BXBX NOVEL Chapter 122: 122, [I am as strong as your eldest martial brother]
Chapter 122: 122, [I am as strong as your eldest martial brother]
At the back mountain of the Demon Sect, in the cave turned into a jail cell by Lu Xun.
Mao Nanbei was only planning to check on Little Junior Brother since it had been quite a few days, but ended up being roped in to help out.
“Where did Little Chan get to?” Lu Xun asked anxiously.
“She’s at the 399th staircase.” Mao Nanbei sensed for a moment, live streamed the situation to Lu Xun, and was feeling a bit disgruntled.
I admit, my motive for visiting wasn’t pure. I was mainly craving for some sweets and hoped you could make some, but dragging me to do work is a bit too tar!
I, Mao Nanbei, am a locally famous adorable ghost!
You actually treat me like a tool!?
And you tempt me with double helpings of dessert?
Heh heh….
As if I wouldn’t fall for that! Slurp!
Mao Nanbei sat next to Lu Xun, her little legs dangling in the air, occasionally swinging around.
She continually described the situation on Hidden Mountain for Lu Xun. With her strong Divine Sense, this was not difficult.
Mao Nanbei was holding a bowl of crystallized pear in rock sugar, prepared by Lu Xun in the morning. She quickly finished it off and asked Lu Xun to fill another bowl for her.
While refilling her bowl, Lu Xun asked, “What’s the situation with the inferior spiritual artifact on Hidden Mountain?”
The 399th staircase was where the Inferior Blue Equipment was.
“All Spirit Swords have chosen Little Chan, and three other spiritual artifacts also chose her. They are a jade pendant, a branch of a Bodhi tree, and a set of soft armor.’
Lu Xun showed an envious expression. When he ascended the mountain, other than the swords drawn to the little sword within him, no other equipment chose him!
Doesn’t this imply that if he didn’t have the little sword inside him, running up Hidden Mountain would have been incredibly awkward…
After refilling Mao Nanbei’s bowl with another large serving of crystallized pear, Lu Xun, seeing that the pot didn’t have much left, scooped some from the bowl back into the pot. He then handed the bowl, now only two-thirds full, to Mao Nanbei saying:
“Here! This is the last bowl! What’s left must be saved for Little Chan to eat when she returns.”
Given Mao Nanbei’s carefree attitude, and the fact that everyone spoils her, she would even dare to steal food specifically saved for the revered teacher when she craved for it.
However, she wouldn’t compete for food reserved for Lin Chan. As an elder in the sect, she did have her pride. At the same time, she liked Lin Chan and was willing to share delicious food with her.
“Tsk! You even scooped some back from the bowl just now. You think I’m blind?” Mao Nanbei, puffing out her tiny chest, voiced her dissatisfaction with Lu Xun’s action.
In the past, you spoiled me. Even though I’m willing to share with Lin Chan, you dog, actually showed favoritism.
Lu Xun chuckled and said, “Fourth Senior Sister, just look at your round face, then look at Little Chan. Don’t you think it’s only fair she eats more?”
“You think I want my face to be round? That’s what a kid’s face is like!” Mao Nanbei responded unhappily.
She was anxious to grow up, but ever since she transformed from a Cat Demon to her current humanoid form, she was stuck as a small Lolita, and for unknown reasons, her aging was extremely slow!
So many years have passed, her appearance only changed from that of a four or five-year-old to a seven or eight-year-old. It’s not like I can help it!
The strangest part was, her mental age was also growing at a slow rate as if she were still a small child.
Something fishy was definitely going on here.
“Alright, alright. I’ll make you pudding tonight, okay?” Lu Xun sat next to Mao Nanbei, asking, “Did Little Chan take a break, or did she continue ascending the mountain?”
“She’s on her way up, probably will reach the 499th staircase soon.” Mao Nanbei continued her live stream.
Lu Xun looked at her, whispering, “Fourth Senior Sister, do you think Little
Chan…can get ‘The Sword Qi is Near’?”
“No.” Mao Nanbei’s response was resolute. Then, she took a satisfying sip of the crystallized pear. Delicious- it made her so glad that her eyes narrowed into slits.
What amazed Lu Xun was that even the sword sheath placed by his side also expressed its own opinion. The black cord floated up and hooked, as if nodding in agreement with Mao Nanbei’s words.
“Even you feel the same way?” Lu Xun was shocked.
As Mao Nanbei stirred the crystallized pear with her spoon, she wondered, “Why do you think Little Chan would get ‘The Sword Qi is Near’?”
“She’s a Natural Sword Embryo!” Lu Xun replied.
“Aren’t you one too?” Mao Nanbei retorted. Lu Xun thought to himself, “But mine is a fake!”
But he won’t say that aloud.
Mao Nanbei put the spoon in the bowl, then nestled the bowl between her legs with both hands and spoke:
“Little Junior Brother, even though I, like you, joined the sect late, and have never met our Eldest Senior Brother, over the years, from the Master and our
Senior Brothers and Sisters, I’ve gleaned some details regarding Eldest Senior
Brother’s closed-door recovery.”
She looked up at Lu Xun and continued, “One of the reasons is: The Sword Qi is Near.”
Lu Xun:
He was flabbergasted. A casual query turned out to unearth a colossal secret!
His gossip-loving nature flared up instantly!
Mao Nanbei said to Lu Xun, “Little Junior Brother, even though you and Big Senior Brother share the Natural Sword Embryo, despite following the path of
‘the man is the sword,’ I suggest not to cultivate the Sword Cultivating
Technique to the stage of Great Perfection.”
“Why?” Lu Xun asked.
When Second Senior Sister and Mao Nanbei taught him the Sword Cultivating Technique created by his senior brother, they had mentioned that the senior went astray due to it. However, they didn’t elaborate, which piqued his curiosity.
Mao Nanbei explained, “Simply put, the Sword Cultivating Technique involves constant nurturing of your sword, the stronger your sword gets, the stronger the connection between you two, hence the power it can unleash becomes stronger.”
“Eventually, you’ll realize the sword feels like an extension of you, mirroring your persona.”
Lu Xun was slightly taken aback, thinking to himself, “Really?”
Looking at the tiny sword within his Sword Heart, every time it exerts all its might, it vibrates at a tremendous speed, akin to some precious plaything that some women can’t let go of, he thought this little sword seemed a tad flirty and a bit unruly.
Does that mean… that’s how I am as well?
Absurd!
Meanwhile, Mao Nanbei continued, “When Eldest Senior Brother cultivated the Sword Cultivating Technique to his level, the sword had grown absurdly strong. It’s as powerful as…Eldest Senior Brother!”
“Moreover, since the Sword Spirit and Eldest Senior Brother shares the same prideful nature, unless you are equally strong as the Eldest Senior Brother, it will not choose you,” Mao Nanbei stated.
That seems about right.
Eldest Senior Brother is not just a Natural Sword Embryo, but also the World’s First Sword Cultivator; his former sword would not easily favor you just because you’re also a Natural Sword Embryo.
Hence, unless Lin Chan exposes other traits that may attract it, it certainly won’t choose him.
“But, you haven’t mentioned why Eldest Senior Brother went astray or why he decided to retreat,” Lu Xun said.
“Master once said ‘technique is boundless but materials are finite.’ The Sword Cultivating Technique could potentially be cultivated further, but the Sword Qi is Near had already reached its limit; it cannot further grow stronger.”
“Eldest Senior Brother didn’t realize this at the time, which led to a mishap in his cultivation. It seems like even the Sword Qi is Near itself had some trouble. The Master didn’t give specifics, but Eldest Senior Brother then went into a closed -door retreat.’
“I see,” Lu Xun asked again, “Why didn’t Master warn Eldest Senior Brother?”
“Little Junior Brother, you’ll soon understand Master’s nature. Once your cultivation base reaches a certain point, he basically lets you progress independently, and he won’t offer guidance unless asked.”
“Of course, if you have any doubts while cultivating and ask him about it,
Master would explain everything in detail. However, if you don’t ask, the Master will not elaborate.”
“There’s a saying ‘Masters open the door; the rest is up to the practitioner’. Some masters walk a short while with you, some walk a long path, but ultimately, every cultivator has to walk their path. As Master has said, if Eldest Senior Brother could overcome the obstacles to his cultivation, it could turn out to be a blessing- perhaps even a transformative one!” Mao Nanbei added.
“I see,” Lu Xun finally understood.
Contrary to her usual performances, today’s Mao Nanbei sounded strikingly mature, doling out profound life advice.
Maybe she just has a child’s mindset, but is mature in her practice, with her own insights.
Seeing that, it’s unlikely for Lin Chan to get the Sword Qi is Near.
No wonder the Sword Qi is Near seemed so difficult to deal with, it’s as strong as Eldest Senior Brother now.
Lu Xun thought for a moment, something seemed off. He asked: “Fourth Senior
Sister, if what you said is true and the Sword Qi is Near is indeed not inferior to Senior Brother, shouldn’t it be able to break the barrier outside Hidden
Mountain? So, it’s staying on top of Hidden Mountain voluntarily?” Mao Nanbei shook her head, her cat ears upright, and replied, “No, it’s not voluntary.”
“Then, why?”
“Master told it to obediently stay on the mountain top; if it dares to leave the mountain, he shall break it!”
(ps: Second update of the day, thanks to “AlloyCat” for the Alliance Hierarch reward! I still owe an update…. feeling uncomfortable!)