Chongming Xianzong

Chapter 650 Three Words Test the Dao at the Orchid Terrace, The Sect Leader Retains Talented Individuals and Blocks the Long Journey

— Several months later
The excitement of Chongming Sect's Golden Core Ceremony had barely subsided when the storytellers in the market and marketplace, who hadn't even finished telling their new stories, were already bustling with activity again.

Because of Wu Fengshangxiu's example, many self-proclaimed celestial core cultivators and fake celestial core cultivators were attracted to apply for the position of guest elder.

The people who have been receiving and seeing off the guests lately are all respectable figures who are rarely seen outside. If the gifts he has received are carefully calculated, they would probably be enough to cover his salary for sixty or even sixty years.

He Chang knows his own situation. With such talent, he has been able to cultivate smoothly to such a level at such a young age. If it weren't for the care and support of the elders, both openly and secretly, how could he have such ability?
Today is the middle of the month, and as usual, he settled in the reception room and asked his disciples to bring over a serving of fine tea and snacks, which he then shared with the golden-haired old donkey beside him.

The old donkey's aura has become increasingly profound lately. He Chang sometimes vaguely feels that the former may not be much different from Zhu Yunsheng and Shan Yong, who have already formed a false core. He doesn't know if it's just his imagination.

When Sect Leader Kang heard about this change, he even took time out of his busy schedule to summon Old Donkey to see him. However, even with his perfected Golden Eyes of Truth, he could not discern the root cause of Old Donkey's abnormality.

So he could only say something like, "This beast's fate is good," and that was it.

He Chang didn't think that this donkey brother, who had been stabbed in a vital spot, was particularly lucky, but since his uncle had spoken, it must be "not bad" without a doubt.

The tea and snacks were made by a newly hired chef at Baiyilou, and they tasted quite good. Even someone like He Chang enjoyed them immensely.

As he sipped his tea, he flipped through the jade slip in his hand, carefully counting the numerous portraits of cultivators filled with descriptions:

"There are three advanced cultivators and nine alchemists. In the past few months, almost all the rogue cultivators with some reputation in the vicinity have come to my Chongming Sect to see my uncle. I wonder how many of them will be able to stay and be of use."

Soon after, he put away the jade slip and returned to his senses. Only then did he offer the last piece of tea and snacks on the plate to the old donkey beside him. He then saw a person wrapped in clouds on the mirage screen in front of him, who landed in front of the Golden Pivot Spirit Gathering and Guarding Array and said loudly:
"Sanren Sanyan, I have taken the liberty of visiting today to pay my respects to Sect Leader Chongming Zongkang. Please inform the fellow Daoists inside."

"This is Master Sanyan?!"

He Chang's tone was somewhat surprised, because compared to the other Golden Core cultivators who had come to apply, this Master Sanyan was much more famous.

He Chang had heard of this Taoist priest's name when he was serving wine to his uncles. He knew that the priest had some connection with Gu Hongzi, who often came to Chongming Sect to preach. He was considered to have been a senior cultivator for many years, which was very rare among rogue cultivators.

As for whether the reputation of the Venerable Sanyan is good or bad, that is not something that a mere steward like him needs to decide.

He Chang quickly suppressed his surprise, raised his hand to straighten the cloud pattern on his clothes, and patted the golden-haired old donkey on the back as he stood up: "Brother Donkey, please wait here, I'll be right back."

The old donkey seemed to understand. It snorted, pawed at the ground a couple of times, and then rolled the last piece of tea snack from the plate into its mouth, chewing it with relish, showing no trace of its usual animalistic clumsiness.

He Chang strode behind the mirage screen, his fingertips flicking with spiritual energy, and the array gate slowly opened a crack.

Outside the formation stood a kind-faced, white-haired old man, his body even more frail than that of a courtesan in a brothel.
What's even more remarkable is that he had a bamboo plaque hanging from his waist, with the words "Three Words" engraved on it. The characters were elegant and had a faint spiritual light flowing through them, clearly indicating that it was an extraordinary magical artifact.

"Junior He Chang, humbly appointed as the Etiquette Attendant of the Chongming Sect, greets Senior Sanyan." He Chang bowed respectfully, his tone respectful yet measured.
"Your presence is an honor to our humble abode. However, my uncle is currently discussing the Dao with Senior Brother Kang at Yaoxiu Cave. Would you please wait a moment while I inform you?"

Master Sanyan's gaze swept over He Chang, then glanced at the golden-haired old donkey peeking out from behind the mirage screen. A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, and then he smiled and said:
"You're too kind, sir. I've heard that Chongming Sect is open to recruiting talented people and is inclusive of all kinds of people. Even someone like Fellow Daoist Wufeng is willing to serve as a guest elder, so I thought I'd like to join in the fun. Since Sect Leader Kang has important business to attend to, I'll wait for you."

After saying that, he raised his hand and waved a lustrous jade talisman towards He Chang. "This is a small gift from this old man, a token of our greeting. Please pass it on to Sect Leader Kang."

He Chang took the jade talisman and felt its smooth texture. Inside, it contained a wisp of pure wood-attribute spiritual energy, making it a high-quality spiritual object suitable for cultivation.

This made He Chang secretly startled; the work of the Three Words Master was far more substantial than that of the previous recruits.

However, it's not entirely surprising that this old cultivator earned a considerable amount of spirit stones when he partnered with Gu Hongzi back then.

Having received numerous teachings from Master Kang, He Chang had no reason to refuse and respectfully thanked him, saying, "Thank you for your generous gift, senior. I will certainly pass it on."

He Chang bowed again and led the Venerable Sanyan toward the Zhihu Hall. "Senior, you must be tired from your journey. Please have some tea and rest. I will go and inform the sect leader."

The living room was filled with a spiritual atmosphere. A set of ice-crack patterned teaware sat on a rosewood table in the center, with most of the tea snacks remaining on a celadon plate beside it. He Chang led the Venerable Sanyan to his seat.
Just as He Chang instructed his disciple to serve some fine tea, the golden-haired old donkey came over to the table, nuzzled He Chang's hand with its head, and stared longingly at the tea and snacks on the plate. It showed no sign of ferocity, but rather a rather endearing and simple-minded demeanor.

Seeing this, Master Sanyan's eyes flashed with surprise, and then he smiled and said, "Steward and this spirit donkey are quite intimate. This beast has bright eyes and is definitely not an ordinary donkey."

"Senior, you flatter me. This Brother Donkey is an old friend of the sect, with many years of service than this junior. He is mischievous but understands human nature and has face in front of the sect leader and the elders."

He Chang smiled and picked up a snack, offering it to the old donkey's mouth. The old donkey happily took it, chewing it with relish, and even pawed the ground with its hoof as if to express its gratitude.

He Chang led the Three Words Master to sit in the Zhi Living Room, and soon after, they quickly walked through the misty corridor towards Yaoxiu Cave. The spiritual leaves rustled along the way, and the earth's spiritual energy surged up the stone steps, making his steps lighter.

He pondered to himself, "Since Master Sanyan is an old friend of Gu Hongzi and has the cultivation of the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm, if he can sincerely submit to the sect after his visit, it would be a great help to the sect. However, the sect leader is always cautious, and I wonder how he will decide."

Inside the Yaoxiu Cave, the stone gate was half-closed, and spiritual mist drifted in like a light veil.

Kang Dabao and Kang Rongquan were sitting around a white jade table, on which was an open "Chart of the Transformation of Purity and Turbidity". The chart depicted the circulation of the pure and turbid energies of heaven and earth with spiritual ink, and there was a faint spiritual light flashing.

Once his disciples reached the Core Formation stage, the effectiveness of Master Kang's writings diminished considerably. Therefore, most of the time, his discussions with Kang Rongquan revolved around his own principles.

Fortunately, the grandfather and grandson's martial arts techniques originated from the same source, which greatly benefited Kang Rongquan.

The two of them, having discussed it for an unknown period of time, both showed signs of understanding on their faces.

It was during this quiet moment that He Chang's voice soon came from outside the door: "Uncle, Senior Brother Kang, Venerable Sanyan is already waiting in the reception room. He has come to inform you that he has come to volunteer for the sect's offerings."

"Master Sanyan?" Headmaster Kang murmured for a while. Because of the fact that Fei Nanying had pointed out that Master Sanyan had to refine living people to gather enough resources when he was condensing his elixir, his impression of this cultivator who had been cultivating for many years was far from good.

However, Chongming Sect is currently eager to recruit talented individuals, and this esteemed Golden Core cultivator should be treated with respect. It is neither reasonable nor sentimental to treat him coldly.

"Okay, I understand. Chang'er, go and invite your third uncle and Xi'er over so that Rongquan and I can verify this senior's qualifications together."

He Chang received Kang Dabao's instructions and turned to head towards Jiang Qing's quiet room and Kang Changxi's residence.

Yangmingshan is shrouded in mist, and dewdrops condense on the leaves of trees along the corridor, making a crisp sound as they drip, which makes the mountain even more tranquil.

Before long, the group gathered outside the reception room.

After achieving the Golden Core, Kang Rongquan had lost much of his sharpness. His attire was extremely simple, making even the Great Master Kang think that he was wearing Zhou Yixiu's clothes from her previous life.

Jiang Qing was still dressed in a black outfit, with a cold and stern face. His aura was deep and profound, and no spiritual power leaked out when he walked, which showed that his cultivation had improved again.

Kang Changxi was dressed in a brocade Taoist robe with a warm jade pendant hanging from his waist. Although those who had seen him said that he looked very much like his father, the sharpness between his brows was quite remarkable, far surpassing that of the usually cautious Headmaster Kang.

"Father, is the Venerable Sanyan the one inside?" Kang Changxi peeked into the hall and saw that the Venerable Sanyan had a kind face and a slender figure. He couldn't help but think to himself, "This old monk is quite ordinary."

Kang Dabao nodded and said, "That's right. This senior has a history with Senior Gu Hongzi. His Taoist skills are well-known among the independent cultivators in the south and north of the mountain. Today, we may be able to see them for ourselves."

"That's exactly what I wanted to learn from." Kang Changxi seemed quite interested.
"Since we're here to see each other, let's verify it with Taoist methods, and stop short of a point." After saying this, Kang Dabao pushed open the door, went in, exchanged pleasantries with the Venerable Sanyan, and then clearly explained the matter of the exchange.

Master Sanyan, upon hearing this, showed no signs of stage fright. Knowing it was a test from Chongming Sect, he was well-prepared. As he stroked his beard and rose, the bamboo token bearing the inscription "Sanyan" at his waist flashed with a subtle light, faintly exuding a fiery and sharp aura.

"I have been immersed in the methods of the Flame Metal Sect for three hundred years. Today, I dare to share my knowledge with your sect, not to compete for victory, but to verify the depth of our Daoist teachings."

Kang Rongquan had just formed his Golden Core, so such a sparring session was not for him; at most, he could only gain some knowledge. However, he suggested, "The spiritual energy of the Lantai is abundant, and the view is broad. Why don't we move over there so that our fellow disciples can have a brief observation?"

With no objections, the group, along with the disciples who had rushed over upon hearing the news, headed towards the Lantai at the foot of Xiuling Peak.

The spiritual mist drifted over the stone steps, and the spiritual dew on the leaves of the Chengxi tree dripped with a sound. The golden-haired old donkey followed along, lying on the edge of the Lantai, watching the excitement while chewing on spiritual herbs.

Above the altar, the earth's spiritual energy slowly surged. Kang Dabao raised his hand and said loudly, "Today's sparring will only discuss the subtleties of the Dao techniques, not victory or defeat, life or death. We will stop when we have made our point and must not harm the harmony of the occasion."

As soon as Kang Dabao finished speaking, Kang Changxi leaped to the center of the Lantai platform. With a flick of his right hand, a crimson spear appeared out of thin air, its shaft shimmering with a pale golden aura.

His body was surrounded by faint golden blood and energy, and his Primordial Body was beginning to show its power. His Golden Eyes of Truth-Breaking were slightly bright, and although they were not fully open, they already carried a bit of sharpness. "Please give me your guidance, senior."

Master Sanyan stroked his beard and nodded. The "Sanyan" bamboo plaque at his waist suddenly shone brightly, and a fiery, sharp aura rushed towards him. He formed a hand seal, and two clusters of pale golden spiritual fire condensed at his fingertips. As the spiritual fire flickered, there was even a sound of metal clashing.

"Fellow Daoist, be careful." Before the words were finished, the two clusters of spiritual fire suddenly surged, transforming into two three-foot-long golden blades of flame, carrying scorching heat waves, and slashed straight at Kang Changxi's face.

Before the flaming golden blade even got close, its scorching heat had already left scorch marks on the ground of the pavilion. Kang Changxi dared not take it head-on; a flash of spiritual light appeared beneath his feet, and he dodged to the side like an arrow.

At the same time, with a flick of his wrist, the tip of the spear ignited with a flame over ten feet long. Taking advantage of the momentum of turning around, he swept it out horizontally. The flame grazed the Fiery Golden Blade, making a crisp "clang" sound, and sparks flew everywhere.

"This body-refining technique is truly remarkable." A hint of approval flashed in the eyes of the Three Words Master. With a flick of his left hand, a fiery gold shield covered with fine patterns appeared out of thin air.

The Fiery Golden Blade in his right hand condensed again, this time transforming into three blades that attacked Kang Changxi in a triangular formation. At the same time, the Fiery Golden Shield pushed forward, using the momentum of the attack to lock onto his body.

Kang Changxi took a deep breath, activated his Primordial Body, and his pale golden blood flowed into the spear, making the flames at the spear tip even more intense.

Without dodging or evading, he spun his spear shaft, and the flames transformed into a spinning wheel of fire, forcefully shattering the three fiery gold blades. Then, with a flick of the spear tip, the wheel of fire crashed into the fiery gold shield.

With a loud clang, the Flame Gold Shield was slightly jolted by the impact of the fire wheel, and the spiritual light on the patterns on the shield dimmed a bit.

Master Sanyan was surprised by the fierce strength of the attack. He quickly used his spiritual power with his left hand to stabilize the Flame Gold Shield, while his right hand had already condensed a half-foot-long Flame Gold Cone. Taking advantage of the moment when the fire wheel dissipated, he thrust it straight into Kang Changxi's vital heart.

This swift, accurate, and ruthless move revealed the ability of Master Sanyan to rise from humble beginnings.

Kang Changxi's Golden Eyes of Truth had already seen through the trajectory of the Flaming Golden Cone. He stomped his foot hard, and his pale golden blood and qi sank down. His body remained as still as an ancient pine tree rooted to the ground. At the same time, he held his spear upright in front of his chest, and the flames on the spear shaft condensed into a strong shield.

With a clang, the Flame Gold Cone struck the Flame Shield, but was deflected several inches. He seized the opportunity to counterattack, the flame at the tip of the spear transforming into a thin needle, piercing straight into the gaps in the patterns on the Flame Gold Shield.

That was the weak point in the flow of spiritual energy in the Flame Gold Shield, the very flaw he had just discovered.

Master Sanyan was shocked and quickly withdrew his shield and retreated. He then swept the Flaming Golden Cone horizontally, forcing back Kang Changxi's attack.

"Fellow Daoist, you were able to see through the flaw in my Flame Gold Shield. You are truly remarkable!"

He stroked his beard and laughed, his eyes filled with even stronger fighting spirit. The fiery golden energy around him surged, and the spiritual fire and golden light intertwined, transforming into a fiery golden lion half the height of a person. The lion spewed fiery golden fire from its mouth and pounced towards Kang Changxi.

Kang Changxi dared not be negligent. He made the pale golden blood of his Primordial Body even more intense, and his whole body shone with spiritual light. The flames on the tip of his Flame Pattern Spear grew to two zhang long. He charged towards the Flame Golden Lion, the tip of his spear piercing straight into the lion's head.

The Flame Lion opened its mouth and spewed out a pillar of flame. Kang Changxi dodged to the side, swept his spear shaft horizontally, and struck the Flame Lion's hind leg. The flames burned the Flame Lion, causing it to let out a mournful cry and stagger.

Taking advantage of the opening, Kang Changxi leaped into the air, the flames at the tip of his spear condensing into a single point of cold light, precisely striking the spiritual core atop the Flame Golden Lion's head. The Flame Golden Lion's spiritual light dissipated, transforming into a sky full of golden flames that vanished.

Master Sanyan withdrew his spiritual power, but did not stop. He rapidly formed hand seals, condensing the fiery metal energy into dozens of tiny fiery metal blades, which hovered around Kang Changxi like an impenetrable net.

"Fellow Daoist, take another move from me!"

Kang Changxi took a deep breath, circulating his pale golden blood energy to its fullest extent. He suddenly threw the Flame Pattern Spear into the air, and as the spear spun, the flames transformed into a protective shield, shielding his entire body.

At the same time, he formed a hand seal, and his pale golden blood energy transformed into an invisible wave of energy that spread outwards. The flaming golden blades shattered upon impact with the protective shield of flames, and the remaining blades were dispersed by the energy wave.

He seized the opportunity to catch the falling magic weapon spear, and in a flash, he circled around to the side of Master Sanyan. The flame at the tip of the spear subsided, leaving only a small area, and gently touched Master Sanyan's sleeve.

This strike, though brief, had already secured victory.

Master Sanyan laughed heartily, raised his hand to dispel the remaining fiery metal energy, and cupped his hands in greeting, saying:

"Fellow Daoist, you are young, yet not only are you powerful and swift, but you can also see through the flaws in my moves. Your spear technique and Primordial Body are perfectly combined. In this exchange, you narrowly won!"

Kang Changxi sheathed his spear and bowed, beads of sweat already forming on his forehead. Although he hadn't used his full strength in the previous exchange, it had still taken a toll on his energy: "Senior, you flatter me. If we were to fight to the death today, the outcome would be uncertain."

Master Sanyan chuckled softly, clearly not taking it to heart.

He Chang, who was watching the battle from the sidelines, was beaming with joy. The old golden donkey also raised its head and snorted at Kang Changxi, as if to cheer him on.

"Third brother," Kang Dabao said, looking at Jiang Qing beside him.

Jiang Qing was still dressed in a black outfit, his figure as upright as a pine tree, his aura as calm and still as a deep pool, with not a trace of spiritual power leaking out. He slowly walked to the center of the platform, without taking out any magical treasures, but simply nodded slightly: "Senior, please."

Seeing Jiang Qing's nonchalant attitude, Master Sanyan's expression grew even more solemn.

He knew that Chongming Jiang San was far superior to Kang Changxi, a junior, so he immediately stopped holding back. His fiery metal aura surged to its limit, and the spiritual fire and golden light intertwined and converged, transforming into a fiery metal furnace that was half a zhang tall.

As the furnace turned, the scorching heat almost burned through the spiritual mist of the Lantai, and dense rain of fiery gold spewed from the furnace mouth, while the furnace body slowly rolled over.

"Fellow Daoist Jiang, be careful!" Master Sanyan shouted, and a rain of fiery gold poured down like a waterfall. The furnace, with its power to cleave gold and sever jade, blocked all of Jiang Qing's escape routes.

Jiang Qing remained calm until the fiery rain was upon him and the furnace was close at hand, at which point he slowly raised his hand. A flash of light appeared at his fingertips, and a longsword shimmering with azure light materialized out of thin air.

He didn't unleash any complicated moves; he simply flicked his wrist, and the longsword transformed into a streak of azure light, piercing straight towards the Fiery Gold Furnace and the rain of fire.

Where the sword light passed, the domineering and incomparable rain of fiery gold was actually cut open by the sword light, and the scorching fiery gold power was instantly neutralized wherever the azure rainbow reached.

The unstoppable Fiery Gold Furnace was abruptly halted by the gentle touch of the sword tip. Its rotation stopped abruptly, the spiritual fire dimmed instantly, and the Fiery Gold aura around it dissipated like a tidal wave.

This sword strike, seemingly casual, struck precisely the vital point of the Flame Gold Furnace, demonstrating effortless skill and exquisite precision.

Master Sanyan felt a gentle yet irresistible force coming from the Flame Gold Furnace. His spiritual power instantly became chaotic, and he hurriedly withdrew his move and retreated, but he was still shaken by the aftershock and staggered two steps. The spiritual light of the "Sanyan" bamboo pendant at his waist dimmed.

He gazed at the flying sword in Jiang Qing's hand for a long time, then bowed and clasped his hands in a gesture of respect.

"Fellow Daoist Jiang, your sword strike can shatter all laws; I am truly ashamed of my inferiority!"

Jiang Qing simply nodded slightly, then flashed back to his original position, still with that cold and indifferent demeanor, as if he had just casually brushed away a speck of dust.

A moment of silence fell over the Imperial Library, followed by a burst of exclamations of admiration.

Kang Changxi gazed at Jiang Qing's retreating figure, his eyes filled with admiration.

He had just fought with Master Sanyan for a long time before barely winning, while his third uncle had broken through the opponent's full-force attack with a single sword strike. This difference in strength made him realize his own shortcomings even more.

He Chang was completely dumbfounded. Even the golden-haired old donkey stopped chewing, raised its head and brayed twice at Jiang Qing, as if to cheer him on.

Master Sanyan was asked to return to his temporary residence to await news, while Headmaster Kang only smiled at Jiang Qing:

"Third brother, take a look. It's not that I'm reluctant to let you go, but I really can't find a reliable person for the time being. You may have to travel or wait a while."

(End of this chapter)