Chapter 28

After the group returned from their training, they first went to the main hall to report to the sect leader. The sect leader allowed the four of them to enter and quietly listen to their experiences.

The Cult of Demons, Ximen Shuai, the Blood Shadow Sect, the Bloodstone, the Bamboo Sword, and the Green Jade Treasure Knife...

The sect leader, True Man Qianyu, was not rigid. He was not only knowledgeable but also very wise. When he heard about the theft of the Bloodstone, he glanced at Guyan, feeling quite worried. Guyan had very high potential and excellent physical attributes, and his father had helped him lay the foundation for cultivation, making his future limitless. Because of this, two elders of the Hidden Immortal Sect hoped the sect leader would slightly restrain Guyan, as they believed Guyan would eventually leave Yunqing Mountain and join the Blood Shadow Sect. True Man Qianyu was very firm, insisting that all disciples should be treated fairly. Guyan's high cultivation among his peers was due to his own efforts and should not be interfered with.

It was better not to reveal the truth, to avoid suspicions that Guyan might be a spy sent by his father, Guyan, to Yunqing Sect.

When True Man Qianyu heard about the Green Jade Treasure Knife, he was quite curious: "Can I see it?"

Lin Fan stepped forward and took out the Green Jade Treasure Knife. True Man Qianyu only looked without touching it, nodding: "This treasure knife is probably not inferior to the spell scrolls of Wushuang, but..."

"But?" Lin Fan asked nervously.

"But it will take a lot of time to refine it," True Man Qianyu replied, thinking to himself, poor child, this is a Buddhist knife. Why say so? Because this is the style of a Buddhist knife, with features like the lack of a blade, which are similar to those used by Buddhist disciples and cultivators. Why didn't True Man Qianyu tell the truth? Because he didn't want Lin Fan to give up halfway. The sect leader of the Orthodox Sect was known for being lazy, and it was rare for a disciple to be so dedicated. Besides, there was a way to solve it. When Lin Fan's cultivation was higher, he could practice some Buddhist cultivation methods. Although he couldn't fully unleash the power of the Green Jade Buddhist Knife, he could still use it.

True Man Qianyu was still quite fearful. Fortunately, this time the treasure was a Buddhist weapon. If it had been a Daoist weapon, the four of them might have been injured. If it had been a Cult of Demons weapon, there might have been fatalities. The worst case would be an evil weapon, which would not only cause the four to suffer but also result in countless deaths in the Jiulang Mountains.

If not for the fact that this Buddhist knife only sought self-preservation and did not intend to harm, the four would not have been able to subdue it. Thanks to Wushuang's spell scrolls, everything was due to fate. Years later, Lin Fan asked True Man Qianyu, if it was a Buddhist knife, why did it kill? Why did it kill the small fish? True Man Qianyu replied, a Buddhist knife is just a weapon. A cow has no intention of harming flies, but if a group of flies constantly surround the cow, the cow will be annoyed.

True Man Qianyu told Lin Fan, this might be the will of heaven. Apart from Lin Fan, no one else would go to bathe, and no one else would idly catch a dozen small fish. This treasure would not have appeared, but because of Lin Fan, it did.

Lin Fan said, this pond is too ordinary. True Man Qianyu replied, a mountain does not need to be high, as long as there is a immortal, it will be famous.

...

Lin Fan resumed his boring life in the mountains. After a hundred days, the sect leader emerged from seclusion, asked routine questions, and then heard about the theft of the Bloodstone, coldly snorting twice. When he saw the Green Jade Treasure Knife, the sect leader was surprised and asked, "Lin Fan, did the sect leader not see this knife?"

Lin Fan replied, "He saw it. He said this knife is probably not inferior to the spell scrolls of Zizhulin."

The sect leader snorted again, not blaming Lin Fan. Although Lin Fan had considerable experience, he had never come into contact with Buddhist people, and there were no related illustrations of Buddhist weapons in the library. However, it could not escape the sect leader's notice, and there must be a reason why the sect leader did not reveal the truth.

The sect leader said, "I will be out for a few days. You can play on your own."

A day later, someone broke into the Heavenly Sound Temple's scripture hall. After an inventory, it was discovered that a handwritten copy of a Buddhist introductory cultivation method, the Qingxin Method, was missing. A day later, this missing Buddhist cultivation method was torn off its cover and replaced with a new cover: the Wuliang Method. Two hours later, this Wuliang Method fell into Lin Fan's hands.

The sect leader said, "This is a gift from a good friend of mine. It conflicts with the Yunqing cultivation method, but you can practice it without trying to understand it."

Lin Fan asked in confusion, "What do you mean?"

"Within the foundation, it is the true qi of the Yunqing cultivation method... You're so stupid, just use the true qi of the Yunqing cultivation method and the spellcasting method of the Wuliang Method, and that's it."

The sect leader explained it simply, and Lin Fan quickly understood. It was about using the true qi cultivated by the Yunqing method and casting spells using the Wuliang method. However, after practicing for three days, Lin Fan was very puzzled. Practicing the Wuliang Method was not difficult at all, but... if a punch using the Yunqing method and its spellcasting method could break a large rock, using the Wuliang method's spellcasting method could only break a stick.

Lin Fan asked the sect leader in confusion, "Is it necessary to practice the Wuliang Method?"

The sect leader sighed, "Lin Fan, although the Wuliang Method is very poor, it is the last thing left by a good friend of mine before he died. I don't want to see it lost."

It turned out to be a memento. Lin Fan suddenly understood. The Wuliang Method was not worth practicing much, just learning the spellcasting method. In three days, he had already mastered it. Lin Fan decided that when he had the qualifications to take on disciples in the future, he would also pass on this method to his disciples. However, Lin Fan was very insightful. Since he only needed the spellcasting method, he cut out a large part of the Wuliang Method, making it even easier to master.

...

Time in the mountains has no seasons, and the cold ends without knowing the year. In the blink of an eye, a year had passed.

...

During this period, Bai Mu and Lin Fan often visited each other, and Ye Wushuang also came out to gather together. Only Guyan remained in a closed retreat in the Tianxing Sect.

After leaving the Qingyuan Sect and bidding farewell to Bai Mu, Lin Fan returned to the Orthodox Sect and mentioned Guyan's matter to the sect leader during a chess game. The sect leader held a chess piece for a long time before saying, "The Dao follows nature, everything follows the heart. Your senior brother Guyan has been in a closed retreat for half a year, clearly encountering a powerful opponent during this training, feeling his own inadequacies, and having a desire to achieve quickly."

Lin Fan asked, "Is this a bad thing?"

"Winners and losers, good and bad, cannot be determined now," the sect leader asked, "What do you think of your senior brother Guyan?"

"Although somewhat rigid, he has a rare persistence," Lin Fan replied.

"Hmm, persistence... somewhat has the nature of the Cult of Demons," the sect leader said, placing a piece, "Different concepts. Your senior brother Guyan insists on cultivating the righteous path, which is likely to be twice the effort for half the result. If he were to cultivate the Cult of Demons, it would be half the effort for twice the result. The righteous path has no shortcut."

Lin Fan said, "Please explain it more simply, Sect Leader."

"Is this not simple enough?" the sect leader said, "Two people with the same potential, one cultivates the righteous path, the other the Cult of Demons. Within ten to twenty years, the Cult of Demons will surely surpass the righteous path. But after thirty to fifty years, the righteous path will surpass the Cult of Demons. However, the cultivation of the Cult of Demons is arduous, requiring more effort. Even after two hundred years, it is impossible to determine who will win. Your senior brother Guyan's cultivation is naturally faster, but if he were a disciple of the Cult of Demons, the results would be much better."

Lin Fan said, "Senior brother Guyan is very determined to be a disciple of Yunqing Sect."

"Ha ha, Yunqing Sect, Yunqing is just a mountain, and Yunqing Sect is just the mountain king of Yunqing Mountain. Sigh... Your senior brother Guyan's realm is likely to be difficult to break through. Being too attached, he will become obsessed," the sect leader was somewhat worried. According to this, Guyan is someone who pursues cultivation over realm. Once limited by the realm, unable to break through, it might... well, everything is due to fate.

PS: This weekend there will be two updates, and I will be busy until December 5th, so please understand.

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