Lu Zheng had not expected that the owner of the silk handkerchief was actually Immortal Han’s own junior sister.
In those years the two had been as close as real sisters, living and cultivating together. Yet this Junior Sister Guo had vanished during a journey down the mountain more than a hundred years ago and never returned.
Which meant…
The Immortal Han before him was in fact an old grandmother over a hundred years old.
Of course, Lu Zheng kept his gaze perfectly proper, revealing not the slightest stray thought.
“Back then Junior Sister was still practising the Feiyu Cloud-Riding Sword Scripture. Her memory was poor, so she embroidered the whole text onto a handkerchief to study at any time.”
Immortal Han gazed at the object and remembered the person. “I never thought that after a century this handkerchief could return to Feiyu Mountain.”
She was lost in thought for a moment, then came back to herself and looked at Lu Zheng. “Many thanks, Young Master Lu, for travelling so far to return the scripture.”
“You are too polite, Immortal. In truth I also received great kindness from Senior Guo. This sword scripture has helped me slay powerful enemies many times,” Lu Zheng replied.
“Oh?” Immortal Han raised an eyebrow. “This scripture contains only the sword-control method.”
Lu Zheng smiled, patted his gourd, and drew forth a crimson jade sword. “At the time the scripture was in the hands of a seductive corpse called Bai Yuqing. She had refined her own fingernails into a flying sword that could change size at will. It was rather convenient.”
Immortal Han saw the true nature of the crimson jade sword at a glance. “A century-old ghostly corpse, fingernails refined into a flying sword. I fear it is no longer sufficient for the Young Master’s present needs.”
Lu Zheng gave a wry nod. “Last time I met a thousand-year wolf demon, it destroyed one such sword.”
Immortal Han could not help laughing. “Young Master Lu obtained the scripture and cultivated it to completion; clearly you have fate with our Feiyu Mountain. We cannot let you continue using such flying swords in battle. Tell me, do you want a finished flying sword, or do you wish to refine one yourself?”
Lu Zheng blinked, then spoke frankly. “Many thanks, Immortal. If this junior may be so bold, I would like to request the sword-refining method from this scripture and forge a flying sword with my own hands.”
Everyone laughed. Elder Xue Zhen said, “That is only proper. A sword one refines oneself is always more comfortable to wield.”
Immortal Han smiled. “The Feiyu Cloud-Riding Sword Scripture is not counted among our sect’s secret transmissions; it has been gifted to close friends before, and the refining method is the same.”
Lu Zheng rose and bowed deeply. “My deepest thanks to Immortal Han!”
“No need for thanks. Young Master, focus your mind. I will transmit the technique now.”
Lu Zheng’s eyes flickered. He remained perfectly still as Immortal Han pointed a finger. A spark of spiritual light flashed from her brow and tried to enter his true spirit sea of consciousness.
Unlike previous occasions when Song Kaichuan, Perfected Peng Yu, or Daoist Wansong had transmitted knowledge directly into his mind and he had been powerless to resist, Lu Zheng now possessed the strength to bar the light if he wished.
Ahem. Naturally he did no such thing. He relaxed his sea of consciousness and allowed the wisp of light to enter, where it unfolded into several thousand characters.
《Feiyu Cloud-Riding Sword-Refining Method》!
Lu Zheng’s face lit up with joy. The greatest objective of this journey was now achieved.
“You have travelled far to visit us. Would you be willing to stay on the mountain a few days? Though Feiyu Mountain cannot compare to the famous mountains and rivers of the world, it has some unique scenery of its own,” Immortal Han said with a smile. “Young Master Lu’s cultivation is profound; you could also offer some guidance to the less gifted disciples of our sect.”
“Where, where!” Lu Zheng accepted with a laugh. “To reside in this immortal abode of Feiyu Mountain is my heart’s desire. How could I dare ask for more!”
…
As master of Feiyu Mountain, Immortal Han naturally could not accompany Lu Zheng the entire time. After chatting a while longer and arranging food and lodging for Lu Zheng and Shen Ying, she took her leave, leaving Elder Xue Zhen and another elder to keep them company.
The two elders attending the guests was a sign of respect, yet Lu Zheng was still the junior. After talking with them for a time, he politely sent them on their way and had two younger Feiyu Mountain disciples take over as guides.
…
“Brother Lu, Immortal Shen, this is the famous Cloud-Within-Valley of Feiyu Mountain. It gathers and conceals qi; spiritual energy from a hundred li around converges here. We usually break through or cultivate in this place.”
The speaker was a Feiyu Mountain female disciple named Min Qing’er. Though young, her cultivation was considerable; she was a direct-transmission disciple. Had Yan Hongxia not met with her extraordinary opportunity in the Eastern Sea, the two would probably have been evenly matched.
The man accompanying Lu Zheng was handsome, with sword-like brows and starry eyes. Dressed in snow-white robes, his gaze shone as sharp as swords.
Whereas Min Qing’er constantly introduced the mountains and rivers of Feiyu Mountain, this man named Xue Heng preferred discussing sword arts with Lu Zheng.
“Although the Feiyu Cloud-Riding Sword Scripture is not a secret transmission of the mountain, it serves as a foundational sword classic. It combines the light, agile spirit of feathered flight with the unpredictable transformations of riding rosy clouds.”
“Exactly so.” Lu Zheng nodded. “I hear that once one has identified one’s strengths, there are follow-up sword scriptures to cultivate.”
Xue Heng nodded. “Indeed. Some pursue the Feiyu branch, others the Cloud-Riding branch. A few disciples try to master both and focus solely on the Feiyu Cloud-Riding Sword Scripture; they too achieve success.”
Lu Zheng nodded again. Thanks to continuous elevation through his jade seal, he had already cultivated the Feiyu Cloud-Riding Sword Scripture to an extremely high level, probably no longer inferior to the various sword immortals of Feiyu Mountain.
By now the sky had begun to darken. The sun was sinking in the west, and strands of evening clouds spread across the horizon.
At that moment a sword light shot skyward from the rear mountain, piercing straight into the golden clouds.
Then countless coloured sword lights began flashing in the heavens. Endless rosy clouds flowed like water, rippling layer upon layer across the sky before merging into the sword light.
In the next instant the sword light became clouds, radiating dozens of li of rosy glow that shimmered and flowed, reflecting the sunset at the edge of the world in a blaze of golden splendour.
Shen Ying’s eyes lit up. She exclaimed softly, “How beautiful!”
Min Qing’er also gazed in fascination. “An elder from the rear mountain is gathering cloud-light. The terrain and spiritual qi of Feiyu Mountain are sharp as swords that reach the highest heavens. When the rosy clouds pass over, they carry a trace of sword qi.”
Lu Zheng murmured, “Gathering cloud-light to refine into a flying sword?”
Xue Heng nodded. “Precisely. Tempering sword qi with cloud-light is our Feiyu Mountain’s unique sword-refining technique.”
Lu Zheng nodded too. The Feiyu Cloud-Riding Sword-Refining Method did indeed contain relevant descriptions.
Special kinds of cloud-light worked best, such as the sword-qi clouds unique to Feiyu Mountain. Yet even Feiyu Mountain itself did not have enough for its own use, and Lu Zheng’s relationship with them had not reached the point where he could ask for any. He set the thought aside.
Ordinary cloud-light also worked, only the quantity required was enormous. Even collecting diligently every dawn and dusk, forging a single sufficiently powerful flying sword would still take decades.
Where would Lu Zheng find that kind of time?
Never mind, never mind. Flying swords were not his main path anyway. With the few pieces of spiritual material he had traded for at White Cloud Temple this year, he could already forge a flying sword of considerable power.
