The choice

The message also said that the path of immortal cultivation went against Heaven. Relying solely on the few things the sect had left him, he would likely struggle to take even a single step.

Thus, he, an Outer Sect Disciple, was also permitted to join another sect to cultivate.

Thinking it over, if a mortal acquired this cultivation method and practiced it a little, it would be more than enough to gain admission to a small sect with some resources.

Reading this, Song Yan judged that the sect master most likely really had gone never to return.

His words no longer paid any heed to honoring one's master or respecting one's lineage. As long as this last surviving seedling of the Sword Sect could eke out a miserable existence in the cultivation world, that would count as success.

"Isn't this a little too humble?"

In truth, to an ant in the cultivation world like Song Yan, being an outer disciple of the Dongyuan Sect or the Sword Sect made no difference.

Surviving and pursuing the Dao of longevity-that was what truly mattered.

Still, the sights and scenery of the Dongyuan Sect had, after all, been his first glimpse of the cultivation world. Those few lines in the Sword Sect's letter that sounded so wretched did indeed ease his heart considerably.

But none of that was the most important thing. What really gave Song Yan a headache was the cultivation method left for him.

The Spirit Transformation Chapter.

This cultivation method looked like a fragment of some immortal scripture, or perhaps excerpts from various cultivation methods compiled into a single text.

It consisted of three parts: the general principles, the Sword-Planting Technique, and "Essentials of Swordsmanship."

The general principles stated that the core of the Sword Sect's cultivation method lay in the Sword-Planting Technique.

Upon closer inspection, the Sword-Planting Technique was mainly divided into two sections.

First, after reaching Qi Refining, fourth layer, and acquiring a certain amount of spiritual power, the cultivator would use that power to sever all their "Spiritual Roots," disperse their entire cultivation, open the Sword Mansion of the Dao-Subduing, and plant a seed of the Sword Dao.

In other words, the cultivator could not have Spiritual Roots within their body.

Second, they would cultivate a Life-Bound Flying Sword to serve as a bridge to communicate with the Sword Repository, as well as a lifeline to compensate for their shattered Spiritual Roots.

"Disperse my cultivation and start over..."

Song Yan let out a long sigh.

This first requirement alone had already unsettled him so much that he had no mind to examine how to cultivate a Life-Bound Flying Sword.

Perhaps cultivators of exceptional talent, or those with family wealth behind them, would disperse their cultivation and start over without hesitation when faced with a precious cultivation method.

Qi Refining, fifth layer.

It was not, admittedly, a particularly lofty realm.

But for a bottom-rung cultivator like Song Yan, only he knew how arduous the journey had been.

Without the advantage in Divine Sense from having lived two lives, without meeting a benefactor like Granny Qin...

He would probably have ended up like Senior Brother Zhao Fengcheng, with no hope of Foundation Establishment, expelled from the sect.

Now, faced with such a dangerous choice, he truly found himself in a difficult position.

"But no matter what, I absolutely cannot take this risk before completing this assignment and returning to the sect."

A few days after returning to the sect from Shiliang, Song Yan had received notice that he had been selected as an Outer Sect Disciple to participate in a joint sect assignment several months later.

The one who notified him had been an outer sect steward named Chen Chen, whom he had never met, but a few days later, it was Senior Brother Lin Qing who came to explain the assignment to him in detail.

"Silent Valley..."

Song Yan had heard of this place before. Silent Valley lay on the border of the Chu Kingdom, near the territory of the Qi Kingdom.

Though called a valley, it actually encompassed the valley and a vast stretch of nearby terraces planted with spirit grain, as well as medicinal gardens growing herbs.

The place had originally been discovered jointly by the Xuanyuan Sect, the Spirit Talisman Sect, and the Dongyuan Sect, and so they shared ownership. Each sect supplied people for the daily chores and tending the spirit grain.

With abundant Spiritual Qi, a remote location, and no one ordinarily disturbing it, it would truly have been a place for secluded cultivation if not for this recent fluctuation in spiritual power.

When he went to the Outer Sect Miscellaneous Affairs Hall to collect assignments in the past, he often saw Outer Sect Disciples taking part in a type of assignment called "spirit grain ripening."

But it generally required disciples skilled in water-type spells, and Song Yan had never imagined he would go there himself.

This assignment seemed somewhat different.

"An assignment outside-even with inner disciples leading the group, there will always be risks..."

Song Yan set the Sword-Planting Technique aside for now.

"I'll decide after completing the assignment and returning to the sect..."

However, although he could not practice the Sword-Planting Technique for the moment, there was one method within it that he could try in advance.

Rather than a method, it was more of a means.

Condensing Sword Dao True Essence.

Ordinarily, Sword Sect disciples planted a Sword Dao Seed within the Sword Mansion of the Dao-Subduing. As they cultivated spiritual power, Sword Qi would gradually arise within the mansion.

They could gather that Sword Qi to condense Sword Dao True Essence.

At the end of its section on Sword Essence, the Spirit Transformation Chapter briefly mentioned that, if one did not yet have Sword Qi, one could also follow the cultivation method to condense Sword Essence directly from spiritual power. However, the consumption would be considerable, and its might would be reduced.

Song Yan tried it briefly and made fairly quick progress, but the drain on his spiritual power was truly severe. Condensing this single strand of Sword Essence would probably take nearly half a month.

In addition, the Essentials of Swordsmanship recorded numerous Basic Sword Arts, a timely rain for a complete novice in the Sword Dao like Song Yan.

Most of the sect's Dao Hand Seals and methods had to be exchanged for contribution points. Since contribution points could often be exchanged directly for Spirit Stones, Song Yan had never been willing to spend them...

He had originally planned to exchange for a scroll of offensive spells before leaving on this assignment. Now that he had obtained the Essentials of Swordsmanship, he had saved another sum of contribution points.

"I should go keep my appointment first..."

Song Yan rose to his feet.

Tonight was the "Night Market" Granny Qin had mentioned.

That night, in the center of the Lingyuan Marsh Market.

Two cultivators, a man and a woman, arrived at the entrance to the Night Market.

The young male cultivator kept adjusting the white wolf mask on his face, seemingly unused to it.

"What are you doing?"

"Granny Qin, this mask has fur on it. It's a little itchy..."

"Put up with it! You're a grown man, yet you've got so many damned complaints..."

Granny Qin wore no mask. She had merely cast a spell Song Yan had never seen to alter her appearance slightly.

Perhaps it was a female cultivator's attachment to her looks, but even after changing her appearance, hers was still a face as beautiful as a celestial maiden's.

"..."

At the entrance to the Night Market, an ordinary-looking Dongyuan Sect disciple stood guard.

"I am Chen Qi, a steward of the Lingyuan Marsh Market."

"May I ask your names?"

Song Yan did not know whether he was imagining it, but he kept feeling that this person's voice sounded very familiar.

Perhaps he was a fellow disciple whom he saw day in and day out, now also wearing an altered appearance.

"I am Qin Yue."

An alias?

"Tong Chuping."

Song Yan followed suit, casually giving a dead man's name.

"Senior Brother Tong, Senior Sister Qin, the admission fee is three Spirit Stones..."

Song Yan froze, then turned to look at Granny Qin.

Qin Xijun frowned and secretly transmitted her voice. "Who are you looking at? Pay."

I'm paying?

Disgruntled, Song Yan endured the heartache and took three Spirit Stones from his Heaven and Earth Bag.

"Er... Senior Brother, it's three per person..."

"Huh?!"

I haven't done anything, and you're charging me three Spirit Stones per person just to walk in! Who knows whether those Blood Pills and Yin Corpse Puppet Rebirth Nails are even worth that much!

Song Yan all but wanted to turn on his heel and leave, but just then, Granny Qin's slender, jade-like hands suddenly wrapped around his neck.

"Senior Brother, I want to go..."

Qin Xijun rested her head on Song Yan's shoulder and leaned close to his ear, her breath fragrant as orchids. "Take me inside to have some fun..."

Song Yan choked on his words.

No, who exactly was Granny Qin putting on this act for...?

The ordinary-looking disciple merely watched them "flirt" with a smile, saying nothing.

Fine, I'll pay.

Six Spirit Stones changed hands, and Song Yan's heart dripped blood.

Now, Song Yan could barely even cover the cost of refining Qi-Nourishing Pills.

"Please wait, Senior Brother..."

"Hmm?"

"You're still one short."

Song Yan froze, then felt a chill down his back.

Chen Qi smiled amiably.

"A spirit pet costs one."