Chapter 298 - 206: Sword Peak

Chapter 298: Chapter 206: Sword Peak

When the visitors from the Main Peak called out Xie Yuan’s name, the gazes of all the disciples at morning training snapped over to him.

Xie Yuan’s heart tightened for a moment, but then he heard the two disciples call out Lin Cheng’s name, before moving to the ranks of the Fourth Training disciples to find Lin Zhen and Pei Yu.

The four of them stepped forward together. Only then did Xie Yuan have a good idea of why the Sect Leader had summoned them, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

When the other Outer Sect disciples at morning training saw that the four who had just completed their trial were the ones being summoned, they all had their own suspicions, and expressions of immense envy spread across their faces.

This was especially true for the veteran disciples who had been in the Outer Sect for some time. Seeing that these four newcomers were all about to be promoted to the Inner Sect, their eyes held not just envy, but a storm of complicated emotions.

Although nothing had been officially announced, a summons at this time most likely meant exactly that.

Rumor had it that the four had encountered some trouble during their trial—they had run into a Grandmaster and entered an ancient ruin, yet emerged unscathed. Not only had they reaped huge rewards, but they were also certain to be promoted for their achievements upon their return.

An ancient ruin! Even among the Inner Sect, or even among the Direct Disciples of the various peaks, very few had ever encountered one.

On their very first trip down the mountain, they had run into something huge. You couldn’t call it bad luck, since others couldn’t beg for such an opportunity. Then again, it was far too dangerous for new Outer Sect disciples. No one knew which of them had attracted this ’fortunate’ disaster. In the future, that person might prove to be a troublemaker. It would be best to steer clear...

But judging by the outcome, it was ultimately a good thing.

The stomachs of the Outer Sect disciples churned with an envy so sour it was as if they had eaten a hundred lemons. Their resentful gazes drilled into the backs of Xie Yuan and the others, making the four of them quite uncomfortable.

It couldn’t be helped. Their luck this time had been truly exceptional; it had been a scare, but with no real danger.

Others would probably never guess that the truly dangerous part was the fight with the bandits beforehand. As for the ancient ruin... well, to be honest, the four of them hadn’t really done anything. They woke up in a safe place surrounded by treasure. Then, after exploring for a bit, their senior brother showed up to escort them. After that, they could basically do whatever they wanted on the 2nd Layer.

Most people who entered ancient ruins faced a life-and-death struggle, but their exploration felt more like a pleasant picnic. The experience was superb, and Lin Zhen and the other two couldn’t help but marvel at their incredible luck.

As for why they were so lucky while the bandits were so unlucky they ended up embedded in stone... neither they nor Xie Yuan could explain it. Luck was just luck.

Xie Yuan walked at the back of the group, dutifully following the senior disciples up the stone steps that ascended the peak. Treading through the clouds and mist, they made their way step by step up to the Main Peak of Cloud Mountain.

Upon reaching the plaza before the Main Peak Hall, one’s eyes were inevitably drawn to the sharp, unusually prominent peak rising behind it.

No matter how one looked at it, Sword Peak truly resembled a sharp sword pointing straight at the sky, as if attempting to slice through the infinite heights above. It seemed to represent the unyielding heart of Cloud Mountain’s generations-long pursuit of the Sword Dao.

With reverence, solemnity, and a hint of anticipation in their eyes, the group gazed at this sacred ground of Cloud Mountain before walking toward the magnificent hall at the foot of Sword Peak.

The group had been to the Main Peak a few times before. However, aside from Xie Yuan, who was intimately familiar with the ring of wooden planks outside, none of them had ever truly set foot inside the main hall.

Following the two disciples into the magnificent main hall, a place that symbolized the very foundation of the Cloud Mountain Sword Sect, even Xie Yuan found himself breathing a little more softly.

The main hall’s vaulted ceiling was incredibly high, spanning a vast chamber. Two perfectly aligned rows of chairs stood on either side, lending the space an air of extreme solemnity.

Major Sect affairs were often discussed here. Countless decisions that would influence the Sword Sect for centuries had been made within these walls.

A row of portraits of the sect’s past patriarchs hung on the hall’s walls. As the group looked on with respectful gazes, they saw that the portraits were all unique, not just simple busts. One showed a patriarch practicing with a sword, another expounding on the Dao, one wrestling a tiger, and another even watering flowers. It seemed each patriarch had their own passions, which made the atmosphere feel less oppressively solemn.

However, Xie Yuan’s gaze was immediately drawn to the second portrait in the line. It depicted a one-armed swordsman practicing on the edge of a cliff. His expression was one of serene focus, his intent so pure that even an observer of the painting could feel it.

This was the second-generation patriarch of the Cloud Mountain Sword Sect, the Grandmaster swordsman who had truly brought the sect to prominence. Born with only one arm, he had been deemed incapable of cultivation. But through sheer perseverance, he practiced his sword for thirty years, finally achieving enlightenment on Sword Peak. Afterward, his fame spread throughout the world.

’Only now do I realize that the patriarch had the help of a treasure to achieve his enlightenment. Without the Black Celestial Book, perhaps even he wouldn’t have been able to fulfill his dream...’

As the thought crossed his mind, Xie Yuan suddenly felt a pang of guilt, as if he were being disrespectful to the patriarch. He knew he shouldn’t think that way.

’The Black Celestial Book has always been here, but how many people have become Grandmasters? When the second-generation patriarch was practicing, he almost certainly didn’t know it existed. Yet he still swung his sword with one arm, day after day, year after year, until he finally succeeded... The Black Celestial Book wasn’t his cheat; it was his reward. Heaven helps those who help themselves.’

At this, a thought suddenly struck Xie Yuan, and he began to question himself.

’Without my panel, would I still be willing to train this hard?’

’Would I be willing to pour everything I have into something without any guarantee of results?’

For a moment, Xie Yuan had no answer.

He silently let out a breath.

’Without this thing, I’d just be a normal college student. After transmigrating here, I probably wouldn’t have even survived three episodes. Li Mazi would’ve finished me off for sure.’

’Good thing I have it. But what does that make it? A little boost doesn’t really count as cheating, right? It’s just my innate talent.’

’But... what if, one day, I can’t see this panel anymore? Would I still be able to train with such confidence? Would I still believe that becoming a Grandmaster is just a matter of time?’