Chapter 20: Engaging Directly with Lü Dongbin

Lu Dongbin invited Jiang Wang to his immortal cave for a visit.

Although Jiang Wang was reluctant, Lu Dongbin’s warm invitation, coupled with a nod from the Celestial General, left him with no choice but to accompany Lu Dongbin to his dwelling.

Before they departed, the Celestial General whispered into Jiang Wang’s ear: "Brother Jiang, make sure you protect yourself! I have already notified the local mountain and earth deities; in the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, they will create a disturbance, and we shall come to save you."

The Celestial General emphasized the word "save" with significant weight.

Jiang Wang immediately understood the other man's intent. It was nothing more than a pretext to storm Lu Dongbin’s cave.

To this, Jiang Wang could only think: if you want to court death, don’t drag me down with you. It would be better to behave, meet the Dragon Maiden with Lu Dongbin, and leave a good impression. Even if he were to regain his memories as the Eastern King Father (Donghua Dijun), he would find no fault in such courtesy. On the contrary, he might even apologize for Lu Dongbin’s behavior today.

If he were to follow the Celestial General’s plan and destroy someone’s cave, it would be an irreconcilable enmity. Jiang Wang had no desire to provoke such a powerful foe during his journey of cultivation.

"Very well, General, I shall act according to the situation," Jiang Wang replied, having pacified the general, and followed Lu Dongbin toward his residence.

Along the way, Lu Dongbin was exceptionally courteous. "Fellow Daoist, I wonder if the heavens are more beautiful than the mortal realm?" he asked with curiosity.

Jiang Wang found it difficult to answer. You, the Eastern King Father, are asking a mere celestial soldier whether heaven or earth is more beautiful? Isn't this just making things difficult?

However, constrained by the other’s politeness, Jiang Wang replied with equal decorum: "The heavens possess the beauty of the heavens, grand and majestic; the earth possesses the beauty of the earth, a masterpiece of nature."

Upon hearing this, Lu Dongbin could not help but show a look of longing: "Fellow Daoist Jiang is fortunate to have attained a post in the Heavenly Court. I wonder what position I might find when I ascend to immortality in the future."

Jiang Wang suddenly lost the desire to continue the conversation. Isn't this just pure provocation? After you, Lu Dongbin, ascend, your treatment... to skip the rank of a common soldier and be granted the status of a Celestial Official, not to mention the title of one of the Eight Immortals—that is giving enough face to the Eastern King Father!

"Why is my friend silent?" Seeing Jiang Wang stop speaking, Lu Dongbin asked with simple sincerity, "Did I ask something I shouldn't have?"

"Not at all." Jiang Wang shook his head and changed the subject: "I observe the long sword behind you is sharp and keen; is it a divine blade?"

"How could it be called a divine blade? It is merely a sword tempered by my own essence and spirit. It is named Chunyang (Pure Yang), and it has been an important companion since I began my cultivation."

Jiang Wang nodded in praise: "I see. Your swordsmanship must be truly exceptional."

"Exceptional is hardly the word; my sword rarely kills," Lu Dongbin said with a wave of his hand.

Jiang Wang humbly replied: "I would appreciate your guidance."

Although Jiang Wang had attained immortality and possessed high-level cultivation techniques like the *Great Grade Celestial Immortal Formula*, he was, at his core, quite hollow, primarily because he lacked offensive methods. Most of what he knew were minor spells taught in the Heavenly Court. He possessed only two genuine techniques of combat, one of which was tied to the formations of the Heavenly Court. This was precisely why he had chosen the path of alchemy; there simply wasn't anything of value among the standardized combat techniques of the Heavens.

If he could learn a trick or two from Lu Dongbin, this trip to the mortal realm would be considered a modest success. After all, the other man was the reincarnation of the Eastern King Father, and the combat arts he practiced could not be weak.

Lu Dongbin was stunned. He looked at Jiang Wang in confusion: "I have had the audacity to call you a fellow daoist, and you are an immortal of the Heavenly Court; why do you mock me?" He thought Jiang Wang was being sarcastic.

Jiang Wang gave a bitter smile: "Before I ascended, I did not engage in killing, and only after serving in the Heavenly Court did I realize that without a few sets of lethal techniques, my heart feels uneasy."

Lu Dongbin then suddenly realized. "Then you have asked the right person! I may lack confidence in other areas, but regarding the way of the sword, I have some insights! People say I take heads with a flying sword, but I merely smile at that. My swordsmanship truly consists of three strikes! The first strike severs ignorance and vexation! The second strike severs ignorance and rage! The third strike severs ignorance and greed! Once these three strikes are executed, my swordsmanship is invincible in the mortal realm."

When speaking of his sword art, Lu Dongbin was not only confident but also sharp in his words. Standing beside him, Jiang Wang even caught a glimpse of the aura of the Eastern King Father.

Lu Dongbin did not hold back his teachings. He spoke plainly and relayed his entire Pure Yang Sword Art to Jiang Wang. After memorizing the entire manual, Jiang Wang couldn't help but exclaim: "The Pure Yang Sword Art is truly formidable."

*It is a pity that this sword art is useless to me,* Jiang Wang thought with regret. Lu Dongbin’s Pure Yang Sword Art was suited only for him. Those who imitated him would perish; those who resembled him would perish. Even a slight deviation would lead to the ruin of all previous efforts. The reincarnated Eastern King Father had practically carved out a new, minor path within the Dao of the sword—a path belonging to him alone.

Fortunately, Jiang Wang was not afraid. Just because others could not learn it did not mean he could not. He possessed a fragment of the Jade Plate of Creation. The original Pure Yang Sword Art might be unlearnable, but there was no rule stating he could not learn a derived version.

*What does the inferior 'Minor Grade Celestial Immortal Formula' have to do with my 'Great Grade Celestial Immortal Formula'? Just as what does the 'Pure Yang Sword Art' have to do with my 'Pure Yang Sword Art (Derived)'?*

Silently committing the Pure Yang Sword Art to memory, Jiang Wang then brought up the real matter. "Fellow Daoist, may I ask why the Dragon Maiden wishes to see me?"

Lu Dongbin laughed: "My friend, you are fortunate; it seems the Dragon Maiden has taken a fancy to you."

Jiang Wang: ?

He was not some human pile driver; why would the Dragon Maiden fall for him after seeing him only a few times? This was blatant fabrication without a second thought.

"Haha, you will understand what it is all about once you go," Lu Dongbin roared with laughter, seeing Jiang Wang’s baffled expression. He was a free-spirited man who often acted on impulse. Jiang Wang felt no animosity toward him. *Fine, let's put some faith in the Eastern King Father.*

Jiang Wang smiled and followed Lu Dongbin to his cave. The interior was simply furnished, containing only a table, a few meditation cushions, and a messy stone bed, fully embodying the meaning of "filthy and chaotic."

At this moment, two people were already sitting in the cave. Two women. One had a graceful, gentle appearance. The other was much more whimsical, her large eyes blinking as Jiang Wang entered, as if she had seen someone extraordinary.

Lu Dongbin pointed at Jiang Wang: "The two of you, I have brought the person back as requested. Could you please leave my cave quickly so I may cultivate in peace?"

"Certainly."

"Absolutely not."

Two completely different answers rang out. The two women in the cave looked at each other and covered their mouths, laughing.

"He Xiangu, you speak first," said the whimsical woman.

The gentle one replied, "Weren't you the one longing day and night for him to come? Now that he is here, won't you go and greet him?"

"I don't feel like moving."

"You are just being willful. Never mind, I will speak to him."

After looking Jiang Wang up and down, He Xiangu asked immediately: "Fellow Daoist, did you notice anything unusual while you were at the Dragon Palace?"