Chapter 182

Two thousand miles west of Bowang, West Long Road, Tianshan.

The land where the world's wind and snow lodge, a kingdom of cold dew and ice jade.

Standing on the peak, above is the vast and boundless sky, below are the mountains like a vast sea; grand, lonely, distant, and cold... this is precisely the temperament of the Tianshan Sect.

Gu Yunfu dismounted; in the boundless clear sky, high winds pushed light clouds. The dust of the human world could not reach here, the air was clear for a thousand miles, and in the distance stood the majestic main hall on the mountaintop, where even the small, chipped bronze swords hanging under the eaves were clearly visible.

Gu Yunfu unslung his sword, hung it casually on his horse, hooked the reins loosely with two fingers, and ascended the steps.

After passing the mountain gate, he bid farewell to the winding and rugged mountain path behind him; before him lay a wide and level long staircase, easily accommodating thirty people walking side by side.

As he climbed the last few steps, a smile was already on Gu Yunfu's face, but who would have expected that after coming up and looking around, he was stunned—the large Guanlan Plate was completely empty.

Gu Yunfu stepped up without stopping, turned his head to look down at the man quietly following behind him: "Why is there no one here?"

Shang Yunning did not answer, but raised his head to signal forward. Gu Yunfu turned back and saw, against the backdrop of the high sky and Cangshan, a white dress leaping down gracefully; the jade bead hairpin on her cloud bun swayed with two exquisite little phoenix pendants.

Gu Yunfu recognized her after a slight identification, recognizing this unique, clear beauty.

The jade girl of Lanzhu Pool, Fragrant Shi Zanxue; even on Tianshan, which is good at producing extraordinary people, this beauty was not something one could see everywhere.

"Junior Sister Shi." Gu Yunfu smiled and cupped his hands, "It has been years, and your spirit is even better."

The woman landed, her two long ribbons truly like a goddess from myth, her cloud-like dress clinging to her graceful body. She nodded slightly and gestured, saying: "Long time no see, Zhang Shixiong Gu. Pool Master Chu Xiaochi is in the Pool Garden."

Gu Yunfu nodded: "Many thanks, Junior Sister Shi, I will go over now."

He turned and walked two steps, only to hear the woman behind him say: "If Junior Brother Shang doesn't need to report back... the Sword-Asking Society has already begun."

Gu Yunfu turned his head and saw that Shang Yunning was still following behind him. He looked at Shi Zanxue standing quietly behind, and moved his gaze back to this junior brother with a smile: "I'll be enough, you go with Junior Sister Shi."

Shang Yunning was almost completely compliant in these matters; he nodded slightly to Shi Zanxue, and the two walked toward the mountain together.

Jade stairs and frosted pines, the scenery is high and the people are quiet; the "Eight Steeds" and "Seven Jades" should have been familiar with each other, but Shang Yunning was a quiet and distant cloud, while Shi Zanxue was like cold and clean ice; it seemed that idle chatter would never happen between them.

After being silent for a while, the woman suddenly spoke: "Perhaps the Divine Capital really nourishes people; Zhang Shixiong Gu looks much younger."

Shang Yunning's thoughts were wandering somewhere unknown; he was stunned when he heard this, not expecting this senior sister to take the initiative to talk, and gave a hum.

"Speaking of which, is Junior Brother Shang going to the Divine Capital next year to take the Feather Scale Trial?"

"Yes." Shang Yunning brought his thoughts back to the present and looked for a topic, "Is Ji Ji Shijie not taking it?"

Shi Zanxue was half a body ahead of Shang Yunning; at this moment, she looked back and revealed a faint smile: "I—"

The sound of a man's "thump, thump, thump" footsteps suddenly rang out from the path. Gu Yunfu broke out from around the corner and laughed heartily: "I suddenly remembered, is this Sword-Asking Society... attended by that Ming Ming Jianzhu Ming?"

Shi Zanxue said: "Exactly."

"Oh! Then I still have a letter from her here—it's better to prioritize the guest's affairs first." Gu Yunfu said, "I'll go up with you all first."

"... May I deliver it on your behalf?" the woman said.

"No need, no need, it's not much further to go from the Sky-Supporting Pillar to Pool Master Chu's place." Gu Yunfu laughed, "And to be honest, I'm quite curious."

He held up the two envelopes, one white and one yellow, in his hand.

——————————————

When Gu Yunfu walked up, he habitually looked first at the Qunyu Pavilion adorning the top of the distant peak, then his gaze drew closer, and the white jade-like ground of the Sky-Supporting Pillar appeared before his eyes.

The two-mile-radius peak top was two sizes smaller than the Guanlan Plate, but the Guanlan Plate nestled against the mountain and faced the cliff, serving as a place for casual activities after the mountain gate, while the Sky-Supporting Pillar stood alone, surrounded only by clouds and mist, and was usually off-limits.

Gu Yunfu stepped up, and the gauze-like clouds and mist flowed by his feet. Looking up, to the east, the East Pool, Weifeng Pool, and Xian Pool; to the west, the West Pool, Lanzhu Pool, and Heaven Pool—disciples of the six pools sat in a circle with clear distinction, wearing jade robes and long ribbons, with buns steady and backs straight, half their bodies hidden in the clouds and mist, truly like a gathering of immortals.

Ethereal immortal music drifted in from outside the clouds and mist. In the center of the field surrounded by the disciples, a lecture platform was built of white jade, with a divine tree branch, Heaven Pool water, and Kunlun jade placed on three sides respectively. Amidst all the surrounding, a figure in white sat cross-legged.

Compared to the flowing wind and flying dew dress of Shi Zanxue beside her, this white attire was simple to the point of plainness, and there was no hairpin on her head, just a white ribbon tying up her black hair.

The unsheathed sword was held in her hand.

No need to have met, and no need to be told, Gu Yunfu knew at a glance that this was that Ming Ming Jianzhu.

—If she wasn't Ming Qitian, who else could it be? If Ming Qitian wasn't like this, what else could she be?

When a person's impression is sufficiently simple and extreme, her image is hard to distort in circulation.

The woman's clear and earnest voice pierced through the immortal music.

"... Therefore, elders often say that writing the 'Five Peaks Sword' actually requires more skill than designing the 'Eight Steeds Sword'." After the woman finished this sentence, she actually tilted her head and looked over toward Gu Yunfu, "This is my humble opinion—is this, Shang Yunning, Shang Fuyu?"

For a moment, hundreds of people turned their heads, and nearly a thousand pairs of eyes were cast over at once. Gu Yunfu hurriedly stepped aside, and Shang Yunning, who was revealed behind, was also slightly stunned. He straightened his body and bowed: "Ming Ming Jianzhu Ming, I have long admired your divine bearing. I am humbly ranked in the Weifeng Pool, and I am indeed Shang Yunning."

"Long heard of you." Ming Qitian stood up and walked down from the platform, extending her arm to invite, "Could you come forward and discuss with the sword?"

"... I would be honored." Shang Yunning walked through the disciples.

Gu Yunfu watched the man walk onto the field to hold his sword and bow to the woman, and shook his head: "So it's that casual, you can go up once you arrive."

Shi Zanxue gave a faint "hmm."

"Not at all, this Sword-Asking Society is very solemn." In front of Gu Yunfu, a disciple of the East Pool sitting in the back row turned his head and said, "Several Pool Masters are here, the triple immortal rites have been performed, and she came up via the Liuxia Road earlier. Now the 'Discussion of the Dao' has just finished, and the 'Sword-Asking' has begun. We have arrangements for the candidates on our side, but since Ming Ming Jianzhu Ming took a fancy to Shang Fuyu at a glance, we have to follow the guest's wishes—speaking of which, is Shang Fuyu's sword path attainment actually this high?"

Gu Yunfu looked up and laughed.

Junior Brother Shang took the name 【Bai Yi】 two years ago, becoming the youngest among the "Eight Steeds" of this generation. He should have been one of the most eye-catching young disciples of the contemporary Tianshan. However, he was low-key and loved quiet, and did not like to show his face in various activities or martial competitions, so his reputation was always a bit weaker.

Now at the Sword-Asking Society, before the teachers and fellow disciples of the entire sect, he was invited to the center by this world-renowned Ming Ming Jianzhu as soon as he appeared. It was clear he had long been kept in mind, which could be considered a major moment in the spotlight.

Junior Brother Shang might not care much, but Gu Yunfu felt quite honored.

Knowing quality, worthy of being Ming Ming Jianzhu Ming.

Looking at the field again, he saw the two holding their swords and talking softly. Junior Brother Shang seemed to have asked about the sword in Ming Ming Jianzhu Ming's hand, and Ming Ming Jianzhu Ming turned the hilt over and handed it to him to look at.

Then the jade tripod gave a clear chime, the two retreated a few steps each, and the Sword-Asking began.

Starting with "Guest asks, host answers."

"Coming from the Southern Sect to Tianshan, one of the things I thought about on the way was the 'Five Peaks Sword' in Shang Fuyu's hand. I was regretful to hear that Shang Fuyu was not there, and this trip could not help but lose some color." Ming Qitian raised her wrist, and a silver light flashed on the sword, "Fortunately... please enlighten me."

Shang Yunning held his sword with a solemn expression: "For forty days, this has been my wish."

He took a step forward, and the clouds and mist were suddenly drawn in.

The "Five Peaks Sword" is the first sword technique that Tianshan disciples who study the art properly come into contact with, but its threshold is not low, and its upper limit is also very high. In the sparring of the Tianshan Mystic Gate Realm, one can often see this sword.

It was precisely based on one of the offensive sword moves within it that Tianshan designed the "Wind and Snow Order," a small magic tool that disciples often carry with them when they go down the mountain.

Gu Yunfu watched the dazzling and exquisite sword light on the field, his expression somewhere between understanding and not understanding—he was also a disciple of the Weifeng Pool, having come up from the East Pool, and he had practiced the "Five Peaks Sword" thoroughly, being familiar with the sword moves, sword principles, and all the essential tips.

However, what the two on the field were exchanging with swords was clearly something deeper and higher, probably the kind that could write two more pages of "Five Peaks Sword Principles" later, which made Gu Yunfu's eyes glaze over. He tilted his head and looked at the woman beside him; this jade girl seemed thoughtful, but she didn't look like she was immersed in the sword.

Shang Yunning's realm was not high; he only entered the Eighth Life two years ago before the Eight Steeds Society, and was still pondering in this realm. But in terms of sword path realm, many senior brothers and sisters of the Mystic Gate Realm, and even seniors of the previous generation, often sought him out to verify things with each other.

A person is like their sword; Shang Yunning's sword path polishing was also outstanding in its stillness and stability. He was not impatient or restless; whenever he had doubts, he would analyze them in detail to find the reason. In the "Five Peaks Sword," a sword technique that is extremely demanding, he peacefully and frankly put in the greatest effort among the contemporary disciples.

The delay in realm and the lag in sword skills never brought him any impatience, and now these efforts had long since accumulated and broken out. When learning the "Eight Steeds Sword," the second place was nearly half behind his progress.

Of course, it could be foreseen that even though the "Eight Steeds Sword" was already mastered, there was still a considerable distance from the "learning" in his own heart. However, this time he did not squander his years here again, but requested to practice one of Tianshan's supreme secret arts—the "Zhou Zhou Muwang Sword"—in early spring this year, and received permission.

Shang Yunning had not yet fought a single Feather Scale Trial, or rather, he had almost never made a move in front of outsiders. Although he was conservatively listed on the Fu List by the Immortal Platform, that was far from his true level. Thinking of the scene where Junior Brother Shang would shock everyone at the Feather Scale Trial next year, Gu Yunfu couldn't help but have more smiles on his brows.

When his thoughts returned to the present, the first stage had already ended. The two on the field were talking about the gains and losses just now. This process lasted for nearly two quarters of an hour. Nearly a thousand disciples listened quietly, and many were surprised that this junior brother could actually make Ming Ming Jianzhu Ming have so many insights.

Although Junior Brother Shang's sword realm was superb, he was after all a whole great realm behind. The height of the realm would limit the practitioner's vision; this was something that could not be overcome.

In an instant, Shang Yunning changed in the hearts of many from "a very talented junior brother" to "a young sword path master who can discuss swords on the same stage as Ming Ming Jianzhu Ming."

Many had long ignored that Ming Qitian was actually less than two years older than Shang Yunning.

After a pleasant conversation, it was time for "Host asks, guest answers." Ming Qitian held her sword and said: "Which sword technique of Yunlang Mountain does Shang Fuyu want to see?"

Shang Yunning was silent for a long while, until the silence on the field became a bit strange. He finally smiled, his face rarely showing a helpless expression: "I'm sorry, Ming Ming Jianzhu Ming... I am too greedy."

Ming Qitian smiled faintly: "It doesn't matter, whatever you want to see, I will demonstrate them one by one."

As soon as these words came out, a series of light "wows" rang out on the jade platform, adding a lot of harmonious human atmosphere to the cold and refined "gathering of immortals."

Gu Yunfu hissed: "Is Ming Ming Jianzhu Ming actually this approachable?"

"I had originally decided to watch the 'Sword Discussion,' but seeing the Ming Ming Jianzhu today, I couldn't help but want to watch the 'Carefree'..." Shang Yunning shook his head and sighed again. When he raised his head, his expression had calmed down, "I have decided, Ming Ming Jianzhu Ming. One cannot clear the heart if one is greedy. Today I will not watch any of them—it's just that I have encountered obstacles while studying the 'Zhou Zhou Muwang Sword' recently, and I dare to ask Ming Ming Jianzhu Ming for guidance."

"'Zhou Zhou Muwang Sword'?" Ming Qitian could not help but be surprised.

This was one of Tianshan's best sword techniques.

Even within the Thirty-Three Sword Sects, the activity of "Sword-Asking" had specifications due to the status of host and guest. As the only true disciple of Yunlang Mountain of this generation, Ming Qitian could theoretically ask for all sword techniques of the other thirty-two sects, because Yunlang Mountain could always produce sword techniques of corresponding specifications to open to the other party.

But the problem here was not this—mainly, before the Xian Pool Sword-Asking started tomorrow, Ming Qitian had not even seen the Zhou Zhou Muwang Sword once.

With so many teachers like Ye Wohan sitting here, why not ask them for guidance?

"Yes, I want to ask the Ming Ming Jianzhu for guidance on this sword technique." Shang Yunning said, "Or rather, I want to see how the Ming Ming Jianzhu learns it."

Now Ming Qitian understood.

What he wanted to see and learn was not the sword of Yunlang Mountain, but the sword of Ming Qitian.

Shang Yunning turned and bowed to the east: "Disciple requests to borrow the Zhou Zhou Muwang Sword manual for Ming Ming Jianzhu Ming to view."

These words made Gu Yunfu raise an eyebrow.

Although one could view a hundred swords, studying a sword manual was another matter worth discussing. A figure like Ming Qitian could probably learn the Zhou Zhou Muwang Sword if she really wanted to, but after all, it had to be solemnly requested and recorded in the register, and the Yunlang Mountain side would also have to make corresponding exchanges.

To put it bluntly, Ming Qitian had the permission to "purchase" this, but this was a major sect business, and there was no reason to give it to others voluntarily—what the "Wind Earl and Rain Master Sword-Offering Chapter" of the Big and Small Yun Mountains exchanged for in Yunlang Mountain had not been revealed to this day.

These thoughts flashed through his mind. Gu Yunfu followed Shang Yunning's gaze, only to see the man in the clouds and mist whose face could not be seen wave his hand casually, and a book broke through the smoke and flew into Shang Yunning's hand.

"I don't think this question is very clever." The man's voice followed, "In this sword technique, Ming Ming Jianzhu Ming's way of learning should not be the same path as yours... but it's up to you, it won't hurt to look."

"Thank you, Pool Master Ye." Shang Yunning bowed with his sleeves.

Ming Qitian took the book and only flipped through the first thirty-seven pages, which happened to be the content of the first move, and then closed it and returned it.

She gently stroked the hilt of her sword with her thumb and paced a few steps on the field with her head down.

"To learn this move, I need nineteen days." The woman said slowly, "Three days to decipher the moves, four days to analyze the principles, ten days to understand the intent, two days to integrate—that's how I learned it. Do you have any difficulties with this move?"

This chapter is not an extra update; I still owe everyone 34 chapters.

And that's all for today. Let's update at 12:00 noon on the 15th. It will return to 4000 words later.

(End of this chapter)