Mountain and Wild New Life Method

To give up the Blessed Land that Shangqing Palace has held all along and turn it into a training ground for Emperor Wu of Zhou!

How could anyone utter such outrageous words?

Even Li Jiusheng, with his detached temperament, was furious and felt deeply humiliated.

The key point was that Emperor Wu of Zhou's disciple had first slain the Sect Master of Shangqing Palace, trampling the sect's dignity, and then made such an excessive demand. No wonder those Hidden Elders had chosen Li Qingshan to take over as Sect Master.

With old grudges and new grievances piling up, Shangqing Palace had to strike back fiercely, and within the sect, the only one capable of doing so was Li Qingshan.

Thus, Li Qingshan had no choice but to accept the position of Sect Master.

"Emperor Wu of Zhou of the Luochuan Sect has barely shown his face in the last hundred years. How did his disciple become so arrogant?" Li Jiusheng asked after calming down.

Li Qingshan replied, "A hundred years ago, Emperor Wu of Zhou took on a disciple named Zhang Wudao, who shares his talent and walks the same Hegemonic Path. Since emerging, he has made countless enemies, yet every one of them has been slain. Some say he will dominate the Cultivation world for thirty years and inherit Emperor Wu of Zhou's renown. This time, he has set his sights on Shangqing Palace."

"In one month, he will come to Shangqing Palace to take over the Blessed Land. Anyone who hasn't moved out by then will automatically become his slaves. Those were his exact words!" Anger flared on Li Qingshan's face, and sword intent stirred between his brows. He had been raised by Shangqing Palace, and to him, it was home—he would never allow anyone to humiliate it like this.

Though unspoken, Li Jiusheng understood.

In one month, Li Qingshan would face Zhang Wudao in battle.

"Do you have a chance?" Li Jiusheng asked with concern. It wasn't that he doubted Li Qingshan, but Zhang Wudao's talent rivaled Emperor Wu of Zhou's, and he had never tasted defeat on his journey—that alone spoke to his overwhelming strength.

Li Qingshan was Shangqing Palace's hidden prodigy, but the sect's resources couldn't compare to those of the Luochuan Sect. Even a single teacher at the Ancestor Realm far outstripped Shangqing Palace's educational foundation.

Li Jiusheng looked at Li Qingshan with worry.

Li Qingshan smiled faintly, his gaze firm, and said softly, "Elder Brother, don't worry. I will protect Shangqing Palace."

Li Jiusheng fell silent, rubbing his teacup, the faint sound filling the air. He looked at Li Qingshan and, in a daze, realized that the little boy who used to follow him around with a runny nose had grown into a towering man capable of guarding the entire Shangqing Palace.

"Junior Brother, do you know of Li Tianxian?" Li Jiusheng suddenly asked.

Li Qingshan was taken aback, then replied, "Of course. He was Shangqing Palace's ancestor, a Peerless Sword Immortal. If he hadn't fallen, he would surely have reached the Ancestor Realm, and Shangqing Palace wouldn't have to endure this humiliation."

Li Jiusheng continued, "Li Tianxian created a peerless sword technique in his lifetime. Did you know that?"

Li Qingshan nodded regretfully. "Of course. The might of the Grass and Wood Sword Technique still astonishes the world even after three hundred years. Though I've never seen it, a few lines in the texts sketch the unparalleled power of that peerless Sword Immortal."

The texts described the Grass and Wood Sword Technique in just one sentence.

Emperor Wu of Zhou, arrogant and domineering all his life, had his Ancestor Realm foundation severed by the Grass and Wood Sword Technique and had been in seclusion for three hundred years.

"Such a sword technique, lost to posterity—what a pity!" Li Qingshan sighed, deeply regretting never witnessing this peerless technique that could wound an Ancestor Realm cultivator.

Li Jiusheng's lips curled. "Want to see it?"

"What?" Li Qingshan looked up, staring at Li Jiusheng in shock, thinking he had misheard.

Li Jiusheng raised his hand, forming a sword with his fingers. Without a word, he simply pointed forward.

That finger touched Li Qingshan's brow.

Li Qingshan didn't move. The gap in their cultivation was vast, and he could have easily dodged, but he trusted his Elder Brother completely and let the finger land on his forehead.

Hum!!!

Li Qingshan's consciousness seemed to sink into an abyss, as boundless black mist surged from all directions, thick and heavy, making him feel dazed. He saw celestial pavilions, a netherworld hell, and flickering shadows, as if they were rushing toward him across a thousand years.

Clang!!!

The next moment, within the black mist, a single blade of grass rose against the current, emitting a sword hum. With unstoppable momentum, it split the black mist, dispelled the haze, severed the celestial pavilions, and suppressed the netherworld hell.

The world became clear.

Then, Li Qingshan saw a new world.

He also saw a singular figure.

Li Tianxian!

That peerless Sword Immortal from three hundred years ago, Shangqing Palace's greatest, appeared before Li Qingshan.

In the tea room.

Li Jiusheng passed on the Grass and Wood Sword Technique he had comprehended to Li Qingshan without reservation. Such vast information immersed Li Qingshan, leaving him utterly absorbed.

Li Jiusheng stood up and left the tea room, allowing Li Qingshan to quietly grasp the Grass and Wood Sword Technique.

"In a month, let's see Zhang Wudao get what he deserves!" Li Jiusheng sneered. He couldn't do it himself now, but his Junior Brother, armed with the Grass and Wood Sword Technique, absolutely could.

Stepping outside, Li Jiusheng found it was raining.

Wind swept through the mountains, carrying the rain that lashed against him, accompanied by waves of chill, making Li Jiusheng realize autumn had arrived.

As the saying goes, each autumn rain brings a spell of cold.

Outside the Scripture Repository Pavilion, a fine drizzle pattered against the eaves and tiles, producing a crisp sound. The raindrops slid down like large and small pearls falling onto a jade plate, forming a curtain of rain before Li Jiusheng's eyes.

At that moment, the world seemed to be washed clean.

In autumn, the mountains showed even more vivid greens, reds, and yellows. Rainwater soaked the moss, streams murmured, converging from all directions, finally turning into a roaring waterfall that plunged into the abyss.

Under the eaves, Li Jiusheng clasped his hands behind his back, watching silently.

As he watched, he slipped into a state of enlightenment.

Wind and rain, mingled with the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, were absorbed into Li Jiusheng's body at this moment.

This was unconscious absorption, driven by instinct—the autonomous intake of the Innate Sword Body.

As enlightenment took hold, Li Jiusheng's thoughts expanded boundlessly, as if he had ascended to the heavens, overlooking the world.

He saw the drizzle grow into heavy rain, falling from the sky onto the mountain wilds, onto the grass and trees, onto the rubble, and into the waterfalls.

The mountains and rivers were purified, heaven and earth were cleansed, and all things radiated vibrant vitality.

The autumn rain was slightly cool, but to the grass, trees, and living creatures, it was the finest water of life.

Li Jiusheng saw green grass break through the soil, breathe its first breath of air, and thrive. The drooping flowers absorbed the rain, straightened their stems, and displayed the wildness of life amidst the wind and rain.

In Li Jiusheng's eyes, these scenes came vividly to life.

In that instant, something seemed to crack open in his heart. In a flash, his thoughts burst forth, inspiration converged, and it coalesced into a line of text.

[After an autumn rain, you observed the rain and comprehended the Dao. You saw the thriving grass and trees, the vibrant earth, and the burgeoning mountains and rivers, and you realized the Mountain and Wild New Life Method.]

At the same time, a profound cultivation technique appeared in Li Jiusheng's mind.

The [Mountain and Wild New Life Method] was about learning from the constant renewal of mountains and rivers. A human life is like a season of grass—once that season passes, the mountain wilds remain, welcoming new grass. A cultivator must also achieve continuous renewal, building upon the foundation of the past to transform into a better self.

Until, at last, one sheds the mortal shell and becomes an immortal.