Chapter 272: Back to the Mortal World with an Immortal Sword’s Protection

The Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley was a place of certain death even for the Dao Fruit Realm’s Sect Master, but for Qin Haoxuan, it was practically his own backyard garden. As long as his spiritual sense was strong enough to withstand its pressure, he could wander freely inside. Therefore, what others considered the most impossible method was, for him, the most feasible one.

Knowing that as long as he went to the valley and found the remaining parts of the Dragon Scale Immortal Sword, he would be able to use this incredibly powerful weapon, the enthusiasm that had just cooled in his heart was rekindled.

His expression fell in the eyes of the Sect Master and Guyun, and it made them sigh with emotion. After all, he was still too young, not understanding how difficult it was to cultivate to the ancestor’s level, nor how hard it was to earn one hundred thousand low third-grade spirit stones. ‘It seems this disciple that Xuanji has chosen is not so great after all. He is completely ignorant of the immensity of heaven and earth. The Nature Hall has no hope.’

“Besides being a weapon, the Dragon Scale Immortal Sword also has its own space. As long as you use two thousand low third-grade spirit stones, you can open it once,” Huanglong continued. “However, the space is very large. The size you open with two thousand stones is different from the size you open with one hundred thousand. The more spirit stones you use, the larger the space will be. This function is much better than an ordinary Qiankun Talisman.”

That the sword had its own space was something not even the five Hall Masters knew. They looked at the Dragon Scale Immortal Sword with astonishment. An ordinary Qiankun Talisman had a very limited capacity, but to hear the Sect Master say that this sword could hold many things, provided one had enough spirit stones… Several of them couldn’t help but look at Qin Haoxuan with envy and jealousy. Even if it couldn’t be used as a real immortal sword, to be able to use it as a Qiankun Talisman was still very good. After all, according to the current market, a Qiankun Talisman with a slightly larger space was a priceless commodity with no supply.

However, no one believed that he had the ability to open its space. The minimum cost was two thousand low third-grade spirit stones. With his net worth, he might not be able to open it even once in his entire lifetime. After all, it was very difficult for a Taichu Sect disciple to earn money.

It was a pity that they had all forgotten that he had just returned from the battlefield.

Hearing that it had its own space and was better than a Qiankun Talisman, Qin Haoxuan was immediately interested. As he killed more and more rogue cultivators, the Qiankun Talisman he had gotten from the Mountain Hermit Yunhe was gradually becoming insufficient. He had just been thinking how good it would be to have more storage space. If other Taichu disciples knew of his thoughts, they would surely be so angry they would jump up and down. Even a dignified Purple Seed disciple like Li Jing did not possess a Qiankun Talisman, yet this weak seed was complaining that its space was too small.

Immediately, Qin Haoxuan took out twenty low second-grade spirit stones and, amidst the snickers of the crowd, opened the space of the Dragon Scale Immortal Sword on the spot.

He looked at the size of the space opened by two thousand low third-grade spirit stones, which was a full hundred times larger than his original Qiankun Talisman’s space. A broad smile spread across his face. “This space is indeed not small.” He then closed it again.

Guyun and the others were so astonished their mouths couldn’t close. ‘Twenty low second-grade spirit stones is two thousand low third-grade ones. Yet he took them out and used them without a second thought, just to see the size of the space…’

Only then did Huanglong and the others remember that this fellow had just returned from the battlefield and, from Elder Yu’s mouth, they knew that he had killed quite a few rogue cultivators, so he should have also earned a lot of spirit stones. Taking out two thousand was nothing. Guyun and the others couldn’t help but recall that when they had just entered the sect, after less than two years, they had been dirt poor. Yet this kid, in less than two years, was already a rich man who could casually take out two thousand low third-grade spirit stones.

‘Comparisons are odious,’ they thought.

Amidst their astonished expressions, Huanglong was the first to react. After introducing its characteristics, he concluded, “Although this Dragon Scale Immortal Sword is fragmented, it is a complete entity in itself. As long as you have the spirit stones to supply it, it can change its size, and it is also incomparably hard. If your strength is sufficient, you can also ride it to fly.”

Hearing his conclusion, Qin Haoxuan was thoughtful. Then, without hesitation, he took out another twenty low second-grade spirit stones to infuse it. He then controlled it to change its size, finally transforming it into the size of a heart-protecting mirror, preparing to sew it onto his chest to protect his heart when he returned. With the Dragon Scale Immortal Sword as a heart-protecting mirror, not even the most powerful artifact could hope to pierce his heart. In future battles, he could have Xing transform into other things.

Four thousand low third-grade spirit stones, gone… The several Hall Masters watched him spend so extravagantly, and one by one, they sighed helplessly. And none of them had expected that he would so vulgarly use the Dragon Scale Immortal Sword, which was worthy of being a sect-guarding treasure, as a heart-protecting mirror. They were all dumbfounded. The Sect Master was even blowing his beard and glaring, but there was nothing anyone could do. The immortal sword belonged to him. Even if he were the Sect Master, he could not restrict a disciple from using his own things.

After being so stimulated by him, the four Hall Masters and the Sect Master had no more interest in watching him show off his wealth. The Sect Master said with a lack of enthusiasm, “Disperse. All of you, go back and prepare. We will depart early tomorrow.”

Who knew that just as he was standing up, Qin Haoxuan, after a bow, would say, “Sect Master, please wait a moment.”

Huanglong shot him a displeased glare, and the other four Hall Masters also looked at him with astonishment, thinking, Why are these two, master and disciple, so lacking in propriety?

Huanglong’s mind raced through several thoughts. Normally, he could completely ignore the call of an ordinary disciple. What a joke, if any ordinary disciple of the Taichu Sect could make the Sect Master stop, wouldn’t that be a great loss of face? However, his situation was different. He had just rendered a great merit. If he didn’t give him a little bit of face, it would be unjustifiable.

He stopped in his tracks, his two bright eyes looking at Qin Haoxuan.

He bowed again, his posture perfect, and then said, “Sect Master, this disciple shamelessly requests another small reward. I hope you will grant it.”

‘Hm?’ Huanglong’s eyes narrowed slightly. Could it be that this fellow also knows that the Dragon Scale Immortal Sword is for looking at and not for using, and so he’s making a request of me?

The four Hall Masters, including Elder Quan, also felt that he had gone too far. ‘Even if the Sect Master has rewarded you with a sword that can be looked at but not used, it is, after all, a sect-guarding treasure of the Taichu Sect. Whether you can use it or not is your own problem. The Sect Master has already done enough to save face. Even your master, Xuanji, has nothing to say. You, an ordinary disciple, still want to object?’

Seeing the displeasure on the Sect Master’s face, Qin Haoxuan quickly said, “This disciple does not ask for a material reward, but only to be able to stay in the sect for a period of time to take care of my Master.”

“Oh!” The Sect Master’s narrowed eyes gradually opened, and he looked at him with surprise. He had not expected him to make such a request. It seemed this kid still had some filial piety.

He said, “This request is reasonable. However, this seat believes that you should return to the mortal world trial as soon as possible. ‘Entering the Mortal World’ is a step that every cultivator must complete. If you lack the experience of this stage, it will not be good for you in the future.”

On account of the merit he had rendered, and since the request was not excessive, he gave some kind advice.

At the side, Xuanji was moved to tears. Hearing the Sect Master’s advice, he also felt it was very reasonable and had originally wanted to dissuade him as well.

But Qin Haoxuan bowed again and said with a firm tone, “I still ask the Sect Master to grant my request.”

Since he was so insistent, Huanglong couldn’t be bothered to waste any more words on him. He waved his hand. “Then after you have gone with Elder Yu, Hall Master Su, and Hall Master Bizhu tomorrow, you may return to the sect and stay for one month. This seat gives you special permission to ‘Enter the Mortal World’ again after a month.”

“Yes! Thank you, Sect Master, for your grace.”

Amidst his repeated thanks, Huanglong and the four Hall Masters all left the Taichou Grand Hall. Before Elder Quan left, he gave Qin Haoxuan a deep, meaningful look. Being stared at by this elder of the Elder’s Council, he felt as if a thousand elephants had trampled over him; he couldn’t even catch his breath.

After everyone had dispersed, Xuanji finally had a chance to speak with him alone.

“Haoxuan, ‘Entering the Mortal World’ is very beneficial for your cultivation. Why do you insist on staying in the sect?” he sighed softly. “Your master is not yet so old as to need someone to take care of him. You should go.”

Qin Haoxuan smiled faintly. Of course, he would not tell his master that he wanted to stay in the sect for a month to get some Spirit Liquid and refine some medicinal powder to extend his life.

Seeing that he was unwilling to answer, Xuanji did not ask any more. He shook his head with a wry smile and sighed. “You have rendered such a great merit, yet the Sect Master only rewarded you with a Dragon Scale Immortal Sword that is for looking at and not for using. He is truly cunning…”

His master was dissatisfied with the decision, but Qin Haoxuan, touching the treasure that had now become a heart-protecting mirror on his chest, was very satisfied. The Dragon Scale Immortal Sword was a good thing. Although for others it was unusable, for him, who could freely enter and exit the Immortal-Slaying Poison Valley, what kind of problem was that? As long as the other fragments were really in the valley, restoring it to its complete form was only a matter of time.

Moreover, the fact that there were other fragments in the valley also made him very excited. In the period before “Entering the Mortal World,” he had mostly come up empty-handed in the valley. At that time, he had thought there might be nothing else there. Now that he knew the other fragments were there, he immediately felt that life was full of hope. A thing that could be a sect-guarding treasure in the Taichu Sect, and there were still parts of it scattered in some corner of the valley. It seemed that as long as he worked hard to dig, the good things in there would surely not be few.