Becoming a Sage Starts From Condensing the Essence of Time

Chapter 57: The Immortals Laugh That I’ve Grown White Hair

Translator: Atlas Studios       Editor: Atlas Studios

The cold moonlight shone on Lin’an. The stars scattered, and the shadows of the figures and trees were mottled.

Luo Qingchen carried Zhu Shan’s corpse and left Lin’an Prefecture. With Li You’an’s sword qi turning into a river tide and stopping many experts, he did not encounter much trouble and directly left the city.

Qin Qianqiu wasn’t dead, but after tonight, he was destined to become the laughingstock of the entire Lin’an. He was pressed to the ground and beaten up, curled up in the Vajra Bell like an old turtle.

This joke would last for a long time and was used by many Lin’an nobles as a laughingstock. The higher Qin Qianqiu’s status was, the longer this laughing stock would last.

For someone as prideful as Qin Qianqiu, such an outcome was worse than killing him.

The experts of Prime Minister Qin’s Prefecture rushed out one after another. The official factions like the Lin’an Prefecture Office and the Black Office also used their troops to leave the city to search.

Lin’an’s night was not quiet at all. It was very noisy.

However, all of this had nothing to do with An Le or the small courtyard in Imperial Ancestral Temple Alley.

With the death of the coachman, Zhu Shan, and Luo Qingchen beating up Qin Qianqiu, the matter had already blown up. Qin Qianqiu probably wouldn’t dare to attack An Le again for the time being.

The main reason was that not only had Hua Jiebing returned, but she had also invited Legendary Top Scholar Li You’an back…

The news had already spread, and all the nobles in Lin’an Prefecture knew.

Just now, Qin Qianqiu had arranged for the expert guarding the city gate of Lin’an Prefecture to stop Hua Jiebing. He was berated by Li You’an and sent to the Blue Wave River battlefield. He could not return unless they defeated the enemy.

This domineering might made many nobles in Lin’an Prefecture not dare to mess around anymore. Everyone knew the purpose of such a legendary figure returning to the capital.

The Spring Quarter Examination was imminent, so it naturally had something to do with the Storm Calming in the Hall Examination.

The conflict and feud between the Lin Residence and the Qin Residence might take a huge turn in the ownership of the Storm Calming.

In Imperial Ancestral Temple Alley, the courtyard door opened.

The cold moonlight shone down from the sky of the starry night, passing through the leaves of the old locust tree and scattering mottled shadows on the ground.

In the middle of the courtyard, there was a square table. On the table was a pot of old yellow wine from Yanchun, three wine cups, and a pound of beef.

The old man of the Imperial Ancestral Temple narrowed his eyes and sat on a chair. He drank wine and ate meat, his long eyebrows fluttering in the night wind.

Li You’an, who was dressed plainly, sat in the chair as he ate beef and drank wine.

An Le was dressed in white and had the Green Mountain and Ink Pool Sword on his waist. He was only drinking.

“Young Friend An, I saw your battle with that coachman just now.”

The old man from the Imperial Ancestral Temple made a cup of wine and put it down. He chuckled and said, “Everyone has to pay the price for their choice. The coachman paid the price with his life. Although he was unwilling, it’s not that he didn’t kill you, but he was unwilling to not be able to send Luo Qingchen back to Qingzhou.”

“It’s good that you didn’t show any compassion and didn’t hold back in battle.”

When An Le heard this, he drank the wine in his cup and said, “The coachman was at the third realm of Body Tempering, and his Spirit Refinement was at the Embryonic Breath. His realm was higher than mine, and we know that even a lion uses its full strength to capture a rabbit. My realm was lower than his to begin with, so how could I hold back because of compassion?”

“If I’m killed, the coachman will at most lament. Just like how I lamented when he died.”

“I’m not even an expert. How can I develop the habit of being conceited?”

An Le spoke very solemnly and seriously.

Zhao Huangting was stunned for a moment before he laughed.

Li You’an, who had been drinking and eating meat, paused and looked at An Le in surprise.

“Well said.”

Li You’an wiped the grease from the corner of his mouth and asked, “You comprehended the secret sword technique in the Little Sacred Token?”

An Le knew that he should be asking about the technique of controlling the Ink Pool Sword in the air, Sword Qi Draws Near.

Without hiding anything, An Le nodded and admitted, “I gained some enlightenment yesterday.”

“Good, you’re very talented. The opportunities in the Little Sacred Token were left behind by the Sacred Teacher. There are sword techniques, saber techniques, spear techniques, and so on. Everyone sees and comprehends different things.”

“Even if it’s the same Sword Dao, you can still comprehend different techniques.”

Li You’an chuckled.

Zhao Huangting ate the meat and said, “Young Friend An, General Li was also the holder of the Little Sacred Token back then. Moreover, he suppressed that generation and sat upright at the top of the Sacred Mountain. Today, he’s eating your wine and meat. If you have any doubts about sword techniques, don’t stand on ceremony and ask.”

When An Le heard this, his eyes lit up. “Senior spoke to the Sacred Teacher…”

“I really have a question.”

Li You’an smiled without saying anything and gestured for An Le to ask.

An Le thought for a moment and did not ask about Sword Qi Draws Near.

Instead, he asked a question that he had been holding back for a long time. “Emperor Yuan Meng is known as the number one expert in the world. Then…

between the Sacred Teacher and the Yuan Emperor, who is stronger?”

The wind blew in the courtyard, and the leaves of the old locust tree rustled against each other. It was quiet.

Zhao Huangting narrowed his eyes, and Li You’an fell into deep thought.

The topic of An Le was indeed beyond their expectations.

“No matter how strong Emperor Yuan Meng is, he’s just the number one expert in the mortal world.”

“The Sacred Teacher is different.

“As long as the Sacred Teacher is around, the heavens are the heavens, and the mortal world is the mortal world.”

When An Le heard this, he felt that there was a hidden meaning in Li You’an’s words. He did not understand the deeper meaning, but he understood the direct meaning.

Emperor Yuan Meng was the number one expert in the world, but he was still below the heavens. As for the Sacred Teacher, he had jumped out of this level and was looking at the heavens and the mortal world.

“I’ve finished the wine and the meat. You’ve also asked your question. I should leave now. I won’t disturb Young Master An’s opportunity.”

Li You’an stood up and brushed off his plain clothes.

Zhao Huangting also smiled and stood up. “You’an, let’s change places.”

“Young Friend An drew a horse for the Fourth Son of Lin in the Lin Residence today. Even from afar, I can smell the ink fragrance of the wild horse in the painting.”

“Let’s go find the Yuan Emperor’s son-in-law and take a look at Young Friend

An’s painting.”

Zhao Huangting greeted him impatiently.

An Le was instantly speechless. How could you smell that?

Li You’an’s eyes lit up. “Hua Jiebing praised the unyielding character of the ink bamboo you drew to me. Senior also called it the wild horse frivolity in the brush. I can go and see it for myself.”

An Le stood up and cupped his fists at the two of them.

Li You’an placed his hands behind his back, and his long hair fell unruly. He walked to the entrance of the courtyard and looked at An Le. “Did you name the sword technique you comprehended from the Little Sacred Token?”

When An Le heard this, he said, “It’s called ‘Sword Qi Draws Near’.”

The corners of Li You’an’s lips curled up, and his mental power immediately filled his body like starlight. A sword qi slowly gathered in the endless starlight.

“My sword technique is called Thousand Degrees. This sword is also called Thousand Degrees.”

Li You’an caressed the sword with his palm. The sword was filled with starlight and trembled slightly. “Work hard to comprehend Sword Qi Draws Near. You’ve only scratched the surface now. When you really grasp it, you’ll have unexpected gains.”

As soon as he finished speaking, Li You’an bent his finger and knocked. The famous sword Thousand Degrees suddenly turned into waning sparks and disappeared.

Then, he strode out of the courtyard.

The old man from the Imperial Ancestral Temple smiled and glanced at An Le. “Young Friend An, I didn’t expect you to be able to draw horses as well. Very good, let’s talk another day.”

An Le bowed and sent him to the door. The old man smiled and left. The sound of the bamboo cane hitting the limestone echoed in the night alley and gradually faded away.

In front of the Imperial Ancestral Temple.

Li You’an stood with his hands behind his back and looked at the brightly lit luxurious and majestic temple.

The old man walked over with a bamboo cane and smiled. “What do you think of this child?”

Li You’an retracted his gaze and said, “His sword talent is outstanding, and his personality is neither servile nor overbearing. From the ink bamboo, you can tell that he’s proud and talented.”

“However, it’s still unknown if he can carry your Green Mountain.”

The old man smiled, his eyes much deeper. “I can’t break through the realm. When my lifespan is about to end, it’s a blessing to be able to find such a young man to inherit Green Mountain.”

“The young man once said, ‘I see how charming Green Mountain is, Green

Mountain should be like this when it sees me.’ How romantic.”

“I don’t regret giving Green Mountain to him.”

Li You’an’s gaze softened. “It’s very romantic.”

Then, he frowned slightly. “Senior, is there no hope?”

“The Great Dao is long and the passage of time leaves a mark. If someone as strong as the Yuan Emperor had not broken through the ten realms, he would only be able to live for 600 years. I once held my sword heroically and knocked on the Heaven’s Gate. But now, time is passing, and the immortals are laughing at me for growing white hair.”

The old man leaned on his bamboo cane and looked at the Imperial Ancestral Temple with waning lights. He sighed.

“It’s been more than 500 years since Great Zhao moved south. Too many people in Lin’an Prefecture are facing the limit of their cultivation. When they’re old, they’re easily afraid of death. The prosperous Lin’an Prefecture is drowning them in superficial wealth. How many thoughts have been shattered and how much heroism has been buried?”

The old man turned to look at Li You’an. “But I can’t accept it. North of the Blue Wave River is our homeland, but we can only look at the river and miss our homeland. Now, in Lin’an, too many people’s heroic spirit and ambition have been wiped away by the prosperity. They feel that it’s enough to maintain their current situation.”

“Even that person in the Heavenly Profound Hall has aged. He’s forgotten the grievances he suffered when we moved south.”

“There’s no turning back for Lin’an.”

“You, Li You’an, Ye Longsheng, and Zhong Shiji are trying your best to cross the river. I’m very happy. I hope you won’t be blinded by Lin’an’s prosperity.”

The old man’s sigh, heartache, and warning made Li You’an’s expression solemn as he bowed deeply.

“I once carried a broken bamboo sword to kill Emperor Yuan Meng, but in that battle, I fought to cover the retreat. It was not straightforward enough. In a few days, I will definitely cross north of the river and seek battle from the Yuan

Emperor.”

The old man stroked his long eyebrows and smiled.

Li You’an narrowed his eyes. “That must be… very satisfying.”

The courtyard fell silent.

There was an empty pot on the table, and the wine was in a mess.

An Le’s mental power fell into an unprecedented silence. He cleared the table and watered the flowers and potted plants.

Then, the courtyard was cleaned up.

He raised his hand and waved his sword fingers gently. Green Mountain and Ink Pool Sword whistled out and stabbed into the trunk of the old locust tree, trembling slightly.

An Le stood quietly for a moment. The scene and details of the battle with the burly coachman, Zhu Shan, appeared in his mind.

The [Fearless Heart] Dao Fruit trembled slightly.

He exhaled like thunder, and Qi Blood surged out of his pores under his skin.

The Spirit Bone clanged as Qi Blood surged. An Le bathed in the stars and practiced the Five Animals!

The misty blood mist turned into ferocious tigers, spirit deers, ferocious bears, cunning apes, sharp cranes…

After a round of Body Tempering martial arts practice, a Sword Pool appeared in the Niwan Palace between An Le’s eyebrows, shining with starlight.

The Embryonic Breath mental power slowly boiled!

Like a ferocious beast, it charged towards the third level of Spirit Refinement, Shedding Mortality!