38: Chapter 38 Second-Rank Cultivation Technique, Illusory Rain Flying Sword

About half an hour had passed.

Jiang Xuan, having finished washing up, strolled leisurely into the front hall.

He first went to the Backyard to check on the Spirit Garden; the five Spiritual Plants had grown another circle larger than before, and he estimated they would be ready for harvest by tomorrow, putting him in quite a good mood.

Walking up to the counter, he was just about to pour himself a cup of tea.

His gaze swept across the counter and landed on a piece of yellow paper.

He picked it up and took a look.

"Su Yue, owes Yunyou Shop two bottles of qi-boosting pills and one bottle of qi-regulating pill, to be repaid in full at a later date."

The spiritual power seal at the signature was still faintly glowing, as solemn as it could possibly be.

Jiang Xuan smiled helplessly and turned his head to glance at Su Yue, who was sitting with her eyes closed in meditation.

He gently pinched the yellow paper between his fingers and channeled a bit of spiritual power into it.

A thin line of fire lit up along the edges of the paper, starting from the corner and burning quietly.

Fragments fell rustlingly from between his fingers, dispersing into a wisp of faint smoke before even touching the counter.

Su Yue opened her eyes just in time to see the last bit of paper ash drift away from his fingers.

Her handsome brows immediately knitted together: "You..."

Jiang Xuan spoke unhurriedly, his tone calm, even carrying a rare touch of seriousness.

"You and I met in the hustle and bustle of the mortal world; we met by Destiny, and we gathered by Destiny."

He brushed the remaining ash off his fingers, his gaze landing on her face.

"I trust your character, and you know my true heart. Having spent many days together, we have treated each other with sincerity; there is no need for such things."

The hand Su Yue had resting on her knee trembled slightly.

She remained quiet for two breaths, then gave a slight nod.

The shop was very quiet, and the morning light shone in diagonally through the half-open wooden door.

Su Yue looked at him, her gaze deepening, and suddenly asked softly: "But what if you have misjudged me?"

Her voice was very light: "What if one day... I take your Medicinal Pill and turn to leave, never to return."

"What would you do?"

Hearing this, the smile on Jiang Xuan's face vanished instantly.

He took a deep breath, an expression of utter agony appearing on his face, and he let out a long, mournful sigh:

"Then I would probably die of heartbreak."

Watching his pitiful act, the corners of Su Yue's mouth curled up uncontrollably.

Before she could fully smile...

She heard Jiang Xuan sigh again, his voice filled with infinite regret:

"Just the thought of never again hearing Fairy Su's melodious, crisp, and pleasant voice at night makes my heart ache..."

Su Yue's face instantly flushed red.

It turned so red that the flush spread from her cheeks to her earlobes, and from her earlobes down to her neck.

She stood up abruptly from the rattan chair, snatched up the teacup beside her, and hurled it at him.

"Shameless!"

The teacup, carrying the remaining tea, traced an arc in mid-air before stopping steadily two inches from the tip of Jiang Xuan's nose.

A ball of gentle spiritual energy wrapped around the cup, and not even a drop of the tea inside spilled out.

Jiang Xuan grinned, reached out to catch the suspended teacup, and placed it back on the counter.

As expected, teasing this cool and aloof Fairy was always amusing.

Su Yue stood where she was, her chest heaving twice as she let out a deep breath.

She turned to walk toward the Backyard, clearly not wanting to see his smug face anymore.

But just as she took two steps, a hand reached out from behind and grasped her wrist.

"Don't be in such a rush to leave, Fairy Su."

Su Yue didn't turn back, her voice so cold it could drop ice shards: "What is it?"

However, those two bright red earlobes were clearly exposed amidst her sideburns.

Jiang Xuan's tone suddenly turned serious, and he changed the subject.

"A serious matter; I want to ask you, how much confidence do you have in participating in the Ascension Conference?"

Su Yue paused, then slowly turned around. The previous annoyance had faded for the most part, replaced by a calm gravity.

"I don't know."

She paused for a moment before continuing: "Those participating in the conference are all Loose Cultivators at the Peak of Qi Refining."

"Some people have been stuck at this Realm for at least several decades, or even nearly a hundred years."

"Their depth of spiritual power, combat experience, and means of fighting are not something ordinary Cultivators can compare to."

"Although I was also at the Peak of Qi Refining before, I suffered severe injuries, and my Foundation has been somewhat damaged."

"Even if I recover to my previous level before the conference, it will barely be enough to qualify for the arena."

Her tone was very flat, neither self-pitying nor feigning strength.

"But I must give it a try."

This sentence was spoken lightly, but Jiang Xuan could hear how heavy the weight was beneath those six words.

For a lone Loose Cultivator, the foundation establishment pill is the only chance to rewrite one's Destiny.

If one misses this session, one must wait another ten years.

Jiang Xuan was silent for a few breaths; he couldn't exactly say that once he reached the Foundation Establishment Realm in the future, he would have foundation establishment pills to sell.

After all, the System was his greatest secret.

However, he could provide support in other areas, so he said:

"Since you are a Sword Cultivator, I happen to have a Sword Cultivator Cultivation Technique here that is suitable for female Cultivators."

"If you can master it thoroughly, it might be of significant help to you."

He took a blue brocade scroll out of his Storage Pouch.

The scroll was not large, about a foot long, with extremely faint spiritual patterns faintly floating on the surface of the silk, emitting an elusive, cool aura.

He handed the scroll to Su Yue.

Su Yue looked down at it, her Phoenix eyes flickering slightly: "This is..."

"A Grade Two Cultivation Technique, Illusory Rain Flying Sword."

Su Yue's pupils contracted.

In the world of Loose Cultivators, being able to obtain a Grade One Cultivation Technique is already a stroke of extreme good fortune.

A Grade Two Cultivation Technique is something only legitimate Inner Sect Disciples are qualified to access.

One occasionally leaks onto the market, starting at a price of at least several thousand Spirit Stones, and most are incomplete; truly complete ones are simply priceless and unavailable.

As a destitute Loose Cultivator, she would never be able to afford one in her lifetime.

Jiang Xuan did not notice her daze and continued on his own:

"It is rumored that ten thousand years ago, Penglai Immortal Island fell into a sea of heavenly fire; the fire was extremely fierce, and Cultivators within a thousand miles could not extinguish it even by joining forces."

"In that moment of crisis, a Fairy descended from the sky, and with a wave of her sleeve, she scattered a sky full of drizzle, falling like flower petals, covering the earth."

"Every raindrop contained incomparably pure Spiritual Qi; as they fell onto the fire, they hissed, and in an instant, the heavenly fire was completely extinguished, preserving the entire Immortal Island."

"A powerful Cultivator who witnessed this scene achieved enlightenment on the spot and comprehended a set of sword techniques from that dreamlike drizzle."

"Initially, this technique had density but lacked ferocity, only sufficient for self-defense."

"Later, his successors repeatedly polished and improved upon this Foundation, and after ten thousand years of evolution, it has become dense and rigorous, combining both hardness and softness."

He paused and looked into Su Yue's eyes.

"When facing an enemy, nine out of ten moves are feints, with sword shadows spreading out across the sky like a curtain of rain; truth and falsehood are intertwined, reality and illusion are indistinguishable."

"The opponent appears to be enveloped by airtight sword moves, but in reality, every single one is an illusion."

"By the time they are flustered and trying to parry those feints, the sword that truly carries killing intent strikes from the most impossible angle."

After finishing, he stuffed the scroll directly into Su Yue's hand.

Su Yue held the blue brocade scroll and remained silent for quite a while.

Then she raised her head, the look in her Phoenix eyes very complex.

There was gratitude, shock, and an emotion she didn't know how to process stuck in her chest.

"You lent me Medicinal Pills to help me recover from my injuries, let me stay here to hide from my enemies, gave me work to do, and shared your commissions with me."

"And now you've taken out a Grade Two Cultivation Technique to give to me..."

She gripped the scroll in her hand tightly and pursed her lips:

"Jiang Xuan, don't you think... you are giving too much?"