Becoming a Sage Starts From Condensing the Essence of Time

Chapter 65: Savoring the Mortal Life, Green Mountain Once Touched the Immortal Blood

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The setting sun gradually disappeared, and the darkness was like ink that was dyed. It was like a bright moon and dazzling stars hanging in the night sky. The carriage drove into Lin’an Prefecture and headed towards the Lin Residence.

An Le had not returned to Imperial Ancestral Temple Alley and had also followed the carriage to Lin Residence. Madam Hua had fought for a chance to view the Martial Chief Stone for him. Now that he had returned, he naturally had to visit her.

Apart from that, An Le also had a question to ask.

Ye Wenxi, Lin Qingyin, and An Le alighted from the carriage. The well-rounded maidservant beside Madam Hua, Xi Xiang, was all smiles as she brought the three of them to the Heavenly Wave Water Pavilion.

Madam Ye had already bade farewell and returned to the residence first, leaving Madam Hua sitting alone in the Water Pavilion, holding a candle lamp and reading.

The moonlight and starlight reflected on the large pool, and the shadows of the trees in the Water Pavilion were mottled. It was quiet and elegant.

Everyone entered the main hall of the Water Pavilion. After Ye Wenxi and Lin Qingyin greeted Madam Hua, they left one after another.

After Ye Wenxi and Lin Qingyin left, Madam Hua raised her eyes and swept them over. She looked at the young man covered in moonlight and whose Spirit Bone was as dazzling as a star god.

“Qi Blood has gathered internally. Looks like you’ve gained a lot from the Martial Chief Stone.

Madam Hua closed the book and chuckled. “Did you obtain the Martial Scripture?”

An Le did not hide anything and told her about obtaining the help of the Martial Chiefs to deduce the Five Animals.

“Oh? That’s a different opportunity. You entered Body Tempering by cultivating the Five Animals. Now that you can continue cultivating the Five Animals, it’s naturally most suitable for you. Using the will of the ancient demons to evolve the Five Animals… The grade of this new Five Animals is not inferior even if it’s not as good as the Martial Chief Scripture.”

Madam Hua praised.

“Your shortcomings in Body Tempering can be considered to have been made up.”

An Le cupped his fists and bowed. He said sincerely, “Thank you, Madam Hua, for giving me a chance to view the Martial Chief Stone.”

Madam Hua smiled and said, “It’s not difficult for you to view the Martial Chief

Stone. I have a good relationship with Madam Ye. To her, it’s nothing.” “It’s rare for you to obtain an opportunity from the Martial Chief Stone.”

“Although this opportunity is thanks to the help of Green Mountain’s sword qi,

Green Mountain now belongs to you. It’s understandable for you to obtain

Green Mountain’s help.”

Madam Hua nodded slightly. “Now that your Qi Blood has gathered, your martial arts cultivation has improved greatly during this trip to the Martial

Temple. Seize this opportunity to consolidate it and break through to the Body Tempering Inner Core Realm.”

“The Spring Quarter Examination is in half a month. It’s very beneficial for you to be able to step into the Inner Core before the Spring Quarter Examination. If you’re free in this half a month, come to the Lin Residence to paint. If you’re not free, study hard and prepare for the Spring Quarter Examination.”

When An Le heard this, he first thanked Madam Hua for the leave. Then, he thought for a moment and mentioned, “Madam Hua, I heard from Madam Ye today about the Hall Examination contest for Storm Calming…”

In the Water Pavilion, a gentle breeze blew.

Madam Hua raised her head and her beautiful eyes landed on An Le. She shook her head gently. “Just do your best in the Spring Quarter Examination. Don’t be too burdened. Although you have the Little Sacred Token and have to become the top scholar to meet the Sacred Teacher, your cultivation level is still shallow. The chances of the Spring Quarter Examination this time are not high, but you can wait for the Spring Quarter Examination in the future.”

“As for the Hall Examination, you don’t have to think too much about it. It has nothing to do with you.”

As soon as Madam Hua finished speaking, the Water Pavilion fell silent.

An Le did not ask further.

Just as An Le had always believed, a drop of water should be repaid with a spring. Madam Hua had helped him a lot on the path of cultivation. If he had the chance to help Madam Hua, An Le would naturally do his best.

“Consolidate your gains from observing the stone this time. Go back. I’m tired.” Madam Hua said softly.

An Le did not disturb her further. He bowed and bade farewell before leaving the Lin Residence with Xi Xiang.

Under the spring night, the Heavenly Wave Water Pavilion was quiet and cold. The large pool reflected the starlight and moonlight in the sky, and a corner of the octagonal heavy eaves of the Waterdrop Heavenly Wave Pavilion was vaguely revealed.

Madam Hua exhaled softly. The closer the Spring Quarter Examination was, the closer she was to leaving Lin’an.

The starlight suddenly fell with the white dew, shooting back at the cold light of the Northern Dipper.

The moonlight shone on the stone tablet archway of the Lin Residence, creating a cold diagonal shadow.

An Le turned around and looked at the Heavenly Wave Pavilion that had jumped out of the Lin Residence. Then, he turned around and left Jing Street.

Although it was already late today, he still went to Yanchun as usual. The tavern in the alley was still open for business. Customers came and went, and it was quite lively.

The shopkeeper of the tavern was a middle-aged woman who still had a charm. Time had added a few wrinkles to her face. When she saw An Le step into the tavern, the female shopkeeper had a deep impression of this extraordinarily handsome young man.

She could not help but ask with a smile, “Sir, the usual order?”

An Le smiled gently and nodded. “A pot of old yellow wine.”

The female shopkeeper personally poured wine for An Le and opened the lid. Bamboo scooped the wine and a strong fragrance spread.

An Le took the old yellow wine that the female shopkeeper had prepared and paid before leaving.

The female shopkeeper behind him looked at him for a long time. When a guest called for the wine to be served, she cursed as she poured the wine.

An Le carried a pot of wine and smelled the laughter in the tavern behind him. He bathed in the starlight and left.

A pot of wine and a stack of meat.

People came and went, leaving others behind.

It was the life of the mortal world.

After leaving the alley, Yanchun stepped straight onto Qingbo Street and headed for the Imperial Ancestral Temple Alley.

Qingbo Street was very cold at night, and the liveliness was all on Imperial Street.

An Le was dressed in green clothes and had Green Mountain and Ink Pool Sword on his waist. He carried a pot of old wine and walked slowly. He bathed in the cold wind of the spring night and felt a little calm.

The Qi Blood in his body surged secretly, causing him to not feel cold at all. His body, which had been tempered by the Green Mountain sword qi and the Martial Chief Stone’s Qi Blood, contained boundless power and vitality.

Suddenly, An Le stopped and looked up. At the entrance of Qingbo Street, a figure stood quietly. The moonlight and starlight were all on him, and he was refreshed. He was independent and looked like an immortal who did not belong to the mortal world.

Even An Le was surprised by the other party’s handsomeness and otherworldliness.

The long street was quiet, leaving only the two of them looking at each other from afar.

An Le knew that the other party was here to look for him. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have waited at the entrance of Qingbo Street.

However, what puzzled An Le was when he provoked such a person.

“Are you An Le?”

There was a gentle smile on his face that made people feel like they were bathing in a spring breeze. The man’s dark eyes looked over curiously.

“I’m An Le. May I ask who you are…” An Le cupped his fists and bowed.

The man’s hair fell loosely. He raised his eyes slightly and cupped his fists. “My surname is Zhao, and my name is Xianyou. You can call me Zhao Jiu.” Eh? Zhao Xianyou?

An Le was stunned. The number one on the Little Sacred Ranking, Zhao Xianyou?

When Fourth Master Lin gave the Little Sacred Ranking to him, he had once asked who Zhao Xianyou was. Fourth Master Lin said that he was the Ninth

Prince of Great Zhao, the peerless figure who attracted immortals to leave the Heavenly Gate when he was born and the old Celestial Master of True Martial Shrine rode a crane down to bless him.

An Le frowned slightly as if he could not understand why such an existence wanted to see him.

Could it be that he wanted to rope him in?

Zhao Xianyou looked at An Le and shifted his gaze. When he saw the Green Mountain and Ink Pool Sword on An Le’s waist, his gaze shifted again and landed on the pot of old yellow wine in An Le’s hand.

“Wine?” Zhao Xianyou asked despite knowing the answer.

An Le brought up the old yellow wine. “It’s the old yellow wine of a small tavern in Yanchun. It’s common wine. I’m afraid Your Highness isn’t used to it.”

“Just call me Zhao Jiu. Don’t call me Your Highness,” Zhao Xianyou said softly.

Then, he asked, “Can I have a drink?”

An Le was speechless. He looked at the other party’s blinking eyes and his otherworldly temperament dissipated a little.

“Of course.

“If you don’t mind, we can sit in the small courtyard.”

“I wonder if my old friend is still around today.” An Le smiled and walked towards Qingbo Street.

When he passed by Zhao Xianyou, the latter naturally walked side by side with An Le.

Dressed in a green robe and bathed in the moonlight, the two of them strolled into Imperial Ancestral Temple Alley.

When he passed by the dim Imperial Ancestral Temple, Zhao Xianyou stopped and bent his back slightly. Then, he followed An Le into the Imperial Ancestral Temple Alley.

There was no one waiting at the entrance of the small courtyard. An Le understood that the old man from the Imperial Ancestral Temple would probably not come to freeload tonight.

He unlocked the door and pushed it open. The creaking sound broke the silence of the courtyard. The old locust trees in the courtyard cast mottled shadows that rustled in the spring breeze at night.

“Young Master Jiu, please.” An Le said.

Zhao Xianyou was stunned. He narrowed his eyes as if he liked this form of address.

An Le brought out a small table, a small chair, and two cups.

Zhao Xianyou didn’t mind and sat opposite An Le on a small chair.

After heating up the old yellow wine, he took out a cup and poured it for Zhao Xianyou. The two of them raised their cups and drank silently.

Zhao Xianyou drank it all in one gulp. His eyes lit up slightly as he smacked his lips. “Although there’s no spiritual energy in the wine, it has a special taste. I’ve never drunk it before. It has a different taste.

“Maybe it’s the taste of the mortal world?” An Le looked at the immortal-like Zhao Xianyou and said jokingly.

Zhao Xianyou was stunned. Then, he pursed his lips and smiled. “I have to drink another cup.”

An Le didn’t say anything else and poured the wine.

Another cup, one cup after another. How many cups were drunk?

The pot of old yellow wine was quickly finished. An Le only drank two to three cups. The rest fell into Zhao Xianyou’s stomach.

“Although the wine is ordinary, the more I drink it, the more delicious it tastes.” Zhao Xianyou narrowed his eyes and recalled the taste.

An Le only felt that this Ninth Prince, who was known as an immortal who had descended to the mortal world, was really interesting. “I buy a pot of old yellow wine every day. If you like it, you can come to my small courtyard to sit when you’re free.”

Zhao Xianyou stood up and his hair fluttered in the wind. “You said that. I’ll remember it.”

“This wine has to be matched with the sauced beef in Dingya Alley. It tastes better,” An Le said.

Zhao Xianyou chuckled and looked up at the moon. Then, he looked at An Le and cupped his fists. “Can I take a look at Green Mountain?”

“Someone once said that I’m not worthy of Green Mountain. I was unconvinced. Today, I saw Young Master An wearing Green Mountain on his waist and was curious, so I came to take a look.”

An Le sat on the chair and looked at Zhao Xianyou, who was bathed in the moonlight.

He did not reject the other party’s request and gently patted the Green Mountain at his waist.

Sword Qi Draws Near!

The Broken Bamboo Sword Green Mountain suddenly shot out, turning into a ray of light that tore through the night and stabbed towards Zhao Xianyou.

Zhao Xianyou placed one hand behind his back and raised the other. His five fingers were like divine spears that pierced through the sky as he grabbed at Green Mountain.

However, just as his five fingers were about to grab the broken bamboo sword, he vaguely saw drops of blood dripping from the surface of the broken bamboo sword.

Every drop of blood seemed to come from the same source as him!

Like a hook, his five fingers turned into a finger and gently knocked on Green Mountain.

With a crisp sword hum, Green Mountain swept out diagonally and stabbed into the trunk of the old locust tree in the courtyard. The sword body and hilt trembled slightly.

Zhao Xianyou’s brows were filled with disappointment, but he also felt relieved that his doubts had been resolved.

He suddenly understood why his Old Uncle said that he was not worthy of this sword.

It was all because…

The Bamboo Sword Green Mountain had once knocked on the Heavenly Gate and got stained with the immortal’s blood..