“Your insights have truly enlightened me, young friend!”

  Master Lu Ya laughed heartily, leaving Xu Fang momentarily stunned.

  He hadn’t expected that a few casual remarks would lead to such a revelation for Master Lu Ya!

  “Senior, you are too kind,” Xu Fang replied with a bow. After a moment of contemplation, Master Lu Ya extended his hand into the void, and in an instant, a red gourd and an ancient-looking book appeared in his grasp.

  “These two items were my trusted weapons during the Fengshen period. After entering the Spiritual Mountain, they have remained sealed for many years. Today, thanks to your insights, I have no means to repay you, so I will gift these to you. Please accept them!”

  Xu Fang’s heart raced. He knew well what treasures Master Lu Ya had used during the Fengshen era!

  The red gourd contained the Immortal-Slaying Flying Blade!

  And the book was undoubtedly the Seven-Arrow Head technique!

  The Seven-Arrow Head technique belonged to the Thirty-Six Transformations of the Heavenly Stars, which Xu Fang had already practiced. Thus, the book held little significance for him, while the red gourd that housed the Immortal-Slaying Flying Blade made Xu Fang’s eyes glimmer with desire.

  The Immortal-Slaying Flying Blade was a top-tier innate treasure, containing forty-eight layers of prohibitions within the red gourd.

  The blade measured seven inches long, capable of hosting one’s primordial spirit. Its eyes were said to induce a trance in anyone who met their gaze, allowing its master to activate the “Treasure, please turn” incantation. With three rotations of the blade, one could forcibly kill!

  It was an utterly unreasonable killing weapon!

  For Master Lu Ya to offer such a treasure, it was hard for anyone to refuse!

  Xu Fang never imagined that merely offering a couple of insights would lead to such an incredible gift.

  Thus, he could not refuse. Suppressing his excitement, he addressed Master Lu Ya, “Then I thank you, Senior.”

  “It’s a small matter,” Master Lu Ya waved his hand. “Since I have gifted these treasures to you, I can also assist you in refining them here. You may cultivate your abilities, and I can offer my guidance.”

  “Then I am truly grateful, Senior.”

  Xu Fang did not hesitate further. With a powerful expert like Master Lu Ya at his side, he felt much more at ease.

  He immediately sat cross-legged, focusing intently on refining the Immortal-Slaying Flying Blade!

  ……

  Outside Futu Mountain, an indistinct figure appeared, its expression grim as it stared intently at the mountain range.

  “Lu Ya, your heart no longer leans towards the Spiritual Mountain!”

  Any who recognized this figure would be astonished!

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  It was none other than the Tathagata Buddha himself!

  However, this figure was dimmed, clearly just a projection, having overheard the conversation between Xu Fang and Master Lu Ya, filling his heart with dissatisfaction.

  “This child insults my Buddhist teachings, and Lu Ya not only fails to punish him but instead gifts him a treasure. My Buddha cannot tolerate this…”

  As he muttered to himself, a cold glint flickered in the Tathagata's eyes.

  Yet, he did not reveal himself immediately.

  Master Lu Ya had long been at odds with the Spiritual Mountain, and the Tathagata had come with plans to spread Buddhist teachings eastward. Now that Lu Ya was planning to instruct this child in cultivation, revealing himself could lead to unforeseen troubles.

  Moreover, Master Lu Ya’s cultivation was only marginally below his own; as a projection, he wouldn’t necessarily prevail against Lu Ya!

  With this thought, the Tathagata resolved to wait until Xu Fang, the Mysterious Immortal ant, departed from Futu Mountain before entering himself.

  ……

  Inside Futu Mountain.

  Xu Fang sat cross-legged, beginning to practice the Seven-Arrow Head technique while refining the Immortal-Slaying Flying Blade.

  Master Lu Ya sat opposite him, speaking gently, “If you have any questions, feel free to ask.”

  Xu Fang nodded.

  He had already practiced the Seven-Arrow Head technique, and now, looking again at Master Lu Ya’s version, he felt a sense of familiarity.

  “Master, I have practiced this technique before, and I have already integrated it well with the Seven-Arrow Head technique,” Xu Fang shared.

  As he contemplated, he realized that Master Lu Ya’s version of the technique was quite similar to what Master Bodhi had taught him regarding the Heavenly Stars’ Thirty-Six Transformations.

  However, to utilize this technique required a designated target and a full twenty-one days, which made it difficult to verify its true marvel.

  “You’ve practiced it before?”

  Master Lu Ya was taken aback for a moment before quickly realizing, “Of course, you are a disciple of Master Bodhi. I forgot…”

  Xu Fang nodded, then took out the red gourd, preparing to refine the Immortal-Slaying Flying Blade.

  Unlike the Seven-Arrow Head technique, the Immortal-Slaying Flying Blade had incredibly fierce killing capabilities. Refining it would greatly benefit Xu Fang!

  Just then, however, Master Lu Ya suddenly felt a heavy weight in his heart.

  He realized that the connection between himself and the red gourd had abruptly severed!

  In the next moment, the connection between him and the Immortal-Slaying Flying Blade also vanished!

  “Rest assured, Senior, I have successfully refined it!”

  Xu Fang held the red gourd in his palm, feeling his primordial spirit merge with the Immortal-Slaying Flying Blade. He nodded with satisfaction.

  The rapid success in refining the Immortal-Slaying Flying Blade was entirely due to the treasure mastery ability granted by the system!

  Previously, he had been able to summon the Ruyi Golden-Hooped Rod because of this ability!

  Yet Master Lu Ya’s eyes widened in disbelief!

  He could sense that the connection with the Immortal-Slaying Flying Blade had been severed, yet he could hardly believe it had happened so quickly!

  Had it even been a single incense stick's worth of time?

  What kind of outrageous situation was this? A top-tier innate treasure, refined in an instant?

  He had lived for countless years but had never heard of such a bizarre occurrence!

  “Did you truly refine it successfully, young friend?” Master Lu Ya asked incredulously.

  Though the connection to the Immortal-Slaying Flying Blade had been lost, he still could not bring himself to believe it.

  Xu Fang smiled slightly, opening his palm to reveal the red gourd as the Immortal-Slaying Flying Blade spun within, radiating brilliant light!

  “I would not dare to deceive you, Senior. My physique is special, allowing me to refine treasures in a remarkably short time. I hope you do not find it laughable.”

  Laughable?

  Master Lu Ya found no humor in this situation!

  In this vast world, there were all sorts of wonders. Perhaps there truly were individuals capable of refining treasures in a short time, but he happened to encounter one!

  What a cause for envy!

  “This is all due to fate. Since young friend has obtained this item, I hope you will use it wisely in the future.”

  While Master Lu Ya said this, his heart was already made up to visit Mount Fangcun someday to ask Master Bodhi whether he might transfer a disciple!

  Achieving the realm of Mysterious Immortal at such a young age and refining a treasure in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn—such a remarkable talent, he naturally wished to take him as a disciple!

  “Yes, I must thank you again for the treasure,” Xu Fang stood up and said, “It is a blessing to meet Master Lu Ya. I still have other matters to attend to, so I will take my leave now. Please take care, and I will visit again.”