“Ding-ding-ding-ding!”
A rapid series of clear chimes rang through the air as Lu Zheng crossed swords with Xue Heng.
Although Lu Zheng’s crimson jade sword was no longer suitable for high-level duels, it was still more than enough to spar with Xue Heng and the others.
Moments later, the crimson jade sword quivered slightly in flight, slipped past Xue Heng’s guard from the side, scattered his sword light, and brushed gently across his neck.
“Magnificent swordsmanship!”
Min Qing’er clapped and laughed. “Senior Brother, let us see if you still dare to be so full of yourself!”
Xue Heng was speechless. “I only beat you by one move last time. How is that being full of myself? When have I ever been arrogant? Besides, I am older than you anyway.”
“Hmph!” Min Qing’er gave a light snort, then pulled Shen Ying over and kept praising. “Brother Lu defeated Senior Brother Xue using nothing but a single sword-control scripture. He is absolutely a swordsmanship genius. It is a pity he joined White Cloud Temple. He should have come to Feiyu Mountain instead.”
Shen Ying smiled sweetly. Thinking of Yan Hongxia and now looking at Min Qing’er, she wondered whether all children who practised the sword were this straightforward.
“My husband’s attainments in White Cloud Temple arts are also profound,” Shen Ying said with a smile.
Min Qing’er nodded repeatedly. “True. If he used his real cultivation, Senior Brother Xue probably could not block even one strike.”
Xue Heng: “…”
“Yet purely on sword technique alone, Brother Lu only studied one sword-control scripture. That text only explains how to control a sword and the basic forms. We, on the other hand, have studied countless ways to wield flying swords, combat experience, and duelling skills. For Brother Lu to deduce so many sword paths from basic forms alone is truly remarkable,” Xue Heng commented.
Those practical texts filled more than half of Feiyu Mountain’s scripture repository. They ensured that even if a disciple’s cultivation was equal or slightly inferior, they could still travel the jianghu and triumph over enemies.
Lu Zheng only smiled and said nothing.
He had never read those books, but he had his jade seal. The Feiyu Cloud-Riding Sword Scripture contained the most fundamental sword forms, did it not? By continuously pouring strands of fortune light into it, he had long since deduced his own swordsmanship to an extremely high realm.
Learning that one plus one equals two, then continuing the deductions all the way to building an atomic bomb; that was perfectly logical, was it not?
…
This was Lu Zheng and Shen Ying’s third day on Feiyu Mountain.
On the afternoon of the first day, Zheng Boxian, Xue Zhen, and another elder had hosted a banquet for the couple and invited them to stay longer.
Lu Zheng naturally accepted, but afterwards he no longer troubled the elders. Instead he toured the mountain’s sights with Xue Heng and Min Qing’er and made the acquaintance of other Feiyu Mountain disciples.
This was the usual way young disciples of great sects got to know one another and exchanged ideas. If they hit it off, they became friends.
For example, that was exactly how Lu Zheng had become friends with Rong Song of the Jinhua Sect.
Both Lu Zheng and Shen Ying were easy to get along with, and Xue Heng and Min Qing’er were among the finest of Feiyu Mountain’s current generation. The four of them got on splendidly.
…
After the friendly duel, the small crowd of Feiyu Mountain disciples who had gathered nearby laughed, greeted them, and dispersed. Only then did the four sit down on stone chairs beneath a tree.
Min Qing’er took some pine nuts from the little pack on her back and placed them on the stone table. Everyone chatted while nibbling.
“Brother Lu, I fear your current flying sword is no longer adequate,” Xue Heng said.
Lu Zheng nodded. “But I have already obtained the sword-refining method from Immortal Han. I plan to forge a new one once I return home.”
“You already have the materials?”
“I do.”
There was no need to hide it. Lu Zheng patted his gourd and produced three pieces of spiritual material he had traded for at White Cloud Temple over the New Year.
“Feiyu Mountain flying swords are renowned for being light and agile. These three materials are enough to forge a fine sword.”
Xue Heng examined them carefully, his eyes brightening. “Cloud-pattern iron, flowing-light refined gold, and this one I do not recognise; extremely hard, perfect for the sword spine.”
“What do you think?”
“Excellent stuff!” Xue Heng praised, then sighed. “What a pity.”
“Hm?” Lu Zheng blinked, then understood. “Pity there is no cloud-light?”
Min Qing’er nodded. “These three materials are superb. Once forged, the sword would probably serve me for two hundred years.”
She was clearly confident that she would achieve immortality and become a sword immortal.
Xue Heng rubbed his nose, blinked, and looked at Lu Zheng. “Why not ask the Sect Leader again for a little cloud-light?”
Lu Zheng shook his head. “No. Your sword-qi cloud-light is limited even for your own people. I cannot bring myself to ask.”
No matter how special sword-qi cloud-light was, it required sufficient quantity to be effective. The experts of Feiyu Mountain collected daily and only barely met their own needs.
“Actually…” Min Qing’er thought for a moment. “Special cloud-light does not exist only on Feiyu Mountain…”
Xue Heng shook his head. “Do not. Places with special cloud-light are almost always cave-heavens or blessed lands where spiritual qi gathers. Nearly all of them have owners. Do not lead Brother Lu into trouble.”
Min Qing’er rolled her eyes. “You certainly could not, but with Brother Lu and Sister Shen’s cultivation, what is wrong with paying a visit and asking politely? Sometimes our own mountain elders go visiting to request some too. That cloud-light is not very useful to those people anyway.”
Xue Heng could only press a hand to his forehead.
Lu Zheng raised an eyebrow and exchanged a smile with Shen Ying. They understood.
Feiyu Mountain clearly did not have enough sword-qi cloud-light for itself. It seemed their elders occasionally went out to “earn a little extra on the side”.
With the prestige of the Three Feathers and Seven Rosy Clouds, few dared compete with them for cloud-light.
“What other special cloud-lights are there?” Lu Zheng asked Min Qing’er.
“For example, Wen Hua Temple on Mount Puyang has a golden summit where Buddha-light forms every day, creating Golden Summit Cloud-Light,” Min Qing’er said.
Lu Zheng rubbed his chin. “A Buddhist sect. That would be tricky. Is there anywhere I could take some without future trouble?”
“There is! Fantasy Cloud Valley. Every day the cloud-light that falls into the valley turns into Seven Illusory Flying Clouds. But that cloud-light is regarded as private property by the great serpent in the valley. Whenever our mountain elders go, several of them have to go together.” Min Qing’er looked thoughtful.
Lu Zheng: “…”
Never mind that one. If he went, he would probably just become the snake’s dinner.
“Within Guanglin Circuit, the only famous places with special cloud-light that I know are those two,” Min Qing’er said, spreading her hands.
Cloud-light was not a commonly used resource; most cultivators had no need for it, so few paid special attention. Only Feiyu Mountain needed it, which was why Min Qing’er knew a few locations. But her cultivation was still shallow, so knowing more would not help her anyway.
“I know a few more,” said Xue Heng, a junior of Elder Xue Zhen and thus better informed. “One in Hexi Circuit, two in Chuandong Circuit.”
Min Qing’er grew interested. “What kinds of cloud-light? Who owns them?”
“In Zizhou of Hexi Circuit there is Sweet-Dew Mountain and Sweet-Dew Palace, a Taoist territory. Their Sweet-Dew Cloud-Light has miraculous effects on healing wounds and illness,” Xue Heng said.
Lu Zheng sighed. “Next.”
“In Chuandong Circuit there is a stretch of the Nine-Bend River surrounded by mountains where spiritual qi gathers. When cloud-light shines upon the river it forms Nine-Bend Cloud-Light, winding and unpredictable, extraordinarily profound. However, all of it is collected by the river god of the Yuejin River, who uses it as gifts when visiting relatives and friends,” Xue Heng continued.
Lu Zheng was rendered speechless. The Yuejin River was a major waterway in Chuandong Circuit, so its river god was no small figure, and moreover held an official position.
Lu Zheng still remembered that when there had been floods years ago and they travelled from Lingbei Circuit into Chuandong Circuit, it was the Yuejin River God who had sent an old turtle to escort them safely along the water route.
Another one he absolutely could not provoke…
