Dao Equaling the Heavens
Chapter 181 - 140 Trace of the Immortal Sword_2

Chapter 181: Chapter 140 Trace of the Immortal Sword_2

Yu Hua also spoke up, "I never became a true successor either."

Gu Wen’s impassive expression gained a few traces of change as he asked curiously, "Why?"

"Because my talent wasn’t sufficient, true succession requires a Golden Core before the age of twenty, and I had already exceeded the age limit," Yu Hua replied frankly. "I’ve been in the sect for a long time as just a regular disciple. Although I was known as a genius in the branch sect, I was far behind Chi Yu Zi and the others."

Gu Wen relaxed his impassive demeanor and said earnestly, "To become a true successor of Yuqing is an honor for Gu."

Such biased attitudes left Chi Yu Zi and Ao Tang speechless, with the former really wanting to kick him.

You say it isn’t something you can eat, but then act as if it’s the greatest honor when Heavenly Girl says something?

Ao Tang spoke up, "Above the true successors, there are head disciples, and at the very least, you should aim to hold the status of a head disciple."

"Why?" Gu Wen was somewhat puzzled.

"Because the head disciple is a candidate for Venerable, and traditionally, they may become the direct successor of the teaching Venerable. Currently, the position of Yuqing Heavenly Venerate is vacant, which means, in a sense, the head disciple has half the speaking power of a Venerable," Ao Tang explained, and fearing Gu Wen might still take it lightly, added, "Currently, the Three Pure Daoists are the direct disciples of Huayang Venerable. You at least need to become the premier true successor of Yuqing to compare to them. For instance, some of the secret realms of the Sanqing Taoist Sect could be accessed using the identity of a head disciple to negotiate on your behalf."

If only you had started with that!

Who knows how much Heavenly Marrow and Emperor Jelly can be found in the secret realms of the Sanqing Taoist Sect.

Gu Wen’s spirits lifted, and he declared, "Gu Wen will certainly not let you down!"

Boom!

A clap of thunder echoed across the sky, followed by a downpour.

Using the Jade-eyed Water Wave Pearl, Gu Wen raised a screen of rain and the group proceeded leisurely along the rural path; soon after, sensing the convergence of the world’s energy, they turned and entered the deep forests and old mountains in search of opportunities.

In the midst of the heavy rain, Spiritual Treasures were born.

Gu Wen’s Primordial Spirit left his body to explore a hundred miles, his spiritual vision observing the changes and convergence of the world’s energy. In the heart of the mountains, a large marsh birthed a Spiritual Spring.

Entering the great mountains, they found the Spiritual Spring.

Boom!

A five-meter-tall black bear had its chest pierced through, a hole the size of a human head framing Chi Yu Zi’s face perfectly, before it collapsed with a thunderous crash.

Everyone saw in the valley, countless animals gathered around a massive liquid that hung silently in the center.

Jun Yan waved his hand, a swath of black qi instantly killing most of the animals on the spot; the few that tried to escape were promptly hunted down if they didn’t die in the first sweep.

Only they could seize such an opportunity in the mountains.

"Are there no Devil Clan in the Immortal Land?" Gu Wen asked curiously.

"There are, but Daqian is the territory of the Human Race. Once you leave Nanshui, you will probably run into Devil Clan geniuses," Jun Yan replied.

"How strong are they?"

"Most of the Devil Clan inherit the bloodlines of Innate Demon Gods. They are generally stronger with age, while the young ones can’t compare to the Human Race."

"They’re just a bunch of fur and scaled creatures," scoffed Chi Yu Zi disdainfully. "If not for the fear of a Devil Saint intervening, the Immortal Land would belong entirely to our Human Race."

It seemed the relationship between humans and devils wasn’t too friendly.

Gu Wen gathered some information and chose not to ask further, as the Spiritual Spring had already taken shape.

The Qingyu-colored liquid hovered in midair. Gu Wen tasted it, and the substance of his Fate Diagram incrementally increased.

[Fate Diagram: Sixty-one years]

He looked over at the others and asked, "Do you need this Spiritual Spring Water? If possible, I’d like to claim it solely as a favor."

To Gu Wen, asking for favors was akin to writing checks on an empty account, but because the value of this particular check was so high, simply possessing the True Sword Dao was enough to attract countless allies.

Chi Yu Zi and Jun Yan nodded without hesitation.

They also needed the Spiritual Spring Water for their cultivation, but it was not particularly vital to them, and moreover, these springs were not of Immortal quality.

Another day passed, and Gu Wen barely managed to drink the five cubic meters of water, his belly as large as if he were eight-months pregnant.

This was the limit of his Fourth Transition Golden Core body; ordinary people could not possibly drink so much water in a day.

[Fate Diagram: One hundred and eleven years]

In total, he had gained fifty years’ worth of Emperor Jelly; the speed was five times that of the Sword Pond, but the Sword Pond provided an inexhaustible supply.

The Spiritual Spring was only a one-time deal. After that, he would have to search elsewhere.

Furthermore, obtaining Emperor Jelly wasn’t as easy as acquiring Heavenly Marrow, as Spiritual Springs seldom appeared above ground, typically hidden within caves or underground caverns.

-----------------

Jiang Family Village.

Gu Wen and his companions quietly returned to the bamboo forest cottage without alerting anyone, and each peacefully resumed their cultivation.

Not until the next day did Jiang Fugui find out they had returned. He hurried over for a visit, bringing along new pieces of information.

First, there had been a power struggle within the Nanchun Army, with a young faction leader named Song Ziyi seizing control.

Second, the Nanchun Army changed their plans. Instead of leaving Nanshui to establish a country on the border, they intended to disperse and settle in various places.

Third, Jiang Jucai planned to abandon his hometown, taking the elite soldiers of the Nanchun Army to the mountains to become bandits.

Furthermore, Jiang Jucai still considered his fellow villagers at this time, thinking of taking them with him to the mountains to endure hardship together, an act obviously opposed by the entire village.

Jiang Fugui, weeping like a young wife, lamented to Mr. Wen, "I truly can’t discipline this rebellious son of mine. Could you perhaps help manage him?"

"How about I kill him for you?" Gu Wen asked jokingly, to which the other party hurriedly shook his head and said with an awkward smile, "I think I’ll manage it myself."

"Heh, you’re still trying to outsmart me," said Gu Wen with a chuckle. "Just let the young man go and try his luck. After all, at seventeen or eighteen, he’s old enough. Do you think you can control him?"

In Daqian, seventeen or eighteen was already considered adult. Many were married with children by that age.

Jiang Fugui’s request for help was not just to save his son; it was also an attempt to draw closer to Gu Wen. If Gu Wen wasn’t practicing cultivation, he would have been happy to help. After all, Jiang Jucai wasn’t bad, just in a rebellious phase.

Having a trustworthy martial artist wouldn’t be bad either.

But now, he didn’t need to rely on external forces, or rather, he didn’t need help from mortals. Even if Jiang Jucai was an immortal cultivation prodigy, could he really compare to Chi Yu Zi and Jun Yan?

The people around Gu Wen were already among the top figures in the world; Jiang Jucai was of no interest to him.

"But what if he dies out there?"

Jiang Fugui was still full of worry, showing none of the earlier indifference towards Jiang Jucai.

"Even if he doesn’t fight against the court, there are many dangers in these poor and evil mountains; he might be bitten by a poisonous insect."

"Just tell him to lookout for himself."

Seeing his request was fruitless, Jiang Fugui stopped fussing. After casually chatting with Gu Wen for half an hour, he left.

Gu Wen returned to his scabbard, lying back in his armchair as the wind whispered past his ears, sinking into his Qi Sea.

His mind united with the scabbard, a shadow of the scabbard appeared in the Qi Sea. It resonated with the remnants of the Immortal Sword; both had originated from the same Immortal Sword.

Once in the Qi Sea, the scabbard of the Immortal Sword immediately neared the Golden River high above.

’Indeed, it’s useful.’

Gu Wen pondered within. He turned his gaze to the other dharma forms and treasures.

The Chopping Clouds Sword, the Flame Dharma, the Jade Sword dharma form.

These were affected by the Emperor’s Pulp and could bring substantial improvements.

The Chopping Clouds Sword was his weapon, and it could be the key to slaying Wenren Wu. After all, his only reliance was on True Sword Dao to inflict damage beyond his level, and the Taoist Sword was undoubtedly a significant enhancement to swordsmanship.

Especially now, as the Buddha, Tao, and Demon Sword required too much Heavenly Marrow.

The Flame Dharma can be postponed, as its Divine Skills probably need two hundred years’ worth of Heavenly Marrow; but it does not compare to the True Sword Dao.

The Jade Sword dharma form could further reduce the need for Heavenly Marrow for the three swords.

Given the current situation, the Chopping Clouds Sword and the Jade Sword dharma form seemed the best options, but Gu Wen intended to make a long-term investment.

[Emperor’s Pulp for one hundred and eleven years]

[The Immortal Sword scabbard, after enduring the passage of time, has become battered and damaged. Nurturing it with Emperor’s Pulp can restore its former edge.]

With a thought from Gu Wen, ten years’ worth of Emperor’s Pulp merged into it, and the scabbard hummed faintly.

[Immortal Sword scabbard, after ten years of nurturing with Emperor’s Pulp, the scabbard is usable, ready to be refined with Sword Intent.]

Confirming its effectiveness, Gu Wen again invested fifty years’ worth of Emperor’s Pulp.

[Immortal Sword scabbard, after fifty years of nurturing with Emperor’s Pulp, the scabbard appears aged but can accommodate the Immortal Sword’s remnants.]

Finally, fifty years’ worth of Emperor’s Pulp was invested, and the ancient, dark scabbard gained a bit of luster.

[Immortal Sword scabbard, nurtured for a hundred years with Emperor’s Pulp, is capable of seeking the traces of the Immortal Sword.]

Buzz~

The Immortal Sword scabbard in his hand vibrated slightly, and Gu Wen felt a distant existence somewhere to the east.

East of Nanshui lies Fire Cloud Cave.