CH 088 The Power Of The Sword Peak, The Suffering Of The Sword Peak

The upheaval in the Yuntian Domain years ago took place right outside this Ziyun City. The Sea-Covering Kunpeng nearly flattened half of the Ziyun Realm into a plain, but it couldn’t break through the defenses of the flying peak at the time. The Qingdi Peak held on until the Kun-Lai Sect Leader arrived to assist. It was said that someone with the power of a Human Immortal was protecting Ziyun City back then. Otherwise, the battle between the two powerful beings, even just the aftermath, could have easily turned this place into a dead zone.

At that time, all the surrounding flying peaks were engaged and couldn’t come to the rescue. Those who delayed them, besides the spirit demon clan of the kunpeng lineage, were the local branch of the Ziyun Dao. If it weren't for this, with the capabilities of flying peak at the time, even if their spiritual stones ran out, they could have still escaped without issue. After the battle between the Xing Dao Master and the Sea-Covering Great Sage, neither side mentioned the matter again, as if it had been left unresolved.

During the hasty retreat and the ensuing chaos, nearly a hundred scattered disciples were left behind. In response, the peak master of the Wenjian Peak, An Xian, stayed behind in the Yuntian Domain’s Ziyun Dao to handle the aftermath and search for the whereabouts of these disciples. Over the years, in addition to searching for the disciples, An Xian also had the task of investigating the true story behind the events of that time.

“But with Peak Master An’s personality, can she really uncover any deep secrets?” You Jia shook his head, expressing doubt. However, given his cautious nature, he only dared to whisper this.

Feng Qingxiu had nothing to say. The complexity of this place far exceeded that of Qingqiu. The elders would handle the major matters, and his priority was ensuring his own safety. As for You Jia’s request for him to accompany him to see Peak Master An, Feng Qingxiu could only express his sincere regret for being unable to go along.

“Come on, show a bit of loyalty to your fellow disciples.” You Jia stretched out a few extra tentacles to shake him, wearing a look that said, "I can’t believe you’re this kind of person; I’ve totally misjudged you." “You’re the Sect Leader’s apprentice, Peak Master An won’t do anything to you.”

“Let’s clarify the situation,” Feng Qingxiu asked gently and thoughtfully, “Why is it that all the disciples of Wenjian Peak are going to see Peak Master An, but only you are afraid to see her? And why do you need to drag me along? Is it really not just to use me as a meat shield? If admit this frankly, maybe I’d go with you.”

Of course, I won’t say it outright. You Jia silently grumbled to himself but responded with a sincere tone, “How about this: I’ll tell you some things about our Sect Leader that no one else knows, in exchange for your help.”

“Eh, how could you know such things?” Feng Qingxiu’s curiosity was piqued, but he still asked skeptically.

“I’m Headline Jia after all.” You Jia was full of confidence. “Here, let me tell you a little story. Did you know that our Sect Leader has a secret spouse?”

Feng Qingxiu was stunned, his tone naturally turning cold: “You better watch what you say. If you're making this up, there will be serious consequences.” I definitely won’t let you off easily.

“I’ll only say one thing,” You Jia whispered. “The Sect Leader has a lot of clothes, and each time they’re of a different style. They’re always the latest trend in Kun-Lai, and some new styles of his clothes have even become widely imitated. Do you think the Sect Leader makes these clothes himself? Moreover, he’s even turned down the annual clothing offerings from the Yuzhi Peak.”

Of course not, thought Feng Qingxiu, knowing that his master never touched a needle and thread. Suddenly, a person came to mind: “Could it be Senior Brother Yang who made them?”

“No way. I heard that in the tenth year after becoming the sSect Leader’s unofficial apprentice, Senior Brother Yang angered the Sect Leader over some matter. The Sect Leader personally told him never to appear before him again,” You Jia whispered, looking around to make sure Senior Brother Yang wasn’t nearby before continuing. “I heard that Senior Brother Yang even refused to apologize, saying something like ‘You’ll regret it someday,’ and was locked up for three years in solitary confinement by the Sect Leader.”

“What was the matter?” Feng Qingxiu’s curiosity was now fully aroused, and he couldn’t help but ask.

“Ah, no time, I need to see Peak Master An now. I’ll tell you next time.” You Jia turned away sadly and prepared to leave.

Feng Qingxiu remained silent for a moment, then quietly followed him. I really want to know. Could Master really have a spouse? If so, why haven’t I seen her? Why hasn’t Master told me…?

Feng Qingxiu suddenly felt very unhappy, a tightness in his chest making it hard to breathe. Unintentionally glancing back, he saw his shadow curled up, sobbing. 

…Feng Qingxiu decided to give his shadow a good beating later.

You Jia, now satisfied, led Feng Qingxiu down the flying peak and into Ziyun City, heading straight to the northern end of the city where a seven-story pavilion stood. The pavilion was ancient and simple, with an aura of invisible sword energy naturally emanating from it. Disciples in golden robes were constantly entering and leaving.

Feng Qingxiu noticed that the disciples entering had an expression of grim determination, while those coming out were in small groups, supporting each other—just shy of being carried out horizontally...

Seeing You Jia approaching, the disciples of the Wenjian Peak who were about to enter stopped in their tracks, watching him with hopeful eyes as he entered the pavilion.

Even You Jia’s face carried a sense of tragic resolve.

As they ascended the steps, the inside of the seemingly small pavilion, which appeared to be only a few dozen square meters from the outside, turned out to be far more spacious, with a vaulted ceiling that rose ten meters high. The walls around them bore countless sword marks, each one imbued with a different sword intent. Though not as terrifyingly sharp as the Sword of Calamity at the Broken Sword Cliff near Haijing City, the marks exuded a steadfast and relentless determination.

A woman sat at the main seat in the hall, leisurely taking a swig from a wine pouch.

Feng Qingxiu had never seen such a unique woman.

She was dressed in a white short tunic with long pants and boots, her slender waist cinched by a belt. Her short hair was held up by an old jade hairpin, a drop of water lingering on the corner of her lips, and her expression was somewhat dazed. She had a broad forehead, a high nose bridge, and her features were dignified and majestic. When she saw You Jia enter, her aura condensed, and with just a glance, she exuded the presence of an emperor, compelling one to bow their head.

Compared to her imposing presence, her stunning beauty was almost easy to overlook.

“The usual rules: take one of my strikes, and you can go. If you can’t, come back in three days,” she said casually. Her voice was deep and magnetic, making one's ears tingle. And when she mentioned a strike, there wasn’t any sword drawn—she just extended a long and slender index finger.

“Peak Master An, this is Sect Leader’s only apprentice, Senior Brother Feng. He’s admired you for a long time. You should meet him first. The test can wait,” You Jia flinched at the sight of that finger and instinctively hid behind Feng Qingxiu.

An Xian nodded and fixed her sharp gaze on Feng Qingxiu, scrutinizing him from head to toe with a piercing look.

"Formless Sword." Her gaze flickered slightly, and the sword marks on the surrounding walls resonated with her sword intent, producing a faint sword hum, as if it were an ancient song. Then, she suddenly extended four fingers, and her sword intent burst forth, instantly triggering Feng Qingxiu's sword energy protective barrier.

In that moment, both You Jia and Feng Qingxiu could only see a sky filled with white light, and they had to close their eyes to avoid being hurt by the sword intent.

Fortunately, it only lasted for an instant.

She withdrew her hand, sat in the main seat with a faint smile, and there was a deep red mark on her fingertip, as if it had been cut by a thread.

"Since you brought him here, you don’t have to receive my sword strike. Let your father come instead. Now leave," she lazily said to You Jia. Ignoring You Jia's relieved expression, she turned to Feng Qingxiu and said, "Your sword is very good, but unfortunately, it's not yours. You can stay, I have something to say to you."

You Jia patted Feng Qingxiu's shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry, the Peak Master won’t do anything to you. She doesn’t kill people."

Then, You Jia quickly left.

Feng Qingxiu was speechless for a moment, feeling a bit awkward.

"You're here to ask me about the investigation, aren’t you?" An Xian got up and walked to his side. She was very tall, no shorter than Feng Qingshou. "In the past hundred years, Ziyun Dao has shown no signs of movement, but I still found some clues. During the turmoil, over ten disciples were captured by Ziyun Dao and sent to the Central Continent. They all carried the Cloud Talisman Dao Seeds."

"I'm not here to ask about that," Feng Qingxiu smiled wryly. "I just came to meet the Master of Wenjian Peak."

"Then relay to the Sect Leader what I’ve said," An Xian showed no more courtesy because of Feng Qingxiu's identity. "The Cloud Talisman Dao Seeds are one of Kun-Lai’s three greatest treasures. They can be planted into the sea of consciousness, hiding a cavernous realm within the body, forming a self-sufficient cycle, and strengthening oneself. They obtained them but couldn’t replicate them, so they only got a piece of farming land. Most of those disciples have already joined Ziyun Dao, and those who didn’t submit were killed, and their seeds were extracted. Over the past century, the Sect Leader has also obscured the heavenly secrets. A few decades ago, I secretly infiltrated the Central Continent, killed those disciples, and took the lives of over ten Ziyun Dao elders in the Demigod and Synthesis stages as compensation."

Feng Qingxiu was startled: "Are you alright?"

"Of course, I’m fine. Do you think I’m just a figurehead as the Peak Master? Additionally, I’ve discovered that Ziyun Dao has shown signs of movement again recently." An Xian raised her hand and tossed him a scroll. "Take a look."

Feng Qingxiu opened it and found that it was a portrait of himself.

"This is something I intercepted from a Ziyun Dao undercover agent. They’ve probably been keeping an eye on you for a while. From now on, don't leave the flying peak alone. I'll escort you back." She stood up and said, "As for You Jia, who is unreliable, you should look after him a bit."

"Looking after fellow disciples is my duty," Feng Qingxiu said with a serious expression, nodding. "Thank you, Peak Master An, for seeing me off."

"No need. Let’s go." Peak Master An took the lead out of the Sword Pavilion. "Qingqiu is just a small place. The Yuntian Domain is where the real danger begins. From here on, the Sect Leader’s protection range is no longer in effect. The heavenly secrets he divines can’t easily reach here. You need to shed the Kun-Lai disciple’s halo and take this place seriously. In the Ziyun Realm, many lone disciples can easily disappear if they’re not careful."

"Then why did I just see a Wenjian Peak disciple walking alone in the city?" Feng Qingxiu asked worriedly.

"They’re walking alone, but someone is secretly protecting them nearby. If a cultivator tries to rob them, it’s a case of thieves robbing thieves," An Xian said calmly. "This is the only way they can fish up some extra resources. Sword Peak is the poorest, after all. They don’t have anything to trade with, so they have to earn it this way."

"…It’s impressive they came up with this baiting method," Feng Qingxiu said sympathetically.

"They didn’t come up with it. I did," Peak Master An said.