Encountering Xu Xing

Little Martial Uncle Ancestor?

This Martial Uncle Ancestor, who stood above the Dao Integration realm, actually addressed the Little Martial Uncle Ancestor as "Martial Uncle"?!

Hmm... that sounds a bit strange when put that way.

But if you calculate it like that, the Little Martial Uncle Ancestor's seniority is just too high.

Whose disciple is she, exactly?

The crowd's thoughts were in turmoil; many were curious about the true identity of the Sword Sect's mysterious Little Martial Uncle Ancestor.

Unfortunately, this Deputy Hall Master of the Sword Enforcement Hall had never revealed which generation of the Sword Sect she belonged to, nor had she ever mentioned her master in public.

However, it was more likely that their cultivation levels were simply not high enough to be privy to such things...

"Well, that is all I have to say." Li Qingyang, the rugged sword cultivator, was also feeling a bit annoyed.

It was one thing for his master to give him a mission, but to be so vague—saying only that there was a major matter he needed to handle and that he would understand when the time came—was infuriating.

So cryptic; he hardly acted like a sword cultivator at all!

He had traveled a long way back from a distant star field, only to end up with such an ambiguous assignment.

"Everyone may return; there is no need to see me off."

With that, Li Qingyang turned and left, and the Void Return elder followed in silence.

"..." The many Spirit Transmutation stage cultivators in the conference room remained silent for a long time.

They might be considered figures of some standing in Mystic Sword City, but in front of that man, they were truly nothing.

"Then, let us all return as the senior instructed," the Mayor of Mystic Sword City said.

The others felt helpless, but they had no other choice.

After Li Qingyang and the Void Return elder exited the Municipal Building, they mounted their swords and shot into the sky, though they kept their speed within a certain limit to avoid breaking the sound barrier.

The Void Return elder followed on his sword: "Martial Uncle Ancestor, are we just leaving like this?"

"What else? There are many things I haven't even figured out myself yet." Li Qingyang unhooked the gourd from his waist and took a drink.

The liquor was crystal clear and red as blood; the rich aroma made the Void Return elder's head spin.

Li Qingyang glanced at him and said indifferently, "It seems your sword is indeed severely polluted."

The Void Return elder gave a bitter smile: "The Martial Uncle Ancestor's eyes are sharp."

Many years ago, he had encountered several unique enemies on the Starry Sky Battlefield, which led to his natal sword being polluted; even a Dao Integration expert found it difficult to completely sever that strange spiritual taint.

Later, that strange spiritual essence even affected him through the sword itself, causing his cultivation to stagnate.

Because he could not reach any sword cultivators above the Dao Integration realm, he retreated from the Starry Sky Battlefield and traveled across the Central Continent, exploring secret realms in the hope of finding a solution.

During this journey, he happened to enter the Red Moon Secret Realm near Mystic Sword City, where he discovered a sword that was at least at the Dao Integration level, if not higher.

The sword's owner was suspected to have fallen, otherwise, a sword cultivator at or above the Dao Integration realm would have had their spirit and blade united, allowing them to arrive in an instant regardless of the distance.

Under these circumstances, he had conceived the idea of subduing it to replace his own natal sword, though he knew the chances were slim; still, it was better than remaining at a standstill.

Even if he couldn't subdue it, he could try to use its divine sharpness to sever that strange spiritual taint.

He never expected that a Martial Uncle Ancestor above the Dao Integration realm would return to the Central Continent from the Starry Sky Battlefield at this very moment.

"I will help you sever that spiritual taint when we return; a sword cultivator is always best off using their own sword."

"Many thanks, Martial Uncle Ancestor!"

The ways of the world are unpredictable; to think it would be resolved in such a manner.

There were over a hundred thousand Void Return cultivators in the Sword Sect; being fortunate enough to travel with the Martial Uncle Ancestor was already a blessing.

Li Qingyang hung the gourd back on his waist and sighed: "This Central Continent is rather stifling. The starry sky is vast—it is there that we are truly free to roam!"

It was vast, indeed, but also dangerous.

Would he ever be able to become a sword cultivator as free and unfettered as the Martial Uncle Ancestor in this lifetime?

Thinking of his polluted sword, the Void Return elder could not help but feel a sense of melancholy.

Late at night.

Xiao Fan, who had been lying on the ground, suddenly opened his eyes and sat up with a start, hurriedly feeling his body with his hands.

No pain? Nothing wrong?

Not only that, he felt a sense of relief, as if all chains and shackles had been cast off, as if a heavy burden that had been pressing down on him had been lifted.

Xiao Fan's eyes were filled with confusion; he had no idea what had happened.

Wait!

That drop of blood contained in the jade box, and that voice—it seemed to say something about... the Secret of Creation?

"How does it feel to be reborn?"

The sudden voice made Xiao Fan's hair stand on end; without hesitation, he rolled to the side, snatched up his sword, and stared vigilantly in the direction of the sound.

But when he saw who had spoken, he couldn't help but freeze.

"It's you!"

How could he not recognize him? This was the very person who had given him the jade box.

In other words, it was also because of him that he had suffered that entire series of ordeals this evening.

"Who exactly are you?"

The moment the question left his lips, he realized he had asked a foolish one.

According to the tropes of storybooks, novels, movies, and plays, such questions were never answered.

"My name is Huo, and I am the one who has bestowed this fortune upon you."

Huh?

He actually answered!

Huo?

Could the fortune he spoke of be the event this evening that had nearly caused him to die from pain?

What kind of fortune was that?

"I have mended your severed path forward; surely that counts as a fortune?"

Mended his severed path forward?

Xiao Fan paused and sensed his internal state for a moment. Sure enough, he found that the mysterious and fragile Dao Foundation in his dantian had vanished, and even his Foundation Establishment True Essence had regressed into Qi Refining spiritual energy.

Ninth Level of Qi Refining!

He had actually regressed from a Pseudo Foundation Establishment to the Ninth Level of Qi Refining!

It really... had been mended?!

In an instant, an indescribable, wild joy flooded his heart.

"Well?"

Huo's voice poured a bucket of cold water over Xiao Fan, causing him to calm down rapidly.

He stood up and bowed respectfully: "Many thanks, Senior. If you have any instructions, this junior will not refuse, no matter the cost!"

"Heh! I do indeed have a task for you to carry out."

Xiao Fan's heart skipped a beat, feeling somewhat uneasy, but it was clear that he was in no position to refuse.

"Please, Senior, give your orders."

"Before long, many Immortal Sect disciples, as well as some lucky individuals like yourself, will gather here. What you must do is very simple," Huo smiled slightly, "and that is to defeat them."

Immortal Sect disciples... and other lucky individuals like himself?

"This junior obeys."

The situation he was currently facing had already exceeded his past understanding; regardless of the request, he had no choice but to accept it.

When Xiao Fan looked up again, the mysterious 'Huo' had already vanished.

In the living room, Xu Xing waved his hand gently, and two light screens promptly disappeared.

"Dao Brother, it has been a long time."

A figure stepped out from the shadows with a gentle smile on his face that naturally inspired goodwill—this was none other than 'Huo', who had been in Xiao Fan's home just a second ago.

"Long time no see," Xu Xing nodded slightly. "You have been in Mystic Sword City for quite some time now, Fellow Daoist. I wonder what you have been busy with?"

"..."

Could we not be even a little more profound, perhaps exchange some cryptic remarks?

The perfectly good atmosphere had been ruined.

"Since you are guiding a junior, Dao Brother, I naturally must support a junior of my own to compete with yours."

Xu Xing didn't speak, instead looking at him with an expression that clearly said 'you must be bored out of your mind,' his voice flat.

"You certainly have a lively interest, Fellow Daoist."

"..."

That was far too dismissive.