Chapter 27

Chapter 27: Student, Teacher!

 

Not even half an hour later, Mu Guanchen had finished modifying all the martial arts techniques. He handed them to Song Shi and said, “When you give these to the Martial Pavilion, don’t mention that I modified them. After you get the money, please buy some things for me: one Great Calamity Pill, one hundred catties of beast meat from King-rank or above, five celestial-rank beast cores, and if there’s an emperor-rank one, buy that too…”

“Impossible!”

Song Shi quickly replied, “This amount of money can’t buy emperor-rank items. Even for celestial-rank, I’ll have to haggle shamelessly.”

Mu Guanchen nodded, “Then just buy celestial-rank. Besides that, see if you can get a bottle of Divine Marrow Spirit Liquid…”

Song Shi’s face immediately darkened. “Brother, Divine Marrow Spirit Liquid costs at least 600,000 spirit crystals on the market, and that’s the lowest price…”

Mu Guanchen said seriously, “His body is too weak right now and needs the ‘Divine Marrow Spirit Liquid’ to nourish it. Otherwise, his physical form cannot advance further. If we don’t build a good foundation now, the defects in his body will only increase later. You know all this.”

Song Shi said, “Of course I know, but money… where will the money come from?”

Mu Guanchen asked, “Don’t you rob tombs?”

“What the hell.”

Song Shi glared at him. “What are you saying? I call it archaeology.”

Mu Guanchen nodded, “You’re the institute head, you should contribute some effort too.”

Song Shi thought for a moment, then said, “I’ll take him along when I go tomb rob… I mean, do archaeology. Let him gain some experience outside. He’s quite lacking in practical combat and needs to be tempered in dangerous places.”

Mu Guanchen replied, “That works. But first, buy the ‘Divine Marrow Spirit Liquid’ and those pills. He needs them urgently.”

Song Shi: “…”

After Song Shi left, Mu Guanchen returned to his hall. He sat at his desk, looking at the bamboo slips before him. He pondered for a long time, then finally began to write, but after just a few characters, he stopped again and shook his head. “Not right…”

He remained silent for a very long time. Finally, he got up and walked to the entrance of the hall. Looking toward the horizon, he whispered, “Equality…”

At the back mountain.

Ye Tianming was now in a state like a monk in deep meditation. His heart had completely calmed down. After a moment, he began to sense the earth, and gradually, an excited expression appeared on his face because he could feel the power of the earth veins deep below.

That magnificent power was buried deep within the earth, endless and boundless.

He began to circulate his cultivation technique. Soon, some earth power surged up from the ground and entered his body through his arms.

Ye Tianming’s body trembled, feeling incredibly good.

Sensing the infinite earth vein power deep underground, Ye Tianming excitedly said, “Tower Ancestor, I feel like I’m going to be invincible.”

Little Tower: “…”

Ye Tianming was extremely excited. “Tower Ancestor, as long as I master this earth power, who in this world could be my match?”

Little Tower said solemnly, “Calm down. Based on my past experience, when you have such thoughts, you’re about to get beaten badly.”

Ye Tianming: “…”

Ye Tianming began to try absorbing the earth power. After absorbing some, he suddenly felt fortunate, because he discovered that these earth powers contained many impurities. If he hadn’t modified his cultivation technique, absorbing such impure earth power would have had unimaginable consequences.

Now, because his technique had filtering capabilities, the earth power he absorbed was relatively pure. Soon, a faint golden-earthen light appeared on his body, which was the overflow of earth power.

Ye Tianming slowly clenched his right hand. At this moment, he felt his body filled with tremendous power. Suddenly, he fiercely punched the ground.

Boom!

With this punch, the entire ground shattered, creating a huge crater.

In the crater, Ye Tianming was excited. “Tower Ancestor, is this earth power? It’s so strong.”

Little Tower said, “Yes, very strong.”

Ye Tianming felt that Tower Ancestor’s tone was somewhat perfunctory, but he didn’t ask further. Looking at his fist glowing with a faint golden light, the excitement on his face was undisguised. If he combined earth power with his Heaven-Cutting Sword Drawing technique, it would be absolutely terrifying.

But there was a problem now: his body couldn’t withstand it. Although his current body was of the Glazed Body type, it still couldn’t bear the combined force of earth power and the stacked Heaven-Cutting Sword Drawing technique. Besides, there was also the issue of the sword—ordinary swords couldn’t withstand it either.

As if thinking of something, Ye Tianming took out the Xingdao Sword. He knew this sword could definitely withstand the earth power and the stacked Heaven-Cutting Sword Drawing technique.

However, he put the Xingdao Sword away again.

He wasn’t being pedantic. For him, this sword should only be used in critical moments. Using this sword regularly would elevate him to a height that didn’t belong to him, which wasn’t a good thing.

Moreover, this sword was clearly no ordinary object. Exposing it frequently might attract trouble.

“You succeeded?”

Just then, a voice suddenly came from the side.

Ye Tianming turned to look. It was Mu Guanchen.

Ye Tianming quickly bowed respectfully, “Teacher.”

Mu Guanchen smiled, “Let’s eat.”

Ye Tianming nodded, “Alright.”

The master and disciple returned to the front of the hall. Like before, it was still wild vegetable hotpot, but Ye Tianming ate with great relish.

Mu Guanchen asked, “How does the earth power feel?”

Ye Tianming excitedly replied, “Very strong, extremely strong.”

Mu Guanchen smiled but said nothing.

Ye Tianming said, “Teacher, if I apply this earth power to my sword techniques, it would definitely become extremely powerful. Unfortunately, my physical body can’t withstand it now, and I also lack a suitable sword.”

Mu Guanchen said, “Don’t you have a sword?”

Ye Tianming replied, “Teacher, you don’t know, that sword is special. I dare not use it casually.”

Mu Guanchen smiled, “Indeed… May I see that sword?”

Ye Tianming nodded, “Of course.”

He handed the Xingdao Sword to Mu Guanchen.

Mu Guanchen took the sword, examined it briefly, then looked at Ye Tianming. “How did you obtain this sword?”

Ye Tianming said, “This sword and my Tower Ancestor have been with me since I was little.”

Mu Guanchen looked at Ye Tianming, “May I speak with your Tower Ancestor alone?”

Although Ye Tianming didn’t understand, he nodded, “Alright.”

He took out the Little Tower, put some food in a bowl, then stood up and walked outside.

Mu Guanchen looked at the Little Tower, “Why are you following this child? What’s your intention?”

Little Tower said, “Are you afraid I’ll harm him?”

Mu Guanchen nodded, “Some so-called big shots like to scheme, using ordinary people as chess pieces… but you don’t seem to be that type.”

Little Tower asked, “Why not?”

Mu Guanchen smiled slightly, “You seem very innocent!”

Little Tower: “???”

Mu Guanchen looked at the Xingdao Sword before him, lost in thought.

Little Tower laughed, “Can you understand this sword?”

Mu Guanchen glanced at it, then said, “If I’m not mistaken, this sword is actually just an ordinary sword, but it contains a certain Dao within it. This is a Dao whose limits I cannot see, and this Dao can ignore all worldly realms, divine abilities, laws, and great Daos… is that right?”

Little Tower was shocked inwardly, “How can you see this? I can sense that you have no cultivation at all.”

Mu Guanchen looked at Little Tower, “Do you truly have no hostility toward him?”

Little Tower laughed, “Even if I did have hostility toward him, what could you do about it?”

Mu Guanchen glanced at the Xingdao Sword in his hand, “Although I have no cultivation, I should be able to deal with you.”

Little Tower: “…”

Mu Guanchen suddenly smiled, “I was overthinking.”

He placed the Xingdao Sword in front of Little Tower and stood up to leave.

Little Tower suddenly said, “You know how special this sword is, yet you’re not tempted by it?”

Mu Guanchen turned his head and gave Little Tower a strange look.

Little Tower asked solemnly, “What’s that look for?”

Mu Guanchen smiled, “There’s an old saying: ‘Live with a clear conscience, and you can face heaven after death.’ I, Mu Guanchen, came into this world with integrity and will leave with integrity. Not just one sword, even ten thousand or a hundred thousand such swords wouldn’t make me lose my conscience.”

With that, he walked away.

Little Tower asked again, “Aren’t you curious about his identity?”

In the distance, without turning back, Mu Guanchen replied, “Whether he’s a person of destiny or an ordinary citizen makes no difference to me. In my heart, he is a student, and I am a teacher. That’s all.”