation before and didn¡¯t know how to respond, so she chose to remain silent. The atmosphere turned quiet for a moment, and just as Ling Yunpo was about to say something to break the ice, he suddenly heard Guan Shanyue ask: ¡°I heard that Senior Sister An intends to inherit the Dao lineage of Qi Sha True Person and also cultivate the Sentiment Inquiry Path, right? So, who is the Daoist Companion for Sentiment Inquiry, Brother Ling?¡± The question was so direct that Lin Duanshan and Duan Fenhai red at her, signaling her not to say things that would make it difficult for others to respond, yet they couldn¡¯t help but prick up their ears, waiting to hear how An Zhisu would answer. An Zhisu maintained her expressionless, silent demeanor. Then her neck began to redden, slowly spreading to her cheeks¡­ ¡°Cough, cough!¡± Ling Yunpo suddenly stood up, breaking everyone¡¯s gaze, and said, ¡°Brother Duan, I would like to have a duel with you!¡± Duan Fenhai: ? ¡°Sure!¡± He immediately stood up as well, coldly responding, ¡°I¡¯m more than willing!¡± Having been unexpectedly defeated by Ling Yunpo during the great Shushanpetition, the incident was like a fishbone stuck in Duan Fenhai¡¯s throat, always ufortable.
But if he were to challenge Ling Yunpo again, it would seem too deliberate, so Duan Fenhai had set aside his ns for revenge¡­ little did he expect that Ling Yunpo would voluntarily seek him out today! Without hesitation, the two agreed and left the Daoist temple to spar. Lin Duanshan and Guan Shanyue hurried to follow. When they turned to look at An Zhisu¡¯splexion, it had already returned to normal,pletely calm, a stark contrast to her previous menacing ghost-like demeanor at the Shushanpetition, where she was quick to threaten others. Was shepletely confident that Ling Yunpo would not lose? Guan Shanyue mused, while Lin Duanshan¡¯s expression subtly changed.
The sword duel began swiftly, with Duan Fenhai hastening toplete his sword technique. The Cangtie Sword shot out like lightning, aiming straight for Ling Yunpo¡¯s chest. Attack fiercely! This time he had clearly learned from his past experience at the Shushan grand tournament, and he didn¡¯t n to give Ling Yunpo any chance to entangle him, going straight for a preemptive attack. Ling Yunpo¡¯s expression didn¡¯t change, as his Thunder Punishment Sword was held in front of him to block the attack of the Cangtie Sword. The moment the metal shed, Duan Fenhai sensed something was amiss; the force transmitted from the opponent¡¯s sword was actually stronger than his own?! The strength of the Flying Sword only depended on two factors: the Flying Sword¡¯s own attribute and the robustness of the Sword Immortal¡¯s True Yuan. Both the Thunder Punishment Sword and the Cangtie Sword were renowned in the Metal System for their swiftness and sharpness,cking any significant enhancement to their strength. Which meant that the robustness of the opponent¡¯s True Yuan at that moment, seemed to have far exceeded his own¡­ With this thought crossing Duan Fenhai¡¯s mind, he saw a sh of ck light; the Qing Ping Sword had already sliced towards his head. He quickly drew out his Tianfeng Qianjun Sword in an attempt to block the Qing Ping Sword¡¯s assault. After another shing of metal, the Qianjun Sword couldn¡¯t withstand the impact and was brutally knocked away by the Qing Ping Sword. Before he could regain his senses, the Qing Ping Sword was already poised at his throat. Duan Fenhai: ¡­¡­¡­ He furrowed his brows tightly, extended his finger, and gently pushed the Qing Ping Sword away, asking in confusion,
¡°What kind of spell is this?¡± ¡°Sword technique,¡± Ling Yunpo said lightly with a flick of his hand, and the Qing Ping Sword automatically flew back into his palm. ¡°Seven Kills Sword Technique, capable of amplifying the power of the Flying Sword?¡± Duan Fenhai looked at Lin Duanshan, who was watching on the side. To have directly knocked away his Tianfeng Qianjun Sword was not something that could be achieved by mere ¡°robust True Yuan¡±¡­ Being of the same Refining Mansion stage and having not yet achieved Core Formation, how much more powerful could it get? Lin Duanshan¡¯s face was also solemn as he shook his head and said, ¡°I¡¯ve never seen it before. It kind of resembles the Asura Path¡¯s Jiesha Sword¡¯s forceful techniques, but it¡¯s definitely not that.¡± The Jiesha Sword¡¯s triple-force exertion grows stronger with eachyer, but it requires the buildup from the earlier strikes. Seeing Ling Yunpo dish out a devastating blow right at the start, rendering his peers at the same stage unable to even block it, was a first for everyone. All eyes turned to An Zhisu, who remained silent for a moment before saying, ¡°Junior brother has indeed received the true legacy of the Seven Kills Sword Technique¡­¡± Then everyone seemed to have a sudden realization: Oh, I see, it¡¯s the true legacy of the sword technique. I don¡¯t believe you! Ling Yunpo became a disciple after Su Jian went into seclusion, what true legacy of the sword technique could Su Jian have taught him? And why wouldn¡¯t the senior sister know but the junior brother does? Facing the skeptical looks from everyone, An Zhisu fell silent once more before forcing out an exnation,
¡°Actually, I know it too, just that I¡¯ve never used it.¡± Upon hearing this, everyone nodded: That¡¯s bing even more far-fetched. The Seven Kills Sword Technique was already known for its speed. If it also had the advantage of being forceful and heavy, it would be invincible amongst peers. And you, An Zhisu, have been at Shushan for so many years, yet you im to have never used it? ¡°Indeed, that is the case,¡± Ling Yunpo said earnestly. Since the Jade Capital Sect Leader had forbidden them from revealing any information about White Jade Capital at this time, Ling Yunpo naturally could not openly say that this was a secret gain from his trial at Mount Fajue, so he could onlyugh it off, ¡°Senior Sister has truly captured the essence of the Seven Kills Sword Technique¡¯s true legacy; it¡¯s just that during regr sparring among sect members, it would not be appropriate to use excessive force, hence it was never used.¡± Everyone: ¡­¡­¡­ So it¡¯s because we¡¯re too weak, right? Chapter 245: 37 Supreme Sun and Moon Primordial Classic Chapter 245: Chapter 37 Supreme Sun and Moon Primordial ssic Let¡¯s rewind time to thest challenge of the trial at Mount Fajue. The thirty-eighth death, Ling Yunpo was resurrected once again, his breathing slightly disordered. However, there was only to see the Sun Sword Master, dressed as a Taoist priest, his face growing heavier with disappointment, finally unable to restrain himself, he asked: ¡°What on earth is going on? Howe your swordsmanship is so mediocre? Not to mention possessing the Innate Sword Bone, even if you brought out a Loose Cultivator of the Refining Mansion rank, he wouldn¡¯t be so inferior!¡± Ling Yunpo nearly coughed up blood, but still put on a resolute and unyielding face, and said: ¡°My skills are not refined, I am at the mercy of the senior¡¯sments; but the teachings of my sect cannot be insulted!¡± The Sun Sword Master indeed scoffed, speaking directly: ¡°What kind of crappy swordsmanship is your sect teaching? Ridiculous, show me what you¡¯ve got!¡± Ling Yunpo then fell silent for a moment, feigning hesitation and struggle, before finally saying: ¡°I will make a fool of myself.¡±
He demonstrated all the various sword techniques of the Seven Kills Sword Technique, only to see the Sun Sword Master cover his face and sigh: ¡°The swordsmanship is somewhat interesting, but in your hands, there are too many mistakes and ws.¡± ¡°If I¡¯m not mistaken, this swordsmanship must have been created by your master, and your master is a person with extremely proud temperament, hence every movement and posture in this created swordsmanship is imprinted with his strong personal ir.¡± ¡°What a pity! In his hands, this swordsmanship could be called extraordinary; but the more it is deeply integrated with him, the harder it is to use by others. Moreover, with your crude sword skills, I guess your master didn¡¯t give you any guidance after passing down the swordsmanship, did he?¡± Ling Yunpo: ¡­¡­¡­ If it had not been that the other party was just a projection, he would have been moved to tears at this moment, shouting three times, ¡°Senior¡¯s discernment is as brilliant as fire, I am thoroughly convinced and grateful.¡± That crappy master of his, Su Jian, since I became his disciple, he has never fulfilled a single responsibility of a master! Seeing his ¡°indignant¡± expression, seeming ¡°daring to be angry but not daring to speak¡±, the Sun Sword Master took it as an inability to refute and sneered: ¡°If you had been born in my era, many a Sword Immortal would have fought to take you as a disciple. Howe you ended up under such a person?¡± ¡°Enough! I know you hold respect for your master and the Way. I will not say more on this subject. Watch carefully, this is how the swordsmanship should be executed!¡± He picked up the Sun True Obscure Sword, and disyed exactly all the moves and postures that Ling Yunpo had just used. Ling Yunpo watched intently, only to see the exact same moves, but for some reason when performed by the Sun Sword Master, they carried an overwhelming and fierce power, an unstoppable terror. ¡°Did you understand?¡± the Sun Sword Master stopped his sword movements and turned to ask. ¡°I understood,¡± replied Ling Yunpo truthfully, ¡°but notpletely.¡± ¡°Truly dull-witted!¡± the Sun Sword Master scornfully cursed, ¡°Even the most dim-witted disciple under me would have understood after watching thrice!¡± He performed the Seven Kills Sword Technique moves once again, and Ling Yunpo focused, finally confirming that the issue was not with the swordsmanship techniques, but the path of Qi flow during Sword Control, which somewhat resembled the ¡®Supreme Primordial True Record¡¯ of Shushan in general, but was much more exquisite in detail. ¡°May I ask the senior, is your Sword Control¡¯s Qi path derived from the ¡®Supreme Primordial True Record¡¯?¡± Ling Yunpo ventured to ask. ¡°¡®Supreme Primordial True Record¡¯?¡± The Sun Sword Master spoke with a strange tone, ¡°That is the coarse and simplified cultivation technique given to the outer disciples. Why would someone with Innate Sword Bone practise that?¡± No sooner had he finished speaking than it seemed he misunderstood something, and started to sneer disdainfully:
¡°So that¡¯s how it is, indeed a ¡®brilliant discernment¡¯ from a good sect, a good master¡­ Listen well, forget that crude ssic, I am now going to impart the true exnation of swordsmanship to you, the ¡®Supreme Sun and Moon Primordial ssic¡¯!¡± He swung the Sun True Obscure Sword and suddenly sang out, his voice clear and melodious: ¡°Sword Bone, Sword Bone, listen to my truth! Qian Kun, Kan Li, hardness and softness in unison, the four epassing elements are the keys. Two, four, three, five, one, the essence of heaven and earth¡­¡± ¡­¡­¡­
Having seen Lin Duanshan and the others off, Ling Yunpo found himself unconsciously reminiscing about the scenes from the trials at Mount Fajue, and couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of emotion. After learning the Supreme Sun and Moon Primordial ssic, his swordsmanship skills had not just improved by leaps and bounds. From initially being utterly powerless against the Sun Sword Master to barely being able to withstand a strike of the Sun True Obscure Sword, it had taken only a day and a night. It was indeed unclear whether the Shushan higher-ups were hoarding this true Sword technique as a treasured secret, deliberately hiding it from others, or whether this true solution had indeed disappeared into the river of history due to some reasons over the epochs, leaving only the castrated version of the Supreme Primordial True Record. Regardless of the situation, it was a pity. ¡°Senior sister,¡± he turned his head and asked An Zhisu, ¡°aren¡¯t you curious about my swordsmanship?¡± An Zhisu blinked and said, ¡°Why should I be curious? Isn¡¯t this the true transmission of the Seven Kills Sword Technique of our Qingluo Peak?¡± Ling Yunpo was slightly stunned by her words, then chuckled and said, ¡°Indeed, it seems I¡¯ve forgotten about this matter. Since it is the true transmission of the Seven Kills Sword Technique, it should be fine for me to recite the mental method to senior sister again, right?¡± He took his senior sister¡¯s hand and walked towards the pavilion by the stream on the back mountain. An Zhisu didn¡¯t struggle but allowed him to take her hand with a smile. Sitting beside the long pavilion, Ling Yunpopletely recited the Supreme Sun and Moon Primordial ssic.
¡°Is this what you gained from the trials in the White Jade Capital?¡± An Zhisu asked in astonishment. With her insight, she immediately noticed that this overarching Sword Control Heart Method seemed to share the same origin with the Supreme Primordial True Record of Shushan, but its rank was countless times higher. What was more ingenious was that since the sources were so close or even identical, outsiders couldn¡¯t tell that this was a different Sword Control Heart Method. They would only think that it was the Supreme Primordial True Record cultivated to an extremely profound level. ¡°What do you think, senior sister?¡± Ling Yunpo said with a smile, ¡°How formidable is this ¡®true transmission of the Seven Kills Sword Technique¡¯?¡± An Zhisu pondered for a long while before seriously saying, ¡°Junior brother, this true transmission¡­ is too sensitive. It absolutely must not be spread to others.¡± ¡°Senior sister, I understand,¡± Ling Yunpo said solemnly. The Supreme Primordial True Record was the orthodox Sword Control Heart Method that had been passed down in Shushan for nearly ten thousand years. If another version suddenly appeared, it was hard to predict how the Shushan higher-ups would react. If things turned out well, they might adopt a permissive attitude, turning a blind eye and allowing this heart method to spread freely among the disciples of Shushan; If things went badly¡­ they might adopt an attitude reserved for heresy, prohibiting its cirction and cracking down severely (while secretly studying it). Considering their wariness and istion of Qingluo Peak, this was also a possibility. Ultimately, it all came down to Qingluo Peak being too weak and, due to Su Jian¡¯s involvement, tainted with heterodoxy, which was a particrly sensitive matter.
If it were Qiu Changtian at Kunlun, no matter when he brought it out, he would immediately receive rewards from the Ziwei Master, with no worries at all. At this point, Ling Yunpo once again thought of the Shenxiao Thunder. Rushing things with his senior sister wouldn¡¯t do ¨C after all, with her modesty, teasing too much would set her off. For now, it was best to find time to return to Kunlun and learn Shenxiao Thunder¡­ and incidentally, see how Junior Sister Xu was getting on. Chapter 246: 38 Junior Sister Xu is Being Pressured into Marriage Chapter 246: Chapter 38 Junior Sister Xu is Being Pressured into Marriage Kunlun, Golden Ridge Cave Abode. Xu Yinglian rose from the stone bed, straightening her slightly wrinkled Taoist robe. She had finallypleted the Marrow Cleansing, entering the Refining Mansion stage! Feeling a bit smug, she wanted to boast to her senior brother, ¡°Even without the favors Master showed you, haven¡¯t I caught up all the same?¡± But then she remembered, whether it was the Pure Yuan Qi Pill that could clear turbid qi, or the Body Refining Secret Technique that worked wonders for Marrow Cleansing, both were linked to her senior brother, so she quickly dismissed the thought. Forget it, I should tell Great-Grandfather the good news first. Qiu Changtian sent himself to his own cave abode, where he activated the Invincible Character Setting Illusion Technique of Mirror Flower Water Moon before heading out, but suddenly received a Flying Sword message from Xu Changqing. Inviting him to the cave abode for a chat. Upon arriving at Xu Changqing¡¯s cave abode, Qiu Changtian saw the former Chief Disciple of the Foundation Establishment Realm, who was now seated on the stone bed looking rather pale. Xu Yinglian sat quietly on a stone stool nearby, serene and expressionless.
¡°Senior brother,¡± Qiu Changtian greeted, then suddenlyughed, ¡°I forgot that now I should address you as ¡®True Person¡¯.¡± ¡°Master gave me the Daoist name ¡®Qing Yang¡¯,¡± Xu Changqing said with a smile, ¡°but you can continue to call me senior brother.¡± ¡°Senior brother Xu,¡± Qiu Changtian asked with warmth, ¡°How has your health been recently?¡± ¡°I need a few more years to recuperate,¡± Xu Changqing coughed a few times, ¡°the essence loss was too great during the Transcending Heavenly Tribtion.¡± ¡°It¡¯s good that you made it,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile, ¡°Years pass in the blink of an eyepared to the lifespan of a Golden Core.¡± Smiling, Xu Changqing replied. There are three major hurdles in cultivating immortality, and the toughest one is Core Formation. Of course, this saying doesn¡¯t mean Nascent Soul Transformation and ascension to immortality are not hard, but refers to the fact that the Golden Core Heavenly Tribtion has imed the lives of the most cultivators, with survivors being one in a hundred. As the Chief Disciple of the prestigious Kunlun Taiqing Sect, and the top figure below Golden Core, supported by the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, Xu Changqing had all the cultivation techniques and magic artifacts at his fingertips. Yet, even he found transcending the Heavenly Tribtion so difficult, let alone ordinary cultivators¡ªfor whom passing the Heavenly Tribtion is known as ¡°a stroll in front of the gates of hell,¡± no exaggeration intended. In conclusion, that old saying still holds true: It¡¯s good that you made it! Qiu Changtian chatted casually with Xu Changqing but noticed that Xu Yinglian sitting beside them seemed to bear a heavy heart. There was no smile on her face. Qiu Changtian secretly took note and soon heard Xu Changqing point to Xu Yinglian and say: ¡°The phoenix daughter of our family has alsopleted her Marrow Cleansing today, entering the Refining Mansion stage.¡± ¡°Oh?¡± Qiu Changtian¡¯s eyes brightened as he offered his congrattions, ¡°Indeed befitting of Junior Sister, the reputation of your Seven Orifices Exquisite Heart is well deserved.¡± ¡°How does thatpare to your Daoist Heart rity?¡± Xu Yinglian couldn¡¯t help but speak out, her voice tinged with sarcasm. The tone was so surprisingly biting that Qiu Changtian was taken aback, and Xu Changqing scolded in a low voice: ¡°Ying Lian!¡± Xu Yinglian turned her head away, falling silent. ¡°Ahem.¡± Xu Changqing spoke earnestly, ¡°Junior Brother Qiu, the marriage arrangement for you and Ying Lian as Daoistpanions has long been set. The Xu Family recently asked if we can pick an auspicious day?¡±
Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­ No wonder Junior Sister seemed as if she had eaten gunpowder; being pressured to marry by the family, who could feel at ease? Moreover, the family pressure to marry here,pared to the gentle ¡°parental marriage pressure¡± from the modern society he came from before his transmigration, was a difference of almost a fundamental nature. In modern society, parents raising children is purely ¡°giving out of love,¡± and once grown up, children canpletely ignore their parents¡¯ wishes and live as they please¡ªsuch a concept is utterly unimaginable in this world.
The cultivator families here exert very strong personal control over every family cultivator who hasn¡¯t reached the Golden Core Realm. If Xu Yinglian said today she didn¡¯t want to marry, there¡¯d be no need to wait until tomorrow, as the Xu Family of Southern Heaven would immediately retaliate. Not only would she bepletely cut off from cultivation resources, but elders from the sect woulde to persuade her, and even the Ziwei Master would take action¡­ Under such circumstances, if she still chose to go her own way, it was highly likely that she would suffer social death, a fate even worse than Qingluo Peak¡¯s status in Shushan. The only way to break this situation was Core Formation. Any cultivator from Kunlun who managed Core Formation would have the qualifications to go outside and start a sect or establish a branch of Kunlun. Chonghe True Person, who left with the Shenxiao Thunder Method, had done exactly this. For the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, a Golden Core Cultivator had the power to intervene in family affairs and belonged to the ¡°ruling¡± ss of the family, naturally not having to worry about being forced into marriage by anyone. However, it seemed that fearing this, the Xu Family of Southern Heaven had chosen to immediately arrange for Xu Changqing to urge marriage as soon as Xu Yinglian hadpleted her Marrow Cleansing and just entered the Refining Mansion stage, unwilling to wait even a year more. Just how proud a character was Junior Sister Xu? Qiu Changtian was more than clear about this. Now that she was so carefully guarded against and calcted by the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, forcibly pushed into marriage to bind Qiu Changtian with her as a bargaining chip, how could she let it go? ¡°Ahem,¡± Qiu Changtian cleared his throat, about to say something, when he suddenly saw Xu Changqing staring intently at him. Then he knew that the Xu Family of Southern Heaven was very serious this time. Any attempt at making excuses would be seen by the other party as evasive. Forget it, having taken their Immortal Sword and cultivation resources, not to mention already having agreed to the Ziwei Master earlier, what reason was there to keep dragging this out? ¡°Brother Xu,¡± Qiu Changtian thus said with a smile, ¡°I have no elders in my family; this matter is solely up to my master.¡±
¡°Excellent!¡± Xu Changqing showed his joy,ughing as he pped his hands, ¡°With that, it¡¯s perfect! I¡¯ll immediately go report to the master and the family so they are aware. Brother, you and Ying Lian take a rest here.¡± Without caring for his weak body, he hurried out the door. That left Qiu Changtian with a face of helplessness, and Xu Yinglian with a face clearly showing ¡°I am not happy.¡± ¡°Junior Sister¡­¡± Qiu Changtian barely began when he saw Xu Yinglian ask softly, ¡°Are you expecting me to start calling you husband?¡± ¡°Ah, no need for that,¡± Qiu Changtian said awkwardly, ¡°This¡­¡± ¡°I understand.¡± Xu Yinglian stood up, spoke indifferently, ¡°I¡¯m feeling a bit unwell, so I must excuse myself.¡± Her white garments fluttered as she gracefully left, leaving Qiu Changtian in the cave abode with a bitter smile. He originally thought Junior Sister may have had some feelings for him, but with the Xu Familying over and meddling, now he couldn¡¯t be sure anymore. Sigh, why does the Xu Family have to be in such a rush! Could it be that they are worried Junior Sister would rather sacrifice her path to swiftly reach Core Formation just to escape marriage? With such a proud character as Junior Sister, how could she be willing to hastily form a core without first refining her Purple Mansion into a Jade Mansion over two hundred years? How could she be content with marrying before even securing a Third Grade Golden Core? That¡¯s really overthinking it! After much deliberation, Qiu Changtian could only sigh deeply and get up to leave. ¡°What do you n to do?¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly asked.
¡°Do what?¡± Qiu Changtianughed, ¡°Are you still hung up on me undergoing Dual Cultivation with her to stimte the Phoenix Bloodline for you to record?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not what I mean,¡± the Kunlun Mirror seemed hesitant, ¡°I just feel¡­¡± ¡°Junior Sister, she¡¯s quite pitiable.¡± ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Qiu Changtian frowned, ¡°What¡¯s this Junior Sister business? She¡¯s my Junior Sister! Ah Jing, you have no rtionship with her whatsoever!¡± Kunlun Mirror: ¡­¡­¡­. ¡°Fine, fine, fine!¡± it red uppletely, ¡°Just keep fudging the issue! Wait until your identity is exposed when you seek the Heaven-Mending Stone, when she learns the truth andes at you with the Feather Jia Sword, it will have nothing to do with me!¡± The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone! Chapter 247: 39th chapter Although the process was flawed, the outcome was not bad Chapter 247: 39th chapter Although the process was wed, the oue was not bad Soon, the news that Qiu Changtian, the current Chief Disciple in the Foundation Establishment Realm of Kunlun, was to be Daoist Companions with junior sister Xu Yinglian, spread throughout the Taiqing Sect like wildfire. Of course, ¡°like wildfire¡± isn¡¯t quite precise. Qiu Changtian surmised the information must have been released in advance by the Xu Family of Southern Heaven, to let everyone know, ¡°Qiu Changtian, whose Daoist Heart rity foresees a boundless future, has be our Xu Family¡¯s son-inw.¡± Instantly, not only did familiar junior brothers and junior sisters, but also senior sisters and senior brothers whom he did not know, and even some True Elders, all began to send congrattions and gifts. ording to custom, the congrattions and gifts are to be sent to the home of the male party. However, Qiu Changtian had no elders, and the Ziwei Master preferred not to indulge inplex formalities, so everyone ended up sending their gifts to his cave dwelling. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om All sorts of seventh, eighth, and ninth rank Flying Swords and Magical Treasures, as well as various kinds of Spirit Grass and Elixirs¡ªeven though Qiu Changtian nevercked money, this time he indeed became a little richer overnight. Hmm, distinctive Flying Sword Treasures aside, things like Spirit Grass and Elixirs that couldn¡¯t be identified were allter sent to support Wei Dongliu. ¡°Using the resources of the orthodox Kunlun to support the Demonic Path¡­¡± Both the Kunlun Mirror and the Green Duckweed Sword were speechless. ¡°What do you guys know, this is called reasonable allocation under emergency conditions!¡± Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t be bothered to argue, dismissing it with a ¡°necessity knows now.¡± While Qiu Changtian was busy receiving gifts on one side, Xu Yinglian was on the other side, busy with various visits. The Xu Family female elders from the Southern Heaven, senior and junior sisters from the Kunlun Taiqing Sect¡ªwhether familiar or not, all came over to make acquaintance and visit. Now, it was clear to any discerning person that Qiu Changtian, as one with the Daoist Heart rity and the Chief Disciple in the Foundation Establishment Realm, coupled with the support of the Xu Family of Southern Heaven¡¯s resources, was destined to soar high and have a limitless future. As for Xu Yinglian, who was to be Daoist Companions with Qiu Changtian, she was naturally ¡°ascending to heaven along with him.¡± Why not seize the moment to familiarize oneself, if not now then when? One day, as Qiu Changtian was sittingfortably in his cave dwelling, joking andughing with junior brothers and sisters, he heard his fifth junior brother, Chen Zhen, say in jest: ¡°Everyone says the path of cultivation is difficult, with challenges in wealth, partner, magic, and territory. Now that our senior brother has all four, I can¡¯t help but be envious.¡± Thinking about it, everyone agreed and began to offer their congrattions. With wealth from the resources of the Xu Family of Southern Heaven; a partner, with junior sister Xu, a favored daughter of heaven, for support and assistance; magic, with the immortal ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra¡±; territory, under the protection of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect¡­ his conditions for cultivating immortality were truly what cultivators all over the world dreamt of. Just as Qiu Changtian was about to modestly deflect thepliments, Xu Yinglian burst in, seething with anger. Her clear eyes slightly widened, her pretty face frosty, and her lips pressed tightly together, clearly indicating that her anger had reached a certain limit. Seeing the signs, everyone knew something was amiss. They quickly made various excuses and hurried away. ¡°Look at the great job you¡¯ve done!¡± Xu Yinglian, seeing everyone else had left, immediately said through clenched teeth, ¡°I¡¯m being besieged at the entrance of my cave dwelling! At least thirty invitation cards every day, all wanting to discuss philosophy and Dao with me, and I don¡¯t even have a moment¡¯s rest!¡± ¡°Junior sister, how can you me me?¡± Qiu Changtian replied, looking innocent, ¡°It¡¯s clearly your poprity within the sect that¡­¡± Before he could finish, he saw Xu Yinglian¡¯s gaze turn icy cold, as if she were looking at some utterly despicable bug. All right, it¡¯s indeed my fault. Who made me shine so bright that simply by being someone destined to be my Daoist Companion, you should be courted by so many of our fellow sect members, much to your frustration¡­ Indeed, I cannot shirk responsibility for this! ¡°Take me out,¡± Xu Yinglian said directly. ¡°Ah?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in surprise. ¡°I said, take me out on the pretext of traveling, so I have a reason not to entertain those guests,¡± Xu Yinglian said with patience, her tone cold. ¡°Ohh, of course,¡± Qiu Changtian immediately had an epiphany. He had thought junior sister was taking the initiative to ask for a date. Upon closer thought, there¡¯s no such concept as a date in the world of immortal cultivation, let alone the woman making the first move¡­ That¡¯s just wishful dreaming. The two left the cave dwelling and took to the skies with their swords. The Yu Long Sword shone resplendently, and the Feather Jia Sword trailed intense mes. The male cultivator was handsomely strapping, and the female cultivator was ethereally detached. They quickly caught the attention of all the cultivators around Golden Ridge. ¡°What a perfect pair of celestialpanions!¡± suddenly eximed a female cultivator. ¡°` This remark resonated deeply with many, prompting heartfelt praise to pour forth as everyone proimed Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian to be a match made in heaven, with no other couple in the world as well suited to each other as they were. As the Flying Sword left the vicinity of Golden Ridge, it soon arrived at the Extreme West, which was where Xu Yinglian used to practice the Great Bright Fire. ¡°Would junior sister like to give it a try?¡± Qiu Changtian asked with a smile, ¡°Advancing from the Marrow Cleansing Rank to the Refining Mansion Rank, True Qi will be condensed into True Yuan, greatly enhancing the power of Daoist Magic.¡± Xu Yinglian, feeling there was no harm in trying, silently nodded. She chanted loudly, ¡°Floating Morning Light, cast brilliance ten thousand ren,¡± and instantly mes burst from her mouth and nostrils, sweeping and howling towards the rock wall in front of her, burning away all the rocks within a hundred zhang radius. ¡°This¡­¡± Xu Yinglian was also somewhat surprised. She had not expected the Great Bright Fire to be so powerful after ascending to the Refining Mansion Rank! Her heart rejoiced silently, but she modestly asked, ¡°How was it? How does itpare to elder brother¡¯s Thunder Method?¡± ¡°Quite excellent,¡± Qiu Changtian replied truthfully, ¡°It¡¯s not as powerful as the Thunder Method, but its range is far superior. In my opinion, it¡¯s on par with the powerful Daoist Magic of the Five Thunder True Law in terms of rank.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Xu Yinglian nodded lightly, feeling an immense joy inside but went on to ask, ¡°Has elder brother heard about a certain matter recently?¡± ¡°What matter?¡± ¡°There was an ancestor in Yangzhou who left behind a Daoist lineage, and his descendants discovered an Immortal Sect relic on Mount Tianmu, so they reported it to their sect,¡± Xu Yinglian exined gradually, ¡°The Disciplinary Hall reputedly values it greatly and has already sent three seniors to verify it.¡± A faint smile appeared in Qiu Changtian¡¯s heart. It seemed that the White Jade Capital had been discovered. So, it would not be long before the Shenxiao Thunder Method would follow the old Daoist¡¯s lineage and be sent to the Kunlun Scripture Pavilion, where it could be learned subsequently. ¡°Elder brother,¡± Xu Yinglian looked towards the distant Congling, speaking slowly, ¡°Life passes swiftly like a fleeting white steed. Even for cultivators who extend their lifespan, it is not truly longsting.¡± ¡°When I was young and had not yet begun learning the Dao in Kunlun, I only enjoyed reading at home, encountering countless tales of unfulfilled ambitions and lifelong regrets.¡± ¡°Thus, I secretly vowed to live without any regrets. Even if I fail to attain immortality and my life is finite, I will have tried my utmost.¡± ¡°So that¡¯s why junior sister is so ambitious, simply because you do not wish to live a mediocre life,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile, ¡°That¡¯s why you strive to be the best in every aspect.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Xu Yinglian said, nodding, ¡°Choosing a Daoist Companion is no exception.¡± Hmm? Qiu Changtian looked at her in surprise. Of course, he understood her meaning in an instant, ¡°Even in choosing a Daoist Companion, I would not settle for someone I am not satisfied with.¡± ¡°However,¡± Xu Yinglian said, gazing up at the sky above Congling, her voice lower, ¡°Though I have always chased after elder brother¡¯s footsteps and often felt resentment for not getting what I wanted¡­ ¡°¡­I don¡¯t hate elder brother.¡± Qiu Changtian: ? Was this a confession? ¡°I¡¯m not so arrogant as to think that elder brother is unworthy of me,¡± Xu Yinglian continued in a lower voice, her delicate and aloof face revealing rare emotions of helplessness and sorrow, ¡°but I do not wish this marriage to be entirely orchestrated by our families from beginning to end¡ªat least give me some room to make my own choice.¡± ¡°Life is filled with many such inevitabilities,¡± Qiu Changtian sighed as well. ¡°Indeed,¡± Xu Yinglian agreed with a nod, ¡°Even if you don¡¯t want to have any regrets, it¡¯s hard to manage.¡± She turned her head away, not letting Qiu Changtian see the expression on her face, pausing for a moment before adding, ¡°But¡­ sometimes when I mull it over at night, even if the process is wed, at least the result is passable.¡± ¡°What do you mean?¡± Qiu Changtian didn¡¯t understand for a moment. ¡°Hmph,¡± Xu Yinglian turned around, her tone carrying a faint hint of a smile, ¡°I will make this into a riddle, the answer to ¡®the moon in the sky, and the moon reflected in the water,¡¯ to test elder brother¡¯sprehension.¡± After speaking, she spread her snowy white robes, drew forth the fiery red Feather Jia Sword, and took to the sky gracefully. ¡°` Chapter 248 - 40: Running Away from the Wedding Chapter 248: Chapter 40: Running Away from the Wedding Half a monthter. At Kunlun Heavenly Pir, in the Scriptural Repository of Jade Void Pce. ¡°This is the Shenxiao Thunder Method sent back by Fellow Daoist Zhang,¡± the elder Xu, who was guarding the Scriptural Repository, handed the scripture scroll over to Xu Changqing and said with a smile, ¡°You¡¯re quite lucky, you didn¡¯t do anything and someone has already returned the Thunder Method.¡± Qiu Changtian smiled without responding. Who said anything about not doing anything? He had in a mountain of minor demons to rescue that person, hadn¡¯t he? ¡°I heard that within Mount Tianmu, where Fellow Daoist Zhang resides, hides the secret realm of the ancient White Jade Capital,¡± Elder Xu remembered something and cautioned, ¡°The trials within are greatly beneficial to a Sword Immortal.¡± ¡°The three orthodox sects have decided to open it once a year in January. If you can find the time, you can register with your master next month,¡± he said. ¡°Thank you for the reminder, senior,¡± Qiu Changtian responded with a smile, thinking to himself that he had already cleared the trial long ago. ¡°When cultivating the Thunder Method, don¡¯t rush it,¡± Elder Xu cautioned again, ¡°You are to be engaged tomorrow, you should conserve your strength and rest up today.¡± Qiu Changtian agreed repeatedly, but deep down he was feeling rather sentimental. In this world, it usually took half a year from engagement to marriage among themon folk. The reason why the Xu Family had everything arranged in just half a month, rushing the couple to get married as though they were coercing ducks onto a perch, was clearly because they feared dys might lead toplications. Or perhaps, they were all-too familiar with Xu Yinglian¡¯s stubborn temperament and feared that if they dyed any longer, the girl might do something foolish and wreck the engagement. Of course, they weren¡¯t wrong to worry. Xu Yinglian had said before that ¡°even in choosing a Daoistpanion, she wouldn¡¯t want to have any regrets.¡± If the Xu Family truly had chosen a Daoistpanion she was dissatisfied with, she would probably have bolted from the marriage¡­ He could only say it was fortunate that she met him. ¡°I can¡¯t take it anymore, I¡¯m going to throw up,¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly spoke up. ¡°Are you pregnant?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in surprise. ¡°No, do you really think her meeting you is lucky or unlucky, don¡¯t you have any idea in your heart?¡± the Kunlun Mirror criticized him unabashedly, ¡°If I may speak frankly, isn¡¯t this just marriage fraud?¡± ¡°How is this marriage fraud?¡± Qiu Changtian asked with surprise, ¡°Did I actively seek out this marriage to deceive someone? Weren¡¯t the arrangements made by the Xu Family of Southern Heaven and the Ziwei Master and simply notified to me? If I want to remain in Kunlun, I have no room to turn things down!¡± The Kunlun Mirror was silent for a moment, then said softly: ¡°Then¡­ even if you were forced, isn¡¯t it still marriage fraud?¡± ¡°I think ¡®deception¡¯ isn¡¯t the right word,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword interjected, ¡°Considering Sword Master didn¡¯t use his real name to marry Junior Sister Xu, I think ¡®fake marriage¡¯ is a more appropriate term.¡± ¡°Correct,¡± Qiu Changtian said with satisfaction, ¡°My Qing Ping truly understands reason better than some broken mirror that keeps empathizing all the time.¡± The Kunlun Mirror went silent. It wasn¡¯t that it had nothing to counter with, but because it suddenly realized that whatever it said was useless at this point. Was this person not understanding? No, he was feigning ignorance! How do you awaken someone pretending to be asleep? Qiu Changtian took his leave from Elder Xu and then rode his sword to visit Xu Changqing. This newly-anointed Qing Yang True Person had just seen off a wave of old friends who hade to visit and offer their congrattions. Seeing Qiu Changtian approaching from afar on his sword, he immediately dropped the forced smile from his face, revealing an anxious expression as he sighed: ¡°The day before yesterday, I spoke to the n and asked them to keep the ceremony as simple and modest as possible, but for some reason, the n leader changed his mind a few days ago and insisted on a grand celebration with a wide array of guests¡­¡± ¡°Maybe they just want it to be more lively,¡± Qiu Changtian casually replied. ¡°The n wants to use you to boost their reputation,¡± Qing Yang True Person said with annoyance, ¡°Cultivator families have always prided themselves on their superior cultivation seeds, why bother with such empty fame now? It seems the n leader has been pondering over the fact that for the past ten years, apart from Ying Lian, there have been no other outstanding younger generations, and thus wants to use this wedding to revitalize our reputation.¡± ¡°What I worry about is twofold: first, such a grand disy by the n will fool only the mediocre masses but not the discerning people, ultimately only revealing our shorings.¡± ¡°Second, Junior Brother Qiu, you¡¯re already on the hit list of the Demon Cult. You were supposed to remain hidden and conceal your identity, and yet the n is messing things up like this¡­ Sigh!¡± The more he talked, the angrier he got, and by the end, he flung his sleeve with such force he wished he could confront the n leader and give him a piece of his mind. Qiu Changtian, on the other hand, didn¡¯t mind, because he had Invincible Character Setting synchronization values to farm. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om But recently, as he couldn¡¯t go out for trials, he could only discuss the profound with others within the sect, and the efficiency of farming synchronization values clearly wasn¡¯t as satisfying as it used to be. Xu Changqing said it was but an empty title, yet he didn¡¯t realize that what Qiu Changtian needed at the moment was exactly these seemingly useless honors. If the wedding could be held with great fanfare and Qiu Changtian¡¯s glorious resume was promoted everywhere, wouldn¡¯t it harvest arge wave of Synchronization Value? However, considering what Junior Sister had said that day¡­ Thinking this, he started to murmur to Qing Yang True Person. ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª The day of the wedding soon arrived. The ceremony for a Cultivator to be Daoist Companions could be grand, simple, or even neglected, mostly depending on the Cultivator¡¯s own wishes. For a supreme Cultivator Family like The Xu Family of Southern Heaven, especially for Xu Yinglian who was renowned far and wide as the ¡°Phoenix Immortal,¡± not holding the ceremony was definitely not an option. As for the specific details of the ceremony, it was quite different from folk weddings and did not include picking up the bride or carrying bridal sedans¡­ Cultivator Families needed to maintain a certain style, too festive and lively would seem no different thanmon folk, which would actually be demeaning. Overall, it actually involved just two parts: ancestral rites within the n and a banquet for the guests. Ancestral rites within the n were the core ceremony, involving a series ofplicated steps such as honoring the ancestors, meeting the elders, and registering in the family annals. The purpose was for the rtives of the groom and the bride to quickly get acquainted and establish corresponding social connections. Daoist Companion, where ¡°Companion¡± refers not just to the partner themselves but also includes the partner¡¯s social resources. As for hosting a grand banquet for guests, it was an optional part. After all, many Cultivators are naturally reclusive and simply can¡¯t find friends to invite, so there would be no guests to entertain at the banquet. Xu Yinglian sat in her bridal chamber, attended by several maids helping her dress and apply makeup. Once the makeup was finished, the maids bowed and stepped out of the room, waiting for the groom to finish the ancestral rites beforeing to escort the bride outside to greet the guests. Xu Yinglian sat nkly in front of the dressing table, feeling extremely depressed. She was naturally strong-willed, and now she had to be ¡°forced into marriage¡± by her family, which she found very upsetting. In this way, what difference was there between the illustrious Phoenix Immortal and an ordinary girl who had not yet left her father¡¯s side? She wallowed in self-pity, unable to stop thinking about it, and inevitablyid her head on the desk, burying her face in her arms. If the groom wasn¡¯t my senior brother, I would¡­ I would! As she was immersed in her chaotic thoughts, she suddenly heard the sound of the door being pushed open. Xu Yinglian slightly turned her head and saw Qiu Changtian enter the room in wedding attire, his face brimming with a smile. ¡°Why have youe?¡± she blurted out instinctively, then realizing her current posture was rather unruly, she quickly straightened her back and sat upright, revealing her beautiful figure and curves, and said with restraint, ¡°Has the ancestral rite ended already?¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t even started yet.¡± Qiu Changtian pulled up a chair and sat down, ¡°I just arrived,ing to check on you.¡± ¡°Are you here to take pleasure in my misfortune?¡± Xu Yinglian sighed. ¡°What do you mean by that?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in surprise. ¡°You know well that I¡¯m unwilling to ept the family¡¯s forced arrangement, and right now my mood must be gloomy. You¡¯vee just to see my frustrated expression, haven¡¯t you?¡± Xu Yinglian said sullenly. ¡°Junior Sister, in your heart, am I the kind of person who takes joy in bullying you?¡± Qiu Changtian asked with a mix ofughter and helplessness. Xu Yinglian turned her head away, thinking to herself that you¡¯ve deliberately annoyed me so many times before. She decided to simply keep quiet and ignore him. But suddenly her delicate hand was grasped firmly. She let out a soft cry of surprise and saw Qiu Changtian lean in close, asking earnestly: ¡°Junior Sister, you don¡¯t object to bing Daoist Companions with me, you just dislike ¡®the family forcing you to be Daoist Companions with me,¡¯ right?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± She was a bit shy, dodging Qiu Changtian¡¯s gaze and still said, ¡°Not bad. I didn¡¯t expect you could solve the question I gave you.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there not to solve?¡± Qiu Changtian threw in a casual remark, and seeing Xu Yinglian about to get angry again, quickly brought the conversation back to the main point with a smile, ¡°Junior Sister, if you don¡¯t want to have any regrets¡­¡± ¡°What now?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s elope!¡± Qiu Changtian said with all seriousness. ¡°Ah?¡± Xu Yinglian hadn¡¯t even processed it yet when she was pulled up by Qiu Changtian by the hand and led towards the door. Chapter 249: 41: Escaped, But Not Completely Chapter 249: Chapter 41: Escaped, But Not Completely By the time Xu Yinglian was pulled out the door, she realized that all the maids outside had disappeared, seemingly sent away in advance. ¡°Stop making a fuss!¡± she finally reacted, trying to break free from her senior brother¡¯s grip, ¡°Even our master is on the guest list this time, don¡¯t act on impulse!¡± ¡°I am not acting on impulse,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile, ¡°Don¡¯t you think that, at least in this marriage, the family should give you a choice?¡± ¡°I did say that,¡± Xu Yinglian stiffened her face, reprimanding him coldly, ¡°But that¡¯s no reason for you to act recklessly now!¡± ¡°Act recklessly? I don¡¯t think so,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a grin, ¡°Tell me honestly, Junior Sister, if everything were to go ording to the family¡¯s arrangements this time, wouldn¡¯t it be a lifelong regret for you?¡± ¡°So what if it is?¡± Xu Yinglian said angrily, ¡°The reason I¡¯m willing to endure this humiliation is because¡­¡± Her words came to an abrupt end since Qiu Changtian had already reached out and gently wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes¡ªshe didn¡¯t even realize when she had started crying. ¡°Junior Sister Xu,¡± Qiu Changtian said earnestly dropping his smile, ¡°As long as you¡¯re willing to call me Senior Brother, I won¡¯t let you be humiliated anymore.¡± ¡°You!¡± Xu Yinglian started to panic, trying to retreat instinctively, but was embraced by Qiu Changtian. Sensing Senior Brother was about to forcefully take her away, Xu Yinglian quickly tried to shout, but her mouth was sealed by him again.
The Yu Long Sword flew out of his sleeve, turning into a golden sword light, wrapping them both in an instant and soaring into the sky. Only above the clouds did Qiu Changtian finally let go of his breathless Junior Sister andughed out loud: ¡°Who do you think I am? I am Qiu Changtian, the Chief Disciple of Kunlun! If I can¡¯t even protect my Junior Sister from being wronged, what kind of lousy Senior Brother would I be!¡± ¡°You bastard!¡± Xu Yinglian, frustrated, pounded his chest forcefully several times, but then wrapped her arms around her senior brother. It wasn¡¯t because she was moved by him, but because the Yu Long Sword was flying too high, and it seemed dangerous¡­ she told herself silently, closing her eyes and resting her face against her senior brother¡¯s chest.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om About a quarter of an hourter, the Xu Family members, realizing the bride and groom were both missing, immediately became like ants on a hot pan, running about in confusion. ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± The patriarch of the Xu Family, along with the elders, came rushing in, looking at the deserted bridal chamber and the maids trembling on the ground, pounding his walking stick and asking furiously, ¡°How could this happen? Could it be that Yinglian and the groom had a quarrel, and parted on bad terms?¡± ¡°Never mind that for now!¡± an elder said in panic, ¡°The ceremonial items are all ready at the family grounds, and the n members have all gathered, but what should we do next!¡± ¡°What to do, what to do¡­¡± the patriarch of the Xu Family gritted his teeth in anger, when suddenly Xu Changqing parted the crowd of elders and stepped forward. ¡°True Person Qing Yang, what should we do?¡± the elders buzzed with questions. ¡°Qiu Changtian had already spoken to me about this matter earlier,¡± True Person Qing Yang, Xu Changqing, said calmly without any panic. ¡°This¡­¡± the elders looked at each other in confusion. ¡°Qiu Changtian said,¡± True Person Qing Yang continued, ¡°Yinglian does not dislike the marriage, what she doesn¡¯t want is for the family to forcibly intervene in the marriage.¡± The expressions on the elders¡¯ faces were bewildered; so, you were willing at first, but if the family helps arrange it, you¡¯re not willing¡ªwhat kind of reasoning is this? ¡°Therefore, Qiu Changtian wanted to ask for her opinion first,¡± True Person Qing Yang said with a smile, ¡°If Yinglian decides not to follow the family¡¯s arrangement, then he will take her away directly. As a Kunlun Cultivator, one should pursue an unobstructed state of mind and realm, how can one bow to mere formalities for some vain reputation? Being clouded in thought is a minor issue, but affecting further cultivation is a major concern.¡± The elders fell silent, while the patriarch of the Xu Family thought for a moment and then his face lit up with joy. Indeed, with both the bride and groom gone, the wedding could not continue. However, this precisely illustrated another point, ¡°Simrly arranged in marriage, Qiu Changtian bore no dissatisfaction with the match.¡± On the contrary, he valued Xu Yinglian¡¯s feelings so much that he didn¡¯t hesitate to elope with her prematurely just to spare her a bit of grievance.
(Here, the Xu Family Patriarch had already defined their actions as ¡°leaving early,¡± rather than ¡°eloping.¡±) While failing to hold a wedding was certainly embarrassing, if it could be exchanged for a closely rted son-inw of the Xu Family who was also a genius with Daoist Heart rity, then losing face was truly worth the significant substance gained, making him more than satisfied. ¡°Then what should be done about the wedding?¡± An elder, not catching the implication, asked with a frown. ¡°No matter,¡± said Qing Yang True Person with a smile, ¡°Let¡¯s first gather the n members in the inner residence and prevent them from going out, pretending that Junior Brother Qiu is inside participating in the ancestral rites.¡±
¡°I¡¯ll go out to receive the guests, and after the feast is over, we¡¯ll just say the wedding ceremony has beenpleted,¡± he continued. ¡°But what if someone asks why the bride and groom are not seen¡­¡± Another elder asked with concern. ¡°I¡¯ll handle it,¡± said Qing Yang True Person. Thus, there were no further objections from the crowd. Meanwhile, Qiu Changtian had already brought Xu Yinglian back to Kunlun,nding at the entrance to her cave dwelling. At this time, all the junior brothers and sisters were at the Xu Family of Southern Heaven¡¯s n territory attending the wedding banquet, so Golden Ridge was deserted with not a soul in sight, with only numerous white feathered immortal cranes resting there, leisurely preening their feathers. ¡°Let me go,¡± Xu Yinglian said, releasing the hand that had been holding her senior brother the moment theynded, and shyly jabbing him with her elbow. Qiu Changtian loosened his grip around her waist, thinking Junior Sister Xu¡¯s waist was indeed both slim and soft¡­ no, should he now call her his virtuous wife? He furrowed his brow slightly, troubled, and said, ¡°Junior Sister, since we have eloped, does it mean we are not yet Daoist Companions? If I refer to myself as ¡®your husband,¡¯ would it be improper and presumptuous?¡± Upon hearing the term ¡°your husband,¡± Xu Yinglian first appeared slightly dazed, then felt difort, and responded with a bitter smile, ¡°Let¡¯s not. I¡¯m used to calling you Senior Brother.¡± ¡°Is that so,¡± Qiu Changtian nodded.
¡°As for whether or not we¡¯re Daoist Companions, does it matter?¡± Xu Yinglian blinked and suddenlyughed, ¡°Everybody knows that I am already united with Senior Brother as Daoist Companions, and even the n will surely not publicize the matter, dering that the wedding was wholly conducted.¡± ¡°Whether I address you as my husband or as Senior Brother in the future, what difference does it make? As for the so-called ¡®proper and appropriate,¡¯ we no longer need a ceremony to prove it.¡± Her smile was radiant and beautiful, less of the cold, ethereal charm she usually conveyed and more of an overflow of warmth and happiness, almost mesmerizing Qiu Changtian. But he quickly regained hisposure, teasing her deliberately, ¡°So Junior Sister also takes heed of public opinion. I thought such a detached and transcendent Phoenix Immortal as Junior Sister had long since triumphed over material concerns and did not care about how others viewed her.¡± ¡°Public opinion can kill, who wouldn¡¯t fear it?¡± Xu Yinglian didn¡¯t get angry, but merely continued to smile, ¡°As for the title of ¡®Phoenix Immortal,¡¯ I do like it but also don¡¯t mind it.¡± ¡°What then does Junior Sister care about?¡± Qiu Changtian pressed on. The answer he received was a gentle kiss. Chapter 250: 42: Oh? Are you feeling shy? Chapter 250: Chapter 42: Oh? Are you feeling shy? East of the Kunlun Mountain Range, in the Chitai Market, there lies a tavern. ¡°Senior Brother Qiu does have a taste for elegance,¡± Qiu Changtian said slowly. The person sitting across the wine table was the sessor to Chonghe True Person¡¯s Daoist inheritance, the elderly Daoist who had previously been rescued from the depths of Mount Tianmu by Ling Yunpo and Senior Sister An. ¡°Cough.¡± The elderly Daoist drained the cup of wine in one gulp and said with a smile, ¡°Who would have thought that in today¡¯s Kunlun Sect, there would still be those willing to practice the Thunder Method.¡± ¡°Cultivating the Thunder Method is fraught with huge hidden dangers,¡± Qiu Changtian said warmly, ¡°If I didn¡¯t have Daoist Heart rity, I wouldn¡¯t dare to delve into it lightly.¡± Senior Brother Qiu¡¯s words are very true,¡± the elderly Daoist nodded. The two then talked about knowledge rted to the Thunder Method. What surprised Qiu Changtian was that although the elderly Daoist¡¯s realm was modest, the theoretical foundation of his Thunder Method was unexpectedly solid. However, other than Shenxiao Thunder, Chonghe True Person did not leave behind much Daoist inheritance. For the past few decades, this elderly Daoist had nothing else to do but study the Thunder Method, so it was only natural that he had a solid foundation. ¡°I do have a question I wish to ask Senior Brother Zhang,¡± said Qiu Changtian modestly, ¡°Among the Ten Thunders, Jade Pivot, Shenxiao, and Great Hollow are the lower three; Immortal Capital, North Pole, and Tai Yi are the middle three; Purple Mansion, Yu Chen, and Tai Xiao are the upper three; and ultimately the supreme Divine Thunder of Tai Ji.¡±
¡°ording to the Thunder Method¡¯s general principles, these ten thunders can be divided into lower, middle, upper, and supreme four Ranks, but in my view, the lower three and the upper-middle thunders each have their own characteristics and there is no distinction of superiority or inferiority.¡± ¡°Then why are these three lower and three middle thunders defined in this way?¡± ¡°Senior Brother Qiu¡¯s question is indeed thoughtful,¡± said the elderly Daoist with augh, ¡°These lower and middle thunders¡­ do not pertain to the power of the Thunder Method, but to its rarity.¡± ¡°Rarity?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in surprise. ¡°Indeed, rarity begets value, and the less there is, the more people want it. It has always been so since ancient times,¡± the elderly Daoist stroked his beard and said, ¡°Jade Pivot, Shenxiao, Great Hollow are known as the lower three because, in ancient times, these three types of Thunder Methods were the most widely spread, and even Loose Cultivators without a Thunder Method lineage could also manage to learn a thing or two.¡± ¡°And the reason these three types of Thunder Method were spread is tied to the three ancient disasters.¡± ¡°The three disasters?¡± Qiu Changtian pondered, ¡°Does it refer to ¡®heavens shattering, earth cracking, and demons running rampant¡¯?¡± ¡°Exactly those disasters,¡± the elderly Daoist tapped the table lightly, ¡°When the heavenly dome shattered, there were frequent invasions by Demon Heads from outside, moving between worlds as if passing through a door left open; it wasn¡¯t until Nuwa forged the Heaven-Mending Stones that the cataclysm was fully resolved.¡± ¡°Before heaven was mended, how did human Cultivatorsbat the Heavenly Demons? They focused on the Great Hollow Thunder, which was specialized against Heavenly Demons.¡± ¡°Likewise: With the Nine Provinces cracked, meddlesome Nether Ghosts emerged from beneath Huangquan. Before Shennong cast the Shennong Cauldron to suppress the Earth Veins of the Nine Provinces, humans relied on Jade Pivot Thunder to exterminate Nether Ghosts.¡± ¡°After mending the heavens and suppressing the earth, the protracted battles between humans and the Demon Race began. Shenxiao Thunder, which was extremely effective against Demons, immediately stood out, with nearly all major Sects having their scripture scrolls. It wasn¡¯t until Fuxi forged the Tai Yin and Tai Yang pair of swords, cutting down Demons as if they were rotting wood, and drove all the Demon races into the Eastern Emperor Realm, that Shenxiao Thunder lost its ce of use and gradually ceased to be passed down.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Qiu Changtian had an epiphany, ¡°Cultivating Thunder Method is arduous and perilous, the threshold is too high. It can only flourish when faced with natural disasters and cmities.¡± ¡°Or, like Senior Brother Qiu, who has exceptional talent and regards the difficulty of Thunder Method cultivation as nothing, can also cultivate it,¡± the elderly Daoistplimented, ¡°Now that you have be Daoist Companions with the Phoenix Immortal, it truly makes one envious.¡± ¡°Cough.¡± Qiu Changtian modestly said a few words, feeling helpless in his heart. Previously, when he had helped Junior Sister Xu escape the marriage, the result was a great increase in her fondness for him¡ªeven earning a kiss. The trouble was that this kiss wasn¡¯t a result of Junior Sister Xu¡¯s careful deliberation, but the release of emotions from long confinement; a moment where her feelings got the better of her. By the next day, Xu Yinglian abruptly cooled down from her passion, and what followed was an endless tide of shame, wishing she could travel back to the day before, find her earlier self who had taken the initiative to kiss Senior Brother, and p her fiercely eighteen times, both left and right, while shouting, ¡°How could you be socking in restraint!¡± She might even indulge in wild spection, thinking that Senior Brother would take it as ¡°Junior Sister must be deeply infatuated with me, which is why she took the initiative to kiss,¡± ¡°Ah, this Junior Sister is too sentimental, so easily pleased with such a small gesture,¡± ¡°Not only is Junior Sister behind in cultivation, but now she has also lost to me in terms of charm.¡± Lost to me in charm¡­
Lost to me¡­ Lost¡­ Therefore, when Qiu Changtian went to Junior Sister Xu¡¯s cave dwelling the next day, he discovered that she had already left early in the morning to cultivate. On the third day, he went to the entrance of the sister¡¯s cave dwelling to discuss music, only to find that she had already left again.
On the fourth day, he went early in the morning to stake out and, sure enough, he caught the junior sister leaving her cave dwelling at the hour of Yin. Xu Yinglian flew on her sword all the way to the Extreme West, an expansive and deste ce with no human inhabitants, making it an excellent location for Kunlun Cultivators to practice Daoist Magic.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Shended in a certain valley and began with practicing the Great Bright Fire,pletely melting arge area of the surrounding rock. After resting for a while, she seemed to think of something and, grinding her teeth furiously, drew the Feather Jia Sword to vent her feelings by chopping wildly at the rock face. Qiu Changtian followed behind and watched apprehensively, wondering if Junior Sister Xu had sumbed to a Heart Demon. Thinking this, he rushed over to stop her, but when Xu Yinglian saw him, she immediately turned and fled. Qiu Changtian chased her for dozens of miles until she shouted indignantly, ¡°Stop following me,¡± and then he suddenly understood. It wasn¡¯t a Heart Demon, but embarrassment¡­ ¡°Senior Brother Qiu?¡± the old Daoist asked softly. ¡°It¡¯s nothing,¡± Qiu Changtian returned from his thoughts and said smilingly, ¡°I just remembered some things.¡± This junior sister is too embarrassed to see me; chasing after her will only backfire. It¡¯s better to let her cool down for a while. ¡°By the way,¡± Qiu Changtian took out a cone from his storage bag and ced it on the table, ¡°Daoist Zhang, do you recognize this object?¡±
The old Daoist stared at the cone with furrowed brows without reaching for it, instead carefully scanning it over several times with his gaze. Suddenly, he noticed the Immortal Seal Script inscribed on the side of the cone and said uncertainly, ¡°Could this be Thor¡¯s Awl?¡± ¡°Thor¡¯s Awl?¡± Qiu Changtian asked in surprise, thinking the name seemed rathermon. As is well known in this Cultivation World, the majority of orthodox Daoist artifacts and techniques bear names that essentially stack buffs. For instance, the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra¡± indicates origins from the Immortal Realm with ¡°Nine Heavens,¡± purity from transforming the turbid with ¡°Clear Entrance,¡± and signifies that one can achieve Dao with this technique¡­ The more prefixes it has, the higher the level, denoting a typically higher rank. However, there are exceptions, such as certain Spiritual Treasures linked to the Immortal Realm, whether Innate or Acquired, with names that are extremely sinct, like the Kunlun Mirror, Qing Ping Sword, Heaven-overturning Seal, and so on. Could this Thor¡¯s Awl be something simr? ¡°Legend has it that in ancient times, there was an old great Sect called ¡®Donghua Sect,¡¯ which mastered the cultivation secret technique of the Tai Xiao Thunder, one of the three Supreme Thunders,¡± the old Daoist said cautiously. ¡°Tai Xiao Thunder is profound and obscure, rumored to possess the power to destroy worlds. Human Cultivators need exceptional talent to master it, initially requiring the aid of Thor¡¯s Awl to release and gradually learn to adapt.¡± ¡°From this, it seems that Thor¡¯s Awl was probably a specialized magic artifact used to learn Tai Xiao Thunder¡­ Later, as the Donghua Sect declined in the ancientst era, both Tai Xiao Thunder and Thor¡¯s Awl disappeared without a trace.¡± ¡°If Senior Brother Qiu could search the ce where Thor¡¯s Awl was found, perhaps you could find a trace of Tai Xiao Thunder,¡± he suggested. ¡°I see. Thank you, Daoist friend,¡± Qiu Changtian secured Thor¡¯s Awl properly and thought to himself: This Thor¡¯s Awl was obtainedst time from the secret realm of Western Queen Mother of the Divine me Path.
Could Tai Xiao Thunder be there as well? Unfortunately, the secret realm requires Golden Core Cultivators to enter for trial; I¡¯ll have to pay attention for now. Chapter 251 - 43 Qilin’s Entrustment Chapter 251: Chapter 43 Qilin¡¯s Entrustment Southern Border, Yu Long Mountain. For some reason, Wei Dongliu had keenly noticed that Jiang Liyan¡¯s attitude toward him had grown increasingly affectionate recently. Could it be because he had driven away her senior martial sister for her? But Wei Dongliu was well aware that the reason Jiang Liyan had put on a performance in front of him was to have him eliminate her senior martial sister, not just to chase her away. In any case, the thoughts of this witch were truly hard to fathom; Wei Dongliu could only react ordingly, appreciating any increase in Synchronization Value no matter how small. Finally, the day of departure arrived. Everyone stood in front of the Eastern Emperor Divine Pce¡¯s za, only to see the peach blossom miasma in the distance receding fast toward the south like a tidal wave. It revealed the lush, tropical forest below,yered and stacked like hues of cyan and indigo. ¡°Legend has it that this peach blossom miasma is an ancient curse from the Demon Race,¡± Long Xiaoqi suddenly said in a ghostly voice, ¡°At the end of ancient times, arge number of the Demon Race were driven to the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm; those who refused to leave were ughtered to near extinction.¡± ¡°In this Southern Border, the number of the Demon Race ughtered was in the millions. After the Eastern Emperor Realm¡¯s Boundary Gate was sealed, the peach blossom miasma also appeared. Within three days of entry, one¡¯splexion turns crimson, within five days blood flows from all seven orifices, and if one doesn¡¯t leave, they are certain to die within seven days.¡± ¡°Therefore, there¡¯s another theory iming that this peach blossom miasma is a deliberate curse and revenge left by the Demon Race¡­ What do you all think?¡± ¡°Either way is fine,¡± Gu Lie said nonchntly. ¡°It doesn¡¯t make a difference whether it is or not,¡± Wen Yang said. ¡°If the Demon Race really had such great power, wouldn¡¯t they have just cursed the Human Race to death directly?¡± Jiang Liyan said with a sneer, ¡°Would they have ended up like homeless dogs, being chased in groups to the Eastern Emperor Realm?¡± Long Xiaoqi was silent for a moment, then turned to Wei Dongliu and asked, ¡°Fellow Daoist Wei hasn¡¯t spoken. What do you think?¡± ¡°I think only the Demon Race knows the truth,¡± Wei Dongliu said indifferently. ¡°Not necessarily,¡± Long Xiaoqi said after a moment of silence, ¡°After more than a hundred thousand years, even the current Demon Race probably doesn¡¯t know the situation of the Demon Race back then.¡± ¡°What does it matter if they know or not!¡± Gu Lie said impatiently, ¡°Oh! We can set off now!¡± Just then, they saw multi-colored banners rising rapidly in the wind in the distance, and on the za of the Eastern Emperor Divine Pce, countless Sword Lights ascended, rushing toward the continuous mountain ranges and rainforests in the distance. The five-person team here naturally wouldn¡¯t fall behind; they quickly took to Sword Control, soaring into the sky and plunging down along the slopes of Yu Long Snow Mountain. Suddenly, Wei Dongliu seemed to sense something. He turned his head and saw the Qilin lying on the za¡¯s floor tiles, opening its eyes. Its pupils, like yellow brass bells, rotated slightly, looking in his direction. It was impossible to discern any emotion. Wei Dongliu slightly furrowed his brow and then turned his head back. ¡°The area around the Eastern Emperor Divine Pce has basically been fully explored,¡± Wen Yang said quickly to the others while they flew by Sword Control, ¡°Currently, there are two directions.¡± ¡°To the north, the danger level of the heritage sites is lower, and there are more Human Race sites than Demon Race sites. The likelihood of us being able to mutually use any treasures or opportunities found there is also higher.¡± ¡°However, that direction is Shushan¡¯s main focus, and it¡¯s highly likely that we will encounter conflict with the Shushan team¡ªespecially since this time, five paths are united in opposition to Shushan, which is sure to greatly increase the risk level in that area.¡± ¡°To the south, the closer we get to the Eastern Emperor Realm¡¯s Boundary Gate, the higher the danger level of the heritage sites, with more Demon Race sites to be found. If we struggle greatly only to end up with a Cultivation Technique that only the Demon Race can use, you can imagine how infuriating that would be.¡± ¡°But the problem is, it would help us avoid the battlefield with Shushan.¡± ¡°Wait, Wen Yang,¡± Jiang Liyan interrupted him, ¡°Haven¡¯t we already decided? We¡¯re going north this time.¡± ¡°Indeed,¡± Wen Yang said off-handedly, ¡°I¡¯m just reminding you all, if you want to change the n, now is thest chance.¡± ¡°If we get to the north and then find the battle situation too severe and want to turn back south¡ªsurely it would be toote then.¡± ¡°What¡¯s there to hesitate about?¡± Gu Lie said with a glum expression, ¡°If anyone wants to back out then, they¡¯ll need to ask if my sword agrees first.¡± ¡°Wait a moment!¡± Wei Dongliu suddenly called out. His voice was so loud that the other four reflexively grabbed their Sword Light and suspended themselves in mid-air. ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Jiang Liyan asked, puzzled. ¡°The Qilin is speaking to me,¡± Wei Dongliu said with a frown. The other four: ? Their expressions were incrediblyplex for a moment. But if one observed carefully, Jiang Liyan was skeptical, Wen Yang was serious, Gu Lie was shocked, and Long Xiaoqi had no expression¡­ She always had no expression. ¡°Go south,¡± came the sonorous and low voice of the Qilin in his mind. ¡°Why?¡± Wei Dongliu asked with a furrowed brow. ¡°There is a Mirror Pond there,¡± the Qilin said in a muffled voice, ¡°which can increase your Refining Mansion Cultivation level by seventy years ¡ª that¡¯s what you need the most.¡± Wei Dongliu: !!! ¡°What¡¯s the price?¡± he asked again in a deep voice. ¡°Help me retrieve an item from there,¡± the Qilin replied. The people around saw Wei Dongliu standing still, sometimes frowning deeply, sometimes widening his eyes¡­ They quickly exchanged nces. Wen Yang¡¯s gaze was full of disbelief. Jiang Liyan shook his head almost imperceptibly and moved closer to Wei Dongliu, clearly taking his side. Gu Lie¡¯s eyes whirled around a few times and he also moved closer to Wei Dongliu from another side ¡ª he did not believe that this mysterious and elusive Wei Daoist Friend was the type to lie for attention. Moreover, everyone had witnessed the Qilin addressing him before. Long Xiaoqi shrugged and looked towards Wen Yang. So Wen Yang put on an expression that read, ¡°Alright, but I will need an exnation afterward.¡± After finishing his conversation with the Qilin, Wei Dongliu came back to his senses and saw the four of them looking at him with burning gazes and serious expressions. Even Long Xiaoqi, who was alwayszy and absent-minded, seemed unusually serious at this moment. ¡°Lord Qilin wants me to retrieve an item for him,¡± Wei Dongliu stated concisely, ¡°The reward is¡­ a secret realm that adds seventy years to Refining Mansion Cultivation.¡± Seventy years! Gu Lie¡¯s eyes immediately bulged, and Wen Yang¡¯s eyes twitched, with only Jiang Liyan and Long Xiaoqi maintaining theirposure. The former was well prepared, after all, with so many suspicions about Wei Dongliu¡¯s identity, it wouldn¡¯t be surprising what he could offer. Thetter, however, disyed a contemtive expression. ¡°What item do you need to retrieve, Daoist Friend Wei? Can you disclose it?¡± Wen Yang asked with a solemn expression. Wei Dongliu shook his head, then suddenly turned his gaze back to the Qilin lying prone on the za. As soon as the Qilin opened its mouth, a streak of light flew over and went straight into his sleeve. Immediately, everyone stopped their thoughts; they were not so presumptuous as to spy on the Qilin¡¯s secrets. But simrly, since it was indeed an order from the Qilin, it was probably not a lie¡­ After all, with its rank made clear, if it truly wanted help, many seniors within Eastern Emperor Path would volunteer without needing any reward, just for a bit of favor from it! n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om There was no need to concoct a lie to deceive them. Which meant that seventy years of Refining Mansion Cultivation was likely true. Seventy years¡­ Thinking of this, their hearts heated up. If there indeed existed such arge benefit, they would dare to brave even a mountain of des and a sea of fire. At the top level of the Eastern Emperor Divine Pce in the distance, Hu Li leanedzily against the balcony railing, looking down at the Qilin and Wei Dongliu and the others¡¯ interaction. After a long while, she yawnednguidly, then lowered her eyelids, her lips slightly curled, deep in thought. Chapter 252 - 44: The City of All Demons, The Metropolis of Wan Xiang Chapter 252: Chapter 44: The City of All Demons, The Metropolis of Wan Xiang The canopy above was so dense that no sunlight could prate it. However, the temperature in the forest was not low at all; instead, it was as warm as spring, without a hint of chill. Gu Lie led the way at the front, his arms swinging as the blood-red Flying Sword sliced left and right, neatly cleaving through the obstructing bushes and leaves. Since the miasma was almostpletely diluted on the ground, it became denser higher up, so they all had to give up flying on swords and proceed on foot. Suddenly, a giant python dropped from a tree and in the blink of an eye swallowed him from head to toe, whole. The next second, the blood-colored Flying Sword shed the python open from the inside, and Gu Lie casually appeared from behind another tree, spotless, evidently untouched. Wei Dongliu watched clearly from behind: The moment the python fell, Gu Lie had dodged at high speed using some kind of technique. What the python had swallowed was nothing but an afterimage of Gu Lie, along with the blood-colored Flying Sword left in ce, which then internally dissected and killed the python. This Gu Lie, he seems to have practiced some kind of Body Refining Secret Technique¡­ Wei Dongliu observed Gu Lie, while Wen Yang and Jiang Liyan also watched Wei Dongliu from behind, in secret. ¡°Brother Jiang,¡± Wen Yang whispered a Daoist form from within his sleeve, activating a spell tomunicate secretly, and asked Jiang Liyan, ¡°What exactly is the background of Brother Wei?¡± ¡°Did Brother Wen see something?¡± Jiang Liyan answered with a question instead of a reply. Wen Yang stayed silent for a moment: ¡°Can¡¯t see through him.¡± ¡°He ims to be a Refining Mansion Cultivation level cultivator. But from what I see, there are too many odd aspects.¡± ¡°I would like to hear the details.¡± Jiang Liyan responded with a smile. ¡°Firstly, as a Loose Cultivator with no master, where did he get the Hundred Poisons Gold Silkworm Gu?¡± Wen Yang said slowly. ¡°Maybe he¡¯s just lucky and stumbled upon some ruins.¡± Jiang Liyan said dismissively. ¡°Alright, let¡¯s say he¡¯s lucky and found an unincubated Hundred Poisons Gold Silkworm Gu in some ruins.¡± Wen Yang nced at the trees in the distance, ¡°What about hatching it?¡± ¡°To make the Hundred Poisons Gold Silkworm Gu recognize its master, you must first perform a sacrificial refinement with essence blood and then feed it Gold Ganoderma and Jade Leaf Flowers; otherwise, this fierce creature will emerge from its shell, and in its hunger, fail to recognize anyone, even its own master, and could turn and bite him. How did he know the Sacrificial Refinement Method, and have Gold Ganoderma and Jade Leaf Flowers on hand?¡± ¡°Maybe the ruins also contained Gold Ganoderma and Jade Leaf Flowers, and a Jade Slip that recorded the Sacrificial Refinement Method,¡± Jiang Liyan spected. ¡°Fine, let¡¯s assume the ruins had everything,¡± Wen Yang said with an icy tone, ¡°The Hundred Poisons Gold Silkworm Gu must recognize its master from within the egg, and its eggs must be suppressed by an extremely Yin and toxic Array, or else they will hatch within a few hours.¡± ¡°If he¡¯s truly a Loose Cultivator, how could he break the formation? Are you suggesting the Array conveniently failed? If it had, the Hundred Poisons Gold Silkworm Gu would havee out long ago, right?¡± ¡°Brother Wei ims to be a master of Arrays.¡± Jiang the Witch thought to herself that Judge Wen was damn right in his analysis¡ªthis man had too many suspicious points, and every single one didn¡¯t seem like ordinary aspects of a Refining Mansion Cultivation level cultivator, yet she replied with a beaming smile, ¡°Breaking these formations naturallyes with the territory¡­¡± ¡°Myriad Souls Devouring Heart Formation.¡± Wen Yang suddenly interjected. ¡°What?¡± ¡°Among the Arrays sealing the Hundred Poisons Gold Silkworm Gu, there¡¯s one called the ¡®Myriad Souls Devouring Heart Formation¡¯,¡± Wen Yang said with a sinister tone, ¡°Unless a cultivator reaches the Nascent Soul Rank, entering this Array would mean their soul would disperse instantly, with absolutely no chance of resistance.¡± ¡°Brother Jiang, are you also suggesting that Brother Wei has some Innate Spiritual Treasure at his disposal that can fend off an attack from a Nascent Soul Rank Array, and just happens to be something that a Refining Mansion Cultivation level cultivator can wield?¡± Jiang Liyan had no response; that was, of course, impossible. Firstly, regardless of the scarcity of Innate Spiritual Treasures¡­ such high-caliber Spiritual Treasures would definitely possess Spiritual Wisdom, so how could they willingly serve a Refining Mansion Cultivation level cultivator? Wouldn¡¯t they prefer a deity? Secondly, even if an Innate Spiritual Treasure did somehow be dim-witted and acknowledged Wei Dongliu as its master, wouldn¡¯t an ordinary cultivator who gained the recognition of such an Innate Spiritual Treasure immediately seek a powerful master and then rocket to the sky? Why bother to establish a sect on the Mortal Life Path and find two random disciples just to put up appearances¡­ This was far beyond what could be described as simply unorthodox. Even Jiang the Witch, who prided herself on her cunning and strategies, could only be certain of one thing at this moment, he had other motives for founding the ¡°Myriad Laws Mystic Profound Sect¡±! As for what those motives were, she really couldn¡¯t guess. Seeing that Jiang Liyan had nothing to say, Wen Yang also came to a conclusion. This Wei Dongliu was certainly not just any ordinary Refining Mansion Rank cultivator, and it was even questionable whether he was of the Refining Mansion Rank at all¡­ Up ahead, Gu Lie casually controlled the Flying Sword, skinning and deboning the ink panther, and then turned his head to ask: ¡°Want the materials?¡± No one responded; none of them had the need for artifact refining. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Thus, Gu Lie gathered the items and beckoned everyone to continue onwards. The location given by the Qilin was deep in the Hundred Thousand Mountains, over six hundred miles south of Jade Dragon Snow Mountain, a ce where few people ever went, likely only visited by expedition teams heading to the Boundary Gate of the Eastern Emperor Realm. All kinds of Demonic Beasts encountered along the way were ferocious and brutal; ordinary Refining Mansion Rank cultivators simply couldn¡¯t cope with them. Luckily, the five of them were no ordinary cultivators; even if Gu Lie acted alone, it was like slicing through melons and vegetables, cutting a clear path. The group didn¡¯t rest; afterpleting their Marrow Cleansing, they had endless energy, crossing mountains and rivers as if on t ground. In about seven or eight days, they arrived at the location mentioned by the Qilin. Ao Mountain. ¡°Is this our destination?¡± Jiang Liyan looked at the towering peaks ahead with curiosity and asked. ¡°It should be,¡± Wei Dongliu exined to the group, ¡°ording to the esteemed Qilin, this mountain is called Ao Mountain.¡± ¡°Ao Mountain was once a core stronghold of the ancient Demon Race. The so-called ¡®Ao,¡¯ in the ancient southwest Human Race dialect, means ¡®center,¡¯ and the Demon Race called it ¡®City of Wan Xiang,¡¯ ¡®Capital of all Demons.''¡± ¡°Capital of all Demons?¡± Wen Yang pondered for a moment and said, ¡°If that is the case, why is it so obscure today that we have never heard of it?¡± ¡°How many secrets have disappeared into the long river of history, from ancient times to Ancient Times, and from Ancient Times to modern days?¡± Wei Dongliu shook his head, ¡°Moreover, the southwest Hundred Thousand Mountains have changed hands several times, Intercepting Cult, Beast Taming Sect¡­ With each transition, countless records have been lost, so it¡¯s normal for us not to have heard about it.¡± ¡°It is said that inside Ao Mountain there is a special maic field. Ordinary cultivators who enter this ce are extremely likely to lose their sense of direction, unable to discern north, south, east, or west¡ªeven magical treasures that aid in navigation might fail.¡± As he said this, Wei Dongliu took out a small golden sword from his sleeve. It was bestowed upon him by the Qilin before they parted. It was only the length of a palm, shimmering brilliantly with a golden luster. ¡°This is the ¡®Menghuan Sword,¡¯ which can lead us through the maze and to the Mirror Lake Divine Pce at the mountain¡¯s summit.¡± Upon hearing this, Gu Lie immediately asked with impatience: ¡°The fortuitous encounter that could grant us seventy years¡¯ worth of Refining Mansion Cultivation, is it within that Mirror Lake Divine Pce?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Wei Dongliu nodded. Jiang Liyan remained silent, seeing everyone¡¯s eyes zing with fervor, even the introverted Long Xiaoqi showed a longing gaze. Only Wei Dongliu had a calm demeanor, without any hint of urgency, as if the prospective seventy years of arduous cultivation were of little consequence to him. Little did they know that this wless expression was his biggest giveaway! Unbeknownst to him, Jiang the Witch, after much thought, had analyzed hundreds of words about the expression on his face, but Wei Dongliu was just confirming with the Kunlun Mirror in his mind: ¡°Ah Jing, are you certain?¡± ¡°Very likely,¡± the Kunlun Mirror sighed, ¡°Upon hearing ¡®Mirror Lake,¡¯ I felt a resonance. Now that we have arrived at the foot of the mountain, I can more or less confirm¡­¡± ¡°Inside the Mirror Lake Divine Pce, there should be a fragment of my original body, and it seems to be suppressed by something, devoid of any Spiritual Wisdom.¡± Chapter 253: 45 Mirror Lake Divine Palace, Their Own Schemes Chapter 253: Chapter 45 Mirror Lake Divine Pce, Their Own Schemes The group walked through the forest. This mountain had long been untraversed, the original stone steps had decayed and weathered, covered by countless vines and wild grasses. Wei Dongliu held the Menghuan Sword in the palm of his hand, guiding everyone in the direction the sword tip pointed, sometimes climbing upwards, sometimes moving sideways, and at times even turning around to walk downwards. ¡°Wei Daoist friend, are you sure?¡± Long Xiaoqi suddenly said, ¡°If my memory serves me right, it seems we have turned back.¡± ¡°Long Daoist friend,¡± Wei Dongliu spoke gently, ¡°the maic field here is chaotic, what you think is a straight path is actually circling back and forth.¡± ¡°Instead of trusting your own sense of direction, why not trust my Palm Sword, how about it?¡± ¡°Um,¡± Long Xiaoqi said no more, as if he had just asked casually. The group had started ascending the mountain from noon, and it wasn¡¯t until the evening twilight that they finally arrived at theke by the mountain top. Atop the mountain, therey a hugeke. From a distance, it looked like a bright blue mirror, its shine so clear that it could reflect images; up close, the water was crystal clear, with thekebed pebbles visible in fine detail. Alongside theke, there was a dense growth of lush and erect forests.
However, there was no sign of any Divine Pce. Jiang Liyan gathered up his robe and squatted by theke to examine the surface of the water, saying: ¡°There are fish in theke, it should be fine.¡± ¡°There are deer, goats, and monkeys moving around in the forest on the opposite side.¡± Wen Yang¡¯s Nether Ghost returned from its scouting and reported to the group. The group fell silent together. With such a rich ecological environment around, it didn¡¯t seem like the ce would harbor any kind of ruins! Wei Dongliu nced at the golden little sword, only to see its tip pointing directly towards the center of theke. ¡°We need to go into theke,¡± he said. ¡°Cut down trees to make a boat?¡± Jiang Liyan asked. ¡°No, Sword Control,¡± Wei Dongliu said. Jiang Liyan looked hesitantly, only to see that there was no miasma over the surface of theke¡­he couldn¡¯t help but feel a bit embarrassed. The five of them each pulled out their Flying Swords and used Sword Control to move straight ahead. When they arrived at the center of theke, the golden little sword suddenly began to spin erratically. The group: ¡­¡­¡­ ¡°Has it malfunctioned?¡± Gu Lie asked with a twitch in his eye. ¡°No,¡± Wei Dongliu turned his hand over. The golden little sword that was still rotating abruptly stopped as if guided by some invisible hand, quickly aligning itself straight downwards, motionless. ¡°Is it under theke?¡± Wen Yang looked down, ¡°There¡¯s nothing at the bottom of theke.¡± Everyone followed his gaze downward, only to see that although the water was deeper here, its rity allowed them to see the sandy bottom, aquatic nts, and schools of swimming fish¡­there was no shadow of a pce to be found. ¡°It must be opened with that little sword,¡± Long Xiaoqi, who had been quiet, suddenly said.
¡°Exactly,¡± Wei Dongliu flung the sword, and the golden little sword swiftly transformed into a beam of light that vanished into theke. Then, the entireke changed color¡­to be more precise, in the reflection cast upon theke¡¯s surface, a pce appeared. Seeing this, Jiang Liyan¡¯s mind flickered with thoughts, and she immediately released a Demon Head from her sleeve into theke. ¡°Beneath the surface of the water lies another world,¡± she said quickly.
¡°Then let¡¯s go,¡± Wei Dongliu suggested. Everyone agreed, and they followed using Sword Control to descend. The moment they plunged into theke water, the world seemed to turn upside down, and they emerged from the water once again. This ce appeared to still be atop Ao Mountain, but there were no mountain ranges in the distance, only a nket of grey fog. The forest by theke was devoid of animals, with only leaves rustling, swaying in the breeze. In the midst of theke stood a huge pce, constructed with jade bricks and liuli tiles, its reflection shimmering on the glistening water, looking iparably majestic in the sunlight. Looking at this pce, a term suddenly sprang to Wei Dongliu¡¯s mind: What a ¡°Crystal Pce¡±! Of course, the Crystal Pce here is not the one filled with an assortment of main female characters wielding cleavers¡­ it is purely the literal meaning. Facing the Mirror Lake Divine Pce, everyone had different expressions on their faces. Wen Yang and Gu Lie were extremely delighted, obviously seeing by the style of this pce that it was some kind of ancient ruin that had not been explored before, which significantly increased the likelihood of encountering magical opportunities inside. Jiang Liyan and Long Xiaoqi, on the other hand, had eyes filled with fascination, as the grandiose yet exquisite pce perfectly hit these two female cultivators¡¯ aesthetic spot. ¡°Let¡¯s find an entrance first and talk about it after we get in,¡± Wei Dongliu reminded them.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
The group then flew around the Divine Pce on their swords and saw that the lower half of the pce had arge number of steps and foundations immersed in theke. The upper half was pavilions and buildings, closely spaced and highly structured, the design also radiant with gold, full of all sorts of splendid grandeur. But no matter what, all the doors and windows were firmly closed, with no entrance to go through. ¡°Shall we try breaking in?¡± Gu Lie said with a fierce look in his eyes. ¡°Good, Brother Gu should go first,¡± Wen Yang said with a smile, ¡°If anything goes wrong, I¡¯ll collect your corpse.¡± Gu Lie chuckled and said, ¡°I was just saying it off the cuff.¡± If it were an ordinary building, let alone tightly closed doors and windows, even blue brick walls would just be a one-sword affair for a cultivator. But in these mystic realms, the doors and windows that are tightly shut from the inside often cannot be forcefully broken from the outside. Unless your rank is much higher than the realm, where you could crush everything by force, but then the realm would no longer have any value to explore. The group, still refusing to give up, circled around a few more times, still failing to find an entrance. All doors and windows werepletely shut, with no space to open at all. ¡°Brother Wei,¡± Jiang Liyan couldn¡¯t help asking, ¡°has the Qilin Lord ever mentioned how to handle this situation?¡± ¡°It hasn¡¯t,¡± Wei Dongliu shook his head, ¡°it only said to go seek the Mirror Lake Divine Pce where there is a Taiwei Hall; within are ¡®Vermilion Grass¡¯ and ¡®Golden Nectar and Jade Liquid¡¯.¡±
¡°Among them, the Vermilion Grass looks like a small mulberry with stem resembling coral, and its juice flows like blood.¡± ¡°The Golden Nectar and Jade Liquid are useless to the human race, itmanded me to harvest one for it; as for the Vermilion Grass, if you take it and put it in a basin, then cast gold and jade upon it, it will turn into ¡®Golden Nectar and Jade Liquid¡¯. If people of the human race drink it, they will gain seventy years of cultivation in one go, but one must not drink it twice.¡± Everyone listened until their mouths went dry, but inside, they were secretly calcting. From ancient times to now, through the changes of the sea into mulberry fields and shifts of the mortal coil, no one knew how the Mirror Lake Divine Pce had changed. If the group found the Taiwei Hall and it only contained Vermilion Grass without any Golden Nectar and Jade Liquid, what would they do? If there was none, it was not a big deal; they would just have to ept their bad luck. But if there was some and it wasn¡¯t enough for everyone, how would they divide it? Were they to settle it by ying rock-paper-scissors? Demon Path Cultivators, of course, have characteristic ways of the Demonic Path to resolve such issues. Now that they haven¡¯t found the Vermilion Grass yet, there¡¯s no need to turn against each other. Once it¡¯s found, that would be the start of another war. After circling the Divine Pce again, Long Xiaoqi suddenly said, ¡°Could the entrance be at the bottom of theke?¡± As this was said, everyone had a sh of insight, as if enlightened. It wasn¡¯t convenient for the human race to have an entrance built at theke bottom given the daily ins and outs, but who knew what the ancient Demon Race was thinking? Therefore, everyone once again flew into theke with their swords, but this time there was no little golden sword to lead the way. Instead of returning to the real world, they went directly underwater.
¡­That little golden sword was the key to traveling back and forth from the mystic realm. If there was an internal fight among the teamter, the key must be taken; otherwise, they would have to die trapped here¡­ Everyone noted this in their hearts and saw ahead that amongst the underwater grass and corals, the walls of the underwater section of the Divine Pce emerged. In the middle, there was a huge opening, with no door and wide open, through which they could see the Everbright Lamps embedded in the walls. ¡°The entrance really is at the bottom of theke!¡± Upon seeing this, Jiang Liyan was overjoyed and looked around to see if anyone was willing to go first. But she only saw Wen Yang, Gu Lie, and the others were looking at each other¡­ Everyone was an old hand at the Demonic Path, and no one wanted to take the risk of entering the Divine Pce first. They were all waiting for someone to test the waters first, thenpeting for the chance to be the second one to go. This way, if there were any mechanisms by the door, such as traps specifically targeting the human race, they would be able to withdraw in time. ¡°I¡¯ll go first,¡± Wei Dongliu said, patting his palm, and without waiting for anybody¡¯s response, he led the way with his sword toward the entrance. As he approached the entrance, he suddenly stopped abruptly, and in his mind, he shouted, ¡°Ah Jing, scan!¡± Chapter 254: 46: Ten Aspects Release Method, The Transformation of the Fox Demon Chapter 254: Chapter 46: Ten Aspects Release Method, The Transformation of the Fox Demon ¡°A trap?¡± ¡°Yes.¡± ¡°What kind?¡± ¡°Hard to say,¡± Kunlun Mirror mused, ¡°but there are indeed several mechanisms concealed behind the entrance, which seem to have the function of detecting race.¡± ¡°Detecting race?¡± ¡°Mainly aimed at guarding against humans,¡± Kunlun Mirror exined. ¡°If an intruder is detected to be human, the mechanism will activate the restrictions.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Wei Dongliu turned back and said to the others, ¡°There seem to be mechanisms and restrictions here that, upon detecting a human¡¯s entrance, would be triggered.¡± ¡°Are you sure?¡± Wen Yang frowned and asked. ¡°If you don¡¯t believe me, feel free to try,¡± Wei Dongliu said calmly. No one asked him how he was so sure because secret techniques are confidential among cultivators, not to be disclosed.
Hence, everyone gathered at the entrance, cautiously exchanging nces with each other. ¡°If it¡¯s just a matter of detecting intruders, it¡¯s easy; I have Nether Ghosts at hand to test it,¡± Wen Yang said solemnly. ¡°But if it¡¯s as Wei Dao You says, specifically detecting humans, it probably won¡¯t work.¡± ¡°There¡¯s no vige nearby either,¡± Gu Lie also frowned and said, ¡°Otherwise, capturing a living person to throw in as a test would be the safest method.¡± Wei Dongliu was incredibly calm on the side, yet inwardly he clicked his tongue in wonder. Wow, talking about using a live person to test just like that, that¡¯s demonic thinking for you. I couldn¡¯t even imagine it! ¡°The demons I keep are all demon heads, not humans, so I can¡¯t test it,¡± Jiang Liyan said indifferently. ¡°Could a paper effigy work?¡± Long Xiaoqi suddenly asked. ¡°A paper effigy?¡± Wei Dongliu asked in surprise. ¡°Take a paper effigy, smear it with blood and flesh, and connect it with qi through a secret technique to make it my substitute. Can it be recognized as human?¡± Long Xiaoqi asked seriously. ¡°Is that the ¡®False Puppet Substitution Technique¡¯ from the Eastern Emperor Sect?¡± Wen Yang suddenly eximed, ¡°Long Dao You has mastered this technique?¡± ¡°That¡¯s the one.¡± Long Xiaoqi nodded and then turned to Wei Dongliu, ¡°Would that work?¡± ¡°Let¡¯s try it.¡± Wei Dongliu was nomittal and turned to ask Kunlun Mirror inside, ¡°What¡¯s the False Puppet Substitution Technique? It sounds powerful.¡± ¡°I have never heard of the False Puppet Substitution Technique,¡± replied the Green Duckweed Sword, ¡°though I have heard of the ¡®Dragon Effigy Substitution Technique¡¯.¡± ¡°The Dragon n intimidates demons with their Dragon¡¯s Might, then uses a secret technique of dragon breath to refine them, stripping their divine sense and spiritual wisdom, turning their flesh and blood into a mass while still keeping them alive, called a dragon effigy.¡± ¡°When necessary, by linking it with one¡¯s qi, it can cause restrictions, formations, and even Heavenly Tribtion to mistake the effigy for an actual member of the Dragon n as a special means of preserving life.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Wei Dongliu suddenly understood. Looking at Long Xiaoqi, she took a plump ball from her sleeve, bit her fingertip, and smeared her blood on it. The ball immediately stretched out and transformed into a girl nearly identical to Long Xiaoqi¡¯s appearance, staggering towards the entrance ahead.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Is Long Xiaoqi a human?¡± Wei Dongliu¡¯s thoughts shifted as he asked. ¡°No,¡± Kunlun Mirror responded, ¡°there¡¯s something wrong with that blood.¡±
All eyes were glued on the dragon effigy as it charged into the entrance. As soon as it stepped halfway in, purple-ck thunder balls appeared all around, numerous and chilling to behold, spread all around, surging toward the center where the dragon effigy was like a tidal wave. The effigy was struck by a thunder ball and immediately turned into a wisp of green smoke, fading into nothingness. ¡°Dead,¡± Long Xiaoqi said, spreading her hands. ¡°Is that restriction based on Thunder Method?¡± Wen Yang¡¯s eyes slightly widened, his breathing growing a bit heavier.
Thunder Method by nature overpowers evil and breaks curses, causing great harm to Nether Ghosts. Especially the Jade Pivot Thunder from the Kunlun Sect ¨C although no cultivators study it these days, all throughout the history of the Nether Ghost Path, disciples have been repeatedly cautioned to be particrly wary of Thunder Method. If all the restrictions inside Mirror Lake Divine Pce are rted to Thunder Method, it would pose a significant repression for a disciple of the Nether Ghost Path like him. ¡°If my guess is correct,¡± Wei Dongliu said gravely, ¡°that seems to be the North Pole Renxuan Xuanming Water Thunder, which is extremely powerful underwater andes with an ice-cold freezing effect. Ordinary magical treasures would directly freeze and crack upon contact, shattering their essence.¡± ¡°Wei Daoist friend is indeed knowledgeable and experienced,¡± Wen Yang said slowly. ¡°Do you have a strategy to counter it?¡± ¡°None,¡± Wei Dongliu shook his head. Qiu Changtian had also practiced the Pr Thunder and naturally knew that although the thunder seemed dim and lightless, it was actually violent and extraordinary, almost impossible to deal with except by direct confrontation. Thus, everyone began to ponder deeply in the water, the atmosphere gradually growing tense, and their expressions became troubled. They had already found the Mirror Lake Divine Pce; if a thunder method restriction were to block their way, and they had to turn back, none of them would be willing to do so. But to continue forward, they were at a loss, unable toe up with any good methods¡ªif there were any, thunder methods wouldn¡¯t be feared by cultivators in the world. ¡°I do have a strategy; it just depends on whether you dare to tell them,¡± the Kunlun Mirror suddenly said. ¡°What strategy?¡± Wei Dongliu was initially delighted but then said, ¡°It isn¡¯t some n where I pretend to lure them away, and you teleport me inside, and Ie back holding the treasures saying, ¡®Look, I¡¯ve already got it,¡¯ the kind of n that takes others for fools, right?¡± ¡°Of course not!¡± the Kunlun Mirror immediately retorted angrily, ¡°In fact, that witch can pass through directly, just think about it!¡± Jiang Liyan? Wei Dongliu pondered for a moment, then suddenly realized.
The Ten Aspects Release Method! The Heavenly Demon Path¡¯s Ten Aspects Release Method was a top-ranked illusion technique in the world, said to freely change one¡¯s face, stature, skin color, voice, and scent, as well as transform into a child, youth, elder, strong man, or woman. If one could disguise as a demon and the restriction couldn¡¯t see through it, wouldn¡¯t it fail to activate? He immediately said solemnly: ¡°Jiang Daoist friend, how about you use your Ten Aspects Release Method?¡± Jiang Liyan was first startled, then eximed: ¡°Wait! The Ten Aspects Release Method is just an illusion technique; at most, it can deceive a cultivator¡¯s Divine Sense probing, but it might not necessarily work against formation restrictions!¡± ¡°How do you know it won¡¯t work?¡± Wei Dongliu asked with a smile. Jiang Liyan¡¯s expression stiffened as she heard Wen Yang say next to her: ¡°Indeed. Since we have no other methods, we might as well have Jiang Daoist friend give it a try.¡± ¡°If Jiang Daoist friend has another method, feel free to share it,¡± Gu Lie said with narrowed eyes, echoing the sentiment. You say one thing, I say another, immediately cornering Jiang the Witch with no way out. As long as she couldn¡¯t produce a better method, everyone would be forced to push her to give it a try. Jiang Liyan was not one of kind temperament and was not inclined toply so easily. Just as she was about to utter some sinister threats, she suddenly remembered something.
It was Wei the rogue who discovered the entrance trap and restrictions; the test results also proved that he wasn¡¯t lying. If he had intended to kill and silence everyone from the beginning, to monopolize the treasures inside, would he resort to such a low-level method? All he needed was to pretend not to know about the entrance restrictions and let others test it. Ultimately, someone would die first, and no one could put the me on him. Moreover, since he imed that the Ten Aspects Release Method could work against the restrictions ahead and was so insistent on pushing me to try, if it turned out to be ineffective and I died within the restrictions, wouldn¡¯t his credibility within the team be immediately destroyed? What would be the benefit for him? On careful analysis, he must be confident about something; he must be convinced that the Ten Aspects Release Method could indeed pass through the entrance ahead but couldn¡¯t say it openly, which was why he was so adamant. Remembering thest time on Golden Turtle Ind, when she was suppressed by that demon monk¡¯s purple-gold alms bowl, Wei the rogue had indeed saved her without breaking his promise¡­ Jiang Liyan then ced a bit more trust in him, but her face still showed an aggrieved expression as she said: ¡°Since Wei Daoist friend wishes for this humble woman to give it a try, then I will entrust my life to Wei Daoist friend.¡± As she spoke sorrowfully, she activated the Ten Aspects Release Method. Her face shape slightly elongated, her eyebrows and eyes narrowed a bit, fuzzy hair grew below her nose, and her ears wriggled upwards, eventually turning into a pair of beast ears. A female yellow weasel? No, it seemed more like a fox demon sister! With a face clearly of a demon, Jiang the Witch carefully moved forward with Sword Control, ready to use a Secret Technique to escape at any moment should her ¡°Danger Intuition¡± arise. Chapter 255: 47 I Found the Hell Path! Chapter 255: Chapter 47 I Found the Hell Path! Wen Yang felt that something was very off. He had dealt with Jiang Liyan before and knew that although the witch was curious, her personality was filled with extreme suspicion. For example, during the exploration of ancient ruins, she would often suddenly take off halfway through. Of course, everyone was unaware that Jiang the Witch had the feature of being ¡°extremely reliant on intuition,¡± and simply thought she saw a bow in a cup¡¯s reflection and suspected enemies in every bush, hence they treated it as a joke. How could such an extremely cautious witch entrust her ¡°life in his judgment¡± just because of a sentence from fellow Wei? What a joke! How long have these two known each other? Could they be having an affair? While Wen Yang was making various spections and gossipping, he saw Jiang Liyan moving meticulously step by step to the spot where the dragon puppet had been destroyed by the Thunder Method Restrictions. There was no reaction. Wei Dongliu felt greatly relieved, thinking to himself that his Ah Jing would not make a mistake.
Wen Yang and the others were also overjoyed, someone had finally passed through the Thunder Method Restrictions! After the joy, they immediately turned to rage: Damn, why wasn¡¯t that person me! This way, all the benefits inside would be taken by Jiang the Witch! Jiang Liyan also realized this and found that her Ten Aspects Release Method could safely pass through the entrance restrictions, she immediately controlled her sword and turned into a streak of light, rushing inside,pletely different from her earlier dawdling. Her sword light disappeared into the depths of the corridor, and the four cultivators outside stood silently in the water, wordless with one another. ¡°Won¡¯t fellow Wei exin?¡± Wen Yang couldn¡¯t help but ask. ¡°Exin what?¡± Wei Dongliu asked nonchntly in return. ¡°If it goes on like this, all the benefits inside will be swept up by Jiang the Witch!¡± Gu Lie said angrily, ¡°We would be left picking up nothing on the outside!¡± ¡°That won¡¯t be the case,¡± Wei Dongliu said, ¡°She wille back.¡± ¡°Why won¡¯t that be?¡± Long Xiaoqi asked curiously, his eyes blinking as if to say, ¡°Could it be that there really is an affair between you two?¡± ¡°Because the key is in my hand,¡± Wei Dongliu said. The others were slightly stunned and then remembered the golden sword that the Qilin had given him, they immediately fell silent. Jiang the Witch thought she had stumbled upon good luck, but wasn¡¯t shepletely calcted by others? In the end, it was a wasted effort, which was truly pitiful. Sure enough, not even half a moment passed when Jiang Liyan, with the appearance of a fox demon, appeared again from around the corner, greeting everyone casually as if nothing had happened: ¡°I just went in for a look, it¡¯s okay, there aren¡¯t any mechanisms¡­ why are you all looking at me like that?¡± ¡°To think that even after entering the Divine Pce, fellow Jiang did not forget her old friends, it¡¯s truly touching,¡± Wen Yang said sardonically. ¡°Of course, we are a team, after all,¡± Jiang Liyan said shamelessly and then turned to look at Wei Dongliu, ¡°Fellow Wei, now that I havee in, is there any way to break this mechanism?¡± ¡°On the wall, count the third Everbright Lamp from the left to the right and rotate it clockwise for oneplete turn,¡± the Kunlun Mirror prompted.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om
Wei Dongliu repeated the instructions exactly, and Jiang Liyan followed them precisely, only to hear a sound resembling electric arcs exploding all around. ¡°Is it unlocked?¡± Gu Lie asked uncertainly. ¡°Hmm,¡± Wei Dongliu received a prompt from the Kunlun Mirror and took the lead in moving forward. The group watched in silence as he calmly walked into the entrance, and nothing happened.
The restrictions had indeed been lifted. Gu Lie and the others hastened to follow, meeting up with Wei Dongliu and Jiang Liyan. They had finally entered the Mirror Lake Divine Pce, and although everyone visibly rxed, they couldn¡¯t help but feel anxious. If the entrance¡¯s restrictions were so difficult to break, how dangerous would it be inside? They could only take one step at a time and see. After a moment, Wen Yang secretly transmitted his voice to Jiang Liyan, asking: ¡°Who exactly is this Wei fellow? How do you know him?¡± ¡°That¡¯s a long story,¡± Jiang Liyan chuckled. Saying it¡¯s a long story meant if you insist on asking, I can only make up a lie for you. Wen Yang then tactfully closed the subject, shifting the topic: ¡°Don¡¯t you think that he seems like someone from¡­ that ce?¡± ¡°Where?¡± Jiang Liyan didn¡¯t understand. Wen Yang hinted discreetly: ¡°Among the Six Paths, who takes precedence?¡±
¡°That would be either the Heavenly Demon Path or the Nether Ghost Path¡­¡± Jiang Liyan began, but suddenly her realization hit her hard, ¡°Could it be the Hell Path?¡± ¡°Mm.¡± ¡°No way, how did you figure that out?¡± Jiang Liyan was incredulous and uncertain. ¡°Because I can¡¯t figure him out, that¡¯s exactly why I suspect he¡¯s from the Hell Path!¡± exined Wen Yang, ¡°Look, people from the Hell Path are also incredibly powerful yet mysterious in their origins, aren¡¯t they?¡± Jiang Liyan knew well what he referred to: It was said that over seven hundred years ago, a Nascent Soul bigwig from the Mortal Life Path¡ª for some unknown reason, whether dissatisfaction with the long-term stealth of the Hell Path, or an intent to usurp their prestige as direct descendants of the Intercepting Cult¡ª took the lead in convening a summit of the Six Paths. He dered that any Sect not attending would be expelled from the Six Paths alignment. This was obviously aimed at the Hell Path because after the Intercepting Cult¡¯s defeat in the great battle of interpretation and detriment, the Hell Path¡¯s forebear, the Immacte Mother (then called ¡°Immacte Virgin¡±), had decreed upon passing down the teachings that disciples were strictly forbidden to participate in public events under the banner of the Hell Path. In other words, you could visit other Cultivators privately as a Hell Path Cultivator or join public events under a disguised identity, but you could not swagger around proudly with your Hell Path status¡­ Basically, the Hell Path was not to appear before the public eye. That Nascent Soul bigwig from the Mortal Life Path obviously meant to strip them of their status and prestige, betting that the Hell Path wouldn¡¯t dare to show themselves and seize the opportunity to depose them. The Hell Path¡¯s response was straightforward: on the day of the Six Paths summit, the Nascent Soul bigwig who had initiated the event did not show up. Later, it was discovered that he and about a hundred Golden Core and Foundation Establishment disciples had all been killed within their Sect Residence in the Mount Wutai Range. In short, when ites to the Hell Path, the first impression for everyone is ¡°mysterious¡±¡ªbecause few Cultivators have dealt with them, and most of those who imed they had were mostly lying or boasting. The second impression is ¡°powerful¡±¡ªas no one witnessed their moves, and most who did witness were dead, so presumably they must be overwhelmingly powerful, otherwise how could they maintain such mystery? Upon closer reflection, Jiang the Witch suddenly realized that all of Wei the Scoundrel¡¯s characteristics almost perfectly matched those of the Hell Path! Firstly, his origins were obscure, which he very secretively avoided discussing, yet he seemed thoroughly knowledgeable about the various situations in the Cultivation World¡ªsurely a source of information from the Hell Path!
Secondly, he imed to have no master, saying he was a self-taught Loose Cultivator, yet his strength was preposterously formidable¡ªsurely cultivated with the Hell Path¡¯s resources! Finally, learning the way of Formations required abundant resources, not possible without the backing of a major Sect. All the new talents from the other Five Paths were here, and previously none knew Wei the Scoundrel, while Orthodox Sect Cultivators were unlikely to practice Demonic Techniques¡­ All things considered, the likelihood that Wei the Scoundrel originated from the Hell Path was extremely high! It was virtually a certainty! Chapter 256: 48 Wei the Demon Lord Makes Another Appearance Chapter 256: Chapter 48 Wei the Demon Lord Makes Another Appearance ¡°` The group continued forward and saw that at the end of the corridor there was a mirror. A huge mirror, like a floor-to-ceiling window. Within the mirror, five different faces were reflected. Wen Yang¡¯s face differed on the left and right sides, the left being male and the right female. The left side was withered and rotting like a corpse, while the right side was transparent and gloomy like a ghost. Gu Lie had the face of an aged Buddha, grimacing and ring as though possessed by a mad demon. Yet, tears flowed from his eyes and blood from the corners of his mouth, revealing a hint ofpassion amidst the madness. Long Xiaoqi had the bizarre face of an ancient person, with long whiskers, a protruding mouth, and horns on top of his head. His pupils were golden and vertical, his gaze vacant as he stared straight at his own reflection. Jiang Liyan was a shapeless mass of skin that concaved and convexed, inted and deted. His orifices emitted arge amount of ck mist, like a leaking high-pressure balloon. As for Wei Dongliu, he was a mysterious figure with no face. Countless faces shed across his own, as if each were his own, and yet as if none belonged to him. The group stared at their reflections in the mirror, silent and wordless.
After a while, Gu Lie murmured, ¡°What the hell is this damn thing?¡± ¡°There are no traces of illusion techniques here,¡± Jiang Liyan said seriously, ¡°it seems that it¡¯s merely distorting our images in some way.¡± ¡°Can I smash it?¡± Wen Yang asked in a sinister tone, clearly displeased with the reflection in the mirror. ¡°Better not,¡± Wei Dongliu advised as he took out a golden small sword, bnced it on his palm, and flicked it forward like a dart. The small sword went into the mirror, and in an instant, the reflections of everyone disappeared. The giant mirror surface opened like a door, revealing the passage behind. ¡°So what exactly was that?¡± Gu Lie asked, his tone still somewhat lost and hazy. ¡°Who cares what it was, as long as we¡¯re past it,¡± Wen Yang said impatiently. Wei Dongliu watched calmly from the side and silently asked the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°What was that in the mirror just now?¡± ¡°Temte mapping,¡± Kunlun Mirror replied tersely, ¡°You wouldn¡¯t understand if I exined.¡± Wei Dongliu: ? Hey, how am I supposed to understand if you don¡¯t tell me? Damned riddle mirror! The group continued moving forward until they reached a spacious area resembling a main hall. Both Kunlun and Shushan had such halls where ancestral worship and other ceremonies were held, and thus, they were often decorated with magnificence and splendor¡­ otherwise, they wouldn¡¯t reflect the majesty of the sect. However, while the main hall of the Mirror Lake Divine Pce was also luxurious and grand, it was probably left in such disarray due to the hasty departure previously, leaving the scene almost a mess. Overturned tables, cups scattered on the ground, torn and ripped draperies showcased the desperate tension the Demon Race felt when they were cornered, vividly disyed before everyone¡¯s eyes. ¡°Be careful,¡± Jiang Liyan suddenly said, ¡°The Demon Race withdrew almost a hundred thousand years ago, the pce itself might be fine, but how could these pieces of furniturest undamaged to this day?¡± Hearing this, everyone immediately converged towards the center, careful not to touch the tables and cups on the ground.
¡°Wei Dao-friend, what do you think?¡± Wen Yang suddenly asked, clearly seeking his advice. ¡°Illusion technique,¡± Wei Dongliu replied sinctly. ¡°It¡¯s an illusion technique?¡± Gu Lie said in shock and skepticism. He then bit his finger, smeared the blood on his forehead, and pinched a strange spell, then widened his eyes to look. No change.
Whether it was the tables, cups, the draperies, or even the gold paint on the pirs, none of them showed any signs of aging. It was as if the departure had urred just the day before. He couldn¡¯t help looking suspiciously at Wei Dongliu again, only to see him snap his fingers. In concert with the Kunlun Mirror, a secret technique to break the illusion was activated, and in an instant, all the surrounding furniture vanished¡­ The only thing left was the wall in front of the main hall, which also had a giant mirror embedded in it. ¡°`n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om A figure emerged from the mirror, initially vague, but as he walked closer, his facial features became clearer and clearer until he stood in front of the mirror and everyone saw that it was actually Gu Lie. To be precise, it was the demonic Buddha-like Gu Lie they had seen in the mirror before. The Demon Buddha greeted them with a single-palm salute, chanted ¡°Amitabha,¡± and then stepped straight out of the mirror into the great hall. ¡°What the hell are you!¡± Gu Lie immediately screamed. ¡°Amitabha.¡± The Demon Buddha red with bulging eyes, grinding his teeth, his expression full of furious ferocity. But for some reason, there was a look ofpassion in his eyes, and his tone was gentle and merciful: ¡°Gu Lie, I am the good thoughts in your heart.¡± ¡°You disguise yourself with ughter and brutality, but it¡¯s to keep the goodness in your heart¡­.¡±
¡°Shut the hell up!¡± Gu Lie didn¡¯t dare to let him finish, immediately drawing the Blood-colored Flying Sword and charged forward with clenched teeth. Facing the Blood-colored Flying Sword, the Demon Buddha didn¡¯t dodge or evade but simply swung the Buddhist beads in his left hand which wrapped around several times on the iing sword, stopping itpletely from chopping down. Jiang Liyan waved her robe and three Demon Heads flew out, transforming into giant men with green faces and fangs in the air, the thirty-six manifested demons of the Heavenly Demon Path, ferociously grabbing at the Demon Buddha. The Demon Buddha counter-stroked, exchanging a palm strike with the manifested demons, only to see thetter¡¯s arm from palm to elbow, from elbow to shoulder, explode instantaneously, bones shattered and flesh bursting apart. ¡°The Esteemed One of Blood Rage!¡± Jiang Liyan screamed, ¡°Old Demon Gu, you¡¯ve cultivated the Heiluga Dharma Body?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not me!¡± Gu Lie ranted frantically. Jiang Liyan continued manipting the spells, controlling the two remaining manifested demons to keep engaging with the Demon Buddha, avoiding a direct and tough confrontation. Wen Yang brought his two fingers together and initiated the ¡°Grudge Curse Binding Kill,¡± an attack incantation from the Nether Ghost Path, sending countless gray ghost shadows toward it. The Demon Buddha, holding his Buddhist beads in his right hand, was arm-wrestling the sweat-drenched Gu Lie who was controlling the Flying Sword, and with his left hand, he was entangled with Jiang the Witch¡¯s manifested demons. Suddenly, as if by magic, he produced a purple-gold alms bowl from his sleeve, catching the rushing gray ghost shadows in one fell swoop. Wen Yang suddenly realized the connection with his ghost spirits was severed, nearly spitting blood in anger and fear, eximing: ¡°Golden Core Realm! If the opponent can easily capture my Nether Ghosts, they must be of the Golden Core Realm without a doubt!¡± ¡°If not in the Golden Core Realm, how could he confront the Esteemed One of Blood Rage?!¡± Gu Lie yelled in horror and disarray,pletely at a disadvantage, with his Flying Sword being pulled around by the Demon Buddha¡¯s beads, utterly embarrassed. ¡°Get out of the way! Let me do it!¡± Long Xiaoqi suddenly charged forward, her arm swelling rapidly into a giant w, smacking straight down toward the Demon Buddha¡¯s crown.
Her giant w was even mightier than Jiang the Witch¡¯s manifested demons, bearing a strong gust of wind on its strike. The Demon Buddha cleverly stepped back to evade, and with a backhanded elbow, toppled Long Xiaoqi. Gu Lie attempted to seize the chance to recover his Flying Sword but was thwarted as the Demon Buddha span his beads, tossing the Blood-colored Flying Sword into a corner where ity immobilized. Then another palm strike from the Demon Buddha sent Gu Lie flying. He then strode towards Wen Yang and the others. Wen Yang clenched his teeth, forming a spell with his hand, seemingly ready tounch a desperate secret technique. Jiang Liyan also summoned five more manifested demons, cing them in front, while she quietly retreated. The Demon Buddha continued his pace, chanting aloud: ¡°I am but a drifting duckweed, why seek the lifespan of a green pine? I shall now relieve you of your burdens, just give me a moment.¡± Heunched his palms forward, and an iron-blue glow surfaced above them, apanied by the thunderous roar of the wind following the punches. One palm dispersed Wen Yang¡¯s Nether Ghosts and another repelled Jiang the Witch¡¯s manifested demons, and just as he was about to kill them on the spot, a Flying Sword suddenly intercepted from the side, holding off his iron fist. There stood Wei Dongliu, holding the sword with one hand, his hair and pupils blood-red, clearly in the state of a Chaotic Demon Body, scornfully scanning the surroundings and saying: ¡°Such a mediocre opponent has you all looking like this?¡± No sooner had his words fallen than the Demon Buddha abruptly retreated, growling: ¡°Where has this outsider evil demone from? No¡­ this aura, are you the progeny of Abhramu?¡±
¡°Are you fit to inquire about my origins?¡± Wei Dongliu countered with a sword swing, and the Demon Buddha met it with both hands, only to have his palms prated by the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, thrusting straight at his face! Chapter 257: 49 Jiang the Witch Has Been Sunk Chapter 257: Chapter 49 Jiang the Witch Has Been Sunk Hearing the roar of the Demon Buddha, everyone was slightly taken aback at his words. What is A Bang Luo Sha?n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Only Wen Yang was dazed for a moment, his heart suddenly filled with great rm. A Bang Luo Sha¡­ Wasn¡¯t that the Demon Lord from Abi Hell? How could it be possible! As a Nether Ghost Path Judge, he naturally knew more about the Nine Serenities Underworld than any other Cultivator. The Nine Serenities Underworld was thend of Souls¡¯ Reincarnation, and it was also a ¡°special secret realm¡± that Nether Ghost Path Cultivators could attempt to visit after reaching the Golden Core Realm. Below the Nine Serenities Underworldy the Multiyered Hell. Compared with the Nine Serenities Underworld, Hell was undoubtedly much more perilous, and even Nascent Soul Realm Cultivators did not dare to involve themselves easily, with only fragments left by past Intercepting Cult Immortals providing a glimpse to Cultivators. The deepestyer of Hell was ¡°Abi Hell,¡± the least mentioned among all the hells. References to the Abi Devil Lord were sparse, with only one line in a certain scripture:
Utterly evil and foul, an incarnation of filth. Putting aside other factors, just Wei Dongliu¡¯s red hair and beard, including his blood-filled, abnormal pupils, made calling him a ¡°Demon Lord¡± absolutely fitting. While Wen Yang was in a state of anxious doubt, Jiang Liyan was paralyzed on the spot, suddenly covering her nose and letting out a muffled hum. So handsome!!! Wei Dongliu¡¯s Demon Lord getup was domineering, powerful, and devilishly charming; it thoroughly danced upon every one of her fetishes, to the point that Jiang the Witch even felt an impulsive urge to throw herself at him recklessly for a moment. However, being a mentally mature Cultivator, she naturally wouldn¡¯t allow her primal instincts to easily sway her. She bit her tongue lightly, suppressing all fanciful thoughts, and then summoned her Manifest Demonic Spirits to block off the Demon Buddha¡¯s escape routes from both sides and the rear. Wei the Demon Lord, holding the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, casually swung it to sever the opposition. The Demon Buddha struggled awkwardly,cking his formerposure when single-handedly confronting three opponents, and even chose to take a punch from the Manifest Demonic Spirits on his back rather than face the direct stab of the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword. He hurriedly took several steps back, suddenly feeling an itch on the back of his neck. A Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu had already bitten through his neck, and the Demon Buddha quickly moved to swat it away, but his arm turned ck halfway through the motion, and his whole body helplessly copsed forward. Wei Dongliu smoothly raised the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, its tip gliding across the Demon Buddha¡¯s neck, cleanly severing his head from his body. Then, with a backhanded throw, he cast the golden little sword towards the mirror, and instantly, the mirror wall opened up a portal, revealing the corridor leading to the Inner Hall. Long Xiaoqi slowly awoke, Gu Lie struggled to rise, Jiang Liyan¡¯s gaze wandered, and Wen Yang¡¯s expression was nk. At this moment, Wen Yang waspletely dumbfounded, with only one thought in his mind: Abi Devil Lord, Endless Hell¡­ Who would dare say you¡¯re not from the Hell Path?! The onlookers looked at each other, and all were momentarily speechless concerning the Demon Buddha¡¯s death at the hands of Wei Dongliu, not sure how to react next. The Demon Cult preaches ¡°might makes right,¡± where your power determines others¡¯ attitudes towards you.
When the five had initially met, Wei Dongliu swiftly subdued Gu Lie with the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu, earning his position as the leader of the team¡ªbecause everyone reckoned they couldn¡¯t withstand the Hundred Poison Golden Silkworm Gu facehug. Bearing this in mind, when the team set out and Wei Dongliu suddenly received a transmission from the Qilin, stating they should take the southern route, everyone, despite being astonished and hesitant, still trusted his judgment. However, ¡°defeating those Foundation Establishment Realm Cultivators¡± and ¡°defeating a Golden Core Realm Cultivator¡± imply levels of power that are not on the same ne. To put it in amonce analogy, the former lets everyone acknowledge you as the ¡°big brother,¡± but at least we are still of the same generation.
Thetter means that we¡¯re not on the same level anymore, and everyone should treat you as a senior¡­ It¡¯s not an impossible adjustment, as Demon Cult Cultivators can be very adaptable, but it does involve a quick shift from calling someone ¡°bro¡± to ¡°boss,¡± essentially tearing off one¡¯s own face and trampling it underfoot. After a long stare, Gu Lie made a decision first. The Demon Buddha¡¯s cultivation technique andbat style were exactly the same as his own, just like a ¡°future version of Gu Lie¡± at the Golden Core Realm. Even he, who has already formed his core, was severely beaten by the other party. What face did he have to call someone else ¡°fellow Daoist¡±? Was he worthy? He might as well just start licking ass! So, he quickly put on a smile and was about to tter the others respectfully, when he saw Jiang the Witch rush towards Wei Dongliu with a speed much faster than his, and in an instant, she eagerly said: ¡°Wei fellow Daoist! What kind of cultivation technique is this?¡± Wei Dongliu looked at her coldly without uttering a word. Seeing that he didn¡¯t strike her and given that her Danger Intuition didn¡¯t issue any warnings, Jiang Liyan immediately rxed, and the smile on her face became even more brilliant. She was a witch of the Heavenly Demon Path, most adept at observing words and expressions, manipting hearts, and she also discerned that Wei Dongliu was in an abnormal state at that moment, seemingly some kind of Dharma Body. Hmm, in light of what the Demon Buddha said earlier, let¡¯s tentatively call it the ¡°Abi Devil Lord Dharma Body.¡± This Abi Devil Lord Dharma Body clearly changed Wei Dongliu¡¯s personality, making him proud and unyielding, wild and unrestrained.
Of course, this actually added to his charm¡­ Of course, that¡¯s not the point! The main thing was that even though his disposition changed, he hadn¡¯t lost his sanity. As long as Wei Dongliu was still rational, there was no reason for him to harm her. After all, she was helping to guide his two disciples! ¡°Wei fellow Daoist, why is your hair red?¡± Jiang Liyan shamelessly moved closer, trying to touch his hair but Wei Dongliu pped her hand away impatiently. ¡°Don¡¯t touch me!¡± ¡°Wei fellow Daoist, what¡¯s with your eyes, a pupil within a pupil? It looks pretty good, though!¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± Jiang the Witch was undeterred, just kept giggling and pestering Wei Dongliu, talking to him non-stop, with adoration almost materializing from her eyes. Seeing this, the others breathed a sigh of relief. Thanks to Fellow Daoist Jiang¡¯s shameless interruption of the awkward atmosphere, they didn¡¯t have to hesitate about whether to let go of their dignity and start groveling¡­ She had already slobbered all over him; what¡¯s wrong with a fewplimentary words from us? And so, everyone started to heap praise on him. ¡°We owe it to Wei fellow Daoist for striking down that Demon Buddha!¡± Wen Yang said with a beaming smile, ¡°Otherwise, we¡¯d be in grave danger right now!¡± ¡°Wei fellow Daoist, this must be the Demon Lord Dharma Body.¡± Gu Lie also showed an expression of admiration, ¡°To possess a Dharma Body before forming a Golden Core, you truly have a limitless future ahead of you, Wei fellow Daoist!¡± ¡°Impressive,¡± said Long Xiaoqi.
Wei Dongliu ignored all the ttery, just kept waving his hand to shoo away the faceless Jiang the Witch. ¡°Wei fellow Daoist, how long can you maintain this Dharma Body? All day?¡± ¡°Wei fellow Daoist, I will pick out a ck robe for you when we get back; the ck and redbination will look even better!¡± ¡°Wei fellow Daoist, can you scold me one more time? Something like, ¡®I¡¯m not interested in you, woman,¡¯ perhaps?¡± Wei Dongliu looked at her expressionlessly, silently operating the ¡°Demon-Subduing Upper Spirit Division to rify the Obscure ssic,¡± transforming all the Demon Origin in his body back into Daoist True Yuan. Soon, his blood-red hair shifted back to jet ck, the double-pupils in his eyes quickly faded away, and the unruly and enchanting demeanor also disappeared from his face, restoring it to an expressionless icy visage. Jiang Liyan blinked, feeling suddenly empty inside as if she had lost something very important to her. Ah, how nd. ¡°Let¡¯s continue onward,¡± she turned around, pointing to the entrance of the corridor ahead, and said indifferently to Wei Dongliu, ¡°We don¡¯t have much time left.¡± Wen Yang and Gu Lie chuckled awkwardly, keeping an eye on Wei Dongliu¡¯s expression. Long Xiaoqi¡¯s gaze wandered back and forth between the two, seemingly curious about Jiang Liyan¡¯s 180-degree change in attitude. ¡°Alright,¡± Wei Dongliu didn¡¯t hold these things against them and took the lead, walking forward. Chapter 258: 50: Ambush the Two-faced Ghost Chapter 258: Chapter 50: Ambush the Two-faced Ghost Passing through the main hall, they arrived at the side hall. In most Sects, the side hall is an auxiliary building to the main hall. For instance, while immortals gather in the main hall, disciples wait in the side hall to be summoned. The group left the main hall and entered the side hall along the corridor, only to see it was empty except for a huge mirror embedded in the wall opposite them. Everyone revealed a distressed expression almost simultaneously. It was only natural for the Mirror Lake Divine Pce to be equipped with mirror-rted Restrictions, and everyone had anticipated this. However, the thought of what was to follow still caused them considerable headache. The moment they stepped into the side hall, an apparition appeared on the mirror. They saw a creature with faces on either side; its figure was bewitchingly voluptuous, the left face shriveled like a male corpse, the right ethereal like a female ghost. Stepping out of the mirror, it asked with a seductive female voice, ¡°Brother, is my body still useful to you¡­¡±
Before the voice had faded, Wen Yang had already exploded into action, chanting an incantation with urgency, ¡°Sovereign of Darkness and Demons, Tai Xuan gives birth to water!¡± As soon as he finished speaking, a child-like Nether Ghost appeared at his feet. It was five inches tall, dressed in a ck feathered coat, holding a ck banner. The child cackled and waved the ck banner, which producedrge amounts of ink-ck water that surged towards the two-faced ghost. The two-faced ghost spoke with a resentful tone, ¡°Why did brother ruin my voice? It¡¯s so hoarse, so unpleasant¡­¡± Pointing its right arm at the ck water and uttering some unintelligible Curse Script, the murky water immediately parted on either side, rushing by without touching it. ¡°Nether Ghost Technique, all at will! It indeed has reached the Golden Core Realm!¡± On seeing this, Wen Yang¡¯s expression turned grave, and he felt a surge of fear, realizing he couldn¡¯t dispose of the adversary in a short time. He turned back and shouted,n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°Daoist Wei! I beseech your aid, I, Wen, will be indebted to you and follow your lead from here on!¡± ¡°Wait a moment, keep it upied,¡± Wei Dongliu said leisurely with his hands behind his back, ¡°It will take me about ten breaths to summon my Dharma Body.¡± Hearing this, Wen Yang almost spat blood: Why didn¡¯t you say that earlier! Yet, recalling how in the prior incident in the main hall, everyone was thoroughly beaten by the Demon Buddha before Wei Dongliu transformed into the Abi Devil Lord¡¯s Dharma Body and stepped in, he found himself without a word to criticize. He could only recite the ¡°Grudge Curse Binding Kill,¡± conjuring countless grey and white ghostly shadows that violently attacked the two-faced ghost. His intent was not to harm but to dy, all the while turning to call out, ¡°Fellow Daoists, assist me in striking it down! Otherwise, we all face endless troubles!¡± Jiang Liyan and the others were experienced Demon Path Cultivators, the kind who could infer thrice the meaning from a single sentence. Naturally, they instantly grasped Wen Yang¡¯s implied message, The demonic being conjured by the mirror understands our deepest inner fears. Help me conceal the truth and ughter it, andter when your own fears incarnate, I will naturally aid you to shroud and surround them just the same. Therefore, everyone took action in unison. Gu Lie stretched out his right hand to produce a Blood-colored Flying Sword, and with peerless agility, he instantly darted to the side of the two-faced ghost, thrusting the sword towards its chest. At the same time, his left arm also gathered a dark cyan light, which he smashed directly into the two-faced ghost¡¯s chest. A sound akin to thunder and wind reverberated with his punch; it was very much like the ¡°Blood-drinking Fury Noble¡± used earlier by the Demon Buddha. The Asura Path¡¯s ¡°Blood-drinking Fury Sovereign¡± is a Dharma Body that wields immense power in every action.
Today¡¯s Gu Lie had not yet reached the realm of the Demon Buddha, where power is wielded at will with freedom and without hindrance. His thunderous voice was deep but not sharp, and his speed was also a notch slower. The two-faced ghost, seemingly weightless, suddenly floated backwards gracefully, dodging Gu Lie¡¯s sword and fist attacks, while simultaneously extending a delicate hand to her lips and lightly blowing a breath towards him. Whoosh~ No sooner had the breath left her mouth than it transformed into arge amount of frost and snow, enveloping the unprepared Gu Lie entirely, causing him to stagger and fall to the ground, his entire body turning a frozen purple-blue.
¡°Multiriver Cold Technique!¡± Wen Yang immediately cried out a warning, ¡°Don¡¯t get close to it!¡± ¡°How can we fight if we don¡¯t get close?¡± Long Xiaoqi said coldly, stopping five steps away from the two-faced ghost andunching her Flying Sword towards the opponent. Her Sword Control Technique was not very sophisticated, but this sword, thrown with the force of her hand, actually had more strength than her Sword Control Technique, nailing the two-faced ghost directly to the wall with the speed of lightning. However, pierced through the chest, the two-faced ghost seemed unfazed, let out a giggle, and its body suddenly split open, expelling the sword within, then closed back up, leaving no trace of the wound. ¡°Bonesplitting Expansion Technique!¡± Wen Yang cried out in rm once again, ¡°Pure sword strikes are useless against it!¡± ¡°What kind of strange techniques have you been practicing!¡± Jiang Liyanined, ¡°We can¡¯t fight up close, we can¡¯t use sword control, how are we supposed to fight?¡± She manipted her Asura demons, surrounding the two-faced ghost entirely, only to have two of them frozen dead in a short while, which pained her deeply. ¡°Hold it off!¡± Wen Yang was also deeply frustrated. Multiriver Cold Technique and Bonesplitting Expansion Technique¡ªthese were secret techniques that he had practiced for years without sess, and now they were being used so slickly by this creature that he was almost green with jealousy. ¡°Hold off my ass!¡± A proud voice suddenly came from behind. The group turned around in surprise and joy, only to see Wei Dongliu had finally converted his True Yuan back into Demon Origin again; his hair and beard turned crimson, his eyes revealed double pupils, and with a casual wave of his arm, the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword shot out, piercing through the chest of the two-faced ghost once more. Just as the two-faced ghost was about to repeat its escape trick using the Bonesplitting Expansion Technique, it suddenly felt a strange and powerful sucking force from the sword. After a brief struggle, it let out a mournful cry as its soul was sucked into the sword, and its body lost all signs of life.
¡°Wow!¡± Before the crowd could even rx, Jiang the Witch rushed over to Wei Dongliu¡¯s side, grabbing his arm and smiling, ¡°You truly deserve to be called Wei Dao You.¡± ¡°Get lost!¡± ¡°How did you do it? Wasn¡¯t it said that sword thrusts are ineffective?¡± Jiang Liyan, undeterred by being pushed away and showing no shame, pressed on with curiosity shining in her eyes, much like Miss Shi when she first met Qiu Changtian, ¡°Could it be the technique of the Abi Devil Lord? Oh, you don¡¯t have to answer, I¡¯m not probing your secrets¡­ I¡¯m just asking casually.¡± Wei Dongliu red coldly, about to withdraw his Demon Origin once more, but Wen Yang gave him a look and Long Xiaoqi immediately grabbed Jiang the Witch from behind, dragging her away forcefully. What a joke! If Wei Dongliu, annoyed by the interruption, withdrew the Demon Lord Dharma Body again, for them to gather strength for the next challenge¡­ wouldn¡¯t they nearly exhaust themselves with another ten seconds of desperate struggle? As the Multiriver Cold Technique dissipated, Gu Lie¡¯s frozen body slowly started to revive as well. Trembling, he took an Elixir from within his robes and swallowed it; hisplexion immediately brightened visibly. Looking at Wen Yang and Wei Dongliu, Wen Yang was earnestly expressing his gratitude at the moment, while thetter kept his arms crossed and remained silent, obviously toozy to engage. Jiang the Witch, on the other hand, was thrashing about, trying to break free from Long Xiaoqi¡¯s hold to get close and interact with Wei Dongliu. Chapter 259: 51 Polar Thunder Light, Slaying the Dragon Lady Chapter 259: Chapter 51 Pr Thunder Light, ying the Dragon Lady Atst, Wen Yang also let out a sigh of relief after resolving the Two-faced Ghost issue. Coming to his senses, he saw Gu Lie move closer to him and whisper, ¡°How did it go? How much did youprehend?¡± ¡°What prehend how much¡¯¡­¡± Wen Yang had just started to furrow his brow in question when he immediately realized what was being asked.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Ever since they had left the Eastern Emperor Divine Pce, it had been Gu Lie who was paving the way and clearing the path, utilizing his Blood-colored Flying Sword and speed-focused footwork as his primary tactics. The reason being that the cultivators from the Asura Path of Iron City Mountain mainly relied on the Sword Control Technique forbat at the Foundation Establishment Realm. However, the appearance of the Demon Buddha had pointed Gu Lie down a new path. This individual had ess to all of Gu Lie¡¯s cultivation techniques, including those he had learned and was currently learning, and even possessed a Cultivation Level at the Soul Storing Rank of Golden Core Realm, executing tactics that were significantly more mature than Gu Lie¡¯s current methods, by who knows how many times over. Therefore, after dealing with the Demon Buddha, Gu Lie also took the time to summarize his experience and, referencing the opponent¡¯s method of fighting, integrated the iplete Blood Drinking Rage Dharma Body with the familiar Asura Sword Control Technique from the Asura Path, developing a new tactical direction. Although his initial attempt resulted in getting blown up by the Two-faced Ghost upon their first encounter, that was because the opponent had a realm thatpletely overpowered him! The Multiriver Cold Technique naturally countered close-quarter enemies, but it didn¡¯t mean that Gu Lie¡¯s new attempt was meaningless.
Thinking along these lines, might he also learn something from the Two-faced Ghost¡¯sbat techniques? For instance, using the Multiriver Cold Technique to form a defensiveyer in close quarters, forcing the enemy to rely on long-range Sword Control attacks, and then countering with the Bonesplitting Expansion Technique? Combining what he had just seen from the Two-faced Ghost, Wen Yang felt as if a moment of enlightenment surged up in him. The group continued on their way, passing through the side hall, which led directly to the rear hall. If the side hall served as the ce where disciples waiting to enter the hall resided, the rear hall was where immortals would go after leaving the main hall. While the main hall might receive visiting cultivators from other factions, the rear hall was typically out of bounds for outsiders. Upon entering the rear hall, the group saw orderly desks andplete incense burners, with purple-gold pirs draped in curtains embroidered with golden thread featuring big characters: ¡°Primordial Eight Majestic Dragon Script Sutra¡± Ineffable is the beginning of the Dao, manifest is the remainder of the Dao, to know the beginning is to align with the progenitor of the Primordial, to know the remainder is to pact with the pivot of Yin and Yang¡­ Long Xiaoqi managed only a nce before her eyes widened, as though she weremitting the contents to memory at full speed. Wei Dongliu also took a casual look and instructed Ah Jing to record it, then turned toward the mirror wall on the right side. At the far end of the rear hall, away from the main hall, was an enormous mirrored surface on the wall. A figure rapidly approached from within, and in an instant, stepped out of the mirror¡ªit was a delicately beautiful little girl, her face devoid of any monstrous traits, a stark contrast to her previous mirrored image with long whiskers and arge mouth. ¡°Xiaoqi?¡± She stared at Long Xiaoqi and said in a low voice, ¡°Do you still remember who you are¡­?¡± Before the words were fully out, Long Xiaoqi, with a speed akin to teleportation, dashed in front of her, and with right fist swung hard! In a hurried defense, the little girl managed an immediate response, shing fist to fist with Long Xiaoqi head-on. Both took a half step back simultaneously, trying to diffuse the collision¡¯s force; the immense power shattered the floor beneath their feet and sent tremors violently through the ground. Wen Yang swiftly used Sword Control to float in the air while Gu Lie stabilized himself with the Iron Horse Bridge, but Jiang Liyan wasn¡¯t so steady, trying to grab onto Wei Dongliu for support, only to clutch at thin air and nearly tumble to the ground. Great Demon Lord Wei had already charged forward,manding the Flying Sword to sh at the little girl. She, however, countered with a backhand punch and sent the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword flying back. Feeling the robust force transmitted through the sword, Wei Dongliu¡¯s expression darkened slightly. Well, isn¡¯t she tantly disregarding any attempt to hide her Demon Race identity? Oh, it¡¯s the mirror simtion¡ªnever mind, then.
Calling the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword back with a gesture, Demon Lord Wei sneered darkly and pinched a few Sword Technique signs, ready to show off his skills. The Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword shot out again, and the little girl, who was fighting with Long Xiaoqi, impatiently grabbed for it, only to be outmaneuvered when the sword jolted in a ¡®Z¡¯ shape, easily evading her grasp. Gu Lie, who was lying in wait to make a move, saw this masterful disy of the Sword Control Technique and instantly felt an instinctual fear surge from his heart, his scalp tingling with dread. This move, known as ¡°Vertical and Horizontal Interweave¡± within the Shushan Sword Control Technique, involved the Flying Sword shooting out vertically and, when encountering a block or barrier, shifting horizontally in a lightning-fast motion to bypass the defense and thrust forward rapidly.
Since this move demanded such a high level of reaction speed and maniption skill from the Sword Immortal, of all the disciples in the Foundation Establishment Realm of Shushan, fewer than ten could perform it¡­ and each of them was a major concern for the Asura Path. Like the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal An Zhisu, and the four powerhouses of Shushan¡ªLin Duanshan, Duan Fenhai, Guan Shanyue, and Ling Poyun¡ªas well as rising stars like Sima Changyan and Bi Sheng, each of them someone not to be trifled with. With such exquisite swordsmanship from Great Demon Lord Wei, Gu Lie needed only a few nces to judge that his skill was not inferior to that of the four powerhouses, and evenparable to the prowess of the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal! The little girl facing him hadn¡¯t expected Wei Dongliu to strike in such a manner, and was directly impaled in the throat by that otherworldly sword thrust. She tensed the muscles in her neck, stopping the gushing blood instantaneously from the wound, then grasped the hilt of the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, seemingly immune to pain as she pulled it out and continued to swing it, hacking at Long Xiaoqi. Long Xiaoqi, unaware that his opponent had been unarmed just a moment before and now wielded a sword, was caught off guard and suddenly marked with several wounds. Wei Dongliu secretly formed a hand sign, and the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword vibrated intensely, struggling to break free from the little girl¡¯s grip. Realizing that there were others watching, he understood that he couldn¡¯t continue like this. To maintain the prestige of a mysterious power yer, he had to y one of his trump cards! Wei Dongliu advanced with a coldugh, reaching out to retrieve the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, while the little girlnded a heavy counterpunch that sent Long Xiaoqi staggering back, then spun around, her sword lunging toward Wei Dongliu. Great Demon Lord Wei expertly sidestepped, his hand striking down on the sword. True Spirit Seal Sword Technique! At that moment, his back to the trio, he stretched out his five fingers, covering the ck light of the Pr Thunder in his palm.
Everyone saw the Great Demon Lord Wei ¡°pat¡± his own Immortal Sword, after which the sword immediately burst into an intense ck radiance, causing the little girl¡¯s face to change dramatically, as she hastily released her hold and abandoned the sword. But it was already toote, the Pr Thunder, designed to specifically counter the Dragon n, surged through the sword hilt into her arm, wrecking havoc along her meridians like a force seizing territory. Forced to use her left hand, she grabbed her right arm and tore it off at the shoulder. On his side, Wei Dongliu gestured with his hand and the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, now covered in Pr Thunder, returned to his grip, and he continued his assault on her. Having been covertly wounded by the Pr Thunder, she didn¡¯t dare to parry and quickly turned to flee, only to be blocked by Long Xiaoqi cutting off her escape. Withbined attacks from the front and rear, they sessfully executed the Dragon maiden. Long Xiaoqi breathed a sigh of relief, then suddenly braced herself, retreating a few steps. Her gaze towards the ck sword in Wei Dongliu¡¯s hand was clearly tinted with intense wariness and fear. That thing¡­ was obviously some kind of Cultivation Technique specifically designed to counter the Dragon n, but she had no idea what it was or how to counter it. Hmm, I haven¡¯t offended this Wei fellow before, have I? I should be able to live and get back home this time. On the journey following this incident, I definitely must not conflict with him¡­ Long Xiaoqi thought to herself, forciung a smile on her usually expressionless face, she said: ¡°Thank you for your assistance, Fellow Daoist Wei.¡± Wei Dongliu did not reply, merely dissipated the True Spirit Seal Sword Technique expressionlessly, allowing Long Xiaoqi to quietly release a breath of relief.
Chapter 260: 52: Acquiring the Kunlun Mirror Fragment Chapter 260: Chapter 52: Acquiring the Kunlun Mirror Fragment After passing through the three trials, everyone started to harbor their own ulterior motives. Gu Lie, Wen Yang, and Long Xiaoqi were mainly concerned about their secrets being exposed by the mirror monster. Although only a few words were revealed, who knows how much their teammates guessed? They¡¯re all millennia-old foxes; why bother pretending to be in a supernatural tale? Another concern was the mirror monster corresponding to Wei Dongliu that they were theoretically going to encounter next. Of course, they weren¡¯t interested in whatever secrets Wei Dongliu had, it¡¯s just that the mirror monster reflecting his strength would probably be off the charts and could kill everyone on the spot. Jiang Liyan was also somewhat worried. On one hand, she feared what secrets her corresponding mirror monster might reveal. On the other hand, she couldn¡¯t think of any secrets of hers that, if exposed, would cause a devastating social demise¡­ Though Missy¡¯s actions weren¡¯t always scrupulous, she¡¯d never done anything ¡°not to be shared with others¡± that was secretive! Even so, she snuggled up to the Great Demon Lord Wei and said in a delicate voice,
¡°Wei Daoist, if a twisted version of me appears in the next trial, you must act swiftly to help me kill it!¡± ¡°Scram!¡± Wei Dongliu¡¯s reply was always sinct. For Jiang Liyan, as long as Wei Dongliu didn¡¯t actually drive her away, all his responses would be interpreted as ¡°Ah yes, yes,¡± and so she immediately beamed with joy, ¡°Thank you, Wei Daoist. This littledy has nothing with which to repay you, but when I return to report to my master, I shall offer my hand in marriage.¡± ¡°I don¡¯t need cattle or horses!¡± Wen Yang, Gu Lie, and Long Xiaoqi walked behind, listening to their sugary talk, and even the usually impassive Long Xiaoqi¡¯s cheeks twitched a bit. Such sycophancy. Of course, being a sycophant is not a derogatory term among their Demon Path Cultivators. Being stupid is. The reason everyone felt awkward was simply that they couldn¡¯t bring themselves to act like Jiang the Witch, pressing forward despite cold words from the other side. Wen Yang and Gu Lie were conscious of their gender disadvantage and couldn¡¯t afford to be too intimate; Long Xiaoqi was at an age disadvantage, guessing that Wei Dongliu probably wouldn¡¯t fancy that either. Only the youthful and beautiful Jiang the Witch, with a face that couldunch a thousand ships and a clingy personality, could shamelessly y to her strengths to such an extent. Passing through the main hall, they came to the inner chamber. If the main hall is amunal rear hall for immortals, then the inner chamber is often a functional space exclusively used by a certain immortal. For example, in the rear hall of the Jade Void Pce at the Kunlun Heavenly Pir, there is a Scripture Lecture Hall, specifically for the Ziwei Master to preach to the generations of Chief Disciples ¨C this Scripture Lecture Hall is a typical example of an inner chamber within the rear hall. In this inner chamber, there seems to be a Pill Room. In the very center of the floor was an engraved Xuanji Bagua Diagram. A huge purple-gold Pill Furnace stood right at the center of the Eight Trigrams; it was pitch ck inside, as if void of anything. Both walls were lined with shelves made of coral and bone, holding various Purifying Bottles, gourds, and pill vials, dazzling to the eyes. Everyone looked on greedily but didn¡¯t move an inch from where they stood¡ªbecause it was likely all an illusion.
On the wall ahead, a huge mirror still dominated the space. A shadow appeared on it, and in a sh, it burst from the mirror¡¯s surface¡ªa bloated ball of skin that shot ck Qi in all directions before suddenly coalescing into human form. The features on the human figure¡¯s face were identical to Jiang the Witch: delicate and lovely, except the eyes were pure ck like ink, devoid of any iris or pupil. Looking at the terrified Jiang Liyan, it burst into loudughter and said, ¡°Dorlodot! Vishelinpo, Vishelinpo!¡±
The crowd was stunned for a moment. How did it start speaking a foreignnguage? Before it could finish its speech, Wei Dongliu pointed a finger, and the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword shot out, piercing through the false Jiang the Witch¡¯s chest. The imposter Jiang the Witch spat out ck blood, then startedughing tragically, pointing at Wei Dongliu and saying, ¡°In such times, seeing oneself, there is not a single characteristic present! Only emptiness prevails, and even in the ten directions, all is but emptiness!¡± After speaking, blue mes suddenly rose from beneath its feet, rapidly engulfing its body, and soon it was burned to ashes. The crowd: ¡­¡­ ¡°Fellow Daoist Gu.¡± Wen Yang frowned and slowly asked, ¡°What does it mean by what it said? It seems to contain Buddhist principles.¡± ¡°Amitabha.¡± Gu Lie touched his bald head, then suddenly ced his hands together and said, ¡°All phenomena in the world are illusory; all existencesck true substance.¡± ¡°Buddhism believes that what we see and hear is actually false and illusory. This is known as ¡®no form¡¯ and ¡¯empty purity¡¯,¡± exined Jiang Liyan. ¡°So, what does this have to do with you?¡± Wen Yang asked with suspicion. ¡°It has nothing to do with me,¡± Jiang Liyan was alsopletely bewildered. Wei Dongliu did not care about these things; he simply threw the golden small sword, which entered the mirror. Soon, the surface of the mirror suddenly opened up, revealing the passage behind it.
Just as everyone was about to continue forward, suddenly they heard Wei Dongliu say: ¡°Wait here for me. I¡¯ll go take care of what¡¯s inside and thene back for you.¡± Everyone was on the verge of speaking but hesitated, not daring to say a word. They hesitated because the ce ahead might be the final challenge. What if this Demon Lord cleared out everything inside after breaking through and left nothing for the rest of them? They stopped because, even if the Great Demon Lord Wei really intended to do that, what could they possibly do? Could they defeat him? Rather than plotting against a cultivator they were certain they couldn¡¯t defeat, it was better to bet he wouldn¡¯t stoop so low as to regard his words as nothing more than passing wind. The Great Demon Lord Wei paid no heed to what they were thinking; holding the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword in his hand, he walked toward the passage ahead. As he took steps forward, demonic qi poured into the sword. Once he disappeared from everyone¡¯s sight and entered the innermost room, the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword hadpletely shed its original dull and unimpressive form, revealing an extremely sinister deep purple de. The room turned out to be unexpectedlyrge, with a sacrificial altar ced in the center, surrounded by Everbrightmps providing illumination. In the center of the altary an irregrly shaped mirror fragment. What could it be, if not a piece of the Kunlun Mirror?
However, there stood a faceless man next to the altar. As he turned his head to look at Wei Dongliu, features suddenly emerged on his smooth face. It was a face that seemed familiar. Wei Dongliu finally remembered. Although it had been a long time since he had seen it, he had actually seen that face countless times before. It was the face of Chen Guanshui, his own original appearance. ¡°Do you still remember who you are?¡± Chen Guanshui asked in a ghostly voice. ¡°How could I forget?¡± Wei Dongliu said with a coldugh, ¡°I have not lost my memory.¡± ¡°If you wear a mask for a long time, you can¡¯t take it off,¡± Chen Guanshui said meaningfully. ¡°Aren¡¯t you going to fight me?¡± Wei Dongliu said impatiently. ¡°I¡¯ve got no strength left.¡± Chen Guanshui shook his head, ¡°Ever since entering this ce, she has been continuously suppressing the fragment¡¯s power. By the fourth challenge, the fragment could not even mobilize half of its spiritual power.¡± ¡°After all, a fake is still a fake.¡± Wei Dongliu said contemptuously, taking a step forward. ¡°I may be a fake, but I¡¯m also a reflection of your inner heart, conjured by the Illusion Technique of Mirror Flower, Water Moon,¡± Chen Guanshui did not attempt to flee, merely speaking indifferently, ¡°You must have also felt the tender affection between you and that mirror, which is nothing more than a disguise for the nature of mutual exploitation.¡± ¡°I have never had any affection for that broken mirror,¡± Wei Dongliu¡¯s steps did not pause as he directly approached the altar to reach for the mirror fragment, ¡°it won¡¯t stop me from helping it gather the fragments.¡± ¡°Remember¡­¡± As Wei Dongliu¡¯s hand touched the fragment, Chen Guanshui¡¯s outline instantly began to blur, and his voice became intermittent, ¡°Never¡­ fully trust¡­ that mirror¡­¡±
As the voice trailed off, Wei Dongliu absorbed the Kunlun Mirror fragment into his Sea of Consciousness, where Ah Jingpleted it.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om ¡°It¡¯s finally over.¡± The voice of the Kunlun Mirror evidently rxed, then eximed with surprise a momentter, ¡°I didn¡¯t expect suppressing it to be so difficult, no doubt because it contained such a vast amount of spiritual power!¡± ¡°Pathetic,¡± Wei Dongliu said disdainfully. ¡°What¡¯s with you!¡±ined the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°If I hadn¡¯t suppressed it from the beginning to the end, how could you have passed thest three challenges so easily?¡± Wei Dongliu thought carefully and realized that both the Demon Buddha and the Two-Faced Ghost had used Daoist Techniques, yet the Little Dragon Girl did not use Daoist Techniques but relied solely on physical attacks. By the time it got to the stic sphere and Chen Guanshui, there were no attacks at all¡­ was it all thanks to Ah Jing¡¯s efforts? Chapter 261: 53: Achieving a Grade 2 Golden Core Ahead of Schedule Chapter 261: Chapter 53: Achieving a Grade 2 Golden Core Ahead of Schedule ¡°Why is your fragment here in the Mirror Lake Divine Pce?¡± Wei Dongliu asked indifferently. ¡°Of course, it¡¯s to make use of its spatial capabilities. Otherwise, how would I be able to create such a vast independent realm?¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied, clicking its tongue a few times, ¡°But you weren¡¯t deceived by it. Not bad!¡± ¡°Who would fall for such low-rank rhetoric, instigating discord?¡± Wei Dongliu sneered. ¡°Oh?¡± The Kunlun Mirror seemed touched, ¡°Guan Shui, even though you usually act without a bottom line like aplete scoundrel, at critical moments, you still haven¡¯t let down my trust.¡± ¡°Trust? It¡¯s nothing but a means for mediocre people to huddle together for warmth,¡± Wei Dongliuughed arrogantly, ¡°A real powerhouse never fears betrayal, for when he ascends the throne in the sky, he relies on his own strength, not the ¡®help¡¯ of anyone!¡± ¡°¡­I take back what I said before, sorry,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said speechlessly. After dealing with the Kunlun Mirror, Wei Dongliu quietly began to circte his cultivation technique, transforming all of the Demon Origin back into Daoist True Yuan. Then, he turned his gaze toward the pool at the end of the hall. In the pool was water about four fingers deep, with twelve ears of fine grain glowing golden within it; there were also four-foot-tall Vermilion Grass, with its blood-red, delicate, and lush beauty. There were two stalks of the fine grain and four stalks of the Vermilion Grass. Excluding one for the Qilin, there was exactly one for each of the five people.
But how should they be divided? With an expressionless face, Wei Dongliu used Luo Yan¡¯s knowledge of spirit grass to take out a vessel made of Liuli material (as some spirit grasses melt upon touching soil, perish at the sight of metal, or dissolve on contact with jade, vessels made from stone, jade, or metals were not used). He picked the six stalks of spirit grass and packed them up. Turning around and going out, he returned to the outer chamber. Under the expectant and anxious gazes of everyone, Wei Dongliu took out the Liuli vessel, opened it, and ced it on the ground: ¡°How shall we divide them?¡± Seeing six stalks of spirit grass inside, everyone first breathed a sigh of relief, then noticed there were only four stalks of Vermilion Grass and became tense. ¡°This¡­¡± Jiang Liyan tried to smooth things over with a smile, ¡°Actually, it¡¯s not like everyone must have Vermilion Grass, right? Since fine grain and Vermilion Grass are nted in the same pool, they seem to be of the same grade of rare spirit grass. Perhaps some sect elders would like to purchase them.¡± ¡°If Heavenly Demon Path elders are willing to buy the fine grain, that would be excellent,¡± Wen Yang said earnestly. ¡°Why not ask the Nether Ghost Path elders?¡± Jiang the Witch immediately retorted. An awkward silence fell upon everyone. Indeed, since the Qilin favored the fine grain, it must be a treasure of the same rank as Vermilion Grass. But what treasure canpare to seventy years of Refining Mansion Cultivation? None could beat Wei Dongliu, meaning it was down to four people vying for three stalks of Vermilion Grass. Normally, upon seeing the pool, everyone would have immediately broken away from the group and rushed for it, with sess being a matter of individual ability. However, Wei Dongliu¡¯s overwhelming might, which suppressed all his peers, left everyone daring not to act, only ncing at each other and fuming in silence. ¡°I¡¯ll take the fine grain,¡± Long Xiaoqi suddenly said. Her taking the initiative came as a surprise, yet upon reflection, it seemed to make sense. If the Qilin willingly chose the fine grain, it likely held some utility for the Demon Race, and everyone had some idea of what Long Xiaoqi¡¯s true form might be, especially given her strong and unreasonable physical prowess seen in the mirrored monster. In ancient times, discovering a teammate was a demon would have resulted in immediatebat. But in present times, the conflict between the Human and Demon Races was unfashionable. With many in the Demon Race residing within the Eastern Emperor Demon Realm and not intervening in the Mortal Realm, the hatred between Humans and Demons had long subsided. Moreover, with Wen Yang, Gu Lie, and others harboring guilty consciences, they pretended ignorance and forced a smile:
¡°It¡¯s wonderful that Daoist Long is willing to give up her share of Vermilion Grass.¡± ¡°Long Daoist Friend¡¯s integrity and lofty principles are deeply appreciated by us all,¡± Long Xiaoqi waved his hand dismissively, his face revealing no particr expression. Once the distribution was decided, everyone couldn¡¯t wait to im their share.
Apart from Long Xiaoqi carefully storing the precious grains, the rest of the people put theirs into bowls, mixed it with metals and gems, and it immediately turned into Golden Nectar and Jade Liquid which they then quickly drank in one gulp.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Soon, the medicinal power began to rise within their Purple Mansions. Wen Yang, Gu Lie, and Jiang Liyan, all felt a burning heat in their lower abdomens like a fierce ze, their Purple Mansions swiftly approaching perfection, and hurriedly sat down cross-legged on the spot to refine the medicine¡¯s power. Only Wei Dongliu felt nothing after drinking it, because he had already refined his Jade Mansion¡­ If it weren¡¯t for the Green Duckweed Sword telling him that the extremely fine imperfections on the inner walls of his Jade Mansion were still being repaired, he would have suspected he had drunk fake medicine. Long Xiaoqi¡¯s gaze turned his way, his eyes showing a bit of curiosity, as if asking, ¡°Aren¡¯t you in a hurry to refine the medicine¡¯s power?¡± Wei Dongliu acted as if he didn¡¯t notice and just stood there with his arms folded, causing the synchronization value increase notification to echo in his mind again. Time passed by minute by minute, the three others were still intently refining their medicine¡¯s power; Long Xiaoqi looked around out of boredom, yawning; Wei Dongliu, on the other hand, silently calcted the remaining years of his life, as well as his expected Cultivation Level. As a cultivator, managing one¡¯s lifespan is fundamental, and given his unique situation of using the Kunlun Mirror for multiple timeline cultivation, this aspect was even moreplex, requiring frequent reassessment and nning: He joined Kunlun when this body was twenty years old, and then began multiple timeline cultivation. Seven yearster (adding up three timelines, in actuality twenty years had passed, making the body forty years old), hepleted Marrow Cleansing in the Demon Locking Tower¡¯s Blood Pool, officially beginning Refining Mansion cultivation. Then he elerated thirty years through the Cloud Sea Empty Cocoon, aging to seventy. Three yearster (adding up three timelines, actually ten years had passed, making the body eighty), he now had one hundred and twenty years of lifespan left. Reserving ten years for unforeseen circumstances, that meant he could, through daily umted cultivation, amass a maximum of one hundred and twenty years of Cultivation Level (having already cultivated at the Refining Mansion stage for ten years, there were another one hundred and ten years left to cultivate).
However, in reality, it was impossible to use every day of the remaining lifespan for cultivation. After all, life is bound to encounter various unexpected events that would dy one¡¯s cultivation progress. Therefore, by the time he was one hundred and ny years old, based purely on daily cultivation advancements, his cultivation years would be less than one hundred and twenty¡ªthough he could make up the difference from the reserved ten years of lifespan, so let¡¯s tentatively count it as one hundred and twenty. Next, he calcted the Cultivation Level gained from fortuitous encounters: The Mercurial Elixir Liquid was equivalent to sixty years of cultivation, Cloud Sea Empty Cocoon added thirty years, sensing the Way at the Heaven¡¯s Gate Hall of Kunlun added seventy years, Dynasty Yuan Spiritual Energy soaking for fifty years, and then there was this Golden Nectar and Jade Liquid which added another seventy years. A total of two hundred and eighty years! Adding the previously mentioned daily cultivation of one hundred and twenty years, that made exactly four hundred years of Refining Mansion Cultivation. That is to say, if he from now on stopped seeking fortuitous encounters and focused solely on cultivating within the Sect, when he approached the end of his lifespan at one hundred and ny years old and attempted Core Formation, he would just about reach the threshold for a Second Grade Golden Core. As for a First Grade Golden Core, the threshold is said to be eight hundred years, requiring an additional four hundred years¡­ The number was so ludicrous that he didn¡¯t dare to entertain lofty ambitions. He would just continue to seek other fortuitous encounters slowly afterward. If in the end he couldn¡¯t gather eight hundred years, then a Second Grade Golden Core would suffice. If this were overheard by anyone present, they would probably be so envious as to choke on lemons until they bled. What is the concept of a Second Grade Golden Core? Even in the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, which ces the highest emphasis on cultivation realm, from the foundation of the sect ten thousand years ago to the present, only one Second Grade Golden Core has emerged, and that is the currently reigning Ziwei Master. In the entire Cultivation World, they can almost be counted on one hand¡­ Clearly, it isn¡¯t something that can be achieved with resources alone. It requires exceptional talent, overwhelming strength, and the favor of destiny altogether.
Of course, in the eyes of Wei Dongliu or, to be precise, Qiu Changtian, since my master is a Second Grade Golden Core, naturally, I cannot fall behind. That¡¯s a different matter altogether. Chapter 262: 54: Returning and Long-term Cooperation Chapter 262: Chapter 54: Returning and Long-term Cooperation Several dayster, the three of them finally finished refining the medicinal power and got up one after another. Jiang Liyan was thest toplete the refinement, and upon inspecting his Qi Sea again, he found that the Purple Mansion had been mostly repaired and was faintly taking on the outline of the Jade Mansion. As previously mentioned, cultivators with first-rate aptitude typically enter the path at the age of ten, fill their Qi Sea by fifty, and achieve great sess in Marrow Cleansing at sixty. By the age of one hundred ny, they would roughly have a hundred and thirty years¡¯ worth of Refining Mansion cultivation level. That is to say, to form a Third Grade Golden Core, one would need to supplement an additional seventy years of external cultivation power at the least. As for the source of the cultivation power, people often refer to it as ¡°Purple Mansion Secret Realm¡± or ¡°Purple Mansion Spiritual Medicine¡±. Purple Mansion Secret Realms are either under the control of major sects, such as Kunlun¡¯s Heaven¡¯s Gate Hall, or they are kept strictly confidential, such as the Five Qi Toward Yuan Cave. Purple Mansion Spiritual Medicine is somewhat easier to obtain, such as the widely circted Mercurial Elixir Liquid, which Shushan produces steadily every year. Although the internal disciples of the sect never get enough each year, somehow a portion always ends up in the outside world, and no one knows why. The Golden Nectar and Jade Liquid that the group ingested this time is a typical Purple Mansion Spiritual Medicine.
Seventy years of Refining Mansion cultivation power is first among all known Purple Mansion Spiritual Medicines. Vermilion Grass, a rare spiritual medicine that exists only in ancient texts¡ªwouldn¡¯t it be rare with at least a hundred thousand years of history? All in all, the fortuitous encounter this group experienced is, from any aspect, of the kind that can only be encountered rather than sought after. The news stemmed from the Qilin of Yu Long Mountain, and the sess in passing the trials owed much to Wei Dongliu¡ªwhat ordinary cultivator would have such opportunities? At this thought, Jiang the Witch suddenly realized that Wen Yang and Gu Lie had already gotten up and were now whispering in a corner of the room. As for Wei Dongliu and Long Xiaoqi, they were nowhere to be seen, probably tired of waiting these past few days and had gone out to clear their minds. While she was quietly pondering, she suddenly saw Wen Yang wave at her. ¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Jiang Liyan went over skeptically. ¡°We owe Wei Daoist Friend a great debt of gratitude.¡± Just as she approached the two of them, Gu Lie started speaking with a serious tone. ¡°Tsk!¡± Jiang the Witch immediately let out a disdainful sneer. Gratitude? Among us of the Intercepting Cult, what is there to speak of as gratitude? Don¡¯t think that I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re up to! ¡°Ahem, it¡¯s like this.¡± Seeing her sneer, Wen Yang knew immediately that his prepared speech would not fool her, so he could only speak frankly, ¡°Jiang Daoist Friend, we truly wish to repay Wei Daoist Friend¡¯s kindness¡­ Without him this time, how could we have had the chance to forge a top-grade Golden Core?¡± Once again, Purple Mansion Spiritual Medicine is too rare. Even the top disciples of the Three Pure Orthodox Sect can¡¯t guarantee that in the one hundred thirty years of their cultivation path in the Purple Mansion Realm, they will definitely get their hands on Purple Mansion Spiritual Medicine, First, it depends on whether the sect has it, and secondly, whether you deserve to obtain it. Even Shushan, which can produce Mercurial Elixir Liquid consistently, would only have several spoonfuls every hundred years. However, just the Direct Disciples of the Various Peaks¡¯ Peak Masters alone number over twenty. They mustpete with one another to obtain it. Wen Yang and Gu Lie speak of receiving a great favor, which is indeed true, but what of it? When they talk about finding an opportunity to repay him, they are essentially seeing that Wei the Demon Lord possesses vast divine skills and wish to cling to him for their own future gains!
Seeing Jiang Liyan¡¯s teasing expression, Gu Lie couldn¡¯t help but say: ¡°Jiang Daoist Friend, don¡¯t let beauty cloud your judgment. Wouldn¡¯t you, too, seek to make connections with a powerful ally like Wei Daoist Friend?¡± ¡°Make connections?¡± Jiang Liyan said contemptuously, ¡°I¡¯ve known Dong Liu for a long time and have no need to deliberately make connections¡­ His two disciples even have to call me ¡®Senior Jiang¡¯!¡± Wen Yang chuckled awkwardly a few times before urging again,
¡°Although Fellow Wei¡¯s cultivation level is indeed profound, it¡¯s a pity that he¡¯s a Mortal Life Path cultivator. Who doesn¡¯t know that the Mortal Life Path is as loose as sand? The ancestral secrets of the Ancient Intercepting Cult¡¯s inheritance have been almostpletely lost!¡± ¡°Within our sect, there are arge number of ancient records passed down from generation to generation, many of which mention bits and pieces about several secret realms. It¡¯s just that our current cultivation realm is low and our strength too weak to explore them.¡± ¡°Fellow Wei, on the other hand, is certainly capable of exploring them, but suffers from ack of reliable information, unaware of the whereabouts of many ancient secret realms.¡± ¡°Wouldn¡¯t it be a win-win situation if we join forces?¡± Jiang Liyan also thought it made sense. After all, two birds in the bush are not as good as one bird in hand. Previously, whenever we found the whereabouts of a secret realm, we had to worry about whether we had the ability to explore it, which necessitated careful probing. This often took a long time, and whether we could reap any benefits in the end was another matter. The key issue was that sometimes we underestimated the dangers of the secret realms, which made it easy to lose our lives within them. Now, with the mighty Wei the Rogue, the four of us can split up to look through our sect¡¯s records, find the whereabouts of secret realms, and then take Wei the Sorcerer to fight. It¡¯s like having the strength of a Golden Core Rank with us the entire way. At this thought, Jiang the Witch found her heart racing. ¡°Ahem.¡± She coughed once, frowning, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you mention this sooner? Fellow Wei isn¡¯t the kind to be hard to talk to. I¡¯ll go and discuss it with him in a moment.¡± When Wen Yang and Gu Lie heard her say this, despite their wide experience and knowledge, they couldn¡¯t help but retch internally. Who was it that had just put on a protective wife act, eager to send us away? Perhaps she¡¯d already ceased being human! After a few more hours, Wei Dongliu and Long Xiaoqi also returned from outside. While the three were refining the effects of the medicine, they went for another round through the remaining rooms of Mirror Lake Divine Pce.
Apart from some books that were not rted to cultivation techniques, they found nothing else. Long Xiaoqi showed great interest in these books, flipping through them one by one. Wei Dongliu was also somewhat interested, but to maintain his persona as a mysterious big shot, he was forced to feign total disinterest, allowing the Kunlun Mirror to secretly record everything on his behalf. Once everyone gathered again, they prepared to set sail and return¡­ Considering the time, the period of miasma dissipation was also almost over.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Leaving the Divine Pce, crossing Mirror Lake, and returning to reality, on their way out of Ao Mountain, Jiang Liyan cheerfully proposed a long-term partnership. Simply put, it involved using the information resources of their respective sects to locate ancient secret realms left behind from ancient times, and then teaming up with Wei Dongliu for expeditions. Whether it was Jiang Liyan, Wen Yang, Gu Lie, or Long Xiaoqi, almost all of them were elite disciples within their sects withplete lineages and sufficient status. This was fundamentally different from ¡°Mortal Life Path Loose Cultivators¡± like Wei Dongliu, thus they could provide the informational intelligence he was mostcking. Wei Dongliu was responsible for the most criticalbat power, with the split of the final gains calcted based on contribution. Because he held the topbat power in the team, the more dangerous and difficult the secret realm, the more benefits he would be able to obtain. Although it might seem like he was eating meat while others were drinking soup, the four working together, with the number of explorations added up, could also mean that even drinking soup would be satisfying. Had they sought help from other Golden Core Cultivators within the sect, they wouldn¡¯t have found such a good deal! Basically, those individuals would swallow both meat and soup, given they also had Foundation Establishment juniors within the sect. Wei Dongliu listened quietly and suddenly felt that something was off. This¡­ Their logic, wasn¡¯t it the same as the outer disciples of Kunlun Sect who sought help from Big Brother Qiu Changtian for cultivation guidance? It was exactly the same!
In essence, it¡¯s the excessive exploitation of the loweryers by the upper echelons of the Cultivation Realm that¡¯s the issue. Only someone like himself, who needed to increase his Synchronization Value¡­ No, rather, one who is bright, noble, and righteous with a generous character willing to fairly and reasonably amodate others, could gain the trust of so many fellow sect members and outer disciples! Of course, the key was that Wei Dongliu¡¯s persona carried the responsibility of finding information about the Hell Path. Forming a sect and training disciples to help gather information was an effective method; Personally reaching out, making widespread friends across various paths, and subtly probing for secret news was another viable strategy. ¡°Hmm.¡± Having thought through the details, Wei Dongliu nodded and epted the proposal. Chapter 263: 55: I Dont Believe She Can Kill Me Chapter 263: Chapter 55: I Don¡¯t Believe She Can Kill Me After a long and arduous journey, everyone finally returned to the Eastern Emperor Divine Pce. At this time, Divine Pce Square was eerily quiet, aside from a Qilin lyingzily in a corner, there were no other five-path cultivators in sight. A stark contrast to the bustling scene upon their arrival. After bidding farewell to the group, Wei Dongliu approached the Qilin alone, took out the golden little sword and the box containing the Jiahe, and opened it. The Qilinzily opened its mouth wide, inhaled through its nose, and sucked in both the golden little sword and the Jiahe, revealing a content expression. ¡°May I ask, senior, why is there nobody else on this za?¡± Wei Dongliu took the opportunity to strike up a conversation. ¡°Most of them are dead,¡± responded the Qilin, still in itszy tone. ¡°Dead?¡± Wei Dongliu asked in shock. Wasn¡¯t it said that the disciples of the five paths were going to jointly ambush Shushan? To think they could suffer a devastating defeat¡­ Wait, Sister and Ling Yunpo were also in there; they should be fine. But that¡¯s not right! This expedition to the Hundred Thousand Mountains involved Golden Core, and even Nascent Soul cultivators!
Even if Sister and Ling Yunpo were strong, it¡¯s not like they could defeat so many high-rank cultivators from the five paths of the Demon Cult. Otherwise, what¡¯s the point of the five paths? They might as well be wiped out by the Three Pure Orthodox Sect. ¡°Hmph,¡± the Qilin snorted with a scoff, ¡°using low-rank disciples as bait, these descendants of the Intercepting Cult are getting more and more regressive.¡± ¡°Before you left, that fox hinted and warned you; did you not understand? If you had refused mymission and insisted on heading north, you would have ended up dead like them.¡± Having said that, the Qilin closed its eyes and rested its chin on its forelimbs, keeping silent. A few words, but they sent a chill down Wei Dongliu¡¯s spine: What, there was a conspiracy this time? He quickly rushed back to the Eastern Emperor Divine Pce and saw Wen Yang and others who had received the news from their sectmates gathered outside his room. ¡°Wei Fellow Daoist!¡± Seeing him finally return, Jiang the Witch hurried over and said anxiously, ¡°This journey to the Hundred Thousand Mountains was a trap!¡± ¡°Using low-rank disciples as bait?¡± Wei Dongliu said leisurely. ¡°You knew?¡± The others were slightly stunned upon hearing this. The Synchronization Value began to surge. ¡°A fine strategy of diversion!¡± Gu Lie was the first to break the silence, unable to help but exim, ¡°First, they pretend to unite the five paths to set up an ambush for Shushan at the Hundred Thousand Mountains to lure Shushan into seeking reinforcements from the Kunlun Peni factions.¡± ¡°Then, they gather all the high-rank cultivators, pretending to deploy them to the distant Eastern Emperor Boundary Gate, but in reality, they take a huge detour through the Southern Sea, East Sea, andunch a fierce attack on Peni Jade Pure View! Our five paths have truly reasserted our dominance this time!¡± Wei Dongliu: ¡­¡­¡­ So, it turns out to be a master of military strategy? By now, he had realized: to the north of the Eastern Emperor Divine Pce, the area was originally expected to be the main battlefield between the five paths of the Demon Cult and Shushan, and the five paths had an absolute advantage, whether it was low-rank or high-rank cultivators. Since Shushan had learned of this in advance, they certainly could not just wait to die. Long before the expedition to the Hundred Thousand Mountains, Lin Duanshan, Brother Lin on Ling Yunpo¡¯s line, had mentioned that Shushan was still hesitating whether to seek help from the other two factions. Looking back now, it seems they finally made the decision to seek help, but unexpectedly fell right into this side¡¯s trap.
The five paths abandoned the low-rank disciples as bait to be ughtered while pulling away all the elite high-rank cultivators under the pretext of heading to the Eastern Emperor Boundary Gate, secretly switching course to the Southern Sea, East Sea to attack Peni Jade Pure View.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°How were the results over there?¡± Wei Dongliu asked slowly. ¡°With the five paths united, even the sword barbarians of Shushan were no match, let alone those bookish folks of Jade Pure View,¡± Jiang the Witch sneered, ¡°Even the Protective Sect Array was broken, high-rank cultivators led low-rank disciples to scatter and flee, suffering heavy casualties.¡± ¡°If it weren¡¯t for Kunlun¡¯s quick reinforcements, Jade Pure View would have been erased from existence.¡±
¡°Even so,¡± Wen Yang added, ¡°it is said that this expedition team also plundered countless magic artifacts, Flying Swords, and Spiritual Medicines from Peni, making a fortune indeed.¡± At this point, everyone¡¯s expressions were somewhat dejected and resentful. The dejection stemmed from the recognition that their own strength was insufficient to join the siege on Peni and make a profit. The resentment, however, was because some fellow Sect members they knew, thanks to connections like n elders, had been secretly called up to the expedition team and received an abundance of benefits until their hands were almost full. In contrast, they, although also elite disciples within the Sect,cked solid background support and thus ended up being used as bait in the Hundred Thousand Mountains. If it hadn¡¯t been for Wei Dongliu receiving the favor and attention of the Qilin, cleverly avoiding the deadly peril, they would have likely met their demise on the northern battlefield. Wei Dongliu was speechless for a moment, then heard the Kunlun Mirror suddenly say: ¡°Guan Shui, stop asking any further.¡± ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Wei Dongliu frowned and asked; he still wanted to find out about the status of Yuqing View¡¯s Heavenly Craft Workshop. ¡°Any news you hear will be a fixed, historical fact that has already taken ce,¡± the Kunlun Mirror reminded, ¡°To ensure the future still has room for change, you better stop here.¡± ¡°Right,¡± Wei Dongliu immediately understood. Schr?dinger¡¯s cat, right? Observation equals copse; better to keep the mystery. ¡°Speaking of which,¡± Jiang Liyan suddenly said, ¡°Fellow Daoist Wei, do you remember my senior sister Ai Zhenzhi?¡± ¡°I heard that before she left, she was called to join the expedition team and seems to have gotten a powerful Magic Artifact this time.¡±
¡°Do you have a grudge against that Ai Zhenzhi?¡± Wen Yang also spoke in surprise, ¡°I¡¯ve heard she¡¯s extremely irritable and holds deep grudges. If she really did get a powerful Magic Artifact this time, Fellow Daoist, you¡¯ll need to be careful from now on.¡± ¡°Sigh.¡± Jiang Liyan also heaved a sigh. She had thought her senior sister would lie in ambush in the Hundred Thousand Mountains; she could have joined forces with Old Scoundrel Wei and others to counter-attack¡­ but she hadn¡¯t expected such an unforeseen event! Everyone changed their course southward following the Qilin¡¯s guidance, and my senior sister joined the expedition team at thest moment. As both sides skillfully missed each other, they also each gained considerable benefits. Senior sister Ai got a powerful Magic Artifact from Yuqing View. Though it definitely can¡¯tpare to my seventy years of Purple Mansion cultivation, herbat strength is likely to increase dramatically. With her temperament, she will surely seek revenge once she¡¯s back. I wonder if Old Scoundrel Wei can handle her. If Old Scoundrel Wei is not her match, then my fate is sealed! Maybe I should run away in advance? For some reason, whenever she thought of ¡°Old Scoundrel Wei,¡± Jiang the Witch¡¯s thoughts would also drift to ¡°Wei the Demon Lord.¡± Given the inscrutable strength of Wei the Demon Lord, it seemed imusible that he could be defeated by my senior sister¡­ Just imagining such a possibility seemed absurd. No, that won¡¯t do, I need to pull more people in before returning. With that thought, she smiled and said to everyone: ¡°The journey to the Hundred Thousand Mountains has ended. How about fellow Daoistse together at Shiping Mountain?¡±
¡°It¡¯s said that Fellow Daoist Wei¡¯s Sect Residence is near Biyun Pce, isn¡¯t it?¡± Wen Yang seemed interested as well, ¡°I would like to visit Fellow Daoist¡¯s Sect, but I wonder if it would be convenient?¡± ¡°It is of course no trouble at all,¡± Wei Dongliu said indifferently. Looking at Gu Lie and Long Xiaoqi, they also had no objections¡ªeveryone had long decided to cling to Wei the Demon Lord¡¯s coattails, so naturally, they would want to socialize and get familiar with each other. Seeing things progress so smoothly, Jiang Liyan also secretly felt at ease. Excellent! With the help of Wei the Demon Lord and the other three, even facing a Golden Core Cultivator, we might not be without a fighting chance. I refuse to believe my senior sister can kill me! Chapter 264: 56: Wei and I are Fellow Townsmen Chapter 264: Chapter 56: Wei and I are Fellow Townsmen The group quickly took to their swords and began their journey from the Southern Border towards the southern foothills of Mount Taihang. Along the way, Wei Dongliu carefully recalcted once again. The current intelligencework of this persona mainly consists of two tiers. The lower tier consisted of the disciples Guo Jin and Wang Cong; as they gradually grew, he would have them travel far and wide in search of intelligence on the Hell Path. The advantage of this line was that the disciples were handy to use, but the drawback was that the disciples needed time to be nurtured. An ordinary cultivator would usually reach the Refining Mansion stage about fifty years into cultivation, but Wei Dongliu felt that it might take even longer for these two disciples given their aptitude. Perhaps seventy to eighty years; there was no rush for now. The upper tier was Wei Dongliu himself, who would gather intelligence through Jiang Liyan, Wen Yang, Gu Lie, and Long Xiaoqi from the Heavenly Demon Path, Nether Ghost Path, Asura Path, and Eastern Emperor Path respectively. The advantagey in the shorter cycle, as Wei Dongliu himself started as a cultivator of the Refining Mansion stage; the disadvantage was that he needed to maintain his persona and couldn¡¯t just ask around freely. Of course, as a qualified spy and traitor, he wouldn¡¯t be so narrow-minded as to stick to just one line of action.
I want it all! Beyond Wei Dongliu¡¯s situation, what was more worrying was the situation on Luo Yan¡¯s side. At the current timeline, Wei Dongliu was a few days ahead of Luo Yan¡¯s progress. This meant that as long as he reloaded to Luo Yan¡¯s situation, he would soon encounter the ¡°Hundred Thousand Heavenly Demons Attacking Peni¡± incident. ording to what Jiang Liyan and others said, the Yuqing View in Peni had been breached, even the Mountain Protection Array was gone; it was aplete and utter defeat. However, the specifics of Heavenly Craft Workshop were not mentioned in detail. ording to Ah Jing, he still couldn¡¯t ask proactively, otherwise what if someone remarked, ¡°The whole Heavenly Craft Workshop was wiped out,¡± or ¡°Some guy named Luo Yan died a miserable death¡±? What then? Therefore, although his mind was spinning with thoughts, he refrained from directly asking. Jiang Liyan and the others were not part of the expedition team after all, merely overhearing and getting some second-hand news. Thus, the conversation didn¡¯t linger on this topic for long and quickly shifted to other matters. ¡°It¡¯s said that on the northern battlefield this time, as no high-rank cultivators stepped forward, Shushan has gone into a frenzied killing spree,¡± said Wen Yang casually in conversation. ¡°The most frantic killer is that Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal.¡± ¡°Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal An Zhisu?¡± Jiang Liyan curiously said. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that she¡¯s a star of ughter within Shushan as well, afraid that more fellow sect members have died by her hand than enemy cultivators from rival sects.¡± ¡°After all, Shushan is skirt-tied to the Three Pure Ones; their rules are different from ours,¡± Wen Yang scoffed with disdain. ¡°No matter how strong you are, without sufficientworks of rtionships, you are useless. So in the past Southern Expeditions, the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal never got the chance to participate. Still, I don¡¯t know why they let here this time.¡± (The term ¡®skirt-tied Three Pure Ones¡¯ is a derisive term for the Three Pure Orthodox Sect, mocking the elite disciples of Kunlun, Shushan, and Peni, who are often dominated by cultivator families, suggesting that they¡¯ve essentially started to be n-based.) ¡°An Zhisu¡¯s father is Qi Sha True Person Su Jian, the Peak Master of Qingluo Peak,¡± Gu Lie also added. ¡°The man is also a big star of ughter and is said to be a direct disciple of the Supreme Elder Long Eyebrow Immortal of Shushan.¡± ¡°Later, Su Jian was ambushed and seriously injured by several elders of our sect. Once he returned to his sect, he began to seclude himself for life and death meditation, leading to Qingluo Peak¡¯s downfall thereafter.¡± ¡°That¡¯s quite unusual,¡± Jiang Liyan said with a smile, narrowing his eyes. ¡°If the direct disciple¡¯s lineage is declining, why doesn¡¯t the Supreme Elder intervene?¡± ¡°Who knows,¡± Wen Yang shrugged dismissively. ¡°It¡¯s probably just all those messy schemes and power struggles.¡± Jiang Liyan raised an eyebrow, clearly not convinced. No matter the scheming involved, it shouldn¡¯t have influenced the Supreme Elder.
At his position, to put it bluntly, even a sneeze from him would cause ripples through the Various Peaks of Shushan¡­ The fact that the Weed-Cutting Sword Immortal wantonly kills fellow sect members and isn¡¯t valued in the sect, clearly indicates the indifference of the patriarch ancestor. ¡°What do you think, Brother Wei?¡± she asked, tilting her head with a winsome smile, and turning to Wei Dongliu. ¡°Perhaps it¡¯s a dispute over the path.¡± Wei Dongliu said offhand. ¡°A dispute over the path?¡± Jiang the Witch blinked.
¡°Hey, I¡¯m clear on this.¡± Gu Lie suddenly interjected, ¡°Take our Asura Path, for example. Within our sect, there are those dedicated to magicalpetition, and there are also those who delve deeply into Buddhism. The two sides don¡¯t see eye to eye.¡± ¡°So, Brother Gu, are you affiliated with the magicalpetition branch, or the Buddhist branch?¡± Jiang the Witch asked with a smile. ¡°I¡¯m naturally of the magicalpetition branch.¡± Gu Lie said without hesitation. The atmosphere suddenly grew silent. Everyone suddenly remembered that inside the Mirror Lake Divine Pce, Gu Lie¡¯s reflection in the mirror was furious in appearance, but harbored apassionate heart¡­ Did that mean that, on the surface, he was bloodthirsty forbat, but in reality, he yearned for Buddhism? ¡°Ahem!¡± Gu Lie also realized something was amiss and exined, ¡°My father was an aplished monk in a temple, proficient in the theories of Esoteric Buddhism, and he even obtained the title of ¡®Aran Bagshi.¡¯ ¡°Aran Bagshi?¡± Jiang Liyan asked curiously. ¡°It¡¯s a title among monks, one that requires prolonged and arduous study of Buddhism in an Esoteric Buddhism academy,¡± sighed Gu Lie. ¡°Ever since I was little, he imparted to me many ssics, and I was supposed to inherit his mantle.¡± ¡°But when I was fourteen, he fell in a magicalpetition with his enemy and perished, his soul shattered to the point that there was no chance for reincarnation. ¡°From that day on, I understood, what¡¯s the use of studying Buddhism so deeply?¡± The old monk sighed, raised one palm, and solemnly chanted, ¡°Amit¨¡bha,¡± ¡°If you can¡¯t defeat your enemy in magicalpetition, will the Buddha really send a fierce deity to save you just because your knowledge of Buddhism is profound?¡± ¡°Brother Gu¡¯s words have the nature of Buddha!¡± Wen Yang apuded with augh, ¡°As long as one¡¯s skills in magicalpetition are formidable, what does it matter if they¡¯re not versed in Buddhism?¡± Gu Lie gesture dismissively with ack of interest, indicating he didn¡¯t wish to borate further. ¡°Brother Gu actuallyes from a family of high monks,¡± Jiang the Witch also said with a smile. ¡°Little Seven also knows that before entering the path, he was herding in the Southern Border. What about Brother Wen?¡±
¡°Just from an ordinary, well-off family,¡± Wen Yang passed over the subject sinctly. A well-off family usually meant being andlord¡­ As Wei Dongliu was watching coldly on the side, he saw Jiang the Witch turn the topic towards him: ¡°Brother Wei was a loose cultivator before joining the Mortal Life Path. It seems you¡¯re not from a Cultivator Family, but based on your speech and demeanor, you¡¯re not from a minor household either, right?¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°I¡¯m from overseas,¡± Wei Dongliu said mysteriously. ¡°Overseas?¡± Everyone became curious, ¡°The Southern Sea or the East Sea?¡± Sea of time, I¡¯m a time traveler, believe it or not? Wei Dongliu answered perfunctorily: ¡°The Southern Sea and the East Sea are connected. As for the specific location, I¡¯m not sure; I came to the Divine Land by ident.¡± ¡°I see,¡± the others, seeing he didn¡¯t want to borate, tactfully stopped inquiring and just heard Wen Yangugh again: ¡°We¡¯ve asked everyone else, but what about you, Sister Jiang?¡± ¡°Me?¡± Jiang Liyan smiled with curved eyes, ¡°My secr parents were fishermen overseas, living on the west isle of Penghu Ind. However, shortly after I was born, my master took me in to start my cultivation journey.¡± She suddenly thought of something, pped her hands with augh, ¡°In that case, like Brother Wei, I too am of overseas origin. Does that make us fellow countrymen then?¡± At this, everyone was left speechless, figuring out that just being from overseas made you fellow countrymen, right?
Chapter 265 - 57: Miss Shi’s Divine Striking Whip Chapter 265: Chapter 57: Miss Shi¡¯s Divine Striking Whip ¡°We¡¯re approaching Shiping Mountain,¡± said Jiang Liyan suddenly. Since they nned to team up for a long period, rtionships had deepened along the way, enhancing their understanding of each other¡¯s backgrounds. Probably the only one who had been half-hearted throughout was Wei Dongliu. The vaguer he was, the faster his Synchronization Value soared. The others didn¡¯t mind. It didn¡¯t matter if we didn¡¯t understand Wei Demon Lord, as long as Wei Demon Lord understood us! Familiarity is the foundation of trust, after all. Just as Biyun Pce came into sight, Jiang Liyan suddenly felt a surge of dangerous intuition. She quickly grabbed the Flying Sword to stop it and eximed in rm, ¡°Be careful¡­¡± Before she could finish her sentence, a whooshing sound erupted and rushed to their rear in an instant. In haste, she had no choice but to throw a Divine Smiting Whip backward and screamed, ¡°Wei Daoist brother, save me!¡± No sooner had the Divine Smiting Whip left her sleeve than it was struck head-on by a Magical Treasure. It exploded on impact, scattering white and ck debris in all directions, like an egg smashed against a rock. Only then did everyone see clearly that the Magical Treasure was a steel whip, spinning idly in mid-air. The Divine Smiting Whip! Jiang Liyan and the others felt as if they had fallen into an ice cave; it was the legendary Divine Smiting Whip! How was it possible? How could the Sect elders have given such an Eleventh Rank Magical Treasure to Ai Zhenzhi? Only Wei Dongliu, with his extensive Artifact Refining experience, saw clearly. He immediately deduced it was not the Divine Smiting Whip but a replica, the Divine Striking Whip¡­ Thinking this, he maintained a calm exterior while his heart sank into a cold abyss. Wasn¡¯t the Divine Striking Whip supposed to be with Miss Shi? Could it be¡­ Ai Zhenzhi rose on her Flying Sword from below, her gaze fixing on Wei Dongliu with a sinister tone, ¡°What is your rtionship with that little bitch? Why did you protect herst time?¡± ¡°Where did you get that Magical Treasure?¡± Wei Dongliu countered without answering, his tone icy. ¡°Naturally, from killing people and seizing their treasures,¡± Ai Zhenzhi¡¯s gaze swept across Wen Yang, Gu Lie, and Long Xiaoqi, finally resting on Jiang Liyan as she spoke darkly, ¡°It seems you¡¯ve found quite a few people, little junior sister?¡± ¡°Big senior sister, why are you doing this?¡± Jiang Liyan feigned a pitiable look, her eyes brimming with tears as she spoke, ¡°After such a long time apart, why do you try to take my life without a word¡­ If the other senior sisters knew, they might think you intend to clean up the Sect.¡± ¡°Shut up!¡± Ai Zhenzhi immediately red up. Last time she tried to discipline her junior sister, Wei Dongliu had interfered, and she had almost fled in disgrace. She had harbored a grudge for a long time. Now that she had acquired a Tenth Rank Magical Treasure, she was determined to avenge her previous humiliation! The junior sister had a point. If she directly killed her, it could cause ripples among her other junior sisters. It would be better to first subdue and restrain her, then bring her before the others and, under the pretense of ¡°insulting a senior sister¡±, carry out a justified punishment. Even if their master emerged from seclusion and learned of this, he wouldn¡¯t care too much. She had already inquired clearly about Wei Dongliu; he was just a Loose Cultivator who had joined the Mortal Life Path, without any background to speak of. His odd Flying Sword probably just happened to restraint Heavenly Demons. With the Divine Striking Whip, this time she was determined to split his skull open and scatter his soul! She formed the Daoist Form again and said sharply, ¡°I am Ai Zhenzhi of the Heavenly Demon Path, here only to capture Jiang Liyan and take the life of that Wei surname cur. The rest of you, leave quickly, or I will strike you all down!¡± In her eyes, as the power of the Divine Striking Whip had just revealed itself, these Demon Path Cultivators, no matter how closely rted to her junior sister, should weigh their options carefully at this moment. Yet what she heard was Wen Yang coldly saying: ¡°Ai Zhenzhi, have you got porkrd in your eyes? Don¡¯t you recognize me?¡± ¡°Oh, it¡¯s Judge Wen from the Nether Ghost Path.¡± After taking another careful look and recognizing him (with his androgynous features, he was quite distinctive), Ai Zhenzhi burst into loudughter, ¡°What, does Judge Wen also want to meddle in the family affairs of the Heavenly Demon Path?¡± Gu Lie, seeing that she did not recognize him, became instantly furious and moved closer to Wei Dongliu to ask: ¡°Brother Wei, what now? Do we kill him or not?¡± Wei Dongliu squinted his eyes and said: ¡°Let¡¯s capture her first before we talk.¡± No sooner had the words left his mouth than he suddenly surged forward with his Sword Control! Ai Zhenzhi had been on her guard against his sudden attack, so she swiftly waved her sleeve, releasing over ten corporeal Demons to obstruct his paths from all sides. Wen Yang quickly created distance and urgently chanted ¡°Grudge Curse Binding Kill¡± as heunched countless grey-white Nether Ghosts fiercely pouncing towards Ai Zhenzhi. She had just directed a corporeal Demon to block these ghostly attacks when she saw Gu Lie circling from the left, shooting a Blood-colored Flying Sword at her; Long Xiaoqi was charging in directly from the right, apparently determined to engage in closebat with her. With a hardened heart, Ai Zhenzhi activated the Divine Striking Whip above her head, fiercelyshing it towards Wei Dongliu, who was momentarily restrained by the corporeal Demons. She decided to kill the chicken to scare the monkeys, to let these shortsighted people know her ferocity! Wei Dongliu casually manipted the Myriad Demons Evil Spirit Sword, cutting down the corporeal Demons that approached him one by one. Suddenly, seeing the Divine Smiting Whip in the air hurtle down, he sneered inside. From his robe, a speck of golden light emerged¡ªit was the Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm shaking its wings rapidly to meet the attack! A loud ng resonated like metal striking iron; the Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm collided with the Divine Striking Whip, sending thetter flying away, while the former, despite being forced downwards by the tremendous force, falling more than a dozen feet before stabilizing, fluttered dizzily yet appeared to bepletely unharmed! This Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm was indeed famously known for its extreme hardness, iming immunity to des and spears, unaffected by water or fire. If it was the original Divine Smiting Whip, perhaps it could have destroyed a few of the silkworms, but an imitation Divine Striking Whip certainly could not. Seeing that the Divine Striking Whip¡¯s strike was ineffective, Ai Zhenzhi frowned slightly, and then her expression turned to one of great rm upon recognizing the Hundred Poisons Golden Silkworm. As Long Xiaoqi was about to reach her, she quickly maneuvered the unsteady Divine Striking Whip to defend herself, only to see Wei Dongliu finallyplete the transformation of Demon Origin, bing a figure with red hair and heavy pupils, the image of a Demon Lord. He leapt in front of the Divine Striking Whip and directly grabbed its steel whip body. Though the Divine Striking Whip, upon its master¡¯smand, tried to struggle, it was filled with boundless Demonic Qi by Wei Dongliu, instantly losing its spirit and its luster dimming, refusing to follow Ai Zhenzhi¡¯smands. Long Xiaoqi closed in and threw a punch. Ai Zhenzhi hastily retreated, her lips slightly parting as she uttered a weird sound full ofment. Heavenly Demon Enchanting Sound Technique! This technique was an Enchanting Sound Illusion Technique, capable of disturbing one¡¯s mind and consciousness, causing dizziness and inability to maintain rity. Particrly for those ¡°Body Refiners¡± who swung their fists and kicks, with low resistance to illusions, once caught by this move they would be incapacitated, utterly unable to continue fighting. However, she had no idea that this girl-like Body Refining Cultivator was actually a demon in disguise¡­ Suddenly, Long Xiaoqi also opened her mouth to let out a long roar. The Heavenly Demon Enchanting Sound Technique was quickly disrupted, and the dragon¡¯s roar containing supreme Dragon¡¯s Might resonated in all directions. Ai Zhenzhi, being the closest, was immediately stunned and disoriented. Gu Lie, with his Blood-colored Flying Sword, tied up the surrounding corporeal Demons that wanted to rush back to protect their master. Wei Dongliu seized the opportunity to charge through, approaching Ai Zhenzhi and grabbing her shoulder. Infinite Demonic Qi rapidly infused into her, quickly sealing her meridians and acupoints.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om Chapter 266 - 58 Planning to Run Away in Advance Chapter 266: Chapter 58 nning to Run Away in Advance If we¡¯re talking aboutbat abilities, Jiang the Witch is indeed not a match for Wei the Demon Lord. But when ites to tricks, not even ten Wei Demon Lords would be enough to y against Jiang the Witch. Soon enough, the captured Ai Zhenzhi spilled all the secrets cleanly and thoroughly, The good news is that the Divine Striking Whip wasn¡¯t obtained by Ai Zhenzhi after killing someone but was captured by some predecessor from a disciple of Yuqing View. The bad news is that said disciple was rumored to be an Array Master, and quite young at that, reportedly not yet at Core Formation¡­ If there had been something like an identity card in the Cultivation Realm, he believed the confession would certainly match Luo Yan¡¯s identity number. Having roughly inquired about the situation, Wei Dongliu decided it was time to reload a previous save. [Save Point Three: Peni Immortal Ind, Yuqing View.] [Character Identity: Luo Yan.] [Oveying Mirror Flower Water Moon Temte, time-space traveling in progress.] After being transported to Yuqing View, Luo Yan had already thought through the situation thoroughly. First of all, he needed to figure out how much information Peni had on the subject. If he rashly went to the Pavilion Master or the master, and revealed everything from A to Z, he wouldn¡¯t be able to exin the source of the intelligence ¡ª he¡¯d most likely be treated as a spy ¡°defecting to the light.¡± Well, considering that I am indeed a spy, doing so would be utterly foolish. He should probe the situation first. When Luo Yan ran to Elder Shi Ding, he saw his master reading in the study. What he read were the various ancient Formation manuscripts he and Shi Liuli had brought back from the Gui Xu Pce. ¡°Master,¡± Luo Yan made up a lie on the spot, merely saying that he happened to pass by an ind when, due to an unforeseen coincidence, he overheard some passing Cultivators discussing the ¡°Attack on Peni by a Hundred Thousand Demon Soldiers.¡± ¡°Attack on Peni by a Hundred Thousand Demon Soldiers?¡± Elder Shi Ding eximed surprisingly, ¡°Isn¡¯t it supposed to be Shushan? Recently, the Demon Cult has been shing with Shushan in the Southern Border¡¯s Hundred Thousand Mountains. How would they have time to attack Peni?¡± ¡°Is there a possibility,¡± Luo Yan of course couldn¡¯t say he had solid evidence, he could only pose as having a wild idea in hopes the master would take it seriously, ¡°that the situation in the Hundred Thousand Mountains is just a decoy?¡± ¡°To draw the Orthodox Sect¡¯s attention to the Southern Border, and then secretly redirect their forces to circle around and attack Peni, how about that?¡± ¡°All right,¡± Elder Shi Ding said helplessly, ¡°If that is the case, from the Southern Border to Peni, it¡¯s more than ten thousand miles. How could the Demon Cult ensure they won¡¯t be detected on this journey?¡± ¡°Ahem, maybe they have some kind of Flying Magical Treasure?¡± Luo Yan said awkwardly, ¡°If they circled around the Southern Sea, the East Sea, they could avoid detection to the greatest extent.¡± ¡°Even if they have magical treasures that can travel thousands of miles a day and they did manage to circle around the East Sea,¡± Elder Shi Ding pped his thigh and said, ¡°to the south of Peni in the East Sea, there are thirty-six Cave Heavens and Blessed Lands. Once the Demon Cult enters the East Sea, how will they escape their scrutiny?¡± ¡°Ahem, if all the thirty-six Cave Heavens in the East Sea have betrayed us¡­¡± Luo Yan was still insisting. ¡°Let¡¯s not even talk about whether they¡¯d dare to betray.¡± Elder Shi Ding spoke impatiently, ¡°Even if they did betray, Peni Immortal Ind has the Tai Yi Escaping Armor Yin Yang Great Formation. Even if the Demon Sect¡¯s Six Pathsbined with the thirty-six Cave Heavens were to attack us together, how would they possibly breach it?¡± ¡°If there were a traitor¡­¡± ¡°Are you the traitor?¡± Elder Shi Ding asked oddly. Pfft! Luo Yan almost spat blood when he heard that. Luckily, his mind raced and he saw that Elder Shi Ding was not serious ¡ª otherwise, how could he still be alive? He only heard Elder Shi Ding frown and say: ¡°This Formation was left by the ancestors of rify Cult, and currently, even I am in charge of maintaining it. Apart from our Heavenly Craft Workshop, no one knows the secrets of the great array.¡± ¡°And within our Heavenly Craft Workshop, only you have received the true transmission of my Formation knowledge. If there is a traitor, besides you, who else could it be?¡± Luo Yan then showed an expression of wry amusement. This couldn¡¯t go on any further; talking more would really arouse the master¡¯s suspicion. ¡°Luo Yan,¡± Elder Shi Ding spoke kindly again, ¡°Is it Liuli urging you to find an excuse to take her out for fun again?¡± ¡°Go and tell Liuli, in recent years, the conflicts between the Demon Cult and the Orthodox Sect are growing more and more intense, and it¡¯s really not stable outside. Even if she really wants to go out, she must wait until your eldest senior brother forms his Nascent Infant. It¡¯s only a matter of twenty some years away¡­ Understand?¡± ¡°Understood,¡± Luo Yan said dully. Still twenty years to go; if we can survive the uing catastrophe, we should be grateful to Heaven. He silently bade farewell to his master and then turned to leave. Well, when I think about it, it¡¯s normal not to convince the master. Even Ai Zhenzhi actually doesn¡¯t know exactly how the Tai Yi Escaping Armor Yin Yang Great Formation at Peni was broken through in the future. As long as there is no evidence of a problem with the formation, the disciples of Yuqing View will not feel any sense of crisis. When asked, they just say, ¡°With the great formation in ce,¡± what¡¯s there to discuss? Upon careful analysis, there are two possible ways the formation could be destroyed: One is the presence of a traitor. This is the most reasonable exnation, as solid fortresses are often breached from within. However, the master has already said that only he knows the secrets of the formation. He hasn¡¯t even passed them on to me. Even if there is a traitor, how could they shut down the formation from the inside? Could it be that the traitor is the master¡­ cough, how could that be possible! If Elder Shi Ding were a traitor from the Demon Sect, wouldn¡¯t going to him directly be like amb walking into a tiger¡¯s den? Impossible, impossible! Luo Yan thought again, the second possibility is that the Demon Cult hase up with a method to break the formation from the outside. This possibility can only be acknowledged as existing, but as for the specifics, it¡¯s impossible to confirm. After all, Luo Yan himself doesn¡¯t understand the Tai Yi Escaping Armor Yin Yang Great Formation, let alone how to break it. After much thought, Luo Yan came to a conclusion: First, ording to the message from the future Demon Cult, Yuqing View suffers a significant defeat this time, with even the Mountain Protection Array being broken, and high-rank cultivators are fleeing everywhere with the low-rank cultivators. Taking into ount the presence of a defending immortal at Yuqing View, it means that the Demon Race¡¯s expedition must also have an immortal. Otherwise, the Demon Cult would not be able to achieve sess. Second, though the likelihood is remote, if I could sneak in and grab the Heaven-Mending Stone fragments while the immortals are fighting, that would be the best. n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om If there¡¯s no chance, then the next best thing is to figure out a way to lure the master and my fellow disciples¡ªsenior and junior, as well as Miss Liuli¡ªout in advance. As long as we¡¯re not in Peni, whether it¡¯s a hundred thousand demons or a million demons besieging it, why should we worry? And achieving this is easy, just trick Miss Liuli into going out, trap her, then go back for help¡ªthat¡¯s it. With his daughter missing, the master definitely won¡¯t be able to sit still. No matter how damaged Yuqing View bes, as long as Elder Shi Ding is alive, my position within the sect won¡¯t be shaken, and I will still have the chance to pursue fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone. Lastly, it¡¯s the help from external allies. Although Elder Shi Ding does not trust me, I am not without other masters! ording to the future information from the Demon Cult, it was the reinforcements from Kunlun, thousand miles away, that relieved the siege of Peni. That means, if Qiu Changtian can persuade the Ziwei Master, might there be more viability? Just trick everyone from the Heavenly Craft Workshop to Divine Land and when Peni is under attack by the Demon Cult, Kunlun will immediately send support. En route, they will ¡°coincidentally¡± encounter the master and his group and take them under protection. By doing so, the greatest risk would be perfectly avoided. With his ns thoroughly considered, Luo Yan stood up and went towards Daozang Pavilion. First, he needed to find a secret sanctuary to lure Miss Shi for exploration. Ordinary cultivators seeking an opportunity to find Refining Mansion would first look into the scriptures. The collection of scriptures in Peni is as vast as the sea of stars, ten times more than that of Kunlun and Shushanbined. For ordinary cultivators, it would take forever to go through them all. But Luo Yan, with his talent to understand a thousand things with one nce, could read at a nce and understand instantly. As long as he finds the secret scroll containing clues, he could immediately deduce the location of the secret sanctuary from the information between the lines! Chapter 267: 59: Kuocang Mountain Vocational Technical School Chapter 267: Chapter 59: Kuocang Mountain Vocational Technical School Yangzhou, Kuocang Mountain. Luo Yan held a scroll in his hands as he walked through the mountains. Despite it being winter, the scenery was still stunning, with a gentle stream by the road, its waters clear and transparent to the bottom. In the Dongzhen section of the authentic Daoist canon, there was an anecdote recorded in one of the books: It told of a man named Yang Yin, who lived in Jinyun County of Yangzhou. He was fond of the tranquility here at Kuocang Mountain and often came to roam and reside. One day, while drinking with a Daoist priest from Jinyun Temple, he suddenly copsed to the ground as if dead, awakening only after seven days. When the priest asked him about it, he said that he had been invited by a fairy named Ling Ying to visit the Immortal Realm. The entrance to the Immortal Realm was through a cave that had no name; Yang Yin dubbed it ¡°Kuocang Cave.¡± Inside the cave, he saw ¡°magnificent towers and pavilions, phoenix and cranes soaring, the sky clear and the scenery warm, a realm distinct from the Mortal World¡± ¡ª clearly, it was a secret realm. The fairy Ling Ying had him eat Green Cloud Ganoderma and took him to pay respects to the three masters of the secret realm: the rtively known King, the Grassy Sovereign of Huayang, and the Hidden Sovereign of Xuanxuan who received Heaven¡¯s Mandate. After the meeting, the three immortals told him, ¡°You possess the bones of an immortal, but you have not yet cultivated to the realm of Ascension. Continue your practice in the Mortal World,¡± and then had Ling Ying send him away.
After Yang Yin left Kuocang Cave, he ¡°lost taste for grains; drinking only three liters of water and eating a hundred lilies a day,¡± evidently with the help of the Green Cloud Ganoderma¡¯s potency, he had skipped the three stages of Fasting and entered the Qi Refining Rank directly. If the descriptions in the book were true, there must be a secret realm built by immortals within Kuocang Mountain. Find the entrance, andter on, it would be possible to lure Miss Shi here for an adventure. Using half a day¡¯s effort, Luo Yan finally reached Jinyun Temple in the mountain. There were just a few Daoist priests in the temple, all with white, frosty hair. Luo Yan used his Divine Sense to probe and discovered that all three priests were mortals and had not yet undergone Fasting. He then disguised himself as a tourist and inquired about the old matter of Yang Yin. ¡°This matter is nothing more than casual gossip,¡± one of the priests chuckled as he stroked his beard, ¡°Many havee to inquire about it, but in the end, they all returned without any fruitful results.¡± ¡°If the honored guest is interested, you may go and take a look at Ruan Lang Pavilion in the mountains. Our ancestors once drank with Yang Yin there.¡± Luo Yan nodded and thanked him. After not quite an hour had passed, he found Ruan Lang Pavilion along the mountain path. The pavilion was built on a stone tform halfway up the mountain, next to a vast cliff, upon which countless inscribed characters could be seen. ording to the records, Yang Yin had drunk himself into stupor there, before entering into the secret realm. Hmm¡­ Luo Yan first inspected for a while and found no Formation around. Sitting down in the pavilion, he took out a jug of wine from his Storage Bag. After a thought, he put the wine jug back into the bag. Since the Daoist priests of Jinyun Temple said that many had visited before, they must have tried to emte Yang Yin by getting drunk and copsing. However, those visitors all came back fruitlessly, which indicated that drinking was of no use.
The mechanism to enter the secret realm surely wouldn¡¯t be so easy to uncover; only those with great wisdom, great determination, and great fortune could discover it. With this in mind, Luo Yan spoke firmly: ¡°Ah Jing, help me scan!¡± Kunlun Mirror: ¡­
¡°What¡¯s the matter?¡± Luo Yan asked again. ¡°Wait a moment.¡± The Kunlun Mirror was silent for a short while, then suddenly said, ¡°The text on that wall is problematic.¡± ¡°Where?¡± Following the direction indicated by the Kunlun Mirror, Luo Yan finally found a piece of text in a particrly low hollow of the mountain. The text was obstructed by shrubs and was situated very low. Additionally, due to the angle, one had to lie down on the ground by the side of the pavilion to see it. Putting aside his dignity, Luo Yanid on the ground and saw a five-character quatrain written there: Where does the guest from Ruan reside? The entrance of the Immortal Cloud Cave lies across. ces unreachable by mortals, today we tread into this realm. Huh? Luo Yan suddenly thought, if Yang Yin really got drunk, could it be that he happened to fall right in this spot and saw this poem? Then, he felt the world spinning, and the scene before his eyes dramatically changed. He saw that therge patch of writing on the cliff had already vanished, reced by a cave entrance. The entrance was wide and didn¡¯t seem man-made, with green moss growing in several ces. Yet Luo Yan didn¡¯t rush to proceed, but rather discussed with the Kunlun Mirror: ¡°Can you analyze this entrance mechanism, Ah Jing?¡±
¡°It appears to be a visual mechanism,¡± the Kunlun Mirror fell silent for a few minutes before answering. ¡°When you gaze at it, it pulls you into the secret realm.¡± ¡°And the way out?¡± Luo Yan asked again for confirmation. ¡°The same,¡± the Kunlun Mirror responded. ¡°Look behind you at the rock wall, there¡¯s writing there too.¡± Luo Yan carefully searched and indeed, behind the vines on the rock wall, he found a line of extremely fine inscription that was difficult to notice without a close look: Few pieces of immortal bone, hard to ascend to the Nine Heavens. Return then to the Mortal World, to Weiyu Mountain next year. Before he could fullyprehend it, he felt the world spinning, and found himself outside at Ruan Lang Pavilion. Luo Yan then returned to the secret realm several times, confirming the entry and exit mechanism clearly. ¡°Ah Jing,¡± he asked in a low voice, ¡°is there a way to cover up this line of poetry inside?¡± ¡°You n to trap Miss Shi inside after she enters so she can¡¯t leave?¡± the Kunlun Mirror pondered, ¡°Yes, I can cover it with an illusion technique.¡± ¡°However, if she can¡¯t get out, why could you leave to send a message to Master? This issue might still need some smoothing over.¡± ¡°No need to smooth anything over,¡± Luo Yan said. ¡°Only Miss Shi entered the secret realm by ident, and I somehow stayed outside, unable to find the entrance, so I had no choice but to seek help from Master¡­ How about that?¡± ¡°It could work,¡± the Kunlun Mirror sighed, feeling uneasy about Luo Yan¡¯s swiftly woven lies. ¡°But this way, Miss Shi will be trapped alone in the secret realm. Aren¡¯t you afraid something might happen to her?¡±
¡°That¡¯s why we will explore this secret realm first, to ensure we eliminate unnecessary risks,¡± Luo Yan replied firmly. ¡°If this ce doesn¡¯t work, we¡¯ll look for another secret realm.¡± He continued walking forward, through the cave, and entered a valley. Although it was winter outside, the valley was warm as spring. The sky was clear, the sun was warm, the vegetation thriving, as if it was the beginning of spring. Not far away stood three small buildings, constructed in a forest clearing surrounded by a stream. Luo Yan walked directly into the woods and saw that the ques in front of the three small buildings read ¡°Little Heavenly King Mansion,¡± ¡°Grand Huayang Thatched Hut,¡± and ¡°Hidden Profound Heavenly Destiny Residence.¡± ¡°This looks like a trial-type secret realm,¡± the Kunlun Mirror guessed. ¡°If it truly were the old dwelling of immortals, it wouldn¡¯t be necessary to specifically turn it into a secret realm; moreover, it¡¯s not likely to put the immortal¡¯s title on the very outside.¡± ¡°Whether it is or isn¡¯t, we¡¯ll know once we enter,¡± Luo Yan said decisively. He stepped straight into the ¡°Little Heavenly King Mansion¡± on the left. Inside, it was extremely spacious, very simr to the White Jade Capital Secret Realm. A Daoist stood with his hands behind his back and said indifferently: ¡°Another honored guest has arrived;e and test your Daoist magic with me.¡±n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om After speaking, he turned around, formed a spell with his hands, and immediately a ck wind arose from the ground, sweeping towards Luo Yan. Luo Yan¡¯s brows furrowed ever so slightly. This ck wind didn¡¯t seem quite like the Daoist magic of the Three Pure Orthodox Sect,cking that upright and proper aura.
But it alsocked the Demon Cult¡¯s Six Paths¡¯ sinister and brutal nature. If he had to say, it was a bit like the other techniques of the Intercepting Cult from ancient times. His thoughts moved slightly, and he began to have a vague guess about the background of the secret realm, then he directly pulled out the Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light, pressing it against the ck winding from the opposite direction. When the ck wind hit the Five Elements Divine Light, it disintegrated immediately on the spot. ¡°Postnatal Five Elements Great Extermination Divine Light?¡± the Daoist asked with a slight frown. ¡°Are you from Moon Ind in the East Sea?¡± Luo Yan: ? Moon Ind in the East Sea, wasn¡¯t it wiped out some seven thousand years ago? ¡°Not yet in Core Formation, but to cultivate the Five Elements Divine Light to such a degree is indeed rare,¡± the Daoist nodded with satisfaction and continued, ¡°However, in my view, your use of this Daoist magic still has many imperfections, specifically¡­¡± Chapter 268: 60 Miss Shi Indeed Falls for the Trick Chapter 268: Chapter 60 Miss Shi Indeed Falls for the Trick Next, it took roughly a quarter of an hour or so for the Daoist to impart some knowledge about ¡°Five Elements Genesis¡± to Luo Yan. Clearly, this Daoist was not his true physical form, but rather an image with memory and intelligence left behind by the master of the secret realm, whose purpose was to guide the cultivators through their trials. Had it been any other cultivator, they might have felt dejected. So it seems that in this secret realm, there was not only ack of treasures and miraculous encounters but just a virtual elder responsible for passing down experiences? Yet Luo Yan didn¡¯t feel the slightest difort. After all, he was used to attending lectures at Yuqing View, and immediately engaged enthusiastically in the discussion with the Daoist. Once many of the difficulties had been resolved, Luo Yan once again used the Five Elements Divine Light, and found that many previously obscure aspects were suddenly made clear, which brought him even more joy. ¡°Thank you, senior,¡± he sincerely said, ¡°May I ask for your honored name?¡± ¡°You may call me ¡®King of Minor Renown,''¡± the Daoist nodded in satisfaction and continued, ¡°I have left this image here to impart knowledge of Daoist Magic.¡± ¡°Next door, there are precious memories left by the ¡®King of Hua Yang Great Thatch¡¯ and ¡®King of Hidden Profundity Divine Mandate,¡¯ with the former teaching swordsmanship and thetter instructing in Art Calction.¡± ¡°If you are interested, you can also visit their residences to learn.¡±
After finishing, Luo Yan suddenly felt a gust of wind brush past, his feet unable to hold firm, and he was forcibly pushed out the door by the physical strength of the wind. He then paid visits to the other two pavilions, indeed as the King of Minor Renown had said: one taught swordsmanship, and the other taught Art Calction. However, whether it was Daoist Magic, swordsmanship, or Art Calction, they all seemed somewhat mixed and not refined. They were excellent for providing a foundation for beginners, but for him, only the first round of learning yielded significant gains, with little more to be learned after that. Luo Yan logically presumed that these three individuals were likely Earth Immortals of loose cultivator origins. Of course, in the star-studded Ancient Era, it wasn¡¯t unusual for loose cultivators to be immortals through their own efforts.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om On the contrary, it is this era where cultivation resources are wholly upied by the Orthodox Sect and the Demon Cult. Within the Orthodox Sect, it¡¯s the children of noble families that divide the resources, while the Demon Cult¡¯s Six Paths are entangled in infinite internal strife, and as for loose cultivators¡­ to reach the Nascent Soul would be an immense blessing. In summary, this secret realm was basically free of danger and was a ¡°trial-type secret realm¡± contrived by three bored Earth Immortals, which was perfect for trapping Miss Shi. And then, through this means, they lured out Elder Shi Ding, avoiding the event of a hundred thousand gods and demons attacking Peni. Perfect! Luo Yan then returned to the cave, had Ah Jing apply an Illusion Technique to the text at the entrance, and left the Illusion Domain. Riding his sword, he crossed vast oceans and atst arrived at Yuqing View, where he suddenly acutely noticed that the aura of the Protective Sect Array seemed to have changed. In Formation terminology, this meant that the scanning and defense levels had both been raised. It seemed Elder Shi Ding, though very confident in the Tai Yi Escaping Armor Yin Yang Great Formation, had taken my previous advice and thus raised the alert level. Luo Yan felt incredibly gratified. He descended his Sword Light on the slopes of Mount Peni and entered the view on foot. No sooner had he returned to the Heavenly Craft Workshop than he saw Miss Shi Liuli, angrily storming out: ¡°Luo Yan! Little Junior Brother Luo, where on earth have you been! Master has repeatedly decreed that no one is allowed to leave the View without approval. How dare you ignore hismands?¡± ¡°Sister, I¡¯m sorry.¡± Luo Yan began with an apology upon meeting, and seeing that Miss Shi¡¯s expression had eased somewhat, he then smiled and said, ¡°Howe I remember Master saying, ¡®Sister, you¡¯re not allowed to leave the View without approval¡¯?¡±
¡°How dare you!¡± Shi Liuli¡¯s anger, which had subsided, suddenly red up again, ¡°You still talk back!¡± With her sleeves rolled up, revealing arms as white as jade lotus roots, she came over with hands on her hips, pretending to hit Luo Yan. Luo Yan immediately took to flight: fighting back was out of the question, and being pinched on the ear by Miss Shi would be too embarrassing, so fleeing was the only option. Miss Shi seemed delicate, but unexpectedly, her stamina was surprisingly good. Running around the entire Heavenly Craft Workshop chasing Luo Yan, she shouted:
¡°Senior Sister is forbidden from going out, so you think you can just go out and have fun, right? Who exactly is the Senior Brother here, you or me?¡± ¡°No, this has nothing to do with seniority, right?¡± Luo Yan yelled back. ¡°I¡¯m the Senior Sister, and I¡¯ve been grounded, so you should consciously stay in the View and keep mepany!¡± Shi Liuli yelled indignantly. ¡°Where did this rulee from!¡± Luo Yan cried out in grievance, hoping a master or fellow senior brothers and sisters woulde and restrain Miss Shi. However, when the senior brothers and sisters came out upon hearing themotion, they just stood aside and watched,ughing and chatting as if they were shippers delighting in a love story. Luo Yan was chased to the point where he had no choice but to hide behind his senior brothers and sisters, enraging Miss Shi so much that she screamed and yelled. ¡°Alright, little Junior Sister,¡± the eldest Senior Brother, Linghu Chu, spoke, ¡°Don¡¯t bully him anymore.¡± Shi Liuli stopped in her tracks, merely ring at Luo Yan with a huff. ¡°Disperse, disperse!¡± Linghu Chu waved his hand to send the onlooking junior brothers and sisters away and then advised Shi Liuli, ¡°Getting angry with your Junior Brother is pointless because it was Master¡¯s idea to ground you. It¡¯s better to wait for Master to return, and I¡¯ll plead with the old man on your behalf, at least to let you go to the market.¡± ¡°Thank you, Elder Senior Brother!¡± Shi Liuli immediately switched from anger to joy, ¡°Elder Senior Brother is the best!¡± Luo Yan felt a bit disappointed: I¡¯ve been waiting on you for so long, yet I¡¯ve never heard you say ¡°Junior Brother is the best.¡± Elder Senior Brother says a word on your behalf, and you butter him up? Linghu Chu, on the other hand, didn¡¯t take it to heart, knowing that his little Junior Sister¡¯s praise was as good as a fart, spontaneously given, and he waved his hand and left. He had been cultivating in the Obscure Weave Rank of the Golden Core Realm for a long time, just half a step away from forming a Nascent Infant, and he also had to start preparing recently.
After all the senior brothers and sisters had left, Miss Shi put her hands on her hips and red once more. But Luo Yan knew her too well and knew that the Miss¡¯s anger had dissipated by now; she was only continuing to maintain a ¡°angry¡± expression as not to let Luo Yan think she was easy to appease. ¡°Senior Sister, calm down,¡± Luo Yan said in an ingratiating tone, ¡°I didn¡¯t go out just for fun this time, but to seek out a secret realm.¡± ¡°Oh, a secret realm?¡± Shi Liuli¡¯s eyes immediately brightened. She loved those unknown secret realms that could be explored, but it was a pity that finding such realms usually depended on sifting through the vast collection of scriptures in the Daozang Pavilion, something she hated most was sitting still and reading¡­ ¡°Ahem.¡± She ¡°reluctantly¡± let go of her anger and said seriously, ¡°Tell me in detail, and I¡¯ll decide whether or not to forgive you.¡± ¡°Here¡¯s how it is, Senior Sister,¡± Luo Yan recounted the legend of the sheep sages, mentioning that he had followed the route to find Ruan Lang Pavilion, but could not break the restrictions at the entrance. ¡°Anyway, there must be an entrance hidden there!¡± he avowed. ¡°Indeed.¡± Shi Liuli found it hard not to support him. As for whether she truly believed there was a secret realm there or just wanted an excuse to go out and y, that remained unknown. ¡°I¡¯ve decided!¡± She swung her fist, ¡°Miss is going to find this secret realm!¡± ¡°Senior Sister, you¡¯re still grounded,¡± Luo Yan reminded her half-heartedly, ¡°Anyway, we should wait for Master to lift your confinement before seeking that secret realm, right? That¡¯s just in another twenty or thirty years¡­¡± The Kunlun Mirror listened indifferently to his antics withnguage, toozy to even report the increase in Synchronization Value.
Sure enough, the moment she heard ¡°another twenty or thirty years,¡± Shi Liuli was almost ready to jump: ¡°What grounding? You must remember incorrectly! Father just said I should try to go out less, he didn¡¯t say I couldn¡¯t go out!¡± She feigned innocence with righteous indignation and walked out the door, with Luo Yan hastily following her: ¡°But what if Master asks afterward¡­¡± ¡°Just say you tried to stop me, but couldn¡¯t!¡± Chapter 269: 61: A Duos Trip to Kuocang Mountain Chapter 269: Chapter 61: A Duos¡¯ Trip to Kuocang Mountain n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Yangzhou, Kuocang Mountain. Shi Liuli walked joyfully through the mountain paths, sometimes touching the bushes growing wildly around her, sometimes running to the edge of a cliff to look down. Probably because she was born on an ind and seldom visited the maind, she had a special fondness for the scenery of the mountains. However, such an attitude that clearly indicated she was out for a leisurely stroll made Luo Yan couldn¡¯t help butin internally. What happened to exploring the secret realm? Even if she wanted to have fun, at least she could pretend otherwise! If it were so, he wouldn¡¯t be worried¡­ but he feared that Miss Shi¡¯s penchant for y might cause them to miss the ¡°optimal time to get trapped,¡± leading to trouble if he couldn¡¯t get back in time to call for reinforcements. He must strictly control the timing without Shi Liuli noticing. ¡°The Daoist temple is just ahead,¡± Luo Yan said. ¡°I want to stay there!¡± Shi Liuli immediately responded. ¡°Senior Sister.¡±
¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°Are we here to explore the secret realm, or are we here for a trip?¡± Luo Yan asked weakly. Shi Liuli pondered for a moment, then said: ¡°Junior Brother.¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± ¡°When you came here before, did you find the secret realm?¡± ¡°That I did not¡­¡± Luo Yan dragged out his words. ¡°And have you ever stayed in the Daoist temple?¡± ¡°I haven¡¯t¡­¡± ¡°Then how do you know that staying in the Daoist temple for a few days won¡¯t help us find the entrance to the secret realm?¡± Shi Liuli asked with a smile, her eyes squinting. Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­.. That¡¯s a slippery slope argument, isn¡¯t it! Of course, he also couldn¡¯t say at this moment that the entrance mechanism had nothing to do with staying in the Daoist temple, otherwise he would be asked to ¡°provide evidence¡±. Therefore, Luo Yan could only pretend to be troubled and finally, grudgingly said: ¡°It¡¯s possible, but Senior Sister must not linger here too long. Otherwise, it would be difficult to exin to our master!¡± ¡°All right.¡± Shi Liuli then revealed a ¡°there¡¯s nothing I can do about you¡± expression, further irritating Luo Yan. The two entered the Daoist temple and requested to stay overnight with three old Daoist priests. In that era, it was verymon to go deep into the mountains for leisure and then stay overnight in Buddhist temples or Daoist temples, after all, they could contribute to the temples¡¯ ie. The three old Daoist priests happily agreed and even brought out the temple¡¯s treasured tea leaves to entertain the two guests.
On a cold winter¡¯s day, brewing tea on a stove in the courtyard and warming hands by the fire was an interesting activity¡­ Luo Yan was thinking precisely that when he saw Shi Liuli, with tongs in hand, excitedly stuffing firewood into the stove. ¡°Why don¡¯t you use a fire control magical treasure?¡± Luo Yan asked curiously. ¡°Don¡¯t you have that Divine Fire Lamp?¡± ¡°I didn¡¯t bring it.¡± Shi Liuli answered with unassable confidence. When the water in the kettle was boiling, Miss Shi picked up the kettle and brewed tea for the two of them.
Then she performed a technique¡ªshe sped her hands together, chanted ¡°Ster water essence, reflect Beiming¡¯s depths¡±, and cold starlight flowed out of her palms like a ribbon, falling into the tea, causing the rising wisps of steam to instantly dissipate. ¡°What¡¯s this?¡± Luo Yan asked again. ¡°It¡¯s a new Daoist magic I¡¯ve been practicing,¡± Shi Liuli said with a smile, her eyes squinting. ¡°It¡¯s called ¡®Right Six Yuan Fall Ster Essence Talisman.¡¯ How about it, impressive, right?¡± ¡°Is it a derivative Daoist Magic of your Qi Refining Technique?¡± Luo Yan asked. ¡°Mm.¡± The ¡°Five Latitudes Heavenly Secret Record¡± was the cultivation technique Miss Shi had acquired from her trip to the Pavilion. ording to Elder Shi Ding¡¯s appraisal, it was supposed to be a rare Qi Refining Technique that utilized the Ster Force to assist with breathing exercises, so it wasn¡¯t surprising that there would be derivative Daoist Magics. From the effects of this technique, it appeared to be some sort of cultivation technique with a cold attribute¡­ Yet, having Miss Shi use it to cool her tea was quite in line with her character. Luo Yan, sping the slightly chilled teacup, took a sip and found that the temperature was just right¡ªit wasn¡¯t too cold. With a touch ofnguor in his demeanor, he watched Shi Liuli sitting across from him,fortably cradling her cup of tea. The slight movement of her throat revealed the delicate and slender beauty of her neck. Lowering his gaze, though, was a tad disappointing. However, considering her na?ve and childlike personality, her figure was probably normal. ¡°What are you looking at!¡± Shi Liuli suddenly became aware of his regretful gaze and mmed her palm onto the stone table, causing the stove to shudder. A beautiful hint of annoyance surfaced on her pretty face. ¡°Your outfit looks quite nice today, Senior Sister,¡± Luo Yan replied indifferently, calmly retracting his gaze. ¡°Really?¡± Shi Liuli immediately dissolved her angry expression, stared at her clothes for a long while, and showed a pleased look suggesting, ¡°You do have an eye for beauty.¡±
Like Peni, Kunlun, and Shushan, the sect had its own official Daoist robes, but most disciples did not like to wear them. Miss Shi was the most extravagant, with probably hundreds of dresses in the Heavenly Craft Workshop¡ªshe theoretically could go through the entire year without repeating an outfit. But whether it was her master or her fellow senior brothers and sisters, they were all very serious about cultivating and did not pay attention to the beauty of clothing¡­ Now, beingplimented by Luo Yan, she immediately felt a sense of camaraderie as if ¡°only my junior brother understands me.¡± ¡°So, do you think my outfit today looks better, or did yesterday¡¯s?¡± Miss Shi asked smugly. Luo Yan: ??????? This question stumped himpletely! After all, yesterday for Miss Shi was the day before, but for Luo Yan¡­ There were several months in between, including seeking Qiu Changtian, Ling Yunpo, and Wei Dongliu! Curse it! If she asked me this question tomorrow, how could I not have an answer? ¡°Ah Jing, help me!¡± Seeing Shi Liuli¡¯s increasingly suspicious face, Luo Yan hurriedly sought help from his apanying elder sister figure. The Kunlun Mirror was silent for a moment, sighed, and then projected the image of the previous day in Luo Yan¡¯s timeline before his eyes. ¡°Today¡¯s is better!¡± Luo Yan immediately pretended to ponder and then replied, ¡°Today¡¯s dress has a more ethereal and celestial air, while yesterday¡¯s was too heavy; it seemed to hide your beauty, Senior Sister.¡± ¡°Right?¡± Shi Liuli beamed with joy, ¡°That dress yesterday was picked by Father, and I knew he has no aesthetic sense!¡± ¡°Your master still picks your clothes for you?¡± Luo Yan asked, astonished. ¡°He alwaysins that the clothes I wear aren¡¯t sober enough,¡± Shi Liuli said with a huff, ¡°What do you think, Junior Brother?¡±
¡°Not at all,¡± Luo Yan affirmed, staring at the fair skin below her neck, quickly adding his opinion. With no low neckline or V-cor, where does the idea of immodestye from? The master, no, the Nascent Soul Elder, with a lifespan of a thousand years, truly is an old fuddy-duddy¡­ Plus, being an overprotective father on top of that, he¡¯s doubly conservative. Thinking of this, Luo Yan felt a bit uneasy. Leading Miss Shi out like this, won¡¯t I incur the master¡¯s displeasure? Sigh, I also have the elder¡¯s best interests at heart; he¡¯ll understand my good intentions after he realizes I¡¯ve helped him avoid disaster, right? After finishing their tea, the two went out for a walk. They strolled leisurely to Ruan Lang Pavilion, where Shi Liuli stared at the inscriptions on the rocky cliff and asked: ¡°Is it here?¡± ¡°That¡¯s right. ording to the records, Yang Yin got drunk here and stumbled into the secret realm,¡± Luo Yan replied. ¡°Hmm.¡± Miss Shi continued to look at the inscriptions and suddenly asked, ¡°Do you think the entrance to the secret realm could be behind this cliff?¡± Luo Yan was startled, only to hear Shi Liuli continue: ¡°Why don¡¯t we just strike it with Daoist Magic and see?¡±
Chapter 270: 62 Sending Miss Shi into the Secret Realm Chapter 270: Chapter 62 Sending Miss Shi into the Secret Realm Almost ten days had passed. Unable to find the entrance to the secret realm, Shi Liuli¡¯s initial fascination had gradually turned into restlessness, gloom, and even despair. ¡°I don¡¯t want to look anymore!¡± In Jinyun Temple¡¯s guestroom, Miss Shi rolled around on the bed, ¡°You look for it, you look for it, you look for it¡­¡± Luo Yan immediately showed a worried and troubled expression, but thought to himself: Of course I can look for you, but we still have to wait another two days. ¡°I¡¯ve decided!¡± She suddenly jumped out of bed, ¡°It¡¯s been so many days, father must be very worried. Sigh, I¡¯m really unfilial¡­¡± Miss Shi said as she started to walk out, scaring Luo Yan into action as he hurriedly tried to stop her, saying: ¡°How about we look one more time? If we still don¡¯t find any clues, we¡¯ll go back.¡± ¡°Hmm¡­¡± Shi Liuli looked at Luo Yan, and for some reason, suddenly felt a twinge of guilt. She knew that her little junior brother hadn¡¯t originally nned to bring her along. It was she who, upon hearing the words ¡®secret realm,¡¯ insisted on following him here.
And now that she couldn¡¯t find the secret realm, she was venting her frustration on her junior brother and moring to return first? With this thought, a sense of guilt surged in her heart. So she slowed her tone, showed a gentle smile, and said: ¡°Alright then. Let¡¯s go have another look.¡± The two left the Taoist temple and headed toward Ruan Lang Pavilion. It was colder in the mountains recently, and the grass and leaves by the roadside were covered with a bright, white frost. Walking beside Shi Liuli, Luo Yan caught a glimpse of the youngdy¡¯s listless appearance from the corner of his eye and felt somewhat helpless inside. I¡¯m doing all this to save you, and yet you resent me for it¡­ Tsk. Returning to Ruan Lang Pavilion, Shi Liuli sat down in the pavilion and looked around boredly. In the past ten days, she had searched every inch of the pavilion, stopping just short of prying it up and digging three feet into the ground. Therefore, Miss Shi currently had no interest in continuing the search¡ªbecause she had no idea where else she could possibly look. Luo Yan, as if performing magic, took out a brazier and a wine pot from the storage bag he had prepared in advance, and smiled, saying: ¡°If we want to find an ancient secret realm, I think we should start with the story of Ah Jing.¡± Miss Shi, not too obtuse herself, saw the wine pot and suddenly realized: ¡°Are you saying we should get as drunk as Ah Jing did, and then, as the legend says, we might be guided into the secret realm by immortals while in a daze?¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­ No, if someone really appears while you¡¯re dead drunk, they¡¯re probably up to no good. And you¡¯re still willing to follow them? He didn¡¯t want to criticize Miss Shi¡¯s bizarre ideas, but instead he continued: ¡°Let¡¯s just give it a try first. Maybe it¡¯ll work?¡±
¡°Alright, I¡¯ve never drunk alcohol before¡­¡± Miss Shi watched as Luo Yan warmed the wine, looking a little nervous. ¡°Big senior brother loves to drink so much, he¡¯s never tricked you into drinking?¡± Luo Yan asked incredulously. He still remembered the time when Linghu Chu invited him to drink Zhu Guo wine, iming it ¡°could enhance half a Jiazi¡¯s Qi Refinement cultivation.¡± It was only after drinking he was told, ¡°It¡¯ll take about thirty years to digest the wine¡¯s effects.¡±
¡°Actually, I¡¯ve drunk once.¡± Shi Liuli said as she rested her chin in her hand, ¡°When I was little¡­ well, about waist-highpared to now, big senior brother tricked me into drinking what he called ¡®Osmanthus wine,¡¯ and told me it was sweet.¡± ¡°And then?¡± Luo Yan thought, Linghu Chu, you dare to deceive even a little girl? ¡°Then my father caught us.¡± Shi Liuli chuckled, ¡°Big senior brother got a beating.¡± Luo Yan was speechless, thinking that having been caught by Elder Shi Ding, the doting father, Linghu Chu would likely never dare to trick Miss Shi into drinking again. Soon the wine was warm, and Luo Yan first poured a cup for Miss Shi before filling his own. ¡°Drinking this, we shouldn¡¯t use True Yuan to counteract the alcohol, right?¡± Shi Liuli held up her cup, hesitantly asking. ¡°Of course.¡± Luo Yan said, ¡°Ah Jing got ¡®dead drunk.¡¯ How can you activate the secret realm if you remain sober?¡± ¡°You sound so sure, junior brother?¡± Shi Liuli huffed, ¡°If I get drunk and the secret realm still doesn¡¯t appear, you¡¯re finished, I¡¯m telling you.¡± ¡°Sister, when you¡¯re drunk, what can you do?¡± Luo Yan started with a smile on his face, then suddenly realized his mistake and quickly shut his mouth. Why did it sound like I was nning to take advantage of her while she was drunk? ¡°Alright, I do need to do some things to her, but it¡¯s all for her own good!¡± Shi Liuli had no suspicions, merely lifting the cup to her lips and taking a light sip. ¡°So bitter! And a bit spicy¡­ not tasty at all,¡± she stuck out her little tongue, making an adorably yful frown.
¡°Hang in there, Senior Sister,¡± Luo Yan said with keen eyes, ¡°Finish this cup!¡± ¡°Why don¡¯t you drink?¡± Shi Liuli said angrily, ¡°Trying to get me drunk¡­ burp, right?¡± ¡°That¡¯s not it at all!¡± Luo Yan immediately put on an aggrieved expression, ¡°If that secret realm truly requires one to be drunk to enter, how can you do so without getting drunk, Senior Sister?¡± ¡°Really?¡± Shi Liuli¡¯s doubtful gaze swirled around him, but in the end, she believed her good junior brother with whom she spent day and night, and thus she raised her cup and downed it in one gulp. ¡°Senior Sister, bravo! Have another!¡± Luo Yan hurriedly, diligently poured her more wine. ¡°Senior Sister has a really good capacity for liquor, can you still drink?¡± ¡°Senior Sister, I see you in a new light, here¡¯s a full cup for you.¡± After three rounds of drinks, Shi Liuli was already a bit tipsy, and suddenly she mmed the table and called out: ¡°You¡­ Junior Brother, why aren¡¯t you drinking? Trying to get me drunk, and then¡­ have your way with me, right?¡± ¡°Senior Sister, one can drink recklessly, but words must not be spoken lightly!¡± Luo Yan retorted right away, ¡°Elder Brother was nearly beaten to death by Master just for tricking you into drinking; if I dared to have any improper thoughts about you, would Master not directly extract my soul and spirit?¡± ¡°That¡¯s also true,¡± Shi Liuli mumbled, after all, the word ¡°father¡± always gave her a great sense of security. So she gave Luo Yan a sideways nce, smugly saying: ¡°I bet you wouldn¡¯t dare.¡±
That nce was coquettish and amorous, filled with allure, causing Luo Yan to also feel his mouth go dry and his tongue parched. Miss Shi was naturally beautiful and delicate, the top-tier representation of the delicate beauty type, only her childlike speech usually prevented people from harboring any thoughts about her. Now that she was slightly drunk, she became even more innocently charming, almost irresistible¡­ Of course, Luo Yan could not be swayed; after all, he had received professional training, so he just poured wine for himself with a smile, drank it all under Senior Sister¡¯s watchful eyes, and then quietly circted his True Yuan to refine it. Seeing him drink as well, Shi Liuli finally let go of herst cautiousness and started to drink fuzzily.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Senior Sister?¡± Luo Yan, seeing she had drunk about enough, tried calling out, ¡°Senior Sister?¡± ¡°Hmm?¡± Shi Liuli swayed, seemingly about toy down on the table, but still trying to hold herself up. ¡°Ah Jing!¡± Luo Yan called out urgently. ¡°I¡¯m here.¡± The Kunlun Mirror immediately cast the Mirror Flower Water Moon Illusion Technique on Shi Liuli. This Illusion Technique contained very secretive psychological suggestions that could make one mistake Chen Guanshui for Qiu Changtian, Ling Yunpo, Luo Yan, and other personas, and it was naturally usable for other purposes as well. Now that Miss Shi was already out of her senses, how could she resist Ah Jing¡¯s Illusion Technique? She thought she was in her bedroom and slowlyy down on the ground intending to sleep. Suddenly, she saw characters seemingly etched on the bedroom wall. She strained her eyes to look, her gaze falling on a lower recess of the cliff. She had only read half of the little poem there when her entire being suddenly vanished.
She had been transported into the secret realm. Excellent! Luo Yan¡¯s spirits soared, and he immediatelyy on the ground too, entering the secret realm. Within the secret realm, at the end of the cavern, Shi Liuli could no longer fend off the drowsiness and began to sleep soundly right where she was. Luo Yan carefully picked her up and then walked towards the valley ahead. Pushing open the great doors of ¡°King¡¯s Mansion,¡± Luo Yan ced Shi Liuli on the ground, bowed to the Taoist apparition inside, and said: ¡°This junior pays respects to King. I have an inconvenient request and hope the senior will consider it.¡± ¡°What request?¡± The Taoist apparition turned around and spoke indifferently. ¡°This junior wishes to seek shelter in your esteemednd for my Senior Sister and ask that you not reveal that I brought her here,¡± Luo Yan earnestly said, ¡°In a few days, this junior will surely send someone to fetch her back.¡± ¡°That should be fine,¡± the Taoist apparition nodded, ¡°This secret realm was built to aid the younger generation, and there¡¯s no reason to turn anyone away.¡± ¡°When she wakes up, I¡¯ll treat her as a trialist, let her face the trials, nothing more will be said.¡± ¡°Thank you, senior.¡± This response was within Luo Yan¡¯s expectations¡ªhe had long maxed out the good feelings of the senior and had a fairly good grasp of his disposition. So, he bowed again and then extended his hand to press several major acupoints on Shi Liuli, infusing True Yuan, and quickly neutralizing the alcohol in her body. About five breathster, Shi Liuli slowly came to. By then, Luo Yan had already run off without a trace. Chapter 271: 63: The Immortal Stroked My Head, Bestowed Upon Me Fine Gifts Chapter 271: Chapter 63: The Immortal Stroked My Head, Bestowed Upon Me Fine Gifts ¡°Where am I¡­?¡± Shi Liuli slowly sat up, dazed in ce for a while. She looked around, but didn¡¯t see Luo Yan¡¯s figure, only the phantom of a Taoist priest, seated cross-legged on a meditation cushion, his eyes closed in meditation. She suddenly realized: She seemed to have entered a secret realm. But what about her younger martial brother? ¡°Senior,¡± Shi Liuli hesitantly asked, ¡°have you seen my younger martial brother? The male cultivator whose eyes are always slightly squinted, and who has a silly smile¡­¡± ¡°This is the Minor Heavenly King¡¯s Mansion,¡± the Taoist priest said indifferently, ¡°provided for trialists who enter the secret realm to study Daoist magic.¡± Even though it was just a phantom of the priest, it still inherited the original owner¡¯s memories and personality. Having promised Luo Yan not to talk too much, he definitely wouldn¡¯t say an extra word. He slowly opened his eyes and looked at Shi Liuli, who wore a confused expression, and asked:
¡°Do you want to practice Daoist magic?¡± ¡­¡­¡­ Luo Yan took his time flying back to Peni Immortal Ind on his sword but didn¡¯t hurry tond near Yuqing View. Instead, he rubbed his face to adopt a panicked and terrified expression. Then he rushed straight to Heavenly Craft Workshop. ¡°This is terrible! Terrible!¡± He went directly to Elder Shi Ding¡¯s residence, shouting loudly, ¡°Master, elder sister has been captured by the secret realm!¡± Elder Shi Ding: ? After Luo Yan had finished exining the situation, panting and out of breath, Elder Shi Ding sighed helplessly with aplex look in his eyes as he looked at Luo Yan. The more one frequents the mountains, the more likely an encounter with a tiger is; his daughter was always wandering around, so it was only a matter of time before trouble found her. Fortunately, from Luo Yan¡¯s description, it didn¡¯t sound like she had been captured by the Demon Cult but instead had blundered into the secret realm by mistake¡­ pah pah pah, what does ¡°captured by the secret realm¡± even mean? ¡°Lead the way for your master,¡± Elder Shi Ding said as he got up, his demeanor a bit moreposed than Luo Yan had expected. ¡°Master, should we also bring along our martial brothers and sisters?¡± Luo Yan proposed, ¡°The mechanism of the secret realm entrance is unknown, and it might just fall within someone¡¯s area of expertise by chance.¡± ¡°No need,¡± Elder Shi Ding waved his hand, ¡°They learned all of their skills from me, what can they do that I cannot?¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ He originally intended to save more people, but since he couldn¡¯t persuade his master and couldn¡¯t risk exposing himself by revealing more information, he could only hope his martial brothers and sisters could fend for themselves. The two left the Daoist temple, and as Luo Yan was about to fly off on his sword, he saw Elder Shi Ding take out a Meng Chong magical treasure from his sleeve, throw it into the air, and it transformed into arge ship. ¡°Come aboard,¡± Elder Shi Ding instructed from the deck. Luo Yan hastily flew onto the ship, and as the deck beneath his feet vibrated slightly, it turned into a ray of light, streaking rapidly toward the southwest. Too fast! Much too fast! Although you¡¯re anxious to save your daughter, master, at this full-speed run, we might not only save Miss Shi but also get back in time to defend against a hundred thousand demons attacking Peni! Luo Yan¡¯s expression turned grave as he anxiously racked his brain.
Seeing his anxious and sorrowful face, Elder Shi Ding thought the young man was sincere and said tofort him: ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Liuli might be a bit spoiled usually, but at the end of the day, she is bright and lucky. If that secret realm has protective mechanisms like the Pavilion, there¡¯s even less reason to be concerned.¡± ¡°Lucky¡± I can agree with, ¡°bright¡± I¡¯m not so sure about¡­ Luo Yan mused silently but then asked aloud: ¡°Ah Jing, do you think master will be able to break the entrance restrictions of the secret realm?¡±
¡°I¡¯m not sure,¡± the Kunlun Mirror replied. ¡°How can you not be sure!¡± Luo Yan immediately became furious. ¡°How am I supposed to know your master¡¯s level?¡± the Kunlun Mirror shot back, also annoyed. ¡°` ¡°You have that scanning thing, don¡¯t you!¡± Luo Yan tried to argue forcefully. ¡°Scanning can only detect material objects, it can¡¯t read thoughts!¡± Kunlun Mirror spoke loudly, ¡°Otherwise, I would have thoroughly scanned your brain a long time ago to see what kind of mess you have in there! To think you would berate me over something like this!¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­. Having been rebuffed by the broken mirror, he found himself at a loss for words, looking even more displeased. Meanwhile, inside the Kuocang Mountain Secret Realm. Shi Liuli left the small building with a dusty face, in an extremely foul mood. What kind of lousy secret realm is this? No treasures, no serendipity, just three old Daoists who, upon meeting her, would start training her in various Daoist magics, swordsmanship, and art calctions, followed by theoretical teachings, pointing out her shorings¡­n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om If Elder Shi Ding were here, he would immediately recognize this as the so-called ¡°Heritage Secret Realm,¡± built by immortals (mostly from loose cultivator backgrounds) who hoped to pass down their Daoist lineage, the most harmless type among all secret realms.
However, for Miss Shi, the plethora of inheritances at Yuqing View were enough for her to study for a lifetime, so why bother learning from three Daoist phantoms here? If she could leave this ce¡­ With gritted teeth and a bit of reluctance, Shi Liuli began searching the valley again. The valley wasn¡¯trge, she had turned over every inch of it, even stumbling upon the original cave again. Yet under the veil of Kunlun Mirror¡¯s illusion technique, shepletely missed the inscriptions behind the vines. Considering she hade here drunk, could it be that she needed to be equally intoxicated to leave? No, that can¡¯t be right. ording to the stories shared by her junior brother, Yang An left after visiting the three Daoists. That meant the authority to exit the secret realmy in the hands of those three Daoists! Having no other options, Shi Liuli stepped once more into ¡°Huayang Thatched Pavilion.¡± Inside was a gaunt old man, dressed like a Daoist, standing with his hands tied. Seeing her enter again, the old man chuckled and said: ¡°Swordsmanship requires daily practice. Very good.¡± ¡°Cut the crap!¡± Shi Liuli drew her Immortal Sword, shouted fiercely, ¡°If I defeat you, you must let me out of the secret realm!¡± ¡°Why not?¡± The old manughed, ¡°You girl have sufficientprehension; you¡¯re just toozy. Your swordsmanship has obviously improved a lot over these sessions¡­¡±
¡°Stop evaluating me!¡± Shi Liuli raised her sword and thrust directly at the old man. ¡°I¡¯ve discussed with the other two,¡± the old man said nonchntly as he controlled the Flying Sword to block Shi Liuli¡¯s attack, ¡°If you meet our assessment criteria, we are prepared to pass on the secret treasures we have hidden here for you to inherit. It¡¯s not impossible.¡± ¡°What inheritance?¡± Shi Liuli suddenly stopped. ¡°Your Daoist foundation, you¡¯ve practiced the ¡®Five Latitudes Heavenly Secret Record,¡¯ right?¡± the old man said slowly, ¡°There¡¯s a magical treasure on King¡¯s side, called the ¡®Taiwei Hook Chen Brilliant Soul Star Sand¡¯¡­¡± ¡°Is it powerful?¡± Shi Liuli¡¯s eyes lit up. ¡°Using your Five Latitude Ster True Essence to activate it can turn it into a sky of dazzling stardust. Anyone caught in the Milky Way will be pulverized in an instant. Tell me, is that not powerful?¡± the old man stroked his beard and smiled. ¡°If that¡¯s the case, it must be powerful!¡± Miss Shi¡¯s face lit up with a smile too. ¡°I have an Immortal Sword here, called ¡®Purple Extreme Han Yuan¡¯.¡± The old man went on, ¡°Although it doesn¡¯tpare to King¡¯s Taiwei Star Sand, it¡¯s still better than the sword you¡¯re currently using.¡± My sword is a Tenth Rank! Shi Liuli was initially disbelieving, but then she reacted and was immediately overjoyed: Could it be that the Purple Extreme Han Yuan Sword is an Eleventh Rank Immortal Sword? ¡°Additionally, your destiny is quite peculiar,¡± the old man added slowly, ¡°Zhen Xuan, the Destiny Augur King, said that if you¡¯re willing to take up his Art Calction inheritance, he would teach you a secret technique. With diligent practice, you can prevent the chaos of fortune and misfortune, maintaining bnce.¡± Shi Liuli initially overjoyed, frowned upon hearing this. She had no desire to learn some secret technique!
Chapter 272: 64: Master is also at his wits end! Chapter 272: Chapter 64: Master is also at his wit¡¯s end! If Shi Liuli could have another chance, she would definitely bring all the magical treasures she could carry with her before leaving home. She¡¯d cover herself with the Jade Emperor Bell and whip wildly ahead with the Divine Striking Whip, not caring about any swordsmanship or Daoist magic, and beat everything into a mushy pulp in one breath. ¡°That won¡¯t do,¡± the mildly amused Heavenly King said, skillfully manipting Daoist magic to once again repel the disheveled Shi Liuli, and spoke, ¡°In our time, there was an old saying, ¡®Qi refinement is the foundation, spells are the means, and magical treasures are external objects.''¡± ¡°What you cultivate through your own breathing is what you can truly control. Whereas magical treasures are handy, they don¡¯t help your growth in the slightest.¡± ¡°I know!¡± Shi Liuli said impatiently. This was nothing but the same old tune, for Elder Shi Ding had told her this hundreds of times. Useless. Miss Shi was sozy that anything requiring her to cultivate for over a month was preemptively abandoned in her mind. This time, however, she was trapped in the secret realm with no escape, and so she was forced to diligently cultivate Daoist magic, swordsmanship, and art calctions to meet the standards demanded by the three Daoist apparitions in this ce. She brought her palms together again and shouted, ¡°Chen Xing Water Essence, reflect the Beiming,¡± and her True Yuan surged within her along a specific route, with a great deal of starlight emerging from the joining of her palms. Cold as icy smoke and bright as the stars, it rushed towards the old Daoist across from her.
The old Daoist chuckled and flicked his finger, summoning a whirlwind of ck air to wrestle with the dazzling starlight. For most Daoist magic, unless there is an encounter with mutually enhancing or countering elements (like the Five Elements Divine Light overpowering anything not covered by the Five Elements), it¡¯s mostly a contest of strength. Whose True Yuan is more vigorous, whose Daoist magic is more refined, that person will be able to crush the opponent¡¯s magic ahead of time. Of course, control skills of True Yuan are also very important. Excellent control can increase the power by up to fifty percent given the same base of True Yuan¡­ and that¡¯s a significant proportion. Training control skills requires a lot of patience, and patience is precisely what Shi Liulicks the most, resulting in her original rudimentary control of True Yuan ¨C barely any finesse whatsoever. But in this secret realm, out of necessity, she had no choice but to patiently cultivate it. ¡°Not bad, not bad,¡± seeing her ¡°Right Six Yuan Chen Xing Essence Talisman¡± bing more adept and her control of starlight extraordinarily stable, the old Daoist finally nodded, withdrawing his own Daoist magic, ¡°It¡¯s not easy to cultivate to such a degree. You¡¯ve passed this level.¡± ¡°Really?¡± Shi Liuli let out a sigh of relief, then said with surprise, ¡°Does that mean I can have that very powerful¡­ whatever stardust magical treasure now?¡± ¡°Not yet,¡± the old Daoist said with a smile, seeing through her little ruse, ¡°You have to pass the tests set by all three of us before you can get all the rewards.¡± Shi Liuli: ¡­¡­ ¡°This is so boring,¡± she murmured dejectedly and turned to leave. After leaving the residence of Heavenly King, Shi Liuli stood before the other two pavilions, hesitating once more. What should she tackle next, the swordsmanship challenge or the calction art challenge? If you ask Miss Shi, she wouldn¡¯t want to try either. Swordsmanship was absolutely Shi Liuli¡¯s weak spot. It¡¯srgely because swordsmanship tests ¡°eyesight¡± and ¡°reaction speed,¡± and having almost no actualbat experience from a young age, Shi Liuli had decent eyesight but her reaction speed was painfully slow. Often, her Flying Sword had reached her neck before she began to scream in terror. As for art calctions, although not as difficult as swordsmanship, the trouble was several times greater. This thing is a bit like mathematics, it first requires a great deal of memory, then a great deal of calction, and finally, a great deal of inference.
Three ¡°great deals¡±, indicating its troublesome nature, and considering that Miss Shi is the person who hates trouble the most, one can imagine her aversion to learning Art Calction. After thinking it over, swordsmanship ultimately could not be beaten, so he had to choose Art Calction. Outside the secret realm, Luo Yan had already brought Elder Shi Ding andnded in the midst of Kuocang Mountain, outside Ruan Lang Pavilion. ¡°It was right here,¡± Luo Yan pointed to the pavilion and said, ¡°We imitated the old tales of Yang An, drinking here.¡±
¡°After my senior sister got drunk, she suddenly disappeared.¡± ¡°Hmm, let me try,¡± Elder Shi Ding nodded and said. He took out arge number of array gs from his storage bag, waved his hand, and those nearly one hundred array gs scattered and vanished without a trace. Then, Elder Shi Ding took out apass Magical Treasure, cradled it in his palm, and silently recited the calction words. ¡°Tai Yi Huang Ying Ding Xing Pan?¡± the Green Duckweed Sword suddenly spoke. ¡°What is that?¡± Luo Yan anxiously asked. ¡°A top-tier Strange Object for measuring geomancy,¡± the Green Duckweed Sword replied, ¡°I reckon the entrance to the secret realm won¡¯t stay hidden for much longer, and it will soon be discovered by your master.¡± ¡°Ah Jing!¡± Luo Yan urgently said, ¡°Quickly lend me a helping hand!¡± With at least a day and a half before the hundred thousand gods and demons attack Peni, how could he let his master find his senior sister so quickly? The Kunlun Mirror sighed and then covertly activated its time-space abilities. Elder Shi Ding had just pinched a few Daoist Forms, when all of a sudden, he saw the maic needle on the Tai Yi Huang Ying Ding Xing Pan spin wildly and crazily like a headless fly. ¡°Time-space abilities?!¡± Elder Shi Ding eximed, ¡°There are time-space abilities in the restrictions here?¡± ¡°Master, are these time-space abilities¡­very powerful?¡± Luo Yan pretended not to understand.
¡°Time and space are the most obscure of the great Daos,¡± Elder Shi Ding said with a solemn expression, ¡°For example, the highest-tier shuttle Magical Treasures would involve spatial abilities.¡± ¡°As for the abilities of time, they are even rarer¡­ Hmm, theplexity of the restrictions here is extraordinary, I don¡¯t have the right equipment on hand to deal with it.¡± He tossed thepass to Luo Yan and said, ¡°Take this Magical Treasure and return to Yuqing View to exchange it for the ¡®Liang Yi Zhou Tian Fen Shui Pan¡¯ from the Master of Xuan Du.¡± ¡°Yes, master,¡± Luo Yan took the Magical Treasure and after a moment¡¯s thought, he added, ¡°There is a Daoist temple down the mountain in that direction. Master can rest there before I return.¡± ¡°Hmm,¡± Elder Shi Ding nodded. So Luo Yan once again rose on his Flying Sword, and only after flying out of the bounds of Kuocang Mountain did he show a trace of joy on his face. Coming here on my master¡¯s Meng Chong Magical Treasure and returning on the Sword Control Technique, my Sword Control Technique is not proficient, so it¡¯s normal to be a bit slower, right? Returning to the East Sea, I¡¯ll just happen to find the hundred thousand gods and demons attacking Peni; in the midst of panic, I won¡¯t be able to enter Yuqing View and will have to turn back to find my master, that¡¯s very reasonable, right?n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om The Sect Residence being besieged by arge number of real persons and elders from the Demon Cult, people inside can¡¯t escape at all, my master would naturally rush to seek help from Kunlun, that¡¯s a natural course of action, right? That way, I¡¯ll perfectly avoid the murky waters of Yuqing View! Chapter 273: 65: Spy Hunting Spy Chapter 273: Chapter 65: Spy Hunting Spy Luo Yan dragged his feet, slow and unhurried, finally reaching Peni Immortal Ind. ording to what the captured Ai Zhenzhi had confessed, the expedition team had arrived here in the morning. However, the surroundings were calm and tranquil, with not a shadow of a Demon Cult Cultivator in sight. He immediately grew suspicious¡ªcould it be that Ai Zhenzhi had lied? After lurking on the sea for nearly an hour, the Demon Cult Cultivators still did not appear. So, Luo Yan sighed and urged his sword light to descend upon Peni Ind. If he dyed any longer in returning, his master would likely grow suspicious. Back at Yuqing View, Luo Yan nned to go straight to the Sect Leader of Xuandu. As soon as his steps entered the pavilion, he saw about a dozen Disciplinary Hall cultivators surging out from both sides, all dressed in white robes, with stern expressions. Leading them was the head of the Disciplinary Hall, Elder Jiu Ling, who pointed at Luo Yan, sealing all his cultivation. Luo Yan: ??????????
His first thought was that his spy identity had been exposed, and he was about to urgently call out to Ah Jing to take him away, when he saw Elder Jiu Ling extend a finger and press several key points on his body. With spiritual power circting, divine sense carefully swept over him. ¡°There¡¯s no trace of the Ten Aspects Release Method,¡± Elder Jiu Ling waved his hand, and the surrounding cultivators all breathed a sigh of relief, instantly releasing the restraints on Luo Yan. Once again free, Luo Yan pretended to be puzzled and asked, ¡°Senior, is there a Heavenly Demon Path Cultivator that has infiltrated the View?¡± ¡°It¡¯s not a Heavenly Demon Path Cultivator,¡± Elder Jiu Ling said sinctly, ¡°It¡¯s a Hell Path Cultivator.¡± Luo Yan was startled, his heart churning like a stormy sea. What? The one Wei Dongliu had desperately sought was actually found by Luo Yan? ¡°Your Heavenly Craft Workshop¡¯s fourth disciple, Shi Wenshi, is dead. From the scene, it was determined that a Hell Path Cultivator was responsible,¡± Elder Jiu Ling continued, ¡°The murderer must be hiding within the View, and all disciples must cooperate with the investigation. Luo Yan, go back to the Heavenly Craft Workshop right now, and you are not to leave¡­ Right, where¡¯s your master?¡± ¡°My master is out on some business,¡± Luo Yan replied, his eyes dull, but inside, he was screaming, this is not good. Toe across such a matter! How am I supposed to escape now? Keep in mind, even if a hundred thousand gods and demons were to attack Peni, Luo Yan wouldn¡¯t fear at all. As long as he found a ce, let Ah Jing teleport him away, the so-called Demon Cult¡¯s siege would be a joke. But if Yuqing View restricts his movements, then unless he¡¯s ready to defect from the sect, he really has no way to escape¡ªonce he leaves, he¡¯ll be treated as a suspect of being a traitor, but how could he continue to mix in Peni afterward? Forget it, he could only return to the Heavenly Craft Workshop first and investigate who the traitor was by the way. Luo Yan silently walked toward the Heavenly Craft Workshop, then suddenly realized something: What does ¡°established history cannot be changed¡± mean? I recall Ai Zhenzhi saying the Divine Striking Whip was obtained from a ¡°young Array Master.¡± That means, when the Protective Sect Array is breached, I will inevitably be besieged by some true members of the Demon Cult and elders. I¡¯ll have no choice but to wield the Divine Striking Whip for self-preservation, thuspleting the closure of temporal significance¡­ So, this return of mine is precisely why I¡¯ve encountered such a mess!
Tsk, once I¡¯ve observed the oue of the future, the future bes unavoidable, right? Back at the Heavenly Craft Workshop, Luo Yan saw his third senior sister, Liang Ruohua,ing out from the inner room afterpleting the interrogation. ¡°Junior brother,¡± she nodded at Luo Yan, her eyes still slightly swollen, ¡°You can go in. Don¡¯t worry, they won¡¯t make things difficult for you.¡± Luo Yan remained silent for a moment, then nodded.
The inner room was originally the storage room of the Heavenly Craft Workshop but had now been temporarily requisitioned by the Disciplinary Hall. As Luo Yan entered the inner room, he saw a Disciplinary Hall male cultivator standing by, adjusting a mirror-like magical treasure¡ªprobably some kind of lie detecting tool. Another female cultivator sat behind the table, gesturing for Luo Yan to sit down opposite her. ¡°Where were you at the third quarter of Chen hour this morning?¡± The other party asked directly. ¡°I was with Master on the way to Yangzhou,¡± Luo Yan honestly replied. The two cultivators looked at each other for a moment. With Elder Shi Ding¡­ that would be the perfect alibi; the murderer¡¯s suspicion could almost be excluded. ¡°Your senior sister Shi Liuli, she hasn¡¯t appeared in the pavilion for over ten days,¡± the female cultivator continued to ask, ¡°do you know where she is?¡± ¡°I do,¡± Luo Yan continued nodding, ¡°She is trapped in a secret realm in Kuocang Mountain; Master and I were going there to save her.¡± ¡°Then why did youe back?¡± the male cultivator asked. ¡°Master sent me back to borrow a magical treasure from the Pavilion Master,¡± Luo Yan answered. The two Disciplinary Hall cultivators fell silent for a moment before the female cultivator spoke up: ¡°All right. Do not leave Heavenly Craft Workshop during this time; we will notify you after the review is concluded.¡±
¡°May I ask, how did my fourth senior brother die?¡± Luo Yan asked tentatively. ¡°Outside your master¡¯s study,¡± the female cultivator hesitated for a moment before replying, ¡°He fell after his soul was drawn out by a Hell Path evil spell.¡± ¡°We suspect the murderer sneaked into your master¡¯s study to search for something and was just happened to be seen by your fourth senior brother passing by.¡± ¡°A brief magicalpetition urred between them, and by the time we were alerted and arrived, your fourth senior brother was already killed, and the murderer was long gone.¡± Hearing this, Luo Yan fell into contemtion: clearly, what the traitor was trying to find, might very well have a direct cause and effect rtionship with the eventual breach of the Peni Ind¡¯s Protective Sect Array. Since the breach of the array is an imminent fact that is bound to happen, it seems there¡¯s no need for me to intervene to prevent it. The key is to find the traitor who killed my fourth senior brother to avoid being backstabbed by them when I make my escape. This traitor, nine times out of ten, is among the Heavenly Craft Workshop! Right among my senior brothers and sisters! ¡°Alright,¡± he sighed and got up. Leaving the inner chamber, Luo Yan did not head to his own bedroom, but instead went straight to Miss Shi¡¯s room and pushed the door open. From the corner of the drawer¡¯s storage bag, he fished out the Divine Striking Whip and the Jade Emperor¡¯s Bell. This Miss Shi¡­ to carelessly ce Tenth Rank Magical Treasures like this without even setting up an array for protection, she really is careless! After securing both treasures, Luo Yan hurriedly left and came to the door of his eldest senior brother, Linghu Chu. He knocked on the door, only to find that his eldest senior brother was not inside.
So he went to his second senior sister¡¯s residence. The door was open, and there was no one inside.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Stop looking.¡± Liang Ruohua, his third senior sister, opened her door and poked her head out to say, ¡°Your eldest senior brother is being interrogated.¡± ¡°What about second senior sister?¡± ¡°She just got back from being interrogated and went to the zither workshop.¡± ¡°Third senior sister,¡± Luo Yan said with a grave tone, ¡°do you think the murderer could be one of our Heavenly Craft Workshop people?¡± Liang Ruohua¡¯s face shifted slightly, and after a moment, her gaze turned cold: ¡°Are you suspecting your eldest senior brother? Or your second senior sister? Or are you suspecting me?¡± ¡°If I suspected senior sister, I wouldn¡¯t have asked directly,¡± Luo Yan calmly replied. ¡°Your second senior sister is a dull character, and she has always had a good rtionship with your fourth senior brother, why would she kill him?¡± Liang Ruohua spoke coldly, ¡°As for your eldest senior brother¡­ he has taken such good care of you and Liuli in the past; you should trust him even less.¡± ¡°I see,¡± said Luo Yan with an unconcerned smile, ¡°It was my mistake to rashly suspect my senior brother and sister. We might as well assume fourth senior brothermitted suicide; I won¡¯t look for a murderer anymore.¡± ¡°You¡­e back!¡± Seeing Luo Yan turn around to leave, Liang Ruohua hurriedly called him back. ¡°What is it, senior sister?¡± Luo Yan turned his head to ask. ¡°Come in first,¡± Liang Ruohua stepped back half a step and said with a worried tone, ¡°I have something to tell you.¡±
¡°Alright,¡± Luo Yan turned and came back, his demeanor calm and collected. In his sleeves, his hands were already forming the spell for the Five Elements Divine Light. Chapter 274: 66: 100,000 Gods and Demons Attack Penglai Chapter 274: Chapter 66: 100,000 Gods and Demons Attack Peni Liang Ruohua pulled Luo Yan into the room, then closed the door before speaking, ¡°Little Junior Brother, how do you feel everyone at Heavenly Craft Workshop treats you?¡± ¡°They treat me as if I were a family member,¡± Luo Yan replied very sincerely. Liang Ruohua was indeed moved by his expression and sighed, ¡°To be honest, I too hope that the murderer is actually someone from outside.¡± ¡°But¡­ if, as the Disciplinary Hall says, the culprit is from a Hell Path Cultivator, then the situation would be extremely bad for us.¡± ¡°Hell Path?¡± Luo Yan expressed just the right amount of curiosity, ¡°I¡¯ve only heard that it¡¯s one of the six paths of the Demon Cult, but they almost never show themselves in public.¡± ¡°They indeed never appear publicly,¡± Liang Ruohua sighed, ¡°but they have traitors within all the major Sects¡­ Almost every few hundred years, our Yuqing View discovers one or two of them.¡± Luo Yan: ¡­¡­¡­ Wait, does this mean I¡¯ve been reincarnated into the wrong life?
If I could have been reborn as a Hell Path Cultivator, with theirwork of traitors within the major Sects, plus Ah Jing¡¯s Mirror Flower Water Moon abilities¡­ Of course, and most importantly, with my outstanding acting and intelligence, wouldn¡¯t collecting the fragments of the Heaven-Mending Stone be a matter of minutes? Makes sense! If Wei Dongliu does indeed connect with the Hell Path one day, I¡¯ll first see if there¡¯s an opportunity to switch sides!n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om ¡°Major Sects?¡± Luo Yan showed an incredulous look of astonishment, ¡°You mean, even the other five paths of the Demon Cult have them?¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Liang Ruohua nodded. ¡°What are they trying to do?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± Liang Ruohua responded with a sigh, ¡°but ording to Master and the seniors in our Sect, the Hell Path definitely has a long-term, secret n to manipte the situation in the Cultivation Realm.¡± ¡°But what the specific n and goal are, only the Cultivators within the Hell Path would know.¡± ¡°Senior Sister, do you have any suspects in mind?¡± Luo Yan asked with concern, ¡°Do you think the Eldest Senior Brother or Second Senior Sister could be a Hell Path traitor?¡± ¡°To tell the truth,¡± Liang Ruohua shook her head, ¡°I originally thought that the most likely traitor would be you.¡± Luo Yan: ? ¡°Every traitor nted by the Hell Path is exceptionally talented,¡± Liang Ruohua continued, ¡°It is precisely because of this that they quickly gain favor from the elders of the Sects and rapidly snatch up corresponding positions and power.¡± ¡°I see,¡± Luo Yan also sighed deeply, ¡°It¡¯s precisely because they are all talented disciples that, unless there is substantial evidence, the Sects simply cannot capture them for a strict investigation.¡± ¡°The one with the most overflowing talent in our Heavenly Craft Workshop is you,¡± Liang Ruohua fixed her gaze on his eyes, ¡°Master has said more than once that after we advance to the Nascent Soul Realm, we can go out and establish our own Sects. But the only one who could truly inherit the Heavenly Craft Workshop¡¯s name is you, Little Junior Brother.¡± Luo Yan then showed an embarrassed and pleasantly surprised expression. ¡°So I did suspect that you were the insider who killed our Fourth Junior Brother,¡± Liang Ruohua spoke indifferently, ¡°But on the day of the incident, you left Yuqing View with Master, so this conclusion is not possible.¡± No, it¡¯s still possible¡­ Luo Yan thought to himself, who said there¡¯s only one insider? Of course, he also saw that Third Senior Sister had truly ruled out his suspicion, so he asked in a low voice, ¡°Then does Third Senior Sister think it could be Eldest Senior Brother?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t think it would be Eldest Senior Brother,¡± Liang Ruohua said simply.
Then the most suspicious one is Second Senior Sister. Luo Yan understood in his heart; in fact, Liang Ruohua did not want to suspect Second Senior Sister, let alone investigate her herself. However, from the evidence presented by the Disciplinary Hall, it seemed highly likely that the traitor came from the Heavenly Craft Workshop, which is why she shared these details with me, hoping I could help her clear things up. Unfortunately, at this point, it¡¯s probably toote¡­
As the two were speaking, suddenly, a world-shaking explosion sounded from outside. Boom! Luo Yan was startled and immediately rushed out of the Heavenly Craft Workshop, only to see that the sky was already filled with densely packed, spider web-like cracks. The Tai Yi Escaping Armor Yin Yang Great Formation, originally based on the numerology of armor melding, could perfectly transform and disce the force of iing attacks. However, the formation now seemed to have been tampered with by someone, its ability to meld armor wholly ineffective. Countless spell radiances and sword shadows fell from the sky like rain, smashing onto the formation, creating even more invisible spatial cracks. Liang Ruohua also ran out upon hearing the noise. When she saw the sky filled with shing lights and the dense crowd of Demon Cult Cultivators in the distance, she felt her limbs grow icy cold, almost copsing to the ground: ¡°How¡­ How could this be? Where did these Demon Cult Cultivatorse from?!¡± ¡°Don¡¯t worry about where they came from!¡± Luo Yan roared back, ¡°Third Senior Sister! Does the workshop have any secret escape routes leading outside?¡± ¡°I don¡¯t know!¡± Liang Ruohua desperately shook her head, ¡°Aside from Master, probably only the Eldest Senior Brother is likely to know!¡± No sooner had she spoken than the Eldest Senior Brother Linghu Chu and two cultivators from the Disciplinary Hall also came rushing out. ¡°Where is Lei Caiyan?¡± The female cultivator¡¯s expression hardened as she quickly instructed the male cultivator, ¡°I¡¯ll go find Lei Caiyan. You go find Elder Jiu Ling at once!¡± ¡°Okay!¡± The male cultivator immediately soared into the sky on his sword.
As the two dispersed rapidly, Luo Yan swiftly grabbed the sleeve of the Eldest Senior Brother, urgently asking: ¡°Eldest Senior Brother, does our Heavenly Craft Workshop have any escape routes leading out?¡± ¡°The Heavenly Craft Workshop does not have the authority to create such passages!¡± Linghu Chu replied grimly, ¡°But there definitely should be some in the Sect!¡± ¡°Then what should we do?¡± Liang Ruohua also asked in a panic. Just by looking at the swarm of Demon Path Cultivators and the various mighty attacks outside, without the protection of the great formation, it would mean certain death. But if they were to hide within the formation, it would be no different than sitting ducks¡ª the Sect¡¯s escape routes, if they existed, were their only hope. There was no time to dy, and the three of them quickly went back to the workshop to find Second Senior Sister Lei Caiyan. As soon as they stepped into the musical instrument workshop, they saw the female cultivator from the Disciplinary Hall lying on the ground, eyes lifeless, bleeding from all seven orifices¡ªclearly dead beyond doubt. Lei Caiyan stood in the middle of the courtyard, dressed in a ck robe from head to toe. Her long hair, initially put up with a hairpin, was now let down, and her typically silent and blockheaded demeanor had be chillingly stunning. ¡°Eldest Senior Brother, Third Senior Sister, Junior Brother.¡± She nodded slightly, her eyes betraying no emotion. ¡°Second Senior Sister, so you¡¯re the traitor!¡± While Linghu Chu and Liang Ruohua were still in shock, Luo Yan quickly came to his senses, immediately expressing his deep pain, ¡°Why did you betray the Heavenly Craft Workshop?¡± ¡°Betray?¡± Lei Caiyan¡¯s brow wrinkled, seemingly puzzled, ¡°I originally belong to the Hell Path Sect. I changed my name and joined the Yuqing View to infiltrate. How could it be called betrayal? It should be deception, right?¡± Luo Yan: ???
F*ck, this reasoning is really refreshing! I must remember this well; I can reuse it next time. Chapter 275: 67: Emergency Evacuation Chapter 275: Chapter 67: Emergency Evacuation The first time Luo Yan encountered a Hell Path cultivator, his heart was extremely excited. He wished he could capture his opponent immediately and interrogate him thoroughly to extract all sorts of information about the Hell Path. Of course, that was merely wishful thinking. Lei Caiyan seemed to have the Cultivation Level of the Golden Core Realm, Root Seeking Rank on the surface, but in reality¡­ no one knew for sure what Realm she actually was in. Byparing himself to her, Luo Yan felt certain that Lei Caiyan was concealing her true Cultivation Level! Thus, with Elder Shi Ding absent from the scene and his Eldest Senior Brother unlikely to restrain the opponent, Luo Yan could only try to worm out whatever information he could from her, one sentence at a time. ¡°Why did you infiltrate the Heavenly Craft Workshop?¡± Linghu Chu asked harshly. ¡°Because the control switch of the Tai Yi Escaping Armor Yin Yang Great Formation is in the hands of Elder Shi Ding,¡± Lei Caiyan said indifferently, ¡°My mission in sneaking into the Heavenly Craft Workshop was to ensure that the Hell Path could control the great formation once.¡± ¡°Now that I have been activated, I believe I will no longer deal with you all as Lei Caiyan in the future, so I specifically came here to bid farewell.¡± ¡°Were you the one who killed our Fourth Junior Brother?¡± Liang Ruohua asked in disbelief.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om
¡°He didn¡¯t have to die,¡± Lei Caiyan said softly, ¡°but unfortunately, he insisted on obstructing me. Carrying out the inner orders of the Dao is my first duty as a mole, the rtionship of many years as senior and junior siblings has to be put aside¡­¡± Before she could finish speaking, Linghu Chu couldn¡¯t contain himself anymore and leapt up, sword in hand! His Flying Sword shot out like lightning, aiming straight for Lei Caiyan¡¯s head. But all that was seen was Lei Caiyan waving her hand, flicking a few ck lights from her fingertips, and nonchntly knocking down the Flying Sword. Linghu Chu¡¯s face turned ashen, and he immediately understood that the Cultivation Realm of the opponent was not below his own; otherwise, it would have been impossible for her to block his attack so easily. Luo Yan watched with envy, thinking that to be a mole to this extent was utterly superb, almost to the point of bursting with panache. The reason it was ¡°almost¡± and not pletely¡± bursting was because there was one imperfection¡ªher hand movements were a bit too excessive. If it were me revealing my identity, and someone came at me with an Immortal Sword, I would simply raise a finger and sturdily deflect the Immortal Sword, regarding the sharpness of its de and the power of its Dao Techniques as nothing¡­ That would have been perfect! ¡°Our destiny has ended; why insist on something that¡¯s not meant to be?¡± Lei Caiyan said calmly, ¡°It¡¯s better to part on good terms.¡± ¡°Thinking of leaving?¡± Luo Yan immediately charged forward, activating the Divine Striking Whip for Sword Control, and swung it down over her head, ¡°Take this blow from my whip!¡± Although he sounded fierce, his mind was heavy with concentration as he said: ¡°Scan her, Ah Jing!¡± Lei Caiyan waved her arm again, and with a flourish of her sleeve, the iing Divine Striking Whip was rolled up and vanished within it. ¡°The scan isplete,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said in surprise, ¡°How strange, she actually practices pure Daoist internal arts with no trace of turbid energy. That move just now was ¡®Sleeve Universe,¡¯ a rather ancient Daoist spell¡­¡± Before it could finish, Lei Caiyan suddenly frowned, turned around, and said: ¡°I¡¯m leaving now. If you all don¡¯t want to die, you should leave quickly as well.¡± ¡°Where do you think you¡¯re going?¡± Liang Ruohua drew out an ancient zither from her sleeve, her delicate hands fluttering over it as countless soundwaves attacked Lei Caiyan. Linghu Chong also directly activated his Sword Dao Techniques, creating countless small swordsposed of white and golden lights in an attempt to block her path. Lei Caiyan seemed not to notice, simply exhaling a breath of ck energy to shield herself.
All those soundwaves twinkled, and the Light Swords shuttled around, but they were all blocked by the thick ck energy outside. The ball of ck energy rose swaggeringly, disappearing from the sight of the three. Luo Yan silently watched, feeling a great sense of pity well up in his heart. If it were me, why would I need this ck energy to protect myself? That would be lowering my own standards. Rather than that, why not just turn my back, let all the attacksnd behind me, while I remainpletely unharmed? Now that would truly exude majesty!
Lei Caiyan drifted away, leaving the eldest senior brother, Linghu Chu, and the third senior sister, Liang Ruohua, struggling to ept the oue, both falling into silent dismay. A whileter, it was Luo Yan who first spoke up to break the silence: ¡°We shouldn¡¯t stay here any longer. Let¡¯s hurry to find the Pavilion Master. As for the traitor, we¡¯ll handle that after reporting to Master when he returns!¡± ¡°Yes.¡± Recognizing the outstretched hand of his junior brother, Linghu Chu snapped out of it and nodded, ¡°That¡¯s exactly what we should do.¡± So the three of them hurriedly took to their swords, left the Heavenly Craft Workshop, and headed towards the Daozang Pavilion. The Pavilion Master¡¯s residence was not far from the Daozang Pavilion, which had already been surrounded by a horde of cultivators, with more elders and their disciples continuing to arrive. ¡°The Pavilion Master¡¯s decree states that all sect members should enter the pavilion and evacuate in order!¡± a True Person shouted at the front of the pavilion, his voice booming like thunder and deafening, ¡°All Nascent Soul Elders, the Feather Courtyard and Huaming ranks are the first batch, and the Treasure Light Rank is the second batch!¡± ¡°All Foundation Establishment Realm disciples and Golden Core Realm True Persons, your turn will be the same as your masters¡¯! Masters and disciples must enter the pavilion in groups to evacuate!¡± A few Golden Core True Persons from the Pavilion Master¡¯s lineage came out and quickly called out the names of all the elders belonging to the first batch, urging them to enter the Daozang Pavilion immediately. Luo Yan frowned as he heard this from behind: considering the state of the grand formation, which could be breached at any moment, dying each entry into the Daozang Pavilion even by a moment increased the risk of catastrophe considerably. And the order of the list clearly favored two groups: first, the strongest among the Nascent Soul Elders, and second, the disciples of these Nascent Soul Elders, who essentially represented the sect¡¯s most promising younger generation. The former ensured the immediate survival of Yuqing View, while thetter represented the future hope of the sect. Unfortunately, his nominal master, Elder Shi Ding, was not present. Although his cultivation realm was only at the Treasure Light Rank, his unparalleled artifact refining capabilities might have merited special treatment from the Pavilion Master¡­
However, what surprised Luo Yan more was that the cultivators not listed in the first batch did not cause trouble or y tricks but instead silently watched the first batch leave. No, that¡¯s not right. The ones able to join Yuqing View were all clever people; they surely understood that acting out against order now would only lead to suppression by the higher-ups. Only when the grand formation shattered and the situation suddenly spiraled out of control would it be the best opportunity for everyone to attempt a coup and rush in. This meant it was best not to be too close to the Daozang Pavilion now, as it made one an easy target for the mass attacks from behind. But being too far from the Daozang Pavilion was also not an option; otherwise, one might be toote to rush in. As Luo Yan pondered the various parties¡¯ psychologies with an incredibly cynical mindset, he suddenly heard someone ahead calling out: ¡°Luo Yan! Luo Yan! What are you standing there for?¡± Luo Yan: ? Looking up, he saw Tian Zhang, the Pavilion Master¡¯s son, flying over on a sword, passing over the crowd,nding next to him, and then taking his arm and flying towards the pavilion entrance while shouting: ¡°Luo Yan is here!¡± The Golden Core True Person guarding the Daozang Pavilion quickly waved his hand and said: ¡°Let him go in first!¡± Luo Yan: ???
Wait, what happened to the rule of masters and disciples entering in pairs? He subconsciously looked back and saw Linghu Chu and Liang Ruohua behind the crowd, giving him a reassuring look that said, ¡°You don¡¯t need to worry.¡± ¡°With this, even if we can¡¯t escape the cmity this time, at least our junior brother will survive. This way, we¡¯ve managed to preserve a spark for our Heavenly Craft Workshop.¡± Linghu Chu watched Luo Yan being ushered into the Daozang Pavilion, visibly relieved. ¡°Indeed.¡± Liang Ruohua also expressed her sentiment. ¡°If the formation breaks, conserve your True Yuan and don¡¯t make a move,¡± continued Linghu Chu, ¡°My Sword Control Technique is superior to yours; I can take you to escape using Sword Light.¡± ¡°Senior brother, knowing that my Sword Control is inadequate, you should conserve your own strength even more,¡± Liang Ruohua said after a moment of silence, ¡°It¡¯s better for you to survive than for us both to head to the Netherworld together.¡± ¡°I am the eldest brother of the Heavenly Craft Workshop,¡± Linghu Chu shook his head. Chapter 276: 68: The Great Array is Broken, Liuli Emerges from Retreat Chapter 276: Chapter 68: The Great Array is Broken, Liuli Emerges from Retreat ¡°` Luo Yan was pushed into Daozang Pavilion, where he saw that the surrounding bookshelves had already been pushed into the corner, and the various books and jade slips that had been on them were gone, evidently packed away in advance. At the end of the room, several elders were leading their disciples to line up and enter the formation. Every ten breaths or so, two people could be teleported away. The Master of Xuandu stood beside the teleportation formation, watching the formation expressionlessly. ¡°Luo Yan is here!¡± Tian Zhang called out loudly. ¡°Let hime over!¡± the Master of Xuandu said in a deep voice. So, under the watchful eyes of the many queued elders and disciples, Tian Zhang pulled Luo Yan straight up to the front of the teleportation formation. ¡°Stand firm once you get inside,¡± the Master of Xuandu instructed. Luo Yan obediently took his position inside the teleportation formation, looking around at the queued cultivators with confusion. Then, the brilliance of the teleportation formation engulfed him.
In an instant of the world spinning, Luo Yan opened his eyes again, only to find himself standing in the square in front of the East Sea Pavilion. Surrounding him were the powerful elders from Yuqing View, along with their Golden Core True Persons and Foundation Establishment disciples. Everyone was gathered around the teleportation formation, clutching Flying Sword magical treasures, ready for battle¡­ When they saw Luo Yan had teleported in, they quickly signaled him to hurry out. Luo Yan quickly tookrge strides, stepping out of the teleportation formation, only to see everyone still staring unblinkingly at the teleportation formation as if they were fearful a Demon Path Cultivator would suddenly emerge from it. The teleportation formation could only send two people at a time; how could the Demon Path Cultivators be so foolish as to just waltz right in and get surrounded and attacked? Seeing that no one was paying attention to him, Luo Yan quietly slipped to the front of the Pavilion, trying to push the door open, but found it was tightly locked, as if some invisible force had sealed it shut. While disappointed, this was within his expectations. Merely being forced to flee the sect probably wasn¡¯t enough for the Pavilion¡¯s Prohibition to deem the ¡°rify Cult doctrine extinct.¡± Otherwise, if people knew such a mechanism existed, they would invite other sects to attack Yuqing View every now and then, taking the opportunity to flee to the Pavilion to farm for magical treasures¡­ Wouldn¡¯t that be wonderful? Luo Yan looked back towards the center of the square, only to see cultivators teleporting in from the formation every ten breaths or so.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om Sometimes it was a Nascent Soul Elder, sometimes a Golden Core True Person, sometimes a Foundation Establishment disciple. However, as time passed, the expressions on the faces of the arriving cultivators be increasingly panic-stricken, signaling that the grand formation on the other side was not going to hold much longer. Finally, the teleportation formation suddenly flickered a few times, then wentpletely dark. Obviously, it had been cut off from the other side. This made Luo Yan quite regretful, for his eldest senior brother and third senior sister had not been teleported over. Every ten breaths, every two people¡ªthis efficiency was just too low. If it were up to Luo Yan to design it, he could probably find seven or eight points of optimization, increasing the transportation efficiency by at least threefold. Ultimately, Yuqing View had been at peace for too long, so as soon as the Tai Yi Escaping Armor Yin Yang Great Formation was breached, they were almost immediatelyid bare in their awkwardness and struggle. Seeing that the teleportation formation hadpletely shutdown, the faces of the crowd changed dramatically, and no one could not guess that the Peni Protective Sect Array had been breached. ¡°Do not panic!¡± an elder shouted boldly, ¡°With the Wan Xiang Immortal guarding, even if we are overpowered, it won¡¯t lead to a massive fall of our fellow sect members!¡± ¡°Exactly!¡± the other elders echoed, ¡°Three Pure Orthodox Sect, branches from the same root, Kunlun and Shushan will not sit by and watch our Peni dao lineage be extinguished!¡±
Everyone chimed in one after another, quickly stabilizing the collective emotions of the Golden Core True Persons and Foundation Establishment disciples. As for how much truth was in those words, that was known to no one. And so, the crowd dispersed quickly, gathering in small groups to converse. Only Luo Yan sat alone on the stone steps at the entrance of the Pavilion, as the Heavenly Craft Workshop lineage had only him present, lost in his own thoughts.
Above Peni Immortal Ind. With the Tai Yi Escaping Armor Yin Yang Great Formation forced open, the Demon Cult Cultivators dove in like wolves into a flock of sheep, directly storming into the Yuqing View below. ¡°` Many Peni Cultivators fled in all directions, like monkeys scattering when the tree they climbed on falls, with some being pursued and killed by pursuing Demon Path Cultivators and others using secret techniques or treasures to instantaneously travel thousands of miles, disappearing without a trace in a moment¡¯s notice¡ªleaving their pursuers far behind, unable to catch up¡­. There were numerous such cases, too many to count. The seated Immortal of the Heavenly Demon Path had already departed after a standoff with the Wan Xiang Immortal of Yuqing View, and now there was no one left to stop the destruction of Yuqing View. Hu Li, a Nascent Soul Elder from the Eastern Emperor Path, stood in the air with azy posture, watching the fires below the pavilion with a light that flickered dim and bright in his eyes. Lei Caiyan suddenly appeared behind him, as if materializing out of thin air. ¡°Oh, isn¡¯t this our great hero from the Six Paths?¡± Hu Li said with a chucklingugh. Lei Caiyan did not reply, only frowning slightly as she gazed at the pavilion below on the brink of destruction. ¡°I hear that you handed out the magical treasures you got from Yuqing View to the juniors as if you were handing out New Year¡¯s money?¡± Hu Li continued to tease, ¡°Is that your idea of giving out holiday bonuses?¡± ¡°With this battle, Peni is gravely wounded, never again to rise.¡± Lei Caiyan said indifferently, ¡°Kunlun and Shushan will surely be terror-stricken, as if facing a formidable enemy.¡± ¡°The world is about to be thrown into chaos,¡± Hu Li added in the tone of a storyteller, speaking leisurely. ¡°No,¡± Lei Caiyan disagreed, ¡°the Three Pure Onesbined are stronger than the Six Paths. Now that Peni has declined, the bnce between them has instead be more even. In the aftermath, both sides are likely to maintain a state of contention without breakdown.¡±
Hu Li also put away his joking smile and narrowed his eyes: ¡°Is this what the Hell Path wants, hmm? Contention without breakdown?¡± ¡°Such contention will intensify internalpetition among the sects, restoring thebativeness that was once dull,¡± Lei Caiyan turned away, ¡°This world has been too peaceful for too long, so much so that everyone has nearly forgotten how to struggle.¡± ¡°But even in this stagnant world, it must belong to the Human Race!¡± After saying this, her figure suddenly disappeared from sight. Hu Li watched her disappear from her original spot, and the corners of his mouth gradually stretched into an exaggerated, inhuman smile: ¡°Is this a warning to me, or to those old geezers?¡± ¡°The world of the Human Race¡­ haha, did Pangu dictate when splitting heaven and earth that the Divine Land Continent must carry the ¡®Human¡¯ name?¡± ¡°Nothing but a group of pawns hiding behind the scenes. If they want to turn the tide, let them struggle all they want.¡± In Yangzhou, Kuocang Mountain. Elder Shi Ding felt that something was amiss since Luo Yan had been gone for too long and there had been no news at all. He seriously considered the possibility of Luo Yan¡¯s ¡°betrayal¡± but soon cast the thought out of his mind. As long as he was dedicated to his cultivation, it would mean he was loyal to his lineage, and the entire Heavenly Craft Workshop would be his.
That was the Heavenly Craft Workshop of Yuqing View, the most wealthy and capable of generating ie! Even if there were traitors from other sects, faced with such vast cultivation resources, they shoulde crawling back to the righteous path! Hmm, there must have been some sort of mishap, like being held up by an unexpected event on the way¡­ Just when Elder Shi Ding was feeling annoyed, Shi Liuli suddenly ¡°walked¡± out from the stone wall. The many characters on the stone wall twisted into an opening, like arge mouth spitting out Shi Liuli, then closed back to its original form. ¡°Dad!¡± Shi Liuli had just steadied her vision when she saw Elder Shi Ding staring in astonishment. Filled with joy, she rushed into his embrace like a swallow returning to its nest. ¡°It¡¯s fine as long as you¡¯re safe, it¡¯s fine as long as you¡¯re safe,¡± Elder Shi Ding first patted her back gently, then, he noticed the differences in his daughter. Her eyes were still bright, but now they carried an added weight of depth and restraint. A ribbon wrapped around her arms, and upon closer inspection, it was made of countless sparkling star sands, shining brilliantly. And behind her floated an Immortal Sword, with a strange luster that was unlike ordinary iron. Had his daughter¡­ looted an Immortal Sect treasure house? Chapter 277: 69: Penglai Recaptured, Kunlun Prepares for War Chapter 277: Chapter 69: Peni Recaptured, Kunlun Prepares for War Miss Shi earned a fortune in the secret realm, but for Luo Yan, those magical treasures and Immortal Swords were hardly impressive. After all, whether in terms of cultivation realm orbat ability, the two were not on the same level. In Shi Liuli¡¯s camp, what could serve as the main force among the magical treasures and Immortal Swords would have topete with the likes of the Green Duckweed Sword, Five Elements Divine Light, and Five Thunder True Law in Luo Yan¡¯s arsenal¡ªall terrifyingly powerful tools that could ovee those of higher ranks and might not even get a chance to be used. Miss Shi was blissfully unaware of this, excitedly showcasing her newly acquired ¡°superpower¡± to Elder Shi Ding. ¡°If my junior brother sees how amazing I¡¯ve be, he will surely be shocked!¡± she said proudly. Elder Shi Ding smiled without saying anything. ¡°By the way, where¡¯s junior brother?¡± Shi Liuli suddenly realized that Luo Yan, who had apanied her, was not there. ¡°He went back to the sect to call for help, so I told him to stay there,¡± Elder Shi Ding said awkwardly, not revealing that he was unable to lift the entrance restrictions and had therefore sent Luo Yan to get reinforcements. Shi Liuli did not mind, simply chattering with her father about the things that had happened in the secret realm. Both rose on their swords and Shi Liuli said,
¡°This sword is called ¡®Purple Extreme Core Epassing¡¯; what do you think, father?¡± ¡°A fine sword,¡± Elder Shi Ding nodded with a smile. ¡°However, swordsmanship requires diligent practice to make progress; otherwise, it¡¯s difficult to improve.¡± ¡°My swordsmanship is already very impressive,¡± Shi Liuli muttered. The two flew a long distance, crossing vast seas, and finally returned to Peni Immortal Ind, only to find Yuqing View in ruins. The Master of Xuan Du and Ziwei Master stood in the air talking. Groups of Kunlun Cultivators and Yuqing Cultivators flew by below on their swords, with serious and somber expressions. Elder Shi Ding: ? Shi Liuli: ? The two of them were clueless about what had happened,pletely baffled. Back at Heavenly Craft Workshop, Elder Shi Ding was shocked to see that the eldest disciple, Linghu Chu, was pale as death, evidently having suffered severe internal injuries, and was currently taking elixirs to refine. The third disciple, Liang Ruohua, was silent, focusing solely on tallying the resources lost in the workshop, with Luo Yan helping as his assistant. As for the treacherous second disciple, Lei Caiyan, and the fourth disciple, Shi Wenshi, their whereabouts were unknown, leaving no trace behind. ¡°Junior brother!¡± Shi Liuli immediately ran over excitedly, activating the star sand to swirl around her, ¡°Look at this!¡± But Luo Yan just nodded wearily and said, ¡°Knowing that elder sister has returned unharmed eases my mind.¡± ¡°What a reaction!¡± Shi Liuli was somewhat unhappy, but Elder Shi Ding quickly called her over and asked Liang Ruohua, ¡°Has Peni been attacked?¡± Liang Ruohua nodded and exined the situation in full detail. Hearing this, Elder Shi Ding¡¯s face turned ashen, and he nearly passed out from shock. The betrayal of the second disciple led to the breaching of Peni¡¯s protective array, resulting in heavy losses throughout the sect.
The fourth disciple was killed, the eldest disciple¡¯s foundation was heavily damaged, possibly affecting his Nascent Infant Rank¡­ How could nearly half of my disciples be gone just because I stepped out for a while? Luo Yan thenforted his master, saying, ¡°Master, our Heavenly Craft Workshop has been rather lucky! You don¡¯t know about the neighboring Hundred Herbs Pavilion; over a dozen disciples died leaving only one, Elder Miao Bao is so angry he¡¯s considering setting a bounty¡­¡±
¡°Enough, Luo Yan!¡± Elder Shi Ding scolded. The so-calledparison that highlights one¡¯s fortune may not be morally correct, but its effectiveness is immediate. Elder Shi Ding was initially quite annoyed, but after hearing that the situation next door was even worse, much of his anger dissipated. After much contemtion, he could only sigh deeply and went to seek forgiveness from the Master of Xuan Du. As soon as Elder Shi Ding left, Shi Liuli, unable to contain herself any longer, grabbed Luo Yan¡¯s arm, shockingly asking, ¡°That can¡¯t be true, can it? Are you joking!? You¡¯re saying that the second elder sister killed the fourth elder brother; how is that even possible¡­¡± She spoke incoherently, then saw that everyone was silently watching her, and gradually she couldn¡¯t help but burst into tears. Although Second Senior Sister Lei Caiyan was usually introverted and reticent, she had aparatively close rtionship with Shi Liuli. The naive Miss Shi had long regarded her as family. Now that she suddenly learned that her supposed kin was the traitor and had even turned around and murdered Fourth Senior Brother, Miss Shi felt as if her entire worldview had shattered¡­ just like a flower in a greenhouse that identally glimpses the cruel world outside, and suddenly can¡¯t ept it. ¡°Junior Brother, take her back,¡± Liang Ruohua said softly, seeing Miss Shi trembling as she began to sob. ¡°Okay,¡± Luo Yan immediately took Shi Liuli¡¯s hand, and they walked toward the Heavenly Craft Workshop. After escorting Miss Shi to her room, Luo Yan was about to turn around and leave when he suddenly heard Shi Liuli murmur:
¡°Junior Brother, will you also be a traitor?¡± Luo Yan slowly turned around, and with the best acting he had ever performed in his life, he said helplessly with a light smile, ¡°How could that be, Senior Sister?¡± After leaving Shi Liuli¡¯s room, Luo Yan returned to his own residence and instructed the Kunlun Mirror, ¡°Ah Jing, let¡¯s do a save point reload to Kunlun this time.¡± ¡°Okay,¡± the Kunlun Mirror began to chant. [Save Point One: Kunlun Taiqing Sect, Golden Ridge.] [Character Identity: Qiu Changtian.] [Mirror Flower Water Moon Temte oveying, initiating time-space travel.]n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Upon arriving at Kunlun, at dawn, Qiu Changtian, as usual, lectured his junior brothers and sisters on the scriptures. After the lecture, everyone dispersed to their duties, except Xu Yinglian, whom Qiu Changtian called aside. ¡°What is it, Senior Brother?¡± she asked with a puzzled expression. ¡°We¡¯re going to the Extreme West,¡± Qiu Changtian said with a smile, ¡°you are now a Refining Mansion rank cultivator, and I want to see how strong you¡¯ve be.¡±
Xu Yinglian immediately became serious, a fighting spirit ring in her eyes. That¡¯s right, I¡¯m also a Refining Mansion rank cultivator now. The perfection of a cultivator¡¯s Purple Mansion only determines the grade rank after Core Formation and doesn¡¯t affect the cultivator¡¯s ownbat power. In other words, although Senior Brother has been in the Refining Mansion longer than I have, now that we are on the same rank, ourbat strength should be about the same. ¡°Good!¡± she immediately said seriously, ¡°Then please don¡¯t hold back, Senior Brother!¡± The two flew on their swords to the skies above the Extreme West, where Qiu Changtian stood with his hands behind his back, letting the wind whip his Taoist robe as he calmly said, ¡°Please make the first move, Junior Sister.¡± Xu Yinglian didn¡¯t speak but quickly started to think. A Refining Mansion rank cultivator has their True Qi in the Dantian condensed into True Yuan, which is many times more powerful, and therefore they often control two swords in battle. One is used for flying and rapid areal maneuvering to enable swift and agile movement. Naturally, this excludes environments where flying is prohibited or impractical. As it¡¯s merely for lotion, there is no particr requirement for the flying sword¡¯s rank, and most cultivators would just take any random sword from the Sword Repository to make up the numbers. The other sword is used as a weapon to attack the opponent. Since this determines the oue of a magicalpetition, it must be the Immortal Sword that the cultivator relies on the most. As most cultivators cannot multitask, they focus either on moving and evading or onunching full-force attacks at any given time.
Apart from Shushan¡¯s unique Two-Handed Sword Control Technique, it¡¯s almost impossible to manage both simultaneously, to run and fight at the same time. However, Xu Yinglian had recently taken a special trip home to learn a technique called ¡°Luan Bird True Spirit Technique.¡± The Xu Family of Southern Heaven breeds many spiritual birds. When a spirit bird has reached the end of its life, its soul can be extracted and refined, then attached to a sword. The bird spirit and the owner¡¯s intent are in harmony; with just a thought, they can direct the flying sword beneath their feet to turn agilely, achieving a transformation that is somewhat akin to Shushan¡¯s secretive Two-Handed Sword Control Technique, transitioning from a ¡°foot soldier¡± to a ¡°professional cavalry.¡± This time, she was determined to show her Senior Brother what she was capable of! Chapter 278: 70: You might have a chance to win, but I will never lose. Chapter 278: Chapter 70: You might have a chance to win, but I will never lose. Xu Yinglian pinched the Daoist form and silently chanted the magic incantation, immediately spewing forth an endless Great Bright Fire from her mouth and nose, aiming to incinerate Qiu Changtian. Here one could see the difference between the Kunlun Cultivators and the Shushan Sword Immortals: when a Shushan Sword Immortal makes a move, the first strike is usually a probing Flying Sword. The Sword Control Technique consumes less True Yuan and allows for more flexible responses. The only issue is, if the opponentunches a powerful attack right from the start, the Shushan Sword Immortal would need to react incredibly fast. Starting the battle with sweeping Daoist Magic, as Xu Yinglian did, is actually more favored by Kunlun¡¯s tactics. Kunlun emphasizes spirituality and foundational cultivation level, so their cultivators possess more vast and condensed True Yuan, which can support the heavy consumption of sweeping Daoist Magic. Moreover, the reaction speed andbat experience of Kunlun Cultivators aren¡¯t as seasoned and formidable as those of the Shushan Sword Immortals, so starting with Daoist Magic also provides a certain degree of self-protection. Even though Qiu Changtian possesses the reaction speed andbat power of a Sword Immortal, he naturally could not use it now, so he just smiled slightly, pinched the spell, and cast a Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman. This technique is a derivative Daoist magic from the ¡°Nine Heavens Clear Entrance True Mantra¡± when cultivated to the Third Level. It uses robust True Yuan to condense a gigantic spirit talisman with overwhelming suppressing and sealing abilities, the nemesis of most Daoist Magic. As soon as the spirit talisman appeared, it cleared arge area in the sea of fire¡­ and then, the Feather Jia Sword suddenly tore through the center of the talisman, shooting straight towards his face in an instant. ¡°Good!¡± Even with his wealth of experience, Qiu Changtian couldn¡¯t help but exim in admiration.
The way his Junior Sister responded, whether in anticipation or timing, was exquisite to the extreme, not falling short by Shushan Sword Immortal standards. Of course, ifpared to An Zhisu, Senior Sister An¡­ it is rmended to simplypete in cultivation level, and not in actualbat. Ling Yunpo is a man who could battle Senior Sister An for three hundred rounds, so faced with Junior Sister Xu¡¯s impressive performance, Qiu Changtian merely expressed admiration and recognition, not yet reaching a point of panic. With a slight shift in thought, without even pinching a sword technique, he held his Yu Long Sword horizontally in front, perfectly blocking the Feather Jia Sword. As the swords shed several times, Qiu Changtian immediately sensed something was amiss. He had to hold back! It wasn¡¯t that Xu Yinglian¡¯s swordsmanship was poor; it was more that Ling Yunpo improved too quickly from being fed various moves by Senior Sister An, so much so that he was now out of sync with Junior Sister Xu! As everyone knows, Junior Sister Xu is known for her tsundere nature. When she can see her senior brother¡¯s back, she is a proud, confident, and spirited Phoenix Immortal. When she is out of sight of her senior brother, she bes frail, resentful, and even a weeping and wailing vulnerable Junior Sister. Therefore, Qiu Changtian had to strictly control his own strength, maintaining it at a level that seemed ¡°with a little more effort she could catch up,¡± to re-assess his Junior Sister¡¯sbat strength while preventing her from harboring irrational thoughts or giving up on herself. While their swords were still shing, Xu Yinglian also cast a Supreme Jasper Spiritual Talisman, countering Qiu Changtian¡¯s talisman. Following that, her eyes suddenly zed with light and her True Yuan surged, fueling the Great Bright Fire to spread across the heavens, once more sweeping toward Qiu Changtian! Qiu Changtian¡¯s eyes lit up. Although her swordsmanship was quite good, the level at which Junior Sister Xu had cultivated the Great Bright Fire was beyond his expectations. With such a vast sweeping range, coupled with the almost face-melting intense heat, an ordinary Cultivator without a protective Dharma Treasure or sufficient agility would be burned to ashes within minutes. Qiu Changtian had no choice but to propel his Flying Sword quickly backwards, chanting as he went: ¡°Echo through the three realms, Tai Yi Divine Thunder, break!¡± The Tai Yi Thunder Light exploded, instantly clearing arge area within the sea of fire. However, before Qiu Changtian could locate Xu Yinglian from within, he saw the endless Great Bright Fire once again surge from the edges to the center, instantly filling the gap and continuing to roll towards him with ferocious intensity.
Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­¡­ He cursed several times in his mind, then realized that he couldn¡¯t find an appropriate response to Junior Sister Xu¡¯s move for a moment! Having been senior brother and sister for many years, Qiu Changtian had also discussed Daoist Magic with Xu Yinglian. If Five Thunder True Law triumphs with quality, then Great Brilliance Fire dominates with quantity. The former can split mountains and shatter stones, destroy gold and break spells, and can be considered invulnerable, possessing extreme explosive power¡ªbut if it fails to hit the target, it is useless.
Although thetter¡¯s lethality does not match the former, it prevails with its endless, broad range. As long as one turns the opponent¡¯s surroundings into a sea of fire, there is no need to worry about missing the target. On this point, the Five Thunder True Law truly falls short. Now, Junior Sister Xu had clearly brought the advantages of the Great Brilliance Fire to their ultimate expression. Not only was her sea of fire vast and boundless, leaving Qiu Changtian almost nowhere to hide, but more importantly, she used the dense smoke and firelight topletely conceal her form, rendering it impossible for Qiu Changtian to use decapitation strategy for a counterattack, as he couldn¡¯t find her exact location! No, this can¡¯t be happening. Could it be that my invincible golden body, my undefeated record, is about to be broken here? Qiu Changtian thought to himself and then burst intoughter: How could that be?n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Although Junior Sister¡¯s technique has astonished me, it is not without ws¡­ Let me, Chief Qiu, teach you a good lesson! ¡°Ah Jing! Scan her location!¡± ¡°Over there,¡± the Kunlun Mirror said indifferently, marking a distant human silhouette within the vast sea of fire in Qiu Changtian¡¯s vision while considerately giving the real-time distance. ¡°Hmph,¡± Qiu Changtian smiled slightly, and the Yu Long Sword, which was still entangled with the Feather Jia Sword, suddenly changed direction, shooting into the sea of fire. Xu Yinglian, who had been using the sea of fire to conceal herself, was suddenly startled, as the Yu Long Sword seemed to have locked onto her position, charging straight towards her! She quickly maneuvered the Feather Jia Sword to her aid while swiftly moving with Sword Control Technique.
However, no matter how she changed direction, the Yu Long Sword firmly tracked her location, and then suddenly elerated, ending up right at her neck. ¡°I¡¯ve lost,¡± Xu Yinglian said, dissipating the Great Brilliance Fire and speaking indifferently. The feeling of reluctance had barely risen in her heart when she immediately suppressed it. The reason was simple: even though she had been extremely close to victory at one point, she did not believe her Senior Brothercked countermeasures. Now, it seemed her anticipation was correct. Hmph, Senior Brother, I never thought I could defeat you with just this move. But the fact that you have no way to counter my Great Brilliance Fire, only to counterattack against my body, is undeniable! As long as my Great Brilliance Fire is faster, more powerful, and hotter, one day I will make Senior Brother concede! Thinking this, a fighting spirit zed hotter in Xu Yinglian¡¯s eyes, as if ready to ignite. Qiu Changtian waited for a while and, seeing no increase in the Invincible Character Setting synchronization value, could only sigh inwardly. Just as he was about to speak, he saw a sword light flying from a distance¡ªit was a Flying Sword Messaging from the Ziwei Master: ¡°Hurry to Jade Void Pce!¡± Five simple words sketched out an atmosphere of an impending storm that could not be taken lightly. Xu Yinglian approached Qiu Changtian to take a nce and frowned slightly.
Yet Qiu Changtian¡¯s expression remained indifferent as he said: ¡°Junior Sister, let¡¯s go.¡± Even though the Sect Leader hadn¡¯t specified in the letter, he already knew what had happened that required his presence at Jade Void Pce. Tens of thousands of gods and demons attacking Peni, initiated by the Demonic Path, undertaken by Shushan, shifting to Peni, and finally set to converge at Kunlun. And as the Chief Disciple of Qiu, directly targeted by the Demon Cult and thus unable to leave the mountain for a long time, he was now ready to seize the opportunity when the sect¡¯s high-levelbat forces were sent out, to race thousands of miles to aid Peni, to right past wrongs, and to restore the Chief Disciple¡¯s glory! Chapter 279: 71: Senior Brother and Junior Sister, Two Travel Together Chapter 279: Chapter 71: Senior Brother and Junior Sister, Two Travel Together In the Jade Void Pce, sword lights darted like shuttles. Countless message-conveying flying swords shot from the Heaven Pir in all directions, and numerous members of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect took to the skies with their sword control technique, converging towards the direction of the Jade Void Pce. Qiu Changtian, along with his junior sister Xu Yinglian, rushed to the Scripture Lecture Hall of the Ziwei Master, only to see their master standing in the center of the hall, the Tai Yi Dividing Light Sword strapped to his back, and the Seven Treasures Duster resting across his arms. ¡°Members of the Demon Cult have besieged the Peni Jade Pure abode, iming to be a hundred thousand strong,¡± the Ziwei Master said gravely upon seeing Chief Disciple Qiu Changtian arrive. ¡°The Shushan Shangqing Faction is trapped in the Southern Border and finds it inconvenient to send reinforcements.¡± ¡°Out of the thirty-six cave heavens of the East Sea, almost two-thirds have betrayed us and are in league with the Demon Cult. Therefore, currently, the only one who can support the Peni Jade Pure abode is our Kunlun Taiqing Sect.¡± ¡°We¡¯ll follow Master¡¯s orders,¡± Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian said in unison. The Ziwei Master cast a solemn nce at Xu Yinglian. He had originally only sent a message with a flying sword to Qiu Changtian alone, which is to say he had not nned for Xu Yinglian to enter the battlefield, for two reasons: First, Qiu Changtian had been hunted by the Demon Cult for many years, to the point where he could not leave the Kunlun Mountain Range, truly making him the most frustrated Chief Disciple in the history of Foundation Establishment Realm. Although he reimed some of his dignity through Sect debate, it still wasn¡¯t enough.
This time, with the protection of various senior members of the Sect, it was an opportune moment for him to join and erase his disgrace! Second, Qiu Changtian¡¯s strength was indeed sufficient for this mission. Daoist Heart rity is a peerless talent in cultivation, notbat strength. If Qiu Changtian were not capable of defending himself on the battlefield of the East Sea, the Kunlun Taiqing Sect naturally would not allow him to go. But his actions during thest expedition to the Divine me Path secret realm proved that Qiu Changtian was not just a fool obsessed with cultivation¡ªhe also possessed the tact and vision befitting of a Chief Disciple in the Foundation Establishment Realm. For these reasons, the Ziwei Master chose to have Qiu Changtian apany them on the journey. As for Xu Yinglian, she neither needed to take such a risk nor had her strength been verified. If the Ziwei Master had to choose, he would have decided against it. But of course, he understood the temperament of this disciple of his. She had already expressed her resolve to ¡°await Master¡¯s instructions.¡± If he said, ¡°Your senior brother can go, but you should stay,¡± Xu Yinglian would likely burst into tears right away, and perhaps decide to retire to her abode and resign right after. Resign by sending a letter, from then on forsaking the great Dao and living the life of a secluded Daoist¡­ The Ziwei Master quietly sighed and thought, well, if she wants to go, let her go.n/?/vel/b//in dot c//om If nothing else, he could arrange for a real person to protect her individually. ¡°Return and make ready for battle,¡±manded the Ziwei Master with solemnity. ¡°Gather in the grand hall of the Jade Void Pce within three-quarters of an hour!¡± ¡°Yes!¡± The two responded promptly. After leaving the Jade Void Pce, Xu Yinglian finally spoke: ¡°The demonic forces are besieging Peni? With immortals stationed on both sides, our strength, not having reached Golden Core, would be of limited use on the battlefield. Why would Master want us to go?¡± In his heart, Qiu Changtian thought, it¡¯s not ¡®us¡¯ he wants to go, but ¡®me,¡¯ yet he said aloud: ¡°No matter how outstanding the cultivation talent, if onecks the ability to fight, how are they different from the statues in temples? Although we haven¡¯t formed our cores, ourbat prowess is second to none in the Foundation Establishment Realm.¡± ¡°Plus, there was the achievement of defeating a Golden Core Realm armored warrior in the secret realm of the Queen Mother of the West. It¡¯s not unreasonable for Master to have us join the seniors this time.¡± ¡°That makes sense,¡± Xu Yinglian nodded. Though she didn¡¯t have much experience in magicalpetition, she certainly wasn¡¯t one to shy away or fear battle.
Qiu Changtian understood her thoughtspletely, as if they were an open book. That¡¯s why, right after concluding matters with Luo Yan, he immediately teleported to Kunlun, as he knew full well of the ¡°historical fact¡± that Kunlun woulde to Peni¡¯s aid. He also thoroughly grasped the Ziwei Master¡¯s intentions, knowing that it was highly likely he would be arranged to join the battle¡­ If his calctions were wrong, he could at worst volunteer himself, holding a great chance of persuading his master. As to why he wanted to join the battle, there was indeed a part of him that wished to redeem his past shame, but the main reason was to gather news of the Hell Path.
Being the Chief Disciple of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, he could not afford to show excessive interest in the Hell Path. However, if he went with the elders, he could overhear intelligence during daily meetings, and perhaps gain some insights. In short, going might not guarantee any news, but staying would certainly bring none! For the sake of gathering intelligence on the Hell Path, I went to the extent of establishing a separate identity as Wei Dongliu, this opportunity was naturally not to be missed. Besides that, taking Xu Yinglian to the battlefield also involved a bit of Qiu Changtian¡¯s personal motives¡­ the obvious need not be mentioned here for now. Anyway, from the test of the Great Bright Fire just now, Qiu Changtian felt that his junior sister might be even more suitable for the battlefield than himself. The two returned to Golden Ridge Cave Abode, and Qiu Changtian began to check his luggage. Elixirs were a must ¨C they were vital for enhancing endurance¡­ ¡°Senior brother,¡± Xu Yinglian arrived at the entrance of the cave dwelling and asked, ¡°How many elixirs should we bring?¡± ¡°The more, the better,¡± Qiu Changtian replied casually. ¡°There¡¯s no more room in the storage bag¡­¡± Xu Yinglian said in a low voice. Qiu Changtian: ? ¡°How many elixirs did you bring, so many?¡± he asked incredulously, snatching the storage bag from her hand and sweeping his divine sense inside. ¡°I brought them all.¡± Xu Yinglian said earnestly, ¡°Master said that the Demon Cult was besieging Peni, but he didn¡¯t specify their numbers. If the war drags on, the local price of elixirs will surely skyrocket. It¡¯s not realistic to carry more from Kunlunter on¡­¡±
¡°You don¡¯t need that many,¡± Qiu Changtian said sinctly, ¡°Just keep a two-day supply, and clear the rest to make room for other items.¡± In fact, it was all sorted out in just one day. ¡°Okay.¡± Xu Yinglian did not question further, she nodded slightly, took the storage bag, and left. After a while, Xu Yinglian came back and said: ¡°Should we bring talisman scripts? I received some from the n a few days ago.¡± ¡°Of course,¡± Qiu Changtian said subconsciously, then remembered that he was not Luo Yan. ¡°Why?¡± Xu Yinglian asked curiously, ¡°With elixirs and Daoist magic, it seems that talisman scripts are not really necessary¡­¡± ¡°You¡¯ll need them when your True Yuan is exhausted and you need to take elixirs, talisman scripts can buy you crucial time,¡± Qiu Changtian answered, ¡°Of course, Sword Control Technique works too, but sometimes your Flying Sword might get entangled by the opponent.¡± The senior brother¡¯s experience is indeed vast. Xu Yinglian thought to herself, while saying: ¡°So we should choose those talisman scripts that are quick to activate, prioritising those that can conceal one¡¯s presence?¡± ¡°Exactly.¡± So Xu Yinglian went back again to select talisman scripts. After a short while, she appeared again at the entrance of the cave dwelling and said:
¡°Senior brother, the spare Flying Swords¡­¡± ¡°I¡¯lle over and help you pack!¡± Qiu Changtian said irritably. ¡°Thank you, senior brother,¡± Xu Yinglian said softly, relieved in her heart. It wasn¡¯t that she had to bother her senior brother, it¡¯s just that since it was her first time participating in a great war, she inevitably wanted everything to be perfect¡­ Hurriedly rushing to his junior sister¡¯s cave dwelling, Qiu Changtian quickly scanned the surroundings and asked: ¡°Where are all your things?¡± ¡°Here, here, and here¡­¡± Xu Yinglian began to direct him. ¡°Got it,¡± Qiu Changtian scanned each location with his divine sense and casually said, ¡°Junior sister, now that we are Daoistpanions, wouldn¡¯t it be better to live together in the future? That way, whether it¡¯s helping you pack oring to see you, it¡¯ll be more convenient.¡± Xu Yinglian: ? Somehow, she felt her face suddenly starting to burn. Chapter 280: 72: Entering the Immortal Slaying Sword Formation Through the Empty Door Chapter 280: Chapter 72: Entering the Immortal ying Sword Formation Through the Empty Door Before the Jade Void Pce, the killing intent was palpable. As Qiu Changtian scanned the surroundings, he saw that leaders from all sides had gathered, various elders like the Elders of Spirit Treasures, Elders of Sins Eradication¡­ All were Nascent Soul Elders of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, with most being in the mid-phase of the Huaming Rank. There were also a considerable number of Feather Courtyard Rank cultivators, known as the ¡°Footsteps of the Immortal Gates¡±. Due to the extreme emphasis on the basics of Qi Refinement, the number of Nascent Soul Elders in Kunlun outstripped thebined total of the Shushan and Peni factions, and their ranks were generally higher as well. Although their battle experience might not be as rich as that of Shushan, everyone was adept at utilizing the advantages of their cultivation realms direct Daoist Magic to attack over wide areas from a distance, making it hard for ordinary people to get close. It was quite troublesome. The Ziwei Master ascended the Seven Stars tform and began to speak. To put it simply, his message was ¡°Peni is in trouble, and Kunlun is here to help,¡± but he expressed it in an overly long and tedious manner, full of quotations and evidences, arguments, and a litany of nonsense. Yet, the Kunlun Cultivators seemed to relish it, each one listening with righteous indignation boiling within them, eager to rush to the East Sea instantly and utterly eradicate the wicked members of the Demon Cult. Listening, Qiu Changtian felt so drowsy he could fall asleep, but when he turned to look at Xu Yinglian beside him, he saw that the cheeks of his junior sister were flushed as she turned her head away. What¡¯s wrong with her? Qiu Changtian was baffled. Departure! Following themand of the Ziwei Master, everyone rose into the air at once.
¡°You lot, follow me,¡± said Qing Yang True Person, Xu Changqing, approaching the two of them, speaking indifferently. In the troops heading to the battlefield of the East Sea, the majority were Golden Core True Persons, followed by the Nascent Soul Elders. There were also Foundation Establishment disciples, but most of them were direct disciples of elders brought to gain experience. Of course, thebat power of ordinary Foundation Establishment disciples wasn¡¯t significant on the battlefield of the East Sea, so they were mostly under the full-time protection of Golden Core seniors¡­ The Demon Cult¡¯s expedition team was simr in this regard. Having received instructions from the Ziwei Master, the primary mission of Qing Yang True Person this time was to ensure the safety of Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian, with actualbat being a secondary concern. Of course, it was mainly to take care of Xu Yinglian, since Chief Qiu¡¯sbat strength was nearly at the level of a True Person at the initial phase of the Soul Storing Rank of the Golden Core. The Kunlun team traveled eastward, crossing the Divine Land Continent, and finally arrived at the East Sea, stopping at the periphery of Peni Immortal Ind. Above Peni Immortal Ind, the cold wind whistled, and killing intent was thick in the air¡ªit was clear that the members of the Demon Cult had already set up arge formation in advance, waiting for the arrival of the Kunlun Cultivators. ¡°Is this the Immortal ying Sword Formation?¡± The Ziwei Master looked shocked for a moment, then sneered, ¡°Send someone to investigate immediately!¡± Several Golden Core True Persons quickly left the ranks, circled the edge of therge formation at high speed, then returned to the group. The Nascent Soul Elders also gathered around the Ziwei Master, listening to the report from the Golden Core True Persons: ¡°¡­To the east, the Heavenly Demon Immortal ying Sword hangs suspended, to the south, the Nine Nether ying Immortal Sword suppresses, to the west, the Blood Sea Trapping Immortal Sword sways, only to the north, the formation stands wide open with no swords in sight.¡± After listening for a while from the back, Xu Yinglian asked Qing Yang True Person: ¡°Grand Elder, if my memory serves me correctly, in the correct north of the Immortal ying Sword Formation, there should be a Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword. Why is it absent?¡± ¡°Ever since the split of the Intercepting Cult, the Heavenly Demon Immortal ying Sword fell into the hands of the Heavenly Demon Path, the Nine Nether ying Immortal Sword into the Nether Ghost Path, and the Blood Sea Trapping Immortal Sword into the Mortal Life Path,¡± replied Qing Yang True Person. ¡°These three Immortal Swords have been seen by the world, so their locations are confirmed.¡± ¡°Only the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword is rumored to be in the hands of the Hell Path, but it has never been shown to the public, leading us to suspect that this sword has been lost, and the Demon Cult has long been unable to deploy theplete Immortal ying Sword Formation.¡± ¡°In other words, it can¡¯t be confirmed that Hell Path doesn¡¯t possess the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword,¡± Qiu Changtian inquired. ¡°Suppose they hide it and set a trap, and when our Kunlun disciples attack through the north, they suddenly bring it out toplete the Immortal ying Formation¡­¡± ¡°Then this time, most of us will either perish or be severely wounded,¡± said Qing Yang True Person gravely. ¡°However¡­ If we hesitate because of this, there¡¯s also a possibility of being confused by the enemy¡¯s mix of truth and deception.¡± ¡°In any case, it¡¯s best to follow the arrangements from above.¡± Above? Qiu Changtian thought to himself.
It wasn¡¯t following the Master¡¯s arrangements, but rather those from above, probably intending to question the Sect Guardian Immortal from the Kunlun Taiqing Sect. The Immortal¡¯smand came rather quickly: Attack from the north gate. In other words, the Immortal was certain that the Demon Cult no longer possessed the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword.
Since it was an iplete Immortal ying Sword Formation, and the enemy was numerous and powerful, if they divided their forces to test the formation, they would end up falling for the enemy¡¯s feint. Thus, Kunlun¡¯s tactics were also extremely bold, ordering all cultivators to move in teams, the Nascent Soul Rank leading the charge, with the Golden Core Rank following, swiftly attacking the heart of the grand formation. The remaining three gates, guarded by the Immortal ying, Trapping, and ying Swords, would not only involve fiercebat with Demon Cult cultivators but also various torments from the grand formation¡¯s mechanisms, almost to the point of extreme disadvantage. Only the north gate, missing the Extermination Immortal Sword, had a weaker formation mechanism, allowing for a main assault. Qing Yang True Person received the order and immediately led Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian, following the troops in batches into the Immortal ying Sword Formation. As soon as they entered the formation, they were engulfed by a sharp murderous aura, which instantly raised goosebumps all over Xu Yinglian. Looking at her great-grandfather and senior brother, both of whom were very stern, continuously scanning their surroundings with their divine sense and eyesight, she also forcibly suppressed the timidity in her heart, secretly forming a spell in her sleeve, ready to breathe out Great Bright Fire at any moment. Qiu Changtian moved his gaze around, observing the grand formation for a moment, and was secretly surprised in his heart. This Immortal ying Sword Formation¡­ how should I put it? In terms of formation, it was very tastefully arranged. It carried an antiquity, a charm that is rarely employed in modern-day formations. After transforming into Wei Dongliu, he would see if there was a chance to get a look at the Immortal ying Formation Map. While he was contemting this, he suddenly saw a group of Demon Cult cultivators approaching from ahead. It was one Golden Core leading four Foundation Establishment disciples, all shrouded in heavy sinister qi and ghostly shadows, and their cultivation methods seemed to be from the Nether Ghost Path. When the two sides met, they wasted no words and immediately drew their Flying Swords to engage inbat.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Qing Yang True Person¡¯s swordsmanship was decent, but his advantagey in his higher Cultivation Level, managing to fend off the Flying Swords of the Golden Core Cultivator opposite him.
The four Foundation Establishment disciples of the Demonic Path, seeing that there were only two people on Qiu Changtian¡¯s side, immediately let out grimughs and brought their Flying Swords shing down. Qiu Changtian hadn¡¯t yet made a move when Xu Yinglian already formed a hand seal and puffed her cheeks, the Great Bright Fire billowing out, instantly engulfing those Flying Swords. The Flying Swords of these four men were not of high Grade Rank, and they had been refined with Demonic Cultivation Methods, which could not withstand the cleansing of True Fire, and were instantly contorted and distorted by the mes. The fire did not stop there but continued to sweep forward. The Nether Ghost Path disciples¡¯ faces changed simultaneously as they hurriedly used various Sinister Poison Techniques, only to see them neutralized immediately upon entering the fire,pletely ineffective. The Golden Core Cultivator, who was testing blows with Qing Yang True Person, saw his disciples overwhelmed and shouted angrily, throwing from his sleeve a surge of green light to contain Xu Yinglian¡¯s Great Bright Fire. Xu Yinglian, seeing her Daoist Magic restrained, also felt indignant. With pride rising within her, she stirred up all her True Yuan and pushed the Great Bright Fire with all her might, despite the suppression of the green Daoist Magic, intending to press forward. Qing Yang True Person immediately intensified his assault, and the Golden Core Cultivator found it difficult to defend. He secretly formed a spell within his sleeve, attempting to activate part of the Immortal ying Formation mechanism to first y this Kunlun Golden Core True Person. Unexpectedly, Qiu Changtian circled behind him, forming the Jade Pivot Thunder in his hand, and struck the Golden Core Cultivator¡¯s back. The Nether Ghost Path Golden Core Cultivator was initially protected by his Sinister Qi Evil Techniques, but upon encountering the Jade Pivot Thunder, which was specifically designed to counter Nether Ghosts, he was melted away in an instant, much like snow meeting hot coals. The Thunder Light didn¡¯t stop; it hit the Golden Core Cultivator directly from the front, causing him to spit out a mouthful of blood and ck out. Qing Yang True Person seized the opportunity and shot out a magical treasure, which was a small green dart. It transformed into a streak of light, piercing through the Golden Core Cultivator¡¯s throat. With the Golden Core Cultivator falling suddenly, the remaining four had no chance of holding out and were quickly cleansed by Xu Yinglian¡¯s Great Bright Fire.
Chapter 281: 73: Far Surpassing Peers, Taking a Risky Bet Chapter 281: Chapter 73: Far Surpassing Peers, Taking a Risky Bet ¡°Your Thunder Method¡­ What¡¯s going on?¡± Qing Yang True Person Xu Changqing asked in astonishment. He naturally knew that Qiu Changtian was cultivating the Thunder Method. It was an ancient Daoist Magic that was too risky and costly, so much so that hardly anyone practices it nowadays, and it was extremely adept at vanquishing evil and exterminating spirits. However, the ability to breach a Golden Core Cultivator¡¯s protective Daoist Magic in one strike, with such exaggerated lethality, still greatly exceeded his expectations. Qiu Changtian simply smiled and began to exin the characteristics of the Five Thunder True Law. In simple terms, there were ten schools of Thunder Method, and each school had specific types of targets it could counteract. The various Cultivation Techniques of the Nether Ghost Path were primarily rted to theher ghosts¡¯ souls, and the Jade Pivot Thunder inflicted especially enhanced damage to ghostly beings, making it exceptionally effective against Nether Ghost Path Cultivators. Qing Yang True Person also heard this for the first time, so he showed a thoughtful expression and after a while said, ¡°I originally just nned to take you all around the outskirts of the Sword Array, to let you learn how to fight Demon Cult Cultivators.¡± ¡°But if Ying Lian¡¯s Great Bright Fire and Junior Brother¡¯s Five Thunder True Law are both so powerful, perhaps we can go deeper.¡±
¡°Deeper into the Sword Array?¡± Xu Yinglian asked in surprise, ¡°Great Grandfather, are you saying¡­¡± ¡°This Immortal ying Sword Formation, if fully deployed, will slice you with a sword no matter which direction you enter from, and no one below immortals can survive,¡± Qing Yang True Person said gravely. ¡°Now that the northern gate is missing the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, the Demon Cult will certainly arrange arge number of people in the north to stop our Sect¡¯s Cultivators.¡± ¡°With the five paths of the Demon Cult united, the absolute number of Cultivators they have surpasses ours, but in terms of high-end Cultivators, especially those of Nascent Soul Rank, Kunlun has the advantage in average Cultivation Level.¡± ¡°Therefore, they will definitely use the home-field advantage of the Formation to cut our Cultivators apart and defeat them in detail.¡± ¡°Otherwise, if the elders group together and protect each other as they fight towards the center of the Formation this war would be unnecessary.¡± ¡°Hmm.¡± Qiu Changtian nodded in agreement and pondered, ¡°Troop for troop, general for general, using the numerical advantage to wage a war of attrition¡­ In this light, it seems the Demon Cult has an extremely skilledmander.¡± ¡°Without someone nning and scheming behind the scenes, considering the prior disunity of the Demon Cult, how could they have reestablished the Immortal ying Sword Formation?¡± Qing Yang True Person said earnestly, ¡°However, this tactic has one weakness.¡± ¡°If there appears a Cultivator whosebat power far exceeds those of the same rank,¡± said Qiu Changtian calmly, ¡°they will be quickly broken through.¡± ¡°Exactly,¡± Qing Yang True Person nodded, ¡°That¡¯s precisely it.¡± ¡°The Nascent Soul Cultivators on their side will likely be deployed entirely elsewhere because they are at a disadvantage in terms of average Cultivation Level, thus they will probably use their numerical advantage to block our Sect¡¯s elders.¡± ¡°The ones before us are only Golden Core Cultivators who have severely underestimated ourbat power. If we can sessfully break through in one go, even if we can¡¯t break the Formation, we can at least disrupt their deployment, creating more advantageous opportunities for battle.¡± ¡°Of course, if one link in the above spection goes wrong, leading us to encounter Nascent Soul Cultivators, or if the Demon Cultmanders react and call in arge group of Golden Core Cultivators to encircle us, we could instead fall into peril and face the risk of destruction.¡± ¡°Whether to y it safe or to take a risk is for you to decide,¡± he said. Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian exchanged looks for a moment and said, ¡°Of course, we take the risk!¡± Upon hearing this, Qing Yang True Person was somewhat surprised, Xu Yinglian¡¯s nature was something he understood well, headstrong and indomitable, with each daunting challenge only serving to stoke herpetitive spirit even more. But Qiu Changtian was also so brash¡­ no, this junior brother was not one to sit idle either.
As early as when he had just entered the sect, he endlessly led the outer disciples on experiential missions, known as the ¡°Impatient and Righteous, Chief Qiu¡±. Now with an opportunity to contribute to the sect before him, how could he be content to follow others? However, Qing Yang True Person had his own motives for such a proposal, or perhaps, the motives of the Xu Family of Southern Heaven. The Xu Family of Southern Heaven was eyeing Qiu Changtian¡¯s future prospects, hoping to quickly establish a reputation and influence for their prospective son-inw.
Nevertheless, the Ziwei Master of the Kunlun Taiqing Sect, out of concern for the Demon Cult¡¯s wanted order, had Qiu Changtian stay within the sphere of Kunlun¡¯s power, to avoid being coveted or even intercepted by high rank cultivators. Both parties naturally had Qiu Changtian¡¯s best interests at heart, but one was rtively aggressive, while the other more conservative, which inevitably led to certain conflicts. Now, presented with this great battle, the Ziwei Master, in a rare decision, allowed Qiu Changtian to participate. Naturally, the Xu Family of Southern Heaven seized the opportunity and specifically instructed Qing Yang True Person to ensure, while guaranteeing Qiu Changtian¡¯s safety, that they create opportunities for him to gain fame as much as possible. It was no secret in Kunlun that Qing Yang True Person¡¯s essence had been damaged during the previous Core Condensation Tribtion. But unknown to everyone, with the aid of his family¡¯s secret medicines and techniques, his injuries had actually healed significantly. As such, as long as he distinguished himself in this war, Kunlun would not attribute all merit to a ¡°damaged essence¡± Golden Core Cultivator, but would consider the active performances of Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian, perhaps even using them as examples to publicize. ¡°Such is very good,¡± Qing Yang True Person said contentedly, his eyes growing sharper. If the time, ce, and people were all aligned, then it was time to take the risk! The three hurriedly advanced within the Immortal ying Sword Formation. Since the northern regioncked the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword for defense, they didn¡¯t need to worry about the formation¡¯s own restrictions attacking them and only needed to deal with the intervening cultivators. Before long, they encountered three more Golden Core Cultivators, who were apanied by eight Foundation Establishment Realm disciples. ¡°Heavenly Demon Path Cultivators,¡± Qing Yang True Person murmured, leading the charge with his Flying Sword. The opposing Heavenly Demon Path Cultivators were also seasoned warriors. Two of the Golden Core Cultivators instantly confronted him from the left and right, trying to trap Qing Yang True Person in a pincer attack. The remaining Golden Core Cultivator led the disciples swiftly to the side, releasing countless Demon Heads from their sleeves, aiming to take advantage of the chaos and dispose of Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian.
Junior Sister Xu began to recite an incantation in a clear voice, and countless Bright mes surged out from her nose and mouth, flooding towards the enemy like a tide. The sea of fire was so intense and fierce that even Golden Core Cultivators dared not cut through its edge, hastily chanting to deploy their Demon Arts in an attempt to suppress the Great Bright Fire. Before the incantation was finished, a sudden Tai Yi Thunder ripped through the sea of fire, sting towards the cultivator¡¯s head. The Tai Yi Thunder was colorless and tasteless, already difficult to detect, and with the brightness of the sea of fire for cover, by the time the Golden Core Cultivator noticed, it was nearly upon him. A thunderous boom that resonated as if shaking the heavens erupted, and among the eight Foundation Establishment Realm Heavenly Demon Path disciples, six perished instantly on the spot. Only two who were fortunate had Demon Heads nearby to shield them and were not sted into pieces by the Thunder Light. And the Golden Core Cultivator who had taken the brunt of the thunder to his face, even with Demon Arts as a shield, was almost instantly deprived of half his life. He hurriedly activated his secret technique, trying to stabilize his injuries, only to see that the sea of fire churned and engulfed himpletely.n/?/vel/b//jn dot c//om Chapter 282: 74 Ying Lian, Ying Lian Chapter 282: Chapter 74 Ying Lian, Ying Lian The deeper they delved into the sword array, the more Qing Yang True Person realized that Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian were simply a perfect match. Of course, this wasn¡¯t about matching in terms of physical appearance or character (though they did indeed match in that respect), but rather, their tactical synergy was almost innate. Xu Yinglian¡¯s Great Bright Fire possessed an extremely strong suppressive power. Expanses of sea of mes grew with the wind, quickly covering the entire area, forcing even Golden Core Cultivators to resort to using Daoist magic to suppress it. Otherwise, if surrounded by the Great Bright Fire without a protective dharma treasure, even Golden Core Cultivators would not be able to save their own lives. However, once the opponent chose to use Daoist magic to suppress the mes, Qiu Changtian would immediately take action. His Five Thunders True Law was extremely lethal, not to mention its ability to ovee specific resistances, just its effects in breaking evil and exterminating demons were enough to harm Golden Core Cultivators.N?v(el)B\\jnn What was most ingenious was that the Thunder Method would be released amidst the Great Bright Fire, with the thunder light perfectly concealed by the endless luminance of the sea of mes, so much so that by the time most cultivators reacted, Divine Thunder had already struck their faces. In theory, the visual obstruction caused by the Great Bright Fire was bidirectional. If opponents couldn¡¯t see the thunder light clearly, then likewise, they should not be able to lock onto the positions of the cultivators here. How exactly Qiu Changtian was able to urately capture the target amidst the blinding fiery light, even Qing Yang True Person couldn¡¯t figure out.
But it didn¡¯t really matter. The advancement was unexpectedly smooth, and they hadn¡¯t encountered more than three Golden Core Cultivators at once. If this went on, they seemed they would soon reach the center of the sword array. Qing Yang True Person¡¯s mindset was quite optimistic, while Qiu Changtian, on the other hand, was somewhat worried. Because he had seen Lei Caiyan when following Luo Yan¡¯s lead and knew that she wasn¡¯t foolish. Being a traitor after all requires high intelligence to manage effectively; fools have no ce in this role. If the opponent had already discovered that a Kunlun team was prating deep into the array, yet they did nothing to prepare and respond, could it be because¡­ ¡°Senior brother, what¡¯s wrong?¡± Xu Yinglian, seeing his expression change, spoke up. ¡°Nothing,¡± Qiu Changtian shook his head. He couldn¡¯t very well exin to his junior sister that, although he had no evidence, he felt unexpectedplications might arise. If it turned out,ter on, that nothing went wrong¡­ did he not care about their invincible character setting¡¯s synchronization value? ¡°Do you feel like our journey has been a little too smooth?¡± Xu Yinglian suddenly spoke. ¡°Really?¡± Qiu Changtian said in surprise, ¡°Junior sister, you also feel that¡­¡± Before he could finish his sentence, a rolling red glow appeared in front of them, as if sandstorms were rising or tsunamis churning, an endless tide of Sword Qi sweeping towards them! The three of them were instantly terrified, btedly bing aware: The Demon Cult was transforming the sword array! The Immortal ying Sword Formation was vulnerable because of the loss of the Myriad Avatar Absolute Immortal Sword, leaving the northern gate wide open, thergest weakness of the entire sword array. Yet, the enemy was able to use this weakness to lure Kunlun Cultivators to attack from the north and suddenly transform the array¡ªmoving the Blood Sea Trapping Immortal Sword that originally suppressed the west to the north! More absurdly, there had never been any ounts of the Immortal ying Sword Formation being capable of transformation since the ancient times of the great conflict between the Daoist sects! There was no intelligence to support such a maneuver! No one would have considered it, seeing as the sword array assembled from four eleventh-rank Immortal Swords needed several Sect Guardian Immortals to break the formation; otherwise, it was invincible to all, ying gods and buddhas alike, so why would there be any thought of transformation?
At this point, whether cursing the Demon Cult¡¯s treachery or regretting their overzealousness, all was meaningless. Because the Blood Sea Trapping Immortal Sword was already surging towards them through the rolling red glow, rapidly approaching all in the northern area! ¡°Retreat quickly!¡± Qing Yang True Person made a decisive call, pushing Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian behind him, ¡°I¡¯ll try to block the Sword Qi as much as I can, you two escape from the formation quickly!¡± Although he looked solemn and determined, Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian knew that this was just a futile gesture.
How long could a Golden Core True Person withstand the Immortal ying Sword Formation, which could fell even immortals? ¡°` Despite the situation, neither of them said anything like ¡°No, you go first,¡± but rather turned around and fled without hesitation. Qing Yang True Person looked ahead at the Sword Qi, silently preparing to activate his family¡¯s desperate secret technique, and chuckled bitterly to himself. He had just barely recovered arge portion of his original essence from a previous injury, and now it seemed he was going to lose it all over again. Activating the secret techniquepletely, his True Yuan red wildly, converging on his Flying Sword, and then heunched an almost full-powered strike towards the approaching Blood Sea Trapping Immortal Sword! The swords collided abruptly, shattering instantaneously. The difference was, Qing Yang True Person¡¯s Flying Sword was destroyed, whereas the opposing Blood Sea Trapping Immortal Sword was merely an ephemeral projection of Sword Qi from the Immortal ying Sword Formation. Just a projection of Sword Qi, and yet it possessed immense power¡ªthis was the supreme protective formation of the ancient Intercepting Cult! Countless projections of Sword Qi emerged again, howling towards Qing Yang True Person. As he was about to struggle desperately, he suddenly felt his body shake. As if something had grabbed the back of his neck, he was hoisted into the air. He quickly focused his eyes and realized he was now above the sea of clouds. The stern-faced, diminutive elder held his neck with one hand, as though picking up a kitten, and set him aside.
Ziwei Master stood beside the elder, and upon seeing Qing Yang True Person rescued, she quickly asked in urgent concern, ¡°Where¡¯s Qiu Changtian?¡± ¡°Down there¡­¡± Qing Yang True Person hurriedly looked downward, but only saw the formation filled with surging red light and fierce killing intent, with no sign of anyone. ¡°Ge Yan,¡± said the elder, ¡°if he dies in the formation, that¡¯s his destiny, and we must not force it.¡± ¡°Yes,¡± Ziwei Master struggled briefly with her emotions, but eventually fell silent. Ge Yan was Master¡¯s secr name. That is to say, this person was the Supreme Elder, the Sect Guardian Immortal of the Taiqing Sect¡­ With fear coursing through him, Qing Yang True Person saw the elder reach into the void below and pull up a Kunlun cultivator. The Kunlun cultivator was disheveled, hisplexion as pale as golden paper, his entire body drenched in sweat, as if he had not yet recovered from the immense fear of impending death. The elder discarded him to the side with disdain. ¡°Where is he?¡± he muttered to himself, squinting down at the great formation, ¡°Even in blind chess, you¡¯re supposed to be able to see the pieces. Isn¡¯t this just cheating?¡± Within the Immortal ying Sword Formation, Qiu Changtian and Xu Yinglian raced desperately, only to see another burst of red light appearing ahead, resembling burning coals and morning twilight¡ªtinged with a kind of dazzling beauty, it unleashed a vast array of knife-sharp Sword Qi, ferociously striking at them. ¡°Senior brother,¡± Xu Yinglian suddenly said, ¡°I¡¯ve always fallen behind you, but this time, your junior sister must take the lead.¡± With those words, she brandished her sword and leaped forward, intending to use her own sacrifice to buy Qiu Changtian more time!
Qiu Changtian was horrified and not at all moved. Instead, he nearly scared the soul out of his body. I have Ah Jing to protect me and can teleport away at any moment; I don¡¯t need junior sister taking hits for me! He hurriedly steered the Yu Long Sword in pursuit, but saw Xu Yinglian activating her secret technique, causing her True Yuan to surge violently, pouring it into the Feather Jia Sword, and then unleashing a full-powered strike against the boundless Sword Qi! The Sword Qi instantly dissipated, and the Feather Jia Sword flew back, striking Xu Yinglian in the chest. It smashed into her, bending her waist, breaking her spine, and sending her tumbling down like a kite with its string cut¡­ Into Qiu Changtian¡¯s arms. Qiu Changtian: ¡­¡­ He had thought that bing Daoistpanions with his junior sister was just the best choice under the circumstances (since he couldn¡¯t find anyone he liked more), but to his surprise, she was willing to sacrifice her life for him. But one day my true identity will be exposed¡­ Pushing aside these thoughts and distractions, Qiu Changtian¡¯s face was as calm as still water, as he reached up to adjust the Daoist crown on his head. ¡°` The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!