Chapter 1369: Mifan Spirit Sword (II)

Great River.

The night had deepened, bringing a slight chill to the air. The river surged endlessly, beautiful beneath the clear moonlight. Several streaks of light flew in from Jiangbei and came to land one by one along the riverbank.

The man in the front cut an imposing figure. He wore armor of white and red, with a pale crimson cloak draped behind him. A sword hung at his waist, giving him an air of dominance and striking charisma.

This man was none other than Lin Feng.

Unlike during the great battle on the riverbank, he now had an entirely new set of equipment. It was clear he had made another substantial gain and replaced much of his gear. His cloak shimmered brightly, and his former dharma sword had been replaced by a slender, fiery-red blade.

Two women stood on either side. A step behind them were two Foundation Establishment Realm cultivators as escorts: one an old man in gray robes and the other a youth in black. Their cultivation did not appear especially high.

He spoke calmly, "Seeing us here is enough."

The woman in white at his side said in a slightly aggrieved tone, "What an extraordinary beauty she must be, to have you personally cross the river to fetch her..."

Though already at mid stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm, Song Yunbai of the Capital Immortal Dao only dared to complain gently before him. Suddenly, the pretty girl in a blue skirt beside them snapped and said, "Brother Lin is here to fetch my sister. What does that have to do with you?! You sure know how to talk!"

The pretty girl was Fei Qingfei. Though merely a mortal, she dared to scold someone at the Foundation Establishment Realm. It was quite humiliating, but Song Yunbai could only lower her head and swallow the grievance.

Lin Feng waved his hand. "That is enough."

Song Yunbai departed reluctantly, yet Fei Qingfei continued grumbling, "Honestly... one after another. We finally got rid of Wang Xiaoxiao, and now another surnamed Song appears. There are so many women in this world, all coveting someone from my family."

Lin Feng chuckled, not taking her complaints too seriously, and ordered, "Wugui, you have visited the Moongaze Immortal Family before. Go ahead and lead the way to the Fei Family on the northern bank."

"Yes!"

The four of them sped along and soon arrived near the area around Glacial Cloud Peak. Wugui had previously gone only to the island and was not very familiar with the northern bank, so he slowed his pace.

An old man happened to be strolling on the wind nearby. When he saw them, he called out in delight, "Feng lad!"

𝕗𝐫𝐞𝕖𝕨𝐞𝗯𝚗𝕠𝘃𝐞𝚕.𝐜𝗼𝚖

"Uncle Cai!"

The newcomer was none other than Fei Tongcai, who had once escorted Fei Qingya back to the lake. He now looked much plumper, and his cultivation had advanced considerably. He smiled as he said, "I have been cultivating downstream and searching for a certain spirit material these past few days. But I took the chance to travel upstream during some free time. What a coincidence. You have actually reached the Foundation Establishment Realm... You are here to fetch Qingya, are you not?!"

Lin Feng nodded. Fei Qingfei moved close in familiarity. Fei Tongcai did not even bother to report their arrival and led them straight toward the peak. Fortunately, the patrolling cultivators had already received instructions and allowed them to enter.

With Fei Tongcai leading the way, they quickly landed on a peak. The courtyard was filled with noise. A woman of cold temperament stood within. Opposite her stood another woman dressed in Fei Family attire, smiling mockingly as she said, "So lofty and aloof, yet your cultivation does not rise. They say you entered this peak through connections, but you refuse to believe it. If not for the family head's breakthrough, would a nobody from Jiangbei like you be allowed to return to cultivate here? Instead of gratitude, you claim your lover is coming to take you away."

Someone nearby immediately tugged at her sleeve and whispered, "Stop talking..."

"Why can I not speak? She eats the family's food and uses the family's resources. We finally raised her to the Qi Cultivation Realm, and now she says she will go north with her lover. She can do it but cannot hear it spoken?"

Fei Qingya said softly, "When I go north, I will repay these things one by one. It has nothing to do with you."

"Nothing to do with me? This..."

Lin Feng could no longer endure it. He let out a cold laugh, kicked the gate open, and surged in with roaring flames. The blaze instantly suppressed all other voices as he shouted, "Wretched woman!"

Fei Qingya's eyes lit up and she rushed forward. "Brother Lin!"

Lin Feng wrapped an arm around her and said coldly, "A dignified Fei Family has such a vile woman as you?"

He struck out with a palm, flames surging. Lin Feng was a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator. How could someone at the Qi Cultivation Realm withstand such a blow? The woman spat blood and collapsed with a cry. The courtyard erupted in alarm. Wugui broke out in a cold sweat and glanced at the black-robed Daoist beside him as he thought,

This is Moongaze Lake!

The Fei Family might not amount to much, but the Li Family stood behind them. When beating a dog, one must consider its master. Moongaze Lake was no band of Jiangbei underlings.

Fortunately, though furious, Lin Feng still retained some restraint. The woman collapsed to the ground, coughing blood and writhing in pain, but she was not dead. Fei Qingya was also shocked. The two Dharma Protectors had no time to assist before a loud announcement rang out. "Dharma Protector Chen arrives."

This is bad. We have been caught in the act.

Wugui's heart jolted in fear. Yet Lin Feng instead grew calm. He looked at the black-robed youth descending from the sky and said with a smile, "Dharma Protector Chen, long time no see!"

Chen Yang descended with hearty laughter. His face showed satisfaction and delight as he said, "Excellent. Fellow Daoist, you truly have reached the Foundation Establishment Realm."

He landed and only then noticed the woman on the ground. He asked in confusion, "This is..."

Wugui hurried forward and said with a sigh, "My master only just arrived and happened to catch her hurling insults. As a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivator, he could hardly allow such defiance, so he took action to discipline her a little."

Chen Yang shook his head and lifted the unconscious woman. As he used mana to protect her heart meridians, preventing the burning Dry Fire from gradually draining her life force, he replied with a sigh, "How could ordinary people recognize Qingya as a piece of uncut jade? Verbal disputes are common enough. She simply should not have directed it at you."

Lin Feng nodded slightly. He glanced at Fei Qingya, frowned, and said softly, "This... the technique Qingya cultivates is..."

Clearly, the River One Qi Technique was nothing but trash in Lin Feng's eyes. It offended his sight. Chen Yang laughed heartily and replied, "This is my family's inherited technique, specially found for Qingya. It shares the same qi as my Foundation Establishment Realm technique. If there is an opportunity, she could make use of my technique as well. With Qingya's innate ability, she will likely not be limited to the Foundation Establishment Realm."

"Oh?"

Lin Feng glanced at Chen Yang. A faint red light flickered in his eyes, clearly the activation of some perception technique. He nodded thoughtfully and said with a trace of surprise, "If she can connect with your esteemed family's Purple Mansion Realm technique, it will save me the trouble of searching elsewhere. I need only exchange for a portion from your family."

Chen Yang let out a long sigh and shook his head. "If that were possible, it would be ideal. Unfortunately, the method to unlock our Purple Mansion Realm technique was lost many years ago. It is said that only a cultivator of sufficient talent and profound fortune, meeting the criteria set by our forebears, can open it. Thus this technique has remained untouched all these years, and simply remained in our possession. It was difficult enough to bring it out for Qingya now."

"So that is the case." Lin Feng laughed aloud and raised a brow. "Very well. There is no need to trouble your family over this technique. I have my own means."

Fei Qingya glanced lightly at Chen Yang. Her hand tightened slightly around her man's arm as she said gently, "Since we are already here, why not bring out the technique and have a look? If it can be opened, it will spare us the trouble of searching later. It would be a good thing."

Lin Feng smiled and covered her hand with his own. He said, "In that case, Dharma Protector Chen, please bring it for us to examine. It will add a bit of interest."

Chen Yang had thought there would be no chance, yet no wind was stronger than pillow wind. His recent efforts in assisting Fei Qingya had indeed borne fruit, prompting her to ask at this moment. He quickly dispatched someone to fetch it.

Lin Feng turned and said warmly to Fei Qingya, "These years have been hard on you. From now on, at my side, you will lack neither provisions nor dharma artifacts. If you desire anything, I will fetch it from Mifan for you."

Fei Qingfei piped up indignantly, "That is right, sister. I cannot cultivate, so I cannot take any of those things from Mifan. They only end up benefiting those others. You should take more for yourself so it does not go to waste on them!"

How could Fei Qingya fail to understand? She immediately asked suspiciously, "Them?"

Jealousy flared in Fei Qingfei as she replied, "Is it not so? Song Yunbai of the Song Family and Wang Xiaoxiao from the ridge, both are close with Brother Lin now..."

Fei Qingya's expression darkened at once as she turned away in displeasure. Chen Yang paid it no mind and waited for the jade slip to arrive. When it was brought forward, Lin Feng, somewhat embarrassed, seized the chance to change the topic and nodded.

"Xiao Yuan, you cultivate Water Virtue. Your innate ability is not weak and your fortune is not shallow. It is fitting that you examine this item."

The black-robed youth seemed taciturn and aloof, but he stepped forward and accepted the jade slip. He examined it for a while, and replied, "It is flawless, like a dead object. However, the qi on Qingya and Senior Chen seems familiar. I believe I have seen it in the east. Su Yan of the Capital Immortal Dao also cultivates this Dao... It is called Jing Dragon King."

Chen Yang nodded repeatedly and said, "Precisely."

Before Xiao Yuan could say any more, Lin Feng said thoughtfully, "He turned the Capital Immortal Dao upside down. He can be considered a top-tier figure. If senior's technique truly selects its own inheritor, it would be worth letting him try. The only difficulty is finding him."

He quickly shook his head with a smile and continued, "Leaving that aside, I must thank Senior Chen Yang for taking care of Qingya all these years. Otherwise, who knows how much grievance she would have endured in a place like the Fei Family?"

Lin Feng casually took a long case from his storage pouch and opened it lightly. Inside lay a pitch-black Foundation Establishment Realm dharma sword. The sword appeared plain and black along its length, without a single pattern. Its straight form was simple from top to bottom, yet it gave off remarkable vitality. It was clearly no ordinary item.

The moment it was revealed, a surge of sword qi shot skyward. Its quality was by no means low among Foundation Establishment Realm weapons. It already possessed a degree of spirituality. However, more precious still was the aura of Pit Water that encircled it. It had clearly been chosen with care.

"This is a fine sword I obtained. I acquired four at the time: Black Stream, Falling Laurel, Sea Sundering, and Piercing Heart. They correspond to Pit Water, Greater Yin, Converging Water, and Radiant Fire respectively. All came from the Mifan Dao lineage."

He appeared indifferent, as though these items were not particularly precious to him. He gestured at the red dharma sword at his waist and smiled, "I carry Piercing Heart myself and plan to give it to Yunbai. Falling Laurel went to Senior Bai Yinzi. Sea Sundering was given to Fellow Daoist Han Li. Black Creek I specially reserved for senior."

Dharma swords were coveted by all, and a spiritual treasure like Black Creek was far beyond ordinary weapons. Yet in his mouth, they sounded like roadside cabbages, handed out one after another. The Li Family had produced sword cultivators for generations, accumulating blades over time, yet their collection might not equal what Lin Feng had casually displayed in a moment.

Leaving aside the others, Chen Yang himself cultivated the sword. This sword matched his Immortal Foundation almost perfectly. Faced with such temptation, he could not take his eyes off it.

Fei Qingfei muttered at the side, somewhat spoiling the atmosphere, "The swords from that Dao lineage all look the same. There is nothing impressive about them..."

Fortunately, Chen Yang kept his thoughts in check. Otherwise, he might have cursed aloud. He stared at the sword with fascination and said with a sigh, "This is far too valuable. How could I let you spend so lavishly... I cannot accept it."

Lin Feng laughed heartily and shook his head. Fei Qingfei said proudly, "This is nothing precious. Brother Lin has a Geng Metal sword-form spirit embryo that has already gained spirituality. That is truly valuable. It even has to be sealed with a special dharma artifact to prevent it from revealing itself in the great void and attracting the attention of certain Purple Mansion Realm cultivators or being drawn away by Metallic Essence...

"Other than that spirit embryo, the rest are nothing special. They may be good for senior, but for Brother Lin, they are already outdated!"

Fei Qingfei was a mortal and unfamiliar with cultivation. Her words lacked restraint. Though spoken with pride, they caused Fei Qingya to frown inwardly,

My sister has truly been spoiled by him... She says everything openly...

Lin Feng did not mind. He stood with his hands behind his back and looked at Fei Qingya, speaking softly in reassurance, "Do not worry. The true profound command token is in my possession. They will not stoop to bullying the weak to seize this spirit embryo from me."

"Spirit embryo?!"

Chen Yang was utterly astonished. Lin Feng smiled modestly as he said, "It was only good fortune. Mifan is not a Dao lineage famed for the sword. Though Mount Xiaoshi once held great renown, its chief wealth came from the Wanglin Upper Sect. I searched through the entire Mifan Dao lineage and found only this one sword-form spirit embryo. There were no more powerful spirit swords. Just this one..."