Chapter 191: After three leisurely years, a youthful immortal has just begun to mature

Master, Madam.

The youth rose to his feet, his doubtful voice speaking:

I shouldn't have cultivated wrong, why are your expressions like this?

Cough, cough, though it's not wrong, the path of cultivation most despises a frivolous and restless heart, greed for achievement and rash advance.

Tian Buyi gave a dry cough, struggled to regain a solemn expression, but the corner of his mouth involuntarily twitched upward:

You're still young; there's no need to rush your cultivation—just cultivate with a calm mind.

Furthermore, our sect values gradual progress and solid foundations; if you rush for achievement, not only will your greed be insufficient, you may invite great disaster—keep this in mind.

Having said that, he turned and solemnly said to Tian Ling'er:

Today's matter must be kept secret; it must not be spread abroad.

Father, are you hoping that at the Seven Veins Martial Assembly five years from now, my junior brother will make a stunning debut and bring prestige to our Great Bamboo Peak lineage? Tian Ling'er said with a smiling face.

Tian Buyi opened his mouth with a rather self-satisfied expression:

It's not because of anything else—it's because you useless lot have caused our Great Bamboo Peak lineage to decline day by day, even drawing ridicule from the other six peaks; fortunately I had the discernment to recognize talent and brought Old Seven back to Great Bamboo Peak, otherwise, if we relied on you lot, our Great Bamboo Peak lineage would never hope to recover.

He seemed to recall past grievances, feeling even more that if Great Bamboo Peak had no successors, he would be ashamed to meet the forefathers; seeing the youth, the excitement on his face could not help but intensify, and he said:

When the Seven Veins Martial Assembly arrives, that will be the time for our Great Bamboo Peak lineage to raise its brows and breathe freely; Old Seven is still young and should not be publicized, so this will also allow him to cultivate in peace.

Song Daren reminded:

Master, according to the old rules of our Qingyun Sect, upon reaching the fourth layer of the Yu Qing Realm, one must descend the mountain to wander the world and simultaneously seek fine materials and spiritual objects to forge a treasured artifact.

There's no need to be so hasty; your junior brother is young, we can discuss it in a few years.

Tian Buyi finished speaking, and Su Ru broke into a smile:

Old Seven, have you decided what treasure to forge?

The youth thought for a moment, shook his head, and said

Not yet decided.

In the past, Qingye Zushi wielded the Slay Immortal Sword and roamed the world unopposed; our sect's later generations, admiring him, largely forged immortal swords as their treasures, resulting in a thousand years of countless sword-wielding heroes.

Su Ru's dignified, beautiful face lit up with an ever richer smile:

If you wish to forge an immortal sword as your treasure, I, as your mistress, happen to possess one, but it is overly lethal; you must attain greater cultivation before I can entrust it to you.

Tian Ling'er immediately realized and said:

Mother, are you intending to bestow upon my junior brother the Nine Heavenly Divine Weapon Mo Xue, which has been sealed for a hundred years?

Indeed, the chilling aura carried by the Mo Xue Immortal Sword surpasses the fiery blaze of your father's Chiyuan Immortal Sword; only upon reaching the sixth layer of the Yu Qing Realm will you avoid being backlashed by the sword.

Seeing that a rare genius had appeared among her disciples, one who could rival Qingye Zushi's peerless talent, Su Ru immediately thought of the Mo Xue Immortal Sword she had kept hidden; noticing the youth showed no excitement, she explained:

The so-called Nine Heavenly Divine Weapon refers to a treasure endowed with spirituality, capable of communicating with its master and automatically protecting him in dire peril; besides, its power is unmatched, each possessing divine abilities—such divine-object treasures are the dream of every cultivator.

Disciple thanks your kindness, Mistress, but I have no particular attachment to immortal swords as treasures; I would rather forge my own treasure.

Junior brother, have you lost your mind? Tian Ling'er widened her eyes: "This is a Nine Heavenly Divine Weapon that lets its wielder roam the world unchecked!"

The youth spoke unhurriedly:

Although I have only just begun the path of cultivation, I believe that what truly enables one to roam the world is the person wielding the sword, not the sword itself.

Listen, this is the mindset our cultivators ought to have. Tian Buyi nodded in great satisfaction:

Learn a bit from Old Seven; even grasping a third of his insight would keep you from being as useless as you are now.

He shifted his tone and looked at the youth:

Although that is so, a divine weapon can indeed give one the wings of a tiger; moreover, our sect's true teachings are all executed through swords, so I will first keep the Mo Xue Immortal Sword for you.

Before the youth could reply, Du Bishu exclaimed in surprise:

Master, don't you usually not care whether we forge immortal swords or not?

Tian Buyi said with a blank expression:

With your meager talents, even if you wished to forge an immortal sword, you would likely achieve nothing of note; you might as well just forge whatever you like, according to your preferences.

Upon hearing this, Du Bishu, Song Daren, and the others immediately fell silent, at a loss for words.

Standing aside, Su Ru fully understood her husband's intention: she wanted the young disciple to display the bearing of a sect member at the Seven Veins Martial Assembly while holding the Nine Heavenly Divine Weapon, ideally manifesting the demeanor of Qingye Zushi of old and soundly slapping the faces of the other six peaks.

Let them dare claim that our Great Bamboo Peak lineage lacks successors, that our disciples are all mediocre and incompetent.

Thereupon, Tian Buyi had everyone leave the Hall of Stillness, and he began to focus on instructing the youth.

Three years later, at the back mountain of Great Bamboo Peak.

A stunningly beautiful maiden, her looks beyond compare, stepped upon a vermilion red jade gauze and rode the wind.

The gauze was suffused with a pale amber hue, nearly transparent, radiating streaks of red glow.

In a few breaths, the maiden flew into the bamboo grove and saw a tall, slender youth in yellow robes strolling leisurely along the path.

Yet his brows and eyes bore an immortal's grace that fine brushwork could not capture: his brow bones were like snow-capped distant mountains, two crescent-moon-like brows swept sideways into his temples, fading at the ends into a faint bluish-green, and when his eyelashes drooped they seemed like mist condensing over a cold pool.

Indeed, his skin was lustrous, his form like mist, his breath like clouds—nothing like a mortal.

Such peerless immortal bearing, were it not for a hint of nonchalant languor and a touch of worldly air, would make one instinctively feel drawn to him, lest he be mistaken for a true transcendent beyond the world.

Tian Ling'er landed before the yellow-clad youth; the vermilion red jade gauze coiled itself automatically and wrapped around her waist.

Ah, I simply can't understand you—clearly, all you need do is tell my father once, and you'd be spared the three years of bamboo‑cutting labor for entry‑level disciples; why have you never spoken up?

As Tian Ling'er spoke, she unconsciously swayed; although over time she had grown accustomed to certain changes in him as if he were reborn, yet whenever she observed his appearance and demeanor, she still found him excessively striking.

Cutting bamboo doesn't take much time; it's a perfect chance to snatch leisure amidst busyness, lest my master and mistress begrudge my not learning all they have to teach.

Tian Ling'er curled the corner of her mouth:

In the deep valleys of the back mountain, pines and cypresses grow thickly, profound and unfathomable—how do you manage to snatch leisure amidst busyness there?

The yellow‑clad youth suddenly smiled:

Come along.

He leapt up, soaring above the sea of bamboo; Tian Ling'er released her amber vermilion silk and swiftly followed. Unexpectedly, a blazing peach hue struck his vision—flower branches like clouds, layered upon layered, her pretty face froze in astonishment, for he never imagined that deep within the bamboo forest lay a blazing peach grove.

Not long after, the two landed one after another outside an elegant and tranquil bamboo pavilion.

"Well, even if I stop doing my homework and often come to play with you, finding a peach grove and not saying anything would be forgivable, but you even built a bamboo pavilion here behind my back."

The youth in yellow robes said calmly:

"Xiaohei, go fetch a jar of peach blossom wine."

Tian Ling'er, not understanding why, saw a gray-furred monkey holding a jar of wine, placing it on the stone table outside the bamboo pavilion, then taking out several cups from inside and lifting the wine jar to pour wine.

(End of chapter)