Mortal: Fifteenth Realm Sword Cultivator

Xieshan Pavilion.

Jin Kui watched Zhuang Huayi refilling tea and water beside him, and the corners of his mouth turned up almost imperceptibly.

Without making a sound, he managed to bring the master of Baibi Mountain under his own control.

That's a really good tactic.

It's just unknown whether she happened to run into them while fleeing to this place, or whether the two were already acquainted.

Or perhaps this man surnamed Lu has already fought with that old monster surnamed Wen?

"I hope you don't mind that I came uninvited."

"You're too kind. Elder Shi and I are old acquaintances."

Jin Kui chuckled, his tone revealing little emotion.

"I originally intended to have Old Shi come along, but when I passed by this place, the thought suddenly came to me, so I decided to visit him alone. I previously thought that what he said was a bit exaggerated, but now it seems that I underestimated him. I never expected that Fellow Daoist Lu would be a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator. It has truly broadened my horizons."

As Jin Kui said this, his heart was also filled with turmoil, and he secretly criticized Shi Songpo for his incompetence.

On the fiftieth level of the cave in Tianxing City, right under his nose lived a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator. As an elder of the Star Palace's law enforcement, he couldn't even figure out the other party's true realm.

Before Lao Liu went into seclusion, was he completely unaware of this?

What alarmed him even more was that this place was so close to the Star Palace Holy Mountain, yet the other party had been hiding in the core area where the two saints were stationed for so long, concealing his aura perfectly. If he hadn't decided to come here on a whim today...

It seems that Xinggong is still completely unaware of this!

A rogue cultivator at the Nascent Soul stage?

If a rogue cultivator can actually become a great cultivator, then what about the elders who have the support of the Star Palace and possess countless resources? They have been worse than dogs for thousands of years.

Lu Jianghe said, "It's nothing to mention. It was just a coincidence, and can only be considered a minor achievement in cultivation."

Jin Kui chuckled and said, "Fellow Daoist Lu is truly modest. If the late Nascent Soul stage is considered a minor achievement, then wouldn't most cultivators in the world be utterly insignificant?"

Lu Jianghe's voice was calm and even, "If it weren't for the thin spiritual energy and incomplete rules of the Heavenly Dao here, anyone who could cultivate to the Nascent Soul realm would have a solid foundation to support them, stepping from the Divine Transformation stage to the Void Refinement stage, and pointing directly to a higher path. Looking back in the future, today's Nascent Soul realm is indeed not even worthy of the title 'Minor Success'."

Upon hearing this, even Jin Kui, as the Grand Elder of the Star Palace, who had seen many storms, couldn't help but tremble slightly at the words.

He naturally knew about the Nascent Soul realm.

That is the pinnacle of cultivation in this realm, the legendary breakthrough to ascend to the upper realm.

However, the realm of "Refining Emptiness" is a realm that only exists in ancient legends or the upper realm.

This person spoke so casually; how could an ordinary rogue cultivator possess such insight?

Could it be some ancient monster that has been possessed and reborn?

Zhuang Huayi, who was standing to the side, was already used to this.

After witnessing that the other party could suppress the Six Paths Old Demon.

She even felt that no matter how outrageous Lu Jianghe's words or how inconceivable his actions were, they all seemed reasonable in his case.

Jin Kui's voice was slightly low, carrying a hint of solemnity: "Fellow Daoist Lu is truly a rogue cultivator?"

Lu Jianghe shook his head slightly, "Yes and no."

A glint flashed in Jin Kui's eyes beneath his hood. "Oh? What do you mean by that?"

Lu Jianghe explained, "He has no connection with any force, yet he carries a complete lineage of inheritance on his back."

Jin Kui fell silent.

Zhuang Huayi smiled but remained silent.

To leave Elder Jin Kui of the Star Palace speechless, in the entire Chaotic Star Sea, perhaps only Mr. Lu could achieve such a feat.

In other scenarios, if she were to encounter someone like Jin Kui alone, even if she was resentful, she would still have to show him some respect on the surface.

After all, if you were to fight someone at the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm, it would be a pipe dream to try and contend with them without five or six like-minded individuals joining forces.

After a moment's hesitation, Jin Kui spoke again, his voice low and deep: "As the old saying goes, 'He who carries a sharp blade will naturally have the will to kill.' As for Fellow Daoist Lu's matter, it is my duty to report it truthfully to the Two Saints upon my return. I hope Fellow Daoist will not take it to heart."

After saying that, he continued, "It's better to say the ugly truth upfront than to harbor resentment later, or even turn against each other with weapons, and then claim that neither of us is at fault."

Lu Jianghe nodded slightly, "That makes sense. Fellow Daoist Jin Kui speaks simply, directly, and frankly."

Jin Kui decided to stop probing. "It's a great taboo to speak too frankly with someone you don't know well, but I still want to ask, Fellow Daoist Lu, what is your opinion of an existence like the Star Palace?"

Lu Jianghe looked at him, not answering immediately. After a moment of contemplation, he slowly said, "Knowing the past but not the present is called being lost in the world; knowing the present but not the past is called being blind. The Star Palace has stood for ten thousand years, and for today's human cultivators, it is indeed a sanctuary. Whether it is opening up new seas and expanding territories, maintaining teleportation arrays, or stabilizing order, it is all a righteous act of heaven and earth. Although there are many shortcomings and chaotic phenomena, its overall framework remains unchanged. The Chaotic Star Sea can lack any sect or school, but it cannot be without the Star Palace."

Hearing this assessment, Jin Kui felt slightly relieved.

While words cannot fully reveal a person's heart, their meaning and stance can be discerned.

What the other party said was undoubtedly the most pertinent and "correct" assessment of the value of the constellation he had ever heard.

"In that case, I will refrain from further speculation. Fellow Daoist Lu is a friend, not an enemy, in the Star Palace and in Tianxing City."

Lu Jianghe smiled calmly: "It's always been like this."

Jin Kui's gaze was intense, but he suddenly changed the subject, saying, "The latest update is now online, awaiting your interpretation. What do you think if I were to appoint you as an elder of the Star Palace?"

"There's no need for an immediate reply. Of course, this matter cannot be decided by me alone; it requires the approval of the two Holy Lords. However, I can put it out there for now: once the two Holy Lords learn of your existence, they will likely have to personally come to invite you."

He paused for a moment, his tone revealing his high regard for Lu Jianghe and a certain certainty about the future.

"With your character and cultivation, if you were to enter the Star Palace, you would surely become a pillar of the sect. Who knows, the power to govern the Star Palace for a hundred years might even fall on your shoulders in the future."

After speaking, Jin Kui did not linger. A flash of light appeared around him, and his figure disappeared from the spot, leaving only a faint but persistent aura that slowly dissipated in the pavilion.

Zhuang Huayi then spoke up:

"Jin Kui is a man who has always acted with extreme tyranny. Within the Star Palace, he is extremely ruthless and unscrupulous in his actions. He is also well-versed in the art of balancing power. He has always said, 'Favors should be given gradually, and when they are given, they should be given in return, and when they are given in return, they should be given in return, and when punishments are given, they should be given in return, and when they are given in return, they should be given in return, for that is cruel.'"

As the Grand Elder of the Star Palace, during the centuries when the Two Saints were absent, his words carried considerable weight, largely representing the will of the Star Palace. What are your thoughts on what he just said, Mr. Lu?

Lu Jianghe did not answer Zhuang Huayi's question, but instead said, "You have a very high opinion of Jin Kui."

Zhuang Huayi remained noncommittal, replying, "The other party has been cultivating for quite some time. Two hundred years ago, he was already at the peak of the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm, and now he is even more unfathomable. When I confronted him just now, I felt that looking directly at him was not like seeing a person, but rather like facing a blazing sun. His supernatural powers are truly remarkable."

Lu Jianghe continued, "Anything else?"

Zhuang Huayi pondered for a moment, then added, "According to rumors, he is the most promising of the six elders of the Star Palace to advance to the late Nascent Soul stage after the two saints."

Lu Jianghe nodded. "Jin Kui is quite a character. Judging from his speech, he seems to be a capable person."

Zhuang Huayi then asked, "So, Mr. Lu, are you prepared to accept their offer?"

Lu Jianghe gently shook his head, "It's not in line with the Daoist heart."

Zhuang Huayi sighed softly, as if reflecting on her own experience: "Is what Mr. Lu seeks the true path to immortality?"

Lu Jianghe sat in the pavilion, looking into the distance, smiling with narrowed eyes, "I do things my own way, without any constraints."

Upon hearing this, Zhuang Huayi instinctively looked at Lu Jianghe.

It captivated her, leaving her breathless and mesmerized.

Suddenly, a thought popped into her mind.

I want to go into seclusion immediately.

She looked inward at herself and sighed at how many more "Phoenix Essence" she still needed to refine.

How could she only advance to the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm?

Since cultivating the "Luanfeng Sword Technique" in Tianxing City over the past few years, the Phoenix Essence within my body can be condensed every 100 cycles.

The reason for this speed is that she is still a virgin.

If she loses her virginity, through the union of yin and yang.

Its birth rate may actually be faster.

Among the successive mountain masters of White Cliff Mountain, those who were able to break through to the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm mostly had a Daoist partner by their side.

The principle of yin arising from yang, and mutual support and coexistence, is one of the fundamental principles of the universe.

This is not merely about pleasure between men and women; the true path of dual cultivation can indeed promote the mutual advancement of both partners' cultivation.

Thinking of this, Zhuang Huayi's mind stirred slightly.

in case……

Zhuang Huayi shook her head inwardly, forcibly suppressing this romantic thought.

She kept explaining it to herself.

He simply felt that his level of cultivation had stagnated and hoped to climb higher more quickly.

The sooner one can break through to the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm, the better.

One step at a time, one step at a time.

If you can't catch up, you might only be able to reach the mid-stage of the Nascent Soul realm in this lifetime.

If one can break through within a century, then there is hope of achieving the late Nascent Soul stage in the future.

Scatter your chaotic thoughts one by one.

Taking advantage of the fact that it was just the two of them, Zhuang Huayi asked directly:

"Mr. Lu, do you have a Daoist partner? Or have you ever had someone you like?"

Lu Jianghe turned his head, his eyes looking strange.

Why are these two, master and disciple, so fixated on this kind of thing?

Yuan Yao is still young and her cultivation level is low, so it's understandable that she would ask these questions.

But Zhuang Huayi, a Nascent Soul cultivator who has lived for hundreds of years, is also fixated on this matter.

Under his gaze, which seemed to see right through people, Zhuang Huayi felt a warmth in her heart and wanted to look away uncomfortably.

But she managed to hold on, maintaining a calm facade as she met his gaze.

"no."

Lu Jianghe's answer was concise and clear.

Zhuang Huayi immediately followed up with, "Really not? What if someone falls for Mr. Lu?"

After asking that question, Zhuang Huayi hadn't heard her heart pounding so fast in a long time.

She murmured to herself.

This is a question asked on behalf of Xin Ruyin and Yan Ruyan.

Yes, I asked on their behalf!

Lu Jianghe seemed to be in a good mood, but he turned his gaze to the flowing clouds outside the pavilion and spoke softly.

"Romance between parents and children exists in books, in mountains, but not on mountaintops..."

(P.S.: I dare not be perfunctory; this is truly a word-for-word review.)