Chapter 456 - 218: Punishment_2
After a long while, Miao Qian suddenly withdrew her gaze, sighed softly, and said, "It seems Fellow Daoist Lingshan is determined to acquire the Secret Technique of the Soul-Slaying Sword from our Celestial Monarch Mountain."
Huang Lingshan smiled faintly, "Isn’t Celestial Monarch Mountain also unwilling to easily give up the method of condensing the Wisdom Sword held by my junior brother?"
After a slight pause, she turned and glanced at Zhang Qingjing and the others, saying calmly, "Throughout history, the reason many Immortal Techniques and Secret Techniques have been lost and disappeared in the long river of time."
"Is all because each sect and clan guards its secrets behind closed doors."
"If the elder who created the Soul-Slaying Sword from Celestial Monarch Mountain had a spirit in the heavens, wouldn’t they hope the Secret Technique they painstakingly created would not gradually be forgotten?"
Zhang Qingjing and the others exchanged glances, their expressions shifting.
They didn’t know the ancestor’s thoughts, but it was a fact that the Soul-Slaying Sword was on the verge of being lost.
Nowadays, within Celestial Monarch Mountain, few disciples are willing to spend a lot of energy cultivating a Secret Technique where effort and reward are extremely disproportionate.
If this continues, in two more generations, the Secret Technique of the Soul-Slaying Sword might only lie gathering dust in the Library Pavilion, becoming an unheeded core legacy.
"Lingshan Sword Immortal’s words are truly sharp."
After a period of silence, Miao Qian suddenly laughed.
"Enough, I agree to this transaction."
While speaking, she turned to look at Zhang Qingjing and the others behind her, "Fellow disciples and nephews, please state your opinions."
The few exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.
Seeing this, Miao Qian turned to Shen Wen’an and Huang Lingshan, saying, "Although I agree to this matter, there’s one more condition."
"Please, do tell, Fellow Daoist."
Huang Lingshan replied slowly, already roughly guessing what Miao Qian was going to say.
"After all, the Soul-Slaying Sword is the core legacy of Celestial Monarch Mountain. After this transaction, I hope both of you will swear a True Spirit Oath, never to relay this Secret Technique."
Upon hearing this, Shen Wen’an furrowed his brows slightly, thought for a moment, and said, "Forgive me, ancestor, I can only promise that I won’t pass the Secret Technique to anyone outside the Shen Family’s Direct Lineage."
In his life, besides the Sword Dao, he only cared about his family.
If the secret technique obtained from an adventure couldn’t be left to his family, what would be the point of acquiring it?
The Soul-Slaying Sword is considered pivotal by Celestial Monarch Mountain, likely being a very powerful Secret Technique.
The Shen Family acquiring it would be enough to serve as their heritage.
Upon hearing this, Miao Qian slowly tightened her grip on the wooden staff in her hand.
It’s somewhat acceptable if Celestial Monarch Mountain’s core legacy remains with Huang Lingshan and Shen Wen’an.
But passing it on to a cultivation family would put them in a tough spot.
"Forget it, Senior Sister Miao."
After another long silence.
Zhang Qingjing suddenly sighed and said, "Given the drastic changes in this world, let’s consider this transaction an act of goodwill."
"I think the Cyan Ruo Sword House and Young Friend Shen’s family will not become enemies of Celestial Monarch Mountain in the future."
"Maybe we’ll even have the chance to stand together in battle."
Miao Qian considered Zhang Qingjing’s words and nodded slowly after pondering for a moment, "Then let it be so."
"Junior Brother Qingjing, you should handle this matter."
"The rest of us will take our leave first."
Saying this, Miao Qian slightly bowed in respect towards Huang Lingshan and Shen Wen’an, "I bid you both goodbye."
After finishing her words, they transformed into lights and flew towards the main peak of Celestial Monarch Mountain.
Once they left, Zhang Qingjing invited the duo to sit once again.
Perhaps after reaching a deal, the relationship between the parties became visibly more harmonious.
During a session of tea and casual chat, Shen Wen’an took the opportunity to mention his financial difficulty, unable to provide enough refining materials for the magical artifacts.
Seeing this, Zhang Qingjing was momentarily stunned, followed by a wry smile, "Young friend truly seizes every chance for gain, don’t you?"
"In that case..."
After a moment of contemplation, Zhang Qingjing said, "I will keep one piece of magical artifact and magical robe crafted from the Flood Dragon Corpse as compensation."
"Young friend wouldn’t let me lose out entirely, would you?"
Hearing this, Shen Wen’an was delighted and immediately expressed his gratitude, "Thank you, ancestor."
As previously mentioned, the Flood Dragon Corpse should yield three magical robes and two magical artifacts.
If Zhang Qingjing kept one robe, two robes and two artifacts would remain.
It’s just the right amount for two sets.
After settling this matter, Zhang Qingjing solemnly took out a dark purple jade token and handed it to Shen Wen’an, "This contains the Soul-Slaying Sword, Celestial Monarch Mountain’s core legacy."
"Back then, Yun Cheng Ancestor spent three hundred years crafting this Secret Technique, which was later perfected by over a dozen esteemed predecessors of Celestial Monarch Mountain, achieving the complete Soul-Slaying Sword."
"Unfortunately, Celestial Monarch Mountain experienced upheaval, with a traitor emerging."
"That scoundrel not only destroyed the Soul Jade Crystal containing the original Soul-Slaying Sword but almost caused the discontinuation of Celestial Monarch Mountain’s legacy."
"Although Grandmaster and several senior patriarchs expended effort to recompense the Secret Technique of the Soul-Slaying Sword, for some reason, since then, disciples of Celestial Monarch Mountain have been unable to condense the Wisdom Sword, causing a significant decline in the power of the Secret Technique."
"Currently, besides us few old folks, few juniors within Celestial Monarch Mountain are willing to cultivate this Secret Technique."
Zhang Qingjing’s face bore a trace of melancholy and desolation.
Clearly, witnessing a core legacy of the sect gradually decline pained him deeply.
Seeing this, Shen Wen’an took out a blank Jade Scroll, integrating the Technique for cultivating the Wisdom Sword with parts of the Secret Technique from the Guardian Sword Bone.
After confirming everything meticulously, he handed it to Zhang Qingjing.
"To be honest, ancestor, this method was born from a moment of enlightenment and some unique fortunes."