() "All things have yin and yang, and yin and yang exist in all things. ”

I don't know which ancestor put forward the words of wisdom, which reveals the root of the harmony of all things.

Yin and Yang are opposites of each other, and they are mutually reinforcing, which is both opposite and unified. In the first eternity, people simply discovered that there was a pair of opposites but connected phenomena in the nature of heaven and earth, and heaven and earth themselves were an example. Another example is the sun and the moon, day and night, heat and cold, up and down, fire and water, and so on. Later, people realized that the same is true of men and women, souls and spirits, life and death. In the end, after a long period of cultivation and inheritance, cultivators discovered that there are two qi in the human body, Yin and Yang, which are also the key to the operation of the internal force in the dantian and meridians.

Combining the differences between yin and yang, the outstanding cultivators of the Great Red Realm have created classics of cultivation with different methods. Use mantras to urge the operation of the mystical power or spiritual power in the body, improve the realm of cultivation, and gradually ascend from humanity to the two realms of immortals and demons. However, there is one thing that Xiao Tianhe doesn't quite understand, it stands to reason that the Black Sword Patriarch was transformed by the Yin Qi of the Pangu God, so why did he create the "Yutian Sword Codex" but it was a neutral method?

"Senior, I understand the truth, what impact does the cultivation environment have on the cultivation method?" Xiao Tianhe asked.

"Pure Yang Qi will become more active in the daytime, under the sun, in the scorching heat, etc., of course, this little effect can be said to be very small for those who practice the powerful Sword Codex, but it is always better than nothing. Xiao Baoqing replied, "So, this flame tower filled with the extreme heat emitted by magma can be described as an excellent environment to assist my Xiao clan's cultivation. ”

"Brother Xiao, one more thing, when you are in an extremely harsh environment, you can hone your body and will more, and you can also stimulate the potential of your body, which is also very beneficial to your cultivation. Nangong Xue added.

"Hmm...... Truly. Xiao Tianhe nodded, "Presumably, people from other foreign races are also very envious of the Xiao family for having this cultivation treasure land, right?"

"That's right. Since the news of the Flame Tower spread in Nangong Mansion, many families have come to visit and get closer to my Xiao family, intending to share, and even powerful foreign clans have come to threaten and intimidate, forcing the Xiao family to give up this piece of feng shui treasure. It wasn't until the patriarch who built the tower reported the matter to the Nangong family, and the Nangong patriarch announced that the flame tower belonged to the Nangong family, that the other families dispelled their thoughts. In order to repay my Xiao family for digging a pit and building the tower, the Nangong family promised that the flame tower would be temporarily used by my Xiao family for a hundred years, and now there are still seventeen years to go before the deadline. Xiao Baoqing seemed to be a little reluctant.

"I haven't heard of this...... Nangong Xue said, "But since the Flame Tower has little impact on those who cultivate powerful sword classics, why do those powerful families still covet it......?

"I'm afraid the Flame Tower has even greater benefits. Xiao Tianhe glanced back, "If I'm not mistaken, this benefit is related to sword forging and alchemy. Right?"

Xiao Baoqing nodded: "The blazing flame tower is an excellent place for forging knives and alchemy. This is the benefit that the Nangong family and the other families really want. ”

The two were silent.

Xiao Baoqing smiled bitterly: "Miss Xue, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to blame the Nangong family. The place of Nansha City belongs to the territory of Nangong Mansion, and the Flame Tower should indeed belong to the Nangong family, not to mention that the Nangong family has allowed my Xiao family to use it for a hundred years, which is already considered benevolent and righteous, and the Xiao family has no complaints about this. What makes me sad is that although it is a rule that only those who have reached the void can enter the tower to cultivate, forge swords, and alchemy, but in the past eighty-three years, no one in the Xiao family has made achievements in these three aspects. finally came out of a genius like Xiao Daoyun, but he went astray again. It's a pity, it's a pity, I'm afraid this hundred years have been wasted by the Xiao family. ”

"I see. The patriarch of the Xiao family must have taken advantage of the hundred-year period to give full play to the excellent conditions of the Flame Tower, and cultivate a master of demon cultivation, or a master of sword casting and alchemy, so as to strengthen the power of the Xiao family. "Nangong Snow Road.

"That's right. The children of the Xiao family who enter the Flame Tower must study the art of sword casting and alchemy, so there are these peculiar smells in the tower for many years. ”

Xiao Tianhe was a little puzzled by this hard rule: "The way to cultivate demons, after all, cultivation is the mainstream. Sword forging and alchemy are secondary skills, and even a big family like the Nangong family does not force their children to practice, but based on their personal interests, willingness, and talents. I'm afraid it's hard to force talent just by setting tough rules, right?"

"Xiao Tianhe, you're wrong. What you need to venture out of the rivers and lakes alone is strength, but for a small family like us, what is most needed is power! Just imagine, even if the Nangong disciples have not yet built a foundation, foreigners will not dare to do anything to him, and this is the role of power! The small family has a small number of people, weak strength, and a lack of masters, and sometimes it is inevitable that they will be bullied or despised by others. Why don't the children of the clan want to raise their eyebrows and make a splash one day? Therefore, they entered the tower to study the art of sword casting and alchemy, not because of the rules, but for the sake of the Xiao clan!" Xiao Baoqing suddenly stopped, "Okay, we have arrived. ”

This is the fourth level of the Flame Tower and the sixth level below ground level. Xiao Baoqing walked to a room, took out a key to open the iron lock, and pushed the door open.

The door creaked, and a lot of dust fell from above the lintel, and it was lifted by the sudden heat wave, and flew in the air. There was a stone platform in the room, on which was placed a dusty futon that was no longer able to tell what color it was. Next to the futon was a pair of equally dusty knife holsters, as well as some clothes, accessories, and miscellaneous items. At each corner of the house there is a brick stove, an alchemy furnace in one and a cast in the other. Xiao Tianhe also noticed that the room had no windows, and there were many small square holes in the wall like ventilation holes.

"This is the room where Xiao Daoyun cultivated at the beginning. The patriarch who expelled him from the family stipulated that no one was allowed to enter the house at will until Xiao Daoyun himself returned. I also guessed based on this that Xiao Daoyun's dantian may not have been destroyed. Now you

I thought it was time to open this room. Xiao Bao Qingdao.

He walked to the stone platform, carefully brushed the dust off the futon with his sleeve, and then picked up the knife holster and shook it, revealing the pattern on the hilt. "If you take a look at it first, you might remember something. He said to Xiao Tianhe.

In fact, no matter how you look at it, Xiao Tianhe can't be Xiao Daoyun's son, but in the face of such an old man who is full of expectations from beginning to end, Xiao Tianhe can't bear to be perfunctory. So he went inside and looked around.

"Huh, the heat actually came out of this ventilation hole!" Nangong Xue said in surprise.

"It's not a vent, it's a 'vent' that connects to the bottom of the tower. Not only the walls, but also the bottom of the furnace and the furnace had holes leading to the bottom of the tower. The reason why there are no windows is to prevent heat loss. ”

"Could it be that the heat in the entire Flame Tower is emanating from the tiny rock crevice at the bottom of the tower?" Xiao Tianhe couldn't believe it.

"Of course not, the cave at the bottom of the tower was only dug for observation, and the heat in the tower came from another gap in the rock wall, but it was not too big, and it was the thickness of the wellhead. Xiao Baoqing said, "Xiao Tianhe, you come over to take a look at these things, I guess Xiao Daoyun may also have met your mother when he was training outside, and there may be something in this that can be used as a token to prove." ”

Xiao Baoqing had already brushed away the dust on the surface of the dry items on the stone platform one by one, and several accessories and medicine bottles were even picked up and rolled up in his sleeves to wipe them clean.

Xiao Tianhe took a closer look, it was nothing more than some waist wear, scarves, cloth bags and other items, several pill bottles were empty, not even corks, and the knife was just a high-grade magic knife, which was not rare.

"How is it?" Xiao Baoqing's eyes were full of anticipation.

Xiao Tianhe put the magic knife back in its place and shook his head helplessly at Xiao Baoqing: "Senior, I'm afraid I'm going to disappoint you, my father is definitely not Xiao Daoyun, and I definitely don't know what kind of quick cultivation method is." ”

"Really...... Alas. Xiao Baoqing's eyes dimmed, and he leaned lightly on the stone platform, "It's because I'm too anxious, I went to recognize my relatives without clarifying the situation, and I asked you and Miss Xue to come to Nansha City for this purpose, I'm really sorry." ”

Xiao Tianhe and Nangong Xue glanced at each other, and they didn't know how to comfort the old man. As the head of the family, he has to think about the family at all times, and there is nothing wrong with him doing this.

Suddenly, Xiao Tianhe felt a trace of fluctuation from the communication stone in his arms, and he took it out to see that it was a message from Nangong Yan: "Brother Xiao, Deng Xianjue will arrive in Nanting City in two days, so be sure to hurry back." ”

"Senior, Patriarch Yan has something important to call us back, so I will leave first. Xiao Tianhe arched his hand.

"Okay, we'll have a meeting later. Xiao Baoqing forced a happy face to say goodbye to the two.

......

After leaving Nansha City, Xiao Tianhe and Nangong Xue Yudao flew quickly, fortunately, Nansha City and Nanting City both belonged to the Kunwu Department, and they were not too far apart.

"Brother Xiao, I think Senior Xiao is quite pitiful. "Nangong Xuedao," as the patriarch of a small family, he must have suffered a lot in ordinary times. Even within our Nangong family, it is not uncommon for intrigue and power to be violated, not to mention that among those affiliated families, there will always be people who bully the weak, and sometimes they have to swallow their anger. ”

"The law of the jungle is the strongest, this is something that cannot be helped. No matter where it is, as long as there is a difference in strength, there must be unfairness, so the small family can only survive in the cracks of the big family. Sister Xue, if there is a conflict between the affiliated families, how will the Nangong family deal with it?" Xiao Tianhe asked.

"This ...... It depends. If it is two small families, let them negotiate and settle it on their own; if it is two large and one small, the Nangong family will come forward to mediate, but it will be more or less biased towards the big family, and sometimes it will even help the big family to annex the small family, after all, the growth of the big family's power is beneficial to the Nangong family; if it is two big families...... I really don't know, because the affiliated big families are all closely related to the Nangong family, if there is a conflict, the Nangong family will not take sides, after hundreds of years of staggered inheritance, and after several baptisms of 'the four wars in the world', the Nangong family and several affiliated families have been like an iron plate, so there has never been a conflict between the big families. ”

Xiao Tianhe sighed: "This is the sorrow of the small family. It is no wonder that some small families are like grass on the wall, where the wind blows, it will fall. In fact, it was just a helpless move to protect the family. ”

The two of them chatted like this, and it was not boring to fly with the stars and the moon.

......

Two days later.

Nanting City ushered in Deng Xianjue, the sword-casting master of the VIP Ximen family.

In a large hall in Nangong Yuan, Deng Xianjue had already been properly arranged. There are three casting platforms in the middle of the main hall, and a pool and a furnace are built next to each casting platform. Not far behind the casting platform is a stone platform for resting. After all, it takes a long time to forge a high-quality magic knife, and the knife caster also needs to recover his physical strength and mystical strength.

With the casting platform as the center, the area around about 10 zhang is the knife casting area, and the outer area is a circle of raised stands. Deng Xianjue stipulated that the Nangong family could only come to thirty people to observe the knife casting process, so the seats in a circle were enough.

According to the plan, the casting of the knife began in the morning of the third day. The twelve heads of the Nangong family all arrived and took their seats on the side facing the casting platform. Among the remaining eighteen people, there are masters of the Nangong family, as well as people from the three affiliated families of Chen, Tong, and Lan. Nangong Xue and Nangong Ting's master, Zhang Dongzheng, also occupied a seat with his good knife casting level. There are only four people who have cultivated to the third level in the field, Xiao Tianhe, Nangong Xue, Nangong Wei and Nangong Xi.

Everyone waited quietly for the knife casting master Deng Xianjue to show his exquisite and mysterious knife casting skills.

In the silence, the hour gradually passed, and the hour and noon also quietly left, but the field was still there

There is no figure of Deng Xianjue.

Finally, someone couldn't hold his breath anymore and asked, "Patriarch Yan, hasn't Deng Xianjue arrived in Nanting City yet?"

"Master Deng has indeed arrived in Nanting City yesterday afternoon, and I personally went to greet him. He also commanded that from this day onwards there should be no disturbance, and that everyone should be calm and wait. Nangong Yan said.

...... Shen Shi ...... Unitary time. The sun had gradually set in the west, and Deng Xianjue still did not appear.

"Patriarch, 'don't disturb' means that when he forged the sword, now six hours have passed, and he hasn't even seen a figure, isn't it a bit too much?" Nangong Rong, the lord of the Heavenly Sect, whispered.

Nangong Yan, who was meditating, opened his eyes and glanced at Nangong Rong, shook his head, and continued to meditate.

There were muffled discussions in the audience, and no matter what, it was impossible to let thirty people wait here for a long time.

戌時...... ...... At the time, it was now midnight and three watches, and the people who should have come were still nowhere to be seen, and the hall was already noisy.

"This Deng Xianjue's shelf is inevitably too big, and if you don't want to cast a knife today, you should let me know!" Nangong, the head of the Southern Japanese Department, complained angrily.

"That's it, leave us here and wait!" Nangong Tong, the head of the Guixi Sect, couldn't hold his breath either.

"Hmph, since he forged the best magic knife, that guy has begun to look at no one, and he doesn't want to think about who provided him with the materials when he practiced casting the knife!" Nangong Li, the lord of the Nanhe system, said coldly, "I don't know how much of the rare material has been wasted, and now he actually plays a score against my Nangong family like this!"

Nangong Yang, the grumpy Lord of the Southern Galaxy, stood up even more "Teng" and shouted, "I'll go find him!"

"Give me silence!" Nangong Yan, the patriarch who had been meditating, was rarely angry, and shouted, "Since you have invited the master to cast the sword, everything depends on him, if you have the ability, you can forge the knife yourself!"

Nangong Yan's voice echoed in the main hall, and everyone closed their mouths. Nangong Yang sat back in place, and the green tendons on his forehead jumped.

From then on, no one in the temple said much.

The moon sets in the west, and the sun rises in the east. On the second day, the door of the temple was finally pushed open. Everyone's eyes immediately converged on the person who stepped into the main hall.

It was a scrawny old man, with gray hair and a sallow face, dressed in a black shirt, and carrying a large burden, which seemed to be very heavy in the degree of his arched back, and with his seemingly weak body, people worried whether they would be crushed by the burden.

"Could it be that bad old man is Deng Xianjue, the master of knife casting?" Xiao Tianhe thought to himself.

"Who are you?" Nangong Yan's question proved that Xiao Tianhe had guessed wrong.

The old man was frightened by Nangong Yan's shouting, and at first glance he was a person who had never seen a big scene, and he replied tremblingly in a hoarse voice: "I, I am Master Deng's apprentice and grandson, and I went to Beitang Mansion to fetch water on the order of my master...... cough, cough ......" In the end, the old man choked on his own saliva and coughed again and again.

Nangong Yang sarcastically sarcastically angrily: "You are older than other people's grandfathers, and you are embarrassed to be someone else's apprentice grandson? It's really a coffin that has been stolen and a dead person! That Deng Xianjue is really good at taking advantage of others...... Hurry up and call your master, we've been waiting here all day!"

The old man hurriedly waved his hand in a panic: "No, no, no, my master will never allow others to disturb him, I don't dare to go to you!"

Unexpectedly, the old man was afraid of this, and everyone laughed.

Nangong Yang sneered: "Can he kill you or eat you?"

The old man was stunned for a moment, so he simply threw his burden on the casting platform, then sat down on the ground and played Laipi: "Or you kill me, even if you kill me, I won't go!"

The crowd burst into laughter.

"Haha, this old man is quite stubborn! I said Elder Yang, he is just a miscellaneous person for Deng Xianjue, why do you bother others?" Nangong Yan smiled, "Since the disciples and grandchildren have appeared, it will not be far from the appearance of the master, so wait a little longer." ”

"Hmph, the dignified Nangong family, actually teasing a withered old man like this, wouldn't it make others laugh when he said it?" Just as everyone's laughter faded away, someone strode into the hall loudly. The man was middle-aged, not tall, slightly chubby, with small eyes, a slightly collapsed nose, two mustaches, and a wooden box on his back. In terms of appearance, this person is as ordinary as he is, and it is difficult to attract the attention of others when standing on the street.

"Master Deng, you're finally here!" Nangong Yan stood up and bowed.

"If I don't come again, I'm afraid my apprentice grandson will die, right?" Deng Xianjue glanced at Nangong Yang coldly, and his tone was very dissatisfied.

Nangong Yan hurriedly smiled: "Where, Elder Yang is just joking, I apologize to you and your apprentice grandson on his behalf." ”

"No, you don't. Deng Xianjue said with his hand, "Patriarch Yan, don't blame me for not giving you face." He has his own mouth, and he wants to apologize and let him say it himself. ”

"Deng Xianjue, don't go too far! Let's wait left and right for more than a day, are you embarrassed to set up a score here?" Nangong Yang couldn't suppress the anger in his heart.

"Hehe, it was your Yan Patriarch who invited me to cast the sword, and you also want to come and see it yourself, I can't afford to wait for you to leave, no one forced you to stay here. Deng Xianjue sneered, "Whether I am happy or not, I can only cast a knife when I am in a good mood, if I am in a bad mood to cast a defective product, are you responsible?"

"You!" Nangong Yang was about to explode, but Nangong Rong on the side pulled him behind his back and reminded in a low voice: "The overall situation is important!"

"Okay, you can do whatever you want, I can't see it!" Nangong Yang flicked his sleeves and left the hall angrily.

Nangong Yan played a round game: "Master Deng, don't be angry, Elder Yang is just a fiery temper." Let's start forging knives!"

Unexpectedly, Deng Xianjue spread his hands: "Please forgive me for not being able to cast a knife now." ”