Sword

This is Eternal Sect's Sword Peak.

Countless swords were embedded in the mountain peak, resembling tombstones.

The entire peak was shrouded in a sharp sword aura.

A woman, dressed in pure white Taoist robes, ascended the peak.

It was Zhao Shisan, who broke into the fourth realm that day.

She could hear the countless swords resonating and howling.

Shaking her head, she rejected the goodwill of these swords and proceeded towards the summit.

Normally, disciples could come to Sword Peak to choose a sword starting from the second realm.

Still, she waited until the fourth realm.

She wanted to try that sword again.

It was the sword left by her senior uncle, tempered in the thunder cloud and was extremely sharp. It held special significance for Zhao Shisan.

She hoped to be closer to her senior uncle.

She saw the sword still standing quietly at the top of the peak, radiating an indescribable aura—moderation.

Few swords evoked thoughts of this word, but this sword stood like a Confucian gentleman, known as the Junzi Sword.

Zhao Shisan reached out her hand, pure as jade, seemingly inviting, but the sword remained unmoved.

She grasped the hilt but gave up after a few breaths.

Even with the power of Mount Moving, she cannot draw this sword.

She sat by the sword, leaning against it, like leaning on a loved one.

"Do you think he will come back?"

No one answered her; only the swords on the mountain howled.

The swords trembled, and Zhao Shisan's heart stirred slightly.

A person came from below, also in pure white clothing but not Eternal Sect's Taoist robe.

It was a man with a face as charming as a woman's.

"Nice-looking," she complimented.

Ye Xiaowei looked up, smiling slightly.

She was curious. This person showed no sign of spiritual energy but managed to reach the imposing Sword Peak.

Ye Xiaowei naturally won't answer her unspoken question.

He looked at the sword.

It flew towards him, circling him like a loyal dog welcoming its master.

Ye Xiaowei shook his head.

"I just came to see you."

This seemed more like a response to Zhao Shisan, but he continued to look at the sword.

He never touched the hilt, even when the sword flew before him and invited him to.

He gestured for it to go back, but the sword seemed reluctant.

He kicked the sword, and it returned to its place, embedded in the ground.

Zhao Shisan was somewhat astonished but remained silent.

"It seems like it has waited for the person it has been waiting for."

Ye Xiaowei shook his head and sat down on the ground.

Even though the Sword Peak was filled with sword energy, the two of them seemed unaffected.

Zhao Shisan was also deeply loved by these swords in the fourth realm because of her intelligent aptitude.

What about Ye Xiaowei?

Time has passed too long, and there were many things he didn't remember.

The feeling of holding a sword seemed to be getting farther away from him.

"I am not the person it is waiting for, at least not now."

Zhao Shisan stared closely at the eyes of the man in front of her, exceptionally attractive, like a clear spring.

Her heart calmed down.

"Which peak's genius are you? Why have I never seen you before?"

She asked curiously.

Although she was usually immersed in cultivation and paid little attention to the disciples within the sect, she had heard of outstanding talents.

The man in front of her looked like an ordinary mortal, yet he could freely come up and down the Sword Peak.

There were only two possibilities: either he was hiding his cultivation, at least Zhao Shisan couldn’t see it, or he possessed an innate Sword Body, which was welcomed by these swords.

She couldn’t discern which it was, but curiosity intensified in her eyes.

"You are quite impressive, already at the fourth realm at such a young age."

Ye Xiaowei, actually only sixteen years old, gave guidance to Zhao Shisan, who was seventeen. It was as if he were an elder advising a disciple; he was calm and composed.

"But pursuing rapid breakthroughs in realms excessively is not a good thing. I hope you can understand."

Zhao Shisan remained unmoved.

"Even that outstanding talent from hundreds of years ago was perished in the heavenly tribulation."

Zhao Shisan's eyes began to show hostility.

She knew the person Ye Xiaowei was referring to was her senior uncle.

"How dare you comment on him."

Disgust appeared in her eyes as if Ye Xiaowei had tainted the proudest existence in her heart.

"No matter how Eternal Sect tries to justify him by saying that he successfully broke through the Tao Proving, and ascended immortality after reaching Sainthood. But every discerning person knows he fell. Otherwise, why didn't he take away his sword but instead leaving it on this bare mountain peak?"

Zhao Shisan wanted to speak in defense, but she realized that what Ye Xiaowei said was indeed true.

If her senior uncle were alive, why didn't he reclaim his beloved sword?

"My senior uncle is not dead."

She could only say this, looking at the sword beside her.

"He might indeed not be dead."

Ye Xiaowei stood up and descended the mountain.

Ignoring the myriad swords around, the real sword in his heart was the only one he had seen.

When the crescent moon hung in the sky, he returned to the cave on Sky-Watching Peak.

Jade was not there, and the cave appeared even more desolate.

He lay on the bamboo chair for a while, and his thoughts started to become confused again.

He could sense the spiritual energy between heaven and earth, but this spiritual energy was like a fleeting wind.

He was more like a dilapidated wooden house in the wind, with the wind passing through without lingering.

Closing his eyes, he entered a small world.

It was a small world that existed in the bodies of cultivators, just like Jade and the others.

However, Ye Xiaowei's small world lacked the river, the unusual phenomenon of a round moon.

There was only a withered tree, a dry well, and a dilapidated wooden house.

Ye Xiaowei investigated the bottom of the well and discovered a drop of water.

He condensed the water and dropped it onto the withered tree.

The water disappeared in an instant, but the tree remained withered.

With a sign, he opened his eyes and returned to the cave.

He was covered with a blanket, and Jade lay silently on the bed, breathing steadily and powerfully.

He leaned over, gently caressing her delicate waist, and he held her gently.

Even if the heavens won't let him compete this lifetime, he is already contented.

It was late at night, and Jade gently pulled down his hand, seemingly uncomfortable at the waist.

Instead, she moved Ye Xiaowei's hand upward.

As a result, his hand felt a soft, warm... small mountain peak.

…

The next day, Ye Xiaowei opened his eyes groggily and saw Jade's face, slightly angry and blushing.

His hand subconsciously scratched.

A scream pierced through heaven and earth.

Ye Xiaowei awkwardly withdrew his hand, rolled his eyes, and said, "I am innocent! Last night, without saying a word, you climbed onto my bed, forcefully dragged my hand onto your... your chest..."

Ye Xiaowei became more and more aggrieved as he spoke, but Jade's face was rapidly changing.

From red to blue and then to black.

"Young lord, stop talking about it. I have something to tell you."

The two were facing each other under the covers.

Ye Xiaowei was puzzled. "What is it?"

"Young lord, you also need to cultivate..."

"I'm lazy. Besides, haven't they all said that I have no Tao root and no destiny for cultivation?"

Jade's face darkened.

"But yesterday, I heard Master say that some people, even without Tao root, still succeeded to enter the realm through hard work."

Ye Xiaowei nodded.

Thinking he agreed, Jade giggled, "Young lord, I will work hard in my cultivation and find a way to cure your illness."

Ye Xiaowei nodded again.

"I have to go back to practice today; I'll come back in the evening. Master doesn't allow me to leave the peak, so I sneaked out. Hehe..."

"Then you should go back now."

Jade hurriedly got up, quickly tidied her clothes, and casually combed her hair a few times.

"I'm leaving."

Then she paused, turned around, and said, "Master said the Sword Trial Assembly is in half a month. If you can enter the realm by then, you will be qualified to participate. By then, you can go to various peaks for cultivation. Young lord, you have to work hard. I'll be waiting for you at Tianxuan Peak. Hehe..."

Then she skipped out like a child.

Ye Xiaowei sighed helplessly.

On that night, he didn't see Jade again.

On the second night, Jade still didn't come.

There was a broken bamboo on the bamboo chair.

Ye Xiaowei found a machete and went to the back mountain to cut bamboo to repair the chair.

It was the third night.

The cold moonlight penetrated through the skylight of the cave.

Ye Xiaowei lay on the bamboo chair.

Jade opened the door and grinned when she saw Ye Xiaowei.

She climbed onto the bed and wrapped herself in a blanket, leaving only her head exposed, looking at Ye Xiaowei.

Ye Xiaowei shook the bamboo chair, looking through the window at the sky.

Finally, he thought about how he should live.

He saw the wound on Jade's arm.

He smiled and said, "Don't hide it; was it your good master who did this?"

Jade giggled with narrowed eyes.

"If there's nothing, don't come here. Focus on your cultivation. Come during the full moon."

"Master has no ill intentions; he's just afraid I won't concentrate on cultivation. Young lord, don't mind it."

"Does it hurt?"

Ye Xiaowei's tone was extremely calm, like moonlight gently falling on his face.

"Not at all."

"I haven't even scolded you. He just takes himself too seriously."

"Young lord, it's fine. Master has taught me many useful skills, hehe..."

"I see..."

Ye Xiaowei responded and closed his eyes as if entering a dreamland.

He found himself in that secluded place again.

The dry well, the withered tree, and the dilapidated house.

In the cracks of the well's mud, there were two drops of water.

He condensed the water and poured it on the roots of the withered tree.

He acted like a sincere gardener, doing this every day.

At some point, the withered fruits hanging from the withered tree seemed to tremble slightly.

With just this tremor, the entire world was like a calm lake, and a stone was thrown, creating ripples.

Ye Xiaowei looked at those withered fruits and smiled.

In the passing years, this place should have had a mighty river, and the wooden house was not just a house but a mansion.

The tree should have been vibrant, bearing countless Tao fruits.