“You know!?”
Li Qingshan’s eyes lit up. From the Cursive Sword Calligraphy in the very beginning to the Immortal Relinquished sword today, the various items left behind by the Five Absolutes Immortal had peppered his entire cultivation journey, both supporting and opposing him. Some of them had even threatened his life greatly in the past, but it only made him more curious about this Five Absolutes Immortal
He was clearly a cultivator, yet he was known as an “immortal”. That in itself was anything but normal. Let alone third heavenly tribulation cultivators, even those from the fourth or fifth probably had no right to be called that. Coupled with brother ox’s praise, perhaps the legends were true. Perhaps he was really an immortal who had ended up in a lower world, which was why he was so capable.
Regular arcane treasures could no longer catch Li Qingshan’s attention, but the treasures left behind by the Five Absolutes Immortal were an entirely different story.
The central treasure to the Sword Tomb was the Immortal Relinquished sword. If the twisted sword spirit was ignored, then in terms of strength alone, it was probably the greatest sword in the world. The central treasure to the Painting Tomb would definitely be a painting scroll, and it was very likely to depict the Dragon King of Ink Sea’s true body.
If he could pillage them before he ascended, then all of this cultivation really would have been worth it.
“I was still that old guy’s personal sword after all. When he sealed up the four other tombs, I watched him do it. I just never expected to be sealed up as well in the end. Damn him!”
When the Sword Spirit of Immortal Relinquished mentioned this, he was still furious about it, radiating with murderousness.
“That’s called being used and then abandoned, which was why you changed your name to Immortal Relinquished. I didn’t think you’d be quite attached to your previous swordmaster.” Li Qingshan grinned.
“Shut up! I’d carve that old guy into a thousand pieces!”
“No, you shut up.” Xiao An flicked the sword, and it thrummed away.
The Sword Spirit of Immortal Relinquished snorted a few times in exasperation, but it dared not be so disrespectful anymore.
“The Five Absolutes Immortal’s secret tombs float through space. Even the Dragon King of Ink Sea can’t come and go as he pleases with his true body in there. So what if you know where they are?” Li Qingshan stroked his chin.
“Don’t compare me to the likes of that fake dragon. I’ve already merged with the Sword Tomb. What’s so difficult about traversing through space?” the Sword Spirit of Immortal Relinquished said proudly.
Li Qingshan could not help but look at Yin Qing. She said, “I might be able to hide in space, but my strength is insufficient, so I can’t move through space freely or open up any sealed regions.”
Li Qingshan nodded. It was no wonder the five secret tombs had always been a rumor throughout the years. In other words, the Immortal Relinquished sword was the key to the tombs.
“Alright. I’ll believe you this one time.”
“You have to swear that you won’t offer me up!” The Sword Spirit of Immortal Relinquished demanded.
“That’ll be up to your performance. If everything goes smoothly, I’ll obviously pay you back. Though, how can an oath like that restrain anyone?” Li Qingshan would never swear an oath to a sword like this, even if it was merely an empty one.
“Hey, kid, you said you would strengthen me!” The Blade Spirit of Frenzy Flower was displeased.
“What’re you panicking for? You fight by my side, so what, are you supposed to worry that there aren’t any good offerings? Let me repair your damage first, just in case it weakens you permanently.” Li Qingshan patted the hilt and comforted the Frenzy Flower Blade of Path’s End as he considered where to find more weapons to offer up.
“If it’s just for repair, then these weapons should be enough.”
With a wave of the Blood Sea Banner, there was a great clatter, and countless demonic artifacts fell onto the Asura Altar of Armaments, piling up into a small mountain. Their quality was not outstanding, but their quantity was simply alarming. They were the spoils she had obtained from swallowing the demonfolk army with her Blood Sea Banner.
“That’ll be enough then.”
Xiao An was always so prepared. Li Qingshan immediately activated the Asura Altar of Armaments. A stream of red light rushed into the air, and all of the demonic artifacts melded away in the light.
Thick liquid surged out from the centre of the Asura Altar of Armaments, like molten metal, yet also like some kind of energy. It gradually coated the Frenzy Flower Blade of Path’s End, gathering on the damage and carrying out the repair.
Li Qingshan ordered Yin Qing to keep an eye on this before leaving the Asura Field with Xiao An. Before he left, he glanced at Rāhu Xiaoming again. He laid on the Asura Altar of Armaments and gazed at the sky without budging at all. He seemed extremely depressed.
An asura child of a god with depression? The world really does have everything fathomable.
……
The autumn winds were bleak. A sword flew through the wilderness, parting the dry grass and leaving behind a long trail before suddenly rushing into the air again.
Li Xiaoyao rode on his sword as the wind filled his face. He felt absolutely delighted. Just recently, he had undergone the heavenly tribulation in the Clear River prefecture, becoming a Foundation Establishment cultivator.
The battle on Great Buddha mountain had already ended, and various pieces of news reached the Clear River prefecture. Li Qingshan had told him to keep his distance from the Sword Collection Palace, but he still could not help himself to go back and take a look. That was where his dream of being a swordsman had begun, and there were many amicable senior and junior brothers too. Now that the overall situation of the Green province had settled and the demon and locust plague had been suppressed and prevented, he was certain there would not be any dangers.
The Sword Collection peak no longer hung high in the air, but the surroundings gradually became familiar. The Heaven Leaning peak faded into view on the horizon. The Sword Collection palace was already very close.
He rode his sword over a mountain. Two figures stood on the mountain top, their violet and green robes fluttering in the wind as they gazed at the Sword Collection palace.
“Senior uncle Fu! Senior uncle Yu!”
Li Xiaoyao recognised the two seniors who each wielded one of the Ten Renowned Swords with a single glance. He leapt down from his sword, and his sword returned to its sheath. He completed the entire movement in a single stroke.
“Oh, Xiaoyao. You’re fine! That’s fantastic!” Yu Zijian looked over.
Li Xiaoyao saw that face full of care and concern and could not help but warm up inside, but he also noticed some melancholy on that charming face. Senior uncle Fu did not look back at all; it was as if he was in a trance.
Fu Qingjin’s personality was well-known in the Sword Collection palace, so Li Xiaoyao did not care. After practising the Sword Collection Manual of Heaven and Earth, he only found the world to be even broader and vaster, so trifles were not worth being so hung over. However, when he made his way over, he followed Fu Qingjin’s gaze and also widened his eyes, becoming completely stunned.
Even if the Sword Collection palace had been utterly obliterated, he would not have been so surprised.
He only saw that the damaged and destroyed buildings on the various mountain peaks had already been completely repaired, with curling smoke rising from them. In a daze, it seemed like the Sword Collection palace had not faced destruction at all. All that was missing were the streaks of light that zipped around between the mountains.
However, the chanting and humans drifted through the mountains, and Heaven Leaning mountain had a great buddha carved in. Anyone who saw this place for the first time would definitely think of it as a temple.
“Senior uncle, w- what’s going on?” Li Xiaoyao was tongue-tied.
“This is… the Chan Monastery of Deva-Nāga.” Fu Qingjin finally spoke up, but his voice was filled with a sense of pain.
The Dauntless monk had led the monks up north and re-established the Chan Monastery of Deva-Nāga here.
On the top of the Heaven Leaning peak, the Dauntless monk suddenly stopped chanting. He made his way out of the grand hall and gazed towards the south.
“What are you looking at, abbot?” a young acolyte responsible for sweeping up the fallen leaves mustered the courage and asked.
“A few lone geese, lost from their flock.”
“Where?” The acolyte looked around.
“You’re still young, so you can’t see them. You’ll see them once you grow up.”
The Dauntless monk rubbed the young acolyte’s head. This was where the future hope of the Chan Monastery of Deva-Nāga lay.
