Three months ago Author: Xun Chun Xu Zhou
Chapter 16: Pride Leads to Forgetfulness, Karma Gives Birth (4k) As soon as the voice of the woman in palace attire fell, before the other three people on the high platform could react, fearing any further changes, Jin Guan did not hesitate any longer.
He knelt in the center of the great hall, repeatedly kowtowing.
"Disciple is willing to go! Disciple is willing to make amends for the mistake! Disciple understands the consequences!"
Seeing Jin Guan in this posture, and recalling his spirited departure from the sect gate last time, not only did the woman in palace attire furrow her brows slightly, even the impulsive young disciple seemed unable to bear it, sighing and shaking his head.
Looking at the unkempt Taoist, who had just comforted Jin Guan earlier, now remained silent.
The old Taoist turned to the middle-aged Taoist sitting beside him.
"Qinghe, as the peak master of our lineage, you have said all that needs to be said. It's time for you to give the final word."
Upon hearing this, Qinghe Taoist nodded, then raised his head towards Jin Guan, causing Jin Guan to involuntarily straighten his upper body, unable to bend down anymore.
In a moment of impatience, Jin Guan once again made a mistake in front of the senior cultivators on the high platform.
Respecting elders is a matter of course, nothing wrong with that.
But for a disciple of the Sword Sect, no matter what kind of sword technique or sword intent he cultivates, how could he turn himself into a kowtowing insect?
The Sword Severing Technique, a sword capable of severing the clouds in the sky!
Could it be that one day Jin Guan would have to rely on kowtowing to beg for the chance to sever the clouds?
If the previous incident was about not fighting back, then now, everyone was lamenting his misfortune.
One breath, two breaths, three breaths.
Amidst the silence, Jin Guan gradually came to his senses, a hint of regret appearing on his face.
Finally, Qinghe Taoist spoke up.
"What Senior Brother said is indeed wise. This child is deeply entangled in karma. Let him experience the world and temper himself. It is most appropriate. As for Qingxi Junior Sister, even as a master, there is no need to protect her like this. Whether it is retrieving spiritual objects or overcoming tribulations, it is a major matter for our entire sect!"
"Well..."
"In any case, this is a major matter. For the sake of caution, one more person should assist this child from the side."
"Qingquan Junior Brother, I remember, your closed-door disciple has also reached the stage of condensing the sword embryo, right?"
Facing the inquiry from Peak Master Qinghe, the young disciple's expression became more serious.
He nodded, then responded, "Senior Brother is asking about Xie Jiang, right? He is still lacking a bit in refining the Nine Refinements Yellow Bud Dan embryo, but he is about to grasp the threshold."
As the two spoke, the unkempt Taoist beside them closed his eyes again, as if falling back into a deep sleep, paying no attention to the matters at hand.
On the other hand, the woman in palace attire, Qingxi Taoist, listened to the exchange between the two senior brothers in the center, her expression becoming increasingly displeased.
She wanted to defend her disciple, but thinking of Jin Guan's actions, her anger dissipated, and in the end, she remained silent, no longer speaking.
It was as if she hadn't noticed the changes in the eldest senior brother and the youngest junior sister.
Qinghe Taoist nodded to himself.
"Good! With this slight lack of progress, it seems that the child must go out into the world. Since it has been decided that I, as the peak master, will make the final decision, then let Xie Jiang accompany Jin Guan on this journey! As for who takes the lead after leaving the mountain, you siblings can discuss it yourselves. As for what comes next... it will depend on fate!"
As his words fell, before Jin Guan could react, Qingxi Taoist finally showed anger.
She snorted coldly in place, and when everyone looked over, the boundless divine radiance bloomed from the mirror wheel hanging high above her head.
In an instant, countless colorful spiritual lights fell like a rain of swords, enveloping Qingxi Taoist's figure.
With a swift turn, she flew away into the distance, disappearing without a trace.
Compared to Qingxi Taoist's deliberate and intense reaction, the unkempt Taoist seemed nonchalant.
The sound of snoring seemed to linger in the air just a moment ago, but when he turned his head, the unkempt old Taoist was nowhere to be seen, as if he had disappeared along with the rain of sword lights.
Qinghe Taoist furrowed his brow, but ultimately said nothing, only looking towards Jin Guan.
"Given the arrangement by Senior Brother, are you willing?"
Jin Guan struggled to smile, intending to bow again, but his body froze halfway, remaining in place.
After this awkward bow, Jin Guan's stiff voice finally rang out.
"Disciple respectfully obeys the peak master's decree!"
When he raised his head again, the high platform was already empty.
The dreamlike ambition that Jin Guan had before seemed to have dissipated like a bubble.
In the forest of the Yusu River in the south.
Having changed territories, the scenery was quite different from the mountains.
In the sparse forest, Chu Weiyang skillfully lit a bonfire, using a few branches to weave a simple grill.
But this time, it wasn't wild boar from the mountains being roasted, but the more common half-black wild buffalo meat found on the plains.
And on the other side of Chu Weiyang, a sheep had already fallen into a pool of blood.
The Spring Equinox and Rainwater sword intents were meant for nourishing the body, although they could still be used for combat, their essence was more suitable for self-nourishment.
Perhaps that's why Chu Weiyang seemed less particular.
The "bloodshed" aspect of these two sword intents fell quite roughly on the two wild animals.
Seeing the half-baked buffalo meat, Chu Weiyang leaned forward, grabbed a few bones, and began to devour them hungrily.
In a basket beside him, the steward looked on, frowning.
"You..."
The Daoist Xuan Sect had many rules, one of which was abstaining from eating beef and mutton.
Although cultivating the "Springtime Sword" made him an extraordinary disciple of the Sword Sect, Chu Weiyang came from the demonic sect and had also cultivated the "Five Organs Nourishing Qi Scripture." At this moment, he was indulging in eating without any regard.
However, for Chu Weiyang at this moment, the best way to cultivate was actually through the "deviant" method of consuming elixirs and spirit stones.
But the long-standing, intensifying sense of hunger forced Chu Weiyang into this state of actual eating.
Accompanying the chewing was the growling of an empty stomach.
The effects of advancing to the mid-stage of the Qi Refining Realm were significant, at least in terms of Chu Weiyang's appetite—
During his escape in the mountains, the most he had eaten in one meal was a whole wild boar.
Now, in just a short moment, a whole buffalo and a sheep had all entered Chu Weiyang's stomach.
The operation of the "Five Organs Nourishing Qi Scripture" had a limit in the fourth layer of the Qi Refining Realm.
At this moment, the warm flow that filled his body was enveloped by the stomach's cauldron, finally allowing Chu Weiyang to feel a rare sense of fullness for some time.
After licking his lips, perhaps due to his good mood, Chu Weiyang looked at the steward with a hint of a smile.
"Now, to advance in the Dao of the sword, I need to speed up as much as possible. With each step of my cultivation, the demonic energy within me increases by ten or twenty steps! Relying solely on elixirs to transform the demonic energy won't be enough. I need to refine the demonic energy with my sword intent at the same time!"
"Don't frown like that. You know my situation. Over the years, every day has been spent on the edge of a cliff. It's better to advance further, win or lose with one sword, live or die with one sword. It's better to avoid falling into the realm of ghosts and becoming a creature without yin or yang."
He was expressing his innermost thoughts, indicating his view and choice regarding the Clear Bright Sword Intent.
The steward nodded, refraining from commenting on the matter.
In fact, if the steward were to cultivate, he might have to make a decision similar to Chu Weiyang's.
The essence of sword cultivation lies not in the appearance of the weapon held in hand.
It is a certain state of mind, a certain unyielding mood, a certain attitude that has been adhered to all along!
The law and the person are always influencing each other.
Chu Weiyang always claimed to be a member of the demonic sect, but in the steward's eyes, he seemed more like a swordsman.
Such complex emotions flashed through the steward's mind.
Shortly after, the steward continued speaking—
"Once you accumulate all six Correct Sword Intents, the rest will be much easier. This is something that has been recorded in the ancient texts of the sect. According to the sages, after gathering all six Correct Sword Intents, one must enter a state of meditation and forgetfulness many times. The insights gained will all be within the six swords, without any bias!"
"At that time, the accumulation of sword intent will be like the daily grind of a water mill, day after day, year after year."
"Of course, it's best to accumulate the six Correct Sword Intents quickly. After all, spring will pass by quickly."
"As for opening up a source of wealth... If you're not a disciple of the sect and don't have senior masters supporting you, there are only a few ways to make money."
"The most stable, yet least efficient, is to learn a craft on the side, whether it's alchemy, artifact forging, or talisman inscription. These can always be sold for money, but unless the elixirs or artifacts are cherished, it's just hard-earned money."
"A more radical approach would be to leave the south and head east, towards the mouth of the Yusu River. Every year, sea monsters invade the outer sea! The seventy-two Taoist cities guard the outer sea, and those willing to enter the city to slay monsters often no longer inquire about one's righteous or evil identity. By then, with a burst of courage and blood, one can naturally emerge victorious!"
"But if you want to make money quickly, hehe, since ancient times, killing and arson have been lucrative..."
Upon hearing this, Chu Weiyang fell silent, rare contemplation filling his mind for a long time.
After a moment, he looked at the steward.
"Head east?"
The steward smiled wryly.
"Otherwise? Are you busy with something right now? With your cultivation increasing like this, how much meat will you need to eat for a meal? Even if it's just for this meal, it's time to head east!"
Upon hearing this, Chu Weiyang nodded.
"Good! That's the most reasonable thing to say!"
In the ruins of the Demon-Sealing Cave, heading south towards several mountains.
In the lush and muddy jungle, two figures dressed in black robes stood on a slightly flat rock on the mountain.
The earlier spring rains had washed away much, but the natural and man-made traces were still clearly visible on the flat stone platform.
Looking at the charred black branches, the young female cultivator, holding a long sword in her arms, furrowed her brows in thought.
At the same time, Jin Guan looked at the stone on the side.
More precisely, he looked at the obvious marks on the stone.
Those were marks left by sharp sword weapons.
After a moment, the two's gazes converged in one place.
Seeing the mottled marks, at a certain moment, Xie Jiang suddenly raised her eyebrows, and with just that one movement, her whole being seemed to light up as if she were smiling.
"The Springtime Sword! It's the Springtime Sword!"
"Chase! The Four Seasons Sword Intent has flowed into the hands of the demonic prisoners. Even if there are no spiritual objects, we must chase all the way down! To see the living! To see the dead!"
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