Immortal Sword Appears

In the outskirts of Beijing, a modern assembly-line pharmaceutical factory covering ten thousand mu blazed with lights day and night. Though its sign proclaimed it a pharmaceutical factory, few people ever came or went. The two security guards at the gate stood ramrod straight, like statues. Any discerning, worldly-wise observer would know that no one but specially trained soldiers from the military could possibly manage such bearing. Further inside, after passing more than a dozen spacious factory workshops, one would see a straight, tree-lined avenue stretching beyond sight. The road was three zhang wide, its smooth concrete surface flanked by towering Euphrates poplars common to northern China. After passing through several miles of this shaded avenue, a forty-nine-story office building came into view. The building occupied an immense area, with a small garden of over one mu before it. Had Zhou Qing been there, he would have recognized that this little garden formed a rather large Spirit Gathering Formation, drawing in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth from dozens of miles around and gathering it around the forty-nine-story office building without dispersing. Anyone entering the building would feel refreshed and clear-headed.

Quite a few people sat in a huge conference room on the top floor. At the head sat a stern-faced middle-aged man in military uniform, four stars on his shoulders. Below him sat a group of young men and women, all with gleaming eyes, clearly possessing considerable cultivation. The middle-aged man spoke in a commanding voice. "You are all elite disciples of the major sects, trained from childhood. Your lineages have always been the most loyal to the nation, and now the nation has selected you and incorporated you into the military! From this moment onward, you are soldiers. All actions must follow orders. Do not bring disgrace upon your lineages, understand?" "Yes!" the young men and women below answered excitedly in unison. The middle-aged man nodded in satisfaction. He clapped his hands, and the conference room doors creaked open. A young man of twenty-seven or twenty-eight entered and saluted him. "General Chen! Dragon Group Leader Ling Fei reporting!"

"Wow!! So he's the legendary God Sword Ling Fei!" "Yeah! He's Kunlun Sect's most outstanding disciple in three hundred years. His cultivation seems to be on the verge of reaching the Spirit Transformation realm." "Ah! The Spirit Transformation realm—that's the supreme realm! Even Mao Mountain has only a few Elders, who have cultivated for who knows how many years, with such cultivation!" "I also heard that two years ago, four ninjas from Japan's largest organization, the Black Dragon Society, secretly infiltrated China to gather intelligence. When he encountered them, he killed two in an instant, while the other two escaped only after leaving both their hands behind!" "What does Japan amount to? Even that northeastern underworld boss—the Bear Spirit with three hundred years of cultivation—was killed by him alone!" The young men chattered endlessly. The girls were discussing him too. "Wow! He's so handsome!" "He's so manly!" "He's so stylish!" One of them was a classic lovestruck fool.

General Chen smiled faintly at the discussion, while Ling Fei did not know whether to laugh or cry. Good heavens, every one of these boys and girls comes from no ordinary background. They'd better not cause any trouble. Every time the Dragon Group selected members, it picked talented orphans from childhood, sent them into the major sects to cultivate, and then chose the elites to enter the Dragon Group. Why has the higher-ups selected a batch of disciples from prominent lineages this time? Could something have changed? Are they trying to win over their lineages? Thoughts were thoughts. Ling Fei clapped his hands. "Quiet, everyone. I am Ling Fei, leader of the Dragon Group, and your superior from now on. I believe you all know perfectly well what kind of organization the Dragon Group is, so I need not say more. What I do want to say is that the nation's selection of you to join the Dragon Group is a sign of trust in you and your lineages. But!" Ling Fei abruptly changed his tone, and an overwhelmingly terrifying aura erupted from his body, instantly blanketing the entire conference room. Aside from General Chen, who still wore a smile, every young man and woman was pressed so hard by that powerful aura that they could barely breathe. Though they were all outstanding disciples of major sects, their highest cultivation was no more than Qi Induction Stage - Mid Phase. How could they possibly withstand the aura emitted by Ling Fei, whose cultivation stood only one step away from the Spirit Transformation realm?

The aura vanished as soon as it appeared, and everyone in the conference room felt as though a heavy burden had been lifted. Ling Fei continued, "But once you enter the Dragon Group, you are Dragon Group members. Everything must follow orders. Whoever dares rely on their lineage to act recklessly will be severely punished. Have you heard me clearly?" Having only just recovered from Ling Fei's terrifying aura, the disciples of prominent lineages had no other thoughts left in their hearts. They all shouted, "Understood!" Their voices were several times louder than before, shaking the entire building until it trembled. Ling Fei nodded in satisfaction. "All right, dismissed. Go to the logistics office on the thirteenth floor to collect your things. The logistics director will arrange accommodations for you. Dismissed!"

After all the disciples of prominent lineages had left, General Chen smiled at Ling Fei. "Ling Fei, your cultivation has improved again! It looks like you'll enter the Spirit Transformation realm within a year, won't you? There are quite a few restless troublemakers among those lineage disciples. Keep them under control. Don't let them stir up any trouble."

"Uncle Chen! Why this time?" Ling Fei's relationship with General Chen seemed far from ordinary. With no one else around, his form of address became much more intimate.

"I know what you're wondering. Sigh! These are troubled times. In Japan, people from the Black Dragon Society, Yamaguchi-gumi, Iga Ninja Stream, Nine Chrysanthemum Sect, and Shadow Stream Sect are all beginning to stir. America's Biochemical Warriors seem to have been successfully developed as well, and Taiwan has shown some movement too. Your Dragon Group has received word recently, hasn't it? America and Japan have reached some secret agreement. Their wolfish ambitions are plain to see! We have no choice but to be careful!"

Ling Fei nodded as well. "The influence of these new members' lineages is indeed immense. It would be good to win them over and keep them under control. Otherwise, some lineages might sell out the motherland and become traitors for a few trifling gains. If they stab us in the back, we'll be caught completely off guard."

General Chen said approvingly, "Not bad, Ling Fei. You're becoming more and more mature. Old Ling has a fine son! Oh, right! I heard that something happened to that girl Ruo Shui. How is she now? As her older brother, you need to look after your little sister. Don't spend all day cultivating and working." Ling Fei smiled bitterly. "My little sister is clever enough, and her abilities are passable too, but she can be rather disobedient. Last time, she secretly went to Japan for some unknown reason and provoked even Elder-level experts from Japan's Shadow Stream Sect. My Senior Brother received the news and barely managed to rescue her from Japan. This time, she was actually ambushed by people from the Nine Chrysanthemum Sect and abducted to Las Vegas. Even Uncle Tang, whom our Ling lineage had secretly assigned to protect Ruo Shui, suffered serious injuries. It worried Master so badly that he nearly issued the Kunlun Decree and called on fellow cultivators to have an all-out brawl with those Japanese devils. Fortunately, it seemed that someone rescued that girl and she escaped back. After all, we have not yet reached the point of tearing our faces apart with those Japanese devils!"

General Chen was somewhat surprised. "Even Old Tang was seriously injured? The Nine Chrysanthemum Sect really spent a fortune on this. Who rescued that girl Ruo Shui? To snatch someone from the Nine Chrysanthemum Sect's hands, that person's cultivation could not be weak! There are crouching tigers and hidden dragons among the people. By the way, did that girl say who saved her?"

"Strangely enough, after Ruo Shui returned, she refused to say a word and threw herself desperately into cultivation. She even took leave from school. Recently, she went to Kunlun Mountain and asked Master to allow her to enter seclusion. I truly don't know what happened, but it's fine. That girl has finally settled down. Otherwise, she was always causing trouble, and Master spoiled her far too much." Ling Fei sounded somewhat relieved.

"It's good that Ruo Shui has quieted down." General Chen checked his watch. "I still have a meeting this afternoon. Go calm down that batch of newcomers. Don't let them clash with the old members." "That shouldn't cause any problems. After all, there are fellow disciples among them. Still, I do need to go take a look myself." With that, he flashed away and vanished. General Chen froze for a moment. "That child still has the same temperament."

"Master, have you become an immortal?" Liao Xiaojin was truly dumbfounded this time. He watched as Zhou Qing spat out a speck of yellow light. The yellow light slowly expanded and condensed into a human form—it was Zhou Qing's exact likeness. Two identical Zhou Qings stood there. Liao Xiaojin felt that he had never truly understood Zhou Qing, that Zhou Qing was as unfathomable as the deep sea. From that moment on, Liao Xiaojin truly acknowledged Zhou Qing as his master, with no thought of betrayal for the rest of his life. "Hehe, do you remember that Six-Winged Golden Silkworm? This is the Second Primordial Spirit I refined from that golden silkworm. It is equivalent to another me, only far more powerful than my main body. Didn't you want a flying sword? I happen to have the materials. Refining one for you right away would be no problem." Liao Xiaojin said in wild delight, "Great! I've been wanting to see how Master tinkers out magical treasures."

Without another word, Zhou Qing took out the Violet Firmament Sword, which radiated purple light and emitted bone-piercing chill. His Second Primordial Spirit had already formed hand seals. Buzz! A pure, nearly transparent flame spewed from its mouth. Heat—terrifying heat—instantly engulfed the entire empty room. The walls showed signs of nearly melting, but fortunately, talismans covered every wall. The moment the heat touched the talismans, it was neutralized by a gentle icy aura. After Zhou Qing and Liao Xiaojin had gambled wildly in Las Vegas for a month and silently swept away more than a billion US dollars, they returned and bought an enormous, exceptionally secluded villa. Zhou Qing personally cleared out a large room and set up formations within it, specifically for cultivation. They were billionaires now, after all. Wouldn't it be stupider than pigs not to enjoy having money? Struck by the heat, Liao Xiaojin immediately wilted like a frostbitten eggplant. Though the talismans Zhou Qing had given him protected his body, he was still feverish all over and drenched in sweat. If an accomplished cultivator had been present and seen those pure, almost transparent flames, he would certainly have leapt up in shock. This was Samadhi True Fire, the Samadhi True Fire said to melt all things! Only those whose cultivation had reached the supreme realm of Qi Refining and Spirit Transformation could emit Samadhi True Fire!

The transparent flames coiled around the Violet Firmament Sword, and the sword trembled unwillingly. Zhou Qing carefully dismantled the eighty-one large formations imposed upon it by the Elders of Shu Mountain, then used Samadhi True Fire to reshape its blade. A full three hours passed before Zhou Qing thoroughly destroyed the formations, and reshaped the sword into a broad, short sword four inches wide and one foot long. Even if he placed the sword before someone from the Shu Mountain Sect in the future, they likely would not recognize it. With a turn of his divine sense, Zhou Qing imprinted upon it several small yet remarkably powerful formations he had comprehended from the Twelve Divine Demon Annihilation Formation. Zhou Qing's Second Primordial Spirit was originally a fire-element golden silkworm, so its Samadhi True Fire was much stronger than that of ordinary Spirit Transformation experts. It easily completed the reforging of the flying sword.

"Formations are not about quantity, but precision. Shu Mountain's artifact-refining skills are far too poor. So many formations—how many could actually be used against an enemy? There are even defensive formations inside. You're a flying sword, a weapon for killing people. What do you need defense for? Afraid someone might chop you in half? A single strike to kill—that is the way of the flying sword. Could it be that they treat a flying sword as a magical treasure to battle others with? Really!" Zhou Qing sighed.

As the Samadhi True Fire withdrew, the room turned cool. Liao Xiaojin had struggled bitterly for three hours, and the instant he relaxed, he collapsed onto the floor like a puddle of mud. Yet after spending three hours desperately circulating his cultivation to resist the heat, Liao Xiaojin had gained something as well. Once he recovered, the True Essence within his body would at least become much stronger.

With a casual wave, Zhou Qing threw a Yi Wood talisman onto Liao Xiaojin's body. Cool Yi Wood Spiritual Energy burrowed through Liao Xiaojin's body, and the nearly unconscious Liao Xiaojin gave a comfortable moan. When he opened his eyes, he saw a broad sword one foot long and four inches wide floating three feet before him. The blade was crystalline throughout, like the finest purple crystal, and gave off scorching heat. "Hurry up and temper it with your blood! Once it cools, it'll be useless!" Zhou Qing's urgent voice came from beside his ear. Understanding at once, Liao Xiaojin bit the tip of his tongue and sprayed three mouthfuls of blood onto the sword in succession. Normally, a flying sword had to be tempered with water from a cold pool rich in spiritual energy. Tempering it with ordinary water would greatly diminish the sword's quality. Zhou Qing had no way of obtaining cold-pool water on such short notice, but then he suddenly remembered that Liao Xiaojin's blood was who knew how many times stronger than cold-pool water. How could that be allowed? The moment the blood touched the blade, Boom! An incomparably powerful burst of western Geng Metal Qi erupted, nearly blasting Zhou Qing and Liao Xiaojin away. Had Zhou Qing not silently activated his Second Primordial Spirit and fiercely suppressed the drastic change in the sword, his newly purchased villa might well have been leveled to the ground.

"Sword Qi soars through the sky, ten thousand swords return to the origin!" Liao Xiaojin used the method Zhou Qing had taught him two days ago from the Soaring Sword Qi Art to subdue a flying sword. Especially since this flying sword had been stained with Liao Xiaojin's blood, it was effortlessly grasped in his hand. A sensation of flesh-and-blood connection traveled from Liao Xiaojin's hand into his heart, making him feel that the sword in his grasp was part of his own body. "Tsk! Tsk! What a fine sword!" Zhou Qing came over in admiration, examining the blade closely with Liao Xiaojin. This time, the blade had changed again. The sword, originally as purple and crystalline as amethyst, now bore nine golden stripes. The nine golden stripes formed a strange, ancient, desolate symbol that Zhou Qing had never seen before. Using his Second Original Spirit to inspect it, Zhou Qing sensed that something seemed to be endlessly absorbed into that symbol and then fused into the sword, without the slightest trace leaking out. "This sword possesses infinite variables!! It is no longer an ordinary object!" Zhou Qing's expression turned grave. Eh! My own flying sword was also tempered with this fellow's blood. Though its quality surpassed the original Azure Lock Sword, why doesn't it have this strange symbol? Zhou Qing's thoughts were in turmoil, but Liao Xiaojin joyfully drew the sword into his body.