I Became An Immortal On Mortal Realm - Chapter 74

Chapter 74: Chapter 71 Only Looking Forward to Fang Wang of the Great Abyss Gate [Seventh Release, Requesting Monthly Pass]

Translator: 549690339

“Oh? May I inquire as to your daughter’s surname and name, and which branch she hails from?”

Fang Wang looked at the middle-aged man and asked with a smile. Although he had been down the mountain for half a month and had seen many sights, his interactions with people had been few and far between, so he was willing to chat with the man.

The middle-aged man sat down on the spot, took out a wine gourd from his storage bag, and while opening it, said with a smile, “I can’t tell you that, young man. What brings you to Sword Heaven Marsh?”

Fang Wang didn’t hide anything and answered, “I’m going for Spiritual Refinement.”

“Spiritual Refinement? Is there a Spirit Molding Ground in Sword Heaven Marsh? I wasn’t aware of that. With the Sword Saint being here, perhaps it truly exists. You really are bold, young man, daring to come here before your Spiritual Refinement. You must have encountered many hardships along the way, right?” the middle-aged man said with a sigh.

With the aid of the Breathless Nature Technique, the middle-aged man was unable to see through Fang Wang’s aura.

During the ten years of seclusion, Xiao Zi had also learned a certain technique for concealing its presence, which it found inside the Great Saint’s Grotto-Heaven. Previously, it had needed to emit Demonic Qi to drive away other demons, so it had only touched upon the technique superficially and never deeply studied it. Now that it had mastered the concealment technique, it looked just like an ordinary snake, save for its vibrant color.

“Indeed, it has been difficult,” Fang Wang said with feigned lament.

“Meeting is destiny. Even if you’ve come for Spiritual Refinement, you must be a Sword Cultivator too. My name is Gu Tianxiong, and yours?” the middle-aged man said with a smile.

He felt that even if Fang Wang had not undergone Spiritual Refinement yet, being able to make it this far was no small feat. Perhaps he was a prodigy, and it would be good to make his acquaintance.

Fang Wang responded, “My name is Zhou Yu.”

“Zhou Yu? A fine name. If you could refine an Earth Origin Spirit Treasure, you would soar to the heavens. Maybe in the future, I’ll have to rely on you,” Gu Tianxiong said, chuckling.

For some reason, Fang Wang felt like he had heard the name Gu Tianxiong before.

The surname Gu… his daughter and he were on friendly terms…

Could it be related to Gu Li?

It made sense; the Gu Family was a Sword Dao lineage, and it was only natural for them to follow the Sword Saint.

Fang Wang asked, “May I ask how you are related to the Luo Bei Gu Family?”

Upon hearing this, Gu Tianxiong lifted his chin with pride and responded with a laugh, “I didn’t expect you to have heard of the Luo Bei Gu Family. Yes, I am indeed from there.”

“That explains the imposing aura and spirited appearance.”

“Haha, you sure have a way with words, young man.”

Fang Wang offered flattery, bringing them closer. Gu Tianxiong was sociable and began to talk about the legends of Sword Heaven Marsh and the Sword Saint.

The origins of Sword Heaven Marsh were a mystery; it lay to the south of Grand Qi, hidden deep within a hundred thousand great mountains. Legend has it that a long time ago, the sky cracked open, the celestial river poured forth, and the ancient Immortal Gods repaired the heavens, leaving behind Sword Heaven Marsh as a remnant of the celestial waters. From the tops of the surrounding mountains, the lake resembled a sword, hence its name.

The Sword Saint, whose life had already exceeded six hundred years, was recognized as the most powerful Great Cultivator in the Cultivation Realm three hundred years ago. Later, he traveled south across the seas, in search of eternity. He returned thirty years ago.

His return once caused a stir in the Grand Qi Cultivation Realm. The Nine Great Sects each sent people to woo him, but he chose to dwell in Sword Heaven Marsh, unwilling to leave the mountains. Over time, the Cultivation Realm gradually forgot about the Sword Saint’s existence.

“Some say the Sword Saint’s time is nearing its end, and he wishes to pass away in Sword Heaven Marsh. That’s why I rushed here. Even if I can’t obtain his sword, just catching a glimpse of the Sword Saint’s grace would be a great blessing in life,” Gu Tianxiong said, his face full of longing.

Fang Wang thought of what Zhou Xue had said.

Could it be that if he successfully underwent Spiritual Refinement in Sword Heaven Marsh, he might inherit the legacy of the Sword Saint?

What exactly are the unimaginable benefits?

Fang Wang’s interest in Sword Heaven Marsh grew stronger.

The two continued talking until the moon hung high, and Gu Tianxiong, seeming indefatigable, carried on while Fang Wang, having been bottled up for over three hundred years, was equally enthusiastic.

The conversation lasted all night.

It wasn’t until daylight broke and the red sunlight illuminated the mountains that Gu Tianxiong sincerely exclaimed, “Zhou Yu, my young brother, you truly can talk! I thought I was the chatterbox, but it turns out I met my match. Alas, I’ve come to know you too late, you have no idea how much my precious daughter detests my rambling.”

Upon hearing this, Fang Wang became even more certain that his daughter was indeed Gu Li.

Gu Li, aside from her interactions with Fang Wang, was usually quite aloof; in crowds, she mostly played the listener’s role. Thinking back to when she first joined the sect, she had seemed quite spirited. Fang Wang wondered if she had been pretending, or if she had changed over time.

“Let’s go, Big Brother Gu, it’s time to head to Sword Heaven Marsh.”

Fang Wang stood up and smiled, with Xiao Zi slithering into his embrace.

When facing strangers, Xiao Zi would remain silent, so although Gu Tianxiong had noticed it early on, he did not realize it was a Demon King.

The two immediately took to Flying Sword travel, Gu Tianxiong flying slowly as if concerned that Fang Wang might not keep up.

“Zhou Yu, my young brother, since you keep a snake, I wonder if you know how to play with snakes,” Gu Tianxiong queried.

“Play with snakes? How so?”

Fang Wang asked in surprise, clearly feeling Xiao Zi stiffen in his embrace.

Gu Tianxiong burst into laughter and said, “Haha, it seems Zhou Yu, my young brother, has focused solely on cultivation. Big brother should remind you that one cannot be austere all the time; you must find some fun. I know an eccentric who is fond of keeping snakes. After seven days of cultivation, he plays with snakes for two days…”

He began talking non-stop. At first, Fang Wang was genuinely interested, but as the conversation progressed, he was at a loss for words.

This old man is so indecent!

He’s just too d**n flirty!

Fang Wang felt disdain toward Gu Tianxiong in his heart, but he still humbled himself to ask questions, to avoid damaging the other’s pride.

The more Xiao Zi listened, the more violently her snake body shook, though whether it was from anger or fear was unclear.

An hour later.

They finally arrived near Sword Heaven Marsh. Standing on his flying sword, Fang Wang looked out at the tall mountains that rose in two rows with a dense forest in between, shrouded in thick fog. At the end of the forest, there was a vast lake partially hidden by the mountains, with the water that could be seen gleaming blue, like a heavenly immortal realm from the mortal world.

From a distance, Fang Wang was captivated by the beauty of Sword Heaven Marsh and its scenery. Moreover, the spiritual energy here was very rich, but there was also a lot of demonic qi from all directions.

Gu Tianxiong stopped chatting about playing with snakes and instead cautioned Fang Wang not to wander around once they arrived at Sword Heaven Marsh.

Fang Wang couldn’t help but smile wryly; they had only been together for one night, but Gu Tianxiong was already treating him like a brother.

The two hastened their pace, and before long, they flew between the two mountains and came to the front of Sword Heaven Marsh. Although the marsh was surrounded by mountains on all sides, it was quite vast. At the very least, it was a thousand feet wide, with an azure lake surface, resembling an ocean, and a faint mist hovered over the water.

Fang Wang noticed some figures standing on the surface of the lake, eyes closed, quietly sensing something.

The two landed on the lakeshore, with Gu Tianxiong looking around with anticipation, clearly searching for the Sword Saint.

Fang Wang also observed his surroundings, and his gaze was drawn to an old man with white hair. The elder wore plain white clothes and stood barefoot on the lake’s surface. Below his feet, whirlpools appeared, creating endless ripples in waves.

Just then, a young boy ran over the waves. He looked to be only seven or eight years old, light as a swallow. The boy quickly approached Fang Wang and Gu Tianxiong.

“Why have you come?” the boy asked. His voice was surprisingly strong, like that of a robust middle-aged man, making Fang Wang and Gu Tianxiong’s eyelids twitch.

Gu Tianxiong bowed politely, saying, “I am Gu Tianxiong from the Luo Bei Gu Family, here for the Sword Saint’s legacy.”

The boy nodded and then turned to Fang Wang.

“I’ve come for spiritual refinement. May I ask if there’s a place for that here?” Fang Wang asked.

On hearing this, the boy made a strange expression and said, “You wait here first.”

He looked back at Gu Tianxiong and said, “You, come with me.”

Without another word, the boy turned and walked over the water, and Gu Tianxiong winked at Fang Wang before promptly following, soaring over the lake’s surface on his sword.

After they had gone far, Xiao Zi raised her head, flicking her snake tongue, and said with a pitiful look, “Young Master, please don’t listen to him and pull out my teeth.”

Fang Wang replied unenthusiastically, “I don’t like playing with snakes. What are you thinking about?”

“Really? That’s quite…” Xiao Zi grumbled, her words trailing off mid-sentence. However, Fang Wang’s mind was not focused on her, so he didn’t pursue the matter.

After a good while.

At the far end of the lake, the dense fog parted to reveal a man in yellow clothes, hands behind his back, walking on the waves. A visible sword aura surrounded him, sharp and clear.

Before the man arrived, the sword wind swept up to the lakeshore, causing Fang Wang’s white clothes to billow and rustle.

He quickly approached Fang Wang and sized him up before asking, “You have come for spiritual refinement?”

“Indeed, I hope you can guide me. Is this the place for spiritual refinement?” Fang Wang replied with clasped hands. Although the man before him seemed weak, Fang Wang opted to keep a low profile as he was new to the area.

The man in yellow nodded and said, “There really is, but refining your spirit at Sword Heaven Marsh is extremely difficult. Only those with a middle-grade Profound Origin Precious Spirit or higher can succeed here. If you fail, it doesn’t mean your aptitude is truly poor, but failure will complicate your next attempt at refinement. Please consider it carefully.”

Is there a threshold? Do they look down on lower-grade treasures?

Fang Wang complained internally but smiled and replied outwardly, “I have prepared myself well, I hope you can lead the way.”

“Come with me,” the man in yellow said as he landed and headed along the lakeshore, with Fang Wang following closely behind.

“Over the years, some have come for the swordsmanship, some for the Sword Saint’s sword, but you are the first to come for spiritual refinement. After all, those wishing to refine their spirit would find it safer to join the Nine Great Sects. Could it be that you’ve heard the legends of Fang Wang from Great Abyss Gate and thus wish to test whether you can awaken a high-grade Lifespirit Treasure?” the man in yellow asked as he walked ahead.

“I am not part of the Nine Great Sects. I chanced upon the guidance of an expert who mentioned that there is an opportunity for spiritual refinement here,” replied Fang Wang.

The man in yellow chuckled without turning around and said, “Indeed, there is an opportunity. If the Lifespirit Treasure you refine here pleases the Sword Saint, he will bestow upon you a great opportunity.”

Fang Wang was curious about the man’s relationship with the Sword Saint, as he kept mentioning him.

“I, along with those on the lake, are sword cultivators who admire the Sword Saint’s renown. Alas, the Sword Saint no longer takes disciples, so we can only serve him as Sword Servants. Being able to serve the Sword Saint as Sword Servants and comprehend the sword dao with him is also a great honor for us sword cultivators,” the man in yellow said, with emotion finally coloring his tone.

“But don’t hold too high expectations. I’ve heard the Sword Saint mention that even Earth Origin Spirit Treasures may not catch his eye; what he is really awaiting is for Fang Wang from Great Abyss Gate to come,” the man in yellow said wistfully.

“Who knows just how talented that Fang Wang is, to have a Heaven Yuan Spirit Treasure, unimaginable, truly unimaginable!”