Tianyan Sect, Hidden Sword Peak.
This was the only peak within the Tianyan Sect devoid of any vegetation, showing not a trace of green. It was composed solely of long swords and mountain rock.
It was also the lowest peak in the entire sect. Yet, in the hearts of the sword cultivators of the Tianyan Sect, it was the most supreme peak.
It was considered the pinnacle of sword peaks in the minds of many sword practitioners.
The Tianyan Sect itself was not particularly renowned for its sword cultivation. The very foundation of the sect was not the sword, but rather the Tianyan Arts and the Divine Abilities derived from them.
It was not until the appearance of a single person that the path of the sword cultivator in the Tianyan Sect was thrust before the eyes of the world. That person was Bai Xuanling.
With a single sword in hand, he brought fame to the Tianyan Sect's sword lineage across the entire Central Prefecture.
Even the current foundational Divine Ability of the sect—the Yan Shen Taiqing Sword—was personally compiled by Bai Xuanling. It was created to compensate for the weakness in power of the Tianyan Arts' Divine Abilities during the early stages.
To some extent, Hidden Sword Peak was elevated to the peak by Bai Xuanling's own hand.
The swords left here were mostly those that, after their masters advanced in cultivation, no longer matched their master's realm. When this happened, the cultivators of the Tianyan Sect would leave their long swords on Hidden Sword Peak.
If a successor with a similar Sword Intent arrived, they could obtain the left-behind sword. Aside from receiving a Spirit Sword for free, the predecessor's own realized Sword Intent would also be absorbed into the Spirit Sword.
This could be considered the predecessor pointing out a shortcut. The intention was good; after all, finding a sword that matches one's cultivation takes a long time.
A small number of Spirit Swords would even birth a sliver of consciousness. Rather than letting them gather dust, it was somewhat wasteful.
Many cultivators would choose to let the sword that had accompanied them for so long continue to shine and generate heat. At the same time, it let those junior sect members who wanted to draw a sword see—just how fierce was this Grandmaster's Sword Intent!
However, those who could draw a sword were in the minority. Even if a cultivator's realm didn't match the sword's original master, those swords had still seen great worlds and grand events.
The cultivators who needed to come to Hidden Sword Peak to pick up a Spirit Sword usually had low cultivation and weak Sword Intent, so drawing a sword was naturally difficult.
As for the cultivators who didn't need to draw a sword, they were too lazy to even look. They're just putting on airs! Definitely won't be as fierce as me in the future!
Thus, on Hidden Sword Peak, swords were planted often but drawn rarely. The swords accumulated more and more.
Previously, the swords here weren't actually this numerous. The catalyst for the sudden surge in numbers on Hidden Sword Peak was when Bai Xuanling personally inserted the Spirit Sword he had used for many years—Qingming—into the summit of Hidden Sword Peak.
After Qingming fell to Hidden Sword Peak, those who came to hide their swords increased. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they were following the trend.
Bigshot Bai Xuanling's sword falls on Hidden Sword Peak, so I'll place my sword there too. By that logic—why aren't I a bigshot too?
In that same year, those attempting to draw swords also increased in number. Naturally, their targets were all locked onto that single blade, Qingming.
However, as time flowed and years passed, Qingming remained steadfast and motionless. After all, everyone admitted—there would never be another Bai Xuanling in this world.
After Qingming landed on Hidden Sword Peak, a dense, forest-like Sword Intent rose up, driving the Sword Intent of all the Spirit Swords on the peak to reveal themselves.
The vast Sword Intent mixed into a chaotic mass, incredibly sharp and piercing. The Tianyan Sect even had to specially construct a barrier for Hidden Sword Peak because of it.
Lin Luoyu had stayed at Zhuji Peak for two days. Occasionally, one day while practicing the Divine Abilities taught by her master, she was spotted by Bai Xuanling.
After a brief exchange, Bai Xuanling directly tossed Lin Luoyu off to Hidden Sword Peak, and called someone to keep an eye on her.
For the following long period of time, Lin Luoyu spent her days within Hidden Sword Peak. In this place, Sword Intents of various colors surged, refusing to acknowledge each other, clashing from time to time.
When Cui Hao was preparing to join forces with Qinghe to sell pills, Lin Luoyu was comprehending Sword Intent. When Cui Hao had already made a fortune selling pills, Lin Luoyu was still comprehending Sword Intent.
When Cui Hao was caught and warned by his master for selling pills, Lin Luoyu was still on Hidden Sword Peak feeling Sword Intent.
Compared to Cui Hao, whose reputation as a "merchant of evil" filled the Tianyan Sect, Lin Luoyu remained obscure and unknown within the sect.
It wasn't until Xie Lingyu emerged from seclusion that Lin Luoyu finally left Hidden Sword Peak to offer her congratulations. She also happened to catch a game show; putting it mildly, Lin Luoyu found it interesting.
After eating at Zhiwei Residence, Lin Luoyu wanted to spend some more time with her master and martial sister, but Bai Xuanling hurriedly drove her back to Hidden Sword Peak.
He said it was a critical moment and she must not divert her mind to other things.
So, after the meal, Lin Luoyu, who didn't even get to drink a cup of Chen Baiqing's tea at Zhuji Peak, returned to Hidden Sword Peak to sense Sword Intent once again.
If Cui Hao was here to travel and experience the local customs of the Tianyan Sect, then Lin Luoyu was here for an all-day cram school.
Lin Luoyu's cultivation was still at the Foundation Establishment stage, which really wasn't enough to look at amidst the surging Sword Intent of Hidden Sword Peak.
Every time, she needed to prop up her own Sword Intent just to stay on the peak for a moment. However, Hidden Sword Peak expressed a unique kind of welcome to Lin Luoyu's tender Sword Intent—Beat up this little noob!
With so many Sword Intents on Hidden Sword Peak, this newly arrived little noob was the easiest to bully. If not her, then who?
Thus, Lin Luoyu often hadn't stayed for even a moment before being blasted out by the Sword Intent.
To say "blasted out" wasn't entirely accurate, however, because Bai Xuanling had arranged for someone to keep watch. Every time Lin Luoyu couldn't hold on anymore, he would reach out and scoop her up.
But Lin Luoyu didn't know... if that middle-aged man, who called himself Cangjian (Hidden Sword), was doing it on purpose.
Every time he made a move, he would delay slightly, only acting after Lin Luoyu had been cut by two sharp wounds from the Sword Intent. Then he would feed Lin Luoyu healing pills.
This cycle repeated itself; it had been like this for a long time.
Under this high-pressure training method, although Lin Luoyu's cultivation hadn't grown, her Sword Intent increased at an extremely fast pace.
She went from needing to be rescued after taking two breaths upon entering Hidden Sword Peak, to now being able to carefully examine every single sword on the peak.
Her weak chicken-like Sword Intent could actually merge into the surroundings, no longer being specifically targeted.
Since coming to Hidden Sword Peak, Lin Luoyu hadn't encountered anyone; all the swords on her body had been taken away by Cangjian. At this moment, she could only rely on her Sword Intent to judge her progress.
Inside Hidden Sword Peak, Sword Intent surged around Lin Luoyu. She strolled through the peak, her gaze falling on every sword of various shapes driven into the mountain cliff.
After walking for a moment, quite a few swords had already sent Sword Intent drifting towards Lin Luoyu. This time, it was not an attack, but a form of acknowledgment.
They acknowledged that Lin Luoyu could draw them from the mountain and become a new master.
Although she knew these swords most likely couldn't perceive the outside world, Lin Luoyu still cast a look of apology in their direction.
Her gaze went straight to the top of the peak, towards that azure long sword.
Lin Luoyu did not know that this long sword was Bai Xuanling's Qingming. After all, aside from fishing people out, Cangjian mostly just mocked Lin Luoyu, asking why a Foundation Establishment rookie like her was coming here to seek abuse.
Cangjian hadn't specifically introduced the origin and stories of Hidden Sword Peak to Lin Luoyu, simply letting her go up and get beaten up.
It was just that recently, Cangjian had been quiet for no reason. The way he looked at her was also a bit off.
But this didn't have much to do with her.
Currently, Lin Luoyu could stay on Hidden Sword Peak for a considerable amount of time, and she had enough time to clearly see the story of every sword on Hidden Sword Peak.
Sword Intent couldn't speak, but it could convey stories. Unique Sword Intents told unique stories.
Sometimes, Lin Luoyu quite liked feeling this Sword Intent; it gave her the sensation of reading a book.
As Lin Luoyu's comprehension of the Sword Intent grew deeper and deeper, the swords here began to willingly confide their stories to her one by one. Lin Luoyu also climbed higher and higher up Hidden Sword Peak.
But within the entire Hidden Sword Peak, only that solitary touch of azure at the very top was the quietest. It did not emit any Sword Intent.
It seemed to be nothing more than an ordinary, mediocre long sword.
Yet, however the Sword Intent of Hidden Sword Peak surged and churned, no Sword Intent dared to offend that azure at the peak.
Actually, Lin Luoyu could have ended this retreat at Hidden Sword Peak long ago. At least, that was what Cangjian said.
But Lin Luoyu wanted to hear... the story of that touch of azure.
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