Chongming Xianzong

Chapter 434 Sword Essence
When Qin Sufu stepped into the training ground, Kang Dabao and Yue Lin on the clouds were both concerned and their eyes became more focused.

On the other hand, Fu Neng had eyebrows curved like the moon and a happy expression on his face. The monk thought to himself, "This is probably a righteous cultivator, perhaps even a moral one. If that's the case, he'll be the easiest to deal with."

The two exchanged pleasantries without speaking, as usual. Qin Sufu took the initiative and produced a gold-edged jade axe.

This jade axe is clearly much better than the one used by Yin Shan Gong during his lifetime, which shows that Qin Su Fu was indeed valued and cultivated by his mother-in-law's family, and that his mother-in-law did not treat him harshly.

In his treatment of the latter, he was no less close to his capable nephews and nieces than Yue Lan.

Qin Sufu formed the Tai Chi seal with one hand and stepped into the Seven Stars Step with both feet. In his other hand, the jade axe hummed and trembled. Thirty-six moon-white blades of light separated from the axe, forming an Eight Trigrams array, and rushed towards Fu Neng.

Undeterred, Fu Neng's brows flashed with a fierce glint. He first turned the Sea-Gathering Ice Marrow Bowl upside down, and after a loud Buddhist chant, the ice wall in front of Fu Neng expanded by another ten zhang, almost filling the entire training ground.

Forcing the Bagua Formation to retreat step by step through various means was not enough. Fu Neng changed his hand gestures again, and a cold star fell from his fingertip to the ground, then spread rapidly.

The bluestone bricks were covered with frost, and large icicles broke through the ground of the training ground. It was clear that Qin Sufu was surrounded by murderous intent and was about to be stabbed through from the bottom up.

Unexpectedly, the latter showed no sign of panic. He opened his mouth and exhaled a breath of pure air onto the jade axe. The white tiger spirit pattern on it came to life for a moment, and a layer of golden light emerged from the Bagua array formed by the moon-white blade light.

With a "boom," the Bagua formation spun rapidly, its momentum seemingly unstoppable. The ice walls and ice shards creaked and groaned as they were struck. Fu Neng's expression changed, and the spiritual light in his Sea-Absorbing Ice Marrow Bowl faded, causing it to flip over again.

The field is currently covered in snow-white dust, but it does not affect the movements of either the attackers or defenders at all.

“Om!” Fu Neng’s Buddhist chant came from the depths of the ice mist. Suddenly, the Karmic Fire and Evil Beads hung above the ice mist, and a rain of crimson fire was formed and poured down.

The clash between ice and fire created countless vortexes, and Qin Sufu was so shocked that his mouth split open, and a mouthful of hot blood spilled onto his already torn Taoist robe.

The once formidable Bagua formation also became difficult to operate, its energy dimmed by the barrage of fiery rain.

Despite being at a disadvantage, Qin Sufu did not sit idly by and wait for death. He tried for a while and found that the power of the crimson fire rain was too great, making it difficult for him to even form hand seals. He then made a decision.

He ran his fingers along the edge of the jade axe, and a stream of essence blood seeped into the core of the artifact, fully activating the "Three Revolutions Cold Jade Technique," a mid-grade cultivation method of the Cosmic Rank that had been modified for two cycles of time.

Ignoring the collapse of the Bagua formation, the jade axe suddenly swelled to twelve feet in length. White tiger star patterns appeared on its blade. Qin Sufu roared and spun around, unleashing seven swift white arcs that shattered the thick ice wall and struck the true form of Fu Neng, who sat on the lotus platform.

The latter remained calm, tilting the Pure Karma Sweet Spirit Bottle in his hand slightly. As a colorless mist arose, a drop of golden spiritual dew also poured out.

The spiritual dew spread out, coating the azure light with a layer of golden radiance. The power of the jade axe's arc light was not bad, enough to rival the methods of ordinary fake pills, but it was actually blocked by this thin layer of mist.

Qin Sufu frowned, while Fu Neng was all smiles. He then uttered the word "Om" with a smile, and the Jade Fire and Evil Beads returned to his hand. The rain of fire above his head dissipated, but the immense pressure on Qin Sufu did not ease in the slightest.

Because Fu Neng, barefoot, lifted himself up and gently placed his toes on the blood lotus beneath him. The blood-red lotus petals, formed from the essence of blood from the tongues of one hundred and twenty evil cultivators, shone brightly, and a mournful wail resounded. The Buddhist scripture "Hum" carved all over the veins of the lotus petals suddenly detached and transformed into countless crimson blood needles that shot towards him.

Qin Sufu dared not be careless and summoned a large, heather-colored pouch. The pouch opened, spewing out a powerful gust of wind that tossed the blood needles wildly, causing them to snap in half mid-air in no time.

However, Fu Neng's methods went far beyond that. The Vajra phantom engraved on the lotus seat appeared with its eyes wide open in anger. A Vajra phantom, ten zhang tall, came wielding a vajra pestle. The vajra pestle struck down fiercely, and although the large-bellied pouch was a rare and top-grade spiritual artifact, it was also pierced through with a single blow.

Qin Sufu had only recently acquired this magical artifact, so he hadn't yet mastered its nurturing or refinement, let alone developed a deep connection with it. Its sudden destruction caused only a fleeting hint of pain on his handsome face. He quickly used the jade axe to slice away the remaining blood needles, his fingers flashing in rapid succession, causing a brilliant golden light to emanate from the axe's blade as he slashed towards the Vajra phantom.

Upon seeing this, Vajra's angry eyes nearly leaped out of their sockets. He held his vajra, which was over ten feet long, against the blade. However, the blade's ferocity far exceeded his expectations. The vajra broke in two, and Vajra's illusory image was also slashed with a long scar.

Only when the roar reached his ears did Fu Neng's face turn serious: "No, this Qin fellow is much more capable than the previous three! Is this intentional on their part, or have they really found so many outstanding individuals?"

Fu Neng didn't know what other tricks Qin Sufu had up his sleeve, but he knew he couldn't let things drag on like this. He was, after all, just a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and even if he cultivated a Cosmic Rank technique, it would be difficult for him to last long in this kind of battle.

Thinking of this, Fu Neng made a decision in an instant.

"Om!"

Fu Neng chanted Buddhist mantras, and the flesh on the middle of his forehead burst open, but no blood fell; instead, a golden Buddhist light flowed out. As the wound on Fu Neng's forehead opened to the size of a finger joint, a white lotus seed emerged from within the flesh.

The lotus seed took root next to the blood lotus seat, and a white lotus emerged from the soil, much larger, easily enveloping the blood lotus.

A pure and ethereal aura enveloped the field, erasing all traces of the fierce battles that had just taken place, and even the bluestone slabs of the entire training ground were imbued with a sense of holiness.

"It truly is the initial form of the Pure Lotus!" The Heavenly Bird in the clouds murmured, a hint of worry appearing in its voice for the first time ever.

Several cultivators also turned their gazes over, staring intently at the top inheritance of this great sect in the Snow Region.

Kang Dabao sighed inwardly. This direct descendant of the great temple was truly extraordinary, clearly having cultivated this Dharma form to a profound level. No wonder he had earned the favor of the True Man. He also felt a growing sense of worry for Qin Sufu.

Yang Wuwei and Cao Xianlu frowned, clearly somewhat surprised by Fu Neng's actions. After all, back at the Yunshui Sect, even after winning eight consecutive battles, Fu Neng's methods against Xianlu were still superior.

During the growth of the white lotus, Qin Sufu's jade axe abandoned the Vajra illusion and turned to strike, but it was all caught by the lotus petals.

Despite his inability to achieve any significant results, Qin Sufu remained calm. Yue Lin had prepared numerous backup plans for him, hoping he would make a name for himself during this round of battles.

Qin Sufu diverted a sliver of his attention from the jade axe, intending to first use talismans and treasures to ensure the blessing of good fortune, so as to unleash his ultimate move. However, during this process, Qin Sufu heard a series of bewitching and annoying chants in his ears.

Qin Sufu knew that he needed to shut out his six senses at this time, but this chanting was indeed skillful, and ordinary methods could not prevent it from entering the opponent's mind.

Qin Sufu felt the chanting growing louder and louder, making him feel restless and on the verge of exploding.

As the fragrance of lotus blossoms filled the entire training ground, a long-buried old story suddenly surfaced in Qin Sufu's mind.

Just moments ago he was resolute, but a hint of surprise involuntarily appeared in his eyes. Then his expression changed drastically, and his hand gestures became chaotic. In the end, he could barely maintain the operation of the jade axe.

"Don't blame me! Don't blame me! I was just acting expediently in a time of emergency!!"

"Haha, I knew it! These self-proclaimed morally upright monks are the most hypocritical of all. Their hearts are filthy, their inner demons have been hidden for years, and they can be easily unleashed with a gentle touch. How can they withstand my chanting of Buddhist scriptures?!"

Fu Neng, of course, would not let this opportunity pass. Suppressing his joy, the Vajra phantom roared and stretched out its giant hand to cover Qin Su Fu's body, which was already on the chopping board.

Fu Nengxian had already calculated that if this blow landed squarely, the son-in-law of the Yue family might still survive, but his future would be uncertain, and he might even fall into ruin.

With the outcome still undecided, if Fei Nanying, acting as arbitrator, were to rashly intervene, he would lose face. This wouldn't be a bad thing for Fu Neng; on the contrary, he would be happy to see it. As for Jiang Qing, with his limited experience and concern for his fellow Daoist, his surprised expression was understandable.
Even Yue Lin, who was a fake elixir cultivator for many years, couldn't keep his composure. He gritted his teeth and clenched his fists, and within just a few breaths, fine sweat began to seep from his palms.

With a "bang," the giant hand in bronze stopped a foot in front of Qin Sufu, blocking him with a chessboard. Its owner did not linger with Fu Neng, and after picking up Qin Sufu, he fled from the training ground.

“Senior Fei, Fellow Daoist Kang’s actions are probably against the rules, aren’t they?” Fu Neng’s smile froze, and he questioned coldly.

Although Qin Sufu was the son-in-law of the Yue family, he had been conscripted by Jun Tianqin, so Fei Nanying didn't want anything to happen to him. Although Kang Dabao's private rescue was against the rules, it did resolve his awkward situation.

"Besides, what is a mere temple protector? Does he even deserve to question me?" Fei Nanying sneered inwardly. He ignored Fu Neng, glanced at Kang Dabao, and casually uttered the word "nonsense." Seeing that the latter bowed in respect, he let it go.

Fu Neng was naturally dissatisfied, but Fei Nanying had no intention of responding to him. He simply said in a low voice, "In this round, Fu Neng wins."

Immediately afterwards, a cold light also appeared in Fei Nanying's eyes. Only after being swept by this icy gaze did Fu Neng realize the mistake he had made earlier.

Fortunately, Fei Nanying did not press the matter. After escaping a calamity, Fu Neng's resentment subsided. He simply clenched his fists, preparing various methods to prepare for the next opponent to enter the training ground.

"Be careful!"

"Don't worry, senior brother! I won't do anything reckless."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Qing nodded slightly, withdrawing his concerned gaze from the still bewildered Qin Sufu, and, carrying the instructions of Sect Leader Kang, shouldered his sword and went into battle.

As Jiang Qing entered, Fei Nanying's expression changed.

In fact, like Kang Dabao, he was somewhat puzzled by Jiang Qing's selection.

Although Fei Nanying could see that Jiang Qing was a promising person, he was still only a mid-stage cultivator who had been in the Foundation Establishment stage for twenty or thirty years. It was somewhat surprising that he could participate in this round of battles.
However, this matter was decided by the Heavenly Bird, and there must be a reason for its decision. Even though Fei Nanying has now formed a mid-grade Golden Core, he cannot interfere in the slightest.

"Jiang Qing of Chongming Sect greets fellow Daoist!" Jiang Qing cupped his hands in greeting.

"Greetings, fellow Daoist! Good luck!" Having experienced the previous incident, the monk had shed his previous gentle and polite facade. He greeted the monk with a light shout, and then simultaneously made hand seals. The body of the Karmic Fire Evil Pearl trembled, and a large burst of bluish-purple flames suddenly shot out, covering the Vajra phantom and giving it another layer of fire armor.

At the same time, a brand-new vajra, still wreathed in flames, returned to the hand of the Vajra phantom. After obtaining it, the Vajra phantom, without pause, raised it and slammed it down, the sound of it tearing through the air causing the blood-red lotus platform within the white lotus to spin rapidly, countless resentful blood needles re-condensing and shooting forth.

Jiang Qingfu faced immense pressure upon his arrival, causing the Grand Master Kang, who had just handed over Qin Sufu to the Yue family cultivators, to feel somewhat worried.

Unexpectedly, Jiang Qing, who had the first move, remained calm and stood still, holding his breath and concentrating.

With a flick of his fingers, Jiang Qing caused the whetstone, which had been hidden inside his white robe, to tremble slightly, and the flying sword on his back began to hum.

With a clang, a line of silver light rose from the scabbard with incredible speed, then ignored everything and thrust fiercely toward Fu Neng's neck and head.

In the training ground, rows of spirit jade slabs crumbled inch by inch under the pressure of the sword. The sound of the sword light piercing the sky drowned out the roar of the Vajra, and even made Fu Neng's eyes show a hint of surprise.

"How is this possible?!" Yue Lin, who had landed beside Qin Sufu, was also a sword cultivator, but he was even more shocked than Fu Neng. His pair of dim old eyes were wide open like copper bells, and he could almost be described as dumbfounded.

"This is... Sword Essence?" Fei Nanying, who was acting as arbitrator off the sidelines, gasped and uttered a question. Jun Tianqin, who had descended from the clouds at some unknown time, replied from the side, "It is indeed Sword Essence."

Seeing Fei Nanying turn his head to look at him, with surprise and doubt still in his eyes, Jun Tianqin explained, "However, this sword essence was not emitted by this handsome young man himself, but was left in the long stone on his chest."

"Is that a sword cultivator's heirloom?" Fei Nanying instantly understood, and the Juntian Bird nodded in agreement, then added:
"That must have been left by a Golden Core sword cultivator of considerable skill. The true teachings hidden within were not deliberately concealed, but only qualified individuals who have studied them for a long time can glimpse their mysteries."

However, this handsome young man was also very lucky. Even if the long stone on his chest would be useless after this, this experience with sword essence would be of immense benefit to his cultivation.

This is an opportunity that even disciples of the Sword Sect would fight tooth and nail for. If the right opportunity arises later, then it will be a natural progression for him to cultivate sword essence on his own.

Fei Nanying immediately understood. He saw that the sword light annihilated the Vajra phantom, shredded countless blood needles into dust, and even shattered the golden light shield generated by the two spiritual artifacts, Fu Neng Yi Bo and Yi Ping.

Just as they were about to strike down the arrogant monk who had been showing off for so long, a lotus seed suddenly sprouted from the heart of the white lotus beneath his feet, giving rise to a row of golden warriors wielding spirit shields.

The cracking sounds continued for a long time, and the shadowy golden warrior and the sharp sword light dissipated together, leaving behind an indescribable burning smell.

A wound, about a foot long, appeared intermittently on Fu Neng's chest, and blood flowed out with each breath.

After fighting for so long, this was the first time Fu Neng had lost his composure due to the pain. The monk suppressed the excruciating pain in his abdomen, gritted his teeth, and summoned four severely damaged spiritual weapons. Judging from his anxious appearance, it was clear that he was going to fight Jiang Qing to the death.

The chanting from the white lotus heart resounded again, and Sect Leader Kang also became nervous. Many Golden Core cultivators in the arena also frowned. Clearly, even in the eyes of these high-level cultivators, Fu Neng's Dharma form was not easy to break.

Fu Neng chanted incantations, the red lotus pattern under his tongue appearing and disappearing, the chanting becoming even more disturbing than before. Unexpectedly, Jiang Qing simply retreated to a corner of the training ground, then sheathed his sword and admitted defeat: "Senior Fei, Fellow Daoist Fu Neng's skills are superb, this junior is no match for him, I humbly admit defeat."

"Oh?" Fei Nanying agreed to Jiang Qing's request without thinking, and could only laugh as he watched Fu Neng punch a cotton ball, with no other options.

Kang Dabao felt both proud and gratified to see this. He was proud that Jiang Qing had achieved such results, and gratified that Jiang Qing, after experiencing these years, had begun to act with composure and wisdom.

It is gratifying that if he had followed his past temperament and fought the extremely powerful Fu Neng to the very last moment, he would not have given up or surrendered.

Jun Tianqin's eyes gleamed as he leaned close to Fei Nanying and advised, "After you go down there, quickly check if there are any suitable girls left in the household who can be married off."

Yang Wuwei was both surprised and delighted to see this. However, he knew that after these two incidents, Fu Neng would likely be furious, and his cousin would probably suffer a terrible fate next.

As Yang Wuwei had predicted, as soon as Yang Wudi took his position in the Six Formations, the furious Fu Neng didn't even bother to say hello. He immediately unleashed four spiritual weapons at once, along with the Vajra phantom that was fiercely swinging the Vajra Pestle. They nearly smashed the dragon-patterned iron rod in Yang Wudi's hand into iron filings.

This time, in just sixteen breaths, Yang Wudi was unable to even unleash his carefully prepared talisman and was defeated in a panic. In this sense, this eldest son of the Yang family was defeated even faster than Zhou Yun in the first battle.

Seeing this, Yang Baoshan and Yang Yongcheng, the two senior cultivators, could only sigh and laugh helplessly. In this way, it was their own family members who were taking the blame for others.

Moreover, Yang Wuwei of the Yang family will still be the one to fight in the Seven Formations. Although he is considered the strongest among the three members of the Yang family, it is difficult for anyone to predict how long he can withstand Fu Neng, who is already fighting fiercely.

"Senior Fei, it's time for the seventh battle!" Fu Neng urged repeatedly from the training ground, seemingly unaffected by the previous fierce battles.

Fei Nanying glanced at him, feeling displeased, but still waved his hand, urging Yang Wuwei to take a deep breath and land in the training ground.

(I'll be giving a policy briefing tomorrow, so I might have to take a day off. The next chapter should cover the rotation of troops.)
(End of this chapter)