Borrowing a sword

Chapter 31 Secret Realms and Missions

The three walked and talked, and soon arrived at the courtyard where Niu Yuanshan lived.

After these two upheavals, Chu Huaixu finally remembered that his and Han Shuangjiang's original intention was to buy groceries and cook, and they still hadn't had a hot meal yet.

—Since things have come to this, let's eat first.

After learning that the two were starving, Lao Niu ordered the servants in the courtyard to bring them some food.

Through his account, Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang learned the details of the situation.

Liu Tianfeng obtained the [Danwang Token] by chance. For some reason, only three stewards in the outer sect knew about it, and Old Niu was one of them.

Liu Tianfeng went to great lengths to obtain this token, and even asked Lao Niu for help.

As a well-known good guy in the outer sect, there are countless things people ask him for help with.

Generally speaking, the vast majority of secret realms are located within the inner sect, with very few in the outer sect.

Therefore, this Pill King Token becomes all the more precious.

Overall, the Taoist sect's attitude towards secret realms is simple: those with the right affinity will obtain them.

Because this was the original intention of the Dao Ancestor.

Those predecessors who later imitated the Daoist patriarch all shared the same goal.

Perhaps in their eyes, this is the true elegance of us cultivators.

As for infighting among fellow disciples, murder and robbery, that doesn't exist, and it's absolutely forbidden in the open!

The secret realm is the last wish of the departed.

We should show them the most basic respect.

Of course, the official Taoist sect is also willing to recycle your loot. If you find anything in the secret realm, you can choose to sell it for [Sect Contribution Points].

Contribution points can be exchanged for money, cultivation techniques, or elixirs.
Most cultivation resources can be exchanged!
When Chu Huaixu played "Borrowing Swords" before, he knew that among the four major sects of the Eastern Continent Mirror Kingdom, the Taoist sect was the one that valued the word "chance" the most.

Therefore, in the players' minds, this sect is the most luck-dependent, suitable for lucky players, and unlucky players should get lost.

After the meal, Niu Yuanshan continued, "Oh right, I forgot to tell you earlier, there are 10 jade tablet fragments in total, which means that a maximum of ten people can enter at the same time."

"The secret realm is located deep within a cold pool. Even with my cultivation level, I would not be able to withstand that special cold air under normal circumstances."

“If any of you who are at the Qi Refining stage go down here, you will surely die.”

"But in the last two months, the chill seems to have dissipated considerably."

"So you've come at a good time; the gate to this secret realm of inheritance may be about to open."

Chu Huaixu nodded: "I see."

Niu Yuanshan looked into the distance and said with a smile, "Deacon Liu attaches great importance to this secret realm because his son Liu Chengqi is carrying a top-grade spiritual embryo—the Blazing Fire Spiritual Embryo."

"However, due to an accident, his spiritual embryo was damaged, and his cultivation never improved, and he never recovered."

"This secret realm is related to the Pill King; perhaps he is looking for a way to resolve the damage to the spiritual embryo."

Upon hearing this, Chu Huaixu recalled a superior elixir—the Xuan Tian Fetal Breathing Pill.

But wanting to extract more useful information, he feigned ignorance and asked, "Steward Niu, can a damaged spiritual embryo really be restored?"

Niu Yuanshan smiled gently and patiently: "Of course, it's just very difficult. Different situations require different methods; we need to address the root cause."

"Deacon Liu has not yet found a suitable solution."

"However, there is a superior spiritual pill called the Profound Heaven Embryo Breathing Pill, which was created by the Pill King. Legend has it that as long as the spiritual embryo is completely destroyed, taking this pill can cure it."

"If the innate spiritual embryo is of low grade, then taking this pill may even give it a very high chance of advancing to the next grade."

"It is said that after the Pill King created the formula for this pill, he refined one for each of his formal disciples."

"If this deceased senior did not consume or sell this pill during his lifetime, then it may be waiting for a destined person in the secret realm."

Chu Huaixu and Han Shuangjiang exchanged a glance, and now they completely understood why Liu Tianfeng had been so distressed, and why Liu Chengqi had been so anxious.

Niu Yuanshan seemed to want to offer the two some advice, speaking in a persuasive tone:

"Since we've come up with the Xuan Tian Fetal Breathing Pill, a pill that can improve one's talent, I'll take advantage of my seniority and say a few more words."

"Let me ask you two, in your opinion, is talent more important, or is hard work more important?"

Instead of directly answering his true feelings, Chu Huaixu said, "I've heard a saying that effort determines a person's lower limit, talent determines a person's upper limit, but most people can't reach their own upper limit."

Niu Yuanshan looked at the young man and said with a smile, "What you said makes some sense. However, the cultivation world is different."

"Because in the cultivation world, so-called talent can be changed."

"It can be achieved through elixirs, by chance, or by the workings of heaven and earth!"

"Although I haven't examined your blood for your spiritual embryos, I can see that you two have already opened two apertures in such a short time, so you must be exceptionally talented." "If you were in some sects, you would probably be nurtured with the full strength of the sect and become true disciples of the sect's higher-ups."

"But after coming to the Daoist sect, you have to start as a nominal disciple and don't receive any preferential treatment. Do you feel any sense of dissatisfaction?"

Upon hearing this, Han Shuangjiang shook her head; she had never considered such things.

Chu Huaixu also shook his head, because if she shook her head, he didn't deserve to nod.

Niu Yuanshan smiled with a sense of relief and said, "If you don't feel disappointed, then that's good."

"In the Eastern Continent, the rise and fall of sects can be seen everywhere over the past thousand years."

"Only the Taoist sect has stood for a thousand years and remains one of the most prestigious sects in the world."

"You two can imagine that in the past thousand years, there have been countless outstanding talents, which is not unusual for the Taoist sect."

This is like saying you're the top scorer in your city's college entrance exam? Or a student from Tsinghua or Peking University? Sorry, our company doesn't need any Tsinghua or Peking University graduates.

"Moreover, based on past experience, flowers grown in greenhouses are more likely to die young."

"Many disciples nurtured by small sects have poor character and are unable to grow. Some go down the mountain for training and never return, and there are many who suffer from qi deviation."

"Some people have exceptional character. Even if they are not naturally gifted, they can rise to prominence and even make a name for themselves in history if they encounter the right opportunity," Old Niu remarked.

In Chu Huaixu's view, this is somewhat like some people graduating from prestigious universities, possessing outstanding abilities, and achieving great success. But there are also those who rise from humble beginnings, seize opportunities, and create remarkable achievements.

How can one's life circumstances be predetermined at a glance?
The Xuanhuang Realm also has its own stream of useless characters!

Niu Yuanshan continued, "The Daoist sect has a thousand-year history and abundant resources, enough for the sect leader and elders to train many people and also to help many people defy fate."

"But the prerequisite is that you must be able to pass through one screening after another and stand in front of them."

After laying so much groundwork, he began to give the two of them a warning.

"I know that you were sent up the mountain by the Sixth Elder, a privilege that other outer disciples could not possibly receive."

"I don't know the reason behind this, but since the Sixth Elder has chosen to let you start as nominal disciples, this is already a kind of attitude. He probably wants you to have more experience. I hope you can understand this."

"At the same time, I hope you will not let down the elders' expectations of you."

At this point, Niu Zhi first looked at Han Shuangjiang.

The protagonist of the world in "Borrowing a Sword," who has taken on the role of a "leading lady," gradually hardened her gaze.

Immediately afterwards, Niu Yuanshan looked at Chu Huaixu.

Chu Huaixu regards today's conversation as an elder's earnest instruction.

But then it suddenly dawned on him: "Old Niu is an undercover agent!"

As a member of the Moon Kingdom [organization], why would he so sincerely hope that the Daoist sect will produce talented individuals?

You with thick eyebrows and big eyes, you're a traitor, aren't you!

Chu Huaixu thought about it for a moment and began to understand that this was actually Niu Yuanshan, the leader of the "organization," giving him, a newcomer in the "organization," a task.

This is an implication that they want me to rise through the ranks from a nominal disciple to the core of the Taoist sect!
"Old Niu, you really think highly of me," he muttered to himself.

But after thinking for a moment, Chu Huaixu said, "Let me first express my loyalty. As a disciple, it was the Sixth Elder and the Daoist sect that gave me the opportunity to cultivate. I will do my best to repay the sect!"

When these words reached Niu Yuanshan's ears, this person with "sensitive skin" immediately picked up on those two special words.

Therefore, Chu Huaixu's words would automatically be interpreted as something else in his mind.

Old Niu smiled with satisfaction at Chu Huaixu, realizing that this clever young man had understood his hint.

They exchanged a glance, but remained silent.

Although there was no sound at that moment, it was as if two words were resounding loudly!

--"loyalty!"

Only Han Shuangjiang sat to the side, listening to Chu Huaixu's chatter, and her tender lips under the veil couldn't help but purse slightly.

You're such a smooth talker!

However, neither Niu Yuanshan nor Han Shuangjiang noticed that Chu Huaixu slightly lowered his head, a hint of confusion flashing in his eyes.

Based on his understanding of the quest system, he and Lao Niu had already talked to this point, which meant that he was essentially accepting a quest from Lao Niu, this NPC, to infiltrate the core circle of the Taoist sect.

Logically, this should have triggered a side quest related to the organization.

Strangely, the task system didn't respond at all!
(P.S.: I woke up to find myself in a completely different place! I've somehow climbed all the way up to 24th on the monthly ticket ranking.)
We only have a little over 70,000 words. The thought that some people might mistake it for 700,000 words and then read it all in one go makes me think you guys are devils, hehehe!

Also, we have a chance to be the daily monthly ticket champion today, we're just a few hundred votes away. Please vote for us! Voting within seven days will enter you into a prize draw to share one of 100 prize pools of 5000 Qidian coins.

If this 70,000-word novel were to top the daily charts... hehehe, devils, I'm begging for your monthly votes!
(End of this chapter)