I Might Be a Big Shot — Chapter 57

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Spiritual tea was served. Changkong Zhuoyu picked up the cup and took a sip. His brows and eyes relaxed slightly, clearly enjoying this spiritual tea. Li Xinglun had already noticed this long ago — his master seemed especially fond of good tea, and it didn’t matter whether it was spiritual tea; he simply liked tea. But every time his master tried to ask for a bit of tea leaves, what he got was poison instead. Since his master wasn’t the type to forcibly take things from others, he could only sneak a bit of tea when visiting other sects — quite pitiful.

Thinking of this, Li Xinglun felt he was still too poor, unable to afford anything. After everything was settled, he definitely had to save some money and buy some supplies to keep on hand. After the human calamity, many good things in the human world might be destroyed. Before that, at the very least, he needed to preserve the things his master liked. {I foresee Xue Qianjie's magical space artifacts being filled to the brim with tea supplies and tea varieties, being gathered over thousands of years...}

Seeing Changkong Zhuoyu’s expression, Elder Yin felt relieved. Both the way he sipped the tea and the look on his face afterward were exactly like his senior brother. Apart from him and his master’s personal disciples, no one knew this, and outsiders couldn’t possibly imitate it — Changkong Zhuoyu must be his senior brother.

Sitting below Elder Yin, Wanqi Xian also froze slightly. As Yin Changkong’s personal disciple, he had heard Elder Yin mention this matter before and always harbored doubts. When he saw Changkong Zhuoyu, he instinctively felt close to him yet had not acknowledged him outright, choosing instead to observe this suspected master quietly with Elder Yin. Now, seeing Changkong Zhuoyu reveal such a familiar expression, that sense of closeness grew even stronger. He felt that even if his martial uncle didn’t claim Changkong Zhuoyu was his master, he would still harbor suspicion.

Wanqi Xian had entered Kunlun five hundred years ago. Now a Soul Transformation expert, he was the sect master’s personal disciple and the undisputed candidate for the next sect master. Although just a second-generation disciple, he had already become part of Kunlun’s core and naturally took part in discussions regarding the human calamity. Looking at Changkong Zhuoyu, he said: “This junior has heard my martial uncle mention your exploits. You ventured alone into Heaven-Shaking Peak, persuaded Sect Master Xuan Minglie to join forces with the righteous sect to resist the human calamity. I truly admire you. What matter brings you to Kunlun this time?”

Martial uncle? Li Xinglun’s ears twitched — this address sounded familiar.

His gaze swept across the elders on the same level as Elder Yin, pondering which elder of Kunlun this man was a disciple of.

Seeing Wanqi Xian speak up, Elder Yin immediately showed a knowing and kindly smile. “Daoist Changkong, allow me to introduce you. This is Wanqi Xian, the sect master’s personal disciple and also one of Kunlun’s elders.”

Kunlun’s sect masters were always chosen from among the elders. Any sect master had to first serve as an elder to assist in sect affairs and become familiar with the process before taking the position. Therefore, the sect master of Kunlun had a much easier job compared to Mount Shu, where Sage Yipin handled all the sect’s affairs alone while the others just practiced swordsmanship.

This remark from Elder Yin was a subtle hint to Changkong Zhuoyu that Wanqi Xian was already the candidate for sect master. The reason the acting sect master this time was Elder Yin rather than Wanqi Xian was only because they feared his qualifications were still insufficient to command respect. In time, Wanqi Xian would surely be Kunlun’s sect master. Back at Mount Shu, he already knew Changkong Zhuoyu had lost his past memories and feared he had not yet recovered, hence the special introduction.

As he spoke, he glanced at Li Xinglun. This disciple, already at the peak of the Nascent Soul stage at such a young age, was truly impressive. Although it was a pity he had turned from a righteous sect cultivator to a blood cultivator, it was for the sake of the righteous path, sacrificing himself to walk the path of the demonic. Indeed, he was worthy of being his master’s disciple — each one a fine talent. Moreover, this disciple named Little Xing becoming a blood cultivator was also a good thing. Otherwise, at his rate of progress, he might surpass Wanqi Xian in less than a century. Given his senior brother’s (Changkong Zhuoyu’s) fondness for this disciple, who could say who would become Kunlun’s sect master then? After many years together, Elder Yin still favored Wanqi Xian.

To Li Xinglun, however, this behavior seemed to compare the two disciples. Even though he thought it unlikely that his master was Yin Changkong — what if he was? Then wouldn’t Wanqi Xian be his senior brother?

Li Xinglun scrutinized Wanqi Xian, finding him extremely handsome — that kind of righteous and awe-inspiring handsomeness. Just as people could see the blood energy surrounding Li Xinglun at first glance, they could instantly tell Wanqi Xian was a righteous sect expert. His countenance was upright and solemn; even in the dark, his aura alone could serve as a beacon, a natural leader among people, inspiring trust by appearance alone.

Li Xinglun had once been such a talented young man himself. If not for the massacre of his sect, had he remained a favored son of heaven, entered Kunlun after the Golden Core stage, and received the righteous sect’s nurturing, after centuries he would likely have become like Wanqi Xian. Sadly, after his tragic turn, he became this blood-drenched figure.

Following this line of thought… Wanqi Xian seemed to be precisely the type of disciple Changkong Zhuoyu liked most? Back then his master had shamelessly taken him in as a disciple, also because of his looks.

Thinking of this, Li Xinglun couldn’t bring himself to feel any goodwill toward Wanqi Xian. Murderous intent welled up as he looked at him with ill will.

At this moment, Wanqi Xian already believed seventy or eighty percent that Changkong Zhuoyu was Yin Changkong, naturally regarding Li Xinglun as his junior brother. Seeing his junior brother looking at him with murderous intent, he was slightly taken aback. Remembering his martial uncle’s earlier mention that his junior brother had undergone the Blood-Severing Art to forcibly raise his strength for the sake of the human calamity, his heart clenched fiercely, and he looked at Li Xinglun with even more kindness.

“This young hero Xing, I have already heard my martial uncle speak of your deeds, and I am deeply moved. Your sacrifice for the human calamity will be recorded by Kunlun. If we survive the calamity, Kunlun will certainly have a place for you. And if you prefer not to stay in Kunlun, we will ensure that the righteous sect never regards you as an outcast. Even within the demonic path, as long as you have a heart inclined toward good, you will always belong to the righteous path!” Wanqi Xian said solemnly.

As Kunlun’s next sect master, these words carried considerable weight. And as Yin Changkong’s disciple, this statement was equivalent to acknowledging Li Xinglun as his junior brother.

Changkong Zhuoyu looked at Wanqi Xian with great approval. “Young hero Wanqi truly is a dragon among men. With disciples like you, Kunlun ensures that the next generation of our cultivation world will carry on. Even if the calamity claims countless lives, as long as there are juniors like you, the cultivation world will not perish.”

Receiving his master’s recognition, Wanqi Xian’s face flushed slightly with excitement. His master’s current appearance was simply too stunning. With such a face offering encouragement, how could Wanqi Xian not be filled with fervor!

Li Xinglun: “…”

No, no — any identity was fine, and as long as Changkong Zhuoyu liked it, he could think what he wanted. However, the identity of Yin Changkong was absolutely unacceptable for Changkong Zhuoyu!

Kunlun had too many disciples. Anyone in the sect master’s line could call Changkong Zhuoyu ‘master,’ and personal disciples were especially close to their master. Especially with Wanqi Xian being this handsome — he absolutely could not be his master’s disciple.

Changkong Zhuoyu’s disciple could only be him alone!

“Let’s not jump to conclusions,” Li Xinglun placed his hand on Changkong Zhuoyu’s shoulder. “I never said I was a member of Kunlun. Don’t start claiming kinship right away.”

Wanqi Xian was taken aback, his gaze falling on Changkong Zhuoyu.

In truth, from the moment Changkong Zhuoyu entered the hall, his gaze had never left him. He had heard his martial uncle say his master’s current appearance was as beautiful as an immortal, but his imagination was limited, and he didn’t know what that truly meant. Yet now, seeing Changkong Zhuoyu, he understood. As long as you were in the same space as this person, you couldn’t take your eyes off him, couldn’t even notice others. He was like an artifact that absorbed all light — wherever he was, everyone else appeared dim. And now, in his Daoist robes, he was as serene as clouds, as pure as wind, nearly identical to the immortals described in ancient texts. It made him feel that his master had transcended the tribulation and ascended, only to return out of concern for the human world. How could he not yearn for him?

Li Xinglun truly couldn’t endure Wanqi Xian’s gaze on Changkong Zhuoyu anymore. Originally standing behind his master, he finally couldn’t resist and stepped in front of him.

“I think you’ve misunderstood. My master is not Yin Changkong. Find your own sect master.” For the first time, Li Xinglun completely denied Changkong Zhuoyu’s identity.

“Disciple, what are you saying?” Changkong Zhuoyu looked utterly incredulous.

Li Xinglun stood firmly before him, blocking Wanqi Xian’s gaze, and continued: “We came to Kunlun this time for three purposes. First, to inform you all of a way to resolve the human calamity. Second, my master and I have already visited the Mystic Fog Yao Valley and united the yao cultivators, who are willing to help us when the calamity comes. Third… because my master bears the bloodline of a sacred beast and seems to have ties to the Queen Mother of the West, we need to go through Kunlun to the Jade Pool to discover my master’s true identity. Kunlun is near the Jade Pool — if your sect master had ties to the Jade Pool, Kunlun would surely have known already, right? Precisely because my master is closely connected to the Jade Pool, he cannot possibly be your sect master.”

These words carried too much information, and everyone in the hall struggled to process it all at once. Only Master Wuyin, standing apart, grasped the key point immediately: “Daoist Changkong has already gone to the Mystic Fog Yao Valley and persuaded the yao — truly a great merit. What is the method to resolve the human calamity? If there truly is a way, Daoist Changkong’s merit… might rival that of gods and buddhas.”

Changkong Zhuoyu was still reeling from the blow of not being Yin Changkong, so Li Xinglun had to answer for his master: “My master discovered that the ancient gods left behind nine divine artifacts. These nine divine artifacts are likely the means to reseal the demonic realm and resolve the calamity. Seven have already been found at the three great sects, Heaven-Shaking Peak, and the Mystic Fog Yao Valley. The remaining two, we suspect, are at the Jade Pool or among the Buddhist cultivators.”

These words woke everyone from the shock of ‘Changkong Zhuoyu is not Yin Changkong.’ Compared to the human calamity, that matter was trivial. Elder Yin had to suppress his doubts and focus on this. He looked at Changkong Zhuoyu past Li Xinglun and asked: “Then what does Daoist Changkong believe should be done to reseal the demonic realm?”

Seeing everyone no longer mention Yin Changkong, Li Xinglun properly moved behind his master, letting him explain.

Li Xinglun’s reasoning about ‘Yin Changkong not being Changkong Zhuoyu’ was too convincing. Among everyone present, Changkong Zhuoyu himself suffered the greatest blow. Yet because the matter concerned the calamity, he couldn’t cry and could only suppress his grief, maintaining the demeanor of a great expert, wearing an expression of ‘I don’t care about my identity as long as the human world is safe,’ with tears glinting in his resilience. He said to everyone: “This idea arose at Heaven-Shaking Peak, because I discovered that the mountain itself was the body of the ancient divine beast Candle Dragon.”

“Could it be the ancient divine beast Candle Dragon that opens its eyes for day and closes them for night?” Wanqi Xian asked.

“Exactly,” Changkong Zhuoyu replied. “From this, I also found that Heaven-Shaking Peak has the Dark Yin Bell, which can draw the world’s yin energy into the formation. That is to say, if the three demonic realm seals are all broken, we can use the Dark Yin Bell to channel all the demonic energy into the body of the Candle Dragon.”

“But… can this really work?” Elder Yin lowered his head, pondering the possibility.

“With the Map of Mountains and Rivers, it can,” Changkong Zhuoyu now forgot the matter of identity and seriously thought aloud. “The Map of Mountains and Rivers contains a world unto itself. We can use it to mislead the demons into thinking it is the human world. As they rush toward the Map, we use the Dark Yin Bell’s power to carve a formation on the Candle Dragon’s body to guide all the demonic energy onto it, then reinforce the seal with the other six divine artifacts.”

“This… is indeed feasible!” Elder Yin concluded after carefully analyzing the principle. “But the Map of Mountains and Rivers…”

“It has already been found and will appear when the time comes,” Changkong Zhuoyu answered firmly.

“Then all that remains is to find the last two divine artifacts, and…” Wanqi Xian’s expression remained heavy. “And find the whereabouts of Kunlun’s lost divine artifact. Kunlun’s artifact… could it have been taken by one of the demonized cultivators?”

This was Kunlun’s matter. Li Xinglun and Changkong Zhuoyu didn’t interject and could only watch the Kunlun members worry.

“The divine artifact disappeared along with senior brother. For now, we must find senior brother,” Elder Yin looked at Changkong Zhuoyu expectantly. “Daoist Changkong, are you really not senior brother?”

“No.” Li Xinglun answered before Changkong Zhuoyu could.

“Well…” Changkong Zhuoyu struggled to say, “Perhaps… it’s not impossible. I do feel a strange familiarity with Kunlun.”

“That’s because you may come from the Jade Pool,” this time Li Xinglun was especially resolute. “If I’m not mistaken, the Kunlun divine formation comes from the Jade Pool. Kunlun and the Jade Pool have maintained ties over the years, haven’t they?”

“That… is indeed true,” Elder Yin said. “But only successive sect masters know the way to contact the Jade Pool — it’s a secret passed down only to them.”

“If my master is from the Jade Pool, then being familiar with Sect Master Yin or even having a friendship with him isn’t impossible, right?” Li Xinglun said. “The Jade Pool excels at formations, and Sect Master Yin and Elder Yin both comprehended the Kunlun divine formation. So it’s not surprising that my master’s cultivation method resembles theirs. Of course, my master didn’t deliberately think he was Sect Master Yin — it’s just that the similarities caused a misunderstanding.”

Changkong Zhuoyu: “….”

The more his disciple spoke, the more believable it sounded. He was on the verge of tears — really about to cry!

Wanqi Xian looked at Changkong Zhuoyu, feeling he was someone familiar, and said stubbornly: “Whether he is or isn’t, we still need to wait until we reach the Jade Pool to be certain, right? I… truly feel a deep sense of closeness to Senior Changkong. This is no misunderstanding — I must have… seen Senior Changkong since I was young, and I’ve absolutely never been to the Jade Pool.”

Wanqi Xian stared firmly at Li Xinglun, and Li Xinglun was no less stubborn, glaring back at him across Changkong Zhuoyu.

In their eyes, even true fire began to burn. At first, Wanqi Xian had felt some goodwill toward Li Xinglun, but now he thoroughly disliked this junior brother.

The atmosphere in the hall was extremely tense. Li Xinglun at the Nascent Soul stage held his own completely against Wanqi Xian at the Soul Transformation stage. In the hall, aside from Elder Yin who was at the Great Ascension stage and Master Wuyin who had reached perfection, the others were only at the peak of the Soul Transformation stage. Under the two’s imposing aura, they all felt suffocated, and the inner disciples at the Nascent Soul stage struggled to resist the urge to flee.

It seemed that apart from Changkong Zhuoyu, no one could stop the two. However, Changkong Zhuoyu… Changkong Zhuoyu was busy holding back tears, his heart shattered into pieces — where did he have the mind to care about his two disciples quarreling?

“Amitabha,” a gentle and relaxed Buddhist chant intervened in their confrontation. Master Wuyin smiled faintly. “Unexpectedly, fellow Daoist Changkong has already investigated this far while we were unaware. This humble monk will immediately return to the Buddhist sect to search for any divine artifact capable of purifying demonic energy. Back when the ancient gods left the nine divine artifacts, they surely intended not just to reseal the demonic realm but to completely resolve the calamity. Since that is so, there must be a method of purification. Fellow Daoist Changkong has already visited the demonic sect and the Mystic Fog Yao Valley and now plans to go to the Jade Pool. I have done nothing to help. At the very least, let me search from the Buddhist side.”

In Changkong Zhuoyu’s heart, even if he wasn’t Sect Master Yin, he was still someone capable of shouldering the fate of the human world. Hearing Master Wuyin’s words, he instinctively collected himself and said: “In that case, I’ll trouble you, Master. With the Buddha, Dao, and Sacred Yao Spirit working together, we will surely resolve the calamity!”

“Then… this humble monk will return to search for the Buddhist divine artifact, the Kunlun Daoists will work to find the lost artifact, and you and your disciple will go to the Jade Pool. How about this division?” Master Wuyin spoke amiably as though he hadn’t noticed the earlier hostility between Wanqi Xian and Li Xinglun.

His words practically woke everyone up — regardless of who Sect Master Yin was, everyone should focus on the greater good. Could they all go and handle their proper tasks now?

Wanqi Xian and Li Xinglun both refused to lose to the other, reluctantly looking away. Li Xinglun possessively placed his hand on Changkong Zhuoyu’s shoulder and said: “Of course. My master and I came to Kunlun precisely to go to the Jade Pool. We never intended to compete for the position of Kunlun sect master. The artifact at the Jade Pool — leave it to us.”

Wanqi Xian was no less unyielding. “I grew up within the Kunlun divine formation. Even though none of us but Master has ever seen the artifact, I am most attuned to its aura. No matter where it is taken, I can find it.”

“Oh?” Changkong Zhuoyu was slightly startled. “This little friend grew up within the divine formation?”

“Indeed,” Elder Yin stroked his beard and explained. “Wanqi Xian’s origin is mysterious. He was abandoned by his parents at the foot of Kunlun and picked up by a yao beast in the mountains. As it flew over the Kunlun peak intending to take him back to its nest, perhaps the Kunlun divine formation sensed it and couldn’t bear to see a child eaten by a yao beast, so it released a breath of energy. The beast dropped the cradle and fled, and Wanqi Xian fell into the formation, living there for ten years until senior brother discovered him one day while comprehending the formation.”

“In that case…” Changkong Zhuoyu said, “if we recover the artifact, Wanqi Xian may become one of the main forces against the calamity, as his aura matches the artifact. He should be the one to wield it.”

“That’s why I should be the one to find it,” Wanqi Xian looked at Changkong Zhuoyu. “I will not fail the senior’s trust.”

“It’s not my master entrusting you — this is Kunlun’s responsibility, isn’t it?” Li Xinglun immediately retorted.

Wanqi Xian was also provoked into anger. “Senior Changkong is compassionate, working tirelessly for the calamity. I only wish to ease his burden — is that so different from you, who walked the demonic path?”

Li Xinglun felt a dark fire rising — saying he was no different, wasn’t that stealing his master’s attention!

As they spoke, their auras flared again. Even Elder Yin could hardly endure the pressure, wiping the sweat that appeared on his forehead and hastily changing the subject: “But senior brother isn’t here. No one knows how to open the path to the Jade Pool!”

“Just tell my master roughly where the Jade Pool is, and he will surely find a way in,” Li Xinglun said confidently.

Usually, it was Changkong Zhuoyu who boasted. Today it was Li Xinglun recklessly praising his master before everyone, making Changkong Zhuoyu feel a bit embarrassed. In the past, he’d never felt shy when praising himself — it felt natural. But when his disciple praised him, he couldn’t help but blush.

“I’ve always been with Master. Though he hasn’t told me how to enter the Jade Pool, he has hinted at some information about it. I’ll take Senior Changkong there,” Wanqi Xian said, glancing at Li Xinglun.

Li Xinglun: “…”

When the human calamity was over, he would definitely…

“Then we’ll trouble you, little friend,” Changkong Zhuoyu said. Somehow, hearing his disciple so determinedly praise him eased the sadness of losing that other identity.

“Acting sect master…” Wanqi Xian looked to Elder Yin. Whether or not to lead outsiders into the Jade Pool still required the sect master’s decision.

“Daoist Changkong cares for all living things — let’s not fuss over sect boundaries now. Besides…” Elder Yin left unsaid the words ‘besides, he may well be senior brother’ and continued: “You take them.”

“In that case, let’s act separately,” Master Wuyin rose, palms together. “Time is short. I will take my leave and not disturb you further.”

Elder Yin quickly got up and led the disciples to personally escort Master Wuyin down the mountain. Wanqi Xian also took this opportunity to approach Changkong Zhuoyu and said: “Senior, I’ll take you to the Jade Pool.”

Li Xinglun bit his lip and quietly followed his master without a word.

In his rashness today, he had thoroughly destroyed the identity of Yin Changkong. He wondered if his master would cry later.

Thinking of this, Li Xinglun felt quite conflicted.

He wanted his master to collapse into his arms and cry, yet he couldn’t bear to see him hurt. Perhaps due to the influence of the Blood-Severing Art, he increasingly wanted to bully his master — his hostility grew by the day.

Compared to Wanqi Xian, it seemed his own appearance was more his master’s preference.

Li Xinglun clenched his fist. His master absolutely couldn’t be Yin Changkong — and Wanqi Xian could forget calling Changkong Zhuoyu ‘master’!

Wanqi Xian led the two to Kunlun’s back mountain, the remote locations of the Kunlun valley. Kunlun had dozens of peaks, each with an expert above the Nascent Soul stage as peak master. These peak masters were the backbone of Kunlun. As the sect master’s personal disciple and future sect master, Wanqi Xian had no peak of his own but lived with Yin Changkong on the main peak, assisting his master with sect affairs.
The tallest peak had no resident because a fierce wind was blowing upwards all around it, too strong for ordinary cultivators to withstand.

“Why does this peak have such a strong wind?” Changkong Zhuoyu asked, looking up. “A heavenly gale is a product of the Primordial Wilderness, when the sky was unimaginably high and the gods lived above. Ordinary people who wished to ascend and become gods had to withstand the fierce winds of the thirty-three heavens. Only by breaking through the thirty-three heavens could they be reborn as gods. Countless cultivators fell to the winds of the thirty-three heavens — it was a trial of godhood. Why is it here?”

“Kunlun is perhaps the only place in this world that still has heavenly gale — for the sake of the Jade Pool,” Wanqi Xian explained. “Because the Jade Pool isn’t truly of this world — it lies above the heavenly gale, sustained in the heavens by its force.”

“This…” Changkong Zhuoyu gazed at the terrifying wind atop the peak and couldn’t help swallowing. “It would take the power of an ancient god…”

“That’s not quite so,” Wanqi Xian smiled. “Today’s spiritual energy is far weaker than in the Primordial Wilderness, and the fierce wind is not as powerful as it was. The wind guards the Jade Pool because it is said to hold secret treasures left by the Queen Mother of the West and countless spirit cultivators. There are always greedy people in the world, and the wind deters them from coveting the Jade Pool. My master could enter the Jade Pool each time because he held the sect master’s seal, which must be an immortal artifact from the Jade Pool, able to open a path through the wind. As I see it, no human strength could overcome the wind’s barrier — unless, of course, you truly come from the Jade Pool, in which case the wind should not harm you.”

“I see,” Li Xinglun pulled out a beast bone from somewhere and handed it to Changkong Zhuoyu. “Master, perhaps you can give it a try.”

Since he brought out the beast bone, he clearly intended to use the sword technique they had used against the Guiche. Speaking of which, what kind of beast bone was this? It looked like ordinary iron, yet it absorbed blood and souls. And when had his disciple developed this strange habit of grabbing random things as weapons — who taught him that?

Completely unaware, Changkong Zhuoyu took the bone from Li Xinglun’s hand, held his disciple’s hand, and said: “Let me try. But, disciple — since you like this bone, at least polish it into decent shape. If it stays like this, people will think you’re a demonic cultivator from the White Bone sect.”

“True,” Li Xinglun always obeyed his master. “When I have time, I’ll shape it into a proper sword. After all, Master is a first-rate sword cultivator, isn’t he?”

“Indeed.” Hearing his disciple’s praise, Changkong Zhuoyu lifted his chin proudly.

Wanqi Xian: “…”

Wait — wasn’t Senior Changkong’s demeanor… a little different from earlier in the hall?

~ Chapter End ~

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{Remember Xue Qianjie's crimson iron sword? Let's compare it to the bone sword.}

[chapter 11]
A sword cultivator who forged his blade with endless slaughter, turning an ordinary iron sword he’d used since his martial days into the most fearsome weapon of the cultivation world.
It was said Xue Qianjie fed his blade daily with his blood essence, and as the iron absorbed his blood, it transformed into a material called blood essence core, turning crimson all over. Every swing of his sword brought forth the cries of the imprisoned fierce ghosts. ... Often with a single thrust, his opponent’s soul would be devoured by the ferocious sword.

[chapter 11 again]
After spending twenty years inside the formation, his sword was no longer crimson — just an ordinary iron sword, devoid of blood essence core and the wails of fierce souls. ... With nothing but an ordinary iron sword, he shattered countless divine weapons of the cultivation world.

[chapter 22]
All immortal swords are at least forged with heavenly materials and treasures, but this sword was made of common iron. Even some divine weapons painstakingly crafted by masters in the martial world are sturdier than it. Yet this ordinary sword once dominated the cultivation world for nearly a thousand years. ... Sure enough, after several swords chimed, a blood-red figure appeared atop the peak, pressing down on a plain iron sword and gazing at the earth.

[chapter 54]
Li Xinglun casually picked up a white bone.

[chapter 55]
The beast bone in Li Xinglun’s hand had been burned crimson by the yao fire, yet somehow, instead of being destroyed, it grew harder and harder, glowing red like molten iron. ... The beast bone—tempered by the flames until it resembled a sword... the beast bone seemed to have belonged to some blood-soul-devouring yao in life, and as it stabbed into his wing, it began to drain his flesh and blood.

[chapter 57]
Speaking of which, what kind of beast bone was this? It looked like ordinary iron{!}, yet it absorbed blood and souls. ... But, disciple — since you like this bone, at least polish it into decent shape.

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