2: Has the system gone mad? Send me a piece of scrap metal, and I'll return the Immortal-Slaying Sword!

Li Daoxuan stood rooted to the spot, his heart pounding like a war drum.

That 'ding' sound just now was even more pleasing to the ear than celestial music.

Ten thousand times return for teaching a Disciple?

This isn't a System, this is clearly a money-printing cheat with no bottom line!

He suddenly turned around, his gaze firmly locking onto Xiao Chen who had just reached the doorway.

In his eyes now, Xiao Chen was no longer a Trash Disciple, but a walking, breathing gold mine, shimmering all over with sparkling treasure Aura.

He absolutely had to give it a try.

But this Sect was so poor it echoed, even rats would leave with tears in their eyes. What could he possibly give?

Li Daoxuan's gaze swept across the dilapidated main hall.

Finally, his eyes settled on a pile of junk in the corner.

There lay a rusty iron sword.

It was a piece of scrap iron he had casually picked up from the blacksmith shop at the foot of the mountain on his first day after Transmigration, just to cut open the watermelons in the back mountain. Because he hadn't wiped off the watermelon juice after using it, it had rusted to the point where it now looked exactly like a Fire Poker.

"This will do."

Li Daoxuan forcibly suppressed the smile tugging at his lips, took a deep breath, and quickly adjusted his facial expression.

Instantly, that profound, world-weary, and unfathomable Emperor's Aura returned.

"Xiao Chen, come back."

His voice was flat, yet carried an undeniable air of authority.

Xiao Chen, who had just stepped over the threshold, shuddered all over.

He hurriedly turned back, walked quickly into the hall, and lowered his head respectfully.

"Sect Master, what further instructions do you have?"

Li Daoxuan didn't speak. He just placed his hands behind his back and leisurely walked over to the corner.

He bent down, picked up the rusty iron sword with two fingers, and casually shook off the dust.

*Clatter.*

A few pieces of rust fell to the ground with a crisp sound as he moved.

Li Daoxuan wasn't embarrassed. Instead, he revealed a meaningful smile.

"Disciple, do you know what this is?"

Xiao Chen looked up, bewildered, at that "Fire Poker."

It was pitted and scarred, the blade curled like a saw, and the hilt was cracked.

This...

Wasn't this just the broken knife you used to cut watermelons a couple of days ago?

But he didn't dare say it.

Since the Sect Master had specifically taken it out, there must be a deeper meaning.

Xiao Chen hesitated for a moment, then ventured, "This... is a sword?"

"Superficial."

Li Daoxuan snorted lightly and handed the iron sword to Xiao Chen.

"When you see a mountain, it's a mountain; when you see water, it's water. What you see is merely rust, but what your Revered Master sees is its essence."

"This sword has accompanied your Revered Master for many years. Though it has never tasted the blood of the strong, it has cut countless... ahem, countless melons and fruits."

Li Daoxuan spouted nonsense with a perfectly straight face.

"The Great Dao is simple; a heavy sword has no edge. Although this sword looks ruined, precisely because it is broken, it understands better how to conceal its sharpness."

"Isn't this the very principle of our Hidden God Sect?"

Upon hearing this, Xiao Chen's body trembled violently.

He widened his eyes, staring intently at the rusty iron sword.

The disdain and confusion originally in his eyes were gradually replaced by a light known as "overthinking."

Yes!

The Sect Master is a reclusive expert. How could he possibly keep ordinary scrap iron?

Isn't this rust-covered exterior the highest state of "a divine object concealing its brilliance"?

Just like the Sect Master himself—unfathomably profound, yet willingly guarding this dilapidated mountain gate.

What kind of sword is this?

This is clearly the Sect Master testing my Heart-Nature!

He is teaching me the supreme truth of "concealing one's sharpness"!

Xiao Chen felt a surge of heat rush straight to the top of his head, his eyes instantly reddening.

His hands trembling, he took the iron sword, holding it as if it were a rare and precious treasure.

*Thump!*

Xiao Chen knelt heavily on the ground, his voice choked with emotion.

"This Disciple is foolish! I almost mistook a divine weapon for scrap iron!"

"Thank you, Revered Master, for bestowing this treasure! This Disciple will take this sword as a mirror, reflecting upon myself daily, and will never fail to live up to your painstaking efforts!"

Watching the moved and weeping Xiao Chen, Li Daoxuan's eye twitched slightly.

Isn't this kid's ability to overthink things a bit too strong?

I just wanted to clear out some junk.

But, since the act had already gone this far, he might as well go with the flow.

Li Daoxuan waved his hand, looking completely unperturbed.

"Get up. It's just a broken sword, not worth mentioning."

"Go now, Cultivate diligently."

"Yes! This Disciple takes his leave!"

Clutching the rusty iron sword tightly as if it were his wife, Xiao Chen left the main hall, looking back every few steps.

The moment Xiao Chen stepped out of the main hall...

The sound Li Daoxuan had been eagerly awaiting finally exploded in his mind.

[Ding!]

[Host gifted one inferior rusty iron sword.]

[Detected extreme gratitude emotion from Disciple Xiao Chen. System judges gift effective!]

[Randomly drawing critical hit multiplier...]

Li Daoxuan held his breath, his heart leaping into his throat.

Although it was just a broken sword, it was still the first attempt.

A tenfold return? A hundredfold?

Even getting back a slightly sharper steel sword would be good—it'd make peeling apples easier later.

[Ding! Congratulations, Host! Jackpot!]

[Highest multiplier triggered: Ten thousandfold critical hit!]

[Congratulations, Host, on obtaining: extreme dao imperial weapon · immortal slaying sword (Sealed Version)!]

*Boom!*

Li Daoxuan felt his head buzz.

What the heck?

The immortal slaying sword?!

That's the legendary supreme weapon of slaughter, said to dominate killing and even be able to slay Immortals!

Before he could even react, a brilliant light erupted within his System space.

A longsword, pitch-black all over and exuding an ancient, weathered Aura, materialized in his hand out of thin air.

Without any warning.

A terrifying, extreme Aura of slaughter instantly swept through the entire hall.

The already precarious main hall beam let out a groan of protest under the strain.

*Crack!*

That was the sound of space being torn apart by Sword Qi.

Li Daoxuan was so startled his hand shook, nearly dropping the sword.

"Holy shit!"

He let out a strange cry, instantly unleashing his Emperor cultivation to desperately suppress the sword's Aura.

Is this a pleasant surprise?

This is a straight-up shock!

Even though this sword was in its "Sealed Version" state, the mere wisp of murderous Aura leaking from it was enough to make the Old Ancestors of those outside Holy Lands piss their pants.

A man's wealth is his own ruin by causing others' jealousy!

If the outside world found out that this shabby Hidden God Sect harbored an extreme dao imperial weapon...

Countless images instantly flashed through Li Daoxuan's mind:

Holy Lands besieging them, Imperial Dynasties launching campaigns, old monsters emerging from seclusion, killing and plundering for treasure...

"You're crazy, System, you're absolutely crazy!"

"I just want to hide and develop steadily. Why are you giving me this kind of weapon of mass destruction?"

"Do you think I won't die fast enough?"

While frantically complaining in his heart, Li Daoxuan hastily stuffed the immortal slaying sword back into the System space.

Only after that terrifying Aura completely vanished did he slump into a chair, the back of his robes soaked with cold sweat.

Too intense.

Is this what it feels like to cheat?

Giving away a piece of scrap iron and getting a nuclear weapon in return.

This feeling was like buying a two-dollar lottery ticket on a whim and winning hundreds of millions—thrilled enough to want to run naked, yet terrified of being targeted by robbers.

Li Daoxuan panted heavily, pouring himself a cup of water to calm his nerves.

No.

This sword absolutely must not see the light of day.

At least until he was certain he was invincible under heaven, this sword could only serve as his final trump card.

Right at that moment...

Xiao Chen's somewhat excited voice suddenly came from outside the hall.

"Revered Master!"

Li Daoxuan's hand jerked, spilling water all over his pants.

He quickly sat up straight, reassuming that aloof demeanor.

"What is the matter?"

Xiao Chen stood at the hall entrance, not daring to enter, still tightly clutching the rusty iron sword.

He swallowed hard and pointed outside the mountain gate.

"Revered Master, a group of people has arrived at the foot of the mountain."

"Judging by their attire, they seem to be... people from the Nalan Family."

Li Daoxuan frowned.

The Nalan Family?

Those standard antagonists from the engagement cancellation trope?

He hadn't even gone looking for them, and they delivered themselves to his doorstep?

Li Daoxuan narrowed his eyes, gently tapping his fingers on the table.

"How many came?"

"Over a dozen, looking fierce and aggressive. The leader seems to be an Elder of the Nalan Family," Xiao Chen said with some worry. "Revered Master, should we... make a run for it through the dog hole in the back mountain?"

Clearly, Xiao Chen had taken the earlier lesson on The Way of Hiding to heart.

The corner of Li Daoxuan's mouth lifted slightly.

Run?

He definitely wanted to run a moment ago.

But now it was different.

With the immortal slaying sword in his pocket—even if he didn't dare take it out to cut people down—the confidence it gave him... was simply different.

He stood up, flicked his sleeves, and exuded an (artificial) Aura of looking down upon the world.

"Run? Why run?"

"Go block up that dog hole."

"Come, your Revered Master will take you to see what these self-delivered... ahem, these guests, actually want."