Please call me Dadaozu

Chapter 481 Swords, Departure, and Conversation with Old Friends (4000 words)

Ta-ta-ta~
The crisp sound of footsteps echoed through the mountains.

Zhang Yuanzhu made his way unimpeded, passing the bronze cauldron and stepping onto the summit of the sacred mountain.

What comes into view is a large yellow jade cauldron, standing atop the mountain, enveloped in raging flames and trembling constantly.

A hunched old Taoist priest with white hair and few teeth sat cross-legged in front of the jade cauldron, casting a series of hand seals.

Each time the hand seal changes, the jade cauldron trembles violently, and sounds of metal clashing and swords ringing out can be heard from within.

As the young man arrived, the old Taoist priest stopped his hand movements and tilted his head slightly.
“A month ago, the Zhuoyang Dao Clan caused quite a commotion.”

"A Grandmaster at the peak of the Qi Condensation Realm, seeking enlightenment and gold, has reached the final step, a pity."

"Failed!"

Zhang Yuanzhu walked to the yellow jade cauldron on his own, examined its interior, and responded softly:

"It's just an attempt, nothing serious."

"Moreover, the Golden Elixir is hard to come by, so failure is normal."

His voice was calm, without much emotion.

For a moment, the True Lord of Refining Weapons fell silent.

The fall of a peak-level Nascent Soul cultivator is a momentous event even within the Golden Core Dao lineage, yet the person before me remains so nonchalant.

Call ~
The old Taoist priest exhaled a breath of stale air, no longer thinking about it, and raised his palm, pointing to the yellow jade cauldron in front of him:
"The sword will be unleashed in two hours, and you will be needed to subdue it."

"it is good."

Zhang Yuanzhu nodded and then said nothing more.

He stood before the jade cauldron, his double pupils deep, carefully examining the swords inside.

Time passes minute by minute.

A cup of tea!

One stick of incense!
Half an hour!!!

An hour later, the Refining Weapon True Lord rapidly changed the hand seals in his palm and uttered a low shout:

"The vessel is complete; remove it from the cauldron!"

Boom~
A dazzling golden light burst forth from the cauldron, spreading across the mountaintop.

The earth, grass, trees, and rocks are all bathed in a golden glow here.

In an instant, Zhang Yuanzhu felt as if countless long swords were pressed against his brow.

Even though he felt a sense of dread, joy followed.

As expected of the forging master of Guyashan, the sword reforged for him far exceeded expectations.

The old Taoist priest beside the jade cauldron spoke again:
"Fellow Daoist, this time, the reforging of the famous sword involved the use of some of the foundation of the weapon-refining lineage, and the incorporation of divine wood chips and sword pellets for tempering. Finally, the forging is complete."

"I hope this sword will not disappoint you, fellow Daoist."

"I will remember the effort I put into refining the Dao Meridian."

Zhang Yuanzhu stepped forward, ascended into the sky, and stood in the air.

He extended his palm forward, mobilizing his magical power, malevolent energy, and vital energy.

boom! boom!
With the first boom, magical power mixed with malevolent energy soared into the sky, shattering the golden radiance and engulfing the summit of the sacred mountain.

With a second boom, five fingers clasped tightly together, a golden light was captured, trembling wildly, sword energy soaring into the sky, tearing through space.

Zhang Yuanzhu lowered his gaze, looking past the golden light at the sword in his hand.

The sword was dazzling; its golden luster filled the blade, as if it could illuminate the past, present, and future, carrying an extreme sharpness that seemed capable of cutting through everything.

The hilt of the sword is blue, like jade, and crystal clear.

The young man observed attentively, his smile widening, and slowly began to speak:
"This sword is excellent!"

At this moment, True Monarch Lianbing breathed a sigh of relief. He had finally fulfilled his mission, satisfied the sect's prodigies, and avoided any unforeseen complications.

"Although the sword is based on the remains of the Changhong Yiqi Sword, it is no longer the same as before. Fellow Daoist, you may rename this sword."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yuanzhu nodded slightly, gazing at the divine sword in his hand.

He raised his free hand, reaching across the golden light, and gently stroked the sword, feeling its sharpness at his fingertips.

"The sword is golden in color, noble and majestic, let's call it the Emperor Ming Sword!"

Zhang Yuanzhu whispered.

The divine sword in his hand has definitely reached the level of a magic weapon, and it is not weak even among magic weapons. It is enough to be used as a trump card.

"The Emperor Ming Sword?"

The True Lord of Refining Weapons looked at the location of the Scorching Sun Dao Vein with a cryptic expression, then stopped thinking about it.

Whether the other party speaks casually or with hidden meaning, as long as the other party has not perished, there will be no problem.

Ignoring what the Refining Weapon True Lord was thinking, Zhang Yuanzhu lightly touched the sword with his fingertips, and lines of patterns, magic power, and blood flowed into the divine sword, leaving his own mark.

In an instant, the struggle of the Emperor Ming Sword grew weaker and weaker until it finally came to a standstill.

With a thought, the young man's golden divine sword rapidly shrank, disappeared into his sleeve, and vanished.

He then clasped his hands in a fist and thanked them.
"I'm sorry to trouble you this time, fellow Daoist."

The True Lord of Refining Weapons stood up and waved his hand:
“I have also benefited greatly from reforging the famous sword, so there’s no need to be so polite.”

The old Taoist priest smiled gently, put away the yellow jade cauldron, and led Chi Ying into the palace next door.

"If you have some free time, fellow Daoist, why not keep this old man company for a few drinks?"

As their words drifted by, the two had already arrived at the jade table and sat facing each other.

With a thought, a pot of spiritual wine and various fragrant spiritual fruits appeared on the table.

"Having returned from the Plains of the Passing River, I brought some spiritual fruits and wine. Fellow Daoist, please have a taste!"

Without hesitation, True Monarch Refining Weapons picked up a spiritual fruit and swallowed it.

Nod slightly to the forehead and exclaim in admiration:
"As expected of a place rich in spiritual energy, the spiritual fruits grown here are sweeter and more full of life essence than those from the Ancient Cliff Mountain."

Zhang Yuanzhu picked up the wine pot and poured two cups.

He picked up his glass and took a sip:
"The spiritual energy in ordinary places on the Shichuan Plain is more than ten times that of the Ancient Cliff Mountain, so there are naturally more spiritual objects and stronger medicinal effects."

The True Lord of Refining Weapons swallowed the spiritual fruit, a hint of regret in his cloudy eyes.

"That is also our homeland. Immortal Soldier Valley has been in this wild land for nearly two thousand years. I don't know when we will be able to return."

"I was born here, grew up here, and will die here. I have protected the continuation of the sect and should have no regrets. But I also want to take one last look at the old site of the sect."

Zhang Yuanzhu finished the wine in his cup and poured himself another one.

"The spiritual energy is abundant, but the cultivators lack the will to fight to the death. There's nothing worth seeing, as for the old sect grounds."

"It has long since disappeared into the past."

Unlike the True Monarch of Weapon Refining, when the other party was born, Immortal Weapon Valley had been located on Ancient Cliff Mountain for about a thousand years, and most of the older generation of the sect had died out.

But the legends and stories of the Past River Plain still circulate, and people yearn for the land of righteousness.

Since entering the sect and joining the Zhuoyang lineage, he had never heard of his old home and naturally felt no attachment to it.

He drank while speaking.

Zhang Yuanzhu began to ask about problems and doubts in his cultivation.

The True Lord of Refining Weapons also did not hold back, responding in detail from different perspectives.

The two of them talked back and forth, discussing scriptures and doctrines.

In the end, the young man even brought up the matter of nurturing the Hundred Classics in a furnace.

The Refining Soldiers True Lord responded with a solemn expression, also from the perspective of the Golden Core Realm.

From day to night, and from night to day.

The debate lasted for two whole days and two nights before finally coming to an end.

As the sun rose in the east, its golden rays fell into the palace and bathed the crimson figure in a sacred light.

Zhang Yuanzhu stretched out his palm, and a jade box appeared, which he handed to the old Taoist priest.

"I am grateful for your guidance in reforging the sword and discussing the scriptures. Please accept this small reward."

As the words drifted by, the young man stood up.

He turned and walked out of the palace.

In a few steps, he had already left the palace and arrived at the cliff face, looking down at the vast landscape and the turmoil of the people. Zhang Yuanzhu spread his arms, stretched his body, and felt his blood and energy flowing through his limbs and bones.

Boom~
A purple-gold aura burst forth, enveloping his body before transforming into a rainbow of light and disappearing into the distance.

He did not go to the Zhuoyang Daoist lineage, nor did he head towards the Ming Dynasty.

Instead, he left the sect directly, found a secluded ancient forest, leaned against a tree trunk, and summoned the Minghuang Sword from his sleeve.

A golden sword light, like a swimming dragon, moved between his five fingers, carrying sharpness and nobility.

Zhang Yuanzhu clenched his fists together and whispered to himself:

'Take control!'

In an instant, the sword light vanished.

Deep within the soul, the Seven Treasures Tree swayed, and the mirror surface, formed by the intertwining of four divine lights—blue, purple, and red—underwent a slight change.

[Level 4] Emperor Ming Sword (Special Feature: Breaks Thousand Laws)
"Is it still the Thousand-Step Method?"

Zhang Yuanzhu's eyes flickered. The Long Rainbow Qi Sword's [Special Feature] was to break through a thousand techniques, but he did not expect that the sword would still be the same after being reforged.

However, it's not bad. Its [Characteristic] Breaking Thousand Laws will greatly suppress mana and spells, making its combat power even stronger.

Lost in thought, he took out the Emperor Ming Sword and put it back in his sleeve.

Immediately, they began searching their storage bags for suitable weapons to prepare for the impending conquest.

After a few breaths, two orbs of light floated out of the storage bag and hovered in front of him.

Then, the light faded, revealing the tools inside.

Zhang Yuanzhu first focused his gaze on the weapon on the left.

It was a bronze halberd, its blade gleaming with sharpness, exuding a primal aura.

The mid-grade evil weapon, the Great Wilderness Halberd, was a gift from Xie Beiling when he first arrived in Yuan Shui Xian City, and it is sufficient for his current use.

He extended his hand, lightly gripped the halberd, and carried it on his back.

Then, he turned his attention to the remaining items.

A bright red cauldron, with willow trees and plants engraved on its body, and a deep palm print in the middle.

The Green Willow Cauldron, also a mid-grade evil weapon, was obtained by him in the Chuanyuan Secret Realm after killing a third-step Qi Condensation True Person of the Willow Clan.

The palm print on the cauldron is a mark he left during the battle.

With a wave of his hand, the willow wood cauldron rapidly shrank, returning to the size of a palm-sized blood cauldron, which hung at his waist.

At this moment, the young man carried a halberd on his back, a long, white ruler at his waist, and a small, bright red cauldron hanging from his belt, exuding an indescribable awe-inspiring presence.

He was fully prepared and ready to engage in the most intense duel at any time.

His hand fell, casually resting on the measuring ruler, his body slightly turned, looking towards the direction of the Golden Light Pavilion:
"There's one last thing that needs to be taken care of."

In the blink of an eye, his body transformed into a beam of azure light, soaring into the sky and traversing the heavens, hurtling towards the Golden Light Sect.

He moved with incredible speed, covering vast distances of land and rivers in the blink of an eye, constantly approaching his destination.

A sound transmission stone in his bosom flickered intermittently.

Time passed quickly, and in just a few days, they entered the territory of the Golden Light Pavilion and advanced rapidly.

The young man traveled onward, avoiding the immortal city and heading through remote places, until he stopped 100,000 miles away from the Golden Light Pavilion.

Zhang Yuanzhu stood atop a mountain, looking down.

Surrounded by valleys, lush forests, and clear streams meandering through the landscape, the sounds of birds and insects create a harmonious atmosphere.

A gentle breeze stirs, rustling the grass and trees, caressing the fiery red robe.

Zhang Yuanzhu remained silent and waited quietly.

As the sun sets and night falls, the bright moon hangs high in the sky.

Crunch~crunch~
The sound of footsteps crunching through the leaves came from behind me.

Zhang Yuanzhu turned around, a few ripples appearing deep in his eyes.

For him, some people are always special.

Like the fairy who guided him to the Dao, and like the person before his eyes.

It was a woman, with a well-proportioned figure, a slender neck like a crane, and a snow-white oval face, walking towards us in the moonlight.

The woman wore a pale yellow Taoist robe, her black hair hanging down her back, exuding an indescribable gentleness and grace.

"It's been almost ten years since we last met. I hope you are well."

“Miss Ruan Qing, it has indeed been a long time since we last met.”

Zhang Yuanzhu smiled gently, took a step forward, and faced the front.

He extended his palm, and a talisman radiating profound Daoist charm, interwoven with Dao and reason, appeared in his palm, which he then handed over.

"When I traveled to the Plains of Passing River in the past, I was grateful for the Golden Elixir Talisman—the Returning to the Source Talisman—which helped me survive several calamities. Now..."

"Return it to its rightful owner!"

Ruan Qing's beautiful eyes softened as she stopped in front of the young man without any guard, standing no more than three inches away, carefully examining him.

The unwavering determination between his brows, and those eerie, mysterious double pupils, remained unchanged from the past.

"Fellow Daoist Yuanzhu has made a great name for himself in the righteous realm."

"He traversed the Divine Plains, crossed the Greenwood Mountain, and traversed the Riverbed of the Passing River. He was invincible among the younger generation, shaking the world and unmatched in his prowess."

The woman's voice was gentle, flowing like a spring stream.

She stretched out her slender hand and took the Guizang talisman.

"This talisman is indeed useless to you."

Zhang Yuanzhu nodded slightly, then flipped his hand, revealing a blue bracelet in his palm.

The bracelet is entirely blue, like jade, exuding an extremely rich life force, interwoven with endless Tao and principles.

"This bracelet, forged from the precious wood of the Golden Elixir, possesses the power to purify the mind and bring wisdom. It is a gift I specially prepared for you, fellow Daoist."

Ruan Qing looked at the bracelet handed to her, then looked at the gold bracelet on her own wrist.

The bracelet is crystal clear and emits a faint golden light, which reflects off the skin and adds a touch of brightness.

This was a gift from Fellow Daoist Yuanzhu when we last met.

She put away the talisman, took the cyan bracelet, and put it on her wrist.

The bracelets and necklaces trembled slightly, emitting a bluish-gold luster, exuding an indescribable nobility.

The woman parted her red lips slightly:

"I like it very much, Fellow Daoist Yuanzhu, thank you for your trouble."

She paused, a hint of solemnity appearing on her gentle face:
"Fellow Daoist summoned me here, is it because you need to find your master?"

After learning about the little beggar's experiences in the Passing River Plain from her master, she knew that she could no longer help him on his path.

Under the woman's surprised gaze, Zhang Yuanzhu shook his head and chuckled:
"I met with you, fellow Daoist, only to return the talisman and present you with a gift."

"The affairs of the True Lord within the Golden Light Pavilion will all be discussed thereafter."

With a wave of his sleeve, two futons appeared, along with plates of spiritual fruits, spiritual tea, and spiritual wine.

"We parted in haste last time we met, but this time we should have a good talk."

"Miss Ruan Qing, please!"

After a few soft words, the two sat facing each other.

Zhang Yuanzhu picked up the wine pot, poured two cups of wine, and pushed one cup in front of the woman.

He picked up the jade cup and chuckled softly:

"From Jiangshui City to now, more than 20 years have passed, and through countless trials and tribulations, we have come this far."

"I celebrate with you!"

The jade cups clinked together, and wine splashed out.

The two drank it all in one gulp.

As the moonlight shines down, we drink wine and tea, discussing scriptures and doctrines.

Soon, hearty laughter echoed through the valley.

(End of this chapter)