Grass Hut

Grass Hut

Upon hearing Liu Yun's comment, Qin Wentian wished he could find a hole to hide in. He sneakily glanced at Ye Lingshuang and saw the disdain in her eyes. He sighed inwardly; he had just joined the Battle Sword Sect, and his reputation had already been tarnished by Little Rascal's antics.

"Little Rascal, get over here!" Qin Wentian scolded the puppy sternly. Little Rascal, however, yawned lazily and snuggled deeper into Ye Lingshuang's bosom, looking thoroughly captivated.

"Junior Brother, you're quite the teacher," Ye Lingshuang chuckled, and Qin Wentian lamented silently. His reputation had taken a nosedive, and there was no river deep enough to wash it away.

"Junior Brother and Junior Sister, let me show you around our Battle Sword Sect," Lin Shuai intervened, rescuing Qin Wentian from his predicament. Qin Wentian nodded gratefully, and they took to the skies with Ye Lingshuang and the others trailing behind.

"Our Battle Sword Sect covers hundreds of square miles, and we have a total of three thousand disciples. The peaks of these mountains are interconnected, and the disciples live in wooden houses at the summits. You can choose an empty residence for yourself." Lin Shuai led Qin Wentian and pointed to a residence nestled between two mountain ridges. The surroundings were breathtaking, exuding an air of serenity and seclusion, as if it were a sanctuary for cultivating immortals. Mist shrouded the area, creating an atmosphere conducive to uninterrupted cultivation.

"The residential area is separated from the training grounds. Over there, you can see our Battle Sword Sect's training arena. Our disciples often spar and hone their skills there. If conflicts arise among our disciples, the elders mediate, but if that fails, the parties involved can request a duel." Lin Shuai gestured toward a vast open space with a grand training arena at its center.

Qin Wentian took it all in. The Battle Sword Sect, despite having the fewest members among the nine great sects, had incredibly stringent recruitment tests. He hadn't anticipated that they would have three thousand disciples, which showcased the formidable strength of a great sect. In contrast, the other eight sects likely boasted over ten thousand disciples, each one a pinnacle talent of their generation.

Considering the vastness of the Royal Sacred Region, which included numerous powerful sects, aristocratic clans, three great empires, and several ancient kingdoms, the population was staggering. With the nine great sects being the top-tier powers beneath the Royal Sacred Sect, countless talented individuals vied for entry each year. Even if the Battle Sword Sect accepted only one out of every ten thousand applicants, the numbers would still accumulate to three thousand disciples over the centuries, which was relatively low.

"That's the Battle Sword Platform. When the sect holds major events, they sound the drums to summon all the disciples there." Lin Shuai pointed to another location.

Qin Wentian silently absorbed the information as he followed Lin Shuai. Finally, they approached nine enormous ancient mountains, each occupying an overwhelmingly vast area.

"These are the cultivation mountains. With so many disciples in our sect, it wouldn't be practical to group them all under one specialty. There are nine Sword Sovereigns who guide disciples based on their strength. Each Sword Sovereign is responsible for one of the nine mountains, with elders assisting in daily administration and helping guide the disciples."

"Senior, which mountain do you belong to?" Qin Wentian asked curiously.

"Senior Brother Lin Shuai is the personal disciple of the first mountain's Sword Sovereign, Ling Tian. Sword Sovereign Ling Tian also happens to be the sect master of our Battle Sword Sect," Ye Lingshuang responded on behalf of Lin Shuai. She continued, "The rest of us belong to the first mountain as well, but we are not the personal disciples of Sword Sovereign Ling Tian. Our masters are various elders of the first mountain."

Qin Wentian nodded in understanding. It was logical that the Sword Sovereigns couldn't personally mentor all three thousand disciples. Only personal disciples like Lin Shuai had that privilege.

"Within the nine mountains, there are nine libraries containing various cultivation arts, innate techniques, and even ancient notes. Disciples are free to explore these libraries without restrictions. Ahead of us is where the supreme elders cultivate, a forbidden area that most disciples cannot enter," Lin Shuai explained.

"Additionally, you'll notice marks and traces of ancient swordplay cultivators between some mountain peaks. These areas are open for exploration to gain insights into their swordplay techniques," Lin Shuai added.

"Now, I'll take you to an extremely important place in our Battle Sword Sect."

Lin Shuai quickened his pace, and Qin Wentian and the others followed closely behind. When Qin Wentian glanced at Ye Lingshuang, he noticed that she, along with Liu Yun and the rest, wore solemn expressions.

After some time, they arrived at the foot of a mountain where many disciples had already gathered. Upon seeing Lin Shuai, they stopped what they were doing and greeted him.

Lin Shuai, a personal disciple of the sect leader with a cultivation base in the Celestial Phenomenon Realm, commanded respect. As the crowd's attention turned to Qin Wentian and Qing`er standing behind Lin Shuai, bewilderment crossed their faces. Were these two the new disciples of the Battle Sword Sect? It was surprising to see Senior Lin Shuai personally bringing them here.

Qin Wentian maintained a reserved demeanor, his handsome appearance and extraordinary aura garnering attention. Qing`er exuded an ice-cold aura but possessed beauty comparable to celestial maidens, eclipsing even Ye Lingshuang. These two newcomers were indeed exceptional.

Qin Wentian paid little heed to the opinions of others. His gaze fixed on the mountain's peak, where a grass hut stood. It appeared ordinary, but a mysterious energy enveloped the area around it. He attempted to probe it with his perception but encountered an invisible barrier, preventing him from sensing anything within.

"Senior, what's inside that grass hut?" Qin Wentian inquired curiously.

Lin Shuai shook his head. "No one knows. Not even my master has entered it, or rather, we are unable to enter it."

Qin Wentian was astonished. He hadn't expected the Battle Sword Sect to possess such a mysterious place.

"This is where our Battle Sword Sect's founder used to cultivate. Rumors suggest that the founder reached the level of a Sword Immortal, and some speculate that his personal sword is hidden within the grass hut. Others believe it contains profound sword arts, while some say it's empty. Regardless, the mountain path leading to the grass hut holds the sword insights gained by the founder on his path of sword cultivation," Lin Shuai explained.

Lin Shuai wore a solemn expression that caught Qin Wentian's attention. Following his gaze, Qin Wentian noticed a narrow mountain pathway leading to the grass hut. Currently, several people were attempting to ascend it, but they appeared to be stuck at the foot of the mountain. The distance to the grass hut was vast, and for some reason, they were unable to make any progress.

Suddenly, a deafening sound of a whistling sword filled the air, and a powerful sword rainbow streaked across the sky, shaking the entire mountain as it produced explosive noises.

"Junior Apprentice Sister Hanyou is incredibly strong, already on the ninth step. She's one of the chosen in our Battle Sword Sect," people around them exclaimed in admiration.

"She's a personal disciple of the Plum Mountain Sword Sovereign, one of the most promising talents in our generation."

While joining the Battle Sword Sect already marked one as a genius, the praise for Junior Sister Hanyou was exceptional. Qin Wentian focused his gaze and spotted the young woman in a fiery-red dress who had unleashed the sword rainbow. This was Junior Sister Hanyou, highly regarded by her peers.

Junior Sister Hanyou had an icy countenance but a fiery figure, accentuated by her attire. She exuded an extraordinary charm.

Lin Shuai leaned in and whispered to Qin Wentian, "That's Junior Sister Li Hanyou. She joined the sect recently but was immediately accepted as a personal disciple of the Plum Mountain Sword Sovereign. Her background is impressive, hailing from the ancient Li Clan in the southern region of the Sacred Royal Sect, with the bloodline of the Blood Phoenix. Her combat prowess is astounding. Despite being only at the peak of the fifth level of Heavenly Dipper, she can effortlessly defeat those at the peak of the sixth level. She's a monstrous genius."

Lin Shuai clearly held Li Hanyou in high regard. The Battle Sword Sect had numerous geniuses, and becoming a personal disciple of one of the nine Sword Sovereigns was an extraordinary achievement.

Qin Wentian looked puzzled and asked, "Senior, which mountain should I join then? The nine mountains seem like branches of the Battle Sword Sect, but I'm not sure which one to choose."

Lin Shuai grinned and replied, "Naturally, you should join the mountain of my master, Sword Sovereign Ling Tian. As for the rugged and challenging mountain path leading to the grass hut, do you wish to give it a try?"

"The mountain path to the grass hut? Why is it so difficult?" Qin Wentian inquired.

"You'll understand when you see it. It's an essential area of our Battle Sword Sect, comparable in value to the libraries in the nine mountains. There are no restrictions, so as long as you can ascend the path, you can enter the grass hut. I've heard that a senior in our Battle Sword Sect barely managed to reach the peak and enter the hut. He was the first in our sect to do so."

Lin Shuai's words piqued Qin Wentian's curiosity. He nodded and then turned to Qinger, asking, "Qinger, do you want to come along?"

Qin Wentian turned to Qing`er and asked, "Do you want to come along?"

Qinger didn't seem particularly interested. Her clan's experts had already shared numerous suitable cultivation arts and innate techniques when they visited the Celestial Lake Palace. She felt that she had no lack of these resources. Qinger's primary reason for joining the Battle Sword Sect was to be with Qin Wentian. Given the power of the sect's members, it would be difficult for her to follow and protect him from the shadows without being mistakenly identified as an enemy. Thus, she had no choice but to join the sect together with him.

"Very well, wait here for me," Qin Wentian agreed with a smile. His figure flickered, and he reappeared on the path leading to the grass hut. As he gazed at the distant hut, Qin Wentian couldn't help but feel that the endpoint was much farther away than it appeared.

With determination, Qin Wentian took his first step. As his foot touched the ground, his surroundings transformed completely. The mountain path vanished, replaced by an ancient pathway leading to the grass hut.

Suddenly, a massive mountain wall rose before him, displaying an incredibly intricate painting.

Staring at the painting, Qin Wentian felt his senses being irresistibly drawn into it, becoming completely immersed. He couldn't help but sigh inwardly, understanding why Lin Shuai had emphasized the value of this place, likening it to the nine libraries in the nine mountains. This ancient path itself was a priceless treasure!