Leaving

Feng Wuhen hugged the storage pouch and looked at Chu Moqing. "Master, shouldn't we ask Uncle Zhou to stay for a meal before he leaves?"

"No need. That fellow thinks eating is a waste of time. Unless he is attending a banquet, he never eats at any other time.

"Besides, we already paid him for forging your bonded spirit sword. He is in such a hurry to leave not only because he is afraid I will take all his treasures.

"He also wants to hurry back and bury himself in that artifact-forging room of his, continuing his grand artifact-forging work.

"If you wish to thank him, then when you go out to gain experience in the future, bring back any good artifact-forging materials you come across for him."

Feng Wuhen nodded to show that he had remembered. Now that he had a spirit sword, Chu Moqing could teach him how to ride a sword.

"Enough about him. Now that you have reached the Foundation Establishment Realm and obtained a bonded spirit sword, you can begin learning how to ride a sword."

The moment Feng Wuhen heard that he could ride a sword, he forgot all about checking what was inside the storage pouch Zhou Baixi had given him. After putting it into his storage ring, he followed Chu Moqing to the cliff's edge.

Chu Moqing stepped forward and lightly tapped Feng Wuhen's forehead. A streak of golden light melted into his brow.

Feng Wuhen felt several lines of golden words appear in his mind. Covering the spot Chu Moqing had touched, he firmly committed those golden words to memory.

"This is the incantation for riding a sword. You must make your body remember it, until your body can circulate it on its own. Only then can you deal with enemies while riding your sword."

As he spoke, he summoned the Azure Tide Sword. The sword circled his body once before stopping by his feet.

Chu Moqing stepped onto it, placing one foot before the other. Once he had steadied himself, the sword beneath his feet carried him into the air.

Riding his sword, Chu Moqing turned to look at him. "To ride a sword well, you must have excellent control over your body. But you certainly will not have a problem with that.

"And the most important thing is to believe in yourself, and believe in your sword!

"A sword cultivator may distrust anything and anyone, but he must never distrust his own sword!"

Feng Wuhen firmly etched those words into his heart. And far in the future, he would use those very words to give Chu Moqing a proper taste of his own medicine.

"I will remember that, Master!"

Chu Moqing had him try as well. Feng Wuhen recited the sword-riding incantation, and the Jade Bone Sword appeared before him with a whoosh.

It was Feng Wuhen's first time riding a sword alone. Holding his breath nervously, he stepped onto it. Copying Chu Moqing's earlier movements, he stood firmly atop the Jade Bone Sword.

Then he began moving in small increments. Only after he had traveled more than ten meters from the cliff's edge did he finally let loose.

With a sudden burst of speed, he was nearly thrown off at first. Fortunately, his waist was strong enough, and with a forceful twist, he straightened himself again.

The alarm on his face turned into delight. Looking at Chu Moqing, who had remained beside him the entire time, he smiled brilliantly. "Master, do you think I'm riding steadily?"

Beneath the deep blue sky, Feng Wuhen's brilliant smile seemed even more fervent than the blazing sun hanging high above. The wind swept past his hair, and loose strands brushed lightly over his face. Chu Moqing only felt as though something had scratched at his own heart.

"Master?"

Seeing Chu Moqing staring at him without saying anything, Feng Wuhen grew a little nervous.

Feeling Feng Wuhen's anxious gaze upon him, Chu Moqing snapped out of that itching sensation in his heart.

"Although you have successfully ridden the sword, you are still somewhat inexperienced. Do not practice swordsmanship today. Familiarize yourself with riding your sword properly instead. Do not be afraid. I will watch over you from the side and will never let you be hurt!"

Hearing that Chu Moqing would remain watching over him, Feng Wuhen felt completely secure and finally let himself go.

His sword-riding speed gradually increased. By the end, all that could be seen was a streak of green flashing past, accompanied by his joyful laughter.

Chu Moqing watched from the side the entire time, lending a hand a couple of times. Feng Wuhen was like a colt released into the wild, riding his sword from noon until nightfall.

The orange-gold afterglow of the setting sun was gradually stained by the night, then swallowed completely. The sky donned an ink-black robe, studded with glittering stars, while the bright moon was its most beautiful ornament.

Seeing that it was late, Chu Moqing beckoned to the still-excited Feng Wuhen. "Wuhen, it is getting late. Come down quickly! I have some things to give you, and a few words to entrust to you."

Hearing this, Feng Wuhen rode his sword back to the cliff's edge and jumped down. Just as he was about to ask Chu Moqing whether he had a scabbard he could use, the Jade Bone Sword took the initiative to turn into a streak of green light and burrow into his dantian.

Feng Wuhen could sense the Jade Bone Sword in his dantian happily rolling around several times. It did not feel like a sword at all, but more like a clingy little kitten.

Chu Moqing took out four storage pouches of different colors and handed them to Feng Wuhen. "Tomorrow, you will leave the mountain to gain experience. These are the spirit stones and mortal silver I prepared for you.

"The black storage pouch contains Supreme-Grade Spirit Stones, the red one contains high-grade spirit stones, the blue one contains middle-grade spirit stones, and this last white one contains low-grade spirit stones and silver.

"Spirit stones are the currency of the Cultivation World. Their exchange rate is one hundred to one.

"But Supreme-Grade Spirit Stones are different. Their spiritual energy is the most abundant. Rather than currency, they are cultivation resources, so unless you have no other choice, never exchange Supreme-Grade Spirit Stones with others!

"Besides these, take these two storage rings as well. The green one contains the medicinal pills I prepared for you, though it would be best if you do not get hurt at all.

"The white one contains talisman paper, magical artifacts, and some other things. You can sort through them properly."

Afraid that Feng Wuhen did not understand what he meant, Chu Moqing added another worried reminder. "Although a sword cultivator's sword is the most important thing, there are times when one must rely on other things. There is nothing shameful about that. Many cultivators do the same."

Feng Wuhen patted his chest. "Do not worry, Master. Your disciple is not that foolish!"

Seeing that he understood, Chu Moqing said nothing more. After telling him to rest well, he returned.

After Feng Wuhen went back, he did not immediately rest. Instead, he carefully sorted through everything Chu Moqing had given him and stored it according to his own habits.

Then he checked the greeting gift Zhou Baixi had given him. It consisted of magical artifacts personally forged by Zhou Baixi, as well as spirit artifacts...

After returning to his cave dwelling, Chu Moqing sent Qin Xiaoran a Message Talisman, asking him to pay attention while taking Feng Wuhen and the others out to gain experience, to see whether any outsiders could hear Feng Wuhen's inner thoughts.

He had originally wanted Zhou Baixi to try, to see whether he could hear those thoughts. But Feng Wuhen had been entirely focused on the Jade Bone Sword, and no inner thoughts had surfaced.

Therefore, they could only observe carefully during this outing to gain experience.

After receiving the message, Qin Xiaoran sent Chu Moqing a reply and then went to rest.

The next morning, after Feng Wuhen had washed and dressed, he headed outside and first went to bid farewell to Chu Moqing. "Master, your disciple has come to take his leave."

Chu Moqing took out a jade talisman and gave it to him. "It contains three strands of my Sword Intent. If you encounter an opponent you cannot defeat and cannot escape, use spiritual energy to activate the Sword Intent!"

Feng Wuhen put away the jade talisman. "Thank you, Master. Then I will go find Senior Brother. We will be setting off shortly."

Chu Moqing gave him one final reminder. "Be careful in all things!"

Feng Wuhen encountered a hurried Bing Ling halfway there. "Lingling, I was just about to come find you!"

Bing Ling had thought he was late. Seeing Feng Wuhen still there, he patted his chest to catch his breath. "You scared me to death! I thought I was late!"

After the two joined up, they headed for the mountain gate. Shen Ziheng and the others were already waiting there. When the two arrived, Qin Xiaoran released a flying boat.

They had a long journey ahead to Radiant Moon City, so naturally they needed to travel comfortably. The flying boat was fully equipped; as long as it had enough spirit stones, it could fly itself to Radiant Moon City, greatly freeing up Feng Wuhen and the others.

Feng Wuhen had only just learned to ride a sword, and the novelty had not yet worn off. Rather than board the flying boat, he summoned the Jade Bone Sword and began flying alongside it.