Dao Equaling the Heavens
Chapter 119 - 100 Dao Ye Really Wants to Advance So Badly_2

Chapter 119: Chapter 100 Dao Ye Really Wants to Advance So Badly_2

Lu Chan’s face showed confusion as she asked back, "Brother, how did you know that?"

"Guessed."

Gu Wen took out a pill and popped it into his mouth, casually asking for information while he munched on the medication.

He now understood a little more about Jun Yan, an inheritor from the Demon Sect—Jun Yan’s gender was unknown, and no one knew their true appearance. The Jun Yan that Lu Chan saw was almost always in the form of a woman, so she always referred to Jun Yan as ’senior sister.’

The outside world, however, viewed Jun Yan as a male due to his mannerisms and the masculine emphasis in his tone.

Gu Wen felt that, when both identities did not fit, the likelihood was that Jun Yan was not human.

Besides, he noticed that there were no significant barriers between the various sects, due to frequent incidents like going into a demonic frenzy, converting to the Buddhist Sect, or returning to the righteous path. The great powers of the Three Religions had connections within each other’s ranks; perhaps ’borrowing’ techniques was tacitly approved as advanced study.

Secondly, Jun Yan had a rather good relationship with Xiao Yunyi; they had ’studied deeply’ at Broken Sword Mountain and became close confidants.

Thirdly, Jun Yan had a poor relationship with Jade Sword Buddha; having ’studied deep’ within the Buddhist Sect, they were now enemies.

When Gu Wen asked how to find Jun Yan, Lu Chan whispered into his ear, "Senior sister believes that a name is an external manifestation of one’s Fate Diagram, hence she really hates when people call her by the name she had in the sect—Huang Dahua—as it makes her feel vulgar."

"Brother, what business do you have with my senior sister?"

Gu Wen replied unabashedly, "Naturally, I am seeking guidance from Senior Jun Yan on the Devil Sword Skill."

"Ah?" Lu Chan looked puzzled, and upon hearing the word ’senior,’ she felt as if a filter had shattered.

Before, Gu Wen was the very model of a Demon Path cultivator she had imagined, if only she were more skilled in magical confrontations, otherwise, she would stand atop everyone’s heads and call them ’little trash.’

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The next day.

Gu Wen refined a third of the third batch of pills, obtaining twenty-five years’ worth of Heavenly Marrow, which, added to the previous ten years, totaled thirty-five years of Heavenly Marrow.

[Heavenly Marrow: Thirty-five years]

[Yuqing Dharma Form requires one hundred and forty years of Heavenly Marrow to be fulfilled]

The Jade Sword Dharma Form needed one hundred and forty years of Heavenly Marrow, while the Buddha and Demon Swords each required forty-five years. Relying solely on Heavenly Marrow, he wouldn’t be able to cultivate any of these. Fortunately, the Luo River now gathered many Sword Dao prodigies who were essentially mobile Heavenly Marrow.

First, Gu Wen went next door to seek Yu Hua’s guidance, but since Yu Hua didn’t practice swordsmanship, he could only offer limited help with Yuqing Sword Skill, reducing the requirement by one year of Heavenly Marrow.

Then, he wandered outside, looking for Sword Dao geniuses, and en route bumped into Hee Huan, who had already reached the Third Level dharma foundation and was fully fulfilled, and was thus making rapid progress.

With the support of Spiritual Medicine in Immortal Land, everyone’s progress was visible to the naked eye. However, Gu Wen, since he had been focusing on swordsmanship recently, was gradually falling behind in cultivating his dharma foundation.

Even he, with a Fate Diagram, was hindered, which made one wonder how much time Xiao Yunyi must have spent cultivating the Buddha, Tao, and Demon Sword.

Hee Huan asked, "Brother Hongchen, when you’re not cultivating, why do you have time to wander around outside?"

In his memory, Gu Wen was either cultivating or looking for pills necessary for cultivation. As long as there were pills to be found, he would not leave the house. Recently, they had emptied out the Luo River, indirectly causing several sects to step back from the scene. Logically, he shouldn’t be lacking in pills.

Gu Wen answered, "I have recently hit a bottleneck in my swordsmanship and am looking for a Sword Dao genius to offer some pointers."

"You’re looking for a Sword Dao genius to offer pointers?"

Hee Huan’s expression was just as puzzled; he couldn’t imagine Gu Wen needing someone to give him advice, and if he needed it, surely it should be about sword debates?

"Do you know someone, Mr. Hee?"

"Of course there is, but Brother Hongchen, as you know, law is not transmitted to the ears of outsiders. Although prodigies can exchange information without casting aside divine skills, actively seeking guidance does entail owing favors," Hee Huan advised.

"At this point, you are already a pride of the younger generation; there’s no need to degrade yourself so."

The two had a deep friendship, so Hee Huan spoke more directly. In his view, Gu Wen’s innate talent and magic skills were sufficient without seeking others’ advice; he could reach the top by pondering slowly on his own.

The gap with the inheritor of the Three Religions was merely a matter of time, and if today he went around asking for guidance, it might lead to unsavory gossip later on.

In plain terms, Hee Huan found this unbecoming and thought it beneath the dignity of a prodigy.

Gu Wen still held to his original statement, saying, "How much is face worth? Fetch it for me at once."

"Ranked fourth on the Human List, seventh on the Earth List, from the Daoist Liuyun Sect, Wen Sword Lan Yongning."

The two sought him out and found Lan Yongning to be a quiet person. He rented a small residence by the Luo River, donning a simple robe, embodying warmth and gentility.

Lan Yongning, upon learning of Gu Wen’s intent, initially planned to refuse. After all, there were too many in the world who wished to seek his guidance.

Though there were many prodigies in Immortal Land, there were hundreds more not even in the top ten of the three rankings, or those who couldn’t make it onto the rankings at all. If he spent every day offering guidance, he might gain a good reputation, but such titles brought little substantial benefit.

Instead, it might distract from his own cultivation.

Seeing Lan Yongning’s hesitant expression, Gu Wen slightly bowed and said, "I am Gu Wen, my Daoist name is Hongchen, the Guardian of the Three Pure Ones."

"So it’s Brother Hongchen, please come in immediately."

Lan Yongning’s attitude became very enthusiastic, inviting them inside and preparing tea and water for them.

Although currently only ranked tenth on the Human List, Gu Wen had a reputation for overcoming a True Monarch beyond his level and was the Guardian of the Taoist Heavenly Girl. Such a prodigy could not be regarded as ordinary; his future achievements were bound to be extraordinary.

"Brother Hongchen’s eagerness to learn is well-known to me, but my primary focus is not on swordsmanship but rather ’Wen’ that carries the sword."

He dipped his finger in water and wrote the character for ’Sword,’ instantly filling the room with sword light.

Lan Yongning also revealed his cultivation to them, also at the Sixth Level of Foundation Building, not primarily focused on swordsmanship but possessing a Sword Dao Dharma.

Gu Wen progressively developed a rough understanding of the rankings on the three lists; from the tenth to fifth place were roughly at the Fourth Level of Foundation, while the top five mostly had Sixth Level Foundations. The real difference lay in being fulfilled, with the top five essentially only one level away from fulfillment.

Foundation is like a house, and the Perfect Method is like inviting a god into the room; much like how a temple isn’t beseeched without a Buddha?

"Wen,’ being both form and meaning, Fellow Daoist may understand it as momentum."

At dusk, Gu Wen and his companion bid farewell, saying, "Thank you, Brother, for your guidance. I shall undoubtedly remember this favor."

Lan Yongning smiled and said, "You’re too courteous, Brother Hongchen."

[Inspired by the Wen Sword, the Buddha Sword is also a sword of great momentum, requiring thirty-five years of Heavenly Marrow for the First Level.]

Suddenly, ten years of Heavenly Marrow were reduced, but is it logical for a Daoist to have proficiency in Buddha Sword Skill?

Gu Wen could tell that although Lan Yongning’s cultivation wasn’t focused on the Buddha Sword, he must have studied its concepts. He applied the principles of the Buddha Sword to his literary Dao and expounded on swordsmanship through writing, a talent worthy of a prodigy.

In the dead of night, Gu Wen consumed all the pills, and fifty years of Heavenly Marrow along with a vast medicinal power entered within him.

[Eighty-five years of Heavenly Marrow]

He did not directly practice the Buddha or Demon Swords; as the First Level was obviously simpler, seeking the guidance of others was more beneficial.

And comprehending cultivation techniques also required time, even though this time was much shorter compared to other cultivators who often counted in years. Yet, with less than a month left until Heavenly Spring Mountain opened.