Hearing the True Intention in Repose Hall, Jiang Qing Receives the Sword Core Diagram

---- Xuanwei City, Fei Household

Repose Hall of the Ying Prefecture Fei Household, the "Concentrating Incense" in the incense burner was burning steadily, and wisps of blue smoke swirled around the "Sword Core Diagram" specially displayed on the beams today.

The posture of the monk standing with his sword in the picture subtly resembles that of Jiang Qing, who is standing quietly in the hall.

There were no ordinary chairs in the hall today, only a soft cushion with cloud patterns about ten feet square was laid behind the table.

Fei Tianqin was lying on the soft cushion, his wings folded, and a wisp of crimson feathers on his head trembled slightly. Suddenly, the old bird raised his eyelids, and his golden eyes, clear as glass, fell on Jiang Qing.

Jiang Qing had been in the hall for half a day. His black sword robe hung down to the ground. Even after entering the hall, Fei Tianqin didn't utter a single word, but there was no sign of urgency on his face.

Only when Fei Tianqin made a move did Third Master Jiang slowly regain his composure, bow deeply, and say, "Junior Jiang Qing greets Ancestor."

Fei Tianqin spoke gently, "You've been in this hall for half a day, yet you haven't looked at the books here, nor swept away the alchemical texts on the beams, only maintaining this tranquility. In your opinion, this composure, this companionship with the sword, is more important than the path to Core Formation?"

Jiang Qing bowed his head and replied, "Ancestor is joking. Core Formation is the crucial point on a cultivator's Dao Path, and I dare not be disrespectful."

"From the very beginning of my cultivation, I have been taught swordsmanship by my senior brother. Since he instructed me to practice swordsmanship, I have never dared to slack off. From initial dislike to current reluctance, over a hundred years have passed, yet it is still difficult to change my ways in a short time."

He spoke these words calmly yet with unwavering conviction, his fingertips unconsciously tensing.

That was a habit formed from carrying a sword for many years; it was as if as long as one thought of the sword, one's fingertips would have the strength to grip it.

As soon as Jiang Qing finished speaking, the Luminous Sword Ape sitting on his left shoulder raised its head, its bright eyes looking at Jiang Qing, then at Fei Tianqin, before lowering its head again.

Fei Tianqin's golden eyes narrowed slightly, his crimson crest trembled slightly. In his view, Jiang Qing's few words already surpassed those of many noble families and privileged elites. But then he heard the old bird cough lightly and say in a calm voice:

"You are so sincere in your pursuit of the sword, no wonder you have such good fortune. Don't try to flatter your lazy senior brother. Do you think I don't know that in his hands, whether it's a sword or a staff, it's practically the same thing? How could he possibly be qualified to teach you swordsmanship?!"

Hmm. That young man in Black Shoes may not have taught you much, but he's certainly guided you well. It's strange, really, you and your nephew come from this humble place, where would you have found a proper teacher?

In my opinion, your path is perhaps no less ruthless than those sword Heaven-Rending Sword Sect. Heh, speaking of that young fellow Black Shoes, I wonder how he fared when he went to the outer sea alone."

At this point, Fei Tianqin shook his large head, clearly not optimistic about the Black-Shoeed Daoist's path.

After all, in this old bird's view, Kang Dabao was willing to humble himself before the Fei Household, which, although lacking some heroic spirit, was ultimately due to the Fei Household's assistance and the achievement of a mid-grade elixir.

Compared to the crucial matter of a smooth future cultivation, the "freedom and ease" that the Daoist Black Shoes sought was insignificant.

If the Daoist Black Shoes had been less ambitious, he might not have ended up in such a precarious situation.

"As for Upper-Grade Golden Core," Fei Tianqin sighed inwardly and chuckled.

He cleared these thoughts from his mind before saying, "Young friend Jiang, do you know how much criticism from the clan my brother and I endured to make it possible for Shuhe to return to Ying Prefecture?"

Upon hearing Fei Tianqin suddenly mention Fei Shuhe, who had just boarded the Fei Household's hearse yesterday, Jiang Qing didn't know how to respond and could only listen patiently.

"Hey, I'm not exaggerating. Besides your senior brother Kang Dabao, you, young friend, have also made a great contribution to Shuhe."

"I am flattered!"

"Just telling the truth, why make such a fuss?" Fei Tianqin murmured, his tone ambiguous, before continuing:

"If it weren't for the fact that you and that lazy boy have always been of one mind and brotherly affection, this matter might have been accomplished, but it would have made me, your old master, hesitate for quite some time."

"After much hesitation, Shuhe may never have another fortuitous opportunity like this in her lifetime." Fei Tianqin's golden eyes shifted slightly, and his tone became more serious as he changed the subject:

"Young friend, you are different from your sect leader. His Core Thesis was also discussed with me by Nanying back then. His ambition is too great, which is not a good thing. It is not something that a minor cultivator like him, or even my Ying Prefecture Fei Household, can bear."

Even if you were lucky enough to succeed in elixirs, it's hard to say whether you'll rise to great heights or stagnate. But you, my young friend, have only the sword in your eyes and are single-minded, which makes things much easier for you.

I, your ancestor, have cultivated for thousands of years, and my eyesight is no less than that of an ordinary True Person. I have some insights that I can share with you. If you remember them carefully, even if they don't meet your expectations, there won't be any mistakes.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Qing's expression turned solemn, and he bowed, replying, "This junior would be most grateful for such guidance, Ancestor."

Fei Tianqin chuckled softly, parting a feather to create a gentle burst of spiritual energy that dispersed in mid-air, further dispersing the incense smoke within the hall.

"For cultivators to Core Formation, the Core Thesis alchemy is of paramount importance. The Core Thesis is not the art of furnaces, cauldrons, lead, and mercury, but rather the path of self-realization for cultivators. Take your senior brother's 'Purify the Turbid World' as an example. It says, 'When the mind is turbid, the world is turbid; when the mind is clear, the world is clear. It is not that heaven and earth create turbidity, but that people's minds are confused.' These words are somewhat meaningful and also resonate with this principle."

However, after hearing this, you don't need to dwell on the distinction between purity and impurity. Just carefully consider the two characters "Primordial Unity" in your "Primordial Unity Suppresses the Firmament" (混元镇霄).

"The two characters 'Primordial Unity' require careful consideration," Jiang Qing murmured for a moment, a thoughtful expression appearing on his face.

"Does the Ancestor mean that 'Primordial Unity' is not only a principle of swordsmanship, but also the key to my Core Formation?" Jiang Qing looked up, his eyes filled with inquiry. The Luminous Sword Ape on his shoulder seemed to sense something as well, raising its little head to look at Fei Tianqin.

The old bird chuckled, "This is what I think, young friend. You may ponder and comprehend, but when it comes to cultivation, even if the one teaching you is a Daluo Golden Immortal, you still cannot completely trust him. You must dare to think and ponder before you can prove yourself."

Fei Tianqin paused here, then continued, "Your lazy senior brother seems to have thought this through very clearly."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Qing felt as if a veil had been lifted from his eyes, and even the vague Core Thesis seemed to have gained some direction. He then bowed deeply to Fei Tianqin, saying, "Thank you for your guidance, Ancestor."

"Ha, what kind of teaching is this?!" Fei Tianqin shook his head and spoke again:

"I've heard that your family has a senior uncle surnamed Lian, who is quite favored by True Person Crimson Snow. In his early years, he learned a Higher Vehicle sword theory from Hong Wen of the Heaven-Rending Sword Sect, which was once the subject of gossip. I wonder if you, young friend, could have been taught it?!"

"To be honest, Ancestor, if it weren't for the great kindness of my Martial Uncle Lian, I wouldn't have been able to comprehend this sword principle, and I fear I wouldn't have been able to save my life from Wei Guze!"

Upon hearing this, Fei Tianqin's eyes flashed with a strange light. While it was true that Lian Xuepu's status could not possibly obtain the true meaning of Hong Wen's sword theory, it was still remarkable that Jiang Qing, a True Cultivator, could comprehend the sword theory taught by a peak cultivator.

After all, to be honest, this old bird has served three dynasties and cultivated for thousands of years. He has always been unrestrained and unruly among those below the True Person level, but Hong Wen, the cultivator of the Heaven-Rending Sword Sect, is one of the few people who can truly make him wary.

Fei Tianqin nodded slowly and said in a low voice, "Your senior brother has managed the Chongming Sect quite well. Your uncle is barely able to protect himself, yet he still thinks about you juniors."

If young Kang proves himself and remains stable for another two or three hundred years, ensuring this spirit of unity and cooperation doesn't dissipate, then your family's future will be immeasurable."

"Thank you for the praise, Ancestor."

Since Fei Tianqin had praised his own senior brother, Jiang Qing accepted it readily. However, he then pondered the phrase "Lian Xuepu rarely managed to protect himself" in Fei Tianqin's words for a while, and was about to ask a question...

But then he saw Fei Tianqin was seated at the head of the table, suddenly smile upon seeing his reaction, and then softly recite:

"If we follow the advice of the younger generation in the family, we should take you in as a son-in-law of the clan, just like your senior brother, so that we can continue to educate you. Otherwise, outsiders might say that the Ying Prefecture Fei Household is only making good connections because my younger brother is about to die, or that we are inviting trouble."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Qing was about to explain, but Fei Tianqin interrupted him, saying:

"This is utterly laughable. The younger generation all think that marrying off some daughters will unite the two families into one, ensuring a life of shared destiny. But they don't realize that this method must be applied appropriately to each individual."

Fei Tianqin's eyes flashed with a hint of mockery as he spoke again, "Kang Dabao might be warmed by the Shuhe of this poor couple, but not you, young friend. Even if you married ten or a hundred daughters to you, it still wouldn't work."

Although the old bird's words were a bit rough, Jiang Qing was taken aback by his bluntness at first, but then he didn't bother to explain. So he straightened his face and remained silent.

However, Fei Tianqin was not surprised by his reaction. Instead, he explained, "It's not that you're wrong to say that, young friend. In fact, you and your Black Shoes uncle are essentially the same kind of people."

Jiang Qing's gaze faltered, but she still didn't speak. Then she heard Fei Tianqin continue:

"It is only natural for cultivators to prioritize themselves. However, compared to that junior in Black Shoes, you have lost some of your purity. Besides yourself, you value those two senior brothers too much. In fact, you might value them even more than yourself."

The old bird chuckled again, and said in a cheerful voice:

"If that's the case, if Kang boy continues to be close to my family, then it's impossible for my young friend not to be close to my family as well. Why bother marrying off another daughter to win him over, and even wasting some dowry?! I, your old ancestor, also know that no matter how good we are to my young friend, it's just icing on the cake."

Ha, but I, your humble ancestor, am not stingy in adding this icing on the cake.

Fei Tianqin's words were so blunt that they caused Third Master Jiang's expression to darken, and he was slightly alarmed. The latter thought to himself, "This old fox is not only incredibly powerful, but he also seems to have such a keen understanding of people's hearts."

"However, while brotherly love and respect are good things, this may go against your own wishes and become a hindrance to your future spiritual practice."

As for whether or not this will change in the future, and how it will change, that is for you to decide alone. Afterwards, whatever outsiders say, do not readily believe them.

Hearing this, Jiang Qing realized that the old bird had delivered such a long speech just to lead to this last sentence as a warning.

Such earnest and heartfelt advice was something even many of the Fei Household's senior members had never received, yet he truly regarded them as close relatives and nephews.

Jiang Qing's emotions were rarely stirred, but in this situation, he couldn't help but feel sincere gratitude towards the old bird, and he bowed deeply to him despite being advised against it.

"Heh," Fei Tianqin's eyes gleamed with smugness, and his words were unusually tame. He was about to utter the words "kowtowing worm" when he swallowed them back down.

It then divided the feathers, held the base of the feathers upside down, and pointed them towards the "Sword Core Diagram" on the beam above its head, whispering instructions:

"This was prepared for you back at Bearfall Peak. A junior from the Blood Sword Sect overestimated himself and personally gifted it to me. Yet those scoundrels from Buried Spring Mound dared to snatch it, hehe."

But seeing the old bird open its sharp beak as if it were amused, Jiang Qing knew that those audacious cultivators at the Buried Spring Mound would likely meet a bad end.

"Although it is a fragment, it is enough for you to consult, young friend, and it may help you in your Core Formation. When my Fei Household moved to Phoenix Cry Prefecture in the Mountain North, all the books were moved with us. However, Donggu, Nanying, and I have also managed to gather a few more for you, young friend, which should be sufficient."

Following Fei Tianqin's gaze, Jiang Qing saw that besides the figure of a cultivator carrying a sword on the Sword Core Diagram, there were also several subtle spiritual energy patterns hidden in the corners, which he had not noticed before.

The patterns on the sword meandered like veins, subtly mirroring the path of spiritual energy flow when he practiced swordsmanship. The light spots condensed at the tip of the sword in the picture were remarkably similar to the gathering of spiritual energy in his Dantian.

"Thank you for your generous gift, Ancestor." Jiang Qing bowed again, his tone full of solemnity. He knew that the "some books" Fei Tianqin mentioned were no ordinary things, let alone this "Sword Core Diagram" that had gone through so many twists and turns. This sentiment was beyond words.

Fei Tianqin flapped his wings, his tone returning to its usual calm. "Don't thank me too soon. These things can help you, but you need to understand them yourself. Besides, my family won't provide you with Core Formation."

With your "Primordial Unity" sword principles, coupled with the patterns of this "Sword Core Diagram," if you can comprehend the principle of "sword and elixir sharing the same origin," you might even be able to aspire to improve the quality of your elixir.

Just remember, do not treat classical texts as dogma, just as you wouldn't copy someone else's sword moves when practicing swordsmanship. The Core Formation is crucial for future cultivation; don't do anything you'll regret.

It paused, a complex expression flashing in its golden eyes. "My younger brother is a cautionary tale."

"I understand." Jiang Qing raised his head, the confusion in his eyes fading.

"That's good then," Fei Tianqin said, a hint of approval in his golden eyes. "Good. It's getting late, so as your senior brother requested, you will cultivate at the Fei Household from now on. If you have any questions about cultivation, if I, your ancestor, am not here, or if Donggu or Nanying are free, they can also seek my advice."

Jiang Qing responded with a "Yes," and with a wave of his hand, a gentle breeze carefully lifted the "Sword Core Diagram." He then took the several scrolls of books handed to him by Fei Tianqin, but instead of putting them into his Storage Bag, he carefully held them in his arms.

The Luminous Sword Ape on his shoulder seemed to know how important these things were, so it also restrained its usual liveliness, obediently resting on his shoulder and no longer moving around.

As Jiang Qing reached the entrance of the Repose Hall, he suddenly turned around and bowed deeply to Fei Tianqin: "I will never forget the teachings of the Ancestor today."

Fei Tianqin flapped his wings, his tone revealing a hint of nonchalance:

"You just focus on your cultivation. I have been cultivating for thousands of years and have plenty of connections outside. There's no need for you, a junior, to worry about me."

"The Ying Prefecture Fei Household has thrived since the beginning of the previous dynasty, and there's a reason for that. We don't need a junior like you to maintain our status."

Jiang Qing expressed no further gratitude, only bowing his head in thanks. Fei Tianqin, however, did not respond. Instead, he flapped his wings, closed the door, and then addressed the empty hall:

"Those who are loyal, trustworthy, and capable may seem somewhat laughable and lamentable, but they are the ones worth betting on. Fortunately, Nanying now understands this principle."

After speaking, the old bird didn't know what to do next, so he recalled Jiang Qing's previous remarks on swordsmanship in the hall and pondered them carefully, finding them quite interesting.

However, after only about half a cup of tea's time, its enthusiasm waned considerably, and it began to murmur the news that had recently arrived:

"The Silver Saber Prince Consort Shen Lingfeng can actually move again. There's been a change in the capital region. Families may have to change their current estrangement from the imperial family. But for my Fei Household, this is not a good thing."

However, after a long pause, Fei Tianqin murmured again, "This leisurely life won't last much longer. Even if Bai Canhong is just ahead, I, the old ancestor, must go to that Mountain North Circuit."