Beichen Sword Sect's Headmaster's Secret Records

Chapter 379 Thousand Calyx Screen

"Master, please look. The male seal is called Ye Jun, and the female seal is called Guan Hui. The name of the robe is Chang Li, which means that they are separated for a long time. This seal is Ye Jun's seal. Together with the Guan Hui seal in your hand, the male and female seals are a pair."

The manager of Linglongxuan carried a tray and brought out a stone seal. The seal was only a few inches in size and was made with a Zhu Fu twist. The seal was stamped with clay and the two ancient seal characters "Jiuxiao" were printed on it.

Well, upon closer inspection, it's clearly not a duck. The relief carving on the seal depicts a reclining mandarin duck with one wing and one eye, except this one has vermilion wings, making it a perfect pair with the blue-feathered one on the stone tablet in Huangfu Yi's hand.

The shopkeeper explained in a flattering manner,

"Birds that fly wing to wing can understand destiny. They fly, rest, drink, and eat together, never to be separated. Even if they die and are reborn, they will always be together. Even if one of the tokens is destroyed, it can be reborn and reforged."

"Now that you possess the Imperial Seal of Revelation, you are the true owner of the Nine Heavens Exquisite Pavilion. All the rare treasures within are at your disposal; and all expenses will be prepared to your liking at a mere command."

"Uh, really...?"

To be honest, Huangfu Yi was already a little confused at this point.

What's going on? We agreed this task would just involve replacing the hard drive, right? How did he become the employer? Is he plotting against him again?

The shopkeeper was exceptionally respectful and explained,

"Master, you may not know this, but Linglongxuan is an old brand in Qianyang. In the past, we made gold and silver utensils for the royal family of Qian Kingdom. Later, we were protected by immortals and began to make offerings to the Xuanmen every year. We have been in business for 6,400 years."

The deities had long ago given instructions that, in order to prevent their disciples from being troubled by the struggle for survival and thus delaying their cultivation and studies, they specifically instructed us, the outer disciples, to engage in trade and accumulate resources.

Therefore, every few hundred or thousand years, whenever a disciple who has inherited the Daoist teachings of the immortals is born to gain experience, and holds the seal of the Guanyin and the seal of the Wild Lord, he can enter my exquisite treasure vault.

Natural treasures and resources are available for use as needed for cultivation.

"I see……"

Could it be that the immortal guardian behind Linglong Pavilion is the old immortal bone in the immortal tomb? And is this property the cultivation resource it passed down to future generations?

And he even specially crafted the heirloom into a pair of lovebirds—were these things meant for his Daoist partner? Uh, could the proprietress he met earlier actually be the reincarnation of the woman in the mural? But wasn't it said that her soul had already dissipated…?

For a time, Huangfu Yi was filled with doubts and confusion. He pondered the matter again and again, but still could not understand the cause and effect.

The shopkeeper, being shrewd, knew that words alone were insufficient proof and that people probably wouldn't believe him, so he first probed by asking...

"How about I show you the warehouse first?"

"Well, it might be good to take a look."

"Alright, please come in, boss."

The shopkeeper, convinced that Huangfu Yi was the current owner, didn't hide it and led him familiarly to a large cypress wood gate with gilded copper nails. He asked the Wild Lord's Seal to be stamped on the yellow talisman, and then slapped the talisman against the door, as if unlocking some kind of seal.

The moment he pushed open the door, Huangfu Yi was immediately blinded by the golden light that filled the room. He blinked and saw that under the ever-burning golden candlesticks, mountains of gold and silver, glittering jewels and coral trees shone brightly.

Looking closer, one sees piles of gilded coins stacked high, the strings binding them tattered and scattered on the ground. Rows of white jade shelves are filled with various gold-threaded ornaments, enamel-inlaid wine vessels, colorful jeweled hairpins, jade pagodas carved from single pieces, jade bracelets with dragon patterns inlaid with jadeite and gold, gold goblets inlaid with glass, rhinoceros horn cups inlaid with silver scales, crystal boxes, white jade basins filled with luminous jade, large pearls, luxurious silk gauze as thin as cicada wings, and bracelets and rings with ten different colors—a dazzling array, too many to take in…

Huangfu Yi was momentarily speechless, then turned to look behind him. Seeing that this treasure trove only had one security door, he couldn't help but ask,

"These things... are they just going to be left like this?"

"Even if it is a treasure of six thousand four hundred years, it is still just a mortal thing."

The shopkeeper seemed quite open-minded, explaining...

"Qianyang City has been peaceful for many years. Who would dare to cause trouble under my nose?"

Moreover, gold and silver are of little use to cultivators. Mining spirit stones in the mountains is common, and their texture is relatively soft. They are not as good as iron and steel for making knives and swords; they are only good for making the shape and color.

Linglongxuan has been in the jewelry business in Qianyang City for many years. The craftsmanship of our goldsmiths has been passed down through generations. We often customize and make jewelry for powerful families both inside and outside the mountains. We don't sell many of the samples and scraps we've accumulated, so they naturally end up here.

Usually, only when mountain dwellers need to make personal magical implements or store jewelry do they come to our pavilion to select some ornaments, carve talismans, and inscribe them, just to make them look nice.

If the owner finds anything they like, they are welcome to take it.

"There's no need for that..."

So, upon closer inspection, while the treasure trove is abundant, it's ultimately just treasure. There are no real magical artifacts; at best, they can only be considered top-tier materials. Not only are they all considered trash in the system's rating, but Huangfu Yi also doesn't think much of them.

After all, gold is nothing more than gold. It can't be used to cultivate immortality or prolong life. What use is it if you just hold onto it and pile it up in the house, except to take up space?
"Master, all the cultivation materials are stored here. You can go in and take them yourself if you have the Observation Seal."

Then the shopkeeper led Huangfu Yi into the depths of the treasure vault, pointed out an item by the wall to him, and then took his leave, allowing Huangfu Yi to choose whatever he wanted.

When Huangfu Yi saw the object, he understood immediately: it was the screen painted with large clusters of peonies. With sandalwood as its frame and jade as its hinge, the screen opened in twelve tiers, revealing a thousand layers of blooming peonies, their shadows swaying and undulating like surging waves.

I see... Let's go in...

Out of curiosity, Huangfu Yi tried to turn around behind the sandalwood peony screen. When he peeked out, he was stunned again.

What lay before her was no longer a treasure trove, but rather the boudoir she had once known.

Wow, that's amazing...

"They're quite fast, but to make such a commotion, they truly deserve to be called a once-in-a-millennium Dao Child."

Huangfu Yi looked in the direction of the sound and saw the proprietress reclining on the couch with her legs crossed. After all, there were many clothes in the treasury, and this time she had changed into an emerald green palace dress. Layers of silk, like clouds and mist, wrapped around her body, embracing her snow-white body, which was faintly visible, just like a cabbage...

"Who's the cabbage?!"

The proprietress was furious.

Huangfu Yi scratched his head.

"Uh, excuse me... wait, how come you can hear what I'm thinking?"

"Hmph, what skills do you have? You haven't even cultivated the primordial spirit method. Your heart is as pounding as thunder. Who can't hear you?"

The proprietress lifted the cabbage leaves, cough cough, lifted her skirt, and tossed the hard drive over.

"Here's what you want, and I'll give you back what I want."

Since the shopkeeper had made it clear that the Guan Hui Zhi Zhang was a lost sect token and a treasured heirloom of Linglongxuan, Huangfu Yi did not covet the other party's wealth and kept his promise to return the stone tablet.

The proprietress took the stone tablet, her slender fingers caressing the blue duck. Only after confirming that it was indeed a pair of lovebirds did she breathe a sigh of relief and quickly stuff it into the vegetable leaves to hide it.

"Okay, you've accomplished your first task. Now you've got that plate too. Does the promise to do three things still stand?"

Huangfu Yi nodded.
"You said."

So the proprietress didn't hesitate and immediately knelt down.
"Daozi is a man of his word. He retrieved the sect leader's token for my Immortal Sect. We are deeply grateful for his great kindness and virtue."

I am Linglong, the spirit of this treasure trove. Years ago, my sect was destroyed by our enemies, and our lineage was severed.

We beg you to find the true successor of our sect and continue our orthodox lineage!

"I see……"

Huangfu Yi was curious for a moment,
"But isn't it said that whoever possesses the Guan Hui Seal is the successor? I was the one who found the seal, so how do you know I'm not your successor?"

Linglong lay prone on the ground, straightening up, and glanced at him sideways with her beautiful eyes.
"Daozi, you are so old and your primordial yang has not been depleted. You are clearly cultivating the superior alchemy of that side. How could you possibly be a successor of my immortal sect? Besides, I see that your foundation is solid and your cultivation is already complete. You will be able to form an elixir in ten years at most. Why waste your efforts at this critical juncture?"

"However, if you wish, I can help you. I will deplete your vital essence, and then my Nine Heavens Dao Transmission will be available to you."

"Why are you all always staring at my Yuan Yang... Wait, Yuan Yang? Jiu Xiao? Immortal Sect? I feel like I've heard that name somewhere before..."

Huangfu Yi frowned in thought, then suddenly a flash of inspiration struck him. He realized what he had done and was greatly surprised.
"So you're in cahoots with that vixen from the Free and Unfettered Wind Pavilion?"

Linglong was taken aback, then overjoyed.

"What! The Yu Feng Lou lineage hasn't been wiped out yet! That's wonderful! Please take me to see the successor of Yu Feng Lou, young master!"

"Ah this..."

Huangfu Yi was incredibly conflicted. He thought to himself that the affairs of the Immortal Realm were indeed rife with hidden schemes, endless plots, and entangled karma, with inevitable retribution. Just when you thought you had overcome a hurdle, a new pit was waiting for you. Back when he fell into the hands of that carefree demoness, he was almost drained of his life's worth of energy, his reputation ruined. He was determined not to get involved with her again.

Before he could politely refuse, Linglong pinched her fingers together, raised her hand, and the screen behind her flew into the air. Amidst the misty purple aura, it shrank to a width of three inches, resembling a memorial or letter, and landed in Huangfu Yi's palm.

"This treasure is called the Exquisite Thousand-Petal Screen. It is an avatar of my daughter, a supreme treasure of the first grade of Nascent Soul."

It can deceive the heavens with a single flap of its screen, form arrays upon landing, and possesses the power to bewitch immortals and annihilate the soul, as well as the ability to gather mountains and seas. Inside, it also contains the true teachings of my immortal sect, rare and precious materials, and countless divine skill manuals.

Unfortunately, Daozi is not a successor of my Xiaoyao Sect and is not familiar with my Xiaoyao Treasure Control Method, so he cannot control me. For the time being, I can only use me as a storage magic treasure.

"I would also appreciate it if Daozi could deliver this clone of mine to the true successor of the Yufeng Tower. That would complete the second task."

"Hiss—Number one in the Nascent Soul stage..."

Huangfu Yi's hand trembled from the shock, and then he heard the system speak in his ear.

"waste."

Oh, what a waste of space. Never mind then, but the system is really strict...

Suddenly, he felt something engraved on the cover of the exquisite Thousand Calyx Screen. Huangfu Yi looked closely and saw a poem on it.

Crimson silk swirls like mist as peonies bloom, and mirages arrive from the twelve celestial palaces. Jade knocks on the star gate, and the celestial sphere trembles; the moon shines on the purple palace, casting a golden embryo.

Three flowers ride the phoenix, performing a playful dance; pearls from the mermaid palace transform into fragrant cheeks. A thousand calyxes bear dew, revealing crimson clouds; a painted screen hides shadows, traversing the mortal world.

Huangfuyi glanced at it.
"Could it be your sect's Qi-refining method?"

Linglong was momentarily surprised.
"Daozi has a high level of comprehension. Not bad. This is the core secret of our sect. The following is the method of cultivation."

If Daozi is interested, I can discuss this with you in detail, purely for the purpose of debating the Dao and seeking truth.

Feeling that this thing might actually have evolved from the Mysterious Maiden's Heavenly Book, Huangfu Yi, out of curiosity, casually flipped the Exquisite Thousand-Petal Screen over... Well, it really is in the same vein as the Carefree Wind-Riding Technique, all of them are dual cultivation techniques, secret arts of the boudoir...

"Uh, no need. I'm young and impetuous, I can't control myself, I'm not suited to refine this..."

Linglong also sighed.
"It's a pity that Daozi was favored by Biyi and had met the successor of Yufeng Tower. He is destined to be with my Dao."

If you simply agree, all the divine skills and magical treasures accumulated by my Nine Heavens Free and Unfettered Sect over thousands of years can be offered to you today.

"Does Daozi really have the heart to give that up?"

Although Huangfu Yi's Dao heart is relatively stable, you have to admit, the Nine Heavens Sect is actually quite powerful.

Guang Linglong has at least six thousand years of Daoist knowledge here. The previous Wind-Riding Demoness also had a hundred years of cultivation. She was just a click away, clamoring to become his partner and cultivate together. She even offered him her body and the inheritance of the Wind-Riding Pavilion. It seems they are indeed destined to be together.

Thinking about it more carefully, if I had given in back then and become a couple with the Wind-Riding Pavilion Master, or chosen to complete the Free and Unfettered Wind-Riding Divine Art at the Scum Fruit location, or even chosen the Chapter of Contemplation in the Immortal Marrow Ancient Tomb just now, I might actually be able to rightfully inherit the millennia-old legacy of the Nine Heavens Free and Unfettered Sect and directly cultivate with Linglong, riding the wind and controlling treasures.

Unfortunately, Huangfu Yi was a straight man with a passion for swordsmanship, so he could only say no to the Xiaoyao Sect.

But upon further reflection, although the other party desperately desired his body, she ultimately failed. In retrospect, he had indeed gained many benefits from that demoness. Without the infusion of her power, he wouldn't have achieved his current cultivation level, let alone survive his first life-threatening tribulation. He had indeed stolen her destiny and owed her a debt of gratitude, so he finally nodded in agreement.

"Okay, I promise you..."

"Really! Let's begin!"

Linglong was overjoyed and tore the cabbage leaves apart with a quick rip.

"That's not what I'm agreeing to!"

Huangfuyi quickly finished speaking.
"If I ever have the chance to meet that Yufeng Tower again, I'll give her your Thousand-Petal Screen!"

"Oh, that's how it is……"

Linglong was also disappointed, but she was at least six thousand years old herself, so she naturally knew that a Daoist like Huangfu Yi would definitely be guarding his primordial yang to prove the superior golden core of the Xuanmen sect, and that she couldn't force him to do so. However, as long as he agreed to pass on the Xiaoyao Sect, that was enough. So, she lifted her torn skirt with one hand to cover herself, prostrated herself in gratitude, and said...

"Thank you for your help, Daoist. Rest assured, I am a Nascent Soul magic treasure, and I am more than capable of protecting you."

"When you have achieved the Golden Core, if you do not despise my lowly status, you may serve me at your mere presence."

"Well, there's no need to be so polite then. Let's talk about it another time..."

Before Huangfuyi could finish speaking, Linglong raised her head, stared into his eyes, and suddenly said in a serious tone.

"As for the third matter, I will address it here as well."

"please say."

Suddenly, Linglong's expression changed; her beautiful face vanished, replaced by a fierce look. Her chest heaved uncontrollably, and she spoke in a menacing voice like a demon.
"My Nine Heavens Free and Unfettered Immortal Sect was originally the Xuanmen Dragon Temple, the direct descendant of the Xuan Nu, and in charge of the true teachings of the Heavenly Book! It was only because of the Dragon and Tiger Battle back then, in the struggle for the Xuanmen lineage, that we were framed and ambushed by our enemies!"
That Tiger Temple was supposed to be a place of protection and defense, but who knew it would plot to steal my Heavenly Book? They conspired together, betrayed the sect, and launched a surprise attack! They slaughtered all nine branches of my Free and Unfettered Sect in one night! The massacre was utter, leaving behind mountains of corpses and seas of blood—a truly horrific sight!

Now those shameless scoundrels have even proclaimed themselves as the Nine Great Mystic Sects, while slandering us as the Carefree Demonic Sect. It's utterly despicable and vile! Shameless beyond measure!
"My daughter hadn't yet taken human form at the time and was sent to the mortal world for trials, which is how she escaped this calamity. But whenever I think of the terrible events of that time, my heart aches, and I grit my teeth in hatred! I beg you, Daoist, to kill more of the evil tigers of the demonic sects and avenge my immortal sect!"

Upon hearing this, Huangfu Yi was immediately overwhelmed.

"What...so your enemy is one of the nine great mystical sects of today..."

Linglong knew that if she were asked to deal with the three major factions right off the bat, most normal people would be stunned. She took a deep breath to control her emotions and then comforted him.
"Daozi, you can rest assured. I am not asking you to go and make enemies of those sect leaders and Dao Lords right now. Every wrong has its source, and every debt has its debtor. So many years have passed, and most of the culprits from back then have been reincarnated. Besides, the fate of Tiger Temple is also coming to an end!"

Sixty years ago, those traitors of the Sword Sect brought this upon themselves, ultimately killing each other and wiping out their entire sect! All the sects of the Xuanmen were greatly shaken. Now, all the sects, both inner and outer, true and false disciples, are scheming against each other and fighting each other endlessly!
Meanwhile, the top Daoist masters, vying for their positions on Yuntai Peak, have been secluded in the mountains for years, engaging in Daoist discussions without ever emerging. Furthermore, the world is currently in turmoil due to the chaos caused by demons and monsters!

This is precisely the golden opportunity for my Nine Heavens Free and Unfettered Immortal Sect to re-emerge into the world, establish a new sect, and continue our lineage—an opportunity that comes only once in a thousand years!

Linglong suddenly swayed and flashed to Huangfuyi's side, breathing softly and seductively in his ear.

"As long as Daozi kills a few more disciples and grand-disciples of Tiger Temple when he faces battle in the future, and puts their mutilated corpses, flesh, and nascent souls into the screen, it will be enough for me to vent my anger."

I will send you another talisman for your primordial spirit. Even if you are a thousand miles away, you can summon me to investigate in an instant. For each talisman I obtain, I will exchange it with you a rare and precious treasure. How about it?"

"Ah this..."

Huangfuyi originally wanted to hide, but unexpectedly, the system was also whispering in his ear.

"What nonsense! You still won't agree? Anyway, there will be plenty of people dying by your sword in the future. It's a free deal, so why not take it? Besides, they not only have something to exchange for you, but they can also help you block karma, conceal the secrets of heaven, and prevent countless future troubles. How worthwhile is that! Quickly take them in!"

Huangfu Yi was speechless at the flattery from both sides. But after thinking about it carefully, it wasn't a big deal; it was just collecting someone's corpse. So, he finally nodded in agreement.

(End of this chapter)