Chapter 83 - 51: White Rainbow Sword Intent, Martial Uncle’s Sea of Consciousness

Chapter 83: Chapter 51: White Rainbow Sword Intent, Martial Uncle’s Sea of Consciousness

Night fell on Xuanzhen Temple. Inside Junior Martial Uncle Jiang’s bedroom, Li Yinsheng sat on her bed.

Qi Jiushan had readily agreed to Li Yinsheng’s request to bring his junior martial sister along. After sealing the deal, he hurried back to report to his Vice Temple Master. As for Li Yinsheng, he had come to inform his Martial Uncle before their departure.

"That’s about it. The Cultivation Fruit over at Huang Bamboo Temple will mature soon, so I’ll set off with my junior martial sister tomorrow," Li Yinsheng said. "According to the people there, she will encounter demons almost every day on patrol—often several a day. After half a month of this, her experience in Magical Combat should increase quite a bit."

"Yes," Junior Martial Uncle Jiang nodded. "I’ve been meaning to tell you—if you want her to participate in the Lesser Yang Dao Examination, experience in Magical Combat is absolutely indispensable. I know a bit about the situation at Huang Bamboo Temple. Patrolling for half a month should indeed give your little junior martial sister plenty of Magical Combat experience." She paused before adding, "However, you will still need to find opportunities for her to spar with Cultivators in the future."

Li Yinsheng nodded to show he understood. "I know. After all, Magical Combat against demons is quite different from fighting other Cultivators."

"Yes, I trust you wouldn’t overlook that." Junior Martial Uncle Jiang’s tone turned slightly peculiar. "After all, you have always been extremely attentive to that little junior martial sister of yours."

"Naturally," Li Yinsheng nodded with a smile. After all, his junior martial sister’s progress was directly tied to his own Cultivation.

"You really do like that little girl, don’t you?" Junior Martial Uncle Jiang pursed her lips, her tone growing even more peculiar.

Li Yinsheng didn’t deny it, only offering a wry smile. "She is a good kid, but... sometimes she can be quite a handful."

For instance, every time they entered the Grotto Heaven to cultivate, the only difference between that and serving a prison sentence was that prisoners actually got breaks.

Junior Martial Uncle Jiang simply assumed Li Yinsheng was stressing over the girl’s Root Device. "With your Qingxuan Divine Light Washing Marrow and Cleansing Veins for her, combined with that fortuitous encounter she had two months ago, she is actually already stronger than many disciples with ordinary aptitude who entered the temple as children," she comforted him. "Once you’ve refined her further with the Qingxuan Divine Light for some time, her cultivation talent won’t be much worse than a Cultivator with an inferior Root Device."

Li Yinsheng shook his head. "Unfortunately, the main focus of the Qingxuan Divine Light is vanquishing demons and suppressing evil, clearing the spiritual altar, and enhancing Magic. Washing Marrow and Cleansing Veins is merely a secondary effect with a low upper limit. Once the effects of the Qingxuan Divine Light peak, I’ll still have to find a better method for Washing Marrow and Cleansing Veins."

Junior Martial Uncle Jiang fell silent. Sometimes, she really suspected that her martial nephew had been fed some kind of bewitching potion by that little lass. First, he directly imparted the Qingxuan Scripture to her. Then, on top of meticulously guiding her, he even went out of his way to buy a Quenching Essence Lock just to aid her cultivation. And compared to the hefty sum he later spent to build the Bright Spirit Refining Array for her, the Quenching Essence Lock was practically nothing. After that, this brat had even borrowed her White Rainbow Sword, all to help that girl master the Yin Yang Light-Splitting Sword as quickly as possible.

What gave her the right?!

The more Junior Martial Uncle Jiang thought about it, the angrier she got. Not wanting to dwell on the topic, she changed the subject. "Yin Sheng, there is something I have kept from you until now," she said. "Although my Cultivation is gone, I have actually been nurturing and preserving a few strands of White Rainbow Sword Intent in my Sea of Consciousness to use as a last resort."

Hearing this, Li Yinsheng wasn’t surprised. As a True Cultivator, no matter how dire her situation was, she would always have some trump cards held back. To say that losing one’s Cultivation made one completely indistinguishable from a mortal would be severely underestimating a Daoist. Of course, that excluded someone like him, who had recently advanced and hadn’t yet had the time to accumulate such trump cards.

Although he had expected his Martial Uncle to have a hidden trump card, her next words caught him completely off guard.

"While presiding over Huang Bamboo Temple this time, you will inevitably encounter some formidable demons. Although they shouldn’t pose a threat to you, you are still lacking in means..." She pursed her lips and added earnestly, "Just in case, I will transfer a strand of Sword Intent to you. Should you face a strong enemy, you will at least have some confidence in defending yourself."

Yet as she said this, there was no sign of worry on her face. Instead, a very faint, almost imperceptible blush surfaced on her earlobes.

Li Yinsheng’s eyes widened. "Martial Uncle, are you saying you think I’ll encounter a strong enemy at Huang Bamboo Temple?"

"It’s just a precaution," Junior Martial Uncle Jiang replied.

"I don’t think that’s necessary," Li Yinsheng shook his head repeatedly. "If a demon of that caliber could truly appear... No, something like that should be called a Demon Cultivator. If such a Demon Cultivator could really appear, the Daoist of Huang Bamboo Temple should have gone to oversee things personally."

Junior Martial Uncle Jiang was momentarily at a loss for words, but after a brief silence, she insisted, "I know it’s unlikely, but you lack sufficient means. What if the worst happens? You should take a strand of Sword Intent with you, just in case."

Seeing his Martial Uncle’s insistence, Li Yinsheng found it hard to refuse. "Alright then, Martial Uncle. What should I do?"

The blush on Junior Martial Uncle Jiang’s earlobes spread to her cheeks. She brushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear and whispered softly, "You don’t have to do anything. Just let me handle it."

After Li Yinsheng sat properly, Junior Martial Uncle Jiang leaned her upper body forward and pressed her forehead against his. Because of this action, their noses were almost touching, and they could feel each other’s warm breath brushing against their faces.

"Martial Uncle? What are you..."

Li Yinsheng’s entire body stiffened. The faint, elegant fragrance lingering on his Martial Uncle continuously wafted into his nose. He didn’t even dare to open his mouth to speak, terrified that his lips might brush against hers. Instead, he simply communicated via Divine Sense.

"Don’t speak," Junior Martial Uncle Jiang’s lips parted slightly as she murmured. "My Sea of Consciousness is damaged, and my Divine Sense cannot leave my body. This is the only way. Do not disturb me; just wait with a calm mind."

Li Yinsheng hurriedly closed his eyes, remaining perfectly still and completely silent.

Junior Martial Uncle Jiang’s eyes were half-closed, her eyelashes trembling slightly. She told herself to stay calm and not to panic. She was merely transferring a strand of Sword Intent to Yin Sheng to prevent any accidents. Though it was highly unlikely he would actually need the Sword Intent, what if he did? This was all just a precaution. It was serious business! Absolutely serious business! So there was no need to panic. No need to panic at all...

She gently cupped Li Yinsheng’s face with both hands, ensuring that their foreheads remained pressed firmly together. A moment later, at the spot where his forehead touched his Martial Uncle’s smooth, jade-like skin, Li Yinsheng felt a faint, almost imperceptible suction force that existed solely on the level of his Divine Sense.

"Done..." his Martial Uncle spoke, her warm breath washing over him. "Just follow the pull and extend your Divine Sense inside."

Li Yinsheng did as he was told, sending his Divine Sense over. As if passing through a thin, intangible barrier that offered no real resistance, his Divine Sense broke into an unfamiliar Sea of Consciousness.

Li Yinsheng turned his "eyes" to look and was instantly stunned. His Martial Uncle’s Sea of Consciousness was somewhat larger than his own, but it was utterly dilapidated. Countless cracks crisscrossed in every direction. This, however, was within his expectations.

Yet, at the very center of her Sea of Consciousness—the exact spot corresponding to where his own Soul resided—his Martial Uncle’s Soul looked vastly different from his.

After mastering the Third Layer of the Heart Seal Scripture, Li Yinsheng’s Soul had become far more corporeal than before he started cultivating. It was almost tangible. But his Martial Uncle’s Soul was not only much more solid than his, it also radiated a faint, pure white glow. Li Yinsheng could even clearly sense an unfamiliar power dwelling within her Soul.

It seemed this wasn’t just a simple Soul. Moreover, in his understanding, a Soul should be completely identical to the physical body. But his Martial Uncle’s Soul bore some distinct differences from her physical self. Although both were breathtakingly beautiful, the facial features of her Soul were much colder and sharper than hers.

Despite the Soul sitting cross-legged, upon closer inspection, Li Yinsheng felt that the figure of his Martial Uncle’s Soul appeared slightly taller and more slender than her actual body. Furthermore, the skin of her Soul was a few shades paler than his Martial Uncle’s. However, it completely lacked the rosy hue of Qi Blood; instead, it was as starkly white as the gleaming edge of a sword. Also, the clothes worn by this Soul were entirely foreign to Li Yinsheng. It was a Sword Robe as pristine and white as snow...

Just as Li Yinsheng was marveling at the sight, his Martial Uncle’s Soul slowly opened its eyes and looked at him. The luminous white glow surrounding it converged, transforming into the phantom silhouettes of nine Sword Lights that looked strikingly similar to the White Rainbow Sword.

The Sword Light closest to Li Yinsheng slowly drifted toward him, and soon after, his Martial Uncle’s voice echoed in the Sea of Consciousness.

"Yin Sheng, I can’t maintain this for long. Take the Sword Intent and withdraw on your own. I... I can’t hold on much longer..."

Li Yinsheng hurriedly "grabbed" the drifting Sword Intent and brought it back to his own Sea of Consciousness.