Huaguo Mountain was a place where it always seed like springti, with spiritual fruits scattered everywhere and lush trees thriving all around. A scholar in a green robe stood atop the mountain summit, staring blankly at an open space ahead, lost in thought.
A voice ca from within the forest, "Scholar, have you discerned anything?" A majestic monkey lay leisurely on a tree branch, still holding an unfinished bunch of bananas. It was none other than Wukong and Lu Yu, who were traveling through Huaguo Mountain.
"Monkey, your fortune and destiny are imnse. This place is the ancestral vein of the Ten Continents and the origin dragon of the Three Islands, where the fortune and destiny of the Divine Land converge. If soone indeed has designs on this, it must be part of so earth-shattering sche. By the way, do you still have the broken stone fetus from when you were born?"
"I was clueless when I was born, but sohow a voice in my heart told that object was important, so I hid it in that cave over there!" After saying this, he pointed, and sure enough, there was a cave about five hundred ters away.
When they got to the cave, Lu Yu indeed found so broken stone pieces, on which could vaguely be seen holes and sockets arranged according to the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams.
"Scholar, what use is this thing?" the monkey asked. He knew that though the Scholar was no match for him in magical combat, when it ca to extensive knowledge and strong mory, the Scholar was far superior to him.
"This object is your placenta. If soone harbors ill intent, they could use it to cast spells and curse you. You must hide it well. Moreover, it's a fine thing, having absorbed the essence of the sun and moon and being linked to your destiny. Soday, it could be refined into an external avatar of yourself, indistinguishable from the real one!" Lu Yu said, examining the stone piece carefully in his hands.
"Then this really is a good thing, I must hide it well!" the monkey quickly snatched the stone piece back.
"You monkey, I'm not going to steal your stone, see how flustered you are. Co on, let's enjoy a good drink. Bring out your treasured Monkey Wine and treat properly."
Lu Yu stayed in Huaguo Mountain for several days, during which he spent his ti discussing Taoist laws and observing military training with the monkey. He also personally trekked across Huaguo Mountain, feeling he had gained much from the experience. However, as there are no feasts that don't co to an end, Lu Yu knew it was ti for him to leave.
"Scholar, why leave? Just stay here in Huaguo Mountain with , and you can be the second Great King. Wouldn't it be better for us brothers to stay together?" The monkey was very reluctant to see him go. In terms of friendship, Lu Yu was probably the first friend he made in his life.
"Monkey, Huaguo Mountain is your ho, and I have my own ho too. Besides, what would it look like for a human to mingle among monkeys? I have a long way to go when I leave here. You must practice diligently and not beco too impetuous or violently aggressive!" Although Lu Yu knew the monkey might not take his advice to heart, he couldn't help but say it anyway. After saying this, auspicious clouds rose under his feet, and soon he was far from Huaguo Mountain.
Traveling from east to south on cloud, suddenly a golden light blocked Lu Yu's way. Upon closer inspection, it was treasure light bursting forth from the ground. Lu Yu descended from the clouds and after searching carefully for the source of the golden light, he found a piece of Divine Iron in a depression among the mountains. Looking at the ancient patterns on the surrounding rock walls, it dawned on him that this place was where the legendary Yu the Great had refined the Nine Tripods.
"So this ans, this piece of Divine Iron must be the leftover scrap from when the Nine Tripods were originally forged. What I can't fathom, though, is why it would emit divine light upon my arrival, clearly showing a connection with ," Lu Yu said to himself, weighing the Divine Iron in his hand, puzzled about why it resonated with him.
However, as the old saying goes, to refuse what heaven offers is to invite trouble. Naturally, Lu Yu wouldn't make such a mistake. Before long, he decided to forge the iron into a weapon, especially since he had achieved so mastery in his cultivation but was still missing a weapon.
Lu Yu found a place where Earth Fire erupted violently. The heat was intense. He threw the Divine Iron into the magma and chanted a spell. The magma surged violently, constantly scouring the Divine Iron. As ti passed, the Divine Iron gradually lted. Lu Yu manipulated it to take the shape of a long sword, then he took out the wooden sword he had long been refining with the Contemplation Technique from his bosom.
This sword had already achieved great Spiritual Nature, having been refined daily with Contemplation Technique. However, limited by the material and refining process, it had not yet beco a true Flying Sword.
Now that he had acquired Divine Iron, Lu Yu would certainly not miss this great opportunity. Taking out the Treasured Sword, he slowly stroked the blade and softly said, "Now your opportunity has co. As long as you endure the initial pain, you will transform from a chrysalis into a butterfly, and henceforth be an Immortal Sword!" The sword trembled and let out a series of clanging sounds, as if responding to Lu Yu.
"Very well, very well, since you are willing, then this matter is pretty much set!" Lu Yu laughed heartily, and after he finished laughing, he tossed the Treasured Sword. As soon as the sword left his hand, it shattered into pieces, turning into green starlights and falling into the Divine Iron sword.
The sound of the sword clanging loudly grew as the long sword gradually shed its fiery red color, revealing a slowly forming Treasured Sword. Just as the sword took shape, purple lightning struck down nine tis in succession, yet not even slightly damaging the Divine Sword. As the lightning ceased, two ancient seal characters appeared on the sword: Sword of State.
"Sword of State? Why does this na sound so familiar?" He said to himself while examining his newly-acquired Treasured Sword.
Just as Lu Yu acquired the sword, not more than a hundred miles away, a Daoist in Black Robes was controlling a swarm of insects devouring innocent villagers. This Daoist, who called himself Master of Spirit Insects, learned the Art of Raising Gu from so unknown source. He had a penchant for slaughtering, and periodically he needed the Essence Blood of mortals to feed his Gu Insects, earning a fearso reputation in the region.
At that mont, the Daoist in Black Robes looked up in the direction of Lu Yu, clearly seeing the nine bolts of Heavenly Thunder strike down.
The terror of the Heavenly Thunder was profound, but the Treasure Light that shone as the Sword of State was forged was equally dazzling. With one glance, the Daoist knew that a Treasure had appeared in the world and imdiately coveted it.
He chanted Incantations and the Gu Insects, which had been devouring the villagers, flew beneath his feet, clustering into a mass of dark clouds. With a light leap, he stood atop the clouds and flew straight in the direction of Lu Yu.
As he approached Lu Yu, he imdiately noticed the treasured sword in Lu Yu's hand. At this mont, the newly born Sword of State still had its treasure light uncontained, with its body shimring in gold and the ancient seal characters "Shang Fang" gleaming with profound significance, clearly marking it as an extraordinary Immortal Sword.
Looking at Lu Yu, who was young and had the appearance of a Scholar, the Daoist in Black Robes guessed he was a lucky fellow, who had stumbled upon the ergence of a treasure by chance. Malicious thoughts instantly rose in his heart.
"Young Scholar, this treasure isn't sothing for your kind to enjoy, just hand it over to obediently, and I'll leave you with your whole body," said the Daoist in the wilderness without any scruples, openly threatening to kill Lu Yu.
Lu Yu, gazing at the brazenly arrogant and ugly Taoist before him, noticed not a hint of spell fluctuations around him. At a glance, he seed to be a cultivator of an unorthodox path, soone who, upon gaining so abilities that were slightly out of the ordinary, held himself in high regard. Moreover, looking at the resentnt engulfing him, he likely had not refrained from killing.
"I've heard that only those with virtue can possess treasures. I wonder, what virtues do you possess, Old Taoist, that make you think you can own this item?" Lu Yu asked.
"Spare your sophistry. I have hated you bookworms all my life, and today, I will let you experience the agony of a thousand insects gnawing at your flesh," said the Taoist, whose eyes flashed viciously as he seed to recall so unsavory past event. He raised his hand and summoned a swarm of insects that transford into a skull-faced specter charging at Lu Yu.
Lu Yu watched the Daoist in Black Robes cast his spell calmly, having already planned to use this morally corrupt Taoist to test his sword. With a gentle swing of the Sword of State in his hand, a sword light instantly burst forth from the blade, as if the Milky Way had descended from the Nine Heavens to the mortal world. Since Lu Yu's cultivation had reached a certain level, his understanding of the Way of the Flying Sword had deepened daily. He had already integrated his insights into the Way of Water with the sword light, forming a unique Sword Intent of his own. However, his own Flying Sword material had been average at best, unable to withstand his imnse Sword Intent, which was why he hadn't been able to unleash it until now.
As the Sword Intent-infused sword light sliced through the swarm, within just a mont, the Gu Insects appeared as if they were savagely cut to pieces, and the enormous skull-faced specter collapsed instantly. Gu Insects lingering with sword light fell from the sky like falling stars, creating a stunningly beautiful scene.
The Daoist in Black Robes stood agape at the sight before him, not finding the scene remotely pleasant. A chill that rose from the depths of his heart made him shudder uncontrollably.
These Gu Insects were not easily cultivated to such a scale; they were his reliance for commanding power in this realm. Now that soone had obliterated them with a single sword strike, his pain was imaginable.
At this mont, he dared not express any anger. The disparity between him and the young man before him was simply too vast—just one sword strike had brought down all his Gu Insects. How could he not realize that he had kicked an iron plate this ti?
The Taoist suddenly knelt on the ground, crying a river of snot and tears.
"I, a lowly one, failed to recognize Tai Shan and have disturbed the esteed gentleman's law frawork. I beg of you to see the hardships of my cultivation and spare my pitiful life. In my next life, I will be a bull or a horse to repay your imnse kindness and great virtue," he said with resolution, knowing well he was no match for Lu Yu, and promptly put on an act of sincere repentance.
He hoped the Scholar opposite him was one of those new to the world of cultivation, believing a well-executed show of face might afford him a sliver of a chance to live.
However, what he received was not an answer, but another sword light.
As his head flew into the air, his lingering consciousness could still see the Scholar's icy gaze, and only then did he realize that this was not so naïve young novice he had imagined.
Lu Yu looked indifferently at the beheaded corpse of the Daoist in Black Robes, feeling very calm inside. Perhaps the Taoist's words might have deceived those unacquainted with the ways of the world, but Lu Yu was clear about what lay in the Taoist's heart.
With a gentle wave of his hand, a Secret To flew out from the Daoist's embrace. People like the Daoist in Black Robes, who had a cold nature, had no one in the world to trust. Being selfish, they were never willing to share anything good with others, so they often carried most of their possessions with them.
For Lu Yu at this mont, what the Daoist thought were rare treasures were mundane to him. Only the Cultivation Technique held so value, at least enriching the thods he could use against his adversaries.
Upon carefully reading the to in his hands, he found it recorded various Raising Gu Techniques, an overwhelming array that was dazzling to behold. There were also insights penned by the Taoist, revealing that this Daoist in Black Robes indeed had so talent in Gu cultivation.
Lu Yu, who had already achieved photographic mory through his cultivation, simply looked through the to once and morized everything in it. With a slight motion from him, the book spontaneously combusted.
The Raising Gu Techniques recorded in this book were not considered orthodox; several required the sacrifice of human lives in their evil thods. Lu Yu did not wish such things to spread and harm others, so he decided to burn the book clean.
Having burned the book and put away the Sword of State, Lu Yu heaved a slight sigh, "It's ti to go ho. I wonder how my family is faring." However, with his current level of cultivation, he had an innate sense—he just didn't want to believe it. After saying this, he rode up on Auspicious Clouds and flew straight toward the Great Chen Dynasty.
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