Seeking the Flying Sword Path

Chapter 177: Stand-in Life Charm

Translator: CKtalon Editor: CKtalon

Temple Lord Ruyi was rather famous among Connate Golden Core great fiendish demons, not because he was strong but because he had a lot of guts. Despite having the strength of an ordinary great fiendish demon, he dared to challenge in existences at the Connate Golden Core Paramount realm. His true form was that of a centipede demon and he had a hundred legs. Even if his body were diced into seven or eight segments, he would remain alive! With him being adept at burrowing into the ground, cultivators found it impossible to kill him for his evil sins despite repeated attempts.

"Thankfully, Brother Hong helped guard my family or my family members would have been kidnapped! That old centipede demon..." Qin Yun’s eyes flashed with cold killing intent.

Hong Lingtong said, "That centipede demon was tough. It was easy to defeat him but killing him was extremely difficult."

"I understand." Qin Yun nodded.

Hong Lingtong immediately said with a smile, "For the past three years, I did not dare slack off even once. Now that Brother Qin Yun is back, and Patriarch Yi is helping you set up the arrays personally, I can finally feel assured. I can now enter cultivation seclusion with peace of mind."

"It must have been hard on you for the past three years, Brother Hong." Qin Yun was very grateful. Just the thought of his parents, brother, and the rest being kidnapped left a lingering fear in him before they were replaced by flames of fury.

"The great fiendish demons are all targeting you. How is the little I’ve done worth anything?" said Hong Lingtong. "Oh, this is one Golden Core Outer Pill and one Nine Revolutions Spirit Pill that you gave me back then. Now that you are out of the immortal abode, it’s time to return them to you."

Qin Yun did not reject it and immediately took it.

There had been a total of six Golden Core Outer Pills. Each of them was to have three. Qin Yun had consumed one and he had given Yi Xiao another. Naturally, there was one left.

"Brother Hong, the transcendent-grade Golden Core Cauldron has been sold to the Divine Firmament Chapter. This is what is rightfully yours." Qin Yun handed a Cosmic Bag to Hong Lingtong. "It’s roughly worth three first-grade Dharma treasures."

Hong Lingtong’s expression changed when he heard that. "That much?"

It was indeed a lot.

The Yue Chapter was a top sect that had survived since ancient times. Due to its long history, it had encountered numerous calamities and before it obtained the White Dew flying sword, all it had were three first-grade Dharma treasures! Of course, the fusion of the flying swords, White Dew and Azure Water would be equivalent to a transcendent-grade Dharma treasure.

But the treasures that were equivalent to three first-grade Dharma treasures was something that left Hong Lingtong alarmed.

After all, the materials needed for the Nine Heavens Astral River Array, as well as the Galactic Swimming Dragon Array and Grand Astral Sea Array matched a first-grade Dharma treasure! Besides, the Nine Heavens Astral River Array had been given to Qin Yun by Patriarch Yi.

Taking the Yellow-scarved Strongman as an example, one of it was worth the equivalent of a transcendent-grade Dharma treasure. However, Qin Yun had only borrowed it for a hundred years, reducing the cost of borrowing it to that of half a first-grade Dharma treasure.

...

One first-grade Dharma treasure alone was sufficient to cause peril to befall a Connate Golden Core cultivator!

"We agreed on splitting it evenly," said Qin Yun.

Hong Lingtong immediately bowed respectfully. "Brother Qin Yun, I won’t reject it. I’ll be taking it but there’s somethng I need your help with."

"Oh?" Qin Yun looked at Hong Lingtong.

"I’ll take most of these treasures. There will be some... that I require Brother Qin Yun to help me exchange for some herbal treasures," said Hong Lingtong. "After all, I wouldn’t dare to appear when changing all these treasures. I’ll have to rely on you."

"It’s nothing." Qin Yun nodded as a form of agreement.

"In a while, I’ll give you a list," said Hong Lingtong. He took out a broken wooden piece and handed it solemnly to Qin Yun. "Brother Qin Yun, you have to keep this tiny gift after going through all the trouble because of me."

Qin Yun puzzledly took it.

"This is a Stand-in Life Charm," whispered Hong Lingtong. "It’s equivalent to a life. Furthermore, when the Stand-in Life Charm activates... it can teleport the owner to a distance five hundred kilometers away."

"Stand-in Life Charm?" Qin Yun was astounded.

It was a treasure that was equivalent to a life?

Magistress Mountain had Stand-in Dolls but the price of refining one was exceedingly high. The price of one was no less than a first-grade Dharma treasure! Furthermore, it was not something that could be bought.

"It’s too expensive." Qin Yun did not dare to accept it.

"I dare to accept treasures that match three first-grade Dharma treasures but you do not dare?" said Hong Lingtong. "Besides, there are so many great fiendish demons targeting you now! Your family members might even be implicated. You are more in need of this Stand-in Life Charm."

Qin Yun’s heart stirred and thought to himself. "My parents are always in Grand Dominance City but Xiaoxiao is a cultivator after all. She will still need to return to the Divine Firmament Chapter and would be in need of treasures to protect herself."

"Alright, I’ll accept it." Qin Yun took it over.

Only then did Hong Lingtong reveal a smile.

Hong Lingtong did not like to owe others. Furthermore, his cultivation lineage paid great importance to karma.

Previously, he had produced the token to bring Qin Yun into the cave abode; therefore, the splitting of treasures was fair and necessary! Qin Yun had found the things like the Golden Core Outer Pills and the Nine Revolutions Spirit Pills through his guidance... In addition, he had watched over the Qin family for three years. He could accept all the treasures that Qin Yun had previously given him but the Golden Core Cauldron and Elder Sword’s treasures were all thanks to Qin Yun.

In addition, Qin Yun had to face the calamity for him. With Qin Yun’s many treasures, many great fiendish demons would covet them. It was also a form of karma.

Hong Lingtong, on the other hand, would be hiding behind Qin Yun and not suffer from the calamity. In addition, he was taking three first-grade Dharma treasures? All he could do was offer the Stand-in Life Charm to share the karma.

If he owed too much karma, his cultivation lineage would be affected.

As for Qin Yun?

Qin Yun did not care about karma. All he cared was to have a clear conscious and to do things as his heart wished!

"The Stand-in Life Charm can be refined for yourself by dripping your blood into it." Hong Lingtong could not help but inform Qin Yun when he saw him put away the Stand-in Life Charm.

"I got it." Qin Yun nodded and said with a smile. However, he did not drip his blood into it.

...

That night.

Qin Yun explained the situation to Yi Xiao.

"Xiaoxiao, you have to keep it a secret," said Qin Yun.

"So the treasures were split evenly between the both of you." Yi Xiao was enlightened.

Qin Yun added, "Brother Hong also gave me an array formation and this Stand-in Life Charm as a wedding gift." As he said, he handed the ordinary-looking and broken wooden piece to Yi Xiao. The cracks on the wooden piece appeared somewhat ugly but Qin Yun and Yi Xiao had both understood the implications of the Heavenly Dao. They both noticed the extraordinary aspects of those cracks.

"Stand-in Life Charm?" Yi Xiao was astonished.

"Yea. Drip your blood in and you can refine it for yourself. It’s equivalent to an additional life. Furthermore, when it’s activated, it will teleport you five hundred kilometers away," said Qin Yun. "It’s impressive. This Brother Hong of mine is truly impressive."

"Come on. Xiaoxiao, quickly drip your blood," said Qin Yun.

"Me? No, no. Brother Yun, you are in greater need of it," said Yi Xiao immediately.

"Haha, you know my strength as well. With my current flying sword arts, I can dominate the world. I also have the Beam Transformation Art that allows me to escape at any time. How many in the world can stop me?" said Qin Yun confidently. "Even if I can’t beat them, can’t I escape?"

Yi Xiao was taken aback slightly before she nodded.

Indeed, Qin Yun’s strength was extremely powerful. Furthermore, he had the life-preservation Cyclic Sword Flash art.

"Come on, take it." Qin Yun looked at her. "I do not want you to befall into another perilous situation like last time."

Yi Xiao’s heart warmed when she heard that. She nodded gently and said, "Alright, I’ll accept it." Immediately, she stretched out her finger and dripped a drop of blood into the wooden piece. It rapidly absorbed the drop of blood.

"How fascinating." Yi Xiao picked up the wooden piece. "I feel as though I’ve become one with the wooden piece I’m it and it’s me."

"A Stand-in Life Charm can be used as a life. It’s naturally fascinating," Qin Yun said wistfully.

"According to what I know," said Yi Xiao. "One of those with stand-in treasures is Magistress Mountain, the magus lineage. The others are the Daoist’s Numinous Treasure Mountain and formerly the Scenic Mountain Sect. However, ever since Scenic Mountain Sect declined, it could no longer refine another stand-in treasure. Only Numinous Treasure Mountain was capable of doing so! Even the Divine Firmament Chapter and Mahākāśyapa Monastery are unable to do it. Yet, Brother Hong has managed to produce it..."

Qin Yun nodded. "To be able to infer the past and future, be so skilled in array formations, hide treasure halos, and now, producing a Stand-in Life Charm, how can any ordinary heritage compare to it? It must be some kind of secret heritage."

"Yea." Yi Xiao did recall reading of a marvelous person that was recorded in the Divine Firmament Chapter’s canon. He shared some similarities with Hong Lingtong. However, Yi Xiao remained baffled by the heritage in question.

"Regardless, he has helped me greatly and has even saved my family. I will feel indebted to him," said Qin Yun.

Yi Xiao nodded.

******

Two days later.

Patriarch Yi handed Qin Yun the three tokens that controlled the Nine Heavens Astral River Array, the Galactic Swimming Dragon Array, and the Grand Astral Sea Array "Now, you are in complete control of these three array formations. As to how the array formations should be controlled and by whom, I’ll leave it to you."

"Thank you, Senior," said Qin Yun gratefully.

"Alright, take good care of Yi Xiao. If I learn that you let her down in any way, the Divine Firmament Chapter has means to deal with you even if I can’t take action against you." Patriarch Yi looked at Qin Yun.

Qin Yun and Yi Xiao gave each other a knowing smile. "Don’t worry, Senior!"

Seeing how lovey-dovey the couple was, Patriarch Yi laughed and shook his head. "Alright, I’m leaving. We shall meet again if fate allows for it."

He turned to leave. As he stepped into the void, he headed straight for the horizon and as he walked, he vanished into nothingness.

"Brother Yun, give the array formation a try," urged Yi Xiao.

"Yea."

Qin Yun easily refined the three tokens.

Every token could perfectly control one array formation.

"Nice," Qin Yun smacked his lips as he sensed the three perfectly fused arrays. "In the combined array formation, the various array formations’ might augment me. My strength is ten times stronger! The enemies’ strength would even decrease. The array formation has my Qin Manor as its center and has a radius of fifteen kilometers That means it spans a total of thirty kilometers, enclosing the entire Grand Dominance County City."

Fifteen kilometers that stretched out from Qin Manor.

Such a wide range was even bigger than Grand Dominance City.

"Nine Doubts Realm Array is good at trapping enemies."

"The other three grand arrays have their own advantages." Qin Yun smiled. When he did the comparison, he realized that the Nine Doubts Realm Array from Hong Lingtong’s secret heritage was in no way worse than any of the three arrays that Patriarch Yi had set up. Of course, with the three arrays combined, they were much stronger than the Nine Doubts Realm Array. But even so, they were still good at different aspects.

As such, they complemented each other.

"Xiaoxiao, in a while, I’ll let you and the Yellow-scarved Strongman leave a mark into the four array formation’s cores," said Qin Yun. "Both of you can control the array formations as well."

Of course, Qin Yun wielded the tokens and he was the possessor of the array formation. He could still wipe out the marks of others.

"Alright." Yi Xiao nodded.

"Now all of Grand Dominance City is covered." Qin Yun did not find it a surprise. After all, it was common to have array formations that spanned a few dozen kilometers.

"Oh? Brother Hong had done a cleanup previously, leaving no demons in Grand Dominance City. Surprisingly, there are new fiendish demons that have infiltrated the city and they are watching my Qin Manor." Qin Yun’s eyes flashed with a cold glint. Through the array formation, he could easily discover that there were some who were hiding in taverns while using Dharma spells to spy on Qin Manor. Some had transformed into bugs to spy on Qin Manor a great distance away. These fiendish demons were not weak. At the very least, they were demon leaders. The more powerful ones were Connate great demons.

How would Grand Dominance City usually have so many powerful demons?

"All of them are watching my Qin family?" Killing intent rose in Qin Yun. "I’ll first eliminate these minions."