At noon, the mountain villa killed chickens and slaughtered cows, treating Xiao Chen and his son Xiao Muhan with great hospitality. The elder Xiao Chen was very spirited now, with a radiant appearance, full of the demeanor of a thirteenth-realm old immortal. The elder was also happy, drinking and toasting with Huang Tingyu, Tang Guangjun, and Mu Zha, to his heart's content. If he were not in a hurry to ascend, he would have loved to stay and become sworn brothers with everyone.
After the luncheon, Lin Zhao began to prepare the items the elder wanted to bring to the upper realm.
First, the red and yellow gourds were ready, even labeled. One read "For senior brother Ding Muchen," and the other, "For old man Wang." Then, the remaining two jars of Dongting Red Bamboo Wine were given away, one labeled for senior brother and one for old man Wang. The remaining twelve jars of Green Bamboo Wine were also all taken out, still half for the senior brother and half for old man Wang. Afterwards, ten jars of Peach Blossom Brew made by the Peach Blossom Demon Han Yurou were taken out, one jar per person. The winter-stored apricot blossom wine also went to each of them, ten jars each. Lin Zhao was not stingy with his senior brother at all. His senior brother was a sword immortal at the peak of the world, with a great capacity for drink, so he had to prepare a bit more for him.
Afterwards, a lot of various meats stored in the mountain villa were also taken out: smoked meats, dried fish, and old salted fish. These were all ready to be eaten with wine after a simple roast. A good amount was prepared for both the senior brother and old man Wang. To prevent them from fighting over it, paper slips with their names were attached when packing.
In addition, when they returned from the Danxia Sect last time, Xu Mingan gave them a few more chickens he had raised. Lin Zhao quickly tied their legs, then gave Ding Muchen and Wang Laodao two chickens each, along with a pile of potatoes, beans, and the like, all packed up. The result was a floor full of items, making the thirteenth-realm old immortal Xiao Chen laugh and cry. Was he moving house?
However, Xiao Chen was not angry at all. On the contrary, he happily took out storage bags to help pack. In fact, the more Lin Zhao entrusted him to carry, the more beneficial it would be for Xiao Chen. After all, who were these people he was sending things to? One was the only fourteenth-realm sword cultivator in the human world, the God of War Ding Muchen, and the other was the progenitor of the military and rhetoric schools, the fourteenth-realm old immortal known as Guiguzi, who understood all schools of thought. It could be said that the combat power of these two was at the ceiling level in the upper realm.
It didn't matter if Xiao Chen sent a little something, it was just a small matter. But the karmic connections formed would be immense. Perhaps in the upper realm, it could resolve many of Xiao Chen's dire situations.
Xiao Chen understood this reasoning. Moreover, even setting aside these social courtesies and calculations, Lin Zhao and the mountain villa had been kind to the Qingluan Sect, so he, Xiao Chen, would not refuse.
...
In the afternoon, the elder's waist was full of storage bags, and the sound of roosters crowing could be heard from within them. A scene of true ascension was about to unfold.
"..."
Huang Tingyu frowned, turned his head, and looked towards Panyun Mountain in the north.
"What is it?" Lin Zhao asked.
"There's demonic energy."
Huang Tingyu said with a calm smile, "Yu Zhi and Fu Sheng, both thirteenth-realm cultivators, have arrived. In addition, Lu Hai and Feng Quan, both twelfth-realm cultivators, are also here."
"It's fine."
Lin Zhao smiled faintly, "Miss Lin, can you help? Protect the ascension?"
"Mm."
A sword light shot straight from the south, transforming into the figure of a fairy in snow-white robes. Lin Wanhua stood in the air above the northern mountain of Xueyu Tianchi, her beautiful eyes looking towards Panyun Mountain with a smile. Come on, anyone who isn't afraid of death can come. Are you two, Fu Sheng and Yu Zhi, powerful together? Perhaps not.
For a moment, with Lin Wanhua of Fusu Great Wall guarding the ascension, Xiao Muhan revealed a smile and said, "Father, it's ready."
"Mm."
Elder Xiao Chen cupped his fists towards everyone and said with a smile, "My cultivation is shallow. I will likely not return from the upper realm. As for this human world, I leave it in your care!"
Lin Zhao, along with Xuan Zhi, Huang Tingyu, and others, cupped their fists in unison, respectfully seeing off the elder's ascension.
The next moment, Xiao Chen placed his hands behind his back, and his body rose from the ground. A golden pillar of light immediately appeared in the sky, pouring down onto Xueyu Tianchi. Following that, the sound of the Heavenly Dao boomed, and it was as if a gate to heaven opened within the clouds. Around Xiao Chen's body, a colossal Dharma image, thousands of feet high, appeared until his entire body was submerged into the heavenly gate, and his aura disappeared from the human world.
The ascension was successful, and the items Lin Zhao wanted to send were also delivered.
The human race had lost a thirteenth-realm great cultivator, but in the upper realm, the human race had gained one.
Xiao Muhan took his leave and departed, and Lin Wanhua also returned to Fusu Great Wall.
After everyone dispersed, Lin Zhao returned to his study and began to refine the orange gourd.
...
Three hours later, the refinement was successful.
Now, this orange gourd had become half of Lin Zhao's lifebound item. When Lin Zhao looked at the orange gourd, he could see its layers. Within the orange gourd, two realms were divided. One realm was for storing fine wine, with extremely abundant spiritual energy. Storing good wine in the gourd would only make it more mellow. The other realm was for nurturing flying swords.
"Hoo..."
Lin Zhao took a deep breath, unable to conceal the joy on his face. He had finally become a mountain sword immortal with a wine gourd hanging from his waist. He then took out a jar of Peach Blossom Brew and poured it all into the wine gourd. He shook it; it had only filled less than ten percent of the space. He was filled with ambition and decided to name the orange gourd, after all, it was a refined item.
Finally, he named it "Bai Hua" (Hundred Flowers), for no other reason than to commemorate his journey to Bai Hua Tianxia. Besides, Lin Zhao's heart stirred, and he took out the palm-sized miniature flying sword "Fu You" (Mayfly) from his storage bag. Fu You was the last gift from Qing Yan, who said that Fu You would accompany her brother in her stead. At that time, Lin Zhao was deeply moved and sad, so he had nothing else to say. The immortal gourd had just taken shape, and the first item to be nurtured in it should be Fu You. Regardless of its rank, it was a memento of Qing Yan.
"Shu..."
The next moment, the flying sword Fu You transformed into a gray light and entered the flying sword realm of the orange gourd, as if a fish had returned to water, enduring the nurturing and refining of this orange gourd. In less than ten minutes, the Fu You flying sword had become Lin Zhao's additional small refined flying sword, apart from his twelve Great Desolate Ancient Swords. This was the wonder of the immortal gourd, just like old man Wang, who, although not a sword cultivator, had managed to nurture thirty-six flying swords with the help of the green gourd, completing the legendary "Thirty-six Paths of Vertical and Horizontal."
"Young Master."
Outside the Tianranju, Liu Liying, the Goddess of Folding Fan, in a red dress and holding a folding fan, stepped forward. Looking at the orange gourd in Lin Zhao's hand, she smiled with dimples, "Congratulations, Young Master, on successfully refining the immortal gourd."
"Mm."
Lin Zhao smiled, "Liying, do you have any rope, or hemp rope, to tie the gourd and hang it at my waist? I've never done this before, so I don't understand."
"Yes."
Liu Liying gently waved her folding fan, and two golden ropes dangled from the end of the fan, with a string of small golden bells. She directly took one off and said with a smile, "Here, this is Liying's lifebound item. I'll share half of it with you, Young Master."
"Ah?!"
Lin Zhao resolutely refused, "No, no, that's not appropriate. That's your personal lifebound item."
"It's the same."
Liu Liying said softly, "Liying is already yours, Young Master. Liying's belongings are yours. Moreover, Liying actually has some selfish motives. I hope you can have something of Liying's by your side, as if Liying is accompanying you."
After saying that, her beautiful face turned slightly red, looking quite charming.
"Stop!"
Lin Zhao pointed at Liu Liying's nose, "Don't use those tricks you used on Chi Zhongyu on me. I won't fall for that!"
Liu Liying covered her face. This lack of romantic sensibility was truly worthy of her Young Master. So she narrowed her eyes and said with a smile, "Young Master, this rope is actually a creation of heaven and earth. It is impervious to water and fire, and cannot be cut by axes or blades. It also possesses a part of the great dao manifestation power of Bai Hua Tianxia. It is simply a perfect match for this orange gourd you named 'Bai Hua.' Furthermore, tying Bai Hua with this rope can, to a certain extent, nurture the spiritual energy within Bai Hua. The two complement each other, and the spiritual energy is inexhaustible."
Lin Zhao said "Oh" and added, "In that case, I will gratefully accept. Thank you, Liying!"
"Hmph!"
Liu Liying pouted angrily and gave Lin Zhao a punch on the chest with her small fist before handing him the golden rope. Lin Zhao rubbed his chest and said with a light smile, "A mere show of strength, a painted goddess cannot fight."
"???"
Liu Liying looked at him with mock anger. Is that the point?!
...
Afternoon.
The master of the mountain, in white robes, with an orange gourd hanging from his waist, carrying the Dragon Slayer Sword and Liquan, descended the mountain on a flying sword. On the mountainside, he saw Chu Yu and Zhuang Yirong practicing martial arts. He crossed his arms and said, "Chu Yu, how has Yirong's boxing practice been recently?"
"Extremely smooth."
Chu Yu smiled, "Yirong has great talent for practicing boxing. It's estimated that in a little while, her martial artist realm will catch up to yours."
"???"
A certain person looked bewildered.
"Mountain Master!"
Zhuang Yirong pointed and said, "Your immortal gourd is so beautiful!"
"Heh heh!"
A certain person chuckled, "Only Yirong understands!"
At the foot of the mountain villa, Chen Ben was sitting on a large rock, nurturing his boxing intent. Boxing qi rose and fell around him rhythmically. He looked up and saw someone descending the mountain on a flying sword. Chen Ben immediately stood up and said with a smile, "Brother Lin Zhao, this immortal gourd is truly incredibly beautiful!"
"Mm!"
A certain person smiled, "It's just so-so!"
Not long after, a certain person walked through the small town, with an orange gourd hanging from his waist. He looked at the people coming and going, constantly greeting the vegetable-selling aunties, squatting by the river with the farmers to watch the boys fishing. Until a farmer glanced at him and exclaimed in surprise, "Oh my, Mountain Master, could this gourd of yours be the legendary immortal gourd?"
"Ah?!"
A certain person exclaimed, slapping his thigh, "You actually recognized it!"
Not long after, the scruffy man Tang Guangjun came out of a small hut with a bowl of noodles. Just as he was about to slurp them, he looked up and his heart trembled. He said solemnly, "Mountain Master, your orange gourd is so handsome!"
"Hmph!"
A certain person sneered, "Tang Guangjun, don't cook dinner for yourself tonight. Come to Tianranju to eat."
"Thank you, Mountain Master!"
The scruffy man was almost moved to kneel and kowtow.
On the mountainside, in front of the Mountain Lord's Shrine.
A certain person crossed his arms, stepped on a flying sword, and circled the Mountain Lord's Shrine more than ten times. Finally, he couldn't help but descend and watch Su Shanjun and old Sword Immortal Han play chess. He placed one hand on the orange gourd and said, "Alas, Liying's craftsmanship is truly excellent. How beautiful are these knots in the rope!"
Su Shanjun narrowed his eyes and suddenly slapped his thigh, almost jumping up. "Oh, the rope is beautiful, but how can it compare to this Sword Immortal Gourd? Is it the legendary immortal gourd? The Mountain Master's sword immortal demeanor, coupled with this immortal gourd, is simply breathtaking!"
"Oh my!"
A certain person pressed Su Shanjun down, "Shanjun, speak quietly. Be low-key! Remember to come to Tianranju for dinner tonight. I'll treat you two to drinks!"
Old Sword Immortal Han covered his face, almost unable to bear looking at this Mountain Master.