"Good, you have recovered quickly..."

"All thanks to senior's help."

Yu Xian gave a Dao salute in perfect form. He had never thought he would have to act like this after who knows how many years of ruling sects and dynasties. Times change, and he had to change with it!

The mysterious cultivator dismissively waved his hands.

"I just gave you a little push, it was through your own effort that you made it through.

My name is Han De. I was just passing through and saw a promising young talent in need, there is no deeper meaning in my help."

Yu Xian gravely shook his head.

"A drop of water is to be repaid with a gush from a spring. I, Yu Xian will never forget senior's help!"

"You've said that before, it's fine. I'll bring you to the capital and from then on we'll go on our separate ways."

Yu Xian sneered inside.

Interestingly, the mysterious cultivator was using this method! Rejection and playing hard to get would certainly lower the pride of a disciple, and make them more malleable. Later it could also backfire after the disciple recognizes his own worth. One had to manage expectations perfectly to create a desirable result. Yu Xian had used this method on many people before. He was very familiar and comfortable with such a scheme.

Yu Xian also noted that the word Han was not spoken in the local language, and was a perfect match for the hidden insignia of the robe he was given.

Han De continued without waiting for a response.

"I already gave you a little push, it would be irresponsible of me not to remind you of certain things. You probably already know this, but keep that legacy a secret. Never mention it to anyone."

Yu Xian's eyes momentarily widened then returned to normal. He was just playing along with the script.

"Anyone who saw the way you acted could've deduced this. There is no need to panic. Legacies choose their owner. As a senior, I would not stoop so low that I would attempt to steal someone's legacy, let alone a junior's.

Even if I gained it on my own I wouldn't be able to accept it due to my own circumstances. Not to mention, the legacy you've obtained is also incompatible with my own cultivation. Metal element and Light element don't mix that well, so you can be at ease."

Han De smiled and Yu Xian wordlessly nodded. Thinking back, Yu Xian thought it was true that he had made a mistake. One that would've been fatal if the wrong person were at the wrong place at the wrong time. He could not change the past, he could only try to better himself in the future.

Judging by Han De's demeanor, Yu Xian deduced that the help he received was almost certainly related to his 'legacy'. This Han De in front of him, was sticking to a facade and was trying to extract information. Why else would he carefully enumerate the reasons why he wasn't interested in this 'legacy'?

"The reason I'm telling you this is because I have some experience in these matters. As a senior, I will give you some pointers so that you won't be at a disadvantage in the future. How does that sound?"

Yu Xian knew this was going to happen. He had confidence he could get through this 'interrogation' by relying on his vast knowledge of legacies that he had obtained through the years. He was going to 'guide' Han De, while Han De was trying to 'guide' him.

"This junior feels grateful for the senior's guidance..."

"Good. There are five rules for legacies.

First rule of legacies is: You do not talk about your legacy. To anyone.

Second rule of legacies is: You do not talk about your legacy. To anyone.

Anyone also includes me. Not a peep about its location, its contents, its requirements, its timings, cultivation techniques, spells, utility methods, scriptures, names, identities, nicknames... Nothing. This is also the third, fourth, and fifth rules."

Inadvertently, Yu Xian frowned. His body had reacted on its own. Was Han De betting on gaining his trust and letting him reveal the contents of the 'legacy' on his own? One had to be confident to play a long game such as this one.

"You may have gained some additional memories from the legacy. Contents of the memories naturally depend on the legacy. First, refer to the five rules of legacies before doing anything rash.

While those memories could guide you, nurture you, allow you to surpass insurmountable odds, they can also be a hidden weakness. You are you, and those memories are different from you. They may contain miraculous cultivation techniques, but you should not blindly follow them.

It doesn't matter if your mind can withstand the strain if your body fails. Memories and experiences that you have gained may not be beneficial to the current you. Learn the limits of your body first."

This… was sound advice. Not only for legacies, but also for the current Yu Xian. Han De continued to casually advise him without stopping.

"You may want to cultivate and soar through the heavens as soon as possible after what you've seen in those memories. Ambition can fuel you, but you should not neglect the most important aspect of cultivation. Patience.

You've been through an ordeal, it is fine to take a break and smell the roses while collecting your thoughts. Get used to your new situation, get used to the new you. Consider the path you are going to take and make your choices carefully.

Remember. A cultivator's greatest strength…

…

… is patience."

Han De smirked and lightly shook his head. Meanwhile, Yu Xian was a bit conflicted. He wanted to 'join' whatever sect this person was in since he knew this area was quite poor in resources. Cultivation needed resources.

A part of him knew that Han De was right, and patience was paramount. While the other part of him wanted to advance as soon as possible because he had traveled on this road before.

He realized this indecisiveness was caused by the dissonance between his mind and his body. Perhaps because of that same dissonance, he had jumped to conclusions about Han De. Perhaps he wasn't after the legacy, perhaps he really just wanted to guide, to nurture.

If that was the case Yu Xian would not have any enmity towards Han De, or his sect. However, he could not be sure due to the various convenient coincidences. While he was in deep thought, Han De continued with a tone of finality in his voice.

"That is my advice. You are free to take it or ignore it. Your fate will be decided by you. I can only show you a path.

Now, I promised to bring you to the capital, I didn't forget that. Let's get going. It shouldn't take too long to arrive there."

Upon seeing a sword appear from Han De's storage ring, Yu Xian's body immediately tensed up. Which Han De certainly didn't miss! Yu Xian's mouth started moving on its own as if it was a separate entity.

"Senior perhaps it is better for us to part ways here I should not intrude on your goodwill any longer!"

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"... It's fine. This… Ehm. Reaction… Is caused by the temporary disharmony between your mind and your body. You'll get better in time. In this case, you will get the most benefits if you face your issues head-on."

Han De snapped his fingers and Yu Xian's chaotic emotions were calmed in an instant. This was the first time his mind was this clear ever since he came to inhabit this body. The effect was clearly caused by a mental art forcefully inhibiting his fears and anxieties.

Now that Yu Xian's mental balance was restored, he confidently stepped on the unremarkable-looking sword. He acted as if he had momentarily lost his footing and first touched Han De's robe, then the sword. Once he regained his balance he apologized by giving a short bow.

He had already used the little hammer's ability once. If Han De had the ability to detect, his secret was already exposed. By feigning ignorance and gaining more data, Yu Xian could make a more rational decision. There was no reaction from Han De, whether he was keeping silent or he simply lacked the ability was unknown.

Through the miraculous effects of the little hammer, Yu Xian was able to look at the composition of Han De's robe. It was exactly the same as the one he was wearing. Same formations, same hidden Han character that was engraved with primal gold essence. Yu Xian didn't double-check, but he knew there was no mistake.

He threw the matter of robe back into his mind then analyzed the sword. It was the same exotic metal that was used in the metal threads of the robe. While on the outside it looked like a shabby mortal weapon, on the inside the smithing work was detailed. The core of the sword was formed by a flower that he could not recognize, all of the auxiliary materials were foreign to him as well. He could only recognize common, unimportant materials.

His title of Blacksmith God wasn't for show. He knew the properties of literally millions of forging materials. Once in a while, he would discover a new material, sure, but this was the first time he encountered a blade that was almost completely made out of foreign substances.

Yu Xian realized he was sent far, perhaps too far away from his home. He did not understand the purpose of wasting the craftsmanship on a Nascent Soul realm sword. Nor did he understand why this person was using it. Maybe his assessment was all wrong.

Though his fear and anxiety were suppressed, his emotions hadn't completely disappeared. As the sword sped up, there was a tiny voice inside Yu Xian's mind that kept screaming.

* * *

Han De still felt a bit guilty. He truly regretted his impatience from before. As a transmigrator, he knew how terrifying sword flight could be.

In the past, he had mostly… mostly, solved his problem by forcing himself to ride a sword at full speed. At the time he had no choice, but thankfully everything worked out just fine. Mostly.

Yu Xian was clearly suffering from the same ailment as he did. Though he had the mind of a 'God-King', his secondhand body was too young, and did not have a cultivation base originally. This was the last bit of free help he was willing to give. Because it was all his fault. At least he restrained Yu Xian's fear and anxiety through the Twilight Phantasm Scripture, so the result should be less painful than his own experience.

Naturally, he noticed the energy vibrations from Yu Xian's cheat hammer when he touched his robe and his attack-focused sword. He also confirmed that he only sensed it because of his Reality Sense bloodline effect. It gave the same feeling as the origin core, albeit on a much smaller scale.

At quarter attack-focus sword speed, they arrived at the capital after three full minutes of flight. Neither of them talked, looking at Yu Xian's stoic face, Han De assumed it wasn't a peaceful flight, even with suppressed emotions. It was the same for Han De as well.

To support Yu Xian in defeating his fear of flight, he had flown at an exceptionally low altitude. Even though this time they couldn't feel the inertia of the sword, the rapidly changing scene all around caused Han De to give his utmost concentration to the flight.

Once they were on top of the capital city, Han De applied an invisibility illusion around the sword, then landed on the most crowded area he could find.

Upon turning his back, he realized Yu Xian's face was as white as a sheet. Instead of removing the mind illusion, he let it dissipate gradually. If he didn't know Yu Xian was an MC, he would've thought that he gave him a permanent trauma. But Han De believed in the God-King. He could get through this.

Soon he switched the physical invisibility illusion with an AoE mind illusion that reduced their presence. This invisibility + AoE mind illusion combo was a solution he came up with yesterday. With this, he could observe the population in their natural habitat. He did not have any true presence masking techniques, but this was good enough for mortals.

He was almost ready to say goodbye until he saw Yu Xian's wobbly steps.

'Maybe there really is a link between flight phobia and transmigration. I never saw Ning Bi wobbling around like that. She even practiced her Breach skill during sword flight...'

Han De swallowed his awkwardness and cleared his throat.

"Ehm. Let me buy you a meal before we part ways, it's the least I could do..."

He grabbed Yu Xian's shoulders and walked into a nearby restaurant. Truthfully, he could also eat before visiting the more 'interesting' establishment of the capital city.

As they entered the restaurant that looked more like a Wuxia version of a medieval inn, Han De disabled the AoE presence reduction. Almost immediately after their first step inside, the cheerful sounds from the inn disappeared.

Han De and Yu Xian nonchalantly sat down at a middle table. Former took care to notice the highest cultivation level and adjusted his level accordingly to the 5th level. While the latter was still in a daze and color was yet to return to his face.

The whole place was staring at them with weird looks. A set of timid and light footsteps approach their table. After looking around the other tables Han De noticed that the food in this inn was disappointingly normal. He had caught the scent of rice and vegetables so they were no surprise. But even after sweeping the kitchen with spiritual sense he couldn't find any other type of food. After eating the Wuxia-style pizza, fried rice was a disappointment in terms of expectations.

Still, Han De didn't fret and met the eyes of the waitress. He had seen many beautiful women in this Xianxia universe, but this waitress had managed to stun him. In objective terms, she wasn't as beautiful as the fox woman, and she was nowhere near Jin Shu. She had a different vibe altogether. Han De knew exactly what that was, it was the charm of the girl next door.

The waitress was already blushing and sending sneaking glances at Han De even though she was right in front of him. At that moment he went through his internal checklist. Mid 20s, check. Interested, check. Amazingly cute, check. Freckles and/or beauty mark, check, it's freckles once again!

Han De immediately forgot where he was and instantly smiled. For a while, he just gazed at the cute waitress. Unfortunately, before he could utter a single word, he heard an indistinct voice near him. Upon hearing that voice the waitress was frozen, in the next moment, she dropped the wooden tray and ran away from the inn with all her might.

Han De was stunned once again. What the hell happened?! He recalled the indistinct voice. It said:

"Hmph! A toad wants to eat the meat of a swan..."

The voice, actually belonged to Yu Xian! Han De immediately stared at him with his mouth open. He could not believe what just happened. His mind was lagging a few seconds behind.

While beauty marks were beauty marks, freckles were a big no-no in the land of Xianxia. Since Han De always had a thing for both, this fact had completely slipped from his mind.

Han De's hostile intent exploded towards Yu Xian. Getting cockblocked by a harem protagonist was just too much. Though at that moment in time he really wanted to punch the harem S#$%'s smirking face, of course, he did not act on the impulse. Instead, he calmed himself down and searched for the waitress with his spiritual sense.

Finding her was easy due to the strange looks that the street crowd gave towards a certain direction. The poor waitress had entered an alley and was talking with a man in his late 20s. Han De found the situation suspicious, so he did not hesitate to listen in. The waitress was sobbing.

"I-I… I know I'm ugly!! W-Why does every-?!"

"Yun'er, don't say something like that!! You are the most beautiful woman in the world!"

Han De instantly had a bad feeling.

"Look, didn't I say I was saving money? It took two years to get back, but I came back, didn't I? Did you forget my promise? D-"

'Damn, they are really having a moment…'

Before Han De could retract his spiritual sense, the guy actually proposed, right in the alleyway. Apparently, he got tons of silver from his last mission and was ready to invest in whatever the thing that he was talking about. The guy talked like a machine gun, and Han De got the gist of the situation even though he didn't want to.

They were separated due to a long mission, and now the guy was back. The girl had waited, but after a long time, she was already fearing the worst.

'What the F#$% man...'

It was a beautiful moment. So beautiful that it broke Han De from his stupor and allowed him to retract his spiritual sense. Of course, he was happy for them. Very.

Han De turned his attention towards the eyesore that was Yu Xian. The imported MC met Han De's gaze with a serious expression. Clearly, he detected the hostile intent earlier. Han De ignored that and spoke with a dangerous tone.

"Junior, when you cultivate at midnight, do you feel a pain in your abdomen that slowly moves towards your lower extremities? Does the pain peak at 03:14 in the morning every day, and subside at exactly 14:07? When you pass spiritual energy from Jingtian meridian, do you feel a sudden urge to bash your head in with a sledgehammer?"

After a long moment of silence, Han De wordlessly sent the harem S#$% to the training ground illusion he crafted earlier. Yu Xian's head dropped and slammed on the table, his consciousness was already deep inside the illusion. As for Han De, he really couldn't bear to look at Yu Xian right now, therefore he threw a few gold coins at the table and headed out.

He stopped at the exit, and for good measure, increased the difficulty of the training illusion from 'Ning Bi' to 'Beyond Ning Bi' level. He was about to exit, but again, for good measure, he increased the difficulty to 'Ning Bi - Final Form' and increased the duration and the time dilation of the illusion. After feeling somewhat satisfied, he left the inn with a sigh.

'I could've transmigrated into a Japanese high-schooler and slowly get seduced by a voluptuous teacher onee-san who turned out to be an evil witch, or a succubus in disguise…

But no. In the infinite multiverse, I had to get transmigrated into a Xianxia and get cockblocked by a harem protagonist.'