Chapter 44: 【Empty-Handed Snaring of a Saint】 (Please subscribe!)

The days that followed were peaceful and leisurely. Lin Xian remained stationed at the Jade Cauldron Grotto-Heaven, cultivating his own realm and exploring the path ahead, hoping to reach the final stage of the Sea of Bitterness realm—the Other Shore.

The source stones scavenged from Duan De, combined with the herbs and resources plundered from the Li estate, paved the way for his cultivation.

To prevent a breakthrough failure, Lin Xian even ground several spirit-channeling weapons into fine gold powder, mixing it with century-old lingzhi and ginseng powder, storing the concoction in a jade vessel artifact for emergencies.

"The Dao of Heaven diminishes the excessive to supplement the deficient; the Dao of Man diminishes the deficient to supplement the excessive."

"Returning is the movement of the Dao; weakness is the function of the Dao..."

Lin Xian recited the Scripture of the Dao, pondering the Heavenly Jade Scripture in his heart. He could sense his own transformation; his essence, energy, and spirit had sublimated to the extreme. Vaguely, he glimpsed a crystalline Heavenly Meridian, traversing the mist like a purple-gold beam supporting the sea, leading to an unknown destination.

He could cross over at any moment; he lacked only a catalyst—perhaps a battle, a moment of enlightenment, or perhaps a silent, imperceptible breakthrough during tea or a meal.

"Teacher, Elder Ma Yun is here," Jiang Tingting said, pushing open the courtyard gate to report.

Having left Clear Wind Town and receiving careful care, the little girl was ice-pure and jade-clean, looking like a porcelain doll—very beautiful and cute, like a celestial child descended to the mortal world.

"I know," Lin Xian nodded, showing no surprise.

After that bit of guidance, Elder Ma Yun realized Lin Xian was extraordinary and intended to befriend him. Ye Fan took the opportunity to introduce his fellow villager and classmate, Zhang Wenchang, to Elder Ma Yun's tutelage.

To bridge the relationship, Elder Ma Yun naturally agreed readily. With this connection, he visited frequently.

Even more surprisingly, Elder Ma Yun, a cultivator in the Sea of Bitterness realm, actually hit it off with Old Man Jiang, a mortal. Upon inquiry, it turned out that before entering the Dao, Elder Ma Yun had also been a merchant. Discussing the experience of running a breakfast tavern with Old Man Jiang, they were inexhaustible.

Old Man Jiang lamented that if Elder Ma Yun hadn't devoted himself to cultivation but instead pursued business, he would likely be a commercial titan of the Yan Kingdom today, wealthy enough to rival a nation.

Elder Ma Yun stepped over the threshold and praised as soon as he saw them: "Daoist Friend Lin, that female disciple of yours is becoming increasingly transcendent; she is truly a celestial seedling and will surely achieve great things in the future."

"When do you plan to pass on the cultivation scriptures to her? I can organize manpower to hold an Initiation Ceremony."

"There is no need for such tedious formalities as an Initiation Ceremony," Lin Xian shook his head. He looked at little Tingting and smiled slightly: "I will first use the Scripture of the Dao and my sect's scriptures to build her foundation. The true primary cultivation method must wait for a destined opportunity."

Elder Ma Yun was thoughtful and did not ask further, assuming Lin Xian was using the "Original Chapters" of the Scripture of the Dao to build Jiang Tingting's foundation.

The complete volumes of the Scripture of the Dao were incomparably precious, worthy of being called Immortal Scriptures, but fragments were scattered everywhere. The six major Grotto-Heavens of the Yan Kingdom almost all possessed a volume, and the introductory chapters for many loose cultivators were these scattered fragments of the Scripture of the Dao.

This was also one of the great merits of the Heavenly Venerable of Morality in the past—spreading the Law throughout the world without any concealment, praised by ten thousand generations.

As for why the Scripture of the Dao later became incomplete, with various sects hiding and hoarding it, unwilling to let the complete scripture circulate in the world, that was another matter entirely.

Hearing Elder Ma Yun's visit, Ye Fan also came over. Just as he entered the door, he heard about the transmission of scriptures and was surprised: "Teacher, does our Heavenly Jade have its own sect scriptures? How come I don't know about them?"

"There is indeed a scripture," Lin Xian nodded: "It's just that I haven't passed it to you."

"Not passed?" Ye Fan's expression turned solemn, and he asked earnestly: "Is there some cultivation requirement or some test?"

"Not at all," Lin Xian laughed, revealing his snow-white teeth: "I simply forgot to give it to you."

Ye Fan's face turned black, but upon careful reflection, this was indeed something Lin Xian would do.

To avoid an overly awkward atmosphere, Ye Fan changed the subject and asked casually: "What is Elder Ma Yun here for?"

"There is a lead on the Mad Elder you were looking for," Ma Yun said.

In an instant, the atmosphere turned solemn. There was news of the Mad Elder.

Lin Xian signaled for Elder Ma Yun to continue.

Having been a Grotto-Heaven Elder for many years, Ma Yun had students and subordinates all over the Yan Kingdom. One of his disciples in the Sea of Bitterness realm was a manager in a small town not far from the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Land, where traveling cultivators often stopped to resupply.

By chance, he saw a mad, white-haired old man passing by, moving with incredible speed, unlike a mortal, and immediately reported it to Elder Ma Yun.

"Let's go. We'll make a trip to the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Land."

Lin Xian set off immediately, taking Ye Fan and Jiang Tingting with him.

This was his method to snare the Heavenly Jade Saint.

He was a mortal body, an ordinary cultivator, who had only obtained the Sea of Bitterness chapter of the Heavenly Jade. If he went to pay respects to the Heavenly Jade Saint alone, he might receive some care.

But the Heavenly Jade Saint would absolutely not work himself to death for Lin Xian, a mere mortal body.

Only by letting the Mad Elder see hope could he hoodwink this Heavenly Jade Saint, who had lived for six thousand years, to serve as the foundation for the newly born Heavenly Jade Sect.

Ye Fan had not yet reached the Life Spring, and Jiang Tingting was a mortal just beginning to touch upon cultivation. Lin Xian scooped up Jiang Tingting, placed her on his shoulder, and then grabbed Ye Fan, transforming into a ray of divine light, flying toward the direction of the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Land.

A whistling wind arose, carrying Ye Fan's terrified screams: "Teacher... fly, fly slower, ugh..."

Although he had adapted to flying, this jolting sensation was still extremely uncomfortable.

Outside the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Land, many cultivators scrambled to get there, seeking opportunities and striving for a glimmer of survival.

"Inheriting wealth and status from ancestors, yet not one is willing to turn back."

Lin Xian sighed at the sight. This was the fate of low-level cultivators—not even knowing what the Desolate Ancient Forbidden Land was, they ran over to die, becoming cannon fodder pawns in the hands of major powers.

When prosperous, the low-level cultivators suffer. When declining, the low-level cultivators suffer.

Any change is a disaster for low-level cultivators; the goals and visions of the upper echelons often lead to great turmoil.

"Only by finding a backer can one preserve oneself in the coming chaos," Lin Xian muttered in his heart. He overlooked the mountains and rivers, gazing at the crowd, when suddenly he discovered an anomaly.

In the surging crowd, a white-haired Mad Elder stood out, completely out of place. While others were running toward the Forbidden Land, he seemed to be fleeing from within, running toward the outside.

He cried and laughed, running back and forth in the mountains. His clothes were tattered and looked very ancient, not at all like the attire of this era.

"It's him!" Lin Xian's eyes lit up, and he gave chase, shouting: "Senior, please stay!"

The Mad Elder ignored him, only crying and laughing: "Endless withered bones, a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, it... has come again..."

"Senior, stay!" Lin Xian pursued, attempting to catch up to the Mad Elder and intercept him.

However, for some reason, he always maintained a distance from the Mad Elder, no matter how he chased, he couldn't catch up.

"Dao patterns..."

Lin Xian soon discovered the clue. The Mad Elder moved several miles with each step—it was truly "shrinking the earth into an inch." Each footprint was extraordinary, interwoven with mysterious patterns, possessing a natural Daoist charm.

"This is the incomplete 'Word-Walking' Secret!"

Lin Xian came to his senses and was overjoyed. This was one of the Nine Secrets most suitable for him.

The Word-Walking Secret was created by the Carefree Heavenly Venerable, representing the ultimate speed of the world. When evolved to its deepest level, it could even touch the mysteries of time.

In plain language, it meant running fast—commonly known as the "Run" Secret!

(End of chapter)