Chapter 143

"Do you have any other questions? Ask them all now."

The Grand Master of Grand Void Gate glanced at the other Golden Core Elders around him.

Then he quietly sipped his tea.

"He Pingsheng!" A female Daoist of Golden Core level spoke up—she was the only woman in the hall. Though everyone knew she had lived for centuries, at a glance she appeared no older than a young woman in her early twenties, strikingly youthful: "I am the Elder of Tianyi Peak—you may call me Elder Jianzhu!"

He Pingsheng's heart jolted.

He had never met Elder Jianzhu before, but he had heard of her many times.

Legends said her sword art was divine; she was an exceptionally formidable sword cultivator. Though her rank among the sect's Golden Core Elders was low, her combat power towered over all others.

She was also the Grand Master's most favored and beloved disciple.

"Disciple He Pingsheng bows before Elder Jianzhu!" He Pingsheng did not dare delay and immediately paid his respects.

Before Elder Jianzhu could speak, the Grand Master above set down his teacup and waved his hand: "Everyone here is your elder. No one cares for such formalities. Just answer what's asked—no more bows from now on!"

"What a nuisance!"

With that, the Grand Master resumed sipping his tea.

He Pingsheng said: "Yes."

"He Pingsheng!" Elder Jianzhu spoke: "I ask you: you claimed that the Daoist Changping departed on his sword, and you chased after him, then struck him off his blade with a Falling Rock Talisman—true?"

He Pingsheng said: "Yes."

"That makes no sense!" Elder Jianzhu said: "According to my knowledge, sword-flight is extremely fast—no paper crane could possibly catch up to him!"

"I refuse to believe you knocked him off his sword!"

"Oh…" The Grand Master set down his teacup and said: "That's a good question, He boy—explain yourself."

He Pingsheng took a deep breath and said: "Respected Elder, I… also chased him on my sword."

He had never intended to reveal he could fly on a sword.

Why?

Because it was strange.

Logically, a Qi Refining cultivator should not be able to fly on a sword—unless his spiritual sense was extraordinarily strong.

Now if you admit you can fly on a sword, you must then explain why your spiritual sense is so strong.

Each additional layer adds more risk.

So why did He Pingsheng still admit it?

Simple: because he would have to explain it anyway, soon after.

He Pingsheng was no fool—the Grand Master had already said he had performed the Spirit-Search Technique and scanned Hou Muling's soul.

Spirit-searching extracts a person's memories from a specific moment.

Hou Muling had plainly seen He Pingsheng flying on a sword.

If Hou Muling saw it, then the Grand Master saw it too.

Would he not ask?

Better to confess now than wait for him to ask later—it would make him appear more sincere.

"Nonsense!" Elder Jianzhu's face paled: "He Pingsheng, you're only at Qi Refining Level Eleven—how can you fly on a sword?"

"Heh…" The Grand Master, like a perfect straight man, chimed in: "Don't be so absolute. Nothing is absolute. Whether a cultivator can fly on a sword depends not on their realm, but on their spiritual sense!"

"Once spiritual sense reaches a hundred zhang, one may fly on a sword!"

"If this boy's spiritual sense is exceptionally strong, why couldn't he fly on a sword?"

"That's even more impossible!" Elder Jianzhu said: "After Qi Refining Level Twelve, a cultivator's spiritual sense peaks at no more than sixty zhang—it cannot reach a hundred. This is the law of heaven and earth; no one can break it!"

"Unless…"

Elder Jianzhu's gaze sharpened like a blade, locking onto He Pingsheng: "Unless you've cultivated a spirit-refining scripture!"

"Have you cultivated a spirit-refining scripture?"

"Yes." He Pingsheng nodded in admission.

"What scripture? Hand it over!" Elder Jianzhu rudely extended her jade hand, demanding it.

Shhh…

Almost everyone turned their gaze to He Pingsheng.

Spirit-refining scriptures were far too rare and mysterious in the cultivation world.

Many Golden Core cultivators had never even seen one.

"This…" He Pingsheng knew he couldn't avoid handing it over today, but he still feigned reluctance: "Elder Jianzhu, may I refuse?"

He spoke politely.

But he clearly meant: I won't give it to you.

Now Elder Jianzhu had no grounds to press further.

After all, it was his personal possession—seniors couldn't demand it.

"Cough, cough…" The Grand Master spoke again: "He boy, she doesn't covet your treasure—she merely wants to check it. Spirit-refining scriptures can be righteous or demonic; some bring more harm than benefit to spiritual sense!"

"Let your ancestral uncle examine it for you."

"Yes, yes!" Master Chongyang chimed in: "He boy, hand it over. Don't worry—we'll return it after. No one will steal your things, right?"

Master Chongyang knew he had to hand it over today.

Because the Grand Master had spoken.

He Pingsheng took a deep breath, then opened his storage bag.

Correct—he had known today was inevitable, so he had prepared in advance.

He pulled out two books.

Not only the 【Mystic Gate Stillness True Scripture】, but also the 【Demon Seed Spirit Method】.

Why hand over both at once?

Simple.

The 【Demon Seed Spirit Method】 was useless to him!

Presenting both made him appear sincere.

Of course, He Pingsheng wasn't that honest. His 【Mystic Gate Stillness True Scripture】 had six chapters—from Qi Refining to Void Refinement.

The one he handed over was a copied version.

Only the Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, and Golden Core chapters.

And in the Golden Core chapter, he had deliberately copied errors.

As for the 【Demon Seed Spirit Method】, he had copied only three chapters.

He placed both books respectfully beside Elder Jianzhu and bowed deeply: "Disciple can distinguish between them, so I cultivated only the 【Mystic Gate Stillness True Scripture】. I did not practice the demonic scripture."

Elder Jianzhu opened the books and began reading.

After roughly ten breaths, she looked up in shock: "This… this is truly a spirit-refining scripture!"

"And its rank… I feel… this rank is far from ordinary!"

"Let me… let me see!"

"Let me see too!"

Several Golden Core Elders eagerly snatched up He Pingsheng's scriptures to examine them.

Only the Grand Master remained unmoved, sipping his tea slowly.

As if he had no interest whatsoever in these scriptures.

"Grand Master!" Finally, after all had read, Elder Jianzhu presented both books to him: "Please take a look…"

The Grand Master waved his hand: "I won't look. He boy, your scripture is no ordinary thing—it's not from our sect."