Sword Sect Outer Sect

Chapter 278 A Crossroads
"Ok?"

Master Qingyan was taken aback, but he still put down the chess piece in his hand first before pondering it carefully.

"Why do you ask."

"It's nothing much, it's just that when I was traveling in the State of Chu, I met a very interesting person."

"He seems to have mastered a kind of eye technique, but I have very little knowledge of it and am unaware of it."

"Hehe." Master Qingyan chuckled.

"Although pupil techniques are not as common as ordinary cultivation methods, the world is vast, and if someone were to collect and list them all, there would certainly be quite a few."

"Let alone the two of us, even Venerable Xuanhui might not know all of this."

Wang Ke nodded.

Master Qingyan pondered for a moment, then continued, "I don't know much about pupil techniques, and I've never seen the kind you're talking about."

"However, I have seen similar ones before."

He paused, then looked at Wang Ke: "Have you ever heard of the exceptionally talented swordsman who emerged from Mount Jun several hundred years ago?"

Wang Ke nodded, but did not interrupt his master.

"His name is Chen Linyuan."

Qingyan Zhenren's eyes flickered, as if he was recalling something.

"I'd say you're my...closest friend."

"?"

Wang Ke was somewhat surprised.

Although several hundred years have passed, legends about Chen Linyuan still circulate among generations of people in these major sects in the Central Region.

Wang Ke was naturally aware of this as well.

For cultivators in the border regions, three to five hundred years seems like a long time, but for these cultivators in the central regions...

He was just an "ordinary" Golden Core cultivator, who lived for only a few years from birth to his death.

He simply hadn't expected that his master was actually a close friend of this legendary prodigy.

"He seems to possess a similar eye technique, but his appearance differs somewhat from what you described."

When Chen Linyuan was mentioned, Master Qingyan seemed to have a lot to say.

"It's been three or four hundred years since I last saw him."

He picked up another chess piece and casually placed it down.

He continued, "When I was young, I had a few good opportunities. At the age of 126, I reached the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment. I went into seclusion to break through, and after three years, at the age of 129, I achieved the Great Dao of Golden Core."

“In the border state of Chu, this is practically the highest it can get.”

Even after arriving in this central region and witnessing the vastness of heaven and earth, I do not believe that I am really that much different from others.

"At that time, I believed that as long as I was willing to put in the effort and make good use of my opportunities, I would definitely be able to compete with those true geniuses."

“Until one year, I heard that Junshan had taken on a disciple.”

Lu Qingyan's gaze instantly shifted from high spirits to a somewhat wistful expression.

"He entered the Dao at the age of twelve and laid the foundation for the Dao at the age of thirteen."

In fact, although there are few people in the Central Region who have established a foundation for the Dao within a year of entering the Dao, they are not non-existent.

Even if some cultivators have such aptitude and resources, they will not choose to rush into success.

After all, the matter of establishing one's Dao foundation is related to the stability of one's future path to immortality, and most people would consider it carefully.

However, it is clear that Chen Linyuan's situation is not the result of rushing things.

"At sixty, he sought the Golden Elixir; at one hundred and sixty-nine, he condensed the Nascent Soul."

Wang Ke had heard of these things before, but hearing them from his master made him feel even more shocked.

“Your master is me.” Lu Qingyan pointed to himself: “Although I come from the border region, my foundation is not bad.”

"By chance, I entered the Guigu School, and thereafter I had countless adventures and opportunities."

Even so, he only managed to condense his Nascent Soul at the age of 209.

Reaching the Nascent Soul stage at 209 years old is practically the fastest cultivation speed in the Central Region.

Wang Ke pondered for a moment and said, "Master, I have also heard rumors that there was a saying on Junshan Mountain that this Chen Linyuan was some kind of immortal reincarnation..."

Lu Qingyan shook his head slightly: "There is indeed such a saying, but who can say for sure whether it is true or false?"

"Later, at the Desolate Night Banquet that year, I participated as a disciple of Guigu and happened to sit at the same table with him. Unexpectedly, we got along quite well."

At this point, Wang Ke's main concern was no longer Song Yan's pupil technique, but rather the realization that Chen Linyuan was truly no ordinary person.

His master usually didn't have the airs of a Nascent Soul Realm True Monarch. He would also joke with him and chat about some anecdotes among the Ghost Valley disciples.

This is the first time I've ever talked about someone so eloquently.

The look of reminiscence in Qingyan Zhenren's eyes faded, and he lowered his head slightly, turning his gaze back to the chessboard: "Later, I don't know how, we became friends."

“In his spare time, we would occasionally spar, so I saw him use a pupil technique.”

"I see."

Wang Ke nodded.

Master Qingyan said with great interest: "Back then, when he left Junshan, it seems he went to the border region, but he didn't tell me where he went."

"What? You haven't run into his disciple or successor, have you?"

Wang Ke was taken aback and said, "It can't be such a coincidence, can it?"

"Hehe." Lu Qingyan chuckled. "That's hard to say. How could mortals like us possibly fathom the workings of fate in this world..."

"..."

Wang Ke thought about it and felt that what his master said made sense.

He secretly grumbled to himself, "My master, a great cultivator at the peak of the Nascent Soul Realm, with one foot in the Deity Transformation Realm, actually calls me a mortal..."

Then wouldn't all those Foundation Establishment cultivators be nothing more than ants?

"Oh right, Master."

Wang Ke changed the subject: "How did you spar with Chen Linyuan?"

"..."

Lu Qingyan's previously calm smile suddenly froze. He then grabbed the jade flute beside him and struck Wang Ke on the head with it.

Wang Ke instinctively tried to dodge, but found there was nowhere to escape, so he had no choice but to stay where he was and obediently take the hit.

"Why bring up something that's not relevant to the topic?"

……

Outside the mountain gate of Dongyuan Sect.

It was deep winter, and snow was falling heavily.

"Junior Sister Ju, if there's nothing else, you can return to your cave early."

There were still two people on duty at the sect, one of whom was Xiao Ju.

The speaker was a young male disciple: "I'm here, nothing will happen."

The sect's guard duty is mainly to prevent ordinary people and rogue cultivators from accidentally entering.

If demonic cultivators were to invade, even Qi Refining cultivators would be of little use.

So although the rule is that two people are on duty, usually one person is enough to keep an eye on things.

So on the day of the shift change, I'll go back earlier this time, and next time I'll let you go back earlier.

We are all Qi Refining cultivators, and it's not easy for either of us. We can save each other some cultivation time.

Everyone is tacit.

"Well, no thanks. Senior Brother Ding, you should go back. I'll stay here and keep watch."

Ju Luyi actually knew about this, but after thinking it over, she still felt that she should follow the rules.

The identity of a disciple of the Dongyuan Sect is hard-won. If he is reprimanded by a few deacons in the sect because of this, it is not a big deal if he loses face, but he is afraid that his master will be implicated.

However, she didn't want to break the unspoken understanding between everyone, so she suggested that Senior Brother Ding leave as soon as possible.

"Um……"

Senior Brother Ding hummed in agreement, but after a moment of hesitation, he did not leave.

It is common knowledge that Junior Sister Ju Luyi is a disciple of Martial Uncle Song Yan.

He admired her, but he wasn't jealous.

People are born different from each other.

After spending some time together, he found that this junior sister was diligent in her cultivation and meticulous in her work, completely unlike the bad habits of a Foundation Establishment cultivator disciple that he had imagined.

This made him even more curious about what kind of person this legendary Uncle-Master Song Yan really was.

Having nothing better to do, he thought he might as well ask his junior sister. Just as he was about to speak, he heard a noise coming from below the mountain gate.

The stone steps of the mountain path were covered with a thin layer of snow, and the soles of shoes made a soft crunching sound as they stepped over it.

The two of them looked at the person who had just arrived.

There was an old man and a young man. The older one was a cultivator in the late stage of Qi Refining, while the younger one seemed to only have a trace of spiritual energy and had not yet formally entered the Dao.

"Stop."

Senior Brother Ding spoke up, stepped forward, and gave a slight bow to the two men: "May I ask where you two come from, and what brings you here?"

"I, Yan Heng, along with my grandson Yan Que, have come to pay our respects to Senior Song Yan."

"This……"

Senior Brother Ding was taken aback.

If a cultivator from outside the sect visits, in a few cases, the sect's cultivators will make prior arrangements to come and meet them, or send disciples to escort them.

In most cases, the disciples guarding the mountain would need to go to the entrance platform to report.

Fortunately, Junior Sister Ju did not go back early.

Isn't it a coincidence? The only disciple of Master Song Yan, whom the other party was looking for, happened to be guarding the mountain here.

Senior Brother Ding looked at his junior sister, only to see Ju Luyi frown slightly: "It's you."

The old man was none other than the manager of Qianduantang, who had previously worked at Diequan Market in Longtan Mountain.

On the day of the grand event, his master took him to stroll through the market, hoping to find some flying swords along the way.

Xiao Ju never expected to be verbally abused by this person, a memory she still vividly remembers.

The old man also looked closely for a moment, and seemed to recognize Xiao Ju as well: "Uh...you are..."

Xiao Ju asked directly, "What brings you here to see Master?"

The old man's lips moved, and he looked at the little boy beside him.

"This is a long story."

"I must first apologize to Senior Song. I was blind and misunderstood you and your master before..."

"I have come here with sincerity to apologize to Senior Song."

Xiao Ju's expression softened slightly after hearing this.

Many people in the Chu Kingdom witnessed Master's sword strike in Dragon Pool Mountain through the spirit cloud.

Many people even made special photos of it to share.

The old man continued, "Previously, demonic cultivators caused chaos, and now Longtan Mountain is being rebuilt. My grandson and I have nowhere to go for the time being, so we must return to Beiya Mountain."

"After much thought, there is still one more thing I need to ask Senior Song about, concerning that legendary ancient sword."

Senior Brother Ding stood aside without saying a word.

Xiao Ju's expression changed.

Although she didn't particularly like the old man, he had at least admitted his mistake and had come to apologize.

Most importantly, Xiao Ju knew that her master had previously been very interested in ancient swords.

Without much hesitation, Xiao Ju nodded: "You may wait here for a while, I will go and report to Master."

She turned her head and gestured: "Senior Brother Ding."

"Okay, go ahead."

Wiping Sword Peak, the Earth-character No. 21 Cave.

Counting the days, it has been about half a year since I returned to the sect from Longtan Mountain.

Song Yan has fully recovered from the injuries he sustained when facing Xin Shan Sanren's feigned death.

His cultivation level has also improved.

Cultivation, mind cultivation, spirit cultivation, healing.

I enjoyed a relatively peaceful time after a long time.

What puzzled him was that since returning from Longtan Mountain, Yang Wenxuan had not taken any revenge on him or Qin Xijun.

The previous claim that Song Yan was suspected of being possessed by a demonic cultivator was no longer mentioned.

It's good that they didn't bother him. Although Song Yan had made some preparations, dealing with them would still take a lot of effort.

He estimated that heading to the demonic cultivator battlefield would be within the next few days.

However, on this day, a strange guest arrived at his cave dwelling.

Xiao Ju brewed some spiritual tea and poured it for the two people on the table. Then she stood obediently behind Song Yan.

Opposite Song Yan sat an old man who called himself Yan Heng, a member of the Yan clan, and the other was his grandson.

A simple sword box lay between the two men.

Song Yan had met these two people before in Diequan Market. As soon as they entered the cave, they apologized to him repeatedly and explained their purpose.

At that moment, the little boy was sitting quietly behind the old man, watching his grandfather talk to the young man opposite him.

"I'm not afraid of Senior Song laughing at me."

After the previous apologies, Yan Heng realized that this Senior Song was not a petty person, and he relaxed his tone a bit.

"My branch of the family also originated from the Yan clan."

"In our ancestors, there was a famous weapon refiner in the State of Chu named Yan Bo."

Upon hearing this, Song Yan's gaze shifted slightly, almost imperceptibly.

He nodded: "I've heard about it."

"Yes, that ancestor's weapon-forging skills were superb, and his methods were unique, making him extremely famous for a time."

Speaking of this ancestor, Yan Heng regained some confidence, but quickly became dejected again.

"But later generations were not virtuous, and no one could reach the level of weapon crafting of their ancestor."

"Later, the elders of the clan believed that our branch was going down the wrong path of weapon crafting and wanted us to give up."

“I was frustrated everywhere and ostracized every day. When I came to my father’s place, I left the Yan family.”

The old man sighed deeply as he spoke of these things.

However, Song Yan was more interested in what he called the "fork in the road".

"A wrong path? What makes you say that?"

Upon hearing Song Yan's inquiry, Yan Heng let out a long sigh.

"Ugh."

He continued, "Everyone knows that the patriarch's weapon-forging skills are extraordinary, but they don't know that his vision is something that ordinary cultivators can hardly imagine."

"As a weapon refiner, my ancestor wanted to refine a magic weapon his whole life, even if it was the lowest level magic weapon."

"It can be used to refine magical artifacts, but requires the cultivation level of the Golden Core Realm."

"Although our ancestor was also at the Foundation Establishment stage, he knew that he lacked talent and resources, and had no hope of reaching the Golden Core stage in this lifetime."

"so……"

Yan Heng paused for a moment, as if it took some courage to bring this up.

"Therefore, our ancestor devoted his entire life to finding an extraordinary path for weapon crafting."

"This will allow even cultivators who haven't reached the Golden Core stage to forge magical treasures!"

Xiao Ju stood behind Song Yan. Upon hearing this, she raised her head, her eyes which had been lowered.

It’s simply a fantasy!

Upon hearing this, Song Yan was also taken aback.

No wonder the Yan clan said this was a wrong path, and anyone would have gotten the same result.

Anyone with a modicum of sense, using their brain, can point out the problem.

Leaving aside the feasibility of this idea, the most crucial point is that even if it succeeds, it won't be of much significance.

The power of magic weapons is incomparable to that of magical artifacts and spiritual weapons; only cultivators at the Golden Core stage can wield them.

Many of these materials can only be gathered by cultivators at the Golden Core stage.

Even if such a path truly exists, and a magical artifact is crafted, it can only be used once the cultivator reaches the Golden Core realm.

However, once one reaches the Golden Core realm, one will be able to refine magical treasures.

Forces without Golden Core cultivators in command, even with sufficient spirit stones, would not spend large sums to purchase magical treasures.

The principle that possessing a treasure is a crime is openly acknowledged in the cultivation world.

From this perspective, it seems that Yan Bo's research, aside from fulfilling his own vision, was indeed a wrong path.

(End of this chapter)