Chapter 453
Yan Wushuang sat beside the disciples of the "Jindan Project," his gaze lingering on the paper in front of him for a moment, lost in thought. He then lifted his eyes to survey the classroom:
In the front, the headmaster Yuan rested his chin on his hand.
Beside him, Madam Xuanhua was scratching her head in frustration.
The disciples of Jiushan around them seemed to be lost in their own worlds.
Only Zhang Wuyi, sitting next to Zheng Fa, appeared particularly odd—she was engrossed in the paper before her, her eyes sparkling with interest.
"Sigh..."
A sigh echoed through the room, and Yan Wushuang turned to see it came from the elder in the front row.
That sigh seemed contagious, and soon the classroom was filled with a chorus of sighs, like a melancholic symphony.
Amidst it all, Yan Wushuang felt an overwhelming sadness, almost moved to tears.
He regretted it!
This group of Jiushan disciples, under Zheng Fa's authority, had no choice but to endure.
But as a disciple of Tianhe, why did he feel compelled to participate in the study of the "Tianhe Sword Path"?
Was this something he should be involved in?
He stared at the paper before him; he recognized the characters, but... what did they mean when put together?
Zheng Fa was also reading the paper, pondering how to improve the current "Jindan Project." Hearing the sighs from the others, he looked up at the elder.
"What's wrong? Can't understand?"
Yan Wushuang silently nodded.
But the elder's lips curled in disdain, as if he felt belittled, and he exclaimed loudly:
"Can't understand? How could that be? I understand it perfectly!"
"Understand? Then, Master, what do you think of these articles?"
"Good!" The elder stroked his long beard, "Very good!"
Zheng Fa nodded gently, a smile creeping onto his face.
But the elder's smile grew even brighter and more urgent: "Indeed, after reading these excellent articles, I suddenly felt inspired and have some thoughts on the path of transformation!"
"So?"
"I'm planning to go into seclusion!"
As he spoke, the headmaster stood up, as if enlightenment was pressing upon him, almost bursting forth.
Yan Wushuang stared at him, thinking, I haven't even made my escape yet.
How could he leave?
Zheng Fa was still nodding, smiling as he said, "Master, you truly have great insight and exceptional talent, but there are some things I don't quite understand..."
"…"
"Before you go into seclusion, I would like to ask you some questions..."
Upon hearing this, the headmaster paused, then sat back down. Yan Wushuang distinctly heard him mutter under his breath—"Unworthy disciple!"
Watching the elder's weary back, Yan Wushuang couldn't help but smile. He suddenly felt a bit rude, and when he turned around, he saw the disciples who had been sighing moments ago now laughing even more heartily than he was.
In an instant, the previously sorrowful classroom was filled with a lively atmosphere.
Zheng Fa chuckled as well, clearing his throat: "I know these articles are challenging for everyone, and this collective study is precisely to address that difficulty."
"On one hand, if anyone has questions, feel free to ask without hesitation."
"On the other hand, if anyone has insights, please share them with the group."
Zheng Fa looked expectantly at everyone. This was the best batch of disciples Jiushan had ever produced, and he aimed to study the "Tianhe Sword Path."
Moreover, he also wanted to train these disciples—often, truly engaging in a project and applying knowledge is an excellent way to learn.
For a moment, no one spoke.
It was Madam Xuanhua who pulled out a paper and said, "I think this article makes a lot of sense; I had previously overlooked the differences in the Dan Ding (alchemical cauldron)..."
Zheng Fa nodded, responding, "I was thinking about that too. The external elixirs have their own Dan Ding, which may not be suitable."
"This interaction, or rather, the concept of the spirit and soul must also be considered." Sister Zhang, like Zheng Fa, was most concerned about Professor Wang's paper. "I was wondering if our lack of success is due to having too many people involved in the refining process."
"That's true. If the first talisman contains the spirit of one disciple, then the second talisman would likely need to contain the same person's spirit."
Zheng Fa immediately agreed.
This was the first question that had come to his mind when he read Professor Wang's paper.
It was clear that when the Tianhe Zun (Tianhe Master) created the sword path, it wasn't a production line operation; it had to rely on oneself.
And when Zheng Fa practiced the "Fuda Foundation Establishment Method," he also condensed the five-element talismans alone, containing only his own spirit.
From this perspective, for the talismans to connect, they likely needed to share the same spirit.
However, the Jiushan Sect's "Jindan Project" involved multiple collaborators, which might lead to conflicts.
Hearing their discussion, Yan Wushuang compared it to his own experience in refining his life sword and felt that these two reasons were quite plausible. He added, "The sword refining method of the Tianhe Sect... I can't disclose the specifics, but it indeed cannot be entrusted to others."
"And..." he pulled out a paper, pondering before saying, "I hadn't realized this before, but this article reminded me."
"The second five-element talisman should repeat the process of condensing the Jindan, meaning we have to start from the first step."
"Do it again?"
Madam Xuanhua frowned, seemingly unable to grasp the concept.
Yan Wushuang hesitated for a moment before explaining, "This... might be related to the fact that our Tianhe Sect wasn't strong before."
Zheng Fa paused, as if he understood the implication: "Are you saying that before the Tianhe Zun, the Tianhe Sect didn't have any Yuan Ying (Nascent Soul) techniques?"
Yan Wushuang slowly nodded.
Madam Xuanhua also understood, her mouth agape, her expression stunned: "So, the Tianhe Zun had no Yuan Ying techniques to practice and attempted to create a Jindan technique, which led to the creation of the Tianhe Sword Path?"
Zheng Fa found it absurd—this Tianhe Zun's story was a bit too inspirational.
According to Yan Wushuang, this foremost figure of Xuanwei likely faced a dead end, wanting to practice another Jindan method to strengthen himself, and by sheer chance, stumbled upon the world-shaking "Tianhe Sword Path."
Thinking back, this person had to create the materials for his life treasures himself; he had previously thought the Tianhe Zun discovered something profound and was thus cautious, relying on no one else.
Now, cough, perhaps it was because... he was poor?
...
Yan Wushuang emerged from the Jiushan realm, his mind buzzing with knowledge as he made his way back to the Tianhe Sect's base.
Having just defeated the Youming Immortal and resolved the crisis in Xuanwei, Xie Qingxue was supposed to take him back to the sect. But now, with the Blood Fiend Banner gone and the possibility of the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor's revival...
Xie Qingxue found it difficult to leave.
She had even been sending messages to the sect, hoping for reinforcements.
However, the cost of a transformation entering Xuanwei was quite high, especially for those with higher cultivation levels. Even if a powerful figure were sent to the realm, it wouldn't be a quick process.
Currently, the five sects' assistance would take some time.
Due to the Youming Immortal lurking in the shadows and the potential revival of the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor, they were hesitant to act, fearing ambushes.
In recent days, the celestial sect's transformation combat power had gathered at Tongming Mountain, watching over each other.
As he entered the courtyard, he heard a voice from Xie Qingxue's room: "Did you go to the Jiushan realm again?"
"Yeah." Yan Wushuang walked toward his senior sister's quiet chamber, surprised as he asked, "Senior sister, have you finished your seclusion?"
Xie Qingxue sat on a mat, the Qingping Sword resting on her knees, her expression neutral.
Since receiving news about the potential escape of the Youming Immortal and the revival of the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor, she had gone into seclusion. This was why Yan Wushuang had been so carefree, almost daily visiting the Jiushan realm.
"Senior sister, have you... gained any insights?"
Yan Wushuang glanced at the Qingping Sword with anticipation, then looked at Xie Qingxue.
Xie Qingxue nodded gently, a smile gracing her face: "Last time, when I broke the Five Directions Blood Fiend Great Formation, I finally managed to exert my full strength once, and I felt a closer connection to this Qingping Sword..."
"In these past few days, I've had some vague insights..."
Yan Wushuang listened, his gaze on the Qingping Sword filled with envy. The Qingping Sword!
The personal sword of the sect's founder, immensely powerful!
With this treasure, his senior sister's status in the Tianhe Sect was already extraordinary, and now, having gained insights from this celestial sword, her strength might reach new heights.
Once she overcame this tribulation, her future achievements would be limitless!
As the son of the sect leader, Yan Wushuang felt a sense of admiration.
Seeing his expression, Xie Qingxue smiled: "Do you know what I’ve comprehended?"
"What?"
"The true Tianhe Sword Path!" Xie Qingxue's eyes sparkled with an astonishing brightness that made Yan Wushuang feel a bit intimidated.
"Or rather, it’s the long-lost Nine Turns Jindan Method of our sect!"
Yan Wushuang slowly retracted his smile, falling into silence.
"If we have the Nine Turns Jindan Method, even if the Great Freedom Demon Ancestor emerges, I can still protect your life! Even drive him back!"
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