Chapter 146 : Is This Called Borrowing?
Chapter 146: Is This Called Borrowing?
Myriad Swords Martial Hall.
Li Yunqing wore a flowing purple dress, her figure light and supple, as if divine water had been poured into her body.
Every movement she made naturally exuded gentleness and grace.
“If you feel unwell, you can rest for a day!”
Looking at Xiaolan, whose face was slightly flushed, Li Yunqing spoke with a hint of concern.
This was her personal maid—if she did not care for her, no one else would.
Moreover, her daily life in the future would depend on Xiaolan. Replacing her with someone else might make her feel somewhat uncomfortable.
“I’m fine, Miss. I will cultivate properly!”
“Let me tell you some good news—I’ve entered the ranks!”
Xiaolan said with a smile, her tone carrying a trace of excitement.
After more than three months of cultivation, she had actually entered the ranks.
Of course, it was because her Miss had spared no expense in buying her many supplementary cultivation pills.
This only made Xiaolan feel even more moved.
Her Miss treated her better than a real sister. With nothing to repay her and asking for little, she could only serve her wholeheartedly.
“Really?”
“That’s wonderful—Xiaolan is quite a little genius too!”
Li Yunqing chuckled softly, somewhat surprised.
According to the rules of the Qingzhou Martial Hall back then, entering the ranks within half a year was considered talent.
Placed in the capital, it might only count as ordinary, but Xiaolan did not need to fight—having the ability to protect herself was enough.
At the very least, she would not be bullied by ruffians when going out alone.
“Miss, don’t make fun of me—I really worked hard!”
Seeing the smile on her Miss’s face, Xiaolan quickly spoke up.
Entering the ranks in three months indeed counted as diligence.
In fact, because she had always wanted to keep up with her Miss, she had become even more hardworking in her cultivation these days.
She had not slacked off in the slightest.
“Mhm, Miss is praising you, not teasing you!”
“Go on, find a place to cultivate. If you feel unwell, rest. Don’t exhaust yourself—Miss still relies on you to take care of her!”
“I’ll go find Master first!”
Li Yunqing waved her hand and walked toward Sword God Ying Jiu’s small courtyard.
Before she even approached, she could already hear Ying Qianqian’s laughter from within—bright and lively, like a singing oriole.
“Sword God Master, Yunqing requests an audience!”
Standing at the courtyard gate, Li Yunqing bowed slightly and spoke softly.
“Creak!”
Before she could straighten up, the courtyard door opened. Ying Qianqian appeared, reaching out to grab Li Yunqing’s hand.
“Come quickly!”
Without waiting for a response, she pulled Li Yunqing into the courtyard and led her straight to the table.
“My mother made breakfast—it’s delicious!”
Looking at the porridge, pastries, and several small dishes on the table, Li Yunqing nodded slightly and said without excessive politeness, “Thank you, Senior Sister. Thank you, Master’s wife. Thank you, Master.”
Her tone was calm and gentle.
There was no trace of girlish shyness—she was poised and natural, yet without losing any propriety.
Seeing this, even Jiang Xiuning’s eyes lit up slightly.
In these past days, Li Yunqing had come to the courtyard every morning and evening to pay respects and take her leave.
Even without receiving much response, she persisted.
Moreover, she never deliberately waited for a reply. After bowing, she would turn and leave directly.
She would never linger or disturb unnecessarily.
It gave the impression of a clear and perceptive mind—every action carried out earnestly in fulfilling her duty as a disciple, rather than putting on a show of false sincerity.
Anyone else her age might have already harbored resentment.
Yet Li Yunqing remained the same.
Those necessary etiquettes seemed to have been ingrained into her very bones.
“Is there something you need?”
Sword God Ying Jiu did not lift his head, nor did he dare look too much at Li Yunqing.
It was as if he feared his wife might misunderstand, his entire demeanor carrying a faint detachment.
“I have reached Qi Realm Perfection and will soon break through to the Profound Realm!”
“But I do not have a main cultivation method for the Profound Realm, so I came to ask if Master could grant me one?”
As soon as Li Yunqing spoke, everyone’s gaze fell upon her.
“Brother Shang didn’t prepare a complete main cultivation method for you?”
Sword God Ying Jiu spoke, his tone somewhat peculiar. “You’ve been cultivating only those fragmented methods from the Martial Hall?”
A trace of shock flashed in Jiang Xiuning’s eyes.
Relying solely on simplified techniques dismantled from sect methods within the Martial Hall, Li Yunqing had actually reached Qi Realm Perfection.
Such talent was astonishing.
“Three months… Qi Realm Perfection!”
Beside them, Ying Qianqian, who clearly knew Li Yunqing’s situation, slightly opened her mouth in disbelief.
This kind of talent was terrifying.
For ordinary people, three months might not even be enough to enter the ranks.
Even she, backed by the Sword God Sect, had started foundational cultivation at twelve. Now at sixteen, she had only just reached the Qi Realm.
It would take at least three to four more years to reach perfection.
Achieving Qi Realm Perfection before the age of twenty would already be considered a genius among hidden sects.
But three months to reach perfection—this kind of talent was simply despair-inducing.
“Mhm. I’ve been cultivating the Mingyu Divine Art, and it feels quite good.”
Li Yunqing responded softly. “The Sword Saint Master did pass me a sword canon, but it doesn’t involve the Profound Realm.”
The Cangshan Sword Canon was a path of the Sword Heart created by the Sword Saint of Cangshan.
When he passed it to her, he himself had not yet reached the Profound Realm—his combat power was merely extraordinary.
Naturally, the canon did not contain methods for the Profound Realm.
“Hidden in deep mountains for ten thousand years, Mingyu naturally forms—the Mingyu Divine Art is an earth-attributed method.”
Sword God Ying Jiu nodded slightly, then shook his head. “You possess innate sword bones and a Five Elements Spirit Body. It would be better for you to cultivate a method encompassing all five elements.”
“Unfortunately, such methods are extremely rare, and ordinary people have no use for them.”
That was indeed the case.
During the Age of Immortals and Gods, cultivators possessed various spiritual talents and roots, resulting in countless cultivation methods.
Back then, cultivators did not worry about lifespan.
Given enough time, anyone with some knowledge could slowly create techniques.
They might not be high-grade, but they were stable and balanced.
But now, even reaching the Divine Realm in the Great Yu Imperial Dynasty only allowed one to live about four hundred years.
Even in the prosperous Central Region, with life-extending divine medicines, five hundred years was the limit.
Most people could not even perfect their own cultivation methods, let alone create new ones.
Five-element methods were even rarer—almost unheard of.
“Five-element cultivation methods?”
Li Yunqing paused, her eyes gleaming with anticipation.
By cultivating only the earth-attributed Mingyu Divine Art, she had already gained a Pure Yin Dao Body.
If she cultivated a five-element method, what kind of physique would emerge?
Having personally experienced the strength of the Pure Yin Dao Body, she clearly understood the importance of physique in cultivation.
A good physique could save a hundred years—or even more.
It was something most cultivators desired.
Unfortunately, such things depended on bloodline, parental inheritance, or mutation—how could ordinary people possess them?
“I have an idea!”
As if thinking of something, Sword God Ying Jiu’s eyes lit up slightly. “My Sword God Sect’s main method is the Metal-attributed Indestructible Sword Scripture.”
“The Profound Dao Sect seems to have a Water-attributed Threefold Heavy Water Scripture.”
“Add to that the Overlord Cauldron Technique of the Overlord Sect, the Undying Profound Azure Art of the Heavenly Secrets Sect, and the Karmic Fire Burning God Scroll of the Seven Kill Sect—we could gather all five.”
“As for how to cultivate them, that will depend on you.”
Li Yunqing’s eyes brightened, but soon dimmed slightly.
These sects were all major powers of the present age—how could they be willing to let her see their core methods?
Even with her exceptional talent and the Longevity Panel, giving her confidence in fusing the five techniques, obtaining them would be nearly impossible.
“These are all sect inheritances. It’s impossible to obtain them, right?”
Li Yunqing spoke. Though she felt longing, her tone remained calm, without greed.
With the potential for longevity, she could outlive everyone. Techniques and treasures would come to her eventually.
There was no need to fight or risk her life.
If she were not a woman, she could have simply hidden away and eventually become a supreme emperor, dominating all ages.
But as a woman with such beauty, the world would never allow her to hide.
She could not possibly dig a pit and bury herself, living like a rat.
Such a life would hold no comfort—what would be the meaning of longevity then?
Longevity was meant to enjoy all the beauty life had to offer.
If one lived miserably for a lifetime, who would even want immortality?
In her previous life, so many people wished not to return in the next life—wasn’t it because they had suffered too much?
A person should live freely and fully enjoy life.
It need not be entirely sweet, but it certainly should not be entirely bitter.
“No matter—we can borrow them for a look.”
Sword God Ying Jiu chuckled. Raising his right hand, sword qi shot into the sky from his fingertips.
“Clang!”
The sound of a sword echoed through the air.
Moments later, a figure stepped through the void and descended lightly into the courtyard—it was the Sword Saint, who had been in seclusion since the duel.
Unlike Sword God Ying Jiu, the Sword Saint, who had created his own path, would organize his insights after every battle, refining the path of the Sword Heart step by step.
Because on this path, aside from him, no one else could pioneer the way forward.
“He’s broken through to mid-tier Profound Realm Grandmaster?”
“What terrifying talent—no wonder they say breakthroughs in the path of the Sword Heart depend entirely on one’s own heart.”
Sensing the aura around the Sword Saint, Li Yunqing was slightly startled and quickly rose to bow. “Greetings, Sword Saint Master.”
“Mhm.”
The Sword Saint nodded slightly, then acknowledged Jiang Xiuning and Ying Qianqian before looking at Sword God Ying Jiu. “What is it?”
“Yunqing possesses a Five Elements Spirit Body, but her main cultivation method is incomplete. Shall we go borrow some techniques from those sects?”
Sword God Ying Jiu spoke calmly, as if discussing trivial matters.
“Agreed.”
The Sword Saint nodded. “If you hadn’t mentioned it, I would have forgotten. This matter cannot be delayed—we’ll go now.”
With that, his figure shot into the sky.
Beside him, Sword God Ying Jiu’s figure flickered as he followed, disappearing in an instant.
“Master’s wife, can sect techniques really be borrowed?”
Li Yunqing asked, somewhat puzzled.
Back at the Mingyu Martial Hall, Hall Master Liu had spoken of the value of inheritances.
If outsiders obtained them, it would often result in a life-and-death conflict.
Yet now, the Sword God and Sword Saint were openly going to “borrow” techniques—it felt surreal.
“It’s fine. Just borrowing techniques. As long as no Divine Realm expert appears, they will definitely be able to borrow them.”
Jiang Xiuning chuckled, pointing at the pastries. “Eat more if you like. They’ll be back soon.”
Seeing how much Li Yunqing liked the sweet pastries, Jiang Xiuning was naturally generous.
“Alright, thank you, Master’s wife.”
Li Yunqing picked up a pastry and put it into her mouth.
When it came to food, clothing, and daily life, she never hid her preferences—if she liked something, she ate more; if not, she simply did not eat it.
Her heart followed her will, with no need for concealment.
But as she ate, she silently analyzed the meaning behind her Master’s wife’s words.
“What does ‘as long as no Divine Realm appears, they can definitely borrow them’ mean?”
“Is this really borrowing… or is it robbing?”
For a moment, even as she ate, Li Yunqing felt a bit tense.
They wouldn’t actually be going to rob them, would they?
Broad daylight—two people heading together to other sects to “borrow” techniques. Was this really borrowing?
“Don’t worry, it’s fine!”
Seeing her concern, Ying Qianqian held Li Yunqing’s hand and whispered, “It’s just borrowing techniques, not robbing!”
At those words, Jiang Xiuning laughed softly.
Li Yunqing’s heart skipped a beat—this was no borrowing. It was probably really robbing.
“Quite perceptive.”
Seeing Li Yunqing’s expression, Jiang Xiuning sighed inwardly, then glanced at her own daughter with a faint sense of disappointment.
However, having Li Yunqing by her daughter’s side was a good thing.
After a moment, Jiang Xiuning patted Li Yunqing’s hand. “It’s fine. Their battle brought benefits to many younger generations—they won’t make things too ugly.”
“Rest assured.”
“Mhm.”
Li Yunqing nodded.
There was no use worrying—those two had already left, and she could not call them back.
Moreover, everything the Sword God and Sword Saint did was for her sake.
How could she back out now?
“It’s just… this favor is a bit too great.”
“Even if they are my masters, I cannot take it for granted.”
“Well, if they’re robbing, then so be it.”
“Whatever happens, I, Li Yunqing, can bear it!”