Ju Yueke then brought Su Xing to the place where he should live. That was somewhere more remote than Pure Heart Peak, a place known as "Mirror’s Flower Stream,"1 the mountain stream of a valley. A white curtain extended into the sky,2 ranges upon ranges of mountains, verdant and lush bamboo forests hid the sky and covered the earth, an environment that was even quiet and secluded.
"Did your Master have any other words?" Ju Yueke feigned indifference as she asked.
With this mood, how could Su Xing not know what she was thinking about. He seized the chance to console her: "Actually, I often heard Master keep saying a phrase over and over, but I just do not know what purpose it has."
"What phrase?" Ju Yueke"s brows rose.
"With this life, I shan"t waste!"
Ju Yueke was shaken. She lowered her head, and Su Xing could not tell what she was thinking about.
The winding path went through a remote place, and then he saw a bamboo house.
He saw outside the house was an open s.p.a.ce where a scholarly youth was currently practicing something. The posture his palm danced through was quick and skilful, and several seals later, a blue flame appeared in his hand while the other hand had a red flame.
"Lianxin." Ju Yueke called.
The youth stowed his hands, and seeing them, he very deferentially welcomed them, crisply yelling: "Master!"
"I shall give you an introduction. He is Tang Lianxin, and henceforth, he is your Senior Brother. This is Su Xing, a new disciple received for Master. Properly acquaint yourselves." Ju Yueke made the introductions.
Tang Lianxin?
His name really was very effeminate.
Su Xing restrained himself from smiling, scrutinizing the youth before him. With delicate features, he had grown into a scholarly elegance, a contrarily charming child. It was just that he looked rather cold, his expression awfully loathsome, seemingly as if he did not like this Junior Brother.
"h.e.l.lo." He faintly cupped his fist, his etiquette very precise.
"Starting from this day, guide Junior Brother Su Xing according to what Master3 has arranged. Take good care of him, and as far as the established rules of my school, stay for a moment and explain them to him."
"Disciple understands!"
"And another thing." Ju Yueke said: "From now into the future, Master hopes you two can speak more in the future, interact more. Master certainly does not want to let others crack jokes when they see you two."
"Disciple engraves this to memory!"
Ju Yueke was still not finished speaking, "One last thing, from this day onwards, you two must eat, live, rest and work together. Suffer misfortune together, enjoy blessings together. Regard each other as brothers in a family, do you understand?
"Master, could it be you want me to sleep with him?"4 Tang Lianxin"s brow creased, his forehead somewhat in rejection.
Even if it was not him, Su Xing himself felt this was awkward. His heart said this beautiful woman could not possible be a fujoshi, could she, making two grown men rest together under a large blanket. "Both sleeping under a large blanket is unnecessary, right?" Su Xing awkwardly said.
Tang Lianxin nodded his head.
"Is there a reason why brothers cannot sleep on one bed. Could it be you two are afraid you will be unable to cut off your own sleeves?"5 Ju Yueke coldly said.
Su Xing thought, f.u.c.k! He indeed had to concede defeat.
"Lianxin, you have come to this school for two years. Other than teacher, you have never interacted with other people. Although your innate talent in tool refinement exceeds others", you use your time on this field. Doing so is not altogether inexcusable, but Teacher still hopes you can be more open and clear, understand?" Ju Yueke"s eyes contained some regret.
"Young Lord, she is very much like a stepmother." Wu Xinjie joked.
"Disciple follows your orders."
Tang Lianxin cautiously replied.
"En. Tomorrow, Teacher will again come to see you two." Ju Yueke nodded, stepped onto a flying sword, and thus soared into the air.
Tang Lianxin looked at Su Xing, locking his brows. He suddenly asked: "Junior Brother Su Xing, did you truly come to sincerely learn tool refinement?"
"Of course, Heaven and Earth can attest to that." Su Xing was calm.
"Then good." Though Tang Lianxin seemed unwilling, he still simply introduced Ju Yueke"s established rules for the school.
Ju Yueke, the Four Styles School"s Junior Sister, could be counted as one of the sect"s two Great Elders, the other elder of which was Yuchi Qingshan. In the Four Styles School, she was a peak tool refinement master, an expert in the "Heavenly Water Heart Flame" whose Divine Intent for refining magic weapons was extremely powerful.
Ju Yueke resided in the Heavenly Water Mansion.6 The teaching style she had for apprentices was to have them develop on their own, regularly arranging at set intervals some a.s.signments for those under her school that were required to be complete within a time limit. If it was not accomplished, the first time would double the required objective. The second time was direct expulsion from the school. The rules were extremely harsh, and in her words: If even her most simply arranged a.s.signments were unable to be completed, then the student did not have any qualifications to study alongside her. Thus, besides Tang Lianxin, Ju Yueke"s current disciple was just Su Xing.
The rest of the time, as long as the sect did not forbid it, there were no restrictions, so he actually was very free. This just happened to be align with Su Xing"s intentions.
Of course, Su Xing had only just come. Whether or not he could stand firmly still depended on after a month.
"This "Refining Soul Technique,"7 "Heavenly Talent and Earthly Treasure Reflections,"8 "Tool Refinement School of Thought,"9 "Tool Refinement Magic Circle,"10 "Five Elements Theory"[五行論]…" Tang Lianxin rustled through and brought out several dozen thick books from inside the house, placing them one after the other into Su Xing"s hands while saying: "These are the most basic learnings for a tool refinement master. The Refining Soul Technique is used to cultivate your nature. What tool refinement masters pay particular attention to is exactly the tranquil and even-tempered, only then would the qi flame of that heart would have even more understanding towards artifact and magic weapon refinement. This Heavenly Talent and Earthly Treasure Reflections recorded many of the materials for refined ores and precious stones. Tool refinement masters must memorize these. The Tool Refinement Style School of Thought records a few great abstinences and trains of thought. This Tool Refinement Magic Circle is specially used to explain the structure of magic circles that are necessary for tool refinement, and the Five Elements Theory speaks of the engendering and restraining of each of the Five Elements…" Tang Lianxin carefully said word by word. Su Xing listened with hype, more or less remembering these things.
"It would appear the complex things are a few of the most basic learnings. After a month, I will come test you." Tang Lianxin said.
"Some of these I am already capable of." Su Xing said.
"If you feel you currently are capable, then I can test you right now. Go notify the Master again." Tang Lianxin was very stiff, his head also not turning as he walked to the side, seemingly not wanting to interact with Su Xing any further.
Su Xing put away these books, "Can I go learn at other places?"
"As you please." Tang Lianxi said indifferently.
Su Xing wiped his sweat, feeling just like he had returned to that generation where teachings were force-fed, a kind of indescribably familiarity with somewhat of a hint of masochism.
Su Xing first walked about the Mirror’s Flower Stream, roughly understanding the topography of the environment here. He felt this place was considerably good. The rear mountain also had a hot spring, and compared to Flaming Eastern Island"s torrid heat, the Mirror’s Flower Stream could be considered a scenic vacation spot. What made Su Xing even more surprised was that the Mirror’s Flower Stream"s spiritual influence were abundant. He was currently above a spirit vessel, and this was an exceptionally good first choice for an Immortal"s Abode.
Choosing a safe location that no one would probably pay attention to, Su Xing let the beautiful girls appear.
"I really couldn"t take it anymore. Finally, I can come out."
Several silhouettes flashed, and five Star Maidens emerged from the Star Nest in succession. As if she had been suffocating for a very long time, Wu Xinjie breathed great mouthfuls of refreshing air.
"Yuan"er, help me keep watch over the surroundings for anyone who comes." Su Xing said.
Shi Yuan cutely hummed in agreement, and the Thief Star then escaped into the wind.
"Big Brother, will you establish an Immortal"s Abode here?" An Suwen discovered this environment was not bad. The spiritual vessels were top-notch, but it was just too far. Suspended on its lonesome over the sea, returning afterwards was just inconvenient,
"This is the advantage of the Purple Star Grade Token. You can arbitrarily create three Void Immortal"s Abodes," Wu Xinjie chuckled: "A crafty rabbit has more than three burrows."
These days, Su Xing already understood from this Purple Star Liangshan Outlaw Jade Pendant the above mentioned more or less confidently. He was very much of the mind to construct an Immortal"s Abode. First of all, he controlled a magic circle. Placing the Purple Star Outlaw Writ, Lin Yingmei and Yan Yizhen each stood guard on his sides.
Wu Xinjie placed the Heaven"s Qi Great Array in order to avoid causing alarm.
Su Xing struck several complex seals. They saw the jade pendant suddenly rotate at lightning speed, slowly conforming to the magic circle. It was a kind of sight the naked eye could see, a silky and seemingly woven spiritual influence then was sucked into the jade pendant.
Purple light increased sharply. Su Xing raised his Essence Blood, then began to move his Divine Intent within his ocean of consciousness to build the structure of the Immortal"s Abode, from the lounge, the storeroom, the martial arts room, the training room, the weapon refinement room to the garden, everything was as it should be. Under Su Xing"s Divine Intent, a mountain design on the jade pendant then showed a vivid and lifelike Immortal"s Abode depiction.
The girls waited nearby, staring, unable to take their eyes away.
The Liangshan Outlaw Jade Pendant actually just created a Void Immortal"s Abode; it was just that for the Purple Star rank created a Void Immortal"s Abode, it required maximum spiritual influence to sustain. Unlike the Earthly Fiend and Heavenly Spirit Grades which could do with just abundant spiritual influences, the Purple Star Grade Immortal"s Abode could only be constructed upon a spiritual vessel. Only with this could he maintain the Immortal"s Abode, and the constructed Immortal"s Abode naturally was top quality. Whatever happy paradise Liangshan Continent had would not be a match.
This absorption of spiritual influences fully used twenty hours. During that time, Su XIng continuously imbued it with Star Energy. Creating the Immortal"s Abode exhausted several revolutions, and he nearly was unable to support himself. An Suwen unceasingly gave Su Xing replenishment for his vital energy and Star Energy.
The prepared more than a dozen bottles of Return Spirit Liquid, Supplement Qi Spirit Pills and other pills were used right now. Finally, he even utilized two "Black Turtle Heavenly Spirit Pills"11 that were received from opening Earthly Fiend Grade Treasure Chests. He consumed medicines worth a value of at least a hundred million liang of gold to finally successfully open the abode. Su Xing in the end fell paralyzed into An Suwen"s bosom, at last understanding from experience the feeling that was called "death from excessive e.j.a.c.u.l.a.t.i.o.n."12
Wu Xinjie was also endlessly speechless. The legendary Purple Star Grade Immortal"s Abode indeed was too frightening.
However, this sort of exhaustion turned into something completely worth it after the six entered the Immortal"s Abode.
Su Xing held the jade pendant upon his hand, and with a flash, he entered into the Void Immortal"s Abode.
The interior of the Void Immortal"s Abode itself was empty s.p.a.ce, an area of approximately several hundred thousand mu,13 with green hills surrounding green waters, and a dazzling, bejeweled pavilion in the air. A rainbow bridge linked into the clouds and mist, as if chasing it. It was just by staying inside the Immortal"s Abode that Su Xing could then feel his physical strength rapidly recovering. What made Su Xing even more pleasantly surprised was that there was an orchard beside the incredible building.
Upon it was a Firmament Blue Tree,14 and on the tree was hung the pervasive fragrance of flat peaches.
"Ah? Life Extending Peaches of Immortality?!"15
An Suwen saw those peaches and cried out involuntarily.
"What?"
"Life Extending Peaches?" Lin Yingmei also felt shocked.
"You haven"t seen wrong? Little Sister Suwen?" Wu Xinjie was shaken. Life Extending Peaches. In olden times, they were a spirit fruit that made Liangshan Continent mad. Eating one could extend life by fifty years, and although Liangshan Continent"s Star Cultivators cultivated Star Energy that could also extend their lives, a realm could add just twenty years more of longevity. If they encountered some accident like a wug"s poison, a curse or so on, then it would be even less. Even if they cultivated to the highest Supreme Grade Supervoid Stage, the most they could have would be a hundred eighty years of long life vigor. It could be imagined the sort of idea that a life extending fifty years was.
"It positively is." An Suwen was very certain.
"Can this flat peach be picked right now?" Yan Yizhen asked.
An Suwen carefully examined them, then nodded.
"Su Xing, eat it right now." Shi Yuan excitedly said.
Su Xing smiled: "That"s foolish. What use is there in me eating it."
"Ah? Can"t it increase longevity?" Shi Yuan blinked her eyes, immediately realizing: "This is to give those old cultivators to eat. En. The Headmaster of this place is in his declining years.
"The Life Extending Peach actually can be used to exchange for many precious and unique materials." Wu Xinjie"s eyes released light, as if she had seen a beautiful future.
Su Xing took this flat peach into his sack, and just as he stored it, in an instant, that peach tree rapidly wilted.
The group stared blankly.12
- 鏡花澗 ↩
- This is describing a waterfall ↩
- Referring to herself ↩
- ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) ↩
- 斷袖之癖 A euphemism about h.o.m.os.e.xuality. ↩
- 天水府 ↩
- 練心法 ↩
- 天才地寶鑑 ↩
- 煉器門法 ↩
- 煉器陣法 ↩
- 玄龜天靈丹 ↩
- LOL ↩
- 畝 ↩
- 蒼天碧樹 ↩
- 延壽蟠桃 Henceforth referred to as Life Extending Peaches. ↩
- LOL ↩