Chapter 123: The Sword’s Direction
(This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation)
Ji You’s victory over the Sword Forest preserved a shred of dignity for the Heavenly Script Academy. Their members no longer needed to hastily retreat or fear the mockery of others. With this in mind, He Ling Xiu decided to stay another day—partly to tend to You Bu Yu’s injuries and partly to wait for Ji You’s return from the mountain.
During this time, an unusual silence enveloped everyone. Only Immortal Emperor Ru Long remained animated, brandishing his sword and theatrically recounting the events of the Sword Forest, embellishing them for dramatic flair.
“Brother Ji’s sword struck in all directions! With a mighty slash, he declared, ‘Can a mere Sword Forest hinder me?’”
“The personal disciple of Mystic Sword Peak stood behind him, her beautiful eyes wide with admiration, as though in the next moment she would pledge herself to him. She watched as the young man in white raised his sword high!”
“‘No mere Profound Comprehension could shatter the formation of Spirit Sword Mountain!’ That was what their elder stubbornly claimed.”
“Then came a cold laugh. Ji You spread his arms, and seven swords soared into the heavens!”
“‘Do you think this is my full strength?’”
“As his words fell, Yan Ye’s round figure quivered in awe, and the seven swords cut through the Sword Forest like dragons!”
Ban Yang Shu and Wen Zheng Xin listened, their lips twitching. They could almost dig a hole in the floor with their toes, thinking, [Where is this nonsense coming from? It’s like he was there in person. With such skill, why cultivate immortality at all? Wouldn’t being a storyteller suit him better?]
[And Yan Ye is almost fifty. Are you seriously observing details like that?]
Though exaggerated, Ru Long’s tale left most people in contemplative silence, as though they could envision the scene unfolding before their eyes.
Meanwhile, You Bu Yu lay quietly in his bed, the noise of Bai Ru Long fading into the background. His mind, however, was preoccupied not with Ji You, but with the personal disciple of Heavenly Sword Peak, who had unleashed a single devastating strike upon him.
That one sword haunted him, leaving his thoughts in turmoil and his mind unsettled.
He understood all too well—his Dao Heart had been shattered by that strike.
[Zhuang You…]
Yes, Zhuang You. He had finally recalled where he had seen this person before. Six years ago, at the Wandering Immortal Gathering, Zhuang You had participated. It was also why, during their first clash in the arena, Zhuang You had felt oddly familiar.
Back then, Zhuang You was a nondescript outer disciple of Spirit Sword Mountain, attending the gathering with his sect. He had participated in a friendly sparring match with the outer disciples of the Mystic Origin Immortal Palace. Neither his cultivation nor his swordsmanship had stood out.
At the same time, You Bu Yu was already approaching the threshold of the Dao Fusion Stage and had just been formally chosen as a direct disciple of the Hall of Auspiciousness. Though he had watched Zhuang You’s match, it had left no lasting impression. After all, why would a hall master’s personal disciple pay attention to an unremarkable member of another sect?
Who could have predicted that in a mere six years, Zhuang You would grow so powerful? That final, ferocious strike had plunged You Bu Yu into despair.
[Is such talent even possible? Or is the Sword Dao of Spirit Sword Mountain truly this formidable?]
These thoughts inevitably led him back to Ji You.
Entering the Heavenly Script Academy at the Peak Lower Three Stages after cultivating as a wandering rogue, Ji You had reached the Middle Mystic Enlightenment Stage within half a year. Following He Ling Xiu and You Bu Yu’s defeat, he had gone on to destroy the Sword Forest formation.
You Bu Yu had previously investigated Ji You but couldn’t determine how long it had taken him to master the Lower Three Stages fully. Even so, achieving the Middle Mystic Enlightenment Stage in six months marked him as a prodigy.
Moreover, Ji You wasn’t the only one. The Outer Court had another talent in Chu He, who, though slightly weaker, had also reached the Initial Mystic Enlightenment Stage in under six months.
Historically, disciples of the Heavenly Script Academy rarely broke through to Mystic Enlightenment before the Inner Court Autumn Duels. In some years, no one achieved a breakthrough, forcing the Academy to admit disciples from the previous year’s Mystic Enlightenment stage into the Inner Court. This tradition of admitting only one per year had persisted.
Yet this year, two such prodigies had emerged—Ji You and Chu He.
What has become of the world today? Ji You, Chu He, and especially Zhuang You… His disbelief was palpable. In the final moments, Zhuang You had used a Dao technique personally taught by his aunt, elevating his combat strength to nearly peak Dao Fusion Stage. Yet, even then, a single sword shattered him. How could this be?
[Has the era of flourishing human talents finally arrived? And am I the most mediocre of them all?] You Bu Yu clutched his chest. A turbulent force surged within him, causing an unbearable heat to spread through his body. He could barely contain it.
Meanwhile, at the back of the Sword Forest on Heavenly Sword Peak, in the courtyard outside Qi Zheng Yang’s residence, surging Sword Intent kept the elders of the peak at bay. The energy was so formidable that they dared not step forward, relegating them to whisper among themselves instead.
“Was that truly swordsmanship earlier?”
“Did he withstand it purely with his body?”
“Seven swords, all were Little Overlapping Mountain?”
Yan Shu Yi stood poised nearby, her frosty gaze directed at the depths of the residence. Concern for Ji You’s safety had brought her here. The moment she sensed the emergence of Thought Without Evil, she had already begun preparing her sword qi, ready to intervene should he falter.
A rare emotion gripped her: fear—fear that this man she had encountered only thrice might perish. Yet, Ji You’s display of strength exceeded her expectations.
She hadn’t anticipated the ring of swords would truly sever Thought Without Evil, grinding it into nothingness. The resultant sword qi pierced through the Sword Forest, and its resonance echoed across the mountain range. Hearing others marvel at him, her eyes narrowed slightly, a faint trace of pride flickering within them, though concern still lingered in her heart.
[What will Qi Zheng Yang do to him?]
Yan Shu Yi, being in the Heaven Resonance Stage, coupled with her Spirit Mirror, could summon qi akin to the upper five stages. Unraveling Qi Zheng Yang’s sword technique posed little challenge. However, under the watchful eyes of so many, she could not act hastily. Many assumed her presence here was to address the damage to the Sword Forest caused by an outsider. Any impulsive action would only attract suspicion.
In truth, her hesitation stemmed from a fleeting moment of distraction. The final sword qi had torn apart Ji You’s robe, leaving her stunned for a long while. Otherwise, she might have intercepted Elder Qi before he took Ji You away.
Something else perplexed her, though. When the waves of sword energy surged forward, Ji You, who hovered midair, had offered no resistance. If he had struggled, it wouldn’t have been so effortless for him to be taken away.
Her mind replayed the image of his robust and explosive physique. For a brief moment, her gaze turned blank, her thoughts wandering beyond her control. She bit her lip to suppress these wayward reflections.
The sight of that unfamiliar man’s body had captured the attention of everyone on the mountain.
More cultivators arrived, bowing respectfully as they approached Yan Shu Yi, who acknowledged them with a slight nod.
“The Mirror Master seems to be in good spirits today.”
“Perhaps it’s because the Heavenly Script Academy suffered two crushing defeats at the Spirit Sword Mountain’s Dao debate.”
“But it’s not exactly good news for the academy to have one of their disciples break through Elder Qi’s Sword Forest, is it?”
“Do you think Elder Qi will choose him to inherit his swordsmanship?”
“Impossible. He’s a disciple of the Heavenly Script Academy. Elder Qi knows better.”
“But a truly transparent Heart of the Sword… If Elder Qi recognizes it, he might be tempted. His own son perished in the ruins, refined into an artifact by the Zheng Clan Ancestor. Reconstructing the Sword Forest was likely his way of searching for a prodigy to continue his legacy, ensuring the sword path doesn’t end with him.”
“That…”
Meanwhile, within Qi Zheng Yang’s vast residence, separated by waves of sword energy, a lean man sat cross-legged on a bamboo cushion, meticulously polishing a sword with deerskin. His actions were precise, almost reverent. The blade gleamed with an icy brilliance, exuding an overwhelming killing intent that surged like a tidal wave, engulfing the entire residence.
The man’s face was devoid of joy or sorrow, his expression unchanging. Yet, a relentless battle spirit churned within, simmering just below the surface.
He was none other than Qi Zheng Yang, an elder of Spirit Sword Mountain and the lead in swordsmanship within the sect. A sword cultivator at the pinnacle of the Upper Five Stages, Qi Zheng Yang had spent most of his life meditating in the deep mountains, pursuing the purity of the sword.
As an outsider to the sect by birth, achieving such a position within the Azure Clouds Dominion was rare, possible through either extraordinary talent or exceptional strength.
Half a month ago, tragedy struck when Qi Zheng Yang’s only son, born late in his life, perished in the Ruins of Ancient Times. Following that, the Sword Forest appeared—a place brimming with murderous intent. Countless disciples of Spirit Sword Mountain, eager to learn his swordsmanship, had attempted entry, only to be grievously wounded. To this day, none had recovered fully.
In this land of Azure Clouds, coincidences often appeared deliberate, as if destiny aligned with the desires of those seeking swordsmanship by conjuring the Sword Forest. However, some coincidences were less random, their roots firmly entrenched in cause and effect.
The origin of all this turmoil lay with the ruins.
Within Qi Zheng Yang’s residence, a man stood nearby. Despite his muscular build, he was dressed in women’s robes. His right shoulder bore a wound, but the bleeding had stopped, and his once-intense aura had subdued. He exhaled deeply, showing no signs of fear or confusion.
Qi Zheng Yang’s hand, busy cleaning his long sword, suddenly paused. He turned, studying the man before him for a long moment. There was something peculiar about him.
When the elder’s sword aura had swept him here, the man had offered no resistance. In fact, he seemed almost compliant, which puzzled Qi Zheng Yang.
The robes he wore clung tightly to his chest, revealing its fullness. His expression was blank, yet a faint trace of strangeness lingered in his eyes.
“You’re not a disciple of Spirit Sword Mountain, are you?” Qi Zheng Yang asked.
“Junior Ji You of the Heavenly Script Academy greets Elder Qi,” the man replied, bowing.
A flicker of surprise crossed Qi Zheng Yang’s face. “I never thought a sword heart as pure as yours would belong to someone outside my Spirit Sword Mountain.”
Ji You tugged at the ill-fitting robe and smiled faintly. “Elder Qi flatters me. I merely relied on a bit of luck and cunning—not what one might call a ‘pure sword heart.’”
“‘Luck and cunning’ may not be inaccurate,” Qi Zheng Yang replied, his tone even. “But your physique… What’s its story?”
“I was born this way—unyielding and unexplainable.”
Qi Zheng Yang withdrew his gaze and turned toward the Skyward Sword Intent Diagram hanging in the hall. Muttering to himself, he said, “Everyone has their secrets. That is why no one can master the cleanest sword.”
Ji You’s eyelids twitched. [He’s not wrong,] he thought.
For instance, he didn’t belong to this world. His spiritual essence was explosive and unruly. He’d once gnawed on the Spirit Mirror Mountain Master’s piglet, been stripped bare by Yuan Cai Wei, and countless other incidents best left untold.
While these thoughts swirled, Qi Zheng Yang resumed wiping his sword. The metallic scraping sound echoed through the hall.
Ji You glanced at the elder and asked, “Elder Qi, are you preparing to kill someone?”
Raising the blade upright, Qi Zheng Yang studied its reflection. “You’ve stolen my sect’s swordsmanship without permission. Why do you think this blade isn’t meant to slay you?”
“To kill someone at the Mystic Enlightenment Stage like me doesn’t require such a powerful sword.”
“You’ve broken through my Thought Without Evil technique. That makes you no ordinary Mystic Enlightenment cultivator. Perhaps a sharp sword is indeed necessary to end you.”
“But your sword intent,” Ji You said, “seems to point elsewhere—toward the Heavenly Sword Peak itself.”