Chapter 32: Seclusion

"Will I still be able to use this sword box in the future?"

Zhang Nuo asked his master with concern. He was more than clear about the marvelous uses of the "Nine Dragon Sword Case"; the reason his own cultivation could improve so quickly was entirely due to the sword box. Once he could no longer possess the sword box, his cultivation speed would drop in a straight line.

"The Killing Intent within the sword box is not very heavy; it is just that your cultivation is too low, and you have no way to suppress it yet!"

Without giving an answer immediately, Lin Fan picked the sword box up from the floor and placed it on the bed.

"What realm must I reach to be able to suppress the killing intent inside the sword box?"

"At the very least, you must reach the Foundation Establishment Stage!"

Lin Fan's answer surprised Zhang Nuo somewhat. Foundation Establishment Stage! He still had a very long road to travel before reaching the Foundation Establishment Stage. Could it be that he would be unable to use the "Nine Dragon Sword Case" during this period?

"Will I still be able to use this Magic Treasure in the future?"

His voice became somewhat dejected; Zhang Nuo truly could not bear to part with the sword box.

"Normal use is no problem, but Nuo Er, you must remember: when using the sword box, you must not let your emotions become agitated. Otherwise, the Killing Intent remaining inside the sword box will take advantage of the opening. In serious cases, it will cause you to lose your senses, and in the end, you will suffer from Qi deviation!"

Hearing his master say that he could continue to use the "Nine Dragon Sword Case," Zhang Nuo was immediately happy. As long as his right to use the sword box was not stripped away, everything else was manageable.

"Master, is it true that all Magic Treasures will produce Killing Intent after killing too many people?"

"Not necessarily. Even if ordinary Magic Treasures kill people all day long, the Killing Intent will not remain for very long. It is just that your sword box is very special; it belongs to an ancient divine artifact, and it has also experienced a relatively long period of time. Although it is broken, the essence of heaven and earth contained within it is not something ordinary Magic Treasures can compare to. If it were your senior brother's Flying Sword, even if it killed many more people, it would not suffer from a backlash of Killing Intent!"

After Lin Fan explained it this way, Zhang Nuo finally understood the truth of the matter. The "Nine Dragon Sword Case" itself possessed the function of absorbing Spiritual Qi, and coupled with the mischief of the Killing Intent inside the box, that was why he had gone berserk at that time.

"You rest first! I have other things to do!"

Lin Fan turned and left Zhang Nuo's room. Within the large room, only Zhang Nuo remained. He looked at the sword box on the stone bed, but his heart was churning back and forth. He remembered how Gao Dakuan had forcibly blocked the Zhao Brothers' Flying Sword to save him; for his sake, his senior brother had almost lost his life. And then there was the blood feud for his parents, and the Hongfa Nanzhi who had killed everyone in the village—all of this made Zhang Nuo feel like he was going mad.

If not for his accidental berserk state, both he and Gao Dakuan would have died today. With his true strength, he had no way to kill the Zhao Brothers at all.

The Hongfa Nanzhi who killed everyone in the village was much more powerful than the Zhao Brothers. Looking at the situation this way, it was impossible for Zhang Nuo to take revenge!

"I want to cultivate! I want to become strong!"

His fists clenched until they creaked. Zhang Nuo did not want to become a piece of trash protected by others again, and he did not want to see his senior brother get hurt protecting him. Just like that, Zhang Nuo stood alone in place for an entire night. During this night, he thought about a lot; all sorts of things from the past surfaced in his heart, and in the end, he made an important decision!

The next morning, Zhang Nuo arrived in the main hall and saw his master Lin Fan and Gao Dakuan still studying the Zhao Brothers' bronze mirror.

"Junior brother, you've come out. Is your body alright?"

Seeing Zhang Nuo arrive, Gao Dakuan looked at him with a face full of smiles and said.

"I'm fine!"

Likewise, Zhang Nuo returned a smile and said:

"Master, can you give me some pills that help with cultivation? I want to go into seclusion!"

"Seclusion!"

Gao Dakuan and Lin Fan both looked at him in shock. Why did Zhang Nuo suddenly want to go into seclusion?

"You just finished your last seclusion, and now you want to go into seclusion again. Isn't that a bit rushed?"

Looking at Zhang Nuo with concern, Lin Fan was truly afraid that something might happen to this young disciple. Cultivating too hastily could easily lead to Qi deviation. Back then, the second Sect Master of the Divine Sword Sect, Su Po, had died from Qi deviation because he was too eager for success and failed in his Shou Dan Jie Ying.

"Don't worry, Master, I know what I'm doing!"

Zhang Nuo said very firmly, while a determined smile appeared on his face.

After bowing his head and thinking for a moment, Lin Fan still took several bottles of pills out from his Storage Bag.

"This bottle contains 'Inedia Pill'. After eating one, it can keep you from needing food for two months. The remaining bottles are pills that help with cultivation. Remember, do not be too eager for success!"

Handing the pills to Zhang Nuo, Lin Fan kept exhorting him. After yesterday's incident, Zhang Nuo had become somewhat different, and Lin Fan was terrified that something might happen to him.

"I understand, Master!"

Taking the pills, Zhang Nuo bowed deeply to Lin Fan and his senior brother, then turned and returned to his room. After a night of reflection, he had made up his mind: no matter what, he would rapidly improve his strength in the short term, especially since he had the "Nine Dragon Sword Case" to help him.

It was just that the "Mysterious Heaven Gold-Devouring Insect" in his bosom had not yet woken up. Otherwise, if it produced enough crystals for the sword box to devour, the sword box's function of gathering Spiritual Qi would be even more powerful, which would be of great help to his cultivation. It was just that he had released the Spirit Insect for half a year last time, and he really didn't know how long it would sleep before waking up.

Closing the stone door, Zhang Nuo sat on the stone bed, closed his eyes, and entered a state of cultivation.

Spring departed and spring returned; in the blink of an eye, a year passed. The stone door to Zhang Nuo's room had never been opened. This was the longest time Zhang Nuo had ever spent in seclusion.

Every time Gao Dakuan passed by Zhang Nuo's door, he would look inside with concern, but the thick stone door blocked his view. During several casual chats, Gao Dakuan mentioned Zhang Nuo in front of Lin Fan and also expressed his worries.

Lin Fan would always just smile it off and tell Gao Dakuan not to worry. Although he said so in front of his disciple, Lin Fan's heart was not calm either. After all, Zhang Nuo had joined the sect last, and his aptitude was not good; he had only been able to cultivate to the Sixth Layer with the help of the sword box. Now, rushing into a year-long seclusion, it was very easy for something to go wrong.

However, Lin Fan understood that the path of cultivation still had to be walked by Zhang Nuo himself; others could not help, and everything could only depend on his own perseverance!