Legend of the Great Sage (Chapter 701-Chapter 833)

“A secular disciple.”


Yin Xiaochou corrected him. Secular disciples possessed a very low status in the Chan Monastery of Deva-Nāga. They did not even have the right to set foot in the inner courtyard, let alone practise any powerful cultivation methods. They did not receive any resources either. All they could do was borrow the Chan Monastery of Deva-Nāga’s reputation to save them from harassment.

“Then do you know who my master is?”

Li Qingshan raised an eyebrow. He was different from regular secular disciples. The master he had taken on was a powerful cultivator of the third heavenly tribulation, and he practised a cultivation method from the apex too. Just what gave the Sword Collection palace the right to ask whether he wanted to join or not?

“Who doesn’t know about the Unraging master?”

“Then I don’t understand. Even if I want to join the Sword Collection palace, is my master supposed to allow me to?”

Li Qingshan was surprised. A master-disciple relationship was very important within the cultivation community. In particular, when your master came from a large sect and was a powerful cultivator that had undergone the third heavenly tribulation, this was an unshakable relationship.

“We’re not saying you should become a disciple of the Sword Collection palace and take on a master. Instead, you’ll be like elder Zhou Tong of the Clear River prefecture. You’ll be a guest elder.” Yin Xiaochou explained.

Yin Xiaochou had reported his loss to Li Qingshan to the Sword Collection palace, which garnered great attention. It was not only because of his cultivation, but also because Yin Xiaochou had said, “This person’s path of the sword even surpasses mine!”

That left the palace master and the elders in some disbelief. Yin Xiaochou had grown up learning the sword, practising ingenious sword techniques in the Sword Collection palace his entire life. He had even inherited the sword intent within the Breaking Water sword, yet he actually claimed he was worse than Li Qingshan. That intrigued them.

Absorbing second heavenly tribulation cultivators into the sect as guest elders was one of the traditions of the Sword Collection palace. They all had a chance regardless of their identity and origins. Some guest elders were even the masters of other sects. As long as they became a guest elder, they could view and study the first-rate cultivation methods and sword techniques of the Sword Collection palace.

But not all cultivators that had undergone the second heavenly tribulation had a chance at becoming a guest elder of the Sword Collection palace. They had to use the sword and study the sword, and when they died, they had to leave their swords behind on Sword Collection peak.

The Sword Collection palace had not accepted the slovenly daoist priest Zhou Tong as a guest elder just because of the person he was, but also because of the Lightning Slaughter sword in his possession.

With Zhou Tong’s cultivation, living for a few centuries was no problem. As long as he constantly used the methods of the Sword Collection palace, he could even refine a lump of earth into something completely new, let alone the Lightning Slaughter sword that was already an arcane artifact. It had a very good chance at becoming a powerful arcane treasure.

It was exactly through this method that the Sword Collection palace collected the renowned swords through the world. Even an arcane treasure that cultivators could only dream of like the Soaring Dragon sword could not make it within the Ten Renowned Swords, which only demonstrated the depths of their foundations.

“I see.” Li Qingshan came to a realisation. Then he asked, “But when you said getting my hands on a good sword, am I also allowed to draw a sword from the Sword Collection peak?”

He had no good impression of the Sword Collection palace. From the Soaring Dragon Elder to Fu Qingjin, they were both people who had once forced him into dire straits, but the temptation of an arcane treasure was far too great. He thought, With my charisma, wouldn’t those Ten Renowned Swords or whatever all fly towards me when I’m on that Sword Collection peak or whatever it’s called?

“Regular guest elders aren’t allowed to draw a sword from Sword Collection peak, but you don’t seem to be in possession of a suitable sword, which is why we’re making an exception. With your talent for the path of the sword, you’ll definitely climb to even greater heights if you practise the sword techniques of the Sword Collection palace!” Yin Xiaochou said seriously.

Although Li Qingshan had defeated him, he did not develop any resentment because of it. He gave his full attention to the Sword Collection palace’s mission. This level of tolerance clearly did not coincide with his age and experience. Most of it came from the influence of the Breaking Water sword, which only demonstrated the value of a fine sword to the Sword Collection palace.

However, he did not tell him everything. The reason why the Sword Collection palace wanted to make an exception for the first time and let Li Qingshan draw a sword from the Sword Collection peak was because his path of the sword had caught their eye. Just like how it was “becoming one with the sword”, not only was it about the sword assisting the person, but it was also about the person nurturing the heart of the sword. A good swordsman could make a sword grow and strengthen drastically.

“I’ll consider it!” Li Qingshan said in thought.

“Please take you time.” Yin Xiaochou said nothing more after that.

Apart from Hua Chengzan, everyone present was surprised. Originally, they still found it rather surreal that Li Qingshan had undergone the second heavenly tribulation, but they were forced to sigh and admit it now. Before they knew it, he had actually reached that step already.



A sect like the Sword Collection palace was something they looked up to. Even Hua Chengzan becoming a disciple of the Sword Collection palace was something worth celebrating. However, he still had tests to pass, while Li Qingshan had been directly invited to become a guest elder. That was quite a difference in treatment. They also understood slightly why Hua Chengzan had not held a great celebration. Otherwise, Li Qingshan definitely would have replaced him as the point of focus as soon as Yin Xiaochou brought that up.

Hua Chengzan invited Li Qingshan, Xiao An, and Han Qiongzhi to take their seats first. He smiled. “No matter what happened in the past or is about to happen in the future, we’ll have a hearty drink tonight!”

“Alright!”

Li Qingshan sat down with a smile, and Xiao An sat down right next to him. Han Qiongzhi sighed. Right when she was about to go and find another seat, she suddenly felt her waist tighten, having been pulled into Li Qingshan’s arms already. He asked with a smile, “Ma’am, where are you trying to go?”

Han Qiongzhi reddened rapidly. “Let go of me!”

Li Qingshan raised a jar of alcohol and drank it all. He laughed aloud. “I’m afraid I can’t abide!”

The smell of alcohol wafted into the surroundings, and Han Qiongzhi seemed to catch the scent too. This man who had once made her, someone who did not even know what love was, fall in love at first sight, had become even bolder than before. A simple smile from him possessed the charm to steal her heart. That was true in the past, and it was no different right now. Even though they could not become partners of cultivation, even though they spent more time apart than together, she did not feel any regret.

Everyone roared in laughter. Only when Li Qingshan saw her grow redder and redder, almost to the point where she was embarrassed out of her mind, did he release her, making her sit right next to him. However, he still had his hand around her waist to prevent her from running away.

Han Qiongzhi elbowed him viciously. Unable to break free, all she could do was give up. She was embarrassed, but there was a hint of happiness in her eyes.