Chapter 9

“How am I supposed to know this person’s full name? The letter didn’t say anything about it.”

Fudao Shanren pointed at the gradually dissipating silver light and rolled his eyes.

He sighed again, “My disciple, my disciple, this old monster Hengxu is my lifelong enemy since I first set foot on the path of cultivation! This man is cunning, wicked, and commits all sorts of evil deeds. He deceives young girls…”

At this point, he suddenly stopped.

It seemed he had said something wrong…

“Ahem.”

He coughed, his face not even reddening, and spoke solemnly, “In short, he is the biggest scourge in all of Nineteen Continents right now, and yet he still holds the title of the number one cultivator. It’s truly outrageous! Disciple, you must strive to be strong!”

His words were earnest and heartfelt.

But Jianchou wasn’t interested in hearing this.

After Fudao Shanren said he didn’t know, she lowered her eyes in disappointment.

Ten days to build the foundation.

A disciple recently taken in.

It couldn’t be such a coincidence, could it?

Jianchou kept trying to comfort herself, but the words “holding the Dao in his left hand” kept pounding against her heart, stirring up the hatred within her.

“Master, is the old monster Hengxu very powerful?”

Jianchou slowly exhaled and asked in a slightly trembling voice.

Fudao Shanren snorted coldly, his face showing dissatisfaction, “Just a little bit stronger than me, that’s all!”

He extended his pinky finger and pinched a tiny bit of air.

His expression and gesture were exactly the same as when he had boasted that his innate talent, the Myriad Phenomenon Battle Disk, was an inch larger than Jianchou’s.

Jianchou immediately knew the real answer.

She didn’t expose him and asked again, “What kind of person is he?”

“Quite a powerful one. The Nineteen Continents are divided into four regions: South, North, Central, and Extreme. The Central Region is in the middle, with countless sects. The old monster Hengxu is the head of Kunlun Mountain, the leading sect in the Central Region. But it’s nothing special, not as good as me.”

At the end, Fudao Shanren, afraid of being looked down upon by his disciple, quickly added the last sentence.

“That really is quite impressive…”

Kunlun Mountain, the old monster Hengxu, the number one person in the number one sect of the Central Region?

Could it be him?

Jianchou’s thoughts were in turmoil, but her heart was icy cold.

“What about… building the foundation in ten days?”

“…”

Fudao Shanren’s face instantly turned green.

“Ten days to build the foundation, ten days! This old man absolutely refuses to believe it! Back in the day, I was a prodigy, a once-in-a-generation talent, and it still took me a full hundred days to build my foundation. The saying ‘A hundred days to build the foundation, breaking through the mortal realm’ that’s spread across the Nineteen Continents was about me! Now, the old monster Hengxu must be deliberately causing a stir to overshadow me!”

The more he thought about it, the more he convinced himself he was right.

Fudao Shanren nodded, looking at Jianchou with certainty, “It must be like this! Building the foundation in ten days is simply impossible!”

Jianchou remembered that after refining Qi and lighting up the Battle Disk, one could seal the disk and build the foundation.

Fudao Shanren claimed that his Battle Disk was over a feet and an inch in size. Even if that inch was an exaggeration, Jianchou still believed it wasn’t far from the truth. Even so, it took him a hundred days to build his foundation. Yet, this legendary person who “held the Dao in his left hand” could do it in just ten days.

Unlike Fudao Shanren, who deceived himself into thinking it was fake, Jianchou didn’t believe it was a lie.

If this person really was Xie Buchen, Jianchou could recall the exhilaration of riding the wind and controlling the sword, and she could understand why Xie Buchen would be willing to abandon everything to seek immortality and the Dao.

But understanding didn’t mean she didn’t hate him.

Memories of past events flashed through her mind, and a small flame of hatred ignited within her.

Ten days.

“Master, how long does it usually take for an ordinary person to build their foundation?”

“Fast ones take a few months, slow ones take a few years, and some people never manage to build their foundation in their entire lives, never destined to walk the path of cultivation,” Fudao Shanren answered casually.

A bitter feeling welled up in Jianchou’s heart.

She suddenly let out a low laugh, though she herself didn’t know why.

“What are you laughing at?” Fudao Shanren felt something was off. Ever since he had complained earlier, Jianchou had been acting strange, and he couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty.

“It’s not that I really think you’re a bad disciple. After all, I’m someone who believes in fate. I saved you, which means we have a connection, so I took you as my disciple. I really don’t look down on you…”

Fudao Shanren had never been good at comforting people, and even managed to say something like “I don’t look down on you.”

Jianchou gazed at him quietly for a while. Although her mood was strangely low, the words she spoke next made Fudao Shanren almost fall over in anger.

“Master, I don’t look down on you either.”

“…”

Fudao Shanren inhaled, exhaled, inhaled, exhaled.

I’ll endure, I’ll endure, I’ll endure with all my might!

Endure…

Endure my foot!

I really can’t endure this!

This wicked disciple is going too far!

“Ahhh, you’re really going too far! What do you mean you don’t look down on me? With your talent, it’s a blessing you couldn’t even dream of in eight lifetimes that I took you as my disciple, and yet you dare to look down on me? Is there no justice in this world?”

At this point, Fudao Shanren suddenly remembered the letter from the old monster Hengxu and began to beat his chest and stomp his feet, wailing.

“Look at the disciple he took in, building the foundation in ten days, ten days! And then look at my disciple, what kind of situation is this? Ten days have passed, and she hasn’t gained an ounce of cultivation!”

“Master.”

Jianchou called out calmly.

Her voice wasn’t loud, and Fudao Shanren seemed not to hear her. He went and picked up the big white goose, holding it in his arms, “Why am I so unlucky to have taken in such an unfilial disciple? His disciple builds the foundation in ten days, while my disciple is still a powerless mortal after ten days. Oh woe is me…”

“Master… Master!”

Jianchou’s lips twitched violently. She finally couldn’t take it anymore and raised her voice, shouting.

“Huh?”

Fudao Shanren, who had been wailing passionately, suddenly turned around and looked at Jianchou.

He was indignant, “What are you calling me for? I’ve never seen such a disrespectful disciple!”

“Master said I haven’t gained any cultivation in ten days, but I want to ask, what exactly have you taught me in these ten days?”

Jianchou’s expression was calm.

“Uh…”

Fudao Shanren’s old face turned red as he remembered the complaints he had just made…

Suddenly, he felt…

A bit guilty.

“Gulp.”

He swallowed lightly, his eyes darting around, “Well… I’ve been busy, haven’t I?”

“Busy traveling, busy eating chicken legs, busy holding the big white goose, busy admiring beaut—”

Jianchou thought about the last word and decided it was too inappropriate to say out loud, as it would disgrace her master’s dignity. She had already said half of it but swallowed the rest.

“In any case, Master, what right do you have to praise someone else’s disciple?!”

The disciple is always better when they belong to someone else, but you should at least look at what kind of master you are!

Jianchou’s heart was on the verge of collapse.

At the same time, Fudao Shanren’s heart was also collapsing.

Why did he have to run his mouth!

Before criticizing others, he should have taken a good look at what he himself had done.

But it’s never too late to make amends.

Fudao Shanren quickly tried to comfort Jianchou, “Don’t worry, don’t worry. This time it really is my fault, but I’ve already explained the reason to you, haven’t I? I told you there’s no spiritual energy here. I was just venting for a moment. How could I possibly think you’re inferior to that left-handed disciple of the old monster Hengxu? Look—”

When he mentioned the left-handed disciple of the old monster Hengxu, Jianchou’s heart ached again.

She didn’t know how many left-handed cultivators had been taken in as disciples by cultivators ten days ago in the Nineteen Continents, and she didn’t dare to think about it.

Fudao Shanren pointed toward the foot of the mountain behind him, and Jianchou followed his gaze.

Lush grass and beautiful trees, birds chirping.

The Qingfeng Temple was located halfway up the mountain, its simple, pale gray-white low walls winding through the forest, revealing faint traces.

Jianchou could vaguely see the temple gate with the plaque reading “Qingfeng Temple.”

“Down there is the Qingfeng Temple. I have some business to attend to, so I need to go down and take care of something. The spiritual energy here is gentle and abundant, and few people come to this cliff. I’ll teach you a mantra, and you can cultivate here while waiting for me to return.”

She was a bit skeptical, “Really?”

“Do you think I’d lie to you?”

Fudao Shanren glared at her, displeased.

He waved his hand, and with two fingers together like a blade, he pointed at the sword floating in mid-air. With a “swish,” the sword flew back and embedded itself into the ground three feet in front of Jianchou.

The sword sank into the rock, sending a small cloud of dust into the air.

“Open!”

Fudao Shanren frowned and concentrated, forming another hand seal and letting out a loud shout.

“Dong!”

Jianchou felt as if bells and drums were ringing in her ears, and the blood and Qi in her body churned, almost overwhelming her.

She looked ahead and saw a deep blue light circle rising from the ground, centered on the sword, until it closed three feet above the ground, forming a deep blue light shield.

At this moment, the red sun was setting, casting a crimson glow over the land.

The deep blue light shield had a dazzling color, and in the gradually darkening sky, amidst the cawing of crows, it pulsed gently, expanding and contracting.

It was as if…

The deep blue light shield itself had a life, breathing.

Jianchou couldn’t help but hold her breath.

Fudao Shanren, however, was used to it and said, “Go inside, sit cross-legged, and close your eyes.”

“Yes.”

Jianchou followed his instructions and walked over. The moment she stepped into the blue light, she felt no resistance. The sword was quietly embedded in the ground in front of her. Despite being a wooden sword, it had pierced through the hard rock.

Perhaps this was the charm of seeking immortality and the Dao.

The chaotic thoughts in her mind quickly dissipated, and Jianchou sat down cross-legged.

Fudao Shanren didn’t step inside but said, “Cultivation is about using a mortal body to communicate with heaven and earth. Heaven and earth have a force called spiritual energy, which is hidden within all things. Only those with spiritual awareness can see it. Mortals cannot see spiritual energy and thus cannot cultivate, unless they are extraordinary talents who can comprehend some of the Dao and discover spiritual energy. Otherwise, it’s impossible to cultivate. Now, I will open your spiritual eye for you.”

The so-called “opening the spiritual eye” is also known as “opening the spiritual vision.”

Jianchou sat quietly as Fudao Shanren flicked his finger, and a dark light flew from his hand, instantly reaching Jianchou’s brow. It wriggled like a tail and drilled into her, disappearing without a trace.

At the same time, Jianchou’s brow furrowed.

She felt something cool enter her brow, something indescribable, but it made her mind incredibly clear.

The thing that entered was like a clear spring, constantly washing through her mind.

Jianchou suddenly felt drowsy, as if she were in a state between dreaming and waking.

She felt the wind blowing past her, the distant and nearby chirping of birds, the scent of grass in the air, and the faint smell of cooking smoke…

No.

There was something else.

Jianchou couldn’t quite put her finger on it, but it was as if something had suddenly appeared in her perception. Some were thin strands, others were clumps, flowing like clouds, some high, some low.

For some reason, Jianchou felt an urge to touch them.

As soon as the thought crossed her mind, those things began to move toward her.

Jianchou could clearly sense that as they approached, her body relaxed, a natural and familiar feeling.

Those things entered through the pores of her skin, through the acupoints all over her body, through her brow, her palms…

They flowed into her.

She felt like a transparent bottle, and as soon as the stopper was removed, she began to absorb the things outside.

The wind seemed to grow stronger, and her body felt fuller.

Jianchou felt warm and cool at the same time.

A contradictory sensation, yet both were present.

She couldn’t quite describe it…

They were gentle, entering her body and following a certain path, flowing like a river.

Jianchou’s eyes remained closed.

Outside the pulsating blue light shield, Fudao Shanren remained in the same position, his finger still extended, unmoving.

At this moment, his mouth was wide open in shock, large enough to fit an egg.

He stared blankly at Jianchou inside the sword’s domain, his throat tightening.

This is insane…

How is this possible!

How is this possible!

This girl isn’t supposed to have the same talent as me, a Battle Disk of one feet! How could she have such an amazing talent!

Fudao Shanren was about to lose his mind!

The sun had long since sunk into the valley, and the world was enveloped in darkness. The cliff was buffeted by fierce winds, causing the flowers, trees, and grass to tremble violently.

Only the three-feet-wide deep blue light shield remained motionless, still pulsating, breathing without pause.

The spiritual energy on Qingfeng Mountain seemed to gather like a congregation, continuously flowing into the light shield, where Jianchou sat cross-legged.

Beneath her, the ten feet Battle Disk rotated at a constant speed.

At the very center of the Battle Disk—

The Tianyuan point.

It was gradually brightening, even growing larger.

Tiny specks of starlight emanated from Jianchou’s body, like fine dust, scattering onto the rotating Battle Disk with its crisscrossing lines.

The moment the starlight landed, the nearest Kun line on the Battle Disk would shine brightly before dimming again.

The speck of starlight was then absorbed into the Kun line, slowly converging toward the Tianyuan point.

The closer to the center, the brighter the starlight became, as if a galaxy of stars was forming beneath Jianchou.

The mountain breeze lifted Jianchou’s soft hair, and the flickering starlight illuminated her porcelain-like face.

The converging galaxy slowly descended, its brilliant light twinkling.

On the dark cliff, the shadows of the trees swayed. The big white goose had tucked its neck behind its back, seemingly fast asleep. Fudao Shanren stood in the fierce mountain wind, his eyes shining brightly, his thin body as sturdy as an old tree.

At this moment, in this place, the world was enveloped in darkness.

Only before them—

The galaxy shone with dazzling brilliance!