As a great quaking sound rolled through the air, the ship ca to an abrupt halt.
The ferry of Qingfeng Pavilion had successfully docked at Cangzhou Pu.
At last, the heart-to-heart exchange between the two in the cabin ca to a hasty end.
Zhao Rong slung his bookcase over his shoulder and went to find Liu Sanbian to disembark together.
His expression was spirited and lively, which made Liu Sanbian, his travel companion, quite curious. How could one's deanor change so drastically after such a short absence, so wholly different from monts before?
Zhao Rong was brimming with enthusiasm because, aside from his studies, he now had another intriguing activity—cultivation.
Just now in the cabin, Gui had told him that within the Lifesoul at his brow chakra, there lay a sword.
The sword was nad Fu Shi.
Although Gui did not imdiately tell Zhao Rong the origins and secrets of this sword, nor did it explain why it had transford from its previous Sword Master to its current state as a Sword Spirit,
seeing Zhao Rong's determination, Gui decided to set three rules with him.
It agreed to Zhao Rong's attempt at cultivation and even offered a bit of help, emphasizing that it could only offer a little because persistence and innate talent were the most important aspects for climbing to and consolidating the Fu Yao Realm, rather than techniques. But Zhao Rong was still very excited—getting Gui to relent was no easy feat.
Gui and Zhao Rong agreed that if Zhao Rong could cultivate to Perfection in the Fu Yao Realm, then it would go all out to help him "defy destiny," attempting every thod it knew to expand his Qi Sea and ridians, and improve his cultivation talent.
However, it also honestly said that most thods had only negligible effects, after all, the talent for cultivation is innate, solely a gift of the heavens, and any later thods, unless they could touch the origin, were rely superficial cures.
Furthermore, cultivators inherently defy the heavens in their practices, and to attempt to change one's talent is to fundantally go against the Great Dao. It's possible that before reaching the Golden Core Realm, the heavens would send down a celestial tribulation.
Upon hearing this, Zhao Rong neither shrank back nor was he frightened. The fact that Gui was willing to help was enough for him, and as for the celestial tribulation ntioned by Gui, Zhao Rong did not care overly, for when Gui spoke of it, its tone was teasing—one of terity and irreverence. Indeed, Zhao Rong and Gui were cut from the sa cloth, sharing a fate not determined by the heavens...
Well, Zhao Rong had not been like that before, but now he was, for he intended to change his destiny!
Later, Zhao Rong also tried to ask about the "thod" Gui had ntioned earlier, which could alter cultivation talent at the root, but Gui imdiately cut him off, admonishing him to stop thinking about it. Even though a cultivator strives for that "one in ten thousand" chance, one should not harbor unrealistic hopes. That "thod" was currently nothing more than a reliance on elusive luck, unable to be snatched.
Additionally, Gui asked Zhao Rong to investigate several pieces of information for it, as it wanted to clarify certain matters.
Finally, Gui solemnly told Zhao Rong that on the off chance he did manage to reach a "one in ten thousand" opportunity and ascended to the Vast Realm, it would tell him everything about the sword, including that illusory fate, and he would gain all of the profound and divine skills of the sword. However, if he exhausted all efforts and still failed the Realm Breakthrough, then he should accept his fate graciously, live an ordinary life, and not entertain the delusional prospect of an ant trying to ascend to the heavens but to live out his fleeting life in diocrity.
"Huff."
Zhao Rong let out a breath and rhythmically patted the handrail, his gaze stretching far and wide. Both sides of the thousand-mile lake were lined with layers of bamboo forest and rolling green mountains, a sight most pleasing to the eye. Turning his head, he smiled at Liu Sanbian.
"The green mountains I behold are enchanting, I suppose the green mountains look upon similarly."
The stern man who had been watching the crowd ahead alight the ship brightened. Even though he was not well-read, he could appreciate the charm of these words, and what delighted him most was the ntion of green mountains—Qingshan.
He cocked his ear to listen, but alas, the scholar leaning on the railing beside him offered no further verses.
"Gui, would you say I now qualify as soone possessing a Lifebound Flying Sword? How about becoming a Sword Immortal in the future?"
"Eh, a Sword Immortal who hasn't even reached the Fu Yao Realm, I have truly never seen such, my apologies."
"Drinking wine, reciting poetry, delivering swords, sheesh, that's so cool! Gui, I think the na Fu Shi is too ugly. It doesn't match the charisma of this Sword Master. What about changing it to... 'Opening Heaven'? What do you think?"
"Go to hell."
"No, that's too domineering, not low-key enough. We should keep a low profile. How about... 'Peach Blossom' instead?"
"Get lost!"
...
There was one thing that Gui hadn't told Zhao Rong.
Once Zhao Rong ascended to the Vast Realm, Fu Shi would recognize its master, and Zhao Rong would have to accept a certain fate, binding him and Gui together completely. If the Sword Master died, the Sword Spirit would be erased as well.
And a Fu Shi Sword Master who might spend his entire life in the Vast Realm could well be the weakest Sword Master that Fu Shi had encountered since so unfathomable era.
...
In Anling Country, within a secluded deep mountain forest,
a waterfall cascaded from a cliff a hundred feet high into a clear pond.
The waters of the pond were deep and unfathomable, and the waterfall barely caused a stir upon its surface.
A fawn grazed by the shore, occasionally lifting its budding antlered head to look around with caution before lowering it again to eat.
Suddenly, a flock of birds and beasts took flight from a distant piece of woodland.
The little deer looked askance in that direction.
But in the next mont,
the pond exploded, water evaporated, and the waterfall reversed its flow.
A dark figure shot out.
It was a ferocious jiao dragon,
its body as black as ink, its eyes blood-red.
Chi Yu sensed that the Eye-blocking Technique it had set hundreds of miles away had been disrupted, and its spiritual sense now detected it being locked on by two auras.
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