Outside the courtyard gate of Green Bamboo Abode.
"Ninth Uncle really is someone extraordinary. He can even perform the legendary Sword Flight. I wonder if I'll ever be able to roam the skies on a sword like him in my lifetime."
Watching Ninth Uncle's immortal-like figure soar away on his sword, Xu Taiping could not help murmuring to himself.
"Little Taiping, why envy that old fellow?"
Just then, a woman's voice rang out beside Xu Taiping's ear.
He turned and saw Fairy Lingyue's slightly translucent figure standing gracefully in the center of the courtyard.
"Taiping, it's time to break through to the Gate Opening Realm."
Fairy Lingyue smiled at Xu Taiping, determination in her eyes.
That night.
"That's everything that happened while you were asleep, Fairy."
Xu Taiping told Fairy Lingyue everything that had happened during that time, exactly as it had occurred, including how he had devised a trap to kill the Tiger Wraith.
"And these things fell from him after I killed him last time."
Then Xu Taiping carried a small wooden chest over and set it on the table.
I originally intended to use that Tiger Wraith to test the little fellow's ability to adapt-to see whether he would hole up in Green Bamboo Abode or manage to enlist the help of the cultivators at West Wind Pavilion. Who would have thought he would kill the Tiger Wraith all by himself...
Fairy Lingyue glanced at the small wooden chest on the table and reflected on Xu Taiping's account. When she looked at him again, her eyes were filled with admiration.
"Sister Fairy, did I... do something wrong?"
Seeing Fairy Lingyue remain silent and stare at him without blinking, Xu Taiping looked utterly puzzled.
"No." Fairy Lingyue smiled and shook her head. "You did very well. You couldn't have done better."
"Really? I was just... just lucky enough to meet Sister Qingmei's ghost and learn the Tiger Wraith's weakness."
Xu Taiping scratched his head.
The praise left him a little embarrassed.
"But, Sister Fairy, there's a Tiger Demon behind that Tiger Wraith. He's still recovering from his injuries, and he might come for revenge once he's healed. Could you help me figure out a good way to deal with him?"
Xu Taiping suddenly remembered the Tiger Demon.
"There's no need to worry, little Taiping. During this slumber, I stabilized this remnant of my soul. Although I can't take action myself, I still have plenty of ways to deal with a Tiger Demon. The gallbladder of a five-hundred-year-old tiger is perfect for steeping in wine or using in medicine."
The corners of Fairy Lingyue's lips rose.
That smile sent a chill through Xu Taiping beside her. He suddenly felt that this fairy sister might be even more frightening than the Tiger Wraith and Tiger Demon.
"By the way, don't call me Sister Fairy anymore. Call me Sister Lingyue. We're in the same boat now, so there's no need to be so formal."
Fairy Lingyue pursed her lips at Xu Taiping.
"All right, Immortal Lingyue... Sister Lingyue."
Xu Taiping nearly called her the wrong thing again and hastily corrected himself.
Fairy Lingyue nodded in satisfaction.
"Open that wooden chest. Let me see just what the Tiger Wraith had hidden on him."
She raised her hand and pointed at the wooden chest on the table.
Xu Taiping nodded, then opened it.
"These three hundred Merit Coins were probably stolen from the cultivators he killed. He didn't use this short sword when he fought me. As for this little copper furnace, I don't know what it's for."
He took the short sword and the palm-sized copper furnace straight out of the chest.
"This short sword... should be a magic artifact. The reason he didn't use it against you is that low-level ghost cultivators can't use magic artifacts. The magical power contained within would backlash against them."
Fairy Lingyue studied it carefully for a few moments, stroking her chin, before explaining to Xu Taiping.
"Sister Lingyue, what is a magic artifact? How is it different from a treasure?"
Naturally, Xu Taiping would not pass up an opportunity to learn from Fairy Lingyue.
"Magic artifacts are mostly used by low-level cultivators, while treasures can only be refined and used by high-level cultivators. Broadly speaking, the difference between them is their power. Even a high-grade magic artifact may not match a low-grade treasure in power. Furthermore, most magic artifacts store the power of spells and have a limited number of uses. Some can even be used only once. Treasures, on the other hand, are tools cultivators use to cast spells, and most have no limit on the number of uses."
Fairy Lingyue explained in great detail.
Understanding dawned on Xu Taiping's face, and another question in his heart was resolved.
"You can try channeling a strand of true qi and Spiritual Power into this short sword."
Fairy Lingyue pointed at the short sword.
"All right."
Xu Taiping nodded and immediately drew a strand of Spiritual Power from his dantian. Using the Qi-Guiding Method he had learned from the Green Ox Fist, he channeled it into the short sword in his hand.
Clang!
Almost the instant the Spiritual Power entered it, the short sword in Xu Taiping's hand rang out. Then, with a whoosh, it shot out of its sheath and began circling the bedroom on its own.
"It's actually... a flying sword?"
Xu Taiping's face was full of astonishment.
"A flying-sword magic artifact like this is only two or three times faster than an ordinary arrow. How could it deserve to be called a flying sword?"
Fairy Lingyue pursed her lips in disdain.
"Sister Lingyue, I've noticed that this sword seems to move according to my will!"
By now, Xu Taiping's attention had been completely captured by the flying-sword magic artifact, and a rare touch of childish delight appeared on his face.
At the sight, an inexplicable ache stirred in Fairy Lingyue's heart. Filled with affection, she thought:
In the end, he's still only a boy in his early teens. In an ordinary family, he would still be young enough to act spoiled with his parents.
At that thought, her gaze softened considerably. She nodded gently and instructed Xu Taiping:
"That's how magic artifacts work. Once you channel Spiritual Power into one, it connects with your mind. You naturally learn how to use it and how many uses it has left."
Xu Taiping nodded vigorously at her words and said:
"You're right, Sister Lingyue. This flying-sword magic artifact only has two uses left now."
With that, he controlled the short sword circling the room, and it flew back into its sheath with a clang.
"And Sister Lingyue, I just noticed that merely letting it fly around a few times used up a lot of the Crimson Dawn True Qi in my dantian."
Xu Taiping put away the short sword, then reported his discovery to Fairy Lingyue with wonder on his face.
"Yes. The lower the grade of a magic artifact, the more true qi and Spiritual Power it consumes. That's one of their greatest drawbacks, so high-level cultivators generally no longer bother refining them."
Fairy Lingyue reached out to wipe the beads of sweat from Xu Taiping's forehead. Only when her hand was halfway there did she realize she could not touch him at all.
"It's all right, Sister Lingyue. I can wipe it myself."
Xu Taiping picked up the towel beside him and wiped his face vigorously. Having obtained a magic artifact like this tonight, he was very happy.
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