Chapter 009: The Stone Box Hides the Sword, Its Sound Resembles That of a Dragon
The man has a robust physique, tall and sturdy, with thick arms, clearly indicating that he possesses excellent martial skills
Currently, Shi Hong's treasured sword is priced at one thousand taels of silver—Chen Zhi'an, the county magistrate, earns only one hundred taels of silver in a year. Shi Hong's father specifically renovated the family's old vegetable cellar, transforming it into a silver vault
The junior sister said cautiously: "I think we should make some arrangements to see if this child is truly a natural spiritual body." The senior brother nodded slightly, his wide sleeves unfurling, and a gust of spiritual wind stirred. A small blue sword flew out from his sleeve, swirling and spinning directly above the palm of his hand.
The senior brother, however, could not concern himself with so much, and clenched his fist tightly: "Great! I have finally encountered a person with a natural spiritual body. Now, the revival of the Magic Profound Sect is promising, hahaha!"
However, the method of forging employed by Shi Hong remains within the realm of the secular. This limitation cannot be transcended in any way. The blades crafted by Shi Hong can only be confined to the status of fine swords and cannot reach the level of divine blades
In that year, a great battle resulted in numerous casualties. These restless souls have lingered in the valley for many years, and over time, they have been infused with the properties of gold due to the influence of the iron ore veins.
However, Shi Hong is indifferent to these external possessions; instead, he realizes that his sword forging skills have stagnated and reached a peak. No matter how he practices, he is unable to make any further progress.
Shi Hong nodded without hesitation: "I am willing!"
Those ghost soldiers hide beneath the mountains all day, never coming out, and naturally, Shi Hong cannot see them. After all, Shi Hong is unaware of any methods for utilizing the primordial spirit.
Suddenly, two voices emerged in the silent valley
Shi Hong's soul hovered in the high sky, curiously observing the pair of men and women.
A resounding dragon's roar soared into the heavens, as the five layers of dark clouds gently parted, spreading apart like clouds and rosy hues, seemingly reluctant to obstruct that unparalleled roar of the dragon.
Shi Hong contemplated for a moment, then returned to his residence and "awoke".
This further made him yearn for another world: the realm of the Divine Blade Transforming into a Dragon
The senior brother casually formed a hand seal, brushing his fingers across his eyes. Instantly, a crimson light burst forth from his eyes, and the entire valley appeared blood-red in his vision
The junior sister glanced around, frowning: "Why does it seem like someone has already excavated this place?" The senior brother waved his hand: "It doesn't matter; it's merely secular people searching for ordinary iron ore. They have not unearthed the vein of the ghostly soldiers. Let us take advantage of everyone else seeking that precious treasure in the clear pond and quickly collect this ghostly soldier, so we can return to the mountain gate sooner."
The junior sister behind kept shaking her head: "Senior brother is truly excited to the point of confusion. With such treasures and beauty as temptation, even if this child enters the Magic Profound Sect, their temperament will surely become a significant issue. However, she also understands senior brother's feelings. The stone box conceals a sword, its sound like that of a dragon. How many years has it been since such a thing appeared in the cultivation world? Even the ancient sects like Kunlun and Emei do not have disciples with such exceptional qualifications, so it is no wonder that senior brother is so anxious.
"How can this small village be so noisy?" the junior sister complained
Senior brother, great news: "Wonderful! The ghost soldiers here have already been infected by the iron ore veins, becoming the rarest gold-type ghost soldiers among them. Unfortunately, that great battle was only two hundred years ago, so these ghost soldiers still lack some cultivation. Junior sister, please lend me a hand."
Recently, Chen Zhi'an has been living quite comfortably, as the guillotine that hung over him, represented by Fu Bohu, has been removed. Shi Hong's treasured sword is indeed a rare commodity. Chen Zhi'an is not foolish; he only submitted one sword, which immediately caused a huge uproar in the Ministry of War. Many generals vied for it, and in the end, it fell into the hands of General Wen Shuyong, known as Little Shockwave.
Upon seeing this, the senior brother realized that the opportunity was fleeting. He spread his five fingers and released an ancient copper ring. A portal opened within the ring, and an immense suction force swept up the ghost soldiers, drawing most of them inside.
The senior brother was anxious: "What else is there to explain? If we delay, we might be intercepted by other sects..." The junior sister quickly gave a knowing glance and turned to Shi Hong with a serious expression: "We are merely passing by and have come to enlighten you because we are fated to meet. You must understand that opportunities are fleeting, and you need to seize them well"
The massive stone floated down lightly outside his door, deliberately landing with a muffled thud, clearly intended by his senior brother to attract his attention.
For the third time, Shi Hong suddenly found himself standing atop the Golden Hall, beside him stood Fu Bohu, and before him was a person wearing the imperial crown, with civil and military officials behind him, having reached the pinnacle of power, second only to the emperor.
Scholar Zhang, having failed in his studies, proved to be quite astute in business. Relying on Shi Hong's knife market, he quickly opened up the market for other villagers' fine knives from next month village. As a result, the knife market transformed into a comprehensive auction venue, where, in addition to knives, rare high-quality iron ore also became auction items, with Shi Hong's treasured knife serving as the grand finale
"Child, whatever you desire, I can fulfill for you," the senior brother generously promised
The senior brother in the distance appeared somewhat nervous, his palms slightly sweaty: "Junior sister, which level of spirit do you think he will be?" The junior sister replied: "The stone box conceals the sword, ringing like a chime stone, can unify the mountain gate; ringing like a morning rooster, can revive the sect; ringing like a tiger's roar, can establish a sect; ringing like a phoenix's cry, all streams return to the sect; ringing like a dragon's chant... unmatched in the world"
After the junior sister finished speaking, she flicked her hand to open a colorful veil, which billowed in the wind and suddenly enveloped the entire area. This is also a method of the immortals. From the outside, the valley appeared as usual, with nothing amiss. However, if one attempted to enter, it would be like running into a wall of ghosts, unable to find a way in.
When the senior brother touched it with his hand, the blue stones on the ground transformed into a sea of golden jewels and emeralds
Shi Hong said straightforwardly: "What’s the big deal? You can just accept it. Build a blacksmith shop in the valley, specifically to forge weapons for the Great Xia army. Then erect a monument; Uncle Zhang, you can write an article, can’t you? Write a piece praising it, stating that this blacksmith shop was donated by County Magistrate Chen, and extol him greatly. After that, we can celebrate and present a plaque to County Magistrate Chen, and that will suffice"
He walked past that mountain peak and couldn't help but glance towards the place where his senior brother and sister were hiding. This was purely an instinctive action, yet it frightened the pair of siblings into a cold sweat
Scholar Zhang's eyes lit up: Indeed, having lived for several decades, I am not as insightful as my son-in-law. Well, I truly have an eye for talent; I acted decisively and secured this excellent son-in-law first.
Let us see who exactly that person is. The junior sister said cautiously: If that person's strength has truly reached a level where I cannot discern their depth at all, mistaking them for an ordinary person, it would be better for us siblings to avoid them.
Zhang Xiucai opened an inn between the village and the Chang'an Foundry, offering both food and lodging. He also hired Uncle Zhang and others as guides to take guests on excursions in the surrounding mountains and forests, resulting in a thriving business
The senior brother and junior sister exchanged a smile and then sat down: "I was merely testing whether your resolve to seek the Dao is steadfast. You must understand that once you begin your cultivation, you will have to sever your ties with this bustling world. If you cannot let go of these things, then there is no need to speak of solitude, loneliness, or a thousand years of self-restraint."
Shi Hong's "soul" and those ghost soldiers are fundamentally two different concepts. The Great Dao Divine Monarch initially thought it was the primordial spirit, until later when Shi Hong assisted him in refining the primordial spirit. When a beam of condensed moonlight transferred from Shi Hong's body to his primordial spirit, he suddenly realized that Shi Hong's "soul" was far more complex than just the primordial spirit, although he did not reveal this at the time.
The senior brother was inspecting the five elemental ghost soldiers within the copper ring talisman, feeling quite pleased, when he noticed a change in his junior sister's expression: "Strange, someone has entered."
However, in just a moment, those ghost soldiers were easily taken away by the brother and sister duo
The two guests in Room Tianzi were somewhat impatient. The man awoke from his meditation, opened his eyes, and frowned slightly. A voice came from the next room: "Senior brother, you are awake too; I am coming over."
Junior sister's tactic of feigning retreat to lure in the opponent was executed perfectly. After some contemplation, Shi Hong made up his mind, turned around, and resolutely said: "Let's go"
"Well then, since we are here, let us go out and take a look, which will also help us prepare for the evening," said the senior brother
Some of the stubborn ghost soldiers, unwilling to submit, were dealt with by my senior brother without any courtesy. The ancient cloud patterns on the bronze ring floated out, transforming into fierce ghostly claws, which he grasped and stuffed into the bronze ring.
Good
No wonder Scholar Zhang looks so troubled; even Shi Hong's father is worried about the silver. Scholar Zhang said: "It is a dilemma whether to accept the silver or not. If we accept it, how can the common people justify taking the magistrate's silver? If we refuse and return it, it will surely offend the magistrate's dignity, and that will not sit well with him..."
Those who did not obtain the treasured sword each displayed their own talents, inquiring about its origins. They all sent people to seek it out. The captains of several garrisons near Changhai County also tried various means and made indirect connections to request Chen Zhi'an's assistance. As a mere county magistrate, he had never received such treatment before. In his elation, he naturally placed great importance on Xiaoyue Village and on Shi Hong, visiting the village every few days. Whatever requests Shi Hong made, he agreed to without questioning their validity. The jailers in the county office joked that the magistrate spent more time in Xiaoyue Village than in the embrace of his concubine.
The prohibitive techniques of the Great Dao Deity were of no use to him; only after passing through that barrier did he see the Azure Dragon Ten Guardians Formation of the Great Dao Deity
The ghostly soldiers of the gold faction are exceedingly rare, and my senior brother cherishes them all the more. Upon seeing those ghostly soldiers unwilling to submit, he shouted angrily: "You have only just begun to awaken your intelligence after two hundred years, remaining ignorant and foolish. Now, a great opportunity lies before you, yet you do not know how to cherish it. If you are willing to return with me to the mountain for cultivation, you may one day escape the cycle of reincarnation. Would that not be far better than hiding here for eternity without the hope of transcendence?"
When the two mysterious merchants arrived, they coincidentally timed their visit with the bi-monthly knife market. Originally scheduled to start after dinner, the inn was already filled with a cacophony of noise by mid-afternoon.
The ghost soldiers immediately became agitated, with many strong ones unwilling to be trapped, charging forward with a howl of despair. A pale radiance from the bone flute surged forth, and those ghost soldiers were forcefully repelled back along with the *illustration* book. This was due to the junior sister's concern about injuring the ghost soldiers, as she intentionally controlled her magical power. Otherwise, these ghost soldiers, who had only two hundred years of cultivation, would have been completely incinerated by the white bone flames upon impact.
The junior sister stopped him: "No, this is an ordinary person. I can't sense any power from him at all." The senior brother was taken aback: "An ordinary person? How is that possible? The junior sister's Five Yin Cloud Cover is one of the top defensive treasures within the door. Even a master who has cultivated the Spirit of Recognition would have to exert considerable effort to break through it. How could an ordinary person get in here?"
The senior brother, however, wore an expression of excitement: "Junior sister, a natural spiritual body, this is a natural spiritual body..." The junior sister was taken aback, then realized: "Indeed, it must be a natural spiritual body, which is why it is inherently sensitive to our presence. But how did it manage to enter my Five Yin Cloud Cover?"
Every night, Shi Hong absorbs the moonlight and then hammers it during the forging process. This has become a part of his life. If it were not for the unbearable noise of Scholar Zhang, he would not engage in business discussions with others. Over time, he became accustomed to it, visiting once every half month. Gradually, this half month has turned into a famous "Knife Market" in Xiaoyue Village, where all the major merchants await this opportunity. Shi Hong forges only one precious sword every half month, and the chance must not be missed.
The villagers taught by him, although their skills are far inferior to those of Shi Hong, are nonetheless able to produce works at the level of ordinary military knives. Improvement in skills relies on diligent practice. It is precisely because Shi Hong has tirelessly honed his craft without rest that he has achieved his current level of skill
Subsequently, with a stylish flick of the sleeve, the long strip of bluestone was instantly set ablaze in a fiery red. The senior brother casually sent forth the small blue sword, which embedded itself into the bluestone, and the bluestone returned to its original state
... ...
Shi Hong was momentarily taken aback: Seeking wealth? He already possessed a treasured sword worth a thousand taels of silver; Seeking fame? If he were after fame, he would have long accepted Fu Bo Hu's offer, why wait until now? Seeking beauty? It seemed that his fiancée, Zhang Ying'er, was also a beauty, and at his age, he did not have such a strong desire for physical allure.
The junior sister nodded slightly: "Alright"
The senior brother was dumbfounded, and the junior sister was equally astonished, never having expected that in such a remote mountain village, hidden within the nameless valley, there would be such an exceptionally gifted young man.
The junior sister glanced around, pointed her finger, and a piece of blue stone the size of a grinding disc flew up from the mountain peak. She waved her hand in the air, slashing continuously, and beams of light shot out from the edges of her palm, slicing through the air with a whoosh. The stone fragments flew everywhere, transforming the piece of blue stone the size of a grinding disc into a long strip the size of a tea table.
He searched everywhere and found a dense cluster of black figures beneath a mountain peak. This mountain peak was the essence of an iron ore vein, and those black figures were fierce and menacing, each one clinging to the vein, competing with one another, and even resorting to fighting and biting, all in order to secure a position closer to the essence of the ore vein
Shi Hong's father was already at a loss, and after being spoken to by Scholar Zhang, he became even more troubled, squatting on the chair and puffing away at his cigarette.
The senior brother was taken aback: he had deduced, based on worldly logic, to tempt Shi Hong, yet he did not expect to encounter someone who, although living in the secular world, possessed no worldly heart.
Upon seeing him shake his head, the senior brother immediately became anxious, scratching his ears and cheeks in distress. He suddenly grabbed his shoulder, shaking him vigorously and asking, "Then what do you want? Tell me what you want..."
The junior sister smiled slightly and said, "Senior brother, please remain calm." She had already noticed that the room was filled with numerous ring-headed sabers. She raised her hand, and a dull gray ring-headed saber came into her grasp. With a flick of her sleeve, a layer of flames crackled as they engulfed the blade. As the flames passed, the dull gray ring-headed saber shone brilliantly, cold as water. Although she had not tested it, Gaia had no doubt that this saber surpassed her previous one in quality by tenfold. As the flames passed, the dull gray ring-headed saber shone brilliantly, cold as water. Although she had not tested it, Gaia had no doubt that this saber surpassed her previous one in quality by tenfold
As he touched it with his hand, the scene before Shi Hong transformed from a simple stone house into a resplendent white jade palace, where graceful women in flowing garments, holding an array of exquisite fruits and delicacies, emerged in rows, smiling and allowing Shi Hong to make his selections
That resounding dragon's roar, bright and long, echoed and intertwined for a full ten breaths in the skies above and beside the bright moon, before gradually fading away. The two disciples did not awaken from their shock until the dragon's roar had disappeared.
Zhang Xiucai, this prospective father-in-law, is busy preparing for the affairs of the "Chang'an Foundry"
As soon as the two individuals entered the establishment, they requested two top-tier rooms and immediately closed the door behind them
He suddenly felt a bit disappointed and simply watched the two of them quietly in the air
Scholar Zhang was firmly convinced in his heart, and thus he contentedly hummed a lewd tune he had learned years ago from a rather obscure brothel in the county, returning home in high spirits.
Ah? Shi Hong's father was taken aback
The expression on Senior Brother's face changed: "If someone can break through your Five Yin Cloud Cover, they must be a formidable enemy"
Shi Hong hurriedly said, "Let me inform my family."
These words stirred the ghostly soldiers significantly, and immediately a wave of whispered conversations ensued
Shi Hongyou strolled leisurely through the valley. Just as he entered the gorge, he felt as if something had brushed past him, akin to breaking through the surface of water. This sensation was somewhat familiar, yet he could not recall it; it was reminiscent of the feeling he experienced the last time he assisted the Great Dao Deity.
The junior sister said with a smile, "Congratulations, senior brother, you have finally gathered the Five Elements Ghost Soldiers. The completion of this protective talisman is just around the corner!" The senior brother also wore a joyful expression. Among the Five Elements Ghost Soldiers, the most difficult to find was the Gold Element Ghost Soldier. He had already gathered the other four types, but for decades he had been unable to find this last one. He never expected to discover it by chance in this valley
On this day, two middle-aged individuals dressed as merchants arrived in the village, one male and one female, exuding an extraordinary demeanor, clearly indicating that they were engaged in significant business dealings
... ...
The moon rises in the ninth heaven, and the mountain breeze is gentle
It should be correct. Two figures appeared out of thin air, and they were indeed the mysterious brother and sister.
As Shi Hong entered his stone house, the two revealed themselves. The junior sister, still shaken, said: "He is an ordinary person, but why does this ordinary person make me feel so tense?"
A gust of wind swept through, and the senior brother was already standing in front of Shi Hong. This time, Shi Hong was truly astonished: he arrived so quickly
The senior brother lifted the青石 and delivered it to the outside of Shihong Gate
In the following period, Shi Hong was busy imparting his sword-making skills to his neighbors, while he himself forged dozens of exquisite swords, all of which were sold out.
He personally took up the pen to compose a piece, which was nothing more than a eulogy praising Chen Zhi'an. This article, not to mention being measured by Fu Bohu's standards, would only be considered mediocre even by Shi Hong's standards. However, it excels in its simplicity and clarity, making it easily understood by the villagers, and Chen Zhi'an was quite satisfied with it
The two exchanged a nod, not opting for the main entrance. The junior sister pushed open the window; behind the inn lay a mountain, dense with trees. The two leaped up, soaring out of the window like swallows, gliding along the ridge of the mountain, and vanished in an instant
As the junior sister pulled the senior brother, their figures merged with the mountain wind
The county magistrate sent silver; this matter, not to mention Shi Hong's father, is something that no one in the entire Changhai County has ever heard of
The reputation of Xiaoyue Village gradually spread, attracting numerous weapon merchants who sought various means to purchase one or two divine weapons from Shi Hong. The tranquility of the small mountain village was thus disrupted
In fact, the jade tablet left to Shi Hong by the Great Dao Deity was crafted using the techniques of the cultivation world to forge an ordinary military knife. This process is inherently several levels superior to the blacksmithing skills of the secular world.
The two characters "昌安" not only carry the auspicious connotation of prosperity and stability but also cleverly combine one character from "昌海县" and one from "陈之安," creating a double entendre. Scholar Zhang is quite pleased with this name.
The senior brother completely ignored it: "Such a good seedling, if I delay even a moment, it might be snatched away by someone else. I certainly do not want to regret for a lifetime because I was a step too late"
The senior brother said to himself, "Hmm, I think it should at least be as loud as a rooster crowing at dawn; perhaps it could even be as powerful as a tiger's roar..." The junior sister smiled and did not say much. She understood well that her senior brother had been brought into the sect bearing the heavy responsibility of "reviving" the Demon Mystic Sect. However, after hundreds of years of cultivation, he had only achieved a modest level of success among his peers, falling far short of his master's expectations. Therefore, the senior brother often hoped to have an excellent disciple to fulfill the unachieved expectations he once had.
Scholar Zhang certainly did not intend to send his only eight-year-old daughter to the Shi family; he merely wanted to gauge the situation. Shi Hong's father, a simple and honest countryman, was no match for Scholar Zhang. With just a few words, Scholar Zhang felt reassured: Fu Bohu had only mentioned it casually and had not genuinely proposed to the Shi family.
Shi Hong shook his head in confusion, realizing that the promises made to him were of no use to him at all
The senior brother rushed forward recklessly, and the junior sister quickly called out, "Senior brother, please calm down..."
The junior sister smiled at him proudly and said, "Then come with us."
Scholar Zhang's thoughts began to turn again, pulling aside Shi Hong's father: "In-law, when shall we hold this joyous occasion?"
The front yard of the inn is a restaurant, and there is a private room specifically reserved for Scholar Zhang's son-in-law, Shi Hong, who becomes increasingly pleasing to the eye. Here, he conducts business with those prominent merchants.
The man responded with a sound, only to see a figure pass through the window and wall, entering the room; it was indeed his female companion.
Shi Hong opened the door, feigning surprise as he looked at the blue stone at the entrance, unable to resist the urge to touch it with his hand
Senior brother, is it here?
The junior sister gently asked Shi Hong: "Are you willing to join us to learn some skills?"
With a casual gesture, a giant yellow sword, the size of a person, suddenly appeared behind him, its brilliance shimmering like water. It spun above his head, poised to strike.
The junior sister responded with a sound, her jade-like fingers raised to point at the mountain peak. A beam of light shot forth from her fingertip, scattering in the air above the peak. In a swirling motion, it transformed into six bone flutes, which were then inserted around the mountain peak
At first, he was very excited. From the tactics of this man and woman, it was evident that they were also part of "those people." However, when he eagerly approached to initiate a conversation, he found that the two of them could not see him at all, which was completely different from the Divine Lord of the Great Avenue.