404: Chapter 15 Jun Mountain_2 404: Chapter 15 Jun Mountain_2 Deng Baiyi’s eyes sparkled.
She rubbed her wrists and could clearly sense a difference as she subconsciously reached out with a thread of Divine Thought.
Her flying sword had become much lighter!
“Thank you, senior, for the guidance.”
Unable to restrain herself, Deng Baiyi asked, “In that case, won’t I be able to fly with my sword very soon?”
The laughter that the youth in the Daoist robe had finally managed to suppress broke forth again.
He chuckled helplessly, “Miss Deng, you don’t see yourself as Xie Xuanyi, do you?
You’ve just established your foundation, and already you want to fly with your sword?”
Controlling a sword for a few breaths and using a sword to carry objects are two different concepts.
As for flying on a sword, that’s even harder!
Deng Baiyi said resentfully, “Even just thinking about it isn’t allowed?
If not in one year, then two years, or three.”
The youth in the Daoist robe couldn’t help but snicker.
In fact, he didn’t really need to intervene or give guidance, but reliving life, he longed for freedom and had a clear mind.
He had been silently watching her at Carp Lake for ten days.
Deng Baiyi’s stubbornness, like the man who moved mountains, reminded him of an old acquaintance from the past.
“If you truly wish to control your sword, there actually is a shortcut.”
The youth spoke leisurely.
“Tang Pavilion Master told me there are no shortcuts on the path of cultivation,” Deng Baiyi immediately corrected, point by point.
“She’s too young.”
This statement, coming from the mouth of the youth in the Daoist robe, was filled with irony.
A child who appeared to be only in his teens was criticizing the World Pavilion Master for being short-sighted and lacking vision.
But indeed, he had the qualifications to do so.
“There are shortcuts everywhere in this world; it just depends on whether you wish to take them or not.”
The youth in the Daoist robe said meaningfully, “If you seek immortality, as long as you can obtain a drop of the Undying Spring, why must you cultivate and seek the Dao to achieve the Yang God?
You may not even live longer than ordinary people.
If you want to fly with your sword, to look down upon the world from high, why bother practicing swordsmanship so laboriously?”
Deng Baiyi chewed over his words, not quite understanding, and asked in confusion, “So what are you suggesting?”
The youth in the Daoist robe smiled and said, “You’re most skilled in the art of talismans.
Just draw a few more, affix them to your sword, and controlling it to ascend to the sky—why would that be difficult?”
“…”
Deng Baiyi was somewhat speechless, never having imagined that this Reincarnated True Person had come to make fun of her.
“There’s an old saying that goes:”
“The great Dao under heaven does not distinguish between superior and inferior.”
The youth in the Daoist robe spoke thoughtfully, “I have to admit, this saying is very true.
The art of talismans is not necessarily inferior to the Sword Dao.
Controlling a sword with talismans attached is also a form of sword control.”
Once again, Deng Baiyi fell into deep contemplation.
“In a few days, I will leave the Taoist path and head to the Imperial City.”
The youth folded his hands behind his back again and said lazily, “I heard you have a good relationship with Xie Zhen.
Do you want to come along to the Imperial City this time?”
At the mention of Xie Zhen’s name, Deng Baiyi instinctively was about to refuse.
She remembered the words Xie Zhen had said as they parted at Lichao Lake.
The reason she was so determined to practice her swordsmanship…
Was so that, upon their next meeting, she could greet him on the wings of her sword!
“Xie Zhen has almost offended the entire Taoist sect to death.”
The youth in the Daoist robe said indifferently, “He killed Fang Hang, the child of Tai Shang House, and then he killed Qi Yu, the second elder brother of Tai Shang House.
With that house’s luck withering, Li Chen won’t let him off, and neither will Chong Kan.
The sect cannot ignore this issue…”
Deng Baiyi became tense, “Is the sect going to take action against Xie Zhen?”
“It’s very likely.”
The youth in the Daoist robe noticed the change in her emotions and smiled, “However, I have no grievances with Xie Zhen and advocate for a peaceful resolution.
After all, those sword cultivators from Da Sui Sword Palace are not easy to provoke.
If Xie Zhen is willing to stop at an appropriate point, then both sides could minimize the impact of major issues and resolve minor ones.”
Even the Reincarnated True People had stepped in.
It was clear.
The Taoist sect truly placed great importance on this matter!
“Since you and Xie Zhen are old acquaintances, why not come with me, have some tea, and catch up on old times.”
The young man smiled, “This way, there would be no need for conflict, and we could forge new bonds of friendship, perhaps even spurring a marriage…”
“Marriage???”
Deng Baiyi’s face turned red in an instant, and she couldn’t help but cough.
She hadn’t expected this Reincarnated True Person to be so frivolous.
“…Young Miss Deng, think it over carefully.”
A whooshing sound filled her ears.
Deng Baiyi quickly turned around to see that at Carp Lake, a streak of sword light was soaring through the air.
It turned out to be Senior Sister Cheng Zhi, who had returned from the banquet at Yuqing Pavilion, now holding a basket of pastry.
“Junior Sister Deng, what did you just say?”
Cheng Zhi asked, somewhat puzzled, as she landed.
“Nothing…nothing…”
Deng Baiyi glanced from the corner of her eye, only to find that the young man in the Daoist robe had vanished without a trace, with only the last word “consider” seemingly still adrift in the night breeze.
“Here, freshly baked pastries, and peach cookies from the shop at the foot of the mountain by the Zhan family.”
Cheng Zhi smiled and handed over the wooden basket.
“You’ve been practicing your swordsmanship hard these past few days.
This is a gift from Senior Sister Shang, who, despite us not meeting, is thinking of you.
Oh, and Senior Sister Shang also asked me to deliver a copy of the Yuqing Pavilion’s swordsmanship syllabus.
Her mastery of swordsmanship is much greater than mine.
She said that once she handles the minor matters of the Yuqing Pavilion, she’ll find time to come to Carp Lake and guide you in the Art of Sword Control.
I reckon in less than a month, Junior Sister Deng will be able to perform Sword Control for hundreds of breaths!”
Deng Baiyi accepted the basket of pastries, looking at the mountain that sang with fairy music, and couldn’t help but ask, “Senior Sister Cheng, do Reincarnated True People really exist?”
“Who knows about that kind of thing.”
Cheng Zhi casually sat down on the grass, carrying not just pastries, but also a basket of buns.
Since there were no outsiders around Carp Lake, she casually pinched one and ate it while it was still hot.
They say that fairies on the mountain are untouched by dust, but in fact, even fairies from the mountain are ordinary folks.
If they are ordinary folks, who doesn’t love a steaming hot meat bun?
“I’ve been in the Taoist sect for quite some time, and I’ve never seen any Reincarnated True People…”
Cheng Zhi laughed heartily, “The Sect Leader and the Great Practitioners are getting on in years; if they really could reincarnate, who wouldn’t want to?
To live another life for no good reason, there’s no such great fortune in this world… Even though our Taoist sect is the number one great sect in the world, some rumors are simply too mythical to be taken seriously.”
“Have you ever seen a child around eleven or twelve years old in the sect, wearing a pure white Daoist robe, looking like this?”
She couldn’t help herself and took out a piece of yellow paper to hurriedly sketch the likeness of the Reincarnated True Person with her Divine Thought.
The light of the talismans flickered in the night.
Cheng Zhi took a casual glance and chuckled, “This kid has clear eyebrows and bright eyes, quite good-looking, but I’ve never seen him.
What brings this up all of a sudden, Junior Sister Deng?
It’s probably some lucky child invited from some mountaintop.
Although he can’t cultivate, he can chop firewood and accompany others to read on the mountain, which is better than facing hunger and cold outside.”
One had to say, Senior Sister Cheng really wasn’t too clever.
While munching on buns, she laid back and gazed at the stars in the night sky, not taking this question seriously at all.
After a long while, she realized something was amiss.
“Wait, bring it a little closer…”
Cheng Zhi suddenly sat upright, squinted her eyes, and looked again at the hastily drawn yellow paper; her expression became complicated, and cold sweat started forming on her forehead and back.
“Have you seen him?”
Deng Baiyi was not coy, bringing the paper even closer.
“I’ve seen him…of course, I’ve seen him…”
Cheng Zhi’s voice trembled, and she seemed shaken as she said with a bitter laugh, “Haven’t you been to the Yuqing Pavilion’s dojo, Junior Sister Deng?”
Deng Baiyi shook her head.
Since she had entered the Taoist sect, she either rested in other gardens or cultivated quietly at Carp Lake.
She really hadn’t visited the Yuqing Pavilion’s dojo.
“The Yuqing Pavilion’s lineage has always passed on teachings and Taoist ways among women.
But there was an exception several decades ago.”
Cheng Zhi murmured, slowly saying, “There was a great Sword Dao Practitioner, his Taoist name ‘Jun Mountain.’ This Great Practitioner was not only skilled in the Thunder Technique of Tai Shang House, but he also cultivated the swordsmanship of the Yuqing Pavilion to the highest level.
He has been over the years, the only person in the Taoist sect who held the title of Pavilion Master for both pavilions with his single-handed effort.”
…
…
(Today I slacked off a bit.
My apologies.)