Chapter 191 Qi Zibo: Is it really useful? New customs at Danque Peak

Shi Heming acted swiftly, and soon his master Elder Yuan and senior brother Zhu Jing also learned of the news.

When Elder Yuan excitedly approached Qi Zibo to discuss the matter, Qi Zibo was dumbfounded; his traitorous disciple hadn't told him anything. So Qi Zibo turned around and stormed up Danque Peak again to find his traitorous disciple and get an explanation.

When Song Yin received Qi Zibo's questioning, Shi Heming was standing nearby.

Song Yin turned her head, shocked, and asked, "You said it so quickly?" If she remembered correctly, she had only agreed yesterday.

Shi Heming: "No, can't I?" His tone was gentle, with three parts innocence, three parts doubt, and the remaining four parts weakness and helplessness.

Song Yin: I'm impressed. In novels, the characters' eyes are represented by a pie chart, but you've gone and used a pie chart for the voice here.

"Yes, of course I can." What else could she say but smile and face reality?

Seeing this, Qi Zibo roughly understood the situation. The rebellious disciple had agreed to hold the sworn brotherhood ceremony, but not in the near future; he was considering it further later. Shi Heming was so overjoyed that he directly told Elder Yuan that they wanted to hold the ceremony now. Elder Yuan misunderstood and came directly to him.

Qi Zibo asked the two men, "So, do you want to hurry up, or take it slow?"

To have someone to accompany you on this long journey of life is a rare thing, whether for a cultivator or a mortal. They knew Shi Heming better than anyone, so they wouldn't object to their plan to form a sworn brotherhood.

Song Yin answered first: "Of course we have to take it slowly." After saying that, she gave Shi Heming a sharp look.

Shi Heming mimicked Song Yin's obedient manner in front of her teachers when she was little, "Hmm, take your time."

Qi Zibo smiled with satisfaction. "It's good to take it slow. Everything can be prepared gradually."

Song Yin took out a recording stone. "Let's not talk about this anymore, Master. Look."

The recording of the photo stone finished playing quickly, and the final image froze on Chu Tang climbing a tree and looking down.

Qi Zibo: "What's going on? Why did Xiaotang climb the tree?"

Song Yin: "Yesterday, Xiao Tang asked me if I wanted to learn kendo."

"So you chased her up into a tree?" Qi Zibo clicked his tongue twice. "You, Song Yin, you yourself are a practitioner of both alchemy and swordsmanship, and now you want to restrict Xiao Tang from practicing both?"

He is now quite accepting of cultivating two paths, after all, he is the only one on Danque Peak who does not cultivate two paths, as if he is being excluded, which is infuriating.

"Who said that?" Song Yin put away the recording stone. "Of course I'm very willing for Xiao Tang to cultivate both alchemy and swordsmanship. The reason I'm doing this is because back then, when I proposed cultivating both alchemy and swordsmanship, you chased me around and around, forcing me to climb a tree before you finally agreed. So I thought that as my disciple, I should naturally experience what my master has experienced."

Qi Zibo: "I think it's just your twisted sense of humor." Sigh! The reason lies with him; he's the one who wronged Xiaotang.

Later, Chu Tang learned the real reason for climbing the tree. After she took on disciples, any disciple who wanted to cultivate two paths had to climb a tree. Gradually, this became a custom of Danque Peak. If a disciple of Danque Peak wanted to cultivate two paths, they had to climb a tree once, supposedly to receive blessings and good fortune.

Having received a definitive answer regarding the covenant ceremony, Qi Zibo prepared to leave Danque Peak.

Shi Heming took the initiative to follow, saying, "Let me see you off." He acted as if they were family.

Qi Zibo didn't rush to fly away, but instead walked slowly with Shi Heming toward the teleportation array, chatting a lot along the way.

Qi Zibo discovered that as long as he wasn't talking to Song Yin, Shi Heming's tone of voice and overall demeanor would become very normal.

As they approached the teleportation array, Qi Zibo asked Shi Heming, "Hiss, I'm very curious how you managed to get Yinyin to agree so quickly?" Back then, he had gone to great lengths to get the young Wen Zhiling to agree to the contract.

Shi Heming: "Yinyin is very good. She agreed as soon as I suggested it."

Qi Zibo: "Tsk, you're really lucky, kid. You actually knew all along that she wanted to take things slowly, right? Tell Elder Yuan right away, aren't you afraid she'll change her mind?"

"It's alright. After all, Yinyin is very soft-hearted. If I soften my tone and change my way of speaking, the effect will be much better." This is the result Shi Heming wanted today. Yinyin isn't in a hurry, but he is!

A truly long-term plan might only be possible decades or even centuries from now. Making it clear now, a new long-term plan won't be far off; once everyone knows this, preparations will begin gradually.

Qi Zibo remained skeptical: "Does your sometimes erratic attitude and way of speaking really work?"

Shi Heming: "It works. A friend of mine taught me this. He said..."

The two slowed their pace considerably. Qi Zibo's expression shifted between surprise, sudden realization, and shock, as if to say, "You can do that?"

"..." Shi Heming explained what he had realized, and just as he finished, he arrived in front of the teleportation array. "That's about it."

"Does it really work?"

"I have already told you everything."

Qi Zibo nodded: "Alright, no need to see me off. Go find Yinyin."

Shi Heming: "Yes, Elder Qi, take care."

Qi Zibo stepped into the teleportation array. "From now on, just call me Senior Uncle. My strength is higher than your master's, and I entered the sect a few years earlier, so it's more appropriate for me to call you Senior Uncle. After the contract ceremony, you can call me that, following Yinyin's example."

"No problem, Senior Uncle."

After Qi Zibo teleported away, Shi Heming returned to Song Yin's side.

After returning, he didn't see anyone at the same spot. He used his divine sense to search and found Song Yin instructing Chu Tang on sword practice.

In the open space atop Danque Peak, Song Yin demonstrated the advanced version of the sect's basic sword techniques, and then told Chu Tang about it.

"From today onwards, you must practice swordsmanship every day without interruption. Because your foundation in swordsmanship is weak, it will take you more time. After you have learned all the basic sword techniques of the sect, I will teach you new sword techniques."

"Yes, Master!" Chu Tang swung her sword seriously. The sword in her hand was a second-tier spirit sword. Although it was not of high grade, it was enough for a novice like her to use.

Not long after the senior sister of Danque Peak officially began to cultivate the sword path, the five groups of sword cultivators and alchemy cultivators cheered.

This is finally right! This is how Senior Sister Danque Peak should be!

During their daily training, they would sometimes talk about Chu Tang and offer many words of praise. After Chu Tang gradually mastered the advanced version of the basic sword technique, she would even take the initiative to seek out sword cultivators from Danque Peak for duels.

With sparring partners of similar or even higher skill levels, Chu Tang became increasingly familiar with basic sword techniques through repeated sparring sessions, and learned them faster and faster. She was improving at a visible pace through countless beatings.

When Shen Yuzhu came to Danque Peak to find Song Yin, he saw Chu Tang competing with the sword cultivators of Danque Peak. As a fellow sword cultivator, he naturally stopped to watch.

As a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator specializing in alchemy, Chu Tang initially took more hits when fighting against a sword cultivator who was also at the late-stage Foundation Establishment stage. However, as the fight progressed, Chu Tang gradually stopped taking hits and was even able to counterattack.

Can one learn and improve through actual combat? Shen Yuzhu seemed to see Song Yin, who fought against him at Wujian Peak hundreds of years ago.

"Elder Shen?" A disciple noticed him.

The elder's voice commanded the disciples who were not participating in the competition to come forward and pay their respects.

"Greetings, Elder Shen."

"Greetings, Elder Shen."

Shen Yuzhu: "No need for formalities, please make yourselves at home."

After Chu Tang finished fighting her opponent, the two of them came over to pay their respects.

"This disciple greets Elder Shen."

Shen Yuzhu: "No need for formalities, Chu Tang, how did you start learning swordsmanship?"

Chu Tang straightened up: "This disciple has also begun to learn from Master how to cultivate both alchemy and swordsmanship."

Shen Yuzhu nodded slightly. "Not bad. Seeing how you were learning in the battle just now reminded me of your master. When she first learned swordsmanship, she also learned and improved through actual combat."

Elder Song's past experience learning swordsmanship!

Realizing something, the group of sword cultivators surrounded Shen Yuzhu, begging him to explain more.

"Elder Shen, do you know anything else about Elder Song? Could you tell us about Elder Song's past, such as how she first learned swordsmanship?"

"Elder Shen, please satisfy our curiosity. We are eager to know about Elder Song's sword learning experience back then."

Elder Shen…

When this group of people asked about Song Yin's experience learning swordsmanship, Shen Yuzhu neither agreed nor refused. Instead, he asked them, "Are you sure you want to know?"

"think!"

The sword cultivator disciple agreed to answer, startling the birds into flight.

The alchemy disciples nearby heard this and complained about what these sword cultivators were up to now.

Shen Yuzhu: "Who among you is willing to step forward?"

The disciples looked at each other, wondering what Elder Shen meant.

Chu Tang was the first to step forward.

Seeing that someone had stepped forward, they began to stare at Chu Tang and Shen Yuzhu again.

Shen Yuzhu said to Chu Tang, "Use your full strength to attack me."

Chu Tang: "Huh?" Attacking an elder?

Shen Yuzhu: "Mm."

Having received confirmation, Chu Tang didn't hesitate and immediately unleashed her strongest attack. After all, her opponent was an elder with unfathomable strength, and even if she used all her strength, she probably wouldn't be able to harm him in the slightest.

Faced with a full-force attack from a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, Shen Yuzhu didn't even draw his sword. He simply raised his hand and casually used his spiritual energy to break off a tree branch, easily blocking Chu Tang's strongest offensive.

boom--!

The next second, Chu Tang's body flew far away like a kite with a short string, and then crashed to the ground.

"Senior Sister!" Someone rushed over to help her up.

Chu Tang was helped back, while Shen Yuzhu said to them, "Back then, I was the one who taught Song Yin to practice swordsmanship, and then she learned and improved time and time again in battles like the one just now."

"Your combat skills were excellent, but it's clear that you held back because you're from the same sect. You can use your full strength appropriately, as long as you don't endanger the opponent's life or damage their cultivation foundation. You cultivate on Danque Peak, where there are many alchemists, so you can be bolder."

After finishing his speech, Shen Yuzhu ignored the stunned disciples and turned to leave.

Upon reaching the mountaintop, Shen Yuzhu saw Song Yin waiting for him.

It was obvious that Song Yin had noticed his arrival the moment he set foot on Danque Peak.

"Senior brother, please sit down," Song Yin said with a smile. "These disciples have really benefited today by receiving some guidance from you."

Shen Yuzhu sat down. He had just returned from the outer sect and came to Danque Peak to escape the leisure. "Of the six inner sect peaks, you and Elder Su of Xuanji Peak are the most leisurely. I envy you."

Xuanji Peak is sparsely populated, just like Danque Peak was back then. Now, Danque Peak is gradually becoming more populated, but Song Yin has many capable people around her.

Song Yin: "Then why don't you hurry up and take on a disciple?" She knew that her senior brother had gone to the outer sect today mainly to select disciple candidates. "So, have you found a suitable one yet?"

Shen Yuzhu has not received a personal instruction to this day, which is obviously due to the psychological trauma caused by what happened back then.

Shen Yuzhu sighed, "I haven't found the right one yet. Maybe it's just not meant to be. Why don't you help me pick one, Junior Sister? You always have a good eye. If you find one suitable, you can bring it to your Senior Brother for a look."

"It's not difficult. I'll pay more attention in the future," Song Yin replied.

Shen Yuzhu: "By the way, did you know that it's rumored that the Yuancang Sect has acquired a new spiritual vein?"

Song Yin: Really? I've been keeping an eye on things outside lately.

Shen Yuzhu: "It's true. The Qingxuan Sect, which needs the spiritual vein the most, has once again failed. According to the news, they even plan to send people to steal it."

"Are you crazy?"

“If we don’t seize a spiritual vein soon, Qingxuan Sect might fall out of the top five sects. How can we not go crazy?” Shen Yuzhu became serious when talking about this. “In fact, recently, some disciples from Wujian Peak took on several sect missions, and one or two of them returned with serious injuries. Based on their descriptions, I deduced that the enemies they encountered were likely from Qingxuan Sect.”

-----------------------

Author's Note: Later, the customs of Danque Peak became increasingly bizarre, eventually spreading throughout the Immortal Firmament Sect. Whenever someone in the Immortal Firmament Sect wanted to cultivate two paths, the first thing they would do was find someone to chase them up a tree [dog head with a rose in its mouth].

After Song Yin ascended to immortality and found out: You guys! Fine, just remember to record this with a recording stone and show it to me when you ascend to the Immortal Realm. [Dog head with rose in mouth]

-

[Empty bowl]