The two people before him were Lin Chan's Seventh Martial Brother and Eighth Martial Sister. Both were more than ten years older than Lin Chan and had reached late-stage Qi Cultivation.
Lin Chan had learned all this from Xu Chang earlier.
"Seventh Martial Brother! Eighth Martial Sister!"
Lin Chan immediately stepped forward and bowed to them.
"No need for such formality. Master sent us to find you. He wants to see you."
Su Wanqing looked Lin Chan over and said with a smile.
Su Ganchen merely stood to one side without saying much.
Just as Martial Brother Xu said. Seventh Martial Brother is colder, while Eighth Martial Sister is more cheerful and outgoing.
Lin Chan thought.
"Martial Sister, what does Master want with me?"
Lin Chan gathered his thoughts and asked.
"I don't know either, but I suspect it has something to do with your Destiny Flying Sword. Aren't you cultivating the Heart Sword Same Origin Art? It should be about the Flying Sword."
Su Wanqing guessed.
"I see."
Lin Chan nodded, thoroughly agreeing with her guess.
"Little Martial Brother, you haven't reached late-stage Qi Cultivation yet, so you can't ride a sword through the air. I'll take you! We'll fly up on a sword—it'll be faster."
Su Wanqing urged her Flying Sword forward and held out her small hand to Lin Chan.
Lin Chan hesitated for a moment, but in the end, he stepped onto Su Wanqing's Flying Sword.
Most people of this era held rather conservative notions, and he too was somewhat mindful of propriety between men and women. But since neither his martial brother nor martial sister cared, there was no need for him to be so overly sensitive.
Before long, the three of them arrived inside True Person Xuan Chen's Palace.
"Master!"
All three bowed to True Person Xuan Chen.
"Lin Chan, stay. Wanqing and Ganchen, go attend to your matters."
True Person Xuan Chen said.
"Yes!"
The two cupped their hands and took their leave.
"How is your cultivation progressing?"
True Person Xuan Chen asked with concern.
"This disciple is incompetent. I still haven't been able to complete the Lesser Celestial Circuit."
Lin Chan said somewhat ashamedly.
"It is indeed a little slow. However, you are still young, and you have yet to fuse with your Destiny Flying Sword. Once you do, your cultivation speed will increase considerably. Stay here later, and I will give you some guidance."
True Person Xuan Chen said calmly.
His other disciples had all completed Qi Introduction and run the Lesser Celestial Circuit within one or two months.
One had to know that among the twelve levels of Qi Cultivation, the difficulty of cultivation doubled with every level, and there was a great barrier after every three levels.
If one wasted time at the beginning, there was even less hope for what came after.
Compared with his other martial brothers, Lin Chan's progress was indeed much slower.
Of course, Lin Chan was still far faster than the other outer sect disciples.
However, the outer sect's Registered Disciples had countless miscellaneous tasks to handle every day and did not have much time for cultivation.
In short, if not for the great Merit upon Lin Chan, which could ensure his steady entry into the Foundation Establishment realm, True Person Xuan Chen might not have been willing to accept him as a disciple.
"Thank you for the trouble, Master!"
Lin Chan lowered his head and spoke shamefully.
"I called you here this time because of your Flying Sword. I have just finished handling my other miscellaneous affairs, so I have time to forge a sword for you during this period. I have two materials here: one portion of Thousand-Year Cold Iron and one portion of Lightning-Struck Wood. Which do you want?"
As he spoke, True Person Xuan Chen placed the two materials before Lin Chan.
One was a bluish-white iron block, polished bright enough to reflect a person's face. The other was a piece of locust wood that had been struck by lightning.
"This Cold Iron was taken from beneath the Northern Sea Ice Ocean. It is extremely hard, firm to the utmost and unbreakable to the utmost."
True Person Xuan Chen first introduced the Cold Iron to Lin Chan.
The Cold Iron floated before Lin Chan, and he could feel the chill radiating from it.
"As for this Lightning-Struck Wood, it came from a thousand-year-old locust tree struck by lightning. It can ward off evil, draw in good fortune, and bring luck."
True Person Xuan Chen rather recommended this one to Lin Chan.
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Lin Chan possessed great Merit, making him exceptionally suited to a Flying Sword that carried such a blessing of fortune.
"Master! I want the Cold Iron."
Lin Chan did not hesitate for long before making his choice.
The Thousand-Year Cold Iron was harder and less likely to break.
After all, this concerned his own life. It was better to choose something sturdier.
This Lightning-Struck Wood was too flashy and ornate-looking. It did not seem able to withstand much abuse.
"You will not consider it further?"
True Person Xuan Chen looked at Lin Chan.
"Master, I think the Cold Iron is sturdier."
Lin Chan said.
"That is true. Then it shall be the Cold Iron."
True Person Xuan Chen nodded and put away both materials.
After he finished refining it, he would give the Flying Sword to Lin Chan.
Then Lin Chan would Awaken its Spirit, linking their lives together.
At that time, Lin Chan's cultivation speed would experience a small leap forward, making up for some of the shortcomings in his aptitude.
"Thank you, Master."
Knowing that True Person Xuan Chen would forge a sword for him, Lin Chan hurriedly expressed his gratitude.
"It is nothing. This is what a master should do. Also, there has been some progress regarding the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger. It fled south into Wu Country. We have no way to deal with it there, but that demon has already returned to the righteous path. Shu Mountain will not hunt it to the bitter end."
True Person Xuan Chen brought up the matter of the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger again.
"Master, I only met that Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger once. I was not the one who instructed it to flee to Wu Country."
Lin Chan hurriedly explained.
Although he did not know why the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger had suddenly fled to Wu Country, he understood that his master must have another reason for mentioning this matter.
Perhaps he suspected that Lin Chan had some other connection with the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger.
"I did not mention this because I suspect you. Rather, you and that Si Mu Tiger Demon have considerable ties. After some time, when your cultivation has borne fruit, I will need you to go to Wu Country and speak with it. Tell it Shu Mountain's stance—we no longer bear it any hostility."
True Person Xuan Chen said calmly.
Whenever Shu Mountain disciples encountered cultivation bottlenecks, they had to descend the mountain for experience, walk the righteous path, and accumulate Merit.
Naturally, this required the Shu Mountain Sword Sect to maintain good relations with outside forces. Otherwise, while a Core Formation True Person might be able to defend himself, the Qi Cultivation and Foundation Establishment disciples beneath him would have to live in constant fear, worrying about retaliation.
Especially since that Si Mu Tiger Demon possessed Five Hundred Years of Dao, making it comparable to a Core Formation True Person.
"This disciple accepts the order!"
Though Lin Chan felt afraid, he still agreed without hesitation.
Previously, he had not known that Four Eyes possessed Five Hundred Years of Dao. Added to the fact that he had already been driven into a desperate corner at the time, with no other choice but to smash the pot and break the jars, he had been able to discuss the Great Dao of cultivation with it as lightly as wind and clouds.
Now that he knew one realm was one heaven, and that the difference between a Qi Cultivation disciple and a Foundation Establishment cultivator was like that between two entirely different creatures, he naturally no longer possessed that calm composure born of ignorance and fearlessness.
Moreover, in order to avoid Shu Mountain, the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger had abandoned the territory it had dominated for decades, fled Rong Country, and hidden within Wu Country. The conflict between the two sides could not possibly be summed up in a few words.
Going to mediate was no different from a Strategist traveling to an enemy state during the Warring States period to persuade its rulers. His life would be in danger at any moment.
This was no joking matter.
The gap between Core Formation and Qi Cultivation had reached the point where the former merely needed to glance at the latter for the latter to die.
Yet Lin Chan had no choice but to agree.
As a Shu Mountain disciple, he was supported by Shu Mountain and had received his master's teachings. He could not refuse even this small responsibility.
Besides, this might well be Shu Mountain's test for him.
Seeing Lin Chan's grim expression, True Person Xuan Chen understood what he was thinking and said:
"You need not panic either. Shu Mountain's True Persons have not yet met or fought the Si Mu Tiger Demon, so there is no great conflict between us. When the time comes, I will also give you a Dharma Artifact for protection."
"Master, this disciple bears no grievance. My conversation with that Tiger Demon was indeed somewhat congenial. It may be willing to listen to me."
Lin Chan shook his head and replied respectfully.
He had already thought of a strategy. When the time came, he would first use Little Li to scout the way.
If the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger had truly set foot upon the righteous path, it would not take his life merely because he had joined Shu Mountain and become a Shu Mountain disciple.
"Enough. We will discuss this matter another day. Let me see what has gone wrong with your cultivation."
True Person Xuan Chen no longer dwelled on the subject and sent over a meditation cushion through the air.
Naturally understanding True Person Xuan Chen's intention, Lin Chan sat cross-legged upon the cushion. After steadying his breathing, he began cultivating in earnest.
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