Sacrificial Artifact System: From Bell-ringer to the Ancestral Patriarch

Chen Bell Platform.

Li Qian carried his master Zhou Buping back here.

He arranged a bed for his master.

Spread with clean bedding.

A stove was also lit in the room, dispelling the chill of deep winter.

Zhou Buping watched from the side.

After Li Qian finished busying himself, Zhou Buping asked him to sit down and said, "It has been more than three years since I took you as my disciple, yet I know nothing about your family. Why don't you tell me about it?"

"Master, my family is a minor official family in Baibi City, there's not much to say..."

Li Qian replied.

"I see you have never returned... Having family, how can you sever ties? Martial Arts Cultivation does not mean cutting off worldly connections..."

Zhou Buping questioned back.

He could hear the Chen Bell Sound every day, except for Li Qian's yearly missions outside, the sound of Chen Bell hardly ever stopped.

That also showed that Li Qian never left the Divine Sword Sect.

It was impossible for Li Qian to say he was a transmigrator and had no close relations with his family; he could only simplify the experience of this body and relay it in a calm tone.

"You still have the mindset of a child; no matter how bad your family may be, they are ultimately your family."

Zhou Buping shook his head and sighed, "Would you like to hear about your master's past?"

"If Master wishes to tell, this disciple naturally wishes to listen."

Li Qian nodded.

He was quite curious about how his master could withstand decades of solitude in Yanmen Valley, wastefully spending the prime years of his life, ending up alone in the end.

"When I was young, my experience was actually similar to yours. My mother passed away early, and my father was strict, so I was very rebellious. Since my family was in business with a small fortune, my father placed great hopes on me to inherit the family business... But I had no interest in business and instead longed for the chivalrous life of the Jianghu described in novels. Unfortunately, I only had modest talent and ended up as a servant disciple in the Divine Sword Sect. This lasted five to six years. To gather resources for my cultivation, my father almost drained our family wealth, but I still couldn't enter the ranks of Martial Arts. My father asked me to give up martial arts and help him... I absolutely refused, and we had a huge fight. Since then, my father cut off all financial support, and my cultivation nearly stagnated, until over a year later, I suddenly received terrible news that my family had offended someone, my father was framed and imprisoned, and eventually, our family was confiscated, and my father and several relatives all died tragically in prison."

Zhou Buping recounted his past calmly.

No sorrow, no joy on his face.

Li Qian also listened quietly.

He could sense a hint of unrest in his master's heart through these calm words.

"I was devastated when I heard the news, it was the biggest blow in my life, and I once hated my father... but in the end, I realized that he was the most important person in my heart..."

Zhou Buping suddenly sneered at himself, "Maybe it was the support of hatred, but after that, it was as if I had an epiphany. The cultivation of Sword Stabbing Fist advanced by leaps and bounds, and in just three years, without almost any cultivation resources, I managed to open the governor and conception vessels, successfully entered Martial Arts Entrance, and also perfected the Sword Stabbing Fist, eventually receiving the inheritance of the Heartless Sword Technique."

"Although I later avenged my father and relatives, they could never be brought back to life."

Zhou Buping looked at Li Qian, "I just want to use my personal experience to tell you... if there is anyone in this world who cares about you... it must be your family."

Li Qian fell silent.

Because he knew Master was right.

But... his situation was really different.

How should he explain it?

"So, in the future, try to visit home more often, try not to let it become the biggest regret in your heart."

After Zhou Buping finished speaking, he patted Li Qian's shoulder deeply.

"Master, I remembered."

Li Qian hastily said.

No matter if he really took it to heart, he still had to show the proper attitude.

Cough cough...

Zhou Buping talked too much and couldn't help but cough violently, even coughing up blood.

Li Qian quickly went over to pat his back, and after a while, he caught his breath.

...

Thus, Zhou Buping settled down in Chen Bell Platform.

Li Qian practiced by striking the bell daily.

Zhou Buping spent most of his time lying in bed, unable to operate True Qi to heal due to a damaged Qi Sea, only able to consume various elixirs daily to recuperate.

After a period, Zhou Buping's injuries did not worsen, and seemed to have stabilized.

Li Qian guessed that the sound of Chen Bell might have had some effect.

Three months passed like this.

During this time, Li Qian took care of Zhou Buping wholeheartedly.

Aside from the initial month and a half that required Li Qian's care, as his injuries gradually healed, Zhou Buping could mostly take care of himself.

During this time, several Elders and Peak Masters from the Divine Sword Sect came to visit periodically.

Especially the Sect Leader of Divine Sword Sect, he was quite surprised by Zhou Buping's recovery speed.

On this day, after Li Qian struck the Chen Bell, he began practicing the Pure Sword Body next to the bell. After one session, he felt relaxed and exuberantly refreshed.

Now, practicing the Pure Sword Body puts almost negligible stress on his meridians.

Suddenly, he had a thought and summoned the system interface to check the latest information.

Host: Li Qian.

Cultivation: Acquired (Ninth Layer 99/100).

Sacrificial Artifact: Chen Bell (Law 1252/10000).

Martial Skills: Sword Stabbing Fist (Perfect), Heartless Sword Technique (Perfect), Pure Sword Body (Great Success 26/100).

Martial Intent: Heartless Sword Intent (Illusion Level 93/100).

Secret Skill: Ten Thousand Transformation Sword Qi.

....

The progress of the Pure Sword Body has now reached Great Success 26.

On average, there is an improvement of one point every ten days.

The Heartless Sword Intent is much harder, needing at least twelve days to advance a single point.

Based on the current pace, it would take at least two to three years to perfect the Pure Sword Body.

The progress of Heartless Sword Intent has reached ninety-three, and it could potentially break through in the coming few months.

Above the Illusion Level of Martial Intent is the Hallucination Level.

If Illusion Level Martial Intent only imparts a certain mental impact on the enemy,

Hallucination Level Martial Intent... can make the affected feel as though they are in a fantasy, experiencing various auditory and visual hallucinations, unable to extricate themselves.

Martial Artists who comprehend Hallucination Level Martial Intent are called Martial Arts Grandmasters.

So, he was somewhat hopeful—could he elevate his Martial Intent to Hallucination Level without stepping into the Innate realm?

After descending from the bell tower, Li Qian saw his master Zhou Buping instructing Chen Yong in Sword Stabbing Fist.

Perhaps out of boredom.

Or perhaps Master saw his past self in Chen Yong.

Thus, Zhou Buping often gave pointers to Chen Yong.

Compared to Li Qian, Zhou Buping's martial arts knowledge was naturally much superior, hence he could offer better advice.

Chen Yong had already cleared his governor vessel and was currently challenging the last meridian among the Eight Extraordinary Meridians, the conception vessel.

Once he could clear it, he would become an Entrant Martial Artist.

Li Qian just took a glance and then started preparing lunch.

With the Master around, Li Qian couldn't be too casual about the three meals a day.

Once he finished cooking, he called the Master to eat.

"Old Master, Brother Qian... I'm heading down the mountain first."

Chen Yong hastily said.

"Why don't you stay and have lunch?"

Li Qian suggested.

Chen Yong felt a little embarrassed.

Occasionally having one or two meals was fine, but if he frequently stayed, it would be too much of an imposition.

Because he knew what kind of food Brother Qian ate every meal.

Getting guidance from the old Master and Brother Qian, avoiding many detours, he was already very satisfied.

"Stop fussing about."

Li Qian, seeing this shy and honest lad, firmly said.

Chen Yong could only enter the house.

Apart from a big pot of medicinal meat porridge, there was a plate of spicy root stir-fried meat, a dish of braised chicken chunks, and a plate of stir-fried greens.

The latter three dishes used ordinary ingredients.

What mattered was the taste.

Because Master Zhou Buping loved these dishes.

Li Qian served himself and Chen Yong a large bowl of medicinal meat porridge.

For him, the effects of this medicinal meat were minimal, but for Chen Yong, it was highly nourishing.

Chen Yong lacked resources for cultivation; despite his diligent practice, it easily led to deficiencies in bodily qi and blood, detrimental to opening the governor and conception vessels.

That's why Li Qian often had Chen Yong stay for meals.