Seeking the Flying Sword Path

Qin Yun returned to Mt. Lightning Roar with his granddaughter.

“Grandfather, I need to cultivate in seclusion. Do not let anyone come to East Jade Yard from this day forth,” said Qin Yuluo.

“Alright.” Qin Yun nodded slightly. “No one will disturb your cultivation.”

The Qin Manor occupied an extensive piece of land.

East Jade Yard was where Qin Yuluo typically lived and cultivated. Now, she had barred entry to prevent herself from being disturbed.

“I was such a joke.” Qin Yuluo sat on a granite platform by the side of the corridor. She fell into a daze while hugging her knees. This lasted for three months.

…

“You pulled Yuluo along to meet Meng Fu?” Yi Xiao was alarmed.

“Having cultivated for thousands of years, why even cultivate if she can’t handle something as trivial as this?” Qin Yun thought nothing of it. He had experienced and seen a lot. From his point of view, his granddaughter’s simple crush was nothing.

Yi Xiao could not help but say, “But love is something that hurts the most.”

“I will not separate true lovers but our Yuluo was just infatuated! That Meng Fu’s mind and heart is all on his wife from his mortal days. It has even turned into an obsession,” retorted Qin Yuluo. “It’s better to sever any infatuation that has no hope early.”

“You should do it slow, but you were so direct,” said Yi Xiao. “Yuluo is now in seclusive cultivation and who knows how she is.”

“Don’t underestimate her. I think she resembles me in many ways.” Qin Yun smiled. “She just lacks setbacks.”

Qin Yun suffered many setbacks in his childhood.

Even his embarking of the sword immortal path was through a legacy he obtained. He honed himself in cultivation without any master to guide him. He had to create his own Sword Immortal Essence Soul Dharmic formulation before he became a disciple of the Numinous Treasure Dao Ancestor. The experiences of his cultivation to date… were indeed much more arduous than what Qin Yuluo had experienced. Every sword’s blade was produced from tempering. Qin Yuluo had very high talent, in no way inferior to his. However, the setbacks she experienced were too few. As such, her achievements were far inferior to Qin Yun’s.

******

In the cosmos.

God King Zhurong and the Fiend Ancestor’s female form met each other from afar. Behind Zhurong was a massive Great World and he stood at the boundary of that Great World. The Fiend Ancestor’s true body was unable to step into a Great World, so all she could do was stand beyond the boundary.

“Zhurong, this is the Torch Flame Kindling you want.” The Fiend Ancestor smiled as she threw out a wooden box.

Zhurong’s eyes lit up as he caught it and opened it.

The wooden box contained the Torch Flame Kindling which emitted a warm glow. Zhurong was somewhat mesmerized by it. It was a flame much different from his own. “This flame is not domineering at all, and even does not have terrifying heat, but a different power. It makes this flame even more tricky than Negative Karma Fire…”

Zhurong was a Chaos Godfiend who was able to control flames since birth. The Torch Flame Kindling had indeed shocked him.

“Zhurong, you have plenty of time to study it. Now, it’s time to do what you need to do,” said the Fiend Ancestor. “The Torch Flame Kindling is now with you. Where’s the lotus seed I want?”

“Haha, don’t worry. I will not go back on my word,” said Zhurong with a laugh. He was determined to achieve the Heavenly Dao realm, so how could he owe such huge karma?

“Here’s the lotus seed you want.”

Zhurong took out a jade bottle and pulled off its stopper. A green lotus seed filled with immense vibrancy flew out. Just seeing it with the naked eye made one feel the inconceivable strength it contained. Even the Three Realms’ Heavenly Dao would recede in the face of it. It was as though it was the most precious item in the universe.

The Fiend Ancestor could not hide her look of excitement. She extended her hand and grabbed the green lotus seed.

“Lotus Seed of Fate,” the Fiend Ancestor muttered. “I’ve finally obtained it.”

“You made a killing using a Torch Flame Kindling refined by Suirenshi to exchange for the Lotus Seed of Fate,” said Zhurong with a laugh. “If I were to offer the seed to Suirenshi directly, he would even be willing to refine three Torch Flame Kindlings for the exchange.”

“Haha, the karma between us has been severed,” said the Ancestral Fiend with a smile.

Zhurong nodded slightly.

The trade that seemingly disadvantaged him was meant to sever the karma.

Furthermore…

“In the eyes of many experts in the Three Realms, the Lotus Seed of Fate is a lot more valuable than the Inextinguishable Torch Flame, but to me, this is the most important thing in all of the Three Realms.” Zhurong looked at the Torch Flame Kindling in the wooden box. “If I can figure out the Inextinguishable Torch Flame and fuse it with my flame, perhaps I can break through. From a single Dao, I’ll advance to the myriad Dao and achieve the Heavenly Dao realm.”

The Fiend Ancestor and Zhurong were both filled with excited anticipation.

…

And in Mt. Lightning Roar’s Qin Manor in the Heavenly realm.

Qin Yuluo was alone in East Jade Yard without anyone disturbing her.

First she sat in a daze for three months.

“He has a love in his heart to begin with, so why am I holding hope for him? From this day forth, we shall go our separate ways.” Qin Yuluo got up and began practicing her swordplay, venting all her emotions into her sword arts.

She practiced day and night.

No one disturbed her. In the beginning, she was only venting with her swordplay, but as years passed, she finally calmed her heart.

It was as though the world only had her and the sword in her hand.

About fifty years after her seclusive cultivation.

“Oh?”

Qin Yun, who was chatting with Yi Xiao over tea, suddenly stood up and looked toward East Jade Yard.

“What happened?” Yi Xiao was puzzled.

“Good. Good. Good,” Qin Yun said happily.

“What are you so happy?” inquired Yi Xiao.

Qin Yun smiled and said, “It’s Yuluo. She has been cultivating all this while. Just moments ago, the sword array she conjured had strength equivalent of that of a mighty figure’s!”

“Equivalent to a mighty figure’s?” Yi Xiao was astonished. “Yuluo has broken through?”

“There might still be some obstructions in her attaining of a Great Dao, but her strength does match a mighty figure at the moment,” said Qin Yun with a sigh. “Although I have painstakingly taught her, just like how Jade Void Palace teaches its disciples, there are few in the Three Realms that have the strength of mighty figures. This is the same for ancient existences at the perfected Great Dao. I never expected to see Yuluo break through so early before my final tribulation.”

Qin Yun was very pleased.

He was happy that his lineage would not end with him and that Qin Manor would have someone to support it after him.

“Severing her emotional ties and cultivating for decades in seclusion before a breakthrough. Even if all the time is counted, it has only taken her a few millennia.” Qin Yun roared with laughter. “To match that of a mighty figure in a few millennia, Yuluo’s talents are indeed high. I believe she will be able to become a mighty figure if she continues accumulating her insights! She might even be able to become a pinnacle mighty figure.”

“It’s no wonder Yuluo caught the fancy of Perfected Jade Tripod from Jade Void Palace. His keen eye is truly impeccable.” Qin Yun was rather pleased with himself.

He also believed that Yuluo was very talented.

However, she had exceeded his expectations to match a mighty figure that quickly.

“Look at how happy you are,” said Yi Xiao with a smile. “I don’t even see you that happy when you break through yourself.”

“It’s different. I have Itinerant Immortal tribulations awaiting me while Yuluo has eternal life. It’s possible that Qin Manor will be counting on her in the future,” said Qin Yun with a smile.

“Why are you saying that? Brother Yun, you will definitely transcend the Itinerant Immortal tribulations,” said Yi Xiao immediately.

“Haha, yes. I’ll definitely transcend it.” Qin Yun laughed.

At that moment, Qin Yun even felt enlightened.

It was said that the torch was always passed down.

To see Yuluo step forward to continue being the Qin family’s pillar of support made Qin Yun suddenly have a deeper understanding of what it meant to pass down a torch.

My responsibilities are yours.

All I care for will be handed to you for protection.

I will leave everything to you.

“The Human Spirit?” Qin Yun could sense that the moment of enlightenment made him even closer to the Great Dao of Man.

But to figure out the Great Dao of Man like that? Clearly, it was not sufficient.

But being one step closer made Qin Yun realize how he should continue his cultivation.

“Xiaoxiao,” said Qin Yun.

“Yes?” Yi Xiao looked at Qin Yun.

“Back when I met the Three Sovereigns in Fire Cloud Palace, they gave me guidance me on the Great Dao of Man. Over the past few decades, I have been meditating over it. However, I think it’s time I travel. I believe my understanding of the human world is lacking. I want to take a careful look at it and experience it. I want to seek out the Great Dao of Man from the mortal world and the secular world,” said Qin Yun.

Yi Xiao’s eyes lit up. “Sure. Brother Yun, when do you plan on leaving? Are you going to see Yuluo first?”

“No. I’ll be setting off after I finish this tea with you,” said Qin Yun.