Chapter 1

In a modern city, inside an old apartment. "Ah! Zhou Qing stood with a worried look on his face, holding a short sword over a foot long, two fingers wide, entirely crystal yellow with a few black spots. 'Last month, I finally reached the realm of 'Guiding Qi into the Body.' It wasn’t easy, but now I can control a flying sword. However, this flying sword is too difficult to handle! I used about 500 pounds of high-quality red copper, 300 pounds of red-haired steel, gold, silver, and jade dust, costing me hundreds of thousands, and the result is a sword of poor quality.'"

Zhou Qing is a cultivator, a disciple of the 'Weapon Forging Sect.' As the name suggests, the 'Weapon Forging Sect' primarily focuses on forging magical weapons. In the cultivation world, it is an extremely small sect, so small that other cultivation sects don’t even know of its existence. Zhou Qing was lucky; when he first entered university, full of youthful enthusiasm, he was determined to do good deeds, inspired by Lei Feng. After saving a beggar with a bottle of mineral water, he became the successor of the 'Weapon Forging Sect.' The beggar, who called himself Ling Yun Daoist, took him as a disciple. After a month of cultivation, Ling Yun left behind a 'Comprehensive Guide to Weapon Forging' and passed away.

It turned out that Ling Yun had a dispute with a disciple of the Shu Mountain Sword Sect over a piece of Yellow Cloud Crystal in Changbai Mountain, resulting in a fierce battle. He was severely injured by several disciples and was on the brink of death when Zhou Qing saved him. Thus, Zhou Qing officially became the master of the 'Weapon Forging Sect,' though he was a lone figure.

Initially, Zhou Qing thought he had encountered a great fortune like the protagonists in countless fantasy novels, believing he would become the supreme ruler of heaven and earth. However, he still had to live cautiously.

The night was cool, with a bright moon hanging high in the sky, emitting a pale blue, gentle light. It was midnight. On the balcony, Zhou Qing took out several pieces of crystal-clear jade. He performed a few hand seals to set up a small concealment array to prevent his cultivation energy from leaking out. Since he started cultivating, Zhou Qing had made up his mind to remain hidden until his strength was formidable enough to avoid the fate of Ling Yun.

Zhou Qing sat cross-legged in the array, with his palms facing the sky. A beam of moonlight shone on his head and disappeared. A cool energy flowed through his meridians into his dantian. Zhou Qing immersed himself in the moonlight, using the lunar essence to temper his body, expand his meridians, and increase his true energy.

'Guiding Qi into the Body' is a cultivation technique where one first cultivates a true qi within oneself. Ordinary people need five years of practice to feel qi, and ten years to connect it to all the bones in their body. Guiding the essence of heaven and earth into the body to temper the flesh requires decades of hard work.

Zhou Qing was a prodigy. In just five years, he broke through all the meridians in his body and reached the realm of 'Guiding Qi into the Body' using the 'Weapon Forging Sect's' second-rate cultivation techniques. The sect’s array techniques were first-rate, and weapon forging was based on array techniques. However, the methods, arrays, alchemy, talismans, and sword forging recorded in the 'Comprehensive Guide to Weapon Forging' were highly advanced, but without the necessary materials, even the most skilled craftsman would struggle. Forging a slightly better flying sword required tons of steel, iron, and copper.

After graduation, Zhou Qing used his knowledge of weapon forging to start a business dealing in antiques and jade. First, to make money, as without money, nothing could be done in this era. Second, to search for treasures left by previous immortals among the antiques, as the 'Weapon Forging Sect' was always weak, but their ability to appraise treasures was unmatched by any other sect.

After several years of hard work, Zhou Qing had accumulated a few million, which, while not making him a tycoon, ensured a comfortable life. However, to forge a good magical weapon, besides rare materials, high-quality jade was essential for storing true essence and carving arrays. A piece of high-quality jade could cost millions. Over the years, Zhou Qing had only collected a few small pieces of Lantian jade, enough to set up a few weak arrays.

Waking from his meditation, Zhou Qing felt his true essence had become slightly thicker. "Hmm! The path of cultivation is long and arduous, but I will not rush. One day, I will achieve the great way!" He intertwined his fingers and shouted, "Go!" A flying sword shot out from the top of his head, transforming into a yellow light and circling around his body. "The materials are poor, but to forge it to this level is already quite good. My cultivation is not strong enough. If I could emit the Three Pure Fires to refine the impurities, it might be able to carry a person!" Zhou Qing thought. He imagined flying over the white clouds, traveling across famous mountains and rivers on his flying sword, and he yearned for it.

"Hey! There’s a slight fluctuation in the primordial energy; someone is using magic!" Being able to guide the primordial energy of heaven and earth into his body, Zhou Qing was naturally more sensitive to it. Even though the fluctuation was slight, he still felt it.

In modern society, whether cultivators or demons, they all blend into the city, restraining each other. Some larger sects even have their own businesses in the human world. Resources are not as abundant as in ancient times. In ancient times, cultivators could find iron ore and collect the essences of metals and jade to forge flying swords. In modern times, all mines belong to the state. If you want them, you have to pay. Without money, even immortals can’t survive. The best materials have been collected by major sects over thousands of years. Cultivation is extremely low in terms of cost-effectiveness. A thousand-year-old medicinal herb can be consumed by a cultivator in just a few bites. There are too few resources to go around. When a rare item appears, a fight is inevitable. Ling Yun lost his life in such a conflict.

Zhou Qing adjusted the cinnabar and drew a concealment talisman on his chest to hide his aura. He pasted a speed talisman on his leg and quietly headed towards the source of the fluctuation.

"You young brats, you’ve gone too far!" The python spirit was furious. To obtain a 500-year-old ginseng, he was chased for thousands of miles by two fourth-generation disciples of the Shu Mountain Sword Sect. Originally, he was a white python in the deep mountains, absorbing the essence of the sun and moon for over 200 years, finally transforming into a human form. He discovered the ginseng in the Tian Mountains, picked it, and was about to consume it when he encountered the two Shu Mountain disciples. Although his cultivation was twice as deep as theirs, their magical weapons and flying swords were too powerful. The male and female, both around 20 years old, wielded a green flying sword and a purple flying sword, respectively. The purple and green lights intertwined, shattering the python’s demonic aura.

"A heavenly herb cannot fall into the hands of evil spirits!" The young woman was tall and slender, with willow-like eyebrows and a beautiful face, dressed in a fashionable manner, looking like a modern city girl.

"Little sister, why bother with him? Just kill him; it’s also a form of demon extermination." The young man was full of arrogance and impatience.

"Haha! What a righteous sect, even killing and robbing can be justified so grandly!" The python spirit laughed in anger.

"Looking for death!" The young man roared. "Dual Sword Formation!" Both the man and woman shouted. Instantly, the purple and green lights became more powerful, entangling the python spirit. The air emitted a piercing whistle, creating waves as if the space was being torn apart. The python spirit’s face was grave. "Huh!" A strange sound came from his mouth as he spat out a green, egg-sized sphere, his hard-earned demonic core.

Boom! The sword and core collided, and a massive burst of primordial energy exploded. The three figures were thrown back several meters. The python spirit’s face was pale, and his lower body, originally two human legs, had transformed into a large white snake tail. His cultivation had regressed by at least half. The python spirit smiled bitterly, looking at the unconscious young woman and the young man, who was leaning on his sword with a trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth. Both were severely injured. With a shake of his tail, a gust of demonic wind carried the python spirit away. The python spirit was not a good person; he wanted to kill them but feared the young man’s dying counterattack. Moreover, fighting in the city, even in the suburbs, could not escape the notice of cultivators. After a moment’s thought, he decided it was not worth it and fled.

Seeing the python spirit fly away, the young man sighed in relief, picked up his fallen flying sword, and checked the young woman’s injuries. "Fortunately, she was just knocked unconscious. Damn python spirit, it actually injured both of us. When we recover, I will invite several fellow disciples to skin that beast, or I, Zhao Liang, am not a man!" Just as he was planning, he felt a sharp pain in his chest. Looking down, he saw a yellow flying sword with black spots piercing his heart. Breathing became difficult. Zhao Liang struggled to turn his head and saw a black-clothed, masked figure. Then, darkness enveloped him.

Originally, Zhou Qing’s strength was far below Zhao Liang’s, but after the intense battle and injuries, combined with Zhou Qing’s hidden aura and surprise attack, he succeeded. He quickly collected the two flying swords.

Searching the bodies, he found two wallets, a secret manual, and several pieces of jade. The entire process took less than a minute. Someone was coming! Two speed talismans were pasted on his legs, and Zhou Qing successfully escaped.

He quickly used an array to seal the spiritual energy of the two flying swords, circled around, and went to an internet cafe in the city to go online, ensuring no one was following him. When it was bright, he left the cafe and returned home.

Killing and robbing, such actions required extreme caution. If the other sect found out, he would be crushed to death. Back at his place, Zhou Qing was extremely excited! The harvest was significant! After a moment of excitement, he calmed down. Zhou Qing began to think: as a normal person, he would not be suspected. As for the items, he would wait until the heat died down before using them. He packed away his usual talismans, cinnabar, and other materials.

For the next month, Zhou Qing did nothing, not even practicing. He just ran around the antique market, doing business, eating, and sleeping, living like a normal person. "Careful planning ensures long-term success," Zhou Qing thought. A month passed without incident. In the second month, Zhou Qing practiced at night, and after a month, nothing happened. He finally felt at ease.

Inside the room, Zhou Qing picked up a sword that was two feet long, emitting a green light, and examined it carefully. "What a fine sword! Made entirely of Taiyi Gold Essence, even the hilt is made of over a hundred-year-old purple sandalwood!" Zhou Qing sighed. The purple sandalwood has a strong effect on suppressing ghosts and spirits, making it better than a hundred-year-old peach wood for making wooden swords and talismans. The Taiyi Gold Essence is extremely rare; from 500 pounds of high-quality steel, only a gram can be refined using the Three Pure Fires. Normally, adding a few grams to a flying sword can double its quality. These two-foot-long swords together weigh about ten pounds. How much steel would that require? Especially the Three Pure Fires, which can only be emitted by cultivators at the 'Cultivating Qi to Spirit' stage.

Cultivation in Daoism is divided into four stages: 'Guiding Qi into the Body,' 'Cultivating Qi to Spirit,' 'Cultivating Spirit to Void,' and 'Cultivating Void to Dao.' The final stage is achieving the status of a Great Immortal, invincible and eternal.

The difference between each stage is significant. Cultivators at the 'Guiding Qi into the Body' stage can guide the primordial energy of heaven and earth to temper their bodies, making them as light as a swallow and capable of breaking stones. In the later stages, they can control flying swords and travel a thousand miles in a day.

At the 'Cultivating Qi to Spirit' stage, one can use their spirit as a medium to drive various energies in the universe without any magical weapons, emitting thunder, lightning, and the Three Pure Fires with a mere gesture.

At the 'Cultivating Spirit to Void' stage, one can achieve immortality and avoid the cycle of rebirth. At the 'Cultivating Void to Dao' stage, one can move mountains and fill seas, traveling across the world with a single finger. Each breakthrough is as difficult as filling the sea with a single grain of sand or moving a mountain with a single step.

"The Shu Mountain Sword Sect is indeed as wealthy as a nation! After thousands of years of plundering, even their imitation Purple and Green Swords are incredibly powerful. If they were the real Purple and Green Swords, even cultivators at the 'Cultivating Spirit to Void' stage would struggle. No wonder even the Ten Thousand Year Blood Demon was defeated by the dual sword formation. If Shu Mountain disciples use such high-quality flying swords, it’s no wonder Ling Yun died. Hmph! Stealing two high-quality flying swords and a secret manual, my strength has greatly increased, and I have avenged Ling Yun." Zhou Qing was mistaken. Although they were imitations, in the Shu Mountain Sect, there were only a few such swords. Taiyi Gold Essence is not easy to obtain, and even after a thousand years, only a few dozen pounds have been accumulated. Only the most outstanding disciples could receive them. Moreover, Zhao Liang and his female companion’s parents had significant influence and wealth in the human world. The elders of Shu Mountain also favored them, which is why they were given the swords. Otherwise, with their mid-stage 'Guiding Qi into the Body' cultivation, they could not have injured a 200-year-old python with a demonic core, which is equivalent to a late-stage 'Guiding Qi into the Body' cultivator. The difference in cultivation was at least three times.

Opening the 'Sword Qi Ling Kong Jue,' a traditional book, even Zhou Qing, with his excellent composure, was surprised. This was a high-level cultivation technique for sword immortals! Using a sword as a medium to connect with heaven and earth, absorbing energy, the better the sword, the faster the absorption, far surpassing the human body. No wonder ancient sword immortals were so powerful! "No wonder those two kids reached the mid-stage 'Guiding Qi into the Body' in just a few years."

A stream of energy surged, and Zhou Qing absorbed the Green Silk Sword into his body. The Purple Clay Sword was for women, and Zhou Qing was not foolish enough to absorb it. Although he was determined not to waste anything, with his current cultivation, he could not remove the arrays and reforge it. He had to put it aside.

For the next few days, Zhou Qing did not leave the house, staying at home to practice the 'Sword Qi Ling Kong Jue' with the Green Silk Sword. The materials of the impure flying sword were refined into a four-inch square seal, an ancient treasure recorded in the 'Comprehensive Guide to Weapon Forging.' Zhou Qing was most interested in the Heaven-Turning Seal of Guang Chengzi, the Great Sage of Kongtong, which could cover a thousand square miles when large and be as small as a mustard seed when small. A single strike could destroy even a 'Cultivating Spirit to Void' level immortal, truly having the power to destroy heaven and earth. This seal, named 'Little Heaven-Turning,' required not only the right materials but also Zhou Qing’s initial 'Guiding Qi into the Body' cultivation. Most of the true essence converted from the primordial energy of heaven and earth was used to temper his body, and the rest was used to carve a Mustard Seed Array, making the seal resizable. However, even with Zhou Qing’s full effort, it could only expand to one meter, far from covering a thousand square miles. The jade pieces he stole were also of high quality. One from the female companion was black jade, an excellent material for invisibility talismans, which Zhou Qing would not waste.

A gentle breeze blew, and the setting sun cast golden light on the river. Zhou Qing was filled with emotion, reflecting on his five years of cultivation, where he had been extremely cautious, like walking on thin ice. Zhou Qing knew that in the world of cultivators, strength was everything, and secular laws meant little to cultivators. Some powerful cultivators could kill on the street without a trace, making it impossible for the police to investigate.

"Hmph! What I seek is freedom. Without great strength, everything is empty talk. From now on, I will plunder everything to enhance my strength. Morality, righteousness, and the great way are all nonsense. As long as I am strong enough, I am the way. I am the heaven. Why is heaven so powerful? Because it is not benevolent; it treats all things as straw dogs! What gods, demons, immortals, and Buddhas are all illusions. Only eternal strength is fundamental!" Zhou Qing’s thoughts surged like a tsunami, but his expression remained calm.

Walking along the river, he soon arrived at the antique street, the largest antique, jade, and porcelain trading center in C City, known in H Province. As night fell, pedestrians returned home, and shop owners closed their doors. Street vendors carefully packed up their goods. Zhou Qing quickly walked to a storefront on the street. "He Zibo, when did you come back?"

"Ah, I went to Tibet and returned yesterday. I collected some small items and was planning to call you to appraise them tonight. You came just in time. Come in, I’m closing the door."

He Zibo is Zhou Qing’s college classmate, who has always aspired to be a collector. After graduation, he and his girlfriend opened this antique shop, unlike Zhou Qing, who moved around.

"Where’s Yang Jing?" Zhou Qing asked as he entered the shop. "She went shopping with some friends and won’t be back until after nine. Come, take a look. I collected some good items in Tibet."

Zhou Qing picked out a few items, including the blue-green dharma wheel. "Give these to me. How much?"

"Hey! You always do this. Why don’t you call yourself Zhou Bapi?" He Zibo laughed and scolded, "But you always get a good price, much higher than I do. I don’t know how you find those suckers. Here, cost price, 2300."

"Alright! I’ll take them. I’ll pay you tomorrow."

"Don’t rush. Let’s have a drink first. I have a few bottles of beer."

Zhou Qing shook his head, "I can’t drink with you. Yang Jing will skin you alive when she comes back." He Zibo had a poor drinking capacity but loved alcohol, often getting scolded by his wife. Thinking of Yang Jing’s terror, Zhou Qing shivered, grabbed the items, and fled, leaving behind, "Brother, you’re really asking for it!" He Zibo was instantly depressed.

After several months of cultivation, the