The outcome of this consultation was as expected, Master Sanfeng lived up to his name as the supreme grandmaster of the Martial Arts path.
However, for Pei Xuanjing, he gained much insight.
When the two dueled, Master Sanfeng was actually guiding him. The cycle of life and death in the
Shenxiao Heavenly Dao that Pei Xuanjing cultivated shared similarities with Master Sanfeng's Yin and Yang Harmony Path, giving him profound insight.
"Thank you for your guidance, Master," said Pei Xuanjing, returning his sword to its scabbard under the astonished gaze of the crowd.
He walked towards Grandmaster Zhang Zhizhan, holding his sword with great resoect. and said. "Thank you for lending me your sword, Master."
Zhang Zhizhan smiled as he accepted the Three-Five Evil Slaying Sword back and replied lightly, "My Taoist Friend, you are too kind."
He no longer had the previous attitude of looking down at the younger generation and considered Pei Xuanjing as an equal.
Just as Pei Xuanjing was about to say something else, the ground beneath them radiated a misty aura, which enveloped him.
When Pei Xuanjing opened his eyes again, he found himself back outside the initial valley, holding an extra Page of the Netherworld's Book in his hand.
Even though Pei Xuanjing passed the test and obtained the page from the Netherworld's Book, he did not seem too thrilled.
"What a pity…" He said with a hint of regret in his eyes.
He had initially planned to cross swords with Grandmasters like Zhang Zhizhan after switching to the Three-Five Evil-slaying Sword.
He also wished to have further exchanges with Master Sanfeng to understand more about the future realm of cultivation and gain some experiences.
However, he hadn't expected that the illusion would end so abruptly.
Simultaneously, a notification appeared in his mind:
[Acquired a peculiar object – Page of the Netherworld's Book, Refine to gain 100000 Taoyun points]
"Brother Pei."
The voice of Li Yuzhen rang out from the distance.
"Lady Li."
Pei Xuanjing turned around and greeted her with a smile.
Li Yuzhen stood with a group of people at a distance. Based on their slight acquaintance, she could barely address him as Brother Pei.
However, the people behind her looked somewhat embarrassed.
Logically speaking, they were all peers and it was appropriate for them to call him Brother Pei.
If they hadn't known about Pei Xuanjing's real identity, they might have been able to call him that. But now that they Imew, it felt inappropriate.
Considering Pei Xuanjing's strength and status in the martial world, he was on par with their elders at home and the leaders of the various major forces.
Moreover, they were clearly conscious that the corpses of Yinshe and others were still lying there, displaying Pei Xuanjing's formidable power, making it difficult for them to address him casually.
So, they found it awkward to address him as Brother Pei and after some deliberation, they finally came up with a decent form of address.
"Greetings Grandmaster Pei!"
"Greetings to all." Pei Xuanjing nodded without hinting any knowledge of their embarrassment.
"Brother Pei, what did you gain this time?" Li Yuzhen asked softly.
After discussing with her group, they found out that they each gained a form of Martial Studies, which made their trip worthwhile just as their elders had predicted.
However, judging by the slightly regretful look on Pei Xuanjing's face earlier, Li Yuzhen couldn't help but ask about it.
Of course, in her viewpoint, having gained a superior form of Martial Studies was a considerable gain for them, but for a top-notch martial artist like Pei Xuanjing, it might seem insignificant.
Pei Xuanjing casually replied with a smile, "Well, I did get something."
After a moment of thought, he pointed at the sword around Li Yuzhen•s waist and said, "Lady Li, may I borrow your sword?"
Li Yuzhen raised her eyebrows in surprise, unsure of his intentions. She didn't think that someone of his stature would be interested in her sword.
"Alright!" She didn't refuse, took off the sword and handed it to him.
Pei Xuanjing took the sword, pulled it out of the sheath with a clang, and as expected, Li Yuzhen•s sword was a Thousand-Refined Divine Weapon.
He focused his martial intent, flicked a finger, and a path of sword intent followed, then returned the sword to its sheath and handed it back.
"This sword intent represents some of my comprehension, and I would like to present it to Lady Li," Pei Xuanjing said with a smile.
When they first met in the blessed land, Li Yuzhen did give him some advice, so he owed her a favor. This sword intent was his return gift, also an opportunity to settle this matter.
And that sword intent could, at a crucial moment, exude the power of one of Pei Xuanjing's swords, aiding her once.
Li Yuzhen was taken aback, immediately grasped Pei Xuanjing's intentions, and after feeling the divine sword, her eyes flashed differently. "Thank you, Brother Pei," she said.
She didn't expect that her impromptu action that day would bring such a return.
Pei Xuanjing didn't intend to stay here long either. He bid farewell with a smile, "I will leave now, and we will meet again someday."
With the last of his words resonating in the air, He took large strides towards the outside of the valley, with no hesitation in his steps.
Looking at his fading figure, Li yuzhen gazed in silence, her eyes flasing with complex emotions…
Leaving the valley, Pei Xuanjing returned to Shenxiao Mountain, cleared all distractions, and went into closed-door cultivation again, further comprehending Martial Arts and refining accumulated Taoyun.
This trip down the mountain was very beneficial to him.
As time flew by, while Pei Xuanjing was in seclusion on Shenxiao Mountain, his fame gradually faded in the martial world.
After all, there are always new talents emerging in the martial world, each causing considerable commotion over several years.
Over these two years, Pang Hong experienced the trials and tribulations of the martial world and grew significantly..
Though he was somewhat clever previously, after all, Pei Xuanjing had shielded him from many storms, and he hadn't undergone true hardships.
This time, while adventuring in the martial world, despite Bai Xiaosheng's covert protection, Pei Xuanjing had instructed that unless it was a life-or-death situation, he should handle things on his own, without interference.
Pang Hong, just off the mountain, had just broken through to the Sixth Grade Martial Artist. At just twenty years old, even if he wasn't comparable to the direct disciples of large influential forces, he was considered above average.
Over the course of over two years, he had shed his innocence and gradually matured.
In that period, he had returned to Shenxiao Mountain and, finding that Pei Xuanjing was still in seclusion, he simply left a letter to report his safety and went off again to adventure.
During Pei Xuanjing's seclusion, Yu Zhenzi and others did not stop working. Roughly half a year after Pei Xuanjing had obtained the Netherworld Book, Yu Zhenzi finally took temporary control of the power the former Lord of Shenxiao Gate had left behind.
For this, Pei Xuanjing deliberately ended his seclusion, descended the mountain, and demonstrated his authority. He subdued those who opposed him.
However, among those people, besides a few who Pei Xuanjing deemed worth paying attention to and held under his sword intent, he didn't use such methods on the rest. Instead, he handed them over to Yu Zhenzi as a test.
To Pei Xuanjing, expanding his influence was just a means to an end, not his final goal.
All he did was to prepare resources for his cultivation, to support his practice.
Yu Zhenzi and the others were overjoyed at Pei Xuanjing•s delegation of power, their resistance towards him further reduced, and they were almost completely subservient.
After completing all of this, Pei Xuanjing returned to Shenxiao Mountain once more.
One day on Shenxiao Mountain, Pei Xuanjing finally refined the Taoyun values of the two pages of the Netherworld Book, along with the Taoyun accumulated through several other martial studies.
[Taoyun: 235,321 points.]
[Do you want to use the Life Simulator? Each use requires 100,000 Taoyun points.]
After adjusting his state, he began a new round of life simulation.
[Life Simulation Begins:]
At 32: The head of the Mire Sect, Zhao Baiyang, ascends Shenxiao Mountain. You both cross swords but it ends in a draw. He invites you to assassinate the emperor in Tiandu, but you refuse.
At 33: You quietly go to Tiandu, but not to assassinate the emperor. Instead, you use the chaos to infiltrate the imperial secret vault and seek confidential records.
In one of the secret treasure rooms, you encounter a mysterious old eunuch whose strength matches any strong foe you've faced.
You cross hands with him, which results in numerous experts converging on your location. To avoid being surrounded and attacked, you choose to leave.
You never expected that while you wanted to fish in troubled waters, you inadvertently helped Zhao Baiyang divert attention.
The emperor dies without an heir, and as per his last testament, King Xing ascends the throne in Tiandu.
At 34: You receive news about array research from Taoist Qingxu. You make plans, but on the way out, you are ambushed by Fengdu, the Ruler of the Underworld.
Due to your repeated clashes with the Underworld, and having acquired the Page of the Netherworld's Book which Fengdu considered his, he was fuming with rage.
Facing one of the top fighters in the world, you rely on your insights from the illusory realm to spar with him. During a fierce fight, by chance you both are swept into a forbidden blessed land. Fortunately, you two were not trapped together.
Three months later, you emerge from the forbidden land only to find it under Tartar control.
Your appearance was due to the Tartar tribe attempting to open the forbidden land. Confronted with your sudden appearance, numerous Tartar experts attack.
You put up a fierce fight, killing numerous foreign tribal experts before escaping.
At 35: You return to the Central Plains. At this point, because you managed to hold your own against Fengdu, and calmly escaped from numerous top-ranked Tartar experts, your reputation reached its peak. Yu Zhenzi suggested that now was the perfect time to re-establish Shenxiao. You gladly agreed.
Half a year later, using the Shenxiao Command token , you obtained a map that led to the Shenxiao Sect's secret inheritance and entered it alone. You acquired the Shenxiao Sect's sect-defending Jade Book, 'Shenxiao Jade Clear Secret Record".
At 36: You sent out a broad invitation to all heroes, notifying various factions about your preparation to re-established Shenxiao Sect. Being in awe of your fame, even the Great Ming imperial court turned a blind eye to this, as internally they were dealing with the new emperor's ascension and instability.
At 37: You re-established Shenxiao Sect on Shenxiao Mountain. Confronting the many heroes of the martial world, regardless of their motives, you proved your superior strength, leaving many with nothing to say.
At the same time, you announced to all sides that you were preparing to challenge the Heavenly Master of Dragon Tiger Mountain. This immediately sent ripples through the martial world. At 38: You climbed Dragon Tiger Mountain and crossed swords with the Heavenly Master there. It was a draw.
At that time, the True Martial Sect Array was activated, and your plan was successful.
At 39: Heroes from all over gathered on Taihe Mountain. You, Taoist Qingxu, and Bai Xiaosheng, united the Taoist forces to put an end to the incident. Meanwhile, the Essence Qi of Heaven and Earth was revived.
At 40: With the revival of Heaven and Earth, the reshuffling of forces had arrived again. The situation in the martial world and the court seemed calm on the surface, but beneath the surface, turbulent undercurrents surged.
At 41: You cultivated the "Shenxiao Jade Clear Secret Record" but saw no progress. But at this time, you inadvertently discovered another path of cultivation – the method of Body Refining Cultivation..