5 years later.
Barren Cloud Heavenly Palace.
In the main hall, the Barren Cloud Palace Master was discussing something with the 6 peak masters.
"The frontline is in a tight spot, our equipment has been greatly damaged, the Divinities want us to forge a batch of armors and weapons as soon as possible" the Barren Cloud Palace Master said.
"Leave that to us Grey Crane peak" one of the peak masters said.
Grey Crane peak was a master of the 6 arts, so they were responsible for all matters related to Smithing.
The Barren Cloud Palace Master nodded: "That's good. Furthermore, we've received intelligence that the Desolate world has recently sent out a group of Nether Soul Demons, to prevent them from infiltrating our camp, our sound cultivators will be leading the battle"
Everyone turned to look at one of the girls.
The girl was sitting cross-legged on a chair, holding a jade flute in her hand.
She was the master of Fine Sound peak, Luo Bingli.
The female cultivator who stood at the peak of the mountain and played the flute to dispel the demons when the newcomers first entered the sect was her.
Luo Bingli smiled: "No problem, leave it to me"
The Barren Cloud Palace Master asked: "How many people do you plan to bring?"
Luo Bingli mused: "Five people should be enough"
The Barren Cloud Palace Master shook his head: "There are very few sound cultivators, it's hard to train one, don't bring too many people"
Luo Bingli replied: "Then I'll only bring two people"
The Barren Cloud Palace Master nodded.
He then looked at a cultivator next to him and ordered: "Perching Cloud peak master, you will personally bring a group of people with Fine Sound peak master, they will be responsible for their safety"
The cultivator grinned: "Don't worry, Palace Master, I will bring the strongest sword cultivators and Blade users, as well as a few experts with excellent spears"
The Barren Cloud Palace Master asked: "How many people do you plan to bring?"
"200" the Perching Cloud peak master replied.
"Hm, 200 people should be enough, make sure to protect them"
"Understood"
The Barren Cloud Palace Master stood up and told the peak masters: "Very well, if there's nothing else, today's meeting will end here"
The peak masters also stood up and exchanged glances.
Clear Water peak master said: "Palace Master, there's one more thing"
"Ah? Speak "the Barren Cloud Palace Master said.
"It's like this. It's been five years since the last batch of newcomers joined the sect, and we've organized four competitions. This year, it's almost the end of the year, so we're preparing to organize the fifth competition," the Clear Water Peak Master said.
"Isn't this an annual tradition?" the Barren Cloud Palace Master asked.
"It's mainly because there have been some negative comments about the main peak recently," the Clear Water Peak Master said.
There were seven peaks on the river, and six of them surrounded the main peak.
The main peak was where the Barren Cloud Palace Master resided.
All of the sect's important scriptures, heritage treasures, and the Path to Heaven were located on this peak.
"A discussion about the master peak?" the Barren Cloud Palace Master slowly scowled and spoke seriously: "Tell me in detail, what exactly is it"
"Actually, it's not a big deal. It's just that everyone thinks that the Sectmaster's disciple hasn't participated in any competitions for the past four years, and has never participated in any activities either. That's why everyone is talking about it," the Clear Water Peak Master said.
The Ancient Dawn Peak Master added: "The kids on our peak also want to compete with the Headmaster's disciple — — Let's not talk about winning or losing, Palace Master, if you have the time, you should bring your disciple out and show himself, so that he can listen to them."
The Barren Cloud Palace Master's expression softened.
So that's what it was.
He asked: "For this year's competition, Gu Qing Shan still hasn't signed up?"
The Clear Water Peak Master replied: "That's right, that's why the other cultivators of the same generation have been wondering why the Headmaster's disciple has always been hiding and never showed himself"
The Ancient Dawn Peak Master spoke: "Palace Master, just let Gu Qing Shan fight once, that way, even if those kids don't say it out loud, they won't have any opinions about the main peak"
The Barren Cloud Palace Master replied: "I'll ask him, but I can't guarantee the result"
He suddenly chuckled: "As for those discussions, hah, they're just a bunch of kids, they won't affect the main peak much, you don't need to worry about it"
Saying so, the Barren Cloud Palace Master swung his sleeves and disappeared from the main palace.
The peak masters exchanged glances.
"Even the Palace Master can't let that brat fight?" the Spirit Echo Peak Master asked in surprise.
The Ancient Dawn Peak Master shook his head: "If you ask me, the Palace Master spoils that disciple of his too much, he should come out and interact more with his peers, through sparring, only then would everyone acknowledge that brat's position"
The other peak masters nodded in agreement.
"Do you think it never happened?" Fine Sound Peak Master Luo Bingli replied, "I'm in charge of monitoring the sect's situation, so I've seen Gu Qing Shan enter and leave Grey Crane Peak a few times. At the time, quite a few disciples chased after him, wanting to spar with him, but were all refused"
The peak masters were shocked.
He refused!
Sparring between disciples, unless the difference in cultivation was too great, no one would refuse a spar.
Once someone refused to spar, they would be seen as cowards.
Not to mention, this kind of sparring was also a chance for a Combatant to become famous.
Thinking further, the peak masters couldn't help but frown.
That brat was the Headmaster's very first disciple, so he was naturally the Eldest Disciple of the sect.
Regardless of his strength or character, as long as that brat was in that position, he represented every disciple of the sect.
With such an identity, even if his cultivation wasn't high enough, he should have come out to follow the Palace Master, take part in various matters, train himself and accumulate fame.
But ever since he joined the sect, the brat basically never showed himself.
As everyone knows, the few times he showed himself, he went straight to Grey Crane Peak's bookkeeping room and stayed there for a long time.
According to the bookkeeping room's records, he did borrow quite a few spirit cooking and formation related jade tags.
Since he had the Sect Master's jade disk, no one could stop him.
— — -but as a disciple who joined the sect not too long ago, instead of focusing on his swordsmanship, is it really alright for him to be distracted by other matters?
The Palace Master is too lenient with him.
The Spirit Echo peak master muses: "It seems we need to find a chance to persuade the Palace Master. After all, his Eldest Disciple represents the face of the sect, as well as the sect's attitude towards raising its disciples"
"Indeed"
"That's how it should be"
"We'll talk to the Palace Master next time"
The other peak masters all agreed.
…
Barren Cloud master peak.
The Barren Cloud Palace Master Xie Gu Hong had returned.
He was walking on the stone path that led to the top of the mountain.
This way, he would feel relaxed.
— — -every time after a meeting, he liked to take a short walk like this.
Suddenly, he stopped and looked up at the sky.
Snowflakes were falling down.
It was the end of another year.
But this wasn't a relaxing year.
On the frontlines, more and more Desolate monsters were appearing, each stronger than the last, to the point where they were almost invincible.
Even the Divinities were afraid of that monster.
— — although he couldn't say this out loud, Xie Gu Hong believed that the top cultivators had already noticed it.
That battle was a terrible one.
Close to 10 great cultivators had perished in a row, and the humans had to sacrifice their lives in order to finally slay the monster.
Indeed, humanity was growing stronger and stronger.
However, the crisis was also silently expanding.
Xie Gu Hong sighed.
The battle at the frontlines, the urging of the Divinities, the sect's affairs, all of them required his full concentration.
He reached his hand out to catch a snowflake.
When will I die on the frontlines?
Suddenly, he recalled the matter that the peak masters mentioned during today's meeting.
"Qing Shan …"
Xie Gu Hong muttered and disappeared without a trace.
Deep inside the Barren Cloud master peak.
The Sword Abyss.
All of the sword scriptures in the sect's collection were gathered here.
A young man was sitting in the middle of a mountain of jade tags, holding a jade tag in his hand as he silently comprehended the mysteries within.
Gu Qing Shan.
His entire being seemed to have entered a state of selflessness.
In the void of space in front of him, Xie Gu Hong's figure appeared.
Xie Gu Hong first waited for a while, but when he saw that Gu Qing Shan wasn't moving at all, he coughed helplessly.
Gu Qing Shan immediately sensed it.
He opened his eyes.
"Master, you're here" he stood up and clasped his fist.
"Hm, how has your cultivation been recently?" Xie Gu Hong asked.
"Everything is fine" Gu Qing Shan replied.
Xie Gu Hong tried asking: "Your master suddenly recalled something — — you've been in the sect for 5 years now, but you still haven't sparred with anyone?"
"I have" Gu Qing Shan nodded.
Xie Gu Hong asked: "Why haven't you sparred with anyone else?"
Gu Qing Shan was a bit confused and replied: "Those seniors whose cultivation is too high, with my current strength, I can't win against them"
Xie Gu Hong replied: "Your master is referring to the same generation"
Gu Qing Shan replied: "That's too boring, after all, even the Heaven's Will hasn't said anything, this proves that I'm still number one, so sparring with them would only be a waste of time"
Xie Gu Hong was speechless.
This brat once made a vow to heaven and earth that if he's no longer the number one sword cultivator, he'll immediately cripple his cultivation and leave the sect.
Yet he's still here.
Even the Heaven's Will is proving his strength.
Xie Gu Hong cleared his throat and asked: "Then … during this year's competition, would you like to participate?"
Gu Qing Shan hesitantly asked: "Master, wouldn't it be too much of a blow if I participate?"
Xie Gu Hong scowled.
This brat …
Xie Gu Hong stood still, but a total of seven swords hovered in the air behind him.
Xie Gu Hong took out a sword from his back.
"Come, let your master see just how strong you are as the number one sword cultivator of this generation"
"Very well, please enlighten me, Master"
Gu Qing Shan also took out a sword.
He didn't bother to bow and simply leapt forward.
— — -being able to receive personal guidance from a sword cultivator surpassing Divinity, Gu Qing Shan couldn't wait any longer.
His first strike was to kill!
The sword split into two, then into six, then into 36 swords, all of them manifesting into streaks of light that slashed straight at Xie Gu Hong!
— — – Gu Qing Shan had combined all the profound swordsmanship he had learned in the last 5 years with his own Secret Art, as well as all of his combat experience, to unleash this strike with everything he had.
Xie Gu Hong's eyes lit up.
"It's only been 5 years …" he muttered.
He swung his sword.
Clang clang clang clang clang clang!
He casually swung his sword, knocking all the sword phantoms away.
"Die!"
Gu Qing Shan abruptly appeared in front of him. The sword in his hand and half of his body disappeared without a trace.
This strike was so fast that the blade couldn't even be seen!
Kih!
A resounding sound.
Gu Qing Shan was sent flying along with his sword.
He somersaulted a few times in the air before regaining his balance about 10 feet away.
"That's enough"
Xie Gu Hong let go of his sword.
Gu Qing Shan could only begrudgingly put his sword away.
He still wanted to fight.
But Shifu had already put his sword away, which meant he wasn't going to fight anymore.
Gu Qing Shan looked at the 7 swords on Xie Gu Hong's back and seriously asked: "Shifu, have you already surpassed the realm of Sword Saint?"
Xie Gu Hong nodded.
Gu Qing Shan doubtfully asked: "Then why do you only have 7 flying swords? With your strength, you should be able to control several hundred swords with your mind "
Xie Gu Hong replied: "In the past, when I became a Sword Saint, I had 1,954 flying swords with me, but after I surpassed the realm of Sword Saint, up until now, I only use 7 flying swords"
"Why is that?"
"Because when you can fully unleash the power of your flying swords, you must first consider how to restrain their power"
"Restrain?" Gu Qing Shan muttered.
He suddenly recalled that when he sparred with Ilya in the underwater remnant world, she seemed to have said something similar.
Xie Gu Hong replied: "That's right, retracting is harder than releasing, only when you're able to restrain all of your power and unleash it as a single sword will your swordsmanship reach Grand Completion"
"That's why Shifu retracted it as 7 swords?"
"No, I once retracted it as a single sword, but now that I've reached another realm, it's now 7 swords"
Hearing that, Gu Qing Shan couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
Seeing his expression, Xie Gu Hong chuckled: "That's enough, your progress is already very impressive, there's no need to be envious of me"
"Yes, Shifu"
"Continue your cultivation, your master will be leaving first"
"Very well"
Xie Gu Hong put the 7 swords on his back away and slowly left.
Halfway through, he seemed to have thought of something and suddenly stopped.
He turned to Gu Qing Shan and told her: "For the next 3 years, don't go out and attack anyone. After 3 years, I'll give you a position, you'll be teaching people how to use the sword on Perching Cloud peak"
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