“Rules are but shackles meant to restrain the mediocre,” Dao Lord Zisu said, her fingertip tracing the jade pendant at her waist, a cold gleam in her eyes as she spoke with profound meaning. “The Beast Taming Sect has stood for thirty thousand years, and there have been only four such chosen individuals. If we are to make an exception for such a person, do you all remember the admonition of our founding patriarch?”
The elders’ expressions shifted slightly upon hearing this. Mu Zhengting suddenly raised his hand to form a seal, and the astrological map on the dome of the deliberation hall rotated in response. “Martial Brother Qin, please take the two juniors back to your peak. Senior Sister Zisu, accompany me to the Stargazing Platform.” As everyone wisely withdrew, no one noticed hundreds of ancient swords in the depths of the Sword Mound simultaneously emitting a low hum, their sword qi rippling outwards in layers of profound patterns.
On Guiyun Peak, Qin Heng’s robes billowed as he conjured a barrier, his gaze like a torch sweeping over the two juniors. “What exactly happened in the Bi An Realm?” Qing Feng bowed his head and reported, eloquently narrating the pre-prepared explanation, omitting only the part where the Sect Leader secretly approved.
“The legacy of the Su Nv Palace…” Qin Heng listened to his daughter’s inherited knowledge, his knuckles gently tapping the jade slip on the table. “A sacred land’s secret art, annihilated ten thousand years ago, yet it strangely aligns with the sword intent of your Chen Ming Peak.” Qin Yue’s eyes flickered, catching sight of the faint sword qi patterns appearing and disappearing in her Martial Brother’s sleeve, and she smiled lightly, pursing her lips. “There are indeed similarities.”
When the topic shifted to the mysterious Heavenly Chosen, the young girl’s eyes suddenly sparkled. “That Young Master Chu is similar in age to Qing Feng, and his demeanor and bearing are nine-tenths alike.” Qin Heng’s teacup paused slightly in his hand. He looked up at the Disciple standing quietly to the side, and suddenly realized that his daughter’s gaze towards the young man was strikingly similar to how his Dao Lord partner used to look at him.
A chill crept up Qing Feng’s spine. His fingertips unconsciously caressed his sword tassel as he subtly changed the subject. “Has Senior Sister’s spiritual sword chosen its master yet? What grade is it, I wonder?”
As Qin Yue’s wide sleeves unfurled, a clear sword hum arose, and a stream of sword light, like autumn water, materialized from the void. The words “Su Nv” engraved on the sword’s spine flowed with an ancient aura, and the three-foot green blade shimmered with the clear radiance of moonlight, clearly possessing the Dao rhythm unique to Earth-grade spiritual artifacts.
Qin Heng’s pupils contracted slightly. The sword at his waist actually hummed softly in its sheath in response. For his beloved daughter to obtain such a divine weapon on her first sword selection, her luck was truly astonishing. Catching a glimpse of Qing Feng’s thoughtful expression from the corner of his eye, he suddenly felt as if the young man’s eyes held a thousand years of starlight.
“Su Nv and Su Nv, same origin, different paths,” Qin Yue said, her slender finger tracing the inscriptions on the sword’s spine that subtly aligned with the constellations of the heavens. “That day in the Sword Mound, this sword caused the Su Nv True Art within me to activate on its own, as if it were an old friend reunited after a long separation.”
Qing Feng lowered his head, concealing the unusual glint in his eyes. It was true that the Su Nv Sword had deep connections with the Su Nv Palace, but when it came to the ultimate principles of Heaven and Earth Yin and Yang imparted to the Yellow Emperor, he feared that this father and daughter before him did not yet know the true meaning. The incomplete scroll of “Su Wen” in his sleeve felt faintly warm, as if sensing some fated connection.
On the peak of Zhijian Peak, the fierce wind howled, and Mu Zhengting’s dark Xuan-colored cloak billowed like ink clouds. “Dao Lord Zisu, are you truly going to fob off this Chief with ‘heavenly secrets cannot be divulged’?” Before he finished speaking, a phantom image of the Big Dipper suddenly appeared above the nine heavens, having actually triggered the Heart-Questioning Sword Oath.
The purple-robed Daoist stood with his hands behind his back in the center of the astrological map, his fingertips entwined with profound threads of karma. “When the Tianquan Star returns to its position, the Dao Seed will emerge from its cocoon. At that time, Sect Leader Mu might as well personally test him to see if that child is worthy of the Autumn Water Sword Spirit.”
Mu Zhengting gazed at the oath-star light that pierced through heaven and earth, and suddenly felt a ripple in his sword heart, which had remained unshaken for a hundred years. A successor whom the Chief of Zhijian Peak would protect with his life, perhaps truly carried the thousand-year destiny of the Beast Taming Sect.
Mu Zhengting slapped the stone table and stood up. “Senior Sister Zisu, how can you neglect public duty for personal reasons! Qing Feng’s public offense was nothing more than a few verbal disputes.”
The white-robed sword cultivator’s fingertips brushed the frost patterns on his sword. “He publicly exposed my misjudgment from thirty years ago, which saved Qin Yue the trouble of bringing up old matters. Now, using his permanent removal from the Disciplinary Hall as a condition to ensure the Qin lineage no longer pursues the matter, this deal is very cost-effective.”
“For the sake of this little bit of face, you want to ruin my ten-year plan?” Mu Zhengting’s jade abacus beads clattered in his sleeve.
“Your schemes…” Dao Lord Zisu suddenly brought her fingers together to form a sword and carved seven star trajectories into the bluestone ground. “It would be better to divide the Bixi Hall into light and dark. The light side will still be managed by the Purple Rock lineage, and the dark side will select elites from the other seven lineages to form shadow guards.”
Mu Zhengting was startled and took two steps back. “This… is this a plan you could come up with?”
A flash of sword light, and the seven star trajectories suddenly transformed into the Big Dipper formation. “The Dao of the Sword is profound; all methods can be incorporated into the sword.”
After Qin Heng departed on his sword, Qing Feng crushed the communication jade talisman in his hand. “Senior Sister, if I claim illness to avoid the True Disciple trial…”
“Are you crazy?” Twelve sword talismans floated out of Qin Yue’s sleeve, forming a restriction. “The Purple Rock Mystic Realm contains an ancient Sword Mound, and even my father’s Chixiao Sword Art originated from it.”
Qing Feng looked at the spiritual dog dozing at his feet and smiled bitterly. “The Sword Mound stirred abnormally the other day, with three hundred ancient swords humming in unison. If I cause another commotion in the Mystic Realm…” He lit up half a broken sword seal on his fingertip. “The substitute puppet Shen Ti prepared, I’m afraid it won’t fool the Heavenly Mirror.”
The mountain wind swept up fallen petals, and Qin Yue suddenly pinched the young man’s earlobe. “Just how many abilities are you still hiding?”
“Ow, ow, ow! Senior Sister, let go! Last time in the Cold Pond…”
The spiritual dog suddenly pricked up its ears, and a sound of breaking air came from a distance. The two instantly resumed their dignified appearance, as if the playful antics had never happened.
“If someone wants to see the Autumn Water Sword, wouldn’t Shen Ti lose all face if he couldn’t produce it on the spot?” This dilemma forced Shen Ti to conjure the identity of “Xu Yanwu” out of thin air. However, it was truly unpredictable how much trouble this future disguise would cause.
A lie is like a snowball; once the first one is told, it is destined to be covered by thousands more. Now, facing the Purple Rock True Disciple test, if another unexpected event occurs, this disguise will eventually be torn apart, as it’s impossible to claim that Xu Yanwu also appeared here.
“No need to worry, even if you comprehend a Heaven-grade divine ability, the Purple Rock True Disciple assessment won’t trigger any unusual phenomena.” Qin Yue looked at the tense Qing Feng, her slender finger gently tapping his forehead. “However, all insights gained will be within the perception of the Sect elders.”
“Who knows the intricacies of it? I’ve never believed in such profound mysteries,” Qing Feng said, his fingertips tracing the patterns on the sword at his waist.
“At worst, reveal your true self. You were always meant to be a Heavenly Chosen who dominates the current era,” Qin Yue said, her skirt fluttering in the clouds.
“How can anything in this world be destined?” Qing Feng urged the Black Dog to catch up to the graceful figure ahead. “The Sword Pond has nurtured seven Heaven-grade sword embryos over the past hundred years, but have you ever seen anyone truly forge a divine weapon?”
As they spoke, they arrived at their residence. They saw the bluestone table filled with delicacies, and Yan Yi, dressed in snow-white plain clothes, leaned against a rock, her hair gently fluttering in the wind like an immortal from a painting.
Although the Bixi at her feet had grown into the form of a strange beast, it was currently staring eagerly at the dishes. Only after being glared at by its master did it reluctantly lower its head, its fluffy tail leaving faint marks on the bl green bricks.
Suddenly, a sound of breaking air was heard. The spiritual beast’s nostrils twitched, and the airflow around its body surged, shooting straight into the sky. Qin Yue, her face blooming with a smile, spread her arms, but saw the snowy white figure dart past her shoulder and directly pounce into Qing Feng’s embrace, rubbing intimately against him.
“You ungrateful little thing!” Qin Yue playfully poked the Bixi’s forehead. “Which ungrateful wretch did you feed all the food from these past three months?” The spiritual beast acted as if it hadn’t heard, only burrowing its head into the young man’s neck and wrapping its fluffy tail around his wrist, refusing to let go.