Sword Sect Outer Sect

Chapter 237 Mirage

Extreme sword cultivators, in pursuit of the state of "unity of man and sword," completely abandon their spiritual roots.

They extracted the essence of metal from heaven and earth, refined the metal energy in their natal lung palace, and condensed it into a "sword seed" that was different from the image of "spiritual root".

This thing exists between reality and illusion, like the Dao Foundation, Golden Core, or even the Nascent Soul, gradually growing as the cultivator's realm and cultivation level increase.

This is the sword pellet.

Jianwan is shaped like a pill and means sword.

Normally, the sword pellet is suspended in the dantian, nourished by the cultivator's spiritual power, true essence, and sword qi.

When facing an enemy, it transforms into a sword's edge, its sharpness fully revealed, invincible.

Ultimately, the sword pellet and the sword cultivator's natal flying sword, which is formed after severing the spirit seed and comprehending the sword intent and the Dao heart, are actually quite similar.

The natal flying sword is, in fact, also an inner sword.

However, for cultivators who practice sword pill cultivation, their entire life and cultivation depend on this one pill.

The evaluation of this path in the Transformation of Spirits chapter is that it is more about killing than about comprehending the Dao.

In a life-or-death struggle, this sword pellet would certainly have a significant advantage.

However, those who follow this path are prone to neglecting to comprehend the great principles of heaven and earth during their cultivation, leading to a lack of follow-up understanding.

Whether it's the orthodox Sword Sect or the Path of Sword Pills, there's no inherent superiority or inferiority between the two; it's simply a matter of whether the practitioner is suited to it and what their fate and opportunities are.

In the past, the birth of this Sword Ball Path was undoubtedly highly controversial.

Some people praise its purity, saying it better reflects the indomitable spirit of sword cultivators.

Some lamented that it neglected the essentials and pursued the ultimate killing, abandoning the fundamental nature of cultivators as human beings.

That's not what Song Yan cares about, of course.

How could he possibly be qualified to point fingers at such a profound and subtle Dao?

What puzzled him was that the sword pellet was something that each sword cultivator had poured their life's blood and sweat into refining and nurturing, truly embodying the spirit of the sword and the person. How could this senior have given it to him so casually?

The sword light flew back and condensed back into a sword pellet in Song Yan's hand, which he played with for a while.

It can indeed be retrieved and placed in the Sword Town Palace, slowly rotating around the Seed of Sword Dao.

It can also nourish this pill with its own sword qi.

However, Song Yan still didn't quite understand how this item was supposed to help him cultivate.

He took it out again, held it in his hand and examined it closely. Suddenly, he realized that he could see the scene through the pinkish-blue mist.

"Ok?"

With a single thought, one's mind becomes completely absorbed in it.

Suddenly, countless strands of pinkish-blue mist and spiritual light emerged from the sword pellet, swirling and flowing around Song Yan.

Suddenly, the sword pellet transformed into a beam of sword light that shot into the sky and disappeared into the clouds.

In an instant, the scene before my eyes distorted and swayed like a reflection in water.

The surrounding scenery was changing rapidly; the great river and the cliffs all disappeared, replaced by a deep mountain.

I am standing under a pink flowering tree.

Even Xiao Ju and Xiao He have disappeared.

Song Yan was astonished.

The current situation is somewhat similar to the time when I was in Wushan and was led into a dream by an old senior to cultivate.

Just then, that desolate sword cry resounded once more.

The sword light fell from the sky and landed not far in front of Song Yan.

The sword energy surged, revealing the true form of the sword light.

He slowly walked forward and sat down cross-legged in front of the spirit sword.

This spirit sword is a translucent light blue, seemingly real yet illusory, without a spine, as if it were just a thin ray of sword light.

A faint, light blue mist of ethereal energy lingered around them.

An ancient character was faintly visible on the sword.

Mirage.

Just then, a flash of spiritual light appeared on the sword, and endless, boundless spiritual energy surged forth from this illusion.

This scene is somewhat similar to the cultivation I experienced in the illusion of Wushan that day.

Song Yan suddenly realized something.

"It seems that what you meant by helping me with my cultivation is this."

He didn't rush to cultivate immediately, but tried it out first and found that this place was just like the real world, where he could control flying swords to form a spirit-gathering sword array.

Correspondingly, one can also take out pills from the Qiankun bag and consume them!

Overjoyed.

Normally, even with the highest cultivation speed and maximum efficiency from taking elixirs, Song Yan would still need about three to four years to fully push his Qi Refining Ninth Level spiritual power to the Qi Refining Tenth Level, which is the Qi Refining Perfection level, before he could proceed to Foundation Establishment.

Now it seems that with the help of this sword pellet, I will probably be able to reach the peak of Qi Refining in a year or two.

Suppressing his eagerness to begin cultivating on the spot, Song Yan withdrew from the dream world.

Back in the present world, on the cliff by the river.

He turned to Xiao Ju and asked, "How long has it been since I refined this sword pellet?"

Xiao Ju pondered for a moment and replied, "About half an hour."

Song Yan nodded.

It seems that the dream world that was entered through this sword pellet could not be as stagnant as it was on Mount Karasu that day.

However, its current role and effect are already sufficient.

This sword pellet itself is a spiritual weapon!
“Mirage…”

Song Yan pondered the character.

This character represents many things.

One of the images is a large clam, a type of shellfish.

He had come into contact with it when he was still in the mortal world, because in some places it can be used as a medicinal herb, which his grandfather had taught him.

Therefore, sometimes ghost stories like pearls from oysters becoming spirits circulate in the mortal world.

The saying "Shrimp, crab, turtle, and alligator gather in a mirage; the mirage is originally a pheasant transformed from a mountain" describes this kind of imagery.

Another way of putting it is more common in the cultivation world.

That is a mirage dragon.

However, for a cultivator like Song Yan with low cultivation level, such a creature that exists only in mythology was naturally something he had never seen before.

Among the ancient books and legends he had seen, there was very little mention of this.

Therefore, the only impressions of creatures like the Mirage Dragon are vague terms like mysterious and powerful. Could these be related to that senior figure?
"..."

He shook his head, banishing his chaotic thoughts.

He packed all his belongings and then left the riverbank with Xiao Ju and Xiao He.

However, their destination was not the dock, but Jiangxian Pass.

Now that the decision has been made to go all out to build the foundation of the Dao, then naturally not a single moment can be wasted.

So he changed his mind.

The original plan was to return to Lanxi Cave first, and then come back three months later to retrieve the Pure Moon Talisman to return to the sect.

Now that I have this sword pellet to assist my cultivation, the spiritual energy of the cultivation ground has no effect on me anymore. My original plan now seems like a waste of time and completely unnecessary.

Why not find a secluded cave near Jiangxian Pass right now, either to rent or to build one, and start cultivating here first?

During the three months of waiting for the Pure Moon Talisman, one can cultivate while trying to refine the No Thought Pill a few more times, and even consider trying to refine the Foundation Establishment Pill.

Having made up her mind, Song Yan told Xiao Ju and Xiao He about her thoughts on the spot.

Snake Treasure couldn't wait to stay here a little longer.

Once Yan Yan goes into seclusion to refine pills, Snake Treasure can ask Sister Xiao Ju to take her to Chu Capital for fun.

Xiao Ju naturally had no objections.

Having followed Song Yan, she had seen far more of the world than she had ever had the chance to see before, so of course she wouldn't interfere with her senior's plans.

I felt somewhat flattered to be asked for my opinion so solemnly.

So Song Yan led the two back to the vicinity of Jiangxian Pass, where they searched for a temporary cave dwelling.

It must be said that the cultivators of Jiangxian Pass have a great business sense.

Regardless of whether any cultivators attain enlightenment here, as long as the legend of the old man in the straw raincoat continues to circulate in the cultivation world of Chu, there will be a constant stream of cultivators coming to pay homage.

Those who can step into the world of cultivation may lack the ambition to make great progress, or the mindset to seek immortality.

But no matter who it is, there will always be a sliver of hope in their heart.

Perhaps... I am that one in ten thousand who has attained enlightenment?

What if? Maybe I'm just average, but how will I know if I don't try?

This is the place where cultivators beyond the Nascent Soul realm slay dragons!
It is because of this elusive opportunity that Jiangxian Pass has been able to develop to this day and become the number one immortal city in the Chu Kingdom.

The management and operation of the Immortal City are mainly controlled by several local cultivation families.

The Nangong family is the main one among them.

Although the weather is now excellent, for some reason, these cultivation families still consider themselves as independent cultivators, and the families and the Guanzhong Alliance are just sticking together for warmth.

Upon entering the main street inside the pass, I didn't linger anywhere else, but went straight into a small courtyard with the words "Cave Rental" hanging on it.

This courtyard should belong to the Nangong family, as the signboard and hanging talismans are printed with the Nangong family crest.

A girl of about fifteen or sixteen years old stood at the entrance of the courtyard, dressed in a light blue outfit embroidered with cloud patterns and sword marks.

His cultivation level was only at the sixth level of Qi Refining, but his eyes were bright and his smile was capable.

On the chest of his robe was a small jade badge with two simple, ancient characters engraved on it: “Nangong”.

Upon seeing Song Yan and the other two approaching, the young woman immediately greeted them with a smile and a fist salute: "Greetings, fellow Daoists! I am Nangong Ling, in charge of the rental and sale of this cave dwelling."

"I see that you three have extraordinary bearing, but you look somewhat unfamiliar. Perhaps this is your first time staying at my Jiangxian Pass? Would you like a place for quiet cultivation?"

She spoke quickly and lightly, with the youthful energy unique to young people.

Song Yan nodded slightly, his gaze, hidden beneath Xuan'e Bailing's mask, swept over the jade pendant on her chest: "Indeed. I am Tong Chuping, and I need a secluded cave dwelling to stay in for about three months."

The temporary cave dwellings nearby are usually rented for a minimum of three months, which is just right for Song Yan and won't be a waste.

"okay!"

Nangong Ling was delighted to hear this, as she liked this kind of clean and efficient guest the most: "Master Tong, rest assured, the cave dwellings managed by our Nangong family are all in secluded places outside the pass, where the spiritual energy is much purer than inside the pass, making them the most suitable for quiet cultivation."

"Brother Dao, please come with me. I'll take you to see for yourself, and I guarantee you'll find something suitable!"

She gestured for them to proceed, and then led Song Yan and the other two northwards.

Along the way, the scene inside the pass remained bustling and vibrant.

As Song Yan followed Nangong Ling through Guanzhong, he noticed that despite her young age, she was very familiar with the route and knew all the side paths by heart. He casually remarked, "Fellow Daoist, you are so familiar with Jiangxian Pass at such a young age. You must be from Guanzhong?"

As Nangong Ling walked, she nodded, her tone tinged with pride: "Yes, Daoist. My Nangong family ancestors established themselves at this pass, and I am now the twenty-sixth generation."

"Oh?" Song Yan asked casually, "I've heard that this Jiangxian Pass was established a thousand years ago by a senior who slew a dragon. Is the current cultivation atmosphere within the pass related to this?"

The girl from the Nangong family looked young and naive, so I took the opportunity to learn some clues about the old man in the straw raincoat and the sword pellet "Shen" from her.

Upon hearing the words "slaying the dragon," Nangong Ling's expression immediately brightened: "Absolutely right! This is precisely the foundation of our Jiangxian Pass!"

She spoke with great interest: "In the Immortal Descending Tower within the pass, there is still a wisp of sword energy that was dissipated back then! However, ordinary disciples like us are not qualified to admire such a divine object; we can only listen to the legends."

"I see."

Once Nangong Ling started talking, she couldn't stop: "Because of this rumor, many cultivators and fellow practitioners who want to comprehend the mysteries of swordsmanship love to come to our Jiangxian Pass to cultivate."

"Over time, Jiangxian Pass gradually developed a unique atmosphere as a 'place of enlightenment' outside of the gathering places for independent cultivators."

"In the area of ​​'Sword Breath Rock' near the mountain ley lines to the south, many caves have been deliberately carved into the rock face. Every now and then, there are rumors that some cultivator is comprehending the Dao there, but I don't know if it's true or not."

"Sword Breath Rock?" Song Yan became interested. The Mirage Sword Pill could help him cultivate, and if there was also a favorable environment, it would be even better.

"That's right! It's the special ley line formed where the dragon's head fell, according to legend. The rocks there absorbed the essence of that senior's sword energy, making them unique in texture."

"..."

Song Yan's lips twitched slightly; he found this statement somewhat absurd.

Nangong Ling, unaware of his strange behavior, continued, "If you are interested, Daoist, I can introduce you to the cave dwellings over there. Although the rent is a bit expensive, it is very beneficial to cultivation."

“However…” she hesitated for a moment, then lowered her voice: “The real core area has long been occupied by the high-ranking members and senior members of the major families within the pass. We minor cultivators and ordinary tenants can only get a little bit of sword energy on the periphery.”

Song Yan nodded, which was expected: "It's alright, tranquility and spiritual energy are the most important things, there's no need to force it."

As they spoke, the group entered the North Mountain, and the surrounding noise immediately subsided.

Beside a winding stream, the entrances to the caves are scattered along the mountainside, each with simple protective barriers.

The spiritual energy here is indeed much richer than that inside the pass, and it is also much more tranquil.

"Greetings, Daoist Master," Nangong Ling led them to a cave halfway up the mountain. The entrance was small and half-hidden by vines. In front of the door was a platform about ten feet in diameter, from which one could see the stream and distant mountains.

"This place is called 'Listening to the Stream Cottage'. The cave is about five zhang in diameter, and its spiritual energy is top-notch among caves of the same level. The platform in front of the door has a simple protective array."

"The spiritual energy here is stable. Although it is a bit far from the direction of Sword Breath Rock, there are few tenants in the nearby caves, making it extremely quiet. If the Daoist is only looking to go into seclusion, this place is the most suitable."

After a brief moment of sensing, Song Yan realized that the spiritual energy in this place was indeed pure and abundant.

The size of this cave dwelling is similar to that of his outer sect cave dwelling in the Dongyuan Sect. There is nothing particularly special about it, but it is very spacious and more than enough for the next three months.

The tranquility suited his taste perfectly.

(End of this chapter)