A Scroll of Infinite Glory

Chapter 137 Elixir, Old Friend from the Glacier

In his own view, Lu Pingdong's words were truly well-intentioned and contained no malice whatsoever.

To others, however, it sounded threatening, as if he would deliberately sabotage the Famous Swords Tournament if they didn't let him go to the back mountain today.

Wu Weiyang's face darkened further. She chuckled and took two steps forward, her attitude firm: "Please, Mr. Lu, come with me to the main hall for a welcoming feast."

Although the Lu family showed signs of a resurgence, the efforts of the Sword Forging Manor were not in vain. For decades, in addition to making friends with heroes of the martial arts world at the Famous Swords Tournament, the disciples of the Sword Forging Manor would also help the officers of the Ironclad Hall to forge some exquisite swords and hidden weapons. They had certain connections in both the court and the government.

If Lu Er really dares to force his way in today, Wu Weiyang is also willing to mobilize people to stop him.

Seeing the atmosphere between the two sides growing increasingly tense, Jiang Jiusi shook his head in the crowd, finally stepped forward, and laughed loudly: "Second Uncle Lu, if there is really such important news, your painstaking efforts in coming here should not be wasted. Why not reveal a little bit to Brother Wu first, and then let him decide whether to invite Old Hero Wu out in advance?"

"Hmph, forget it, I shouldn't have bothered with you juniors."

When Lu Pingdong saw him come out to speak, his arrogance turned into a hint of seriousness. He then looked at Wu Weiyang, beckoned her with a nonchalant gesture, and said, "Come closer, I'll say a few words to you."

Wu Weiyang remained motionless and said blankly, "What's there to talk about in the wilderness? Why don't you come with me to the study, Mr. Lu?"

A surge of anger welled up in Lu Pingdong's heart, and he suddenly burst into laughter. The surrounding air vibrated with his laughter, and the sound echoed endlessly.

He ignored Wu Weiyang and instead called out to the back mountain, "Brother Wu, Lu Pingdong has come to visit, why are you hiding in the back mountain and refusing to come out to see me?"

Wu Weiyang's expression remained indifferent, seemingly unconcerned that his powerful telepathic message would alert Old Master Wu.

Everyone looked up and saw that on the road leading to the back mountain, the disciples guarding the mountain were drawing their swords.

Each of their swords has seven holes, and when drawn, they seem to be silent, yet a faint murmur of swords echoes around them.

Jiang Jiusi and the others were all experts, and they could clearly feel that the sound waves that Lu Pingdong carried with his internal force were weakened wave by wave after passing through the sword chants of these mountain-guarding disciples.

Before you can even get to the back of the mountain, the once awe-inspiring power that shook the mountains and fields has become silent and desolate, like a gentle breeze.

"The Wind-Stabilizing Sword!"

Jiang Jiusi praised and clapped his hands lightly. He was a first-class swordsman who became famous at a young age and a lover of swords. He knew the famous sword techniques, swordsmen and sword formations in the martial arts world like the back of his hand. "I heard that the Dingfeng Sword of the Sword Casting Manor became famous in the Hundred Thousand Mountains in the southwest back then."

"The healers of the Demonic Sect, relying on their knowledge of the terrain and wind direction, spread poisonous miasma to kill the army."

"Hero Wu volunteered for the mission. The disciples of the Sword Forging Manor each held a Wind-Stabilizing Sword and stood guard in front of the military tent. They used their internal energy to deflect the wind, causing the poisonous miasma to be cleared away in front of the army. This was a great achievement."

"I never imagined that the Wind-Stabilizing Sword Formation would also affect sound. It's truly mysterious."

An Feiyu's eyebrows twitched as he looked at Jiang Jiusi.

This young swordsman, who was gentle and polite and taciturn during the previous secret talks, almost made people forget that he was a rare first-class master. Now, he suddenly launched into such a long speech, probably to remind Lu Pingdong of the Sword Forging Manor's past achievements, so that Lu Er would be more wary.

This person doesn't seem to possess the arrogance that comes with being so young, having such a prestigious family background, and being known as the number one swordsman in the Eastern Capital. Instead, he always has a habitual consideration for others, making him a truly rare individual.

Although Lu Pingdong was absurd, he wasn't stupid. How could he not understand this meaning? He immediately said, "Those who are conquering the southwest are all elite soldiers. Each of them has internal martial arts skills that allow them to hold their breath for more than a quarter of an hour. They can rely on their strength to get through the poisonous miasma. At most, there will be some hidden dangers."

"As for whether this mere sword formation can withstand my telepathic communication technique, that's even less certain."

His confidence made everyone hesitate for a moment.

From the green hillside behind the mountain, a figure gradually appeared.

When the man first appeared, there was still a wisp of mist around him, but it quickly dissipated, revealing a gray-haired man with a thick, short beard, and a coarse cloth shirt like a blacksmith. His arms and chest were bare, and his aged bones had many scars, but he was still strong.

Wu Weiyang saw this person and hurriedly went over to greet him.

"Father, did Lu Er still disturb you?"

"His skills seem to have improved over the past few years, and his internal energy has become so subtle that you cannot completely cut it off."

Wu Pingqiang offered a casual explanation, then walked a short distance further. He first bowed to Jiang Jiusi and the others, then looked at Lu Pingdong, "Brother Lu, it's been a long time. It's rare for you to visit my Sword Forging Manor. Why don't you come in and have a seat?"

With him intervening, Lu Pingdong chuckled and left with him.

Not wanting to neglect the other guests, Wu Weiyang could only stay, apologize to the people who had been disturbed, and ask them to go back.

Wu Pingqiang led Lu Pingdong to the study, where dozens of people, including the young men of the manor and servants of the Lu family, stood guard outside.

After the maid served tea and left, Wu Pingqiang invited Lu to sit down. Still looking somewhat tired, he said, "Brother Lu, what urgent matter is it? You can tell me now, can't you?"

Lu Pingdong finally stopped keeping him in suspense: "I've heard that the Sword Forging Manor will be creating a divine weapon as the grand finale of this year's Famous Swords Tournament. My Lu family wants to exchange this divine weapon in advance, which is why I'm in a hurry to see the Manor Lord so that you have time to find another treasure as the grand finale, so as not to ruin the reputation of the Famous Swords Tournament."

Wu Pingqiang seemed unconcerned by his arrogant tone and slowly took a sip of tea.

Upon smelling the aroma, Lu Pingdong immediately recognized it as Zisun tea, which is praised as "Peony flowers smile and gold hairpins sway, announcing the arrival of Wuxing Zisun tea" and "Under the bamboo, speechless while sipping purple tea, it surpasses even the immortals who are intoxicated by the flowing clouds." He was also somewhat tempted and picked up his teacup to take a sip.

This is how to make Zisha Huguo Tea. Among the many tea soups available in the Tang Dynasty, this is one of the simplest. It doesn't require too many spices, cooking time, salt, or sugar. You only need to take two-thirds of tender wild vegetable leaves, add one-third of tea leaves, and carefully prepare it into a soup. The soup is oily green in color and has a light and elegant taste.

"Good tea."

Lu Pingdong felt a slightly sweet aftertaste on his tongue, and his mind was refreshed. The irritation and unpleasantness caused by the previous thwarting also disappeared.

Wu Pingqiang then said, "Since ancient times, precious swords have been given to heroes. After this divine weapon is forged, it should be displayed to heroes from all sides at the Famous Swords Tournament so that a master can be chosen for it."

"I have spent my life forging swords, and this divine weapon is probably the greatest masterpiece of my life's work. It is impossible to surpass it in the future. I only ask that whoever obtains this sword will not disgrace this weapon, but that we not make any hasty remarks about exchanging it."

Lu Pingdong laughed and said, "A fine sword is given to a hero, well said. But most of the grandmasters in the world today have their own divine weapons. Apart from the grandmasters, who can be called a hero more than my elder brother?"

In recent years, Lu Gu'an has long been known as the number one expert below the Grandmaster level, but unfortunately he has never truly crossed that final hurdle.

During the Southwest War, the imperial court lost two Grandmasters, Cui Lingfang and Su Xing. Once Lu Gu'an truly reaches the Grandmaster level, he will likely be able to secure the position of Prime Minister soon.

A divine weapon that has not been tainted by the artistic conception of other grandmasters could very well help Lu Gu'an break through the final barrier, so the Lu family will definitely show enough sincerity.

However, Wu Pingqiang did not think they could impress him. Lu Gu'an, whom he had never met, was already quite old. In Wu Pingqiang's mind, that person might not be as good as a promising young man like Jiang Jiusi.

Lu Pingdong uttered a few empty words, and seeing that he was unmoved, he took out a small box about an inch square and said, "Of course, to exchange for a divine weapon, there must be a treasure that can be compared with it. This Moon Essence Elixir is the sincerity of my Lu family."

Wu Pingqiang glanced at the box casually and laughed, "An elixir? The Sun and Moon Illumination Pill, which requires seventeen rare herbs and a master to refine at Lao Jun Mountain, can only add fifty years of pure Taoist power to a person's cultivation level, allowing them to leap from third-rate to first-rate without any hindrance. I dare not call it an elixir."

Lu Pingdong said confidently, "The Sun and Moon Illumination Pill is indeed a rare and precious treasure, but it may not have such effects."

As he spoke, he opened his left hand, and suddenly his right hand pecked at it, severing the last joint of his left little finger. The wound was bloody, revealing the bone, but no blood flowed out.

This sudden act of self-harm surprised Wu Pingqiang.

Lu Pingdong's face didn't change color at all. Seeing his surprised expression, he seemed quite proud. He picked up the small severed finger, put it back on the wound, rubbed it a couple of times, and when he took his right hand away, his left little finger was completely healed.

Wu Pingqiang's eyes widened: "This..."

Lu Pingdong raised his left hand, bent his little finger, and moved it nimbly as if he had never been injured.

In fact, the survival rate of a top-notch master is already extraordinary. With the circulation of internal energy, it is not difficult to temporarily reconnect a severed finger or even a severed arm.

However, the reattached limbs will definitely not be able to be used freely for a long time. The meridians will need to be gradually unblocked, and the internal energy will be significantly depleted during this process.

Lu Pingdong's fingers not only healed so quickly, but his internal energy remained full and unchanged, as if he had not lost any true energy at all.

Wu Pingqiang stared at the finger, composed himself, and asked, "Brother Lu, have you taken the Moon Essence Elixir?"

"Indeed. This formula is a closely guarded secret of my Lu family, extremely precious, but it is not as difficult to replicate as the Sun and Moon Illumination Pill."

Lu Pingdong's arrogance was palpable. "This elixir is wondrous. For a first-rate person, it takes three pills to achieve the miraculous ability of improved internal strength and instantaneous healing. But for a second-rate person, just one pill can produce similar miraculous effects. If one takes several more, it is said that it can even restore youth and grant immortality."

"In exchange for your manor's divine weapon, our Lu family is willing to offer five elixir pills."

If Wu Pingqiang is still not at ease with this quantity, he can have others take the pills first and observe the results.

In any case, Lu Pingdong was very confident that once Old Master Wu had taken the elixir, he would know its benefits. With this catalyst, not only would the divine weapon belong to the Lu family, but the entire Sword Forging Manor might even become a member of the Lu family.

Wu Pingqiang pondered for a moment and said, "I need to think about it."

"Alright, consider this elixir as a deposit."

Lu Pingdong pushed the small box forward and laughed, "Brother Wu, you should consider this as soon as possible, lest you find it too late to arrange a substitute for the Famous Swords Tournament."

He stepped out of the study, full of confidence.

Wu Pingqiang stared at the box.

A moment later, Wu Weiyang entered the study.

"What urgent matter does Lu Er have?"

After Wu Pingqiang briefly recounted the story, Wu Weiyang was also moved, asking with a hint of disbelief, "Does such a miraculous elixir truly exist in the world?"

"The Grandmaster realm, and even the Void Shattering realm, has many mysterious aspects. Countless masters throughout history have left behind countless classics for this world. The Lu family has always been known for its medical classics and martial arts, so it is not surprising that they can gain something from them."

Wu Pingqiang's eyes showed a look of reminiscence as he said, "When I was young, I was still a disciple of the Ice Glacier Sect. I heard many strange stories from our patriarch. Even without mentioning the distant ones, just take the Jade Snow Dragon Ring that our patriarch forged back then. It disrupted remote sensing over thousands of miles and confused the heavenly warnings. It was more than a divine weapon."

"Even now, I still cannot fathom the crafting principles contained within that Jade Snow Dragon Ring."

He sighed, "Alas, it's a pity that the Ice Sect was breached by the Demonic Cult back then, its disciples scattered, and its treasures vanished. When I led the entire manor in the Southwest War, all I sought was to find the Ice Sect's lost treasures, but we still came up empty-handed."

"If only I could see the Jade Snow Dragon Ring one more time."

"The Ice Age Faction?" Wu Weiyang suddenly remembered and said, "Father, actually a lot has happened recently..."

He recounted how Huo Luodao intended to kill Han Wengong, and how Chen Du and others went to his aid but were ambushed and killed on the way, leading to a great battle.

The Lushan Sect did not reveal any information about the Jade Snow Dragon Ring, but they did mention that Guan Luoyang and his group were disciples of the Snow Dragon.

Wu Pingqiang's expression changed several times upon hearing this, and he stood up: "Is that so? When the disciples of Mount Lu came to ask for help, why didn't you...?"

He stopped abruptly halfway through his sentence and slammed his hand on the desk.

The entire desk, along with the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone on it, instantly froze, then with a crack, shattered into icy white powder that drifted into the air.

"I told you not to disturb them. I didn't explain clearly, Brother Chen. Alas, thankfully General Han is unharmed."

Wu Pingqiang closed his eyes, paused for a moment, and then said, "You mean that person from the Fire Luo Path had already broken through to the Grandmaster level, but hadn't stabilized his power, and yet died at Guan Luoyang's hands?"

Wu Weiyang nodded and said, "Although it was a multi-person attack, Guan Luoyang was the main force. His martial arts skills have obviously surpassed those of ordinary first-class masters and are not far from becoming a grandmaster. What's even more remarkable is that he looks to be under thirty years old."

"However, this person seems to be a bit obsessed and not very interested in anything other than martial arts. For the past period of time, it has been Xue Longzi's eldest disciple, An Feiyu, who has been handling things."

Snow Dragon Prince...

It's been too long. Even though they were both disciples of the same master back then, Wu Pingqiang can't recall what his junior brother looked like decades ago.

I only vaguely remember that he had a lot of pride and independence. After the Ice Glacier Sect was destroyed, there was a period of time when his name seemed to be around in the martial arts world, but he never came to look for Wu Pingqiang, and then he disappeared without a trace.

"Junior Brother hadn't even fully mastered his skills back then, yet he was able to teach such a highly skilled disciple. It can't be explained solely by the disciple's talent, could it be...?"

Wu Pingqiang's mind raced, and he asked, "Where are Guan Luoyang and the others staying?"

(End of this chapter)