NOVEL WEB Chapter 25
The Peak Lord of Black Sword Peak Wants to Snatch Someone Else’s Disciple?
When Ye Chen looked in the direction the voice came from, he saw a middle-aged man riding his sword over his white hair flying behind him. He wore a scholarly robe with a purple jade hanging on his waist as a sword light faintly flickered in his eyes and a sharp aura undulated around his entire body.
[Name: Gu Lingyun]
[Identity: Peak Lord of Xuantian Holy Land’s Black Sword Peak]
[Cultivation: Mid Stage of Might Realm]
…
He’s the Peak Lord of Black Sword Peak?
Ye Chen raised his eyebrows slightly. He just knew that this person was probably here for Li Qingzhou.
Li Qingzhou had made too much of a commotion when he attacked Ling Wuhen with his full power earlier, especially when he allowed his newly-reformed Supreme Sword Bone to reveal itself. As cultivators of the Sword Path, it was no wonder they would be able to sense his presence.
“Senior Brother Gu!” Ye Chen cupped his hands as he greeted the Black Sword Peak Lord.
The Peak Lord landed in front of Ye Chen and the others, before nodding at Ye Chen casually. Then, he looked at Li Qingzhou with a burning gaze as if he was looking at a piece of beautiful jade.
Li Qingzhou felt his scalp go numb from the intense stare as he moved his feet slightly and hid behind Ye Chen.
The Black Sword Peak Lord realized what he was doing and smiled back at Ye Chen instead. He then turned to the Xuantian Holy Lord as he cupped his hands and said, “Holy Lord, I was in closed-door cultivation when my sword body suddenly sensed a strong sword intent soaring into the sky. That’s why I came over to take a look. But I would never have expected that it would lead me to someone with a Sword King Body! What a blessing for Black Sword Peak!”
A blessing for Black Sword Peak?
Did this bugger come here just to steal his disciple?
‘You’re too full of yourself!’
The Xuantian Holy Lord simply nodded noncommittally as he looked at Li Qingzhou. “Since the Supreme Sword Bone has reformed, his blood and bones have been thoroughly nourished to transform his Sword Spirit Body into a Sword King Body. He is indeed a peerless immortal seedling that cultivates the Sword Path!”
Xuantian Holy Lord turned back to Ye Chen and said, “Junior Brother Ye, I heard that when you took him in as a disciple two years ago, his Sword Supreme Bone had been dug out, crippling his Sword Spirit Body. Who would have expected for him to rise from the ashes better than before? Junior Brother Ye’s judgment is really sharp!”
“Holy Lord, you flatter me. I don’t have such judgment at all. The whole thing was just like a blind cat meeting a dead mouse,” said Ye Chen humbly.
The Xuantian Holy Lord simply smiled and didn’t say any more. But that didn’t mean that the gears in his mind were already turning.
‘Junior Brother Ye knew that Li Qingzhou’s Sword Spirit Body had been ruined, and yet he was still willing to take him in as his disciple. Now, the disciple’s Supreme Sword Bone is back. Has Junior Brother Ye been hiding his abilities? Perhaps a little too well?’
The Peak Lord of Black Sword Peak decided to be direct with Ye Chen as the former walked straight up to the latter and seriously said, “Junior Brother Ye, I have a presumptuous request!”
“Senior Brother Gu, since it is a presumptuous request, let’s not talk about it anymore.” Ye Chen responded simply.
The Black Sword Peak Lord stopped breathing and the sword Qi around his body started to move. A hint of arrogance appeared between his brows as he said, “Junior Brother Ye, please, let me finish first!
“Li Qingzhou’s constitution in the Sword Dao is extremely impressive. Since Qingyun Peak is already ruined and your history of experience in the Sword Path isn’t great either, making your disciple stay at Qingyun Peak will only be a waste of his potential and ruin his future!
“Black Sword Peak, on the other hand, has a rich foundation in the Sword Path, which means that our place has the best cultivation conditions for him to walk further along his Sword Path!
“I hope Junior Brother Ye can be willing to set his ego aside and let Li Qingzhou join Black Sword Peak!
“As a sign of sincerity, I am willing to gift Junior Brother Ye a jade protective talisman that can withstand a full-strength attack from a Peak-Stage Primordial Realm expert!”
A jade protective talisman that could withstand a full-strength attack from a Peak-Stage Primordial Realm expert?
‘I don’t mean to brag, but I already have my Cloud Pattern Immortal Robe which can withstand a full-power attack from a Peak-Stage Demon Lord expert. What is a jade protective talisman compared to what I have?’
Ye Chen looked at the proud Peak Lord of Black Sword Peak, his face remaining friendly as he said, “There is no need for you to gift me the jade protective talisman. As long as Li Qingzhou agrees to join Black Sword Peak, I have no objections.”
Li Qingzhou panicked as he quickly jumped out from behind Ye Chen and said, “Master, I am not leaving Qingyun Peak!”
Ye Chen lightly sighed and earnestly said, “Qingzhou, what Senior Brother Gu said makes sense. Neither the resources nor foundation of the Sword Path of Qingyun Peak is enough to support your cultivation sufficiently. Remaining at Qingyun Peak will only be a waste of your talent. But if you join Black Sword Peak, you will finally be able to walk further along the Sword Path.”
Li Qingzhou’s face turned black and a bad feeling rose up in his heart.
“Junior Brother Li, don’t worry about going to Black Sword Peak. I will take good care of our master.” Zi Menghan almost couldn’t hold herself back but she forced herself to keep a straight face. Any further lack of self-restraint would unleash a loud laugh from her as she thought, ‘Don’t you remember that Master is a very prudent person? It’s even written in Qingyun Peak’s rules that we must be as prudent as possible at all times too. So who asked you to be so showy earlier? You shouldn’t have used your Supreme Sword Bone to kill the Outer Realm Sky Demon. It was impressive, I’ll admit, but it was too much. Since you brought this upon yourself, you will have to solve your own dilemma.’
The Black Sword Peak Lord thought, ‘This Qingyun Peak Lord’s character isn’t bad. He doesn’t want to delay Li Qingzhou’s development just for the sake of Qingyun Peak. After all, Black Sword Peak was the best place and had the best people to guide Li Qingzhou.’
“Li Qingzhou, don’t be foolish. With your talent, it would be a waste to stay at Qingyun Peak. Joining Black Sword Peak will bring you a hundred benefits and not a single harm!” The Black Sword Peak Lord tried to persuade Li Qingzhou to change his mind.
But Li Qingzhou suddenly kneeled at Ye Chen and said, “Master, I had wasted three years without making any progress in my cultivation when my Supreme Sword Bone was taken from me, crippling my Sword Spirit Body and destroying all my hard-earned progress in cultivation!
“Out of the 108 peaks of Xuantian Holy Land present at the Disciple Acceptance Ceremony two years ago, only you, Master, was willing to take me in.
“And it was Master who encouraged me to comprehend the Sword Path on my own and allowed me to regain my Dao heart. It was master who gave me a second chance! My life belongs to you, Master!
“I, Li Qingzhou, am a member of Qingyun Peak in life and even in death. I will never join another peak!”
Li Qingzhou’s sincere words moved everyone present.
“How loyal! Good! Very good! As expected of a disciple of Xuantian Holy Land!” The Xuantian Holy Lord was impressed as he praised Li Qingzhou and clapped.
But the Black Sword Peak Lord looked at Ye Chen in bewilderment and said, “Junior Brother Ye, you told him to comprehend the Sword Path on his own? Didn’t you teach him?”
“Doesn’t cultivation require one to comprehend on one’s own? Isn’t cultivation unique to each person like one’s personality? How can I teach him something that only he would know and understand best?” Ye Chen looked confused as he responded.
Gu Lingyun’s face turned black as Ye Chen’s words made him realize that the cultivation conditions he had offered Li Qingzhou no longer meant anything. Li Qingzhou had managed to recover his Supreme Sword Bone and advance this far purely by relying on himself. He didn’t need his cheap master to teach him anything. And despite all of this, Li Qingzhou was willing to follow Ye Chen and Qingyun Peak to death.
Or perhaps it was because of Ye Chen giving him the space and time he needed to figure things out that Li Qingzhou had become so loyal to his master. At this moment, the Black Sword Peak Lord felt as if his worldview had collapsed.
What was wrong with this world?
Cultivation only required self-enlightenment?
‘Am I wrong, or is the world wrong?’
“Li Qingzhou, you have successfully aroused my interest! I hope you can break through to Primordial Realm as soon as possible. I can’t wait to face you as a fellow expert in the same realm!” It was Xiao Yixian, the Xuantian Holy Son who challenged Li Qingzhou. And with that, Xiao Yixian disappeared beyond the mountain with his eight followers.
He had gone into closed-door cultivation.