The Extreme Alchemist of the Mighty Cauldron
Chapter 1242 - Chapter 1242 Chapter 1241 Sinking Sword Lake

Chapter 1242: Chapter 1241: Sinking Sword Lake Chapter 1242: Chapter 1241: Sinking Sword Lake Back then, Fang Lin had a conflict with Ding Xuanji’s sister, Ding Linglong, which led to his enmity with Ding Xuanji.

Later, Fang Lin humiliated Ding Xuanji, causing him to become a laughing stock at the Pill Sect, losing all his former glory.

Now, Ding Xuanji and his sister Ding Linglong are still at the Pill Sect, but they have become like ordinary disciples.

When Ding Xuanji saw Fang Lin, he was momentarily stunned, then he performed a deep bow and silently went about his business, without any conversation with Fang Lin.

Fang Lin merely glanced at him. Ding Xuanji, once one of the Four Elites of Pill Sect, had been quite despotic and vile, and now he had faded into the crowd, which was his retribution.

Later, Fang Lin found Ding Linglong. This woman was not inherently bad, but because of her brother, she had been quite arrogant initially. After suffering a major loss under Fang Lin, she had become subdued.

Fang Lin located Ding Linglong but did not reveal himself; instead, he silently improved Ding Linglong’s martial arts foundation by adjusting her physical constitution.

Fang Lin also met Lu Xiaoqing, who, like Xu Shangao, had become an outstanding disciple of the Pill Sect.

Lu Xiaoqing was very happy to see Fang Lin, and he felt the same, treating Lu Xiaoqing like a younger sister.

When Fang Lin first entered the Pill Sect, nobody thought much of him, except for Lu Xiaoqing, who had the best relationship with him and had even helped him out of some trouble for Lu’s sake.

Now, Lu Xiaoqing was no longer the naive young girl she used to be, having quite a bit of the authority of a senior sister of the Pill Sect.

Fang Lin knew that Lu Xiaoqing and a disciple from the Martial Sect named Zhang Xiaohai harbored feelings for each other, though it had never been openly discussed, many in the Purple Mist Sect were aware of it.

Fang Lin had once met Zhang Xiaohai; though the latter was not particularly talented, he was a person with a good heart, and there were mutual feelings between him and Lu.

Regarding their relationship, Fang Lin did not interfere but gave Zhang Xiaohai some pills to assist in his cultivation.

For Fang Lin, apart from the Han Sisters and Lu Xiaoqing, the best relationship he had in the Purple Mist Sect was with Qing Jianzi.

Back in the day, both Fang Lin and Qing Jianzi had entered the Endless Dungeon and had survived, sharing life and death together.

The last time Fang Lin returned to the Purple Mist Sect, he learned that Qing Jianzi had been severely injured by someone from the Li Family, and in a fury, he decimated the higher-ups of the Long Family, almost erasing the Li Family from Qian Country.

However, despite this, Qing Jianzi’s injuries were too severe, causing him to lose all his martial arts cultivation.

This time, Fang Lin met Qing Jianzi at the Sinking Sword Lake in the Martial Sect. The latter was sitting by the lakeside, staring blankly at the calm lake surface, lost in thought.

Next to Qing Jianzi was a broken ancient sword, which he had obtained from Sinking Sword Lake long ago. It had been his companion for many years, a rare and powerful ancient weapon.

Fang Lin walked over to Qing Jianzi, who did not look at Fang Lin but knew it was him.

“You’re back,” Qing Jianzi said softly with a laugh, seeming to be in a good mood.

Fang Lin smiled as well, “In such a good mood, sitting here enjoying the scenery?”

Qing Jianzi picked up a small stone in front of him and threw it into Sinking Sword Lake, causing ripples to spread on the calm surface of the water.

“I feel like this place is meant for me, sitting here brings me peace of mind.” Fang Lin, hearing this, also looked at Sinking Sword Lake and then sat down beside Qing Jianzi.

Fang Lin could feel that Qing Jianzi’s cultivation was at the Ninth Layer of Earth Element, but compared to his original cultivation at the Heavenly Origin, it was obviously unsatisfactory.

But this was also hard on Qing Jianzi, who had, after all, lost all his cultivation last time, becoming a useless person without any Martial Arts skills, starting from scratch. Even with the many resources provided by the Purple Mist Sect, it was impossible for him to return to his former realm so quickly.

“How is your sword practice coming along?” Fang Lin asked.

Qing Jianzi gave a bitter smile: “How else can it be? Not even a third as good as before.”

“It doesn’t matter, I see you regaining your original strength within three years, or even surpassing it,” Fang Lin said.

Qing Jianzi shook his head: “Even if my cultivation returns, my Sword Tao will ultimately be lacking.”

“You have not just experienced that one failure.” Fang Lin said, looking at Qing Jianzi.

“I have started to doubt the very thing I have always adhered to. Can practicing the sword truly make me strong? In this world, there are too many strong people, countless swordsmen; what am I in comparison? Why keep persisting? Ultimately, I am but a speck among countless swordsmen,” Qing Jianzi said, his tone very calm, eerily calm.

Fang Lin could hear the deep despair and resignation in Qing Jianzi’s words; he couldn’t see a future for himself, only confusion.

Fang Lin sighed silently, having experienced a great setback; it was inevitable to feel this way, even for someone as talented.

“I once read in an ancient text about a young swordsman with poor talent. Initially, he couldn’t even hold a sword properly and had no renowned teachers instructing him. He just enjoyed practicing, so he kept at it. At twenty, he had achieved nothing. At thirty, he was mediocre. At forty, during a duel, his right arm was severed. At fifty, he was considered a cripple. At sixty, he practiced the sword with his left hand. By seventy, he was somewhat accomplished, at eighty he became significant, at ninety he achieved greatness, and at a hundred, he reached the pinnacle, becoming a Grandmaster of Sword Tao of his time,” Fang Lin slowly said.

Upon hearing this, Qing Jianzi asked: “What was that man’s name?”

Fang Lin smiled: “What does the name matter? How do you think his setbacks compare to yours?”

Qing Jianzi knew what Fang Lin was trying to say, and he too smiled, glancing at the broken sword beside him.

“I don’t know why, but when I first came to Sinking Sword Lake, it felt like a voice was telling me that something beneath this lake was connected to me, that I had to find it. In the end, I found this sword,” Qing Jianzi said.

Then, Qing Jianzi stood up and looked at Sinking Sword Lake, his eyes sparkled with light.

“My Sword Tao started here,” Qing Jianzi declared, pulling up the broken sword beside him. After looking at it for a moment, he threw it into the lake.

Fang Lin was startled and just about to protest when he saw Qing Jianzi’s composure and noted his lack of attachment.

The broken sword hit the water, making a splash, and then it sank.

“This sword was not my true fate because back then, I wasn’t worthy yet,” Qing Jianzi murmured to himself.

“Now, I am.”

Before the echo of his words faded, the lake erupted with countless Sword Qi, and numerous ancient swords, submerged for untold ages, burst out of the water.