Chapter 177: One Short of a Full Set

“Why is one missing? Isn’t that Tang Jing with you?” Chen Xiyi looked at the neatly packed Temporal Immortals in the formation eye, counted them, and found only nine, missing Tiger Might Emperor Tang Jing.

From the start, he felt it was odd—a feudal society favoring men over women actually had an empress. Meeting Lin Feng made him curious too; it seemed as absurd as the protagonist stumbling upon a free meal, totally unscientific.

“No, I only met these nine on the way. But are you sure these are the eleven under Wandering Light’s command?” Lin Feng was puzzled.

“Correct. They might look gentle and delicate, but they could easily lift your skull. Their sword skills approach the Dao, even surpassing yours.”

Chen Xiyi said.

“Then why is Yao’er here too?” Mei Yu looked at Nalan Yao, also suppressed in the formation eye, and mustered the courage to ask.

Chen Xiyi gave her a strange look, while Lin Feng beside him avoided eye contact.

” Well, should we say it?” Chen Xiyi asked Lin Feng.

“Ahem, let’s skip it. It’s all in the past, right?” Lin Feng’s voice held embarrassment.

How could he explain? You stole your disciple’s future husband—she’d be devastated.

“Actually, this matter isn’t really over; it should be considered—”

Before Chen Xiyi finished, Lin Feng quickly interrupted him.

“Old Chen, I found something at the origin of the Ascension Ritual and brought back a copy for you. See if it’s what you need.” Lin Feng handed a book to Chen Xiyi, signaling with his eyes that this issue was over; if you don’t drop it, I won’t let you off.

“Fine, it’s over then.” Chen Xiyi casually took the book. With benefits involved, he could find another excuse to mess with him later.

Since Tiger Might Emperor is still missing, there’s room for another round of mischief.

The conversation made Mei Yu increasingly suspicious; something was definitely being hidden from her, otherwise why bribe Chen Xiyi with gifts like that?

“By the way, these days, I’ve completed a third of my Sword Art, but beyond that, I feel like I’ve hit a wall—the path ahead seems bleak.” Lin Feng sighed in frustration.

“That’s normal. Completing a third is already thanks to your outstanding talent. Wandering Light spent thirty thousand years and couldn’t complete the Ascension Ritual into a Sword Art. Do you think you, with your few years of life, can finish it? Do you really think Wandering Light is made of mud?”

Chen Xiyi shook his head; this path wasn’t easy.

Removing the Sword Art part from the Ascension Ritual to trace its origins, as Chen Xiyi did, was much simpler because there were clues to follow.

But trying to complete the Ascension Ritual by incorporating Sword Art elements meant walking an untrodden path, which was extremely difficult.

“So, do you have any ideas?” Lin Feng figured whenever in doubt, just ask Chen Xiyi.

Chen Xiyi rolled his eyes at him. “Do you think I’m Doraemon? How would I have a solution?”

Did he really think Chen Xiyi was omnipotent, with an answer for everything?

“If all else fails, just quit practicing the sword and go farm. Aim to live happily to a hundred, and on the seventh day after your burial, I’ll dance on your grave. If you don’t strive, Wandering Light can’t do anything to you.” After some thought, Chen Xiyi offered a rather good solution.

Lin Feng was stunned by Chen Xiyi’s words. “There’s such a solution? Seems feasible, actually.”

He seriously considered it and thought it might work, but the problem was he couldn’t give up the sword.

“Then why not just ignore the Ascension Ritual Sword Art altogether? If I don’t ascend, Wandering Light can’t appear.” Lin Feng suddenly realized Chen Xiyi had led him astray.

This had nothing to do with practicing the sword; the core issue was the Ascension Ritual. As long as he didn’t actively ascend to become an Immortal, there wouldn’t be all those messy follow-up events.

“Wow, how did you figure it out? I thought I could mess with you a few more days.” Chen Xiyi hadn’t expected Lin Feng to catch on.

“So you had this figured out from the start? Why didn’t you tell me earlier, making me run around for so long?” Now Lin Feng understood—Chen Xiyi was quite devious.

“No, no, I just thought of it now; definitely not earlier.” Chen Xiyi, of course, denied it; why would he admit?

“…” Lin Feng thought Chen Xiyi had slipped up.

“So, how are you going to handle these people?” Mei Yu interjected, steering the conversation back on track.

“Same as before, of course.” Chen Xiyi gave a vague answer; who but he knew how he’d handled them previously?

“It shouldn’t be a big deal. After all, Old Chen knows his limits, right?” Lin Feng said.

In the formation eye, Nalan Yao, pinned down tightly, widened her eyes in disbelief.

You call taking her apart, reassembling, then taking apart again ‘knowing limits’?

“Don’t worry, I’m very steady. Whatever I do, I keep it within bounds, guaranteeing not a single hair on their heads is harmed.” Chen Xiyi spoke gravely.

Chen Xiyi felt he was right; his actions had nothing to do with their hair, so his guarantee was quite valid.

Hearing Chen Xiyi’s words, Mei Yu felt reassured, especially with his serious demeanor. What else could she do but believe him?

Fight him to the death?

She probably wouldn’t die, but she’d definitely get beaten up.

“By the way, my Secret Gu Martial Arts, Calamity Poison Body, has been developed to the level of a Longevity Martial Artist, matching those people’s strength. Who wants to try gaining power while lying down?” Chen Xiyi smiled as he looked at Mei Yu.

Though it was a question, his gaze seemed fixed on Mei Yu, whose abilities were too weak—what if she died suddenly someday?

Recalling what this so-called Gu Martial Arts entailed, Mei Yu turned pale.

“I’m not blessed enough; better leave it for someone else.” Mei Yu stiffly smiled and declined.

“Don’t worry, I’ve modified the Gu Martial Arts training method. You don’t need to cut open your chest or pull out tendons and bones like Qi Bin did. Just make a small cut and place this Calamitous Poison Pellet on the wound.” Chen Xiyi indicated that things had changed; one should view them with fresh eyes, not the old bloody perspective.

Mei Yu wanted to say it wasn’t about implantation at all, but about stuffing numerous Gu Insects into a human body—who could endure that?

Had she asked, Chen Xiyi would surely have said Feng Qing managed it.

“Let’s wait a bit longer, wait a bit.” Mei Yu awkwardly hid behind Lin Feng.

“Yeah, it’s fine to wait.” Lin Feng chimed in to help.

So, Chen Xiyi showed a regretful expression. “What a pity.”

“By the way, keep an eye on the Imperial Court. Tang Jing, the second Sequence, didn’t come; she’s probably scheming something bad. Remember, she now has overwhelming martial power and the imperial army. If she decides to act, conquering the world is just a matter of time.”

Previously, the highest level was the Innate Warrior, but now Tang Jing had become a Longevity Martial Artist—a significant gap.

Facing Tiger Might Emperor, all the Innate Warriors in the entire Jianghu combined probably couldn’t withstand a single move from her.

“Got it. But if Tiger Might Emperor is really that strong, what should we do?” Mei Yu looked worried.

” Usually, Lin Feng would save the day. If he can’t handle it, we’ll run.” Chen Xiyi said decisively.

“Wait, what about you? Why should I save the day, not you?” Lin Feng protested.

Chen Xiyi looked at him in shock. “Me, save the day? Are you crazy? I’m just a feeble scholar with no strength to even tie up a chicken.”

“In all my years, I’ve never met someone as shameless as you.” Lin Feng retorted—still pretending? Just now, you casually subdued nine Temporal Immortals without a word about being weak.

“Thanks for the compliment.” Chen Xiyi felt a bit shy at such direct praise.

“Alright, go do what you need to. If you’re really bored, go have a kid and raise it.”

Chen Xiyi waved his hand, telling them to leave.

Lin Feng found it both funny and irritating. “You really are…”

But talk aside, both left.

Mei Yu had to handle Five Immortals Sect affairs; Feng Qing, the acting sect leader, was tricked by Chen Xiyi into fetching the inheritance from Valley of the Healing Immortals, while Nalan Yao, the saintess, was locked in the formation eye as an experiment.

So, these days, Five Immortals Sect management relied on some elders, but many matters piled up, causing chaos in both the sect and Miaojiang.

Lin Feng planned to continue studying the Sword Art. Though he talked about giving up, his dedication to the sword wouldn’t allow it.

He didn’t plan to go out again; Tiger Might Emperor Tang Jing was still out there wanting to trap him, a loyal follower of Wandering Light.

He firmly believed Chen Xiyi, who might prank him, but it was friendly teasing, unlike the Temporal Immortals whose schemes could cost him his life.

Naturally, he’d stay in a safe place—why foolishly charge at an unbeatable enemy with a sword?

Especially with Chen Xiyi backing him up—why would he do that?

If swordsmen were all unyielding, why bother with sword techniques? Just swing the sword; why use skill? Using techniques is a form of compromise with the world.

Lin Feng sometimes thought that original swordsmen might not have had so much meaning attached; it was just one of many weapons for killing.

But someone forcibly layered meanings onto the sword, leading to the current situation.

He didn’t know who, but Lin Feng was sure Wandering Light was involved.

The more meanings the sword had, the stronger his Sword Concept became after the Ascension Ritual. The sword’s prevalence and added meanings proved how powerful his future self, who embedded the Sword Concept into history, was.

So, Lin Feng’s goal wasn’t to promote the sword’s concepts and meanings but to strip away all its glamour, leaving its most primal function.

That was killing and survival.

His Sword Art had always moved in that direction.

If Wandering Light’s elements were Peach Blossom Luck and history, then Lin Feng’s were killing and survival.

The sword was originally a tool for killing, and the root of killing was naturally survival. All interests exist for human survival; once dead, nothing matters.

Everything Lin Feng did was for survival; he didn’t want to become the future first Sequence Immortal, Wandering Light.