From a martial arts disciple to a god through countless trials and tribulations

Chapter 259 Riding the Yellow Scripture, Wei Tianjun

"Hmm? Martial arts kid." The sword fairy's eyes flashed with black and white sword light as she spotted Chen Xuan in the crowd.

She had a deep impression of the martial arts boy, initially just a fleeting encounter... a glimpse from afar. But later, the dark horse mentioned him so many times, as if trying to force her to admit that she had poor judgment and missed out on a talented young man, thus making the memory even more vivid.

Sometimes, late at night, the Sword Fairy would reflect on herself, wondering if she had truly done something wrong. Should she have snatched the martial arts prodigy from the Southern Wilderness? Then, she would feel inexplicably confused; why was she constantly thinking about this? He was just a passerby she hadn't even spoken a word to!
"Senior Sister Su, we've brewed some healing medicine on the mountain." Shen Jianqing was a little excited. The Sword Fairy had defied the heavens by slaying two Divine Realm cultivators in the Taixu, but even her immortal sword, which sword cultivators regarded as the lifeblood of the Great Dao, had shattered. She must have been seriously injured and had been holding on. Now was the perfect opportunity to show her concern and care.

Many female cultivators in the world are charming, but only someone as truly talented as Senior Sister Su is qualified to walk alongside him and explore the Great Dao together!

The sword fairy, her white robes fluttering, her graceful figure descending from the sword-testing platform.

“Su…” Shen Jianqing called out a single word with deep emotion.

He wanted to call out "Senior Sister Su," but he swallowed the rest of the words back in an instant because the Sword Fairy brushed past him without even glancing at him.

Shen Jianqing's expression froze, somewhat embarrassed. He subconsciously turned around, and then his eyes were fixed on the martial arts kid. Why was he here?
To his great surprise, he saw his fellow villager from the impoverished Chu Kingdom of Yaoguang again, and Senior Sister Su was walking towards him.

Shen Jianqing felt a little displeased and quickly followed the Sword Fairy.

The Sword Fairy appeared before Chen Xuan. This woman possessed an extraordinary air, carrying a rare earthy charm. Rather than a celestial being, she was more aptly described as a chivalrous heroine. Her waist-length black hair flowed gracefully, and her beauty was truly breathtaking.

Shen Jianqing suddenly stopped, his expression changing drastically, because he saw the usually indifferent Sword Fairy give Chen Xuan a sincere and radiant smile.

"Why is Senior Sister Su smiling at that martial arts kid?!" Shen Jianqing was somewhat gloomy. He rarely even saw the Sword Fairy's true face, let alone Senior Sister Su's smile!

At the foot of the mountain, the duels on more than a dozen sword-testing platforms were in full swing, attracting the attention of most people, but some people nearby also turned their gazes over.

"Fellow Daoist, haven't we met somewhere before?" The Sword Fairy asked Chen Xuan knowingly, with a gentle smile on her face and her beautifully curved chin slightly raised, pretending to strike up a conversation with Chen Xuan.

Chen Xuan frowned slightly, feeling that this person was rather insincere.

Of course I've seen it!

Back in the Chu Kingdom, the White-Clad Sword Fairy, together with the Black Horse, secretly spied on him three times with ill intentions!
“Senior Sister Su, his name is Chen Xuan. He helped the Qingnang Dojo fight against the Wuyun Sect a dozen days ago. We were there at the time!” Shen Jianqing, her eyes blazing with anger, rushed over and quickly revealed Chen Xuan’s identity: “Also, more than two years ago, we saw him once from afar in Yaoguang Prefecture.”

He knew that such a mundane person wouldn't catch his senior sister's eye; otherwise, how could Senior Sister Su not know Chen Xuan? However, he clearly remembered this Chen Xuan. They were both from Yaoguang Prefecture, and perhaps in the future, Chen Xuan would steal the glory that belonged only to him!

The Sword Fairy glanced at Shen Jianqing, a slight displeasure in her heart, then turned to Chen Xuan and smiled:

"So it's an old friend. What brings Fellow Daoist Chen to the Sword Inquiry Dojo? Do you wish to join the Sword Inquiry Dojo? Your cultivation level is similar to Junior Brother Shen's. I'll arrange for him to test his sword skills against you."

A dozen days ago, after returning from watching the battle at Qingnang Mountain, Heima immediately collected some information about Chen Xuan and read it to her privately... Some of the information mentioned that Chen Xuan might be the Daoist disciple of the Qingnang Daoist Temple.

Could it be that the martial arts prodigy has, by some twist of fate, become a disciple of the Qingnang Dojo in the south?

"Senior sister, I..." Shen Jianqing was stunned. His senior sister wanted to arrange for him to test his sword against Chen Xuan. This was unacceptable! He had only been cultivating for a few years. It was not yet time for him to make a name for himself by stepping on someone like Chen Xuan. He should wait a few more years until his realm was higher before he could be confident!
"The Qingnang Dojo will reopen in May, and I have come to inform the Wenjian Dojo that I will attend the ceremony." Chen Xuan took out an invitation and succinctly stated his purpose.

Although the group of disciples from the Sword Inquiry Dojo have not yet returned, the Sword Fairy's status is significant enough that giving her the invitation is in accordance with the rules.

"The affairs of the world, whether military or sacrificial, require the re-opening of the divination tools, and it is indeed necessary to announce this to the world."

As the Sword Fairy spoke, she stared at the invitation in front of her, but did not reach out to take it. Instead, she shook her head and said, "It seems that Fellow Daoist Chen is from the Qingnang Dojo, and his ties are already deep... I don't care about worldly affairs. Fellow Daoist, come up the mountain with me, and I will send you the invitation after Senior Brother Qi Yuan returns."

As soon as she finished speaking, she seemed to lose all interest and turned to walk up the mountain, not saying another word to Chen Xuan.

In any case, the martial arts boy will no longer have any ties with the Sword Inquiry Dojo... Sword Fairy thought to herself.

Chen Xuan had no choice but to take back the invitation, pass through the majestic Wenjian Mountain gate, and follow the suddenly serious Sword Fairy up the mountain.

Mount Wenjian is quite large, after all, it is the location of the Wenjian Dojo's gate in the mortal world.

Chen Xuan saw that there were many precious trees growing on both sides of the mountain path, radiating a light containing sword intent, and bearing various precious fruits.

For example, in a small pond by the roadside, there grows a platinum vine, and the unripe fruits on it are actually in the shape of various swords.

Each of these fruits, once it falls to the ground, can transform into a sword-shaped weapon of unparalleled treasure quality.

Along the way, Chen Xuan also saw an old tree with incredibly vigorous life energy. Each branch was shaped like a galloping horse, lifelike, and its leaves exuded a strong mountain and sea atmosphere.

Chen Xuan couldn't help but take another look. Was this a precious tree from the Mountain and Sea Era?

"The Chenghuang Tree is a precious tree born from the blood of the ancient beast Chenghuang from the mountains and seas."

The sword fairy in front seemed to notice Chen Xuan's curiosity and immediately said, "The Chenghuang tree blossoms every three thousand years, bears fruit every three thousand years, and falls to the ground every three thousand years, transforming into a horse-beast with the Chenghuang bloodline."

Chen Xuan nodded upon hearing this. The Sword Inquiry Dojo was indeed profound. Even the trees planted by the roadside were related to mountains and seas... The dark horse fell from this tree.

But he didn't ask many questions, and he was cautious in his words and actions, silently following in the footsteps of the Sword Fairy.

"..." The Sword Fairy waited for a moment, but seeing no response behind her, she couldn't help but frown. Then, she turned to look at Chen Xuan and said:

"Wenjian Mountain was originally the site of the fall of the auspicious ancient beast [Chenghuang], which was suppressed by my family's Divine Wandering Sword Cultivators generation after generation, thus preventing its revival... It is said that a [Dangkang] is suppressed at the foot of Qingnang Mountain. What is its current situation?"

Chen Xuan looked at the Sword Fairy and nodded, "Yes."

"Hmm?" The Sword Fairy was taken aback, her peach-colored lips slightly parted as she asked, "Is this an answer?"

"I don't know. I don't usually get involved in the affairs of the Qingnang Dojo," Chen Xuan shook his head. He was unaware of the secrets of such a great sect as the Qingnang Dojo and had very little involvement. After all, even his identity was just something Old Zhang casually bestowed upon him.

"..." The Sword Fairy glanced at Chen Xuan a few times, but did not ask any further questions. She then turned around and continued climbing the mountain.

A moment later, Chen Xuan, led by the Sword Fairy, entered a palace.

"Senior Brother and the others are too far away to participate in the battle of True Monarchs, and they can't hold out for long. They'll be back soon, so please wait a moment. Junior Brother Shen, please stay and entertain the guests." After saying this, the Sword Fairy turned and left. She was injured and her clothes were stained with "divine blood," so she urgently needed to rest.

At the foot of the mountain, Lu Zhuan was wandering around, seemingly searching for something. Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and he walked towards a tall, elderly man, muttering to himself:
"Oh? Isn't this the famous Doubu Wei Tianjun? How did he end up guarding the gate for sword cultivators..."

The tall old man glanced at Lu Zhuan, who had his arms crossed, and snorted coldly: "You jinx, what does my business have to do with you?"

The old man had a short temper; he cursed Lu Zhuan a couple of times and then turned and left.

"This is my family's tea for entertaining guests, called 'Sword Cleansing Tea.' Drinking it can enlighten one's mind and greatly benefit cultivation. Fellow Daoist, you haven't tried it before, have you?" Shen Jianqing smiled at Chen Xuan.

"No." Chen Xuan sat on the wooden chair, staring at the white porcelain tea on the small table beside him. The tea was shimmering with green light, and the tea leaves, about the length of a little finger, were shaped like swords and exuded a Daoist aura. The Sword Inquiry Dojo truly lived up to its ancient lineage; even the tea served to its guests was a rare and precious terrestrial medicine.

"I'm afraid Qingnang doesn't have such a thing. Since Fellow Daoist Chen likes it, you might as well drink more." Shen Jianqing said enthusiastically, feeling a sense of superiority in his heart... Although this fellow villager had some good fortune, he was still far inferior to him, a direct descendant of a true immortal family.

A disciple of the Qingnang Daoist Temple? How could he compare to a direct descendant of a True Monarch from an ancient Daoist temple?

It should be known that even reincarnated True Lords are not as good as cats and dogs, let alone the completely desolate Qingnang Dojo.

"..." Chen Xuan glanced at Shen Jianqing opposite him, and after a moment's recollection, some fragments of his memory about this person surfaced... a not-so-important stranger.

Shen Jianqing was very talkative, chatting about everything under the sun. He then asked about Chen Xuan's cultivation level. Chen Xuan would sometimes reply, but most of the time he would not respond.

Qi Yuan and other wandering sword cultivators imagined that they would return sooner.

Not long after Chen Xuan sat down, streaks of light like shooting stars streaked across the sky and into Wenjian Mountain. About a quarter of an hour later, the Sword Fairy, Qi Yuan, the lame black horse, and several sword cultivators walked into the palace.

Qi Yuan strode confidently to the seat of honor, took a large gulp of tea to quench his thirst, then beckoned to Chen Xuan to ask for the invitation. He glanced at it casually and said:

"My family is currently engaged in a battle with Xiao Qingtian, and the situation is not optimistic. I cannot spare the time for the moment. Once the Qingnang is reopened, I will not join in the fun."

Chen Xuan was taken aback. Was this a polite refusal? So disrespectful?
This was quite unexpected, because even if the old Sword Master couldn't go, Qi Yuan, or even the Sword Fairy at the Cauldron Realm, could represent the Sword Inquiry Dojo.

After all, even the Five Elements Sect, which had a conflict with the Qingnang Dojo, had stated that it would offer its congratulations on the spot... but the Sword Inquiry Dojo was unwilling to attend and offer its congratulations.

It should be noted that the strongest human force in Yunmengze is the Sword Inquiry Dojo. If they don't show up, what will the other forces think?
Chen Xuan's expression remained unchanged; he simply rose to take his leave, saying, "In that case, I shall take my leave."

"Wait a moment."

Qi Yuan stopped Chen Xuan and said, "Don't overthink it. My family isn't targeting the Qingnang Dojo. Although we can't be there, our gifts will be plentiful."

Chen Xuan didn't understand and asked directly, "What does Senior Qi mean?"

"Our two families shouldn't get too close."

Qi Yuan's expression was somewhat stern as he spoke, "The Qingnang Dojo is now following the new path, but my family follows the orthodox ancient path. The two families have been at odds since ancient times."

The "new path" refers to radical schools of thought like Qingnang, Butian, Tongtian, and Xiaoyinjian, who hoped to find the way to become immortals and sages from those destined by Heaven.

Those who practice the ancient methods are the Sword Inquiry Dojo and the Ancient Jiang Clan, which are "clean" orthodox dojos that focus on their own cultivation.

As for the Path of Destiny, it is the kind of "unorthodox" path followed by Little Qingtian and Little Plague Mansion.

"You've mastered the Shangyang Secret Manual; you've already reached the inner sanctum, haven't you?"

Qi Yuan scrutinized Chen Xuan for a moment, then turned to the Sword Fairy beside him and said, "Fuyao, go and fetch the ancient bamboo slips of the 'True Scripture of the Yellow Emperor' as a congratulatory gift, and let him study them for an hour."

Upon hearing this, everyone in the hall was stunned.

"Senior Brother, this gift is too generous!" Shen Jianqing exclaimed in surprise.

The Jin De Cheng Huang Zhen Jing is the foundation of the Wen Jian Dao Shan (Sword-Seeking Dojo) teachings. Qing Nang and Wen Jian's meager relationship is hardly worthy of such a generous gift.

It should be understood that true scriptures are all written by one person. Nearly half of the sword cultivators in the Sword Inquiry Dojo practice the Chenghuang Scripture. If this scripture were to be leaked, the consequences would be unimaginable.

"Senior Brother, is Master aware of this matter?" Sword Fairy Su Fuyao asked carefully, choosing her words carefully.

"It's alright. The ancient bamboo slips are profound. If you can comprehend the first half of the true scripture after only one hour of observation, you'll be considered to have extraordinary comprehension."

As Qi Yuan spoke, he turned to look at Chen Xuan. He continued, "My family's gift is neither too high nor too low; this opportunity is just right. How much you can take depends entirely on your abilities."

Since the other party did not intentionally humiliate him by offering such a meager gift as a gift at the Ascension level, Chen Xuan had no reason to refuse and could only agree.

"Senior Qi, what if I accidentally read too many scriptures?" Chen Xuan asked.

"..."

Qi Yuan glanced at Chen Xuan and laughed, "You little brat, you're overthinking things. I know you have exceptional comprehension, but you can't see much in just one hour... If you're lucky enough to see the Divine Travel Chapter, practice it yourself and don't pass it on to others."

Shen Jianqing couldn't help but smile upon hearing Chen Xuan's words. He had seen that ancient bamboo slip before; it was handwritten by the ancient [White Cloud Jade Palace Sword Immortal] and was the first "Chenghuang True Scripture" in the world, incredibly profound. Even a genius like him spent a whole day just trying to comprehend the Cauldron Chapter!
The other sword cultivators behind Qi Yuan all nodded, agreeing that Chen Xuan was being too boastful.

The prodigies of the Sword Inquiry Dojo throughout the ages have all studied the ancient scriptures. The first one to comprehend the "Chenghuang True Scripture" was the one who later became a True Lord. Even in just one hour, they could not see much.

"Martial arts kid, there's no way you could comprehend the complete 'Chenghuang True Scripture', is there?" Black Horse subconsciously transmitted his voice to Sword Fairy Su Fuyao.

“He will stop at the Divine Journey Scripture.” Su Fuyao replied, “Back then, I only comprehended the Divine Journey Scripture in an hour.”

She is a natural-born sword prodigy, comparable to a celestial being. She is a genius from the Sword Inquiry Dojo, ranking among the top three in the entire Southern Region this generation. Her comprehension and innate talent are almost at the theoretical limit.

Su Fuyao admitted that Chen Xuan was not bad and had repeatedly exceeded her expectations, but even the most unexpected things should have a limit.

"So it's this difficult to comprehend ancient bamboo slips?" Chen Xuan murmured.

In fact, he was full of curiosity about the complete Classic of Mountains and Seas. After all, he only possessed five complete Classic of Destiny: Huangliang, Human Emperor, Yan Emperor, Two Realms, and Martial Arts, and did not have any complete Classic of Mountains and Seas.

Su Fuyao hesitated, but ultimately did not speak to persuade Qi Yuan. She turned and left, and soon after, she brought back a sandalwood box.

……

Meanwhile, on the mountain road, Lu Zhuan was chasing after a tall old man.

"Wei Zhenjun, confess honestly, were you sneaking around outside the window peeping last night?" Lu Zhuan questioned in a shrill voice.

The tall, imposing old man with broad hands, seemingly annoyed, turned and glared at Lu Zhuan, saying in a deep voice, "That boy killed the [Martial Glutton] chosen by the Dou Department... but he seems very suited to practicing ancient martial arts, having already mastered the Xing Tian Secret Manual. I'm somewhat hesitant and intend to observe him for a few more days."

Lu Zhuan was shocked. The [Martial Glutton] who died at Chen Xuan's hands was actually related to the remnants of the Dou clan's martial arts. The Xing Tian Secret Technique that he possessed was probably taught by Wei Zhenjun of the Dou clan!

"True Lord Wei, please calm down!" Lu Zhuan shouted shrilly, chasing after the old man towards the summit of Wenjian Mountain.

(End of this chapter)