I Can Add Points Infinitely - Chapter 52

Shen Lian finally managed to politely decline the spirit stones, forming a good relationship with the craftsmen.

Instead of storing the Demon Emperor Sword in his body, he decided to keep it sheathed at his left side, resembling a common wandering swordsman. Satisfied with his new look, Shen Lian left the Tool Refinement Pavilion and went to find Yun Xiong and the others to prepare for their departure.

Meanwhile, at the Third Elder’s residence…

“It’s been so long. Why is there still no news of Ghost Valley Elder?” The Third Elder stood in a secret chamber, where a small communication array was carved into the floor. The image of a middle-aged man hovered above the array, and the Third Elder was in conversation with him.

“Uncle, Ghost Valley Elder has many enemies. For his safety, he always keeps a low profile and hides his whereabouts. It’s not easy to find him, but I’m still trying,” the middle-aged man replied, his tone helpless. This man was none other than Wang Hongzhe, the inner sect steward who had been tasked by the Third Elder to find Ghost Valley Elder. He was also a relative of the Third Elder.

“Alas, is this truly fate?” the Third Elder muttered, frowning.

“Uncle, has something happened?” Wang Hongzhe asked, noticing the Third Elder’s sigh.

“The Sect Master has already arranged for Shen Lian to take charge of the mining operations at Dongshi Valley,” the Third Elder said grimly.

“What? The Sect Master trusts Shen Lian so much that he’s given him the responsibility of such an important place like Dongshi Valley? Fang Nan and Su Luo have fought over that place for years without success, and now it falls into this kid’s lap?” Wang Hongzhe exclaimed, shocked.

The Third Elder shook his head, clearly reluctant to discuss this further. He said in a deep voice, “The order has already been issued. Shen Lian will likely set off soon. You must hurry and find Ghost Valley Elder. Report to me immediately if you have any news.”

“Understood,” Wang Hongzhe replied, accepting the order.

The Third Elder waved his hand dismissively and deactivated the array. He stood alone in the chamber, his expression dark and brooding.

From the Sect Master’s latest arrangement, the Third Elder had sensed something deeper. He felt that the Sect Master was particularly concerned about Shen Lian. If he couldn’t find Ghost Valley Elder and obtain concrete evidence, he might never be able to deal with Shen Lian. The latter was starting to grow truly formidable, no longer someone who could be easily manipulated.

That night, at the Luoxia Peak residence…

Shen Lian and Yun Xiong, along with the others, agreed to depart the next day. As cultivators, they usually carried their belongings with them, so there was no need for elaborate preparations. They simply set a time and went their separate ways to rest.

Shen Lian gathered all the outer sect disciples who were staying in the residence to inform them of his upcoming departure, prompting many of the female disciples to look at him with eyes full of longing.

They had all competed for the chance to serve Shen Lian, hoping something might happen between them. But since their arrival, they had discovered that Shen Lian was always busy cultivating and had little time to pay them any attention. Finally, after his return from the Scripture Pavilion, he was leaving again.

“Senior Brother, you’ll need someone to serve you while you’re stationed outside. I’m willing to accompany you,” a bold female disciple volunteered.

“Senior Brother, we’re willing to go too…”

“We’re not afraid of hardship, as long as we can serve you…”

Hearing their pleas, Shen Lian felt helpless. Knowing their intentions, he shook his head and firmly refused, saying, “There’s no need. You all should stay here and take care of the residence. If you’re tired of staying here, you can apply to return to the outer sect for training.”

After speaking, he waved them off. Though disappointed, the female disciples had no choice but to leave in dejection, intimidated by Shen Lian’s authority.

Since crossing over to this world, Shen Lian had constantly been on the move, frequently changing residences. Even the beautiful Luoxia Peak residence hadn’t stirred any sense of belonging in him. Leaving wouldn’t cause any reluctance or attachment.

The next morning, Shen Lian didn’t alert anyone and flew directly to the main gate of Azure Cloud Sect. Yun Xiong and the others were already waiting there, with horses prepared. Since Luo Junyuan and Shan Qing had not yet reached the Foundation Establishment level and couldn’t fly on swords, and considering the long journey, they decided to travel by horseback.

They all wore ordinary clothes and set out on horseback, heading south. Behind them, the Chongshan Mountain, where the Azure Cloud Sect was located, gradually shrank in the distance, while a vast plain stretched before them.

The green grass swayed, and a warm breeze brushed past. As Shen Lian gazed at the shifting scenery, he suddenly felt a sense of immense freedom, like a young hero stepping into the world for the first time, filled with anticipation and excitement for the legendary tales ahead.

Unfortunately, this state of mind lasted only for about ten days of the monotonous journey, until it finally withered away.

“Senior Brother, the security in Yan Kingdom is quite good, isn’t it? We’ve been on the road for over ten days and haven’t encountered a single bandit,” Shen Lian remarked, lazily lying on the horse’s back, chatting idly with the others.

“Hahaha…” Yun Xiong laughed. “Junior Brother, you got it wrong. It’s not that the Yan Kingdom has good security. From what I know, we’ve passed through two places where there are bandit issues.”

“Oh?” Shen Lian’s eyes lit up but then he looked disappointed. “Are you kidding, Senior Brother? If there are bandits, why haven’t they come to rob us?”

“You’re still too inexperienced,” Yun Xiong chuckled. “Any bandit with a bit of common sense would see our attire and know better than to try anything. They’d be courting death otherwise.”

“What’s so different about us?” Shen Lian looked at everyone, including himself. They were all dressed in ordinary clothes and weren’t wearing the sect’s robes.

“There’s a big difference,” Yun Xiong smiled. “Mortals traveling long distances would at least carry food and water, right? Look at us—who’s carrying any supplies?”

“Any bandit who knows the trade can tell we’re cultivators from this alone, not ordinary folks. Naturally, they wouldn’t dare provoke us.”

“I see.” Shen Lian nodded, finally understanding. Indeed, he was now in a fantastical world where cultivators were untouchable beings in the eyes of ordinary people. Just reaching the Foundation Establishment stage set a clear line between mortals and cultivators.

Since Luo Junyuan and Shan Qing couldn’t fly on swords, Shen Lian chose to travel with them on horseback. If he were alone, he would have flown ahead long ago, without such feelings. He realized he was gradually moving away from the mortal realm.

As he was reflecting—

“Twang!”

A thick rope, about the width of a child’s arm, suddenly sprang up, stretched taut across their path.

“A trip rope?” Yun Xiong froze, looking bewildered.

“Neigh…” The horses neighed in surprise. But given their cultivation levels, they quickly reacted. Their spiritual energy surged, enveloping the horses and bringing them to a stop, avoiding a fall.

“Rustle…”

At the same moment, a burly man with a beard emerged from the bushes, glaring fiercely at them.

“If you want to live, hand over your silver!” the man growled.

“Uh… Junior Brother, did you jinx us with your mouth or something? You just mentioned bandits, and here one appears,” Yun Xiong muttered in astonishment, looking over at Shen Lian. Then he glanced back at the man, who lacked any noticeable spiritual aura, and felt completely speechless.