Chapter 61

Pointing at Lin Xuege, San San Zhenren said, "Never learn from him. Lin Fan, remember, no matter whether you are an ordinary person or a cultivator, it's impossible to always have smooth sailing, and it's impossible to have no setbacks. Today, I brought you here to introduce you to the Lin Xuege you mentioned. He has a high realm and cultivation, but unfortunately, his mind is fragile, making him a waste. Secondly, when you reach the Yuan Ying stage, kill him and take the sword."

Lin Fan smiled and tried to ease the tension, "Patriarch, don't be angry."

"I'm not angry."

"You are, you're angry." Lin Fan nodded firmly.

"Yes, how can I not be angry? My master was the elder who transmitted the techniques, founding the Zhengyi Sect. Unfortunately, he passed away soon after. I became the disciple of the law-enforcing elder. My eldest senior brother, that's him, Lin Xuege, and my second senior sister is Qian Yu Zhenren, the sect leader. She couldn't see through the word 'emotion.'" San San Zhenren then changed the subject, "Ximen Shuai came to report the news and also mentioned that you have a crush on a girl named Shangguan Feixue."

Lin Fan was furious, "Ximen Shuai is such a gossip."

"This is a good thing, it shows you're a man," San San Zhenren said. "I don't want to advise you on other matters, but I want to tell you one thing: you're just growing up, and the road ahead is long. Don't give up on yourself or become like him because of any setbacks. He forgot that besides his beloved wife, there are many people who care about him."

Lin Fan frowned, "Patriarch, I have a question. Aren't cultivators supposed to be free from desires and indifferent to fame and wealth?"

San San Zhenren countered, "What is your purpose in cultivation?"

"Cultivation has many benefits, such as not getting sick, longevity, and being powerful. Who knows, maybe even becoming a immortal," Lin Fan replied.

"Ha ha, so many desires, and you still talk about being free from desires? Those who are truly free from desires wouldn't want to become immortals. Even if they did become immortals, what would they do? They would just sit in one place, quietly contemplating. When all living beings are suffering, they would think of all beings as mere straw dogs. They themselves are also straw dogs."

"I understand." Lin Fan knew that Ximen Shuai had reported his journey. Lin Fan had doubts about the ascetic cultivators, who were indifferent to fame and wealth, and free from desires, which seemed to be the highest realm of Daoism. San San Zhenren took him on this trip to show him, through examples, what kind of people become ascetic cultivators.

"We are human first, and cultivators second. We have family ties, parental love, romantic love, and the love for our sect. Some say that to become an immortal, one must abandon all these. I say, why become an immortal then? To turn into rotten wood and a stone?" San San Zhenren turned and said, "I'm not angry, but when you reach the Yuan Ying stage, kill him."

"I can't do it."

San San Zhenren laughed, "Didn't you take a magical treasure from Ziyetong Men's disciple, Ziyeye?"

Lin Fan replied, "Taking a treasure from an evil person is different from taking a treasure from an innocent person."

San San Zhenren nodded, "Good. What do you think of the thousand-year-old fox spirit?"

Lin Fan thought for a moment, "She has feelings and righteousness, but she also commits heinous acts."

"I'm starting to like Ximen Shuai," San San Zhenren smiled. "Let's go." The previous statement was the final evaluation of Lin Fan's training. San San Zhenren believed it was very worthwhile, as Lin Fan expressed his own thoughts and opinions on many matters.

Lin Fan flew up and caught up with San San Zhenren, "Patriarch, what about Senior Brother Guyan?"

"Guyan! He's a problem," San San Zhenren sighed. "He's too obsessed. He's forcefully cultivating the sword flight technique. Because there's a precedent with Zhang Tongyuan using a golden core to control a sword, he also wants to break through to the golden core sword control. This young man feels his father wronged Yunqing Sect, so he wants to do more for Yunqing Sect to make up for it. Let him practice, and don't disturb him. Who knows, he might really succeed. The sect leader has it in mind."

"Oh, I see." Lin Fan looked down and waved, "Bai Mu!"

A white figure flew up from halfway up the mountain and rose to Lin Fan's level, "Greetings, San San Zhenren."

"En, you can chat," San San Zhenren nodded and left.

Bai Mu was delighted to see Lin Fan and said, "Wushuang told me you were alive. I wanted to come and see you, but I was assigned a task and couldn't get away."

Lin Fan asked, "A task? What task?"

"Array cultivation!" Bai Mu looked up at the mountain peak. "On Taqing Mountain, many cultivators have treasures and divine weapons. To prevent thieves from stealing and killing, seven layers of restrictions and three gate arrays have been set up on Taqing Mountain. I have something to show you."

"What?" Lin Fan was curious.

Bai Mu took out nine small flags from his bag, "These are called the Xuanhuang Cold Ice Flags. A friend from the East Sea visited our patriarch and set up a small game. I won the top prize and got these. These flags can set up the Xuanhuang Array and the Cold Ice Array, with countless other uses. I no longer have to stay in one place to defend against enemies. Next time we train, I won't be a burden."

The two chatted warmly, having been apart for a long time. At this moment, Lin Fan remembered something and asked, "Do you know about the Misty Swamp in the Vast Wasteland and an old lady named Jiwu?"

"I know about the Misty Swamp. It's filled with miasma, which is the gas leaking from the underground Yellow Spring. It's difficult for anyone below the Foundation Establishment stage to pass through. As for Jiwu, I haven't heard of her. Can you describe her in more detail?"

Lin Fan described Jiwu's appearance and clothing, and then introduced Wuer. Bai Mu also found it quite strange. If Jiwu didn't care about Wuer, she wouldn't have taught her the basic cultivation techniques or saved Lin Fan, just to help him take Wuer out of the Misty Swamp. If Jiwu cared about Wuer, she wouldn't have whipped and punished her, nor ignored the lumps all over her body.

Bai Mu thought for a long time, "I'm sure I haven't heard of or seen any records about Jiwu, but the lumps all over Wuer's body, which can rupture and ooze pus without pain or itching, sound familiar. I remember, a few years ago, when I was repairing a magical array at the Yinxian Sect, a contributor from our Qingyuan Sect mentioned something similar."

Lin Fan was delighted, "I'll immediately ask the patriarch for a pass."

Bai Mu shook his head, "He passed away last year... Lin Fan, don't worry. If the elders of Qingyuan Sect know about it, it will definitely be in the books. I'll keep an eye out and help you find it."

Lin Fan nodded, "Right, you're all bookworms who never leave home."

Bai Mu shook his head, "No, I've been to Little Dongzhou."

"Wow, impressive!"

Bai Mu chuckled, "Lin Fan, tell me about your experiences in the Vast Wasteland. I want to record them."

"Oh? So this document will be called 'Lin Fan's Journey in the Vast Wasteland'?"

"That doesn't sound good. How about just 'Journey in the Vast Wasteland'?"

Lin Fan glared, and Bai Mu smiled, "I have some good tea. Let's drink and talk."

Lin Fan had good relations with people. After being led into Qingyuan Sect by Bai Mu, although he didn't find any documents related to Jiwu, he quickly became familiar with the Qingyuan Sect's fellow disciples. Among them were a few who liked to gamble, and Lin Fan opened a gambling den in Qingyuan Sect, playing Xuanhe Pai. Everyone had a great time, but in the end, the Qingyuan Sect disciples who participated in the gambling and spectating were punished, and Lin Fan was expelled from Qingyuan Mountain by the patriarch of Qingyuan Sect.

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