"Kid! How did you know about the Mother-Child Seven Fiends Formation?" The disheveled old Daoist priest leaped down from the entrance above, his eyes wide with astonishment as he looked at Lu Fan.
"Because someone wanted to harm me and set up this formation in my villa construction. It just wasn't completed yet!" Lu Fan said hurriedly.
"The Mother-Child Seven Fiends Formation is incredibly vicious. It's not about the formation's power, but the cruel methods required to set it up. This person cannot be allowed to live!" A cold glint flashed in the disheveled old Daoist priest's eyes.
Lu Fan had never seen the disheveled old Daoist priest so agitated. This fellow was usually so calm and collected. Why was he so worked up today?
"The Mother-Child Seven Fiends Formation is not only evil, but it's also not something ordinary people can accomplish. We may have encountered a powerful adversary. And this person is targeting you, so your swordsmanship needs to be honed quickly," the disheveled old Daoist priest said solemnly.
"You must be very familiar with this person, aren't you?" Lu Fan suddenly asked.
"Thirty years ago... I crossed paths with him! But he managed to escape. This person was once a Gu King, not only skilled in Gu poisons but also possessing a special ability called 'Fu Dun' (符遁)! He could use a talisman to instantly escape ten Zhang away. Defeating him is not easy, and killing him is even harder."
The disheveled old Daoist priest pondered for a moment and then added, "Thirty years have passed. If it is indeed him, his cultivation level should have increased significantly. A single talisman might allow him to escape thirty Zhang away, making him even harder to kill. You stay here and practice your swordsmanship, I'll go out and investigate."
*Swish...* The disheveled old Daoist priest leaped away.
"Escape thirty Zhang away in an instant? Why don't you just do a somersault for a hundred and eight thousand Li?" Lu Fan muttered to himself after the disheveled old Daoist priest left.
The Falling Blossom Swordplay and the Qi Concealment Art! These techniques involve concealing one's aura within the sword, feigning weakness, making even a divine weapon appear as dead wood. However, when striking an enemy, one attacks with overwhelming force, capable of taking a head with even a piece of dead wood in hand, as if it were a divine weapon.
The Falling Blossom Sword is a treasure sword that can slice through iron like mud, possessing innate sword energy that leaks its sharpness. To completely conceal its edge with the Qi Concealment Art... unless... one achieves the legendary unity of man and sword? That seems a bit difficult!
Lu Fan couldn't help but ponder in his heart. Was the disheveled old Daoist priest having him cultivate this way because of the legendary unity of man and sword? Then... Lu Fan glanced at his storage ring. The plain-looking black dagger, which could cut gold and jade, might work even better with the Qi Concealment Art than the Falling Blossom Sword.
*Swish...* Lu Fan took out the dagger and slowly infused a surge of energy into it. *Swish...* Suddenly, the black dagger emitted a black glow, and the originally twenty-centimeter dagger instantly transformed into a three-foot-long sword.
"Holy cow... there's this kind of operation!" Lu Fan was so startled he almost dropped the long sword. Upon closer inspection, he saw the words "Dark Blade" inscribed on the sword!
*Swish...* Lu Fan gave a gentle swing, and *Chih...* a sword energy shot out from the Dark Blade, leaving a sword mark on the smooth stone wall.
Holy cow... Lu Fan quickly put away the Dark Blade, frightened. He was afraid that if he accidentally triggered any mechanisms of the Falling Goose Sect, and the disheveled old Daoist priest wasn't around, he would die here, which would be completely not worth it.
Lu Fan took out the Falling Blossom Sword again and infused it with true qi. *Zizi...* The twelve stone statues nearby seemed to sense it and moved to surround Lu Fan. The wooden sword in his hand followed suit.
"Hahaha! Although this treasure sword can slice through iron like mud, it's ultimately just sharp. A sword without a spirit, how can it achieve unity? Why don't I..." A flash of inspiration struck Lu Fan, and he leaped out of the cave.
He arrived outside the cave and moved his finger along the edge of the Falling Blossom Sword. A line of blood instantly dripped onto the blade.
*Tut...* A azure flame appeared in Lu Fan's palm, quickly enveloping the blade of the Falling Blossom Sword.
A beam of azure light flickered in the dark night, like a strange flower blooming.
...
*Swish swish swish...* The sound of footsteps approached rapidly. Upon suddenly seeing the blue light ahead, the footsteps stopped abruptly. A pair of eyes stared blankly at the blue light, then suddenly revealed surprise.
"Kid! You... how did you do it? This is... this is the true Falling Blossom Sword!" The disheveled old Daoist priest's excited footsteps were somewhat erratic. He ran over and looked at the Falling Blossom Sword in Lu Fan's hand, speaking incoherently.
"Old man! What do you mean by that?" Lu Fan was utterly bewildered. The disheveled old Daoist priest seemed rather abnormal today.
"Both are the supreme treasures of the Divine Calculation Sect. Do you know why the Yan family and the Divine Calculation Sect weren't very interested in the Falling Blossom Sword you hold?" The disheveled old Daoist priest's eyes flickered with unusual excitement as he suddenly asked.
"If you don't tell me, how would I know?" Lu Fan also suddenly remembered that during every treasure competition, no one had ever paid much attention to the Falling Blossom Sword in his hand.
"Legend has it that the sect leader of the Falling Goose Sect, knowing the sect was about to perish, erased the sword souls of two treasure swords at the last moment, turning them into mere blades. From then on, these two peerless treasure swords were no longer objects of contention in the martial world, allowing the Falling Goose Sect to pass down its legacy.
For countless years, this was just a legend. Old Ancestor Tian Ji left a message that this belonged to the Yan family, and it seemed only by using the Yan family's Qi Concealment Art could a sword soul be nurtured. I never expected you to actually succeed. The Falling Goose Sect can finally rise again in the martial world!" the disheveled old Daoist priest exclaimed excitedly.
"Old man! Can you just tell me everything about the Falling Goose Sect at once? Why do you always reveal things after the fact!" Lu Fan glared at the disheveled old Daoist priest angrily. This fellow seemed to be hiding everything from him.
"Tian Ji... Tian Ji's secrets cannot be revealed!" The disheveled old Daoist priest suddenly resumed his air of an otherworldly master, puffing out his chest and saying, "Kid! It's time for us to counterattack! Our first step is to destroy the Divine Calculation Sect. You need to be prepared!"
"You can go back. No need to practice swordsmanship anymore. Don't worry about the person who set up the formation; I've already made arrangements. As soon as he comes, I'll know." With that, the disheveled old Daoist priest leaped back into the cave entrance.
"That old man is always so mysterious! Hmph!" Lu Fan pouted, swung the Falling Blossom Sword, and *crack*, a tree as thick as a bowl beside him instantly broke.
"Holy cow... I can't just use this carelessly!" Lu Fan quickly put away the treasure sword and hurried down the mountain.
Not long after Lu Fan left, the disheveled old Daoist priest appeared in another cave. Inside the cave was an altar with incense and fruit, and on the altar was a memorial tablet: Old Ancestor Tian Ji!
"Ancestor! The Falling Goose Sect has hope! You always felt guilty about your most favored disciple betraying the sect. Today, I will be the first to destroy the Divine Calculation Sect and cleanse the sect's lineage for you!" The disheveled old Daoist priest lit a stick of incense and spoke to the memorial tablet of Old Ancestor Tian Ji.