Day fourteen of Duan Xiao and the Bai brothers walking hand-in-hand.
Biqiong Peak.
Outside Chongxiao Temple.
On a martial arts arena carved out of the edge of a sheer cliff, a gentle breeze brushed past, and the wind rustled through the pines like crashing waves.
A middle-aged man dressed in tight-fitting practice robes stood facing the wind.
He exhaled a breath of turbid air, having just finished his fist routine. The surging inner force throughout his body instantly receded like the tide, returning to his dantian.
This man was none other than the Sword Lineage Elder, the “Sky-Rending Sword” Feng Buting, whose reputation shook the prefecture capital!
“Father, the final list of new disciples has arrived.”
Just then, a young disciple who bore a slight resemblance to him stepped forward, holding a stack of registers in his hands.
“Bring it here.”
Feng Buting waved his hand, took the registers, and flipped through them casually, muttering under his breath:
“Jiao Qianfan, twenty-three years old, one acupoint of the Anjin Rank, Four-Form Constitution. His foundation is decent enough; we can barely let him join.”
“Tang Shuhan, twenty-two years old, Great Perfection of the Mingjin Rank, Three-Form Constitution. Hmph, a waste with such mottled constitution. Tell him to get lost and go to the Qi Lineage. Don't let him defile the pure cultivation grounds of my Sword Lineage!”
“Hu Wanying, nineteen years old, one acupoint of the Anjin Rank, Five-Form Constitution. This girl's aptitude is actually quite good, worthy of cultivation.”
“Shen Xiuhan, eighteen years old, Five-Form Constitution, three acupoints of the Anjin Rank... Eh?”
Feng Buting raised his thick eyebrows slightly, his finger pausing on the page. Surprise flickered in his eyes.
“What is the background of this Shen Xiuhan?”
Hearing this, the young disciple's expression turned slightly odd, and he lowered his voice, saying:
“It's a register sent over by Martial Uncle Yue Lingyong of Xiaguang Peak.”
“According to what he implied, this kid seems to have offended someone on Xiaguang Peak and has already been slated for rejection.”
“Martial Uncle Yue pitied his talent, so he forwarded the register to our Biqiong Peak...”
“Hmph!”
Before he could even finish, Feng Buting snorted disdainfully:
“Yue Lingyong? That busybody moderate from the Qi Lineage who has nothing better to do all day than try to reconcile the conflict between our two lineages?”
He casually closed the register, tossing it back to the young man like a piece of rag, a mocking sneer hanging on the corner of his lips:
“Truly laughably naive!”
“Just because their Zhengqi Temple on Xiaguang Peak doesn't want him, does my Chongxiao Temple on Biqiong Peak have to take him in?”
“So what if he opened three acupoints at eighteen?”
“So what if he has a Five-Form Constitution?”
“If he can't comprehend sword-glow, how is he any different from those outer sect drudges?”
“Reject him!”
The young man was not surprised at all. He took back the register and prepared to dismiss himself.
“Wait...”
Feng Buting suddenly remembered something and called out:
“Changyun County...”
“I recall that a martial feast was held in that county a while ago. There was a junior swordsman who managed to train our Sword Lineage's 『Flowing Cloud Swordplay』 to the Great Accomplishment stage. Is that true?”
Hearing this, the young man frowned and pondered for a moment before replying:
“There does seem to be such a person. Several deacons in the sect even discussed it at the time, assuming that when the disciple recruitment ceremony arrived, he would surely come here drawn by our reputation, submitting his visitation card to pay respects and join our Sword Lineage...”
“But now, apart from this Shen Xiuhan, no one else from Changyun County has come.”
“If not, then forget it.”
Feng Buting immediately lost interest upon hearing this. He waved his hand dismissively and asked, “How has that girl, Feng Zhixue, been lately?”
At the mention of this name, the young man immediately smiled:
“Cousin Zhixue is exceptionally talented. She has already stepped into the Anjin Rank at the tender age of seventeen. According to the lineage master's projection, she will be able to comprehend sword-glow by age twenty at the latest.”
“Good!”
Feng Buting threw his head back and laughed, his voice echoing through the sky:
“My own aptitude is limited, leaving me with no hope of ever grasping sword-glow in this lifetime... but Zhixue's sword talent is extraordinarily high, absolutely brilliant!”
Saying this, Feng Buting walked to the edge of the cliff. Standing with his hands behind his back, he gazed at the rolling sea of clouds beneath his feet, a fanatical light flashing in his eyes:
“Once she comprehends sword-glow, she can cultivate our Feng clan's 『True Exposition of the Flowing Cloud Thousand Illusion Sword Dao』.”
“Once she initiates into this technique, she will naturally generate sword-qi. If she can train it to the Minor Accomplishment stage, she can condense that wisp of sword-yuan...”
At this point, Feng Buting's breathing grew slightly heavy:
“If she can comprehend sword-yuan before the age of thirty, then...”
“We can use it as a key to retrieve the inheritance left behind by our Feng family ancestor, who stepped into the Xiantian Divine Ability Rank!”
Hearing this, the young man grew excited as well. Unable to suppress his curiosity any longer, he whispered:
“Father... when I was young, I often asked about that ancestor's name, but you always refused to tell me, saying you would only do so once I comprehended sword-glow.”
At this point, he let out a bitter laugh and shook his head:
“Now, I'm afraid there's little hope for me, but it's the same since Cousin Zhixue has a great chance. Why don't... you tell me the ancestor's name now?”
Feng Buting glanced at him and fell silent for a moment. Feeling that the grand plan was already as good as settled, his tone relaxed slightly as he said, “There is no harm in telling you. That ancestor was of the 'Qing' generation, with the single name... Yang.”
The young man was slightly startled and murmured, “Qing generation, single name Yang...”
“Feng Qingyang?!”
...
Day seventeen of Duan Xiao and the Bai brothers walking hand-in-hand.
The day of the results posting had finally arrived!
Early in the morning, Lu Yuan and the others were already waiting in the white stone plaza.
Eventually, a manager led several outer sect disciples to post the acceptance list.
Before long.
Shouts of joy, congratulations, heavy sighs, and wails of despair echoed endlessly.
“Congratulations, Senior Brother Lu, on entering the inner sect!”
“As expected of Senior Brother Lu! Please look after us in the future, Senior Brother.”
“Hahaha, of course, of course.”
Lu Yuan was thrilled and exceptionally proud, yet his eyes swept across the surroundings, intentionally or otherwise.
Seeing this, someone nearby immediately chuckled, “Is Senior Brother Lu looking for that Shen Xiuhan?”
“Indeed. Why hasn't he shown up?”
“Heh, he probably knew he had no chance of entering the inner sect, so he was too embarrassed to check the list... By the way, Senior Brother, that guy is staying at the same inn as me. When I left earlier, I saw someone dressed in inner sect robes heading to his room.”
“Oh? Someone from the inner sect?”
Lu Yuan came to a sudden realization and let out a cold laugh:
“No wonder he didn't want to follow me. It turns out he had already found himself a master. Forget it, don't mind him. Let's go grab some drinks to celebrate!”
...
Xiashan Inn, Private Room Yi.
Two cups of hot tea sat on the table. They had already gone completely cold, untouched from start to finish.
Zuo Guangshu's face was grim, his brows knitted tightly together.
He had just explained everything that had transpired from last night until now.
Last night, he had suddenly received word from a deacon stating that Shen Xiuhan's recommendation letter had been rejected by the Qi Lineage Elder, leaving no possibility of acceptance.
Zuo Guangshu had been horrified. He had immediately tapped into his connections to ask around overnight, but after wasting a whole day, he could not pry even a single word of information out of anyone.
For an inner sect disciple like him to not even be able to find a lead, the influence of the other party was easy to imagine.
Looking at Shen Xiuhan, who had remained calm and unruffled from start to finish, Zuo Guangshu spoke with a trace of apology:
“That is roughly what happened. Junior Brother, think carefully. Have you offended any high-ranking figure in the sect?”
Shen Xiuhan pondered for a moment, then slowly shook his head:
“That shouldn't be possible. I've only been at Mount Bixia for a few days, and I barely even know my way around, let alone offending anyone.”
At this point, Shen Xiuhan smiled faintly:
“But... this ultimately has nothing to do with you, Senior Brother. I am already incredibly grateful for all your running around on my behalf, and I wouldn't dare trouble you any further.”
“Mount Bixia may not be my destiny, but the world is vast. Is there anywhere I cannot go? Senior Brother, please do not dwell on this matter...”
“...That is true.”
Zuo Guangshu exhaled a breath of turbid air, seemingly persuaded by these words. He offered a well-meaning reminder:
“Junior Brother, if things really don't work out here, you could also try joining the Longxiang Army, where Junior Brother Wang and Junior Sister Ding are!”
“I understand.” Shen Xiuhan smiled and nodded.
After seeing Zuo Guangshu out, the door gently closed.
In an instant, Shen Xiuhan's smile vanished, and his face turned cold.
‘Intelligence!’
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