A Mortal's Journey to Immortality: Starting as a Sword-Forging Servant and Ascending to Immorta

Qin Zhaoyun paused for a moment before finishing the rest of his sentence.

"A great opportunity is indeed about to unfold in the Northern Region."

Old Qin slowly withdrew his hand, which had been suspended in mid-air, and didn't even bother to add more wine.

"Where did the information come from?"

"No definite source."

Qin Zhaoyun picked up the wine bowl and ran his fingertips along the rough rim of the bowl.

"As early as half a month ago, some people in the inner sect had already received word of it. Some said it was false, while others had already quietly set off. The sect has been suppressing the news and forbidding disciples from discussing it in private."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Lingxuan glanced at the courtyard gate.

The courtyard gate was tightly closed, and there was no sound of footsteps outside.

Qin Zhaoyun continued speaking.

"At first, I also thought that someone was deliberately stirring up trouble in the Northern Region. But after the Lei family appeared in the abandoned hall, it became clear that this was not a lie."

Old Qin frowned.

"Was the downfall of the Lei family related to that fortuitous opportunity?"

"Mostly related."

"The Lei family has been operating in the Northern Region for many years, and there are many experts in the clan. Even if they encounter a powerful enemy, they shouldn't be unable to send out a message."

Qin Zhaoyun looked up at him.

"That's why this opportunity was worth the trip."

Old Qin was stunned for a moment, then slammed his hand on the stone table.

The wine bowl bounced, spilling a lot of wine.

"Young master, you've only just recovered!"

"I've recovered."

"You call it recovery just because your meridians were reconnected? Your sword heart has only been rebuilt for a few days? Even the Lei family is gone from the Northern Region now. Who can you possibly compete with if you go there?"

Qin Zhaoyun didn't reply, but simply raised two fingers and tapped them lightly on the stone table.

The desktop didn't crack, and it didn't make much noise.

But the wine in the bowl that Zhou Lingxuan had placed on the table suddenly split in the middle, with each side occupying half, clearly separated.

Two breaths later, the liquid began to recombine.

Old Qin opened his mouth, but all the words he had prepared stuck in his throat.

Zhou Lingxuan also glanced at the bowl of wine.

This move looks effortless, but the difficulty lies entirely in its control.

The sword intent enters the wine bowl, but it must separate the wine without damaging the rough porcelain bowl; the slightest deviation would cut through the table.

Qin Zhaoyun's abilities have far surpassed those before he reshaped his sword heart.

"Do you believe me now?" Qin Zhaoyun withdrew her hand.

Old Qin remained silent for a long time.

"Belief is one thing, but going to the Northern Regions is another."

"Cultivators fight for their lives; when have they ever waited until everything was perfectly prepared before setting out?"

"But you..."

"Uncle Qin".

Qin Zhaoyun only uttered two words.

Old Qin slumped back onto the stone bench. He grabbed the wine bowl, took a gulp, and then slammed it down again.

"When are you leaving?"

"These past two days."

"Then this old servant will pack his things."

Qin Zhaoyun looked at him and said, "You stay."

Old Qin suddenly looked up.

"Would you like to repeat that?"

"The northern region is too dangerous. If you stay in the abandoned hall, you can take care of Brother Zhou for me."

"fart!"

Upon uttering those two words, Old Qin himself froze for a moment.

He had followed Qin Zhaoyun for many years and had never scolded his young master to his face.

But since the words were already out of his mouth, he simply turned his face to the side.

"When you were a child, you broke your leg while practicing swordsmanship, and this old servant carried you back. When you came in second on the sword ranking list, this old servant stood guard below the stage. Later, when you lost and came to this abandoned hall to suffer, this old servant followed you here."

"Now you're going to risk your life in the Northern Region, but you want me to stay here?"

Old Qin rolled up his sleeves, revealing his withered wrists.

"What, do you think this old servant is no longer useful?"

"That's not what I meant."

"Then let's not mention it."

"Going there might kill you."

Old Qin took the wine jar and poured himself a full bowl.

"At this age, who still uses death to scare people?"

He tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp, choking and coughing several times as he bent over, but still managed to raise his hand and wave.

"Wherever you go, young master, this old servant will follow. If you think I'm in your way, I'll follow you from ten miles away. If you keep chasing me, I'll keep from twenty miles away. Anyway, I have legs, it's none of your business."

Qin Zhaoyun remained silent for a moment, then reached out and took the empty bowl in front of Old Qin, refilling it.

"Then let's go together."

Old Qin picked up the bowl, and the veins on the back of his hand relaxed.

Zhou Lingxuan sat to the side, offering no advice.

Over the course of a century, he has witnessed too many people risking their lives for a few spirit stones, and he has also seen Qi Refining cultivators turn against each other for a single pill.

Once an opportunity arises that could destroy a top-tier sword-cultivation family, forces from all sides will inevitably flock to it. No one can calculate how many people will die.

Qin Zhaoyun had just climbed out of a slump and was about to enter the game. It sounded risky, but it was quite normal in the world of cultivation.

Stopping is often harder to endure than taking risks.

Zhou Lingxuan picked up his wine bowl and raised it towards Qin Zhaoyun.

"I can't offer much help, but I can offer you this drink to wish you a great success on your trip."

Qin Zhaoyun also picked up her bowl.

"This statement is more agreeable than telling me not to listen."

Old Qin quickly followed suit and raised his bowl.

"Then let's reclaim that fortune from the Northern Region! And take back the title of number one on the Sword Ranking we lost back then!"

Three rough porcelain bowls collided together.

The wine splashed onto the stone table, releasing a strong aroma.

Zhou Lingxuan drank very slowly. The spiritual energy contained in Drunken Dragon's Roar was so abundant that with each sip, the true energy in his dantian would become more active. While drinking, he secretly regulated his breathing, guiding the dispersed spiritual energy into his meridians one by one.

Qin Zhaoyun saw it but didn't expose it; she simply pushed the wine jar towards Zhou Lingxuan.

"Drink more. This wine is just sitting there anyway."

"Take it to the Northern Region to drink; it might come in handy."

"It's in the way."

Old Qin felt a pang of heartache upon hearing this.

"Young master, this is Drunken Dragon's Roar. If you find it cumbersome, this old servant can carry it on his back."

Qin Zhaoyun glanced at him indifferently.

"You just said you were fine."

Old Qin paused for a moment, then reached out and hugged the remaining unopened jar of wine.

"The person is fine, and the alcohol is even less of a problem. Let's split the bill."

Zhou Lingxuan couldn't help but chuckle twice.

The sense of parting that had been weighing heavily on the courtyard was somewhat diluted by these words.

The three continued drinking.

Old Qin recounted the first time Qin Zhaoyun drank alcohol in his youth. After finishing, he sat on the rooftop all night, clutching his sword, and stubbornly refused to admit it the next day. Qin Zhaoyun listened for a while, then raised his hand to seal the wine jar in front of Old Qin, lest he bring up the past again.

Zhou Lingxuan mostly listened, occasionally chiming in with a few words.

After several rounds of drinks, the first jar of Drunken Dragon's Roar was empty.

Moonlight fell on the stone table, making the wine bowls and jars gleam. Qin Zhaoyun, who had been relaxed just moments before, put down his bowl and began to scrutinize Zhou Lingxuan intently.

"What will you do after we leave?"

Zhou Lingxuan picked up a peanut and put it in his mouth.

"We'll continue forging iron as usual, and burning waste materials as usual."

"You should know that's not what I'm asking."

"What else could it be?"

Old Qin was no longer drunk and lowered his voice.

"Both ambushes were aimed at you. The first one was of unknown origin, and the second one was even more connected to the Northern Region. If we stay in the ruined hall, those people will still have some reservations. Once we leave, they may not be willing to continue waiting."

Zhou Lingxuan swallowed the peanut.

"I can't just hide in your house every day just because someone is eyeing me."

"Brother, this isn't the time to be reckless," Old Qin frowned. "Why don't you come with us?"

"What's the point of you going out to seize opportunities if you bring along an old handyman?"

"You're not your average old handyman."

"It's calculated by other people."

Old Qin opened his mouth, but couldn't find the words to shut him up.

Qin Zhaoyun pondered for a moment, then suddenly reached into his robes.

He took out a sword-shaped jade pendant and placed it flat in his palm.

The jade pendant was only two fingers long, entirely grayish-white, and without any patterns on its surface. But the moment it appeared, the small purple jade hammer in Zhou Lingxuan's sea of ​​consciousness suddenly trembled.

The three wine bowls on the table made a soft sound at the same time.

Old Qin stared at the jade pendant, his expression immediately changing.

"Young master, this thing..."

"For Brother Zhou."

Qin Zhaoyun pushed the jade pendant in front of Zhou Lingxuan.

Zhou Lingxuan did not go to get it immediately.

"What's inside?"

"Three sword intents."

"What you left behind after you rebuilt Kenshin?"

"good."

Qin Zhaoyun pointed to the top of the jade pendant.

"Just crush it, and three sword intents will be unleashed in sequence. The power is not as great as when I personally wield the sword, but it should be enough to kill a few Foundation Establishment cultivators."

Zhou Lingxuan stopped holding the peanuts.

Old Qin added from the side.

"If the young master says it's enough, then it will only be more, not less. An ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator wouldn't even have a chance to escape if they encountered the first sword strike."

Zhou Lingxuan looked down at the jade pendant.

Three sword intents capable of severing a Foundation Establishment stage cultivator.

This gift far exceeds the value of a few jars of spirit wine. Qin Zhaoyun has just recovered his cultivation and is about to head to the Northern Region; keeping this item with him will give him three more chances to survive.

"You need it more." Zhou Lingxuan pushed the jade pendant back.

Qin Zhaoyun raised a finger and pushed the jade pendant back.

"If I were reduced to relying on my sealed sword intent to save my life, going to the Northern Region would just be giving people free stuff."

"That's too expensive."

"You saved my swordsmanship."

Qin Zhaoyun picked up the wine bowl and drank the last drop.

"If we keep passing the buck, we'll just be wasting our time drinking this wine."

Old Qin was also urging them on from the side.

"Take it. If you really feel indebted, we'll forge you a fine sword when we return from the Northern Region."

Zhou Lingxuan pondered for a moment, then reached out and picked up the jade pendant.

It feels slightly cool to the touch.

Three extremely sharp points were concealed within the jade, separated from each other, with not a trace of them leaking out.

The purple jade hammer in his sea of ​​consciousness vibrated gently once more, clearly showing great interest in the sword intent within it.

Zhou Lingxuan immediately pressed down on the little hammer to prevent it from swallowing its life-saving trump card on the spot.

"Okay, I'll accept it."

Qin Zhaoyun raised her hand and patted his shoulder.

"That's more satisfying."

Old Qin clutched the remaining jar of Drunken Dragon's Roar to his chest, refusing to open it again. The three sat for a while longer before Zhou Lingxuan rose to take his leave.

Old Qin saw him off at the gate, still giving him instructions.

"Keep the jade pendant close to your body, don't throw it in a storage bag. If something really happens, crush it and run away, don't stay behind to watch the show."

"I've got it."

"Also, don't get too close to that new boy from the abandoned hall. The Lei family's affairs are too big; anyone who gets involved will be in trouble."

Zhou Lingxuan responded and turned to walk along the path back to his residence.

The night is already deep.

He returned to the front of the cabin and had just raised his hand to push the door open when a sharp, piercing sound suddenly came from the next room.