Chapter 126: Chapter 118: His Life Matters Too

Medicine Mountain, Bamboo Cottage.

Han Shuangjiang was preparing the dishes.

She planned to make a more lavish meal today, as a celebration for Junior Brother Xu.

Climbing Hidden Spirit Mountain and obtaining one’s Lifebound Magical Treasure was a big event in any Daoist disciple’s life.

Honestly, she had no idea what kind of Spiritual Artifact Junior Brother Xu would end up with, or whether its grade would be high or low.

But whatever the case, as long as he gained something, it was worth celebrating.

It’d be terrible if the whole trip to Hidden Spirit Mountain turned out to be a disaster instead of a blessing, right?

“Junior Brother Xu likes braised pork—I’ll make him a dish of that today.”

“That dead fox likes to eat fish.”

“Huh? It’s not like today’s a special day for him, why cook what he likes?”

“Oh, whatever, I’ve already bought it,” Han Shuangjiang thought to herself.

In the end, two people dropped down from the sky; it was Chu Yinyin delivering Chu Huaixu home, but today’s actual protagonist, Xiaoxu, hadn’t come back yet.

After landing, Chu Yinyin was eager to head back, afraid she’d miss something.

But before flying off, this old-girl patted her flat chest and assured her future disciple:

“Chu Huaixu, don’t worry, I’ll look after your Junior Brother for you!”

Chu Huaixu thanked her politely, but inside he was thinking, “I’d rather not, honestly.”

Anyone who’s not blind can see, pretty much everyone else is more reliable than you.

“Oh, right—except for the Charitable Gambling King,” he added to himself, remembering how he blundered his way into the Daoist Sect.

Once the Loli Elder flew away, Han Shuangjiang promptly walked over.

She’d heard their conversation, and asked anxiously, “What’s happened? Has something happened to Junior Brother Xu?”

Chu Huaixu glanced at the Big Ice Cube and shared everything that could be said.

As Han Shuangjiang absorbed all this, her mood felt like she was riding a roller coaster, with countless ups and downs.

She never expected Xu Ziqing would make it all the way to the mountain’s summit.

And even less did she expect it was actually that sword drawing him on.

In the end, Junior Brother Xu was even injured.

This made Big Ice Cube think of Chu Huaixu’s own climb up the mountain.

He too had been driven to bleed from his seven orifices by the sword at the summit, badly hurt.

“The sword left by the Dao Ancestor is really this sinister?” she muttered inwardly.

She couldn’t help but have a poor impression of the Bronze Sword now.

“Xiaoxu probably isn’t coming home anytime soon. Let’s just eat first,” said Chu Huaixu.

“Alright.” Han Shuangjiang nodded.

When all the dishes had been served, he couldn’t help blurting, “So much food, huh?”

“Didn’t expect Junior Brother Xu wouldn’t be home to eat,” Big Ice Cube replied.

Almost unconsciously, the three were all used to calling it ’going home’ now.

“No worries, I’m a bottomless pit—I’ll finish everything!” Chu Huaixu said with a pleased grin.

Han Shuangjiang: “…”

Unlike his reincarnated-starving-ghost eating style, the girl ate daintily, taking small bites.

She lifted her eyes, swallowed her bite, and then asked, “You don’t seem worried at all?”

She sounded exactly like a wife complaining her husband doesn’t care about their child.

“Hm? You think I’m that heartless?” Chu Huaixu continued wolfing down food, looking totally unconvincing.

As he stuffed himself with braised pork, he said, “The Sect Leader and the Elders are all looking after him. There’s no way anything major will happen. If he’s lucky, he might even eat another Profound Celestial Fetal Breath Pill.”

Right now, Xiaoxu’s at Third Level Lower Grade Spiritual Embryo; the Profound Celestial Fetal Breath Pill can still do its job for him.

Once he reaches middle grade, it won’t be enough for advancing.

Han Shuangjiang nodded, then said, “If Junior Brother Xu took the Daoist Ancestor Sword, doesn’t that mean he could become the number one Sword Cultivator in the world one day?”

Chu Huaixu, hearing that, looked up, cheeks bulging, and grumbled, “Nonsense! There’s still me, his powerful rival, remember?”

Swallowing his food, he smugly said, “Even if you lent him some guts, there’s no way he’d dare lay a hand on me!”

“If he goes unbeaten across the world, then technically, I’d be the number one.”

Han Shuangjiang couldn’t be bothered to respond—clearly he was babbling again, telling some self-styled funny jokes.

Chu Huaixu put down his chopsticks, back to business: “That Bronze Sword has a restriction left by the Dao Ancestor, its power is sealed.”

“Right now, Xiaoxu is unmatched in his realm; he can even kill stronger foes with ease.”

“But, as for becoming the world’s number one Sword Cultivator? That’s a long way off. It’s not like whoever holds the sword becomes instantly invincible.” he said.

There was something he didn’t say aloud.

Sword cultivators—well, people are supposed to wield swords. But if a sword uses people, can that really be called a sword cultivator?

Thinking of this, Chu Huaixu suddenly realized, “Oh crap!”

“Xiaoxu obviously saw that line I carved onto the Gentleman Stele, and even shouted it up on the mountain several times.”

“Doesn’t that mean he saw my ugly chicken-scratch calligraphy?”

“Speechless, speechless—so embarrassing.”

…

…

Elsewhere, Xu Ziqing was still unconscious, already brought to the Purple Bamboo Forest in the Inner Sect.

Why here? Purely because after the Junior Martial Uncle descended, that thin Daoist Nun was the top Sword Dao expert, she understood swords best.

“This child’s Spiritual Embryo has taken a bit of damage,” Nangong Yue examined him carefully and announced to the group.

“Then have someone fetch a Profound Celestial Fetal Breath Pill from the sect’s treasury,” Xiang Yan said.

Nangong Yue looked around, “I just noticed something—this child’s embryo looks as if he’d already taken a Profound Celestial Fetal Breath Pill before, perhaps forcibly raised his grade.”

“Hm?” Several people were surprised.

Chu Yinyin, who’d returned, immediately remembered, and exclaimed, “No way! The Profound Celestial Fetal Breath Pill I gave Chu Huaixu—he must’ve fed it to this kid?”

“Wow, he’s real generous, huh? Treats him that well?”

Law Enforcement Elder Lu Pan frowned, then said, “So, if he’d never taken that Spirit Pill, when the Sword Spirit invaded his embryo, he’d be completely overpowered?”

“That’s possible,” Nangong Yue replied.

That, at least, was an unexpected turn for the group.

The reason he didn’t become a fully fledged Sword Attendant was—likely—a single pill?

Which made everyone suddenly fix their gaze on Chu Yinyin, the culprit who started it all.

The old-girl immediately looked annoyed, raising her voice, “Why’re you all staring at me?!”

“You were all spying with Divine Sense back then—you knew when I was giving out pills!”

This blame? I’m not taking it!

Hearing this, everyone glanced at each other, brave enough to admit, “That’s actually fair.”

Nangong Yue looked at the unconscious, handsome boy. Mild by nature, her gaze softened a bit:

“But whatever the case, his life was saved thanks to it. Perhaps… this is his fate technique?”

Everyone knew, this Evil Sword would definitely bring harm and burden to every Sword Attendant that took it.

This was the Master-Devouring Sword; the Artifact Refining Grandmaster who forged it was its first victim.

The Sword Attendants in the future will pay high prices—many, many of them.

Because of that, neither when Chu Huaixu—the so-called fated one—climbed the mountain, nor when Xu Ziqing had a chance to claim the sword, did they intervene. They respected individual will.

Just as they’d believed when Chu Huaixu climbed the summit: You can’t say that the lives of all living things matter, but not his.

In fact, when life and death really hung in the balance, Lu Pan, the Law Enforcement Elder, had said he’d break the rules and save them anyway, then go report himself for punishment at Law Enforcement Hall.

The key thing was, they’d never told Chu Huaixu or Xu Ziqing anything about the sword, never pressured them, never mentioned salvation or world crises, never forced burdens or choices on them—that was rare and precious.

In this world, such leaders are few. Most would push their subordinates out onto the tracks.

The Daoist Sect is the Dao Ancestor’s inheritance, leaders of the righteous way, a renowned orthodox sect.

Xiang Yan and the others always believed: even if the sky fell, it was on them—the tall ones—to bear it first.

Because the Origin Spirit Realm issue has vexed the Profound Yellow Realm for so many years, and every Daoist Sect leader has done the same.

The Daoist Sect has deep roots—so why is there not even one Ninth Realm now?

Was there never one?

Was the talent too thin?

Was it impossible to cultivate?

Ridiculous!

It’s because the Origin Spirit Realm has a fifth floor—and unlike the first four, there’s no limit to how many can enter!

If there were a choice, they’d never let these new kids risk the first few floors.

If Chu Huaixu or Xu Ziqing themselves chose the road of salvation, though they’re green and reckless, they have the courage to sacrifice like the elders do—and so would be respected.

They’d trust them, sharing some of the burden from their own shoulders.

Now, after so much turmoil around taking the sword, these cultivation powerhouses felt the ups and downs too.

Seeing them reach the summit, then all kinds of surprises—it’s only natural to feel unsettled.

But as things are, all they can do is take a long-term view.

When Chu Huaixu carved that line in the Gentleman Stele, didn’t all of them ask themselves the same hard questions?

As Sect Leader, Xiang Yan even stated his position on the spot.

“But when Junior Martial Uncle comes back, how do we explain all this?” Zhao Shuqi asked.

This Junior Martial Uncle may not have the title of Junzi Temple’s Observatory Master, but he’s that in all but name.

The group knew that Junior Martial Uncle’s temperament is not quite like theirs.

This is a peerless killer, someone who confirms his dao with slaughter.

If sacrificing one person saves all, he’d push that person forward, no hesitation.

And if that person was himself, he wouldn’t hesitate either.

So, in truth, they really couldn’t say for sure what Junior Martial Uncle would do to Xu Ziqing or Chu Huaixu.

Human nature is tricky—different people, same problem, but always different views.

And some questions just can’t be argued to a clear right or wrong.

The Daoist Sect can be like this, in the end, because it follows fate techniques.

Chu Yinyin looked at everyone, chimed in boldly to pass the buck:

“I don’t think Junior Martial Uncle has any right to get mad at us.”

“Who told him to insist on wandering about beneath the mountain, instead of showing up sooner?”

“He’s the one who found both Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang, he knows them well, cultivation progress should be easy for him to calculate.”

“He’s acting like a hands-off boss, so what right does he have to come back and blame us?”

“Shen Man, didn’t I speak the truth?”

She even pressed Junior Martial Uncle’s only True Disciple for agreement.

The thin Daoist Nun sat on a huge boulder, lips curving slightly, and even nodded just a little.

Seeing this, everyone instantly fell in line, chorusing: “So true! So true!”

Junior Martial Uncle can come back, no problem—the Junior Martial Sister will speak on our behalf!

Even though technically as just Sixth Realm, she’d normally have no right to know about all this…

Everyone bantered for a while longer, chatting away.

Only then did Xiang Yan recall—they’d come to the Purple Bamboo Forest today not just to have Seventh Sister examine Xu Ziqing’s Spiritual Embryo and that little sword inside, but for another question.

“Seventh Sister, how’s Chu Huaixu’s special training going?” asked the Sect Leader.

This Daoist Nun unleashed her Sword Domain at the Outer Sect, and naturally, they’d sensed it.

But her answer stunned the entire group.

“Soon… so soon—the… the Sword Intent is almost there,” Shen Man stammered.

…

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by NovelKeep