"Junior Brother, although our Tianquan Peak ranks fourth among the Seven Peaks of Shu Mountain, its importance is not the slightest bit inferior to Tianshu Peak, which ranks first. For you to come to Tianquan Peak and join Master's lineage is a fortunate fate."
Xu Chang led Lin Chan out of the main hall and said with a smile.
"I am deeply honored."
Lin Chan nodded in reply.
"Hahaha! From now on, we are brothers. No need to be so polite."
Seeing that Lin Chan was somewhat reserved, Xu Chang patted him on the back in reassurance.
"Come! Since you have only just arrived, I'll take you to find an empty Cave Dwelling first. Afterward, I'll get you a Daoist robe, a sect manual, an Identity Jade Pendant, and the like."
As he spoke, Xu Chang summoned his Flying Sword and took Lin Chan down the mountain by Sword Riding.
Among the Seven Peaks of Shu Mountain, the highest point of each peak housed the Palace Cave Dwelling of that peak's Core Formation True Person. The Cave Dwellings of Inner Sect Disciples were arranged below, while Registered Disciples lived farther down still.
Xu Chang brought Lin Chan to Steward Lu, who managed the Cave Dwellings, and Steward Lu immediately led the two of them to make a selection.
"There are still three vacant Cave Dwellings for Inner Sect Disciples. Junior Brother Lin, which one do you want?"
Steward Lu unfolded a map, and the phantom image of Tianquan Peak appeared before them.
The Cave Dwellings of Inner Sect Disciples were all individual residences, each occupying its own small patch of land. They did not have to crowd together like Registered Disciples of the outer sect.
"Senior Brother, which one do you think is best?"
Lin Chan looked to Xu Chang. He had no experience himself, so asking his senior brother was the safest course.
"This one! Our brothers all live nearby. My Cave Dwelling is only a li away from there, so you can come find me whenever you have nothing to do."
Xu Chang chose a spot near the middle for Lin Chan.
"Alright! Then this one it is."
Lin Chan nodded.
"Junior Brother Xu, Junior Brother Lin, follow me. I'll take you there."
Steward Lu put away the map, and Tianquan Peak's phantom image vanished.
Steward Lu took to the air on his Flying Sword, while Xu Chang followed close behind with Lin Chan. Before long, they arrived at the chosen Cave Dwelling.
It was just that no one had lived here for a long time, and a thick layer of dust had gathered.
Steward Lu formed a hand seal, and a clear breeze arose from his palm, blowing into the house and sweeping the entire room clean.
"Junior Brother Lin, no one has lived here for too long, so there was some dust. It is no longer a problem now. In the future, come find me, and I'll arrange for outer sect disciples to clean your rooms regularly."
Steward Lu said to Lin Chan.
Having taken True Person Xuan Chen as his master, Lin Chan had become an Inner Sect Disciple directly. He did not need to perform the numerous menial tasks expected of Registered Disciples in the outer sect.
"Alright!"
Lin Chan nodded. He rather wanted to learn the spell Steward Lu had used just now, so that he could clean his own rooms.
After all, a personal Cave Dwelling was a relatively private place.
The entire Cave Dwelling was set into a stone cliff, with three rooms carved out within. Outside was a small courtyard where flowers and plants could be grown.
After roughly looking over the interior, Lin Chan was quite satisfied. Steward Lu then gave him a specially made wooden token, and this Cave Dwelling would henceforth be for Lin Chan's use.
There was no rent to pay either, which was quite nice.
"Junior Brother, stay at my place for the time being. I'll teach you the Heart Sword Same Origin Art."
After arranging the Cave Dwelling, Xu Chang said this.
"I'll follow Senior Brother's arrangements!"
Lin Chan had been eager to learn a cultivation art.
Afterward, Xu Chang brought Lin Chan back to his own Cave Dwelling nearby.
Xu Chang's home was extremely simple, with no furniture to speak of, only a few meditation cushions.
The two sat facing one another as Xu Chang began explaining the essentials of the Heart Sword Same Origin Art to Lin Chan.
In broad terms, the cultivator used their body as a sword sheath, their mind as furnace fire, and their qi and blood as a spring source to nurture a Flying Sword, ultimately achieving Unity of Man and Sword.
"If the heart and sword are connected like this, then if the Flying Sword is damaged, would I also be harmed?"
Lin Chan asked with some confusion.
"That is inevitable. Which is why very few people cultivate the Heart Sword Same Origin Art now, especially cultivators below Foundation Establishment. If their Destiny Flying Sword suffers severe damage or is destroyed, their minds will suffer an intense backlash. At best, their cultivation will be completely crippled; at worst, their souls will scatter and vanish. After Foundation Establishment, damage to the Flying Sword has very limited effect on oneself."
Xu Chang did not hide anything and told Lin Chan of its flaws.
Hearing this, Lin Chan became somewhat unwilling to cultivate it.
Binding his life to a broken sword really did seem rather risky.
"Still, don't worry. Since Master has told you to cultivate this art, he will later have a Flying Sword custom-made for you. Its quality will definitely be high, and it will not be so easily damaged."
Xu Chang reassured him.
"Then I'll trouble Senior Brother to teach me."
Lin Chan steadied his mind and said.
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He now had the Merit recorded in the Lesser Merit Record. According to True Person Xuan Chen, he would be able to break through to Foundation Establishment steadily.
That way, the risks of cultivating the Heart Sword Same Origin Art would be greatly reduced.
True Person Xuan Chen had also said that this cultivation art suited him best, and he could even get a Flying Sword for free. Why not?
As Lin Chan listened to Xu Chang explain the Heart Sword Same Origin Art, the sky darkened in the blink of an eye.
"You are still a mortal and have not yet reached fasting. I have some Bigu Pills on hand, so take them and eat them!"
Seeing that it was getting late, Xu Chang took a jade bottle from his sleeve and handed it to Lin Chan.
When Lin Chan removed the stopper, he found more than ten small grayish-brown pills inside, each about the size of a broad bean.
"Do not eat too many at once. One pill is enough to let you go without food or drink for five days."
Xu Chang explained the dosage to him.
"Senior Brother, I understand."
While eating a Bigu Pill, Lin Chan suddenly thought of something.
His cat and dog were still down in Yuxi Town. He had not brought them up the mountain.
Now that he had come up the mountain to cultivate, should he bring them up as well?
But there was no food on the mountain either. Even he could only eat Bigu Pills. With two bottomless pits coming up the mountain, he did not know whether they would turn the place upside down and leave chickens and dogs in chaos.
Xu Chang saw the hesitation on Lin Chan's face and asked:
"What is it? Have my Bigu Pills gone bad? That shouldn't be possible! They have only been stored for half a year or so."
"No, Senior Brother. I just thought of something. I came seeking immortality with a cat and a dog, but now that I have gone up the mountain, the cat and dog are still below."
Lin Chan shook his head and said.
"Why did you bring a cat and dog?"
Xu Chang's face was full of confusion.
"Senior Brother, it is like this. Little Li and Little White are both extraordinary and quite spiritual, so I kept them by my side."
Lin Chan hurriedly explained.
"In that case, you can leave them in the outer sect and have the junior brothers there look after them, or send them to Yaoguang Peak. There are many demons there. Right now, your most important task is cultivation, not playing with cats and teasing dogs."
Xu Chang said to Lin Chan.
"Yes, Senior Brother!"
Lin Chan nodded in agreement.
"Where are your Little Li and Little White now?"
Xu Chang asked.
"They are in Yuxi Town. They can hunt on their own, so there is no need to worry too much."
"Let's go fetch them now. We can leave them in my Cave Dwelling for the time being today, then send them to Yaoguang Peak tomorrow."
Having said that, Xu Chang rose to his feet and led Lin Chan down the mountain.
In the small courtyard where Lin Chan had previously stayed in Yuxi Town, Zhou Sheng wore a deeply depressed expression.
Today, he had finally encountered disciples of Shu Mountain, but none of them paid him any heed.
He had never imagined that his status as the Heir of the Marquis of Wei would be so useless.
"Young Master! What happened to that young fellow Lin Chan? Shu Mountain disciples actually came to seize him, and he still has not returned."
His bookboy, Wang Yunxuan, said worriedly.
"He probably committed some evil deed. Shu Mountain disciples are the very image of righteousness. If he had not done anything wrong, why would they have taken him away?"
Zhou Sheng guessed at Lin Chan's fate with the worst possible intentions.
"No way! Young Brother Lin Chan looks so kind!"
"Who knows?"
Zhou Sheng said meaningfully, as though Lin Chan were truly a wicked man with a human face and a beast's heart.
Just then, Little Li rode Little White back into the courtyard.
Little Li meowed twice at Zhou Sheng, while Little White, who rarely made a sound, also gave two low growls, as though asking the pair where Lin Chan was.
"It is just as well that he is gone. This white dog and tricolor cat will belong to me from now on."
Zhou Sheng did not understand Little Li and Little White's words. Instead, he stared greedily at them.
He had coveted these two unusually spiritual animals for a long time.
"Wouldn't that be inappropriate? Perhaps Lin Chan will return tomorrow."
Wang Yunxuan felt that this was highly improper. After all, they belonged to Lin Chan.
"I doubt it. Shu Mountain disciples took him away—how could they let him go so easily?"
Zhou Sheng said gleefully.
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