Chapter Twenty-One: This Sword Can Serve as a Spiritual Guide

Shen Lian could not help praising it. “Fine wine.”

The bearded giant only smiled without speaking. If it had not been fine wine, he would never have drunk it.

“This wine is also called Dew of Sweet-Drizzle Intoxication. For those just beginning to nurture the soul, it is indeed quite useful. But your spirit is already condensed and solid, so it can only be enjoyed as wine.”

Shen Lian gave a slight nod. What the bearded giant said was true. Cultivation could indeed be aided by outside forces, but one could not become dependent on them. The measure in such matters was difficult to grasp; a slight misstep would either make one rigid and wooden, or sink one into greed for elixirs and miracles, losing all sense of the true essence of power.

“Are you also a senior brother from the lower court?” Shen Lian studied him closely. The other’s eyes seemed wrapped in a layer of blue radiance that felt almost tangible, truly dazzling in every glance.

Unlike Qi Sanwen’s restraint, and unlike Chen Jianmei’s锋芒, he was more like a beast born of heaven and earth. Even when he did not bare claws or fangs, no one dared underestimate him.

“You may call me senior brother, or simply my name. My origin and status are nothing important. I learned these arts in life not for immortality, but to walk through heaven and earth in ease and joy. Even if I were to traverse the nine realms of cultivation, that still could not compare with the sun, moon, and stars, and even they cannot be called eternal.” What should have been a most helpless sentiment, when spoken by him, carried a certain heroic composure. Even if life were but smoke and mist, it would not make him pessimistic.

Shen Lian did not ask why, if he said such things, he had not yet left Azure Mystery. For someone like this, whether he stayed or went must have his own unavoidable reasons. If he wished to speak, one could listen; if not, there was no need to keep it in mind.

“I have never thought much about eternity, but I would still like to live a little longer. Just now I saw Senior Brother summon and command the energy of heaven and earth so freely. Was that due to your cultivation, or some divine art or dao technique?” Shen Lian was deeply puzzled. He himself could absorb the energies of heaven and earth to assist his practice, but he could not manipulate them as the bearded giant did, doing whatever he pleased as though the energies of heaven and earth were domesticated by him.

“It has something to do with cultivation, but not much. As long as one’s cultivation reaches the level of sensing the energies of heaven and earth, then in theory one can do what I just did.” The bearded giant said with a smile.

Shen Lian pondered, then said, “If that is so, it must be exceedingly difficult. I have been studying the dao of talismans lately, but I still cannot get started. Seeing Senior Brother’s methods just now, were they also related to runes and talismans?”

“Since you have already touched the dao of talismans, it is indeed easy to guess this point. Moreover, within Azure Mystery, when it comes to talisman-making, I may not dare claim to be first. But if you ask who can teach you how to get started, then I would not shirk the task.” The bearded giant smiled. His expression was neither arrogant nor wild, but confident.

“Then may I seek your guidance, Senior Brother?” Shen Lian asked without delay.

“I can teach you. And what will you give me in return?” The bearded giant appraised the youth before him. This elegant, composed young man had finally appeared in the long-empty Azure Mist Peak. It was a pity that the Great Dao does not favor mere borrowing from others. However monstrous one’s talent, if one does not become a peerless prodigy, it is not enough to inspire envy.

No matter how great the potential, one must live long enough to realize it.

“Then it depends on what Senior Brother requires. I can do my utmost to satisfy you. If I cannot manage it, then I can only regret it a little,” Shen Lian said frankly. What the bearded giant said was already within his expectations.

After all, the two of them were unrelated by blood or friendship. Merely by virtue of being fellow disciples of the lower court, to receive private instruction from the other would make cultivation far too easy.

Treasure one’s own broom, indeed, is not good for the cultivation world, but neither would anyone truly be able to cast aside sectarian prejudice.

Just like in his previous life: no matter how many academic exchanges there were, when it came to certain core and sensitive knowledge, people still would not divulge it lightly.

Thus, the path of cultivation knows no boundaries, but cultivators do.

“I do indeed have a long-cherished wish that has not yet been resolved, and I cannot personally carry it out. But with your present abilities, it would be difficult for you to help me. Of course, if you are willing to give me the magical artifact you carry, I can teach you the knowledge of talismanry. As for how much you can comprehend, that will depend on your own fortune.” The bearded giant’s gaze settled with interest on the sandalwood sword at Shen Lian’s side.

Shen Lian remained unreadable. His refined features were as calm as ever as he said, “With Senior Brother’s standing, you should hardly lack a trifling artifact. I wonder what has caught your eye about it?”

The bearded giant lightly brushed his sleeve, sweeping past the wine flask and putting away the Dew of Sweet-Drizzle Intoxication. Between the two of them there opened a wide emptiness, windless and still, serene and quiet.

He said, “In truth, it is nothing serious. Even if I do not explain it, once you have broadened your horizons in the future, you will naturally understand. Judging by it as a magical artifact alone, the sword’s power is nothing worth mentioning. But this sword differs from other artifacts because it was born of principle and gave birth to spirit. Used as a spiritual conduit, it is marvelous beyond words.”

Of course Shen Lian knew what a spiritual conduit was. If one mastered runes and also possessed a certain level of cultivation, one could use things such as cinnabar or peach wood as a conduit to unleash talisman arts, whether to raise clouds and mist or summon wind and rain and the like. All of that depended on the type of talisman art.

Naturally, once one’s cultivation reached a profound level, a conduit would no longer be necessary, though the power and effect would be somewhat inferior.

This place was sealed off from wind and rain, clearly by means of a special talisman art, as Shen Lian could infer from the bearded giant’s words.

After all, some magical artifacts and dao techniques could achieve similar effects, but since the bearded giant considered himself adept in the dao of talismans, it was more likely that he had used talisman arts.

He had simply not expected the sandalwood sword to have such a use. A spiritual conduit that even the bearded giant valued must indeed be precious at his present stage.

As for the sandalwood sword becoming a magical artifact, it was plainly because he had practiced the Sword Energy of Being and Nothing in Mutual Generation, entering a certain profound state akin to sudden enlightenment. Even if he were to begin again from the start, it was highly likely he could forge another identical sandalwood sword artifact.

The bearded giant said that spirit is born of principle. Then the movements of the opening form of the Sword Energy of Being and Nothing in Mutual Generation must certainly conform to some unchanging principle between heaven and earth. Shen Lian was not surprised; in fact, he had already expected as much.

At the same time, he felt even more that Mister Su was unfathomable, and secretly resolved that unless absolutely necessary, he must never casually display the Sword Energy of Being and Nothing in Mutual Generation. Although within Azure Mystery, fratricidal conflict among fellow disciples was rare, cultivators outside the sect might not be so friendly.

Of course, even if the sandalwood sword had none of these effects, Shen Lian still had no intention of giving it away. He answered slowly, “If this sword were some other precious item, I would not necessarily be unwilling to trade it. But it has accompanied me day and night for so long, like flesh and blood to me. If I abandon it today, tomorrow I may also abandon some other part of my body, and then I would no longer be myself.”

“The human body is nothing but a filthy shell, let alone external things. In the future, you may yet change your view. Still, since you do not wish it now, I will not force you.” He had always been straightforward; since Shen Lian was unwilling, he would not press the matter. He wanted the sandalwood sword only out of curiosity. To speak truthfully, its help to his talisman arts was not actually that great.

Thanks to BP, Red Fox on the Gobi, Laughing Across the World in My Freedom, and the Lone Wanderer of a Lifetime for their tips.