Chapter 640
"You’re not from Haori Mountain! You came here to steal the sword! With your weak abilities, provoking Haori Mountain is just asking for death!"
Then, another woman's voice chimed in:
"If you can help me break free from this formation, I’ll help you deal with Haori Mountain and save your life! Otherwise, if I escape, you’ll be the first one I kill!"
"If Haori Mountain refines me, I’ll definitely kill you too. You can’t escape!"
"The only way for you to survive is to save me!"
After saying this, the girl’s youthful expression was resolute, tinged with a hint of cruelty.
"Do as I say, break the formation, and get me out! I’m giving you a chance to live! Otherwise, you’ll have no place to die!"
As soon as he finished speaking, the little girl, the old man, and two or three other voices echoed one after another, as if brainwashing him, repeating to Zheng Fa:
"Get me out!"
"Otherwise, you’ll have no place to die!"
"You’ll have no place to die!"
Their words were like a broken record, and Zheng Fa felt overwhelmed by the noise. He interrupted, saying, "You’ll die first anyway."
"…"
The voice of the sword spirit, Xianxian, suddenly stopped. She opened her mouth, wanting to say something more, but Zheng Fa added, "Besides, even if Haori Mountain wants to kill me, let me ask you, who am I?"
This question left the crazed girl speechless.
Of course, they understood the true meaning behind Zheng Fa’s question:
The Xianxian Sword had been suppressed by Haori Mountain for hundreds of thousands of years. Although it couldn’t communicate with others, it had always sensed its own situation.
They knew very well how much Haori Mountain valued them.
They also understood that this grand formation of celestial spirits and demons was a grand plan that Haori Mountain had prepared for tens of thousands of years.
And the person before them was clearly an enemy of Haori Mountain. Not only had he infiltrated the formation, but he could also control it, even possessing pure Haori Mountain techniques.
With such hidden abilities, could Haori Mountain really find this person?
Xianxian pursed her lips, her earlier arrogance dissipating by eighty percent.
She looked at Zheng Fa, seeing his expression filled with confidence, and her voice softened a bit: "If you save me, I can deal with Haori Mountain! We have a common enemy! I believe you don’t want them to refine me either!"
"Who said Haori Mountain wants to refine you?"
"?"
"Who said Haori Mountain is my enemy?"
"…"
"It’s clearly Haori Mountain that is helping me refine you!"
"Helping you?"
A light laugh appeared on Zheng Fa’s face, his eyes teasing.
Just as Xianxian was about to speak, she felt the formation suddenly shift, and it began to nourish her!
The pain on her face vanished, her eyes glazed over, and a smile unconsciously crept onto her lips.
But the next moment, the searing pain that burned her soul returned, and the contrast made it even more unbearable.
"It hurts!"
With a pained groan, Xianxian saw Zheng Fa still smiling lightly, while those Yuanying (Nascent Soul) cultivators remained completely oblivious to the changes in the formation, still working hard to maintain it!
Each of them seemed to be risking their lives!
Are you and Haori Mountain really in cahoots?
"You… you’re really at the Yuanying stage?"
Xianxian’s mouth fell open, her eyes wide, even forgetting her pain.
At that moment, she felt a sense of absurdity and a chill deep within:
Haori Mountain had spent hundreds of thousands of years preparing this grand formation of celestial spirits and demons, only for this person before her?
She was well aware that this formation was crafted by the immortal Lu Zhen, and Haori Mountain held it in high regard.
And now it was under someone else’s control?
It was simply unfathomable.
This couldn’t possibly be something a mere Yuanying could achieve.
Then again, given this person’s hidden abilities, his Yuanying cultivation must be a facade!
The more Xianxian thought about it, the more she felt this idea was correct. The more she looked at Zheng Fa, the more unfathomable he seemed.
Because she couldn’t discern Zheng Fa’s "true cultivation level," her expression revealed a hint of nervousness and fear: "Forgive Xianxian for not recognizing the esteemed senior before me."
Zheng Fa merely nodded, not responding to her words.
Xianxian clearly felt that Zheng Fa was profound and mysterious. In her eyes, there was growing wariness and grievance, but she no longer demanded that he break the formation—
This formation belonged to this mysterious powerhouse; how could she possibly…
"I originally intended to directly refine your spiritual intelligence."
Xianxian’s small face tightened, her eyes filled with hostility, and the sword body struggled even more fiercely.
It seemed that in her heart, the most dangerous enemy at this moment was no longer Haori Mountain, but Zheng Fa standing before her!
"But spiritual intelligence is hard to cultivate, and the Tianhe Venerable’s treasure refinement is not easy. I also have a heart of compassion and a sense of virtue."
Upon hearing this, Xianxian’s expression paused slightly, as if she realized something.
"Senior?"
"I can choose not to erase the sword spirit."
"Thank you…"
"Wait, I’m not finished."
"…"
"But I can only keep one."
Xianxian’s expression instantly froze, changing like a face in a mirror, cycling through a hundred expressions in a second, each one seeming to realize something, her eyes filled with hesitation.
"Which one?"
The old man could no longer hold back and asked.
Zheng Fa simply smiled: "As for which one to keep, that depends on you."
Watching Xianxian, who was torn between indecision and wariness, Zheng Fa couldn’t help but chuckle inwardly:
Trying to forcibly control a true immortal treasure is certainly not simple.
But who said it had to be done by force?
This matter relies entirely on willingness!
With his cultivation, he had no way to control the Xianxian Sword.
But surely the sword spirit could find a way to offer her loyalty?
If there was only one sword spirit, this method might still be seen as a threat.
But if there were several… when it came to competition, it could reach terrifying heights, and signing a contract of servitude would feel glorious!
Xianxian was still caught in her dilemma. To Zheng Fa, it seemed they were debating what conditions the other personalities would offer.
He wasn’t in a hurry:
This grand formation of celestial spirits and demons would take some time.
Moreover, the less anxious he was, the more anxious Xianxian would become, naturally leading to more competition.
…
After staying at the summit of the Divine Fire Mountain for two months, Zheng Fa floated down the mountain amidst the envious gazes of the Yuanying cultivators, returning to the Jiushan Realm.
The business of Tongjian was booming, and the Yuanying cultivators of Jiushan Realm were busier than ever, especially since the academy had just been established, leading to a flurry of tasks.
Particularly after the inner door examination, there were interviews and mentor assignments to handle.
There was a lot to do.
Uncle Pang found Zheng Fa, looking flustered: "When does the interview start? We’ve been waiting for you!"
There was no helping it; Zheng Fa was even busier.
But the interview times were standardized.
Without Zheng Fa’s return, many matters couldn’t progress.
"Are there many people?"
"What do you think?" Uncle Pang pulled out a list and handed it to Zheng Fa, his tone strange. "You’re the sect leader! At least a third of those who passed the exam chose you!"
The list had about a hundred names.
"Zhou Qianyuan?"
Zheng Fa immediately spotted a familiar name. He looked at Uncle Pang in surprise: "Isn’t this your…"
"He asked me, and I agreed."
Zheng Fa looked at Uncle Pang, who shook his head: "He’s been learning from you and Master Zhang for a long time. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to call him your disciple. Besides…"
"This person is ambitious, and if my disciple wants to improve, can I really hold him back?"
As he spoke, Uncle Pang’s expression was somewhat complex, seeming both carefree and a bit self-consoling.
Zhou Qianyuan likely held a different significance for Uncle Pang.
Although Uncle Pang had a tendency to change his mind, he had always valued Zhou Qianyuan.
This time, it must have been hard for him.
Zheng Fa thought for a moment and said, "Zhou Shidi does have some talent. That Jinshui talisman technique is now considered a prominent skill in the sect."
"But Uncle, you know I’m busy with many things. I don’t have much time in the sect, and even less to guide disciples. I won’t be taking too many disciples."
Establishing the inner door and even the true transmission system was merely to cultivate talent; having disciples wasn’t essential for Zheng Fa.
His time was limited, and he didn’t have much energy: given the situation with the grand formation of celestial spirits and demons, he would likely have to visit the Chongxuanzong frequently over the next decade or so.
Plus, he had to deal with matters concerning the Hundred Immortals Alliance, leaving him little time to devote to disciples.
Thus, he could only select those with real talent, or even those who could be left to manage on their own.
To be honest, Zhou Qianyuan didn’t quite meet that requirement.
"Uncle, please tell Zhou Shidi, or inform these disciples, that for this inner door assessment, I might only take one disciple. If they choose me as their mentor, they might not make it into the inner door this time."
"One?" Uncle Pang was momentarily taken aback, then his expression turned strange as he looked at a name on the list:
Zheng Shan.
Clearly, he felt that this disciple was already a foregone conclusion.
"My little sister is the first to be eliminated."
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