The tallest Buddhist hall on this bun-shaped hill was called Mahavira Hall. It was lofty and majestic. The statue of Shakyamuni Buddha was housed in this hall, its demeanor solemn and dignified. An elderly nun was kneeling on a prayer mat, her eyes shut as she chanted the sutras, lightly striking her wooden fish.

Tock, tock, tock…

This elderly nun was the Sect Leader of Emei, Reverend Miexin. The wooden fish she was striking was the Water-property Wooden Fish repaired by Ning Tao.

Ning Tao had already waited outside the hall for half an hour, but Reverend Miexin was still reciting the sutras with her eyes shut. She did not even deign him a glance, let alone speak with him.

Ci'en stood outside the hall, her hands at her front. She neither spoke nor reacted, her expression composed. She seemed to be enjoying the sutra chanting of Reverend Miexin.

After a while, Cixin too arrived. She stood cautiously below the terraced steps, not daring to approach. She seemed to be afraid of interrupting Reverend Miexin's sutra recitation.

Ning Tao felt quite bored. When he saw Cixin, he suddenly remembered something. He stepped down from the steps and stood beside Cixin.

Cixin glanced at Ning Tao. She was looking quite tense.

Ning Tao whispered, “Young Reverend Cixin, I just remembered something.”

“Wh-what?” Cixin's voice was even softer.

Ci'en turned to glance at Ning Tao and Cixin, her face showing displeasure.

Ning Tao pretended not to have seen. He continued, “The last time, at Liu s.h.i.+ba's flea market, you didn't speak like this. You were stammering badly. But not now. What happened?”

When he first came, he was pondering over Emei Sect and Zhu Hongyu's skull fragments. He had not noticed this small detail. Since he was now so bored that his b.a.l.l.s ached, he suddenly remembered this.

Cixin kept her voice low. “Master has instructed us to be vigilant in speech and deeds. We ought not to speak with strangers or reply when asked about this place. So I pretended to be a stammerer, so that no one would talk with me. Anyone wanting to make inquiries would not question a stammerer.”

What wit!

Ning Tao could not help but give her a thumbs-up. This young nun who looked so honest and naive had even duped an “old fox” like him. Each generation indeed surpa.s.sed the last. The outstanding pract.i.tioners of the past generations were all left stranded on the beach.

Ci'en turned back her head to glare at Cixin.

Cixin immediately shut her mouth and lowered her gaze, not daring to even glance at Ning Tao.

Ning Tao was displeased and started whistling. He had waited for half an hour and had given them enough face. But Reverend Miexin was still sitting there, striking her wooden fish and chanting sutras. Tock, tock, tock. He could not wait like this forever, could he?

“Doctor Ning, please behave yourself.” Ci'en spoke to stop him.

Ning Tao pretended not to have heard, continuing to whistle.

The striking of the wooden fish in the Buddhist hall finally stopped. The sutra recitation also ended.

Reverend Miexin opened her eyes, standing up from the prayer mat. Her voice rang out from the Buddhist hall. “Ci'en, Cixin, you two may leave. I will speak alone with Patron Ning.”

“Yes.” Ci'en and Cixin both respectfully a.s.sented and then left.

Reverend Miexin spoke again, “Patron Ning, please come in.”

Ning Tao entered Mahavira Hall, putting his palms together and giving three bows. Then he knelt on the prayer mat and kowtowed thrice. He was respecting her religion. This was not only courtesy, but also social etiquette. He performed the rituals fully so that they could talk easier later.

While wors.h.i.+pping Shakyamuni Buddha, Ning Tao observed Reverend Miexin out of the corner of his eyes.

From her appearance, Reverend Miexin seemed to be in her early 60s. She was tall and thin, hollow-cheeked with a keen, penetrating expression in her eyes. She gave one the impression of great, unfathomable wisdom.

After this glance, Ning Tao retracted his observation and completed the wors.h.i.+p of Buddha. He stood up from the prayer mat, his face wearing a smile. “My name is Ning Tao. My respects to Reverend Miexin.”

Reverend Miexin gazed at Ning Tao without saying a word.

Ning Tao gave a wry smile. “Reverend Miexin?”

Only then did Reverend Miexin speak. “I have heard from Master Fakong your name and your adventures. I was wondering what kind of person you were. Only now when we meet do I realize how young and powerful you are. My generation has really aged.”

Ning Tao said, “You are too polite, Reverend. I have come this time…”

Before Ning Tao could finish his words, Reverend Miexin suddenly struck out a palm at him.

Ning Tao was caught off guard. When he came to himself, his chest had already been hit. Under the ma.s.sive strike, his feet left the ground and his entire person was thrown backwards. He managed to take two steps in the air to dissipate the force, before landing on the ground.

If it weren't for the Heavenly Gem Magic Garment, this strike would seriously injure Ning Tao.

Reverend Miexin stared straight at Ning Tao, her eyes full of astonishment. “Ci'en said you used your chest to receive the Nine-in-One stroke of the Nine-Heavens Sword Array. I did not believe her. But from the way you received my palm, she must be telling the truth.”

Ning Tao was so enraged that he started smiling. “Was this the reason why you have struck a palm at me?”

Reverend Miexin did not explain herself at all, and merely asked another question. “I cannot quite understand how you managed to break through the ninth stage of the Nine-Heavens Sword Array. Even Master Fakong could not.”

Ning Tao's tone was slightly cold. “Reverend Miexin, I respect you as my senior, so I will ignore what you have done. But if you go too far… ”

“Then what?” Reverend Miexin stared with scorching eyes at Ning Tao.

Ning Tao unhurriedly opened his small medicine chest, taking out from it his refined Mauser pistol. “Then I will ravage this place.”

“Hahaha…” Reverend Miexin burst into loud laughter.

Ning Tao added, “I only need to move my fingers a few times.”

Reverend Miexin's laughter suddenly stopped, her voice frosty. “What an insolent lad. I have lived a few centuries and have never encountered such an arrogant cultivating doctor like you before. You talk drivel and are blaspheming Buddha. Aren't you afraid I might kill you?”

Ning Tao sneered. “Kill me? Since I dared to come alone, I don't fear your doing anything to me. Let me tell you the truth, no one in this world can stop me if I want to leave. Do you wish to try?”

Although Reverend Miexin was the Sect Leader of a big cultivating sect like Emei and surely very powerful, Ning Tao had cultivation skills that could make him escape. He even had the convenient door, his last resort to escape. If he had wanted to go, Reverend Miexin could not have stopped him. But if they were to fight, he had Powerful Tolerance to Beating as well as the Heavenly Gem Magic Garment. He could withstand Reverend Miexin's attacks, but he did not know whether she could counter the bullets from his refined Mauser pistol. As for this Mahavira Hall, he could have ravaged it with a few gunshots.

“Amitabha!” Reverend Miexin chanted Buddha's name and her voice returned to its former calm. “It's a sin to talk of ravaging this Mahavira Hall. Although I said I might kill you, I wasn't really intending to. I was just testing you. You shouldn't have reacted so violently.”

Ning Tao said blandly, “Could I shoot you and then tell you it was unintentional? That I have no intention to kill? What would you say?”

Reverend Miexin was not angry. She merely said nonchalantly, “I have heard from Master Fakong about your clinic and also know that you can mend magic tools. You even took the initiative to contact my disciple and offered to repair my flying sword. You aren't trying to be altruistic, are you? I have tried every means and way to understand you, but I can't. Tell me, what do you want from me?”

Ning Tao could not help but curse Master Fakong in his heart. Yet on the surface he remained unruffled. “I believe you have already guessed what I want. So I shan't beat around the bush. I'm here to do a transaction with you. I will repair your flying sword, while you give me Zhu Hongyu's skull fragments. I also want to know what happened. Why did you people kill her?”

“So you are really after that skull.” A keen glimmer flashed across Reverend Miexin's eyes.

“Are you willing to do this transaction with me?”

“That skull is highly inauspicious. Its reappearance will spell calamity for this world. Why are you scheming so hard to lay your hands on it?”

Ning Tao said, “How do you know this thing is inauspicious and will spell calamity for the world? What I know is that in moderate doses, it can cure epileptics and complete paralytics. You'd better tell me what happened that year. Let us a.n.a.lyze the situation together.”

Reverend Miexin became silent for a while, and then walked to the back of the Shakyamuni Buddha statue.

Ning Tao summoned the states of looking and smelling in his eyes and nose. In that instant, Reverend Miexin's innate aura entered his sight. Her spiritual power was vast and even more oddly, one could make out a small golden man in the plume of spiritual energy just above her head.

Ning Tao was astounded and wondered to himself, “Is that golden man the legendary Nascent Soul? Her Nascent Soul does not seem that powerful. Chen Pingdao's was much more powerful. After all, his Nascent Soul can even possess a dog.”

Chen Pingdao had cultivated for over two millennia. No matter how stupid he was, he had an early head start and an advantage. By acc.u.mulating his cultivation bit by bit, even Chen Pingdao could have reached a very high level in his cultivation.

As far as spiritual power was concerned, Reverend Miexin at the Nascent Soul Realm was certainly more powerful than Ning Tao, a cultivating doctor at the Core Formation Realm. But his core was as large as a volleyball. Even Chen Pingdao could not believe it was this large. Moreover, as the owner of Sky Clinic, with kung fu that could withstand beatings and other skills, as well as magic tools exclusive to him as a go-between of good and evil, he would not fear Reverend Miexin even if they were to fight.

But things had not yet come to a head. He did not want to confront and attack Reverend Miexin. After all, he had not come to fight her, but for the Ancestor-seeking Elixir prescription.

Immediately after Reverend Miexin's innate aura entered his sight, numerous odors also crept into Ning Tao's nostrils. In that instant, he had captured a familiar scent—the unique Buddha incense used to write the Ancestor-seeking Elixir prescription.

Within two seconds, Ning Tao had managed to pinpoint the source of the Buddha incense. It was just behind that statue of Shakyamuni Buddha. In that instant too, he retracted the state of looking in his eyes, merely relying on his nose.

Reverend Miexin suddenly turned back and glanced at Ning Tao.

Ning Tao gave her a smile, pretending to have done nothing.

Reverend Miexin strode past the statue of Buddha and went behind it. She disappeared from his sight.

Ning Tao had originally wanted to follow her and look, but decided against it after giving some thought. Instead, he did nothing. Reverend Miexin was already wary of him and had tried to sound him out. If he were to follow her, Reverend Miexin would think he was trying to seize her property.

He really did not dare rob her. There might be a trap or formation behind that Shakyamuni Buddha statue. If he were to threaten Reverend Miexin, she might really destroy those skull fragments. Then he would certainly rue his actions.

A few minutes later, Reverend Miexin re-emerged from behind that Shakyamuni Buddha statue. There was a black wooden box in her hands. This box was also a spiritual material, known as “scented rosewood” in the Compendium of Spiritual Materials. Buddhist and Taoist pract.i.tioners loved to use this wood to make rosaries.

When Ning Tao saw Reverend Miexin taking out the box, there was a brief moment he thought she was taking out Zhu Hongyu's skull fragments. But that Buddha incense was still permeating out from behind the statue. In other words, she was still hiding it. Thereafter, he managed to guess what this scented rosewood box contained.

As expected, Reverend Miexin proffered the scented rosewood box to Ning Tao. “This is my flying sword. Repair it first and then we can talk.”

Ning Tao accepted the box and opened it. There were shards of a broken flying sword in the box. These shards were all silver, permeating with spiritual energy. On these shards were inscribed runes. One look and anyone could tell it was a powerful magic weapon.

Ning Tao took only a glance before closing the box. He held the box in his arms and turned to go.

It was Reverend Miexin's turn to be startled. She had thought Ning Tao might haggle over the transaction. She did not expect him to have not said a word.

Outside the Mahavira Hall, a faint smile hovered on the corner of Ning Tao's lips. “Trying to trick me? Although you are a few centuries old, you are still a bit green when it comes to that.”

Reverend Miexin obviously could not have overheard his words.

Ning Tao immediately closed the door once he returned to his room and opened that wooden box. Taking fragments of the flying sword out of the box, he pieced them together one by one.

A total of 58 fragments were pieced together to form a complete flying sword. Near its hilt was an engraving of its name: Pokong. It was slightly longer and broader than normal swords. Its body was relatively flat and did not have any fullers.

It was his first time seeing a flying sword. Ning Tao was very excited, even though it was a flying sword pieced together from pieces. However, he knew very clearly that even if he could fully repair this flying sword, he himself would not be able to use it. He could only use the flying sword created by himself. Yet until now, neither the good-evil tripod nor Scriptures & Scrolls Store had given him any spells regarding the making of flying swords.

Speaking of the good-evil tripod, Ning Tao was suddenly reminded of something. He opened the small medicine chest and took out the ledger of bamboo slips.

The content in the ledger: “Rent collected. The Sky Clinic is upgraded this month. The next rent collection day is in 29 days and 22 hours. The rent next month is 8,000 points of good-evil rent. The balance is 12,517 points of good-evil rent.”

8,000 points. Even though there were still over 12,000 points left in his account, Ning Tao still felt huge pressure when seeing the value “8,000”. He could not help but ponder over a question. Chen Pingdao did not have to upgrade for 2,000 years, yet he had to do so every alternate month. Could it really be for the volleyball-sized inner core he had?

This was really a path of no return.

After he s.p.a.ced out for a while, Ning Tao's emotions were collected. Chen Pingdao did not have to upgrade for two thousand years and had managed the clinic until it was on the verge of shutting down. Thus it seemed unfair to him that the clinic upgraded every alternate month after he had taken over. However, he had received benefits from the clinic which were unimaginable to Chen Pingdao. Ladder under Feet, Cat Claw Punch, Powerful Tolerance to Beating, “Your Text”, Heavenly Gem Magic Garment, Hundred Steps Flying Needle Method, pre-school scalpel method, and more. His methods of earning treatment fees were far more than Chen Pingdao. He dared to swear before Reverend Miexin to dismantle Emei Sect's Mahavira Hall. These were all built upon the rent he had paid.

The way of Heaven rewards hard workers. There was no better phrase to describe this. He practiced the ways of Heaven. The more hardworking and diligent he was and the more treatment fees he earned, the greater the rewards he would receive from the way of Heaven.

With that, Ning Tao was relieved. He placed the ledger back into the small medicine chest then tore off a blood lock prescription slip and opened the convenient door. He returned to the Sky Clinic and took out the rotten broken tripod to fix the flying sword back inside the room in Emei Sect. This process only took about tens of seconds so he did not have to worry about being discovered at all.

He would not be touching that blood lock on the roof beam.

Ding dong, ding dong…

Pieces of the flying sword were dumped into the rotten broken tripod, but when a third was poured, Ning Tao stopped and poured the rest back into the wooden box and proceeded to fix it.

Reverend Miexin wanted to talk only after he had fixed the flying sword. He did not have any bargaining power at that point, so how was he able to bargain? But it would not have been effective if he had bargained his way through back then. Thus he had taken the flying sword pieces with him and left. He had only fixed one-third of it in order to let Reverend Miexin see the results, and thus, he would gain the edge in bargaining.

When it was approaching noon, Ning Tao left the room with a broken sword in his hand and performed a sword dance in the courtyard. He was actually doing it randomly, brandis.h.i.+ng the sword to the left and right then poking it around. There was no art in it at all.

There were initially no nuns in the courtyard but somehow someone had seen him and ended up attracting a group of nuns to the courtyard in no time.

“His sword dance is so ungraceful.”

“Could it be some remarkable sword skill?”

“I think it is the Liangyi sword skill of Wudang Sect.”

“How could their sword skill be so ungraceful?”

“He looks so strong.”

“Do all men look like this?”

“You're overthinking. This one is a good-looking one. Most don't look good.”

There was a buzz among the nuns as they discussed among themselves. Ning Tao's arrival had given them much to talk about.

Ning Tao stopped and lifted the broken sword high above his head, facing the side engraved with words toward the spectating nuns.

A nun looked at the broken sword in Ning Tao's hand and something suddenly occurred to her. She pointed out alarmingly, “Isn't that Pokong, the treasured magic tool of Emei Sect?”

“Aiyo! It really is Pokong!” A young nun shouted.

“It's said that this flying sword can fly you to the moon!” An elderly nun exclaimed.

Ning Tao was shocked. Only large nations had the ability to send astronauts to s.p.a.ce. But was it not too exaggerated that a flying sword could do the same too? Even though he did not believe it, the words of the elderly nun had made him more determined to own a flying sword. He had even grown a crazy idea of wanting to ride on this flying sword to go take a look at the moon!

“Why is our Emei Sect's flying sword with him?”

“Right, why is it with him?”

“I'll go report to master…” A little nun turned to run away.

A faint smile formed on Ning Tao's lips. It was exactly what he wanted, otherwise he would not have acted like a monkey in this courtyard.

Yet at this time, that elderly nun who said Pokong could take one to the moon, said, “Legend has it that there really is a Guanghan Palace on the moon and master's wish is to go look for Fairy Chang'e's Guanghan Palace.”

Ning Tao was feeling a mess. It was already ridiculous to say that the flying sword could reach the moon, yet now you were saying Reverend Miexin wanted to search for Chang'e's Guanghan Palace on the moon. Was this not ridiculous?

If there were really Guanghan Palace on the moon, then why had Hua Country's, the United States', and Russia's astronauts and rovers on the moon not managed to find it?

“Wait…” Ning Tao suddenly thought of something. He hinted, “If the flying sword could fly, then it should be able to fly to the moon in theory. Ordinary humans only need to wear s.p.a.cesuits in order to survive on the moon. Pract.i.tioners only have to deal with the issue of breathing, pressure, and temperature, then they would be able to survive on the moon. As for Guanghan Palace, it could be the abode of a certain pract.i.tioner…”

It was unbelievable at first, but with this a.n.a.lysis, Ning Tao realized that he had gained another bargaining chip.

“What are all of you doing here? Go help out in the kitchen.” Ci'en walked over with nine nuns following behind her, the ones who were making a Nine-Heavens Sword Array at the entrance.

This time, the nine nuns were not holding wooden swords, but real swords.

The group of nuns was dismissed and left hurriedly.

Ning Tao raised the short knife above his head, acting like he was carefully observing it, yet he was staring at the entrance to the room out of the corner of his eye.

Reverend Miexin was also here.

Ci'en walked over quickly. She tried to suppress her excitement, pretending to be calm; she said, “Patron Ning, why is only half of it fixed?”

Ning Tao put down half of the flying sword and said slowly, “I had to use my own spiritual material to fix your flying sword. I had to use a considerable amount and now I have no more. How do I fix it?”

Ci'en said, “How much more spiritual material do you need? Feel free to say it.”

Ning Tao said, “I will give you a list.”

Ci'en looked at the half of the flying sword in Ning Tao's hand and revealed a concerned expression, “How about you tell me now? And I'll go prepare them now.”

Ning Tao said calmly, “Why the rush?”

Reverend Miexin approached him, staring intently at half the flying sword in Ning Tao's hand.

Ning Tao replied politely, “Oh, Reverend Miexin is here too. I did not see you. I was impolite.”

Reverend Miexin stretched her hand out. “Let me have a look.”

Given that part of Pokong had been restored so quickly, she did not care about blathering with Ning Tao.

Ning Tao then gave half the sword to Reverend Miexin and said, “Do you want the rest?”

Ci'en furrowed her brows, “Patron Ning, what do you mean?”

Ning Tao shrugged. “I don't have other intentions. The flying sword is yours, not mine. I'm using my spiritual materials to help you fix it. You didn't even thank me yet you've brought these nine nuns here. You're probably preparing to s.n.a.t.c.h the flying sword from me once I've fixed it, am I right?”

A glimpse of light flashed past in Ci'en's eyes and she said, “Don't you spout nonsense. This is a Buddhist grounds. How would we do anything like that?”

Ning Tao smiled, “How difficult is that? You can always find excuses. I believe you'll find excuses for s.n.a.t.c.hing the thing.”

Ci'en was going to say something before Reverend Miexin side-eyed her, shutting her up.

Reverend Miexin said, “Ci'en, take them away.”

“Yes.” Ci'en led the nine sword-wielding nuns away.

Reverend Miexin continued looking at the sword while saying, “There's not a single crack and its spiritual energy had significantly increased. How did you do it?”

Ning Tao said, “I depend on this skill for my livelihood. If I told you, is your Emei Sect going to provide for me for the rest of my life?”

Reverend Miexin raised a brow. “This is the grounds of Buddha. Refrain from speaking recklessly!”

Ning Tao sneered, “Buddhist grounds? Do you dare tell me you did not have the intention of s.n.a.t.c.hing the flying sword given that you had brought nine of your sword-wielding disciples here?”

Reverend Miexin did not admit but did not deny as well. She simply looked at Ning Tao.

Ning Tao said, “I'm not going to blather with you anymore. I've fixed the sword to this state. If you want me to finish fixing it, then you'll have to bring spiritual materials for it.”

Reverend Miexin said without hesitation, “No problem. I will make Ci'en prepare them.”

Ning Tao said, “Finish listening to me first. That's not a condition. It's what you should do. I only have one condition. You know what I want. Give me that skull fragment and tell me what happened back then.”

Reverend Miexin said, “What if I reject?”

Ning Tao smiled lightly, “Then no problem, goodbye.”

He left instantly.

“Stop!” Reverend Miexin called for Ning Tao.

Ning Tao paused in his tracks and revealed a grin, but when he turned around, there was not a sign of a smile on his face.