Soaring Dragon

Dragons gather above, playing and leaving behind saliva.

"See God, Kill God; See Buddha, Kill Buddha." This name is quite straightforward. Of course, there's a more formal name: Crimson Vein Child Sword Technique. It's said to have originated from a remarkably talented senior of the Beichen Sword Sect...

It wasn't Profound Heaven, that scatterbrain, who came up with it. Li Fan could only sigh, "Birds of a feather flock together..."

Ahem! In short, it was from a brilliant senior of Profound Heaven. In his early years, he fought a duel with an enemy, severing their head. He himself was blinded in both eyes, relying solely on his divine sense to perceive things...

Li Fan had just experienced this himself. Using only divine sense wasn't convenient at all. For example, if tables, chairs, and walls were all made of wood, it would all appear as a purple mist of spiritual energy, making it impossible to distinguish them. If he walked out without a cane, he'd likely stub his toes...

Ahem, ahem, ahem! In short, this senior, with holes in his eyes and possibly in his brain, worried that his enemy would seek revenge while his vision was impaired and his strength greatly diminished. In a flash of inspiration, he understood the principle of the Child's Black Eye Method for Yin and the White Eye Red Vein Method for Yang. He invented a secret technique that shot sword light from his eyes! This way, whenever he sensed someone approaching with his divine sense, he'd open his eyes and Biu, glare them to death. Another person approached, and Biu, glare them to death again. This repeated until no one dared to bring him food in the back mountain. The end.

Upon hearing this, Li Fan wore a "hiding fox" expression...

Alright, the Crimson Vein Child Sword Technique was indeed quite powerful. In fact, due to its immense power, when the sword light was unleashed, it would explode the enemy's eyeballs along with their own. So, unless one was already blind, no foolhardy person would use this blinding sword technique.

Naturally, Li Fan wouldn't actually use such a crazy ultimate move. But that didn't stop him from learning it. After all, there were many days ahead. Who knew if he might be blinded in a sword fight someday?

More importantly, the Taixu Great Dao cultivated these days, where eyes grew multiple pupils, eyeballs regenerated, and heads multiplied, didn't seem like such rare occurrences. This provided an opportunity for this killing move to be used.

Moreover, it wasn't just its immense power; it was also a killing move that could strike unexpectedly. Li Fan attempted to activate the Crimson Vein Child Sword Technique's energy circulation route using only his divine sense, without channeling sword qi. He discovered that it could significantly enhance his eyesight.

After cultivating for a while, he could already faintly see the dragons maneuvering among the clouds.

However, to be honest, after watching for a while, dragons were just... dragons. They looked pretty much like those on murals. And right now, they were coiled up like a pile of twisted dough, fighting and playing. They didn't look imposing at all, more like beasts. Drool flowed in the wind. If any of them had their reverse scale touched, they'd roll and howl, shedding scales and whiskers.

After watching for a bit, he saw Senior Brother Lu also riding a beam of light, circling around and placing talismans on the horns of four small dragons.

Sensing Li Fan's gaze, Lu Yu returned and landed beside him, explaining, "These young dragons are in their growth period. They molt their skin every three to five years. The shed scales, claws, skin, horns, dragon saliva, and dragon fat can all be refined into elixirs and medicines. There are also many rare medicinal ingredients that grow alongside Canglong Jian and coiled dragons. Disciples are already out collecting them.

We're going further this time, and we'll be leaving Ink Bamboo Mountain's territory soon. It's possible some audacious rogue cultivators might see true dragons and become greedy, attempting to steal them.

I've already placed Ink Bamboo Mountain's talismans on the dragons' heads to signify this. Qingyue, if you see anyone trying to steal the dragons later, don't waste your breath. Just draw your sword and kill them."

"Yes, Senior Brother."

Killing for treasure was a traditional trope in Xianxia novels. Considering the worldview of old-school cultivators like those from Profound Heaven Sword Intent, Li Fan figured most of these practitioners started out by robbing others halfway. He immediately clutched the law sword assigned to him warily.

It was then that Li Fan suddenly noticed that this four-foot-long great sword was quite light. Were all flying swords like this? Maybe he should draw it out when no one was looking, and then reapply the talisman...

Profound Heaven Sword Intent states: Host, don't court death. This is not a flying sword; it's a ritual sword used as an artifact. The sword body is solid wood, inscribed with talismans that seal the sword light unleashed by Black Sword. Those below the ordinary Golden Core realm are instantly killed with one strike. Even a Nascent Soul True Person would be heavily injured if careless. Host's realm is too low. If you draw it out, you might be cut by the sword light and couldn't be saved.

Damn it, am I that stupid?

Li Fan dejectedly smoothed down the yellow talisman that had almost peeled off.

Then Kun swam over again to interrupt.

Kun states it's hungry. It doesn't want water; it wants Zhu Guo.

Didn't they say fish only have a three-second memory? Why is it still thinking about Zhu Guo...

Glancing at the young dragons rolling around, drooling, their intelligence seemed even lower than Kun's...

Forget it, maybe Kun is easier to raise.

So, Li Fan stopped sitting foolishly at the stern observing dragon ecology. He patted his daoist robe, stood up, grabbed Kun, hugged his sword, took out the food box prepared by Fuling from his jade pendant, and went to the front to invite Senior Brother Lu and the other two boys to dine together.

They readily agreed, each taking some prepared pastries and preserved fruits to set up a table. Lu Yu was also young and didn't put on airs. He even brought out a pot of sweet wine to share with the boys.

After all, herding dragons, while sounding grand, was essentially like herding cattle or sheep. You just followed along and watched. It was actually quite boring.

While eating and drinking, Li Fan gradually opened up to the three of them.

Chen Daotong and Yuan Xuanbao were disciples who joined True Person Liang of Louguan Dao in the same batch. One had a gentle and cheerful personality, while the other was a bit quiet and introverted. Not only were they cultivating together, but they were also close friends with similar interests during the Qi Refining stage. Furthermore, their families had some connections, and their ancestors had all been disciples of Ink Bamboo Mountain. Although none of them had properly achieved the Golden Core realm, they could all be considered to have come from cultivation families.

Lu Yu's background was even more legitimate. The Lu family's ancestors were rogue cultivators who had moved here in the early years, a true cultivation family with inherited secret techniques. With this connection, he was leading these two boys from cultivation backgrounds.

Moreover, there was originally another boy from a cultivation family in their group of dragon herders. Unfortunately, he was eaten by Jade Toad Granny some time ago. His position was filled by Li Fan.

"Uh, what is this Jade Toad Granny?" Li Fan suddenly remembered that Jade Toad Granny had played a part in his being abducted from Human Dao to Bamboo Mountain.

"What else could it be? It's just a toad," Yuan Xuanbao said coldly, clearly annoyed at the mention of it.

Chen Daotong shook his head and gave a wry smile, "Xuan Bao, speak carefully. Don't offend a senior."

"Hmph!" Xuan Bao turned his head away and said nothing.

Lu Yu poured him a cup of wine and then said to Li Fan, "Jade Toad Granny is a great cultivator of Spirit Transmutation from Yaoguang Cave in the south. Their lineage has been vying for the blessed land of Ink Bamboo Mountain with our sect for a long time, frequently challenging The Mountain Lord.

A while ago, Jade Toad Granny came to play chess again. It lost a move and, using the opportunity of being forced into its Dharma form, threw a tantrum and ate many of our sect's boys and disciples."

Li Fan hesitated and asked, "Since it's not the The Mountain Lord's opponent, why let it eat them? Is Yaoguang Cave very strong?"

Chen Daotong explained, "It's not particularly strong, but in the Ten-thousand-mountains to the south, there's more than just Yaoguang Cave. In recent years, under the bright moon, every cave and every mountain likely has a Spirit Transmutation or Nascent Soul cultivator guarding it. The total number is quite significant.

These Demons and Devils usually kill each other, maintaining a balance and not posing a threat. Moreover, relying on The Mountain Lord's pressure, they are forced to choose representatives to gamble for blessed lands, which has eased many disputes.

However, if The Mountain Lord were to act and destroy Yaoguang Cave, it might instead reignite conflict and stir up greater trouble."

Lu Yu also added, "Furthermore, Immortal Palace has long been displeased with our secession of Li Country. Wen Jin, the Censor of Li Country, is also someone who doesn't like to be idle. Recently, he's been using the Li Qiu Palace to exert pressure, instigating conflict between the sect master and the Nangong family, trying to profit from the chaos and gain benefits for the Li Country court from both immortal families. Compared to these wild demons, they are probably even more difficult to deal with."

"Hesitating about this and that, isn't that trying to do too much at once and failing at all of it?" Yuan Xuanbao drained his wine cup. "If you ask me, we should abandon Li Country's offerings and focus on developing the Ten-thousand-mountains to the south, eradicating all those Demons and Devils and monsters. It's better than being entangled with Immortal Palace. Being constrained by both sides!"

Lu Yu shook his head repeatedly. " Ink Bamboo Mountain has so few disciples. How can we possibly clear out the Ten-thousand-mountains on our own? And right now, the three major sects no longer need materials from the southern border for Demon Beasts, so they won't send reinforcements.

Besides, even if we win, what then? Who among so many disciples and their families would be willing to relocate to the south and settle in a place like Lei Marsh, full of miasma? In the end, wouldn't it just be making room for other Demons and Devils?"

He roughly understood the situation from their back-and-forth.

Ink Bamboo Mountain's geography was roughly as follows: to the northwest lay the Buzhou Mountain battlefield, to the northeast was Li Country, one of the Twelve Kingdoms, and the sphere of influence of the Immortal Palace. To the south were the Ten-Thousand-Mountains, likely filled with heretical sects worshipping the moon, and demons and devils.

For ordinary mortals of the Human Dao, it was practically impossible to venture further south.

Ink Bamboo Mountain's recognition by the three major powers likely stemmed from its role as a southern barrier. It was even possible that the Immortal Palace turned a blind eye to Li Country's offerings to Ink Bamboo Mountain, perhaps hoping Ink Bamboo Mountain would help hold back the demons and devils from the south.

'Profound Heaven Sword Intent states that after the host reaches the Golden Core realm, he can visit the Ten-Thousand-Mountains more often, especially Lei Marsh.'

What for, to temper his heart?

'Profound Heaven Sword Intent states that I hid half a heavenly book and two boxes of flying swords in Lei Marsh. They should still be there.'

Oh? Treasure hunting! That sounds great. Heavenly books and flying swords, that sounds incredibly immortal! What kind of super-powerful techniques or treasures are they?

'Profound Heaven Sword Intent states that they aren't particularly exceptional items. They can barely be used by those in the Nascent Soul Realm. I hid them as prizes for my disciples' trials, just for fun. Unfortunately...'

...So, your disciples perished?

'Li Fan's mood dropped by 1 point.'

'Profound Heaven Sword Intent states that unfortunately, I completely forgot about it. I wouldn't have remembered Lei Marsh if you hadn't brought it up...'

Give me back my mood, you old geezer!

As they flew along on the wind-powered flying boat, chatting and feasting, the boat led the four young dragons to a misty, rolling mountain range.

"Is this Buzhou Mountain?" Li Fan gazed into the distance. The terrain and scenery were indeed different from Bamboo Mountain, but he didn't see any particularly tall peaks.

"Yes, we've entered the Buzhou Mountain region. This mountain range stretches tens of thousands of miles northwest, spanning between the three major powers: the Immortal Palace, the Profound Sect, and the Divine Religion. It's filled with countless ancient immortal caves, battlefields, divine beast lairs, spiritual pools, and blessed lands. We won't go deep; we'll just let the young dragons hunt near the border."

Following Lu Yu's instructions, Chen Daotong and Yuan Xuanbao rang gongs and bells. The four young dragons immediately shot out from the clouds behind them, roaring as they descended into the mountains.

Lu Yu closed his eyes and scanned with his divine sense, pointing northwest. "There's a small town over there. There are no cultivators above the Golden Core realm. You can go explore. I'll be watching; just ring the gong if you get into trouble."

Oh, Senior Brother Lu is quite decent.

Seeing him ascend and fly off to follow the young dragons, the three young disciples also piloted their boat towards the town to explore.

To Li Fan's surprise, the other two young disciples landed directly in the marketplace and began setting up stalls.

"The outer sect business is monopolized by the merchant guilds. For disciples like us in the Foundation Establishment Realm, we can only earn a little money when we leave the mountain. Senior Brother Lu knows this."

Chen Daotong explained as he helped Yuan Xuanbao arrange various small items taken from their storage jade pendants.

Li Fan also leaned in to take a look. They were all 'junk': cultivation techniques written on paper, talismans for water and fire resistance, bamboo carvings that gathered spiritual energy, and pills for restoring qi and blood. There were also handcrafted items like mechanical birds, paper kites, and scripture boxes, which were more finely made, likely for resale.

Surprisingly, sales were not bad. This town in the Buzhou Mountain region didn't have many proper 'mortals'; it was mostly rogue cultivators from heretical sects, martial artists venturing into the jianghu, and even bandits. They didn't have much spare cash to buy high-quality goods from major merchants, nor did they need to. These 'junk' items made by Bamboo Mountain disciples suited their needs.

"Qingyue, you don't have to stand here with us. Go explore on your own. We'll find you when we pack up." Yuan Xuanbao directly took out half a string of fifty Divine Essence coins and handed them to him. "Buy something to eat."

"Okay, I'll go look around then." Li Fan was happy to experience the local customs of the immortal cultivation world. This ancient town indeed felt a bit like a movie set. The ancient costumes of the people around him were more professional than those of extras... well, that's stating the obvious.

'Profound Heaven Sword Intent states that there's an inn there. Go buy some wine. The wine from Ink Bamboo Mountain is no good; it's for women, sour and sweet. Get something strong, the stronger the better.'

You're still thinking about that... And this inn...

Li Fan frowned, looking at the sign that read 'Dragon Gate Inn'.

That name doesn't sound very auspicious...

'Profound Heaven Sword Intent states that there's nothing inauspicious about it. Everyone who passes through here is going to seek treasure in Buzhou Mountain. If they are fortunate enough to find an immortal opportunity, it's like a carp leaping over the dragon gate, transforming into a dragon. How could this name not be auspicious?'

Sigh, you don't understand... Never mind, it's unlikely to be a direct crossover.

So, Li Fan entered the inn and went straight to the counter. He glanced at the sign on the wall. "I'll buy some wine. Oh, and that... Lei Shang."

The innkeeper didn't seem to care. What kind of strange things weren't there these days? Business was business. He directly took out a jar. "Yuan Zao Lei Shang, that will be two thousand gold."

Wow, that expensive? But this wine was requested by the sword intent. Since he promised, Li Fan didn't care about his meager monthly stipend. He wondered what kind of delicacy it was that Profound Heaven Sword Intent was so fond of.

'Profound Heaven Sword Intent states that it's not exactly an immortal brew. In the past, our sect used it to feed the horses. It was spicy and fishy, like horse urine.'

"Sir, would you like to change it? This wine was brought by a merchant caravan from the northern lands, and it's the only jar we have."

...Sigh, forget it. It's a rare opportunity. I'll accompany this guy and taste the flavor of his hometown's horse urine.

'Li Fan's mood slightly increased by 1 point.'

'Kun states it wants to drink too.'

Drink, drink, drink! I'll give you all of it if you can drink it all.