Chapter 210: All Things Bow Their Heads
Truly standing at the foot of the mountain and looking up, one might understand why people call this mountain Tianshan Mountain. Its rock walls are almost vertical, as straight as a pine tree. Only the portion below the mountaintop has been shrouded in clouds and mist year-round, making it impossible to see clearly. Chen An concentrated, and could see that a bit higher up, the rock walls became vast expanses of bareness. Aside from a few slightly protruding rocks, nothing else could be seen. This was caused by the sword energy left by the founding ancestor of the Tai Xuan Sect. The immortal’s sword intent, persisting for thousands of years without fading, had thus created a situation where nothing could grow on the mountain. Even gazing directly from the mountain’s base caused the eyes to feel a subtle sting and dryness. One could only imagine what the experience would be like to truly climb it. Compared to this towering behemoth, the young man standing at the foot of the mountain was like an infinitesimally small ant. Today, however, this “ant” seemed to have a different idea. He wanted to conquer Tianshan Mountain. Under numerous gazes, both overt and hidden, the “ant” finally made its next move. Such a mountain face offered no shortcuts. He chose the simplest and most brute-force method, directly summoning his flying sword, holding his breath, and steadily climbing straight up the rock wall. The young man’s speed was extremely fast, and his posture was very stable, clearly indicating that his mastery of sword riding had reached perfection. But if it were only this, what would he do when his spiritual energy was depleted? This question inevitably arose in the minds of those watching the young man. On a platform by the cliffside, Zuo Yunshan stared at the rapidly ascending black dot and frowned deeply. A moment later, his brow suddenly relaxed. “I thought he had some special means, but if it’s just sword riding like this, the first half of the journey will naturally be easy. But he’s merely at the Foundation Establishment realm; how much spiritual energy can he possibly have to squander?” Zuo Yunshan couldn’t help but comment casually. Standing beside him was another figure. It was Lu Ning, the senior disciple of Shang Xuan Peak. Hearing his master’s comment, he immediately agreed, “Master is absolutely right. He caused such a huge stir previously; has he not inquired about Tianshan Mountain at all?” Lu Ning said coldly, “The place on Tianshan Mountain truly called a chasm is the mountaintop, where the ancestor’s sword intent still lingers!” “Where the sword intent reaches, nothing grows, and it’s the place that requires the most spiritual energy to resist. I want to see how he copes later!” “Oh no, I’m afraid he won’t even be able to reach the mountaintop.” Zuo Yunshan glanced at him upon hearing this but didn’t immediately speak. He merely gazed at the small black dot on the side of the mountain, feeling somewhat perplexed. Could it be that all this commotion was just for the young man to “try a little”? That old fellow Dao Xuan, was he not lying? Although whether Dao Xuan was lying was yet unknown, the small black dot that was still ascending was clearly going to disappoint Lu Ning. In the time they were talking, the black dot had already neared the mountaintop, and its momentum was fierce, showing no signs of slowing down. “Wait, with this speed, it’s absolutely not Foundation Establishment!” Zuo Yunshan’s pupils contracted, and his brows furrowed again. He stared intently at the black dot, quickly concluding. But he had witnessed the young man’s realm with his own eyes; if not Foundation Establishment, then what was it? This time, Lu Ning, standing beside him, did not chime in. After all, the setback came so quickly that his face twitched. He immediately changed his tune, “Master, perhaps he used some secret technique to burn his spiritual energy to gain a temporary surge in cultivation?” “But it doesn’t matter. He won’t be able to pass the ancestor’s sword intent anyway.” Lu Ning’s face showed a smile again, with a hint of disdain, as if he had seen through the young man. “I suppose he knows this attempt is hopeless, so he decided to exhaust his spiritual energy beforehand. It also gives him a chance to attract a lot of attention.” Lu Ning said to himself, thinking that his master seemed clearly fooled by him. But trying to trick me, Lu Ning, is a bit too naive. Zuo Yunshan listened to his disciple’s words and glanced at him again, but he suppressed himself and did not speak in a hurry. Instead, he continued to cast his gaze towards the “ant” on the mountainside. He and those strands of invisible sword intent… were getting closer and closer. … … Tianshan Mountain was cleaved by the ancestor with a single sword. It is said that when the ancestor wielded this sword, it was for the first time his cultivation had improved after centuries of being in the Nascent Soul stage. In his excitement, unable to contain himself, he unleashed this sword. At this moment, Chen An slowly stopped before this sword intent. The sword intent should have been solid, but as time passed, it began to dissipate, gradually transforming from a single strand into a vast expanse. It blocked the entire mountaintop. It had also obstructed the attempts of countless Tai Xuan Sect disciples throughout the generations. Now, it stood in Chen An’s path once more. In fact, by Chen An’s generation, very few disciples would still foolishly attempt to conquer Tianshan Mountain. After all, people had tried for so many years and were tired of it. It was like something unattainable in one’s youth; when one’s realm was insufficient, one always felt a yearning for it. But by the time one truly had the realm to set foot on Tianshan Mountain, one’s interest had waned. However, this time, Chen An had a reason he had to try. Approaching it, he could feel the sharpness that pierced his soul. Enhanced by the snowfall, it was like countless blades of frost and snow, cold and sharp, awe-inspiring. Its sharpness pointed towards all things, making them bow their heads. The young man, of course, did not. He tilted his head back, not to look at the sword intent. Instead, he wanted to see the person on the mountaintop through this layered obstruction. … “Go… up the mountain?” Mu Sanniang was stunned as she watched the young man in the screen begin to climb. She had considered many possibilities but had never imagined her younger brother would choose this most foolish and arduous method. What had happened during those days when her brother went missing? The young girl’s slender palm clenched involuntarily. Her light blue eyes stared fixedly at the screen, unblinking. Because at this very moment, the young man riding his sword seemed to have encountered his first obstacle. His figure paused, and in the next moment, without any hesitation, he plunged headfirst into it. Mu Sanniang did not know what was blocking her brother, but she could see his plain clothes tear into many small slits in the blink of an eye. It was as if he were being cut by countless invisible and sharp swords. The sharp swords cut through the plain clothes, and then cut through the young man’s refined face. Thin streams of red blood trickled down his neck and into his clothes. Witnessing this scene with her own eyes made Mu Sanniang’s eyes redden. Her expression was almost vacant, her palm unconsciously pressing against her chest. Those sharp swords, perhaps cutting at the young man, felt more likeblows striking her heart, one after another. (End of this chapter)
