Chapter 46

Little Martial Uncle? This Martial Uncle Grandmaster above Dao Merging actually calls the Little Martial Uncle Grandmaster "Martial Uncle" too?!

Emm… saying it like that does seem a bit strange.

But if you count it this way, the Little Martial Uncle Grandmaster's seniority is a bit too high, isn't it?

Whose disciple is she exactly?

Everyone's thoughts stirred—the mysterious Xiang Jianzong Little Martial Uncle Grandmaster—many people were curious about her true identity.

Unfortunately, this Vice Hall Master of the Sword-Holding Hall had never stated which generation of Xiang Jianzong disciple she was, nor had she ever mentioned her own master in public.

But the more likely possibility was that their realm still couldn't reach that level…

"Mm, that's all I have to say." Li Qingyang, the burly sword cultivator, was actually a bit headache-inducing too.

It was one thing for his master to give him a mission, but without explaining it clearly—just saying there was something important he needed to handle, and that he'd naturally know when the time came.

So mysterious and secretive, simply not like a sword cultivator at all! Hurrying back from a distant star domain over a thousand miles, only to end up with such an ambiguous mission.

"Everyone go back, no need to see Li Mou off."

Having said that, Li Qingyang turned and left, and that Return-to-Void elder said nothing and followed him away.

"…" The many Spirit Transformation Stage cultivators in the conference room were silent for a long time.

In Profound Sword City they might still count as figures of some standing, but before this person they truly weren't worth mentioning at all.

"Then, everyone, let's follow the senior's instructions and head back on our own." The Mayor of Profound Sword City said.

Everyone was a bit helpless, but could only do so.

After Li Qingyang and that Return-to-Void elder came out of the municipal building, they rode their swords and shot up into the sky, though the speed was still controlled within a certain limit, no speeding.

That Return-to-Void elder rode his sword behind him: "Martial Uncle Grandmaster, are we just leaving like this?"

"What else? There are many things I myself still haven't figured out yet." Li Qingyang took the gourd from his waist and took a sip.

The wine was crystal clear, scarlet as blood, and the rich aroma of the wine made the Return-to-Void elder beside him dizzy in waves.

Li Qingyang glanced at him and said lightly: "It seems your sword's contamination is indeed very serious."

The Return-to-Void elder gave a wry smile: "Martial Uncle Grandmaster's discerning eye."

Many years ago, he had encountered several very special enemies on the Starry Sky Battlefield, causing his life-bound sword to be contaminated, and even Dao Merging found it difficult to completely sever that bizarre spirituality.

Later, that bizarre spirituality even affected him through the sword itself, causing his cultivation to come to a standstill.

Because sword cultivators above Dao Merging were unreachable to him, he withdrew from the Starry Sky Battlefield and traveled the Central Continent, exploring Secret Realms everywhere, hoping to find a solution.

During this journey, he happened to enter the Red Moon Secret Realm near Profound Sword City and discovered a sword weapon nurtured within that was at minimum Dao Merging, and even above that.

The sword's master was suspected to have fallen; otherwise, a sword cultivator at Dao Merging and above, with spirit and sword merged, could arrive in an instant no matter the distance.

Under these circumstances, he conceived the idea of subduing it and changing his life-bound sword. Although he himself knew the hope was slim, it was still better than remaining stagnant forever.

Even if he ultimately couldn't subdue it, he could try to borrow its divine edge to sever that bizarre spirituality.

He never expected that a Martial Uncle Grandmaster above Dao Merging would return to the Central Continent from the Starry Sky Battlefield at this very moment.

"Once we're back I'll help you sever that spirituality. A sword cultivator is still best using his own sword."

"Many thanks, Martial Uncle Grandmaster!"

The ways of the world are fickle—in the end, it was resolved in this manner.

The Xiang Jianzong's Return-to-Void cultivators numbered in the hundreds of thousands at least; being fortunate enough to travel with the Martial Uncle Grandmaster was already a stroke of luck.

Li Qingyang hung the gourd back at his waist and sighed: "This Central Continent is rather unpleasant; it's the vast starry sky, where we can roam freely!"

Vast it truly is, but also dangerous.

Could he himself, in this life, become a sword cultivator as carefree and at ease as the Martial Uncle Grandmaster?

Thinking of his own contaminated sword, the Return-to-Void elder couldn't help feeling a touch of melancholy in his heart.

…………

Late at night.

Xiao Fan, who had fallen to the ground, suddenly snapped his eyes open, sat up at once, and hurriedly felt his body with his hands.

It didn't hurt anymore? He was fine? Not only that, he felt a sense of relief, as if shackles had been removed and restraints had fallen away from his body, as if the heavy burden that had been pressing down on him had been lifted.

Xiao Fan's eyes were very blank, completely unclear about what had actually happened.

Right! That drop of blood stored in the jade box, and that voice—seemed to say something about… the secret of creation?

"How does it feel to be reborn?"

The sudden voice made Xiao Fan's hair stand on end; without hesitation he rolled over, picked up the sword beside him, and looked warily toward the direction the voice came from.

But after he clearly saw the speaker, he couldn't help but be stunned.

"It's you!"

How could he not recognize them—this person was precisely the one who had given him the jade box.

In other words, it was also because of him that he had that whole series of encounters in the evening.

"Who exactly are you?"

The moment he asked, he realized he seemed to have asked a foolish question.

According to the tropes in storybooks, movies, and dramas, this kind of question usually wouldn't get an answer.

"My name is Huo, and I am also the one who bestowed upon you this creation."

Huh? They really answered! Huo?

The creation he spoke of—could it be referring to the thing in the evening that had almost killed him with pain? What kind of creation was that?

"I reconnected for you the severed path ahead—does that not count as creation?"

Reconnected the severed path ahead?

Xiao Fan paused, sensed slightly, and indeed saw that the mysterious and fragile Dao Foundation within his dantian had vanished, and even his Foundation Establishment true essence had degenerated into Qi Refining spiritual power.

Qi Refining Ninth Layer!

He had actually regressed from false Foundation Establishment all the way back to Qi Refining Layer Nine! Really… it had connected?! In an instant, an indescribable wild joy flooded his heart.

"How about it?"

Huo's voice doused Xiao Fan with a bucket of cold water, making him calm down at once.

He stood up and bowed respectfully: "Many thanks, Senior. If Senior has any instructions, this junior will not refuse!"

"Heh! I do actually have something I need you to do."

Xiao Fan's heart gave a sudden thump, and he felt a little uneasy, but clearly this was not something he could refuse right now.

"Senior, please give your instructions."

"Not long from now, many disciples of the Xian Sect, as well as some lucky ones like yourself, will gather here. What you need to do is also very simple." Huo smiled faintly. "And that is, defeat them."

Disciples of the Xian Sect… and lucky ones just like himself? "This junior obeys."

The situation he now faced had already exceeded his past understanding; no matter what the demand was, he could only accept it.

When Xiao Fan raised his head again, that extremely mysterious 'Huo' had already vanished.

…………

In the living room, Xu Xing waved his hand lightly, and the two light screens vanished at once.

"Dao brother, long time no see."

A figure walked out from the shadows, a gentle smile on his face that made people feel well-disposed toward him. This person was none other than 'Huo', who just a second ago had been at Xiao Fan's home.

"Long time no see." Xu Xing nodded slightly. "Dao friend has been in Xuanjian Market for quite some time now. May I ask what you've been doing?"

"……"

Can't we speak with just a little more depth and mystery, toss around a few veiled barbs or something?

The perfectly good atmosphere has been completely ruined.

"Dao brother is guiding a junior, so of course I must also support a junior, to have a little contest with Dao brother."

Xu Xing said nothing, looking at him with an expression that clearly said 'you've got nothing better to do,' his voice flat.

"Dao friend truly has the inclination."

"……"

You're being far too perfunctory.

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