New Equipment for Junior Sister!

After leaving the Hundred Pills Market, Su Ling'er's mind still echoed with the crazed scenes of those disciples.

Lin Qingfeng abruptly changed the subject.

"Pills are ultimately external objects, meant to be taken internally."

"But when walking through this perilous world, the foundation of self-protection ultimately lies in magical treasures."

Su Ling'er followed behind him and nodded. "Senior Disciple Brother is right."

Pills were external objects, but magical treasures were not?

Could they grow from one's body or something?

As the two approached the Artifact Refining Pavilion, a wave of heat rushed toward them.

The air warped, and everywhere she looked was a sea of crimson.

Clang! Clang! Clang—!

Sparks—countless sparks—danced wildly through the hall.

This was the Artifact Refining Pavilion.

"Elder Qian."

Lin Qingfeng led Su Ling'er through the familiar route, bypassing a loudly clanging communal forging area before arriving at a corner.

A familiar figure sat there.

It was that Elder Qian again!

His eyes were as hollow as ever.

He sat there, his only movement being to flip the wooden plaque on the table over, then flip it back again.

"New disciples may receive one standard-issue magic sword upon joining, according to the rules."

Lin Qingfeng spoke quietly to Elder Qian.

Elder Qian's gaze fell upon Su Ling'er.

"Identity... token."

Su Ling'er hurriedly handed it over.

Elder Qian took it, did not even glance at it, then pulled something from beneath the table and placed it on the tabletop.

It was a... wooden sword.

[Name]: Novice Wooden Sword Containing Special Power

[Type]: Mortal Weapon

[Traits: Severance (Tier 1), Ward Off Evil (Tier 1).]

[Sword Endowment · Initial]

Ancient Dawn Wood Unsharpened, Crafted by Plain Hands, Containing the Dao Sect.

Say not this object is merely mundane; with a beginner's heart, one blade may yet rise like a dragon.

Once, there was an old carpenter.

For every disciple newly admitted, he would carve their first sword.

He carved swords using only his callused hands and a carving knife.

Every wooden sword was ordinary, yet each carried his most sincere blessing:

May those who wield this sword sever the confusion along their path of cultivation, and dispel the inner demons and evil spirits they first encounter.

Over countless years, tens of thousands of disciples received such swords from his hands and embarked upon their own immortal paths.

Some became renowned throughout the world after replacing them with new swords; others held these wooden swords until they returned to dust.

Yet these wooden swords remained the earliest starting point for all of them.

[Can Grow]

The sword seemed to have been carved from the most ordinary wood, with even untrimmed splinters still sticking out from it.

Not the slightest trace of Spiritual Power could be sensed from the entire sword. Its shape was crude, and its craftsmanship rough.

Su Ling'er reached out and gripped the hilt.

She felt as if she were holding not a sword, but a fire poker freshly pulled from the stove.

She even felt that the fire poker used in Qing Xu Temple's kitchen for three years was sturdier and easier to handle than this thing.

This was... the "magic sword" Gui Xi Sect issued to newcomers?

"Junior Sister has only just joined the sect and possesses nothing of value."

"Consider this sword a welcoming gift from your Senior Disciple Brother. Do not stand on ceremony."

Lin Qingfeng smiled and pushed the wooden sword toward Su Ling'er.

He had spent quite a bit of money to add two extra attributes to every newcomer's starting weapon!

And it had even randomly rolled a growth trait!

Otherwise, it really would have been a blank wooden sword!

Its appearance was just a little lacking. If used long enough, perhaps this sort of sword could become extremely sharp as well?

After all, it could grow!

It was just that its appearance was poor, so it was not very popular among those player disciples.

In any case, Junior Sister could cultivate the Sword Refining Art and become an immortal sword herself. Even if this sword was dull, could she herself possibly be dull too?

However, Su Ling'er's lips twitched slightly.

A welcoming gift?

Were you sure this wooden sword was not simply issued directly by the sect to its disciples?

And you were using it as a gift in your own name?

Senior Disciple Brother, your gift truly was... plain and unadorned!

Why, thank you so much!

Seeing her hesitation, Lin Qingfeng immediately stood with his hands behind his back.

It was time for him to show off again!

"Junior Sister, do you find this sword overly mundane?"

Su Ling'er's heart tightened, and she hurriedly shook her head. "I would not dare."

"There is no need to hide your thoughts."

"The Great Dao is simple, and one must return to one's true nature.

A true sharp weapon lies not in its form, but in its heart.

Though this sword has a wooden body, it is like a newborn infant—pure and flawless.

In the future, nurture it with your own Dao and temper it with your own intent. Then it shall become your most loyal companion upon the path of the Great Dao, the most primordial foundation of your Dao.

This is the 'beginning' and 'end' of Gui Xi Sect's artifact-refining Dao. Do you understand?"

Pah!

You made it sound so grand, but isn't it just a rotten stick?

Foundation of the Dao?

Why did it feel like you were laying a foundation so you could bury me?

You explained all this crooked logic beforehand so I would find it easier to accept whatever I saw later, right?

Yet Su Ling'er's face revealed the stunned expression of someone who had received a sudden enlightenment.

She held the wooden sword in both hands, her gaze performing solemnity and devotion.

"Thank you, Senior Disciple Brother, for imparting the Dao!"

"If not for your guidance, Junior Sister would nearly have missed this tremendous opportunity because of its outward appearance!"

"Junior Sister shall remember the grace of this sword in her heart!"

Lin Qingfeng looked at his Junior Sister.

Although her aptitude was so poor and she was still a Pseudo Spiritual Root, she could be rather dumb at times.

But she was so obedient!

This girl would surely become someone extraordinary in the future. She absolutely could not be allowed to remain!

Pah!

My sect would surely gain a powerful addition!

He gave a light cough and pointed at the disciples in the distance as he continued.

"Of course, this sword is merely a foundation of the Dao.

"If Junior Sister requires magical treasures for immediate self-defense, you may also take a look at what the senior brothers have.

"If they have surplus items among the artifacts they refine in their daily lives, they will sell them here.

"If you find something you like, you may purchase it directly with spirit stones. The prices are fair, and no one is deceived, young or old!"

Su Ling'er looked in the direction he indicated.

She saw a group of disciples casually tossing the magical treasures they had refined onto the ground. There were warped flying swords, bronze bells billowing black smoke, and strangely shaped armor.

Keeping the profits within the family, huh?

And no one is deceived, young or old?

Wasn't it simply that letting outsiders earn money was worse than letting people from your own sect earn it?

Maybe it was cheaper than buying things outside?

But that bell was already smoking black, and the sword looked like that too. Did their quality really pass inspection?

Or were they specially made to fleece acquaintances from their own sect?

Ripping off friends?

This was a demonic Evil Sect. It had to be so!

And was there really any need to make it sound so grand?

Shameless!

Absolutely shameless!

But outwardly, she appeared humble and eager to learn.

"Could it be that what the senior brothers are doing is also a form of cultivation?"

"Indeed."

Lin Qingfeng nodded. Here he went again.

If he did not spin some grand principles and nonsense, would not his studying last night have been for nothing?

He had studied with such difficulty, so he had to make a good show of it.

"Trade is also Dao.

"The circulation of spirit stones is an exchange of cause and effect.

"When a magical treasure passes from one person's hands into another's, that is Karma of Destiny.

"They appear to be selling artifacts here, but in truth, they are seeking those fated to meet them, bringing a karmic matter to its conclusion.

"The profundities within this cannot be explained without experiencing them personally."

Su Ling'er had already gone numb.

She discovered that no matter how absurd an action was, when it came from the mouth of her Senior Disciple Brother, it could always be packaged into an immortal cultivation path containing supreme philosophy.

She began to wonder whether this was the reason he could become the Senior Disciple Brother.

After all, in a certain sense, this was a talent as well.

In one corner, a disciple was tempering a long saber.

It was just about to take shape.

However, another disciple passed by beside him and accidentally bumped into him, causing his hammer strike to land off target.

The artifact-refining disciple's movements froze instantly.

He turned to look at the fellow disciple who had bumped him.

"You have already chosen the path to death!"