Flying Sword

When Little White came over as well, Lin Chan checked Little White's cultivation again.

There had likewise been little progress.

They had originally been nothing more than ordinary cats and dogs. They could only cultivate smoothly thanks to that mouthful of vital blood from the Four-Eyed Fierce Tiger.

Following Little White around Yaoguang Peak for a circuit, Lin Chan found that there truly were many female disciples here.

Most of them did not wear the Daoist robes issued by Shu Mountain. Instead, they wore vividly colored gauze skirts, each with plenty of individuality.

Even the Registered Disciples were the same.

Of course, this had little to do with Lin Chan.

After staying only briefly, he sent Little Li and Little White back to Dian Mo.

After that, Lin Chan continued cultivating as usual.

Spring passed and summer arrived; another half year went by.

Lin Chan successfully broke through to Qi Cultivation Layer 2 and had progressed more than halfway through it. The spiritual power within his body had multiplied several times over. Unlike before, he no longer exhausted all his spiritual power after using the Cleaning Spell a few times.

One morning, while the dew had yet to dry.

Lin Chan opened his eyes, and the first thing he did was check the information on his Identity Jade Pendant.

Then, he finally received a message from his master, True Person Xuan Chen, telling him to come over.

"It's finally done."

Lin Chan's face broke into a broad smile.

He had waited for half a year. At last, his Flying Sword had arrived.

Without a Flying Sword, his Heart Sword Same Origin Art was no different from the Qi Cultivation methods used by outer sect disciples; there was nothing extraordinary about it.

With an uneasy heart, Lin Chan arrived at True Person Xuan Chen's Palace.

"Chan'er, after making you wait so long, you must have been anxious, yes? But your master wanted to refine it more meticulously, so it took a little more time."

True Person Xuan Chen spoke calmly.

"I have not waited very long. The more care Master puts into it, the more it benefits me."

Lin Chan hurriedly replied.

"Fortunately, the time was not wasted, and no mistakes occurred."

True Person Xuan Chen took out the completed Flying Sword. It was two feet and three inches long, its entire body a dark blue-gray with a cold, muted sheen. A faint icy pattern ran down its ridge, while its blade was thin as a cicada's wing, sharp enough to sever hairs blown against it, its chill piercing to the bone.

Even from afar, Lin Chan could not help swallowing.

Though Lin Chan's sword heart was still only in its infancy, he already possessed a certain resonance with swords. The moment he saw it, joy welled up in his heart.

"Take it and have a look."

True Person Xuan Chen said with a smile.

When he had been young, he too had loved swords as Lin Chan did.

"Thank you, Master!"

Lin Chan grasped the hilt floating in the air and examined it carefully.

"This sword is only a little short of reaching the grade of a Dharma Artifact. But if it were a Dharma Artifact, you would be unable to wield it at your current level, so its quality could only be lowered slightly. Once you form your Core Formation, use your core fire to refine it for some time, and its quality can be restored to the level of a Dharma Artifact."

As Lin Chan examined the Flying Sword, True Person Xuan Chen introduced its quality as well.

Upon hearing this, Lin Chan immediately cupped his hands to True Person Xuan Chen again.

"Thank you, Master, for bestowing this sword!"

Over these days, Lin Chan had also read many Daoist texts. He knew that a Top Grade Magic Tool was immensely valuable, enough to make many Foundation Establishment Rogue Cultivators fight to the death over it.

"This is what your master promised you."

True Person Xuan Chen said.

Then, True Person Xuan Chen took out a scabbard and tossed it to Lin Chan.

Under True Person Xuan Chen's control, the sword in Lin Chan's hand rose and slid into the scabbard.

"Before Foundation Establishment, do not draw this sword."

True Person Xuan Chen gave his final instruction.

"Yes!"

Lin Chan agreed repeatedly.

"As for Awakening Spirit and the Sword Offering Ritual, the night of the full moon this Mid-Autumn Festival will be just right."

True Person Xuan Chen had chosen the date for Lin Chan.

"I understand, Master."

Lin Chan nodded. When the Mid-Autumn Festival full moon came, he would perform the Sword Offering Ritual and bind himself to it by blood.

He had already learned the Heart Sword Same Origin Art. When the time came, he would certainly complete everything himself, without needing to trouble True Person Xuan Chen again.

"Oh, there is one more matter."

Before Lin Chan left, True Person Xuan Chen said.

"It is still the matter of the Si Mu Tiger Demon. After your Sword Offering Ritual, go with Xu Chang to Wu Country and find him, then bring this matter to an end. Once this is over, I will choose a sword art suitable for you."

"Yes!"

Lin Chan's heart jumped, but he nodded.

He had nearly forgotten about this matter. In the end, he still could not escape it.

After leaving True Person Xuan Chen's Palace, Lin Chan returned to his Cave Dwelling to practice spells and meditate to refine his spirit.

It was not until the sun set beyond the western hills that Lin Chan emerged from his Cave Dwelling and went to Xu Chang's Cave Dwelling to wait for his Sixth Senior Brother to return.

Xu Chang had already reached Foundation Establishment. His days of burying his head in arduous cultivation were long past; every day, he needed to handle certain matters and earn more Talisman Coins.

"Senior Brother!"

Lin Chan stepped forward in greeting.

"Little Junior Brother, do you have something you wish to ask about?"

Xu Chang said with a smile, leading Lin Chan inside.

Lin Chan did not stand on ceremony and went straight in. He had stayed in Xu Chang's Cave Dwelling for some time before, so he was no stranger to the place.

"In a few months, will Senior Brother be taking me to Wu Country to find that Si Mu Tiger Demon?"

Lin Chan did not beat around the bush, getting straight to the point.

"There is indeed such a matter. Master did instruct me to escort you there when the time comes, then bring you back."

Xu Chang recalled what True Person Xuan Chen had told him a few days ago.

"Then does Senior Brother know that the Tiger Demon possesses Five Hundred Years of Dao?"

Lin Chan asked.

"Master mentioned it. Little Junior Brother, you truly are extraordinarily fortunate, picking up such a great opportunity for nothing. Back then, in order to accumulate the Merit needed for Foundation Establishment, I drifted about outside bitterly for more than ten years before I finally accumulated enough."

Xu Chang spoke with some envy.

Accumulating the Merit required for Foundation Establishment was no easy task.

Basically, after reaching late-stage Qi Cultivation, one had to train outside, punish evil, promote good, and uphold the righteous path.

Only by resolving disasters caused by roughly ten Foundation Establishment demon creatures could one barely accumulate enough.

Moreover, such Merit merely increased the odds to a certain extent; it was still far from guaranteed.

Only Merit of the caliber Lin Chan had gained—educating, with just a few words, an evil Core Formation tiger that had devoured several thousand, perhaps nearly ten thousand people, Merit so great that even Core Formation True Persons had to scheme behind the scenes—could guarantee Foundation Establishment one hundred percent.

Otherwise, True Person Xuan Ji, True Person Xuan Chen's junior sister, would not have been so furious.

Who knew how much planning of hers lay behind that portion of Merit.

"At the time, I was a mortal and had not touched cultivation, so I dared to speak wildly before an immortal. But now that I am at Qi Cultivation Layer 2 and understand more, I instead do not dare say much. Moreover, something must have happened for that Si Mu Tiger Demon to suddenly flee to Wu Country. If he knows I entered Shu Mountain, the Si Mu Tiger Demon may not necessarily come to see me."

Lin Chan said helplessly.

"Then please tell me in detail about everything that happened when you encountered the Tiger Demon that day."

Xu Chang grew serious as well.

Lin Chan then recounted everything that had happened that night from beginning to end.

"That Tiger Demon attained Five Hundred Years of Dao in merely a few decades. Aside from his own decent talent and the fact that eating humans accelerated his cultivation, he encountered two benefactors. One was that Old Monk whose name is unknown, and the other was you, Junior Brother. Had you not taught him in time and guided him onto the righteous path, he would likely have already been slain by Martial Uncle Xuan Ji."

After understanding the whole sequence of events, Xu Chang instead felt that the Si Mu Tiger Demon had been exceedingly fortunate.

"Senior Brother, I suspect Martial Uncle Xuan Ji did something and formed a grudge with the Si Mu Tiger Demon."

Lin Chan recalled Martial Uncle Xuan Ji's furious expression on the day he entered the sect, and felt that she could not possibly let the matter go so easily.

That person had definitely done something to the Si Mu Tiger Demon, causing him to flee thousands of miles away.

His journey with Xu Chang might not go smoothly.