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Moreover, in Qin Yi's view, the signal behind Xu Zhangqing appointing him as the Laws and Morals Elder was far more meaningful.
Unlike the previous Elder title he received, merely an honorary position without any real authority, the Laws and Morals Elder oversaw the conduct and behavior of all disciples of Mount Shu. It was like the dean of discipline in an Earth school, supervising every word and action of the sect's disciples. Even Elders and the Sect Lord could be spoken to or corrected by this position.
This was a post with genuine authority, one that even carried the qualification to challenge the Sect Lord's position.
"Could it be that Xu Zhangqing, seeing how quickly I'm growing in strength, intends to make me a candidate for the next Sect Lord?"
Qin Yi's eyes flickered thoughtfully.
He knew a fair amount about the Legend of Sword and Fairy series. Although not every detail was clear, the current point in the storyline was precisely when the Wenqing Side Story of Sword and Fairy 3 was beginning.
The Inner Mount Shu was about to have problems, the Mount Shu Immortal Land would collapse, and characters like Nangong Huang, Leiyuan Ge, and Wen Hui would emerge. And the issue of the Immortal Land was ultimately resolved by these protagonists. Though Mount Shu seemed restless and troubled right now, the problem would eventually be solved.
And in the end, the solution involved Xu Zhangqing stepping down and retiring, while the next Mount Shu Sect Lord, Chang Hao, ascended.
Of course, at this moment Xu Zhangqing still didn't understand the cause and root of the Immortal Land's collapse. He would remain in his position for a while longer.
"I must seize the time. This Sect Lord is righteous, benevolent, and gentle with others, but the next one may not be."
He turned and walked toward his flower garden. After contemplating all day, he had gained some insight into the Sword Controlling Technique. With a bit more consolidation, he would soon master it.
But when he arrived, he found two people already in the courtyard.
"Dugu Yuyun, Situ Zhong, what are you two doing here?"
Qin Yi asked sternly.
"Senior Martial Uncle, I got too drunk last time and ended up messing up your flower garden. I came to help fix it, hehe."
Situ Zhong replied with a cheeky grin.
"The Sect Lord ordered me to attend upon Elder for a period of time," Dugu Yuyun said more seriously.
Qin Yi nodded, ignoring the two as he sat down and continued his comprehension.
The night passed quickly. The two behaved quite casually, when tired, they simply lay on the grass and slept, never leaving the courtyard.
At dawn the next morning, accompanied by a sharp sword cry, the Azure Edge Sword between Qin Yi's knees burst forth with a streak of blue light, shooting straight into the sky.
At that moment, Qin Yi opened his eyes, a smile tugging at his lips.
"It's finally done!"
After a night of cultivation, he had fully grasped the key points of the Sword Controlling Technique, the flow of qi, the method of divine control. Now that the sword soared into the clouds, it signified successful mastery.
The sharp cry of the sword awakened Situ Zhong and Dugu Yuyun as well.
"Senior Martial Uncle is amazing, he mastered the Sword Controlling Technique in just one night!"
Situ Zhong exclaimed with envy.
He was considered a talented person within Mount Shu, but compared to this Senior Martial Uncle who had reached the fifth realm in such a short time and now mastered Sword Controlling in a single night, he was nothing more than a flickering firefly.
"At this speed, if Senior Martial Uncle trains for just one year, he might accomplish what takes others ten or even twenty years."
Dugu Yuyun thought silently.
"Situ Zhong, are you still drinking these days?"
Having completed the technique, Qin Yi was in high spirits. He pointed toward the sky.
The Azure Edge Sword instantly shot downward, precisely landing into its scabbard and returning on its own.
"Just… the occasional sip," Situ Zhong answered awkwardly.
"Hmph. Stubborn fool. You'll suffer for it sooner or later."
Qin Yi snorted coldly and paid him no further attention.
Situ Zhong only laughed, but in his heart he clearly understood that this Senior Martial Uncle had already forgiven him for what happened last time.
"Dugu Yuyun, Senior Martial Uncle has some questions to ask you."
Qin Yi turned his head, and his expression instantly changed. His face carried a gentle smile, his attitude unexpectedly warm and friendly.
"Senior Martial Uncle, there's no need to be so polite."
Dugu Yuyun was stunned. He felt that this Senior Martial Uncle's personality was truly unfathomable.
Just a moment ago he had an imposing, unapproachable air, yet now, the feeling he gave off was… flatteringly friendly??
Soon, the two sat cross-legged under the large tree in the courtyard, facing each other. Qin Yi asked, Dugu Yuyun answered, and the two discussed the difficult problems on the path of cultivation.
Although Dugu Yuyun belonged to the younger "Ning" generation, his talent was extraordinary. His cultivation progress was astonishing, advancing a thousand miles in a single day. He was the type of figure regarded as a future pillar. Because of this, Xu Zhangqing valued him greatly, keeping him close at all times for personal guidance.
Though the eighth realm sounded only three realms higher than Qin Yi's, the gap between them was enormous, an ordinary genius might take ten or even twenty years to bridge such a distance. Their difference in strength was worlds apart.
This was why Qin Yi could not see through this junior's cultivation at all.
One had to know that Dugu Yuyun's current strength was already enough to qualify him as an Elder-level figure of Mount Shu.
In the days that followed, the two continued to discuss the Dao. Wisdom sparks continuously clashed and blossomed in Qin Yi's mind, and his understanding of the path deepened rapidly.
King's Life Source Talent granted him talent far surpassing the average person in matters of cultivation.
A month later, Qin Yi opened his eyes, and brilliant light flashed within them. The light was clear and penetrating, as though he could see through all things in the world and resolve countless confusions.
"The Sixth Realm , Contacting the Dao!"
In a daze, Qin Yi felt as if he could touch the massive, illusory chains before him. Beneath these chains of nothingness, he felt as insignificant as an ant.
But in the blink of an eye, the chains grew tiny like ants on the ground, unclear, intangible, profoundly mysterious.
Sensing the vastness of Comprehending the Dao, sensing the minuteness of the Dao, and being able to touch it,
This was the realm of Contacting the Dao!
The process of Cultivation's Way was one of growth and self-purification, gradually perfecting oneself.
The more complete one's inner world became, the more perfect, refined, and stable one's Dao would be.
At this moment, Qin Yi's realm finally matched his Qi Refining cultivation. A vast and powerful aura rippled from his body, suppressing the surrounding space.
"Congratulations, Senior Martial Uncle, for reaching the sixth realm, Contacting the Dao."
Dugu Yuyun said with a smile.
"Senior Martial Uncle is truly amazing. The sixth realm usually takes an ordinary person more than ten years to reach."
Situ Zhong added with envy.
He himself was currently at Contacting the Dao, and naturally understood the hardship and effort involved.
But this Senior Martial Uncle just sat in the garden for a few months and achieved it, really, comparing oneself to others could drive one mad.
"Your Senior Martial Uncle has stayed in this flower garden for fifty years. Contacting the Dao is not my goal."
Qin Yi shook his head with a smile.
The two were stunned upon hearing this, and their expressions grew solemn. Suddenly, they felt that tending flowers in this garden might have been this Senior Martial Uncle's deliberate act, done for the sake of one day Comprehending the Dao and ascending as an immortal.
"To hear the Dao in the morning, one could die content by the evening!"
Compared to truly Reaching the Dao, spending fifty years tending flowers was nothing at all.
The two sucked in a cold breath. Their respect for Qin Yi deepened, reaching the point of worship.
If this were true, then this Senior Martial Uncle before them possessed incredible willpower and determination!
Just then, Dugu Yuyun suddenly froze, then said to Qin Yi:
"Senior Martial Uncle, someone from the imperial court has arrived. The Sect Lord has ordered me to receive them."
Qin Yi's eyes flickered, and he said with a cheerful smile:
"I'll go with you."
(End of this chapter)