Chapter 301: Chapter 246: A Gift on the Deathbed!【1 More!】
The imminent death of True Person Jiulong did not cause much of a stir within the Heaven Mending Sect.
Those who came to pay respects were either colleagues from the Danyi Hall Formation Hall or True Person Jiulong’s disciples, grand-disciples, and some other true person cultivators who had received his kindness, support, or guidance.
Those unrelated would not come.
Qi Refining cultivators didn’t even have the qualification to enter the cave residence.
Chen Jichuan’s cultivation was not bad, and as soon as he arrived, he was invited into the cave residence.
"Elder Dai, who is far away in Tan State, why bother making such a long journey to see this old man?" Inside the cave residence, True Person Jiulong was sitting cross-legged, looking in good spirits. However, the withered, deathly aura within him was undeniable, and compared to a hundred and fifty years ago, his face bore many more wrinkles, looking much older.
Chen Jichuan walked up and smiled, "I haven’t been to the mountain for a long time, so I came back to have a look, and took the opportunity to visit the senior here."
In the past one hundred and fifty years, Chen Jichuan had returned to Mount Tailao several times. On some occasions, True Person Jiulong was not on the mountain. It was thirty-two years ago when he saw True Person Jiulong once. They had a brief meeting without anything special.
"You have a kind heart."
True Person Jiulong knew that Chen Jichuan had specially returned for him this time, and his heart rippled slightly. As people age, their emotions become more sensitive.
Some people become more open-minded and see everything clearly.
Others become paranoid, feeling abandoned by the world if it’s slightly quiet.
True Person Jiulong was not so sensitive, but seeing Chen Jichuan, a junior who he had only met a few times and casually helped, come to see him, Jiulong still felt a bit moved.
He didn’t show it but instead made a close connection with Chen Jichuan, and inquired about the situation in the wilderness: "The seven sects have placed their main forces at the first and second earth caves; the pressure on your side should not be small, right?"
"It’s alright."
"The strong ones in the wilderness are mostly at the periphery, and the central ones are of no consequence, making them relatively easy to handle."
Chen Jichuan said with a smile.
This was true; in the wilderness, he wandered in the central area and encountered the most formidable one, who was merely an Evil God of the Sixth Layer Heaven in the Holy Domain.
Upon encountering him, he hurriedly fled.
Aside from that, he hadn’t encountered any more Sixth Layer Heaven figures.
The strong ones in the wilderness’s central area were indeed scarce, but there were a few of the Fifth Layer Heaven. Just a few days ago, he had allied with three Demon Kings to kill one.
"That’s good then."
True Person Jiulong listened quietly as Chen Jichuan recounted the events in the wilderness, occasionally asking one or two questions and expressing a sigh or two.
Time waits for no one.
Chen Jichuan accompanied True Person Jiulong for more than two hours; seeing True Person Jiulong seem somewhat tired, Chen Jichuan dared not stay any longer and said, "Unknowingly, I’ve disturbed the senior for so long, I shall take my leave first and visit the senior again in a few days."
Chen Jichuan said, about to get up and leave.
"No rush."
Seeing this, True Person Jiulong held onto Chen Jichuan and had him sit down again. While Chen Jichuan was surprised, True Person Jiulong took out a bamboo slip from his sleeve and said with a smile, "I have lived my life in vain, with nothing much to offer, except for this volume of notes. It records all of my insights into learning the formations. I am old now and lack the energy to organize them; these notes are very scattered. Take it, look through it in your spare time; it can also kill some time."
"Insights into formations?"
Looking at the bamboo slip in True Person Jiulong’s hand, Chen Jichuan’s heart stirred.
He knew.
Though True Person Jiulong spoke modestly, but given his mastery of formations, his life’s insights were indeed precious, sought after by countless cultivators studying formations but to no avail.
Now giving it to him, perhaps he vaguely considered him among this type. But willing to give away the notes indicated he didn’t mind, and instead had the heart to complete him.
It was just—
"Thank you, senior, for your kindness, but I am wholeheartedly devoted to cultivation and am afraid I might let down your kind intentions."
"It would be more appropriate to leave these notes, which are the essence of your life’s hard work, to the outstanding disciples in the Formation Hall. In my hands, it might be like a fine pearl cast aside."
Chen Jichuan waved his hand, stood up, bowed to True Person Jiulong, and then turned to leave.
Not the slightest attachment to these extremely precious notes.
"This Dai Zong—"
True Person Jiulong held the bamboo slip, watching Chen Jichuan leave, and was momentarily stunned. Only after a long pause did he smile wryly, with even more appreciation in his eyes: "Such sincerity and freedom, I indeed underestimated him."
After thinking for a moment.
True Person Jiulong seemed to make a decision, called in a disciple, gave some instructions, and then, unable to resist the fatigue, closed his eyes and rested.
...
More than ten days later.
True Person Jiulong’s last day arrived, and he passed away in meditation within his cave residence.
Seeing the passing of this kind Formation Master, Chen Jichuan felt somewhat saddened.
A Second-order True Person has a lifespan of a thousand years, but if unable to progress courageously and break through barriers, once their time is up, they ultimately cannot escape death.
Chen Jichuan had grown accustomed to life and death over the years.
Whether a Second-order True Person or a Qi Refining cultivator, whether three hundred years or a thousand years, they all eventually return to the Nine Netherworld.
"Compared to them, I am indeed too fortunate."
A sense of gratitude welled up in Chen Jichuan’s heart.
After staying a few more days on Mount Tailao, seeing off True Person Jiulong one last time, Chen Jichuan prepared to return to the wilderness.
However, before setting off, the Sect Master sent someone to invite him.
...
"Dai Zong pays respects to the Sect Master."
Chen Jichuan entered the Heavenly Patching Hall, bowed to Sunx Jiuzhang seated above.
After many years apart.
Sunx Jiuzhang’s presence was even deeper, his cultivation even more profound. Chen Jichuan glanced swiftly and was somewhat surprised: "This Sect Master’s cultivation is much higher than rumored outside."
Comparing to how he was when they first met, he had made significant progress.
Sunx Jiuzhang, unaware of what was in Chen Jichuan’s mind, held a document in his hand, and upon seeing Chen Jichuan arrive, nodded and gestured for him to sit.
Then.
The Sect Master sized up Chen Jichuan and said with a smile, "Elder Dai, perhaps you don’t know, but I have been paying attention to you for quite some time. ’Jade-faced Judge’ Dai Zong, once held the top position on the Immortal Leaderboard for nearly a hundred years at the True Inheritance Refining Stage, having mastered three Absolute Skills from the sect, which left us old timers quite surprised."
The Heaven Mending Sect has many cultivators.
For Sunx Jiuzhang, as the Sect Master, to pay attention to someone at the Qi Refining Stage was indeed rare. However, Chen Jichuan’s momentum back then was clearly a rare top talent in the Heaven Mending Sect’s thousands of years of history. Sunx Jiuzhang paid much attention, and even personally met with him, suggesting Chen Jichuan choose to practice the ’Daluo Heavenly Fire’, and to focus more on Alchemy and Artifact Refining.
At that time, Chen Jichuan did not heed it, leaving a deep impression on Sunx Jiuzhang.
Upon Chen Jichuan’s promotion to the Second-order, Sunx Jiuzhang continued to notice this disciple multiple times.
Unfortunately, Chen Jichuan stayed on Nine Yang Island for thirty years, with no progress in cultivation. After entering the wilderness, even after so many years, he only promoted to the Enlightenment Second Realm.
Sunx Jiuzhang had asked once, and then twice, thrice, and four times.
Each time, disappointed.
In these decades, he no longer paid particular attention to this former genius.
For countless years since the founding of the Heaven Mending Sect, initial prodigies eventually becoming ordinary were countless.
Chen Jichuan was just one more.
In Sunx Jiuzhang’s heart, if there were no accidents, Chen Jichuan would simply be an ordinary true person in the future, no different from the other Dharma Protecting Elders in the sect.
Until this time—
"When did Elder Dai advance to the Enlightenment Second Realm?"
"Forty-eight years ago."
"I heard Elder Dai slew as many as eight Fourth Layer Heaven Evil Gods in the wilderness?"
"It was merely good fortune, greatly relying on the efforts of the three Demon Kings."
"That is remarkable; an Enlightenment Second Realm participating in slaying Fourth Layer Heaven Evil Gods, even among the Seven Immortal Sects, there are few to find."
Sunx Jiuzhang seemed to casually chat about family, conversing idly.
Inwardly, Chen Jichuan was filled with doubts, not knowing what the Sect Master was pulling at randomly for.
After asking a few questions and chatting a few lines.
"Don’t be so restrained."
"Come to think of it, it is my negligence as the Sect Master not to have realized that there’s such a powerful Dharma Protecting Elder like Elder Dai in the sect."
Sunx Jiuzhang seemed to notice Chen Jichuan’s doubts, smiled and reassured him, and then explained: "The old man heard True Person Jiulong praise Elder Dai, mentioning the matters of the wilderness, commending Elder Dai not only as a courteous and polite person but also extraordinarily talented. Especially in Swordsmanship and Escape Skill, unmatched even by some in the Third Layer Heaven and Fourth Layer Heaven true persons. Our Heaven Mending Sect hasn’t seen such a figure for a long time; today, I summoned you because I am eager to see for myself."
"So that’s how it is."
Only now did Chen Jichuan dispel his doubts.
It turned out that True Person Jiulong had mentioned him in front of Sunx Jiuzhang, which made sense. Given True Person Jiulong’s nature, he would certainly praise him more in front of the Sect Master.
Coupled with Chen Jichuan’s indeed extraordinary combat power, Swordsmanship and Escape Skill were commendable, capable of crossing realms to fight in the True Person Stage; even in the Heaven Mending Sect, there were few of such people to find.
As the Sect Master, Sunx Jiuzhang’s action to summon him for a talk was only natural.
"I dare not take the credit."
"Senior Jiulong has always been supportive of juniors, making me feel unworthy."
Chen Jichuan said humbly.
"Haha."
"You truly have a humble disposition, as True Person Jiulong said."
Sunx Jiuzhang laughed heartily, pointed at Chen Jichuan while shaking his head, and said: "The more humble you are, the more interested the old man becomes. Talking is useless; how about this, you come to attack me, and the old man will see for himself."
"This—"
Chen Jichuan hesitated.
"No need to worry."
"Could it be that Elder Dai is afraid of injuring this old man?"
Seeing this, Sunx Jiuzhang jested.
These words were indeed a joke; given Sunx Jiuzhang’s cultivation, no matter how strong Chen Jichuan’s methods were, the absolute gap in cultivation made it impossible to harm even a hair of his.
Seeing Sunx Jiuzhang’s determined intention, Chen Jichuan did not insist further, set up his posture, said ’Dai Zong apologizes,’ and then formed a sword seal with his hand. Two thousand nine hundred ninety-nine strands of Sword Qi shot out, filling the Heavenly Patching Hall, transforming into a Sword Map, entrapping Sunx Jiuzhang within.
"Excellent!"
Sunx Jiuzhang’s supreme cultivation allowed him to immediately see some merit and comprehend some of the power upon seeing this Sword Map. He praised it loudly, and a flash of green light enveloped him, allowing Sword Qis to attack, yet he remained unwavering.
"Cangqing Seal."
Chen Jichuan saw the green light flashing around Sunx Jiuzhang, vaguely enveloped by a large seal with a majestic aura, guessing that this was the protective skill ’Cangqing Seal’ among the nine great skills of the Heaven Mending Sect.
When he chose the absolute skill back then, he had hesitated whether or not to choose this protective skill, but firstly, he already had the ’Three-in-One Indestructible Golden Light Body Protection Technique,’ and secondly, the other several absolute skills intrigued him more, so he gave it up.
Now he witnessed it on Sunx Jiuzhang.
...