The Blood Jade Bodhi Pendant's Effects, Wan Jianyi at the Ancestor Shrine!

"Forged from a hundred-thousand-year-old Bodhi Leaf and ten-thousand-year-old blood jade, tempered with Heart Fire at the earth's core in an icy land, infused with the Righteous Qi of Heaven and Earth, over eighty-one days."

"After countless hardships, its violent Demonic Nature was finally removed and transformed into gentle Dao Intent."

"This pendant can not only conceal its bearer's aura, but also help them quickly calm their mind and focus their spirit, enhancing their Spiritual Sense and Qi and Blood..."

"It even possesses formidable protective abilities."

"Simply shatter the Bodhi Leaf upon it to gain Bodhi's protection, capable of blocking one full-force strike from a late-stage Shangqing Realm expert."

"When a cultivator faces demons or Evil Spirits, the Blood Jade Bodhi Pendant can also protect their body, dispel evil qi, and grant immunity to Mind-Confusing Arts."

Su Han looked at the Blood Jade Bodhi Pendant.

He did not hesitate in the slightest!

He knew this magical treasure was exactly what he had been looking for!

Very soon.

Holding the pendant, Su Han walked up to True Lord Daoxuan. "Sect Leader Martial Uncle, I've found the magical treasure I wanted."

True Lord Daoxuan glanced at the pendant and nodded slightly. "Not bad. This Blood Jade Bodhi Pendant is a rare treasure among the items left behind by our Qingyun Sect's predecessors."

"I hope you make good use of it and do not tarnish Qingyun Sect's reputation in the future."

Su Han said gratefully, "Thank you, Sect Leader Martial Uncle."

True Lord Daoxuan smiled. "No need to thank me. You earned it."

"Come. Don't keep your master waiting."

Su Han nodded, then followed Daoxuan out of the treasure vault.

Outside the treasure vault.

The moment Shui Yue saw Su Han, she hurried over. "Xiao Han, which magical treasure did you choose?"

Su Han held the pendant out before Shui Yue. "Master, this one—the Blood Jade Bodhi."

Hearing this, Shui Yue carefully examined the item in Su Han's hand. Satisfaction soon appeared in her eyes. "Not bad."

"A Daoist magical treasure touched by a trace of Buddha Nature, with powerful protective abilities as well."

"This treasure truly suits you!"

Su Han smiled and hung the pendant at his waist, making him appear even more like a jade-like gentleman. "I think so too."

For some reason, Shui Yue stared blankly at Su Han's faint smile.

Only after quite a while did she come back to herself.

"X-Xiao Han, I'll first report the matter of your Inverse Scale Sword to Sect Leader Senior Brother..."

With that.

Shui Yue hurried away.

Watching Shui Yue's retreating figure, Su Han said, "It feels like Master has been deeply and subtly affected by the Blood Devouring Pearl's Demonic Nature."

"I wonder whether that's good or bad..."

Su Han sighed softly, somewhat helpless. "Master's state of mind truly remains trapped by what happened back then."

Lost in thought, Su Han stood at the entrance to the hall and silently waited for Shui Yue.

Before long, Shui Yue returned.

"Master, what did Sect Leader Martial Uncle say?"

Su Han looked at Shui Yue and asked curiously.

Shui Yue said calmly, "The Sect Leader already knows about the Inverse Scale within the Demonic Sword Heart in your possession. You need not worry."

"The Sect Leader said that the Soul-Absorbing Rod was brought back to the mountain by Ancestor Qingye back then. Now that you have obtained it, it can be considered your karmic fortune."

As she spoke, Shui Yue seemed somewhat puzzled.

"But why did Ancestor Qingye bring an Utmost Evil Object like the Soul-Absorbing Rod back to Qingyun Sect?"

After thinking for a while, Shui Yue still found no answer and shook her head helplessly.

"Forget it."

"Ancestor must have had his reasons."

"Xiao Han, let's go home."

With that, Shui Yue took Su Han and flew away on their swords.

In the sky.

Su Han held Shui Yue's slender waist, deep in thought.

If I'm not mistaken, Ancestor Qingye brought back the Soul-Absorbing Rod to set up the Heavenly Mechanism Seal.

The Heavenly Mechanism Seal had been established by Ancestor Qingye of Qingyun Sect.

Originally, Qingyun Sect's founding ancestor, Qingyunzi, had used the spiritual energy covering Qingyun Mountain to set up the Zhu Xian Sword Array.

Later, after Ancestor Qingye laid down the Heavenly Mechanism Seal, it could release the vast Malevolent Qi contained beneath each peak when the Zhu Xian Sword Array was activated, then drive it with profound incantation power.

In an instant, it gathered all the Mysterious Fiendish Spiritual Energy that had been hidden within the mountains for tens of millions of years onto the Ancient Sword Zhu Xian, greatly enhancing the Zhu Xian Sword Array's power and giving it heaven-splitting, earth-shattering might.

Casting an Utmost Evil Object like the Soul-Absorbing Rod into one of the peaks.

Naturally, the Heavenly Mechanism Seal could draw upon its immense Malevolent Qi for the Zhu Xian Sword.

That was likely why Ancestor Qingye had brought back the Soul-Absorbing Rod.

But Su Han did not explain.

After all, Sect Leader Daoxuan had not chosen to tell his master the truth.

Besides, his master had no chance to wield the Zhu Xian Sword. If she asked how he knew, it would be difficult to explain.

Tongtian Peak.

After Shui Yue and Su Han left, Daoxuan walked out of the main hall alone and headed toward the Ancestor Shrine.

Following the winding path, True Lord Daoxuan walked steadily, his mind filled with countless thoughts.

He recalled his recent conversation with Shui Yue. "He truly is a genius—and a genius of the sword path at that."

"Unfortunately, I have not accepted disciples for many years."

Daoxuan sighed softly and soon arrived before the Ancestor Shrine.

Daoxuan stopped, straightened his Daoist robe, then entered the shrine with a solemn expression.

Inside, incense smoke curled through the air. The atmosphere was silent and reverent.

True Lord Daoxuan slowly walked before the ancestral tablets, respectfully knelt, and kowtowed three times.

After rising.

Daoxuan's gaze fell upon the shadows to one side.

There stood a bent, weathered figure.

It was an old man dressed in a tattered Daoist robe, wearing a bamboo hat. His white hair was sparse, and the deep wrinkles across his face ran like ravines, carved there by the passage of time.

His back was slightly hunched. Leaning on an ancient broom, he carefully and attentively swept the dust from the Ancestor Shrine.

"Ah..."

Daoxuan looked at that figure and sighed helplessly.

After a long while, he slowly spoke.

"Junior Brother, have you heard?"

"Our Qingyun Sect has recently produced a genius. He will surely become a pillar of Qingyun Sect in the future and sweep away the evil demons of the world..."

Before Daoxuan could finish, the "old man" interrupted him directly.

"Qingyun Sect has produced a genius? Then congratulations, Senior Brother."

"But, Senior Brother."

"What meaning is there in telling these things to a 'dead man'?"

As he spoke.

The "old man" lowered his head again and swept the Ancestor Shrine, his voice unhurried.

"The conflict between righteousness and evil has endured for a thousand years, and no fire can burn it away completely."

"The Dao of Heaven does not contend, yet excels in victory; it acts through non-action. Why insist on seeking perfection and extremes?"

Hearing this, Daoxuan clasped his hands behind his back.

"Not contend?"

"Non-action?"

"Qingyun was founded a thousand years ago to sweep away Evil Spirits and return a bright, clear world to all under heaven."

The "old man" shook his head. "Since ancient times, righteousness and evil have waxed and waned against each other. Know the white, yet hold to the black—only then can one serve as a model for the world."

Daoxuan stared at the old man. "A hundred years in the Ancestor Shrine have actually worn away your ambition."

"With Qingyun's ancestors of every generation here, have you still failed to comprehend the Dao?"

"All things bear yin and embrace yang. Righteousness and evil follow one another. Such is the Heavenly Dao." The old man still disagreed.

Daoxuan snorted coldly. "The Heavenly Dao?"

"The Heavenly Dao shows no favoritism, much less can righteousness and evil be confused."

"What I seek is the utmost purity and clarity beneath heaven!"

With that.

Daoxuan swept his sleeve and left in anger.

Yet when he reached the doorway, he ultimately stopped, his voice carrying a faint trace of nearly imperceptible guilt.

"Junior Brother, when you have time, you may visit Little Bamboo Peak and see that child."

"Like you, he is a genius of the sword path. Perhaps he is also the successor you have been seeking."

"At the same time, I hope that when you see him, you can remember just how high-spirited and ambitious you were back then..."

Wan Jianyi hunched over as he watched Daoxuan walk away.

"Senior Brother..."