Chapter 54: Renowned Throughout the World

The South, Nine Peaks Mountain Range, Sword Hut.

This mountain range is famous throughout the world; the lifelong dream of many swordsmen is to climb to the summit and gaze upon the ten-thousand-fathom peaks. Yet, this imagined holy land is, in reality, extremely crude in appearance.

On the lush, grassy summit, inside a hut as simple and unadorned as a cattle shed, Jian Wudao sits quietly. The furnishings inside the hut are also very simple: a desk and a few stacks of books.

The desk is still extremely rough, as if it were casually carved from a tree stump.

Its only merit is that it is level—extremely level.

At this moment, incense curls from the burner on the desk. Jian Wudao, looking like an eighty-year-old man with white hair and beard, yet possessing a rosy, childlike complexion, sits with his eyes closed in silence.

He holds a volume of sword manual in his hand; the title on the side reads, "Detailed Explanation of Sword Dao Fundamentals."

His other hand gently taps his knee, as if he is calculating, reciting silently, or pondering something.

"Tianren Zongshi."

Suddenly, a voice calls out from outside the hut.

Jian Wudao opens his eyes and sees a young man in white robes leaping nimbly into the Sword Hut. A golden light flickers in his palm, transforming into a hovering golden sheet of paper.

"Tianren Zongshi, a new Tianren Zongshi has appeared on the Merit Board!"

He points to the last name on the golden paper: "Brother Chong Er. What a strange name. I don't know which sect this Tianren Zongshi belongs to, but they actually went and destroyed a Nether-Domain-level Mo River. This pseudonym doesn't look like someone from the Mo River Bureau."

Jian Wudao's expression is flat, and he says coldly, "What does that have to do with you?"

"I'm just curious."

The young man, knowing his master's temper, says with a chuckle, "Those old Grandmasters either sit in their sects, not daring to risk danger easily, or they are in low-profile seclusion, striving for the Three Imperishable Realms to increase their lifespan. They wouldn't do such thankless work. It must be some newly promoted Tianren Zongshi; I want to go and spar with them."

"Wanting to go down the mountain again?"

Jian Wudao, expressionless, directly exposes the young man's true thoughts: "To practice the sword, one must be able to endure this loneliness! There are hundreds of millions of swordsmen in the world. If you want to stand proudly among the heroes with the three-foot sword in your hand, how can you do it without putting in a thousand or ten thousand times more hard work than them? If you could put more of your heart into the sword, you would have already stepped into the Three Imperishable Realms."

*You really dare to say that; I don't even dare to listen... * the young man mutters to himself. Striving for the Three Imperishable Realms—just thinking about it is difficult.

He lowers his head and mumbles, "Tianren Zongshi, if this disciple could spar more with other Grandmasters, I would certainly be able to advance further..."

"Hmph, when I stepped into the Tianren Zongshi Realm, I went into seclusion to comprehend the sword for three years. When I broke through, I achieved the Three Imperishable Realms on my own. There was no need to spar with others."

Jian Wudao lets out a cold snort. Knowing his third disciple's mind is scattered, he cannot help but think of his other disciple, and his expression softens slightly: "How is the teaching of your Junior Sister going?"

"Junior Sister has already stepped half a foot into the Shenyou Realm, with 180 soul condensations. Tsk tsk, she is much stronger than I was back then. Tianren Zongshi, you are truly biased!" The young man says she is biased, but his face is full of smiles.

Jian Wudao rolls his eyes: "If you could comprehend the Sword Heart within a year of entering the sect, I would also be willing to make a trip to the Dao Palace to exchange for a True Person's soul inheritance for you."

"I don't want Tianren Zongshi to beg others."

"Besides, Junior Sister is devoted to the sword; she will comprehend the Sword Spirit sooner or later. I cannot compare."

The young man says with a grin, "Speaking of which, Junior Sister should thank Tianren Zongshi properly. It is thanks to you bringing her out of that Divine General Mansion; otherwise, she would only be able to inherit that Li Clan's heroic soul. Eighty soul condensations are certainly not bad, but they are only at our level. It would be difficult to reach the super-first-class level comparable to the Imperial Family as she has now."

"And I heard that the soul inheritance of the Divine General Mansion has many restrictions..."

"Shut up!" Jian Wudao reprimands.

The young man is slightly startled and quickly stops speaking.

"The Li Clan is, after all, guarding the border and has slain countless demons. How can you discuss them behind their backs?" Jian Wudao reprimands coldly.

The young man knows he spoke out of turn, scratches his head, and says, "It is this disciple's fault. This disciple still respects the Li Clan very much."

"Hmph, within three months, if you haven't practiced that 'Moon Sleepless' to the Ultimate Layer, prepare to go stay at the Sword Cliff."

Jian Wudao says coldly, "You should also look less at this Mo River register. The affairs of the Mo River have nothing to do with you; that is the business of the Tianzhao Divine General Mansion. When you reach the Three Imperishable Realms, I will naturally let you go down the mountain. Otherwise, with your current level, if you go down the mountain to establish a sect and are challenged, it will be my face that is lost!"

The young man retreats sullenly, not daring to delay.

"A newcomer on the Merit Board?"

In a certain sect, someone happens to be looking through the Merit Board and immediately notices the name that has appeared.

"A full 100 contribution points? Did they directly destroy a Nether-Domain-level Mo River? Which Tianren Zongshi has come out of the mountains?"

"Brother Chong Er, a strange name. Go check quickly and see which sect's Tianren Zongshi this is, and if they can be won over."

In a high building within a certain city, someone gives orders.

Yongzhou, in a courtyard of the Tianzhao Divine General Mansion.

"Young Lady, a new name has suddenly appeared on the Merit Board, called Brother Chong Er. What a strange name."

"Do not speak nonsense. Those who are willing to take action to resolve the Mo River disaster are all righteous and brave people."

"Xiao Tao understands, but this name is indeed a bit unpleasant to hear..."

The woman dressed in silk and light gauze rolls her eyes at the little maid who has followed her since childhood: "What do you know? Go quickly and listen outside Father's room to see if you can find out where they are from. If they can be invited over, give them the position of Junior Inspector."

"Yes, Xiao Tao will go right away."

After the little maid runs off, the woman looks toward the courtyard, a smile slowly appearing at the corners of her mouth. She casually breaks a branch and gently sketches two characters on the ground: *Wind Moon*.

"Interesting..."

... Tan Palace Academy, inside the main hall of the Black and Bai Dian.

Song Yufeng secretly takes a small tea bag out of his sleeve and has just poured it into a cup to prepare tea when he suddenly sees several Elders rushing over. His heart skips a beat:

"Old Huang? It can't be, right? Did they find out so quickly? And they brought others along?"

He hurriedly covers the cup with the lid, keeping his expression calm and composed.

"Palace Tianren Zongshi!"

The leading elder, Huang Licai, looks excited.

Song Yufeng's face twitches slightly, and he coughs lightly: "Old Huang, it's not that I'm criticizing you, but is there a need to be so excited? Isn't it just taking a little of your..."

"Palace Tianren Zongshi, that Fengshan Mo River has disappeared!"

Huang Licai says, excited and agitated: "Elder Ni just investigated the movement and went to check. That Square Tianren Zongshi Temple has disappeared. Only if it is permanently cleared will it disappear immediately; otherwise, the temple would shatter into mud on the spot."

"What?"

Song Yufeng was stunned, his heart suddenly relaxing; so he hadn't come to hold him accountable... Wait, the Fengshan Mo River had been cleared? Who cleared it?

"What is the situation? Speak more clearly. Who did it?" Song Yufeng asks repeatedly.

"I don't know. I didn't find anyone."

Huang Licai shakes his head: "But your granddaughter seems to have seen it."

"Yueyao?"

Song Yufeng is surprised and immediately says: "Then call her over quickly."

"She is already waiting outside." Huang Licai turns and beckons immediately. Soon, two young girls walk in, accompanied by an elder. They are none other than Song Yueyao and Lin Feifei, who were on the moss.

The two girls had heard the movement earlier and, upon rushing to the Square Tianren Zongshi Temple, had seen the shocking scene of the temple disappearing.

"Who cleared it?" Song Yufeng asks immediately.

Lin Feifei glances at her friend. Song Yueyao's expression is calm as she says: "Reporting to the Palace Tianren Zongshi, it seems to be an outer-courtyard disciple. Feifei and I were practicing nearby and only saw the person's profile. It is not someone I know."

*How many people could you possibly know? You only know how to practice all day long... * Song Yufeng mutters to himself, then turns to Lin Feifei beside him: "What about you? Did you see clearly?"

"Reporting to the Palace Tianren Zongshi, I also only saw a profile."

Lin Feifei says hurriedly: "But if I see them again, I will definitely be able to recognize them."

Song Yufeng nods slightly: "Alright, then you go and identify them. See who did it. This is a good thing; they should be greatly rewarded!"

"Should we notify the Mo River Bureau?" Huang Licai asks.

"The Mo River Bureau is poor enough; let's not ask for those imperial things. Clearing the Mo River is everyone's responsibility, and it is also our duty. Fengshan was originally a rural countryside, but unfortunately, it was invaded by the Mo River, the whole village died tragically, and they were enslaved by the Mo River..."

Speaking of this, Song Yufeng sighs and shakes his head.

Huang Licai nods and says: "Then I will take them to identify the person now, and by the way, make an announcement so that the person who cleared it can come out and claim the reward themselves."

"Hmm." Song Yufeng nods.

Huang Licai is about to take the two girls away when he suddenly remembers something and turns around: "By the way, Palace Tianren Zongshi, what were you about to say just now?"

"Hmm?" Song Yufeng asks, confused: "What was I about to say?"

Seeing him like this, Huang Licai thinks he must have misheard, so he bows slightly and leaves.

The academy announcement comes, and not only the outer four courtyards but also the disciples practicing in the Black and Bai Dian are startled.

Especially the Black and Bai Dian disciples; who among those who can enter here to practice hasn't experienced the brutal beating of the Fengshan Mo River? Now, this Mo River has actually been cleared by someone? "Who is it? Is it one of the Elders?"

"How would an Elder have such leisure? And even if it were an Elder, it wouldn't be easy to clear. I heard that the requirements for clearing each Mo River are bizarre and very difficult to find."

"The reward is the Crimson Sky Treasure Sword? That is forged from meteorite iron. I heard it is indestructible and can even attack the soul!"

The Black and Bai Dian disciples discuss it heatedly.

The outer four courtyards are equally noisy, especially the First Courtyard. The people who are competing for the Martial Dao Board are all dumbfounded upon hearing the news.

The Mo River is gone?

Isn't that the place given to them as the entrance test for the Black and Bai Dian a year from now?

How could it be gone? Then how will they enter the Black and Bai Dian?

Compared to the First Courtyard, the other courtyards are completely bewildered.

Mo River? What is that?

Obviously, the primary task given to them by the courtyard is to first rush into the First Courtyard.

What the Mo River is has nothing to do with them; anyway, if they don't enter the First Courtyard, they aren't qualified to enter it.

"Yueyao, do you think that person is really an outer-courtyard disciple? Looking at the number of flower seals on the clothing, I remember it seems to be, but..."

Among the mountains and forests, Lin Feifei and Song Yueyao walk side by side toward the outer courtyard.

Lin Feifei's expression is hesitant. She had also challenged the Fengshan Mo River before; it was very difficult. Once you enter the village, all the villagers are startled—that's over a hundred Zhou Tian Realm cultivators!

And if you get stuck in a protracted battle, that black-robed scholar will also participate. Even with the power of the early stage of the Ji Hun Realm, it is somewhat difficult and dangerous.

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 55 =====