Kapitel 10: Chapter 10: A Bootlicker

When members of the Immortal Gate reach the Nascent Soul stage, they must choose whether to stay in the sect or go out and establish their own sect.

Those who choose to stay in the sect will have to take on some responsibilities and contribute to the sect.

In return, their status will change from ordinary disciples to elders of the sect. They will receive offerings and be allocated their own small mountain for cultivation.

The Elder Peak is the collective term for the mountains where many elders reside. The higher the elder's status, the more central their mountain is located. The central peak of the Elder Peak is where the successive sect masters reside.

Lin Qingxue's mountain gate is in a remote corner. After her master passed away, she chose not to select a new mountain gate and instead inherited her master's mountain gate as it was.

Nangong Xi passed through the outer gate and inner gate in order and quickly arrived at Lin Qingxue's mountain gate located on the outskirts.

Unlike in the past, there was a delicate young man practicing swordsmanship in the usually empty courtyard.

The young man was not tall and appeared petite compared to himself.

He held a long sword and was practicing the basic sword techniques of the Immortal Gate. His agile and clever sword dance surprised Nangong Xi.

Nangong Xi landed and applauded, saying, "Wonderful, wonderful!"

"May I ask who you are and what brings you here?" Luo Li saw a stranger approaching and stopped her sword dance to ask.

Not knowing if the person was here to cause trouble, she tensed up. Although her tone was polite, she tightly gripped her sword with both hands.

She didn't have any familiar people in the inner gate. Her master didn't like to talk much, so it was natural that she didn't have any friends.

"Young friend, don't be alarmed. My name is Nangong Xi, and I am an elder in the sect. I came here naturally to find Lin Qingxue."

Nangong Xi had a handsome appearance, dressed neatly, and looked like a young man. He didn't seem like a bad person.

But upon hearing his voice, Luo Li instinctively disliked him and didn't want to engage in further conversation with him.

"Master is busy, Elder Nangong, please leave."

"Young friend, are you Lin Qingxue's newly accepted disciple? Truly a talented individual."

Nangong Xi took out a Fourth Grade spiritual sword from his storage ring and handed it to Luo Li, saying, "This is a gift from your senior brother."

Fourth Grade spiritual swords were quite valuable in the cultivation world.

Those who could forge high-quality Spirit Treasures were already rare, and most of the spiritual swords circulating today were handed down from ancient times.

What was the relationship between this Nangong Xi and her master? Why was he so generous? Luo Li couldn't easily accept it.

"Elder Nangong, I don't need any gifts. Please take it back."

Ignoring Luo Li's refusal, Nangong Xi still handed the sword to her.

In Nangong Xi's mind, after he became Dao companions with Lin Qingxue, Luo Li would be one of his future disciples. Giving her this gift would leave a good impression and make it easier for him to find Lin Qingxue in the future.

Luo Li heard her master's voice in her mind. Her voice was slightly hoarse, clearly indicating that she had been crying.

"Accept it. Say that I am in seclusion and cannot receive guests."

"Elder Nangong, my master is currently in seclusion. Please leave." Luo Li informed Nangong Xi according to her master's instructions.

"Sister, I know you are in seclusion, but I still want to say it. I have been working hard for the sect outside for half a year, and it is only the longing for you that keeps me going. The first thing I did when I returned to the sect was to come find you. I will never give up."

After Nangong Xi finished speaking passionately, he left with a hint of disappointment.

As Nangong Xi's aura faded away, Lin Qingxue came out of her room. Her eyes were moist, and her nose was red.

"Master." Luo Li wanted to ask what happened to her master, but she knew it was related to Lu Chuan and couldn't bring herself to ask.

"Nangong Xi is so annoying. I don't want to see him. If he wants to give something, just accept it. Consider it compensation for the disturbance."

Lin Qingxue glanced at the spiritual sword in Luo Li's hand and commented, "It's a decent sword. Just use it."

Luo Li nodded. She remembered that when she was a princess in the mortal world, she had experienced similar situations.

Wealthy young men and noble families would send her gifts to show their goodwill.

Dealing with it once or twice was fine, but if it happened frequently, she would become annoyed and simply pretend not to be at home.

Her two imperial brothers would help her reject those people. Listening to her complaints, they would mock those people as "Bootlickers."

At that time, she was still a princess of a country, her father the emperor was still alive, and her two older brothers were also getting along harmoniously...

Seeing Luo Li's expression not looking too good, Lin Qingxue felt a little worried and asked, "What's wrong? Is this sword not to your liking? Then you can sell it at the nearby market and exchange it for some Spirit Stones."

"I'm fine. I just thought of Senior Brother Lu Chuan also having a good sword."

Luo Li grinned at Lin Qingxue.

Lin Qingxue knew that this kid Luo Li was teasing her again, feeling both embarrassed and angry. "You! Perform 1000 sword swings! don't rest until you finish. And don't mention him again!"

"Oh."

...

On the other side, inside the sect's main peak, Lu Chuan was alone in the sect master's study, looking up information about the sect's Sacred Land.

Lin Qingxue's martial uncle was busy with something, and his cheap master had gone into seclusion again. At critical moments, he had to rely on himself.

The plot of this Sacred Land was quite important. In the original work, Luo Li gained many benefits in this Sacred Land. The system would definitely trigger a mission at that time.

Lu Chuan had almost figured out the mechanism for triggering missions in the system. As long as it was something related to Luo Li, it could possibly trigger.

Missions were not mandatory to complete, but the rewards for the missions were very tempting.

During his time in the cultivation world, Lu Chuan had seen many names related to the Chaotic Immortal Physique and the Flawless Sword Body in various ancient texts.

The Chaotic Immortal Physique ranked among the top three special Body Refining qualities. Throughout history, there was only one person confirmed to possess this physique. In just a hundred years, that person had achieved True Immortal Ascension, leaving behind many legends and mysteries.

The system had told him more about this physique than what was recorded in books.

The Flawless Sword Body, on the other hand, was a physique that sword cultivators dreamed of. Ordinary people cultivated sword arts based on their comprehension. There were countless inherited sword arts and techniques, and no one could master them all. Each family had their own understanding.

But those who possessed the Flawless Sword Body seemed to be born for the sword. Their comprehension of the sword made ordinary people jealous. Regardless of any sword art or technique, they could imitate it after watching it once, and master it within ten swings. There were no bottlenecks in sword cultivation for them.

Perhaps it was a punishment for those favored by the heavens. Those with the Flawless Sword Body could have their sword bones dug out.

Comprehension originated from the sword bones. Once the sword bones were taken away, it was like the dantian of a cultivator in the Dao of cultivation being destroyed, with no future in cultivation, ultimately disappearing from the world.

The Sacred Land was one of the most mysterious places in the Hope Immortal Gate. It was said to be the former residence of the founding Saint.

In ancient times, the spiritual energy was abundant, and even the beasts in the mountains could speak, and the fish and snakes in the rivers could walk.

But humans, because they were farthest from nature, couldn't obtain cultivation methods and were once bullied by monsters, and treated as food.

According to legend, the founding Saint was one of the earliest humans to attempt cultivation. He comprehended the mysteries of heaven and earth and could absorb their essence and transform it into nourishing spiritual energy within his body.

For the prosperity of humanity and to have the strength to resist demons and monsters, he united others who had insights into cultivation and established many cultivation sects. They passed down their cultivation methods and experiences within the sects.

The basic mantra and cultivation method of the Hope Immortal Gate now was repaired and improved based on the remnants left by him.

After his passing, everything he used for a long time was imbued with his Saint aura, condensing into a Saint Dao Rhyme in the courtyard where he lived.

For the sake of the sect's future, the ancestors set a rule that only promising new cultivators could enter the sacred land and comprehend his insight on the day it opened.

The amount one could comprehend depended on the individual. The longer one stayed in the courtyard, the more Dao Rhyme one absorbed, and the more benefits one obtained.

It could cleanse True Qi and improve the purity of spiritual energy, and it could also allow one to comprehend the true meaning of the Saint, allowing one's cultivation to progress rapidly. In the legends of the Hope Immortal Gate, there were even those who gained the favor of the Saint, underwent Saint transformation and passed on the Dao. But this was ultimately just a legend.

After understanding the history of the Sacred Land, Lu Chuan began to meditate and cultivate.

With the Chaotic Immortal Physique, one day of cultivation was equivalent to a thousand days of cultivation for others.

He hoped to make progress in cultivation in the Sacred Land as well. In the cultivation world, personal strength was still the most important for self-preservation.

Time flew by, and a week quickly passed.

The Sacred Land of the sect was about to open, and Lu Chuan was preparing to go to the foot of the mountain where the Saint's former residence was located to find Elder Wang Song.

"Qingxue, you take care of things here. Among those who will enter the Sacred Land, my disciple Sima Dong will definitely stand out the most."

"I've told you so many times, don't call me Qingxue."

Lin Qingxue turned her head to the side, her eyebrows furrowed tightly, her words unusually cold, as if she wanted to keep people thousands of miles away.

A familiar voice, but an unfamiliar tone.

Was this still the Lin Shishu he knew, who was easily shy but unexpectedly gentle?