Chapter 110 - Arc 8: Wuling Immortal Sect | 110: Servant
Translator: Lynn
Xu Ziqing was taken aback for a moment. He can stay at Yun Shixiong’s peak?
A hint of happiness crossed his face again. If that were the case, he could often discuss Dao with Senior Brother Yun and seek his advice. It would be the best scenario. He hadn’t even considered the possibility, but now Senior Brother Yun himself had mentioned it. Thinking about this, he looked at Yun Lie with deep gratitude. Having known each other for many years, Senior Brother Yun was like a father, brother, teacher, and friend to him.
After hearing this, Master Qiu He pondered for a moment and smiled with satisfaction. “Yuner, you’re right. The peak has undergone a catastrophe, and it may take some time before it can be fully restored. It’s better for you to live in another place for now, and you can move back to Xiaozhu Peak when it’s ready. As for Ziqing, he’s still at the foundation-building stage, and it might not be suitable for him to go to a place where the heart demon’s calamity occurs. It could adversely affect his state of mind.”
Yun Lie nodded, he also had this thought in mind and agreed with his master’s words.
Master Qiu He continued, a playful glint in his eyes, “Moreover, Yun’er will be living alone, and I’m afraid he’ll have to focus on his cultivation. It worries me that he might not be able to take care of himself properly. By having Ziqing live with him, he can look after Yun’er and lend him a helping hand.”
Besides, Yun Lie practices the ruthless way, and the peak’s current appearance, barren and devoid of vegetation, is rather unsightly. On the other hand, Xu Ziqing’s exercises are full of vitality and could improve the mountain’s appearance for Yun Lie. With Ziqing as his company, Yun Lie won’t feel too lonely. Qiu He thought that it was a win-win situation.
Hearing Master’s words, Xu Ziqing also smiled and readily agreed, “I will obey Shifu’s order.” Then he turned to Yun Lie and said, “Thank you, Yun Shixiong, for taking me in.” Yun Lie simply nodded in response.
Seeing how well the two got along, Master Qiu He smiled warmly, “It’s getting late. You two must have many arrangements to make at the small peak, so don’t linger here. Off you go!” He then extended his hand, revealing two storage bags. One was given to Yun Lie first, and he said, “Yun’er, you’ve achieved Golden Core Stage. This is a small token of appreciation from your teacher.” He then handed the other bag to Xu Ziqing, “As my second disciple, there will be some things you’ll need. You can use these for your convenience. If you have any questions, feel free to ask me at Xiaozhu Peak, or you can seek help from your shixiong, I’m sure he’ll be glad to assist.”
Xu Ziqing took the storage bag gratefully, “Thank you, Shifu. I’ll do my best to live up to your expectations.”
With the decisions made, it was time to move.
At that moment, Master Qiu He’s expression changed slightly, and he reached out to grab something. A rustling sound came from the cold bamboo forest beside the large rock, and a bird sprang out as if it was caught by invisible hands, landing by its neck.
“A Shuangyan Bird?” Master Qiu He said with suspicion.
The Shuangyan Bird had almost colorless bird pupils and seemed somewhat flustered but remained calm. It was held by Master Qiu He without showing any fear, even though it was held by the neck, appearing as if it might die any moment.
Xu Ziqing was also curious, “Master, what is this bird?”
Master Qiu He explained with a smile, “It’s a Shuangyan bird, proficient in ice abilities, and considered a spiritual beast. However, it lacks ancient blood and is only an ordinary spirit bird. The innate ice power makes it quite popular with ice-practicing monks. Unlike Thunder and Wind, which require specific spiritual roots, the way of extreme water, or ice, is flexible. A single water spiritual root is ideal, but monks with mixed spiritual roots can still practice the ice way, especially those with no fire element in their roots.”
“This Shuangyan Bird possesses the ice supernatural power, and if it’s tamed by an ice-practicing monk to become their spirit beast, it can greatly enhance their spellcasting abilities.”
Master Qiu He didn’t know why the Shuangyan Bird appeared on Xiaozhu Peak. He chuckled at the thought that Yun Lie’s cultivation of the ruthless way might have turned the peak cold, attracting the bird.
Xu Ziqing couldn’t help but wonder about the Shuangyan Bird. It didn’t seem to fly directly to Xiaozhu Peak. Wouldn’t Yun Shixiong, who practiced here all year round, have noticed it? He glanced at his forever cold senior brother for an answer.
Yun Lie looked at Xu Ziqing with indifference but assured him, “This bird has been living in the cold bamboo forest for a long time, so there’s no need to worry about it.”
Xu Ziqing was taken aback. Since Yun Shixiong said so, it must have been allowed by him long ago, and there was no reason to worry about it.
Master Qiu He heard this and grabbed the bird’s neck, lifting it up to face its eyes. Although trembling under the pressure of Golden Core Stage daoist, there was no fear in the Shuangyan Bird’s eyes.
Master Qiu He laughed, amused by the bird’s tenacity. “Yun’er wants to move to live in the peak, and while Ziqing will accompany him, he can’t do all the work. My two disciples need someone to take care of their daily life and clean the house. If you are willing to go, I’ll give you a Hua Xingdan pill to enlighten you. What do you say?”
The Shuangyan Bird, nodded quickly with a trace of fanaticism and joy in its eyes.
Master Qiu He produced a pill, fed it to the bird, and then tapped his forehead. The Shuangyan Bird transformed into a 12-year-old boy. He respectfully bowed to Yun Lie and Xu Ziqing, calling them elders.
Curious, Xu Ziqing wondered what kind of enlightenment this was, as it was astonishing to witness a beast transform into a human so quickly. He then glanced at the bird in his arms, Chonghua, and felt a sense of urgency. If Chonghua could also become human… But now wasn’t the time to ask. He smiled at the boy, feeling warmth for his politeness.
Thinking of this, he still took a look at Yun Lie first, and saw that his expression was unmoved, knowing that he agreed, and then he smiled gently at the boy: “You don’t need to be polite.”
The boy turned to Yun Lie and kowtowed, “Immortal Yun, please give this one a name..”
This beast wants someone to give it a name, which means it has recognized its owner. His eyes were full of anticipation, which surprised Xu Ziqing.
Yun Lie glanced at the boy, said the word “Yan Shuang”, named him and formally recognized him as a servant.
The boy——Yan Shuang got his name, became more and more joyful, said “Thank you, master”, and immediately stood by Yun Lie’s side in an orderly manner.
Master Qiu He wiped his hand and then tossed a gleaming object towards Xu Ziqing.
Xu Ziqing caught it, finding a jade slip in his palm. He delved into it with his consciousness, and the contents instantly surprised him. “Master…” Xu Ziqing started to speak.
Master Qiu He smiled and explained, “It’s a jade slip. It contains many principles of swordsmanship, including animal grades, transformations, and more. Take your time to go through it after you settle down. Remember, everything in the world follows certain laws, and important decisions should not be rushed into.”
Xu Ziqing felt deeply grateful and immediately bowed, saying, “Thank you for your guidance, Master. I will be sure to keep it in mind.”
With the sun setting, it was time to depart. Yun Lie soared into the air surrounded by sword energy, and Xu Ziqing followed, floating beside him. They looked back at Master Qiu He, who smiled and nodded at them. Then, they turned and ran quickly towards the small peak ahead.
The boy, now named Yan Shuang, jumped up and followed closely behind them.
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The new small peak was bare, with nothing but rocks and earth. As Yun Lie, Xu Ziqing, and the others approached the peak, they felt a dense and faint sword energy, cold and lifeless.
The peak was new and had not yet been given a name. With a flash of golden light in his eyes, Yun Lie emitted a powerful force that swiftly carved three big characters on the smooth mountain wall – “Xiaolu Peak.” The words carried a piercing sword intent, exuding a majestic and murderous aura.
The sword intent was potent; any monk with malicious intent who approached the peak would be attacked by it. Even those with lesser comprehension of sword intent, like Yun Lie’s, would find it difficult to step foot on the peak.
After naming the peak, Yun Lie said, “Let’s go.”
After gazing at the three words for a while, Xu Ziqing felt a slight headache. Strangely, a refreshing sensation flowed down from his head, soothing the discomfort. He couldn’t help but ask, “Brother Yun, what’s the mystical purpose of this bamboo you gave me?” Even though he wasn’t naive, he knew it was more than just a hair accessory.
Yun Lie replied, “You should use it wisely when your mind is clear and calm.”
Upon hearing this, Xu Ziqing let out a soft sigh. Senior Brother Yun’s words were succinct, but the concept of having a “pure heart and mind” was easier said than done. This item was definitely not ordinary, and he knew he’d have to understand it further if given the opportunity.
Aware of Yun Lie’s personality, Xu Ziqing refrained from asking more questions. He simply followed him up the peak while observing the barren surroundings.
Indeed, there was no scenery to admire on this desolate mountain—it was truly stark and barren.
Yun Lie paid no mind to the barrenness of the peak and simply instructed, “Yan Shuang, you will reside under the mountainside.”
Yan Shuang promptly replied, “I will follow the master’s order.”
Yun Lie continued, “I will live at the top of the peak, and shidi can choose any location for your home.”
Xu Ziqing agreed, saying, “Yes, Yun Shixiong.”
Afterward, silence settled in.
As Yan Shuang reached the foot of a mountain wall near the mountainside, he suddenly halted and respectfully said, “Farewell to the master, and farewell to Mr. Xu.” He intended to establish his residence here.
Yun Lie nodded in approval and proceeded up the peak, with Xu Ziqing following behind.
Observing his surroundings, Xu Ziqing couldn’t help but sigh inwardly. Xiaolu Peak lived up to its name, as it appeared as cold and austere as Yun Shixiong. However, while Yun Lie might be externally cold but internally caring, this peak seemed to maintain a continuous outer coldness.
As Xu Ziqing pondered this, he heard Yun Lie speak once more, “You practice different skills. Feel free to choose a spot beneath the peak and make it your own.”
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