Chapter 8: The Lotus Fairy

  (New book rankings, begging everyone to vote for a recommendation ticket and collect one or two!)

  Yun Fei opened his eyes, stood up and sighed: "The sword path has opened the way, but it takes more years to cultivate the sword energy than the Taoist path. After the sword energy is cultivated, there are many difficulties. It is said that in ancient times, my Sword Immortal was invincible in the same realm, and no one dared to provoke its edge. Unfortunately, in recent ancient times, not only is it difficult to cultivate as before, but also those who have reached the same level are far weaker than the Taoist path. This makes me wonder if the decline of the Sword Immortal is really a heavenly punishment."

  "Big Brother!"

  With a wave of his hand, Yun Fei smiled and said: "Don't worry, Shixiong isn't that fragile. These three years, I've also managed to hold on. I won't give up again. Even if the other eight vein disciples cultivate faster than us, the path to immortality is boundless. It relies on comprehension, opportunities, and realms. We can't compare with them in terms of realm, so we'll just work hard to cultivate and rise to a higher realm. I don't believe we can't suppress them!"

  Qitian nodded, and from Yunfei's body, he increasingly felt a formless aura of sharpness. This sharp aura was intangible and invisible, yet it truly existed, causing the air in his dantian to vibrate and hum, as if resonating with it.

  "Right," Yun Fei said, as if he had thought of something, "Brother, in your spare time from practicing qigong, you can also go to the Scripture Pavilion to choose a sword technique to study. There are many sword techniques in the Scripture Pavilion, all of which were collected from ordinary people. You and I have not yet opened up the 108 meridians, nor have we developed sword energy, so we cannot practice the Immortal Sword Technique. Practicing sword techniques can serve two purposes: one is for self-defense, and the other is to gain insight into the Way of the Sword. Master said that all swords return to their origin, and even ordinary sword techniques have true meaning."

  "Ten thousand swords return to their origin." Qi Tian murmured a sentence, and his eyes seemed to flash with a divine light.

  Yun Fei touched his head and said, "I just told my younger brother what our master said back then. These principles are also beyond my understanding, only to be slowly comprehended later. Younger brother, don't get too obsessed, or you'll encounter demonic obstacles."

  A sudden burst of energy, and he no longer delves deeper in thought.

  Yun Fei said, "Right, junior brother, in the Cang Jing Pavilion there are some introductory Dao techniques that are prepared for disciples who have not yet opened up all 108 meridians. As you are a pure Golden Body, you should choose the Metal Element Dao technique. However, as I am from the Xian Jian sect, after cultivating the sword energy, it will be impossible to practice any more Dao techniques. Therefore, junior brother, just select some practical ones and slightly cultivate them, don't put the cart before the horse."

  "Brother, rest assured, I remember," Zitian smiled and said.

  Yun Fei made him wait for a moment again, entered the pavilion, and took out a purple bamboo sword to hand it over to him.

  Heavenly Sword, this bamboo sword has a purple glow, is four feet long and one and a half inches wide. The body of the sword seems to have flowing water light, very light and agile.

  The Purple Bamboo Sword had a sharp blade on both sides, and although it was a bamboo sword, Qitian could see the bright light of the sword, with a hint of chilliness emanating from it.

  Yun Fei said: "This purple bamboo sword is a third-grade Taoist sword, made from hundred-year-old purple bamboo and forged by Sword Yuan. It was given to me by Master in the afternoon with the technique of Yu Jian, which is a ninth-grade artifact. Only those above third grade can wield it, otherwise, it's easy to get hurt by its sharpness. You use it first, brother, be careful to nourish it with spiritual energy, and when we open up all our Taoist apertures and generate sword energy, Master will prepare better Taoist swords for us."

  Qitian wore the Zizhu sword on his back, and Yunfei looked at him with a glance, praising: "Younger brother, you look like this, quite a bit of a swordsman's demeanor. In the future when you enter the realm of the sword soul, you will be able to come and go freely in the blue sky, galloping through the world."

  Then, the two of them drank a small amount from a gourd and each returned to their quarters to spit out the spiritual energy. Three periods later, dawn broke.

  Zhitian walked out of the temple, feeling a little melancholic. Unconsciously, one day had passed and another was approaching.

  Above the head is the dome of the sky, at this moment the immortal mist is arrayed in layers, auspicious energy is steaming up, a group of immortal cranes are flying over in a flock, on top of the immortal cranes, Qitian saw several vague human silhouettes.

  "That is the crane raised by Mount Longevity, it has lived longer than us, legend has it that the most refined crane has already lived for over 300 years, and has long since shed its form, able to transform into a human body. In Mount Longevity, it is also an elder of the Ming generation, these are all its crane sons and grandsons."

  Before he knew it, Yunfei was standing shoulder to shoulder with him, seemingly noticing Qitian's sigh. "Is it because you feel that time has passed very quickly?"

  He nodded in agreement, but didn't say anything.

  Yun Fei took a deep breath and said again, "The path of immortality is vast and endless. Sometimes, practicing like this every day makes one unaware of the passage of time. Now, I still remember when I first entered the sect three years ago. It feels like yesterday. After three years of quiet cultivation, I have come to realize that the key to success in the path of immortality is not about cultivating skills or accumulating years, but about fate."

  "It's fate!" Qitian murmured.

  "Not bad, the Taoist's struggle for life is what leads to longevity. Countless Taoists pursue it, and once they have life, they can give birth to more years and months, piling up infinite time to cultivate themselves, and there will always be achievements."

  "Speaking of which, Yunfei shook his head and said: "But without cultivation, where does life come from? So, the path to immortality is vast, we are all struggling, wanting to become immortal, it's difficult!"

  Qitian couldn't help but take another look at Yunfei and said, "I didn't expect that, Brother Shifu actually has such a profound understanding of the Dao of Immortals."

  Yun Fei couldn't help but roll his eyes and said, "Never mind, these are all the truths that have been polished over the years. As time goes on, you will naturally have such enlightenment. You're just starting out on the immortal path, Brother, you need to be patient. Speaking of which, when I first started practicing the Sword Classic, I was also like this, but as time went on, it also became dull."

  Qitian nodded, and the two parted ways. Yunfei continued to absorb and spit out the spiritual energy of heaven and earth as usual, wanting to quickly transform his sword energy. He had the intention of competing with the other eight veins, and he didn't think about going down the mountain to receive disciples again.

  Qitian walked along the Lingxi River, left the Zizhulin and headed towards the Cangjing Pavilion.

  The sword peak fairy palace is extremely quiet, except for a few spiritual birds falling from time to time, there is no human presence at all. These spiritual birds are not afraid of life, but behind the back of the purple bamboo sword, the edge is sharp and piercing, and only a few dare to come up and provoke, Zitian has a kind of feeling as if he is in a different world, looking at the fairy palace pure land in front of him, and feels a sense of unreality.

  Suddenly, he heard a rustling sound coming from above his head and couldn't help but look up.

  In the clouds and mist tens of feet high, there is a lotus flower with a diameter of several feet, shining with a soft blue light, slowly descending through the fog.

  This jade lotus seems to be carved from spiritual jade, with twelve lotus leaves, each one crystal clear and translucent, with a thin layer of mist swirling around it. On top of the jade lotus stands a beautiful young woman, just like a fairy from a painting, descending into the mortal world, leaving Qi Tian stunned.

  A woman in a sapphire blue long dress, her face as white as a silver plate, her eyes like apricot kernels, her lips as red as cherry blossoms, her slender waist like a willow branch, her entire body as delicate and icy as jade, exuding an air of elegance and refinement, such a breathtaking beauty is truly a rare sight in this world.

  What surprised Qitian even more was that the woman's feet were not wearing a single thread, her jade-like feet were as crystal clear as ice, with a faint glow emanating from them. The lotus flower fell down, and the woman's lotus foot lightly stepped on it, as if there was a layer of clear blue water rippling and floating under her feet, without any dust sticking to it.

  In his lower abdomen, that faint golden aura fluctuated, and Qi Tian quickly came to his senses. His eyes cleared up and looked at the woman.

  Only a few feet away, he could see the woman's crystal-like skin as clear as jade, and a refreshing cool air came towards him.

  "But Jianfeng's newly entered junior brother."

  The girl's cherry lips slightly opened, her voice was like a spring breeze brushing against the face, and also like jade beads falling onto a plate, crisp and pleasant to the ear.

  Qitian secretly admired her and at the same time pointed his sword, saluting: "I am Qitian, may I ask if you are a disciple of Lianhuafeng?"

  Green Cloud Nine Peaks, all female disciples return to Lotus Peak, so this girl's origin, Qi Tian took a look and knew.

  "I am a ninth disciple under Peak Master's seat, you can call me Yulian Yi."

  Qitian smiled and said: "So it's Jade Shifu, I don't know what brings you to my Sword Peak?"

  Yu Lian's clothes fluttered as she nodded slightly and said, "Following the master's orders, I have come to see Master Ming and ask for ten stalks of hundred-year-old purple bamboo to refine a Daoist instrument. Where is your senior brother Yun Fei?"

  Just as Zhitian was about to speak, he heard a whistling wind sound behind him. In the purple bamboo forest, a golden divine light flashed like lightning, stirring up a strange and mournful gust of wind that quickly approached them from afar.

  "Sister, I'm here!" (New book rankings, begging all brothers and sisters for a recommendation vote, collect one or two!)