Chapter 3: The Hunyuan Sutra

“The comprehensive exploration of the valley must be postponed,” the old man in the black robe said.

“Why? There are only a few of us here now. What if other cultivators discover this place later? Wouldn’t we have rejoiced for nothing?” the young woman in the green dress was the first to ask, her face full of displeasure.

The old man in the black robe let out a cold snort. “My supply of medicinal pills is nearly exhausted. If you are confident that you can explore it to the end on your own, then that is fine. I intend to refine some pills for healing and recovering mana first. Please, do as you wish.”

“So that’s how it is. Then let’s do this: Fellow Daoist Geng will be responsible for refining pills, and we will be responsible for finding spiritual items in the canyon to serve as materials for Fellow Daoist Geng’s refining. Once we are well-prepared, we will act together. Fellow Daoist Geng, what do you think?” The bearded man slapped his thigh and said excitedly.

The old man in the black robe hesitated for a moment. Under the gazes of the bearded man, the blood dwarf, and the young woman in the green dress, he nodded and said, “That is acceptable. Let it be decided this way.”

“I will first carve out a cave at the entrance of the valley. You may go about your own business. If you discover any spiritual items, you may bring them to me.” Having said this, the old man in the black robe flew into the mist of the valley.

Lu Xiaotian woke up in a daze, only to find himself being carried in the mouth of a giant bear like a cub. He was instantly drenched in a cold sweat, not even daring to breathe loudly. If he were to startle the black bear, he feared that a single snap of its jaws would bite him in two.

The black bear followed the old man in the black robe into the canyon. After traveling about three hundred zhang, the surrounding mist grew thicker. Lu Xiaotian could only see things within a few dozen zhang; beyond that, it was a white blur, impossible to see through.

The old man in the black robe stopped at a relatively flat piece of terrain. With a wave of his large sleeve, he shouted sharply, “Rise!”

A small, pale gold sword shot out from his sleeve, suddenly growing from two inches to several feet in size.

This—this is a flying sword! Lu Xiaotian was so shocked by the scene before him that he completely forgot his fear. He stared in utter astonishment as the golden blade shot toward the opposite cliff face. It cut into the incredibly hard rock as if it were tofu.

*Swish, swish.* Large amounts of stone fell from the cliff to the ground.

“Old Monster Geng’s flying sword is truly formidable; to think he could carve out a cave dwelling in the mountainside so easily.” The young woman in the green dress and the others entered the canyon shortly after. Seeing this scene, they couldn't help but whisper, their expressions shifting slightly.

“It’s just a bit sharp. If it can’t pierce a person, it’s ultimately useless,” the blood dwarf said with a hint of bitterness in his tone.

*Roar!* The black bear let out a low growl, set Lu Xiaotian on the ground, and ran forward to clear away the rubble scattered on the ground, helping the old man in the black robe carve out the dwelling.

Lu Xiaotian’s bottom stung from the fall, but he didn't dare make a sound, fearing he might displease the old man in the black robe who was operating the flying sword. This was the legendary power of immortals, and he had actually encountered it. Back when he was a servant passing by the Leidao Sect’s training grounds, those powerful martial artists could split a boulder with a single strike, but after a few repetitions, their internal energy would be exhausted, and they would be unable to continue. Yet, the old man in the black robe before him was using a flying sword, carving out a massive cave dwelling from the mountainside with mere gestures. He couldn't believe he had stumbled into such a bizarre encounter.

In truth, carving out the cave was not as easy as Lu Xiaotian imagined. At one point, a bead of sweat slid down the old man’s face, and he even sat down to meditate and rest once. Even so, the old man’s power far exceeded Lu Xiaotian’s imagination.

“A practice room, a pill room, a spirit beast room, a secret chamber, and a lounge—that should be enough.” The old man in the black robe muttered to himself. He raised his hand in a beckoning gesture, and the golden flying sword shrank in size, disappearing into his wide sleeve.

“Follow me inside.”

The old man in the black robe glanced at Lu Xiaotian and spoke in a tone that brooked no opposition. Lu Xiaotian had no doubt that if he said a single word of refusal, he would certainly be swallowed whole by that large black bear. Furthermore, the majesty of an immortal left him unable to harbor any thoughts of resistance. He only felt that the old man’s attitude seemed extremely cold, as if he were someone to be kept at a distance.

“What is your name?” the old man in the black robe asked hoarsely after bringing him into the cave.

“My name is Lu Xiaotian.”

“Hmm. From now on, you will follow me to learn the arts of immortality. You will do whatever I tell you to do, and do not ask too many questions. Otherwise, I will throw you out and let that black bear eat you bite by bite.”

“I—I can learn the arts of immortality?” Lu Xiaotian was, after all, a youth at heart. Hearing the old man’s words, his face filled with surprise. However, seeing the old man’s icy gaze, his heart trembled. He immediately remembered the old man’s warning not to ask questions and quickly nodded. “Yes, yes.”

Seeing that Lu Xiaotian’s reaction was decent, the old man in the black robe nodded slightly. For a child of such a young age to still be able to speak under his scrutiny, this level of mental fortitude was already quite good. However, he was so young, and there would be a massive amount of chores to handle later; without some strength, it wouldn't work. Not to mention a young boy, even a sturdy, ordinary man would be exhausted to the point of collapse.

The old man in the black robe rummaged through his storage bag, which contained a few cultivation manuals. He frowned; he couldn't yet determine the boy’s aptitude, but it likely wasn't anything special, and he couldn't even determine which elemental spirit root the boy possessed. If it weren't for the fact that he truly had no other choice at the moment, he wouldn't have brought Lu Xiaotian here.

After pondering for a moment, the old man in the black robe pulled out a copy of the *Hunyuan Sutra*. He had snatched it from the storage bag of a Lingxiao Palace disciple. It had no requirements for any specific elemental spirit root. As for whether there would be any adverse reactions after practicing it, that was impossible to say; he could only give it a try.

The copy of the *Hunyuan Sutra* he had on hand was incomplete and could only be practiced up to the middle stage of Qi Refining. He was already at the Great Perfection of the Qi Refining stage. Although the *Hunyuan Sutra* originated from Lingxiao Palace, it was completely useless to him—it was just right to give to this little brat.

“This is a cultivation manual for you. Keep it well. Starting tomorrow, I will teach you how to begin practicing.”

“Yes, yes!” Lu Xiaotian had wanted to say thank you, but as soon as he touched the old man’s gaze, the words died in his throat. It seemed the man had no intention of taking him on as a disciple.

The old man in the black robe carved out a tiny stone room for Lu Xiaotian, giving him only a piece of animal hide to spread on the floor and a few ordinary household items before sending him off. The old man himself sat cross-legged; the effort of carving the cave had consumed not only his mana but also the spiritual sense required to operate the flying sword for so long, and he needed to recover properly.

Lu Xiaotian, having arrived in the cramped stone room, couldn't help but feel a surge of excitement. He held the *Hunyuan Sutra* to his chest as if it were a treasure. At the Leidao Sect, he could only be a lowly servant, spending every day doing chores like chopping wood, feeding horses, cleaning, and boiling water.

And now, although this old man in the black robe was not easy to get along with, he could learn the arts that only immortals knew. In the future, he too could be like the old man, wielding a flying sword to split mountains and rocks with ease. Even though the stone room only had an unknown mottled animal hide spread on the floor as a bed, Lu Xiaotian was completely satisfied.