Purple Firmament Sword

"Ha, so that's what you wanted to ask me, little brother. You really gave me a fright. It's like this..."

The young man let out a sigh of relief and said, "Half a year ago, a fierce beast appeared in the great mountains outside the city. It is incredibly formidable, and in these past six months, more than a dozen people have already lost their lives to its maw."

"A fierce beast?"

Lu Chuan's expression shifted. This was a level far above that of ordinary wild beasts.

"Indeed. This beast has committed too many evils, eventually alarming the Martial Accomplishment King who guards our Chaoge. The Martial Accomplishment King has sent men into the mountains to surround and suppress it multiple times, but the beast is cunning in the extreme; every time they entered the mountains, it managed to evade them, and they failed to capture it."

The young man continued, "I just saw a notice posted at the city gate saying that in three days, the Martial Accomplishment King will personally lead troops into the mountains to hunt down the beast. Since the beast is cunning, they are hoping the able-bodied men in the city will go to help search. I am on my way to notify everyone now."

"So that's how it is..."

Lu Chuan nodded after hearing this and cupped his hands to the young man. "Thank you for your trouble."

The young man waved his hand dismissively, turned around, and ran back into the city.

"The Martial Accomplishment King?"

Lu Chuan's gaze narrowed slightly as he began to ponder. He remembered this man was named Huang Feihu; his name suited him well, for he was indeed a tiger-like general.

"His name is Huang Feihu. His family has been loyal for seven generations, and he was enfeoffed as the Nation-Protecting Martial Accomplishment King."

Shen Gongbao narrowed his eyes slightly and said in a deep voice, "Though this man does not understand sorcery, his cultivation in the Martial Path is extremely profound. He is a master of the Innate Realm of the Martial Path, renowned throughout the world. In his early years, he tamed a strange beast, the Five-Colored Divine Ox, to serve as his mount."

"The Innate Martial Path?"

Upon hearing this term, Lu Chuan's expression could not help but change. The Innate Martial Path corresponded to the 'Refining Spirit to Return to Void' stage for a Qi Practitioner. However, in terms of combat power, a Martial Path expert would absolutely surpass a Qi Practitioner. He simply hadn't expected Huang Feihu to be this strong.

But one must remember that in the Investiture of the Gods, only the mounts of certain immortals were strange beasts. For a mortal general to have the ability to tame one as a mount, his own strength was naturally not weak.

"Is that enough to surprise you?"

Shen Gongbao glanced at Lu Chuan and said indifferently, "Do you think there is only one Innate Martial Path expert in the entire Great Shang?"

"There are more?"

Lu Chuan looked at Shen Gongbao in astonishment.

"At least no fewer than ten!" Shen Gongbao said. "Otherwise, what do you think Great Shang relies on to make the eight hundred dukes submit?"

Lu Chuan lowered his head in silence, but his heart was secretly shocked. This Yin Shang was truly a place where hidden dragons and crouching tigers resided; to think there were over ten experts at the Innate Martial Path level.

Shen Gongbao suddenly closed his eyes for a moment, then said, "Disciple, in three days, you will also participate in this hunt."

"I am going too?" Lu Chuan was stunned.

"Although you have been cultivating with this teacher for several months, it has all been 'building a cart behind closed doors.' That will not do."

Shen Gongbao shook his head and said, "This teacher can teach you martial arts, Taoist techniques, and cultivation, but the experience of combat and facing an enemy on the battlefield is something I cannot impart to you."

"The situation on the battlefield changes in the blink of an eye. How to respond is something you must handle with your own experience and adaptability, and such combat experience can only be gained through actual fighting."

Lu Chuan nodded after hearing this and said, "This disciple understands."

He was right; combat experience truly could not be taught, only gained through personal, hands-on combat.

"Secondly, you should observe that man, Huang Feihu."

Shen Gongbao said, "If we are to overthrow the Zhou in the future, this man will be a massive obstacle. We must have an understanding of him first."

"Observe... Huang Feihu?"

Lu Chuan was slightly startled, then said, "This disciple will remember."

He knew that the overthrow of the Zhou was inevitable, but the one leading that effort would not be his master.

"Relax. With the Taoist techniques I have passed to you, what are you worried about?"

Shen Gongbao patted Lu Chuan on the shoulder and laughed, "Furthermore, you have the Five Elements Escape Technique. If you can't win, you can still run. Just keep your eyes sharp, and if things look wrong, just slip away."

"Understood!"

Lu Chuan was caught between laughter and tears. Just how little confidence did his master have in him to say such a thing?

"Come, let's go get something to eat first. Once we've filled our stomachs and returned, this teacher will pass on a treasure to you."

"A treasure?"

Upon hearing this, Lu Chuan's spirits were immediately lifted. The two arrived at a nearby restaurant, where they had the usual vegetarian dishes and noodles.

Soon, after Lu Chuan had wolfed down his meal, he followed Shen Gongbao back to the shop with immense anticipation.

"Master, bring it out, won't you?"

As soon as they entered, Lu Chuan held out a hand, raised an eyebrow, and wore a smile.

"Fine, fine, here you go!"

Shen Gongbao shook his head helplessly. He formed a seal with his right hand and chanted a spell. Once finished, his fingertip glowed, and he pointed toward the sky. A crisp "clang" rang out, sounding like a sharp sword being drawn from its scabbard.

Following that, a purple radiance shot from his fingertip, transforming in the wind into a divine sword wreathed in purple light, which began to swirl above their heads.

Lu Chuan's eyes revealed a look of obsession; there was no doubt that this sword was by no means an ordinary item.

"Receive the sword with both hands!" Shen Gongbao barked.

"Oh!" Lu Chuan hurriedly reined in his wandering mind, extending his other hand forward to align with the first.

Following this, Shen Gongbao pointed a sword-finger at the blade, and the sword, which had been circling above their heads, suddenly descended onto Lu Chuan's palms.

As the radiance dissipated, a long sword, purple in its entirety, appeared before his eyes. Mysterious patterns were engraved along both sides of the blade, its sharpness hidden yet palpable, and the moment it touched his hands, he felt a sensation of icy coldness and sharp, stinging pain.

Lu Chuan's gaze swept back and forth over the long sword, his eyes filled with undisguised affection.

Shen Gongbao said, "This sword is named Purple Firmament. It is three feet, six inches, and five fen in length, corresponding exactly to the number of the celestial cycle. It is a divine sword passed down to this master by your grandmaster, and today, I bestow it upon you."

"Grandmaster... the Primordial Heavenly Lord?" Lu Chuan was startled, then asked tentatively with a smile, "Disciple has heard that all the senior uncles possess treasures to guard their mountains. Could it be that this sword is also your..."

Passing down a mountain-guarding treasure to one's disciple was a tradition under the Yuxu sect; the most honest senior uncles, Guangchengzi and Chi Jingzi, were like this, and so was Taiyi Zhenren.

Even the other disciples who descended the mountain all had magic treasures or divine weapons to take with them.

As a disciple, Lu Chuan supported this tradition one hundred percent.

Shen Gongbao shook his head slightly and said, "This master has always cultivated within Yuxu Palace and does not possess any other immortal mountain."

The implication was that this sword was not his mountain-guarding treasure, as he lacked his own mountain, after all.

"No matter, no matter!" Lu Chuan cradled the Purple Firmament Sword in his left hand while his right hand stroked the blade, his eyes brimming with fondness.

He had already deduced that this Purple Firmament Sword must be of the same caliber as the mountain-guarding treasures of the Twelve Golden Immortals. After all, it was passed down by the same grandmaster; even at its worst, it could not be inferior.

"Master, now that you have bestowed the Purple Firmament Sword upon this disciple, what will you use in the future?" Lu Chuan suddenly looked up and asked.

"This master has others." Shen Gongbao replied, "Rest assured, I will not let the master starve after teaching the disciple."

Lu Chuan: "..."

He knew his concern was somewhat superfluous.

His master was definitely not an honest man like Senior Uncle Guangchengzi; otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to trick so many fellow Daoists.

He only hoped he wouldn't be like Juliusun, who kept a trick up his sleeve even after teaching his disciple, or else he would be in for a miserable time.

Purple Firmament Sword!

Lu Chuan gripped the hilt and held the sword upright before him, examining the ancient, divine blade from bottom to top.

The blade was purple.

Even the hilt was purple.

The purple sword, cold and heavy, reflected Lu Chuan's young and handsome face upon its surface, though the metal from which it was forged remained a mystery.

Clang!

Shen Gongbao extended his left palm forward and, with his right hand, formed a seal and pointed at his left palm. A flash of light flickered, and a scabbard appeared.

The scabbard was open-worked, adorned with purple cloud patterns on the exterior.

Shen Gongbao handed it over.

Lu Chuan reached out to take the scabbard, turned his right wrist, and with a "clang," the Purple Firmament Sword slid into the sheath, concealing its sharpness.

With the sword and scabbard joined, the entire piece immediately took on a mysterious aura of "purple clouds coming from the east."

"Practice with the sword on your own for a while." Shen Gongbao said, walking toward his room without looking back.

"Master, what is wrong with you?" Lu Chuan felt that Shen Gongbao seemed a bit off.

Shen Gongbao turned back, and Lu Chuan saw him clutching his chest, his expression pained. He bargained, "Disciple, now that this master no longer has the Purple Firmament Sword, why do I suddenly feel a pain right here? How about... this master exchanges it for another treasure for you?!"

Lu Chuan's expression immediately turned stern. He hugged the sword to his chest, bowed slightly, and said, "Since your honorable body is unwell, Master, please go and rest well. You may rest assured that all matters in the shop will be handled by this disciple."

Did he really think he could take back something that had already been delivered into a disciple's hands?

Master, you are still too naive!

Upon hearing this, Shen Gongbao's face turned black instantly. He flicked his sleeve, turned around, and stomped into his room with a huff.