Chapter 129 - 87: Cultivation Technique - Six Interpretations of Life and Death

Chapter 129: Chapter 87: Cultivation Technique - Six Interpretations of Life and Death

Inside Jiang Ningzhi’s bedroom.

Li Yinsheng wore a look of utter helplessness.

To his left, Shangguan Ling’Er was squatting in the corner again, still covered by the Five-Colored Glazed Cup. To his right, his martial uncle sat on the bed. Her eyes were vacant, staring blankly ahead, completely unresponsive no matter how many times he called her.

Li Yinsheng shook his head helplessly. Ever since he had gone to the courtyard and demonstrated the Yin Yang Light-Splitting Sword with 512 sword lights, the two of them had been like this.

Normally, executing the Yin Yang Light-Splitting Sword with 512 sword lights would consume a massive amount of magical power. Therefore, during his demonstration, he had cast a miniature version where each sword light was only a tenth of its original size. However, both his martial uncle and Shangguan Ling’Er were highly experienced cultivators. They could naturally tell how terrifying the might of those sword lights would be if unleashed at full power.

As a result, right after Li Yinsheng mentioned that he had deduced the Profound Evil Sword up to 256 sword lights—before he even had the chance to demonstrate it—both women turned around and went back inside the house.

After entering the room, they fell into this state and ignored him completely.

Shangguan Ling’Er had covered herself with her magical treasure. Unless he forcefully pried open the Glazed Cup, Li Yinsheng wouldn’t be able to touch her at all. He could only walk over to his martial uncle, half-squat until he was at eye level with her, place his hands on her shoulders, and shake her gently. "Martial Uncle? Martial Uncle?"

"Ah!" Jiang Ningzhi jolted as if waking from a dream. Looking at Li Yinsheng, who was close at hand, her earlobes grew slightly hot.

"Yin Sheng, your sword technique... I remember that when you were practicing the Light-Splitting Sword before, your progress wasn’t considered fast..." She stared fixedly at Li Yinsheng. Perhaps still overwhelmed by the shock, she subconsciously raised a hand and stroked his cheek. "Could it be that you’re the type of cultivator who relies heavily on sudden enlightenment when practicing techniques?"

Jiang Ningzhi’s reasoning for this question was simple. Firstly, many highly talented sword cultivators leaned toward sudden enlightenment. Although they trained diligently in their daily lives, the most significant improvements to their sword techniques usually came from life-and-death battles or sudden moments of epiphany.

Secondly, she herself experienced enlightenment more often than she engaged in bitter cultivation. It wasn’t that she didn’t work hard, but her major cultivation was sword intent, an area where enlightenment was intrinsically far more important than mere practice. Thus, upon seeing Li Yinsheng’s transformation, she naturally made that subconscious connection.

"More or less," Li Yinsheng replied as his martial uncle caressed his face. "If I had to put it into words, you could say that in just a fleeting moment, I gained some insights."

"In that regard, we are quite similar." Jiang Ningzhi nodded gently, feeling gratified. "It’s just that your talent and comprehension are much stronger than mine."

Li Yinsheng suddenly fell silent.

"What is it, Yin Sheng?" Jiang Ningzhi asked. "Why have you suddenly stopped talking?"

"It’s nothing. I was just wondering when Shangguan would come out," Li Yinsheng replied.

Hearing Li Yinsheng mention her best friend, Jiang Ningzhi finally snapped out of it and pulled her hand away from her martial nephew’s face. She couldn’t let that girl see this, or who knew how she would be teased.

Li Yinsheng chatted with his martial uncle for a while longer before Shangguan Ling’Er finally lifted the Glazed Cup and stepped out. She looked at Li Yinsheng with a complex gaze.

"Shangguan..."

Li Yinsheng was only halfway through his sentence when Shangguan Ling’Er interrupted him.

"Freak!" she said, staring right at Li Yinsheng’s face.

Li Yinsheng had no idea how to respond and could only stare back blankly.

A moment later, Shangguan Ling’Er, who had been staring intently at him, felt her ears grow slightly hot. "Ahem." She averted her gaze. "Your mastery of this sword technique is... not bad. It’s passable."

Before Li Yinsheng could say anything, Jiang Ningzhi chimed in, "Yin Sheng, hurry up and spar with her!"

Ever since her best friend arrived and she learned that Li Yinsheng was already a Grand Daoist, Jiang Ningzhi seemed to have loosened up a lot. She no longer maintained the rigid, dignified demeanor of a martial uncle in her every move. Her speech had become noticeably more lively, and right now, she looked like someone eager to watch the world burn.

"Ahem. I came out in a hurry today and didn’t bring my lifebound treasure. It’s quite inconvenient, so let’s do it next time," Shangguan Ling’Er refused.

"Shangguan, you hail from the Dharma Vein and possess outstanding knowledge. For my meager sword techniques to receive your praise is already the fortune of three lifetimes. As for sparring, we can discuss it when it is convenient for you." Taking advantage of the situation, Li Yinsheng didn’t tease her about her embarrassment. Instead, he flattered her with a humble expression.

A hint of satisfaction couldn’t help but appear in Shangguan Ling’Er’s eyes as she looked at Li Yinsheng. He was exceptionally talented, breathtakingly handsome, and spoke so pleasantly. How was it that Ningzhi was the one who ended up with such a wonderful martial nephew!

"Unfortunately, no matter how good the sword technique is, it’s useless if the cultivation technique can’t keep up." Li Yinsheng shook his head and sighed, his face full of distress.

"Mhm... true..." Shangguan Ling’Er frowned slightly. Compared to Li Yinsheng’s current cultivation, the Qingxuan Scripture was simply too poor.

"Shangguan, do you think that with my talent, going to the Dharma Vein to request a cultivation technique would work?" Li Yinsheng finally revealed his true intentions.

The main reason he had displayed his sword techniques to Shangguan Ling’Er was to show off his potential. He wanted to use her as a channel to obtain a cultivation technique from the Dharma Vein. After all, he couldn’t count on the Treasure Illumination Scripture anymore. And according to her, even if the Treasure Illumination Scripture were still around, it would merely be average—better than the worst, but lacking compared to the best.

If he wanted a better cultivation technique, his hopes naturally rested on the Dharma Vein. To obtain a cultivation technique, displaying his talent and potential was absolutely essential.

As for this Shangguan standing before him, in terms of relationships, she was a friend who had shared life and death with his martial uncle. In terms of status and position, she was a Grand Daoist from the Dharma Vein. Although she hadn’t explicitly stated who her master was, it was likely an elder in the Dharma Image Realm. With the Immortal Supreme Elders almost never showing their faces, the affairs of the Dharma Vein were decided by the Vein Master and the elders.

If he wanted to impress the Dharma Vein with his potential and talent to obtain a cultivation technique, this Shangguan was undoubtedly his best helper. He didn’t expect Shangguan Ling’Er to directly hand him a superior cultivation technique, but it shouldn’t be too hard for her to go back, chat with her master about this matter, and put in a few good words, right?

"Requesting a cultivation technique... With your talent, it certainly wouldn’t be a problem. The most top-tier cultivation techniques would be open to you." Shangguan Ling’Er frowned deeper. "But are you willing to leave Xuanzhen Temple and join the Dharma Vein?"

"Well... I don’t have such thoughts for the time being," Li Yinsheng said.

Setting aside his emotional attachment to Xuanzhen Temple, if he were to really leave and join the Dharma Vein, what would happen to his junior martial sister? And what about his junior martial sister’s cultivation aspiration to become the Vice Temple Master and eventually the Temple Master? The moment he left, Xuanzhen Temple would disband entirely. Where would the Vice Temple Master and Temple Master be then?

"In that case, it’s impossible for the Dharma Vein to give you those top-tier cultivation techniques. At best, they could only give you the second-rate ones." She shook her head. "Cultivation techniques of the same caliber as the Five Elements Reincarnation Scripture that I practice are all part of the Dao lineage passed down by the Supreme Elders. If you don’t join the Dao lineage, you cannot be taught them.

"Of course, if you are willing to join, I guarantee that by noon tomorrow, the Dharma Vein will have all the procedures ready for you."

"Slightly inferior to the top-tier ones..." Li Yinsheng rubbed his chin. "That shouldn’t be too bad, right?"

"Yin Sheng!" Jiang Ningzhi grew slightly anxious.

If joining the Dharma Vein was what it took, then he should just join! Doing so for an Immortal Dao Lineage cultivation technique was absolutely worth it!

At this moment, she finally understood why her senior martial brothers, sisters, and her master—who had long since passed away—all had such complicated expressions back when she was young and refused to switch sects to join the Dharma Vein. Back then, they must have felt exactly like this: hoping for her to have a better future, but at the same time, reluctant to let go of Xuanzhen Temple’s genius.

But things were different now! Xuanzhen Temple was already in such a state—why did Yin Sheng need to remain strung along here!

Just as she was about to persuade Li Yinsheng to join the Dharma Vein, Shangguan Ling’Er suddenly gritted her teeth and retrieved a jade scroll from her Qiankun Bag.

"If you don’t join the Dharma Vein, the Dharma Vein’s Immortal Dao Lineage will never be imparted to you. I wouldn’t dare teach you privately either; otherwise, both of us would be purged from the sect." She pinched the jade scroll and looked at Li Yinsheng with utmost seriousness. "However, contained within this is my family’s ancestral cultivation technique, the Six Interpretations of Life and Death. It is not inferior to the Immortal Dao Lineage of the Dharma Vein, and moreover, it aligns perfectly with your lifebound treasure.

"If you trust me, I can take the initiative to impart the Six Interpretations of Life and Death to you. But you must never leak a single word of it!

"Although this goes against my family rules somewhat, I am confident I can persuade my parents and the clan elders. There won’t be any problems."

Li Yinsheng’s first reaction was not the joy of achieving his goal, but sheer fright.

What did she mean by her ancestral cultivation technique not being inferior to the Immortal Dao Lineage? Seriously, girl, just what kind of background did her family have?!