Chapter Twenty-Nine: Taking on an Apprentice

The sound of swords ringing resonated through the valley, like the beckoning of a celestial immortal from beyond the heavens.

The clouds at the horizon tore open as a beam of sword light slashed across the sky. Its speed was as swift as a lightning strike, and its momentum as grand as a thunderous storm. Most astonishing of all was the youth trailing closely behind the blade.

That youth was Fang Zhenghua.

Grasping the hilt firmly, Fang Zhenghua descended from the towering mountain peak while steering the ancient sword. Just as he was about to touch the ground, he steadied himself. The tip of the sword hovered merely half a meter from the earth, yet it remained as immovable as Mount Tai, without the slightest tremor. The blade emitted a verdant, translucent glow—as fresh as green bamboo and as smooth as flowing water. Under the pitch-black night, its radiance illuminated the foot of the mountain, reflecting off the Heaven-Burning Divine Sword in Zhao Xiuyuan’s hand. One green and one crimson, they appeared like the two poles of Yin and Yang.

"Truly a peerless blade."
"This is actually one of the three legendary swords of the Sword Tomb: the Essence Ghost Sword Spirit."
"The boy’s talent is extraordinary, his aptitude outstanding; he is indeed a dragon among men."

The elders of the four main peaks sighed in admiration, their eyes filled with praise for Fang Zhenghua. Elder Guan Shao spoke up: "Your performance is impressive. Would you be willing to join my Xiling Mountain?"

Fang Zhenghua’s face was slightly pale, as if he had not yet fully recovered from the thrill of the descent, but he nodded silently and walked behind Elder Guan Shao. Without question, Fang Zhenghua was an exceptional disciple with the potential to reach the Saint Realm in the future. The other three elders witnessed this with a flash of complexity in their eyes, but ultimately, they remained silent. They understood that Xiling Mountain had long held high expectations for Fang Zhenghua; perhaps even before he had stepped into the Sword Sect, some tacit understanding had already been reached in secret. At a moment like this, forcing a confrontation would not only be futile but might also create a feud with Xiling Mountain—hardly a wise move.

The elder glanced toward the mountains, then suddenly remarked with a smile to the stout man beside him, who resembled the Maitreya Buddha: "Elder Fazhao, now that you have graced this place with your presence, have you found a disciple who has caught your eye?"

At these words, the atmosphere in the arena turned unnervingly quiet, as if the very air had frozen. Elder Fazhao was the Great Elder of Dongming Mountain, which had not taken in a new disciple for many years—save for that former, rebellious chief disciple of the Sword Sect. The underlying reason was that the Sect Master had been in seclusion for years and had not once appeared. During the height of the rumors, it was even said that the Sect Master had passed away. In recent years, Elder Fazhao had not even attended the selection ceremonies symbolically. Why, then, had he suddenly appeared today? Did he wish to take on a disciple himself, or was the Sect Master preparing to accept one personally?

If it were the latter, it would undoubtedly be news capable of shocking the Sword Sect and even the entire Heavenly Extreme Continent.

Elder Fazhao kept his smile as he replied nonchalantly: "The disciples of this generation are indeed quite good. I personally have no particular intentions; the Sect Master commanded me to come, so I came."

"The Sect Master commanded me to come, so I came."

This blunt statement caused even Su Yueke, who had been listening with a casual mindset, to change her expression. Gu Chuanqiong instinctively stroked his beard, shocked by the thought: Could it be that among this generation of disciples, there is someone whose talent has moved the Sect Master? Guan Shao looked toward the distant sky with a solemn expression. If the Sect Master had emerged from seclusion, did it mean he had broken through that legendary shackle of heaven and earth?

A burst of lighthearted laughter echoed at the foot of the mountain, breaking the contemplation. A young girl with a ponytail did not walk down the mountain; instead, she drifted down through the air. She held no sword, but a seven-foot-long red silk ribbon coiled around her, dancing on its own as if it possessed a life of its own. It contrasted beautifully with the girl’s innocent and adorable face, making her look like a celestial maiden descending to the mortal world.

This scene drew everyone’s gaze. In the Mortal Realm, one could fly on a sword provided they possessed an ancient blade in harmony with their spirit. But she held no sword; the only peculiar thing was that red ribbon. Many frowned, unable to fathom the mystery behind it. Only Su Yueke and Ye Xianghan from Nanmi Mountain had their expressions change drastically, and they both lunged forward instantly.

...

The moment the girl landed, she was surrounded by the two graceful women. Startled, she sensed their burning gazes and quickly clutched the red ribbon to her chest, pouting, "This is mine! Mine!"

Ye Xianghan offered a gentle smile. Su Yueke looked at the ribbon with complex eyes and said softly, "Little girl, don't be afraid. I just want to ask where this red ribbon came from."

Xia Yi blinked, holding the end of the ribbon, and said innocently, "I don't know. I hadn't even reached the top of the mountain yet when it flew over, started circling me, and then carried me down. It was so much fun."

"It seems to be destiny," Su Yueke murmured, lost in thought.

Ye Xianghan asked from the side, "Then, would you be willing to join my Nanmi Mountain?"

The surroundings fell into an unexpected silence once more. Xia Yi was recognized as the youngest and most talented disciple of this generation. All four main peaks were interested in her, but seeing the strange expressions on the faces of Su Yueke and Ye Xianghan, no one dared to speak.

The girl thought for a moment, looking troubled, and turned to the person behind her: "Lin Fei, what should I do?"

Perhaps it was because Xia Yi’s spectacular entrance had been so overwhelming, or perhaps for other unknown reasons, nobody had noticed the youth who had quietly descended the mountain behind her. Lin Fei’s face appeared even paler under the moonlight. After descending, he first cast a glance at the Heaven-Burning sword, then turned to the Essence Ghost, and finally fixed his gaze on the red ribbon around the girl, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. The sword intent contained within that red ribbon was not inferior to the Heaven-Burning sword, nor was it any less than the Essence Ghost.

Ye Xianghan’s eyes revealed a complex mix of emotions as she said slowly, "This red ribbon is actually a relic of the previous Peak Master of Nanmi Mountain—my own master. It has not appeared in the world for a hundred years."

A gasp rippled through the crowd, but it was quickly stifled; the news was too shocking for people to easily digest. Even the elders of the other three main peaks were hearing this secret for the first time, and their faces were etched with surprise.

Lin Fei suddenly asked in return, "Your master, isn't she the master of the current Nanmi Mountain Peak Master?"

Ye Xianghan nodded and replied, "That is correct."

"Then what are you waiting for?" Lin Fei smiled lightly, ruffled Xia Yi’s hair, and said earnestly, "If you go, you can become a Junior Martial Aunt immediately. This is a rare and excellent opportunity."

...

"Junior Martial Aunt?"

Exclamations and sounds of confusion erupted throughout the arena. Even Ye Xianghan and Su Yueke wore stunned expressions. Xia Yi blinked, looking completely bewildered and adorable.

Lin Fei explained with a serious face: "Since she has been acknowledged by the red ribbon, this can be considered as 'accepting a disciple on behalf of a master.' As such, she is naturally your Junior Martial Aunt."

Although the youth’s words sounded somewhat loose, upon closer reflection, they seemed to carry a certain logic. Yet, everyone still felt it was too absurd. After all, would the current Peak Master of Nanmi Mountain—that transcendent, world-renowned female sword cultivator—truly agree to suddenly have a Junior Martial Aunt who was still in the Mortal Realm?

Ye Xianghan mused for a moment and said, "I need to return and ask for my senior sister’s instruction on this matter."

"No need," a voice echoed directly from the far distance as the clouds in the sky surged. "It is permitted."