"Damn! You saw right through me again!"
Chen Xian sighed inwardly, helpless. How was it that everyone could see through his cultivation at a glance? How was he supposed to show off like this?
Whenever someone asked who he was, they went, "Oh!?"
Then they took a look at his cultivation as their grand-uncle martial uncle and went, "Oh."
Lei Qingyang remarked, "The path of cultivation anew should be extremely difficult, but Martial Uncle, your progress is truly astonishing. The Mystic Jade Sword Bone really is a heaven-given treasure."
"At this rate, Martial Uncle may reach the Third Realm of Dao Disciple before the Grand Sect Tournament. You might even be able to go up on stage and show the juniors a thing or two."
Chen Xian's face darkened, and the corner of his mouth twitched. "Qing Yang, stop gilding my lily. I'm already embarrassed enough."
"It feels like anyone in the sect can take one look and see right through me. I just... don't feel secure at all."
"Hahaha, I understand what you mean, Martial Uncle!"
Lei Qingyang caught the complaint in Chen Xian's words and couldn't help laughing heartily.
His laughter dispelled much of the murderous tension that had filled the air moments earlier.
"It was my oversight."
"Now that Martial Uncle is cultivating anew, if your rapid progress draws the attention of those poisonous vermin from the Blood Demon Sect, you could be in considerable danger."
After a moment's thought, Lei Qingyang removed a smooth, lustrous emerald ring from the thumb of his left hand. It had a soft sheen, its light held within. He severed the connection linking it to its owner, then held it out to Chen Xian.
"This Venerable-Rank Dao Artifact, the Spirit-Concealing Jade Ring, is no longer of much use to me. I'll give it to you, Martial Uncle."
"Venerable Rank? Hey, you... How can I possibly accept this?"
Chen Xian swiftly took the ring. It felt cool against his skin, and he could vaguely sense layers of restrictions flowing within it like ripples.
"How do I use this thing? Can it conceal my cultivation?" he asked, slipping the ring onto his left thumb.
"As long as you wear it, the ring can conceal your cultivation according to your thoughts. But it can only make you seem weaker. For example, since you're currently at the Sixth Layer of Dao Disciple, you can conceal it as the First or Second Realm, but you can't disguise yourself as being at the Third Realm."
Lei Qingyang smiled as he explained the Spirit-Concealing Jade Ring's abilities. "It also contains a space of ten thousand stones, which can store and retrieve inanimate objects."
Chen Xian was delighted. Wasn't this just a spatial ring that could conceal his cultivation?
Ten thousand stones was about a thousand cubic meters. That was a truly huge space!
He'd been wanting to buy a Mustard Seed Bag. Now he wouldn't have to—he'd really struck gold.
Seeing the delight on his martial uncle's face, Lei Qingyang knew he was very pleased with the gift.
Though he felt a pang at parting with a Venerable-Rank Dao Artifact, Chen Xian was, after all, an elder of his own sect.
He hoped his martial uncle would recover his cultivation quickly—ideally, advancing to the Sect Realm or even the Honored Realm!
That would raise the Sword Sect's strength by another notch.
He'd once thought it impossible, but now he was filled with hope. In little more than a month, his martial uncle had already reached the Sixth Layer of Dao Disciple. It was all but certain he'd return to the Master Realm.
A drop of blood fell onto the Spirit-Concealing Jade Ring and was quickly absorbed. Feeling that he'd established a connection with the Dao Artifact, Chen Xian gave it a try. With just a thought, he felt an invisible force appear around him, blocking prying eyes.
The Dao Power in his body also quieted slightly. Even he could no longer sense his true cultivation; at most, he could vaguely estimate that he'd only just reached the Third Realm.
"What a treasure!" he exclaimed.
"Unless an expert in the Dao Venerable Realm uses a probing technique directly, no one will be able to see your true cultivation, Martial Uncle."
Lei Qingyang added, "To an outsider, it'll look as though you've gone from an ordinary person to the Third Realm in a month. That's still fast, but you can just explain it as your past wisdom remaining intact and your years of accumulated experience finally bearing fruit. You won't have to worry about drawing too much attention."
"Qing Yang, you've put a lot of thought into this. Once my cultivation returns to its peak, I'll be able to help ease your troubles and shoulder some of the burden. You've worked hard."
Having accepted Lei Qingyang's generous gift, Chen Xian naturally had to show his appreciation. He patted the other man on the shoulder in reassurance.
Lei Qingyang took a sip of tea and smiled faintly. "I'll be waiting for the day Martial Uncle's brilliance shines again!"
A trace of weariness showed in his eyes, something rarely seen before.
The Sword Sect had only been restored for a few decades, and its ranks of high-level fighters were still thin. He was the only person in the entire sect who could appear openly as a Dao Venerable. All the burdens rested on his shoulders.
How could he not be tired? How could he not wish someone would share the pressure?
His martial uncle's words had struck home.
Since he'd already received such a precious gift, Chen Xian didn't hold back. He stuck out his other hand. "By the way, get me a Sound Transmission Talisman that lets us talk both ways."
"That sect token only lets me listen to you lecture me all day. I can't even talk back. It's so frustrating—I keep thinking you're afraid I'll ask to borrow money."
Lei Qingyang shook his head helplessly, a smile on his lips. With a turn of his hand, he placed a fine jade pendant carved with cloud patterns into Chen Xian's palm.
"Since Martial Uncle has asked, how could I refuse? Sound Transmission Talismans are too limited. As long as you're within a thousand miles, this Sound-Speed Jade Pendant lets you hear and speak at will."
Chen Xian contentedly hung the jade pendant from his belt.
He'd just wrung two treasures out of Lei Qingyang. He couldn't get any greedier; he hadn't done anything to prove his worth yet.
He couldn't let the other man think he was insatiable.
He rose and thought for a moment before saying, "Though my cultivation is still shallow, I can at least help with a few small things. I'll go and look into Wei An, the Dining Hall steward."
"If I find any clues, I'll tell you."
"Then I'll trouble you with this, Martial Uncle. Please be careful, too. If the Blood Demon Sect's spy realizes he's been exposed, he may lash out in desperation."
"Though Wei An's cultivation has fallen to the Ninth Layer of Dao Disciple, you should still be on your guard!"
Lei Qingyang urged him repeatedly. He didn't expect his martial uncle to be able to help him just yet. Knowing he was willing to was enough.
"Don't worry."
Chen Xian patted him on the shoulder. "You shouldn't work yourself too hard, either. Don't shoulder everything alone. Delegate more to the people below you."
Lei Qingyang felt a weight lift from his heart. "I understand, Martial Uncle!"
With his hands behind his back, Chen Xian ambled down the mountain.
As he watched the path wind into the lush green woods below, he mused, I'm about to reach the Third Realm of Dao Disciple. Maybe I should buy a flying sword first? Or a Flying Boat wouldn't be a bad idea, either.
Just walking each day was almost like running a half-marathon. Though Dao Power lent him strength, his old arms and legs really couldn't take it.
With that thought, he turned at the fork and headed toward Heavenly Craft Peak, also known as Artifact Peak.
Meanwhile, at the courtyard where he lived,
a scruffy, unkempt man who looked like a beggar stood dazedly at the entrance.
Disciples living nearby passed by and eyed the "beggar" uncertainly.
How had a beggar managed to get into the Inner Sect's Sword Peak?
Three female disciples approached together. Before they'd come within three meters, the strong smell of liquor reached them. Pinching their noses, they looked the man over from a distance.
Suddenly, one of them cried out, "Isn't that Senior Brother Lin Xiaoyan from Heavy Sword Hall? How did he end up like this?"
"Shh! It must be him. I heard Senior Brother Lin's fiancée broke off their engagement, and he's been devastated ever since. He hasn't gone to Heavy Sword Hall to practice his sword in days."
"Then what's he doing here at Grand-Uncle Martial Uncle's place?"
"Who knows? Come on, let's go! We shouldn't gossip."
They hurriedly exchanged a few words and left, afraid Lin Xiaoyan might lose his mind.
"Grand-Uncle Martial Uncle... I feel awful!"
With bleary eyes, Lin Xiaoyan stared at the tightly shut courtyard gate. A gourd of wine appeared in his hand, and he tipped it back, gulping furiously.