Chapter 623 Buddha’s Birthday (1/2)
Chen Jinchan's memory of Shen Lian was still stuck at the thousand years prior. At that time, his headmaster lived a simple life and let things follow their own course as if nothing could bother him. Today, he saw him unexpectedly wearing a sad expression and his heart knew that surely he was incredibly sorrowful.
Chen Jinchan kowtowed and said, ”It was us disciples who were unable to keep Aunt-Master alive.”
Shen Lian slowly walked over to the both of them. He stretched out his hand to them and pulled them up saying, ”The both of you are good children. It was unexpected of me to leave Qing Xuan for so long a time.” Shen Lian only understood now, he indeed has left for a very long time. When he dropped down from the Yellow Springs and reached the Netherworld, he had wasted a lot of time. It was anticipated that Chen Jianmei went in about the same time, perhaps the speed by which both of them went in and out of were different, causing their return to have a gap of three hundred years.
At least Chen Jianmei's sword was already capable of directly running through both Qing Xuan's earth and star as well as the Netherworld. It need not go through the Yellow Springs to descend to the Netherworld.
The saddening thing was that unless he could turn back time, he would never be able to find Chen Jianmei and Gu Caiwei anymore. Even if Gu Caiwei was reincarnated into a person, it would not be easy to understand the secret of the womb. Thirty years had passed. Even if he could find her the body of her reincarnation, it would not be her anymore. Not to mention the fact that Chen Jianmei had already given up his self, evolving into that paramount swordcraft. The universe may be vast and obscure, but there will never be another Chen Jianmei.
Having been pulled up by Shen Lian, Fan Yanying saw the happiness in him fade. She glanced at the Blood Red Long Sword, and her eyes started to tear again.
She had a lot of cultivation experience. One would not be able to find anyone who was stronger than her in the earth and star of Qing Xuan. Thus it seemed as though she could feel something, and so asked, ”Uncle-Master, does this sword have something to do with my master, the old man?”
Shen Lian was silent for a good while. In the end, he drew the Blood Red Killing Sword. Its blade was like water, and also like time. Aside from the undispersed blood-red color, not a bit of the murderous aura leaked out.
Finally, Shen Lian gave a profound sigh, ”Yanying, this sword is called 'Jianmei'. Chen Jianmei's 'Jianmei'.”
Fan Yanying understood what Shen Lian meant. In her heart, she felt a deep pain. Without a word, she knelt down, and tightly pursed her lips. She faced the sword and gave three kowtows and nine prostrations. In the end, Chen Jinchan had to lend his arm in support of her standing up.
At this time, Shen Lian erased all sorrow from his expression and in a heavy tone asked, ”Jinchan, how many cultivators are there in Qing Xuan temple at the present?”
Even though Chen Jinchan did not understand why his headmaster changed to this topic, he replied, ”The cultivators that the headmaster asks about, what is the minimum cultivation experience they should have?”
Shen Lian answered, ”They should at least have achieved the State of Trance.”
Chen Jinchan pondered slightly and in a moment he composed all the information he wished to convey, ”In these few thousand years, a total of a hundred and eight schools had adhered to our Qing Xuan Daoist Sect. Beyond the seas, the powerhouses who have countless associations with us total at three hundred and sixty. In addition to Aunt-Master's Temple of Longevity and Senior Apprentice-Sister's Temple of Killings, as well as those disciples who have never left the school, the number would be roughly around ten thousand.”
Shen Lian was surprised, ”That is quite a number.”
Chen Jinchan replied, ”The truth is that this was all because of the favor that headmaster did for everyone back then. After all, during the demonic chaos in the world, the headmaster was the one who took the initiative to wage war against the Demon Master, the one who brought everyone out of that predicament. Ever since then, we received deep affection and respect. Many of the schools adhered to us, one after another. In addition, the disciples of our School also spread our networks after they left the mountain. In time, it has reached the current phase.”
”It may not be as simple as it looks. What else is there that you are concealing from me?” Shen Lian looked at Chen Jinchan as soon as he uttered the question.