Immortality begins with inheriting the myriad arts of cultivation.

Chapter 9 Sword Cultivator

Four streaks of light landed on a plaza halfway up Qinglong Mountain.

This sacred mountain spans dozens of miles in circumference and is over four hundred feet high. Although its area is not particularly large, it has a third-order spiritual vein at its base. The mountain is rich in spiritual energy, enough for Core Formation cultivators to cultivate in, making it a true blessed land for immortals.

With his feet on the gray stone ground, Li Ping's gaze immediately fell on the ancient palace dozens of feet away.

The palace was built entirely of neatly arranged blue marble blocks, without any other decorations, making it appear quite simple.

If Li Ping were to describe it, this palace would be like a bare-bones house that has just been topped out and doesn't even have any exterior decoration.

The exterior was unfinished, and the interior was even worse—it was definitely decorated in the 'Syrian style'.

"Who would live in such a palace?" Li Ping wondered to himself.

"Fellow Daoist Li, Senior Sister Thirteen is waiting for you inside the hall. Let's go see her now," Meng Qingyi said with a smile. After speaking, she headed towards the ancient palace.

Li Ping glanced at the two Foundation Establishment cultivators beside him who were eyeing him menacingly, sighed inwardly, and followed Meng Qingyi's steps.

What is meant to be will be; what is meant to be will be.

Since their thirteenth senior sister's instructions were to bring her here for questioning, rather than ordering them to kill her directly, it means there is still room for negotiation between the two sides.

At least the other party won't attack with a sword the moment they see me. Anyway... probably not.

……

"Buzz~"

As Li Ping entered the ancient palace, before he could even take in his surroundings, a heart-pounding buzzing sound rang in his ears, and the entire palace and the entire space seemed to tremble violently for a moment!

A three-foot-long flying sword, blue and white in color, hovered a few inches in front of Li Ping, its sharp tip pointing directly at his nostril. The constantly emanating translucent sword light seemed to be about to pierce right through Li Ping's head!

At that moment, Li Ping's mind went blank, his heart turned cold, and every hair on his body stood on end involuntarily—it was the immense fear of facing death!

His vision was now completely focused on the shape of the hiltless flying sword; there was nothing else in sight!

"Senior Sister!"

He heard Meng Qingyi's anxious shouts. The next second, the flying sword that was hovering in front of Li Ping turned into a bolt of lightning and flew back, landing in a pair of fair and delicate hands.

At this moment, Li Ping's consciousness returned to his body. He looked up into the depths of the palace and saw a figure in a gray robe sitting cross-legged, holding the flying sword in his hand!

She sat there like a sword hidden in its sheath, ready to be drawn and cut down everything in its path!

"Li Ping!"

The voice was like the ringing of a sword. The gray-robed figure looked up at Li Ping with sharp eyes and a fierce aura.

Li Ping also saw her clearly. She was a female cultivator who looked very young. Her hair was tied up in a simple bun. She had sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes. She was full of vigor and her gaze was like a sword!

Meeting her gaze, Li Ping even felt a stinging pain on his skin, as if pricked by needles!

"Sword cultivator!"

Li Ping cursed his bad luck inwardly. He hadn't expected that the "Thirteenth Senior Sister" he wanted to see was actually a sword cultivator.

Only the sword, only me!

As long as the sword is there, the man is there; if the sword is gone, the man is gone!

Master the sword, master the Dao, cultivate one sword to break all laws!

This is the kind of sword cultivator Li Ping knows. In his view, all sword cultivators are fanatics and lunatics.

Everyone cultivates immortality for longevity, but sword cultivators bind themselves to a sword in pursuit of combat prowess. What is this if not madness?

Moreover, some sword cultivators are mentally ill, and due to their lack of skill, they fall into the demonic path, killing their masters, fathers, friends, and so on, using killing to prove their path.

……

"Let me ask you," Dai Sangyu said, without getting up, remaining seated cross-legged. Her voice, like the clang of a sword, vibrated in her ears. Her gaze was fixed on Li Ping, the flying sword in her hand seeming ready to strike. "Where did you get the Foundation Establishment Pills you used for Foundation Establishment?"

Li Ping felt her sharp gaze fixed on him, and upon hearing her words, a sudden realization dawned on him: "So it was about the Foundation Establishment Pill. Could it be that the person who sold me the Foundation Establishment Pill is suspicious?"

Li Ping bought the Foundation Establishment Pill from the black market with spirit stones. At the time, Li Ping had guessed that there might be something wrong with the source of this Foundation Establishment Pill.

However, the opportunity to establish his foundation was within reach, and even knowing there were problems, he couldn't give it up.

To put it another way, the black market exists with the tacit approval of the Qinglong Mountain lineage, and his transactions within it are protected by the rules, so what is there to worry about?

Although the sword cultivator's interrogation-like attitude displeased Li Ping, he believed he had done nothing wrong in the Foundation Establishment Pill transaction, and since he was now under someone else's roof, he had no choice but to back down.

Thinking of this, Li Ping sighed inwardly before slowly saying, "I bought the Foundation Establishment Pill from the black market in Immortal City more than two months ago."

The flying sword in her hand didn't react. Dai Sangyu then asked, "Do you know who sold you the Foundation Establishment Pill?"

"He concealed his appearance with a special magical artifact, so I don't know who he is," Li Ping answered readily.

The flying sword still didn't react. Dai Sangyu asked, "Do you know Lin Yue?"

Li Ping: "I don't know him!"

The flying sword still didn't react, but Dai Sangyu's question didn't end there: "What country are you from!"

……

He asked dozens of questions in a row, thoroughly investigating Li Ping's background, but the flying sword in his hand still didn't react at all.

A hint of disappointment flashed in Dai Sangyu's eyes. She waved her hand, indicating that the questioning was over and Li Ping could leave.

The other party's practice of summoning him at will and dismissing him at will naturally made Li Ping even more unhappy. However, facing a sword cultivator at the peak of Foundation Establishment, he dared not show his emotions.

Silently noting this down in his mind, Li Ping cupped his hands in farewell and then turned to leave.

……

Qinglong Mountain is the Daoist temple of a Core Formation Realm cultivator. As an outsider, Li Ping is not allowed to wander around. Guided by his attendant, he arrived at a quiet and elegant courtyard.

"Senior, you may rest here for a while. Uncle Meng will come to see you out shortly."

After the waiter finished speaking, he respectfully withdrew, leaving Li Ping alone in the courtyard.

Although after the questioning just now, Li Ping was certain that his troubles seemed to be over.

But he still didn't understand what had happened, and he was completely baffled by Dai Sangyu's questions.

It was only a vague guess that Dai Sangyu really wanted to cause trouble for the mysterious cultivator who sold him the Foundation Establishment Pill.

He was only targeted because he happened to have bought the other party's Foundation Establishment Pill.

"By the way, who is Lin Yue?" Thinking back on the previous conversation, Li Ping had another question in his mind.

After waiting in the courtyard for a while, Meng Qing still hadn't arrived, so Li Ping simply sat cross-legged and began to meditate.

Facing a sword cultivator who had reached the peak of Foundation Establishment, he dared not vent his dissatisfaction.

Now he needs to cultivate diligently and absorb more spiritual energy from Qinglong Mountain.