Chapter 109: On Spirit Sword Mountain
(This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation)
In the upper five realms, each major stage exudes an oppressive aura over those in lower stages. This stems from the varying depths of comprehension of the Heavenly Dao.
You Bu Yu, as the Direct Disciple of the Hall Master, had already reached the Dao Fusion Stage at a young age. Truly, he was a peerless prodigy. Though still young, his lifespan was ample, and his potential limitless.
Yet, at this moment, the aura outside his door left him acutely aware: he was no match for the person emitting it. That presence felt like countless sharp swords hung above him, murderous intent spilling forth, ready to claim his life at any moment.
[Could it be that someone from Spirit Sword Mountain has come to kill me under the cover of darkness?]
No, impossible. Disciples of the Heavenly Script Academy openly ascended Spirit Sword Mountain to seek enlightenment. The Spirit Sword Mountain Sect would never be so foolish as to kill them before they even stepped onto the mountain.
But if not that, why would such a high-level cultivator appear at this inn, which had been entirely reserved by the academy?
“May I ask, who is it that has come?”
“Could it be an elder of Spirit Sword Mountain, fearing that Zhuang You cannot defeat me, and thus resorts to assassination?”
“Do you not understand that such an act, if spread, will bring ridicule upon Spirit Sword Mountain?”
Climbing to his feet, You Bu Yu gasped for breath, his voice cold as he posed his questions.
Ling Prefecture, shrouded in drifting mist from the nearby Mystic Sea, saw the moonlight slip through the gaps in the clouds. Its faint glow reflected a tall, graceful figure against his door.
Seeing this, You Bu Yu was momentarily stunned.
From the silhouette, he could tell it was a woman, seemingly a young one. A possibility flitted across his mind, but he quickly dismissed it. [It couldn’t be the Little Mirror Master of Spirit Sword Mountain. Though I am the Direct Disciple of the Hall Master, there’s no way she would personally bother to come here in the dead of night.]
Yet, no matter how he pondered, he couldn’t deduce which elder of Spirit Sword Mountain it might be. Just then, the silhouette suddenly vanished, and the oppressive aura dissipated with it.
Inside the room, You Bu Yu let out a small sigh of relief, though the terror in his eyes had yet to fade. Meanwhile, in the shadows of the night, the ethereal figure ascended swiftly to Mystic Sword Peak, landing on the Cloud Summit Palace nestled amidst its swirling mists.
It was already late at night. Two maids within the palace were nearly dozing off when a gust of wind brought them instantly to full alertness.
“Mirror Master, it’s so late—where have you been?” one of them asked.
“Demonstrating authority to a rather ordinary disciple of the Heavenly Script Academy,” replied Yan Shu Yi, her tone indifferent. Yet inwardly, she acknowledged the truth: while she had indeed intended to intimidate, the disciple had kept muttering ‘Mirror Master’ in a frightful tone. As for being fed pumpkin seeds and having her feet remarked upon, those parts she decided to conveniently ignore.
As the stars and moon revolved across the heavens, night receded quietly. The first light of dawn trickled into Nanhua City, rousing it from slumber.
You Bu Yu emerged from his room, his expression heavier than usual. The aura from last night had kept him on edge, leaving him sleepless through the night.
Noticing this, He Ling Xiu frowned slightly. “Senior Brother You, what happened? Why do you look even more tense than before?”
“It seems that Zhuang You cannot compare to me,” You Bu Yu muttered under his breath.
“?”
Leaning in, You Bu Yu lowered his voice. “Last night, as I was cultivating, a master suddenly attempted to ambush me under the cover of darkness.”
“Someone attacked you last night?” He Ling Xiu exclaimed in shock.
“Indeed. Thankfully, I kept my wits about me and scared them off. But this only proves that Spirit Sword Mountain lacks confidence. They’ve already stooped to such underhanded methods.”
With that, You Bu Yu smirked. “It seems I need not be overly cautious in this battle. I simply need to strike with my full power.”
As his words fell, a series of footsteps echoed from outside the inn. The disciples who had been sent to survey the mountain returned with news.
The mists shrouding Spirit Sword Mountain’s midsection had cleared, revealing the path up the mountain ahead.
The seven immortal sects under the Azure Clouds Dominion were each fortified with grand protective arrays. These formations typically remained half-activated, veiled in clouds and mist. Yet now, as the haze cleared, it signified that Spirit Sword Mountain’s gates had fully opened.
Ji You, Ban Yang Shu, Wen Zheng Xin, and Pei Ru Yi descended from their lodgings, witnessing the Heavenly Script Academy disciples already prepared to embark. Together, they stepped into the morning sun and ascended the mountain paths of Spirit Sword Mountain.
The journey was fraught with perilous peaks. Only upon reaching the mountainside could one behold the imposing gates of the sect. In front of these gates, a large assembly of cultivators had already gathered. Most were disciples of Spirit Sword Mountain, their gazes wary and alert. Some openly circulated their spiritual qi, amplifying their Sword Intent to its peak.
Among the crowd were also disciples of the Dao Seeking Sect and the Mountain and Sea Pavilion. The latter carried an air of casual curiosity, their expressions detached, as no animosity existed between their sect and the Heavenly Script Academy. The Dao Seeking Sect, however, exuded a somber and foreboding aura, their eyes fixed intensely on Ji You. Among them stood Min Cheng, whose demeanor radiated a murderous edge, a stark reminder of the previous day’s events.
“Junior Brother Ji’s decision to ascend the mountain seems ill-advised,” Ban Yang Shu remarked with unease, noting the hostility in the Dao Seeking Sect disciples’ gazes. “Last night, it was said that You Bu Yu barely escaped an ambush while cultivating in his chamber.”
Ji You turned to him sharply. “An ambush? What happened?”
“You didn’t hear? It’s said that Spirit Sword Mountain, fearing Zhuang You’s loss, sent a skilled expert to act under the cover of night. You Bu Yu narrowly managed to outwit them and drive them off.”
Ji You’s lips curled faintly. “No wonder he always seems so carefree.”
“What?”
Ji You’s gaze wandered, recognizing several familiar faces among the crowd—individuals he had crossed swords with in the Ruins of Ancient Times. In those treacherous ruins, the overwhelming Killing Qi had stifled many cultivators’ spiritual essence, allowing Ji You to seize the upper hand. Now, seeing them again, he noted their considerable cultivation levels.
Two stood out as disciples of the Dao Seeking Sect, both at the Dao Fusion Stage. Their aura pressed down with such intensity that even Ji You, at the Mystic Enlightenment Stage, felt the crushing weight of their presence. Yet, having come this far, retreat was not an option. Spirit Sword Mountain held something he sought—a person he had seen the day before, and a sword he had yet to encounter.
Yesterday, upon meeting Ding Yao on Archway Street, Ji You had learned about the Sword Testing Forest on Heavenly Sword Peak. Intrigued, he had resolved to visit, making his presence here inevitable.
Under countless scrutinizing and hostile eyes, the Heavenly Script Academy disciples made their way deeper into Spirit Sword Mountain. The interior landscape unfolded before them, starkly different from their home. Unlike the meticulously altered terrain of the Heavenly Script Academy, Spirit Sword Mountain retained its natural ruggedness, adorned with numerous pavilions and towers.
Ahead lay a grand corridor bridge, suspended between two mountain cliffs. A waterfall cascaded from Sword Inquiry Peak like a blade slicing through the air, its waters plunging into the roaring river in the gorge below. Waterwheels dotted the river’s surface, their rotation driven by the current. Along the cliffs stood the dormitories and training grounds of the outer court disciples, arranged with careful precision.
Eventually, the group arrived at a circular platform known as the Sword Gazing Platform, situated opposite the towering waterfall aptly named the Swordfall for its resemblance to an unsheathed sword slicing the heavens.
Three individuals awaited them on the platform. The first was Yan Ye, the steward elder of Heavenly Sword Peak and a direct descendant of Spirit Sword Mountain’s lineage. Draped in daoist robes, his gaze carried an unmistakable pride.
The other two were familiar faces: Zhuo Wan Qiu, whom they had encountered several times in the ruins, and Ding Yao, who had led an attack against them previously under orders.
Unlike the previous day, where esteemed figures of the Heavenly Script Academy had greeted them with warm smiles, this gathering lacked such cordiality. Yan Ye represented Heavenly Sword Peak, while Zhuo Wan Qiu and Ding Yao stood as representatives of Mystic Sword Peak. Sword Inquiry Peak, having no direct disciples in the fray and being in decline for years, abstained from participating.
Yan Ye’s tone was cold and formal as he spoke. “The incident in the ruins was a trial of destiny—life and death determined by skill. Yet, your Heavenly Script Academy deems our disciples’ swordsmanship unjustified. Since that is your claim, we shall settle it through the Dao of the Sword.”
“Tomorrow, a stage will be set on the Sword Gazing Platform. If words cannot clarify right from wrong, then let the truth be revealed by the three-foot blade. Should your academy seek to dominate the Azure Clouds Dominion and use Spirit Sword Mountain as a stepping stone, we shall see if your swords are worthy.”
Yan Ye finished speaking and cast a glance toward Zhuo Wan Qiu.
At that moment, Zhuo Wan Qiu lifted her gaze and looked toward Ji You in the crowd. “All of you have come from afar and must be weary from your journey. The accommodations for your stay during the Dao Inquiry have been arranged at Mystic Sword Peak. Please, follow me.”
Yan Ye couldn’t help but furrow his brow slightly at her soft and courteous tone. [Are they really being treated as guests?] he thought to himself. Compared to Ding Yao, this new personal maid the Little Mirror Master had chosen was indeed lacking.
Previously, during the discussion about the accommodations for the Heavenly Script Academy disciples arriving for the Dao Inquiry, Heavenly Sword Peak had proposed merely offering some communal lodgings in the outer court. Yet for reasons unknown, Mystic Sword Peak intervened and decided to house all of them on the mountain, a puzzling decision.
Following Zhuo Wan Qiu’s lead, the group began ascending the mountain. They soon saw that both sides of the valley were lined with houses built into the sheer cliffs.
“It seems they’ve even divided the accommodations by name? Strange…” Wen Zheng Xin whispered to Pei Ru Yi, both feeling utterly baffled.
[If Spirit Sword Mountain intended to show hospitality, why did they leave us stranded for a night while inviting the disciples from the Dao Seeking Sect and the Mountain and Sea Pavilion up the mountain instead? But if it’s discourtesy, why go to such great lengths for these minor details?]
Each disciple was assigned a guest room on either side of the valley. Wen Zheng Xin and Pei Ru Yi were given a small house higher up. However, they didn’t enter immediately, instead choosing to watch Ji You being escorted to an even higher location.
“Why is he being taken so high up? I saw a guest room nearby just now,” Wen Zheng Xin remarked.
“I don’t know either,” Pei Ru Yi replied, looking upward. The grand Cloud Summit Palace loomed on the towering peak ahead.
Ji You, meanwhile, followed Zhuo Wan Qiu and Ding Yao to a small pathway near the palace that led to a bamboo forest. Within the bamboo forest stood a courtyard, its gates wide open. The grounds were spotless, and the courtyard was equipped with many daily necessities: tea cups, bamboo cushions, chopsticks—all brand new and arranged in pairs.
Ding Yao’s brows furrowed slightly as she took in the sight. [The Mirror Master actually arranged for him to stay here?] she thought, but Zhuo Wan Qiu’s voice broke her contemplation.
“Young Master Ji, this is your residence. For the next few days, there is no need to draw your sword. Rest well, and call upon me if you need anything,” Zhuo Wan Qiu said gently.
Ji You’s expression was calm as he asked, “Is this arrangement from your Little Mirror Master?”
Zhuo Wan Qiu shook her head. “No. It was randomly assigned. The Mirror Master has been focusing on secluded cultivation these past days and has not said a word about this.”
Ding Yao, still standing at the gate, studied Zhuo Wan Qiu. [Whether the Mirror Master asked or not, it’s clear you wouldn’t be stopped from taking matters into your own hands. Rearranging all the Heavenly Script Academy disciples to accommodate one person? That took quite some effort.]
After learning that the Mirror Master had descended the mountain to see Ji You the previous night, unable to wait even a single evening, Ding Yao’s thoughts grew more guarded. She was increasingly reluctant to get involved with this person.
Ji You’s belongings were stored within his storage gourd, so there was no need to unpack anything. He turned to Ding Yao and Zhuo Wan Qiu, asking, “Where is the Sword Forest set by Heavenly Sword Peak?”
“The Sword Forest?” Zhuo Wan Qiu’s lips parted slightly in surprise. “You wish to challenge the Sword Forest?”
Ji You nodded. “I want to see the swords of Spirit Sword Mountain.”
His time here was limited. Only during the few days of the Dao Inquiry could he remain on Spirit Sword Mountain. Once the inquiry ended, he would have to leave with the other disciples of the Heavenly Script Academy. The next opportunity to return might be a long time coming.