This was the first time that Wu Yu had passed by it, and the electrifyingly passionate battles touched him.
It was a place that people were subconsciously compelled towards.
Wu Yu's mood was roused, and he turned to ask Zhang Futu, "What day is it today?"
Zhang Futu answered without thinking too much. "Ninth of March."
Wu Yu was immensely pleased. He had thought of another method to deal with Zhang Futu.
Actually, the risk of using the Soul Devourer Talisman was huge. Even if he succeeded, it would be very difficult to clean up after the crime. After all, Zhang Futu was a Huang sword rank Shushan disciple.
"The Orientation Log states that the Leaderboard of Swords and Immortals is restarted biennially, starting in February! The Leaderboard of Swords and Immortals is divided into two stages. The first is for those outside of the leaderboard to challenge those on the leaderboard. The second is for the disciples already ranked to challenge one another! A restarting of the ranking means that the first stage alone normally continues for five months or so. The second stage will also proceed for about five months. I'm quite sure there was no Battle of Swords and Immortals last year! And this year, there naturally will be a Battle of Swords and Immortals!"
Wu Yu had come across the Leaderboard of Swords and Immortals in the Orientation Log before, but he had not paid much attention to it. Actually, the Leaderboard of Swords and Immortals was held biennially, and each battle took about a full year, and then there was a year of rest in between. Last year, he had spent most of his time in Jindan Cave and then the Demons' Abyss and out of the sect, so he had not paid much attention to it.
He began to recall some of the details of the Leaderboard of Swords and Immortals.
"The Leaderboard of Swords and Immortals is the ranking of the 10,000 strongest ordinary dan disciples in the Common Sword Domain. Every two years, the rankings are decided anew, and these 10,000 disciples are often at the fourth tier of the Jindan Dao Realm and above. Occasionally, a few extremely gifted disciples at the third tier of the Jindan Dao Realm might fight their way into the leaderboards. Although, of course, their ranking will not be that high. All those on the board could defeat fifth tier Jindan Dao Realm cultivators outside of the sect, while those in the top 100 could even defeat Huang sword rank disciples. Of course, the strongest 10 or so were the cream of the crop! They are largely taken on as disciples by those of the Heaven sword rank, or even accepted as disciples of the Shushan Sword Sages!
"Of course, on the Clear Sky of Shushan, the progenies of the truly strong martial cultivators are born on the Clear Sky of Shushan itself. As long as they are not completely useless, they will not come down to compete in the Leaderboard of Swords and Immortals.
"All in all, the Leaderboard of Swords and Immortals is the greatest honor in the Common Sword Domain. It is the platform where countless disciples have risen from. It is the easiest place to make oneself known and recognized amongst the millions of Jindan martial cultivators!
"Those who can enter the Leaderboard of Swords and Immortals are basically watched by the Clear Sky of Shushan. Many of the disciples of the four major sword ranks choose their disciples directly from the Leaderboard of Swords and Immortals.
"Each time the Battle of Swords and Immortals is held, there will be many disciples of the four major sword ranks lurking about, looking for talented, young martial cultivators that are worthy of receiving their legacies.
"The reason for its biennial occurrence is that many disciples on the leaderboard achieve breakthroughs to the Huang sword rank in this time, and the leaderboard requires replenishing. Especially the top 100, virtually all of whom reach the Huang sword rank."
It was Wu Yu's first time looking at the Leaderboard of Swords and Immortals. He had not paid much attention before because he was not at the Jindan stage yet. He could not possibly match against the elites of the ordinary dan disciples, but now his heart was fired up!
With many of the Clear Sky of Shushan's disciples of the four major sword ranks watching, under the gazes of a million Jindan martial cultivators, to fight with immortal dao, techniques, and skills, to win victory in glorious fashion! Those who were capable enough could look disdainfully down upon the rest. Being chosen by the higher echelons of Shushan as a disciple meant an instant shot to success! How heroic! What fervor! Such glory!
It was not an exaggeration to say that the Mountain of Swords and Immortals featured in many of the Shushan disciples' dreams!
For ordinary people, they might grow old in the Common Sword Domain, and remain there for the rest of their lives.
Even if they spent a century or two cultivating to the fifth tier of Jindan, and then activated their Great Dao Mystique and became a Huang sword rank disciple, they would not have much time remaining, and their road of cultivation would soon come to an end.
Only those who could take the world by storm in their youth and outstrip their peers by charging into the Leaderboard of Swords and Immortals, only they would become the center of attention and become the disciples of Earth sword rank, Heaven sword rank, or even Shushan Sword Sages themselves. Only they could shoot to power and become candidates of the Heaven sword rank or Sword Sages in the future!
Who would not want to stand on the Mountain of Swords and Immortals and be the center of attention?
The 10,000 amongst a million!
In truth, there were at least 100,000 disciples at the fourth tier of the Jindan Dao Realm in the Common Sword Domain. Why could some people reach the Leaderboard of Swords and Immortals? Basically, it was because they were not only at the fourth tier of Jindan, but also had other unique skills and talents. They were young, and their potential was enormous!
All in all, it was a land of fantasies. The Leaderboard of Swords and Immortals at the Clear Sky of Shushan was even watched by the entire divine contient. Many were watching to see what manner of genius would emerge from the sword cultivators of Shushan every two years!
In a flash, Wu Yu's heart was full of these thoughts.
"If I can fight my way onto the leaderboard, then even if I am the 10,000th, no one at the second tier of Jindan has ever reached the leaderboard. After all, the strongest of the Leaderboard of Swords and Immortals can even defeat those of the Huang sword rank! If that happens, I will become the center of attention. Many experts will be watching me.
"As long as many people recognize me, then Zhang Futu will not be able to dispose of me quietly and anonymously. Everyone will be concerned about my future. Or perhaps I might even meet someone who, like Master, will take care of me and nurture me!
"At the Shushan Immortal Sect, I am friendless and without support! I need supporters and people who know me. Just like when I was rising at the Heavenly Sword Sect; although that was easier because the sect was small. Here at Shushan, competition is everywhere. If I want to rise, I have to fight for it!
"This time, if I follow Zhang Futu back to Futu Hall, I will have no chance to return. I want to go to the Mountain of Swords and Immortals!"
In a short amount of time, Wu Yu made up his mind. He clung tightly to his goal. It was not only to shrug Zhang Futu off, but also to chase higher status and enter the radar of the entire Shushan.
This Battle of Swords and Immortals, which proceeded for a year, was his best chance.
"It's said that the organizer of this Battle of Swords and Immortals is an elite Heaven sword rank disciple. He also has many Earth sword rank disciples helping him, hundreds of sword palace-level Xuan sword rank disciples hosting, and thousands of Huang sword rank disciples monitoring! This is the biggest event in the Common Sword Domain...."
After thinking through all this, Wu Yu suddenly stopped. He said, "Isn't that the Battle of Swords and Immortals going on over there? It's so lively. How about going to see and widen my horizons?"
He could not display too strong a desire, or Zhang Futu might not allow him to go over.
"Indeed, it's the Battle of Swords and Immortals. It's been going on for a month, and a few assistant hall masters at our Futu Hall have also gone to take up the challenge. However, they all lost, and none of them made it to the leaderboard," Zhang Futu answered casually.
Wu Yu smiled and said, "I guess I can't make it this year. Perhaps in the years to come, I can represent Futu Hall and fight my way into the Leaderboard of Swords and Immortals."
Zhang Futu started, then quickly answered with a laugh of his own, "That's the spirit. If you can enter the Leaderboard of Swords and Immortals, I can hold my head high too."
"Then let's go take a look! This Leaderboard of Swords and Immortals is such a grand event. As a Shushan disciple, I have yet to see it. What a waste. If I had known, I would have dragged Nangong Wei back a month ago," Wu Yu hurriedly added.
All that he showed was the impetuous, passionate countenance of youth. The more he did so, the more Zhang Futu would let his guard down.
Zhang Futu was about to bring him back to Futu Hall and give him two huge presents. But along the way, Wu Yu's behavior had caused him to relax his guard. Zhang Futu was starting to think that he had overthought the whole business. Wu Yu could not have possibly guessed his intention.
"We can continue back to Futu Hall later. If we go back now, I have to come all the way out again. Master, if you are not going, then I'll go over for a look myself." Wu Yu had to go over. In order to charm his enemy, he had even called him “Master.” Only he knew that his battle with Zhang Futu was a struggle conducted with words.
"Alright, just for a while. Let's not lose track of the important things. The two treasures that I will give you should not be delayed for too long. I have waited for you for a long time already. After handing them over, I still have to go back to the Clear Sky of Shushan." Zhang Futu smiled and acquiesced, giving Wu Yu a tolerant but exasperated look.
Success.
"Don't worry, I just want to see what it is like. I won't hold up Master's time. Since you didn't even bring these two treasures with you, they must be very valuable things. I can't wait," Wu Yu said excitedly.
"Nonsense. The immortal treasures of Futu Hall are all held by the assistant hall masters. I still have to ask them for it." Zhang Futu casually ad-libbed in order to deflect Wu Yu's suspicions.
Wu Yu did not comment further, immediately flying on his sword towards the Mountain of Swords and Immortals. When he turned back, Zhang Futu's face was turning ugly. He muttered, "You sure can delay. But this will be the last time. Once we're back at Futu Hall, you'll be my obedient bitch."
Wu Yu knew that he was impatient. But in order for his plan to be a success, he could not refuse him outright. He increased his speed, leaving Zhang Futu lagging a little behind. And then, as he neared Mountain of Swords and Immortals, he could feel the intense sword cultivation here. There were thousands of battlefields ringing in the Mountain of Swords and Immortals. Hundreds of thousands of spectators watched on, the terrifying sword cultivators of the Clear Sky of Shushan blending into their midst.
On the Mountain of Swords and Immortals, there were 10,000 chairs shaped like sword blades. An impressive sight!
On the peak of the Mountain of Swords and Immortals, there was just one seat. And below that were a few more seats. The last row had about a thousand seats.
All in all, there were 10,000 seats! These 10,000 seats were known as the Seats of Swords and Immortals, and also represented the Leaderboard of Swords and Immortals. Because the 10,000 who had won two years ago were seated on these seats, waiting for those outside the leaderboard to challenge them. Those who lost would have to leave.
Besides the Seats of Swords and Immortals, there was another huge object that attracted Wu Yu's attention.
It was a huge, ancient bell of green bronze, set up at the foot of the Mountain of Swords and Immortals. The ancient bronze bell was 10 zhang tall. The Shushan Immortal Sect decreed that anybody who could ring the ancient bronze bell was qualified to challenge the Leaderboard of Swords and Immortals.