I began to understand the myriad things by chopping wood

Chapter 220 [Fleeting Sword: (????????)]

The temperature on Yunshan Mountain has dropped slightly.

The refreshing air of early autumn spread to Ruoyun Peak. Although Yunshan was not very hot, the autumn atmosphere gradually emerged.

Some hillsides have already had red leaves. Although the shock of autumn has not yet arrived when the entire mountains and fields are covered in red leaves, the scarlet leaves are still extremely eye-catching, reminding people that autumn is coming.

Xie Yuan felt pleasant in the atmosphere of early autumn. Autumn is a quiet season, but not grim, which makes people calm their minds.

Very suitable for practice.

Xie Yuan spent a summer peacefully in the mountains. He wanted to avoid the autumn and winter winds on Ruyun Peak and become a hermit practicing Buddhism in the fairy mountains.

But the world seemed unwilling to let him go.

This morning, on top of the Cloud Peak.

Xie Yuan had just finished practicing sword skills with Instructor Lu, and the others were now gathering in groups to discuss their own issues.

He was just thinking about the practice he had just done, packing up his things to leave and return to his own yard to practice the next step, when he faintly heard a few familiar names being discussed.

"Have you heard? Jinling's Little Hidden Dragon Society has cordially invited our sect this time!"

"Yes, the news has spread. I heard that the candidate has been decided."

"In previous years, we were just asked symbolically whether we would like to participate or not. It seems to be different this year..."

"Of course! In a sword fight last year, our sect master displayed his divine power and completely convinced the other sects! There are many sects, many schools, and many families whose leaders cannot compare to our sect master!"

"And Brother Qin, you have made it to the top ten of the Hidden Dragon Ranking. Many leaders of major sects feel ashamed of themselves. Now, the warriors from the prosperous southeast are finally looking at us in the right light!"

"Indeed, but before I knew it, it's already been a year..."

Xie Yuan nodded slightly after hearing this.

In that sword duel with Cangjian Pavilion, it seemed that Yunshan Sword Sect did not gain any advantage, and even lost more matches at home.

But in the two most crucial battles, the performance of the Sword Sect surprised many outsiders.

Li Xingtuo and Wei Dong were evenly matched, and Qin Zhenyang only lost to He Jin by half a move. This result was really unexpected. The outside world had never expected that the Yunshan Sword Sect had already reached a level similar to that of the Cangjian Pavilion in terms of core strength.

Moreover, when considering the attitude of Cangjian Pavilion and the ranking given by Chunyu Tower, the situation is even more subtle, forcing outsiders to carefully examine the true strength of Yunshan Sword Sect.

Therefore, over the past year, the Yunshan Sword Sect has become very famous - although it was originally a large sect dominating the western part of Dali, its reputation has grown over the past year, and it has gradually become known as a large sect in the world.

A person's reputation is like the shadow of a tree, and in martial arts practice, sometimes one just strives for fame.

The reputation of the Yunshan Sword Sect has naturally risen, and its status has naturally risen. This can be seen from all aspects of its exchanges with the outside world over the past year. Whether it is more respectful or more cautious, it all shows the current status of the Yunshan Sword Sect.

Even the most powerful person in the Western Regions, Mingwang of the Great Vajra Temple, had to be tolerant of Li Xingtuo many times when he met him in the Western Desert. He did not gain any advantage in the battle for the ruins. After the news came out, it further confirmed the strength of Li Xingtuo and the Sword Sect he led.

Therefore, this show of young talents organized by the Jiangnan family also cordially invited the Yunshan Sword Sect this year.

After your status is elevated, you don’t need to attend any occasions to prove your identity;
Rather, whether you can be invited to this occasion proves its value.

Of course, the Xiao Qianlong Club has been held for many years. With the endorsement of several major families, this grand gathering of young warriors has almost earned the reputation of "Little East China Sea Sword Contest", and its value is still high.

The aristocratic families in Jiangnan held this small Qianlong Conference to provide an opportunity for young people from each family who were just starting out and had not yet stepped onto the center stage to show themselves and compete with each other. It was originally a small-scale exchange meeting among several major aristocratic families, but later it grew larger and larger, gradually covering the entire Jiangnan region and even affecting the entire territory of Dali.

Warriors under the age of 30 who are above the Qi and Blood Transformation Stage and not on the Hidden Dragon List can all participate. The event is divided into two levels: Qi and Blood Transformation Stage 1 and Stage 2.

The third level of transformation is naturally not included. The third level of transformation of Qi and Blood is already considered a big shot, and in many places it is enough to become a martial arts master who founded a school. Those who enter the third level of transformation of Qi and Blood before the age of 30 are definitely on the Potential Dragon List.

This grand event is jointly organized by the noble families and the major clans. The rewards for those who win are naturally generous. The top winner may even have the opportunity to enter the secret ruins to practice for a period of time.
However, rewards are secondary. Many young warriors first became famous on this stage. It is not uncommon for them to directly make it to the list of Little Hidden Dragons and gain the title of Hidden Dragon.

Practicing martial arts silently for ten years, and then stepping onto the stage and becoming world-famous is the long-cherished wish of many martial artists.

Therefore, this Xiao Qianlong Club has attracted the attention of everyone, the competition is fierce, and there are many masters. Those who rank at the top every year are all outstanding people of the time.

Xie Yuan was just wondering who was chosen when he heard them discussing:
"Have you heard? Huang Zifeng from Zhujian Peak will be sent to participate in the first transformation realm competition, and the second transformation realm will be Senior Sister Ning Zining."

"Senior Sister Ning? She is going down the mountain. Her fame spread to the outside world when the two sects met for swordsmanship last year. It seems that she will officially represent the Sword Sect to participate in this grand event this year to make a name for the sect and herself!"

"Hey, Senior Sister Ning is so pretty, will she have many more suitors if she goes to Jinling? Hey..."

"What are you talking about? It's not your turn to get one! But I heard that the women in Jiangnan are as gentle as water, petite and graceful. Maybe they all like this style. Senior Sister Ning is like this..."

"Senior Sister Ning, what happened to Senior Sister Ning?"

"As you know, Senior Sister Ning has a hot temper, and her figure is even hotter than her personality... Maybe the men in Jiangnan can't stand this."

"Senior Sister Ning has a hot body, but I think her personality is okay. I like her like this, hehe..."

"You are more suitable to go to Shuzhou, and you shouldn't stay in Yunzhou. Senior Sister Ning is so hot-tempered, whoever marries her will have..."

"What are you talking about?"

A somewhat impetuous voice sounded, as if carrying the flavor of midsummer.

Several inner disciples felt their backs tighten, and turned around in unison, looking at the beautiful woman with a broad mind, and said nervously:
"Senior Sister Ning! I, we..."

"Instead of practicing sword skills every day, you just talk nonsense! Get out of here!"

Ning Zi glanced at them and scolded them.

This meant that they didn't care much, and the few people left quickly with red faces as if they had been pardoned.

Ning Zi spat.

When these male disciples get together, all they can talk about is those things. They talk much less about swordsmanship than about women!

But they are just some playboys who talk like experienced clients and have no experience in ever holding a girl's hand.

She shook her head and looked at Xie Yuan who was calm beside her, her eyes lit up:
"Junior Brother Zhang is really steady, unlike these impetuous junior brothers. Hey, you don't even look like a new disciple! Have you always had this bitter face since childhood?"

Xie Yuan looked at Ning Zi walking towards him quickly, swaying, his eyelids twitched, and he quickly moved away.

I just praised myself, it would be inappropriate if I got caught again... I really didn't mean it, it's just that Ning Zi always makes a shocking noise and attracts people's attention.

In fact, when Xie Yuan was chatting with his roommates in the dormitory before, his behavior was similar to that of the male disciples just now.

It’s just that on Ruoyun Peak, or in this world, there are no longer people as capable of making jokes as before.

Ning Zi was a disciple of Yaoyue Peak, and his status was much higher than that of the inner disciples of Ruyun Peak. Xie Yuan bowed his head and saluted Ning Zi:
"Greetings, Senior Sister Ning! I wonder why Senior Sister Ning came to Ruyun Peak? Is there anything I can help you with?"

Ning Zi waved her hand:
"What's the matter? I just came to see you, otherwise why would I come to you! You are not like those junior brothers who have already thought of a name for the child, right? Haha!"

what?
Xie Yuan was stunned for a moment, not following Ning Zi's rhythm:

"Looking for... me? What does Senior Sister want me for?"

"It's not me who's looking for you. It's the Sect Master and his men who are looking for you. I volunteered to come here so that they won't be so slow. Junior Brother Zhang, follow me to the main peak now!"

After Ning Zi finished speaking, she grabbed Xie Yuan's arm with one hand and started walking up the stone steps.

Xie Yuan was almost pulled by Ning Zi's impetuous behavior and staggered. He was still puzzled:

"Sect Master...? Senior Sister Ning, may I ask why the Sect Master is looking for me?"

"Stupid! What else can you do these few days? It's just the Little Hidden Dragon Society! I'll go up and tell you a few things, and then hurry up and get down the mountain! Don't waste time and miss the day!"

Little Submarine Dragon Club?

Xie Yuan raised his eyebrows subconsciously.

What does this Little Qianlong Society have to do with him?
After all, he is already a real hidden dragon... No matter what the reason is, he is on the list.

Moreover, even if Li Xingtuo wanted to send him to make a name for the sect, he should have known that his situation was not suitable.

Zhang Shan’s current strength is at the level where he has just broken through the first level of Qi and blood transformation, and his aura is still unstable.

After practicing for a while, Xie Yuan and several others of his time achieved breakthroughs.

Lin Zhen had already touched the threshold of Qi and Blood Transformation Realm. He had been practicing hard at Yaoyue Peak for a period of time. Under the guidance of Luo Shuang, he had successfully become a warrior at Qi and Blood First Transformation Realm. It had been some time.

In just one and a half years, he went from being an ordinary person to this realm. It must be said that his talent and luck are both top-notch. With the ancient ruins in front, the master accepting disciples in the back, and Xie Yuan secretly helping in the middle, it can be said that the Lin family has finally turned from bad to good.

Lin Cheng was the same, thanks to the many foundation-building magic medicines on the first two floors of the pagoda, which rebuilt his shaped bones and closed meridians caused by his old practice, completely improving his talent. In addition, with his extraordinary hard work and perseverance, coupled with a large number of Blood Dragon Pills, he finally broke through in the early autumn and became a warrior in the first level of Qi and Blood.

Then the next day, Xie Yuan, who pretended to be impatient even during external training, made a breakthrough and continued to be good friends with Lin Cheng. It was so reasonable that Li Xingtuo wanted to laugh after hearing it.

Therefore, Xie Yuan is now an inner disciple who has just broken through the first level. Even if he is known as a genius, he is not qualified to represent the sect to attend the Little Hidden Dragon Conference.

Besides, even if his real strength is more than that, it is impossible for him to show off in front of Xiao Qianlong where there will definitely be masters watching.

Normally, it was one thing. When fighting, he would definitely reveal his Second Transformation Qi, and the Grandmaster would know it at a glance. As for showing his true strength directly... How could that make sense? He had realized the truth, but he only realized the Second Transformation?
Although Xie Yuan had some tacit understanding with this unpredictable sect leader, since he hadn't said anything about it yet, he would just do his best.

So when Ning Zi said that Li Xingtuo was looking for him regarding the Xiao Qianlong Society, he was very puzzled. What was the point of looking for him?

It's impossible to take the stage, but it's possible to secretly eliminate the competitors, or use laxatives or something like that...

Moreover, even if I wanted to attend, didn't I choose the date and people long in advance? It was a bit strange to call myself when I was about to leave.

Xie Yuan frowned and thought for a long time, but couldn't figure it out. He was just dragged by Ning Zi step by step and quickly went down Ruoyun Peak and then went up to the main peak.

When he looked up, the main peak hall was already in front of him.

Xie Yuan relaxed his brows. After thinking so much, he decided to just wait for the answer to be announced.

Inside Li Xingtuo's study.

With a thud, the heavy wooden door opened, and Ning Zi strode in, dragging Xie Yuan with her, and said in a tender voice:

"Reporting to the Sect Master, I have brought Junior Brother Zhang here!"

"Are you here? So soon?"

Li Xingtuo smiled.

"Junior Brother Zhang's attitude is still very positive."

Ning Zi smiled and let go of her hand.

Xie Yuan had a blank expression on his face. Ning Zi looked beautiful, but in fact, she was quite strong. How could a weak and delicate woman be found in the Second Transformation Realm? Her hands were left with red marks from the pulling she did along the way.

He bowed to Li Xingtuo:
"I've met the sect leader."

At the same time, he glanced around and took in the entire scene in the study in an instant.

Qin Zhenyang and Huang Zifeng were there as expected, but... why was Lin Zhen here too?
Xie Yuan was a little surprised. He looked at Huang Zifeng's expression for a few times and remained silent.

Li Xingtuo nodded:

"Now that you're here, do you know why?"

He did not wait for Xie Yuan to reply, and continued:
"The Jinling Little Hidden Dragon Meeting will be held on the Mid-Autumn Festival. The Hidden Sword Pavilion and the Jinling Yao Family sent us letters at the same time, inviting our young disciples to participate. I plan to have Zhen Yang lead the team, Ning Zi participate in the second transformation realm competition, and Zi Feng and Lin Zhen participate in the first transformation realm competition.

"The competition is secondary, and there is no need to be too stressed. You should mainly go there to broaden your horizons, see the scenery of Jiangnan, and see what the warriors in the prosperous southeast are like. Making friends through martial arts is beneficial to your cultivation."

Several people clasped their fists in response. Xie Yuan was silent for a moment and asked:

"Master, what kind of work will this disciple do? Will he provide logistics support for the brothers and sisters? Or will he also participate in this Qi and Blood Transformation Stage Arena?"

Li Xingtuo smiled when he heard his question:
"Why, do you want to join?"

Xie Yuan was silent for a moment before he said:
"I feel that my strength is not suitable for competing on stage."

"How modest! Not bad, not bad."

Li Xingtuo seemed to praise.

"..."

Xie Yuan was speechless.

This conversation sounded normal to Ning Zi and the others. They had no idea that what the two people meant was actually the opposite of what they understood...

"You performed well before and learned a lot on Jianfeng, so I'll let you walk down the mountain. As I just said, seeing the scenery and warriors of other places will be good for your own practice and can help you integrate what you have learned from Jianfeng. Jinling Branch Courtyard is short of manpower recently, so you can stay there for a while and watch the Little Hidden Dragon Meeting."

Li Xingtuo said calmly.

When Xie Yuan heard this, his expression changed and he bowed and said:
"Disciple thanks the Sect Master! I will follow the Sect Master's orders."

Li Xingtuo waved his hands and gave instructions to each of them, especially telling Lin Zhen not to feel pressured, as he had just made a breakthrough and the main thing was to gain knowledge.

Lin Zhen, who seldom communicated with Li Xingtuo, was very excited by these words. He thought that the sect master cared about his disciples and was considerate, and was truly the best and most perfect sect master in the world. He had no virtue or ability to be able to join the Yunshan Sword Sect and meet such a master. It was all thanks to Xie Biaotou...

In this respect, Li Xingtuo deserves the title, but Luo Shuang obviously hasn't told his disciples that their sect leader almost became their uncle from the same lineage.

Li Xingtuo finished his instructions and waved his hand:

"You guys go get ready first. We'll go down the mountain tomorrow. Zhang Shan, wait a moment."

The others, except Qin Zhenyang, bowed and left. They all looked at Xie Yuan, saying that the sect leader still had matters of the other courtyards to take care of. Only Lin Zhen's gaze lingered for a moment, but it did not attract anyone's attention.

After everyone else left and closed the study door, only Master Li Xingtuo and his apprentice, and Xie Yuan, were left in the room.

Xie Yuan clasped his fists and said:
"The Sect Master sent me there for another mission?"

Li Xingtuo exclaimed:

"You are quite clever. I do have other tasks for you on this trip. Since you are so perceptive, why don't you guess why I am looking for you?"

Xie Yuan sensed that Li Xingtuo was testing him, so he paused for a moment, recalled what he had just said, and guessed:

"I'm not sure... Is it related to the affairs of Jinling Branch Court? The branch court is in trouble recently and needs disciples to go there?"

Large sects often have similar offices and admissions offices in other states. One purpose is to coordinate their own business in the local area, and the other is naturally to win over talented disciples.

The Yunshan Sword Sect has a branch in Jinling Prefecture, the center of Jiangnan. However, the Sword Sect cannot compete with the aristocratic families and local sects in Jiangnan. The branch is not large in scale and not well-known, but it always occupies a place.

Li Xingtuo nodded in appreciation:
"It seems like it's right to assign this task to you. You do have some insight, and with this... hehe, you should be good at solving cases."

Seeing that Li Xingtuo was about to poke the window paper apart, Xie Yuan could only give a polite smile.

After Li Xingtuo finished speaking, he restrained his expression, became a little serious, and his tone also softened:

"According to the report I received yesterday, the manager of the Jinling Branch of the sect, Wang Zhiyi, was assassinated."

"what?"

Xie Yuan was surprised.

The manager of the sect's branch was assassinated?

He frowned suddenly. This was no small matter.

Although the Jinling Villa is not big, Jinling is the center of Jiangnan after all, and the Sword Sect also spent some effort there.

The steward Wang Zhiyi was a carefully selected capable person, good at maneuvering and agile. Although his cultivation had not reached the third level of Qi and Blood Transformation, he was also at the top of the second level of Qi and Blood Transformation, not inferior to the heroes on the Hidden Dragon List, but he was older and not on the list.

How could such a person be killed? The person who did it must not be an ordinary person.

Xie Yuan frowned tightly. If the manager of a branch of a sect was killed by other forces, it would be a provocation or even a signal for war.

Li Xingtuo nodded heavily:
"Yes. And there is no clue of the murderer. We don't know why or who it is."

Xie Yuan nodded slowly:

"So the master sent me to find out the truth?"

He actually thinks highly of himself. It should be because the previous Wuhe case left a deep impression on Li Xingtuo.

Li Xingtuo hummed:
"That's right. There is no clue about this matter yet. If we send an elder, Jinling is a sensitive place with complicated forces, which may have some impact. You have shown your alertness and sharpness before, which makes you a suitable candidate for this mission, and this is one of them."

Xie Yuan raised his eyebrows. Are there other reasons?
Li Xingtuo's expression was vague and somewhat unpredictable:
"Some time ago, Wang Zhiyi reported to me that there seemed to be something strange going on with the major families in Jiangnan, but he didn't say anything specific, only that he was still investigating."

The person in charge of the other courtyard naturally also has some responsibilities for collecting intelligence and observing major developments.

Xie Yuan suddenly realized something and frowned slightly. Could it be that he found something that he shouldn't have checked?
But even if they saw some secrets, ordinary forces would not do anything to him for the sake of Yunshan Sword Sect. Unless the secret was a matter of life and death, it could not be exposed even at the risk of breaking up with Yunshan Sword Sect. After all, with the strength of Yunshan Sword Sect, no one in the world could ignore it.

So what is the secret?

Xie Yuan suddenly thought of the missing person case that he had discovered in Wuhe River, and his heart moved.

Could it be just one thing?
The leader may also have such doubts.

Li Xingtuo confirmed his conjecture:

"You got in touch with the Yongyang Qian family and the Jinling Yao family in Wuhe before. I suspect Wang Zhiyi has also noticed something strange about the Jinling Yao family. It may be related to the Wuhe incident. It is better not to trouble two masters for one matter. So after receiving the news yesterday, I thought about it and decided to send you to investigate."

Xie Yuan now understood the whole story of why he was called here.

Sure enough, it has nothing to do with the Xiao Qianlong Society, but there is still such a secret. Are we going to Jiangnan to investigate the case...

Thinking of the tragic events he had witnessed in Wuhe River over the past few days, the successive fires and the deafening cries, Xie Yuan's face became serious, and he stood at attention with his fists clasped:

"Disciple obey!"

Xie Yuan agreed without hesitation. He had personally experienced the family's ruthless tactics in Wuhe, and with Situ Qin's repeated reminders, he already had an idea in mind.

Any family that can last for a thousand years has terrifying power hidden in secret, suffocating means and very meticulous plans, and is almost impeccable.

Even if they went to Yunzhou to destroy their plan, Xie Yuan and Situ Qin would face life-and-death danger together, not to mention the in-depth investigation in Jiangnan where the aristocratic families have been entrenched for a thousand years, the degree of danger would be greatly increased.

But Xie Yuan still did not hesitate.

The water node of Wuhe River was broken, and Yunzhou's power was eliminated by Situ Qin, but if the matter is not clarified, the tragedy of Wuhe River may be repeated in other places.

Now the manager of Lianyun Mountain Sword Sect has been killed, but they have shown their tails again. If I don't seize the opportunity and find out the truth, I'm afraid it will be difficult to stop them next time.

However, this kind of thing is definitely extremely dangerous, and you must be extremely careful, extremely careful.

That's not just playing house in the Sword Sect. You can't reveal any flaws...

Xie Yuan was deep in thought when Li Xingtuo suddenly threw something over to him.

He subconsciously took it with both hands, but found that it was a small sword in his hand, less than the length of his palm and without a blade, like a child's toy or decoration.

"This journey is extremely dangerous, so we cannot allow you to go there unprepared. This small sword has a hint of my Floating Light Sword's sword power. You can use it if you are in a life-or-death crisis. But remember, this thing is gone once used. Do not use it unless it is absolutely necessary. If it runs out, you must retreat as soon as possible."

Li Xingtuo instructed seriously.

He said a lot, but when he saw Xie Yuan had no reaction, he couldn't help but raise his eyebrows and muttered:

"What's going on? Are you thinking about running away again? Taking my sword intent with you?"

Xie Yuan came back to his senses and didn't hear Li Xingtuo mumbling. He just couldn't help but said excitedly:

"Thank you, Master! I will definitely fulfill my mission!"

The line of words in front of him was still vaguely visible, and it took Xie Yuan a long time to come back to his senses, but he still found it difficult to concentrate.

[Fleeting Sword: (???/???)]

What...is this?!

"You don't have to be so moved, do you? You can't help yourself."

Li Xingtuo grinned, then said in a deep voice:
"This trip has indeed tempered you. Your first priority is to protect yourself, and your second priority is to find out the truth and prevent the sect's heroes from dying with regrets!
"Of course, the sect will reward you for your merits, and will not let you sweat and bleed in vain. If you really find something, according to the level of this secret, you can enter the sword peak again to gain insights. Well, you can stay for ninety-nine eighty-one days."

When Xie Yuan heard this, his eyes lit up slightly.

Jianfeng?

Black Book!
Every advancement of the Black Book brought him a tremendous increase in strength.

However, it currently takes a thousand points to advance to the next level of the Black Book. Although the points have been increased over time, it also takes a lot of time for him to practice, so he can't just gamble it all away.

But if I can enter the Sword Peak, I believe the progress will be rapid and the next breakthrough should not be a problem.

"Yes!"

Xie Yuan responded loudly.

Li Xingtuo nodded, and seemed to want to say something else. After hesitating for a moment, he just said:
"Do you have any questions? If not, go back and prepare. We will go down the mountain tomorrow without delay."

Xie Yuan shook his head and bowed to Li Xingtuo before leaving.

After Xie Yuan left, Li Xingtuo tapped the desk lightly with his index finger, making a regular tapping sound.

Qin Zhenyang, who had been silent the whole time, saw his master's expression and knew that he was thinking. After waiting for a while, he saw Li Xingtuo stop and said to him:
"Zhen Yang, you assist him in investigating the case, but you don't need to get too involved. Let this kid use his strengths! Your primary goal is to see the Zhen Lake ruins."

Qin Zhenyang nodded, hesitated, and asked:

"Seeing the ruins of Zhenhu Lake, can Junior Brother Zhang also give it a try?"

Li Xingtuo shook his head:

"I was just thinking about it, but I didn't come up with a solution for him. If he wants to get a spot, he may not be able to do it without showing his full strength at the Little Hidden Dragon Conference. But he probably doesn't want to be exposed, especially after provoking those two families. He can't be exposed at all."

Qin Zhenyang also nodded, thought for a moment, and said:
"With Junior Brother Zhang's luck, maybe he can find a way."

"But that's not necessarily a good thing."

Li Xingtuo said slowly.

……

Xie Yuan returned to the courtyard, quickly locked the door, and took out the small sword.

The small sword has a simple shape, and a vague sword spirit is echoing in it, which is extremely difficult to sense.

It’s not that the sword intent is weak. On the contrary, when Xie Yuan could feel it, he felt that the power of the small sword in his hand was infinite.

It’s just… this inexplicable feeling of sword intent was both here and there, half true and half false, looming, leaving Xie Yuan completely confused.

But Xie Yuan still persisted in comprehending for a long time, and then stared at the panel in front of him, observing carefully.

Unfortunately, after half a while, there was still no change on the panel.

[Fleeting Sword: (???/???)]

He sighed. It seemed that this thing could not be comprehended just by wanting to.

There is a "?" marked after the technique. This is the second time I have seen it. The first time was when I activated the Black Book for the first time.

It took a very long time for the Black Book to appear on the panel and be actually activated, and it also required a special opportunity.

"It seems that such a peerless sword technique cannot be comprehended by just a trace of sword intent. I'm afraid it also requires an opportunity."

Xie Yuan nodded silently, his excitement subsiding slightly.

Just now I thought that with the sword intent given by Li Xingtuo, I could also comprehend the powerful and peerless sword technique of the Floating Light Sword in one night, but the fact proved that it was not that simple.

I'm afraid that even if he truly figured it out with his current strength, he would not be able to use it at all.

But this is undoubtedly a good omen!
Nothing that appears on your panel will eventually appear!

No matter when this "?" can disappear, it is certain that sooner or later, I will be able to learn this peerless sword technique!
Thinking of this, Xie Yuan was very excited. He took the small sword given by Li Xingtuo and stroked it gently, his eyes full of desire.

Fortunately, Li Xingtuo did not peek at him, otherwise if he saw this scene, he would probably expel Xie Yuan from Yunshan overnight.

Xie Yuan waited for a while, then thought of the mission he was going down the mountain on, and became a little solemn.

It is never easy to go against aristocratic families.

However, things should never be left undone just because they are difficult.

Xie Yuan looked at the panel in front of him, carefully evaluated his abilities again, thought carefully, and made plans for various situations in his mind.

Then he packed his luggage one by one, packed his bag, and put every useful thing in its proper category.

Xiao Huan Dan, Da Li Jingang Wan, various elixirs and medicines for injuries;

The Hundred-Change Mysterious Weapon Sword, the Emerald Jade Buddha Pendant—the previous one was already damaged, and then Situ Qin took out an identical one from the storeroom...

Xie Yuan could only sigh in admiration. Such treasures, top-level magic weapons that could withstand several attacks from the Third Transformation Realm, could actually come in pairs.

However, Situ Qin only had two such jade Buddhas, and she gave them both to Xie Yuan.

The weapons and magic weapons were also put away, and finally the small sword given by Li Xingtuo.

Xie Yuan touched it and felt more confident, and he kept it carefully close to his body.

Early the next morning.

"Junior Brother Zhang, let's go down the mountain!"

Ning Zi knocked on Xie Yuan's gate repeatedly, but no one answered, which made her cross her arms in frustration.

This action caused a huge uproar.

"So unpunctual? Wait for him alone!"

"Senior Sister Ning, you are a full hour early..."

Huang Zifeng whispered.

Qin Zhenyang and Lin Zhen couldn't help but nodded. They were both woken up by Ning Zi, and finally came to Xie Yuan's yard together, ready to ask him to go out.

"Why did you sleep so long? Aren't you excited to go down the mountain?"

Ning Zi chattered and was about to knock on the door again when she heard a voice from the side:

"Good morning, fellow brothers and sisters."

Several people looked to the side and found Xie Yuan with a sword in his hand, emerging from a large rock in the east.

There was sweat on his forehead, his face was slightly red, and he was breathing lightly. It was obvious that he had just finished morning exercise.

"So early……"

Ning Zi was surprised. She stopped talking halfway.

There was just a rosy glow in the sky, and a young man was standing on a big rock. The red sun behind him was just half visible, covering him just enough to make him look like he was standing in the sun.

He looked like he would...rise with the morning sun.

Several people were stunned when they saw this scene. The honest and simple boy had a calm and resolute face. He did not show any abnormality. He just jumped off the huge rock, walked to the gate of the courtyard and bowed to them:
"Everything is packed. Please wait a moment, brothers and sisters. I will go in and clean up, and leave right away."

Ning Zi waited for Xie Yuan to come in. There was a sound of water inside. After a while, she said:

"Why does this kid seem so powerful?

"Well, it's quite interesting to have this guy accompany me down the mountain."

Qin Zhenyang looked at the gate, then at the huge rock, his eyes flickering, but he said nothing.

Huang Zifeng silently calculated the time and sighed:

"I have always heard that Junior Brother Zhang is a hard worker, but today I discovered that he is even harder than I imagined."

Lin Zhenze said nothing, but just looked inside the courtyard gate, wondering what he was thinking.

……

Jizhou, Pengshan, Prajna Temple.

Inside a Buddhist temple, there was a young monk with clear temperament and fair skin sitting cross-legged on a cushion with his hands clasped together, facing a huge Buddha statue, with his eyes closed, his lips constantly moving, as if he was chanting.

An old monk walked in from outside the Buddhist temple, wearing a seven-treasure robe and holding a nine-ring staff.

He had a kind face, with white eyebrows and beard that hung down to his chest, yet he looked naturally dignified. When he moved, there was even a faint golden light flashing around him, and Buddhist sounds and chants could be heard, as if he was the earthly incarnation of the Buddha.

He looked at the young monk sitting cross-legged in front of him and said softly:
"Amitabha! Huijue, the time has come."

Huijue seemed not to hear anything. He still kept his eyes closed and his hands clasped together, chanting silently, as if he did not hear the master's call.

This master, who is accompanied by precious light and has the sound of Sanskrit chanting whenever he moves, is the abbot of Prajna Temple, Huijue's master, the third on the Tianlong list, the great master of martial arts, Master Zhiling.

However, although he looked solemn and sacred, like a Buddha walking on earth, Huijue ignored him, and Zhiling was not impatient either. He waited quietly for Huijue to finish his homework and slowly raised his head.

Huijue opened his eyes and looked up at the ten-foot-tall Buddha in front of him. There was no pupil in his eyes, but a golden light, the same golden light as the golden Buddha statue!

After a moment, the light in his eyes gradually dissipated, and his pupils reappeared, his eyes were pure, like a newborn baby.

Huijue stood up and bowed slightly to Master Zhiling:

"Master, I'm going down the mountain."

Master Zhiling sighed:
"Amitabha! Go ahead. I hope the Buddhas will bless you on this journey and may all your wishes come true."

Huijue said innocently:

"What if my wish comes true? What if it doesn't? My karmic affinity is there, and I will go there eventually."

After saying this, Huijue put his palms together, bowed slightly, and then took small steps and walked out of the temple at a leisurely pace.

Master Zhiling held a staff in one hand and raised his other hand, chanting the Buddha's name and looking at Huijue's back with compassion on his face.

……

Yuezhou, on the top of Luofu Mountain, in a quiet little Taoist temple.

"Bang bang bang-"

The door of a quiet room was knocked hard. A young Taoist priest with sharp eyebrows and bright eyes kept knocking on the door impatiently outside, shouting:

"Master, hurry up! I want to go down the mountain!"

A long, old and helpless sigh came from the room:

"If you want to go down the mountain, just go by yourself. Why are you arguing with me? I really don't know what sin I committed in my previous life to accept a traitor like you as my disciple!"

"You insisted on taking it. I didn't beg you to do it. I wanted to learn swordplay and become a hero, but you tricked me into coming to this godforsaken mountain. Do you think I want to do it?"

The young Taoist priest got angry at this point and slammed the door again:

"Old Taoist priest, hurry up! You promised me that I can go down the mountain today!"

"I didn't stop you from leaving!"

"Then why don't you give me some equipment! You are the second on the Tianlong Ranking, and you should give your last disciple some magic weapons when he goes down the mountain? I think your whisk is pretty good..."

"Don't even think about it!"

From inside came the suppressed roar of the old Taoist priest:

"That is the master's magic weapon. How can a mere disciple like you use it?"

"Then your Taoist robe..."

A faint voice came from inside:
"I'm not dead yet."

"Oh, do I have to die before I can wear it?"

The little Taoist scratched his head:
"then you……"

"Zhang Junyi, I advise you to be careful with your words and actions."

There seemed to be a faint sound of thunder and lightning inside.

The young Taoist priest Zhang Junyi pricked up his ears when he heard the noise, and quickly stopped talking, smiling:

"Master, ever since I was deceived by you...ever since I followed you up the mountain, this is the first time I'm coming down the mountain, you have to give me some treasures! Otherwise, if it gets out, it won't be in line with our status!"

There was silence for a while, and then the door suddenly opened without wind, and three pieces of talisman paper and a copper coin floated out.

"These three are the Supreme Emperor's Golden Talisman, the Three Pure Ones Talisman, and the Divine Thunder Talisman. They are enough for you to deal with any predicament in the world."

The old Taoist priest said calmly.

When Zhang Jun saw the three pieces of talisman paper floating in front of him, which were emitting golden light, clear light and purple light respectively, and were inscribed with mysterious runes, he grabbed the talisman paper with a smile and put it in his arms. He then looked at the floating copper coin and asked curiously:

"Thank you, Master! Master, what is this copper coin?"

"Copper coins are just copper coins. You can use them to tell fortunes when you have nothing to do, and you can use them to buy your life when you are in trouble. Anyway, your life is only worth this copper coin. It would be okay for you to learn how to slay demons and repel monsters, but learning how to predict the future is harder than climbing to the sky, and you are as stupid as an ox..."

The old Taoist cursed in frustration.

Zhang Junyi laughed and didn't take it seriously. He grabbed the coin again, threw it high in his hand, caught it and pressed it. When he opened his hand and saw that the front side was facing up, he said happily:
"I think this trip will be a great success. It will definitely be a smooth journey!"

“…Get out of here now.”

The old Taoist priest couldn't bear to watch any longer and slammed the door shut.

After the door was closed, Zhang Junyi packed up everything, looked at the wooden door, put away his playful smile, knelt upright on the ground, and kowtowed three times:

"Master, I'm going down the mountain!"

After saying this, he straightened up, held his head high, his eyes sparkling, and turned around and walked out of the Taoist temple, rushing down the mountain like the wind.

After Zhang Junyi left, the door of the Taoist temple opened without wind, revealing an old Taoist priest sitting cross-legged on the ground in the main hall, wearing a Taoist robe and holding a whisk.

The old Taoist priest has white hair and a youthful face with a ruddy complexion. He looks like a lively old man who is energetic and vigorous.

He looked at the direction where Zhang Jun came down the mountain, pinched his fingers, then frowned slightly and let out a long sigh.

The old Taoist got up and went out of the Taoist temple, came to the edge of the cliff, and slowly looked up.

He looked up at the sky, gazing quietly at the blue sky and the infinite height, in silence.

(End of this chapter)