PFC Chapter 58: Bestowing Pills upon Xiao Tiannan, Subduing the Old Sect Master of the Qinglan Sword Sec
Chapter 58: Bestowing Pills upon Xiao Tiannan, Subduing the Old Sect Master of the Qinglan Sword Sec
Behind the stone tablet is a set of stone steps that extend downwards.
The stone steps were narrow, allowing only one person to pass at a time. The stone walls on both sides were inlaid with luminous pearls, which emitted a faint light that barely illuminated the way ahead.
The group descended the stone steps, going deeper and deeper into the area.
The air was filled with a musty smell, mixed with a faint rusty odor.
That's the unique smell of the Sword Tomb.
After climbing about a hundred steps, the view suddenly opened up before me.
This is a huge underground cave, about 100 zhang in diameter and about 10 zhang in height.
The cave walls are covered with densely packed sword incantations and sword diagrams, all left by the ancestors of the Qinglan Sword Sect.
In the center of the cave is a stone platform about ten feet in diameter.
The stone platform is carved from a single piece of green jade, with a smooth, mirror-like surface and a subtle, shimmering sheen.
A person sat cross-legged on the stone platform.
An old man with white hair and beard, and a withered face.
He was wearing a faded blue Taoist robe, covered in dust, which clearly hadn't been touched in a long time.
His eyes were closed, his face was ashen, and his breath was so faint that it was almost imperceptible, as if he might die at any moment.
If it weren't for the extremely faint rise and fall of his chest, he would be almost indistinguishable from a dead person.
"Master!"
Mo Wentian's eyes reddened, and he quickly stepped forward and knelt down in front of the stone platform.
The other elders also knelt down, their expressions filled with grief.
This old man was none other than Xiao Tiannan, the eighth sect master of the Qinglan Sword Sect and a peak expert of the Celestial Phenomenon Realm.
Thirty years ago, he was full of vigor and ambition, his sword dominating the land, and he had one foot in the realm of terrestrial immortals. He was hailed as the person most likely to break through in a hundred years.
Thirty years later, he sat there, his lamp extinguished and oil exhausted, on the verge of death.
Qin Mu walked to the stone platform and quietly observed Xiao Tiannan.
With his perception as a terrestrial immortal, he could clearly see that Xiao Tiannan's true energy was almost exhausted, his meridians were atrophied, and his soul was dim, like a candle flickering in the wind.
He has indeed reached the limit of the Celestial Realm, and even touched the threshold of becoming a terrestrial immortal.
But it was just a little bit short.
That tiny gap, like an insurmountable chasm, kept him outside the door.
Thirty years of seclusion not only failed to help him break through, but also exhausted all his vitality.
If no one helps him, he will die completely in three days at most, his soul scattered.
"His Majesty……"
Mo Wentian raised his head, tears welling in his eyes, his voice choked with emotion:
"Is there any hope for Master?"
He knew the question was ridiculous.
Even the three Supreme Elders were helpless, so what could His Majesty do, even if he possessed extraordinary power?
But for some reason, seeing Qin Mu's calm and composed eyes, a faint hope still welled up in his heart.
Qin Mu did not answer.
He reached out and placed his hand on Xiao Tiannan's head.
The action was so sudden that it made the elders' expressions change, but no one dared to stop it.
Qin Mu closed his eyes, and his divine sense surged into Xiao Tiannan's body like a tidal wave.
He saw Xiao Tiannan's damaged meridians, his depleted dantian, and his dim soul.
I also saw... that barrier that stretched between the celestial phenomena and the terrestrial deities.
That barrier was invisible and intangible, yet it was indestructible.
Xiao Tiannan spent thirty years and made countless attempts, but he could never shake it in the slightest.
Instead, they exhausted themselves to the point of exhaustion.
Qin Mu sighed inwardly.
One cannot become a terrestrial immortal through arduous cultivation alone.
It requires opportunity, insight, and... that spark of inspiration.
What Xiao Tiannan lacked was that spark of inspiration.
He opened his eyes and took out a small white jade bottle from his bosom.
The bottle was warm to the touch, and inside was the "Nine-Turn Golden Elixir" he had obtained from checking in a few days ago.
This pill was bestowed by the system; it is a sacred medicine for healing, capable of curing all poisons, and can even help martial artists below the Celestial Phenomenon Realm break through their bottlenecks.
For Xiao Tiannan, who was at the peak of the Celestial Phenomenon Realm, although it could not directly help him break through to the level of a terrestrial immortal, it was enough to replenish his depleted vitality and repair his damaged meridians.
Qin Mu uncorked the bottle and poured out a pale golden pill.
As soon as the pill was produced, its fragrance filled the air, permeating the entire cave with a refreshing and delightful aroma.
Upon hearing this, Mo Wentian and the others felt their spirits lifted, and even the true energy within their bodies became more active.
"This is……"
Qin Mu did not explain, but put the pill into Xiao Tiannan's mouth and used his true energy to help him dissolve it.
The pill melted upon entering his mouth, transforming into a warm and powerful medicinal force that surged into Xiao Tiannan's limbs and bones.
A miracle happened.
Xiao Tiannan's ashen face visibly regained its color.
The faint breath gradually became steady and long.
The depleted meridians, nourished by the medicinal properties, began to regain their vitality.
Even the dim soul brightened a little.
After an incense stick has burned.
Xiao Tiannan slowly opened his eyes.
What kind of eyes were those?
At first, it was murky and bewildered, like an old man who had been asleep for a long time.
But soon, the turbidity faded, replaced by a brilliance as dazzling as stars.
Within that light lay vicissitudes, wisdom, sword intent, and... a trace of unbelievable shock.
He looked at Qin Mu.
Eyes facing each other.
Xiao Tiannan's pupils suddenly contracted!
With his peak Celestial Phenomenon Realm cultivation, he couldn't see through the young man in front of him at all!
No, it's not that I can't see through it.
Rather... it is unfathomable!
Like gazing at the starry sky, one sees only its vastness, but not its boundaries.
He had only experienced this feeling three hundred years ago with that exceptionally talented patriarch.
But that patriarch had already shattered the void and departed.
Is it...
A thought that made his soul tremble surfaced in his mind.
"Who...who are you?" Xiao Tiannan asked, his voice hoarse and dry, like a broken bellows.
Having not spoken for thirty years, his voice had become somewhat unfamiliar.
Qin Mu smiled slightly:
"I am Qin Mu."
Xiao Tiannan was stunned.
Qin Mu?
Emperor of Qin?
That incompetent emperor who was rumored to be indulging in wine and women and neglecting state affairs?
How is that possible!
With such strength and such magnanimity, how could he possibly be a tyrant?
Although he had been in seclusion, he was not completely unaware of the outside world. He naturally knew about important events such as the ascension of the Qin emperor to the throne.
He also knew a little about the rumors surrounding the Qin emperor.
Xiao Tiannan took a deep breath and struggled to get up and bow.
Qin Mu reached out and pressed down on his shoulder:
"Senior, you've just recovered from serious injuries, there's no need for such formalities."
Xiao Tiannan felt the force coming from his shoulder; it was gentle, yet irresistible.
He sat down again, looking at Qin Mu with a complicated expression:
"Your Majesty... saved this old man?"
"It's nothing," Qin Mu said calmly. "Senior has guarded the northern border for our Great Qin with great merit and hard work, and I should help you in return."
Xiao Tiannan was silent for a moment, then slowly said:
"Your Majesty... have you already reached that realm?"
He didn't say it explicitly, but everyone present knew what "that realm" referred to.
A terrestrial deity!
Qin Mu neither denied nor admitted it, but simply smiled slightly:
"What do you think, senior?"
Xiao Tiannan gave him a deep look, then suddenly laughed loudly.
The laughter was desolate, yet it carried a sense of liberation and ecstasy.
"Hahaha... Hahaha... Heaven has not forsaken my Qinglan Sword Sect! Heaven has not forsaken my Great Qin!"
As he smiled, tears welled up in his eyes.
Thirty years of arduous practice, thirty years of struggle, thirty years of despair.
Now, we finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Although it wasn't him who broke through, witnessing the birth of a terrestrial deity was an incredible opportunity for him.
More importantly, this terrestrial immortal was the emperor of the Qin Dynasty!
What does this mean?
This means that the Great Qin Dynasty will usher in an unprecedented period of prosperity! This means that the Qinglan Sword Sect will gain an unprecedented powerful backer!
Xiao Tiannan took a deep breath, suppressing his excitement, and solemnly said:
"Your Majesty's life-saving grace is something Xiao Tiannan will never forget. From this day forward, the entire Qinglan Sword Sect will follow Your Majesty's lead!"
These words are already a declaration of loyalty.
Qin Mu nodded in satisfaction:
"You flatter me, senior. I have come today for two reasons: first, to heal your injuries, and second, to ask you for a favor."
"Your Majesty, please speak."
"The Sword Sect cannot be without a leader for even a day. I have appointed Jian Lai, an inner disciple, as the new sect leader, but Jian Lai is young and lacks cultivation, so I fear he will have difficulty winning over the masses. I hope that you, senior, can come out of seclusion and, as the former sect leader, support Jian Lai and help him secure his position as sect leader."
Xiao Tiannan was taken aback.
Sword, please?
Inner disciple?
The new sect leader?
Xiao Tiannan glanced at Mo Wentian and the others kneeling under the stone platform, then at Jian Lai, who was standing far away at the cave entrance with a pale face, and he already understood seven or eight parts of the situation.
Your Majesty is... supporting a puppet to control the Sword Sect.
But so what?
Your Majesty is a celestial being on land, the Emperor of Qin, and his savior.
Let alone supporting a puppet sect leader, even if His Majesty wanted to personally assume the position of Sword Sect Leader, he would have no objections.
"Your Majesty, please rest assured."
Xiao Tiannan solemnly said:
"Since Jianlai is the one chosen by His Majesty, he will be the new sect leader of the Qinglan Sword Sect. After I emerge from seclusion, I will give my full support to help him lead the sect and will never let His Majesty down."
Qin Mu smiled.
That's the promise he wanted.
With the support of the old sect leader Xiao Tiannan, Jian Lai's position can finally be considered truly secure.
As for whether the other elders accept it or not...
Whether you like it or not, you have to accept it.
"With your words, Senior, I am relieved."
Qin Mu stood up and patted his robes:
"Senior has just recovered and needs to rest. I will not disturb you any longer."
He turned and walked towards the cave entrance.
After taking two steps, he turned back to look at Xiao Tiannan and said meaningfully:
"Although you haven't broken through to the level of a terrestrial immortal, your foundation has been solidified after this ordeal. Given time, you may well be able to take that step."
Xiao Tiannan trembled, and his eyes flashed with an unprecedented light.
Is His Majesty... giving him instructions?
He quickly bowed:
"Thank you for your guidance, Your Majesty! Xiao Tiannan... will certainly live up to Your Majesty's expectations!"
Qin Mu smiled, said nothing more, and slowly walked away.
The seven elders quickly rose to see them off.
Jianlai followed suit, tumbling and crawling.
Inside the cave, only Xiao Tiannan remained.
He sat cross-legged on the stone platform, feeling the renewed vitality within his body, feeling the lingering medicinal power of the "Nine-Turn Golden Pill," and feeling... that barrier that had stood for thirty years seemed to have loosened slightly.
Although it was only a sliver, it gave him hope.
Land immortals...
He muttered to himself, a fierce fire burning in his eyes.
Then, he closed his eyes and began to regulate his breathing.
This time, he wasn't aiming for a breakthrough, but rather... recovery.
He needs to recover his strength as soon as possible, emerge from seclusion, support Jianlai, and fulfill His Majesty's entrustment.
This is both a blessing and fate.