Chapter 54: Fortuitous Encounters, The Moon Rises
This looked like a scene straight out of a low-budget fantasy film, a common trope in Chinese-style games.
The classic azure lotus imagery.
Slightly surprised, Lin Tianlu chuckled softly, “It seems you’ve gained some insight, Miss Mo.”
Mo Danyan circulated her energy, dispersing the heat around her, and opened her eyes.
But she quickly looked down at her hands, her eyes filled with confusion and disbelief.
She…
Hadn’t expected this to happen.
She had assumed that Lin Tianlu was just showing kindness to an elder’s descendant, offering some basic self-defense techniques. It was like those times she had accompanied her great-grandfather on visits to other sects, where the elderly masters would offer a few pointers with a smile.
But she never imagined that these seemingly simple sword moves could be so profound!
Not only did they contain a depth she couldn’t comprehend, but just sensing the faint, lingering sword intent in the branch had caused her cultivation to break through, reaching the Pure Yang realm in an instant.
Mo Danyan was stunned, unable to process this overwhelming realization.
It was as if everything she had learned about martial arts in the past ten years had been shattered.
But then, she felt a surge of anxiety.
How could she possibly repay such a precious gift with mere words of gratitude?
If she had known that the ‘opportunity’ her great-grandfather had mentioned was so significant, she wouldn’t have dared to show up empty-handed and ask for guidance!
“Miss Mo, why are you suddenly silent…”
“Sir!”
Mo Danyan straightened up and said in a trembling voice, “Your guidance and instruction are an immeasurable gift! I… I will devote my entire life to repaying your kindness!”
“Please accept my three kowtows!”
With that, she knelt down and performed three deep bows, her posture impeccable, her expression filled with sincerity.
Lin Tianlu was a bit dumbfounded.
He had just made a few adjustments to her sword technique, not even putting in the effort he would for reading a novel. Was it really that impressive?
Could it be that his new sword technique was actually quite good?
He felt a strange sense of pride, but he didn’t let the girl continue kowtowing. He quickly helped her up. “There’s no need for such formality, Miss Mo. You’re making me feel like an old man.”
“But your kindness, Sir…”
Mo Danyan’s face was pale, her hands trembling.
The more she felt the smooth flow of internal energy within her body, the more guilty and indebted she felt.
This kind and gentle man before her must have expended a great deal of effort, even secretly transferring his power to her, allowing her to surpass years of arduous training and effortlessly reach the Pure Yang realm. How could she act nonchalant and pretend she didn’t know?!
As a martial artist, she understood the value of this gift. It was something she could never repay, even with all the gold in the world!
Lin Tianlu chuckled. “It was nothing, just a small…”
“Sir! I… Please, command me! No matter what you ask, I will do my utmost to fulfill it!”
Mo Danyan bowed deeply again.
Lin Tianlu: “…”
Why did that sound so strange?
It was like a line from some weird… ahem!
Lin Tianlu coughed lightly, trying to maintain his composure. “Since you insist, Miss Mo, I won’t refuse. If I ever come across any internal cultivation manuals, you can borrow them from me.”
“Sir, I can recite a manual from memory, called ‘Heavenly Path Spiritual Cultivation’!”
Mo Danyan bit her lip.
This internal cultivation technique was a secret passed down from her great-grandfather, Mo Hong. He had obtained it during his travels many years ago and had refined and improved it. It was not meant to be shared with outsiders. But now, she was alone, and this was the only thing of value she possessed.
If her great-grandfather ever found out, she would accept any punishment!
Lin Tianlu chuckled. “What a coincidence. I’ll accept your offer then, Miss Mo.”
Mo Danyan felt a sense of relief. She quickly walked to the pavilion and started writing down the manual from memory.
After finishing, she handed it to him with a solemn expression.
“Sir, this manual might not be as valuable as your gift, but… it’s a symbol of my gratitude. Please don’t share it with anyone else.”
Mo Danyan bit her lip, her face filled with anxiety.
Lin Tianlu nodded slightly. “Don’t worry, Miss Mo. I won’t share this technique with anyone. After I’ve finished studying it, I’ll burn it, leaving no trace behind.”
Mo Danyan sighed in relief.
“Since you’ve accepted my gift, Sir, I won’t intrude any longer. I’ll find a suitable inn in town. I’ll visit again in a few days.”
Lin Tianlu raised an eyebrow. “There’s no need to go through so much trouble, Miss Mo. It’s the Mid-Autumn Festival today. My house…”
“I-it’s not appropriate for me to stay.”
Mo Danyan blushed and lowered her head. “It seems you have a date with a beautiful lady, Sir. If I stay any longer, it might cause misunderstandings and trouble for you.”
Lin Tianlu was stunned for a moment, then chuckled softly. “You’re quite observant, Miss Mo. Since you insist, I won’t try to persuade you to stay.”
“I’ll take my leave then.”
Mo Danyan was about to leave, but then she bit her lip and took out a delicate jade pendant from her pocket, handing it to Lin Tianlu.
“This is my personal pendant, Sir. Please accept it.”
With that, she hurried out of the courtyard.
Lin Tianlu looked at the jade pendant in his hand, his expression strange.
Was she trying to show him… that she wouldn’t leave Changling secretly?
“She’s a good girl, polite and grateful.”
He felt the lingering warmth of the jade pendant, his heart skipping a beat. He quickly put it away in his pocket, a bit flustered.
Accepting a gift from a young girl shouldn’t be misunderstood… right?
…
He quickly banished those thoughts and picked up the internal cultivation manual.
He had been wanting to try practicing a cultivation technique, and now one had conveniently appeared. It was truly a matter of fate.
“This manual… is quite straightforward.”
Lin Tianlu skimmed through the text. It was mostly cryptic formulas and instructions, without any fancy embellishments.
But…
“This girl is truly thoughtful and intelligent.”
Lin Tianlu chuckled.
Beside the formulas, Mo Danyan had written down her own insights and even included her personal experiences with cultivation.
According to her notes, by following the formulas and diligently practicing, one could gradually cultivate their first wisp of internal energy.
For ordinary people with average talent, it would take about a year to master the first level. The second level required more talent and several years of practice, and the third level even longer.
Mo Danyan, with her exceptional talent, claimed to have reached the second level and touched upon the third level within two years. But due to her age and physical limitations, she was currently stuck at the Pure Yang realm, unable to break through.
“The first level allows for the smooth circulation of internal energy. The second level strengthens the blood and causes sweat to evaporate from the skin during practice, like a swirling mist. The third level causes the body to emit a red glow, the fourth level a green glow in the eyes…”
Lin Tianlu’s expression turned even stranger.
So this cultivation technique would eventually turn you into a human traffic light?
He glanced at the description of the fifth level, and as expected… the red glow would turn into a faint gold.
There it was, the complete set of red, yellow, and green.
“But this technique does seem to have some merit.”
Lin Tianlu studied the formulas carefully as he walked back to the courtyard.
The formulas incorporated principles from the I Ching and other esoteric disciplines, a culmination of various schools of thought. If practiced correctly, it could lead to a smooth flow of energy, boundless stamina, and ultimately, the Five Meridian Grandmaster realm.
If there were truly no immortal sects in this world, then this manual… would be incredibly valuable.
“The Mo family is truly generous.”
Lin Tianlu sighed inwardly.
Then, he tried to circulate the internal energy according to the manual, to see if it would have any effect on him.
Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle—!
But to his surprise, a blood-red glow appeared in his palm, accompanied by a sizzling sound, as if the air was burning.
“It actually worked. But the color seems different from what’s described in the manual.”
He frowned, focusing on circulating the energy. The red glow in his palm intensified, gradually turning into a dark purple.
Rustle, rustle, rustle…
The locust tree in the courtyard trembled slightly, and the Locust Sword hummed softly.
He sensed the unusual activity and quickly extinguished the blood-red glow in his hand.
“This technique doesn’t work as described.”
Lin Tianlu’s expression was troubled as he carefully reread the manual.
And he had no idea what level of cultivation he had reached.
The manual didn’t mention anything about cultivating a blood-red glow.
“Could it be that this martial arts technique is incompatible with the spiritual energy in my body, preventing me from practicing it properly… Or has it caused some kind of mutation?”
Lin Tianlu pondered for a moment, then extended his hand again, summoning the blood-red glow and infusing it with a trace of his spiritual energy.
After a while, the strange glow condensed, forming a small, blood-red jade stone that landed in his palm.
Lin Tianlu stared at it, dumbfounded.
Had he… become an alchemist?
But this jade stone…
“It doesn’t seem special.” Lin Tianlu casually weighed it in his hand.
There were no dazzling special effects, no mysterious thunderbolts from the heavens. It just looked like a beautiful, translucent jade stone. He could only sense the lingering spiritual energy and red glow within it.
But the two energies seemed to be coexisting peacefully?
Lin Tianlu couldn’t figure it out, so he put the small red jade stone away in his pocket.
He would study it later and see if he could find a use for it.
If not, he could always ask the girl about it later.
He looked up at the sky, estimating the time, and chuckled softly.
There was no need to worry about cultivation today. Tonight, there would be… a storm brewing.
…
Night fell.
But unlike usual, Changling County was still brightly lit.
It was the Mid-Autumn Festival, a time for families to gather and admire the full moon.
The usually quiet streets were now bustling with people, a lively and festive atmosphere.
Lin Tianlu, dressed in his embroidered cloud robe, stood on the arched bridge, gazing at the bright moon in the sky.
He had never had the leisure to enjoy such scenery in his previous life.
“Are you reminiscing about your hometown, Senior?”
A soft voice came from beside him, bringing him back to reality. He turned to see a beautiful young woman standing next to him. She was dressed in a light pink ruqun with a high waistline, a thin gauze shawl draped over her shoulders, her hair styled in a bun with a jade hairpin. Her delicate features seemed even more alluring under the moonlight.
“Perhaps.” Lin Tianlu smiled. “But with such a beautiful companion by my side, my heart is filled with joy.”
Hua Shuya smiled unconsciously, then quickly bit her lip. “But Madam Mao is even more beautiful.”
“M-Miss Hua, don’t say such embarrassing things!”
Mao Ruoyu’s voice was soft and flustered, betraying her nervousness.
She was adjusting a strand of hair that had fallen over her shoulder, her eyes darting around, avoiding Lin Tianlu’s gaze.
But as Hua Shuya had said, she was dressed more elegantly and beautifully than usual, her ample bosom pushing against her ruqun, her wrists adorned with silk ribbons that flowed around her body like tassels. Her slender figure was visible beneath the layers of gauze, accentuating her seductive charm.
“Let’s not linger here any longer. We should go to the Ascension Immortal Restaurant and meet Miss Cheng.”
She coughed lightly, her face flushed.
Then, her eyes narrowed slightly, a hint of coldness in her gaze. “I can’t wait to… get to know her.”
Lin Tianlu chuckled awkwardly.
Hua Shuya, who was standing beside them, tilted her head in confusion. Madam Mao seemed unusually assertive today.