Chapter 83: Truths Revealed After Wine

After many twists and turns, Qin Feng ultimately became an outer disciple of Shu Sword Mountain.

After registering his name, Qin Feng received a storage pouch and was carried by a steward on a flying sword to Qingyuan Peak.

Qingyuan Peak was one of the ten peaks, reserved for the residence and cultivation of outer disciples of Shu Sword Mountain. The conditions were quite good: each person had their own small courtyard, the profound energy was dense, and spiritual herbs flourished everywhere. No wonder so many people fought tooth and nail to enter Shu Sword Mountain and pursue immortality.

Inside the storage pouch, there was an identity token for outer disciples of Shu Sword Mountain, two bottles of pills, a book, a set of white clothing, and ten low-grade profound stones.

The token was nothing remarkable, just an ordinary wooden plaque.

The clothing was standardized, with the words "Shu Sword" embroidered on the cuffs.

Qin Feng took out the clothes and put them on. Because of his tall and sturdy build, the clothes did not seem to fit well. But just as he was about to take them off, the garment suddenly loosened and automatically adjusted itself to Qin Feng’s proportions, which surprised him.

Worthy of a great sect— even a single garment was crafted as a low-grade profound artifact. Surely, this clothing counted as a defensive artifact to some degree, though its defensive power was somewhat lacking. Still, its ability to adjust size pleased Qin Feng immensely.

Fit was the most important thing when it came to clothing, especially for someone as robust as Qin Feng; wearing clothes too small could be fatal.

After putting them on, Qin Feng instantly transformed from a burly giant into a refined gentleman. If he could just carry a flying sword, his image and bearing would be beyond compare.

Yet, Qin Feng looked at his broken Chong Wu and shook his head. Clearly, that notion was unrealistic. A flowing white robe paired with the pitch-black Chong Wu strapped to his back made him look as though he were carrying a door— a true eyesore.

In other words, Chong Wu was made for brute force!

Having sorted out his clothing, Qin Feng took up the ten low-grade profound stones and tossed them into his storage ring. Since only he could see the ring, he had no fear of thieves.

The remaining items were the two bottles of pills.

Qin Feng picked up the smaller bottle, poured out the pill within— just one— and brought it to his nose for a sniff. A refreshing fragrance filled his senses. The name of the pill was written on the bottle—

Face-Fixing Pill!

Upon seeing the name, Qin Feng’s expression became somewhat odd.

Cultivators always favored handsome and graceful appearances, but age inevitably altered one’s image and bearing. Those who preferred youthful looks disliked wrinkled skin; female cultivators, in particular, detested old age. Yet some people were the opposite, preferring an aged appearance for its gravitas, especially elders of certain sects who liked to assume such a guise.

Everyone’s preferences differed, but their purpose was the same: to preserve their current appearance. Cultivators lived for centuries, some even millennia; with such long lives, they grew weary of constantly managing their looks. Thus, the Face-Fixing Pill was developed for those in need.

However, this pill did not grant perpetual youth; one had to take another pill every hundred years or so, or else the aging process would resume, albeit slowly.

Qin Feng curled his lip and tossed the pill into his mouth.

It melted instantly. After a brief tightening and relaxing of his facial skin, he felt nothing further.

He pinched his face— it felt just as before, with no discomfort. He cared no more about it.

The other bottle contained a pill called the Essence-Nourishing Pill, a basic medicine for disciples in the Mortal Steel Realm, intended to nurture the dantian.

There were a full hundred pills in the bottle— quite a generous provision.

As for the book, its title was "Shu Sword Mountain Sword Canon." It was a comprehensive foundational text, containing a set of cultivation methods suitable for the Mortal Steel Realm, as well as basic sword-related techniques such as Sword Observation, Yuan Observation, Sword Nurturing, Sword Commanding, and Sword Retrieving. It also included minor five-element techniques like Fireball, Ice Crystal, and Thunder Summoning, and recorded information on Shu Sword Mountain’s legacy, basic knowledge of the cultivation world, and introductions to auxiliary arts such as pill refining, talisman crafting, and artifact forging. All of this was compiled into a single volume, collectively named the "Shu Sword Mountain Sword Canon."

This was truly the mark of a great sect!

Setting aside everything else, the elders of Shu Sword Mountain had clearly worked hard to nurture their disciples.

After storing everything in his ring, Qin Feng left his room to familiarize himself with the surroundings, but only within a small area atop Qingyuan Peak. Even here, accommodations for outer disciples were tiered.

Disciples in the Mortal Steel Realm lived in the smallest, poorest courtyards. Those above that realm enjoyed much greater privileges, including large private residences with minor protective wards that allowed them to cultivate undisturbed.

This was understandable.

Cultivators in the Mortal Steel Realm advanced rapidly; with sufficient talent, one could reach the tenth stage in just a few years. At that point, a major threshold awaited: condensing energy into liquid in the dantian, stepping into the Human Steel Realm. This step was extremely difficult. With the aid of advancement pills, it could be somewhat easier.

Beyond the Human Steel Realm, the speed of cultivation slowed dramatically.

It wasn’t a matter of talent or effort, but rather that each advancement required a staggering amount of profound energy. The higher one’s realm, the greater the energy needed. From first to tenth stage, the requirements grew geometrically.

Advancing from first to second stage might take two or three years; from second to third, five or six years; and so on, the difficulty increasing at every step.

Thus, disciples in the Human Steel Realm would often seclude themselves for years at a time. Some, capable of enduring loneliness, would remain in seclusion for ten or even twenty years— true cultivation fanatics. But such was the nature of the path.

Cultivation is a struggle against fate; every cultivator battles against the heavens for their life.

Law cultivators do not possess the monstrous physiques of body cultivators, so their lifespans are shorter. Mortal Steel Realm cultivators live only slightly longer than ordinary folk, perhaps to a hundred years. Upon reaching the Human Steel Realm, lifespans double, to two hundred years. In the Earth Steel Realm, one can live at least five hundred years. Those in the Heavenly Steel Realm and above can reach a thousand years. As for the legendary Divine Steel Realm, it is said to transcend natural law and attain immortality.

All this is mere speculation, but it drives cultivators to defy fate in pursuit of eternal life.

Of course, after entering the Human Steel Realm, Qin Feng advanced rapidly thanks to his bloodline soul and dual cultivation with Huo Siyen, crossing into the second stage in record time— a stroke of luck.

Originally, Qin Feng could have surged straight into the third stage, but at the crucial moment, he stopped himself. He knew that advancing once was manageable, but pushing into the third stage would leave his foundation unstable, risking regression or incurable harm— too high a price.

Haste makes waste, as the saying goes.

Now, Qin Feng needed to stabilize his realm.

This required time, allowing his body to adapt.

At present, suspending body cultivation and focusing entirely on law cultivation was also a good choice.

Since ancient times, law and body cultivation have not been mutually exclusive, though dual cultivation consumes much time and energy.

But for Qin Feng, who possessed a bloodline soul, this was not a problem.

The moment his grandfather discovered his profound root, Qin Feng conceived the idea of dual cultivation. No matter what, it was worth trying.

He had nothing to lose, and the prospect of sword flight alone was hugely enticing.

As Qin Feng returned, just about to enter his room, he unexpectedly spotted Old Hillock— the little old man lived right next door, making them neighbors.

Old Hillock still looked pale, but excitement shone in his eyes. Clearly, he hadn’t yet recovered from the joy of becoming a disciple of Shu Sword Mountain.

It was no wonder— a dream cherished for over twenty years, now realized at last; how could he not be happy?

“Brother Qin Feng, I offended you at the foot of the mountain. Please forgive me,” Old Hillock said sincerely, surprised to see Qin Feng but earnest in his apology.

After all, Qin Feng possessed a five-attribute mixed profound root, and had managed to enter Shu Sword Mountain without bribery— astonishing luck. Old Hillock had tried three times himself and knew that luck alone was never enough.

Qin Feng waved it off, and together they entered the courtyard.

The two sat at a stone table.

Old Hillock fetched wine from his storage pouch, poured a cup for Qin Feng, and before Qin Feng even touched it, drank several gulps himself, slamming down the cup and shouting with delight.

They drank together for some time.

With a hint of drunkenness, Old Hillock raised his head and looked at Qin Feng, laughing self-deprecatingly.

“Brother Qin Feng, do you despise people like me? To enter Shu Sword Mountain, I’ve killed, robbed, cheated, bribed immortals— all manner of wickedness…”

Qin Feng smiled, lifted his cup, drained it, and said nothing, waiting for Old Hillock to continue.

As expected, Old Hillock drank a few more gulps, then suddenly began to sob like a child.

“Brother Qin Feng, I never wanted this. My whole life, I’ve struggled to become a true cultivator. You don’t know how much I’ve suffered to enter Shu Sword Mountain. It changed me… The first time I came, I was thirty, in my prime, upright and honest. But because I lacked a single low-grade profound stone, the immortal sent me away, ignoring my pleas, not even letting me pass the gates. The second time, I was over forty, already late, but still hoping to reach the Human Steel Realm by fifty. That time, I entered the mountain, but after the first test, discovered I had the worst five-color mixed profound root, and lost hope. While waiting, I saw others bribe their way in, but I didn’t believe it; I was sure I could earn my place through effort. But fate did not favor me… I was expelled again. Over twenty years, I thought and wandered, Brother Qin Feng, do you know how much pain I suffered? How oppressed I felt? The third time, I came again, now over fifty. My bottom line had changed. For a single profound stone, I could kill; to enter Shu Sword Mountain, I’d do anything. I couldn’t wait anymore— I was fifty, and soon I’d die. But I, Qiu Chuqiu, did not want to die. I truly don’t! I want to change my fate through cultivation, to become immortal, to…”

As he spoke, Old Hillock’s voice grew quieter, until he finally lay on the table, fast asleep.

Qin Feng had not uttered a word, playing only the role of listener.

It was all Old Hillock’s monologue, but his words touched Qin Feng deeply, helping him understand the lifelong effort of a small man at the bottom, giving up his principles for a slim chance at cultivation, embarking on a path of no return.

“Was it Shu Sword Mountain that changed you, or your own obsession?”

Qin Feng shook his head, quietly draped a robe over Old Hillock’s frail body, closed the door, and left.

A pity— if given the chance, perhaps he could truly find his own path.

Taking out the "Nine Transformations of Heavenly Fire" compiled by Old Hillock from his storage ring, Qin Feng turned toward Old Hillock’s courtyard and whispered—

“From today, Qiu Chuqiu is my friend.”

“Your ‘Nine Transformations of Heavenly Fire’ will shine with its own brilliance in my hands…”