Upon hearing this, Elder Sansan’s face broke into a satisfied smile.

He then waved his wide sleeve, sending a breeze towards Xu Taiping.

In an instant, Xu Taiping’s mind was filled with an ocean of swordsmanship insights.

Just as Elder Sansan had mentioned, there were no specific sword moves or heart techniques, only teachings on how to nurture a sword, how to hide it, and how to gradually forget that you even have a sword.

“Before hiding a sword, it must first sing.”

“And it must sing so loudly that it shocks the world; otherwise, what you hide is not a sword but a piece of rotten wood.”

“Conversely, the louder the sword sings, the more shocking it is. When you draw it again, it will surely make the world tremble.”

Elder Sansan continued.

“Elder Sansan, what does it mean for a sword to sing shockingly?”

Xu Taiping asked in confusion.

“It means letting the world know that Xu Taiping has a sword that can move mountains and seas, slay demons, and be invincible.”

Elder Sansan said proudly.

“For example, your upcoming trip to the Immortal Gourd Cave is a perfect opportunity for your sword to sing.”

He reminded Xu Taiping.

Xu Taiping suddenly understood. Yes, only a sword that makes others fear it is worth hiding. What use is there in hiding a piece of rotten wood?

“Thank you for your guidance, Elder Sansan.”

He sincerely expressed his gratitude.

“If you truly want to thank me, when you go to the Immortal Gourd Cave, cut down all the plum trees along the small path on the west side of Yuhu Mountain and bring them back to me.”

Elder Sansan said, standing in the center of the pond with his hands behind his back.

“Elder, what do you need those plum trees for?”

Xu Taiping asked, puzzled.

“Using charcoal made from the plum trees of Yuhu Mountain to warm wine has a unique flavor.”

Elder Sansan said casually.

Xu Taiping was speechless.

He found Elder Sansan’s hobby quite peculiar.

“Whoosh!”

At that moment, Elder Sansan suddenly waved his wide sleeve, summoning the sword embedded in the cliff wall. He lightly pushed the hilt with his finger, sending it towards Xu Taiping.

“This sword is called Rust Lion. It is a righteous sword nurtured by the Confucian sect with their noble aura. It was once famous for making all evils retreat and demons tremble. However, if the wielder harbors unrighteous intentions, the sword will rust and become unusable, leading to its abandonment and long neglect.”

Elder Sansan introduced the sword to Xu Taiping.

“Elder Sansan, are you planning to…”

“Loan it to you.”

Xu Taiping, who was excited, was about to ask if Elder Sansan intended to give him the Rust Lion, but he was interrupted halfway.

“Thank you, Elder Sansan, for lending me the sword.”

Xu Taiping was momentarily stunned but then clasped his hands in gratitude.

A loan was good enough.

…

Qi Yue Pavilion.

“Elder Sansan’s swordsmanship is no less profound than some old fellows I once knew.”

After hearing Xu Taiping recount today’s lesson from Elder Sansan, Fairy Lingyue reevaluated him.

“Especially the concept of hiding the sword. In my former cultivation world, there was a Sword Immortal who excelled in this. His sword would remain silent, but once it sang, it shocked the world. It was said that before his ascension, he used a sword he had nurtured for ten thousand years to slay five extraterrestrial demons and the tribulation lightning above them.”

“Elder Sansan’s Hidden Sword Technique is quite similar to that Sword Immortal’s methods.”

Fairy Lingyue continued.

“More important than the power of this Hidden Sword Technique is how it aligns perfectly with my state of mind.”

“To defeat enemies and slay demons, I have my fists and blade, which are enough.”

“But the purpose of the sword for me is to have a five-foot-long sword to hide behind when I can’t raise my fists or blade.”

Xu Taiping said with a burning gaze.

Today’s words from Elder Sansan had deeply moved him.

“The best decision your Peak Master made was to have Elder Sansan teach you swordsmanship.”

Fairy Lingyue smiled.

Xu Taiping also smiled sheepishly at her words.

Since arriving at the Seventh Peak, Peak Master Zhao Qian had essentially left him to his own devices, barely paying any attention to him.

“By the way, Sister Lingyue, has that sword come out yet?”

Xu Taiping suddenly asked Fairy Lingyue.

“No.”

Fairy Lingyue shook her head.

“The sword in that bamboo won’t be able to accompany you this time. I can only leave a wisp of my divine sense in the gourd to help you a little.”

She said regretfully.

Regarding the maturity time of the Earth Fruit, she could only estimate and couldn’t determine the exact date. It might mature right after Xu Taiping left.

Fortunately, Fairy Lingyue had already absorbed most of the power from another bamboo. Even if she couldn’t come out of the bamboo, she could still leave a wisp of her divine sense in the gourd to accompany Xu Taiping to the Immortal Gourd Cave.

“It’s alright. Elder Sansan has agreed to loan me the Rust Lion.”

Xu Taiping shook his head and happily took out a long sword from his waist.

“This Rust Lion should be a spirit sword, more than enough for you to use.”

Fairy Lingyue nodded and then said:

“Given your current cultivation level and the techniques you have mastered, such as the Demonic Severing Blade, Green Bull Saint Fist, and One Step to Heaven, as long as you don’t encounter those few sleeping beasts, you should be more than capable of exploring the Immortal Gourd Cave alone. Whether you bring the sword or not doesn’t make much difference.”

In the past three years, Xu Taiping had made significant progress not only in his sword flying technique but also in his cultivation, reaching the peak of the Gazing Abyss Realm. He had also made great strides in the Demonic Severing Blade, Green Bull Saint Fist, and the body technique One Step to Heaven.

Even the most challenging Red Crow Golden Flame Technique had reached its first level, allowing him to condense a ball of Red Crow Golden Flame within ten breaths.

Xu Taiping nodded in agreement.

He had indeed prepared well over the past three years.

“Xu Taiping, are you going to leave us behind again this time?”

At this moment, Baiyu flew over with his claws gripping Ping’an, flapping his wings in front of Xu Taiping and Fairy Lingyue.

“I would like to, but the Immortal Gourd Cave strictly forbids bringing spirit beasts inside. If discovered, you’ll be immediately expelled and might even implicate your sect, losing future entry qualifications.”

Xu Taiping said helplessly.

Hearing this, Baiyu and Ping’an both deflated.

“Xu Taiping, I overheard from the mountain spirit birds that next month, the Peacock King will be brought out of the dungeon by the Hall of Seven Laws for execution.”

Baiyu suddenly flew to the top of Xu Taiping’s head.

“I suspect that the Qingxuan Sect intends to release it under the guise of execution. Several of its generals were rescued in a similar manner a year ago.”

It continued coldly.

“A month? Then I’ll still have time after returning from the Immortal Gourd Cave.”

Xu Taiping thought for a moment and then nodded.

A year or two ago, he and Baiyu had already discussed this matter. If the Peacock King were to be released from the dungeon, they would intercept and kill it if the Qingxuan Sect failed to do so.

They had even roughly planned the location and some specific arrangements for the interception.

“Taiping, with my current strength, I can easily kill the Peacock King, so I think there’s no need to drag you along…”

“No way!”

Before Baiyu could finish, Xu Taiping interrupted it.