Chu Weiyang briefly paused in the collapsed corridor pit.
The terrain around was relatively open, although the early spring season was becoming slightly humid, there had been no rain for several days, so the environment was not too muddy.
Leaning against a grayish-green stone slab that shed powder with a slight touch, Chu Weiyang drew out the long sword in his hand, carefully holding a square piece of animal skin.
In the center of the animal skin, among the furry hairs, a layer of dense black medicinal mud was spread.
At this moment, Chu Weiyang was carefully wiping the long sword with this palm-sized piece of animal skin.
According to Maguan's teachings, refined long swords like this one were made of solid materials, but their quality still fell within the category of ordinary iron.
Therefore, no matter how many times they were hammered and forged, the finished long sword only appeared smooth and flawless on the surface, but still contained more subtle flaws than ordinary senses could detect.
This was originally a drawback of refined long swords, but now it had become an advantage.
It allowed the truly fine and smooth black medicinal mud to carefully infiltrate and embed into the rough flaws on the surface of the long sword.
"To speak of a sword that kills, one must use it to the extreme, exerting all abilities in a single sword, so as to be called a sword without regrets!"
This was still the principle Maguan taught Chu Weiyang.
However, as an outsider of the Sword Sect, a fugitive practicing a deviant path, Chu Weiyang's way of exerting all abilities in a single sword was probably quite different from ninety-nine percent of the Sword Sect disciples.
Again and again, Chu Weiyang painstakingly wiped the sword body, carefully taking care of the sharp edge of the sword, fearing to cut small wounds on his hands.
After a while, the originally bright silver long sword, under Chu Weiyang's wiping, turned into a silver-gray color, as if it had a matte finish.
Not satisfied, Chu Weiyang shook his wrist, and the jade snake buzzed and poked its head out, its snake letter swaying, evenly spraying a venom on the sword.
It was as if another layer of paint had been applied to the matte layer.
While the venom was still wet, Chu Weiyang lifted the animal skin coated with medicinal mud and repeatedly wiped the sword body.
The medicinal mud was a poisonous substance brewed by time, mixed with the venom produced by the "Green Bamboo Dan Scripture" secret method.
Chu Weiyang sought one effect - no matter who was struck by this sword, they should not think about antidotes, but only focus on whether they could survive!
Swish!
Finally, when Chu Weiyang placed the long sword in front of him.
The dim sword light reflected in his young and profound eyes, the fleeting spiritual light seemed to intertwine like thunder and fire!
In the Zhaiyu Building.
The empty hall had already been cleaned by Chunyu Huai.
Rows of lanterns, candles, and incense burners hung askew on the walls.
At this moment, with the scent of incense lingering around, the faint flickering flames seemed to be surrounded by a myriad of stars in the sky, appearing chaotic but revealing profound truths.
In just a few breaths, the smoke lingered in the narrow room, shrouding it like mist.
Within the haze, Chunyu Huai stood in the center of the hall, with a silver basin in front of him.
Chunyu Huai took out a jade pot, tilted it, and poured a viscous and clear liquid into the silver basin.
Soon, the strong scent of medicine and alcohol permeated the air, blending with the incense smoke.
The scent became complex, not particularly pleasant, but just a light sniff could invigorate the spirit, as if it could penetrate from the top of the head to the soles of the feet.
After sniffing, Chunyu Huai put away the jade pot, and with a flick of his wrist, a stack of talismans was pinched in his hand.
Chunyu Huai picked up a talisman with his sword finger, and with just a pinch of his fingers, the talisman was immediately enveloped in a bright yellow flame.
Seeing the bright fire, without waiting for the talisman to turn to ashes, Chunyu Huai directly threw the talisman into the silver basin.
It was strange that the talisman, when it fell into the basin of medicinal liquid, neither floated nor sank, but hung in the center, swaying gently.
The fire did not increase or decrease, burning the talisman into ashes.
Throughout the process, the strong scent of alcohol remained, but the liquid did not catch fire.
As if it had been anticipated.
Chunyu Huai did not look carefully into the silver basin, but one after another, he threw a thick stack of talismans into the basin using the same method.
Although the liquid did not catch fire, the successive bright fires had already made the medicinal liquid hot, and wisps of mist rose from the basin.
Upon closer inspection, within the rising mist, there seemed to be faint spiritual lights, shimmering like stars, restraining the mist from dissipating, occasionally reflecting the light of the candles on the walls.
It seemed as if the stars were surrounding him, both around him and in front of him.
Next, Chunyu Huai knelt in front of the silver basin, holding three incense sticks in his hand, bowing continuously, with a tone that seemed like chanting, praying, or pleading...
"Mind-devouring Invocation—"
"On the ninth level Lingtai, in the Purple Mansion of the Eight Treasures."
"Endure a thousand calamities to stay in prosperity, master all methods to be known as Danxia."
"Cross the Magpie Bridge and bestow sweet rain, surpass Kunlun and subdue dragons and tigers."
"Pass through the darkness, hold the sun to dispel disasters."
"As a disciple, mind-devouring invocation."
"The highest and closest, to the master and kin."
"The Ling Danxia Primordial Mother of the Court of the Mountain Dao Palace."
"The highest and closest, to the master and kin."
"The Ling Danxia Primordial Mother of the Court of the Mountain Dao Palace."
"The highest and closest, to the master and kin."
"The Court of the Mountain Dao Palace—The Ling Danxia Primordial Mother!"
As the words fell, the incense sticks in Chunyu Huai's hand burned to ashes in an instant, and the smoke enveloped in spiritual light hung in the air above the silver basin.
The dense mist rising from the basin, with faint spiritual lights, seemed to be swirling together.
It appeared as if there were clouds of celebration, vast clouds above the nine heavens, the sun hanging above the universe on the clouds.
The only bright yellow color was the elixir, the radiance!
In the next moment, the voice of the Danxia Primordial Mother, with her old voice, transmitted through the suspended sun mirror.
"Child, this time you've really caused quite a bit of trouble. If you make it back to the mountain alive, grandma won't let you off easily! Oh, and your aunt said she’d use a vine to spank you too..."
Mother Danxia's voice was exceedingly gentle.
Although her words suggested punishment, her tone was so soft and kind, it was like a gentle pat, too reluctant to use any real force.
But hearing Mother Danxia's words, Chunyu Huai trembled as if he were sifting chaff.
From start to finish, Chunyu Huai barely dared to lift his head.
"Grandma... Grandma! You don't even call me Huai'er anymore? It's all Huai'er's fault. It was my greed that made me run to Henan! I just thought it was a great opportunity. If that person got away, or if the Sword Sect captured him, there might never be a perfect day for this... Grandson knows he was reckless, but grandma, you have to help me..."
By the end, Chunyu Huai's sobbing voice gradually calmed down, filled with urgency.
Mother Danxia responded with a cold laugh.
"No perfect day? Silly child, how much ability do you think you have? How far ahead can you see in this world, to say such things in front of grandma?"
"It's Jianyufeng that's undergoing tribulation to supplement their scripture, not our Tingchang Mountain that's transforming—when establishing a sect, heaven's will writes the fate. How can you be so unreasonable, stealing from others' bowls?"
"It's not that you can't eat, but you must follow the proper methods and manners!"
"In the vast history, among the countless mountains, there are innumerable sects that have risen and fallen, but have you ever heard of a sect being founded by forcibly stealing another's heritage, with no face, no own traditions?"
"Even the demonic sects in Henan wouldn’t stoop so low..."
"Without any sense of reason, do you want Tingchang Mountain to make a mortal enemy before becoming a great holy sect?"
"Raising you from a child, grandma finally sees your nature clearly for the first time today!"
"If I had known, I shouldn't have let you learn about the Sword Sect's Demon Suppressing Cave spiritual artifact."
"You thought you could keep it hidden, but grandma knew from the start that half of that artifact was on you!"
"With that half of the artifact in hand, when they start their tribulation, at the most critical moment, whether to advance or retreat, grandma can negotiate with them. I don't ask for the supreme sword scripture; when our time comes to transform, inviting a few of their Golden Core friends to witness would reduce our tribulations by sixty percent!"
"Or grandma could secure your place first. With the artifact, you'd have the fortune, and when they start their tribulation, they'd have no choice but to invite you into their sect!"
"Though it might be awkward in terms of heritage, to complete their scripture, the entire Jianyufeng would have to accept you."
"Then, you'd be a member of the Chunyu family from Dongshan, the good grandson of the owner of Tingchang Mountain, and the future leader of Jianyufeng's scripture supplement! The destined great Golden Core cultivator!"
"By then, the foundations of all three would willingly be handed to you!"
"Grandma never told you this, but I truly thought from the heart that such a future is far better than your current plans!"
"Now you've run off to Henan alone. If something goes wrong and you lose your life and that artifact, everything will be for naught. When grandma faces calamity, using her precious grandson to ward off disaster—would that be good?"
As she spoke, Chunyu Huai's body trembled again.
By the end, he raised his head in disbelief, regret filling his eyes as he looked at the Danxia Mirror Wheel.
"Grandma... this..."
As the clouds swirled, the spiritual light condensed even more.
Before long, Mother Danxia's illusory form appeared before Chunyu Huai.
"Child, the first time you made a mistake, the Chunyu family of Dongshan wiped out an entire village."
"The last time you made a mistake, the Sword Sect's Demon Suppressing Cave nearly lost a whole mountain's worth of lives."
"Didn't you see any of this?"
"Every time you make a mistake, someone pays the price for it!"
"The old Taoist of Qinghai is guarding against me at the Jade Marrow River's mouth. I can't act, but I must find a way to protect you and that half artifact."
"This is your aunt's true spirit..."
"She can't use a vine to spank you anymore..."
"No matter how many mistakes, you shouldn't have made your aunt steal a talisman to sneak you out of the sect and deceive me!"
"She is my personal disciple!"
"Using a secret technique, I anchored her true spirit to your spiritual platform. Before that true spirit disperses, she'll protect you!"
"If the journey goes smoothly, she might return with some remnant soul to the sect. But if many mishaps occur..."
"This is the price of your mistake!"
By the end, Chunyu Huai's eyes were red as he looked at the Danxia Mirror Wheel.
Amidst the layers of rosy clouds and mist, a bit of spiritual light gathered in Mother Danxia's illusory palm.
Faintly, one could hear a piercing wail, fleeting and sorrowful.
The sound made Chunyu Huai tremble, unable to speak.
Mother Danxia's face lost its smile entirely.
She turned her head, seemingly locking eyes with the distant Qinghai Taoist.
Then, she raised her hand, grasping the wandering true spirit and pressing it into Chunyu Huai's forehead with a seal.
The youth's eyes instantly darkened.
Although he still stood in place, Mother Danxia seemed to be looking at another person through him.
"Do well. If you succeed, grandma might grant you a way to live..."
-
On the outskirts of Lingqiu Mountain, in the lush forest, as the sky darkened, Xie Jiang and Jin Guan peeked around, as if seeing the vastness of the world for the first time.
Especially Jin Guan, who, raising his eyebrows, seemed fascinated by even the most common herbs around him.
So, this was the land of Henan, the boundless wilderness where demonic cultivators and rogue cultivators ran rampant...
With this thought, even the fresh scent of grass and soil seemed tinged with the acrid and bloody scent of demonic energy.
As Jin Guan felt increasingly exhilarated, Xie Jiang beside him drew his sword and held it before him.
With a flip of his hand, he solemnly held a palm-sized jade talisman shaped like a sword at his fingertips.
The sword talisman was engraved with dragon and phoenix patterns, with a faintly visible aura of treasure light.
At a glance, Jin Guan's eyes almost popped out.
"This—! Senior Sister—!"
"That's Uncle Qingquan's..."
"How did you bring that out!"
Hearing this, Xie Jiang glared at Jin Guan, stopping his exclamation.
"If Master hadn't given me this to keep safe, how could I sense the sword intent and find that spiritual artifact in this vast forest?"
"Rely on that useless karma you carry?"
With that, Xie Jiang raised the sword talisman, lightly tapping it on her longsword's blade.
Instantly, the sound of the sword resonated, echoing continuously.