Remould the Glory of Sword Art

The heavy rain was torrential, and a group of crows cawed mockingly.

Xie Xuanyi landed back on the small mountain of the Thunder Pool, as the swirling Thunder Talismans in the sky gradually dimmed, and the Vast Righteous Qi tearing through half the night sky slowly dispersed.

Real Man Jin Yuan had died and his Dao had vanished, those "Yin things" controlled by the spirit didn't gain their freedom.

This Spirit Control Technique was not only eerie, but also domineering.

Once the Heart Lake is manipulated, one can only become a "plaything", and once the master dies abruptly, these slaves must follow in death.

The crows that filled the sky fell one after another, splattering the ground with crimson pits of blood.

The young monk had never seen such a bizarre scene, his face pale as he constantly twirled his Buddhist beads and silently recited sutras.

With support, Fa Zhao slowly sat up straight.

"Thank you, benefactor, for your help."

The old monk expelled a breath filled with pent-up frustration.

"There's no need for courtesy, the South Border is perilous, you both take care."

Xie Xuanyi glanced at the two without saying much, he picked up his conical hat, shook off the water, and turned to leave.

He had come to the South Border to avenge the pursuit from the North Sea all those years ago.

Since the master of Yin Mountain had sealed the mountain, it was just right to vent his anger on the disciples of the White Ghost, and also to sharpen Chen Ke anew with the blood of these evil cultivators.

As for saving people?

It was merely a case of arriving at the right time and lending a hand along the way.

If he had ignored the situation earlier, and Real Man Jin Yuan had refined the old monk, it would have added a great deal of power and caused much trouble for him.

"Please wait, benefactor."

Struggling to his feet, Fa Zhao took a step forward, leaning on his Vajra Pestle.

The sound of wind and thunder reverberated atop the small mountain.

Xie Xuanyi stood firm and slowly turned half his face back.

"Benefactor, you are so young, yet both your innate talent and aptitude are of the highest quality, one in ten thousand, truly a dragon and phoenix among men."

With a serious expression, Fa Zhao advised, "However, poor monk can see that your brow is shrouded in darkness and enveloped by demonic Qi. The South Border is full of evil spirits, and there are many demonic beings... Please be very careful, benefactor."

Demonic Qi entwining him?

Upon hearing this, Xie Xuanyi sighed deeply within his heart.

He turned around completely, placing the conical hat across his chest, and said, "I have long heard that the monks of Fan Yin Temple can discern a person's character by their appearance. Since fate has brought us together today... perhaps the master could take a closer look."

"...Hmm?"

Fa Zhao stared intently.

Once the young man took off his conical hat, he revealed a pair of deep and secluded eyes.

Looking into them was like being in the vast ocean under an endless starry sky.

The appearances of all living beings reflected in his gaze.

"This, this, this..."

Fa Zhao shook his head, having looked only a few moments, his divine soul felt dizzy, fortunate to be clutching the Vajra Pestle, or he would have fallen on the spot.

With the young monk's help, Fa Zhao barely managed to steady his step.

"My spiritual cultivation is too shallow."

It took a while before he could speak again, his face full of shame: "The little benefactor's work connects to the creation itself, poor monk cannot see through... cannot see through..."

Xie Xuanyi hummed softly.

He put the conical hat back on...

This old monk from Fan Yin Temple could see the "demonic Qi around him", indeed had some skill.

Thus, the removal of the conical hat and face-to-face gaze followed.

Meeting a "perceptive as a torch" Buddhist master was rare, and it was the perfect time to test whether the "Appearance of All Beings" refined by Qin Baihuang could deceive the heavens and cross the sea.

The outcome of this test allowed Xie Xuanyi to feel somewhat relieved.

"You two should head in this direction for about two hundred miles, and then you will be able to leave the South Border."

"Recently, the miasma has spread and demons are in chaos, returning the way you came would likely not be safe."

Xie Xuanyi pointed in a direction and said calmly, "I know that you two are ascetics who entered the South Border with the notion of 'cleansing demons,' but since you have already traversed the South Border, why not enter the world and save some innocent beings?"

After speaking, he took out a thick stack of Vast Thunder Talismans.

Among the Buddhist practitioners, there are some ascetics.

They stepped into the South Border, not for survival.

Cleansing demons, cleansing demons.

Of course, it was to eliminate evil spirits and rid demons!

This journey spans thousands of miles, crossing over a hundred thousand mountains, and naturally, many evil cultivators will be encountered along the way.

Those who live, scarcely one in ten.

The young monk stared dumbfounded as he took the bundle of Taoist Thunder Talismans; of course, he knew the Taoist Thunder Technique was unrivaled, but the quantity of these talismans... seemed excessively large.

"Keep these for your safety."

Xie Xuanyi patted the young monk's head and said faintly, "Your master is injured, take good care of him. Leave from Da Chu and take your time getting back to Li Kingdom, do you understand?"

The young monk nodded his head vigorously.

Fa Zhao looked at the youth before him, his expression complex.

"The young benefactor has great benevolence. For today's life-saving grace, we will surely repay you like a spring gushing forth."

Fa Zhao pressed his disciple's shoulder and, along with him, bowed deeply and asked sincerely, "May I know the benefactor's name?"

"..."

Xie Xuanyi pressed down his hat and chuckled softly.

When the two looked up again, all they could see was the fluttering remains of broken talismans on the mountain. The figure in black was no longer in sight.

...

...

In the depths of the South Border's miasmic fog, within the belly of a remote, desolate mountain,

The firelight twined; black smoke curled into the air.

"Xie Zhen, do I really have to eat it?"

The little girl dressed in a red gown sat beside the campfire, pitifully begging as she looked at the Yin Crow sizzling on the wooden rack above the flames.

"You are a demon, not human," Xie Xuanyi removed his hat, stating indifferently. "There isn't much to eat around here, don't be so picky... Once you pluck the Yin Crow's feathers, just think of it as a wild chicken."

The latter part of his statement was not wrong.

In front of a Phoenix demon, a Yin Crow truly wasn't much different from a "wild chicken."

"..."

Jiang Huang was torn inside; she looked at the black, smoking Yin Crow on the spit and then down at her grumbling stomach before finally hardening her heart and viciously biting into a big mouthful of the crow's flesh.

"Don't save any for me," Xie Xuanyi watched the pitch-black crow meat over the flames and frowned, "Fortunately... I have already begun fasting."

Fortunately?

Were these words spoken by a human?

"Baiyi was right, you do know how to say nice things!" Jiang Huang complained resentfully. "Ever since we left Lichao City, following you, I haven't had a single good meal!"

The demon race's years of cultivation are more anxious and also longer than those of the human race.

Before achieving Enlightenment Transformation, a large amount of time is often needed.

And once transformed,

Their growth rate would become extremely fast.

In just one month, Jiang Huang underwent earth-shattering changes.

The most notable change was that her head had become much more "bright."

When first brought back from Jinli Mountain, the little girl pranced around after Xie Xuanyi every day, begging for food and drinks, unable to stop herself from calling out dad and mom.

Now, even if Xie Xuanyi forced her, she was unwilling.

Though her appearance hadn't changed much, her intelligence had probably progressed from that of a seven- or eight-month-old to that of a seven- or eight-year-old.

It's said that even dogs disdain a seven- or eight-year-old.

Human children of this age... probably manifest as rebellious and lawless.

Jiang Huang wasn't as well-behaved as before.

Unfortunately, the little rascal had a good memory, having picked up a whole bunch of nagging "golden phrases" while following Deng Baiyi.

Now, she used them daily to chastise Xie Xuanyi.

Xie Xuanyi didn't really care.

"It's a pity you didn't leave with Sister Baiyi," he casually retorted. "Otherwise, you might have become a guardian beast of the Taoist school or perhaps Tang Pavilion Master would have plucked your feathers and roasted you on the grill?"

After all, how could a seven- or eight-year-old contend with someone who has lived through two lifetimes?

The current war of words.

Always ended in complete victory for himself.

"..."

Jiang Huang was deflated, having roughly finished eating the crow to fill her belly, she stopped bothering Xie Xuanyi and curiously asked, "Can you tell me about my origins again?"

Everyone will ask, where they come from.

Jiang Huang was no exception.

And to this question, Xie Xuanyi always answered without evasion.

Xie Xuanyi, while cleaning up the campfire, briefly recounted the story of Yuzhu Town.

"...Well, the story is more or less like that."

"If you don't quite understand, just remember it this way, you burst out from the cracks in the rocks, it just so happened that I stumbled upon you."

Jinli Mountain is a volcano.

When the volcano erupted, Xie Xuanyi found Jiang Huang, who sprang from the cracks in the rocks... so it wasn't entirely a lie.

The little rascal listened with a troubled frown.

So far, Jiang Huang had accepted the fact that she was a demon.

She was also very clear about the attitudes of both the Da Chu and Nanli dynasties towards demons... they were consistent.

Either kill or enslave.

"So, why do I have this name?"

Jiang Huang rubbed her head, at a loss: "Also, with how down and out you've become, why are you still keeping me? Why not just sell me directly?"

"Selling you is not out of the question," Xie Xuanyi raised an eyebrow and said indifferently. "If you continue to be picky and complain about the poor food, maybe I will sell you tomorrow."

"..."

Jiang Huang was deflated again, her hands on her hips in frustration, but she dared not say much else.

At first, she saw nothing wrong with Xie Zhen.

But now, Xie Zhen was full of flaws, not a single good point to speak of.

Such a terrible person.

What was she thinking before, calling him dad over and over again?

"Now that you've eaten, it's time to sleep..."

Xie Xuanyi waved his hand and set up a Purity Array for Jiang Huang.

Seeing the little one with her cheeks puffed out in anger.

Xie Xuanyi said soothingly with a smile, "Don't worry, the hard times are almost over. In a few days, I'll take you away from this damned place, out to eat steaming hot meat buns."

"Meat buns?"

A child's anger comes quickly and goes just as swiftly.

Jiang Huang's eyes lit up.

All the gloominess that had accumulated in her eyes simply disappeared at the mention of meat buns.

"Really?"

"Of course, it's true... when have I ever lied to you?" Xie Xuanyi said helplessly, "When we left Lichao City, I packed so much food for you. If you had eaten a bit more sparingly, you wouldn't have to resort to eating crow now, would you?"

Jiang Huang said pitifully, "But what if I'm hungry?"

"Just get a good night's sleep," Xie Xuanyi patted the little girl's head; seven- or eight-year-old girls are always the easiest to soothe.

It didn't take long.

Jiang Huang obediently entered the Purity Array and fell peacefully asleep.

Xie Xuanyi waited for her to fall asleep before setting up a Purity Array for himself as well.

Tonight was a good night.

Not only was it the day the Daoist Jin Yuan perished...

"Hum."

Sword Sound echoed in the belly of the mountain.

A broken flying sword hovered in front of Xie Xuanyi, as he gently flicked it with his finger.

The Sword Sound vibrated, lingering for a long time.

"Slaying three hundred and fourteen evil cultivators, over one thousand and seven hundred dark creatures."

"Chen Ke's sword edge has somewhat recovered at last..."

Xie Xuanyi took a deep breath and looked down.

The Undying Spring had overtaken his entire dantian, countless glimmers of golden mist swirling and spreading out, this dantian's scale far surpassed that of cultivators of the same realm by tenfold!

Primordial energy, divine soul, physique.

These three paths, Xie Xuanyi was currently practicing all of them.

And the one that was advancing the fastest, needless to say—

On the path of a sword cultivator, Xie Xuanyi had already reached the step just before the peak.

He could rebuild the "Sword Qi Cave Heaven" anytime he wished.

It's just that the Chen Ke, now wrapped and bound by the [Dao Pen], had already begun to crack.

And for an entire ten years, Xie Xuanyi had been out of touch with his lifebound flying sword.

Before rebuilding the cave heaven.

It was best to establish a stable connection with the flying sword first.

During this time.

Xie Xuanyi in the South Border hunted evil cultivators, not only for retribution, but also as cultivation.

Today.

Was the day he would rebuild his Sword Qi Cave Heaven!