Chapter 54: 54. Chapter Fifty-Four

54. Chapter Fifty-Four

Guan San is currently petting the server, please complete your subscription to defeat him! When assigning dorms, Guo Huai once said that the female disciples of the Beihai Sword Sect didn't even fill five rooms, and in reality, after Atian moved in, the twentieth floor wasn't full either.

Aside from Bai Tian herself, the other three residents are Su Ying, who lives next door to Atian, Chen Zhi, who is traveling abroad, and Liu Yan, who is stationed at the Sword Scripture Pavilion.

These are the "Three Great Heavenly Kings" of the Beihai Sword Sect.

With Bai Tian here, they finally had enough people for a game of mahjong.

The Beihai Sword Sect opens its mountain gates once every fifteen years, which leads to many of the disciples here having come up the mountain in their childhood; the scarcity of female Sword Cultivators also means they have little experience interacting with women of their own age. Although they might gather together to discuss which sect's female cultivators are prettier, it is too difficult for them to actually step forward and strike up a conversation.

They don't dare to step forward, but secretly discussing is always fine, right?

Thus, whispers filled every corner of the Classroom. Atian sat upright in her seat, returning a polite smile to every curious gaze cast her way; she truly had the demeanor of a refined young lady.

"Tap, tap, tap."

A series of footsteps approached from afar, and the buzzing discussion vanished instantly. A slender young man wearing a cyan outer robe stepped over the threshold, walking straight ahead until he reached the podium.

Not until he stood still did Atian see the other's appearance clearly. It was a face that could be called delicate, yet it carried a slight look of illness. Even though his posture was like a sword, it was hard not to be left with the impression of someone frail and sickly.

"Cough, cough, cough, cough, cough..." The young man opened his mouth and let out a string of coughs, living up to the impression others had of him. "... Since there are new disciples entering, I shall introduce myself. My name is Li Ke, and I am one of the Elders of the Beihai Sword Sect, specifically responsible for the Enlightenment of disciples."

"Those who cultivate immortality seek the Dao and longevity, and yearn for freedom and ease. Whether one is a Sword Cultivator, a Dharma Cultivator, or a Demonic Cultivator, one cannot avoid a single topic, and that is—how does one seek the True Immortal?"

Speaking to this point, Li Ke coughed a few more times. He took out a meditation cushion from somewhere and sat down, looking every bit like he was prepared for a heart-to-heart talk.

"People of our generation emphasize Life Dual Cultivation. 'Life' refers to character and temperament, and 'longevity' naturally refers to one's lifespan. Different Dao Lineages have different answers to this: Dharma Cultivators call it Drawing Qi into the Body, Demonic Cultivators call it Demonic Thought Connecting to Divinity, and we Sword Cultivators call it Testing Heaven with the Sword."

"There are Three Thousand Great Daos, and there is more than one path to the heavens, but in the final analysis, one must choose what is most suitable for oneself."

"Elder! Elder!" Atian raised her hand to ask, "Are there any commonalities between these Dao Lineages?"

Upon hearing this, Li Ke pondered for a moment and actually gave an answer: "Yes, the first stage is called Qi Refining, and the second stage is called Foundation Establishment. However, after Foundation Establishment, we don't have any more; it all depends on one's Sword Cultivation attainment. The Dharma Cultivators have titles like Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Spirit Severing, and Great Vehicle; they argue over rankings every day, and they aren't even ashamed of it..."

This was likely a joke, and a burst of laughter erupted in the Classroom. Atian didn't laugh; these conventional common-sense facts of the cultivation world were all very novel to her.

"The methods of Dharma Cultivators and Demonic Cultivators can wait until Senior Brother Tan Tianming comes to teach... cough, cough, cough, cough, cough... He is a proper Dharma Cultivator from the Taixuan Sect. Everyone here possesses a Sword Bone, so I shall speak about us Sword Cultivators."

"Cough, Sword Cultivator, as the name implies, one's entire cultivation lies in the Sword. And where does the sword come from? A Sword Cultivator's sword is not made of common iron, but comes from within your own body. That's right, it is the Sword Bone gestated within you."

"Only when the Sword Bone within you grows enough to condense into a physical form and leave your body can you be considered to have gained the opportunity for Sword Cultivator Entry, and your Sword Bone determines your Sword Heart."

After finishing this, Li Ke suddenly stopped. He unhurriedly took a snow-white handkerchief from his sleeve to cover his mouth, followed by a series of heart-wrenching coughs. The intensity of it made Atian worry he might cough his own lungs out.

"Elder Li practices the Sick Sword; he likes to spit blood and lie in bed when he has nothing to do. You'll get used to it," Zhao Kuo whispered to Bai Tian.

"Sick Sword?" Atian blinked.

"It is said that once he draws his sword, a hundred-mile radius will be swept by a plague, and even cultivators will be struck by it. That is why Elder Li rarely leaves the mountain gate. Honestly, the sect internally uses whether Elder Li makes a move or not to judge if we are going to fight someone to the death."

Atian nodded in understanding. No matter where one is, weapons of mass destruction always serve as a deterrent.

While they were whispering, the "weapon of mass destruction" had stopped coughing and resumed his lecture.

"The Sword Bone is gestated by the cultivator's essence, Qi, and spirit. It represents your origin, and the Life-bound Sword forged by the Sword Bone is born with its own name. Its name and power imply your Sword Heart."

"The Sword Heart is the true heart of a Sword Cultivator. It is the Dao method most suitable for you. No matter how unexpected it may be, you must open your heart to accept it, otherwise, you are cutting yourself off from the path of the Sword Cultivator. Look, I've been sickly every day, haven't I still lived for several hundred years?"

As he spoke, Li Ke's complexion turned even paler.

"Other sects are betting on when Elder Li will kick the bucket, but he's actually faking the illness. The bookie for the bets is the Sect Master himself. Just from this one pool, we've emptied the pockets of those fat sheep." What Zhao Kuo said didn't match his serious expression at all.

"Elder! Elder!" Atian raised her hand again, "How should we awaken our own Sword Bone!"

As soon as these words were spoken, many disciples groaned and buried their heads in their hands. Li Ke, however, had eyes that lit up, and he didn't even care about coughing anymore, praising: "Good question!"

"There is no shortcut to communicating with the Sword Bone," he stood up with a 'swish', a smile appearing on his pale face, "Only by dissecting oneself and liberating one's nature is the only way out!"

"Everyone's understanding of themselves is one-sided and blurry," he patted his own chest, his emotions becoming inexplicably high, "Calm your mind, and you will discover many versions of yourself you never even imagined!"

"I know this sounds shameful, but you need to cast aside unnecessary shame, or you will be trapped deep within and unable to extricate yourself. Come! Liberate your nature! Just like when you all, in order for Xin Li to be elected to the top of the 'Heaven and Earth Talent Ranking', didn't hesitate to put on women's clothing to go vote again!"

Before the words had even faded, a chorus of wailing erupted in the Classroom.

Atian: It seems I've heard something incredible.

Zhao Kuo added blankly: "As an aside, in order not to let their elaborate cross-dressing go to waste, they also went to pad the rankings for the 'Female Cultivator Most Wanted to Spend the Night With' list."

"Regret? No, I don't regret it. Once you are immersed in the Senior Brother cult, you will find everything is relaxed and pleasant."

"This is why I already possess the Mountain Breaker, while they are still in Enlightenment."

The huge reaction from the male disciples drew a reprimand from Li Ke, who was disappointed that they wouldn't live up to his expectations: "What are you howling about! You must accept that version of yourself that wears women's clothing! The shameful you, the embarrassed you, are all you! Otherwise, when will you ever discover your true heart and resonate with your Sword Bone! I don't want to see you bunch of long faces again next year!"

By the time the class ended, it was already noon. The male disciples, whose dark history had been exposed by Elder Li in front of the Junior Sister, walked out of the Classroom one by one, dejected. Atian, however, began to look forward to lunch in a relaxed and happy mood. Song Zhicheng, on the other hand, tugged at Zhao Kuo's sleeve, signaling him to stay behind.

"Senior Brother Zhao, after listening to the lecture today, I, your Junior Brother, have something I don't understand."

"Oh?" Zhao Kuo, who had finally managed to be called "Senior Brother", raised an eyebrow.

"Elder Li said we all possess Sword Bones, and he also described the manifestations of those who have them. I consider myself to be outstanding in martial prowess and impervious to common blades, yet when I encounter Junior Sister Bai, it's just... I, oh no, I, your Junior Brother, am a grown man after all, and being unable to beat a little girl is just... is it that I am too weak, or is the grade of Junior Sister Bai's Sword Bone truly that high?"

"Not bad, to be able to discover her abnormality, you can be considered a person with a brain."

Zhao Kuo grinned, and relying on the fact that Song Zhicheng didn't know how cowardly he was in front of Bai Tian, he put on the airs of a Senior Brother.

"I asked Master about this, and he told me that the reason Junior Sister Bai is different from ordinary people is that her Sword Bone is already completed."

"Sword Bone... completed?"

"The Sword Bone, just like other parts of your body, matures slowly over time. Like you people who have just entered, most are at the Sword Bone Germination or Sword Bone Forming stage. The Sword Bone inside your body hasn't reached the state where it can be formed into a sword and taken out; it still needs to be slowly nurtured and gestated. This is the Qi Refining Early Stage for us Sword Cultivators. Once your Sword Bone grows to the point where it can be taken out, you can forge your own Life-bound Sword, which is the Qi Refining Middle Stage. The so-called Sword Bone Completed is the sign of the Qi Refining Late Stage. One step further is Foundation Establishment, which is when you are truly considered to have entered the path."

"And Junior Sister Bai, her Sword Bone has already grown to the point where it can be taken out, which means she is equivalent to a cultivator at the Qi Refining Late Stage. A mortal like you is naturally no match for her."

Speaking to this point, Zhao Kuo touched his chin thoughtfully.

"However, to show such abnormality while it's still inside the body... that sword inside Junior Sister Bai's body is really not an ordinary vicious thing..."

"Senior Brother Zhao! Senior Brother Song!" Atian's voice came from afar.

"Incredible, truly incredible."

Zhao Kuo walked toward the young girl who was waving at them, his hands behind his back and shaking his head.

No, it should be said that her life had returned to the right track.

The corners of Atian's mouth curled into an arc, looking like mockery and also like cold sarcasm. She closed her eyes, and when she opened them again, she had returned to her curious expression.

To be fair, the Beihai Sword Sect could fully satisfy any ordinary person's imagination of an immortal sect; whether it was the Martial Arts Arena floating in mid-air or the towering, majestic main hall, they were wonders unseen in the mortal world, and even she, who had not yet been initiated, could feel the stern Sword Intent contained within them.

Amazing, it is truly amazing.

This is the place where you should stay.

She felt the blood throughout her entire body flowing rapidly, every bone emitted a silent cheer, her nature, suppressed for over ten years, was quietly awakening, secretly letting out its first breath.

This is a bit troublesome.

Atian thought nonchalantly while pressing her hand against her heart, yet she did not seem too bothered.

The living quarters specifically opened for disciples were located on the southernmost side of the Floating Island; one could see clusters of yellow houses from afar, and they were not arranged in neat, orderly rows, but rather formed a "small mountain" in a somewhat crooked manner, as if someone had randomly stacked these houses together after getting drunk.

The Inner Affairs Hall, which distributed daily necessities and assigned rooms, was located at the foot of this "small mountain," and the cultivator in charge had a rather prosperous appearance, especially that round, bulging belly that made one want to pat it.

"Oh my, another newcomer on the island," the chubby cultivator said with a smile as he sized the two of them up, "I am Guo Huai, the Grand General Manager of this entire island; you may call me Uncle Guo."

As he said this, he rummaged through a mountain of miscellaneous items piled behind him and pulled out two sets of clothing, distributing one to each person.

Guo Huai claimed to be the Grand General Manager of the Beihai Sword Sect, but Bai Tian did not dare to truly treat him as just a manager; on the way here, she had already figured out the general situation of this unconventional Xiuxianmen from the Sword Attendant Boy's intermittent, erratic explanations.

Perhaps to restrain this group of lawless cultivators, the cultivation world was a place that placed great emphasis on seniority and qualifications; every form of address was a symbol of status and could not be used carelessly. Since the Beihai Sword Sect had no Supreme Elder, the ranking of seniority followed the Sect Master; before the Sect Master of this generation achieved Ascension, all cultivators of the same generation addressed him as Senior Brother, while disciples who entered during his tenure were all considered the next generation.

Therefore, the Beihai Sword Sect would only ever have two generations existing at the same time; meanwhile, because seniority was only recalculated upon the Sect Master's Ascension, it was not unusual for people of the same generation to have an age gap of several hundred years.

What? You ask what happens to the other Elders who haven't achieved Ascension if the Sect Master achieves Ascension?

No, that doesn't exist.

If a Sect Master, who is entangled in miscellaneous affairs all day, can achieve Ascension, and the Elders, who can cultivate to their heart's content, haven't, how useless would you say they are?

Such people, in the cultivation world with its astonishing elimination rate, generally don't live long enough to become Elders.

Guo Huai letting Atian and Song Zhicheng call him "Uncle" indicated that he was of the same generation as the Sect Master and was indeed one of the Elders standing at the top of the Beihai Sword Sect's pyramid.

The Sword Attendant Boy's introduction also confirmed Atian's guess, "This is the Deacon Elder of the sect, publicly recognized as the one who has the hardest time finding a partner."

"What?"

The latter half of the sentence was too shocking, and Song Zhicheng couldn't help but scream, though his own second half wasn't much better.

"Does the sect not issue wives?! I heard that immortals are all issued wives!"

"Are you mentally disabled?"

Atian was momentarily startled, thinking she had spoken her inner thoughts aloud, only to hear the Sword Attendant Boy continue: "What kind of misunderstanding do you have about this sect full of old bachelors?"

"In the entire cultivation world, in terms of the number of bachelors, aside from those monks at Fahua Temple, this is the place!"

A bolt from the blue!

Having suffered a fatal blow, Song Zhicheng withered at a speed visible to the naked eye; when mortals yearn for immortals, they always harbor the most simple and beautiful dreams, such as being full or being warm, and although the dream Song Zhicheng harbored was a bit different, it was still a simple dream nonetheless.

Now, his simple dream had been ruthlessly shattered.

"Deceived..." he sat down on the ground powerlessly, "... deceived!"

A grown man actually sat on the ground and cried like that, leaving Atian dumbfounded; she couldn't help but cast her gaze toward the one with the highest seniority present, and then she saw a chubby man who was equally heartbroken.

"Damn it... these words must have been taught by Junior Sister Luo," Guo Huai muttered while clutching his heart, "... hit right in the sore spot, why hurt me like this, when it's clear that the others are no better off, even Grandmaster Senior Brother is still single..."

Speaking of this, he suddenly raised his eyes to look at Atian, then immediately buried his head and wept, "Woooo... I also want a child bride..."

As the only person on the scene who could understand this meme, Atian patted his thick shoulder to show comfort.

As a successful cultivator, Guo Huai's ability to withstand blows was extremely outstanding; his withering lasted only a moment before he wiped away his tears to assign rooms and other necessities to the two new junior disciples.

"There is still an empty room in the northeast corner of the first floor, so it will go to Junior Nephew Song; as for Junior Niece Bai, go to the second room on the twentieth floor."

Upon hearing this, Song Zhicheng was no longer dejected, even forgetting his self-reference of "I," "Why is she on the twentieth floor and I am on the first?"

Guo Huai looked weary, "Because the female cultivators of the Beihai Sword Sect haven't even filled the twentieth floor."

Looking up at the twentieth floor, which had only five rooms, and habitually scratching his foot, Song Zhicheng wisely remained silent.

However, he wanted peace, but someone insisted on not letting him have it; to be precise, it was a Sword Rack that wouldn't let him have peace.

"Since both of you have been registered, you are officially members of the Beihai Sword Sect; the friendly guidance ends here, please perform the next task on your own."

The following events were simply appalling; the Sword Attendant Boy, maintaining an expressionless face, ordered Atian and Song Zhicheng around, and the two of them ran almost all over the entire Beihai Sword Sect on their own two feet; even when they raised objections, they only received "I am just a Sword Rack, I cannot walk" or "Know your place! I am the Sword Rack in the Sect Master's room!", the former specifically for Bai Tian, the latter aimed at Song Zhicheng, with the differential treatment being very obvious.

Guo Huai comforted the bearded bandit who was about to smoke with anger like this, "Just endure it, female Sword Cultivators are the treasures of the entire cultivation world."

It was already evening when Atian arrived at Shengxian Town with Zhao Kuo, and even without counting the time in the Sword Washing Pool, after such a toss, the sky had long since turned completely dark, which further increased the difficulty of finding the way; by the time she ran this round and returned to the Sword Attendant Boy, she was almost drowned by the fatigue surging in like a tide.

Aside from her astonishing attack power, she considered herself no different from an ordinary young lady of a noble family, and a young lady who never stepped out of the house would certainly not have the opportunity to strengthen her physical fitness; having encountered the Beihai Sword Sect, which did not play by the rules, she naturally had to accept her fate.

However, the benefits of the Beihai Sword Sect doing this were also obvious; at the very least, she felt that she would definitely not get lost on the Floating Island in the future; although the initiation task had the suspicion of being a torment, it really allowed them to understand this place in the fastest way possible.

Wiping away the sweat beads on her forehead, the somewhat physically exhausted Atian still gritted her teeth and walked to the Sword Attendant Boy and Guo Huai, who were waiting in place.

Facing the weary-looking girl, Guo Huai frowned, but in the end, he glanced at the Sword Attendant Boy, patted his round belly, and said nothing.

"The last item," the Sword Attendant Boy's emotionless voice rang out, "Pay respects to the Senior Brother."

Pay respects to the Senior Brother?