At noon, the sun is high.
Qin Tiexin was moving his muscles and bones in the other courtyard. There was still some dull pain from the injury, but it no longer affected his walking. There were footsteps outside the door, and two disciples wearing deacon hall attire came in.
The person at the front was holding a jade plate covered with red silk. When he saw Qin Tiexin, he showed a smile and cupped his hands and said, "Junior brother Qin, congratulations. By the order of the palace master, I have sent you the grand competition reward."
He opened the red silk.
Three things were neatly placed on the jade plate: two hundred pieces of crystal-clear low-grade Spirit Stone, Spiritual Qi; a bronze token engraved with the word "shan", representing one hundred points of sect's good deeds; and a palm-sized, pitch-black iron plate with the words "Cangshuge" engraved on the front.
"Junior brother Qin ranks first overall in the competition. According to the sect's rules, he will be directly promoted to inner disciple and enjoy the treatment of the inner sect." The deacon's disciple said in a respectful voice, "This iron plate is the library token. With it, you can choose a high-level Cultivation Method or magic technique. Junior brother, keep it."
Qin Tiexin took the jade plate and took it heavily. He thanked him and put the things into Storage Bag.
Just as the two deacon disciples left, there was another movement outside the courtyard.
This time, not one person came, but three groups.
The first group was a middle-aged deacon named Foundation Establishment Middle Stage. He was dressed in Danxia Peak attire and had a warm smile, "Master Qin's nephew, I, Master Chen, watched your performance in the competition and admired it very much. If you would like to come to Danxia Peak, you can enter the inner gate and receive five more bottles of Qi Gathering Pill every month, and you do not have to take on the responsibility of alchemy."
The other group is a young female cultivator with shrewd features, representing Registered Disciple, a certain golden elixir elder from Tianjian Peak: "Junior brother Qin, my master said that if you come to Tianjian Peak, I can teach you a Swordsmanship True Disciple. Although your sword skills are heavy, they are connected to all methods..."
Before the third words were spoken, crisp laughter came from the door of the courtyard.
Nangong Yao, dressed in blue, walked in slowly, glanced at the people in the courtyard, and smiled brightly, "Oh, these senior brothers and sisters came so fast."
She walked to Qin Tiexin and stood still, her tone still smiling, but with an unquestionable crispness:
"I'm sorry, Junior Brother Qin has been accepted by my master, Luo Ling True Person, as his disciple this morning. Everyone - you are a little late."
There was silence in the courtyard.
Deacon Danxiafeng was stunned, shook his head and smiled bitterly, "Uncle Luo Ling moves so fast..."
The female cultivator from Tianjian Peak opened her mouth and finally handed over her hand. "Congratulations to Junior Brother Qin for becoming a famous teacher."
A few people said a few more polite words and left some remarks about "walking around more in the future" before saying goodbye and leaving. The courtyard became quiet again.
Nangong Yao turned to look at Qin Tiexin and blinked. "Junior brother is very popular now. Come on, I will take you to get inner disciple's things."
House of Internal Affairs.
The old deacon behind the counter took the jade tag of Qin Tiexin's identity and injected it with spiritual power. The jade tag shimmered, and new information appeared on it: inner disciple, affiliated to the Weapon Refining Hall Luo Lingfeng.
"Here, this is your case." The old deacon pushed over a few things.
A set of inner disciple clothes with a green background and fire patterns. The material is thick, and there is a vague spiritual power flowing through it. A new identity token, made of bronze, is engraved with "Qin Tiexin" on the front and "Luo Lingfeng" on the back. There is also a bottle of Qi Gathering Pill, which costs 30 yuan for low-grade Spirit Stone - this is the basic monthly portion of inner disciple.
"Where is cave abode?" Nangong Yao asked.
The old deacon flipped through the book and crossed his fingers. "On the mountainside of Luoling Peak, number C, No. 17. This is the key."
He handed over a red jade talisman.
Nangong Yao took it and said to Qin Tiexin, "The C character cave abode is good. It has a small underground fire chamber, which is suitable for refining weapons. I will take you to see it."
The two left the Internal Affairs Hall and walked along the mountain road to Luoling Peak.
I met many disciples on the road, and their eyes fell on Qin Tiexin. There were curiosity, envy, and scrutiny. Whispered comments came from time to time:
"That's Qin Tiexin? You look so young..."
"I heard that he was only twenty years old, at the fourth level of Qi Refining, and he defeated Senior Brother Zhou Chongshan."
"He's the first in both materials, he's also the one in the weapon refining competition..."
"Being a disciple of True Person in Luoling? You are so lucky."
Qin Tiexin looks steadily and walks steadily.
In the afternoon, Qin Tiexin returned to the courtyard.
He didn't have many things, just a few changes of clothes and some odds and ends, which together only amounted to a small baggage. The important things were all in Storage Bag. The handyman disciples who lived nearby gathered around him with complicated eyes.
"Senior Brother Qin... are you really going to leave?"
"Congratulations, senior brother..."
"Come back often in the future."
Most of the people talking were familiar faces. Some of them participated in the competition and were eliminated in the first round; some were not even qualified to participate. At this moment, watching Qin Tiexin walk from this simple room to the inner door, I was really envious, and I was really emotional.
Qin Tiexin Open Storage Bag, take out one hundred spiritual crystals, and put them on the table.
"Let's all share this." His voice was calm, "Thank you for taking care of me in the past."
The handyman disciples were stunned. One hundred spiritual crystals was a big sum for them. Some people wanted to refuse, but Qin Tiexin had already picked up the baggage and turned around.
He walked to the door, stopped, and looked back.
A narrow room with a bed, surrounded by fist marks, knife marks and Law Technique marks left by him during his cultivation. Outside the window is the familiar scene of a labor yard, with clothes hanging to dry, running disciples, and smoke from cooking stoves in the distance.
He took a moment to look at it, then turned and left.
There is no nostalgia and the pace is firm.
Qin Tiexin When we arrived at the Waste Equipment Pavilion, it was almost dusk. The setting sun was shining slantingly, stretching the shadow of the dilapidated attic. There was a faint sound of clanging knocking coming from the pavilion.
He walked in.
Old Wu had his back to the door and was repairing a piece of heavily rusted iron armor. The hammer struck the armor with a dull sound. The fire reflected his rickety back, casting a shaking shadow on the wall.
Qin Tiexin said nothing, and took out a pot of wine and two packages of cooked meat wrapped in oil paper from Storage Bag, and placed them on the workbench next to them.
The banging stopped.
Old Wu didn't look back and said in a hoarse voice, "You brat, are you back?"
"Yes." Qin Tiexin responded, "Uncle, I win."
Old Wu snorted, put down the hammer, and turned around. His face was stained with soot, and his eyes looked turbid in the dim light. But if you look closely, you can see a faint smile deep in the turbidity.
"I saw it." He walked to the workbench, picked up the wine bottle, pulled out the cork and smelled it, "The way he fought was as stupid as a cow. But -" he glanced at Qin Tiexin, "I learned how to make weapons in vain. That knife has a bit of my charm."
Qin Tiexin didn't answer, but took two stoneware bowls and poured wine.
Old Wu sat down, tore off a piece of meat and threw it into his mouth, chewed it a few times, and drank a sip of wine. He drank so hard that his Adam's apple rolled, and he drank half a bowl of it.
"How's the injury?" he asked.
"It's okay." Qin Tiexin said.
"It's not bad." Old Wu sneered, "Three broken ribs and bleeding internal organs, you think I can't tell? Sit down, don't stand in the eyes."
Qin Tiexin sat down. The two drank and ate meat in silence. There were only sounds of chewing, swallowing, and the crackle of the fire in the pavilion.
After a while, Qin Tiexin spoke up, "Uncle, I have become a disciple."
Old Wu was picking up the bowl, paused after hearing this, and then continued drinking, "Oh? Which one?"
"Neimen Weapon Refining Hall, Luoling True Person."
"Clang!"
The wine bowl fell from my hands and fell on the workbench, with a chip in the edge. The wine spilled all over the table.
Old Wu's hand froze in mid-air.
He slowly raised his head, and the color on his face faded away in an instant, and then turned red quickly. His eyes, which were always cloudy, were now wide open, their pupils shrunk, and the whites of their eyes were bloodshot. His lips were trembling, and he wanted to say something, but no sound came out.
Shock, nostalgia, pain, guilt... countless emotions rolled over that old face, and finally solidified into an almost distorted complex expression.
Qin Tiexin has never seen Old Wu like this.
In his impression, this old man was always lazy, cursing, and occasionally impatient when teaching him something. But now, Old Wu seemed to have been hit hard by something, and his whole body froze.
"Uncle Master?" Qin Tiexin stood up.
Old Wu lowered his head suddenly.
His hands were shaking, and he reached out to pick up the broken bowl. He couldn't hold it firmly the first time, but he grabbed it the second time. He pressed the bowl heavily on the table, and his knuckles turned white from pinching it.
The sound is as dry as sandpaper rubbing:
"Luo Ling... she... she became True Person..."
He repeated it twice, as if to confirm something. Then he pulled out a smile that was uglier than crying:
"Okay, okay."
He stopped looking at Qin Tiexin, waved his hands, and said in an extremely tired tone:
"Good worship... she is a good master. Go ahead and study hard."
After saying that, he turned around, turned his back to Qin Tiexin, picked up the hammer again, and started hitting the armor. Ding, ding, ding. The sound was mechanical and without rhythm, each one was heavier than the last.
Qin Tiexin stood in place.
He stared at Old Wu's rickety back, which trembled slightly in the light of the fire. The air in the pavilion seemed to have solidified, with only the monotonous sound of knocking and the crackle of the fire burning.
After a moment of silence, Qin Tiexin bowed deeply:
"Uncle, take care. This disciple will come to see you often in the future."
No response.
There is only the sound of banging.
Qin Tiexin turned and left. When he reached the door, he looked back.
Old Wu still had his back to him, sitting by the dim fire, his back as stooped as an old tree. He hammered the iron armor with a hammer, his movements stiff, like a tireless stone statue.
Night falls.
Qin Tiexin cave abode, No. 17 C, who returned to the mountainside of Luoling Peak.
Cave abode is not big, but has complete facilities. A living room, a quiet room, and a refining room are all available. There is a small fire well in the center of the refining room. Although it is not as good as the one in Zhuxintang, it is enough for daily use.
He sat on the futon in the quiet room, took out the two broken blades, and put them on his knees.
His fingers stroked the cracks on the blade, but his mind kept replaying Old Wu's face that instantly lost color, and those eyes that fluctuated violently.
Why?
Why does Old Wu react that way when hearing the word "Luoling"?
What happened between Master and Uncle Wu?
There were footsteps outside the door.
Nangong Yao's voice sounded, "Junior brother Qin, are you there?"
Qin Tiexin put away the broken blade, stood up and opened the door.
Nangong Yao stood outside the door holding a stack of books and said with a smile, "Master asked me to send some basic classics over. You can recover from your injuries these days and read the books by the way."
She put the books on the table. The two books on the top were "Initial Interpretation of Instrumental Nature" and "Spiritual Material Resonance Theory". Below there were several introductory chapters on the foundation of forging and spiritual power transmission Jade Slip.
Qin Tiexin's eyes fell on "The Preliminary Interpretation of Organ Nature" and suddenly spoke:
"Senior Sister Nangong, what Master said about 'the unity of man and machine', how to practice it specifically?"
Nangong Yao sat down at the table and thought for a while, "Master said that Law Artifact has a 'soul'. But this soul is not born out of thin air. It is cultivated bit by bit by monks with their hard work, spiritual power, and time."
She pointed at the Storage Bag on Qin Tiexin's waist. "For example, your Edgeless. The reason why it fits you is because you have been involved from the beginning of the material selection. You forged it with your own hands and know the temperature of every inch of iron; you fought with it and knew where it is hard and tough; you are even familiar with the shock felt when it hits different things."
"The material selection must match the spiritual power attributes, the forging must match the habit of exerting force, and the inscription must match the Cultivation Method path number - these are all for the purpose of 'fitting'. And after fitting, it is 'nurturing'."
"Use your own spiritual power to nourish it, use Essence Blood to practice it, and use it with your mind connected. Over time, Law Artifact becomes a part of your body. You make it stronger, you understand it."
Nangong Yao paused and said with a smile, "Just like your Edgeless, it is heavy, clumsy, and strong, and just matches your strength and sword skills. If you were given a light flying sword, it would be awkward for you to hold it. This is a fit."
Qin Tiexin is thoughtful.
Nangong Yao stood up. "Read the book first. If you don't understand anything, you can ask me. Master said that after you recover from your injury, the first thing to do is to practice Edgeless again."
After she left, cave abode became quiet again.
Qin Tiexin opened "The Preliminary Interpretation of the Nature of Instruments". The pages were yellowed and the ink was neat. But after reading a few lines, his eyes drifted to the window again.
The night was deep, and in the distance there was a faint red light coming from the top of Luoling Peak and in the direction of Zhuxintang. It was the fire burning on the ground.
Farther to the west, the Waste Equipment Pavilion was hidden in darkness.
He withdrew his gaze and looked at the broken blade in his lap.
A new life has begun.
Master, Daotong, cave abode, the road ahead is clear.
But Old Wu's suddenly pale face and those complicated and unspeakable eyes were like a thorn in his heart.
Qin Tiexin Close the book.
He knew that some things were not over yet.