…
…
Hearing what Yuan Qü had said, Jin Sidao looked terrible. The elders and disciples who had supported Fang Jingtian had an unsightly countenance as well, but the most terrible look appeared on Ping Yongjia’s face.
He remembered what his Master said by the Sword-Washing Stream, but he didn’t take it seriously.
The peak masters were important figures at the Green Mountain Sect. Ping Yongjia didn’t think he was qualified to be a peak master.
To say nothing of his status and generation in the nine peaks of Green Mountain, what would Senior Master Zhao think of him if he, a regular disciple on Shenmo Peak, suddenly became a peak master? What would Big Brother Gu Qing think of him? What would Yuan Qü think of him? Big Brother Zhuo Rusui would certainly get angry. And…what if the Drifter became upset?
Ping Yongjia grew anxious, and he didn’t know what to say. He felt lost. And he didn’t dare refuse it even though he had every intention of doing so.
“If it were you who replaced me, I could accept it,” Jin Sidao said to Zhao Layue. “But why do I have to hand the position of peak master to him? Is it because he is the personal disciple of the Immortal Sect Master? Even though Big Brother Liu Ci favored Zhuo Rusui so much back then, he didn’t…”
“Don’t use me as an example. Otherwise, I have to ask you, my senior master, to fight with me,” Zhuo Rusui cut him off, his eyelids still drooping.
Jin Sidao sneered once, but he didn’t take on the offer.
Though Jin Sidao had a high status and was in the middle of the Broken Sea State, he was no match for Zhuo Rusui.
“Why is he qualified?” Jin Sidao continued while looking at Zhao Layue, “I’ll be never convinced.”
The peak master of the Sword Peak would be replaced because of Jing Jiu’s words. Not to mention Jin Sidao and the elders and disciples who supported Jin Sidao, Mo Chi, Mei Li, Chi Yan and the others also thought it was improper to do so. It was mostly that Ping Yongjia had been on Green Mountain in a much shorter time than others; though he had two outstanding performances one hundred years ago, his Cultivation status was still very low and lack of experience. How could he be a qualified peak master?
The elders and disciples of Yunxing Peak had to have such a person as their peak master, so they felt unconvinced of course. They stared at Ping Yongjia with an unfriendly gaze.
Ping Yongjia felt stressed under this sort of gazes. He looked at Zhao Layue pitifully in the hopes of obtaining some support; but he didn’t get it from her. He regretted that his family name was Ping, because the word for “why” sounded like his family name, so everybody liked asking why whenever he was concerned.
“Then…then…then, let’s have a fight?” Ping Yongjia asked tentatively.
Upon hearing this, Jin Sidao was taken aback, wondering how the young people on Shenmo Peak could all be so arrogant. He thought that he could beat the likes of Pong Yongjia easily even though he was no match for Zhao Layue and Zhuo Rusui.
“Are you sure?”
“Hmm.”
An uproar broke out.
Even though Jin Sidao got the agreement, he still couldn’t believe that this matter could be settled so easily. He turned to Zhao Layue.
“I’m the peak master of Shenmo,” said Zhao Layue.
It meant that she would not interfere with the matter.
In the minds of Jin Sidao and the others, if Zhao Layue was not to get involved in the matter, the Immortal Sect Master wouldn’t do so either since he was very lazy.
Jin Sidao took a deep breath and said, “Fine.”
No sooner had he finished talking than a person appeared before him.
The pine waves made rustling sound, but it was deathly quiet in front of the grand hall of Xilai Peak.
Seeing this scene, an incredulous expression showed in everyone’s eyes.
Ping Yongjia’s right hand landed on Jin Sidao’s neck, as he said uncertainly, “Does this mean you have lost?”
Jin Sidao’s face grew pale, and soon turned crimson. “You sneak-attacked me,” he yelled in a trembling voice.
Ping Yongjia said embarrassingly, “Sorry, I’m a little nervous.”
Having said that, he went back to the side of Zhao Layue, though it didn’t seem like he moved at all. He had covered the distance of one hundred feet in the blink of an eye without leaving any residue behind, nor did he bring up a sliver of wind; it was as if he had never moved.
Witnessing this, the people were stunned again, wondering what kind of moving method he had employed.
Some of them had seen Ping Yongjia’s performance at the Sword Trial and the Plum Meeting over one hundred years ago; they knew that it was the rumored shapeless sword body.
The whole of Green Mountain and the entire Cultivation circle knew that only Jing Jiu, Zhao Layue and Ping Yongjia had developed such a prowess.
Jin Sidao inhaled deeply to suppress his anger, anxiety and frustration. But he didn’t dare to take it lightly, and called out his flying sword. He was to employ the most powerful move in the Old-Bird Sword style of Yunxing Peak.
His flying sword looked very light in the sky, like an ice cube, as if it could become invisible at any moment. It was the famous sword of Green Mountain, the Empty Sword.
Ping Yongjia felt more nervous, as he thought that his opponent was fully prepared, meaning he couldn’t approach him as easily as he had done earlier.
Crack!!!
The pine waves seemed to be blocked by an invisible shield.
The Empty Sword leapt into the air against the wind, bringing up a dozen agile sword lights and heading toward Ping Yongjia.
Ping Yongjia leaned his body forward instinctively and sprinted toward.
Whoosh!!!
The dust on the ground was kicked up a bit.
In the next moment, he arrived before Jin Sidao and placed his right hand on Jin Sidao’s neck. The sword lights emerged from his clothing and black hair, and the faint and formidable sword wills were exuding from his fingers.
The Empty Sword was still in the sky.
The move of the Old-Bird Sword style hadn’t occurred yet, let alone strike its opponent.
It grew quieter in the square. The people had a hard time believing what they had just witnessed.
Jin Sidao was shocked and embarrassed. He couldn’t utter a single word even though he attempted to say something with his mouth, gasping slightly.
“Does this mean I’ve won?” Ping Yongjia asked earnestly.
Jin Sidao called back the Empty Sword and shoved it into Ping Yongjia’s left hand, turning to walk to the outside of the square. He didn’t turn around no matter how desperately the elders and disciples of Yunxing Peak called after him.
A peak master in the middle state of the Broken Sea State had been defeated and humiliated by a young disciple who had only entered the inner gate one hundred years ago. Jin Sidao felt it too embarrassing to stay in the square any longer. He might have feel humiliated enough to go to the hermit peaks to be a companion of Fang Jingtian.
Ping Yongjia wondered how Jin Sidao was still so upset even though he didn’t sneak-attack him this time. He turned to Zhao Layue with uncertainty as he had no idea what he had done wrong.
Zhao Layue looked at him, her eyes full of the reflection of herself at a young age. Her eyes showed a hint of appreciation. “Not bad,” she said.
A few iron eagles suddenly took off in the distance and shouted, which was rather rare. As the clouds and fog dispersed slightly, dozens of sword wills came out cheerfully, as if they welcomed something.
Yuan Qü came before Ping Yongjia and looked at the Empty Sword in his hand admirably, “You’re pretty good, eh. What Cultivation state are you in?”
“No idea,” said Ping Yongjia blankly.
He really didn’t know what Cultivation state he was in. He had intended to lose the fight so his Master wouldn’t blame him for not wanting to be the peak master. Unexpectedly, he won the fight…Hearing this answer and thinking of the scene they had witnessed earlier, the crowd was stunned speechless again, wondering what kind of a place Shenmo Peak was.
…
…
The fight between Ping Yongjia and Jin Sidao merely took a short time, and it didn’t have any amazing displays of fighting, but the disciples of Green Mountain were all practicing the sword work, so they understood what it meant when Ping Yongjia twice put his hand on his opponent’s neck. As for the far more important sword fight that decided who would be the sect master of Green Mountain, no one had witnessed it.
Zhao Layue thought that Jing Jiu must have used that fight to get accustomed to his body in the Heavenly Arrival State, but the others believed that it took so many days because that was an evenly matched fight.
A few days were enough for the Dead Dog to eat all of the “delicious” foods that he had stored for many years, and it was long enough for Ada to curse the Dead Dog three thousand times in his mind. And it was enough time for Gu Qing to come back from Zhaoge City.
The small coal stove was rekindled, and the silvery coals had gradually turned a real hue of silver. The water in the iron kettle was boiling; it was time to put the tea in it. Gu Qing finished reporting the affairs of the imperial court and started reporting the internal affairs at the Green Mountain Sect.
“The Center Sect is displeased with the allocation arranged by the imperial court, but they can do nothing about it. The allocations at our sect are still arranged by Tianguang Peak, and Shiyue Peak is responsible for carrying them out. Yet, my worry is that Guo Nanshan has handed Liangwang Peak to Gu Han and the others; though they conduct their affairs fairly and justly, I’m afraid that the power they have is a bit too much…”
Lying on the bamboo chair and bathing under the autumn sun comfortable, Jing Jiu raised his hand to indicate that he was not interested in such a matter.
Gu Qing understood his intention and said nothing more. He heaved the iron kettle and started pouring the tea. There were three teacups on the tea plate. He poured the first cup for himself because the first cup of tea was a bit too light. Then, he poured the second cup for his Master because the flavor was just right. Finally, he poured the third cup for Zhao Layue because she liked her tea a bit stronger.
Only the three of them were at the edge of the cliff. Yuan Qü, Ping Yongjia and the Drifter were arguing heatedly about something in the Daoist Hall.
Jing Jiu took over the teacup and had a sip, asking, “Have you settled the matter over there?”
…
…
Hearing what Yuan Qü had said, Jin Sidao looked terrible. The elders and disciples who had supported Fang Jingtian had an unsightly countenance as well, but the most terrible look appeared on Ping Yongjia’s face.
He remembered what his Master said by the Sword-Washing Stream, but he didn’t take it seriously.
The peak masters were important figures at the Green Mountain Sect. Ping Yongjia didn’t think he was qualified to be a peak master.
To say nothing of his status and generation in the nine peaks of Green Mountain, what would Senior Master Zhao think of him if he, a regular disciple on Shenmo Peak, suddenly became a peak master? What would Big Brother Gu Qing think of him? What would Yuan Qü think of him? Big Brother Zhuo Rusui would certainly get angry. And…what if the Drifter became upset?
Ping Yongjia grew anxious, and he didn’t know what to say. He felt lost. And he didn’t dare refuse it even though he had every intention of doing so.
“If it were you who replaced me, I could accept it,” Jin Sidao said to Zhao Layue. “But why do I have to hand the position of peak master to him? Is it because he is the personal disciple of the Immortal Sect Master? Even though Big Brother Liu Ci favored Zhuo Rusui so much back then, he didn’t…”
“Don’t use me as an example. Otherwise, I have to ask you, my senior master, to fight with me,” Zhuo Rusui cut him off, his eyelids still drooping.
Jin Sidao sneered once, but he didn’t take on the offer.
Though Jin Sidao had a high status and was in the middle of the Broken Sea State, he was no match for Zhuo Rusui.
“Why is he qualified?” Jin Sidao continued while looking at Zhao Layue, “I’ll be never convinced.”
The peak master of the Sword Peak would be replaced because of Jing Jiu’s words. Not to mention Jin Sidao and the elders and disciples who supported Jin Sidao, Mo Chi, Mei Li, Chi Yan and the others also thought it was improper to do so. It was mostly that Ping Yongjia had been on Green Mountain in a much shorter time than others; though he had two outstanding performances one hundred years ago, his Cultivation status was still very low and lack of experience. How could he be a qualified peak master?
The elders and disciples of Yunxing Peak had to have such a person as their peak master, so they felt unconvinced of course. They stared at Ping Yongjia with an unfriendly gaze.
Ping Yongjia felt stressed under this sort of gazes. He looked at Zhao Layue pitifully in the hopes of obtaining some support; but he didn’t get it from her. He regretted that his family name was Ping, because the word for “why” sounded like his family name, so everybody liked asking why whenever he was concerned.
“Then…then…then, let’s have a fight?” Ping Yongjia asked tentatively.
Upon hearing this, Jin Sidao was taken aback, wondering how the young people on Shenmo Peak could all be so arrogant. He thought that he could beat the likes of Pong Yongjia easily even though he was no match for Zhao Layue and Zhuo Rusui.
“Are you sure?”
“Hmm.”
An uproar broke out.
Even though Jin Sidao got the agreement, he still couldn’t believe that this matter could be settled so easily. He turned to Zhao Layue.
“I’m the peak master of Shenmo,” said Zhao Layue.
It meant that she would not interfere with the matter.
In the minds of Jin Sidao and the others, if Zhao Layue was not to get involved in the matter, the Immortal Sect Master wouldn’t do so either since he was very lazy.
Jin Sidao took a deep breath and said, “Fine.”
No sooner had he finished talking than a person appeared before him.
The pine waves made rustling sound, but it was deathly quiet in front of the grand hall of Xilai Peak.
Seeing this scene, an incredulous expression showed in everyone’s eyes.
Ping Yongjia’s right hand landed on Jin Sidao’s neck, as he said uncertainly, “Does this mean you have lost?”
Jin Sidao’s face grew pale, and soon turned crimson. “You sneak-attacked me,” he yelled in a trembling voice.
Ping Yongjia said embarrassingly, “Sorry, I’m a little nervous.”
Having said that, he went back to the side of Zhao Layue, though it didn’t seem like he moved at all. He had covered the distance of one hundred feet in the blink of an eye without leaving any residue behind, nor did he bring up a sliver of wind; it was as if he had never moved.
Witnessing this, the people were stunned again, wondering what kind of moving method he had employed.
Some of them had seen Ping Yongjia’s performance at the Sword Trial and the Plum Meeting over one hundred years ago; they knew that it was the rumored shapeless sword body.
The whole of Green Mountain and the entire Cultivation circle knew that only Jing Jiu, Zhao Layue and Ping Yongjia had developed such a prowess.
Jin Sidao inhaled deeply to suppress his anger, anxiety and frustration. But he didn’t dare to take it lightly, and called out his flying sword. He was to employ the most powerful move in the Old-Bird Sword style of Yunxing Peak.
His flying sword looked very light in the sky, like an ice cube, as if it could become invisible at any moment. It was the famous sword of Green Mountain, the Empty Sword.
Ping Yongjia felt more nervous, as he thought that his opponent was fully prepared, meaning he couldn’t approach him as easily as he had done earlier.
Crack!!!
The pine waves seemed to be blocked by an invisible shield.
The Empty Sword leapt into the air against the wind, bringing up a dozen agile sword lights and heading toward Ping Yongjia.
Ping Yongjia leaned his body forward instinctively and sprinted toward.
Whoosh!!!
The dust on the ground was kicked up a bit.
In the next moment, he arrived before Jin Sidao and placed his right hand on Jin Sidao’s neck. The sword lights emerged from his clothing and black hair, and the faint and formidable sword wills were exuding from his fingers.
The Empty Sword was still in the sky.
The move of the Old-Bird Sword style hadn’t occurred yet, let alone strike its opponent.
It grew quieter in the square. The people had a hard time believing what they had just witnessed.
Jin Sidao was shocked and embarrassed. He couldn’t utter a single word even though he attempted to say something with his mouth, gasping slightly.
“Does this mean I’ve won?” Ping Yongjia asked earnestly.
Jin Sidao called back the Empty Sword and shoved it into Ping Yongjia’s left hand, turning to walk to the outside of the square. He didn’t turn around no matter how desperately the elders and disciples of Yunxing Peak called after him.
A peak master in the middle state of the Broken Sea State had been defeated and humiliated by a young disciple who had only entered the inner gate one hundred years ago. Jin Sidao felt it too embarrassing to stay in the square any longer. He might have feel humiliated enough to go to the hermit peaks to be a companion of Fang Jingtian.
Ping Yongjia wondered how Jin Sidao was still so upset even though he didn’t sneak-attack him this time. He turned to Zhao Layue with uncertainty as he had no idea what he had done wrong.
Zhao Layue looked at him, her eyes full of the reflection of herself at a young age. Her eyes showed a hint of appreciation. “Not bad,” she said.
A few iron eagles suddenly took off in the distance and shouted, which was rather rare. As the clouds and fog dispersed slightly, dozens of sword wills came out cheerfully, as if they welcomed something.
Yuan Qü came before Ping Yongjia and looked at the Empty Sword in his hand admirably, “You’re pretty good, eh. What Cultivation state are you in?”
“No idea,” said Ping Yongjia blankly.
He really didn’t know what Cultivation state he was in. He had intended to lose the fight so his Master wouldn’t blame him for not wanting to be the peak master. Unexpectedly, he won the fight…Hearing this answer and thinking of the scene they had witnessed earlier, the crowd was stunned speechless again, wondering what kind of a place Shenmo Peak was.
…
…
The fight between Ping Yongjia and Jin Sidao merely took a short time, and it didn’t have any amazing displays of fighting, but the disciples of Green Mountain were all practicing the sword work, so they understood what it meant when Ping Yongjia twice put his hand on his opponent’s neck. As for the far more important sword fight that decided who would be the sect master of Green Mountain, no one had witnessed it.
Zhao Layue thought that Jing Jiu must have used that fight to get accustomed to his body in the Heavenly Arrival State, but the others believed that it took so many days because that was an evenly matched fight.
A few days were enough for the Dead Dog to eat all of the “delicious” foods that he had stored for many years, and it was long enough for Ada to curse the Dead Dog three thousand times in his mind. And it was enough time for Gu Qing to come back from Zhaoge City.
The small coal stove was rekindled, and the silvery coals had gradually turned a real hue of silver. The water in the iron kettle was boiling; it was time to put the tea in it. Gu Qing finished reporting the affairs of the imperial court and started reporting the internal affairs at the Green Mountain Sect.
“The Center Sect is displeased with the allocation arranged by the imperial court, but they can do nothing about it. The allocations at our sect are still arranged by Tianguang Peak, and Shiyue Peak is responsible for carrying them out. Yet, my worry is that Guo Nanshan has handed Liangwang Peak to Gu Han and the others; though they conduct their affairs fairly and justly, I’m afraid that the power they have is a bit too much…”
Lying on the bamboo chair and bathing under the autumn sun comfortable, Jing Jiu raised his hand to indicate that he was not interested in such a matter.
Gu Qing understood his intention and said nothing more. He heaved the iron kettle and started pouring the tea. There were three teacups on the tea plate. He poured the first cup for himself because the first cup of tea was a bit too light. Then, he poured the second cup for his Master because the flavor was just right. Finally, he poured the third cup for Zhao Layue because she liked her tea a bit stronger.
Only the three of them were at the edge of the cliff. Yuan Qü, Ping Yongjia and the Drifter were arguing heatedly about something in the Daoist Hall.
Jing Jiu took over the teacup and had a sip, asking, “Have you settled the matter over there?”
