Transmigrating to the Qi Cultivation Path, I became an outdated Foundation Establishment cultivator.

Chapter 114 The Struggle

Four years later, in the outer hall for transmitting the Dharma.

Today is the third-monthly time for the outer sect to inquire about the Dao and impart the Dharma. According to the sect's rules, the outer sect elders must take turns to preach the scriptures and explain the Dharma to the outer sect disciples, or impart one or two immortal arts.

Therefore, the usually quiet Dharma Transmission Hall was filled with hundreds of outer disciples early in the morning.

Some people sat upright on prayer cushions, concentrating their minds and calming their spirits;

Some people, however, were engrossed in reading the classics, their hands never leaving the book.

Some people were whispering and talking.

"Oh, did you say you were coming to the council of elders today?"

In the corner, a young disciple with a pointed face and thin cheeks nudged his fellow disciple with his elbow and asked in a low voice.

"Come? What are you coming for?" The man sneered. "You joined the sect late and don't know Elder Xiang's temperament."

"In my five years as an outer disciple, I've only seen Elder Xiang once, from afar, at Master Shuiyue's Core Formation Ceremony."

Another person nearby chimed in, counting on their fingers: "I've never seen it even once."

I entered the sect two years ago, and I never missed a single day of the Daoist teachings transmission. I kept a record of it in private. Elder Qi came four times, and I also asked Senior Sister Wei Lan from the Canxia lineage to substitute for me twice.

The rest should have been given to Elder Xiang, but he either asked for leave or had his attendants give vague and perfunctory speeches, which was really..."

Before the words were finished, the light and shadow at the palace gate dimmed.

A graceful young woman dressed in a light blue robe walked in, carrying a foot-long bamboo tube.

It was Fang Mengling.

Four years have passed, and the shy little girl has grown into a beautiful young woman. However, even though it wasn't her first time teaching, she still blushed slightly when facing the gazes of all the disciples in the hall.

"See? They're just sending that Fang family girl to fob us off again."

A collective sigh of undisguised disappointment immediately filled the hall.

Some people put away the paper and pens they were preparing to take notes, while others simply leaned against the wall and closed their eyes, pretending to doze off.

Upon seeing this, Fang Mengling bit her lower lip and said nervously, "Elder Xiang... the elder is currently nurturing the spiritual energy of a batch of swords and cannot spare the time today..."

Before she could finish speaking, a disciple interjected sarcastically, "We know, we know. Elder Xiang is always busy, the busiest person in our Moon Glow Sect. Even the two True Immortals are not as busy as him. How dare we, mere Qi Refining disciples, trouble Elder Xiang to come here?"

"snort!

They're treating us like fools!

That's right!

He was merely a rogue cultivator from the outer realms, yet he was favored by True Person Shuiyue and entrusted with the important responsibility of an elder. Instead, he lacked ambition, neglected his duties, and treated us as nothing. This is utterly outrageous!

A few words from the direct descendants of a powerful vassal family, of noble status, were enough to set them in motion, and they were instantly reduced to ashes as sparks falling into a vat of boiling oil.

The already restless atmosphere inside the hall was instantly ignited.

A young man dressed in brocade robes suddenly stood up. The gold-inlaid jade clan emblem token hanging at his waist jingled as he moved. He was Wu Qingming, a direct descendant of the Wu family, one of the eight vassal families of the Moon Glow Sect.

His face flushed red, and he angrily said, "Elder Xiang has been a member of the sect for four years, yet he not only fails to impart his skills and resolve doubts, but he also makes excuses and repeatedly asks for leave when it comes to the most basic lectures and explanations of the Dharma."

Such disrespect and negligence—does he even remember that he is an outer sect elder of my Moonlit Glow Sect?

"Brother Qingming is right!" A disciple dressed in equally fine clothes suddenly stood up and echoed loudly, "The sect has always provided generous resources for the outer sect elders, but those resources are all contributed by each of us!"

He's all talk and no action, only taking from us and never giving back. What does he take us for?

"Xiang Yue only managed to gain the favor of Master Shuiyue by chance, and was given the empty title of elder. He really thinks he's some kind of expert!"

"To be honest, he's just a rogue cultivator from out of town; what real skills could he possibly have? Today, let's all go to Lake Spirit Abode and ask him face-to-face whether he's even worthy of being an outer sect elder!"

The disciples from the high-ranking sects got more and more excited as they talked, and in the end, they seemed to be looking for Elder Xiang to settle accounts with.

Some hotheads got carried away and expressed their desire to join in the fun.

But several mature and prudent disciples secretly shook their heads, thinking to themselves:

These scions of high-ranking families are truly ignorant of their own limitations. How dare you provoke Elder Jia Dan?

Unfortunately, these disciples from prestigious families didn't care about any of that.

"Yes! Let's go together!"

"We need to get an explanation from Xiang Yue!"

With a whoosh, a dozen or so young disciples, like a flood bursting its banks, surrounded Wu Qingming and rushed out of the Dharma Transmission Hall with great momentum.

Fang Mengling was so anxious that tears welled up in her eyes, but she didn't know what to do.

She has only just entered the fourth level of Qi Refining and has no ability to stop these people.

To be honest, it's really bizarre that a Qi Refining cultivator would seek an explanation from a fake Core Formation cultivator.

But the cultivation world of my Great Qizhou has its own customs. Haven't you seen that Lin, the late-stage Golden Core cultivator of the Eight Scenery Sect, who has made outstanding contributions, being cursed like a stinking dog by the disciples of aristocratic families every day?

He Sheng's four years of passive resistance and shirking of work only managed to offend the direct descendants of these vassal clans, which is nothing compared to this.

Soon, Wu Qingming and his group traversed the central sandbar of the lake and quickly approached the lush green bamboo forest.

Just as the group was about to enter the bamboo forest, a streak of light came from the direction of Shuiyue Qingbo Island, like a startled swan falling from the moon. In an instant, it landed in front of the group of aggressive disciples and blocked their way.

The light faded, revealing a tall, slender woman.

She wore a moon-white sword robe, covered with a layer of ice-silk gauze, and her black hair was tied up in a high bun, with a translucent jade hairpin inserted diagonally.

Her face was oval, with eyebrows like distant mountains, eyes like cold pools, and thin lips tightly pressed together. She exuded a chilling aura that kept people at a distance.

This woman is none other than Lin Yuejing, a true disciple of the Shuiyue lineage.

She stood with her hands behind her back about ten feet away from the crowd, her gaze sweeping across them like frost scraping across their faces in the dead of winter. Her voice was cold and clear as she asked, "What are you all doing here?!"

This clear shout contained the unique spiritual pressure of a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator.

The young disciples, who had just been so passionate and eager to rush into Lake Spirit Residence and drag Elder Xiang out, were instantly silenced, as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over their heads.

Wu Qingming's fearless spirit had largely dissipated. He subconsciously took a half step back, his throat bobbing, but he couldn't utter a single word.

They dared to come to He Sheng in groups to demand an explanation simply because He Sheng was an outsider with no roots.

But Lin Yuejing is different.

She was born into the Lin family. Although the Lin family ranked last among the eight major vassal families, it was still a legitimate and established founding family.

She herself is a true disciple of the Shuiyue lineage.

More importantly, this woman stole the show at the Moon Glow Sect Grand Competition half a year ago. With her early Foundation Establishment cultivation, she fought her way into the top four, only to be defeated by Fang Chaonian of the Canxia lineage due to insufficient magical power.

It should be noted that Fang Chaonian was at the late Foundation Establishment stage. Back when Ying Ruyue had not yet formed her Core, the sect referred to the two of them as the "Twin Prides of Moon and Clouds."

In short, Fang Chaonian was only slightly inferior to Ying Ruyue back then.

Lin Yuejing, with her early Foundation Establishment cultivation, narrowly lost to Fang Chaonian, which was still an extremely glorious thing no matter what.

It is precisely for this reason that this woman is now highly regarded by everyone in the sect, and her every word and action carries extraordinary weight.

The scene fell into a deathly silence, broken only by the rustling of the wind through the bamboo leaves.

In the end, it was a young disciple with a sallow complexion behind Wu Qingming who, upon seeing Lin Yuejing's cold and beautiful face and recalling her heroic figure in defeating several enemies in the competition, felt a mixture of admiration and awe in his heart and stammered out his intentions.

"Jing... Fairy Jingyue... We... We're just a little confused because Elder Xiang hasn't shown up for so long..."

Lin Yuejing listened quietly, her eyes, as cold as a deep pool, flickered slightly, and her voice, sharp as a sword, coldly rebuked: "You have only been in the initial stage for a few years, and your cultivation is not even at the late stage of Qi Refining. Instead of keeping to your duties and diligently cultivating, you gather here to make a ruckus and attempt to disrupt the cave of the fake Core Elder. It is truly absurd."

"Get out of here at once!"

This barrage of angry words was utterly merciless.

However, to everyone's surprise, the disciples who had been scolded so harshly did not become angry or ashamed; instead, some of them even showed expressions of delight.

Especially the sallow-faced disciple who spoke first, after being glared at by Lin Yuejing's cold eyes, felt as if his bones had lightened a few ounces, and repeatedly said, "Yes, yes, Fairy Jingyue is right to reprimand us, we are foolish, we know our mistakes..."

Lin Yuejing was too lazy to waste any more words with this group of people, and waved her hand impatiently, as if shooing away annoying mosquitoes.

Wu Qingming and the others scattered like birds and beasts. Some even looked back several times before leaving, feeling that they had something to brag about if they could get a scolding from Fairy Jingyue.

After the group of clueless disciples had gone far away, a hint of helplessness appeared on Lin Yuejing's cold and beautiful face. She then turned and walked into the Lake Spirit Residence.

However, the spirit fields surrounding the Lake Spirit Residence were no longer barren; they were now densely planted with a uniquely shaped sword-leaf grass.

It was grown from the sword-leaf grass seeds that He Sheng obtained from the old man Tianfu.

It takes twelve years for this thing to grow to full maturity. Initially, it is only a low-grade first-level item, but it can continuously grow and improve over time.

After reaching the twelfth cycle, it becomes a superior spiritual material of the second rank, an excellent choice for making talismans and even auxiliary materials for certain special magical artifacts.

In this field of sword-leaf grass, several plants have grown exceptionally tall, their leaves turning from green to silver, clearly due to the abundant spiritual energy.

With proper care, it showed signs of having grown a full ring of hair ahead of schedule.

This was thanks to Liu Jinnian.

He Sheng initially planted the sword-leaf grass simply because he didn't want the spirit field to be empty. Since it was easy to grow, he entrusted it to the boy Liu Jinnian to take care of.

Unexpectedly, this young man cultivates earth-based techniques, and the Liu family has a secret lineage of spiritual plant cultivation, which is why he has been able to cultivate the sword-leaf grass so well.

Lin Yuejing's gaze passed over the medicinal herb field and landed on a sturdy figure.

It was a young man with thick eyebrows and big eyes, dark skin, and a sturdy build. He was sitting cross-legged on the edge of the field, his palms facing upwards, and there was a faint earthy yellow spiritual energy surging around him. This young man was Liu Jinnian.

Four years have passed. The boy with the innocent eyes has now grown into a burly and handsome young man. His cultivation level is much higher than that of Fang Mengling, who was also a child, and he has already advanced to the sixth level of Qi Refining.

This wasn't due to a difference in their aptitudes. To put it bluntly, it was because Fang Mengling had been entrusted with an important task by He Sheng and had become Elder Xiang's trusted little helper in weapon refining, leaving her with little time for breathing exercises and qi cultivation.

Lin Yuejing did not disturb his cultivation. She simply touched the ground with her toes, like a silent ray of moonlight, and quietly crossed the medicine field, heading straight to the back hall of the Lake Spirit Residence.

Just as she was about to request an audience via telepathy, a melodious, yet extremely familiar voice rang out from inside the hall.

Lin Yuejing frowned slightly, subconsciously focusing her attention as she listened intently.

The voice was none other than her fourth junior sister, Zhen Yue Rui, who had just established her foundation not long ago!

All that could be heard was Zhen Yue Rui's unique voice, which was both spoiled and self-righteous, coming from inside the hall: "Elder Xiang, my good elder, please grant my request."

"This humble woman is willing to pay a hefty sum for the Water Moon Thousand Light Sword!"

Water Moon Thousand Light Sword!

Upon hearing these five words, Lin Yuejing's expression immediately changed.

The reason is that the Water Moon Thousand Light Sword was the very weapon she relied on to shine in the sect competition!

It turns out that the Water Moon Thousand Light Sword was a set of Dao artifacts that Lin Yuejing asked He Sheng to forge using three Thousand Water Condensing Moon Swords according to the forging method of the Water Moon Heart Sword.

You should know that she spent ten great merits to obtain this sword, and even gave up her previous Thousand Waters Moon Sword. She also waited for three whole years before finally getting her hands on it.

She hadn't told anyone about the Water Moon Thousand Light Sword, thinking that she could keep such a secret to herself for at least a few more years.

She had even planned that, taking advantage of the fact that she was favored by the sect and that the clan was willing to invest further, she would have He Sheng spend a few more years refining several more Water Moon Thousand Light Swords to see if she could use the Water Moon Thousand Light Swords to refine them together and take the artifact to the next level.

Unexpectedly, just a few months later, Zhen Yue Rui somehow got wind of the news and quietly came to Hu Ling Ju to purchase the Shui Yue Qian Guang Sword.

How can this be allowed?!

Lin Yuejing disregarded all etiquette and forcefully pushed open the cave door with a single palm strike.

Inside the rear hall, He Sheng sat upright like a stone, while beside him stood a petite woman in a pale yellow dress, her hands resting on a stone table, leaning forward as if she were about to lean close to He Sheng's face and act coquettishly.

This woman had a round face and a pair of almond-shaped eyes that were watery, giving her a pitiful appearance. She was none other than Zhen Yue Rui.

Lin Yuejing took a deep breath, suppressing the shock and anger surging in her heart, and stepped inside.

She knew very well that her fourth junior sister looked cute and innocent, and spoke in a soft, sweet voice, making it difficult for anyone to be wary of her.

But deep down, he's more shrewd than anyone else.

Lin Yuejing composed herself and, without beating around the bush, asked directly, "Fourth Junior Sister, what brings you to Brother Xiang's residence?"

Zhen Yue Rui turned her head at the sound, and a sweet smile immediately spread across her pretty round face. Her voice was so soft and sweet it sounded like it could drip honey: "Oh my, is it Third Senior Sister?"

As they spoke, Zhen Yue Rui stepped forward and grabbed Lin Yue Jing's arm, saying, "Third Senior Sister, you kept this a secret so well! You knew Elder Xiang could refine such a superior [True Water] Dao artifact, yet you didn't even tell your junior sister. It's a shame that your junior sister treats you like her own sister."

Zhen Yue Rui looked resentful, then added, "Junior sister, I've only recently established my foundation. Brother Fang saw that I didn't have a suitable Dao artifact yet, so he directed me to seek out Elder Xiang."

As she spoke, she winked playfully at Lin Yuejing, seemingly charming and cute, but actually a direct provocation.

Lin Yuejing understood perfectly well, and was extremely angry, but she had to suppress it on her face, only cursing Fang Chaonian in her heart.

What a petty and narrow-minded man! He was once on par with his master, how could he be so petty and narrow-minded?

After cursing in her heart, Lin Yuejing calmed down a bit and looked at Zhen Yuerui beside her, saying, "Fourth Junior Sister, do you know that this Water Moon Thousand Light Sword was made from several Thousand Water Condensed Moon Swords? Even with Brother Xiang's weapon-forging skills, there is a high probability that he will fail to forge it."

The Water Moon Thousand Light Sword in my hand took five or six years to forge, including the time when Brother Xiang was still in Yuanxia Immortal City.

For this, your senior sister also made more than a dozen great contributions.

Now you understand how precious the Water Moon Thousand Lights Sword is; it's not something you can just forge at will.

Zhen Yue Rui arrived in a hurry and was unaware that the Water Moon Thousand Light Sword was so valuable. She glanced at Lin Yue Jing with some suspicion, and then looked at He Sheng.

He Sheng nodded calmly. Since the dignified Fairy Jingyue was helping him raise the price, he naturally wouldn't undermine her.

Just like he wouldn't tell Lin Yuejing that his success rate in forging the Water Moon Thousand Light Sword was 100%, not 50%.

Things are valued for their rarity; being too honest means you'll be a beast of burden your whole life.

A thought flashed through He Sheng's mind.

Upon seeing his response, Zhen Yue Rui smiled and changed the subject, saying, "Since this Water Moon Thousand Light Sword is so valuable, it shows how precious it is. I absolutely must have it."

"I am, after all, the eldest daughter of the Zhen family's main branch, and I am the only one in my generation to have entered the inner sect. If Elder Xiang is willing to help me forge a Water Moon Thousand Light Sword, my Zhen family will certainly not mistreat him."

Zhen Yuerui invoked her family's reputation, attempting to deceive He Sheng first.

Unfortunately, Mr. He never acts without seeing the benefits; he simply picked up the tea on the table and turned his gaze to the side.

Seeing this, Lin Yuejing chimed in, "Fourth Junior Sister, why don't you take a look at what's written there?"

Lin Yuejing pointed to where He Sheng was looking, and Zhen Yuerui looked in the direction he pointed. She saw several vertical plaques hanging on the wall, with the following inscription:

Small business, no credit available.

Pre-order the ritual implements, pay half upfront.

Seeing that Zhen Yurui's smile could no longer be maintained, Lin Yuejing chuckled inwardly, "Little brat, you think I can't handle you?"

But soon, something Lin Yuejing hadn't expected happened. Zhen Yuerui gritted her teeth, looking determined, and said, "Elder Xiang, I heard you previously made a large-scale purchase of agarwood?"

He Sheng nodded upon hearing this. He had indeed spoken to Fang Yuelin about this matter before, but unfortunately, he hadn't managed to get much, only about eight or nine hundred drops.

This was also thanks to Fang Mengling, who gave He Sheng a lot of free time, allowing him to refine the sinking water and condense the One Yuan Heavy Water.

It should be noted that One Yuan Heavy Water is a third-grade superior spiritual water. It cannot be condensed without high-grade spiritual springs and profound weapon-refining skills.

Seeing He Sheng nod, Zhen Yue Rui offered a price that He Sheng could not refuse: "Elder Xiang, I am willing to exchange 10,000 drops of sinking water plus 15 great merits for a Water Moon Thousand Light Sword."

Can it be delivered within three years?

A drop of this substance is worth thirty spirit stones on the market. Ten thousand drops would be worth three hundred thousand spirit stones. Add to that fifteen merit points, and its value is equivalent to a Core Formation spirit item.

How could He Sheng refuse?

Suppressing the urge to immediately agree, He Sheng hesitated for a moment, preparing to ask Zhen Yue Rui how much the deposit was planned to be.

But before he could speak, Lin Yuejing, who was standing to the side, became anxious.

She had a lot of contact with He Sheng over the years, and they even went north together back then, spending a considerable amount of time together. She could tell at a glance that He Sheng was interested in her.

No! Absolutely not!

She was still planning her grand scheme of forging the Water Moon Thousand Light Sword. If Zhen Yue Rui beat her to it, how would He Sheng have time to forge it for her?

She had only inflated the price of the Water Moon Thousand Light Sword to scare Zhen Yue Rui away, but she never expected Zhen Yue Rui to be so outrageous and ask for such an exorbitant price.

If you want to go up the price, according to my plan, you'll need at least two more Water Moon Thousand Light Swords, which would amount to thirty great merits, plus six hundred thousand magic coins.

Even if the clan were willing to increase its investment in me, I'm afraid it would be difficult to come up with so many resources.

Lin Yuejing bit her lip. She knew that her family, Lin, was not as wealthy as the Zhen family, and she had heard that Zhen Yuerui's maternal grandparents would occasionally provide some financial assistance.

We can't give up like this!

Lin Yuejing had originally planned to shine again at the Tianyue Lake Four Sects Martial Arts Tournament five years later. She was confident that she would reach the mid-Foundation Establishment stage by then. However, each family in Tianyue Lake had outstanding disciples, making the competition extremely fierce. Her mid-Foundation Establishment cultivation was not considered outstanding at all.

Only by obtaining a more advanced [True Water] artifact can one unleash greater power and have a chance to make it to the top of the Four Gates Martial Arts Tournament!

Lin Yuejing's gaze sharpened. Just then, Zhen Yuerui turned her head and gave her a provocative glance, which undoubtedly made Lin Yuejing even more determined.

Lin Yuejing's cold and beautiful face seemed to melt away instantly as if a spring breeze had swept over it. The aloofness and majesty she had shown when facing Wu Qingming and other outer disciples had vanished without a trace.

She walked gracefully to the stone bank, took out a flask of spirit wine, and then, her pretty face flushed, half-squatted down, saying with a hint of flattery, "Brother Xiang, this is the Thousand Moon Red wine that my clan bestowed upon me after I came in fourth place in the sect competition. It's a mid-grade third-tier spirit wine, said to have the effect of 'a thousand moons intoxicating the senses, a single thought making the world vast,' and may even trigger a sudden enlightenment."

This series of moves completely stunned Zhen Yue Rui, who never expected that her third senior sister, who was usually as cold and aloof as an iceberg, would do such a thing.

For the sake of a Dao artifact, they've lost all sense of shame?

Is it really necessary?!

Zhen Yue Rui really wanted to pull her third senior sister aside and ask her in detail.

Unfortunately, Lin Yuejing ignored her completely and continued to unleash her combo attacks.

But then the woman lowered her head slightly, picked up the wine cup with her slender hand, and almost fed it to He Sheng's lips, her breath as fragrant as orchids, and said, "Brother Xiang, please have a taste."

To be honest, Lin Yuejing's smooth combo really stunned He Sheng.

Looking at Lin Yuejing's stunningly beautiful face so close to his own, and seeing the earnestness and humility in her eyes, a wave of emotion stirred within him, and he sighed inwardly.

I still remember when we first met in Yuanxia Immortal City, how proud and arrogant this woman was, showing no respect even to Zhu Hong, a direct disciple of a Golden Core cultivator.

But now...

While He Sheng was still secretly sighing, Lin Yuejing saw that He Sheng neither said a word nor refused, and actually fed him the wine cup.

As a third-tier spirit wine, Qian Yue Hong was no joke. The rich spiritual energy mixed with the mellow aroma of the wine entered He Sheng's mouth and nose. He subconsciously took a breath, and the moment the wine entered his stomach, he actually felt a bit drunk and hazy.

Yet, amidst this haze, He Sheng felt an unprecedented clarity of mind.

He questioned himself: why did Lin Yuejing go from being arrogant and disdainful to pleading and even groveling in just a few years?

It was only by relying on her powerful divine sense and combining it with the great restrictions in the "Refining Yuan and Understanding Divine Artifacts" that she truly forged the Water Moon Thousand Light Sword, which made her shine brightly in the sect competition.

It was precisely because of this that this woman developed ambitions and became dependent on me, wanting to use my weapon-refining skills to advance further!

If I were to go further and fulfill her wish by forging an even stronger Dao artifact from multiple Water Moon Thousand Light Swords, would she then take the initiative to sit in my lap and feed me wine next time?

He Sheng's heart skipped a beat, and as his mind raced with thoughts, a sudden realization dawned on him:

My previous focus on refining weapons and maximizing production capacity was nothing more than the work of a beast of burden.

When dealing with high-quality clients like Xianmen Gaodi, we should delve deeper into research, continuously iterate and upgrade our products, raise technological barriers, and gradually improve product performance.

Even if I were to forge a new version of the [True Water] Dao artifact that is only half a percent stronger than the Water Moon Thousand Light Sword, I'm afraid Lin Yuejing would be willing to pay double, or even several times, the price to buy it.

This is the right way to harvest leeks... no, it's the right way to accumulate merit.

Having grasped the true meaning of Gaficai, He Sheng felt a vastness of the world in a single thought, and his mind was filled with brilliant inspiration, resulting in more than a dozen iteration schemes for the Water Moon Thousand Light Sword.

No one expected that He Sheng would have a true epiphany after drinking a cup of Thousand Moon Red wine!

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