Chapter 394: Dharma Artifacts (II)

Knock, knock, knock.

Inside the sect, at Azure Water Garden, Lin Zheyu's courtyard door was knocked on rhythmically.

Lin Zheyu set down the martial cultivation manual in his hand and walked over.

"Martial Uncle, the Pavilion Master requests your presence," Xie Biao said respectfully.

"Alright." Lin Zheyu nodded and asked, "Did Master mention what it is about?"

"The Pavilion Master did not say. Martial Uncle Chen Ding is there, and Martial Aunt Wenzi seems to have returned. It should be something important." Xie Biao guessed.

Lin Zheyu nodded, changed clothes, and headed toward the main hall. Inside were Huang Baizhong, Elder Yang, Chen Ding, Guo Wenzi, and Cui Haihong. Seeing so many seniors present surprised him. Such a gathering had not occurred for a long time. There was also a stranger he had never seen before. The man's aura was extremely powerful and carried the distinct presence of a Grandmaster.

"Greetings, Master and Elder Yang."

Lin Zheyu greeted Huang Baizhong and Elder Yang before sitting beside Guo Wenzi.

"Come, let me introduce him first..." Huang Baizhong said with a smile, pointing to the man beside him who looked ordinary yet possessed an extraordinary bearing.

"Before you joined Azure Tide Pavilion, Jiang Jun had already gone to guard the demon caves for training, so you have not met him. This is your Senior Brother," Huang Baizhong said with a smile.

Lin Zheyu showed surprise. He did not expect the Grandmaster beside his master to be Jiang Jun. It seemed his training at the demon caves had succeeded.

"Greetings, Senior Brother Jiang Jun," Lin Zheyu said.

"

Haha

, I returned in a hurry and did not prepare any gifts. I heard you plan to specialize in saber techniques, so take this Purple Thunder Demon-Slaying Saber as a gift," Jiang Jun said with a smile as he handed over the saber, which shimmered with a cold purple glow and bore lightning patterns along its blade.

"Thank you, Senior Brother."

Lin Zheyu accepted the Purple Thunder Demon-Slaying Saber and expressed his sincere gratitude.

The moment his hand touched the hilt, he felt a gentle warmth.

"Senior Brother, you are showing favoritism. Where are our gifts?" Guo Wenzi said as she eyed the Purple Thunder Demon-Slaying Saber in Lin Zheyu's hand.

"Did I not just give you yours?" Jiang Jun asked in return.

"What you gave us just now, can they compare to Junior Brother's Purple Thunder Demon-Slaying Saber?" Cui Haihong chimed in.

"Exactly. When I asked you for the Purple Thunder Demon-Slaying Saber before, you treasured it like your life. Now you just handed it to Junior Brother," Chen Ding said with some jealousy.

The Purple Thunder Demon-Slaying Saber was a top-grade weapon forged from Purple Thunder Steel and had a powerful suppressive effect against yaos and demons. Chen Ding had coveted it for a long time and had challenged Jiang Jun several times with it as the wager, but each attempt ended in failure.

"You do not specialize in saber techniques anyway. What use would it be to you? Junior Brother Lin is now the number one of the younger generation in the Wuji Sect. Would it make sense for him not to have a presentable weapon?" Jiang Jun said dismissively. "Junior Brother, I heard you are now the number one among the younger generation of the Wuji Sect. Not bad. You have a bit of my former style."

Jiang Jun laughed.

His martial cultivation talent was extremely strong. Among Huang Baizhong's disciples, he was second only to Lin Zheyu, which was why he became the first to advance to the Grandmaster realm.

"Senior Brother, you've successfully advanced to the Grandmaster realm?" Lin Zheyu asked curiously, as if unaware.

"Of course. It was success or death. I would never have returned without advancing," Jiang Jun said with a chuckle.

"Is it not just because you entered the sect earlier? Give me a few more years, and I could do it too..." Chen Ding muttered softly.

"Enough, discuss these matters later. Let us talk about the main issue first. I called you here not only to meet Jiang Jun but also for an important matter," Huang Baizhong said as he picked up a map with several marked locations.

"The situation in Great Wei is not looking good. Outside the Central Plains, several space-time nodes have been opened near it. The closest to Wuling City lies about three hundred li to the southwest of Ruyang City, within the forested hills..." Huang Baizhong continued.

Everyone gathered around and looked at the marked locations on the map. These were the sites where space-time nodes had appeared. Previously, only the northern lands had a successfully opened node. Now, after several months, more than a dozen had appeared. The number of demon puppets in the wilderness surged sharply. Civilians living outside cities moved into the cities if they could, while those unable to relocate moved to military-protected zones nearby.

Southwest of Ruyang City, that is the Southern Barbarian Region. The Southern Barbarian Region has already been occupied by the Nine Nether Sect. It seems they deliberately opened these space-time nodes to let the yaos, demons, and demon puppets spill out and erode the Central Plains. But would this not harm themselves as well?

Lin Zheyu thought while looking at the map in confusion.

As far as he knew, demon puppets had no intelligence, and yaos and demons were enemies of all living beings. They should not cooperate with the Nine Nether Sect. The act of opening space-time nodes within territories they controlled was something Lin Zheyu could not understand.

"Little Yu, remain in Wuling City and act together with the City Guard. Suppress and hunt the demon puppets appearing outside the city," Huang Baizhong said.

Chen Ding, Guo Wenzi, and Cui Haihong all had their own assignments. As Force Transformation realm martial artists, their tasks were far more significant than Lin Zheyu's.

"Yes, Master," Lin Zheyu replied.

"Be careful in all things and do not go near the space-time nodes. If you encounter a yao or demon, flee immediately. Anyone below the Grandmaster realm will face certain death," Elder Yang warned.

"Yes, I understand," the group replied in unison.

"Alright, rest well today and gather together. You will head to your assignments tomorrow," Huang Baizhong said.

"I have not been back to Wuling City for a long time. Let us invite Junior Sister Gu Ye as well. This meal is on me. Master, Elder Yang, will you join us?" Jiang Jun invited.

"I am an old man and will not join your youthful gathering. You may go yourselves," Elder Yang said with a wave.

"I have matters to discuss with Elder Yang and tasks to handle later," Huang Baizhong said.

"Then we will head off first," Jiang Jun and the others said.

After leaving the main hall, Jiang Jun patted Lin Zheyu's shoulder.

"The Purple Thunder Demon-Slaying Saber was once my treasured blade. Do not let it be wasted."

"Do not worry, Senior Brother. I will let the Purple Thunder Demon-Slaying Saber shine brilliantly and slay yaos and demons across the land," Lin Zheyu said.

"Junior Brother, if it does not suit you, I can trade another treasured blade with you," Chen Ding said as he leaned in.

"Senior Brother Chen, how can you say that? The Purple Thunder Demon-Slaying Saber is a dharma artifact embryo. With proper refining, there is a chance it could become a true dharma artifact." Guo Wenzi rolled her eyes.

"I am only making a suggestion. A weapon must suit its user. If it does not, what use is even a dharma artifact?" Chen Ding muttered.

The others simply smiled, unconcerned. That was Chen Ding's nature. However, hearing about a dharma artifact embryo reminded Lin Zheyu of the Ink Jade Disk and the blood lotus made from talisman paper that he had once obtained.

I wonder if those two items are still there. More than three months have passed. If there were any issues, they should have been taken long ago,

Lin Zheyu thought.

He planned to check after the gathering tonight or tomorrow. He was very curious about the legendary immortal art artifacts.

"Do not worry, Junior Brother Chen. Once you advance to the Grandmaster realm, you will obtain your own dharma artifact. It will be far superior to something like the Purple Thunder Demon-Slaying Saber," Jiang Jun said with a smile.

"

Hm?

Senior Brother, does every martial artist who advances to the Grandmaster realm receive their own dharma artifact? What are true immortal dharma artifacts like? Are they powerful? May I see one?" Lin Zheyu asked.