After an Old Friend

Of course, Li Fan couldn't just take Bai Shuangying directly to the scene of the crime. Su Xiaoji wasn't dead, and if he spoke too accurately about how many people and guns were involved and how the fight happened, it would only cause trouble if he acted like a bystander. So he just casually led her to the general area and then made an excuse.

"I'm old and can't remember, but I think I found Fellow Daoist Su while collecting herbs around here."

Bai Shuangying, as expected, did not suspect anything. She made a hand seal and checked the restrictions and seals of Hengshan Mountain nearby, then nodded and said...

"Thank you for your help, Fellow Li Daoyou. I will explore this forbidden area myself."

Just as the two were about to part, a sudden surge of demonic energy soared into the sky! It possessed the terrifying aura of Divine Transformation Demon King! It must be the Demon God at the bottom of Yunmeng Marsh breaking free from its seal!

Li Fan and Bai Shuangying were both taken aback. They exchanged a glance and, without further ado, reached a tacit understanding to go and investigate together.

Sure enough, a giant beast broke free from the seal in the pool. From a distance, the beast looked like a Goblin... cough cough, Li Fan didn't want to see everything being Goblin, but this world was truly overflowing with Goblin content!

Flying closer, Li Fan circled it, but for a moment he couldn't quite make out what the monster's true form was. Everyone's seen a rotting corpse, right? No matter how beautiful a woman was in life, once she rotted, she looks like a ghoul. This monster was the same; rotten, its skin was decaying and greenish, with thick, sticky muscle, keratin, bones, and sebum clinging to its body, resembling a huge lump of sludge and exuding a foul stench. No one wanted to get close.

Xuan Tian said, "Don't go up there, let her do it."

It's like you're talking about someone who wants to sleep with you...

"Although its aura is quite fierce, it has only just broken free of its seal, and its physical body has already decayed and disintegrated. It's just an empty shell. Fellow Daoist Bai, this chance to save the world is yours. Go for it!" Li Fan said as he returned.

Bai Shuangying's face was pale, and she pursed her lips.

Li Fan glanced at her and said, "As a high-ranking disciple of Shangqing Jiangzhen Palace, Fellow Daoist Bai has deeply inherited the true teachings of Hengshan. I'm sure you'll take on such a difficult task as slaying demons and eliminating evil. I'm too old to compete with you young people."

Bai Shuangying glanced at Li Fan, then hesitated, as if she wanted to say something but stopped herself.

Li Fan then feigned concern and advised, "I've heard that sword immortals must overcome tribulations and slay those they encounter to forge their sword heart. I could lend you a hand, but I'm afraid I'd steal the opportunity from a disciple of the Xuanmen sect, and your elders might then make things difficult for me..."

Upon hearing this, Bai Shuangying took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, drew the 'Hai Po' sword, glared at its blade, and shouted angrily, "Heavenly Pillar Star Shining Sword Technique!"

Her eyes blazed with a brilliant light! The azure spine of the sword shone with an overwhelming, dazzling Sword Light, the blade and spine shimmering like a fine sapphire. Countless sword shadows appeared, flashing in an instant. One Sword Light forth, cleaving through a large chunk of rotting flesh from the decaying Gobila's body, leaving a deep gash in its leg bone! Although it didn't cleanly sever the entire leg bone, the power of the single strike was enough to break the supporting demonic bone, causing Gobila to lose its balance and fall sideways into the swamp! The impact sent a huge splash of water flying, scattering mud and rotting flesh everywhere!

Li Fan glanced at the wound, then looked at Bai Shuangying beside him, who was sitting on the wild goose, taking deep breaths.

The true disciples of the Xuanmen sect are indeed formidable. Bai Jianqiu used the same move back then, as a powerful ultimate technique, but it exhausted his Qi after just one strike, leaving him no choice but to fight desperately with his sword. Yet, when it struck that old demon, it was merely a tickle. The Sword Light was like a razor blade against him.

But Bai Shuangying's attack was powerful. With the triple enhancement of Shangqing True Qi, South Sea Divine Sword, Heavenly Pillar Sword Technique, it could even cut through the large bones of a Divine Transformation Realm demon god. Although her proficiency was somewhat lacking, and her opponent was a target who did not resist, it did indeed cause damage to a Divine Transformation expert.

Furthermore, Li Fan calculated that this sword technique consumed a great deal of energy. Bai Jianqiu, at the Golden Core stage, was undoubtedly an outstanding first-rate talent, but he also exhausted his mana in one move. Bai Shuangying, however, recovered her Dao Breath energy in just a dozen breaths, and it seemed she could at least unleash another sword strike. Tsk tsk, the Shangqing True Qi truly lives up to its reputation...

Xuan Tian sighed, "Sigh, this aptitude is really lacking..."

Alright, probably no one in this world can compare to Li Fan's —no, Li Yi's —physical aptitude. Let's just make do.

So Li Fan suggested, "Fellow Daoist Bai, your sword technique is incredibly powerful and has already dealt enough damage. However, slashing from such a distance still takes too much to handle. Besides, the leg bones are the hardest, so it won't be fatal. It would be better to rush in and strike at the head, heart, lungs, and other vital organs. That would be much more effective."

Bai Shuangying nodded, made a hand seal, and pointed, "Hai Po! Flying Heaven!"

With a flash of Sword Light, Bai Shuangying transformed into a blue light, her sword-flying technique swooping down towards the pile of rotting flesh and filth still screaming in agony. At the same time, she drew her Hengshan longsword from behind her, and in a brief moment of abrupt pause, she shouted again in a clear voice, "Heavenly Pillar Sword Technique!"

This time, a white Sword Light flashed out from the spine of Hengshan Sword, severing Gobila's head in one swift stroke. Bai Shuangying did not linger for a moment, but made a hand seal, and the Hai Po Sword Light wrapped around her as she immediately turned back. The blue Sword Light drew a clearly visible arc in the sky, exceptionally elegant and swift.

However, Bai Shuangying exhausted her Dao Breath while flying on her sword and casting spells. She was only able to avoid embarrassment because a wild goose flew over and caught her. She sat cross-legged on the goose's back to regulate her breathing and even ate half Golden Core pill to replenish her Qi before she could stabilize herself.

Xuan Tian said, "... I can't stand it anymore. The flaws are too great. If he goes out to fight like this, he'll die in one move."

Xuan Tian, you're so picky! This level of skill is already elite in this era, okay?

After all, that's how it is at the Golden Core Stage; skills are released one at a time, counting the number of uses. Li Fan also came at that stage, and he was overwhelmed when trying to control a bunch of flying swords at the same time.

Xuan Tian said, "This has nothing to do with the Golden Core Stage. You just fought those assassins who trained according to the ancient methods of the Sword Sect. When they set up their sword formation to fight you, did anyone stop to perform hand seals? Did anyone sit down to circulate their Qi? Did anyone need to perform hand seals and shout out their moves?"

Li Fan was taken aback. Xuan Tian's words reminded him of those overlooked details.

Because at his current level, let alone a mere Golden Core cultivator, even Nascent Soul Stage cultivator would be overwhelmingly superior based on his stats. He could kill anyone with a single sword strike, and he wouldn't care who was slightly stronger.

But upon careful recollection, the reason he casually broke the sword formation was actually because Li Fan was indeed a top-tier master in swordsmanship, and he was also very familiar with the sword formations of the Beichen Sword Sect, so he easily broke them with his strength.

But upon closer reflection, if it were any other Nascent Soul Stage who had fallen into the sword net of those deadly swords, they would likely have faced severe injuries and even death.

The main reason was that the Golden Core cultivators Li Fan met who mainly practiced the Northern Star Sword Technique were all quite powerful, so he unconsciously set his standards too high.

Actually, thinking back to when Zhang Jiugao was only at the Golden Core stage, he single-handedly slaughtered the Tiantai Mountain, and even used pills to Nascent Soul Stage. Why would he need to be panting and struggling to recover his Qi and mana like this?

At the time, Li Fan thought it was simply a difference in skill level between players, but now, does that seem normal? No, it's not! Is the Beichen Sword Sect's Cultivation Method truly invincible?

Xuan Tian, "... That's not quite right. Zhang Jiugao's own abilities are indeed quite good, cough cough cough! I mean, of course, my Beichen Sword Sect is invincible!"

Li Fan, "..."

Xuan Tian said, "In short, this girl from the Bai Family definitely didn't receive the true teachings. No, it should be said that she received the true teachings but not the secret ones. For example, the details of sword fighting, cultivation, and breath adjustment, her teachers definitely didn't give her detailed guidance. She doesn't understand many key points, but these are all fatal flaws. If she doesn't correct these in time Golden Core Stage, she'll develop bad habits and suffer a lot in the future."

These secret manuals wouldn't mention it, so it's normal for independent cultivators not to know, but the true lineage of Hengshan would definitely know it; it's just that it wasn't passed down."

Li Fan frowned upon hearing this. Why not pass it on?

Xuan Tian said, "Who knows? Although the master can only guide you through the door, the cultivation is up to you. But how well the teachings are passed on depends on the master. Maybe her master is still testing her, or maybe it's just a sect task to get by, or maybe he's worried that his disciple might surpass him and cause a backlash. But that kind of situation is more common in the Divine Sect, and less so in the Xuan Sect."

Of course, the main reason is that men and women shouldn't be too close, so there's a lot I can't say. After all, we're not a proper Dao Companion, and there are some private matters I can't discuss. Perhaps joining the Jiangzhen Temple would actually be a waste of her time; if she went to the Yellow Court Palace, maybe there wouldn't be so many obstacles..."

Upon hearing this, Li Fan couldn't help but chuckle.

No, honestly, if you're cultivating immortality, why care about gender? Just find a cultivation Dao Companion and cultivate together to learn from each other, right? Besides, isn't it strange that there are so many people at Hengshan Yellow Court Palace? If your female body isn't suitable for cultivating immortality, just dissolve your body and become male, right?

Xuan Tian: "Hey! You're kidding me, right? You have to kill yourself first! Who the hell would choose to self-destruct when faced with a problem? People only do that when they're desperate! And there's no guarantee you'll be reborn as a man!"

However, these days, the world is indeed going to the dogs. There are quite a few people who form couples for cultivation just for secret manuals and magical treasures, but that requires mutual consent. You should try going up to everyone and saying, "I think your cultivation is wrong. Let's form a couple and I'll give you some pointers!" See how many people you get slapped for it...

That's true. Whether striking up a conversation leads to a relationship or a crime largely depends on looks...

After Li Fan and Xuan Tian had finished their rambling discussion, Bai Shuangying finally calmed down. She then took out two Thunder Talisman, rode the wild goose cautiously forward, and circled around the mass of rotting flesh that lay motionless on the ground to scout the area.

She still had Thunder Talisman in her hand, probably a life-saving item. She was reluctant to throw it away earlier, but at least she knew to be cautious when finishing off her opponent, which is not bad.

At this moment, Li Fan's mind stirred, and he glanced to the side, only to see two beams of light flying towards him. So he concealed himself first.

These two were also Hengshan disciples carrying swords on their backs. Both were at the peak of the Golden Core stage, stuck at the threshold of the Nascent Soul Stage. They probably sensed the demonic aura and flew over on their magical artifacts. One of them had a sword, and the other had a seal. They were probably not true disciples of the Supreme Purity, but rather nominal disciples or something similar.

Li Fan used his Gu Guan Method to confirm that they were not the three masked criminals he had encountered before. However, when the two flew over and saw Bai Shuangying, they showed murderous intent, which immediately made him realize that something was wrong.

Li Fan immediately used his Divine Sense to lock onto Bai Shuangying and warn her that she was in danger.

Sure enough, without saying a word, the two began to chant incantations and their precious swords and seals attacked from both sides, smashing straight at Bai Shuangying!

The latter, alerted, managed to escape the sneak attack by flying through the air on its sword, but the wild goose was killed on the spot!

"Xiao Wancheng! Zhou Xing! It was you two! I should have guessed! You're the ones who killed Sister Su!"

You've probably misunderstood...

"Hmph! It's such a pity that that old hag Su Xiaoji escaped! But you're dead!"

"Bai Shuangying, you filthy bitch! This day next year will be your death anniversary!"

Huh? What's going on?

Bai Shuangying was also quick-witted; knowing that Li Fan was hiding in the shadows, she dodged the two magical weapons' pursuit while simultaneously shouting angrily,

"You two despicable villains! Inner Sect competitions are all about skill! You lost to me but instead of striving for improvement, you resorted to such despicable means to lure me out of seclusion and then secretly attacked me! Utterly shameless!"

"You have the legacy of White Cloud Cave! And the blessings of the Bai Family, so what are you fighting with us for! You are greedy and insatiable! You will die a horrible death!"

"That's right! You're just a woman, getting a flying sword is just good luck! And you actually dare to have such wishful thinking! Coveting the true teachings of Dao Chong Zhenjun, the Sword Immortal! You're shameless!"

The two cursed and shouted as they unleashed a barrage of lightning and fire from their palms, bombarding each other with their magical weapons as they pursued.

Bai Shuangying argued, "Master is recruiting true disciples! Anyone registered with a sword from Hengshan can apply! It's a fair competition! Why can't I participate! If you have the guts, come at me! What does this have to do with Sister Su!"

"Shut up! You bitch! You stole the spot because of your powerful flying sword! And you have the nerve to call it a fair competition!"

"Hmph! If it weren't for that gossipy old woman Su Xiaoji shamelessly pleading for mercy, and the True Lord showing leniency out of consideration for her brother's death in Lei Marsh, who would have taken in a lowly servant like you who had just formed her inner core as a furnace cauldron!"

Bai Shuangying was enraged. She stopped fleeing, turned her Sword Light around, and charged forward with her Thunder Talisman longsword, shouting, "You dog, you're courting death!"

"Hahaha! Come on! Don't say we bullied you or tricked you! Now that you've cultivated the Shangqing True Qi, and we have magic weapons too! Let's have a fair competition and see if you're worthy of being a Hengshan disciple!"

"Stop wasting your breath on her! You wretched wench!! Die--!"

The three immediately used their magical artifacts to escape and engaged in a fierce battle. They threw talismans and spells haphazardly, Sword Light flashed wildly. Although they were fellow disciples of Hengshan, they fought each other mercilessly, each move deadly, creating a perilous situation.

Xuan Tian said, "Don't interfere, they're going through a tribulation."

Li Fan realized this too; it seemed that all true disciples of the Xuanmen sect faced such tribulations. Even if those two had truly killed Bai Shuangying, they would have something to say, since they hadn't attacked when Bai Shuangying was completely inexperienced—it was indeed a 'fair spar.' Now that you've come out of seclusion, who told you you couldn't overcome this tribulation?

But...

Xuan Tian, why are you so focused on Bai Shuangying? Have you taken a liking to her? Or perhaps you want to teach her the Beichen Sword Technique?

Xuan Tian, "Hmm..."

Holy crap! You actually like her?!

Xuan Tian said, "Are you stupid... Anyway, if she can pass this tribulation, she will be considered a true successor of the Supreme Purity lineage and will probably be able to receive the secret sword teachings. But it's not certain, after all, she's a girl, and her abilities are limited... How about this, you find an excuse to pass on the <Profound Nether Ice River Escape> to her, and the tribulation will be easier for her."

Li Fan was truly shocked this time!

He actually used a teleportation technique! Is this still the Xuan Tian he knows, who doesn't even care about trash?

Oh! Could it be that the Bai Family really has a past connection with Xuan Tian? Is it that young doctor...?

Xuan Tian: "Hmm... perhaps so. As a descendant of an old friend, it would be good to take care of him."

So that's how it is, since you've already said so...

Li Fan glanced at the three idiots fighting amongst themselves, flicked his finger, and tapped Bai Shuangying's chest and spine a few times from a distance. The taps caused her shoulders to sway, but the technique was extremely subtle, and the battle was so intense that none of the three, including Bai Shuangying, noticed.

Xuan Tian, "What are you doing...?"

Oh, since Xuan Tian is going to mentor the descendant of an old friend, then help Bai Shuangying clear some of the acupoints where her practice was flawed, her Qi circulation was incorrect, and her true Qi was blocked.

Yes, because that's exactly what the system said.

'The ingenious transmission has been triggered; the Shangqing Subduing Demons Technique has been analyzed.'

Well, to be honest, he thought the Heavenly Pillar Sword Technique would be analyzed and replicated first. It seems this move really does depend on probability. It's alright, though...