Wandering Sword Seller's Life in the Qin Dynasty

In other words, the magnificent phenomenon we witnessed earlier was formed by forging a sword.

This does correspond to the incident at Louguan.

The other elders also realized what was happening.

An elder quickly pressed on, "What kind of sword did that person forge?"

Xiaoyaozi fell silent again, but this time, he didn't remain silent for long. He answered the questions of many elders, "A sword that can be called a demonic sword, or perhaps a Dao sword!"

"If used properly, this sword can help our Human Sect advance another step forward!"

"What if it's used improperly?" An elder, sensing the hidden meaning in Xiaoyaozi's words, quickly asked.

Xiaoyaozi did not answer the question directly, but instead said something profound: "The difference between the Way and the Demon is only a thought away!"

The power of the Mortal Sword is incredibly strange, allowing one to confront their inner obsessions. If one can see through these obsessions, one can achieve enlightenment and greatly improve one's power.

It should be understood that in the practice of cultivation, the emphasis is on cultivating the mind, while physical talent is secondary.

But that's the best-case scenario. How easy is it to see through one's own obsessions? If one cannot see through them, one may become trapped in them, and one's path may be ruined.

……

The discussions within the Human Sect had not yet subsided, but Xu Qing, as the forger of the Mortal World Sword, paid no attention to them.

After staying at the Human Sect for another day, he stepped into the territory of the Heavenly Sect.

The Human Sect is located on the southern slope of Zhongnan Mountain, while the Heavenly Sect is located on the northern slope.

Taiyi Peak, the main peak, is the ancestral home of Taoism, jointly managed by the two sects. However, it is obviously impossible for the core members of the Heavenly Sect and the Human Sect to be on the main peak at the same time. After all, the two sects have a deep-seated grudge, and it is easy for them to break out in conflict if they stay close together.

Unlike the staggered palaces of the Human Sect built against the mountain, the buildings of the Heavenly Sect are more exquisite. Amidst the swirling clouds and mist, white jade steps wind upwards, leading to magnificent palaces suspended above the cliff. Wind chimes hanging from the eaves tinkle softly in the wind, carrying a Taoist charm that soothes the mind.

As soon as they stepped onto the platform in front of the mountain gate, two disciples of the Tianzong sect dressed in Taoist robes came to greet them. They held swords in their hands, their eyes calm but wary: "Who are you? Tianzong is a place of Taoist cultivation, and only those with affinity are allowed to enter."

Xu Qing didn't answer them, but looked to the other side.

A gentle breeze blew by, and an elderly figure slowly approached. "This Mr. Xu is a distinguished guest of our Heavenly Sect. Please make way!"

"Grandmaster!"

"Grandmaster!"

Upon seeing the old man, the two disciples of the Heavenly Sect immediately bowed and made way for him.

Xu Qing stepped forward and came to the old man's side, saying, "It seems that what you said earlier was of no use. I was stopped before I even had a chance to introduce myself."

Bei Mingzi smiled faintly and replied, "You said you didn't reveal my name. If you had, the outcome would obviously have been different."

"Is that so?" Xu Qing was somewhat surprised. "I thought you rushed here in such a hurry because you were worried that if I mentioned your name, it wouldn't be of any use."

“That’s not how it is,” Bei Mingzi said. “When I saw you arrive at the Heavenly Sect, I decided to personally welcome you, my distinguished guest, to show how much I value you.”

"I see!" Xu Qing exclaimed in understanding.

The two talked back and forth, and under Bei Mingzi's guidance, Xu Qing soon arrived at the back mountain of Tianzong, which was also where Bei Mingzi cultivated in seclusion.

Here, there is a simple and rustic pavilion with wind chimes hanging from the eaves. In the gentle breeze, the wind chimes make a crisp and melodious sound.

A young man with striking blue medium-length hair immediately bowed and greeted Bei Mingzi upon seeing him, saying, "Master Bei Ming!"

Go and fetch some tea leaves!

Bei Mingzi instructed the young man, "I must entertain our distinguished guest!"

"Yes!"

The boy responded and then hurriedly left.

Xu Qing stood beside Bei Mingzi and glanced at the departing youth. "His aptitude is really quite good."

"Perfect for practicing the water magic of the Yin-Yang School!"

Bei Mingzi didn't understand why Xu Qing would say such a thing, but he still replied, "Xiao Ling is a disciple of my Heavenly Sect. If she is to learn, she should learn the Daoist arts of my Heavenly Sect. Why should she learn the water arts of the Yin-Yang School?"

"It just suddenly occurred to me," Xu Qing said calmly. "He has exceptional talent and is close to the Dao of Water. If he were placed in the Yin-Yang School, he might be able to obtain the status of a Five Elements Mysterious Harmony."

Perhaps this was the first time Xiaoling had met Xu Qing.

But Xu Qing was no stranger to Xiao Ling.

After all, he is a character who appeared in the original work, and is suspected to be Shao Siming's older brother. Well, the premise is that Shao Siming is Xiao Yi.

We entered the attic.

Not long after, Xiaoling brought over some tea.

With a wave of his hand, Bei Mingzi sent two cups flying, which landed in front of him and Xu Qing.

A few more tea leaves flew into it.

With a wave of his hand, the autumn waters of countless rivers gathered the moisture between heaven and earth, transforming it into crystal-clear water that flowed into the cup.

"The mountain air is simple, and there's nothing much to offer, only a cup of tea. Please, Mr. Xu, enjoy it!"

As Bei Mingzi spoke, the water that had just fallen into the cup rapidly heated up, boiling the tea leaves in a short moment and turning them into two cups of clear tea.

"Excellent tactic!"

Upon seeing this scene, Xu Qing patted his hand and sighed.

After witnessing Bei Mingzi's methods, Xu Qing realized he still had much to learn, as he wasn't particularly skilled at such superstitious tricks.

Bei Mingzi is clearly a master of showing off.

In the original work, he exuded an air of superiority when he first appeared.

He concealed himself in the void, and many birds perched on his body. Eagles and sparrows lived together, yet did not infringe on each other. The harmony with heaven and earth revealed the sublime realm of his skill. Later, he condensed flowing water into a teapot, which showed his profound skill.

Although it didn't appear often, it left a very deep impression.

"It's just some petty tricks," Bei Mingzi sighed. "With Xu Zi's abilities, he could accomplish this if he wanted to."

Bei Mingzi had witnessed Xu Qing's methods firsthand.

Although the number of battles was small, the battle at Louguan was enough to demonstrate the brilliance of Xu Qing's methods.

"But the sword that Xu Zi recently forged at the Human Sect has caused quite a stir!" Bei Mingzi exclaimed sincerely.

"During the forging of the sword, strange phenomena occurred one after another, attracting disciples from both sects to the forging site..."

"If I hadn't had Chishong restrain the disciples of the Heavenly Sect, there would probably have been another upheaval within our Taoist community!"

As for the affairs of the Human Sect, that was for Xiaoyaozi to handle, so Beimingzi didn't mention it further.

"In that case, I should thank Elder Beiming!" Xu Qing said casually.

Bei Mingzi immediately realized that Xu Qing didn't care about this matter, and that was indeed the case. Even if the two sects of Tianren and Ren were gathered together, in his eyes, they would probably just be fleeting clouds and not be taken seriously.

The events at Louguan have already proven this point.

This person never cared about causing trouble when forging swords, simply because of his great strength, which allowed him to easily quell such disturbances.

However, this did not make Bei Mingzi change his mind. Instead, he continued, "A mortal sword stirs up the hearts of people, causing obsessions to manifest. If one can see through it, one will attain enlightenment; if one succumbs to it, one will ruin one's path. Such mystery is truly unprecedented."

Xu Qing paused slightly in his teacup, then chuckled knowingly, "Old Master Beiming is incredibly powerful. It seems that within the Daoist realm, whether it be the Heavenly Sect or the Human Sect, even the smallest matters cannot escape your notice."

"It's not supernatural power, but the Dao heart." Bei Mingzi shook his head and smiled slightly. "The Daoists emphasize the unity of heaven and man. When the obsessions in the hearts of the disciples of the Human Sect surge, they cause subtle changes in the Qi of heaven and earth. I can naturally sense this when I sit quietly on the mountain peak. Moreover, the power of that mortal sword has already touched the very foundation of Daoist cultivation. Such a unique sword charm is hard to ignore even from a hundred miles away."

He paused, his gaze towards Xu Qing now filled with scrutiny: "Xu Zi's sword-forging skills have transcended the mundane. This mortal sword, seemingly stirring up conflict, is in fact a test for cultivators. However, the line between the Dao and the Demon is thin. Whether the disciples of the Human Sect can see through it depends on their own destiny."

Upon hearing this, Xu Qing remained noncommittal, simply taking a sip of tea: "I forge swords only to verify the Dao in my heart. As for whether others can gain enlightenment through this, that is none of my concern."

His tone was calm, yet it carried an unyielding nonchalance, as if the chaos of the Human Sect and the obsessions of the world were merely minor details in his journey of forging swords.

Upon hearing this, Bei Mingzi asked Xu Qing, "Xu Zi, what brings you to the Heavenly Sect this time?"

"I wouldn't call it a visit to the sect!" Xu Qing said calmly. "There are several reasons. First, I've been touring the Human Sect for several days and have seen almost all of its scenery, but I haven't been to the Heavenly Sect yet, so I'm very curious."

"Besides, the Taoist Heaven and Human Sects both originate from the same source. Since I have forged a sword for the Human Sect, I naturally cannot favor one over the other and neglect the Heaven Sect."

"After all, I told you before that I would forge a sword for you!"

Upon hearing this, Bei Mingzi's expression immediately became serious.

"In that case, it is an honor for my Heavenly Sect!"

When Bei Mingzi last met Xu Qing and Xu Qing brought up the matter of forging the sword, he wasn't in a great hurry, simply because he knew that to gain something, you have to give something in return.

After secretly observing the turmoil caused by Xu Qing's forging of the Mortal World Sword, he became concerned about the matter.

Back then, Xu Qing was known as Master Xu in the State of Chu.

The Nine Swords of Heavenly Inquiry, after years of refinement, have become undisputed divine swords.

However, Bei Mingzi had secretly observed that although those swords possessed various extraordinary abilities, they were actually no different from the swords in the sword manual. The only difference was that their abilities were rarer and more uncommon.

But the sword that Xu Qing is forging now is completely different.

Bei Mingzi was unaware of the true power of the sword at Louguan.

He had seen the sword of the Human Sect.

Some see it as demonic, but in Bei Mingzi's eyes, the boundary between the Dao and the demon is itself a very blurry thing.

On the contrary, if the Human Sect uses that sword properly, it might allow the disciples of the Human Sect to make great progress in strength in a short period of time, and then surpass the Heavenly Sect.

Although Bei Mingzi had no sectarian bias, he was still a member of the Heavenly Sect, and when it came to matters involving the Heavenly Sect, he inevitably showed some favoritism.

……

Xu Qing stayed at Tianzong for a while longer.

During this time, he forged a sword for Bei Mingzi.

Thanks to Bei Mingzi's cooperation, this sword forging process was different from the one when the Human Sect forged their swords; it was completely smooth sailing and did not cause any ripples.

Naturally, apart from Bei Mingzi, no one in the Taoist community knew that during this process, another divine sword was born into the world.

After completing these tasks, Xu Qing did not linger in the mountains known to Taoists as Taiyi Mountain and to the world as Zhongnan Mountain. Instead, he left and returned to Xianyang.

He was ultimately not a man of the mountains.

The mortal world is his true home.

Life in Xianyang is peaceful, at least on the surface.

The battle with the peasants caused Zhao Gao a lot of trouble. In a short period of time, Xu Qing found that there were no people from the Luo Wang organization secretly watching him.