Chapter 962: Treasure and Destiny
Chapter 962: Treasure and Destiny
"Although the Great Sword Boat can make traveling between realms much easier for you, it’s not the best solution in the long run."
"There are still various risks in the void, so you must be cautious, Nephew."
Jin Zaiqian narrowed his eyes as he spoke.
"Nephew is right. Although I have the responsibility of being a guest scholar at the Seaside Chamber of Commerce, I have received much care and support from the chamber and the spirit core during my early days."
"Therefore, I must occasionally return to the Cloud Void Domain to fulfill my duties as a guest scholar."
Lu Xuan’s face showed a hint of helplessness as he spoke sincerely.
"Very well, just be careful, Nephew."
Jin Zaiqian repeated his warning, his tone gentle.
Lu Xuan, with his profound skills in spirit plants, spirit brews, and talisman making, had become a precious asset to the Sword Peak after joining the Zhenjian Sword Summit. His value surpassed that of many of the peak’s Yuan Ying True Monarchs, so Jin Zaiqian was extremely concerned about his safety.
Lu Xuan expressed his deep gratitude once more, presenting the elderly man with two bottles of premium spirit brews, and personally escorted him out of his cave abode.
"The spirit plants in the Heavenly Star Cave should be nearing maturity. I’ll return in a while to harvest the rewards."
"Also, the high-grade spirit plants in the incomplete cave heaven, especially the Empty Cicada Tree, should be about to undergo its third transformation."
Lu Xuan thought to himself.
"However, constantly shuttling between the two realms is not a viable long-term solution. I need to find a way to balance both."
"For now, I can gradually shift my focus to the Dongxuan Sword Sect."
"Once the Eightfold Palace matures, I can use the rewards to refine the incomplete cave heaven and then mostly stay at the sword sect."
Lu Xuan recalled the few Divine Wood Sect cultivators he had met at the Linyang Dao Sect.
He had always been eager to obtain the original part of the Divine Wood Green Flask, the sect’s greatest treasure.
Completing the Divine Wood Green Flask or acquiring a new one would significantly shorten the maturation time of the Eightfold Palace.
He went to his courtyard and began the initial refinement of the Seventh-Rank Great Sword Boat using the method Jin Zaiqian had provided.
Flying into the Great Sword Boat, Lu Xuan discovered that the space was much larger than he had expected, with areas designated for cultivation, alchemy, and crafting.
With a thought, the Great Sword Boat transformed into a streak of light, instantly reaching the other side of his cave abode.
Feeling a sudden urge, Lu Xuan piloted the flying boat through the cloud sea at high speed.
Although the boat’s speed was not particularly impressive, even slightly slower than the Thunder Wing, it excelled in stability. Its defensive and offensive capabilities far surpassed those of the speed-focused Thunder Wing.
After experimenting with the Great Sword Boat for a while, Lu Xuan returned to his cave abode and continued cultivating his spirit plants.
Several days passed. One day, a plain-looking young cultivator arrived outside his cave abode.
"Senior Brother Huang, what brings you here?"
Lu Xuan smiled and welcomed the young man inside.
The youth was named Huang Jinhu, one of his fellow disciples from the last trip to the Heart Sword Lake.
Lu Xuan had a good idea of his intentions but feigned ignorance.
They chatted for a bit.
"Little Brother Lu, do you by any chance still have any Shadow Stones left from your trip to the Heart Sword Lake?"
Huang Jinhu, unable to contain his curiosity, asked.
"Senior Brother Huang has excellent timing. I happen to have one left."
Lu Xuan smiled warmly.
Since his return, several fellow disciples had approached him inquiring about the Shadow Stones. He hadn’t rushed to sell them, choosing instead to wait patiently.
"Is there any chance I could purchase that Shadow Stone, Senior Brother Huang?"
Huang Jinhu’s eyes lit up, and he asked eagerly.
"I don’t need to elaborate on the uses of the Shadow Stone. Many of our fellow disciples are eager to obtain one."
"Whether Senior Brother Huang can claim it as his own will depend on whether he has the right connection with it."
Lu Chen smiled, his words carrying a clear hint.
"Alright, please bring it out for me to see first."
Golden Tiger, wary of the Shadow Stone’s ability to quietly attach to any rock, wanted to verify its authenticity.
Lu Chen, who had already secured the Shadow Stone with a precious artifact, had no worries. With a flash of spiritual light, a strangely shaped rock appeared in the courtyard.
Golden Tiger’s mind delved into the rock.
In Lu Chen’s view, the countless sword marks on the rock suddenly came to life, moving swiftly in extremely intricate and obscure patterns, as if performing a series of intricate sword techniques. The sharp sword qi seemed ready to burst out from within the rock.
"It looks like Senior Brother Huang is already sparring with the Shadow Stone’s sword techniques."
Lu Chen thought to himself.
In less than half a moment, all the sword marks stopped, returning to stillness. Golden Tiger opened his eyes.
"It is indeed the Shadow Stone."
His expression showed a mix of excitement as he nodded at Lu Chen.
"How many sword imprints do you need?"
"Seventeen hundred sword imprints. What do you think, Senior Brother Huang?"
Lu Chen smiled.
"Seventeen hundred sword imprints..."
Golden Tiger fell into thought.
This price was equivalent to a decent sixth-grade treasure, not far from the selling price he knew, and within his budget.
"No problem. Here are the seventeen hundred sword imprints, please inspect them, Junior Brother Lu."
The allure of the Shadow Stone for a sword cultivator was too great. He didn’t hesitate for long, nodding in agreement.
"Correct number of sword imprints. Congratulations, Senior Brother Huang."
"It seems this treasure has a connection with you."
Lu Chen’s spiritual sense swept over the sword imprints, storing them in the Taochong Bag.
"Ha ha ha, thank you, Junior Brother Lu."
Golden Tiger, now in possession of the coveted Shadow Stone, was in high spirits.
"By the way, Senior Brother Huang, could you please keep it a secret that I sold you the Shadow Stone? Don’t let it slip out easily."
Lu Chen seemed to remember something, his expression turning serious.
"After all, there are many other fellow disciples who want the Shadow Stone. If they find out you got it and they didn’t, they might develop ill feelings, affecting our camaraderie."
He advised Golden Tiger.
"Sure, no problem. I’ll keep the Shadow Stone hidden in my cave and won’t let anyone know about it."
Golden Tiger responded readily.
"That’s good."
Lu Chen smiled.
He had obtained seven Shadow Stones, and he only needed to keep one or two for himself. The rest could be used to exchange for sword imprints.
The reason he specifically asked Golden Tiger to keep it a secret was to avoid unnecessary trouble. If others knew he had obtained several Shadow Stones from the Heart Sword Lake, it could attract unwanted attention.
He guessed that this matter was unlikely to be exposed.
After all, his reasons were reasonable, and cultivators typically didn’t reveal the treasures they possessed to others.
Even if someone found out, it wouldn’t be a significant issue. The price he set wasn’t outrageous, and by selling it to them, he was fulfilling their wishes. It was unlikely they would hold a grudge for a well-intentioned concealment.
A few days later, another disciple who had entered the Heart Sword Lake came to visit.
After some hesitation, Lu Chen reluctantly handed over a Shadow Stone to him.
"Senior Brother, this treasure seems to have a connection with you."
He naturally pocketed over a thousand sword imprints, smiling.
(End of Chapter)
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