He told his disciples that cultivation was defying the heavens. Yet, he himself began to take the conservative path. Similar scenarios exist in various cultivation stories. Elders of sects with extremely high cultivation levels often hide in caves, detached from worldly affairs. They rarely act, cautiously maintaining their cultivation. Little do they know, when they harbor such thoughts, their cultivation has already begun to decline.
Without the determination to defy fate, how could one possibly reach the end of cultivation?
Thinking of this, Lu Xuan looked up at Ning Caichen, whose face was resolute, and his face regained that confident smile.
"Alright, once Brother Yan arrives, we'll take action immediately, kill the centipede demon, and restore peace and order to the world."
...............
Although he had accepted Ning Caichen's challenge, Lu Xuan still needed to be fully prepared. This battle was one where the enemy was far stronger than him; it was the first time in centuries that Lu Xuan had encountered an opponent whose actual combat strength overwhelmed him. However, he wasn't fighting alone; Yan Chixia and that mysterious fellow Daoist would arrive soon. Considering Lu Xuan's various trump cards, upon careful consideration, his chances of victory weren't actually low.
Since it was a life-or-death battle, naturally no means would be spared. The Imperial Advisor could sense the change in the atmosphere in the capital and had also begun preparations. Lu Xuan could perceive the auras of over a hundred powerful individuals entering the capital one by one. Clearly, the Imperial Advisor was gathering his forces.
Under these circumstances, Yan Chixia and a female cultivator also arrived in the capital, at Lu Xuan's home.
"Brother Lu, it's been a long time."
Lu Xuan replied with a smile.
"Hehe, there are four jars of spirit wine I prepared in the room. Are you going to be polite with me for a bit, or shall we just start drinking?"
"...Brother Lu, this lady beside me is named Hongyu, a sword cultivator. A true master of the Dao. Alright, introductions complete, shall we begin our drink?"
......
Hongyu is one of the most famous characters in *Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio*. Actually, there are different versions of the story of Hongyu. In earlier versions, Hongyu was a highly skilled swordswoman. Because the scholar next door had once helped her mother, she married him and had a son. However, after that, she left him and went on a solo journey.
Driven by a desire to repay a debt of gratitude, this aligns with the mindset of women in feudal times. However, Lu Xuan later read another version. Hongyu transformed into a powerful fox spirit. Because she admired (and ridiculously so) the scholar next door, she willingly served him, bore him children, and even stole money for him to take concubines (could it get any more far-fetched???)...
It has become a complete product of wishful thinking. It's said that many people consider *Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio* to be a product of the fantasies of lowly writers of that era, and there's some truth to that. The sheer number of these purely wish-fulfillment stories lowers the overall sophistication of the book.
However, the woman before him, Hongyu, was no silly fox demon. She was a true sword cultivator, perhaps the purest sword cultivator Lu Xuan had ever seen. In Lu Xuan's spiritual perception, this aloof woman was practically a walking spiritual sword. Her sharp sword aura even stung his divine sense.
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Chapter 380 Trust
Hongyu was an extremely beautiful woman, the kind whose beauty could be described as unparalleled. However, her face held a coldness that kept people at a distance. This made her somewhat unapproachable to look directly at, while also adding a touch of mystery to her aura.
She carried no swords, but had a golden brocade pouch at her waist—or perhaps it should be called a sword pouch. She also carried a three-foot-long sword sheath on her back. Unlike the bulky, clumsy sword sheath carried on Yan Chixia's back, Hongyu's sword sheath was much more exquisite and beautiful, clearly the work of a female cultivator.
Hongyu was quite respectful to Lu Xuan, a fellow cultivator with considerable skill. The three of them drank spirit wine and then began discussing how to kill the Imperial Preceptor.
Yan Chixia spoke first.
“Brother Lu, I know your abilities. You plan everything carefully before acting, and you think three steps ahead for every one you take. So, tell me your opinion first, and I'll follow your lead.” Hongyu nodded in agreement. She had clearly heard Yan Chixia recount how she met Lu Xuan.
"Then let me share my thoughts first, in order to spark further discussion."
"First of all, the Imperial Advisor is a centipede demon. Its cultivation level is above that of the tree demon. As for its supernatural powers and spells, I'm ashamed to say that I haven't determined how many there are yet. However, apart from its own cultivation level, its most formidable feature is that it has many minions, many of whom are not easy to deal with."
"Yes, we've noticed that too. On our way to the capital, we sensed quite a few heretical cultivators heading there. We've already killed quite a few along the way. But there are still quite a few coming in from other routes."
“That’s right. I’ve already fought against the Imperial Preceptor’s subordinates. Most of them are dressed in red or black robes. Generally speaking, those in red robes are more powerful than those in black robes. Among them are special zombies like the Two Ancestors of the Heavenly Demons, whom we’ve encountered before. Or some powerful evil cultivators. They have many tricky supernatural abilities that should not be underestimated.”
"Yes, that's natural."
"Furthermore, besides these heretical cultivators, the centipede demon's subordinates also consist of a very important group: its offspring."
"Descendants? They're all demons with cultivation?"
"That's right. I don't know what kind of opportunity it had to cultivate over a hundred descendants with considerable cultivation. These descendants are bound to it by blood, completely controlled by it, and there is almost no possibility of them betraying it. If we were to face it, it might be quite troublesome."
Seeing that Yan Chixia and Hongyu were somewhat silent, Lu Xuan took the opportunity to speak again.
"However, I already have some ideas about this issue. Please don't rush, let's clarify the rest first."
"I'm relieved that Brother Lu says he has a solution. I wonder if Brother Lu has any other clues?"
"As for the rest, there are some specific arrangements. I've been to the palace several times. I've basically figured out the Imperial Preceptor's personnel in the palace. There are more than forty in the harem alone. Although their cultivation is not deep, they are proficient in a strange spell. They can use human skin to cover their demonic aura. Even though my divine sense is relatively strong, I still need to actually go into the harem to barely distinguish them. These things are quite troublesome."
"The Painted Skin Ghost?" Hongyu, who hadn't spoken until now, suddenly interjected.
“That’s right, that’s what people call it,” Lu Xuan replied.
“If they are painted-skin demons, then I have a way to quickly identify them.” Hongyu said, taking out a crystal-clear bead from the sword pouch at her waist. The moment the bead appeared, Lu Xuan felt a sword intent rushing towards him. At the same time, there was also a sword aura that was poised to be unleashed, making him feel as if he were being pricked by thorns.
"This is... a sword pellet?" It wasn't that Lu Xuan was ignorant. Rather, this thing was extremely rare. Under normal circumstances, only one or two out of a hundred cultivators would become sword cultivators. And among a hundred sword cultivators, only one would be able to condense a sword pellet.
In the cultivation world, this thing is considered comparable to a top-tier rare treasure. It is said that only those born with a sword physique can extract their innate sword intent and combine it with sword energy acquired through cultivation to possibly condense a sword pellet.
Once formed, this thing becomes a natural sword cultivator's magic weapon. Driven by innate sword intent, each sword strike is equivalent to a sword cultivator's full-force attack. It requires no consumption and can be used continuously. After use, it can absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to replenish its energy reserves... condensing a single sword pellet is equivalent to giving a sword cultivator double the firepower for a certain period. And the firepower of sword cultivators has always been among the top three in the cultivation world.
"This is a sword pellet I condensed. Besides my innate sword intent, it also carries a trace of innate spiritual sense. It can distinguish the aura of demons. As long as someone harbors evil thoughts towards me, the sword pellet will naturally sense it and will actively protect its master and retaliate. The three of us need to work together to deal with the centipede demon, so we can choose another reliable person to take my sword pellet to search the palace. The sword energy contained within is enough to kill all the demons in the palace."
"...In that case, we don't need to worry about that disguise magic. But in any case, we still have to face the centipede demon's true form. I think the three of us need to make this public. I need to know everyone's true combat strength, including cultivation level, supernatural powers, magic weapons, and even hidden trump cards."
Lu Xuan's words were considered a major taboo in the cultivation world. In this circle, one always needs to have a backup plan. Whether it's magical treasures, supernatural abilities, or even certain self-destructive secret techniques, one must always have one or more backup plans. Because cultivation, supernatural abilities, and magical treasures are the foundation of every cultivator's existence.
Once detailed information is known, targeted tactics can be formulated. If the information is leaked in too much detail, it is possible to be killed instantly, or even killed by someone of a higher level.
In reality, even cultivation partners would never reveal all their supernatural abilities to each other. This is considered the most firmly established unspoken rule in the cultivation world. Lu Xuan didn't actually expect them to reveal everything; he was satisfied with just a general understanding. Because he himself wouldn't reveal all his supernatural abilities either.
However, at this moment, Hongyu suddenly spoke up.
"I'll go first. I'm a sword cultivator, with thirty years of experience. I've condensed three sword pellets and possess the renowned sword 'Golden Cicada,' bestowed upon me by my sect. I've already mentioned the sword pellets. The Golden Cicada is a metal-attribute magical sword. It's extremely sharp, capable of slicing through anything in the world. Combined with the sword pellets and the Golden Cicada, I possess six sword techniques: Clear Radiance, Chasing the Moon, Lone Star, Bearing Shadow, Myriad Swords Technique, and Divine Sword Technique..."