The Cannon Fodder’s Inner Thoughts Were Overheard by the Villain [Transmigration Into a Book] - Chapter 20

Mo Jing, his head crowned with withered branches and decaying leaves, had just begun to smile when he saw the Buddha’s Son, whom he had been searching for so diligently, collapse before him.

Worse still, Pei Jingyuan swiftly pursued them and caught the falling figure before Mo Jing could react.

In the instant Jiang Minghuan collapsed, Mo Jing, who was closer and had already reached out, found Pei Jingyuan suddenly appearing behind Jiang Minghuan, catching him and carrying him away from Mo Jing before using his Dao Essence to examine his condition.

Only after confirming that Jiang Minghuan had merely fainted from overexerting his Dao Essence did Pei Jingyuan relax slightly.

Cradling Jiang Minghuan in his arms, Pei Jingyuan glanced at Mo Jing and said coldly, “Trespassing on the Sword Pavilion. Does this humble one’s sword no longer suffice?”

Knowing he was in the wrong, Mo Jing pressed his palms together and replied, “This humble monk was rash, but if you, Pei Huaizhan, hadn’t abducted him, why would I have gone to such lengths?”

Pei Jingyuan carried Jiang Minghuan into the bamboo hut, with Mo Jing trailing behind, muttering, “You’re letting him stay in this place? Even the Three Treasures Temple has better accommodations. You might as well let me take him away.”

After carefully placing Jiang Minghuan on the bed, Pei Jingyuan turned and said, “Come here.”

Mo Jing hesitated but followed Pei Jingyuan outside. As soon as they stepped out, he saw Pei Jingyuan draw his sword.

Mo Jing gasped, “Amitabha! What are you doing?”

Pei Jingyuan replied tersely, “Beating you up!”

Seeing the sword thrust toward him, Mo Jing swiftly tossed his Buddhist prayer beads into the air. The beads spun in mid-air, forming a gradually enlarging star at their center.

The tip of Pei Jingyuan’s sword struck the star, shattering it instantly.

Mo Jing pressed his hand downward, causing the characters inscribed on the beads to detach one by one and wrap around Pei Jingyuan’s sword.

Yet Pei Jingyuan’s gaze remained unwavering, as if the characters were of no consequence. He pressed forward with his sword, unstoppable.

When Jiang Minghuan awoke, he heard Duan Shui shouting beside him even before he opened his eyes, “You’re finally awake!”

Ah, how I wish I could open my eyes and find myself in my own room! Even the dorm would be better.

He’d rather fret over experimental fields than worry about the barren lands of the Cultivation World.

He sighed and slowly opened his eyes, rubbing his temples as he realized he was still dizzy. “What happened?” he asked.

Duan Shui crossed his arms. “Can’t you ever give anyone a break? I was only gone for a little while, and you’ve already exhausted your Dao Essence and knocked yourself out. If the Pavilion Master hadn’t found you, you’d still be lying on the ground waiting to wake up.”

Jiang Minghuan was surprised. “Pavilion Master Pei came? Where is he? Did he say anything?”

More importantly, did he bring me food? He felt ravenously hungry after waking up.

Duan Shui paused before replying, “He came. He’s outside fighting someone.”

Huh?

Jiang Minghuan’s eyes widened, and he immediately sat up in bed. “Let’s go see!”

In the original novel, Pei Jingyuan rarely fought, and since Jiang Minghuan had transmigrated, he hadn’t witnessed a single battle.

Though his head still swam, he couldn’t miss such a spectacle.

How could a Chinese person, who loves nothing more than a good show, pass up this opportunity?

Duan Shui hurried after him. “Why are you so eager?”

Jiang Minghuan couldn’t admit he just wanted to watch the spectacle. Instead, he said, “Of course I’ll go observe. Pavilion Master Pei is a peerless prodigy; his battles are bound to offer valuable lessons.”

Whether he could understand the fight was beside the point, he never expected to anyway.

As he stepped outside, he happened to see Pei Jingyuan emerge leisurely from the bamboo grove.

Having overheard Jiang Minghuan’s earlier remark, Pei Jingyuan was about to say something when he suddenly “heard” another thought.

‘Ah? It’s already over? No more excitement to watch?’

Pei Jingyuan, I knew he wasn’t that motivated!

After mentally lamenting, Jiang Minghuan’s gaze shifted past Pei Jingyuan to the white-robed monk trailing behind him.

The monk looked thoroughly disheveled.

His features suggested he was quite handsome, but his white robes were now stained with patches of dirt, his left eye socket was bruised, the corner of his right lip was purple, and there seemed to be a lump swelling on his forehead.

He’d taken quite a beating.

Mo Jing’s eyes lit up at the sight of Jiang Minghuan, and he immediately stepped forward, only to be blocked by a sword.

He glanced at the sword blocking his path, then at Pei Jingyuan, who held it. Suppressing his anger, he clasped his hands together and called out to Jiang Minghuan, “Buddha’s Son… no, Benefactor, you’ve finally awakened!”

Jiang Minghuan immediately eyed the monk warily. Though the man had quickly corrected himself, Jiang Minghuan had clearly heard him call him “Buddha’s Son.”

He turned to Pei Jingyuan and asked, “Pavilion Master, who is this?”

Mo Jing’s face lit up with a smile. Before Pei Jingyuan could answer, he interjected, “This humble monk is Mo Jing, from Three Treasures Temple.”

Pei Jingyuan retaliated with a swift thrust of his sword. Mo Jing dodged in alarm, shouting, “A sneak attack! Pei Huaizhan, you have no shame!”

Pei Jingyuan snapped impatiently, “Did he ask you? Then shut up and get lost!”

‘Huh? Pavilion Master Pei is actually angry? This guy must be trouble.’

Hearing this, Pei Jingyuan wanted nothing more than to throw Mo Jing out of the Sword Pavilion. However, out of respect for Three Treasures Temple, he couldn’t act on his impulse.

He strode over to Jiang Minghuan and asked, “What did you do to knock yourself out?”

Jiang Minghuan suddenly felt a little embarrassed. “Ah, it’s just… I was tilling the land.”

Pei Jingyuan subconsciously glanced at the nearby soil, falling silent for a moment, unsure how to respond.

After all, he wasn’t very knowledgeable about farming. He simply asked, “Did you find a solution?”

Jiang Minghuan’s spirits lifted. “I have some ideas, but I’m not sure if they’ll work yet.”

‘I’m not going to tell you the specifics. You probably wouldn’t understand anyway.’

‘Hey, what about food? Are you really not going to feed me? I’m starving!’

Pei Jingyuan was about to say something more, but upon “hearing” this, he said, “That’s good. This venerable one brought some food. Let’s set aside those matters for now.”

Jiang Minghuan’s eyes lit up. He couldn’t shake the feeling that Pei Jingyuan’s voice carried a hint of amusement.

The hint was subtle, but it was markedly different from his usual tone.

Yet when he looked closer, those golden and crimson eyes remained as cold and clear as ever, showing no trace of laughter, only his own reflection.

After a moment of awkward eye contact with Pei Jingyuan, Jiang Minghuan shifted his gaze and noticed the white-robed monk, Mo Jing, approaching again.

Mo Jing, Mo Jing… That dharma name is quite interesting.

Mo Jing looked at Jiang Minghuan with earnest anticipation. “Benefactor,” he asked, “may this humble monk have a word with you in private?”

“What could you possibly need to discuss in private?” Pei Jingyuan interjected, subtly positioning himself between Jiang Minghuan and the monk. He turned to Jiang Minghuan and said, “He wants you to become a monk.”

Jiang Minghuan’s face paled in shock. “Absolutely not!”

Pei Jingyuan turned to Mo Jing and said slowly, “Indeed. How could the Madam of the Pavilion Master of Sword Pavilion possibly become a monk?”

‘Is that really the point? Who even wants to be this “Madam of the Pavilion Master” thing? Anyone else might be fine, but I’m sworn enemies with these bald monks!’

As Pei Jingyuan “heard” the earlier part of Jiang Minghuan’s thoughts, he pressed his tongue against his back teeth, itching to say, Whether you want to or not, you already are. And the entire Cultivation World knows it.

News of the Sword Pavilion Master’s wedding spread quickly, even though the ceremony itself had been far from proper.

When he “heard” the later part, he couldn’t help but glance at Mo Jing, feeling slightly reassured.

It was unclear why Jiang Minghuan and the bald monk were such bitter enemies, but that didn’t matter. The important thing was that even if the Abbot of Three Treasures Temple himself came, Jiang Minghuan might not change his mind.

Mo Jing didn’t even glance at Pei Jingyuan as he earnestly addressed Jiang Minghuan. “Though you would be a monk, as the Buddha’s Son and future Abbot, your life at Three Treasures Temple would undoubtedly be more comfortable than your current circumstances.”

Mo Jing was practically accusing Pei Jingyuan of mistreating Jiang Minghuan.

Duan Shui retorted angrily, “How dare you speak like that, you bald monk? His life is perfectly comfortable here!”

Mo Jing smiled faintly. “Whether he is truly comfortable, this humble monk cannot say. However, these quarters are rather spartan, and quite distant from Crescent Moon Peak.”

Turning to Pei Jingyuan, he added, “If you care so little for Benefactor Jiang, why confine him here?”

Jiang Minghuan looked at Pei Jingyuan with growing curiosity.

‘Right, you forced me into this marriage, replaced the bride at the last minute, and now you won’t let me leave the Sword Pavilion? Is there some hidden reason?’

Pei Jingyuan replied calmly, “We have unresolved grievances. Why shouldn’t I keep him here?”

‘Hiss, I almost forgot about this. But how exactly does he plan to retaliate?’

Mo Jing pressed his palms together and addressed Jiang Minghuan, “Benefactor Jiang, the Three Treasures Temple is willing to bear all your karmic consequences, provided you agree to come with this humble monk to the temple.”

Pei Jingyuan gripped his sword hilt and asked, “Do you wish to die here?”

Trying to snatch someone from my grasp?

Is this bald donkey tired of living?

Jiang Minghuan shook his head. “No, I’m perfectly fine staying here.”

‘It’s alright. As long as I can grow food, Pei Jingyuan won’t kill me, unless he’s completely brainless.’

‘Ah, wait, according to the original novel, it’s hard to say whether he actually has a brain.’

‘Based on the setting, he should have one, but his actions after meeting Yun Ning are utterly brainless. Ah, Schrödinger’s brain.’

Pei Jingyuan’s grip tightened on his sword hilt, deeply disliking Jiang Minghuan’s assumption that he had romantic feelings for Yun Ning.

Yun Ning, a man with nothing but a pretty face, what right does he have to earn my affection?

Even if I weren’t focused solely on cultivating the Sword Dao, my affections would naturally be reserved for someone with both talent and beauty.

As these thoughts raced through his mind, he subconsciously glanced at Jiang Minghuan then at Mo Jing. He heard Mo Jing sigh and say, “Benefactor Jiang, there’s no need to worry excessively. Even this humble monk finds this place less than ideal. Since you are the Madam of the Pavilion Master, why aren’t you residing at Old Sword Pavilion instead of here?”

‘Ugh, don’t push your luck! At this rate, I’m afraid Pei Jingyuan will end you with a single sword strike.’

Jiang Minghuan straightened his expression and replied, “I’m here because the Pavilion Master has entrusted me with important matters.”

‘Who says farming isn’t important? Though I don’t understand why Pei Jingyuan insisted on assigning me here, I guess you can’t avoid plot-critical locations. I wonder if Yun Ning will still end up living on Golden Goose Peak in the future.’

Mo Jing was about to respond when Pei Jingyuan suddenly raised his hand. Jiang Minghuan watched as a building flew toward them from the distance.

As he tilted his head back to observe it, the structure—or rather, the pavilion—looked strangely familiar even from afar.

When it drew closer, he blurted out, “Old Sword Pavilion?”

He turned to stare at Pei Jingyuan in shock.

‘What’s going on? Old Sword Pavilion… just… flew over here?’

When the Old Sword Pavilion landed, it did so with barely a sound. Yet its arrival seemed to compress the entire valley, making it feel cramped.

Jiang Minghuan turned to Pei Jingyuan, staring blankly. “That bamboo pavilion was just finished by Duan Shui.”

The Old Sword Pavilion had effortlessly crushed the bamboo pavilion beneath it, likely reducing it to splinters.

Duan Shui immediately said, “It’s just a bamboo hut. It’s no trouble to rebuild.”

Jiang Minghuan shot him a look, half exasperated, half disappointed.

‘Why are you being such a coward? Fine, even if the bamboo hut doesn’t matter, my bedding is buried under there!’

Pei Jingyuan turned to Mo Jing. “Wherever this venerable one is, that place becomes the Sword Pavilion of the Years. So what if I moved the Old Sword Pavilion here?”

Mo Jing clearly hadn’t anticipated this. He looked at Pei Jingyuan with a complicated expression. “You… Sigh, why go to such lengths? The Three Treasures Temple will never give up on a Buddha’s Son…”

“Wait a minute!” Jiang Minghuan couldn’t hold back. “What Buddha’s Son? I’ll never have anything to do with the Buddhist Sect in this lifetime!”

Mo Jing didn’t become angry at Jiang Minghuan’s attitude. He continued to speak with gentle patience, “Being a Buddha’s Son is your fate, Benefactor. Even if you don’t join us now, your path will inevitably lead you back to the Buddhist Sect in the future.”

Jiang Minghuan crossed his arms and looked at him. “Fate is a vague concept. What ‘destiny’?”

Mo Jing shook his head. “Benefactor, your words are mistaken. Some things in life are set in stone from birth, unchangeable no matter what.”

Hearing this, Jiang Minghuan glanced at him, then pulled three copper coins from his Storage Pouch. “Then let’s see what fate has to say.”

He tossed the coins, then caught all three with practiced ease. But before he could even interpret the results, Mo Jing exclaimed in shock, “You… you’re a Dao Thief?”

Jiang Minghuan’s hand froze. He narrowed his eyes at Mo Jing. “A thief? Are you calling me a bandit?”

He put the coins back into his Storage Pouch and drew the Whale Swallower. He couldn’t win a fight against this man, but he had to maintain his dignity.

This guy was utterly baffling. First, he claimed Jiang Minghuan was destined to be a Buddha’s Son, and now he was calling him a thief.

Jiang Minghuan turned to Pei Jingyuan. “Pavilion Master, is he here to cause trouble for me?”

Pei Jingyuan’s expression was inscrutable as he scrutinized Jiang Minghuan for a long moment before turning to Mo Jing and saying, “The grudge between the Buddhist and Daoist sects should not be allowed to entangle others.”

Jiang Minghuan’s ears perked up. Hm? Daoist sect?

Does this world also have a Daoist sect?

In all the handbooks he’d studied, not a single cultivator had mentioned their Daoist lineage. Moreover, the Daoist theories he’d discussed at the Dao Discussion Platform were so fundamental that they were the first concepts any Daoist disciple would encounter.

Yet even the Sword Pavilion disciples, including Luo Xiaoyao, who had broken through to a new realm on the spot, seemed unaware of these basic tenets. If a Daoist sect existed in this world, such foundational knowledge should have spread widely.

The Cultivation World wasn’t a place where secrets were hoarded. While unique techniques might be passed down only to direct heirs or disciples, philosophical ideas were freely exchanged.

Mo Jing fell silent for a moment, his gaze still wary as he stared at Jiang Minghuan. “His methods… they do bear a striking resemblance to those of a Dao Thief.”

Only then did Jiang Minghuan realize they were referring to this kind of “Dao.” But understanding this only deepened his anger. For him, the Daoist sect was far more than a mere faith; it was his home.

Even if he wasn’t a Junior Brother or Sister at the Taoist Temple, Jiang Minghuan always felt a sense of kinship when encountering other Daoist disciples outside.

Yet, according to Mo Jing, they were now considered “Dao Thieves.” And Jiang Minghuan couldn’t defend the Daoist Sect.

Because he was Jiang Minghuan, Chief Disciple of the Cloud Sect, and had no connection whatsoever to the Daoist Sect.

The more Jiang Minghuan thought about it, the angrier he grew. His sect had long been at odds with the Buddhist Sect. Their temple didn’t collect incense money and relied on income from performing rituals and ceremonies.

Then a Buddhist monastery was built nearby. Not only did it steal their business, but its monks also clashed with his Junior Brothers and Sisters. His Second Junior Brother had even broken his leg and spent nearly half a year recovering.

Just as Jiang Minghuan’s anger peaked, the Whale Swallower in his hand suddenly hummed softly, its blade trembling slightly.

Surprised, he lowered his head to examine it, momentarily bewildered. He couldn’t understand what was happening to the sword.

In the original novel… I don’t remember the Whale Swallower ever doing this?

It was only described as being exceptionally sharp and durable. Lacking spiritual essence, Jiang Zhou had abandoned it without hesitation upon acquiring a superior blade.

Worse still, Jiang Zhou had even melted down the Whale Swallower to forge a scabbard for his new sword.

At that moment, not only Jiang Minghuan but everyone present was drawn to the Whale Swallower’s strange behavior, their gazes fixed on the trembling blade.

Duan Shui flew down and approached Whale Swallower, cupping his face in his hands. “This… is this a resonance between man and blade? Has Whale Swallower gained spiritual energy?”

Resonance between man and blade?

Jiang Minghuan hadn’t even processed the question when Pei Jingyuan turned to Mo Jing and said, “If you don’t leave now, he’ll kill you.”

Mo Jing gazed silently at Jiang Minghuan, then sighed. “This humble monk… will visit Benefactor Jiang again in a few days.”

He turned to leave, seemingly dejected. After taking only a few steps, he suddenly turned back and said, “Huai Zhan, the incident eleven years ago was also connected to the Dao Thief. Be careful.”

Pei Jingyuan’s eyes turned cold. “This matter is already within this lord’s grasp. The Buddhist Sect need not interfere. And return the token I gave you.”

Mo Jing knew he was in the wrong. The token had been given to him by Pei Jingyuan after they became friends, granting him free access to most areas of the Sword Pavilion, excluding the core regions.

Golden Goose Peak, where they stood, was precisely one of the places he could freely enter and exit. After returning the token to Pei Jingyuan, Mo Jing pressed his palms together and said, “This humble monk was reckless. After leaving, I shall face the wall in repentance for ten days.”

Pei Jingyuan frowned slightly. “Your obsession with the Buddha’s Son has grown too deep. If you cannot let go, it will only harm you.”

Mo Jing forced a bitter smile. If he could let go so easily, he wouldn’t have risked a falling-out with Pei Jingyuan by sneaking over here.

As he turned to leave, his gaze lingered on Jiang Minghuan. The reluctance in his eyes made Jiang Minghuan instinctively retreat two steps, hiding behind Pei Jingyuan.

The ice in Pei Jingyuan’s eyes thawed slightly as he turned to Jiang Minghuan. “He’s gone. Why are you still hiding?”

Jiang Minghuan immediately straightened his posture. “Who’s hiding from him? I just don’t want to lose control and chop him down.”

Pei Jingyuan deliberately asked, “Oh? Did he offend you?”

Jiang Minghuan retorted indignantly, “He barged in out of nowhere and demanded I go to Three Treasures Temple with him. If he’d tried that at Cloud Sect, he’d have been kicked out long ago!”

His reasoning was sound. No sect would tolerate someone trying to poach their Chief Disciple to another faction.

‘Well, Pei Jingyuan is a special case. After all, Three Treasures Temple has no feud with Cloud Sect, and their monks aren’t crazy. But Pei Jingyuan has a grudge and is definitely crazy.’

‘Ah, Yun Heming and Cloud Sect really do bully the weak and fear the strong. Too bad Pei Jingyuan doesn’t seem interested in causing them trouble anymore.’

Pei Jingyuan remained silent for a moment before saying, “If you have no intention of going, he can’t force you. Just carry on with your duties.”

Jiang Minghuan stole a glance at Pei Jingyuan and said, “I… I have some ideas, but I feel like something’s missing. Do you have any ancient scrolls or texts I could look at?”

‘I wonder what the Daoist Sect is like in this world. It seems their lineage has been severed. And according to Mo Jing, Pei Jingyuan’s enemies might even be connected to the Daoist Sect.’

‘Strange. At the beginning of the story, Pei Jingyuan had already avenged himself and achieved fame and success. Why is the Daoist Sect suddenly appearing now? Was his revenge truly complete?’

‘I’d better hide this copper coin and stop casually divining the future. Even though this Daoist Sect isn’t the same as mine, what if they hold a grudge against all Daoists?’

Pei Jingyuan listened to the stream of thoughts flooding Jiang Minghuan’s mind. After a long silence, he said, “The Cheng Huai Study contains the books you need. Go look for yourself.”

‘So many books… Do I have to flip through them one by one? Is Pei Jingyuan using this as an opportunity to get back at me?’

‘Am I going to spend the rest of my life surrounded by these books? Suddenly, I don’t really care about understanding the Daoist Sect in this world. After all, the Pei Family’s grudges have nothing to do with my sect.’

Pei Jingyuan had lost his patience. He didn’t care whether Jiang Minghuan read the books or not, but said, “The Sword Dao Discourse is in two days. Prepare yourself.”

Jiang Minghuan couldn’t help but ask, “Huh? Me?”

Pei Jingyuan turned to look at him. “What? Didn’t you give an excellent presentation last time?”

Jiang Minghuan swallowed hard. “I don’t actually have that much insight. I poured everything I had into the last one. There’s nothing left.”

Pei Jingyuan asked gently, “Is that truly the case, or are you simply unwilling to share?”

‘It’s not that I’m unwilling, but that I’m afraid to! Those were Daoist concepts. You didn’t notice them last time, but who knows if deeper exploration will expose them?’

Duan Shui suddenly chimed in, “Didn’t you tell me a lot of things before? You could share those too.”

Jiang Minghuan, “!!!!”

Old man, if you don’t speak, no one will think you’re mute!

Pei Jingyuan deliberately said, “It seems Chief Jiang disdains engaging with the Sword Pavilion.”

‘Speak properly! Why the passive-aggressive tone? I haven’t even been passive-aggressive with you, yet you’re already pulling that on me? You’re a disgrace to my title as the Master of Passive-Aggression!’

While mentally grumbling, he replied, “Since Pavilion Master Pei doesn’t mind my shallow understanding, I’d be happy to exchange insights with the Sword Pavilion Disciples.”

Pei Jingyuan nodded in satisfaction, then turned and disappeared into an unknown location.

As soon as he left, Jiang Minghuan glared at Duan Shui and snapped, “The things I told you were just scattered thoughts, not a coherent system. How could any of that be suitable for the Sword Dao Discourse?”

Duan Shui blinked, puzzled. “Then why didn’t you tell the Pavilion Master instead of me?”

Because I didn’t dare to, Jiang Minghuan thought to himself.

He frowned. “Why is the Pavilion Master so insistent on sending me to the Sword Dao Discourse? It can’t just be because that Sword Master achieved a breakthrough, can it?”

“Isn’t that enough?” Duan Shui exclaimed, his eyes widening. “Just one Red Dust Sword Master is enough to make the entire Sword Pavilion protect you. If there were another, the Sword Pavilion Disciples might start worshipping you!”

Jiang Minghuan instinctively asked, “Would my status surpass Pavilion Master Pei’s?”

“Absolutely not,” Duan Shui replied immediately.

He added, “But you could rank just below the Pavilion Master. In your current position, even if the Pavilion Master were absent from the Sword Pavilion, the likes of Mo Jing wouldn’t dare to touch you.”

It was only then that Jiang Minghuan remembered the Human Furnace attribute bomb he carried.

So Pei Jingyuan wants me to win over the Sword Pavilion Disciples’ hearts?

Could he really be this kind?

A man’s heart is as unfathomable as the ocean depths, especially one like Pei Jingyuan, who always wore a mask, making his expressions impossible to read.

Jiang Minghuan cut straight to the chase. “When will the item I asked you to find arrive?”

Duan Shui replied irritably, “Even freshly killed takes a few days. It should be ready around the time the Sword Dao Discourse concludes.”

Jiang Minghuan immediately said, “Let’s go, let’s go! Come with me to the Cheng Huai Study. We can take advantage of this opportunity to read.”

As he spoke, he sheathed the Whale Swallower.

Duan Shui’s eyes remained glued to the Whale Swallower. Noticing this, Jiang Minghuan suddenly asked, “If you’ve wanted to spirit-bind the Whale Swallower all this time, why haven’t you done anything about it?”

Duan Shui glanced at him and said, “Spirit-binding isn’t as simple as you think. The previous Whale Swallower was merely the most suitable blade, but because it lacked inherent spirituality, it couldn’t be spirit-bound. Now that it possesses spirituality, I still need to harmonize my own spiritual essence with its.”

As they walked toward the Cheng Huai Study, Jiang Minghuan asked, “How do you achieve spiritual harmony?”

Duan Shui replied somewhat bashfully, “By spending more time with it.”

Jiang Minghuan was about to hand Whale Swallower to Duan Shui when he paused and said, “How about this? You can interact with Whale Swallower when I’m not using it, as long as you stay within my sight.”

Weapons were crucial to cultivators, especially for Jiang Minghuan, a Blade Cultivator. He couldn’t simply give his blade away, hence the last-minute change of heart.

Sigh, having to constantly maintain my persona and keep my identity hidden makes life quite difficult.

Duan Shui was surprised. Although Jiang Minghuan had previously agreed to let him host his spirit within Whale Swallower, the matter hadn’t been mentioned since, leading Duan Shui to believe Jiang Minghuan had changed his mind.

This was understandable. Who would want another blade spirit residing in their own blade?

He couldn’t help but circle Jiang Minghuan twice in flight, asking, “You… you really agree? Whale Swallower already possesses sentience. It might even develop a Blade Spirit in the future.”

Jiang Minghuan shook his head. “It’s not that simple.”

For any weapon to manifest a spirit, the perfect confluence of celestial timing, earthly conditions, and human will was required. Not only must the blade itself be a divine weapon, but its wielder must also be sufficiently powerful.

Whale Swallower met the criteria of a divine weapon, but Jiang Minghuan himself lacked the necessary strength.

Moreover, Jiang Zhou’s cultivation had already been exceptionally high before he replaced the Whale Swallower, yet even he couldn’t awaken a Blade Spirit within it. How could Jiang Minghuan possibly succeed?

It would be better to let Duan Shui host the spirit. At least they had known each other for a time.

Duan Shui’s face lit up with unconcealed joy. He circled Jiang Minghuan several times, wanting to express his gratitude but unsure how to begin.

After a long pause, he finally looked at Jiang Minghuan with eager eyes and asked, “What kind of books do you want to read? I’ll help you find them.”

Jiang Minghuan thought for a moment before replying, “I want to learn about the Daoist Sect.”

He had already prepared several excuses before speaking, but Duan Shui surprised him by simply saying, “The Daoist Sect left no written records.”

Jiang Minghuan was taken aback. “Ah? No records at all?”

Surely the Daoist Sect existed before the invention of writing?

Duan Shui sighed. “What exactly do they teach at the Cloud Sect? Do you just cultivate all day? I haven’t seen anyone with particularly high cultivation.”

Jiang Minghuan remained silent. He genuinely didn’t know what the Cloud Sect taught him. The original owner’s memories were fading rapidly from his mind, likely to vanish completely soon.

Even his own memories were fading. It was impossible for foreign memories to persist long in his mind.

Duan Shui sat down and said, “Forget it. Since I’ve lived so long and know about the Daoist Sect, I’ll tell you about it. Strictly speaking, the Daoist Sect hasn’t disappeared. Some say they’ve formed their own realm or gone to other minor worlds, though there’s no proof of this. Every so often, descendants of the Daoist Sect appear and stir up trouble.”

When Jiang Minghuan heard about them going to other minor worlds, his heart skipped a beat.

“What exactly did the Daoist Sect do to make everyone want to kill them?” Jiang Minghuan asked, puzzled.

“It was just a power struggle,” Duan Shui replied. “The Daoist Sect wanted to unify the Cultivation World, forcing everyone to practice only the Dao Gate Canon. They allied with some sects and suppressed others, wiping out any sect that didn’t adopt their canon.”

Hearing this, Jiang Minghuan felt relieved.

Good, this Daoist Sect has nothing to do with Taoism.

What did Taoism emphasize? Following nature, acting according to one’s heart. The Daoist even couldn’t be bothered to compete with other religions for followers.

Come if you want, leave if you want, just don’t disturb my ascension.

This was completely different from the Daoist Sect’s actions in this world.

Still, just to be safe, he asked, “What kind of cultivation manuals did the Daoist Sect use? Does anyone still know?”

Duan Shui glanced at him and said, “The copper coins you were throwing earlier were part of the Daoist Sect’s cultivation manual.”

Jiang Minghuan, “……”

So he really won’t let me divine?

Fine, no divination then. It didn’t matter anyway; ever since he arrived, his divinations had been consistently unreliable.

After a moment’s thought, he asked, “What about the Buddha’s Son? What’s his story?”

Duan Shui, caught off guard by the sudden topic shift, paused before replying, “In the Buddhist Sect, a Buddha’s Son is born every few years. These individuals invariably possess exceptional talent and enlightenment. If a temple has a Buddha’s Son, it’s guaranteed to secure a top spot in the Long River Assembly.”

He finished speaking and turned to Jiang Minghuan, scrutinizing him from head to toe. “You don’t exactly strike me as someone who would diligently study Buddhist teachings.”

Jiang Minghuan retorted instinctively, “Who are you looking down on?”

Though he had no intention of becoming a monk, he couldn’t let Duan Shui imply he lacked the aptitude.

Duan Shui immediately pressed, “You’re not actually going with Mo Jing, are you? Let me tell you, only the Pavilion Master would tolerate your lazy, comfort-seeking ways. Whether it’s the Three Treasures Temple or any other sect, they all require early morning meditation. Think about it, when have you ever woken up before noon?”

Jiang Minghuan, “……”

Jiang Minghuan couldn’t refute him.

By his calculations, he did seem rather lazy at the Sword Pavilion.

He reached out and pressed Duan Shui’s head, saying, “You talk too much. Go play with Whale Swallower and stop bothering me while I’m reading.”

Duan Shui glared at him resentfully, but out of consideration for Whale Swallower, he didn’t argue. He picked up Whale Swallower and went to play elsewhere.

Jiang Minghuan chuckled at the sight of the tiny boy struggling to carry Whale Swallower as they flew off.

He reviewed the cultivation manuals again, even glancing at the Dragon Clan’s Great Cycle Rotation Manual. It still featured two handsome men and actions that would be censored in later eras, but this time he gleaned some deeper insights.

The Dragon Clan’s dual cultivation method wasn’t as brutal as rumored. Dual cultivation, after all, meant cultivating together, allowing both parties to enhance their cultivation.

Moreover, dual cultivation didn’t necessarily require physical intimacy. As long as the two practitioners’ souls were connected, their Dao Essence flowed in harmony, and they executed the technique, dual cultivation would naturally occur, regardless of any yin-yang absorption or replenishment.

The truly despised methods were those of Demonic Cultivators. Ironically, orthodox dual cultivation offered little advantage over solitary practice and came with strict requirements, the practitioners’ cultivation levels couldn’t differ too greatly.

This led to the rampant rise of Demonic Cultivators, with Human Furnaces reduced to mere consumables.

To be fair, though Jiang Minghuan had pushed himself to the point of collapse while cultivating, his understanding of these Cultivation Manuals had deepened considerably.

The next day, he accompanied Pei Jingyuan to the Dao Discussion Platform. Before Pei Jingyuan could even speak, Jiang Minghuan automatically stepped forward after Pei Jingyuan condensed a longsword from Dao Essence. As he flew up, he instinctively wrapped his arms around Pei Jingyuan’s waist.

‘Huh? Why did I grab him again? I should be used to this by now.’

‘Whatever, it doesn’t matter. Pei Jingyuan didn’t dodge, and safety comes first.’

‘Pei Jingyuan’s Sword Flight skills seem much improved, far more stable than before.’

Pei Jingyuan lowered his gaze to the slender, pale hands encircling his waist, nearly succumbing to the urge to give Jiang Minghuan another exhilarating ride through the heavens and earth.

Unfortunately, the Sword Dao Discourse was about to begin. He had stopped cultivating at his usual time, forgetting that he had moved the Old Sword Pavilion to the valley of Golden Goose Peak.

The distance to the Dao Discussion Platform was slightly longer from here, leaving Pei Jingyuan no time to tease Jiang Minghuan.

When they arrived at the Dao Discussion Platform, all eyes immediately turned toward them.

Jiang Minghuan was accustomed to this. Pei Jingyuan was a natural focal point; wherever he went, nearly everyone’s gaze would follow him. It was only natural that Jiang Minghuan, as his companion, would occasionally catch a few stray glances.

Wait… why is everyone staring at him?