33. Understand the Art of Leaving Room for Maneuver

"Good." Lin Jiuge nodded, though she still felt a lingering sense of insufficiency. It seemed there was still so much she didn't know; she only understood that cultivation required absorbing vital energy, and she was aware of only one way to obtain it.

Three boxes were lined up, identical in material, size, and style.

"The usual rules: Fu Zai chooses first," Zhou Yan said.

Lin Jiuci, who had been quietly munching on a fruit, finally received her gift.

"I want this one." Lin Jiuci pointed her small hand toward the box on the left. The Sect Leader handed it to her.

Of the remaining two, Lin Jiuge chose the one on the right, leaving the middle one for Zhou Yan.

"Open them and see." Li Yun was quite curious about what the legendary collection left behind by the Ancestor actually contained. After all, it had transitioned from a proven existence to a mere legend, so seeing it would make up for the regrets of the generations of ancestors before him.

Fu Zai opened hers first. Inside the box, which was the size of a book and as thick as an adult’s fist, lay a pair of bells.

The bells were delicate and exquisite. The thin green gauze used to tie them was clearly no ordinary material, and the entire set shimmered with an iridescent glow.

"Pretty!" Lin Jiuci loved them immediately. She happily held them in her hands, and the bells let out a crisp, tinkling sound. Lin Jiuci giggled.

The Sect Leader took out the wooden slip beside the box and read aloud: "The Demon-Gauze Illusion-Thought Bells. Wearing them protects the user from being affected by illusions. The demon gauze is crafted by the Sea People using their own scales, tears, and the unique Star Grass of their race. They can expand or shrink at the user's will and can also be used as a weapon without restriction."

"The Sea People? That race doesn't exist anymore, does it?" The Venerable Wudao pondered. In his memory, there was no such race.

"Perhaps the Merfolk know something about them," the Sect Leader mused, thinking of the origin of his own Water-Avoiding Pearl.

With the discussion concluded, Lin Jiuge opened her box. Inside was a piece of mineral ore. The stone flickered with starlight, its color a tranquil, deep blue-black that made one feel as if they might be drawn into it.

The nameless sword within Lin Jiuge began to stir restlessly.

"Jiuge, this is Di-Liu Star Ore. I want it!" The nameless sword etched the words rapidly into the air; due to its excitement, the handwriting was barely legible.

"Di-Liu Star Ore!" The Venerable Wudao stood up abruptly, his eyes fixed on the ore with fervent intensity. A rare treasure indeed.

"It can enhance the quality of any spiritual, precious, or celestial weapon. When paired with Weak-Water Stone, it can directly elevate an item by an entire tier." As soon as this was read, the three men could no longer remain calm.

This ore was far more enticing than the Demon-Gauze Illusion-Thought Bells.

Seeing that Lin Jiuge remained motionless, the nameless sword tried to incite the Golden Sword to step out and make its presence known, but Lin Jiuge firmly stopped it.

Closing the box to shield it from everyone's gaze, the three men felt a pang of regret. What a treasure.

Zhou Yan opened the final box with anticipation, secretly hoping for something grand and sophisticated.

A mint-green hair ribbon lay lightly inside. Zhou Yan’s smile froze. He picked up the ribbon, unwilling to believe it—there was nothing else!

"Bronze Bell Hair Ribbon: A defensive tool crafted from Sea People's spun gauze and other secret minerals. It can withstand attacks by enveloping the user in a bronze bell shield. It would take five full-force strikes from a Xuanwu to damage it."

"A-Yan, it suits you perfectly." After hearing its function, the Sect Leader felt it was tailor-made for his disciple. Such heavy defense—something that would challenge even the Xuanwu, known for its own supreme defense—was incredible. Moreover, since the Xuanwu was now a creature of legend, as long as his disciple activated the protection in time, no one could touch a hair on his head!

"Master, I already have a defensive hair ribbon." Zhou Yan pointed to the grey ribbon decorating his waist, which he had just received from the Grand Martial Uncle.

"One can never have too many defensive items." Especially not one of such high quality.

Zhou Yan was speechless. He had a faint suspicion that as long as he followed his Junior Sister, no matter what he chose, he would end up with a defensive item in the form of a hair ribbon!

Lin Jiuge was pondering the same thing. It seemed that no matter what she chose, it was always mineral ore, while her sister always received items that could be worn or used for adornment.

After the group dispersed, Li Yun and the others remained.

"These two little ones don't know what awaits them tomorrow, do they?" the Venerable Wudao remarked.

"Heh, it’s a gamble of sorts. If they can be tempered well, they might just survive when they inevitably stumble into dangerous places."

"A-Yan said that when they were in danger, they sent out many distress paper cranes, but none of them worked. Even the unlimited sound-transmission talismans I gave them were useless," the Sect Leader noted.

"It seems we need to be a bit harsher with them," the Venerable Wudao agreed.

"It’s a pity that place can no longer be found. Even if one went to find it, it no longer exists. As expected of the Ancestor—the formation was set up so quietly and perfectly. That is the true meaning of array mastery." The Venerable Wudao looked regretful; he had wanted to study it, but nothing remained.

"The Ancestor's point-to-point teleportation array was indeed exquisite." Truly, they had to admire their Ancestor; they had no choice but to be impressed.

"Junior Brother, you should be heading back," Li Yun said. With so many matters at hand, it was one thing for his disciple to linger with him, but it was unreasonable for his busy Junior Brother to do the same.

"Senior Brother, you really shouldn't pass on your 'use and discard' attitude to your disciple," the Sect Leader said leisurely.

"Cough, cough. Junior Brother, thank you for your hard work." Li Yun changed the subject; he’d rather not look at his Junior Brother’s sour face any longer—it was bad for his complexion.

"Senior Brother, don't forget to visit the Grand Martial Uncle, and remember to chat with him in this same manner." After saying this, the Sect Leader left, as there was indeed a mountain of tasks waiting for him.

"Your Junior Brother is quite humorous," the Venerable Wudao commented.

Lin Jiuge returned to her room and painstakingly coaxed her sister, who had been asleep for a day and a night, back to slumber.

Once Jiuci was asleep, Lin Jiuge opened the box and looked at the Di-Liu Star Ore.

Two swords appeared beside the ore. The nameless sword frantically used sword qi to carve words.

"Jiuge, Jiuge, let me swallow this ore!"

The Golden Sword could not speak, but the humming sound it emitted clearly expressed the same desire.

"How much do you need?" The ore was the size of two adult fists.

"I want it all!" The words carved by the nameless sword’s qi showed a sense of joy in the lingering strokes.

"That won't do. What about the Golden Sword?" Lin Jiuge flatly rejected the idea and asked the Golden Sword, which could only try to assert its presence.

The Golden Sword circled around, and Lin Jiuge sensed its longing.

"How much do you need?"

The Golden Sword circled the Di-Liu Star Ore once, then used its tip to slice off a piece the size of a fingernail, signaling to Lin Jiuge.

"You may absorb that," Lin Jiuge nodded.

"Jiuge, what about me?" The nameless sword grew anxious.

"You take half. I have a use for the rest," Lin Jiuge declared.

Both swords hummed in delight. Lin Jiuge could tell they were happy. She watched as the black-red sword and the golden sword successfully cut off the ore they needed. The nameless sword, being petty, cut off exactly half—excluding the fingernail-sized piece the Golden Sword took. It was the first time Lin Jiuge had ever seen a sword act so calculating!

"Jiuge, there is also the Weak-Water Stone." Before Lin Jiuge could finish her sigh, the nameless sword carved another line.

"Go ahead." Since she had already given them the Di-Liu Star Ore, she wouldn't begrudge them the Weak-Water Stone.

She brought out the Weak-Water Stone, and the two swords took what they needed. Looking at the remaining piece, the size of an infant’s fist, Lin Jiuge wondered if she should thank them for knowing how to show mercy!