Since You Have Come, This Mountain Opens for You

The streets and alleys in the rainy morning were utterly still. The carriage slowly came to a stop, while the horses snorted hot breath from their nostrils and occasionally lifted their hooves in light, measured taps.

The youth stood beside the carriage beneath an umbrella, a trace of surprise on his handsome, refined face.

An Le had never expected Madam Hua to personally send him to Sixth Mountain.

"Get in. What are you standing there foolishly for?"

Madam Hua glanced at An Le and said coolly.

Coming back to himself, An Le smiled gently and bowed to Madam Hua. He then folded his umbrella and was about to sit sideways on the carriage shaft.

"Young Master, that is this humble one's seat. Please enter the carriage."

The old coachman, tugging on the reins and dressed in a bamboo hat and straw rain cape, was somewhat speechless as he reminded him.

"Come in."

Madam Hua's voice drifted out from inside the carriage.

Slightly embarrassed, An Le apologized to the coachman. Braving the fine rain, he shook the droplets from his oil-paper umbrella before lifting the curtain and stepping into the carriage.

Compared to the biting chill of early spring outside, a charcoal stove boiled water within the carriage, filling it with comforting warmth and leaving no room for the spring cold to seep in.

Madam Hua was dressed simply today, clothed in plain white like a woman out on a leisurely excursion. She held a book in her hand, while candied fruits and steeping hot tea sat on the table before her.

Of course, Madam Hua was not the only one inside. Lin Zhuifeng and Lin Qingyin were seated there as well. Lin Qingyin gave An Le a slight nod, while Lin Zhuifeng pursed her lips to suppress a laugh.

"This student greets Madam."

An Le was not embarrassed either. Upon entering the carriage, he bowed to Madam Hua in greeting. Madam Hua nodded, gesturing for him to sit.

The horses' hooves fell lightly upon the flagstones, chiming alongside the carriage like ancient bells.

After a brief silence, An Le began unceremoniously drawing Time Qi, first plucking away at Lin Zhuifeng and Lin Qingyin.

Lin Zhuifeng possessed more than a dozen strands of Time Qi, enough for An Le to pluck from her several more times. But Ninth Sister Lin Qingyin had already been squeezed dry. Once he drew her three strands, not a wisp of Time Qi remained.

She was the second cultivator An Le had drained dry. The first had been Huang Xian, the Black Office constable; the second was Lin Qingyin.

They were both guides upon An Le's path of cultivation, and he was grateful to them.

After drawing from the two of them, An Le finally drew Time Qi from Madam Hua, barely managing to obtain one strand.

By then, An Le's depleted Time Qi had returned to seven strands of Time Qi.

He was in no hurry to make arrangements for these seven strands of Time Qi, because the tranquility within the carriage was finally broken.

"Young Master An, did you think First Madam was the only one inside earlier, so you did not dare enter the carriage?"

Lin Zhuifeng wore a fitted green outfit today, with a fire poker tucked at her waist. Waggling her brows, she spoke teasingly.

An Le's bashful, innocent appearance earlier had amused Lin Zhuifeng.

Hearing This, An Le did not grow embarrassed. A smile like a spring breeze blossomed across his handsome face.

"I did not expect Young Master to be heading for Sixth Mountain with us as well. Do you also wish to try and see whether Sixth Mountain Lord might favor you and make you Sixth Mountain's Mountain Guardian?"

Having opened the floodgates, Lin Zhuifeng had no intention of stopping. "But Young Master's cultivation is truly somewhat lacking. Although the Mountain Lords do not choose Mountain Guardians based on cultivation, preferring affinity at first sight, your chances of being selected are lower if your cultivation is too weak."

"It is fine. I shall simply treat it as a chance to broaden my horizons." An Le smiled.

Lin Zhuifeng greatly admired An Le's carefree air. Of course, that might have had something to do with his good looks. If it had been someone uglier, Lin Zhuifeng would surely have spat out a "hypocritical and affected" at once.

"If Young Master is also going to contend for the position of Mountain Guardian, then we are opponents... First Madam, who do you think is more likely to catch Sixth Mountain Lord's eye, me or Young Master An?"

Lin Zhuifeng turned to Madam Hua.

"This trip to Sixth Mountain is merely for you to watch the excitement. Give up on it."

During a pause in her reading, Madam Hua raised her eyelids slightly and mercilessly stabbed her in the heart.

Lin Zhuifeng immediately froze, her cheeks puffing up as she prepared to argue.

"Enough. Be quiet and properly nurture your mind."

Madam Hua shot a glance at Lin Zhuifeng, who still seemed ready to chatter without end.

Lin Zhuifeng promptly shut her mouth. Lowering her head with a touch of dissatisfaction, she began nurturing her mind.

Lin Qingyin smiled behind pursed lips, then sat quietly and closed her eyes to rest her spirit.

Holding the great scholar's work Ask Virtue, Madam Hua looked at An Le. After pondering slightly, she said, "A Mountain Guardian is chosen according to each Sacred Mountain Lord's affinity. Then do you know how one may speak with the Sacred Teacher?"

An Le was startled. He had not expected Madam Hua to suddenly turn to this question. He honestly shook his head. "This student only knows that speaking with the Sacred Teacher is extraordinarily difficult. Even many peerlessly talented individuals are unable to accomplish it."

"Has Madam ever spoken with the Sacred Teacher?"

An Le suddenly grew curious.

Madam Hua turned to look beyond the carriage window. At some point, the carriage had already left Lin'an Prefecture and was racing along the Official Road, where spring rain had awakened vitality and fresh grass and tender blossoms grew in abundance.

"I was taught by Ganye Temple. I have never met the Sacred Teacher."

Madam Hua murmured, then withdrew her gaze and looked at An Le. "To speak with the Sacred Teacher, three conditions must be fulfilled. Not one can be lacking."

"First, one must take first place in the Palace Examination and become the Imperial Court's top scholar. This step is not difficult. Since ancient times, as dynasties and courts changed, male and female top scholars emerged in abundance. A top scholar is nothing unusual. Second, one must obtain a Minor Sacred Token from a Mountain Lord. That is the proof required to meet and speak with the Sacred Teacher."

Hearing this, An Le was greatly astonished. This was the first time he had learned such a secret.

"Were these conditions set by the Sacred Teacher?" An Le felt somewhat curious.

Madam Hua shook her head, but did not answer immediately. Only after lifting her teacup and drinking some hot tea did she say, "The Sacred Teacher never sets rules."

"These rules were set by First Mountain Lord."

Lin Zhuifeng had long since lost all desire to nurture her mind. Hearing secrets that even she had never known, her eyes widened. "First Madam, you have only mentioned two conditions. What about the third?"

Madam Hua smiled. "The third condition is unknown."

The carriage suddenly fell silent.

Madam Hua did not know...

Then what was the point of saying all that?

"The third condition differs for every person who wishes to meet the Sacred Teacher. It may be exceedingly easy, yet it may also be exceedingly difficult."

"After fulfilling the first two conditions, one will face the final trial when ascending Sacred Mountain."

"Most people fail at the final trial."

Even Madam Hua could not help but sigh at this point.

An Le took a deep breath, his heart faintly trembling. Countless cultivators pressed forward one after another, merely to speak with the Sacred Teacher and enter Sacred Mountain, yet too many astonishingly gifted people had failed.

An Le could not help wondering whether he would have the chance to meet the Sacred Teacher and speak with him.

He did not know, for this was the lifelong goal of countless cultivators. Perhaps it would become An Le's goal as well.

Yet An Le was puzzled. Why was Madam Hua telling him this?

What did this have to do with Sixth Mountain Lord opening the mountain today to choose a Mountain Guardian?

"We're here!"

Just as An Le sank into thought, Lin Zhuifeng suddenly cried out excitedly inside the carriage. She leaned against the window on the other side and lifted the silk curtain. Fine, moist spring rain poured in through the window, carrying an icy spring chill.

Through the carriage window, An Le caught a fleeting glimpse of a towering mountain rising from the earth. Its sword pavilion was rugged and steep, like a Giant Sword plunged into the mortal world, standing majestically upon the land.

Vaguely, An Le felt that someone atop that mountain was gazing down upon the human realm, their eyes seeming to cross layered peaks and ridges before settling upon him.

The green mountains seemed to speak with lofty men; countless steeds came in a flowing procession.

Yet the misty rain lingered low and winding; one looked on, but in the end they never came.

A sudden feeling rose in An Le's heart. The Bamboo Breaking Sword at his waist trembled softly, as though invisible sword intent wished to burst from the bamboo sword and rush into the heavens.

Inside the carriage, Madam Hua smiled behind pursed lips, her eyes gleaming.

With a slight lift of her hand, the restless sword intent of the Bamboo Breaking Sword returned to calm.

Upon a mist-veiled perilous pavilion, one laughed and conversed alone above a thousand peaks.

Sixth Mountain.

Halfway up the mountain, amid mist and rain, stood a secluded pavilion.

A middle-aged man in blue robes stood motionless. The spring breeze carried beads of spring rain in from beyond the pavilion, stirring his robes like blades and slicing through the misty rain.

A Pine Wood Sword Box stood beside him. One hand rested lightly upon it, and he resembled a statue.

At the foot of the mountain.

Spiritual energy crisscrossed the air, blood qi spread like smoke, and minds gathered and dispersed like mist. Numerous cultivators had assembled at the mountain's base, already engaging in all manner of contests to enter Sixth Mountain and become its Mountain Guardian.

Although Sixth Mountain had yet to open, the cultivators had formed an unspoken understanding. Beneath the invisible strife, some departed regretfully, while others climbed to higher ground in high spirits, quietly awaiting the opening of Sixth Mountain.

The man's Primordial Spirit swept over them before withdrawing. Among these people, there was no one he wished to see.

His gaze lifted slightly beneath his eyelids.

Sensing the sword intent coming from afar, he had hidden three thousand swords and was naturally sensitive to sword intent. The young painter Zhao Huangting had spoken of had arrived.

The corners of the statue-like man's mouth could not help but rise, making his smile seem stiff yet sincere.

The man slapped the sword box. Its lid opened by an inch, spitting out two streaks of sword light.

The sword lights circled the man in slow flight. Then he bent his fingers and tapped lightly.

The sword lights shot out like rainbows.

The man raised his hand and pressed his palms together. The two streaks of sword light immediately intertwined. Then, as though drawing open a curtain, he pulled his hands apart.

In an instant.

With Sixth Mountain at its center, a Sword Qi that seemed to cleave through heaven and earth slashed forth. The white evening clouds above, the spring breeze in the human realm, and the spring rain filling the sky were slowly drawn open to both sides like curtains!

"Since you have come, this mountain opens for you."

"Open the mountain!"

As his words fell.

The torn evening clouds, spring breeze, and spring rain cleared away, revealing a stretch of brightness as the radiance of the blazing sun poured down from Ninth Heaven.

It spilled over the human realm, seeming to pave a brilliant golden avenue of sunlight.

It invited the carriage proceeding slowly along the mountain path to enter that golden avenue of sunlight, leading directly to Sixth Mountain.

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