CHAPTER 13: REUNITING WITH JUN LAOYE

"..."

After sorting through the spoils of battle, Lu Chen was ready to rest. He planned to wait until Nantian Yijian's injuries had improved a bit before setting off again. Just then, Nantian Yijian noticed the tension had eased and once again began chattering away, asking Lu Chen one question after another.

"Big Brother, Big Brother, when do you think I'll be as strong as you?"

"If you train hard, it won't take long."

"Then can you teach me your moves? I want to learn them too."

"As long as you're willing to work hard, I'll teach you."

"Big Brother, Big Brother..."

"..."

Watching the exchange between the two, Feng Tiancheng burst into hearty laughter. He had been worried that the resentment Lu Chen carried from the destruction of his village would cloud his heart, causing him to focus solely on revenge and hinder his cultivation. But with Nantian Yijian by his side, the hostility around Lu Chen was gradually beginning to fade.

Seeing the two boys talking and laughing together, Feng Tiancheng finally felt at ease.

That entire afternoon, Lu Chen was bombarded with question after question from Nantian Yijian. In the end, he couldn't take it anymore and handed Nantian Yijian a sword-control art manual he had found back in the Green Emperor's secret realm.

It was an art that seemed practically designed to be used with a guqin. Lu Chen told him to train well so he could be useful in the future. Then, ignoring the fact that Nantian Yijian was still injured, Lu Chen sat cross-legged to begin his cultivation session.

The night quietly passed like that.

When Lu Chen stopped cultivating the next morning, he saw Nantian Yijian still poring over the manual.

With Nantian Yijian by his side, Lu Chen's cultivation journey had become much more lively. Though Nantian Yijian talked endlessly every day, he brought far more joy than annoyance. Each day, Lu Chen would hunt demonic beasts while Nantian Yijian practiced his sword techniques behind him and helped clean up the battlefield.

Time passed quickly. Lu Chen had already slain over seven hundred powerful demonic beasts and advanced to the seventh level of the Qi Absorption Realm. Nantian Yijian, too, had reached the sixth level and gained some basic understanding over the art of sword control.

Nantian Yijian had started using this sword control art with the Thirty-Six Cosmic Sword Guqin and given the fusion an elegant name—Thirty-Six Swords of Nantian. However, for now, he could only control a single sword, which matched his name, "Nantian Yijian," perfectly.[1]

That day, while the two were out hunting demonic beasts, a bluish-green beam of light suddenly shot into the sky in the distance. Countless cultivators rushed toward the area on top of their flight artifact.

Seeing this, Nantian Yijian shouted excitedly, "Big Brother! Big Brother! I think a treasure just appeared over there! Should we go check it out?"

Lu Chen shook his head. Judging by the timing, it was most likely the secret realm that had been rumored to appear a few days ago. The weakest cultivators heading there were already at the Qi Regulation Realm, and even disciples from major sects were going to get involved. With the two of them only at the Qi Absorption Realm, entering now would be no different from seeking death. It was better to focus on their cultivation.

Just then, Feng Tiancheng's voice echoed in Lu Chen's mind, "I think you should go take a look. The aura from that place feels strangely familiar, or rather, it stirs something deep in my blood. It's sending out a call. Try sensing it yourself."

Lu Chen closed his eyes and focused. The moment he did, he clearly felt a pull coming from the direction where the light had appeared. It was almost as if something, or someone, was calling out to him.

"Help me... help me..."

"......"

Lu Chen opened his eyes, then closed them again to sense more clearly. The voice was still there, and the feeling had only grown stronger.

"Is it you? Please... help me... I can't hold on much longer..."

"..."

Lu Chen couldn't help but reconsider his decision. He had to go check it out. Even if he just observed from a distance, he needed to find out what was calling him.

He opened his eyes again and was about to tell Nantian Yijian his plan. However, he noticed Nantian Yijian contorting his face, trying to mimic Lu Chen opening and closing his eyes.

Lu Chen laughed and gave him a playful knock on the head. "Come on, let's go take a look."

Nantian Yijian rubbed his head and followed after him. "Yes, Big Brother!"

Just then, a group of cultivators flew right over their heads.

Watching them soar past, Nantian Yijian asked, "Big Brother, when do you think we'll be able to fly like that?"

"Soon. As long as we keep training, we'll get there one day."

Both of them yearned to one day soar through the sky like that. Aside from using flight-type artifacts powered by spirit stones, the only way to fly was by reaching the Qi Regulation Realm and learning to channel spirit qi outward. At their current level, they could only travel on foot.

It took them two days, but Lu Chen and Nantian Yijian finally arrived at the source of the light.

The secret realm had not yet opened. The surrounding vegetation had been completely cleared, leaving a massive crater in the center, with a pillar of light still radiating from within. Once the light faded, the entrance to the secret realm would appear, and that would be the moment to go in.

For now, all they could do was wait.

Lu Chen looked around. The area was already packed. The major sects had taken the best positions, with banners planted around their territories to keep outsiders away.

Rogue cultivators with no sect backing had to stay on the outer edges. Like Lu Chen and Nantian Yijian, they were hoping to find a chance to sneak in after the major sects made their move.

Lu Chen scanned the area, trying to find a suitable spot for him and Nantian Yijian to wait.

All around him, members of the various sects were busy. Some were refining pills with their furnaces, some were meditating, while others were deep in discussion.

Just then, a voice called out to him. Lu Chen followed the sound and saw a banner with the word "Heaven" on it.

Looking closer, he realized the one calling him was the teenage boy they had saved two days earlier. Lu Chen still clearly remembered the impression Jun Laoye had left on him.

Jun Laoye waved enthusiastically and shouted, "Over here! Don't you remember me? I'm Jun Laoye!"

The people near Lu Chen were just about to get upset at the noise. However, the moment they realized the one shouting was from the Heavenly Mandate Hall, they quickly shut their mouths and put on friendly smiles.

"Young man, go ahead. That esteemed young master is calling you."

Lu Chen couldn't help finding it all a little absurd. Just a moment ago, these people were full of hostility, but now they were all smiles.

But that was how things worked here. The three dominant sects in this region were the Heavenly Mandate Hall, the Herb King Manor, and the Violet Flame Fortress. Rogue cultivators could only bully the weak. The moment they ran into disciples from one of the major sects, they scattered faster than anyone.

Lu Chen glanced at Jun Laoye. He felt this was a good opportunity. Since he had planned to head to the Heavenly Mandate Hall anyway, he might as well go now. If things went well, he might even get the chance to enter the secret realm with them.

Lu Chen grabbed Nantian Yijian and dashed off in the direction he was being called from. "Let's go meet up with Jun Laoye at the Heavenly Mandate Hall's camp."

The surrounding cultivators watched him with envy. As rogue cultivators without the backing of a sect, they had little chance of getting their hands on anything valuable.

Lu Chen and Nantian Yijian entered the tent where Jun Laoye was. The moment they stepped inside, they found it was a world of its own. From the outside, it looked no bigger than four square meters, but once inside, the space expanded hundreds of times over, with rooms serving all kinds of functions.

Jun Laoye led the two of them to the main reception area, where all the members of the sect had gathered.

The place was lively and bustling. Everyone was raising their cups, drinking freely, and exchanging toasts as they waited for the secret realm to open.

Jun Laoye brought Lu Chen and Nantian Yijian to the center of the tent and introduced them to the others.

"These are all inner sect disciples of the Heavenly Mandate Hall, raised and trained from a young age. They're people we can trust with our lives."

Then he turned to the crowd. "These two are my friends. They saved me last time when I was being hunted. From today onward, they are our brothers."

Everyone in the tent stood up in unison and cupped their hands respectfully to Lu Chen and Nantian Yijian. "Greetings, brothers."

From the looks of it, these people held Jun Laoye in high regard.

Lu Chen glanced around the tent. On both the left and right sides, people sat in neat rows, and their movements were perfectly synchronized.

He could tell these weren't ordinary cultivators. Thinking back to how that servant had interrupted Jun Laoye earlier, Lu Chen was now truly curious about Jun Laoye's identity. There was no way he was just a regular person.

Jun Laoye said, "Come on, I'll take you to meet my second uncle. I'm sure he'll like you both."

Once the three walked away, the room returned to its lively atmosphere.

Jun Laoye brought Lu Chen and Nantian Yijian to the main seat and told them about his second uncle.

"That is my second uncle, Jun Wudi. He was an incredibly powerful figure in his youth. Cultivators used to call him Divine Jun. But he was injured during the war and eventually settled down here. Ever since I was a kid, I've always looked up to him and dreamed of becoming someone like him. He's now the Second Elder of the Heavenly Mandate Hall and is mainly in charge of external training missions. I came here this time to join him."

Then, he raised his voice and called out, "Second Uncle!"

The man sitting in the seat of honor, Jun Wudi, looked up and burst into hearty laughter. "Little Jun, it's you! Why aren't you drinking with the others? What are you doing here instead?"

"Second Uncle, this is Lu Chen and Nantian Yijian. They were the ones who saved us the other day when Uncle Zhong and I were being hunted. Since they're here, I wanted you to meet them."

Lu Chen looked up at Jun Wudi. He bore a slight resemblance to Jun Laoye in appearance.

Jun Wudi wore a dark green robe and a wide embroidered belt around his waist. He had a tall, broad-shouldered frame and sharp, black eyes. Despite his imposing presence, there was a trace of kindness in his expression, along with a hint of sorrow. It was a look Lu Chen had once seen on his grandfather's face. He was certain this man was a true hero among men.

Lu Chen bowed politely. "I am Lu Chen. Nice to meet you, Uncle Jun."

Jun Wudi immediately let out a hearty laugh."Uncle Jun, huh? I like the sound of that! Good thing you were there to save Little Jun. Otherwise, I might not have gotten the chance to see him again. Come, have a seat. If there's anything you need, just say the word!"

He pulled the three of them over to sit with him at the same table. "Come on, let's sit and talk!"

Nantian Yijian felt the atmosphere at this table was a little too serious, so he found an excuse to drink two cups of wine. Then he pretended to be drunk and slipped away to join the rowdy crowd. In no time, the atmosphere inside the tent reached its peak, all thanks to him.

Meanwhile, Lu Chen took out the token he had been carrying for a while and asked Jun Wudi, "Uncle Jun, do you recognize this token?"

Jun Wudi took the token and studied it carefully. "I think I've seen it before, but I need to think about it a little. Still, I do recognize the design."

He then took a token out from his own robe. It was exactly the same as the one Jun Laoye had.

Jun Wudi began explaining the function of identity tokens. Every sect or faction had its own token used to verify identity. Firstly, it confirmed whether someone was one of their own. Secondly, it could be used to signal for help when someone's life was in danger. Thirdly, if someone died, it served as proof of who they were.

The seven aristocratic clans each controlled their own territories across the continent. While their tokens shared a similar style, each bore distinct markings on the front. Within their domains, subordinate factions had their own variations based on those markings.

Outside of these clans, neutral sects and factions also used unique identity tokens of their own.

Because of this system, there was an unspoken rule across the continent that in battles between cultivators that no one should ever take another's identity token, no matter the outcome.

1. Nantian Yijian’s name means "One Sword of the Southern Heavens" in English. Fittingly, his ability to control only a single sword at this stage mirrors both the literal meaning of his name and his current level of mastery. ☜