Translator: Subudai11 Editor: Chrissy

  The return of the Seventh Elder didn’t seem to cause a wave within the sect.

  For most of the Spirit Sword Sect disciples, Elders wandering the outside world was as old as the sect itself. As an ancient sect, the Spirit Sword Sect has always been advocating the “ten thousand miles journey to gain experience outside”. Not only did they encourage the disciples to do experiential learning, even the Elders were similarly asked to do the same; as long as there were opportunities, they might as well wander outside.

  As long as they were not employed in the daily management of the sect, they would try to make the time to go out. Conversely, those who could not would feel uncomfortable. As for the Seventh Elder, he didn’t make much of an impact for the disciples’ daily cultivation.

  In fact, for the common disciples, they could barely catch a glimpse of this Seventh Elder. He has no Successor Disciple and very rarely went teaching at the Teng Cloud Hall. Almost half of the time he had was spent on wandering, and the other half was spent on taking care of the spirit beasts and attending to the various species of spirit grass and precious plants at the Clear Sky Peak. On a rare occasion he appeared in other people’s line of sight, they would see him in a hooded robe, which tightly hid his face… Even some disciples who entered the sect for around thirty years had never seen his true face.

  The consensus among the disciples was: “Among the ten Elders, the Seventh Elder and the Tenth Elder were the most mysterious.”


  Amongst two mysterious Elders, the Tenth Elder, reportedly because of a big painful event when he was young, permanently lived in seclusion at the Concealed Sword Peak; even the Sect Leader rarely had the opportunity to meet him. As for the Seventh Elder—the owner of the Clear Sky Peak—his true face has always been hidden under the hood, seemingly mysterious and inscrutable. Thus, there were many speculations about him, like his natural character was cold and unsociable, or that his face was disfigured when he was young, and so on. Except for a few people, no one else knew of his Kunlun Westerner identity.

  However, those who had a real contact with the Seventh Elder have discovered that this foreign Elder was very warm and cheerful, even to the point of naivety. However, his best characters were undoubtedly his generosity and kindness. Someone would truly be blessed if considered a friend by him.

  Today, that someone who enjoyed this blessing was Wang Lu of the Non-Phase Peak.

  Since Elder Guanhai returned to the mountain, he would visit the Non-Phase Peak everyday. His purpose was very clear—to see whether his Senior Sister was back so that he could give her a big surprise, a warm hug, and of course, a bunch of welcome gifts.

  His sincerity was praiseworthy, but alas, his dedication and persistence in the daily visit made him look like he was a debt collector trying to collect the debt in a certain someone’s eyes. Wang Lu couldn’t stand this “harassment” anymore—every time he visited, this Black Martial Uncle would always come very early, knocking on the door before the rooster crow in the morning, very punctual, which forced Wang Lu to routinely wake up early every day.

  He had meant to give himself a long vacation, and everyday, he would oversleep into the sunset!

  At the moment,, there was nothing else he could do regarding his cultivation. After breaking through the eighth layer of the Non-Phase Sword Bone, he has yet to possess the method for the ninth layer of the Non-Phase Sword Bone. Therefore, all he could do was the daily meditation to absorb the surrounding spiritual energy using the Inner Mansion, and accumulating the golden liquid through the Sword Bone’s filtration.

  As for his martial arts, the Lady Boss didn’t have one that was suitable for him except for the Winding Step and the Soft Cloud Sword, which were the best selection while he was still in the transitional period… It was not that he could not learn other martial arts, but if by any chance Wang Wu came back and taught him a comprehensive Non-Phase Sword Art, then those martial arts would soon be covered by it; all that he learned would be a waste by then.

  As for experiential learning, it would be meaningless. After their previous experiential learning result have been certified by the Heavenly Sword Hall, gaining close to three thousand challenge points, he had almost squeezed dry all the challenge points from the Small Clear Sky Peak. As for the elixirs at the Azure Dragon Gorge…


  The last time they went there, Little Ling Er and Wen Bao were actually able to pick the Red Refined Fruit and brought it back to the Non-Phase Peak to him. However, it just so happened that they came across the visiting Ao Guanhai!

  Properly speaking, taking Little Ling’Er to the Clear Sky Peak with him was a clear violation of the sect regulations—especially on the part where he cheated a sect official to get the permit document.

  Therefore, they didn’t have the moral high ground to claim the Red Refined Fruit as their own. However, when the victim of the theft, Ao Guanhai himself, saw the fruit, he just nonchalantly laughed. After which, without saying anything, started to assemble the pill making furnace, as well as the supplementary materials, and then refined a box of third rate spirit pill and gave it to Wang Lu; his generousness sent Wang Lu into a mess.

  Having received such a kindness from the opposite party, how could Wang Lu have the heart to plunder Ao Guanhai’s Clear Sky Peak again? Would he not feel ashamed of himself!?

  Wang Lu tried to ask himself. Even if his conscience had been polluted by his Master’s harmful influence these past two years… He still couldn’t do it.

  Therefore, without cultivation method that he could practice and without a place to do experiential learning, besides continuing being a top student at the Teng Cloud Hall, he could only patiently wait for his Master to come back. In this regard, Wang Lu himself was helpless and could only ruefully look at his Uncle Guanhai.

  “Little Wang Lu, although you have amazing talent and exceptional perception, but in the Immortal Cultivation World, you need to have a large perseverance for you to accomplish anything; how could you do nothing these last few days?”


  Wang Lu shifted his gaze from the popular fiction book that was imported through the Spirit Creek Town that he was reading and very suspiciously looked at the Black Uncle who was cooking something in the kitchen; he inwardly said, “Losing my precious morning to accompany you in waiting for my Master, wouldn’t that be a manifestation of a big perseverance?”


  After a while, he saw that his Uncle Guanhai had carried out four dishes and a soup on the table. Wang Lu then looked at the three pair of chopsticks; one pair was for himself, another one was for Wang Lu, and the other… was left for his Fifth Senior Sister. Moreover, as per Wang Lu’s request, next to the bowl and pair of chopsticks was a black and white portrait; meaning that the Fifth Martial Sister was with them.

  While eating lunch, Junior Martial Uncle Guanhai affectionately said in earnest, “Little Wang Lu, recently, did you encounter any difficulty in cultivation?”


  “Yes.” Wang Lu put down the chopsticks and very seriously said, “My Master is too stupid, I want to exchange Master.”


  Even someone as optimistic and cheerful as Black Uncle could not help but choke from this sentence; he rolled his eyes. “… In addition to that?”


  “Except this, I don’t think I have another difficulty…”


  After a while, Uncle Guanhai heaved a long sigh. “I can’t believed at such a young age, with a cultivation level only at the Body Refining Stage, you were able to withstand the direct lightning strike from the Little Thunder. Senior Sister has truly wonderfully updated her Non-Phase Sword Bone; right now, the eighth layer was as good as the fifteenth layer in the past… Little Wang Lu, what you cultivate was actually a Foundation Establishment Stage’s Body Refining Method, moreover, it is a top level Foundation Establishment Stage’s Body Refining Method!”


  Wang Lu blinked his eyes as if trying to show some kind of a grateful look, but soon he eventually gave up. “Top level method? If I can’t feel my lower part, I’d turn into a eunuch. What’s so commendable about that?”


  Upon hearing that, Black Uncle frowned. “Indeed, we don’t know when Senior Sister will come back. And your cultivation progress is faster than what she expected, which is good, but we can’t let this be delayed… How about this, if you don’t mind, I can help you look.”


  Wang Lu became suspicious. “Look? Look at what?”


  Black Uncle very innocently blinked his eyes. “Of course to go inside you and look what’s there.”


  “What the! To go inside me? Oh, Black Uncle, you actually haven’t changed your nature! In your dreams! Oh, wrong! Even in your dreams, you can’t dream about me; just dream about my Master; she has big breasts, and you two are a match made in heaven!”


  Guanhai innocently said, “Why do I feel like you’re thinking some inappropriate things… I just want to use the Internal Inspection Method to observe your Qi Gathering situation. Of course, if you don’t want me to do it, then just forget it.”


  “Just the Internal Inspection Method…” Wang Lu warily nodded as if he was making a tough life decision.

  “Then please observe, Uncle.”


  As a Peak Yuanying Stage Elder, Ao Guanhai easily cast the skill, and his awareness immediately entered Wang Lu’s Inner Mansion; when he saw the more than two hundred dazzling Sword Bones; his brows slightly furrowed.

  “What a pure Sword Bone Method; a worthy cultivation method of a genius like Senior Sister… Em, there’s a Non-Phase Emperor Bone in the sky? Senior Sister’s whimsical idea in those years have finally been put into practice. That being the case, I think I can guess what should be the next step after this.”


  Wang Lu asked, “To use the golden liquid to transform the Inner Mansion?”


  “Ah, you guess wrong. Transforming the Inner Mansion is the step after this next step. As for now…” Uncle Guanhai said with a smile, “Your task is to practice the real Non-Phase Sword Bone.”


  The real Non-Phase Sword Bone? Did he just imply that the method that Wang Lu practiced was fake?

  “No, it’s not that it’s fake, however, Little Wang Lu, I just want to ask you a simple question. In your view, what should be the characteristics of a sword?”


  Wang Lu said, “Sharp, though, pure… probably these?”


  “Correct, then do the more than two hundred Sword Bones in your body have these characteristics?”


  Wang Lu was taken aback. If he objectively assessed his Sword Bones… Indeed, the more than two hundred Jade Pillars stood upright and even pierced the sky; it stood to reason that they were sharp, but because they have already fused with the external boundary, they have lost their sharpness. As for the smooth and cylinder-like pillars, there was nothing sharp about them. Regarding toughness… It should be balanced between hardness and softness. The hardness of this Non-Phase Sword Bone need not be mentioned, but its softness was dubious—would flexible pillars good as a choice for house pillars?

  As for the pure characteristic, this dazzling Jade Pillars seemed pure, but how could a pure thing tolerate the invasion of foreign objects? As of this moment, as the connector channel between the surrounding spiritual energy and the Inner Mansion, it clearly has a hollow structure…


  “In that case…”


  Uncle Guanhai said, “What you practiced was the prequel to the Non-Phase Sword Bone: the Sword Sheath.”


  What the hell! What’s with this Sword Sheath!?

  “The real Non-Phase Sword Bone, though would still be primarily based on defense, would have all the characteristics of a sword, which was sharp, though, and pure… unlike what you have right now. As long as you practice a part of the Sword Bones, your Body Refining Stage would be greatly improved. Of course, practicing each part of the Sword Bone would be quite difficult. This process would likely continue until you reach the Xudan Stage. There is absolutely no way you could completely practice the more than two hundred Sword Bones while you are still in the Qi Cultivating Stage; there is no such shortcut.”


  Upon listening to Uncle Black’s incessant remarks, Wang Lu could not help but ask, “Martial Uncle, are you sure?”


  Martial Uncle Guanhai thought for a moment. “Em, although your Master and I haven’t exchanged our experienced in several years, but I understand the Sword Bone Method’s general idea, at least in the general direction I am sure I am not wrong. Therefore, I can guess the next cultivation method of this Sword Bone… How about this, wait for me for two days, I’m going to prepare your medicinal supplement, so that when you practice, you would have twice the result with half the effort.”


  As soon as he finished talking, he really left. Moreover, for the whole two days, he never once visited Wang Lu to disturb his sleep. Until the third morning, this foreigner Uncle, whose eyes were clearly red because of exhaustion, cheerfully knocked on the door.

  “Little Wang Lu, I’ve refined your medicine!”


  Wang Lu, who had just fallen asleep after reading a novel for the whole night, was stunned and immediately jumped up. However, when he opened the door and saw the elixir in his Martial Uncle’s hands, whatever grievances that he harbored immediately vanished.

  There was a smooth, round, and clear pill quietly lying on his Martial Uncle’s palm just like an amber. However, it also contained the rushing wave of medicinal power, which was sharp as a sword when it assaulted his face; all of these could be sensed by Wang Lu because of his Void Spirit Root.

  Even though he didn’t have any achievement in pill making art, Wang Lu could tell that this pill was even more valuable than the Harmony Cloud Pill that his Martial Uncle previously gave him; this was a true panacea!

  “Martial Uncle, this… is this the drug required for my next cultivation?”


  Guanhai nodded. “That’s right. This is the Non-Phase Sword Pill jointly developed by your Master and I sixty years ago. It’s specially made for the Sword Bone. In the past, whenever she wanted to refine a section of her Sword Bone, she needed the help from one Sword Pill; those days were really tough on her… Today, this pill is already in its twenty-third edition, so the efficacy has been greatly improved. One pill should be able to support you to refine five sections of Sword Bone, until… you reached the Foundation Establishment Stage. Unfortunately, I don’t have enough materials, otherwise, I could refine several more pills for you, which could smoothly help you cultivate until you reach the Xudan Stage.”


  Wang Lu was completely baffled upon seeing Guanhai sighing in regret. This was a first rate spirit pill! “Martial Uncle, you felt guilty for not having enough materials to build more of this!? This is the mentality of a whale player!”


  Three days later, with the help of Martial Uncle Guanhai, Wang Lu began to cultivate the real Non-Phase Sword Bone.

  At the initial stage, it was not difficult to cultivate the Non-Phase Sword Bone. The difficult thing was the peerless ideas and fantastic creativity of the Fifth Elder. Right now, with the big picture provided by Au Guanhai, Wang Lu just needed to follow the prescribed order of cultivation step by step, and everything else would fall into place.

  According to Martial Uncle Guanhai’s view, from the two hundred and six Sword Bones, Wang Lu could freely choose whichever Sword Bone section he would like to refine first. Of course, consequently, what he chose would determine his development’s direction for a long time into the future. For example, if he chose his skull, then it would strengthen his spell casting ability. If he picked his arm’s bone, then his sword art would naturally advance first…


  After thinking about it, Wang Lu finally made a decision.

  He wanted to practice his finger bones first; the flexibility of the finger was one of the key differences between human and animal, moreover, the so-called sword arts would have subtle changes coming from the practitioner’s wrist and fingers.

  Therefore, under the guidance of Black Martial Uncle, Wang Lu began to practice the Non-Phase Sword Bone of his middle finger.

  Like what his Martial Uncle said, practicing the Non-Phase Sword Bone of his middle finger indeed has quite a comprehensive impact. Not only did the middle finger have countless of wondrous use, the two hundred and six Sword Sheathes within the Inner Mansion were also promoted to a higher level because of the birth of the first Sword Bone.

  The specific theory behind this was unclear to Ao Guanhai, but Wang Lu was able to guess one or two of them: It was very simple; once one understood the balance between Yin and Yang, one would understand the relationship between the Sword Bone and the Sword Sheath. In the past, the Sword Sheathes in the Inner Mansion were like a group of scorned women. Right now, even though only one of them have been picked, the rest of the Sword Sheathes would get moist, and naturally, their efficacy would increase.

  To celebrate this qualitative breakthrough, Wang Lu went to the kitchen to personally cook some dishes, such as tomato scrambled eggs, fried eggs tomato, and several other fried tomatoes and scrambled eggs, which he enthusiastically served for his Martial Uncle Guanhai.

  Luckily, Martial Uncle Guanhai had taken the initiative to bring a roasted chicken and a bottle of wine, thus the dinner was saved from being an embarrassment. In his words, “Because each time Senior Sister invited me to dinner in the past, she would always serve shallot mixed tofu, tofu mixed shallot, shallot mixed onion and tofu mixed tofu.”


  Looking at the various combination of red and yellow on the table, he inwardly said he was at least more conscientious than his master.

  Martial Uncle and Nephew, two people drank wine and ate the food on the table. The wine that was brought by Elder Guanhai was actually a fine wine fermented from the Grass Jelly Immortal Fruit, which has astonishing alcohol content. Moreover, he didn’t try to suppress the alcohol effect with his cultivation, thus, before long, he and Wang Lu have been helplessly intoxicated.

  Of course, both were not really drunk; because of his cultivation, Elder Guanhai has a powerful primordial spirit. As for Wang Lu, he has never really put his guard down whenever he was with this Martial Uncle Black; how could he dare to let himself be drunk?

  Even so, their table discussion gradually turned into the topic about sex.

  “Pardon my faux pas, Seventh Martial Uncle, it’s just that… In recent days, you’re really good to me, passing the cultivation method and even concocting an elixir for me, your Martial Nephew could not help but feel terrified!”


  Martial Uncle Guanhai laughed. “Senior Sister’s disciple is my disciple; not to mention in her letter, Senior Sister urged me to take good care of you, how could I dare not be diligent? Hahaha!”


  “Oh, those are just careless words from Master, Martial Uncle doesn’t need to take it seriously.”


  However, Guanhai turned even more serious instead. He tilted his head back as if he was reminiscing the vicissitudes of more than a hundred years of cultivation.

  “Martial Sister is someone that I owe a big debt of gratitude! Without Senior Sister, there would be no Ao Guanhai today… Speaking of which, Senior Sister gave me my name.” At this time, Martial Uncle Guanhai suddenly laughed goofily. “To be honest with you, when I was first sold as a slave in the Nine Regions from the Western Continent, it was the Spirit Sword’s Patriarch who saved me and gave me freedom. However, it was a few words from Fifth Senior Sister that gave me the chance to embark on the road of Immortal Cultivation; she let me discard my previous name of Ababa, and she gave me name Ao Guanhai… One hundred years later, all the people that were liberated along with me were already dead, leaving only me in my Yuanying Stage. All of this was because of Senior Sister, therefore, how could I dare not comply with her urging?”


  After he spoke, a flash of pure and sincere light suddenly appeared on Guanhai’s swarthy countenance.

  This suddenly sobered Wang Lu a little bit; he inwardly exclaimed, “Adulterous couple! This face absolutely reeks of someone who has been doing adultery!”


  Based on his Master’s character, how could she help others embark on the path of Immortal Cultivation and bestowing a new life? Tramplings other people’s lives and talents were her sole job, weren't it!?

  Because of this confusion, Wang Lu bluntly said, “Martial Uncle, if you exclude your personal feelings and other factors, objectively… what kind of person is she?”


  “What kind of person is Fifth Senior Sister? Of course, she is a good person! You are her disciple, you should know about this.”


  “… I think we’re not discussing the same person here, don’t you think?”


  Wang Lu actually has a simple explanation for this: Wang Wu actually has a twin sister named Wang Lu [1], whose personality was gentle and considerate, graceful and generous, a genuinely good person.

  Upon hearing this incredible idea, Ao Guanhai froze for a long time, and then he patted Wang Lu’s shoulder as he deeply sighed with emotion.

  “There are things and people that you have to be in contact with for a long time before you could see the real them. Fifth Martial Sister may look unconventional, but her nature is not bad.”


  Wang Lu naturally didn’t believe it and just laughed.

  This Black Martial Uncle was a kind person, and a kind person would only see kindness in other people; this was not unusual. However, by a normal person’s standard of judgment, it was impossible to understand this.

  However, Ao Guanhai didn’t mind Wang Lu’s misunderstanding. “One day, you will understand.”


  Yes, one day he would understand…


  [1] Different Lu character than the MC’s name.