Sword Child

Xuan Tian said, "No need to chase. If the attack misses, it will flee a thousand miles away. It's a true killing sword."

The true Beichen Killing Sword... a lost secret manual... even Xuan Tian doesn't know it...

Xuan Tian: "Who said I can't do it! How can someone who doesn't even know the Beichen Killing Sword be called the Sword Sect Leader?!"

Then why do you say it's lost to time...?

Xuan Tian: "I've already killed all those who knew this technique! If I don't pass it on now, it will be lost forever! Who knows where they learned it from! What are you asking? Do you want to learn it?!"

Uh, don't get excited... Li Fan certainly wouldn't resort to such underhanded, sacrificial tactics to harm people, but since he's been targeted, he should at least find out what's going on before taking any precautions, right?

Xuan Tian: "Hmph, fine, since they've already used their moves, there's bound to be a second one. Not teaching them now will only get you killed..."

Go, go touch it. There should be a talisman in the throat, and a piece of writing tattooed on the lowest rib. These two are the real talismans; the others are fake. Don't touch them, or the corpse will dissolve completely, leaving nothing behind."

Real talismans, fake talismans... Of course, Li Fan understood what Xuan Tian meant. In fact, there was no such thing as real or fake talismans; they were just different in effect. To prevent others from seeing through one's methods, some 'fake' talismans were needed to destroy evidence.

Li Fan frowned and stepped forward to examine the boy. He found that besides a talisman on his forehead, the boy's mouth was also sealed with a talisman. He tried reaching into the boy's chest and tentatively felt around. Sure enough, he pulled out a blood-stained silk cloth from the boy's throat, with identifiable talismans on it. He also felt the inside of the boy's ribs; one rib was particularly hard, with a string of incantations carved on it. He didn't know how it had been inserted...

Xuan Tian, "The key to this technique lies in these two incantations for sealing and nurturing the sword. Once you memorize them, you've learned half of it. Next, you just need to find Foundation Establishment disciples who have cultivated Sword Qi, pierce them with the incantations and feed them the incantations, repeat this for seven days. Those who can withstand it and survive can swallow the sword and become sword attendants."

When these sword attendants cultivate Sword Qi, they can not only nourish the flying sword within their bodies, saving on the consumption of spiritual materials for sword nurturing, but also keep the flying sword in its best condition at all times!

The most ingenious thing is that this method can conceal the Sword Light, making it completely undetectable under normal circumstances! With these boys serving by your side in daily life, when the time comes, a hand seal can be made and a flying sword will burst out from your abdomen to assassinate or behead you, making it impossible to defend against!

This is the secret technique of the Beichen Killing Sword, the Sword Attendant Child! Hehe, what do you think of this move?

Li Fan looked at the blood and bone he had pulled out of his hand, reached out to close the sword boy's eyes, and sighed.

"Unorthodox methods..."

Xuan Tian suddenly burst into laughter, "Haha! Hahaha! You're wrong, this is a genuine secret manual passed down directly from the Sword Sect!"

This Daoist method is quite old. Back then, there weren't sword pellets that could be swallowed whole. You've seen swords like the Hengshan Sword, the Blood Talisman Sword, and the Ink Mountain Sword. My Nine Yin Mountain's ancient swords Oldest One looked similar. First, you had to remove the hilt and blade, then secretly refine the sword body into the shape of a flying sword. Then, you had to use a transporting method to move it and store it in the body of the sword-serving boy, hiding it in his mouth and abdomen, against his internal organs. He used his own body as a sheath to absorb the Sword Qi from his Inner Landscape and nurture it. This is the most primitive method of nurturing the sword embryo.

Originally, this method could not be considered an evil path; it was a technique specifically developed by the Sword Sect to protect and nurture swords. After all, a precious sword is far more valuable than a human life. The Sword Sect has a history of thousands of years and has passed down countless divine weapons from its ancestors, but there are not many masters qualified to wield them. Just by supporting these Sword Lords, the entire Nine Yin Mountain would be emptied out.

Therefore, having disciples conceal swords on their bodies and cultivate together as partners is also a method of sword nurturing. Of course, in the Oldest One, whether or not to draw the sword, life or death is in the hands of the sword apprentice. When necessary, the apprentice can even spit out divine weapons and obtain flying swords to help protect themselves and save their lives. Although it is a bit dangerous to train, it is not a big problem.

However, the original purpose of this Sword Embryo Technique is still to offer sacrifices to the Sword Sect for those ancestral Sword Lords and divine weapons. Of course, those weapons cannot be handed over to others casually. Therefore, the original rule of the Sword Sect is that only direct disciples of the sect can serve as sword attendants. This sword swallowing technique is so dangerous that if you are unwilling, no one can force you.

However, as the lineage of the sect dwindled, the number of direct disciples of the sect decreased, and the practice of this method became extremely difficult. No one was willing to cultivate it anymore. But the Sword Sect still had so many divine swords to offer. Therefore, in order to save on the resources wasted in nurturing the swords, some people went astray! They secretly abused living people as sheaths and used the blood of virgins to nurture the swords!

What we see today is that they've been directly killed and used as sword sacrifices, treated like sword sheaths. Their lives are entirely in the hands of others. However, regardless of whether it's righteous or evil, these two boys probably volunteered to be sword attendants!

What... initiative?

Xuan Tian sneered, "If one's aptitude is poor and comprehension is mediocre, there is no better secret method than swallowing a sword in one's stomach, constantly feeling the piercing pain, and forcing oneself to refine Sword Qi!"

Do you know how much suffering one has to endure as a sword attendant? Getting your sword tattooed and swallowed after Foundation Establishment is just the beginning!

Up to the Golden Core stage, and even the Nascent Soul Realm, the Sword Attendant Boy will have his throat and tongue sealed, unable to speak. He can only drink medicinal soup to stay alive, and he must endure the pain of being stabbed in the ribs by flying swords every day! The sharp pain is excruciating, like being stabbed in the heart and lungs, and he suffers unspeakably every moment! But in order to stay alive, he dares not be negligent in the slightest. He must repeatedly refine his Inner Landscape Sword Qi. If the Sword Lord dislikes him, the slightest mistake can easily cause his body to be broken by the Sword Qi, severing his meridians and severing his meridians!

Haha, and what's most unbearable is that just keeping it healthy isn't enough! They also have to tie you up periodically and pour scalding hot sword oil down your throat to nourish the blade! Tsk tsk, you can't imagine it unless you've experienced that suffering!

That sword oil, hot, thick, and bitter, felt like it was being poured down your throat, but it stuck to your throat and pulled you down, tearing your flesh apart piece by piece! It felt like a piece of lead had fallen into your stomach... Ouch... It really hurt... Each time it was poured in, you needed at least three months of recuperation... You couldn't lie down, you couldn't even sit still, and the masters of the Sword Sect were afraid, afraid that you wouldn't be able to bear the pain and would struggle and move around, which would be a small matter if you lost your life, but a big matter if you damaged the sacred sword of the mountain. So usually, binding you wasn't enough, they would break your limbs and nail you to the wall before they felt at ease...

But if you can endure all of this, hehe, hehehehe... if you can endure all of this, what secret technique do you think you can't learn?

It's a pity that cultivation is so easy these days; it's pointless. Everyone's looking for shortcuts. How many people in the world have the perseverance to be a sword attendant? These useless fools these days even complain about the mere "Guide to Sword Transformation," how could they possibly cultivate this?

What a pity! These two lads, whether they liked it or not, nurtured flying swords; they were promising talents, yet they were discarded like pawns by those behind the scenes. Alas, blind to talent, so blind..."

Li Fan was speechless for a moment, feeling that his worldview had been refreshed once again.

This... Xuan Tian... you're so skilled... could it be...?

Xuan Tian laughed loudly, "Ha! That's right! I was a sword attendant back then! Do you think a lowly brat with nothing can possibly kill a disciple from the outer Nine Yin Mountain who hasn't risked his life?!"

Do you remember the story of the sixteenth generation sword ancestor, Xiao Yao, which Xiao Yao started? Hehe, that version was told to outsiders, after all, to save face for the sect, it was vague. Since things have developed to this point, let me tell you something that wasn't even in that sect leader's secret record.

Before Yuntai Peak was established, the various sects of Xuanmen fought each other very bloodily. They often sent spies to spy on each other's secrets. It was common for ancient famous sects to fight each other over the succession of their leaders, resulting in mutual destruction and being taken advantage of by others, even leading to the extinction of their Daoist Tradition.

The various mountain grottoes and monasteries frequently had to change their Daoist Tradition. Back then, the distinction between inside and outside was extremely important; otherwise, losing lives was a minor matter compared to being wiped out overnight! The Daoist Tradition could even be severed! In those days, what did it matter if you were a sword attendant? So what if you swallowed a sword? No pain, no gain! You think we were forced? Let me tell you, this is how the ancient methods of the Sword Sect were practiced! This is a destiny to immortality! Just to become a sword attendant, you have to fight and compete for it!

Especially during the time of the sixteenth generation Sword Ancestor, Tian Gang, because the direct descendants of the main sect were few, he devised a strategy of strengthening the trunk and weakening the branches. He used tricks to deceive us into choosing outstanding talents from among our outer disciples and bringing them into the main sect of Nine Yin Mountain, claiming that he would treat everyone equally and pass on the secret manuals of the main sect! But after all, the outer disciples were not personally selected by him. In order to prevent the infiltration of traitors from the unorthodox sects and to protect the secrets of the Sword Sect, he required us to swallow swords to temper our hearts and become sword attendants to prove our loyalty!

Hehe, as a result, my fellow disciples and I went to Benshan and became sword attendants! We helped them raise swords, chopped wood and boiled water, and served those precious disciples from the Benshan immortal clan! First-grade Dao Seed! We were their slaves! They sheltered us from the wind and rain! They killed and shielded us from swords!

Hehehe! Hahahaha!

Back then, I was so filled with hatred! I wished I could rip out the entire Sword Sect! But now that I think about it! Hey, that bastard Tian Gang wasn't wrong, he didn't treat everyone equally! Did he pass on the Sword Sect's most superior secret techniques to me?! Hahahaha! It's karma, hahahaha!"

Li Fan sighed. "Fine, another page of Xuan Tian's autobiography has been updated. To be fair, this guy really has a lot of bitterness and resentment. How come all the masters of the old Xuan Sect—no, the Three Great Sects —live such tragic lives? But times have changed. After all, these days, torturing the mainstream isn't fashionable anymore... cough..."

"... How do we break this fake talisman? Since they're disciples of the Sword Sect, shouldn't we at least leave them with a complete corpse and find a place to bury them?"

Xuan Tian stopped laughing for a moment and remained silent for a while. "Why bury it? There are so many evil curses binding the soul on this coffin. Are you afraid that people will figure out your background? It's better to burn it all away and be free and at ease."

"... Okay, then let's burn it."

So Li Fan picked up the coffin, found another spot, cast a spell, and conjured a burst of fire that roared up.

In the night sky, the flickering flames illuminated his shadow, making it seem as if someone stood beside him, watching the cremation of the sword-wielding children.

Li Fan reached into his sleeve and pulled out a gourd of wine. He poured a couple of sips into the fire. "I understand. Since someone has created the Daoist arts, sooner or later someone will use them for evil purposes. I just didn't expect that people like Grand Tutor Guardian General would be one thing, but I thought that although the Sword Sect's predecessors were extreme, at least they were upright and honorable..."

Xuan Tian: "Ha, upright and honorable? No one is absolutely upright and honorable! And it's not just the Sword Sect, which sect or clan doesn't have similar 'evil techniques'? Do you think the current power of the Xuanmen sect was handed over by the Immortal Palace?"

Back when they were breaking talismans and destroying temples, vying for grotto-heavens, killing techniques of this level were commonplace. It's just that now the old Xuanmen sects are all holed up in their own caves cultivating, rarely venturing out. Seeing that the world is about to descend into chaos, do you think they'll just sit and wait to die? Don't delay, hurry up and go."

Li Fan shook his head, "I'll have to wait a bit longer. I have something important to contact over there today. Xuan Tian, Xue Ying, you two protect me."

Yes, I was disturbed for half the night. I need to get in touch with the two fish as soon as possible, because the system is the more important thing!

"Oh, a monster, huh? It's nothing serious, whatever, we're not in a hurry."

"We know the company executives are coming to develop the potion with the Legion. It's alright, your clone can't track us down. Just keep in touch with them; having more friends means having more options."

"..."

Li Fan squinted at the black and white fish boy sitting on the grass playing cards.

"Holy crap! I just saw the final bosses of both factions! I thought we'd made a huge leap forward in the main storyline! And you guys are telling me it's nothing serious! Keep in touch with your friends, damn it!!"

Li Fan almost lost his composure.

The two men exchanged a glance and shrugged.

"Li Fan, you know we've said the main quest many times is..."

"Don't even mention raising fish, holy crap! Heavenly Book! Monster! Non-Thing! Legion! Company! Gate! Don't any of these mean anything to you?!"

Li Fan was almost going crazy.

Yin Fish Tongzi shrugged, while Yang Fish Tongzi scratched his head and explained, "I wouldn't say it's meaningless, but frankly, those are all 'problems on your end'."

What?

Yang Fish Tongzi gestured as he explained, "You mentioned the 'door' too, so let's be clearer: we're on this side of the 'door,' and you're on the other side. Because of the 'door's' limitations, the support we can give you is very limited. What you want to do is entirely up to you, and in most cases, you can only rely on yourself."

To put it bluntly, as long as you provide information about the mysterious book and Non-Thing, even if you actually join the company or legion, we won't interfere much. Before signing a formal contract, we are just partners."

Li Fan frowned. "But aren't you enemies with those two systems?"

Yin Fish Tongzi picked his nose. "Yes, so I'm just giving you a friendly reminder not to leak this kind of thing. We won't do anything to you, but they might."

Yang Fish Tongzi nodded. "Therefore, although we can scan the location of your clone and even try to retrieve the 'monster,' we will not risk exposure by doing so. Retrieving the 'monster' is not our primary goal; gathering information about the Tai Su Heavenly Scripture is."

However, the beacon of the mood maintenance system is anchored to your main body. If you have a way to snatch that 'monster' back from the clone with your main body, then we might be able to try blocking the 'monster's' signal and analyzing and recovering it.

If we can develop usable technology from it, that would be wonderful. Even if not, if you'd like, we can help you bring that monster to this side of the gate for trading, and we'll split the profits after deducting smuggling fees and brokerage fees."

Yin Fish Tongzi wiped his hands on his clothes. "Of course, you can keep it and trade it with the company for something better. After all, those scavengers and smugglers in the Legion don't have anything. Potions and cult-protected items are just empty promises to take advantage of you. The company is always collecting 'monsters,' but that fired guy doesn't have anything to offer. If you have the chance, you can trade with a senior executive from the company; maybe they'll offer a good price."

Li Fan was a little confused. "Are you guys really enemies with the company and the legion? You're actually suggesting I make a deal with them? Shouldn't we be seizing this opportunity when the company is out of control to launch an attack or something? How about this, I'll give you that pot, and you figure out how to take down that cruiser for me? I'm really afraid the women in the company will go crazy and give Ink Bamboo Mountain a good beating too!"

Yang Fish Tongzi considered for a moment, then turned and exchanged a glance with Yin Fish, as if they had reached some kind of unspoken understanding, before nodding.

"All right."

Li Fan was taken aback. "What exactly do you mean by 'okay'?"

Yang Fish Tongzi smiled, "We'll help you take care of that ship. But we need to make some preparations, so... let's do it tomorrow night."

Yin Fish Tongzi gave an OK sign.

... Is that pot really worth a lot of money?