The emperor could do no wrong!
Even mortals in the secular world had such a saying, let alone immortals!
It was true that the Locust Wood Immortal Sword had swept through the land, snatching monsters from all sides within a radius of ten thousand li and causing no small amount of trouble and frustration for the cultivators.
But first, subduing demons and vanquishing fiends was a righteous cause.
Second, an immortal sword could stand on its own without its master even having to control it.
If a treasure could do that, what kind of strength did its master possess?
Mahayana, Tribulation Transcendence, or True Immortal?
Most people leaned toward the latter.
At worst, its master was probably an old monster at the Tribulation Transcendence level. Even the Mahayana ancestors whom everyone revered and feared probably could not do what he had done.
And cultivators admired the strong.
Even those whose monsters had been snatched away felt a little aggrieved.
But when they thought that the one behind all this might be a True Immortal, the trace of dissatisfaction in their hearts vanished in an instant.
All that remained was admiration.
They imagined the immortal's imposing bearing: with a single sword stroke, he could slay every demon under heaven.
Not one could withstand a single blow.
How could anyone not admire and respect him?
"This really is a world where the strong rule!"
Lin Xiaoyao sighed as he tossed the pills and medicines he had just received from signing in into his mouth, swallowing them like candy.
He immediately felt his cultivation improve a little.
A satisfied look crossed his face.
He liked the life he had now.
Raising fish, growing flowers, waking naturally after sleeping in, and lurking in the background like a hidden big shot, watching everything unfold.
It was truly wonderful.
A leisurely life that was hard not to love.
Compared to fighting and killing, staying quietly in the sect was definitely more comfortable.
Beside him floated a crude immortal sword made of wood.
It was none other than the Locust Wood Immortal Sword, which had recently made life miserable for demons across the surrounding ten thousand li and left cultivators trembling in fear.
Yet now, this mighty treasure, once so arrogant that none could withstand a single blow from its blade, nervously followed behind Lin Xiaoyao.
After being summoned back, it had of course realized that it had done something wrong.
The Locust Wood Immortal Sword was terrified.
It feared its master would cast it aside. What meaning would its existence have then?
It was just like a schoolchild who had made a mistake, nervously facing the teacher.
Fortunately, Lin Xiaoyao did not blame it.
After all, he had been the one slacking off, and he had not explained himself clearly. If something had gone wrong and he had tried to shift the blame onto someone else, that would be one thing—but onto an immortal sword?
Forget it. Lin Xiaoyao felt he should at least have some dignity.
Besides, the outcome had turned out pretty well.
He had not attracted any negative feelings.
Instead, his reputation had spread far and wide. His influence as a hidden big shot was no longer confined to the Feathering Sect, but extended across the surrounding ten thousand li, where people sang his praises.
He had made a name for himself, in a way.
The key was that he was still hidden behind the scenes.
No one knew the name of that expert. This made Qin Yan, watching from the sidelines, feel secretly delighted.
So Lin Xiaoyao had only given the Locust Wood Immortal Sword a mild scolding and had not blamed it too harshly.
The sword was immensely grateful and bowed repeatedly toward Qin Yan.
"Enough. From now on, just stay by my side."
Lin Xiaoyao could tell what the immortal sword was thinking. It was clearly afraid he would abandon it!
Honestly, was he the sort of person who would use someone and then... Ahem, who would burn bridges after crossing them?
Besides, although the immortal sword did not look like much, it really was useful.
If it stayed by his side, then whenever he encountered danger or a formidable enemy, he would not need to lift a finger. One glance and a command, and the immortal sword would slay the enemy for him, cutting through every obstacle.
How could he cast aside a treasure like that? Lin Xiaoyao was no spendthrift.
He had been thinking of all the effort he could save, but the Locust Wood Immortal Sword was overwhelmed with gratitude and resolved to serve its master to the death.
And so it obediently floated behind him.
Wherever Lin Xiaoyao went, it went too, like the most loyal and courageous guard.
Lin Xiaoyao was very pleased, but then he frowned. Though no one knew who the hidden big shot was, plenty of people had seen the Locust Wood Immortal Sword's true appearance.
Having it guard him closely was all well and good, but wouldn't that make his identity obvious?
Lin Xiaoyao turned and chided it. "You, honestly. People say you learn from a bitter experience. You're already a mature immortal sword, so why do I still have to worry about everything? You need to learn to conceal yourself."
The sword hummed...
It bowed.
As soon as Lin Xiaoyao finished speaking, it vanished, concealing its form.
Lin Xiaoyao was very pleased.
It was quick on the uptake.
It seemed the sword was not stupid after all.
Its concealment technique had borrowed the power of his Word of Law.
Ordinary cultivators could not see it; even if a True Immortal descended, he might not be able to detect the sword's hidden tracks if Lin Xiaoyao did not want him to.
Excellent. Powerful. Now everything was perfect!
Two years later.
Lin Xiaoyao passed by the Spirit Beast Yard.
"System, let me sign in."
"Congratulations, host. Sign-in successful. You have obtained a Phoenix Egg."
The system's mechanical, indifferent notification sounded in his ears.
"A Phoenix Egg? As in an egg laid by a Phoenix?"
Lin Xiaoyao was stunned for a moment, then a satisfied look appeared on his face.
This was a pretty good reward.
The Phoenix was the king of birds.
It was also an exceptionally powerful creature among the true spirits.
Once he hatched it, it would make a fine mount for a sage.
"Would the host like to claim it now?"
"No rush."
Lin Xiaoyao looked around. This path was not secluded, and he was afraid someone might suddenly appear.
There was no need to take a risk. He would claim the Phoenix Egg after returning to his own territory.
Time flew like a white colt flashing past a crack. More than two years had passed since the Locust Wood Immortal Sword had displayed its might and made a great name for itself.
Lin Xiaoyao had kept a low profile during those two years.
He had quietly developed his strength, preparing to sneak up and take the tower... Ahem, to keep signing in in silence, without causing trouble everywhere.
After all, the commotion he had caused a while back had been a bit too great.
Making a name for himself was a good thing, and since he was hidden behind the scenes, no one could track him down. But as the saying went, too much of a good thing was bad. Lin Xiaoyao still did not want to attract the attention of some big shot from beyond.
After all, as far as he knew, this world was boundless. Although the Feathering Sect's reputation carried far, the land it actually occupied was only a tiny corner of this world.
In the unexplored regions far beyond, there might be big shots he could not deal with yet.
So it was better to keep a low profile and not get carried away.
After all, he had only just reached the Mahayana realm.
No, more precisely, he had recovered his Mahayana cultivation and magical power, but he was still a long way from reaching a realm on par with the sages.
He had kept a low profile for two years.
The results were excellent.
The influence of his earlier exploits gradually faded, and he had not attracted the attention of any big shot.
Yet in truth, not only had the Feathering Sect's disciples not forgotten the Immortal Ancestor who appeared and vanished like a dragon, but the other cultivators across the surrounding ten thousand li still held this mysterious immortal hidden behind the scenes in the highest regard.
After all, although the Locust Wood Immortal Sword had brought people some unpleasant memories by snatching monsters everywhere, it had also made quite a name for itself.
So Lin Xiaoyao's two years of keeping a low profile had merely stopped his reputation from spreading farther afield. Within a radius of ten thousand li around the Feathering Sect, he had instead grown even more renowned, and many rumors about him had circulated.
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