Heavenly Sword Peak, Sword Testing Platform
Similar to Azure Sky Peak’s White Jade Platform, the Sword Testing Platform was the training ground for Heavenly Sword Peak’s inner sect disciples.
Inside the Sword Testing Platform were one hundred and eight sub-platforms, corresponding to the seventy-two Earthly Fiends and thirty-six Heavenly Gangs.
Among them, the Earth Fiend Platform was used by outer and inner disciples at the Foundation Establishment stage, while the last thirty Heavenly Gang Platforms were used by inner disciples at the Golden Core stage.
The first six Heavenly Gang Platforms were specifically reserved for the true disciples and Direct Disciples.
Even if these individuals were absent, others could not use them without the corresponding disciple’s permission. This was a manifestation of the Direct Disciples’ privileges.
Today, a large crowd of Heavenly Sword Peak disciples had gathered tightly around the foremost Heavenly Gang Platform.
On the platform, a cold and transcendent sword cultivator practiced her swordplay. There seemed to be no true qi fluctuations, yet every move was exquisite, leaving the disciples below utterly captivated.
The vast majority of these disciples were outer disciples, but inner disciples were also present in no small number, along with even a few Direct Disciples.
“Eleventh Elder’s true disciple, Senior Brother Wang Yi, has come.”
“Eighth Elder’s true disciple, Senior Brother An Wentao, is here too.”
“Even Senior Sister Tong Yan, Sixth Elder’s true disciple at Nascent Soul Peak, has come.”
As the crowd buzzed with chatter, a voice suddenly came from behind.
“Silence.”
Everyone turned around instinctively. A cold and aloof female cultivator slowly walked toward the front of the platform, her eyes fixed obsessively on the woman practicing on stage.
It was the Fifth Elder’s newly promoted Direct Disciple, Pei Ruyi!
Although her cultivation was only at Early Nascent Soul Stage, placing her strength merely in the middle ranks among Heavenly Sword Peak’s many true disciples, her background as a Void Comprehension Divine Lord’s disciple alone was enough to make everyone look up to her.
Being accepted as a Void Comprehension Divine Lord’s disciple was no easy feat. Even several Spirit Transformation Elders’ true disciples had competed for this position, yet Pei Ruyi had ultimately obtained it.
The disciples quickly shut their mouths and turned their attention back to the sword cultivator on the platform.
With the Sect Grand Tournament about to begin, there was only one person in the entire sect who could draw so many Heavenly Sword Peak disciples away from their training to gather at the Sword Testing Platform.
The Head Disciple of Heavenly Sword Peak, Xiao Qingxuan.
A quarter hour later, the graceful figure on the sword platform slowly stopped.
“Hah…”
Xiao Qingxuan exhaled a breath of turbid air, swept her gaze over the disciples below, then turned around, put away her sword, and prepared to leave.
Her current cultivation, at Half-Step Spirit Transformation, placed her somewhere between disciple and elder.
The disciples of Profound Firmament Upper Sect still called her “Senior Sister” or “Head Disciple,” but according to the rules of the Sect Grand Tournament, those exceeding the Nascent Soul stage couldn’t participate. She was already considered an elder of the sect.
Every elder had routine duties of passing down teachings to outer and inner disciples. However, Xiao Qingxuan disliked too much trouble and hated the rule of “teach more to inner disciples, less to outer ones,” so she simply taught everyone at once.
As for how much they learned, that depended on each disciple’s own talent and ability, not their background.
“Senior Sister Xiao’s sword techniques are exquisite, nearly rivaling the many elders on the peak.”
Eighth Elder’s true disciple, An Wentao, wore a smile and cupped his hands toward Xiao Qingxuan.
“Senior Sister Xiao’s cultivation seems to have advanced further. It should be no time before she breaks through.”
Sixth Elder’s true disciple, Tong Yan, also chimed in.
Yet Xiao Qingxuan didn’t even spare these two a single glance.
An Wentao had entered the sect six years before her, and Tong Yan nine years before her.
Both had stagnated in the Way of the Sword for years, their cultivation stuck at Nascent Soul without any breakthrough.
Xiao Qingxuan was indeed obsessed with the Way of the Sword, but the sword arts of these two had long since ceased to hold any value for her.
And to the Emotionless Sword Dao, having no value meant being worthless.
In her view, these two would do better to voluntarily step down from their true disciple positions and become Nascent Soul stewards, contributing their remaining light and heat while leaving opportunities and resources for the more talented disciples.
How could anyone improve the Way of the Sword while associating with such parasites leeching off Heavenly Sword Peak?
Thus, she lifted her leg and walked away, leaving the two elder true disciples standing awkwardly in place.
But the two true disciples had anticipated this to some extent. Xiao Qingxuan, the Sect Master’s Direct Disciple, was just like this—dividing people into “useful” and “useless” based on talent and cultivation, not origin.
If someone had unique insights into the Way of the Sword, even if they were low-class, Xiao Qingxuan would be interested. But if their sword craft had no merit, even a noble scion would earn no glance from her.
The two exchanged a look, each seeing the bitterness in the other’s eyes.
Before breaking through to Spirit Transformation and comprehending the Power of Heaven and Earth, their sword arts would likely see no qualitative breakthroughs.
But even in a transcendent-rank power like Profound Firmament Upper Sect, fewer than one in ten successfully broke through from Nascent Soul to Spirit Transformation.
Gazing at Xiao Qingxuan’s retreating back, their eyes filled with envy, which quickly turned to fighting spirit.
To cross the threshold of Spirit Transformation, resources, talent, effort, and luck—all were indispensable.
They had nearly maxed out the latter few, leaving only resources to fill the gap.
But as Spirit Transformation disciples, the resources they received were absolutely insufficient for breaking through to Spirit Transformation.
The doubled rewards for this Grand Tournament were their opportunity.
Seeing that even true disciples An Wentao and Tong Yan had been snubbed, the other disciples wisely refrained from bothering Xiao Qingxuan further.
But as she walked, another voice sounded beside her.
“Senior Sister Xiao…”
Hearing this somewhat familiar voice, Xiao Qingxuan tilted her head slightly, spotting the speaker from the corner of her eye.
Pei Ruyi.
With a single glance, she assessed Pei Ruyi’s current cultivation and strength.
Entering the sect in the same period as herself, Pei Ruyi had advanced from Foundation Establishment to Early Nascent Soul Stage in six years. The speed couldn’t compare to hers, but it was still excellent in Profound Firmament Upper Sect.
However, what interested her most was cultivation in the Way of the Sword. The last memorable meeting was two or three years ago. Back then, Pei Ruyi had already formed her golden core, but her Sword Heart was chaotic and her Sword Intent a jumbled mess.
Coupled with the fact that she had tried to shake the bond between herself and A-Qing, Xiao Qingxuan had quietly drawn a clear line with Pei Ruyi.
Now, Pei Ruyi’s Sword Intent was complete, and her Sword Heart was far more stable than before, as if she’d just undergone a great battle and gained enlightenment.
A person like this was promising material for the Sword Dao lineage.
“Junior Sister Pei, what guidance do you have to offer?”
Xiao Qingxuan stopped in her tracks and looked directly at Pei Ruyi.
Perhaps because Xiao Qingxuan hadn’t looked her in the eye for two or three years, Pei Ruyi stood frozen for a moment.
But only an instant, then she lowered her head and said:
“I’ve come to beg Senior Sister Xiao’s forgiveness.”
Xiao Qingxuan hated indecisive people; to her, it was a waste of time.
Hearing this, Xiao Qingxuan frowned slightly but continued watching Pei Ruyi.
As the Head Disciple of Heavenly Sword Peak, she was responsible for managing the peak’s disciples. Matters within the peak were easy enough, but if someone caused trouble on another peak, sometimes they needed her face to resolve it.
“Speak.”
“It concerns Junior Sister Ye Luqing, the Direct Disciple of Azure Sky Peak…”
As she spoke, Pei Ruyi’s blue eyes flashed with a hint of hesitation.
She said she’d come to beg forgiveness, but in her heart, she wanted to tell Senior Sister Xiao something important.
Beware of Ye Luqing, who had lost her memories!
Ever since returning from Ye Luqing’s place yesterday, she’d increasingly felt something was wrong.
Though she couldn’t pinpoint exactly what, the sword cultivator’s instinct for danger had been warning her constantly.
She was now addicted and unable to extricate herself, but she couldn’t let Senior Sister Xiao fall into the same trap.
