Beyond Sword Unraveling Rock lay a straight, broad gravel path leading directly toward the distant Sword Hall, magnificent in scale and splendidly built.
Along the way, Xiang Yang saw quite a few swordsmen cultivating by the roadside—young and old alike, with no shortage of female swordswomen.
Some sat with closed eyes in meditation, gathering their thoughts and preserving their spirit. Some gripped swords and practiced their moves, fierce winds howling around them. Some held sword manuals and traced gestures with sword fingers...
Their appearances and practices were varied beyond count, yet they all shared one thing in common: sincerity. They practiced the sword and cultivated the sword with utter devotion.
"Greetings, Senior. Everyone who enters the Sword Hall is a swordsman who loves the sword as dearly as life itself. All are determined to devote their limited lives to the boundless path of the sword. The more they study, the more they cultivate, the greater their joy and happiness.
"When I first entered the Sword Hall, I too thought I would be unable to endure the loneliness. But once you truly become part of this environment, you discover what a blessing it is to ignore everything beyond these walls and devote yourself wholeheartedly to cultivating the sword."
As the wealthy swordsman introduced all this, his expression was calm and his tone proud, brimming with fervor for the Sword Hall.
Xiang Yang could see that this happiness came from the depths of his heart. To cast aside a life of wealth and honor for arduous cultivation of the sword, and to relish it as sweet as honey—regardless of strength, he and this man could be considered kindred spirits.
As the wealthy swordsman spoke, they happened to arrive before a great tree so thick that three men could barely encircle it. He