Fairy, return my flying sword to me

Chapter 7 I almost said I went into the sea!

The master is the absolute stereotype of those hidden masters in the forest's imagination.

He was dressed in white, looking like an immortal, with his long white beard fluttering gently in the wind. His eyes were full of love as he looked into the forest.

Apart from the time when he was just picked up by his master, Lin Jian had not met his master many times.

The practice of Taoism focuses more on daily accumulation, and the significance of a master is only useful when teaching, accepting students and answering their questions.

Lin Jian's level was very low. Apart from the basic Qi training method and a few simple daily techniques, he had only been doing two things in the past eight years:

Practice Qi and sword.

Apart from occasionally going to the master for advice when encountering problems, this was the first time in recent years that the master had taken the initiative to come to him.

"Jian'er, have you bought the flying sword?" Zhen Yang Zhenren brought Lin Jian to his usual quiet room. After they sat down, he asked Lin Jian about his well-being with a gentle smile on his face.

He personally issued Lin Jian's sword-controlling license within the sect.

For a sword cultivator, wielding a sword should be his own business. Even if he fails to wield it well and cuts his own neck, he deserves it.

But flying a sword within the sect depends on others. If one cannot reach a certain level to ensure that he can absolutely control the flying sword, disciples of the Zhengyang Sect are not allowed to perform sword-flying techniques within the sect.

What’s more crucial is that as a sword cultivator, if this guy doesn’t buy a flying sword, how will he cope if he is exiled to the Tianyuan Demonic Gap?
The certificate was issued the day before yesterday, and I went to buy the sword yesterday.

What's strange is that I heard those naughty disciples say that after going out to the forest, they didn't see the sword, but instead found a woman...

This really makes people imagine a lot.

Is this... a mortal desire?
Hearing his master's question, Lin Jian felt a little uncomfortable.

Is it okay if the flying sword I just bought was taken away by someone using the Wanjian Guizong skill?

Lin Jian could already foresee how much of a joke his experience would cause within the sect, and even felt that it had great potential to be recorded in the sect's history.

But whether or not he would be laughed at was secondary. The most important thing was that Chunxue, the Return of Ten Thousand Swords, had brought trouble to more than just himself. If his affairs were to be spread out, it would easily attract other people's attention and suspicion. They would then turn their attention to him and even doubt Chunxue's identity, which would be a big deal.

One million high-quality spirit stones were related to his future happy life as an immortal cultivator, so Lin Jian would never allow any of this news to leak out.

"No." Lin Jian said half-truthfully with his eyes open, "A good flying sword is too expensive. I can't afford it."

Zhen Yang Zhenren was stunned. "I see that you don't work very hard on weekdays..."

Lin Jian's eyes were red. "If hard work could earn you enough wealth, there would be no poor people in this world."

"...That's true." Zhen Yang Zhenren, who had no idea what was going on, nodded with deep understanding, then turned to persuade: "Not being able to afford it is actually not a bad thing..."

"?"

Zhen Yang Zhenren gazed at Lin Jian with a smile on his face. "Jian'er, do you still remember why you chose the path of sword cultivation when you first became his disciple?"

"remember."

Zhen Yang Zhenren's eyes were slightly dim as he looked up at the top of Lin Jian's head, as if he was traveling back in time and seeing the ambitious young man of that year. "Back then, you only wanted to 'ride the wind with your sword and slay demons in heaven and earth.' It was precisely because of your ambition that I brought you back from among more than a dozen children. Now I ask you again, can you change your mind?"

Lin Jian paused, "No."

"Good!" Zhen Yang Zhenren stroked his beard and laughed, "My disciples of Zhen Yang should have this kind of unwavering heart of Taoism."

After confirming it, Zhen Yang Zhenren asked in a low voice, "But Jian'er, have you ever thought that you might not have much talent in this area?"

Lin Jian nodded, "Master, you don't have to be so tactful." Ever since the master came to him on his own initiative, he knew that the master couldn't just suddenly feel fond of his disciple, but must have other intentions.

Considering what his fellow students had just said, he knew it might not be a good thing.

Zhen Yang Zhenren sighed deeply and said with a melancholy tone, "Then I'll be frank... Jian'er, you should know that I'm not the only master in the sect. The sect's training of you isn't without any desires or expectations. Alchemy practitioners have their responsibilities, and sword practitioners have their responsibilities. Do you know what obligations sword practitioners like you will have to fulfill after achieving success in the sect?"

Lin Jian nodded and said seriously, "Become the sect's guardian and protect the sect's safety."

Zhen Yang Zhenren closed his eyes in pain. "Then can you imagine how desperate we would be if one day our sect fell to the point where we needed you to protect it?"

"..." Lin Jian hesitated a little, "Master, why don't you be more tactful?"

"Jian'er, change direction." Zhenyang held Lin Jian's hands. "Learn a craft like your brothers, make some contributions to the sect, and at the same time find a way out for yourself. Look at your eldest brother, practicing alchemy, making a fortune every day; look at your second sister, growing spiritual herbs, selling well throughout the state; and look at your third brother... Right now, they have all bought their own paradise in the spiritual peaks behind the sect, enjoying the life of a true immortal. I see you often work for them on weekdays, so why not let them guide you? If there is anything you don't understand, you can come and ask me, how about it?"

Lin Jian pursed his lips and remained silent.

Alchemy, weapon forging, planting, magic arrays... these many professional skills are all important components of cultivating immortals, so it is natural that they are not unfamiliar to the forest when you often go there to help.

But... the reason why I work so hard to earn spirit stones every day is ultimately just to fulfill my dream of becoming an immortal, or more accurately, a dream of becoming a sword immortal.

If you don't work hard to become a sword immortal, what's the point of earning a lot of spirit stones in the process?
He could work hard to cultivate immortality, but he could not accept that he would only work for the rest of his life.

The master's meaning was now very clear: from now on, the sect would no longer provide him with guidance on "sword cultivation".

Even if he wanted to practice swordsmanship privately, the difficulty would be the same as that of an elementary school student trying to get into university for a master's or doctoral degree purely on his own comprehension when he couldn't buy any textbooks or use the internet to search for information...

Oh~ During this process, I also have to find a way to support myself while working and studying, and pay off the 30,000 yuan in illegal loans.

Cultivating immortals is so much fun!
As if noticing the hesitation on Lin Jian's face, Zhen Yang lowered his head, a strange look appearing on his old face. "Or, I can think of a way for you... Jian'er, if you find refining pills and weapons tiring, I can recommend a place for you. You know the last time Fairy Hongxia from the Hehuan Sect visited our sect. You're lucky to have been favored by Fairy Hongxia. As long as you nod and agree, you can immediately become Fairy Hongxia's dual cultivation partner. What kind of flying sword and skills do you need then?"

"?"

A big question mark popped up on Lin Jian’s forehead.

Let me just say that I was once on the verge of falling into the sea!
Last time it was Fairy Luoyun, this time it’s Fairy Hongxia...but this fairy is really a little big, right?

"Fairy Hongxia seems to be more than three hundred years older than me?" Lin Jian asked weakly.

Zhen Yang was anxious. "Haven't you heard the saying? A woman three years older than you is worth a gold brick; a woman three hundred years older than you is worth a golden elixir! What does age mean to us cultivators? With Fairy Hongxia's Nascent Soul stage cultivation, she might still remain youthful even if you're gone. If Fairy didn't dislike this type of teacher, how could you have a chance?"

"But Master, are you sure you don't want me to become someone else's furnace?"

"Do you have the qualifications?" Zhen Yang glanced at him. "Are you using you as a cauldron to wait for your cultivation to revert to the Golden Core state?"

"Master, your words are so hurtful."

"Didn't you ask me to be more direct?"

"But this is not my intention."

"I see you brought back a woman, didn't you yearn for the mortal world? I thought you had gotten over it... We're all meant to be partners. How can a mortal woman be as stunning as Fairy Hongxia?"

"...Disciple still wants to practice on his own."

Zhenyang frowned slightly and said with a flick of his sleeve, "Then choose one from among elixirs, instruments, plants, and formations. If you really don't know which one suits you best, try learning all of them. Jian'er, this is the sect's final wish for you. If you still insist on cultivating your sword, then I can only send you to guard the Tianyuan Demonic Gap..."

(End of this chapter)