Zisu was about to respond when the Ancestor suddenly reined in his smile: “My lifespan is nearing its end; this decaying body should do something proper. Zhengting, the opening of the Sword Mound trial is approved.”
“Thank you, Ancestor!” Mu Zhengting could not hide his joy. “The Immortal Dao Alliance Grand Competition is imminent.”
“Don’t be happy too soon.” The Ancestor flicked his sleeve, looking up at the dome. “The human heart is more treacherous than the Demonic Abyss. Issue an order to all Peaks: The Sword Mound will be unsealed in three days. All Disciples of our Beast Taming Sect may enter to seek the Dao, but if anyone is found secretly colluding with external enemies…”
The withered finger suspended in mid-air lightly swiped, and the profound iron stele a hundred feet away snapped into two.
“Does Master believe they will truly make trouble at this time?” Mu Zhengting could not hide his astonishment.
“Naturally.” The white-haired Ancestor gently stroked the sword box. “If everyone in the world understood righteousness, where would the internal strife of the Demon Clan have come from back then? The subtle depths of human nature are more worthy of vigilance than demonic hearts. Even the seven pulse of the Beast Taming Sect struggle to be of one mind, let alone the entire world? It is enough to gather usable talents.”
Zisu’s fingertip traced the sword tassel: “Ultimately, it still comes down to strength.”
“Precisely.” A faint sword gleam flickered in the Ancestor’s eyes. “The power of a wolf pack depends on the alpha wolf. If two are equally matched, there will surely be bloodshed! The five great Immortal Sects are united in appearance but divided in heart. The Great Liang Imperial Dynasty harbors hidden conflicts. The so-called alliance is nothing but a fleeting illusion.”
Outside the hall, the sea of clouds surged, just like the undercurrents in the Ancestor’s words: “The extreme limits of heaven and earth are not for ordinary entry. Rather than forcing an alliance, it is better to firmly grasp the sharp sword in hand. The music of Yixian Valley is profound, and the Dao Sect’s techniques are abstruse. These two are enough.”
Mu Zhengting was about to speak when he suddenly saw Zisu produce two exotic treasures.
As the ancient sword hummed, phantom images of mountains and rivers flowed, and the Ancestor’s brows suddenly widened: “Did that child Qing Feng offer this?”
“And this True Incantation.” As the plain silk unfolded, pure Yang energy filled the room.
After reading it, the Ancestor sighed deeply: “This child should enter the True Inheritance Pavilion. Zisu, from now on, you will personally instruct him; even the Head will not interfere.” Three communication flying swords broke through the air, and the cloud qi of each Peak surged.
A colorful glow suddenly rose from the direction of Chen Ming Peak, and the Ancestor stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the sky.
At this moment, Qing Feng was curled up on the back of a spirit beast, fast asleep. Zouwu’s golden eyes were half-closed, carrying Qing Feng as he strolled through the clouds and mist of Tai'a Peak.
Feng Dingshi stood with his sword, the mountain wind swirling his black robes. The Zhijian Elder, who should have been in seclusion, was now gazing thoughtfully at the twelve sword steles faintly visible in the sea of clouds.
“A celestial anomaly is imminent. I must remind the current Peak Lord of Tai'a Peak, Xia Yu, to prepare early. Taking advantage of this break from seclusion, it’s a good time to guide the younger generation in their cultivation. In these turbulent times, only strength is the foundation for survival.”
Standing at the summit of the mountain, Feng Dingshi looked at the verdant peaks, his thoughts churning.
Since entering seclusion on Zhijian Peak a hundred years ago, he had always used a sword array to obscure the heavenly secrets. Now, seeing the familiar mountains and rivers of his old home again, it felt like a lifetime had passed. Suddenly, a clear children’s rhyme broke through the air:
“Stepping on fiery clouds with cloud-treading boots, holding stars to shake mountains and rivers!”
“Who is the young master? On Tai'a Peak, I am King!”
The childish singing was imbued with sharp sword qi, startling the birds in the forest into frantic flight. Feng Dingshi frowned and looked, only to see a child with hair tied in two knots darting out from the sea of clouds.
The child was only of tender age, yet crimson sword aura enveloped his body. His Foundation Establishment cultivation was actually able to stir the spiritual qi tides within a ten-mile radius.
“Xia Wuji!”
Feng Dingshi recognized him as Xia Yu’s only son. This child possessed an innate sword bone, and after cultivating the «Inverse Life Sword Art» three years ago, his progress had been astonishing.
However, although this cultivation method could revert to the origin and purify spiritual power, the cost was the reversal of physical growth.
The originally adolescent boy had now regressed to a childlike appearance.
“What impropriety!”
Feng Dingshi’s sleeves billowed, and his voice boomed like thunder.
The child in mid-air immediately swayed, the jade pendant at his waist jingling wildly: “Which bastard is ambushing this young master?”
“Whose master do you intend to be?”
Feng Dingshi shattered the void, arriving in an instant, his black Daoist robe moving without wind. Xia Wuji’s small face instantly lost all color when he recognized the newcomer.
Just then, a green light broke through the clouds, and Xia Yu hastily bowed: “Shibo, please calm your anger. My son is unruly, and recently he has been studying new sword techniques with Martial Brother Qing Feng, so his words and actions are indeed a bit… unconventional.”
Feng Dingshi stared at the child making a face while hiding behind his father, and said in a deep voice: “The drastic changes in heaven and earth are no trifling matter. If a thousand years from now, the Beast Taming Sect is to rely on such a frivolous child to govern it…”
As he spoke, seven-colored rainbow light suddenly soared into the sky from afar, drawing the attention of the three towards Chen Ming Peak.
“This child has been running around wildly lately, disrupting order, and constantly shouting the names of Nezha’s magic artifacts. Your family education is truly disappointing!” Feng Dingshi flicked his sleeves, and the teacups on the table clattered.
Cold sweat trickled down Xia Yu’s forehead: “Shibo’s lesson is correct. This Disciple will strictly discipline him.”
“Whom did my singing bother? Nezha is a great hero who slays demons and devils!” Xia Wuji, who had been shrinking in the corner, suddenly straightened his neck and said stubbornly.
Xia Yu hastily pressed down on his son’s shoulders, but Xia Wuji shook off his sleeve: “You can scold me and I’ll accept the punishment, but Nezha’s deeds should not be disparaged!”
“Presumptuous!” Feng Dingshi’s sword-finger drew a charm in the air, and thirty-six green lights pinned Xia Wuji in place, forming a sword prison. “Since you advocate being unconventional, let this Deputy Head see how you break this Dragon Trapping Array.”
“Shibo, please calm your anger!” Before Xia Yu could finish speaking, he was cut off by Feng Dingshi’s sharp gaze.
“Where has he been hanging out in recent months?”
“Chen Ming Peak, Martial Nephew Xu often tells him strange anecdotes.” Xia Yu reported with a stiff upper lip, seeing the murderous aura between Feng Dingshi’s brows intensify.
Feng Dingshi’s robes billowed as he stepped on his sword and rose into the air: “It’s that lazy brat again. I’d like to meet this storyteller who’s led the Sect’s young saplings astray.”
Watching the sword light cut through the clouds, Xia Yu shook his head helplessly. How could he not know that his son had become much more cheerful after spending time with Qing Feng? But facing this cold-faced Shibo, who had overseen discipline for three hundred years, even as a father, he dared not say more.
In the depths of the bamboo sea on Chen Ming Peak, the airflow generated when Feng Dingshi landed startled several cloud sparrows into flight.
In the courtyard at the end of the stone path, a red-clad girl’s sword tip flicked down apricot blossoms like rain, the wisps of green smoke from Dan Refining Peak’s Chief Disciple’s tea preparation curled upwards, while the protagonist of the story was curled up on the back of a giant dog, sound asleep, his belly rising and falling rhythmically with his snores.
“What impropriety!” Feng Dingshi’s sword sheath heavily struck the ground, startling the Black Dog’s ear tips to twitch, but Qing Feng merely turned over on its back, muttering in his sleep: “Nezha’s sea disturbance, three heads and six arms.”
Inside the scripture pavilion, sandalwood incense wafted, and Dao Lord Zisu had uncharacteristically remained in the scripture pavilion, perusing ancient texts.
This unusual behavior made Feng Dingshi shake his head repeatedly. The Chief of Zhijian Peak wasn’t presiding over the main Peak; instead, she was nestled among books like an ordinary Disciple.
“The Quanzhen Pure Yang Method emphasizes the dual cultivation of form and spirit. Its sword intent body-tempering technique is greatly beneficial to Tribulation Transcending cultivators.”
Zisu put away the jade slip, her gaze sweeping over Qing Feng, who was feigning sleep on the bamboo couch. “Offering such a secret method to any elder of the Beast Taming Sect would incur a debt of gratitude from a Tribulation Transcending mighty figure. Why must you, young man, give it to Martial Grand-Uncle Feng?”
Feng Dingshi, behind the corridor pillar, narrowed his eyes upon hearing this, his fingertips trembling with sword qi. He was about to reveal himself and reprimand, but then he heard a lazy response from the bamboo couch: “The favors of great figures are like hot potatoes. How can they compare to the tangible protection of a Shibo? Besides…”
Qing Feng sat up, a sly glint in his eyes, “This cultivation method can both help Martial Grand-Uncle Feng transcend his tribulation and allow Aunt-Master Zisu to do a favor. Isn’t my calculation quite clever?”