Buwen Imparts the Art, Tianxing Receives a Visitor

----Outside the Chongming Sect Archway

When Sect Leader Kang Da saw Yuan Buwen again, he felt that the old cultivator had aged considerably in just a few years. However, the latter's eyes had become much deeper, casting a gloomy aura over this Pill Master who could rival him.

Kang Dabao straightened his clothes and composed himself, bowing deeply and solemnly. "Kang Dabao greets Senior."

Yuan Buwen nodded slightly in return, not mentioning why he had instructed Sect Leader Kang Da to wield the halberd earlier, only sighing later, "You're quite lucky, kid."

The latter was taken aback for a moment, then replied, "Senior must be joking. I lost my father at a young age and was raised by a family from a young age. How could I be considered to have a good life?"

"Ha, our two families are both caught in the torrent of change. I'm adrift on a chopping board, caught in a dilemma, while you don't need to choose a piece of wood or stone for shelter; you can simply go with the flow. Isn't that a good life?"

Yuan Buwen spoke with a bitter smile, then glanced at Kang Dabao and said self-deprecatingly, "You must have secretly thought a lot that I'm a two-faced, indecisive idiot, haven't you?"

This time, Sect Leader Kang Da spoke with even greater respect, "This junior has never thought of that. I have always held you in the highest esteem, senior."

Yuan Buwen scoffed, "Ha, so be it. Actually, even if you really think that way, what's wrong with it?!"

After speaking, the old man sighed again, "My previous wavering and indecisiveness have resulted in me being the prey today, which is entirely reasonable. It's hard to find anything fairer than this."

Kang Dabao assumed that Yuan Buwen had come to teach him halberd techniques, but he didn't know why Yuan Buwen was here to say these things. He simply assumed that Yuan Buwen was upset about his recent experiences and didn't take it to heart.

Fortunately, Sect Leader Kang Da was always patient and showed no sign of impatience. He simply continued Yuan Buwen's words, saying, "Every cloud has a silver lining. Senior, you have now abandoned darkness for light, and the Jingnan Yuan Household will surely have a bright future."

"Abandon darkness for light? Ha, I hope so. I've calculated everything, but I truly never expected Kuang Liuting to have such good fortune." As Yuan Buwen, the air of dejection on his body gradually dissipated, and a sharp glint suddenly appeared in his eyes. He scrutinized Master Sect Leader Kang Da for a moment before continuing:

"What I never expected was that someone with your mediocre talent could be so well-suited to 'The Military Strategy Taught by the Star Lord of the Wood Palace, the Halberd Bearer,' and would even progress more rapidly than Feng'er."

"I dare not praise you as a senior. The progress I have made is merely a result of my own foolishness," Kang Dabao replied humbly.

Yuan Buwen, however, was unmoved and coldly said, "Don't be so coy. Making yourself sound so insignificant only makes the entire Yuan Household seem even more pathetic!"

These words were quite harsh, leaving Kang Dabao unsure how to respond. He fell silent, waiting for Yuan Buwen to continue.

Yuan Buwen remained silent, casually handing over an ancient Jade Slip. Even without a closer look, Sect Leader Kang Da could tell at a glance that it was full of stories.

After Kang Dabao carefully accepted the document, Yuan Buwen spoke up, "Tell me, why does my family wish to give you this Dharma?"

"It must be because you, senior, were considerate of Xiyue you did so."

"Ha, I never knew you could tell jokes like that, young man," Yuan Buwen's face turned cold, and he said, "We are both heads of our families. She's just a legitimate daughter. Whether she lives or dies, how could I possibly hand over the foundation of our family?!"

Kang Dabao fell silent again. He had also found it strange that if Yuan Buwen really cared about Yuan Xiyue that much, he should have used this item to exchange for her when she was captured.

"Of course, they're being forced into a corner," the fake alchemist sneered repeatedly, his voice filled with hatred. "Your boy, Boyue, has some tricks up his sleeve. When it comes to ruthlessness, he's not much less ruthless than the Liangyi Sect."

"."

This made it even more difficult for Sect Leader Kang Da to respond. He simply held the Jade Slip carefully and let the old cultivator continue his indignant speech:

"Fei Nanying is a scoundrel. He wants to help you, but he's worried about upsetting the Fei Household, so he uses my family's belongings to do you a favor. He's always got his hands on his abacus, and it didn't come for nothing. He's even shrewder than you when it comes to business."

"This junior thanks you again for your generous gift, senior."

"No need to thank me. I heard that the abbot who protects the temple will be here soon. It is said that even in Original Response Temple, the ancestral temple of Esoteric Buddhism, he is considered a very outstanding person."

There are countless temples and shrines, and many promising young Buddhist practitioners along the Snow Mountain Circuit, yet he managed to stand out from the crowd and become one of the nineteen most respected and esteemed figures in the current generation of Esoteric Buddhism. His abilities are evident from this."

At this point, Yuan Buwen noticed that Sect Leader Kang Da remained calm and fearless, which surprised him slightly. He then continued:

"I'm curious, doesn't Fei Nanying know that even if I were to force him to teach you this method, in such a short time, how much could you possibly improve?"

Kang Dabao remained calm and composed, replying in a low voice, "Even if I am truly no match for him, I must still give it a try."

"Alright, I hope you'll still be this tough then." Yuan Buwen said with a half-smile, then continued, "Although I've given you the Jade Slip, this method cannot be easily passed on. If I were to explain it to you, your family would owe the Yuan Household a favor."

If you don't want to, that's fine too. Don't think I've taken advantage of you. Your family is in dire straits right now, so your favor isn't worth much."

"Senior, what are you saying? How could I possibly refuse?" Sect Leader Kang Da waved his hand behind him, and the protective array barrier opened without any hesitation.

This old cultivator was one of the most prominent figures in Cloud Horn Prefecture. It was said that even after the two top cultivators from the Ye Prefecture Yang Household discussed the Dao with him, they no longer treated Yuan Buwen as an ordinary Pill Master and ordered him around as casually.

If he really wanted to cause trouble on Little Ring Mountain, the Chongming Sect, which was not in good order at the moment, might not be able to do anything to him.

The mountain gate opened wide, and Pei Yi and Ye Zhengwen followed as if facing a formidable enemy, only to be waved away by Kang Dabao with a gesture.

The latter led Yuan Buwen into the sect leader's courtyard. At this time, apart from Wu Meng, who was sweeping and cleaning as usual, there was only Yuan Xiyue, another cultivator, inside.

Yuan Buwen had never expected that Yuan Xiyue would come to see him again. Caught off guard, he looked surprised and was led to sit down at the chess table by Sect Leader Kang Dabao.

Yuan Xiyue wore no rouge today, her delicate face simple and elegant, quite different from her usual bright and glamorous attire. The female cultivator remained silent, simply kneeling respectfully beside the two, serving tea with utmost decorum.

The rich aroma of tea prompted Yuan Buwen to start talking. The old man raised his eyebrows slightly and continued, "According to the surmise of my ancestors who found the Jade Slip in the ruins of the Daoist temple, my family's 'The Art of War by the Star Lord of the Wood Palace' is also an incomplete copy, and I'm afraid it doesn't even contain a hundred percent of the original's essence."

If it weren't for the virtue of our ancestors, who also found the Hong Grade Supreme Grade "Brush-Casting Art" as a method of study, and after spending two cycles of arduous practice to reach perfection, and then cutting off and repairing their tongues three times to obtain the method of recitation to pass down, we, their unworthy descendants who have not yet achieved the Golden Core, would probably have no chance of cultivating this technique.

The story Yuan Buwen told was widely circulated, and even the Sect Leader Kang Da had heard it when he was a merchant.

However, according to Yuan Buwen, if his family's "The Art of War by the Halberd-Holder of the Wood Palace Star Lord" truly has such a great background, then the Jingnan Yuan Household is nothing more than a False Core family, and it would be impossible for them to preserve it.

The old cultivator guessed what Kang Dabao was thinking and, without keeping him in suspense, said directly, "Your Boyue has also examined this Jade Slip."

Seeing that the usually calm and collected Sect Leader Kang Da was finally moved, Yuan Buwen's face also showed a hint of pride, which was then replaced by a trace of anger. "The General Affairs Leader of the Star-Picking Pavilion and the Grand Elder of the Two Instruments Sect have also come to the Yuan Household to 'borrow' books."

"Have all the seniors gained much?" Sect Leader Kang Da asked tentatively, only to hear Yuan Buwen sneer again, "They know how difficult this method is to practice after only reading it once. The reason they didn't snatch it is simply because they think it's too difficult to practice and not worth the effort. Perhaps it can be used to enrich their knowledge, but it should never be allowed to be used as a means of cultivation by their outstanding disciples or followers."

Just as doubt began to appear in Kang Dabao's eyes, Yuan Buwen added an explanation:

"This method is of such high quality that even a Nascent True Person Nascent Soul deduce a single word of it. Even if one spends a great deal of effort to practice it to an extremely profound level, it is still only at my current level."

While it certainly wasn't worth a penny, for someone of their stature, it was truly a double-edged sword. Most Golden Core cultivators wouldn't choose such a counterproductive method.

"Even the True Lord couldn't deduce a single word?" Kang Dabao asked again.

Yuan Buwen was taken aback, then shook his head. "I don't know. How could someone of our meager cultivation dare to speculate even a fraction of what the True Lord is capable of? Perhaps the True Lord could deduce a word or two, but if that were truly the case, what difference would there be between being able and not being able to?!"

After Yuan Buwen finished speaking, he looked at Sect Leader Kang Da and asked, "Well, now you know that your Boyue didn't give you any real benefits, right? Some people are saying that the temple's protector abbot went to the Star-Picking Pavilion to pay his Xiang Tianxing."

Once they grant permission, we will gather all the candidates for the Mingfei chosen in Shannan Circuit back then, and then they will form the Golden Core and cultivate the Dharma Form. Boy, you told me on the battlefield back then that you were not afraid, and now, are you still not afraid?"

"Fear is useless, so why bother being afraid?"

"You're quite frank, speaking the truth. Did you really never have the thought of giving Xiyue away?"

"Clang!"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Xiyue's composure finally crumbled. As the teacup shattered on the floor, her complex gaze fell upon Kang Dabao.

"You've been a bit secretive, senior," Kang Dabao sighed, shaking his head. Just as he was about to reply, Yuan Buwen interrupted, "It's alright. Don't underestimate my girl. She's very decisive; otherwise, she wouldn't have gone to another place behind the back of the Yuan Household to seek the selection of the abbot."

"My granddaughter went there, but she didn't know anything about this..." Yuan Xiyue bit her lip, about to explain, but was interrupted by the old man, "I think she was bewitched by that little monk's handsome appearance."

Yuan Buwen's tone turned even colder. "You chose this path yourself. In the past, my Yuan Household lost face, and now that brat Kang will also be in a difficult position."

Kang Dabao suddenly realized, thinking to himself, "So that's why Yuan Xiyue was so disliked by Yuan Buwen back then, almost becoming his designated spies. There was such a hidden story behind it all."

After being reprimanded, Yuan Xiyue's face darkened. Things had come to this point, and she didn't think Kang Dabao would insist on protecting her.

After all, given the latter's pragmatic nature, it would be normal for him to make the decision to hand it over and exchange it for a good relationship with the future important figure, the abbot of the temple.

Just as the young woman was filled with anxiety, a large hand covered her soft hand. This unexpected warmth startled Yuan Xiyue, Yuan Buwen also looked over with great interest.

"No matter what, we have to give it a try."

The tone of his words, though not exactly forceful, brought a warm feeling to Yuan Xiyue's heart. She had no idea that the state court wouldn't stand idly by and watch the temple protector abbot succeed this time, and that Kang Dabao would certainly not surrender.

Yuan Buwen found it amusing but didn't expose the story. He simply waved his hand, signaling Yuan Xiyue to remove the teacups and leave the courtyard.

Now that we've finished our idle chatter, let's get back to the beginning.

"Your words are wise and precious, and I will listen attentively."

"Bring me the Slaughter and Extermination," Yuan Buwen in a bad tone, but Kang Dabao showed no change in expression. He simply took out a short halberd and presented it with both hands.

A flash of reminiscence crossed the old cultivator's eyes. After pondering for a long while, he finally said, "This is what I found when I was still False Core. I mixed the Fallen Heart Iron Mother with the Nine Netherworld Poison Fire and refined it. It is three feet seven inches long and weighs 1,500 catties."

The crescent-shaped knot at the tip of the halberd was made of white rhinoceros horn, making it quite sharp. The mace originally had a black water serpent spirit on it, but it was consumed three jiazi years ago when it fought against the False Core- wielding Hongyi Sect, and it has never been replenished.

The sadness in Yuan Buwen's voice gradually faded, and he laughed, "You're using it even more skillfully than I was back then."

"You were able to defeat False Core three 60 years ago?!" Kang Dabao's expression showed slight surprise.

"Yes, I was just over fifty that year," Yuan Buwen said with a hint of regret, "But I was worth much more than you are now."

After pondering for a while, he added, "The Yue Lin of Han City are the same."

Kang Dabao was not so unwise as to ask why the most outstanding talents under the Two Instruments Sect could not form their cores, because the reason for this was probably already in the question itself.

Having said that they wouldn't gossip, Yuan Buwen couldn't help but reminisce about the past. Although Sect Leader Kang Da didn't urge him, it still made this long-time Pill Master feel somewhat embarrassed.

He cleared his mind of all distractions and said, "'Green wood harbors murderous murderous intent, the Big Dipper buries the dragon's court, and a broken halberd becomes a pen to write heavenly punishment.' These three sentences are all that my ancestor copied from the ruins of the Daoist temple.

However, based solely on these seventeen words, my Yuan Household family ancestors throughout the ages have deciphered and perfected the three realms of Sha Bone, Dipper Swallowing, Star Burning, as well as the four halberd techniques of Greedy Wolf Devours the Moon, Seven Sha Lock the Dragon, Falling Star Burns the Sea, and Divine Wood Reaches Heaven the Heavens. If someone could master them all, they could be considered to have perfected a Zhou Grade Cultivation Method, something that many advanced cultivators would find difficult to achieve even in their entire lives.

Yuan Buwen glanced at Kang Dabao, this time unable to conceal the admiration and envy in his eyes. "You're lucky, kid, and you've already grasped some of the true meaning, but you still lack the real method. Listen carefully to what I have to say."

Kang Dabao dared not be negligent, and sat up straight, listening attentively.

The two sat peacefully expounding the Dharma, while outside, a storm was brewing.

Funeng stood barefoot on the ground and looked up at a cliff. There was only an unremarkable three-story wooden building on the cliff, about five zhang high, which was immersed in the indigo sky and did not make it seem majestic at all.

If Funeng hadn't visited this place nearly sixty years ago, holding the chief's letter and paying homage to the Master of the Star-Picking Pavilion, he would have had difficulty recognizing that this was the Zhaixing Star-Picking Pavilion, which ruled over the hundreds of millions of lives in the entire Shannan Circuit.

Speaking of which, the Star-Picking Pavilion is quite unique among the thirty-three Nascent Soul forces in the entire Great Wei Immortal Dynasty. It has very few members, with some generations having no more than ten people, but each generation has had True Person in charge, and there has been almost no interruption in its lineage.

Such stability is rare even among the Immortal Dynasty; perhaps only Dragon and Tiger Sect and Original Buddha Sect can surpass it.

Therefore, the Star-Picking Pavilion, which was short of manpower, believed in the policy of non-interference in Shannan Circuit. In other words, as long as the Golden Core forces such as Two Instruments Sect and Cloud Water Sect could provide sufficient and high-quality resources, the disciples below the Master of the Star-Picking Pavilion rarely had time to take charge.

It could even be said that the Star-Picking Pavilion didn't care at all whether the annual supplies sent up came from the Two Instruments Sect and Cloud Water Sect, these trusted sects.

However, the people of the Star-Picking Pavilion still paid some attention to Funeng, a member of a prominent family who had been sent on a mission.

After all, if the Snow Mountain Circuit Road were not so vast and self-contained, the contemporary Master of the Star-Picking Pavilion would have found it difficult to maintain his title as the 'Number One True Person in the Southwest'.

When Chan Master Gelie went into seclusion three hundred years ago, he was already considered a first-rate figure among Buddhist practitioners. Now that he has emerged from seclusion, although the details of his gains are still unknown, which respectable figure in the Great Wei Immortal Dynasty wouldn't be interested?

Xiang Tianxing, the head of general affairs at the Star-Picking Pavilion, abandoned his usual domineering demeanor and had Funeng Kanbu invited into the low building.

As a prestigious Nascent Soul sect, its disciples would not actually gather in a low building to cultivate. As soon as Funeng stepped through the wooden door, the scene before him changed completely.

"It's just that there's a hidden cave inside; nothing special about that."

Funeng had seen him before, so it wasn't difficult for him to suppress his surprise. After passing through countless corridors through the gate of the Star-Picking Pavilion, he finally met Xiang Tianxing.

"This humble monk, Funeng, is a disciple of Abbot Ma Mangqin of the Precept Observance Hall Original Response Temple. By order of the Abbot of this temple, I have come to Shannan Circuit the ritual of creation. I hereby pay my respects to Senior Xiang, and wish you Buddhahood."

After nodding, Xiang Tianxing said with a smile, "Young friend, you are too kind. However, what I wish to become is not Buddha. Please do not make unfounded wishes."

Funeng smiled and bowed again, saying, "What you say is true, senior. I understand."

After saying this, he asked again, "Half a century ago, I received a letter from the Dharma King and visited the Master. The Master granted me this opportunity to select a consort in the Shannan Circuit. Now the time is almost here, and my trip is to accomplish this."

"Young friend, please go ahead," Xiang Tianxing replied casually, adding, "No one in the Shannan Circuit would dare to make things difficult for you."

"This humble monk understands." After years of waiting, success was finally within reach, and a hint of joy immediately appeared on his handsome face.

When it was almost time, Xiang Tianxing gave one last piece of advice:

"The rules have been set for you; you just need to refrain from committing murder."

"Thank you for your guidance, senior. I will be leaving now."

Shortly after Funeng left, Xiang Tianxing also received a Buddhist talisman from Original Response Temple. Upon seeing the text on it, Xiang Tianxing frowned:

"We absolutely cannot let this happen!!"