Chapter 53: Are You Originally from Zu'an by Any Chance?
"Done, packing up, going back to sleep."
Seeing the vengeful spirit was destroyed, Chen Xuan sheathed his treasure sword and walked down the mountain with a happy smile.
Since Wenjian Pavilion was renovated, he hadn't stayed there even once.
Tonight he would definitely get a good sleep.
As for whether he had startled anyone, that wasn't his concern.
When good things happen, people are in high spirits.
Chen Xuan's pace quickened considerably. When he approached the exit of the Sword Mound, he suddenly saw two figures sitting paralyzed there and subconsciously stopped.
"Seems like there are people?"
He looked carefully and, after confirming they were real people, slowly released his hand from the sword hilt.
"We pay respect to the Immortal Master!"
Before Chen Xuan could ask, Old Ancestor Hongyun and Elder Xi bowed to him.
"Who are you?"
Chen Xuan examined the two suspiciously. Seeing those two white-haired and white-bearded old men with their bruised and swollen faces, he almost couldn't hold back his laughter.
Too ridiculous!
"This humble one is Ji Zichu."
"This humble one is Xi Youdao."
Old Ancestor Hongyun and Elder Xi didn't dare put on any airs in front of Chen Xuan and revealed their long-unused names.
"Did you come here to slay vengeful spirits?"
Chen Xuan asked subconsciously. Besides slaying vengeful spirits, the only other reason to come to the Sword Mound would be to steal swords. However, in his three years at the Sword Mound, he had never encountered anyone trying to steal swords.
"No, I came to become a disciple."
Old Ancestor Hongyun had a sudden inspiration and immediately thought of a way to get a powerful connection.
"I also came to become a disciple."
Elder Xi immediately copied this—absolutely could not let Old Ancestor Hongyun monopolize all the benefits.
Becoming a disciple of a Divine Emperor was something countless people dreamed of.
Old Ancestor Hongyun didn't expect this fellow to be so shameless, even stealing his method of getting connected. He said sternly:
"Elder Xi, you already have a sect, yet you still come to Wushang Sword Sect to become a disciple. Would anyone accept you?"
"You, Old Ancestor Hongyun, are so impressive..."
Before Elder Xi could finish speaking, Old Ancestor Hongyun interrupted him.
"Stop talking about being an Old Ancestor. Don't you have a family?
Besides, my Ji family has never restricted clan disciples from joining any sect."
Well now, starting with cursing the whole family right off the bat—this Old Ancestor Hongyun has something going on.
Chen Xuan smiled and said: "Old Ancestor Hongyun, are you originally from Zu'an by any chance?"
Old Ancestor Hongyun squeezed out a smile even uglier than crying:
"Not at all. My hometown is Jinyang. Does the Immortal Master have any other questions for this disciple?"
"Why do you want to join my Wushang Sword Sect?"
Chen Xuan was encountering people wanting to become his disciples for the first time. After all, in Dongyang Prefecture, Wushang Sword Sect's reputation wasn't even as good as places like Liyang Sect.
"That day at Mangshan, I witnessed the Immortal Master riding a dragon and slaying the Mangshan Ghost King with one sword. I decided to become your disciple. I hope the Immortal Master will accept me."
Old Ancestor Hongyun showed no embarrassment about becoming a disciple of someone barely over twenty years old.
"Oh."
Chen Xuan responded with one word, then said: "Why should I accept you as a disciple? What special skills do you have?"
Old Ancestor Hongyun was stunned upon hearing this. For a moment, he didn't know how to answer this question.
Looking at Chen Xuan's handsome face, then looking at himself—old, ugly, and weak—he really couldn't think of any reason why the other would accept him as a disciple.
But the opportunity to join an Immortal Sect was right before his eyes. He had no reason to give up, yet everything he possessed, this Immortal Master looked down upon.
"This disciple is too useless. Apart from power and influence, I have nothing."
"Huh???"
Chen Xuan kind of wanted to slap this old fellow. What did he mean by "apart from power and influence"—that was exactly what he had been dreaming of!
He had been practicing hard in the Sword Mound for three years, wasn't it all for the day when he could wield power over the world and rest in the arms of beauties?
"How much power?"
"Not much, just a fief of one commandery."
Old Ancestor Hongyun's old face turned red when speaking of this. Earlier he had been bragging about having great power and influence.
This isn't much!
He had worked so hard to suppress Hongyan Fang before obtaining the water transport rights for Dongyang Prefecture. This old fellow was being too humble.
Chen Xuan suddenly felt that accepting this little old man before him wasn't out of the question. In his previous life, which big shot didn't have many followers?
Looking at himself now, aside from a sword, there wasn't a single capable fighter by his side.
"What kind of apprentice gift can you give me?"
When Old Ancestor Hongyun heard these words, a hopeful expression appeared on his face. There was a chance!
He stood up and looked around: "Master, look at the area below the mountain—everything is this disciple's gift to you. As long as you're willing, from today, the entire Dongyang Prefecture and Mangshan will belong to Wushang Sword Sect.
Except for Wushang Sword Sect, all other sects will be disbanded. Of course, you can also merge them into the sect.
Of the annual taxes from Dongyang Prefecture, aside from the thirty percent that must be paid to the Jin Kingdom, everything else will belong to Wushang Sword Sect. What do you think?"
Chen Xuan's eyes lit up upon hearing this. Having the entire Dongyang Prefecture assigned to Wushang Sword Sect was much better than just a verbal promise that "Dongyang Prefecture respects Immortal Master Chen."
Any normal person would choose the latter. As for what motives this little old man Ji Zichu might have, that didn't matter anymore.
He patted Old Ancestor Hongyun's shoulder. "Disciple, you're very good. From today, you are the personal disciple of the Senior Brother of the Sword Guard lineage of Wushang Sword Sect!"
"Disciple pays respect to Master!"
Old Ancestor Hongyun knelt on the ground with an excited expression, tears streaming down his old face.
"Since you've given me an apprentice gift, as your Master, I naturally can't be stingy either."
Chen Xuan circled the outer perimeter of the Sword Mound and soon discovered a rusted sword hilt. He casually pulled out the sword and found it was a broken sword, only half remaining.
His facial muscles twitched slightly. His luck was too bad—how could it be a broken sword?
He walked in front of Old Ancestor Hongyun and handed over the sword:
"In our Sword Guard lineage, there's a rule that newly accepted disciples can select a sword from the Sword Mound. The one I carry was chosen for me by the Sect Master back then.
Now this sword belongs to you. Remember, use your heart to sense its power."
Elder Xi: "..."
Old Ancestor Hongyun nearly fainted. This was clearly a dilapidated broken sword, yet he was told to use his heart to sense it—wasn't this just messing with him?
But having already become a disciple, he had to accept this sword with tears. At worst, he'd just never take this sword out again.
"Thank you, Master."
After receiving the sword, Old Ancestor Hongyun placed it in his storage ring.
Chen Xuan pretended not to see. When the Sect Master had drawn a sword for him back then, he hadn't mentioned using his heart to sense anything—he had only told him that this sword was specifically effective against vengeful spirits and to cultivate well.
"Don't forget to use your heart to sense it when you go back."
"Yes."
Old Ancestor Hongyun didn't want to bring this up at all, but his Master kept mentioning it. He was starting to regret becoming a disciple.
"It's getting late, we should go down the mountain. As for your friend here, don't come to the Sword Mound again in the future—after all, this is a forbidden area of my Wushang Sword Sect."
Chen Xuan specifically instructed.
"Yes, this humble one won't dare to again."
Elder Xi was somewhat disappointed at first about not becoming a disciple of Wushang Sword Sect, but seeing Old Ancestor Hongyun trade an entire prefecture for a broken sword, his disappointment instantly vanished.
He even wanted to laugh a little. As for this Sword Mound, he would never come here again.
At the same time, he needed to warn his sect disciples that Wushang Sword Sect was too dangerous—they were never to come here again.
With different thoughts in their minds, the three left the Sword Mound together and walked toward Wenjian Pavilion.
After returning to Wenjian Pavilion, Chen Xuan went upstairs to rest.
Sleep early, wake up early—tomorrow he would share this good news with everyone.
Downstairs on the first floor, Old Ancestor Hongyun sat on a cushion, looking depressed.
Seeing him like this, Elder Xi said with a chuckle:
"Old Ancestor, that broken sword must be some incredible treasure. Why don't you take it out and let me have a look?"
Old Ancestor Hongyun had originally intended to enter sage mode and forget about this matter, but Elder Xi wanted to see him make a fool of himself.
"You want to see? Fine, the Old Ancestor will oblige!"
"Hehe, after all, someone from a small sect like me hasn't seen the precious swords of an Immortal Sect."
Elder Xi said sarcastically—clearly a master of sarcasm.
Old Ancestor Hongyun impatiently took out the broken sword from his storage ring. Just as he was about to throw it away, he felt a power absorbing the mana within his body.
"Oh no!"
He murmured and tried to cut off this power, but discovered that the mana within his body was completely beyond his control, continuously pouring into the broken sword.
In the blink of an eye, he was completely drained.
Now he couldn't enter sage mode even if he wanted to.
"Old Ancestor, are you okay?"
Seeing Old Ancestor Hongyun looking completely drained, Elder Xi felt too embarrassed to continue his sarcasm.
"A sword shouldn't do this much..."
CRACK!
Just as Old Ancestor Hongyun was about to speak, he heard a cracking sound—the sword in his hand was splitting open!
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