Chapter 17 Ah-Que's swordsmanship is a sword of protection. His master is him…
The Immortal Venerable's sudden remark sent a chill down everyone's spine.
That's what they were thinking, of course, but the Immortal Venerable's directness made them lose face. What's more, they were all more senior than the Immortal Venerable, yet he made them feel so intimidated that they didn't dare to breathe.
So, the sect leader of one sect replied tremblingly, "How can you say that? It's just that our sects don't have as many resources as the number one sect, so we may not be able to contribute much."
Can't produce it? Ha, it's an old sect with a thousand-year history, it must have some resources, it's just that it doesn't want to.
"These old foxes," Jiang Yuemian thought to herself, but sneered on the surface, "then how much do you think you can come up with?"
Shen Que was already standing behind Jiang Yuemian. The Immortal Venerable's figure was right in front of him, within easy reach. Especially now, the Immortal Venerable's aura was even stronger than before. He wasn't afraid; he just encouraged himself in his heart, determined to catch up with him as soon as possible.
Upon hearing this, the sect leader's eyes lit up, but he pretended to be truly short of money: "I reckon... I can only come up with a portion of the spirit stones."
Spirit stones? They really wanted to get something for nothing. They had no cultivation resources, let alone how many spirit stones they could offer. Jiang Yuemian hadn't planned to ask for too many anyway, but their attitude was really infuriating. So, she decided to make them bleed.
Jiang Yuemian remained silent, and as a result, no one else spoke. This silence made the elders and sect leaders somewhat uneasy, and the sect leader who did speak was drenched in sweat.
Finally, unable to hold back any longer, he took the initiative to ask, "Immortal Venerable, how much of this do you think would be appropriate?"
Jiang Yuemian looked directly at him. Even without releasing her aura, a Mahayana cultivator exuded an imposing presence. Finally, amidst the sect leader's anticipation, she spoke: "As far as I know, although each sect has more resources than Liwen Palace, they are still renowned sects throughout the world."
She paused for a moment before speaking, "Especially the Danyang Sect, they must have made a lot of money selling pills."
Upon hearing this, the sect leader of Danyang Sect changed his expression and trembled, not daring to utter a sound.
Her gaze continued to sweep across the area: "The Qingyun Sect is known for producing weapon-wielding cultivators, so they must be incredibly wealthy."
Upon hearing this, the sect leader of Qingyun Sect lowered his head.
"Leaving aside the rest, it's not too much for the two sects to contribute 30% of their cultivation resources and the other sects to contribute 20%."
Upon hearing what the Immortal Venerable had said, they were about to speak when they saw that the Immortal Venerable's expression had hardened, and his cold gaze was fixed on them.
They immediately dared not say another word.
The Immortal Venerable meant that there was no room for discussion on this matter.
Either they exchange resources for it, or they return to where they came from. However, the civil service exam questions and exam preparation materials will be exclusively for their use. If they miss this opportunity, they can forget about it in the future.
That won't do. If there were no public examination questions, their disciples' cultivation wouldn't improve, and they would fall further and further behind the disciples of the Liwen Palace. Wouldn't their status get lower and lower in the future?
Absolutely not, we have to exchange it. It won't work if we don't exchange it. If we don't exchange it, people will naturally come scrambling to exchange it. If the noble families and sects that haven't come yet hear that there is such a divine artifact, they will fight to come.
After thinking it over, they gritted their teeth and made up their minds to exchange with them.
The sect leaders of Qingyun Sect and Danyang Sect were the first to agree, and the other sects followed suit.
They were just about to discuss exchanging resources with the Immortal Venerable when the Immortal Venerable spoke again: "However, since you disturbed my disciple-acceptance ceremony today, you should leave some compensation."
It wasn't a discussion, it was a notification.
"If I damage my disciple's character and cast a shadow on his future cultivation, what will I do?"
Shen Que was stunned. Was his master actually asking for compensation on his behalf? Did he really deserve his master's kindness? His eyelashes trembled.
After hearing what the Immortal Venerable said, the sect leaders' faces paled even more, but they didn't say anything. They couldn't very well refuse to give it to him, could they?
They won't give it to them? What if the Immortal Venerable says he won't trade with them?
This could be a great opportunity to improve your comprehension.
So they had no choice but to grit their teeth and swallow it down.
The sect leader of Danyang Sect spoke first: "Of course. I have a fine purple magnolia. After this ceremony, I will send someone to deliver it to the Immortal Venerable as a way to calm my nerves, Nephew Shen."
"And me, I do have another Crossing Pill, I'll give it to Junior Nephew Shen later, please don't take offense, Immortal Venerable and Junior Nephew Shen."
"besides..."
[Ugh, Mianmian, look at their faces. They're clearly reluctant but they're pretending to be generous. It's so ridiculous!] 001 said, shaking its head on Jiang Yuemian's shoulder.
They're just afraid I won't exchange exam questions with them; those hypocritical bastards.
Seeing that neither gentle persuasion nor forceful tactics worked, they simply gave up and that's how it is.
She glanced at the people's tact and nodded in satisfaction.
Seeing that Jiang Yuemian was satisfied, Xiao Mingjue then spoke up to let everyone move.
......
By evening, the compensation sent by the various sect leaders had arrived. Jiang Yuemian told Shen Que to take them all back, since it was his big day and they had spoiled his mood.
Shen Que accepted them all. These were all his master's good intentions. He knew that his master was thinking of him and that he could use these things to improve his cultivation so that he could better stay by his master's side.
Jiang Yuemian then said, "Aque is already my disciple, so it's not appropriate for him to stay in the original courtyard. He can stay there for the next few days, and I'll go to your uncle's place early tomorrow morning to ask him to help expand our mountain."
Upon hearing this, Shen Que replied, "Okay." But his lowered eyes darkened slightly.
The next morning, Jiang Yuemian went to Xiao Mingjue's residence. From a distance, she saw Xiao Mingjue sitting in the courtyard, eating steamed buns.
Um?
Jiang Yuemian's eyes lit up immediately, and she slid down onto the stone chair next to Xiao Mingjue. She asked seriously, "Senior brother, are your steamed buns delicious?"
Xiao Mingjue: "..."
Eat what you want, don't pretend.
He picked up the cup next to him, took a sip of tea, and then said, "Eat."
At Xiao Mingjue's command, Jiang Yuemian immediately took action. She picked up a steamed bun and eagerly took a bite.
"Hmm...it's tasty, but not as good as Ah Que's cooking," Jiang Yuemian muttered while still eating.
"Then go back to your apprentice and have him make it for you." Xiao Mingjue's lips twitched. He was being picky even though he was eating for free.
"No! By the way, senior brother, A-Que is already my disciple, so it's not appropriate for him to live in the old courtyard. Can you have someone build another courtyard next to mine?" Jiang Yuemian knew that her senior brother was teasing her, but she was going to eat here, so she finished speaking and waited for her senior brother's reply while eating.
"I know." She's always thinking about your disciple, never even glancing at him. He handles sect affairs every day without a second thought. Sigh, she's having such an easy time. But Xiao Wu's carefree nature is all thanks to his fellow disciples spoiling him; it just goes to show how well they've raised him. He smiled slightly.
"Hehe, senior brother is the best! Let me massage your shoulders." As soon as Jiang Yuemian heard that her senior brother had agreed, she eagerly put down the steamed bun, waved her hands, and pretended to massage his shoulders.
Xiao Mingjue stopped her hand: "No need, you can go back if you're alright." He didn't know if her hands were clean, and with all this commotion, he couldn't even have a proper meal. Chen'er had gone out early this morning to buy this for him.
Thinking of his disciple, he couldn't help but sigh, "My disciple is still the most considerate of all."
"Senior brother! I'm going back now! You need to take care of this matter quickly! I'll have to trouble you, senior brother!" Jiang Yuemian said as she ran, turning back at the same time, showing no trace of the image of a celestial being.
"......"
Xiao Mingjue shook his head and said, "Never mind."
He put down the steamed bun, cast a cleansing spell, and picked up the communication slip at his waist to send a message to Nangong Chen: "Chen'er, if you have nothing to do today, go to your fifth uncle's courtyard to discuss the accommodation for your junior nephew, Shen."
Upon receiving the message, Nangong Chen opened the communication slip, listened to his master's words, picked up his notebook, and wrote down the instructions. There was a sub-task listed ahead of it.
He thought for a moment, then added a parenthesis after the matter with a serious expression, writing "urgent" inside.
Then he picked up the communication tablet and sent a message to his master.
Hearing this reply, Xiao Mingjue could finally eat breakfast in peace.
......
Jiang Yuemian waited for Nangong Chen at noon. At that moment, she was talking to Shen Que in the courtyard, and there were steamed buns made by Shen Que on the table.
She took a bite, and wow... Ah-Que's cooking is definitely better.
When Nangong Chen arrived, he first bowed, but Jiang Yuemian raised her hand to indicate that he didn't need to be so polite, so Nangong Chen also sat down.
Jiang Yuemian: "Achen, try these buns. They were just made by Aque. They have thin skins and lots of filling. They're especially delicious."
Nangong Chen didn't stand on ceremony and grabbed one. He took a bite and it sizzled with oil, but it wasn't greasy at all; instead, it was pure meaty flavor.
He took another bite, satisfied; he hadn't eaten anything all morning.
Shen Que didn't eat; he wasn't very hungry. So, after Nangong Chenjiang Yuemian and 001 finished eating, they began to discuss serious matters.
Jiang Yuemian first asked Shen Que for his opinion, but Shen Que said he would listen to his master. So Jiang Yuemian made the decision: "Then let's build a house that is about the same size as my courtyard, and the furnishings inside will be the same as those in my house?"
Jiang Yuemian asked Shen Que, and seeing that Shen Que nodded, she felt relieved.
Nangong Chen: "Uncle-Master, it won't be easy to furnish your room. There are many rare treasures that Master and other uncles have found for you."
Yes, that makes sense. The layout of the house is the same, so she can just add the rest for Ah Que.
So Jiang Yuemian continued, and finally Nangong Chen decided that it would be completed within three days and then took his leave. He still had other tasks on his list to complete, and he left as if he were riding on flaming wheels.
......
Shen Que spent the entire afternoon practicing swordsmanship in Jiang Yuemian's courtyard. The young man was sweating profusely, his face slightly flushed, displaying the vigor of youth. Jiang Yuemian occasionally offered guidance, which Shen Que corrected, and he made significant progress in just one afternoon.
After Shen Que finished tidying up, he spoke to Jiang Yuemian first: "A-Que, you don't have your own natal sword yet, do you?"
Jiang Yuemian observed carefully and realized that Aque always used the uniform sword issued by the outer sect, so he probably didn't have his own natal spirit sword.
"Reporting to Master, there really is none." Shen Que was surprised by his master's thoughtfulness, and equally moved by her concern. He spoke calmly, but his heart was in turmoil.
Suddenly, a sword appeared out of thin air in Jiang Yuemian's hand. The sword had a golden hilt with a tassel hanging from it, and looking at the blade, even if one didn't know what material it was made of, one knew it was extremely valuable.
Jiang Yuemian: "This is the sword I used before. It was made of celestial black iron and named Zhu Xuan. It was given to me by your grandmaster. It and my natal sword Taoli were both forged by a great swordsmith. Since your cultivation has not yet broken through to the Golden Core stage, this sword is just right for you."
Shen Que's eyelashes trembled, but he did not make a move. After calming himself down, he said, "Master, this is too precious. I cannot accept it."
"Take it. Use it for now. When your cultivation reaches the Golden Core stage, your master will go to the Sword Tomb to find you an unparalleled sword to be your natal sword." Jiang Yuemian was radiant. She could already imagine A Que's demeanor at that time. He must have been extremely majestic, probably only slightly inferior to her.
[Mianmian, you're getting more and more narcissistic!!]
oh.
Jiang Yuemian brushed it off.
Upon hearing this, Shen Que had no reason not to accept the sword. So, he solemnly accepted it with both hands: "Thank you, Master. I will definitely get up early to break through to the Golden Core stage."
"That's right. My disciple, Jiang Yuemian, is sure to be the number one genius in the world."
"Alright, try using this sword and see if it feels right in your hand?" Jiang Yuemian encouraged him.
Shen Que then began to sense the sword, so he closed his eyes tightly, trying to resonate with it.
A breeze gradually gathered around him, and Shen Que felt that he was getting closer to the sword, not physically, but spiritually.
"Ah Que, swing your sword at me."
So Shen Que opened his eyes, picked up his sword, and swung it at Jiang Yuemian.
The sword intent he unleashed contained fire elemental power, and it was in no way inferior to that of a Golden Core cultivator.
Seeing the fierce sword intent coming at him, Jiang Yuemian did not dodge. He raised his hand and sent out a burst of spiritual energy, which instantly disintegrated the sword intent.
Then she laughed and said, "Not bad, Ah Que, but how come your swordsmanship is about protection?"
This surprised her somewhat. How could someone like A-Que be a guardian sword? She naturally assumed that A-Que should be like her, or at the very least, an unstoppable offensive sword.
Shen Que simply nodded. He didn't know how to explain it. He had comprehended the way of the sword since that day, but it was all about protection. Protection meant having someone in his heart that he wanted to protect.
He thought that his master was the person he wanted to protect, so he would do everything in his power to protect the light in his heart.
A note from the author:
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Waaaaah, I'm never setting any more promises! I'm so heartbroken today. I failed my teacher qualification exam (Part 3), and I've decided to apply for a psychology teacher qualification interview. I'm already a senior, and I'm so afraid of not finding a job. From now on, I'll just post daily and never again set those 10,000-word daily goals. And I really think nobody reads my books.
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