Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Shen Lian gave a slight smile and said, “Swordsman Meng, you have been cultivated for over hundreds of years and yet you still could say something so silly like that. In the past when you deal with someone who is less experienced compared to you, do you even use back the same mana to defeat your opponent? Or would you lower down your level to fight with them?”
Meng Xunzhen laughed sarcastically, “That’s bullshit. Your cultivation experience belongs to yourself while talismans and instruments are external objects. How could you put them on the same level?”
Shen Lian sighed, “Whether you take a boat across the river or a ferry to the shore, the end results are the same. I think you don’t really understand the concept of ‘anything else besides me is external objects’. No wonder the Qingjiang Sword Sect hasn’t been producing any immortals since Shui Lingzi achieved it thousands of years ago.”
Meng Xunzhen refuted, “It’s been over hundreds of years since your Qing Xuan had anyone who attained immortality.”
Shen Lian laughed out loud, “Someone from my Qing Xuan would be breaking through whims to attain immortality very soon.”
Meng Xunde asked, “And who is that?”
Shen Lian smiled, “That would be me.”
Meng Xunzhen could not stop his laughter, “That is so cocky of you. Do you think attaining immortality is like eating rice and drinking water?”
Shen Lian was not bothered by Meng Xunzhen. Jing Qing Tongzi entered the hall with a jade plate with two green nails on it. The nails looked like they were made of jade-like material.
Shen Lian pointed at the two-person and said, “Jing Qing, please use the Celestial Sealing Nails on our two guests and send them to the abode at the back mountain to cultivate.
Meng Xunzhen said, “What do you mean?”
Shen Lian replied, “Didn’t I say earlier? I want to show my guests the scenery of Qing Xuan.”
Meng Xunzhen wanted to reply Shen Lian but he felt a sharp pain and passed out.
Apparently, during the split second, the jade liked Celestial Sealing Nails had transformed into a ray of light and hammered into the Ancestral Cavity of the two captives and sealed their cultivation experiences.
This Celestial Sealing Nails were specifically used as an instrument to seal Daoist. No matter how superlative a Daoist’s supernatural powers were, as long as one had yet to attain the primordial spirit, one would not be able to use his cultivation once he was sealed by the nail. Compared to an ordinary human, he might be a healthier due to the many years of cultivation but there would not be too much of a difference between him and an ordinary human.
In doubt, Jing Qing asked, “Are you not going to torture them?”
Shen Lian responded, “That’s unnecessary. Just send them to the abode at the back mountain, open the band and do not let them come out. They’ve lost their cultivation experience and won’t be able to absorb the Qi of vitality. Also get them some fruits so they won’t starve to death. They’re still somewhat useful to me.”
Although Jing Qing did not know the intentions of Shen Lian, he did as he was told. He transformed into a flying serpent and wrapped around the two. He wiggled his tail and away he goes.
Shen Lian meditated on the stone couch and there were no signs of celebratory in him after capturing Meng Xunzhen. To him, that was a trivial matter.
Guangqing would not declare war with Qing Xuan just yet. For now, they just wanted to trap Qing Xuan step by step. Once they had built up their influence, they would not be fearful of Qing Xuan anymore.
Furthermore, Guangqing would not have the guts to push Qing Xuan to the edge. After all, Qing Xuan had seniors and masters who had transcended beyond the mortal world and they had never fallen. In the future, should there be any Guangqing disciples who descent from the world, the seniors and masters would seek karma from them.
Shen Lian had other plans for Meng Xunzhen and his disciple. Just as he fell into deep thoughts, a ray of light traveled from beyond the mountains. The light landed outside of the hall and it was a woman as beautiful as a painting, and that person was Gu Caiwei.
She entered with grace just like the stream of the spring water.
Upon her presence, Shen Lian nodded his head and said, “Senior Apprentice-Sister, you’re finally here.”
Gu Caiwei smiled, “Other people would never to go to a temple for nothing and you would not summon me to Qing Xuan for nothing. Tell me, what is it.”
Shen Lian responded with a smile as he did not mind the banters with Gu Caiwei. They both enjoyed a friendship deeper than any other people. He waited for her to stop laughing and said, “I want to set up another lower house somewhere around the sea. I’ll send some disciples over to base there and at the same time recruit some outstanding cultivators from overseas to join as our periphery disciples. If there are any impressive candidates, we can just take him in here to cultivate.”
Gu Caiwei responded, “Are you assigning me to this task?”
Shen Lian sighed, “You are the perfect candidate for this task. But the decision is on you, I will not force you to accept it.”
Gu Caiwei rolled her eyes, revealing a flirtatious expression. Although she was not extremely beautiful, she possessed very pure qualities. Naturally, Shen Lian did not be a killjoy as he took extra glances at her.
Gu Caiwei retreated, she thought to herself, “After becoming the chief, this kid has gotten more thick skinned and black-hearted.” She quickly retracted these thoughts as it might be disrespectful to Zhang Ruoxu.
She had her hesitations but it was not reflected on her face as she casually answered, “Considering that you’ve put it that way, how could I reject it? If I do not break through in the next twenty to thirty years, I probably have no more hopes of achieving it in this lifetime. I am also bored of staying in Qing Xuan, it’s not entirely a bad thing to go out.”
Shen Lian said, “You don’t need to worry about it. Lately, I’ve been able to comprehend Taixu and gained some knowledge from there. Within the next three to five years, I should be able to help you with that.”
“That would be awesome and I wouldn’t be all formal with you. Since you want to build a lower house, you must give me a title and a token for keepsake.” Gu Caiwei was somewhat motivated. Previously, Qing Xuan had to stay low because they suffered heavy losses hundred of years ago. Now that Qing Xuan had recovered, there was no more need to play down. Times had indeed changed.
Shen Lian knew that Gu Caiwei was an understanding person. She had been a great help to Zhang Ruoxu and that was why he went straight to the point, “I’ve prepared a talisman order and you can use it to build the new lower house. As for your title, you can decide it yourself. Now that the demons are running wild overseas, maybe you could use your powers to eliminate some demons and win the hearts of people.”
Gu Caiwei said, “And no one would stop me this time around?”
Shen Lian fixed his gaze to somewhere far away and said, “Senior Apprentice-Sister, have you heard of this military tactic that says, a man could take a thousand steps and yet remained as a shape without soul that can be crushed with one step.”
Gu Caiwei smiled, “And who is this person?”
Shen Lian responded, “That would be me.” Although his tone did not sound determined he was definitely confident and dominating.
Gu Caiwei was somewhat stunned, the current Shen Lian reminded her of the founding master who was a warm person but also possessed the charisma to despise all things. Perhaps that was the destiny of a cultivator of the Taixu Strategy; it would somehow bring out the other side of a person.
Would Shen Lian have two different sides to him sharing a single body, just like Qingxiao and Ziling?
Gu Caiwei could not predict things like that. All she knew was Shen Lian would never let down the hopes of Zhang Ruoxu. Prior to the rise of Lu Jiuyuan, the Xuantian Sect was not any better than Qing Xuan. But after Lu Jiuyuan, they raised to become the best Dao sect in the universe.
These thoughts flashed across her mind but she just smiled and said, “Just like the common saying, there’s no point breaking a butterfly on upon a wheel. Just hand me the talisman order and I will calm down the wave of demon within three days.”
