Chapter 129: A Sharp Sword Gifted at Night!
It was already afternoon when Ji You broke through the Sword Forest, and after staying at Qi Elder's residence for a long time, it was now dusk.
The setting sun, sinking to the west, dyed the layers of clouds, making the sky incredibly magnificent and the high mountains, like sword peaks, even more majestic and grand.
The two walked around and reached a spot near the peak.
The golden light of the setting sun was as brilliant as flowing fire, breathtakingly beautiful.
However, what puzzled Ji You was that this place felt completely unfamiliar to him.
He had been brought to the high reaches of Xuanjian Peak from Lingjian Mountain, residing in the courtyard Yan Shuyi used for meditation. Although he had never been to the summit, he was quite familiar with the surrounding scenery.
But everything before him now, he had never seen.
Several large halls above looked somewhat old; they probably weren't the Cloud Top Heavenly Palace he had admired from below the mountain.
The most obvious sign was that the Cloud Top Heavenly Palace was vermillion, while the halls nearby were dark green. Ji You put down the imposing, even when held in his arms, as if Proud Sky's little Master Jian of Lingjian Mountain.
His hand was still wrapped around her slender willow waist, his expression somewhat bewildered.
"So, this is what Xuanjian Peak looks like from top to bottom?"
"We're lost. This is Wenjian Peak."
"?"
Ji You was stunned upon hearing this, thinking no wonder those halls looked somewhat old and lacked any imposing aura.
So, this wasn't Xuanjian Peak, but Wenjian Peak, the relatively dilapidated one among Lingjian's Three Peaks?
He looked down at the little Master Jian, whose Face was serene and composed: "After we came down from Tianjian Peak, weren't we heading towards Xuanjian Peak the whole time?"
Yan Shuyi narrowed her eyes: "We kept changing paths, and somehow ended up at Wenjian Peak."
"You can get lost in your own home, why are you a bit silly—"
"I usually travel by air and rarely walk myself, so it's normal not to recognize it. When we switched to the west side just now, we might have taken the wrong path at the corridor bridge, and going further up was even more wrong."
Under the golden light of the sunset, the little Master Jian whispered, her eyelashes dyed a captivating golden hue.
Her figure was already tall, and now, with the mountain wind lifting her luxurious Master Jian Immortal Robe, she appeared divinely graceful.
But the act of narrowing her eyes made her seem somewhat delicate and adorable.
"Don't tell anyone," Yan Shuyi's expression was a little fierce.
"Master Jian, you brought me to overlook the mountains. This is even more Face-giving than me breaking through the Sword Forest, it seems impossible to hide."
"Then don't say we got lost."
The two then turned back, reascended Xuanjian Peak, and headed towards the Cloud Top Heavenly Palace.
At the corridor bridge, a huge stone tablet appeared before them, standing on the right side with the three large characters 'Wenjian Peak' written on it.
Ji You silently muttered, 'I didn't see it at all when we passed by earlier.'
He thought that earlier, one of them was focused on carrying, and the other on being carried, so they overlooked such a large stone. Just then, he saw the proud little Master Jian stop ahead and look back, with the stone threshold of the connecting corridor, only about four inches high, at her feet...
At the hour of You (5-7 PM), the sun had set between the western mountains and the sea of clouds, and the golden disk gradually dimmed.
Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu were standing on the veranda in front of the Heavenly Palace, gazing intently down the mountain.
They had waited for a long time outside the Sword Forest during the day, and seeing no one, they returned. They waited until sunset and finally saw two figures emerge from the depths of the dense forest.
Walking in front was their serene and exquisite Master Jian, followed by Ji You, whose white robes were as pure as snow.
Ji You already had spare clothes in his green jade gourd and had changed earlier, but the soft sword robe was not returned; he kept it.
Yan Shuyi watched this scene at the time, but she just narrowed her eyes and said nothing.
At this moment, Ding Yao looked at the white-robed man, who was approaching the mountain with a normal expression, her feelings becoming particularly complex.
When she sent Ji You up the mountain that morning, she had hoped that Tianshu Academy would quickly fall, and this man would slink down the mountain, tucking his tail between his legs and leaving with his sect, never to be seen again.
But in just one day, everyone down the mountain was chanting his name.
Yet, he still maintained a carefree demeanor, swinging a branch he picked up from somewhere, looking around the mountain, seemingly unaware that his name had silenced so many Disciples down below.
As she was thinking, the two had already passed the meditation courtyard below, but did not enter, instead heading towards the Heavenly Palace.
Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu exchanged glances, their Faces filled with doubt.
"Is Master Jian going to take him into her boudoir already?"
"Shh, Cui'er and Xing'er are still here—"
Yan Shuyi was gracefully walking ahead, her mind elsewhere. When she reached the stone steps, she instinctively raised her arms slightly, expecting to be carried.
It wasn't until Zhuo Wanqiu called out "Master Jian" that she snapped back to reality. She then lifted her skirt and ascended to the Heavenly Palace.
She felt a bit silly today, her mind not working very well, but it wasn't like this before—
Yan Shuyi murmured, then gently took off her shoes and socks, revealing a pair of pale, delicate feet stepping onto the thick carpet, followed by Ji You, whose eyes were full of curiosity.
Zhuo Wanqiu and Ding Yao didn't find it surprising, but Cui'er and Xing'er, the two maids, looked at Master Jian taking off her shoes and socks without hesitation, their eyes a little bewildered.
"Master Jian—?"
"The Tianshu Academy Disciple broke through the Sword Forest, destroying all seven swords, and brazenly demanded that my Lingjian Mountain compensate him with swords. He's been causing trouble on the mountain, so I brought him to find some swords."
Cui'er and Xing'er exchanged glances, thinking how bold this Tianshu Academy Disciple was, daring to demand Master Jian's precious hidden swords!
Zhuo Wanqiu, however, showed a strange expression, thinking, 'Your hidden swords are all famous swords. If you were truly compensating him, you could just casually give him a few. Why bring him here? This is clearly just an excuse to let him tour your boudoir.'
Ji You, meanwhile, walked in discreetly, his gaze surveying the surroundings.
Inside the Heavenly Palace, there was a pleasant fragrance, like faint orchids, similar to the scent he noticed when he held her.
However, it was mixed with a hint of incense.
After looking around, he took a few steps to the right, his gaze entering the right hall, where he saw a Phoenix couch adorned with pearls and jade behind a reading desk, very spacious.
Sleeping on such a large bed?
Is she not very well-behaved when she sleeps, does she like to kick off the covers at night or something—
Ji You was a little worried, thinking that if Yan Shuyi really liked to kick around in her sleep, his Physical Body might need more training.
Yan Shuyi was watching him from the front, her eyes a little unfocused.
Then the two walked into the hidden sword chamber in the back hall, where countless famous swords were displayed on sword racks. Although hidden within their scabbards and not outwardly extraordinary, they still exuded a sharp aura.
Yan Shuyi walked ahead, taking a precious sword from a sword rack and holding it horizontally in front of Ji You, seemingly checking its appearance.
Ji You looked at her serious expression and couldn't help but recall that scene in Qionghua Pavilion that day.
Being sponsored by a rich woman again—
"This one looks good."
"This one—it's alright too."
Yan Shuyi was immersed in the selection, moving along the sword racks and taking them down one by one, almost wanting to take out all the hidden swords for him to try.
If she thought it was suitable, she would hand it to Zhuo Wanqiu; if not, she would have Ding Yao put it back, even if Ji You said it was alright.
Gradually, the number of swords in Zhuo Wanqiu's arms grew, far exceeding seven.
No wonder Master Jian loved collecting swords so much; it turns out they were all accumulated for her dowry.
Yan Shuyi, with her snow-white, delicate, and rosy feet, trod on the thick carpet, circling around and trying out swords one by one until the very last one. After trying the last one, her gaze was drawn to a wooden box placed in the corner.
Inside this wooden box was a sharp sword overflowing with Spiritual Qi, clearly no ordinary item.
However, upon noticing this sword, Ding Yao's expression instantly changed: "Master Jian, this is the one Senior Brother Shang gifted—"
Yan Shuyi immediately remembered. When she went down the mountain to see Ji You, Ding Yao was holding that sword.
"What a coincidence, then I'll take this one."
Ji You reached out and grasped the sword from the wooden box.
Seeing this, Ding Yao couldn't help but say, "This sword has an extraordinary origin; there is no second one in the world. If you take it, it will be recognized, and it will surely cause trouble for Master Jian."
"Then I'll take it and deal with it. In any case, it can't stay here."
Ding Yao looked at him with some displeasure: "Young Master, it's one thing that you didn't come to gift a sword, but you still want to take Master Jian's hidden swords. Now you even want what others have given her? Wanqiu said you never sought benefits by using Master Jian's name, but I truly doubt it!"
Ji You had been so preoccupied with playing the 'carrying on stone' game with Yan Shuyi that he forgot what he was supposed to say. Now, reminded, he remembered: "You know what, I actually do have a sword I want to give you."
Yan Shuyi turned to look at him, and after a long stare, she spoke: "Really?"
"Mm."
"What kind? Let me see."
Ding Yao looked at the little Master Jian's expectant eyes, thinking that even if Ji You gave her a broken sword, she would probably cherish it as a treasure.
Ji You did not take out any precious sword: "It's not with me yet. After nightfall, Master Jian, if you use the spirit mirror to conceal the Heavenly Dao, someone will deliver the sword."
"What kind of sword is it?"
"A very powerful sword, one that will not make you work so hard again."
Ji You tossed the sword gifted by the Asked the Dao Sect's direct Disciple in his hand a couple of times: "I'll go back and take a bath, rest a bit, and we'll barbecue something in the courtyard tonight."
Yan Shuyi's cheek was pinched, and she looked up to see him turn and leave.
Seeing this, Ding Yao couldn't help but freeze in place.
She thought Ji You would at least pretend to take out a sword, making it seem like he genuinely intended to gift one.
Regardless of its quality, Master Jian, in her current silly state, would surely be fooled.
But she never expected this person to just leave like that? He didn't even bother to deceive her.
The sunlight quickly faded, and night began to quietly envelop, gradually covering the Qingyun World. Looking out from the Cloud Top Heavenly Palace, the distant Tianjian Peak gradually faded from view.
During this time, Yan Shuyi had already used the spirit mirror to conceal the Heavenly Dao. She was currently cultivating cross-legged, but during her cultivation, she would occasionally open her eyes and look outside the hall.
However, even after the stars appeared, there was still only the sound of the wind, so the frequency of her opening her eyes gradually decreased.
Did Young Master Ji truly intend to gift a sword, or was he just joking?
Zhuo Wanqiu couldn't quite guess, nor did she dare to, but in her heart, she leaned more towards him not having one.
Because if he really did, why wait until night? And why send someone to deliver it?
This place isn't somewhere anyone can just come and go. If there truly was a sword to be gifted, he would need to report it in advance and have her go down to greet him.
Young Master Ji wouldn't really be so erratic as to make such a joke—
Zhuo Wanqiu frowned slightly, thinking that the little Master Jian indeed loved collecting swords very much. When Young Master Ji said he would gift a sword during the day, her eyes lit up. If it was truly just a joke, it wouldn't be very amusing.
However, she was very cautious and didn't mention anything about swords after nightfall.
She thought that if there really wasn't one, Master Jian wouldn't be too disappointed.
For this, she even specifically ordered Cui'er to prepare dinner, thinking that if there was no sword and Master Jian threw a tantrum and didn't go to the meditation courtyard, she would still need to eat dinner.
Ding Yao, however, was different. She leaned directly against the doorframe, constantly gazing in the direction of the mountain path, her eyes filled with endless coldness.
"I thought he would just casually take out a sword, pretending it was prepared in advance to give to Master Jian. I even planned to mock him, thinking what kind of sword could compare to the one gifted by the Asked the Dao Sect's direct Disciple. I never expected him to not even take out a sword tassel, just finding an excuse to go down the mountain."
"Senior Sister Ding Yao's words are too harsh—"
"I know you and Master Jian are biased against me, but my actions have always been for Xuanjian Peak. I also know I've been a bit arrogant sometimes, but since Master Jian treats me as a sister, I've never thought of letting her down. My closeness to Asked the Dao Sect is selfish, but it's also because he is Master Jian's best choice."
Ding Yao leaned against the doorframe and murmured, "Master Jian is also a person, a woman. Sometimes she can't see clearly, and we need to help her see clearly."
Her voice was not loud, but to a cultivator's ears, it was clearly audible.
Yan Shuyi said nothing. Seeing Cui'er bring rice porridge and four small dishes into the room, she rose and went to the dining table.
However, just as she was about to sit down, the wind around Xuanjian Peak suddenly began to howl. Ding Yao couldn't help but frown. Just as she was about to tell the maid to close the door, she heard a clang, and an infinite sense of alarm instantly rose in her heart.
"?"
"Such powerful Sword Intent?!"
Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu instantly became tense, and then suddenly felt a fragrant breeze pass by them.
Yan Shuyi flew out of the Heavenly Palace and stepped into the windy, crane-throated night, her entire body's Sword Intent beginning to surge.
On the cliff stood an old man, with white hair and beard but a ruddy Face, showing no signs of decrepitude. He stood with his hands behind his back in the clear night outside the Heavenly Palace, his coarse, old robes fluttering in the wind, like a gleaming sharp sword looking down upon the boundless night.
At this moment, Yan Shuyi had already taken out the spirit mirror. The small stone mirror floated in the air, reflecting her cold and beautiful Face.
Tianjian Peak had always coveted Xuanjian Peak, and with rumors of chaos constantly spreading throughout the world, many malicious intentions could no longer be hidden.
Not long ago, someone, while drunk, asked a question: if the wielder of a Sacred Artifact died, could anyone control the ownerless Heavenly Dao Sacred Artifact?
Such a question was not the first time it had been raised.
The Dao lineages of the Seven Great Immortal Sects were coveted by people within the sects, by Worldly Sect outside the sects, and even more so by the Yao Race and barbarian tribes.
However, in the past, those who controlled Sacred Artifacts were all powerful experts in the Linxian Realm, until Lingjian Mountain's spirit mirror chose its own Master Jian, selecting one who was not yet invincible throughout the world.
At this moment, Zhuo Wanqiu and Ding Yao looked at that person, both feeling a great terror coming towards them. Their bodies trembled, as if a chill was creeping up their spines, but they still drew their swords, intending to advance against the wind.
But at this moment, the white-haired and bearded sword master suddenly raised his hand, and then, under the gaze of the three, cupped his fists and bowed slightly towards Yan Shuyi under the spirit mirror.
Under the night sky, endless sword winds swept in. Ding Yao and Zhuo Wanqiu, who had already stepped down from the Heavenly Palace's porch, were extremely shocked and for a moment could not make a judgment.
"I have a sword I want to give you."
"After nightfall, someone will deliver the sword."
"A sword that will not make you work too hard."
At this moment, the little Master Jian suddenly understood why Ji You had insisted on breaking through the Sword Forest in the end, and why he hadn't struggled at all when the Sword Qi swept towards him.
(Four thousand words, asking for monthly votes!)