Walking alone with a sword, slaying ghosts and gods

Chapter 88: I have a house and a field, and my beautiful concubine is in my arms and I am very happy. Suddenly, my senior brother appears and takes me to the mountains to practice Taoism.

In the spring of the fourth year of the Qingli period, a strange iron from foreign land fell to the west in the mountains of the southern wilderness. All the evil spirits gathered together, and a sword shone with cold light.

However, this matter seems to have nothing to do with the prosperous Ishihara City and the monks who are practicing in seclusion in the Chixin Temple.

It was the time of the annual festival to worship the gods and the once-in-five-year Red Heart Dharma Assembly. The temples in the city were bustling with bright lights and extremely lively.

White mist lingered above the streets, filled with the aroma of various snacks and foods. Children wearing new clothes ran around in groups of three or five, playing and bumping into adults from time to time, earning scolding.

Watch outside with a sincere heart.

An old Taoist priest, carrying a sword box on his back, came to the two Taoist boys guarding the gate and bowed to greet them:
"Blessings and infinite heavenly master, I have a very good flying sword that I would like to ask the master of the Red Heart Temple to appreciate. I wonder if you, young Taoist priest, can pass it on for me?"

Lu Cheng, the master of Chixin Temple, is known as the Sword Saint of Nanling. Over the years, there have been many people who challenged him in Southern Xinjiang, but he has never been defeated. He likes to collect swords, and everyone in Chixin Temple knows this.

So the two Taoist children looked at each other and said:
"Please wait for a moment, Taoist priest. I will go and inform them."

"Then I'll have to trouble you, little Taoist priest."

At this time, inside the Chixin Temple, Lu Cheng, Xue Yuzhen, Yun Linger, Chen Qingfeng, Chen Qingyun, Luo Peifang and others were brewing wine, drinking tea, and chatting about Taoism.

The ceremony of offering sacrifices to the gods is held once a year, because the life span of mortals is short.

It would be too frequent for the monks to celebrate the festival once a year, so Lu Cheng decided to hold the Red Heart Dharma Assembly every five years, where everyone would sit together to exchange experiences and strengthen relationships.

Yun Ling'er is a junior, so she just needs to listen. Xue Yuzhen is good at dual cultivation, Chen Qingfeng is good at formation, Chen Qingyun is good at talisman, and even Luo Peifang has some experience in weapon refining.

Among these six people, only Lu Cheng did not have a proficient knowledge of the Hundred Arts of Immortal Cultivation to earn a living - the Hundred Arts of Immortal Cultivation is a fictitious term, and whether swordsmanship can be considered one of the Hundred Arts, some people think it is, while others think it is not.

Unlike exchanges between low-level cultivators, they often lack substantive content.

The five friends of Chixin Temple have been living together for several years and have a deep relationship with each other. Everyone is willing to share what they have learned. It cannot be said that they have no secrets, but at least the exchanges are more practical than in most Dharma meetings, and therefore everyone benefits a lot.

Chen Qingfeng talked about the art of formation. He placed a huge copper plate with the Eight Diagrams in the center of the courtyard and talked about the eight gates: rest, life, injury, stop, scene, death, shock, and opening.

"The Bagua formation is a very effective formation that can be incorporated into many formations..."

Chen Qingfeng spoke very attentively, and he really wanted to share everything he had learned. Everyone present listened very seriously at the beginning, but after a while, they couldn't stand it anymore.

The art of formation is very boring and obscure, and there is even a saying that if you can learn it, you can master it, but if you can't learn it, you will never be able to learn it.

Fighting abilities and formations are the relatively most common means of defeating the strong with the weak in the Tongxuan Realm. Defeating the strong with the weak here usually refers to a situation where the difference in magic power levels is one or two levels, or at most one small realm. However, these two methods are also the most challenging for the cultivator's talent.

At this time, a Taoist boy came in from outside the door and whispered:
"Master, there's a wandering Taoist priest selling swords outside."

"Well, then please invite him in."

Lu Cheng likes flying swords and he has a lot of spirit stones. In recent years, he has set up a sign to purchase third-grade top-quality flying swords with large sums of money. Because of the large sums of money, he has indeed collected several top-quality flying swords over the years. However, Lu Cheng's standards are too high. Although many people come to sell swords to him, few of them will actually stay with him.

"Qingfeng, stop for a moment. There's a wandering Taoist priest selling flying swords outside. Let's see if he dares to come on such an auspicious day. Is this flying sword really worth seeing?"

Xue Yuzhen, Chen Qingyun, Luo Peifang, everyone's attention was drawn to them.

A moment later, a man came to the courtyard, led by a Taoist child.

The old Taoist priest was as thin as a bamboo, with graying black hair. He was wearing a tattered Taoist robe and carrying an ebony sword case on his back. He was almost hunchbacked from the weight.

"Master, the person has been brought here."

"Well, go down." Lu Cheng waved his hand and let the Taoist boy go down.

"Fellow Daoist, the sword in the box can be revealed now."

"Wait a minute, Master, please know that this sword of mine was passed down by my ancestors. Although my generation has fallen on hard times, I don't want it to be entrusted to the wrong person. Master Lu, can you first demonstrate your own swordsmanship, and then let me decide whether to sell this sword to you?"

Considering the status of both parties, the request made by the Taoist priest was already excessive.

This old Taoist only displayed the cultivation level of the Qi Training Stage, yet he dared to make such a request in front of five Foundation Establishment cultivators.

"Humph, if Brother Lu's swordsmanship is not worthy of buying your flying sword, then I'm afraid you won't be able to sell this flying sword in your lifetime."

Chen Qingyun snorted coldly and pressed the old Taoist with his own spiritual sense.

Under the pressure of Chen Qingyun's spiritual consciousness, the old Taoist's robe was soon soaked with sweat. Seeing this, Lu Cheng frowned slightly, raised his hand and took the wooden box on the old Taoist's back, but also dispelled Chen Qingyun's spiritual consciousness suppression and opened the box.

With a click, the wooden box opened.

Suddenly, a flying sword that looked like transparent white jade appeared in everyone's eyes. The sword energy was so fierce that it was undoubtedly a third-grade top-quality flying sword.

Lu Cheng took out the sword and held it diagonally in front of him. After feeling the magic power injected into it, the sword energy began to circulate smoothly.

"Huh, this sword is called Medicine Master, it is three feet and seven inches long, made of green jade from the mountains, it is clear and sharp, and can ward off all kinds of poisons."

The old Taoist seemed to have recovered his breath. Fearing that the sword could not be sold at a high enough price, he quickly explained how precious the sword was.

"Such a flying sword is so integrated that it is indeed worthy of my sword practice."

After he finished speaking, the green light of the flying sword of the pharmacist in Lu Cheng's hand suddenly became brighter, and then the sword light wrapped around him and flew out in an instant.

When man and sword come together, their body is as fast as a swimming dragon.

Combine the sword with the qi and use the qi to nourish the sword.

Lu Cheng's magic power and sword energy were transformed at will. When his spiritual power was transferred from his body to the sword, the sword power was everywhere and the sword body stretched and leaped like a living dragon, breaking the strong when it met the strong and the hard when it met the hard.

Just like a drunkard encountering fine wine, or a gambler seeing dice and getting a fine sword, Lu Cheng was excited and with the energy in his chest, he shook his wrist and twelve green sword flowers appeared, as brilliant as plum blossoms, cold and proud, dazzling the eyes.

The sword's power was like falling snow, which burst into life after melting.

It was a rare day that Lu Cheng was in a good mood, so he used all his strength. Xue Yuzhen, Yun Linger, Chen Qingfeng, Chen Qingyun, Luo Peifang and others present were all dazzled by this superior sword technique, and felt it was extremely exquisite.

But after watching for a while, I immediately felt a chill in my body, a chill at the sight of it.

"Nice sword, reward, give him 8,000 spirit stones."

"Yes, sir."

A steward nearby heard what was said, stepped forward, bowed, and was about to take the old Taoist in tattered robe away.

A top-quality third-grade magic weapon would cost about three to four thousand spirit stones. Lu Cheng spent a fortune to buy a bone horse, but for this good sword that suited his taste, he directly paid double the price.

but.

"Wait a minute, this flying sword costs 20,000 spirit stones, one is missing, Master, please return the flying sword to me."

The steward went to invite him, but the old Taoist refused to leave.

Hearing this, Lu Cheng almost swung his sword and slashed across. Although he had spirit stones, he didn't want to be played as a fool.

A third-level flying sword costs 20,000 spirit stones. Why don't you go and rob it?
But just as Lu Cheng's eyes were covered with blood and almost before he swung his sword, the faint bloodiness in his eyes suddenly subsided, and so did the urge to kill in his heart.

"No, the Blood God's magic power has always bullied the weak and feared the strong. He is afraid that I haven't killed enough people. What's wrong with this old Taoist?"

Although he was not planning to kill anyone, Lu Cheng had a solid foundation in Taoism and was able to integrate his skills with his practice. He could accurately grasp the changes in every bit of magic power in his body. But to others, it looked like Lu Cheng was slightly dazed.

"How can this be absurd? Where did this wild Taoist priest come from to run wild in our Chixin Temple? Come, beat this wild Taoist priest out and reward him with a thousand spiritual stones. Don't accuse our Chixin Temple of bullying the weak and ruining its reputation."

Lu Cheng didn't say anything. Chen Qingfeng slammed the table, called the temple's divine guards over and was about to beat the old Taoist out.

"slow."

Lu Cheng suddenly spoke, ordering all the divine guards in the temple to stop.

He looked deeply at the old Taoist, then looked at the flying sword of the pharmacist in his hand and said:

"Twenty thousand spirit stones is twenty thousand spirit stones. Today is a festive day. Would you like to stay and have a glass of wine?"

No matter whether the other party is an immortal in the game Red Dust or someone else, playing along with the other party's wishes may not be the best solution, but it is the least likely to make mistakes.

"Twenty thousand spirit stones! Master, you are too generous." Xue Yuzhen said this when Lu Cheng returned to the banquet room.

"Among the Five Elements Flying Swords, the best Wood Flying Sword is the most difficult to obtain. After I get this sword, I will not collect any more swords for the next ten years. Madam, please do not blame me."

It is definitely not cost-effective to buy a third-grade top-grade flying sword with 20,000 spirit stones, but since Lu Cheng said so, the other people in Chixin Temple couldn't say anything.

At this time, the temple guards had already put the spiritual stones into a bag and sent it to the old Taoist priest.

The old Taoist took a large bag of spirit stones and cushioned his hands in disbelief, as if he didn't believe that someone would really spend 20,000 spirit stones to buy a third-grade top-quality flying sword.

"Hahahahahahaha." Suddenly, he laughed out loud towards the sky.

"Old Taoist, what are you laughing at?"

Chen Qingyun couldn't hold back his anger and slammed the table and stood up, but at this time Chen Qingfeng had already sensed something was wrong and grabbed Chen Qingyun's hand.

"Lu Cheng, you were originally a Taoist official appointed by Huoyun Prefecture. You have spent five years nurturing the people, five years developing the industry, five years changing the customs, and five years educating people. You have achieved the goal of serving as an official and benefiting the people."

"In the past twenty years, you have cultivated the foundation of the Tao, and your swordsmanship has improved day by day. Most importantly, you can still restrain yourself and not bully the weak. You are still a member of my Tao."

"I will give you a year to take care of your family affairs. After a year, I will come back to take you back to Huoyun Mansion to receive instruction from the ancestor and attain the path to immortality."

"hahahahahahahahahahaha"

Amidst bursts of laughter, white smoke rose from the old Taoist's body and he transformed into a young man in Taoist robes with an ordinary face but an extraordinary aura. Then he disappeared.

Everyone in the audience was shocked, but when they looked again, there was no one there.
"I have a house and a field, and I have a beautiful concubine who makes me happy. Suddenly, my senior brother shows up and takes me to the mountains to practice Taoism."

Lu Cheng also stared blankly at that place, not being able to tell what method this senior brother used. He knew in his heart that this was caused by the huge gap in their cultivation and magic power:
"In fact, I don't want to go back at all. I have practiced a lot of magic skills. If my master finds out about my return to Huoyun Cave, will he kill me with one blow?"

Before Lu Cheng read the Blood Nerve, he also had this fear in his heart, but the Blood Nerve is such a treasure that even if a Jindan Zhenren of the righteous path got it, I am afraid that very few people can resist looking at it, even if they know that they will be bewitched by it and fall into the devil's way. Lu Cheng's original idea was, I will just take a look, I won't practice.

Just like how he coaxed his girlfriend into bed, I just couldn't get in, and as a result, of course, things would have a proper outcome.

Soon, everyone in Chixin Temple knew why Yi Bin had to set aside a year.

The sixth senior brother from Huoyun Cave Mansion somehow traveled to the depths of the Southern Wilderness, and by chance, he obtained a piece of rare iron that fell to the west from outer space.

The Ten Thousand Mountains in the Southern Wilderness are also a place where many cultivators gather. How can we allow a foreign cultivator like you to take away such a treasure so easily, making the world think that there is no one in our Southern Border?
Therefore, there were bloody battles one after another. In the battle to seize the rare iron alone, Yi Bin killed more than 40 people with his sword, including four cultivators in the Refining Gang Realm.

And then he didn't leave.

He first came to Chixin Temple and played a joke on his junior fellow apprentice.

Then he returned to the depths of the Southern Wilderness to travel the world with his sword and hone his skills.

This time, masters from the Never-Sleeping City and Burning Wood Mountain, two of the sixteen evil sects in the world, took action, but it was useless and they were all defeated.

Unless they formed a battle formation, even if a cultivator with higher cultivation than him took action, he would be killed by the quick sword and would not have the chance to escape.

The ancestor Chi Shen Zi of Huoyun Mansion seemed to have reached some kind of deal with Yin Shan Zhenren of Gu Shen Sect, so not many true disciples of Gu Shen Sect took action.

However, Bai Lu Zi, the next generation disciple of Yinshan Zhenrenzu, took action. The two sides fought fiercely in Bilin Mountain. After a day and a night, Bai Lu Zi escaped in a bloody manner.

He fought alone across 30,000 miles, and refused to return.

No matter what, no matter whether there are many evil cultivators and demons lurking in the Ten Thousand Mountains of the Southern Wilderness, this place has had its own ecology for thousands of years, and the cultivators of the Southern Wilderness also have their own pride.

As a result, three soul-catching envoys appeared in the Never-Sleeping City, and the Seven-Section Star Array appeared in the Burning Wood Mountain. As a result, two of the three soul-catching envoys died and one was seriously injured, the Seven-Section Star Array of the Burning Wood Mountain was broken, and Yi Bin was injured but escaped unscathed.

Many evil cultivators tracked down and besieged them, and all the cultivators were defeated and retreated.

Just when the spine of the Southern Wasteland monk was about to be broken by the young man's sword, a female monk stood up:

Star Goddess Viewing Lishan Goddess.

Dou Mu is the mother of all stars.

According to later reports from spectators, during the encounter between the two sides, a sky full of stars seemed to be constantly falling and landing on the battlefield.

Yi Bin, with just a sword, seemed to be fighting against the power of the stars.

The most terrifying thing is that when the star power gathers to a certain level, Niangniang Lishan gently shakes the Star Banner, and countless star powers return to the void to form a huge hole, covering Yi Bin, who has already become one with the sword.

He was forcibly knocked out of the sword light and hit a banner.

At this point, the true disciples of Huoyun Mansion, who had been running rampant in southern Xinjiang with almost no defeats, were defeated and retreated.

After this battle, the name of Lishan Goddess of Xingshen Temple became famous throughout the world, and the ancient Taoist magic "Dou Mu Yi Qi Jue" reappeared in the world and dominated the Tongxuan Realm in southern Xinjiang.

"It's a lose-lose situation. With her magical power, it's impossible for her to cast that kind of spell without paying any price. Maybe she's hurt more than me. Haha."

"Brother, please wipe the blood from the corner of your mouth. We are not in a hurry to leave."

High in the sky, the sword light tore through the atmosphere and broke through the speed of sound, wrapping up Yi Bin and Lu Cheng and flying away.

"No, I have made many enemies in Southern Xinjiang this time. When I was at my peak, I was not afraid of them, but now..."

"Then my Chixin Temple will be alright, right? My concubine and friends are still there."

Hearing this, Lu Cheng became a little anxious.

"Don't worry, the new leader of the Black Armor Army in Ishihara Castle is a descendant of my friend, who was born in the Eight Scenery Sect. I asked him to take care of the Red Heart Temple. Moreover, not many people know about our relationship. Who would offend the two major orthodox sects at the same time for such a complicated relationship, ahem?"

As he spoke, Yi Bin coughed up blood violently.

When Lu Cheng heard this, he also felt that this was true. At the same time, looking at the state of his sixth senior brother Yi Bin, he didn't know what to say at this time.

Southern Xinjiang and Huoyun Prefecture are located in the south and north of the country respectively.

However, with the sword speed of the sword cultivators in the Lian Gang realm, it took less than a day for the two of them to fly back to Huoyun Mansion and Kunlong Peak.

The Fire Cloud Spiritual Vein has dozens of peaks and vast land, but the Dharma vein founded by the Red God Son only occupies a few key peaks. Most of the disciples stay on Kunlong Peak if they have nothing to do.

"Why is it called Kunlong Peak when it's a sacred mountain? Well, it should be because of the characteristics of sword cultivators. Kunlong means to sharpen one's character and prepare for the future."

Lu Cheng was still thinking, Yi Bin put Lu Cheng down and said:

"Junior brother, go and rest first. I will come back to call you after I have reported everything about this trip to the teacher."

"Sixth Brother, please do as you please."

Yi Bin placed him on the top of the mountain and watched him transform into sword light and escape to a higher place.

Lu Cheng also recalled his residence here and traced back to the time when Lu Cheng lived here in the past.

The terrain on the mountain is open and only the true disciples of Huoyun Mansion live there, so although the cultivators live there in peace, the former residence is also spacious and elegant. The rooms are protected by a dust-repelling formation, and even though twenty years have passed, it still seems as if the owner had just left yesterday.

“I never thought I would come back here.”

Lu Cheng found a stone bench next to a stone table in the room and sat down. He felt a little uneasy but he quickly suppressed it.

"They come, the security."

…………

Day after day, after Lu Cheng returned to Huoyun Mansion, he seemed to be forgotten by everyone and no one paid any attention to him.

However, this is also the norm for monks. The austerity in the mountains refers to this. Material enjoyment is extremely low and interpersonal communication is also weak.

Lu Cheng read the Taoist scriptures, calmed his mind, and cultivated his own magical powers day by day.

Until one day.

clang.

The clear sound of the bell echoed and spread.

Lu Cheng opened his eyes on the futon, and after a brief thought, he realized that it was time for the teacher to give a lecture. So he tidied up his clothes and flew out on his sword to the place where the lecture was to be given.

When Lu Cheng arrived at the pulpit between the mountains, he was the last person there.

When he arrived, the dozen or so Huoyun Mansion disciples who were still on the mountain all turned around to look at him, which was natural.

Since Chi Shen Zi is giving a sermon today, everyone in Huoyun Mansion will arrive early. Who would wait until the celebration bell rings before rushing over?
"Sorry, teacher. I'm late." Lu Cheng bowed with both hands.

"It doesn't matter. The sermon hasn't even started yet."

An old Taoist priest wearing an old red robe, short stature, with white hair and eyebrows, sat on a rock and spoke calmly.

“We are talking today: The Great Day.”

Pointing at the sun in the sky, Chi Shen Zi slowly put his fingers together to form a spell:

"The ultimate limit of fire is the Great Sun. This fire is not that fire. It is not just about heat and burning. It also contains the birth and death of all things. It is the power of annihilation and the power of creation... But even the Great Sun will fall into death."

Along with the old Taoist's whisper, the sword light flashed, and it seemed that with one sword, the sun in the distant sky would be cut down.

In an instant, the sunlight turned dark red, the vitality waned, and everything became gray and gloomy. There was no longer the grandeur of illuminating the world, no righteousness of dispelling the haze, but instead there was only endless evil fire.

Desolation and desolation, this is the dark day of death.

Even if it was the Red God Son, it would certainly not be possible for him to really cut down the sun.

However, he extinguished the sunlight that was shining on the entire Kunlong Peak, thereby showing his disciples the scene when the sun was in its final days and close to death.

After a while, the sunlight gradually returned, finally dispelling the fear and gloom in everyone's hearts.

"Master, the sun will die too?"

"..."

"Master, the sun will die, and the world will die too. What should we do then?"

"..."

Those who would ask these questions were all disciples ranked after twenty-fourth. When Lu Cheng left the mountain, Chi Shen Zi accepted a total of twenty-four disciples, the first twelve, the next twelve, and the last four, for a total of twenty-eight disciples.

But some of these people have died, and some have given up the path of cultivation and gone down the mountain to enjoy the wealth and prosperity of the world.

The last four disciples were still young, and had not even listened to a few sermons from Chi Shen Zi. The scene just now really frightened them.

But after all, they had practiced Taoism for many years. With the comfort of their fellow practitioners, the four little guys quickly calmed down and continued to listen to their teacher's teachings:
"Everything in the world has its life and death. The sun will die, and the world will die. What our ancestors called abandoning saints and abandoning wisdom is to abandon all acquired constraints, including those from the body to the mind. The path of cultivation is the path of transcendence. Of course, cultivators like me cannot do it now, but at least sword cultivators like me should have the courage to live as long as the sky. One day, even if the world collapses, we can still move forward with our swords."

"On this road, I am your master, but I am only one step ahead of you. I hope that one day you will surpass me, instead of just following behind me."

In the middle of his sermon, Chi Shen Zi called out a true disciple who had already reached the Refining Gang realm and performed sword techniques on him.

This sword technique is called the Nine Heavens Fiery Sun Sword Technique. It is extremely yang and powerful. It follows the principle of "the sun entering the sword and the sword interpreting the sun", which is exactly the topic of today's sermon.

Even Lu Cheng was amazed to see such swordsmanship. However, after the practice, the senior brother was scolded by Chi Shenzi in public, and pointed out his flaws and shortcomings bit by bit from beginning to end.

Lu Cheng was dazzled and confused as he listened. Reflecting on his own swordsmanship, he felt that he had benefited a lot.

"With such a strict teacher and such an environment, it's no wonder that Huoyun Mansion is so full of talented people and is ranked as one of the eight top sects in the world."

(End of this chapter)