The elders of the seven peaks nodded in agreement one after another. After all, they all knew Li Nanting's strength.
With such peerless talent before him, it was entirely understandable that Li Nanting would step out of seclusion to accept him as his closed-door disciple.
After all, no one wanted to pass through this mortal world in vain; everyone wished to pass down what they had learned in life.
The crowd dispersed.
Li Nanting brought Li Guanqi back to his private courtyard.
A very simple apprenticeship ceremony took place.
A kowtow, an offering of tea, and the rites were complete.
Li Nanting said softly, "Guanqi, that you and I have become master and disciple today is affinity.
"As your master, I have little to give you, so take this pill."
Swish!
A spiritual light flashed from the ring on the old man's left hand, and a jade box appeared in his grasp.
Li Guanqi gingerly took the jade box. Upon opening it, he found a smooth, rounded pill inside.
Yet the pill shimmered with a faint, fluorescent glow.
"Master, this is..."
The old man smiled faintly and said in a low voice, "A top-grade Foundation Establishment Pill."
Li Guanqi froze for a moment, then hurriedly closed the jade box with care and pushed it back toward the old man.
"No, no, Master, this is far too precious.
"You should keep it."
The old man let out a hearty laugh and said softly, "If I give it to you, just take it. An old man like me has little else of value anyway.
"The sect master originally intended to bestow a Foundation Establishment Pill upon you as well, but such a thing is too conspicuous, and he feared it might invite trouble upon you.
"He thought it best to wait until you reached the tenth layer of Qi Refinement before giving it to you, but this old man is different.
"Since I have it, it's yours!"
Yet Li Guanqi still insisted, "Master, if I keep something like this on me, I won't even be able to sleep at night.
"How about this: keep it with you for now, and give it to me when I truly need it."
Seeing that the youth adamantly refused, the old man pressed no further. With a turn of his hand, he put the jade box away.
He said softly, "Very well, then your master shall hold onto it for you first.
"Mm... I see that your vitality is surging, and your foundation in Body Tempering is remarkably solid!
"Did an elder in your family instruct you?"
Li Guanqi scratched his head as he recalled his grandfather's stern face.
He respectfully replied, "From when I was small, my grandfather had me soak in medicinal baths and such. Every day he made me carry heavy loads up and down the mountain, and I had to practice stance forms.
"Before I knew it, I turned out like this."
A glint of sharp light flashed deep in Li Nanting's eyes.
No wonder he had caught a faint scent of fresh herbs when he first saw Li Guanqi.
"Then was that thing on your back also given to you by your grandfather? Is it a sword casket?
"It doesn't look like one, though... How could there be such an enormous sword casket, and made of stone at that?"
Li Guanqi scratched his head and said in a low voice, "My grandfather gave it to me before he left, but he said this thing is a sword coffin, not a sword casket."
Boom!
Those words exploded in Li Nanting's mind like a clap of thunder!
With a wave of his sleeve, the wooden doors of the hall slammed shut with a heavy thud.
Immediately following that, he erected a barrier of primordial power before the two of them.
Li Guanqi had no idea why the old man had suddenly become so cautious.
Li Nanting rose to his feet, his expression grave as he said, "If anyone asks you about it in the future, you must say that this thing is a sword casket!"
"Why?"
"Why... for fear that someone will covet the treasure and kill you to seize it!
"A sword coffin! Only a longsword that has reached the level of a dharma artifact, or even an ancient treasure, can be sealed away like that!
"From lowest to highest, weapons and artifacts are ranked as mortal artifacts, dharma artifacts, spirit artifacts, dharma treasures, ancient treasures, spirit treasures, and Heaven-Reaching Spirit Treasures!"
Only after the old man's explanation did Li Guanqi realize just how precious this sword coffin truly was.
The old man explained in very plain terms, "Even a Nascent Soul cultivator struggles to obtain a sword of the ancient treasure grade!
"In fact, many cultivators still use dharma treasures even when they reach the Nascent Soul realm.
"Never flaunt your wealth. You must be exceedingly careful."
The youth nodded solemnly, carving the warning into his heart.
The old man then dispersed the barrier of primordial power and said in a soft voice, "It seems your grandfather is a cultivator as well, and his realm of strength is certainly not low...
"To have the sheer nerve to let you carry an ancient treasure spirit sword across the land on your back."
Li Guanqi could only rub his nose awkwardly; after all, he did not know how high his grandfather's cultivation realm truly was either.
Li Nanting sat back down on his chair and pointed to a prayer mat in front of him, gesturing for Li Guanqi to take a seat.
After gathering his thoughts for a moment, he asked softly, "In your eyes, what is an immortal?"
Li Guanqi pondered for a moment, then replied in a quiet voice, "Longevity, flying upon a sword, striking at the whim of the heart, and attaining great freedom within."
Upon hearing this, Li Nanting broke into a fond smile.
Pointing a finger toward Li Guanqi, he chuckled and said, "To have such an understanding at such a young age is no small feat.
"Some say that an immortal is carefree and unconstrained, benevolent and kind.
"Slaying demons and devils, acting on behalf of heaven.
"Enjoying the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, possessing boundless lifespan.
"Watching the myriad vicissitudes of the mortal world across countless generations, yet drinking alone of cloudy wine and gazing at unmoving mountains.
"That is an immortal, but not entirely."
Li Guanqi's thoughts had already drifted into the vision of an "immortal" the old man described.
Yet at that moment, the old man's tone abruptly shifted, turning sharp and chilling.
"However, in your master's heart, an immortal takes an entirely different form!"
Curious, Li Guanqi asked, "What form?"
Sharp light flashed in the old man's eyes as he stood up, gazing straight into the heavens, and said in a deep voice:
"The road of cultivation is long and distant, fraught with endless schemes, intrigue, and ruthless calculations!
"Naturally, storms of blood and gore are unavoidable. Whenever an exceptional treasure emerges, it draws people like moths to a flame, and the drawing of swords in slaughter is bound to follow.
"Once one reaches the Nascent Soul realm, one must endure a minor heavenly tribulation every three hundred years."
At that point, the old man spun around abruptly to look at the youth.
"So as your master sees it, once you step onto the immortal path, it runs as deep as the sea; in this life, there is no turning back.
"What an immortal truly comes down to is the word: 'contend'!!"
A hint of bewilderment appeared in the youth's eyes.
"Contend?"
"That is right! Contend with humans! Contend with the earth! Contend with the heavens!
"Seize spiritual energy! Seize destiny! Seize opportunity!
"Living for ten thousand years, feeling neither joy nor sorrow, both immortal and demon!
"Cultivation is inherently an act of defying the heavens—plundering the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to forge a supreme golden body and ascend to the immortal realm.
"If the road ahead is covered in thorns, then carve a path through the mountains, build bridges across the rivers, and cleave open a grand avenue of your own with the sword in your hand!"
The old man's impassioned voice sounded as if he were pouring out the hard-won insights of his several centuries of life.
With these few brief words, he wished to help the youth understand certain truths early on.
And these truths were all forged from the countless hardships he had weathered in this world.
He did not want the youth to become pedantic, nor to have too soft a heart.
Something new seemed to stir in the youth's uncomprehending gaze. Standing up, he bowed respectfully with clasped hands.
"Master, though your disciple cannot fully understand all of this right now, I will engrave these words into my heart."
Looking at the youth's still-bewildered eyes, Li Nanting did not tell him that he had no need to understand just yet.
The sole reason he had spoken of these things was to make him realize the cruelty of cultivation early on.
Li Nanting waved his hand and said, "Head back early today. Tomorrow at the hour of the rabbit, attend the lecture on Tianshui Peak. Elder Lan will be your instructor to deliver your very first lesson in cultivation. Do not be late."
Li Guanqi bowed and took his leave.
Chapter 17