Great Red Immortal Sect

Chapter 53: Empty Sword
Baishi is a place with rugged rocks and few plants.

As one of the few mines in Qingwei, Baishi has rich mineral resources. It has been mined in Guanzhong for a hundred years and has not yet been exhausted. In fact, many new mineral veins have been discovered recently. It is an important harvest for the sect.

At the foot of the mountain, beside the stream, Wang Xiwei was leading an old man with gray hair to survey the earth's veins.

Jiang Chiyu's body was originally a little hunched, but now he stood straight, following behind his master, showing a bit of high spirits.

The stream originates from underground, near the lava veins, and is warm to the touch. Wang Xiwei stopped and looked quietly at a material yard not far away.

Many disciples were paving the way through the mountains and drawing the underground fire. The person in charge was a middle-aged man, Qi Xiuli. It was he who discovered the underground fire Wuyuan tree that year. Since then, he has been a manager of Bai Shi and has been working diligently over the years.

"How is the precious tree these days?"

Wang Xi turned around slightly, his gaze drifting towards the ground, as if he was looking through the formation and saw the precious tree with flaming fire running across it.

"Now, something is strange. The brilliance has gradually faded, the lava in the tree has solidified, and the underground fire has died down. But the vitality is getting stronger and stronger, as if it is undergoing a transformation."

Jiang Chiyu replied in a low voice, looking somewhat hesitant, not knowing whether this was a good or bad thing.

"Bai Shi is the mountain with the longest history in Qingwei. It existed in Qingwei long before my temple moved here. The Fuxuemo Sect occupied this place back then and made some moves. This treasure tree also has a strange origin. Perhaps it has something extraordinary about it."

Continuing on his way, Wang Xiwei gently stroked the small red jade hammer at his waist, his expression calm, and said with some feeling:

"But this tree is neither Bing nor Li. We only know its name, but not its origin."

After walking for a short while, the two men arrived at the ore yard, which was the place that had been pre-designated for smelting ore.

"Greetings, Elder, and Senior Brother Jiang."

Qi Xiuli was originally directing the transportation of stones, and when he saw the visitor, he hurried over to greet him.

"There's no need to be too polite when it comes to repairing the rituals. I'll need you to take care of the things here."

Wang Xi smiled and let Qi Xiuli get back to work, while he carefully inspected the area, lost in thought. Jiang Chiyu, who was standing by, saw his master's expression and immediately understood, saying softly:

"Master, according to previous estimates, the Blood Fire Refined Iron smelted here can bring in a lot of profit, whether it's sold or used personally."

"This is a good thing, but Bai Shi is a little short of manpower."

Wang Xiwei looked around and saw many outer disciples busy at work. Most of them were transferred from the mines. Even after the place was built, people were needed to look after the furnace and carry the stones. It was obviously not a worry-free job.

"Come to think of it, Chiyu, your granddaughter has reached the age of cultivation."

Wang Xiwei asked in a low voice, looking at his eldest disciple with a smile.

"Exactly. Zhou Du has just turned eight. I tested his physique and it's pretty good."

When mentioning this, Jiang Chiyu's face showed joy, and it was obvious that he had been thinking about this matter for a long time.

"Oh, I wonder what the spiritual roots are like?"

"A full six inches."

Wang Xiwei was a little surprised. His disciple's children all had no spiritual roots and were all mortals. He didn't expect that one of them had good qualifications in the next generation.

"Liucun's talent is already enough to steadily refine Qi in his twenties. Have you ever thought about which sect he should join?"

Jiang Chiyu, who was standing by, hesitated and whispered:
"I wanted to have her join Caiyun Peak. After all, there are many daughters there, so it would be convenient. But Sister Wen is busy, and I have been in Baishi all the time, so I can't meet her."

"So that's what happened. No wonder I wanted to speak up several times along the way, but didn't."

Wang Xiwei immediately understood what his senior disciple was thinking.

The Wen family is the main branch of the temple. Although only Wen Sian is left and Xu Xuan is the head, they are still the orthodox family in the temple.

Now Wen Sian has only accepted one disciple. Gao Xia is in charge of Changming, so Caiyun Peak is empty. If you can become Sian's disciple, you will benefit a lot in the future.

Junior Brother Xu Xuan already has Xiao Wen as his disciple, and now there is a disciple from the Liu family. Even if he is sent there, he probably won't be taken seriously.

As for my own place, Chiyu has already become a disciple of Dangxia Peak, which is a bit inappropriate. At most, I can only be sent to Qiyun, but the seniority in this sect is a bit lower.

Although Wang Xiwei is skilled in refining weapons, he has lived longer and can still see the twists and turns clearly.

"I have worked hard all my life, and even now, for the sake of my own children's future, I should pay some attention to them."

Wang Xiwei smiled and said loudly:
"That's easy to say. I'll ask for you someday. Although Si'an has a cold personality, he still cares about her. Don't worry."

Jiang Chiyu's eyes were red, and he just nodded vigorously. Wang Xiwei asked him to take care of the mine first and left him alone here.

Riding the wind up to the top of Baishishan Mountain, Wang Xi sat cross-legged casually on a blue stone. He looked in the direction of Luo Qing, took out a jade slip and studied it carefully.

"Yefu's Record of Fire Weapons".

"The smelter made a sword. When the red jin broke, tin appeared. When the ruoye dried up, iron appeared. A dragon held the furnace while the emperor's son loaded the charcoal. The five elements met, and yin and yang merged into one furnace. When a spirit emerged, its light shot towards the Bull.

Wang Xiwei read the preface with fascination.

His branch of the Wang family was not originally from the temple. Their ancestors drifted from Yangzhou to Yizhou, and moved from ancient Yue to Shu, where they entered Dachi and made weapons for it.

After the fall of Shu, he fled and came to Chiyun. The journey was turbulent and only his branch was left.

This "Yefu's Record of Fire Weapons" is considered to be the weapon refining method passed down in his family. Now it is added to the sect. Although the preface is wonderful, a lot of it is lost. At most, it only involves some mid-grade foundation-building magic weapons.

The method of refining objects is very difficult to master. The records are obscure, and many spiritual objects and refining methods have been lost. In addition, it requires a high level of cultivation and spiritual objects. Wang Xiwei has studied hard for many years, but still cannot be considered to have mastered it.

"Qiyun's ambition is not here. He is now more and more focused on the formation. I am afraid that this inheritance will be difficult to pass on."

Thinking of this, Wang Xiwei didn't know how to explain this to his own son. After all, he himself had also advised his junior fellow apprentice to find some methods of formation and equipment to protect the mountain gate.

"After all, it was passed down from my ancestors, so I don't think it was cut off with me. I just don't know what Chengyan's talent is."

Having just talked with Jiang Chiyu about his granddaughter, Wang Xiwei also thought of his own grandson. He closed the bamboo slips, smiled slightly, and looked at the white clouds in the sky.

Although it is difficult for cultivators to have offspring, their qualifications are usually better. Qiyun and Shen Shu both have good qualifications, so I think Chengyan will not be bad either.

"Speaking of which, when will Junior Brother get married? If he has a child, he should be quite talented."

Wang Xiwei had thought about this several times, but really didn't know how to start.

Anyone with a discerning eye could see the connection between Wen Sian and Xu Xuan, but there was something really awkward between them.

Of these two, one seldom reveals his emotions, keeps everything in his heart, and never says much; the other is busy all day long, and apart from practicing, he is on the road. There is no chance for his senior brother to act as a matchmaker.

"Do I have to use the excuse of continuing the sect to persuade him?"

Even though Wang Xiwei knew both of them very well, it was difficult for him to admit it. His marriage to his own wife was only arranged by his parents and the matchmaker.

Since Xu Xuan and Si'an didn't have any elders, the burden fell on his senior brother's shoulders. 'How about next time we go to Caiyun, we can use the opportunity to persuade Si'an to accept Chiyu's granddaughter and ask him a few questions indirectly?'

Junior Brother Xu is a blockhead, but Junior Sister Si'an is a smart person. You should ask for their opinions first.

At the foot of Baishishan Mountain, the sound of busyness could be heard. Wang Xiwei opened the jade slip again and began to study it.
-
Dajingyuan, Kongjianmen.

This place is located not far from the north bank of Pinghu Lake, facing Qingwei across the Wu family's land. There are many low hills. Although they are not towering, they are full of spiritual energy and have beautiful scenery.

All the mortals under the jurisdiction of Kongjianmen gathered in two cities, one called [Shiguang] and the other called [Huijia]. There were many common people and many independent cultivators.

The sect's mountain gate is located on several sacred mountains between the two cities. Every night, it is illuminated by stars, making it a rare sacred place.

The main branch of the sect practices on a mountain called Dengchen, while the other branches are in charge of affairs on the three sacred mountains nearby, and are connected by blood ties.

Zuo Hemo was at the top of Dengchen Mountain, carrying a dark magic sword on his back and wearing green armor with intricate stars engraved on it.

He stood tall and straight, and the wind on the top of the mountain was blowing, but Zuo Hemo remained motionless. It was obvious that he had cultivated to the seventh level of Qi Refining. At his age, it was almost inevitable for him to lay the foundation.

He looked in the direction of Wu Huang, as if thinking about something.

The wind in the mountains became stronger and stronger, making him feel a little dizzy. The ground under his feet seemed to become soft and shaky, and countless pairs of pale arms stretched out from it, dragging his body down. From time to time, shrill cries and curses reached his ears.

‘Hallucination. ’

Zuo Hemo ignored all this and just stood there, allowing those strange visions to unfold.

He seemed to be able to hear his deceased master whispering beside him, and the wailing of his fellow apprentice who was eaten alive by monsters. The tragedy of that year turned into a nightmare that would haunt him only when he was awake.

After an unknown amount of time, the corpses whispering beside him turned into a pool of blood and disappeared.

'it's over. '

The leader of the Kongjian Sect breathed a sigh of relief and looked towards the mountain road. Someone was coming.

A young man in a gray robe came flying over. He had already cultivated his Qi, had a handsome appearance, and a righteous look between his brows. He was Zuo Hemo's eldest disciple and also his junior fellow apprentice's legitimate son, Qi Wen.

Zuo Hemo looked at the other person quietly, as if he could see some of the grace of his former junior brother in this disciple.

"Master, the star map in our sect has changed again. The [Fengxuan Sword Qi] will travel between Yi and Zhen. I'm afraid it will reach the Jingchu division within a hundred years, passing through Wunan."

Qi Wen stepped forward, his voice low and a little worried.

Zuo Hemo's expression changed when he heard this. He waved his sleeves, turned around, and led Qi Wen down the mountain, saying softly:

"Wunnan belongs to the ancient Chu territory and is one of the ancestral lands of the Upper Wu. It is not a good thing to get entangled with them."

"The [Lingsa] sect that summoned the gods to descend fell into Northern Liao, but the remaining sects are still powerful. The [Huodu] sect even controls ancient Dian in the southwest."

"Can the golden incense stick in the ancestral hall continue to burn?"

Qi Wen, who was following beside him, had a strange look on his face and said slowly:

"I went to check today and it has grown another inch. The fever is raging. I wonder what Qingwei's Great Red Temple is up to."

Zuo He was silent for a while, then said in a complicated tone:
"This incense has been passed down from our ancestors. It was originally a token of trust passed down from the ancient clan, representing the Great Chi Fen Guan. When Shu was destroyed, everyone went their separate ways and were eventually driven from Shu to Chiyun. With each generation, their skills gradually declined, and their ancestors' martial arts and swordsmanship either became ineffective or were lost."

"Chong Yangzi realized the sword intent and rekindled the incense. After his death, it went out again. When Xu Xuan took charge of the mountain gate, it was rekindled a few years ago, and recently it has grown an inch."

"It seems that our Kongjian Sect is unable to get rid of it after all. We need to contact them more often in the future so that we can have a way out."

Qi Wen, who was standing aside, seemed to be thinking about something and asked softly:

"Master, would you like to invite Da Chi's men to the next sword test?"

Zuo Hemo and Qi Wen had already arrived in front of the ancestral hall at this time. The disciples who were guarding there greeted the master when they saw him coming.

The two of them entered, and Zuo Hemo and Qi Wen finished offering incense to the ancestors. Only then did the head of the Kongjian Sect whisper:

"In the past, Japan wanted to remove our sect, but in the end, it was inevitable. If you take charge of the mountain sect in the future, you should keep in touch with them and support each other."

"The three collateral mountains are all interested in the sword test within the sect, and they can't tolerate you. Sending someone from Dachiguan can also stir up some situations and pave the way for you."

Qi Wen's face turned pale. He heard some hidden meaning in his master's words and asked in a suppressed voice:

"Master, could you please tell me what the great monk from the Great Moonlight Temple said? It would also help you relieve your worries."

Zuo Hemo did not respond, but just looked at the tablet in the ancestral hall with a trance-like expression.

'The Taoist's beloved disciple is empty and he has taken up his position.'

Looking at the spirit tablet of his junior fellow apprentice, and then at Qi Wen beside him, Zuo Hemo's expression softened, as if a glacier had melted, and he said with a smile:

"Qi Wen, the future of the sect still depends on you."

"Back then, when demons were threatening our land, my master and fellow apprentice sacrificed their lives to keep me alive. Now it's my turn to pray for a future for our descendants."

Qi Wen, who was standing by, seemed to have sensed something, and he trembled a little and was speechless.

Zuo Hemo looked towards the highest point of the incense stand in the ancestral hall. There were two golden incense sticks. The one representing the empty sword was only slightly burning, with a dim starlight, while the one representing Dachi was filled with fragrance and a brilliant golden fire.

"There's no need to be on guard now. Qi Wen, pick a date and deliver this letter to Luo Qing before the sword test. When Master Xu sees the letter, he'll understand my intentions."

"I will enter the sword pool in the mountains and remain in seclusion until I reach the ninth level of Qi Refining. Then I will come out of the mountains to guide Xinghui and achieve the foundation building. From now on, all matters of the sect will be under your control."

Zuo Hemo took out the sword from his back and handed it to Qi Wen along with a secret letter, with a tone of expectation and helplessness.

"Master!"

Qi Wen knelt down, his voice mournful, a hint of sadness between his upright brows. He took the letter, but refused to accept the magic sword [Chenhe] that represented the position of the head of the sect.

"Take it!"

Zuo He's voice was as loud as a lion's roar. Qi Wen below did not dare to refuse any longer and had to accept it.

"These are turbulent times, and many of the people in the sect have other thoughts. You must be careful."

Qi Wen knelt beside him, Zuo Hemo bent down and said softly:

"If anyone disobeys discipline and causes trouble—"

"kill."

There was no wind in the ancestral hall, but Qi Wen only felt a cold wind blowing through his bones, making him feel cold all over.

(End of this chapter)