Chapter 23: The Price of a Good Sword
There were three things Shen Tieshan disliked.
Dishonest merchants.
Cultivators who relied entirely on expensive treasures.
And people who talked too much during meals.
Unfortunately, all three had become increasingly common in Lanyue City.
"Master, are you even listening?"
Shen Tieshan looked up from his noodles.
"No."
Guo Ming froze.
"...Master?"
"You've been talking for ten minutes."
"I was explaining the situation!"
"You explained it eight minutes ago."
Wei Lan, sitting beside them, quietly continued eating.
He'd learned long ago that the safest way to survive these conversations was to stay out of them.
Guo Ming looked offended.
"Master, this is important!"
Shen Tieshan sighed.
"Fine. Explain it again."
Guo Ming straightened.
"The Iron Mountain Sect's recovered Cloudsteel shipment has been transferred to the city administration's secured warehouse."
"Good."
"Inspector Zhou says the goods can't be released until the investigation is complete."
"Reasonable."
"And the sect's weapon refinement division is demanding an explanation."
"Also reasonable."
Guo Ming leaned forward.
"So what should we do?"
Shen Tieshan picked up another piece of beef.
"Wait."
Guo Ming stared.
"Wait?"
"Yes."
"But the elders are demanding action!"
"Then tell them I'm taking action."
"What action?"
Shen Tieshan looked at his bowl.
"Eating."
Wei Lan nearly choked.
At Moonfall Pavilion, Lin Qingyue had finally finished her portable defensive formation.
Well.
Almost.
She'd been saying that for three days.
But this time, she was genuinely close.
"Fellow Daoist Ye!"
Ye Wuchen looked up.
"What?"
"I need you to test something."
He glanced at the jade plate in her hand.
"Again?"
"Yes."
"What happened to the last one?"
"It broke."
"And the one before that?"
"Also broke."
He closed his book.
"You're making progress."
Lin Qingyue stared.
"Was that sarcasm?"
"A little."
She sighed.
"Just come outside."
The courtyard behind Moonfall Pavilion was quiet.
A few servants were watering the plants.
Several birds sat along the tiled roof.
Lin Qingyue placed her formation plate on a stone table.
Then retrieved a wooden practice sword.
"All right."
She activated the formation.
A pale blue barrier appeared around the sword.
Ye Wuchen watched.
"Better."
Lin Qingyue smiled.
"Right?"
"More stable."
She nodded eagerly.
"I changed the central anchor structure like Master Wen suggested."
"And the energy distribution?"
"Balanced."
"The return channels?"
"Reinforced."
"The movement compensation?"
"Integrated into the anchor."
Ye Wuchen nodded.
"Good."
Lin Qingyue grinned.
"Now attack it."
He looked at her.
"How hard?"
She hesitated.
"Not too hard."
"Define that."
"Enough to test it."
Ye Wuchen considered the request.
Then picked up a small pebble.
Lin Qingyue immediately looked nervous.
"Wait."
He paused.
"What?"
"You're not going to do anything strange, right?"
"No."
She narrowed her eyes.
"Promise?"
Ye Wuchen looked at the pebble.
Then at her.
"Would you prefer I throw it normally?"
"Yes!"
"Very well."
He tossed the pebble.
It struck the barrier.
Tap.
The barrier held.
Lin Qingyue smiled.
"Good!"
Ye Wuchen picked up another pebble.
He threw it slightly harder.
Tap.
The barrier flickered.
But remained stable.
Lin Qingyue's smile widened.
"Again!"
He threw a third pebble.
This one struck near the barrier's edge.
The formation trembled.
A faint crack appeared in the outer layer.
But the structure held.
Lin Qingyue raised both fists.
"Yes!"
Ye Wuchen nodded.
"Improved."
She looked delighted.
Then she noticed something.
"Wait."
"Hm?"
"You're only using pebbles."
"Yes."
"Shouldn't we test it against actual spiritual energy?"
Ye Wuchen looked toward the courtyard entrance.
"Perhaps."
A deep voice suddenly spoke.
"I can help with that."
Lin Qingyue froze.
Shen Tieshan stood near the gate.
He was smiling.
Far too broadly.
"Oh no," Lin Qingyue muttered.
Shen Tieshan entered the courtyard carrying a long wooden case.
Behind him followed Guo Ming and Wei Lan.
Lin Qingyue bowed.
"Senior Shen."
The grand elder waved a hand.
"Relax."
He looked toward the formation.
"So you've improved it."
"A little."
"Show me."
Lin Qingyue hesitated.
Then activated the barrier again.
Shen Tieshan examined it.
His expression became thoughtful.
"Interesting."
He walked around the table.
"Better energy circulation."
She nodded.
"Yes."
"More balanced structure."
"Yes."
"And you've stopped treating movement as an external disturbance."
Lin Qingyue blinked.
"You noticed?"
Shen Tieshan looked at her.
"Of course."
She smiled.
"Then..."
He raised a hand.
"Don't celebrate yet."
Her smile vanished.
Shen Tieshan pointed toward the barrier.
"Let's test it properly."
Lin Qingyue sighed.
"Of course."
Shen Tieshan didn't use his full strength.
That would have been ridiculous.
A peak Golden Core cultivator could destroy an ordinary first-grade formation without even trying.
Instead, he carefully suppressed his spiritual energy.
Then extended one finger.
A small thread of golden light appeared.
"Ready?"
Lin Qingyue nodded.
"Ready."
He flicked his finger.
The light struck the barrier.
Bang.
The formation trembled.
But held.
Lin Qingyue's eyes widened.
Shen Tieshan nodded.
"Again."
He released a second thread.
Then a third.
The barrier flickered.
The jade plate began to hum.
Lin Qingyue watched nervously.
"Senior, that's enough—"
The fourth strike landed.
Crack.
The barrier shattered.
The jade plate split in half.
Silence.
Lin Qingyue stared.
Shen Tieshan looked at the broken plate.
Then nodded.
"Much better."
She slowly turned toward him.
"Better?"
"Yes."
"It's broken!"
"After four attacks."
"That's supposed to make me happy?"
Shen Tieshan folded his arms.
"Last time, it failed after three."
Lin Qingyue stared.
Then looked toward Ye Wuchen.
He was quietly drinking tea.
She pointed at him.
"Say something!"
Ye Wuchen considered the situation.
"He's right."
Lin Qingyue looked betrayed.
Shen Tieshan laughed.
After the test, Shen Tieshan placed the wooden case on the table.
"Actually, I came here for another reason."
Ye Wuchen looked up.
"What reason?"
The grand elder opened the case.
Inside lay a sword.
It was simple.
No elaborate decorations.
No gemstones.
No glowing inscriptions.
Just a dark iron blade with a plain wooden handle.
Lin Qingyue leaned forward.
"A sword?"
Shen Tieshan nodded.
"One of our sect's training weapons."
Guo Ming looked confused.
"Master, why did you bring that?"
He lifted the sword.
"Fellow Daoist Ye."
"Hm?"
"I'd like your opinion."
Ye Wuchen examined the weapon.
"On what?"
"Whether it's a good sword."
Lin Qingyue blinked.
That was an unusual question.
Shen Tieshan was a peak Golden Core grand elder.
Surely he could judge the quality of a simple training sword.
Ye Wuchen looked at the blade.
Then answered.
"It's adequate."
(Adequate means enough in quantity or quality to satisfy a specific purpose, need, or requirement, though it is usually average or acceptable rather than exceptional or abundant) i know its a random word :(
Shen Tieshan smiled.
"Adequate?"
"Yes."
"What makes it adequate?"
"The weight is balanced. The edge is straight. The material is durable."
"And what makes it less than excellent?"
Ye Wuchen glanced toward the handle.
"The grip."
Shen Tieshan's expression changed.
"Explain."
"The handle is slightly too thick near the guard."
The grand elder examined it.
Ye Wuchen continued.
"That makes certain wrist movements less natural."
Shen Tieshan slowly nodded.
"Interesting."
Guo Ming frowned.
"Master, that sword was forged by one of our best craftsmen."
Shen Tieshan looked at him.
"And?"
Guo Ming hesitated.
"Surely the craftsman knows what he's doing."
"Usually."
"Then how could the grip be wrong?"
Shen Tieshan handed him the sword.
"Try the seventh movement of the Iron Mountain Sword Art."
Guo Ming blinked.
"Here?"
"Yes."
He took the sword.
Then executed the movement.
A clean horizontal slash.
Followed by a turning cut.
Then a downward strike.
The technique looked smooth.
Shen Tieshan nodded.
"Again."
Guo Ming repeated it.
"Faster."
He increased his speed.
"Again."
By the fifth repetition, his wrist began to feel uncomfortable.
He frowned.
Shen Tieshan smiled.
"Notice something?"
Guo Ming stared at the handle.
Then slowly nodded.
"...Yes."
The grand elder took back the sword.
"Good."
He looked toward Ye Wuchen.
"You're right."
Ye Wuchen nodded.
"I know."
Lin Qingyue covered her mouth.
Shen Tieshan burst out laughing.
The grand elder sat down.
For once, he wasn't smiling.
"Fellow Daoist Ye."
"Hm?"
"I've spent most of my life studying the sword."
Ye Wuchen listened.
"I've fought countless opponents. Learned hundreds of techniques. Refined my own sword art."
He looked at the training weapon.
"And yet you noticed something I overlooked."
Ye Wuchen said nothing.
Shen Tieshan continued.
"Yesterday, I tried reproducing the movement you used against that hired swordsman."
"How did it go?"
"Terribly."
Lin Qingyue blinked.
She hadn't expected him to admit that.
Shen Tieshan laughed softly.
"I couldn't understand how you redirected the force."
Ye Wuchen looked at him.
"You were trying to reproduce the movement."
"Yes."
"That was your mistake."
Shen Tieshan frowned.
"Explain."
Ye Wuchen picked up the training sword.
He held it loosely.
"The movement itself isn't important."
Shen Tieshan watched carefully.
Ye Wuchen continued.
"What matters is understanding where the force is going."
He made a simple downward cut.
Nothing impressive.
Then repeated it.
This time, his wrist shifted slightly.
The blade followed a different path.
Shen Tieshan's expression changed.
Ye Wuchen lowered the sword.
"You're focusing on the shape of the technique."
Silence.
"The shape is only the result."
Shen Tieshan stared at the sword.
For several moments, he said nothing.
Then he slowly exhaled.
"I see."
Ye Wuchen placed the weapon back into its case.
"Good."
Shen Tieshan looked thoughtful.
Very thoughtful.
Lin Qingyue glanced between them.
She had the uncomfortable feeling she'd just witnessed something important.
But she wasn't entirely sure what.
In the Upper Realm, Ji Wuhen was having a similar realization.
He stood inside a quiet training chamber.
Before him floated the corrected sword scripture.
For days, he'd been studying the technique.
The original version contained hundreds of transformations.
The corrected version was much simpler.
But simplicity wasn't the same as weakness.
Ji Wuhen drew his sword.
He executed the first movement.
Then the second.
Then stopped.
Something was wrong.
Not with the technique.
With his understanding.
He'd been trying to perform the corrected movements exactly as written.
But the scripture wasn't asking him to imitate a particular shape.
It was describing a principle.
Ji Wuhen closed his eyes.
Then moved again.
This time, he didn't follow the recorded sequence.
He allowed the sword to move naturally.
The air trembled.
A faint sword resonance filled the chamber.
Ji Wuhen opened his eyes.
Then smiled.
"So that's it."
He looked toward the scripture.
"The sword isn't made complete by its forms."
He lowered his weapon.
"It's made complete when nothing unnecessary remains."
For the first time, he felt he was beginning to understand the correction.
Not completely.
But enough to know he'd been approaching it incorrectly.
Back in Lanyue City, Shen Tieshan remained seated for a long time.
He wasn't meditating.
Not exactly.
He was thinking.
About sword techniques.
About force.
About the difference between copying a movement and understanding it.
Lin Qingyue quietly gathered the broken pieces of her formation plate.
She glanced toward Ye Wuchen.
"Is he all right?"
Ye Wuchen nodded.
"Yes."
"He's been sitting there for an hour."
"Thinking."
"About what?"
"The sword."
She looked toward Shen Tieshan.
Then sighed.
"Of course."
She returned to her tools.
At least she wasn't the only one struggling with cultivation.
Later that afternoon, Inspector Zhou arrived at Moonfall Pavilion.
He requested a meeting with Shen Tieshan.
The grand elder reluctantly ended his contemplation.
"What is it?"
The inspector bowed.
"Grand Elder Shen, we've identified another storage location connected to Black Crane."
Shen Tieshan's expression sharpened.
"Where?"
"South of Lanyue."
"Another abandoned road?"
"No."
Inspector Zhou hesitated.
"An active merchant warehouse."
Shen Tieshan frowned.
"Whose?"
The inspector looked uncomfortable.
"Officially, it belongs to an independent trading company."
"Unofficially?"
"We believe the company is being used to move stolen goods."
Shen Tieshan nodded.
"Then arrest them."
"We intend to."
"What's the problem?"
Inspector Zhou sighed.
"The warehouse is protected by a third-grade defensive formation."
Shen Tieshan stared.
Then laughed.
"That's your problem?"
"Among others."
The grand elder stood.
"Fine. I'll help."
Inspector Zhou looked relieved.
"Thank you."
Shen Tieshan glanced toward Ye Wuchen.
"Fellow Daoist Ye, interested?"
Ye Wuchen looked up from his book.
"No."
Lin Qingyue nearly laughed.
Shen Tieshan grinned.
"Fair enough."
Then he looked toward the broken formation plate on the table.
"Young Lady Lin?"
She froze.
"Me?"
"Want to see a third-grade defensive formation?"
Her eyes widened.
"Really?"
"Yes."
She immediately stood.
"I'm coming!"
Ye Wuchen looked at her.
"Take your notes."
She blinked.
Then hurried back to collect them.
Shen Tieshan laughed.
"She's enthusiastic."
Ye Wuchen nodded.
"Very."
The warehouse operation was supposed to be simple.
Inspector Zhou would present the official search order.
Shen Tieshan would help suppress any resistance.
Lin Qingyue would observe the defensive formation.
Nobody expected serious trouble.
Which was unfortunate.
Because the warehouse manager had already been warned.
By the time the group arrived, the building was sealed.
The defensive formation was active.
And several armed cultivators stood behind the gates.
Inspector Zhou approached.
"By order of the City Administration Hall, open the gates!"
No response.
He raised the official warrant.
"This warehouse is under investigation!"
A voice shouted from inside.
"Leave!"
"Here we go."
Lin Qingyue examined the formation.
Her expression grew serious.
"Senior Shen."
"Hm?"
"This isn't an ordinary third-grade defensive formation."
Shen Tieshan looked at her.
"What do you mean?"
She pointed toward the walls.
"The energy channels are connected to the underground spiritual veins."
Inspector Zhou frowned.
"Is that dangerous?"
Lin Qingyue nodded.
"Very."
She examined the formation again.
"If someone forces the barrier open, the excess spiritual energy could be redirected into the surrounding streets."
Shen Tieshan's expression cooled.
"Meaning?"
"Meaning innocent people could get hurt."
Silence.
The grand elder looked toward the warehouse.
Then toward the nearby houses.
Several ordinary families lived within a short distance.
He slowly lowered his hand.
"Then we won't break it."
Inspector Zhou looked relieved.
"Good."
Shen Tieshan turned toward Lin Qingyue.
"Can you disable it?"
She hesitated.
"It's third-grade."
"I know."
"I'm only a first-grade formation master."
"I know."
She stared at him.
"Then why are you asking me?"
Shen Tieshan smiled.
"Because you're the one who noticed the problem."
Lin Qingyue froze.
For a moment, she didn't know what to say.
Then she looked toward the formation.
Her expression became serious.
"I can try."
Lin Qingyue spent the next half hour examining the formation.
She didn't attempt to dismantle it.
That would have been beyond her ability.
Instead, she studied the energy flow.
The formation had several major channels.
Each connected to an underground spiritual vein.
But one of the channels was different.
It wasn't part of the original structure.
Someone had added it later.
She frowned.
"That's strange."
Shen Tieshan approached.
"What?"
"This channel."
She pointed toward a section of the wall.
"It's connected to the formation's emergency release mechanism."
"And?"
"If I can interrupt it, the formation might lose its ability to redirect excess energy."
Shen Tieshan nodded.
"Then do it."
Lin Qingyue hesitated.
"Senior, I don't know if I can."
He looked at her.
"Can you identify the channel?"
"Yes."
"Can you reach it?"
"Probably."
"Then what's stopping you?"
She looked toward the formation.
"If I make a mistake..."
Shen Tieshan's expression softened slightly.
"Then we stop."
Lin Qingyue blinked.
He continued.
"You're not responsible for solving the entire problem."
He pointed toward the formation.
"Just tell us what you can do safely."
She took a breath.
Then nodded.
"All right."
The process took nearly an hour.
Lin Qingyue used several small formation flags to isolate the auxiliary channel.
She worked slowly.
Carefully.
Every movement mattered.
Shen Tieshan stood nearby, ready to intervene if the formation became unstable.
Inspector Zhou kept the surrounding streets clear.
Finally, Lin Qingyue placed the last flag.
A faint blue light spread across the wall.
The auxiliary channel dimmed.
She stepped back.
"It's done."
Shen Tieshan examined the formation.
"Are you sure?"
She nodded.
"The emergency release mechanism is disconnected from the surrounding spiritual veins."
The grand elder smiled.
"Good work."
Lin Qingyue looked relieved.
Then Shen Tieshan raised his hand.
A heavy pressure descended.
The defensive barrier trembled.
He struck once.
BOOM.
The formation shook.
He struck again.
BOOM.
Cracks spread across the barrier.
A third strike followed.
The entire formation collapsed.
But the spiritual energy dispersed harmlessly into the air.
No houses were damaged.
No civilians were injured.
Lin Qingyue stared.
Then slowly smiled.
"It worked."
Shen Tieshan nodded.
"Yes."
Inspector Zhou looked relieved.
"Excellent."
The guards rushed forward.
The warehouse gates were opened.
Several suspects attempted to escape.
They didn't get far.
Inside the warehouse, the investigators found several crates of stolen goods.
Cloudsteel.
Medicinal materials.
Formation components.
And a collection of forged transportation documents.
But there was something else.
A small office contained detailed records of payments made to Black Crane.
Inspector Zhou examined them.
His expression changed.
"Interesting."
Shen Tieshan approached.
"What?"
The inspector pointed toward a name.
"The warehouse manager has been paying someone called the Surveyor."
Shen Tieshan frowned.
"The Surveyor?"
"Yes."
"Who is that?"
"We don't know."
The grand elder sighed.
"Of course."
Inspector Zhou continued examining the records.
Then paused.
"Wait."
He turned another page.
The payments weren't simply for transportation.
They were for something called route assessment.
And several entries referred to the abandoned western road.
Shen Tieshan's expression sharpened.
"The road we visited?"
Inspector Zhou nodded.
"Apparently."
Lin Qingyue looked between them.
"Why would someone pay a surveyor to examine an abandoned road?"
Nobody answered.
That evening, Shen Tieshan returned to Moonfall Pavilion.
He found Ye Wuchen sitting beside the window.
Naturally.
The grand elder sat opposite him.
"Your little friend did well today."
Ye Wuchen looked up.
"Lin Qingyue?"
"Yes."
He nodded.
"Good."
Shen Tieshan smiled.
"She helped us disable a third-grade formation."
"Impressive."
"You're not surprised."
"No."
The grand elder laughed.
"Of course not."
He poured himself tea.
Then his expression became thoughtful.
"Fellow Daoist Ye."
"Hm?"
"Can I ask you something?"
"Go ahead."
Shen Tieshan looked toward the courtyard.
"Do you think cultivation is about becoming stronger?"
Ye Wuchen considered the question.
"Partly."
"Only partly?"
"Yes."
The grand elder frowned.
"Then what else?"
Ye Wuchen looked at him.
"Understanding what strength is for."
Silence.
Shen Tieshan stared at him.
For a long moment, he said nothing.
Then he slowly nodded.
"Interesting."
He looked down at his hands.
For seventy years, he'd pursued Nascent Soul.
He'd trained.
Fought.
Meditated.
Consumed pills.
Yet somewhere along the way, he'd begun treating the breakthrough itself as his purpose.
He'd forgotten why he'd wanted to become stronger in the first place.
Shen Tieshan leaned back.
Then laughed quietly.
"You're a strange man, Fellow Daoist Ye."
Ye Wuchen returned to his book.
"I've heard that."
That night, Shen Tieshan returned to his residence.
He didn't meditate.
He didn't practice sword techniques.
Instead, he sat beneath the moon and thought about the past.
About his early years.
About the reason he'd joined the Iron Mountain Sect.
About the first sword he'd ever held.
He remembered being a young disciple with nothing but a cheap iron blade.
He'd wanted to become strong.
Not for fame.
Not for wealth.
Not even for immortality.
He'd wanted to protect the people who had taken him in.
Somewhere along the way, that simple purpose had become buried beneath ambition.
Shen Tieshan closed his eyes.
For the first time in decades, his thoughts felt unusually clear.
A faint movement stirred within his Golden Core.
He opened his eyes.
The spiritual energy around him had changed.
Only slightly.
But enough.
Shen Tieshan stared.
Then slowly smiled.
"Well..."
He looked toward the moon.
"Would you look at that."
He wasn't breaking through.
Not yet.
But the barrier that had remained unmoved for seventy years had finally shown the smallest sign of change.
And for now, that was enough.
End of Chapter 23
Fun Facts About the World ( just random not really important)
Training Swords: Many cultivation sects use ordinary iron or reinforced wooden swords for basic training. Spiritual weapons can hide flaws in technique, so some masters forbid beginners from using them.
Golden Core Bottlenecks: Reaching peak Golden Core doesn't guarantee a breakthrough to Nascent Soul. Some cultivators remain stuck for centuries despite possessing enough spiritual energy.
Formation Grades: A formation master's grade measures their demonstrated ability, not everything they can understand. A talented first-grade master may recognize a weakness in a higher-grade formation without being able to construct one.
Spiritual Veins: Cities sometimes build important formations around underground spiritual veins. Poorly designed connections can cause dangerous energy surges when a formation is damaged.
Iron Mountain Sect Tradition: Disciples are expected to maintain their own training weapons. Shen Tieshan still sharpens his practice swords himself, despite having an entire weapon-refinement division at his disposal.