Chapter 42: Hidden Sword Spirit-Gathering Stance
He swept them with his divine sense. All three were unharmed. He then tapped his finger lightly, and the three demonic beast cores slowly floated up, landing in his hand.
“If you are all unharmed, you should return to the sect as soon as possible.”
“Th-thank you, Senior Brother, for saving us!”
“May I ask, Senior Brother…”
“Senior Brother!”
Paying no heed to the distant expressions of gratitude from these disciples, Song Yan departed directly from Xiawei Peak.
It was not that he had traveled thousands of miles specifically to rescue these unfamiliar fellow disciples.
His purpose for this trip was the Phantom Cat Demon core in his hand—it just happened that when that junior brother released a distress signal talisman, he had come out of curiosity to take a look.
He had not expected that there really was a cat demon.
“I’ve finally gathered all six demonic beast cores. I can go back and complete the mission.”
This mission had truly not been simple. Although the Phantom Cat Demon was not strong, it could really run. The first three had been manageable—the Phantom Cat Demon’s killing intent was heavy, making it easy for Song Yan’s divine sense to detect.
But then the remaining demons had gone into hiding, staying deep within their lairs, forcing Song Yan to wander the Yanran Mountain Range for three to five days.
Fortunately, he had now gathered all of them and could return to the sect to report.
It had been over three months since the day Song Yan comprehended the nascent form of his Dao heart from the Eight Desolations Origin Sword Manual. He had finally recovered to the fifth layer of the Qi Refining Stage.
He had even made some progress compared to before he had scattered his cultivation and started over.
Since that day, aside from the usual accumulation of spiritual energy and tempering of his sword qi, Song Yan had also seriously practiced the sword control techniques recorded in the Sword Compendium.
One of these methods could not truly be called sword technique—it was rather a secret stance method for concentrating the spirit, gathering one’s breath, and concealing one’s edge.
It was called the Hidden Sword Spirit-Gathering Stance.
It could suppress one’s own realm, spiritual pressure, and aura, rendering others unable to see through one’s true cultivation.
However, Song Yan did not hide his cultivation within the sect.
After all, counting from when he had first entered the sect, it had been over two years. A cultivation level of the fifth layer of the Qi Refining Stage was only considered average. If he factored in the time he had spent cultivating again, it might even be considered somewhat slow.
As for the matter of his recovered cultivation, it would inevitably be exposed one day. It would be better to be upfront from the beginning.
If he were to venture out alone from the sect to travel in the future, this would be a very practical stance method.
The other technique was the sword control technique for controlling the sword to slay enemies that Song Yan had painstakingly studied and researched daily—the Sword in the Clouds.
This technique carried considerable power, and its expenditure was not small either.
Most of the other sword control techniques recorded in the Sword Compendium pursued the ultimate single strike—one sword to break ten thousand methods.
However, those sword techniques generally placed high requirements on the sword cultivator’s comprehension of sword intent and the degree to which they had refined their natal flying sword.
The Sword in the Clouds, however, was different. It only required the divine sense to be powerful enough to split into several strands of sword qi, each controlled individually, to achieve astonishing power.
Although the variations within were equally complex, Song Yan had devoted himself entirely to the application methods mentioned and exemplified in the Sword Compendium.
His thinking was very straightforward: since he was a beginner, it would not be wise to rush for quick success.
He chose a sword technique with high versatility, taking solid steps forward, one footstep at a time.
Only after mastering it to its pinnacle would he consider learning the next sword technique.
It might seem foolish, but the results were significant.
Over three to four months, practicing the same sword technique repeatedly every day, he had now achieved minor proficiency.
After Song Yan left, the three quickly supported each other and descended from Xiawei Peak.
“That senior brother looked unfamiliar—I don’t think I’ve ever seen him before…”
“Among the outer disciples, is there really such a powerful senior brother?”
Song Yan’s Daoist robe was identical to what the three of them wore, so they knew he was an outer disciple as well.
“I think I’ve seen him somewhere… mm…”
The honest-faced youth thought hard: “Ah, yes, I saw him in the Ink Pavilion.”
“Back then, Senior Brother Sun even said that his handwriting reflected his character—that this senior brother’s state of mind was growing ever more serene and clear, and so on.”
The youth murmured thoughtfully. After a moment, he said: “Senior Brother acted righteously and with great justice. We must not neglect proper etiquette. If there is an opportunity, we should visit to express our thanks.”
“Good.”
…
Song Yan walked out of the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall and returned directly to his cave dwelling.
Outside the cave dwelling was a voice transmission talisman.
“Hm?”
He felt somewhat puzzled. He had very few friends within the sect, and as for sect missions, he had long since exceeded his quota these past days. At this juncture, who would be looking for him?
He infused a strand of spiritual energy into it, and the voice transmission talisman opened.
“Abnormality detected in Linxi County. Disciples are dispatched to investigate. Today at the third quarter of the Si hour, assemble at the entrance of Dao Ping Mountain.”
“List of dispatched disciples: Qin Ying, Li Qingfeng, Song Yesheng.”
The speaker was a woman. Her voice was cool and detached, unfamiliar to Song Yan.
“Qin Ying?”
The name sounded somewhat familiar. After thinking for a while, Song Yan suddenly realized.
“This should be that prodigious genius among the inner disciples—the extraordinary talent who established her Foundation at only twenty-nine years of age.” Perhaps because the mission was special, the Miscellaneous Affairs Hall had also issued a sect departure pass.
The pass was in the form of a talisman, with two copies. The one left with the sect was supposedly to monitor whether disciples who temporarily left had encountered any danger.
“A Foundation Establishment cultivator leading the team, and a Soul Talisman at that. What matter is so urgent?”
Song Yan thought for a moment, but instead of entering his cave dwelling, he turned and headed straight for the Spirit Origin Marsh Market.
The Worry-Free Grocery Store had not changed one bit.
Pushing the door open, Granny Qin was still in that same lazy manner. No matter when he came here, Granny Qin would always be there, as if she needed no cultivation and was entirely devoted to amusement.
“Oh my, if it isn’t our dear Yesheng. What wind has blown such an honored guest our way?”
It was truly wonderful.
Granny Qin’s sarcasm had not changed either.
Qin Xijun tapped her finger lightly, and a cup of spiritual tea slid before Song Yan.
“Eight or nine months have passed, and today you finally remember old me?”
To speak of it, ever since the matter of the Silent Valley had concluded, aside from his initial visit to the grocery store to sell some magical artifacts, talismans, and miscellaneous items, he had indeed devoted himself entirely to cultivation and had not returned here again.
“Oh, it’s like this, Granny. I have some things to sell, and I wanted to buy a few things as well.”
Song Yan rummaged through his Qiankun bag, paying no attention whatsoever to the shifting expressions on Qin Xijun’s face.
“…”
By the time Song Yan came to his senses, he had already been sent out of the store.
Boom!
The door closed, just as it always had.
“Old me is in a foul mood today. I’m not receiving guests!”
“Oh come on, Granny! In a little while, I’m heading out of the sect to slay demons and eliminate evil. Right now I’m completely destitute—I’m afraid it’s more danger than safety!”
The more Song Yan spoke, the more serious it sounded—as if if he could not get through this door, he would surely die out there.
“Hm? What mission…”
Sure enough, the door opened.
“Hehehe…”
Song Yan grinned: “I don’t know, but it’s definitely extremely dangerous, Granny. This is no joke. The one leading the team is actually an inner disciple at Foundation Establishment!”
“Oh?”
Qin Xijun frowned.
“Who?”
“I know her, but she doesn’t know me—Senior Sister Qin Ying from the inner sect…”
“…”
Song Yan did not see the expression on Qin Xijun’s face. He set out his items on his own, then rubbed his hands together.
“Hehe, Granny, that half of the broken talisman you fished out of the night market last time—you’re not using it for now anyway. How about… lending it to me?”
During his last visit, Qin Xijun had mentioned that she had found half a protective talisman at the Spirit Origin Marsh night market. It could withstand a full-force strike from a Foundation Establishment cultivator, but it could only be used once.
This mission looked dangerous enough. If he could borrow it, it would serve as an insurance.
“You see it like this: if I don’t use it, I’ll return it to you when I get back. If I do use it…”
Before Song Yan could finish, Qin Xijun spoke: “If you use it, you’ll have to work like an ox or a horse for me—you’ll have to complete two hundred… three hundred spirit stones’ worth of labor before we’re even.”
“Take the talisman and get lost now!”
“…”
Song Yan carefully stored away the blue spirit talisman and returned in high spirits.
Qin Xijun reclined in her chair: “That brat doesn’t have a shred of conscience. And here I was worried about his safety back then, pulling strings for him left and right.”
She fumed for a while, then let it go.
After all, Song Yan did not know the details. He only thought of her as this “Granny Qin” who ran a spirit goods and miscellaneous business.
“But it seems the brat is doing well. In less than a year, he has already re-cultivated his realm.”
Qin Xijun felt somewhat relieved.
It was not uncommon for some cultivators to suffer a drop in cultivation for various reasons—such as exhausting themselves in battle with others and suffering grave injuries, or accidentally consuming some spirit-dispersing elixir.
If one’s foundation was undamaged and they cultivated normally, recovering one’s realm would take approximately this speed—neither fast nor slow.
“Sigh…”
She sighed, repeatedly murmuring that name.
“Qin Ying…”