Chapter 390: Sword Scripture of Missing Three Liang

Seeing Huogong Toutuo fawning and currying favor, Xu Jia nodded.

Among these people, He Yu Langjun had handed over the Sword Scripture and could be considered a free man; Gongye Lingxue had a powerful father coming soon; Shifang Xiaoheshang had an Arhat master; only this Huogong Toutuo was truly his own subordinate, lacking any foundation, with his life and death held in Xu Jia's hands, and he was the most willing to serve him wholeheartedly.

He immediately assigned this task to him, imparted the "Zhurong Fire Qi Curse" to him, and added the method for gathering Sun True Fire, ordering him to go gather Sand and burn bricks.

This brick-burning was no easy chore; what Xu Jia wanted to burn was "Five-Colored Glaze."

The easiest to burn was naturally black glaze, but other colored glazes were not necessarily so; one had to control the temperature and heat.

However, the remaining people were not left idle either; Xu Jia ordered them to go plant trees.

Planting trees in the desert was also a technique involving Fire Qi; in any case, they were not left idle.

After working for a while, flying swords successively flew across the sky, but upon seeing these people below planting trees, they did not dare to linger for a moment.

Waiting until the noon hour, when the temperature rose to the point where even Huogong Toutuo was sweating, they rested for a while.

"Gongye Xingyun of the Sword Casting Villa's Tianquan Sword, comes to pay a visit!"

The voice arrived first, followed by the sword.

Xu Jia looked up; stars were visible in the daylight, and the Tianquan star grew brighter and brighter, followed by a flying sword descending like a meteor, bringing forth a long wake of air. Within the air wake was a figure, unrestrained and at ease, descending with the sword and kicking up dust. This person revealed their form from the dust; they were in the appearance of a young scholar, wearing light blue Dharma robes, faintly shimmering with starlight.

From the aura, they were indeed an Earth Immortal, but more of the might was in the sword; the person themselves was not necessarily so stunning.

Gongye Lingxue's face revealed joy: "Father!"

Afterward, she glanced at Xu Jia again, somewhat hesitant to step forward; after all, her father had not yet paid the ransom.

"Is the Daoist a member of the Yellow Lotus Sect?"

Gongye Xingyun cupped his hands. Although he could see that Xu Jia's current cultivation was only at the Human Immortal Qi-refining stage, the aura of Heaven and Human Unity about his whole body was even smoother than his own as an Earth Immortal.

"Yes and no."

Xu Jia would not speak of things like wariness; instead, his gaze remained fixed on this Tianquan Sword.

This sword was iridescent, with light spots on it resembling fireflies, and on the hilt, seven pieces of Star Sand were embedded, with the Star Sand representing Tianquan being the largest, sparkling like a gemstone.

But even more stunning was the flying sword itself, like "the wild horse, the dust, the living things blowing at each other with their breath. Is the blue of the sky its true color?" It had none of the Geng-Xin metal Qi; it was cold, absolute, and clear, as if stars were reflected in water, yet it seemed like a crystal sword, or perhaps a jade sword, or even a sword of light.

The Sword Casting Villa had seven such flying swords; they indeed had some ability.

Gongye Xingyun naturally saw the clue; this person actually did not put him in their eyes and only stared at this Tianquan Sword. Although he did not flare up in anger for a moment, he already felt dissatisfied in his heart and gave rise to the intention of testing him.

"My daughter may have offended the Daoist previously; I offer an apology. Here are one hundred thousand sword-talisman Dharma Money to redeem my daughter from the Daoist."

Having said that, he threw over a brocade pouch, which secretly contained Tianquan Sword Qi inside. However, when it landed in Xu Jia's hand, it felt light and airy, and that restrained sword Qi was consumed into nothingness.

Thick Earth carries all things; Xu Jia had cultivated the Thick Earth Yellow Lotus True Qi and already possessed the essence of "North Underworld True Qi." Any external True Qi could be assimilated into "Earth Virtue."

Once this Tianquan Sword Qi entered his body, Xu Jia felt a sense of familiarity, inexplicably thinking of the time when he had returned to the soul and Hu Jinhua had taken him to pay respects to the Great Sage of the Northern Dipper Seven Origin Lords.

The "Tiangang Great Sage" he cultivated was actually the "Broken Army Star," which was an external Tiangang; the Tianquan star, as one of the Northern Dipper Seven Stars, also had a connection with the Tiangang Great Sage.

From this sword Qi, one could savor many things. But it was not enough.

Thus, Xu Jia took the initiative to strike. In an instant, the Innate Three Talents killing intent condensed and transformed into a calamity, carrying a sense of "fated destiny," and together with the sky full of yellow sand, it formed a strand of sword Qi.

Gongye Xingyun only felt a chill on the back of his neck and his scalp go numb; in his heart, he could not help but recall the year he passed his "Earth Immortal Tribulation."

Although the Innate Killing Sword was not with him, Xu Jia had pondered the Innate Three Talents killing intent for a long time: Heaven sends out killing, Earth sends out killing, Man sends out killing; one kills two, two kills three, and three kills the ten thousand things. In the furnace of the rolling human Dao trend, who could escape reincarnation and avoid death?

Through the tempering of a hundred tribulations in the red dust, cultivating through each tribulation and difficulty, only by being indestructible through ten thousand tribulations could one attain the Immortal Dao.

As the yellow sand rose, it could be used as a "Yellow Sand Tribulation."

Just like that Sun Houzi who encountered the Huangfeng Dasheng, even though this Gongye Xingyun wielded sword Qi to block the various sands, his eyes were still irritated by the fine dust, and he could not help but shed tears.

However, sword cultivators were always unyielding. Although he was not an ordinary sword cultivator, but a sword cultivator of the Sword Casting Villa, he also had his own backbone. The starlight shifted, and the Tianquan balance was the Dao of "all things are equal." He immediately used a move of "shifting stars and changing the Dipper" to turn this strand of Yellow Sand Tribulation Qi back toward Xu Jia.

The "Quan" (power/balance) is the scale weight.

The Northern Dipper Seven Stars are a scale, calculating a person's life, death, fortune, salary, and longevity.

Xu Jia did not stand on ceremony with him either. His Thick Earth True Qi performed the "You Ming Huangquan Road," faintly connecting to the Dharma Realm, and combined with the "Three Talents Killing Intent Tribulation Qi," it matched the meaning of "suffering a tribulation and dying, the soul falling into the Nine Underworlds."

For a moment, the yellow sand paved a small path, and the mirage of the sand sea made Gongye Xingyun seem to see his own great-grandmother coming to pick him up.

This move scared him into retreating repeatedly, and he immediately cupped his hands, already feeling wary in his heart: "He seems to be from the Yellow Lotus Sect, but his methods are different. The way he uses sand is like the Sand Demon, one of the Desert Three Demons, but vaguely, that killing intent is similar to the Red Lotus Sword Intent of the Abi Jiaozhu, and that Huangquan Road just now has some of the meaning of the Hungry Ghost Realm's Xiao Mengpo Huangquan Guide... I cannot see through him, I cannot see through him... But he is definitely not a master of the righteous path. Looking at his actions, he is also both righteous and evil; he must be an old monster of a side sect. I don't know if he has possessed a body, is borrowing a body to re-cultivate, or is traveling through the human world."

The more he thought, the less he dared to act rashly.

Seeing that he no longer attacked, Xu Jia said: "I have no use for these sword-talisman Dharma Money; I don't like buying things. Just share with me a copy of the sword formulas or sword manuals you have collected, or the techniques for forging flying swords, and that will be enough."

Gongye Lingxue said to her own father: "Father, it is better to avoid extra trouble..." She had some discernment and saw that her father had not gained the upper hand just now: "This senior actually did not make things difficult for your daughter."

"Senior, how about this: let us trade object for object, and exchange for the Sand Escape technique in your hand. That way, it will look decent, avoid adding a bad reputation, and I can also gain the friendship of our Sword Casting Villa. The sword-casting technique is a top secret and really cannot be passed on, but we do have a large collection of sword formulas. Those who want us to forge corresponding flying swords will hand over their sword formulas and manuals for us to view. Although most are rogue cultivators and we never pass them on, there are also some who had flying swords cast but never came to collect them, or who have already died, or who wanted to renege on their debts and were dealt with by us; in short, we have a huge collection."

Gongye Xingyun also acquiesced to his daughter's worldly wisdom and said: "I happen to have a sword formula on me, which I intended to use to draw inferences and create my own. This sword formula is also quite extraordinary and can be exchanged with the Daoist for that Sand Escape technique." Xu Jia heard this and felt it was reasonable, so he did not haggle: "That works too. Once I obtain the inheritance of the Dutian Liehuo Zushi, I will go to your Sword Casting Villa to learn the art of sword casting. Next time I go, I hope the Tianquan Sword Master can inform the villa master of my intentions after returning."

Gongye Xingyun was also startled to hear of the Dutian Liehuo Ancestral Master, and hearing Xu Jia say he would go to the Sword Casting Villa alone, he said: "My villa is in Jishui, Luling Prefecture. If the Daoist has any needs, just come."

Xu Jia thought about how far Luling was from the Da Mo; an Earth Immortal wouldn't take two or three days to walk there, but thinking that these worlds might all be five hundred small worlds of the Desire Realm, branches of a large world, he was too lazy to worry about these scientific or logical problems and just emptied his brain.

The sword formula Gongye Xingyun comprehended was called the "Sword Scripture of Missing Three Liang"; the sword scripture used a scale as the standard: the Northern Dipper Seven Stars are seven liang, the Southern Dipper Six Stars are six liang, plus fortune, salary, and longevity, totaling sixteen liang. Missing one liang means less fortune, missing two liang means short salary, and missing three liang means shortened longevity.

This name was tricky and strange, and the sword scripture was the same; it only had three moves: one called "Impermanence Claims a Life," one called "Buying a Path with Flower Money," and one called "Misfortunes Never Come Singly."

They corresponded respectively to the missing "fortune, salary, and longevity."

I don't know if the person who created this sword scripture was once short-changed when buying groceries, and in such a murderous rage, created these three sword moves.

"This Sword Scripture of Missing Three Liang, although it is a remnant, our Sword Casting Villa's 'Northern Dipper Sword Scripture' is actually the same in its approach; one jin is sixteen liang, and only the thirteen liang of the Southern and Northern Dippers remain, one destined for death, one destined for life."

Gongye Xingyun said: "Therefore, I constantly ponder it, seeking to perfect my own sword formula."

Huogong Toutuo whispered: "Master, it is said that their Northern Dipper Sword Scripture comes from the 'Zhou Tian Star Sword Scripture,' which is very powerful; it is a sword array technique passed down from the Heavenly Court."

Xu Jia had looked at this sword scripture and only felt that it was treacherous, ruthless, tricky, and strange. When imitating the sword movements, the sword momentum had a "woo-woo" sound, like the wailing of ghosts of impermanence, carrying a coffin to a funeral, a house of mourning, or a family line being cut off...

"What kind of flying sword should be used with this kind of sword?" Xu Jia asked.

"Generally speaking, a Yin-attribute flying sword; like the sword intent on the Huangquan Road the Daoist just used, using this sword scripture will surely have miraculous effects."

"I have heard that to the northwest of the Da Mo is the Southern Frontier. In the Southern Frontier, there is an old demon who possesses a 'Hundred-Child Holy Infant Sword,' which was forged using the crowns of one hundred and eight infants. I also heard that further into the depths of the Da Mo, there is the Su Sea, where there is an Xingsu Laoxian who has a 'Rotten Immortal Sword,' refined by gathering the bones of a thousand-year-old zombie that would not decay. Besides that, to the west of the Da Mo, there is a Jile Temple, where there is a Jile Laoren who has refined a 'Jile Sword,' refined by gathering Huangquan mud."

"Why doesn't the Daoist go and discuss with them?"

Xu Jia glanced at him, seeing his half-smile; the others dared not make a sound, and given these titles, he probably knew roughly what kind of goods the three he mentioned were.

"Just heterodox paths." Xu Jia tossed out the Sand Escape Jade Slip; this technique was not hard to learn, so what harm was there in giving it to him? He wanted to see just what kind of scene that Buddha Kingdom Foguo Mijing could create.

Yet, this Jade Slip was already imbued with the sword momentum of the "Sword Scripture of Missing Three or Two," and while it was not the most dangerous move of Impermanence claiming a life, it was the most insidious of the "Flower Money to buy a path" moves, signifying that his own temperament could not tolerate others.

As the saying goes, the King of Hell is easy to provoke, but the little ghosts are hard to deal with; once you step onto the Huangquan road, you need to pay "buy-a-path" money to the little ghosts all the way...

Of course, Xu Jia previously worked in the underworld, so this artistic conception and status really suited him.

Gongye Xingyun flicked his sword light, performed a sword flourish, and used a method to neutralize force to catch the Jade Slip; a thought swept through it to sense the Sand Escape method within, and he was startled: "This is actually a Divine Ability?"

Divine Abilities are higher-level than techniques; techniques are merely minor arts, while Divine Abilities involve the principles of laws.

However, he said nothing more, only saying to his daughter: "Let's go!"

Once the two of them left, He Yu Langjun naturally left as well; he also wanted to go see the Foguo Mijing.

Thus, only Shifang Xiaoheshang and Huogong Toutuo remained.

Huogong Toutuo watched eagerly, thinking to himself: "That is one of the Seven Swords! This old thing was actually able to scare him off; it seems if I want to survive, the only path is to cling to a powerful thigh." He immediately became even more submissive.

Shifang Xiaoheshang also fell into deep thought.

Xu Jia said to Huogong Toutuo: "Before nightfall, you must build a one-person hut. I will set up a ritual to invite the Four Spirits of Heaven and the Four Gods of Earth to protect it, and draw a circle to stay inside for shelter; otherwise, the demons of the Dharma Realm will surge ten times more fiercely tonight."

He then said to Shifang: "Your Daoist Practice is not as good as your master's, but you are still of some use. Go find some stones, carve Buddha statues and scriptures on them, and I will preside over the consecration to serve as Protectors."

Shifang wanted to say something, but could only follow instructions.

By dusk, a large group of beetles arrived, all rolling dung balls; it was unknown what animal's dung it was, but the point was that every dung ball contained seeds of desert plants.

Xu Jia directed them to settle the seeds, applied sweet dew, nurtured the Thick Earth, and spurred the Qingdi.

In just a moment, the land had already expanded from two and a third mu to five mu.

Although the yellow sand remained, the bustling green made it different after all.

The Daochang that Huogong Toutuo built by burning Glazed Bricks was only a small temple one person high, square and upright; this was his limit, as the Dutian Liehuo Zhenqi in his body was completely exhausted, and his face had turned pale.

Shifang, who was carving statues and scriptures, was much the same; he was even more solemn and earnest, and it took him two hours to create one statue, which was still relatively crude. He created two in total: one was Riguang Pusa, and one was Moonlight Bodhisattva.

The Sun and Moon Bodhisattvas are the attendant Bodhisattvas of the Eastern Yaoshi Fo, often stationed in the Eastern Liuli Jingtu, possessing supreme bright Dharma Power.

This was a fitting correspondence.

Xu Jia simply performed the ritual and summoned the gods of the four directions and the Four Symbols deities.

As night fell, the Dharma Realm suddenly turned black; Huogong Toutuo's consciousness entered the Dharma Realm, and he saw the world turn black, with yellow sand surging like a tide. Above the yellow sand were infinite fierce beasts and Fierce Gods, all charging toward this place.

Yet, this Liuli Jingtu had a foundation in the world of the living, becoming a bright palace. The palace had four gates, and the four gates were guarded by the Azure Dragon, White Tiger, Vermilion Bird, and Black Tortoise, while the two Bodhisattvas of Sun and Moon emitted the great light of the sun and moon.

For a moment, it was like a bright pearl in the vast sea.

Those demons driven by the Dharma Realm charged forward, but they could never break through that layer of transparent, glass-like barrier.

Instead, Shifang and Huogong Toutuo inside the barrier were nearly scared to the point of wetting themselves; this was more than ten times more terrifying than what they had seen in the Dharma Realm over the past two days.

(End of chapter)