The Transmigrator’s Cultivation

Arc 22: Affairs At Sword Conference | Chapter 407: Meeting Friends

In the blink of an eye, the figure in white was right in front of him—it was indeed Yun Lie.

His aura was still as cold, his demeanor still as stern, and his presence still as commanding, making it hard for anyone to look away.

Xu Ziqing hadn’t seen his shixiong in many years. While he had managed to suppress his longing when they were apart, now that they were face to face, he found himself momentarily dazed.

In a flash, Yun Lie was already standing in front of Xu Ziqing.

They gazed at each other in quiet affection. Xu Ziqing smiled and called out, “Shixiong.”

Yun Lie gave a slight nod. “You’ve formed your nascent soul. That’s good.”

Xu Ziqing’s expression softened. “It’s been many years. How have you been, shixiong?”

Yun Lie reached out, lightly brushing the side of his junior’s face. “I’ve had a breakthrough as well.”

A wave of emotion surged in Xu Ziqing’s heart, and he placed his hand over his shixiong’s.

Neither of them made any further movement, yet the atmosphere between them became suddenly tender and affectionate.

After a moment, Yun Lie moved his hand slightly, and Xu Ziqing, smiling softly, intertwined their fingers.

Hand in hand, they floated away together.

Along the way, they naturally began to talk.

Xu Ziqing’s tone grew ever softer, his heart filled with warmth. “Shixiong, where were you just now?”

Yun Lie replied, “I was in a sword hall, sparring with someone.”

Xu Ziqing smiled. “I imagine there must be some like-minded swordsmen among them.”

Yun Lie pondered briefly. “Most are straightforward in nature. Only Jiwen Jing has a more complex mind, but his sword heart is resolute, and he’s worth associating with.”

Hearing this, Xu Ziqing fell into thought. His shixiong had a clear sword heart and always acted with integrity, yet he was also tolerant in his dealings with others, possessing a broad and open-minded nature. Since Yun Lie had specifically mentioned Jiwen Jing, it was clear that this person’s mind was much deeper than most others they had encountered. However, Yun Lie said Jiwen Jing was worth befriending, which meant he must have a profound understanding of swordsmanship and was not an entirely unscrupulous person.

With this in mind, Xu Ziqing asked, “Shixiong, how is Jiwen Jing’s skill in swordsmanship?”

Yun Lie replied, “He’s also at the first refinement of sword soul.”

Xu Ziqing immediately understood. To have reached such a level in swordsmanship, Jiwen Jing was certainly capable of becoming a close friend to his shixiong.

Given that Jiwen Jing’s surname was ‘Jiwen,’ it seemed likely that he was connected to the Jiwen family, which was hosting the Sword Debate Conference. Xu Ziqing hoped that Jiwen Jing would be as sincere toward Yun Lie as well.

Before long, after a brief conversation, they arrived at the Qiu Jian Hall.

The two of them walked directly inside, making their way to the arena in the back.

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While Jiwen Jing and the others were in the midst of discussing swordsmanship, they suddenly noticed that Yun Lie, who was usually indifferent but spoke more when discussing swordsmanship, had received a jade slip and abruptly stood up to leave. The group was surprised, and various speculations arose in their minds.

One person laughed, “I never would have expected Daoist Yun to act like this.”

Had it been someone else, it wouldn’t have been surprising, but Yun Lie was known to be distant from others. Could it be that he had a friend he held in such high regard?

Another teased, “Could it be his sweetheart?”

Someone else remarked, “Given Daoist Yun’s temperament… I doubt it’s a sweetheart.”

The rest of the group chuckled, “Once Daoist Yun brings the person back, we’ll know for sure.”

These sword cultivators, usually so focused on their sword training, were now filled with curiosity.

It wasn’t surprising that they reacted this way; Yun Lie’s actions today were entirely out of character, piquing their interest. If Yun Lie were present, they wouldn’t dare make such jokes, as his presence would silence them all.

Only Jiwen Jing furrowed his brow slightly.

He valued Yun Lie greatly, seeing him as a rare kindred spirit in swordsmanship and hoping to form a deep bond with him. As a scion of a prominent family, Jiwen Jing had even considered proposing a marriage alliance with Yun Lie. He had a younger sister, who was highly talented in swordsmanship. Though just under a hundred years old, she had already achieved the Golden Core stage and was on the verge of comprehending sword intent. Wouldn’t she be a perfect match for Yun Lie?

If they became dual cultivation partners, Jiwen Jing would naturally become Yun Lie’s brother-in-law. This would deepen their bond, allowing them to regularly spar and discuss swordsmanship together—a mutually beneficial relationship. Moreover, if Yun Lie were to achieve great things in the future, he would be a powerful ally for Jiwen Jing. The advantages were numerous.

It was a strategy with many benefits.

Jiwen Jing had assumed that, given Yun Lie’s more than two hundred years of age and his distant demeanor, he likely didn’t have a partner. He had already arranged for his sister to be brought over from their family home. Not only could she participate in the Sword Debate Conference, but she would also have a chance to meet Yun Lie.

Yun Lie, with his talents, was an ideal match for his sister—a perfect husband, and his sister would surely be pleased.

However, his sister was still a day or two away from arriving, and now it seemed that Yun Lie had gone to meet someone he valued highly.

The other sword cultivators held great respect for Yun Lie, seeking his guidance in swordsmanship, but none had observed him as closely as Jiwen Jing, nor had they entertained such thoughts. So, after a few jokes, they let the matter drop, while Jiwen Jing paid close attention. He noticed that the person Yun Lie went to meet must hold an extraordinary place in his heart.

With these thoughts swirling in his mind, Jiwen Jing calmed himself and waited for Yun Lie’s return.

It didn’t take long, as fetching someone wouldn’t take much time. Soon enough, someone approached from outside the hall.

Jiwen Jing immediately spotted Yun Lie, and when he glanced to the left, he saw a young cultivator dressed in green walking alongside Yun Lie. Jiwen Jing couldn’t help but take a closer look.

The young cultivator had a handsome and elegant face and had reached the Nascent Soul stage, indicating excellent talent. But that wasn’t the most striking thing. What surprised Jiwen Jing the most was the terrifying vitality hidden within the young man’s body—something Jiwen Jing could detect only because he had refined his sword soul and thus had sharper perception. Even just a glimpse of that vitality was shocking.

From this alone, it was clear that this person practiced an extraordinary cultivation technique.

Moreover, what stood out even more was the young cultivator’s aura.

It was gentle and calm, making people feel as if they were basking in the warmth of spring. Unlike many strong cultivators whose overwhelming presence could make them hard to approach, this person’s aura naturally drew people in, making them instinctively feel goodwill. It even made one want to get closer.

For a Nascent Soul cultivator to possess such influence was truly frightening.

Besides that…

Jiwen Jing’s thoughts grew more complicated.

The young cultivator stood beside Yun Lie, and as they walked together, their auras seemed to blend harmoniously.

Logically, their comprehension of the Dao should be entirely opposite, making it difficult for them to become close, yet it didn’t seem that way at all.

For some reason, it felt as though they were perfectly in sync.

Before long, the two of them had already approached.

Jiwen Jing composed himself, stood up, and smiled, “Brother Yun, may I ask who this is?”

Yun Lie replied, “My Dao companion.”

Jiwen Jing’s heart tightened.

—He really was a Dao companion!

The Dao is divided into yin and yang, just like heaven and earth. When cultivators seek a dual cultivation partner, they often look for someone compatible, typically one who complements them in the yin-yang balance. Therefore, most cultivators form partnerships between men and women. While male-male or female-female partnerships aren’t unheard of, they are still quite rare.

How could Jiwen Jing have ever imagined that this sword cultivator, with his cold and severe demeanor, who appeared entirely devoted to pursuing the sword Dao, would not only have already formed a Dao partnership at just over two hundred years old, but that his partner would be a man? It was almost unbelievable! His previous plans were clearly now in vain.

Still, as a highly accomplished and talented young man, Jiwen Jing quickly adjusted his thoughts. He masked his surprise and cupped his hands towards the young cultivator, saying, “I am Jiwen Jing, a friend of Brother Yun through swordsmanship. May I ask your name?”

The young cultivator smiled gently, “I am Xu Ziqing. A pleasure to meet you, Daoist Jiwen.”

Some of the other sword cultivators were also shocked, especially those who had earlier teased Yun Lie about having a sweetheart. They stood frozen in surprise.

What had originally been a joke turned out to be true?

However, they quickly recovered and came forward to introduce themselves, getting to know him as well.

Xu Ziqing took a moment to observe everyone, making some mental notes.

Just as his shixiong had said, these sword cultivators were single-minded in their pursuit of the sword Dao. Their entire focus was on swordsmanship, with little concern for social etiquette or personal backgrounds. Now that they had met Xu Ziqing, they readily accepted him.

Jiwen Jing, with his strong and imposing demeanor, lived up to his reputation as a prominent figure in the Jiwen Family. His aura seemed to rival that of Yun Lie. After witnessing so many great figures across different realms, Xu Ziqing found this to be the first time he had encountered someone who could match his shixiong in swordsmanship. Clearly, Yun Lie’s praise had not been exaggerated.

However, Xu Ziqing also noticed that when Jiwen Jing first saw him, there was a brief moment of assessment, followed by a trace of disappointment.

Assessment was normal, but where had the disappointment come from?

Without thinking too much about it, everyone sat back down.

After accepting Xu Ziqing, the other sword cultivators treated him as they would anyone else, returning to their discussions of swordsmanship.

At times, they debated heatedly; other times, they shared their experiences and sought advice from one another. The atmosphere was lively.

These sword enthusiasts, when gathered together, appeared even more dedicated to their craft.

Xu Ziqing sat quietly on the side, watching with a smile. Although his shixiong was one of the quieter ones in the group, he was clearly highly respected. Xu Ziqing could sense that Yun Lie was in a good mood, likely gaining insights from the ongoing discussions. His shixiong seemed genuinely happy, and as long as his shixiong was happy, Xu Ziqing was content as well.

After a round of discussion, one of the sword cultivators noticed that they had been neglecting the newcomer and, finding an appropriate moment, asked, “What insights do you have, Daoist Xu?”

Xu Ziqing was slightly taken aback but quickly shared a few of his own thoughts. He smiled and added, “The path I follow is not the sword Dao, so I may be overstepping by speaking here. Please don’t take offense.”

The others were surprised once again.

They hadn’t expected that Yun Lie, whose swordsmanship was so extraordinary, would have a Dao companion who was not a sword cultivator.

Dao companions are meant to be like-minded individuals, especially when they are of the same gender. Xu Ziqing couldn’t have come into Yun Lie’s life because of physical attraction, so how could they possibly share such a deep bond? This puzzled many of them.

Xu Ziqing was aware of their confusion, but the relationship between him and his shixiong wasn’t something that could be explained in a few words, nor was it anyone else’s business. So, he simply smiled and said nothing more.

Seeing Xu Ziqing’s calm demeanor and Yun Lie’s lack of concern, the others shifted the conversation back to swordsmanship.

Jiwen Jing noticed the way Xu Ziqing and Yun Lie exchanged glances, as well as the smile on Xu Ziqing’s face, and silently sighed. He said nothing more.

As night fell, the group dispersed.

After courteously bidding farewell to the others, Xu Ziqing followed Yun Lie back to his living quarters.

Upon entering the room, Xu Ziqing glanced around. The room was comfortable, with everything neatly and meticulously arranged, reflecting his shixiong’s usual precision and attention to detail.

After surveying the room, Xu Ziqing looked up to see his shixiong closing the door and walking toward him.

His breath caught, and for some reason, his face began to feel warm.

Translator: Lynn

Translations are not 100% correct. Please let me know if there are typos/mistakes in the chapter.

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