Chapter 25
Helan Xue paused in his steps and turned to see the boy looking at him with pleading eyes.
He asked, “How did your spiritual energy increase so much in an instant?”
Lin Queli thought to himself, firstly, because I exchanged for the high-level cultivation, so I can use more of the Demon Lord’s power without being discovered, and secondly, because…
Lin Queli said uncertainly, “Perhaps because I dual cultivated with Shizun last night?”
Helan Xue’s gaze sharpened, and the aura around him dropped by a degree.
“Ah, this disciple means, it’s… it’s…” Lin Queli said in a fluster, “It’s like we dual cultivated, we didn’t really dual cultivate!”
Lin Queli asked carefully, “Last night, Shizun should have… transferred spiritual energy to me?”
Looking at Lin Queli’s clear eyes, Helan Xue frowned. “How much do you remember about last night?”
“A little bit?”
Here’s my chance!!
Lin Queli blinked and said, “Shizun, did I do anything out of line last night?”
Helan Xue: “…”
Helan Xue’s silence scared Lin Queli.
W-what’s wrong? Did I really make Shizun angry?
Helan Xue said coldly, “You were talking about dual cultivation all the time.”
Lin Queli: “…!”
Okay, I really did make Shizun angry.
Lin Queli was flustered for a moment, but then he thought…
Even though I said that, Helan Xue didn’t punish me or kick me out!
Hope ignited in Lin Queli’s heart.
He lowered his head and said shyly, “Well, I do want to dual cultivate with Shizun.”
Helan Xue only felt his head buzzing. He kneaded the prayer beads, telling himself not to argue with a child, and not to let his thoughts be led astray.
Lin Queli fidgeted with his fingers. “And dual cultivating with this disciple is not without its benefits… This disciple knows that Shizun is dedicated to protecting the world and is immersed in cultivation. Then dual cultivating with this disciple can also help with cultivation.”
Click. Helan Xue’s hand paused.
Lin Queli was startled and looked at Helan Xue nervously.
No… I’ve said the words ‘dual cultivation’ before, and Helan Xue wasn’t angry?
Why is Helan Xue’s aura so low after I mentioned the benefits?
I’m not wrong! Dual cultivating with me, a furnace cauldron, can really increase one’s cultivation! It should also greatly increase Taxue Xianzun’s cultivation, right?
“Immortal Venerable! Young Master Lin!”
Just then, Ji Chun’s voice came from a distance, interrupting their conversation.
Ji Chun said with a smile, “The apprentice-acknowledging tea is ready!”
Lin Queli was stunned.
Ji Chun patted Lin Queli’s shoulder. “Congratulations.”
Apprentice-acknowledging tea…!
In an instant, Lin Queli forgot all about dual cultivation. His mind was filled only with the joy of having finally passed the test.
Oh my god! I passed the exam!
“Shizun!!”
Lin Queli turned to look at Helan Xue, so happy that he jumped up, looking as if he had won the lottery. “Shizun really agreed to take me as a disciple!”
Helan Xue: “Since you have won two matches as required, This Venerable will naturally take you in.”
“Yay! Phew… luckily I had some dog-shit luck and won.” Lin Queli patted his chest with lingering fear. “I was almost unable to become a disciple because of that guy Qiu Heng.”
But Ji Chun just smiled when he heard this.
He thought to himself, Shizun said it was because of the competition, but I believe the competition was just to see Lin Queli’s determination. The decision to accept him or not was naturally not really because of this. After all, how could the Immortal Venerable expect a piece of unpolished jade to become a finished product in a month?
But as for the real reason, Ji Chun couldn’t guess.
Anyway, he thought Young Master Lin was very good. At least, the Myriad Sword Mountain hadn’t had such a lively human atmosphere for a long, long time.
The tea ceremony was held in the main hall.
After Ji Chun prepared the tea, he left. Only Lin Queli and Helan Xue were left in the hall.
Lin Queli knelt before Helan Xue, offered the tea with both hands, and said obediently with his head bowed, “Shizun, please drink the tea.”
Helan Xue looked at him and said, “No matter what you have learned before, what kind of cognition and ethics you have, from now on, This Venerable will teach you anew.”
Lin Queli swallowed hard. “Yes.”
Helan Xue added, “Immortal Lord Changming will be in seclusion for fifty years. From now on, besides corresponding with the Immortal Lord, you are not to have any contact with the Changming Clan.”
Huh?
Was it because what Mingguang and Qiu Heng did gave Helan Xue a bad impression of them?
But this was exactly what Lin Queli had been hoping for. This time, his “yes!” was very quick.
As if afraid that Helan Xue was still not satisfied, Lin Queli held up the teacup and continued, “This disciple will definitely be obedient in the future, and, and… slay demons and exterminate evil? Yes! This disciple will work hard!”
Perhaps because he had been holding it for a long time, Lin Queli’s wrist trembled slightly.
His face was red, and he tried to endure the soreness, still holding it up, as if afraid that Helan Xue wouldn’t drink.
Helan Xue played with his prayer beads. “In the future, whether it’s slaying demons and exterminating evil or going anywhere, stay by This Venerable’s side.”
This child is simple-minded. If he wanders around with his furnace cauldron identity, I’m afraid he’ll be sold and still help count the money.
Lin Queli: “?”
Although he didn’t understand why Helan Xue would suddenly make such a request, this was also what he had been hoping for. He looked at Helan Xue’s obscure eyes and his tone became even more cheerful. “Yes!!”
This way, there will be more opportunities to make a move!
Helan Xue looked at Lin Queli and knew what he was thinking at a glance.
“This Venerable is your Shizun. Keep your discipline ruler with you every day as a warning, and don’t mention dual cultivation again in the future.”
“Yes!”
—Keep the discipline ruler with me every day to remind myself to earn points and dual cultivate.
Helan Xue finally took the teacup that Lin Queli had been holding for a long time.
Helan Xue took a sip and handed Lin Queli a jade bracelet.
“This is a token that all the disciples under This Venerable have. It can nourish the five internal organs and calm the mind and spirit.”
Lin Queli took it and saw that this white Hetian jade was of fine texture and had no impurities. It was heavy in his hand, but warm.
Inside the jade bracelet, the character “Cang” was carved.
Wow…
Lin Queli held it preciously in his hand. He was originally going to put it on, but he found that his left hand already had the prayer beads, and his right hand was his sword-wielding hand. He was afraid that he would damage or scratch this beautiful jade with his clumsy swordsmanship. After thinking for a moment, he actually sat down directly, stretched out his foot, and put the bracelet on his left ankle.
This jade bracelet had spiritual energy. Even if the opening was small, it would automatically adjust and buckle as soon as it touched human skin.
The warm jade coiled around Lin Queli’s ankle like a small snake.
After putting it on, Lin Queli belatedly realized something. He smiled and held out his hand to Helan Xue, then lifted his robe to show his leg, displaying his longevity lock, prayer beads, and jade bracelet.
“Shizun, look! My whole body is covered in things from Shizun!”
Lin Queli was extremely happy. He thought to himself, I’ve gotten so many good things not long after transmigrating. These look so expensive, I feel like they can be exchanged for a lot of money!
I wonder if I can bring them back to the real world, sob, sob… and they can also be a souvenir for me?
Helan Xue looked up and saw the longevity lock hanging on Lin Queli’s neck, just below his collarbones, making a subtle sound with Lin Queli’s movements. And the prayer beads on Lin Queli’s wrist could let him know Lin Queli’s movements at any time, while the jade bracelet was on Lin Queli’s ankle, sliding and rubbing against the skin of his ankle.
If nothing else, his whole body was filled with Helan Xue’s aura.
Helan Xue paused.
He closed his eyes and did not respond.
Forget it. This way, it can also block those with improper thoughts.
With this, the ceremony was complete.
Lin Queli officially became the fourth disciple under Helan Xue.
Lin Queli saw Helan Xue sit in meditation and was about to leave when he saw Shouyang come in a hurry.
Hmm?
Usually, when Shouyang was in such a hurry to “report,” it was because…
“Shizun, Qiansui and the others have found traces of the Demon Sword fragment again!”
It really is because of the fragment…!
Shouyang strode over. “This time it’s in… Liangchong Mountain. This disciple will go and investigate personally.”
Lin Queli noticed that when Shouyang said this name, he was particularly serious, and Helan Xue also frowned upon hearing it.
He rubbed his prayer beads. “This Venerable will also go.”
Lin Queli quickly raised his hand. “Then I’ll go too!”
…
And after learning the details from Ji Chun, Lin Queli regretted it so much his intestines turned green.
Go, go, go my ass.
Lin Queli then learned that the Demon Palace was located at the top of the Mount of Demons, which could be said to be the main base of the Demon Clan.
And the Mount of Demons was located at the southernmost tip of Cangzhou, a complete opposite of the Myriad Sword Mountain.
Liangchong Mountain was right next to the Mount of Demons. As its name suggested, it was a large mountain that separated the Demon Clan and the Righteous Path.
If the fragment was in Liangchong Mountain, it meant that this time, Lin Queli would be exposing himself right next to the Demon Palace’s main base.
This was too… exciting.
Lin Queli wanted to cry but had no tears.
No wonder Helan Xue and the others attached so much importance to this trip. What was the difference between this and going to the Demon Clan’s lair?
Lin Queli knocked on the System.
“Is there any lore or plot about the fragments in the original novel?”
If he could know more, he could be more prepared to avoid exposing himself.
【No. After the Long Aotian was born, the Demon Sword had already been forged. But Host, on this trip to Liangchong Mountain, you have to be careful of Elder Jin.】
“Hmm?”
【Host, don’t forget, you are a furnace cauldron. And if a furnace cauldron does not dual cultivate, each flare-up and backlash will be more intense than the last. The first two times, the Immortal Venerable helped you clear it. If it flares up again… I feel that even the Immortal Venerable won’t be able to help!】
Lin Queli was confused. “Then what does that have to do with Elder Jin?”
【Elder Jin knows that the Demon Lord is a furnace cauldron!】
Lin Queli: “?!”
【In the original novel, before the Demon Lord fought with the scumbag version of Taxue Xianzun, whose cultivation was not as high as it is now, for seven days and seven nights, Elder Jin poisoned the Demon Lord to induce the furnace cauldron’s addiction, so that he could not use his full strength!】
【So Host, you must strive to pay off your debt on this trip down the mountain, so we can drug him and run away before your cover is blown!】
“It would be great if it were that smooth.”
Lin Queli curled up in his quilt in despair, feeling that this dangerous world was full of traps.
