Chapter Sixty: Tian Máng

  Lin Fan was very polite and bowed his head: "I've seen the sect leader."

  "En!" Qian Yu Zhenren's gaze remained fixed on Wu Er: "Wu Er, since San Sheng Zhenren has taken you in, no matter what, you are now a disciple of Yun Qing Men."

  "It is... the leader." Yu'er replied.

  Qian Yu Zhen Ren said: "But due to the sect rules, Zhengyi Sect temporarily cannot accept female disciples. This is Mie Jue Zhen Ren, the master of Zi Zhu Lin. You can go to Zi Zhu Lin."

  "Unless Master agrees, I dare not take liberties."

  Qian Yu said: "I am the leader, it's settled."

  Unless the master agrees.

  Extinct true person asked: "Why?"

  "The master is very good to me." answered Meng Yu.

  Wow, your standards are really low, Lin Fan said: "Yu'er, it's okay, go ahead."

  Wu Er asked Lin Fan: "Really?"

  "Really." Lin Fan said: "Didn't you see that Zhengyi Sect only has one disciple like me? It can be seen how lazy the sect master is. One more person, one more thing to do."

  "Hmph!" Mie Juren coldly snorted, most displeased with San San Zhenren's behavior, which completely lacked the demeanor of a sect master.

  Wu Er nodded: "Yes!"

  "Then you go with Miezhong True Person first."

  "Yes!" Wuer was somewhat reluctant to leave Lin Fan, she knew that the Purple Bamboo Forest was a more suitable place for herself than Zhengyi Sect, but after leaving the Misty Swamp, Lin Fan had always been her spiritual pillar.

  "When I have time, I will go see you."

  "Invading the Purple Bamboo Forest unauthorized will result in eighty lashes of thunder and half a year of hard labor," said Mie Xing coldly.

  No wonder my master called you the Exterminating Wife, Lin Fan lowered his head and didn't speak. The misty figure and the Exterminator left, but when they reached the main hall door, she still couldn't bear to part with Lin Fan. She turned her head, her nose souring, tears falling down. The Exterminator said calmly: "What are you crying for? There will be chances to meet again."

  "Yes!" answered Meng'er.

  Inside the grand hall, Qian Yu asked, "Tell me about what happened at Zi Xiao Hall, tell me in detail."

  Zixiao Hall? Lin Fan was about to meet Zhang Tongyuan, and then the master of Zixiao Hall, Quan Duojing, told him in detail. Qian Yu True Person listened for a long time without making a sound, muttering to himself: "The chaos of the twelve continents must start with Zixiao. Lin Fan, your sect master is too idle and hasn't tested your homework. If you have any questions, you can come ask me directly."

  "Thank you, Master." Lin was hesitant: "That...Master, what does it mean by 'Foundation Establishment is complete'?"

  Yesterday Lin Fan asked San San Zhen Ren, and San San Zhen Ren replied: Whether it's perfect or not, how the lotus grows is already unchangeable, what's the point of thinking so much.

  Qian Yu Zhen Ren heard Lin Fan's description, placed his hand on Lin Fan's palm, and after probing with his divine sense, frowned in annoyance: "You're being reckless, your foundation is not yet established, but you're already cultivating the Buddhist Dharma Gate technique. Fortunately, your Taoist true energy is pure... Ah, how can one know whether losing a horse is good or bad fortune? This Baiyan Demon Lord's Purple Thunder nearly killed you, but it also helped you complete your foundation. The demonic sect's life and death trials to seek breakthroughs seem not entirely unreasonable. Lin Fan, with the same Wind Control technique, why do some people fly fast while others fly slow? With the same Protective True Energy, why can some people's energy deflect heavenly thunder, while others' can only withstand wind and snow?"

  "Is it different from the boundary?" Lin Fan was uncertain.

  "Of course, it's a boundary, but the foundation, golden elixir, and primordial infant are all your own characteristics. This foundation lotus of yours is broken and then established, so the light is introverted, which is a defensive type. Introverted and gathered, not released yet, once released, shocking.

  Qian Yu True Person saw Lin Fan not quite understanding, simply said: "Your characteristic is strong defense and offense, in the right way it's quite rare, even in the demonic sect only those who have experienced life and death can get it. What you've learned is too miscellaneous, from talismans, thunder talismans to five elements escape, and also learning strange door escape armor... Your master isn't a mediocre person, but he's a lazy person. Not teaching you to specialize in one door, that's his fault."

  Lin Fan explained to Zong Zhu: "Zong Zhu's intention is to let me learn first and specialize in swordsmanship later."

  Senya Kuroba was puzzled: "You have a good foundation, talent and wisdom, learning Dao Fa is half the effort, but learning to control the sword is not your forte, why does your sect teach this way?"

  Lin Fan said: "Could it be that the Imperial Sword is relatively simpler?"

  "Haha, simple..." Tenshō Gakuen's smile was very good-looking. Tenshō Gakuen shook his head: "Not simple, the sword heart is connected to the spirit, the person and the sword are one, changing endlessly, advancing can attack, retreating can defend, moving like lightning, stable as a pine tree. Controlling the sword is simple, finding the spiritual sword has a will of its own, cultivating the heart is enough. However, the technique of controlling the sword is different for each sword, no one can teach it, so controlling the sword is the simplest, yet also the most difficult. Since your sect leader has a plan in mind, I won't ask further, you may go down now, if you have any questions, you can come find me."

  "Thanks for your hospitality."

  ……

  Lin Fan played for a few more days, and with ease, he refined the Qian Kun ring. He was extremely delighted to sneak down the mountain, go to the market, and stuff all kinds of delicious food into the Qian Kun ring. On his way back up the mountain, he felt refreshed in his heart, and from then on, he no longer worried about drinking northwest wind.

  San San had already gone out and come back. Lin Fan wasn't the first time sneaking down the mountain, nor was he in the mood. He came down himself to fetch water: "Master Zong, play a game?"

  The three true men shook their heads and said, "You come over."

  Lin Fan looked at San San with a serious expression, which was rare for him. He walked over and asked, "Master, isn't it great that the Extinctive Madwoman snatched away the Foggy Child? Why don't you look happy?"

  The three true men did not answer, and looked at a bundle of cloth in front of them: "This is something left by your father-in-law."

  Lin Fan took over the bundle, layer by layer opening it, and then was surprised: "Embroidery needles?" Only to see that the innermost layer was filled with embroidery needles, roughly counting, there were one or two hundred. Lin Fan asked in doubt: "Could it be that my father wants to teach me how to grind an iron rod into a needle?"

  "Lin Fan, I'm being serious for once, can you please cooperate a bit?" San San Zhen Ren said discontentedly: "The sword is not limited to the sword, there are also knives, Zen sticks, rulers and so on, as well as various strange weapons. And this embroidery needle is one of them."

  "Your... your... your needle?" Lin Fan wiped his sweat again and looked at the package of embroidered needles: "This is just an ordinary embroidery needle."

  San San couldn't help but slap Lin Fan's back of the head: "Can you be serious for once? Besides embroidery needles, can't you see anything else?"

  Lin was startled and suspicious, looked for a while, shook his head: "No."

  "Look..." The master wiped his forehead with a cold sweat and flipped another layer of cloth: "Haven't you seen it yet?"

  "I see." Lin Fan didn't have time to settle accounts with the sect master, he saw that the fabric was filled with words, the first four big characters: Tian Meng Xin Fa.

  "As soon as I returned, the sect leader summoned me and said that my foundation period was complete. I thought it was time to hand this thing over to you." The sect leader said: "The Tianmang Heart Method is a unique sword-fighting heart method, which increases in power when added together. However, you also know that the key to wielding a sword lies in one's sincerity and strength, as even the strongest warrior only needs one sword. But this Tianmang Heart Method seems to be useless, as records show that even the most skilled swordsmen can only wield four treasured swords at most."

  "Blood Shadow Sect's Bamboo Sword Hall can control one hundred and eighty bamboo swords. Remember, it's control, not wield. I've always opposed you controlling the sword because I'm afraid of delaying your ability to wield it."

  Lin Fan said: "Master, just say it directly."

  "Ah, this is something left behind by your father or mother. You must practice it, but you can't wield a sword because the sword has a spirit. However, you can wield a needle, which is like a bamboo sword, completely devoid of spiritual energy."

  Lin Fan thought for a moment: "Master, are you digging a hole? I don't remember any records of the Imperial Needle in literature, and who were my parents?"

  "How do I know? Just practice anyway." San San Zhen Ren said impatiently, "Remember, don't use the Tian Mang heart method to control spiritual weapons. Stones, embroidery needles, bamboo, and wood can all be used. This time when I came down the mountain, I helped you buy 5,000 embroidery needles. Practice slowly."

  Lin Fan half-believed and half-doubted: "Alright!" What's the difference in practicing anyway?